The special situation in Boshire Town had definitely caught the attention of Sato and his two companions. After deciding to stay, they immediately began surveying the nearby wild Pokémon that same day.
Sato and Mark used the pier as a dividing line, with each of them exploring one side of the sea -Mark went south, Sato north- while Joseph was left to investigate the land.
"Lapras, remember the location of the pier. Bring Mark back when it gets dark." Sato had zero faith in Mark's sense of direction and directly asked Lapras to keep an eye on him, just don't let the guy get lost.
"Pras~" Lapras nodded obediently in response.
Wild Lapras migrated with the ocean currents year-round and had a natural sense of navigation in the sea. It was extremely reliable.
As for why Mark still had to go scout despite that… it was because knowing how to get around and knowing how to spot a problem were two very different things.
When it came to finding things, Mark had never lost to anyone!
And so, the three of them split up and began their search… which lasted an entire day.
Sato was responsible for the sea area north of the pier. He rode on the back of Sharpedo, roaming through the water. Thanks to the Dive move, the attached air bubble provided him with plenty of oxygen.
Sharpedo carried Sato around the coastal waters, making a wide loop. Along the way, they found that not only were there many kinds of Pokémon, but their numbers were quite considerable.
During the process, Sato even witnessed two small wild Pokémon groups locked in a fierce territorial battle.
This showed that the living conditions here weren't as abundant and comfortable as one might think.
Under such circumstances, there were still many fishermen going out to sea every day, and yet there were barely any reports of attacks by wild Water-type Pokémon. That clearly didn't add up.
"Sharpedo, take me back to shore."
"Sha!"
Not long after, Sato landed, but he didn't recall Sharpedo. Instead, he attached a small camera to its body and sent it off again.
"You can't move freely with me riding you. This time, go on your own and ask the Pokémon nearby if there's any kind of boss around. Don't provoke any fights. If there's danger, protect yourself first and return to me as fast as you can," Sato said seriously, patting Sharpedo's head.
"Sha~"
Sharpedo nodded and, with a splash, dove back into the ocean, vanishing from sight. Sato opened his tablet and plugged in the signal receiver.
Very soon, the footage from Sharpedo's camera began transmitting directly to the tablet screen.
---
Meanwhile, Mark and Lapras were casually wandering the sea south of the pier. Lapras was better at diving than Sharpedo, and the large space on its back even allowed Mark to stand up and walk around a bit. It was incredibly relaxing.
"Lapras, this way, this way!"
Seeing Mark point for the third time toward an area they had already investigated, Lapras's eyes revealed a hint of helplessness. Still, it turned gracefully and swam in the direction Mark had indicated.
"Let's go that way this time..."
"Emmm… over there! There might be something…"
"I've got a feeling! There's definitely something ahead~"
After traveling over the same route who knew how many times, both Mark and Lapras suddenly caught sight of a large black tail flicking past the rocks on the right.
"Lapras, after it!"
"Pras!"
---
"Let's stop and rest for a bit!"
By midday, Joseph patted the back of Gogoat and asked it to slow down and find a clear area to rest.
As Joseph took out the lunch he'd prepared, a flash of white light appeared beside him; it was his dashing Gallade, who had just used Teleport to return.
"Anything to report?" Joseph asked as he handed out lunch.
"Gallade!" Gallade gave a cool nod and politely accepted the meal.
"For real? Take me to see it after lunch!" Joseph's eyes lit up, and he started eating noticeably faster.
As afternoon approached, Sato was the first to arrive at the pier, waiting for Mark to return. In the end, Sharpedo hadn't found anything unusual; just confirmation that wild Pokémon seemed long accustomed to avoiding human activity.
But time kept ticking, and Mark still hadn't shown up. By now, the dependable Lapras should've dragged him back by force.
"Sharpedo, go find them."
As soon as the scheduled time passed, Sato immediately sent Sharpedo to search.
Over half an hour later, the sea began to bubble faintly. Sharpedo and Lapras suddenly burst through the surface together, Mark lying on Lapras's back, looking completely battered.
"B-Boss! There was this… super powerful Floatzel. If… if your Sharpedo hadn't come to help… I… I might not have made it out!"
Still gasping for breath, Mark rushed to tell Sato what had happened. He couldn't help but glance back at the sea, a flash of fear flickering in his eyes.
"Get up here first!" Sato helped him onto land, laid him down to rest, and handed him a bottle of Sweet Milk. It took a good while before Mark finally recovered.
"What level was that Floatzel, can you tell?" Once Sato saw that Mark had calmed down, he asked.
"Not exactly sure, but it had to be at least Peak Elite. Lapras and I were stuck in a Whirlpool it created and couldn't escape for ages."
"Let's head back first. When Joseph returns, we'll discuss it together." Sato didn't say much more and helped Mark make his way toward Miyu's house.
As they passed by the village school, a group of children just getting out of class came rushing out. Seeing this, a thought crossed Sato's mind.
"Gengar, go check if Komachi is still somewhere in Boshire Town. Be careful not to get spotted."
"Geng~"
A golden flash flickered by Sato's feet, and Gengar quietly vanished into the shadows.
---
By the time the two reached Miyu's doorstep, they immediately saw her waiting outside with a worried expression.
"Oh dear, didn't you say you'd be back by dinner? And Mark… why are you soaking wet? Did you fall in the water…?" Miyu rushed over, fussing over them nonstop, leaving Sato and Mark a bit sheepish and speechless.
"Miyu… has Joseph come back yet?" Sato seized a pause in her scolding to quickly ask.
"I thought it was strange, too. Why didn't Joseph come back with you? Just where did you go today?" She asked with clear concern.
Sato and Mark exchanged looks, both of them visibly tense. Joseph was always reliable, he had never done anything to make them worry.
"I-"
"You stay here and rest. Miyu, please take care of Mark for a bit. I'm going to look for Joseph!"
Sato pushed Mark back down as he tried to get up, then, after a few quick instructions, rushed out the door.
---
In the dense forest behind Boshire Town, Joseph leaned weakly against a tree, gazing down at the few lit homes dotting the town below.
After resting a while, he silently resumed walking down the mountain.
"Bay..."
Bayleef followed close behind, eyes full of concern. It gently wrapped its two vines around Joseph's waist to keep him from falling.
"…Come on, Bayleef. If we're too late, Sato will start to worry," Joseph muttered softly, though his movements were sluggish.
A closer look would reveal…
Joseph's face was unnaturally pale.