Chapter 3

Cerulean Cave: the agreed meeting place of the Legendary Pokemon. They had gathered there that day to discuss their plans for the world. Mewtwo was the one leading them. Years of experience showed on his face. He sat in his chair with his back turned to those who had just arrived. He had three rubber balls swirling around his hand.

"Glad you could all make it to my humble abode," he said quietly. "Kyogre, I hope you're enjoying the cave."

Kyogre sat half in the water half out. "It is quite to my liking here."

"I am glad. I have called you all here because it is almost time to commence our plans. But first, Dialga, I trust you found Celebi."

Dialga threw his head to an unconscious Celebi's direction. Celebi was wrapped to the wall. "Not even she can travel my timelines without being noticed."

"And Giratina?"

Both Dialga and Palkia grinned. "Successfully locked back up in the Distortion World." Palkia said.

"Luck on finding Suicune, Entei?"

Entei shifted nervously. "Raikou and I have had no luck in finding him. My apologies."

Mewtwo closed his eyes. "That is fine. I have had no success in finding Mew." He stood and faced the large group in front of him. "The legendary birds, Entei, Raikou, Lugia, Ho-oh, Kyogre, Groudon, Regice, Regirock, Registeel, Latios, Latias, Rotom, Palkia, Dialga, Manaphy, Darkrai, Mesprit, Uxie, Azelf, and myself. We will be enough. Long have we suffered watching the EPF cling to the old ways. They need to learn that the human race is dead. They aren't coming back. If we must force this into their heads, then we will. It is time for a new era: an era in which we resume our rightful places as rulers. To begin, we need Sinnoh cleared of EPF presence. We need to awaken Arceus, and we cannot do that with any interference."

"What do you have in mind?" Darkrai asked.

"We will awaken the beast, Regigagas," Mewtwo replied with a smirk. "He will crush the EPF division there."

"Even if we do that," Regirock said slowly, "there is still Cresselia. She will not be so easily defeated."

"Leave her to me," Darkrai said. "She will fall."

Mewtwo crossed his arms. "I had not thought of her, but I'm sure Darkrai is more than she can handle. Enoch."

A shiny Umbreon stepped out from behind Mewtwo's chair. "Yes, master?"

"Deal with the Sinnoh Enforcers. Those six will be our biggest problem if we let them live."

"I will take my best men." Umbreon ran out of the cave.

"We have been hiding from the EPF for too long," Mewtwo said. "Unfortunately we must hide a little longer. Sinnoh legendaries and Regis you may return to Sinnoh. The rest of you will remain here until it is your turn for the plan."

Bolt, Conan, and Sphealy set out from Twinleaf the following day. Sparky didn't care that Bolt was leaving, and Conan's aunt just said, "Good riddance." Bolt wore his lucky silver chain necklace and a pouch to carry all their money in. Conan had a backpack to carry their supplies. The gym leaders were going to be tough, and the only way the trio would beat them is if they'd get stronger. Though humans were long gone, wild pokemon still remained. They were everywhere and they were always willing to pick a fight.

Bolt took out a few wild Bidoof who had been making fun of his height. Bolt seethed with rage over the unconscious Pokemon. "Just wait until I'm a Pikachu," he said. He looked around forgetting where they were. "Okay, we've been out awhile. Conan where are we?"

"Bolt," Conan said with a twitch in his eye. "We're still on Route 201!"

"Really? I was sure we'd at least be to Sandgem by now."

Conan furiously waved a flipper at the Bidoof. "Maybe we would if you weren't getting into so many fights!"

Bolt crossed his arms. "Fighting keeps the body alert and makes you stronger."

"Too much fighting is a bad thing!"

Sphealy bounded up and down in the air. "Yay, fighting!" He tackled Conan. "Yaaah!"

Conan chased Sphealy in a circle. "Get back here you little midget!"

Bolt wiped the dust off his body. "Onward!" He marched off in a dignified fashion while Conan continued to chase a laughing Sphealy.

None of them noticed they were being watched. An Espeon and an Umbreon sat on top of a hill. The Umbreon had two torn up ears and the Espeon was missing one completely. The Umbreon laughed. "These three are taking the gym challenge?" he laughed irritably. "The hell was Pyro thinking?"

The Espeon bowed her head. "I do not think it was Pyro. Evidence suggests Zeta allowed these three to take the challenge. He is currently visiting Twinleaf, and he is more irrational than Pyro." She looked at the Umbreon. "Shadow?"

"I told Annalise that we needed to let Zeta go. He's gotten old. He's far past his prime, and he's losing his grip on reality. Let's go. We still have a mission."

Bolt waved his arms. "Sandgem Town! Finally! We can stop in the mart and pick up some supplies." He counted on his fingers. "Potions, antidotes, Paralyz heal, Burn heal."

"Candy?" Sphealy asked hopefully.

Bolt shrugged. They entered the shop and Sphealy was immediately in the candy aisle. He looked at all the different types and drooled. Conan had told him about all the wonders of candy and its sweetness, but this was unlike he had imagined.

"Bolt! Bolt! Can we get some, huh? Huh?"

Bolt opened his pouch. "Hmm… Sorry, Sphealy. We only have enough money to get the needed supplies."

Conan put all the supplies on the counter. The cashier, a Glameow, looked at them oddly. "Aren't you three a little young to be travelling by yourselves?"

Bolt shrugged and gave her the money. "We just haven't evolved yet."

They exited the shop after they put all the candy Sphealy had on his head back. Bolt eyed the ruins of the old lab of the famed Professor Rowan. "You know, Professor Rowan was a legend among the humans," he told Sphealy.

"A legend, huh?" Sphealy asked still mad that they hadn't gotten any candy. "That's nice."

"What's next, Conan?"

Conan pulled out their new map and held it upside down. "I can't tell." He smacked the map. "This map we bought doesn't make any sense!"

Bolt grabbed the map, flipped it around, and gave it back to Conan. "There."

Conan glanced at the map. "Ah. This map makes so much more sense now that you've fixed it!" Bolt rolled his eyes. "According to it, our next stop is Jubilife City: the largest city in all Sinnoh! It's also where the EPF is based!"

"Awesome. We can check out the TV station, the Poketch Company, and the Global Terminal. How far?"

"About the same as the last route." Conan folded up the map and put it back in the pouch. "We can stop there for the night. From there we'll go East and go to Oreburgh. That's where our first gym challenge is."

They left Sandgem refreshed, except for Sphealy who didn't look as if he would get over the candy anytime soon. Bolt was eager for tomorrow. He wanted to march right up to the Oreburgh Gym, look its leaders straight in the eye, and say, "I will defeat you!"

Bolt laughed maniacally without realizing it, causing some wild and some training civilized Pokemon to turn their heads. He figured out they were staring at him and lowered his head, embarrassed. "Who leads the Oreburgh Gym?"

"I don't know. We can pick up some brochures at the EPF building."

"Whoever they are, I'm sure we'll kick their as-"

Conan smacked Bolt upside the head. "Not in front of Sphealy!"

"Yeah!" Sphealy shouted. "Kick their asses!"

Conan looked angrily at Bolt. "What?" Bolt said. "He was at my house for the night. Taught him some of the lingo."

Malice was up that morning late as usual. With her casual lifestyle it wasn't surprising. She was bored throughout most of the afternoon. Then the usual happened. She started being a bully, Vanessa intervened, and Yuki bragged about how beautiful she was. Malice wished she could take her afternoon nap, but something had grabbed her interest.

"Did you hear?" a Caterpie asked a Wurmple. "The Old Chateau is lighting up again. The elders say it hasn't done this since the days of the great trainers."

The Wurmple took a few steps back. "No! I don't want to listen to any ghost stories! I've heard that old mansion is full of Ghastly and Haunter. And they freak me out."

Malice crept away to the Old Chateau. It was an unspoken taboo just to be there. The gates were surprisingly unlocked. She creaked the doors open and sure enough there was a light coming from one of the room.

The TV was on, but it was full of static. She attempted to turn the TV off, but it no matter how many times she pushed the button, it continued playing static. "This is stupid," she muttered. She went to walk out of the room when she heard laughter from behind her. She jumped and turned around but saw nothing. "Hmph. Probably some stupid Ghastly playing tricks on me." But she hadn't seen any Ghost Pokemon around there. She shrugged and walked out of the room. It wasn't worth her time.

She entered the main hall and saw the door had been closed. Funny, didn't she leave it open? She tried opening it but it wouldn't budge. A Ghastly appeared behind her. "You're trapped," it laughed. "Rotom has returned to us."

A drop of sweat rolled down Malice's face. "Rotom? Who's Rotom?"

"He's the Legendary Pokemon who lives in this mansion's TV. He hasn't been seen around here since the age of the Great Trainers. He was captured you see."

"Don't play games with me," she said. "I know you closed this door."

The Ghastly suddenly seemed to get bigger. "And what if I did? You saw the TV didn't you? Those who see the TV can't leave alive."

"Errr," Malice growled. "VICEGRIP!" She flew through the Ghastly.

The Ghastly laughed. "I'm a ghost. That weak attack won't hurt me. But since you're so eager to fight." It floated over to her and licked her.

Malice cringed and found she couldn't move. "That was disgusting," she said.

The door flew open and Vanessa stood at the threshold followed closely by Yuki. "Are you alright, Malice?"

"No crap, I'm not alright!"

Yuki used Night Shade and the Ghastly ran off in fright of her. "SO UGLY!" it shouted as it floated off.

"Ugly?" Yuki asked. She hid in a corner. "I'm not ugly. I'm the most beautiful creature ever. None match my beauty."

Vanessa picked Malice up. "Sorry, but we don't have any Parlyz heals."

"Put me down! This is humiliating!" Malice screamed at her.

"We'll give you a cheri berry when we get back." Vanessa exited the door. "Come along, Yuki."

Yuki floated sadly behind. "I'm not ugly. The Ghastly is just jealous."