Chapter 128: Shipwreck in the Deep Sea
A few dozen miles from Pallet Town, Ryan, clad in a diving suit with scuba gear at his lips, fell backward into the water. Lillie, also fully equipped, hesitated for a moment before following him into the water.
Greninja and Gyarados were already waiting for them underwater, along with the baby Lugia.
Baby Lugia was having a blast in these waters, enjoying the abundance of Pokémon to play with. Ryan also took good care of it, providing it with delicious Pokéblocks and treats. As a result, their relationship grew closer.
This time, when Ryan ventured out to sea, baby Lugia joined him as well. Ryan and Lillie settled themselves on Gyarados's back, and the serpent led them toward the seabed.
Ryan's recent adventure had been inspired by the Splash Plate discovery, and he couldn't help but marvel at the technological prowess of this world. Ryan approached a technology research institute and, using Greninja's Splash Plate as a model, asked them to develop a device capable of detecting similar energy signatures.
Within three days, the device—a tablet computer—was completed. It could receive signals from Plates over a wide range, and when it detected one, it would emit an audible alert.
Ryan exclaimed, "This is incredible technology!" Then, while out at sea, the beeping sound began. He quickly checked and discovered a Plate was in the waters ahead.
When they arrived at the coordinates on the yacht, there was only ocean. He guessed it might be at the bottom of the sea, so he took Lillie to select diving equipment and they headed out.
There were plenty of Pokémon in the sea, but there were also many ordinary fish. Gyarados, carrying Ryan and Lillie, continued to descend. The overwhelming water pressure weighed on them, and while Ryan felt fine, Lillie was beginning to feel the strain.
Ryan communicated with Gyarados and used Dive. An energy barrier protected Ryan and Lillie. Gyarados accelerated, sprinting toward the seabed with Greninja following close behind.
The light was dimming as they descended, so Ryan activated the flashlight on his forehead. The light illuminated the outline of a sunken ship not far below.
Patting Gyarados's body, the serpent swam directly toward the wreck.
Upon reaching the wreck, Ryan and his companions were intercepted by several Milotic, which unhesitatingly launched Hydro Pumps at them.
Greninja unsheathed its water katana and unleashed a high-pressure Water Pulse, blocking the Hydro Pump. With its Splash Plate, Greninja was completely at home in the ocean!
Ryan signaled Greninja to remain calm, and with the power of his bond, he slowly approached the Milotic, communicating with them and hoping they would allow him to enter and search for something.
The Milotic refused without hesitation. Ryan had no choice but to send out baby Lugia. Lugia was a Legendary Pokémon of the sea, after all, and even if they wouldn't give Ryan a chance, they should at least respect Lugia's mother.
Baby Lugia swam over and spoke with the Milotic. From their conversation, Ryan understood why they were so afraid and resentful of humans.
Milotic originally came from the Hoenn region, generally inhabiting its waters, though a few also lived in other seas. However, this group had migrated from Hoenn. A poaching gang had emerged in Hoenn, using nets and weapons to injure and capture their members. Forced to relocate, the Milotic had sensed the presence of the Legendary Lugia and sought refuge there. Lugia's mother had agreed to protect them.
Seeing the wary gazes the Milotic cast toward Ryan and Lillie, Ryan felt both helpless and distressed.
After entering the shipwreck, Ryan and Lillie realized why the Milotic were so protective. Numerous young Feebas and over a dozen injured Milotic gathered in a corner, glaring at them with fear and hatred.
Lillie tugged at Ryan's arm, and he could see the distress in her eyes. Ryan nodded and gestured to Greninja, who immediately swam toward the surface.
A moment later, Greninja returned with a large supply of Full Restores and healing items like Revival Herbs.
Ryan and Lillie retrieved the supplies and attempted to heal the Feebas and Milotic, but as they approached, the Milotic and Feebas charged, ramming into them.
However, they were either injured or young, so the force of their impact was pitifully weak. Ryan shook his head and embraced the Milotic that had struck him. Regardless of its willingness, he placed a Revival Herb directly in its mouth. He then applied healing medicine to its wounds. Although diluting it in seawater was somewhat wasteful, Ryan had plenty of supplies.
The Milotic felt its body recovering rapidly and looked at Ryan with a complicated expression. Ryan touched its head, enveloping it with bond power. In a heart-to-heart connection, he said, "There are indeed bad people among humans, but there are far more good people."
The Milotic nuzzled Ryan's cheek, expressing its affection. Ryan looked at the Milotic and smiled. "Pokémon are truly wonderful. Simple and pure, without any hidden agendas."
He distributed the herbs and medicine to the Feebas and Milotic, and Ryan and Lillie gained their trust. Ryan was certain that with just a word, many of the Pokémon here would be willing to be caught.
Besides, Milotic is a very powerful Pokémon, so capturing one would be excellent. But right now, catching Pokémon wasn't the priority; finding the Plate fragment was.
Looking over at Lillie, he saw she'd already bonded with a Feebas. Seeing the Feebas swarming around her, Ryan smiled, thinking he might need to help her catch one when they returned.
Ryan and Lillie entered the shipwreck's hold, but found no trace of the Plate. They did find some gold utensils and decorations, though Ryan wasn't particularly interested. However, Lillie, like most people, was fascinated by shiny treasures. Ryan had no choice but to have Gyarados collect them.
The two continued searching the shipwreck, but there was no sign of the Plate. At that moment, baby Lugia, still outside, cried out.
Ryan and Lillie hurried out, only to see baby Lugia digging in the mud beneath the sunken ship.
Ryan immediately realized: The target was here, but not necessarily inside the shipwreck!
Greninja swam over and used a pressurized water jet on the mud, churning up the surrounding seawater. Once the sediment settled, Ryan spotted a blue Plate jutting out from beneath the sand.
The Splash Plate fragment, discovered!
(End of Chapter)
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