Chapter 338: Chapter 338
"Come to think of it, Stella is still under the restriction of the Sacred Ash revival item, right? Her lifespan is limited to just over eight years. Let's solve this issue," Dak muttered, recalling the detail.
Back when Stella was revived, Dialga hadn't been exchanged yet.
Even if Dialga had been present, it wouldn't have been able to revive Stella since her body was nowhere to be found, making targeted time reversal impossible.
Now, Dialga still couldn't truly revive Stella due to the ongoing effect of the Sacred Ash item. Not even a Legendary Pokémon could override that.
But there was one exception.
Ho-Oh.
As the source of Sacred Ash, Ho-Oh might be able to use its Sacred Fire to neutralize the item's properties, enabling Stella's true revival.
"In the Pokémon world, there's a legend about Ho-Oh," Dak murmured, stroking his chin. "It flies through the skies with its resplendent rainbow-colored wings. Wherever it passes, rainbows appear. Those who see the rainbow and Ho-Oh are said to be blessed with eternal happiness."
He decided that Ho-Oh's appearance would be the perfect blessing for the newlyweds.
But first, he needed to discreetly spread the word.
"I can't make it too obvious, or Tezoro will definitely suspect I orchestrated this," Dak frowned in thought before recalling Celebi and Mew.
The solution quickly came to him.
That day, Dak returned to Alliance City and summoned Iceburg.
"Iceburg, how's the construction of the Celebi and Mew statues coming along?"
"Almost done. However, my team is still debating over the descriptions. It's their only source of entertainment these days," Iceburg replied with a shrug, scratching his head.
Iceburg was beginning to resemble his counterpart from the original Water 7 arc more and more.
The debates over descriptions had become a regular occurrence within the engineering department.
They would adjust the Pokémon legends based on Dak's provided lore, enhancing the Pokémon's image and mystique in the process.
Whether to depict the Pokémon as benevolent or fearsome was the usual point of contention.
For instance, Sceptile, a Grass-type symbolizing vitality, was portrayed as a gentle and harmonious deity. Meanwhile, Lapras, an Ice-type Pokémon, was depicted as a cold and merciless god of ice.
"I'll need you to make a few more statues."
"How many?"
"Four."
"Four?!"
Iceburg's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Dak.
He understood what this meant. Iceburg was responsible for the statues in the Hall of Primordials, while Tom, his mentor and deputy minister, oversaw the statues in the Hall of Origins.
If Dak was asking him to create four more statues, it meant that four new "First Gods" had appeared in this world.
"This is for Tezoro and Stella's wedding. Keep it to yourself. I'll handle the descriptions for these four Pokémon," Dak explained, already conceptualizing their stories.
Ho-Oh and its Guardian Trio.
"Fine. Let me know when you've finished, and I'll get started," Iceburg said, shaking his head as he left to prepare.
"Thanks. I owe you one."
...
Five Days Later – Late March
It was Sunday, a day off for many workers and students. Naturally, their first stop was the Hall of Primordials.
"Have you heard the news?"
"Yeah, the new 'divine beings' in the Hall of Primordials, right?"
On the smooth road leading to the hall, students dressed in Pokémon Academy uniforms were chatting about the rumors they'd heard from their teachers.
Even though they lived at the Pokémon Academy, they weren't completely cut off from the outside world.
The dorms had computers, and wealthier students carried Pokédexes that doubled as communication devices.
"Hey, Sakura, have you heard about the legend of Ho-Oh?"
Ino, carrying her schoolbag, walked alongside her best friends Sakura and Nojiko. Her Spoink bounced energetically beside her.
Ino, known for her strong and competitive personality, was often teased as a tomboy back in the ninja academy.
Nojiko, equally spirited, quickly became her friend.
Spoink, sensitive to emotions, was an ideal partner for Ino, a member of the Yamanaka clan known for their expertise in mental techniques.
It bounced along with Nojiko's Shinx and Sakura's Mankey, as the Pokémon often played together due to their trainers' friendship.
"Yeah, Ho-Oh is incredible! It even has the other three First Gods as its guardians," Sakura said excitedly. Then, in a hushed voice, she added, "Could Ho-Oh be the strongest of all the First Gods?"
"Shh! Sakura, don't say that!"
Nojiko, startled, quickly covered Sakura's mouth and glanced around nervously.
"Sorry."
Sakura realized her mistake and immediately quieted down.
"Let's hope no one starts fighting in the hall over this," Ino sighed, spreading her hands in exasperation.
Faith often led to disputes, and the Pokémon Academy was no exception.
Most students had their favorite "First God," firmly believing theirs was the most powerful and charismatic.
This often sparked disagreements with others, sometimes escalating into Pokémon battles to prove their point.
The most popular First Gods were Darkrai, Sceptile, and Giratina—the trio that had accompanied Dak on his legendary adventures.
Darkrai and Giratina, in particular, were revered.
Darkrai was described as the shadow of Arceus, the closest being to the Creator.
Giratina was the ruler of Pokémon Island, a sovereign of its own world.
These titles cemented their popularity and fueled debates over which was stronger.
Unaware of these disputes, the Pokémon themselves were currently playing an extended hide-and-seek game. Even Dak couldn't locate them without their telepathic connection.
"Don't worry. The hall is well-guarded," Nojiko reassured her friends.
The three girls continued toward the hall, arriving at its gates by evening.
"Ugh, I'm never walking here again," Ino groaned, leaning against the wall with Sakura, both visibly exhausted.
"I told you it was far," Nojiko sighed, equally tired.
Despite appearing close on the map, the hall was still hours away from the academy.
Their Pokémon had long retreated into their Poké Balls to rest.
"Let's go in. It should be less crowded now," Sakura suggested, comforting Ino.
Inside, they quickly found the new statues of the First Gods.
"So, the Ancestor God and Forest God are this cute? I thought they'd be huge," Ino remarked.
"Didn't you see the coordination contest performance in Yggdrasil the other day? The Alliance Leader appeared with these two First Gods," Sakura said, surprised.
"Damn it, Shikamaru! He tricked me into grading his homework! He's dead meat when I get back!" Ino raged, realizing what she'd missed.
"Alright, calm down. Look at Ho-Oh and its Guardians," Nojiko interjected, pointing at the other statues.
Unlike the others, Ho-Oh's Guardian Trio stood in front of it, their statues slightly smaller in scale.
This detail suggested their lower status and power compared to the other First Gods, though still beyond the reach of ordinary Pokémon.
The girls weren't foolish and deduced this, though they refrained from discussing it aloud in the hall.
[Rainbow God: Ho-Oh]
[An ancient and auspicious deity, detesting evil and war.]
[Existing since before humanity's dawn, it is the most human-friendly of all First Gods, watching over humanity's survival and evolution.]
[However, it has hidden itself for nearly 10,000 years due to the devastation caused by humanity's wars.]
[It is said to reside at the foot of rainbows, appearing to upright trainers while shining with its seven-colored wings.]
[Where Ho-Oh passes, a rainbow bridge forms, and seeing Ho-Oh is considered a sign of lifelong happiness.]
(End of Chapter)
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