The screen lights up with Isabelle’s chibi form standing in a blank void, arms crossed, her usual scowl softened by her round, cartoonish features. Azzy hops beside her, tail bouncing like a spring, her cheerful chirps an immediate contrast to Isabelle’s resigned sigh.

  “Alright,” Isabelle begins, hands on hips as she leans toward the viewer. “So, you’re here to get caught up on everything that’s happened to me so far. Let me tell you—this isn’t some feel-good journey of self-discovery. It’s been chaos. Absolute, ridiculous chaos.”

  She gestures dramatically, as if throwing the chaos out into the void.

  Azzy squeaks indignantly, puffing up her cheeks. Isabelle rolls her eyes.

  “Fine, fine, Azzy. It hasn’t all been bad. You’ve been the one good thing in all of this.”

  She kneels to ruffle Azzy’s head, who squeaks happily and does a celebratory bounce.

  A screen flickers on behind them, showing a timeline of events—each moment rendered in exaggerated, cartoonish stills. Isabelle gestures toward it with mock enthusiasm.

  “Alright, let’s start this disaster tour. Welcome to my life.”

  The first image: Isabelle arriving in Lumora City, wide-eyed and overwhelmed. Towering skyscrapers, neon lights, and holograms advertising PokéPuffs, hair gel, and even floaty pillows assault her senses. Azzy sits on her shoulder, looking equally awestruck.

  “So, it all started when I moved to Lumora City from Verdantia. Picture this: a quiet little farm town, where the loudest thing was the occasional Miltank mooing, to this—a city where even the sidewalks light up and holograms advertise everything from PokéPuffs to hair gel. Totally not overwhelming at all.”

  Azzy squeaks. Isabelle side-eyes her.

  “Azzy, you were just as freaked out as I was. Don’t act like you’re some cool city slicker now.”

  Cut to chibi Isabelle standing awkwardly in a crowded school hallway. Everyone else looks cool and confident. She clutches her bag like it’s a life vest.

  “Then there was school. Oh, boy. Nothing screams ‘I don’t belong here’ like being the new kid surrounded by clique-locked extroverts.”

  Cue chibi Amélie, crashing into frame like a pastel cannonball.

  “Salut, Isabelle!” she chirps, throwing an arm around her and practically dragging her into the light.

  “Yeah, this girl basically saved me from social purgatory. She’s like a walking Lum Berry—sweet, energetic, and weirdly good at making you feel better.”

  Flashbacks show her giving Isabelle the grand tour: best cafés, worst vending machines, and exactly where students go to watch the battle highlights: Glow Dome.

  Scene shifts to the Glow Dome, neon lights flickering as chibi Veyron Lux strikes a dramatic pose, his Gallade backflipping behind him with a blade flourish.

  “Then there was this guy.”

  Isabelle points dryly. “Veyron Lux. The coolest Trainer I’ve ever seen, and the guy who gave me an existential crisis in five minutes.”

  Azzy mimics a fainting swoon.

  “I know, right?”

  Suddenly, chibi Amélie storms in, cheeks puffed with fury.

  “Don’t even get me started on Monsieur Sparkleblade!”

  Chibi Veyron sparkles again.

  “My brother lost so bad, and this guy acted like he was brushing lint off his jacket!”

  She points a finger skyward.

  “I will defeat him. I don’t care if I have to train for a year, challenge him to a bake-off, or steal a Poké Ball from a god. I’m ending the Glow Dome monarchy.”

  Isabelle looks to the viewer. “And they say I’m dramatic.”

  The screen glitches. A neon text box pops up:

  “Initializing FRIENDS.exe… Please wait. Compiling inside jokes… verifying emotional damage… applying snack-based nicknames…”

  Chibi Isabelle squints. “What is this, a pop-up ad?”

  BOOM.

  With a pastel explosion, chibi Amélie lands in full flourish.

  “Ta-daa! Voilà! Friendship downloaded!”

  Isabelle: “You’re so lucky I didn’t delete you just now.”

  Chibi Milo appears from the shadows, holding his VireBand and three overdue library books.

  “Speaking of reckless behavior, here’s the guy who helped me break into a restricted section of the Lumora Library.”

  Milo: “It was educational. Technically.”

  Flashback: Ghastly photobombs them while they duck under hazard tape.

  “We found this encrypted drive left behind by a shady Eclipse grunt. Not world-ending secrets, but—get this—it’s about a massive weather anomaly in Leaflink Hamlet.”

  Milo projects a map. “Three years ago. Regional storm spikes. No public report. Covered up by the League.”

  Isabelle: “Naturally.”

  Milo: “And now Team Eclipse is after this data. Weird, right?”

  Amélie: “Which means it’s definitely ours now.”

  Milo: “I made four backups. Don’t tell Clara.”

  Little do they know... a faint Eclipse logo flickers silently in Milo’s VireBand background. They’ve been marked.

  The lights dim. A lo-fi beat starts to hum softly in the background, like the ambient sound of a rainy night.

  From above, a gentle swirl of pastel purple and dusky fog descends, forming a floating Gengar-shaped cloud. Riding it with casual defiance is chibi Clara, one leg dangling off the side like she couldn’t care less. Behind her, half-asleep and slouched like a cat that followed her out of stubborn loyalty, is chibi Elliot, headphones around his neck and eyes half-lidded.

  They land in perfect sync. As Clara steps off, the Gengar mist disperses in a soft ripple of shimmer, leaving only a faint sparkle as if it had never existed. Elliot just kind of… steps off and stays there.

  Clara doesn’t bother with a flashy intro. She just crosses her arms.

  “Maydew sucked.”

  That’s it. No drama. No elaboration. Just those two words dropped like a mic hit the floor. Gengar floats at her side, grinning like it knows more than anyone else.

  Isabelle, cautiously:

  “So what happened in Maydew?”

  Immediately, a giant “LOCKED MEMORY ??” stamp slams onto the screen in glittering red pixel font.

  Clara and Elliot, without looking at each other, say in perfect unison:

  “Nope.”

  Milo mutters, “They practiced that.”

  Amélie whispers, “They definitely didn’t.”

  Chibi Elliot finally speaks, yawning mid-sentence:

  “She ghosted her own engagement party. I tagged along because she forgot her bag... and also might’ve started a citywide manhunt.”

  Clara shrugs.

  “He’s exaggerating.”

  Elliot: “I’m really not.”

  Clara (to Isabelle): “I didn’t come here to be studied. I came to not be there. That’s all.”

  A quiet beat. The fog from her entrance still lingers faintly around her boots, like her past hasn’t finished following her.

  Amélie offers gently, “We’re not asking for your story yet. But we’re glad you’re here.”

  Clara doesn’t smile.

  Elliot mutters, “We’re in. Just… don’t expect a team chant or matching jackets.”

  He glances at Isabelle. “You got dragged into something big. And—statistically speaking—you’re the chaos variable.”

  Isabelle: “Why does everyone say that?”

  Clara and Elliot’s quiet storm of cool begins to settle. The mist fades. The lo-fi beat still hums faintly in the background.

  Then—

  BOOM.

  A blinding spotlight explodes across the void. Trumpets blare. Petals fall. A Machoke rides in on a tandem bike pulling a throne, and on that throne?

  Chibi Stefano.

  One leg crossed, a rose in his mouth, a fire-patterned cape fluttering behind him despite there being no wind.

  “Et voilà! Make way for your future Champion of Virelia!”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Everyone collectively winces from the sheer dramatic aura that… isn’t actually there. Even the air around him feels like it wants to radiate aura energy but is just... empty.

  Isabelle squints. “Why is there glitter falling from the ceiling?”

  Azzy flips a new sign: “NO AURA DETECTED.”

  Stefano rips the rose out of his mouth and throws it at the screen. “Isa! Look at you! Out here unlocking ancient mysteries, running from death bugs, and claiming Arceus’ Plates like a goddess in sneakers.”

  He winks. “You’ve never looked more radiant.”

  [Love Confession Counter: 001] ding

  Clara walks over, pulls out a marker, and changes it to: [Love Confession Counter: 005]

  “There. That feels more accurate.”

  Stefano gasps dramatically. “Tu es cruelle, Clara.” (You are cruel, Clara.)

  Clara: “Je suis réaliste.” (I’m a realist.)

  Elliot: “She’s also keeping count on a spreadsheet.”

  Amélie (stage-whisper): “She color-coded it.”

  Isabelle pinches the bridge of her nose. “Why is he even here again?”

  Milo: “His mom bakes. And he shows up uninvited.”

  Stefano (rising to his feet, cape flaring): “Excuse you! I was invited by fate itself! By destiny! By the winds of glory! By—”

  Azzy flips another sign: “HE INVITED HIMSELF.”

  Stefano deflates a little. Then immediately recovers, “Regardless. Isa, when things get wild—when shadows close in, and doom draws near—you won’t face it alone.”

  He places a hand over his heart. “You have my courage. My strength. My perfectly sculpted calves. I’ll be there.”

  Isabelle: “...You’re not even registered for the League yet.”

  Stefano: “Details.”

  Cut to the gleaming interior of Virelia League HQ, stylized like some fusion of a high-tech lab and a fashion runway. Chibi Isabelle stands before Professor Ardene, whose floating chair glides over the floor like she’s too cool for wheels.

  Ardene: “Congratulations. You’re officially a licensed Trainer… for some reason.”

  Isabelle: “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  Ardene sighs, flipping through a holographic clipboard. “Let’s just hope the Rotom I’m assigning you doesn’t short-circuit again.”

  BOOM.

  Chibi Rotom bursts out of its Pokédex casing like a sugar-rushed mascot from a chaotic commercial.

  Rotom: “HELLO BEST FRIEND! I come with sparkles, snark, and at least three system errors!”

  Isabelle blinks. “Do I get a refund if it starts narrating my thoughts?”

  Rotom (buzzing): “NO REFUNDS. ONLY REGRET.”

  The screen cuts to a peaceful stretch of Route 3. Sunlight filters through soft leaves. Isabelle breathes deep.

  Isabelle: “This is fine. Trees, flowers, fresh air… probably no monsters.”

  She stops at a crooked, timeworn tree stump, where a quiet figure sits—hooded, unreadable, almost like part of the landscape.

  River Stranger: “You’ve taken a step toward something vast.”

  Isabelle (already walking away): “Neat. Anyway—”

  BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT.

  A massive, furious Beedrill drops from above like an angry hornet out for blood.

  Isabelle (running for her life): “WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME?!”

  Rotom spins above her, cackling. “ENGAGING SURVIVAL MODE! SCREAMING OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED.”

  As the panic hits peak velocity, a beam of sunlight breaks through the canopy.

  Chibi Collin sprints into frame like an anime opening just queued. Beside him, Pancham rides in on a tree branch, chewing a leaf like a boss.

  Collin: “Hey! Need a hand?”

  Pancham: “Panch!!” (actual flexing noises)

  Collin jumps straight into action, lobbing berries and distracting the Beedrill like he’s been training for this moment his whole life.

  Isabelle dives behind a bush.

  Collin walks over, brushing off leaves, eyes bright with pure sunshine energy.

  Collin: “You okay?”

  Isabelle: “Define okay.”

  Before he can answer—

  Cue: Dramatic sparkle burst.

  Chibi Stefano swirls into the clearing, his hair impossibly windswept for no reason and a cape that somehow followed him from Lumora.

  Stefano: “ISA! I heard buzzing and feared the worst!”

  Isabelle: “Stop calling me that.”

  Stefano (blinking): “What, Isa?”

  Isabelle: “Yes. That. No one calls me that.”

  Stefano (grinning): “So exclusive. I like that.”

  Azzy flips a new sign: “LOVE CONFESSION COUNTER: 009”

  Clara (leaning in from offscreen): “Correction.” She marks it up to 12 and underlines it three times.

  Isabelle (to the viewer): “I liked it better when Beedrill were chasing me.”

  Milo: “You say that now.”

  Rotom: “According to my internal stats, this group dynamic is 67% chaos, 22% romantic delusion, and 11% imminent combustion. I LOVE IT HERE.”

  The timeline transitions to the Fire Shrine, its glowing carvings depicted in intricate detail. “And then… this. The Fire Shrine. Where everything went from ‘slightly weird’ to ‘full-blown legendary.’”

  The screen shows Isabelle holding the Mind Plate, her expression a mix of awe and terror. “Now I’m apparently ‘worthy’ of carrying a piece of Arceus’ power. No big deal, right?”

  Chibi Rotom zips into the frame, buzzing with excitement. “It’s HUGE! You’re part of Pokémon history now, partner! Think of the possibilities!”

  Chibi Collin and Pancham slide into view, Collin carrying a notebook. “You’re underselling it, Isabelle! The Mind Plate could be part of an ancient legacy! We’re literally part of history now.”

  “Uh-huh,” Isabelle replies, folding her arms. “And what exactly am I supposed to do with it? Start a shrine-cleaning business?”

  Collin laughs, unbothered. “I think it’s awesome! You’re part of something way bigger than just badges and battles. You’ve got to see where this leads!”

  Azzy nods along, and Isabelle sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You’re all conspiring against me, aren’t you?”

  The timeline fades out, and Isabelle turns back to the viewer, hands on her hips. “So, that’s the story so far. A whirlwind of anxiety, chaos, and somehow, friendship. And what’s next, you ask?”

  The backdrop shifts to Blazebrook City, its fiery atmosphere depicted in vivid reds and oranges. The Phoenix Fountain glows faintly in the distance, and Kieran stands with his spiky orange hair and signature sunglasses.

  “Next stop: Blazebrook City. Volcanoes, magma, and enough heat to make you question every life choice. Also, this guy.”

  A chibi Kieran appears, striking an exaggerated pose with his spiky orange hair and signature flame-patterned gloves. “The Scorch himself, ready to turn us into toast.”

  Chibi Collin grins. “You mean Gym Leader Kieran. It’s gonna be amazing!”

  Isabelle mutters, “Yeah, if you enjoy getting roasted alive.”

  As they banter, glimpses of other characters flash on the screen:

  Sakura Hayashi: Chibi Sakura stands with her Dratini, her poised demeanor contrasting with Isabelle’s casual shrug.

  Ryota Kondo: Chibi Ryota and Monferno burst onto the screen, their fiery energy mirroring the volcanic landscape.

  Emilia Asano: Chibi Emilia appears with her Galarian Ponyta, elegance radiating from every pixel.

  Bill Takahara: Chibi Bill is seen scribbling notes as his Magnemite scans their surroundings.

  “Don’t forget these guys,” Collin says. “We’re gonna meet some serious contenders!”

  “Wonderful,” Isabelle says dryly. “More people to remind me how bad I am at this.”

  The timeline fades out, and Isabelle turns back to the viewer, hands on her hips. “So, that’s the story so far. A whirlwind of anxiety, chaos, and somehow, friendship. And what’s next, you ask?”

  The background flickers—BOOM. A fiery skyline erupts behind her, Blazebrook City emerging in bold reds, oranges, and molten golds. The Phoenix Fountain gurgles lava-chic vibes, and a volcano looms dramatically in the distance.

  “Next stop: Blazebrook City. Volcanoes, magma, and enough heat to make you question every life choice. Also, this guy.”

  At the center: Chibi Kieran, spiky orange hair defying gravity, flame gloves glowing, sunglasses reflecting fire.

  Chibi Collin grins. “You mean Gym Leader Kieran. It’s gonna be amazing!”

  Isabelle mutters, “Yeah, if you enjoy getting roasted alive.”

  As they banter, glimpses of other characters flash on the screen:

  Sakura Hayashi: Chibi Sakura stands with her Dratini, her poised demeanor contrasting with Isabelle’s casual shrug.

  Ryota Kondo: Chibi Ryota and Monferno burst onto the screen, their fiery energy mirroring the volcanic landscape.

  Emilia Asano: Chibi Emilia appears with her Galarian Ponyta, elegance radiating from every pixel.

  Bill Takahara: Chibi Bill is seen scribbling notes as his Magnemite scans their surroundings.

  “Don’t forget these guys,” Collin says. “We’re gonna meet some serious contenders!”

  “Wonderful,” Isabelle says dryly. “More talented people to remind me how underqualified I am to be here.”

  Azzy raises a sign: “She’s kidding. Mostly.”

  As the screen fades to black, chibi Isabelle, Collin, and their Pokémon stand together. Isabelle sighs. “Well, that’s it. Hope you’re entertained by my impending trauma. Stick around. Who knows? Maybe I’ll actually figure out what the hell I’m doing.”

  Rotom zips in for a dramatic final line. “Stay tuned for The Blazebrook Arc: Fire, Friendship, and Fiery Fiascos! Coming soon!”

  Isabelle groans. “Who gave you a marketing degree?”

  Chibi Isabelle pauses mid-walk, glancing over her shoulder. Something shifts in the atmosphere—like the temperature drops despite the rising heat of Blazebrook in the distance. She squints into the pixelated void, Azzy tilting her head.

  Isabelle: “...What was that?”

  Rotom: “EMOTIONAL RESONANCE DETECTED. PREPARING FRIENDSHIP BUFFERING SEQUENCE.”

  BOOM.

  Spotlights slam down like a digital stage show. One by one, her friends appear in dynamic over-the-top entrances.

  Amélie descends in a beam of glitter, VireBand glowing as she twirls like a magical girl mid-transformation. “No volcano too hot, no dumb boy too loud! The Lumora Lum Berry’s got your back!”

  Milo phases in next, flickering into existence with holograms spiraling around him. “Encrypted. Backed up. And ready to hack their systems and their egos.”

  Clara rides down on pastel Gengar mist like an ominous angel of sarcastic doom. Her expression is deadpan perfection. “I said I wasn’t joining anything… so this is technically sabotage.”

  Elliot does not pose. He is simply there, sipping black coffee, tired eyes gleaming with dangerous intelligence.

  Stefano storms onto the scene atop a Machoke-drawn chariot, rose clenched in his teeth, shirt somehow missing again. “FOR LOVE! FOR JUSTICE! FOR—”

  Clara boots him off the chariot mid-sentence.

  Clara: “Tu fais honte à ton espèce.” (You're a disgrace to your species.)

  Azzy flips a sign: “STEAMROLLING: CONFESSION COUNTER → 14”

  Chibi Isabelle just stares at them, mouth slightly open.

  “...Is this what having a support system feels like?”

  They close ranks behind her—her friends. Her mess. Her people.

  Amélie: “Whatever’s coming, we’re with you.”

  Milo: “Even if we don’t know what it is yet.”

  Clara: “Especially if it pisses off the League.”

  Elliot: “Or gets us detention. Either way.”

  Stefano (dusted off): “And if anyone dares to harm one hair on your precious—”

  Isabelle: “Stop talking.”

  The screen fades to black, setting the stage for the fiery trials ahead.

  The music cuts. The air thickens.

  Deep in the Blazebrook caverns, a pulse beats beneath ancient magma-veined stone. Groudon sleeps—its breath barely audible, yet its presence... overwhelming.

  Commander Elara Veil stands at the edge of a cliff within the volcano’s core, arms folded, coat trailing behind her like the shroud of a predator. Emerald eyes glint in the darkness.

  “Energy stabilization reached. The sleeping titan stirs. All according to schedule.”

  A grunt nervously approaches, datapad in hand.

  “Ma’am… about the data file—the one lost in Lumora. Children stole it.”

  Elara turns, slowly.

  “Children,” she repeats flatly. “Let me guess—twelve, wide-eyed, shaking hands, moral compasses?”

  The grunt doesn’t speak.

  “I don’t care who has it. If they interfere, kill them.”

  A long silence.

  “They’re kids,” the grunt tries to argue. Weakly.

  Elara’s eyes narrow. “Then their parents can learn what failure costs.”

  She turns back to the glowing cavern wall. The tremors deepen.

  A faint sound of Groudon stirring echoes.

  And somewhere, Elara Veil smirks.

  Fade to black.

  THE CHIBI CHRONICLES WILL RETURN…

  IN: THE BLAZEBROOK ARC – FIRE, FRIENDSHIP, AND FIERY FIASCOS!