In ancient legends, Heatran was often described as a terrifying existence.
A living embodiment of destruction.
A Pokémon so dangerous that it had to be sealed away using the Magma Stone, imprisoned deep within Stark Mountain to prevent it from bringing catastrophe to the world.
That was the story passed down among humans.
But Gary knew better.
Heatran was not evil by nature.
Its appearance was rough, its body forged from steel and magma, and its presence alone could cause volcanic unrest—but that did not mean it was malicious. In fact, Heatran was surprisingly honest by temperament, even somewhat cautious. Left alone, it would simply roam Stark Mountain, absorbing thermal energy and maintaining the balance of the volcano.
The true reason Heatran had gone berserk in ancient times lay elsewhere.
The Flame Plate.
The Flame Plate itself did not possess destructive power. Its function was far more dangerous—it acted as a conduit, a medium that could resonate with Arceus's energy. When linked improperly, it could continuously transmit divine Fire-type energy.
When that energy poured into Heatran's body, it exceeded what Heatran could naturally regulate.
The result was inevitable.
Heatran lost control.
Not because it wanted to—but because its body was forced to vent endless Fire-type energy, turning it into a walking artillery weapon that knew nothing but release and destruction.
If the Flame Plate had continued supplying energy unchecked, the resulting eruption could have wiped out the entire Sinnoh Region.
As for how the disaster was stopped, there were only two possibilities.
Either Arceus itself intervened and reclaimed the Flame Plate—
Or humans wielding extraordinary psychic power forcibly subdued Heatran and sealed it using the Magma Stone, forcing it into a long slumber.
Gary believed the latter was more likely.
From his perspective, Heatran had likely gone berserk once, perhaps a thousand years ago, and humans—unable to fully understand Pokémon emotions—had mistaken its pain and confusion for cruelty.
A raging Heatran would naturally be perceived as a tyrant.
Thus, it was sealed.
Whether that judgment had been right or wrong was no longer important.
What mattered was this—
Heatran, by nature, was not a monster.
"Heatran is a Legendary Pokémon…" Buck said nervously, swallowing hard. "Can you really… convince it?"
Even though Buck had already seen Gary command Moltres, he still couldn't fully believe that someone could stand before Heatran calmly—let alone attempt to subdue it.
"Let's see it first," Gary replied calmly. "If it's too strong, we won't force anything."
Buck paused.
Somehow, those words made him even more uneasy.
They approached the volcano entrance together.
The air grew heavier with each step. Sulfur stung their noses, and waves of heat distorted the landscape ahead. The ground trembled faintly, as if the mountain itself were breathing.
Then—
They stopped.
Buck's eyes widened.
On the inner wall of the volcano mouth, clinging effortlessly to nearly vertical stone, was a massive four-legged Pokémon.
Its body was dark red and steel-gray, molten lines glowing faintly across its armor-like shell. Cross-shaped claws dug firmly into the rock, allowing it to remain perfectly stable despite the intense heat and steep angle.
Above its head floated clear data.
[LV65 Heatran | Quasi-Legendary]
"…Heatran," Gary said softly.
After searching for an entire week—
There it was.
Right at the volcano entrance.
Gary felt an urge to laugh.
"So this is what I was missing," he thought. "I spent a week searching everywhere except the most obvious place."
Buck stared, stunned.
"It's really Heatran… I've been to Stark Mountain so many times, and this is the first time I've ever seen it."
Heatran turned its head slowly.
Its crimson eyes locked onto the two humans standing below.
But it didn't panic.
At Level 65, a wild Pokémon could already dominate an entire territory. As a Legendary Pokémon, Heatran was effectively the ruler of Stark Mountain. There was no predator here that could threaten it.
Humans?
It had seen them before.
Climbers. Trainers. Explorers.
They usually fled long before getting close.
Thus, Heatran merely observed Gary and Buck with mild curiosity, continuing to shift along the volcanic wall as if nothing unusual were happening.
"Hrrr…"
A low rumble escaped its throat.
"Woof!"
Arcanine barked sharply, stepping forward to guard Gary.
The moment Heatran noticed Arcanine, its eyes narrowed.
A hostile glint flashed.
Its mouth opened.
A sphere of intense flame condensed instantly—
Then exploded forward.
A Flamethrower shot straight toward Arcanine.
Gary frowned slightly.
"So you chose to attack first."
The flames engulfed Arcanine completely.
Buck's heart nearly stopped.
"H-Hey! Is your Arcanine okay?!" he asked anxiously, pointing at the raging fire.
Gary didn't answer.
The flames continued to burn… but something strange happened.
Instead of dispersing, the fire wrapped tightly around Arcanine's body, bound by an invisible force.
Then—
It was absorbed.
Little by little, the flames were drawn into Arcanine's body, vanishing entirely.
The air around Arcanine shimmered with heat.
"Rrrr… woof."
Arcanine shook its mane, looking more energized than harmed.
Buck's eyes widened in shock.
"T-That's… Flash Fire?!"
He wasn't wrong.
As Flint's younger brother, Buck had grown up around Fire-type Pokémon. He immediately recognized the Ability.
Gary nodded slightly.
"Not just Flash Fire," he said. "An enhanced version."
"Arcanine," Gary commanded calmly, "use Flamethrower."
"WOOF!"
Arcanine's body temperature surged.
A massive torrent of flame erupted from its mouth, sweeping across half the volcano entrance like a roaring inferno.
"HRAAA!"
Heatran reacted instantly.
Its own Flash Fire Ability activated.
The surrounding flames were absorbed into its body, causing its molten lines to glow brighter.
Buck shouted instinctively, "Heatran also has Flash Fire!"
"I know," Gary replied.
That had been the test.
Cyrus—Team Galactic's commander—had once subdued a Heatran with Flash Fire. The Heatran later captured by Team Galactic had possessed that Ability.
This confirmed it.
The Heatran in front of them—
Was the same lineage.
Given its current level, this Heatran would likely reach Champion-level within a few years if left undisturbed.
Gary stepped forward.
"Heatran," he said clearly, projecting his voice through the heat. "Let's battle."
Heatran's eyes flickered.
"If I lose," Gary continued, "I'll leave immediately. But if you lose, you'll become my Pokémon. I'll take you beyond Stark Mountain—show you a wider world."
Buck's jaw dropped.
"…You're serious?"
He had never seen anyone speak to a Legendary Pokémon like this—calmly, honestly, without fear or arrogance.
Heatran let out a deep growl.
"Hrrrraaa…!"
Stone-like blades erupted around its body.
Stone Edge.
The rock blades launched toward Arcanine at high speed.
"Arcanine," Gary ordered, "use Sunny Day."
The sky above the volcano brightened unnaturally.
Blazing sunlight descended.
The intense solar energy caused the incoming rock blades to heat rapidly—cracking, then shattering into fragments before they could strike.
The explosion rocked the volcano entrance.
"ROOOAR!"
The impact dislodged several chunks of rock from Heatran's body.
Its grip slipped.
With a thunderous crash, Heatran fell—
Straight into the bubbling magma below.
Buck cried out, "It fell in!"
Gary remained calm.
"What are you worried about?" he said. "Heatran's internal temperature is higher than magma. For it, this is no different from bathing."