Chapter 62: Suicune Clears the Way
The video continued playing.
Raina rode Dragonite as it flew over the city. Eevee lay in her arms, its ears flattened backward by the wind while its tail continued swishing from side to side.
Several hours later, Dragonite began descending.
A small harbor town appeared ahead. Several fishing boats were docked beside the pier, while scattered buoys floated across the surface of the sea.
Raina patted Dragonite’s neck.
"Let’s land here."
Dragonite landed steadily in an open area beside the harbor.
Raina jumped down from its back. Several fishermen who had been repairing their nets looked up, their expressions turning surprised when they saw Dragonite.
An elderly fisherman with graying hair set down the tool in his hands.
"Young lady, are you here to take a boat from the harbor?"
"No."
Raina walked over.
"I wanted to ask how the conditions at sea have been recently."
The elderly fisherman frowned.
"The waters haven’t been peaceful these past few days. The underwater currents have become stronger and stronger over the last several years. Forget fishing boats—even cargo ships have started taking alternate routes."
He looked at Raina.
"Young lady, you’re a Trainer, aren’t you? Take this old man’s advice. You shouldn’t go out to sea alone."
"I have to go."
Raina’s voice remained calm.
"Thank you for the warning."
A younger fisherman nearby stared at Raina for a long moment before suddenly widening his eyes.
"You’re... You’re Elite Four Raina?!"
The elderly fisherman froze.
"Elite Four? What Elite Four?"
"Sir, you haven’t heard?"
The younger fisherman excitedly rose to his feet.
"She’s Kanto’s newly appointed Water-type Elite Four member!"
The elderly fisherman turned back toward Raina.
"So that’s who you are... Lady Raina, forgive this old man for failing to recognize you."
Raina hurriedly waved her hands.
"It’s fine. You don’t need to address me so formally. Just call me Raina."
The younger fisherman scratched his head.
"Lady Raina, if you intend to head out to sea, then I should tell you the truth. A lot of strange things have happened in those waters over the past two years."
"Some people have seen enormous shadows passing beneath the surface. Others claim they can hear cries coming from the depths of the ocean at night."
"Those of us who make our living fishing no longer dare travel very far from shore."
Raina didn’t answer.
She merely took the ancient book from her pocket and opened it to the page containing the navigational chart.
The afternoon sunlight shone across the yellowed page. The faint glow was almost invisible in daylight, but the silver symbol marking the end of the route could still be vaguely distinguished.
"Thank you."
Raina closed the ancient book.
"I’ll be careful."
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Being called ’Lady Raina’ sounds so impressive, but Raina clearly isn’t used to it! Hahahaha!"
"She has already gone from an ordinary child to an Elite Four member respected by everyone."
"Strange things have been happening in those waters for several years? Could it be connected to the Whirl Islands?"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Lance]: "The Sea God departed, and the sea route was lost." If these strange events are signs that the sea route is about to reopen, then Raina has arrived at precisely the right time.
[Cynthia]: Reopening the sea route requires two conditions: the return of the People of the Sea God and someone capable of resonating with Lugia. Raina has brought Lapras back, and the ancient book has also recognized her as the "guide." Both conditions have now been fulfilled.
[Leon]: But if Lugia truly is active near the Whirl Islands, then those waters contain more than dangerous currents. Its presence may also attract people who have no business being there.
[Koga]: Are you referring to Pokémon hunters?
[Leon]: Not only hunters. The appearance of a Legendary Pokémon would attract far more attention than that. If people have already seen strange shadows near the Whirl Islands, then the news has probably spread by now.
[Lt. Surge]: In other words, Raina won’t only have to face the conditions at sea. She may also encounter people who are heading there specifically for Lugia.
[Bruno]: She’s an Elite Four member now. I’d like to see how she handles enemies if she encounters them at sea.
The video continued playing.
After thanking the fishermen, Raina walked to the edge of the harbor and took several Poké Balls from her waist.
"Everyone, come out."
Lapras landed in the water, raised its head, and looked toward the distant point where the ocean met the sky. It released a long, low cry.
Gyarados and Blastoise appeared beside Lapras, but their attention remained fixed on Raina.
Raina unfolded the nautical chart and traced the marked route with one finger.
"We’ll travel this way. First, we’ll pass through the outer reef zone, then follow the old route southeast."
Lapras nodded and swam closer to shore so Raina could climb onto its back.
Dragonite flew ahead to clear the way. Gyarados escorted them from the flank, while Blastoise guarded the rear. Eevee remained nestled in Raina’s arms.
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Gyarados escorting them from the flank looks so cool! Dragonite and Blastoise also make the whole formation feel incredibly safe!"
"They’re Pokémon belonging to an Elite Four member. What did you expect?"
"Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?"
"Person above, stop tempting fate."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Cynthia]: The People of the Sea God have returned, and the sea route has begun reopening. The old course has become invalid, and the new route must be explored again. This sounds less like a disaster and more like a cyclical natural phenomenon.
[Diantha]: But if it’s a natural phenomenon, why has no one recorded it before?
[Lance]: Because the People of the Sea God disappeared several centuries ago. No one was present to trigger the beginning of the cycle, so the sea route remained in its current state.
[Lorelei]: In other words, the mechanism was officially activated the moment Raina caught Lapras.
The video continued playing.
Raina had already been traveling across the sea for more than an hour.
The sky had grown completely dark, and half of the moon emerged from behind the clouds.
Eevee rested on Raina’s lap, lazily swishing its tail every so often.
To conserve space and stamina, Gengar hadn’t been released and remained inside its Poké Ball.
"Lapras, are you tired?"
Raina leaned forward and gently rubbed Lapras’s neck.
Lapras shook its head and released a quiet cry, indicating that it could continue.
At that moment, Gyarados suddenly raised its head from the water and released a low, warning growl.
Raina immediately became alert and followed Gyarados’s gaze.
Something was moving rapidly beneath the surface a short distance ahead.
It was extraordinarily fast, leaving a constantly lengthening white trail across the water.
"Gyarados, Blastoise, protect Lapras!"
Gyarados’s enormous body moved in front of Lapras. Its tail swept up a wave and sent it crashing toward the white trail.
Just before the moving shape struck the wave, it abruptly changed direction and circled around from the side.
Only then did Raina see what it was.
A Seadra.
However, something was clearly wrong with it. Its eyes glowed red, and it appeared to have completely lost its reason.
Immediately afterward, a second and third trail appeared across the surface.
More Seadra surrounded them from every direction.
Every one of them was in the same state as the first—frenzied and out of control.
"Something is wrong with these Seadra!"
Raina gritted her teeth.
"Gyarados, drive them back!"
Gyarados swept its tail horizontally, spiraling water wrapping around it as it knocked away the Seadra ahead.
However, even more Seadra soon charged forward.
At the same time, purple light began gathering inside the mouths of the Seadra farther away.
"That’s Dragon Pulse! Lapras, dodge!"
Lapras suddenly accelerated and began weaving across the surface of the water.
Raina glanced backward.
The Seadra were still pursuing them, and their numbers continued increasing.
They repeatedly fired Dragon Pulse at Lapras. The attacks were so densely packed that Gyarados and Blastoise could barely defend themselves.
There was little Dragonite could do either. It could only provide cover from the air and block as many attacks aimed at Lapras as possible.
"They’re targeting us!"
Raina clenched her fist.
At that moment, a blue figure raced across the distant horizon.
It moved as swiftly as light, leaving a long silver trail across the sea.
The figure became clear beneath the moonlight.
A blue body.
A deep-purple mane.
Each time its paws touched the surface of the water, they left behind only the faintest ripple.
Suicune.
Suicune raised its head slightly and released a long, low roar.
A rainbow-colored beam erupted from around its body and swept across the entire area.
The Seadra swarm visibly began slowing down.
Several Seadra at the front stopped halfway through their charge. The red glow in their eyes seemed to be forcibly suppressed by something.
They began retreating instead of continuing their frenzied advance.
The remaining Seadra also turned around one after another and disappeared beneath the surface.
After finishing, Suicune tilted its head slightly and nodded toward Raina.
Raina stared blankly at it before slowly returning to her senses.
"It wants us to follow it."
Raina patted Lapras’s shell.
Lapras released a low cry and followed Suicune.
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Holy crap, Suicune! It really is Suicune!"
"Wait, isn’t Suicune the embodiment of the north wind? Why is it running across the sea?"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Lance]: Suicune actually appeared here...
[Leon]: It must be the "old friend" Asher mentioned.
[Alder]: The red glow in those Seadra’s eyes suggests that they were being controlled.
[Wallace]: Someone is using some kind of method to control the Seadra and drive other people away.
[Lorelei]: Controlling an entire swarm of Seadra would require something far beyond ordinary methods. If we limit the suspects to organizations active in Kanto, could Team Rocket be responsible?
[Lance]: We can’t be certain yet.
[Diantha]: Regardless, Suicune’s appearance has completely changed the nature of this voyage.
[Steven]: It seems we no longer need to worry about Raina. After all, someone has already arranged everything for her, haven’t they? @Asher
[Asher]: Steven, your drink is here.
[Steven]: Thanks... AAAAAH!
[Bruno]: What happened?
[Wallace]: ...Asher just dragged Steven outside. It’s fine. He probably won’t die.
[Mallow]: So Raina is going to follow Suicune now. Will the route Suicune chooses be safer than the one shown in the ancient book?
[Cynthia]: Even if it can’t avoid every danger, having Suicune guide them will greatly increase the likelihood that Raina reaches the Whirl Islands safely.