Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter was originally edited by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and Game Freak.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking.
"Hello." – Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
"$:Hello.:$" – Parseltongue
Chapter 67:
It was late at night when Ichigo returned to his hotel room. After being awarded the Cardinal Trainer status, he had to endure an hour with reporters. Once that was over, Ichigo had Gardevoir use Teleport to get them out of the chaotic scene. He glanced over to see Sabrina fast asleep.
"Lucky you," Ichigo thought to himself. He ordered room service for dinner and sat alone to eat. As he ate, he sensed something enter his shadow. He looked down to see a familiar face.
"Hello, Yami or should I call you Giratina?" Ichigo said.
"I'm not the Giratina you met in your world," Yami responded.
"I assume you met with your parent?" Ichigo asked.
"I did. Giratina explained to me why I was created."
"I assume it was to report on my behavior and nature?" Ichigo guessed.
"Indeed," Yami replied. "I also met with Lord Arceus, who explained to me why you're here in our universe."
"I assume you're staying with me?" Ichigo asked.
"If you're willing to accept me," Yami said. Ichigo nodded and took out a Poké Ball, recalling Yami before he took a quick shower and went to bed.
Time Skip: The Next Morning
Ichigo and Sabrina woke up and handled their usual morning routines before ordering breakfast. They sat down at the table, eating in silence for a moment.
"With the Conference over, what are you planning to do?" Sabrina asked.
"I'm planning to go to Sinnoh," Ichigo answered.
"I see…" Sabrina replied, after a pause. "May I come with you?" she asked quietly.
"Sure," Ichigo said.
"When are you planning to leave?" she asked.
"Do you have some unfinished business here?" he asked.
"I do."
"How long will it take?"
"Maybe a few days," Sabrina said. Ichigo walked over to the phone and called the front desk.
"Good morning, how can I help you?" the receptionist answered.
"Good morning. I was wondering when the next cruise to Sinnoh departs," Ichigo asked.
"Give me one moment, may I put you on hold?"
"Sure," Ichigo said. After a few moments, the receptionist returned.
"The next cruise from Fuchsia City to Sandgem Town (1) is in a week. You can purchase tickets at Fuchsia City," the receptionist said.
"Thank you," Ichigo said, hanging up the phone. He turned to Sabrina. "Is a week long enough to handle your personal matters?"
"It is," she said. They finished their breakfast and packed up their things.
"See you later," Ichigo said as he gave her a hug.
"Same," Sabrina replied. She pulled out a Poké Ball, and her Alakazam appeared.
"Saffron City," she said.
"Very well," Alakazam replied, and with that, they teleported away. Ichigo shook his head before walking out of the hotel room. Ignoring the crowd, he checked out and headed to the Pokémon Center.
"Good morning. How may I help you?" Nurse Joy greeted him.
"Can you make sure all of my Pokémon are fully healed?" Ichigo asked, handing over his six Poké Balls.
"Sure," Nurse Joy replied as she accepted the Poké Balls. "I also have a message from Professor Oak for you," she added.
"Thank you," Ichigo said, walking over to a nearby terminal. He logged into his account and opened Professor Oak's message:
"Hello Ichigo, congratulations on winning. Before you continue your journey, can you come back to the lab? See you soon. Professor Oak."
Ichigo logged out and walked back to Nurse Joy, picking up his Pokémon. He sent out Gardevoir.
"Where are we going, Dad?" Gardevoir asked.
"Back to Professor Oak's lab," Ichigo said.
"Very well," Gardevoir responded before they teleported away.
Scene Change: Pallet Town
Ichigo and Gardevoir appeared outside Professor Oak's Ranch.
"Thank you," Ichigo said as he recalled Gardevoir. He walked up to the door and knocked. A few seconds later, Professor Oak opened it.
"Good morning Ichigo. I didn't expect you to get my message so quickly," Professor Oak said, welcoming Ichigo inside.
"So, what do you need from me?" Ichigo asked.
"First off, allow me to give you a present." Dragonite walked over, placing a large box on the table. Ichigo opened it to reveal 15 large stones, each a different color, and a small bracelet with a green stone. All 16 stones had a similar S-shaped marking.
"Aren't these…" Ichigo began.
"Yes, these are Mega Stones," Professor Oak said. "As a Cardinal Trainer, you're allowed to use these. Let's move to the backyard and get these on your Pokémon." Dragonite picked up the box, and Ichigo followed Professor Oak outside. Ichigo called out his Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution and gave each one their respective Mega Stone. Professor Oak assisted in attaching the custom-made armor to properly secure the Mega Stones. Once everything was in place, Ichigo recalled his Pokémon, and they returned inside.
"Anything else you need from me?" Ichigo asked.
"Next, like the professor who mentored you, I'd like to know your planned route," Professor Oak said. Ichigo shared their intended journey, which would take them to Alto Mare, Slateport City, Lilycove City, Mossdeep City, and finally, Sandgem Town.
"Hm…" Professor Oak studied the route on the map. "This is perfect. While you're in the Hoenn region, I need you to deliver some items to Professor Birch."
"Sure," Ichigo agreed.
"Great, just pick up the box before you leave," Professor Oak said, hurriedly gathering the materials for Professor Birch.
Ichigo stood by the door, wondering "What should I do now?"
"Mewtwo might be at New Island," Kyōka suggested.
"Make sense," Ichigo thought as he walked into the forest on Route 1. Once he was certain he was alone, he used shunpō to disappear and reappear on New Island.
Scene Change: South of Cinnabar Island/New Island
Ichigo arrived at New Island and could see that the secret laboratory was still in ruins.
"Did I guess wrong? Is he hiding in Cerulean Cave just like in the video game?"
Suddenly, a voice shouted, "Who goes there!" Ichigo turned to see Mewtwo appear in front of him.
"Hello Mewtwo," Ichigo greeted.
"Ah… It's you," Mewtwo replied. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm just checking in on you," Ichigo said.
"Fine," Mewtwo responded, sounding unbothered.
"You're not planning to rebuild this lab, trick strong trainers here, create a clone army of Pokémon, and then attack the world, are you?" Ichigo asked.
"What?" Mewtwo said, looking genuinely shocked at the suggestion.
"That's what your alternative, angry self did after being freed from Giovanni," Ichigo explained.
Mewtwo facepalmed at the mention of his alternate self. "That idiot… essentially created more weapons," he muttered.
"I was also wondering if you'd like to come with me," Ichigo offered.
"Come with you?" Mewtwo repeated.
"I'll be leaving this region and traveling to a new one," Ichigo explained.
"I see... then you need to show me your strength," Mewtwo said.
"Strength?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.
"Yes, in a Pokémon battle," Mewtwo said, moving a few feet away from Ichigo.
"Very well," Ichigo agreed. "But you're not going against one of my Pokémon," he added as he took off his shirt and got into a fighting stance.
Mewtwo stared at Ichigo.
"Looks like he's serious about this," Mewtwo thought.
Ichigo picked up a small rock. "The battle will start when this rock lands on the ground," Ichigo suggested.
"Very well," Mewtwo agreed. Ichigo tossed the rock up into the air, and they both watched as it fell. As soon as it hit the ground, Mewtwo raised his hand and used Psychic on Ichigo.
Ichigo responded by releasing a small burst of his reiatsu, shattering the psychic energy that tried to trap him. Mewtwo's eyes widened in shock as Ichigo disappeared. Using shunpō, Ichigo appeared behind Mewtwo and grabbed his tail.
Ichigo spun on his heels, swinging Mewtwo's tail over his shoulder. Mewtwo slammed into the ground, but Ichigo kept a firm grip on his tail, swinging him again. Mewtwo gathered his psychic energy to cushion the impact, but Ichigo sensed it and broke through the psychic barrier.
"How is he this strong?" Mewtwo thought as Ichigo continued his onslaught.
The battle continued for several more rounds, each one ending in Mewtwo being swung or thrown by Ichigo's sheer strength. Eventually, Ichigo released Mewtwo, stepping back.
"Mewtwo, do you admit defeat?" Ichigo asked.
"How are you so strong?" Mewtwo asked, still in disbelief. "None of the humans I've encountered were anything close to your level."
"That's my secret," Ichigo said with a smirk. "So… do you admit defeat?"
Mewtwo sighed and nodded. "I accept defeat. But if you capture me, please use this Poké Ball." A modified Poké Ball floated toward them. It was entirely red, with a wide black band around the middle and a red button.
Ichigo picked up the Poké Ball. "This is a Poké Ball I modified," Mewtwo explained. "It can handle two different Pokémon data, one fake and one real. If it's scanned, the fake data will show unless I allow the real data to be shown. It also prevents anyone but you from releasing me, and it stops moves like Roar from affecting me. I call it the Faker Ball."
"That's fine," Ichigo said, taking the Faker Ball. "I was thinking of ways to hide you while still using the Pokédex to help make you stronger." Ichigo raised the Faker Ball in front of Mewtwo, who tapped it with his finger. The Poké Ball clicked, and Mewtwo was captured.
Ichigo scanned the Faker Ball with his Pokédex.
"This Alakazam, male, Psychic-type…" the Pokédex began to read.
"So, this is your fake data," Ichigo thought.
"Indeed," Mewtwo confirmed. "Now, try scanning it again."
Ichigo did, and the Pokédex read: "This Mewtwo, male, Psychic-type, 6 feet 7 inches tall. Ability: Unknown. Known moves: Psychic, Hyper Beam, Recover, Shadow Ball, and Psystrike."
"I didn't expect the Pokédex to read your actual data," Ichigo commented.
"I manually programmed that data into the Poké Ball beforehand," Mewtwo explained. "I also named Psystrike since no move like it existed in the Pokédex."
"I see…" Ichigo replied.
Suddenly, a loud cry of pain echoed through the air. Ichigo immediately turned toward the source.
"What was that?" Ichigo asked, his brow furrowing.
"I'm not sure," Mewtwo admitted, releasing himself from the Poké Ball. Psychic energy gathered around them as they flew toward the sound. As they flew, the weather began to change with the clouds darkening, and rain beginning to pour. Eventually, they spotted a large airship.
Ichigo's eyes widened as he recognized the ship.
"Mewtwo, we need to land and find a ship," Ichigo said urgently.
"Why?" Mewtwo asked.
"I remember this scene," Ichigo replied.
"Very well," Mewtwo said as they descended. Ichigo quickly spotted a nearby boat and they landed on it. Ichigo recalled Mewtwo as a person emerged from the ship. It was a young woman dressed in a red top and pants, with an orange lifejacket on.
"Hey! What are you doing on my ship?" she asked, looking confused.
Ichigo mentally cast "Legilimens," his gaze locking with hers. He altered her memories. Her name was Maren, and she had been parked at Vermilion Harbor, waiting for customers headed to the Orange Archipelago. However, she had received a call from her younger sister, asking her to return home for the Legend Festival. Maren then decided to invite Ichigo to join her. After adjusting her memories, Ichigo followed her inside the ship as she called him back.
Eventually, they arrived at another island.
"Sorry about the detour," Maren said.
"No problem," Ichigo replied.
Maren docked the ship, and they both disembarked. A group of people dressed in ceremonial outfits approached them.
"Hello Maren," one of them said, removing her helmet.
"Carol," Maren greeted. The two women greeted each other warmly. Carol turned to Ichigo.
"So, is he your boyfriend?" Carol teased.
"Carol!" Maren yelled in embarrassment. "His name is Ichigo. He's just my passenger on the way to Sunburst Island. I was fine with stopping at Shamouti Island before we continued."
"Are you a Pokémon Trainer?" Carol asked.
"I am," Ichigo replied. Immediately, everyone grew excited.
"The ancient legend foretold your arrival!" a man with a blue bird-like helmet said, approaching Ichigo. "And only you, the Chosen One, can help the Guardian of the Sea vanquish the Titan of Fire, Lightning, and Ice!" The man unmasked himself. "In your hands, oh Chosen One, rests the world's fate."
"Very well," Ichigo said, already knowing what was about to unfold.
"We have found our Chosen One!" the man declared. The crowd erupted in excitement, and everyone began marching down to the village. Ichigo observed as the villagers performed various tribal dances. As time passed, it was time for dinner. Ichigo joined the elderly man, Tobias, Maren, and Carol at the table. They were stunned when Ichigo revealed he was a Cardinal Trainer.
Their casual chatter was interrupted by the sound of a flute. Everyone turned to see Melody, Carol's younger sister, in a trial dress, holding an ocarina. She began to play a melody and dance, captivating everyone in the room. As she finished, the crowd clapped enthusiastically. Melody tucked her ocarina into her side pouch as she jumped off the stage and walked over to Ichigo.
"Hear ye all, from the trio of islands, the ancient sphere shall you take. For between life and death, all the difference you'll make. Oh, Chosen One, you must climb to the shrine to right what is wrong, and the world will be healed by the Guardian's Song," Melody recited.
"So, what must I do?" Ichigo asked.
"I just told you, Ichigo," Melody replied.
"I heard your poem, but what does it mean?" Ichigo asked, still puzzled.
"Allow me to explain," Carol interrupted. "You must travel to Fire Island, Lightning Island, and Ice Island, and bring the Orb of Fire, Orb of Lightning, and Orb of Ice back to the shrine on Shamouti Island. Once that's done, Melody will celebrate by playing the Guardian's Song," Carol explained.
"When does this start?" Ichigo asked.
"You can start now," Tobias said.
Ichigo glanced at Maren. "Can you give us a ride?"
"Sure," Maren replied. Ichigo and Maren quickly made their way to the harbor and boarded her boat. As they set out to sea, the weather began to worsen.
"Looks like the weather's getting pretty bad," Ichigo said.
"Should we head back?" Maren asked.
"No, we must push through," Ichigo said.
"Looks like he's serious about this," Maren thought, as they continued.
As time passed, the sea became rougher. Suddenly, a massive wave threw them onto the shore of Fire Island. Ichigo spotted a set of stairs leading up. Without hesitation, he jumped off the boat.
"Ichigo, where are you going?" Maren called after him.
"To get the Orb of Fire," Ichigo said as he ran up the stairs. After ten minutes of running, he reached the top and saw a small shrine. On it was a bird surrounded by fire, with a red orb in its mouth. Ichigo carefully removed the Orb of Fire.
Just as he began heading back down, a sailboat shot out from the distance. Ichigo moved aside as it landed, revealing Melody and Carol.
"Melody, Carol, what are you two doing here?" Ichigo asked.
Before they could respond, a bolt of yellow lightning erupted from the sky, and Zapdos appeared. Everyone watched as Zapdos unleashed a torrent of lightning across the island. Suddenly, Electivire and Metagross appeared from their Poké Balls. Electivire immediately began firing lightning bolts at Zapdos.
"What's your Pokémon doing?" Melody asked.
"Electivire is trying to communicate with Zapdos," Metagross translated.
Zapdos ignored Electivire and released an intense electrical aura. Melody and Carol collapsed to their knees from the overwhelming energy. Electivire growled, fighting to resist the aura while still trying to communicate. "Zapdos, why are you here on Fire Island? Where is Moltres?" Metagross translated.
Electivire's electricity wrapped around Zapdos, finally catching its attention. Zapdos glared at Electivire and sent a bolt of electricity in response.
"Moltres used to rule here. But now that Moltres is gone, Lightning shall rule over Fire, and I claim this island as my own from this day forward," Metagross translated.
Suddenly, Zapdos began to release more electricity, and the currents began to bend upward, as though something was pulling it away. From the clouds above, a massive metal airship descended. Melody and Carol gasped in shock. Zapdos, Ichigo, Electivire, and Metagross all glared at the ship. Panels on the airship opened, and four small drones descended toward Zapdos.
Zapdos took flight, attacking the drones. As two drones neared each other, they shot light-blue electricity at one another, attempting to form a cage around Zapdos. Two of the drones succeeded in capturing Zapdos, while the other two captured Ichigo and the others. Ichigo quickly recalled his Pokémon before they were all pulled into the airship.
Scene Change: Airship Trophy Room
The drones carried everyone into a room full of ancient artifacts, displayed like a museum. In the center of the room stood four pillars. On one of the pillars, a sleeping Moltres rested. Two drones deposited the captured Zapdos next to another pillar, where the exhausted Zapdos let out a weak cry before falling asleep.
"Where are we?" Carol asked.
"We're in some kind of trophy room," Ichigo replied.
Carol and Melody immediately noticed the trapped Moltres and Zapdos. They began to explore the room. Melody stumbled upon an ancient table and began reading aloud.
"The God of Fire, God of Lightning, and God of Ice must not be touched. Else, Heaven and Earth will be angered, and the world will face destruction…" Melody read, her eyes widening with realization. "The prophecy."
"What are you talking about, Melody?" Carol asked.
"I think the prophecy our family spoke about is coming true," Melody explained.
"So, what's the rest of the prophecy?" Ichigo asked.
"The God of Fire, God of Lightning, and God of Ice must not be touched. Else, Heaven and Earth will be angered, and the world will face destruction. The God of the Sea will appear to stop the destruction, but it will not prevent the World's end unless a protector (2) appears to calm the wrath of the Gods," Melody read.
"Looks like we still need to gather those orbs," Ichigo said.
"But what about them?" Carol asked. "Should we free them?"
"We should," Melody said. Ichigo released his Electivire, Eelektross, Metagross, Charizard, Garchomp, and Rhyperior.
"Electivire and Eelektross try to drain the electricity from those drones. Garchomp and Charizard use Outrage. Rhyperior use Rock Wrecker, and Metagross use Meteor Smash!" Ichigo commanded. Electivire and Eelektross grabbed the drones, absorbing the electricity from them. Charizard and Garchomp's bodies glowed with draconic energy as they began attacking the barrier with their claws. Rhyperior placed his hands together, and small chunks of gray stone emerged from the holes in his hands, forming a large gray rock. He pushed the rock toward the barrier. Metagross's arms glowed metallic silver as they started punching the barrier.
Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted, creating a hole in the wall of the trophy room. The smoke quickly dissipated, revealing Moltres and Zapdos, now freed from the drones. They soared out of the trophy room and began attacking the airship.
"We need to get out of here!" Ichigo shouted, recalling all his Pokémon except Metagross. "Use Psychic to get us out of here."
Metagross's eyes glowed with Psychic energy, surrounding everyone and Carol's boat. They landed safely in the water. Ichigo recalled Metagross. "Quickly, to Lightning Island," Ichigo ordered.
"Got it," Carol replied, starting the boat. They quickly made their way to Lightning Island, observing Moltres and Zapdos as they destroyed the airship. Soon, they arrived at Lightning Island, which was entirely covered in ice. Ichigo immediately climbed the stairs toward the shrine. At the top, he found a statue of a bird surrounded by lightning, with a yellow orb in its beak. He swiftly grabbed the Orb of Lightning and ran back down.
Just as Ichigo returned to the boat, the airship crashed onto Lightning Island. One of its propellers smashed into the shrine.
"Ichigo, we have a small problem," Carol said, pointing to the frozen sea ahead. "The water to the Ice Island is frozen solid. We can't sail there."
"I'll go on foot to Ice Island," Ichigo decided. "Both of you return to Shamouti Island."
"But…" Melody hesitated.
"Be safe," Carol said, pulling Melody back to the ship and sailing toward Shamouti Island. Ichigo sent out Charizard, Metagross, and Aegislash.
"Metagross and Aegislash cover my back," Ichigo said as he climbed onto Charizard. "Let's go." Charizard nodded, and they soared toward Ice Island.
"All three of them noticed us," Metagross said after ten minutes.
"Metagross use Psychic to redirect their attacks. Aegislash use King's Shield to block anything Metagross misses." The Legendary Birds launched their attacks. Metagross used Psychic to deflect Moltres's and Articuno's strikes, while Aegislash blocked Zapdos's with King's Shield. Seeing their attacks fail, the three birds launched another round. Metagross again redirected two attacks, and Aegislash blocked the remaining one.
"We can't hold on much longer," Metagross said.
"We're just barely halfway there," Ichigo thought, eyeing Ice Island. "Do I need to reveal Yami?"
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the air behind Ichigo. He turned to see Metagross and Aegislash falling toward the frozen ocean. Ichigo quickly recalled them, but in doing so, he left himself exposed. All three Legendary Birds fired another barrage of attacks. Charizard flapped harder, trying to dodge the incoming blasts. Despite her best efforts, Articuno's Ice Beam hit one of Charizard's wings.
"$: Brace for impact! :$" Charizard roared as they plummeted into the frozen ocean. As they struggled to regain their bearings, the Legendary Birds fired another wave of attacks at them. Ichigo stood ready to block, but suddenly, a water tornado erupted from beneath the ice, pushing the three Legendary Birds away. The birds cried out as they circled the tornado.
The water tornado dissipated, revealing Lugia. Lugia fixed her gaze on Ichigo.
"Go get the final orb. I will hold them off," a feminine voice (3) echoed in Ichigo's mind.
Ichigo watched in awe as Lugia skillfully dodged the birds' attacks. Charizard, her frozen wing now thawed, glanced at Ichigo.
"Let's go," Ichigo said. Charizard flew back into the air, and together they headed toward Ice Island. Unlike the other two islands, the shrine here was deep inside a cave. Ichigo arrived at the shrine to find a statue of a bird surrounded by snowflakes. He grabbed the Orb of Ice and left the shrine.
As they exited, Ichigo and Charizard flew back toward Shamouti Island. Along the way, they observed Moltres and Articuno attacking Lugia. Suddenly, a blast of lightning struck them. Ichigo managed to shrug off the attack, but Charizard was paralyzed. They began to fall. Seeing this, Lugia quickly flew toward them. Ichigo recalled Charizard and climbed onto Lugia's neck.
"Hold on tight," Lugia instructed, flying swiftly toward Shamouti Island while evading the Legendary Birds' attacks. As they passed Lightning Island, four drones from the fallen airship shot toward them. Before Lugia could react, a blast of white lightning shot out, attempting to capture her. Lugia let out a painful roar, fighting against the lightning as it attempted to cage her.
The two plunged into the ocean. The icy water disrupted the drones, allowing Lugia to form a protective barrier. She erupted from the water, launching a powerful destructive blast toward Lightning Island. The blast tore apart the grounded airship. Filled with fury, Lugia fired another blast, shattering more of the frozen sea and scaring the Legendary Birds. This final blast destroyed the drones trapping her, but it also drained all of Lugia's energy. She nosedived into the water, unconscious.
Ichigo quickly retrieved a Poké Ball and released Milotic. He climbed onto her back as she swam toward the surface.
"We need to get to Shamouti Island," Ichigo said, pointing toward the island. Milotic nodded and swam toward Shamouti Island. Fortunately, they were close. As they arrived, Melody and Carol were waiting, holding a towel. Melody handed it to Ichigo as he climbed off Milotic.
"Thanks," Ichigo said, drying himself off.
"Follow me," she said. They walked up a set of old, frozen stairs and arrived at a stone shrine. Standing in front of it was a Slowking.
"Take the treasures and place them there," Slowking instructed, pointing at the center of the shrine. Ichigo approached the shrine and looked inside the first compartment, noticing a clear view of Fire Island. He placed the Orb of Fire there. He continued with the Orbs of Lightning and Ice. Ichigo took a few steps back as the Orbs began to glow, releasing beams of red, icy blue, and yellow elemental auras. The auras combined into a single green elemental aura. Suddenly, all the ice and snow on top of the shrine blew away, revealing ancient writing that also glowed green. The green aura poured out of the shrine, enveloping the structure. Slowly, the shrine began to absorb the energy.
"The song," Carol said.
"Right." Melody took out her ocarina and walked to the front of the shrine. She began to play the Guardian's Song. The peaceful melody calmed the sea. As she played, the green water flowed off the cliff and into the sea. The dark clouds began to part as Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno flew around each other, no longer at odds. Suddenly, a water cyclone burst from the ocean, parting the dark clouds. As the cyclone cleared, a healed Lugia emerged. The green water stopped flowing, revealing a calm and sunny sea. The Legendary Birds flew back to their respective islands.
"Ichigo, thank you for your help," Lugia said.
"No problem," Ichigo replied.
"At midnight, come back here," Lugia instructed before diving back into the sea. Suddenly, Melody grabbed Ichigo's arm.
"Come on, we need to celebrate our victory!" Melody exclaimed. They returned to the village, where the locals greeted them with cheers and kicked off another festival.
Time Skip: Midnight
Ichigo sneaked away from the celebration and returned to the shrine. In the darkness, he saw the three Orbs still in place. In the distance, he noticed Lugia, Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno approaching.
"Lugia, why did you ask me to return here?" Ichigo asked.
"I must reward you for your efforts in rescuing us," Lugia began. "I've decided to offer you an opportunity."
"An opportunity?"
"Yes, if you wish, you may challenge us one by one to a Pokémon Battle. If you win, you will have the right to capture us."
"Very well," Ichigo said, accepting the challenge.
"Who will you fight first?" Lugia asked. Ichigo sent out his Charizard.
"I will go against Articuno first." Lugia, Moltres, and Zapdos stepped to the side.
"Begin!" Lugia announced.
Articuno's wings glowed light blue as it flapped them, sending a powerful gust of wind toward Charizard. Charizard flew up to avoid the attack, her body engulfed in flames as she dove down and slammed into Articuno. Both Pokémon crashed to the ground. Charizard held her foot on Articuno's body, preventing it from escaping. She opened her mouth and fired a large stream of fire at Articuno.
"RAHAHAH!" Articuno cried out in pain.
"Charizard, that's enough," Ichigo said. Charizard ceased her attack.
"Articuno is unable to battle," Lugia declared. Articuno's body was wrapped in psychic energy and moved away. Ichigo recalled Charizard and sent out his Tyranitar.
"I will challenge Zapdos," Ichigo said. Zapdos nodded and moved into position.
"Begin," Lugia said. Zapdos's body glowed with golden energy as it flew toward Tyranitar.
"Catch it," Ichigo ordered. Zapdos slammed into Tyranitar, but Tyranitar stood firm, preventing Zapdos from escaping. Zapdos's beak glowed metallic silver as it attempted to peck at Tyranitar.
"Slam it on the ground and use Stone Edge," Ichigo commanded. Tyranitar threw Zapdos to the ground before stomping on the ground with one foot. Multiple stones burst from the earth and pierced Zapdos.
"Zaa!" Zapdos cried in pain. Tyranitar grabbed Zapdos and threw it back down, raising her foot to stomp it again.
"Enough," Lugia said. Tyranitar stopped. Lugia levitated Zapdos out of the area. Ichigo recalled Tyranitar and sent out his Aerodactyl. Moltres took its position.
"Begin," Lugia announced.
Moltres's wings glowed light blue as it flapped them, sending a powerful gust of wind at Aerodactyl. Aerodactyl flew up and dodged the attack.
"Thunder Fang," Ichigo ordered. Aerodactyl's mouth crackled with electricity as it dove toward Moltres. Aerodactyl bit down on Moltres's wing.
"Mol!" Moltres cried out in pain. Both Pokémon began to fall. Moltres fired a stream of fire at Aerodactyl. She ignored the flames and continued biting Moltres with Thunder Fang. At the last moment, Aerodactyl adjusted her body, causing Moltres to slam into the ground first.
"End it with Stone Edge," Ichigo commanded. Multiple light blue rings surrounded them, glowing white before transforming into gray stones. The stones crashed into Moltres's body.
"Enough," Lugia said. Ichigo recalled Aerodactyl as Lugia moved Moltres's body away. Lugia took her position, and Ichigo sent out his Gardevoir.
"Begin."
"Dark Pulse," Ichigo ordered. Gardevoir fired a ball of dark energy at Lugia. Lugia opened her mouth and gathered blue energy before firing a massive beam toward Gardevoir. The attack obliterated Gardevoir's Dark Pulse.
"Teleport," Ichigo quickly ordered. Gardevoir teleported to avoid the attack and reappeared on Lugia's neck.
"Dark Pulse," Ichigo commanded. Lugia took off into the air. Gardevoir held on to Lugia's neck with one hand while firing Dark Pulse with the other. Lugia tried desperately to dislodge Gardevoir, but nothing worked. Eventually, Lugia landed on the ground.
"I surrender," Lugia said. At that moment, Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos walked over to Ichigo. Lugia glanced at the Orbs in the shrine. Suddenly, the Orbs shot out and floated in front of Ichigo. The Orbs transformed into Poké Balls, with the red parts replaced by the respective Orb's color. Each Poké Ball bore an emblem resembling its Legendary Bird (4).
Ichigo picked up each Poké Ball and presented it to the respective Pokémon. Each Legendary Bird tapped the Poké Ball with its beak and accepted being captured. Ichigo turned to Lugia, who revealed her own Poké Ball. It had a silver-white top, with two dark-blue plates on top and a light blue bottom.
Ichigo picked up the Poké Ball and captured Lugia. He then sneaked back to the celebration.
Time Skip: Six Days Later
Ichigo stood outside the Fuchsia City Pokémon Center, waiting for Sabrina. He had already purchased two tickets to Sandgem Town. Finally, he spotted Sabrina. She wore a tight-fitting spaghetti strap pink crop top that revealed her midriff, paired with white slim-fit pants and a black belt around her waist. Her pink slip-on shoes matched her outfit, and she wore green and black bracelets on her wrists. Ichigo noticed a mega stone attached to one of the green bracelets (5).
"Did I make you wait?" she asked.
"Not at all," Ichigo replied, handing her the ticket. They boarded the ship.
"If you don't mind, what did you have to do in Saffron City?" Ichigo asked.
"I had to check if they tampered with my Trainer title," she explained.
"Tampered?"
"Yes, I'm officially an Assistant Gym Leader," Sabrina said. "That title is equivalent to a Lower Ace Trainer."
"Lower Ace Trainer?" Ichigo questioned.
"The Ace Trainer title has three subsections: Lower, Middle, and High. Lower Ace Trainers are typically winners of the Indigo Plateau or Assistant Gym Leaders. Middle and High Ace Trainers are usually Gym Leaders or experienced Ace Trainers," she explained.
"I see," Ichigo said.
"The titles also allow Gym Leaders more flexibility with their teams."
"What do you mean?"
"Are you planning to enter the Sinnoh League?" she asked.
"I am," Ichigo confirmed.
"Then you have two options when you sign up for the Sinnoh League. The first is the Fresh Start policy."
"What's that?"
"The Fresh Start policy allows experienced trainers to essentially restart their journey. They must use new Pokémon they catch while in the Sinnoh Region, though they can register certain inexperienced Pokémon. Over time, they'll be allowed to use their older Pokémon in official battles."
"What's the other option?" Ichigo asked.
"It's called the Legacy Policy. This allows you to use any Pokémon against the Gym Leaders, but in return, they can use their strongest team against you."
"I understand," Ichigo said.
Scene Change: Alto Mare, Midnight
It was a quiet night around Alto Mare. All the locals, tourists, and wild Pokémon were fast asleep. In the night sky, a pink jet flew toward Alto Mare. The jet transformed into a speedboat as it landed in the water and headed toward the Alto Mare Harbor. Seated in the boat were two women. Both wore black shirts with matching black slacks, gloves, long black trench coats, and combat boots. The driver had light blue hair that resembled wings at the back, while the other woman had long blonde hair styled in large spirals.
"So, this is Alto Mare," the blonde woman said.
"Yes, Annie," the blue-haired woman replied. "Remember the mission the Boss gave us?"
"Yeah, yeah, Oakley. Steal the Soul Dew and capture Latios and Latias," Annie replied.
"Do you remember the warning the Boss gave us?" Oakley asked.
"We have to use these special balls to capture Latios and Latias." Annie pulled out a small, locked box from under her chair.
"Good," Oakley said. "Let the hunt begin."
Time Skip: Afternoon
Ichigo watched as the cruise ship docked at Alto Mare. He glanced at Sabrina.
"Are you sure you want to stay on the ship?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm sure. I need time to figure out my team and potential new members while we're in Hoenn," Sabrina replied. Ichigo left their room.
"Good thing Yuzu and Karin made me watch this movie," Ichigo thought as he left the ship and began exploring the town.
"Excuse me, young man," a voice called. Ichigo turned to see an adult man in a t-shirt and shorts.
"Yes?" Ichigo replied.
"Do you happen to have a water type Pokémon?" the man asked.
"I do…"
"Great! I was wondering if you'd be willing to participate in our annual Tour de Alto Mare."
"What do I need to do?" Ichigo asked.
"You'll be racing in a water chariot through the canals of Alto Mare. We have water chariots available for you to borrow, and we've marked the route," he explained.
"Sure," Ichigo said.
"Great!" The man led Ichigo to a large crowd. Ichigo quickly registered and sent out his Milotic. They entered the water, where Ichigo saw a total of 10 other competitors.
"Testing… Ladies and gentlemen! What a wonderful sunny day for our annual Tour de Alto Mare! Are you ready?" The audience cheered. "Trainers, listen carefully, the cue to start comes from the Xatu." A Natu perched on Xatu's head began to chirp and spread its wings. When Xatu chirped and opened its wings, all the water Pokémon shot off from the starting line. Everyone raced across the canal. Ichigo and Milotic quickly swam to the front of the line. His main competition was a trainer using a Carvanha and a Wailmer.
"Looks like Latios and Latias are here," Ichigo thought, sensing their presence around the canal. He felt Latias near one of the turns. Suddenly, Ichigo made a sharp turn, losing control of the water chariot. He flew off and landed on Latias before sliding into the water. A few competitors passed him as he slowly got back up. He grabbed the reins, and Milotic swam forward again.
Suddenly, Latias bit the reins in front of Ichigo and pulled him forward. Ichigo moved into first place. At the last second, he had to make a sharp left and then a right. "Looks like Latios caught his little sister," Ichigo thought, as Latias was forced to let go of the reins. Milotic managed to stop them from crashing. Milotic turned to Ichigo with a conflicted look on her face. Ichigo jumped back into the water.
"That's okay, Milotic. Accidents happen," Ichigo reassured, petting Milotic's head. Ichigo sensed Latios and Latias leaving the scene. He returned to the water chariot and began exploring the town. Soon, he arrived at the Alto Mare Museum. He paid the fee and entered. Inside, he saw the skeletal remains of a Kabutops and an Aerodactyl embedded in the tiled floor.
"I wonder how this Aerodactyl grew this big," Ichigo thought.
"Ah... I didn't expect we'd have visitors right now," someone said. Ichigo turned to see an elderly man walking toward him.
"My bad," Ichigo said.
"Nonsense," the elderly man replied. "I assume you're a tourist?"
"I am," Ichigo confirmed. "Though I'm curious about how an Aerodactyl became this big."
"Honestly, I'm not sure," the man said. "It could be genetic evolution that caused this Aerodactyl to be larger than others." He paused. "Ah, forgive me. My name is Lorenzo."
"Ichigo," He replied. They quickly shook hands.
"Come, have a look here," Lorenzo said, leading Ichigo to the middle of the museum. "This is the DMA, the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare, built to protect the city."
"Why was it built?" Ichigo asked.
"Long ago, Kabutops and Aerodactyl were captured by an evil trainer and used to terrorize the town. The original Latios and Latias came to the city and used their powers to defeat the evil Pokémon. The resulting battle flooded the city. Latios and Latias used their power to push the excess water away, turning the streets into canals. The people of Alto Mare also built the DMA to protect the city."
"I see…" Ichigo said. After the tour, Ichigo continued to explore the city.
"Ash spotted Latias when Pikachu wanted some water," Ichigo recalled as he released Umbreon. Umbreon ran ahead, enjoying the weather. The Pokémon stopped at a water fountain, watching the drops of water. Suddenly, someone turned on the fountain. Umbreon nodded in thanks before drinking the water. Ichigo caught up.
A girl, fair-skinned with reddish-brown short hair, stood nearby. She wore a white artist's hat, a short green shirt, a white skirt, black socks, and pink shoes. She silently walked toward Ichigo and began staring at him. She circled around him while keeping eye contact until the end. After that, she ran off.
"According to the movie, that was Latias. Annie and Oakley, two members of Team Rocket, would discover her," Ichigo thought.
Umbreon, still enjoying the water, suddenly looked up and ran in the direction the girl had gone. Ichigo followed behind. They arrived to see Latias trapped in webs, guarded by a Sylveon and a golden bee-like Pokémon.
"Wait... according to the movie, it should be an Ariados and an Espeon," Ichigo thought.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Ichigo called out.
"We're just trying to prevent a fashion disaster," Annie said.
"Who cares what people wear?" Ichigo said, tearing apart the web.
"That makes sense since your clothes don't look good at all," Oakley criticized.
"I got a tip. Leave her alone," Ichigo said. Umbreon leaped onto the bridge and growled at them.
"Looks like someone has a bodyguard," Annie said. "You're not gonna hurt us, are you?"
"What would we do if he attacked us, Annie?" Oakley said.
"Sylveon, show Oakley what you'd do if someone attacked us!" Annie called.
Sylveon leaped in front of Ichigo and fired a blast of fairy energy. Suddenly, a Shadow Ball shot out of Umbreon's shadow, colliding with the Psybeam and causing a small explosion.
"Come on, let's go!" Ichigo said, grabbing Latias's hand and pulling her away. He recalled Umbreon.
"Go get them, Sylveon!" Annie shouted.
"You too, Vespiquen!" Oakley added. Ichigo used his senses to track how close Sylveon and Vespiquen were. He managed to lose them and get close to the Secret Garden. Ichigo turned to Latias.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Latias nodded. Suddenly, she ran off.
"Hey, wait!" Ichigo called as he chased after her. He was surprised when Latias actually led him into the Secret Garden. Ichigo slowly walked, amazed by the beauty of the place.
"The movie didn't do this justice," Ichigo thought.
"I agree," Yhwach chimed in.
Ichigo spotted Latias again. She playfully ran away, and Ichigo followed her, arriving at a wooden swing. Latias sat down on the swing, and the wind began to blow. Suddenly, Latios, still invisible, shot out of the lake and soared toward Ichigo. Just as Latios was about to reach him, Latias jumped off her swing and stood in front of Ichigo, hands outstretched. Latios quickly stopped, accidentally revealing himself.
"What are you doing?" Latios asked his sister.
"What are you doing to Latios?" someone shouted. Ichigo turned to see Bianca, the girl Latios was using.
"Well?" Bianca asked.
"My name is Ichigo, a Pokémon Trainer," Ichigo said.
"Oh, really?" Bianca said, stepping back toward Latios. "Okay, Latios, get him!" she ordered.
Latios let out a cry, ready to attack.
"That's enough," someone said. Ichigo turned to see Lorenzo. "Bianca. Latios. I'm sure this young man doesn't mean any harm."
"But Grandpa—"
"Good to see you again, Lorenzo," Ichigo greeted.
"But Grandpa—"
"Shush," Lorenzo interrupted, turning to Latias. "Latias, do you want to play with your new friend?"
Latias nodded.
"Latias?" Ichigo pretended to be surprised. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the swing. She pushed him into the seat, then jumped behind him, standing on the swing. Both of them now used it together.
"Isn't Latias the name of a Pokémon?" Ichigo asked. Suddenly, Latias revealed her true form. Ichigo faked his surprise as he jumped out of the seat and fell face-first onto the ground. Latias quickly moved to his side and helped him up. She looked at him to make sure he was okay.
"I'm okay, thanks," Ichigo said. Latias let out a happy cry and flew circles around him.
"She must have taken a liking to this young man," Lorenzo commented.
"Latias, don't you know how to talk with telepathy?" Ichigo asked.
Latias shook her head.
"What about you, Latios?" Ichigo asked.
"Both Latios and Latias lost their parents long ago," Lorenzo said.
"I see... Maybe I can help," Ichigo said, releasing his Gardevoir and Metagross. "Can both of you help teach Latios and Latias telepathy?"
"Sure," Gardevoir said.
"Okay," Metagross said.
Ichigo dusted himself off and walked over to Lorenzo and Bianca.
"Sorry for almost attacking you, Ichigo. My name is Bianca," the girl said.
"That's okay, Bianca. I do have a few questions."
"I assume one of them is about why Latias looked like me," Bianca said.
"No, not really," Ichigo replied. "I assume that's one of her abilities."
"Right you are," Bianca said. They both sat on a nearby bench in the shade. Ichigo released his Miyuki, Mika, Hatterene, and Rapidash, letting them interact and play with Latios and Latias.
"So, how long have you known Latios and Latias?" Ichigo asked.
"I've known them since I was a baby," Bianca said.
"While I've known them since their parents helped protect our city during the War of Aura," Lorenzo added.
"War of Aura?" Ichigo questioned.
"Long ago, there were many people who could manipulate Aura. Two major organizations came into existence: the Knights of Aura and the Black Knights. These two groups were constantly at war with each other. Forty years ago, there was a major conflict between them, and the fighting spilled over into Alto Mare." Lorenzo paused, glancing over at Latios and Latias, who were playing with Ichigo's Pokémon. "Their parents entered the battle and forced both the Knights of Aura and the Black Knights out of the city. Both groups fought back fiercely, but in the end, the parents used their combined power to teleport everyone away, draining most of their energy in the process. They used the last of their strength to create their children before allowing the Soul Dew to absorb their souls."
Ichigo listened intently as they continued discussing the hidden history of Alto Mare.
"This information about the Knights of Aura and the Black Knights is interesting," Ichigo thought.
"Considering we have little information on Aura Guardians aside from Sir Aaron and Ash being his descendant," Kyōka added.
"Speaking of hidden secrets…" Ichigo projected an image of Oakley and Annie to everyone. "Be careful of these two. They might know about Latias's trick."
"What do you mean?" Lorenzo asked.
Ichigo explained what had happened with Oakley and Annie.
"They must be Pokémon poachers," Bianca guessed.
Lorenzo nodded. "They must have specially designed equipment capable of detecting psychic energy."
"They're likely to attack tonight," Ichigo said.
"How come?" Bianca asked.
"They're probably able to track Latias's psychic energy and locate us," Lorenzo theorized.
"Or they could try to find Bianca and interrogate her," Ichigo added.
"So… what's the plan?" Bianca asked.
"I have a plan, but it's risky," Ichigo said.
"What is it?" Lorenzo asked.
Scene Change: Midnight
It was the middle of the night as Oakley and Annie stared at a government building.
"Go," Oakley said.
Both women sprinted toward the building. Oakley gave Annie a boost up to the second story. She pulled out a small laser and cut a circle in the window. Using a suction cup, she removed the glass, then unlocked the window and pushed it open. Annie slipped inside the room. She bent down and helped Oakley inside. Oakley immediately walked to a nearby computer and began hacking into it. Annie walked around, keeping an eye out for any security guards.
"Looks like we've got 20 minutes before the guards come back," Annie warned.
"I'm in," Oakley replied, scanning the government records. She quickly found the file she was looking for. "Found her. Her name is Bianca." Oakley inserted a memory card into the computer and copied Bianca's information. She shut down the computer while Annie made sure everything in the room was as it was before. The two women slipped out of the office and into their speedboat. Annie drove as Oakley pulled out her laptop and inserted the memory card.
"Interesting," Oakley said.
"What's up?" Annie asked.
"You remember all the drones we sent out looking for Latios and Latias?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I had them scan the entire city for any psychic energy," Oakley explained, showing Annie her laptop screen. "Guess where our little Bianca lives?" A small blinker pointed to the edge of a large concentration of psychic energy.
"Oh, what a coincidence," Annie said.
"Good. I'm tired of this small city," Oakley said as Annie parked the speedboat. The two women leaped out of the boat and sneaked toward Bianca's house. They peered inside and saw Bianca and Lorenzo sleeping.
"Who should we take?" Oakley asked.
"Use your Vivillon to make sure everyone's asleep," Annie suggested.
"Fine," Annie muttered as she cut open the window. They entered the house. Annie sent out her Vivillon, which used Sleep Powder on Bianca and Lorenzo. Afterward, Annie recalled her Vivillon and grabbed Bianca. They left the house quietly. Oakley released her Krookodile and handed her the unconscious Bianca.
The two women put on their glasses and scanned the environment for psychic illusions.
"Found it," Oakley said. They walked to a nearby dead-end and passed through the illusion, arriving at the Secret Garden. They found a large concentration of psychic energy near a fountain.
"Pretty," Annie complimented.
"Grab it," Oakley ordered as she continued scanning for Latios and Latias.
Annie took off her glasses, dove into the fountain, and pulled out the Soul Dew.
"This is so pretty," Annie said, admiring it.
"Dammit," Oakley cursed as she removed her glasses.
"What?" Annie asked.
"Latios and Latias aren't here."
"What should we do?" Annie asked.
"Hm…" Oakley noticed the stone carvings nearby. "These carvings are scrambled." She pulled out her laptop and scanned the carvings. She rearranged the images, quickly assembling them and smiling.
"I've got a plan," Oakley said as she walked out of the Secret Garden.
"Hey, wait up!" Annie shouted as she ran after Oakley. They headed for the Alto Mare Museum.
"What's the plan?" Annie asked.
"Simple," Oakley said as she inserted the Soul Dew into the DMA. The large cage-like portions descended to the ground. The DMA powered up, each component spinning as the ball portion lowered, opening to reveal a control compartment. Oakley sat in the chair, and the control compartment closed around her.
"Let's see what you can do," Oakley thought, beginning to explore the functions. "First, let's seal off the entire town." Outside the museum, the water in the canals began draining away as a large stone dome began to form.
Suddenly, a blast of fire shot toward the DMA. A barrier quickly appeared in front of Annie and the DMA, blocking the attack. They turned to see Ichigo with his Charizard out.
"It's you from this morning," Annie said, recognizing Ichigo.
"I am. Now I'm here to stop you," Ichigo replied, readying himself.
"You take a step further, and Pangoro will break the girl's neck," Oakley threatened, revealing the sleeping Bianca in Pangoro's grip.
"Are you sure about that?" Ichigo questioned.
"Huh?" Oakley and Annie both turned to the sleeping Bianca. Suddenly, Bianca's eyes snapped open, glowing light blue, and her body became surrounded by a crimson aura. She raised her arms and slammed them into Pangoro's chest. The surprise attack sent Pangoro flying, and Bianca landed on the ground, revealing herself to be Zoroark.
"A Zoroark!" Annie exclaimed in shock.
"Looks like we need reinforcements," Oakley said, tapping the terminal. "Kabutops and Aerodactyl, rise!" Blue sparkles gathered around the fossil remains as they slowly came to life. Oakley sent out her Sylveon, and Annie sent out her Vespiquen. "Attack the intruder!" Oakley ordered.
Ichigo recalled Zoroark and sent out his Aegislash, Electivire, and Blastoise.
"Charizard, deal with the Vespiquen! Aegislash, deal with the Sylveon! Electivire, deal with Kabutops! Blastoise, deal with Aerodactyl!" Ichigo commanded as he charged toward Oakley and Annie.
"Annie, deal with him!" Oakley shouted as she continued controlling the DMA. Annie charged toward Ichigo, attacking him fiercely. Ichigo calmly dodged her strikes, keeping his focus. He glanced to see his Pokémon defeating their respective opponents, beginning to attack the DMA's barrier.
Ichigo punched Annie in the gut, sending her flying toward the DMA. Oakley opened the barrier just enough for Annie to slip through before sealing it again.
"He's too strong," she said, catching her breath.
"Dammit!" Oakley growled, realizing their plan was falling apart.
"Should we try to steal two of his Pokémon?" Annie asked, pulling out two unique-looking Poké Balls. They were completely black, with an eye-shaped object in the center of the sphere, surrounded by a grey outline that traveled around the circumference. Two crimson red stripes ran down the upper half of the Poké Balls.
"SHIT!" Oakley exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Annie asked, worried.
"The Soul Dew is almost out of energy," Oakley said.
"Well, what now?" Annie asked.
"Recall all our Pokémon and try to capture them," Oakley ordered as she used the remaining energy to protect them. Annie quickly recalled their Pokémon and threw the two unique Poké Balls toward Charizard and Blastoise. Ichigo saw the incoming Poké Balls and intercepted them before they could activate.
"Run!" Oakley shouted as she jumped out of the DMA. Behind them, the DMA exploded in a brilliant light, and the two women used the explosion to escape. The museum began to burn.
"Blastoise put out the fire!" Ichigo ordered.
"Allow me to figure out what these are," Kyōka said, taking the unique-looking Poké Balls into Ichigo's mindscape. Blastoise fired jets of water from her cannons as she ran toward the remains of the DMA. Ichigo found the Soul Dew, but now it was a murky orb. He recalled his Pokémon as they ran out of the museum, greeted by Lorenzo, the real Bianca, and Latios and Latias.
"We still have trouble," Bianca said.
"All the water in the canals has receded and formed into a massive tsunami that's heading straight for the city," Lorenzo pointed out. Ichigo saw the enormous wave approaching.
Ichigo summoned Yorugetsu and fired a nameless Getsuga Tenshō. Everyone watched in awe as Ichigo's attack obliterated the incoming tsunami. He returned Yorugetsu to his mindscape.
"Come on, let's get back to the garden," Ichigo ordered, his voice breaking the stunned silence. Everyone quickly ran back to the Secret Garden. Ichigo pulled out the auraless Soul Dew, and Latios brought it toward him. Both Latios and Latias began to pour their aura into the Soul Dew. The Soul Dew devoured the offered aura, but it remained unchanged. Latios and Latias began to weaken from the lack of aura.
"Enough," Ichigo said, grabbing the Soul Dew from them. The sudden interruption startled the Eon duo. They looked at Ichigo with confused expressions. "Both of you are almost out of aura. If you give any more, you'll die."
"But what are we going to do?" Latios asked.
Ichigo poured his reiatsu into the Soul Dew. The Soul Dew absorbed the offered energy, and unlike before, its color began to return.
"It's working," Latias said.
Within minutes, the Soul Dew was fully restored. Ichigo handed it back to Latios, who placed it back into the fountain. Water began to flow from the fountain again, trickling down into the canals.
"Looks like everything ended well," Ichigo said.
"No," Latios said. "There's one thing left to do." He turned to Ichigo. "You are very strong. Allow me to become one of your Pokémon."
"Latios…" Lorenzo said, surprised at his words.
"I'm supposed to be one of the guardians of Alto Mare and the Soul Dew. My weakness put the entire city, the Soul Dew, and most importantly, Latias in danger." Latias floated to her brother and slapped him in the face.
"If anyone is at fault, it's me," Latias said. "I'm the one who's usually flying around the city. I was the one who got caught and exposed Bianca and Lorenzo to danger. If anyone should feel responsible, it's me." Ichigo glanced at Lorenzo and Bianca. Lorenzo sighed.
"Latios, Latias," Lorenzo said. "If both of you leave, who will guard Alto Mare and the Soul Dew?"
"Maybe we should protect it," someone suggested. Everyone turned as the fountain began to glow, and something began to materialize. The light faded, revealing an older version of Latios and Latias.
"Mom? Dad?" Latios and Latias said in unison. The older Latios and Latias nodded, and the four dragons embraced, enjoying their reunion. The older Latios and Latias then turned to Ichigo.
"Thank you, young man, for rescuing Alto Mare and restoring the Soul Dew," the older Latias said.
"No problem," Ichigo replied.
"We've heard what both of you said earlier," the older Latios said. "About being too weak." Latios and Latias looked nervous.
"We give both of you our blessing. Go, leave Alto Mare, and learn how to be strong," the older Latias said.
"But what about the Soul Dew?" Latios asked.
"Don't worry," the older Latios said. He turned to Ichigo. "Thanks to this hero's actions, the Soul Dew now has enough aura for us to manifest if we sense someone approaching."
"Thank you, Mom, and Dad," Latios and Latias said, bowing their heads. The older Latios and Latias nodded before returning to the Soul Dew.
"I… I guess this is goodbye," Bianca said, her voice trembling as tears began to form. Latios and Latias floated over to her.
"It is, for now," Latios said softly.
"Don't worry. We'll be back soon," Latias reassured her.
Lorenzo looked at Ichigo. "Take good care of them," he said.
"I will," Ichigo reassured him as he dug through his backpack, looking for two Poké Balls. He noticed four unique-looking Faker Balls. Two had a white top, a sky-blue bottom, and a red triangle, while the other two had a white top, a red bottom, and a blue triangle. All four had a wide black band around the middle and a red button.
"I made four more Faker Balls," Mewtwo explained, pulling them out. "Each pair is interconnected, allowing Bianca and Lorenzo or you to call for them."
"Thank you," Ichigo said as he pulled out the four Faker Balls. He explained their function to Bianca and Lorenzo. Bianca took the Latias Faker Ball, and Lorenzo took the Latios Faker Ball. Ichigo used him to catch Latios and Latias. Bianca and Lorenzo were able to summon Latias and Latios with their copies of the Faker Balls. Ichigo expanded his own copy of the Faker Ball, and suddenly, the red triangle on Bianca's and Lorenzo's Eon Poké Balls began blinking. They recalled their respective Pokémon and the red triangle on their Faker Balls stopped blinking, turning off. Ichigo's Faker Balls, however, lit up, and he released Latios and Latias, confirming the unique function of the Faker Balls.
"Latios, Latias," Ichigo called out. "Do you wish to join me now or later?"
"Later," Latios replied. Latias nodded in agreement.
"Okay," Ichigo said. "See you all later."
"Wait," Bianca said, pulling out her sketchbook. She tore out a few pages and handed them to Ichigo. "Here are some sketches I did of you, your Pokémon, Latios, and Latias." Ichigo looked at the sketches. One depicted Latios and Latias learning English with Gardevoir and Metagross. Another showed Ichigo's psychic Pokémon playing with Latios and Latias. The last one showed Ichigo napping with his Pokémon, Latios, and Latias.
"Thank you," Ichigo said, hugging her. After that, Ichigo left the Secret Garden. It took him twenty minutes to return to the cruise ship. He entered his room to find Sabrina writing in her notebook.
"You didn't return to the ship last night," Sabrina pointed out.
"Sorry. I made some friends, and they invited me for dinner," Ichigo explained.
"I see…" Sabrina said. "Call me next time something like that happens. I ordered dinner for you."
"Thank you for the thought," Ichigo replied. Soon, the ship departed Alto Mare.
Time Skip: Three Days
Ichigo and Sabrina watched as the cruise ship arrived at Slateport City.
"Do you have any plans while we're in Slateport City?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm going to try and catch a Ralts and a Meditite," Sabrina said. "I'll be back before the ship leaves."
"Okay," Ichigo said as Sabrina quickly left for the city. Ichigo began exploring, and he soon spotted a large group of people. Some were dressed in red and black, while others wore blue and white sailor outfits.
"Isn't that Team Magma and Team Aqua?" Ichigo thought.
"You're correct," Kyōka responded.
"How's the investigation going with those weird Poké Balls?" Ichigo thought.
"I think I figured it out. You might need to talk with those Legendary Pokémon about it," Kyōka said.
"Okay." Ichigo walked over to the gathering of Team Magma and Team Aqua, spotting two men arguing with each other.
"That should be Maxie, leader of Team Magma, and Archie, leader of Team Aqua," Kyōka explained. Ichigo could hear them arguing about their teams' ideologies.
"Excuse me," Ichigo said, approaching them.
"What do you want, kid?" Archie, a muscular man, grunted.
"Yes, young man?" Maxie, a scrawny scientist-looking man, asked politely.
"Are both of you still trying to awaken Groudon and Kyogre?" Ichigo asked bluntly.
"HUH? HOW DID YOU KNOW?!" they both shouted in shock.
"Doesn't matter how I know," Ichigo replied, unfazed. "I just know it's not going to work."
"Groudon would use its power to create more land by evaporating the ocean, right?" Ichigo said, looking at Maxie, who nodded. "But where does all that evaporated water go?" Maxie paused. "It goes back up to the sky and forms rainclouds before raining down."
"HA! My plan still works!" Archie shouted, grinning.
"But once the sky runs out of moisture, what happens?" Ichigo asked. "That's right, the rain stops, the clouds disperse, and the sun evaporates the remaining water." He let the words sink in as both leaders began to realize the flaw in their plans. "You can't keep expanding the land or the sea. Eventually, everything will reach equilibrium."
"But what can we do then?" Maxie asked, his enthusiasm waning.
"Why don't both your organizations focus on taking care of the environment?" Ichigo suggested.
"Huh?" Maxie and Archie asked. Ichigo looked at Maxie.
"Team Magma should focus on managing the land and doing things like planting trees, picking up trash, promoting the use of established roads, and working with the Pokémon Rangers," Ichigo said. He turned to Archie. "As for Team Aqua, you should focus on managing the ocean like helping Water-type Pokémon, cleaning up trash, creating blockades to protect migrating Pokémon, and also collaborating with the Pokémon Rangers."
"Hm…" Both Archie and Maxie pondered Ichigo's suggestion.
"We would appreciate the help." Everyone turned to see a fit young man walking toward them. He wore a badge with the Pokémon Rangers logo. "The name's Jack Walker," he introduced. "I can help if both of you are interested in turning over a new leaf." He offered.
"Sure." Archie agreed after some thought.
"I accept," Maxie said, nodding. Ichigo quietly slipped away and made his way back to his room in the hotel.
"Looks like the main issue with the Hoenn region is settled," Ichigo thought.
"Indeed," Kyōka agreed as she appeared in his room, holding the two unusual Poké Balls. Ichigo quickly cast privacy spells around the room. "It took a while to figure out what these are."
"And these are?" Ichigo asked.
"They're similar to Dark Balls," Kyōka said, showing a clip from Celebi: The Voice of the Forest movie, where the Iron-Masked Marauder first demonstrated the Dark Ball. "It's a good thing I made a copy of each Pokémon episode and movie before we left."
"Unlike the movies, it's never explained how Dark Balls were created," Ichigo noted.
"Exactly," Kyōka confirmed. "But these Poké Balls are radiating some kind of energy. It's similar to hollow reiatsu."
"I see… Let me ask Lugia if she knows anything," Ichigo said as he took the Dark Balls and entered the Trainer.
Scene Change: Trainer
Ichigo appeared in the Trainer's domain, where all his Legendary Pokémon were practicing Divine Domain (6).
"Hello, Ichigo," Lugia greeted, noticing his presence. All the Legendary Pokémon stopped their practice and moved toward him.
"Hello, everyone," Ichigo greeted. "I stumbled upon something strange, and I wanted to ask if any of you know what this is." Ichigo brought out the Dark Ball. Immediately, all the Legendary Pokémon moved back from him.
"Where did you get that?" Lugia asked, her tone serious.
"Two trainers tried to capture my Pokémon with them," Ichigo replied.
"To think the Black Knights remain," Lugia said, her voice heavy.
"Black Knights?" Ichigo asked, confused.
"Allow me to explain," Lugia said. "Long ago, there were humans who could manipulate Aura. These people were known as Aura Guardians. They traveled the world, protecting people and finding others with the potential to become Aura Guardians. As more people with this potential were discovered, they formed an organization called the Knights of Aura. Normally, Aura Guardians passively absorb the Aura around them. But one Aura Guardian discovered a way to directly absorb Aura from others. This Guardian continued experimenting, unaware of the side effects."
"What side effects?" Ichigo asked, intrigued.
"The side effect is that the emotions attached to the victim are transmitted to the user. All the negative emotions began to corrupt this Aura Guardian. This person began teaching the technique to others. When the leaders of the Knights of Aura discovered this, they ordered the rogue Guardians to be killed. But they escaped, formed the Black Knights, and waged war against the Knights of Aura. In the end, everyone was killed."
Lugia paused and glanced at the Dark Ball. "But it seems that some survived."
"I see…" Ichigo summoned Yorugetsu and slashed the Dark Ball in half. The Legendary Pokémon instinctively moved even further away from Ichigo.
"It looks like there's a small crystal filled with this corrupted Aura," Ichigo observed.
"The crystal likely unleashes the corrupted Aura on the captured Pokémon, forcing them to obey the user," Kyōka hypothesized.
"Do you think Longinus could purge the corrupted Aura from the captured Pokémon?" Ichigo asked.
"It might be possible. I'll ask Azrael for help," Kyōka said, as Ichigo sent the Dark Balls and Yorugetsu back to his mindscape.
"Thanks for the information."
"No problem," Lugia replied as Ichigo left. Lugia turned to her fellow Legendary Pokémon. "We need to train harder."
"We'll likely encounter these Black Knights in the future," Latios said.
"If they sent two agents to find us, do you think they're trying to capture other Legendary Pokémon?" Latias asked.
"Possible," Mewtwo said.
"Either way, we must become stronger," Lugia said. Everyone nodded in agreement as they resumed their training.
Time Skip: Two Days
Ichigo spent the next two days in the Trainer, training his Pokémon. He introduced his regular Pokémon to all the Legendary Pokémon. At first, they were intimidated by the Legendaries, but they quickly got used to each other and formed one large, unified team.
Ichigo looked over the strongest Pokémon from the Sinnoh Gym Leaders. The door opened, and Ichigo looked up to see Sabrina walking into the room.
"Do you want me to order you dinner?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes," she replied, heading to the bathroom. Ichigo chuckled as she disappeared inside. She soon came out and joined him for dinner.
"So, how did your little trip go?" Ichigo asked.
"Okay," Sabrina replied. "I found a male Ralts and a Meditite."
"That's good," Ichigo said. "They should be able to handle Dark-types."
The cruise ship began to pull out of Slateport City and continued its journey. As they sat together in their room, they flipped through pamphlets about the Sinnoh region. Sabrina examined a pamphlet about the different Pokémon found in Sinnoh.
"This region lacks new psychic types," Sabrina complained. Ichigo shrugged as he looked over his copy of the pamphlet. For the rest of the trip, Sabrina trained her newly caught Ralts and Meditite. Ichigo, meanwhile, lay back in his physical body on a beach chair, relaxing. In his soul form, he entered the Trainer and continued instructing all his Pokémon to perform various drills.
It was late in the evening when they arrived at Mossdeep City. A meteor shower was scheduled for the night, so the captain ordered the ship to stop at Mossdeep. Ichigo stood on the ship's deck, staring at the sky. Sabrina found the event boring and went to sleep. Ichigo shook his head as the meteor shower began.
"This is nice," Ichigo thought.
"I agree," Yhwach commented, appearing beside Ichigo. Both of them noticed a meteor larger than the rest. The massive meteor crashed into the sea in front of them, causing a surge of seawater to splash around. Suddenly, something burst out of the sea, it was a bipedal creature. Most of its body was red, with a light blue face and a purple stripe running down the center of it. A purple, crystalline organ was embedded in its chest, and its white, circular eyes were set inside rectangular, black eye sockets. In its arms, it held a meteor fragment with a green crystal embedded in it.
"It's a Deoxys!" Kyōka identified, showing a clip from the beginning of the seventh Pokémon movie.
"Luckily, we don't sense anyone coming toward us," Ichigo thought. He turned toward Deoxys. "Hello," he said, trying not to startle it. Deoxys looked at Ichigo with a slightly confused expression. Ichigo summoned Mewtwo's Poké Ball and released Mewtwo.
"What can I do for you?" Mewtwo asked as he stretched as if he had just woken from a nap.
"Can you help teach Deoxys how to communicate in English?" Ichigo asked.
"Sure," Mewtwo replied. Mewtwo and Deoxys silently stared at each other for a few moments. Then, Ichigo heard a new voice.
"Thank you, Mewtwo for teaching me your language," Deoxys said, a slight feminine tone in her telepathic message.
"No problem," Mewtwo replied.
"Thanks, Mewtwo," Ichigo said. Mewtwo nodded before returning to his Poké Ball. Ichigo sent it back to his Trainer.
"So, Deoxys, what are you and your brethren doing here?" Ichigo asked.
"Both of us are from a distant planet. A strange wormhole opened, and a massive black and yellow monster fell through it. The monster began devouring everything around it. My people tried to stop it, but our attacks didn't do much damage. Some of us were selected for a suicidal mission to force the monster back into the wormhole. We formed teams of two, one of us would push the monster back while the other protected the team. Slowly, we managed to force the monster back, but we couldn't escape the wormhole." Deoxys paused, caressing the green crystal. "She was able to project a barrier to protect us from the monster's attacks and the turbulence in the wormhole. But it caused her to run out of energy."
"If you trust me, I think I can help with that," Ichigo said, extending his reiatsu into the green crystal. The crystal began to glow green as it absorbed the reiatsu. The entire meteor fragment glowed white, and a small explosion of energy occurred. The light faded, revealing another Deoxys, this one with a green crystal in its chest. The two Deoxys stared at each other for a moment before the one with the green crystal turned to Ichigo.
"Thank you for helping my sister and I," she said.
"No problem," Ichigo replied. "If I may ask, what are you two planning to do now?" The two Deoxys exchanged a glance.
"We were wondering if we could stay with you for the time being," the Deoxys with the purple crystal replied.
"That's fine," Ichigo agreed, as two more Poké Balls appeared in his hands. "Do you two have names?"
"We have names, but we're not sure how to translate them into your language," the Deoxys with the green crystal said.
"Then I'll call you Emerald," Ichigo said, pointing to the Deoxys with the green crystal, "and I'll call you Amethyst," he added.
"Okay," they replied, accepting their new names. Ichigo captured Emerald and Amethyst in their respective Poké Balls and looked around to ensure no one had witnessed the event before returning to his room and going to bed.
Scene Change: Unknown Location
Annie and Oakley entered a well-decorated office and stood before their boss, who was sitting at a desk. Her face was covered by a white mask with a red gamma symbol near her left eye. She was dressed in a full black combat suit with a hood, matching black gloves, and black boots. The suit allowed them to tell she was a woman, but nothing more.
"Report," she ordered.
"Commander Gamma, we failed the mission," Oakley began. "We found the home of Latias and Latios, but someone strong interfered with our efforts."
"Oh? Do you have a description of this person?" Commander Gamma asked.
"We do," Oakley replied, presenting a report to Commander Gamma. She took it and began reading. The report included a picture of Ichigo and listed the Pokémon he used against them.
"Hm…" Commander Gamma typed something on her computer. "No wonder you lost to him."
"What do you mean, Commander Gamma?" Annie asked.
"He's a Cardinal-level Trainer," she revealed.
"A CARDINAL level Trainer?" Annie and Oakley repeated in shock.
"Your failure is understandable, considering both of your strengths are around the low end of an Ace Trainer's," Commander Gamma continued. "Do you still have the Dark Balls?"
"It was my fault," Oakley admitted. "We tried to capture his Pokémon with them, but he intercepted them before they could activate."
"I see…" Commander Gamma said. "The loss of the Dark Balls is something I must punish you for." She paused, thinking for a moment. Then, she turned to Oakley. "Squire Oakley," she emphasized, using Oakley's rank. "Your punishment is to kill Squire Annie and devour her essence." Annie and Oakley's eyes widened. Before Annie could move, the shadows around her shot out and bound her hands and feet in place.
"Sorry sister," Oakley said as she walked toward Annie.
"Just make it quick," Annie said, accepting her fate. Oakley drew a dagger. The blade and handle were entirely black, with a small black gem embedded in the hilt. She stabbed the dagger into Annie's heart. Red veins appeared along the blade and spread across Annie's chest. The veins began to pulse, absorbing Annie's aura. The black gemstone on the hilt of the dagger grew longer as it continued to drain Annie's energy. Minutes later, the gemstone had grown about seven inches (17.78 cm), while Annie's corpse had shriveled, looking like a dried prune.
"Squire Oakley, dispose of the body and then consume the aura crystal in your room. Don't try anything funny," Commander Gamma ordered.
"Yes, Commander Gamma," Oakley replied, picking up Annie's lifeless body and leaving the office. Commander Gamma let out a sigh as she powered up her laptop. On the screen, three other figures appeared in the call.
"Welcome Gamma," someone said. The voice was synthesized, and the speaker wore a white mask with a red alpha symbol on the left eye and a black omega on the right. The synthetic voice ensured the speaker's gender remained a mystery.
"Thank you, Grand Commander," Gamma responded.
"Report on your mission status," the Grand Commander ordered.
"We failed to capture Latios and Latias. We may have also revealed that we still exist," Gamma reported.
"Stupid girl!" a man shouted. He wasn't wearing a mask, revealing his face: crimson red wavy hair, thick black eyebrows, and red eyes. A black Epsilon symbol was tattooed around his left eye.
"Silence Epsilon," the Grand Commander ordered.
"Yes Grand Commander," Epsilon growled, obeying without question.
"Continue, Gamma," the Grand Commander said.
"There is a possibility that the enemy managed to steal two of our Dark Balls, which may lead to our exposure," Gamma added.
"I assume the fool has been punished?" the Grand Commander asked.
"She has been," Gamma confirmed. The Grand Commander nodded in acknowledgment.
"How close are you to discovering Groudon and Kyogre?" the Grand Commander asked.
"According to my spies, Team Magma and Team Aqua stopped their search for Groudon and Kyogre and have instead decided to cooperate with the Pokémon Rangers," Gamma replied.
"Why the sudden change?" the Grand Commander asked.
"My spies tell me that a young man with long orange hair blatantly told them how unrealistic their idea was and persuaded them to change their goals," Gamma explained.
"I see…" the Grand Commander muttered.
"I also have reason to believe this man was the same one who foiled our plans at Alto Mare," Gamma added, sending over the information Oakley had gathered.
"I see…" the Grand Commander said thoughtfully. "Show his image and report to our Slaves, Squires, Knights, and Warlocks. Report in as soon as he is spotted."
"Yes, Grand Commander," all the Commanders responded in unison.
"Epsilon, how is the situation in Unova?" the Grand Commander asked.
"Great. Team Plasma has been working diligently to find the Dark Stone and Light Stone," Epsilon reported, purposely flaunting his success to Gamma.
"How close are they to finding them?" the Grand Commander inquired.
"They've narrowed the search to somewhere in Relic Castle," Epsilon answered.
"And what of the other Legendary Pokémon?"
"Team Plasma has failed to find any other Legendary Pokémon," Epsilon admitted.
"What about your team, Behemoth?" the Grand Commander asked. Epsilon flinched at the mention of his team's failure.
"We also failed to find any other Legendary Pokémon," Epsilon confessed.
"I see…" the Grand Commander said. "Delta, report."
"We've fully taken control of the Aether Foundation," Delta reported. "Lusamine, the president, was already mentally unstable, so it was easy to turn her into a slave."
"Is there any chance she will resist?" the Grand Commander asked.
"She was already addicted to the toxins from UB-01, so a mixture of that and our aura should be enough to keep her compliant," Delta replied.
"What about the other senior members?" the Grand Commander pressed.
"All the senior members have been turned into slaves as well," Delta confirmed.
"How is the research into the Ultra Beasts?"
"They've already captured two UB-01," Delta answered.
"Good. What about the Legendary Pokémon?" the Grand Commander asked.
"The Island Kahunas are the only ones who know the exact location of each Legendary Pokémon. According to rumors, these Kahunas have received a blessing from their respective Legendary Pokémon," Delta reported.
"Just capture the Island Kahunas and interrogate them," Epsilon suggested.
"The issue is that if we capture them, it may reveal our intentions and cause them to flee," Delta calmly replied.
"See what you can do," the Grand Commander instructed.
"Yes, Grand Commander," Delta responded.
"All of you, continue your respective missions," the Grand Commander ordered before ending the call.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I decided to use the first and second movies because geographically, there pretty close to the Kanto region, even though the second movie takes place around the Orange Archipelagos. I also picked the fifth movie because it was the transition from Johto to Hoenn. I added Deoxys because they look cool and are the first Pokémon with the ability to change into different forms (Normal, Attack, Defense, and Speed). As you can see, our major antagonist team will be much darker and more ruthless than the other antagonist team.
Author Notes:
(1) In the anime, it was never stated what city Ash arrived at. In episode 2, he caught a Starly at Route 202 so I assume that he landed at Sandgem Town since it's below Route 202. It's also where Professor Rowan's lab and a beach are located.
(2) The Japanese version of the Shamouti Prophecy used the word 'exceptional trainer' but I changed it to protector as logically, trainers wouldn't be a thing.
(3) According to Takeshi Shudō, the creator of Lugia, he wanted Lugia to be voiced by a female actor but was overruled. He passed away on October 28, 2010.
(4) An Orange/White with Team Valor's emblem, a Yellow/While Poke Ball with Team Instinct's, emblem, and an Icy Blue/White Poke Ball with Team Mystic's emblem on it.
(5) Sabrina's outfit from HeartGold/SoulSilver.
(6) Divine Terrain is a special technique that Legendary Pokémon could perform. The entire area will be covered in the aura of their respective type (refer to when Zapdos surrounded the entire area with the blue lightning). All Pokémon will be intimidated by the Legendary Pokémon, causing them to be hesitant to attack and slow to react. All attacks by Legendary Pokémon that are related to the terrain type will receive an increased power. In-game terminality, it's a combination of the Pressure ability, 'Attribute' Surge ability, Intimidate ability, and Scary face Move.