"Lorelei, we've got something to take care of. Would you mind staying here and waiting for us?"
Dylan smiled politely as he stepped back onto the beach.
"…"
Lorelei was still visibly dazed—her mind spinning after everything she'd just heard from the conversation between Dylan and Pryce.
What is even happening in this world anymore?
"I know you and Lance share similar ideals," Dylan said gently, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But please believe me—his path won't lead to anything good."
"There are dark corners in the world, yes—but we can change them. Slowly. Together. Extreme justice will never lead to real peace. All violence begets is more violence."
Lorelei's eyes flickered, her expression twisting with uncertainty.
"…I understand," she finally whispered with a long sigh.
In truth, Red's words earlier had already shaken her. She'd been wavering ever since.
"Good." Dylan nodded, then recalled Kyurem and the others.
"Dialga, let's go."
With his command, Dialga's eyes lit with an immense temporal power, forming a swirling time vortex before them.
Lorelei watched in silence as Dylan and Pryce stepped through it.
Time travel…
She pushed her glasses up, stunned. She never thought something like this was even possible—let alone that she would witness it.
Inside the time corridor, Dialga surged upstream through the current of history. Pryce had already given it the precise date of the accident, so Dialga knew exactly where to stop.
Soon, it located the correct node and led them through.
And the moment they passed into the timestream, far away—in the rift between dimensions—the native Time Dragon opened its majestic eyes.
Someone… had touched time.
Time is heavy—sacred. In this world, only it, Celebi, and the Father were supposed to wield such power.
Who dared touch time without permission?
Its gaze darkened. Without hesitation, it opened the temporal current and entered. Whoever this was, they would be judged.
Because this world's time… was its domain.
If someone was meddling with time in plain sight, that was nothing short of a slap in the face.
—
Hidden from view, Dylan and Pryce watched from afar as Pryce's younger self screamed in anguish, kneeling beside two lifeless Lapras.
His nightmare, relived again.
Pryce's eyes blurred with tears. He hadn't visited this place since that day.
Once young Pryce buried the Lapras and staggered away, Dylan and the current Pryce approached the site.
"Lapris… Lapruss…"
Pryce's voice cracked. This was the first time he had spoken their names aloud in years.
"Let's dig them up. Once we're back, Ho-Oh can revive them," Dylan said, glancing toward the vortex swirling ominously in the sky.
"It's here."
Dialga's voice was low, serious. The native Time Dragon had arrived.
"No big deal. Don't worry, old man. Just get to digging," Dylan replied cheerfully.
"Alright." Pryce nodded, releasing Delibird and Swinub to help.
…The two Pokémon exchanged a look. Especially Delibird, who stared at its wings, utterly baffled.
Bro. How am I supposed to dig with THESE?
Dylan wasn't paying them much mind. Instead, he threw out a series of Poké Balls—his smile widening.
Shiny Ultra Necrozma (Dawn Wings).
Necrozma (Dusk Mane).
Black Kyurem.
Mega Rayquaza.
Eternatus.
"All right, everyone. Let's give our guest a warm welcome."
As twin beams of light burst forth, both Necrozmas entered Ultra form.
Eternatus ascended into the sky—its black Dynamax vortex tearing open the heavens—and with a crimson claw descending, it transformed into Eternamax Eternatus.
Dialga, too, shimmered in a divine blue light, shifting into its Origin Forme.
The sheer pressure was overwhelming. The very air in this plane of existence seemed to compress and still.
Even Pryce, veteran that he was, stared up at the spectacle in silence.
…Is this guy even human?
—
And then, the time vortex began to falter—stuttering in mid-spin.
Group chat.
Reshiram: OMG, my brothers are soooo cool!! 😍
Terapagos: Oi! Why didn't he send ME out?! I wanna flex too!! 😠
Shiny Mewtwo: …
Calyrex: If I find a dragon to ride, do I gain Dragon typing? 🤔
Koraidon: Wanna try riding me? I bet we'd shred together. 😎
The group chat was lively, but Dylan's focus was locked on the vortex.
Don't tell me… I laid out all this firepower and the Time Dragon's too scared to come out?
Maybe he overdid it?
Indeed, within the time corridor, the Time Dragon stared at the exit with a conflicted expression.
It had come ready to reprimand whoever dared interfere with the time flow.
But something… was off.
The auras beyond the vortex were intense. Far too intense.
Still, it couldn't just turn around and flee. If its brothers Palkia or Giratina caught wind of that, it would never live it down.
No! I am the Time Dragon! it told itself.
It was born at the dawn of creation. What challenge hadn't it faced?
After psyching itself up, it slowly floated toward the exit.
It's probably nothing… maybe they're all just bluff.
But the moment its blue aura broke through the vortex…
"…Tch. As expected of a mythical god of creation," Dylan muttered with a smirk. "There's no way you'd chicken out…"
Before he could finish, the Time Dragon poked its head through the vortex—and froze.
Its eyes widened in shock—staring straight at Origin Form Dialga.
The alien Dialga stared back indifferently, unfazed by the look of pure horror across its counterpart's face.
To the Time Dragon, it felt like looking at a ghost—or worse, a demon.
It recognized that form. It was the shape it had lost long ago.
Itself—in origin form.
The Time Dragon's mind went blank.
No. No way. This is… this is me. But not me.
It turned to retreat—only to realize it couldn't.
The time corridor had been sealed.
Locked by Origin Dialga's power.
The Time Dragon fidgeted awkwardly, casting a desperate glance at the alternate Dialga.
"…Guest, since you've already arrived, why not stay for a chat?" Dylan called cheerfully, sitting atop Mega Rayquaza.
"…???"
The Time Dragon blinked in confusion at the human.
This guy is the boss?
"You don't have to worry. We're not here to change history," Dylan continued with a smile. "We're just handling a bit of personal business. We were about to leave, honestly."
"Would you mind joining us for a talk?"
"…Sure."
What else could the Time Dragon say?
The other Dialga was stronger. So was its time power.
And now, the Origin Dialga released its grip. The Time Dragon slowly, hesitantly emerged fully into the present.
And immediately—regretted it.
The full might of the Dragon God Army crashed down on it like a tidal wave.
Its peripheral vision caught Ultra Necrozma, Eternamax Eternatus, Kyurem, Rayquaza, and more.
Its legs trembled.
Bro, was this really necessary?
It stood alone, surrounded on all sides. The sheer pressure…
(Weak. Helpless. Terrified. JPG)
"Since we figured you'd probably show up, we thought we'd give you a proper welcome."
Dylan's voice was warm, his tone kind.
"This is the first time we've ever organized such a grand welcoming ceremony. You're the first. Moved?"
The Time Dragon: "…"
"And actually," Dylan continued, smiling, "I do have a few questions for you."
As the native guardian of time, this Dialga knew things.
"…Human," the Time Dragon began, taking a deep breath, trying not to tremble. "I don't know what you plan to do, but time must not be taken lightly. The consequences of tampering with it… cannot be measured."
"You should understand that best," it added, turning to face Origin Dialga.
As time guardians, even from different worlds, they shared that burden.
"You don't have to worry," Dylan said with a wave. "We're not changing the past. Just retrieving something."
He then calmly explained everything.
"…Fine."
Truthfully, the Time Dragon still wanted to say it was wrong even so.
But after glancing again at the dragons surrounding it… yeah. Best not.
At least they weren't planning to rewrite history.
Dylan narrowed his eyes.
And asked the question he most wanted answered—
"So, Dialga… what exactly is the current status of Arceus?"