The Roulette of Destiny: Reincarnated in the Pokémon World

The SS Anne was buzzing with activity as Ethan strolled through the grand ballroom. Trainers mingled, showcasing their Pokémon, and battles erupted in friendly competition. Ethan, however, wasn't here to socialize—he was here to observe. Sylveon walked beside him, ribbons swaying elegantly, drawing attention wherever it went.

"Fancy ship," Ethan murmured, glancing around. Sylveon gave a small nod, its eyes sharp and watchful.

The atmosphere shifted as Ethan passed by the buffet table, where Ash, Misty, and Brock were enthusiastically sampling the food. Pikachu perched on Ash's shoulder, happily nibbling on a berry. Ethan ignored their chatter, finding a quiet corner to lean against the wall.

Sylveon hopped onto a nearby chair, crossing its ribbons in what could only be described as a dignified pose. Ethan smirked. "Already making yourself comfortable, huh?"

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the ballroom, followed by a familiar voice booming theatrically over the crowd.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

Ethan's lips twitched, his expression otherwise unmoving. "Oh no."

The spotlight fell on Jessie and James, descending from the ceiling on ropes, their uniforms gleaming under the ballroom lights. Meowth stood proudly on the chandelier above, arms crossed as if overseeing their grand entrance.

"To protect the world from devastation!" Jessie declared, striking a dramatic pose.

"To unite all peoples within our nation!" James chimed in, flipping his hair.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!" Jessie continued.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

Ethan watched in silence, his lips twitching again as if battling a smirk. Sylveon tilted its head, unimpressed.

"They're hopeless," Ethan muttered under his breath.

As chaos erupted, Jessie and James revealed their "master plan"—a large, clunky vacuum cleaner-like device designed to suck up all the Pokémon in the room.

"This baby is top-of-the-line!" James bragged, patting the machine.

"Too bad it looks like it's held together with duct tape," Meowth quipped, earning a glare from both.

The machine roared to life, its nozzle swinging wildly as it began to pull Pokéballs toward its containment chamber.

Ash stepped forward, Pikachu leaping from his shoulder with a determined cry. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

A crackling surge of electricity struck the machine, causing it to sputter and smoke. James panicked, pressing buttons at random. "Jessie, do something!"

"Why do I always have to fix your messes?" Jessie snapped, pulling out her Pokéball. "Arbok, stop that electric rat!"

Weezing appeared alongside Arbok, filling the ballroom with a choking cloud of smoke. Trainers coughed and fumbled for their Pokéballs, while Ethan stood calmly, waving a hand in front of his face.

"This is a disaster," he muttered, glancing at Sylveon. "Let's just watch for now."

Sylveon nodded, its ribbons twitching in annoyance at the smoke.

As Pikachu continued to battle, the commotion reached new heights. Trainers joined the fray, their Pokémon clashing with Team Rocket's chaotic tactics. Jessie and James, however, couldn't seem to get their act together.

"Arbok, use Poison Sting!" Jessie ordered.

"Weezing, Smokescreen!" James added, only for the two Pokémon to collide mid-attack, creating an even larger mess.

Meowth facepalmed. "We're doomed."

Ethan leaned against a pillar, his lips twitching again. "This is more entertaining than I thought."

Meanwhile, Jessie and James started bickering.

"This was supposed to be foolproof!" Jessie yelled, dodging a stray Thunderbolt.

"It's not my fault the machine's defective!" James shot back, clutching the Magikarp tank he'd just bought from a shady trader earlier.

"Don't tell me you wasted our money on that useless fish!" Jessie screeched, pointing at the flopping Magikarp.

"This is an investment!" James protested, holding the tank defensively. "One day, this Magikarp will evolve into a powerful Gyarados, and then you'll see!"

Meowth sighed dramatically. "We'll be old and gray by then."

As the ballroom descended further into chaos, Ethan finally decided to step in. "Sylveon, Moonblast."

Sylveon nodded, summoning a shimmering orb of energy that soared through the room, exploding near Team Rocket's machine. The force of the blast sent the vacuum flying, its parts scattering across the floor.

Jessie and James froze, staring at the destroyed machine.

"Uh… retreat?" James suggested nervously.

"Not yet! We haven't lost!" Jessie insisted, only for Pikachu to unleash another Thunderbolt, sending them hurtling through the air.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they screamed, disappearing into the distance with a twinkle.

As the battle ended and the ballroom quieted, Ethan straightened his jacket, looking entirely unbothered. Sylveon returned to his side, its ribbons fluttering proudly.

Ash approached, grinning. "Thanks for the help, Ethan!"

Ethan shrugged. "Didn't do much. They kind of beat themselves."

Sylveon nodded, as if agreeing with its trainer's assessment.

As the ship began to tilt ominously, Ethan glanced at the lifeboats. "We should probably get off this thing before it sinks."

Ash, Misty, and Brock nodded, hurrying toward the exit. Ethan followed at a leisurely pace, Sylveon by his side.

The lifeboat glided through the calm waters as the group neared the shore. Ethan, sitting at the rear of the boat, looked out at the approaching land with a mixture of relief and exhaustion. Sylveon sat beside him, its ribbons fluttering lazily in the sea breeze.

Ash, ever the optimist, pointed excitedly toward the shore. "Look! We're almost there!"

Brock adjusted the oars. "Let's hope we don't run into any more trouble. I don't think this lifeboat can take much more."

Misty shot him a skeptical look. "Considering our track record, I wouldn't count on it."

Ethan leaned back with his arms crossed, his expression impassive. "Let's just get to solid ground," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the waves.

Just as the shoreline seemed within reach, a loud scraping noise shattered the calm.

"What was that?!" Misty exclaimed, gripping the sides of the boat.

Before anyone could respond, the lifeboat lurched violently to one side. The group was thrown into a state of chaos as the boat tipped precariously.

"We're stuck on something!" Brock shouted, trying to stabilize the boat.

Sylveon let out a sharp cry as Ethan grabbed onto the edge to steady himself. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath.

The sound of tearing wood filled the air as the lifeboat began to split apart.

"Everyone, hold on!" Ash yelled, clutching Pikachu tightly.

But it was no use. The lifeboat gave one final groan before splitting in two. The group was flung into the water, the icy shock of the sea stealing their breath.

As Ethan surfaced, sputtering, he realized he had been swept to one side of the wreckage. Sylveon clung to him, its ribbons wrapped securely around his arm.

On the other side of the divide, Ash, Misty, and Brock were desperately clinging to the remaining half of the lifeboat.

"Ethan!" Ash called out, waving frantically.

Ethan, standing waist-deep in the water, glanced at them with a look of utter disbelief.

His lips twitched as he muttered under his breath, "I will never travel with these bastards again. I've never encountered this many accidents in my entire journey until I met them."

Sylveon gave a small chirp of agreement, its gaze as exasperated as its trainer's.

Ethan waded through the shallows, dragging himself and Sylveon onto the shore. He collapsed onto the sand, breathing heavily, while Sylveon shook itself off and sat down beside him, looking just as unimpressed.

As Ethan sat up, he scanned his surroundings. The dense foliage of a jungle stretched out before him, and the cries of distant Pokémon echoed through the air.

"Great," he muttered, running a hand through his damp hair. "Just what I needed—another unknown location."

Sylveon let out a soft chirp, its ribbons brushing against his arm as if to reassure him.

Ethan stood, brushing the sand off his clothes. "Well, at least we're alive," he said, glancing back at the water. The wreckage of the lifeboat bobbed in the distance, but there was no sign of Ash or the others.

"Good luck, guys," he muttered, turning toward the jungle. "You're on your own now."