After customizing your character, you wake up in your new bed. You just moved to the Paldea region with your mom and are now an attendee of the big school of the region: Naranja/Uva Academy (depending on your version). The Director of the school, Director Clavell, stops by your house to give you the choice between three starter Pokémon: Sprigatito, Quaxly, and Fuecoco, the new starters introduced in SV. After you make your choice, you meet Nemona, your new neighbor, friend and rival who also takes a starter. You two have a Pokémon battle so Nemona can teach you the basics.

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Once you arrive at the academy, Nemona teaches you about Terastal Phenomenon, and gives you a Tera Orb so you can use it in battle. You see a girl getting harassed by Team Star members, a group of students accused of bullying. You save her, and she introduces herself as Penny before running off. You get a call from Professor Sada/Turo (once again a version difference) telling you how Koraidon/Miraidon used to belong to them, and requesting you take good care of the Pokémon.

After an unspecified amount of time, The Director announces the big project for the school, The Treasure Hunt. For the project, students of the Academy go and independently explore the Paldea region, to find their personal treasure. This is when the game frees up and becomes very different from the normal Pokémon games with its much more open world, and three paths you can follow. You can do them one at a time of all simultaneously, it’s your choice!