Ash: Please, Give Me Some Face!
What kind of normal person has a shadow connected directly to the Distortion World?!
Do you really think Giratina is some peace-loving Pokémon?!
Ash!
Do you even realize that what you're doing is basically opening a back door in Giratina's house?!
If you just walk in like this, there's a very real chance you'd be treated as an intruder—and be erased on the spot!
For a brief moment, Cynthia felt her earlier thoughts had been far too naïve.
Looking for Giratina might actually be less reliable than waiting for a randomly appearing spacetime rift.
At least a spacetime rift didn't come with the risk of being torn apart by Giratina.
She had thought Ash would summon Giratina to help—
But instead, they were going to the Distortion World to find Giratina!
The difference between those two approaches was enormous!
One was proactive, the other passive!
Cynthia definitely preferred passive.
At the very least, in the main world, she was confident she could escape with Ash and Dawn if Giratina decided to chase them.
"Ash… isn't this a bit reckless? Will Giratina really agree to help?"
Dawn looked worried.
That was the Distortion World!
What they were doing was no different from an invasion!
"It's fine. Giratina told me before—if I need its help, I can just go to the Distortion World directly. My shadow being connected to it was something Giratina helped set up in the first place."
Ash said it casually, as if he were talking about visiting a neighbor.
How dangerous the Distortion World was, what kind of risks there might be—
Those things barely crossed his mind.
After all, Giratina was his good friend.
How could he possibly be treated as an intruder?
[Caitlin]: Something feels off… Ash's relationship with Giratina might be even closer than we imagined.
[Professor Oak]: According to legend, Giratina became the ruler of the Distortion World because of its excessively violent nature.
[Gary]: Violent? A violent Pokémon would leave Ash a door straight to the Distortion World? That makes no sense!
[Professor Juniper]: Exactly. It's hard to imagine how Ash and Giratina even met. It feels like Ash must have saved Giratina's life or something—otherwise, how could the so-called embodiment of brutality be this gentle?
[Lance]: It's dragons! I finally get it! Ash must be part of the Dragon Clan—and not just that, but the purest bloodline! He can communicate with all dragons in the world, which is why so many gods are close to him!
[Alder]: You Dragon Clan brat, stop trying to take credit for everything. Ash doesn't resemble your clan at all—and Ho-Oh and Mewtwo aren't even Dragon-types.
[Cynthia]: Compared to Ash being part of the Dragon Clan, I'm more inclined to believe he has some kind of connection to the Creator God. Otherwise, the favor he receives from so many deities is far too unnatural.
Cynthia had thought about this for a long time.
Ash's Aura power.
His incredible affinity with Pokémon.
None of it was normal.
There was an almost world-breaking harmony about him.
Most importantly—
Ash himself treated all of this as completely ordinary.
As if it were nothing special.
That was the most outrageous part.
To gain the goodwill of even one Legendary Pokémon was astonishing.
To gain the goodwill of so many?
That was beyond human limits.
Even gods had interests and hierarchies.
For all Pokémon to show Ash unconditional kindness—
Cynthia could think of no explanation other than Arceus.
[Ash]: Arceus? You mean that Pokémon that looks kind of like a llama? I think I see it pretty often in my dreams.
Audience:
Wait—what?!
You're serious?!
You're actually connected to the Creator God?!
[Cynthia]: That might be some kind of sign. Think carefully—does anything special appear in those dreams?
[Ash]: Hmm… I usually see some floating stones. Arceus seems to care a lot about them.
[Ash]: Oh right—once it even asked me to help find those stones.
[Cynthia]: I see… then it seems your meeting with Arceus is inevitable.
[Diantha]: Ugh, this is why scientists are so annoying—always talking in riddles! Cynthia, do you say half a sentence on purpose?
One day I swear I'll pin you down and spank you hard!
Audience:
…Huh?!
Uh—can we watch when that happens?
On Screen —
Ash's words were strangely convincing.
After thinking it through again, Cynthia found herself believing that Ash's plan… might actually work.
Or rather—
She was infected by Ash's confidence.
She had never once doubted Ash's relationship with Giratina.
After all, she had personally witnessed Ash's bond with Pokémon.
If Ash said Giratina had connected his shadow to the Distortion World—
Then it had to be true.
Ash didn't lie.
"But… are you really sure it's safe?"
Dawn still hesitated.
Ash waved his hand dismissively.
"It'll be fine. We'll definitely find Piplup."
At the mention of Piplup, Dawn's wavering gaze hardened.
Right.
For Piplup.
No matter how dangerous it was, she had to try.
"Then let's go!"
Ash grabbed Cynthia's and Dawn's hands and headed straight toward the Distortion World gate built by Gengar.
"Gengar~"
Vampire Gengar, at your service~
After sending the three of them into the Distortion World one by one,
Gengar wiped the nonexistent sweat from its forehead with a handkerchief.
Then, with elegant flair, it leaned backward and fell into the fading shadow—
Like a vampire returning to its coffin.
Naturally, it followed Ash into the Distortion World.
As Ash's most considerate steward, Gengar had to stay by his side.
The Distortion World
As the name suggested, it was a world inverted from reality.
Here—
The sky was the ground.
The ground was the sky.
Countless islands floated in a pitch-black void.
Occasionally, faint reflections of the real world could be seen above.
Everything here was reversed.
The moment Ash and the others landed—
Giratina, who had been slumbering deep within the Distortion World, suddenly opened its eyes.
"Yaaa!"
Ash!
Of course, Ash didn't notice this.
Even though they had entered the Distortion World, the distance between them and Giratina was still immense.
Upon arrival, the group froze in place.
Cynthia and Dawn were stunned by the scenery.
Ash, however, was staring at something else.
They had landed on a floating island—
An island that served as a bridge between Ash's shadow and the Distortion World.
And on this island—
Were rows upon rows of items.
Kitchenware.
Ingredients.
Clothing of all kinds.
It looked like a miniature department store.
While buildings existed in the Distortion World, they were merely projections of reality.
There were no humans here.
Which meant these very real objects could only belong to one Pokémon—
Gengar.
After all, it was the one that lived inside Ash's shadow.
"Gengar~"
Now dressed in a chef's outfit, Gengar raised a soup ladle cheerfully.
Shall we have a banquet?
Ash's forehead twitched.
So that's why Gengar could always pull random things out of his shadow.
They were all stored here in advance!
Honestly—
Very on brand.
Ash sighed.
But since it was his Pokémon, what could he do?
Of course he forgave it.
Besides, these supplies had helped him more than once.
At this moment, Cynthia was visibly excited.
For her, the Distortion World was completely unknown territory.
Everything here was worth studying.
Without hesitation, she pulled out a notebook and pen and began recording observations.
But before she could write much—
She suddenly stopped.
"Someone's coming. Be careful—it's probably Giratina!"
Years of battle instincts kicked in instantly.
The approaching presence was moving at terrifying speed—far beyond any normal Pokémon.
And given that this was the Distortion World—
There was only one answer.
Giratina.
Even though she had accepted Ash's explanation—
Cynthia still subconsciously gripped a Poké Ball.
Then—
Giratina appeared.
Its overwhelming presence washed over them.
Only then did Cynthia truly realize—
Ash and Giratina's relationship was far closer than she had imagined.
There was no hostility in Giratina's aura.
That pressure came purely from its ancient existence.
In the Distortion World, Giratina remained in its Origin Forme.
Its body resembled a massive spectral wyrm.
Six ghostly, ribbon-like wings floated behind it, their tips glowing red.
Its legs had retracted into golden spikes, with four additional spikes near the tail.
It moved like a divine dragon, gliding freely through the inverted world.
Its size dwarfed even Dialga and Palkia.
And its ferocity surpassed them completely.
"So this is why Giratina was said to be exiled for its violent nature…"
Cynthia finally understood.
The legends might have been exaggerated—
But they weren't baseless.
"Violent" barely described what she was witnessing.
Giratina circled the island once, then stopped directly in front of Ash.
Without hesitation—
Ash walked straight up to it.
And reached out, placing his hand on Giratina's body.
"Long time no see, Giratina~"
"Pika!"
Pikachu was even more direct.
It leapt off Ash's shoulder and landed squarely on Giratina's shoulder.
Another legendary Pokémon stepped on by Pikachu—added to the list.
Giratina showed no anger.
Instead, it rubbed its massive head gently against Ash's hand.
Then, invitingly, it lowered its head—
As if asking Ash to sit on it.
"Yaaa!"
Dawn was completely dumbfounded.
So were the viewers.
Ash had once stood on Palkia's shoulder—
But compared to this?
That was nothing.
Ash sat cross-legged atop Giratina's head—
Like a hero who had conquered a demon dragon.
[Steven Stone]: This isn't just friendship anymore. If Giratina were a human girl, I'm convinced it would already be in love with Ash.
[Flint]: Who made a god abandon its dignity? Who made the ruler of the Distortion World submit beneath them? It was YOU, Ash!
[Volkner]: Shut up if you don't know how to talk! You're making a cool scene sound disgusting!
[Clemont]: Ash is so cool! I really want to be friends with him!
[Brock]: Absolutely. That kind of coolness transcends words—it's pure charisma!
Back on screen—
From atop Giratina's head, Ash enjoyed a completely different view.
But he didn't forget about Cynthia and Dawn.
"Giratina, can my friends ride too?"
Giratina's sealed face revealed no expression.
Its crimson eyes glowed dangerously.
But in the end—
It agreed.
If it's Ash's request… then I accept.
"That's great! Thank you so much!"
Ash stood and reached down.
After pulling Cynthia and Dawn up onto Giratina's head—
He lay back comfortably.
The next moment—
Giratina surged forward.
Like a divine dragon, it soared through the Distortion World.
Back on the island—
Gengar, now wearing a red wool sweater, had just finished plating a meal.
It looked up—
And saw Giratina disappearing into the distance.
Gengar froze.
Slowly set the food down.
Ran to the edge of the island.
Hands spread wide, panic on its face.
"Gengar!"
(I didn't get on yet!!)
As the wind brushed past her fingertips,
Dawn's heart raced uncontrollably.
This was a god.
The ruler of the Distortion World.
A being branded as brutal and violent.
And she was riding on its head.
Completely insane.
Yet Giratina wasn't violent at all.
It was gentle.
Almost gentlemanly.
No one noticed Dawn's emotional storm.
Ash had already begun discussing Dialga and Palkia with Giratina.
"Giratina, do you know Dialga and Palkia are fighting again? They've created countless spacetime rifts, causing Pokémon in our world to disappear."
"..."
A moment of silence—
Then a furious roar.
Those two idiots! No wonder the black mist in my world has been getting worse lately! So it was them! I'll skin them alive!
Dawn silently retracted her earlier thoughts.
Yep.
Still very violent.
After hearing Ash out, Giratina quickly understood the situation.
It searched the Distortion World for the culprits—
But found nothing.
That didn't bring relief.
Instead—
Ash… this is troublesome.
…
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