~Lacunosa Town~
Lacunosa was small settlement in southeastern Unova.
Here, there was an old custom to never go out at night.
The tradition stemmed from a legend... Long, long ago, a meteor carrying a terrifying monster crashed near Lacunosa Town. Every night, the beast would appear with a freezing wind, devouring both humans and Pokémon.
To protect themselves, the townspeople built walls around Lacunosa, enacted strict curfews, and urged everyone to stay indoors after dark.
But legends fade. Over time, the custom disappeared into the slow-flowing river of history.
"That's all I know about Lacunosa Town," Caitlin said to Caleb and Cynthia aboard the helicopter. Six hours had passed since they left Castelia City.
Caleb nodded thoughtfully. He had never been to Lacunosa before, so he couldn't teleport directly there. He didn't know much about the town either.
Online, information was scarce. The only thing tied to it was the Giant Chasm in the northwest, a place said to be the lair of the legendary Pokémon, Kyurem.
"Any word from Alder?" Caleb asked.
Caitlin's expression darkened, "They went silent right after sending that last message."
A Champion and three Elite Four members, completely out of contact.
'If even they couldn't escape unscathed… could Kyurem really be that powerful?' The thought unsettled both Caleb and Caitlin.
Cynthia offered gently, "Don't worry. Maybe their communication gear broke. That's why we haven't heard from them."
Caitlin nodded, exhaustion etched into her features.
"You two should rest. It'll still be a while before we land," Cynthia added.
Caitlin shook her head, "I'm fine. I'm just worried, that's all."
"I don't think we'll be sleeping anytime soon," Caleb said, peering out the helicopter window, "The weather is changing."
Snow had begun to fall.
Caitlin said, "Kyurem is an Ice-type Pokémon. That means we're close to Lacunosa."
"Yeah, very close," Caleb agreed.
In the distance, white plains gave way to the silhouette of buildings. The pilot immediately steered toward them. Soon, they hovered above Lacunosa Town...
The once bustling town now lay in eerie silence. Not a single light shone from the sprawling buildings below.
It was just past dawn, the world still cloaked in dim gray. The helicopter touched down on an open patch of snow.
Caleb jumped out. Unsure if Kyurem was still nearby, he released both Mewtwos from their Poké Balls.
"Scan the area for any signs of human life," he said to Mewtwo.
Mewtwo nodded and closed his eyes. Unleashing his psychic force, the entire town was blanketed in an instant.
A moment later, he opened his eyes and pointed: >..Over there..<
Cynthia and Caitlin, having just disembarked, followed Mewtwo's gaze.
"Should we go?" Caitlin asked.
Caleb nodded. With the pilot in tow, they trudged through knee-deep snow for about 300 meters, until they reached a red-roofed building. It was the Pokémon Center...
Caleb knocked, calling out, "Anyone inside?"
Rustling came from inside. The door opened, revealing Officer Jenny's sharp, weary face, "You're–"
She cut herself off when she saw Caitlin behind Caleb and immediately snapped a crisp salute.
"Is everyone alright?" Caitlin asked, her voice tight with concern.
Jenny stepped aside, gesturing them in. The moment Caleb entered, he saw a crowd of exhausted humans and Pokémon huddled together on the floor.
Several Fire-type Pokémon kept a central fire burning, warming the room.
Jenny closed the door and said, "Everyone from town, human and Pokémon, is here."
Caleb and Cynthia moved to the side as Caitlin frowned, asking, "What exactly happened yesterday?"
Jenny's expression turned grim, "About twelve hours ago, a blizzard hit. Kyurem attacked the town. After burying everything in ice, it left. Some Trainers tried to defend the town, but only a few survived."
The room fell into heavy silence.
Then, a frantic figure burst from the crowd, shouting, "Bro! Over here!"
Caleb turned and saw a familiar face. It was Xingwang, the player he'd met at Yamamoto's manor.
"You know him?" Cynthia asked.
Caleb nodded, "We've met."
As they spoke, Xingwang rushed over, his cheeks red from frostbite, nose running from a cold.
Caleb wordlessly handed him a pack tissue from his inventory.
Xingwang took it gratefully, "Thanks! I've been wiping my nose on my sleeve. That was so embarrassing..."
After blowing his nose, he grabbed Caleb's arm urgently, "I've got something to tell you!"
"Go ahead," Caleb said.
Strangely, Xingwang barely glanced at Cynthia or Caitlin. His eyes were locked solely on Caleb, as if he were his last hope.
"Man, you're the only one who can save us now!" he pleaded, gripping Caleb's hand tightly.
Caleb pulled away with mild disgust, "Just talk normally."
Xingwang didn't care. He reported earnestly, "Yesterday afternoon, I followed some other players to the Giant Chasm. Alder, Grimsley, and the others were there too! Oh, and Team Plasma's Seven Sages and Ghetsis were also there! Plus, their group had players as well."
Xingwang paused to take a breath, then continued, "Then Alder's team clashed with the Sages. It was brutal. We fought their players too. Then that son-of-a-bitch Ghetsis pulled a fast one on us, he woke up Kyurem while everyone was distracted! And guess what happened next?"
"I'm not guessing," Caleb said dryly.
Xingwang looked disappointed but continued, "Some shameless player tried to catch Kyurem in the chaos!"
He seethed, cursing, "That bastard had two items that could summon Reshiram and Zekrom from other worlds! He summoned both dragons, and then..." His face twisted in horror and disbelief, "Kyurem somehow fused with both of them!"
Caleb knew Kyurem could fuse with Reshiram to become White Kyurem, and with Zekrom to become Black Kyurem.
But with so many players, Elite Four members, and even a Champion present, could an upgraded Kyurem really overpower them all?
Xingwang saw through Caleb's skepticism and shook his head grimly, "No, it didn't fuse with just one. It fused with both."
The Tao Trio became one...