In a quiet corner of that very town, an elderly man stood by his field, leaning heavily on a hoe. His brow was furrowed in distress as he stared at the dry, cracked earth at his feet.
The sun had been relentless lately. Even after watering, the soil dried up within hours. The crops were struggling to grow.
Dan, now in his fifties, had weathered many seasons, but this unending drought was wearing him down.
"Another day without rain..." he muttered to himself, sweat clinging to his neck.
Just then, a swirl of pink and gold appeared on the wind.
A small Pokémon flew over, hovering gently in front of him.
It was Hoopa—specifically Hoopa in its Confined form. Pink and gray, with a tiny, mischievous face, short stubby arms floating free from its body, and a distinctive golden ring looping around its waist. A tiny braid sat atop its head, and two curved horns with gold bands jutted from the sides.
"Grandpa Dan!" came Hoopa's voice, not from its mouth, but straight into the old man's head via telepathy.
Dan turned and instantly brightened. "Ah, Hoopa. It's you."
Hoopa grinned and floated closer. But then, catching the worry still clinging to Dan's face, its expression turned curious. "Grandpa Dan looks troubled... did something happen?"
Dan sighed, wiping his brow with his sleeve. "The sun's been far too harsh lately. It hasn't rained in weeks, and the crops are drying out. If it could just rain for a while, I could get enough water to save them."
Hoopa tapped its chin thoughtfully, then lit up with excitement.
"I can help!" Hoopa declared with confidence.
The golden ring around its waist floated upward, hovering in the air until it expanded into a large portal above the field.
"Leave it to Hoopa!" it said proudly.
Dan watched, startled but intrigued.
Hoopa turned toward the parched field, took a deep breath, and raised its little arms dramatically. "Hoopa summons… rainwater! Come, rain!"
The golden ring flashed with bright light.
A hum filled the air as the space within shimmered, forming a dimensional gateway to somewhere else.
Something began to fall through the ring.
Rain? Dan's eyes widened hopefully.
But then—
Thud.
Plop.
Clatterclatterclatter!
Multicolored candy began raining down from the sky.
Dozens. Hundreds. A full downpour of sugary sweets bombarded the field, bouncing off crops, piling up like confetti at a parade.
"…?!?"
Dan froze in stunned silence.
Hoopa also froze, wide-eyed. "H-Hoopa didn't mean it!"
Dan stared at his candy-covered field, shoulders slumping.
"Sigh."
"I just wanted to help…" Hoopa said with a wobbly voice, clearly distressed by the accident.
The old man looked over, his expression softening despite the sugar storm. "I know, Hoopa. I know you meant well. But maybe… maybe let Grandpa Dan handle the farming for now, alright?"
Hoopa nodded slowly, looking down at its little hands. "Okay…"
At that moment, Hoopa suddenly sensed three unfamiliar auras approaching.
It looked up and saw Pokémon standing nearby. He hadn't even noticed when they had arrived.
For a moment, eight eyes locked in mutual surprise.
Hoopa blinked.
Across from him, Mew, Teddiursa, and Victini also stared in astonishment.
Wait, did they just hear this Pokémon's name?
Hoopa?
Wasn't that the very Pokémon Naoki had mentioned in a past mission?
Mew and Teddiursa remembered clearly. Naoki had once asked them to help a sealed Pokémon named Hoopa… but they'd never met him until now.
So this accidental detour… had actually led them straight to him?
What were the chances?
Off to the side, old man Dan noticed the three mysterious Pokémon as well. He glanced at Hoopa, then back at the trio, and asked with curiosity,
"Hoopa, are these your friends?"
Hoopa shook his head quickly. "Hoopa has never seen them before!"
Mew, ever sensitive, glanced around and quickly understood the situation.
Having lived at Tree House Ranch for a while now, it instantly recognized the signs of drought. The soil was dry, the crops were withering, and the sun had been brutal.
And judging by Hoopa's flustered expression and the candy-covered field… he had tried to help, but something had gone wrong.
Mew's expression grew determined.
It turned to Victini and Teddiursa with a bright "Miu!"—a sound that meant Let's help!
The two immediately lit up.
That's right!
The heroic Expedition Team was back in action!
And when it comes to solving droughts… what better solution than a little Rain Dance?
Mew reached into its bag and pulled out a Poké Ball.
With a click and a flash of light, the mighty Zapdos soared into the sky.
Dan's jaw dropped.
Even Hoopa floated back slightly, stunned by the sudden arrival of the legendary bird.
"Miu!" Mew called to Zapdos telepathically, explaining the situation.
Zapdos scanned the field, gave a short nod, and immediately beat its powerful wings as it flew higher into the atmosphere.
Within seconds, dark clouds gathered.
Thunder rumbled across the valley.
And then—rain.
Cool, clean rain showered the fields below, soaking the dry earth, washing away the sugar, and reviving the thirsty crops.
Grandpa Dam stood frozen in awe.
"It's… it's raining…" he whispered. "That Pokémon… helped us…"
Hoopa floated in silence, eyes wide as the golden ring around its waist tilted in disbelief.
Finally, it turned to the newcomers and asked, voice filled with wonder,
"Who… are you?"
Mew floated up with a mischievous wink.
"Miu!" (We're the Great Expedition Team, traveling the world to help wherever we're needed!)
"Hero Expedition Team?" Hoopa repeated the words softly, its eyes wide with curiosity. It didn't fully understand the meaning, but it sounded important.
Mew happily nodded.
"Miu!" (It's a team that travels around the world to help Pokémon in need!)
Teddi chimed in with a bright nod.
"Teddi!" (That's right! We've helped lots of Pokémon who needed us!)
"Wow!" Hoopa's eyes sparkled with admiration. "That sounds amazing!"
But his excitement quickly faded. A gloomy expression clouded his face.
"Hoopa wants to help others too… but Hoopa always messes it up…"
He thought of earlier, how he had tried to summon rain for Grandpa Dam's crops, but instead summoned a rainstorm of candy. Or that time when the village kids asked him to summon a rock to help flatten dough… and he accidentally pulled out a massive rolling boulder instead.
"Miu…" Mew tilted his head thoughtfully, then smiled and said gently,
"Miu!" (As long as you try your best, you'll get better and better!)
Hoopa perked up slightly at the encouragement. The Pokémon in front of him were so kind, it felt like they really understood him.
He floated a little closer and asked curiously, "Why did you come to this place?"
"Miu!" (We're on a journey!) Mew replied brightly.
"A journey?" Hoopa's eyes lit up again. "Then you've seen lots of places, right? Hoopa has never left the valley. What's the outside world like? Can you tell Hoopa about it?"
They blinked.
He's never left the Valley?
Mew, Teddiursa, and Victini all exchanged glances. This Pokémon… he was so powerful, but also so lonely. He had never even seen the world outside his home.
That was too sad.
"Miu!" (Of course we'll tell you!) Mew said warmly.
Teddiursa scanned the area, then pointed toward a sunny clearing.
"Teddi!" (Let's sit over there!)
All the Pokémon flew and floated toward the spot, settling in a cozy circle.
Old Dam watched from afar with a smile. Hoopa had made some wonderful new friends.
Poor child… He's been sealed away here so long, never allowed to roam freely like the others. But recently, he'd heard that young Meray and her brother Baraz were planning to travel beyond the Valley to find a way to lift Hoopa's seal.
He hoped they would succeed.
Meanwhile, in the clearing, Hoopa sat contentedly, listening with wide eyes as Mew and Teddiursa recounted their adventures—tales of forests, mountains, volcanoes, and sea journeys. Victini chimed in with exciting sound effects, and even Zapdos gave a rare approving rumble.
Hoopa munched happily on some of Teddiursa's snacks while he listened.
By the end of the stories, the snacks were gone.
"As delicious as Hoopa's donuts!" Hoopa cheered with glee.
He felt closer to them than ever. They had shared their stories, their food, and their friendship. So, in return, he leapt up with joy.
"You told Hoopa stories and shared snacks, now Hoopa will share his favorite donuts with you! Come with me!"
With excitement bubbling over, Hoopa led the team toward a quaint wooden house tucked between two hills.
As they neared the door, Hoopa floated forward and called out, "Meray! Baraz! Hoopa's back—with new friends!"
The door opened to reveal a girl with braided hair, a blue headscarf, and a traditional tunic. Behind her was a tall boy with a red scarf and worn boots.
Meray gasped softly at the sight.
"Those Pokémon…!"
"Mew, Teddiursa, and Zapdos," Baraz calmly identified them, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Victini, feeling left out, leapt forward with a grin.
"Nini!"
Hoopa quickly added, "That one's Victini! Hoopa's new friend!"
Meray blinked, then smiled warmly. "Well then… Welcome, everyone."
Hoopa floated over and tugged her sleeve. "Meray! Hoopa wants donuts!"
Her smile grew. "Alright, alright."
Though surprised by the arrival of such rare and powerful Pokémon, Meray and Baraz still welcomed them in with kindness.
While Meray went to get the donuts, Baraz turned to the group and asked the obvious question:
"Where's your trainer?"
...
Bonus