Pokémon Origins: The Johto Saga
Volume II --- Return of the Beasts
Prologue
Seven hundred years ago, in the Johto region, man had discovered the abilities and usefulness of Pokémon. Man and Pokémon at first worked together constructively, using their skills to develop technology that caused society to advance. One fateful day, a freak accident in ancient Ecruteak City caused mankind to discover the superb fighting abilities of Pokémon. Shortly after a similar accident in a large civilization located where Goldenrod City is located today, the two sides went to war, not knowing about the discoveries that the other had made.
Every day the war dragged on brought with it the loss of many human lives. Some soldiers died by fire, others by cold, others by electric shock, and still others by mysterious powers that the Pokémon had. After some time there were insufficient human forces for either side to defend against the attacks. The generals had no choice but to pit the Pokémon against each other. Their powers were much greater than anticipated, and threatened the lives of everyone in the entire region.
When it looked like the war would end in the destruction of both sides, three warriors from the west came rushing into the battle atop large beast Pokémon. The speed of these Pokémon made the cavalry units terribly slow by comparison. The three warriors attacked with their swords bearing powers of fire, lightning, and ice. Though the generals' Pokémon tried to avert the intervention, the three Beasts were too evasive and too powerful to do anything. Both sides were forced to sign an armistice, ending the potential destruction of the region. After the armistice, the three warriors vanished.
Seven hundred years later, that battle was raged once more in the land of Johto. Three college juniors interested in the legendary Pokémon of Ecruteak City would become the legendary Beast Riders, just as the warriors of centuries ago. Though it took some doing, the three young men passed the tests of the legendary Beasts of the Burned Tower, and they joined forces. They raced across the land, quenching the efforts of the Legacy Hunters, a criminal syndicate dedicated to capturing legendary Pokémon and using them to conquer the world. The Legacy Hunters had laid siege to strategic cities in the region, such as Olivine City and Goldenrod City. When the entity was about to invade Ecruteak City and take the Pokémon there, the Beast Riders rushed to the rescue and drove them all the way back to their headquarters on one of the Sevii Islands.
Ho-oh, the guardian of the legendary Beasts, flew the brave warriors to that island to exterminate the Legacy Hunters for good. Fierce battle after fierce battle raged on the island. By the time they had reached the evil leader, he was ready to capture Lugia, the guardian of the sea. Instead, the gargantuan bird turned on the leader, killing him. Continuing its rage, it tried to kill the Beasts and their riders. Defying all odds, the Beast Riders defeated Lugia with the help of Ho-oh.
After a long period of celebration, the three young warriors parted with the legendary Pokémon they had been with for so long. It brought tears to their eyes. Ho-oh was watching over the melancholy moment the entire time. It was debating whether making them part was the best thing to do.
It was a major adjustment for them to get back to the dull and ordinary routine of education, but it took little time. The experiences with the legendary Pokémon gave them the inspiration to write beautiful research papers for a related class that all of them were enrolled in. Failing to earn under an "A" on any evaluation after serving as a warrior, the three students exited the first semester of the course at the top of their class.
