Craggro was tired after the long race around the SPIRAL, one of the Gym Leader's most difficult courses. Testing almost every skill there was, even the Gym Leader had to be on top of his skills the entire time. He felt the Arcanine's fast and powerful heartbeat as he slid down, resting against the flat of one of Isu's massive tusks. The Mamoswine he stood next to may have been one of the fastest of his kind in the entire world.

In a secluded corner of Sector 6 of the Mauville Racing Grounds, Josh and Yuina met up, the Gym Leader offering the accomplished Ranger solace in such a trying time.

As many wild stories as there were in Hoenn, Yuina's was one of the craziest he had ever heard. "Breathe, Yuina. Breathe," he tried to console the female, Craggro sitting down near her to offer what comfort he could in his own way. While the Hisuian Arcanine was no longer obese, he still was a bit pudgy. "So, those Pokémon in the distortion. You called them by name, and they seemed to listen to you." He sounded like he had more to say, but he trailed off.

It was a lot for him to wrap his head around, too.

Yuina's story was mindblowing. Even the Pokémon surrounding Josh exhibited a change in body language after the revelation. "Hisui? What... or where... is that?" he asked the Elite Ranger. It may have been better if he didn't know the details. There had been all kinds of strange, supernatural occurrences in Hoenn, almost only a bimonthly basis, since he same. This, though... this was on a whole different level. Was Hisui another world entirely, almost like the Ultra Wilds?

"So they were Pokémon you caught in this Hisui... is that why they all look different than the ones we know?" Noticing Dakienki, Toshiro bounded toward the Mamoswine and Hisuian Arcanine. His Unovan Samurott companion, Fumiko, was nowhere to be found. Those two were always together. "Hey, Toshiro," Josh greeted the Hisuian Samurott. "Where's Fumiko at?"

Josh was speechless as Yuina told her story of an ancient Sinnoh, Hisui. It was little wonder she was so tense. It was little wonder she seemed so distant every time they talked, especially after the battle that landed him in the hospital for weeks. A centuries-old world with Pokémon species that died out, never making it to the modern age.

That explained so much.

"That's such a wild story..." Josh trailed off. "But it makes so much sense. I met Craggro through a Space-Time Distortion last year. Toshiro through another." Now, the species were relatively commonplace, having populated in Hoenn's ecosystem like any other Pokémon. "If this is the case, then you might be able to answer one other question I have." He whistled for yet another Pokémon, this one a Shiny Sylveon. Leaning away from Isu's tusk, Josh took a seat on the giant Eeveelution's back. "I met Pinky here through a Distortion, too, along with so many of my Pokémon. Is there a relationship between the distortions and these... really big Pokémon?" the Gym Leader asked.

So this Hisui was like medieval times. A world before the database fueling Pokédex apps existed. Knowledge of what Pokémon could do was limited. There was certainly no type chart to study. Josh couldn't imagine how hard it must have been living in a world like that. "There certainly wouldn't have been saddles for Pokémon back then," he speculated. "Pokémon are so integrated into our lives today that I couldn't imagine it. I rely on my Pokémon to carry me all over the region. Some people rely on Pokémon to be able to live at all. I wouldn't wish what you went through on anyone."

The story of Yuina's account of giant Pokémon hit him hard. Was this the correlation he was looking for? There would, of course, be no hard evidence of it, what with true Alpha Pokémon being lost to time. "Do you remember if you got to see any of these Alpha Pokémon yourself?" Josh asked, the Sylveon he rode letting out a low squeal that may have jostled her memory.

The world Yuina described was, in a twisted way, not different from their own. Whereas League and Rocket fought over territory, Infinity Energy, and Dynergy, the tribes of Yuina's world fought over something important as well. What it was they fought over remained unclear, but it was just as important and life-changing as the League-Rocket conflict plaguing Hoenn.

"I think I've told you this before, but I've seen many giant Pokémon in those distortions," Josh related Yuina's tale. "What you described of Alpha Pokémon is consistent with how the giant Pokémon act. Even if you catch them, they're... really hard to train. And they've been spreading throughout Hoenn. Are those... those bright red eyes a mark of an Alpha?" he asked. "Every single time I've removed one from one of the distortions, that feature goes with them. They're still huge and aggressive, though."

There was so much of what Yuina said that made sense. It was little wonder Josh's Pokémon were so aggressive. If they were mostly Hisuian alphas who had their status robbed from them when taken out of their original time... what a discovery. He would honor Yuina's wishes of secrecy, but regretfully. "It all adds up now. All these really big Pokémon I have... they used to be Alphas, didn't they?" If Yuina were to look around, she would see many Pokémon that were abnormally large for their species, including a full set of eight Eeveelutions wearing saddles.

"I will keep your secret safe," Josh nodded in agreement as Isu walked away from him, gently bumping Yuina if she allowed it. "I implore you, though, to at least share this with Science. illeana reyes and Eva Morales can be trusted. This would greatly advance our understanding of Space-Time Distortions and even the rifts."

Regardless of Yuina's decision, Josh wanted to try to cheer her up. "I think Isu likes you! Up for a run on her back? I'll let you control her if you want!"

Josh knew it would be a difficult decision for Yuina to make. What if she wasn't originally from Hoenn at all? What if she had been from Hisui to begin with, pulled hundreds of years into the future? She didn't have to go alone. She had Josh, who would be there for her. "It doesn't have to be right now," he gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder if she allowed it. "When you feel ready, though, I would still recommend it. They might be able to help you find out more about your past. But don't push yourself. I learned that lesson with Raikou." It was a painful past for Josh, too. It took the near-murder of a child, now traumatized of him for life despite his efforts to make amends, to learn that lesson.

"It's no secret that I love Raikou. There was a time when I would do anything to be Raikou's friend. Even if it meant... even if it meant giving up my Gym and betraying the League. I did something horrible in the process of pursuing his friendship. Something I never thought I would ever do. And I want to come clean about it. But I can't. If I were to... it would ruin the League's reputation."

The mood quickly turned less sour as Yuina inquired about Isu. "Yep, Isu's a Mamoswine." No direct response about saddling up and shooting across the Gym grounds on what may have been the fastest Mamoswine in the world. He could not imagine the pain swishing and washing over Yuina's mind. "It's okay! I have interest in the distortions, too. I want to understand my big Pokémon better. I have so many Pokémon that get so large, you'd have a better shot at winning a million bucks on a scratch-off just to have one. And I have... dozens of them. I want to know why they're so much easier to come by now."