Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

"Orus Forest became a forbidden land starting from this cocoon." The Great Elder Dai, unaware that Rio planned to challenge both Xerneas and Yveltal, assumed Diancie was just curious and answered accordingly.

"With such a powerful Yveltal, Rio—do you still want to challenge it?" Diancie asked after hearing the Great Elder’s words. But before Rio could answer, the Great Elder was startled to hear that Rio intended to challenge Yveltal.

"What?! You want to challenge Yveltal?!" The Great Elder looked at Rio in shock.

"That’s right." Rio shrugged.

"I find you not just arrogant, but recklessly so. Offend Xerneas, and you might lose your life—but offend Yveltal, and you will certainly lose it." The Great Elder said with clear disapproval. "There’s a legend: anyone who disturbs the Destruction Cocoon’s slumber will face the wrath of its judgment. I advise you not to challenge it."

"Trust me." Rio remained confident.

"Then at least make sure you’re far away from the Princess and me when you do, so we don’t get caught up in it."

"Not a problem."

The Great Elder shot Rio another glare before leading Diancie into the forest.

Meanwhile, Rio and Diancie’s every move was being monitored by two miniature drones.

"Damn it—who exactly is this guy?!" On the cloaked ship, the daughter thief Milis stared at the drone footage of Rio with frustration. His unknown identity had kept them from making a move against Diancie—they were afraid he might take them out.

"Milis, we’ve got a match!" Her father Algates suddenly exclaimed.

Milis turned and saw that her laptop, which had been searching for the mysterious man’s identity, had finally returned a result. After scanning databases from Kalos, Unova, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Galar, Alola, and Kanto, it had finally found a match in Kanto’s notable figures.

But the result left her stunned. "This guy is Rio? The Kanto League Champion?"

Milis stared at the screen, then looked at her father. Algates was equally shocked.

"How can this be Rio? Kanto was just attacked a few days ago—how could their Champion be here in Kalos? Milis, are you sure this isn’t a mistake?"

Milis typed furiously on her laptop and finally concluded: "No, it’s correct. The facial match between our photo and Rio’s official Kanto League profile is nearly 100%."

"So this is Rio." Milis said firmly.

"But what is Rio, the Kanto Champion, doing in Kalos? You saw that news too, Milis." Algates looked thoroughly puzzled.

Milis fell into the same confusion. Her father had a point—even though the facial recognition said it was Rio, given the recent world-shaking events, the Kanto Champion shouldn’t be here.

"Maybe we should anonymously tip off the Kalos League? See how they react. Just tell them Rio is at Orus Forest—I’m sure the League will respond immediately." Algates suggested. "After all, many people know that Xerneas and Yveltal sleep here."

Milis thought it over and nodded. "You’re right, Dad. I’ll send an anonymous tip to the Kalos League and see what they do. If it really is Rio, there’s no way we can take Diancie from him—we’ll need the Kalos League’s help."

With that, Milis began typing rapidly. Within a minute, she had sent anonymous emails to several high-ranking Kalos League officials.

Within ten minutes, the contents of those emails had spread through the Kalos League—and reached the ears of Kalos Champion Diantha, who was currently in the Kanto region.

Diantha looked at the "Rio" sitting across from her at the meeting table and felt utterly exasperated. The Kalos League really needed to get its act together—so much nonsense was reaching her ears.

First, they’d reported that the villainous organization controlling legendaries had appeared in Kalos, prompting her to call for reinforcements from other regions. Then, Hoenn’s Rayquaza and Kyogre, Sinnoh’s Dialga, and Unova’s Reshiram had attacked Kanto instead—making her look like a fool. Now, she was literally sitting at a table with the Kanto Champion discussing issues, and her subordinates were claiming Rio was in Kalos, near Xerneas and Yveltal’s resting place.

It was laughable. Was she blind, or had she lost her mind? There was no way she was going to share this with the other Champions—they’d mock her relentlessly.

"Excuse me for a moment." Diantha nodded politely to Zoroark, who was disguised as Rio, and stepped away from the table. She called her Kalos subordinates and delivered a terse message:

"Stop spreading false information. The Kanto Champion is sitting right here with me. If your information is true, then tell me—is the Rio in front of me a fake? A Ditto in disguise?" She hung up without waiting for a reply.

Back in Kalos, the League officials were stunned. Their Champion was saying Rio was right there with her—so who was this person in Orus Forest?

"Find out who sent that email! I want to know which idiot made me look bad!" The official who had been chewed out by Diantha vented his anger on his subordinates.

Meanwhile, Malva, one of Kalos’s Elite Four, was also present. She looked at the email and, after a moment of thought, forwarded the information to Lysandre.

"What? The Kanto Champion is suspected to be at Orus Forest—where Xerneas and Yveltal sleep?" Lysandre was equally shocked. "But Kanto was just attacked—how could he be in Kalos?"

"It might not be the real Rio. Diantha said she’s with him, so if this email is true, it could be that villainous organization using Rio’s appearance to operate in Kalos." Malva said.

Lysandre’s expression shifted. Malva continued: "I recall you mentioned that Team Flare is planning to capture Xerneas and Yveltal soon. If the person in Orus Forest is an imposter from that organization, your plan could be in trouble."

"True. If it’s that organization, this could disrupt our operation." Lysandre narrowed his eyes. "I’ll notify the Team Flare operatives already in Orus Forest—they need to be prepared for complications."

Orus Forest.

Rio, Diancie, and the Carbink wandered through the forest. "This way." Diancie, able to sense Xerneas’s Fairy Aura, led the group.

"It’s hard to believe a world-ending disaster happened here." Rio marveled at the towering trees as they walked.

"That’s because the devastated forest took a long time to recover." The Great Elder Dai answered Rio’s muttered observation.

"I see." Rio shrugged, hands behind his head, looking around. As they went deeper, they began to see more Pokémon—Oddish, Butterfree, Skiddo, Gogoat—all watching them with curious eyes.

"I can sense it—Xerneas is just ahead!" After about half an hour, Diancie quickened its pace excitedly.

Rio raised an eyebrow and followed suit, reaching into his bag for a black stone. He had promised Kyurem a chance to participate in a gang-beating. Since Kyurem couldn’t fly, he had kept it in a Luxury Ball and carried it with him. Now that battle was imminent, he needed to summon Zekrom to fuse with Kyurem and give it flight.

Shortly after Rio summoned Zekrom, Diancie led them to Xerneas’s resting place. But there were already others there—Team Flare operatives, gathered around a glowing tree that was transforming into a deer-like Pokémon. Rio focused on the Pokémon, and its level information appeared before him.

[Pokémon: Xerneas]

[Level: 90 (14226 days until next level)

[Talent: Legendary]

[Friendship: 0]

[Ability 1: Fairy Aura]

[Gender: —]

[Moves: Take Down (140%), Ingrain (140%), Aromatherapy (140%), Heal Pulse (140%), Light Screen (140%), Aurora Beam (140%), Gravity (140%), Geomancy (140%), Moonblast (140%), Megahorn (140%), Night Slash (140%), Horn Leech (140%), Psych Up (140%), Misty Terrain (140%), Nature Power (140%), Close Combat (140%), Giga Impact (140%), Outrage (140%), Roar (140%), Hyper Beam (140%), Psychic (140%)...]

[Description: A legendary Pokémon. When the horns on its head glow with rainbow light, it has the power to share eternal life. ]

"Xerneas—when its horns glow with rainbow light, it shares eternal life... If it shared that power with me..." Rio focused on the key detail in Xerneas’s description.

"It’s the one disguised as the Kanto Champion!" "Lysandre was right—someone’s here to steal Xerneas and Yveltal!"

The Team Flare operatives noticed Rio and immediately recalled the call from Lysandre—he had sent them a photo of a masked, hatted man who looked exactly like the one before them.

"Humans—what do you intend to do with me?" The newly awakened Xerneas questioned the surrounding Team Flare members.

The operatives glanced at Xerneas, then at Rio. "Hold them off! He might not even be able to summon legendaries—we stick to the plan and subdue Xerneas first!" The lead operative commanded.

At her order, her subordinates released their Pokémon to block Rio, Diancie, and the Carbink. The leader herself sent out a level 61 Druddigon.

"Druddigon, Dragon Rage!" The leader attacked Xerneas directly.

"Drudd~" Druddigon roared, sending a dragon-shaped energy blast at Xerneas. Xerneas blocked it with Light Screen.

Meanwhile, Rio’s group was being attacked by the ordinary operatives’ Pokémon. "Diancie—watch closely. I’ll show you how I can make Xerneas give you its Fairy Aura." Rio stood before Diancie and threw two Luxury Balls. Out came Kyurem, the Void Dragon, and Gengar, cackling with delight.

Kyurem blocked the incoming attacks with a single Dragon Claw. "Well done, Rio! Finally, you let me join a gang-beating!" Kyurem’s excited voice echoed in Rio’s mind.

"Once Zekrom arrives, you’ll think I did even better." Rio smiled.

"Kyurem! That’s Unova’s legendary Pokémon, Kyurem!" The Team Flare leader recognized the dragon and gasped. Even Xerneas, which had been about to counterattack Druddigon, paused and stared in shock—a legendary from another region was here, and it looked like it was here to cause trouble.