That night, beneath a glittering sky, Ash and his friends quietly watched the Millennium Comet blaze across the heavens. May folded the sixth star petal of her Wish Tag, her eyes twinkling with hope. For a while, all was calm—just stargazing, laughter, and peace.
But time was running out.
By the next morning, Jirachi had recovered its full strength. But with only one day left, it would soon return to its thousand-year slumber.
The group woke early, setting off toward the depths of Forina to find Jirachi's sacred resting place. The forest thickened as they pressed on, the path ahead growing harder to follow.
Ash suddenly stopped, his Aura reacting to a familiar presence.
"Awoo~!"
Absol stepped into view, silently motioning for them to follow.
With Absol guiding them, the journey became much easier. They trekked from day into dusk, eventually arriving at a towering cliff surrounded by lush greenery. Pokémon appeared on both sides of the path—Swablu, Nuzleaf, Roselia—all gathered as if to welcome Jirachi home.
"Whoa! Look—it's Flygon!" Max shouted, pointing excitedly.
May looked around in awe. "It's like the entire forest came to see Jirachi off…"
Soon, Absol led them into a deep cave that opened into a hidden grotto—bathed in moonlight, with a natural skylight overhead.
"This is it," Diane said softly. "This is where Jirachi has always slept."
Absol glanced upward and darted into the shadows. Everyone looked up—and gasped.
Through the opening in the cave roof, the Millennium Comet shone brightly in the starry sky.
"The stars are calling me..." Jirachi said quietly, beginning to rise into the air.
"Jirachi—!" Max suddenly clung to it tightly. "I don't want you to go! Not yet!"
Jirachi blinked in surprise.
Max finally let all his emotions pour out, sobbing loudly. "We just became friends… and now we have to say goodbye? It's not fair!"
Everyone was silent. Even Brock, May, and Diane couldn't find the words—because they all felt the same.
Still, the stars beckoned. Jirachi began to float higher, drifting toward the light of the comet.
"The Eye of Truth is about to open!" Diane gasped.
"The what now?" May asked, confused. More secrets?
Diane quickly explained, "When Jirachi draws power from the Millennium Comet, it opens an eye on its body called the Eye of Truth."
All eyes turned to Jirachi. The slit on its stomach slowly opened like an eyelid, revealing the fabled Eye of Truth.
"This is how Jirachi absorbs cosmic energy before its sleep," Diane continued. "It slowly releases this energy into the earth during slumber—that's why Forina is so full of life!"
Everyone's eyes widened in realization. Jirachi was the heart of this paradise all along…
As the eye fully opened and light connected Jirachi to the comet above, something unexpected happened.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt—now!!" Ash shouted instinctively.
"Pika—CHU!!"
Electricity surged—but it was too late.
From the surrounding cave walls, four mechanical pillars burst forth, glowing with ominous purple light. They unleashed laser beams, forming a protective barrier that trapped Jirachi—and dragged it upward into the air!
"Jirachi!!" Max yelled in horror.
"It's a trap!!"
Suddenly, a black curtain dropped from above. A massive, suspended platform descended—chained to the surrounding cliffs. Standing atop it in a tuxedo, with wand in hand, was Butler.
"Ladies and gentlemen… welcome to the final act of my greatest magic show!" Butler declared with a twisted grin.
"Butler?! How did you find this place?!" Diane cried, stunned.
Everyone looked at Diane with suspicion—she was the only one who knew the way. But no… she'd been with them the whole time. It wasn't her.
Ash clenched his fists. "He discovered this place when he first found Jirachi. We let our guard down."
Butler laughed. "Exactly. To open Jirachi's heart, it needed trust—and you gave it that. Friendship was the greatest key. In the end, you were the bait that led it here."
"Butler, this isn't magic… this is madness!" Diane shouted.
"My dear Diane," he replied. "Once this works, you'll understand me."
He slammed a button. Purple lasers fired again, this time creating a second barrier—trapping Ash, May, Brock, and Diane.
"Now then! The grand finale awaits—please enjoy the spectacle!"
"You wish! Let's go—everyone, come out!" Ash called.
Pikachu, Charizard, Pidgeot—everyone released their Pokémon. Brock and May joined in. Their combined attacks smashed against the shield.
Meanwhile, Butler had already begun his experiment. Jirachi floated inside the energy core. On the opposite side, he placed ancient Groudon fossils—fragments that pulsed with dormant power.
The Eye of Truth opened again. A radiant beam linked it to the Millennium Comet.
Butler raised his wand to the sky, shouting:
"Team Magma, watch closely! The day has come! Groudon… will be reborn!!"
At that moment, Absol and Flygon crashed through, joining the others. With a final surge, the barrier broke apart!
Ash jumped on Charizard, Pikachu riding on Pidgeot, while Max hopped onto Flygon.
They flew toward Butler's steel platform. On the ground below, a massive pattern shaped like Groudon glowed with crimson light.
"Resurrect, Groudon! Let the world see my genius!" Butler shouted, eyes wild.
"Jirachi!!" Max called desperately.
Butler sneered. "Enough distractions! Salamence—drive them off!"
SalamencePower Level: Mid-Rank Elite Tier
A massive red dragon emerged. Pidgeot and Pikachu intercepted it midair, engaging in aerial battle, while Charizard and Flygon soared past—Ash and Max racing toward Jirachi.
As the final light struck the fossil, the pattern on the ground began to twist… and something rose from it.
"Jirachi, hang in there!" Max said, holding Jirachi tightly.
Jirachi's eye closed, and it slowly awakened.
"Max… Ash…"
"You're okay… thank goodness!" Ash smiled.
Ash and Max rejoined May, Brock, and Diane.
"Thank goodness you're all safe!" May cried with relief.
But the ground trembled beneath them.
From the center of the ritual, a monstrous creature emerged. Like Groudon… but not. Its form was twisted, deformed, scaled in blood-red armor, glowing with blue veins. Its crimson eyes radiated nothing but hatred.
"Wh-What is that…? Groudon?!" Butler stepped back in horror.
"No…" Ash said firmly. "That's not Groudon. It's a hollow shell—a soulless monster born of greed."
Fake Groudon – Earth MonsterType: GroundPower Level: Low Elite Tier
The creature stirred—and the trees around it withered instantly.
"It's draining the land's energy!" Brock shouted. "We have to stop it!"
Absol attacked—but was swallowed whole.
The monster began absorbing nearby Pokémon, growing stronger by the second!
Ash and the others rushed toward the cliff where Butler stood, still frozen in shock.
Diane grabbed his sleeve. "Butler… is this really what you wanted?"
"No… this isn't it… this isn't what I was trying to create…" he murmured, horrified.
More tentacles lashed out from the beast, even dragging Team Rocket—who had been spying from the bushes—into its body.
"No… Groudon wasn't supposed to be this…" Butler whispered, eyes full of despair.
Suddenly, one of the monster's tentacles struck toward Butler. Diane shoved him aside—and was caught!
"Diane!!" Butler cried out, lunging toward her.
She smiled through tears. "Butler… I love you. Don't forget that. Live on…"
And she was gone—swallowed by the monster's maw.
"DIIIIAANEEE—!!" Butler screamed in agony.
Ash placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's not gone—not yet. If we stop that thing, we can save her!"
After all… even Team Rocket was probably fine. If anyone had anime protagonist plot armor, it was them.
Tentacles reached for them again. Ash and his friends leapt onto their Flying Pokémon, dodging midair.
Butler clenched his fists. "It's after Jirachi's power…!"
He turned to Ash, his face full of desperation. "Ash! Please—I have to save Diane!!"
To be continued...