"Not like I've got anything better to do… might as well channel some energy into my phone too, right?"
Restless from boredom, Akari held out her phone toward the two gods of time and space.
Truthfully, she has been unhappy with her phone for a long time.
Entertainment? Wiped clean by Arceus when it upgraded her phone, there wasn't even a leftover ringtone.
Functionality? Not even close to Paul's. His phone could literally travel between worlds.
In short? Totally useless.
Now that there was a chance to upgrade it, obviously she had to try.
Worst-case scenario… if it breaks? Well, if it does, she could just trade a plate with Paul for a new one, and ask Arceus to help with the upgrade when they reunite after collecting all the Pokémon.
A great plan—the only problem was, after the infusion of space-time energy, the phone didn't seem to gain any new functions. All it got was slightly faster performance and stronger signal.
"Ugh… why didn't it work? Is it because I don't have a Rotom in it?"
Akari pouted, her pale fingers furiously tapping the screen again and again.
She had tried putting a Rotom into it once. But even a Rotom, normally able to possess any household appliance—couldn't get inside a phone blessed by Arceus, let alone transform it into a Rotom Phone.
"Upgrade complete—Rotom!"
Suddenly, Rotom's cheerful face popped back onto the screen.
"After true fusion with time-space energy, Rotom has gained partial cross-dimensional communication capabilities!"
"Cross-world voice and text chat between Akari and the Arc Phone is now fully supported."
"However, cross-world Pokémon transfer is not yet available."
"This is great, just perfect!"
Paul nodded in satisfaction. Just because it wasn't possible now didn't mean it wouldn't be in the future.
He figured, once Rotom reached Champion-level strength, or if they could upgrade the phone once or twice more, interdimensional Pokémon transfer might just become possible.
"Hooray! Awesome! No more boredom for me!"
Akari jumped up, hugging the Rotom Phone tightly and planting a big kiss on the screen.
"Roto~ Roto~ P-Please let go~"
Rotom was almost overwhelmed by the sudden affection.
But you really couldn't blame her. With cross-world communication now possible, it meant she could receive files and media from other worlds too. The possibilities were endless.
"Hehe, Paul, Paul~ Do me a tiny favor with Rotom, pretty please…"
Once she'd calmed down, Akari returned the phone to Paul, looking a bit embarrassed.
Paul: "?"
"Send me everything cool and fun from your world—music, novels, movies, contest spectaculars, anything that looks or sounds awesome! I miss the internet so much!"
Her eyes sparkled. After all this time spent in another world, she was starved for the digital world she once knew.
"…Sure. I'll send you only the best."
Paul agreed without hesitation but in his heart, he had zero intention of sending any entertainment content.
If Akari were just an ordinary protagonist, as a friend, Paul might have helped her out casually.
But Akari was different, she was someone who had managed to capture Palkia in the real world.
In the games, Lucas the protagonist, could eventually subdue Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, even Arceus… but Paul wasn't counting on that version of Lucas from the prime world.
If Lucas ever really did catch Arceus, Paul figured he might as well ascend to godhood himself.
Right now, all their hopes rested on Akari.
The first arc had ended, and according to the plot, by the end of the second arc, she was supposed to defeat Arceus with her mortal body and obtain one of its avatars.
As her good friend, Paul wasn't about to let her slack off. Not when she could eventually get close to Arceus.
Paul had already made up his mind. Once he returned to his world, he'd package up all the top-tier competitive battle videos, the most strategic contest spectacular footage, martial arts recordings, movement training guides, and send them all to Akari.
So she could use every spare second to absorb their essence and push herself toward the ultimate goal, capturing Arceus even in the real world.
"Hmmm~ Thank you so much!"
Oblivious to Paul's true thoughts, Akari looked deeply touched and nodded earnestly.
"No need to thank me. It's what any good friend would do."
Paul replied seriously.
Entertainment? Thinking about fun all the time will only hold you back.
Focus. Improve your strength. Strive for greatness.
That said… if his best friend did manage to capture Arceus, how could he borrow its power…?
—
Time passed swiftly as the Pokémon trained, played, and communicated. Night fell, the campfire crackled, and its warm light brightened the heart of the night.
The Pokémon settled across the open field, soaking in the cool breeze.
"Hey Paul… do you really live like this every day? Training with your Pokémon, growing stronger together, thinking only about improvement and battles? Doesn't it get… tense? Boring?"
By the fire, Akari hugged her knees and glanced sideways at Paul, who still seemed deep in thought.
They hadn't spent many days together, but she'd already come to understand his daily routine.
And the more she understood, the more she wondered how someone like him could exist—a Trainer so utterly focused, so singularly devoted to his path.
In her eyes, Paul's life was simple. He either trained his Pokémon, analyzed strategies, or worked out and meditated on his own.
No games. No social media. His phone had zero entertainment apps, just research papers, reports, and battle footage.
It seemed like the only leisure he allowed himself was sitting under the stars with his Pokémon once the day's training was done.
"Boring?"
"When you're constantly moving toward your goal, gaining strength, and growing alongside your partners—you don't feel bored."
"Maybe someday, I'll pause to enjoy the beauty of life. But not now."
"To me, the most beautiful part of life… is every moment I grow stronger with my Pokémon."
Paul spoke calmly, openly sharing his thoughts.
"…Amazing. That's so you, Paul. So cool… I don't think I could ever stay that focused."
Akari touched a finger to her lips and turned her gaze to the starlit sky.
"Just be yourself. Follow your own goals. Do what makes you happy."
"Every voice in your heart deserves to shine. There's no such thing as a meaningless path—if it brings you joy, then it's worth it."
Paul replied.
Akari: "Mhm!"
...
The night grew darker. Beyond the wind brushing the grass and the occasional chirp of insects, the wilderness was quiet under the stars.
The girl and her Pokémon fell into peaceful dreams.
But the boy lying in the grass slowly opened his eyes, sat up, and silently returned all his Pokémon to their Poké Balls.
He glanced at the peacefully sleeping girl and her Pokémon, then shook his head slightly.
Opening his bag, he set down something beside a Poké Ball.
Then, under cover of night, the boy quietly left this world.
In that instant, the darkness deepened ever so slightly.
But in her dreams, the girl stirred and awoke.
...
The first thing she saw was the Origin Ball and the parting gift he'd left behind: a pair of special shoes.
Her eyes shimmered with light.
"...Thank you."
(End of Chapter)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to access the advanced chapters, please visit: patreon.com / PMadz_23