Chapter Summaries

Gary spent New Year’s Eve celebrating with Lorelei, Caitlin, Shauntal, and their Pokémon, then enjoyed a weeklong Spring Festival vacation with Lorelei. Caitlin and Shauntal returned to Unova for the Junior Cup buildup, while Gary and Lorelei grew more comfortable together and spent their days relaxing on the Sevii Islands.

• Gary prepared a lavish New Year’s Eve dinner, and Lorelei, Caitlin, Shauntal, and the Pokémon celebrated with him as fireworks lit the sky.
• Lorelei said she and Caitlin wanted to buy an island in Alola and become queens, and Caitlin invited Shauntal and Lorelei to share in her happiness with Gary.
• After Caitlin and Shauntal fell asleep, Lorelei reassured Gary that she would wait for him, and Gary promised to join her once he finished what he wanted to do.
• Gary planned to spend the Spring Festival week relaxing, and Lorelei chose to vacation with him despite the Sevii Islands’ busy tourism season.
• Caitlin and Shauntal returned to Unova for the Junior Cup promotional buildup, leaving Gary and Lorelei to spend the rest of the holiday together.
• Gary and Lorelei bathed, played, and strolled together, while Jirachi and Togetic helped Lorelei win their mobile game.

Gary returned to work in Hoenn and stopped in Viridian City to visit Giovanni for New Year, bringing gifts and discussing business. Giovanni appeared to have settled into a peaceful retirement, but he revealed that he planned to travel to Hoenn to deal with the traitor Sakaki.

• Gary packed his Pokémon team and left for Hoenn after spending time with his Pokémon in Pallet Town.
• Gary bought pastries, supplements, and fruit for Giovanni, then learned that Ritchie had gone home with Yuto Dai'er and that Scott was enjoying himself elsewhere.
• Gary found that Giovanni had left Team Rocket's Secret Base for his villa, where Gintoki had also come to visit for the New Year.
• Giovanni agreed to Gary's business plans, including giving Team Rocket factories the Kanto Poké Mart orders, while presenting himself as a retired family man.
• After Gintoki went to arrange dinner, Giovanni told Gary to contact headquarters because he planned to go to Hoenn and take out the traitor Sakaki.

Giovanni and Gary arrived in LaRousse City, where Zinnia demonstrated her strength and was appointed head of Team Rocket’s Hoenn Branch. Giovanni then headed to the Port Warehouse to inspect a captured traitor.

• Archer welcomed Giovanni and Gary at the airport, then cleared the area after Giovanni ordered it.
• Zinnia attacked Giovanni with Salamence, but Beedrill countered her while Gary restrained Archer and Furins, revealing the encounter was a test.
• Giovanni appointed Zinnia head of the Hoenn Branch, and Gary promised her Draconid clanspeople well-paid jobs and benefits.
• Giovanni ordered the driver to take them to the Port Warehouse to see how the traitor was doing.

Gary and Giovanni visited Dr. Lund’s institute to obtain the mysterious Deoxys core, which Lund refused to sell. They left him facing pressure over the expedition deaths, his secrecy, and his son’s condition.

• Furins reported that a prisoner had escaped Team Rocket’s harbor warehouse by using Ditto to disguise themselves, and Young Master Mao persuaded Giovanni to spare him.
• Young Master Mao and Giovanni traveled to LaRousse City’s Battle Tower, where Gary bought ten thousand worth of milk chocolate candies before they went to Dr. Lund’s institute.
• Dr. Lund refused Giovanni’s demand for the Deoxys core, and Young Master Mao revealed that it had been recovered after a Rayquaza attack on an Antarctic expedition.
• Giovanni and Young Master Mao pressured Dr. Lund by invoking the dead expedition members, his concealment from the Pokémon League, and his son’s stress disorder.

Young Master Mao, Giovanni, Ariana, Colress, and Zinnia gathered at the desert rendezvous with the Rayquaza Special Squad to begin an expedition. After the group set off, Gary privately considered the possibility of adding Rayquaza to his collection of legendary Pokémon mounts.

• Ariana and Colress waited for Young Master Mao and Giovanni to arrive by helicopter.
• Giovanni jumped from the helicopter without his parachute, then used Nidoqueen’s Sandstorm to land safely.
• Young Master Mao and Zinnia parachuted down, and Colress praised Young Master Mao for understanding him and helping bring him to Team Rocket.
• Zinnia introduced her Rayquaza Special Squad, led by Zhenya, and Gary confirmed the squad was ready.
• Giovanni told the group to set off, mentioning a possible bonus and legendary Pokémon luck if the expedition went well.

Giovanni’s group used Colress’s emitter to awaken Deoxys and attacked it before it could leave. Its companion arrived, and Giovanni sent Aerodactyl into the fight as Rayquaza charged toward Young Master Mao and Zinnia’s flying squad.

• Colress activated the spectrum emitter, causing the meteorite to hatch into Deoxys, while its companion flew toward the desert.
• Giovanni’s Rhyperior, Beedrill, Nidoking, and Nidoqueen attacked Deoxys as it shifted between formes.
• Deoxys’s companion arrived and struck Beedrill, prompting Giovanni to send out Aerodactyl.
• Young Master Mao and Zinnia gathered their flying Pokémon and set out to confront the approaching Rayquaza.

Gary and his allies overwhelmed Rayquaza and captured it with a Master Ball, making it his second legendary Pokémon. After Giovanni and the others departed, Colress gave Gary the address of his secret laboratory in Unova and invited him to visit.

• Zhenya and the others attacked Rayquaza with Mega Salamence and Mega Altaria while Gary's Charizard blocked Hyper Beam and struck Rayquaza with Overheat.
• Rayquaza tried to counterattack, but Mega Salamence knocked it down, and Zinnia warned the group of a Solar Beam ambush.
• Gary released his Pokémon, and Giovanni's Deoxys pinned Rayquaza with Psycho Boost before Sylveon threw it into the ground.
• Giovanni gave Gary a Master Ball, and Gary captured Rayquaza as Zinnia reflected on the Draconids' gift of Dragon Ascent.
• Giovanni, Ariana, and Zinnia departed for their respective destinations, and Colress returned to give Gary his Unova laboratory address.

Young Master Mao returned to Rustboro City and checked his students’ progress after the winter break, finding that all three had advanced impressively. He then learned that Mew’s unstable internet needed a signal tower and called Colress for help.

• Young Master Mao returned home after Steven drove him from the desert and gave New Year’s gifts to Brendan, Wally, and Kimarō.
• Young Master Mao learned that Brendan had earned eight Badges, Wally had earned seven, and Kimarō had earned four Ribbons and six Badges.
• Young Master Mao warned his students that final exams would affect their eligibility for the Exchange Tournament, especially cautioning Brendan to study.
• Togekiss, Celebi, and Jirachi told Young Master Mao that Mew’s internet kept cutting out because the World Tree’s magnetic field had become unstable.
• Young Master Mao called Colress to ask about setting up a signal tower at Mew’s home.

While Kimarō and Brendan left Rustboro City, Gary trained his Pokémon with Wally and arranged to meet Lorelei in Mossdeep City. To improve Mew’s internet access, Colress and Team Rocket prepared a communications satellite for launch aboard a carrier rocket decorated with a heart.

• Gary watched Absol, Milotic, Blaziken, Charizard, Sceptile, and Lucario train in the backyard while Wally admired their strength.
• At the Sevii Islands Spring Tourism Festival, Lorelei rejected Satō Ken’s invitation, then agreed to meet Gary in Mossdeep City before four o’clock.
• Gary told Wally he was going to launch a satellite and left Rustboro City with Eevee-chan.
• Colress praised Jessie, James, and their teammate for assembling the communications satellite, which Gary had commissioned to secure a strong signal for Mew.
• Dr. Keane ordered the satellite loaded onto the Lugia II rocket for an 8:10 p.m. launch, while Colress painted a heart on the rocket’s exterior.

Young Master Mao arrived at the Mossdeep City Space Center to meet Lorelei and bring her to a surprise launch, where Touko and Nate joined them to film. After Gym Trainers Feng and Nan tried to block his guests, Young Master Mao challenged them to a battle, with the losers ordered to keep quiet.

• Young Master Mao reached the Mossdeep City Space Center and ran into Touko and Nate, who were covering the rocket launch.
• Young Master Mao joined Touko and Nate for milk tea, and Nate recognized him and asked for a Pokémon battle.
• Lorelei arrived, and Young Master Mao greeted her affectionately and confirmed that the rumors about them were true.
• Young Master Mao invited Touko and Nate’s crew into the Space Center to film his surprise for Lorelei.
• Feng and Nan blocked the group from entering, so Young Master Mao challenged the two Gym Trainers to a match.

Gary defeated the Mossdeep Gym’s twin Trainers in a zero-gravity Double Battle and received their Badge. He then joined Steven and the aerospace base staff for a live-streamed rocket launch, serenading Lorelei before embracing her.

• Feng and Nan challenged Gary to a zero-gravity Double Battle with Solrock and Lunatone against Absol and Salamence.
• Gary’s Pokémon knocked out Lunatone and Solrock, and he won the Gym challenge as Feng handed him the Badge.
• Gary learned that the rocket launch had been planned by him and Steven, not for scientific research, and the siblings apologized for their misunderstanding.
• Touko arranged a Unova TV Station live broadcast as Gary and Lorelei entered the command center with Keane and Colress.
• As Keane began the rocket countdown, Gary sang to Lorelei and embraced her, moving her and astonishing the onlookers.

After Lorelei left Mossdeep City, Young Master Mao went to the Mossdeep Gym to battle Nate, who had interrupted his sleep. Charizard defeated Nate’s Emboar, while the clash damaged the Gym and left Nate stunned.

• Young Master Mao found Lorelei’s love note, then answered Nate’s challenge and agreed to meet him at the Mossdeep Gym.
• Feng and Nan let Young Master Mao use the battlefield, where Touko watched and Feng refereed the three-on-three battle.
• Nate sent out Emboar, and Young Master Mao countered with Charizard, who absorbed Emboar’s Flamethrower and retaliated with a powerful blast of his own.
• Nate ordered Emboar to use Head Smash, but Charizard met the attack with Dragon Claw, shaking the battlefield and bringing asteroids down from the Gym’s dome.
• Charizard pinned Emboar beneath his Dragon Claw, and Feng declared Charizard the winner.

Gary defeated Nate three to zero at the Mossdeep Gym, then returned to Rustboro City and found Paul challenging Wally at the academy. Paul asked to stay as a sparring partner, and Gary agreed on the condition that he first beat Brendan.

• Gary defeated Nate's Emboar, Seismitoad, and Lucario, then escaped the gym's repair question by flying back to Rustboro City on Salamence.
• Gary arrived at the academy and stopped Paul from continuing his attack on Wally's injured Gallade, conceding the battle to protect it.
• Paul insulted Wally and said he wanted to enroll temporarily to help with the Exchange Tournament, but Gary initially refused.
• Paul pleaded to stay and train under Gary, so Gary offered to let him remain as a sparring partner if he defeated Brendan.
• Brendan accepted Paul's challenge, then noticed Gary's threatening gesture and began to sweat.

At Rustboro Academy, Brendan challenged Paul to a two-on-two battle and turned the match around by Mega Evolving Swampert. After Brendan won, Young Master Mao reprimanded Paul for blaming his Pokémon and invited the boys to get ice cream.

• Gary refereed as Brendan and Paul began their battle, with Aggron facing Paul's Torterra.
• Paul defeated Aggron with Leech Seed and Earthquake, leaving Brendan to send out Swampert.
• Young Master Mao gave Brendan Swampert's Mega Stone, and Wally gave him a Key Stone bracelet.
• Brendan Mega Evolved Swampert, who defeated Torterra with Ice Punch and Hariyama with Focus Punch.
• Young Master Mao told Paul not to blame his Pokémon, then headed to the cafeteria with Wally and Paul while Brendan went to fetch Kimarō.

After Paul challenged Rustboro Academy and lost, Roxanne arranged for him to work as Professor Oak’s teaching assistant for three months. Young Master Mao welcomed Paul with a barbecue party and told him to rest before they battled the next day.

• Roxanne assigned Paul to serve as Young Master Mao’s teaching assistant to repay his debt to the school, and Paul accepted.
• Young Master Mao brought Paul home and explained that he would work and intern with him until the Inter-School Exchange Tournament ended.
• Paul’s Magby lit the barbecue grill, and Young Master Mao prepared food while Paul waited for training instructions.
• Young Master Mao invited Paul and the three youngsters to a party, telling Paul and his Pokémon to take the day off.
• Paul’s Pokémon gradually relaxed and joined the festivities, while Young Master Mao promised Paul a battle the next day and poured him a drink that left him collapsed.

Paul sought Gary’s training advice after struggling in the leagues, and Gary showed him how rest, nutrition, and a healthy mindset could improve a Pokémon’s performance. The lesson ended with Gary’s Eevee decisively knocking out Elekid and demanding Paul’s experience packs.

• Paul woke in the dorm after drinking too much wheat juice and decided to learn Gary’s training methods to overcome his league defeats.
• Gary explained to Paul at breakfast that sleep, a good mindset, and proper nutrition were essential parts of training.
• Gary challenged Paul to a battle and sent Eevee against Paul’s Elekid.
• Eevee transformed into Sylveon and used Slam to throw Elekid, while Paul noticed Elekid’s improved movement and reactions.
• Gary explained the benefits of rest and nutrition, then demanded Paul’s experience packs as tuition.
• Eevee shattered Elekid’s Protect with a full-power Return and sent Elekid flying.

Young Master Mao made a batch of top-grade Pokéblocks that left his Pokémon full and energized. After Steven invited him to Rustboro City’s underground excavation competition, Mao eagerly agreed to attend for the chance to win a Latios Evolution Stone.

• Paul took over supervising Wally’s training, while his imitation of famous trainers’ command styles helped Brendan and the others improve.
• Young Master Mao woke at noon, discovered the Pokémon had run out of Pokéblocks, and used top-quality Berries to make a new batch.
• Mao and his Pokémon ate the top-grade Pokéblocks, which filled everyone up and left Mao unusually energetic.
• In the group chat, Wallace berated Steven for leaving him with Champion duties, while Cynthia explained that Lucian handled her important work.
• Steven invited Young Master Mao to a mining competition in Rustboro City, and Mao agreed after hearing that a Latios Evolution Stone was among the prizes.

Young Master Mao arranged his schedule for the Miner Tournament, then used a dirty new tactic to train Paul with Hitmonlee. Paul’s latest challenge ended in seconds, leaving him stunned by Hitmonlee’s sand-powered Unburden attack.

• Young Master Mao asked Roxanne to rearrange his days off for the Miner Tournament, and Eevee returned with a pouch full of Gym Badges that Mao confiscated.
• Young Master Mao brought Hitmonlee from Professor Oak’s Laboratory to spar with Paul and instructed it to use fine sand as a Held Item.
• Paul sent out Hariyama and ordered Fake Out, but Hitmonlee struck Hariyama’s face with Fling and activated Unburden.
• Young Master Mao ordered High Jump Kick, and Hitmonlee launched Hariyama across the courtyard in under ten seconds.
• Paul admitted he had learned his lesson while Young Master Mao defended the tactic as a clever strategy.

Young Master Mao, Gary, Steven, and Paul prepared to compete in an underground digging contest near Rustboro City, where Pokémon could interfere with rivals. After meeting Sinnoh Gym Leaders Donggua and Roark over a meal, the group learned the rules and gathered at their designated digging points as the contest was about to begin.

• Young Master Mao arrived at the mining competition with Rhyperior, while Gary, Steven, and Paul joined him.
• Paul spotted an unfamiliar young man watching Young Master Mao before the group went to a nearby restaurant.
• At the restaurant, Young Master Mao recognized the miners Donggua and Roark, and Steven introduced Gary to them.
• Roark explained that contestants would collect crystal fragments from connected underground passages, and that Pokémon could be used to hinder opponents.
• Steven and Gary hinted at the power of their Pokémon, prompting Roark and Donggua to take their strength seriously.
• The organizers called the contestants to their designated locations, and the group prepared to start digging.

At a mining contest outside Rustboro City, Gary used Rhyperior to gather crystals while Tobias attacked other competitors and then challenged Gary. The chapter ended as Gary accepted Tobias’s offer to try to defeat him.

• Tobias opened the contest by using Heatran’s Magma Storm to trap nearby contestants, while Steven used Metagross to dig ahead and Paul reminded Gary to hurry.
• Gary chose to wait and let other contestants descend first, then had Rhyperior drill a tunnel and joined the competition underground.
• Tobias defeated several contestants, while Rhyperior ate through the rock and spat out crystals for Gary to collect.
• A-Le tried to steal Gary’s crystals, but Tobias blasted A-Le and Pawniard away before they could attack Gary.
• Tobias challenged Gary, and Gary accepted, confident that he could not be defeated on the ground.