Many people living along the eastern coast of Lilycove City had been forced to leave their homes and temporarily evacuate to the west because of this Pokémon riot.
This was not the first time Lilycove City had experienced a Water-type Pokémon riot. During previous incidents, groups of wild Pokémon had gathered along the coast and released Surf together with remarkable discipline. Just over a thousand Water-type Pokémon had been enough to unleash a terrifying tsunami.
This time, however, the sheer number of wild Water-type Pokémon was enough to make anyone's scalp tingle. Most experienced residents knew they needed to evacuate without waiting for the League to issue a warning.
Property prices in the eastern part of the city were relatively low, but those homes were also the most vulnerable to destruction whenever a tsunami struck.
Countless people waited anxiously, longing for when they could return home.
At the seaside port, Officer Clara Jenny rode her police motorcycle with a worried expression.
The countless Pokémon being pushed ashore by the waves resembled a huge pot of mixed soup, filled with who knew how many ingredients and seasonings. Even the slightest movement threatened to make everything spill over.
Not far away, a dazed Octillery was wrapped around an equally bewildered Corphish as the waves shoved them toward the port. Beside them, a Carvanha struggled desperately, its tail flapping against the wet ground.
Splash!
Another wave crashed ashore.
Two Barboach bounced around on top of the Carvanha. The three Pokémon soon became tangled together before another wave of Staryu washed ashore and smacked into them.
Their muscles reacted instinctively to the danger, and both Barboach used Mud-Slap at the same time.
Two clumps of mud flew through the air. Fortunately, they missed the Carvanha and the other nearby Water-type Pokémon. Instead, they struck three men who had rushed over to throw Poké Balls at the wild Pokémon.
Two of them were hit squarely in the face and forehead, knocking them unconscious. The third was so frightened that he turned and ran as fast as he could.
Officer Jenny sighed helplessly and glanced back at the blockade formed by the League trainers. Several reckless individuals who clearly had no regard for their own lives had already broken through the line, creating a gap. Thankfully, it had been quickly sealed.
She shouted, "Arcanine!"
Arcanine leaped high out of its Poké Ball, grabbed one of the unlucky men, and carried him back.
However, when it used Extreme Speed to return, the other unconscious man had already been swept away by the incoming tide and swallowed up by the enormous sea of Pokémon. He had completely disappeared.
Clara could only shake her head before twisting the throttle and continuing her patrol along the road.
In the hours since the Pokémon riot began, the streets and alleys of Lilycove City had descended into chaos.
Somehow, a rumor had spread that this Pokémon riot was the perfect opportunity for the lower classes to turn their lives around. The parasites of the League who lived in the filthy, sunless corners of society had begun gathering excitedly once again.
Many people at the bottom of society had no legal identities and could barely afford to eat. They resorted to all kinds of methods to scrape together Pokédollars or obtain a Poké Ball before heading to the coast to try their luck.
It was said that a hunter who had clawed his way up from the lowest levels of Lilycove City had once delivered a famous line:
[The lives of people at the bottom are like the stock market. There are bound to be ups and downs, but the opportunities might be few and far between. If you don't seize an opportunity to soar to the top, you'll end up losing everything and dying on the streets.]
Some people called this hunter Lord T.
Of course, even Lord T himself had failed to seize an opportunity in the end.
The League trainers participating in the blockade could not help complaining among themselves.
"Where are our Elite Four? Have they gone off to deal with Team Aqua and Team Magma again? Why the hell is it always Team Aqua and Team Magma?"
"Tsk. If the League really wiped out those two evil organizations, all the trainers taking part in the cleanup missions wouldn't be making nearly as many Pokédollars. Who knows what those four Elite Four members are actually doing?"
"Have you heard about the new Professor?"
"Of course. He's the Galar Champion. His strength should surpass that of all four of our Elite Four, but would he really risk his life for Lilycove City?"
"One wave is all it takes. Whether he's an Elite Four member or a Champion, he'll have no choice but to run first."
"Haah..."
Listening to their complaints, Officer Jenny silently sighed. With the endless piles of Water-type Pokémon gathering along the shore, the sea breeze blowing across the road seemed to carry a damp, sticky stench.
She had no idea what these wild Pokémon were trying to accomplish or how much longer the riot would last.
Nor did she know whether things would turn out as the elders of her family had claimed. According to them, this Pokémon riot would not cause a tsunami at all, so there was no need to worry.
But with so many Pokémon packed together along the coast, how could anyone possibly avoid worrying?
If several hundred Pokémon unleashed their moves at once, she might end up spending the rest of her life on the shores of Lilycove City.
The elders of her family never had to worry about the consequences of their own words. They were always quick to issue orders but never willing to test them out themselves.
If she survived this incident, she would use the rewards her family had given her to raise her strength to Gym-level. Then she would apply for a transfer to Kanto.
If that did not work out, she would settle for a safer inland city.
While she was lost in thought, a League trainer nearby suddenly waved at her and shouted, "Officer Jenny! Officer Jenny!"
Clara quickly hit the brakes. Her motorcycle tires scraped against the road as the vehicle tilted slightly before coming to a stop at the roadside.
"Elite Glacia has arrived!" The trainer shouted again.
Before his voice had even faded, a beautiful blonde woman wearing a classical long dress flew toward them on the back of a Glalie.
"Officer Jenny!" Glacia called out quickly. She leaped effortlessly from several meters in the air, landed on the ground, and hurried over.
She glanced toward the coast. When she saw the Pokémon writhing around like maggots, she could not help showing a look of disgust.
When Pokémon lost their minds, fish Pokémon were nothing more than stinking fish, while Bug-type Pokémon became nothing more than the insects most people despised.
And these Pokémon possessed dangerous powers on top of that.
Glacia furrowed her brows. The situation was not unexpected. It was more or less what she had anticipated.
An extraordinary Pokémon riot of this scale had not occurred in decades. What could Shiro possibly accomplish on his own? Especially when he did not even have a suitable Pokémon capable of resolving the crisis.
If Shiro had a Psychic-type Pokémon at the Elite-level, she would not be nearly so anxious.
Raw strength alone was useless. It seemed that she, Glacia, would have to be the one to handle this Pokémon riot after all.
With that thought, her frown immediately disappeared. She turned to Clara and asked, "Officer Jenny, have you seen Shiro?"
Clara lowered her head hesitantly, unsure how to answer.
She had indeed not seen Shiro during the several hours she had spent at the coast. Some trainers had claimed to have seen his Corviknight flying overhead, but nobody knew where it had gone or what it had been doing.
Was she supposed to admit that she knew absolutely nothing?
Clara could only explain, "Professor Shiro is already preparing to resolve this Water-type Pokémon riot. He might need a little more time, but he should be able to handle it very soon..."
Glacia let out a disdainful snort. "Stop making empty promises, Officer Jenny. Don't tell me he's deserted his post?"
"Or is he planning to stall until these Water-type Pokémon begin using their moves together, so he can then claim he has no choice but to wipe them all out with a powerful attack?"
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