Haurchefant Greystone

Due to efforts of many emergency responders and trainers, there are no casualties from the sinking of the SS Aria! The ship's passengers and crew make a full escape, including all the Pokemon onboard... one way or another.

Unfortunately, the ship itself does not survive. The tossing waters push it closer to shore before it fully sinks, and the whirlpools of Route 41 draw it in; it ends up finally going down just an hour or two outside the boundaries of Route 41, where it will quickly become a habitat for wild Pokemon. (With even more cantankerous Dhelmise, now that there's a new sunken ship around... such is the cycle of nature.)

The owners of the SS Aria would like to extend a more meaningful thanks to the trainers who kept calm on board and helped with the evacuation, as well as anyone who assisted from onshore, but they're too buried in red tape right now - they're under investigation. For insurance fraud, first of all - that sure was an unusually quickly sunk ship! - but also for connections to Team Rocket. A suspicious amount of Pokemon vanished during this trip... far more suspicious when, in the following week, a large group of concerned trainers sponsors a professional dive to the sunken ship to find their missing Pokeballs, and no Pokeballs at all are found. While the SS Aria administration will eventually be cleared of all wrongdoing, it's going to take many months! For now, all they can offer is sponsoring free rides back to wherever trainers were prior to their cruise trip.

That's not to say there's no reward. Anyone who successfully participated in rescues is going to have grateful trainers thanking them more personally - perhaps just with simple heartfelt thanks, but possibly also with gifts of items, or food, or maybe even offers of Pokemon Eggs. Were you running low on Potions or travel rations? Well, that's not going to be a problem for a while! Were you wanting a Litten even though you haven't made it to Mt. Mortar yet? Maybe you were gifted an Egg.

Meanwhile, over in Team Rocket... middle management is extremely satisfied with the outcome of their investment in this cruise trip. The ship sinking is a shame, as they would've loved to target future trips as well, but they're still more than happy to see the amount of Pokemon brought back this time. Quite a haul! All Rocket participants who brought back stolen Pokemon will get a letter of commendation from their immediate management, some extra privileges for the next few weeks (nicer food at the Rocket cafeterias! a little bonus in their stipend! unlimited shower time with no nasty comments allowed from other Rockets about how they're hogging all the hot water!), and most importantly... their management is thinking of them fondly for the next Rocket mission opportunity...