...
In the distant northern lands, a certain fairy tale had been passed down through the generations.
The heroes of the past and the heroes of the future joined forces to end the war that swept across the northern lands. The power of Aura crossed through time like a host of stars racing across the heavens, causing the World Tree to shine. Its light parted the clouds and separated the boundaries of life and death.
The legendary Mew, which lived inside the World Tree and shared its existence with that colossal life-form of stone, experienced everything firsthand.
Mew felt that the moment from one thousand years ago was exactly the same as the present.
So it had already seen all of this back then.
The power that surged forth from that distant era had belonged to...
All of its friends!
"Mew!"
["Today is the happiest day ever!"]
Mew often visited Cameran Palace to play, giving rise to the fairy tale that [those who saw Mew would be blessed with happiness].
But Mew itself had always been alone.
It had never known lasting happiness.
And now...
["My friends! So many friends! We've been friends for a thousand years! Are you all staying here? Or... are you leaving?"]
Mew eagerly awaited their answer.
What it received instead was...
A badge?
["Is this a new toy?"]
"It's an Explorer Badge."
Mew blinked and pricked up its ears, carefully listening to its friend's explanation.
"It contains a mysterious power that can send a Pokémon you rescue inside a Mystery Dungeon back to the guild. As your exploration team's rank increases, the badge will change its appearance. You only need to designate a destination for the teleportation."
"As for the exploration team we're forming, I think we should call it [Team Victory]. What do you think? After all, we have Victini as a team member, and its shooting skills are second to none..."
Hmm?
Team member Victini?
Mew looked at the invisible little Pokémon flashing it a victory sign.
Victini might have been invisible, but how could such a basic level of invisibility escape Mew's eyes?
I'm the real master of that!
A master like me must be amazing at turning invisible!
Its friend continued offering instructions.
Mew listened attentively and committed every warning to memory. The light in its eyes grew brighter, and its heart filled with ever greater joy.
"The World Tree is in excellent condition now. The distant Tree of Life shared some of its power with it. The rainbow-colored radiance surrounding this place indicates that the World Tree is Evolving further toward the state Master Glenn described, becoming a Synergy Stone."
"In other words, you no longer need to worry about its decline. It will continue living for an incredibly long time, perhaps until every trace of our existence has completely disappeared from this world."
"The ancient Pokémon living here will benefit from that, and so will you."
"Its vitality has grown much stronger. That isn't solely because of the power shared by the Tree of Life. It also received the Aura we gave it, along with the explosive surge of life energy caused by Mega Evolution. Victini's limitless power also contributed."
"Your connection to the Tree of Beginning remains extremely close, but it appears you can now travel slightly farther away from it."
"How about exploring Kanto, Johto, or Sinnoh first?"
"If you rely solely on your own power, the farthest region you should be able to reach is Hoenn. You should have enough strength to visit Faraway Island. You haven't returned to your homeland in a very long time, have you?"
"But Guyana is still beyond your reach. I'm sorry."
"Of course, no matter where you go, you must remember to come home on time."
"To prevent anything from keeping you from returning, I'm also giving you some cards..."
"Listen carefully, Mew. These aren't cards used to summon Pokémon. They are [Entercards] that activate a [Magnagate]. Once you've made your preparations, you can open a path to a distant location whenever you want."
"I left [gates] at special locations throughout the world during my travels. By connecting those gates, you can visit the places I've been. That will greatly expand the number of regions you can reach."
"My homeland in Sinjoh, Dragonspiral Tower in Unova, Area Zero in Paldea, Ilex Forest in Johto, Sky Pillar in Hoenn, the Crown Tundra in Galar, Spear Pillar in Sinnoh, and Almia Castle."
"Travel to your heart's content and observe this world. Release the loneliness you've carried for a thousand years. And then..."
"Of course, I doubt anyone in this world could discover your true identity or restrain you. Even so, you should learn how to distinguish kindhearted people from those harboring malicious intentions."
"For you, the easiest method would be sensing their Aura."
"I believe that you, other Mew, and even Mewtwo will reveal yourselves to those who possess a [pure and powerful desire to meet you]. That's probably because you can feel the purity and goodwill within their Aura."
From now on, Mew could go wherever it wanted!
It still shared a symbiotic relationship with the stone Tree, but it could now travel farther away without worrying.
In that case, these badges and cards were like...
Tickets that would always bring it home!
"Mew!"
Mew nodded rapidly like a baby Torchic pecking at grain.
After thinking for a moment, however, it shook its head just as vigorously.
Mm-hmm! You're right!
But...
I don't really understand!
It's probably something like that! Maybe! Probably!
I'm Team Member Mew!
I'm a loaf of bread!
["But what's a guild...? Hmm, it's a place where Pokémon accept missions and travel around on adventures? Oh! Is it like those Pokémon inside the dream world? Ever since you told me about it, I've occasionally been able to connect to that dream... It's so much fun in there!"]
["I've decided! I'm going to create a guild! This will be the headquarters of Mew's Guild, and I'll be... both an explorer and Guildmaster Mew!"]
Its friend laughed encouragingly beside it.
"Then, from this day forward..."
"Wherever a Hero of Aura appears, Mew will appear at their side."
"Aura will grant Mew strength, and Mew will bring the Guardians a pure future."
But before that...
Mew decided it might need to install something within the World Tree that would help it understand the world.
Its friend handed it a golden Pokégear.
"Learn the human language and how to read human writing. Start with the ancient language of the Unown and the various derivative scripts that evolved from it."
"A Guildmaster needs to be educated. Extremely educated."
"Once you've learned how to write, you can keep a diary. You could also transform into a human and create drawings. Your fairy tales, literature, and other works could spread across the world, just like the legend of Sir Aaron."
"By then, perhaps you could even become Professor Mew."
"And then..."
"Even if the world itself disappears, you can assume our forms in an empty world, gather the Pokémon together, and rebuild these homelands."
That would be Mew's very own little world-building adventure.
In other words, Pokémon Pokopia!
"Right, there's one more thing."
"After becoming a member of an exploration team or rescue team, you can occasionally use a special mailbox to receive something random from a distant world..."
"An issue of [Pokémon News]."
Naturally, Mew examined the newspaper's indecipherable messages and notices.
It turned the paper over several times, pretending to understand it, before vigorously shaking its head.
["What does this say?! It's written in another world's language! Even Professor Mew can't read it!"]
The newspaper actually contained a wanted notice for a "Pokémon."
However, it did not provide the Pokémon's appearance.
The poster only depicted a blurry black silhouette.
...
It was a [worldwide bulletin] from the world of Explorers of Sky.
The world of Explorers of Sky existed within the endless reaches of distant time and space. It was a world created by a certain Arceus and contained six continents and seven seas.
Humans had once lived in that world's distant past, making it no different from countless other worlds.
But at some unknown point, humanity gradually disappeared.
Eventually, not even the smallest tribal communities could sustain themselves. Humans became legendary creatures within that world, while Pokémon developed intelligence and established a culture with a long and storied history.
It became a vast world inhabited solely by Pokémon, who lived, worked, produced goods, developed civilizations, carried out rescues, and embarked on explorations.
The world contained many incomprehensible locations and Mystery Dungeons. Some seemed to form naturally, while others appeared to have been created by some greater power.
As their intelligence grew, once-innocent Pokémon were influenced by a certain force. They began developing concepts of good and evil, along with countless different ideologies, just like humans.
The Mystery Dungeons contained many treasures.
Pokémon drawn by legends of wealth, power, moves, and other wonders became members of "exploration teams."
They were the equivalent of adventurers in human society.
Organizations formed to rescue Pokémon endangered within Mystery Dungeons and resolve everyone's problems were known as "rescue teams."
Legends claimed that humans who fell into that world would be reincarnated as Pokémon.
Supposedly, more than one human had transformed into a Pokémon.
["This wanted notice has been issued by Sheriff Nidoking and Officer Magnezone's police force."]
["On a stormy night, a thief entered Treeshroud Forest and stole the precious... [Time Gear]! A substantial reward is being offered... This notice shall be distributed throughout the world..."]
["A strange phenomenon has appeared in Treeshroud Forest. The wind no longer blows, the clouds no longer move, and the dew no longer falls from the leaves. Every droplet remains suspended in the air as if frozen! It is as though time itself has stopped... What an outrageously brazen thief!"]
["Sheriff Nidoking offered the following blunt assessment: Since the dawn of the Great Exploration Era, there have been far more criminals than there ever were during the Rescue Team Era! We can't possibly catch them all!"]
["Every Pokémon Guild will receive this message. Please deploy your exploration and rescue teams to conduct searches and remain vigilant. If you discover even the smallest clue, contact us immediately! Our contact information is..."]
["Everyone is asked to focus their efforts on... bringing these criminals to justice with all available force..."]
Hikaru looked at the wanted poster and laughed.
"The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon world was created with Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer as its inspiration."
"That world has survived to the present day because of the power wielded by an ancient Mew."
The poster did not show the thief's face.
In other words, it had been published before the guild embarked on a certain [expedition] in Explorers of Sky.
However, the news Hikaru received from distant universes was entirely random.
Some of it was nothing but sensational clickbait with no useful information whatsoever.
Even so, sending this particular wanted notice all the way to Mew's Guild was quite a leap.
Was it because Aura had transcended time and space?
Had another world's space-time fallen into chaos?
Or was the confusion occurring across multiple timelines?
There was no need to worry about it yet.
This was merely a small and amusing coincidence.
"The faceless thief on this wanted poster is..."
"Grovyle."
Meanwhile, the heroes surrounding Mew were engaged in an enthusiastic discussion about Aura and Mew.
Everything had finally calmed down.
At last, they could properly admire the little Pokémon.
Green looked at the badge in her hand.
Every Hero of Aura had received an identical badge.
"So Mewtwo and I have joined this exploration team too!"
Mew gradually lost itself amid everyone's repeated praise of "Guildmaster."
Its tail rose proudly, and it began performing somersaults through the air.
Call me Guildmaster a few more times, and I'll show you a chain of backflips!
I'll even let you play with every toy I collected over the past thousand years!
"Mew!"
It was starting to feel a little dizzy!
"For the world's first Mew, you're certainly making a ridiculous spectacle of yourself," Mewtwo remarked.
Despite its criticism, Mewtwo was smiling.
"We'll bring the Guildmaster new treasures in the future. Not merely toys, either. Then again... perhaps toys produced by the new world are more entertaining than those antiques from the old world."
"And then..."
"This must be a gift from the World Tree."
Mewtwo looked at the stone in its hand.
It had the shape of a dodecahedron.
It was the same type of Synergy Stone carried by Master Glenn.
Unlike a Key Stone, a Synergy Stone could grant Pokémon incapable of Mega Evolution power equivalent to Mega Evolution.
In other words...
"That's a Synergy Stone," Hikaru said. "In terms of function, it's the same kind of thing as an Emera."
"An Emera?" Mewtwo asked.
"It's an extremely powerful stone from another world, even stronger than a Synergy Stone. If we ranked them by energy level and differences in their effects, the order would probably be [Emera], [Synergy Stone], and then [Key Stone]."
After all, the first two were treasures from spin-off regions.
To match or even surpass the mainline games, they naturally required additional lore that served the setting and local culture of their respective worlds.
As for the Key Stone...
It was not exactly inferior.
The enormous Key Stone in Hoenn, known as the [Divine Body], had simply gone missing.
If it still existed, perhaps it could produce unique effects of its own.
Of course, the first two stones also possessed the advantage of not occupying a Pokémon's held-item slot.
There was a reason Key Stones and Mega Stones were treated as two separate items.
The Pokémon needed to hold one of them.
"Mega Evolution without taking up the held-item slot is ridiculously powerful! Compared with that, the greatest advantage possessed by Ferrum's experts isn't their ability to unleash massive finishing moves..."
"It's that they don't need to sacrifice their held-item slot."
"Then again, practically everyone there having Unseen Fist is terrifying too..."
As Hikaru considered this, he understood that the appearance of the Synergy Stones signified the World Tree's awakening and growth.
It had completely escaped its period of decline and gained a second life.
"We should return to Johto next," Hikaru said. "The award ceremony hasn't started yet, has it? Hmm... We can't let everyone return empty-handed either."
"Huh?" Candice stared at him. "What are you talking about, Manager? We've already obtained priceless treasures. We gained Aura and Synergy Stones, and we even met Mew..."
"Could it be that you're planning to..." Silver began.
"The legend of Ilex Forest?" Green asked. "But that medicine should be... Wait. Are you saying its ingredients can be gathered in Ilex Forest? Ha ha..."
"They can indeed be gathered in Ilex Forest," Hikaru said.
"I don't know the exact formula, but I know the region where its ingredients grow. Every herb required for the medicine can be found inside Ilex Forest."
"For Pokémon, the legendary medicine is even more powerful than a [Full Restore]. For humans, it can heal any disease or injury."
"However, since it is a legendary formula, the herbs it requires are naturally difficult to cultivate. They cannot be grown on a large scale."
"For me, the legendary medicine itself isn't important. What matters is its formula."
"I once saw Celebi gathering the corresponding medicinal herbs. We'll record the formula, and then you can take it back to your respective regions!"
"Books about us were passed down in Cameran Palace?!" Korrina exclaimed. "Are they fairy-tale books? Did Sir Aaron leave them behind...?!"
"The stories of the Heroes of Aura were passed down, allowing the heroes of the future to remain forever within history. Even those who learned of Mega Lucario and traveled to Kalos did so under the hero's guidance!"
Back at the martial arts tournament venue in Johto, Queen Ilene welcomed everyone upon their return and gave them a book of fairy tales.
The book had not existed before.
Once the World Tree's history changed, however, it appeared.
Korrina was the most surprised when she read the passage about the Successor.
"This is quite different from the history I knew. Did my ancestor take an enormous detour and visit the World Tree first?"
"The intense Aura must have drawn them away from their original route."
"I have to show this to Grandpa!"
Korrina had committed every experience from this journey to heart.
She turned toward Hikaru with a solemn expression.
"Thank you very much for your teachings!"
"Our time together was brief, but as your training partner, I managed to help! I'm so glad!"
"However, I also witnessed my own weakness in the homeland of life and Evolution."
"To ensure I don't betray the World Tree's gratitude, I'll pursue an even higher realm!"
What exactly was the higher realm Korrina intended to pursue?
"You're planning to spend some time at Professor Sycamore's laboratory?" Hikaru asked. "There's nothing wrong with giving the professor some general direction for his research, but be extremely careful around people wearing red suits."
"They've infiltrated every level of Kalosian society and are currently investigating Mega Evolution."
"If Professor Sycamore ever meets a man with a mane like a lion and starts exclaiming, 'Magnificent!' as he praises the man's ideals, you must interrupt him. Then tell the professor..."
"Well, I've already warned him about some of this."
"To put it simply, if you see someone with an absurd hairstyle, keep your distance."
"Um, aside from that..." Korrina began. "Wait, red suits?!"
"Now that you mention it, I think I've seen strange people wearing similar outfits in certain parts of Kalos. But when it comes to unusual hairstyles..."
She touched her helmet.
Her own hairstyle was rather strange!
Wait, didn't that mean she was someone people should avoid too?
"Still, you won't be able to stop them or accomplish anything alone," Hikaru warned. "Focus on becoming as strong as possible."
Before [Calem] and [Serena] appeared, Korrina's current strength was insufficient to oppose Team Flare.
Whatever happened, she could not act on her own.
Hikaru made that warning perfectly clear.
In Pokémon Adventures, Korrina had charged into battle with nothing but passion, only to be beaten so badly that she was hospitalized. Her Key Stone was stolen, and she remained bedridden until the final battle.
Lysandre had not originally possessed any obvious public connection to the group in red suits.
But even if that connection became known, someone of his reputation would have little difficulty shaping public opinion in a region as "blessed with exceptional talent" as Kalos.
Team Flare's infiltration of local society ran even deeper than Macro Cosmos's influence in Galar.
That much was true.
However, Chairman Rose's company was a legitimate business.
The lion-maned organization was another matter.
Lysandre Labs might have been a legitimate research company, but Team Flare certainly was not.
"If you sneak into one of their laboratories to investigate and get caught, be careful they don't turn you into [Expansion Suit Operative Essentia]."
"Team Plasma mostly relied on propaganda and used Pokémon powers to alter memories, but Team Flare possesses genuine [brainwashing] technology. They even have Pokémon like Malamar."
"Is this really an appropriate subject to discuss here?"
"The potential negative influence on young people is immeasurable!"
Aside from that, Korrina revealed that she not only planned to visit Professor Sycamore's laboratory, but also intended to cross the sea.
She knew Hikaru was famous throughout Galar, so she planned to...
"Wait, your idea is...!"
"I understand. You want to enter Galar's Gym Challenge?!"
Was Galar's Champion about to be replaced by someone from Kalos?
Absolutely not!
The Champion could be Irish, from the East, English, or even a big-headed king from Wales.
But under no circumstances could they be French!
Admittedly, the royal families of England and France had frequently intermarried throughout history.
But to the people of Galar, that was an entirely separate matter!
"Still, if you're only going there to train, I suppose that's fine!"
...
There was also the Aura training method left behind by Sir Aaron.
The method had never been lost.
Compared with the Blue-Clad Prince's Aura training system from three thousand years ago, Aaron's method was simpler and easier to understand. It was an improved version.
"That is why this [Book of Aura] is suitable for a much broader range of people," Queen Ilene explained. "However, whether someone can reach Riley's current level will depend upon their personal talent."
"As a Guardian, I still have much to learn," Riley said apologetically. "After returning to Sinnoh, I will redouble my training and ensure I do not disgrace my ancestors' glory."
Queen Ilene laughed softly.
"The hero left a record concerning that as well."
She turned toward Hikaru and presented him with the staff symbolizing the tournament's victor.
"As decided before the tournament, the winner of this martial arts competition shall be crowned a [Hero]."
"The strongest master in the world is the Hero of Aura of this generation."
"Not only that, but Sir Aaron appears to have left behind an important legacy to be entrusted to you."
"I heard you are an artisan, so this item truly does seem intended for you."
"This appeared together with the Book of Aura."
Hikaru accepted the crafting notes from Queen Ilene.
They contained the manufacturing methods for certain items left behind by Sir Aaron.
"The crafting methods for the [Aura Gloves] and the [Hero's Staff]. The gloves are set with [Pearls], while the staff is set with a [Diamond]."
So that was how it worked.
Hikaru had previously thought the many-sided jewel on the Hero's Staff resembled the Adamant Orb, while the two smooth, rounded jewels on the gloves resembled the Lustrous Orb.
Lucario, whose story had been told from the perspective of a Generation IV Pokémon, was the Hero of Aura.
In other words, Sir Aaron's equipment truly consisted of treasures connected to Sinnoh.
This provided even more evidence for the theory that Aaron might have been descended from the Celestica people.
"Crafting techniques improve with time," Hikaru said.
"Lower-quality [Adamant Ore] and [Lustrous Pearls] should work just as well as substitutes. Their only purpose is amplification, anyway...!"
They could hardly battle Dialga and Palkia every time they wanted to manufacture a set of equipment.
What was this, a repeatable dungeon?
Surrounded by flowers and applause, Hikaru raised the staff high above his head as the tournament's victor.
Aura flowed into the staff, causing the diamond-like treasure embedded within it to release a dazzling radiance.
"The strongest master in the world..." Ash murmured. "Pikachu, we need to keep training hard. We can't disappoint the hero after what he asked of us."
"Pika, Pikachu!"
Ash applauded along with everyone else.
The events they had just experienced reminded him of the incredible things that had happened in Hoenn.
"Whether it's outer space or time itself, there's something mysterious about all of it... I don't know how to explain it, but it's incredibly moving!"
"Ash, come here," Queen Ilene called.
She glanced at the expressions of the other friends surrounding him.
Ash approached in confusion.
Then he sensed a familiar Aura.
His face filled with disbelief.
"This Aura... But it should have returned to the hero's side!"
Queen Ilene held a Pokémon Egg in her arms.
"This appeared here after history changed."
She solemnly placed it in Ash's hands.
"Set out once more with your friend beside you and continue pursuing your goal of becoming a hero."
"Ash."
Queen Ilene's expression softened.
"You will always be welcome in Rota. Whether you come as a guest or choose to live here, you must return someday."
"Your room will be redecorated and kept ready for you. Return to your former homeland with Lucario and Pikachu."
"Lucario, Pikachu, and me...?" Ash asked, confused.
Pikachu tilted its head.
"Pika?"
"That's right," Queen Ilene said with a smile. "According to legends from a distant land, some Aura Guardians traveled with a Pikachu at their side."
"I believe that story occurred around five hundred years ago."
"Supposedly, someone like that was responsible for sealing away a Pokémon called Spiritomb."
"Your other friends have arrived too."
Ash turned around.
His companions had guessed that something serious had happened, although they still did not know the details.
They had been waiting there for him.
May, Brock, and Verity.
"You got dragged into something dangerous again," Verity complained. "You really can't stay out of trouble, can you?"
She had spoken with May and learned what had happened in Hoenn.
Remembering their experiences at Mount Tensei, she sighed helplessly.
"Perhaps this is the burden a Rainbow Hero has to bear?"
"By the way, after your journey through the Battle Frontier ends, are you planning to travel anywhere else?"
There was no need to mention the Hoenn League.
Tempering his strength in the Battle Frontier and becoming its "Conqueror" was another one of Ash's goals.
But after that...
Ash adjusted the Hero's Cap and smiled confidently.
"Yeah! I decided a long time ago."
"I've wanted to visit Sinnoh for ages!"
Verity smiled knowingly.
"So you haven't forgotten our old promise."
"We'll meet again somewhere in this world. Sorrel must be waiting for us somewhere too."
"And with May and Brock joining us, it's going to be quite the lively journey..."
"In that case, Ash, you'd better come to Sinnoh!"
"Come find me in Twinleaf Town. We'll meet again at the place we promised!"
(End of Chapter)
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