Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 345: The Sinnoh League Is Shocked (Two-in-One)

"And I got caught up in the middle of it."

"The green giant’s tail whipped me into the air, right in front of the other giant. It opened its huge mouth like it was going to swallow me."

"I was so scared — I used Seed Flare without even thinking."

"Next thing I knew, I was out of that world, and then I ran into you."

Shaymin chattered like a little girl, pouring out everything it wanted to say. Rio raised an eyebrow after hearing it.

He thought he knew why Shaymin’s Seed Flare could open the Distortion World. In the original lore, Seed Flare’s core logic was to decompose pollutants and convert them into purifying energy. The strength of that energy was directly proportional to the concentration of pollutants absorbed — meaning the more pollution, the greater the explosion. And the Distortion World’s pollution was usually generated by Dialga and Palkia — the more fiercely they fought, the heavier the pollution. They had been fighting so intensely in the dimensional space that the Distortion World must have become heavily polluted. And Giratina, being something of a clean freak, would naturally blame Dialga and Palkia for the mess. That explained everything that had just happened.

"Can you help me with something?" While Rio was patting himself on the back for his cleverness, Shaymin’s voice piped up again.

"What kind of help?" Rio smiled. A request for help meant free friendship points.

"I need to get to the Flower Field. Take me there." Shaymin said.

"The Flower Field?" Rio thought for a moment. He remembered now — in the lore, Shaymin would gather at a certain Flower Field each year to begin their migration. At the end of their flight, they would create new flower fields. This ritual was essential for the Shaymin species, and at the Flower Field, they would also find Gracidea flowers, which allowed Shaymin to transform into Sky Forme.

"Yes, the Flower Field. Take me there now, or I’ll miss the migration." Shaymin, having been washed clean by Rio’s water, shook off the droplets and hopped into his arms, issuing orders like they were old friends.

"Right now?" Rio frowned, looking toward the direction Mewtwo and Palkia had gone. They were no longer visible in the sky. Gengar and Dialga were also fighting further away. If he followed Shaymin, Sinnoh would suffer even more damage.

"Yes, right now, immediately." Shaymin commanded.

"That’s a bit difficult." Rio looked at it for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.

"What’s so difficult about it? Is there anything more important than Shaymin reaching the Flower Field in time for the migration?" Shaymin said imperiously.

"The migration is important, but what if I need to save the world?" Rio said.

"Save the world?" Shaymin paused, then looked up at Rio in shock. "What did you just say? You’re going to save the world?"

"Yes, save the world." Rio smiled. "You mentioned those two giants that landed by the lake while you were drinking — they’re trying to destroy the world right now. I need to stop them. If I don’t, this world will be finished — and if the world ends, your migration won’t happen either."

Shaymin studied Rio, skeptical. "You’re not lying to me, are you? You can save the world?"

"Why couldn’t I?" Rio’s smile widened. "How about this — come with me and see for yourself. If I really do save the world, you become my Pokémon. No strings attached."

Shaymin immediately jumped out of Rio’s arms. "I ask you to save the world, and you want me to be your Pokémon?!" Its girlish voice sounded offended.

But then it asked, confused: "What do you mean by ’no strings attached’?"

Rio explained: "It means we’d be trainer and Pokémon in name only. I’d put you in a Poké Ball, then release you. You can do whatever you want after that — I won’t interfere. But if you ever need my help, just find me and I’ll help you."

"Capture me, but leave me alone — and if I need help, you’ll help me?" Shaymin looked at him in disbelief. "Human, you’re not tricking me, are you? I’m very smart, you know — not the kind of genius that falls for scams easily."

"What would be the point of tricking you? Even if I capture you, you could just ignore me. And with your intelligence, wouldn’t you just run away?" Rio said.

"That... does make sense." Shaymin suddenly found the logic sound. "With my intelligence, if you tried to control me, I’d just run away."

Seeing its clever little expression, Rio smiled and pulled out a Luxury Ball. "So you’re willing to come in?"

The next second, Shaymin demonstrated what might be called a "wild boar charge" — it leaped into the air and kicked the Luxury Ball away.

"You have to prove you’re saving the world first before I let you capture me! Otherwise, I don’t trust you, you liar who won’t take me to the Flower Field!" Shaymin declared.

"Fine, fine — I’ll prove it to you. I’ll show you whether I’m really trying to save the world, or just making excuses not to take you to the Flower Field." Rio put the Luxury Ball away.

"Charizard, head to Eterna City."

If he remembered correctly, Dialga’s Adamant Orb was stored at the Eterna Historical Museum in Sinnoh. Later, it would be stolen by Team Galactic during an exhibition. That theft prompted the Sinnoh League to move Palkia’s Lustrous Orb from the Eterna Museum to the Celestic Town Historical Research Center — though it was still stolen by Team Galactic en route, near the Lake Resort vault in Johto. But that hadn’t happened yet. So both Dialga’s and Palkia’s orbs should still be in Eterna City.

As for Giratina’s Platinum Orb, it was stolen from the Celestic Town research center by Team Galactic. But unlike Dialga and Palkia, Giratina didn’t need the Platinum Orb to enter Origin Forme in the Distortion World — only in the real world.

Eterna City, Sinnoh.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, thunder rumbling. Countless citizens of Eterna City hid indoors, staring up in terror at the sky — at a light pink, bipedal Pokémon.

"That’s... that’s the legendary Space God, Palkia!!!" The director of the Eterna Historical Museum stared in shock at the Pokémon in the sky.

"Why would it come here?"

"Director, it looks like Palkia is fighting another Pokémon!" a staff member pointed out.

"Give me binoculars, quick!" The director urged, able to make out only a small blur battling Palkia. It moved so fast — swoosh, swoosh, swoosh — difficult to track.

Soon, the director had binoculars. He caught a glimpse of the Pokémon as it stopped to fire an Aura Sphere.

"What kind of Pokémon is that? I’ve never seen it before — and it’s fighting Palkia?" The director was stunned by Mewtwo Y. But what shocked him even more, after watching carefully, was that Palkia was the one getting beaten.

How was that possible? The Space God Palkia — getting beaten? That Pokémon wasn’t Dialga, or Giratina, or Arceus — so how could it be pummeling Palkia? It was incredible.

"Director, doesn’t that Pokémon look a lot like that Kanto Champion Rio’s Mewtwo from when he visited Sinnoh?" The staff member beside him was also using binoculars.

"Rio’s Mewtwo?" The director turned in surprise. He knew Rio — at the Lily of the Valley Conference, he had humiliated the Sinnoh League. None of the Elite Four could touch him, not even a single Pokémon. It had been mortifying. Then the kid came back and destroyed the Pokémon Hunter Organization, causing chaos within the Sinnoh League and forcing many officials to step down. But then he did something that raised his favorability among Sinnoh’s citizens — he gave away the Pokémon seized from the Hunters through a tournament. Even the director was impressed by the young man’s tactics.

"Yeah, don’t you think they look alike? Especially the face?" The staff member pulled up a photo of Mewtwo. "This Mewtwo amazed me the first time it appeared in Sinnoh — Psychic-type Elite Four Lucian was completely crushed."

The director looked at the photo, then back through the binoculars at the Pokémon in the sky. "It does look similar..." he muttered. "Could it really be that Mewtwo? Or just a resemblance?"

Just then, Palkia was struck by Mewtwo’s Psystrike and sent crashing to the ground. The director quickly dismissed his own guess. "No, no — that’s impossible. There’s no way that’s Rio’s Pokémon. Even if he’s strong, he couldn’t possibly beat the Space God Palkia!"

"Director, shouldn’t we report this to the League?" the staff member asked quietly.

"Right, right — I almost forgot! Something this big has to be reported." The director nodded quickly. "Elfa, go notify the League right away. And tell them the Pokémon fighting Palkia looks a lot like Mewtwo — have them ask Rio where he is. If he’s not in Kanto, he’s probably in Sinnoh."

"Yes, Director." The staff member hurried off.

But no sooner had he left than Palkia flew toward the Eterna Historical Museum — startling the director so badly that his old, frail body suddenly found a burst of energy. He quickly released his Tangrowth and fled for his life.

To his surprise, Palkia didn’t come to vent its anger. Instead, a pearl stored in the museum flew out and merged with it.

"The Lustrous Orb!" the director exclaimed. He knew the orb belonged to Palkia — legend said that only with the Lustrous Orb could Palkia become the true Space God. And now, he was about to witness history.

Palkia’s body glowed as it merged with the Lustrous Orb, transforming into a lavender, Pegasus-like form — like a constellation come to life — though without arms.

"Palkia!!!"

The transformed Palkia let out a deafening roar, heard throughout Eterna City, before charging back at the Mewtwo-like Pokémon in the sky. A Spacial Rend shot from its front leg. The Mewtwo-like Pokémon raised its right hand, gathering a dark energy sphere. The clash sent a powerful whirlwind across Eterna City, toppling many flimsy buildings. Even the director, protected by his Tangrowth, nearly got blown away.

Meanwhile, news of the battle between Palkia and the Mewtwo-like Pokémon reached the Sinnoh League’s high officials. They were both shocked and furious — shocked that the legendary Space God Palkia had appeared, and furious that Rio was somehow involved again. A Pokémon that looked like Mewtwo was almost certainly his doing. Did he have no respect for the Sinnoh League at all? Coming and going as he pleased — was Sinnoh Kanto’s backyard?

Enough was enough! Within moments, a call was placed from Sinnoh to the Kanto League’s Indigo Plateau, to Secretary Serīna.

Serīna was baffled by the Sinnoh League’s accusations. What nonsense — Mr. Rio was right there in the office behind her! He’d just told her, "Woman, your work is excellent." If Mr. Rio was in Sinnoh, then who had just spoken to her? A ghost?

So she composed herself and fired back at the Sinnoh officials, accusing them of slander and fabrication — telling them not to throw mud at Rio. The Sinnoh League was furious and demanded a video call to confront Rio. They’d only believe Rio wasn’t causing trouble in Sinnoh if they saw him in Kanto with their own eyes. Serīna agreed.

Moments later, when the Sinnoh League saw Rio sitting in his office with Greninja, they were stunned.