"Why did Groudon suddenly become active?"
At Mt. Chimney—the former secret base of Team Magma, now converted into a special facility under the Pokémon League—one of the most crucial and sensitive Pokémon in the entire Hoenn region slumbered: Groudon.
The chairwoman of the Hoenn Pokémon League hurriedly arrived at the base, where she was greeted by a Pokémon Professor in a white lab coat.
Just moments ago, the chairwoman had received news of a sudden earthquake near Mt. Chimney. What made it especially concerning was that it had not been detected by any monitoring systems. Before she could begin investigating the quake, another message came in: Groudon had moved.
And Groudon's movement had occurred mere seconds before the earthquake.
That timing was too close to ignore. The chairwoman couldn't help but wonder—was the earthquake caused by Groudon's movement?
If so, the raw power of these ancient legendary Pokémon was even more terrifying than she had imagined.
"Chairwoman, we're still unsure of the situation," the professor said hastily. "We just detected Groudon's left foot shift slightly. However, all monitoring equipment still shows no change in Groudon's mental waves or other signs of activity—it's still asleep."
Ever since the League had wiped out Team Magma's base and discovered Groudon inside, the site had been on maximum alert. This was, after all, a legendary Pokémon. No one could predict what might happen if Groudon woke up.
To prepare for that scenario, a team of elite trainers was stationed here permanently. Their job was to hold the line in case Groudon awakened and became hostile—just long enough for the League's top-tier reinforcements to arrive.
The League's standing policy regarding Groudon was simple:
"As long as it stays asleep, we're fine."
If it woke up, it could spell disaster.
"What about now? Is there any indication it might wake up?" the chairwoman asked, breathing a sigh of relief. For the League, Groudon—not the earthquake—was the real threat.
Especially since the quake may have been caused by Groudon in the first place.
"For now, no," the professor said, shaking his head. "Groudon's current vital signs are the same as before." He glanced back toward the massive Pokémon still resting in the magma, his eyes filled with awe.
This was Groudon, a living legend. To be able to study a creature like this—even without being able to use most research tools—was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just being in its presence was more than enough.
"…Do you think Groudon's movement is related to the quake?" the chairwoman asked, her expression grim as she looked at the sleeping titan.
It was a plausible theory. In fact, it might be more than just plausible—it might be likely.
The quake had occurred within seconds of Groudon's movement.
If even such a small shift from Groudon caused a localized earthquake, what would happen if it fully woke up?
"We're still investigating," the professor said, "but there's not enough data. We can't draw any conclusions from just one instance."
Coincidence isn't science—at least not without more evidence.
Unless Groudon moved again and triggered another quake, it would remain an open question.
The chairwoman rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. This was Mt. Chimney, the Hoenn region's largest active volcano. Groudon had been dormant for a long time… and so had the volcano. If Groudon awakened, would Mt. Chimney erupt too?
It was clear that a League summit would need to be held soon. They had to develop a real emergency plan.
…
"Edward, I'm Mustard."
A man extended his hand with a smile. Edward blinked in surprise, then shook it. The moment passed before realization hit him.
That hairstyle—it was unmistakable. In fact, it was practically iconic.
No wonder he'd had a feeling of déjà vu. Now he was sure: this Mustard was none other than the same Mustard from the Sword and Shield—the former Champion of the Galar Region, and a powerful trainer in his own right.
But… how did Mustard know Headmistress Lillian? And why did they seem to be on such good terms?
"Edward, this is Mustard, a good friend of mine. He used to be the Champion of Galar," said Headmistress Lillian, who had just finished confirming the health of all the Pokémon under her care. She smiled warmly.
Edward quickly nodded, still sneaking glances at the two.
He was very curious.
However, Edward didn't linger too long at the Pokémon Care Center. After checking that all the Pokémon were safe and that the facility hadn't been damaged, he returned to his company.
Before leaving, he made sure to order a better meal for the little guys to improve their diets. Only Q stood nearby, staring at Mustard with wide, reverent eyes.
It could feel that same intense aura that Steven emitted—Mustard was no ordinary man.
The tremors had affected all of Rustboro, and even the company had suffered some minor damage. Some office equipment had been knocked over, and one air conditioner unit had fallen and smashed an employee's desk.
Luckily, the employee had just stepped out for coffee and wasn't hurt.
"Shizuka, log all the damage and malfunctioning equipment. Prioritize repairs or replacements," Edward instructed as Zoroark jogged up to him.
Zoroark quickly noted everything down.
Looking at the bustling streets and shaken people, Edward squinted his eyes slightly.
Was this earthquake really a natural disaster—or was it caused by something else?
In most movie plots, only legendary Pokémon were capable of triggering phenomena at this scale.
After handling the company issues, Edward finally returned home.
There hadn't been any aftershocks. It almost felt like the earlier quake had been nothing but a dream.
His home hadn't suffered any damage either—except for one thing.
Inside his display cabinet, the Groudon stone had shifted a little.
Edward didn't think much of it. It had probably just moved during the quake.
He opened the cabinet and gently returned the Groudon stone to its original position.
(End of Chapter)