Time turned back to two days ago.
The Joker Investigation Team, temporarily formed by Cynthia, Steven Stone, Lance, and Lucian, arrived in Goldenrod City in the Johto region.
They had spent over a month as a temporary team.
They visited all the places where Joker had appeared in the past.
This included Goldenrod City, the city that made Joker famous.
Joker's reputation spread throughout Johto thanks to the Goldenrod Station incident.
"Nothing."
After wandering around Goldenrod City, Lucian, who couldn't sense the life orb's aura, shook his head.
"This is troublesome."
Steven Stone, with his hand on his cheek, imitated a washing machine, saying:
"Now that we've been to all the cities where Joker has appeared, which direction should we investigate next?"
Originally, they thought that after Joker stole the life orb from Sinnoh, he might return to his base and hide.
Violet City, Goldenrod City, Olivine City... these cities where Joker had appeared could all be his base.
But after more than a month of investigation, the four found that none of them were correct.
"It's also possible that the guy went to Kanto to return to Team Rocket's hideout."
Lance speculated with a frown.
Although Joker has been active in Johto since his debut.
Everyone knows that Kanto is Team Rocket's main area of activity.
Most of the troublemakers in Johto are from Team Rocket's Shadow Triad.
After stealing the life orb and becoming the League's number one wanted criminal, Joker knew that he couldn't resist the League's pursuit alone, so returning to Team Rocket's Kanto base was very likely.
"That's certainly possible, so Lance, where is Team Rocket's hideout?"
Steven Stone nodded and asked.
Lance: ...
He wanted to ask Steven Stone, "Are you deliberately looking for trouble?"
If he knew, he would have taken people to wipe out Team Rocket long ago.
Would he still be wandering around like a headless fly?
Steven Stone also realized he had asked a stupid question and quickly apologized, "Sorry, sorry, my bad..."
Sensing that the atmosphere was a bit stiff, Lucian changed the subject:
"By the way, where did Cynthia go?"
"Ninety-nine percent at an ice cream shop."
Steven Stone said without hesitation.
Lance also rolled his eyes secretly.
After acting together for a month, he also had a certain understanding of this supernova from the Sinnoh region.
He felt that these rookies from other regions were not very reliable.
Steven Stone from Hoenn - a rock enthusiast.
Cynthia from Sinnoh - a history enthusiast and an ice cream enthusiast.
Karina from Kalos - an actress and celebrity.
...
In front of an ice cream shop in Goldenrod City.
"Um... little girl, have you decided yet?"
The smile on the face of the woman behind the ice cream counter was very strained.
"Almost, almost..."
Cynthia stared at the various colors of ice cream inside.
The woman silently looked at the clock on the wall.
It's been almost an hour and a half...
"Excuse me, are you Miss Cynthia from Sinnoh?"
Just then, a childish voice entered Cynthia's ears.
Cynthia turned her head and saw a cute little girl with round glasses, around nine years old.
It's Nanu!
"Huh? Do you know me? Little girl."
Cynthia was a little surprised.
Before becoming the Sinnoh Champion, she could only be said to be a little famous, and that was limited to the Sinnoh region.
It was really a bit surprising that someone in Johto knew her.
"You're Miss Cynthia, the companion who defeated Joker, right?"
Nanu confirmed again.
As she spoke, she took out a newspaper.
It was the Jubilife News from the Sinnoh region a month ago, with the headline [Sinnoh Rising Star Cynthia Defeats Joker Gang Member Masked Woman].
The masked woman was naturally Arianna.
"Yes, that's me."
Cynthia was stunned when she saw the headline.
Compared to the Goldenrod TV station in Johto earlier this year, which told lies during the Azure City incident, saying that Lance scared Joker away.
Her own Jubilife News said that she defeated the masked woman, which was indeed true.
Although she didn't completely defeat Arianna, if Joker hadn't intervened halfway.
Cynthia was confident that she could defeat that masked woman.
"My name is Nanu, and I'm working hard to become a reporter."
When Nanu spoke of this, a determination that could not be questioned rose in her eyes.
"Is that so? Then good luck, little Nanu."
Cynthia encouraged with a smile.
"I want to interview Miss Cynthia,"
Nanu took out a neutral pen and notebook, "What exactly was the cultural relic that Joker stole from Michina? The news only said it was a very precious cultural relic, but neither the Sinnoh reports nor the Johto reports have made it clear what the stolen item was."
"Ah, this..."
Cynthia, who was originally smiling and offering blessings, suddenly couldn't speak, like a Golduck with its throat pinched.
If the matter of the life orb was leaked, it would be a big problem.
"Is there a secret hidden in this?"
Nanu's eyes behind her round glasses widened.
As expected, there was something unknown behind this!
"Sorry, little Nanu, the water is very deep here, I can't tell you."
In the end, Cynthia shook her head and refused to answer Nanu's question.
She was not good at lying, so she could only choose to refuse politely.
Beep beep beep~
Just as Nanu was thinking about how to get more information from Cynthia.
The phone in the other person's pocket suddenly rang.
"Excuse me."
Cynthia turned around and picked up the phone.
"Hello~ This is Cynthia."
A few seconds later, Cynthia, who was facing away from Nanu, suddenly raised her voice.
"What!? Found..."
Although she couldn't see Cynthia's face, Nanu guessed from the other person's shocked voice that the person on the other end of the phone must have said something terrible.
Cynthia looked around.
"Sister Cynthia, I'll go first, goodbye."
Nanu took the initiative to say goodbye.
"Okay, okay."
Cynthia's attention was completely on the phone, waved to Nanu, and turned to leave to meet Lance and the others.
However, Cynthia, who was only 12 years old, didn't notice at all.
At the moment she turned around.
The Smeargle next to Nanu's feet immediately slipped into the crowd and followed Cynthia's feet.
Afterwards, Cynthia and the others boarded the special plane arranged by the League, flying from Johto to Unova.
And Smeargle also returned to Nanu's side.
"Smeargle, did you find any clues?"
Nanu asked impatiently.
"Woof~"
Smeargle nodded, although it didn't follow for too long in order not to be discovered by Cynthia.
But according to the shape of the other party's mouth during the call, it still figured out some clues.
Smeargle grabbed its tail stained with paint as if it was holding a paintbrush, and wrote two words in front of Nanu——
Kouki.
This was the name Cynthia repeatedly mentioned when she was on the phone just now.
Nanu was stunned when she saw this.
Kouki?
Could it be that rich man from the Unova region...
After thinking for two minutes, Nanu ran out of the room and shouted:
"Mom, I want to travel to Unova!"
...
...
Two days later, in the Lostlorn Forest east of Nimbasa City, Unova.
"Hey hey hey! How did our tracks leak?"
Koga looked at the Unova police who surrounded the three of them, and shouted in disbelief.
Noticing Koga's suspicious gaze, Sugi shook his head.
To be honest, this was a bit beyond his expectations.
But as Sugi said before, as long as you do it, you will leave clues.
Fortunately, the three had already put on masks in advance.
"You're done for, you'll spend the rest of your life in the League prison fulfilling your artistic aesthetics, artist."
Lance sneered.
Obviously, he was refuting Sugi's "artist critic" remarks last year.
Sugi shrugged, turned his eyes to Steven Stone, who was young but could already see his identity.
"The son of Hoenn's richest man is here."
"This is a very serious matter, the wrath of the creator god is not something we can bear."
Steven Stone said with a sense of responsibility.
As a rock enthusiast, he was indeed very interested in the life orb, but more importantly, he wanted to protect the world.
"Hand over the life orb!"
Cynthia repeated what she had just said, like a ruthless repeating machine.
Sugi reached into his arms, and the life orb emitting a cyan holy light shone brightly in the Lostlorn Forest.
"No problem, Cynthia, but the condition is to let us go, how about it?"
That research has been completed, the life orb is no longer meaningful to him, it's okay to return it to Cynthia.
Cynthia was directly dumbfounded.
No, buddy, are you really returning it?
Steven Stone, Lucian and the surrounding officers were all dumbfounded.
This, is he so generous?
"Don't be careless!"
Lance shouted:
"Be careful it's a fake!"
Fake!?
Hearing these two words, Cynthia immediately remembered her experience in Michina, pursed her lips, and clenched her Poké Ball:
"Give me the life orb, I will hand it over to Sheena for appraisal, as for you... even if you return the real life orb, you can't change your previous crime of theft."
Arianna scoffed, "Heh~ The life orb in your sister's hand was fake in the first place, we just..."
"Forget it, even if Cynthia agrees, there is a brother who will never let us go."
Sugi smiled and looked at Lance.
"You guessed it right, there is only one place for you to go, and that is the League prison."
Lance showed a sneer, looking like a villain.
"Don't think your previous tricks will work."
He finally waited for this moment.
Last time in Azure City, he was tricked by this kid, he would never make the same mistake twice!
At the moment, there are himself, Steven Stone, Cynthia and the police from the Unova region in the forest.
The periphery is guarded by Unova League elites led by Alder.
Don't think about running away with your previous tricks.
"Small tricks? Lance, using tricks is a very clever tactic, and let me remind you... we are very strong!"
Speaking of the latter, Sugi suddenly raised his voice and threw a Poké Ball.
The two Dragonair following on the left and right sides of Lance's shoulders also stared at the front with all their attention.
Boom~
The moment the Poké Ball opened, a yellow flash appeared.
In the blink of an eye, it rushed to Lance.
However, a Dragonair twisted its slender body into a braid.
Like Sasuke's Susanoo armor, it protected Lance in the middle.
As a pure Dragon-type Dragonair, it has extremely excellent defensive resistance.
Buzz~
The next second, Dragonair frowned painfully, and blue dragon scales emitted traces of electric arcs.
It's electric wave!
"It's Jolteon!"
At this time, Cynthia and the others also saw the true face of the Pokémon jumping out of Joker's Poké Ball.
It was the most speed-excellent Jolteon in the Eevee family.
Steven Stone frowned and said: "Is this his new partner?"
Everyone inside the League knows that Joker has an Umbreon.
Did he capture another member of the Eevee family during his hiding period?
"What is that?"
And Cynthia noticed another problem.
That is, on the neck of that Jolteon, there is a string of necklaces.
The gem in the center of the necklace is emitting a strong golden light.
That shape is simply a mini version of the life orb.
Hoo boom boom!
The roar of the aircraft engine soared.
And it's a duet.
The two Dragonair of Lance have taken off and are filled with deep blue cold light on the surface.
Turned into two cyan flame dragons.
Double Dragon Rush!
"The characteristic of that Dragonair is 'shed skin'?"
Arianna noticed that the electric arc on the surface of the Dragonair that protected Lance before had disappeared.
Instead, there were dead skins falling on the ground.
Shed skin, that is a characteristic that has a certain probability of being able to remove abnormal conditions by itself.
Lance waved his hand to suppress it.
The double Dragon Rush fell together, even making the air roar.
Proper champion-level power!
"Hehe~"
However, at this time of crisis, Koga, as a companion, laughed under the incredible gaze of Cynthia and the others.
"Open your eyes wide and take a good look."
The next moment, the gem in the center of the necklace hanging on Jolteon's neck directly changed from gold to silver-white.
Jolteon's body also overflowed with blue and white light.
The sharp thorns and hard hair that could be seen inside became smooth short soft hair.
"Blizzard."
Sugi said three words lightly.
The blue and white light dissipated.
Glaceon appeared, opened its small mouth.
"Gla——ce——!"
The range is extremely exaggerated, and the silver-white storm mixed with countless table tennis-sized snowballs is coming head-on.
Blizzard VS Double Dragon Pulse!
"How is it possible! ?"
When the two sides were in a stalemate.
Whether it was Lance, the person involved, or Cynthia, Steven Stone, the police and others who were watching, they were all dumbfounded.
Does Eevee have new forms besides Water, Fire, Thunder, Sun, and Moon?
Oh no, that's not the point. The point is, how can that Jolteon turn into an Ice-type Eevee?!
“Do you still have the leisure to be distracted?”
Just as Cynthia opened her mouth wide, a sudden mocking voice rang in her ears.
Cynthia's forehead immediately dripped with a cold sweat.
She turned her head to look.
She saw a Houndoom opening its fangs, rushing towards her under the Masked Woman's command.
Between its fangs, it released a raging crimson flame.
It's Fire Fang!
“Garchomp!”
Cynthia unhesitatingly summoned her trump card.
When Houndoom's Fire Fang bit down.
Garchomp stretched out its arm to block for its master.
Fire-type moves were nothing to him.
“Are we going to continue the match we couldn't finish in Michina Town?”
When facing the enemy, Cynthia immediately switched from her usual approachable big sister mode to a valiant Valkyrie mode.
“But the result will be the same.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Arianna mockingly curled her lips.
“Ga-woo!”
Suddenly, Garchomp, who had been looking relaxed just now, staggered a bit for some reason.
A hint of purplish-blue also appeared on its face.
It's poisoned!?
Cynthia's face changed drastically.
How, how could this be?
The Fire Fang move doesn't have the additional effect of poisoning the opponent.
And Houndoom doesn't have the "Poison Point" ability that can poison opponents upon contact!
Then, then how did her Garchomp get poisoned!?
Houndoom then released Garchomp and jumped back to Arianna's side.
The flames between its fangs dissipated, and Cynthia then noticed.
On the surface of Houndoom's teeth, there was dripping dark purple venom!
First attach the venom to the surface of the teeth, and then use Fire Fang as cover!?
They actually have such a strategy!?
Cynthia was stunned for two seconds, then immediately regained her composure.
“Lucario! Milotic! Cover me!”
Cynthia unhesitatingly released the other two mainstays in her team.
They protected Garchomp from behind, while Cynthia immediately took out a Full Restore from her pocket to remove the poison from Garchomp.
In the game, giving medicine to Pokémon wastes a turn.
But it's even more dangerous in reality.
So Cynthia sent out two mainstays to cover her.
And this was equal to exposing a huge flaw in front of Arianna.
“Houndoom! Blast Burn!”
Sure enough, Arianna raised her index finger and pointed it at the opposite side.
A huge "大"-shaped flame mark spewed out from Houndoom's mouth, and the scorching heat suddenly raised the temperature of this area.
“Honchkrow! Hurricane!”
As soon as Blast Burn was released, Honchkrow also flapped its wings.
A whirlwind blew up from behind.
After merging together, Blast Burn looked like five giant dragons, rushing towards the opposite side.
Cynthia quickly sprayed medicine on Garchomp, while shouting:
“Milotic! Hydro Pump! Lucario! Flash Cannon!”
Milotic and Lucario opened their mouths at the same time under their master's command.
Two energy waves, one blue and one white, shot out, and converged in the middle.
Rumble—
The moment the two sides' moves collided, the entire forest seemed to shake.
Two seconds later, the Unova elites guarding the various entrances and exits of the Lostlorn Forest.
Only saw a small mushroom cloud rising from the center, followed by violent white water vapor, like a layer of thin mist.
In the center of the battlefield, the surrounding trees had long been broken in two, and the scene was a mess.
Many broken tree trunks were still burning with flames.
But it was obvious that Cynthia's side was more thoroughly destroyed.
This collision was a slight victory for Arianna.
After all, the combination of water and steel is at most 1+1=2.
But fire and wind are definitely 1+1\u003e2!
Garchomp, who had recovered from the poisoned state, opened a "Protect" barrier to protect its master from behind.
And Lucario and Milotic, two companions, had more or less burn marks on their faces.
Bang!
On the other side, a muffled sound like hitting steel rang out.
A Metagross smashed a "Protect" barrier created by a Slowbro with Comet Punch.
And behind these two Pokémon were Petrel and Steven!
The villainous Team Galactic trio VS the League trio!
It has begun!
From today on, each chapter of this book will be changed to a large chapter of 5,000 words. Please rest assured that the total number of words will not be reduced, and Xiaomei thinks this will also make it easier for everyone to read. Please give food and support.
