In the world of Hisui, even more strange and unfathomable things were still happening in secret, things like fairy tales and ballads, or hidden stories no one had ever sung of....
The girl poked her head out from between the rocky mountains, straightened her clothes, and then did the first thing she had done every morning lately. She opened yesterday's notes.
She looked at the bright sunlight outside the cave as it spilled across the solid ground before her.
"Looks like another beautiful day."
She had traveled to distant lands and even caught a Porygon near an area where a space-time distortion had once appeared. Put it inside a game console, and then... automatic AFK leveling!
Sure enough, you just couldn't do without Porygon! Rotom was amazing too, of course, but the machines of this era weren't really to Rotom's taste. Around places where space-time distortions had once appeared, members of the Ginkgo Guild and the Survey Corps occasionally found all sorts of strange objects.
The so-called "Mechanical Cabinet"... Akari recognized it at a glance. That was a refrigerator!
The Mechanical Pinwheel was an electric fan, the Mechanical Circular Saw was a lawn mower, the Mechanical Box was an electric oven, and the Mechanical Tub was a washing machine!
And there were even... slippers?!
She'd been wearing slippers when she was transported here, hadn't she? How were even things like that ending up in the wilderness?!
"This must all be Almighty Sinnoh's will, right...? Sending machines and tools from the future into this era to make life more convenient? Don't tell me the Galaxy Team advanced so quickly because they reverse-engineered all these mechanical devices on a massive scale?"
"And... these machines even have... the Galaxy Team's logo on them! Hey, are these really products connected to Cyrus Appliance Repair or something?"
There was a missing century in between, so maybe it didn't matter how many bizarre things appeared. Perhaps the result could even exist before the cause.
She really couldn't make sense of it!
Either way... thank you, Almighty Sinnoh! That was how she ought to put it!
After that, she went balloon popping and target shooting again. With the storms and blizzards gone, Hisui had settled into peace. Pokémon attacked people less frequently now, and even when encountered in the wild, their formerly savage temperaments seemed to have mellowed somewhat. People could venture into the countryside again.
And so... all kinds of strange games, the games that had once spread outward from Jubilife Village, began to be held again throughout the land.
They were... really fun!
A white Alolan Vulpix swished its tails as it greeted Akari, who had just woken up, fixed her hair, and gotten dressed.
"Keo!"
Akari smiled and stroked the Alolan Vulpix.
"Good morning, Keokeo!"
Keokeo.... Long ago, people in Alola had called Alolan Vulpix by that name because that was what their cries sounded like. It meant "white... flower."
In the Alabaster Icelands, she had met Keaka, who had come from Alola, and completed his survey of the region's climate and environment. Several days ago, after she brought the Alolan Vulpix back for Professor Laventon to see, the professor had given it extremely high marks, whether for the color and sheen of its fur, its vitality, or the detail of Akari's investigation.
Of course....
Professor Laventon had also mentioned that he had actually visited the Alola region before, where many of its distinctive Pokémon had astonished him. According to him, many Pokémon had changed their forms under the influence of the sacred power of Mount Lanakila.
In Hisui, then, it was the power of Mount Coronet that changed them!
["It is almost exactly like the Galar region. Distant environments cause members of the same Pokémon species to take on completely different forms. The research report Hikaru showed me about changes induced by energy was simply astonishing!"]
["That academic conference held in Canalave City.... Canalave? Would that not be our village? Jubilife Village has canals and waterways running through it, which means the village will be renamed someday, while its original facilities will all be moved to nearby base camps."]
["How I wish I could discuss every manner of scholarly matter with the researchers of later generations. Given the level of knowledge in my era, I fear I would amount to no more than a third-rate researcher beside them. Yet even so, I would be delighted... because that truth is exactly what I seek!"]
["Someday, my own achievements will surely be rediscovered and recognized by future generations. I need only wait with hope in my heart. But the purpose of our research now is to help people survive and live better lives. Everything we do must serve that goal!"]
Professor Laventon had answered with considerable regret at the time. Soon afterward, however, he said that this very hypothesis was something he intended to research, and he hoped Akari would continue helping him.
Moreover, as time and the environment changed, the Pokédex that had originally been completed seemed to be expanding again. Inexplicably, new Pokémon had begun appearing. Whether they had been influenced by the former space-time distortions or had migrated here from elsewhere remained unknown.
The professor's expression had been rather complicated when that happened. He had even looked as though he were thinking, Maybe this isn't so bad.
["My original dream was to complete the world's very first Pokédex. Even if that Pokédex were lost in a later age, I would have no regrets. But at this rate, perhaps the world's first Pokédex will never truly be finished at all!"]
["The Survey Corps' mission may simply continue without end: investigating, learning, and deepening the bonds between people and Pokémon. I only hope that the next time Rei assists us, Pikachu does not shock him unconscious again...."]
The professor had also gone into detail about the matter of Ride Pokémon.
The nobles of Hisui could carry people across the earth, through the skies, and over the seas. In that sense, they were quite similar to the Ride Pokémon that had existed in Alola since ancient times.
"Human strength alone cannot take us everywhere. There are rocky expanses to cross, barriers to break through, and vast seas to traverse. With the help of Ride Pokémon, however, people can reach such places. It is a culture born from the deep bond between people and Pokémon, overflowing with the character of the Alola region!"
That was part of what Professor Laventon had said. But there was one thing Akari found strange.
"Long ago, Poké Balls supposedly existed only in the Johto region. People from lands torn by war once said, 'Only in distant lands do people keep Pokémon inside balls.' And Mr. Swordsman said that Alola didn't develop its Ride Pager until much later."
"At the top of the device is a special Poké Ball used for switching and teleportation. By selecting different riding equipment, you can summon different Pokémon. It's also the official way to travel by air. So in an even older age, in our era, how did the people of Alola freely switch between their Ride Pokémon?"
Professor Laventon had stared blankly for quite some time before sinking into a long period of thought.
He didn't really know either. After all, he was from Galar and had not stayed in Alola for very long. But Oblivia, which lay comparatively close to Alola, offered an answer.
Heart Slates.... By carrying small slates, one could freely summon Pokémon.... It was almost like....
"Playing cards? What a strange way to battle! And there are Control Gauntlets that can directly store Pokémon inside them? More than one at a time? Mr. Swordsman, do you think that might have something to do with the origins of the Ride Pager?"
"As the King of Alola, you really know a lot about Oblivia too.... But perhaps this was another treasure created by the Golden King, one of the Ten Heroes. The humans of this world really are incredible...."
"South America, Pokémon Rangers.... Mm. Communicating heart-to-heart with Pokémon is something I can do too. I won't lose to her! Besides, you two haven't even met yet, right? Let me see whether she can really wear the Goggles of Courage. We might both be called heroes and champions, but I'm definitely better."
"Alola! I'm definitely going there someday!"
In truth, she simply wanted to learn more about the Ten Heroes, distant lands, and the entire Pokémon world, so she kept pestering him to tell her more.
Of course, the stories themselves mattered, but who told those stories mattered just as much.
There were many people in this land who loved listening to stories. Before Akari ever arrived, Irida had always listened to countless tales and fairy stories herself.
Now it was Akari's turn.
And there was something even more astonishing: this rocky cave.
It was a cave created through the power of Pokémon.
It was practically a pocket dimension. Whether on a mountain, in the grass, inside a tree, or against a rock wall, one could create a space like this anywhere. It was simply unbelievable.
A voice came from a nearby tree.
"How many species of Pokémon are there in the world? A hundred, two hundred, three hundred.... Nine hundred, a thousand... and still more. Even Professor Oak has said that research never truly ends...."
"Good morning... Akari. Did you sleep well last night? You certainly look energetic."
Hikaru climbed down from the Secret Base in the tree.
"Secret Power. I mentioned this yesterday, but the fact that the space it creates doesn't disappear is pretty incredible, isn't it?"
"People in Hoenn use this move to create Secret Bases. In Sinnoh's era, people can even use drills to make places like this inside the Underground, then play things like capture-the-flag during their underground expeditions."
"Mm? You're reading your notes in the cave? That habit of writing everything down really does make you resemble Dawn...."
That was actually because when players began Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum, the opening would show a record written by Dawn, basically recounting what had happened during the previous play session. Most people simply never paid much attention to it.
Akari looked up.
"Of course. I've always had the habit of keeping records. I'm not going to lose to her! I'll keep writing and writing forever, because I'm a member of the Galaxy Team's Survey Corps. I'm not doing this just because it's a hobby!"
"I'm a research expert!"
Only when it came to the very same things did the two girls always seem to compete with each other, despite being separated by a hundred and fifty years....
[Because these notes were stories dedicated to the people they loved.]
[And the story would continue forever.]
[Turn your slender fingers back to the very first page, and read once more about everything we experienced together.]
Akari said, "So today, let's investigate together again. We're going to the ancient land of Michina, right? I want to see the tablets Damos left behind, and I want to investigate the messages left by the Unown...."
"And do you remember what the Pearl Clan told us when we set out again?"
"Somewhere out there, an enormous 'black shadow' has apparently appeared. It looks a lot like Giratina, but that's strange. Giratina is still with us, isn't it? It hasn't left yet...."
"The Survey Corps exists to uncover the truth behind bizarre and mysterious things like this so everyone can stop worrying."
Even Giratina itself had no idea what that black shadow could be. As for Almighty Sinnoh, its response had merely been the maddeningly cryptic instruction, [Go and seek it out.]
Akari was already thoroughly accustomed to Almighty Sinnoh speaking in riddles.
Besides, whenever Almighty Sinnoh decided to be cryptic, there was always someone beside her who could answer the questions it created.
Hikaru said, "Could it be a 'shadow'?"
Akari blinked. "A shadow?"
Hikaru nodded. "A gigantic black shadow identical to Giratina appearing somewhere in the world. The only explanation that comes to mind is an actual 'shadow.' In other words, the Shadow Beast really exists."
"Honestly, I don't even know whether that thing can be considered a Pokémon.... And if I remember correctly...."
Hikaru took out a music player. As strange, stirring music began to play, Almighty Sinnoh, resting within the Origin Ball, let out a low, amused chuckle.
The so-called "Shadow of Giratina" was an... unidentified entity that appeared in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
In essence, it existed so the player could obtain the Griseous Orb. It could be battled but not caught, and its entire shape was that of an Origin Forme Giratina dyed completely black.
To see it, one had to place a Distortion Slate into the pedestal inside Ramanas Park's Distortion Room. Only then could it be encountered within a dreamlike version of the Distortion World.
And that slate only became available for trade at the park after the player had caught a normal Giratina.
Ramanas was named for the rose, one of Hokkaido's floral symbols. In the Hisui era, there was even a place called Ramanas Island, and the very first Massive Mass Outbreak had taken place there.
The space within Ramanas Park resembled Unova's Dream World. The Legendary Pokémon caught there all possessed their Hidden Abilities....
In other words, they were products of dreams made real.
But something even stranger stood out.
Akari listened carefully.
"This song is...? It's pretty catchy."
Hikaru explained, "It's a song from a distant world.... You could say it has some connection to the Shadow Beast."
The music inside Ramanas Park was extremely similar to the main melody of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky!
Which meant that shadow might actually be...?!
Perhaps it was a dream manifestation of that Giratina from Explorers of Sky, the guardian of the World Abyss and one of the Seven Treasures!
That Giratina was, in the truest sense, [a champion of justice] and one of [the Seven Great Guardians of the World].
Of course, throughout the history of the Mystery Dungeon world, when Darkrai went mad and Palkia was trapped in a nightmare, those seven fellows had spent the entire time slacking off and doing absolutely nothing.
In that respect, they were remarkably similar to the fate-llama of the Mystery Dungeon world. Aside from sitting around AFK, it did practically nothing. When it came to refusing to work, they certainly seemed like its biological children.
The investigation into the shadow god was only a brief interlude.
They crossed forests and rocky mountains, living against the wind until they reached the ancient kingdom in the wilderness, where they saw the tablets that preserved the hearts of people long gone.
Among the ruins of the temple, they found what Damos had left behind.
Akari stood upon a high place and gazed across the endless fields below.
With spring warm and flowers blooming, people had begun working the land again instead of remaining inside their stone houses.
It was the girl's first visit to this place.
Even so, she could still feel the will left behind by the people who had once lived here.
Akari said, "A land that lost the Jewel of Life should have become a wasteland. Yet this place wasn't sustained by the Transcendent One's power. The people who lived here long ago worked the land with everything they had, and through their efforts, it remained fertile for eight hundred years."
Hikaru said, "Damos carved what happened back then into his stone tablet.... He also left a message."
...
The inscription left by Damos read:
[Swordsman from the future, symbol of Sinnoh's origin. History was changed because of you, and its outcome will no longer stray from its course. Perhaps the partner Pichu from whom I parted crossed through time precisely so that this moment could arrive.]
[Life has sprouted once again upon this land. Next year will be a year of abundant harvest. The Jewel of Life, once lost and hidden away, has finally been recovered.]
[People of the future, greetings.... Just as the people of the distant past gaze upon us through the ages, by the time you see this inscription, I will have learned the meaning of trust. Fertile land is something we must create and nurture with our own hands. Through the combined strength of humans and Pokémon, this land has already been restored. I have fulfilled the promise I made, and it shall remain fulfilled forever....]
[Yet this is not my achievement. It is merely the answer I leave to those who come after me. I, and all of you as well, shall continue through the long ages... gazing upward at the radiance of the divine.]
[Dear people, dear gods, dear Pokémon.... With a heart filled with joy and happiness, I leave this tablet behind. If possible, I would have liked to speak with you much longer about this world.]
[What is the future where you live like...? Surely the world of your time is a beautiful and wonderful place. I will pray for you forever.]
[If anyone should ever come to this town....]
[My descendants will surely offer you clear water and fruit.]
...
After leaving the land of Michina, they began a journey to investigate every Unown.
The girl carried with her the ancient writing left behind across Hisui....
Whenever she reached one of the places described by those characters, found an Unown she had never seen before, and pieced together the words they formed, Akari carefully recorded it all.
Then she and Hikaru would do something fun.
Akari recited, "Within the settlement devoted to time. Look up from the volcano on the island. Upon a stone pillar among the temple ruins."
At the Diamond Clan settlement, they danced together with the people there.
And near the Crimson Mirelands, unfamiliar Pokémon had actually appeared. They had flown here from the distant southern lands, or rather, from the Hoenn region. Tropius, with bunches of fruit hanging from their necks!
"After we battled them, the Tropius were perfectly happy to share their fruit with us too."
"That was the first time I'd ever eaten such a strange fruit.... Children in southern lands eat the bunches of fruit growing from Tropius's necks as snacks. They're really popular with kids. Apparently, the fruit grown by Tropius in Alola tastes even sweeter."
Near the island's volcano, they found an entrance leading toward Flower Paradise.
There was hazy mist, white stones gleaming like mirrors, and a stretch of barren land!
"At the end of the white stones, a path appeared! Someone carved the gratitude of a Trainer who had grown up into one of the stones.... And also... an important name."
They had met so many people and so many Pokémon.
Riding a bicycle, they followed [Seabreak Path] all the way onward!
Within the sea of flowers, Akari was crowned with blossoms and saw the Bouquet of the Frozen Sky.
『Precisely because it is such a simple ornament, a pure and innocent heart can find joy in it.』
At the ruins of the Celestica temple, they carved a new statue for Giratina.
[Giratina was very pleased.]
"On a wooden stake in the golden land, beside a campfire. On a lone tree in a forest pond. On a rock jutting out beside mud high in the mountains."
In the golden fields, near the remains of a campfire where bandits had once hidden, they dug for all kinds of treasure, tunneled beneath the earth, and found several sparkling stones.
In the dangerous woods, they smeared Honey across tree trunks, crouched in the grass, and waited excitedly for new Pokémon to appear.
Then, the instant something jumped out, they hurled a Poké Ball!
In the lost forest, they played hide-and-seek with people and Pokémon alike.
Then, near an ancient spring, Akari went... fishing with Mr. Swordsman.
They watched the sun and moon rise and fall and the stars turn overhead.
Akari blinked.
"Ah! I caught something incredible.... A new Pokémon? What is this, a mud-yellow Magikarp?"
Hikaru said, "That's a Feebas. You've never been to the Hoenn region, have you? This Pokémon is extremely rare there.... It lives in ponds with lots of aquatic plants. Because it's so incredibly ugly, apparently very few Trainers bother raising one."
"But once it evolves, it becomes one of the most beautiful Pokémon of all, Milotic."
"Mm. Quite a few of the newly appearing Pokémon are from Hoenn. That's probably a sign that Hisui is gradually turning into the Sinnoh region we know. Hisui's climate is steadily growing warmer too."
Fishing was fun.
And Feebas wasn't the only thing they caught. There were also beautiful Goldeen, Pokémon that normally lived in the Kanto region. As the weather warmed, they began swimming upstream in schools.
The sight was like a poem announcing the arrival of spring.
"Speaking of which, the Pokédex says Goldeen have spawning and nesting habits, but Pokémon are born from Eggs, aren't they? So what exactly is this 'spawning' supposed to mean? Professor Oak really was just writing nonsense in the Pokédex, wasn't he?"
Remembering the Pokédex entries from the Kanto region, Akari couldn't stop shaking her head.
As Hisui's research expert, she absolutely had to correct inaccurate descriptions like those!
At the top of Obsidian Falls.
On the island in the center of the lake where emotion dwelled.
Near the waterfall, they saw a Gyarados circling through the sky. Akari tried catching it with Poké Balls, but no matter how many she threw, she couldn't land a clean hit.
The Gyarados began laughing at her, then chased them all over the place.
Even though they could have defeated it in an instant....
No. Sometimes deliberately getting chased around with Mr. Swordsman was fun in its own way.
That Gyarados probably wouldn't understand.
Akari said, "Magikarp keep jumping from the rivers across the fields, trying to make it up the waterfall. Maybe that Gyarados is actually showing everyone how happy it is too. Mm, apparently there are even Magikarp capable of using Dragon Rage before they evolve.... That's really unusual."
On the island in the middle of Lake Verity, Akari sincerely made a wish.
The god of emotion would grant her wish....
Akari felt Mesprit staring at her strangely, but she still prayed with complete reverence.
The result was Mesprit becoming absolutely terrified.
Until now, it had always been the one asking questions of those who sought it.
[What I require is your emotion.]
Something similar had apparently happened in the future as well. The swordsman from that era had once offered it his burning soul.
And now....
"Chuun?!"
["The Two Ancient Deities are asking me for emotion? They want my emotion?! Why don't you go to Lake Acuity and find Uxie instead? Make it give you a knowledge quiz.... If you just want to kill time, Uxie's perfect for that. Yes, yes, definitely Uxie!"]
How was it supposed to grant a wish like this?!
Akari had even brought Almighty Sinnoh with her to demand a piece of its heart.
What else could Mesprit possibly say?
Fine! Take it!
Mesprit's Plume! Mesprit's Plume!
Mesprit hurled a huge quantity of balms at Akari.
It successfully soothed the girl and reduced her ferocious frenzy gauge.
Akari stared at what she was holding.
"So in the end... I got an enormous pile of Mesprit's Plumes?"
It was strange, but....
The journey continued.
"Among the three pillars in the world of ice. Where flowers bloom beside the fairy spring. Upon the two trees by the sea spring. Climb the frozen waterfall. Upon the dead tree beside the hot spring...."
"In the left eye of the Magikarp statue at the highest point in the village. Where branches cut across the river."
And there were many, many more places!
Akari's Unown Notes gradually filled with those special ancient characters.
"It seems each individual Unown character represents some indescribable mystery. Even though each is only a single letter, it can contain several meanings. If we spell and interpret them in a special way, look, it comes out like this... right, Mr. Swordsman?"
"ANGRY. Anger. OBSERVE. Observation. GIVE. To give. LAUGH. To laugh."
"WANT. To want. FIND. To find. TELL. To tell. ENGAGE. To take part, to become involved, to fight, and also... [to make a promise]."
"And finally...."
"NUZZLE. To snuggle close."
She raised her completed notes.
Those ancient words seemed to join together into a message that had endured unchanged since time immemorial.
[The one I love became a star, the one who came to meet me. And so, whenever daylight arrives, I begin waiting for night.]
The girl tightly embraced the person she loved, as though she wanted to pour every ounce of strength and warmth she possessed into the other person.
A deep sense of fulfillment filled her.
"After every journey, there are more beautiful things in the world. After every time we nuzzle close, there are more precious things. Forget the passing of time and dance, singer of love songs."
"Let's say goodbye using the ancient language passed down where the king once lived.... I've learned so much Alolan. I'll say it for you."
"Mahalo! 'Thank you.' Hokulani! 'A star in heaven.'"
"Liʻi! 'This tiny...'"
"Hauʻoli! 'Joy, desire, wishes, happiness!'"
"Mr. Swordsman, thank you for staying with me.... The farther away our next reunion is, the happier I'll be when we finally meet again."
In the misty wind, the answer the girl received was....
The swordsman embracing her in return.
Her eyes slowly widened.
His voice echoed beside her ear.
She would never forget it.
"The last time I returned to the Galaxy Team, someone said something similar.... How should I put this? I'm not very good at passionate responses. So, just as I promised her, we will meet again somewhere within the vastness of space...."
"Sometimes, like the Transcendent One, you can pour into something a kind of affection that surpasses the ordinary world.... I think that's how you're supposed to say it."
"Ideal and pure love."
"Because I'm very grateful to her."
"But perhaps this journey through Hisui was a wish that you made too: a wish to meet wonderful people. You and I came here from the future and from another world, and that's why we met here. The same is true of Irida."
Akari stared at him.
"I... I made that wish! I was the one who gave you that blessing.... And what do you mean, 'the last time I returned to the village'? When was that?"
"Right now, I'm ANGRY."
That was what she said, but she didn't actually look angry. Only her eyebrows twitched slightly.
"But... fine. We're friends, after all. The Pearl Clan was where everything began. I also know that if Irida hadn't helped us at the very beginning.... none of this would have happened. Everything would have gone in a terrible direction. I was only an outsider."
"So let me hear your voice again."
"I did really well this time, so please praise me."
"This is the final piece of ancient Alolan I've learned. Everyone uses this word as a greeting, but what I mean when I say it is different."
In that pure white forest where no one ever visited, who was she waiting for?
Or perhaps....
She was leaving herself behind as a gift forgotten beneath the distant heavens.
This faraway heart would echo onward and be carried into that distant world.
Akari smiled.
"Aloha.... 'Alola!'"
"It means...."
"Hello. Goodbye. Happiness...."
"I love you."
Hikaru said, "Yeah.... How should I praise you?"
"Her face was lovely, and her eyes shone with hope."
"To gather more experience, the girl traveled across the land and left behind countless tales of adventure."
"Let me recite once more the prophecy that was left long ago. Prophecies always come true."
"[You fell from the sky and became a source of light, illuminating the land of Hisui....]"
"Until we meet again. Next time, will we meet... at the end of time?"
"Mānalo."
....
[We met here, and from this place, everything began. But the legend of the Ten Legendary Warriors continues... continues... Ah! I'm hungry!]
Near Jubilife Village, Sneasler waved a claw toward the settlement.
[That guy left. Dialga's roar proved it. But now there won't be anyone to make ramen for me anymore. As for your cooking... you might be the last priestess of Celestica, but when it comes to cooking, the leader of the Diamond Clan is still better!]
[At this rate, I'm going to defect to the Diamond Clan!]
Her joking drew no response from the blonde girl.
Sneasler pouted in boredom, then laughed again.
[Don't pretend you can't hear me. After studying Aura and Ripple for so long, you understood what I'm saying ages ago. I told you to go see him off, but you refused. And now you're standing here without saying a word. Fate doesn't wait for anyone!]
The blonde girl merely took out the Celestica Flute.
Its beautiful melody spread across every corner of Hisui.
She continued playing until nearby Pokémon gathered around and quietly listened.
Irida said, "....The syndrome called friendship is a labyrinth with no exit. You're frightened even to move, unable to take a single step.... But the story of the Solaceon Ruins also said...."
"All life meets other life, and from those meetings, new life is born again."
"From the very beginning, I knew... the person he was waiting for wasn't me. At first, I didn't feel anything about that.... But as time passed, everything changed. When people spend time together, they're gradually drawn toward one another...."
"Time and space cannot be separated."
"The old me never understood that."
"If only I'd understood sooner."
"From then on, I came to admire the light."
"So now, I don't think the Diamond Clan is so bad either. If you want to go find Adaman, that's fine...."
Sneasler jolted in surprise.
[Huh?! I was only joking! You're actually serious?!]
Irida merely smiled.
"Among all the nobles, you were the only one who never received Frenzied Might.... because the swordsman was always beside you. At the very beginning, it was because you guided me that I was able to meet him."
"And now, when he leaves.... you knew he was going away, yet you never told me. Wasn't that because you were afraid I'd be sad?"
"If I'm the one who takes care of you now, just as the swordsman once did.... then by doing the same things he did, our hearts will gradually draw closer too. Space is an extension of the heart. That's what the story of Eterna City teaches us."
Sneasler hurriedly replied:
[I didn't tell you because... seriously, how was I supposed to know when he would leave? I figured he'd eventually go home after staying long enough! Fine, fine. He can travel through time anyway. This is only a temporary separation. And you're right about one thing.]
[Palkia's power is magnificent. Whether someone is alive or dead, they still exist within the same space. So there's nothing to worry about and nothing to regret! He chose Palkia, and Palkia favors you as well. In other words, you and the Two Ancient Deities stand on the same level!]
[The leader of the Diamond Clan is the same. If Dialga chose Adaman, then Adaman became time's representative and observer.... All of you received important treasures. Reversing time or crossing through it should be ridiculously easy now. You've already become able to 'understand who you are'! That's what Adaman said, right?!]
[And as for Frenzied Might, who cares about that?!]
[Ah, what I really regret is not getting to see that... "hababababa" guy's furious face again. I really wanted another look at that expression. What a shame, what a shame....]
The other nine nobles had all turned Frenzied Might into strength of their own.
Sneasler, however, had never obtained it, so compared with the others, she lacked an important "state change."
But she had never liked fighting much to begin with.
A Fighting-type that disliked fighting was admittedly rather rare....
But Sneasler was lazy.
Frenzied Might sounded like too much trouble.
That was all.
Sneasler narrowed her eyes.
[Still, I get the feeling there's another meaning hidden in what you're saying?]
Irida nodded.
"Yes.... The Two Ancient Deities refer both to Akari and another girl, two sides of a mirror. But from the beginning, the title also referred to Dialga and Palkia."
"And I am the final priestess of Celestica."
"A priestess is someone who serves heaven and the gods. There are people in the Johto region who still follow that tradition."
"So the next time Sinnoh's radiance begins to flow again, I will accompany the Two Ancient Deities to the promised place."
"Besides, I learned the ancient language of Alola too."
"Before we parted.... I already said what was in my heart."
"This time, I moved a little faster."
Sneasler was stunned.
[Huh?! What did you just say...? Why didn't you tell me?! Concealing something from your noble is outrageous disrespect! Irida! You've really changed! You should be more old-fashioned and conservative! Who turned you into this...?!]
[I'm revoking your Warden membership... no, I'm revoking your leader membership! I'm really going to the Diamond Clan to find Adaman! I'm serious this time!]
Irida simply laughed and looked toward the distant blue sky.
"[Pokémon bones drift away with the river.]"
"[My memories drift away with the river as well.]"
"Kalaʻe.... Something clear."
"To share the places you love most, to share the people and things you love most, and to follow in another person's footsteps until you can feel the same heart they felt."
"All hearts eventually blend into one."
"And I will sing a song of hope, make a wish upon the flowers, and become the wind that races across the wilderness."
"That is my pure love."
The wind of home began to blow.
People's thoughts returned to the past, yet there was also light shining toward the future.
At the Sinjoh Ruins, before the Mystri Stage.
Hikaru had returned to that ancient place where the sigils were engraved.
The voices of those people still echoed beside his ears.
Those feelings that had crossed time and space had truly reached him.
"Unown...."
Somewhere among the ruins, a familiar voice drifted toward him.
"E? You were waiting here for me?"
"Unown! (That's me!)"
That fellow was always dozing off in dreams and receiving guests alongside Entei inside the tower of the Eternal Battle Reverie.
But after returning home, seeing Unown E again upon the stage still filled Hikaru with nostalgia.
Then....
["Allow me to display my magnificent power and entrust you with something important... Mm! The plan for granting you a Pokémon of legend was devised by that great lord!"]
["Stand on the sigil, my friend!"]
E was clearly eager to show off.
Among the three sigils, it watched its friend choose Palkia's mark.
Then....
["The choice has been made, my lord! We can begin creation!"]
Even across the gulf of distant ages, the Unown would respond to Almighty Sinnoh's power of creation!
Of course, Hikaru had assumed E was simply logging in on somebody else's behalf.
"What? You're just acting as code?"
"Unown~! (There are plenty of guys who'd love to be code but aren't qualified! All right, I'm going to start controlling the power now!)"
A massive torrent of energy surged into existence.
Countless Unown were summoned from distant cracks between time and space.
Scenes resembling the birth of the universe unfolded once more before Hikaru's eyes!
An enormous, immaculate white Egg transformed into a jewel!
The jewel shimmered with pink light, resembling a pearl!
The jewel was placed within an Origin Ball.
In an instant, it transformed into a Pokémon!
[The mysterious jewel became a Pokémon!]
[Obtained: Palkia (Lv. 1)!]
Palkia carried a Lustrous Orb.
That orb was itself a fragment of space-time.
It was also part of their eggshell.
At that moment, the consciousness of the newly born Palkia awakened in an instant, carrying ancient memories with it!
Palkia (Newborn): ["Indeed! You chose me, and I will not disappoint you! A wise decision!"]
["Whether in life or death, the closeness of space allows humans and Pokémon to remain together forever! At the moment of my birth, the barrier separating the material world vanished, and boundless space came into being!"]
["Though I can be considered the same Palkia of the Pearl Clan that you know, I am also a newly born Palkia, another individual who merely possesses those memories. So what should you call me? Would you like to give me a nickname? It is perfectly fine if you do not."]
["As your first partner.... I look forward to traveling with you!"]
Hikaru grinned.
"Yeah. Same here! But rather than giving you a nickname, why don't we design an entrance line?"
"The fantastical Pegasus that gallops across the heavens, standing atop the blue sky, receiving the radiance of the gods, the Perseid meteor shower!"
"Of course, if you absolutely want a nickname, Pegasus or Perseus would probably fit better."
When Perseus cut off the head of the Gorgon Medusa, Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor were born together from Medusa's blood.
In the tales of Roman poets, Pegasus ascended into the heavens and appeared before Zeus, king of the gods. Zeus then commanded it to carry lightning and thunder from Olympus to the world below.
Palkia (Newborn): ["Oh, I see.... That sounds excellent!"]
...
A new record was written.
『Palkia, the Spatial Pokémon. A Pokémon of legend. In Sinnoh mythology, it is one of the beings known as Almighty Sinnoh, governing space and one of the foundations of the world!』
『Type: Water/Dragon. Ability: Pressure.』
『Possesses "Terrific Might." A Pokémon in a state of Terrific Might takes only half the damage caused by status conditions and state changes. Terrific Might cannot be removed.』
『A newly created individual chosen at the Sinjoh Ruins, carrying ancient memories. It is akin to the first partner Pokémon of the Sinjoh region.』
『Nature: Calm.』
『Judging from its appearance, Palkia may combine characteristics of a wyvern, a pterosaur, and a Plateosaurus. Its shoulder joints resemble pearl-set jewelry. Its Origin Forme resembles the Pegasus of legends from another world.』
『It possesses the power to distort, destroy, and regenerate space. By manipulating the connections between spaces, it can travel to distant alternate dimensions. With every breath Palkia takes, space itself becomes more stable. The only way to suppress this power is through a "combat technique capable of freely controlling the trajectories of energy waves."』
『Palkia is also said to have connections with Almia and Oblivia. A yellow-clad prince from a distant desert once worshiped it, and Palkia's Terrific Might once manifested within the Sky Fortress as well!』
...
After leaving the ruins, Hikaru returned to the village that no longer had any residents.
Then he headed toward the workshop of old.
The long-sealed door opened, and familiar presences appeared beside him.
Aegislash and Lilligant followed him inside.
The building looked exactly as it had in the past.
Though he had been gone for so long, there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. It looked just as it had ages and ages ago.
"Even though I stayed in the past for a very long time, after returning to the present.... it wasn't exactly 'two minutes,' but only about... 'six days.'"
Perhaps Arceus had decided that a change of only two minutes would make it difficult for anyone to feel nostalgic.
So at the very least, six days had to pass.
After all, the seventh day marked the end of God's creation.
And, of course, what Hikaru had originally said was....
Within seven days.
Just as he had promised Green, he had returned to this era [before the publication of the academic results].
"Spring in Sinjoh is no different from winter. The wall of blizzards still exists, so the Pokémon of the past have all hidden deep within the forest or inside the greenhouses."
Regular Lilligant and Petilil still lived here.
So did Hisuian Electrode and Hisuian Voltorb.
Every building and facility was packed full of stored materials.
Deep within the woods, Pokémon gathered around the three great temples.
The legendary giants greeted Hikaru.
He had summoned them once in the Crown Tundra, but returning here again was different....
Hikaru brought Aegislash and Lilligant to the ancient cemetery.
Among the white stones and the sea of flowers, he visited Vessa's grave.
"I really did meet the you of the past."
"And compared with last time... because history deviated slightly, I'm sure you lived an even better life this time, didn't you? Your soul should have found peace as well."
"May you still be able to see the light in the spirit world."
"I've only seen the gaps leading into the spirit world and never truly ventured deep into that world after death.... But I'm sure it isn't filled with nothing but mist."
"There must be stars and a sun there too."
Ding-dong.
It sounded like someone had pressed a doorbell.
At the same time, a faint crackle like radio interference ran through the air.
Hikaru turned around and found Aegislash looking in a certain direction.
It tugged him, urging him to return to the house.
Far away at the workshop was a mailbox connected to the spirit world.
A doorway to the spirit world opened.
The civil servant of the afterlife, Dusknoir, slowly crossed over from the world of the dead.
Just as before, it had picked up all sorts of useful things in the spirit world and brought them back to the mortal world.
They were ordinary trinkets on the far shore, but here they were exceptionally rare materials.
When Dusknoir noticed that Hikaru, Aegislash, and Lilligant had returned, it raised a hand in greeting.
["Long time no see! I heard you met another Dusknoir at Hippowdon Temple. Ah, actually, the poor fellow you all beat up was one of my colleagues. It once served the yellow-clad prince. I've heard everything about what happened in that distant land."]
The Dusknoir of Almia had lived in Hippowdon Temple.
It had once been controlled by the Incredible Machine and summoned into battle.
That Dusknoir was one of the Pokémon responsible for soothing and guiding souls.
Of course, no matter what it did, it could never take away the Four King Souls.
Those souls had already surpassed the limits of its abilities, and even the spirit world had no means of bringing such overwhelmingly powerful souls across.
But then again....
There were far too many souls lingering in the mortal world already.
A great many couldn't be taken away at all.
So the spirit world had more or less given up trying.
And as another example of great power, Oblivia had once possessed its own Dusknoir responsible for communicating with the spirit world.
That Dusknoir had been the Pokémon of the Golden King.
Hikaru said, "I already suspected something like that.... But since we're talking about the world of the dead, it isn't particularly strange that different Dusknoir would know one another."
Dusknoir replied:
["Exactly! Still, those royal souls were absurdly powerful. If I hadn't heard about all of it in the spirit world, I wouldn't have believed it myself. That fellow is an old veteran too, you know. But living a long time doesn't necessarily mean you're good in a fight. That's just how it is."]
["Oh, right. There's a package for you."]
["It was sent here from the spirit world. Apparently, it's from that soul named Vessa. It seems to be an 'Odd Keystone,' something used to seal spirits."]
Hikaru stared in astonishment at the Odd Keystone Dusknoir handed him.
The stone was filled with power.
A Pokémon inside opened its eyes.
"Spiri~!"
Perhaps, after those long years....
The sleeping soul had finally waited long enough for this moment to arrive.
There was also an [Old Letter].
Hikaru was familiar with such things.
It was an item mediums could create.
Old Letters also appeared in the ghost stories of the Galar region, letters written by people in the spirit world to the living, carrying love and longing that had once been impossible to convey.
["Now you can finally hear what I have to say!"]
["I lived a very, very joyful and happy life!"]
["And the Spiritomb that now exists here.... is a Pokémon created by the Transcendent One when my wish was granted!"]
["My feelings, everyone's feelings, and the feelings of all those other wisps have now been carved into this stone!"]
["Don't worry. My soul is still on the far shore. But Spiritomb... is also 'another me'! After waiting for a thousand years, I've finally arrived in your era. I give Spiritomb to you. I give my life back to you as well!"]
["Let the life you once gave to me, to all of us, travel beside you once again! Whenever you fight alongside Spiritomb, it will be as if the souls of 108 members of Celestica are standing with you!"]
...
A new record was written.
『Spiritomb (Vessa), the Forbidden Pokémon. Odd Keystone.』
『Type: Ghost/Dark. Hidden Ability: Infiltrator.』
『A Pokémon widely known for taking the form of a mysterious body of energy merged together with an Odd Keystone. It is said to contain 108 spirits.』
『However, the Spiritomb named Vessa was given that name by the soul of a certain girl. It was once the girl's true form, but now it is merely an innocent and ignorant Pokémon, an existence born after severing the 108 worldly afflictions. The name carries the memories of Celestica.』
『Nature: Bashful.』
『And just like that, one will surely obtain another self, completely different, yet in no way different at all.』
After the seventh day, the academic paper that would cause a sensation throughout the Sinnoh region appeared in an international journal.
With the paper, the degree, and the associated research results, that rising scholar became known throughout the world, though he had already been quite famous even before then.
The online award ceremony was also held as scheduled.
An important item would be sent from Celadon University, but the delivery address was not Sinjoh.
It was Eterna City in Sinnoh.
The person helping receive the package was naturally Hikaru's childhood friend, Gardenia.
And just after she received that [valuable item], someone else who had arranged to meet her arrived in Eterna City.
That person was Cynthia.
Gardenia stared at the important package sent by Celadon University.
"Seriously, this guy is way too incredible.... Maybe I should study Grass-type Pokémon more seriously too and publish a paper called [Grass Pokémon] or something."
Cynthia smiled.
"My, Gardenia. If that's what you're thinking, why don't you become my assistant? There happens to be a new Sinnoh Champion now...."
Gardenia sighed.
"It feels like so many things happened in such a short time. First there was the solar eclipse, then Spear Pillar exploded a second time. What in the world is going on...?"
"And now we've excavated something nobody can make sense of.... Anyway, Cynthia, the Underground Man who lives here in Eterna City is the important reason I asked you to come."
"Still, I can't believe Dawn actually beat you and became Sinnoh's new Champion. I had a feeling something like that might happen back then... and we were even told as much, but it's still hard to believe."
"Of course, I'm completely in favor of Volkner getting absolutely crushed."
"But even if she's being called the new Champion, she hasn't actually succeeded you as the region's reigning Champion. She only entered the Hall of Fame."
"Ms. Cynthia, don't tell me you're planning to dump all your work on the newcomer...?"
Cynthia laughed.
"I'm only giving her a little training."
"And you're involved too. After all, you're planning to challenge Aaron, aren't you?"
"I've already prepared the stage for you."
"I'm quite looking forward to seeing a major showdown."
"You wouldn't embarrass Hikaru, would you?"
Gardenia coughed lightly.
Then she began imagining it before falling into thought.
"We were childhood friends, but now he's somehow become more like my mentor.... Does that mean challenging the Elite Four is basically my graduation project?"
"Whatever. I've already prepared myself. I submitted my application knowing exactly what I was getting into...."
"Actually, beating Aaron isn't what worries me."
"It's something else."
"That guy has a fan club.... and apparently they're really intense because he's handsome...."
"They aren't going to smash up my Gym, are they?"
"Ah! But if I win the challenge, I'll become a member of the Elite Four, and he'll go back to being a Gym Leader. Then Eterna City can be handed over to him...."
"So Aaron really has been the only Bug-type Elite Four member up until now!"
The brutal battle for their job swap was about to begin!
Gardenia brought Cynthia and the valuable package into Eterna Gym.
"Look. This is what the Underground Man dug up."
"It's a statue of a human and a Pokémon."
"It's different from the things Candice and the others found. Don't you think this statue looks like somebody...?"
"That's right. It looks exactly like that guy!"
"Long ago, this area was the center of all kinds of festivals, so many ruins were left behind here."
"Ever since the Team Galactic incident, new ancient artifacts have started turning up around the city.... But could this have been carved by one of his ancestors?"
"That guy does come from a family of sculptors, after all.... Long ago, people mined high-quality granite from Oreburgh City and carved it into statues."
"That's the tradition."
Cynthia looked at the statue.
"Ah.... The music handed down in Eterna City since ancient times is the same as the music from Celestic Town."
"Perhaps this familiar sculpture exists for much the same reason."
A knowing smile appeared on her face.
"Maybe it was a message left behind for us by people who crossed through time and space."
"Let me read the words carved into it."
"Long ago, medicinal herbs capable of healing wounds and illness grew all around this city."
"A young doctor met a Pokémon here, and that became the first story of humans and Pokémon...."
"He brought the stars, the moon, the sun, and light."
"Because of this, human thoughts were able to reach the heavens and offer their strength to the ancient gods, surpassing hardship and the boundaries of time and space."
"Lightning bestowed great power upon Pokémon, making them the claws and fangs of humankind."
"From the lightning emerged the legendary swordsman...."
"The name of Celestica returned to the world."
"Those who wish to understand what supports the world must first understand the hearts of the ancients."
"The swordsman of lightning became Celestica's guide, allowing the hero who illuminated the world to drive away the darkness that covered it."
"According to legend, throughout all the ages of the world, there have been ten such heroes."
"In eternal Eterna, this story was recorded."
"It is a tale from a distant past, an age when humans still rarely lived closely alongside Pokémon."
"The swordsman once left these words behind, engraving within them an eternal prayer."
"[I have spent long years in this place for one purpose alone: to await the arrival of the one who bears the mission!]"
(End of Chapter)
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