Well, like I promised, here is chapter 2! As always, thank you for taking the time to read, and I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 2 – A Dire Situation
The first thing that Brendan heard was the screaming. Upon rushing outside to check out the source, he was greeted by complete chaos. People were running towards the harbor, where a large congregation was watching something going on in the water.
From what he could make out, there was a medium-sized cruise ship stopped at the harbor entrance. Smoke was rising from it, and several creatures were flying around it.
Brendan quickly grabbed the arm of the first person he could. “What is going on here?”
“It’s the Pokémon. They’re trying to sink that cruise ship!” The man quickly continued running to the harbor.
Brendan stood in place, unable to grasp the knowledge.
Pokémon? Trying to sink the cruise ship? It was just like Petalburg Forest. Apparently it had spread here.
“Hey! Brendan!” A voice broke Brendan’s thoughts. He turned to see the Dewford Town Gym Leader, Brawly, calling to him. “Come on, a group of us trainers are going to attempt to stave off the wild Pokémon!”
“Let’s go!” The two ran to the edge of the water, where the rest of the trainers were assembled to defend the ship.
“Okay everyone, we need to get as many people out of here as possible. We need to split in half, with one group trying to keep Pokémon away from the ship while the other gets people out of there!” Brawly took command, becoming the unofficial leader of the rescue attempt.
Brendan threw out his Wailord, Flygon, and Pelipper, informing them of the current situation. “Okay team, those wild Pokémon are trying to sink that ship out there. We have to stop them!” The Pokémon cried in agreement. Brendan jumped onto Wailord’s back to help bringing people off of the ship.
“Let’s go!” Brawly made the call, and the rescue party set off towards the ship.
Just before setting off, Brendan looked up. He was greeted by a Swellow, which joined his flying Pokémon. It was followed by a splash in the water, as a Marshtomp entered the water.
“Don’t leave without me!” Brendan turned to see May running over.
“Hurry up!” He cried. She got on Wailord’s back, and the Float Whale Pokémon sped through the water to the besieged ship.
“I came as fast as I could,” May said, still out of breath from running. “How did this happen?”
“I have no idea. I heard the noise, came outside, and Brawly asked me to help. I don’t know what’s with…” Brendan trailed off, unable to finish his thought. The ship was in front of them, and they could see the true horror of what was going on.
The ship was being encircled by Wailmer, which were taking every opportunity to ram the ship. There was a small hole in the side of the hull, and it was sinking by the minute. As if that wasn’t bad enough, hordes of Wingull were pecking at the passengers. It was complete pandemonium on deck. People were running and screaming. All of the lifeboats had been detached due to the actions of the Wailmer, which then proceeded to destroy the empty boats as they fell into the water.
Brendan scanned the ocean, taking note of the other trainers using the rocks as platforms to command their Pokémon.
“May, I have an idea. I’m going to have Wailord drop me off at that rock outcropping over there. Can you help ferry people back to shore?”
“Yes I’m on it!” May replied. Brendan jumped onto the small rock. May and Wailord swam over to the ship. She looked at the panicking people on the ship.
“Jump on!”
“Onto that?? Are you crazy?” A passenger asked.
“It’s better than on a sinking ship!” That seemed to change the passenger’s mind. After Wailord’s back was filled to capacity, they set off at top speed for Slateport City. Marshtomp swam behind, warding off the water Pokémon while Swellow knocked down and pursuing Wingull.
It didn’t take long for the hostile Pokémon to notice the rescue effort. A hostile Wingull swooped down towards Brendan, just narrowly missing him.
One of the other trainers wasn’t as lucky, getting knocked into the water as a result. A pack of Sharpedo took advantage of this, swimming towards the trainer.
“Flygon! Stop those Sharpedo!” Brendan cried in an attempt to save the trainer.
It was futile, however, as there were too many. Flygon was powerless to stop them as they dragged the trainer underwater. He didn’t resurface. Brendan froze, horrified at the brutality that he had just witnessed.
He may have stopped paying attention for too long, as he heard the cry of a Wingull coming in from his left. It was about to hit him when his Pelipper slammed into it. Due to being much smaller, the Wingull fell into the water, while Pelipper was barely scratched.
“Thanks, buddy!” Brendan said, relieved.
May was on her way back with another Wailord-load of passengers when one of the rogue Pokémon rammed into them. The people screamed as the large whale Pokémon shook. This shaking was enough to throw May off of balance, tumbling her towards the water. The people yelled and tried to grab her, but they didn’t make it in time. Wailord stopped moving, with the intention of turning around to save her.
“No! Wailord! Keep going!” She shouted, struggling to stay afloat in the rough water. The Pokémon was unsure.
Having finished their last meal, the pack of Sharpedo turned their attention to May.
“Try to swim back! I can grab your hand!” Shouted one of the passengers, a man with a white fisherman’s hat. He leaned over, extending his hand. Frightened, May looked from the Sharpedo charging towards her to the man and attempted to fight the current and swim back, but it was no use.
Whatever Pokémon that had hit Wailord before had come back for a second strike. Already off balance and leaning over the water, the passenger was toppled into the sea. The Sharpedo heard the second splash and were upon him in no time. The man disappeared into the depths of the ocean.
A woman riding Wailord screamed. She tried to get to him as the others held her back.
“Nooo! Let go of me!” She shouted. “I have to save him! Joseph!”
“It’s too late!” Cried one of the people holding her back. Blood filled the water as a white hat floated to the top. It was half-chewed and bloody. The woman screamed and cried.
Wailord took this as a sign to keep moving towards Slateport City.
Now finished with Joseph as their meal, the Sharpedo turned their attention back to the panicking May. Six gray fins closed in from every direction.
She tried to swim back to the city, but it was no use. The current was dragging her away from Slateport City and towards the fins.
Like the answer to a prayer, when Marshtomp leapt out of the water, commanding a large wave which threw the Sharpedo back. Swellow followed through with a wing attack, rendering the Sharpedo unable to retaliate.
“Thank God for you two…” May said, breathlessly.
Marshtomp quickly motioned for May to get on its back, as it took off for the shore. Swellow kept to the skies, providing support.
Suddenly, a loud crack resonated through the harbor. Everyone heard it; the people on the ship, the trainers in the water, and even the bystanders in the city.
With that crack, the cruise ship snapped into two pieces and took the final descent into the ocean. In no time, the hordes of Sharpedo descended upon the people now struggling to swim in the water. There were no more rescues that day.
* * *
The scene in the Slateport Harbor that night was one of mixed sorrow and confusion. Some people were hugging loved ones who were saved that day by the brave efforts of trainers, while a majority of the people were mourning the loss of life.
May sat in the Slateport City Pokémon Center. She and Brendan had just been released from a medical evaluation, and had already spoken to every news agency imaginable.
Brendan walked in from outside, where he had been speaking to Brawly.
“The ship was the S.S. Hoenn, and was transporting both vacationers and Battle Frontier participants from Lilycove to Slateport. There were approximately 110 people on board, and with the combined efforts of all of the trainers, we managed to save 43.” Brendan took a deep breath, unprepared to continue. “That’s approximately 67 presumed dead. There’s no way to know otherwise. Captain Stern and the Coast Guard went out to the sinking site, but there’s literally nothing left of the ship. Or the people…”
May was staring off into space, only half listening. “Those Pokémon. They didn’t just attack a ship, they killed all of those people…” She looked at Brendan. “What is happening here?”
“I have no idea.” Brendan sigh. “Look, May, Brawly also told me that Scott is cancelling the Battle Frontier. Do you want to go back to Littleroot Town with me?”
“Anything to get away from this…” May replied, sluggishly. She was mentally and physically drained from the whole ordeal, and just wanted to be back in the safety of her own home.
“Come on, let’s go back to the hotel,” Brendan suggested. They got up and left the Pokémon Center, entering the cool Slateport night. Despite it being well beyond midnight, the entire population of the city was up and about, as if it was midday.
When they arrived at the hotel, they were greeted by a crowd standing around a tall man dressed in all black. He wore a blue cap with a stylized “A” on it. The man was flanked on both sides by two others with black and white striped t-shirts and the same blue cap.
“Who’s this?” Brendan whispered to May.
“They aren’t Team Magma. I haven’t seen these people before.” She whispered back.
“People of Slateport City! You have all witnessed this awful attack firsthand! Kyogre is angry with us! We humans have upset our Pokémon overlords! I, Archie, the leader of the sea-loving Team Aqua, encourage you to join us today! We are committed to fixing horrible mistake that we all have made!”
At first, no one moved. Then, a woman stepped forward.
“Archie is right! We must stop this madness! The survival of every last person depends on it!” She shouted to the crowd. A man walked up, joining the woman and Archie.
“I agree! We have to make it right with Kyogre!” He shouted. A few more people joined them. As time passed, most of the crowd joined them.
“Team Aqua!” A woman shouted.
“For Team Aqua!” Someone else echoed.
Brendan and May didn’t say anything, and just exchanged worried glances. They tried to separate themselves from the crowd.
It wasn’t long before the crowd had begun chanting for their newly found saviors.
“Team Aqua! All hail Team Aqua! Team Aqua!”