"If a certain Pokémon wants to stay in the Distortion World, there's no need to follow us."
"I can protect Elias all by myself."
Gardevoir proudly tapped her chest, clearly aiming her words at Zoroark.
Zoroark narrowed her eyes and responded by rubbing her head against Elias affectionately once more.
"Elias, I can take you back to the main world."
"Giratina's hiding now, and I'm the only one who knows exactly where."
Her voice was smug.
She'd already warned Gardevoir that Giratina would hide away whenever it got hurt. After hundreds of years battling that fat centipede, Zoroark naturally knew all of its favorite hiding spots.
She hadn't wanted to track it down before, but now, with Elias's return, she had no intention of staying hidden away in the Distortion World any longer.
It was finally time to deal with that creature once and for all.
Thinking this, Zoroark glanced toward the table at the Poké Ball and the [Spooky Plate] resting on it.
Both were gifts from Elias.
According to him, this [Origin Ball] was the genuine article, completely different from the defective one she'd used in the past. And this new [Spooky Plate] was far stronger than the one she'd carried before.
Zoroark could feel that if she switched to this new plate, her power would likely increase even further.
At her side, Gardevoir gritted her teeth quietly.
If I'd spent hundreds of years in the Distortion World, I'd be just as strong!
There's nothing special about this fox.
Gardevoir huffed softly, gradually regaining her confidence. Remembering that she was still the only Pokémon who had an even deeper bond with Elias comforted her immensely.
That was something Zoroark simply couldn't surpass.
Feeling reassured, Gardevoir shot Zoroark a disdainful look, the corners of her lips lifting in a slight smirk.
Caught between them, Elias helplessly watched their silent rivalry.
Eventually, after a moment's thought, he decided aloud:
"Then tomorrow morning, we'll follow Zoroark's plan and track down Giratina."
Though finding Zoroark again was exciting, the environment of the Distortion World wasn't meant for normal beings. Even though the area Gardevoir had found was relatively stable, the bizarre gravity still made restful sleep impossible.
Besides, Mew and Latias were probably beside themselves with worry. It was definitely time to leave.
Upon hearing Elias's words, both Zoroark and Gardevoir nodded in unison.
"Alright!"
---
Lance had already arrived in the Sinnoh region with Latias and Mew.
Unexpectedly, Cynthia had arranged to meet them not in a major city like Jubilife, but in a small town called Celestic Town.
Thanks to Latias and Mew's high-speed flight, plus Lance's Dragonite, they reached the location within half a day.
"This town… it seems like Cynthia's hometown?"
Lance studied the quaint village, a faint memory surfacing.
"Mew! (That's not important right now!)"
"Is this person reliable? Can she really help us rescue Elias?"
Mew and Latias anxiously interrupted Lance, their focus solely on Elias's safety.
Seeing their distressed expressions, Lance quickly reassured them:
"Relax, I'm sure it'll be fine."
Yet despite his confident words, Lance himself was also feeling uneasy.
Based on their previous conversations, Cynthia seemed emotionally distressed lately.
Apparently, the rumors of heartbreak might be true.
"Why did she have to get heartbroken now of all times?"
Lance rubbed his temples wearily.
He'd never imagined the stoic Sinnoh Champion, whose only known interests were battles and archaeology, would ever suffer from romantic troubles.
Was there actually someone who caught her interest?
It couldn't be Leon, right? Lance mused, somewhat amused by his own absurd thought.
Tap.
Just then, Lance felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.
Turning around, he saw a poised Lucario standing behind him.
"Cynthia sent me to greet you."
Lucario spoke calmly, its voice resonating directly in Lance's mind through [Aura].
After a brief pause, Lance nodded politely.
"Thank you."
He gestured for Mew and Latias to follow him, quickly moving to catch up with Lucario.
The Pokémon remained silent throughout the walk.
For a reserved, dog-like Pokémon, silence wasn't strange behavior.
But Lance couldn't help but feel there was something familiar about this Lucario's quiet strength.
Upon reflection, its composed presence reminded him strongly of Elias's Gengar.
Although that purple ghost was much more lively, when serious, the two Pokémon shared an unmistakably similar vibe.
Deep in thought, Lance soon found himself standing before a western-style villa.
"She's inside."
Lucario indicated toward the house, and without waiting for Lance's response, quickly leaped onto the roof.
Before leaving, Lucario briefly glanced at Latias and Mew.
For some reason, these two Pokémon felt oddly familiar—even though he'd clearly never seen them before.
Similarly, Latias and Mew exchanged puzzled glances as Lucario disappeared.
Clearly, all three sensed something unusual.
"It's been a while."
Inside, Cynthia was organizing documents but greeted Lance first when he entered.
"Yeah, it has."
"That Lucario just now… it doesn't seem like the same one you had before?"
After responding politely, Lance asked out of curiosity.
Caught off guard by the question, Cynthia hesitated briefly before replying in a calm voice:
"No, it's not mine. It belonged to… a friend."
"I'm just taking care of him temporarily."
As she spoke, Cynthia lightly pressed her lips together.
Sensing the mood in the room growing heavy, Lance chuckled lightly, trying to brighten the atmosphere:
"I just thought that Lucario reminded me of a Pokémon trained by a friend of mine, too."
"Who knows? Maybe we're talking about the same person."
He was just joking—after all, what were the chances?
Cynthia, however, remained silent for a long moment.
She wished… desperately… that it really was the same person.
But sadly, that was impossible.
Only when Lance began to wonder if he'd misspoken did Cynthia finally adjust her mood and continue:
"Well then, tell me exactly how your friend encountered Giratina."
"I think… it's time we started making preparations to capture it."
Cynthia gestured toward the complex diagrams spread across the desk, revealing her true intentions.
Lance: ?
Capturing Giratina? Something even Elias couldn't do?
He genuinely wondered if he'd misheard.