Mewtwo Enters the Battle!
Even Ash hadn't foreseen this.
He had assumed that as long as this Shaymin remained safe and didn't get captured by Zero, then Zero wouldn't be able to access the Reverse World—since only Shaymin's Seed Flare could open its gateway.
But, alas—that's exactly where the twist lay.
Unaware of what had just transpired, Ash and the others were still riding the train, heading toward the flower field Shaymin was desperate to reach.
When the Gracidea flowers bloom across the meadow, strong winds often rise. One by one, the flower petals are swept into the air, forming a breathtaking cascade across the sky.
Zero sat motionless on the ground, dazed and despondent.
His small aircraft had long been tossed aside.
Despite all his planning, he hadn't accounted for such powerful Pokémon defending Shaymin.
He had failed to capture it.
But at that moment, the AI from his craft—the prototype intelligence core built by Professor Newton Graceland—flashed an alert:
"Master Zero, a powerful energy fluctuation has been detected at the coordinates of the Reverse World portal. Traces match the signature of Giratina. Confirmation in progress..."
Like a light breaking through a foggy path, hope returned.
Zero's blank eyes suddenly gleamed.
The AI confirmed it: Giratina had exited the Reverse World.
"Master Zero, Giratina has emerged. Coordinates for one of the portal sites locked. Shall we proceed to track?"
This was it. The moment he had been waiting for.
Zero burst into laughter.
"Lock the coordinates. Target Giratina. I'm heading there now to capture it myself!"
…
Scene Shift
Ash and the others had just stepped off the train.
"Pika Pi, pika!" Pikachu chirped from Ash's shoulder, reporting something cheerfully.
That Thunderbolt it unleashed earlier had taken down more than a few Magneton. Some of them were powerful enough to grant Pikachu decent battle experience.
With the system's 10x EXP bonus still active, Pikachu had just leveled up again—now at Level 83.
Ash nodded, rubbing Pikachu's head. "We're almost there, buddy. Shaymin's about to see its friends again."
The little hedgehog-like Pokémon soared joyfully above them in its Sky Forme. It had transformed after encountering some Gracidea pollen from a flower bouquet a train passenger had brought along.
Now able to fly freely, Shaymin zoomed across the sky while the rest of the group hopped onto a bus. Their route passed right through the Gracidea Meadow.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived right on target.
Gracidea Flower Field.
"Wow… This is it!" Dawn marveled. "No wonder Shaymin wanted to come here so badly!"
Shaymin darted excitedly through the air.
At the center of the meadow, more Shaymin were already gathered—also in their Sky Forme—gliding and dancing among the wind and falling petals.
"It's beautiful," Dawn whispered, clutching Piplup in awe. "Nature's magic at its finest."
"Bo-gaaa~" Piplup added with wide eyes.
"Come on out, Metagross, Espeon, Alakazam, and Stantler!" Anabel released all her Pokémon.
Dawn followed suit, calling out her own team.
With Shaymin safely reunited and having fun, Ash took a step forward. He was just about to ask Shaymin for help opening the Reverse World portal to meet Giratina when—
"Grrraaaaooo—!"
That roar!
Giratina's cry echoed from the sky.
Ash's expression hardened.
Why was Giratina here? It was supposed to still be sealed in a time loop by Dialga's temporal control!
Instantly, Ash activated his Aura powers—spanning a 5-kilometer radius.
And then he saw it.
A familiar aircraft—a mere 3 kilometers from Giratina's position.
Zero's aircraft.
In the original timeline, that machine was engineered to specifically exploit Giratina's weaknesses—designed by Professor Newton himself before Zero stole the research. It was capable of trapping Giratina when its powers were reduced after entering the real world.
Ash didn't know if Giratina could resist it this time, but Newton wasn't here now—and Ash couldn't afford to gamble.
If Giratina were captured, the Reverse World would fall into chaos.
And that would affect the real world too.
"No time to waste—Mewtwo, I choose you!"
The flying fortress thundered through the sky.
Just as Giratina emerged into the real world, Zero's aircraft loomed over the horizon—its vast shadow casting darkness over the entire meadow.
Inside, Zero sat at the controls, eyes locked onto the screen displaying Giratina's energy readings.
The weapon charged.
A beam of violet-red energy launched toward Giratina—its target locked.
But in that instant, a sleek, pink silhouette appeared midair between the beam and its target.
Mewtwo.
The deadly laser closed in—aimed directly for its forehead.
With a calm breath, Mewtwo raised one hand.
A single finger twitched.
And suddenly—the world fell still.
Time seemed to freeze.
In Zero's eyes, the beam stopped.
Suspended midair.
Psychic Power.
Unfathomable mental energy surged outward from Mewtwo's body.
With a flick of its finger, the laser twisted around.
Zero's eyes widened in horror.
The beam reversed—hurtling straight back at his own ship!
Zzzzzzt!
The powerful laser struck the aircraft—ironically trapping it in the very energy meant for Giratina.
Mewtwo's aura surged once more.
Its three fingers clenched slowly.
The air around the entire aircraft compressed.
Violently.
"System malfunction. Flight control disabled... System malfunction…"
The onboard AI crackled in a robotic voice as alarms blared.
Zero stared at the collapsing control center, completely stunned.
This was supposed to be his moment of triumph—his rise from despair.
And yet now…
"…If I can't have it, then no one can!" he roared.
Gripping something from his coat pocket, he pulled out a glimmering crystal—the last Irregular Stone he had stolen from Newton.
His eyes were bloodshot with rage.
The aircraft's power source had been constructed from multiple Irregular Stones—special ore from the Reverse World that gave it power over Giratina.
He had saved one. Just in case. A desperate backup.
And now…
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T/N:
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