A boy ran down the streets of a small village with an Emolga gliding beside him. Others watched as he entered a small house at the end of the street; it belonged to the village elder. As the boy entered through the gate and the front door, an elderly woman sitting at a table in the dining room greeted him. "Aaron, tea?" She asked pouring herself a cup.

"Yes, please." He said taking a seat. His Emolga climbed on to the table and stood nearby its partner. He instinctively ran his fingers through the mess of short brown hair on his head.

"And I suppose that you want something too?" She smiled filling a small dish with tea and setting it in front of the Emolga along with a biscuit. She pet its head before it began dipping its biscuit in the tea and began to nibble.

"He usually isn't that fond of others." Aaron said sipping his tea.

"He knows who he needs to respect. Just like you. It's amazing how Pokémon pick up the personalities of their trainers." She smiled grabbing her cup with two hands and taking a sip. "But that's not what we're here to talk about. We're here to talk about you wanting to go on a journey, again."

"You keep telling me that I can't. Why not?"

"The one that you have in mind is not for you. Going around challenging gyms to be a Pokémon master, it is something that you are not meant for."

Aaron finished his tea and set the cup on the table. "I'm getting really sick of you telling me that I can't. What if I can? What if you're wrong?"

"Aaron, I never said that you couldn't do it. I said that you shouldn't do it. In fact, I have no doubt in my mind that you could be a Pokémon master."

"Then why can't I do it?" Aaron's fist tightened while his Emolga looked up from its tea.

"I have something better in mind for you. First, I want you to take a trip to the mountain's peak. I've already talked to the guards. You're cleared to go. After you reach the shrine at the top, you can go on your journey or you can take a different one. I have no real control over your life." She stood up and collected the cups from the table. Aaron walked out the door with his Emolga on his shoulder.

Aaron walked passed the guards with his bag over his shoulder. His Emolga was resting in a pouch in his bag while he started walking up the path. He walked for what felt like hours until something ran by. Aaron whipped around as his Emolga climbed out of the bag to get a view of what was happening. Standing on one of the boulders was an Absol. It looked at Aaron and growled before running off down the hill. He then turned to his Emolga. "Something's coming. We need to find shelter." Aaron started to run with what little energy he had left as the sky above began to darken and the first few drops of rain had begun to fall. Soon enough the light drops had turned into a heavy downfall. Aaron continued to run with his Emolga clinging to his shoulder until they reached a cave.

His Emolga shook itself off getting water everywhere. "I guess that we need to chill out here until the rain stops." He shivered a little bit walking deeper into the dark, cold cave. Deeper into the cave, Aaron could make out a light that he kept moving closer to. Then he saw the Litwick that was the source of light and some warmth. "That thing is going to kill us by draining our life." Aaron backed away slowly only for the Litwick to get closer to him, it wanted him to follow it. It then pointed to another source of light down one of the paths of the cave. It started to move forward again expecting Aaron to follow it. He let out a small sigh following the Pokémon down the path.

They stopped in a den that had a couple of mats on the floor, a fire, several pieces of furniture, and several devices around the room. "Litwick, I see that you brought guests." A man sitting at the table smiled, his hair was long and purple. "I'm Alva." He said approaching Aaron. He examined him carefully. "You're soaking, come sit by the fire and warm up. I'll get some blankets." He disappeared into the cave and returned with a blanket that he draped over Aaron. "My Gengar should be back with some berries soon." A Pokémon jumped from the ceiling startling Aaron. "We have guests. Be nice to them." Aaron took notice of the Pokémon's odd coloring before returning to warming his hands by the fire.

"Thank you for everything, but I have a question. What are you doing in this cave?"

"Well, I've made some mistakes in my past, and I've found that some time alone is better for me to think and try to do some good for this world. I bring in clean water from one of the streams, I help injured Pokemon out here, and I get to repay my debt to society, and a friend that I've hurt." He turned to his Gengar rubbing its back. He shed a tear before regaining his composure. "I'm sorry. I never got your name."

"Aaron." He responded.

"Well Aaron, what are you doing in the mountains? Especially during a storm like this?" Alva looked at him with concern. He then grabbed two mugs and went to a kettle hanging over the fire.

"I'm on a quest from my village elder. I have to reach the peak's shrine and then I get to go on my journey."

"And what is your journey?" Alva asked sitting at the table setting a mug of tea in front of Aaron.

"Go around challenging gyms to be a Pokemon master I think,"

"You think?" Alva chuckled a little bit. "What's your doubt?"

"The elder thinks that there's something better waiting for me at the peak."

"Don't disrespect your elders. They've been around for a bit, and they tend to know what's best. For some, a journey is a walk to the store to buy bread. It just depends."

"I'm not meant to buy bread."

"I sensed that when you walked in. And so did my Litwick. That's why it brought you to me. Feel free to wait out the storm in here. We'll go to the mountain peak together once the weather clears."

"Thank you." Aaron sipped his tea continuing to chat with Alva.

The storm continued into the next day. Aaron slept on one of the mats during the night. Now, he sat across from Alva playing a game of checkers. "You win this time. It looks like we're back in a draw. Another game?"

Aaron nodded his head starting to put the pieces back into place. "So what did you do to wind up here?" Aaron looked up at Alva.

"I corrupted my vision of a better future with greed and power. I hurt friends I cared for deeply and several other innocent people and Pokémon."

"What did you do to him?" Aaron pointed to the Gengar munching on several berries.

"I used inventions for evil. I forced him to mega evolve without his consent. Every time I think about it, I always think of pain and suffering that I caused and can never take away." His fist tightened as he shed a few tears. His Gengar quickly moved to his master's side. "I'm fine. I just wish I could take away the pain I caused you." His arms were wrapped tightly around the Pokémon. "It's why I promised never to force you to battle again."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up." Aaron scratched his Emolga behind the ears as he finished setting up the game.

The rain eventually cleared as Aaron stepped outside into the sunlight. Alva followed behind supporting himself with a hiking stick. His Gengar followed lurking close to the ground to shade itself. "Have you seen the shrine before?" Aaron asked.

"Yes, many times. It's quite beautiful." Alva responded continuing to follow behind Aaron.

The group continued to walk for a bit longer until they finally reached the peak. The sun was setting in the distance. "There's the shrine." Aaron said walking over to the chipped stone structure.

"Aaron, glad to see that you made it." The elder smiled stepping out from behind the shrine. "Why don't you open it up and see what's inside."

She stepped aside and watched Aaron approach the structure. She watched him open the wooden doors and reach inside where he retrieved an old thin book. "What's this?"

"Your journey. That is an ancient book wielded by powerful trainers of long ago. They are gifted with the ability to wield the powers of legendary Pokémon. I have been led to believe that you are one of those trainers. Open that book if you would like to find out."

Aaron held the book in his hand carefully. He took notice of the old leather and gold etching before opening the book to a blank page. Words magically appeared on the page in front of him.

"So you are one." The elder smiled as she watched Aaron read.

Time for your journey to begin. To a land where time and space clash distorting the world around it. This is where the Judgement Stone is.

"Judgement stone?" Aaron asked.

"Oh, a powerful Power Stone blessed by Arceus. The strongest of all the Power Stones. It's something that all Wielders aspire to obtain."

"So where do I go?" Aaron asked.

"Sinnoh, It's where your journey must begin. Most Wielders don't start there though. Perhaps there are bigger plans in motion." She smiled at him warmly. "Go, you have a journey to start, if you want it."

"I do." Aaron said closing the book and putting it in his bag.

"A Wielder needs better gear than this. I have a friend in Oreburgh who can help you. I'll do whatever I can to help you with your journey."'

"Thank you Alva." The elder and Aaron said at the same time.

"I need to get going now." Aaron waved at them before heading back down the mountain path into the sunset.

"Do you think that he'll make the right choices?" The elder asked.

"It's hard to say." Alva put an arm over her shoulder and looked at his Gengar who smiled a little bit.