Mew!
The small pink Pokémon hovered in the air, a doll sewn from cloth and wool clutched tightly in its arms.
"Miu?"
It glanced between Lucien and Dragonite, then suddenly retreated a short distance.
"Miu!"
"Mew…" Lucien murmured softly.
"Miu~"
Mew covered its mouth as it giggled, then turned and flew toward the Tree of Beginning.
But it didn't leave outright.
After flying a short distance, Mew stopped, turned its head, and looked back at Lucien. Then it flew forward again, only to stop once more.
It was clearly teasing them.
When Lucien didn't move, Mew slowed and hovered not far away, tilting its head as if urging him to follow.
The moment Lucien took a step...
"Miu!"
Mew cried out happily and darted toward the Tree of Beginning again.
Lucien: "..."
'As expected,' Lucien thought wryly. 'That really is Mew's personality.'
"Come on, Dragonite. Let's follow it," Lucien said.
"Wooo!"
Dragonite nodded eagerly.
Man and Pokémon followed, but Mew's speed was astonishing. Combined with the Tree of Beginning's winding, layered terrain, it vanished from sight in moments.
If this were Ash, Lucien knew he would already be sprinting recklessly after it.
But Lucien understood something important.
This was Mew's home.
If Mew wanted to meet him again, they would.
And besides, something else was happening.
Rumble!
The ground trembled.
As if sensing intruders, the Tree of Beginning activated its defenses.
Three colossal figures stepped out from the shadows with heavy, mechanical strides.
"Whirr-whirr-whirr!"
The one on the left radiated biting cold, its massive body resembling a living glacier.
The one in the center was formed from enormous gray and orange stone, heavy and immovable.
The one on the right gleamed with cold metallic luster, its steel body reflecting faint light.
Yellow dots patterned their faces and torsos, pulsing rhythmically as if scanning and identifying.
"Regirock, Regice, Registeel."
Lucien narrowed his eyes.
The Legendary Titans.
It seemed that entering the Tree of Beginning would require a battle.
'Perfect,' Lucien thought. 'I can test how Dragonite measures up against Legendary Pokémon.'
But just as that thought formed, the yellow lights on all three Titans stopped simultaneously.
Then, to Lucien's surprise, Regirock, Regice, and Registeel stepped aside in unison, clearing the path forward.
Lucien froze.
"What?"
The dots on Regirock's face flickered briefly, and a strange, grinding sound issued from its mouth.
"&Neno%#."
Lucien blinked. "Kyurem?"
Kyurem's presence stirred.
"One recognized by the Tree of Beginning. Permission granted to enter."
Lucien stood there, stunned.
Recognized, just like that?
After a moment, realization dawned.
Everything he had done, ending war, protecting Pokémon, reshaping the world toward coexistence, aligned perfectly with the Tree's purpose.
It made sense.
Lucien inclined his head slightly to the three Titans and continued forward with Dragonite.
'They'd make incredible city guardians,' he thought briefly. 'If only they weren't bound here.'
"Let's go."
As he stepped forward, Mew reappeared, this time no longer hiding.
It hovered ahead, clearly leading the way.
Under Mew's guidance, Lucien navigated the Tree's intricate inner passages, rode within a floating energy bubble upward, and passed through a shimmering green membrane.
Then, the world opened.
Towering trees stretched endlessly upward, leaves dense and vibrant. Flowers bloomed in impossible abundance. Grass shimmered with life, and the air itself felt alive.
A paradise.
This time, Mew didn't flee.
It floated directly in front of Lucien, clutching its doll, gazing up at him with wide, curious eyes.
"Mew, you brought me here, didn't you?" Lucien said gently.
"Miu!"
Mew nodded happily and drifted onward.
Lucien followed through tall grass, beneath arching branches, until they reached a vast lake.
The moment Lucien saw it, he froze.
"So many Pokémon."
No, more than that.
They weren't just Pokémon.
They were Fossil Pokémon, species that, in the far future, would vanish entirely and exist only through resurrection.
Omanyte. Omastar. Armaldo. Aerodactyl.
And beyond them, Ledian, Nidoran and Nidoran, Yanma, Swablu, Oddish, Raticate, Sandshrew, Taillow…
This hidden realm within the Tree of Beginning was a sanctuary.
A living archive of the world itself.
A fairyland untouched by time.
"How beautiful," Lucien whispered.
"Miu?"
Noticing Lucien had stopped, Mew turned back.
Lucien hurried forward. "Mew, is this your home?"
"Miu!"
Mew flew toward a fallen giant tree.
Its trunk was hollow.
Mew slipped inside, then a moment later, used Psychic.
Clatter!
A pile of toys burst out and scattered across the ground, dolls, trinkets, shiny scraps, odd little treasures.
Things Mew had collected from Cameron Palace.
But judging from Mew's behavior, it seemed to want to play with these toys together with him.
Living alone on the Tree of Beginning all this time, Mew must be very lonely, Lucien thought.
A faint ache rose in his chest.
Lucien reached into his pocket and took out the pokéblocks and poffins he had brought from Lucien City, carefully placing them on the grass in front of Mew.
He had prepared these in advance.
After all, if he came to the Tree of Beginning, it was almost certain he would meet Mew.
"Go on, eat," Lucien said gently. "These are foods made by humans, pokéblocks and poffins."
"Miu?"
Mew landed lightly on the grass, picked up a pokéblock with its small, paw-padded hands, and took a tentative bite.
The next instant, rich sweetness bloomed across its senses.
Mew's eyes lit up.
"Miu!"
It immediately began chewing faster, like a tiny hamster. In no time at all, the pokéblock was gone.
Mew licked its lips, clearly unsatisfied.
"Miu!"
Lucien smiled unconsciously.
'Mew really is adorable when it eats.'
"Miu!"
Mew floated over, pushing the toys toward Lucien, clearly inviting him to play.
Lucien hesitated.
The toys were… honestly a bit childish. But then he thought about how Mew probably had no one to play with at all.
So he sat down.
They played together.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
The sky slowly darkened, and before Lucien realized it, night had fallen.
Looking up, the deep blue sky was scattered with countless stars. Even in the darkness, many of the plants growing on the Tree of Beginning emitted a faint glow, soft and gentle, not dazzling, but enough to see clearly.
Rustling sounds came from the surrounding forest as wild Pokémon moved about. Nearby, Mew was absorbed in its toys, humming softly to itself.
The night was quiet.
Peaceful.
Beautiful.
"I have to go now, Mew."
Lucien finally spoke. There were important matters waiting for him tomorrow morning.
"Miu?"
Reluctance immediately filled Mew's eyes.
"Don't worry," Lucien said softly. "I'll still be staying here for a few days. Once I'm done tomorrow, I'll come back."
"Miu…"
Mew hesitated for a moment, then nodded, its mood instantly brightening at the thought.
"Miu!"
"Good night, Mew."
Lucien gently patted its head. It was fluffy, soft, and unexpectedly warm.
"Miu~"
Lucien released Dragonite, mounted its back, and flew out of the Tree of Beginning, returning toward Cameron Palace.
Mew remained floating in midair, watching silently as the figures of the man and the dragon grew smaller… until they disappeared entirely.
"Miu…"
For the first time in thousands of years, Mew felt something stir inside its heart.
All these years, it had lived alone on the vast Tree of Beginning.
Sometimes, when loneliness became unbearable, it would sneak down to the human settlement at the foot of the mountain and quietly watch from afar.
Human children always looked so happy when they played with toys.
So Mew would secretly take some back and bring them home.
Without realizing it, the toys had piled up into a small mountain.
But today was different.
From the moment it saw Lucien, Mew had felt an inexplicable closeness.
Maybe it was because the Tree of Beginning had already acknowledged him. And because Mew lived in symbiosis with the Tree, that feeling had naturally extended to it as well.
Mew didn't know the answer.
But it knew one thing.
Lucien was a very, very good human.
He brought delicious food. He played with it. And he stayed.
Would Lucien really come back tomorrow?
He said he would.
So he probably would.
Mew hugged its doll tightly and looked toward the sky, quietly waiting.
For tomorrow.
...
The next day.
Queen Rin formally met with Lucien in the council chamber.
"Lord Lucien," she said, her expression solemn, "I have discussed yesterday's proposal with the ministers."
She paused briefly, then continued:
"If everything is truly as you described, then I am willing to cooperate with you, on behalf of Cameron Palace."
Not only for the nation's future, but also because, above all else, as a queen, Queen Rin sincerely hoped that her people would never again have to suffer the torment of hunger.
"That is only natural," Lucien said calmly. He was not surprised by Queen Rin's decision.
"Regarding the magical beasts you require," Queen Rin continued, "I dispatched people yesterday to search various regions. They will still need some time to return to the royal city."
"That's perfectly fine. I have time," Lucien replied with an understanding nod. Then he smiled faintly and said, "As a gesture of goodwill, I will represent Eindoak in sharing with Cameron Palace our method of coexisting with magical beasts."
"After that, I hope Cameron Palace and Eindoak can strengthen our ties, whether through daily exchanges or trade."
"That would be ideal," Queen Rin agreed, though a trace of hesitation flickered in her eyes. "However… an ocean lies between our two realms. If we speak of trade, I fear it will not be so simple."
Travel by sea demanded both time and fortune. Cameron Palace's shipbuilding techniques were still crude; calm weather was manageable, but storms or tsunamis could easily lead to shipwrecks and loss of life. In such cases, both cargo and crew would vanish beneath the waves.
"You need not worry, Lady Rin," Lucien said gently. "Eindoak is currently researching a new type of vessel. Our craftsmen have adopted a completely new form of propulsion. Once completed, the journey from Eindoak to Cameron Palace will take only ten days."
He paused briefly, then added, "More importantly, this ship will be far safer than traditional sailing vessels. Even storms and oceanic turbulence will no longer pose serious threats."
"What?" Queen Rin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Only ten days?"
Compared to the old routes, the time had been reduced by more than two-thirds.
At once, Aaron's words from the previous day echoed in her mind.
'His Majesty Lucien is opening a brand-new era.'
If this were truly possible… Queen Rin suddenly felt a profound premonition. Perhaps, in the near future, the entire world would be reshaped by this young king.
"Begin preparations to construct a port at Vermilion Town," Queen Rin said calmly, issuing an order to her ministers.
"There's no need to rush," Lucien replied with a gentle shake of his head.
Meeting Queen Rin's gaze, he continued, "If my understanding is correct, Cameron Palace is currently facing the risk of war. It would be wiser to wait until peace returns before gradually expanding our exchanges."
Queen Rin paused, then gave a bitter smile.
"To be honest, two neighboring nations have already gone to war. It may not be long before the flames reach our borders."
Cameron Palace had always favored peace and restraint. As its queen, Rin desired nothing more than to guide her people toward stable lives, where commoners could eat their fill and need not fear hunger or cold.
But the kings of those lands were relentless expansionists.
In such a world, neutrality was not a luxury Cameron Palace could afford.
...
Do chech out: Naruto: Rebuilding the Hidden Sand