"So that's what it was. The thing I've been pursuing has finally been realized here!"
"Thank you. At last, it succeeded."
"I'll answer your request. If you don't mind, I'll help with the development and design. After all, this is exactly what I've been searching for, something capable of carrying us to an entirely new world!"
"As for the inventor, there's no need to put my name down. You were the one who proposed it, so you should naturally be listed as both its developer and originator. I was merely fulfilling my own ideal and realizing my own wish. That's all."
"I don't need this anymore."
Cyrus handed the Flame Plate he carried to Hikaru.
By combining the inscribed Flame Plate and the other mass-produced Plates discovered in underground caverns with Stark Mountain's magma and technology from Hoenn, he had found an unconventional way to create an entirely new bomb.
Even the anime had touched upon this.
Hikaru took out the Stone Plate as well and handed both Plates to Dawn.
He already possessed the Plates from Unova, so he had no need for Sinnoh's. Besides, these inscribed Plates were extremely precious. He had asked Dawn and the others to collect them earlier, but...
Mt. Coronet and Stark Mountain were both late-game locations. It was only natural that the two Plates found there couldn't be obtained during the early or middle stages of the journey.
Dawn examined the unremarkable brown Plate in her hands.
"The Flame Plate and the Stone Plate."
"Especially this Stone Plate... Is it a Plate that came into being when the world was first created?"
Hikaru replied, "If Mt. Coronet truly is the mountain where the world began, then I suppose it is."
"The inscription says: 'The one who gathers the power of the Plates shall play the flute, and its melody shall reach the ears of the Original One.'"
Dawn suddenly realized something.
"The melody of a flute... The Celestica Flute, the Azure Flute, or perhaps...?!"
Hikaru said, "There's also Oración. According to legend, it was originally just a song played on a grass whistle."
Dawn hurriedly took out the Celestica Flute.
The condition for using this flute was to meet every Pokémon!
She still hadn't accomplished that!
"I'm going to complete the Sinnoh Pokédex!"
Of course, Dawn knew perfectly well who she would meet after playing the flute.
It would be Arceus, though the encounter would take place in the Hall of Origin rather than the Eternal Battle Reverie.
What would happen afterward?
"Ahem. What will happen...?" Hikaru smiled. "You'll have to witness it with your own eyes."
She would probably be entrusted with one of Arceus's avatars, just like Akari, and then transform into a terrifying llama woman.
Speaking of which, if two Arceus holding Legend Plates battled each other, wouldn't the fight last forever?
You predicted my prediction, but I predicted your prediction of my prediction...
Hikaru added, "You might receive some other reward instead. Hmm, how about making a wish? Then again, abusing a wish might earn you divine punishment."
Dawn was brimming with confidence. A radiant smile spread across her face.
"Yes! I'll look forward to it."
"And the progress of the Pokédex is astonishing as well!"
Professor Rowan approached while stroking his beard and muttering to himself.
"At first, Cynthia and I discussed canceling the commission involving the three lake guardians. I never imagined you would truly complete it..."
"Your journey around the lakes... What an unbelievable story. Did you discover the Cloudmist Ruins?"
Dawn nodded, then looked toward Hikaru.
"Yes. Not only that, but I also saw an enormous stone tablet covered with countless pictures."
"It was damaged, but it appears repairable. We simply don't know what was depicted on the missing section."
"Those pictures are writing," Hikaru explained. "They appear to be the script used by the ancient people of Sinnoh, from an era even older than Hisui. No, I should say an era older than the Hisui we know. By the Hisuian era, no one could read that script anymore."
"It records every Pokémon connected to Sinnoh, from the Original One to the Prince of the Sea."
"So that was another result of this expedition. As expected of Dawn. You always seem to form connections with the world's greatest treasures."
Dawn said nothing. She merely smiled at the praise.
Professor Rowan, meanwhile, became even more certain of something.
"Good grief. Perhaps the ruins refused to appear because they didn't want to see us."
"Did our ancestors do something to anger them? And then there's Team Galactic... Cyrus chose that name for his organization, yet he doesn't seem to know anything about his ancestor, Cyllene. Was calling it 'Galactic' merely a coincidence?"
But you didn't know about her either, Professor Rowan. You only heard about Cyllene at the conference...
Standing behind him, Cynthia wore a complicated expression. She sighed and helplessly shook her head.
The other professors were dismantling Team Galactic's various machines. They assisted Elaine with the inspections and each recovered useful components. Elaine herself had gone from trembling with fear to working with practiced ease.
There was no secret to it. She had simply done it so many times that she had become an expert!
Unless an explosion was absolutely guaranteed, there was absolutely no explosion!
Cynthia said, "We've received word from Stark Mountain. The remaining Team Galactic members... No, I suppose I should call them the decoys. They've been arrested."
"Looker had infiltrated the Battle Zone and captured Charon directly. The other grunts still tried to resist, but they happened to run into the Frontier Brains. What happened at Stark Mountain had left the people of the Battle Zone furious."
Cyrus closed his eyes with an expression of complete certainty.
"Captured Charon? No. He must have met up with him."
Cynthia stared at him.
"...?!"
Seeing the certainty on Cyrus's face, Cynthia could only smile strangely.
Whatever. She would let him continue misunderstanding the situation. Charon was hardly important, anyway.
Besides, the undercover-agent plan had been a tremendous success!
Team Galactic jokes, now with an inside man included.
Cynthia continued her report.
"As expected, Heatran had been captured by Team Galactic. It has been freed now, but its condition is extremely poor."
"Almost all the energy in its body was extracted."
"Stark Mountain's volcanic activity has completely stopped. That should be impossible. We need to use Hoenn's technology to awaken the volcano again immediately. But before we can do that, the change in climate will..."
"Stark Mountain lies in the frigid north, yet its vegetation is subtropical," Professor Rowan said thoughtfully, picking up where Cynthia left off. "If we consider it from a geographical... No, from the perspective of the region's natural environment..."
"The entire Battle Zone was shaped by Heatran and Stark Mountain, a volcano that has existed since the world's beginning. In that sense, Stark Mountain is the source of life for the entire Battle Zone. Without its geothermal energy, the plants may be unable to survive the bitter winter. They could die off very quickly."
"The Pokémon habitats will also be destroyed. Large numbers of displaced Pokémon will flood into human settlements, forcing humans and Pokémon into unnaturally close proximity and leading to attacks."
"The Battle Zone may be filled with skilled Trainers, but the wild Pokémon greatly outnumber them. I doubt even those elite Trainers could withstand such pressure for long."
The incident at Spear Pillar was over, but the situation remained severe.
Pokémon released tremendous amounts of energy when they evolved, though they also absorbed energy even when they did not evolve. Professor Rowan and Team Galactic had both conducted research into this phenomenon, so it was hardly surprising that they had achieved practical results.
After all, the attempted robbery in Jubilife City had begun because Team Galactic wanted to steal Professor Rowan's research and combine it with their own. In the original story, they had failed after Dawn drove them away.
In this timeline, they had lost an entire commander outright. Mars had nearly been written out of the story immediately after her debut.
"This is exactly when we should use that."
Hikaru patted Dawn, and she instantly remembered the important treasure she carried.
"Oh, that!"
The green jewel was inside her bag!
It was a treasure that could restore life to all things and continue existing even without an outside energy source. With it, they would have nothing to fear from a changing climate, collapsing skies, or shattering earth!
"The Jewel of Life!"
Dawn hurriedly made a request of Cynthia.
"Miss Cynthia, please take me with you when you go to the Battle Zone!"
"I want to... No, I know how to awaken Stark Mountain again!"
She turned toward Hikaru, intending to say something, only for him to hand her a metal card marked with a peculiar pattern.
"All the land in the world was created through the expansion of a single Pokémon. It raised the continents, produced magma, and filled in the seas. When it awakens, volcanoes erupt."
"This is one of Hoenn's simplest technologies. The pattern drawn on this card is known as a Ranger Sign. By tracing it, you can temporarily summon that Pokémon from a distant place."
"That Pokémon is Groudon!"
"Groudon is currently asleep, and waking it without warning will probably put it in a very bad mood. So..."
"You should combine it with the sheet music for Oración or use a grass whistle. You can play it with the Celestica Flute too, right? That should calm its anger and persuade it to follow your instructions. Probably."
"If the Jewel of Life can't restore Stark Mountain, or more specifically, if it can't make the volcano erupt, use this card to summon Groudon."
"After all, an Eruption is technically a disaster. It may not trigger the jewel's restorative power. That's why you'll need several different items working together."
Dawn stared at him in astonishment before her expression grew complicated.
"Your items really are endless. No matter what happens, you always seem to have something prepared for it, Senior."
Hikaru shook his head.
"After all, I'm a craftsman."
He then turned to Cynthia and warned her.
"What happened at Spear Pillar will cause further consequences. The people of Michina have probably already observed the overlapping universes with their Time-Space Axis."
"Be careful."
"The time-space beyond all boundaries... The Day of Judgment may already be drawing near!"
But what form would it take this time?
Arceus's dimension was unaffected by overlapping universes. The time needed for Arceus to recover from its injuries should remain fixed. A collision between time and space would not affect it.
That meant the event probably wouldn't begin until the Diamond and Pearl portion of the story.
But the final battle at the Space-Time Towers had arrived far too early. Lucario and the Mystery of Mew and Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea hadn't even "premiered" yet!
The master wanderer hadn't even traveled to Sinnoh. Training at the Battle Frontier with May, the game version of May, while also finishing all the remaining Gyms and Contests would take at least several months.
Of course, the fastest completion record for the Battle Frontier belonged to Emerald from Pokémon Adventures. He had conquered all seven facilities within seven days.
However, that was because his Battle Frontier was built on a single island, with all seven facilities located close together. Otherwise, he would have needed at least eighty days, just like Sapphire.
Cynthia asked, "The time-space beyond all boundaries? What does 'beyond all boundaries' mean?"
"Wait. When I visited the area near Michina after hearing what you told me, the people there refused to say very much. Still, I remember hearing them use that phrase. Especially the woman with the unusual hairstyle."
Hikaru explained, "It means 'to transcend the boundary.' Translated directly, the entire phrase means 'to enter a time and space beyond all boundaries.' It can also refer to overcoming hardship or emerging victorious."
"A thousand years ago, Michina was a desolate wasteland. The land only became fertile after Arceus shared the Jewel of Life with its people. They agreed to return it on the day of a solar eclipse, but the people of Michina betrayed Arceus."
"And so, the sun set."
"On the day of the eclipse, Damos, Arceus's dearest friend, was being controlled by the minister Marcus. Marcus ordered the Pokémon to attack Arceus when it arrived to reclaim the Jewel of Life. Arceus lashed out in fury, and both Damos and Marcus lost their lives. Arceus had suffered tremendous damage and was forced into a deep sleep. When it awakens, it intends to pass judgment upon the world."
"The people of Michina refuse to speak about this because they are awaiting the Day of Reconciliation. Yet that very day will also be the Day of Judgment."
"The Eternal Battle Reverie was reactivated because the current Almighty Sinnoh was preparing for the return of the Arceus that transcends time and space."
"You could probably call it... a gift."
"That old llama has never seen anything so entertaining."
Poor ancient llama. What other entertainment did it have?
After it was knocked unconscious a thousand years ago, every major event that followed had been handled by the substitute Almighty Sinnoh.
Yet those thousand years had witnessed tremendous progress in the relationship between humans and Pokémon.
This was something Hikaru had previously explained to Cynthia. Only Cynthia and Dawn, who had entered the tower, knew the truth.
The current Almighty Sinnoh and the Arceus that transcended time and space were two separate individuals. They could now be nearly certain of that.
The crucial distinction lay between the present Almighty Sinnoh of Hisui and the Almighty Sinnoh of ancient Sinnoh that had transcended time and space in the past.
Besides, it was actually quite reasonable for that ancient llama to be smashed into pieces by one colossal meteor.
If a Pokémon possessed every type, it would have only one weakness that dealt double damage: Rock.
Cynthia fell into thought, though regret soon appeared on her face.
"I told you before that I wanted to uncover these truths through my own efforts. But between my other responsibilities and all the obstacles in my way, I never even saw the Cloudmist Ruins. I couldn't uncover the truth about Michina either."
"As a mythology researcher, what exactly have I discovered? The Sinjoh Ruins were where you lived, the Cloudmist Ruins were discovered by Dawn, and Cyrus found Spear Pillar. In the end, I didn't find anything at all."
"I never expected the time when I would be forced to learn the truth to arrive so quickly."
"The Day of Judgment..."
"Still, it's not as though I've never battled Arceus in the Eternal Battle Reverie. That Arceus may have come from another world, but the experience still counts."
"Furthermore, the Almighty Sinnoh that transcends time and space is missing five Plates. Perhaps it won't be that difficult to defeat."
So the Almighty Sinnoh from the other world had appeared earlier to give everyone an opportunity to practice?
That was the conclusion Cynthia reached.
Either way, she would visit Michina again. If that woman still refused to tell her the truth, Cynthia now had plenty of information with which to confront her.
That must be it.
The people of Michina didn't want the Celestica people to learn the truth of history. Or rather, Sheena didn't want the people of Celestic Town to know...
Wait. Wouldn't sending Dawn work even better?
Once Dawn became Champion and visited Michina, its people would surely think, "We can use the Champion's strength to resolve this crisis."
At that moment, Professor Rowan took out a Pokédex.
Beep!
Pokédex entries!
"Pokédex number 479, Rotom."
"Number 480, Uxie, the being that bestowed knowledge. Number 481, Mesprit, the being that bestowed emotion. Number 482, Azelf, the being that bestowed willpower."
"Pokédex number 483, Dialga. Time began to flow with Dialga's birth."
"Pokédex number 484, Palkia. Space was divided with Palkia's birth."
"They inhabit separate dimensions and possess powerful instincts to defend their respective territories. Though they are siblings, neither shows the other mercy. Whenever they meet, they may become embroiled in an extremely violent conflict."
"Registration complete."
Each region had its own Pokédex numbering system, but the authoritative field of Pokémon research sought to arrange every known Pokémon into one unified sequence.
That was the National Pokédex in the truest sense.
At present, no one had begun the painstaking process of organizing the data in detail and integrating the Pokédex records from every region.
It would be an enormous undertaking.
Professor Rowan entered the data into the Pokédex on the spot. Professor Oak's laughter sounded behind him.
"The scans are complete too!"
Amid rivers of light, the two enormous figures soared into the sky like meteors. Above Spear Pillar, they passed beyond the dimensional rift and returned to their respective realms of time and space.
Before leaving, however, they glanced back at the people on Spear Pillar from afar.
Palkia thought, [Have we met somewhere before? We truly have, haven't we? That girl who radiates light.]
Dialga replied, [It seems the world has witnessed the setting sun three times... The Day of Judgment...?]
Palkia said, [The Celestica people are here too. How strange. Have our memories become confused?]
[The Temple of Sinnoh on Mt. Coronet, the shrine in Michina, and the Temple of Light in Oblivia.]
[Perhaps... No, we will certainly meet again somewhere...]
The Steel Dragon's pupils contracted repeatedly. It saw a history thrown into complete disorder, and even its own memories began collapsing.
[We will meet again!]
[From my perspective, I have neither the responsibility nor the obligation to warn you. Still, I believe I should say this.]
[The judgment will be extraordinarily violent. It will not be directed solely at the people of Michina.]
[I don't know what will happen when the three setting suns overlap.]
[Although I can see it, our past selves are not the same as our present selves. Only after the past changes will the corresponding memories appear in the future. Even then, those versions of us remain separate individuals. You should understand. Or perhaps you don't?]
"I understand. Of course I understand."
There was the increasingly insane Primal Dialga from the labyrinth world, as well as the completely corrupted dark Dialga.
They were separate versions of Dialga born from different timelines.
As energy affected them and their minds broke down, even their ways of thinking could change completely. It could even result in a situation where one version of Dialga tried to kill another.
To preserve itself and ensure that the "wrong future" came to pass, the dark Dialga had launched a temporal assassination from the distant future against the other Dialga.
That was the central conflict of the first playthrough of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky.
It certainly lent credibility to the idea that Dialga's mental condition had never been particularly stable.
The Steel Dragon said nothing more. It merely felt a faint thread of fear gradually rising inside it.
The past was in utter chaos.
The future was even more uncertain.
At least there was one source of reassurance. The substitute Almighty Sinnoh had visited them several times already.
[Beginning a thousand years ago, the relationship between humans and Pokémon began to change, eventually giving rise to the "first story."]
[Come to think of it, the world undergoes another transformation every thousand years.]
[Three thousand years ago, hatred, warfare, and madness swept through seven regions in one immense war.]
[Two thousand years ago, the gods perished. The world was devastated, and humans and Pokémon underwent a great migration that established the modern distribution of ecosystems. Certain things were built.]
[From fifteen hundred years ago until a thousand years ago, a new era began to develop... The Ascan Ruins, Cameran Palace, the Sinjoh Ruins, the Embedded Tower, the Ruins of Alph, Sky Pillar, the beast that destroyed a kingdom, Galar's legends and stone sphere, the Tower of Mastery...]
[Naranja Academy, the Aura Seal, the Whirl Islands, the Clock Tower and Bell Tower, seventeen kingdoms, the Azoth Kingdom, the Secret Medicine, the forbidden nursery rhyme...]
[Adaman, Irida! And... And...]
Dialga violently shook its head.
It could see even more, but everything had become hopelessly tangled.
It suddenly flew into the dimensional rift.
Palkia turned its head and looked back at Hikaru.
[We'll meet again in Hisui. Whatever happens in the past, Dialga must have done something terrible.]
[It certainly won't be my fault. I don't understand anything, and I know nothing. That remains true even now.]
[Irida... What a nostalgic name. Time truly is merciless.]
[Still, there are things I can no longer remember, so... Never mind!]
Besides, no matter what anyone said, Palkia at least provided "after-sales service."
That made it a little better than the Steel Dragon, right?
Probably!
Palkia spread its wings.
It had been the one taking the beating, after all. It had remained passive throughout the entire incident.
It followed Dialga into the dimensional rift.
At the same time, both dragons heard Giratina's mocking laughter.
["You disgraced yourselves at Spear Pillar, and now you're running away with your tails between your legs. How pathetic!"]
["Meanwhile, I'm the most respectable one here!"]
This wasn't Hisui anymore.
The version had already been updated to Sinnoh. The Legend of Giratina's Respectability was now proudly being serialized!
Neither dragon said anything.
They simply refused to accept criticism from this creature of all Pokémon!
Who could have imagined that they would one day hear such words coming from Giratina's mouth?
The natural order had been completely overturned!
Palkia asked, [Since when did you become a champion of justice?]
Giratina declared, ["I've always been a champion of justice!"]
["Do you have anything to say for yourselves?!"]
The question was destined to remain unanswered, for the two dragons had already fled.
Before leaving Spear Pillar, Professor Mirror and Professor Willow approached Hikaru to discuss the Lental survey and field research.
Professor Willow had heard about Meltan and found the matter extremely fascinating. He returned to his predetermined life of traveling over mountains and across rivers, making it his personal mission to find another Mystery Box.
He was deeply disappointed to hear that the "rusty lump of metal" from the previous box had already been used, but there was nothing he could do about it.
As for Professor Mirror...
Come to think of it, the "trees" created by Xerneas varied in color depending on the world and region.
The Xerneas in Kalos transformed into a pale, withered tree.
The Xerneas of Lental became an ordinary brown tree.
Meanwhile, the branches and leaves of the Xerneas in the Mystery Dungeon world shone with the seven colors of the rainbow.
Judging by the events of Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, the weaker Xerneas's life force became, the paler its tree form appeared.
Team Flare had also been active in Kalos for a very long time.
During the events of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, a little girl even mentioned strange people from another region who wore red suits and sang songs.
Team Flare had discovered Xerneas and Yveltal in the mountains of Kalos. If Hikaru remembered correctly, those mountains should have been near Allearth Forest in southern Kalos.
The game timeline was not much different from the world of Pokémon Adventures.
Lysandre's research had benefited society. Team Flare had already infiltrated every part of it. Nobles, celebrities, powerful business owners, and even the royal families of remote kingdoms maintained close partnerships with Lysandre.
Furthermore, anyone who paid the five-million-Pokédollar membership fee could receive a Team Flare uniform and join the organization, becoming one of Lysandre's so-called "chosen people."
"However, I don't have any official position in Kalos," Professor Mirror said. "Professor Sycamore wants me to assist with his research into Mega Evolution, but that field is a bottomless pit."
"I'll have to postpone my visit until later. Professor Sycamore also intends to begin investigating the sundial, which means all the academic papers will need to be rewritten."
Hikaru answered Professor Mirror.
"There are five primary research areas in the Lental region. The island where you intend to establish your laboratory and begin your research is Florio Island. Its name evokes a flower bud."
"Next is Belusylva Island, representing beauty; the Maricopia Islands, a fertile paradise; Voluca Island, covered in volcanoes; and Durice Island, locked beneath hard ice."
"After investigating all the Illumina Pokémon on those five islands, you'll be able to access the sixth and final island, Aurus Island."
"The ruins there are called the Ruins of Remembrance, a name that carries the meaning of protection and guardianship."
"However, if you conduct this investigation, I hope you won't register the final discovery in the Photodex. That applies whether or not you reach the sixth island and whether or not you encounter the source of the Illumina phenomenon."
"Just as Team Galactic searched for certain Legendary Pokémon, another organization is searching for that Pokémon in a different region."
Professor Mirror was startled.
The greatest "achievement" of the Team Galactic incident had been the warning it sent to professors in every region.
They could not investigate legends recklessly.
They could not reveal everything they discovered to the public.
If they did, the people operating from the shadows would rejoice.
Such information could only be declassified and released after those ambitions had been destroyed.
"You're right. We can't leak important information merely because we want to publish our academic findings quickly. It seems Lental has its own hidden secrets."
"Considering how well you understand the region's natural environment, you must have read the Lental Travelogue."
Professor Mirror adjusted his glasses, then looked toward Professor Willow, who was busy writing.
"Still, despite both of us being Professor Oak's students, Professor Willow can continue his research without any serious obstacles."
"I suppose that makes sense. No matter how lost or legendary a metal may be, it is still metal. Recovering it could greatly benefit scientific progress, but certain people would have no interest in it whatsoever. Modern technology can already produce sufficiently effective tools without relying on legendary metals."
"Furthermore, that rusty lump of metal requires specialized forging techniques. Anyone who doesn't know how to work it would see it as nothing but scrap."
Meltan was so mysterious that even its very existence remained uncertain, never mind its evolved form.
The surviving documents were hidden underground in an unknown region and guarded by a small tribe.
What, did you honestly expect the local tribespeople to share their nuclear-fusion technology with you?
Professor Mirror said, "Once you believe the time is right, come to Lental and investigate it with me. You will be most welcome, and I sincerely look forward to that day!"
Lental's climate was somewhat unusual. It had both tropical and frigid islands, creating an extraordinarily diverse ecosystem.
"The second half of the conference in Canalave City... No, an entire day and night have already passed."
Cynthia sighed.
"I doubt anyone has the energy to continue today. The conference will probably be postponed until tomorrow. Stark Mountain, however, cannot wait."
"Therefore, everyone, I will be withdrawing from the rest of the conference."
"My apologies. Professor Rowan, Professor Oak, please permit me to leave with Dawn."
Professor Rowan nodded.
"Yes. Go to Stark Mountain immediately. We'll leave it in your hands."
"Oh, Samuel! There's one more thing."
He looked at Professor Oak.
"Hikaru previously told me about a garden. There's also something connected to the Gracidea near the Sinnoh League. Would you like to investigate it?"
Professor Oak's interest was immediately piqued.
"A Gratitude Stone? Indeed... If the same kind of stone found in Kanto also exists here, then it warrants an investigation."
"Route 224 and the Flower Paradise aren't far from the Battle Zone when you look at the Sinnoh map. I'll investigate them after the conference concludes."
Professor Oak would have loved to leave immediately, but he was leading the conference. Naturally, he couldn't simply walk away.
The same was true of Professor Rowan.
They still had important work to do.
Professor Oak said, "The results of this expedition have been astonishing."
"We've expanded the Pokédex, obtained data on Sinnoh's Legendary Pokémon, and made discoveries that will have an immeasurable effect on the advancement of Pokémon research."
"Whew... So many things are coming back to me."
"It appears we'll have to confer that academic degree as quickly as possible. You could call this the perfect conclusion!"
When he thought about it, that truly seemed appropriate.
Within Professor Oak's mind appeared an ancient white flute.
Yes, the flute carved from the same white stone as the Gratitude Stone.
The Time Flute.
He had possessed one as well.
When he looked back on those memories, they seemed as vivid as yesterday.
After his encounter with Celebi, and after the battle against Team Rocket's hunter in the Forest of Time, that new Celebi had played the white flute.
Because he had never been able to forget it, Professor Oak had searched for that same white stone even after several decades had passed.
Now that he thought about it...
Perhaps that flute had truly been...
"Um..."
Dawn suddenly tried to say something, but during her brief hesitation, a joyful cry came from behind Hikaru.
It was Elaine.
"Chief! Listen! With the professors helping me, we finished dismantling every machine with incredible efficiency!"
Elaine waved the wrench in her hand. Her face was filled with excitement as she shouted to Hikaru.
"Wow, high-tech equipment really is wonderful! I don't even smell like oil after taking it apart. Compared to those remote-control devices, Team Galactic's technology is far easier to clean!"
"That lousy remote even caused a forest fire before. What a piece of junk."
"I've collected all the data from the Team Galactic equipment we dismantled. There must be something useful in there."
"Professor Hastings said we'll be exchanging advanced technologies with the other researchers, including some that don't belong to this era."
"Team Galactic has plenty of absurd supertechnology!"
She had initially feared that the machines might explode, but after dismantling them, she discovered that Team Galactic's equipment was carefully engineered. It didn't self-destruct at the slightest disturbance.
Then again, what else should they have expected?
Team Galactic was backed by a corporation that sold high-quality home appliances and developed cosmic energy.
Hikaru said, "Team Galactic really does specialize in energy development. Almia's oil reserves are already running low. That was why the president of Altru Inc. formed a partnership with Galar and obtained technology from a distant region."
"At the same time, he acted as a puppet and spread darkness throughout Almia."
When conventional fuels such as oil began running out, researching alternative energy like Chairman Rose had might genuinely offer a way forward.
This conference also included experts in dream energy, tidal power, solar energy, and many other fields.
With the Ranger Union's resources, creating a world powered entirely by new forms of energy was entirely possible.
Elaine's eyes shone.
"We can use Team Galactic's energy-conversion technology to turn our dreams into reality. We've hit the jackpot this time!"
She enthusiastically stored away the data and important components.
At the same time, her Pokégear received a report. Police officers and Pokémon Rangers had gathered around Mt. Coronet in overwhelming numbers and were arresting Team Galactic's grunts.
"They've captured almost everyone! Chief, we can leave now. We can hand these people over to the local officers when they arrive."
Hikaru coughed lightly.
"There's still something I need to deal with..."
He then asked Giratina about Professor Newton.
The characters from the Sinnoh film trilogy were appearing one after another, so Professor Newton must already exist.
That meant Newton's former student, Zero, might be preparing to infiltrate the Reverse World at any moment and kill Giratina.
How could Hikaru allow that?!
Zero needed to be struck down with overwhelming force!
They had been unable to find him before because his technology was too advanced, while Professor Newton had already been wandering around the Reverse World.
Zero's aircraft, the Megarig, was concealed above the cloud layer. Conventional searches couldn't detect it. They would need a high-tech radar.
Fortunately, they now had exactly what they needed.
A product from the Pokémon Trading Card Game, invented by Team Galactic!
One of Team Galactic's proudest technological achievements was the Galactic's Invention G-109 SP Radar!
The Great Manhunt Era in Sinnoh was far from over!
This was another story Team Galactic had begun with its own hands!
"A bouquet for the frozen sky."
However, without Shaymin, if Giratina merely took two Champions with it and beat Zero into submission...
There wouldn't be much gratitude involved.
In the original story, Shaymin had accidentally entered the Reverse World and become embroiled in a misunderstanding with Giratina.
Resolving that misunderstanding and surviving the adventure together was what gave rise to gratitude.
The people gathered at Spear Pillar began preparing to depart.
Dawn gathered her courage. When the time came to say goodbye, she shook Hikaru's hand and smiled as she nodded to him.
"Even though we can still meet in my dreams... I can't help feeling a little sad."
"Even if you travel somewhere far away, please don't forget me."
"Senior... Goodbye!"
Hikaru replied, "Until we meet again, Dawn."
They shook hands and said goodbye.
Following the wandering wind.
Shining beneath the sunlight.
"Your name will be engraved here, and every memory from your journey will remain."
"You endured countless grueling battles, together with the Pokémon who fought by your side."
"Your story will forever be recorded upon the stage of Sinnoh!"
Dawn watched Hikaru's familiar yet strangely distant back disappear from Spear Pillar.
She remembered the Gracidea she had received in Floaroma Town.
"A bouquet for the frozen sky."
She continued watching for a long time, then drew a deep breath.
Finally, she quietly recited:
"You are the one."
One half of a destined bond.
An irreplaceable friend.
Someone who had become more than a friend.
The person who had quietly given her the courage to keep moving forward.
I like you so much.
With feelings that would never change, and with a heart that held no falsehood...
Dawn whispered, "Can you give me one last..."
Miss Fantina of Hearthome City often used phrases like that. They came from the language of a foreign country.
Dawn closed her eyes.
He had passed through the barriers surrounding every heart, tightly binding together the broken souls of humans and Pokémon.
Through one another, they had become whole.
Now they could spread their wings and fly freely through a sky where sorrow did not exist.
The final emotion she wished to convey.
The last thing she wanted from him.
Just one last...
Could you give me one more hug?
Cynthia asked, "What is it?"
Dawn shook her head.
"No, it's nothing. I was only... thinking about how grateful I am."
"I'm grateful that he came to my world."
"And from now on, he'll always be with me."
"Let's go, Miss Cynthia!"
(End of Chapter)
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