Collaboration

Frustrated by Lance's ban on researching whether unown can create pokemon, Artem complains to Red, who quietly understands the Champion's caution regarding infohazards. Red suggests pivoting their tracking network to monitor ruins for abiogenesis instead. Shortly after, Red receives an alert for a Tier 1 incident near Pewter. Facing the prospect of an impossible, life-or-death choice without the emotional buffer of his partition triggers a severe panic attack. Grounding himself with his ivysaur's aromatherapy, Red listens to a pre-recorded message from his partitioned self that reminds him of his supportive friends and the lives he has saved. Comforted, Red records a new video for his future self and departs for the incident.

In Fuchsia City, Leaf welcomes Blue and Elaine as they fly in on pidgeotto. She discusses the team of programmers, including Natural, who are obsessively analyzing the captured ditto's code to crack her unconditioning project. Later that night, Leaf stakes out a warehouse district with thermal goggles to catch the rumored vigilante ninja. The masked figure easily ambushes her, revealing they know she leaked the Silph data. The ninja warns Leaf to be more careful and hints that Silph has been battling another shadow organization, proposing they work together to uncover the enemy of their enemy.

Blue arrives at the highly traditional Fuchsia Gym and meets Leader Koga. Impressed by Blue's respectful demeanor, Koga offers him a deceptive deal: Koga wants his arrogant daughter, Janine, to take her duties as the future Leader seriously. He asks Blue to publicly act as if he intends to claim the Gym Leadership, hoping the rivalry will force Janine to focus. In exchange, if Blue motivates her or manages to defeat her, Koga will grant him an early Mastery Challenge. Blue happily agrees, thrilled to secure a secret alliance with a third Gym Leader.