Unlike every other time Josh had come to the Dyna Tree at Ever Grande City, Josh made sure to get there early in the morning. The tale he wished to tell was one he had not shared with many people. "Greetings once again, High King," Josh greeted the regal Pokémon that seemed to be just as skilled of a rider as he was. Rather than standing, this time he told the story from the back of Hylda, his Glastrier, the icy horse's mist covering the grass around her in a layer of frost. "Today, I wanted to share with you the story of what led to me finding my place in Hoenn. The day I got to see the future. It's a bit of a... traumatic one, so don't mind me if I get a little choked up." He also had Saber the Manectric at Hylda's side, the electric wolf significant in the story.

"There are several worlds beyond the physical, the material, many of which are enigmatic and hostile to humans and most Pokémon. There is the ethereal, the realm of ghosts; there is the astral, the world that psychic Pokémon travel through while teleporting; there is Ultra Space, home to Ultra Beasts. There is one more world that Saber here and I once visited: the digital world. The realm of data and Pokémon that can transform themselves into data, the possibilities there are as limitless as the imagination. It was there that I first learned of the truth of Hoenn's bleak future: the Origin Point, and what would happen if nothing were to change that future.

The future is total destruction. A Hoenn covered in nothing but bare earth, corpses human and Pokémon, with spears of light. Even the gods were not spared: the Great One, Ho-oh, alongside her children, Suicune, Entei, and Raikou, had been pierced through their hearts with divine precision. In the world after the Origin Point, only the Original One remained: one so powerful that He could wipe out all of existence with but a thought, if he so desired. In that future, I saw not only the deaths of the gods, but the deaths of my six most loyal Pokémon. And my own.

And that... That, High King, is why I became a Gym Leader. Why I had chased Raikou for so long. For years, it was for selfish reasons. Before the day I learned of the Origin Point, I wanted to go faster than anyone else on the planet. To be the best in the world at one thing. And I wanted to be friends with the Johtonian god of speed for solely that reason. Now, though, it's far more than that. The reason I want to be Raikou's friend... is to help change this future. The future that refused to be changed. High King, no innocents deserve to have their lives cut short by this future. And if it means I have to pay the ultimate price to ensure this, so be it."

Saber had been reduced to tears, the mild acidity of his tears reacting with the ice beneath him. He howled as the painful memories of being deleted came back to him, and the even more painful memories of having to see Josh nearly give his own life to be with him in the Recycle Bin for the rest of time... or at least until they were de-rezzed together. The Manectric let out a loud howl as Josh, too, began to cry. "S-sorry..." the Gym Leader sniffed. "That whole thing just means a lot. And no one really wants to talk about the end of the world. But it has to be done. Someone has to try to prevent this future from happening. Otherwise, it's game over for everyone. Even you, High King. You are not out of danger. So, please..." he sniffed again. "If you know anything about the missing Raikou's whereabouts, anything will help. I don't want to see him die in our timeline, too. I implore you. Above all, help us get to the bottom of the Origin Point. Please!" His own tears flash-froze on Hylda's icy body as the horse whinnied to appeal to the Galarian royal Pokémon.

“Let me tell the story,” Obstagoon asked. This was the last chance they would have, it felt like. The League had been informed of their presence due to the last meeting, and they likely didn’t appreciate a group such as theirs within their territory. At least, not in a very important location such as this.

“Hmm… I don’t see why not,” Tavish began to hand her the book, but she held up a furry paw.

“I don’t need it. This one won’t be that long, either.”

“Alright, then let us hear it.”

“Cro.”

“Then let me tell you a tale of Sacrifice:”

“Once upon a time, there was a man. He was no king. He was not even royalty. Yet he wasn’t a villain, and not born for evil. No, this was just a man. With a mind full of curiosity, empathy, and passion, he built a kingdom where everyone was equal. Pokémon and Humans coexisted in harmony, and knowledge was readily available. In short: a Utopia. This was the pinnacle of existence, for there was no obstacle they couldn’t overcome, and no dream out of reach.”

“But one day, something odd started to happen. In the dead of night, one by one, the Pokémon disappeared. No one knew why, and no one knew how. The range of those who left was large, and suspicions few. Why would anyone want to leave? Those now missing had nothing but praise for their home. Yet there they went; stolen away when no one looked.”

“The Pokémon were afraid. What if they were next? What if it was a predator? A hunter, who wished to slay them out in the wild where no one would ever find them. But the humans… they did nothing to help. Sure, they expressed sadness for their lost friends, but they remained only bystanders in the situation. Not a finger was lifted, nor a problem raised. They were not the targets of this force’s ire– what were they to do?”

“After a month had passed, the Pokémon were no closer to a solution. Hope started to fade in the face of blatant ignorance. Thus, they turned to their final hope: the Man who built the place they called home. They sought his court and relayed their anger. Their frustration. The man listened intently, and when they finished he expressed a similar frustration. He rose from his chair and declared to find out the source of these disappearances.”

“Thus, he left the comfort of home and walked out into the wilderness. For three days and three nights, he kept faithful watch from the outside. Whoever these perpetrators were, they were clever. For a while, he was scared he would get no closer to the answer than those who suffered most. Yet on the final day, he finally had success in his hunt.”

“They were thieves from a distant land, come to take their Pokémon. As for where they went, he did not know– only that it was not a nice place. This greatly outraged the man, and he wasted no time in dishing out swift and merciless judgment on the invaders.”

“But there were more. An almost infinite–”

“Obstagoon.”

“... Yes?”

“Why are you telling this?”

“Telling what?”

“My story. I’ve already told it. Last time.”

“Because, Tavish. It’s important.”

“Important to whom?”

“To me, damn it!”

“Why?! It’s said and done, and the King has already heard it!”

“Let him hear it again, but in a different light! One with consideration and empathy. Let him hear our side of it.”

“... Fine.”

“Thank you. Now, where was I… right:”

“The man could not possibly end the horde of invaders. Where one fell, two more emerged. It was an endless horde of invaders, there to ruin the perfect kingdom built for all. The Pokémon were unable to fight back, and the people remained indifferent to the plight of the few. For them, it was still a utopia. Even if the walls grew silent and the nights dark. They were not the ones forced to answer the call to arms.”

“This angered the King greatly. He felt alone. Powerless. A feeling he hadn’t felt before. What was he to do, to help those he held dear?”

“So, he decided to do the only thing he knew he could: nip it in the bud. If he gave up everything he had worked for, he could help all those affected.”

“Cro?”

“Of course he did! Even if the man didn’t think himself noble or heroic, the decision to sacrifice his life of comfort made him one. Even if his fellow humans did not agree, and the Pokémon scared of the path he’d taken, he decided to do the right thing. To stand up in the face of danger, look in the eye, and show defiance. He traveled to the land unknown, far from home, to make things right. No matter what it took, he would protect the land he could no longer call his own. For to do nothing and let the invaders get their way–”

“Was to lose his home regardless.”

“There is no end to this tale– not yet. But everything always turns out right for the heroes. As was in the past, and now in the present, and forever more in the future.”

Silence fell onto the small group, save for the King who clapped at the tale. His soft hands smacked into one another with infinite grace, “Cro! Cro!”

“Is that how you see it? A sacrifice no one else could make?”

“No one else would make. It takes a great amount of courage to do what we've done. An even bigger amount to do it the way we've done.”

“... If only others could as well.”

“Well, you’ve got the four of us,” Obstagoon waved to the others gathered. “Even if the League let the problem fester, it was not for lack of trying.”

“Never as simple as it seems.”

“And we’ll come out ahead yet.”

“Thanks, Obstagoon. I think I needed that.”

A comfortable feeling of camaraderie fell upon the band. Even if the future was uncertain, their tale had yet to finish. That would have to be alright with the King, the one they’d have to say goodbye to very soon. But that wasn’t in the now, and was a problem they could all ignore for the moment. They could look up at the stars, enjoy the cool air of the night and the fresh smell of grass and berries.

Ignorance was seldom enjoyable, but for now, they held on. The closest thing to hope they’d ever know.