They continued along the snow-covered road. After a break along the way, the ruins came into view.
The exterior was not grand, but it exuded a solemn atmosphere that suggested a sacred presence.
"We're finally here."
"We've been on the road all day."
"This is fieldwork. It can't be helped. Let's visit the caretaker first, then start investigating right away."
"Understood."
They entered the little wooden cabin beside the ruins. It was warm and comfortable inside, and more spacious than they had expected.
An old man sitting beside the fireplace stood when he saw Cynthia and walked over to her.
"Oh, Miss Cynthia. We've been waiting for you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Cynthia."
"I've already heard about you. You're free to conduct your investigation."
"Thank you. Are there any areas prone to collapse, or anywhere we're not allowed to enter?"
"Nowhere is particularly prone to collapse at the moment. Some areas might be off-limits to ordinary visitors, but you may go wherever you like, Miss Cynthia."
"That's good to hear."
"And who's that?"
The old man noticed Kaim behind Cynthia.
Kaim stepped forward, set down his luggage, and bowed.
"Sorry for the late introduction. This is Kaim, my assistant."
"I'm Kaim."
"Oh, your assistant. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise."
They shook hands in greeting.
Suddenly, Dynamite at the old man's feet met Cynthia's gaze. Dynamite seemed to do nothing more than tilt its head.
"Let me briefly explain the cabin's facilities while you're here. You're welcome to use them. There's a vending machine and a few other things, too."
"Thank you. That's very convenient."
"Please let us know when you're leaving. Dynamite can use Teleportation to take you to the nearest town."
Dynamite cried out at the old man's words.
Dynamite was adept at Teleportation using Teleport, which could transport people elsewhere in an instant. Apparently, it could take them back, though only for the return trip.
"Thank you very much. Getting here was exhausting, so please let us take it easy on the way back, at least."
"Thank you for your consideration. Well then, let's begin our investigation."
"Here's hoping we make a major discovery. It's cold, so please don't push yourselves."
Cynthia waved goodbye and left the cabin. Kaim bowed to the old man, then followed her.
There was no blizzard, but the snow kept falling even though spring had already arrived. The cold was unexpectedly harsh.
"So these are the Sinjoh Ruins."
"Yes. Ruins situated between the Sinnoh Region and the Johto Region. Evidence that the two regions were once connected."
Kaim followed Cynthia toward the ruins.
Broken, somewhat weathered pillars stood in rows near the entrance. Cynthia sat beside one and touched it with her gloved hand. Something about its structure felt familiar to her.
"I feel like I've seen this pillar before."
"You noticed?"
"Its shape resembles the pillars on Mount Coronet."
"Correct. You really do have a keen eye."
Mount Coronet stood in the Sinnoh Region, and deep within it lay an altar called the Spear Pillar. As the name suggested, several enormous pillars rose there. According to legend, the Legendary Pokémon of the Sinnoh Region had once been worshipped at that site.
"The pillars here in the Sinjoh Ruins and those at the Spear Pillar suggest that both sites were built by the same people, or by people with the same techniques. These pillars may be broken and weathered, but they blend the cultures of both the Sinnoh Region and the Johto Region. And they stand right between the two regions. That's compelling evidence of a connection."
"The Sinnoh Region gets a lot of snow. Given the technology available now, it's hard to imagine why they would migrate to the Johto Region, with its pleasant climate."
"You're right. There may have been other reasons, but we don't know yet."
"If we consider why people change where they live, we might find some clues."
"Let's investigate the interior to find out."
The interior of the ruins was more spacious than it had appeared from outside.
The atmosphere inside felt different, too. Outside, the air was bitterly cold; inside, a solemn air prevailed, yet there was also something familiar about it.
Altar-like pillars stood in the four corners, and patterns covered the floor. A circle was drawn in the center of each corner of a triangle, with a different design inscribed in each.
"This feels a little strange."
"Yes, it does. I don't know how to describe it. This feeling welling up from deep inside."
"'Nostalgia'?"
"Yes. 'Nostalgia.' That's the most accurate word."
Why did they feel nostalgic? This was both Cynthia's and Kaim's first visit to the ruins. By all rights, neither had any reason to feel that way.
Even so, both felt a certain inexplicable nostalgia. Cynthia felt it even more strongly.
"I haven't felt this nostalgic since I went back to Twinleaf Town."
"Really? It's that strong?"
"...I feel very nostalgic."
Kaim felt a little nostalgia as well, but not enough to remind him of home.
There were many differences between Cynthia and Kaim, but a few might be relevant to these ruins. Kaim thought comparing them would be the most efficient and important approach.
"Could it be where we're from?"
"Why do you think that?"
"Nostalgia is normally a feeling you have for your hometown or somewhere you've been before. Your hometown is Twinleaf Town, Cynthia, and mine is Sunyshore City. They're completely different places, yet we both feel nostalgic. I even thought it might be nearby Meiao City, but that doesn't fit either.
"So what do we have in common? We both live in the Sinnoh Region now. You've lived in the Sinnoh Region much longer than I have, and you feel the nostalgia more strongly. So perhaps it isn't about a specific place, but about living in the Sinnoh Region. Couldn't that be what's causing this feeling?"
The Sinjoh Ruins had been built by people who missed their homeland after living in Sinnoh. Parts of their interior structure resembled the Ruins of Alph, which had connections with Sinnoh.
"What is this altar?"
"It's most likely connected to Sinnoh's mythology."
"Does Sinnoh's mythology involve Arceus?"
"Yes. Most likely."
Arceus was a Legendary Pokémon said to have created everything from the "nothingness" of Sinnoh. Mythology told how it created three Pokémon governing time, space, and antimatter, and brought the world into being.
"This 'three-stage platform' most likely represents time, space, and antimatter."
"Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, right?"
"Yes. That raises several questions. First, where in Johto did the people who built these ruins settle? Second, did Legendary Pokémon such as Arceus appear when they built these ruins? If so, we could interpret this as their preserving what they saw exactly as it was. But if not, that changes things."
"Had Arceus already become a mythical being to the people of the era when these ruins were built?"
"Yes. If their existence was already considered myth when these ruins were built, then the question of when Sinnoh's mythology originated becomes very important. It would be valuable if we could establish that."
"Then let's give this investigation everything we've got."
"Yes. Let's split up."
Before you continue