Pokemon: May's Journey - 01: A Call from Kanto
May had thought that she would rest for a while after winning the Hoenn League. But back in Littleroot Town, her mother had a surprise for her.
“Someone has been trying to call you,” her mother said in a serious tone.
That caught May’s attention. “Who?” she asked.
“No idea, but the Caller ID places the origin in Kanto.”
‘Kanto,’ May thought. She could think of many reasons why someone in Kanto would be calling the new winner of the Hoenn League, and she didn’t like any of them. She breathed deeply. “I’ll put my stuff in my room and then I’ll call them back.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“They could send someone here,” May responded.
“But I don’t want you to get entangled in something…”
May called the Kanto contact back.
“Is this the new Hoenn League Champion?”
“Not really. Steven Stone is still the Official Champion for now.”
“But you are the one who passed the League.”
“Giovanni has been waiting for your call.”
May’s eyes opened wider. Out of all the reports that had come out of Kanto regarding the situation there, one thing had been consistent. The one at the top of the new power structure was named Giovanni. “Giovanni?” she asked. Why did he reach out to a Hoenn trainer who had managed to beat the Champion?
“Yes. I’ll put you through now.”
“Giovanni?” Caroline asked May.
“I can handle it,” May said.
It wasn’t long before Giovanni responded.
“Yes,” May answered defensively. “What do you want?”
“There is something we would like you to do for us.”
“I haven’t told you what it is yet. What do you know of the Sinnoh region?” Giovanni asked, as a map of Sinnoh appeared alongside him on the video feed.
“Not much,” May admitted. “It’s a region. People and Pokemon live there. The people also speak Johtogo, as we do.”
“Good answer,” Giovanni responded. “But it’s not the language that’s important. It’s culture, and the Regions Legendaries.” The map zoomed in on the center of Sinnoh, and a point then indicated Mount Coronet. “A local organization has taken over the ruins on top of this mountain.”
“So, you want me to deal with something, as I did Teams Aqua and Magma? Why do you want me to deal with it?”
“I haven’t finished. The leader of this organization, a man named Cyrus, is planning to use the Legendaries to create a new universe.”
That sounded crazy, May considered. But Giovanni sounded very serious. He wouldn’t be reaching out to a trainer in Hoenn without sound reason. “I’m sure you could send someone to do it.”
“I considered that, but I have to consider what happens afterwards. Tensions between Kanto and Sinnoh have been high recently, and I would rather not have Champion Cynthia’s full attention.”
“Then why not leave it to her?”
“Because my sources state that she’s taking time to respond.”
May sighed. Giovanni was aware of what was happening and authorities in Sinnoh were aware of what was happening but the latter were moving too slowly for his taste and he wanted the crisis over. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
“Very good. A transport will be in Littleroot Town this evening.”
“May. Are you sure you want to go?” Caroline asked as she watched her daughter look up more information on Sinnoh online.
“Yes. Getting to Sinnoh otherwise might take time and this Team Galactic might have done something to Champion Cynthia, although there is no proof of that.”
“But going with Team Rocket?”
Both Caroline and May paused, as it was uncertain how much of the organization Giovanni had led before his takeover was involved in actually running Kanto.
“It’s the quickest way to get to Sinnoh,” May answered. “It is in the north, beyond Johto, Kanto and Kitakami.”
Caroline sighed. “I know it’s urgent, but you should watch yourself.”
“What do you think I have been doing?”
An hour later, a large aircraft landed in the middle of Littleroot Town, where May was waiting. It was mostly black with stylized Ks. ‘Those Ks were probably Rs,’ May thought as a loading ramp opened in front of her. A teenager girl with long blonde hair, not much older than her, emerged. “May, right?” she asked.
“That’s right,” May responded. “And your name is?”
“Cassidy. We’re on a tight schedule. It will take hours to fly to Sinnoh, and we have to stop over in Lavender Town, on Kanto’s east coast, to meet with Giovanni before continuing the rest of the way.”
“In case more information comes up?” May asked as she followed Cassidy up the loading ramp.
“Yes,” Cassidy answered. “We do have agents in Sinnoh, but we can’t afford for them to be seen moving openly, even against the clear existential threat that Cyrus presents.”
May sighed. “Yes, Giovanni explained that to me.”
“We’ll take off in a few minutes. Our presence in Hoenn is complicated.”
May sat in a large center cabin where there were many consoles that were showing sensor data from Sinnoh. She looked out the window as the aircraft took off and watched as Littleroot Town vanished into the distance.
