Barring any records of the Time Before, the regions of Kanto and Johto have always been like two independent provinces that shared a lot of traditions, and history together. In fact, Johto and Kanto were known to be together in strength and spirit, a vision promoted by the fact that both regions were governed by the same committee, though under the jurisdiction of two independent organizations, the Indigo League of Kanto, and the Johto League of Johto. The conferences were responsible for regulation of pokémon training, battling, conservation and development. Each conference had a defensive wing, known as the Elite Four, a group of four talented individuals, who were a Master of a particular pokémon type, both in breeding, training and battle. When it came to a matter of regional security, the word of an Elite Four member was law, and only superseded by the Inter-regional Head of Defense, also known as the Champion.

Every year, the Indigo Conference held an international event, known as the Indigo Conference, a grand scale tournament that allowed participating trainers from all parts of the world to come and participate, the sole requirement being that they would have to win eight badges from the various gyms spread throughout the Kanto region, usually one in each city. Once in the tournament, a trainer would have to battle other participants, and so on, through the process of elimination, a single winner would be chosen.

After the completion of the tournament proceedings, the winner is given an offer on behalf of the Indigo League, the chance to join its ranks as an Ace trainer. After his joining, the winner would go through extensive private training with the Elite Four, the entire time limited to a single year at maximum, after which, he would join the ranks as a full-fledged Ace trainer—a job with good social stature, solid money and perks. Ace trainers were, in effect, the second layer of defense against malicious forces, the first layer divided into two divisions- the Police force, responsible for cutting down human-related crime, and the Pokémon Ranger Squad, responsible for preventing pokémon-related crime, though the two divisions are known to work together on numerous occasions. Should the matter be beyond either of the divisions, only then are the Ace Squad called in for duty.

However, should the matter in question involve supernatural activity connected to legendary pokémon, or cataclysmic events engineered by malicious organizations, then the big guns come out to play, namely the Elite Four. Currently, the positions are held by the Fighting-type Master Bruno, the Ice-type Master Lorelei, and the Ghost-type Master Agatha. These three behemoths, with the occasional presence of the current Champion Dragon-type Master Lance Wataru, are responsible for maintaining peace over the lands of Kanto.

Indigo Plateau. Offices of the Kanto Elite Four.

"Lance, exactly how difficult is it to understand the point I'm trying to make?"

Lance Wataru was annoyed. The Dragon-master from the legendary Wataru clan had singlehandedly maintained peace over the regions of Kanto and Johto for the last nine years. However, ever since the Kanto-Hoenn Cooperation Programme had come into effect, things had gotten a little worse around there. In order to improve and maintain relations, he had invited the former Champion of Hoenn Steven Stone, to take up the post of his Deputy, and make sure that the Johto region didn't suffer from any… negligence, since it seemed like Kanto would be occupying his time for quite some time now. Steven, who had been Champion for five years before losing it to the new Champion Wallace, had greatly appreciated the thought and taken up the offer.

In hindsight, it was also a perfect move for positive media coverage, and had gone a good way in the mutual relationship between the regions. It was almost, almost worth the headache the same Steven Stone was giving him right now.

He stood up from his chair, glaring at the wide screen opposite him, his usual mode of communication with the former Hoenn Champion, as he tried to keep his irritation in check. "Tell me, Steven," he began slowly, "—outside of these… premonitions that Sabrina has been getting, what exactly are your reasons to cancel the biggest event of the decade?"

"The unexplained draconic activity over the Cerulean-"

"Is classified and too localized to be of any importance." Lance cut him out. "Steven, I know that you, and your family, are downright religious with metagross, and psychic premonitions, but trust me, this, is beyond reason. You, on the mere word of a single girl, want me to completely shatter everything I've been working on."

" -we have been working on." Steven corrected angrily. "And just so you know, this… girl you are referring to, is the youngest ace trainer of Kanto, and perhaps the most powerful psychic ever born in the world. For once Lance, get your head out of this fucking promotion event and look at the-"

"Don't call it, a Promotion event!" Lance barked. "The SS. Anne cruise is a symbol, a symbol of hope that will finally seal the barely functioning cooperation between Hoenn and Kanto."

"—for which you've done a lot," Steven agreed. "I don't disagree with that, but is it really worth it, Lance? With all that's happening all around?"

"What, may I ask, is happening all around?"

Steven took a deep breath. "Drake, mentioned that things were… unruly, in the air."

Lance opened his mouth, then shut it.

"The sudden rise of this… Team Rocket," Steven sneered, "the sudden hyperactivity of psychic pokémon, Sabrina's premonitions, and the rumours about Entei's outrage… need I go on?"

Lance took a deep breath. "Steven, I understand your point, but-"

"If it is Devon Corp. that's troubling you, then you know that I need to make a single call, and it will be done." Steven offered.

As if I didn't consider that already. Lance thought bitterly. "You have made your point, Steven. Now consider mine. The SS. Anne's event has been broadcasted to every city and shore in the Kanto region for the last two months. Vermillion city is swarming with trainers, rushing in for the ticket, all in anticipation for the greatest event of the decade. People from Sinnoh, including the champion have boarded the ship as it heads for Kanto in four days, and you want me to cancel the entire thing?"

"But… but Lance, hundreds of trainers, and dozens of VVIP, all on that single ship, alone in the sea, without any fortifications. Don't you think we are painting the bull's eye?"

Lance considered his words. "I… admit it might seem like that from a perspective, but what could possibly defeat two Champions, a team of Elite Four, and hundreds of competent trainers?" He paused, "—or are you trying to tell me that the Champions and the Ace Squad are so incapable that we won't stand a chance against these… Rockets?"

"Not against the Rockets, I'm not saying that."

"Then?"

"The Armoured pokémon."

That… shut Lance up. There had been potential rumours about a certain… armoured humanoid pokémon spotted at several regions of Kanto and Johto, although there had been no… digital footage of the events under question. Apparently, it had been responsible for the deaths of a herd of Tauros in Five Isle Meadow, where three hundred and forty one Tauros had been strangled to death. The forensics had disclosed it to be the work of a single, large-scale psychic attack, followed by a single, large-scale Crunch, the latter aimed exactly at the first three vertebrae, tearing the spinal-cords with the precision of an Alakazam. It had bamboozled everyone since there weren't any psychic/dark type pokémon known to any League- Lance had personally called for favours and inquired about the existence of such a pokémon.

There were none.

And even so, it still wouldn't explain how said pokémon was able to perform both a psychic-type and a dark-type attack at the same time, and that too, over such an extensive population, with one-hundred percent precision. Lance knew for a fact that none of the known legendaries were involved, since the League's Absol team were pretty good at determining the epicentre of an oncoming legendary-interaction.