"Strange… is it because it's lacking energy?"
Gary stood quietly in his room, holding the blue crystal he had obtained earlier. His gaze was fixed on it, sharp and contemplative.
The crystal was cold to the touch, faintly glowing with a subdued blue light, yet no matter how carefully Gary examined it, something felt fundamentally wrong.
He couldn't see its name.
Gary had used the Eye of Insight on countless Pokémon and items before. He had even observed Pokémon on the verge of death—Pokémon whose energy was nearly exhausted—yet even then, their names and basic information would still appear.
But this crystal…
Nothing.
It was as if it existed outside normal classification.
Gary couldn't help but think of the incident recorded in the Sinnoh theater movie—the Rift Incident, when a Deoxys was gravely injured after battling Rayquaza. That Deoxys had taken several years to recover, its core damaged but not destroyed.
Even then, however, it still existed as a named entity.
This crystal didn't.
"Could it be…?"
A dangerous possibility crossed Gary's mind.
But he shook his head slightly.
"I can't be certain yet."
Without enough data, speculation was meaningless. Gary carefully stored the crystal away, sealed it securely, and decided to leave further research for later.
After cleaning up, he lay down to rest.
The following morning, the city of Veilstone gradually came back to life.
Ash, Dawn, Brock, and the others left early, heading toward Pastoria City to challenge the fourth Gym.
Gary watched them leave from a distance.
"The Shaymin incident should occur after Ash obtains the Pastoria Gym Badge," Gary thought calmly. "There's no need for me to interfere."
Following Ash around would only complicate matters.
More importantly, Gracidea Field was a protected area.
Wild Pokémon inside the reserve could not be captured under any circumstances.
That meant if Gary wanted to obtain Shaymin, he had to find it before it entered the Gracidea Flower Garden.
"I'll search for Shaymin first."
Gary knew time was limited.
Gracidea flowers bloomed only briefly each year. If he missed this window, finding Shaymin again would become extremely difficult.
Shaymin is a migratory Mythical Pokémon.
As autumn transitioned into winter, Shaymin would transform into its Sky Forme and migrate to warmer regions. Once the Gracidea season ended, Shaymin would leave Sinnoh entirely.
It was already autumn.
There was barely one month left.
Once Shaymin reached the protected Gracidea Garden, Pokémon Rangers would monitor it closely, ensuring it reached the flower field safely. At that point, capturing it would be impossible.
Pokémon Rangers were a special class of Trainers, dedicated to the protection of wild Pokémon rather than capturing them permanently.
They carried Capture Stylers, devices that allowed them to temporarily partner with Pokémon through trust and communication.
Most wild Pokémon respected Rangers, understanding that Rangers protected their habitats.
"Once Shaymin enters the reserve, that's it," Gary murmured.
He had to act before then.
Gary released Articuno.
"Krrreee—ah!"
The Legendary Ice-type Pokémon spread its wings, cold air swirling gently around its body.
Articuno was extremely sensitive to climate changes. Through air currents alone, it could determine the direction of colder regions.
Gary mounted Articuno, and with a powerful flap of its wings, they soared into the sky.
Gracidea Field lay in the northeastern region of Sinnoh, north of Pastoria City and not far from the glacial areas.
In less than two hours, Articuno descended toward a vast open field.
The air grew noticeably colder.
Articuno landed smoothly at the edge of a wide plain.
"Good work," Gary said, patting its neck.
Before them stretched the Gracidea Field.
Clusters of Gracidea buds dotted the landscape. Though the flowers had not yet bloomed, a faint, refreshing fragrance already filled the air.
"It's almost time," Gary said softly.
"Arcanine, come out."
A Poké Ball opened in a flash of red light.
"Ar—ca—nine!"
A large, majestic canine Pokémon appeared, its thick orange fur rippling slightly in the cold breeze.
The moment Arcanine saw Gary, its eyes lit up.
"Woof!"
It rushed forward enthusiastically and began licking Gary's face.
"Alright, alright," Gary said with a faint smile. "That's enough."
[LV56 Arcanine | Elite]
Arcanine was one of Gary's earliest Pokémon.
However, due to its lower growth potential, its level had gradually fallen behind other Pokémon of the same generation. Even Pokémon Gary trained later in Johto had surpassed it.
Gary gently placed a hand on Arcanine's head.
"System," he thought, "use Silver Crown on Arcanine."
[Ding! Silver Crown successfully used.]
[Arcanine's potential enhanced.]
[Status updated: Champion-level]
[LV56 Arcanine | Champion]
Arcanine's body radiated a stronger presence instantly. Its muscles became more defined, and its eyes sharpened.
"Rrr—woof!"
Originally, Gary hadn't planned to prioritize Arcanine's development.
But now, with resources like Ability Patch Stones, Arcanine's value had increased significantly—especially since Intimidate was only one of its abilities.
Gary was curious how its other abilities would evolve after enhancement.
"Arcanine," Gary said, pointing toward the field, "go smell the Gracidea flowers."
"Woof!"
Arcanine trotted forward and lowered its massive head, inhaling deeply near the buds.
Although the flowers hadn't bloomed, the buds already released a distinct fragrance.
The true catalyst for Shaymin's transformation was Gracidea pollen.
And Shaymin itself carried a faint version of that scent.
Arcanine had undergone professional police tracking training. Scent memory came easily to it.
Within seconds, it raised its head.
"Woof!"
"I see," Gary said. "That's enough."
He recalled Arcanine, then flew beyond the boundaries of the Gracidea reserve.
Only once they were outside the protected zone did Gary release Arcanine again.
"Now search."
Arcanine lowered its head and began tracking carefully.
Soon, it started walking—straight down a well-maintained road.
Gary frowned slightly.
"Odd… Shaymin usually avoids roads."
Shaymin was cautious by nature.
During the day, it often disguised itself as grass, absorbing sunlight quietly. At night, it moved more actively but preferred dense vegetation.
It rarely traveled along open paths.
Still, Gary chose to trust Arcanine.
After some distance, the road led toward a small settlement.
Gary looked up at a wooden sign at the village entrance.
"Floaroma Village."
So this was it.
The village nearest to Gracidea Field.
Gary suddenly understood.
Floaroma Village was close enough to the Gracidea Field that the fragrance of Gracidea flowers lingered here year-round. Some villagers even preserved dried Gracidea petals due to their high value.
"It makes sense," Gary murmured.
Even if Shaymin avoided roads, the lingering scent here would naturally attract it.
Gracidea bloomed only in autumn, but under suitable conditions, its petals could be preserved for a long time.
And in the flower market, Gracidea was extremely valuable.