ebonymovies Chapter 581 - 581: 579
Chapter 581 - 581: 579
On the night of the full moon, in Ilex Forest.Leaf said, "Where... is this place? Ilex Forest? But something feels wrong. Where did Pryce go? Or did we travel through time, like Ethan said?"
Hikaru said, "Not just time. We crossed space, too. And the Celebi summoned by the Time Flute and the GS Ball isn't the one I know."
In midair, Celebi, who had gathered light and energy around itself, was staring at the two of them.
Ethan had already experienced Ilex Forest's time-travel event once. In the games, it was a hidden event that could only be triggered by bringing along the Celebi described as having had a fateful encounter.
Historically speaking, however, this hidden event was certain to be triggered, because Giovanni was destined to be defeated at Tohjo Falls. Because of that, Giovanni formed an inseparable connection with time, and with Celebi.
Perhaps that was one of the prototypes behind why, in Generation VII, Rainbow Giovanni was able to cross time and gather Team Rainbow Rocket. Though in that case he used the resonant power of Ultra Necrozma, the result of traveling through time was the same.
Therefore, that "Celebi met in a fateful encounter," from the perspective of how it was distributed, was a Pokémon connected to the movie Zoroark: Master of Illusions. In short, it was the Celebi from Crown City in the Sinnoh region.
Its moves were Leaf Storm, Recover, Healing Wish, and Nasty Plot!
Bringing that Pokémon into HeartGold and SoulSilver allowed the player to trigger the Ilex Forest event and battle Giovanni.
Bringing that Pokémon into Black and White allowed the player to obtain Zorua in Castelia City.
However, in Generation VII, another Celebi was distributed to commemorate the Gold and Silver era. Its Original Trainer was shown as "Ilex," and its moves were very different from the other fated Celebi's.
Those moves were Heal Bell, Safeguard, and finally Ancient Power and Future Sight!
That proved the second Celebi was the true master of the Ilex Forest shrine.
"Although not having any Grass-type moves is very thought-provoking, you must be..."
The Celebi before Hikaru's eyes was naturally the one from Pokémon Adventures.
As a Pokémon capable of moving through time, it had also been called by the Time Flute to Celebi's forest during the previous "Encounter Across Time and Space."
Hikaru said, "Mm, this is really something! The Time Flute can summon Celebi, and although it's random, it brought over a character I don't know."
"If we look at it from the perspective of time, could the scene Steven once saw in his dream have been caused by you too?"
The unfamiliar Celebi stared quietly at Hikaru.
Then it sent out a slightly puzzled question.
You hold a Poké Ball that can capture time, yet you do nothing to me?
Hikaru said, "Oh, this? It's just a one-use imitation."
"I'm neither the Rainbow Hero nor the Ocean Hero, so how could I possibly obtain both the Rainbow Wing and the Silver Wing? Though someone like that really does exist. A boy who once rode Lugia to quell a disaster, and was also favored by Ho-Oh."
Celebi nodded, then sent over its thoughts.
As for the situation happening now...
You must borrow the Red Chain!
That object does not yet exist in this world!
"Oh, I know what time period this is now. This is a short trip!"
"We swapped out old man Pryce. But changing players at the last second is a huge taboo!"
Hikaru looked at the white-capped girl beside him, who seemed somewhat lost.
"In that case, Leaf, we've arrived in a new parallel world. As a legendary investigator, it's time for you to get to work."
"Time-space jump complete. First thing after landing: make a SAN check!"
"Psychological condition stable, no abnormalities. Critical success!"
That said, when Celebi was escorting you through the flow of time and space, memory loss or fuzzy memories basically would not happen at all.
In that regard, Dialga and Celebi's official, genuine-brand time-travel channels really did have unbeatable after-sales support!
The little turtle's unofficial channel was a little worse, but the upside was that it could also make tiny changes to history, create closed time loops, and so on. It might not be official, but at least it had a passport, so it could still count as an authorized channel.
Meanwhile, traveling through Ultra Necrozma's power and Ultra Wormholes was basically illegal border crossing, and forced abduction at that!
Because they were undocumented stowaways, they lost all their memories and property. Looker, Anabel, Mohn, even Ingo. Wasn't that exactly what happened to all of them?
Did those Trainers really want to cross illegally?
Leaf said, "Mm, I don't really know what you're talking about, but I do feel it."
"You feel uneasy, but you don't know where that unease is coming from?"
"Still, this feeling is a lot like the sense of danger before meeting a Legendary Pokémon, so I guess the check was a critical success!"
Hikaru laughed.
The legendary craftsman and the legendary investigator had suddenly run straight into a Cthulhu set!
The sky was dark. In Ilex Forest, a man in black, wearing a hat and a coat, appeared. The gravely ill man in black stared in shock at Celebi, Hikaru, and Leaf before the shrine.
"...Are you the Kanto Trainer, Blue?"
Leaf waved her hand. "You mean Green? I'm not her!"
"Huh? But you look familiar somehow! Who are you?"
Hikaru pointed at the man in the coat ahead of them. "Obviously, that's Team Rocket's boss, Giovanni! Didn't Ethan say so? When he traveled through time, the first person he saw was Giovanni, and then he fought Giovanni again at Tohjo Falls. Now that we've crossed over, the one welcoming us is still Giovanni!"
"Team Rocket's boss really is a major figure in every world!"
The world they were in now was a parallel Ilex Forest.
Since it had been confirmed as the world of the Pokémon Adventures manga, who else would appear in Ilex Forest at this point in time?
Of course it would be the manga version of Giovanni, gravely ill and beyond saving, who had come in pursuit of Celebi to seek the legendary herb said to cure all diseases!
The true Giovanni of the earth, Silver's father, the man who once held Silver aloft amid a sea of flames!
One interesting point, however, was that the name "Silver" did not change no matter which world it was. In other words, Silver was always Silver, and he was always Giovanni's son.
And the current point in time was:
The Sinjoh Ruins arc!
In Pokémon Adventures, old man Pryce spent ten years abducting children and training them so he could save his Lapras. He attempted to capture Celebi, but after he was defeated by the Pokédex holders, he became lost in the cracks of time.
It was not until the Sinjoh Ruins arc that Celebi sent him back from the cracks of time.
Because of that, old man Pryce also counted as a "time-space explorer." That special occupation was extremely risky. For example, the protagonist of the Mystery Dungeon world was attacked while traveling through time and space, lost all memory, and turned directly into a Pokémon.
Sometimes, even the official time-travel channels could be dangerous.
"You actually know who I am. Who are you people?"
The hat-wearing Giovanni looked grim. He did not give an order directly, but the towering Ursaring beside him had already launched the first attack!
Here it came! The Pokémon Adventures world's unique rule: attack the Trainer first!
"Whoa! A surprise attack! Are you really Giovanni?!"
Leaf was startled by the sudden assault, but as a legendary investigator, she immediately took out a Poké Ball.
She had traveled to many distant places, and of course she had been attacked by wild Pokémon before. Because of that, she had trained herself into a remarkably agile fighter. Yet just as she was about to counterattack, she saw...
Ursaring shuddered as if struck by a heavy blow and staggered backward. Even Giovanni was shocked!
"You want to say, 'This is the Ursaring my son raised. It's extremely powerful, and there's no way it could be knocked down in one hit,' right?"
"Especially by a human!"
At some point, Hikaru had raised the Great Sword of Instant. This weapon from Pokémon Adventures, modeled after a legendary divine blade, was especially suited for use in this world!
The Ursaring before them had been raised by Silver. After the FireRed and LeafGreen arc, it had always followed Giovanni, so it returned during the Sinjoh Ruins arc. Its battle opponent was Giratina, one of the three dragons of time and space.
Considering that Gold's entire team had reached Level 80+ during this arc, Silver's team should not have been far behind. This Ursaring was probably...
Around Level 80!
"But its durability is too weak, and its Ability doesn't seem to be Guts either. Come back after you evolve into Ursaluna!"
Hikaru waved the device in his hand, thrust the sword into the ground, then took out a card.
"Perfect time to test whether I can summon across distant time!"
"If Terapagos's power is mixed in, there shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Trace the crest of light and adorn the heavens!"
"Ranger Sign! Summon! Bloodmoon Ursaluna!"
With a burst of enormous light, traces of light appeared in the sky. The bear-face-like sign illuminated Ilex Forest!
Then a gigantic bear appeared, its body wrapped in mud and a blood moon rising over its head!
"Bi?!"
Even the unfamiliar Celebi was shocked. Just now, it had sensed power that transcended time and space, and more than one kind!
Among them, there even seemed to be the power of another Celebi!
"So that's how it is." Hikaru understood from the unfamiliar Celebi's thoughts.
Ranger Signs were originally something used by the ancient hero of Oblivia. However, that hero seemed to be the Pokémon Ranger himself, the protagonist of the third Ranger game, who used Celebi's power to travel to the past and leave behind the signs of light for Ho-Oh's guards.
And after the little turtle's power was mixed in, a traversal ability similar to the Crystal Pool's time-space paradox was produced.
Terastal energy really was far too versatile!
"Battle time: one minute!"
The time it could cross over was limited. Bloodmoon Ursaluna also sensed that this place did not seem to be the space where it lived. As one born in Hisui, who had changed habitats and left its homeland behind, it was extremely sensitive to changes in space!
"Gagao?!"
When Giovanni's Ursaring saw this huge Pokémon that was similar to itself, yet completely different, it was instantly startled.
What was going on? It was already a strong individual among its own kind, but this thing was even bigger than it was?!
Hikaru raised a finger.
"Blood Moon."
There was no fancy maneuvering at all. It simply fired the strongest version of its signature ultimate move straight ahead!
Bloodmoon Ursaluna possessed a Special Attack base stat as high as 135!
It fired all of its force from the blood-red full moon. This move could not be used twice in a row!
Base power 140! After same-type attack bonus, its power reached a shocking 210!
And tonight, in the Pokémon Adventures world, was the night of the full moon!
The blood-red light slammed into Ursaring and swallowed it completely. Under Giovanni's utterly shocked gaze, this great bear, raised in turn by Silver and Giovanni, blessed with excellent potential, was cleanly and decisively defeated!
"Huff!"
Bloodmoon Ursaluna sensed that the Ursaring before it was not actually to be underestimated. In terms of sheer presence, it even seemed slightly stronger than itself.
However, a few years of training could not surpass several hundred years of tempering. And apart from power, there were also species changes and stats to consider!
"Those stats are really something. Thanks for the help, Bloodmoon!"
"Ugaus. You're welcome!"
Light and mist appeared around Bloodmoon Ursaluna. It clenched its claws and looked at the Ursaring as it tried to crawl back up in a sorry state. Then it suddenly raised one claw.
After its species had shifted completely toward Special Attack, it had even learned an incredible move. This move... you didn't know it, did you?
Hikaru said, "Vacuum Wave!"
In competitive battles, to guard against weakened enemies firing off high-speed moves, Bloodmoon Ursaluna's moveset generally carried Vacuum Wave!
A Fighting-type priority move, and when it hit a Normal-type Pokémon, the damage was doubled!
After firing off two moves, the light around Bloodmoon Ursaluna flared brightly. It vanished from Ilex Forest's battlefield and returned to its original time-space!
Hikaru said, "Ah, so if it battles, it consumes energy even faster. So this wasn't a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster card summon. It was more like summoning an Ultraman through an Ultra Sign."
Or perhaps, "This card is destroyed during the End Phase"?
Although it could still continue fighting for about thirty seconds, there was no need. Giovanni's Ursaring had already been knocked flat.
Uh.
Then, seeing Giovanni clutching his heart weakly, Hikaru realized something awful.
If this Ursaring was defeated, who was supposed to fight Giratina in the Pokémon Adventures world?
The answer was: Leaf!
"How is this possible? To defeat my Ursaring so easily... and you even know about my son. Who exactly are you people?!"
"That female Trainer looks like Blue from Pallet Town, but I have never seen you before! You're not from Kanto or Johto!"
Hikaru shrugged. "Of course not. I'm from Sinjoh."
"Sinjoh?!" Shock appeared on Giovanni's face, and at the same time, he seemed to remember something. During his own investigations, while seeking the medicine that could cure his illness, he had obtained some information in passing. He had thought those stories were nothing more than unrealistic legends.
"Do you recognize this?"
Hikaru thought of something and took a green badge from his chest, one shaped like a rice stalk.
"That is... the Earth Badge?! I don't remember giving a badge to someone like you. And this badge is an Ability Badge?"
"I see. Could you people be... ngh!"
Giovanni clutched his chest, looking extremely pained. He gasped and sat down. At that moment, the sound of someone being defeated came from the side.
"Hah! There were Team Rocket members hiding in the grass and spying on us. That scared me!"
At some point, Leaf's Venusaur had been released. It used Frenzy Plant and directly sent the three people in the grass flying!
She opened with an ultimate move!
Mm, although Pallet Town's Four Heavenly Kings had set out at the same time, adding Ash meant there were five members of the "Four Heavenly Kings."
However, Red had all the starter Pokémon, with Charizard as the leader.
Leaf, following the Pokémon Masters EX setup, used Venusaur.
As for Blue and Green, both of them used Blastoise.
"Ken, Ryo, and Harry. They're Team Rocket squad leaders from the Kanto branch, members of Team Rocket loyal to Giovanni."
Hikaru stated the identities of the three Team Rocket members who had been knocked out.
These three were also characters unique to Pokémon Adventures. In the early stages, they had a little bit of presence, but later on, they directly devolved into gag characters. Actually, if you looked at it that way, it was a kind of enhancement!
Vegeta once said a famous line: if someone was absurdly strong, they had to be a gag character!
Seeing the three squad leaders knocked down in one hit, Giovanni became even more certain.
"Blue from Pallet Town is a clever girl. Precisely because she's so clever, even among the Pokédex holders, while she is somewhat strong, she is absolutely not as absurd as you."
"So you really are people from another world. You were brought back to Ilex Forest by Celebi. The rumor that obtaining Celebi allows one to travel through time and space was proven long ago by old man Pryce, but I never imagined it could even bring over people from other time-spaces!"
"Mythical Pokémon truly are incredible. They say that whenever Celebi appears, a bright future will follow."
That was what Giovanni said.
But in this world, he was gravely ill and had little time left. Clearly, his future could not be called bright.
Hikaru said, "You don't seem to have much time left."
Sitting on the ground, Giovanni smiled without concern. "Hmph. I knew long ago that this would be the result. That is why I committed every evil act I could. All of this is retribution."
"Wait, Boss Giovanni! Don't fight old man Pryce!"
A shout came from the sky under the full moon. Someone had rushed here from the distant Ruins of Alph. It was a young man in a cape riding a Dragonite!
"Huh! Is that Lance?!"
Leaf looked in surprise at the person appearing in the sky, then turned toward Hikaru. "Also! Shopkeeper, what was that thing you used just now?!"
"You clearly had Pokémon with you, but instead of using them, you used something like a card! That looked amazing!"
Hikaru said, "It's an ancient crest used by the ancient hero of the distant Oblivia region. Very impressive, right? I combined it with special technology and energy to make it into the form of a card. When two cones of light pierce each other, even time and space can be transcended."
"Also, the Lance of this parallel world isn't exactly a good person. Of course, he has already turned over a new leaf."
"To distinguish him, let's call him young Lance."
In this arc, the Pokémon Adventures version of Lance really could be called a "little savior," right? Unfortunately, he did not have a Dragon Sword.
Also, compared to game Lance and anime Lance, Adventures Lance was even younger. He was basically a young man around twenty, while the other versions of Lance were already nearing a midlife crisis. The difference lay in whether there was hair on the forehead.
At the same time, young Lance's birthplace was Viridian Forest, when in fact Lance's hometown was Blackthorn City. Those two places were miles apart.
At that moment, young Lance, who had descended from the sky, also looked utterly bewildered.
"Pryce... Where did Pryce go?! What... What do we do now?!"
Young Lance had originally come here to receive Pryce. Pryce, lost in the cracks of time, had sent him a message and revealed the future destruction of Sinnoh and Johto. Because of that, Lance had sent a message to Professor Oak, asking him to dispatch the Pokédex holders to help in the battle.
Old man Pryce would return to Ilex Forest on the night of the full moon. On the way here, young Lance had seen Giovanni from a distance, and his heart immediately sank.
Pryce and Giovanni had a deep grudge between them!
The reason Giovanni founded Team Rocket was precisely to search for his lost son, and his son, Silver, had been abducted by Pryce!
But the conflict he had originally envisioned was a battle between Giovanni and Pryce. How had it become a fight with two strangers instead?
When he saw Leaf, young Lance was stunned. "You... You're not Blue from Pallet Town?! The Pokédex holder, the Evolver! Professor Oak sent you here too?!"
Leaf said, "Huh! You've got the wrong person! I'm not someone named Blue! My name is Leaf!"
Hikaru said, "Pokédex holder actually isn't wrong, is it? Leaf, don't you have a Pokédex too?"
Leaf took out her Pokédex. "Oh, this... Huh, Shopkeeper, you have one too? But yours is a different model."
The Unova Pokédex looked like a slide phone, completely different from the Pokédexes of the previous few generations.
"A... a Pokédex holder, but with a Pokédex I've never seen before?!"
Young Lance was completely confused.
Was this right?
No, actually, don't say it like that. This really was a Pokédex holder! The process was all wrong, but the result was correct!
Young Lance's expression suddenly became serious.
"Although I don't know who you are, the fact that you can defeat Giovanni means you are extremely powerful! Since you are also Pokédex holders, there is a very urgent situation I hope you can help with!"
"This concerns the survival of this region! For the continued existence of the Pokémon and humans of this world... If old man Pryce is not here, we have no way to deal with the current situation."
"And you, Boss Giovanni. This is also to protect your son, Silver. Could you work together with us?!"
"Please, you must believe me!"
Hikaru said, "The Sinjoh Ruins, right? Hah. For someone like me, who carries the Red Chain, the formula for victory has already been decided."
Young Lance said, "How... How do you know about Sinjoh?!"
Hikaru said, "Of course I know. That is my homeland."
"Before the universe was born, only it breathed alone."
"Where the universe was born is also where it originated."
"When the universe was born, its fragments became Plates."
"The Pokémon that were born received portions of the Plates' power."
"Those who wield the Plates can take on many forms and exercise that power."
"It made the two beings of time and space into its avatars and banished them upon the earth. It bestowed matter upon the two, and bestowed spirit upon the third. It blessed and created, allowing the world to take shape."
Hikaru looked at young Lance and Giovanni, whose faces were filled with shock.
"I know what old man Pryce knew more clearly than he did. And these inscriptions do not end there."
As Hikaru spoke, he put away the great sword as if performing a magic trick, then picked up the Spiky-eared Pichu hidden in the grass. The little one looked around in fear until Victini also appeared on Hikaru's shoulder. Only then did it seem to relax slightly.
No matter what, having another of its own kind nearby could bring a little peace of mind, even if that other one was an enemy.
Hikaru looked at Leaf. "Come on, let's go to Sinjoh! Take out the key, make the necessary turn, and speak the correct incantation. This ritual has taken effect with astonishing speed."
"Passing through the Gate of the Silver Key, the true one came before the One who unites all things."
"Leaf, the investigation begins!"
(End of Chapter)
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