After meeting Clara face to face, Summer heard the terrible truth about why they didn't see each other since she returned to Hoenn. She then became lost in a memory revealing the hidden events since their graduation. As she wallowed in despair, Weldon was able to help her escape back into reality. The two shared a heartfelt moment outside and finally called each other friends. Summer then chose to keep staying in touch with the friends who helped her and cut the ones who left her behind. With the friend drama resolved, Summer and Weldon now have to worry about bigger problems. What are they, and will anyone join in the cause?

Chapter 46- Splitting the Guardians

Seeing that so much happened involving cloaked strangers and Legendary Pokémon in the past few months, I videophoned Teeni, the Johto Lorekeeper, for advice.

{Hm…} she mused after hearing my tale. {Sounds like you've been through a lot since we last checked in. To be honest, I don't know where to start on giving you help.}

I stroked my chin. "I guess for starters, do you know Hamsetrin or the group he's associated with?"

{ I've never heard of this Hamsetrin person within Johto's or even Kanto's boundaries. But based on what you described, he seems to be part of the Ditio Narratus, a group dedicated to manipulating events for their clients.}

"Manipulation of events? I…don't know how that's even possible…"

{Well, to give you an example, if a client wanted to become the CEO of a megabillion Pokédollar company, they could hire someone from the Ditio Narratus to manipulate events around them so that they would be the only person suitable for that position. The group could do things like exposing secrets that would make their rivals either get fired or demoted, improving their image to the higher ups, and so on. And from what I know, they usually prefer the former things. All the Ditio Narratus really want to do is spread fear and terror so that anyone they come across would be powerless to stop them. It also attracts clients of an…unsavory sort.}

"Wow, that's…unbelievable." That would explain Hamsetrin's powerful Pokémon and attempts to hurt me and Weldon. Who hired him to do so?

{Either way, I would still be careful of this Hamsetrin. I'll also do some research on the Ditio Narratus and see if I can find any weaknesses.}

"Great, thanks. What about the Legendary Titans? Were you able to find the scrolls about them?"

{I did, but since we're in the process of digitizing the scrolls for future reference, it'll still take some time for me to send you the information from those scrolls.} She grinned. {Still, I didn't expect Weldon Leland to become their Guardian. That Trinity Miller sure is something.}

"You know Trin, Teeni?"

{We've met a couple of times, mainly to discuss Groudon and Kyogre. She's pretty intense, but her heart is in the right place.}

I looked at my Pokégear. "Oh, I better get going. Thanks for all the information, Teeni."

{Sure thing, Summer. Oh! And if you run into the Hoenn Lorekeeper, could you…get her contact info for me?}

"What for?"

{I always wanted to meet her since she started that position last year, but I've never been able to track her down. She's been going back and forth between Hoenn and Kalos lately, and she doesn't have any modern communication devices, so she's basically off the grid.}

"I don't know when I'll see Aster again, but I can certainly ask if I do."

{Thanks, Summer! You're the best.}

We ended the call, and I headed back to the Pokémon Center lobby. Lightning and Weldon were in front of the television, watching an ongoing battle between a Venusaur and Jolteon.

"Oh, Summer! You're just in time!" the Mouse Pokémon exclaimed.

"In time for what?" I replied as I sat next to my Pokémon.

Weldon crossed his arms. "The announcement of the new Kanto Champion."

Oh yeah. It's the day, isn't it?

With Blue Oak's term as temporary Kanto Champion coming to an end, the PLA decided to hold a tournament for those who wished to become the next permanent Kanto Champion. This included Blue, the Elite Four members excluding Lance, the Gym Leaders, and any regional winners. It was a long tournament where the last two standing battled for the title.

We watched the exciting match, the two Kanto Pokémon giving their all. Then, in a war between sharp leaves and green pins, the former broke through the Bug type move and struck the Jolteon. He fell onto the dirt battlefield and didn't move.

{And that's it, folks!} the announcer shouted. {Blue's Jolteon is unable to continue! The new Kanto Champion is Daniel Chase from Pallet Town!}

Daniel Chase… Why does that name sound familiar?

As the audience cheered for their new champion, Weldon asked, "Daniel's pretty good. The way he had his Venusaur, Leafy, use Razor Leaf to act as both offense and defense was really clever."

When I saw the teen's image on the screen, I recognized him instantly. "Hey, that's one of Lows' friends."

"Really?"

I looked up Daniel's bio on my Pokégear. "Yeah, that's him! He also goes by Disc because of his flying disc hobby."

Weldon stroked his chin. "That nickname does ring a Chingling now. He recently won the Indigo League."

We watched Disc carry a gold trophy as his team stood behind him. I hope Lows is able to see this. I'm sure he'll be happy.

The HNN broadcaster returned onscreen. {And that was a recap of the Kanto Champion Tournament yesterday. Daniel Chase from Pallet Town has defeated the Interim Champion, Blue Oak, to become the new Kanto Champion. Mr. Chase started his Trainer journey three years ago with a Bulbasaur named Leafy and has competed in the Hoenn League, the Sinnoh League, and the Indigo League, where he recently became this year's regional winner. With this recent loss, Mr. Oak has decided to return to his previous position as the Viridian City Gym Leader. Champion Daniel will begin his Champion duties starting next week.}

Then, the inset image changed to Sorin and Lance's headshots, which surprised me.

{The latest Johto Champion challenge has come to a close a few days ago. It was a close battle, but Champion Lance defeated Sorin Baldwin, the most recent Silver League regional winner, with two Pokémon remaining. Though it was a tough defeat, Mr. Baldwin has decided to continue traveling to hone his skills. When asked about challenging the new Kanto Champion, Champion Lance has declined for the time being until Champion Daniel has obtained more experience.}

As the news about the Johto region continued, I couldn't help but feel bad for Sorin.

Weldon noticed and said, "Sorin really did his best, Summer. I watched the full battle, and he almost got close to beating Lance's ace Dragonite."

This cheered me up. "Thanks for telling me, Weldon. I should text Sorin later."

Then, the inset image shifted to a split screen with a red "M" and a blue "A".

{In recent news for the Hoenn Region, the Pokémon League Association has warned citizens to be aware of Team Magma and Team Aqua. They can be recognized by their red or blue clothes showing the letters of their respective organizations, along with their heavy use of Ground type and Water type Pokémon, respectively. If you see any members of either organization, please report the sighting to the Hoenn branch of the Pokémon League Association. We will be back with the latest Pokémon Contest news after this commercial break.}

As a commercial for rainbow Pokémon-shaped candies played, I frowned. "I know they want to keep the details secret, but I never expected the PLA to be so vague about Team Magma and Aqua."

Weldon crossed his arms. "We can't do much about that, I'm afraid. It seems only a few know what's really going on."

After I nodded, my Pokégear rang. The name on the caller ID surprised me.

"Yuki!" I exclaimed. "How are you?"

{I'm fine, Summer. How about you and Weldon?}

"We're doing well. How's your journey going?"

She giggled. {It's going well. Actually, I have a surprise for you. Where are you now?}

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm…in the Lilycove City Pokémon Center."

{Oh, great! The surprise is on the department store rooftop. I'm sure you'll like it.}

"Um, okay. Weldon and I will head over there."

{All right. Bye, Summer!}

After I hung up, I told Weldon and Lightning about the phone call, and we headed to the Lilycove Department Store.

"I wonder what the surprise is," I pondered aloud as we entered the building's elevator.

Weldon smiled. "I wonder about that too."

"You're not hiding something from me again, are you, Weldon?"

Chuckling, he replied, "No, not this time."

The doors opened, revealing the sky and outdoor cafe, and my heart jumped. Yuki, wearing a seafoam blue dress with white and silver trim, waved at us.

"Summer, Weldon!"

"Yuki!" I ran up to her and gave her a hug. "I didn't expect you to be in Hoenn!"

She laughed. "It's part of the surprise I mentioned to you on the phone."

"You mean there's more?"

"I'll tell you more in a bit. Now come on!"

She motioned us to a table where her Minun, Ichigo, was waiting. The Electric types happily greeted each other with sparks of electricity from their cheeks. After settling into our seats and getting some snacks and drinks, Yuki looked at the ocean.

"It's been a while since we've seen this view, isn't it, Ichigo?"

The Minus Pokémon nodded as he shared his Pecha Berry vanilla cake with Lightning. "I can't wait to go across the sea again!"

His Trainer playfully shushed him. "Don't spoil the surprise, Ichigo!"

"Sorry, Yuki…"

I stopped drinking my Pinap Berry juice. "Cross the sea? What do you mean?"

Yuki sighed. "I guess I can't keep it secret any longer." She pulled out a brochure showing the Hoenn Champion, Wallace, and a fancy Contest ribbon with aqua green and white trim.

"The Wallace Cup?" I read aloud.

The Sinnoh native nodded. "It's a special Pokémon Contest hosted by Champion Wallace at a place of his choosing. The winner will receive the Aqua Ribbon, shown here, which can be used for the Grand Festival no matter which region the Coordinator is traveling in."

"Wow, that's really cool," I said as Weldon looked at the brochure. "So the Wallace Cup will be held in Hoenn this year?"

"That's right. It'll be in Sootopolis City, Champion Wallace's hometown."

"Oh yeah, that's the heart of eastern Hoenn. How many Ribbons do you have now?"

She took out a blue Ribbon Case and showed us its contents. "Three so far. Winning the Aqua Ribbon will definitely give me more time to prepare for the Kanto Grand Festival."

I tapped my fingers on the table. "Do you…have to worry about Azura again?"

"Azura?" Weldon asked.

"Azura Columba, my rival," Yuki explained. "She's actually taking a break this year. After what happened during the Johto Grand Festival, she's now traveling to the regions where Contests aren't as popular to find her own style."

I nodded. "That's good. I hope she does."

"Me too. But enough about my journey. Tell me about yours, Summer! And, if you want to join in, Weldon."

Startled, he dropped the brochure. "M-Me? Whatever for?"

Yuki giggled. "From what I've heard from Summer, you've been having quite a journey yourself despite your hiatus."

Weldon cleared his throat. "I guess you can say that. Fine, I'll talk."

A few hours later…

"Wow…" Yuki uttered after listening to our stories. "Your journeys have been much more exciting than mine."

"You can say that," I said with a chuckle. "Though, it may continue to be so."

The Coordinator became serious. "You mean the threat of Team Magma and Team Aqua, right?"

"Yeah. How did you hear about it?"

"It was one of the warnings for participating in the Wallace Cup. The Contest may be canceled if the situation becomes worse."

"Oh no…"

She smiled. "You don't have to feel sad, Summer. I still wanted to visit Hoenn so I could see you and Weldon."

Before I could respond, a large gust of wind surrounded us. I looked up, shielding my eyes. To my surprise, Trin and Aster were descending on the rooftop with their Charizard and Flygon, respectively.

"T-Trin! Aster!" I shouted, the air becoming still as they stood before us. "What are you doing here?"

"The situation's getting worse," the dark-clothed teen said bluntly. "We need your and Weldon's assistance."

What timing…

My coach stood up. "Tell us. What's been happening?"

Trin scrutinized Yuki. "You should leave, young lady; this doesn't concern you."

"Well…" I said as I got out of my seat. "We already told her what's going on. This is Yuki, our friend."

She offered a hand. "It's nice to meet you, um…"

The clan member didn't respond until Aster nudged her. "Come on, Trin. We need all the help we can get."

"Sigh… If you say so, Aster…" She then shook Yuki's hand. "Trinity Miller. Member of the Tairiku Hogo-sha clan, protectors of Groudon and Kyogre."

"And I'm Aster, the region's Lorekeeper and leader of the Draconids. I apologize for my friend, Yuki; she tends to be quiet yet standoffish towards strangers."

"Oh, don't worry, I understand. It's nice to meet you both."

We stood over the table as Trin showed us a map of the region. "After the Orb incident, Team Magma and Team Aqua are now preparing their next moves. We retrieved some intel that Team Magma has been active around the Mt. Chimney area and Team Aqua at the cove near Lilycove City."

"That makes sense based on their preferences," Weldon replied.

The Draconid then suggested, "We should split up to cover more ground. That way, we can stop their plans quicker. Do either of you have a preference?"

The Kantonian eyed the volcano. "I'll go to Mt. Chimney. If we need the Regis' help, they'll likely be closer to land than sea."

Trin nodded. "Then I'll join you. I've been in touch with someone spying on Team Magma, so we should be able to gain entry easily."

Aster then turned to me. "Does that mean you will join me in traveling to Team Aqua's base, Summer?"

"Yeah, I can do that. I have to travel across the sea anyways, so if we run into Team Aqua past Lilycove City, we can handle them."

"Can I join you and Summer, Aster?" Yuki asked. "I'm going to Sootopolis City, but I'm happy to assist you in any way."

The purple-haired woman smiled. "Of course, Yuki."

"Then it's settled." Trin put away the map and motioned to Munin. "I'll go on ahead to meet with my contact. Weldon, join me when you're ready."

After he nodded, the headstrong pair flew west. Aster and Yuki, along with the Electric types, left to gather supplies downstairs. This left me and Weldon on the quiet rooftop.

Weldon softly frowned. "I'm sorry, Summer. I won't be able to help you train for the upcoming Gyms. I knew this kind of thing would happen, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

I gave a reassuring smile. "Hey, it's okay, Weldon. I'll be fine; after all, I was trained by one of the strongest Trainers I know."

Chuckling, he replied, "Then you better keep up with your training. But, I know you can beat the remaining Gyms. I just hope…we can see each other again after all this is over."

"Of course we will. I don't want to lose my newest friend." My heart jumped as I felt his happiness.

"Me neither. If I have to find the Regis to stop this disaster, I'll do it. It doesn't matter if Team Aqua, Team Magma, or even Hamsetrin stops me."

It's great to see him so determined again. I really hope that means he's getting better.

Weldon then looked at his Pokégear. "I better get going."

"Okay. Just…be careful, Weldon."

Smiling, he said, "You too, Summer."

I watched him follow Trin's path on his Fearow. Weldon…please come back safely.

A.N.- If you want to follow Weldon's journey, read Hoenn Nuzlocke: The Gemstone in the Rough starting on Chapter 34.

P.S.- To learn more about Daniel Chase, read Fancyyy's story, Hoenn - Where the Journey Begins.

Summer's Pokémon:

Blaze (Blaziken, male): Brave Nature, Blaze Ability, moves: Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut

Errol (Noctowl, male): Rash Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Psychic, Hypnosis, Air Slash, Heat Wave

Aurora (Dewgong, female): Calm Nature, Thick Fat Ability, moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Signal Beam

Lightning (Raichu, female): Adamant Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch, Grass Knot

Rocky (Steelix, male): Lonely Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Stone Edge, Crunch, Dragonbreath, Iron Tail

Olive (Grovyle, female): Timid Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Fury Cutter, Double Team, Mega Drain, Quick Attack

Questions for the Chapter:

What did you think of the recent news segments?

What did you think of Yuki's return?

What did you think of the plan to split up?