Pokemon Paldea [281-282] (Patreon)

Chapter 281: Catching Victini—Beyond the Sea Lies Freedom!

Victini wanted to follow its heart and trust Lucas.

How strange—after knowing him for just a single day, this man and his Pokémon made Victini feel a deep, instinctive closeness.

So Victini chose to believe in Lucas—to believe he could help it escape the prison that had bound it for a thousand years.

Victini turned into a streak of red light and entered the red-and-white Poké Ball. The ball didn't even wobble—its capture light flared at once.

In the next instant, Dragonite skimmed past the hovering guardian pillar. The purple-lined barrier from the movie—the one that stopped Victini from leaving—never appeared from start to finish. Fireworks blossomed overhead as Dragonite flew straight out of Eindoak.

The night breeze ruffled his hair. Lucas turned back to the shrinking silhouette of Eindoak, surprise on his face, and murmured, "It actually worked…"

Earlier, when he'd been thinking of ways to break Victini out, Lucas had wondered if a Poké Ball jailbreak was possible—but he was inclined to think it wouldn't work.

After all, that guardian-pillar barrier in the movie was unbreakable even for Reshiram and Zekrom together; in the end, it was Victini's own power spike that burst it from within.

He had been leaning toward other methods to try breaching the barrier—until the system popped up and told him to try capturing Victini to take it out with a Poké Ball.

Looks like Victini's special ability is a huge help to me—that's why the system jumped in to offer a plan.

As the sea drew nearer, Lucas's expression turned odd. It seemed the most cutting-edge modern tech had triumphed over ancient mechanisms. The Poké Ball really is a great invention!

In the rush, he'd used a standard red-and-white ball at hand. Later, he should let Victini choose a ball it likes.

But first…the sea was right ahead!

On a nameless beach, Lucas released all his Pokémon, including Victini.

The moment it left the ball, Victini looked around nervously—until it saw the sea before it, rising and falling under the moonlight. Its eyes grew misty.

Only now did it really feel it: it had finally escaped the cage that held it.

Waves lapped the shore, washing away the footprints of the playing Pokémon and leaving white foam. Victini gazed in silence for a long time.

At that moment, Lucas contacted Eindoak to tell Nemona and the others to watch the fireworks, then head back to the Sword of the Vale to rest. He'd camp on the beach tonight and wouldn't return.

Coming to Victini's side as it stared blankly at the sea, Lucas chuckled, "This still isn't when it's most beautiful."

Victini forgot even to flap its wings, staring at Lucas in shock. This sea wasn't the most beautiful yet!?

Lucas smiled. "The sea at sunrise—its beauty can take your breath away. As for the rest, use your imagination."

Victini's eyes filled with longing—but it also pouted at Lucas's teasing. It puffed its cheeks, plopped onto his head, and tugged his hair.

Victini knew its strength, so it didn't hurt—just tickled a bit.

No matter how much Victini fussed, Lucas refused to spoil the sunrise. For a first that deserved to be remembered, he wanted Victini to witness it with its own eyes. Until then, let it imagine.

Lucas set up camp and the tent. Dragonite and Swampert leapt into the sea to catch fish for a barbecue.

Serperior, Ceruledge, and Mimikyu ran into the nearby woods to gather firewood. Under Lucas's supervision, the pair of Sandslash dug a small pit for the fire.

Alcremie, Comfey, Vulpix, and Victini chased one another across the sand. Their laughter, borne on the sea breeze, lifted the corners of Lucas's mouth.

That night, Victini tasted Ceruledge's special grilled fish, even tried the heretical combo of Alcremie's cream drizzled on top. It sat by the beach bonfire and listened to stories from Luxray, Serperior, and the others about their adventures with Lucas.

And about that distant farm in Paldea—their home.

Hearing so much, Victini began to ponder its future.

Stay in Eindoak? Or follow Lucas back to that farm on the far side of the world?

Neither Lucas nor the Pokémon asked for its decision. This was something only it could choose.

Time passed. Dawn came, and sunrise—right on cue.

A pale gold crept into the sky. The sea was gilded by the first ray of sun, waves glittering like the water had been scattered with diamonds.

The salty sea breeze brushed Victini's cheeks with a hint of morning cool, washing its body and soul in that moment.

Sunlight fell across the beach—each grain of sand turned golden.

Victini stared at the rising sun, heart filled with awe. Just like Lucas said—the sea at sunrise was breathtakingly beautiful.

Right then, after a night of thinking—and shaken by the beauty before it—Victini made up its mind. It would go with Lucas!

Unlike freeloading at the king's table of the People of the Vale, this time it would leave as Lucas's Pokémon—live with good friends like Vulpix, and eat the most delicious food together!

Beyond the sea lies freedom!

After quietly taking in the sunrise, and with the other Pokémon secretly watching anxiously from their hiding spots, Victini floated before Lucas.

It grinned, flashed a V-sign, and asked brightly, "Vii~tini?" (At the farm, is there anything tasty?)

Somehow Lucas understood it. He smiled. "Plenty—too much to list now. But you'll have all the time in the world to try them one by one."

In that instant, even the sea breeze felt gentler.

Lucas and Victini slapped a tiny high-five—and he found himself vexed again.

He'd captured Victini with a standard ball just to break the barrier. Now he had to fret over what ball to switch it into.

What kind suits Victini? Or should he let it choose?

…

They brought Victini back to Eindoak. This time, it lay openly on Lucas's shoulder, drawing countless stares along the way.

Even knowing the barrier lay ahead, Victini felt no fear. Calmly, it watched itself pass into what had once been its prison.

Its heart had changed—its old nightmare was gone.

Lucas first took Victini to the orchard. Victini occasionally popped out to play with the wild Pokémon there. It needed to say its goodbyes.

Afterward, Lucas walked the path back to the Sword of the Vale.

Nemona and the others were eating a delicious breakfast made by Juanita.

"Vii-ni~"

Victini cheered, zipped to the table, and grabbed a piece of buttered bread. Lucas, meanwhile, found several pairs of hot, questioning eyes on him.

He didn't plan to hide it. He nodded slightly. "I've captured Victini."

Everyone's thoughts exploded at once!

Nemona sprang up, thrilled. "Teacher Lucas actually captured Victini? That's amazing!"

Penny pushed up her glasses, pondering for a moment.

Legend says Victini has infinite energy. If Uncle Rose were to find out…

Arven and Eri burst into applause.

Mannes's eyes went wide. What could he even say?

Though the native mythical Pokémon of Eindoak had been lured away, what right did he have to oppose it?

Leaving aside that he leaked Victini's location to save his own skin—a reason enough for Victini to resent him—if you traced history back a thousand years, Victini wasn't the king's Pokémon.

It was like the wild Pokémon in the orchard—just happened to live in the castle.

What right did he have to ask Victini to stay?

Carlita's eyes were round as coins. She knew Victini's power best.

That Vulpix who would've been one-shot by Hydreigon—under Victini's aid—turned around and one-shot the terrifying Shadow Triad and their three Pokémon!

Lucas had already been strong. With Victini's help now… Carlita didn't dare imagine how powerful he'd become, or how long it would take her to catch up.

Juanita smiled gently and handed Victini a steaming cup of milk, her voice soft. "That's wonderful… truly wonderful."

As one of the People of the Vale, and knowing their history, Juanita felt a measure of guilt toward Victini.

Their ancestors' sins ended up being borne by an innocent Pokémon. It was too cruel.

Victini was incredibly kind. Otherwise, it wouldn't have rushed to help the king just from his plea, saving so many of the People of the Vale.

Unfortunately, the king died of exhaustion before he could lower the guardian pillars, leaving Victini trapped in Eindoak for a thousand years. The thought pained Juanita.

Now Victini had found a trainer powerful enough to protect it—someone who put it first and whose kindness to Pokémon even she felt ashamed to compare with. Juanita couldn't imagine a better outcome.

She was happy for Victini from the bottom of her heart.

At the same time, a shared question arose in everyone's mind:

How had Lucas and Victini bypassed the barrier formed by the guardian pillars, left Eindoak, and even watched the sea and sunrise?

Lucas smiled, took out a Poké Ball—and left them all stunned.

You can do that!?

…

After breakfast, Lucas led Arven, Nemona, Penny, and Eri to say goodbye to Juanita, Carlita, and Mannes, thanking them for two days of free lodging at the Sword of the Vale and the delicious meals.

Seeing them off, the group approached the barrier's edge. Lucas recalled Victini and, under their astonished gazes, simply walked through.

Along the mountain road away from Eindoak, Victini found everything novel—never settling down. It tugged leaves from trees, sniffed flowers in the grass, played with passing Watchog, and joined the four students in their games.

Arven suddenly asked, curious, "Brother Lucas, are we heading straight back to Paldea now?"

Nemona and the others turned inquisitive looks his way—they wanted to know the plan.

Lucas smiled and shook the phone that had just pinged back a reply. "We'll still fly out of Nimbasa City—but before that we're making a stop in Castelia."

Penny frowned slightly. "Why Castelia?"

"Because Alder's ace, Volcarona, is currently undergoing treatment at Unova's most advanced Pokémon medical facility in Castelia. We're going to help."

"You must have sensed it—Champion Alder's strength didn't meet your expectations. That's because his ace Volcarona was gravely injured and is on the brink of death."

The group blinked. So that was the hidden truth…

Penny, who already knew, wasn't surprised. Instead, she asked, "So how can we help Volcarona if even the most advanced medical techniques in Unova are helpless?"

Lucas gave Penny a strange look. Had she hacked the Unova League's systems…?

He cleared his throat. "I have a plan. We're not going to cure Volcarona this time."

He beckoned, and when Victini flew back, he held it up for them to see. "We're going to meet Volcarona, then have Victini use its power to replenish some of the lost origin energy—so it can hold on longer while we pursue further treatment."

The others understood at once and turned to Victini with newfound awe. This little one's power was incredible.

…

Elsewhere, in Castelia City's cutting-edge medical institute, Alder put down his phone, joy on his face. He stood and looked toward the medical pod.

Beyond the reinforced glass, Volcarona floated quietly in life solution, visibly frail—as if it could dissipate at any moment.

Alder's stern, upright features softened as his gaze fell upon it. He whispered, "Old partner, you must hold on. Hope is on the way…"

"I long to breathe the same air with you again, to run across the green fields together."

Chapter 282: Back to the Farm—Super Power Bank Victini and the Wonders of Infinite Energy!

Castelia City, at the entrance of the cutting-edge medical institute—Alder hurriedly ushered Lucas's group of five inside.

Having received the message, Alder had arranged everything. They met no one along the way and headed straight to the deepest room.

When the door opened, Lucas finally saw Volcarona in the pod—so weak it seemed it might drift away on the next breeze.

In sheer size, this Volcarona was much larger than the one that battled Lucas. You could imagine how those three pairs of orange-red wings would stir up a strangely beautiful blaze when it flew.

Arven struggled to find words for this special Volcarona. He meant no offense—just voicing his first impression. "There's a kind of…fragile beauty."

Nemona, Penny, and Eri fell silent, their expressions heavy with sadness.

Even after seeing it countless times, Alder's eyes still reddened and his nose stung whenever he looked at his sleeping Volcarona.

It was the first Pokémon with whom he shared a true bond after becoming a trainer. He thought those days of battle and laughter would last forever—but misfortune comes unannounced…

Now, all his hope rested on Lucas. He knew it wasn't dignified—but for Volcarona's sake, what was pride worth?

Alder looked to Lucas. When Lucas nodded, he didn't hesitate. He spoke to the ceiling-mounted intercom in the treatment room: "Open it."

Static crackled, then a hesitant voice echoed in the room. "Champion…are you sure?"

Alder knew what that meant. Stopping the pod's support would make Volcarona's candle-flame life even more precarious.

The stakes were immense—but what was there left to fear?

As Unova's Champion, Alder didn't lack resolve when it mattered. He believed Lucas would have a way.

His face set, he repeated in a firm voice, "Open it."

Silence for a moment—then the pod hummed. The life solution within was withdrawn.

With a click and a faint medicinal scent drifting through the room, the pod opened. Soaked and barely able to move, Volcarona opened its eyes.

Alder's gaze and voice softened. "Help has come. You must hold on."

Volcarona looked at him and let out a weak call, eyes full of affection.

Time was critical. Without the pod's support, each second shaved away at Volcarona's remaining life. There was no time for sentiment.

At Lucas's signal, Eri and Arven guided Alder back. Lucas stepped forward and took out a Poké Ball. "Victini, I'm counting on you."

"Vii!"

Victini hopped out and looked first at Volcarona, too weak now to even fly.

It could faintly sense Volcarona's energy bleeding away…

Lucas said, "Try using your infinite energy to replenish some of its lost origin."

Victini nodded lightly. Its innocent smile faded; it steeled its tiny face, serious and focused.

It approached, gently placing its small hands on Volcarona's head antennae—the organs that gather energy. Victini had sensed that this would be the most efficient conduit.

Under Alder's tense stare, Victini closed its eyes. Golden aura wrapped its body—and began to flow into Volcarona.

A miracle—happened.

Volcarona's antennae flushed crimson. Its dull orange-red wings regained a vibrant scarlet sheen. Volcarona, startled, sensed the gaping black void of loss within being filled by an outside power, turning gradually to shimmering gold.

Meanwhile, in the monitoring room, researchers tracking Volcarona's sensors were dumbstruck.

They watched the rising lines across the screens—their glasses nearly sliding off their noses.

What all their painstaking effort and assembled experts couldn't mend—the deficit in origin—was being repaired by this small, unknown Pokémon!?

After a while, sweat beaded on Victini's brow. It finally stopped the transfer, its small body wavering—only to be caught gently by Lucas, who'd been watching closely.

He stroked its head, thinking.

So, filling origin with infinite energy cost an enormous amount. Though Victini was said to have infinite energy, the amount it could safely output at once was limited.

That was why, in the movie, it looked so pained when the villain forcibly extracted its power.

Across the way, under Alder's hopeful gaze, Volcarona's three pairs of wings flashed red. The air warmed.

Just as those wings were about to become three pairs of blazing pinions and lift it skyward, Volcarona's expression shifted. The active Fire energy suddenly subsided, and it lay back down in the pod.

The sudden change startled everyone—Alder almost felt his heart stop.

The shaky voice from the monitors came through quickly. "Volcarona's origin deficit has been replenished, but its unhealed injuries remain. It tried to mobilize energy to fly—that's why…"

"However, with its origin replenished, Volcarona can now retain energy. Some treatments that can stabilize its condition without worsening the injuries can now be applied."

The voice finally took on a note of joy.

"Congratulations, Champion Alder. From now on, Volcarona has more time—enough to await the day when a curative technique is developed."

The pod slowly closed again under the remote controls. Fresh life solution flowed back in.

But unlike before, Volcarona could now remain conscious and interact with Alder.

Holding Victini, Lucas glanced at Alder, whose eyes glittered with tears yet whose smile was childlike—an odd sight. Lucas smiled back. Nemona and the others exchanged happy looks with him and Victini.

It seemed Volcarona could hold out until the Herba Mystica matured on the farm.

After chatting a bit more, Lucas's group took their leave to make their evening flight from Nimbasa back to Paldea.

Alder was reluctant but understood they'd already been away from Paldea for almost a week. They were eager to go home.

As much as he wanted to host them and show gratitude, Alder could read the room.

He promised that if Lucas ever needed help, he'd come without a second thought.

On their way out, the researchers nearly blocked them—too curious about Victini. It ended with Alder angrily driving the researchers off. The incident raised Lucas's opinion of him even more.

Though in the games he'd been reduced to Team Plasma's background prop, the man himself truly loved Pokémon and was kind to people—a good man.

Alder then sped them to Nimbasa. With time to spare before boarding, he accepted a challenge match from Nemona and gave her a coaching battle.

Nemona, unsurprisingly, lost—but Alder saw in her the fathomless potential of the new generation.

Without Lucas's group knowing, Alder resolved that—whether for Volcarona's treatment or nurturing Unova's youth—he would commit fully.

He would!

At last, under Nimbasa's brilliant lights, the engines roared. Watching the ground fall away outside the window, Lucas and the others were eager to return home.

…

June 9, Paldea Region, Los Platos.

Under a parasol, Lucas reclined on a lounge chair, a glass of iced fresh-squeezed berry juice in hand—utterly content.

Beside him, Victini did the same, wearing sunglasses bigger than its face—dug up from some corner of the farm—hugging its glass and savoring the chilled juice.

They'd been back in Paldea a day. After returning Nemona and the other four safely to the academy, Lucas, as expected, received a bonus from Geeta—enough to pay in full for a power-generation and storage module, with plenty left over.

At least enough to build another set.

On their first day back at the farm, Lucas introduced Victini, Vulpix, and the Sandslash couple to the rest.

Flush with funds, he threw a grand welcome party—committed fully to enjoying life.

He shook his glass. The ice was nearly melted in the summer heat. Lucas sprang up and called to Victini, "Come on, let's go find Vulpix for more ice."

Victini bounced up; its sunglasses slid off as expected. It didn't care—floated lazily onto Lucas's head, basking in the summer sun, perfectly content.

After just a day on the farm, Victini had already been lulled into its leisurely rhythm.

Lucas slid into his flip-flops and walked to the Vulpix hut beside the new warehouse. Opening the door, a refreshing chill washed over him.

Inside, everything was snow-white. Snow lay thick on the floor; a cloudbank clung to the ceiling, still dropping flakes.

No doubt, this was Vulpix's Snow Warning at work. The Sandslash couple had also contributed for their future living space.

They preferred the underground ice cellar below and didn't live on the upper floor. In a way, the upper level had become Vulpix's personal home.

At the moment, Vulpix was hosting friends there—Poliwrath and Poliwag, Miltank, Skiddo, Eldegoss, Arcanine, and Dachsbun were all playing.

Of course, Vulpix hadn't forgotten Alcremie and Comfey; as for Victini, it had been napping with Lucas, so Vulpix hadn't called it.

Lucas looked around and didn't see the Sandslash pair. Too lazy to go down into the frigid cellar, he called Vulpix over from its romp and set the two berry juices down.

"Powder Snow," he instructed.

Vulpix reluctantly paused its play, gathered a breath, and exhaled a far weaker Powder Snow than the one that had slaughtered the Shadow Triad. A thin, fragile crust formed on the glasses.

Lucas took a sip, finding the chill just right. He and Victini gave Vulpix a thumbs-up and swaggered out of the hut.

They still had a nap to get back to.

At five in the afternoon, after the iced drinks and a long nap, Lucas woke on the lounge with a dull, headachy haze. He squinted at the sky.

Perfect timing—Eldegoss and the others should be gathering to feed the Herba Mystica now.

Sharing a yawn with Victini, he stood. "About time."

At the tightly fenced plot of Herba Mystica, sure enough, Comfey had brought three Eldegoss and was in position.

The four huddled together, about to lay down a composite Grassy Terrain over the field—when Lucas hurriedly stopped them.

Amid puzzled looks, he smiled and raised his Z-Ring and a Grass Z-Crystal already equipped. "Let's try something different today."

As if it knew the plan all along, Victini flitted around and tapped each of them. As golden aura flowed into their bodies, their expressions changed at once.

This surging power…

Tapu Bulu's Grassy Terrain Z unfurled again over the fields. Under the four Pokémon's astonished stares, countless green motes surged into the crops. The efficiency and speed were on another level entirely!

Even from outside the fence, Lucas could feel the vibrant life force pulsing from the Herba Mystica. If they kept this up daily, the spices might mature with terrifying speed—beyond anyone's expectations!

Even with most of his stamina drained, he couldn't keep the smile off his face.

Victini's infinite energy was too useful!

Victini, still with energy to spare, floated behind Lucas and—just as with the Eldegoss—began channeling power into him.

"Vii~ Vii!" (Again! Again!)

In an instant, Lucas felt not only fully recovered but overflowing with stamina. He felt like he could punch out a Paldean Tauros…

Urged on by Victini, he raised his arm to show the now-dim Grass Z and sighed. "This thing needs to collect light to recover. Until it shines again, we can't use a Z-Move—"

Before he could finish, Victini's cheerful little hand landed on the dull crystal. Golden aura rose once more—and Lucas stared as the Grass Z began to brighten.

Wait—you can charge this too!?

Sure, Z-Moves burn natural energy—but the power that drives the Z-Crystal is the light of the Radiant One, Ultra Necrozma!