Five years before Ash Ketchum started (again) his Pokemon Journey

Violet City Gym

A blue haired teen sat in the stands, waiting in anticipation for the battle to begin. A new trainer had arrived to challenge his father for the Zephyr Badge, which would be his second one, his first being the Hive Badge. Nothing out of the ordinary, as the Gyms of Violet and Azalea were rather popular choices for beginner trainers. And it wasn't hard to guess why.

Gym Leaders often specialize in a single type. So naturally, the quickest and most intuitive way to defeat said Leader would be with Pokemon strong against said type. When going against a Fire Leader, Water-Type Pokemon were the most obvious choice. Fire and Flying were the most popular options against Grass Leaders. Everybody would be sure to carry at least one Ground-Type when going against an Electric Leader. And so on. Other types, like Dragon or Ghost were a bit trickier to counter, but they were more the exception than the rule.

So, since Flying-Types were so common, many beginner trainers caught a Pidgey, Spearow or Hoothoot in order to defeat the Azalea Gym Leader. And those who were planning on defeating the Violet Gym Leader would often catch a Geodude or an Onix from the nearby Dark Cave, or catch one of the many Mareep roaming on Route 32, south of Violet.

After all, Gym Leader or not, there's no way those weak birds from Violet could defeat a Geodude or a Mareep, right?

Except that those who underestimate the power of the bird Pokemon are in for a rude awakening.

Every Gym Leader worth their salt knew at least one way to circumvent their Pokemon's weaknesses. After all, it would be criminally stupid not to take advantage of double-typed Pokemon, or teach Pokemon moves different from their typing.

"The gym battle between Walker the Gym Leader, and Dan of Goldenrod City will now begin. Both trainers can use up to two Pokemon, and the battle will be over when either side has no more Pokemon remaining. In addition, the Gym Leader can not substitute his Pokemon," the judge announced.

Falkner eyed the challenger, Dan. It was a blond teen, maybe fourteen or fifteen years old, he wasn't sure. He wore a red shirt with a portrait of the famous Dragon Trainer Lance on it under a purple vest, and black cargo pants. He seemed rather confident. Falkner wondered how long that confidence would last.

"Let's finish this quickly, I have a Skarmory egg that's about to hatch, and I don't want to miss that. Go Spearow!" Walker said as he tossed his pokeball, releasing his first Pokemon.

Dan's Pokedex beeped to life.

"Spearow, the tiny bird Pokemon, yo! Gets very angry with those who invade its place, so do yourself a favor and keep up some space! Spearow can't fly very high, but is aggressive enough to gouge out your eyes! "

An awkward silence followed the Pokedex's rather...unorthodox way of describing the Pokemon in front of its owner. Dan, however, seems to be rather pleased with his device.

Falkner thought that if this kid was like any other trainers, he would open the fight with a rock type. Probably a Geodude or an Onix.

"Go, Geodude!" Dan said as he threw the pokeball, releasing the two-armed rock Pokemon.

"Geodude!"

Called it.

"Begin!"

"Geodude, use headbutt!" Dan said.

The rock creature compelled, and shot itself headfirst against Spearow.

"Spearow, Double Team!" Walker called as a defense.

Spearow cawed in agreement, and started to fly around at an insane speed, creating several afterimages as a result. Geodude's headbutts only managed to hit and dispel said mirages.

"Geodude, Rock Throw!" Dan called again.

"Continue with Double Team!" Walker said in response.

Rocks started raining at Spearow, but none of them managed to hit its intended target, just the afterimages, whose number increased each second.

"Now, Steel Wing!" Walker said.

"What? Geodude, Harden!" Dan called, visibly panicked.

But it was too late. Spearow's wings shone with a silver glow, and the bird Pokemon flied at its opponent, its temporary metallic wings breaking through the Geodude's defenses the moment they hit the target. The rock Pokemon fell to the ground, motionless.

"Geodude can't battle anymore, winner is Spearow!"

"Really, kid? Do you think you're the first one trying to take me down with a rock Pokemon?" Walker said as he watched Dan returning his weakened Geodude to its pokeball, and whispered some words of encouragement to his fallen partner. "There's more to Pokemon battles than type advantages, you know. As you just saw, a scissor can cut a rock if it's sharp enough."

Dan said nothing in return. Given what some people said, this Gym should have been as easy as Azalea's, yet he was one Pokemon down and didn't even manage to land a hit on his rival.

"Yeah, maybe I got a bit confident, I'll give you that. But now that I tested your Pokemon's strength, I'm sure I can win! Go Mareep!"

The pokeball opened itself upon hitting the ground, revealing the woolly Pokemon. Predictably, an Electric-type. Probably freshly caught from Route 32.

"First of all, let's stop that annoying bird from moving so fast! Mareep, Thunder Wave!"

"Mareep!" the Pokemon bleated as its wool crackled with electricity, which shot in the form of large circles at Spearow and its afterimages.

"Spearow, keep using Double Team!"

Unfortunately for walker, one of the electric waves managed to hit Spearow, making him to drop to the ground, dispelling all the afterimages as a result.

"Yes! Now use Thundershock!" Dan cheered, triumphant. Mareep's wool started to crackle with electricity once again.

"Use Mud Slap!"

Fighting the electricity-inducing paralysis, Spearow started to flap its short wings frenetically, shotting pieces of mud at its opponent. Mareep cried in pain upon receiving the super-effective attack, but still managed to shot a Thundershock that hit Spearow. The bird's weak special defense was nowhere near enough to resist the super-effective attack, and fainted.

"Spearow can't fight anymore, the winner is Mareep!"

Walker returned the weakened Spearow to its pokeball.

"Yes! I can almost feel that badge in my hands!" Dan cheered.

"Do no count your Pidgeys before they are hatched, kid. You still have to defeat my second Pokemon. Go Pidgeotto!"

"Caw!" the Pidgeotto cried upon being released.

Dan gulped a bit. He wasn't expecting to deal with an evolved Pokemon so soon. Well, the Azalea Gym Leader had used a Butterfree, but that didn't count. Once again, his Pokedex had a description ready:

"Pidgeotto, the bird Pokemon, and Pidgey's evolution, oh yeah! This birdie has quite the sharp claws, and will tear its prey apart as it's made of straw! Pidgeotto can also fly pretty fast, and if you're too cocky he'll leave you aghast!

"Mareep, Thunder Wave!" Dan called. Mareep's wool crackled with electricity once more.

"Dodge it and counter with Mud Slap!" Walker said.

Mareep used Thunder Wave, but the electric pulses seemed to be more unfocused and random than usual. Pidgeotto dodged them easily, and nailed Mareep with a small wave of mud to the face.

"Dammit, this is bad! Forget about paralyzing it first, Mareep, use Thundershock!"

Mareep bleated once again, and shoot a lightining bolt at the incoming bird, which missed by a rather large margin.

"Mud Slap might not be a very powerful move, specially when used by a non-Ground Pokemon, but it impairs its target's accuracy. Not to underestimate you or anything, but between that and my Pidgeotto's speed, I can't see how can your Mareep can land a hit on my Pokemon," Walker calmly said. However, he wasn't expecting his challenger to retreat just like that.

"Mareep, Thundershock again!"

Pidgeotto effortlessly dodged the electric bolt.

"There's no need to keep this going for longer. Pidgeotto, Gust!"

Pidgeotto began to swiftly flap his wings, creating a small tornado that lifted the poor Mareep in mid air.

"Thundershock once more!" Dan said, visibly panicked.

The electric bolt nearly hit one of the ceiling's lamps.

"Now Quick Attack!"

"Caw!"

Pidgeotto hit Mareep at full speed, pushing it out of the tornado. The Electric-Type landed on the ground with a painful thud, beaten.

"Mareep is unable to battle! The winner is Pidgeotto. The match goes to Walker of Violet Town!"

Dan returned his defeated Mareep to his Pokemon.

"How...how did I lose?" he said out loud, though he was only talking to himself.

While Falkner did feel a bit sad for the kid, he couldn't help but smile after seeing his father showcasing once again the power of the bird Pokemon.

"May I ask you something, kid?" Walker said as he walked towards the defeated challenger. Dan nodded. "When did you catch those two Pokemon?"

"I caught Mareep three days ago, before I arrived this city."

"And your Geodude?"

"Last week, when I crossed Union Cave."

"I see. And how much did you train them?"

"Err..." Dan was trying to avert his gaze. "...not much," he sheepishly admitted.

"What other Pokemon do you have?"

"I have a Zubat, a Slowpoke and a Quilava," Dan said.

A Quilava. His starter, and probably his strongest Pokemon. He didn't need to ask why he didn't use that Pokemon – or the other two for that matter - against him. He could also imagined how he got that Hive Badge, and assumed that he could defeat any Gym Leader if he just had the type advantage.

"Let me give you some piece of advice: next time you face me, or any other Leader, make sure you use your strongest Pokemon. Or at least, that your Pokemon are properly trained. Sure, keeping types in mind is good and well, but type advantage can only carry you so far. A strong Fire-type will always defeat a weak Water-Type."

"Alright. Thanks for the advice, sir. I'll make sure all my Pokemon are in top form before returning," Dan replied.

"I'm sure they will. Do you need any directions for the Pokemon center?"

"No, I've already been there, but thanks," Dan said before leaving the Gym.

Falkner also got up from the stands and walked to his father to congratulate him.

"Nice victory, father. I was glad I could see it before I leave. It truly lifted my spirit," the blue haired teen said.

"Yeah, me too son. Hope it served you as additional inspiration," Walker said. "And be sure to come back for your birthday, okay? I'd hate if you missed on your present."

Falkner knew already that said present would be the Gym itself. Though deep down he knew that his father's motives weren't entirely selfless. While he loved being a Gym Leader, Walker did miss the days when he was young and carefree, and traveled the world riding on his trusty Skarmory. He really missed those days dearly, and mentioned quite a few times that he planned to pass the torch of being a Gym Leader to his son once he was eighteen, which would be in ten months. He still have to get the approval from the Pokemon League officials before he could take charge of the Gym, but he wasn't worried about that.

That's why he had to use that time to continue with his pet project, the localization and capture of the five Legendary Bird Pokemon, two of them which were native of Johto. Or that's what old legends said, anyway. Despite working on such project for years, it wasn't until recently that he finally made some progress. He had contacted a girl from Ecruteak City that could provide him with some information on the subject.

He checked that his backpack had all the supplies needed for the journey, as well as enough money, both cash and credit cards, and lastly and most importantly, his Pokemon. Pidgeot, Dodrio, Noctowl, Altaria, Honchcrow and Xatu. His Dream Team, as he called them. After bidding farewell to his father, the future Gym Leader hopped on his Pidgeot's back, and the majestic bird Pokemon took off for their first stop.

Above Route 36

For anybody who would want to go from Violet City to the National Park by foot, it would take about a day or so, and that's if they were lucky not to find any stubborn Sudowoodoo blocking the path. Flying on his Pidgeot, it would only take a couple hours.

Some people would find the idea of having a Pidgey as your starter Pokemon to be worth of mockery, given that it was such a common and unremarkable creature. Yet that Pidgey has been Falkner's partner since he was ten. Even if the minimum age to officially become a trainer is fifteen, that didn't stop Walker to give his son the Pokemon that hatched from the eggs that he would sometimes find in the family aviary. He got his Pidgey from his tenth birthday, followed shortly by a Spearow, a Hoothoot and a Tailow. By the time Falkner was fifteen, he already had a team strong enough to take the Non-Traveling Trainer Challenge on any of Johto's Gyms, despite the fact that he had never caught a Pokemon himself.

The perks of being the son of a Gym Leader.

Soon, his destination came within his eyesight, the National Park. Fortunately, there wasn't any Bug Catching Contest that day, so he could proceed with his endeavor unmolested. Once his Pidgeot choose a zone clear enough, he began his descent, raising a quite a strong gust with each wing flap. Once on land, Falkner removed his googles and placed them on his backpack. He then pulled some berries from one of his belt's pouches and threw them at Pidgeot, which caught them expertly and swallowed them at once.

He then released the rest of his five Pokemon so they could spread their wings a little (or legs in Dodrio's case), and told them to meet with him again in that same spot in half an hour.

Looking around for his contact, it didn't take long for the Bird Trainer to see a blue haired girl sitting on a bench waving at him. There was a Jolteon laying besides her, which she was scratching behind its ear with her other hand. Falkner nodded and walked towards her. The girl patted the spot to her other side, nonverbally asking him to take a seat.

"I believe that you're Falkner, right?" the blue haired girl asked, as she tended him a hand-

"Indeed I am. And I guess that you're Satsuki," Falkner said as he shook her hand. It was less a question and more a statement. He eyed the girl, and guesses that she was probably the same age as him, give or take a year.

"Nice to meet you," Satsuki said, smiling warmly. Suddenly, a small flock of Pidgeys and Spearows gathered in front of them, looking at them, or better said looking at Falkner expectantly.

Without uttering a word, Falkner opened a pouch on his belt, grabbed a handful of berries and tossed them at the bird gathering, which proceeded to eagerly swallow the food.

"Wow, you certainly have something for bird Pokemon. Does this happen often?" Satsuki asked.

"Yes, though I don't mind. Bird Pokemon are my friends. You can say it's in my blood," Falkner explained.

Satsuki opened her eyes wide at his last words, much to the blue haired man's discomfort.

"Does that mean that you are...you know...a Bloodliner?" Satsuki pretty much whispered the last word.

This time, it was Falkner who opened his eyes wide in shock.

"Wait, what? No! I'm not that! I like bird Pokemon, and they like me in return. I guess that's because they have been part of my family for generations."

"Pity. I wanted to meet one."

Falkner then explained Satsuki that his family used to breed bird Pokemon to be used mostly as messengers and couriers. Unfortunately, modern technology made their messenger birds obsolete, and when Walker inherited the family business, it was on the verge of dying. That's when he had the idea of training his many Pokemon for combat and becoming a Gym Leader, since Johto didn't have a Flying Gym yet.

"And you're to become the next Gym Leader on your birthday? Interesting. To inherit and continue the previous generation's legacy is something I can relate too."

Falkner's curiosity peaked upon hearing this. "Are your parents Gym Leaders by any chance?"

"Oh, no. But my four sisters and I will become the next iteration of Ecrutreak City's famed Kimono Dancers."

Falkner winced upon hearing the "four sisters" part. Growing up an only kid, there were times he felt kind of lonely, and wished he could have a little sibling or two to play with. But four was just too much. And all girls, no less. Trying to get in the bathroom during mornings has to be nightmarish. Suddenly, something else popped in his mind.

"Wait, four sisters you say? Is your father by any chance Casey Snagem?"

"Snagem as in the book writer? No. In fact, I believe that guy lives in Kanto," she said matter-o-factly. "But I can see why you thought that. A family of five sisters isn't something you see every day, right?" Satsuki giggled.

Falkner cleared his throat. They were getting off rails.

"Well, about my reason for being here..." Falkner began.

"Oh, yes, Ho-oh and Lugia, right? It's been quite some time since someone wondered about them," Satsuki said. "Also, don't get me wrong, you look like a really nice boy, but I feel I'm obligated to ask you this first."

A "boy"? Falkner thought indignantly.

"Why do you want to know more about those two Pokemon? Are your interests purely academic, or do you plan to capture them?"

Falkner shifted on his seat uncomfortably. He was afraid that his answer wouldn't please the girl, and thus his quest would come to an abrupt end. Praying to whatever deity could hear him, he decided to tell her the truth.

"I do plan to capture them."

Satsuki's expression did not change. "I see. And once they're yours, what will you do with them?"

"Honesty? I don't know yet. Like my father says, don't count your Pidgeys before they hatch. I'll think that once I catch them."

"You want to catch them but you don't know why? You don't have much foresight, Bird Boy. That's not good."

Falkner's visible eye twitched. Now Bird Boy?

"What's the point of this interrogation? I thought you wanted to help me!"

"And I want. But we're talking about Legendary Pokemon here. Beings of unmeasurable power. Many people across history have been trying to catch them, and their intentions were more often than not impure."

"Impure?"

"You know those people. Those who seek power and control at all cost. Those who don't care about how much suffering they cause in their pursuit of their goals. Those who seek to oppress or eradicate others because they're different. Those who ride bikes indoors."

"What's wrong with riding a bike indoors?"

"Really? You never heard about the incident on Celadon City's Mall in Kanto six years ago? Millions of Yuans in property damage and fourteen people hospitalized...anyway, I'm getting off track. Before I help you with this endeavor, my conscience pretty much forces me to make sure that you're not one of those people. So now please answer my question."

"I'm being honest when I say that I don't know what I'm going to do with them once I catch them. But I want to catch them because it's part of my goal to become a Pokemon Master."

"Could you elaborate a bit more?"

"You know Casey Snagem, so I'm going to assume that you read his books, and the part about the many definitions of being a master," Satsuki nodded. "Well, mine is to capture at least one of every Flying-Type Pokemon and train them to their strongest, including the five Legendary Birds, Ho-oh, Lugia, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. And I decided to start looking for the former two first."

"But you haven't thought what are you going to do with them once they're in your grasp," Satsuki said. I was a statement rather than a question.

"No. But don't worry, I'm not going to use them for Gym Battles, nor I plan to take them to the Pokemon League and use them to crush the dreams of some hapless kid half my age. That would be low. And I definitely do not plan on becoming the next Twenty Gyarados Bill."

"I see," Satsuki said. The blue haired girl pondered something for some minutes while the bird trainer watched her uneasily. Seemingly reaching a decision, Satsuki spoke once again: "Alright, I hardly know you, but I have the feeling that you wouldn't make an irresponsible use of Legendary Pokemon, would you ever capture one. I'll help you."

Falkner's usually frowny face sported a smile. "Glad to hear that. Where do we begin?"

"In my hometown, Ecruteak City. It's not far away from here. If we leave now and walk at a quick pace, I believe we'll arrive before midnight."

"I think I may have something better than that," Falkner said before placing his fingers on his mouth, releasing a deafening whistle.

In a few minutes, his six Pokemon gathered in front of him, and returned five of them to their pokeballs, leaving only Pidgeot.

"Tell me, Miss Satsuki, have you ever flied on a bird Pokemon's back?" Falkner asked with an arrogant smile.

"I believe not."

Falkner tossed her a pair of googles.

"Put them on, and grab me tightly when we're on air, we're going to fly rather high and I'd hate if you fell to the ground. But don't be afraid, I guarantee you that this will be an unforgettable experience."

Ecruteak City, one hour later

Once again, Pidgeot landed on the ground without incident. Once on land, Satsuki hastily jumped from the large bird, removed her googles and tossed them back at Falkner.

"Say, what do you think?" Falkner asked, expecting to have made an impression on the blue haired girl.

While Satsuki did not share Falkner's enthusiasm about flight, she had to agree about something: she would never forget about it.

"It was...sure something," Satsuki managed to say. "But I don't think I'll do it again anytime soon."

"Oh, don't say that. When my father took me on my first flight I nearly cried my eyes out, but the next few times were much better. It is the first time that is the worst."

"I stand by what I said. I'm happy with my feet on the ground."

Falkner shrugged. "Your loss then."

Satsuki looked at the horizon, pensive. The sun was starting to set.

"It's a bit late, and it will get dark soon. How about we call it a day and continue tomorrow? Meet me at my house in the morning. It's the one besides the dance theater."

"Alright, I'll be there tomorrow morning"

"So until tomorrow then, Bird Boy."

Falkner's eye twitched. "I have a name, you know."

"Bird Boy suits you better," Satsuki giggled before leaving.

After waving the Kimono Girl goodbye, Falkner wandered through Ecutreak a bit, though the growing darkness made it a bit hard to appreciate the city. He ran into a couple of trainers who used Ghost-type Pokemon (which apparently were rather popular there) who challenged him to a match, but the would be trainer defeated them easily. Despite the fast win, Falkner couldn't shake off a feeling of uneasiness, since those trainers looked a bit...unhinged.

He decided that he had enough and headed for the Pokemon Center to pass the night. There was something about that city that got him on the edge. An aura of dread that increased as the sunlight decreased, that affected the people who spent too much time outside in the dark. He didn't want to end like those nutcases.

Next day

Both Satsuki and her sisters were awaken when somebody knocked the door. The five girls hoped that whoever it was would leave if ignored enough, but their unwanted visitor continued knocking the door. Their protests soon filled the house

"What time is it?"

"It's not polite to wake somebody up so soon!"

"My beauty sleep ruined!"

"It's okay, sis, I'll see who it is," Satsuki said as she got up from the bed. Though she had already a pretty solid idea. And just like she had expected, she opened the door to see Falkner and his perpetual frown.

"Good morning," the would-be Gym Leader said politely.

"Good morning to you too, Bird Boy. Early riser much?" Satsuki said, rubbing her eyes. "It's six in the morning. The sun's barely up."

"Like my father says, early Spearow gets the Caterpie. Though if you need more time before we can continue where we left off, I can go back to the Pokemon Center and wait for you there."

"No, it's okay. You already wake up all of us, so we may as well get ready for the day now. Did you have breakfast?"

"Not yet."

"Would you like to join us for breakfast then?" Satsuki asked.

"I'd love to, but I don't like to be a nuisance."

"You should have worried about that before waking us up so soon. None of us are morning persons, especially not this early," Satsuki said a bit upset. Yawning again, she moved aside, and motioned him to come in. Falkner complied.

One of the first thing the bird trainer saw was Satsuki's Jolteon, alongside a Flareon, a Vaporeon, and two Eevees. He guessed that they belonged to her sisters.

"It seems that you guys are fans of Eeevee."

"Some people like birds, others like Eevee," Satsuki said with a shrug.

During breakfast, Satsuki introduced Falkner to her sisters, whose resemblance towards Satsuki was so strong that only their different heights, eye color and hairstyle set them apart. The second eldest sister was Sumomo, who had shoulder-length, green hair, and was Vaporeon's master. Tamao, who had long, straight purple hair, was the middle child, and the owner of one of the two Eevees. Then there was Koume, who had short, red hair, and owned the Flareon. And lastly there was Sakura, a girl no older than seven with dark magenta hair styled in two pigtails, and the owner of the remaining Eevee.

While they had breakfast, every girl except Satsuki was glaring at the newcomer, who was doing his best to ignore the nonverbal hostility. Which prompted the girls to resort to verbal hostility.

"You know sis, your boyfriend is so dumb," Koume grumbled.

While Satsuki choked on her food, Falkner didn't react in any way.

"He's not my boyfriend! I'm just helping him on a project of his!" the blue haired girl quickly replied, flustered and blushing.

"Yeah, suuuure," Koume replied, narrowing her eyes at her elder sister.

"If he's not your boyfriend, does that mean that I can go out with him? He's kind of cute," Tamao mentioned.

"Yeah, but he looks like he's constantly upset about something. He'll look better if he tried to smile a bit more," Sumomo added in.

"Would you mind stop talking about me as if I wasn't here?" Falkner replied in annoyance.

"Nope, that's what you get for waking us up so early," Sakura replied matter-o-factly.

The bird trainer had no answer to that. Then again, it wasn't the first time his habit of waking up with the birds had annoyed other people. Sumomo cleared her throat.

"So, tell us, Falkner, what is this little project of yours?" the green haired girl asked.

"I'm trying to locate, and hopefully capture, the two Legendary Birds of Johto, Ho-oh and Lugia," Falkner declared in a neutral tone, expectant about the other girls' reaction.

"I see. It looks kind of tough," Sumomo said.

"When I grow up, I'm going to capture a Legendary too. Entei, the most badass fire Pokemon ever," Koume suddenly said.

"There are many people who had tried to catch a Legendary before. Half of them returned from long, costly journeys completely empty handed, while the other half didn't return at all," Sumomo said.

"Maybe. But just because someone tried and failed before, doesn't mean it's something impossible to do. Even if they're Legendary, they're still Pokemon, and thus held by the same laws of nature," Falkner said, his voice filled with determination.

"Then if you succeed in your quest, I guess that we will hear of it," Tamao finally said.

After having breakfast and getting dressed up, Falkner and Satsuki left the latter's house and went into the city. They walked for some minutes, until they arrived to a two story tall building. Falkner read the banner above its large main door:

ECRUTEAK CITY HISTORY MUSEUM

"Alright, this will be your first stop. Come on, get in," Satsuki said as she entered the building, with Falkner following behind her.

The museum wasn't too big, but every piece of exhibition was worth watching. A large painting of Ecruteak which was a couple centuries old overlooked the entire gallery. There were ancient texts written in dead languages exposed on display cabinets, whose translations talked about religious rituals to honor the two Legendary Pokemon who used to live in the city, at the top of two very tall towers each, as well as painting and sculptures from them. According to their keys, half of the displayed pieces were salvaged from one of the towers after it mysteriously burned down.

The upper floor seems to be almost entirely dedicated to Ho-oh and Lugia, with two large, ancient paintings of them at the far end of the room, alongside a hefty text explaining what's little is known of them.

Ho-oh was strongly related to fire (and thus speculated to be Fire/Flying type), was often seen during daylight, and loved to fly high. Its mere presence could dispel even the thickest and darkest clouds, turning a rainy day into a sunny one into a matter of seconds. Those who saw it fly said it left a rainbow in its trail.

Lugia, however, was strongly related to water, and while some people believed that it was a Water/Flying, others dissented, claiming it to be Psychic, Dark, or even Dragon, though nobody disagreed about being Flying. Unlike Ho-oh, Lugia preferred to fly in the darkness of the night, at a low altitude, and often near large bodies of water. It was said that Lugia's control over water was so great that its screeches could create tsunamis, and its presence caused whirlpools that, defying known science, were self-sustained and would never disappear.

"So, what do you think?" Satsuki asked once she made sure Falkner had finished reading both texts.

"The information is scarce, and highly speculative. But I guess that's better than nothing. At the very least, I got a hint of where I should look for them," Falkner replied.

"Ah, you plan on looking for Ho-oh and Lugia? That's quite a big quest for somebody so young," said an unknown voice behind them.

Falkner and Satsuki turned around and saw a middle aged, bald man, dressed in bluish gray monk robes, looking at Falkner with curious eyes.

"It's good to see you, Satsuki. May you introduce me to your friend?" the old man asked.

"Of course. This is Falkner. He came here from Violet City. Falkner, this is Koji, a sage and the museum's curator," Satsuki said, smiling.

"Pleased to meet you, young Falkner," Koji said, stretching his hand. Falkner gave him a strong handshake. "Let me tell you that if you're interested in the Guardians of the Sky and the Seas, you came to the right place."

"Yeah, though I can't help but feel a little disappointed. While what you have here has been of help, I don't think it will be enough," Falkner said.

"I see. Well, this museum is meant for people who want to learn more about the history of our beautiful city, not for young trainers aiming to find a living legend. But now that I remember, I have something in my office that it may of some help in your quest."

Falkner's eyes opened wide in anticipation. "Really? If that's true, I'd really appreciate it."

"But then again, is a very valuable item, something I just can't freely give to the first trainer who asks for it. And tracking the Guardians, or any Legendary Pokemon for that matter, is not a child's play. So must prove me that you're both dedicated to this quest, and that you're strong enough to carry it."

"Of course. What do you want me to do?" Falkner asked, ready to accept any challenge.

"You read the two towers where the two Pokemon used to live. One of them burned down. I want you to go to the latter, go into it's deepest chamber, and tell me what did you find there."

"What? You can't send him to the burned tower! That place is completely derelict. It's not safe to go there," Satsuki protested. "What about the Bell Tower? Isn't that safer?"

"You do know as good as I do that access to that tower is banned. And if he's afraid of going to a ruined building, he has no business pursuing Legendary Pokemon. What do you say, young Falkner?"

Half an hour later, in front of the Burned Tower

"I can't believe that you're going through this," Satsuki protested as she walked behind Falkner. "And I can't believe I'm following you."

"Nobody told you to come. You're free to go back to your house if you want," Falkner said without even turning back at her.

"Sorry, but my conscience would kill me if I let you go there alone."

"I can take care of myself. I'm not a helpless child."

"I don't doubt that. But you also need a witness who can confirm that you indeed reached the deepest chamber."

Falkner and Satsuki were greeted by the tower's indoor. Despite being a native of Ecruteak, Satsuki never ventured before to enter the ruined building. The first floor was illuminated by daylight thanks to a massive hole in the ceiling. They could appreciate the extent of its ruined state, with pieces of rock and debris scattered around the floor alongside chunks of burned wood, damaged statues and other ruined furniture. The wooden floor was blackened and eroded by woodworm, and creaked heavily with each step both blue haired teens took.

"Okay, the first thing we should look for is a way to the lowest floors," the bird trainer mentioned.

Before Satsuki could reply, the weakened wooden floor shattered under their feet, and both teens pummeled towards the floor below, culminating with a painful landing. Both teens found themselves in a rather dark room, its only source of light being the hole they have just created

"OW!" Satsuki protested, as she slowly got back on her feet. "Falkner!? Are you...are you alright?"

"I've been better, but I'll live."

"I can't hardly see anything. Does any of your Pokemon know Flash? Because my Jolteon doesn't," Satsuki mentioned.

"Actually, I think I have something better than that," Falkner said, as Satsuki heard him looking for something in his backpack.

The whole stance was illuminated by the flashlight Falkner just pulled out.

"Flash? Please, that move was good to save oil for lanterns back in the old days. But in an age where you can buy a flashlight at a cheap price at any hardware store, Flash has no purpose."

"Smart. Okay, let's see of there's a way back."

Much to their horror, there was a huge pile of debris and wood blocking the only stairs that headed back to the first floor. The other stairs at the other side of the floor went further downwards.

"Just great! We're trapped! At the very least, my sisters and Koji know we're here. They'll come to our help once they see didn't come back," Satsuki said, visibly upset.

"Maybe there's another way out in the lower floors. Besides, I still have to look for whatever that old man wanted me to see in the lowest chamber."

After fifteen minutes of walking, and some fights against a few Zubats and Rattatas that pestered them, the two teens found themselves in the lowest floor. It was a large chamber that apparently, was untouched by the flames. Even then, its emptiness made clear that whatever used to be there of any value, it has been long removed and taken somewhere else, probably the museum.

However, there was something that remained. Something that it would have been physically impossible to remove from there. A rather large stone mural on one of the walls, depicting Ho-oh and Lugia, in all its glory, in front of each other, with their wings spread wide. Between them, there was a tiny figure, a human being. Both birds were looking at him expectantly. There was a word carved under the human figure, but it was in a language that neither Falkner nor Satsuki could understand.

"Guess that this is what the old man wanted to me to see. Though I can't guess why," Falkner said, as he inspected the mural closer.

"Then we should get back. Do you think that your Pidgeot could fly us back to the first floor through that hole we made?" Satsuki asked.

"Maybe, But for a situation like this, I have something better than that," Falkner said as he unbuckled a pokeball from his belt. "Go Xatu!"

The pokeball opened, releasing the green-feathered mystic bird.

"Xatu, can you teleport us outside this place, back to Ecruteak?"

"Xatu!" the bird said affirmatively. The psychic Pokemon dived into Falkner's mind, looking for an image of the place he wanted to be teleported to. Then, in a flash of light, the two humans and the Pokemon were just outside the burned tower.

"Good job, girl," Falkner said while he handed the mystic Pokemon some berries, which she swallowed in no time, before being returned to her pokeball.

"I admit that was impressive. You certainly don't lack as much foresight as I thought," Satsuki said in a conciliating tone.

"I'm going to capture a legendary Pokemon. Lack of preparation is something I can't afford."

They were back in the museum in no time. Falkner told Koji their short trip, what he found in the lowest chamber, and how they managed to get back.

"I see. Of course you didn't understand the meaning of the mural without that word," Koji said as he pulled a book from a bookshelf, and opened it on a page that displayed said mural. "The word inscribed there means 'worthy'. Now how do you think that relates to your quest?"

"Only those worthy would be able to catch Ho-oh and Lugia?" Falkner said. It was more a guess than a statement.

"A possible interpretation, indeed. So tell me, young Falkner, are you worthy?"

"How can I know that?"

"Don't you know if you're worthy or not?"

"I can't judge myself worthy or not."

"But you must be worthy if you want to succeed in your quest, right? You need to know if you're worthy, and how to become one in case you aren't. I can't give you the item until you're worthy."

Falkner remained some minutes pensive, before he spoke up again.

"As far as I think, the only way I'll know if I'm worthy of not is if I can find and catch Ho-oh and Lugia. If I fail, then I'm not worthy. I think that's the most logical interpretation," the bird trainer said. Koji eyed at him.

"Is that your final answer?"

"Given that I don't have anything better, yes, it is."

"I see."

And without uttering any more words, the curator walked towards a closet, and pulled a small chest out of it. Taking a key from the folding of his robes, the sage unlocked the chest open, took its content, and handled it to Falkner.

"Then you may continued with your quest."

Falkner examined the item in his hands. It was a multicolored feather. Judging by its size, it belonged to a rather large specimen. The feather was oddly warm.

"What you hold in your hands is a Rainbow Wing, a feather from Ho-oh itself. It contains its essence and power, and it can be used as a compass that will guide you to the Guardian of the Sky."

"Wow...this...this is...I have no words..." Falkner stuttered. He didn't imagine that he would receive a gift of such value.

"A 'thank you' would be a good start. But I have two conditions for you to give you this. The first one is to keep it with you at all times. Do not let others steal it from you, for it is very valuable. Do not sell it either. And the second condition is that, once you have no more use for it, either because you were met with success in your quest or because you abandoned it, to return the feather to the museum. That's all that I ask."

"Many thanks for this gift. And yes, I promise I will do what you said regarding it."

The following morning, Satsuki, her sisters and Koji gathered to bid Falkner goodbye and good luck on his quest. Once the young bird trainer took off with his trusty Pidgeot, Satsuki turned towards the curator.

"Do you think it was wise to give him the feather?" Satsuki asked, a bit worried.

"I don't see why not. The kid has drive, and from what you told me, he appears to be resourceful."

"Still...that feather has been one of our greatest treasures...to give it away to a stranger like that..."

"Yes, but he will put it to good use. It's better off helping somebody locating Ho-oh than gathering dust on a closet. And who knows, maybe that kid will succeed where I and others failed."

"You know, Morty isn't going to be happy when he learns what you did..."

"All that Morty does is to sit down and expect Ho-oh to come to him, like that's going to happen. I would have given the feather to him if he simply asked."

Mount Silver, a month later

After nearly a month of flying aimlessly through Johto, Falkner finally had a solid lead on one of the two elusive Legendaries. Three days ago the Rainbow Wing started to glow dimly, and realized that the glow became stronger whenever he flied to the east. In front of him was the mountain range that divided Johto from its neighboring region Kanto. An unremarkable landmark save for two elements: Mount Silver, the home of extremely strong wild Pokemon, and Silver Town, located at the Mount's base. Silver Town was the place where the Silver Conference was held every year, attracting trainers not only from Johto, but from other regions as well.

During those times, the city brims with activity, not just from trainers, but from people who want to see the undoubtedly epic matches that take place there. But it was still at least six months until the next tournament, so the city was almost empty of human life.

Falkner knew that it was no coincidence that such a meaningful place for Johto trainers would also be Ho-oh's current home. No, coincidences did not exist, at least not to this level. It was fate that Ho-oh was here. And it was Falkner's fate that, at the end of the day, Ho-oh would be trapped inside of his pokeballs.

His Fearow, which he had switched from his Dodrio, landed on the Mount's summit. Recently he refrained from using Pidgeot for traveling, as he needed his strongest Pokemon to his fullest in case he ran into his targets. After giving his Fearow some treats and words of gratitude, he returned the large beaked Pokemon to his pokeball.

He then took the Rainbow Wing from one of his pouches. It glowed so bright, it was almost like having a piece of the sun in his hands. It was also way warmer to the touch than usual.

Suddenly, the temperature increased drastically. The few clouds that splashed the sky, vanished in an instant. An eerie silence reigned the atmosphere. Falkner's heart beat so hard he could hear it clearly.

Then, it happened.

Ho-oh, the Rainbow Phoenix, the Guardian of the Sky, The Crimson Winged Legend, raised above him, its wings spread in all their glory, raising a warm wind. It barely flapped its wings, as if somehow it could remain in mid-air by its force of will. The air seemed to be distorted around it. The Legendary Pokemon let out a deafening screech, as it glared at the human that dared to invade its current home.

While other people would cower in terror in front of such powerful creature, Falkner break into laughter.

"Hahaha, yes! I knew it! I knew I would find you!" elated, Flakner cheered as loudly as he could. "Listen to me, Ho-oh, I am not afraid of you, for you are looking at your future master! This day will always be remembered as the day Ho-oh, Guardian of the Sky, was captured by Falkner, Greatest Flying Pokemon Trainer Ever! Go Pidegot!"

His trusty companion was released from the pokeball. Upon seeing Ho-oh in front of him, Pidgeot was a bit startled, but it suddenly regained it usual composure, and stared at the Legendary Bird defiantly.

"Pidgeot, my first friend, my strongest companion! The day we've been preparing for during so many years has finally arrived! In front of us lies the greatest challenge we ever faced! But don't be afraid, despite the immense power of our opponent, I believe said power can be trumped by yours!"

Pidgeot let out a proud caw. He wouldn't disappoint his master and friend. Ho-oh, however, replied with another deafening screech.

"Let the tale of our legend begin! Pidgeot, use Sky Attack!"

Pidgeot cawed affirmatively, and took into the air in order to gain some altitude. Once he felt it was enough, he folded his wings and dived at the larger bird at an insane speed. The impact was marked by a explosion of feathers of all colors.

When he impacted his target, Pidgeot felt like crashing against a wall of steel. A wall of burning steel. Despite Pidgeot's attack pushed Ho-oh backwards a little, the scarlet bird hardly noticed anything.

Falkner was speechless. His strongest Pokemon's strongest attack barely made a scratch on Ho-oh's defenses. In fact, it seemed that the attack had hurt Pidgeot instead. How could it be? How powerful could be a Pokemon, Legendary or not? Or it was him and his Pokemon who were weak?

That didn't matter. Falkner wasn't going to give up now that he finally found his prize. Even if Pidgeot failed, he still have other five Pokemon that could soften the phoenix enough to be captured, including a Dragon-Type. Yes, this would take time an effort, but by the end of the day, the Legendary would be his.

Too bad Ho-oh wasn't planning of having any of that. With a single flap of his wings, the match was over.

Falkner didn't know what happen before he and his companion were trapped inside a searing hurricane. Rocks and small trees were teared apart from their foundations. And naturally, neither Falkner nor his Pidgeot could resist the force of Ho-oh's incredibly powerful and painful Gust. The burning wind violently pushed him over the edge of the mount.

Falkner pummeled to his certain death before everything went dark.

Several days later

Falkner opened his eyes. His whole body hurt like it never did. Wincing in pain, he inspected his surroundings. He was lying on what appeared to be a large sofa. A blanket covered the lower half of his body. His upper half was completely devoid of clothes, only bandages that covered many bruises and burns. The place appeared to be a Pokemon Center.

"Oh, you're awake!" said a feminine voice.

Falkner turned his head to see who said that, and immediately regretted it as a wave of pain coursed through his body.

"Try not to move, please," said the voice, which Falkner could see it belonged to a Nurse Joy. Besides her was his Pigeot, apparently unharmed, who cawed happily upon seeing his master awake.

"W-where I am?" Falkner weakly asked.

"In Silver City's Pokemon Center."

"How did I end here?"

"Your Pidgeot brought you here. You looked pretty bad. You had lots of bruises and first grade burns, but nothing too bad. The hospital is actually running on a skeleton crew, so I have to patch you up myself. Though while treating people is not exactly my specialty, I think I did a pretty decent job."

"I see. Thank you. How long have I been here?"

"Four days."

Falkner sighed heavily. So much for the start of his own legend.

"Now do you care to explain me how did you end up like this?"

Falkner remained silent for a few moments.

"I picked a fight I had no hope to win, and it was too late when I realized of that."

Nurse Joy raised an eyebrow at his rather ambiguous explaination.

"Well then...be more careful next time, okay?" she said with a pleasant smile.

"Sure, I always learn from my mistakes."

Falkner's stomach growled loudly. Nurse Joy giggled.

"I guess you'd like something to eat?"

"That would be much appreciated."

…

It would be another week before Falkner was recovered enough so he could walk on his own without his whole body aching horribly. After bidding Nurse Joy goodbye, Falkner mounted his Pidgeot and headed once again for Mount Silver.

While such decision appeared to be criminally stupid, Falkner wasn't planning on a rematch. At least not yet. He simply wanted to check if Ho-oh was still there. But he already knew the answer, since the Rainbow Wing had stopped glowing since he had woken up. And just like he feared, Ho-oh was nowhere to be found. The phoenix decided to look for a new home, one in which pesky humans wouldn't try to fight it. All that was left was the scorched dirt and grass, the charred rocks and burned vegetation, result of their comically short fight.

Falkner sat near the edge of the summit, and looked at the impressive sight before him. From his vantage point, almost all of Jotho could be seen. And far into the horizon, he could see a rainbow. Falkner smiled sadly.

Sensing his master's sorrow, Pigedot nuzzled Falkner gently. He was no bloodliner, but he knew his best friend enough to guess what he was trying to say.

I'm sorry master, I failed you.

"No, buddy. It is me who have failed. It was too much of a challenge for any of us, and I was too blinded by my own pride to see it," he said while he scratched Pidgeot's neck. "But this defeat is nothing but a setback. We will train harder, we will spend all the time we need until we're truly ready. Then we'll look for Ho-oh again, and we'll win."

Now he knew the answer to his question. He wasn't worthy. But he wouldn't rest until becoming worthy. But deep down he knew he had a long road to walk. After all, did he really expect to just waltz in and capture one of the strongest Pokemon which ever existed? He had underestimated Ho-oh.

And those who underestimate the power of the bird Pokemon are in for a rude awakening.