"Calm down, Doaoki said, holding up a hand.

  After sidering the situation for a moment, a different possibility came to mind. He looked directly at Professor Sada on the s and asked, "Is it possible that Flutter Mane and Koraido friends, but enemies who fought each other in the past?"

  Professor Sada blinked, momentarily taken abaaoki's suggestion seemed to cool her excitement, promptio think more critically.

  "You might be right," she admitted after a pause, her expression thoughtful. "Most of the Paradox Pokémon we've summoned from aimes tend to be violent, territorial, and ily bative. They rarely cooperate, except when hunting, and most of their iions involve territorial disputes hts."

  Naoki nodded, reizing the truth in her words.

  "But…" Sada tinued, a hint of determination in her voice, "My intuition tells me that Flutter Mane is different. There's something unusual about its behavior, something we've never seen ihers. It didn't react with hostility, and its i in that photo suggests more than simple aggression."

  She sighed softly as if letting go of some of her earlier enthusiasm. "Regardless, I still believe it's worth expl. Naoki, I hope you and Koraidon e to the Area Zero Researstitute. Seeing them meet might reveal the truth."

  "I'll talk to Koraidon first," Naoki replied, gng toward the ranch.

  "Good," Sada said, her voice hopeful.

  Without ending the call, Naoki made his way to the grassy fields where Koraidon was basking in the sunlight. The legendary Pokémon y sprawled out on the grass, soaking up the warmth of the golden rays. Its vibrant scales glimmered uhe sun, and its body seemed pletely at ease.

  The air around the ranch carried a mix of earthy grass sts and the sweet aroma of freshly baked PokéPuffs drifting from Naoki's kit. The gentle breeze carried the fragrance right to where Koraidon y, its body visibly rexing further with every breath.

  Hearing the familiar sound of Naoki's footsteps, Koraidon zily opened one eye and turs head toward him.

  "Raao?" it rumbled curiously, its voice deep but calm.

  Naoki crouched beside it, his tole. "Koraidon, do you remember having any Pokémon friends in aimes?"

  Koraidon blihe question catg it off guard. But after a moment, its eyes brightened with reition, and it nodded. "Raao!"

  The image of a Pokémon floating gracefully in mid-air emerged in its mind: Flutter Mane.

  Koraidon remembered their enter in that primitive, a world—a time when it was roaming in search of Naoki. The journey had been fraught with danger, filled with ferocious Pokémon that attacked at every turn, including rival Koraidon.

  Initially, it hadn't reized Flutter Ma wasn't until ter that Koraidon aowledged it and allowed the Pokémon to apany it on its arduous journey.

  tless battles and trials passed as they ventured fuided by something almost instinctual, they faced fierce challenges, including a battle with a rival Koraidon, which left Koraidon wounded but victorious.

  After many hardships, they finally reached their destination.

  At that time, Koraidon still remembered sensing an incredibly dangerous aura deep below. It bid farewell to Flutter Maelling it to stay behind.

  Flutter Mane agreed without hesitation.

  So, Koraidoured into the depths of Area Zero alone, nursing its injuries, until it arrived at a vast underground cave filled with glowing minerals.

  There, it entered a group of shining turtle Pokémon.

  The turtles, curious about the newer, gathered around Koraidon and asked who it was and why it had e.

  Koraidon replied with a heavy heart, "I'm Koraidon, and I'm searg for Naoki."

  The little turtles tilted their heads, fused, and asked, "Who is Naoki?"

  Koraidon answered sadly, "He is someone very important to me. I miss him dearly, but I ot find him."

  Hearing the sorrow in Koraidon's voice, the turtles lowered their heads, sharing its sadness.

  Then, as if moved by its plight, some of the small turtles stepped forward, to help.

  What happened astounded Koraidon. The small turtle Pokémon began to glow with a radiant light. In an instant, their forms ged—they became rger, shining turtles, their shells gleaming like crystals.

  The giant turtles unleashed araordinary power. Before Koraidon's eyes, the entire world seemed to be enveloped in a dazzling crystal light.

  A surge of immeera energy distorted time and space. At that moment, Koraido an undeniable call—something pulling it from the other side of time and space.

  Before it could react, the brilliant light engulfed it entirely.

  When Koraidon emerged from the light, it found itself fag Professor Sada and Dr. Turo, both wearing expressions of astonished excitement.

  Their io capture it was evident as they reached for Poké Balls, but Koraidon had no i in staying. Overwhelmed with longing to see Naoki again, it swatted the Poké Balls away with a single cw swipe.

  Without dey, Koraidon bolted from the research facility, soared out of Area Zero, and flew tirelessly across the Paldea region, navigating by memory toward its home.

  By the time Koraidon finally reached the ranch, its body, battered and weakened, succumbed to unsciousness.

  It remembered the moment Naoki and its younger self—Cyclizar—dragged its limp body iogether, they prepared grilled steak to help it recover.

  Initially, Koraido dazed and fused by the sequence of events. But seeing its past self standing alongside Naoki, it began to piece everything together.

  Those early days at the ranch were a challenge. Koraidon struggled to accept the Cyclizar as its younger self. It couldn't help but feel pangs of jealousy and frustration whe saw Naoki being affeate with Cyclizar.

  Cyclizar, sensitive to Koraidoions, approached it cautiously during that time, trying not to provoke it.

  Over time, however, Koraidon adjusted to the new dynamics of its life at the ranch. Eventually, it relutly accepted Cyclizar as part of its family, though the jouro harmony had been long and fraught with tension.

  Now, refleg on these memories, Koraidon realized it had lived through these moments before.

  Having gathered the information he needed, Naoki knew he couldn't keep Professor Sada waiting. He turned ao report back.

  Returning to the videophone, Naoki reyed everything he had learned from Koraidon to Professor Sada.

  "I asked Koraidon if it had ever made friends before, and Koraidon said it had."

  Hearing this answer, Professor Sada's expression turo one of surprise.

  "Flutter Mane..." she murmured.

  Naoki thought for a moment befreeing to her request. "We'll leave for the Paldea Crater tomorrow."

  If Flutter Mane was indeed Koraidon's friend, it meant the two Pokémon could coexist peacefully and wouldn't csh like other Paradox Pokémon often did. Perhaps this eve he could tame Flutter Mane.

  Professor Sada's eyes lit up with excitement. "In that case, Dr. Turo and I will be waiting for you and Koraidon at the b!"

  With that, the call ended.

  Naoki went to inform the Indeedee siblings, who hahe ranch's day-to-day operations, about his upiure. The brother and sister reassured him, promising to take excellent care of everything while he was away.

  Naoki had plete fiden their abilities.

  The m, he set off for the Paldea Crater, riding on Koraidon's back.

  Koraidon seemed energized, even a little excited. It had been so long si had st seen Flutter Mane, and it couldn't help but wonder how its old friend was doing.

  Koraido its fastest speed, c the distance from the ranch to the Paldea Crater in just over two hours.

  Looking down at the world below, shrouded in misty clouds, Naoki couldn't help but feel nostalgic. His previous visit had been awe-inspiring. Witnessing the untamed and a behaviors of the Paradox Pokémon had left a sting impression on him.

  But this time, he had a different purpose. The awe of the first trip had faded, repced by a focused determination.

  Riding Koraidon, he passed directly through the yers of mist and reached Area Zero's research b at the crater's base.

  Professor Sada was already waiting to greet him.

  "Long time no see, Koraidon!" she said warmly, her smile widening as she saw the Pokémon.

  "Ah gaho~," Koraidon replied with a happy rumble.

  Naoki, standing beside Koraidon, gave the professor a polite nod, which she returned before motioning for them to follow.

  "e with me," she said. "Flutter Mane is hiding ihe b. It seems incredibly shy. her Dr. Turo nor I have been able to coax it out. That's where you and Koraidon e in."

  "Shy?" Naoki repeated, surprised. Shyness was not an attribute he associated with the aggressive reputation of Paradox Pokémon.

  Professor Sada nodded. "Yes, this Flutter Mane is unique. Of all the Paradox Pokémon I've observed, it's the one most simir to modern Pokémon in temperament."

  As if recalling something, she paused and lightly smacked her forehead. "Oh, and I almost fot—there's also Koraidon! That's another exception."

  Naoki gnced down at Koraidon, walking calmly beside him.

  Professor Sada murmured to herself, "Could there be an unknown e betweewo?"

  'Was it that Flutter Mane was influenced by Koraidon and ged its personality, or was it Koraidon that was influenced by Flutter Mane and became quieter?'

  Well, that was the question.

  As a researcher with a PhD in Pokémon studies, one must learn to make bold assumptions and verify them with careful analysis.

  Professor Sada g Koraidon and thought about Flutter Mane, a sudden and incredulous idea f in her mind. She covered her mouth in surprise. "Could it be that, in aimes, Koraidon and Flutter Mane beloo the same egg group?"

  Hearing this, Naoki was momentarily stunned.

  "Egg group? Could it be..." he trailed off, looking at Koraidon in shock before murmuring, 'Could it be that Koraidon and Flutter Mane are... in love with each other? Like that Tropius in the ahat fell for Nurse Joy's Meganium?'

  Professor Sada tinued her analysis with a calm demeanor. "Although there are no doted cases of Paradox Pokémon ying eggs, we 't entirely dismiss the possibility."

  At this point, Koraidon, who had been listening to the versation, seemed to grasp their meaning. Shaking its head vigorously, it excimed, "Ahga!"

  "Not true! It and Flutter Mane were just good friends!"

  Notig Koraidon's rea, Naoki asked, "So, it's not like that?"

  Koraidon nodded firmly. "Ah, gah!"

  Professor Sada then proposed another hypothesis, her tone specutive. "Could it be that Flutter Mane fell in love with Koraidon and respoo the call of the time mae to follow it into this era?"

  Koraidon: "…"

  Naoki: "…"

  Seeing their speechless expressions, Professor Sada quickly realized she might have gooo far. She turo Naoki with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I 't think of another expnation for Flutter Mane's behavior."

  Naoki thought Professor Sada's imagination was remarkably vivid—befitting someone brilliant enough to create a time mae. However, as far as he knew, Paradox Pokémon didn't seem capable of reprodug like regur Pokémon. Furthermore, legendary Pokémon like Koraidon were genderless, simir to Groudon and Kyogre.

  Still, it raised an important question: If Paradox Pokémon couldn't reproduce, how did they sustain their poputions in aimes? If they cked the ability to reproduce, wouldn't they have faced extin after a few geions?

  Naoki couldn't help but wonder, 'Did an asteroid strike the Pokémon world, wiping out a Pokémon like Koraidon, R Moon, and Slither Wing, just as it had with the dinosaurs?'

  It was a question with no clear ahe truth could likely only be uncovered by traveling back through time via a time mae and witnessing the events firsthand.

  As these thoughts raced through his mind, Naoki, Dr. Sada, and Koraidon arrived at the massive research facility situated beside the glowing Tera Crystal Pilr.

  Dr. Sada swiped her ID card, and the institute's entrance slid open with a quiet hum.

  Leading the way, she expined, "Flutter Mane is somewhere ihis facility, but it's highly cautious. It rarely shows itself around humans. We've been relying on the surveilnce system to keep track of its movements."

  Naoki nodded. "That makes sense."

  For a paradox Pokémon like Flutter Mahis era was as fn as an advanced civilization would be to a lost, primitive tribe. While Flutter Mane might try to evade capture, it had little uanding of modern teology, leaving it vulnerable to dete through surveilnce.

  Dr. Sada paused, then suggested, "Why don't we let Koraidon call for it?"

  Naoki turo his panion. "What do you think? Want to give it a try?"

  "Ahgashi!"

  Koraidon responded with a sharp nod, its tail swishing in agreement. It then began walking slowly through the institute's dimly lit corridor, peeri and right in search of Flutter Mane.

  Naoki and Dr. Sada followed quietly a few steps behind, careful not to disturb the silence.

  The atmosphere in the corridor was still, the air thick with anticipation. It felt as if time itself was holding its breath.

  Naoki couldn't help but notice that the massive research facility seemed deserted. His best guess was that Dr. Sada had ordered the other researchers to vacate the area, likely out of that Flutter Mane might react aggressively to their presence.

  Minutes passed with no sign of Flutter Mane. Koraidon she air cautiously, its sharp gaze sing every shadow.

  Dr. Sada eventually stopped and frowned. "Could it be avoiding us because we're here?"

  Naoki sidered the possibility. "That's entirely possible."

  Dr. Sada thought for a moment before proposing, "Let's head to the monit room and leave Koraidon here alone. If we give Flutter Mane some space, it might feel fortable enough to reveal itself."

  "Good idea." Naoki k beside Koraidoly stroking its scales. "It seems your friend might be shy. We'll wait for you outside so you meet them in peace."

  Koraido out a soft, reassuring growl, as if to say it uood.

  Naoki and Dr. Sada exited the building and soon entered Dr. Turo, who was returning from the ecological observation zone. After a brief expnation of their progress, Dr. Turo's curiosity iqued, and he joihem on their way to the monit room.

  Ihe trio watched the surveilnce feeds closely. One s dispyed Koraidon as it wandered slowly down the corridor, its posture calm yet alert.

  Dr. Turo sed through the other camera feeds, looking for any movement. Suddenly, he poio a monitor. "There it is!"

  Naoki leaned in and spotted Flutter Mane emerging cautiously from the shadowy edge of the hallway. Its spectral, floating form moved almost soundlessly as it approached the far end of the corridor, stopping just short of Koraidon's path.

  The tension in the room grew as Flutter Mane locked eyes with Koraidon.

  Koraidon's head snapped around, its sharp gaze meeting Flutter Mane's.