The weather today was very good. Damian was sunbathing leisurely in the backyard. He was listening to a soft tune and enjoying the grapes that Caitlin peeled and fed into his mouth.
It had been over a week since the big battle in Lumiose City. Recently, the business in Kalos was finished. Rosa and the others played in Kalos for a few days and then went back to Unova.
As for Lysandre and the others, Damian had not gone to see them yet. He planned to leave them hanging for a few more days.
So, Damian had nothing much to do lately. During the day, he occasionally spent time with Caitlin and the others. At night, he spent his time with Diantha or Alexa.
Then, a phone call came in.
"Baraz? What's wrong?" Damian answered the phone and replied with a smile.
"Damian, something happened." Baraz's tone was very heavy.
"Don't rush, tell me," Damian said, raising an eyebrow.
"It's hard to explain clearly over the phone. Are you available? If it's convenient, please come to the Archaic Valley."
"Okay, wait a moment."
Damian licked his lips. He probably understood what the situation was. The only thing that could make Baraz so worried was a problem with the Prison Bottle.
"The legend... is about to begin."
Damian hung up the phone, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.
"Did something happen in the Archaic Valley?" Caitlin had not heard him clearly.
"Yeah, it seems there is a problem. But this is also just right."
Damian stood up and gave a big stretch.
"Caitlin, I'll take you to enjoy a carnival between Legendary Pokémon."
"That is a grand scene that one only sees once in a thousand years~"
Archaic Valley.
A golden ring of space opened up. Damian walked out first. What entered his eyes were the siblings Baraz and Meray, as well as the listless and dispirited Hoopa Confined.
Following behind Damian were Caitlin, Platinum, and Serena.
"Damian, you're here."
"Damie~"
Hoopa Confined pouted. It flew slowly toward Damian. Its two short arms were open in a posture asking for a hug.
Damian naturally caught this little demon god. He patted Hoopa Confined on the back.
"I'm here. It's okay, it's okay," Damian comforted it.
"Also, my name is Damian, not Damie."
Afterward, Damian did not forget to correct Hoopa Confined.
"Mm-hmm I know, Damie That thing is so scary. It scared Hoopa to death."
Hoopa Confined nodded repeatedly.
Damian: "..."
Seeing this scene, even Baraz and Meray, who had heavy hearts, couldn't help but chuckle. The atmosphere relaxed a lot.
Serena, who was standing next to Platinum, looked at Hoopa Confined with great curiosity.
Originally, she was doing special training battles with Platinum. Suddenly, Damian stopped them. He said he would take them to see a grand scene rarely seen in a lifetime.
She hadn't seen the grand scene yet, but this Pokémon's ability was already enough to shock her.
By passing through a golden ring, they had arrived at another place?
"Baraz, what exactly is going on? Is someone targeting Hoopa?"
Damian didn't waste words and asked Baraz.
"It's not like that. Instead..." Baraz shook his head, his brow furrowed.
"Damian, I mentioned to you before that I wanted to help Hoopa get its power back."
"Yes, I remember," Damian nodded.
"So, for the past two days, I have been looking for the Prison Bottle that my great-grandfather used to seal Hoopa's power. I found it today."
"But the strange thing is, after Hoopa got its power back, it fell into a very weird state. Its mind seemed to be affected."
Baraz said in a deep voice.
"Really?" Damian put on a shocked expression and looked at Hoopa Confined.
"Mm-hmm. After the power came back, all Hoopa saw was darkness. And it was so scary. It felt like another Hoopa was watching Hoopa."
Hoopa Confined pouted and shrank its neck.
"And the most important thing is, I actually have no memory at all of getting the Prison Bottle. But Meray told me that I came back riding on a Braviary at the time. And as soon as I returned, I opened the Prison Bottle!"
Baraz added another key piece of information. His tone was very serious.
"I suspect..."
"The thing inside the Prison Bottle has its own consciousness. Also, it can control the people who touch it," Damian said thoughtfully.
"Exactly," Baraz nodded.
"But can a portion of power produce its own consciousness?" Platinum was very shocked. There was such a thing?
"In this world, nothing is impossible. Besides, the fact that Hoopa's power could be taken out and sealed separately is already very strange."
"After being sealed for a hundred years, it is not completely impossible for a physical consciousness of malice to be born from the strong resentment of being sealed."
Damian looked at Hoopa Confined. This little troublemaker had a wrinkled face now. It also seemed unable to figure it out.
How could its own power be so impressive?
"Then the key question now is, what exactly does that malicious consciousness want to do?"
"Hoopa, what do you think?"
Damian asked Hoopa Confined. After all, Hoopa Confined had "personally" touched it.
Although Baraz was also controlled by the evil Hoopa, he had no memory at all.
"I... I don't know. It seems like it wants to make Hoopa disappear..."
Hoopa Confined felt very wronged. It was truly incredibly wronged.
Damn it. Its own power wanted to make itself disappear. Who could it even complain to? This was a total rebellion.
But the problem was, Hoopa Confined felt this was completely nonsensical. Did it do something wrong?
Okay, the evil Hoopa was sealed in the Prison Bottle for a hundred years. But the point was, it wasn't that Hoopa Confined didn't want to get the power back.
It simply had no idea where to look for it! Right now, it was completely powerless. Other than the golden rings, it wasn't even sure if it could beat a Rattata.
"It's a classic plot where a clone wants to replace the original," Damian concluded.
"Or perhaps, it needs Hoopa's body. After all, it is just a portion of power. It needs a body to fully appear in this world."
Although in the movie version, the evil Hoopa did rely on energy to condense a physical body.
But Damian had reason to suspect that this physical form could not be maintained for long. Otherwise, why would the evil Hoopa obsessively pursue Hoopa Confined?
"Then what do we do now? Damian, the Prison Bottle has already been taken out. And now, just touching it will affect your mind," Meray said anxiously.
The Prison Bottle was still thrown on that patch of grass not far away. Because Baraz and Meray didn't dare to touch it at all. They were terrified of being controlled by the malice inside.
But they couldn't just leave it there forever. Because whether it was a human or a Pokémon, as long as they touched the Prison Bottle, they would be controlled by the evil Hoopa inside.
At that time, it could similarly control other creatures to escape the Prison Bottle.
"There are two plans," Damian thought for a while.
"First, without using physical contact, find a place with no people and bury the Prison Bottle completely. But there are hidden dangers."
"After all, we aren't sure if this power might break free on its own in the future. Or if Pokémon living underground might touch the Prison Bottle," Damian continued.
Hearing this, Baraz's brow furrowed. This method, to be honest, was not very good. Just as Damian said, the hidden dangers were too great.
"Second, release this power. I will go head-to-head with it to figure out what it actually wants to do. If defeating it can make this malice disappear, that would be for the best."
"If that still doesn't work, then let Hoopa communicate with this resentment itself. The one who caused the problem must be the one to solve it. Hoopa, in the end, that is your power. Whether you can get it back or not, I think the key point is still with you."
Damian looked at Hoopa Confined.
"What do you think?"
"Hoopa wants to choose the second one!" Hoopa Confined didn't hesitate much.
Its eyes were incredibly determined right now.
"That is Hoopa's power! That is Hoopa's stuff!! It actually wants to destroy Hoopa? It's trying to rebel against me!"
Hoopa Confined waved its little fists with righteous indignation. It felt that this power was truly acting against the natural order and was extremely bold.
Seeing Hoopa Confined like this, everyone present couldn't help but smile.
"And with Damian helping me, Hoopa isn't afraid of that thing!"
This was the time Hoopa Confined felt most confident. Because it felt that even if it were at its peak, it probably wouldn't be Damian's opponent.
Let alone a mere fragment of resentment?
After all, the many Legendary Pokémon Damian carried were the real deal!
"This is the best way. Then we will have to trouble you, Damian."
Baraz also agreed very much. If he had to choose between these two methods, he would definitely choose the second one too.
Because the first plan might be peaceful for a short time, but the hidden danger was just too great.
"You're welcome. We are friends. Besides, I also like this little guy Hoopa very much."
Damian rubbed Hoopa Confined's small head.
"Damie~!" Hoopa Confined was so moved its eyes were watery.
"It's Damian, not Damie." Damian habitually corrected it. Was Hoopa Confined's lisp really incurable?
Hoopa Confined playfully stuck out its tongue.
"Then let's find a remote place to start."
Damian threw Reshiram's Poké Ball.
The holy and flawless Dragon of Truth landed in front of everyone. It raised its head coldly.
"Yay~ Reshiram, Reshiram! Do you still remember me?"
Hoopa Confined's eyes lit up. It immediately flew in front of Reshiram and asked expectantly.
Reshiram's deep blue dragon eyes looked down, staring at Hoopa Confined.
"Hoopa?"
Reshiram's cold telepathy sounded.
It seemed a bit unsure. But the aura was indeed familiar. However, how did it become so small, and so... weak?
Reshiram's dragon eyes narrowed slightly. Hoopa had become weaker.
"That's right, Reshiram~ We haven't seen each other in a hundred years. Did you miss me... Wah wah wah! What are you doing, Reshiram!"
Before Hoopa Confined could finish, it hurriedly covered its butt and ran for its life.
Well, because Reshiram breathed a mouthful of fire at it.
Hoopa Confined was very dissatisfied. It hid behind Damian and glared at the Dragon of Truth angrily.
Seeing Hoopa Confined scurrying away in a panic from its fire, the entire dragon felt satisfied.
So you have a day like this too?!!
"Uh..."
Seeing Reshiram burn Hoopa Confined with fire, Platinum and the others were a bit stunned.
"Damie! Your Reshiram is bullying me!" Hoopa Confined felt very wronged.
It had clearly wanted to catch up with Reshiram warmly.
"Did you forget what you did back then?" Damian couldn't help but find it funny.
Hoopa Confined gave a sheepish smile. How hateful! If it weren't for my power betraying me, you're just a White Dragon. How would you dare breathe fire at me?!
I'll put up with it for now. I'll remember this grudge!
Wait until I, Hoopa, get my power back, White Dragon, you just wait and see!
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This novel is already complete
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