The Pokémon world was divided into two great hemispheres, the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere, based on geography, culture, customs, skin color, and other factors. Both hemispheres contained numerous continents of varying sizes. In the Eastern Hemisphere, the three largest-Kanto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh-were its principal landmasses.
The Kanto region lay at the center of the Eastern Hemisphere and had a mild climate. The Hoenn region lay southwest of Kanto, near the equator, and had a hot climate, while Sinnoh lay northwest of Kanto, near the polar regions, and was comparatively cold. Yet even places with the mildest climates had their hot and cold areas. The islands south of the Kanto region, for instance, were every bit as hot as the Hoenn region. Likewise, southern Sinnoh had places with climates just as mild as Kanto's.
After the Friendship Tournament ended, Liu Qing and Cynthia set out on their journey again, bound for Lily of the Valley Island. They boarded a ship heading south and sailed across the boundless ocean! Hand in hand, Liu Qing and Cynthia leaned against the ship's railing and gazed out at the view:
The sky stretched clear and blue for miles, with Wingull spreading their wings to soar and circle in the gentle sea breeze. Waves rippled across the ocean in overlapping layers, like curves traced by a painter's hand. Every so often, a Water-type Pokémon or two leaped out of the water to bask in the sunshine, their scales glittering and their clear cries stirring the heart. Farther away, enormous creatures occasionally burst from the sea, sending magnificent columns of water skyward amid low, resonant calls. The drifting spray turned into rainbows beneath the sunlight, a breathtaking sight!
"Wow, those are Wailord! They're so big!" A little girl's clear, youthful voice, filled with longing and