Soon the tent was set up, and the sky had turned completely dark.
Ange took out an electric lamp and hung it at the top of the tent entrance. The soft light instantly dispelled the darkness.
Pawmo was busy inside the tent with a blanket. Metagross helped Ange prop up the table, placed a chair in front of it, and set the tableware. Furthermore, it released Komala from its Poké Ball and placed it on the chair.
Meanwhile, Ange set up the stove and cookware. He took out ingredients and seasonings, preparing to make tonight's dinner.
Since conditions in the wild were limited, Ange did not plan to prepare anything complicated. Instead, he intended to use the handmade noodles Gengar had made for him to cook a pot of hot soup noodles.
Upon learning that Ange was heading out, Gengar had specially made a lot of noodles and stored them in Ange's spatial backpack. This way, Ange could take them out to cook whenever he felt hungry.
Ange boiled a pot of hot water first.
While the water was heating up, he quickly fried several eggs.
Once the water reached a boil, he immediately added the pre-prepared noodles.
During the cooking process, Ange brought over four large sea bowls. He added side dishes like seaweed, chopped green onions, and cilantro to the bowls, followed by oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and other seasonings.
When the noodles were almost done, Ange tossed a handful of small green vegetables into the hot pot. By the time the vegetables were soft but not overcooked, the noodles were just about ready.
Finally, he served the noodles into the bowls, poured in the hot soup, and stirred everything evenly. Despite the simplicity, the meal looked delicious once he topped it off with the fried eggs.
The hot soup noodles were ready.
Just as Ange was about to bring the noodles to the table, he saw Pawmo already standing expectantly by his side. It raised its hands and shouted:
Paw paw~ I'll carry them, I'll carry them.
"Alright, you carry them," Ange said with a smile as he placed two bowls of noodles into its hands.
After taking the noodles, Pawmo immediately trotted toward the table.
Seeing this, Ange could not help but remind it, "Be careful, they are very hot. Watch out so they don't spill."
Paw paw~ I know!
Pawmo replied without looking back.
Ange followed by bringing the other two bowls over. The family of four sat around the table and began to eat.
Slurp slurp~
In the quiet night, the sound of Pawmo slurping noodles was particularly loud.
Murk murk~
The cries of Murkrow drifted from the darkness. Their eyes were especially striking in the night. In the distant treetops, pairs of red eyes could be seen blinking faintly.
It was quite eerie.
Flutter flutter~
Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings rang out. The owners of those eyes seemed to have been startled. They flew out of the canopy with strange cries, their cawing gradually fading into the distance.
At that moment, Ange stopped eating.
There was a special Aura!
He looked toward a certain direction with doubt. He saw a thick mist gradually rising in the valley. Before long, a beautiful young woman wearing a kimono slowly stepped out of the mist.
A Ninetales followed beside the girl. That Ninetales had golden fur, and its nine long tails swayed gently in the evening breeze. The fur on them was smoother than silk; it was truly elegant and beautiful.
However, the strange thing was that Ange did not feel any Aura coming from the girl. Conversely, the Ninetales emitted a strong, hard-to-ignore Aura.
Legends said that powerful Ninetales could use psychic powers to create illusions that looked real. Was the girl in front of him just an illusion created by the Ninetales?
While Ange was observing the girl and the Ninetales, the Ninetales and the girl were also silently observing Ange.
After a long time, the girl spoke first. "The night is getting late, and we are in the middle of nowhere. Would it be possible to spend the night together?"
Her words reminded Ange of the stories of fox women and scholars from the Liaozhai tales in his previous life.
Ange did not refuse. Instead, he asked curiously, "Aren't you afraid that something might happen, a young lady staying overnight alone with a strange man?"
"How could I be alone?" the girl replied with a smile, "Isn't Ninetales here? Besides, for me to dare travel in the wild this late, no matter how you think about it, I shouldn't be the one in trouble, should I?"
Despite appearing as a young girl, she referred to herself using formal, old-fashioned pronouns. She was a strange person indeed.
"That's true," Ange agreed with a nod. He picked up Pawmo and placed it on his lap, then pointed directly at the empty chair and said to the girl, "Please, have a seat."
Seeing this, Pawmo hurriedly pulled its rice bowl closer to itself.
"Thank you," the girl said with a nod. She walked slowly to the chair and sat down while the Ninetales silently lay down at her feet.
Ange was already full, so he pushed his empty bowl aside and let Pawmo continue eating.
Listening to the sound of Pawmo slurping noodles, Ange turned to the girl and asked, "Would you like a bowl?"
The girl originally wanted to refuse, but the Ninetales smelled the aroma wafting through the air and could not help but nod.
"Alright!"
So Ange stood up, went to the stove, and started preparing hot soup noodles for the girl.
"My name is Ange," he said while preparing, "How should I address you, miss?"
"I am Lokke," the girl replied.
"So it is Miss Lokke," Ange said.
"Just call me Lokke," Lokke said.
Soon, two bowls of hot soup noodles were ready. Ange placed one in front of Lokke and the other in front of the Ninetales.
The Ninetales lowered its head and took a taste, a look of surprise immediately appearing in its eyes. However, Lokke did not eat. Instead, she pushed the bowl in front of her toward the Ninetales as well.
"Lokke, you aren't eating?" Ange asked.
"I don't need to eat," Lokke said, shaking her head.
Now Ange was completely certain. The Lokke before him was nothing more than an illusion, something created by the Ninetales to deceive others.
Traveling alone as a Pokémon could easily lead to trouble, but if accompanied by a human, many problems could be avoided.
What a clever Ninetales.
Dinner ended quickly. After Ange finished cleaning the dishes, he took Pawmo, Komala, and Metagross into the tent.
The Ninetales walked under a nearby large tree and curled up to lie there. The illusion named Lokke sat down beside the Ninetales.
Seeing Ange looking at her, Lokke asked in confusion, "Don't you have any gentlemanly grace? As a man at this time, shouldn't you give up the tent to a lady like me?"
"But aren't you an illusion?" Ange asked back, "Why should I give up my tent to an illusion that doesn't exist?"
These words caused the expressions of both the Ninetales and Lokke to freeze simultaneously.
Then they heard Ange continue, "Besides, why is it 'expected' for me to give up the tent? I don't owe anyone anything! I absolutely do not accept moral kidnapping."
Lokke laughed upon hearing this. "You really are an interesting person. You're right; nothing is 'expected.' But how did you see that I was just an illusion?"
"As it happens," Ange replied, "I am someone who can use Aura Power. Everything has an Aura. If it has an Aura, I can sense it—except for things that don't exist."
"I see," Lokke realized.
"Then, goodnight!" Ange said, directly pulling up the tent's zipper.
Because it was still early, Ange could not fall asleep. He held Komala in his arms and pulled out his phone to make a video call to Diancie.
The call was quickly connected.
Pawmo and Metagross crowded around Ange. Similarly, on Diancie's side, Munchlax, Inteleon, Gengar, and Magearna also gathered around.
Outside, Lokke soon heard the lively and joyful sounds of talking and laughing coming from the tent. A trace of envy could not help but appear in its eyes.
After staring at the tent for a while, Lokke (Ninetales) withdrew its gaze and looked up at the silver moon in the sky. Its thoughts drifted back to the past.
Lokke was a Ninetales that had lived for over two hundred years. Two hundred years ago, it also had a trainer.
No, it should be said it had a master.
Back then, the relationship between humans and Pokémon was not yet one of trainers and partners; it was generally master and pet.
Lokke originally lived in a mansion with its master and some of the master's other Pokémon. However, its master never returned after going out one time, leaving it and the other Pokémon to guard the empty house.
As time passed, the other Pokémon left one after another after losing hope. Only it remained on guard.
At that time, Poké Ball technology was backward and had many limitations. If a master did not release a Pokémon, that Pokémon would be bound by the Poké Ball and could not go too far from it.
Lokke's Poké Ball was in the mansion, so it could not leave the house very far.
Only by breaking the Poké Ball could a bound Pokémon regain its freedom.
Lokke's Poké Ball was right there in the mansion, within its reach. As long as it broke the ball, it could leave just like the master's other Pokémon.
But Lokke did not do it. Was it unable to break the Poké Ball? No, it could, but it didn't—and didn't want to.
That Poké Ball was the last shred of a bond between it and its master. It felt as if as long as the Poké Ball was still there, it had a reason to continue waiting in the mansion for its master's return.
This wait lasted for two hundred years.
Later, three teenagers named Ash, Misty, and Brock appeared and accidentally stumbled into the mountains where the mansion was located.
Miraculously, the boy named Brock looked very similar to its master. So, it used illusions, intending to keep Brock there so he could accompany it in its master's stead.
Fortunately, due to an accident, the trio saw through the illusion and accidentally found the Poké Ball left by the master and broke it.
The only bond with the master was gone, and Lokke also woke up.
Its master was irreplaceable.
Two hundred years had passed. Its master had already passed away. Even if it waited until death, the master could not possibly return.
Having realized this point, Lokke decided to leave the mansion and travel outside to see this vast world.
Ange and Diancie chatted until about ten o'clock before he turned off his phone and went to sleep.
He held Komala in his arms. Pawmo and Metagross lay on either side of him. The Pokémon Egg found at Mt. Moon was held by Pawmo along with the incubator.
Lokke took a look at the quiet tent. The girl illusion beside it disappeared. Then, it covered its body with its fluffy large tails and entered dreamland just like Ange and the others.
In the dreamland, it seemed to be reunited with its master again.
When the sun rose the next day, Lokke slowly opened its eyes.
Ange was already wearing an apron, preparing breakfast.
On the open space nearby, Metagross was instructing Pawmo in its training. Pawmo would occasionally raise its fist to attack Metagross, but all attacks were easily neutralized.
On the chair, Komala held its log in its left hand and the incubator—which was slightly larger than its body—in its right hand, quietly waiting for Ange's breakfast.
Seeing Lokke wake up, Ange smiled and greeted it.
"Good morning, Lokke."
The figure of the girl Lokke reappeared beside the Ninetales. It also greeted Ange:
"Good morning, Ange."
For breakfast, Ange fried spring rolls and potstickers, steamed Milky Mantou and buns, and boiled a pot of red bean porridge. The aroma, accompanied by the steaming vapor, drifted through the valley, attracting a group of wild Pokémon.
There were Pidgey, Oddish, Butterfree, Venonat, Rattata, Nidoran♀, Nidorina... there were quite a lot of them.
Seeing this situation, Ange simply made a little more. He then called over Pawmo and Metagross, who had finished their training, and let them distribute the buns and Milky Mantou to everyone.
Anyway, Ange could earn Happiness Points when Pokémon ate these, so it wasn't a loss.
However, after seeing Ange's behavior, Lokke labeled him as an eccentric.
But Ange's breakfast indeed amazed it. This was the best food it had ever eaten.
"Ange, are you heading out after breakfast?" Lokke asked while eating.
Ange nodded. "Yes! I didn't come here for a vacation. I have very important business to attend to!"
"Where are you going?" Lokke asked again.
"To Rota," Ange replied.
"Can I come with you?" Lokke asked.
It had never been to Rota and happened to want to take a look. Moreover, by staying with Ange, it could eat good food—killing two birds with one stone.
"Sure!" Ange agreed, then asked, "What are you going to Rota for?"
"Just to look around," Lokke said, "Is there a problem?"
Ange shook his head. "Of course not."
This Ninetales was very strong. At least, Ange could not see through its level.
Diancie's current level was already close to 70. This meant that Lokke's level was above 70.
The Pokémon over level 70 that Ange knew of now—aside from the three Legendaries (Mythicals) Xerneas, Yveltal, and Volcanion—were only Metagross, Komala, and the Azoth Royal Family's Sylveon.
Now, the Ninetales in front of him had to be added to that list.
According to what Ange knew from surfing the internet, the average level of a regional Elite Four's team of six was between 70 and 80+, while a Champion's strength was between 80 and 90+.
It was evident that Pokémon over level 70 were already top-tier existences.
Ange could not ask for anything better than having such a powerful Pokémon as a companion.
After breakfast, Ange packed his things and withdrew Metagross and Komala into their Poké Balls. Then, he set off with Pawmo and Lokke.
Because it was traveling with Ange, Lokke withdrew the illusionary girl.
According to the navigation provided by the phone, Ange headed deep into the mountain range. After an unknown amount of time, he stood on a mountain and saw a city in the distance.
"Is that Rota?" the Ninetales sitting next to Ange asked.
Ange nodded. "That's right. That is my destination, Rota!"
Paw paw~ Ange, let's hurry up!
Pawmo excitedly tugged at Ange's trouser leg.
"Alright!" Ange nodded.
Saying that, Ange released Metagross and sat on it with Pawmo and Ninetales.
Meta~
Metagross flew quickly down the mountain, heading straight for Rota.