Melemele Island, on the outskirts of Hau'oli City.
The residents had been suffering terribly lately.
An enormous swarm of Alolan Rattata, led by their burly Dominant Raticate,
had been rampaging through the farmland, gnawing on precious Berries and ripe fruit, leaving devastation in their wake.
"This can't go on!"
A fruit farmer complained to Li Wei,
"They're about to eat our entire harvest for the year!"
"I have urgent business in the city!"
Officer Jenny could only try to soothe the residents around her, but she couldn't let them through.
The road could collapse at any moment. Letting them pass would only put them in greater danger.
"Please calm down, everyone. Nothing is more important than your safety."
"I'll get this road reopened as soon as possible."
After learning the basics of the situation,
Li Wei quickly devised a plan. First, he sent Latios home to bring Diancie over.
Then he called Ash and asked his group to go to Verdant Cavern and enlist Totem Gumshoos's help.
Ecological balance was the key to maintaining harmony in Alola.
Rattata and Yungoos were natural adversaries.
More precisely, Yungoos were Rattata's natural predators.
Now, under Dominant Raticate's leadership, Alola's Rattata population had multiplied excessively, upsetting that balance.
Their natural predators needed to be brought in to keep them in check.
True to her extensive knowledge, Lillie knew where Totem Gumshoos primarily lived.
Over the phone, Li Wei instructed Ash,
"Totem Gumshoos and its Yungoos population live in Verdant Cavern.
Your task is to go there and persuade Totem Gumshoos to lead its group out,
then drive Dominant Raticate and its followers out of the farmland, preferably somewhere uninhabited."
Lilia, who knew a great deal about the Alola Region's Totem Pokémon, hesitated. "We'll have to defeat the Totem Pokémon..."
But Kiawe and Ash were