[Pokemon] Chapter 66: Lapras Pirate Crew

Not far from the area where Jin and his team had been attacked, in a part of the sea surrounded by reefs, one of the Six Heroes, Lapras, could be found. After its battle with Milotic, Lapras had taken some time to rest, and was now swimming around, keeping watch.

“…Hah… Hoo…”

Lapras weaved between the rocks, heading toward a small island made of stone at the center of the reef cluster. However, the wounds it had sustained in the battle with Milotic had not yet fully healed—every movement sent pain coursing through its body.

“…?”

As Lapras drew closer to the island, it began to hear lively voices echoing from inside a cave. Sensing something unusual, it cautiously entered—and found humans playing alongside its fellow Lapras.

“You’re here… We’ve been waiting.”

“Th-thank you for having us!”

The ones inside were none other than Jin, Milotic’s Trainer, along with Liko, Roy, and Friede.

“Sorry about this. After you retreated, I had my Pokémon track you from the sky.”

“Hoah!?”

Lapras was stunned by Jin’s explanation. After the battle, all it could think about was escape. It had anticipated pursuit—but only from the sea or underwater. It hadn’t considered the sky at all… No, in that desperate moment, it hadn’t had the luxury to think about anything beyond behind and below.

“Grrr…”

Lapras suddenly glared at the outsiders, especially Jin, brimming with suspicion.

“…Don’t look at me like that. I’ve no intention of battling you again. There’s no need for it.”

During their first encounter, Jin had been impressed by Lapras’s raw power and technique. But now, he had seen through its movements. Even a regular Milotic, not in battle mode, could likely defeat it now. Jin saw no reason to fight again.

“I’m just here to observe. If you don’t make a move, neither will I. She’s the one who wants to talk to you.”

Jin raised both hands to show he had no hostile intent and stepped back, leaning against a wall. In his place, Liko stepped forward to face Lapras.

“Lapras! I came because I want you to meet Terapagos!”

Lapras turned its gaze away from her. In the direction it looked, Terapagos was surrounded by Lapras’s pirate crew, chatting happily with them at the center. It had already made friends in such a short time.

“Wow… they’ve already become friends?”

“Terapagos… might really be amazing.”

Terapagos was a pure-hearted Pokémon, for better or worse. Anyone who had lived on the ship with it would know that. If it could make friends so easily, then surely the pirates here weren’t evil at heart either.

Friends, huh...)

Jin watched the scene with mixed feelings. From Diana’s opinions and Terapagos’s behavior, he knew the pirates weren’t true villains. But the deep-rooted hatred he held for pirates wasn’t something that could be erased so easily.

“Lapras… please listen! Terapagos wants to go to Laqua!”

“…!?”

“The paradise you once reached with Lucius… I don’t know where it is or what kind of place it might be, but I want to help fulfill Terapagos’s wish. That’s why I came to see you—because you were once Lucius’s companion!”

“Pago! Paa-go!”

As Liko tried desperately to convince Lapras, Terapagos slipped away from the group and rushed to Lapras, passionately pleading with it.

“Please, Lapras! Help Terapagos!”

“PAAAAAAAGOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Moved by Liko’s heartfelt plea, Terapagos’s body began to glow, and it let out a cry so loud it seemed to echo across the entire island.

“The ancient Poké Balls!?”

At that moment, the two ancient Poké Balls on Liko’s belt—given to her by Diana—also began to shine. She quickly removed them, and they burst open, revealing Arboliva and Galarian Moltres.

“Arboliva… Galarian Moltres…”

These two Pokémon had never once emerged from their Poké Balls despite many attempts—but they responded to Terapagos’s call and appeared, staring intently at Lapras. The three members of the Six Heroes were now together. Lapras, hearing their call and Terapagos’s feelings, let out a deep cry, gathering energy in its mouth to form a glowing sphere.

“That’s the same as Arboliva and Moltres!”

Lapras released the energy sphere, which rapidly expanded, engulfing everyone present.

When the light subsided, the scene before them had completely changed. No longer were they on the rocky island. The space was now enveloped in a pink mist. Before they could fully take in their surroundings, the ground rumbled and the rocky walls began to move. Standing in the distance, with his back turned, was a man with a medieval-style cloak and hair of blue and aqua. His identity was unmistakable.

"Everyone, thank you. Leave this to me. I won’t die. I promise. I’ll live with Laqua, and one day… we’ll meet again."

With those final words from the ancient adventurer Lucius, the vision faded and the island scenery returned. Though limited in detail, his words suggested that he had stayed behind to protect someone, facing some threat alone.

“Paa! Pago! Paa!”

Still stunned by the scene they had witnessed, Jin and the others slowly came back to their senses at the sound of Terapagos’s joyful cry.

“Grr… HOOOOOO!”

In contrast, Lapras shed tears from its eyes, letting out a sorrowful roar. So did Arboliva and Galarian Moltres. Though just a guess, it felt as if their cries were filled with the longing to see Lucius again.

“You made a promise to Lucius, didn’t you?”

“That’s why Terapagos wants to go to Laqua…”

“A promise… that’s why Arboliva and Moltres are following Terapagos… following us.”

Having fulfilled their part, Arboliva and Moltres returned to their ancient Poké Balls. Lapras, still remaining, let out a breath and then called to its crewmates. From the back of the cave, a Vigoroth and Barbaracle appeared, carrying a wooden crate, which they placed in front of Jin and the others.

“Nyaoha!”

“Fweeeeh!”

The crate was full of Berries, and Sprigatito and Fuecoco’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“These are…”

“Looks like they’re telling us to eat!”

“Seems like they’re welcoming us.”

Just as Friede said, this was the pirate crew’s way of showing hospitality. Liko and the others gratefully accepted the offering, each taking a berry and beginning to eat.

“Jin? What’s wrong?”

“You should eat too, Jin! They’re super tasty!”

Jin, who alone had yet to touch the berries, was addressed by Liko and Roy. He reluctantly responded.

“…It’s nothing. I’ll have one.”

Jin picked up a nearby Mago Berry and took a bite. It was fresh, and sweet juice filled his mouth with each chew.

However…

Too fresh… These were harvested recently.)

This small rocky island shouldn’t be able to grow Berries. Which meant these Berries had been brought from elsewhere. Judging by the pirates’ nature, it was unlikely they had gathered them legally. Most likely—they were stolen.

And Jin had an idea where they’d come from. He remembered the cargo ship he had seen at the port, the one with Tropius’s face printed on the crates. He hadn’t asked for details, but it had clearly been carrying Berries. When combining the season, freshness, and timing—it all added up.

Welcomed with stolen goods… very pirate-like.)

For the sake of maintaining relations with Lapras, Jin chose not to say anything. But now that he realized the truth, guilt dulled his tastebuds. The berry that had tasted so sweet now felt flavorless, as if he had lost his sense of taste.

“…Time to call the others.”

Forcing himself to finish the berry, Jin stood up and pulled out his Rotom Phone.

“Ah, right…”

The Brave Olivine, their massive ship, had been anchored at a distance to avoid detection. The other members, who had stayed behind, were likely waiting for contact.

“Signal’s bad… I’m going out for a bit. You guys stay here.”

“Sorry, I’m counting on you.”

Jin left the cave and headed outside to get a better signal. He began contacting the ship’s crew.

‘Got it! Cranking the engine, we’ll be there ASAP!’

‘I made a bunch of special donuts! Just wait!’

‘There aren’t any injured Pokémon, right?’

Each member replied with their usual personality. With the communication complete, Jin should’ve gone back immediately—but instead, he continued walking toward the far side of the island.

“…This should do.”

After a short walk, he reached the rear of the island and whistled. In response, Milotic rose from the sea, Salamence descended from the sky, and Gardevoir teleported to his side.

In truth, Jin had deployed these three in secret when they first arrived on the island. The reason was simple: if negotiations failed and battle broke out, they would immediately subdue the Lapras pirate crew. If the fight had stayed in the cave, Sceptile alone would have sufficed, but in case of escape, these three were his backup.

However, thanks to Liko’s desperate plea and Terapagos’s unexpected actions, the negotiations were going smoothly. Though he wouldn’t drop his guard, Jin felt confident.

“Sorry, everyone. Keep watch a bit longer.”

Following his command, the three Pokémon returned to their posts—sky, sea, and land—to continue their vigilance.

“…I really went overboard, huh.”

After seeing the pirate crew up close, it was hard to imagine them as enemies. Still, Jin’s deep-rooted mistrust of pirates wouldn’t allow him to lower his guard.

“Well, no harm in being too careful…”

Liko and Roy, not to mention Friede and the other adults, often placed too much trust in Pokémon. But whether human or Pokémon, once cornered, anyone was capable of cruelty. So at the very least, Jin decided he would always be the one to remain cautious—even toward Pokémon. That was the resolve he carried in his heart.

***

Before long, the Brave Olivine arrived at the island in response to Jin’s message.

Once they landed, Murdock brought along a large batch of freshly fried donuts and offered them to the pirate crew. Perhaps because they were used to eating only Berries, the pirates were quickly captivated by the taste and, before long, completely lowered their guard. Members of the Rising Volt Tacklers and their Pokémon, having quickly bonded during this short time, finished their donuts and began playing together with the pirates.

“…"

Meanwhile, Jin sat alone on the slope connecting the Brave Olivine to the island, watching the scene absentmindedly. One person quietly approached him—Diana.

“…You’re not joining them?”

“…I don’t think I can enjoy myself with pirates.”

“…I see.”

An awkward silence settled between them. Their disagreement during the earlier meeting was clearly still lingering.

“…I apologize for my earlier rudeness.”

It was Jin who spoke first.

“For wild Pokémon, the law of the jungle is a natural way of life. And humans are no exception as their targets. Turning a blind eye to that and trying to apply human standards to them was a mistake… I called them shameless, but I take that back.”

Now that some time had passed and his temper had cooled, Jin acknowledged that he had gone too far in their earlier argument and offered Diana a sincere apology.

“No… If anyone should apologize, it’s me too.”

“Miss Diana…”

“I’ve been chasing the legends of the Six Heroes and the Song of the White Mist since before you or Liko were even born. So when Lapras appeared before me, I couldn’t help but get excited.”

Diana had spent a long time—longer than Jin and Liko’s lifetimes combined—pursuing those two legends. Even if she hadn’t achieved any concrete results until now, the opportunity to uncover both legends at once at her age was enough to make anyone giddy with excitement.

“It’s because of that admiration for them that, when Liko and the others started speaking harshly about Lapras, I ended up defending it without thinking… But you’re right. There’s no way I could justify telling the people who were attacked by Lapras, or the ones who might be harmed in the future, ‘It’s fine they stole your cargo—it was to survive.’”

Diana, who had been defending Lapras, now understood that Jin’s perspective had merit. But the open hostility and resentment Jin had shown toward Lapras had, unconsciously, caused her to reject his viewpoint.

“To think, at my age, I couldn’t see that—and even ended up arguing with my granddaughter’s boyfriend… how pathetic.”

Diana was an adventurer who had traveled the world. Though she had encountered villains and rogue Pokémon, those instances had been rare. Her goal had primarily been to unravel the mysteries of the world, often forming cooperative relationships even with wild Pokémon.

Jin, on the other hand, had set out to win the Pokémon League. But due to his knack for getting caught up in trouble, he had clashed with numerous villains—human and Pokémon alike. He had also seen just as many people who suffered from such conflict. To him, protecting those people justified taking action against any threat, regardless of species. That belief had been ingrained in him.

Even though both were adventurers, the paths Diana and Jin had walked were vastly different. It was only natural their views would differ.

“…In that case, how about we both admit we had things to reflect on and make peace?”

“You sure?”

“Yes. If we keep brooding and sending off weird vibes, it’ll just be hard on Liko emotionally.”

Jin waved toward Liko, who had been sneaking glances at them for a while now. Realizing she’d been caught, Liko flailed in surprise and started shaking her head in a panic.

“…Her reactions are always so entertaining.”

“I know, right?”

Without meaning to, Jin and Diana both chuckled. Liko stared blankly at the two of them, stunned by their sudden laughter, but it was clear the earlier tension between them was gone. Seeing that, Liko felt genuinely relieved.

***

Time passed quickly, and before anyone realized it, the sun was already setting. The ocean began to glow red under the evening light. After everyone finished their donuts and Murdock had cleaned up, Liko walked up to Lapras.

“Lapras… I have a favor to ask. Come with us to Laqua so we can fulfill the promise made with Lucius!”

Hearing Liko’s plea, Lapras showed a conflicted expression. Of course, the promise with Lucius was important. But now, Lapras had other companions too. Was it right to leave them behind? That uncertainty made Lapras hesitate.

“Ebo! Ebooo~!”

Before anyone noticed, the pirate crew had gathered around Liko and Lapras. Among them, an Ambipom held an ancient Poké Ball in both hands.

“Kuo…”

Unlike Arboliva and Galarian Moltres, Lapras didn’t carry one on its body. Still, it seemed the crew had kept the Poké Ball safe all this time. Perhaps, deep down, they had always expected this day might come.

Now then, what will it choose…?)

Everything that needed to be said had been said. The rest was up to Lapras. Both Liko and the pirate crew watched in silence, awaiting its decision.

“Hoo… Hoooo!”

Eventually, Lapras took the ancient Poké Ball from Ambipom in its mouth and tossed it high into the sky. As it ascended, a red beam shot out, absorbing Lapras into the ball.

“Lapras… thank you.”

Liko picked up the Poké Ball with Lapras inside, her face lighting up with joy as she expressed her gratitude.

“That makes three now.”

“Yeah. With Rayquaza, we’ll be halfway there.”

They were halfway to gathering all six heroes—but the remaining three, especially Entei and Kleavor, remained complete mysteries. The road ahead would still be long.

However, before they could continue gathering the Six Heroes, Jin had one more issue to resolve: what to do with the rest of the pirate crew, now left without their powerful ally Lapras. After watching Lapras go, the pirates began preparing for departure, leaping onto Wailord’s back.

“…”

Seeing this, Jin quietly approached the crew. Liko noticed and grabbed his hand, trying to stop him.

“…Jin.”

“…It’s okay. I won’t fight them.”

Jin gently pulled his hand away and continued toward the pirates. As he drew closer, the crew became wary and stepped down from Wailord, readying themselves for combat.

“No need to be on edge. I’m not here to fight. I just want to talk.”

Jin raised both hands in a non-threatening gesture. Seeing that, the pirates relaxed their stances.

“So… what now? Are you planning to continue your piracy?”

“…”

They didn’t answer. More accurately, they didn’t seem to know yet. With Lapras—who had essentially served as their leader—gone, their future remained undecided.

“Then let me be clear: you should never again use the ‘white mist’ method you’ve been relying on. That trick won’t work anymore.”

Their method of piracy had involved exploiting the White Mist—but it had only been effective because of Lapras. Once the fog blinded their targets, Lapras would appear up front to draw attention, enabling them to steal unnoticed. But now, that Lapras was gone.

“Whaleh!”

“What, you think you can take Lapras’s place? Don’t be ridiculous. It’ll never work.”

What had made their trick successful was that Lapras, a species known for being gentle and trustworthy, appeared from the fog. Sailors trusted Lapras and let their guard down. But Wailord? That was a different story. While Wailord wasn’t known to be aggressive, it wasn’t the kind of Pokémon one would willingly approach in a foggy sea.

Even if Wailord didn’t mean harm, a simple dive or movement would create waves. For small vessels, that could mean serious impact. No sailor would willingly get close.

“Besides, you were the one responsible for transporting the stolen goods, weren’t you? How do you plan to do that now?”

To transport loot, Wailord would need to approach the target ship. The strategy would remain: use the white mist to blind the ship, stall its movement, then have Wailord approach while others steal supplies. But without Lapras up front to distract and mislead, the crew would almost certainly be spotted.

And once spotted… they’d have no choice but to resort to violence.

But they weren’t strong. Against a moderately capable ship, they’d be defeated—just like they were this time.

Even if they managed to succeed in piracy by brute force, they wouldn't escape being wanted. If that happened, they'd be hunted by law enforcement and bounty hunters alike. And once that began, there would be no future where they could survive.

“You understand, don’t you? The moment you let go of Lapras, your time as pirates was already over.”

As Jin’s words sank in, despair spread across the faces of the pirate crew. Then, Jin held up a slip of paper for them to see. On it was a rough map with several marked locations.

“I picked out a few nearby Pokémon sanctuaries. If you go there, you’ll be able to live in as natural a way as possible. If you're interested, check them out.”

Pokémon sanctuaries—places established to protect and nurture Pokémon. While there are some wardens on duty, Pokémon are generally free to live relaxed lives in harmony with nature.

However, upon hearing Jin’s suggestion, the pirates hesitated. Even if it was "as natural as possible," there were still rules. And if you asked whether that really counted as “natural living,” it would be hard to give a clear yes.

“I’m not forcing you. I just want to show you there’s a path other than piracy.”

He didn’t outright deny the life of stealing from others. But those who choose that path lose the right to complain when they themselves are stolen from. Jin knew that pirates inevitably meet their end at the hands of someone stronger. That’s why he wanted them to know: they had other options.

“I’ve honored my debt to Lapras, so I’ll let you go this time. If you still want to live as pirates, do whatever you like. But remember this… I’ll always be watching you.”

There are sites out there that track poachers, pirates, and other criminals or dangerous Pokémon. Places where information from all over the world is shared. If they returned to piracy and hurt others, word would spread instantly.

“Don’t forget. I’m watching you, always. If I hear you've harmed someone—no matter where you try to hide in the world—I will find you.”

There wasn’t a shred of bluff in Jin’s words. His unwavering conviction radiated from him, and the pirate crew, unable to withstand his piercing gaze, involuntarily stepped back in fear.

“One last piece of advice. There’s not a single pirate crew I’ve ever marked that managed to survive… You might just end up as one of them.”

Overwhelmed by the intensity of his presence, the pirates quickly grabbed the map with the sanctuary locations and scrambled onto Wailord’s back, fleeing out to sea. What choice they would ultimately make was unknown—but in all the days that followed, Jin never again stood before them as an enemy.

“…Sigh.”

As Wailord cast up a White Mist and retreated in a panic, Jin watched them off with a small sigh, then turned away from the sea and began walking back to Liko and the others.

“Pago? Paago!”

Terapagos, who had fallen asleep after eating so many donuts and playing all day, suddenly awoke and started shouting toward the sky. Jin and the others around him instinctively looked up.

“GROOOAAAAHHH!”

There, soaring through the sky with a sinuous, winding motion, was the black Rayquaza—the very Pokémon that had inspired Roy’s journey and one of the Six Heroes.

“Rayquaza!?”

“N-no way…”

“To think it would come to us…”

Seriously… this adventure never gives us a dull moment.)

While everyone else was stunned by the sudden appearance of Rayquaza, Jin alone smiled, clearly enjoying every second of the unfolding chaos.

***

Time turned back just a little.

While Jin was in the midst of threatening—no, negotiating with the Lapras Pirate Crew, a submarine was silently moving through the waters some distance away.

Inside its command room were three people: Amethio of the Explorers, along with his subordinates Zirc and Onia. The three were on high alert, scanning radars and nautical charts, tracking something.

“Ha—! Sir Amethio!”

A powerful signal suddenly appeared on the radar Zirc was monitoring. It happened at almost the exact same time as a certain Pokémon appeared in the skies above Jin and the others.

“It’s here?”

“No doubt about it!”

“Confirmed on my end as well… It’s Rayquaza!”

Yes… the very thing they had been tracking was the black Rayquaza. Using fragments of data and scattered reports about its past appearances, they had used their state-of-the-art equipment to trace it this far. It was a method made possible only by the backing of a powerful organization with deep pockets.

“Alright… surface the ship! I’ll go ahead and take down Rayquaza myself. You two, remain here on standby.”

“Yes Sir!”

Following Amethio’s command, the submarine slowly rose to the surface. Once it had emerged, Amethio opened the hatch and climbed out alone.

“Corviknight!”

He pulled out one of his five Poké Balls and tossed it into the air. The massive Corviknight burst out and Amethio leapt onto its back, soaring into the sky, leaving the submarine behind.

“Let’s go!”

Amethio began advancing toward the black Rayquaza. His target was powerful—but he believed neither he nor his Pokémon were weak anymore. He had both the skill and confidence to take it on.

However… not even Amethio could have predicted that, at the exact location where the black Rayquaza appeared, he would find the Rising Volt Tacklers—or rather, his rival Jin—already there.

//END

A/N: And that’s how we brought the Lapras Pirate Crew arc to a close.

Honestly, just letting them go like in the anime didn’t feel in character for Jin. But at the same time, capturing them in front of Lapras or Diana would’ve felt off too. So I thought this was the most balanced solution.