"Okay...this is the place." Titanica said as they arrived at a massive lake with a swirling mass of land. "Ballimere Lake."
"And I take it...that's the Dyna-Tree?" Zan asked, seeing a massive tree on top of a hill with large berries growing on it.
"It's incredible…" Allison said in awe.
"It's so beautiful!" Nuna said.
"Damn, wouldja look at the size of those berris on that thing?" Flamberge peered. "I bet just one alone could make hundreds of helpings of Curry!"
"Don't even try it. The Greedents are always protective of the berries." Titanica said.
"Still, it is quite a magnificent sight." Francisca said.
"Shh...I see something approach it." Zan said as they saw a large black bird with pink-red flames on it get close to a fruit.
"That bird...why does it feel so...wait...is that...a Moltres?!" Flamberge asked.
Flamberge was about to get a closer look before everyone felt rumbling steps charging to them.
"Flamberge, look out!" Hope called.
Flamberge was knocked aside as zooming in was an orange bird with strong legs like an ostrich.
"This one...it's...a Zapdos?" Zan said.
"So you're back again, you dark flamed bastard." Zapdos said.
"Great. You. Begone before you taste hellfire." Moltres said.
The two birds looked at one another before fighting before a beam was fired at them by a floating bird with its wings crossed as it gave an icy glare.
"You both should learn your place." it said.
"There's one over here as well. An Articuno." Francisca said.
"But...how is this even possible?" Flamberge said.
"The Legendary birds have always been migratory in nature. It's possible there are more of them and some have adapted to different environments." Zan said.
"That...actually makes sense." Flamberge said.
"These are probably the first legendaries we've seen to have a different Regional Form." Stoj said.
"The term is Regional Variant and…" Titanica said before the Rotomphone started ringing. "Shush. Shush!" she said, trying to silence the phone before the three birds looked in their direction. "Uh...nothing to see here."
"Ugh...humans. Every time we find peace, there's always some annoying humans out to find us." Zapdos said.
"And what's so wrong with that?" Flamberge asked.
"Let's beat it. We can settle our disagreement for the tree later." Moltres said as the three birds took off in different directions.
"They ran away." Ajna said.
"True...but it doesn't look like they plan on leaving Galar anytime soon." Sci-Twi said.
"Yeah. Seems Articuno is the only one staying in the Crown Tundra. Zapdos is being sighted in the Wild Area and Moltres is on the Isle of Armor." Tails said.
"We could've got the drop on them if Alice's Rotomphone didn't go off." Flamberge said before Titanica smacked her.
"Don't blame me for this! You were the one that insisted on charging in." Titanica said.
"Enough arguing. All that matters now is to track them down." Cheetah said.
"She's right. We know where they each ran off to. We just need to intercept each one and capture it." Zan said. "I'll go to the Wild Area and chase down Zapdos."
"Then I'm going to the Isle of Armor and get me Moltres." Flamberge said.
"That leaves me with Articuno. If I'm right about this, she shouldn't be far from the village." Francisca said.
"Sounds like a plan. You guys got this." Siege said.
"Careful. From the looks of it. Articuno has Psychic type traits instead of Ice. It may try to use its powers to confuse you." Sci-Twi said.
"It'll be fine. I just need to keep a calm mind." Francisca said.
"Let's go." Zan said as they split off.
Francisca headed up a nearby mountain as she saw Articuno looking out before noticing her. "Humans...you'll find it difficult to catch me." they said before creating two other images of itself.
"An illusion game, huh? Try to find the real one?" Francisca asked.
"Exactly." Articuno said.
"Alright then. I accept your challenge." Francisca said as the three Articunos started to shuffle around. After about a minute, the three of them stopped.
"So then, girl. Which of us is the real one?" the three Articunos asked in tandem.
"The real Articuno...is this one." Francisca said, looking to the Articuno on the right.
"Very perceptive. However...just because you guessed right...does not mean I will let you catch me. Freezing Glare!" they called out firing a beam from their eyes as Francisca avoided it.
"Hmm… Time to fight fire with fire. Or, er, well… In my case…" Francisca said as she whistled.
"Hmm?" Articuno said before seeing the Kantonian Articuno approach. "I see. Using my distant relative as a partner for battle, is that it?"
"That's right. I figured that if anyone knew you better, it would be her." Francisca said.
"Hmm...I see. All I can say is this...go and fall to an icy death, you flying ice cube." Articuno said cruelly.
"Sorry, but neither of us plan on dying today, so...I guess we'll just have to fight it out." Francisca said.
(Cue- I'll Face Myself- Persona 4)
"Fine. Psycho Cut!" Articuno said firing a psychic energy cut at the other one.
"Be careful, Articuno. Try a Blizzard attack!" Francisca said.
The Kantonian Articuno fired a blizzard that seemed to do a lot of damage to the Galarian one.
"Helps that it's the opposite meaning Ice works well on a Flying type." Francisca said.
"Freezing Glare!" Galarian Articuno said, hitting the Kantonian one as it froze in midair. "I may not have ice but my glare is as cold as any ice type if not colder."
"Guess this means that I have to fight you now." Francisca said.
"Not if I freeze you...what? Where'd she go?" Articuno said looking around.
"Above you!" Francisca said as she prepared to swing her axe down from midair.
"Gah!" Galarian Articuno said falling to the ground.
"Now's my chance!" she said tossing a ball at it. Galarian Articuno was pulled in as the ball shook for a bit before it clicked.
(end song)
"Whew… That was pretty rough. You okay there, Articuno?" Francisca asked.
Articuno shook her head yes after unfreezing.
"Whew… Good. I was worried for a moment." Francisca said as she let the Galarian Articuno out.
(Cue: I'll Face Myself (Version 2)- Persona 4)
"How disgraceful is this...being outwitted by some human girl." Galarian Articuno said.
"It's not really all that bad. I've been learning a bit from my master." Francisca said. "You know...I was once a lot like you before I met him. This girl with a cold exterior, ruthless, cold-blooded, all of that. But as I travelled with him, and worked with my sisters to break Hyness out of the Lost Universe, I slowly started to realize something."
"And what was that?" Galarian Articuno asked.
"That snow is transient and melts away quickly. It's a symbolism that no matter how cruel or malicious you are...life is empty without someone to share it with." Francisca said.
"Hmm...very well. I shall allow you to allow me to be with you...for the time being." Galarian Articuno said.
"Thank you. And I can tell that you will feel that same way too. Because whether we admit it or not, in a way...you are me." Francisca said.
"What? Don't be ridiculous!" Galarian Articuno said, all flustered as Francisca laughed.
In the Wild Area…
"HAHAHAHA! It's been so long since I roamed these fields. This land is...huh?" Zapdos said before seeing Zan running after them. "One of the humans from the tree. No matter. I'm much faster than any human can ever….wait...is she catching up?" they said as Zan got close.
"Give it up, Zapdos. I'm not letting you get away." Zan said.
"Ha! I'll admit, you have guts." Zapdos said. "However, my legs are stronger than your dainty spear."
"Maybe...that's why I have a wingman." Zan said as her Kantonian Zapdos swooped down and flew right into the Galarian one.
"Heheh...that's clever. Never expected to see a relative here. However...I'm not the type to just roll over." Galarian Zapdos said as electricity surged through its legs. "Thunderous Kick!" they shouted, dealing a kick to the Kantonian one.
"That's some kick. Obviously all that running has strengthened its legs. However...I will not let you defeat me." Zan said, gathering electricity. "Thunder...Lance!" she called out zooming right past the Galarian Zapdos and delivering many volts of electricity.
"Gah...no...way." it said before Zan tossed a ball at it as it rolled a bit before clicking.
"You may be fast...but I'm faster. But you and me...we can take each other to places we only dare dream of." Zan said.
On the Isle of Armor…
"An entire island to call my nest." Moltres said as he flew across the island. "What's this?" he said, spotting Flamberge.
Flamberge ran across the fields of honor to intercept Galarian Moltres at the entrance to the Soothing Wetlands, skidding to a halt and cutting him off.
"Wait...you're that stupid girl from the tree." Moltres said. "Actually...I'm glad you decided to try and find me. You get to burn in my hell fire."
"Not gonna happen." Flamberge said. "My name, by the way? It's Flamberge!"
"Yeah...and the number of people who care is zero." Moltres said.
"Oh really? I've just so happened to bring a friend of mine who DOES care." Flambege said.
Galarian Moltres then barely avoided a stream of fire as swooping down was its Kantonian self.
"You think having family fight me will do you any good?" Galarian Moltres said. "This is nothing...Fiery Wrath!" he shouted as the Kantonian Moltres was consumed in sinister flames before falling to the ground. "I just wanted to spend my time in peace without any interruptions. Then you humans came and pissed me off. As punishment...you and all of those humans back there will burn in my hellfire!"
"Geez… it's almost like I'm looking at the old me." Flamberge said before drawing her sword. "But enough about that, It's time to throw down! Because I'm fighting for more than just myself!"
"Shut up and burn!" Galarian Moltres said, directing his flames at her before she cut through them. "What? She cut through my hellfire?!"
"You're angry, I get that. But my friends and leader have absolutely nothing to do with it. So you leave them alone!" Flamberge shouted in anger as she lunged at him before dealing a powerful flaming slash.
"No way...her rage...is stronger than mine." he said before Flamberge tossed a ball at him as he was pulled inside. The ball rolled for a bit before dinging.
"Gotcha." Flamberge said before running over to Kantonian Moltres and healing it up. "You alright there, pal?"
Kantonian Moltres nodded weakly as it lied down.
"Good to know." she sighed in relief. "Who knew rage was such a good thing."
It didn't take long before everyone regrouped back in the village.
"Seems we each accomplished our missions." Zan said.
"Yep. Although, they were all stronger than their Kantonian brethren. We had to join the fight ourselves just to get a hold of them." Francisca said.
"They sure act a lot different too. And their types and moves too." Flamberge said.
"They did develop differently. We all know by now that regional variants always have different typings meaning different moves, powers, things you wouldn't normally see in the normal kind." Zan said.
"Especially in Legendaries." Spade said. "Though these three may be the first of many."
"No denying that. If this is what the birds developed into in Galar...one must think of how they changed all over the world." Zan said.
"Least they've been captured." Flamberge said. "Seems we've caught up to most of the legends so far in the Tundra."
"Yes. But there is still a lot more work to be done." David said. "We still have almost every other Legendary in the Max Raids, in addition to those mysterious footprints we saw."
"Footprints?" Leia asked.
"Yeah...over there by…" Jexi said as they saw a familiar girl. "Sonia?"
"Oh...it's you guys. Nice to see you all again." Sonia said.
"How are you?" Mari said.
"Just researching these footprints. If my research is correct...these prints belong to a certain trio of Pokemon not native to Galar. The Iron Will, Cavern and Grassland Pokemon." Sonia said.
"The Three Swords of Justice, huh?" Leia asked.
"So if we find more of these footprints, they should lead us to where they are." Ginseng said.
"Sounds exciting." Hope said. "So, shall we get to tracking down Cobalion, Virizion and Terrakion?"