"Mew~ What is it, Big Pillars? I'm playing a game right now."
As the pink light faded, Mew called out to Regigigas, sounding very unhappy.
It had recently become obsessed with game consoles again.
Just a moment ago, it was in the middle of a PK match with someone, but Regigigas had kept pestering it.
"...Take a look at this."
Regigigas gestured toward a large, leafless tree on the ground with an expression of utter speechlessness.
"It's just a tree, Miaw. You... wait?"
Mew glanced at it and curled its lip in a very human-like pout, but then it looked again and realized something was wrong.
The pink cat floated down a bit lower, circling the tree twice.
It nibbled on its paw, lost in thought.
"It has the scent of that rainbow deer... Is this Xerneas, Miaw?"
Mew finally made the identification, its voice filled with shock.
"Wait, why would Xerneas be here, Miaw?"
Mew was stunned.
It looked up at Regigigas.
Xerneas lived on the continent across the sea; that was incredibly far from here.
Regigigas gave a very human-like shrug, indicating it didn't know either.
"While I was sleeping, it suddenly fell onto my head."
Regigigas was also confused.
To its knowledge, the only person capable of teleporting Xerneas here so without warning was that troublesome brat.
But why would he do such a thing?
"Hold on, I'll ask Damian, Miaw."
Mew thought for a moment and pulled out a phone, skillfully dialing Damian's number.
Because of its size, Mew actually could use a phone.
Conversely, Regigigas—being so massive—could not.
"Hello? Hello? Damian? Right, a Xerneas tree appeared here at the Paradise, Miaw. Oh, oh~ You sent it over? Then never mind."
"Oh, by the way, Damian, can you open up more snacks and drinks for me every day, Miaw? There's not enough to eat."
"No? Why, Miaw? Damian, I'm the cat you're raising! How can you treat me like this! Sob sob, you don't love me anymore."
"I got fat? Where am I fat, Miaw? I've always looked like this! What do you mean I'm different from when we first met?"
"That's because I used Transform back then! I made myself a tiny bit thinner! The way I am now is my true self, Miaw! You can't reject the real me just because of the fake look I had back then!"
"Damian, you are the person recognized by Reshiram! You have to acknowledge the truth, Miaw! I'm not lying! If you don't believe me, ask Big Pillars! I've always been this plump!"
Hearing Mew use every bit of its wit to fight Damian over its snack allowance, Regigigas silently sank into the ground to take a nap.
This pink cat had likely "gone off the deep end."
As for gaining a new neighbor like Xerneas, Regigigas had no objections.
Xerneas was a gentle and compassionate legend; its presence was a good thing for the World Tree Paradise.
Kalos.
"This Mew is truly beyond help."
Damian hung up the phone with a look of pure exasperation.
He felt that letting that pink cat learn how to use the internet was the biggest mistake he had ever made.
Mew was now deeply poisoned by the web (how tragic).
Just now, the cat had even complained to him that it had only played three games today and encountered two cheaters—saying their "families must be gone" (cursing them).
As for why it thought they cheated?
It was the great Mew!
If someone could beat even Mew, they must be cheating, right?
Emmm... Damian felt that Mew's logic actually made some sense in its own way.
Damian surveyed the surroundings and sent a message to a nearby Team Rocket squad, telling them to come and take away everyone from the Team Flare secret base.
Originally, these people had been wiped out by Yveltal, but thanks to Xerneas sharing its life, they had all been revived.
They could be exploited again.
Meanwhile, Damian led Caitlin toward Geosenge Town.
In the town square, the Ultimate Weapon stood tall.
"Is this the Ultimate Weapon?"
Caitlin looked at the massive device in awe.
It was a mechanical apparatus that looked like a giant flower.
"That's right. A 'Divine Tool' created by the King of Kalos three thousand years ago. It's a complete cross-era invention. Even today, it would be extremely difficult to replicate."
Damian was filled with emotion.
This was the talent of those favored by heaven.
Their creations were completely beyond their time.
As far as Damian knew, the Pokémon world had already produced several such geniuses.
Three thousand years ago, there was AZ, who created the Ultimate Weapon which could destroy everything or grant eternal life.
And in this era, there was the genius Professor couple from the Paldea region, Sada and Turo.
They also created a device that defied their time: the Time Machine!
A machine that could transport Pokémon from the ancient past or distant future to the present—though it relied on the special crystals of Area Zero—was still an invention so great it defied imagination.
It was technology that surpassed the current era.
"Is that really so? But its existence only brings disaster."
Just then, a deep, weary voice came from behind the two of them.
Damian turned around.
When he saw the figure, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
It was a "giant" dressed like a beggar.
He was called a giant because he was incredibly tall, measuring nearly three meters.
This was an exaggerated height, almost impossible for a normal person.
His hair was white, and his face was weathered by time.
Right now, he was looking up at the Ultimate Weapon with an incredibly complex expression.
There was reminiscence in his eyes, but also a painful, overwhelming regret.
"Mr. AZ, I didn't expect to meet you here."
Damian smiled and spoke to the traveler—AZ.
That's right; this man who looked like a hobo was the King of Kalos from three thousand years ago, the man who invented the Ultimate Weapon!
Because he was struck by the light of the Ultimate Weapon back then, AZ gained eternal life.
But because his beloved Eternal Flower Floette left him in disappointment, AZ had been drowning in pain ever since.
Because of his immortality, he could not seek death; he could only wander the land of Kalos in a daze for three whole thousand years.
"I didn't expect you to recognize me."
AZ looked at Damian, a ripple appearing in his cloudy eyes.
"Of course. The greatest King of the Kalos region from three thousand years ago," Damian said with a smile.
Hearing this, Caitlin's eyes widened slightly.
The King of Kalos from three thousand years ago?
Even though she had seen so much while following Damian, she was still shocked.
A person from three thousand years ago?!
"The greatest... King..."
A thick bitterness appeared at the corners of AZ's mouth.
His cloudy eyes looked toward the Ultimate Weapon again—his proudest invention, and the source of his endless pain and regret.
"I am only... a sinner."
AZ's voice was full of agony.
Yes, he was a genius.
He was called a genius with talent and technology far beyond the limits of his time.
But now, AZ felt only numbness and pain.
His life had no end, he had lost his "heart," and there was only eternal wandering.
He wanted to find his dear friend Floette, but it had been three thousand years, and he still couldn't find her.
The Ultimate Weapon, called a "Tool," had brought him nothing but sadness.
It was a cursed item.
"I don't wish to judge the past, but Mr. AZ, your talent deserves recognition. In my view, you were a great King," Damian shook his head.
"I know the pain in your heart, but I believe you will find your friend. You will definitely reunite. Please, do not be sad because of the past anymore."
"You can truly forgive yourself now. Your invention... was brilliant."
In Damian's view, AZ was truly just a pitiful person.
Because his most important friend, Floette, died in the war, he invented the Ultimate Weapon in his grief to revive her.
And because the war had killed Floette, his anger could not be calmed, so he turned the Ultimate Weapon into a weapon, becoming a god of destruction to end the war.
But Floette learned that her revival had been bought with the lives of countless Pokémon, so she left AZ.
Since then, AZ had been trapped in eternal loneliness and sadness.
"..."
Hearing this, AZ stood frozen on the spot.
Can I... let myself go?
At some point, his eyes had filled with tears.
His vision blurred, and he couldn't control himself.
"Ugh... uwaaaa..."
This man who had wandered for three thousand years knelt on the ground, covering his face with his hands as he let out uncontrollable sobs.
Three thousand years.
He had wandered aimlessly for three thousand years.
Every day, every second, he was still living in the past.
Why did he build the Ultimate Weapon?
Why did he sacrifice so many Pokémon lives to activate it?
AZ could not forgive his past self.
All of his pain stemmed from three thousand years ago; he had never been free.
But now, someone finally told him he could forgive himself.
"Many times, people just need a small word of validation."
Watching the sobbing AZ, Damian felt a mix of emotions.
Eternal life... had brought AZ nothing but eternal sorrow.
Floette's departure had kept him from ever making peace with himself.
He looked free, but his heart had been locked away.
Now, he finally had closure.
Caitlin remained silent as well.
She didn't actually know why AZ had suddenly burst into tears, but the sound of his deep sobbing was moving.
At that moment, a beam of light descended from the sky.
Damian looked up.
He saw a Floette holding a black flower flying slowly toward them.
This was the Eternal Flower Floette.
"Hua~"
The crisp cry made AZ snap his head up.
The moment he saw the Eternal Flower Floette, AZ knew for certain that it was his most important friend.
AZ reached out with trembling hands and caught her.
"Hua~"
The Eternal Flower Floette reached out and gently stroked AZ's cheek.
Three thousand years had passed, but her eyes were still as pure and innocent as the day they first met.
"Floette... it's been 3,000 years..."
AZ's tears flowed uncontrollably.
He spoke in a trembling voice and gently pulled the Eternal Flower Floette into his embrace.
He had finally... reunited with her.
"Pokémon and humans, humans and Pokémon. It's truly miraculous~"
Watching this touching scene, Damian did not disturb their long-awaited reunion.
Instead, he felt a sense of wonder in his heart.
However, he had to admit, the Eternal Flower Floette was really cute and beautiful.
He wondered if he had a chance to get one for himself?
Damian looked at the Floette, considering the possibility.
After all, the Eternal Flower came from a Floette being hit by the light of the Ultimate Weapon.
Maybe there was a chance?
-------------------------
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