**Inside the New World Association's digital information dimension, Kyle found himself in a cold, sterile interrogation room.** The walls were lined with pulsating data streams, and the air hummed with the low vibration of countless lines of code running in the background. He was seated in a rigid metal chair, his hands resting on the armrests. His Delta Charmander had already been recalled into its Poké Ball, which sat on the table just out of his reach.
Before him stood Taylor, his sharp eyes fixed on Kyle with an intensity that made the young trainer shift uncomfortably in his seat.
"I don't have much time to waste here, so I'd appreciate it if you'd just tell us what their plan is," Taylor said, his voice cold and businesslike.
"What plan? I don't know anything," Kyle replied, his tone laced with frustration. "And why did you even kidnap *me*? I literally have no idea what's going on!"
Taylor pulled up a holographic image on his device—a photograph captured by Darian's camera earlier that day. He turned the screen toward Kyle, showing two young boys stepping off a train with their Pokémon.
"This is you, isn't it?" Taylor asked, pointing at the image. "You were on that train this morning. And you must have met with those agents. You don't have any more excuses—just tell me what you know."
Kyle squinted at the photograph, his eyes widening slightly as he studied the details. The boy in the picture looked almost exactly like him—same hair, same build, same posture. *"No wonder he and I looked alike... I didn't realize it was possible to look *this* similar,"* Kyle thought, a cold realization settling in his stomach.
"I'm sorry, but that's not me," Kyle said flatly. "It's just someone who looks like me."
"Impossible," Taylor shot back, clearly not convinced.
Kyle let out a long, weary sigh, responding with his best lazy alibi. "Look, I only got thrown into this mess this afternoon. And you're already accusing me of being involved in a train incident that happened this *morning*. Does that really make sense to you?"
Taylor's eyes narrowed. Without another word, he summoned his Bronzong. The bell-like Pokémon floated forward, its psychic energy pulsing as it reached into Kyle's mind. Kyle felt a strange pressure against his thoughts—not painful, but invasive—as Bronzong carefully examined his memories.
Moments later, Taylor's expression shifted from suspicion to genuine surprise. "He really *is* from another reality... We targeted the wrong person," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
But before he could react further, the digital space around them began to warp. The walls flickered, the data streams glitched, and the air itself seemed to twist and bend. Taylor spun around—and Kyle was already gone.
---
**Back in the museum, where Xavier and Devon had performed the ritual, the spatial distortion was reaching its peak.** The room itself seemed to fold in on itself—walls bent at impossible angles, floors tilted and merged with ceilings, and entire sections of the hallway twisted into fragmented cubes of disoriented space.
"Is it active already?" Xavier shouted, watching in awe and alarm as the space around them started to warp.
He turned to look for Devon—but Devon was already gone, having teleported far away from the ritual site.
"What are you doing?! I told you—the moment it activates, you *run*!" Devon's telepathic voice echoed in Xavier's mind.
Xavier and his Pokémon snapped out of their stupor and bolted as fast as they could, the distorted space chasing them like a hungry beast.
"Is a Palkia ritual really supposed to be like this?!" Xavier yelled as he sprinted, his Pokémon bounding beside him. The hallways were transforming into a chaotic maze of floating cubes and shifting geometries.
"There's no other way!" Devon's telepathic reply came through, strained but firm. "I don't have the ability to reach the information realm directly, and going there would be suicide anyway. This was the best option!"
"Wait a minute—I just realized, this ritual affects the *entire museum*. What's the point of running?" Xavier asked, confusion bleeding into his voice as he kept moving.
"Don't you know that your body gets distorted *far* worse if you're too close to the ritual's epicenter?!" Devon shot back. "Or have you seriously never performed a ritual like this before?"
"He's got a point..." Xavier muttered to himself. *"And honestly? I've never used a ritual like this before anyway."*
Once he was at a safe distance, the distortion suddenly ceased. The chaotic shifting stopped, and the space stabilized. In the center of the ritual circle, Kyle and his Delta Charmander materialized—slightly dazed but completely intact.
Xavier rushed toward them immediately. "We don't have time—we need to get back to the group!"
"Wait a minute, how am I here? And how is my Charmander here? He was captured earlier!" Kyle exclaimed, his eyes wide with confusion.
"Trust me, we'll figure that out later. Right now, we need to move!" Xavier urged, though internally he was just as puzzled about where Devon had vanished to.
As they made their way toward Azure's location, Devon had found himself on the third floor—or rather, what remained of it after the spatial distortion had reshaped the museum's layout.
---
**Meanwhile, Vera had traced the ritual's energy signature and arrived at the same floor.** She came face-to-face with Devon, who was already waiting for her, his Alakazam standing ready at his side.
"I knew you'd come here, Vera," Devon said calmly.
Alakazam wasted no time, firing a Shadow Ball directly at her. Vera raised a protective barrier just in time, the dark energy splashing harmlessly against her shield.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Vera demanded, her instincts screaming that this man was dangerous. She reached into her pocket and pulled out an Ultra Ball, releasing her Flutter Mane. The ghostly Pokémon darted forward with incredible speed, its ethereal mane trailing behind it as it launched a Shadow Ball at Alakazam.
Vera activated her future-sight ability, her eyes glazing over as she glimpsed the next few seconds.
Devon recalled Alakazam in an instant, dodging the incoming Shadow Ball by a hair's breadth.
Vera didn't hesitate. "Flutter Mane—twenty degrees to the left!" she commanded.
Flutter Mane obeyed instantly, firing another Shadow Ball in the predicted direction. The attack curved through the air, heading straight toward where Devon was trying to summon his next Pokémon.
Devon's eyes widened. He quickly erected a series of hexagonal magical barriers in an attempt to block the attack. But the Shadow Ball grew larger as it approached, and despite his shields, the force of the impact sent him crashing backward into the wall.
Scrambling to his feet, Devon reached into his Inventory Box and pulled out a Great Ball.
Vera peered into the future again—and saw that Devon was about to release a Scizor.
*"This is easier than I expected. Maybe this will go smoothly after all,"* Vera thought, a flicker of confidence crossing her face.
"Flutter Mane, Mystical Fire!"
Flutter Mane gathered its energy, conjuring swirling flames around its body. The fire concentrated into a single point before erupting forward in a blazing torrent toward Devon, who had just managed to stand up.
"I guess I have no choice here," Devon muttered, releasing his Scizor at the last moment.
The Mystical Fire struck head-on, creating a massive explosion that scorched the surrounding area. Vera took a step back, shielding her face from the heat.
But she could still sense Devon's energy. She spun around—and saw that her attack had been blocked by another layered magical barrier.
"Wait... he's still standing?" Vera said, genuinely surprised.
Devon pulled out his Rotomdex and quickly dialed a number.
---
**Outside the museum,** Alied was coordinating the perimeter response when his Rotomdex began to ring. He answered immediately.
"Damn it, how long do I have to hold her off?!" Devon's voice crackled through the speaker, strained and frustrated. "You're already here, aren't you? I'm not a combat division member—this isn't my job! Please, just send someone else!"
Alied glanced at Theo and the others, a knowing smile forming on his lips. "Don't worry. We're ready now."
Just as Devon's magical barriers shattered under the pressure, his Scizor lunged forward with an Iron Head—its head turning a metallic silver as it slammed into Flutter Mane with devastating force. The ghostly Pokémon was sent flying, but surprisingly, it remained standing.
*"Focus Sash—he must be using a Focus Sash,"* Devon realized.
Vera, realizing she was still in a precarious position, tried to recall Flutter Mane. But Scizor was faster, striking with a Pursuit attack that caught Flutter Mane before it could retreat. The ghostly Pokémon finally collapsed, unable to continue the fight.
Suddenly, the museum walls and ceiling burst open. Police officers swarmed into the building, fully prepared and armed for combat. Theo stood at the forefront, his presence commanding attention.
Devon turned toward them and gave a dry, unimpressed wave. "You're late."
"Sorry about that—we had to prepare for a moment," Theo replied with a casual grin, pointing a thumb at himself. "But you can leave things to me now."
Vera could only watch in dismay as the police forces flooded the area. She silently prayed that Ellen and Roxanne could somehow turn the tide—but deep down, she remembered Kanna's prophecy. Perhaps this was truly the end.