Dawn came quietly.
Early the next morning, just as Aaron finished breakfast, the school vehicle pulled up outside his house. Grace and the other three were already inside.
After greeting his parents, Aaron climbed into the car.
"Morning, everyone…"
He took a seat with a smile.
"Morning!"
"Good morning, Aaron!"
"Morning, Aaron!"
The group greeted him warmly. Simon and Victor, especially, were now as well-behaved as model students around him, treating Aaron with obvious respect.
"Aaron… what kind of Pokémon are you planning to catch this time?" Ethan asked curiously.
"Hm… I'm thinking of going for a Grass-type."
"Grass-type?"
The four exchanged surprised looks. Grass-types weren't exactly the first choice for most trainers—there were plenty of types that countered them.
"And you guys?" Aaron asked with a faint smile, offering no explanation.
"Me?" Ethan's eyes lit up. "I want to catch a Charmander! When it evolves into Charizard, it'll look insanely cool!"
"I'm going to catch a Magikarp," Victor declared proudly. "Maybe it'll awaken some ancient bloodline like your Gyarados!"
Aaron's lips twitched.
Silly kid. I made that up.
And he actually bought it…
Still, even an ordinary Gyarados would be more than strong enough.
"As for me," Simon said, stroking his chin, "any Pokémon works—as long as its Base Stats Total is high."
Typical rich-kid priorities.
"Doesn't matter to me," Grace said coolly. "As long as it looks good."
Aaron sighed inwardly.
So she's all about appearances, huh?
Or maybe she's just rich enough to be picky.
Laughing and chatting, the vehicle slowly entered the Pokémon Reserve.
At the checkpoint, several soldiers stopped them. Aaron and the others presented their passes.
After a careful inspection, they were allowed through.
...
Once inside the Pokémon Reserve, the five split up, each heading toward the habitat of the type they were aiming for. With different goals in mind, they quickly went their separate ways.
Aaron walked along a quiet path with Frog Boss at his side. On both sides stretched wide, lush grasslands where rare Pokémon roamed freely, completely at ease.
The sun shone overhead, white clouds drifting lazily across the sky.
Butterfree fluttered in graceful arcs through the air.
Small groups of Oddish played in the grass.
It was the kind of place any Pokémon would thrive in.
Aaron pulled out the map the soldier had given him, picked a direction, and continued on.
He and Frog Boss crossed open fields, climbed gentle hills, and eventually reached the edge of a dense forest.
This was where the Pokémon he wanted lived.
That's right.
His target was the Grass-type Pokémon: Treecko.
At first, he had hesitated between Bulbasaur and Treecko.
But the image that lingered most vividly in his mind was Ash's Sceptile, a twig casually clenched between its teeth—
How could that not be cool?
And Mega Sceptile was on an entirely different level.
If Sceptile one day mastered Wood Release techniques and Sage Mode…
What kind of legend would the first Sage Lizard create?
A faint smile curved across Aaron's lips as he stepped into the forest with Frog Boss.
...
Meanwhile, deep within the forest—
Two figures darted swiftly between the treetops, their movements smooth and precise. Both wore black trench coats, each marked with a bold letter "L" across the back.
One of them spoke.
"Ice Phoenix… how did you manage this?"
"How did you get past the warning systems and slip in here?"
The woman known as Ice Phoenix had blue hair and an angelic face. But her expression was glacial, completely devoid of emotion.
Without turning around, she replied coolly,
"Don't ask what you don't need to know. Just carry out the mission assigned by the organization."
"Ah la la la…"
"So cold~"
The long-haired man with dull, lifeless eyes let his gaze drift over her figure, licking his lips.
"So what's the mission this time?"
Despite his unsettling demeanor, he moved with surprising agility, leaping from branch to branch with ease.
"Capture every Treecko in this area."
Ice Phoenix's voice remained icy.
"Ah la la la… The organization's ambitions just keep growing."
"But…"
"I like it."
"Ha ha ha…"