Recaps

Li Wei trained Korrina and her newly evolved Lucario at the Jubilife Breeding Center, teaching them conditioning, aura work, and battle moves. After several days, Korrina also began helping Lycanroc lose weight, while Li Wei prepared for the center’s year-end dinner.

• Li Wei outfitted Lucario with the Liquid Alloy Training Device and had Korrina guide it through basic conditioning and aura training.
• Li Wei taught Korrina about type matchups and planned to train her in Power-Up Punch, Ice Punch, and Thunder Punch with Lucario as her guide.
• Over five days, Korrina settled in, helped with breeding-center tasks, and Lucario adapted to the training device before Li Wei increased its intensity.
• Li Wei asked Korrina to help Lycanroc lose weight, and she began taking it running alongside Lucario.
• Li Wei practiced clarifying broth in the kitchen ahead of the next evening’s party and group dinner.

On December 24, Li Wei and the Breeding Center’s staff prepared an outdoor holiday gathering and welcomed Professor Rowan’s group. As guests arrived, Ash and Brock also set off for Professor Oak’s Laboratory gathering.

• Li Wei woke late, ate breakfast with Lalami and Mizuki, and learned that Lalami planned to visit her parents and teacher in Canalave City.
• Li Wei joined Dayou, Lucario, Incineroar, and Machamp in clearing snow from the Breeding Center’s paths.
• Li Wei and the staff set up an outdoor hot pot gathering, and Professor Rowan’s group arrived to help prepare.
• Li Wei told Professor Rowan that Lance, Steven, and Blue could not attend because they were spending the holiday elsewhere.
• Ash and Brock prepared to leave for the gathering at Professor Oak’s Laboratory after Ash finished competing in Johto’s Silver Conference.

Professor Oak's group prepared an outdoor hot pot while Ash challenged Red to a battle and Brock helped with the cooking. At the Breeding Center, Li Wei and Cynthia took a walk together, and Roland and Vera spotted them, both stunned by the pairing.

• Green organized the preparations at Professor Oak's Laboratory while Akin and Red battled in the yard.
• Ash arrived with Brock and ingredients, then challenged Red to a battle, with Akin insisting on joining in.
• Brock agreed to prepare the hot pot ingredients and told Green he planned to travel to Hoenn with Ash.
• Li Wei invited Cynthia for a walk through the snowy Breeding Center after his father sent him away from the dinner preparations.
• Section Chief Zoro, Belle, Dayou, and Wen Hui gathered at the Breeding Center as wild Pokémon greeted Li Wei and Cynthia.
• Roland and Vera rode past on Salamence, saw Li Wei walking with Cynthia, and stared at them in surprise.

Li Wei celebrated the holiday with friends at the Jubilife Breeding Center and Professor Oak's Laboratory, where everyone enjoyed his spicy hot pot. He invited them to the Pokémon Restaurant's January 26 opening, and Wen Hui sent the employees home with bonuses and New Year's cash gifts.

• Roland accepted Li Wei and Cynthia's relationship, warned them not to break up, and asked Li Wei to treat her sister well.
• Li Wei's friends praised his hot pot at Professor Oak's Laboratory, while Ash and Akin competed to eat the most.
• Li Wei invited his friends to the Pokémon Restaurant's January 26 opening and promised them a free meal.
• Red invited Yellow to go to the opening with him, leaving her blushing, and also invited Blue and Green.
• Wen Hui gave the employees their year-end bonuses and New Year's cash gifts before they went home.

Li Wei and his family said goodbye to friends and staff at the Jubilife Breeding Center before taking the Maglev Train back to Celestic Town for the New Year. After arriving, they made plans for dinner with Professor Carolina while Cynthia and Roland headed home first.

• Professor Rowan and the Rowan Research Institute staff thanked Li Wei for dinner and left the Breeding Center.
• Li Wei drove Korrina and Gurkinn to the airport, where Korrina promised to train hard and fulfill her duties as a Gym Trainer.
• Li Wei and his family said goodbye to Nurse Joy and the remaining staff, then asked Arcanine and Luxray to guard the Breeding Center during their absence.
• Li Wei, his family, Cynthia, and Roland took the Maglev Train to Celestic Town.
• Cynthia and Roland said they would stop at home first, and Cynthia agreed to invite Professor Carolina to dinner.

Li Wei returned to his old home in Celestic Town with his family and Pokémon, and they cleaned the house before he went to buy ingredients. Elsewhere, Cogita waited for the person from another world guided by Arceus as a battle between Black Rayquaza and an avatar of Arceus was about to begin.

• Xiao Meng returned to her house while Wen Hui reminded her to join them for meals.
• Li Wei brought his Pokémon to his old home, leaving Milotic at the Breeding Center, and Arcanine ran off to roam the nearby area.
• Li Wei and his family cleaned the house with help from Gengar, Gardevoir, Lucario, and their other Pokémon.
• Li Wei set out to buy ingredients with Lucario, Diancie, Vera, and Tyrunt.
• Cogita waited in her cabin for a person from another world guided by Arceus, while Black Rayquaza faced an avatar of Arceus in space.

Black Rayquaza challenged Arceus’s avatar in space and defeated her after a fierce battle. Arceus healed them both and gave the exhausted Rayquaza a task.

• Cogita watched as Black Rayquaza began his fifth challenge against Arceus’s avatar in space.
• Black Rayquaza Mega Evolved, activated Delta Stream, and struck Arceus with Dragon Ascent, cracking her avatar despite her Ice Plate and Judgment.
• Arceus foresaw many possible defeats for Rayquaza, while he endured her icy attacks and continued battling as she switched Plates to counter him.
• Black Rayquaza attacked Arceus relentlessly, eventually cracking one of her Plates and winning the battle.
• Arceus restored their injuries and shattered Plates, acknowledged Rayquaza’s victory, and said she had a task for him.

Black Rayquaza earned Arceus's avatar's recognition after winning their fifth challenge, then returned to the atmosphere feeling lonely for lack of worthy opponents. At dinner in Celestic Town, Professor Carolina noticed Cynthia and Li Wei's closeness and confronted Cynthia after they got home.

• Black Rayquaza defeated Arceus's avatar in their fifth challenge and accepted new duties from Arceus.
• Cogita watched from the Mt. Coronet Foothills and was surprised by Black Rayquaza's progress.
• Cynthia and Roland invited Professor Carolina to dinner, where she noticed Cynthia sitting beside Li Wei and learned he had made the meal.
• Roland and Cynthia told Professor Carolina about Li Wei's cooking, Pokémon Breeding skills, competition win, and rare Pokémon.
• After returning home, Professor Carolina teased Cynthia and asked what was going on between her and Li Wei, while Roland fled.

Cynthia told Professor Carolina that she and Li Wei had been dating for about two months, and her grandmother immediately began asking about marriage. Cynthia admitted she would be willing to marry Li Wei but felt it was too soon, while Professor Carolina urged her to be sure of her feelings.

• Cynthia told Professor Carolina that she and Li Wei were dating and explained she had kept it quiet because she feared her grandmother would push them to marry.
• Professor Carolina asked Cynthia to recount how their relationship began, then suggested they marry next year.
• Cynthia refused, saying the timing was too soon, and explained that she did want to marry Li Wei eventually.
• Professor Carolina teased Cynthia about being willing to marry Li Wei as he was, and Cynthia's blush revealed her feelings.
• Professor Carolina told Cynthia to make sure of her feelings soon, while Li Wei chatted with Ash and the others in the Chat Group.

At home in Celestic Town, Cynthia told Professor Carolina more about Li Wei, and Carolina reassured her that their happiness mattered more than marriage. After learning about Li Wei’s abilities, Carolina proposed hiring him as a special consultant on Ancient Script.

• Professor Carolina told Cynthia she did not need to marry as long as she and Li Wei were happy together.
• Cynthia described Li Wei’s successful Breeding Center and upcoming Pokémon Restaurant, then revealed that he could make potions and translate the Ancient Language.
• Roland accidentally revealed she had been eavesdropping, and Cynthia explained that Li Wei had translated inscriptions, including text about Almighty Sinnoh.
• Cynthia said Li Wei preferred breeding Pokémon to research, while she also valued both her mythology studies and her Pokémon.
• Professor Carolina suggested hiring Li Wei as a special consultant, and Cynthia agreed to ask what he thought.

Cynthia and Li Wei spent their first proper date together in Celestic Town, sharing a quiet evening and learning more about each other’s lives. The date ended with Cynthia leaving money to help the barbecue shop owner, while Li Wei agreed to pay the bill.

• Cynthia asked Li Wei out, and the two sat together on a park bench before deciding to begin their first proper date.
• Cynthia and Li Wei went to a small barbecue restaurant she had discovered with Roland and told the owner that Li Wei was her boyfriend.
• Cynthia explained that the owner’s husband had died in a car accident and that her daughter needed medical treatment, which Cynthia had quietly helped fund.
• The owner served Cynthia and Li Wei extra food and beer, and Cynthia left her cash beneath a plate before asking Li Wei to pay the bill.

After his first date with Cynthia, Li Wei began searching Celestic Town for Cogita, whom he believed might know how he had come to this world. Cynthia stayed with Professor Carolina and Roland, while the name Cogita stirred an unexplained memory in her.

• The proprietress noticed the money Li Wei had left beneath the plate and wished him and Cynthia happiness as they walked away.
• Li Wei and Cynthia shared their first embrace before he left her at home and returned to his room, where Lucario and Metagross had waited for him.
• The next day, Li Wei set out with Lucario and Arcanine to search Celestic Town for Cogita, while Cynthia agreed to spend two days with Professor Carolina and Roland first.
• Cynthia repeatedly tried to remember where she had heard Cogita's name, but Roland said she did not recognize it.
• Roland explained that she had stayed up studying research reports from the Saffron City Forum Summit, and Cynthia told her to get some sleep.
• Li Wei reached the market, where vendors greeted him, and Professor Carolina returned from visiting friends around noon.

Cynthia and Li Wei searched for clues about Cogita, whose name appeared in ancient poetry, while Xiao Meng also set out to find her. Cynthia began examining her parents’ research, and Li Wei planned to continue his search at the Celestic Town Police Station.

• Cynthia asked Professor Carolina about Cogita and learned that ancient poems were the only confirmed record of her in Sinnoh.
• Cynthia wondered whether her parents’ research might mention Cogita and opened her parents’ room to search their materials.
• Li Wei asked Lucario to search for Cogita with Aura, then questioned Lidas, who did not recognize her name or appearance.
• Li Wei finished his meal and headed for the Celestic Town Police Station to look for clues.
• Xiao Meng set out to find Cogita, remembering that Cogita had made her noodles and Jubilife Muffins.

Li Wei visited the Celestic Town Police Station to seek leads, while Xiao Meng went to Cogita’s empty home and found a farewell letter. The chapter left Li Wei explaining his request to Officer Jenny, who asked why he wanted to find someone.

• Li Wei registered at the Celestic Town Police Station using his Special Investigator credentials and sought useful leads.
• Xiao Meng visited Cogita’s home with Farfetch’d, recalling how Cogita had taught her to make Jubilife Muffins and helped her in the past.
• Xiao Meng found Cogita’s house empty and discovered a sealed letter that she understood as a farewell.
• Xiao Meng put the letter back, thanked Cogita, and left determined to keep living well.
• Li Wei told Officer Jenny that he wanted to find someone, and she asked him to explain why.

Li Wei searched Celestic Town for Cogita and learned that she had been seen at the foot of the western hills. Xiao Meng wondered about Enamorus, while Cynthia found no mention of Cogita in her parents’ notes; Roland invited her to go eat.

• Li Wei asked Celestic Town's Officer Jenny to check whether anyone named Cogita was registered, but the search returned no matches.
• Celestic Town's Officer Jenny recalled seeing Cogita at the foot of the western hills and offered to take Li Wei there, but he asked only for the general location.
• Xiao Meng and Farfetch'd left the place where Cogita had lived and wondered whether Enamorus was a rare Pokémon like Diancie.
• Cynthia told Roland that she had searched her parents' notes for records about Cogita but had found none so far.
• Roland invited Cynthia to go eat, and Cynthia agreed.

Li Wei searched for Cogita in Celestic Town and learned from Xiao Meng that she had once sheltered there, but she had already left. Xiao Meng recalled how Cogita had helped her, while Li Wei concluded that Mt. Coronet was the likeliest place to find her next.

• Li Wei unexpectedly met Xiao Meng while searching Celestic Town's western foothills for Cogita.
• Li Wei questioned Xiao Meng and realized that the elder she had come to visit was likely Cogita.
• Xiao Meng led Li Wei to Cogita's empty wooden home, where he read her letter and learned she had been gone for at least a month.
• Li Wei inferred from Cogita's farewell that they might meet again and suspected her other residence was on Mt. Coronet.
• Xiao Meng told Li Wei how Cogita had helped her as a child, and Li Wei reassured her before they headed home to eat.

Li Wei prepared to return to the Jubilife Breeding Center after becoming the Pokémon League’s youngest recognized Top Breeder and receiving powerful system rewards, including Sacred Ash. He left Celestic Town with Wen Hui and their Pokémon, ready to prepare the Breeding Center and Pokémon Restaurant for reopening.

• Li Wei reviewed his progress in Breeding, cooking, and Pokéblock Crafting, and planned to seek high-quality ingredients in Jubilife City.
• Li Wei officially became the Pokémon League’s youngest Top Breeder and received an Advanced Ancient Language skill and four Pokémon Item Prize Tickets.
• Li Wei used the tickets to obtain a Speed Enhancer (Powerful Version), an Ancient Coin, Sacred Ash, and a Figy Berry.
• Li Wei learned that Cogita had left Celestic Town and decided he would meet her another time.
• Wen Hui checked that Li Wei and the Pokémon were packed, and they left for the Jubilife Breeding Center to prepare for reopening and the Pokémon Restaurant’s January 25 launch.

Li Wei returned to the Breeding Center with his Pokémon and reunited with the staff who had stayed behind over the holiday. He then brought Dayou to help move Corviknight’s oversized cat tree after Corvisquire evolved during their trip to Celestic Town.

• Li Wei and his family arrived in Jubilife City and drove back to the Breeding Center, where Arcanine greeted them.
• Li Wei released his Pokémon, and Diancie went to greet the Carbink emerging from their winter hibernation.
• Li Wei brought Shaymin to the warm Greenhouse, where Turtwig and Eevee lived.
• Mizuki, Dayou, and the others welcomed Li Wei back and received local specialty gifts from Celestic Town.
• Li Wei asked Dayou to help carry out Corvisquire’s tree-shaped cat tree because Corvisquire had evolved into the towering Corviknight.

Li Wei and Cynthia traveled to Mirror Lake Island with Steven and Sinnoh Ancient Researchers to investigate the Cave Ruins and verify that Calamity’s seal remained intact. Steven confirmed there was no problem with the seal, while the researchers continued studying the ruins and called everyone over to examine a discovery.

• Li Wei and Cynthia arrived at Mirror Lake Island, where the magnetic field had returned to normal and local Water-type Pokémon greeted them.
• Li Wei noticed that the Shiny Seel he had treated had evolved into Dewgong and sent it back to rest in the lake.
• Li Wei and Cynthia took a lift up to the Cave Ruins and met Steven, who was studying the unusual rocks.
• Steven confirmed that Calamity’s seal remained intact and said he had hoped to communicate with the sleeping Giant Vileplume.
• Li Wei and Cynthia joined the Ancient Researchers to study the murals and Ancient Script, then heard someone call everyone over to look at something.

Li Wei, Cynthia, and Steven uncovered ancient records showing that Shaymin had brought life to Mirror Lake Island, helping explain its lush forest and the giant Vileplume’s role in suppressing Giant Scolipede. The researchers began planning stronger protection for the island as a separate study of giant Pokémon started in Johto.

• Cynthia, Steven, and Li Wei examined newly uncovered Cave Ruins murals while researchers cleaned and documented the ancient site.
• Li Wei read the mural’s account of Shaymin, called Heavenly Grace by the island’s early inhabitants, scattering life-giving dust across Mirror Lake Island.
• Li Wei explained that damage to the island’s vegetation during the battle between Giant Dragonite and the Pokémon Hunters had weakened the conditions keeping Giant Scolipede sealed.
• Steven called for Mirror Lake Island to receive priority protection, and Cynthia suggested assigning Pokémon Rangers to patrol it.
• Steven scanned and uploaded the mural as the team planned further study of the ruins and their fallen fragments.
• Oak, Rowan, Elm, Bill, Professor Carolina, and other researchers gathered in Blackthorn City at Dragon’s Den to begin another study of giant Pokémon.

Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, and other researchers gathered in Dragon's Cave to study Giant Dragonite. Their measurements and analysis suggested that he resembled ancient Dragonite, while Professor Rowan examined whether the energy environment could explain how Pokémon size changed over time.

• Lance guided Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, Sonia, Blue, Daisy, and other researchers through Dragon's Cave to a temporary research center in the valley.
• Lance had obtained Giant Dragonite's permission for the study and built him an artificial lake connected to the sea.
• The researchers measured Giant Dragonite at 75.7 meters tall and estimated his weight at a minimum of roughly 8,560 metric tons.
• Professor Oak found that Giant Dragonite's scale structure resembled fossil reconstruction models more than modern Dragonite.
• Blue wondered whether ancient Pokémon had gradually shrunk, while Professor Rowan studied Professor Magnolia's paper on energy fields and Pokémon body size.

Researchers studied the Giant Dragonite to investigate Ancient Pokémon and the origins of their immense size. Professor Carolina proposed that Lance use his Viridian Force to explore the Giant Dragonite’s memories, and Lance chose to accept the risk.

• Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, Professor Elm, Bill, Sonia, and Professor Carolina compared the Giant Dragonite’s energy and ancient records to investigate how Ancient Pokémon had become gigantic.
• The researchers debated what had caused Ancient Pokémon to disappear and whether their size came from natural evolution or a special power.
• The Giant Dragonite told Lance that his kind had hatched from ordinary-sized eggs as Dratini and grown rapidly into Dragonite.
• Professor Carolina proposed that Lance use his Viridian Force to read the Giant Dragonite’s memories, despite the danger to his mind.
• Blue asked Lance to be careful as Lance went to the Artificial Lake, looked at the Giant Dragonite, and closed his eyes.

Lance read Giant Dragonite’s memories and uncovered evidence that it had witnessed ancient battles involving Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Origin Forme Dialga, Origin Forme Palkia, Giratina, and Arceus. The professors began investigating whether an ancient blessing explained giant Pokémon, while Lance and Blue shared the discovery in the Chat Group.

• Lance used Viridian Force and Dragon Power to read Giant Dragonite’s memories, seeing ancient battles between powerful Pokémon and the dragon’s long solitude before finding peace in the Dragon’s Den.
• Lance told Blue and the gathered professors what he had seen, and Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, Professor Elm, Professor Carolina, and others recorded and discussed the findings.
• Sonia contacted Professor Magnolia, and Professor Oak brought his colleagues into an online discussion with Magnolia and Samson Oak.
• Samson Oak explained that Alolan Totem Pokémon were enlarged through guardian blessings, territorial leadership, and Z-Power, distinguishing them from Giant Dragonite.
• Professor Oak proposed that Giant Dragonite’s kind might once have inherited a blessing through reproduction, and the researchers discussed the theory through the night.

Lance reported memories from Giant Dragonite showing Primal Groudon and Kyogre, Dialga and Palkia in their Origin Formes, and Arceus intervening in their clashes. Li Wei, Cynthia, and Steven discussed the ancient Pokémon’s rapid growth and the disappearance of the energy that sustained them, leaving the cause of their extinction unresolved.

• Lance shared that Giant Dragonite’s memories contained Primal Groudon and Kyogre, Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia, and Arceus stopping their battles.
• Li Wei recognized the forms as Primal Reversion and Origin Formes but withheld his knowledge so the professors could investigate them.
• Lance described how a black-marked Dratini hatched from a tiny egg and quickly evolved into a giant Dragonite in an ancient, energy-rich environment.
• Cynthia noted that Giant Dragonite remembered the air suddenly losing energy before it fell into a deep sleep.
• Li Wei proposed that clashes between ancient Legendary Pokémon caused an extinction crisis, and Cynthia agreed it was possible.

Professor Oak, Professor Elm, Professor Carolina, and the other professors studied Giant Dragonite’s memories to understand the origins and extinction of ancient giant Pokémon. They concluded that an emerald energy had helped the Pokémon grow enormous, but they left the cause of its disappearance—and the giants’ extinction—unresolved.

• Professor Oak gathered Professor Sycamore, Professor Magnolia, Professor Samson Oak, and other researchers to study Giant Dragonite and search for the cause of the ancient giants’ extinction.
• Professor Elm proposed that Giant Dragonite’s eggs might have formed through environmental conditions or an energy field rather than normal breeding, while Professor Carolina linked Pokémon Eggs to the creation process attributed to Arceus.
• The professors learned from Giant Dragonite’s memories that many ancient Pokémon had been gigantic and marked with black patterns, and they suspected liquid-like emerald energy in the air had caused their great size.
• Professor Carolina favored the possibility that legendary Pokémon had caused the extinction, while Professor Oak and Professor Rowan favored a natural disaster, such as a massive meteorite, followed by gradual size reduction through natural selection.
• Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, and the other professors resolved to give greater attention to ecology and Pokémon diversity, recognizing that protecting them also protected humanity.