"Let's go see a movie. You like movies, don't you? It just so happens you haven't seen one in a cinema yet," Ange suggested.
"I'd love to!" Diancie's eyes lit up. It had indeed been wanting to experience watching a movie in a theater for a long time.
"Then let's go," Ange said happily, "I've already bought the tickets. It's definitely a genre you'll like."
Diancie asked in surprise: "You prepared this a long time ago?"
"Not that long," Ange replied, "Actually, I've wanted to take a stroll with you in the Royal Capital for a while. Come to think of it, since we woke up, we haven't really taken a good look at the current state of this city."
Hearing Ange's words and seeing the smile on his face, Diancie suddenly felt a surge of warmth in its heart.
"Then let's take a good look together today," Diancie said.
Since it was still early, Ange and Diancie were in no rush to reach the cinema. They walked slowly along the streets, watching the hurried pedestrians, the frolicking Pokémon, and this city that felt both foreign and familiar.
By the time the pair arrived at the cinema, the timing was perfect. They walked inside, found their seats, and waited for the movie to begin.
Their seats were right next to each other!
"What movie are we actually watching? You still haven't told me. You even covered my eyes earlier so I couldn't see the poster," Diancie asked curiously.
"You'll find out in a moment," Ange whispered.
Diancie stopped asking and turned to stare intently at the screen.
Soon, the lights in the theater dimmed, and the large screen in front of them flickered to life.
When a familiar face appeared on the screen, Diancie looked at Ange in pleasant surprise and asked: "How did you know I wanted to see this movie?"
Ange quickly made a shushing gesture, and Diancie belatedly covered its mouth.
Seeing this, Ange took out his phone and showed Diancie a photo of Magearna. Diancie realized then that he had asked Magearna.
Noticing Ange had already focused back on the film, Diancie silently shifted its arm and placed its hand on the back of Ange's hand. Then, it focused its attention on the movie as well.
Sensing the touch on his hand, Ange glanced at Diancie in surprise. He silently turned his hand over to clasp Diancie's hand, then turned back to the screen with a smile.
The movie Ange and Diancie were watching was titled The Princess of Thorns. It told the story of a princess from a fallen kingdom whose country had just been destroyed and whose family had all perished. After being captured by her enemies, she and her Pokémon, Ralts, struggled to survive in the enemy nation.
The lead actress of this movie was Diancie's favorite, Diantha.
Diancie watched the screen without blinking. In the movie, the fallen princess was being humiliated by the enemy princess. To protect its master, Ralts unexpectedly evolved into Kirlia amidst its fury, gaining even greater power.
Despite this, the fallen princess and Kirlia were still severely punished by their opponents.
Watching the princess and Kirlia huddle together and weep, Diancie couldn't help but shed tears as well.
At the end of the movie, Kirlia evolved into Gardevoir to take the princess away from the enemy country. The princess fought alongside it, hacking through thorns and obstacles, finally escaping the enemy nation after slaying their foes.
The final scene of the movie showed the protagonist and Gardevoir, covered in blood, sitting under the morning sun and smiling at each other.
Coming out of the cinema, tears still hung from the corners of Diancie's eyes.
"So, was it good?" Ange asked.
Diancie pulled out a handkerchief to wipe its eyes and nodded. "It was great. As expected of a movie starring Diantha."
"Next time there's a movie you want to see, we'll come together again," Ange said.
"Mhm~" Diancie nodded.
"The movie is over, so it's time for the next item on the agenda," Ange said to Diancie mysteriously.
"There's more?" Diancie looked surprised.
"Of course, we're just getting started!"
With that, he pulled Diancie onto a cable car and headed toward their next destination. Soon, the pair stopped at the entrance of a large amusement park.
"Is this... an amusement park?" Diancie asked.
Ange nodded and said: "Yes! Is it your first time?"
Diancie nodded.
"Come on, let's go in," Ange pulled Diancie inside. He had already bought the tickets in advance.
The park was crowded with people and Pokémon, and laughter echoed everywhere. Ange advised Diancie:
"Stay close to me, or you'll get lost."
Diancie nodded and instinctively gripped Ange's hand tighter. It looked at the various facilities, its eyes darting everywhere.
"Diancie, is there any specific ride you want to try?" Ange asked.
Diancie shook its head. It knew nothing about these things, as its limited knowledge came only from the internet.
Seeing this, Ange smiled and said: "Then you'll follow my lead?"
Diancie nodded.
Ange pulled Diancie to the bumper cars and pointed at them. "Let's play this!"
Looking at the children and base-form Pokémon crashing into each other in small cars, Diancie couldn't help but say: "This is too childish..."
Furthermore, the bumper cars were shaped like Pokémon, such as Bulbasaur, Skiploom, Dunsparce, Bidoof, and others.
Ange didn't give Diancie a chance to refuse and pulled it straight inside. "It is a bit childish for kids, but for us adults, it's just right."
Diancie: ...
After Ange and Diancie were settled in their bumper cars, several other guests and Pokémon entered the arena one after another.
Ange sat in a Shellos-shaped car. He first drove his car to bump into Diancie's.
Diancie was in a Swanna-shaped car. After being jolted by Ange, it decided to drive back and hit him.
Ange's car was immediately pushed back, colliding with a small child's car nearby.
Seeing this, the other children shouted: "The big brother is bullying the kids!" With that, they all laughed and drove their cars to ram into Ange.
Ange yelled: "Hey kids, it's not a good habit to win by numbers!"
But the children didn't care. They kept ramming Ange's car while laughing. Ange was overwhelmed by the crowd.
Diancie couldn't stand seeing Ange being "bullied," so it immediately drove its car toward the children.
Before long, laughter erupted from the bumper car area. Ange and Diancie were having the time of their lives. The pair took on seven or eight children, and the children's parents outside were nearly doubling over with laughter.
Half an hour later, Ange and Diancie stepped out of the cars, laughing and panting for breath.
"How was it? Was it fun?" Ange asked with a laugh.
"It was... alright!" Diancie felt a bit embarrassed. It had played too wildly just now, and its royal lady-like poise was completely gone.
Just then, the children they had played with were leaving, so they bid Ange farewell.
"Goodbye, big brother!"
Ange waved back at them. "Goodbye!"
After saying goodbye to the kids, he pulled Diancie's hand toward the next attraction.
"Where are we going?" Diancie asked.
"You'll know when we get there," Ange replied.
Over the next few hours, Ange and Diancie rode the roller coaster, the pirate ship, and visited the haunted house. Although Diancie claimed to refuse every time, it actually had a wonderful time. The worries about failing to master Fairy Aura were completely forgotten this afternoon.
Time soon reached evening. The visitors in the park gradually thinned out, and the surroundings slowly grew quiet.
Ange and Diancie sat on a bench leisurely eating ice cream. The afterglow of the setting sun hit them, casting a soft light that made the scene look very heartwarming.
"Is it good?" Ange asked.
Diancie took small licks and nodded vigorously. "It's delicious!"
At that moment, the lights in the park began to turn on one by one. The Ferris wheel in the distance became vibrant with light, looking like a glowing ring from afar.
Diancie looked at the Ferris wheel in wonder and asked: "What is that?"
"It's a Ferris wheel," Ange explained.
Diancie: "A Ferris wheel? It's so beautiful. Is it fun?"
Ange thought for a moment and replied: "Whether it's fun depends on personal preference. How about... we go on it before we head back?"
"Okay!" Diancie readily agreed.
"Then let's go," Ange said, standing up.
This amusement park operated 24 hours a day, so there was no need to worry about it closing no matter how late they played.
Soon, the pair reached the Ferris wheel. However, before boarding, Ange quietly pulled a staff member aside. It was unclear what he whispered, but he only returned to Diancie's side after a good while.
"What were you doing just now?" Diancie asked curiously.
Ange shook his head mysteriously. "Nothing, just a quick chat with the staff."
Diancie clearly didn't believe him, but since Ange wasn't willing to say, it didn't press further.
Arranged by the staff, they soon boarded the Ferris wheel, slowly moving toward the highest point.
By now, the sky was completely dark. The lights from every household in the Azoth Royal Capital were lit. Diancie looked down at the night view from above and couldn't help but sigh:
"It's so beautiful!"
Ange smiled. "Pretty, right? This Ferris wheel is one of the few spots in the Royal Capital where you can see the whole city at a glance!"
"Really? That's amazing!" Diancie leaned closer to the glass window.
The pair sat facing each other, quietly admiring the city's night view and enjoying a rare moment of peace. Neither of them spoke again.
Bang!!!
Just as they were about to reach the highest point of the Ferris wheel, a firework suddenly exploded in the sky, illuminating the entire night.
"Wow!" Diancie exclaimed, its eyes sparkling. It pressed its head against the glass. "It's so beautiful!"
"Do you like it?" Ange asked.
Thinking of Ange's behavior of pulling the staff member away earlier, a flash of insight hit Diancie. "Did you arrange this?"
Ange nodded with a smile. "Yes! Otherwise, there's no event at the park today, so why would they set off fireworks?"
Just as he finished speaking, a second firework exploded in the air, followed by a third and a fourth... The night sky was instantly dyed in various colors.
Diancie watched the outside without blinking. This was its first time seeing fireworks. The brilliant fireworks and the sprawling lights of the city complemented each other, making one's heart stir.
"Ange, thank you," Diancie said suddenly.
"Thank you for what? Is there a need for thanks between us?" Ange looked at it with feigned dissatisfaction.
"Right, no need for thanks." A brilliant smile appeared on Diancie's face.
Soon, the fireworks ended, and the surroundings returned to silence, leaving only the twinkling starlight in the sky. Diancie continued to gaze blankly at the sky.
"Ange, we will always be together, right?"
Ange nodded as a matter of course. "Of course. Not just you and me, but also Munchlax, Drizzile, Komala, Gengar, Magearna, Pawmi, Metagross, and Volcanion. We will all be together forever."
Diancie turned back, a bright smile on its face, and nodded vigorously. "Mhm!"
Suddenly, a diamond popped out of its hand. Diancie didn't understand how it had produced a diamond at this moment, so it gripped it tightly in its palm.
At that moment, the Ferris wheel landed. Ange reached out his hand to Diancie and said: "Let's go home."
Diancie smiled, placed its hand in Ange's palm, and walked off the Ferris wheel hand-in-hand with him.
Meanwhile.
In a corner of Azoth, underground, there was a place resembling a beast-taming arena. A special gang occupied this area.
There are always some people in the world who lack great strength but possess an ambition to conquer the strong.
They use various means to capture powerful Pokémon. Unable to make the Pokémon submit themselves, they send them here to be tamed by the people in this place.
Once the taming is finished and the Pokémon becomes completely "obedient," the people here send the Pokémon back, earning taming fees in the process.
In the detention room of the taming arena, the dim lights were turned on. Huge cages were stored inside, each holding a powerful Pokémon.
Magmortar, Aggron, Charizard, Nidoking, Houndoom, Drapion, Scolipede, Tyrantrum, Infernape...
A man wearing a black uniform opened the door and walked in. He flipped the light switch. One by one, the Pokémon in the cages opened their eyes, their gazes filled with hatred toward the man.
Ruff~
Houndoom let out a roar and bit the bars of its cage, only to be electrocuted by the current flowing through them, causing it to yelp.
Nidoking was a Ground-type Pokémon, so it wasn't afraid of the electricity. It raised its fist to pound the cage, but the temperature inside suddenly began to drop rapidly. Before long, Nidoking was frozen into an ice sculpture.
Seeing the fate of the two Pokémon, a trace of fear flashed in the eyes of the others.
The man in black sneered: "It's impossible to escape once you're here. I advise you to be obedient, or you'll have a hard time."
Roar!!!
At that moment, the Infernape roared at the man, its hands tightly gripping the bars of the cage, attempting to pry them open.
Zzzzt!
A strong current erupted, and Infernape was instantly charred black. Yet even so, it refused to submit, still roaring at the man in black with a face full of rage.
The man in black's gaze scanned the detention room. "Who should I train today?"
Finally, his gaze landed on the unruly Infernape. With a playful smile, he said:
"You'll do!"