Seeing the recovered Zoroark, Lucas breathed a sigh of relief.
Why does it feel so much harder than the original plot?
Lucas thought to himself, then looked at Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. Sitting on Latias's back, he spoke: "So, are you planning to continue fighting, or will you go protect this city together?"
Suicune stared at Lucas, then looked at the gradually withering trees around it. It used Splash, jumping onto the roof and heading toward the stadium.
Raikou and Entei followed behind it.
Lucas recalled Ninetales and the others into their Poké Balls and gave chase while riding Latias.
Zoroark tucked Zorua into her mane and followed.
The stadium.
Ash held Pikachu, who had lost the ability to battle, and looked at Koutai, who was clutching Celebi in front of him.
Then he rushed forward, using his bare hands to break the mechanical tentacles holding Celebi.
Picking up Celebi, he rushed toward the Time Ripple.
Koutai watched as Ash snapped his mechanical tentacles, momentarily falling into a daze.
Coming to his senses, he saw Ash holding Celebi, only a few steps away from the Time Ripple.
"Ash, just let Celebi touch the Time Ripple."
"
A young girl shouted at Ash's back.
"In your dreams! Shuppet, Mismagius, stop them!"
"
"Shadow Ball, Psychic!"
The Shadow Ball hit Ash directly, sending him and Celebi flying.
"Hahahaha, the Time Ripple is mine."
Koutai walked up to the Time Ripple. Looking at that familiar and powerful energy, he opened his arms and laughed wildly.
"You're... dreaming!"
Ash struggled to stand up, then picked up Celebi and walked toward Koutai step by step.
Koutai stared at Ash. "What on earth are you?!"
Not only did he break the mechanical tentacles with sheer physical strength, but he could still stand up after taking a Shadow Ball and a Psychic with his bare body.
Koutai's face was full of rage, but he soon regained his composure. "It'll be fine once I absorb the Time Ripple. I'll still be that Grings Koutai, the successful entrepreneur who can foresee the future. And the city's destruction was all because of an evil Pokémon called Zoroark."
Koutai slowly walked toward the Time Ripple and extended a mechanical tentacle into it. Instantly, the energy of the Time Ripple flowed through the tentacle toward Koutai.
"Yes, this is the power! Hahahaha."
The trees began to wither slowly, and Celebi's condition grew worse and worse.
Ash reached his side, reached out a hand, and grabbed the mechanical tentacle. Under Koutai's horrified gaze, he bent the tentacle and then sat on the ground, having lost his strength.
Only then did Koutai feel relieved and continue absorbing the energy of the Time Ripple.
But he discovered that the mechanical tentacle was severed in his eyes.
Immediately after, a Zoroark appeared before him, and the scene in his eyes began to change.
The device on his hand began to flicker. Coming to his senses, he looked at the Zoroark in front of him.
"Your illusions are useless against me."
The next second, Zorua pounced out from Zoroark's mane and bit his hand.
He shook Zorua off. "Shuppet, Mismagius, go."
After the command was given, there was no sign of Shuppet or Mismagius for a long time. He looked back and found a Gengar and a Gothitelle floating beside them, holding their shoulders.
Shuppet and Mismagius were shivering.
"It's you!"
Koutai looked up and saw Lucas sitting on Latias's back, as well as Raikou, Entei, and Suicune standing on the roof behind him.
"Foresee the future? Then sleep for a while first."
As soon as Lucas spoke, Koutai found himself sinking to the bottom of the sea, flailing his limbs and struggling constantly.
Then Gengar skillfully inflicted paralysis, poison, and other statuses on him.
After forcing herself to use one last illusion, Zoroark collapsed to the ground with a thud.
"Ma!"
"
Zorua returned to Zoroark's side, her face full of worry.
Lucas jumped off Latias, came to Zoroark's side, and checked her condition.
He got a very bad result.
Having withstood the attacks from Raikou and the others, and then suffering continuous mental torment, she was at her limit.
"Manager, it seems I messed up."
Ash gritted his teeth and stood up, looking at Lucas with his head lowered.
The next second, a pair of large hands rested on his shoulders.
"You did well. Thank you for your hard work, Ash, as well as Brock and Dawn—"
"Without you, I wouldn't have been able to rush over so quickly."
Ash looked at Zoroark lying on the ground and Zorua crying nearby, his mood low.
Celebi flew up to touch the Time Ripple, absorbing the remaining energy into its body, then came to Zoroark's side, pressing its hands firmly against Zoroark's body as it began to emit light.
Lucas's eyes lit up, and Zorua also looked at Celebi expectantly.
After a long time, Celebi shook its head dejectedly and fell into Ash's arms.
"Sha—"
My own power is too low, and most of the Time Ripple's energy was absorbed.
"
"Ma—"
Zorua was heartbroken.
Lucas was about to say something when he felt the wooden plaque hanging from his chest start to get hot.
It got hotter and hotter until Lucas couldn't stand it and had to take it out.
Immediately after, Lucas felt a familiar aura.
Lucas grinned. "Don't worry, Zorua. Reinforcements are here."
Then Lucas looked up at the Celebi landing on his head and smiled knowingly. "Long time no see, Celebi."
The Celebi perched on Lucas's head covered its mouth and laughed.
"Sha~"
The voice was crisp and cute.
The Celebi in Ash's arms looked at the Celebi on Lucas's head, its eyes lighting up. It flew up and approached Lucas's head.
The Celebi on Lucas's head also flew up, took the other Celebi's hand, and together they dove into the newly emerged Time Ripple.
After the two Celebis disappeared together, Lucas and the others noticed the scene around them changed.
It was a vast, open prairie, with the fragrance of green grass and the gentleness of the spring breeze—
"Is this your home?"
Dawn said.
Then they saw the two Celebis appear beside everyone and press their hands onto Zoroark together.
Both Celebis, along with Zoroark's body, began to emit light.
Soon the light faded, and Zoroark opened her eyes, using her claw to pat Zorua's head.
"Ma!"
Zorua burst into tears of joy.
"Sha~"
The Celebi without the wooden plaque spoke softly.
Its body was very weak and needed quiet rest until it fully recovered.
The Celebi with the wooden plaque ran over to high-five Gengar and the others one by one, then flew back to Lucas's head, quietly perched there, and winked at the Celebi without the wooden plaque.
The Celebi without the wooden plaque and the one on Lucas's head clapped hands.
The scene returned to its original state.
"Thank you for your hard work, Celebis."
Lucas said softly.
"Thank you."
Ash grinned.
Celebi Celebi!
The Celebi without the wooden plaque nodded, then looked at the one with the wooden plaque. The one with the wooden plaque flew off Lucas's head, took its hand, and they flew over Crown City together.
In the city, Mrs. Domo and Mr. Joe saw the two Celebis flying hand-in-hand over the city. Wherever they passed, greenery flourished. Unknowingly, tears streamed down their faces.
"Celebi is still protecting our city."
They covered their mouths, sobbing uncontrollably.
After restoring Crown City, they returned to the group. The Celebi with the wooden plaque continued to perch on Lucas's head, while the one without the wooden plaque bid farewell to everyone and the Pokémon, preparing to leave.
"Celebi, if you have time, why not come visit the Breeding House? I'll make you something delicious."
Lucas said.
The Celebi without the wooden plaque looked at Lucas, then at the Celebi on his head, and blinked.
Perched on Lucas's head, eating snacks Gengar had shared with it, the Celebi with the wooden plaque blinked and shared a snack from its other hand.
"Sha~"
The snacks he makes are delicious.
The Celebi without the wooden plaque took the snack, took a bite, and laughed. Then it flew to Lucas and touched its forehead to his, followed by Ash, Dawn, and Brock.
Then it waved goodbye.
"Sha~"
"Goodbye, Celebi, I'll miss you."
"Me too, Celebi."
Celebi Celebi.
Piplup's cry Piplup's cry.
Zorua will miss you too.
Celebi nodded, then disappeared into a ring of light.
After seeing off that Celebi, Lucas looked at the Celebi perched on his head.
"Celebi, since you're here, why not stay at the Breeding House for a while?"
"Sha?"
"Get some good rest?"
"Sha~"
Okay~
Lucas smiled knowingly, then felt something land on his face.
"I say, Celebi, can you not eat snacks while perched on my head? It's all crumbs."
Celebi remained silent.
The sound of it munching on snacks grew even louder.
Lucas: ...
Everyone: Hahahaha.
Meanwhile, another group of protagonists from our movie was currently stuck in a large tree.
Having just wanted to capture the Legendary Beasts and Zoroark, they had been sent flying by the three-way battle and landed in the tree again.
"Do you think the Manager also has his eye on those Pokémon?"
Jessie said, hanging from the tree.
"It's very likely,"
James said, also hanging.
"In that case, should we still compete with the Manager, meow?"
"Are you stupid? The Manager has been kind to us. How can we snatch the Pokémon he wants?"
"I think Jessie is right. After all, the Manager is very good to us."
James rarely agreed with Jessie's words.
"Then we'll let the Manager have them, meow."
"By the way, is anyone coming to save us?"
Jessie suddenly shouted.
The next second, a Gengar floated over.
Gengar gargar?
"He says Lucas was right, you really are here, meow."
Then Jessie and the others were rescued by Gengar. After a tearful farewell to Gengar...
Jessie and the others looked at the large pile of snacks in their arms, as well as some of Gengar's pocket money.
"Waaaa, Manager— Gengar—"
"Good thing we didn't compete with the Manager—"
"I almost want to go be the Manager's Meowth, meow."
Wobbuffet~
Seeing Gengar return, Lucas inquired with a look.
Gengar bared its teeth and gave a thumbs up.
Only then did Lucas nod in relief.
Lucas had noticed them the first second they were sent flying, but he hadn't had time to deal with them then.
On the way out, Lucas noticed them hanging from a tree in the distance, so he sent Gengar over to save them and give them some snacks and pocket money.
Otherwise, he was really afraid they would starve to death.
Clearly, apart from catching Pikachu, nothing could stump them.
Why do they insist on trying to catch Pika-god?
Can't figure it out.
Lucas shook his head.
Gengar also shook its head.
I don't get it either.