Chapter 588: Changing History

Chapter 588: Changing History



The ancient and modern worlds of Pokemon have significant differences in certain aspects.

For example, people here have not yet fully regarded Pokemon as friends, family, or partners.

While some people live with Pokemon that have gentle temperaments, the relationship is more often one of taming.

They tame Pokemon to help transport goods, work, make fires, weave cloth, and so on.

The way they refer to Pokemon also harks back to a very distant past.

They call Pokemon "Beasts."

How did Shizuru know this?

Because the residents looked at Gogoat with fear in their eyes and whispered among themselves.

"It's a Beast!"

"It looks so terrifying..."

"Is that human a Beastmaster?"

"Beastmaster?" Qi Shu, who had keenly heard this term, asked with interest, "Is that what the people here call Pokemon Trainers?"

"Seems like it," Shizuru replied.

At this moment, they were like a small boat moving through water, with the crowd parting around them like a river, leaving a path in the middle.

"In this era, humans still refer to Pokemon as Beasts," Shizuru said.

In fact, the phenomenon of humans training Pokemon to fight alongside them has existed for a long time.

These people were called Beastmasters or Guides, and they often traveled the world with their Pokemon, helping people in need when they encountered them.

"Beast... it doesn't sound like it fits the image of Pokemon at all," Qi Shu muttered.

"Gaaah," Gogoat completely agreed.

Shizuru: "..."

Seeing the look on the human and Pokemon's faces, Shizuru's lips twitched. He thought to himself that Gogoat wasn't as cute as it looked, and there was a significant difference between different Pokemon.

Some Pokemon, even if called "Beasts," would be entirely appropriate.

For example, Hydreigon, Gyarados, and Ultimate Tegna.

But to Qi Shu, who had grown up with modern education, all Pokemon in the world were companions that could live together with humans.

After a brief walk, the two found a restaurant and decided to have a meal.

The waiter, upon seeing the Beastmaster, immediately became very respectful, making Shizuru somewhat uncomfortable.

He patted his pocket and took out a golden bead that Noivern had picked up from the wild that morning, asking the waiter if it could be exchanged for a meal.

The waiter then called the restaurant owner.

The owner was a plump, round man. Upon seeing Shizuru, he immediately stepped forward and said:

"Beastmaster, if you are willing to do a favor for our small shop, we can prepare a sumptuous dinner for you for free!"

Shizuru raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"

The owner then smiled bitterly: "It's like this. Not long ago, a terrifying Beast broke into our garbage incineration room. It has taken over that place, not letting anyone approach. If anyone gets too close, it attacks. This has made it impossible to properly dispose of the leftover food and waste in the shop..."

"Take me to see it," Shizuru said, immediately interested.

Under the owner's guidance, they soon arrived at a small alley behind the restaurant. At the end of the alley was a brick-built house, from which a foul odor was emanating.

"That's the place," the owner pointed and said.

Shizuru covered his nose and approached, only to see a Pokemon that looked like a pile of garbage in the trash heap.

It was... Dust Mountain?

Seeing someone approach, Dust Mountain thought they were coming to compete for food and immediately released a cloud of purple smoke from its body.

The smoke quickly spread through the dark, damp alley.

Dream and Teddy immediately covered their noses, looking disgusted.

The owner then said in alarm, "Be careful, the smoke is toxic!"

"Dream, stop it!" Shizuru said.

"Miu!"

Dream's eyes flashed with a blue light, and a powerful psychic force burst from its body, gathering the purple smoke and pulling it inward.

Then, Dust Mountain's body was lifted out of the garbage heap by telekinesis, causing it to panic.

"Is there any leftover food or other garbage?" Shizuru asked, turning back.

The owner was taken aback but quickly nodded, "Y-Yes, there is!"

"Go get it," Shizuru said.

Although confused, the owner hurriedly did as he was told.

Beastmasters held a high status among ordinary people.

After the owner left, Qi Shu, looking at Shizuru's actions, immediately guessed his plan.

"You're thinking to..."

Shizuru nodded, "Dust Mountain, this kind of Pokemon, doesn't attack people randomly. It likely mistook the owner and others for rivals competing for food, which is why it has been guarding this place and preventing others from approaching."

For Dust Mountain, the trash heap was its exclusive five-star restaurant.

Shizuru approached, attempting to communicate with Dust Mountain using Changan Power.

"Dust Mountain, please calm down. We mean no harm, and we won't fight you for this food."

Sensing the warm power flowing into its body, the Dust Mountain indeed calmed down.

It lowered its head and looked over curiously.

Shizuru gestured for Dreamy to put it down, and just then, the boss and a waiter rushed over.

The waiter pushed a small wooden cart with various kitchen scraps piled in the buckets.

"Dump this trash into the garbage heap," Shizuru said.

"Huh?" The boss and the waiter were stunned.

"Don't worry, it won't attack you," Shizuru assured them.

The two glanced at the seemingly calm beast and mustered the courage to tremblingly dump the trash into the heap.

Upon seeing the fresh garbage, Dust Mountain's eyes lit up brightly.

"Go ahead and eat. These are all yours, and no one will take them from you," Shizuru said.

Dust Mountain pounced and crawled into the trash heap, immediately gorging itself.

The boss and the waiter stared at the scene, dumbfounded.

"It's fine now. This Pokemon...this beast specializes in eating garbage. It attacked you because it saw you as enemies trying to take its food."

After a pause, Shizuru continued, "It understands now. From now on, you can bring all the garbage here. It's a beast that only eats trash."

The boss and the waiter listened in disbelief. The braver waiter cautiously approached, and indeed, the beast didn't attack him again.

"Wow, that's amazing!" The waiter was inexplicably excited. "Does this mean we won't have to burn trash anymore?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, yes," Shizuru nodded.

Hearing this, the boss finally felt relieved. He looked at Shizuru gratefully and said, "Thank you very much, Beastmaster. I've already instructed the kitchen to prepare dinner for you. Please wait a moment."

Shizuru smiled, "Then thank you!"

The restaurant gained a professional garbage disposal expert, and in return, they received a sumptuous dinner.

In the restaurant, Gogoat was covered in oil, and Dreamy and Teddy were also very happy.

Shizuru and Qi Shu smiled as they looked at the Pokemon in front of them. Qi Shu couldn't help but say, "It feels like Trainers have a very different status here!"

Shizuru nodded, "After all, most people here are ordinary folks. Few would think of capturing Pokemon and commanding them in battle. In everyone's eyes, Pokemon are probably seen as terrifying creatures, right?"

And the "Beastmasters," who could control Pokemon, were naturally considered very powerful in the eyes of the people of this era.

At that moment, two customers at the nearby table started discussing something that caught Shizuru's attention.

"Hey, did you hear? The armies of the two princes engaged in a fierce battle on Pompeii Plain not long ago!"

"What was the result? Who won?"

"I don't know. I heard the losses were severe. Pompeii Plain was covered in blood, and there were corpses everywhere!"

"What about the two princes? Wait! Surely they won't fight in the Capital City, will they?"

"I don't know. They haven't sent any news yet. Fight in the Capital City...I don't think so. I heard the two princes avoided the Capital City to avoid frightening the Elder King and wanted a fair fight. The winner will inherit the king's position."

"Oh, now it's uncertain. The two princes have gone mad...who knows when they'll fight in the Capital City."

War? Shizuru was slightly taken aback. Had the war between the two princes chosen by Rexiram and Ideakrom already begun? Reality and ideals...

If nothing unexpected happens, history might repeat itself.

The two princes would both suffer heavy losses. Rexiram and Ideakrom would consume a significant amount of vitality and turn back into stones. The dragon vein energy would become chaotic, the land would be damaged, and the entire Terra Homeland would be destroyed.

Until the Elder King and Bikitini once again controlled the Earth Sword to suppress the dragon veins.

This was an inevitable event.

"What's wrong?" Qi Shu noticed Shizuru's expression and looked worried.

"It's nothing. Are you full? Let's head back to the castle!"

"Okay, let's go back then!" Qi Shu was already full. She helped Gogoat wipe the oil from its mouth and then stood up.

The two bid farewell to the restaurant boss and returned to the castle together.

The castle remained quiet, inhabited only by the Elder King and a few elderly women who took care of his daily needs.

That night, as Shizuru sat on the bed, filing Gogoat's claws and grooming Dreamy and Teddy, a knock sounded at the door.

He was a bit surprised, but he opened the door to find Bikitini outside.

"Bikitini?"

Dreamy and Teddy flew forward as well.

Bikitini looked at them, his mood somewhat low.

"Bikitini..."

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy to see someone you wanted to see again?" Shizuru asked in confusion.

"Bikitini!" Bikitini shook its head vigorously.

Of course not! It was just... a little sad because the Elder King had the past version of itself by his side, and they hadn't experienced that event yet.

Through Changan Power, Shizuru quickly understood Bikitini's meaning.

Hmm, this was indeed a problem...

With the future Bikitini returning to the past, there would be two Bikitini existing in this temporal space.

And the past Bikitini and the Elder King hadn't personally experienced that event... So, for Bikitini, the current Elder King didn't belong to its timeline.

Time paradoxes, parallel universes... It was all very complicated to think about.

"Teddy?"

"Miu..."

Teddy and Dreamy looked at the disheartened Bikitini, feeling sad for it.

Teddy asked, "Teddy?" (So, what do you plan to do next?)



Upon hearing this, Bikitini lifted its head, its gaze slowly sweeping over the few people in front of it, and then, as if making a big decision, it said,

"Bikitini!"

It had just told its past self to stay by the Elder King's side, and now, it wanted to stop all of this, to prevent the two princes from destroying the Dragon Vein.

By doing so, it could protect the Elder King!

Hearing these words, Shizuru was momentarily stunned.

Changing the past... also meant that the future would be corrected accordingly.

He had experienced this once before during the Arceus incident, where Satoshi and his friends returned to the past and altered history, causing the future to be corrected as well.

But the problem was, if the past were changed, what would happen to the future Bikitini?

"If you do that, the future will also be affected. You, who exist in the previous timeline, might be influenced by the butterfly effect and disappear," Shizuru said with a frown.

Hearing that this would be the outcome, Teddy and Dreamy also became terrified.

Gogoat, standing nearby, wore an exceptionally grave expression.

"Ah gah..."

Shizuru didn't know much about time-related matters, but thinking about the grandfather paradox and time paradoxes that Professor Orrin had once told him about, Bikitini might...

However, Bikitini's attitude was very determined.

"Bikitini... Bikitini!"

It was happy to see the Elder King again, and that was enough. From now on, it didn't want to see the Elder King lose his life because of that event, so it wanted to stop it from happening!

Bikitini looked at Shizuru, Teddy, and Dreamy with an almost pleading expression, "Bikitini..."

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Teddy and Dreamy were at a loss, and eventually, they both turned their gazes towards Shizuru.

"Are you sure about this?" Shizuru asked.

"Bikitini!" Bikitini nodded earnestly.

Shizuru sighed and said, "Okay, I'll do it for you."

Since this was Bikitini's wish, they would help it fulfill it! Teddy and Dreamy were so sad they almost cried.

Seeing the expressions on their faces, Shizuru thought carefully and then comforted them, "Don't be so tense. The future is uncertain; besides that outcome, there's another possibility where Bikitini doesn't disappear, and instead, a past memory will be added to its mind."

Just like with Arceus in the past, after Satoshi changed history, it suddenly remembered him.

"Bikitini..." A smile appeared on Bikitini's face, as if it was comforting its two good friends, Teddy and Dreamy, "Bikitini!"

Then, it looked at Shizuru, "Bikitini~!"

"Don't mention it," Shizuru said, smiling as he patted Bikitini's little head. "Tonight, let's get a good rest, and tomorrow, we'll go together to stop the princes' fight."

"Bikitini!" Bikitini nodded vigorously, expressing its gratitude to Shizuru.

The enemies were Rexalam and Ideakrom, and fighting two Legendary Pokemon at the same time was a concern for Shizuru.

So, after Qi Shu and the other Pokemon fell asleep, Shizuru quietly brought Gogoat to the terrace of the castle.

"Are you confident?" Shizuru asked.

Gogoat nodded seriously, "Ah gah!"

It had become a very powerful Pokemon, and it would definitely protect Shizuru!

From a long time ago, when Gogoat was still a Skiddo, it had always dreamed of being like Gogoat, so it had been chasing after Gogoat's footsteps.

Until now, it had finally become Gogoat and gained the power to protect Shizuru.

Even if everyone else was gone and it was the only Pokemon left, it would still protect Shizuru! Gogoat was very confident.

"Good, no matter if it's Black Dragon or White Dragon, we'll fight and finish it!"

With Bikitini by their side, even if Rexalam and Ideakrom teamed up, they had the strength to fight.

"After all, Bikitini is a Victory Pokemon, and it's said that trainers with Bikitini will win any battle."

This was because its body could produce infinite energy, and Bikitini could share this energy with anything it touched.

"Ah-gah-sss!"



The next morning, Shizuru asked Qi Shu and Teddy, Dreamy, to stay in the castle, while he took Gogoat and Bikitini to meet the Elder King. He requested the king to stop the two princes.

The Elder King, seated on his throne, was slightly startled. He looked down at the man below with his aged and cloudy eyes and said, "They have already been chosen by two mighty dragons, dragons with unparalleled wisdom and power. Even Bikitini is no match for them."

Despite this, are you still going? The Elder King didn't ask, but his eyes conveyed the question.

Shizuru nodded and turned to Bikitini beside him.

"If they continue unchecked, the energy in the Dragon Veins will be in chaos, the land will be destroyed, and the entire Terra Homeland will be devastated."

At this, the Elder King's eyes widened in shock.

"Will the Earth Folk be exterminated?"

"I don't know, but I do know that in this war, the Earth Folk have suffered heavy casualties. This land will become desolate, and the remaining Earth Folk will scatter across the world."

Hearing these words, the Elder King's wrinkled hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

What's the difference between this ending and annihilation? But he was too old to stop his two grown sons, who had their own minds.

The Elder King fell silent, and the vast Royal Hall became unbearably quiet.

After a long time, a sorrowful sigh came from the throne. The Elder King opened his eyes and looked at Bikitini beside Shizuru.

"If the war is stopped, Bikitini won't be so lonely in the future, right?"

"Nini..." Bikitini murmured.

The Elder King turned to Shizuru, "Bikitini possesses immense power within its body. It will share its power with your Beast. I entrust this task to you."

"Nini!" Bikitini nodded earnestly, determined to save the Elder King.

"Where are the two princes?" Shizuru asked.

"Their armies are gathered on the Pompeii Plain to the east of the castle. You'll find them there," the Elder King said, pausing to look at Bikitini beside Shizuru.

He called Bikitini, stroking its head, and said, "Bikitini, I've asked someone to prepare some sweet cookies for you. Before the battle begins, go and fill your stomachs!"

"Nini~!"

The Elder King turned to the Bikitini beside him, "I entrust you and it to go together."

"Nini!"

The two obedient Bikitini left.

Instantly, only Shizuru, Gogoat, and the Elder King remained.

In Shizuru's gaze, the Elder King slowly spoke, "Bikitini has an incredibly long lifespan, and my time is running out. After my death, Bikitini may have to live in solitude for another thousand years."

"Traveler from the future! This old man has a request for you."

"Please tell me," Shizuru said.

"In the future, I hope you can find Bikitini and take care of it. That way, Bikitini won't be lonely anymore, right?"



The sun shone brightly in the sky.

Shizuru rode Gogoat, with Bikitini by his side, heading east towards the Pompeii Plain.

On the castle terrace, the Elder King and Bikitini looked up, watching their departure, unable to calm their emotions.

"Nini?" Bikitini, standing nearby, was confused. It could have helped too, increasing their chances of success.

But the Elder King had stopped it, leaving Bikitini perplexed.

"I understand my two sons. Once they set their minds on something, they never look back."

"If the energy in the Dragon Veins really gets chaotic and the land is destroyed, it might..." Bikitini suddenly panicked.

But if that happens, you'll lose your life!

The Elder King gently stroked Bikitini's head, "It's okay, I'm already very old."

He lowered his head, gazing at the town below the castle with Bikitini.

Golden sunlight bathed the town. A housewife carrying a basket of vegetables opened the door and stepped out, while a little boy waved goodbye to his mother from the second-floor window.

In the town, innocent children played and chased each other, hopeful youths, wives awaiting their husbands' return, and workers building the city walls...

This was where his people lived.

"If we fail, we'll never see this beautiful scene again," the Elder King said slowly.

"Nini..." Bikitini seemed to understand the Elder King's words.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end