In the heart of the town, a large tree stood beside the square.
Perched atop the highest branch, Mew and Teddiursa, both disguised with the illusion of playful Meowth, crouched quietly, curiously observing this unfamiliar place.
The town was alive with movement. Young trainers with backpacks rushed about, their eyes wide with excitement. Occasionally, when two of them locked eyes, they would grab each other's hands and slip into the bushes to have thrilling Pokémon battles in the open areas scattered throughout the town.
Others strolled the streets at a leisurely pace, pausing to listen to street vendors who enthusiastically shared tales of local legends.
At that moment, Mew and Teddiursa spotted a small vendor's stall decorated with a collection of strange-looking dolls.
"Huh?" Teddiursa blinked.
The two Pokémon floated closer, curiosity piqued.
Just then, a foreign tourist stepped up and asked the elderly vendor about the odd little figures.
The vendor, a kind-faced old woman, beamed and explained, "These are Victini dolls, representing the Victory Pokémon!"
"Victini?" the tourist asked curiously.
"It's said that Victini once lived in this very town long, long ago," the woman replied. "Few have ever seen it, but legend says Victini brings power to those it favors. They say its strength once protected the Sword of the Earth. And anyone who carries one of these dolls will be blessed by Victini… and never lose a battle!"
The trainer's eyes lit up instantly. "Then I'll take one, please!"
Teddiursa blinked again, a little confused. "Teddi…?"
Mew floated beside him, tilting its head. "Mew…"
They didn't quite know what to think. But ever since entering the Mystery Dungeon, Mew had learned that this world held many truths yet to be discovered.
So… maybe that Victini really did exist.
—
By noon, the two Pokémon had found a quiet rooftop spot and sat down to enjoy the meal Naoki had packed for them.
Though they were still puzzled by the food that had mysteriously vanished the day before, it hadn't been much, so they had decided not to worry about it. Perhaps a hungry Pokémon had taken it.
They opened their bags and pulled out a few sweet, fluffy Poffins. Mew popped one in its mouth happily.
And then, it happened again.
The rest of the Poffins disappeared.
"Mew?"
Mew froze mid-chew, eyes narrowing.
This definitely wasn't a coincidence.
Some Pokémon was stealing their food, using a method they couldn't detect.
Teddiursa peered into the bag. Only a few Poffins were left.
That amount definitely wouldn't last them until their next stop.
Frowning, Teddiursa pulled out their Rotom Phone and quickly dialed Naoki.
After a few rings, the call connected, and Naoki's face appeared on-screen.
Mew, curious, floated over and leaned in. Together, they explained everything that had happened over the past two days.
"What? The Poffins disappeared again?" Naoki asked in surprise.
"Was it another Pokémon that took them?"
"Mew…" Mew nodded, confident. There was no other explanation.
After all, it had once done the same, sneaking off with Poffins and toys while people weren't paying attention. That is, until it watched that movie about a Pokémon hero and decided to change its ways.
Naoki smiled gently and said, "It's alright. There's still a whole batch of Poffins back home. I'll ask Dragonite to deliver another bag to you."
But as he spoke, something in the background caught his eye.
Behind Mew and Teddiursa was a stunning sight.
In the far distance, embedded deep into the side of a mountain, stood a massive, ancient sword.
Its blade was wedged so powerfully into the rock that one could barely imagine what force had driven it there.
Naoki stared.
It was hard to imagine what kind of power could do it.
'That was...'
Naoki froze for a moment, slightly stunned.
Mew and Teddiursa also noticed his gaze through the screen. They turned around and looked behind them, but saw nothing unusual. Both tilted their heads in confusion.
"Mew?"
"Teddi?"
"Where are you two right now?" Naoki asked curiously.
Mew blinked, then recalled what those humans nearby had just said earlier.
The name of this place seemed to be… Aintoak?
"Mew!"
That's right! It's called Aintoak!
Naoki's eyes widened. Everything clicked into place in an instant.
Aintoak, that's the setting of the movie "Pokémon the Movie: Black: Victini and Reshiram" and "White: Victini and Zekrom".
The so-called "Black and White Heroes" were none other than the legendary Dragon-type Pokémon: Reshiram and Zekrom.
And in that very movie... there was a mischievous Pokémon, small, curious, and always playful, who loved sharing its power with others and had a bad habit of stealing snacks when no one was looking.
Victini.
Naoki narrowed his eyes, almost amused. If his hunch was right, the culprit behind the mysterious Poffin thefts was likely that very same Victini.
He glanced around on his end, but saw no sign of it.
Then his gaze shifted to Mew.
"Mew, can you use your psychic powers to scan the area?"
"Mew?"
Mew perked up, shivered slightly with anticipation, and then nodded.
It closed its eyes, and a surge of psychic energy rippled outward like a wave.
Centered on Mew, the telepathic field spread rapidly through the town, scanning every rooftop, alley, street, and treetop in seconds.
In Mew's mind, the entire town unfolded like a map:
A Meowth napping on a sunlit roof. A wild Trubbish digging through garbage in a dark alley.
Children playing chase, their Pokémon at their side. And far off in a flowered valley, a small group of Sawsbuck grazed peacefully.
And then, Mew locked onto it.
The unmistakable scent of Naoki's homemade Poffins.
The scent was coming from behind a chimney... in the hands of a small figure.
Found it!
Mew's eyes snapped open.
Instantly, it teleported with Teddiursa and the Rotom Phone in tow.
In the blink of an eye, the three of them appeared on the rooftop behind the chimney.
And there it was, crouched low, holding one of the missing Poffins, nibbling away happily.
A small, rabbit-like Pokémon with soft cream-colored fur, large, glowing blue eyes, and its signature V-shaped ears.
Victini.
"Mew!"
"Teddi!"
Mew and Teddiursa narrowed their eyes, looking both stunned and a little indignant.
Victini froze mid-bite, eyes wide. It was clear it hadn't expected to be caught.
Panicking, it vanished in a flash, turning invisible in an instant and darting away.
But it was too late.
Mew had already locked onto its psychic signature. No matter how well Victini cloaked itself, Mew could track it easily.
And so, a chase broke out across the rooftops:
Victini dashing ahead with Teddiursa and Mew (plus the hovering Rotom Phone) hot on its heels.
Naoki, watching everything unfold live through the camera feed, just stared.
"I don't even know what to say," he muttered with a sigh.
At that moment, Anya stepped into his office.
"Gym Leader," she said politely, "another trainer is here for a challenge."
Naoki: "…"
This wasn't a moment to be interrupted. He glanced at Anya and said calmly, "I'm busy right now. Please have them return in the afternoon."
"Understood."
Anya nodded respectfully and left. The Gym Leader had the authority to reschedule challenges.
Naoki turned his focus back to the screen of the Rotom Phone.
His expression stiffened slightly, Mew was chasing Victini out of Aintoak and into the valley beyond.
At the far end of that valley stood an ancient castle, a massive blade embedded deep into the surrounding mountain.
Naoki recognized the place instantly.
That was Sword Castle, better known as the Sword of the Vale.
And buried beneath it, if the legends held true, lay the Dragon Stone. According to ancient lore, one who passed its trial could awaken Reshiram or Zekrom, depending on their heart, truth or ideals.
Victini flew directly toward the castle, with Mew and Teddiursa following closely behind.
As soon as it entered the fortress, Victini vanished from sight.
Naoki's voice came through the Rotom Phone.
"Mew, Teddiursa, hold on. Don't pursue. I want you to take photos of the surroundings with the Rotom."
Though confused, the two Pokémon nodded and began capturing the area.
"As you can see," Naoki said gently, "this massive structure is known as the Sword of the Vale."
"Mew?"
"And the Pokémon you've been chasing, that's Victini. It's lived here alone for over a thousand years… ever since its trainer passed away."
Mew and Teddiursa both froze in shock.
"Mew?!"
"Let me tell you a story," Naoki said, settling into his seat.
Teddiursa quickly caught on.
He and Mew exchanged a glance, then found a smooth stone to sit on.
Unseen by the others, Victini peered out from behind a giant column, quietly listening in.
Naoki's voice came softly through the Rotom.
"Long ago, this castle was Victini's home. It lived happily here with its trainer, the king of the Vale. Under his rule, the kingdom flourished. Humans, Pokémon, and nature lived in harmony."
"The king had twin sons, noble princes who would one day inherit the kingdom. One day, they encountered two powerful dragon Pokémon: Reshiram, the embodiment of truth, and Zekrom, the embodiment of ideals."
"But when the king grew old, conflict broke out. The princes clashed bitterly over how the kingdom should move forward."
"That disagreement escalated into a terrible war."
"Reshiram and Zekrom fought with them. The brothers' hopes and dreams turned into fuel for the dragons' fire and thunder. Both sides were devastated. And in the end, the dragons exhausted one another until they each reverted into stone and fell into a deep slumber."
"By the time the princes realized their mistake, it was too late. The energy of the Dragon Veins had become unstable. The earth itself was breaking apart."
"To stop the disaster, the old king activated the Guardian Pillars, built a protective barrier around the castle, and drawing on Victini's power, lifted the entire castle into the sky, where it landed atop the mountain it rests on today."
"But doing so took all of the king's remaining life force."
"Once the castle was safe, he passed away. Without his strength, the barrier and the stone pillars were left behind."
"With the king gone and the conflict resolved, the two princes quietly left. Their legacy, regret, and reflection."
"But Victini remained."
"It's stayed in this castle ever since… trapped, alone, for nearly a thousand years."
"Because of the Guardian Pillars and the lingering barrier, Victini can't leave the boundaries of Aintoak."
...
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