Pokemon: A New Path

"Calm down, Doc!" Naoki said, holding up a hand. 

After considering the situation for a moment, a different possibility came to mind. He looked directly at Professor Sada on the screen and asked, "Is it possible that Flutter Mane and Koraidon aren't friends, but enemies who fought each other in the past?"

Professor Sada blinked, momentarily taken aback. Naoki's suggestion seemed to cool her excitement, prompting her to think more critically. 

"You might be right," she admitted after a pause, her expression thoughtful. "Most of the Paradox Pokémon we've summoned from ancient times tend to be violent, territorial, and inherently combative. They rarely cooperate, except when hunting, and most of their interactions involve territorial disputes or fights."

Naoki nodded, recognizing the truth in her words. 

"But…" Sada continued, a hint of determination in her voice, "My intuition tells me that Flutter Mane is different. There's something unusual about its behavior, something we've never seen in the others. It didn't react with hostility, and its interest in that photo suggests more than simple aggression."

She sighed softly as if letting go of some of her earlier enthusiasm. "Regardless, I still believe it's worth exploring. Naoki, I hope you and Koraidon can come to the Area Zero Research Institute. Seeing them meet might reveal the truth."

"I'll talk to Koraidon first," Naoki replied, glancing toward the ranch.

"Good," Sada said, her voice hopeful.

Without ending the call, Naoki made his way to the grassy fields where Koraidon was basking in the sunlight. The legendary Pokémon lay sprawled out on the grass, soaking up the warmth of the golden rays. Its vibrant scales glimmered under the sun, and its body seemed completely at ease. 

The air around the ranch carried a mix of earthy grass scents and the sweet aroma of freshly baked PokéPuffs drifting from Naoki's kitchen. The gentle breeze carried the fragrance right to where Koraidon lay, its body visibly relaxing further with every breath.

Hearing the familiar sound of Naoki's footsteps, Koraidon lazily opened one eye and turned its head toward him. 

"Raao?" it rumbled curiously, its voice deep but calm.

Naoki crouched beside it, his tone gentle. "Koraidon, do you remember having any Pokémon friends in ancient times?"

Koraidon blinked, the question catching it off guard. But after a moment, its eyes brightened with recognition, and it nodded. "Raao!" 

The image of a Pokémon floating gracefully in mid-air emerged in its mind: Flutter Mane.

Koraidon remembered their encounter in that primitive, ancient world—a time when it was roaming in search of Naoki. The journey had been fraught with danger, filled with ferocious Pokémon that attacked at every turn, including rival Koraidon.

Initially, it hadn't recognized Flutter Mane. It wasn't until later that Koraidon acknowledged it and allowed the Pokémon to accompany it on its arduous journey.

Countless battles and trials passed as they ventured forward. Guided by something almost instinctual, they faced fierce challenges, including a battle with a rival Koraidon, which left Koraidon wounded but victorious.

After many hardships, they finally reached their destination.

At that time, Koraidon still remembered sensing an incredibly dangerous aura deep below. It bid farewell to Flutter Mane, telling it to stay behind. 

Flutter Mane agreed without hesitation. 

So, Koraidon ventured into the depths of Area Zero alone, nursing its injuries, until it arrived at a vast underground cave filled with glowing minerals.

There, it encountered a group of shining turtle Pokémon. 

The turtles, curious about the newcomer, gathered around Koraidon and asked who it was and why it had come.

Koraidon replied with a heavy heart, "I'm Koraidon, and I'm searching for Naoki."

The little turtles tilted their heads, confused, and asked, "Who is Naoki?"

Koraidon answered sadly, "He is someone very important to me. I miss him dearly, but I cannot find him."

Hearing the sorrow in Koraidon's voice, the turtles lowered their heads, sharing its sadness. 

Then, as if moved by its plight, some of the small turtles stepped forward, offering to help. 

What happened next astounded Koraidon. The small turtle Pokémon began to glow with a radiant light. In an instant, their forms changed—they became larger, shining turtles, their shells gleaming like crystals.

The giant turtles unleashed an extraordinary power. Before Koraidon's eyes, the entire world seemed to be enveloped in a dazzling crystal light.

A surge of immense Tera energy distorted time and space. At that moment, Koraidon felt an undeniable call—something pulling it from the other side of time and space.

Before it could react, the brilliant light engulfed it entirely.

When Koraidon emerged from the light, it found itself facing Professor Sada and Dr. Turo, both wearing expressions of astonished excitement.

Their intent to capture it was evident as they reached for Poké Balls, but Koraidon had no interest in staying. Overwhelmed with longing to see Naoki again, it swatted the Poké Balls away with a single claw swipe.

Without delay, Koraidon bolted from the research facility, soared out of Area Zero, and flew tirelessly across the Paldea region, navigating by memory toward its home.

By the time Koraidon finally reached the ranch, its body, battered and weakened, succumbed to unconsciousness. 

It remembered the moment Naoki and its younger self—Cyclizar—dragged its limp body inside. Together, they prepared grilled steak to help it recover.

Initially, Koraidon felt dazed and confused by the sequence of events. But seeing its past self standing alongside Naoki, it began to piece everything together. 

Those early days at the ranch were a challenge. Koraidon struggled to accept the Cyclizar as its younger self. It couldn't help but feel pangs of jealousy and frustration whenever it saw Naoki being affectionate with Cyclizar.

Cyclizar, sensitive to Koraidon's emotions, approached it cautiously during that time, trying not to provoke it. 

Over time, however, Koraidon adjusted to the new dynamics of its life at the ranch. Eventually, it reluctantly accepted Cyclizar as part of its family, though the journey to harmony had been long and fraught with tension.

Now, reflecting on these memories, Koraidon realized it had lived through these moments before. 

Having gathered the information he needed, Naoki knew he couldn't keep Professor Sada waiting. He turned and left to report back.

Returning to the videophone, Naoki relayed everything he had learned from Koraidon to Professor Sada.

"I asked Koraidon if it had ever made friends before, and Koraidon said it had."

Hearing this answer, Professor Sada's expression turned to one of surprise.

"Flutter Mane..." she murmured.

Naoki thought for a moment before agreeing to her request. "We'll leave for the Paldea Crater tomorrow."

If Flutter Mane was indeed Koraidon's friend, it meant the two Pokémon could coexist peacefully and wouldn't clash like other Paradox Pokémon often did. Perhaps this even meant he could tame Flutter Mane.

Professor Sada's eyes lit up with excitement. "In that case, Dr. Turo and I will be waiting for you and Koraidon at the lab!"

With that, the call ended.

Naoki went to inform the Indeedee siblings, who handled the ranch's day-to-day operations, about his upcoming departure. The brother and sister reassured him, promising to take excellent care of everything while he was away.

Naoki had complete confidence in their abilities.

The next morning, he set off for the Paldea Crater, riding on Koraidon's back.

Koraidon seemed energized, even a little excited. It had been so long since it had last seen Flutter Mane, and it couldn't help but wonder how its old friend was doing.

Koraidon flew at its fastest speed, covering the distance from the ranch to the Paldea Crater in just over two hours.

Looking down at the world below, shrouded in misty clouds, Naoki couldn't help but feel nostalgic. His previous visit had been awe-inspiring. Witnessing the untamed and ancient behaviors of the Paradox Pokémon had left a lasting impression on him.

But this time, he had a different purpose. The awe of the first trip had faded, replaced by a focused determination.

Riding Koraidon, he passed directly through the layers of mist and reached Area Zero's research lab at the crater's base.

Professor Sada was already waiting to greet him.

"Long time no see, Koraidon!" she said warmly, her smile widening as she saw the Pokémon.

"Ah gaho~," Koraidon replied with a happy rumble.

Naoki, standing beside Koraidon, gave the professor a polite nod, which she returned before motioning for them to follow.

"Come with me," she said. "Flutter Mane is hiding inside the lab. It seems incredibly shy. Neither Dr. Turo nor I have been able to coax it out. That's where you and Koraidon come in."

"Shy?" Naoki repeated, surprised. Shyness was not an attribute he associated with the aggressive reputation of Paradox Pokémon.

Professor Sada nodded. "Yes, this Flutter Mane is unique. Of all the Paradox Pokémon I've observed, it's the one most similar to modern Pokémon in temperament."

As if recalling something, she paused and lightly smacked her forehead. "Oh, and I almost forgot—there's also Koraidon! That's another exception."

Naoki glanced down at Koraidon, walking calmly beside him.

Professor Sada murmured to herself, "Could there be an unknown connection between the two?"

'Was it that Flutter Mane was influenced by Koraidon and changed its personality, or was it Koraidon that was influenced by Flutter Mane and became quieter?'

Well, that was the question.

As a researcher with a PhD in Pokémon studies, one must learn to make bold assumptions and verify them with careful analysis.

Professor Sada glanced at Koraidon and thought about Flutter Mane, a sudden and incredulous idea forming in her mind. She covered her mouth in surprise. "Could it be that, in ancient times, Koraidon and Flutter Mane belonged to the same egg group?"

Hearing this, Naoki was momentarily stunned.

"Egg group? Could it be..." he trailed off, looking at Koraidon in shock before murmuring, 'Could it be that Koraidon and Flutter Mane are... in love with each other? Like that Tropius in the anime that fell for Nurse Joy's Meganium?'

Professor Sada continued her analysis with a calm demeanor. "Although there are no documented cases of Paradox Pokémon laying eggs, we can't entirely dismiss the possibility."

At this point, Koraidon, who had been listening to the conversation, seemed to grasp their meaning. Shaking its head vigorously, it exclaimed, "Ahga!"

"Not true! It and Flutter Mane were just good friends!"

Noticing Koraidon's reaction, Naoki asked, "So, it's not like that?"

Koraidon nodded firmly. "Ah, gah!"

Professor Sada then proposed another hypothesis, her tone speculative. "Could it be that Flutter Mane fell in love with Koraidon and responded to the call of the time machine to follow it into this era?"

Koraidon: "…"

Naoki: "…"

Seeing their speechless expressions, Professor Sada quickly realized she might have gone too far. She turned to Naoki with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I can't think of another explanation for Flutter Mane's behavior."

Naoki thought Professor Sada's imagination was remarkably vivid—befitting someone brilliant enough to create a time machine. However, as far as he knew, Paradox Pokémon didn't seem capable of reproducing like regular Pokémon. Furthermore, legendary Pokémon like Koraidon were genderless, similar to Groudon and Kyogre.

Still, it raised an important question: If Paradox Pokémon couldn't reproduce, how did they sustain their populations in ancient times? If they lacked the ability to reproduce, wouldn't they have faced extinction after a few generations?

Naoki couldn't help but wonder, 'Did an asteroid strike the Pokémon world, wiping out ancient Pokémon like Koraidon, Roaring Moon, and Slither Wing, just as it had with the dinosaurs?'

It was a question with no clear answer. The truth could likely only be uncovered by traveling back through time via a time machine and witnessing the events firsthand.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Naoki, Dr. Sada, and Koraidon arrived at the massive research facility situated beside the glowing Tera Crystal Pillar. 

Dr. Sada swiped her ID card, and the institute's entrance slid open with a quiet hum.

Leading the way, she explained, "Flutter Mane is somewhere inside this facility, but it's highly cautious. It rarely shows itself around humans. We've been relying on the surveillance system to keep track of its movements."

Naoki nodded. "That makes sense."

For a paradox Pokémon like Flutter Mane, this era was as foreign as an advanced civilization would be to a lost, primitive tribe. While Flutter Mane might try to evade capture, it had little understanding of modern technology, leaving it vulnerable to detection through surveillance.

Dr. Sada paused, then suggested, "Why don't we let Koraidon call for it?"

Naoki turned to his companion. "What do you think? Want to give it a try?"

"Ahgashi!"

Koraidon responded with a sharp nod, its tail swishing in agreement. It then began walking slowly through the institute's dimly lit corridor, peering left and right in search of Flutter Mane.

Naoki and Dr. Sada followed quietly a few steps behind, careful not to disturb the silence.

The atmosphere in the corridor was still, the air thick with anticipation. It felt as if time itself was holding its breath. 

Naoki couldn't help but notice that the massive research facility seemed deserted. His best guess was that Dr. Sada had ordered the other researchers to vacate the area, likely out of concern that Flutter Mane might react aggressively to their presence.

Minutes passed with no sign of Flutter Mane. Koraidon sniffed the air cautiously, its sharp gaze scanning every shadow.

Dr. Sada eventually stopped and frowned. "Could it be avoiding us because we're here?"

Naoki considered the possibility. "That's entirely possible."

Dr. Sada thought for a moment before proposing, "Let's head to the monitoring room and leave Koraidon here alone. If we give Flutter Mane some space, it might feel comfortable enough to reveal itself."

"Good idea." Naoki knelt beside Koraidon, gently stroking its scales. "It seems your friend might be shy. We'll wait for you outside so you can meet them in peace."

Koraidon let out a soft, reassuring growl, as if to say it understood.

Naoki and Dr. Sada exited the building and soon encountered Dr. Turo, who was returning from the ecological observation zone. After a brief explanation of their progress, Dr. Turo's curiosity was piqued, and he joined them on their way to the monitoring room.

Inside, the trio watched the surveillance feeds closely. One screen displayed Koraidon as it wandered slowly down the corridor, its posture calm yet alert.

Dr. Turo scanned through the other camera feeds, looking for any movement. Suddenly, he pointed to a monitor. "There it is!"

Naoki leaned in and spotted Flutter Mane emerging cautiously from the shadowy edge of the hallway. Its spectral, floating form moved almost soundlessly as it approached the far end of the corridor, stopping just short of Koraidon's path.

The tension in the room grew as Flutter Mane locked eyes with Koraidon. 

Koraidon's head snapped around, its sharp gaze meeting Flutter Mane's.

...

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