Join my p@treon for more chapters
[email protected]/Tempest_29
The defeat of the dark Dragonite marked the beginning of the end for the dark Pokemon invasion.
Although Latios couldn't defeat the dark Dragonite alone, the other dark Pokemon weren't nearly as powerful. With Blaziken and Garchomp providing support, Chris's team had systematically eliminated the remaining corrupted Pokemon one by one.
The group of dark Pokemon that had threatened Alto Mare was quickly being driven back.
As the main force of dark Pokemon suffered heavy casualties, a small number of the remaining corrupted Pokemon began to retreat when it became clear the battle was lost.
However, this strategic withdrawal was unusual. Dark Pokemon, with their minds closed off by corruption, typically couldn't retreat voluntarily. In their twisted world view, there were only two outcomes: destroy their opponent or be destroyed themselves.
This organized retreat suggested that the trainer commanding the dark Dragonite - the same person who had ordered the attack on Alto Mare - was actively observing the entire battlefield and directing the withdrawal.
Chris stood on the coastal shore, watching as the dark Pokemon disappeared into the distance like storm clouds dissipating.
"Did you manage to place the psychic mark?" Chris asked his Mega Gardevoir.
He had instructed Gardevoir to place a mental imprint on the escaping dark Pokemon. As long as the psychic marker remained active, he could follow the trail and potentially locate the trainer responsible for the dark Dragonite.
For this plan to work, Chris had deliberately allowed the dark Dragonite to escape with the others. As a dark Pokemon with a completely corrupted mind, it couldn't be captured anyway, and would simply be an uncontrollable threat if it regained consciousness.
Chris had also asked Gardevoir to undergo Mega Evolution for this task. The psychic imprint would be more subtle and profound in this enhanced state, allowing it to last for an extended period.
He waited until the dark storm clouds in the sky moved away and completely disappeared from sight.
Chris then climbed onto Storm Salamence's back and began the pursuit.
However, after flying for approximately two minutes, Gardevoir informed Chris that the group of dark Pokemon had vanished from the range of its psychic detection abilities.
They hadn't simply moved out of range - they had disappeared entirely, vanishing without a trace.
"Let's investigate where they disappeared," Chris said, patting Storm Salamence's back.
Storm Salamence immediately used Agility to increase its speed.
A few minutes later, Chris arrived at the location where the dark Pokemon had last been detected.
Then he found himself sitting on his bed.
"I was transported back..." Chris muttered, looking at the handheld gaming device in his hands.
On the screen, his character was flying through the air on Storm Salamence. Not far away, Alto Mare was visible in the distance.
Moving further in the direction away from Alto Mare, Chris realized he had re-entered the game's story mode.
"It seems that leaving the waters around Alto Mare triggered the interface to switch back to the game," he concluded.
"This is problematic," Chris frowned. If this was the case, he wouldn't be able to follow the psychic imprint to track down the escaped dark Pokemon.
After all, if he returned to reality, then Gardevoir would return to reality with him, breaking the connection to the psychic markers.
The only clue he had now was the general direction in which the dark Pokemon had fled.
"If I were to fly in that direction, where would it lead?" he wondered aloud.
"The Hoenn Region, perhaps?"
Ten minutes later, Chris returned to Alto Mare.
The water resort city was bustling with activity once again.
Despite having just been attacked by dark Pokemon, with more than one-third of the city suffering damage, the residents were already working quickly to repair the destruction and get injured people to medical facilities.
Fortunately, in a world where Pokemon existed, reconstruction efforts could proceed rapidly with Pokemon assistance. The damage caused by the dark Pokemon would soon be restored.
Chris landed on the shore.
Since pursuing the dark Pokemon was no longer possible, he decided to continue with his original mission in Alto Mare.
"Gardevoir, take me to the secret garden," he requested.
Light and shadow flickered before his eyes, and Chris immediately found himself standing before a wall.
He stepped through what appeared to be solid rock but was actually a psychic illusion. After passing through a short, dark corridor, Chris entered Alto Mare's secret garden for the third time.
The first visit had been an accident while searching for legendary Pokemon items. The second time was to confirm the existence of the Latios and Latias siblings after winning the Alto Mare Cup Medal.
Now, for the third time, he had come to make them an offer they hopefully wouldn't refuse.
In the vast and tranquil garden sanctuary, grasslands and ponds were organized by pathways in an orderly fashion. Towering trees stood like silent guardians throughout the space.
Various Pokemon wandered freely, playing in the forest areas, grasslands, and ponds.
It appeared that the recent attack by dark Pokemon had no impact on this hidden sanctuary.
Long white steps led downward, and continuing forward, Chris could see a small fountain - the same location the treasure hunter had pointed to during his first visit.
"Chris! What brings you here?" came the voice of an elderly man from the distance.
Following the sound, Chris was unsurprised to see Lorenzo approaching.
As an important figure in Alto Mare's protection, Lorenzo had long known about the existence of the Latios and Latias siblings and served as the daily caretaker of the secret garden.
Appearing alongside Lorenzo were Latios and Latias themselves, flying on either side of the elderly guardian. Given Chris's recent assistance in the battle, they had basically determined that he was trustworthy.
Chris walked up to Lorenzo and the two legendary Pokemon and spoke directly.
"I'm here to ask the siblings to join me as my partners."
Immediately, both Pokemon showed signs of wariness and caution.
Lorenzo was also taken aback by the straightforward request.
Chris looked up at the two siblings and extended his invitation with sincerity.
"What do you think? Are you interested in going on adventures with me to become stronger?"
Chris had considered his approach carefully before arriving and decided against defeating them in battle to force a capture. Instead, he would invite them to join him in a partnership focused on mutual growth.
Although this was technically a game world, Chris felt as though he had truly stepped into the Pokemon universe.
Latias and Latios had dedicated their hearts to protecting Alto Mare. Even if he captured them forcibly with a Master Ball, their loyalty would remain with their home city, making it nearly impossible to establish a genuine bond afterward.
Rather than force the issue, it would be better to invite them to grow stronger together.
Before the appearance of the dark Pokemon, the two siblings might not have felt such a strong desire to increase their power. However, after the recent battle where Latios was overwhelmed and Latias was badly beaten, they should now realize that their current strength alone wasn't sufficient to protect Alto Mare.
As expected, Latios and Latias didn't immediately refuse the offer. Instead, they looked at each other thoughtfully, then turned their heads together to begin a private discussion.
"Lati..." "Lati..."
After exchanging words in their own language that Chris couldn't understand, the siblings appeared to reach some kind of agreement.
Finally, Latios gently nudged his sister forward toward Chris, indicating their decision had been made.