Colton, a Trainer from Unova trying to distance himself from the region's mainline events, comes visit the region of Suocé. In between potential job interviews he tours into one of the wild venadromes in Cadrícea, unaware that he and many other Trainers are being observed by the wild population of Natus.

Colton joins a group of trainers and they decide to look into the wilderness wander into the wilderness of the Cadrícean Widefields for some fights, taking advantage of a venadrome (a battleground where wild Pokémon teach each other). Colton joins the opportunity as the arena is in the path of a natural preserve where they can find native Natu colonies, for Xatu to meet more of his own kind.

The group departs for their destination, while one solitary Xatu from the flock trails after them.

Colton's group of trainers saw Terrakion in the arena and the Legendary invited them to a few wild fights to entertain his own entourage. However, when Colton's turn comes and the other Trainers have left, Terrakion departs as well.

Colton is surprised to find out that the opponent now waiting for him is none other than Cobalion, one of the Guardian Forces of the region. After already having backed out from a battle opportunity in Unova, Colton decides to stand his ground and officially do battle with the guardian of legend, sending out his Pokémon team.

Colton decides to send out Xatu and Rei in battle first, even though Cobalion offers him the chance to send out three Pokémon instead. The initial battle plan has Rei invading Cobalion's personal space and using Ice-type attacks to slow him down while Xatu provides cover fire with Air Cutter and Confusion (move) blasts.

Even though they are incapable of flinching or weakening Cobalion with this strategy, Cobalion is also unable to properly counter their attacks, as he can not aim for Xatu and the bird also provides emergency exits for Rei's dive-in attacks where he can. In the end of the first chapter, Cobalion grows irked that Xatu can easily extract Rei from the oryx's attacks, and decides to switch strategy by channelling energy (apparently Electric-type for a Volt Switch) in order to switch to ranged moves.

Colton's team is made of:

• Helmsman (Oshawott/Samurott)
• Xatu (Natu/Xatu)
• Rei (Sneasel/Weavile)
• Mae (Shinx/Luxray)
• Vulpix (Colton) (Vulpix/Ninetales)

The team was hand-picked from Absent Coder's selection of characters placing some restrictions so they would fit in the Suocéverse. A potential sixth team member is left undetermined. Absent Coder both consulted and proofread for various portions of the battle involving his characters, to help make sure they were kept in-character, and provided input for the battle.

The story has the events of GenⅤ as background, with Colton having left Unova sometime shortly after the events of Black and White (and, presumably, the fall of Team Plasma and the Dragonspiral Majesty Ascent). Colton would have left Unova and wander across various regions to finally arrive in Suocé for at least one year, placing the storyline during year 3738 PE in the least.

There are no more precise continuity ties except for the fact that Sahlai continues to serve the Guardian Forces after his flock migrates to the Acrasian preserves, so the earliest the story can be placed is year 3736 (right after the events of GenⅣ). In fact, original concept for the story had it that it would take place as early as year 3727, when the Guardians were scouting Champion prospects in the wake of the recruitment of the first Retinues.

While there are a few changes in execution, this is the same fight that appears at the tail end of Forever Catch . In particular, in that story Colton met with Cobalion on his own, whereas here both were accompanied by their own parties, that left before their fight started proper.

Because of its placement in the chronology, this story is the latest in the entire Suocéverse chronology's “mainline” universe. Coincidentally, Forever Catch , also featuring Cobalion, is the earliest story in the same chronology.

See also: Ñatu

This story is the first to integrate somehow the various developments found in the Spaceworld Betas for Pokémon Gold & Silver. In particular, this story debuts “Ñatu”, the scrapped evolution for Natu. In this continuity, Ñatu are the second stage morphs whereas Xatu are the third and final morph. The story also establishes that Natu are native to the continent where Suocé is located, following from early Pokédex entries indicating that the species hails from “South America”.

Guest Starring WAAPT regular The Absent Coder, with his OC Colton and team, used with permission and with regular check-ins. A few changes were made with consulting to better suit the storyline, in particular Rei's immanent ability is Pressure instead of Pickpocket.

Proofreading for the first half of the story goes to The Absent Coder (@ WAAPT), Shadow of Antioch (@ PMD Writers United), MegaZeraora999 (@ PokéCommunity) and Taggthewanderer (@ WAAPT).

Proofreading for the second half of the story pending.

Details on Ñatu as a species are yet to be composed into a publishable form.