Pokemon: A New Path

Dragonite couldn't wait to return to Dragonite Island, but the temptation of Poké Puffs was too great.

As soon as it took a bite, a delightful crunch filled its mouth, followed by the soft, fluffy texture of the filling. The rich aroma of fresh berries blended perfectly with the sweet yet delicate crust, making each bite an indulgent treat—sweet, but never overwhelming.

That's the taste!

The dozen or so newly hired Dragonite employees suddenly had their eyes light up with excitement.

Without hesitation, they plopped down on the grass, basking in the golden glow of the setting sun, their faces filled with pure bliss as they savored their well-earned treats.

Seeing them enjoy their reward, the older Dragonite workers stood off to the side, watching curiously.

Soon, however, those who had been with Dragonite Express for a while found themselves at a loss for words.

Rather than wasting time standing around, they gathered up their boxes of Poké Puffs and took off, heading into the Distortion World to rest on Dragonite Island.

Dragonite cast a sidelong glance at the new recruits, a look of disdain in its eyes.

Naoki stood by, observing the scene with amusement. Then, he turned to his own Dragonite and said, "By the way, give this a try. Let me know if the flavor has changed."

Hearing this, Dragonite picked up a Poké Puff and took a careful bite.

Its eyes widened slightly in surprise before a look of confusion settled on its face.

"Awoo?" 'Wasn't today's batch made by Naoki and Indeedee?'

Noticing Dragonite's puzzled expression, Naoki chuckled and explained, "I actually bought these from a specialty dessert shop. Do you like the taste?"

Dragonite took a moment to assess the flavors. While it still preferred the ones made by Naoki, these store-bought Poké Puffs were still delicious.

"Awoo!" Dragonite nodded its large head in approval.

Seeing this, Naoki sighed in relief. He had been a little concerned that the Pokémon might not like the change. But now that it seemed they could accept them, he and Indeedee could finally catch a break.

Even so… relying on store-bought Poké Puffs indefinitely wasn't ideal.

'It would be nice if there were Pokémon that specialized in baking Poké Puffs.'

If he could recruit some, he could move the kitchen equipment to the World Tree, allowing them to handle the daily baking. That way, the Pokémon living on the World Tree could make their own Poké Puffs without depending on outside suppliers.

As he pondered this, several Pokémon came to mind.

He had already asked the Great Hero Expedition Team to look for them, but Mew and Teddiursa hadn't encountered any yet.

Naoki had also considered recruiting a few Indeedee to help with baking, but wild Indeedee were incredibly rare.

He felt lucky to have even come across the two Indeedees he had met before—just a chance encounter during Indeedee's search for a potential trainer.

"Well, there's no need to rush these things."

After giving it some thought, Naoki decided to put the idea on hold for now. Because something far more important was about to happen.

May 3, Year 200 of the Pokémon League Calendar

The energy drained from Calyrex had finally been restored.

Today was the day the World Tree would be nurtured once again.

Early in the morning, Naoki gathered all the Pokémon from the ranch and set out for the floating island where the World Tree stood within the Distortion World.

Standing before the colossal tree, both Naoki and Calyrex felt a deep sense of anticipation.

"This was the second-to-last growth cycle for the World Tree."

Just one more time next month, and it would be fully mature! After so many experiences, Calyrex had become completely accustomed to the process.

Without speaking, it simply raised its hand.

A surge of radiant emerald light surged into the World Tree, enveloping it like a flowing tide.

The next moment—an unprecedented wave of lush green energy erupted from the tree, expanding outward in rippling waves of pure life force.

Deep within the World Tree, Pokémon could sense the change and instinctively looked skyward.

In a blink, Mewtwo appeared at the very top of the tree.

Bathed in the warm green glow, Mewtwo gazed down upon Naoki and the Pokémon below.

A strange hum echoed across the Distortion World.

Then, something astonishing happened.

The emerald ripples spread out across all the floating islands in the Distortion World.

Wherever the light passed, barren, lifeless landscapes were transformed—dry, rocky soil became lush and fertile, sprouting new vegetation. 

Far away, Giratina, who had been idly browsing the Internet, suddenly sensed something unusual.

Its eyes snapped open.

Flapping its enormous shadowy wings, it immediately took flight—soaring towards the World Tree, where Naoki and the others were gathered.

As it landed beside them, its piercing gaze scanned the transformed islands in the distance.

Giratina's golden eyes widened in disbelief. It could feel the undeniable change in its domain.

Compared to Giratina's shock, Naoki remained calm. This was a clear sign that the World Tree's power was nearing its peak.

And the first realm to be affected—was Giratina's Distortion World. Looking at the verdant floating islands, Naoki felt a deep curiosity stir within him.

"What will the Distortion World look like once the World Tree is fully grown?"

Just thinking about it was thrilling.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the World Tree's energy did not stop within the Distortion World. The green energy surged through the gateways connecting dimensions, spilling into the real world.

Like ripples spreading across the surface of a pond, the life force radiated outward, expanding in all directions. In mere moments, it enveloped the entire planet.

Johto Region

A dazzling rainbow stretched across the sky. At its very end, soaring gracefully through the heavens, was a Pokémon of unparalleled beauty.

This was Ho-Oh, the legendary Pokémon said to bring happiness to those who glimpse it, a symbol of hope and rebirth.

Suddenly, a breeze carrying a pure, natural essence swept past. Feeling the surge of vitality and energy, Ho-Oh abruptly halted mid-flight.

Its crimson eyes flashed with a mix of surprise and uncertainty, scanning its surroundings, searching for the source of the mysterious energy.

But just as quickly as it had come, the wind vanished—like an illusion, leaving behind no trace.

In the Ozone Layer

High above the Earth, Rayquaza hovered, lazily gnawing on the outer shell of a passing meteorite. Mid-bite, it suddenly froze.

'Something was… different.'

It lifted its head, emerald eyes narrowing as it scanned the vast expanse of the ozone layer.

Yet, there was nothing.

A flicker of confusion crossed Rayquaza's gaze before it unfurled its serpentine body and bolted into the distance, moving as fast as lightning, determined to track the source of the anomalous energy.

Kalos Region

Deep within a mysterious, shadowy cave, a monstrous serpent-like Pokémon stirred from its slumber.

A pair of glowing, pale-blue eyes flickered open.

Zygarde, the guardian of the ecosystem, had awakened.

Unlike other legendary Pokémon that roamed freely, Zygarde functioned differently—it existed in pieces. Dividing itself into Cores and Cells, it had spread across the land, silently monitoring the world's balance. When the balance tipped too far, Zygarde would appear to eradicate the threat.

And now, that time seemed near.

Across Kalos, forests once lush and teeming with life had begun to wither under the influence of something unnatural. Dark, writhing roots—corrupt energy cores—had begun spreading like a plague.

The true culprits?

The humans who carelessly disrupted the ecosystem.

But today...

Today, Zygarde sensed something different. A faint but potent energy had rippled through the world.

It wasn't the same corruptive force that had been plaguing the land—it was something pure, something... restorative.

'A warning? A message from nature itself?'

Zygarde's piercing gaze sharpened. Although the energy was faint, it could sense where it had come from.

'Not Kalos. Somewhere distant.'

After a brief pause, Zygarde sent out an order to one of its many scattered Cells, instructing it to investigate.

Hoenn Region

Deep within an active volcano, where molten rock churned and temperatures exceeded survivable limits, a massive red-scaled Pokémon stirred.

Lava bubbled and churned, yet Groudon remained unfazed, resting within its domain of magma and fire.

Meanwhile, miles away—far beneath the ocean's crushing depths, within the darkness of a deep-sea trench, another colossal being awoke.

Inside a hidden underwater cave, Kyogre, the sovereign of the seas, slowly opened its luminous blue eyes.

For a moment, both titans remained still.

Something had just brushed against their consciousness. A surge of life energy—pure and vast.

But... it had disappeared in an instant.

Groudon and Kyogre both lifted their heads, attempting to track its source. Yet, no matter how they tried to focus, the energy was gone.

'Was it... just an illusion?'

...

Beyond the Stars

In the endless void beyond time and space.

The God of Creation, who was quietly observing the development of humans and Pokémon, suddenly noticed something strange coming from one of the worlds.

A gleam of light flickered within the divine gaze of the great being.

Then, the entirety of that world unfolded before its eyes.

A human named Naoki, the Calyrex, the World Tree that had been planted, the Expedition Guild, the Hero Expedition Team, Mew and Teddiursa...

Arceus narrowed its eyes slightly.

"An expedition team…?"

Its voice resonated softly, yet within that murmur was the weight of eternity. There had been no expedition team in the world Arceus had originally created.

It had once crafted many realms—one where only humans existed, and one where Pokémon lived independently, unburdened by human influence.

The Expedition Guild, however, had only ever emerged in the world where Pokémon lived without humans.

But here—in a world where humans and Pokémon coexisted and evolved together, such a thing should not have appeared.

'Could it be… because of that human?'

'Had his existence somehow brought forth something unnatural, something that was never meant to be?'

A ripple of curiosity flickered through the god's omnipotent mind.

Then, Arceus spoke two simple words—words that echoed across the fabric of reality itself.

"How fascinating."

A human who had changed the course of the world, one who had even befriended the cold and violent Giratina?

Arceus let the other worlds it had been watching fade into the background.

For now, its focus was wholly fixed upon this world.

It wanted to see what else this Naoki and his Pokémon would bring into existence.

...

As Calyrex's ritual concluded, the surging energy of life that had flooded the World Tree began to settle.

The pulsating emerald glow faded, and within moments, the tree stood once more in serene majesty, its presence unchanged yet profoundly different.

Naoki lifted his gaze, and the World Tree's detailed status surfaced within his mind.

[World Tree – (Mature Stage)]

A sapling that has absorbed an immense amount of grass-type energy. Due to its connection with Gogoat, its growth has undergone a unique mutation. It harbors a boundless vitality, nurturing all life that surrounds it. It is said that one day, it will be able to sustain an entire world, its energy nourishing all living things.

Estimated time to full maturity: 9,854 years.

Naoki's heart swelled with satisfaction.

One more time—just one more cultivation cycle next month, and the World Tree would finally reach full maturity!

It was unbelievable.

From 100,000 years to just 9,000—and all in the span of two years.

And none of it would have been possible without Calyrex's incredible power.

Naoki turned toward Giratina, who loomed beside him, its imposing form basking in the afterglow of the ritual.

With excitement brimming in his voice, Naoki grinned.

"I'll be counting on you next month!"

Giratina, still reveling in the changes sweeping through its domain, let out a deep, resounding chuckle. For the first time in eons, its once barren and silent Reverse World was flourishing.

Life had taken root where once there had only been decay.

Flowers bloomed upon the floating sky islands, green sprouted from the ruins of a realm long abandoned.

It turned its golden gaze to Naoki and bared its fearsome, jagged fangs in what could almost be called a smile.

"Leave it to me!"

With the ritual complete, Naoki bid farewell to Giratina and left the Reverse World, returning to the ranch alongside his Pokémon.

The moment they stepped foot back into reality, a wave of heat pressed down on them.

The sun hung high in the sky, casting its blazing rays over the landscape.

The northwestern region of Paldea had reached a scorching 37 degrees Celsius today—a day fit for resting in the shade or lounging under cool waters.

With the Eeveelutions off playing at the World Tree, and Dratini visiting Dragonite Island, the ranch was unusually quiet.

Only Naoki, Koraidon, Cyclizar, and Alcremie remained behind.

Naoki glanced around the cozy living room of the ranch.

Koraidon was sprawled lazily on the carpet, yawning as it stretched out its powerful limbs.

Alcremie was perched on the windowsill, deep in conversation with Pawmot, who was nodding along attentively.

Cyclizar was comfortably lounging on the sofa, eyes fixed on the television, completely absorbed in whatever was playing.

Meanwhile, the Indeedee siblings were huddled together, engrossed in a handheld gaming console that Naoki had bought for them.

Curious, Naoki approached them.

"What are you playing?"

The younger Indeedee, turned to him excitedly, her round eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. She eagerly held up the game console, showing him the screen.

On it, a Charmander and an Eevee were navigating a complex dungeon maze together.

In order to make Naoki understand what she was saying, sister Indeedee brought Naoki a couple of translation seed crisps, and then said happily:

"Aiya!" (We're playing Pokémon Mystery Dungeon! My brother is Charmander, and I'm Eevee! We're teaming up to explore the dungeon together!)

Naoki blinked in surprise.

"Pokémon Mystery Dungeon?"

A mix of nostalgia and confusion washed over him.

He pressed the home button on the console, switching the game to the background to check the title screen.

There, in bold letters, was the game's name:

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team

Naoki's eyes widened.

Wait… Game Freak exists in this world?!

He had long since accepted that the Pokémon world was vastly different from anything back on Earth, but to find out that Game Freak still existed here… and that Pokémon Mystery Dungeon was a thing?

That was unexpected.

Seeing his surprise, Indeedee tilted her head and asked eagerly:

"Ai-e?" (Naoki, do you want to play with us?)

Naoki hesitated for a moment.

"Wait… this game supports multiplayer?"

Her older brother, the more tech-savvy Indeedee, nodded confidently.

"Aiya." (Up to six players can connect online!)

Naoki raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, you guys keep playing for now. I'll order a console first—once it arrives, I'll join your team."

Without missing a beat, he pulled out his Rotom Phone, navigated to an online shopping app, and placed an order for a brand-new 3DS.

A single console cost 18,000 Poké Dollars—not too expensive, considering how much he was earning from the ranch.

The moment he confirmed the purchase, the Indeedee siblings cheered excitedly.

"Aiya!" (That's awesome!) the younger sister clapped her hands in delight.

The older brother, who prided himself on his gaming skills, clenched his fists with determination.

'If Naoki was joining, I would make sure to lead him through the most difficult dungeon in the game!"

He had already completed the hardest levels a long time ago, but since his younger sister preferred a more relaxed pace, she always made him slow down and enjoy the adventure.

Since he couldn't win against her persistence, he had no choice but to go along with it.

...

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/Keepsmiling818