"The Totem Pokémon can command others of the same species—that power comes from their Totem Aura. Once they lose it, they're no different from any ordinary Pokémon."
"Dad, that's literally the same thing the textbooks say."
"Don't be impatient, the key point comes next." Professor Cerise cleared his throat.
"Ever since Alola joined the League, we've gradually learned about the concept of Totem Pokémon…
"Although other regions don't have Totem Auras, within every Pokémon species there are always extraordinary individuals who grow far beyond their peers.
"That's why we classify Pokémon with unusually large body sizes as Totem Pokémon.
"Of course, the more academically precise term is 'Special Totem Pokémon,' to distinguish them from Alolan Totem Pokémon that possess actual Totem Auras."
"Oh! I get it now!"
After listening to Professor Cerise's explanation, Ash clenched his left fist into his right palm. If one looked closely, they might even see a light bulb flick on above his head.
"So, Totem Pokémon from other regions are just… really big?"
"Correct."
Professor Cerise nodded approvingly.
[Professor Oak: See that? That's what I call professionalism! Well done, Sakuragi—my disciple never disappoints!]
[Lance: I don't fully get it, but I'm amazed. So, Pokémon with huge sizes are Totem Pokémon… then what's Dynamax?]
[Bruno: You don't understand? Easy. Bigger than regular Pokémon = Totem Pokémon. Bigger than Totem Pokémon = Dynamax Pokémon.]
Bruno smirked proudly—finally, something he could outsmart Lance on.
[Lorelei: You two really should read more.]
[Professor Rowan: Allow me to clarify—Dynamaxing occurs when Dynamax Energy Reactors and Bands resonate together. Of course, wild Dynamax Energy also exists in Galar, and exposure to it causes Pokémon to grow to enormous sizes.
It's similar to Totem Auras in Alola in that both make Pokémon larger, but the mechanisms are completely unrelated.
Pokémon that simply exceed normal body size limits, without either of those effects, are classified as Special Totem Pokémon.]
[Professor Kukui: Exactly. Once a Totem Pokémon leaves the area of its Totem Aura, it reverts to normal size. But a Pokémon that naturally grew huge stays that way anywhere it goes.]
[Bruno: So… my massive Onix is a Totem Pokémon too?!]
[Lorelei: You're just realizing that now?]
[Bruno: I thought all Onix got that big! Maybe mine's just ancient and well-fed!]
[Lorelei: …6/10.]
[Cynthia: If that's the case, permanent Totem Pokémon would be incredibly valuable. I imagine certain people are already getting ideas.]
Hunter J shivered.
If she so much as made a sound, the entire Sinnoh League would be at her doorstep by nightfall.
She was a poacher, not an idiot.
And after the recent "Adventurer Cleansing" operation…
Yeah. She'd seen enough.
Better to lay low for now. Once things cooled down, she'd catch a few Totem Pokémon and sell them off.
Hunter J: Flawless plan.
——
In the feed—
After hearing about Totem Pokémon, Ash's eyes gleamed.
Back in Alola, he had challenged many Totem Pokémon during his Island Trials.
He hadn't expected other regions to have them too!
"In that case, let's get going!"
The once-languid Ash suddenly sprang back to life.
"I already sent you the location and booked your hotel. You two should just relax and have fun for a few days," Professor Cerise said with a gentle smile.
Sure, his daughter had been "stolen" by that boy…
But hey, at least it was Ash!
(Though, let's be honest—it's not like she put up much resistance…)
Better Ash than one of those delinquent blondes with motorcycles and ultrasound photos, walking into his house like they owned the place!
Just imagining that made Sakuragi's fists clench tight.
That afternoon, the two set off.
Sakuragi had even booked them a direct flight to Sinnoh's scenic region.
Though their goal was to find a Totem Pokémon, in their minds, this was half vacation too.
Ash wore a black-and-white jacket and a blue-and-white cap—his classic Sinnoh outfit.
As for Chloe, she had on a beige dress, her magenta hair braided into a neat plait resting over her chest.
At just fourteen, she somehow gave off… a married-woman vibe.
"Ash, the notes Dad sent said the Totem Pokémon lives in a lake. Should we get some fishing gear first?"
"Good idea," Ash said, glancing around. "But… I think we're lost."
Chloe blinked. When she looked around and saw the shallow shore and thick trees, realization dawned.
He was right—they were lost.
"What do we do now?" She clutched the hem of his jacket nervously.
Unpleasant memories rushed back—it felt just like when Goh had tricked her into going out back then!
"Just ask someone for directions," Ash said, scratching his head. Why was she so panicked?
"Ask… who exactly?" Chloe deadpanned. "There's no one here!"
"Sure there is—over there!"
She followed his finger and, to her relief, spotted four people seemingly camping.
After the group kindly pointed them the right way, Ash and Chloe finally reached the lake where the Totem Pokémon was said to appear.
Only…
They didn't even need to take a second look.
That "camping group" was way too familiar.
[[RECURRING] Flint: If my eyes aren't playing tricks, those four are Team Rocket.]
[Gardenia: Definitely. Even I can tell, so your eyes are fine.]
Audience: ?
Fair point, actually.
[Wallace: Impressive disguise work, though. Only Ash would fall for it.]
[Drake: Yeah, it's so obvious. Two people, two Pokémon—it's them!]
[Jessie: How dare you! You only noticed because you've got a bird's-eye view! We've won the Team Rocket Disguise Award three years running!]
[Cynthia: You three actually have talent. With those makeup and costume skills, ditch Team Rocket and come work for me! Triple pay, full creative control!]
[James: Jessie, triple pay!]
[Jessie: Don't be tempted! We swore loyalty to Boss Giovanni!]
[James: Oh… right. Sorry, we must decline.]
[Cynthia: Alright, but if you ever change your minds, my offer stands.]
——
Meanwhile, back in Kanto's Silver Town—
"What a pity… triple pay! That's a lot of money…" James sighed.
"Idiot! If we worked for her, we couldn't chase Pikachu anymore!" Jessie snapped.
"Yeah, meow! Don't you wanna get promoted someday?"
James paused. Actually… they had a point.
"But Jessie, didn't you say you wanted to be an actress?"
"Cynthia's the world's top actress. If you worked for her, you might even become the lead!"
"Hmph! Becoming a top actress is only one of many dreams I have. I'm not giving up everything else for just one!" Jessie huffed proudly.
Besides… I couldn't bear to leave you two.
She didn't say it aloud, but after that "Special Compilation" where she saw Meowth's grief when they died… she'd vowed they'd never be separated again.
A job's a job—but Team Rocket was family.
"Raise funds!"
"Catch Pikachu!"
"Then promotion and bonuses, meow!"
"Such a wonderful dream!" The trio fell into a familiar fantasy once more.
[Ash: Weird… why do I always run into Team Rocket no matter where I go?]
[Jessie: Because, twerp, fate binds us together! Pikachu is destined to be ours!]
[Bea: Such determination! Come train in my no-pay, no-housing martial arts dojo instead!]
——
As always, where Ash goes, Team Rocket follows.
But this time, something was different—
They weren't attacking Pikachu.
Only after Ash and Chloe left did Jessie and James reveal the reason.
Giovanni had granted them a day off.
Yes—an official vacation day.
And he explicitly forbade them from working during it.
Well… fair enough. Orders were orders.
At the same time, Ash and Chloe discovered another problem:
Their target Totem Pokémon lived underwater.
That meant… fishing time.
So, back to town they went—to buy fishing rods.
At the shop entrance, who should they bump into but—Team Rocket again.
They tensed at first, but once they realized Ash and Chloe were only there to buy rods, James' eyes lit up.
Before Jessie could stop him, he'd already dragged the two inside, enthusiastically explaining every fishing-related detail.
"For beginners, I recommend a basic rod. You might not catch anything rare, but it's simple and easy to handle.
"But if you've got some experience, you could try a light rod like this one—it's what pros use!"
Once James started talking fishing, he couldn't stop.
Because really—what man doesn't love fishing?
Outside, Jessie and Meowth exchanged confused looks.
"Since when does James like fishing?"
"No clue, meow."
Just then, a boy on a skateboard zoomed past—and nearly hit Pikachu, who had been left outside the shop.
Jessie reacted on instinct, scooping Pikachu up before he was hit.
"Are you blind?! No skateboards in the shopping district!" she scolded.
Then she froze.
That soft fur… that gentle warmth…
She was holding Pikachu.
Her temper flared—then she remembered Giovanni's order: no missions today.
Gritting her teeth, she reluctantly set Pikachu down.
Ash and Chloe, having heard the commotion, hurried outside. Pikachu bowed politely in thanks, and Ash followed suit.
"Thank you so much! You helped us find our way, this guy helped us pick rods, and now you saved Pikachu! You're all such good people!"
Ash smiled brightly. "By the way… have we met before? You three look really familiar."
That innocent gratitude sent sweat trickling down the trio's backs.
They fled the scene immediately.
"Ugh! If it weren't for the boss's order, Pikachu would be ours by now!" Jessie muttered, remembering the feeling of holding him.
"The boss's orders are absolute," James reminded her. "You wouldn't want to lose our year-end bonus, right?"
Say what you will about Team Rocket—they had remarkable professional discipline.
Even faced with Pikachu himself, they obeyed company policy to the letter.
[Lance: What kind of self-control IS that?!]
[Steven: Commitment, I'd say. They truly love their job. Even when offered other careers, they never wavered.]
[Madame Boss: Attention all jobseekers! Join Team Rocket today! Starter Pokémon provided, full training, guaranteed placement! We're a legitimate logistics company!]
[Lance: …Who's gonna believe that?!]
——
Back in the footage—
Despite the odd encounter, Ash and Chloe's excitement for fishing remained undiminished.
Ash picked a red-and-white rod, while Chloe chose a pink one that perfectly matched her taste.
Then, with rods in hand, they returned to the lake.
To their surprise, the place was packed with anglers.
It took them a while to find a free spot.
Of course, a fishing rod needs bait.
Chloe's lure was a Octillery-shaped limited edition—she'd spent half a month's allowance on it.
As for Ash, he pulled out a striking blue lure shaped like a great fish spreading its fins—eerily similar to a certain legendary Pokémon.
Just one glance, and anyone could tell—
This was no ordinary bait.
"Chloe, this…"
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