Until recently, the Magma and Aqua Teams hadn't drawn much attention from the Hoenn League.
Mainly because, unlike Team Rocket, they didn't expand territory or manage black market trades, nor did they promote strange theories like Team Plasma.
More importantly, in recent years, the league's attention had been focused on Team Rocket, so naturally, the relatively weak Aqua and Magma Teams were overlooked.
After all, the leaders of these two organizations weren't even at Champion level, while Team Rocket had so many Champions you'd lose count!
However, just recently, the league discovered that both the Magma and Aqua Teams now had a Champion-level powerhouse, and both specialized in Dragons.
And now Team Rocket had started to interfere as well.
The Hoenn League instantly went on high alert.
"Even though we don't know where those Champion-level Dragon users in Magma and Aqua ca from, we can still handle things as they are,"
In the Hoenn League's headquarters in Sootopolis City, Steven Stone, dressed in a black suit, stood at the center of the conference room, eting with the Gym Leaders and Elite Four seated at the round table.
Near Lavaridge Town's Chimney Mountain, and the Weather Institute west of Fortree City—
In just over a month, the Magma and Aqua Teams had already had two major violent clashes.
But this wasn't what worried the Hoenn League most—it was...
Wallace continued, "Team Rocket has also gotten involved, led by the Four Generals, but both of their attempts failed."
That's right—Team Rocket was what truly scared the Hoenn League.
Even though Magma and Aqua had each suddenly produced a Champion,
the Hoenn League could still handle them.
Not to ntion, just counting Champion-level Trainers, Hoenn had Steven, Wallace, and Juan.
But Team Rocket was on another level.
There was no need for the league to investigate—even the dia had done statistics on it:
Joker, Giovanni, Karen, Psychic Fatty, Sird, Green, Colress...
They had over ten Champions!
No, both Joker and Stephen were considered Masters,
Giovanni was considered half a step into Master level,
which was even scarier.
Even though Team Rocket's interference had failed twice,
anyone could see that was just because they'd underestimated Magma and Aqua's secret weapons.
Next ti Team Rocket steps in, it's obvious they'll send a Champion-level executive!
"We should request reinforcents from other leagues," suggested Winona.
A few years ago, unless sothing huge happened, no region would ask for help from others—it was considered disgraceful.
But with Team Rocket, there was no such hesitation.
Their strength was too off the charts.
"Should we ask Dr. Stephen?"
Asked Flannery, the new Lavaridge Gym Leader, who'd just taken over from her grandfather and fought Ash in her first Gym battle yesterday.
Trainers of her age group had all grown up hearing of Stephen's legendary achievents.
"He's about to have a child soon; let's not bother him unless Joker makes a move,"
Steven replied thoughtfully.
ntioning child made envy flash in Wallace's eyes, and he glanced at Winona, who imdiately looked away.
"Leon should be enough, right?"
Proposed Drake.
Leon, at the peak of Champion level and now wielding Eternatus, was solidly the league's second strongest.
As long as Joker and Giovanni didn't show up, Leon could handle anyone from Team Rocket.
"Now that Team Rocket is involved, we need strong outside help. I don't want to owe Rose a favor though..."
Winona muttered to herself.
Rose was shrewd—any favor owed would be maximized.
"Alright, it's settled. I'll contact Chairman Rose. Everyone, stay alert for Team Rocket."
The afro-haired chairman nodded.
The Gym Leaders and Elite Four left one after another.
Slumping in his chair, Wallace sighed, "This year was supposed to be exciting. I didn't expect all this trouble."
On his way to HQ this morning, he'd t Norman's son, Ruby, who seed talented—maybe enough to threaten Sonia's three-peat, since Sonia's dominance had made the outco of matches predictable and less interesting to viewers.
Valuing the Grand Festival's unpredictability, Wallace officially accepted Ruby as his student.
As for the league, Kanto's Gary and Professor Birch's daughter Sapphire were also hot favorites, making this year's Hoenn League and Grand Festival highly anticipated.
And then the three criminal organizations started acting up.
Steven was about to speak when a strong tremor shook the floor—
the building was being attacked.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted at the league HQ's front entrance, black smoke rising instantly, visible to Steven and Wallace from their upper-floor eting room.
"What's going on?!" Wallace's expression changed.
Steven rushed to the window, quickly sending out his Skarmory to clear the smoke with Tailwind.
As the smoke cleared, a pair of massive, blood-red wings appeared.
"Salance? No, that's not Drake's."
Steven, shocked, called out the Pokémon's na, instinctively thinking of Drake's Salance.
But in the next second, he realized this Salance's aura was far beyond Drake's.
"That uniform... Magma Team!"
Wallace noticed the figure on Salance's back was wearing the red Magma Team uniform.
"A Salance user... could it be the Champion the reports ntioned...?"
"Froslass, Blizzard!"
Just as Steven was speculating, Glacia sent out her Froslass to block the blood-winged Salance.
"Flathrower!"
The mysterious Trainer in the Magma uniform, hood covering their face, gave a calm order.
Ice and fire clashed and held for a mont, but within two seconds, the flas started to overpower the blizzard, and Froslass showed signs of pain.
Glacia imdiately raised her Key Stone ring to ga Evolve Froslass.
"Froslass, GA Evo—"
"Got you!"
Just as Glacia's finger was about to touch the Key Stone,
the mysterious Trainer shouted, and Salance suddenly increased its power. The fla pillar doubled in size—
They hadn't been using full strength!
It all happened too fast. The flathrower instantly overpowered the blizzard—and Froslass.
Amidst the burning, Froslass's painful screeches could be faintly heard.
Two seconds later, the flas dissipated, and Froslass fell from the air, defeated.
But as Froslass dropped, the mysterious Trainer leaped, spread their limbs in midair, grabbed the ga Stone from Froslass's forehead, then used Froslass's face as a springboard to jump again—
and stole Froslass's ga Stone.
"Their goal is the ga Stones? But... why?"
Wallace shouted in confusion.
Isn't this Magma Team Champion a Dragon user?
Why steal Froslass's ga Stone?
"Absol! ga Evolve!"
"Banette! ga Evolve!"
After Glacia's ga Stone was stolen, Elite Four mbers Sidney and Phoebe ga Evolved their Pokémon.
ga Absol and ga Banette attacked the giant Salance with Dark Pulse and Shadow Ball.
BOOM!
Both attacks hit at once, sending a shockwave that forced the Trainers back.
"Salance!"
"Slaking!"
Drake, the last Hoenn Elite, and Norman, the strongest Gym Leader, sent out their aces.
Salance and Slaking, both heavyweights, landed with a bang and opened wings and arms to shield the others.
"Take them out."
Before the shockwave faded, the mysterious Trainer issued a command.
Her voice, judging by the tone, sounded like a girl around 14.
With Salance and Slaking blocking, Flannery and others peeked up, catching a glimpse of a dazzling rainbow light in the distance—
the light of ga Evolution.
That rampaging Salance's body grew in the light, revealing a new form—
ga Salance!
"She really can..."
Even though everyone had expected it, seeing ga Salance in action stunned them.
In a heartbeat, ga Salance raised its right claw, unleashed three slashing blue blades, and struck down hard.
Screeech!
The air seed to rip—the sound sent chills down everyone's spine.
ga Absol and Banette were blasted away by the sharp Dragon Claw.
Their bodies flashed white midair, reverting from ga to normal forms.
Everyone was floored.
She'd taken out two Elite Four aces in one hit!
Wallace sucked in a cold breath.
This person... is stronger than both himself and Juan!
Maybe only Steven could match her now.
"Goodra!"
The mysterious Trainer sent out her second Pokémon.
Goodra's two antennae stretched out like arms and snatched the ga Stones from Banette and Absol.
She now had two more ga Stones!
"Salance! ga Evolve!"
Drake couldn't watch anymore.
The intense evolution light enveloped Drake's Key Stone and Salance.
Three seconds later, it was ga Salance vs. ga Salance at the entrance!
"Salance! Dragon Claw!"
Drake shouted.
"We'll use Dragon Claw too."
The mysterious Trainer's tone remained nonchalant.
The two Dragon Claws collided, like two massive blades.
The battle looked even, but within two seconds, it was clear—
they looked similar, but the power wasn't even close.
Drake's Salance was being overpowered!
"tagross!"
Steven, having jumped down from the top floor, sent out his Shiny tagross to join the fight.
"...Tch!"
Seeing her Salance gaining the upper hand, the mysterious Trainer looked up at Steven, clicked her tongue in annoyance, and had Salance break off to deal with tagross.
Shiny tagross's arm glowed with teor Mash, clashing with Dragon Claw.
After a brief struggle, ga Salance gained the advantage.
But her Trainer saw more league reinforcents arriving.
"Tch! Joseph's son... Hmph, lucky you, I'll let you go this ti!"
The mysterious Trainer cursed and patted Salance's back.
Salance spread its wings, broke away from tagross, and soared into the clouds, escaping.
"Steven!"
Everyone rushed over. Winona anxiously asked, "Phoebe, Glacia, and Sidney's ga Stones were stolen. Should we chase?"
Steven didn't answer, looking confused.
That girl called him "Joseph's son?"
Strange, he was famous enough—why refer to his father instead of his na?
Was there so hidden aning?
The theft of three Elite Four ga Stones was too embarrassing to report publicly.
But within an hour, league elites from all regions learned of it via group chat.
For so reason, it seed the Magma Team was going after ga Stones en masse, maybe to boost power.
But Kalos Champion Diantha imdiately pointed out—
if that was the case, why not steal the Key Stones too?
You need both to ga Evolve.
Wallace was puzzled too, but still warned Trainers with ga Stones to be careful.
Stephen, eating, paused at the news, then forwarded it to Aster and Marnie, already operating in Hoenn.
Even among Gym Leaders, few had access to ga Evolution.
Many Pokémon couldn't ga Evolve, like Norman and Juan's teams.
Plus, ga Evolution required deep Trainer-Pokémon bonds.
Currently, among Hoenn's Gym Leaders, only Winona has an Altaria ga Stone, and Flannery has a Houndoom ga Stone—
but Flannery hadn't mastered ga Evolution.
So, among Hoenn's Gym Leaders, only Winona could use ga Evolution.
If that person was after ga Stones, Winona would be the next target—
At this point, both Team Rocket and the League had the sa idea.
...
Two weeks later, the Feather Carnival in Fortree City.
It was the annual global gathering for Flying-type Trainers, and as the local Gym Leader, Winona would bring out her Pokémon to interact and play with kids.
The city was lively, with many children gathered.
In the crowd, Wallace, in disguise, whispered, "Will she co?"
Beside him, Steven, also masked, replied, "Of course. If her target is ga Stones, she'll go after Winona. Even kids know to pick the softest persimmon."
Everyone present was league operatives in disguise.
They were setting a trap for the Magma Team's Dragon user.
"What do you an? You saying Winona's weak?!"
Wallace protested.
Steven was speechless.
After breaking up, you're still simping?
"Hello, Miss Winona! I'm Ash from Pallet Town! I'm here to challenge the Fortree Gym!"
"Hello! I'm Sapphire from Littleroot Town. I'd like to challenge the Gym too!"
Just then, two kids popped up in front of Winona.
Seeing them, Winona and the other hidden league elites were dumbfounded.
Wait, how did these two kids get in!?
"What's going on? Wasn't the entrance closed?"
Steven whispered into his earpiece.
"S-sorry, we told them not to co in, but they must have snuck in..."
The league staff sounded like they were about to cry.
Everyone at the carnival was an undercover league Trainer; all regular citizens had been diverted elsewhere.
"Hurry up and get those two kids out of here."
Drake, also in disguise, tried to drag the two troublemakers away.
But just as he reached out—
a raging pillar of fla shot down from the sky.
Flathrower!
"tagross!"
Steven instantly threw a Pokéball.
Shiny tagross leaped out, shielding Winona and the kids from above.
The flas struck, but tagross's Barrier blocked the heat.
Still, the intense heat made the two ten-year-olds gasp.
Looking up, they saw two fierce pseudo-legends glaring at each other.
Ash and Sapphire were stunned.
Wh-what's going on!?
"Everyone, be alert!"
Steven tore off his mask.
Wallace, Drake, Norman, and others also revealed themselves, sending out their aces and staring down Salance and its rider above.
"Looks like we're involved in sothing big..."
Sapphire muttered.
"Wow! Brother Stephen is here too!"
Ash pointed to the side.
Huh?
Hearing this, Steven and the others frowned.
They hadn't called Stephen here.
Turning to look—
everyone from Hoenn's face changed.
That golden ring—they knew it all too well!
Only two people in the world had one.
But they hadn't called Stephen.
So, the only one left was...
"Ah—Ash, long ti no see!"
A lively, energetic voice called out from the golden ring.
"Sister Green!?"
Ash was startled.
"You should call this now."
Green put her finger to her lips, her youthful face and mature figure giving her a surprising charm.
"One of Team Rocket's Seven Warlords: Green~"
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