Bill gazed at the deepening twilight outside the window, his eyes filled with both anticipation and a hidden trace of unease.
"That figure—it's too big. So big it exceeds the limits of any Pokémon I know. Its cry doesn't sound like anger; it sounds more like... loneliness."
"Loneliness?" Fuyuki didn't immediately reveal that it was a Dragonite. Some encounters were meant to be unveiled by the night itself.
Bill nodded: "It is wandering the entire world in search of its companions."
"Squirtle—Squirtle?" Squirtle couldn't help but ask.
Fuyuki understood its meaning and asked Bill on its behalf: "Doesn't it have any friends or family of its own?"
Bill shook his head: "It's precisely because it has none that it wanders. Because that Pokémon is a unique existence in this world."
"One day, I heard a sound like this coming from across the sea—" After saying this, Bill took a recording device out of his pocket.
He pressed the button, and immediately, a melodious, lonely cry that echoed across the boundless sea drifted out.
"'I want to see you, I want to see you'—that's the feeling I get when I hear this sound," Bill said. "Therefore, I created the same sound and used this lighthouse to broadcast it across the sea."
"Then, on a certain foggy night, the same sound came from across the sea: 'I want to see you, I want to see you too.'"
"In recent days, whenever a thick fog rolls in at night, that unique Pokémon in the world comes here looking for its companion."
However, it hasn't found them.
"Will it appear tonight?" Fuyuki couldn't help but ask.
"Perhaps," Bill said. "I've been trying to use that sound to call it over these past few days. If it hears it, it will surely rush toward the lighthouse."
"But before that, you all should get some good rest in the lighthouse! I'll take good care of you for Professor Oak."
"Then thank you very much!" Fuyuki said.
And so, they stopped for a while at Bills Lighthouse.
During the day, Fuyuki took Squirtle and Gastly to the beach near the lighthouse to play in the sand and build sandcastles.
When night fell, they returned to the lighthouse.
A thick fog had already risen over the sea.
Raikou lay quietly in a corner of the lighthouse, its golden fur glowing softly under the lights. It looked up at the pitch-black sea, as if it had already sensed that distant presence.
"The fog is rising! Could that Pokémon be coming?"
Seeing this, Bill hurriedly put down his research and went outside the lighthouse to begin observations with his telescope.
"Dad, do you feel it?" Fuyuki asked.
Raikou slowly closed its eyes and gently shook its head.
Squirtle leaned against the window, its short legs resting on the sill, staring curiously at the surging waves.
"Squirtle—Squirtle?"
Is there really some giant Pokémon hidden at the edge of the sea?
Gastly floated beside it, intentionally turning into a blurry black shadow, scaring Squirtle into a sudden recoil, before the turtle glared back at it huffily.
The prank successful, Gastly laughed happily, "Keke-keke."
The night deepened.
The fog on the sea grew even thicker.
A thin Mist drifted up from the sea, wrapping around the lighthouse and dyeing everything in a hazy layer of grayish-white.
Just then—"Woo—"
A long, low cry, carrying endless loneliness, drifted from deep within the thick fog.
That sound pierced through the waves and the wind, falling straight into everyone's hearts.
Bill stood up abruptly and rushed to his observation instruments.
"It's here! It's coming!"
Fuyuki also walked to the window, looking out at the churning foggy sea.
Squirtle immediately hugged his pant leg nervously, while Gastly stopped its playing and floated quietly by his shoulder.
Raikou stood up, its golden figure appearing like a warm sun in the fog, yet it didn't release a shred of pressure.
Everyone cast their gaze toward the distant sea together.
Within the thick fog, an incredibly massive shadow slowly emerged.
It loomed over the distant sea, its limbs like mountain peaks and its body blocking out the moonlight. The mere silhouette was enough to inspire awe.
"That... that is..." Bill held his breath, his fingers trembling slightly.
The giant shadow moved slightly in the fog, followed by another mournful cry.
It was like a call, like a search, and like it was telling its loneliness to the entire world.
Fuyuki, however, understood its meaning.
The giant Dragonite was saying sadly: "I am here, where are you?"
Fuyuki spoke softly: "That isn't some sea monster, nor is it a Mythical Pokémon—it's a Dragonite."
"Dragonite?" Bill turned his head sharply, his face full of shock. "Dragonite... how could it be so massive?"
"I don't know either," Fuyuki answered honestly. "But I can feel that it has no ill intent. It's just... very lonely, searching for its companions."
The cool sea breeze blew against their faces, carrying the moisture of the seawater.
Fuyuki raised his hand and waved gently toward the giant shadow.
"Hello there, Dragonite!"
No battle, no capture, no testing.
Only the simplest, gentlest greeting.
Squirtle seemed to be affected as well, poking its small head out and shouting loudly toward the distance: "Squirtle—Squirtle!"
Hello there! Big guy!
Gastly floated to the window, turning into a soft purple halo, as if it were saying hello.
Raikou looked at the giant shadow in the sea and gave a low Roar.
It wasn't a warning or a deterrent, but a resonance between fellow Pokémon.
The giant figure in the thick fog heard these sounds, and its massive body paused slightly.
Immediately after, that silhouette which blotted out the sky slowly turned around toward the lighthouse.
It quietly "watched" this place, then began to slowly approach the lighthouse.
Closer... the distance was closing!
The guiding beam of light at the top of the lighthouse pierced through the thick Mist and shone upon the figure.
It wasn't some Mythical Pokémon, but exactly as Fuyuki had said—it was a Dragonite, an incredibly massive Dragonite!
Bill stood before his instruments, his eyes already brimming with tears.
"I see it... I really see it... This is the greatest Pokémon I have ever seen in my life!"
The giant Dragonite lowered its massive head. Its eyes were different from those of an ordinary Dragonite; they revealed a mysterious white light, as if they were glowing like Ultraman's eyes.
It lowered its head, looking at the several tiny and fragile figures on the lighthouse.
The waves gently lapped against the reefs, and the fog grew thicker.
"Are you looking for your companions?" Fuyuki asked. He caught a glimpse of the rare candy section on his panel and was surprised to find that this giant Dragonite's level had actually reached Level 60!
"Woo—"
The giant Dragonite didn't answer. Its gaze swept around, and seeing that its companions were not here, its face immediately showed disappointment.
A mournful cry escaped its mouth. Its massive body stood upon the boundless sea, appearing so lonely and so sad.
Fuyuki couldn't bear it and quickly scrolled through the system shop, looking for any way to help this giant Dragonite.
Soon, he searched and found a book that recorded various secrets of the Pokémon world!
[Pokémon Secrets — Ancient Dragonite Chapter: The giant Dragonite wandering near Bills Lighthouse. It contains detailed information related to it. Exchange cost: 5,000 shock points!]
Exchange!
In the next second, an article surfaced in Fuyuki's mind.
[Ancient Dragonite: A Dragonite that has survived from ancient times. It belongs to the same era as the sealed Ancient Jigglypuff, Ancient Gengar, and Ancient Alakazam. The Ancient Dragonite, which should have gone extinct, hid in the depths of the sea to Slack Off and sleep. When it woke up from its slumber, the world had changed greatly, and its companions had long since disappeared. To find its companions, this Ancient Dragonite began to wander lonely across the boundless sea.]
Fuyuki: "..."
As expected, it's an Ancient Pokémon!
At this time, seeing that its companions were not here, the Ancient Dragonite turned its head in utter disappointment, preparing to leave.
But just then, it suddenly heard that tiny fellow shout out to stop it.
"Please wait, Dragonite! Maybe I can help you find your companions!"
The Ancient Dragonite's movements paused slightly, and then it turned its head, its gaze falling back onto Fuyuki.
Bill, who was on the side, was already full of shock.
"Wait a minute!" This Pokémon was a unique existence; where were they going to find its friends?
But Fuyuki's gaze didn't waver in the slightest.
He looked up into the eyes of this giant Dragonite and said with a sincere tone: "If you believe me!"
The Ancient Dragonite's glowing white eyes rested quietly on Fuyuki.
There was no pressure or anger in that look, only a confusion and expectation buried for tens of millions of years.
"Woo—?"
A low, soft cry drifted through the waves and into everyone's ears.
It was asking—Really? Can you really help me find my companions?
Bill stood to the side, his heart pounding wildly.
He had studied Pokémon for half his life, but he had never seen such a scene—a human Trainer actually wanting to help an Ancient Pokémon find its long-extinct kin!
Fuyuki took a deep breath, looked up at the figure that blotted out the sky, and said in a firm yet gentle voice: "I know you come from a very, very distant era. You slept for a long, long time, and when you woke up, the world had changed. Your family and friends are all gone."
The Ancient Dragonite's body trembled violently.
These words seemed to pierce directly into the depths of its heart that had been slumbering for tens of millions of years.
"If you believe me, I will do my best to help you find your companions."
Fuyuki's voice pierced through the thick fog and landed steadily in the Ancient Dragonite's heart.
This was because he had already seen artifacts in the system shop that could travel through time and space, although the price was exorbitant and he couldn't afford them yet.
Besides that, there was also the God of Time, Dialga, who possessed the ability to travel through time.
As a transmigrator, Fuyuki knew the future plot. He could use his advantage to find Dialga and make a deal with it to send this Dragonite back to the past.
The Ancient Dragonite didn't speak for a moment. It remained silent, its glowing eyes revealing a hint of expectation.
Really? Could it really help it find its companions?
Looking at the sincere gaze of the human below.
Perhaps it had been lonely for too long, or perhaps wandering alone on the sea for so long was too solitary; the depths of the Ancient Dragonite's heart ultimately couldn't help but choose to believe this human.
It lowered its massive head, its originally tense body slowly relaxing, and let out a soft and raspy low cry.
"Woo—"
Hidden in that sound was a fatigue and vulnerability that spanned tens of millions of years.
It agreed.
It was willing to believe in this tiny but exceptionally warm human before it.
Fuyuki's heart eased. He looked up at this lonely Dragonite and promised seriously: "I won't lie to you. Right now, I don't have enough power yet."
He paused and continued: "But I know that there is an existence in this world that governs the flow of time—the God of Time, Dialga."
Bill, who was on the side, was jolted, and his glasses nearly slipped off.
Dialga—the Legendary Pokémon that governed time and was only mentioned in the myths and legends of the Sinnoh region?!
"As long as I find it, I will surely ask it to help you return to your original era, to your companions!"
The Ancient Dragonite's white eyes flickered slightly.
"Woo—"
It gave a soft cry in response.
Raikou slowly stood up, its golden tail gently sweeping across the ground.
It looked up at the giant Dragonite and gave a low Roar.
It was telling it—
I will keep this promise together with this little brat.
Squirtle nodded vigorously, waving its paws rapidly: "Squirtle-Squirtle!"
We will definitely help you!
Gastly floated by Fuyuki's shoulder, nodding its head with a "Keke-keke," as if it were making a vow as well.
The giant Dragonite quietly watched this scene.
For the first time in tens of millions of years, it was no longer a lone dragon.
It slowly looked up toward the fog-shrouded night sky and let out a long howl that was no longer sad, but instead carried a hint of hope.
"Woo—"
The sound traveled across the sea and through the clouds, as if declaring to the distant time and space.
When dawn broke, the fog finally dissipated, and the sea returned to a clear cerulean blue.
Bill insisted on seeing Fuyuki's group off. He not only prepared plenty of berries, Potions, and fresh water, but also specifically gave him a map recorded in the lighthouse that showed the distribution of sea currents and Pokémon.
"Vermilion City's port is just ahead, but the winds and waves at sea have been a bit unstable lately, so be extra careful."
Fuyuki solemnly took the map: "Thank you, Mr. Bill. When I return next time, I will surely bring good news."
The good news he spoke of was naturally about the Ancient Dragonite's return journey.
"Truly incredible!" Bill couldn't help but think to himself.
He watched Fuyuki and the several Pokémon depart, his heart filled with emotion.
Squirtle carried a small bag of berries, its short legs stepping on the soft sand. From time to time, it would look down and poke at a seashell, looking incredibly excited.
Gastly floated in mid-air, sticking out its tongue and making faces to scare the wild Krabby on the beach one moment, and hiding in the bushes to play hide-and-seek the next, full of energy.
Raikou walked quietly by Fuyuki's side, its golden fur sparkling in the morning sun. The wild Pokémon along the way would only see its figure from a distance and would obediently hide in the bushes or reef crevices, not daring to approach.
Fuyuki looked down at the Poké Ball in his hand.
The Ancient Dragonite that had been wandering lonely in the sea was sleeping inside.
"Phew!"
Fuyuki slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and then said to Raikou: "Let's continue on our way, Dad!"
Raikou nodded slightly: "Mhm."
The journey was peaceful and warm.
It wasn't until noon that the silhouette of Vermilion City finally appeared at the end of the road—tall buildings, a busy port, ships coming and going incessantly, and the iconic dark building of the Gym in the distance clearly came into view.
"We've finally arrived." Fuyuki stopped and looked at this vibrant port city.
The Vermilion Gym's Leader is Lt. Surge, who uses Electric-type Pokémon. He is famous for his powerful electric tactics and tough battle style, and he is a Gym Leader in the Kanto Region that cannot be underestimated.