Something was wrong.
Even if Amber adored the Kanto starters, there was no reason for Dr. Fuji to collect eight Squirtle, five Bulbasaur, and seven Charmander just to make her smile.
And—
Armin stepped closer to one of the Squirtle and noticed something etched onto the back of its shell.
A black marking.
[05]
Not just the Squirtle.
The Charmander and Bulbasaur bore similar markings.
Numbers ranging from 01 to 09.
Amber sensed his silence and tilted her head.
"Brother… what's wrong?"
Armin snapped back to reality and gently patted the Squirtle's head.
"Nothing. We don't have Squirtle, Bulbasaur, or Charmander in Alola. It's my first time seeing them in person. I was just curious."
Then he casually asked,
"Amber, do you like the ocean? Dr. Fuji said he once took you to see the sea in Vermilion City."
Amber's eyes grew hazy with confusion.
She shook her head instinctively.
"I've never seen the sea. Is it pretty?"
Armin's expression didn't change.
"It's beautiful. Especially at sunset. When the sun sinks low and the sky turns orange, the light spreads across the water. If you stand on the beach and look out, you can see a golden horizon stretching forever."
Amber's eyes sparkled.
"I want to see it someday."
Armin smiled gently.
"When there's a chance, I'll take you."
"But Daddy doesn't let Amber go outside…" she murmured sadly.
Armin crouched down and took her small hand.
"That's okay. One day your illness will get better. When that happens, he won't stop you. I'll take you to Alola to see the ocean. To Sinnoh to see Mt. Coronet. To Johto to see the Bell Tower."
He hooked his pinky around hers.
"Promise. Pinky swear. One hundred years, no breaking it."
Amber giggled.
"Brother, that's something kids do. You're already an adult."
Armin raised a brow seriously.
"Who says? I'm only three years old. I just grew this tall because I eat a lot."
They had known each other for less than half a day.
Yet Armin already found himself caring deeply for the gentle, fragile girl.
Maybe it was sympathy.
Maybe it was something else.
He knew he might never be able to take her to see the ocean.
But he told the lie anyway.
Because it made her smile.
-----
That evening, Dr. Fuji returned home.
Armin said goodbye to Amber and left the estate.
Dr. Fuji immediately noticed his daughter's unusually bright mood.
He crouched down.
"Did you have fun today?"
Amber nodded enthusiastically.
"Brother is very nice. Amber likes him!"
Something dark flickered in Dr. Fuji's eyes.
In a tone as casual as discussing merchandise, he said,
"Then would Amber like him to stay forever? Daddy can make him stay by your side."
Amber's eyes trembled.
Memories—unpleasant ones—surfaced.
She shook her head.
"No, Daddy. This is enough."
"Oh."
Dr. Fuji didn't press further.
He prepared dinner, watched his daughter fall asleep—
Then descended alone into the estate's basement.
The moment the door shut behind him, his expression twisted.
The warm father was gone.
In his place stood someone unhinged.
The basement resembled a surgical laboratory.
He flipped a switch.
Cold white lights flooded the room.
Rows of transparent containers lined the walls, filled with pale preservative liquid.
In the front row—
Floating inside were Charmander and Squirtle.
Each marked with black numbers.
But those weren't his destination.
He walked deeper.
To another row of containers.
Inside each—
Was a little girl.
Six or seven years old.
Identical.
No clothing.
Skin lifelessly pale.
Long light-blue hair drifting like seaweed in the solution.
"Amber…"
Dr. Fuji's pupils were unfocused as he stared at one of them.
"I saw you smile today. It's been two years since I've seen you that happy."
"I'm so happy, Amber. So happy."
"It makes everything worth it."
"My precious daughter… I will never let you leave me. Never."
His voice grew frantic.
He suddenly smashed his fist through the glass.
Shards tore into his hand, blood mixing with the flooding liquid.
But he didn't feel it.
He pulled the small body into his arms—
And wept.
…
Upstairs.
Amber lay in bed.
Peaceful.
A faint smile curved her lips.
She had a secret.
Whenever she fell asleep—
She could talk to someone.
A mysterious being.
"Little Dream," she whispered softly in her sleep,
"I met a very nice Brother today. He played with me all afternoon. We built sandcastles. He peeled apples for me. We even promised to see the ocean together."
"Little Dream, have you seen the sea? They say it's beautiful."
"When I get better… can the three of us go to Alola together?"
She spoke with innocent longing.
And somewhere, quietly listening—
Was Mewtwo.
It said nothing.
But it remembered.
It remembered that a human had made its friend smile.
-----
When Armin returned to the base, the other three were waiting outside his room again.
He let them in wordlessly.
"Information exchange?" he asked flatly.
Hannah nodded.
"I triggered a hidden quest today. It's called [Jessie]. Does anyone remember her background?"
"Pokémon anime was something I watched as a kid. I don't remember much. Just that she's one of Team Rocket's trio."
Floyd's eyes widened.
"Hidden quest? You're sure?"
"Yes. Why?"
Floyd couldn't hold back.
"Are you kidding me? I've cleared multiple instances and never gotten a hidden quest! And you newbies get one in your first run?!"
"So what's special about them?" Hannah asked.
Floyd exhaled heavily.
"They aren't special in structure—but the reward pool is insane. Evolution Stones, Mega Stones, Revival Herbs, Soul Dew… stuff you can't get from main quests."
"Sometimes even game-exclusive items like PP Ups or Special Attack enhancers."
Armin listened quietly.
Interesting.
Because he had one too.
Floyd and Rento were practically sour lemons at this point.
Armin glanced at Rento.
Then at Floyd.
Floyd kind of resembled Suneo.
Rento was absolutely Gian.
Gian and Suneo.
A perfect duo.
He burst out laughing.
All three turned to stare at him.
"Ahem," Armin coughed. "Sorry. Thought of something funny. You were asking about Jessie? I know a bit."
Jessie.
Her mother, Miyamoto, had been an assistant to a previous Team Rocket executive.
When Jessie was five, Miyamoto went searching for Mew—
And never returned.
Jessie was adopted into a poor family.
She often went hungry.
So hungry that she once survived on dishes made of snow.
Later, she left home to become a Pokémon Nurse and enrolled in the Chansey Nursing School—
But failed out.
Eventually she joined Team Rocket Academy, where she met James and Meowth.
And the infamous Team Rocket trio was born.
-----
Somewhere beneath Celadon City—
Darkness thickened.
And the black numbers waited.