[Hey, guys! It sure has been a while, hasn't it? Anyway, I have some exciting news: I'm working on a complete rewrite of Legendary Genesis! Consider it a belated celebration of the fic's fifth anniversary. While some parts (such as the first chapter) are just being tidied up a little, I'm also going to be moving a few of the chapters around and making some pretty significant changes. Here's a summary of what you can expect from the new and improved version:

- I intend to improve the quality of the prose by significantly reducing my use of adverbs, Said Bookisms, epithets, and unwieldy descriptions.

- The story's pacing will be adjusted. I will spend less time inside Eileen's head, which should make things move along more quickly. On a related note, I'm going to avoid pointing out the obvious through the narrative/Eileen's thoughts…

- Some of the characters that were a bit lacking in the personality department (such as the members of Team Masquerade and Team Missile) are going to be made a bit more interesting and explored in more depth.

- A few parts that were executed rather clumsily (ex: everything involving Alakazam and the mission to Foggy Falls) are being completely reworked. I'm considering scrapping Alakazam the Exposition Fairy altogether and changing how the Meadow and Toxic Plates are obtained. I feel like I did a poor job of explaining Slurpuff's motives and the way she went about her business didn't make a whole lot of sense (I also feel like the chapter would've been more effective if Rudy had been a more sympathetic character, or if I had introduced him earlier and given him some time to develop before his demise)—fear not, for all these things will be fixed in the rewrite.

- I will be including Pokémon from Gen VII. Although I started writing Legendary Genesis before Gen VI was revealed, a few Pokémon from that generation (particularly Braixen and Yveltal… but I didn't get far enough for you to know that c;) ended up as major characters. Similarly, I've found some places to squeeze in some Pokémon from Gen VII (though none of them will play a hugely significant role in the plot). Gotta keep up with the times, y'know?

You may have noticed that I have already provided a new summary. I'm also working on drawing a new cover image as (although this may take a little longer than anticipated, since the file got corrupted). The rewrite itself will not be posted until I'm completely caught up with the original draft—I don't want there to be a repeat of what happened with Prototype/Drones (I deleted the original version, which was seven chapters long, but only completed and posted the first chapter of the rewrite). As of right now, I'm almost done with the third chapter.

I'm afraid I can't make any promises as to when I'll be finished (it will depend on how busy I am with college), but ideally, I'd like to be done by the end of the month. Once I complete the rewrite, I will delete the chapters of the old version and replace them with the new chapters (I won't be removing the whole thing and posting the rewrite as a new story). I'll probably space out the updates (ex: I'll upload a chapter every Monday and Friday until they're all up; I'll let you know my exact schedule when I begin posting the rewrite).

In the meantime (and in an effort to avoid breaking FFN's rule about author's notes), here's an excerpt from "What Lies Within" (chapter nine of the original draft). It was written in early 2015 and does not reflect the quality you can expect from the rewrite. Enjoy!]

Even though she claimed she was cooking something special, Chef Muk's meal looked exactly like the concoction she had served two nights ago. Eileen saw what went into the food—all sorts of fruits and spices she had never seen before—and yet somehow it ended up looking like mushy purple slime the same consistency as the cook's body. Eileen felt more comfortable with the idea of trying some, but it still disturbed her a little.

Eileen thought her lack of hands would keep her from being able to help, but Chef Muk gave her the task of chopping the fruits into small pieces. Though she would have normally found it tedious, Eileen was eager to do what was asked of her. For once, she felt useful. Chef Muk was rather impressed with her work. "You should really help me out more often," she said.

When it came time for dinner to be served, Headmaster Arcanine was already in his seat at the end of the table. The tired, glazed look in his eye gave Eileen the impression that he had only shown up after much convincing from Alakazam. With the Psi Pokémon's help, he reluctantly recited his story. Eileen sat back and leisurely sipped her soup, observing the reactions of her startled peers as if she were watching a movie. Even though Arcanine was sharing the same information and answering the same questions, the nervous energy of the students made it an entirely different experience.

Eileen and Dion didn't stick around to listen to their peers chatter about the news. Dion insisted that they got to bed early, thinking that Arcanine would have something for them to do involving the Plates the next day.

"You really don't understand how big of a deal this all is," the Carnivine guessed once he was situated in his bunk.

"Yeah," Eileen admitted.

It took Dion a second to respond. "You'd only get it if you grew up knowing about Arceus. Trying to explain it to you wouldn't do you any good."

Eileen did understand how important Arceus was, and she thought the other Pokémon had every right to be shocked. She just couldn't make a personal connection to the information, much like how she hadn't felt anything when Rudy the Eevee had perished. Something was keeping her from fully becoming part of the world.

"Oh well, you'll just have to take my word for it. Anyway, get lots of good sleep tonight."

It was Dion, not Headmaster Arcanine, who yelled for her to get up. "Eileen, Eileen! Come quickly—Arcanine had another vision!"

Eileen yawned and got down from her bunk, feeling unusually well-rested. She and Dion headed down to the foyer, where Headmaster Arcanine, Alakazam, and a number of students were gathered.

Arcanine swept his gaze across the hunters, standing tall. He appeared to be back to his jolly, yet noble self. After a few more Pokémon joined the crowd, he declared, "I saw it: a soft blue presence emanating from Weathered Wasteland. There's a Plate hidden there. Weathered Wasteland is located in the highlands to the north, which are very difficult to reach by foot. Fortunately for us, Alakazam can send us there in the blink of an eye with his Teleportals."

Alakazam dipped his head. "Let me know when you are ready to depart."

"Well? Is everyone prepared?" Headmaster Arcanine inquired. The students gave a collective yes, and Alakazam created a wide panel of illuminated glass in front of them.

"This is a Teleportal. There is a second Teleportal located at your destination, and stepping through this one will bring you there instantly. Both Teleportals will fade in several hours, but if your mission requires more time than that, I can summon a new set with ease."

"Just don't run out of Power Points this time, lad," Arcanine said with a chuckle.

Alakazam mumbled, "I wish you luck."

Eileen let out a gasp when she arrived at the other end of the Teleportal. She was standing inches away from the edge of a cliff, looking down at a world that was terrifyingly small. She instinctively stepped back and bumped into Dion.

"Holy smokes," he exclaimed, leaning to see around Eileen. "Do you think we could see the academy from up here?"

Eileen got a better look at her surroundings after recovering from her surprise. The surface of the plateau was flat and dusty, and there was no vegetation aside from a few scraggly black weeds poking through cracks in the earth. Not too far from where she was standing was the base of an even taller cliff, which had a winding path sculpted into its side. Below the edge of the plateau was a heap of fallen rocks.

"Be careful, my students. As you can see, it's a long way down from here. One wrong step, and it's over," warned Headmaster Arcanine. "This dungeon is massive. It would take us ages to search the whole thing together. I will be splitting you into groups and assigning you areas to investigate. As young hunters, I trust you will be safe and responsible." He proceeded to list off groupings. "Lastly, I will be accompanying Dion, Eileen, and Team Masquerade, the academy's newest recruits, and we will be covering the upper levels of the dungeon. Everyone, when you have finished searching, report back to the Teleportal. Happy hunting!"

Dion moaned and prodded Eileen's shoulder. He whispered, "Ugh, why does Arcanine keep making us work with them?"

Eileen didn't respond. She watched as Cleo and her teammates approached her and the Carnivine.

Cleo halfheartedly greeted, "Hello, Eileen."

Eileen gave a subtle wave of her scythe.

Dion frowned. "Why are you guys acting all buddy-buddy? Oh, please don't tell me you're in cahoots!"

Cleo chose her words carefully. "There's something we have in common. You wouldn't understand. It's that… it's that we're the leaders."

Dion was taken aback. "Eileen, a leader?" He let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, maybe you're right. She's the one with all the good ideas, and she stays strong no matter what! Those are qualities a good leader ought to have."

"Yes, and we both know the pain of putting up with losers like you," retorted the Yamask.

"But wait, Cleo. Didn't you think Eileen was crazy? When did you change your mind?"

Headmaster Arcanine spoke up, sparing Cleo from having to reply. "Every hunting team should have a designated leader. It's great that you've already made your selections, and that your leaders are already putting their heads together! The leader is often the brains of the group, but that doesn't have to be the case. All a leader needs is the ability to take charge… and teammates who are willing to listen! Teams fall apart when no one wants to cooperate."

Eileen knew that Cleo had merely been trying to hide that she believed Eileen had been human, but she mulled over what the headmaster had said. She liked the idea of leading her team, though she knew without doubt that the position was not for her. Then again, it wasn't like Dion was any more qualified than she was.

Eileen liked being in control. When she wrote, she had absolute power over the world woven in her words. Maybe what she needed to do was metaphorically step up and write the story of her life for all to read—but the Pokémon didn't understand how to read, and they didn't understand her. Cleo was the only exception.

Arcanine prowled over to the winding path. "Let us begin our hunt!" He put his head down and sniffed the dry earth as he ambled along. "The wise hunter is observant of his environment," he muttered while snuffling. "He always keeps his eye peeled, his ears pricked, and his nose close to the ground. Clues can be very subtle, so ya have to stay alert."

An explosion of thunder split the sky and darkness shrouded over the area as storm clouds brewed. A serpentine shape burst out of the clouds. It let out a terrible shriek, circled a few times, and retreated into the cover of darkness. The students watched, mouths agape, as their headmaster moseyed on obliviously.

"H-Headmaster!" cried Dion. "What was that?"

"Huh?" The old Pokémon's head shot up. "What, now?" He froze when he took notice of the stormy sky. "Oh! Oh my. This is most unusual."

"I've never seen the sky change so fast before!" said Stella.

"It was the doing of that Pokémon," Sheldon said.

Headmaster Arcanine thought. "Weathered Wasteland is said to be the domain of Legendary triplets: Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus. They have the power to summon mighty storms and are revered for their contributions to agriculture. They are to thank for our plentiful berry harvests. The Pokémon you saw must have been Thundurus."

"You made it sound like they're helpful Pokémon," Dion said, holding his chin, "but that Pokémon didn't seem very friendly."

"Of course, lad. We're trespassing in their territory. Thundurus is sending out a warning—but we must press on. We are here for a reason, and if need be, we must convince the Legendary Pokémon to give us passage. Often, words aren't enough."

"You mean we're gonna fight them?" Dion yelped. "We won't stand a chance against a Legendary Pokémon, let alone three!"

"Where's your spirit, boy? That's not what a hunter would say," the headmaster chided.

The Carnivine whimpered and gulped.

Eileen couldn't help but worry that the expedition would turn out just like her and Dion's mission to Foggy Falls. This time, at least, Headmaster Arcanine was along for the ride.

Arcanine bellowed, "Carry on, students! Stand tall, chins up, backs straight! And remember: stay alert!"

"Speak for yourself," Cleo hissed.

Thunder rumbled in the heavens, like an animal growling to ward off intruders. Eileen felt like she was being watched through an eagle's eyes, which made her anxious. As she trekked up the mountain, she felt exposed. She wished for a shelter so she could take respite from the patrolling Pokémon's lightning claws.

As if to validate her fears, a thunderbolt came crashing down, striking the earth inches from the group of Pokémon. A section of charred path broke off and crumbled to the land below. Eileen cowered and ducked down, getting as close to the ground as she could. Cleo held her mask over her head like an umbrella, while Sheldon and Stella huddled together. Dion looked at his peers, not sure what to do.

Headmaster Arcanine did not flinch. "There is nothing to fear!" he proclaimed, trying in vain to calm the young Pokémon. "It is a warning—nothing more. Thundurus is just trying to scare us off. Have courage, my students!"