It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than half a year since I published the first chapter back in January, and soon it will be one year since I began writing the very first idea for this story.

As with any other story, it began as a very simple premise: What if Ash had a daughter? How would she be? How would her own adventures be any different from him? Who’s the mommy?

And though I liked some of the very first outliers and drafts, I couldn’t figure out something: How to give this story and main characters a threat, a notorious or even “darker” challenge they would eventually have to face and overcome without breaking the tone of the Pokémon anime series in which this story is based on.

That’s when I realized something that hindered my initial intentions: Outside of a few cases —mainly during the early years of the anime— this is a children’s story. Threats couldn’t go beyond crises that would be easily thwarted by Ash, Pikachu, and company, with occasional interference from Cynthia and other renowned trainers. It seemed impossible to introduce the psychotic Dorian as a lead without breaking the tone.

So, what did I do when faced with this obstacle? I decided to diverge from the anime’s long-established tone and invented a tragedy that was gloomy and grim (without being too graphic) to justify the change in tone I needed.

That decision resulted in the story you’ve read so far. While I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished as a writer in a non-native language, like most writers, there are many things I would have written differently. Some ideas that initially seemed good now feel out of place and unnecessary.

I’m still satisfied with having two main leads, Elysia and Dorian, as it allows me to explore their opposite backgrounds and respective growth. While one is a rookie trainer trying to live up to her parents’ legacy in a traditional way, the other buries his humanity deeper, dragging others towards a dark path.

I often criticize stories, especially movies, that set up many plotlines without telling a compelling and complete story, causing confusion and distraction from the central plots.

Now I think I may have gone a bit over the board and made the same mistake in this very first arc. I mean, besides Elysia and Dorian’s respective plots, now we have Ash’s concern, Persian’s whereabouts, the entire thing with Zeke and Paul’s own pasts and mysteries, Cadmus’s secret agenda, The Communion, the Echoes, and those are just the ones I remember.

I blame many factors, but I think it was due to not having a proper outline when I began the story, along with the deadlines I imposed on myself to deliver a chapter per week, then two weeks, a month, and eventually two. This brings me to the main point of this letter.

See, when I published this story in January, I had 8 chapters already finished, which gave me enough time to write the following ones while maintaining the delivery schedule. However, my job, other hobbies, and personal life took a toll on the time I invested in each chapter, making it difficult to deliver them as often as I initially wanted. Sometimes, I experienced creative blocks that lasted for days, as happened with the last chapter. This caused me some anxiety during the last month.

Adding to this, there is a… What should I call it? Lack of interest? Disappointing response so far?

I may sound shallow and self-centered, but the little interaction, lack of comments, or reviews—which could help me greatly to improve my writing and story—is discouraging.

I wanted to write mainly because I have a story to share, and I initially didn’t mind having a small niche among Pokémon fanfics. However, while others, many having started after me, received thousands of views and comments, my story struggled to gain traction.

I didn’t expect to receive the same attention as “Pokémon Trainer Vicky,” “I Will Touch the Skies,” “Bourn of Caldron,” etc., which have become the current standards of good fanfics—except the former one with its… controversial and uncomfortable last chapters, which I won’t disclose here—, but gosh, a bit of traffic here wouldn’t hurt.

Yes, review exchange and promotion exist, but unfortunately, I have very little time to write in other people’s stories, and now it’s been twice where the person in question doesn’t keep their promise or just gives a “Cool story!” without elaborating more. The one who genuinely cared has disappeared since March, so there’s that.

And then came the eventual moment where personal motivation didn’t seem to be enough . View numbers don’t say that much, and I couldn’t see the point of still investing my time and energy into writing this story…

But I’ll do it anyway.

Because, goddamn it, I love the characters I created, and what comes in the next arcs is so thrilling and awesome that I just have to tell the entire story so you can also experience the same excitement I feel when thinking about how our heroes and villains will behave and impact each other as the story delves deeper into the more mystical and robust side of this four-part story I’ve envisioned so far.

So, let me tell you about the changes in delivering chapters and the plan we’ll go from here:

First and most important: Since I don’t want to pressure myself anymore with specific deadlines, and considering that I was much calmer at the beginning when I already had chapters written, I will first write at least half the chapters that compose the second arc before resuming the publication of new entries. Think of it as the time a show takes to deliver a new season.

This, unfortunately, means you will have to wait some time until you can read the next chapter (22). Quite some time... Much more than what the last chapter took to be finally published.

Though this may mean losing readers or further diminishing interest in the story, I prefer to gain potential new ones by being more consistent and relaxed as it won’t interfere with other aspects of my life.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

I won’t give a specific date for when I will resume the story, as I don’t want to set expectations only to disappoint you. However, I’ll make sure to keep in touch. Which brings me to…

Second: I am now creating a proper and complete outline based on tips from a colleague, which is helping me immensely (I wish I had this kind of information when I began). This second arc may be the most robust of the four I intend to write, as I will integrate many new elements and rich lore, especially regarding Adrian’s family and people with psychic abilities, which will eventually play a key role.

This is why I think it will take more time than expected to publish a new chapter. Don’t worry, I’m being as careful as possible to craft this part and integrate it with the rest of the story while ensuring it doesn’t branch too much into additional plotlines that may distract from the main one.

Also, I may be a bit irresponsible here, but I’m planning to write a spin-off focused on a still unknown side of the story, somewhat related to Paul and Zeke. I won’t reveal more about it since it’s still an idea that won’t play an important role during the second arc, but I hope you’ll be patient and interested if it ever comes to fruition.

Third: I’ll try to be more engaged on social media, promoting my story and doing review exchanges or other types of interaction to gain more recognition. If you know of Discord groups or any other social media platforms where I can interact, I’d be grateful to know about them.

As you know, I’m not an artist, and using AI images, while cool for a time, doesn’t come without controversy. I’ll share other types of content to keep up with updates, sneak peeks of upcoming chapters, ideas, and so on. That doesn’t mean I’ll stop using these images, but I won’t overuse them. Let’s see if I can finally afford a well-done artist commission.

And… that’s it. At least for now.

I’ll finish this letter by thanking all of those who have read, followed, and enjoyed the first arc of this story. I’m sorry if anyone felt disregarded by some parts I wrote, but I needed some catharsis. Nothing personal here.

See you soon, and remember to follow me on Twitter for updates! I promise I’ll do the same!

https://twitter.com/TaleWeaverPoke

Well… There is something else I want to share before I say “see you soon”, like an After credits or a short epilogue for the first arc. I wasn’t sure, but after some thought, I chose to give it to you just so you have something to think about before the long wait.

So… here it is:

The screen beeped steadily, the progress bar finally reaching its 100%, signaling the completion of Cadmus's latest enigmatic project. The sound reverberated in the cold, messy room, amplifying the significance of this culminating moment. The old scientist's footsteps, slightly uneven as he leaned on his cane, echoed through the lab as he approached the monitor. He reached out with a wrinkled, steady hand to silence the insistent beeping, acknowledging the success of the first stage of his design.

Cadmus paused, his eyes scanning the finalized data with a mixture of satisfaction and anticipation. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, then he slipped a small device from the pocket of his lab coat and initiated a call.

"Lo sé, lo sé," he began, his voice carrying the distinct accent of Paldea, rich and deliberate. "This was supposed to be a quick detour to just retrieve the information, but… I unintentionally encountered an unexpected and promising opportunity that's worth observing, to see how it evolves…"

A moment of silence followed as the person on the other end responded. Cadmus’s expression shifted slightly, a flash of annoyance crossing his features.

"As much time as it needs. And you are the last one who should be complaining," Cadmus firmly admonished, yet his tone was tinged with a hint of amusement. "Though, I'll have to be thankful. Had the job in the Slumbering Weald come to fruition, I would have missed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Fate, as turns out, had other plans for all of us."

There was another pause, a brief silence that seemed to stretch on as Cadmus listened intently to the response on the other end of the line.

"Forget about retrieving the weapons or any other old relic, at least for the moment," Cadmus instructed, his tone growing colder and authoritative. "That means you can desist from your intentions of giving a serious lesson to the one responsible , so... Say again?" He paused, his eyes narrowing in irritation as the other person protested against the untimely instruction.

Cadmus sighed, a deep, weary sound that hinted at his awareness of yet another waste of vital source. "Do that again without consulting me first, and you'll be the first in line to offer your flesh and soul. Understood?" His voice was calm, yet laced with a deadly seriousness that left no room for argument.

With that last warning, Cadmus ended the call, his attention now fully shifting back to the giant monitor before him. The room was bathed in the pale blue glow of the screen as he stood silently for a moment, as if waiting for his next instructions

"Open Project: Oblivion Talon," he commanded, his voice firm and resonant.

Then, a black, menacing device took shape. It resembled an eerie, mechanical bug type Pokémon, with a sturdy body that was sleek and cold, like the discarded carapace of an Anorith. Its legs were as sharp as they were unnerving, each one tapering to a wicked point that suggested both precision and cruelty. The legs appeared to be jointed with unnatural flexibility, as though designed to grasp and burrow into whatever unfortunate target they were aimed at.

The purpose of the device became chillingly clear as the monitor shifted to the figure of one of the most powerful Pokémon in existence: Mewtwo. As the image zoomed in on its head, focusing on the brain, lines began to extend from specific, highlighted regions of Mewtwo’s mind, each connecting to one of the device’s sharp, mechanical legs. The diagram illuminated the device’s cruel design—a tool meant to pierce into Mewtwo’s very psyche, exploiting its immense mental power by targeting its most vital neurological points, like a parasite relentlessly assaulting its individuality and will.

"This looks good… Very, very good," Cadmus muttered, his voice dripping with satisfaction as an ominous grin spread across his wrinkled face. His dark eyes gleamed with malevolent delight as they darted over the promising numbers displayed on the monitor. Every detail of the device’s interaction with Mewtwo’s mind, every calculated invasion into the psychic Pokémon’s brain, confirmed the success of his twisted machination—at least in theory.

Cadmus then reached out to a nearby pile of papers and documents, his hand trembling slightly with age but steady with purpose. From the clutter, he retrieved an old, faded photograph. He stared at it for a long moment, his grin fading into a more somber expression, though the sinister undertone never left his gaze.

"Seems that our heir may succeed where you failed, cousin," he murmured, almost as if speaking to the young Giovanni, full of vigor and charisma, during the height of his power as the leader of Team Rocket. Cadmus stared at the image for a moment, as if contemplating the ghost of the man who had once seemed invincible, now reduced to a mere testament of madness. “Let’s see if the boy is not driven mad after listening to the Echoes.”

He released the photograph, letting it drift back onto the pile as four small, white dots suddenly shimmered in his left pupil, like distant, falling stars—brief but haunting, a reflection of the dark power he now felt closer than ever.