Back on the battlefield, Naoki turned to Cross across from him. His expression was gentle but firm.
"You lost this round. I'm sorry, but I can't award you the Gym Badge."
"Aww…" Cross sighed, disappointed, but only for a moment. She quickly smiled and nodded. "The Levincia Gym is seriously strong! I got to battle a Legendary Pokémon and see one up close. That alone made this trip worth it!"
Naoki squinted slightly.
Wait a second... was she really here for the badge?
Probably not.
But what else could he do? This was still a Gym. If they came to battle, he had to respond in kind.
He sighed internally.
Next time one of those trainers shows up, he'd just toss in Pawmot, Zapdos.
...
Later that day, after a long schedule of battles, Naoki finally returned home to the ranch.
The moment he sat down to relax, Iono walked over with her Rotom Phone in hand and held it out to him.
"You're trending again," she teased.
Naoki glanced at the screen and silently scrolled through the latest online comments.
There were hundreds of them—some shocked, some reverent, some overly dramatic.
He stared in silence.
How had the rumors gotten this wild?
"So… is any of this true?" Iono asked with a teasing smile.
Naoki hesitated, then exhaled with a wry grin.
"More or less, I guess."
He leaned back and added, "Honestly, about half the reason I set up all this was just to help my Pokémon burn off their extra energy."
In the early days, Skiddos had eaten far too many Green Grass Dumplings, causing the Grass-type energy in its body to accumulate to an extreme degree. If it didn't release that energy through battle, it would end up dancing wildly in the pastures just to vent.
"I see." Iono nodded as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. Then she stood up with a cheerful smile. "You've worked hard today. Come eat!"
"Alright."
Naoki returned her smile and nodded, leaving the stress of the Gym behind.
He glanced around the house, where several Pokémon were running about freely, and asked with a light laugh, "How was Pawmot today?"
"Baamo" came the cheerful response.
"What about Dragonite and Cyclizar?"
Dragonite yawned and lazily pointed toward the backyard—it had apparently napped under the big tree all day.
Cyclizar, on the other hand, let out a little sneeze. It had spent the entire day chasing butterflies in the garden and had accidentally inhaled too much pollen, which left it sniffling and sneezing nonstop.
Naoki chuckled and turned toward the others.
Before he could ask anything else, the group of Eeveelutions excitedly trotted over, each one eager to report what they had done today.
Naoki knelt down and gently patted their heads one by one, listening to them with a warm smile. The entire living room was filled with a cozy, joyful atmosphere.
Not far away, Iono and Indeedee carried steaming plates of food to the table, filling the room with the delicious scent of home-cooked dinner.
...
Meanwhile, in the Unova region, far away in the quiet outskirts of a city, two Pokémon were preparing to eat their own dinner.
Mew and Teddiursa unzipped their travel bags and pulled out the Pokémon food Naoki had lovingly prepared for them. They spread a small blanket over the soft grass and set down the packed meals and juice bottles.
It was time for their favorite part of the day—dinner time.
The two Pokémon each grabbed a piece of food with their tiny paws, took a bite, and instantly brightened. Their eyes squinted with happiness as the flavors melted in their mouths.
But they weren't alone.
In the dense underbrush nearby, a small Pokémon with sky-blue eyes and large V-shaped ears was silently watching them. It stayed perfectly still, eyes wide with curiosity, and hunger.
The food they were eating… looked absolutely delicious.
With a spark of mischief, the little Pokémon vanished from sight, slipping into invisibility.
A moment later, it crept silently into their picnic area. While Mew and Teddiursa were too focused on their meal to notice, the sneaky intruder carefully swiped a handful of their snacks and darted back behind a tree.
There, it reappeared and began munching happily, tail swishing with glee.
Back at the picnic blanket, Mew and Teddiursa finished the Poffin they were chewing and reached for another.
Their paws met empty space.
They blinked.
They turned—and gasped.
All but one of their delicious Poffins had vanished!
"Mew?!"
"Teddi?!"
Their dinner… was gone.
...
Thousands of years ago.
In the early morning, atop the terrace of the royal tower, the old king stepped out from his chambers, accompanied by Victini, and looked out over his kingdom.
Golden sunlight bathed the land. Shadows slowly faded, dew glistened on petals, and townsfolk emerged from their homes with smiles filled with hope and joy, greeting neighbors as they passed.
Vendors pushed carts filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Women in aprons and scarves headed to the market. Children played and giggled as they ran with their Pokémon companions.
The streets and alleyways buzzed with life, their rhythms converging in the marketplace until the entire town burst into motion.
In that moment, the kingdom awoke.
"Victini," the old king said softly, "do you see it? My people are full of happiness. My kingdom thrives. Here, nature, humanity, and Pokémon live in harmony."
A gentle smile warmed the king's wrinkled face as he gazed over his land with kind, contented eyes.
Victini nodded, circling the king with joy, and chirped out happily, "Nini!"
The old king turned and reached out with one hand, aged and weathered, but still gentle, toward Victini's head, smiling as if to give the little Pokémon an affectionate pat.
But suddenly, the warmth faded.
Everything the sun, the city, the laughter, vanished like the fragile surface of a dream bursting.
Silence fell.
Victini hovered alone in the dark, eyes wide with panic as it looked around desperately for the king.
But the king was nowhere to be found.
The once-glorious kingdom fell into disrepair. The majestic castle began to crumble, the proud towers bearing the erosion of time.
Spring returned, bringing fresh blooms and warm breezes. But just as suddenly, summer followed with its blazing heat. Leaves shimmered beneath the midday sun.
Then, the leaves turned yellow and dry as autumn winds swept across the land. Withered foliage spiraled down from bare branches.
When the last leaf touched the ground, winter arrived with silent snow.
Blanketing the kingdom in white, the world became quiet and cold once more.
And through every season, every year, Victini waited alone in the empty castle.
It waited for the king to return.
But even as a thousand springs, summers, autumns, and winters passed, the king who once cherished it never came back.
Then, one day, as spring returned again, Victini sat quietly on the terrace, as it had done so many times before.
And suddenly, the king appeared.
Victini's eyes welled with tears. Joy, disbelief, and longing filled its heart.
But the old king did not approach.
He looked at Victini with sorrow in his eyes and said softly, his voice almost fading in the wind:
"I'm sorry, Victini. I made you wait far too long. But now… It's time for me to go. And it's time for you to begin again. You'll find someone new, someone wonderful. Go, and live a new life. Goodbye… Victini."
Then, the old king turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
Victini cried out and flew after him.
"Nini!"
But the king faded into the shadows, vanishing completely.
And once again, Victini floated there, alone, in the heart of the empty castle.
"Nini…"
Realizing it would never see the king again, Victini wept.
Some time passed. How long, even it didn't know.
Eventually, Victini's eyes fluttered open.
It was back on the castle terrace, the golden sunrise casting soft light over the world.
"…Nini."
It murmured quietly. Its cheeks felt damp.
Touching its face with a tiny paw, Victini realized, its own tears had soaked its fur without it ever noticing.
After crying all it could, Victini rose gently into the air and flew from the castle.
Above the horizon, the sun was rising once more.
A new day had begun.
...
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