PBK 67 Dark Water II (Patreon)

Cerulean Bay

Arata's POV

General Alert: A luxury vessel is under attack by feral Sharpedo. Location near your current position.

Location: XXXX

A second later, the boat below me honked urgently, having received the same information via its standard safety systems.

So much for a training session...

"LIVIA!!"

I looked up into the pitch-black night sky, barely able to see anything even with a flashlight. A sharp screech answered me. Moments later, I felt the sudden rush of wind against my clothes as she dove from where she'd been circling above, her sharp eyes cutting through the dark far better than mine ever could.

I raised both arms. She clamped onto them with precise control and lifted me cleanly off the rocky islet, carrying me back toward the waiting boat without so much as a jolt.

We landed hard on the deck. The moment my boots hit the wood, the engines roared to full power, jerking the boat as it swung around. I struggled for balance.

Running up to the small cabin, I quickly realized the situation was not good. The small space was dimly lit by the glow of the navigation screens. The old man stood at the controls, pushing the throttle hard, driving the boat toward the incident site marked on the navigation screen.

I glanced at the navigation display and then at the man. "We're heading straight for the incident?"

"That's right, lad," he said without looking away from the dark water ahead. "You can stay on the boat. I need to help those people."

I shook my head and stepped closer to the window, staring out at the black sea. "No, I'm a junior ranger and a lab trainer. Are you sure you want to help, old man?"

After all, he was a civilian and didn't need to respond to an emergency call. The boat crested a particularly rough wave, forcing me to bend my knees to keep my balance.

He snorted and then replied gruffly. "I've been sailing these seas and fighting on them since before you were born, Lad."

"...Right," I said awkwardly, discreetly giving him a long look. By my estimate, he had to be in his sixties at least.He must have fought in the war, I thought.

"Just a few more knots. We're almost there."

I nodded and kept my eyes on the nav screen, which indicated the location right next to a couple of islets. It was a stroke of luck that Cerulean Bay, even this deep in, had naturally formed islets that would allow me to field Orian, C. Easer, and Titania easier.

Then both the boat's system and my Ranger Nav sounded the same alarm.

General Alert Advisory Update

DANGER — RED LEVEL

A school of Magikarp has evolved in the area. All available maritime rangers are to approach immediately.

Location: XXXX

"Fuck..." It was at the same location.

I gripped the nearest railing tighter. The situation had just escalated from bad to worse. Facing a school of feral Sharpedo in the middle of the ocean at night was bad enough, but now newly evolved Gyarados were in the mix.

The captain, his grimace mirroring my own, glanced sideways at me. "Do you have any Water-types, lad?"

My stomach dropped. I was utterly unprepared. Perhaps I had been negligent in preparing for anything ocean-related, despite my prior experience with its awe-inspiring danger.

I should have caught a Water-type back at Pallet...

Still, this was no time for regrets; I needed to focus. There was no way this boat could field Caesar or Orin. Even if the boat didn't capsize, it would be foolhardy to attempt it. Even releasing Titania was a cause for concern; one wrong move and she could go overboard and drown. She was perhaps the least useful of my Mons right now.

"No," I said. "Only my Pidgeotto can help us out here. The rest are either too big or too risky to field on a boat."

"What are your Pokémon?"

I gave him a look, then answered. "A Fraxure, an Ursaring, a Larvitar... and my Pidgeotto."

Both of us went quiet for a second. I could seehis surprise, though he quickly regained his composure and looked away, murmuring, "Huh... no wonder."

He turned back to me. "That's not going to cut it, lad."

He was right.

"I know," I replied. "But we'll see depending on the situation. Livia can still help, and I'm assuming you have Water-types."

He snorted and gave a wry smile. "Yes... I do."

On the horizon, dark shapes began to writhe across the surface of the black water. Beyond the sound of the wind and waves came a distinct, overlapping cacophony of deep, guttural roars.

Gyarados.

This was a dangerous situation.

I stepped out of the cabin to get a better look, grabbing a pair of binoculars. Switching to night vision, I could clearly make out at least ten Gyarados thrashing near a large luxury yacht. The newly evolved monsters didn't seem to be deliberately attacking the ship; they were more focused on something underneath the waters.

A bright red flare shot up into the night sky. Adjusting the binoculars, I spotted a group of people huddled on the shore of a small islet a short distance from the yacht. I ducked back inside to escape a spray of saltwater, my expression darkening. The boat was still charging straight toward the scene.

"There are people over there," I said hurriedly.

"I saw that," the captain replied.

We drew closer. A pulse of warning came through my bond with Livia.

"I will handle those wild beasts," the old man said suddenly.

What the hell is he talking about?

"What do you mean—"

He cut me off. "I might not be able to provide cover for those people. The Gyarados aren't focused on them right now, but we can't be sure. Can your Pidgeotto handle protection over there?"

I considered this. "She can, but it would be better if I went myself."

If I reached the islet, I could freely release Caesar and Orin. Even in the middle of the ocean, solid ground would make all the difference for my team.

The captain gave me an unreadable look. "My Starmie can get you there. It would be safer than relying on your Pidgeotto. If she drops you... and it is quite far."

That would generally be better, but—

"Aren't there Sharpedo in the water?"

The man twitched and coughed. "...Your Pidgeotto would be better, yes."

I looked at the old-timer dryly.

Are you trying to get me killed, old man?

I would always trust my own Pokémon over anyone else's. Still, I couldn't just leave this to him. I wasn't even sure he could handle that many Gyarados. My plan was simple: do our best, keep our heads down, protect those people, and wait for the reinforcements already en route.

"Are you sure you can handle them?" I asked.

"Of course."

The captain smirked, switched the boat to an assisted control, and stepped out onto the deck with me after I grabbed my backpack. Everything important was inside.

He pulled a weathered Poké Ball from his coat and tossed it high.

A massive, scarred Gyarados erupted into existence with a roar that drowned out everything. The creature was enormous, its body marked with old battle scars, its presence alone pressing down on the surrounding water. I felt a sharp jolt of caution through my bond with Livia.

I stared at the old man.

Who is this guy?

Only then did I realize I had never gotten his name, and he had never offered it.

"Kingdom," he called firmly. "Handle those newborns, will you?"

The massive Water Dragon gave a low, almost purring rumble before diving into the dark water with a tremendous splash.

"Who are you again?" I asked.

"Ah, I didn't introduce myself, did I, lad?" He gave a short, rough laugh. "Name's Andrew Waterflower. Pleasure to meet you."

Waterflower... He wasn't the Gym Leader, but he was clearly from the same family.

"...Then I'll take my leave."

I gave him a short nod. Through our bond, I called Livia. She swooped down, clamped onto my raised hands with precise strength, and lifted me into the night air, carrying me toward the distant islet where the survivors awaited some form of help.

Through the darkness, I could just make out Andrew's massive, scarred Gyarados—Kingdom—locked in battle with the newly evolved wild ones. A huge column of pressurized water erupted upward as Kingdom fired a wide Hydro Pump, slamming into two of the thrashing serpents and forcing them back. Moments later, he surged forward with a roaring Waterfall, using his own body as a battering ram to smash through the cluster. The wild Gyarados retaliated with their own attacks and thrashing tails, turning the surface of the water into a violent battlefield.

The sea beneath us was far from calm. Smaller, faster shadows—Sharpedo—darted just under the surface as we neared the islet. Livia instinctively climbed higher. The wild Gyarados were fully focused on Kingdom now, but a stray attack could kill us.

We landed hard on the rocky shore of the small islet.

There were at least forty people clustered together, many holding makeshift torches. A handful of common Pokémon stood protectively in front of the group—a few Growlithe, a Machop, a couple of Rattata. Everyone looked terrified.

I stepped forward, raising my voice over the distant roaring.

"I am Junior Ranger Arata Ishida! I'm here to help!"

A middle-aged man in a soaked crew uniform pushed to the front, relief clear on his face even in the dim light. "Thank the legends... We're the remaining crew of the Azure Pearl."

Just then, I heard the distinct sound of water being cut near the shoreline. Several Sharpedo were circling close—close enough that some of them could push themselves partially onto the rocks. Water-types, even without the right physiology, could manage limited movement on land, and these ones looked hungry enough to try.

I didn't waste time.

"Caesar!"

The Poké Ball opened in a flash of light. Caesar landed in front of me and immediately took a low, protective stance. One of the crew members called out, voice shaky, "How are we supposed to get out of here?! What's the plan?!"

"We wait for reinforcements," I answered firmly. "They're already on the way. Until then, we hold this position."

Caesar's head snapped toward the water. Without needing a full command, he fired a sharp lance of Dragon Pulse into the dark waves, forcing a pair of approaching Sharpedo to veer off with angry thrashing.

I looked back at the crew. "Is this everyone? What about anyone still on the yacht?"

A woman near the front shook her head, expression tight. "This is all of us. The patrons and owners left via emergency teleport the moment the general alert went out."

I scoffed under my breath. Of course they did.

Just then, my breath caught in my throat.

A massive Hyper Beam, a blinding column of energy, tore across the water from Kingdom's direction, blasting straight through the cluster of wild Gyarados. The force of it sent several of them reeling. Even Caesar flinched slightly at the raw power of the attack.

I let out a slow breath, feeling a little lighter.

Andrew can handle that side.

I turned back to the huddled group. "What exactly happened?"

The same crewman from before answered, still shaken. "We're not completely sure. There was a general alert about Sharpedo activity, then everything went to hell. People started panicking. The guests and owners were teleported out almost immediately. After that, the Magikarp started evolving... and then those showed up." He gestured toward the thrashing Gyarados in the distance.

Out in the water, more Sharpedo began to push closer to the shore.

I set my jaw.

"Alright," I said, my voice steady. "Let's do our part."

"Caesar — Dragon Breath, wide spread! Livia — hit and run!"

We just had to hold until reinforcements arrived.