GET YOUR TOWELS READY, IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN

[indigo_events]

Wingulls wheel and dive in the salty springtime air of Olivine City's harbor, as white as the gleaming sides of the ship moored directly below. The S.S. Aqua isn't an infrequent visitor in the slightest, but this time it's for a very special occasion! Colorful banners stream from the sides, each one proudly declaring the word PROM in glittery font.

The boarding starts around noon on Friday, and the sight of the huge ship alone is enough to get many people and Pokemon swept up in the party atmosphere. The captain is even there when the ramp is rolled out, wanting to welcome each otherworlder onto the boat personally with a hearty handshake and (mentioning he's a renowned 'people reader'), a recommendation on what part of the cruise he thinks they'll like best based solely on a glance. Weirdly enough, guests might find that he's usually right!

Unsurprisingly, it takes a good long while for everyone to get on board and accounted for, which leaves each guest with plenty of time to find their rooms, dump their luggage, let their Pokemon out to stretch their legs a little, and finally head back to the deck to wave goodbye to the harbor as the SS Aqua heads out onto the open water.

IT'S FINALLY HERE, THE BEST TIME OF YEAR!


For the next three days until it makes its way back to shore on Monday, the lucky cruisegoers can live it up as much as they want. And, as the captain boasts over the announcement system once things are underway, the S.S. Aqua and its staff truly are the hosts with the most-- not even Gorgeous Resort has as much variety as this!

THE ATTRACTIONS

FIRST OF ALL, THE ROOMS!

Each room is fitted with either one or two king-sized beds, making them perfect to share with partners or friends, along with a wide-screen TV, dimmable lights, and fancy bathrooms. With little soaps that have "Please Steal Us!" printed into them.

Depending on whether they're exterior or interior rooms, they may or may not have porthole windows and balconies on the outside.

Check out the "Mood" channel on your TVs, you won't be disappointed.

GET YOUR SWIM ON @ THE WATER PARK

Possibly the first thing about the ship that most people notice (because it's noticeable from a mile away) are the set of pools and waterslides (proudly titled the Winged Mirage Pools) on the very top deck. It's about as wild as it gets while staying within the acceptable safety level for being pools on top of a huge boat. Each pool has its own set of waterslides that turn and twist to your heart’s content, so be mindful of your fellow guests rushing out to drop in on the fun!

Lifeguards are stationed and well-equipped to keep watch over patrons, and will do their best to keep the pools’ populations separated according to the ship’s rules. It would be unsafe, after all, for a small Pokemon to be bowled over by a group of rowdy folks playing water volleyball, or some similar incident.

The Articuno Pool is limited to human swimmers only! It has a small cold-water jaccuzi on the side, and the mosaic tile laid down looks quite similar to deep arctic ice. Pokemon are allowed in the vicinity of the pool but not within the pool itself.

The Zapdos Pool is special pool just for small to medium sized Pokemon to enjoy! It is staggered in two “tiers” and features greenery and water properly calibrated to suit even the pickiest sea Pokemon’s taste. Humans are allowed to supervise their Pokemon, but are asked to not interfere with the many Lifeguard Starmie on duty.

The Moltres Pool, flanked by two warm jacuzzis, is where people and small Pokemon are allowed to swim together! The water is calibrated carefully to be safe for all swimmers, and while it is expected for swimmers to get a little rowdy, Pokemon larger than their trainers are asked to refrain from cannon-balling, for the safety of everyone around them.

IT'S NOT PROM WITHOUT DANCING!

For the main dancing action, you’ll want to go to the Nido-King and Queen Ballroom. There, you can get down and funky with friends and your roster alike in your nicest prom duds to tunes spun out by a live DJ, who will happily and eagerly take your song requests. Don’t be shy, bust out those moves you’ve been holding onto all year!

For those of you who might prefer an all-night techno thump to your dancing, the Porygon2 Discotheque will keep you up and about long into the wee hours of the morning. Featuring actual Porygon2 assisting their DJ trainer, you’ll have their ill mixes and projected lights guiding you into perpetual party heaven.

AND IT'S NOT A PARTY WITHOUT FOOD AND DRINK!

Food is plentiful on board, nowhere more so than Wailord’s Bounty, a buffet operating round the clock to make sure all guests have the chance to fill their plates with delicious morsels whenever they want. While there’s plenty to go around for people and Pokemon, cruise staff do ask that Munchlax and Snorlax are not brought into the buffet. There have been... incidents.

For those looking for fine dining in the evening, look no further than The Mother-of-Clamperl. Slightly fancier than the other areas of the cruise, guests are expected to be dressed somewhat nicely. No showing up in flip-flops! Wear a dress shirt and have some champagne!

Somewhere in between on the fanciness spectrum, The Shiny Corsola may look like a gaudy bar, but lurking in that sparkly, shimmery haven is a smooth nightlife scene with all of the fancy liquor and exquisite jazz you could ever want. The jazz is live, by the way - the Jazzypuffs play an ever-rotating set for your listening pleasure, setting the mood for a sweet, sexy, relaxing night away from the hustle and bustle of cruise life.

AS FOR NON-AQUATIC RECREATION...

The Radical Croconaw Cove is the dope place to chill for preteen and teen promgoers, ya dig? Chock full of tubular snacks and stocked with retro video games that are the bomb-diggety, this is the off-the-hook zone to get your chill on! There’s also some board games too, for you tabletop nerds who want to squeeze a session in.

If you’re after live entertainment, Sudowoodo Centerstage has all your needs covered. Live comedy? Check. Sketches and skits performed by an ever-rotating cast of human and Pokemon actors fresh from Unova’s Pokemon Musical stage? Check! Opportunities for open mic performances by guests? Oh, honey, that box is done CHECKED! That’s right, guests of all species are encouraged to come on up and belt out that Lady Gardevoir cover that’s been stuck in their head, or perform in any other way! the only limitation is that guests are asked to keep Pokemon moves involved to non-destructive ones. After all, this is a cruise ship, not a Contest! And renovating a ship stage can be pricey.

While Goldenrod and Celadon have their Game Corners, the SS Aqua has the Mystery Egg Arcade, welcoming all ages to come and earn technicolor tickets via timing, chance, sharp eyes, and steady hands! Your first twenty tokens are complimentary, the rest shockingly reasonable in price (the equivalent of twenty-five cents per token), and the prizes you can glean are, while not the usual battle items or rare Pokemon, still very nice! Everything from well-made toys to good quality candies to the usual arcade bits and bobs like whoopie cushions and harmonicas, tiny parachute plastic figurines and paper finger traps...it’s all here, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg in tickets to win it, either!

For those looking for more intellectually stimulating pursuits, the Mantine Maritime Library offers a decent selection of reading materials, all seafaring in nature. From glossy photo spreads of underwater expeditions to reproductions of nautical journals from early sailors in Johto and Kanto history, this place has...well, not everything, but enough to whet your academic appetite.

What cruise ship is complete without an awesome rock wall to climb? Shuckle’s Challenge is specifically for humans, and any Pokemon that can’t learn Rock Climb or similar moves. It’s a test of ability and will, and the top of the rock wall offers a grand prize - the most spectacular view of the open sea on the entire ship.

Colorful and cheerful, Phanpy’s Putting Green is exactly the kind of kid friendly minigolf experience you could come to expect from the Pokemon world. Springy green turf adorned with figurines and obstacles depicting various baby Pokemon in play, it’s a hit with little children as much as it’s amusing for all ages to play a round or two together.

No ship is complete without a place to get in some rigorous physical activity, and The Rink is the perfect place to do so! Fitted with colored spotlights, this arena is fitted with all sorts of sports stuff that shifts throughout the day. For a few hours, it’s a basketball court, then, poof! It shifts to tennis, or racketball, or even a roller skating rink! And in the evening, it is of course open to Pokemon battles! Feel like hosting an impromptu tourney in your friend group with your best partners? This is the place to do it!

...And oh, don’t worry. We didn’t forget the most essential cruise amenity of all. Shuffle board courts can be found where you least expect them, and are always maintained by at least one friendly-looking elderly staff member willing to show you or your Pokemon the ropes. It’d be criminal not to make sure everyone has access to this timeless and treasured activity!

AND ONCE YOU'RE DONE PARTYING HARD...

Rejuvination is the core to the SS Aqua’s Max Revive Spa Center. Equipped with saunas, mineral soaks, and fancy mud masks, you’ll feel like a new ‘Mon once you emerge from their pampering. There’s even a special Trainer and Pokemon massage package for those of you who would like to try and improve your bond with one of your partners. Does it work? Only one way to find out...

While they may not have a specific name, the outdoor deck lounges can be found most everywhere on the outer decks, offering peaceful views of the ocean and any land in the distance that the ship might pass. These decks are awesome places to work on your tan or read a book or chat with a friend without disturbing others or being disturbed, and hold wonderfully atmospheric aesthetics for anyone looking to spot breaching sea Pokemon or take pictures.

[Feel free to toplevel to your heart's content! For more information about the event, check the infopost over here!]

Comments

Kazuki OTA

[forsaintcecilia]

Moltres Pool:

Honky Tonk, Kazuki's Primarina, wasn't really much of a swimmer despite being a water type. Ponds and lakes were often dirty, and salt was terrible for his mane! But a pool was okay! Kazuki did his mane up in a bun for him, so he could mostly keep it out of the chlorinated water. Then he was ready to have some fun!

Kazuki used to bounce a ball off of his nose way back when he was a little Popplio, and he hadn't lost his knack for it. He threw a big beach ball to him, and Honky Tonk would hit it perfectly into a waiting basket. Kazuki was obviously thrilled-- surprisingly, most of his Pokemon weren't into sports, and it'd been a long time since he had fun playing a game like this.

"Think you could get it in from waaaay back there?" He called to his Primarina, and Honky Tonk nodded. He swam to the furthest end of the pool, and Kazuki threw the beach ball over his head with all his might to reach him.

Going... Going... Gone! Honky Tonk smacked his nose against the ball, and it flew in a perfect arc towards the basket Nothing but net!

"That was awesome!" Kazuki threw his fist in the air in jubilation, and Honky Tonk made an elegant bow. He was level 100 now, you know! He was good for more than just being pretty!

Shiny Corsola:

Kazuki liked nothing more than an excuse to dress to the nines, and it couldn't get better than a cool, jazzy nightclub! He had an outfit that he'd been waiting to wear for awhile, and this felt like a good enough debut.

Everyone around him seemed to have a drink, and since he was technically legal where he was from, Kazuki decided to give it a try. He asked for something smooth, that didn't burn too much, and maybe, y'know, tasted good? He had no idea what was in what was given to him, as it was nondescript in color, but it was more than tolerable in sips. It only made him feel a little warm. He didn't want to get drunk.

His Sensu Oricorio, Azuma, was with him, sitting on his shoulder. He was the only Pokemon he brought with him that was both small and calm enough to fit in an environment like this. Plus, he appreciated the music as much as his trainer did. He even insisted on wearing a little white bow-tie to match Kazuki's outfit.

The jazz was really good, even if it reminded him a bit of the song that were always faintly playing in the background of this world. It really made him want to play along, but it was too presumptive, even for Kazuki, to bring his trumpet down here. He could always have some time for creativity later, somewhere where he wouldn't be too much of a bother.

Kazuki felt really classy and mature, hanging out in a place like this. He wondered what someone who knew him would think if they saw him!

The Rink:

Kazuki couldn't possibly resist the chance to play some sports, even when on vacation. It was his idea of a good time no matter where he was. There was space on the courts to play tennis against a wall, and there were enough baskets to shoot some hoops on your own, but where was the fun in that?

Kazuki was ready and willing to join any game already in process, and was being an absolute pest trying to find people to play with him. He's really good, so it'd be a real challenge! Or he could join your team and help you win! Or... He'd go soft on you if you were a beginner. He wasn't that competetive.

An Altaria, named Aria, was perched up on the top of the saftey fence, watching her owner play. She didn't know he liked to run around so much, chasing after balls, sometimes hitting them with funny sticks... Humans thought of the weirdest games.

Max Revive Spa:

Whoever thought men couldn't have spa days were just plain wrong.

This was a top quality experience. Kazuki had never been so pampered in his entire life. He was wrapped up in a fluffy robe, his feet in a tiny jacuzzi, a skin mask on his face, and yes, cucumber slices on his eyelids. If it weren't for his, you know, bright green hair, he'd probably be totally unrecognizable.

Beside him, Honky Tonk was nearly in the same set-up, but he had one flipper out for an attendant to massage while he basked in the atmostphere. Nearby, his Vulpix, Kahoko, was having a luxurious brush-out of her shiny red coat, with special attention being given to her six vulumptuous tails. Kazuki normally brushed her every day, but not like this!

The chair next to Kazuki was open and waiting. He was likely to chat up anyone who would sit next to him. Sorry if he's a bother... Not sorry.

Outdoor deck:

Despite the ship being so huge, there were surprisingly few places where one could really get away from the rest of the passengers. Not that Kazuki really wanted to get away! He just didn't want to disturb anyone if he was going to play his trumpet.

Kazuki didn't actually practice very much, but he did play every day simply for the pleasure of it, which more or less counted for practice, he guessed. He brought his trumpet with him because he knew he wouldn't be able to part from it for more than a few days. And the only place he could find to play it without bothering anybody too much was out on the decks.

Thankfully, it wasn't Mozart's Allegro. Kazuki played something a little more upbeat, and fitting for a happy cruise. A Chatot was on his shoulder, singing in accompaniment. It was suprisingly good-- they must have done this together before.

As he played, there was a Lapras next to the ship, just over the rail, occassionally calling out to him. Once finished, Kazuki went to the rail to shout back.

"You're doing great, Shimizu! You're keeping up with the ship really well!"

Feel free to make your own starter if you'd like!

Rink

[isleavepossible]

Alex is usually more one for outside things like hiking but she has some nervous energy to burn off so she's got a basketball and is shooting hoops.

Mostly by herself but there's a Togetic that keeps trying to catch the ball and throw it back. Usually right before it gets into the hoop.

When she notices the Kazuki she'll sigh.

"I think we've invented a new game. Sorry, did you want a go with the hoop?"

[forsaintcecilia]

"Oh no, there are plenty that are available!"

The Altaria perched up on the fence called to the Togetic. Wasn't the point of the game for the human to get the ball into the hoop? Or were they playing a different game?

"I was actually looking for someone else to play with! I don't get the chance that often around here," Kazuki replied as he approached, his own ball under his arm. "Do you want to play Horse? I can give you a handicap if you need it."

He had a tendency to underestimate girls, but he didn't mean any disrespect!

[isleavepossible]

Togetic floating over the hoop looks over and calls back. This is more fun and the human is funny when they're confused.

Alex meanwhile just seems amused rather then insulted by the underestimating.

"Horse sounds like fun. You'll have to tell me what kind of handicap you can get for that though. Would I get more letters? Do I get to throw things at you whenever you make a shot?"

[forsaintcecilia]

Oh! Well, as long as they were having fun. Aria fluffed up her cloudy wings and made herself comfortable on the fence now that she saw her trainer had found another human to play with.

Kazuki laughed bashfully, one hand behind his head.

"I think more letters would be the humane way to do it. But maybe one game fair and square first, to see if you really need the handicap?"

Her confident reply gave him the feeling she didn't need one at all.

[isleavepossible]

Ren meanwhile will fly over as well, now that it seems his trainer has found a new game.

"That sounds like a plan."

She's no expert but she'll pass on the handicap for the moment. She's played enough in gym and with friends to think she has a shot with most people.

"If you turn out to be a pro basketball player, I reserve the right to extra letters since the throwing things is out of the picture."

No she has never played that second version with her brother at least once.

[forsaintcecilia]

"Agreed!"

Kazuki took a few steps back, and made it very clear with his body language that he was going to pass the ball to Alex before he went ahead and did it. He was pretty sure she could handle a chest-pass from a guy.

"I'll let you go first though. I'm Kazuki, by the way, what's your name?"

[isleavepossible]

She can and catches it easily.

"My name's Alex. Nice to meet you. That little troublemaker over there is Ren."

She points over to the Togetic who is sitting on the fence, now looking fake offended. Him, trouble? Never.

And with that she'll take an average shot. Not too close or too far, just to start out. And...it goes in!

[forsaintcecilia]

"Hey, Alex! Nice to meet you too!" Kazuki greeted in return as he watched the basketball fly in a perfect arc and swooshed cleanly through the net. He whistled lowly to show that he was impressed. "Nothing but net! Alright, let's see if I can do it too..."

He didn't sound like he doubted that he could. Sure enough, after he got in the same position Alex was in, he shot a clean basket. His form was just like they teach in gym class. He jogs over to catch the ball as it falls to the ground, then passes it back to Alex.

"No letters yet, try again!"

Outdoor deck

[lyingheart]

Technically speaking, it was not, in fact, a time to be wandering around wearing a gown, but considering all her clothing got misplaced and she's got a gown or a sleep shirt to parade around in every day, she's just. Going for the gown.

Being confined rated low on her scale of things she enjoyed, up to the point where more often than not after her round of patrol and meeting up with Lute to pass on that she'd seen nothing of particular concern, she'd step back out onto the decks to feel like she had more room to breathe. She hears Kazuki's playing, but registers it in the background and only wanders close enough through the decks to catch sight of his playing (and Chatot's singing) toward the end.

She doesn't applaud, doesn't actually move at all, watching when Kazuki approaches the rail to call out to the Lapras. People have kept their pokemon close, as a rule, so even those too large to be on board who might swim alongside aren't unusual.

She walks forward after considering that point, leaning against the rail not so far down from where he is. "Shimizu's one of yours, I take it." More a statement of fact than a question, with Annie observing Kazuki's face before looking back toward the Lapras.

[forsaintcecilia]

Well shoot, Kazuki was just wearing one of his normal outfits! He was saving his formal wear from the Prom itself, and maybe a few other such fancy occasions. But if he knew someone was going to catch him playing, he would have put on his nines... Oh well.

Kazuki was shouting to Shimizu, and with his head under over the rail, the roar of the ocean drowned out any sound of someone approaching. It took until Annie was nearly right next to him, and spoke to him, for him to even notice she was there.

"Yeah! I found him beached up near Fuchsia City, probably from the Seafoam Islands, when he wasn't much more than a baby," Kazuki finally turned to her after he explained. "This is his first time out on the open ocean, so I'm keeping an eye on..."

Wait a minute. He knew this person. They hadn't met face-to-face before, so it took him a moment, but...

"Annie! Is that really you?"

[lyingheart]

There was no one else sporting the all day formal wear look, because everyone else was both sane and had a larger wardrobe. Annie lifted her eyebrows, almost tempted to look over her own shoulder like a spectral version of her usual self might be standing by. "It is," she said instead, "All hundred fifty three centimeters of me." Plus whatever her heels added on, but that was negligible on the best of days.

"Kazuki, right?" She held out a hand for shaking. "Good to finally meet you face to face."

[forsaintcecilia]

Kazuki looked comically baffled at Annie's offer for a handshake-- for one, he was still shocked she was there at all, since she seemed to appear out of thin air, and for two, he'd never met a girl who greeted someone with a handshake before! Bowing he was used to, even though it rarely happened in this world, but a handshake?

Yet, once the notion had a moment to settle inside his head, it fit his mental image of Annie quite well. A big, sincere smile dawn on his face, and he took her offer to shake with enthusiasm. Maybe a little bit too much enthusiasm.

"Yeah! It's super great to meet you too!" He replied, and the Chatot on his shoulder echoed super great from his shoulder. "You're so quiet, you almost gave me a heart attack! Make a little noise when you walk-- or were you trying to sneak up on me?"

The fact that she was so small (even shorter than Kazuki initially thought) may also contribute to her overall stealth factor.

[lyingheart]

At least he was no more or less enthusiastic a hand shaker than some she'd run into here. Annie reclaimed her hand, smoothing her dress down over her hip. "I wasn't trying to sneak up on anyone."

Her eyes flick up toward the Chatot, then back out to the Lapras. "You were otherwise occupied at the time. I doubt how quiet I did or didn't move had much to do with it."

Then again, she walked softly out of habit for not wanting to draw attention to herself. He had a point, for a civilian.

"What were you playing earlier?"

[forsaintcecilia]

"Well, you don't have to be quiet around me, even if I'm playing," He gestured vaguely upwards with his trumpet. Audience participation was one of his favorite thing about performing.

"This is my trumpet! You said you'd never heard of one before, right?" Kazuki held out his instrument, offering for her to look at it or touch it if she liked. "And that song was Over the Double Eagle by Josef Wagner. I've played it for a concour, so it's a tune I can bring up without sheet music pretty easily."

[lyingheart]

"Quiet's a habit. But I'll try to step louder, if you like." For the life of her, she had no idea what he expected out of her when he was playing. She wasn't loud by nature, outside of when her temper snapped, which was rarer these days than it had been when she was younger. Temperance learned over time, when anger never solved anything anyway.

The trumpet had her attention, and when he held it out toward her she reached out to trace over the metal with a finger. Just as experimentally, she depressed one of the finger buttons over the valves, seeing how much resistance it offered to her touch. She pulled her hand away after, curiosity addressed to some degree. "I have no idea what most of what you said means. What's a concour? Sheet music is printed, I assume, versus what you memorise. Josef Wagner is a..." she trailed off, trying to find the word she wanted and coming up blank. "An artist from your world?"

[forsaintcecilia]

"No worries, no worries. Just don't scare me like that again, okay?"

He wasn't exactly frightened by her approach-- his aim was more to make her feel at ease around him. Whether her nature was quiet or loud (although he doubted the latter) she could be herself around him.

His grin turned toothy as she tried the pressure on his trumpet's valve. He really loved introducing music to people, and he rarely got the chance to be someone's first experience. Usually total newbies were small children, so it was a special treat to play for a person past their formative years.

"You've pretty much got it!" He nodded encouragingly. "A concour is like a music competition, where different musicians play for judges and they choose who they think played best. Sheet music is just that; music printed out on a page. And someone who writes music is called a composer!"

Outdoor deck

[schachmeister]

If there is one sound Armin can easily recognise at this point, it is Lapras song. And combined with Kazuki's playing and appearance, he's got a good idea of exactly who is down there singing. And bluntly speaking, he wants to see the baby. Ever since Kazuki told him about the Lapras he found, Armin has been checking in regularly to learn of Shimizu's progress and to chart it against his own babies --always good to know if one happens to be lagging behind!-- but this will be the first time, he actually gets to see the Lapras in the flesh and not just on the screen or in photos.

"Ah, Kazuki! Hi!" He's waving, even as he jogs up to where Kazuki stands, offering him a happy smile.

[forsaintcecilia]

Kazuki looked up from over the rail when he heard his name called, and broke out into a grin when he saw Armin. He held his trumpet up in greeting, and Clef lept up off of his shoulder to go and check Armin out. She recognized the face and voice of the person who caught her, even though Kazuki was her trainer through and through, and she wanted to show him some gratitude!

"Hey Armin! You've got great timing-- This is Shimizu here, right over the rail!"

Kazuki knew Armin's priorities, and wasn't offended by them either. Hey, if there was a Pokemon that played a trumpet for some reason, he'd probably be equally fascinated.

[schachmeister]

Armin can't help but smile when the little Chatot flies up to him. Oh, he certainly remembers her. It had taken quite a bit of work to catch her, but still, it looks like she had been the perfect present for Kazuki.

He didn't come here to see her though -- not that he isn't glad to see her doing well! His reason for coming is off the side of the ship.

"I'm glad I finally get to see him!" Armin grips the rail, leaning down to look at the little Lapras. "Hello there, Shimizu. It's good to finally meet you in person."

[forsaintcecilia]

Clef whistled happily at Armin, and circled around his head a few times before she perched back down on Kazuki's shoulder. He really was the best kind of trainer for a Chatot.

Shimizu tilted his head to look up at Armin, and then cried to his, low and melodious. While they had never met in person, the Lapras recognized Armin's face and voice from seeing him through the Gear so many times. That familiarity made him immediately comfortable. Kazuki had desensitized him to meeting new people pretty well, but Shimizu was still occasionally shy.

[schachmeister]

Armin really wishes he could get down there and properly examine the little Lapras. Still, jumping off the side of a cruise ship probably isn't the best idea in the world. In fact, it probably very solidly falls into the category of 'bad ideas, do not do'.

"He looks good." That is to Kazuki. "Has he been growing well? What is his weight like?"

Please give him all the details.

[forsaintcecilia]

"He's at full weight for a male now, like you said, 220 kilos! And look at how well he's swimming -- he can keep up with the cruise ship just fine! I'm glad he can do that, when he's never been on the open sea before..."

"Do you want to go down there and check him out?" Kazuki asked, sensing Armin's Lapras enthusiasm. "I've got Aria with me, she can fly you down safely. And he knows you, so he won't mind."

[schachmeister]

"If she wouldn't mind, then please." Armin would absolutely like to take a closer look at Shimizu. However, considering his apprehension about this trip going well, he focused on only bringing strong swimmers and no flying pokemon. And the Lapras is too big to bring on deck.

[forsaintcecilia]

"Nah, she wouldn't mind at all! She's a real sweetheart, she'll give anyone a ride."

Kazuki pulled out his Pokeball case and picked out Aria's ball. He gave it and easy underhanded toss onto the deck. A full grown Altaria popped out, as lovely and fluffy and cloudy as one would expect. She further fluffed herself up, gave a friendly cry to Kazuki, and then looked at Armin with gentle curiosity. Who is this human? She likes his hair. It looks very soft.

"Hi hun!" He stroked the long feathers on her crest, and she cooed sweetly. "Do you think you could fly my friend Armin down to Shimizu?"

Absolutely! She bobbed her head at Armin and spread her wings out. He looks as light as one of her own feathers. No trouble at all.