Chapter One: A Land of Extremes
The Kaeta Region is a land of extremes - extreme mountain ranges, extreme weather, even Pokémon trainers with an extreme taste for battling. Trainers come from all over the world to Kaeta to challenge everything from its grand Enigma Mountain to the vast Bronzerth Desert. Because of the terrain being near-impossible to cross, many different kinds of species thrive - including those that originate in Unova. A tale has been told that there is even a safe haven for Legendary Pokémon called Legend Falls...
This region was founded 2000 years before the present by a man by the name of Zarath Kaet, whose descendants rule the kingdom today.
Only a few years ago, due to the plea of the next in line, the annual Kaeta Winter Festival began, drawing in trainers from all over the world to compete in the closest things the kingdom has to a Grand Festival and Pokémon League. The trainers who win either get a special prize!
But who will win this year's special prize? Could it even be Kanto's own Ash Ketchum?
"Do you have what it takes?"
A spotlight shone on a teenage girl. Her long, dark brown hair reached to her waist and the skin on her face was shining, freckles evident on her cheeks. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt, dark blue dress pants, shiny black shoes, a dark green mini-vest, and a light green scarf. The camera zoomed in on her and she opened her emerald-green eyes. She took a Luxury Ball from her vest pocket.
"Go!" said the same voice.
She threw the ball into the air and the Pokémon emerged. A Ninetales, its well-kept coat dazzling, ran forward. The girl snapped her fingers and the Ninetales let loose as many jets of fire as it had tails. They swirled around it and seemed to braid themselves into a single, giant jet of blazing light.
The girl threw another Luxury Ball and a majestic Milotic appeared. It used Aqua Ring and threw itself at the tower of flame, creating sizzling holes as it climbed. When it reached the top, it threw water rings off its body, which each hovered over one of the holes each.
A third Luxury Ball was thrown and a Gardevoir emerged. It created several rings of Magical Leaf and threw each of them at the holes, each ring intersecting the water rings and not touching the fire.
The girl walked toward her three Pokémon as the holes in the fire tower became fire rings. Each set of rings hovered around the trainer and Pokémon.
"The Kaeta Winter Festival will start in three weeks," the girl told the viewers. "We're searching for trainers with a strong heart and a determined mind. Bring your toughest Pokémon and come to Kaeta Castle if you know you can stand up to the challenge. Don't keep us waiting."
Words telling of not only the time and date of the festival, but also directions to Kaeta and its castle flashed onto the screen.
Ash stared at the TV. The last sentence the girl had said made him tense. He was sure every other trainer watching the commercial felt the same way, but she was challenging him.
The TV suddenly turned off, causing Ash to whirl around. Delia set the remote down.
"Ash, don't you think you've been watching TV for a while now?" she told her son.
"It was just for a few minutes," Ash told her. "Tracey told me the commercial was on."
"Since when do kids just watch for the commercials?" Delia asked. "Besides, Professor Oak said he wanted to see you."
"Really?" Ash shouted excitedly. "He told me he was trying to get tickets for a boat to Kaeta!"
Pikachu jumped up from behind Delia and landed on her shoulder.
"Pikapi!" he cried.
Ash dashed to the door, Pikachu jumping onto him as he passed.
"Ash!" Delia shouted from the doorway, her son already several houses down. "Aren't you forgetting something?!"
Ash knew he'd be back at home after this. He'd still need quite a few things before even going to Kaeta, so his mom shouldn't have any need to worry.
Three weeks later, a Lucario stirred from sleep. The morning rays had just begun to emerge from the horizon. She stepped from the foot of the bed where her master slept and went out onto the balcony.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings: the forest, the courtyard, even the mountain in the distance. It all seemed so mundane now. She felt something coming to her relief - answers she'd been looking for. Even one answer would put her at ease. She caught sight of a bus entering the surrounding town.
Here they come...
