Celestic Town was truly tiny, with a smattering of houses built around an archaeological dig of legendary ruins. A resident alleged that this was the first town ever built in Sinnoh. Mint healed his team in the Pokémon Centre before wandering about town, invading people's homes and receiving gifts like he had in every town or city prior.

"The people of Sinnoh sure are nice, huh, Togepi?"

"Prrreeeee!" he agreed.

At the Centre of town, Mint met an old woman who was frowning so hard that her wrinkles had wrinkles.

"There's a spaceman in front of the ruins, who's threatening to blow up our town with a bomb!"

She was about to say that she would punish the spaceman with her Pokémon if she were younger, but Mint had already run off, bypassing the local shrine on his way to the ruins where a Team Galactic grunt was standing guard.

"This town is insignificant! There's nothing of value here," the Galactic grunt sneered. "It doesn't need to exist, so I'll blow it up with a Galactic Bomb! If you try to mess with me, I'll shut you down with a Pokémon battle."

He then noticed the unmitigated rage blazing from Mint. The boy was standing with fists clenched, legs wide apart, teeth bared and face livid.

"You dare to oppose Team Galactic? That means you're taking on the world… no, the universe, even!"

He summoned a Houndour. Mint, the very picture of righteous fury, stabbed a finger at his foes.

"Togepi, use Metronome!"

Sitting on Mint's head, the little Pokémon began waving its paws back and forth as a surreal glow radiated from his body. The ground went mad, rolling in waves, and Houndour fell into a fissure in the earth, fainting instantly.

"What kind of trick is that? Golbat, go!"

"Another Metronome!" Mint hollered. The baby must have sensed his Trainer's fighting spirit, because rainbow colours swirled around Togepi's miniature paws, arcing outward in an Aurora Beam that froze Golbat solid.

"Th… this town is nothing! I am glad to be rid of this place!" the grunt stuttered, returning his Pokémon before fleeing for dear, sweet life. Mint's furious demeanour evaporated like fog, and calm returned.

"I'm really proud of you, Togepi! That was…"

Mint was blinded by an all-consuming flash of light. The weight on his head more than doubled. Screwing his eyes shut, he reached up, but instead of a smooth eggshell, he felt a smooth, almost downy body. When the nova faded and he dared to open his eyes, he was looking into the gleaming eyes of a Togetic. Though the eggshell was gone, he had the same red and blue triangular ring pattern about his white body, but now boasted a long neck, long legs, and a pair of ivory wings.

"You're an angel!" Mint gasped, feeling familiar floods entering his eyes.

"Tic!" he cooed in a deeper tone, smiling and flapping his brand new wings.

The old lady that had complained about the 'spaceman' walked slowly towards Mint and his new Pokémon. "A Togetic! I haven't seen one of those since my granddaughter brought one home! Young man, you are magnificent! Aren't you quite the Trainer? As the elder of Celestic Town, I give you my thanks. Oh? That Old Charm… May I see that, dear?"

Mint placed Togetic carefully on the ground before removing the Old Charm from around his neck, handing it over. Togetic began practicing with his wings, performing a few experimental liftoffs.

"Cynthia asked me to give this to you. You must be her grandma."

"Indeed I am. This Old Charm was made right here in Celestic Town, a long time ago. It was made in honour of a mythical deity said to have created Sinnoh. These Old Charms are still discovered now and again. Since you're here, why not look around inside the ruins?"

Togetic took to the air. It barely managed to hover onto Mint's shoulder, squeaking and almost falling off. The boy had to help steady the flying Pokémon on his new perch.

"Way to go, Togetic! I won't have to shampoo my hair every five hours, anymore!"

Tarrying a little, Mint examined the etchings of two Pokémon-like creatures on either side of the ruins's entrance.

"The flow of time never stops… the past, future and present…" he read on the left. "Space is ever-expanding dimensions… Our spirits, too, are as space…" he read on the right.

Inside the ruins was yet another depiction of Pokémon, but this time it was a cave painting of three small Pokémon in triangular formation around a shiny sphere. Cynthia's grandma examined the painting with him.

"It seems the painting's meaning is this… There existed beings… Beings so powerful, they were considered deities at the time. There were three Pokémon with power to match either being. The three kept balance with either being, as if they formed a pyramid. It's an ancient legend of Sinnoh that is still told in Celestic Town."

"I would like to know more about that legend, if you will."

Mint and the elder turned around at the strange voice.

"Who might you be…?" she asked.

The scary man with blue spiky hair, who had encountered Mint, Manny and Hanny so often during their adventure, strode towards them. "My name is Cyrus," he said, his grave voice echoing loudly in the cave. "I want to put an end to pointless strife and hostility. I am seeking the power to create the ideal world. Thus, I want you to answer. The world today can't change because the three Pokémon keep it in balance. Is that what you are saying?"

"I wouldn't know," the elder replied, her face and words hard as steel. "I do know the world is in balance. I'm quite satisfied with the world the way it is. I'm not interested in your question."

If possible, the man's face became even darker. "Plead ignorance, will you? What a pointless attitude. You fail to appreciate that the world is incomplete. I will change the world. As the first step, I will destroy this cave painting that you've protected all these years. A new legend of a new world should take its place."

"NO!" Mint shouted, standing between the elder, the cave painting and Cyrus. "I can't let you do that!"

"Toge-TIC!" Togetic chirped urgently, frowning at the man as well.

"Am I wrong? If you feel that way, challenge me."

He held out an upturned fist. Mint reached for a Pokéball. Cyrus offered a wry grin, reaching for his own.

"I know you, Trainer. We've met at Mount Coronet. Why would you want to protect this incomplete world? As the boss of Team Galactic, I will show you the error of your ways."

Mint was dumbstruck by this revelation. He felt his hand tremble as it held the Pokéball. Togetic, sensing his Trainer's doubt, gave an extra-loud chirp in the boy's ear. That snapped Mint out of his reverie.

"Infernape, go!"

"Sneasel, go!"

Infernape wreaked absolute destruction on Sneasel, who had a quadruple weakness to Fighting-type moves. When Cyrus summoned Golbat, Mint switched to his Espeon, knocking it out with a single Psybeam. Cyrus grimaced when he summoned his final Pokémon: Murkrow.

"You've forced my hand this time!"

In response, Mint called upon his Gabite. No longer was he the adorable, bloodthirsty Gible caught in Wayward Cave, but a killer bristling with claws, teeth and spikes. His Dragon Claw made short work of Murkrow.

"Impressive. Your prowess is notable."

Cyrus returned his fallen Pokémon, neither a word of comfort offered to them, nor a trace of emotion marking his stony demeanour.

"Remarkable. But, Elder, your attitude told me what I needed to know. If the beings of time and space are brought together, they can't be stopped…"

He used a smoke-bomb to make good his escape. After coughing and waving away the cloud, Cynthia's grandma addressed her young saviour.

"Such a strange, strange man. Spouting such nonsense. The time and space of Sinnoh are filled with the memories and thoughts of countless people and Pokémon. This is a wonderful world. What need is there to change it? Oh, yes, I found something useful. You should take this. It belonged to my granddaughter, but she doesn't use it anymore. This is my thanks for your great help."

She gave him the third Hidden Machine: Surf. After helping her walk outside, Mint met Cynthia herself. The Elder excused herself, allowing the younger Trainers to chat.

"Was everything all right here?" she asked him. "You saw those strange people with a Galactic Bomb, didn't you?"

"I drove off Cyrus, their leader," he nodded, Togetic chirping in agreement.

"But those Team Galactic people…!" Cynthia said, looking towards the cave. For the first time, Mint saw anger in her fine, chiseled features. "I thought they were harmless. The bizarre ways they dress, and all their wild claims about making a new universe… I thought it was just silly talk. Nothing to take seriously. But they're surprisingly more trouble than expected. Trying to monopolise Pokémon just isn't acceptable! By the way, were the ruins fun to explore?" she asked, dropping her anger like a veil. Mint just nodded in reply. "If you're interested, there is a library in Canalave City. It's stocked with ancient books. You can look up Sinnoh history there. It might help you complete your Pokédex, too. The quickest way to Canalave City is to go west from Jubilife City."

"Thanks, Cynthia. You're the nicest Trainer I've ever met!" Mint smiled. Togetic flapped his wings, hovering over to the woman, staring into the depths of her eyes. She returned the intensity of his searching gaze. After a few moments, he returned to Mint's shoulder, satisfied with what he had seen.

"Mint, I shall remain here, should Team Galactic return. I saw Manny and Hannah while flying here; they'll be in town in a few minutes."

After rejuvenating his Pokémon and himself at the Centre, Mint waited for his companions at the eastern entrance to town while the sun rode towards the western horizon.

"Young man!" The senior Trainer whom Mint had cured of depression jogged over to him. "I have retrained my team! Will you honour me with another battle?" he asked, spilling over with eagerness. Mint gestured over the man's shoulder.

"Did you say 'battle'?" Hanny enquired of the elderly man when he turned around.

"I do believe you solicited a 'battle' from our blonde friend, my good man," Manny grinned, though he was bowlegged.

"Oh, delightful! Two young Trainers to chase the old Blues away!" the man rejoiced. After receiving a professional whipping from the pair, he accompanied them to the Pokémon Centre for renewal. The senior citizen gabbed on and on to Nurse Joy about his newfound spark of life while the younger Trainers sought a quiet area to talk. Togetic was hovering around the group, chirping with pride in his new evolutionary status. Manny and Hanny barely gave him a passing glance.

"What've you been up to, Hanny?" Mint asked, sitting at a table with the pair.

"Stuff," she replied.

"How about you, Manny?"

"Eh," Manny waved off the question, rubbing his legs.

"Now that we're together, we can have more fun!"

"Whatever," they chorused.

The Trainers exchanged Hidden Machines, teaching the moves to their respective Pokémon.

"Off to Canalave, then," Manny said, rising from the table. Manny rode his Staraptor; Hanny, her Wise Shitashi; Mint, his Starly.

888

Dawn's father stopped the trio before they entered the city. He upgraded their Pokédexes to display male and female Pokémon.

"How did you know where we were, at this exact time?" Hanny asked with genuine curiosity.

"You don't hang around here all week waiting for us, do you?" Manny asked in turn.

"Each Pokédex has a built-in GPS. Wherever you roam, people with the proper clearance have access to your location, accurate to five feet."

"Only Pokémon Professors and their aides have clearance, then."

"No; pretty much anyone who knows your Trainer ID and can type it into Google Earth. Your Pokédex is integrated with that program, and many other apps."

"Then how come nobody could find us when we went Underground?" Mint wondered.

"Aha! That's the thing; Pokédex GPS signals can penetrate atmosphere, but not ground or deep water. Years ago, when Giovanni was still a Gym Leader, the Pokémon League outsourced all Pokédex GPS transmitters to his Team Rocket."

"You're joking," Hanny frowned, removing her glasses to wipe them.

"Not at all. Team Rocket was once a reputable institution. When Giovanni retired, other rival Teams stole their thunder."

"That's such a sad story, but we've got to be going now. Thanks for the upgrade," Manny said,

Dawn's father gave a thumbs-up. "It's what I do."

"Sheesh," Hanny said to Manny after they crossed the gate. "How did a dork like him make a daughter like Dawn? Her mother must have all the looks!"

"You've never seen Dawn's mother?"

"Pffft, as if I pay social visits."