The rest of the group ushers me toward the large television screen, where an exhilarating scene unfolds. Minami, Eve, Daniel, and Drandon are astride Koraidon and Miraidon, their figures a blur as the creatures speed across the vibrant digital landscape.

"So you're finally joining us, Ash?" David's voice pulls my attention away from the screen as he regards me with a hint of amusement. I respond, still somewhat distracted by the lively images, "Well, Alice and Golly did tell me about the Pokémon games. But what's this about Scarlet and Violet?"

Helen chimes in, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. "Oh, those are the latest entries in the Pokémon series—Generation 9. They've really taken the experience to a new level."

Reisa adds, nodding in agreement though her expression is a bit more reserved, "The games do have some technical issues, but they boast the best story and mechanics we've seen so far."

"I see..." I nod, my curiosity piqued. As I watch the digital avatars race through a world both familiar and utterly new, a spark of excitement ignites within me. Perhaps it's time to dive into this new adventure after all.

Alice starts explaining, "So in Scarlet and Violet, we dive into the region known as Paldea. It's adjacent to Kalos and boasts a rich history. You come to the region as a student, similar to your journey in the Alola Region, but the main theme here is the Treasure Hunt."

"The treasure hunt? Like searching for treasure?" I ask, intrigued by the concept.

"It's their way of discovering your dream. Since you're Satoshi, your treasure will definitely be something like 'wanting to be a Pokémon Master', right?" Tox interjects with a knowing look.

"I guess that should be the case." I chuckle, my gaze drifting to the screen where Minami is engaged in a lively chase, trying to catch a Pokémon. Curious about the gameplay mechanics, I ask, "So, they are all wild encounters just like in Legends: Arceus?"

"There are no grass encounters, and you can even modify your encounters by making sandwiches, which adds a fun and interesting twist," Trenor replies with enthusiasm.

"Sandwiches?" I echo, puzzled by the unusual gameplay element.

Golly sighs, perhaps sensing my overwhelm, "Guys, too much information at one time will make Brother Ash confused. How about we start with the Pokémon?"

Her suggestion seems to resonate, and the group nods, refocusing the conversation to give me a smoother introduction to the new features of the game.

Golly begins, her voice laced with excitement, "Let's talk about the Pokémon. In Generation 9, there are a total of 119 new Pokémon, and the version exclusives are limited to the Paradox Pokémon."

"Paradox Pokémon? What are those?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

Insey jumps in to explain, "In the story, depending on which version you play—Scarlet or Violet—we have Professor Sada and Professor Turo. One is obsessed with the past, and the other with the future. They've created a time machine, attempting to bring Pokémon from either the distant past or the vast future into our world. Those are the Paradox Pokémon."

"Time machine... that sounds dangerous..." I mutter, a hint of concern threading my voice. "So, the Pokémon that Minami and the others are riding, are they Paradox Pokémon?"

"Yes, Koraidon and Miraidon are known as Paradox Cyclizars. Scarlet Version explores the past, while Violet Version delves into the future. They're the cover Legendary Pokémon for each version," Flora responds, her explanation clarifying the unique dynamics of the game.

"Now, shall we dive into the story plot?" Alice suggests, her eyes gleaming with anticipation as she prepares to unveil more about this captivating new adventure.

Mark elaborates, "Depending on the version, the school name changes—Naranja Academy for Scarlet, and Uva for Violet. Interestingly, it's Director Clavell who gives you the starter Pokémon, not the professors, and you have your rival, Nemona, who is already a Champion-ranked trainer."

"Champion-ranked trainer?" I ask, intrigued by the title.

Alice explains, "That's a trainer who has beaten the Paldea Top Champion. There are multiple champions in Paldea, after all."

"I see... so you're up against a Champion-ranked trainer as your rival. I assume she's not the only significant competitor?" I probe further.

"Nope, there's also Arven," Nate chimes in, "he's the son of Professors Sada and Turo. He's quite the cook, and he's the one who gives you either Koraidon or Miraidon, depending on the version you play."

"Don't forget Penny," Elline adds, "she's a brilliant hacker and another daughter of Peony. Her team specializes in Eeveelutions."

"Oh, so we have three pivotal figures in the story..." I nod, absorbing the complexity of the character dynamics.

Minami gestures towards a screen, "In the game, there's a mechanic called Terastalization. By throwing a tera orb onto a Pokémon's head, it forms a crown that transforms the Pokémon into a single type." As I look at the screen, I see them battling a Gardevoir adorned with a hat resembling a chandelier.

"That Gardevoir has the Fire Tera Type. So now, it's a Fire Type. We're using Water and Ground moves to defeat it," Minami explains the strategy.

"A Fire Type Gardevoir... that's unusual," I mutter, fascinated by the innovative gameplay twist.

"Like with Dynamax bands, you receive it really early, and you can participate in raids to capture some Tera Pokémon," Eve explains. "Though, they are tougher than Max Raid battles."

"Yeah, and it's based on time, not turns. If time runs out, you'll be blown out of the raid," Drandon adds, emphasizing the challenge.

"I see..." I nod, intrigued by the new mechanics.

"Now, once you finish your first day of school, you'll be asked to pursue three main storylines," Flora continues, drawing everyone's attention.

"Three storylines?" I ask, surprised by the complexity.

"First, we have the gyms. Nemona will challenge you to defeat 8 gyms, battle the Elite Four, and become the Champion like her. There's no set order for the gyms, so you could face a level 50 gym first and a level 14 gym last, or choose them randomly," Flora details the flexible path.

"Wow..." I mutter, impressed by the freedom in the gameplay.

"The second story involves helping Arven search for five different Herba Mysticas, each guarded by Titan Pokémon, similar to Totem Pokémon from Alola," Trenor explains.

"Totem Pokémon? In Paldea? That's awesome," I gasp, excited by the connection.

"The story is quite poignant. Arven wants to heal his Mabosstiff; the herba mysticas can restore its health. And if you feed them to Koraidon, you'll unlock HM movements like Surf, Glide, or Rock Climb," Trenor adds, highlighting the emotional and practical stakes.

"Oh, that sounds interesting. What's the last one?" I inquire, eager to learn more.

"The last storyline involves a group known as Team Star. They're not your typical villain team; they're students who suffered from bullying and left the school to establish their own bases," Flora explains. "The boss, Penny, wants them to return to school, so she asks for your help to defeat the five bosses. Director Clavell will assist you, going undercover as a student. The narrative is touching."

"Bullied students..." I glance at Alice, knowing her past struggles with bullying. She smiles back at me reassuringly and says, "Yeah, but this part of the story really motivated me to move forward. And it's fun as well."

Insey shares, "Because of those three storylines, you will earn a total of 18 badges, one for each type, which is pretty cool."

"18 badges... I see..." I nod, impressed by the scale of the challenge.

"And after completing the three stories, Professor Sada or Turo will ask you to go to Area Zero, a place that was off-limits unless you had the League's permission. There, you'll be tasked with stopping the Time Machine," Insey continues, deepening the plot.

"Stopping the Time Machine won't be easy, will it?" I ask, sensing the gravity of the situation.

"Nope," David replies grimly. "You see, the Professor Sada and Turo who have been contacting you aren't the real ones—they've been dead for a while. They're actually robots with the professors' memories. And even though they want you to stop the time machine, their programming might override that directive, and they could be forced to stop you instead."

"Oh my... robots and coding?" I question, trying to grasp the complex twist.

"Yeah, and the worst part is the final battle where you can't even send out your Pokémon... well, unless Pikachu has been out of its Pokéball this whole time, then you might use Pikachu," Golly chuckles, lightening the mood a bit. "But otherwise, you'll have to use Koraidon to battle the opposing Koraidon, or Miraidon if you're playing the Violet Version."

"And once you defeat it, the robots will enter the time machine and leave, marking the end of the story," Alice adds, signaling the climax. "But the post-game content is also worth exploring. You can try to capture the real Paldea Legendary Pokémon, or redo the gyms to unlock the Academy Ace Tournament where you battle the teachers."

"That sounds cool. I mean, this sounds completely different from any of the games you've told me about before," I nod, genuinely intrigued by the unique elements of this new adventure.

"There are also the DLCs, which introduce three important characters. First is Briar, who is a teacher from Blueberry Academy in the Unova Region."

"Unova Region? You can go back to Unova in the game?" I gasp in surprise.

"Yeah, but not the entire Unova, just one part of it," Daniel clarifies, tempering my excitement with the specifics.

"The other two characters are siblings, Carmine and Kieran. They hail from Kitakami, a region nestled north of Kanto and south of Sinnoh."

"I know Kitakami," I nod, familiar with the geography.

"The most pivotal character is Kieran. You first become friends during a school trip in Kitakami. However, after an encounter with the Legendary Pokémon Ogerpon, Kieran begins to doubt his own strength. Believing himself to be weak, he starts to transform, vowing to defeat you in a battle," Daniel continues, detailing the dramatic arc.

"And in the second DLC, when you go to Blueberry Academy as an exchange student, Kieran has become the League Club Champion. He's been harshly training his teammates, leading them down a rigorous path. It's up to you to intervene and guide him away from continuing down this misguided route," Daniel concludes, setting the stage for a profound narrative twist.

"The Elite Four battles at Blueberry Academy are much harder than usual. You face Double battles, and they all employ complex strategies," Daniel explains, setting the stage for a challenging scenario. "Once you defeat Kieran, you'll need to head back to Area Zero with the three new characters to find a Legendary Pokémon named Terapagos. However, its power is overwhelming, and you'll struggle to prevent it from rampaging."

"That doesn't sound good..." I mutter, my concern evident.

"So, Nemona, Arven, and Penny aren't involved in the DLCs?" I ask, curious about the involvement of the characters from the main game.

"Well, they do show up again, but only in the final chapter of the story," Daniel clarifies. "A Legendary Pokémon has taken control of the villagers, turning everyone except Kieran into zombies. You'll have to battle through these zombified villagers to reach and capture the Legendary Pokémon, which is the only way to restore your friends and the villagers back to normal."

"Zombies in the game sounds horrifying, but that sure makes for a gripping game," I nod, intrigued by the dramatic twist and the intense challenges laid out in the storyline.

"And that's the end of the introduction to the games," Alice concludes, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "How about we play together?" she suggests, her enthusiasm contagious.

I smile, feeling a rush of anticipation at the prospect of diving into this new adventure. Ready to explore the virtual world with my new friends, I nod eagerly, "Let's do it."

Here is a new chapter, and we are done with the game's introduction for Ash. The next chapter will be back into the ordinary lives.