Meanwhile, in the other regions of the world…
Current Pokémon:
Snow coated the path to Snowpoint like a gentle warning. Ariana adjusted her coat and pressed forward, a bright red scarf fluttering behind her in the wind. Petrel trudged a few steps behind, grumbling and slipping every few minutes.
“Remind me again why we didn’t take the train?” he muttered.
“Because we’re investigating reports. Locals say there’s a temple shrine up here with a statue of a legendary Pokémon,” Ariana replied, scanning the tree line. “The kind of info the Boss might find interesting.”
They didn’t find the shrine—not exactly. A hailstorm blocked visibility. But they did find a girl.
She couldn’t have been more than ten, bundled in too-big gloves and determined eyes. She had blonde hair. A Gible walked beside her, fiercely glaring at them.
“You two look strong,” the girl said confidently. “Wanna battle?”
Petrel blinked. “Do you even know who we are?”
“Nope,” she chirped.
A brief double battle followed. Ariana and Petrel went easy, mostly amused. But the girl held her own, especially when her Gible used Dragon Rush
They exchanged glances. Ariana gave her a Max Potion. Petrel handed her a weird snack he claimed was good for training.
Neither of them caught her name.
They moved on.
Later, they finally found the Snowpoint TempleRegigigas
They took pictures. Ariana sent them to Giovanni with a brief message:
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
—A
Back in Kanto, Giovanni read the report in silence.
The shrine. The titan. The ancient warnings.
He didn’t dismiss it—but he didn’t act either. Not yet.
He filed the info under a confidential label: Myths & Dangers
Current Pokémon:
Goldenrod City bustled under gray skies. Archer, trench coat billowing, moved like a ghost through crowded streets. He didn’t need to speak. He watched, listened. Team Rocket’s old assets in Johto were mostly dormant—but some were stirring.
In the countryside near Mahogany, rumors swirled of political unrest around Pryce, the region’s aging Gym Leader. Archer followed them with quiet interest.
But he found something else.
Talk of a rising trainer—red-haired, from Blackthorn CityDragonair, Charizard, Gyarados, PidgeotSeadra
Further north, in a neglected town, Archer encountered a pack of Houndour
One Houndour stepped forward.
It joined him.
Current Pokémon:
Unova was noisy, crowded, and way too bright for Proton’s liking. Castelia City
He kept to the shadows. His job was mostly research: documenting local Pokémon, sending unique intel back to HQ, and occasionally disrupting petty criminals for target practice.
He’d already sent notes on a rumored man-made Pokémon—Genesect
One evening, he was being followed. A trio of silent figures watched from an alleyway. Clad in black, masked, and moving like liquid shadow.
He reached for Hypno.
They vanished.
A boy peeked around the corner. Maybe six years old. Wild green hair. Curious, knowing eyes.
“Don’t mind them,” the boy said. “They’re… friends.”
Proton crouched. “Who are you?”
The boy tilted his head. “I don’t know yet.”
Proton said nothing and walked away.
He made a mental note:
Ariana and Petrel sip coffee. A newspaper lies on the table.Headline:“Cynthia Defends Title in Unbeaten Streak”
Ariana (frowning):Petrel (blinking):Ariana (grabbing the paper):Petrel (chokes on coffee):[Both stare at the paper in stunned silence.]Petrel:Ariana (facepalming):
