Chapter 0719: The Cocoon of Ruin(Two-in-One)

For some reason, today the renovation team arrived unusually fast.

The Timburr crew busied themselves sweeping up the debris, shrinking away nervously every time they passed Tyranitar.

“Tyranitar~ (￣～￣)” Tyranitar looked around on both sides, occasionally picking up a chunk of rubble and crunching it between its jaws.

Back in the front hall.

“I told you,” Cynthia said, pointing at the Rotom screen showing Natsume raising both hands in an Intimidate pose, “it’s very cute.”

Natsume forced an awkward laugh.

Next time he used a Z-Move, he’d have to shut down Rotom first!

The Darkinium Z pose hadn’t been that embarrassing at first, but seeing it replayed on the screen made it feel totally different.

Natsume was already curling his toes in embarrassment, clenching his fist and clearing his throat: “If you judge only by the power… it can rival the Starter Pokémon trio’s Ultimate Moves.”

“Maybe even stronger,” Cynthia added, the humor fading from her face as her eyes flickered. “Plus, a Z-Move doesn’t have downtime—it can be chained into other moves. You could even use Water Z to power up Blastoise’s Hydro Cannon!”

Natsume: “Really? Doing the Water Z seaweed dance on stage…”

Cynthia: “Now that you mention it…I can understand why there aren’t any male Trainers using Water Z at the World Championship.”

“I think I’ll change the Darkinium Z pose,” Natsume mused, “The essence of Z-power is Pulse anyway, so I could use the Aura of Ripple to adjust the movements a little.”

“Such as?” Cynthia asked.

“Like, changing the Darkinium Z pose from raising both hands to just raising one.”

Natsume grew interested, sighing, “It’s a shame there’s only a Z-Bracelet, not a Z-belt…”

The Z-Move pose was definitely cringe—but if he had a belt for it, for some reason, Natsume could accept it right away!

In terms of power, that recent Darkinium Z ‘Black Hole Eclipse’ really did rival Mega Blastoise’s Hydro Cannon.

Because of its huge range, it could actually be really effective against giant legendary Pokémon.

Natsume fell into thought.

Once Blastoise mastered the ‘Origin Pulse’ from the indigo fragment, it should be the moment to become a ‘Battle Legend.’

Gengar’s opportunity, on the other hand, lay in Inverse Power and continuing to unearth the secrets of ‘Dark Void.’

Using Darkinium Z with Dark Void even produced a ‘Chibaku Tensei’ move effect…That shouldn’t be possible!

Well, if it’s not scientific, it’s not scientific…

Natsume looked up at the sky.

Red’s Snorlax, which stopped a bullet train, and Pikachu, who struck down Primal Kyogre with lightning—science never explained those either…

......

The sudden appearance of a ‘meteorite’ caused quite a stir in Lumiose City.

But no one looked too closely. There’d been too many wild stories these days—everyone had their fill.

The next day.

The gardens’ repairs were complete.

According to plan, Steven would visit that afternoon to discuss the details of their mining trip.

Since it was Monday, Cynthia had to return to the Sinnoh League and continue her Champion duties.

“So much hassle…”

Cynthia sighed. “How does Wallace manage working overtime and running glamorous contests at the same time?”

Thinking of Steven grinding through twenty-two days straight, Natsume couldn’t help but remark,

“Maybe Trainers from Hoenn have superhuman stamina!”

“I remember…Steven is coming over this afternoon?”

“That’s right.”

Since the trip to the Land of Ores involved the engagement ring for Moe-Moe!, Natsume decided to keep it secret for now, telling Cynthia only that Steven was coming for tea.

Cynthia narrowed her eyes: “It seems like the time you’ve spent traveling with Steven is more than with me?”

Natsume was caught off guard.

Come to think of it, that was true!

He’d saved the Tree of Beginning with Steven, and quelled the clash of Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon. Both were major, drawn-out events.

But he’d gone through Alamos Town and Michina Town with Moe-Moe!—actually, it wasn’t so different.

Natsume cleared his throat: “Maybe because Steven retired and is always free, so it just feels that way.”

“Is that so?” Cynthia paused, her eyes thoughtful.

Natsume nodded earnestly.

It was easy to understand—Ash and Clemont spent way more time together than Ash ever spent with Serena!

“Oh, whatever…” Cynthia began to waver. “Next time we meet, what kind of gift do you want? Men’s cologne from Celadon City? Autumn fashion from Lumiose City?”

“All I want is a hug from you,” Natsume replied honestly.

“Right now, if you like.” Cynthia smiled softly.

“...There are still guests. Maybe let’s go inside?” Natsume scratched his cheek.

Cynthia rolled her eyes, then turned and said, “Come on, Garchomp—”

“Goodbye, little ones.” Cynthia’s gray eyes sparkled as she turned.

For a moment, Victini, Meloetta, Latias…all the little ones clustered around Cynthia, reluctantly saying their farewells.

Natsume stroked his chin. “Our relationship’s really improved too, don’t you think, Garchomp?”

“Garchomp (〝▼皿▼)” Garchomp shot him a crimson glance.

Natsume: “…”

No, definitely not.

......

As afternoon approached, tufts of autumn fluff drifted along the streets, carrying a hint of the season’s tenderness.

Cynthia rode Garchomp back to the Sinnoh League, returning to her Champion duties.

Steven had originally given up the Champion title to Wallace precisely because the responsibilities were so demanding.

Among Champions, Lance’s tasks were also very heavy—he had to manage both Kanto and Johto, cracking down on crime.

Diantha’s job was equally formidable—she had to shoot movies...

With no guests in the shop, Gengar swept the floor, Sirfetch’d napped, and the big dog sprawled out, baring its teeth in a lazy yawn.

Natsume knelt down and rubbed Arcanine’s warm belly. Arcanine closed its eyes, enjoying the moment.

“Blastoise,” Blastoise reminded cautiously.

“Oh... Someone’s coming.”

The wind chimes sounded.

A blue-haired man in a black suit with a red tie stepped in, smiling.

“Hope I’m not interrupting, Natsume-sensei.”

“Not at all,” Natsume replied. “Maybe it’s just that with so many Champions gathering, there haven’t been any customers.”

Steven smiled wryly. “Wasn’t that exactly as you expected?”

Natsume nodded.

The café wasn’t meant for profit—much like Lysandre’s Café Soleil before, it was just a place for group members to chat and relax.

“Where’s Cynthia Champion?” Steven asked.

“She went back to the Sinnoh League,” Natsume explained, “which works out—now we can properly discuss the Mineral Kingdom!”

The two of them settled at opposite ends of the sofa. Gengar brought over a tray with two cups of coffee, grinning mischievously: “Gengar!”

Steven thanked him politely, feeling a wave of nostalgia.

Trainers’ partners all had their own personalities.

A proud Milotic, a disdainful Garchomp… As for Natsume-sensei’s Gengar, “cute” might be the only adequate word.

“By the way, Steven.” Natsume brought up the mysterious girl from their Hoenn adventures. “Do you know where Zinnia is these days?”

“After my father apologized to her, she returned to Meteor Village and reconciled with her clan...”

Steven’s gaze flickered. “Her resolve is on par with Ruby and Sapphire’s—a girl who once carried the burdens of the past.”

Natsume nodded thoughtfully.

To be freed from a mission of vengeance and allowed to chase the dreams she ought to have at her age...

Just like the fiery Braviary of Team Magma, that’s the best ending for them.

“As for the journey to the Mineral Kingdom...” Natsume pressed his palms together. “Steven, have you heard of Diancie?”

“Hmm...no.”

“What about mutated individuals among the Carbink?”

“I have heard Professor Birch mention that,” Steven nodded. “Unlike Shiny Pokémon, a mutated individual within a herd will become a brand-new Pokémon.”

“For example...” Steven paused, “the eternal flower of the ancient king.”

“What we’re after is precisely a mutated Carbink: Diancie.”

Natsume frowned. “And...we’ll very likely have to ensure her safety, too.”

In the movie Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction, Diancie drew the attention of many powers, eventually growing into a Mega Diancie capable of creating the eternal diamond.

Even if he couldn’t obtain a diamond, Natsume still wanted to make it his first priority to protect Diancie.

“What makes you so knowledgeable about Carbink?” Steven wondered.

“Because I’m also a fan of Ores! Haha...” Natsume laughed a little sheepishly.

Steven nodded faintly, his eyes flashing.

Of course, the Pokémon Company’s “Gold Miners” game was designed by none other than Natsume-sensei!

“I’ll help keep an eye out for additions to your collection during the trip, Steven,” Natsume said.

Steven: “But… I’ve only heard legends about the Land of Ores. Where exactly would we even look?”

Natsume’s “Power of One” enabled him to sense temporal anomalies in the Kalos Region—he was just about to answer.

The wind chimes sounded again.

An unexpected guest arrived.

Natsume and Steven both turned their gazes.

A woman with long purple hair and tanned skin, draped in a silver cape adorned with a starlit pattern, with oversized silver bangles on her hands and neck.

Natsume blinked in surprise.

Anistar City’s Leader—a renowned prophetic psychic, Olympia?

“Natsume-sensei,” she spoke, “I am Olympia, Leader of Anistar City. Forgive my intrusion.”

Olympia frowned and said, “But I had a sudden foreboding...and needed to convey it to you in person!”

Natsume felt a mixture of amusement and dread.

Last time, you prophesied the resurrection of Groudon and Kyogre...

History has a way of repeating itself...

Is it two legendary Pokémon ready to awaken this time?

Natsume sighed, “Please have a seat. Gengar, water for our guest.”

“Gengar!”

“No trouble needed... This must be Mr. Steven, yes?” Olympia’s violet gaze flickered.

“I am, Olympia Leader.” Steven nodded gently. “This premonition you mentioned—what did you see?”

Steven had already heard tales of Olympia, the “prophet” of Kalos.

A month before, she’d predicted both the Rainbow Meteorite and the massive meteorite, though no one had believed her at the time.

Because of this, Steven’s tone toward Olympia brimmed with respect.

“It’s not a vision from the starlight, but a trivial prophetic dream...”

Olympia gently shook her head. “In the lifeless woods of Orlans, I dreamed of a cocoon, beating like a heart in the blackest night.”

“I also saw a majestic king... But these dreams led nowhere definite.”

“So I only wished to share what I saw, nothing more.”

Steven hesitated. “Did you inform Champion Diantha?”

“I told her agent about it,” Olympia replied helplessly. “But...a prophetic dream that comes out of nowhere is hard for anyone to take seriously.”

Natsume fell silent.

A cocoon in the dark... That matches the movie Diancie and the Cocoon of Ruin almost exactly.

Before awakening, Yveltal slumbers within the pitch-black Cocoon of Ruin, until an intruding thief rouses it.

Yveltal’s signature move, Oblivion Wing, has the power to petrify and steal the life force of humans.

Petrification is an extremely dangerous effect in the Pokémon world—even “The Battler” Red himself once fell victim.

Of course, Natsume suspects he did it on purpose; after all, he got to be princess-carried by Yellow, petrified together...

Anyway, if Olympia’s prophetic dream is right, this trip could be exceptionally perilous.

But.

After surviving Hoenn, a Y-Bird is nothing much.

For the Pixie Plate (×)

For Diancie’s diamond (√)

Nothing will stop me from going!

“Thank you for the information, Leader Olympia.” Natsume nodded. “I believe the cocoon you foresaw is the legendary god of death, Yveltal.”

Steven and Olympia both gasped, “Yveltal?”

“Because of Yveltal’s deathly aura, the Carbink are migrating en masse.”

Natsume turned to Steven, pausing. “Steven, there’s a good chance we’ll have to battle Yveltal on this trip—maybe we should call it off…”

“What are you talking about?” Steven’s eyes flashed sharp.

Natsume was taken aback.

“When you went to confront Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, you didn’t hesitate for a second.”

Steven declared, “I, Steven Stone, would never abandon a companion and scuttle back to Hoenn alone!”

Natsume stilled.

Back then I wasn’t just hesitant—my legs were shaking...

“Of course, if we find new kinds of ores, all the better.” Steven added, smiling in relief.

Natsume: “...”

Give me back my tears, you jerk!

“If there’s anything I can do, don’t hesitate,” Olympia said solemnly. “I’m not good at battle... but I’ll share anything the starlight might reveal.”

Natsume wanted to ask her to read his and Cynthia’s marital fortune in the stars.

But thinking that might be rude, he changed topics.

“What are your thoughts on the upcoming Lumiose Conference?” Natsume asked curiously.

Olympia was surprised by the question, but closed her eyes, her cape shining silver for a moment before she spoke:

“Azure flames and golden streams will clash; a young man, caught in the vortex, will stand atop Lumiose.”

Olympia’s gaze flickered.

“I’ve seen his past...and before long, I’ll battle him myself.”

Natsume’s expression shifted.

Oh no, Ash—

Olympia’s given you a flag. Don’t blame me now!

“And what about Touran’s Victory Road?” Natsume probed.

Olympia looked straight at Natsume, smiling without a word.

Natsume: “...”

Under Olympia’s royal gaze, a chill ran down his spine.

I’d originally felt confident about Touran’s Victory Road...

But after Olympia’s “prophecy”—maybe I really do need to grind a few more levels!

Steven’s gaze was thoughtful, saying nothing.

Olympia’s prophecy also spoke of a king...

Geosenge Town’s ultimate weapon, an ancient king, the ties between life and the god of death—it all seemed to unravel before him, layer by layer.

……

Kalos Region, Land of Ores.

A beautiful underground kingdom of mines, where countless crystals gleam and reflect, creating a breathtaking brilliance.

The Carbink worked tirelessly inside the caverns, unearthing new ores to provide nourishment for their companions.

At the heart of the Land of Ores, a giant pink diamond hovered in midair, serving as the source of energy for the entire kingdom.

Yet, thin strands of deathly aura twined over the surface of the pink diamond, cracks spidering through it as if it were withering away.

“Princess Diancie, Princess Diancie!”

Diancie wore a round, pink diamond on her forehead, a crown wrought from diamond atop her head, a necklace of pink diamonds at her neck, her white gown shaped from diamonds, her lower body formed of raw pink diamond ore.

Lively and quick, Diancie darted about the cavern, dodging a pursuing Carbink, laughing quietly behind her hand.

Until an elderly, white-bearded Carbink blocked Princess Diancie’s path, looking grave. “Princess, you’re being mischievous again!”

“Master Diamond…” Diancie said softly.

“Princess, the safety of the Holy Diamond is tied to the survival of the entire Land of Ores, but you haven’t yet mastered the energy needed to create the Holy Diamond.”

Master Diamond said, “If we don’t hurry, the whole Land of Ores could be destroyed!”

“That sounds a bit exaggerated…” Diancie muttered softly.

“No... What you must do now is seek out Xerneas, who possesses the Fairy Aura!”

Master Diamond recalled memories from his younger days.

A thousand years ago, he was struck by a wave of dark red light and became petrified. When he awoke, he saw Xerneas.

Xerneas revived Pokémon that had lost their lives, but then transformed into a great tree and fell into a deep slumber.

The Allearth Forest, once engulfed by that dark red light, had become a wasteland, but now signs of recovery meant Xerneas was about to awaken.

“Xerneas now sleeps within Allearth Forest,” Master Diamond said. “With his help, Princess, you’ll surely master the power to create the Holy Diamond!”

“To find Xerneas, right~ Alright, sure! Honestly, I’ve always wanted to see the outside world.” Princess Diancie smiled.

“One answer is enough!” Master Diamond chided.

“Only once, right~” Diancie covered her mouth, then laughed. “Okay!”

He watched as Diancie happily skipped toward the mouth of the cavern.

Master Diamond, still worried, ordered three Carbink to follow in the Princess’s footsteps.

“That disaster a thousand years ago—the Kalos King and his ultimate weapon.”

Master Diamond gently closed his eyes.

“Let’s hope that great bird of the night never awakens again…”