POV: Cynthia / LOCATION: Sinnoh League

The storm finally dissipated come the pale pink light of dawn.

It was a bad one. Fires broke out in the heavy downpour, sparked by indiscriminate bursts of lightning. Massive flooding was reported, Pastoria City being the most heavily-impacted area. Major blackouts then followed. Basically, Sinnoh was on standby until this horrible system passed.

And like all bad things, the storm left. Come sunrise, the dark clouds thinned to bruised blue skies. Petrichor fizzled in the chilly, foggy air. The region has awakened from a long and restless slumber.

"Yo, Cynthia, check out that puddle in front of the League."

Where Flint is pointing is a swimming pool where the topiary garden used to be. Muted sunlight glimmers in the muddy water.

A spiky head smelling vaguely of saltwater and metal jabs into my ear. "I wonder what'll happen if I stick a live electrical cord in there."

Flint's smile is hard. "You'll electrocute yourself, Volks. Just like you almost did when you jammed that fork into an outlet."

"Why did you stop me? It was all in the name of science."

"Because you were being stupid. And reckless."

Due to the city ordinance that banned Volkner from Sunyshore during "unpleasant weather" due to his "unpredictable tendencies to endanger civilian lives," he was forced to spend the night under Flint's supervision. They ended up staying over at the League.

I don't mind their bickering. This place has gotten too quiet as of late.

"Lucian hasn't come back?" says Flint.

And just like that, my mood is instantly ruined.

Volkner wags a bony finger. "Tut tut. I thought you were above a couple's spat, Miss Champion. However, two magnets of similar polarity repel each other when you force them together."

"Wipe that smirk off your face," I hiss, heat gnawing at my cheeks. "It's not like that. Lucian has not once expressed interest in dating."

"I know. That psychic wonderboy loves his books more than you."

"Shut up, nerd! And he's not psychic! I think."

Flint scratches his poofy hair. "He's not. Still, where can he be? It's too dangerous to go anywhere during the storm."

"Maybe he went home?" says Volkner.

"Where does he even live?" I say.

"Why are you asking me? You and Flint basically lived with him."

Huh. In all the time that I've spent with Lucian, I've never questioned how much I know about him until now. Which isn't a lot. And that's bad. All I know about Lucian is that he uses lavender shampoo. He likes books. Gets butthurt easily.

"I trusted you to trust me," he had said, never once raising his voice. "I am so disappointed in you, Cynthia."

And I shake my head fervently to dispel my last image of his face. Of that smile that failed to reach his eyes. That jerk sure knows how to grind my gears!

We watch a family of Starlies rebuild their nest. Then Flint straightens.

"I'm going to find him," he says. "He's smart, but even he won't be prepared for the recent spike in crimes. You know what I'm talking about, right?"

"Of course," I say. "It's all over the news."

As of late, there has indeed been a shocking rise in violence. Petty theft, looting, vandalism… Team Galactic-related pettiness. But the perps detained weren't cultists in spacesuits: they were ordinary people like you and me… except they went mad.

To top that off, there were growing reports of Pokemon attacks… not limited to wild Pokemon. Every day, humans were sent to the hospital due to heavy burns, frostbite, near-electrocution, poisoning… anything Pokemon were capable of.

And the list doesn't end there. Pokemon were fleeing their habitats. Just from one day, the Great Marsh reported a 40% drop in inhabitants. Either they ran away under the covers of darkness or… they simply disappeared.

Back to the present, the phone is ringing. Ring. Ring. No one's picking it up.

"Lucian!" Flint calls. "The phone—"

Then we do a collective "Ooooh."

Ultimately, Flint, having the honor of being the oldest, answers.

After five minutes, Volkner approaches his best friend. "What's up? You went quiet all of a sudden."

"It's Professor Rowan," Flint mutters, his eyebrows knotted. "He wants us at Jubilife City. Apparently time has stopped again."

Upon arriving at the gates of Jubilife, Flint's Flareon, Cinderella, veers off-course. He has to chase after it. Volkner passes a joke about how it got spooked by some indivisible entity.

It was just a harmless comment. Then why do I feel so… unsettled?

Professor Rowan is there to greet us. As usual, he's munching on sweets.

"You're early for once," he grunts.

"Hey, old man!" Volkner says. "You're still kicking?"

Flint elbows him. "Volks, don't be rude!"

Rowan's beard billows when he sighs. "Wasn't there another fellow with you? The lad with the glasses. The competent one."

I groan. Volkner digs his pinkie into his ear. Thankfully, Flint steps in.

"He, uh, went out for some errands. What's up, Prof? Essor. You talked too fast on the phone."

With a heavy chomp of his sweetened rice cracker, Rowan gestures to the skyscrapers behind him. And that's when realization strikes me.

This unearthly silence… this cold, grey light… this ominous feeling that we are the only living things left on earth.

"Where are all the people?" Flint whispers.

"Evacuated!"

That voice! Spinning around presents me with a man in a beige trench coat. Time has grazed his hair, leaving salt-and-pepper streaks as souvenirs of its visit.

"Looker!" I gasp.

"The genuine article!" Looker shouts. His voice fails to echo through the frozen city. Noticing that, he scratches his stubble while his eyebrows plunge to his nose bridge.

Meanwhile, Volkner lays a playful hand on the detective's shoulder. "Hey, Gumshoe. How was your vacation at Unova?"

Heat colors Looker's cheeks. "I-I wasn't on vacation! It was a top-secret mission! That I botched. And my partner had to take over. So they sent me back here… without a promotion."

Each sentence sends his shoulders drooping until he's a sad puddle on the ground. Poor guy.

Rowan clears his throat. "Anyhow… When I heard that Booker had returned to Sinnoh—"

"My code name is Looker."

"—I immediately contacted him. Worry not, as I've filled him in already."

Looker rubs his stubble thoughtfully, gaze bouncing across the silent landscape. "I still don't understand what you meant by time stopping, Professor. Was evacuating the entire city necessary?"

Rowan frowns. Looker gulps.

"It doesn't take a 60 year-old man to know that something has gone very, very wrong."

Then Rowan picks up a handful of pebbles. He dashes it to the abundant puddles… only, they never connect. The rocks only fall so far before they… stop falling. The water doesn't even ripple. Movement has grind to a halt.

Looker rubs his eyes. "W-Well! I'll be! It's like time just… stopped."

But Volkner scoffs. "Ridiculous. A vent of hallucinogenic gas must've burst beneath Jubilife. Both forests must've contained similar chemicals deep beneath the soil."

Rowan's moustache twitches. "Have you consulted your watch yet, young man?"

"I don't like your tone, old man."

Regardless, we wait for Volkner to consult his watch. Judging from the scowl on his face, he doesn't like what he sees. So he pulls out his pocket compass. And his nostrils flare.

"Dude," Flint says softly. "You gotta admit that something's off. A compass needle doesn't spin around like that. And you built it yourself."

"As per your request, we've sealed off Treeshroud and Mystifying Forest," says Looker to Rowan. "We haven't found a Time Gear in the vicinity of Jubilife City, however."

"Then it's spreading," Rowan murmurs. "I also have reason to believe that the paralysis coincides with the recent spike in crimes. On my end, I've halted my current research into evolution until we get this situation under control."

To us, he says, "And I need your help."

"Pass," says Volkner.

Flint slaps a hand over his best friend's mouth. "O-Of course we'll help, Professor! When Lucian returns, we'll get him on board. He's much better with the research aspect."

"I have business first," I say. "But when I come back, I'll poke around for clues."

"Likewise," says Looker. "I have a lot of loose ends to tie up. After I finish business with Cyrus, I'll join you."

"Good," says Rowan. "However, let me remind you to not get in over your heads. We still have no idea of what we're dealing with. That being said…good luck, everyone."

With those reassuring words, we head our separate ways. Me? I'm going to the location where my story began:

Foggy Forest.

And as I'll soon find out, that mysterious place isn't solely the prologue of our tale… it's also the site of a major decision whose consequences live on to this day.