Pokemon: A New Path

Naoki had said in the last class that the bond and emotions between a trainer and their Pokémon could become a real source of strength, empowering the Pokémon beyond their limits.

So during the week, each student had worked hard to deepen their connection with their partner Pokémon. Some went camping, others went surfing, cooked meals together, or simply spent time bonding.

"Very good. It seems the first lesson had some real impact," Naoki nodded with satisfaction.

Maybe it was because he was a father now, but when he faced kids this age, he couldn't help but speak from the perspective of a caring adult.

'Would Elara grow up to be just as energetic as these children?' The thought briefly crossed his mind before he continued.

"In that case, for today's lesson, I'll be teaching you something new about Pokémon."

Naoki turned to the blackboard and wrote two bold words in chalk:

[Synergy]

"Synergy?" a boy read aloud, raising his hand. "Mr. Naoki, what does that mean?"

"Synergy can mean a lot of things," Naoki replied. "It refers to how different elements work together and support one another."

"For example, synergy between a Pokémon's Ability and its moves, synergy between weather and move effects, or synergy between two different Pokémon working as a team."

Naoki stood at the podium, speaking clearly and calmly. This was a topic he had thought deeply about over the past week and chosen specifically for today's class.

The students leaned in, eyes bright with curiosity. They were already familiar with types and abilities, but the word "synergy" opened a new layer of thinking.

Naoki smiled and went on. "Let's start with something simple—the synergy between Abilities and moves. Have any of you heard of the Pokémon Charizard?"

"I have!" one child raised a hand excitedly. "Charizard is a Fire and Flying-type Pokémon that evolves from Charmander!"

"Exactly," Naoki nodded. "Charizard has an Ability called Blaze. When its HP drops below a certain point, its fire burns hotter, and all Fire-type moves it uses become stronger."

"This is a great example of synergy between an Ability and move type."

"But it's not just Charizard. Grass-type Pokémon often have Overgrow, which boosts Grass moves when HP is low. Water-types may have Torrent, which does the same for Water moves."

"This kind of coordination between a Pokémon's Ability and its moves can give you an edge in battle. Do you all understand?"

The students nodded eagerly. They had studied Abilities before, but this real-world application helped them connect the dots.

"So as trainers, you should always pay attention to a Pokémon's Ability. If you can match it well with the right moves, your Pokémon will become even stronger."

"The same logic applies to weather conditions and moves."

"For example, a Water-type Pokémon can use Rain Dance to summon rain. Once it's raining, Water-type moves get a power boost, while Fire-type moves get weaker."

"Of course, this is just the basics. I've heard Blueberry Academy places special focus on Double Battles, right?"

Several students nodded enthusiastically.

Compared to Single Battles, Double Battles required more planning, better tactics, and most importantly, strong coordination between Pokémon.

"In that case," Naoki said, "I'll teach you how to create synergy between different Pokémon."

He turned to the Pokémon standing beside him.

"Here's one example," Naoki said, gesturing toward the large, powerful Pokémon beside him. "This is Koraidon. Its Ability is called Orichalcum Pulse, and when it enters battle, it automatically changes the weather to Harsh Sunlight."

Then Naoki reached into his pocket and released another Pokémon in a flash of white light.

Appearing next to Koraidon was a delicate, mysterious figure with wings like flowing fabric and eyes full of intelligence.

"This is Flutter Mane. It has an Ability called Protosynthesis, which activates under Harsh Sunlight. When this Ability is triggered, its offensive stats increase dramatically."

Naoki stepped back and looked at the two Pokémon side by side.

"If these two were paired together in a Double Battle…"

He didn't finish the sentence.

But he didn't need to. The students had already figured it out.

The moment the battle started, Koraidon would bring the sun, and Flutter Mane would immediately power up. This type of synergy gave them an overwhelming advantage against uncoordinated opponents.

"This," Naoki said, voice calm but clear, "is cooperation."

...

Class had just ended, and the next session was a field lesson. Naoki was scheduled to take the students to the Eco Dome for some hands-on training.

But first, he returned to the faculty office for a quick water break. He had been speaking for over half an hour about Pokémon abilities, moves, weather, and battlefield mechanics. His throat was parched.

Digging into his bag, he pulled out a bottle of fresh juice from the ranch and took a long sip.

Just then, Briara, who sat at a desk nearby, stood up and approached with a friendly smile.

"How are you settling in, Teacher Naoki?" she asked.

Naoki smiled warmly. "Pretty well, actually. It's a refreshing new chapter in life, for both me and my Pokémon."

"Glad to hear it." Briara paused, then tilted her head slightly with curiosity. "By the way, from what you said earlier… it sounded like you've heard of my ancestor, Heath?"

"Yes," Naoki replied, nodding. "I've read The Scarlet Book that he wrote. The tales inside are fascinating. Even now, I can still remember what he described encountering in the Great Crater."

Briara's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? Then… do you believe the stories in The Scarlet Book are true?"

Her tone caught Naoki slightly off guard. She sounded genuinely invested.

It was clear, this wasn't just idle curiosity. She really cared about the legacy of her ancestor.

As someone who had come from another world, Naoki knew the answer all too well.

Everything in The Scarlet Book had actually happened.

The so-called "Paradox Pokémon" Heath encountered were real. He could personally vouch for that; he'd seen Koraidon and Flutter Mane with his own eyes. They lived with him.

But one thing continued to puzzle him.

According to Dr. Sada and Dr. Turo, the Paradox Pokémon were brought to the present from the ancient past and distant future through a time machine powered by Terastal energy, built in the heart of Area Zero.

So that raised a strange question…

How did Heath, who lived generations earlier, encounter these Pokémon?

Could it be that the mythical Pokémon Terapagos, with its mysterious connection to time and space, had allowed Heath to glimpse scenes from another era?

Naoki knew the time machine deep in Area Zero couldn't exist anywhere else. It was only possible due to the unique environmental conditions and massive Terastal crystal reserves in the crater.

Putting the pieces together, Naoki formed a hypothesis.

"Yes. I believe Heath's stories were real," he said firmly.

Briara's eyes sparkled with joy. "I knew it!" she beamed, clasping her hands together.

But her expression soon softened into a more somber look.

"It's just that… the stories in The Scarlet Book are considered too fantastical by most people. They call them fairy tales. And because of that, my ancestor's name was dragged through the mud. He lost all his credibility."

As she spoke, Briara took out a weathered book from behind her desk. It looked very similar to The Scarlet Book Naoki had seen before.

"This is the original version," she said. "It's been passed down through my family since the time of my ancestor, Heath. Most of the Scarlet Books out on the market are missing important sections."

She carefully opened the book, flipped to a specific page, and held it up for Naoki to see.

Naoki leaned in, and his eyes fell on a strange illustration.

It depicted what looked like a planet, possibly even Earth, and curled on top of it was a Pokémon that resembled a glowing disc combined with a turtle.

Beneath the image, a passage recounted Heath's own encounter with the creature:

'[Disc Pokémon?] After I became separated from the observation team, I found myself deep within the Great Crater and stumbled upon a mysterious entity. I cannot confirm whether the crystalline object is a living Pokémon or some dormant being.'

'Its shell is formed from interlocking hexagonal crystals,glimmering with a brilliance far surpassing gemstones.'

'It truly resembles a disc!'

Briara's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"I've been researching this for years," she said passionately. "That disc Pokémon must still be hiding somewhere deep in Area Zero! If we can find it, we'll finally prove that my ancestor Heath was telling the truth all along!"

"But…" Her voice faltered, and her shoulders slumped a little. "My application to enter the Great Crater was denied."

Naoki's mind started spinning. That so-called "disc Pokémon"… he was sure of it now. It had to be the legendary third Pokémon alongside Koraidon and Miraidon: Terapagos.

But… was Terapagos truly resting at the bottom of Area Zero?

If so, why hadn't he encountered it during his own previous journey into the crater?

And more puzzlingly, why hadn't Professor Sadaor Professor Turo, the researchers currently working with the Paldea League, mentioned a word about it?

Were they deliberately hiding its existence?

Naoki didn't have the answers.

Just then, the bell rang again, signaling the start of the next class.

Naoki glanced outside and stood up. "I have to head out. Time for the outdoor lesson."

"Alright," Briara said with a sigh, a little disappointed. "Let's chat more next time."

Naoki gave her a polite nod, then left the office with Koraidon by his side and made his way toward the Eco Dome.

As he walked, her words and the image in that book lingered in his mind. Unable to shake the mystery, Naoki pulled out his Rotom Phone and opened a message thread with Geeta.

Naoki: Chief, have you ever heard of something called a "disc Pokémon"?

Geeta replied almost immediately.

Geeta: Disc Pokémon? That's a new one. I've never heard of anything like that.

Naoki frowned slightly and continued.

Naoki: I met a teacher at Blueberry Academy named Briara. She's Heath's descendant. She told me she'd submitted a request to the Paldea League to explore Area Zero. Seems she's investigating the creature from The Scarlet Book, the disc Pokémon.

Geeta: Ah, her. Yes, I remember now. We had to reject her request. You know we're currently collaborating with Professors Sada and Turo, and for now, they've asked us to keep the existence of the Paradox Pokémon under wraps.

The creatures in Area Zero are powerful and dangerous. Since Briara isn't a licensed trainer, she'd be at serious risk.

If the professors ever decide to make the discovery public, then maybe her application will be approved.

'So even Geeta had never heard of the disc Pokémon?' That surprised Naoki.

It seemed that the League's control over Area Zero wasn't as thorough as it appeared.

Naoki: Got it. Thanks for clarifying.

He quickly ended the chat.

In any case, it wasn't his place to secretly help someone enter Area Zero, especially someone he'd only just met.

Naoki sighed. "Better to leave it for now."

Maybe when the main storyline of the Paldea region officially takes place in the future, we will know the answer.

...

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