Ryoku rarely showed vulnerability, but now he gently stroked his Scolipede, and from the deep lines at the corners of his aged eyes, a single tear slid down—born from memories of the past.
Tears don't only represent sorrow—they hold memory and emotion.
Moved by the state of the two sages, the Plasma grunts who followed behind also began to react. Some instinctively reached toward their belts—only to find them empty, or touched a Poké Ball that didn't feel familiar.
They had already surrendered their own Pokémon to the organization. What they held now were someone else's.
Loss. Sadness. Confusion. A storm of emotions twisted in their hearts, leaving pain etched across their faces.
"…That expression…" Asura noticed it—and under the lingering influence of Hikaru's power, even the old sage realized he could faintly sense the feelings of others.
"The chain of pain continues. Misfortune still spreads. And the first to be consumed by it… was us—Team Plasma!"
"That's it! My confusion is finally cleared!"
Hikaru added, "The dismissal of choice, lack of empathy, control through power, blind spots in humanity, disregard for the dignity of life, false logic… and lies within the group."
"You still lack much. But no one is without fault—so most people don't presume to be saints."
"The ecology, habitat, behavior, and emotions of Pokémon—even professional Professors can't fully understand these things. Do you have any degrees?"
The sages glanced at each other.
Asura cleared his throat. "I hold dual degrees in history and psychology."
Ryoku scratched his head. "…I… I'm sorry, I don't have any official certification. But I have studied archaeology. I even held a key post in a regional excavation team. My experience is valid."
Hikaru burst out laughing.
"Ahahaha! That's actually kind of interesting."
Shauntal also giggled. "Well, even without degrees, your love for Pokémon is real, right?"
Asura nodded. "Yes. At the very least, our affection for Pokémon is genuine. Thank you… The confusion in my heart is lighter now. You're right—we had all those flaws."
"In the end, we were too self-centered. Saw only one side of the coin."
Ryoku narrowed his eyes. "Hey, that was my line."
The tension vanished. The two sages had confronted their shortcomings and found clarity. Their hearts were no longer lost.
"Ghetsis was disappointed in our failures. He's focusing elsewhere now—rumor has it he's heading to eastern Unova."
"Yes, it's related to the Abyssal Ruins. We heard this from Vio. That guy is still drunk on the utopia Ghetsis promised. But he's… different from us."
The two sages shared valuable intel.
"Ghetsis calls himself 'Harmonia'—an ancient surname. His full name is Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius."
"According to legend, Unova's ancient royalty bore that name. He's definitely after something hidden in the Abyssal Ruins."
"N-sama possesses the ability to hear the voices of Pokémon. That's likely why Ghetsis sees him as a legitimate successor to the Abyssal King."
Asura's tone grew grim. "You said the power of understanding between humans and Pokémon comes from the Abyssal King. But Ghetsis—someone like him—could never gain that ability. What he seeks must be something else hidden in the ruins."
Ryoku nodded solemnly. "At the same time, strange phenomena are surfacing beneath Twist Mountain. Team Plasma dispatched sages to investigate. Ghetsis has started a new plan—seeking those with the 'qualities of a hero.' That's why we're exploring legends across Unova. Twist Mountain is one such location."
"This is all we can offer. We'll try to gather more like-minded people within Plasma. But for now… we can't leave."
Asura shook his head. "To err is human. But failing to correct one's mistakes—that is true ignorance."
"Yo!" Hikaru chuckled.
So, Team Plasma was splintering already.
But this time, it wasn't under Rood's leadership—it was Asura and Ryoku taking the lead.
"You're going to fight the King at the Celestial Tower, right?"
"If you lose, more people will fall under Ghetsis and the King's sway! So—though it's strange coming from us…"
Ryoku's expression turned sharp. "You who overcame the ancient souls… You must be one of the chosen as well. After witnessing your power—I'm sure of it."
"You must win! Win the hearts of the people!"
Asura smiled bitterly. "It might sound like betrayal from us… but it's the truth in our hearts."
"N-sama is soon to receive the help of a legendary Pokémon. It's not the dragon of legend—but still powerful."
"If you haven't awakened the dragon yet—be very careful."
"N-sama doesn't avoid battle anymore. He believes it's a way to prove his worth as King! That change was your influence. But maybe it made him more difficult to deal with…"
Maybe the true King… isn't N at all, Asura thought. But he didn't voice it.
When it came to Unova's history, few understood it better than these two—aside from Ghetsis himself.
"Wait, wait! You already have a scheduled battle? A duel at the Celestial Tower? That sounds perfect for a novel!" Shauntal's eyes sparkled.
She'd been a little disappointed when Hikaru turned down her challenge, but now she'd stumbled upon something even better.
And let's be honest—everything Hikaru did lately felt like pure fantasy.
Reading Pokémon memories, connecting hearts—it made Shauntal itch to release her Chandelure and ask for its opinion!
"Legendary Pokémon?" Hikaru focused on the key detail in Asura's words.
The elder nodded and pointed. "Look there—the storm approaches."
"In Route 7's tales… in the myths of Mistralton… it's the gods of Wind and Thunder."
"Thundurus and Tornadus!"
Two of the Four Forces of Nature—these clashing clouds battled endlessly, causing storms and rainfall across both Unova and Hisui!
"To reach the Celestial Tower, you'll have to pass through Mistralton's city center. And Vio is giving a speech there."
Asura and Ryoku looked at each other. "We can't intervene directly. So please—handle it for us. We must remain inside Plasma for now."
"Vio's not like us. Even if he hears the voices of Pokémon… even if he understands the hearts of humans… he won't turn back. That man is blindly loyal to Ghetsis."
"No worries. Leave it to us." Hikaru glanced at Shauntal.
"Eh? Me?" she pointed to herself.
"Of course. You're a member of Unova's Elite Four, aren't you, Shauntal-san? You do have a responsibility to deal with Plasma's activities."
"Eh… but they're a legal organization…"
Then her eyes lit up. "Unless… they've done something illegal, right?"
Asura pulled a document from his robes. "A year and a half ago, Vio led a certain 'Protection Movement' in southern and western Unova…"
At the Mistralton Airport, a red-haired girl in a pilot's uniform exited the cargo hub with crisp energy. She greeted those around her as she passed.
"Flight grounded due to weather… huh. Figures."
"Team Plasma… in Mistralton?" she murmured. "I heard from Elesa that this group has bad intentions. I'll handle this."
"They went to the Celestial Tower too?"
"I understand!"
Furo—the Mistralton Gym Leader—headed straight into the streets.
As expected, a disruption was already underway. Team Plasma had cordoned off streets, delivering speeches. Some people, moved by their words, had started handing over Poké Balls. Others, reluctant, were being pressured.
"Keeping your Pokémon inside a Poké Ball is cruel, don't you think?"
"Your Dwebble must be suffering! Set it free!"
"Hold it right there! Public speaking isn't permitted here. You're on Mistralton's watchlist!"
"Tomoki! Get behind me!"
Furo moved swiftly, both stopping the Plasma members and shielding the wavering citizens. Seeing her, the crowd rallied.
"Miss Furo! Thank you—I don't want to lose my Pokémon!"
A boy in shorts clutched his sister tightly.
The man delivering the speech was none other than Sage Vio—his iconic middle-parted hair in place. He narrowed his eyes at Furo, calm but condescending.
"We are a legal organization. You can't harass us without cause. Is Mistralton prejudiced against Pokémon protectors like us?"
"We merely encourage people to liberate their Pokémon—so they no longer suffer in cramped, miserable Poké Balls! Freedom is the only path forward!"
Not racial discrimination, but occupational discrimination—still a sensitive subject. Vio smirked coldly, but Furo waved him off.
"You've done this before, haven't you?"
"Wasn't it the Purrloin Protection Movement—no, let's call it what it was: a Purrloin Hunt."
"That campaign spread from the south to here. You pushed people to release their Purrloin… and then they vanished. Ranger surveys confirmed the local ecosystem showed no trace of wild Purrloin afterward. That's not normal."
Furo vividly remembered the incident—a movement that had marked Team Plasma's first emergence.
"Ugh… yes, Opelucid's Purrloin campaign. I'll admit, we mishandled it. Some members misunderstood our intentions and caused harm. But those people were punished. The Pokémon returned to nature, didn't they?"
"No, they didn't. Those Purrloin disappeared," Furo said coldly. "Ranger ecological surveys found nothing. You captured them, didn't you?"
"There's no proof of that! Don't slander a legal organization!"
Vio denied it outright—but there was a flicker of irritation in his eyes.
Rangers really were troublesome. Their surveys tracked released Pokémon, their networks stretched across Unova—and they were always a thorn in the side of poachers and cultists.
Sharp-witted kids were the worst!
"Humans are always like this," Vio sneered. "Thinking they can understand Pokémon's pain. Speaking for them. Furo—don't you force your Pokémon to train hard, too? Do you really know what's in their hearts?"
"Trainers only think they understand."
"That's not necessarily true."
Hikaru and Shauntal arrived on the scene.
To leave Mistralton, they had to pass through here—and found exactly what the sages had warned about. Vio, as expected, was holding the speech. Of all the sages, he was the most loyal to Ghetsis.
Hikaru approached the boy in shorts and gently touched the Dwebble in his arms—then took the boy's hand.
In an instant, the Pokémon's feelings flowed into him. The boy gasped, staring at Hikaru—and then at his Dwebble.
"Dwebble! I… I can hear your voice!"
"Gravl!" the Dwebble clacked its claws in surprise—then joyfully wriggled its body.
To speak with your partner—with no barrier—what kind of miracle was this?
"Oh! I get it now! You're annoyed by these people! And tomorrow we're going to walk across that narrow bridge on Route 7—I didn't forget! We're racing to see who finishes first!"
"Gravl! (It'll be me!)"
"…What is this?" Vio's face twisted in disbelief. He had nearly convinced the crowd. He might've even added a Gym Leader to his record! Ghetsis would've promoted him for sure!
"To put it simply," Shauntal said, grinning, "he connected the Pokémon and the trainer. So they could talk."
"Vio—Purrloin hunter, one of the Seven Sages of Plasma. You're using those Pokémon now, aren't you? You even evolved them into Liepard."
"Your group endangered lives and public safety. Investigations show you used illegal tactics—like abductions and coercion."
"What?! You lie!" Vio shouted.
Shauntal raised a hand. "We can just ask the Pokémon. Your grunts carry those Purrloin, right? Some of them even evolved."
"Ask them? Pokémon don't talk—"
He cut off as more people suddenly heard the Dwebble's thoughts.
The crowd exploded with noise.
Even within Plasma, someone shouted: "I—I can hear it! My Pokémon's cursing me!"
"This is a psychic ability," Hikaru explained calmly. "It connects humans and Pokémon—so you can hear what your partner truly feels."
Vio panicked.
What?! Such an ability exists?! Since when?!
Psychics were just glorified bombs—blowing things up with their minds. The new Unova Elite Four was just a human-shaped grenade!
But this—talking with Pokémon? Reading their hearts? That was N's domain!
"Ugh…" Vio clenched his fists.
He couldn't release his Liepard here.
Worse—how did Shauntal know he'd led that campaign?! Even the Rangers hadn't traced those Purrloin. How did this girl figure it out?
This was a complete failure.
Just like in Raven City.
His reputation—ruined!
"This is a trick! No such power exists! You're hiding something!" Vio snapped, pointing at Hikaru.
"You're a Pokémon Trainer? Then let's battle and settle the truth!"
"I don't like harming Pokémon—but if that's what it takes, I'll guide—no, correct you! That so-called ability to 'connect' with Pokémon is a fantasy! Only the chosen ones possess it!"
Hikaru shrugged. "That just means your understanding of the world is too narrow."
"Still, it's rare for a sage to challenge someone directly. Very well… Let me hear the voice of your Pokémon."
Vio stiffened.
That tone of voice…
Dammit. He's mimicking the King.
Wait—why does this guy seem familiar?
"Let me shatter your illusion! Cryogonal, use—!"
Vio threw his Poké Ball, releasing the snowflake-shaped Pokémon.
But before it could act—a massive dragon shadow loomed overhead.
FLAMETHROWER.
A roaring blaze engulfed Cryogonal, instantly defeating it.
Vio was launched by a massive headbutt—the gem on the dragon's forehead exploding with force. He crashed into his own grunts, coughing blood.
He stared up in horror.
"A-a legendary dragon?!"
Hikaru's pendant glowed faintly.
But before anything else happened, a shadowy figure appeared beside Vio—grabbing him and vanishing.
"What are you doing?! I have to redeem myself! That boy is a threat!"
One of the Shadow Triad whispered coldly:
"The King is preparing to summon the legendary ones. This is a moment to gather hearts. Do not disgrace yourself further."
"If your failure prevents the people of Mistralton from pledging their loyalty, you will bear a great sin. The battle at Celestial Tower… is about to begin!"
(End of Chapter)
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