Lysandre had made up his mind to capture Yveltal, and he didn't hesitate—he was a man of decisive action.
Besides, he had waited far too long for this opportunity. He couldn't wait any longer to "purify" this filthy world.
"Boss, but we still can't fully control the Zygarde Core, and we haven't located the second Zygarde Core yet," said Xerosic, the burly man in the red uniform, frowning. He was the only male scientist among Team Flare's ranks.
Through their research, Team Flare had discovered the Zygarde Core. But there were two Zygarde Cores—and they had only captured one.
The other was still missing.
"If we rely on just one Core, we can't be sure the transformed Zygarde will be able to defeat Yveltal," Xerosic said worriedly. After all, Yveltal was the legendary Pokémon of destruction—its power would undoubtedly be immense.
"No need to worry, Xerosic. You underestimate Zygarde."
Lysandre was calm and confident. Among the three Aura Pokémon, Zygarde, the embodiment of order, was unquestionably the strongest.
Even if not at full power—it was still the strongest.
"Besides, with our support, Zygarde will not lose to Yveltal."
Lysandre's confidence soared—his dream was finally within reach!
"As long as we get Yveltal, our ideal world will come to pass. We'll sweep away the garbage of Kalos… those foolish people!"
"A beautiful world will be born!"
Lysandre's tone was almost fanatical. Xerosic nodded silently.
Their leader's dream… was their dream too.
Desert City.
"Thank you so much for looking after Hoopa."
At a remote pavilion once more, Meray cast a helpless glance at the grinning Hoopa.
"No need to thank us. Hoopa is adorable—we really like it," Dylan replied with a smile.
After relocating Yveltal's Cocoon of Destruction to the canyon, Dylan and the others had returned to Desert City.
According to Diantha, the information had definitely been sent to Team Flare. The only question was when they'd make their move.
But Dylan was certain—once they verified the intel, Lysandre would come.
A man as "obsessed" as Lysandre… his fixation on Yveltal bordered on pathological.
Because Yveltal was the final piece to his plan.
Just then, a majestic bird Pokémon descended from the sky—Braviary.
On Braviary's back sat a handsome young man holding a strange, ornate vessel.
It was Baraz—also from the Valley of Creation.
"Brother!"
"Baraz~!"
Meray and Hoopa both lit up with joy at the sight of him.
"Wait… something's wrong."
Dylan stood up and held them back, watching Baraz carefully as he dismounted.
His expression was blank, movements stiff—and most disturbingly, a flickering red glow pulsed within his eyes.
Dylan's gaze dropped to the object in his hand: the Prison Bottle—the vessel used to seal away Hoopa's power.
Baraz had clearly found it.
Before Meray or Hoopa could ask anything, Baraz suddenly opened the bottle and aimed its mouth at Hoopa.
BOOM!
A torrent of pitch-black energy burst forth, surging toward Hoopa.
"Eh?"
Hoopa hadn't even registered what was happening before its body was engulfed, rising helplessly into the air.
"What is that?!" Leaf gaped up at the sky, stunned by the swirling black energy that seemed to blot out the sun.
"That's Hoopa's sealed power—returning to its body," Dylan said quietly, eyes narrowing as he glanced at Baraz.
When the torrent of power ended, Baraz collapsed to his knees, clutching his head in agony.
"That was Hoopa's energy? There was… so much!" Meray gasped, her voice filled with shock.
The energy had blanketed the sky like a dark curtain, like a reversed tornado funneling into Hoopa.
Then—Hoopa's cute little form vanished.
And in its place, under the harsh sunlight, a terrifying Pokémon slammed into the ground.
"Is this Hoopa's true form…?" Lillie covered her mouth in shock, scanning the massive figure before her.
It was colossal, like a giant headless brute with no arms, its massive dreadlock-like hair jutting upward in jagged spikes. A gaping hole yawned in its chest.
Unbound Hoopa.
"Beep~ Hoopa (Unbound Form), Psychic/Dark type. Djinn Pokémon.
Ability: Magician
Moves: Hyperspace Fury, Psychic, Dark Pulse, Trick Room, Nasty Plot...
Entry: Said to possess immense power. Legend has it, it once lifted an entire castle full of treasure and stole it."
Rotom Dex recited its data diligently.
"Djinn Pokémon…" Ilene stared in awe at the terrifying, violent giant. The pressure radiating from it was staggering.
Was this really the same mischievous little creature from earlier?
"Hahaha—Hoopa… is strong!!"
Unbound Hoopa laughed maniacally, its voice now deep and booming, a far cry from its cute tone before.
But Hoopa didn't notice that. Right now, it felt only unbridled joy.
For the first time in a hundred years, its power had returned. The surge of strength filled it with euphoria.
"Hoopa…"
Meray looked up at the monstrous figure. Though part of her felt joy for Hoopa, an uneasy shadow crept into her heart.
"Meray… Baraz… I—"
Unbound Hoopa lowered its head, gazing at its two friends. Just as it opened its mouth to speak—
A violent, malicious force surged into its mind.
"Urgh…"
Icy, pitch-black malice smothered Hoopa's consciousness. It trembled, then fell like a massive weight—uncontrollably.
"Move!"
Dylan yanked everyone back.
CRASH!
The pavilion was utterly flattened beneath Hoopa's massive form, dust rising in clouds.
"What the heck just happened?" Leaf was dumbfounded. Did a legendary Pokémon… just trip?
"No. Something's wrong with it," Dylan muttered, eyes narrowing.
Meray stared anxiously into the dust. Baraz frowned deeply.
ROAR!!
Suddenly, a deep, guttural snarl shook the air. Two crimson lights flared within the haze.
The massive black silhouette slowly rose again—Unbound Hoopa hovered into the air, a suffocating aura emanating from its body.
"Its eyes…" Ilene noticed first.
Its formerly normal eyes were now glowing blood-red, full of seething hatred and malice.
Shnk! Shnk!
With a slicing sound, two gray arms shot out from the six holes on Hoopa's sides.
The six-armed titan floated in mid-air.
"Disappear! All of you—DISAPPEAR!"
Unbound Hoopa's voice rumbled with fury, shouting at… something unseen.
Dark energy crackled in front of the hole in its chest—Dark Pulse!
"Baraz! Call it back!" Dylan shouted to the dazed man.
"Right!"
Baraz snapped out of it and raised the Prison Bottle, chanting an incantation.
The bottle glowed mysteriously. Hoopa stiffened in midair, glaring down with its glowing red eyes.
The pressure was chilling—but Baraz's concern for Hoopa outweighed his fear.
The dark energy began to surge out of Hoopa's body again—flowing back into the bottle.
Within moments, Unbound Hoopa vanished. The familiar small form of Hoopa emerged and collapsed.
Dylan stepped forward and caught it just in time.
The poor thing was drenched in cold sweat and utterly drained.
"Hoopa, are you okay?"
"It was so scary… Dylan… so dark…"
Its voice was weak and fearful.
The others were stunned—wasn't that Hoopa's own power?
"It's alright now. You're safe," Dylan gently wiped Hoopa's face, speaking soothingly.
Hoopa bit its lip, clearly still shaken.
"Brother!"
Meray cried out.
Dylan turned—and saw Baraz trembling violently, still holding the bottle.
This time, everyone sensed something wrong.
"Brother—the bottle!" Lillie pointed at the Prison Bottle in Baraz's hands.
The "eye" marking on it was glowing ominously red.
"Disappear… I said disappear—!!"
Baraz suddenly raised his head—his eyes were the same terrifying red.
His voice… was just like Unbound Hoopa's.
Before he could finish his sentence—
WHRRRRRR!
A surge of deep blue energy enveloped him. The bottle flew from his hand and landed on the ground.
Shiny Mewtwo hovered beside Dylan, eyes glowing as it glared at the cursed vessel.
Yes—Dylan had called out his Shiny Mewtwo.
"Are you okay?" Meray ran to support Baraz.
"I'm fine… thank you, stranger," Baraz said, clutching his chest, still trembling.
"No need to thank me. That thing… it's cursed. Something's wrong with it."
Dylan looked down at the bottle. Now that it had no "host," it lay silent again. But everyone knew—it was dangerous.
"What happened, brother?" Meray asked.
"I followed the clues left by our great-grandfather and found the Prison Bottle. But after touching it, I lost consciousness. It brought my body here," Baraz explained solemnly.
His powers were stronger than Meray's—and he understood now.
"But that was Hoopa's own power, wasn't it?" Lillie asked in confusion.
"It's… not the same as me," Hoopa whispered, clearly frightened, not daring to approach the bottle.
Indeed, it had developed a psychological fear of it.
"Yes, it was Hoopa's power. But after being sealed for so long, it likely developed a separate, evil consciousness—one that's completely different from Hoopa's," Baraz theorized.
He had just experienced that firsthand.
"Wait—power grew its own mind?!" Leaf was stunned.
"Exactly. And that malice is so strong that it can overpower even Hoopa itself," Baraz nodded.
"If we ever let it loose… Hoopa may never be the Hoopa we know again."
He looked sadly at the still-weak Pokémon.
That was why he'd gone searching for the bottle in the first place—to return Hoopa's strength.
But now, knowing that doing so could destroy Hoopa as they knew it—he couldn't let it happen.
"I don't want it."
Hoopa refused flatly, shaking its head.
The experience had left a scar—it didn't want to go through that ever again.
"It's not impossible," Dylan said thoughtfully.
"After all, it is Hoopa's power. That evil shouldn't be the one in control. If we can purify or destroy the second consciousness, Hoopa can reclaim its strength."
"And more importantly, we can't just leave this bottle somewhere. Anyone who touches it will be possessed. Nowhere is safe."
Dylan's voice was calm, but serious.
"..."
Baraz fell silent.
He was right—but that power was part of Hoopa.
And now, it was under the control of something evil.
If they released it again—who could stop it?
(End of Chapter)