Chapter 251:
"There, there… It's alright…"
Victini once had a trainer.
That trainer was the Old King.
Hayashi Kaede recalled the movie adaptation—those brief three minutes that captured the final farewell between the Old King and Victini.
In the last scene, Victini looked joyfully at the Old King, proud to have helped him. But when the Old King's hand slowly loosened its grip, panic filled its eyes.
After that, Victini guarded the Old King's domain for over a thousand years.
A thousand years of unwavering guardianship—proof enough of the depth of their bond.
The movie had been too short to truly convey the emotions between Victini and the Old King.
But now, it seemed that their bond had been even deeper than anyone imagined.
After all, they had supported each other through an entire lifetime.
Hayashi Kaede gently stroked Victini's back, channeling his Viridian Power into it.
Under his soothing touch, Victini's emotions slowly calmed.
Its sobs quieted, and little by little, it regained its composure.
"Mew?"
"Jirachi…"
Jirachi and Mew approached, wrapping their small arms around Victini. They didn't ask for explanations—only offered silent comfort.
Alolan Vulpix hesitated, then stepped forward. After struggling for a moment, it whispered softly, "Vulpix…" (Don't be sad… I'll share my trainer with you.)
Then it padded to Hayashi Kaede's side, rubbing its head against his hand.
"It's okay."
Hayashi Kaede gently patted Alolan Vulpix's head, then turned to Victini. "Do you still want to see him? Your trainer, I mean."
"Vic… tini?"
Victini looked up at him, startled.
"If you want to see him" Hayashi Kaede said softly, "you can meet him in a dream."
He glanced at the clock again.
It was 6:12pm.
He wasn't sure when Jirachi's Millennium Comet would appear, but before that, there was something he needed to prepare.
Holding Victini in his arms, he stood up and smiled. "Alright, it's time for dinner. Everyone, head to the garden."
He asked the brother Indeedee to bring the Poké Balls for Dragonite and the others.
By the time they reached the garden, Gardevoir had already set out the food.
The lights were on, casting a warm glow across the neatly arranged tables.
By a little past six in late autumn, night had already fallen over the town.
Only the garden lights remained bright.
Above them stretched a dim, not-quite-black sky—murky and deep.
The comet had yet to appear.
Hayashi Kaede released Blaziken, Dragonite, and the others from their Poké Balls.
"Blaziken!" (Dinnertime!)
Blaziken, unaware of what had happened earlier, looked around. Seeing it wasn't raining and that the table was covered in food, its eyes lit up instantly.
It glanced at Hayashi Kaede for permission.
"Go ahead."
Without needing to be told twice, Blaziken cheered and dashed toward the table.
Goodra, Salamence, and Dragonite followed.
Milotic and Brionne swam over from the water channel, gracefully climbing onto the bank.
Butterfree fluttered down beside them, and Pidgeot landed nearby.
Everyone settled into their usual spots.
The sister Indeedee carried Sprigatito over and placed it on the table.
The little cat Pokémon scanned the dishes with keen eyes, then suddenly spotted Hayashi Kaede and bounded toward him.
"Meow…"
"Did you have a good nap?" Hayashi Kaede smiled, stroking its head.
Sprigatito purred in response and leapt into his arms.
As he gently stroked the kitten Pokémon, his gaze shifted to Victini, Jirachi, and Mew—all hovering close by.
"Jirachi…"
Jirachi's mood seemed subdued, likely because it knew its thousand-year slumber was near.
In Hayashi Kaede's eyes, Jirachi had always been a thoughtful Pokémon—one that put others first and never let sadness spread to its companions.
But at a moment like this, it couldn't help feeling down.
Hayashi Kaede took out two remaining bottles of Dream Spinach Sweet Liquid and said softly to Victini and Jirachi, "This is the dish. After you drink it, you'll be able to construct your own dreams."
"Jirachi…"
Jirachi's eyes brightened slightly. It looked at the bottle, then floated closer to take it.
Victini followed, equally eager.
But before they could reach, Hayashi Kaede stopped both with a raised hand.
"Jirachi?"
"Vic… tini?"
"Don't rush, you two."
He set a bottle before each of them, then looked at Jirachi.
"Jirachi, I still have one more wish."
"What is it, brother Kaede?" Jirachi asked curiously.
"So you don't forget everyone even while you're dreaming" Hayashi Kaede said gently. "My wish is for Jirachi to be able to freely travel through the dreams of the people and Pokémon it knows—even while it's asleep."
He pressed his palms together in front of Jirachi.
"Ji… Jirachi…"
Jirachi blinked, touched beyond words, and stared at him with glistening eyes.
"What's wrong? Not willing?" Hayashi Kaede teased, pinching its cheek.
"N-No!"
Jirachi shook its head quickly. It understood—this was Kaede-nii's way of ensuring it wouldn't be lonely during its long slumber.
A gentle glow began to shimmer around its body as it gathered wish energy.
The wish wasn't simple, but it wasn't impossible either.
Hayashi Kaede vaguely recalled an old episode where Ash and his friends encountered a Darkrai—one that had drawn everyone into a shared dream.
That meant dream connection was indeed possible.
Jirachi's true eye didn't even need to open before the glow faded, signaling the wish had likely been fulfilled.
"All done!" Jirachi cheered.
This time, if it could visit everyone's dreams during its sleep, it would never be lonely again.
"Wait, there's more."
Hayashi Kaede smiled and took out the white Energy Cube.
"This Energy Cube offers two choices. One lets you give up your wish-granting ability so you'll never have to sleep for millennia again. The other accelerates the comet's energy transfer—so even if you do sleep, you'll be awake after just one year."
"Wake up after just one year?"
Jirachi's eyes widened in disbelief. "It can really speed up the comet's energy transfer?"
"Of course" Hayashi Kaede said with a nod and a smile.
"Wow…"
Jirachi took the Energy Cube and eagerly ate it in one bite.
At that exact moment, a bright streak of light appeared in the night sky above.