Naoki watched the footage of Koraidon stepping out of the time machine nine years ago. His mind spun, his body frozen.

Beside him, the AI copies of Professors Sada and Turo stood quietly, their holographic faces reflecting the same scene.

After what felt like an eternity, Naoki finally spoke.

"What if we tried summoning Koraidon from an even earlier point in time?"

Sada AI shook her head. "The time machine cannot pinpoint Pokémon at exact coordinates in past eras. Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken us over a month to find it the first time."

Turo AI added, "The only reason we were able to locate that Koraidon was because something significant happened at that moment in history. There must have been a resonance."

Koraidon blinked in surprise. And then it remembered, those tiny Terapagos that had gathered around it in the cavern, channeling their mysterious power to send it back to Naoki.

Could it be… their energy had synchronized with the time machine, pulling it through?

Sada AI continued, "And remember, Professor Sada once discussed the concept of a Time Paradox with you. If the past is changed, the future changes as well. If Koraidon had never returned nine years ago… then the Koraidon standing beside you now would not exist."

Naoki's breath caught. He turned to look at Koraidon.

The scarlet dragon raised its head, its golden eyes locking with his.

"Graaaah…" it murmured softly.

Turo AI spoke gravely. "For that reason, we strongly advise against attempting it. Even a butterfly flapping its wings in Kanto could cause a storm in Hoenn. The smallest alteration might unravel everything you know."

Naoki fell silent.

Koraidon's eyes widened as if realizing the implication. It let out a sharp cry, "Graahhh!", cutting in urgently.

If Naoki tampered with the past again, the ranch, Iono, Elara… everyone could vanish.

Koraidon trembled, shaking its head. No. It would rather endure every hardship it had suffered than risk the lives of those Naoki loved. No matter how much pain it had gone through in ancient times… it had finally come home.

"Koraidon," Naoki whispered.

And in that moment, he no longer saw a paradox Pokémon. He saw his kind-hearted little Cyclizar again, the same gentle companion that had been by his side since the very beginning.

Sada AI tilted her head, studying the dragon. "Fascinating."

Naoki blinked. "What do you mean?"

"The existence of paradox Pokémon is already contradictory," she explained. "Time itself is merely another form of evolution. For Cyclizar to transform into Koraidon through the paradox of time… perhaps this is what makes it a paradox Pokémon. If the original Professor Sada were here to witness this, she would be astonished."

There was no doubt about it: this was a Koraidon unlike any other.

Naoki's fists clenched. His voice trembled.

"I wish Cyclizar never had to endure all of that."

He thought back to when he first found Koraidon collapsed at the ranch, its crimson body covered in scars, barely clinging to life.

The thought of his gentle little partner, wandering alone through ancient lands for years, hunted, wounded, desperate, made his chest ache with unbearable sorrow.

"The facts are established. There's no way to change them," Turo AI said quietly.

Naoki stood in silence for a long while before murmuring, "I understand. But I need more time."

Even now, he couldn't bring himself to reconcile Koraidon and Cyclizar as the same being.

Hearing this, the AI professors exchanged a glance, their faces softening.

"When you're ready," Sada AI said gently, "please return. There is still one more thing we must ask of you."

Turo AI stepped forward. "We need your help to shut down the time machine. If it continues running, Paradox Pokémon will keep spilling into the present, threatening all of Paldea."

Sada AI hesitated, then added in a quieter tone, "And… please tell Arven that we always loved him."

Naoki shook his head firmly. "I can't. Some things must be said by you, face to face."

Besides, he thought grimly, the ID needed to shut the machine down was stored on the Scarlet Book, currently in Arven's hands.

The two AIs fell silent, startled by his refusal. Though they were constructs, their inherited memories and emotions made them nearly indistinguishable from the real professors.

At last, Sada AI nodded. "I understand."

Naoki exhaled slowly. "Give me some time. I'll guide Arven here myself."

"Thank you," they both said with quiet gratitude.

Naoki and Koraidon left the lab together. Yet they didn't leave Area Zero entirely, there was still work to be done. The Paradox Pokémon rampaging in the depths had to be returned before Paldea's League forces pushed deeper.

Seven days later, Champion Geeta finally arrived with reinforcements.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" she said briskly. "Most of the Paradox Pokémon that escaped topside have been contained. I also heard about your loss, Naoki. I'm truly sorry."

Naoki could only nod, his voice caught in his throat.

Geeta studied him for a moment, then produced a small blue disk from her belt and pressed it into his hands.

Naoki blinked in surprise.

"This is the master key to activate the deepest lift in Area Zero," Geeta explained. "Over a decade ago, when the League first investigated the Great Crater, we unearthed something unusual. After that, Sada and Turo built the time machine on top of it. If you want answers, this will take you closer to the source."

Naoki's eyes widened. 'The source… of the time machine itself?'

Clutching the disk, he bowed his head. "Thank you, Chairwoman."

Geeta gave him a faint, almost maternal smile. "You've carried enough. Leave the rest of Paldea's defense to us."

Naoki nodded firmly. He and Koraidon wasted no time in returning to the Zero Lab.

The moment he slotted the blue disk into the control panel, a cold synthetic voice rang out:

"Blue authorization disc recognized!"

"Elevator destination recalibrated, Area Zero: Great Crater Abyss!"

"BOOM!"

With a thunderous bang, the hidden elevator shuddered to life, and its doors slowly creaked open.

Naoki stepped into the elevator with Koraidon.

The machinery rumbled to life, and immediately, a weightless sensation pulled at his stomach. The car plunged downward, deeper and deeper, as if into the heart of the earth itself.

Minutes passed, or was it longer? Time felt stretched. The air grew thin, dry, and cold, until at last, with a bone-jarring crash, the elevator ground to a halt.

"BOOM!"

The doors groaned open, releasing a blast of air heavy with the scent of stone and ozone.

Naoki froze.

Before them stretched a vast, hollow cavern, every surface shimmering with radiant Tera Crystals. The light refracted endlessly, painting the chamber in dazzling hues of rainbow and silver.

Beside him, Koraidon stiffened. Then, with a trembling cry, it roared in excitement.

"Ah-ga-shi!"

Naoki blinked at his partner. "Koraidon… you've been here before?"

"Ah-ga-shi!" Koraidon nodded, eyes shining with recognition.

Lowering itself, it urged Naoki onto its back.

Without hesitation, Naoki climbed on. With a powerful leap, Koraidon carried him down into the crystalline abyss.

The deeper they traveled, the stronger the aura became, mysterious, ancient, and almost divine. Finally, they reached a cavern whose walls were formed entirely of massive, glowing crystal.

And there, resting upon a vast crystalline platform, was a Pokémon unlike any Naoki had ever seen.

It looked like a radiant turtle, its shell gleaming with facets of gemstone, its body glimmering with the very essence of Terastal energy.

Naoki's breath caught. 'Could this be… Terapagos, the legendary Pokémon tied to the very heart of Paldea?'

Koraidon's eyes widened too, but not in awe, rather, in puzzlement.

Where were the others?

For in its memories, this place had been filled with many tiny turtle Pokémon, each one glittering like a living jewel. Yet now, only a single Terapagos was here.

Koraidon growled uneasily and charged forward, searching.

Its movements shook the crystalline chamber. Several great crystal pillars cracked and collapsed, their fragments crashing against the ground with booming echoes.

And in the collapse, a hidden cavern was revealed.

Naoki gasped.

Inside were dozens of shining turtle-like forms, smaller Terapagos, curled tightly like gemstones, each one glowing faintly.

The lone Terapagos on the platform had simply strayed from the group, seeking space outside the crowded nest.

Koraidon's face brightened with recognition and relief.

"Ah, gah…!"

Turning back to Naoki, it cried out more loudly, "Ah, gah!"

Naoki's eyes widened. He understood.

It was these Pokémon… the Terapagos… who had once helped Cyclizar return home.

The realization sent a shiver down his spine.

And then Sada AI's words echoed in his memory:

"The time machine cannot normally pinpoint a specific Pokémon in the past. The only reason we could track Cyclizar… was because something unusual must have happened."

'Could it be…?'

Naoki's thoughts swirled.

'Were these Terapagos the ones who had helped Cyclizar? Did the Terastal energy of the ancient past resonate with the Terastal energy powering the time machine in the present, pulling toward each other, allowing the machine to pinpoint Cyclizar's time and place?'

Heart racing, Naoki slowly stepped forward. He extended a trembling hand and laid his palm against one of the radiant crystals.

The moment he touched it;

FLASH!

A dazzling light burst forth. Naoki gasped as the crystal floated into the air. Slowly, four tiny legs emerged from its sides, followed by a round purple head and a delicate little tail.

The Pokémon yawned softly, like it had just woken from a long nap.

Then its eyes met Naoki's.

For a heartbeat, Naoki and Pokémon stared at one another. Then, suddenly recognizing him, the tiny Terapagos squealed with joy and scampered toward him.

"Pago!"

Naoki froze, completely unprepared, as the jewel-like Pokémon leapt up and buried its head into his chest, voice ringing with happiness.

And that was when it happened.

From the hidden cavern nearby, dozens more crystals stirred. One after another, brilliant white lights shimmered, and out came a whole group of Terapagos, scampering on their little feet.

Naoki's jaw dropped. 'So many?!'

Their eyes instantly locked onto Koraidon, and their voices chimed together with delight.

"Pago!"

One of them piped up, "Bago Bago?" (Did you find Naoki?)

Koraidon was about to answer with a proud "Yes," when another little Terapagos squeaked happily, "Pago, Pago!" (After you left, we saw Naoki! He was always there with us!)

Koraidon froze, stunned. "Ah, gah?!"

Another chimed in, bouncing on its gemlike shell, "Pago~" (Naoki was so kind! He played with us aboveground, picked fruit for us, and told us stories about you~)

Yet another nodded, eyes sparkling. "Pago!" (Yes! And when the ground shook, Naoki even protected us! But then he left… we never saw him again. I wish we could play together once more!)

Naoki blinked in confusion, unable to understand. He only stared in awe at the shining crowd of Terapagos.

Meanwhile, the little turtles all turned their gemstone eyes toward him.

Then, with a chorus of excited chirps, they bounded forward all at once, surrounding Naoki in a circle of dazzling light.

"Pago! Pago! Pago!"

To them, this was proof. Naoki hadn't lied. He had promised that if they rested, they would see him again.

And now, at last, they had.