#pokemon future

Team Neo-Rocket’s final goal is to get to the shrine in the Ilex forest, and summon the legendary Pokémon Celebi!

If you want more information on this project, check out the JohtoorMemories of Kanto tags on the blog.

When you first encounter the Ilex Shine, as you travel from Azalea Town to Goldenrod City, it is being studied by Professor Leaf Orchid. Some of her Pokémon are enjoying the forest and helping her investigate. Her Venusaur, Pidgeot, and pink Azumarill are all puttering around the shrine. 

Professor Orchid notes that locals have been reporting some strange occurrences by the shrine, and she has come to investigate. Could they have anything to do with Team Neo-Rocket? Still, it’s nothing for you to worry about right now. She will let you know if anything of import happens.

It isn’t until you’ve chased Team Neo-Rocket out of Mahogany Town that you will need to return to the shrine. Team Neo-Rocket swiped an important artifact from Mahogany Town: The GS Ball. A Pokéball made of gold and silver, with a center latch button made of sparkling crystal, there has been some debate as to the origins and use of the item. It has proven ill-suited for capturing Pokémon, but some legends connect it to Ilex Shrine. Associate Professor Gold confirms that those legends are likely why Team Neo-Rocket would have stolen the GS Ball, and you need to hunt them down before it’s too late!

Sure enough, you will find Dante at the Ilex Shrine. He assures you that you are too late to stop him; once he places the GS Ball in the shrine it will summon Celebi, and allow him to travel back to the past he’s been working so hard to replicate.

The legendary Pokémon Celebi does appear, and grants his wish: Dante is warped back into the past, and you are pulled along with him. 

You have now been transported back in time by more than 20 years! The Johto region is a very different place, and Dante is nowhere to be found. Celebi is also entirely absent. Finding Dante may be your only way home!

As you work your way through Ilex forest, a bug catcher to the south will tell you that a strange man did rush past, heading for Azalea Town.

In Azalea town, Dante is arguing with some locals in the Slowpoke Well. The locals, along with Gym Leader Bugsy, are asking why Team Rocket can’t take a hint; Team Rocket’s already been run out of town by a powerful trainer, why would they try and come back? And why only send one member?

When you confront him, Dante flees the town, back toward the forest, but not before insisting that slowpoke tails were never a very lucrative venture, anyway. 

When you return to the forest, you run into an unexpectedly familiar face: Indigo, who, according to his account, was the only one brave enough to try and follow you. He promises to keep an eye on Ilex forest while you investigate [whatever’s next]. 

However, Indigo will not be your only ally. At the northern edge of Ilex Forest you will also find a young trainer from Kanto.

She introduces herself as Leaf. She has recently completed the Kanto gym challenge, and has traveled to Johto to challenge herself. She is hoping to face the powerful trainer traveling Johto, battling the revived Team Rocket, but first she wants to help you defeat Dante, especially since he has threatened her and other trainers. Leaf also asks you questions about this “Team Neo-Rocket” thing that Dante was going on about, and mentions that by traveling back in time you and Dante may have created a new timeline, altering the Pokémon world, if only slightly.

With Leaf’s help you are able to trace Dante’s path through Goldenrod city, where he is attempting to take control of the broadcast tower. However, Team Rocket already has control of the tower. Two grunts are preventing Dante’s access to the tower, with one grunt insisting he can’t enter because he doesn’t have a proper ID number or any of the necessary information, where the other grunt thinks he should be let in, as he’s obviously a member of Team Rocket.

However, he abandons this argument to battle you. Once you defeat him,  the grunts no longer have any qualms about removing him from the broadcast tower premises. After all, whether he’s Team Rocket or not, what use is a guy who can’t even defeat a kid in a Pokémon battle?

Outside the station, Leaf helps you force Dante back to the shrine, where Indigo is waiting. However, Dante refuses to use the GS Ball to summon Celebi again. Instead, he wants to help fix Team Rocket’s past failures and create a future where Team Rocket controls all of Kanto and Johto, if not all of the Pokémon world. Leaf informs him that what he wants doesn’t matter, because she has taken the GS Ball from him while he was distracted by your battle. Leaf places the GS Ball on the shrine, and wishes you good luck. She’s sure you’ll meet again. Celebi returns to the shrine, and transports you through time once more.

Standing at the shrine is an old man in a dark coat. The man comments that he recognizes the red “R” on Dante’s breast pocket. It’s a mark of failure, he explains. A mark of mistakes. He asks Celebi why it would show him this, an unfamiliar man making the same mistakes he fought his whole life for. Celebi has no answer, but the man has advice for Dante:

Greed will get you nowhere. It will only leave you isolated, with no company but cold coins or the shadows of hiding. Chasing greed makes you a target for defeat by those who know better. A child, filled with enthusiasm and supported by friends, will always be greater than a man chasing power for power’s sake. 

The man explains that no matter how many times he tried, greed always led him back to ruins, and to isolation. The more you follow greed and power, the more pointless it becomes. To repeat the same actions time and again and expect different results is a form of madness. You cannot recreate the past, and you cannot reach true success through greed. He has found no power more potent than the bond of genuine friendship he has managed to make with some of his Pokémon. His Persian and Nidoking leap out of their Pokéballs to confirm this point.

The old man turns to Celebi and asks if that’s the right thing to say. Is this how the Pokémon wanted him to face his past? Celebi still gives him no answer, but in a blink, you, Indigo, and Dante are transported through time once more. 

Professor Orchid is waiting for you both when you return to Ilex Shrine in the present, as are Gold, Silver, and Kris.

Silver takes Dante to face justice for what he’s done, and Professor Leaf Orchid confirms that your trip to the past must have been causing ripple effects in the present. This clears up much of the confusion, and will also allow for more focused study going forward!

While in the past, there are a wide variety of new Pokémon and alternate forms of familiar species that you can discover! When you return to the present, Professor Orchid will even update your Pokédex to properly document them.

Now that you’ve made it back to the present, you’ll need to focus on completing your Johto League challenge! Team Neo-Rocket has been defeated for good, and there’s only one gym left before you challenge the Elite Four and Champion.

After you have been inducted into the Johto hall of fame, you can return to the Ilex Shrine to battle and capture Celebi. If you have Celebi in your team, you can travel back to the past once a day, and explore to your heart’s content! However, you will not be able to go any further than Goldenrod City or Azalea town in each direction, as people don’t believe your gym badges are genuine.

Team Neo-Rocket has traveled to Johto, searching for power and legendary Pokémon. Their first targets in the region are the Legendary Beasts: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. 

More information on the role this region’s legendaries play in Memories of Kanto below the cut! If you’re interested in learning more about this project, check out the Johtoor Memories of Kanto tags.

You will encounter Team Neo-Rocket a few times throughout the region, hassling the locals and researching Johto’s legendary Pokémon. This path leads both you and Neo-Rocket to Ecruteak city, where Team Neo-Rocket, led by an increasingly desperate Dante, attempt to burn a building with three Pokémon inside, aiming to create their own set of legendary beasts.

Instead, the three legendary beasts appear to confront Neo-Rocket and protect the innocent Pokémon. Team Neo-Rocket attempt to catch the beasts, but Dante and his grunts must defeat you and your rival, Indigo, in battle to get the chance. With Neo-Rocket held up in battle, the three legendary Pokémon easily flee. From this point on, they can be found roaming the region, and if you’re lucky, you just might be able to catch them!

Pokémon Keeper Gold joins you, and you retrieve the three Pokémon that Team Neo-Rocket had attempted to burn. The Pokémon had been stolen from Gold in the first place, and they are a set of Johto’s starters: a Chikorita, a Cyndaquil, and a Totodile. Clearly, Gold reasons, these Pokémon need better homes after what they’ve been through. He has too many Pokémon under his care to give them what they need, not to mention they seem to be itching for revenge. You get your pick of the three, and Indigo takes whichever one has type advantage over yours. The third can be found in Professor Elm’s care.

Though the legendary beasts travel all across Johto, and sometimes so far as Kanto, you can also find Suicune in a house on Route 40, on the shore just past Olivine City.

This house is the home of Eusine, a skilled trainer and an expert on Johto’s folklore. You may have seen him once or twice in your travels, but this is where he lives, and though he has not captured Suicune, the Aurora Pokémon can often be found relaxing in Eusine’s home or garden. Suicune cannot be challenged here, but it can be talked to. If you talk to it enough, it will wait up to three turns in battle before fleeing when encountered in the wild.

When and if you catch Suicune, you can leave it temporarily at Eusine’s house, much like you would leave Pokémon at the daycare. This raises Suicune’s friendliness, and if it is left with Eusine without holding an item, it will have a held item when it returns to you. This is most often a comparatively rare berry (including those that increase friendship or weaken the effects of super effective attacks), but may also be an evolution stone or a pearl on rare occasions.

Though Team Neo-Rocket has failed in their attempt to create new legendary beasts, they have their sights set on Lugia and Ho-oh. While you are challenging Cianwood City’s gym, Dante steals the silver wing and rainbow wing from Ecruteak City, where they have been safeguarded.

You follow Dante’s trail to the Whirl Islands, where he tries and fails to capture Lugia. Lugia handily defeats the Neo-Rocket grunts present, while you take on Dante again.

Once you have defeated the Olivine Gym, you will need to take on Team Neo-Rocket again in Ecruteak city, where they have summoned Ho-oh to the bell tower. Here Indigo has returned to help, not wanting you to get all the glory, and Indigo defeats Dante while you tackle Neo-Rocket grunts.

Your next stop will be to go head-to-head with Team Neo-Rocket once more in Mahogany Town, where they are attempting to take control and sway Leader Silver to their cause. This is entirely ineffective, but when the dust settles and Team Neo-Rocket has been driven out of town, it’s discovered that they got away with an important artifact.

The leader of Team Neo-Rocket now holds the GS Ball, a unique, ancient Pokéball said to summon the legendary Pokémon Celebi.

Red, Blue, and the professor are not the only trainers with experience fighting off Team Rocket. Johto has their own powerful trainers, and they’re here to help how they can.

If you want more information on this project, check out the JohtoorMemories of Kanto tags on the blog!

Associate Professor Gold is there to greet you when you arrive in Johto. He’s the one who alerted Professor OrchidtoTeam Neo-Rocket’s activities, and he’s glad to have your help. Associate Professor Gold serves as your guide at many points in your travels. He is well-versed in Johto’s legends, and is able to anticipate Team Neo-Rocket’s movements as they track down legendary Pokémon.

Gold works largely with Professor Elm in Newbark Town, and though he is an associate professor, Gold’s main focus is on caring for Pokémon. Along with his involvement in Elm’s studies of Pokémon evolution and breeding, Gold studies the wellbeing of Pokémon, including the unique needs of different species. However, do not mistake Gold’s caring attitude for weakness: he is a skilled trainer who is greatly respected by Johto’s Pokémon League, and particularly by Leader Silver and the champion.

Leader Silver has become a fierce protector of Mahogany Town. Though many people find him cold or intimidating in his demeanor, he does everything he can to take care of Mahogany Town’s residents, as well as keep an eye on the Johto region as a whole. Though he hesitates to leave his gym often, Silver is infuriated by Team Neo-Rocket. Having learned the value of bonding with and caring for your Pokémon partners, he is disgusted by Neo-Rocket’s blatant and unapologetic exploitation of Pokémon. This boils over when Dante, Neo-Rocket’s leader, attempts to convert Silver to his cause. Leader Silver refuses to even honor Dante with a battle, and, with your help, drives Team Neo-Rocket out of Mahogany Town as quickly as possible.

Champion Kris spends most of her time at the Silver Falls Highland, where the conclusion of the Pokémon league is built. She is the last member of this trio that you meet, but she’s not about to stand by and let Team Neo-Rocket undermine the safety of her home. Kris can be found near both the Whirl Islands and the Bell Tower when Team Neo-Rocket is working to summon Lugia and Ho-oh, respectively, but opts to return to her duties as Champion once she confirms that the situations are in your capable hands. Otherwise, she is most often seen alongside either Associate Professor Gold or Leader Silver, as they are some of the only people who could pull her away from her responsibilities to the league. 

Once you’ve battled your way through all eight gyms and the caves of Victory Road, you can finally face the elite four and the champion.

As always, you have to fight all of them in a row, so stock up on potions and other items and take on the challenge! 

(To learn more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!)

The first member of the elite four you’ll face is…

Aaron

Aaron is still at the front of Sinnoh’s elite four challenge, and is as enthusiastic as ever about the awesomeness of bug types. His team consists of Yanmega, trash cloak Wormadam, Heracross, Vespiquen, and Drapion.

Next up:

Diana

Inspired by her older sister Cynthia, Diana has become a powerful trainer and the Sinnoh region’s first master of fairy type Pokémon. She’s the youngest member of the elite four, and is always excited to take on new trainers. To move on, you’ll have to best her team of Clefable, Azumarill, Gardevoir, Sylveon, and Togekiss.

After you’ve defeated Diana, you’ll challenge…

Volkner

At the insistence of his friend Flint, Volkner left gym life behind to challenge stronger trainers as a member of the elite four. He’s more engaged by the challengers he receives in his new role, but he’s still skeptical of your ability to show him an impressive battle. But once you defeat his Lanturn, Raichu, Electivire, Luxray, and Magnezone he’s definitely impressed.

You’re nearly there! The last member of the elite four is…

Fantina

Fantina retired from being a gym leader to travel the world, but was unable to stay away from the battle arena for long. Upon her return to Sinnoh she became the most powerful member of the elite four, taking on each new challenger with Mismagius, Gengar, Gourgeist, Froslass, and Drifblim.

Now, brace yourself. This is the last challenge between you and the hall of fame. It’s time for you to face…

Champion Dawn

The champion is thrilled to see you! She knew she saw the spark of a master trainer in you.  

If you can defeat Dawn and her partners–Luxray, Glaceon, Lucario, Garchomp, Blissey (holding a Chople Berry), and Empoleon–you will be the new strongest trainer in Sinnoh. Congratulations! 

Associate Professor Larch joins Dawn to induct you into Sinnoh’s hall of fame. They congratulate you, and now you have completed the Sinnoh League.

The next morning you will wake up back home in Twinleaf Town, where Matilda and Cato will be waiting to congratulate you. Now you’re free to travel the region however you like! Will you master Pokémon contests? Cook the perfect poffin? Challenge the battle frontier? Challenge the trainers of the league to rematches? It’s all up to you!

Thank you for following Peaks of Sinnoh <3

Congratulations! You’ve earned eight gym badges, not to mention foiled Team Neo-Rocket’s plans for the region. Now it’s time for you to face the final challenge of the Indigo League: the elite four and the champion!

(If you want to know more about this project and story, check out the Memories of Kanto tag!) 

Make sure you’re fully prepared to battle all five trainers in a row! Once you’re sure you’re ready, you’ll start by facing a brand new member of the elite four:

Jayce

Jayce is a cool dude who’s excited to take you on! He trained under former Elite Four member Lorelei, and he’s the first step in this battle marathon. His super rad team is made up of Dewgong, Delibird, Alolan Ninetails, Mamoswine, and Weavile. 

If you’re able to defeat them, you’ll move on to…

Misty

After spending many years facing brand-new trainers as Cerulean City’s gym leader, Misty revels in facing off against stronger opponents. As much as she’s rooting for you, she had not intention of holding back. Misty’s built up a tough team of Starmie, Lapras, Quagsire, Lanturn, and Golduck. 

Once you pass the test, the next trainer is…

Lt. Surge

Lt. Surge has always been a tough guy, and it was no surprise to anyone that he would move into a position in the elite four. He’s gonna whip you into shape and make absolutely certain that you’re up to the challenge of facing the champion. His team includes Electrode, Jolteon, Magnezone, Electivire, and Raichu, so you’re really in for a shock!

The only member of the elite four left to challenge is…

Sabrina

Sabrina and her team pride themselves on intelligence, diligence, and skill. This is the last test you’ll need to face before the champion, and Sabrina is a stern taskmaster. Though she cannot see the outcome of the battle, her clairvoyance tells her it will be hard-fought on both sides. She and her team of Espeon, Wobbuffet, Jynx, Xatu, and Alakazam are deeply connected, making them difficult to beat. 

But now, it’s finally time to take on…

Champion Red

You may not be able to tell, but Red is impressed that you’ve made it this far. He is the trainer who most understands the position you’re in, and a battle with him will surely be one for the record books.

His legendary team is made up of Snorlax, Lapras, Vileplume, Machamp, Raichu, and Charizard. If you can defeat him, you will have mastered the Indigo League!

He and Professor Orchid will then induct you into Kanto’s hall of fame. They’re both quite proud of you, but it looks like your journey is not over yet: both Red and the Professor receive word that Team Neo-Rocket have set up shop in the neighboring region of Johto! The villainous team is broadcasting across both regions, warning that they fully intend to steal and capture the most powerful Pokémon they can and take both regions, if not the world, by force. Someone needs to stop them. 

Are you up for the task?

In your journey across the Sinnoh region you will face a variety of legendary Pokémon, each of which present unique challenges.

To see more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag!

Team Dimensional’s goal is to reunite the old Gods of the Sinnoh region with our world, and to that end they are seeking to capture nearly every legendary in the region. First and foremost, they need to capture the Lake Trio, Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit. 

You will have encountered Team Dimensional at many steps along your journey, as they can be found in nearly every town, either proselytizing to the masses or researching ancient legends. However, it is not until you pass by the entrance to Lake Valor, where Dimensional grunts will block your way, that it becomes clear that Team Dimensional are up to something. This is made even clearer by talking to Aroma Specialist Mars, Lady Jupiter, and Ace Trainer Saturn, but it does the details of Team Dimensional’s operation do not come to light until after you have defeated Keira at the Hearthome city gym.

You will once again meet Dawn as you are leaving Hearthome, and she will congratulate you on your progress. However, she will receive a call from Assistant Professor Larch demanding she come to Lake Verity immediately. 

You and Dawn speed to the Verity Lakefront, where Acolyte Spacia is attempting to capture the lake’s legendary Pokémon, Mesprit. However, Spacia is unable to successfully catch the Pokémon, and orders some grunts to capture it by means other than a Pokéball. Upon hearing this, Mesprit flees. Specifically, the emotion Pokémon flees to you, the player, and unless there is an open space in your party you will be prompted to send a member of your team to a box. Mesprit will join your team, whether you like it or not. 

Spacia and the grunts challenge you in an attempt to steal Mesprit from you, but Dawn and Lucas easily defeat the grunts while you take on Spacia. Once defeated, Spacia has no choice but to retreat.

This development sends you to Canalave town, where, once Roark’s Gym is defeated, your rivals and Assistant Professor Larch study up on the guardians of the lakes. It’s clear that Team Dimensional want to get their hands on these Pokémon, likely as a means to summon Dialga Palkia, and perhaps Giratina. 

In hopes of preventing Team Dimensional from capturing any other lake Pokémon, you meet one of your rivals, Matilda at Lake Valor. There you will find Acolyte Tempus and three grunts restraining Azelf, the willpower Pokémon. Tempus is determined to succeed where Spacia failed. However, when two of the grunts challenge the player and Matilda to a double battle in hopes of driving you off, Azelf is able to break free, and becomes a part of Matilda’s Pokémon team. You and Matilda continue to battle as a team against Tempus and the remaining grunt, and once again emerge victorious. 

The last lake, Lake Acuity, is reached after you have made it to Snowpoint city. You have time to reach the Pokémon center there before Cato appears, telling you something is wrong at the lakefront. At lake Acuity, you and Cato battle a group of grunts guarding the lakefront before surfing to the cave in the center of the lake. There you must face Pravita, who plans to defeat you and capture Uxie for herself. Cato isn’t confident enough to face her alone, and you battle as a team against her, which she insists is unfair. Even after being defeated, she throws one last Pokéball at the knowledge Pokémon, but it escapes from the ball and situates itself in Cato’s party.

After you defeat Candice at Snowpoint gym, Dawn meets up with you again, and is encouraged by the possibility that Team Dimensional will be stopped in their tracks now that they can no longer bring together the Lake Trio and get a hold of the red chain. 

However, just before you reach Sunyshore city to challenge the final gym, an earthquake rattles the region. Barry, Sunyshore’s gym leader, runs headlong into you, and hurriedly explains what’s going on:

Something big is happening in turnback cave, off of route 214, and you’re that kid Dawn’s been talking to, right? He tells you to go ahead and check it out while he goes to find Dawn.

When you reach sendoff spring, where the cave’s entrance is located (and the path to which you could SWEAR wasn’t there yesterday…), Matilda is already there. She explains that she was on route 214 when the ground shook, and decided to head towards where the shake might’ve come from. She also called Cato and told him what was going on. The pair of you climb down to the cave entrance, and just before you head in Cato rushes down into the spring to join you. 

The path into the heart of the cave, which is labyrinthine at the best of times, is lined by Team Dimensional grunts. You, Matilda, and Cato fight your way through them until you reach Giratina’s chamber, where the renegade Pokémon is looming over Acolyte Pravita and Themis, Team Dimensional’s leader.

Themis reveals to you that he has summoned Giratina, and will use this newfound power to bring forward Dialga and Palkia as well. And, all the better, the three of you are now here, so Team Dimensional has been able to bring the lake trio together after all!

In an attempt to stop Themis, you challenge him to a battle. Pravita takes on both Cato and Matilda while you face Themis, and his team: Rampardos, Bastiodon, Dustox, Clefable, and Toxicroak. Though he is upset that you defeat him, he is not swayed, and turns his attention Giratina instead.

Finally,Barry has returned with Dawn and Lucas, but it may already be too late. Themis calls upon Giratina’s power, and a dark portal opens in the center of the room. Themis, Pravita, the player, Matilda, and Cato are all pulled briefly through the distortion world only to be spat out onto the peak of Mt. Coronet at the spear pillars. 

Tempus and Spatia are waiting at the pillars, and are glad to see that their leader has succeeded. With Giratina’s power, Themis calls forth Dialga and Palkia, and the whole region, perhaps the whole of reality, shakes under the strain. 

Themis asks the great legendaries how Team Dimensional can serve them, but Sinnoh’s creators have only rage. Another portal to the distortion world opens in an attempt to balance all of this power, but Giratina is weakened from being restrained and controlled by Themis. Even as the mountain and the ruins begin to crumble under the pressure, Themis persists. This, he is convinced, is the will of these gods. They will reshape Sinnoh to their liking! Even if it means the destruction of everything we know and hold dear. Time and space are being torn asunder by Dialga and Palkia, and Giratina is exerting more and more power in a vain attempt to compensate. Everything is threatening to shake apart at an atomic level! It would hardly be possible to contain all three of these powerful, legendary Pokémon at all, and truly impossible to contain them quickly enough to end this destruction. They cannot return to a state of balance now that they have been summoned; their anger will not allow them, and with time, space, and distortion all in one place, to remove one would surely tip the scales into utter, world ending chaos! 

The shuddering cacophony of inter-dimensional distress reaches an overwhelming fever-pitch, before being abruptly stilled. 

Arceus stands before you, looking down upon the scene. All is silent. Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina turn toward it. In a flash, each of the other legendaries is returned to their rightful places. 

Arceus turns its attention to Themis.

Themis bows down before Arceus, and his acolytes follow suit. He swears devotion to Arceus, and offers the Pokémon anything it could want. He asks that it remold Sinnoh to its liking, and take Team Dimensional as its servants. After a moment of hesitation [… … …], Arceus gives its answer:

No.

In a blink, Themis is gone, teleported elsewhere just like Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. The acolytes recoil in horror, and everyone is unsure what to do. No one among you would be brave or idiotic enough to face the Alpha Pokémon. 

…Right?

Wrong. You’re a player character, likely armed with a master ball, and you’ve been looking forward to just such an opportunity like this. It’s time to save your game, and face the legendary Arceus. Ideally, you will catch Arceus here, but if you defeat it instead you can return to the spear pillar after defeating the champion and obtaining all of the different type plates available in the Sinnoh region, at which point Arceus will re-spawn and you can try again.

With Arceus caught, reality has returned to a stable state, and the former acolytes of Team Dimensional are absolutely terrified of you. Tempus offers you the role of the team’s leader, but even if you don’t refuse, Pravita rejects the idea. Though none of them have given up their ideals and goals of a better, more advanced world, Spatia reasons that without their determined, charismatic leader, Team Dimensional will surely disband.

Now that Team Dimensional and their tampering with the legendary Pokémon has been stopped, you can finish your gym challenge in peace, and face the elite four and champion.

It isn’t until the post-game that you will find out that Themis has been discovered, alive and well, in Floaroma town. You can go meet him there and discover that his memory is hazy at best, losing focus soon after he became a Team Galactic grunt. Aroma specialist Mars is working to get him re-situated. He’s considering becoming a rancher!

There are a lot of legendary Pokémon you’ll encounter in your travels through the Kanto and Johto regions, and Team Neo-Rocket wants ALL of them.

(Want to learn more? Check out the Memories of Kanto tag!)

The first legendary Pokémon you’ll encounter after leaving Lavender Town is Mew, who will appear before you at Mt. Moon, on your way from Cerulean City to Pewter City. This is also the first time you’ll run into Dante, the leader of Team Neo-Rocket, who’s trying to capture Mew with little luck. After this encounter, Mew will become a roaming Pokémon. 

It will become steadily more likely to find Mew in tall grass each time you receive a gym badge, and you will gain the ability to track roaming Pokémon via your Pokédex after receiving your fourth badge. The likelihood of encountering Mew will top out at a 50% chance upon stepping into tall grass in the same area as Mew, after you have defeated the final gym in Johto. Mew maintains a consistent level of 50, which will also make it exceedingly difficult to catch, even if you do encounter it early in your journey, to say nothing of the trouble you might have training it without enough gym badges. 

The next legendary Pokémon you’ll encounter are the legendary birds.

Articuno and Zapdos have maintained their posts in the Seafoam Islands and the power plant, respectively. Moltres, however, is now found on Mt. Moon. The unusual qualities that attracts Pokémon like Clefairy appears to also draw legendary Pokémon! When you encounter each legendary bird you will also face Neo-Rocket grunts, aiming to tame these powerful, elemental birds. Once you have thwarted Team Neo-Rocket’s exploitative plans you’ll have the opportunity to battle and catch the birds yourself. 

However, Team Neo-Rocket has more than just the legendary birds on their agenda. You will encounter them again after you have defeated Erika (the penultimate trainer on your Indigo League gym challenge), when they cause problems on the newly-settled Cinnabar Island. 

Team Neo-Rocket are on the island searching for the legendary Pokémon Mewtwo, who they have reason to believe is hidden away in the island’s now-dormant volcano. To this end they have defeated every trainer in the Cinnabar gym, including Fina’s strongest team, and used explosives to damage the gym building. Behind the gym–an area usually blocked off and inaccessible to anyone but gym/lab personnel–is a cave entrance in the side of the volcano.

In enlisting your help to defeat Team Neo-Rocket, Fina explains the situation to you: Mewtwo was created from Mew, and mistreated by the scientists that cloned it from Mew/mutated its DNA. This project was partly funded by Team Rocket, and the goal was to create the absolute most powerful Pokémon. They arguably succeeded, but in doing so they created an angry, cold-hearted being, filled with rage for the control and abuse it suffered at the hands of humans. 

In the decades since Mewtwo’s creation, however, it has become more comfortable with humans. Champion Red and Professor Orchid have both worked with Mewtwo to communicate that humans are not exclusively exploitative and evil, and that Pokémon training is a cooperation between trainer and Pokémon, not the absolute control of a Pokémon by its trainer. Leader Fina herself has been working closely with Mewtwo, after her mentor, Blaine, made amends with the legendary Pokémon.

Mewtwo now lives on Cinnabar Island, taking refuge in the caverns and caves of the dormant volcano, which is further maintained through Mewtwo’s power, assuring that the humans and Pokémon on the island will be protected from the natural dangers of the volcano. But now, Team Neo-Rocket are barging into Mewtwo’s refuge, with the full intent of destroying it, capturing the Pokémon that have found protection here and forcing Mewtwo back into servitude for the benefit of Team Neo-Rocket.

In the caves and the heart of the volcano, you’ll find many lush, grassy spaces amongst the rocks, and a wide variety of Pokémon. Most notably, this island hideaway is home to Growlithes/Archenines, Dratinis/Dragonairs, Magbys/Magmars, and is one of the few places where you can encounter Crobat in the wild.

Throughout the caves, Neo-Rocket grunts will work to stop you in your tracks, and when you finally reach the deepest cavern in the heart of the volcano, the leader of Team Neo-Rocket, Dante, challenging Mewtwo. You’ll need to battle Dante to protect Mewtwo’s new home, and all of the Pokémon who live here!

Once you have defeated Dante, Mewtwo will comment that they were impressed by your skill in battle and your closeness with your Pokémon. Because of this, Mewtwo makes an offer to you that, once you have obtained your final gym badge, if you can defeat this legendary Pokémon in battle, Mewtwo will join your party. As such, you can return to Cinnabar island any time after defeating gym leader Blue, and take on Mewtwo. 

Their defeat on Cinnabar Island will have weakened Team Neo-Rocket, so your next step will be to take them on in their own headquarters, back in Vermillion City. Once defeated on their own turf, Team Neo-Rocket will retreat deeper into the shadows. 

However, they aren’t truly defeated yet. Upon entering the Kanto hall of fame, you’ll discover that Team Neo-Rocket has reappeared in the neighboring region of Johto, and they are still dead-set on securing power through legendary Pokémon…

You are far from the first person to take on the Kanto league, or even to fight against Team (Neo)Rocket. This is all very familiar to a few people you will meet along your journey: Red, Blue, and Professor Leaf Orchid.

Want to learn more? Check out the Memories of Kanto tag. 

Gym Leader Blue is the golden boy of Viridian City. His very brief stint as champion of the Indigo League made him an easy pick for the position, and he’s practically become the city’s protector and spokesperson in the following years. Blue revels in the variety of trainers that he faces as a part of the gym challenge, and brings trainers with many different specialties into his gym to strengthen his gym challenge. His reputation and persistence have also allowed him the privilege of only facing trainers who have earned all seven other gym badges, where most other gyms have designated teams for trainers at different stages. He’s determined to keep Team Neo-Rocket away from his city and his gym, even though they continue to seek out any connections to Giovanni, Team Rocket’s former leader, that they can find.

Professor Leaf Orchid has been studying Pokémon for almost two decades, and took over as the resident Professor of the Kanto region when Professor Samuel Oak retired. Leaf’s focus is on the sheer variety of Pokémon, especially variations in form or differences found between regions. She approaches her work with one mantra in mind: Gotta’ catch ‘em all! She is also dedicated to making sure any young people who want to can go on Pokémon journeys, and to this end travels the region, handing out starter Pokémon. You meet her for the first time in Lavender Town, when she gives you your starter.  

Red is a man of few words. Perhaps that’s part of what’s made him so legendary. After spending some years traveling, as well as training on Mt. Silver, Red has taken up the mantle of Indigo League Champion that he earned so many years ago. He takes his role seriously. At least, as far as anyone can tell. Not many are able to read his inscrutable expressions, or make much sense of his continual silence. Blue is his best translator, though Leaf and a few other residents of Pallet Town are also fairly adept at understanding him. He has been keeping an eye on Team Neo-Rocket’s activities, and will appear at times to scare them off or investigate them, like at their HQ.

There’s one thing you can always count on in your travels across Kanto and Johto: Indigo will always be there to challenge you.

(Want to learn more? Check out the Memories of Kanto tag!)

You and Indigo grew up together in Lavender Town, and he’s always had something to prove. He’s been waiting years to have a Pokémon of his very own, and is now determined to take on the Indigo League!

Indigo is intensely focused on battle strategy, and will sometimes share tips and tricks with you, though always with a bit of a snide edge. After all, if you were a great trainer, like him, you’d already know this stuff!

However, not everyone is inclined to point out his attitude problem, since he does have the badges to back himself up! He’s always one step ahead of you in your gym challenge, and is a valuable ally on the occasions when you team up against Team Neo-Rocket.

The one challenge he struggles to master is defeating Champion Red. In fact, you meet Indigo out front of the indigo plateau. He defeated the elite four, but was unprepared to face the champion. He challenges you to a battle, and you can’t challenge the league for yourself until you have bested his fully-evolved starter (whichever one has type advantage over yours), Marowak, Haunter, Raichu, Fearow, and Dragonair.

Indigo does not take this defeat lightly, and insists on following you into Johto, where he can continue training and getting stronger. You will encounter Indigo a few times as you travel the Johto region, but the two of you will challenge each other less often. It will be more common to fight as a duo against Team Neo-Rocket in your efforts to keep them away from Johto’s legendaries. However, you will face Indigo again before taking on Johto’s Elite Four and Champion. This time, his team will consist of his starter, the highest evolution of the starter Pokémon that Associate Professor Gold entrusted him with (which, once again, has type advantage over yours), Dragonite, Gengar, Xatu, and Marowak.

Once you have defeated Johto’s champion, you will be able to find Indigo back in Lavender Town on weekends, where you can challenge him to a battle.

Your childhood friends and rivals in your journey across the Sinnoh region!

To see more about this project, you can check out the Peaks of Sinnoh tag.

Matilda

Matilda is the driving force behind your group of friends. She has the get-up-and-go attitude to turn any plan into a reality. She loves Pokémon battles, and faces every challenge along her path with gusto! She is chosen by the legendary Pokémon Azelf to protect it from Team Dimensional.

Her starter, “Buddy,” has type advantage over your starter. When you face Matilda for the last time on Victory Road (and any other times you battle with her in the post-game) her team is made up of her starter (Buddy), Luxray (Sparky), Floatzel (Bubbles), Drifblim (Puff), Weavile (Scritchy), and Gabite (Chompers).

Matilda may appear as a competitor in the highest rank of contests in the Toughness and Coolness categories. In Toughness contests she will use Buddy, and in Coolness contests she will use Sparky. Matilda will also be at the Battle Frontier on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, where she can be teamed up with for double battles, or may appear as a challenger in higher-level single battles.   

Cato

Cato is a methodical and studious young man. He takes it upon himself to learn all he can, and think through his actions (not to mention yours and Matilda’s!) as best as he can before moving forward. Throughout your journey he seems to be one step behind you and Matilda, but he is still a formidable trainer. He is a great asset to you in double battles against Team Dimensional, and he successfully collects all eight badges, making all three of you impressively powerful trainers and the pride of Twinleaf Town. However, Cato is more focused on his Pokédex, working to document and (if possible) catch every Pokémon he can. He is chosen by Uxie to protect it from Team Dimensional.

Cato starts his team with the starter that is weak to yours. By the time you battle him for the last time in Sunyshore City (and in any battles thereafter) his team is made up of his starter, Staraptor, Lopunny, Alakazam, Lumineon, and Hipowdown.

Cato may appear as a competitor in the highest level of contests in the Cleverness and Beauty categories. In cleverness contests he will use his starter, and in Beauty contests he will use Lumineon. Cato can be found in the battle frontier on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, at which time he can join you for double battles, or may be a challenger in higher-level single battles.

On Saturdays both Cato and Matilda can be found in the town square in Twinleaf town. There you can talk to them, battle them individually, or take them both on in a double battle.

Matilda and Cato balance each other well, but that doesn’t mean you’re not an important part of this dynamic. As much as Cato’s intelligence needs Matilda’s energy to motivate him to act, and Matilda needs Cato’s level head to balance her recklessness, they both need your heart to better inform their thoughts and actions. The same way that their knowledge and enthusiasm improve your journey, your empathy makes a great fulcrum to keep things from swinging too far toward thoughts or actions.

Together, you three can take on any challenge the Sinnoh region can throw at you!

Things are not so peaceful in the Kanto region. Some hooligans calling themselves Team Neo-Rocket are stealing people’s Pokémon, making threats, searching for legendary Pokémon, and attempting to take control of the region.

To learn more about Team Neo-Rocket, keep reading! You can also find out more about this project in the Memories of Kanto tag. 

The first way you may encounter Team Neo-Rocket is on TV or over the radio. They have their own broadcasting setup in their headquarters in Vermillion City, though they really want to take over the radio tower in Lavender Town. If you tune in to one of their broadcasts, you’ll hear a lot about how powerful Team Neo-Rocket is, as well as hear promotions for the lottery that they run from their HQ. 

You’ll run into Team Neo-Rocket in many places along your journey. They generally have teams of poison-, normal-, or ground-type Pokémon, and can often be found hassling lower-level trainers and causing problems for the gym leaders. Janine, Erica, and Blue in particular are consistently at odds with Team Neo-Rocket. Janine considers them a bad influence on poison-type trainers and the reputation of the poison type, whereas Erica takes responsibility for keeping them away from the old Celadon game corner, which has long-since been converted into a community center, and Blue is consistently working to keep them away from the Viridian City gym, where Team Neo-Rocket wants to search for any artifacts relating to the old leader, Giovanni. 

The Celadon Community center is also home to the Pokémon Fan Club, as they were ousted from their original location in Viridian City when Team Neo-Rocket took over. Vince, Viridian City’s gym leader, also tries to keep Team Neo-Rocket in check, but their primary function in the city is broadcasting, and he has a difficult time catching them doing anything more nefarious in the city itself. (However, they have managed to build a new headquarters under their small broadcasting studio, and manage much of their operations from there.)

Alongside controlling the Kanto region through fear and force, Team Neo-Rocket also aims to capture all of the region’s legendary Pokémon. They can be found going after the legendary birds, as well as searching for Mew and Mewtwo. 

In fact, chasing after legendaries is where you will first encounter…

Dante, leader of Team Neo-Rocket

Dante first became a trainer by joining Team Rocket, and stayed with the organization until the defeat of the Rocket Executives by a couple powerful young trainers. He remembers his time with Team Rocket, and the control that the organization had, very fondly, and he is determined to return to that status quo. He’s also determined to make lots, and lots of money. Team Neo-Rocket will sell you Pokémon out of their broadcasting studio, and their lottery is pay-to-enter. They also have a deal with Vermillion City’s shop, and they receive a cut of all the money made there.

Legendary Pokémon hold the possibility of both money and power, and so Dante is hell-bent on getting as many legendaries under Team Neo-Rocket’s control as possible. In the Kanto region, his highest priorities are Mew and Mewtwo. 

You first see Dante when Mew appears to you at Mt. Moon. He has only just managed to chase the Pokémon there, but is still unable to capture it. He dismisses you as a child and therefore not a threat at the time. He also asks you which way the Pokémon went. If you choose to lie, Mew teleports back briefly to wave at/thank you, but even if you tell Dante the truth, Mew will float back past you, heading the opposite direction, confirming that Dante has no hope of capturing the legendary Pokémon.

Dante is determined to catch Mewtwo, and, in doing so, rectify Team Rocket’s failure to keep control of the Pokémon in the first place. In stopping Dante from attempting to capture the legendary Pokémon, you will need to battle him.

Datne’s full team consists of Wynaut/Wobbuffet, Meowth/Persian, Ariados, Nidoking, and Crobat. He has made sure his team is built for capturing evasive legendaries, as Wynaut/Wobbuffet has the ability Shadow Tag, Ariados eventually learns the move Spider Web), and Crobat has the move Mean Look.

Even after you thwart Team Neo-Rocket’s efforts in Kanto, they expand their mission into Johto, where they continue to seek out legendary Pokémon for power and profit. Even if he has failed to capture Mew or Mewtwo, Dante has set his sights on the elusive Celebi…

City of Joy!

Welcome to Jubilife City, the communication hub of the Sinnoh region! You have a package to deliver, and a city to explore.

If you are interested in following the story of Peaks of Sinnoh, start here!

When you reach Jubilife City, with its tall buildings and bustling streets, you can find Matilda and Cato outside of the Trainer’s School. Approaching them lets you in on their conversation, where Matilda is insisting that they have to keep looking for you and battle as soon as possible. However, Cato argues that it’s important to be informed going into battle. Knowledge is power, after all.

Matilda: “Power is power!”

It’s at this point that they spot you, and Matilda challenges you to a battle. You can refuse and come back later if you are unprepared, but, either way, Matilda will battle you with her starter, Buddy, and her new Shinx, sparky.

After the battle, you give Cato the package his father sent you with. It contains a handful of berries from his family’s garden, which he then shares with you and Matilda. You receive two oran berries and two pecha berries. From here Matilda thanks Cato and races off. Cato heads into the Trainer’s School.

When you follow Cato into the school you can talk to a variety of NPCs who will tell you a variety of basic information about Pokémon, like weakness and resistance, status conditions, etc. There are also two school kids, who challenge you and Cato to a double battle. When you win, both the students and Cato are impressed by you. When Cato compliments you:

“Wow, [NAME], you did great! You’ve bonded with all your Pokémon, not just [starter].”

You can respond to him either with “Thank you!” or, “You battled well yourself!” However, neither option has an impact on Cato’s dialogue. He tells you he wants to keep studying to better prepare himself, but that you should probably explore the city.

Out on the streets, you can find Matilda talking to a Pokétch salesman. When you join the conversation, Matilda tells you,

“This guy is just giving away Pokétches! I’ve gotta get one!”

She dashes away, and the man explains that, yes, if you retrieve three Pokétch coupons from the three clowns ‘hidden’ around the city, he’ll give you a Pokétch.

The three clowns each have a question about Pokémon. One clown, outside the Pokétch building, asks if Pokémon can have weakness and resistance to different types. One between the fountains out front of the Global Hub (which you cannot yet enter; not until you have at least one gym badge) asks if Pokémon get stronger when they evolve. The third and final clown, standing to one side of the TV Station asks if Pokémon can use items in battle. If you reply correctly, “Yes” to all of them, they will give you coupons and you can return them to the salesman.

Once again, Matilda is already talking to him. She has just received her Pokétch. When you join the conversation you are given one too, along with a brief description of how to use it. Then Cato joins you, also with coupons. Now all three of you have Pokétches, and the salesman informs you of a new feature they’re especially proud of: these Pokétches can make phone calls! 

Cato notes that it could be very useful to have each other’s Pokétch numbers, so that you have someone to call in an emergency. Matilda is quick to make sure you all have each other’s number, and she and Cato also say that they’re adding their family’s numbers (Cato enters his home number, and Matilda adds both her home and her brother). When you check the Pokétch call screen, you have Cato, Matilda, and Mom registered. 

With that all sorted out, Matilda tells you that she’s off to start the gym challenge in Oreburgh City. Without further ado, she’s gone. Cato concludes that he’ll try to get a bit stronger first, but he’ll head to the first gym soon enough.

So now, once you’re satisfied with your exploration of the city–maybe you’ll look around the TV Station, or the condominium–it’s off through the tunnels to Oreburgh City! It’s time to truly begin your gym challenge.

A sandy beach town!

Matilda rushes her way down Route 201 to Sandgem Town, staying a few steps ahead of you. Cato, on the other hand, keeps pace with you for the short trip. Still, when you reach the edge of town Matilda is waiting for you so you can all enter the lab together!

If you are interested in following the story of Peaks of Sinnoh, start here!

Sandgem Town is small, much like Twinleaf Town, but the lab, the Pokémon center, and the Poké-mart make this beachside spot a point of interest in its own right. But today, you’re most interested in the lab.

Along with Matilda and Cato, you enter the lab to find Assistant Professor Larch hard at work. You wait a moment, but he still doesn’t look up. An old man steps up to the three of you, and speaks:

“Can I help you?”

You all jump and turn to face him, and Matilda pushes you forward. “Tell him what happened, [NAME]!”

You have two options: “We were attacked yesterday…” or, “We came to talk to Assistant Professor Larch…” No matter what you choose, the man replies:

“I see. I am Professor Rowan, it’s a pleasure to meet you. May I see your Pokémon?” Professor Rowan steps up to each of you in turn, and concludes that, “It looks like Lucas made the right decision. You’re all getting along quite well.”

Assistant Professor Larch finally leaves his desk to join you. “I thought so,” he tells you, and gives you the option to nickname your starter. Cato decides not to nickname his starter, but Matilda leaps at the chance (she nicknames her starter Buddy, no matter which one she chose). 

Then, Assistant Professor Larch asks the three of you if you will help him with something: will you travel the region and collect data on every Pokémon you can find? New information emerges about Pokémon every day, and you can be part of that process by catching them all.

You all agree, of course, and receive Pokédexes for your journey. Professor Rowan notes that to explore a region with Pokémon as your companions and guides is a great adventure, and Assistant Professor Larch agrees. As you learn more about Pokémon, you will also learn more about yourself.

Rowan and Larch send you on your way, and you are released into the Sinnoh region with Matilda and Cato. Cato notes the Pokémon center and the shop, which are now genuinely useful to you as trainers. He gives a quick explanation of each, before Matilda interrupts with more information: 

“Do you know how to catch Pokémon? My older brother taught me!” You can choose whether or not Matilda gives you a tutorial on catching Pokémon. If you say you don’t know how, she’ll give you the usual spiel. If you say you know already, she’s very impressed, and suggests that your mom probably taught you. She then gives you some Pokéballs, which note in their description that they can be used to catch weakened Pokémon in battle, just to be sure you’re not totally left in the dark. 

As per your mom’s request, you head home, able to catch and battle Pokémon along the way. Matilda and Cato rush ahead (Matilda faster than Cato). 

When you get home, your mom heals you up and gives you a map of the region. She wishes you luck, and reminds you that she’ll be rooting for you, and that you’re always welcome at home. When you head out, you find Cato’s dad at the edge of town. He tells you that he was trying to give a package to Cato, but Matilda dragged him away, insisting that you [the player] were probably already halfway to Jubilife city! Could you deliver the package to Cato when you reach Jubilife?

You have no choice but to take the package, which is put in your key items, and you’re off! Time to start exploring the region, and head for Jubilife city!

[Author’s note: Playing BDSP has me thinking about this project again! I had dreams of being very specific, and posting Kanto and Sinnoh posts back and forth, but I think instead I’ll focus on Sinnoh for now, and just write up what I can. I’d rather put this out there than obsess about particular qualities. Thanks for checking this out!]

A noble, quiet town.

Welcome to Lavender Town, where your journey begins!

There aren’t too many residents in Lavender Town, but many travelers pass through to see the House of Memories, where Pokémon are laid to rest, or the radio tower. The tower broadcasts across the region with all the latest hits and hottest news, from exceptional Pokémon and trainers, mysterious thefts, and the Pokémon Professor’s annual trip around the region to encourage young trainers to explore Kanto. In fact, today she’ll be in Lavender Town!

You are one of two kids in town that are old enough to start their adventure. The other is Indigo. 

You grew up together, and he is absolutely determined to be the region’s greatest trainer. He does share his name with the Kanto league, after all. Maybe he could even surpass the world-renowned champion! There’s no way he’ll be late to meet the professor, and he’s dragging you along with him. Your mom encourages you to be safe as you rush out of the house. Remember, don’t go into tall grass! You’ll have your own Pokémon to protect you soon enough, but until then it’s still not safe.

He predicts that the Professor will enter from the west side of town, coming from Saffron City. It is the region’s biggest, busiest city, after all. So, you wait (im)patiently at the edge of town, by a patch of tall grass. Indigo paces back and forth before declaring that the Professor is late! You can respond with either “It’s an outrage!” or, “She is?” Both of Indigo’s responses reveal that she is not, in fact, especially behind schedule: “A whole 63 seconds! Can you believe it?” or “…by 63 seconds. And maybe my watch is just fast. But still…”

Unable to wait any longer, Indigo proposes a plan: the Professor will definitely be impressed with you both if you’re brave enough to go into the tall grass without a Pokémon and meet her on Route 8 before she even reaches town! To prove his point, Indigo runs into the grass and encourages you to come with him. Whether you follow him or turn back toward town, you are interrupted.

???: “That’s not a great idea, kid. A good Pokémon trainer knows how to be patient.”

An adult walks over to you, and Indigo immediately recognizes her as Professor Leaf Orchid. Turns out, she recognizes you both as well. She explains that Saffron City’s exit onto Route 8 is currently blocked up, so she came from Vermillion City/down Route 12 instead. She takes you back into town and asks you if you’re ready to receive a partner Pokémon. Of course both you and Indigo are absolutely stoked, but since all the best trainers know how important patience is, Indigo suggests that you choose first.

Before Professor Orchid shows you the starter Pokémon, she wants to ask you a few questions.

When faced with a challenge do you face it with gusto, or step back and analyze?

On a day off, do you prefer to go somewhere fun or stay home and relax?

What’s most exciting to you about going on your Pokémon adventure? Challenging as many trainers as possible, or catching as many Pokémon as possible?

If you choose more of the first options, Professor Orchid says that, “You will be a powerful trainer.” If you choose more of the second options, she says that, “You will be a friend to Pokémon.” And, regardless, she gives you the choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. She also asks you if you want to nickname your starter once you have made your choice. Professor Orchid then turns to Indigo and asks him the same questions (though they are not repeated in text for the player’s convenience), and tells him that he will be a powerful trainer. Indigo will choose the starter with type advantage over yours, and insist that the two of you battle.

When the battle is over, Professor Orchid congratulates the winner and gives you both Pokédexes to catalogue the Pokémon you encounter in your travels. She also lets you know that she is headed for Cerulean city, and will be happy to help you out if you meet her on Route 10. But first, you should probably head back home before you head out into the Kanto wilderness.

When you get home your mom is excited to meet your new Pokémon and makes sure you’re prepared for your adventure with a fully healed Pokémon, running shoes, and a map of the region installed on your Pokédex. She also wonders if you’ll take on the gym challenge. 

When you next leave your house, you run into Indigo who is still very, very excited. He points out that, now that you’re both trainers, the town’s Pokémon center will heal your Pokémon and the Poké-mart will sell you items! He also asks if you want to know more about either building. (You cannot use either building normally prior to receiving your starter. Once you have your starter Nurse Joy will heal your Pokémon as normal. The Poké-mart cashiers won’t sell you anything until you talk to the professor on route 10. If you do enter either building before then, the people behind the counter will greet you by name and ask if you’re excited to meet the professor, or, at the Poké-mart, if your mother sent you to buy something.) Indigo then says he won’t waste any time starting his gym challenge, and rushes off to the north of town and route 10.

When you reach the north edge of town and step onto route 10 you will be stopped by Professor Orchid. And you will end up heading north, as you are blocked from entering Saffron City from Route 8 (which also only has one patch of tall grass that is accessible without HM01 Cut) and there is a sleeping fisherman blocking the way onto Route 12. When she stops you, Professor Orchid asks if you know about the gym challenge and how to catch Pokémon. If requested, she will explain the gym system in detail and/or provide a tutorial on catching Pokémon. At the end of the conversation, whether or not you accept her help, she will give you 6 Pokéballs and wish you good luck against the eight gym leaders. 

Now you’re fully prepared to begin your travels! Enter the caves on Route 10, and head for Cerulean City!

The fresh and free home of heroes!

Welcome to Twinleaf Town, where your Pokémon journey is about to begin!

Twinleaf Town is a quiet, idyllic spot in the southwest of the Sinnoh region. There are six houses in town, including yours, and a pavilion in the center of town. The pavilion, popular for picnics and friendly battles, has a plaque on the southernmost side. This commemorates the trainers from Twinleaf Town that helped protect the Sinnoh region from destruction many years ago. Sometimes curious trainers will visit Twinleaf Town to see where these trainers grew up!

When you wake up to a lovely day outside, your mother tells you that your friends want to meet you at the pavilion! As you leave the house, she reminds you: be careful, stay in town. It’s not safe to go into the tall grass without a Pokémon of your own. Mom’s Luxray is relaxing in the sun outside the house, but Luxray won’t be waking up to help you anytime soon.

Your friends, Matilda and Cato, are waiting for you at the pavilion. 

Matilda is the first to rush up to you, excitedly explaining that rumor has it that the champion is going to be near Twinleaf Town today! You absolutely have to come with them to try and spot the champion! Cato points out that none of you actually know what the champion looks like, but Matilda is unphased. She rushes off to the north side of town and route 201, and you and Cato don’t really have much of a choice but to follow. (If you turn around or wait too long, she will call for you to hurry up!) 

When you and Cato reach route 201, Matilda points you toward the Verity Lakefront. There, you watch someone rush through the trees toward the lake.

“That could be the champion!” she insists, “Come on!” and she leads the way to Lake Verity.

When you reach the lake, you find the man you’d spotted earlier standing at the water’s edge. 

???: “Are you sure about this? … OK, I’m on my way. Let’s go, Floatzel!”

He releases a Pokémon and surfs away, leaving behind a briefcase.

Matilda heads for the briefcase, but Cato stops her. It’s been left in tall grass, and none of you have Pokémon. However, Matilda insists it will be fine, and heads for the briefcase anyway. A few steps into the grass she asks if you’re coming with her, but it doesn’t really matter if you follow her or not. Either way, when she reaches the case she is attacked by a wild Starly. If you followed her, you’re attacked too. If not, you and Cato rush in to help anyway. She swings the briefcase at the wild Pokémon, and it bursts open. Cato is the first to notice the Pokéballs scattered on the ground. Maybe there’s Pokémon inside!

“Quick! Grab one!” Matilda tells you, and so you have a choice to make: will you grab Turtwig, the tiny leaf Pokémon? Chimchar, the chimp Pokémon? Or Piplup, the penguin Pokémon? Whichever one you choose, Matilda chooses the Pokémon that has type advantage over yours, and Cato, who has no other options, takes the Pokémon that has the type disadvantage.

After you defeat the wild Starly, the three of you are left with a conundrum: Do you keep the Pokémon you just battled with, or return them to the briefcase? Matilda wants to keep them. She’s always wanted to be a trainer, and has been hoping and trying to get her own Pokémon since she was very little. Until now she’s just been allowed to borrow Pokémon from other people in her family. Cato insists that the right thing to do is to return the Pokémon. Surely the “Mystery Man” will come back, and he’ll know his Pokémon were stolen. When they turn to you for your opinion, you have three possible answers: “Keep them,” “Put them back,” or, “Is there a way to do both?”

If you choose “Keep them” or “Put them back” whoever you agree with will use that as ammunition in their argument against the other. If you select the third option, wondering about a compromise, the other two will consider it. Matilda will suggest you leave a note explaining the situation. You could even include your names, so the “Mystery Man” will know where to find you! Cato insists that will just make you more likely to get into trouble. Instead, you all should wait until the “Mystery Man” comes back, at which point you can explain yourselves and ask nicely if you can keep the Pokémon. Matilda is worried that he might say no. No matter what conversation Matilda and Cato are having, they are distracted by a Pokémon teleporting into your midst.

The pink and blue emotion Pokémon Mespirit hovers between you for a moment. It stays just long enough for Matilda to ask, “What is-?” before zipping across the lake and into the cavern. Cato suggests it was probably a Pokémon. Maybe even the legendary Pokémon said to live here at Lake Verity. Your attention is drawn back to the cavern as the “Mystery Man” emerges, followed by a woman in pink.

Mystery Man: “How long do you think it’s been since they were here?”

???: “The writing hadn’t faded. Probably not long. We’ll have to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.”

Mystery Man: “I’ll keep a close eye out around here.”

They don’t exchange any more words before the woman calls on a Pokémon and flies away. Similarly, the “Mystery Man” gets back on his Floatzel to surf back.

“Oh no, he’s gonna catch us! We have to hide!” Matilda tells you, looking around.

“I thought you were confident that we wouldn’t get in trouble?” Cato asks.

There’s nothing you can do before the man reaches shore and hops off his Pokémon. Matilda hides behind you and Cato.

Mystery Man: “I guess I should know better than to leave a briefcase here.”

Matilda insists you say something to him. You have two options: “Can we keep your Pokémon?” and “Sorry for using your Pokémon.”

If you choose to apologize, the man will start by saying, “Oh, it’s no problem!” Regardless of your answer, he says, “Do you like them? If they like spending time with you, I’d hate to make you part ways. I’m Assistant Professor Larch. You kids should probably call me that, though most people still just call me Lucas. I work over in Sandgem Town. If I let you keep these Pokémon, will you come visit me at my lab tomorrow?”

You all confirm that you will, of course.

“Great. And make sure you talk with your families before you start traveling the region or challenging any gyms. Talk to you later!” As he picks up the briefcase and walks away he continues to mutter, “I’ll need to get everything ready, make sure I have the equipment, and…”

Once you’ve watched him leave, Matilda turns to you.

“We have our own Pokémon! How cool is that?! Come on, I’ll meet you back in town!” She hurries back toward Twinleaf Town, and Cato also confirms that he will see you back there. You are left to your own devices for a short time, though a trainer blocks your way to Sandgem Town. If you try to pass, he’ll remind you that you don’t have your own Pokémon and shouldn’t be out here. When you explain that you do have a Pokémon, he asks if you’ve told your mother about this yet, and you are still kept from passing him.

When you return to Twinleaf Town, Matilda is waiting for you at the pavilion, ready for a battle. She explains that she and Cato already battled and she just barely beat him, so she wants to challenge you, next! She will heal your Pokémon, and you will have your first trainer battle.

After the battle, your mom congratulates you from the side of the pavilion, whether or not you’ve won. She talks to you about your new Pokémon, and takes you back home to get healed up. When you wake up the next morning, Mom also talks to you about the journey ahead: exploring the region, challenging trainers, and taking on Gym Leaders, including a few comments about how much you’ve grown up and her own nostalgia for the gym challenge. She also hopes you’ll come back one more time after meeting with Professor Larch so that she can be sure you’re ready before you take off! But she admits she’s talked too much, and sends you off to meet Cato and Matilda.

Your friends are waiting for you at the northernmost edge of town. Together, you’re ready to head for Sandgem Town!