Episode 1a: In the Light of Reshiram! (part 1)


Now arriving at Nuvema International Airport--local time is 1:00 PM. the intercom announced as the plane elegantly descended towards the water. Please make sure your Pokemon and belongings are accounted for, and take small children by the hand...

"Wake up, sport--we're here." His father's voice jolted Ash awake from a nap. "Hurry and get your stuff together."

"Okay..." Ash yawned, more from the jet lag than being woken up. After sleepily gathering together his belongings, he felt a gentle thump as the plane touched down on the runway.

"Et tu, jet lag?" Misty sleepily smiled as Ash followed his parents and Prof. Oak off the plane and inside the airport.

"Yeah..." Ash replied as the group made their way to the baggage claim.

"So, we're here...what would you like to do first?" Brock replied as he looked his guitar and archery gear over to make sure they had survived the flight intact.

"Take a look around, and see the sights!" Ash replied as he too made sure his luggage had arrived in Unova in one piece.

Once everyone had reunited with their luggage, the group made their way outside and onto a boardwalk. "Wow..." Ash gasped as he looked out at the pier, which seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see in both directions.

But before he could hurry off to explore the boardwalk, he noticed his faithful Pikachu facing the water. "What is it, bud?" he asked as he watched a white spiraling cloud looming over the water.

[I don't like the looks of that cloud...] Tintri explained as he studied the cloud, which was now swirling with crimson flames as it moved towards the pier. [No cloud I know of has fire inside. Lightning, sure, but fire?]

An angry look formed on Ash's face as he watched the cloud approach. If there's something dangerous in there, I'm gonna warn it away before innocent lives are lost!

With that, he turned his cap back, took a deep breath, and sang into the sky Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...

Misty and Brock looked on in awe as Ash continued Katoradis favel siicletu edena...

A blue protective aura surrounded him and Tintri as he sang the last line. Emusto koron zen fine, si...

As the last "si" echoed into the clouds, a majestic white mammalian dragon-like Pokemon emerged from the fiery cloud. It looked down at the wheezing boy and his Pkachu in a glowing blue aura on the pier, smiled, then streaked skyward. The white streak created more fire, causing the center of the cloud to glow an exceedingly intense red.

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Meanwhile, a brown haired girl and a tiny lizard Pokemon emerged from a forest onto an overlook. She noticed the red clouds in the distance. "Blair! Blair, look at this!"

"What is it, Whitlea?" the girl's partner, a brown haired boy, joined the girl and her Pokemon on the overlook.

"Those clouds...could it be that Reshiram is here?" the girl asked.

"It's possible...we'll have to get closer to know for sure." the boy replied. "Let's keep going--if Reshiram is here, someone with a strong sense of truth and justice is here. It would mean the world to Prof. Juniper if we could get pictures or video of one of Unova's guardians up close!"

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"Ash...you okay, sport?" Taran asked as he held his weary son in his arms with Delia looking on. "That was a brave, but risky thing you did..."

"I'm...fine, you guys..." Ash wheezed. "Just very...tired..."

I'm not surprised...even in the most skilled users, the Swanna Song still drains their strength. a gentle female voice began.

Ash noticed the white dragon looking up at him as Taran set him down on a towel Brock had spread out on the pier. "Who are you?" he wheezed. "Friend...or foe?"

I'm a friend, hero...I mean you and your family and friends no harm. the white dragon assured Ash as she healed him from the Swanna Song induced weariness. I foresee you and your companions will do many great things during your time here...if you need me, call me!

With that, she fired a gigantic fireball into the sky before disappearing.

Delia watched as Ash shakily stood up. "Ash...are you sure you're okay? That super song did take a lot out of you..." she let that hang as the clouds parted to reveal the sun again.

"I'm fine..." Ash replied as he dusted himself off and welcomed Tintri aboard his shoulder. "Did you guys see anything inside that odd fiery cloud at all? I could've sworn I saw a Pokémon's shadow from within the clouds..."

"All we saw was a large white cloud...you sure you weren't seeing anything?" Misty asked.

"We all wish we could confirm or deny your sighting, but from our point of view, we only saw a large white cloud." Professor Oak assured Ash. "I'm sure that if we asked Prof. Juniper, the local professor here, she could help us solve this vexing mystery..."

Just then, a light brown haired woman arrived to meet the group as they departed the boardwalk. "My apologies for running late, Sam--I had to help Fennel with a project before meeting you here."

Prof. Oak smiled. "It's no trouble at all, Aurea. We have our own mystery to solve, but I'll tell you more once we get Ash, his family, and his companions settled."

He made a grand gesture to the woman. "Everyone, this is my colleague Prof. Aurea Juniper. She may be, young but she's already made a name for herself in the scientific community."

"Nice to meet you all." Prof. Juniper smiled before starting towards a beautiful metallic red SUV. "Let's head over to my lab--we can talk more there."

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Ash did the best he could to snap pictures of the local Pokemon from the back seat while still being restrained by the seat belt. "Any luck with some good shots?" Misty asked as she watched Ash settle into his seat to review the pictures.

"Okay...I got this pretty shot of these deer looking Pokemon..." Ash explained as he showed Misty a picture of some grazing Deerling on a plain. "these gray bird Pokemon..." He swiped over to a picture of some Pidove. "...and these rodent looking Pokemon with big red eyes."

He noticed Tintri's cheeks sparking before he could show Misty more pictures. "You okay, bud? I packed some Spark-eez, just in case..."

"We can check your Pikachu over once we get to the lab, okay?" Prof. Juniper replied from the driver's seat. "If it is serious, a Pokemon Center's not far."

"Okay!" Ash replied.

Something occurred to Prof. Juniper as she focused on the road. "You all came from the Kanto region, right? I've been curious about the Pokemon that live there, and the culture..."

She smiled at Prof. Oak. "You can tell me all about it back at the lab, okay?"

"As a certified storyteller and folklorist, I wonder if there are any interesting folktales in Unova..." Brock mused. "This way I can perform them to audiences at home and elsewhere."

Prof. Juniper thought for a moment. "Well, there is a tale here that explains why there is thunder and lightning...would like to start your lore gathering expedition with that?"

"Please do." Brock replied as he found his new storytelling notebook labeled 'Tales from Unova' and flipped to the first page. "When you're ready." he assured Prof. Juniper as he found a pen.

"All right..." Prof. Juniper began. "Once upon a time in what is today Unova, there lived a great sage. People rarely saw him, for he lived in solitude at the top of a mountain. Still, people talk, and so word spread that the sage possessed magical powers..."

To Be Continued...