Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 348: The Belated Arrival of Dialga (Two-in-One)

Seeing Giratina’s level information, Rio raised an eyebrow and couldn’t suppress a smile. He hadn’t expected that after Charizard’s third-level reward, its Mega Evolved level would be one higher than Giratina’s. That meant Charizard truly had the strength to fight Origin Forme Giratina — and even had a chance of winning.

"Human, you want to capture Palkia?" Giratina’s voice echoed in Rio’s mind. It had noticed the Luxury Ball lying beside Palkia.

"That’s right — as you can see, Palkia will become my Pokémon today." Rio shrugged, admitting it openly. There was no point hiding it now. If Charizard had been four or five levels weaker than Giratina, he might have been more cautious. But Charizard was one level higher — why should he be scared?

"Human, you have incredible nerve — targeting the Space God Palkia." Giratina’s expression turned fierce. Though it wanted to beat up Palkia, it wouldn’t stand by and let a human capture it. If Palkia sided with humans, it could affect Giratina’s own existence. That was unacceptable.

"I’ve always had nerve. Not only am I targeting Palkia — I’m targeting you too." Rio jumped off Charizard’s back, still holding Shaymin. "Charizard — bring Giratina down! Mewtwo — help me capture Palkia."

"Roooar~" — Leave it to me!

Hearing that the task of fighting this new giant was his, Mega Charizard X flew at Giratina with excitement, claws extended in Dragon Claw.

"Giratina!!!" — How arrogant!

Giratina scoffed at the Charizard charging at it. In its eyes, Palkia was already useless, and this non-legendary was the lowest of the low — an ant it could crush with one foot. That such an ant would dare to attack it on a human’s orders was sheer foolishness.

"Giratina!!!" — Let me show you what a real Dragon Claw looks like!

Origin Forme Giratina lacked claws, but its body had many golden protrusions — it used these to strike at Charizard. Their Dragon Claw attacks collided midair, producing dazzling sparks. Both were sent flying back by the recoil.

Giratina was stunned. It stared at Charizard in disbelief — it had expected to crush it with one blow, but instead both had been pushed back. It was the Reverse World God, in Origin Forme, in the real world!

"Giratina!!!" — That was luck, little Charizard! You won’t be so lucky next time!

Giratina opened its mouth and fired an Aura Sphere. Charizard responded with another Dragon Claw, splitting the Aura Sphere in two. Giratina’s eyes widened again — this was getting absurd. Its Aura Sphere had been blocked by a Charizard!

Fine — watch my signature move!

Giratina dove at Charizard — but just before impact, it vanished. Charizard looked around frantically, but saw nothing. Just as it was about to relax, Giratina slammed into it from behind, sending Charizard flying dozens of meters before it regained control.

"Giratina!!!" — That’s more like it! A mere Charizard is no match for me!

Giratina gloated — but not for long. Charizard used its divine move — golden Sacred Fire, the highest form of Sacred Fire. The flames struck Giratina, leaving it burned.

While they fought, Rio and Mewtwo worked on subduing Palkia, throwing Luxury Ball after Luxury Ball — and Palkia kept breaking out.

"Palkia, give up. You’re going to become my Pokémon today. Giratina will follow, just a little later — and Dialga too." Rio tried talking it into submission.

"Never! I am the Space God! I will never bow to a mere human!" Palkia’s skin was tough and its mouth was stubborn.

"I won’t restrict you..." Rio offered his usual no-strings-attached deal.

But Palkia refused again: "If you won’t restrict me, why capture me at all? Don’t dream — nothing you say will make me submit!"

"Fine. Since you won’t take the easy way... Mewtwo, hit it!" Rio gave up and had Mewtwo beat Palkia down. With Palkia no longer in Origin Forme and Mewtwo still in Y Form, it was a one-sided beatdown. Mewtwo even switched to X Form for some close-quarters punishment.

After several minutes of this, Palkia finally broke. "I give up! I give up! Catch me!" Its telepathic voice echoed in Rio’s mind.

Rio smiled. Why make things so difficult? Surrendering earlier would have saved so much pain.

"But you have to promise me — if you catch me, you have to catch Dialga and Giratina too! We three brothers — no one gets left behind!" Palkia added as Rio prepared the Luxury Ball.

"Don’t worry — they’re not getting away today. That’s a promise." Rio agreed, and threw the ball.

A flash of light — Palkia was drawn in. This time, there were no surprises. After three shakes, the capture was successful.

"The Space God Palkia — I, Rio, have successfully captured it!" Rio smiled, picking up the Poké Ball. He looked up at the sky where Charizard and Giratina were still locked in battle. Though Charizard had a one-level advantage, it wasn’t dominating — the fight was still roughly even. Giratina’s divine move, Shadow Force, was somewhat unfair — it could dodge and counter at the same time.

After watching for a while, Rio had an idea. He released Palkia. "Palkia — want to gang up on Giratina?"

Palkia looked at Rio, then at Giratina fighting Charizard, and finally at its own battered body. "Are you trying to get me killed?" Palkia said sourly.

"Don’t worry — I’m not sending you into battle like that. We humans have technology to restore your stamina quickly." Rio pulled out an Energy Root from his bag.

"Here — eat this and your injuries will heal rapidly."

Palkia looked at the tiny Energy Root, smaller than its fingernail, with disdain. "That tiny thing can heal me that fast?"

"Try it and see. Don’t worry — I wouldn’t poison you after capturing you." Rio offered the Energy Root again.

Palkia considered it — Rio was right. There was no reason to trick it now. It opened its mouth, and Rio tossed the Energy Root in. Moments later, Palkia felt a strange and pleasant energy flow through its body — its wounds were closing.

"Amazing — my injuries are healing so fast!" Palkia said in surprise.

"Of course — I told you, human technology is quite advanced now." Rio smiled.

Behind him, Mewtwo scoffed. The Space God, huh — not that impressive. It flashed white and used Recover to heal itself. I’m still better — I can recover on my own.

After half a minute, Palkia was fully healed. "Go, Palkia — join Mewtwo and Charizard in beating up Giratina. I know you’ve wanted this for a long time. Now’s your chance — but remember, it’s a one-time offer. Miss it, and you’ll never get another."

"Of course! I’ve dreamed of beating up Giratina — it always crashes our fights and beats us both. What, just because you’re strong, you think you’re special?" Palkia charged in with an Aura Sphere.

Giratina dodged with Shadow Force, reappearing behind Palkia and sending it flying with a Dragon Tail.

"Brothers! Hit it! Its Shadow Force can’t be used consecutively — there’s at least a ten-second cooldown!" Palkia shouted as it tumbled through the air.

Charizard and Mewtwo acted immediately — one with Sacred Fire, the other with Psystrike. Giratina glared at Palkia in frustration, using Shadow Ball to counter Psystrike while trying to dodge Sacred Fire in the air. It failed — Sacred Fire hit, worsening its burn. Then, a Spacial Rend from the recovered Palkia struck from behind.

The three of them began a coordinated assault — one would bait out Giratina’s Shadow Force, while the other two hit it with their strongest moves. Giratina started taking a real beating. Palkia was clearly enjoying this — its friendship toward Rio increased by four points.

"He must really want to beat up Giratina." Rio couldn’t help but remark.

After about half an hour, the durable Giratina tried to escape back to the Distortion World — but Palkia used its spatial power to teleport the lake away, leaving Giratina with nothing to escape through. At the forty-minute mark, Giratina dropped out of Origin Forme. Its Platinum Orb fell from its body.

"I surrender! I surrender! I won’t fight anymore!" Giratina, recognizing it was outmatched, telepathically cried out to Rio. It knew Palkia, Charizard, and that unfamiliar Pokémon all answered to this human.

"Finally surrendering." Rio smiled. He was about to capture the legendary Reverse World God — Giratina.

"Charizard, Mewtwo, stand down." Rio ordered. But just as he spoke, Palkia hit Giratina with another Aura Sphere.

"Palkia! Are you deaf?! I said I surrender! That human told you to stop!" Giratina roared in fury.

"Sorry — I didn’t hear you. Or rather, I didn’t react in time." Palkia looked away, making a flimsy excuse.

Giratina shot it a hateful glare.

"Alright, alright — enough fighting. We’re all comrades now — no more hostility." Rio stepped in to mediate.

Then he pulled out another Luxury Ball. "Giratina — you said you’d submit to me."

Giratina stared at Rio for a long moment, then reluctantly flew over. "I keep my word. I never lie."

"I know — you’re a Pokémon of great integrity." Rio tossed the Luxury Ball. A flash of light — Giratina was drawn in. Unlike Palkia, the capture was smooth — one try, three shakes, and it was done.

"The Reverse World God Giratina — I, Rio, have captured it too." Rio smiled, picked up the Luxury Ball, and released Giratina. "Giratina — there’s something I need to tell you..." He explained his hands-off management style for legendary Pokémon.

The moment he finished, Giratina’s friendship notification rang. It was thrilled to be left unmanaged.

"That’s perfect! You said it — no take-backs!" Giratina said excitedly.

"Don’t worry — I never go back on my word." Rio smiled. Then he looked up at the sky.

At last — the Time God, Dialga, had arrived.