(40 Years Ago)
A boy was huffing and puffing as he ran through the forest. His foot stomped into a puddle, but he kept running.
In his arms was a small Pokémon that looked like an onion, Celebi. Chasing him were a Houndoom, a Scyther, and their trainer, all in pursuit of the two.
"Houndoom!" the hunter commanded. Houndoom fired a [Flamethrower], aiming for the boy, but he slid under a tree and spun around, dodging an incoming slash from Scyther.
"Hand over that Celebi!" the hunter said with a smirk.
"I'll never let a hunter like you have Celebi!" the boy shouted, taking another step back.
The thing is, this Celebi was a new one. Celebi is very different from a normal Legendary Pokémon. While other Legendaries simply create clones of themselves, there are only two Celebi in existence, every Celebi is just the same Celebi, just one from a different point in time. Right now, this Celebi was from the very beginning, freshly created by Mew.
"Then I'll just get rid of you. Children go missing every day, what's one more missing kid?" the hunter said with a wicked grin as Houndoom shot another blast of fire.
The boy couldn't dodge this one. He held Celebi tighter, hoping to at least protect it, but then Celebi looked up and began to glow. A light enveloped both of them, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.
—
{Present}
The gang was riding on a boat, cruising through the water. Ash was scrolling through his phone while Yellow stuck her head out of the boat, enjoying the wind with Chuchu and Pikachu. Misty simply relaxed, appreciating the ride.
Brock sat on the railing and gazed out over the water. "So, Ash, you said you wanted to go somewhere? Mind filling us in?"
Ash looked up from his phone. "It's a place called Arborville. Professor Oak told me some stories about it when I was growing up. Who knows, maybe I'll find a Pokémon I like there."
That was good enough for Brock. After all, he trusted Ash. He hadn't actively done anything to put them in danger. Everything that happened was... coincidence, right?
But when Ash mentioned Arborville, a man sitting nearby perked up. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but did you say you were going to Arborville?"
Ash nodded. "Yeah. And you are?"
"Oh, sorry! Please call me Mr. White. I'm from Arborville. If you don't mind, I can take you there, it's upstream on this river. Once we dock, I can bring you on my boat."
"Well then, I guess we'll have to bother you. Please take care of us," Ash said.
As the boys were talking, Yellow and Misty noticed something.
"Hey, is that…?" Yellow mumbled, pointing toward the forest.
Where she was pointing, mist curled between the trees, and from within it, a blue figure gazed at them before vanishing back into the woods.
"Huh, a Pokémon. Well, not surprising, the woods here are full of them," Mr. White said, thinking nothing of it. Brock didn't get a good look either.
But Yellow and Misty had seen it clearly. And Ash already knew what it was, Suicune. It had been watching them. Probably for a while.
Speaking of which, Ash still hadn't gotten his one-on-one battle with Suicune. He had already beaten the bricks out of the fake Entei and given Raikou a reason to wake up in a cold sweat at night. Now, he just needed to face the last member of the trio.
But that was for later.
For now, Ash pushed himself off the railing. "Okay, let's go. I see the shore. Mr. White, thanks for the offer."
—-
A muscular man with a metal mask walked through the countryside, his steps deliberate and unwavering. He had found the location of a mobile home and didn't hesitate, marching up to the door, he kicked it clean off its hinges.
Inside, an old man sat, startled. Without a word, the intruder strode up to him, grabbed him by the throat, and hoisted him into the air.
"I'll tell you why I'm here," the masked man said, his voice cold and calculated. "I heard a story, about forty years ago, you almost caught a Celebi somewhere in this forest. Is that true?"
The old man, who was none other than the Pokémon hunter from 40 years ago, he struggled against the iron grip. Behind him, a dusty old photograph hung on the wall, one from his youth, back when he was in his prime.
"I'm still a Pokémon hunter!" he spat, defiant despite his predicament. "I'm not gonna tell you anything!"
The masked man smirked beneath his metal mask. "Heh. We'll see about that."
With little effort, he hurled the old man through the window, shattering the glass. The hunter tumbled onto the ground, shards cutting into his clothes as he groaned in pain.
Outside, rows of cages lined the yard. Inside them were rare and powerful Pokémon; Nidoking, Piloswine, Fearow, Sandshrew, Graveler, and more. Despite his aged and frail appearance, the hunter had only grown stronger over the years. His experience allowed him to capture and subdue many valuable Pokémon.
But the most impressive of them all was a Tyranitar. This one, however, was subdued, its usual ferocity dulled. The old hunter had drugged it, keeping it sluggish and weak.
The masked man reached into his vest and pulled out a strange Poké Ball, a Dark Ball. Originally developed by Cipher, everyone thought these things were destroyed. And yet, the Masked Man had a few in his possession. How? Simple. The Masked man had a connection, Greevil, Cipher's former leader.
On the surface, Cipher and Team Rocket worked together. But behind the scenes, a second, far more secretive deal existed between Greevil and the Masked Man. With the original machine that created Dark Balls long gone, the ones in the Masked Man's possession were the last of their kind.
Now you might wonder why something so valuable would be entrusted to an underling, even if he was an Executive. But the truth was, the mask the man wore wasn't just for show, it was one of the Masked Man's special masks. It brainwashed him into complete loyalty. He couldn't betray him even if he tried
Without hesitation, the man hurled the Dark Ball at the drugged Tyranitar. The ball absorbed the beast instantly, capturing it with no resistance. The old hunter could only watch in horror.
The masked man smirked, then released the corrupted Pokémon. "Come on out, Dark Tyranitar! [Hyper Beam]! Attack!"
Tyranitar roared, its body pulsing with a dark aura. Without mercy, it began obliterating everything in sight, the hunter's home, his windmill, his land, reducing everything he owned to rubble. And it wasn't planning to stop.
The old man's bravado shattered along with his property. He fell to his knees, his voice desperate. "No! Stop, please! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!"
The masked man grinned and let out a low chuckle. Everything was going according to plan. He reached into his coat, pulled out a notebook, and tossed it at the old hunter.
The message was clear.
With trembling hands, the hunter picked up the book and began writing, recording every bit of knowledge he had.
Once he finished, the larger man took the notebook and skimmed its contents, nodding in satisfaction. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
The old hunter swallowed hard. "S-so I can go, right?" he asked hopefully.
The masked man turned slightly, casting a cruel smile over his shoulder. "I never said that."
He snapped his fingers.
Tyranitar stopped its rampage, turning its piercing red eyes toward the old man.
Realizing his fate, the hunter tried to run, but he had no chance.
Tyranitar reared its head back, then unleashed a devastating [Hyper Beam]. The blast engulfed the old man, and in an instant, he was reduced to nothing.
The masked man exhaled in amusement, turning to the caged Pokémon. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"Not a bad appetizer," he murmured. "But the main course is yet to come."
—--
A while later, the gang boarded Mr. White's speedboat. It wasn't just fast, it could also transform into a small hot air balloon, allowing them to soar over the waterfall. As they drifted through the sky, the breathtaking view below revealed their destination: the village of Arborville.
Nestled high in the trees, the entire village consisted of charming tree houses connected by wooden bridges. As they landed, the group bid farewell to Mr. White and set off toward the entrance of the forest.
As they walked, they came upon a tunnel adorned with markings, this was the path leading into the legendary woods. Just as they were about to step forward, a voice called out.
"Stop right there!"
Perched in a treehouse near the tunnel stood an old woman, leaning on a Hoothoot-shaped crutch. Her sharp eyes studied them carefully.
"I suppose you kids are heading into the forest to look for Pokémon?"
Ash offered a friendly smile and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
Before she could respond, another voice chimed in from behind.
"Then you're going to love what you see there."
The gang turned to see a young woman with long, flowing green hair approaching them.
Brock was on his knees in an instant, seizing her hand in his own. "I love what I see right here!"
Before he could say anything more, Misty swiftly released her Wooper, which sprayed a jet of water straight into Brock's face.
"Bad Brock, no!" she scolded, hoisting Wooper and continuing to douse him.
As Brock flailed under the relentless waterboarding, Yellow turned to the girl and smiled. "Hello! I'm Yellow. What's your name?"
"I'm Diana," she replied warmly, gesturing toward the elderly woman. "And that's my grandmother, Towa. She's been guarding the entrance to the forest since she was my age."
"They seem like nice friends," Diana added with a soft chuckle.
"They can be…" Ash muttered, glancing back just in time to see Misty stomping on Brock's back as he lay face-down in the mud. "Interesting." He shook his head before introducing himself. "I'm Ash, by the way."
Towa slowly descended the wooden stairs of her treehouse, interrupting their exchange.
"Listen for the Voice of the Forest," she warned in a low, solemn tone. "If you hear it… stop and be still. Otherwise, you will not get away."
Yellow blinked, confused, as the background turned yellow and three question marks seemed to metaphorically hover over her head.
Diana giggled at her expression. "It's an old village legend," she explained. "The long and short of it is, there are rumors that Celebi sometimes visits this forest. And when it does, if you're not careful, you could be whisked away to another time."
Yellow nodded slowly. "Okaaay… I think I understand."
"Don't worry," Ash reassured her, ruffling her hair. "Basically, just be careful." He then turned back to Towa. "Thanks for the warning. We'll be cautious."
With that, Ash and Yellow started toward the tunnel.
Brock, still lying in the mud, looked up at Diana with newfound determination. "Would you like to come with us to Prot—AAGH!"
Before he could finish, Misty drove her heel into his chest. "That means she'd need protection from you. Now come on!" She grabbed the back of his jacket and dragged him away, following Ash and Yellow.
Upon entering the tunnel, the group emerged into a breathtaking forest. Lush greenery stretched in all directions, and Pokémon of all kinds wandered peacefully.
Misty finally released Brock, allowing him to regain his dignity as he walked beside them. But his mind was still occupied.
"So, do you really think Celebi is around here?" he asked.
Ash shrugged. "Maybe. You never really know with Legendaries."
Almost as if on cue, a strange ripple pulsed through the air. A bright light flashed near the forest's center, accompanied by the faint sound of a bell ringing.
"It's coming from over there!" Ash shouted, already taking off in the direction of the disturbance. "Come on!"
Misty and Yellow exchanged uncertain glances before following him. Brock hesitated, recalling Towa's warning, but quickly decided against staying behind and ran after them.
They arrived at what appeared to be an ancient altar, though the white ripples had faded. At its base, a boy lay unconscious.
"Hey! Are you okay?!" Ash knelt down, giving the boy a light shake. After checking, he realized he was just passed out, nothing too serious, but they couldn't leave him there.
"I got him," Brock said, swiftly scooping the boy up. "There's no Pokémon Center nearby, so we need to take him back to Towa and Diana."
As the others turned to leave, Ash scanned the area one last time. Just for a moment, he caught sight of a small aura, but before he could react, it vanished. Which was slightly annoying if he could have grabbed Celebi now it would save some trouble but looks like he'll just have to resort to plan B.
Shaking off his disappointment, Ash turned and nodded to the others. Together, they raced back toward Arborville.
All the while, Ash spread his Aura through the forest, reaching farther than before. Ever since the Entei incident, his reserves had grown stronger. But even now, it wasn't enough to cover an entire forest.
Not yet, anyway.
—-
{Meanwhile}
The Masked Man sat in his chair, alone in his private office. He reviewed the report from his Executive, the Iron-Masked Marauder. He hadn't bothered to learn the man's real name; after all, there was no point. The Marauder was merely a puppet, his mind shackled under absolute control.
Carl stood beside him, arms crossed. "Interesting. Shall we head out and see if we can take Celebi?"
The Masked Man glanced up, his expression unreadable. "No. Not yet. There's no guarantee that Celebi is even there. And even if it is, we don't know if this Celebi will be powerful enough to complete my goals."
Carl gave a slight nod. "As you wish, sir."
"For now, meet with Sham and prepare for your mission in Olivine City," the Masked Man instructed, his voice calm but firm.
Carl bowed slightly. "Of course, sir. And… casualties?"
"It would be preferable to avoid them, given that you know your target. But if it comes to it… what are the lives of a few, compared to the greater good?"
He spoke with conviction, but even he knew he was the greatest hypocrite of all.
Even Danzo would probably look at my actions and think, 'At some point, it's time to talk.'
But Danzo didn't exist here, So there was only one thing to do, stay calm and blame Danzo.
As Carl left the room, the Masked Man's communicator beeped. He checked the message from Admin Sayako, 'Mission complete. We got the Pokémon.'
A small smile formed beneath his mask.
He turned to a console, activating the control panel for the mind-control masks. Dozens of live camera feeds flickered to life, each showing grunts scattered across the world. Their eyes were empty, their movements mechanical.
Each of them had one goal, To collect all the Unown.
For his plan to succeed, he needed all 28, And now, it seemed, he had just acquired the two rarest of them all.