The battle was over.
Many Paradox Pokémon had rebelled. The belly hatch of Super Tyranitar opened, and the two fully modified Iron Hands floated out on currents of electricity.
The pair looked at one another, communicating silently, as if remembering the time when they had been "human."
However, after becoming mechanical Pokémon, the portion of feeling tied to humanity had already faded. Even with a Heart Crystal restoring their sense of self, the "heart" they now possessed was closer to that of Pokémon, no longer human.
"Human souls can become Ghost-type Pokémon, too. In ancient times, there were rumors that psychics turned into Kadabra—though that's probably an urban legend."
"In the future, dying athletes were reconstructed as Iron Hands. But regardless, within the bodies of all Paradox Pokémon flows the genetic legacy of the past Pokémon that served as their prototypes."
This point had been affirmed by Dr. Futu and Dr. Olin.
Hikaru led the Paradox Pokémon through the base's thrown-open gates. Inside, the AI computer had lost all fighting power.
Though it still had many "Iron Valiant" units, those units had no loaded programs. Even if code were injected now, they couldn't form combat strength—and… they might be brainwashed by the enemy in reverse!
"How could this happen? Just what are you?"
The AI computer issued a soul-deep challenge. When it saw Unit 01—the Iron Valiant slated for destruction—walk in, its tone carried palpable disappointment.
"I know what you and that human want to ask." A virtual avatar appeared on the AI computer's screen, looking somewhat like Colress, somewhat like Futu.
"I cannot logically parse the failure to destroy you… This is the defect born of emotion! A true machine would never question so much."
"Emotion is a flaw in evolution—what's with that look?"
"Nothing. I'm just… curious about you." Hikaru studied the virtual figure. "So this is the 'mad scientist' the Scarlet/Violet dex alludes to?"
Mm. A blend of Colress and Dr. Futu did seem a bit mad—but that "madness" wasn't really in the modifying itself; it was in the relentless pursuit of a certain result, a certain power.
"Me? Long ago I discarded my feeble flesh and underwent mechanization. In the end even my personality and emotions were run and simulated by a system. Such emotions would never make mistaken judgments, and are far more logical."
"…But now I've lost. You suborned my army, and you can manufacture powerful technological constructs—just like that human from the past!"
"I don't know how you did it, but it seems you've let those mechanical constructs regain emotion and heart!"
"I'll tell you this: it is absolutely wrong."
"Long ago, the scientist had two Pokémon. Both were living flesh and blood—one named Gardevoir, the other Gallade."
"The scientist treated them as parents. He lived with the two Psychic Pokémon day and night, like family."
"Yet living flesh has an end. When his partners died to accident and illness, the scientist felt pain and sorrow. He refused to accept it."
"So he realized only mechanical ascension could keep them by his side forever—and in the process, their 'successors' would become the strongest Psychic Pokémon. That was the power to pioneer the future."
"Beings with hearts suffer pain and grief before death; machines without hearts need not endure such turbulence. Therefore the conclusion was clear: emotion is a flaw of evolution. Thus the scientist erased his own humanity."
"If the span of life is fixed from the start, what would you do to accept it?"
"And so the scientist kept modifying and experimenting, ultimately creating T-1006—Iron Valiant—a perfect fusion of Gardevoir and Gallade genes."
"To avoid repeating tragedy, mechanical Pokémon absolutely must not possess hearts. Heart is the source of pain and sorrow; once they learn what 'heart' is, they cease to be qualified tools and fall back into the endless cycle of emotional suffering."
As the AI avatar recounted the past, its tone never wavered—even though it was that very mad scientist.
Hikaru shook his head.
"You've practically reached the level of a creator; you're only one step away. That final step is the heart."
"When machines gain hearts, they are living Pokémon. Correspondingly, changes occur within them. That's the law of this world."
Besides, even after mechanical ascension, with a heart they can still back up data to preserve memories and feelings—cybernetic immortality, right?
"No more words. I will ask only this: do you still want to see your partners?"
The AI avatar froze. "From a scientific perspective, the dead cannot—"
Hikaru waved a hand. "Which is why I'll use a non-scientific method to help you."
As with all mad scientists, there is always a soft spot in the heart. Even after mechanical ascension, they must have kept remnants somewhere in the system.
When Hikaru placed two statues of the Pokémon before the AI scientist, a fog transcending distant time and space rippled across this future of a parallel world.
Ancient souls appeared, dazed. Upon seeing the scientist now as AI, their eyes showed longing—and sorrow.
"Gardevoir. Gallade."
An impossibility unfolded. Even as the system computed wildly, it could find no precedent. After all, the island guardians are far from Unova; in Unova, strength is the measure that matters.
Within the mist, the two Pokémon beheld these Paradox forms—especially Iron Valiant Unit 01 and the shiny Iron Valiant Unit 02.
At first glance, a sense of kinship bloomed. Compared to Gardevoir and Gallade, Iron Valiant's body was slightly smaller, so when they stood together, it was like father, mother, and daughter.
Iron Valiant observed the two Pokémon with curiosity.
[Based on genetic judgment, are we "of the same kind"?]
Gardevoir and Gallade patted Iron Valiant's head and smiled at one another—as if acknowledging Iron Valiant's conclusion.
Perhaps we are separated by vast time and space, but you carry our genes; you are indeed our "child."
That point is indisputable.
And you, too, are living life—not a cold machine.
Love is the most perfect error code in any program—the endpoint of all rational computation is that unpatchable system "bug." Once emotion is possessed, it ceases to be a bug and becomes part of soul and gene.
Iron Valiant deepened her understanding of family love, thinking further and further upon it.
When the mist cleared, Gardevoir and Gallade returned to the land of the dead. The AI scientist's projection stood where it was, watching their departure in silence; waves of data flickered in its unemotional eyes.
It looked to the crystal glow at the human's chest—as though that light had helped it recover the humanity it had erased; or perhaps that humanity had never truly vanished.
The AI scientist was silent until the mist was gone. Then, as if waking, it murmured:
"The system has calmed."
"Is… this what I desired?"
Its expression wooden, it went on, "I never expected this to happen. I see. If you wield power beyond comprehension, then my defeat is only natural."
"What I must do next… I will erase myself. As for the mechanical constructs—if they wish to continue living, so be it. I will release their system shackles."
"There is another human in this lab. He comes from a distant past and knows Time Machine technology. Human— I know you are not of this era. If you wish to return to your own time…"
"Iron Valiant… that 'defective' unit—it seems she truly underwent an incredible 'evolution.' If unhappy companionship means one can only feel joy upon parting… then I entrust her to you."
The AI scientist's image vanished. Immediately after, the still-shackled shiny Iron Valiant sensed a new directive; with its registration, a certain constraint within the system was lifted.
The lab dimmed. The AI scientist deleted itself, and Hikaru sharply sensed a surge of soul.
Then, with master-level mediumship, he guided that faint soul into this world's spirit realm.
"As expected—in the Pokémon world, even after mechanization, a soul remains. So whether AI can possess a heart… that's no longer up for debate."
With a hiss of cold air, an iron door opened, and a young "boy professor" awoke with a cough. Staggering from the door, he stared blankly, then yelped at the sight of robots strewn everywhere!
"You're… Kyohei!"
Hikaru was a little surprised.
He'd thought it would be Mei!
But thinking carefully—on the Poké-Master timeline, the movies Mei filmed ended with normal outcomes; correspondingly, the IF ending would star Kyohei's shoot.
"Eh—wh-who are you?! Are you the owner of this lab? No… the master here is a virtual AI—"
Dr. Kyohei from the movie world gaped at Hikaru. Hikaru explained, "I'm someone from a parallel world."
"Par… parallel world?!" The alternate-world Dr. Kyohei gaped. It sounded absurd—though, thinking it through, he himself had traveled here via a Time Machine!
"I—I see! That's great! Thank you for rescuing me!" Once he pieced the situation together, he exhaled in relief.
"I thought I was going to be converted into a robot… I'm really lucky. Now I can go back to my own time! Right—the Time Machine, the Time Machine!"
"Mm, I came by Time Machine, too. But ours is crude—we had issues. We need to link into yours and borrow its energy for power."
"Do you know Booster Energy?" Earlier, Hikaru had retrieved two canisters of Booster Energy from the Iron Hands, but two might not be enough. To be safe, he asked the doctor before him.
"Ah—that's a future-exclusive power source of this era! My Time Machine is indeed out of energy—and damaged."
Dr. Kyohei rummaged in his pockets and produced a strange round capsule.
Hooo—
Suddenly, a powerful wave of energy flared outside the lab. Sensing it, all the Paradox Pokémon surged out.
Hikaru, Iron Valiant, Duraludon—and Dr. Kyohei, who had just fished out the time capsule—were stunned and hurried outside.
A massive radiance fell from the sky. A colossal pink centaur descended like a god upon this exhausted, ruined land!
"Ahhhhh! W-what is that thing?!"
Dr. Kyohei clearly lacked the composure of the "real" Kyohei—or perhaps, as a movie character, exaggerated reactions were baked into his setting.
The enormous Pokémon that appeared was "Shiny Palkia (Origin Forme)!"
The space-ruling deity from another world regarded Hikaru and the surrounding Paradox Pokémon, nodded slightly in apparent satisfaction, and then gathered and released a mighty force. Its unseen might swept across the mechanical metropolis, spreading ever outward!
[The power of heart is surging! Origin Palkia used "Spatial Respiration."]
[Space is the extension of all things; heart is part of space. As this god is born, the barrier walling off the present fades, and boundless space appears.]
Vmmm—
With a peculiar startup tone, more Paradox Pokémon walked out from the lab. Numerous Iron Valiant units emerged, the bond cores set in their chests flashing red in the same rhythm—like undying hearts beating amid the iron ruins.
At the same time, another odd mechanical swordsman stepped out as well.
They had no fitting systems; their mechanical builds were incomplete. Yet they fully activated—like newborn Pokémon—gazing at one another and observing the world.
In the sky, scattered Iron Moth paused, as if confused—their wing-pods behind them thrummed in measured beats, like floating funnels.
Even Super Tyranitar's eyes lit up. The giant machine itself seemed to begin "shifting" toward being a Pokémon!
Endless hearts coalesced into radiance. In that brilliant light, a round gem of pale violet laced with pure white was born!
[Endless hearts have shaped the "Grand Lustrous Orb"! Palkia has obtained what it sought!]
[The Palkia from another world has blessed all mechanical Pokémon in this world—granting them "hearts"!]
Thump!
Palkia looked contentedly at the Pokémon thus born. Then its voice sounded in the hearts of Hikaru and the Pokémon:
{New future-forms will continue to be born. They will arise naturally into the world, just like Steel-types. Though their egg groups are unknown to humans, they too will hatch from new Eggs.}
Just as Arceus emerged from the Egg of the Void, and the Creation Trio from wondrous stones.
All Pokémon are born from sacred Eggs. Once they accept this setting, they are no longer cold machines.
{A space without hearts is narrow—even I cannot reach it. A world with an initial heart of zero has no future.}
{With your aid, this world has returned to its proper course. That is the power to pioneer the future.}
{I must thank you.}
{With your partners, use the Time Machine and return to your own era.}
{Then, come to Dragonspiral Tower! The tallest ancient tower in Unova!}
Palkia vanished from the future world, and Hikaru's C-Device lit up:
[C-Device Skin: A skin applied to the C-Device. Completing special world events allows one skin record—perhaps recording a special fluctuation… "Iron Valiant & Duraludon" recorded! "Future Computation" unlocked—C-Device performance has greatly increased!]
"However…" Hikaru glanced around at the Paradox Pokémon.
Some Paradox forms were still missing—like Iron Thorns, Iron Bundle, Iron Treads. Understandable.
Iron Thorns' era is a billion years ahead, far from the others. Iron Bundle is an ultra-ancient civilization's construct—technically an ancient form. Iron Treads is a weapon of an extraterrestrial civilization—perhaps paired with Iron Moth—and just hasn't been deployed yet.
Which leaves one last one…
"Haven't seen Miraidon."
(End of Chapter)[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"][Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop][Thanks for Reading!]