Ever since Sam left the Celestic Laboratory, his life had slipped fully into the road, early mornings, long trails, and the quiet hum of Poké Balls at his belt.
Traveling suited him.
The world felt wide and open, full of possibilities he already knew from his past life but could now touch with his own hands.
Cynthia watched all of this from afar at first.
At the League, she tried to stay focused, but anyone close to her could see the tension over her shoulders.
Every time she heard rumors of Sam defeating another Gym Leader, another Elite, another terrifying wild Pokémon, her heart tightened.
Sam's Pokémon were growing stronger at a pace few could imagine.
His progress felt unstoppable, like watching a mountain rise overnight.
He was becoming someone no ordinary trainer could ever surpass.
And Cynthia refused to be left behind.
She wouldn't say it out loud, not even to him.
But deep inside, she wanted to stand beside him, not in his shadow.
So while he traveled, she trained. Harder than ever. Quietly. Determined.
She knew she had a chance in Crown Tundra.
The blizzards there bit at her skin, and the wind nearly knocked her off icy cliffs more than once. But Cynthia endured.
A sharp cry echoed across the snowfield.
Galarian Zapdos.
A legendary bird, low-ranked compared to the Legendary Pokémon Sam kept encountering, but a legendary nonetheless.
The moment Cynthia saw it, wings crackling with electricity against the storm, her breath caught.
'This is it… my chance.'
It wasn't easy. Zapdos fought like a storm given life.
Cynthia's Garchomp was pushed to her limits, and more than once Cynthia nearly slipped on the icy ground dodging stray thunderbolts.
But she held firm, refusing to yield. When the opportunity appeared, just a heartbeat, she threw her Ultra Ball.
The ball shook.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
A soft click.
Cynthia stared at the ball in her hand, breath fogging the cold air, hardly believing it.
A shaky laugh escaped her before she even realized it.
When she finally reunited with Sam days later, snow still in her hair and excitement shining in her eyes, she practically jumped at him.
"Not long after I reached the Crown Tundra, I ran into Zapdos," she announced with barely contained pride.
"And I actually caught it!"
She grabbed Sam's face and kissed him hard, long enough for him to lose count.
Not that he minded.
"Sam, you're my lucky star," she said against his lips, voice bright with joy.
Sam chuckled, brushing his thumb over her cheek.
Her happiness was infectious.
"Then," he teased softly, "don't you think I deserve a reward?"
"No problem," Cynthia said with smug confidence.
Then her expression shifted into a stern glare.
"But you can't overdo it like before. You took forever last time, and I need energy to train Zapdos properly."
Sam sighed dramatically. "Women always say, "
Before he could finish, Cynthia slapped her hand over his mouth, cheeks warming.
"Don't even start."
Their laughter mixed with the crackling wind of the snowfields, warm enough to melt the cold around them.
While Sam and Cynthia trained in Crown Tundra, the world continued shifting in dangerous ways they couldn't yet see.
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Kalos Region, Team Flare's Secret Base
Deep beneath the surface, Team Flare's hidden headquarters hummed with machinery.
At the center of a metallic laboratory, a large cocoon pulsed faintly, dark energy leaking from its surface like smoke.
The Cocoon of Destruction.
Yveltal's dormant state.
Rows of advanced machines surrounded it, each one covered in monitors and glowing cables.
Over a dozen researchers moved nervously, checking readouts and adjusting controls.
Lysandre stood before the cocoon, licking his dry lips, his eyes burning with obsession.
"Begin the control plan," he ordered.
"Yes, sir!" the scientists responded instantly.
The machinery came alive, flooding the room with blinding lights that bathed the cocoon.
The air vibrated with static, and the cocoon began trembling violently.
A shrill cry echoed through the lab.
"Cheee!"
Yveltal burst free, or what remained of him.
His once-mighty wings were withered, feathers burned away, leaving him looking like a plucked, pitiful creature.
The aura of destruction that once made even the strongest tremble had been stripped from him.
Rayquaza and Reshiram had nearly ended his existence, tearing away half his life force.
Now, even a champion-level Pokémon could knock him out effortlessly.
Lysandre's eyes widened with manic delight.
"Perfect. He can't resist."
He raised his hand.
"Continue. Use Yveltal as our power source."
More machines roared to life, beams of energy striking Yveltal's weakened form.
The legendary Pokémon screamed, wings twitching helplessly.
Malva watched silently from the side.
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Sinnoh Region , Celestic Town
Far away, another shadow was moving.
Team Galactic had returned.
Under cover of night, their ranks spread across the small town, surrounding the Celestic Laboratory.
Executives Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter led the operation personally, accompanied by hundreds of uniformed Galactic members.
Their torches and flashlights cut through the darkness like a swarm of restless insects.
The laboratory's windows glowed softly inside the otherwise sleeping town, unaware of the danger closing in.
And at its center… the place where everything had started for Sam.
Team Galactic was ready to strike.
Every Team Galactic grunt controlled a Crobat hovering above them, purple wings slicing the cold night air.
The swarm formed a tight ring around the Celestic Laboratory, their shrill cries echoing through the town like a warning.
Inside the building, Professor Carolina stood firm despite the danger closing in.
Her silver hair trembled slightly, but her eyes were sharp as she glared at the three Team Galactic Executives approaching through the broken doors.
"Team Galactic," she hissed.
"You're bold… no, reckless. Attacking Celestic Laboratory of all places!"
Executive Jupiter stepped forward, expression calm and unreadable.
"Professor Carolina," he said smoothly, "our organization prefers to avoid unnecessary conflict. Hand over the two orbs, and we will leave peacefully."
Carilan's face hardened.
"Those orbs are crucial to understanding Sinnoh's ancient history. I would never hand them over to criminals like you!"
Jupiter's smile thinned.
"Hm. That's unfortunate."
Professor Carolina didn't back down.
"You won't get them. Not today, not ever!"
Jupiter's eyes glimmered with irritation.
Then he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.
"Your granddaughter and Samuel are in Galar right now, aren't they? Far, far away. They have no idea what's happening here… and they can't return in time to help."
Carolina flinched, just a fraction, but Jupiter noticed.
"And," he continued, raising his hand toward the ceiling, "we've already blocked all outgoing signals around the lab. The Pokémon League won't receive any distress call. No one will even know you were attacked."
Crobats shrieked outside, punctuating his words.
"The guards here can't stop us. Even if we dislike fighting, we're not afraid to use force."
Carolina felt the truth sink into her bones.
She had tried contacting the League earlier, no signal. Nothing but static.
The lab had numerous guards, but against a fully prepared Team Galactic force? Against Executives who were already stepping forward with Poké Balls ready?
It wasn't a fair fight.
It wasn't even close.
Jupiter watched her hesitate, and the last of his patience vanished. His voice snapped like a whip.
"Professor Carolina, since you won't hand them over… we'll retrieve them ourselves."
He flicked his hand sharply.
Instantly, every Galactic grunt commanded their Crobat forward.
Purple wings blurred as dozens of Crobats dove at once.
The guards in the lab cried out, scrambling to defend themselves, Pokémon leaping from Poké Balls into the chaos.
The air filled with the clash of wings, shouts, and the crackling pulse of attacks.
But numbers told the story.
Crobat after Crobat overwhelmed the defenders.
Within minutes, the guards were forced to their knees, restrained and breathing hard.
The lab descended into complete disorder, papers scattered, equipment overturned, alarms uselessly blinking without signal.
Through the chaos, Team Galactic members fanned out, tearing through storage rooms and research chambers.
Drawers were ripped open. Cabinets overturned. Shelves emptied.
Then,
"Executive Jupiter!" a grunt shouted.
The grunt rushed forward, clutching two glowing orbs in his gloved hands.
Both emitted a faint white radiance, shimmering like captured moonlight.
Jupiter's smile returned, slow and satisfied.
"Excellent."
He accepted the orbs carefully and placed them inside a reinforced case, locking it with a click.
Without wasting another second, he lifted his hand and flicked it backward.
"Everyone, retreat!"
The order shot through the grunts like electricity.
In perfect synchronization, they mounted their flying machines outside, wings and engines whirring to life.
Crobat swarms lifted into the sky once more, forming a protective ring as the machines rose.
Within moments, Team Galactic vanished into the night sky, leaving the Celestic Laboratory in ruins, alarms blaring uselessly, and Professor Carolina staring at the empty entrance, fists trembling with helpless rage.
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