Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice-Chapter 231: Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice []

"Finally, the day has come."

At the start of a new year, standing atop the restored Indigo Plateau, 11-year-old Red gazed at the newly built, grand stadium and, for once, spoke.

It had been several months since the Battle of the Gods.

Red and Blue, the two so-called freaks from Pallet Town, had been on their journey for nearly a year now.

Today, they would participate in the Indigo League Conference they had dreamed of since childhood.

"Go, Big Brother Red! Win the championship and wipe that smug look off Blue's face!"

Trailing behind, fist raised and a yellow mouse clinging to his shoulder, the almost 10-year-old Pallet Town prodigy, Ash, cheered, just under two years shy of the minimum age for new trainers.

"It's quite a coincidence. This is also the first Indigo League Conference since the Indigo War."

Walking with Delia and Ash, Professor Oak explained to the two.

It had been over two years since the Indigo Plateau War was started by Team Shadow, and now the Indigo League headquarters and stadium had finally been rebuilt.

This conference will be the first held at the new Indigo Stadium.

"That is something."

Wearing a shoulder bag, Blue walked up, sneering,

"I heard the League invited a lot of celebrities from other regions as special guests for this tournament. Don't embarrass Pallet Town in front of the whole world, okay?"

"..."

Red replied to Blue with silence.

Knowing his rival well, Blue didn't say more—just shrugged and started to walk away.

The best way to crack that poker face is through battle.

"Oh my~! How lively, everyone's here!"

A lively girl's voice came from the other direction.

Everyone from Pallet Town instinctively turned to look. Around Red and Blue's age, a lively girl carrying a satchel was observing the pair with her chin in her hand.

"You two are still the same, arguing the moment you meet."

"Green!"

Ash shouted her name joyfully.

"Oh, Ash is here too~"

Green waved at him with a smile.

"Didn't you say you weren't interested in the League tournaments?"

Blue asked with a sidelong glance.

Green shrugged, "I just happened to collect badges during my travels, and before I knew it, I had eight. Since you're all here, I thought I'd check it out. Plus, someone I want to see is coming."

After escaping from Pryce and regaining her freedom, Green treasured everything she had now.

Unlike Red and Blue, who barely went home all year, Green returned to visit her parents whenever she could.

But she hadn't stopped traveling.

She still journeyed throughout Kanto, searching for traces of Team Rocket, hoping for a chance to sneak in and thank Joker.

"Is it your boyfriend?"

Delia asked with a smile, though a trace of worry flashed in her eyes.

She liked this lively girl, thinking Green and her quiet eldest son were a good match—opposites attract, after all.

But a boyfriend would complicate things.

"No, just a little brother I met before,"

Green waved her hands.

"The Elite Four are here!"

Someone shouted from the crowd.

The Rainbow Squad trio all looked over at once.

Hundreds of people gathered on the avenue parted to the sides, clearing the path.

Champion Lance, Agatha, Bruno, and Lorelei walked side by side toward the main entrance.

"Champion Lance!"

"Lorelei is still so beautiful!"

"Agatha is as deep as ever."

Contestants and spectators on both sides sighed in admiration.

"So that's the Elite Four. What a presence..."

Ash and Pikachu's mouths dropped open in an "O".

"They're not that special."

A familiar voice Ash would never mistake sounded.

"Gary!"

Seeing his face, Ash pouted instinctively.

"If you'd been at the Lumiose City battle three months ago, you'd know this is nothing."

Gary scoffed, then sighed, "Too bad some people overslept and missed their flight. I'm embarrassed for them."

"What did you say?!"

Ash angrily rolled up his sleeves.

When Red went to Lumiose City for the Junior Cup, Ash had planned to go cheer for his big brother.

But, just like when he got his first Pokémon in the original story, he overslept and missed the flight.

Then the gods' battle happened, and Ash cried under his covers the whole night.

"Oh? Wanna try me?"

Gary pulled a Poké Ball from his belt.

Inside was his starter, a shiny Stufful.

"Alright, that's enough, you two."

Green couldn't help but play peacemaker again.

Ash and Gary's relationship was a less-powerful version of Red and Blue's.

But Red and Blue mostly just exchanged snark and silence; nothing much happened.

These two, though, would throw hands at the drop of a hat.

"Green!"

At that moment, a red-haired boy ran up, waving.

Ash and Gary looked over. The boy reached Green.

"Long time no see, Silver. You've gotten taller." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Green affectionately ruffled Silver's hair.

"Don't do that, Green. There's so many people here,"

Silver retreated, embarrassed.

"Tsk tsk, grown up and already pulling away from your sister. So sad."

Green clasped her hands over her heart and pretended to cry.

"Cut it out, Green."

Silver was exasperated.

She used to trick him with this all the time when he was little—was she underestimating him now?

"Kids just get less cute as they grow up."

Green pouted, then introduced Silver to the others, explaining he was a little brother she met when she was kidnapped.

Professor Oak and the others knew Green was kidnapped for three years, though Green hid the fact that Pryce was the one who did it.

"Whoa~ This lady's got a great figure~"

A boy wearing a backward cap and riding a skateboard swaggered over to Green.

"What are you trying to do to my sister!?"

Silver reacted instantly, pummeling the newcomer.

The two quickly started wrestling.

Afterward, Silver explained that this guy was Gold, a jerk he met while traveling in Johto.

Green blinked, glancing back and forth between Silver and Gold, then at Red and Blue, Ash and Gary.

Sigh... not a single worry-free pair among them.

Heading to the registration desk, Green and Silver, both with their little secrets, walked behind the group, exchanging information.

Green, while traveling in Kanto, had helped Silver search for info on families whose children were kidnapped six years ago, hoping to find his real parents.

Silver, while traveling in Johto, would keep an eye out for any Team Rocket news for Green.

After all, Kanto and Johto were Team Rocket's main territories—everyone knew that.

Meanwhile, the Indigo Elite Four, after entering the stadium, immediately met with high-ranking League officials from other regions.

Seeing Stephen, Lance, Leon, Wallace, Diantha, and other young champions, the reporters' cameras flashed non-stop.

Except for Lance, Stephen and the others weren't shy about smiling for the cameras.

Alder sighed and smiled wryly, "We're all champions, but every time I see these young folks, I just feel old."

Beside him, the new Sinnoh Champion, Palmer, felt targeted and protested, "Hey~ these days, 65 is just a young old man. I'm not even 40, I'm still a youth."

Alder replied, "Youth my foot. I heard people in Sinnoh are upset about you replacing Cynthia, saying you're old and ugly and hurting Sinnoh's image."

Caitlin, both resentful and curious, quietly asked Alola's incoming Elite Four member, Cynthia, "Miss Cynthia, why are you going to Alola?"

"I just wanted a change of scenery,"

Cynthia answered, hiding the real reason.

She'd been in Alola for a few months now. During that time, she'd caught wind of Team Rocket's activities.

After Team Flare's collapse, Team Rocket started taking over Kalos' underground scene.

But Stephen had stayed in Alola during this time, not getting involved.

It seemed Stephen hadn't participated in those dirty deeds.

That made Cynthia feel relieved, but no matter how she tried to persuade him, Stephen had no intention of cutting ties with Team Rocket.

This troubled her deeply.

"It's not because of Dr. Stephen? Miss Cynthia, that's hell ahead."

Caitlin subtly pointed at Stephen.

At that moment, Stephen had his left arm around Sonia and his right around Nessa, posing for pictures.

A few months ago, reporters had caught Stephen holding hands and shopping with both women.

The family group chat had a new member.

Apart from envy, men everywhere had gotten used to it.

Many netizens speculated that it wouldn't be long before Malva and Cynthia, two champions who had switched regions, would join the harem too.

Some even joked they hoped Stephen would leave some for the rest since he was having his fill.

Caitlin nearly lost control of her psychic powers when she saw those remarks, wanting to pull those netizens from their screens and strangle them.

"No, you're overthinking it."

Cynthia tried to reassure her.

"How does he do it?"

Wallace sidled up to Steven at the first chance, watching Sonia's Diancie intently.

Steven was caught off guard, "Do what?"

Wallace raised his brows at Stephen's left and right, "Dr. Stephen, his girlfriends are almost too many to count. Yet they all get along?"

Get along?

Steven blinked.

Back in Hoenn, he'd overheard Sonia and Nessa talking. Nessa had happily told Sonia, "Great, now that you're here, I'm not afraid of Morgan and her little sidekick anymore."

Steven thought Stephen's women must be at odds, forming cliques and fighting.

But at least in public, they seemed harmonious.

"Well, he is outstanding."

Steven answered perfunctorily.

"I'm not bad, so why can't I get even one?"

Wallace complained.

Winona still hadn't agreed to get back together.

"If you could give your girlfriend a Legendary, maybe you'd manage it too."

Steven replied.

If Stephen gave him a Diancie, Steven wouldn't mind sleeping with him either.

By the way, Stephen's recent paper argued that Pokémon and human genomes and physiology are very similar.

Especially humanoid Pokémon like Gardevoir, Machamp, and Cinderace.

And Diancie looks pretty human too. Is she a humanoid type as well? (Bro, touch some grass.)

"Hello, trainers and Pokémon fans around the world! Welcome to this year's Indigo Conference, a grand event for trainers who love Pokémon from all over the world."

"The Sacred Flame, Ho-Oh's fire, protects us."

"Trainers, over the next two weeks, fight fair and without regrets!"

On the second day, at the opening ceremony of the Indigo Conference, Chairman Goodshow stood center stage, giving a speech.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.

Not just for the highly respected Goodshow, but also out of anticipation for the first Indigo Conference in almost three years.

Sitting among the champions in the VIP seats, Stephen's eyes locked precisely on the Rainbow Squad trio from Pallet Town, a secret smile on his face.

He had come here to see these three perform with his own eyes.

After the opening ceremony, the audience and contestants dispersed.

Unlike the Galar Star Tournament, which began at the main stadium with just a few dozen entrants and 6v6 battles, the Indigo Conference, like Johto's Silver Conference or Hoenn's Ever Grande Conference, had hundreds of entrants.

First, they'd whittle down 80% of competitors using 2v2 or even 1v1 battles at smaller arenas around the main stadium.

Only those who made it to the top 32 would qualify for battles in the main Indigo Stadium.

Stephen didn't watch the matches in person but returned to his hotel room to watch with his group on TV.

The broadcast was showing Field #4, the Rock Field—Red versus a nameless challenger.

"Go, Big Brother Red!"

As the match was about to begin, the camera swept over the audience, and an obvious figure leaped up, cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting.

On his shoulder, Pikachu echoed, "Pika, pika!"

Stephen couldn't help but smile, more and more looking forward to this kid's journey in a year and a half.

But with so many geniuses in this world, even if Ash played smart, standing out from the freaks would be no easy task.

"Hm?"

Stephen frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Karen asked.

"Rewind that shot, in slow motion."

Stephen pointed at the screen.

Though it was live, Mary obediently dragged the playback bar back.

She set it to 0.5x speed.

The camera slowly panned over the crowd: Ash, Delia, Professor Oak... and Green, whom he met last year—at only 11, but already more curvaceous than Diantha.

"Pause!"

Stephen shouted; Mary hit the button.

The image froze on a red-haired boy about Ash's age, maybe 8 or 9, sitting next to Green.

"Well, well!"

Stephen muttered to himself.

Hadn't expected to run into him here.

...

Elsewhere, in Johto's Cliff Cave.

"How long are we supposed to keep hiding, Faba?!"

Carr shouted at his ally, furious.

Half a year ago, after Giovanni ordered the entire organization to search for his son, Carr defected from Team Rocket.

Apart from a few dozen loyal subordinates, only Faba among the executives joined him.

Over months, Carr recruited more men but only grew the group to a little over a hundred.

Everyone in the underworld knew Team Rocket was the number one force now.

As a Team Rocket defector, how many dared follow Carr?

"Don't be hasty, Carr. With our current strength, do you think we can take on Team Rocket? Our only chance..."

Faba pulled a photo from his pocket, voice rising,

"...is this kid!"

The photo showed a younger Giovanni holding a red-haired toddler, about two or three, with his back to the camera.

Giovanni's son!

Faba declared, "Getting our hands on Giovanni's son is our only chance!"

For years, Faba had been dissatisfied with his status in Team Rocket.

He had been the second-in-command at Aether Foundation, but in Team Rocket, he was barely even in the top twenty.

After Carr defected, Faba hesitated for a long time before joining him.

But Faba wasn't stupid.

Unless Joker intervened, Giovanni's power was far beyond what their tiny force could handle.

Their only hope was to kidnap Giovanni's most valued son and use him as leverage.

Carr gritted his teeth, calming down,

"But the problem is, no one knows where the kid is!"

"Boss Carr, we have new information," reported one of Carr's men.