"Dark—"
"I found someone who meets all your requirements."
Having long since gotten used to Regigigas's [Slow Start], Darkrai promptly interrupted before the giant could finish its sluggish greeting.
Its voice carried undeniable pride as it even straightened slightly, puffing out its chest in confidence.
Though Regigigas's conditions were absurdly stringent, Darkrai had not only fulfilled but vastly exceeded them. Elias alone already surpassed expectations—especially considering he'd even captured Giratina.
Surely even Regigigas couldn't have anticipated something so extraordinary.
On the other side, Regigigas felt a jolt of surprise at Darkrai's declaration. So great was its shock that despite its slow-moving nature, its massive frame shuddered slightly, nearly causing it to rise to its feet.
"You…are…sure?"
After a lengthy pause, Regigigas's deep voice echoed uncertainly through the cavern.
It knew perfectly well just how impossible its demands had been. After all, they'd been directly inspired by the late Elias himself.
Elias had left such an unforgettable impression on Regigigas that anyone less remarkable felt entirely inadequate by comparison.
But even it recognized how unreasonable these demands were. Humans who fulfilled just one of those conditions were already exceptional prodigies, let alone someone like Elias who embodied all three. He was practically hand-crafted by Arceus itself.
Yet, after mere days, Darkrai claimed it had found a perfect candidate?
Regigigas, who'd been fully prepared for a prolonged and hopeless wait, suddenly felt dizzy from the unexpected development.
Across from it, Darkrai basked smugly in Regigigas's obvious astonishment, nodding affirmatively without further explanation.
Instead, it simply turned toward the tunnel entrance, awaiting Elias's arrival with quiet anticipation.
Seeing this, Regigigas, who still had many questions, reluctantly fell silent and turned to wait alongside it.
Internally, Regigigas was tense as well.
Only a few short years had passed since Elias's incident—barely the length of a brief nap to Regigigas. It still vividly remembered Lucario rushing in, voice trembling, to deliver news of Elias's demise. Even now, the sense of helpless disbelief lingered strongly in its mind.
Though it had supported Elias wholeheartedly, in the end, Arceus had still found a way to remove him.
That had been the first time Regigigas had felt utterly powerless.
Now, a second "Elias" was about to appear right before its eyes. Regigigas was deeply curious—would this genius possess similarities to Elias, considering their equal brilliance?
Lost in thought, Regigigas noticed a figure emerging at the entrance.
And indeed...
The newcomer shared a familiar presence, appearance, and bearing. Even the Pokémon beside him included a Lucario and a Zoroark…
…Wait.
Something felt incredibly wrong.
With a thunderous rumble, despite its sluggish body, Regigigas's head jerked forward abruptly.
Had it possessed eyes, they would've widened in shock at this moment.
After careful scrutiny, Regigigas arrived at an unbelievable conclusion: the young man approaching was unmistakably Elias himself.
...
"It's been a while, big guy."
Seeing Regigigas suddenly lurch forward in shock, Elias restrained a chuckle as he greeted the colossal Pokémon.
Since their first meeting, this was easily the most agile movement he'd ever seen Regigigas perform.
The lights on Regigigas's face flickered rapidly, seemingly free from the usual sluggishness of its [Slow Start]—perhaps startled out of its typical lethargy.
"Elias…?"
"You…are alive?"
Its booming voice trembled slightly, filled with uncertainty.
"It's really me," Elias affirmed, nodding calmly. "As you can see, I'm fine now."
He opened his arms wide and turned in a slow circle to prove his point.
Then, he continued smoothly, "Besides, I also brought along a Pokémon you could consider an old acquaintance."
Regigigas, already overwhelmed, now felt its mind reeling even further. This wasn't the Slow Start kicking in—it simply couldn't comprehend how Elias had managed to escape Arceus's clutches.
Could it be…Arceus is a female llama, and Elias somehow charmed her?
Such a bizarre thought even flashed briefly through Regigigas's mind.
Aside from that, it had no idea which "old acquaintance" Elias referred to. After all, Pokémon Regigigas considered old friends were few and far between.
Before Regigigas could guess further, a ripple abruptly disturbed the space around them.
Instantly alert, Regigigas felt the effects of its [Slow Start] fading, muscles tensing as it prepared to retaliate.
Who was coming?
As it braced itself, ready to unleash a powerful strike, the air before it suddenly split open like paper.
From within emerged a centipede-like Pokémon, radiating a sinister, dominating aura. Though smaller in size compared to Regigigas, its presence was no less intimidating. Menace rolled off its armored form in waves.
Giratina.
Regigigas's heart sank heavily.
Of course, it knew Elias's supposed death had occurred during his battle against Giratina. Now, the moment Elias reappeared, this terrifying creature had appeared again, unmistakably intent on finishing what it started.
Having finally reunited with Elias, Regigigas absolutely couldn't allow harm to befall him again—not under its own watch.
Determined, Regigigas gathered its full strength, ready to strike the moment Giratina moved.
Yet, it was Giratina who made the first move—not to attack, but instead to glide gracefully over to Elias's side. It lowered itself cautiously, clearly mindful of not hurting the human beside it.
Elias casually rested a comforting hand upon Giratina's armored scales, treating it as gently as if it were an ordinary Pokémon.
Regigigas: …?
Suddenly, Regigigas reconsidered its earlier conclusions, its mind blanking once more.
A ridiculous realization dawned upon it—perhaps Elias himself was actually Arceus, returned in human form. Otherwise, how could the vicious, fearsome ruler of the Distortion World behave like a harmless Skitty?
---
Author's Note:
Regigigas: It looks like Elias, sounds like Elias, even smells like Elias—this is definitely Elias!