Rosalita Renata I

**Rosalita Renata I** is a major character in the *Operation GEAR* series, debuting as a main protagonist in *The Gardener of Gratitude*. She is the sister of Count Fernando VIII and the princess of La Ciudad Dorada. Later, she ascends to the throne of her homeland and becomes known as **Queen Rosalita I**.

## History

Rosalita first appeared in the prologue of *The Gardener of Gratitude*, traveling through the desert outside of La Ciudad Dorada. While resting at an oasis, she recalls the story of Regigigas and the civil war that once destroyed the kingdom, reflecting on how hearing it was the event that precipitated the beginning of "their nightmare."

In *The Edge of History*, Matt Chiaki, Cassy Natsuka, Sheena Carnet and Eleanor Laplace met with Rosalita's brother, Count Fernando VIII, at Lingote Palace. There, Fernando claimed that Rosalita had murdered their parents, King Fernando VII and Queen Sophia, upon the kingdom's reciept of a written threat against it. She then stole two of the clues necessary for the Pilgrimage of the Pillars, apparently preventing Fernando from ascending to the throne in their place, and fled into the desert. After a group of Pokémon claimed by Fernando to be controlled by Rosalita attacked the Sacred Hill in La Ciudad Dorada, he revealed the remaining clue to Matt's group and tasked them with finding The Golden City before Rosalita could, in the hopes of preventing her from using its power.

Matt, Eleanor and Sheena traveled to an abandoned mining town in the desert in *Brothers and Sisters*, following the clue Fernando showed them. There, they were confronted by Rosalita, who they discovered was traveling with Shaymin. Shaymin's presence helped Rosalita convince them that Fernando lied and framed her for crimes he had committed himself. After revealing that she stole the clues and took Shaymin into the desert to hide the tools Fernando needed to take the throne, she elaborated that despite everything he had done, she still believed he could be redeemed and that she wished to save him from himself, expressing gratitude for his role in her life to that point. Despite some concerns, they decided to ally with her and traveled to the Rock Peak Ruins deep in the mine, where Rosalita used a Gracidea flower to instigate the first trial of the Pilgrimage, a battle against Regirock. She defeated Regirock using her Bibarel, Leonel, causing Regirock's Gaia energy to merge with the Pillar Cube in Matt's possession.

As they tried to leave the Rock Peak Ruins, Rosalita and the others were accosted by Noel and Leon Falco, a pair of Pokémon hunters working for Fernando and controlling the army of Pokémon that attacked the Sacred Hill for him. Rosalita fearlessly stood against them, strategizing the group's escape via a train at the bottom of the mine. When Noel and Leon gave chase using wingpacks powered by Arcane Science, Rosalita fought them off with her Luxray, Isabel, and was able to temporarily trap Noel and Leon in the mine with Shaymin's help.

In the aftermath of the battles with Regirock and the siblings, Rosalita began bonding with Matt, Eleanor and Sheena. When Matt praised her strength, she revealed that she felt afraid to confront Fernando, worrying that when they met she wouldn't see the Fernando she loved anymore, and that she would be forced to choose between him or La Ciudad Dorada, a choice she feared she would make the wrong decision on. Sheena, identifying with her struggles, promised that she believed in Rosalita, an act of support that brought the princess to tears. This bonding continued in *The Purpose of Power*, where the group set up camp in another mining outpost near where they had exited from underground. While Eleanor worked to repair an Arcane Science vehicle they found, Rosalita joined Matt and Sheena around a fire and regaled them with stories from La Ciudad Dorada's mythology. At Sheena's request, Rosalita told them about what kind of a person she knew Fernando to be before he launched his conspiracy.

As children, when they were playing in the garden on the Sacred Hill outside Lingote Palace, Rosalita and Fernando made a promise to each other to be the best rulers La Ciudad Dorada ever had. Rosalita also related a story from when she was about nine or ten years old, where Fernando had their parents collect many gifts from the people of La Ciudad Dorada after she broke her leg and was bedridden until it healed. One night several years later, Rosalita was in the Lingote Palace museum looking at the planetarium and wondering if there might be someone out in space looking back and asking the same questions as her when she was interrupted by a crash in the adjoining archive. There, she found Fernando collecting a number of books advanced well beyond the materials their father told them to study. Fernando, insisting based on their promise to each other, convinced her to join him in reading a history of their family that revealed the civil war was fought between Fernando III and his own brother - the only set of twins in the royal family's history prior to Rosalita and Fernando themselves. Realizing the grave implications of this fact, Rosalita and Fernando made another promise, to be better than the previous twins and never turn against each other.

Eventually, the day came for Shaymin to officially choose which of the siblings would be crowned the heir to La Ciudad Dorada's throne. Rosalita was fearful of how their lives would change, prompting Fernando to remind her of their promise to each other as children to comfort her. When Fernando expressed his belief that a strong leader needs to have their life extended to ensure peace for as long as possible, Rosalita added that she felt this fate was tragic, as a king with an extended life would outlive everyone he cares about, and thus could only spared from this burden if he accepted that only La Ciudad Dorada itself would live as long as him. Fernando and Rosalita further disagreed on whether the gift of extended life was a confirmation of the king's strength or a sign that he must be attached to the people he leads above all else. Subsequently, Shaymin selected Rosalita to become the heir to the throne. She tried to convince him that she could shoulder the weight of the throne while Fernando still fulfilled his goals to protect the kingdom, but he refused to listen and considered her selection a rejection of his powerful belief in protecting the kingdom at any cost. Some time later, Rosalita confronted Fernando as he returned to La Ciudad Dorada via train. He asked her what her policy toward the outside world would be, and she expressed a desire to establish closer ties with lands beyond their kingdom. Disgusted, Fernando told her he would thus have to reject any role in her government, even when she reminded him of their promises to each other.

At the conclusion of Rosalita's story, Matt, Sheena and Eleanor decided to fully support her, now understanding why she wished to save Fernando. Inspired, she shared the clues in her possession with Matt, and mentioned that her grandfather got along well with Sutter Chiaki, although she chose not to elaborate on the latter point. Through their combined knowledge, they were able to determine that the next point on the Pilgrimage was located at a ruined fortress located at what once was the site of La Ciudad Dorada's defensive wall.

## Pokémon

Shaymin's known moves are Seed Flare, Air Slash, Earth Power and Aromatherapy. In Land Forme its ability is Natural Cure, while in Sky Forme, its ability is Serene Grace. Under special circumstances, it is able to use the unique Z-Move Golden Sky Bouquet.

## Trivia

* Rosalita's name comes from *In the Arms of Rosalita*, an early unreleased cut of the song that would become *Chiquitita* by pop group ABBA.