Thursday, May 6th.

Just past the beginning of summer, the weather remained pleasantly cool.

It was the first day after the Labor Day holiday.

"Pocket Monsters" had already become a sensational work.

Teacher Lu's character image became increasingly ingrained in people's hearts as more players discovered the hidden easter eggs.

"What does it mean to be the most stable Champion?"

"Teacher Lu is using cheats... but not completely."

"It's genuinely fun! Worthy of the all-star authorized lineup!"

As "Pocket Monsters" topped both popularity and sales charts,

the song "I Choose You!" that Lu Ye had Jigglypuff and Meowth teach Ash to perform once again dominated music rankings.

With both critical acclaim and commercial success, not just regular players but even trainer communities began promoting it spontaneously.

This included grind-lords like Steven Stone from Devon Corporation.

Devon Corporation proactively reached out to Pokémon Company for negotiations.

They sought mutually beneficial cooperation with the surprisingly young Teacher Lu,

planning crossovers between "Pokémon: Battle" and "Pocket Monsters" to balance storyline, battles, and gameplay elements.

Perhaps creating an open-world Pokémon game with real-time battles and free capturing wasn't impossible after all.

Lu Ye left these matters to Olivia.

The May holiday quietly passed as he packed his bags, preparing to depart for the Johto region.

This trip was at Professor Oak's request, assisting Dr. Show with archaeological research.

From Teacher Lu's recollection,

the finale of the Sinnoh trilogy, "Arceus and the Jewel of Life," took place in a Sinnoh town called Michina.

The plot roughly involved: Arceus received help from a human named Damos. In gratitude, Arceus used five Plates - Earth, Water, Grass, Zap, and Draco - to create the Jewel of Life and lent it to Damos, agreeing to reclaim it during a lunar eclipse.

However, during the eclipse, Damos was betrayed and imprisoned by his subordinate Marcus, preventing Arceus from retrieving the Plates. Poisoned by massive mercury exposure, Arceus fell into prolonged slumber.

Over time, Arceus's impending awakening caused Dialga and Palkia's spacetime collision, triggering the Sinnoh trilogy.

Teacher Lu always found this plot ridiculous.

The mighty Arceus nearly defeated by... mercury?!

Upon reflection, this Arceus might just be one manifestation among infinite parallel worlds, which would explain things.

"This probably... doesn't concern me?"

Lu Ye thought with mixed feelings: "I'm going to Johto... surely Arceus won't follow me there?!"

While unlikely,

it never hurt to be extra cautious.

Teacher Lu ultimately decided to leverage his status as "Rainbow Hero"

and take shelter in Ho-Oh's territory of Johto first!

**

Unova region, Undella Town.

A cool summer night.

Cynthia sat on the terrace lounge chair, golden hair obscuring her profile, revealing only her elegant nose.

Scrolling through her phone, she smiled slightly seeing "Pocket Monsters" sales booming.

The golden-haired loser (scratch that)... Caitlin wore pink-white pajamas, long blonde hair reaching her calves, hugging a pillow.

"Bamboo Lan," Caitlin said softly like a delicate porcelain doll, "let's sleep together."

Cynthia smiled: "Of course."

"I want a story," Caitlin said flatly yet somehow coquettishly.

"Let me think," Cynthia tapped her chin, pondering seriously.

After twenty minutes of deliberation, Cynthia made her choice, smiling:

"Tonight's story will be about Sinnoh ruins."

The blonde girl's expression remained unchanged as she turned, using Psychic to slide open the glass door, returning to her princess bedroom to curl up on the pink bed like a small animal.

Cynthia placed Caitlin's head on her lap, narrating gently:

"Legend says within the void, a Pokémon egg appeared, birthing the most ancient deity Arceus..."

"Centuries ago, people migrating from Sinnoh to Johto built the Sacred Capital Ruins in the Ruins of Alph to commemorate their homeland."

"The Sacred Capital Ruins incorporate elements from Spear Pillar alongside Johto's ancient history... a convergence of two cultures."

"Will Arceus appear?" Caitlin murmured against Cynthia.

Startled, Cynthia laughed: "Why suddenly ask that?"

"My intuition says something will happen soon..."

Cynthia spoke calmly, though her eyes dimmed slightly.

"I see images... like childhood... can't control the thoughts."

Caitlin possessed terrifying psychic abilities.

She sometimes struggled controlling this power, leading to headaches and outbursts. Becoming a Unova Elite Four member had reduced these episodes.

"Recently, the headaches returned," Caitlin whispered.

Cynthia smiled, gently stroking Caitlin's hair until drowsiness set in.

"Leave it to me," Cynthia murmured. "If it's Sinnoh's deity, then Sinnoh's Champion should handle it..."

Caitlin nestled against Cynthia's lap, sleeping peacefully.

As Cynthia tried rising, Caitlin grasped her slender fingers, murmuring sleepily:

"Do you have to go?"

After a pause, Cynthia smiled: "I have reasons I must."

"You'll face something terrifying."

Caitlin's eyes remained shut as fragmented visions flashed, sweat beading her forehead: "Something... horrible!"

Cynthia returned to the bedside, brushing aside Caitlin's damp bangs to meet her opened jade-green eyes - now showing rare intense emotion.

Fear. Something unknown that could frighten even a Unova Elite Four member.

"What did you see," Cynthia asked seriously despite her smile.

Powerful psychic abilities granted Caitlin something akin to the move "Future Sight,"

though the fragmented visions brought excruciating pain.

Caitlin took a deep breath.

For Cynthia... I must endure seeing these images again.

Flashes of spacetime violently shaking, as if to destroy the world.

"I saw... hatred."

A majestic beast with a glowing halo on its back, yet with crimson, venomous eyes seemingly composed of all worldly negativity.

Caitlin squeezed her eyes shut.

She saw azure and rose-red figures, a winged shadow flashing by.

Collapsing time and space, a distorted void of black holes.

A man facing defeat yet returning.

An old man lost then found in time's river.

A youth confronting deities fearlessly...

And a familiar black-haired man blocking the collapsing world, his Keystone radiating rainbow light.

Caitlin opened her jade-green eyes, reflecting Cynthia's solemn yet gentle face.

"Bamboo Lan."

Tears welling, Caitlin whispered almost inaudibly:

"I saw... hope."