"Woooo—!"
The sound of ships' horns could be heard without pause.
This was Olivine Port, located in Olivine City, one of the busiest and most prosperous seaports in the world.
Along the sprawling coastline, countless cargo ships and cruise liners entered their respective docks in an orderly fashion.
Standing prominently along the harbor were two lighthouses of different heights.
One old, one new.
The older one was Olivine City's famous Ampharos Lighthouse, also known as Glitter Lighthouse.
Long ago, when human technology was still incapable of safely guiding ships, or even aircraft, through severe weather, the light from the tail of an Ampharos was the most reassuring beacon of hope for captains and sailors.
The newer one was an electrically powered lighthouse that relied primarily on modern technology.
As for its main source of electricity, there was no need to elaborate. It still relied primarily on the Mareep family of Electric-type Pokémon, which was one of Olivine City's defining characteristics.
Normally, Pokémon used for generating electricity were common, highly social species such as Pikachu and Magnemite.
When they stored too much electricity inside their bodies, it was not only unhealthy but could also place an enormous strain on them. Discharging electricity from time to time was beneficial for their physical and mental well-being.
Some wealthy companies would even choose Pokémon such as Electivire to generate electricity.
Generally speaking, a powerful Electivire could generate enough electricity with a single discharge to support two or three days of consumption.
As for the Mareep family, although their wool could indeed store static electricity, converting that stored charge into usable electrical power was much more difficult than with the Pokémon mentioned above.
There was nothing they could do about it.
After all, the Mareep family, along with their final evolution, Ampharos, could practically be considered the face of Olivine City.
Standing with both feet on the dock, Silas breathed in the salty scent of the sea breeze while listening to the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
He let out a comfortable sigh.
Cianwood City was a great place, and Chuck and Yuriko had certainly treated him better than anyone could have asked for.
But perhaps because he had always been accustomed to being alone, he actually found himself somewhat uncomfortable with it.
One of the Poké Balls hanging from his waist suddenly trembled slightly.
"Well, I guess you've returned to your home turf too."
Silas sensed the movement and teased it with a smile.
He glanced toward the nearby Glitter Lighthouse, which remained quiet and still.
He knew that Ampharos and their Trainers lived inside, and there was more than one of them.
On one hand, they served as part of the harbor's defensive force alongside people such as Nurse Joy.
On the other, they served as a final safeguard for the city's safety.
If severe weather such as a storm became so intense that the technological lighthouse could no longer safely guide ships, that was when the powerful Ampharos would take over.
After all, sometimes storms weren't necessarily caused by nature.
The electric lighthouse had primarily been built to give the Ampharos inside Glitter Lighthouse some time to rest and recover.
Otherwise, keeping the lights on their tails illuminated every moment of every day would consume a tremendous amount of energy.
This was also why the Secret Medicine had once been in such high demand throughout Olivine City.
Before the electric lighthouse existed, Ampharos would frequently become exhausted to the point of reaching their physical limits.
Only Secret Medicine could allow them to recover to normal as quickly as possible without leaving behind any aftereffects.
It couldn't be helped.
Those yellow fellows were all incredibly gentle by nature. None of them would voluntarily ask for a break.
"Grrrrr—"
Silas's stomach suddenly growled.
"I'd better get something to eat first."
Silas rubbed his protesting stomach and silently made up his mind.
He had eaten quite a lot at the Cianwood Gym that morning, but the afternoon of shopping had consumed a tremendous amount of energy, so he was actually hungrier than usual.
As for how to choose a good restaurant.
Silas observed the sailors around him for a moment before silently following them.
Who could possibly know more about the quality of restaurants than these guys?
Not long afterward, he stopped and looked up.
Olivine Restaurant?
"What a straightforward name."
Silas raised an eyebrow before immediately walking inside.
A restaurant named directly after the city itself had better not serve bad food, or it would probably have plenty of trouble on its hands.
He was looking forward to it.
The moment he stepped through the door.
"Come on, bottoms up! Bottoms up!"
"Place your bets! Last chance! If Machamp wins, you owe me a mug of ale! If Golem wins, it's a beer!"
"Are you freaking kidding me?! You don't believe your own buddy? That Pokémon really is that huge!"
The deafening noise hit Silas's ears, making him somewhat uncomfortable for a moment.
As far as the eye could see, almost everyone dining here was a sailor, so their conversations were exceptionally loud and unrestrained.
In one corner, a Machamp was engaged in an arm-wrestling match against a Golem, while a circle of burly sailors gathered around them to watch.
"Come on, Machamp! Show them what you've got!"
"Golem! You just evolved recently, and you're incredibly strong now! Show that guy who's boss!"
Cheers and shouts rang out one after another.
There was just one thing Silas couldn't understand.
Why would a sailor raise a Golem?
What exactly did he plan on doing with it?
"Welcome to Olivine Restaurant! We have plenty of delicious food here. Even the strongest sailors can leave completely satisfied.
"What can I get for you, sir?"
A lively young girl hurried over to Silas.
Judging from her appearance, she seemed to be one of the waitresses.
She picked up an enormous menu and handed it to Silas.
The corner of Silas's mouth twitched.
Suppressing the urge to complain, he accepted it.
After taking a quick look, he said,
"I'll have Set Number Two and Set Number Three."
The moment he said that, the noise around him noticeably died down.
"Are you sure, sir? Each of those is a normal ten-person serving."
The young girl kindly reminded him, "Normally, even the strongest sailors will be completely stuffed after finishing just one set."
"Exactly! Don't try to show off, kid!"
A bearded sailor with his sleeves rolled up laughed loudly.
"The portions here aren't anything like those at other restaurants. Be careful you don't eat so much that you have to crawl out while holding onto the wall!"
His companion beside him immediately joined in without showing him any mercy.
"Yeah! This guy actually had to be carried out the first time he came here because he insisted on eating everything!"
"What did you say, bastard?! How about we see who's capable of eating more?"
"You? Don't make me laugh! With that Weedle-sized stomach of yours, who do you think you can beat?"
The next moment, the two sailors, who had been perfectly fine just seconds earlier, pressed their foreheads together and began wrestling for dominance.
"It's fine. I'll take these two sets. Thank you."
Although he had only been there for a short while, Silas had already become accustomed to the atmosphere.
He casually handed the menu back to the young waitress.
"All right. Please wait a moment."
The young girl struggled to carry the enormous menu before hurrying toward the kitchen.
Seeing that Silas was determined, the surrounding sailors didn't say anything more.
He was obviously just trying to show off in front of the cute young waitress.
They had seen plenty of young guys like him.
In the end, the one who couldn't finish his food would be the one embarrassing himself.
It wasn't their problem.
The restaurant soon returned to its usual uproar.
"Slap—Bang—"
Just as Silas was waiting for his food and letting his mind wander, the front door was forcefully pushed open.
All the sailors frowned and turned toward the entrance.
Then their expressions relaxed.
"Big Brother Daisuke, what happened? Why do you look so upset?"
"Big Brother Daisuke is here! Come over and have something to eat with me."
"Come on, Big Brother Daisuke, take a look at my newly evolved Golem!"
The sailors enthusiastically greeted the newcomer, their attitudes changing with astonishing speed.
Hearing that familiar name, Silas instinctively raised his head.
"Daisuke?"
He muttered softly, a hint of surprise in his voice.
But after thinking about it, it actually made sense.
Olivine Port was the only harbor around here where the Ship could dock. Otherwise, Daisuke wouldn't have appeared in the nearby Whirl Islands.
Silas simply hadn't expected to meet him again less than a day after they had parted ways.
Daisuke had obviously noticed Silas as well.
In a restaurant full of sailors, someone who wasn't dressed like one naturally stood out.
His expression relaxed slightly. After greeting the sailors around him, he sat down directly across from Silas under everyone's astonished gazes.
"Something happened?"
Silas immediately got straight to the point.
"The results are out?"
"Yeah."
Daisuke nodded, his expression looking somewhat grim.
"They said Team Rocket managed to plant three waiters, two chefs, and a supervisor among the staff. Team Magma and Team Aqua each managed to plant three waiters and a guide. There are also a few members of various smaller criminal organizations mixed in."
"It's unavoidable. At least none of the sailors had any problems, right?"
Silas comforted him.
Everyone actually knew that something like this was impossible to prevent completely.
Compared to that, the criminal organizations' infiltration could be described as incredibly shallow.
"That's true."
Daisuke clearly agreed with Silas.
At least none of his brothers had betrayed the Pokémon League. That alone proved that his judgment when it came to people was still quite reliable.
As for the waiters and other staff, there were simply too many of them, and their backgrounds were far too diverse. It was impossible for him to investigate every single one of them thoroughly.
"Whew... I've made up my mind."
Daisuke downed a gulp of alcohol that he had apparently borrowed from one of the sailors and paused.
"If something like this happens, the League will definitely need someone to take responsibility. And aboard the Ship, that person can only be me.
"So, instead of waiting for the League to issue an order transferring me elsewhere, I might as well resign first. I could go work as a Gym instructor at that guy Lt. Surge's place. That wouldn't be bad either."
Compared to having the League order him to leave his position, Daisuke felt that choosing to resign himself would be easier to accept.
Silas thought about it and was just about to say something.
"Bang!"
The door was forcefully pushed open once again.
Everyone's attention immediately turned toward the entrance.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I pushed a little too hard. I'm really sorry."
A girl wearing a light-colored dress with her hair tied into two braids repeatedly bowed as she apologized.
"It's fine, it's fine. Gym Leader Jasmine, long time no see. You must be exhausted."
"Yeah, yeah! You've worked hard, Gym Leader Jasmine. Looks like your appetite has been pretty good lately, too."
The sailors' attitude was even more enthusiastic than it had been when Daisuke arrived.
Don't let her somewhat clumsy appearance fool you. Whether it was strength or authority, even all of them combined wouldn't be enough to compare with her.
Jasmine raised her head and smiled sheepishly.
Then she saw Silas.
As the sailors watched where she was heading, their expressions became strange.
Who was this young man?
Not only did Big Brother Daisuke know him, but even Gym Leader Jasmine knew him.
Could he be some kind of young master from a powerful family?
The outfit Silas was wearing had been chosen for him by Yuriko that afternoon. It was completely different from his usual practical Trainer attire.
Combined with his appearance, he looked every bit like an elegant young aristocrat.
"Long time no see, Silas."
Jasmine nodded toward Daisuke before greeting Silas.
Of course she knew Daisuke. The Ship had been docked at Olivine Port, and as one of the city's key figures, it would have been strange if she didn't know one of the people responsible for the ship.
"Long time no see, Ms. Jasmine."
Silas quickly understood why Jasmine had come here to eat.
With an appetite like hers, there probably wasn't a more suitable restaurant around.
And besides...
If he hadn't misheard, when the sailors had called out to that young waitress earlier, they had called her Janina.
In the future, when Ash challenged the Olivine Gym, an apprentice named Janina would disguise herself as Jasmine and battle him in her place. She had even coated her Onix with waterproof wax.
"Is Ampharos doing well lately? Sparkle is quite concerned about it. That's actually pretty unusual for Sparkle."
Jasmine asked with a smile.
Silas nodded confidently.
"Of course. Ampharos is incredibly strong now."
Not to mention its strength, even its potential was completely different from before.
If it weren't inconvenient to release his Shiny Ampharos here, he would have loved to ask Jasmine for some more advice.
"Bang!"
The door was forcefully pushed open for the third time.
The sailors had already grown accustomed to it and didn't even bother looking.
This time, a strange group of five stood at the entrance.
"You bastard! How dare you look down on us? You ugly narcissist!"
A furious red-haired woman was screaming at a man dressed in a purple evening suit.
"That's right, meow! Someone like you doesn't even deserve to meet Suicune, meow!"
A Meowth walking upright on two legs waved its paws angrily.
Everyone's expressions froze.
What had they just heard?
A Meowth could speak human language?!
Compared with that, something as trivial as wanting to meet Suicune wasn't even worth mentioning.
This was a Pokémon that could actually speak human language!
"Hmph. Ignorant people like you, and Pokémon as well, could never understand just how extraordinary my abilities are~ How vulgar~"
The man in the evening suit elegantly adjusted his bow tie, completely ignoring the contempt coming from the woman and the Meowth.
"All right, all right, stop arguing. Let's eat first. I'm starving."
A blue-haired young man tried to mediate between them.
Meanwhile, another short old man with a beard that was practically as thick as a patch of grass stared at Silas with shining eyes.
"I finally found you!!"
"???"
Several question marks seemed to appear above Silas's head.
However, he did recognize some of the people in this group.
Silas raised a hand and gestured.
"James, over here."
Only then did James notice his dear friend, although the feeling was mostly one-sided, sitting in the restaurant.
His mood immediately improved.
"Silas? What are you doing here?"
James pulled the red-haired Jessie and Meowth toward the inside of the restaurant.
"Jessie, Meowth, let's sit over there."
The old man was even faster than them.
With a flash, he appeared beside Silas and, with his eyes closed, took a deep breath in a rather creepy manner.
Then the old man suddenly opened his eyes.
"That's it! That's exactly the smell! I finally found you!"
He stared at Silas with a fanatical expression, looking every bit like a deranged criminal.
Silas clenched his fists, barely suppressing the urge to send an old man flying.
"Excuse me, sir, but could you please stand a little farther away from me?"
..
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