PARAGON

  Hisui Incursion Arc [25]

  Chapter 77 : Origin Children

  “I’m glad to see you safe and well,” Riley smiled, bowing in relief.

  He, like Ash, was dressed in a winter coat not unlike her own, but theirs was a dark blue instead of red. And unlike Ash, he actually looked winded from the hike up here, his eyes reddened, sweat beading on his forehead.

  “Thanks,” Sabrina beamed. “You too.”

  “Yo, Ash, can you help me out here?!”

  Following after Riley, lugging two enormous backpacks on his back, came Rei. His tongue hung from his mouth and sweat poured down his face as he limped forward hunched over through the snow, his eyes glazed over.

  It was only now that Sabrina noticed Ash wasn’t wearing a backpack, but Riley was.

  “Oh, yeah, sorry,” Ash said, jogging over and taking one of the packs from him.

  Suddenly, Rei was knocked off his feet as Growlithe bounded straight into him, nuzzling his rock-hard head against his trainer’s body.

  “Growlithe!” Rei cried, embracing him. “I knew you’d be with the others! Ha ha—ow, stop! Stop, that hurts—Growlithe!”

  As Growlithe continued to bash his head against Rei, the last of their group ascended up the mountainside. Professor Laventon dragged himself over the ridge, breathing heavily as he did. Pikachu stood perched atop his head like a lookout, and upon seeing Sabrina, he immediately jumped toward her, smashing straight into her chest.

  “Oof!” she grunted. “Hey, Pikachu.” She stroked his head as he nuzzled against her face.

  Behind Laventon, Sneasel sauntered up, walking straight past him, Ash, Rei, and Riley, until she stood right in front of Akari, whose eyes were brimming with tears. As Akari knelt down, Sneasel purred sarcastically as if to say, come on, let’s get this over with. A second later, Akari crushed her in a hug, babbling something incoherent as tears and snot streamed down her face.

  “Everybody!” Yura dashed forward with a grin and threw her hands in the air. “We all got back together again!”

  Laventon suddenly lurched forward through the snow. “Yura!” he coughed.

  Yura watched as he surged toward her, and Sabrina noticed Ash smile.

  “Listen to this,” Ash said to her quietly.

  “Yura!” Laventon grasped the girl by her shoulders, and she gave a nervous smile. “I found it! You were right! I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry! I mean, I didn’t find it per se, but I was led there—“

  Yura conked him on the head with a balled up fist. “What are you talking about?” she scowled.

  “Your home!” Laventon said, his eyes wild. “The Platinum Settlement. I met Cogita! And Enamorus! You remember them, don’t you?”

  Yura blinked. And blinked again. Slowly, her brows creased into a frown.

  The Platinum Settlement… Like the Diamond and Pearl Settlements? Sabrina’s eyes flicked between Yura and Laventon.

  The Professor dropped his hands from Yura as she processed the information. She stood as still as a statue, each breath condensing in front of her, appearing completely zoned out. Laventon’s excitement gradually turned to concern as he watched Yura.

  Sabrina stepped toward her. “Yura?”

  “Old miss…” Yura mumbled.

  Yura began to take deeper breaths, and eventually, her bottom lip scrunched up. Just before the dam broke, tears started to stream down her cheeks. Then, she released an unfettered wail. As she cried, snot began to dribble from her nose and her chest shuddered as she sobbed.

  Laventon embraced her, and Yura wrapped her arms around him. As he stroked her head, he continued to apologize softly.

  Sabrina felt her own eyes stinging, but she blinked the tears away before they could fall. She could not, however, keep the dumb smile off her face.

  Based on Ash and Riley’s satisfied reactions, Laventon had clearly told them about the Platinum Settlement beforehand, but they both seemed to be anticipating Yura’s reaction, as they glanced at each other knowingly.

  Decidueye snorted and raised his wings, angling toward the sky. The mushiness had long since surpassed his tolerance levels, so without another word, he rocketed into the sky, spraying everyone with a mist of snow.

  Sabrina watched him leave. Although she’d hoped he would’ve stuck around a bit longer, in the end, Decidueye was Decidueye. And he’d return as he pleased.

  “Well,” Raphael said, batting the snow off his cloak once Yura’s crying had quieted to whimpers. “This has been a rather touching reunion.”

  Pikachu jumped up onto Ash’s shoulder as Ash turned. “Oh, sorry about all that. You must be Raphael.”

  “I am,” Raphael said warily. “Who’s asking?”

  “I’m Ash, and this is my buddy, Pikachu.”

  Raphael frowned at Pikachu, and the mouse flashed him a friendly grin, which only seemed to perplex him further.

  Ash’s eyes drifted to Sabrina, then back at Raphael. “I’m guessing Sabrina already asked you about Sir Aaron?”

  “She did. Sorry to disappoint, but I have no relation to that man or his order.”

  “I see…” Ash looked away as he tried to hide his disappointment.

  Raphael’s gaze lingered on Ash, before glancing at his Altaria. Altaria stared at Ash, then turned to its master and nodded.

  “You’re the Platebearer,” Raphael said.

  Ash stared at him before nodding. “Yeah.”

  Raphael cocked his head to the side and his eyes narrowed. Then he shrugged and shook his head. “It’ll be a tight fit, but why don’t you all come and join us inside. I think there are things we could both learn from each other.”

  “Please, and thank you,” Ash said, moving forward.

  Laventon held Yura’s hand as the girl rubbed her face furiously with her sleeve.

  “Hang on,” Riley said, putting his hand up. “Where are Rei and Akari?”

  Akari tugged on Rei’s sleeve as she marched them both behind a cragged boulder jutting out from the mountainside, well out of earshot of the others.

  “Slow down, Akari!” Rei said, trying his best not to trip over the snow or anything rocks buried beneath it. “What do you want?”

  Finally, she stopped and spun around, scowling at him.

  Rei winced and took a step back. “What is it?”

  Akari’s face turned redder by the second, probably in anger, for some reason. Eventually, when her scowl had nearly turned into a glare, she reached around and pulled something from her pocket. “I have something for you.”

  It fit in her palm and was wrapped in brown cloth and twine, but Rei couldn’t tell what it was, even with its oblong shape.

  She thrust it toward him. “Here.”

  Rei recoiled. “Wait… Wait… What is this? I can’t just—”

  “Just take it!” Akari pressed it against his chest.

  “Hang on!” Rei took another step back. “I…” He blushed and looked away. “I…have something for you too!”

  Akari froze. Her face remained red, but her ferocity evaporated. Slowly, she withdrew her gift and tucked it behind her back. “Oh, really?”

  “Yes!” Rei slung his backpack on the ground and Akari took a step back, her eyes blazing with curiosity. “Don’t look,” Rei murmured, and she glanced away as he dug through his pack.

  Once he had his gift, he stood and turned toward her again. His was even smaller than hers, and though it was similarly wrapped, its shape gave nothing away.

  “What is it?” Akari muttered, leaning closer.

  “Well, just open it and see!” Rei said, shoving it toward her.

  Akari’s face twitched gleefully as she took it from him. Though he tried to keep his eyes averted, Rei kept glancing back as Akari carefully unwrapped the gift.

  It was a small piece of silver shaped like a crescent that fit cleanly in Akari’s palm. She picked it up with her other hand and held it up to the sun.

  “What is it?” she said, closing one eye. “Wait!” The shade of red on her face darkened. “Is this a necklace?!”

  “No, idiot!” Rei shouted, and Akari’s cheeks puffed up in annoyance.

  Akari studied it again, then her eyes lit up. “Wait. Wait! Is this what I think it is?! How did you find one?” She grabbed Rei’s shoulder and jumped up and down. “How did you get this? Where?”

  Rei crossed his arms and snorted with pride. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  Akari scowled and pinched his cheek. “Where’d you get it?” her voice suddenly filled with threat.

  Rei pulled himself out of her grip. “The Diamond Settlement’s New Year’s festival,” he said quietly. “Someone there was selling one.”

  A grin spiraled onto Akari’s face. “The festival, huh? So you were thinking about me during the festival, huh?”

  “Where’s mine?!” Rei demanded, his face beet-red.

  Akari giggled as she pulled her gift to Rei from her pocket once more and offered it to him. “Don’t think I copied you. Remember, I was going to give mine to you first.”

  Rei frowned in confusion, but took the gift from her and started unwrapping it. As he pulled the last flap of cloth away, an orange glow illuminated his face. “No way…”

  “Pretty cool, huh?”

  Akari’s face was nearly as red as the Fire Stone that rested in Rei’s palm.

  “A Fire Stone…” Rei murmured. “For Growlithe…” His head jerked up toward her. “Wait!”

  “I know!” Akari beamed, holding the silver Razor Claw up again. “We got the same thing!”

  Rei laughed, his eyes flicking between the Fire Stone, the Razor Claw, and Akari. “What the hell? What kind of coincidence is that? And how did you even get one of these?”

  “The Pearl Clan New Year’s festival! There was someone there selling one too!”

  “This far north? I thought they only grow on Firespit Island!”

  “Apparently they also grow in certain parts of Mount Coronet too!”

  “That’s crazy! I thought we’d have to swim back out there somehow before Growlithe could evolve!” Rei’s smile morphed into a smirk. “Wait, you said you got this during the New Year’s festival too? So that means you were thinking about me too then, huh?” Despite his arrogance, his face was beet red too.

  “Yeah.”

  Now it was Rei’s turn to freeze, and he stared at Akari like she was a ghost.

  “Yeah,” Akari said again, stepping closer to him. “I missed you a lot.”

  “U-Uh, um, y-yeah. Me too…” Rei took a step forward and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. “Thanks, Akari. I…I’m glad you weren’t…hurt.”

  Akari nodded. Her lips were pursed tightly together, seemingly to keep herself from crying. She let her head rest against his shoulder. “Thank you,” she croaked.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Y-Yeah. Of course…”

  Before he could react, she stood up on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek, then took a giant step back away from him. She grinned from behind her hair.

  Rei stood paralyzed in place, mouth agape.

  “Rei, Akari, come join us inside when you can!” came Riley’s voice from behind the boulder.

  Rei shuddered, broken from his stupor, but his mind still didn’t have the faculties to formulate a response.

  “Coming, Riley!” Akari called, his voice shriller than usual.

  Without looking back, she ran off back toward the others.

  Alone in the snow, Rei raised a hand to his cheek.

  “You alright, Sabrina?” Ash asked, staring at her in concern.

  “Y-Yeah! I’m fine!” she sputtered, leaning away from him.

  He didn’t look entirely convinced, but he didn’t press her any further.

  Sabrina took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She wasn’t actively using her powers, but when emotions were strong enough, she could sense them all the same. And that, which she had felt from just outside, was unmistakable.

  Akari pulled the door open and walked inside, her face red and flushed.

  “Are you feeling alright, Akari?” Laventon said, frowning at her reddened face. “Where’s Rei? Where did you go?”

  “Nowhere,” she said in a satisfied tone, sitting down on the floor with the rest of them.

  Sabrina could only stare at her in utter disbelief, wondering where in the world she had amassed all that courage from. It was difficult not to feel a bit jealous.

  A few moments later, Rei came in, his eyes low, and he swept across the room and sat down on the opposite side of the room compared to Akari. She grinned at him, but he refused to meet her gaze. Laventon stared at them both, puzzled, but eventually, his attention was torn away by Yura, who leaned her head against his arm.

  After serving the rest of them tea, Raphael took a seat on the rock chair, everyone else already having settled in on the floor. “I apologize for the lack of space. If I’d known I’d be getting so many guests, I would’ve made this accommodation larger.”

  “Not to worry,” Laventon said. “I’m just thankful you’re letting us impose on you like this.”

  Raphael crossed his leg and zeroed in on Ash. “Ash. Platebearer. Before we begin, I’d like to ask you something a bit personal, if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure. I don’t mind,” he said, swallowing his tea.

  Raphael’s eyes narrowed and he drummed his fingers on his leg. “What…is your ambition?”

  Ash frowned. “My ambition…? What do you mean?”

  “Your dream. Your deepest desire,” Raphael clarified. He glanced around at the others. “I’m realizing now that perhaps I shouldn’t expect an honest answer to this question in such large company.”

  “Nah, it’s fine. I’m an open book when it comes to my dream,” he grinned. “I want to be a Pokémon Master.”

  On his shoulder, Pikachu beamed and his cheeks sparked.

  “A Pokémon Master…” Raphael repeated. “And what exactly does that entail? Forgive me, I haven’t heard of such a thing before.”

  “I don’t know,” Ash said, and Raphael raised a confused brow. “For now, I’m just trying to get stronger alongside my pokémon.”

  Raphael stroked his chin. “Are you saying you want to be the strongest trainer in the world? Possess the strongest pokémon? Tame the greatest number of pokémon?”

  Ash shrugged. “It could be one of those. I have a feeling I’ll only know once I actually reach it.”

  Sabrina glanced between Ash and Raphael, but despite Raphael’s inquisitive scowl, Ash didn’t volunteer any more. He didn’t look all that perturbed by Raphael’s dissatisfaction either.

  “Hmmm. I see,” Raphael eventually said, still seemingly half in thought.

  “Can I ask why you asked?” Riley said.

  Raphael’s lip curled in slight annoyance, likely at his own pesky curiosity rather than at Riley for asking a perfectly reasonable question. “As I was telling your friends before you arrived, I travel the world toward the task of chronicling the distant past. But, that does not mean I have no interest in the present.” He laced his fingers together. “Through my research, it has become clear that the Platebearers are the ones who shape the history of the era. In a sense, my pursuit of learning about the past is merely an exercise of documenting the exploits of Platebearers across the ages.”

  “You’re not a Platebearer yourself, are you?” Riley asked, and Sabrina saw his eyes flick toward Ash for a moment, silently asking if he could confirm one way or another.

  “No, I’m not,” Raphael said immediately. “My ambition is not so lofty. I have no desire to be a figure of some great import. However, if possible, I’d like to see one up close, just before he pens his epic history upon the tapestry of history.”

  “The tapestry of history…?” Rei said.

  “Yes. Think of a river, within which a rock rests. The water is unremarkable, yet slowly, and with certainty, it shapes the river it rushes through. However, the rock is unaffected by the rushing water. The river bends around the rock, not the other way around. Most people are like the water, carelessly flowing through life, leaving their meager mark before they make their exit. But those who are like the rock persist. They survive. Articles of nature they may both be, but there is an ocean of difference between them. Those unique individuals who rise above everyone else are the ones who shape history as we know it. As for me, I’d like to cling to such rocks, perhaps like lichen, and witness their grandeur firsthand.”

  Silence reigned in Raphael’s abode as his guests processed his response. Pikachu and Yura had stopped listening part way through, but everyone else stared blankly with furrowed brows.

  “I believe I understand,” Laventon eventually said. “So you believe the Platebearers are those rocks you speak of? That’s why you asked Ash what his ambition is?”

  “Essentially,” Raphael said. “Though just because one isn’t a Platebearer doesn’t mean that they too cannot also influence humanity’s course. And Platebearers are not destined for greatness just because they possess a Plate.”

  Ash chuckled. “Sorry to disappoint.”

  Raphael cracked a stiff smile. “I wasn’t referring to you specifically. I only asked out of curiosity. In my metaphor of the river, I believe I myself am of the water. I would not deign to pass judgment on another. Like you, I suppose I’ll know I have found the one I’m looking for once I do.”

  Rocks and rivers… Though she knew it wasn’t, Sabrina couldn’t help but take Raphael’s metaphor personally. She was obviously part of the river too. But Ash… He was being far too humble.

  “So, I take it you’ve met several Platebearers before, then?” Riley asked.

  “Ah, this is a nice bridge to the topic at hand. Yes. None with the qualities I described, though, unfortunately.”

  Raphael somehow had a way of saying callous things without sounding callous himself. Maybe it was his dispassionate tone or demeanor.

  “In your research, have you learned about anyone from the past who was like you described?” Akari asked.

  “Well, Sir Aaron and his Kalosian rival, for a certainty.” Raphael’s head drifted to the side as he pondered. “There is a figure spoken of in myth. Someone who I do not labor under any delusion that I will ever meet. The king or master of the Platebearers. The one who brings all of the Plates together into one vessel.”

  “The Origin Child,” Riley said. “That’s who you speak of, no?”

  Raphael nodded. “As expected of a Guardian.” He frowned. “You are a Guardian, no? My Altaria sensed something off about you.” When Riley nodded, he continued. “But such a figure cannot possibly exist. Even the legendary hero, your king of the Guardians, only ever possessed three at once, if rumors are to be believed. That’s not even close to all of them. And if he couldn’t do it, then surely no one can. It is an unattainable ideal.”

  Sabrina’s gaze lingered on Ash, and when she realized, she quickly glanced away. Sir Aaron believed Ash to be the Origin Child. And Riley is trying to help him reach that goal. But is it as impossible as Raphael says?

  Ash himself looked lost in his thoughts, not reacting to Sabrina or Riley. The burden of Sir Aaron’s final wish…

  “There have been other Platebearers who showed promise,” Raphael continued. “I’d refer to them as Origin Children. Figures of import in their respective eras, they shaped the histories of their time and place, but ultimately, failed to come close becoming the true Origin Child, if that is something they even desired. Truthfully, those are the sorts of people I’m looking for in this age. No such luck yet, though.”

  Sabrina wanted to tell him he was wrong, but she held her tongue.

  “You’re being quite forward with your knowledge,” Laventon noted. “Aren’t you worried that any of this information could fall into the wrong hands? If we were malicious, let’s just say, we could use what you’ve said about the Plates and Platebearers for evil…”

  Surely Volo’s evil still rested at the forefront of the Professor’s mind.

  Raphael shrugged and shook his head. “Information is meant to be shared. As I said, I am an insignificant man. I have no intention of playing as an arbiter of truth.”

  Sabrina didn’t even realize she’d reached the end of her tea until she tipped her cup and nothing poured out but a dribble. She hadn’t done any talking, yet her throat felt dry all the same. It’d been easy to forget in their current predicament that if they somehow returned home, their next task would be to find other Platebearers. Raphael pursued them for both professional and personal reasons and had dedicated what appeared to be most of his life to it, and after all that, he’d still deemed the existence of the Origin Child to be an impossible fantasy.

  Then again, he was about two thousand five hundred years too early to meet Ash Ketchum in his proper time.

  “If you’re seeking the Origin Children, as you call them, have you sought out the Founders?” Riley asked.

  “The Founders?” Sabrina asked.

  “The Founders are said to be some of the strongest trainers in history,” Ash explained. “They’re the ones who turned the untamed wildlands of the world into the regions we know today.” He stroked his chin. “I hadn’t thought about it before, but in hindsight, I guess it’d make sense that they were all Platebearers.”

  Raphael nodded in agreement. “And if they are, it’s very well possible that they have yet to perish, despite how long its been since the regions were initially founded. I believe they’re out there somewhere, and though I have searched for them, I’ve been utterly unable to find even one of them. Most likely, they have no intention of being found.”

  “If it’s as you say, why would such powerful trainers like that stay back during the Great War, and the Calamity that followed?” Laventon asked. “Why would they allow such destruction to befall the world? At the very least, why would they allow the regions they founded to fall to ruin?”

  “I’m not sure,” Raphael said. “If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say they probably did participate in the war in indirect ways. But for the same reason they remain hidden even now, I’m sure they’re not keen on getting too involved in the affairs of the world, lest they risk losing their power, and therefore, their immortality and their life.”

  “Immortality…” Ash murmured. “Sir— I mean, someone once told me that mankind’s greatest desires were for immortality and world domination.”

  “That person knows humanity well. Of all the history I’ve chronicled, much of it has been a tale of those two pursuits.” Raphael uncrossed his arms and took a long sip of tea. “Alright, now it’s my turn to ask the questions.”

  Raphael asked about where Ash got his Plate, about Sabrina’s psychic power, and about Riley’s life with the Guardians. They could be truthful about most of what they said, but they had to massage the details on anything that gave away that they were from the future. He also asked Laventon, Akari, and Rei about their misadventures in the Survey Corps, and he asked Yura about the Platinum Clan. It was then that Laventon delivered his full account of everything that'd happened to him after they got separated.

  After that, they took turns telling their sides of the story, and it was then that Sabrina learned how they’d determined to travel straight to Raphael. Apparently, they’d crossed Hisui on the backs of some pokémon the Diamond Clan lent them called Wyrdeer, the same pokémon that protected the Jubilife Church. They arrived at the Pearl Settlement after Sabrina, Yura, and Akari left to meet Raphael, so Irida sent them on their way with a resupply.

  Eventually, the topic shifted to Volo’s attack, and though Raphael was aware of him, like everyone else, he had not been privy to Volo’s dark nature, or the fact that he was a Platebearer.

  “And what is his ambition?” Raphael asked. “Did he say anything about it?”

  Rei scowled. “C’mon, you’re not actually thinking he’s one of your destined Origin Children or whatever, are you?”

  Raphael shrugged. “Malice is not a disqualifying factor for greatness. Virtue is not a prerequisite for glory.”

  “He’s not destined for anything great,” Ash said, a stern expression carved upon his face. “I’m going to defeat him, and that will be the end of that.”

  Raphael’s eyes narrowed. “He defeated you once. Can you be so certain that things will be different this time?”

  “Yes,” Ash said immediately, his voice infused with confidence.

  Sabrina looked him up and down. Physically, he looked the same, but there was something different about him. It was as if his aura was heavier, or something. Clearly, he’d continued his training throughout the past month as he traveled across Hisui, even as he recovered.

  “On that note, I’d like to share my conclusion regarding the Paragon of Darkness, Giratina, and the reason he’s appeared here in Hisui,” Riley said. “I think this will be of interest to you too, Raphael.”

  “By all means,” Raphael said, motioning for him to continue.

  Riley cleared his throat. “As we were traveling through Mount Coronet, you may recall I mentioned sensing a certain energy that imbued the entire mountain. Well, as we passed through Mount Coronet again on our way to the Pearl Settlement, I was able to figure out the true nature of that energy.” He swallowed. “Mount Coronet is not just a mountain. It is not just a temple to venerate some ancient deity. Nor is it merely a gateway to the heavens. It is a pillar.”

  “A pillar…?” Raphael murmured.

  “An interdimensional pillar that spears through not just this world, but every dimension layered above and below this world as well. Mount Coronet is an entity that exists in every single layer of reality because it passes through every single layer of reality.”

  Akari frowned. “Are you saying the base and peak of the mountain that we can see is just a tiny part of the true Mount Coronet?”

  “Yes.” Riley glanced between them all. “What I’m saying is that Mount Coronet is essentially the lynchpin that binds every layer of reality together. And that is the structure above which Giratina has elected to open its rift.”

  A chill ran through Sabrina. All of existence…?

  “So…Giratina appeared in Hisui to destroy that pillar, and thereby destroy all of reality?” Laventon asked. “Is that it?”

  “If the pillar was destroyed, I suspect that is what’d happen, yes,” Riley said.

  “But something like that shouldn’t be possible,” Raphael said. “If it was, Giratina would have already done it. And if it’s as you say, and this mountain is holding the entire universe together, then even a Paragon like Giratina may not have enough power to destroy it.”

  “That’s right,” Riley agreed. “Plus, if Mount Coronet is the pillar around which Arceus constructed everything in this world, then even Giratina itself may disappear if it were destroyed. I think the reason Giratina is here is because—“

  “War,” Raphael said, leaning forward. “It is a threat. A challenge to both Necrozma and Arceus. It’s like Giratina is saying, I’m finally prepared to end this world. I’ve gathered enough strength to surpass you both. Try and stop me.”

  “Gathered enough strength…” Sabrina said. “The Plates… That’s where Volo comes in. The rift pulls Platebearers from other times and then Volo culls them for their Plates…”

  Raphael nodded gravely. As the seconds passed, something like a smile curled onto his face. “So it’s finally happening, then.”

  “What is?” Yura asked.

  “The end of the Paragon War… The apocalyptic war between Giratina and Necrozma, crashing and receding against the rocks of civilizations throughout the ages… Giratina seems to have fired the opening salvo signaling the end.” He licked his lips. “Now this will be a history worth witnessing.”

  “The Paragon War,” Ash mumbled. “I see…”

  It was exactly as Riley thought when they first arrived in Hisui. After encountering Giratina, he’d become convinced that all of Hisui was in danger. If anything, his fears weren’t great enough.

  “I’m surprised you’re actually looking forward to the end of the world,” Riley said, eying Raphael with thinly veiled scorn. “Don’t you have family or friends you’re concerned about?”

  Raphael shook his head. “I have no such thing. I am a…lone wolf, I suppose.”

  “What about a hometown?”

  “Oh yeah, where did you say you were from again?” Ash asked. “We never did ask. It was somewhere in Hoenn, right?”

  Raphael chuckled. “I guarantee you’ve never heard of my hometown. We’re very out of the way.”

  Ash smirked. “Try us.”

  Raphael sighed, then shook his head and shrugged. “I’m from a place called the Draconid Village.”

  Next — Chapter 78 : I Will Touch…