Seeing Naoki's shocked expression, Pawmot beside him tilted its head in confusion.
The little electric Pokémon leaned closer, trying to see what had happened, but Naoki gently covered its eyes with his hand.
"Pawmot?" Pawmot blinked, puzzled. (What's going on?)
Naoki shook his head firmly. "This isn't for kids to see."
The scene from a moment ago lingered in Naoki's mind, vivid and unsettling—it reminded him of Nergigante from the Monster Hunter game, ruthlessly preying on a small, herbivorous dragon.
Taking a deep breath, Naoki glanced through the telescope again, focusing on the hillside where the hunt had taken place.
There was no sign of Roaring Moon. It had vanished, likely satisfied with its meal. The silence of the night returned, as if nothing had ever happened.
After a few cautious moments, the group of Donphan and Phanpy crept back to their resting spot, returning to the large rock where they had been sleeping earlier.
Naoki sighed quietly, murmuring to himself:
"It seems like Roaring Moon is at the top of the food chain here."
What troubled him most was the unnerving aura that Roaring Moon gave off—something entirely different from modern Pokémon.
"It's like a creature from ancient times, wild and untamed, with a mind not yet touched by intelligence."
He stared at the now-quiet valley below, realizing the fundamental difference between Paradox Pokémon and the Pokémon of today.
Modern Pokémon, through years of interaction with humans, had evolved not only in strength but in temperament—they had adapted to coexist peacefully with people, their instincts shaped toward harmony rather than violence.
By comparison, the Paradox Pokémon—creatures pulled from a distant past—were like beasts untouched by time, living solely by the brutal laws of survival. Their wild, chaotic nature stood in stark contrast to the domesticated Pokémon of the present day.
Naoki reflected on the gap between these two worlds:
"It's like comparing ancient warriors from the jungle to office workers in the city."
He shuddered at the thought.
And it wasn't just Roaring Moon—all Paradox Pokémon carried that same primal energy. Their sheer untamed presence made them unpredictable, and Naoki knew they wouldn't be easy to handle.
"They really are… primitive," Naoki whispered, his earlier excitement now tempered by a sense of unease.
He realized that he couldn't look at these Pokémon with the same mindset as with modern ones. They weren't just ordinary Pokémon—they were relics of an era long gone.
Just as he lost the urge to continue observing, a thunderous explosion suddenly echoed through the valley below, shaking the quiet night.
Startled, Naoki snapped out of his thoughts and ran to the edge of the cliff, with Pawmot, Dragonite, and Koraidon following close behind.
Together, they peered over the edge of the cliff, trying to make sense of the disturbance down in the valley.
In the midst of the roaring flames, a group of small Pokémon scattered in panic, their escape filled with fear and confusion.
Suddenly, a blazing heat ray sliced through the air, igniting the dry grass and trees around them. The flames spread rapidly, blocking the fleeing Raichu group from moving forward.
One Raichu skidded to a halt at the edge of the inferno, sparks crackling fiercely on its cheeks. With a defiant cry, it unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt toward the sky, the streak of lightning cutting through the night.
But it missed.
Naoki adjusted the telescope, following the path of the Raichu's desperate attack.
In the dark sky, a strange figure floated ominously, its body emanating a fiery glow. The mysterious Pokémon had sleek red horns on its head, a metallic tail that gleamed like silver, and three pairs of glowing wings hovering behind it like futuristic propellers.
Naoki's breath hitched as recognition dawned. "Iron Moth... the future form of Volcarona."
But something was off—it didn't seem to be hunting.
The Iron Moth hovered gracefully in the air, its cold, mechanical gaze fixed on the Raichu. It released bursts of heat rays, herding the frightened Pokémon toward a single direction, almost as if it were observing their behavior.
The Raichu group had no choice but to keep moving. Before long, they found themselves trapped at the edge of a waterfall, the rushing water below roaring like an abyss.
The Iron Moth's metallic wings began to glow brighter, spreading out like the fiery wings of a god of destruction. A scorching heat gathered around it, hinting at the overwhelming power it was about to unleash.
The Raichu below trembled but stood their ground.
And then—just as humans sometimes show unexpected strength in the face of danger—the Raichu synchronized their electric powers.
Suddenly, a blinding burst of electricity erupted from the group, their combined energy resonating in the air. Above them, storm clouds began to gather, swirling ominously until, with a crackling boom, a massive bolt of lightning struck the Iron Moth with pinpoint accuracy.
The Iron Moth staggered mid-air, sparks flying from its metallic frame as if its mechanical core had been damaged. Smoke billowed from its body, and with a mechanical whir, it tumbled helplessly into the depths of the crater below, vanishing from sight.
The threat was gone, and the Raichu group panted heavily, their bodies trembling with relief. But they didn't linger—after a brief moment of rest, they quickly scampered away, disappearing into the twisting terrain of the crater.
Watching the scene unfold, Naoki exhaled slowly, a wave of relief washing over him.
"Not bad," he murmured with a smile. "It seems these modern Pokémon aren't entirely defenseless."
Beside him, Pawmot and Dragonite stared at the now-empty battlefield, their expressions filled with awe and a hint of nervousness.
Naoki crouched down to their level, his voice firm but kind. "Did you see that? This place is dangerous. You need to stay close and not wander off."
"Pawmot!" Pawmot nodded eagerly, determined to stick by Naoki's side.
Naoki couldn't help but notice the unsettling difference between the ancient Paradox Pokémon and the futuristic ones.
"The intentions of the ancient ones are easy to read," he thought. "They act purely on primal instincts—hunting, surviving."
But the future species were different. The fusion of high-tech machinery and organic life gave them an eerie, detached quality. It was difficult to predict their actions or understand their motives.
"They feel cold," Naoki muttered to himself, "like machines imitating life, with purposes we can't easily grasp."
The realization left him uneasy.
Straightening up, Naoki gave his Pokémon a reassuring look. "That's enough for today. We'll continue exploring tomorrow."
With a final glance at the waterfall, Naoki put away his telescope and headed back toward the observatory, his Pokémon following closely behind.
---
The next morning, the Great Crater of Paldea awoke to the gentle touch of sunlight. The once-menacing landscape was now bathed in a serene, golden glow, as if the previous night's terrors had been nothing but a bad dream.
Standing at the observatory's edge, Naoki took in the breathtaking scenery, marveling at how the crater's beauty masked the ferocity that came with the night.
"It's hard to believe," he thought, "that such a beautiful place turns into a ruthless hunting ground under the cover of darkness."
Naoki packed his belongings, slung his travel backpack over his shoulders, and continued his journey deeper into the Great Crater of Paldea.
By noon, he and his Pokémon arrived at a forest bathed in colorful crystals.
As Naoki studied the landscape, his gaze fell upon the massive tree roots completely encased in glittering crystal. He murmured thoughtfully, "It seems the crystallized energy has seeped into the trees as well."
The shimmering crystals reminded him of Terastallization—the phenomenon where Pokémon become cloaked in sparkling crystal, making their bodies glimmer like finely cut gems and radiate brilliant light.
According to Naoki's understanding, Terastallization was likely connected to the mysterious Terastal energy that flowed from beneath the ground in the Paldea region.
He scratched his head. "Could it be the source of this energy is some ancient creature… perhaps even the mysterious Terapagos?"
It was only a guess. Unfortunately, the DLC content for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet hadn't been released before Naoki was pulled into this world, so neither he nor the locals knew the truth behind it.
"Could Terapagos be slumbering deep underground?" he wondered, brushing his hand against the energy crystals on the tree. A faint hum of power thrummed beneath his fingertips, sending a subtle but thrilling jolt through his palm.
Beside him, Koraidon tilted its head, curiously admiring its own reflection in one of the crystals.
But suddenly, Koraidon spotted something moving behind them in the reflection.
"Raao?"
Alert, Koraidon spun around, swiping instinctively with its powerful claws.
WHAM!
The object hurtled through the air, slamming face-first into a tree. It slid down the trunk in a tangled mess, landing awkwardly in the grass.
Naoki jumped to his feet, his hand instinctively gripping the Poké Balls in his pocket.
"What was that?" he asked, scanning the area cautiously.
Koraidon gave a confused shake of its head. "Raao...?" (I don't know either.)
Naoki adjusted his stance, eyes narrowing as the figure in the grass came into focus. Wait a minute—was that… Jigglypuff?
No. This wasn't an ordinary Jigglypuff—it had wild, untamed features. "Scream Tail?" Naoki whispered to himself in disbelief.
Memories of Roaring Moon, the savage Paradox Pokémon he saw the night before, flashed through Naoki's mind. His heart raced.
"Stay alert, Koraidon!" Naoki warned sharply.
Koraidon tensed, ready for action. "Raao!"
The Scream Tail Pokémon, having peeled itself off the tree trunk, now stood wobbling on unsteady feet. A red mark streaked across its face from the collision, making it look more comical than threatening.
With a loud, exaggerated cry—"YAAAAAH!"—Roaring Tail let loose a fierce battle cry, thumping its chest like a wild gorilla from a prehistoric world.
Without hesitation, it charged headlong at Koraidon, its small body bursting with untamed energy.
Koraidon blinked, momentarily stunned by the ferocity of the tiny Pokémon. It instinctively raised a clawed hand, preparing to swat the little savage away.
But before it could make contact, Scream Tail lunged, sinking its sharp fangs deep into Koraidon's arm.
"Raao!" Koraidon yelped in surprise, shaking its arm furiously to dislodge the clingy creature.
Despite Koraidon's best efforts, Scream Tail clung on with unyielding determination, its fangs latched tight.
Naoki rushed forward. "Hang on, Koraidon! I'll help!"
Grabbing Scream Tail's tiny body, Naoki pulled with all his might, trying to pry the stubborn Pokémon off Koraidon's arm.
For a moment, Scream Tail's round body stretched comically long, but it stubbornly refused to let go.
Naoki gritted his teeth, tugging at the ancient Jigglypuff's body with all his strength. He even accidentally pulled out a few tufts of its fluffy fur before collapsing onto the grass, panting.
"Alright, enough of this," Naoki muttered, catching his breath. "If brute force won't work, let's try something else."
With a quick command, Naoki pointed toward the persistent Scream Tail. "Koraidon, use Flamethrower!"
Without hesitation, Koraidon unleashed a searing jet of flames, engulfing Scream Tail in a blazing inferno.
"YAAAAAAAAHHHH!" the Scream Tail screeched, finally letting go of Koraidon's arm.
Its fur, now singed and smoking, flared as it ran wildly in circles, desperately trying to extinguish the flames.
Once the fire had burned out, a powerful psychic energy exploded from Scream Tail's small frame, sending shockwaves through the air.
The tiny Pokémon's face twisted in rage, and with a defiant shriek, it roared: "SCREEEEEEEEE!"
Then, with a burst of power, a solid wave of Psychic energy surged from Scream Tail, aimed directly at Koraidon.
Naoki's heart raced—there was no way this confrontation was going to end peacefully now.
"Alright, Koraidon! Use Collision Course !" Naoki commanded without hesitation.
He knew that Dragon-type moves wouldn't affect Scream Tail and Fighting-type moves would barely scratch it. Collision Course, however, was their best bet—a powerful attack to end the fight decisively.
With a fierce snarl, Koraidon's body ignited. Flames roared to life, enveloping it in a blazing inferno, transforming the Pokémon into a fiery comet charging toward its target.
The Psychic blast from Scream Tail slammed into Koraidon mid-charge, but the mighty dragon plowed straight through the attack without faltering.
BOOM!
The two collided with a thunderous impact.
The force of the blow sent Scream Tail flying, its body crashing into a nearby tree with a heavy thud. It slumped to the ground, defeated.
The flames surrounding Koraidon fizzled out as it exhaled deeply, steam rising from its body.
Naoki rushed to his partner's side, offering him a bottle of Moomoo Milk. "Here, buddy. Drink up."
Koraidon gratefully took the bottle in its claws, tipped it back, and gulped down the milk in one go. "Raao."
With Koraidon rejuvenated, Naoki approached the unconscious Scream Tail, carefully studying the Pokémon lying before him.
"Except for the massive ponytail on its head, it almost looks like a regular Jigglypuff," Naoki mused, crouching down beside it.
He tilted his head, comparing it to the familiar Jigglypuff he knew from the modern world. "No... it's not quite the same. Jigglypuff doesn't have sharp little fangs like these. And it's much smaller."
The Scream Tail lying before him was at least one meter tall, nearly twice the size of a typical Jigglypuff.
"It's definitely a wild one," Naoki said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "But... compared to Roaring Moon from last night, this one's not so bad."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully, considering his next move. "Should I try to catch it?"
After a brief moment of hesitation, Naoki made his decision. Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out an empty Poké Ball.
He gave Koraidon a quick nod before carefully placing the Poké Ball on Scream Tail's forehead.
In the next moment, Scream Tail's body transformed into a streak of red light and was pulled into the Poké Ball.
"Bloop! Bloop!"
The Poké Ball landed on the ground and began to shake violently, the button at its center flashing with a bright red light.
Once, twice, three times...
The Pokémon inside struggled fiercely, causing the Poké Ball to tremble. But soon, the shaking slowed, and the glowing red light dimmed until it stopped entirely.
Capture complete.
"Did it work?" Naoki whispered, a bit surprised.
He cautiously picked up the Poké Ball from the ground. After a moment of hesitation, he pressed the button on the ball, aiming at the empty space beside him.
In a flash of white light, Scream Tail reappeared, fully conscious despite its weakened state.
"SCREEEE!"
Even though it was visibly exhausted, Scream Tail looked just as wild and aggressive as before. Its fangs gleamed as it floated forward, making a beeline for Naoki with an angry snarl.
Before the ancient Jigglypuff could get close, Koraidon swatted it away with a quick flick of its claws.
"Raao!"
Scream Tail hit the ground with a thud, but it quickly jumped back up, howling fiercely. The high-pitched sound echoed through the forest, making Naoki wince as he clutched his head.
"That's enough!" Naoki groaned, recalling Scream Tail back into the Poké Ball to end the commotion.
The surroundings returned to silence as Naoki stared at the Poké Ball in his hand, deep in thought.
"Looks like Poké Balls don't have any kind of mind-control feature..." Naoki mused with a wry smile. "Even after catching a Pokémon, you can't just make it obedient right away."
He thought back to Scream Tail's erratic behavior and chuckled softly. "Of course, it's a wild Pokémon from ancient times. Despite being a Fairy and Psychic type, it seems to prefer biting and brawling over using special attacks like Dazzling Gleam."
"It acts just like a primitive savage. It's such a shame, though—it looks so cute, but that wild personality is going to be a handful."
Naoki sighed, running a hand through his hair as he considered what to do next.
"If I can't properly tame this Scream Tail, it'll be impossible to bring it back to the ranch," he muttered.
With its current feral nature, Scream Tail could wreak havoc on the ranch. If he and Koraidon weren't vigilant, the situation could turn dangerous for the other Pokémon in no time.
Naoki winced at the thought of the potential disasters: Alcremie being gobbled up in one bite, the hens in the coop attacked in the dead of night, or even Pokémon like Dolliv and Glaceon being harassed.
He sighed again, shaking his head. "What a mess..."