Hearing Zoroark's words, Gardevoir blinked in confusion, momentarily unable to process.
This Pokémon in front of her... was actually letting her go?
But why?
Gardevoir carefully observed Zoroark. The other Pokémon looked fierce, difficult to communicate with, and possessed a strong sense of territory and immense strength—she'd even been chasing down Giratina earlier.
Why would such a fearsome Pokémon suddenly choose to let her leave?
Instinctively, Gardevoir's guard rose further.
Across from her, seeing Gardevoir's distrustful gaze, Zoroark naturally understood what the other was thinking.
If Elias were still here...
Seeing a shiny Gardevoir casually roaming around her territory, she'd definitely have chased her away at all costs, lest Elias's attention be drawn.
But now…
Unpleasant memories resurfaced, and Zoroark lowered her eyes gloomily.
"Once, a certain idiot told me he liked Pokémon like Gardevoir. That's why I'm letting you go."
"Understand now?"
It was rare for Zoroark to explain herself, and once finished, she felt even more drained emotionally.
No matter how long it had been, she still yearned desperately to return to her trainer's side.
Noticing Zoroark's melancholy aura, Gardevoir seemed to vaguely understand something.
That "idiot" she mentioned must've been her trainer, right?
After all, she herself had endured a similarly deep despair once.
Only… in her case, she'd managed to reunite with her trainer.
She'd found the person she loved most.
The Pokémon in front of her appeared to share a similar experience—except, it seemed, with a completely different outcome.
Gradually, Gardevoir's hostility toward her eased.
Still…
"My trainer is starving too. I need berries for him to eat."
Gardevoir pointed firmly toward the distant berry grove.
Until she collected some berries, she wasn't giving up.
Though the Pokémon before her appeared very strong, Gardevoir—now holding the [Mind Plate]—felt equally confident in her own strength.
Even if they fought, she believed she could safely retreat afterward with the berries.
Hearing Gardevoir's determined voice, Zoroark paused, brows slightly furrowing.
"A trainer?"
"You didn't come here alone?" she asked curiously.
Gardevoir nodded immediately.
"Of course not. My trainer and I were dragged here by Giratina."
"We ran out of food days ago, so today I must bring something back."
Saying that, she gripped the [Mega Stone] around her neck, clearly ready to fight if necessary.
Seeing this, Zoroark fell silent.
The berry grove behind her had been cultivated from seeds she'd taken from Cogita's cabin.
Besides providing food, it represented memories of her past life.
Naturally… she'd never intended to share its fruits with anyone else.
Yet, seeing this Gardevoir reminded her painfully of herself and Elias long ago.
Clearly, Gardevoir cared deeply for her trainer, even willing to fight over food for his sake.
Moreover, the admiration and affection unconsciously reflected in Gardevoir's eyes deeply resonated with her own feelings from the past.
She'd once gazed at Elias with the same longing.
This Gardevoir's feelings toward her trainer were clearly more profound than typical Pokémon affection.
At that thought, Zoroark's gaze softened slightly.
"Follow me."
She turned around, speaking calmly to Gardevoir.
After careful consideration, she decided to share some berries with her.
She didn't want the tragedy she'd suffered with Elias to repeat itself, especially due to Giratina's meddling.
Seeing Zoroark's actions, Gardevoir's eyes brightened with pleasant surprise.
Had she… convinced her?
If she could avoid conflict entirely and still secure the berries, that would be ideal.
"Thank you."
Walking beside Zoroark, Gardevoir expressed genuine gratitude.
Though she'd initially sensed rivalry upon meeting the other Pokémon, perhaps she'd overthought things.
This Pokémon seemed cold outwardly but had proven unexpectedly kind-hearted.
"Do you and your trainer get along well?"
Zoroark glanced at Gardevoir, casually asking.
"Of course! I'm his most important Pokémon."
Mentioning Elias, Gardevoir proudly lifted her head.
"Although we briefly parted ways in the past... now we've reunited better than ever."
As she spoke, a gentle smile unconsciously spread across her lips.
Beside her, Zoroark was briefly dazzled by the pure happiness radiating from Gardevoir.
Separated and then reunited?
How nice...
She'd dreamed countless times of such a scenario, but sadly, it was impossible now.
Through repeated clashes with Giratina, she'd gradually understood that Elias had likely made some kind of deal with Arceus back then.
Her immense strength had come at the cost of Elias's own life.
But that also meant…
If Arceus was involved, there was no chance Elias had survived.
Each time this thought surfaced, suffocating despair overwhelmed her.
"Have you told your trainer how you feel?"
After a moment's hesitation, Zoroark continued softly.
Not openly confessing her feelings to Elias remained her greatest regret.
"Eh?"
Gardevoir paused, then shyly nodded.
"Just a few days ago."
"He accepted it, you know."
Gardevoir gently licked her lips, speaking in a cheerful tone.
"Is that so...?"
Zoroark murmured quietly upon hearing that.
"Cherish your trainer. If you ever run into trouble, you can come ask for my help."
Zoroark sincerely promised.
Though their meeting was brief, she found herself liking this Gardevoir unexpectedly much.
If it was within her power, she wished to help this Pokémon who shared experiences similar to her own.
Elias, you were right.
Gardevoir-type Pokémon really do have a special charm that draws one in.
Zoroark lifted her gaze toward the sky, quietly thinking.
Soon enough, Zoroark led Gardevoir to the place where she lived.
A wooden cabin stood there, surrounded by flowerbeds, with a handmade stream flowing peacefully nearby.
She'd carefully modeled it after Cogita's cabin from memory.
Seeing the cabin, Gardevoir gasped slightly in admiration.
Creating such a serene haven in the barren Distortion World was truly impressive.
Once inside—
"Take the berries you wanted."
Zoroark gestured toward two baskets filled with freshly picked berries.
---
Gardevoir: Such a generous Pokémon!
Zoroark: This Pokémon's story feels similar to mine... I find myself liking her.
T/N: HAAHAHAHAHAHHA GET CUCKED
"Well, this is it—the last of my compulsory notes."
"One final time: if you want to squeeze extra chapters from this poor soul, every 100 Powerstones pried from your hands equals one bonus release. 100 = 1, 200 = 2, 300 = 3… as predictable as it is mercenary."
"And if you're inclined to dig deeper, there's still that Patreon: patreon.com/wisetl. Legally, it's "voluntary support." Practically, it's your shortcut to reading ahead."
"That's all from me. Angelica Ainsworth, signing off—finally free of this gig. Don't think I'll miss it."