"When Regigigas created you, your power was so immense that it feared you might be uncontrollable," Dr. Carolina said softly, stroking the metallic "skull" of Regidrago. "The King of Giants split you, sealing your Mind Core here in Celestic Town while hiding your Power Core elsewhere."
"The Celestic Dragon-tamers have searched for generations, but we have found nothing. Three attacks... if that is all you can muster, then I ask you to use them to defend us from the Pope's secret art: the Judgment Plates of Arceus."
"After this battle, you are free, Regidrago," she continued, her voice tender. "You will no longer be bound to this town by the oaths of our ancestors. You can leave to find your missing half."
Regidrago: To be honest, I am loath to leave, the Titan replied in a clumsy, almost innocent telepathic voice. Ever since I was awakened by your predecessor's predecessor, Celestic Town has been my home. But I must find my Power Core. Without it, I am incomplete, doomed to fall back into a long slumber whenever my energy runs dry.
"I hope Celestic Town survives to see you whole," Carolina whispered, her heart heavy with the weight of the coming war.
Infiltration of the Tower
Meanwhile, Feng Che had arrived at the Battle Tower. The facility was a bustling hub of competition by day, but at night, the island fell into a heavy, salt-tapped silence.
Mewtwo was currently deep in meditation, utilizing the Jewel of Life to stabilize its genetic structure, meaning Feng Che was temporarily without his strongest psychic support.
"I remember the records... Jirachi should be slumbering nearly a hundred meters beneath the tower's foundation."
"Go, Colossal Steelix!"
The massive Steelix emerged, its silver-white scales glinting like cold moonlight.
"Steelix, use Dig. Be quiet about it; we don't want to wake the security teams."
The Steelix nodded and began to spiral into the earth, the ground vibrating slightly under its sheer mass. Feng Che looked at the three-meter-wide tunnel left behind and released a second Pokémon.
"Venusaur, use Frenzy Plant to camouflage the entrance."
Venusaur's back-flower pulsed with green light. Thick, thorny vines wove themselves over the hole, and within seconds, lush grass sprouted over the opening. To any casual observer, the site was just another patch of green lawn.
"Good. Return, Venusaur."
Feng Che used Teleport to close the distance, landing on Steelix's broad, metallic head as it continued to tunnel deeper into the island's bedrock.
The Archeologist's Arrival
Minutes after Feng Che disappeared underground, another figure arrived at the Battle Tower. Brandon leapt from the back of his Staraptor, his sharp eyes scanning the moonlit grounds.
He held an ancient piece of parchment in one hand and a high-powered flashlight in the other, cross-referencing the landmarks.
"According to the Temple's archives, a legendary Starry Sky Shrine is buried beneath this exact location," Brandon murmured. "The shrine houses the Wishing Star, Jirachi. It's said to be anchored in a localized spatial pocket that only psychics or those with specific keys can enter."
"It seems I'll have to dig. Go, Regirock!"
The Rock Titan appeared with a heavy thud. "Regirock, use Dig. Take us down to the shrine."
The dots on Regirock's face flickered as it began to claw through the soil. "Regirock, fill the tunnel behind us with boulders," Brandon commanded. "I don't want anyone following our trail."
Regirock raised its heavy stone arms, causing massive rocks to seal the entrance as it descended. Within moments, the surface was smooth once more.
The Shadow of the Pure Heaven Sect
In the Johto region, at the Pure Heaven Sect (净天教) headquarters:
High Priest Shaka knelt before a statue of a Shadow Ho-Oh. Hellfire flickered in the drafty underground palace, casting long, dancing shadows across the cold floor.
Shaka rose, his gaze falling upon four priests kneeling before him. Their robes bore the symbols of Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth.
"Wind, Fire, Water, Earth—it has been a long time," Shaka said, his voice a dry rasp. "The Sky God is displeased with us. After our defeat at the Bell Tower, ninety percent of our forces were erased by the true Phoenix."
"But I have found a way to shatter the seal on the Sky God. The Millennium Comet is coming. I need you to find Jirachi and bring it to me. With its power, we will restore the Sky God to its true glory."
The four priests bowed in unison. "We shall not fail the Sky God." As they spoke, they dissolved into wisps of green smoke, vanishing from the hall.
Suddenly, the heavy doors creaked open. A woman in a black cloak walked in, accompanied by a formidable Vespiquen. A black veil masked her face, but her golden hair and the sleek black bodysuit beneath her cloak exuded an aura of dangerous, mature charm.
Perched on her shoulder was a palm-sized Shadow Beedrill, its stingers gleaming with a lethal light in the firelight.
"Hime, leader of the Stinger Organization," Shaka said, his eyes narrowing with a hint of wariness. "I am impressed you managed to infiltrate my inner sanctum unannounced. My guards are some of the finest in the world. Did they not attempt to stop you?"
Hime remained silent, her presence a cold weight in the room. The lack of noise from the hallways suggested the elite guards had been neutralized before they could even draw their weapons.