Chapter 5

The moment we stepped onto Route 30, the tall grass swayed in the gentle morning breeze, but something felt different.

Lillie pulled out her Pokédex. "Let's check what Pokémon are here before we run into something unexpected."

I nodded, opening my menu to scan the area's wild encounters.

Morning Encounters:

✔ Gold Version: Caterpie, Metapod, Pidgey
✔ Silver Version: Weedle, Kakuna, Pidgey, Ledyba

Night Encounters:

✔ Gold Version: Spinarak, Rattata, Hoothoot
✔ Silver Version: Hoothoot, Rattata

I frowned. "Huh… so Ledyba only appears in the morning in Silver, and Spinarak only at night in Gold?"

Lillie furrowed her brows. "Wait… that means they're not just time exclusives—they're version exclusives too."

That realization hit me.

Time-based Pokémon were expected. Version-based Pokémon were expected.

But both at the same time?

I exhaled. "So now we have to think about not only which version we pick, but also what time of day we play in."

Lillie sighed. "This game really isn't making things easy, is it?"

I chuckled. "Wouldn't be fun if it was."

She gave me a deadpan look. "Ash. People are dying in this game. 'Fun' isn't exactly the word I'd use."

I shrugged. "Point taken."

With that, we continued forward, deeper into Route 30, knowing that every step meant more surprises waiting ahead.

The small wooden house felt cozy, with books and research notes scattered across a wooden desk. Sitting at the far end of the room was Mr. Pokémon, an older man with round glasses, who smiled as we entered.

"You must be Ash and Lillie. It was I who sent an email to Professor Elm earlier."

Lillie and I exchanged glances. So this was the guy responsible for our trip.

Mr. Pokémon carefully picked up a small, round object from the table.

"This is what I want Professor Elm to examine."

[Obtained the Mystery Egg!]

I grinned as I took it, my eyes immediately recognizing the blue and red markings decorating its surface.

"This is a Togepi Egg!"

Lillie giggled. "You seem excited, Ash."

I nodded. "Of course! I've raised one before, and they're incredible. Trust me, Lillie, if this hatches into a Togepi, it'll be something special."

Mr. Pokémon chuckled.

"A friend of mine from Ecruteak gave it to me. I bet you can't find this kind of Egg anywhere else in Johto. I thought Professor Elm might be able to tell what it is."

He smiled thoughtfully.

"He's the best when it comes to Pokémon evolution."

Lillie nodded. "Professor Elm did mention something about Pokémon growing differently when they walk with their Trainers."

Mr. Pokémon's eyes twinkled. "That's a quote from the famous Professor Oak, you know."

At that moment, a familiar voice spoke from behind us.

"Speaking of which… I believe introductions are in order."

Lillie and I turned as Professor Oak stepped forward, his familiar white lab coat flowing slightly with his movement.

I blinked. "Professor Oak?!"

He smiled warmly. "Ah, so you do know me! Well, I suppose that makes things easier."

I nodded. "Of course I do! But what are you doing here?"

Oak chuckled. "I was just visiting my friend, Mr. Pokémon. I happened to hear you were running an errand for Professor Elm, so I decided to wait for you."

His eyes flickered toward the Pokémon at our sides.

"Oh! What's this? A rare Pokémon! I see! You must be helping Professor Elm's research!"

He gave a knowing nod, his expression thoughtful.

"I think I understand why Professor Elm gave you those Pokémon. You will treat them with love and care, I can already tell."

Lillie smiled softly, gently stroking Cyndaquil's fur.

I grinned, reaching down to pat Chikorita's head.

Oak clapped his hands together. "Ah! You seem to be dependable. How would you like to help me out?"

I straightened slightly. "Of course! Anything you need, Professor."

Lillie nodded in agreement.

Oak pulled a sleek-looking device from his pocket.

"This is the latest version of the Pokédex. It automatically records data on Pokémon you've seen or caught. It's a high-tech encyclopedia! I'd like you to have it."

[Obtained the Updated Johto Pokédex!]

Lillie and I immediately opened our menus, seeing the new update take effect.

Now, all the Johto Pokémon we had caught so far were properly registered.

Lillie beamed. "This will help us keep track of new Pokémon we find."

Oak chuckled. "Go meet many kinds of Pokémon and complete that Pokédex! You two have great potential."

He glanced at his watch, his smile turning slightly apologetic.

"But I've stayed too long. I have to get to Goldenrod for my usual radio show."

Lillie looked surprised. "You have a radio show?"

Oak chuckled. "Indeed! Trainers all over Johto tune in to my weekly broadcasts. Perhaps you'll hear me on the air one day."

Then, his expression softened as he looked between the two of us.

"Ash, Lillie… I have a feeling this is not the last time we'll meet."

I smirked. "Probably not, Professor."

Oak reached into his Pokégear, pressing a few buttons.

"Let's exchange numbers, just to be on the safe side."

A small notification popped up on my screen.

[Registered Professor Oak's Phone Number!]

Lillie and I exchanged glances, realizing something.

This wasn't just another game event.

The way Oak spoke… the way he looked at us…

It almost felt like he knew more than he was letting on.

And that only made me more determined to figure out what was really happening in this world.

After Professor Oak left, Lillie and I opened our newly updated Pokédexes, eager to see what information it had collected so far.

I tapped on Chikorita's entry first, and a soft chime played as the screen loaded.

Pokédex Entries:

Chikorita – A sweet aroma gently wafts from the leaf on its head. It is docile and loves to soak up the sun's rays.

Cyndaquil – It is timid and always curls itself up in a ball. If attacked, it flares up its back for protection.

Sentret – A very cautious Pokémon, it raises itself up using its tail to get a better view of its surroundings.

Hoothoot – It always stands on one foot. It changes feet so fast, the movement can rarely be seen.

Ledyba – It is very timid. It will be afraid to move if it is alone. But it will be active if it is in a group.

Spinarak – It lies still in the same pose for days in its web, waiting for its unsuspecting prey to wander close.

Lillie smiled as she read through them, her finger tracing across the screen. "The Johto entries feel different from Kanto's… almost like they focus more on behavior than biology."

I nodded. "Yeah. Look at Sentret—its Pokédex entry specifically talks about how it watches its surroundings."

Lillie tapped her Hoothoot entry. "And Hoothoot's entry explains why we only see it balancing on one foot—it's switching between them so fast we don't notice."

I chuckled. "And then there's Ledyba… poor thing won't even move unless it's with friends."

Lillie giggled. "It reminds me of Hau's Ledyba back in Alola. It always clung to his arm if it wasn't battling."

I stretched, closing my Pokédex with a satisfied nod. "At least now we have a better idea of the Pokémon in Johto. This will help a lot moving forward."

Lillie did the same, then glanced toward the door.

"Ready to head back to Professor Elm?"

I smirked. "Yeah. Let's see what he thinks about this Egg."

With that, we left Mr. Pokémon's house, heading back toward Cherrygrove—but something told me our journey was only getting started.

As Lillie and I approached the east side of Cherrygrove City, the air felt tense—almost like something was watching us.

Then, just as we were about to step onto Route 29, a voice cut through the air.

"Hey. You."

I barely had time to react before a figure stepped into our path, blocking the way forward.

A young man with spiky red hair stood in front of me, his cold eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms.

It was the same guy we saw spying on Elm's Lab back in New Bark Town.

"…You got a Pokémon at the Lab," he muttered, his tone dripping with contempt. "What a waste. That's a Pokémon that's too good for a wimp like you."

I gritted my teeth. "Excuse me?"

He scoffed. "You don't get what I'm saying, do you? Well, I too have a good Pokémon. I'll show you what I mean!"

Without hesitation, he pulled out a Poké Ball—challenging me to battle.

Rival Battle – ?

Ash vs. ?
🔹 Red-Haired Trainer sent out Cyndaquil!
🔹 Ash sent out Chikorita!

I narrowed my eyes. So he took Cyndaquil… a Fire-type.

Lillie, in her own cutscene, was facing Totodile—his Water-type pick to counter her Cyndaquil.

I clenched my fists. "Fine, if you want a battle, let's do this!"

The battle was fast but intense.

Ember was strong, but Chikorita's Growl lowered its Attack enough to survive.
Chikorita countered with Tackle, chipping away at Cyndaquil's health.
A final Tackle landed the win.

[Cyndaquil Fainted!]
Chikorita gained EXP!
Earned 500 Pokédollars!

As his Cyndaquil collapsed, the red-haired trainer scowled.

"Tch… I can't believe I lost to you."

He clenched his fists but didn't stick around. Without another word, he turned and stormed off.

But then, after taking a few steps, he froze.

His expression darkened as he reached into his pocket—only to realize something was missing.

His Trainer Card lay on the ground between us.

I picked it up just as his eyes widened. "Hey! Give that back!"

I handed it over, but not before catching a glimpse of his name.

His face twisted in frustration. "Oh no! You saw my name…!"

He snatched the card from my hands, turned on his heel, and stormed off a second time—this time without looking back.

I watched him disappear down the path, my mind racing.

That guy… He wasn't just some random trainer.

He was going to be trouble.

Lillie walked up beside me. "Ash… who was that?"

I exhaled. "I don't know. But something tells me we'll be seeing him again."

And with that, we pressed forward—back toward New Bark Town, ready to report to Professor Elm.

Lillie and I had barely taken a few steps past Cherrygrove City when we spotted a trainer in the distance.

She stood in a clearing, her Cyndaquil launching bursts of Ember at a nearby target log. Precise. Focused.

I barely paid attention to the battle.

Because the moment I got a good look at her—

I stopped dead in my tracks.

Lillie gasped. "No way…"

I had no idea what to say.

Because she looked exactly like me.

Same black hair, same facial features—the only difference was her longer ponytail.

I squinted, my eyes darting to the trainer name floating above her head.

Golly.

That name didn't ring any bells.

But the resemblance? Uncanny.

The girl in question finally noticed us.

Her eyes widened ever so slightly, mirroring my own reaction. But the surprise barely lasted a second before she crossed her arms and returned to a neutral expression.

Her tone was calm, steady, and unreadable.

"You're Ash Ketchum, aren't you? The Code Trainer who defeated the first-floor boss?"

I hesitated for a moment, still processing everything, before slowly nodding.

"Yeah, that's me."

She tilted her head slightly, her piercing gaze locking onto mine.

"Figured."

Then, with an eerily calculated tone, she followed up with a question I never expected.

"But now, I have a question for you."

She took a step closer.

"Why do you have my face?"

I blinked. "Your face? I was just about to ask you the same thing!"

Golly's brow furrowed slightly, but her calm demeanor remained.

"Where are you from?" she asked.

I didn't hesitate. "Pallet Town, Kanto."

For the first time, I saw it—a crack in her composure.

It was subtle, but I caught the slight freeze in her expression, the way her fingers tensed ever so slightly.

Lillie, sensing something was off, carefully asked, "Where are you from?"

Golly was silent for a moment. Then, in a voice lower and quieter, she finally answered.

"I… don't remember much about my early childhood. But I do remember Pallet Town."

She exhaled sharply, her arms crossing tighter.

"I was abducted when I was little. Taken far away from Kanto."

Lillie gasped. "That's… awful."

Golly's voice remained neutral, but I caught a trace of bitterness beneath her words.

"I don't know who my real parents are. But I was raised in Sinnoh, under the care of Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion."

My eyes widened. "Cynthia?"

She gave a small nod. "Yes. She took me in and trained me—not just as a Pokémon Trainer… but as an International Police trainee. I've been working under them, preparing to become a full-fledged agent."

Lillie and I exchanged glances.

Not only did she look exactly like me, but she was also raised by Cynthia and worked for the International Police?

What was going on here?

Lillie hesitated before turning to me. "Ash… do you have a sibling?"

I blinked. "A sibling?" I shook my head. "Not that I know of… I've never had a brother or sister."

Lillie frowned. "But if Golly's from Pallet Town, and she looks exactly like you…"

I bit my lip. "If anyone would know, it'd be Mom."

Without wasting time, I opened my messaging system and started contacting Ray.

If he could ask my mom…

Maybe I could get some answers.

While I was focused on messaging Ray, Golly shifted her attention to Lillie.

Her sharp, calculating gaze fixed on her.

"You seem to know him well."

Lillie blinked at the sudden focus. "Huh?"

Golly's tone remained even, but pointed.

"Tell me. Who is Ash Ketchum?"

Lillie hesitated for only a moment before smiling.

"He's Ash Ketchum, the boy from Pallet Town who traveled across the world."

There was a hint of admiration in her voice.

"And in the real world… he's the World Champion."

Golly's eyes widened slightly. "Champion?"

Lillie nodded firmly.

"Not just any Champion. The strongest."

Golly glanced at me—her expression unreadable—before looking back at Lillie.

"I see."

But Lillie wasn't finished.

Her voice softened, but the weight behind her words remained.

"He's also special in ways beyond battle. He's met almost every Legendary Pokémon, helped stop world-ending threats, and even assisted the International Police on multiple occasions."

That made Golly freeze.

Her lips parted slightly, her neutral expression faltering for the first time—replaced by something that looked like realization.

"…Wait. You're that Ash Ketchum?"

I looked up from my menu, blinking in confusion. "Huh?"

Golly's grip tightened around her Poké Ball.

"I should have realized it sooner." Her voice was quieter now—more to herself than to us.

She took a slow breath, as if piecing things together.

"Cynthia has mentioned you many times… She always said you were special. That you were the one who…"

Her voice trailed off—but I already knew what she was going to say.

The one who defeated her.

I crossed my arms, my mind racing with possibilities.

"Wait… if you're with the International Police, then how did you end up in this game?"

Golly sighed. "I was suspicious of this game from the start. The International Police received an invitation, and something about it didn't sit right with me."

Her fingers tightened slightly around her Poké Ball.

"Since I was still in training, they assigned me to investigate. But…" she exhaled sharply, "now I'm trapped here, just like everyone else."

Lillie frowned. "That means this game was reaching high-profile organizations before it launched."

Golly nodded firmly. "Exactly. The Aether Foundation, Devon Corp, and even the International Police received copies. That's no coincidence."

Her eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp and calculating.

"And then there's Shadow Arceus. Is it connected to the creators of this game?"

I hesitated before answering. "I'm not sure… but I have a contact—Ray, one of the main developers. I've been messaging him, and he's working with Professor Oak to figure out what's happening."

Golly's sharp gaze locked onto mine.

"And? What does he know?"

I frowned. "Not much about Shadow Arceus. He was completely caught off guard when the virus took over. If he's telling the truth, then this wasn't part of the original game."

Golly's expression darkened. "Viruses don't just appear out of nowhere."

She crossed her arms, her voice low and steady. "Which means someone inside the development team put it there."

Lillie's eyes widened. "A mole?"

Golly nodded. "There's no other explanation. Someone on the inside planted Eclipse Virus into the game before it launched."

I clenched my fists. "Which means… if we find the mole, we might be able to stop this from the outside."

Golly smirked. "Exactly."

Just then, a sudden notification pinged in my vision.

A message from Ray.

I opened it, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

Ray:

Ash, we found something. Professor Oak is trying to calm your mother down right now…
She confirmed that you do have a twin sister—but she was taken by Team Rocket when you were both three years old.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

A twin sister…?

My mind went blank.

My eyes lifted slowly, locking onto Golly.

She noticed my sudden shift, her expression turning serious.

"What?" she asked, her voice cautious.

I swallowed hard. My grip tightened on my Pokégear.

Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, I spoke.

"Golly… what's your real name?"

She hesitated. Just for a moment.

Then, softly, she replied.

"I don't know."

I felt a cold chill run down my spine.

Because I did.

And I knew, without a shadow of a doubt—

Golly wasn't just a stranger.

She was my sister.

I read the message again, as if my mind was refusing to believe it.

My whole life, I thought I was an only child.

But if what Ray was saying was true…

Then…

I turned to Golly, my heart pounding.

"When… when were you taken?"

Her calm mask held, but I heard it—a faint tremor in her voice.

"When I was three."

She clenched her fists, her fingers curling tightly.

"I could never forget that day."

Lillie gasped softly, a hand over her mouth.

Golly's voice remained steady, but I could hear the pain underneath.

"I was taken by strangers… I remember the dark room, the cold air, the feeling of being trapped."

My chest tightened.

"I was locked away for weeks, until one night, the cargo I was in landed in Sinnoh. I escaped… but I was completely alone."

Her eyes darkened, old memories resurfacing.

"That's when Cynthia found me. She… saved me. She took me in and raised me as her own. I owe her everything."

Silence stretched between us, thick and heavy.

Lillie gripped the edge of her dress, looking between us with shining eyes.

I swallowed hard.

"Golly… I think I know who you really are."

She met my gaze.

Golden-brown eyes—just like mine.

She exhaled, her voice barely a whisper.

"And I think I already figured it out."

Neither of us said it out loud.

But we both knew.

I took a shaky breath and stepped forward.

My voice was quiet, but firm.

"You're my sister."

Golly's mask of indifference finally cracked.

For the first time since we met, her expression softened—her sharp gaze wavering.

Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something—

But no words came.

Then, softer than a whisper—

"…And you're my brother."

For years, we had lived separate lives—me in Kanto, her in Sinnoh—never knowing the other existed.

I didn't care that we had just met.

That didn't matter.

I did what felt right.

I pulled her into a hug.

She stiffened, caught off guard.

But after a moment—

She relaxed. Just slightly.

"…I never thought I'd have a family."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I held her tighter.

"Well… you do now."

Lillie wiped away a tear, smiling softly.

"Welcome back, Golly."

For the first time in fifteen years, I had found my sister.

And this time—

I wasn't going to lose her again.

With everything that had happened, one thing was certain—Golly was now part of our team.

As soon as we reached New Bark Town, I opened the guild menu and sent her an invite.

[Golly has joined the Pokémon Masters Guild!]

✔ Leader: Ash Ketchum
✔ Co-Leader: Lillie
✔ Members: 3

Golly glanced at the notification and crossed her arms. "Looks like I'm officially in."

She sighed, but there was a hint of amusement. "Guess I'll have to get used to this."

Lillie smiled warmly. "You'll fit right in."

Back in New Bark Town, the moment we stepped into Professor Elm's lab, we found the unexpected.

A police officer stood near Elm's desk, his expression stern as he questioned the professor.

"One of your rare Pokémon was stolen, you say?" the officer asked, his voice sharp. "Describe the suspect."

Professor Elm sighed, rubbing his forehead. "A young man… long red hair… he broke in and took one of the Pokémon I had prepared for new trainers."

My eyes widened.

That sounds exactly like…

Before I could say anything, the officer's gaze snapped to me.

His expression hardened.

"You!" He pointed a firm finger. "You were at the scene, weren't you? What do you know about this theft?"

I blinked. "Wait—are you accusing me?"

"A thief always returns to the scene of the crime," the officer said, narrowing his eyes. "And you're standing right here."

Before I could protest, a familiar voice cut in.

"Wait! He's innocent!"

I turned to see Lyra/Ethan rushing inside.

"I saw the real thief! He had red hair, just like Professor Elm said!"

The officer hesitated. "…Red hair?"

I took this chance. "Actually, I battled a trainer like that on my way back here."

The officer's eyes sharpened. "You did? Then tell me—what was his name?"

A prompt appeared before me, waiting for input.

I exhaled, remembering the name I had glimpsed on his Trainer Card.

"Silver."

The officer nodded. "Silver, huh? We'll keep that in mind." With that, he turned to Elm. "We'll be on the lookout for him."

With that, he left, and Lyra/Ethan followed soon after.

Once the room settled, I handed Professor Elm the Mystery Egg from Mr. Pokémon's house.

He turned it over in his hands, studying it carefully.

"A Pokémon Egg… Hmm. I'll hold onto this for research."

Then, his gaze lifted to me. "I also heard that you met Professor Oak. And he gave you a Pokédex?"

I nodded. "Yeah. He asked me to help fill it up."

Elm smiled. "That's amazing! Then you should take the Pokémon Gym challenge."

"The nearest Gym is in Violet City. But remember, the road to becoming a Pokémon Champion will be long."

He gave a small chuckle. "Make sure to stop at home before setting off. Your mother will want to know about your journey."

With that, we took our first step toward Violet City—and the next stage of our adventure.

Here is a new chapter, and you can see that we have a special surprise: Golly appears in the game as well, and I hope you like this chapter.