The story came to a close, and an uneasy siletled in the room. No one spoke, the weight of the tale hanging heavily in the air.

  Naoki's thoughts drifted to the cave he had explored earlier. He could still picture the stoable, and bench, each carefully polished to a smooth surface. It wasn't hard to imagihe life that oed there.

  The traveler, an outsider, had arrived at the cave with Ogerpon, hoping to build a home. Together, they hauled rge, uneven rocks from the mountains, smoothing them with care and anticipation of a peaceful future. A bed for sleeping, a table for meals, a stool for resting—it was a simple life, but it was theirs.

  Then, those three greedy Pokémon shattered that peace. The man lost his life, leaving Ogerpon alone in a cave now filled with memories of loss.

  Naoki's chest tightened as he remembered Ogerpon's sadness when he had asked if it always lived there alone. Now he uood why.

  "As," the old man said with a heavy sigh. "The true history is the exact opposite of what the vilge believes. If they khe Three Loyal Pokémon they honor were actually the vilins, I 't imagihe chaos it would cause."

  Naoki nodded solemnly, uanding the gravity of the situation. If the truth came out, the family of the mask craftsman might be persecuted all ain.

  Just as the old man opened his mouth to say more, the door smmed open with a loud bang! A boy, around four or five, and a slightly irl stormed in, their faces flushed with anger.

  "This is so unfair!" the girl cried. "How could the vilgers treat Ogerpon like this?!"

  The old man and Hideko looked horrified. They rushed to the door, cheg outside to ensure no one overheard, then quickly pulled the children inside and shut the door firmly.

  Hideko cmped a hand over the girl's mouth. "Quiet! You mustn't let anyone hear you!" she hissed.

  "But… but!" the girl protested, her muffled words furious.

  The boy, meanwhile, stood silently, his fists ched, his face a storm of emotions.

  The old man frowned. "It's nht to eavesdrop on grown-up versations!" he scolded.

  The two children lowered their heads in guilt. The old man sighed again. "I was going to tell you both when you were older, but since you've overheard, listen carefully. This is a truth you must carry in your hearts and never speak of to anyone else."

  Hideko gestured toward Naoki. "These two are my grandchildren—Carmine and Kieran," she expined apologetically.

  Naoki nodded iing, aowledging the siblings with a small smile.

  After calming the children, the old man turned back to Naoki. "You seem like a capable trainer," he said, his tone serious. "If that's the case, then I ask you to approach Ogerpon as a trainer would. Gain its trust and take it away from here."

  Naoki hesitated. "If Ogerpon were a wild Pokémon, I'd agree. But from everything I've seen, it's clearly not. This pce holds so many memories for it. I 't guara will want to leave."

  "Do your best," the old man urged. "If Ogerpon does choose to leave, then at least the vilgers' debt to it will be partially repaid."

  Naoki nodded, standing up. "I'll try," he said, bowing slightly before turning to leave.

  Before he could reach the door, Carmine and kieran chased after him.

  "Uncle!" Carmine called.

  Naoki froze. 'Uncle?' His face darkened. Did he really look that old?

  Carmine huffed in frustration and nudged her brother forward. "Kieran, stop being a coward! Say what you want to say!"

  Kieran shuffled his feet before stepping forward hesitantly. "Um… are you really a trainer?"

  Naoki nodded. "I suppose you could say that."

  kieran's expression softened with relief. "I've always liked Ogerpon. After hearing Grandpa's story, I really hope it live a better life. If it decides to leave with you, please take good care of it."

  Naoki smiled gently. "I will."

  With that, he bid the siblings farewell and mounted Koraidon, heading back to Oni Mountain. Arriving at the cave, he was surprised to find it empty.

  Naoki searched the area, but there was no sign of Ogerpon. It seemed the masked Pokémon had go.

  With no other options, Naoki returo Mossui Vilge.

  ...

  Late at night, Oni Mountain.

  Ogerpon sat alone oone bench, its familiar mask held tightly in its small hands. Tonight, unlike usual, a pile of freshly picked berries sat ly ooable.

  Ogerpon's mind wahrough the events of the past two days.

  That first day, it had entered a strange human on Oni Mountain.

  No one had dared e to this p a long, long time. When Ogerpon spotted the intruder, it quickly hid, the human cautiously from the shadows.

  To its surprise, the human spotted it almost immediately and followed it back to its cave. Panic overtook Ogerpon—it feared the human might try to attack or drive it away.

  Instead, the humaed it warmly, food with no signs of hostility.

  Ogerpon hadn't known how to react. It was too scared, too fused by the human's kindness. It had bolted from the cave and stayed away until the huma.

  When it returned, it found a small mountain of berries left ooable.

  It had assumed the human would never return. But the day, he came back—kind as ever, speaking softly and leaving behind more food.

  Ogerpon g the overflowing pile of berries oable. It couldn't possibly eat them all. Would the human e back again tomorrow? A flicker of anticipation rose in its chest.

  As it stared at the food, memories from a long, long time ago surfaced.

  When it was still small, a tall human had brought it to this very cave. He had cared for it like his own child, tending to it with warmth and kindness. He, too, would bring berries from the vilge and leave them oable.

  To Ogerpon, that man had been like a father.

  But then… he was gone.

  That day, enraged by his loss, Ogerpon had goo the vilge. It had hunted down the four Pokémon responsible and taken its revenge. But even so, its "father" never returned.

  A siear fell from Ogerpon's eye, nding on the wreen mask in its hands. Then another.

  The longing it carried was endless. Ogerpon buried its fato the mask, muffling its sobs as heavy rain began to pour outside the cave.

  Early the m.

  A torrential downpour bed Mossui Vilge, f the suspension of the agricultural exge meeting. Naoki remained indoors at the unity ter, listening to the steady rhythm of rain against the roof.

  His Pokémon were sprawled across the room, looking bored and listless. After a while, Naoki stood, recalling them into their Poké Balls. He donned a raincoat, mounted Koraidon, and flew through the rain toward Oni Mountain.

  When Naoki finally reached the cave and spotted Ogerpon clutg its mask, he let out a relieved sigh.

  He dismounted and approached cautiously. Koraidon followed, its rge frame moving carefully through the narrow entrance.

  After hearing Ogerpon's story the day before, Naoki felt a heavy weight in his chest every time he thought about the Pokémon's situation. Misuood and hated by the vilgers, it had no choice but to live in this cave filled with bittersweet memories, clutg its mask as though it were the st piece of its past.

  Sympathy welled up within him. Adjusting the straps on his backpaaoki stepped into the cave.

  Naoki wasn't sure how to ferpon. All he could think to do our the food he had brought onto the stoable, pletely disregarding the fact that yesterday's fruits were still untouched.

  Ogerpon stared bnkly at the human bustling about in front of it.

  It hadn't expected the human to return today…

  "Here!" Naoki said with a cheerful grin, pulling out a bottle of milk he'd heated at the unity ter. To keep it warm, he had tucked it into his jacket pocket a it covered. "It's cold and rainy today. Drinking something warm will help."

  He gently pressed the bottle into Ogerpon's hands. Then, without waiting for a response, he pulled a towel from his backpad began drying the rain off Koraidon to keep it from catg a chill.

  Seeing Ogerpon watg from the er of its eye, Naoki said reassuringly, "Don't be afraid of it. This is Koraidon. It might look fierce, but it's really very gentle."

  "Raao!" Koraidon shook itself off, sending droplets of water spshing all over Naoki.

  Naoki chuckled and tinued drying Koraidon's scales. Once he finished, he reached bato his bag and took out a bhat the vilge siblings had packed for him. He spread it ly over the stone bed in the er of the cave.

  To further warm the chilly space, he released his trusty Slugma from its Poké Ball.

  The small, va-bodied Pokémon crawled out, its glowing magma shell radiati. Warmth quickly began to fill the cave. The biting cold gave way to a pleasa, and the dim gray walls of the cave turned a soft e, illuminated by Slugma's fiery glow.

  In just mihe atmosphere transformed pletely. The once-dreary cave became cozy and inviting, so quickly that Ogerpon seemed stunned by the ge.

  Naoki didn't stop there. He pulled a frying pan from his backpack, pced it carefully on Slugma's warm surface, and began preparing breakfast.

  "Thank you, Slugma," he said, feeding the Pokémon a few berries. Slugma's glhtened as it happily ed the treats, raising its temperature further. The oil in the paed quickly, crag as Naoki broke eggs into it. He added sliced Cheri Berries and a sprinkle of herbs before flipping the sizzling mixture. Finally, he toasted slices of bread over Slugma's heat, filling the cave with the aroma of freshly baked bread.

  In a few minutes, Naoki had assembled a hot sandwich, yering the fried eggs and berries between the slices of bread. He turo Ogerpon and held it out.

  "Here. Try this!" he said warmly.

  Ogerpon looked bewildered, its mask tilting slightly as it bli him in fusion.

  Realizing his aight have e across as abrupt, Naoki softened his tone. "Don't worry," he said, gently pg the sandwi the table. "I just want to help."

  Ogerpon tilted its head, its glowing eyes flickering with curiosity.

  Naoki crouched down to meet Ogerpon's gaze. "You don't have to be scared," he said softly. "Ogerpon."

  At the sound of its name, Ogerpon froze. Its wide eyes betrayed its surprise.

  "Pon…?" it murmured quietly, its voice trembling with emotion.

  Naoki smiled and nodded. "A vilger told me about you—about everything you've been through."

  "Pon…"

  "That vilger is the desdant of the craftsman who made your mask. He's deeply sorry for all the pain you've endured."

  "Pon…"

  "I'm very sad about what you've been through," Naoki said gently. "But from the moment I saw you, I knew you weren't the cruel oni everyone says you are."

  Hearing this, Ogerpon looked up, its eyes glimmering like bright stars.

  Naoki grinned. "So, believe me, we mean you no harm. We don't hate you, and we never will—because you've dohing wrong."

  Ogerpon stared at Naoki for a moment, then its expression softened into a faint, happy smile.

  "Pon… Oge~"

  "Here, eat up!" Naoki said, motioning toward the sandwich he'd prepared.

  Ogerpon finally took a small bite of the sandwich, but as it ate, tears began streaming down its face. Large droplets fell oer another, spshing onto the stoable.

  Years of loneliness, the pain of exclusion, the heartbreak of losing its mask, and the sorrow of its caretaker's death—all the emotions it had bottled up for so long came rushing out in waves. Ogerpon sobbed, uo hold back.

  Naoki froze, unsure what to do. "Why is it g all of a sudden?" he muttered to himself, panig slightly. He stood abruptly, and in doing so, actally knocked a few Poké Balls from his pocket.

  The balls hit the ground and popped open, releasing two Pokémon in bursts of white light: Flutter Mane and Cyclizar.

  Cyclizar blinked in fusion at the sight of the g Pokémon. Meanwhile, Flutter Maurs sharp, spectral gaze terpon.

  As a Ghost-type, Flutter Mane could sehe deep sorrow and lingering attat surrounding Ogerpon. Within that aura, it saw the faint silhouette of a tall, imposing figure standing beside the masked Pokémon.

  The figure seemed to realize it had been noticed. Slowly, it turs head toward Flutter Mas gaze meeting the spectral Pokémon's.

  As Ogerpon's sobs subsided, Naoki crouched down aly wiped away its tears. "Do you want to e with us?" he asked softly.

  Ogerpon froze, its eyes widening in surprise.

  "I'm a rancher," Naoki expined. "I came here from far away, and in a few days, I'll be leaving this pce. I want to take you with me—somewhere you'll be safe. Somewhere no one will fear or shun you."

  He paused before tinuing, his tone warm and inviting. "At my home, there are lots of other Pokémon. You could make so many new friends and live in peace. Would you like that?"

  Naoki extended his hand terpon, it a choice.

  Ogerpoated. It looked down at the mask in its hands, then at the human's outstretched hand. The thought of bei behind, alone in the cold, empty cave again filled it with dread.

  Gathering its ce, Ogerpon slowly reached out and pced its small hand into Naoki's.

  Naoki smiled, relief washing over him. He gently csped Ogerpon's slightly cold hand. "Then e home with me," he said softly.

  "Pon!" Ogerpon chirped, its voice bright with determination.

  ...

  At some point, the rain outside had stopped. As Naoki and his Pokémon stepped out of the cave, they were greeted by a clear, blue sky stretg endlessly above.

  Naoki paused, turning back to look at the cave's entrance. Silently, he made a promise to himself: 'Don't worry, I'll take good care of Ogerpon. I'll never let it gh this kind of pain again.'

  At the same time, Flutter Mane gnced back toward the cave. It saw the ghostly figure standing at the entrance, gazing out at them with a calm expression. Slowly, the figure raised a hand in a gesture of farewell before fading away, its lingering attat finally dissolving.

  "Flutter Mane?" Naoki's voice broke the moment.

  Flutter Mauro see Naoki holding up its Poké Ball. "It's time to go home," he said with a smile.

  "Mreem," Flutter Mane replied softly. It gave o g the cave before diving into the Poké Ball in a swirl of light.