Waves: A Pokémon Short Story

4- Aftermath and Epilogue

Seventy-one.

Seventy-one people and Pokémon were killed in the tsunami, and that number still rises as more bodies are found.

Matt and his Pikachu were among those who had lost their lives in the disaster.

Many buildings were destroyed, and hundreds of survivors were displaced with nowhere to go. It would take a lot of dedicated work and time to be able to rebuild Kanto back to the beauty it was before.

Only a few days after the torrent, nearby regions such as Sinnoh and Hoenn, and even Alola sent police and medical forces to respond and help out the destroyed region.

The Kantonian and Johtonian Elite Four and respective Champions were among the first to respond to the area, and Bea was able to actually meet Bruno of the Kantonian Elite Four, whom she admired and respected for his outstanding skill in Fighting-Types.

On better terms, Bea, Dylan, and the three boys were brought to a nearby hospital. Their wounds were taken care of and they were safe there.

While at the hospital, Conner was reunited with his Croconaw. Apparently the Water-Type has been found unconscious, and was brought here to be helped by the doctors.

And what's more, apparently when the wave had gone back into the ocean, many people and Pokémon had been sucked out with it. Of those who had been pulled out to sea was Lu. When police officials went out to sea to patrol for any survivors, they had found the Hawlucha, still alive. She was returned to Bea a few days later.

After first hearing about the quake and tsunami, the Galarian League had sent a helicopter as soon as they could so that Bea could return back home. She refused, as she would rather stay here in Kanto— not for her vacation, but to help the families and residents of the region. And so she was expected to return in a week.

Within that week, Bea helped clean out a large portion of a nearby city, Lavender Town. Everyone agreed that the bodies of those who lost their lives— both people and Pokémon alike— would rest at the top of the Pokémon Tower, where they would be far above from the crashing waves, yet close enough to them as well.

There was a remembrance, and Bea was the one who had been comforted by Josiah. Even if she had only known Matt for a few hours, it was emotional to have him gone. Dylan was also in tears, thinking of what had happened if Bea had been on that list of people killed. Technically she should be on that list, with the boys as well, but yet here they were, alive and breathing close by each other.

The week came and went, and before Bea knew it, the helicopter was back to pick her and Dylan up. If the airport hadn't gotten destroyed, or if the roads weren't full of debris, Bea would have asked to have a plane. But as it was, there weren't any easily accessible ways to return home.

The helicopter landed; the time to leave had come. Bea glanced back, surprised to find a huge crowd there. They were all there to send her off safely. Her eyes burned with fresh tears, and her lip quivered. These people were so selfless!

That's what a natural disaster like this will do.

Eventually Bea couldn't take it anymore and broke down in front of everyone. Immediately people rushed around her, patting her back, giving her hugs, and whispering words of encouragement.

Bea began to cry even more, surrounded by these people she hardly knew. She didn't even know their names, and never saw their faces before, yet here they were, trying to help her.

The crowd dispersed after several moments (mostly due to Dylan's comment that Bea needed space to breathe) and watched as Bea quickly wiped her eyes on her new Johtonian shirt. She felt bad for messing it up, but the action was involuntary.