Clefairy, a Fairy-type Pokémon.

  Its round, pink body and chubby cheeks give it an adorable, star-like appeara has pointed ears, rge, expressive eyes, and a small curl on its forehead. If it evolves into Clefable, those wings will grer and more majestic.

  Before the battle began, Professor Oak couldn't help but study the Clefairy with great i. Perhaps it was his natural curiosity as a researcher that made him ent with a smile:

  "A Clefairy! Such a rare Pokémon!"

  Clefairy were known to live quietly in serene mountain areas, usually in close-knit groups, and rarely made appearances in front of humans. However, on magiights under a full moon, they would gather in rge o perform enting moonlit dances.

  Leah beamed with pride. "That's right! I'm so happy I got to meet my Clefairy!"

  Hearing its Trainer's affeate words, the Clefairy let out a cheerful cry.

  "Clefairy~!"

  "Hahaha! It seems to like you very much!" Professor Oak ughed heartily. Then, with a curious glint in his eye, he asked, "So, are you ready to begitle?"

  Leah and Clefairy both nodded with determined expressions, their eyes log onto Naoki and Alcremie standing opposite them. Their gazes radiated an unwavering spirit.

  "Suergy!" Naoki remarked with an amused smile. He couldn't help but hat many people and Pokémon in the Pokémon world seemed to wear their enthusiasm on their sleeves.

  Professor Oak raised his hand to address both sides, his voice clear and authoritative as he expined, "The Pokémon for this battle are Clefairy and Alcremie. The rules are simple: it's a one-otle where only the move Metronome be used. The matds when one Pokémon o longer tinue."

  Seeing both sides ready, Professor Oak raised his hand high before swiftly bringing it down. "Begin!"

  "Clefairy, use Metronome!" Leah anded.

  "Alcremie, use Metronome!" Naoki echoed.

  At their Trainers' orders, the two Pokémon waved their fingers rhythmically. A shimmering light enveloped their fingers as they focused their energy. After a few moments, the finger-waving stopped, and their chosen moves activated.

  'What would it be?' Professor Oak leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

  The first to act was Alcremie. Behind it, a radiant crest moon appeared, surrounded by twinkling stars that created ahereal, ic backdrop. The light from the stars and moon merged into Alcremie, infusing it with a mysterious aura.

  "It's ic Power!" Professor Oak excimed, immediately reizing the move.

  ic Power enhanced both defense and special defense, giving Alcremie a solid edge right at the start of the battle. It seemed luck was on Alcremie's side!

  And Clefairy?

  Professor Oak turned his gaze to see green, bde-like leaves materializing around Clefairy. With a swift motion, the leaves shot forward, slig through the air toward Alcremie.

  "It's Razor Leaf! A Grass-type move—quite effective if they all ect!"

  The flurry of leaves struck Alcremie, but thanks to the defensive boost from ic Power, the damage was minimal. The first round cluded, and both Pokémon remained ready for the .

  "Alcremie, use Metronome again!" Naoki called.

  "Mree!" Alcremie responded enthusiastically.

  Not to be outdone, Leah called out, "Clefairy, it's your turn! Use Metronome!"

  "Clefairy~!" The small Pokémon responded with equal energy.

  The iy betweewo Pokémon alpable, their eyes log in a csh of determination as they both waved their fingers again.

  This time, Clefairy acted first. It blew out tless shimmering bubbles that floated gently but purposefully toward Alcremie.

  "Is that Bubble?" Professor Oak mused. "Clefairy's luck is incredible today—it's used two offensive moves in a row! If this keeps up, Alcremie might be in trouble!"

  But just before the bubbles reached Alcremie, something ued happened.

  A surge of energy erupted from Alcremie's body, f a glowing, milky-white barrier of light. When the bubbles collided with the barrier, they seemed to dissolve into nothingness upon tact.

  "What kind of move is that?!" Professor Oak excimed, his eyes wide with curiosity.

  Professor Oak watched Alcremie closely, his mind rag to identify the move being used. Could it be a Fighting-type Aura Sphere? Or perhaps a Psychic-type Light S?

  "Mreeee—!" Alcremie cried out, her creamy body trembling with iy as she reached her limit.

  The sed, the glowing orb of light h around her surged upward, shooting straight into the sky. It asded rapidly and paused high above the battlefield.

  Even Naoki appeared momentarily stunned, uo determihe move at first gnce.

  Suddenly, the orb burst into a brilliant dispy of light, releasing tless shining projectiles that scattered across the battlefield like a celestial fireworks show. The radiant bullets rained down with destructive force, dealing widespread damage to everything below.

  "Boom!"

  The projectiles struck the ground with deafening explosions, leaving deep craters in their wake. It resembled a meteor shower, both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

  Clefairy sehe impending danger and darted about in a panic, desperately trying to evade the barrage. But this move was Judgment, a diviack so expahat Clefairy couldn't escape its range.

  "Clefairy!" Leah cried out.

  A brilliant light projectile struck Clefairy squarely with a loud thud. Letting out a pained cry, Clefairy stumbled before its eyes rolled back, and it colpsed i.

  Seeing Alcremie execute su extraordinary and unfamiliar move, Professor Oak stood frozen in awe.

  "What incredible power! What kind of move is that?!" he excimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.

  "Judgment," Naoki murmured, the name surfag in his mind.

  The move, exclusive to the legendary Creator Pokémon Arceus, punished oppos with a divine rain of meteor-like light projectiles.

  Naoki hadn't expected Alcremie to el that move again. It left him just as astounded as everyone else.

  However, amidst the chaos, a stray light projectile veered off course and plunged into the serene ke on the ranch. As it hit the water's surface, it activated a shimmering portal, tearing open a passage to the Distortion World.

  Deep within this realm, Giratiing in eerie silend half-listening to Rotom's animated entary—suddenly stirred. It sehe unmistakable aura of Arceus.

  Its eyes snapped open, glowing with crimson fury, as its pupils locked onto the source of the energy.

  In the instant, Giratina's massive form surged upward, breaking through the reflective ke surface like an unstoppable force.

  Professor Oak, who had just begun rec from his shock, opened his mouth to decre Clefairy uo battle ahe match. But his words caught in his throat as his eyes widened ierror.

  Bursting forth from the tranquil ke was a majestid fearsome figure.

  Blood-red eyes gleamed menagly. Its form exuded an air of cold, unyielding authority. Its t, otherworldly presence was undeniable.

  It was Giratina—the legendary Pokémon of the Distortion World!

  Professor Oak immediately reized the dragon. After all, it wasn't every day that you saw such a rare Pokémo alone oh a pent for making appearances online—Giratina had even posted a selfie on the Pokémon forums before.

  "Oh my goodness…" Professor Oak gasped, struggling to process the surreal sight. He hadn't anticipated Giratina's sudden arrival.

  No! In hindsight, he should have foreseen this possibility!

  Professor Oak suddenly noticed something peculiar.

  Giratina had once mentiohat it was friends with Calyrex, and it had revealed that Calyrex learned how to use the Rotom Phone because Naoki had taught him.

  By the same logic, Giratina—who also used the Rotom Phoo browse the i—must also be one of Naoki's Pokémon!

  It wasn't just Professor Oak who was shocked. Leah, too, was left speechless by the sudden appearance of such a legendary Pokémon.

  Giratina, meanwhile, surveyed its surroundings cautiously. It had sehe aura of Arceus, which was why it had emerged from the Distortion World. But now… where was Arceus?

  Giratina's pierg, crimson gaze swept over the humans below, before finally settling on Naoki.

  Naoki shifted awkwardly uhe inteare. He hadn't expected Alcremie's Judgment-like move to spook Giratina into thinking Arceus had arrived.

  Realizing there was no sign of Arceus, Giratina quickly uood its mistake. With a final g the humans below, it turned and dove bato the ke, vanishing into the portal that shimmered momentarily before closing behind it.

  Professor Oak and Leah remained frozen iaring at the spot where Giratina had disappeared.

  After what felt like ay, Professor Oak finally broke the silehat Pokémon just now… was that Giratina?"

  Naoki hesitated for a moment before answering. "…Yes."

  "This is absolutely incredible!" Professor Oak said, his voice filled with awe as he turo look at Naoki. "First, Calyrex, and now Giratina? Not to mention your Dragonite and all the other rare Pokémon… You're truly araordinary Trainer!"

  Notig the awe in Professor Oak's eyes, Naoki quickly waved a hand in protest. "No, no, that Giratina isn't my Pokémon. We're just friends."

  Before anyone could ask more, Naoki gestured toward a nearby spot. Brother Indeedee approached carrying a bottle of freshly prepared goat's milk. He k beside Clefairy, gently it the revitalizing drink.

  Clefairy stirred after a few moments, opening its eyes aing out a soft, "Clefairy~."

  Naoki smiled and turned back to Leah. "Unfortunately, you didn't pass Alcremie's Metrorial this time."

  Leah, still rec from the whirlwind of events, snapped back to reality. She recalled the breathtaking move Alcremie had used and couldn't hold back her curiosity. "Mr. Naoki, what was that move? It was like nothing I've ever seen before!"

  Naoki scratched his head thoughtfully. "To be ho, I'm irely sure. There are still many Pokémon and moves in the world that humans haven't discovered yet. It's possible that move belongs to a Pokémon we haven't identified."

  Leah nodded slowly, processing his words. "I see… That makes sense."

  She turo Naoki with a look of deep admiration. The rumors on the school forum were true.

  "Mr. Naoki," Leah said quietly, "you really are an incredible Trainer."

  Not only had Naoki raised so many champion-level Pokémon, but he had also mao befriend the legendary Giratina.

  Eveop champions might not stand a ce against him, right?

  At that moment, Leah pletely agreed with the whispers on the school forum—Naoki was ihe hidden boss of the Paldea region.

  Later That Day

  Iernoon, Leah departed from the ranch. Before leaving, she turned bad decred, "Once I've earned all six badges, I'll return and challehe official trial!"

  Naoki watched as her figure gradually disappeared into the distance. With a small smile, he turned back toward the ranch, intending to fix the grass damaged by Alcremie's Judgment. However, before he could take a step, a familiar voice called out behind him.

  "Excuse me, is this Naoki Ranch?"

  Both Naoki and Professor Oak turoward the voice. Standing not far away was a tall woman dressed in a sleek bck coat. Her long, golden hair shimmered iernoon sunlight, and her expression was warm and posed. She smiled as she looked at them.

  For a moment, both Naoki and Professor Oak were stunned.

  Professor Oak was the first to recover. "Ms. thia? Why are you here?"

  thia greeted Professor Oak with a geone. "It's been a while, Professor Oak. I'm here today because I o ask this Trainer a few questions."

  Her gaze shifted to Naoki, her demeanor friendly and approachable. Despite her reputation as a reserved and formidable Champion, there was no trace of ess in her manner.

  Naoki: "…"

  It wasn't hard to guess why thia had e. She had likely iigated the reports of Giratiuring into the Sinnion—and how it may have traveled there through some unusual means, possibly involving the Rotom Phowork.

  And, of course, she must have learned about Naoki's involvement in stopping Giratina.

  Naoki sighed internally as thia and Professor Oak both turheir curious gazes toward him.

  "…"

  Well, if they wao know, there was no avoiding it. Naoki decided he might as well take the opportunity to share what he knew about Giratina's legend.

  Naoki ihe two guests to his living room. Calyrex wasn't around at the moment—most likely out basking in the garden.

  thia and Professor Oak seated themselves on the fortable sofa, and sister Indeedee brought out cups rant tea for the guests.

  "Giratina…" Naoki said slowly, letting the name hang in the air as he anized his thoughts. He pondered where best to begin.

  Hearing him utter the name, thia's icy-blue eyes widened slightly. A flicker of surprise crossed her otherwise posed face.

  "Mr. Naoki, you seem to know why I'm here?" thia asked, her tone polite but curious.

  Naoki smiled faintly. "If I'm not mistaken, you've likely iigated the e between Giratina ahat's why you came all the way to the Paldea region—to learn more about it, right?"

  thia nodded slightly, aowledging his perceptiveness. It wasn't surprising. Whether in games or anime, thia's character had always been deeply ied in mythology and history, often dedig herself to studying a relics, myths, and legends.

  "Then, please do share," thia said graciously.

  Professor Oak, seated beside her, appeared eager and impatient, leaning forward slightly in anticipation.

  Notig this, Naoki asked, "Do you both have some knowledge about geics?"

  "Geics?" Both thia and Professor Oak blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic.

  As a schor of Pokémon, Professor Oak had some uanding of the field. Fossil revival teology, for instance, used geic extra to restore a Pokémon to life.

  "Humans and Pokémon alike have genes, which are often referred to as the blueprints of life," Naoki began, his voice steady and deliberate. "At their cenes are posed of DNA—structured like two interwoven, spiraling s. These s tain opposi plementary information."

  The red s created by Cyrus of Team Gacti Sinnoh were based on this principle. By maniputing DNA-like energy, he was able to trol Dialga and Palkia.

  Naoki g his listeo ehey were following. "This geic is fasating. Even if orand breaks, it restore itself using the information from its terpart. Do you see what I mean?"

  Professor Oak seemed lost in thought, his fiapping lightly on the armrest of his chair. thia, too, wore a ptive expression.

  "Time flows tinuously in the real world," Naoki tinued, "and space remains stable. But oher side—the Distortion World—time does not flow, and space is ily unstable. The only stant there is Giratina."

  Professor Oak's eyes widened as realization struck. "Are you saying that the real world and the Distortion World fun like the two strands of DNA—interected and supp one ao preveher from colpsing?"

  Naoki nodded. "Exactly. Dialga represents time, Palkia represents space, and Giratina embodies the Distortion World. The two worlds are iwined and interdepe. If something happens to ohe other will iably be affected."

  This was demonstrated in the events of Giratina and the Sky Warrior.

  "Is that really how it works?" thia murmured, deep in thought.

  Her mind wao the murals of Celestic Town. The a paintings hi a hierarchy of Pokémoing one above Dialga and Palkia. Was it Giratina?

  No, that couldn't be right. The Pokémon described in the mural didn't match Giratina's form at all. Could this mean there was a being eveer than Giratina, Dialga, and Palkia? A Pokémon that surpassed them all?

  Naoki noticed their thoughtful expressions and added, "What I've shared is based on my iigations into the Distortion World and Giratina. These are my interpretations, but the truth may differ."

  thia snapped out of her reverie and offered Naoki a warm smile. "Regardless, thank you very much for sharing this information. It's been incredibly enlightening."