Pokemon: A New Path

This Pokémon had finally found the one it was searching for.

Flutter Mane looked at the familiar Koraidon in the photo and was flooded with memories.

Back then, when the land was dominated by a brutal and powerful Koraidon. Even its own territory had been claimed by that fearsome Koraidon who had won a fierce battle to take it. Defeated and desperate, Flutter Mane had been on the verge of fleeing—until a remarkable Koraidon arrived.

The new Koraidon fought an intense battle with the dominant Koraidon, ultimately emerging victorious. Just when Flutter Mane thought its territory was about to change hands yet again, the victorious Koraidon simply looked at it, then turned and walked away without a word.

Confused, Flutter Mane reclaimed its territory, unsure why the Koraidon had shown mercy. However, its peace was short-lived. Another formidable Pokémon soon arrived, and after a desperate struggle, Flutter Mane once again lost its home, forced to flee in fear.

After wandering aimlessly for a while, Flutter Mane crossed paths with the special Koraidon once more. It watched from a distance as this Koraidon wandered through the land, constantly fighting for survival. The Koraidon would stumble into other Pokémon's territories, battle fiercely, and often find itself in grave danger.

Throughout all these encounters, a shadowy figure was always by the Koraidon's side. It was old and mysterious with white markings that seemed almost spectral. Yet the Koraidon appeared completely unaware of its silent companion.

One day, the Koraidon encountered a particularly powerful adversary—the very Koraidon that reigned supreme over this land. Despite fighting with every ounce of strength, the special Koraidon was ultimately overwhelmed, knocked to the ground, and about to be defeated. Just as the mighty Koraidon raised its fist for the final blow, the ghostly figure stepped forward to shield the fallen Koraidon.

Flutter Mane was shocked as it watched the ghostly figure exhaust its last remaining energy to protect the Koraidon, sacrificing itself to allow the Koraidon to escape and ultimately turn the tables on its foe.

At that moment, something awakened in Flutter Mane's heart. For the first time, it felt something beyond survival, beyond the endless cycle of battle—it felt a spark of understanding and empathy.

Curious and moved, Flutter Mane decided to follow the remarkable Koraidon.

From then on, its life began to change. It no longer revolved solely around aggressive hunts or brutal territorial skirmishes. There was now something more—a desire to learn and understand.

Eventually, the Koraidon noticed Flutter Mane's presence.

In a brief exchange, Flutter Mane learned that the Koraidon was searching for someone of great importance. To this end, it has traveled to almost every place on this earth just to find the person.

To explore the changes it felt in its heart, Flutter Mane had decided to travel with Koraidon to help him find that person.

Eventually, they arrived at a massive cavern.

Koraidon sensed a powerful and ominous presence below and asked Flutter Mane to wait while it descended alone.

Flutter Mane agreed, but after waiting a long time, Koraidon didn't return.

Worried, Flutter Mane finally entered the cavern to search for it.

However, there was no trace of Koraidon—only a group of shiny, simple-minded, turtle-like Pokémon.

At that moment, Flutter Mane felt a mysterious call.

Following this faint calling, it spotted a white light ahead.

With a few flaps, it disappeared into the white light. When it opened its eyes, it found itself in a new place, facing two strange creatures with hair on their heads.

They looked almost identical to the ghostly figure it had once seen protecting Koraidon, clearly members of the same race.

Based on what Koraidon had once mentioned, this creature was likely a "human," the very being Koraidon had been searching for.

Staring at the photo of Koraidon's smile, Flutter Mane felt a warm sensation in its heart.

—How wonderful.

Flutter Mane thought with contentment, genuinely happy for Koraidon.

Its calm expression softened as it reflected on this moment.

Suddenly, a surprised cry sounded from behind.

Startled, Flutter Mane snapped back to reality, realizing it had been spotted by a human.

Not wanting to linger, it quickly slipped into the shadows and vanished from sight.

Professor Sada looked at the spot in shock.

An expression of disbelief appeared on her face.

"Was Flutter Mane… looking at the photo?"

At that moment, Professor Turo entered after hearing the commotion. "What happened?"

Professor Sada recounted what she had just observed.

Professor Turo thought for a moment, then looked up at the surveillance camera in the corner of the room.

Three minutes later, the two professors were in the monitoring room, reviewing the footage.

On screen, they watched as the Pokemon emerged from the shadows, drawn to the whiteboard. Its gaze traveled over the various images and then lingered on a particular photograph—one of Koraidon and Naoki.

Seeing this, Professor Turo furrowed his brow.

Professor Sada, still stunned, murmured, "Was it looking at Koraidon No 1?"

"What's going on? Could it be that Flutter Mane and Koraidon come from the same era? Did they actually know each other?"

Professor Sada's eyes sparkled with excitement. If is true, that would be an incredible discovery!

"Calm down," Professor Turo said, noticing her excitement. "It's possible it was just intrigued by the photo. Paradox Pokémon from ancient times have likely never seen anything like it."

"Just like certain Pokémon that get startled the first time they see their reflection in a mirror," Professor Sada acknowledged, nodding. She thought for a moment and decided to try a few small experiments first.

If this Flutter Mane did indeed know Naoki's Koraidon, they might eventually need to invite Naoki to the lab.

However, more pressing matters awaited. The vast, mysterious Underdepths of Area Zero held countless secrets yet to be unraveled, and even Professors Sada and Turo, the original explorers of the region, had yet to find answers to many of their questions.

The two scientists had been conducting deeper explorations of the Underdepths for weeks, uncovering new mysteries each day.

After a night's rest, they packed their equipment at dawn and prepared to descend into the cavern once again. But just before they were set to leave, they were stopped by a report from the institute's cafeteria chef.

"Doctors! There's something strange going on—the institute might be haunted! All the meat and berries I stored in the pantry last night are gone!" the chef said, looking bewildered.

Professor Sada raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, gone?"

"I don't know!" the chef exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "The pantry door was locked, tightly sealed—no one could have snuck in. But when I went in this morning, all the food was missing! And it was all raw ingredients, too…"

Professor Sada paused, pondering. "Interesting. Let's take a look at it when we return from our expedition."

"Yes, Professor."

After seeing the chef off, Professors Sada and Turo made their way to the elevator leading into the depths of Area Zero's Underdepths.

Hidden in the shadows, Flutter Mane watched the two humans carefully, tracking their every move. Silently, it followed, lurking in the darkness as they descended into the deeper levels.

When the elevator doors finally slid open, Professors Sada and Turo stepped out, prepared to resume their investigation of the immense cavern.

As Flutter Mane observed this strange and unfamiliar place, a faint sense of recognition stirred within it. If it remembered correctly, this was the very spot where it had first encountered the cluster of tiny turtle-like Pokémon.

Back then, these little Pokémon would gather here, basking on the radiant, crystal-covered stones and stretching their necks to drink the dew that dripped from the stalactites high above.

But now, the cavern lay silent and empty. There was no trace of the turtle Pokémon.

Flutter Mane felt a pang of confusion. 'What had happened to the world I once knew?'

While the two humans continued their exploration, Flutter Mane cautiously flew around, searching the vast cavern. The changes it saw were overwhelming. It had entered a blinding white light, and when it emerged, everything in the world had shifted. Even the air felt different—strange, unfamiliar.

The more it searched, the more disoriented Flutter Mane became. Eventually, it found itself completely lost within the labyrinthine depths of the Underdepths.

Only when it caught sight of the two familiar figures did Flutter Mane feel a small sense of relief. Not daring to stray far again, it decided to trail closely behind the two humans, hoping they would lead it back to the surface.

But the professors didn't return to the elevator. They pressed forward, venturing deeper into the mysterious cave system. After what felt like ages of wandering, they finally arrived in a chamber lined with glimmering crystals.

There, Flutter Mane froze, its gaze locked onto the figure lying motionless on one of the glowing stones—a small turtle Pokémon, its form shimmering as if fused with the crystal itself. Its breaths were faint as if it were lost in a deep sleep. 

...

In the blink of an eye, a whole month had passed since the World Tree last ripened.

Today was the day Calyrex would once again nurture the World Tree.

That morning, Naoki gathered all the Pokémon on the ranch around the World Tree. Once everyone had assembled, Calyrex gave Naoki a gentle nod and raised His arms.

In the next moment, a surge of powerful Grass-type energy flowed from the Calyrex's body, streaming directly into the World Tree before Him. The tree immediately responded, each of its leaves glowing with a vibrant green light. 

The branches rustled even though there was no breeze, their leaves making a soft, musical sound under the warm spring sun. The World Tree's trunk grew thicker, its height increased, and the crown of leaves became even lusher and more abundant.

Naoki watched in awe as the World Tree transformed before him, and the tree's details appeared in his mind, showing its progression.

[World Tree: A young tree that has absorbed significant Grass-type energy. Due to its nurturing environment and the Gogoat that tends to it, it has undergone a mutation during growth. It holds an immense life force within, preparing to fully mature.]

As Naoki looked at the countdown, he saw the remaining years needed for the World Tree's growth gradually decreasing:

[95,995 years… 94,563 years… 94,336 years...]

"..." 

The number eventually settled at 93,995 years.

Just when Naoki thought that was it, the number suddenly dropped again:

[93,995 years → 91,220 years]

An astonishing leap!

In one fell swoop, another 2,775 years had been shaved off the growth time.

'Was this the effect of the leaf cake enhanced with friendship berries?'

Naoki could hardly believe his eyes. 

With the "growth acceleration" effect of the friendship-infused leaf cake now in play, the World Tree began to hum with renewed life, and its growth reignited.

The dense foliage of the World Tree suddenly expanded, forming a vast green canopy. The shade it cast in the sunlight enveloped Naoki and the Pokémon beneath, providing a cool refuge.

In an instant, the World Tree surged from just over two meters to more than three, maturing into a flourishing, vibrant tree.

"Mree…" 

"Pamo..." 

"…"

The Pokémon gathered around gazed up at the World Tree, murmuring in awe at its sudden growth.

Even Calyrex looked astonished by the scene before him. Then, as if something clicked in His mind, He reached out telepathically to Naoki, asking, "Is this the effect of the leaf cake?"

Naoki nodded, smiling. "Yeah."

Calyrex murmured, "It's truly remarkable."

Just then, a voice sounded from behind them.

"Is this the power of Calyrex, The King of Bountiful Harvests? It's as incredible as Geeta described."

Naoki turned to see a young woman with long green hair, wearing brown overalls over a khaki high-collared shirt, gazing at the World Tree in awe.

Noticing Naoki's attention, the well-dressed woman smiled, nodded, and greeted him. "Hello, the prodigious talent selected by the Chief! I'm Rika, here on behalf of the Paldea League to extend our gratitude to you and Calyrex."

'Rika? The Ground-type Elite Four member of the Paldea region?'

Naoki was taken aback, but considering Geeta's influence, he understood.

He returned the greeting politely. "Hello, I'm Naoki, the rancher of Naoki Ranch."

"The Chief shared everything with me. You're truly impressive! I heard you're incredibly strong!" Rika said with a friendly smile.

"Uh..." Naoki hesitated, unsure how to respond. Finally, he managed, "No, no, it's really not that grand. I'm just an ordinary rancher."

Rika raised an eyebrow playfully. "How can you say that! You're far too humble. Well, though I'd love to chat more, I have something important to handle right now."

She then turned to approach Calyrex. Though clearly surprised by its unusual big head, she composed herself and spoke sincerely:

"Naoki, Calyrex, on behalf of the Paldea League, I formally express our deepest gratitude to both of you."

Naoki remained silent, but Calyrex beside him responded in a dignified tone, "There is no need for formality."

Rika's eyes widened slightly in surprise. 'Did… did the Pokémon just speak?' She had heard of powerful Pokémon with such abilities, but it was rare to witness firsthand.

However, keeping her composure, Rika continued, "As a gesture of our gratitude, the Paldea League will establish a Shrine of Plenty in the hills behind the ranch to honor the King of Bountiful Harvests for your incredible support."

Naoki wasn't overly surprised, as Geeta had already briefed him on the plan. But he found it amusing to imagine the future.

With the Shrine of Plenty in place, perhaps in a few hundred years, tales of Calyrex breathing life into the fields and forests of these hills would become a cherished legend. Generations of trainers might journey here to explore the myth—much like how people in the Johto region had built the Bell Tower to honor Ho-oh.

In time, Calyrex might be revered similarly to the Rainbow Pokémon, with stories of His blessings spreading far and wide across Paldea.

...

"Thank you, amazing people, for rocketing this fic to the #1 spot again! 🏆 You're the true champions here—couldn't have done it without your support (and all those precious stones)! 💎🙌"

...

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