"So, why are you still here in Johto?" I asked Akemi as I floated on my back. I splashed up cool water onto my bare stomach, my skin rising into goosebumps in response. Akemi was a few feet away from me in an inner-tube of her own, lounging with Flora. The Meganium's tall neck let her head peak above the waves of Route 32, which she lazily rested on Akemi's inner-tube.

"What do you mean?"

"I thought the whole point of the REP was to send the original people to the other region. That way consistent data was found." I paddled over to Akemi's tube for a sip of my drink. She had splurged a bit at the store and bought the one with cup holders; I went for the base model. The soda's sweet taste bubbled in my mouth.

"Ah, no, not necessarily. We were offered to go, but I chose to stay behind and help whoever came this way. Ethan didn't really care to stick around at all. He's obsessed with battling currently. I knew that whoever showed up would want help with the locations of different species. Plus, over twenty years after the war and the regions still aren't friendly toward each other. With me by your side, no one will bug you."

"I never thought of it like that," I said while taking sips of my juice between every few words. "Maybe I should have stayed behind and helped the next kid." I knew I couldn't bring myself to do that, but my words only aimed to make me seem more sympathetic.

Akemi shook her head. She held up one finger to me as she chugged her water—she had something to say and wanted me to wait. "No," she said after taking down the long swig. "You didn't need to. Whoever went your way is a smart cookie, and only the really old people and government officials are pretty pissy about politics. But, they're always upset about something, so what does it matter?"

We laughed as we sipped on our drinks. The sun warmed the air around us to a sweltering temperature. We had spent most of the day in the chilled caves carved into the hills, but Akemi thought it might be fun to take a dip in the cool waters. It was one of the best plans of our trip so far. I hadn't packed a bathing suit and neither had she, so we swam in our underwear. The stores hadn't stocked them since it was such an odd heat spell. However, for some reason, the convenience store did have floaties for us to buy at an incredibly discounted price. Fresh from the moldy storage room at the back of the store behind the beer cave.

I didn't really mind swimming in my underwear though. It was like doing laundry and kicking back all at the same time— a win-win if you ask me. Charizard sat on the shore, as far away from the water as he could get while still being close to me. He did the watchful duty of guarding our clothes from the pervy teenage boys that refused to leave us alone despite our best efforts to choose a secluded area.

I swam to the rocky beach and walked up out of the water. My toes curled slightly, recoiling to the frigid touch of the ice-cold rocks. I didn't realize they would be that cold until my wet feet came into contact with the pebbles. Great, I'm going to have to go around with soaked underwear and cold feet, I realized as I gestured for my towel. Charizard flung the soft piece of fabric over to me with his wing, and I started drying off immediately. The weather sure was interesting in Johto.

After tying my hair up into my towel, I grabbed my diary from the bag hanging on Charizard's back. I looked over the most recent entry.

Dear Diary,
Akemi and I have arrived in Azalea Town. It's quaint and surrounded by the trees of the Ilex Forest. We're going to meet with Kurt later today. He's supposedly a master at making Pokeballs from apricorns. I'm skeptical. Pokeballs from berries? Seems unlikely, but he's a legend of sorts in this region, so I trust Akemi on this one. I've not caught many new Pokémon yet since there are many species native to both Johto and Kanto. The most notable in my opinion was Miltank. It's such a useful Pokémon for day to day life and also for battling. Whitney showed us that when I decided to challenge her gym in Goldenrod City for a little extra fun. Note: not actually fun. We also visited the nursery just south of Goldenrod too. They told me about baby Pokémon. I left my Ditto and Raichu there, and Akemi left her Ditto and Hitmontop—a third evolution branch in Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan's family. We'll visit them again once they call us on our Pokégear. That will make for an interes—

"Oooh, look at those cute girls over there." A squeaky male voice captured my attention from my journal. I looked up with visible annoyance painted on my face. The two youngster trainers that were ogling at me and Akemi earlier were back for more.

"Screw off, pervs," Akemi yelled. She splashed some water in their general direction to accompany her warning; the gesture accomplished nothing.

Instead, the boys—no older than twelve—started making unseemly gestures. They grabbed their chests and started making squeezing motions, letting our minds fill in the rest. I had had enough and glanced over at Charizard with a disgusted look. He looked over at me with a similar expression, and I gave a quick flick of the head toward the boys. Immediately, Charizard zoomed over to them, roaring as he went. I heard screaming and panicked feet scurrying away as I continued to dry myself off. They deserved no more attention from me, so I didn't even grace them with a glance as they fled.

"They won't bother us again," I said confidently.

"They better not. Disgusting boys," Akemi snarled, joining me on the shore. She tip-toed over to the warmer stones, much like I did when I got out of the water.

My eyes lingered over her figure, and I couldn't help but notice how cute she looked. The boys had a point. I quickly averted my gaze and continued to towel off as she turned to face me. That would have made for an awkward conversation if she had noticed.

"So, where to next? We can go practically anywhere with this heat. I just hope it lasts," Akemi said.

"Is it usually this warm in the middle of winter?" I asked. In Kanto, going swimming now would be considered crazy unless you lived near the volcanoes. Even then, it was still too cold most of the year to truly enjoy a dip in the hot springs. The water was warm, but the air was not.

"Nope, I have no idea what is up with this weather," she replied. "But hey, I'm not complaining about it."

"I'm not either," I said quickly. I didn't want her to get the wrong idea, thinking that I complained too much. "I love the warm, but it's just weird, don't you think? It should be freezing."

"Yeah," Akemi muttered. "Maybe we can go ask the scientists at the Ruins of Alph. They might have an answer. Plus, it's where I was going to suggest we head next anyway. Lots of rare Pokémon and myths exclusive to this region. It's a really cool place, I remember taking a field trip there when I was in elementary school."

After coming to the agreement that we were going to the Ruins next, we finished up getting dressed. We laughed as we put on our clothes over our wet undergarments. The awkward feeling of wet clothes was mutual, and we ended up walking like cowboys for the first part of our trip.

After a while of joking about our wild west posture, Akemi continued where the more educational conversation had left off. "You're interested in myths, right? I know that it's not everyone's thing, and the Ruins would be super boring if you don't like learning about history."

"I think legends are pretty cool, and I would love to learn about some of your region's stories." I carefully constructed my sentences as I spoke. I couldn't sound too eager, but I couldn't be too lax either. It would have been so much easier if my heart wasn't pounding at the idea of finally finding the answer to my burning question.

"Didn't you catch some pretty powerful Pokémon? Like, the bird trio of Kanto? I can't remember their names," Akemi said letting her words trail off into thought. "Uno? Zapuno? Unozap?" she muttered to herself.

"Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres," I corrected. I couldn't help but smile a bit at how cute she was when she was flustered.

"Yeah, those three. It was impressive to read Professor Oak's research based on the Pokédex entries you made and the species you sent him. They all have such awesome power." The awe shone through the inflections in her voice. "I wish I could have caught some of the legendaries of my region."

"What legendaries are commonly believed to be real?" I pried. It was time to start doing the real research I was here to do. The few Pokémon that I captured here didn't matter in my mind at all anymore. Sure, I would re-complete the Johto Pokédex, but that was far from the real goal. Legendaries were real, and they were out there. More importantly, they would be mine.

Akemi placed a finger on her chin and looked up. We walked in silence, only her hums of thought interrupted the quiet. "Lots of people believe in the Beasts: Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. But, I'll talk about those more once we get to my hometown of Ecruteak. That's where the legends started, so it only feels right to discuss them there. I'll have to think of some others while we're here, but you'll probably get more informed answers from the scientists."

We hiked through a rocky passage that opened onto an impressive valley. Weathered houses made of stone and petrified wood sat scattered throughout the dusty gorge. Rubble sat in places where houses should have been placed in the well thought out pattern; a neighborhood of the ancients. To the far right was a stark difference in the landscape. A temporary house with an air conditioning unit attached to the side stood near one of the other exits to the valley. People milled around in white outfits— lab coats, probably— rushing from the unit to the ancient architectures.

"What is going on here?" Akemi wondered, pulling herself from her thoughts.

"Is it usually this busy?" I asked as I continued watching the frantic movements of the scientists below.

"No, probably not. We should get moving," Akemi said, starting down the path.

The trail leading down to the Ruins of Alph was steep. My feet constantly slid, and I continually had to stop and regain my footing lest I fall into the valley. The researchers looked busy enough without having to deal with an injured teenager that couldn't walk down a hill properly. They scurried from building to building, carrying clipboards and furiously scribbling down notes. Some carried beakers and test tubes, and others carried boxes of documents piled high over their heads. I watched one encounter where two people bumped into each other, one spilling his box of papers and the other her beaker of pink liquid. I heard them bicker vigorously as they picked up the now ruined papers. Scientists preoccupied with writing bumped into Akemi and I as we passed. Only a small few of them remembered to say sorry.

We approached the researchers' main building. A security guard noticed us and walked over to confront us. His muscles were intimidatingly large, and his uniform was pulled taut over them to highlight their size. His buzz cut and overall demeanor gave me the impression that he ordered a uniform a size too small on purpose. "Sorry, authorized personnel only at the moment. Please come back at another time for a tour."

I pulled out my Pokédex, and Akemi copied my move. "Is this enough authorization?"

The guard looked at my Pokédex. He pointed a finger at it, asking without words if he could have it. I handed it over, switching it on as I did. He flicked his finger up and down. I prayed silently that he didn't notice anything suspicious about the missing Pokémon. It would reflect terribly on my reputation if he noticed it and said something to anyone. After a few agonizing moments of waiting, he handed my Pokédex back to me before asking for Akemi's in the same way.

"Alright," he eventually said. "It seems like you two are the real deal. I'll let you inside," he said as he turned. He whipped back around, continuing to scold us. "But, only for ten minutes. I'll be keeping track too."

He escorted us to the door. I looked over to Akemi and rolled my eyes at the man. She giggled, placing a hand over her mouth to keep the sound quiet. She puffed out her chest, held her flexed arms wide of her body, and put on a scowl. It was a spitting image of the guard. I snorted, then quickly covering my mouth with my hand. The guard turned, looking down at us with the same scowl that Akemi had so masterfully imitated. We kept our laughter to ourselves as he turned to hold the door open for us to pass through.

The inside of the house was just as chaotic as the outside, only it was louder now; sound waves bounced around the bare walls, amplifying the noise. The numerous charts and graphs were the house's wallpaper. People crowded around them, pointing, shouting, and scribbling over old comments. The once clean papers were a now rainbow of predictions, crossed out predictions, and new theories. At the middle of it all stood a man holding a computer tablet. Everyone tried to drag his attention in every which way. He waved them off while focusing in on the handheld computer. He had bags under his eyes and was sipping at black coffee. His graying hair stood at angles from his dark tan forehead.

I tugged on the sleeve of a researcher that happened to be passing by. He had just dumped a pile of papers and scrolls on another desk, so I assumed it was okay to bother him for a moment. "What's going on here? Why is it so insane right now?"

"The weather patterns. We haven't seen or heard of anything like this," he responded frazzled. He twitched his eyes from side to side. I could smell energy drinks and coffee on his quick breaths. "It's isolated to this location. No other station in the region is experiencing this phenomenon. This is exclusive to the Ruins of Alph, Route 32, and the areas just around Union Cave."

I glanced over to Akemi, who in turn glanced over at me. When our eyes met, she furrowed her brow. I returned the look and mouthed. "I don't know." The warm spell seemed like a little more of an issue in our minds now.

The scientist continued his ramble. "What's more, the letters in the Ruins, they're alive. We don't know how or what is causing them to move, but they are. We have no idea where to even begin researching 'living letters.' We would sound crazy if we asked another station too."

"What letters?" I asked.

"The Unown script. It was a language based on a Pokémon species of legends: the Unown," the scientist explained. His voice calmed as he explained what the researchers seemed to already know. "The problem? Earlier, scientists radioed in about 'Moving letters. They're alive.' Then," he moved his hand horizontally across his neck while making a static sound, "Nothing. They got cut off. That was when the temperature changed too. It was a forty degree increase in an isolated area. There are things at work here that we don't understand."

He glanced down at his watch before shaking his head. "I gotta go, we're too far behind for me to talk to a bunch of kids." He turned to jog away, then turned back to us for one last question. "Speaking of which, how did two teenage girls get in here?"

"I'm Ohame Akemi and this is Phoebe Kennet. We're two of the people involved in REP, the Regio-"

"Regional Exchange Program," the scientist finished. "Yeah, yeah, I've heard of it. We all have. Look, if you two think you can help us, get down in those Ruins. You two are probably brilliant kids. Get those genius minds of yours working and help us figure out what's up."

With that, he dashed off to another crowd. Within seconds, he vanished into the hoard of people. I turned silently to go outside again. I pushed past the security guard and looked around for where I needed to go. I continued to look around as I moved down the steps off of the porch and into the fray of research. I heard the door open and shut behind me again as Akemi ran to my side.

"Where are you going?" she questioned.

"I'm following my gut." I didn't stop moving as I answered. No explanation was needed. Where my gut told me to go, I followed. Sure, it was wrong sometimes, but more often than not it was right. It was how I found Arcticuno, Zapdos, and Moltres after listening to so many conflicting tales from senile old people and delusional priests.

We stopped in front of a hut that had very few researchers going in or coming out. The few that did politely said "Excuse me," before swishing past us. Quite the change of pace. I read the green tag hanging on the hut's door frame. "Examined thoroughly. No links," it read.

"No links my ass," I muttered before pulling the tag off and ripping it up. "We start here. All of this links together somehow, I bet."

I pulled out a flashlight from my bag and moved into the building. The hut was nothing special, albeit old. Actually, "hut" was not the right word to describe what this place was. It seemed to be more of a shrine. A ladder popped up from the ground in the corner, probably leading to another similar room below. The main point of interest, however, was the altar in the center. It consisted of two waist-high, square columns on the right and left with one large main piece that was only slightly shorter than the ceiling. On the ground in the space between the three pillars sat an ornate rug. There was a golden plate attached to the main column at eye height that seemed to have something carved in the metal. The characters were unfamiliar to me.

This is an interesting location, Mewtwo said.

"Yeah, it is," I whispered in return.

Not just the design of this place, but the aura too. Is the area clear?

"No, do not get out," I hissed.

"I'm not going anywhere," Akemi replied. I spun around confused, remembering that she was still behind me.

"Sorry, not you," I apologized before continuing my examination of the area.

"Yeah, I know not me," she retorted. "You say that a lot. Who are you talking to?"

"No one," I snapped back.

"Enough," a third voice commanded. A blinding light flashed in the darkness. I looked at the Great Ball hanging on my bag. Sure enough, Mewtwo was loose. He floated, glaring down at me. "I have had enough of your lies. You promised you would let me out whenever possible. You have passed up exactly twenty-three opportunities. Also, you still have not told her." He gestured to Akemi, who stood to the side with her jaw dropped. "I have seen enough of the world. I'm ready to experience it."

Our eyes locked, but I was forced to yield. "Fine, I'll let you out more often. Do you have anything else to add, your majesty?" I feigned a curtsy.

"Yeah, I have something to add," Akemi interjected raising her hand to ask a question. "What the hell is that thing doing here? Professor Elm said you weren't going to bring anything super powerful like that, only normal Pokémon."

"It's a long story," I began.

"No, it's not. Stop using that excuse," Mewtwo interrupted before I could even begin. "I have been locked away in labs my entire life, and I'm ready to see the world. Professor Oak told me that I could travel with Phoebe for a while. I will judge the world, then decide what to do with my powers: uphold this society or burn it to the ground."

"Lovely," Akemi said flatly.

"This place is special. Its power is overwhelming. I have to investigate it for myself," Mewtwo said, not missing a beat between his explanation and examination. He floated over to the wall furthest from the door. He placed the tips of his webbed fingers on it. He closed his eyes, and the room was filled with a powerful aura. I grabbed my head, unable to take the sensation for much longer. It yielded, and Mewtwo lowered himself to the ground.

"What was that?" Akemi asked through gritted teeth. She held her head in her hands as well.

"The wall speaks to me," Mewtwo said. "It says 'ESCAPE.'"

My heart began to thump faster. The implications of that were terrifying, but I tried to hide my terror. "Escape?" I asked. "What does that mean?"

"I don't like this," Akemi said. Her tone was just as nervous as mine probably was. Something echoed in the abyss of the ruins below us. It resonated through the floor, deep and hollow. A monster's roar, threatening anyone in the vicinity. "I really don't like this. We should leave. Tell the scientists to come back and check this hut again."

"Nonsense," I insisted. I fished something out of my bag as I talked. Something big was happening here, and I wasn't going to let it slip away from me. Fear or no fear, I needed to uncover the truth. "I'm going to set up an escape rope just in case." It was a common thing for trainers to do. The escape rope provided for an easy escape in the event of something going horribly wrong. The rope was tied to a rock or other sturdy object at the beginning of the cave and gave a sort of exit route if the trainer ever got lost while exploring.

"See, with this we can't get lost," I said, demonstrating how sturdy the rope was. I tugged it between my two hands before starting to loop it around one of the short columns of the shrine. "Come here, see how sturdy it is."

Akemi reluctantly walked over and tugged on the rope. She nodded and smiled weakly. Her eyes still betrayed her fearful feelings though. "Yep, feels sturdy. Are we going down the ladder to explore this place further?"

That was my plan until the building rumble, and I felt the floor drop out from under me.