Prologue: The Corrupted Cartridge

He never downloaded another randomizer again. But sometimes, late at night, he swears he hears the step counter ticking in his walls.

The first 21-step shift happened on the way to Sandgem Town. The screen flickered. Dratini's "Cosmic" type changed to , then back. Anomaly's ability shifted from Pressure to Slow Start for exactly 21 seconds.