Nestled at the foot of the Snowpeak Mountain Range, Snowpeak Village stood as a testament to the Pearl Clan's resilience. What was once a nomadic settlement of tents had, over the years, transformed into a thriving community.
The Wisdom River, flowing down from Lake Acuity, connected the village to the sea, allowing them to transport lumber from Obsidian Fieldlands via boats. The wooden cabins now lining the village replaced the old canvas tents, marking a true sense of permanence.
To enter the village, one had to cross a sturdy wooden bridge, guarded by Pearl Clan sentinels. Thanks to a certain warden's influence, these sentinels no longer called themselves mere guards—they now proudly referred to themselves as Pokémon Trainers.
With the Poké Ball technology introduced by the Galaxy Team, the new generation of Pearl Clan warriors captured Pokémon, trained alongside them, and defended their village from the dangers lurking in the Pure White Tundra.
But today, the bridge guard was struggling.
Fingers gripping his wooden spear, his eyelids drooped heavily. He barely managed to stay awake. The only thing stopping him from collapsing was the horrible nightmares that awaited him if he fell asleep.
Beside him, his Machoke stood watch, its muscular physique helping it resist the fatigue—but even it was starting to sway.
Then, a shadow passed overhead.
A massive black bird soared through the sky.
The guard jolted, his sleep-deprived mind failing to distinguish dream from reality. His grip tightened on his spear.
"…A dark bird…? Wait—am I dreaming again?!"
He slapped himself across the face, the sting confirming he was awake.
"…Damn it, not now! Machoke, prepare for battle!"
"Machooo!"
Machoke bent down, gripping a hefty rock—the best weapon against flying Pokémon.
"Wait! Uncle Cell, don't attack! It's me—Tauri!"
A familiar voice rang out from the sky.
Cell rubbed his eyes aggressively before finally recognizing the two figures riding atop the bird.
"…Machoke, stand down." He propped his spear against the snow, letting out a long sigh. "Tch. This little brat, where did she find such a terrifying Pokémon…?"
Corviknight landed with a heavy thud, its scarlet eyes gleaming with pride. It briefly glanced at Machoke, letting out a low scoff—as if mocking the rock in its hands.
Pathetic. Even if you threw a hundred of those, you'd never touch me. And even if you did?
I wouldn't even feel it.
Summer and Tauri dismounted.
Immediately, Cell's stern voice rang out:
"Tauri! When did you sneak out of the village?! The whole place is a mess, and you go running off—"
"I know, I know! But that's not important right now!" Tauri waved her hands frantically.
"This guy—Summer—he has a way to stop the nightmares!"
Cell's eyes widened.
"…What?!"
His gaze snapped to Summer, scanning him up and down.
Strange clothing.
A commanding presence.
A powerful Pokémon at his side.
Yet, his face wasn't cruel or deceitful.
"…Where the hell did you pick up this kid?"
"Uncle, quit staring like that!" Tauri puffed out her cheeks, clearly impatient.
"You're always hesitating—that's why you still haven't confessed to Miss Gweyn!"
"W-WHAT?!?"
A deep red blush spread across Cell's rugged face.
"I—You—Tauri! Stop spouting nonsense!!"
He cleared his throat aggressively, turned sharply on his heel, and started marching toward the village.
"…Fine. I'll go get the chief. You two—stay put."
Summer crossed his arms.
"…So they're really not letting me in?"
Tauri let out a small sigh, shaking her head.
"They're actually much more welcoming than when I was little," she admitted.
"Before, outsiders weren't even allowed near the village."
Summer nodded, piecing things together.
That means this timeline is much later than my last visit to Hisui.
Inside a dimly lit wooden house, Irida tapped her fingers against a table, her face tight with frustration.
Across from her, a young man in a red beret—Adaman's warden, Melli—adjusted his scarf and sighed.
"I've checked the Galaxy Team's Pokédex from cover to cover," he said. "But there's no Pokémon recorded with an ability like this."
Irida gritted her teeth.
"If this doesn't stop soon, I'll have no choice but to order an evacuation."
Melli hesitated.
"…There is one thing," he admitted.
Irida's sharp blue eyes locked onto him.
"What?"
Melli lowered his voice.
"…Some pages of the Pokédex were deliberately erased."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"And among those erased records…"
"…Was the Pokémon sealed inside Snowpoint Temple."
Irida's expression darkened.
"…That's no coincidence."
At that moment, a firm knock echoed against the wooden door.
"Come in," she called.
Cell stepped inside, his face still slightly red from earlier.
"…Chief," he started hesitantly, "There's… uh… someone outside the village."
Irida raised an eyebrow. "An outsider?"
Cell scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, and… he claims he can end the nightmares."
Melli and Irida both shot to their feet.
"WHAT?!"
While waiting outside, Summer examined the village's architecture.
The wooden cabins, the reinforced bridges, the proper defenses…
This was far different from the primitive tents he remembered.
This timeline must be much later than before…
Then, his attention shifted.
Two figures were approaching from the bridge.
The first was a young woman—Summer recognized her instantly.
Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan.
Her signature outfit remained unchanged, despite the frigid temperatures.
A cropped top and short shorts, leaving large portions of her pale skin exposed.
Around her neck, wrists, and ankles, she wore light blue jade ornaments.
A flowing red-and-white sash, embroidered with the Pearl Clan insignia, draped around her waist.
Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back, a crimson headpiece perched atop her head—curved like two small horns.
Though her features were tired, her sharp blue eyes were still filled with determination.
Behind her stood a young man in a red beret, dressed in a deep blue uniform.
Melli had grown taller, his face more mature than Summer remembered.
But his eyes held a spark of recognition as they landed on Summer.
So… is this the Melli of this era?
Or…
Irida stopped a few feet away, studying Summer carefully.
"…Sorry for the wait."
Then, she tilted her head slightly, a mischievous glint in her tired eyes.
"…Let me guess. You don't remember anything?"
Summer blinked.
"…What?"
Irida raised a finger.
"Did you fall from the sky?"
"…No."
"Do you have amnesia?"
"…No."
Irida pouted slightly.
"…Tch. I was sure you were one of those 'space-time lost travelers.'"
Melli chuckled. "You do have a habit of assuming that, Chief."
Irida sighed. "Fine, whatever. More importantly—"
She met Summer's gaze, her voice firm.
"You said you can end the nightmares."
She placed a hand over her heart.
"If that's true… then please.
Save our village."