"It looks like Giratina isn't as scary as the legends make it out to be, meow," Meowth said, staring at Giratina's retreating figure.
"But that means, if Giratina is here, this must be Giratina's Reverse World, right?" James asked thoughtfully.
"Seems like it," Jessie agreed. "Now the real problem is figuring out how we're going to get out of this crazy place!"
However, Meowth was distracted by another thought.
"If Giratina is that strong, do you think the boss would want to capture it, meow?" Meowth asked, tilting her head.
"I don't think so," James replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "If I remember right, Giratina belongs to the Cyclizar Mask, and from what I know, his strength isn't just about Giratina."
James continued calmly, "Knowing the boss, he wouldn't want to pick a fight with someone like that. He'd more likely try to get on their good side instead."
"Yeah, you're right, meow," Meowth nodded. After all, anyone powerful enough to stop Groudon and Kyogre's battle wasn't someone to mess with. Getting on their bad side could lead to serious trouble.
Hearing their casual conversation, a vein popped on Jessie's forehead. She grabbed Meowth by the scruff of the neck with one hand and seized James by the collar with the other, gritting her teeth.
"Hey, you two! Forget that! Think about how we're going to get out of this messed-up place first!"
...
Naoki Ranch, 1:00 PM.
After returning from the Shrine of Abundance on the mountainside, Professor Oak led the children to visit Naoki's Wooloo pen to observe the Wooloo's living habits up close.
Meanwhile, Naoki stayed back in the living room, anxiously trying to get updates from Giratina through the Rotom Phone.
[Gold King: Rotom, what's the situation over there?]
Rotom, who had tucked itself nervously into a gap in Giratina's shell, was shaking in fear.
Seeing Naoki's message, Rotom quickly responded using Giratina's account.
[Giratina: I'm not sure, but it looks like Giratina can't leave the Reverse World!]
[Giratina: I saw it flying around in circles, like it's looking for something!]
Reading the messages, Naoki quickly pieced things together.
It must be looking for Shaymin!
Shaymin's Seed Flare had the power to break through Dialga's restraints and open a passage from the Reverse World to the real world!
The Shaymin from the anime was a little special; not only could it use telepathy to communicate directly with humans, but it also had a rather proud and bossy personality.
It especially loved ordering people around. Ash couldn't help but grumble about it a few times, only for Shaymin to hold a grudge against him afterward.
It often perched itself on Ash's head, making itself quite at home, much to Ash's annoyance.
But all of that was just Shaymin's outward appearance.
Naoki clearly remembered that, at the end of the movie, Shaymin admitted to Ash that it had never really hated him. In fact, it was deeply grateful for everything Ash and his friends had done to help it.
Oh, right, Ash!
If he could just contact Ash and hint that Giratina wasn't trying to hurt anyone, but only wanted to break Dialga's seal with Shaymin's Seed Flare, this whole misunderstanding could be cleared up!
But there was a problem: Naoki didn't have Ash's phone number.
The last time Naoki and Ash met had been a year ago.
At that time, Jirachi had just woken from its long slumber, and Ash and his friends had brought it to the ranch under the guidance of the Grand Hero Expedition Team.
Although Ash had called afterward to check on Jirachi's condition, he had used the video phone at the Pokémon Center.
It didn't seem like Ash even had a Rotom Phone back then.
Just then, Gary Oak walked in from outside. He had come to borrow some Pokémon medicine to treat a few injured Pokémon from a battle.
Hearing Gary's request, Naoki stood up and handed him a few bottles of freshly collected Life Goat Milk.
"The ranch's specialty works even better than medicine," Naoki said with a smile. "Take it."
Life Goat Milk? Gary thought. Fresh milk from Gogoat really could help Pokémon recover their strength.
He thanked Naoki and was about to leave when he noticed the thoughtful frown on Naoki's face.
Gary paused and couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Naoki, is something bothering you?"
"No, not exactly," Naoki replied. Then, seeing Gary here, a thought struck him. Maybe Gary could help him get Ash's number!
"By the way, Gary, you're also a trainer from Pallet Town, right?"
Gary nodded. "Yeah. Why do you ask?"
"Because I met another trainer from Pallet Town not long ago," Naoki said with a smile. "His name's Ash. You know him, right?"
'Ash.'
Gary nodded again. "Of course. We both started our journeys together from Pallet Town years ago."
"Haha, what are you talking about?"
At that moment, Professor Oak walked in from outside. He had come to check why Gary hadn't returned yet and happened to overhear them mentioning Ash's name.
Naoki was just about to explain when, suddenly, Professor Oak's Rotom Phone rang.
"Huh? Hold on, I need to take this call," Professor Oak said as he pulled out his Rotom Phone and answered.
Ash's face appeared on the screen.
Professor Oak's expression brightened immediately. "Ash? Are you calling from a Pokémon Center?"
"Yes, Professor Oak," Ash nodded. "I have something important to report."
Ash was about to tell Professor Oak about the Pokémon he encountered when he suddenly noticed Gary and Naoki standing behind him.
Ash froze in surprise. "Gary? And Mr. Naoki? What are you doing there?"
"Haha!" Professor Oak chuckled. "We're currently in the Paldea region. Gary and I brought a group of kids here to attend a summer camp at Naoki's ranch."
Naoki: "..."
'What a coincidence.'
"I see!" Ash exclaimed, suddenly understanding. He continued, "By the way, Professor Oak, something happened today."
Ash turned slightly, and soon Dawn appeared beside him, holding Shaymin in her arms.
Professor Oak's eyes widened in surprise when he saw the Pokémon. "Is that... Shaymin, the Gratitude Pokémon?"
"That's right," Ash confirmed with a nod and began to explain everything that had happened that day.
He recounted how they had met Shaymin, how they were sucked into the Reverse World by Giratina, and how they met a man named Newton Graceland, who helped them escape and return to the real world.
"Shaymin was almost eaten!" Shaymin cried out fearfully from Dawn's arms.
"Huh?" Professor Oak frowned deeply.
'Giratina... trying to eat Shaymin?'
'Was there some unknown food chain link between those two Pokémon?'
'That didn't seem right.'
From what he knew, Legendary Pokémon like Giratina didn't require food in the traditional sense and rarely attacked other Pokémon without a very specific reason.
There had been no recorded instances of Giratina hunting Shaymin, or any other Pokémon, over the past hundred years.
"By the way, Mr. Newton also told us something else," Ash added. "He said that the battle between Dialga and Palkia in Alamos Town affected Giratina's Reverse World, making Giratina really angry. It started chasing Dialga and dragged it into the Reverse World."
"But because of Shaymin's Seed Flare, Dialga escaped, and after that, Giratina began chasing after Shaymin."
Naoki: "..."
'Chasing Shaymin!'
Although Giratina had a bit of a bad temper, Naoki thought it wasn't the kind of Pokémon that would actually hunt down a weak Pokémon like Shaymin.
'Then again...'
Naoki recalled the first time he met Giratina and was bombarded by it for over half an hour.
'Maybe... it wasn't entirely impossible.'
"Is the Reverse World affected by Dialga and Palkia too?" Professor Oak muttered thoughtfully. The relationship between the real world and the Reverse World was truly fascinating.
Seizing the moment, Naoki spoke up. "By the way, Ash, you mentioned that Dialga used its power and Giratina was trapped inside the Reverse World, right?"
"Yeah!" Ash nodded firmly.
"I think I might know why Giratina is chasing Shaymin," Naoki said, hinting at the truth.
Ash, on the other end of the call blinked in surprise. "Really? Why?"
"You said Shaymin used Seed Flare and opened a path, allowing Dialga to escape the Reverse World," Naoki continued. "And after Dialga left, it used its powers to seal the Reverse World, trapping Giratina inside."
"Exactly," Ash nodded again.
"Then maybe... Giratina saw that Shaymin could create a path between the Reverse World and the real world. Since Shaymin helped Dialga escape, Giratina now wants Shaymin to use that power again, not to hurt Shaymin, but to help it break free of Dialga's blockade," Naoki explained.
Everyone fell silent, stunned by the realization.
Ash, Dawn, and Brock all lowered their gazes to look at Shaymin.
Shaymin, too, fell into deep thought.
After a long pause, Shaymin finally muttered, "Shaymin was so scared back then. I used Seed Flare without thinking!"
"That's it!" Naoki said, clapping his hands lightly.
Shaymin's eyes widened in understanding. "So... if Shaymin uses Seed Flare again, Giratina won't eat Shaymin?"
Naoki: "..."
Giratina probably wasn't planning on eating Shaymin to begin with. It was likely far more focused on chasing down Dialga and Palkia for revenge.
"So that's how it is!" Dawn exclaimed, finally understanding. She thought back, Giratina had multiple chances to attack them earlier but never did.
"In that case, let's go find Giratina and use Seed Flare to help it break free!" Ash declared decisively.
"Hmm. If Giratina is released, it will probably go back to searching for Dialga and Palkia..." Professor Oak pondered aloud.
"But since both of them have likely returned to their own dimensions by now, even if the Reverse World's seal is lifted, it shouldn't cause any more trouble. Don't worry, go ahead, Ash!"
"Right!" Ash replied, full of energy.
...
Bonus Chapter
Read upto 60 chapters ahead @patreon.com/Keepsmiling818