After staying one more day in Eindoak Town, Ash, Cynthia, and Sabrina were finally signing out.
As for the mayor, Mannes, that guy was downright reluctant to see them go.
After all, for someone from such a small and relatively unknown town, the visit of none other than the Sinnoh Champion was nothing short of an honor!
Damon, on the other hand, had made his choice—to stay behind in his hometown and work to improve it through his own efforts. Though the People of the Vale had difficulty moving freely in Eindoak Town, Damon was determined to make a difference through real action and help his homeland thrive.
But as they say—all good things must come to an end.
Ash and his companions had now left Eindork and were making their way toward Virbank City in the Unova Region.
Virbank City, Unova Region
The reason Ash came here?
Simple. To try the city's most famous specialty snack.
Well, technically, not a snack—Beartic Ice Cream.
That's right—ice cream. It's Virbank's signature treat.
In Virbank, even if you don't challenge the Gym, you must try the Beartic Ice Cream. It's legendary across the entire Unova Region.
Since Ash wasn't on a traditional journey anymore, walking every single step of the way wasn't necessary.
To save time, he simply asked Mewtwo to teleport them.
—
Fun fact: Victini seemed to really enjoy playing with Snivy.
And surprisingly, the proud and sassy Snake Sister—Snivy—had zero resistance against Victini's pure and adorable energy. Usually cold and aloof, even she couldn't bring herself to act tsundere in front of this innocent little Pokémon.
On the contrary—Snivy was going out of her way to take care of Victini.
Even though Victini was 75 levels higher than Snivy, it still behaved like a child who never wanted to grow up.
Always being cared for by the others, and clearly enjoying it.
As for Snivy, Ash had already made a decision—to bring her to Kalos eventually, and train her alongside Froakie, whom she hadn't met yet.
—
Back in Virbank City, the skies were almost always veiled in mist and clouds.
Still, life here was anything but dull.
The Gym Leader of Virbank City Roxie was a total music lover—always carrying an electric guitar wherever she went.
Ash had no intention of challenging the Gym Leader this time.
With Cynthia and Sabrina walking beside him, Ash was currently taking the two of them on a mission to get some of that famous Beartic Ice Cream.
Cynthia, as it turns out, was a huge foodie. But every time she faced food, she'd fall into deep, paralyzing indecision.
Luckily, Ash was there.
Whenever Cynthia hesitated, Ash would just take the lead and boldly order for her, leaving no room for her "food selection anxiety" to kick in.
Oddly enough, Cynthia—despite being older—liked this very much. In fact, she acted like a lovestruck fangirl around Ash, happily trailing behind him.
And beyond all that? She was starting to get a clearer picture of just how terrifying Ash's real strength truly was…
…..
"Hey boss, three Beartic Ice Creams please!" Ash called out.
"You got it!"
Somewhere in the forests near Virbank City…
A certain trio had undergone a complete transformation after a long stretch of… intense emotional and physical training.
"We're not the same old team anymore, meow!" declared Meowth.
"Yeah! Lady Luck finally noticed us! Giovanni finally saw our hidden potential!" added James.
"He's sent the new and improved Team Rocket to Unova!"
Yes—Jessie, James, and Meowth were back after quite a long absence.
Turns out, when Giovanni was selecting grunts to serve as his pawns—the so-called "stepping stones" of Unova—he just happened to choose this very trio.
But during their specialized training, Giovanni discovered that the three actually had untapped potential. So instead of using them as expendable tools, he entrusted them with executing his "Tempest Plan."
-------
The Tempest Plan was simple in theory, but grand in ambition.
Giovanni had learned that somewhere in Unova, there existed a Mythical Pokémon named Meloetta.
And within Meloetta's body was the secret to controlling the very forces of nature in Unova.
If Giovanni could catch Meloetta, he could access a long-lost temple hidden in the region.
Within that temple was a mystical artifact—the Reveal Glass—which had the power to summon the Forces of Nature:
Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus.
These three were known as the Weather Trio—Pokémon capable of manipulating Unova's climate and natural balance.
So, catch Meloetta → unlock the temple → activate the Reveal Glass → summon the Forces of Nature → control the weather → conquer the region.
That… was the full scope of Giovanni's Tempest Plan.
___
"To carry out the Tempest Plan, we must catch Meloetta!" Jessie declared. "The boss has already driven her from her homeland!"
The trio's outfits were completely upgraded—sleeker, darker, and more tactical.
Their gear too—lightyears ahead of their old junk. High-tech, sleek, and extremely effective.
Each of them now wore a pair of specialized goggles—able to detect Meloetta's presence, even while she was invisible.
"Absolutely! We can't disappoint the boss!" Meowth nodded.
"There she is, meow! Hiding in that patch of grass!"
Meowth's goggles lit up as he pointed.
"Got it! Go, Yamask—Shadow Ball!" Jessie ordered.
"Here I go too! Woobat, Air Slash!" added James.
Their newest Unova-region Pokémon—Yamask and Woobat—moved in.
"Melooo~!"
From the brush leapt the dainty, glowing form of Meloetta, immediately cloaking herself to flee.
But Meowth was quick—he whipped out an electrified net gun and fired!
Though Meloetta dodged, the net still grazed her side, shocking her.
"Now's the time! Go, Weezing—Tackle!"
"Arbok, you too—Poison Sting!"
Yes, you read that right.
Back in Hoenn, James and Jessie had tearfully released Weezing and Arbok so they could protect their own kind from poachers.
But just before coming to Unova, they'd visited that same forest and reunited with them—this time, permanently.
Many of the younger Koffing and Ekans had already evolved, so Weezing and Arbok were free to return.
Meloetta was struck by Arbok's venomous stingers, then slammed by Weezing's body—blasting her off the cliff edge!
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