"Thank you, everyone."
"Ru~"
Under the farm owner's command, the Houndoom pack raised their heads and howled.
[Sunny Day] . [Flamethrower] .
Surging flames spread across the orchard. Compacted soil softened. Berry seedlings—frozen to death by frost—turned to ash, becoming new nutrients for the Mountain Orchard.
"Sha~"
Wade surveyed the transformed landscape. Destroyed orchard refreshed. Frozen, barren ground replaced by lush berry seedlings.
Satisfaction.
BOOM.
A series of massive explosions shattered the peace. Heatwaves struck like mountain collapse and tsunami.
"Meowth!!"
Delcatty launched herself into her Trainer's arms.
"Something happened."
Wade and Gardevoir exchanged glances. Dark, thick smoke rose from the vast forest not far away. Flashes of fire. The crackling roar of burning trees.
"Yammy~"
Lilligant tugged urgently at his sleeve.
"The fire is spreading."
He confirmed her fear. Hiyori Forest—adjacent to the farm—was burning. If the flames spread? The forest would be destroyed. Hiyori Town would be engulfed.
The farm would be first.
[Farm Upgrade Quest 4] : The evil Hunter organization, attempting to capture Celebi, has used explosives to destroy Hiyori Forest. The spreading flames approach the farm. To protect the farm, stop them immediately.
[Quest Rewards] : Flower Incense (Red), Waterside Herb ×200
[Flower Incense (Red) ]: Magical scent incense. Increases Grass-type move power by 25%.
Hunter organization.
The pieces clicked. Who else would use mass destruction weapons in a wild Pokémon forest? Who else would risk this inferno for profit?
Celebi. The forest god. Three billion League coins.
"Mr. Wade! The forest is on fire!"
Kimura ran over, face pale. Construction workers abandoned their posts, following their team leader in panic.
Wade waved a calm hand.
"Continue the original plan. The fire won't reach the farm."
"B-but—" Kimura wiped sweat from his forehead. "We need Water-type Pokémon! Rain Dance! Water Gun! Something!"
They only had Fighting-types. Strong enough to move mountains. Useless against fire.
"I think we should call—"
A tidal wave of wind swept down from above.
"What's going on?!"
"The temperature dropped!"
Construction workers clutched their thin clothes, shielding faces from biting wind.
Glistening ice shards drifted.
A Pokémon bird—extremely cold, impossibly noble—materialized in mid-air.
"Chirp~"
Articuno.
Wade leaped onto her feathered back. No words needed. Their connection was deep, instinctive.
The immediate crisis: extinguish the fire. Before it reached the farm.
With Articuno's power over ice and snow? Simple.
He shouted down one last command.
"Mr. Kimura. The villa construction—I leave it to you."
"U-... understood."
Kimura stared at the soaring figure, heart pounding, voice trembling.
No wonder the young farm owner was so calm.
With this Pokémon, even if all of Hiyori Town were engulfed in flames, a blizzard would eventually extinguish everything.
"Chirp~"
A clear, melodious bird cry echoed across the sky. Articuno flapped her icy wings. Her beautiful long tail swayed down, trailing whistling frost winds and cotton-like white snow as she flew toward Hiyori Forest.
Construction Site
"Captain... is this real?!"
Construction worker Ah Xin pinched his thigh until tears formed. "That hurts! It's real!"
One clear cry from the frost bird. A grand Snowscape enveloped the vast forest. The spreading flames visibly died.
Kimura finally found his voice.
"That's a legendary Pokémon. Articuno."
Guardian of the snowy mountains. Master of ice and snow.
Mr. Wade is no ordinary farm owner.
Hiyori Forest
"Piplup! Water Gun!"
A blue-haired energetic girl commanded, her voice cutting through the fire's roar.
"Piplup Piplup~"
Akane. Rookie Trainer. Half a month ago, she'd received her starter from Professor Rowan. Her goal: catch beautiful Pokémon, enter Contests, become a top Coordinator.
She and Piplup were crossing Hiyori Forest toward the Hearthome Contest when the explosions erupted.
"Piplup! Great job!" She high-fived her partner—then blinked. "Huh? Why is it snowing?"
The scorching sun vanished behind dark clouds. Biting wind swept ice shards through the trees. White snowflakes drifted.
Piplup chirped happily. Water-type bliss.
"Cold..." Akane tightened her clothes, blowing warm air on her slender hands. "But good news."
The fire was dying. They wouldn't become roasted charcoal sticks.
They both breathed relief.
This explosion and forest fire are far more abnormal than the blizzard—
"Piplup! Let's get out of here!"
ROOOAR—!
The roar shattered the moment. Trees cracked, splintered, fell.
"Piplup!"
The Pokédex announced automatically:
"Ursaring. Evolved form of Teddiursa. Distinguishes all scents. Finds food buried deep underground."
"ROAR~"
A massive paw smashed through a blocking tree. Ursaring emerged from the forest shadows.
Violent. Bloodthirsty. Enraged.
The forest's dominant.
The explosion. The fire. Ursaring's rage had peaked. And as outsiders, humans and Pokémon? They'd face its fury.
"Piplup! Peck!"
Akane's voice didn't waver. No hesitation. No fear.
Piplup's beak ignited with silvery-white light. The small penguin launched—high-speed, spinning, brave.
Ursaring's paw swung.
Piplup flew.
"Piplup!"
Akane leaped, caught her fainting partner, and crashed to the ground.
Ursaring's red eyes burned. It roared—wave-like echoes shaking the forest.
Step. Step. Step.
Cracks spread beneath its claws. It advanced. Unstoppable.
Akane closed her eyes.
This is—
"Milotic. Hydro Pump."
A colossal spiraling water column—a water tornado—erupted from nowhere. It blasted the dominant Ursaring several meters away.
Wind howled. Thick tree trunks swayed. Branches and leaves stripped away, scattering everywhere.
Bathed in flying snow, a black-haired youth walked toward her.
"Are you alright?"