Chapter 2

Morning sunlight streamed through the bamboo blinds of the small seaside café, painting the wooden tables in shifting golden lines. The air smelled of salt, fried rice, and fresh bread; the clatter of dishes and chatter of fishermen filtered in from the open windows.

Ace, Phoebe, and Phillip sat at a corner table, their plates half-finished: steaming miso soup, rice balls, and tropical fruit. Despite the bustling café, their conversation was low, voices tense beneath the casual surface.

Ace set down his tea, looking between them. “We stick together. One Regi at a time as a unit. That way if one of us runs into trouble, the others can back them up.”

Phillip leaned back, arms folded, his expression skeptical. “That sounds safe, but ‘safe’ isn’t fast, and speed is what matters here. Oak said it himself, we’re not the only ones searching. For all we know, those bastards are right behind us.”

Phoebe raised an eyebrow, watching Phillip but not interrupting.

He pressed on. “If we go one by one, by the time we’ve captured the third Regi, whoever’s after them could already have the other two in hand. We can’t afford that risk.”

Ace’s jaw tightened. “And splitting up leaves each of us alone against monsters strong enough to flatten entire cities. That’s suicide, Phillip.”

Phoebe finally spoke, her voice calm but firm. “It’s not suicide. It’s trust. You know damn well we’re not rookies anymore, Ace. We’ve been through hell. We can handle this.”

Ace’s eyes narrowed. “Handle it? Do you remember Cerulean Cave?” His tone dropped, almost a growl. “Mewtwo didn’t just beat us. He broke us. Three full teams, gone. If Phoebe hadn’t gotten through to it...” He trailed off, the memory still raw.

The café’s noise seemed to fade for a moment, leaving just the three of them in silence.

Phoebe lowered her gaze, fingers tightening around her cup. “I remember. It was over seven years ago, but I can still feel the air in that cave. How cold it got when Mewtwo raised his hand ready to kill us.”

Phillip exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I remember. I remember how useless I felt watching my Charizard get crushed like a toy, but you know what else I remember?” He leaned forward, his eyes locking on Ace’s. “We survived, and we’ve grown since then. We’re not those kids anymore.”

He ticked off their battles with his fingers. “We stopped the Sootopolis City incident. Ace, you went to space on Rayquaza’s back, fought Deoxys, and won!

“I mean...” Ace said, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah ... but...”

Phillip didn’t let Ace finish before cutting in, “We faced Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, gods of time, space, and antimatter. Phoebe, you captured Dialga, I caught Palkia, and you—” he jabbed a finger toward Ace “—you chased Cyrus into the goddamn Distortion World and beat Giratina. Who else in history can say that?”

Ace’s voice softened, almost reluctant. “ ... I didn’t keep it. I left it in the Distortion World.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Phillip said. “You earned its respect. You told me yourself that it promised to come to your aid whenever you call it. That’s more powerful than a Poké Ball.”

Phoebe nodded slowly. “And it proves we can take these titans on. Together or separate.” She leaned in, her tone steady but persuasive. “Ace, splitting up isn’t weakness. It’s efficiency. You know Phillip’s right.”

Ace sat back, arms crossed, staring out the window at the endless stretch of ocean. For a long moment, only the sound of waves and the chatter of townsfolk filled the silence. Finally, he let out a slow breath.

“ ... Fine. We split, but we check in often. Constant updates, no solo heroics. If one of us goes dark, the other two drop everything and head that way.”

Phillip smiled, relief evident. “Deal.”

Phoebe smiled faintly. “Then it’s settled.”

They went over the map one last time, voices low but resolute:

Phillip would go to the Desert Ruins to face Regirock, Phoebe would travel to the Island Cave to seek Regice, and Ace would venture to the Ancient Tomb where Registeel awaited.

As they stood to leave, Ace added, “We meet back in Pacifidlog when it’s done. No excuses.”

Phoebe’s eyes flicked to him, calm and determined. “See you there.”

Phillip’s smile widened. “Let’s go catch some titans.”

They walked out into the bright morning, the café door swinging shut behind them. Three champions, three paths, and a mission that would test them like nothing before.

The trek to the Desert Ruins was brutal in its own right. The Hoenn sun bore down on the endless expanse of sand, heat shimmering off the dunes like a living thing. By the time Phillip reached the ruins, sweat clung to his back beneath his jacket, his throat dry as dust. The massive stone structure jutted out of the sand like the bones of a dead god, its weathered surface etched with faint braille inscriptions.

Inside, the air grew cooler, but not more welcoming. It smelled of dust and decay, and Phillip immediately noticed the skeletons half-buried in sand, collapsed against the walls. The empty sockets of one skull stared straight at him, jaw frozen mid-scream.

Phillip muttered under his breath, more to maintain his confidence than anything else.

“Guess they didn’t solve the puzzle in time.”

He pulled out his PokéNav and sent a quick text to Ace and Phoebe.

Phillip: “Made it inside Desert Ruins. About to move deeper. Will keep you updated.”

Phoebe: “I’m pulling up to the Island Cave now. It’s cold as hell.”

Ace: “Awesome. I’m still about 30 minutes from the Ancient Tomb. Good luck, y’all, and stay alert. Be ready for anything.”

Phillip was about to put his PokéNav away, but another message appeared. It was from Phoebe, but it was in a private text thread with just him and her.

Phoebe: “Don’t do anything stupid that’ll get yourself killed.”

Phillip smiled and typed a reply.

Phillip: “Comon. It’s me, remember?”

Phoebe: “Which is exactly why I’m telling you.”

Phillip responded with a winking emoji, clipped the device back to his belt and strode forward.

The entrance rumbled behind him with a sound like grinding stone, and before he could react, the slab slammed shut, sealing Phillip inside. Almost immediately, sand began pouring in from thin cracks high along the walls, cascading in golden streams that quickly built into a rising tide.

“Shit.” Phillip staggered forward, boots sinking as the sand reached his ankles. “Of course it’s a damn trap.”

On the far wall, braille inscriptions glowed faintly in the dim chamber. Phillip sprinted toward them, sand climbing to his shins and before long, his knees. He fumbled for his language translator device. He’d bought it years ago for situations just like this but had never thought he’d be relying on it to save his life.

“Come on, come on,” he muttered, scanning the dots, the translator beeping as it tried to keep up. His hands shook, whether from nerves or adrenaline, he couldn’t tell.

The translator’s monotone voice stuttered to life: Use ... Strength ... where ... wall ... meets ... shadow.

Phillip swore. “That’s it? That’s the whole riddle?”

The sand was already waist deep, pulling at him like quicksand. He unclipped a Poké Ball and hurled it forward.

“Diesel, out! Now!”

The four-armed titan burst from the light, its eyes flashing as it assessed the situation. Diesel was Phillip’s powerful Machamp.

“Use Strength on that panel. There!” Phillip pointed desperately to a darker patch on the wall, a slab where shadow naturally fell from the chamber’s jagged ceiling.

Diesel lunged forward, muscles bulging, and drove both lower fists into the wall with seismic force. The chamber shuddered. The streams of sand faltered, slowed, and then reversed. The sand then emptied into the newly opened cracks with a roaring vacuum. Within moments, the chamber drained, leaving Phillip standing in the middle of the room, soaked in sweat, his lower body covered in sand residue, and his chest heaving.

The braille on the wall lit up in sequence, like dominoes falling in light, and with a groan that echoed through the cavern, a massive stone door slid open at the back of the chamber. Phillip returned Machamp with a nod of gratitude.

“Good work. Saved my ass just now.”

The room beyond beckoned, dark, wide, and unnervingly quiet. Phillip adjusted his gloves, squared his shoulders, and walked forward. His voice was low but steady now, more to himself than anyone else.

“Alright, Regirock. Time to see if legends bleed.”

He stepped through the threshold, into the inner sanctum where the titan of stone awaited. Phillip footsteps echoed throughout the chamber as he walked. The room was surprisingly massive.

Regirock stood at the center, towering, its body a living mosaic of boulders and minerals. It had a pattern of seven orange dots on its face that resembled a capital letter “H”. It had long rock arms with jutting shoulders and club-like hands with no fingers attached to them. Its rocky legs were short in comparison to its body. It also had a line of orange rocky spines running down its back. Then suddenly the seven orange dots on its face flared to life, and it stepped forward as if noticing Phillip’s presence and taking offense to it.

“GRRRRRRNNNKKKKHHHHHHHHHHHH— ÜN ÜN ÜN!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOORRRRXT— ÜN ÜN ÜN ÜN ÜN!!!!

Regirock’s low, echoing bellow followed by the series of low pitch clicks sounded like boulders colliding deep underground while a machine struggled to turn on. The sound rattled the chamber walls. It began to walk towards Phillip. Its braille eyes were lighting up, blinking in a molten amber color, and its body shifted with clicks and cracks as it walked. It looked and sounded more like a mechanical guardian rather than a flesh-and-blood Pokémon. Each footfall boomed like a siege weapon. Phillip didn’t waste another second as he readied his first Poké Ball.

“Diesel, you’re up! Dynamic Punch!”

Phillip’s Machamp materialized from its Poké Ball and immediately launched forward, cocking back a huge fist before landing a devastating blow with help of its No Guard ability. The punch sent Regirock staggering back but it quickly recovered, avoiding the potential confusion side-effect. The titan retaliated by swinging a massive Hammer Arm. Diesel barely ducked, but the follow-up Stone Edge from Regirock erupted beneath Diesel’s feet, flinging it back in a shower of rock shards.

“Return!” Phillip recalled Diesel mid-roll. He already had his next ball ready.

“Maelstrom now!”

Phillip’s Gyarados appeared and its roar shook the cavern. Its presence activated its Intimidate ability, cutting into Regirock’s attack power.

“Hydro Pump!”

A torrent slammed into the titan, forcing it back another step, but Regirock dug in, bracing, then fired a Zap Cannon attack, which unfortunately hit the Gyarados square in the chest knocking it back to the wall. Electricity danced across Maelstrom’s scales, and it quickly fell unconscious.

“Damn it! It knows electric attacks?! Return, Maelstrom! Quake, go!”

Phillip’s Excadrill hit the field spinning like a drill bit.

“Sandstorm, now!”

Winds whipped up, pelting the chamber with grit and cutting visibility. Excadrill dove underground, its Dig tunneling shaking the floor. Regirock used Earthquake to try to flush it out, but the Excadrill emerged behind it, smashing into its back with Iron Head. The colossus staggered but retaliated instantly with Superpower, sending Quake tumbling into a pillar unconscious as dust rained down from the ceiling.

Phillip’s jaw tightened. “Return Quake! Alright Reaper, your turn! X-Scissor!”

Phillip’s Scizor zipped in with Agility, red blades flashing. It struck with X-Scissor, then ducked away, forcing Regirock to miss a Rock Blast against the stone walls.

“Keep it guessing!” Phillip yelled.

Scizor launched a Bullet Punch attack from behind, but Regirock, as if anticipating this, suddenly turned around and countered with another Superpower attack connecting with Scizor square in the face and sending it flying backward to the opposite wall and knocking it out.

“Fuck! Reaper, return! No more fucking around! Ragnarök, GO!”

Tyranitar materialized in front of Regirock and delivered a roar that could’ve made a grown man urinate in his pants.

Ragnarök, Crunch it from the side!”

The tyrant Pokémon barreled in, fangs sinking into Regirock’s arm. The titan bellowed, smashing Ragnarök away with another Hammer Arm. Ragnarök got back up but it was showing heavy damage taken. Regirock roared again, the sound echoing like a tectonic crack ripping across the chamber.

Phillip knew it was time to end this. “Return, Ragnarök!!”

He unclipped another Poké Ball, the one more worn than the rest. “Blaze, Burn it down!!”

The orange dragon erupted onto the field, roaring flames lighting the cavern.

“Mega Evolve!” Phillip yelled, tapping his Mega ring.

Light enveloped his Charizard, its form twisting into Mega Charizard X, black scales shimmering with heat.

“Flare Blitz!! Now!”

Bluish-white flames enveloped the Mega Charizard X and the stone floor glowed red-hot underneath him. Then Blaze launched himself like a blazing missile and slammed into Regirock’s chest, detonating on impact. The titan stumbled back, cracks spiderwebbing across its core.

“Finish it! Blast Burn!”

Blaze unleashed a cataclysm of fire, the explosion rocking the entire ruin. When the smoke cleared, the glow from the dots on Regirock’s face flickered and then dimmed.

Phillip, breathing hard, took an Ultra Ball from his belt. “You fought like hell ... but now it’s time for you to come with me.”

The ball struck, pulled Regirock inside, and shook violently.

One ... two ... three ... pow!

Regirock broke free, but it was still clearly exhausted and warm.

“Yeah? You think you’re getting out of this? Keep dreaming, rock pile!” Phillip yelled more determined than ever as he readied another Ultra Ball.

For the next ten minutes, Phillip chucked Ultra Balls at Regirock. Regirock kept breaking out, but Phillip’s confidence never wavered.

Then, at last...

One ... two ... three... *Click!”

Phillip stood still for a moment, then a huge grinned came over his face. He walked over and picked up the Ultra Ball, now sitting hot in his palm. Blaze turned back to a normal Charizard and growled a note of approval. Phillip then clipped the Ultra Ball containing Regirock to his belt.

Suddenly there was a sound. It was the sealed door. It opened, revealing the exit.

Phillip then turned and looked at Blaze.