Hilbert and Hilda's Aspirations

The opening ceremony for the next Neo Champion Stadium is about to begin!

Neo Champions are sync pairs who set an example for others on Pasio to measure up to...

I wonder who'll be chosen this time.

It's hard to tell! After all, it's not just about winning Pokémon battles. They might judge what's in your heart, too!

For Rosa and Nate, it was "the power to touch the hearts of others"...

And Cheren and Bianca were chosen for their definition of strength.

I gotta get stronger, so I can be on their level!

You're more fired up than usual. That's so you, Hilda.

But I feel the same!

I don't wanna lose either.

Not to N and Alder, who showed Arceus their strong bonds.

And this might sound kind of ambitious, but...

I also wanna keep growing, so I can protect this world we all live in together!

I'm not as concerned about fancy titles. Those can come later.

Oh, really? You're not interested in titles?

Then I guess I'll just snatch up the Neo Champion title this time!

Hey, you know that's not what I meant! I don't wanna lose to you either!

Ahahaha! I get it!

Let a new Neo Champion Stadium begin!

I've been appointed head judge for this round.

I will, of course, also enlist the help of Iris and Alder.

Without further ado, allow me to announce this tournament's judging criteria.

The theme is..."a future for people and Pokémon to live in."

Thanks to people, Pokémon can draw out their true power.

And with Pokémon by their side, people can travel to worlds unknown.

That is the ideal future Neo Champions should lead people and Pokémon toward.

Thus, in this competition, I'd like to find sync pairs who give me hope for the future!

Everyone! Please show us judges your love for people and Pokémon!

That love that spells hope for the future!

A future for people and Pokémon to live in?

All right! Let's show those judges what we've got!

Yeah!

N's the head judge, so we've gotta show him how serious we are!

Do your best, Hilbert! Hilda!

We'll be cheering for you!

Thanks, you two!

Then...I better get started! I'm off for some training!

Ah, Hilda! Wait up!

Hilda sure seems excited about this one!

I've gotta keep up! Now, who can I get to train with m...

We interrupt this program with breaking news!

A flurry of unforeseen snow has been spotted in an area on Pasio.

Authorities report no malfunctions with the island's climate control systems and are currently investigating the cause.

Snow?

Snow?! What's going on?

The forecast didn't say anything about snow!

This reminds me of Opelucid City...

Oh, it's Hilbert.

What's up?

Hey, Hilda! Is it snowing over there?

Yup. We put our battle on hold, since this snow wasn't on the calendar!

They're saying it's a strange phenomenon, but the cause is still unknown.

I'm gonna check it out with N and others.

Oh, that's why you called! I'd be happy to join you...

Is Pasio...broken?

It's OK. Really.

I heard everything, Hilda! We're gonna go help them, right?

...Sorry! Actually, there's something else I need to do!

Huh?

Hilbert, can you take care of things over there?

I have some stuff I need to take care of here!

Got it! We'll figure out what's causing the snow!

You sure you don't wanna meet up with them?

It's OK! If Hilbert and the others are there, the investigation's in good hands!

What we need to prioritize first...

is making sure everyone here feels safe!

It's OK, everyone! No need to worry!

My friends are looking into the snow situation!

They're all super strong and reliable, so no matter what, we're gonna be OK!

Really? Your friends are amazing!

Yeah! Nemona here is a Paldea Champion.

And Nate's a Pasio Neo Champion!

Y-yeah! And don't forget Hilda! She's strong, too!

We'll prove it to you right now, with a battle!

All right! Let's battle!

Let's warm ourselves and our hearts with a Pokémon battle!

While Hilda's group was heating things up with a Pokémon battle...

Hilbert's group continued to investigate the peculiar weather.

We found some leads sooner than expected, thanks to everyone pitching in!

Based on our intel, folks noticed a chill coming from that direction.

I can hear some unsettling sounds coming from inside.

I think it's safe to assume something in that cave is causing the disturbance.

Yeah. Let's check it out.

We've come pretty far now.

It's been getting darker and darker.

And a lot colder, too.

Whoa, hold up! That's...

Kyurem?!

But...

It's different from the Kyurem you left with me, Hilbert.

And it's not Ghetsis's Kyurem, either!

There's a third Kyurem?!

Also, what's that Pokémon it's battling? I've never seen it before!

It looks like Virizion...but it's different.

Kyurem's cold air's getting even colder!

It's losing control!

Wait... Could this be what's causing all that snow?

Then I guess we have no choice.

We might have to get a little rough and use force to stop it!

That does seem the only way.

Let's battle this chill with fire, Hilbert!

OK!

The cold air's letting up. It seems it's calmed down.

That Virizion-looking Pokémon isn't gonna attack us, is it.

It was battling to stop Kyurem. That's why it's cooperating.

This Kyurem needs our help.

If we leave it like this, it'll freeze things again, and that'd be tough on Kyurem!

Indeed. It's closed off its heart, so I can't hear its voice.

Hilbert! Don't get too close! It's dangerous!

I'm sorry, Kyurem. You must've been scared.

This is an artificial island called Pasio. Here, people and Pokémon get along and live together.

If you kept rampaging, Pasio would've frozen over. That's why we had to stop you.

What do you wanna do?

If you don't like it here, I can help you get back to your home world.

But if you wanna stay...we'll protect you.

So don't be afraid!

I'll protect whatever future you want to live in!

Its cold air stopped...

Wow, Hilbert! Can you talk to Pokémon now, like N?

No, it wasn't that...

I think your feelings got through, even if it couldn't entirely understand you.

It seems Kyurem's chosen to stay with you, Hilbert.

Thanks, Kyurem!

Ah, there it goes...

If that Pokémon hadn't been here, the snow would've spread a lot more.

Mhm. Yeah!

Got it! I'll let everyone know!

Hey, everyone! Sounds like Hilbert's group figured out what caused the weird weather!

Huh? What Pokémon is that?

Whoa! I've never seen that Pokémon before!

It looks almost like Bianca's Virizion...but kind of different.

So mechanical... It must be one of those future Paradox Pokémon Florian told us about!

I'd love to battle it, but it looks exhausted.

D'you think it just battled someone?

At a closer look, it seems partially frozen...

Maybe this is the Pokémon Hilbert said helped them battle Kyurem?

Really? Kyurem?!

I guess it did what it could to help!

Kinda like you today, Hilda!

You must've fought your heart out! Feeling any better?

Whoa! I think it's challenging you to a battle, Hilda!

But we just got you healed up...

I guess you and I think alike!

All right! I accept your challenge!

Hilbert filled me in on what happened.

I hear you did your best to put everyone at ease, Hilda.

I only did what I could! Nemona and Nate helped, too!

Plus, I had an amazing encounter!

Meet my new partner Pokémon!

Whoa! That Pokémon, !

We battled fair and square and got to know each other better!

Heeeey! I brought him!

Thanks, Nemona! You must be Florian, huh?

Yup! Nice to meet you!

So, I just HAVE to know... Do you know what Pokémon this is?

Yup! It's most likely Iron Leaves.

It's a Paradox Pokémon from the future, or so they say!

Just like Nemona said!

How curious! I wonder if it's related to Virizion!

And I guess that Pokémon over there is the Kyurem that was producing all that cold air?

Yeah.

That means two special Pokémon met on Pasio and battled each other.

Something strange must've happened here. Something paranormal!

C'mon, Hilbert! Let's battle with our new partner Pokémon!

What?! Now?!

Why not? I bet Iron Leaves and Kyurem wanna settle the score, too!

Oh, OK!

As long as that's what they want...

Then it's settled!

... ... ...

Days later...

I'd like to celebrate our two new Neo Champions!

I'm sure many of you may already know, but the other day, when we had that weather disturbance...

Hilda reassured everyone it'd be OK, and Hilbert connected with the Pokémon behind the disturbance, which resolved the issue.

They didn't just battle. They took action to protect the future of people and Pokémon alike!

It doesn't look like this excitement will let up anytime soon...

so why don't we give the audience more of what they want!

This time, WE'LL be your opponents!

You don't have to twist my arm!

If N's going with that Pokémon...

then we'll work together and take them on!

Look at you two, both fired up and ready!

Yeah! We'll go all out to protect everyone's future.

That's what we have to show them!

Here we go, too!

To connect the present to the far-off future Iron Leaves came from...

I have to protect that future, in which everyone can live together with a smile!

Let's begin!

A world in which people and Pokémon can help each other and live together...

That's the future we're fighting for!