Unova Region: Team Plasma Underground Palace
Ghetsis was in the midst of a towering rage. "Zinzolin, you have failed me! I trusted you, and yet you couldn't even retrieve a single Deino!"
Zinzolin barked back, unyielding. "I did my best! The trainer who took that Deino was formidable. Even my 'daughter' had her scales damaged in the struggle!"
Ghetsis's eye twitched as he looked at Zinzolin's Kommo-o. Far from being injured, the dragon looked sturdier than ever, its scales shimmering with health as it crunched through a priceless Dragon Blood Fruit. It was stuffing its cheeks like a squirrel with treats that even Ghetsis coveted.
Don't get angry... don't argue with this blockhead, or I've already lost, Ghetsis self-soothed, taking a deep breath. "Fine. Get out. Considering you did bring back a fair number of other Pokémon, I'll count the mission as a pass."
"Stingy," Zinzolin muttered, loud enough to be heard. "I brought back an army, and I don't even get a bonus?"
"GET OUT!!!" Ghetsis's roar echoed through the palace.
Sevii Islands: Mt. Ember Dock
This was the primary gateway from Kanto to the Sevii Islands and its most bustling hub. Feng Che stood on the pier, watching the black smoke billowing from the Mt. Ember crater.
Corvisquire, Frogadier, and Torracat are all reaching their evolution windows, he thought. Keeping so many high-potential Pokémon fed and ready is a full-time job. If I hadn't raided Alakazam's hoard, I'd be scrambling for resources right now.
Corvisquire is the trickiest. I need Celestine, which is only found at Mt. Chimney. And if I could get a scale from Rayquaza, that would be the ultimate catalyst. Wait... I remember a chance to get one.
His eyes lit up. Legends say the Hoenn Trio first appeared in Johto. The ancients built the Cliff Cave—the Embedded Tower—to worship them. They enshrined scales from Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza as holy relics. In the games, someone dug up a relic from a collapsed section of that tower. I need to find it.
A Groudon scale for Torracat... it carries the power of the earth's core. A Kyogre scale for Frogadier... then a final trip to the Sea God's Island to finish his transformation. I wonder if the 'Sea Monster' will welcome me back? Feng Che smirked.
But first, the Underground Medicine Field. The Elder Venusaur said it was in the Sevii Islands, but that's a vast archipelago. I have to be close for the leaf-token to react.
Looking at his map, he narrowed it down to Island 3 (Bond Bridge/Berry Forest) or Island 7 (Quest Island). He focused his psychic energy on a distant coordinate and used Teleport.
Berry Forest
Koga was deep in the forest, training his team. The area was blanketed in a thin layer of snow, and a majestic, ice-blue bird beat its wings gracefully above: Articuno.
"Articuno, use Ice Beam on the canopy!"
A freezing blue ray turned a massive tree into an ice sculpture. With a flick of the bird's wing, the tree shattered into diamond-like dust.
"Excellent. You're beginning to manifest your true potential," Koga remarked.
Articuno looked at Koga with disdain. It hated the human, but it glanced at the Grimer perched on Koga's shoulder like a pauldron and turned its head away.
[Articuno: That slime is too persistent. And it smells... god, it smells awful.] The bird shuddered, its germaphobic nature making the Grimer its worst nightmare.
"Who's there?" Koga snapped, sensing a spatial ripple. An Ariados lunged from the trees, spitting Poison Sting toward the disturbance.
Feng Che materialized, instantly releasing Torracat. "Flamethrower!" A pillar of fire incinerated the poison needles.
"I should have known," Koga said, crossing his arms and looking cool. "Only you would drop in unannounced, Feng Che."
"Lord Koga, how did you recognize me?" Feng Che asked, removing his smiley-face mask.
"I recognize that Torracat anywhere. Plus, I'm a master of anatomy—it's part of a ninja's training. Once I see a Pokémon, I never forget its build."
Koga smiled. "I've been looking for you. My Arbok and Seviper are entering breeding season. Your Arbok is exceptionally strong; I'd pay handsomely for a clutch of eggs."
"He's still a bit young," Feng Che declined politely. "I want to wait until his potential evolves further."
"Fair enough. Just don't wait too long; the price drops as they age," Koga laughed. He gestured to Articuno. "My first non-poison catch. It's actually quite cooperative... which means I didn't get to use the experimental toxins I prepared."
[Articuno: You wanted to poison me?! Good thing I played along...]
"So, what brings you to the islands?" Koga asked.
"My Ivysaur is evolving. I'm looking for the Underground Medicine Field—a place of dense grass energy."
"The Medicine Field?" Koga looked surprised. "I stumbled upon a place like that while tracking Articuno. It's inside the Icefall Cave on Four Island."
"Icefall Cave? A grass sanctuary in an ice cave?" Feng Che was confused.
"Incredible, right? I broke through a sheet of ice and found a garden that looked like eternal spring. It's guarded by a Serperior. I tried to pick some berries, but that snake let out a green pulse and Articuno went down instantly. I only escaped thanks to my poison-types. If you want to go there, prove you're ready. Battle me—I'll use my newest team members so I don't 'bully' you too much."
"I accept," Feng Che nodded. "Torracat, let's go."