"All of these… are for me?"
Gardevoir stared uncertainly at the two overflowing baskets of berries.
"Haven't you decided how you'll get out yet?" Zoroark asked curiously.
"Besides, I injured Giratina earlier, so it'll probably lie low for a while. You won't find it easily right now," she patiently explained.
Hearing this, Gardevoir nodded slightly in understanding.
"Oh, I see… Thank you very much."
She politely expressed her gratitude.
Although failing to find Giratina was somewhat discouraging, the amount of food Zoroark offered was far more generous than she'd expected.
This fox is so generous!
Perhaps she needed to reconsider her views about fox Pokémon being cunning and stingy.
With that thought, Gardevoir used [Psychic] to levitate the baskets behind her effortlessly.
This much weight posed no issue for her at all.
Once she returned with this food, Elias would surely praise her.
Tonight…
Maybe I can even ask for some special rewards again.
She felt a surge of excitement at the thought.
"Hm?"
"What's this?"
Suddenly, Gardevoir noticed a small wooden object nearby.
It was square-shaped with a semicircular indentation in the middle, clearly designed as some sort of stand or holder.
Most notably, a crude but recognizable image of a small fox was carved into it.
For some reason, it reminded her strongly of the Poké Ball she'd seen Elias carrying yesterday.
"Just something I carved casually," Zoroark said nonchalantly, appearing entirely indifferent toward the wooden object.
But if observed closely, one would notice her fangs clenched tightly in suppressed frustration.
That stand had once held her own Poké Ball—the precious Poké Ball filled with memories of her time with Elias.
But that invaluable item had vanished without a trace, stolen from right under her nose. No matter how thoroughly she'd searched the forest, she'd never found the culprit or even a trace of the ball.
It was as if the Distortion World itself had erased it, mirroring the bitter reality that Elias had disappeared from her life forever.
It was a constant source of humiliation for Zoroark.
Someday, she vowed, she'd find the thief responsible!
Nearby, Gardevoir frowned slightly upon hearing this.
Just a random carving…? Why does it feel strange?
Setting aside her doubts for now, Gardevoir chatted casually with Zoroark for a bit longer before preparing to leave.
"My trainer should be waking up soon, so I'll head back first," she told Zoroark, waving her hand.
The process of gathering berries had gone far smoother than she'd anticipated.
Not only had she secured food without any conflict, she'd even befriended a seemingly kind-hearted Pokémon.
Seeing Gardevoir preparing to leave, Zoroark nodded gently.
"Mm. See you again sometime."
Zoroark herself felt exhausted and planned to rest.
Lately, mental fatigue weighed heavily on her, especially after experiencing hallucinations about Elias again last night.
It was ironic—a Pokémon adept in illusions now tormented by illusions herself.
Just thinking about it filled Zoroark with frustration.
If Elias were still here, things wouldn't be so tough.
All he'd have to do was use the [Power of Viridian] to soothe her mind, instantly relieving any exhaustion or stress.
"Um… Are you feeling unwell?"
"If you'd like, you could come with me. My trainer is skilled with the [Power of Viridian]. He could help heal you."
Throughout their conversation, Gardevoir had noticed Zoroark repeatedly massaging her forehead, clearly suffering mentally.
She spontaneously suggested that Elias could help treat her with the [Power of Viridian].
Normally, she'd fiercely prevent other Pokémon from getting close to Elias.
But Zoroark had genuinely helped her this time.
Moreover…
Zoroark clearly still cherished her own trainer deeply. A Pokémon as devoted as that wouldn't develop feelings for another human.
Just as Gardevoir herself would never seek out anyone other than Elias, she trusted this Pokémon posed absolutely no threat!
Hearing Gardevoir's invitation, Zoroark's pupils shrank slightly in surprise.
[Power of Viridian]… How long had it been since she'd last heard that phrase?
So this Gardevoir's trainer was also capable of using [Power of Viridian]?
A sense of nostalgia briefly flickered through Zoroark's eyes.
However, she didn't plan on letting another trainer treat her with that power.
[Power of Viridian] strengthened the bonds between Pokémon and trainers.
But there was only one person she'd ever wanted to bond closely with…
"I'll pass on the treatment."
"But… I'm curious about your trainer. My trainer also frequently used [Power of Viridian] to heal me."
After calming down, Zoroark spoke calmly.
Without ulterior motives, she was simply curious to see someone who shared similarities with Elias.
Still, no matter how similar he might be…
He definitely can't compare to Elias, who possessed three powers and even developed a unique Poké Ball.
Zoroark thought proudly.
Hearing this, Gardevoir easily guessed Zoroark's hesitation and couldn't help but admire her greatly.
This is exactly what a good Pokémon should be like!
She felt completely comfortable letting her meet Elias, knowing there was no danger of herself becoming a "standard" Gardevoir.
"If you're curious…"
"Then I'll bring you to meet him," Gardevoir generously offered.
She hoped more Pokémon like Zoroark would appear in the future—life would certainly become easier.
Encouraged by Gardevoir's enthusiasm, Zoroark eventually agreed to accompany her back.
On their way, Zoroark casually asked:
"Your trainer must be very popular, right?"
After all, a trainer so similar to Elias and skilled with the [Power of Viridian] would surely attract plenty of attention.
"Yes, very popular."
Gardevoir nodded vigorously.
"There are always a lot of sneaky Pokémon trying to approach him. It's very troublesome."
As she spoke, images of Mew and Latias flashed through Gardevoir's mind—her two most troublesome rivals at the moment.
Once they left the Distortion World, she'd inevitably have to deal with them again.
"Has the outside world become accepting of relationships between Pokémon and humans now?"
Zoroark asked thoughtfully, hearing the ease in Gardevoir's voice.
"It's still rare, but yes, it happens."
"Compared to your era, things have improved greatly. And Pokémon are no longer considered 'Disaster Beasts.'"
"Both Zoroark and Absol have long since been proven friendly Pokémon."
Gardevoir already understood that the Pokémon beside her was a Zoroark from ancient times and had heard some of her experiences.
She deeply admired the courage of the trainer who'd defied society to care for her.
No wonder Zoroark had loved him so deeply.
"I see…" Zoroark murmured gently.
That's wonderful…
If she and Elias had met in this more accepting era, perhaps things might've ended differently.
---
T/N: LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO