----
The blast from the explosion tore through the towering waves, wiping out most of the tsunami aimed at Alto Mare. But the remnants of the surge still crashed forward, threatening to engulf the city.
At that moment, Suicune's body radiated a brilliant light. Opening its mouth, it resonated with the seawater, and a dozen waterspouts suddenly formed atop the waves.
They weren't as massive or powerful as the great maelstrom created earlier by the Soul Dew, but their sheer number weakened and redirected the water, pulling large portions of the surge skyward.
Thanks to the combined efforts of all three Legendary Pokémon, the tsunami wasn't completely neutralized, but its impact on Alto Mare had been drastically reduced enough that the city could withstand the force.
Seeing this, Kai no longer hesitated. Just as the next surge threatened to slam into Suicune, he recalled it into its Poke Ball, then urged Dragonite upward, scanning the stormy sea for Latias and Latios.
But the Pokémon were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they had exhausted all their strength in stopping the wave. They hadn't returned to the skies; whether they floated upon the surface or had sunk beneath the depths, Kai couldn't tell.
The waves were immense, the night unforgiving. Searching for them was nearly impossible.
Kai scoured the waters for what felt like forever, finding nothing until Dragonite suddenly called out, sharp-eyed as always. Following its gaze, Kai finally spotted the two Legends drifting together, clinging to each other as they bobbed helplessly with the tide.
Signaling Dragonite to descend, he soon saw the truth: both Latias and Latios were utterly drained, unable to move at all.
Then Dragonite gave another urgent cry. Kai's eyes widened. The current was pulling the two Legends straight toward the crumbling ruins of the undersea castle. If they struck against the stone in their weakened state, they'd be crushed.
"Dragonite, get them out of there!"
The dragon swooped down, reaching out with its relatively short arms to grab Latios. But Latios was nearly two meters long far too heavy. Dragonite strained, but even after several tries, it couldn't lift him.
Reluctantly, it turned to Latias. She was smaller, lighter, and Dragonite managed to pull her into its arms but even then, it was an effort.
The problem remained: even if Latias was safe, Latios would be left behind.
Kai's heart pounded. If only Charizard were here its strength and size would've made this easy. But he'd left it back at Charicific Valley.
Even Gengar, who might have levitated them with its strange powers, had been left behind on shore to guard Erika and the others.
Here, in the storm, Kai had only Dragonite.
"This is bad…"
The ruins drew closer with every passing second. There was no time left. Gritting his teeth, Kai pulled two Poké Balls from his belt.
"Latios, Latias—there's no choice! Please, just go inside these Poké Balls for now. Don't worry, I'm not trying to catch you. The second we reach the shore, I'll release you again. I promise!"
Latios, barely able to raise his head, gave Kai a weak but trusting nod. He seemed to understand the danger and agreed without resistance.
Latias blinked at the ball curiously, tilting her head, innocent and wide-eyed.
Kai aimed both Poké Balls. With twin flashes of red light, the exhausted Eon Pokémon were safely drawn inside. The Poké Balls barely shook before giving two quiet clicks of finality.
Relieved, Kai nudged Dragonite forward. With a powerful flap of its wings, it soared skyward just as the remainder of the wave slammed into the ruins. The old castle crumbled instantly, vanishing beneath the sea without even a splash.
The surge rolled on toward Alto Mare.
Dragonite carried Kai swiftly back. Within minutes they were descending into the city square. Without hesitation, Kai released Latias and Latios, just as he had promised.
It was, after all, nothing more than a temporary measure. He hadn't taken advantage of their weakness his only thought had been to save them.
As the glow of release faded, the two Legends lay on the ground, weak but alive. Everyone rushed over.
"Latios! Latias! Are you okay!?"
Though surprised to see them emerge from Kai's Poké Balls, no one spoke against it. Even Lorenzo, the old gondolier, merely sighed with a complicated expression.
They all knew how dire the situation must have been for Kai to act that way.
Brock and Bianca crouched to examine them. Finding no serious injuries, they nodded to the group.
"They're fine. Just completely exhausted."
Before anyone could say more, the earth rumbled with another low roar. The remnants of the tsunami were still coming, though weakened. The wave towered in the distance, but it was nowhere near as terrifying as before.
"This square is too low," Lorenzo warned. "We need to move higher, quickly!"
Everyone realized the danger at once and hurried toward the higher parts of the city. This time, with the group helping, Kai didn't need to recall Latias and Latios. They stayed by his side, carried carefully as they ascended.
The waves struck fast, hammering the sea walls and spilling into the canals. Boats that had sunk beneath the harbor were swept through the streets, but the water's force was now manageable. It flooded only the low districts, sparing most of the city from true destruction.
Kai and the others climbed until they reached safety, water no longer a threat.
Half an hour later, as the tide gradually receded, they realized the great disaster had passed.
----
Don't forget to drop some PowerStones!💎💎💎
For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.
P@treon/iamxeno
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!