Back at the research institute, Sada AI and Turo AI worked tirelessly to repair the time machine. Their AI forms never needed rest, never slowed down.

Naoki, however, curled up on a small single bed, Koraidon nestled at his side.

As he drifted in and out of thought, memories swept him back nine years, back to when he had first arrived in this world and lived with Cyclizar in that shabby little cabin.

Back then, he had nothing. No money. No home. Only Cyclizar.

They would cook the simplest of meals together and laugh as though it were a feast. At night, Cyclizar, shy of the cold, would press close to him for warmth.

By day, they toiled side by side, tending the fields, repairing fences, making the pasture their home.

By night, they curled into each other's arms, exhaustion softened by companionship.

Naoki's chest tightened at the memory. He looked at the scarlet dragon beside him now and whispered, almost disbelieving:

"Are you really my Cyclizar?"

"Agoshi…" Koraidon nodded gently, nuzzling against Naoki just as it had when it was small.

Naoki stroked its head, his voice trembling. "How did you become like this?"

Koraidon shook its head slowly. "Agashi!"

It didn't know. When it awoke, it was already like this. But it did remember one thing: long, long ago, it had eaten a special dish Naoki had made. At that time, envious of Koraidon's strength, it had secretly wished to become just like it.

"A wish dish…" Naoki murmured, his heart twisting.

Had Cyclizar always been yearning for Koraidon's power?

"What happened to you after you fell into the time machine?" Naoki pressed, desperate to know. "How did you come back across nine years of time?"

"Ah, gah…" Koraidon thought for a long moment before recounting everything, the burrows it dug to escape danger, the long lonely search, the endless battles, the strange shining crystals of Area Zero, and the little turtle Pokémon who had lent it their strength.

"The little turtles… Terapagos?" Naoki's eyes widened. The time machine itself had been powered by Terapagos energy. Could its Terastal energy truly bend space and time?

Naoki fell quiet, his thoughts racing. Then his eyes softened, and he asked, almost pleading, "Why didn't you tell me all of this?"

Koraidon lowered its head like a guilty pup. "Ah, gah…"

It had seen how history shifted when the past was altered, the Arceus incident, the Victini incident. It had planned to give its past self the chance to stay with Naoki, to remain quietly by his side until the moment came when all would be revealed.

It only wanted one more day with him. After searching tens of thousands of years, missing him every single heartbeat, one day felt like a miracle.

But things had spiraled differently.

Naoki's heart ached. Even now, Koraidon, once Cyclizar, was the same kind-hearted little angel.

And that only deepened his guilt. If only he had been more cautious, none of this would have happened.

He leaned his forehead against Koraidon's scales, unable to find words.

Sensing his pain, Koraidon offered a clumsy but warm, "Ah, gah…"

It didn't blame him. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

It loved Naoki dearly, and no matter what form it had taken, whether Cyclizar, whether Koraidon—it wanted nothing more than to stay by his side forever.

Naoki's heart ached even more deeply.

That was the essence of Pokémon. They would give everything for their trainers, staying by their side through any hardship. No matter what changes came, they would never abandon the ones they loved.

How could anyone not treasure such pure, selfless creatures?

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Cyclizar."

The Paradox Pokémon Incident

Soon after, unprecedented numbers of Paradox Pokémon began to appear across Paldea, lashing out at wild Pokémon and even nearby towns.

The incident shook the entire region.

Thankfully, Naoki acted swiftly. With Pawmot and Dragonite fighting by his side, and with Geeta and the Paldea League deploying reinforcements, the rampaging Pokémon were gradually subdued and driven back into Area Zero.

In just two weeks, the majority of the escaped Paradox Pokémon had been contained. A few still roamed free, but since they hadn't harmed people, the League focused on watchful monitoring. If danger returned, they would be ready.

Half a month passed in tense calm.

The Time Machine Repairs

Inside the depths of Area Zero, Sada AI and Turo AI finally finished repairing the damaged time machine.

They activated its systems and began scouring the endless currents of time, searching for Cyclizar.

But it was like hunting for a single grain of sand in an ocean.

Days passed. A week. Then two.

A full month later, there was still no sign of Cyclizar.

Naoki's hair had grown long and unkempt, his face shadowed by a heavy beard. He looked less like a scholar, more like a wanderer. Yet his determination never wavered.

It wasn't until the thirty-eighth day that at last, a signal appeared.

Scanning the readout, Sada AI turned to him. "We've located Cyclizar. Shall we attempt a summon?"

Naoki's heart nearly stopped. "You've found him?!" He surged forward, eyes blazing with hope. "Yes! Summon him, now!"

Sada AI flicked the controls. The vast time machine roared to life, its engines pulsing with light.

A piercing hum filled the air. White light spilled out, strobing against the lab walls as the air grew heavy with tension.

Naoki held his breath, eyes locked on the machine.

Minutes bled away. Then, with a violent shudder, the machine let out a low, agonized roar, as though it were tearing itself apart.

Turo AI's expression darkened. "No… it can't be!"

"What's happening?!" Naoki shouted, panic rising.

"Another force is summoning Cyclizar," Turo AI said grimly.

Naoki's chest tightened. "Another force? But who else would be—"

The AI's tone sharpened, like an alarm. "If this continues, the strain will rip him apart. Two conflicting space-time pulls will tear Cyclizar to pieces!"

Sada AI's eyes flickered as she analyzed the data. Then her face froze. "This energy signature… it's coming from nine years ago."

Naoki froze.

Nine years ago?

His breath caught in his throat. That was the year he first encountered Koraidon…

Professor Turo AI's voice cut in, clinical yet heavy with meaning.

"The records confirm it. In the spring nine years ago, Professors Sada and Turo successfully summoned the very first Koraidon to the research institute."

A screen flickered on in front of Naoki, replaying archived footage.

There they were, the two professors, standing proudly before the humming time machine. A brilliant flash of crimson light filled the room, and a massive figure emerged: Koraidon.

The professors fumbled for a Poké Ball, attempting to capture it, but the fierce Pokémon swatted it aside with a mighty claw before darting out of the lab.

Naoki's eyes widened. His chest tightened. "That was…"

And then it hit him.

The realization struck like lightning, impossible, yet undeniable. His Koraidon… his Cyclizar… his partner had always been the same one.

Before he could fully process, Sada AI's voice shrieked through the speakers:

"Warning! Energy output critical! Cyclizar is at risk! Continued summoning will destabilize the temporal field and tear it apart!"

Naoki's fists clenched. His heart battled itself.

To bring Cyclizar back… or to save its very existence?

Gritting his teeth, he roared, "Cancel the summon!"

The machine groaned, the violent hum dying away until silence swallowed the lab.

On the monitors, all traces of Cyclizar vanished into the endless currents of time.

Naoki stood there motionless, staring at the colossal device.

And then… he understood.

The truth unraveled with crushing clarity:

It had been him all along. He had given Cylizar, his beloved partner, back to his past self. He had set the wheel of fate into motion.

...

Nine Years Earlier – Area Zero

Inside the humming depths of the research institute, the atmosphere was electric with excitement.

"The time machine is complete!" Professor Sada cried, adjusting her lab coat, her hand brushing against the necklace that resembled an ancient fang.

"Finally," Turo said, eyes gleaming. "At last, we'll witness the Pokémon spoken of in the Scarlet Book."

"Then let's begin! I want to see them with my own eyes!" Sada declared.

But Turo hesitated, a softer thought flickering across his face. "Sada… isn't Arven's eighth birthday coming soon?"

Her expression softened. "Perfect. We can bring back Pokémon from another era. Something wondrous, to keep him company."

The two exchanged a nod, their shared vision gleaming in their eyes. Together, they entered the activation codes.

"Whummm…"

The time machine pulsed, its core glowing as the walls lit with rhythmic flashes of violet and crimson.

The professors stared, tense, exhilarated.

And then, with a blinding flare of scarlet light, the first of destiny's threads was pulled.

When the glow receded, a powerful Pokémon stood before them, its scales crimson, its eyes golden.

The gears of fate turned.

Koraidon was born.