The footage showed Ash reaching the top and freeing Garchomp from a strange, malfunctioning collar. The Dragon-type immediately calmed down, but in the process, Pikachu lost its footing and slipped from the tower.
Without hesitation, Ash leapt after him, diving into the sky to catch his partner mid-air.
At the critical moment, a fiery red blur streaked through the sky. In the blink of an eye, it caught the falling Ash and Pikachu mid-air and gently brought them back down to the safety of the ground.
The crowd watching from below erupted in gasps and cheers. Reporters scrambled to focus their cameras on the heroic Pokémon.
The figure standing proudly before them was a humanoid Pokémon covered in white feathers with a V-shaped crest on its head, piercing blue eyes, and powerful legs built for speed and strength. Its claws were wrapped in what looked like protective bands, and flames trailed from its wrists like ribbons. A single horn jutted from its forehead, giving it a fierce and majestic appearance.
Naoki recognized it instantly.
"That's Mega Blaziken," he said with awe. "The fully evolved form of Blaziken... after undergoing Mega Evolution."
"What kind of Pokémon is that?!" Arven asked, eyes wide with admiration. "It looks so cool!"
Naoki nodded. "Recently, Professor Sycamore in the Kalos region discovered a special phenomenon that allows certain fully evolved Pokémon to surpass their limits. It's called Mega Evolution. That Blaziken used a Mega Stone and its trainer's bond to become Mega Blaziken."
Somewhere else in Kalos, Serena was probably watching the same news broadcast. Soon, she'd begin her journey, cross paths with Ash, and start her own unforgettable adventure.
"Mega Blaziken..." Arven murmured, his gaze still fixed on the screen.
Naoki didn't explain further. He turned back to the kitchen to finish preparing lunch.
By late morning, Iono returned home to the ranch after finishing work.
When she stepped inside, both Nemona and Arven stood up to greet her. "Good afternoon, Miss Iono!"
"You're both here?" she said warmly. "Make yourselves at home!"
Just then, the baby's cries echoed from one of the rooms.
Naoki had just finished setting the food on the table when he heard it. Iono quickly set down her bag and rushed to check on the child.
"It's okay, you two go ahead and eat," Naoki said, accustomed to the routine.
"The baby's crying!" Nemona exclaimed, concerned.
Naoki smiled calmly. "She's just hungry. After she eats, she'll go right back to sleep. Newborns need to sleep almost the whole day."
Sure enough, the crying quieted not long after.
When Iono came back into the room, Naoki asked, "Is she asleep?"
She nodded, letting out a small sigh. "Yeah... finally. She's been crying more often lately."
"I looked it up," Naoki said. "At around two months old, babies start to feel insecure. If they wake up and don't see anyone nearby, they start crying non-stop."
"Thankfully, Flareon and Indeedee usually keep her company. But I guess Indeedee came out to help me with lunch, and Elara woke up alone—no wonder she got upset."
"That sounds really tough!" Nemona said, visibly moved.
Iono smiled and nodded. "At this age, babies need a lot of care. It's important to look after them properly."
"I wonder… was I like this when I was a baby?" Nemona asked with bright curiosity.
"Of course," Iono chuckled. "Every child goes through this stage."
"Wow!" Nemona turned to Naoki. "Mr. Naoki, doesn't it feel hard sometimes?"
"Hard?" Naoki paused, then smiled gently. "A little. But watching your child grow up—seeing every little change, every milestone—it's also one of the greatest joys in life. It's just like raising a Pokémon and watching it evolve from the first stage to its final form. All the effort feels worth it."
"I get it now!" Nemona said, her eyes lighting up with understanding.
She turned to Arven suddenly and said, "Don't worry, Arven. Even though Professor Sada and Professor Turo aren't around right now, I'm sure they love you very much! Just like Mr. Naoki said. Maybe once their research is finished, they'll come back to be with you!"
Arven froze. His body stiffened as her words hit him.
Naoki blinked, a little surprised. Despite how loud and carefree Nemona usually acted, her heart was incredibly kind and sensitive.
Arven looked up. Everyone was watching him gently, with warmth and empathy in their eyes.
The moment overwhelmed him. He hadn't felt this kind of kindness or connection in a long time.
"Thank you," he whispered.
—
That afternoon, Nemona and Arven left the ranch and returned to the academy to continue their studies.
Naoki and Iono stood at the edge of the property, waving as the children disappeared down the path.
Watching them go, Iono asked quietly, "Have Professors Sada and Turo really been gone from Arven's life that long?"
Naoki nodded. "Yes. They've been conducting secret research deep in Area Zero beneath the Great Crater of Paldea. They're always busy, barely any time to visit the surface."
Iono's eyes widened. "Area Zero? Isn't that place extremely dangerous? I heard the Pokémon League banned public access ages ago!"
"It's not that bad," Naoki replied thoughtfully. "It's certainly treacherous for unprepared travelers… but I've been there myself. The ecosystem is chaotic. The Paradox Pokémon fight each other constantly for dominance."
He paused, then added, "I was invited down there by the professors. That's actually where Koraidon and Flutter Mane came from—straight out of Area Zero. The professors entrusted them to me. Asked me to care for them."
Iono's expression softened as things began to make sense. "So that's why you're so concerned about Arven?"
"That's part of it," Naoki admitted. "I've known the professors for over five years. But more than that, Arven's just... a lonely kid."
Naoki looked out over the ranch, his voice quieter now.
"He's been by himself since he was very young. With his parents always away, he had to grow up on his own. That kind of life makes you mature, but it also leaves you aching for love and warmth."
"Still," Naoki sighed, "we can't let Elara grow up the same way Arven did."
"Absolutely," Iono agreed, nodding firmly.
Thankfully, with one of them running the ranch and the other acting as Gym Leader, they didn't need to travel far. That meant they could stay by their daughter's side almost 24 hours a day.
—
With the reveal of Mega Evolution, the entire Pokémon Trainer community was sent into a frenzy.
The value of Key Stones and Mega Stones—once overlooked or thought of as niche collector items—skyrocketed practically overnight.
And it wasn't just Trainers. Related industries—from equipment vendors to research institutions—were caught up in the tidal wave of hype.
The following day, Naoki found himself with a bit of downtime. He moved his computer into Elara's room so he could keep her company while casually browsing the web.
Beside the crib, Larvesta was wide awake. Pokémon grow at a much faster pace than humans. In just a few days, Larvesta had already grown over a meter tall, its sleek white fuzz giving it a fluffy, fiery appearance.
The crib was too small now, so Larvesta had taken to curling up beside Elara's bed, quietly watching over her.
"Mega Evolution… some Pokémon... regional leagues are already incorporating it into their official battles…" Naoki muttered as he scrolled through articles and forums.
He was also hunting for listings of Key Stones and Mega Stones. He figured it was wise to buy a few now, just in case he encountered a compatible Pokémon later. Unlike Terastallization, which required custom-crafted Tera Orbs from the Paldean League, Mega Evolution used stones that were already scattered across the world.
That's why there was now a surge of interest in mountain climbing, cave exploration, and archaeological expeditions. People hoped to uncover long-lost Mega Stones hidden in ruins or tucked away in deep caves.
Soon, Naoki came across a forum thread that caught his eye. Someone was selling Mega Stones.
The seller's username was [Yama], a well-known mountaineering enthusiast. According to his post, he'd collected a variety of stones over his travels, including a few that might be genuine Mega Stones.
However, he admitted that none of them had been officially appraised, and many of the stones were mixed in with other strange or ordinary minerals that were indistinguishable to the untrained eye.
Still, Yama had come up with a unique idea: a "Mystery Rock Box" sale.
Buyers wouldn't get a confirmed Mega Stone. Instead, they'd be shown a pile of random stones, some possibly genuine Mega Stones, others not, and asked to choose one by sight alone. No returns. No guarantees. All luck.
And the kicker?
Each stone cost 40,000 Poké dollars.
Roughly the same price as a Big Nugget.
...
You all know what to do right?😉🫡