Ralts stood at Gardevoir's feet, nibbling nervously on her small hand, her wide eyes sparkling as she looked up at Gardevoir in awe.
Though her training had shown some promising results, Jumpluff and Mismagius still considered Ralts too inexperienced. She could now move heavy objects with Psychic more easily than before, but when it came to mock battles with Jumpluff and Marill, she always fell short of expectations.
Feeling discouraged, Ralts was quickly consoled by both Jumpluff and Mismagius. After all, she was the only one on the team who hadn't evolved yet. Things usually got better after evolution.
Ralts had never seen what a Kirlia looked like firsthand, and she had always been curious about what she might become, until she finally saw Gardevoir.
Still nibbling on her hand, Ralts looked up at her evolved form with envy, only to be gently scooped up by Gardevoir. Gardevoir looked at the slightly flustered Ralts and felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her. It was like looking at a younger version of herself.
"Come here, let me hold you for a bit." But before Gardevoir could do any playful teasing, Diantha had already taken Ralts into her arms.
She gently squeezed Ralts's tiny hand, then gave her soft little cheeks a few affectionate pinches, clearly enjoying the moment.
"I almost forgot what it felt like to pinch you when you were this small… now the memory's back."
Gardevoir reached out as well, mimicking Diantha by rubbing Ralts's head and carefully giving her cheek a soft pinch of her own.
Since Togekiss was still captivated by stargazing, Eevee wasn't being dragged into any "celebrity pet" antics. But seeing Ralts now being fawned over, he quietly backed away in defeat, accepting that the spotlight had shifted.
Just then, a pink, round figure appeared in front of Eevee. He bumped into her soft belly, immediately feeling something unusual. Startled, he took a few steps back and looked up.
It was Chansey, carrying a basket of fresh barbecue ingredients. She glanced down at Eevee, then slowly waddled over to the grill.
Her appearance immediately caught the attention of Mai and Luther.
Once the shop owner explained that Chansey was his Pokémon, Mai put down the food she was grilling and rushed straight into Chansey's arms. Understandably, Chansey's round, pink, and utterly adorable form was practically made to charm girls.
Luther watched the scene with envy. Mai could hug and cuddle Chansey without a second thought… It was one of those privileges girls just naturally seemed to have.
As for him trying something like that... the mental image was just too ridiculous to even entertain.
Chansey blushed under Mai's enthusiastic affection. When she was finally released, she turned to organize the ingredients on the table, only for a pale purple figure to float into her path.
Luther, mid-bite, quickly swallowed and reached for his drink, eyeing Mismagius with concern.
In Mismagius's memories of the old castle, there had been a Chansey who stayed by a young girl's side until the very end.
The memory was hazy, fragmented. Luther had never seen what became of that Chansey afterward, and its whereabouts were still a mystery. Still, he had a gut feeling, Chansey had chosen to leave on her own terms.
Pokémon live long lives. Many eventually move on, unable to stay bound to one place, especially in solitude.
Luther wasn't sure whether Mismagius felt that Chansey had abandoned her trainer. Was that why she seemed emotional now?
He glanced down at the watch on his wrist, the synced data showed Mismagius's vitals were normal, and he exhaled in quiet relief.
Mismagius remained calm. She gently lowered her head and nuzzled the egg tucked inside Chansey's pouch.
Chansey met her gaze, then carefully removed the egg and placed it on the ground in front of Mismagius.
But Mismagius didn't acknowledge the egg. Instead, she continued to rest against Chansey's chest, seeking comfort.
And in that moment, Luther understood; it must have been a habit carried over from her past. This was probably how she had interacted with that Chansey back in the castle.
Reassured, Luther returned to his seat and resumed eating his barbecue with gusto.
"How peaceful," Cynthia remarked with a smile as she watched Mismagius and Chansey's interaction.
"Chansey's good with everyone," The shop owner added with a grin. "No need to worry."
"It's nice to hear that," Mai sighed wistfully. "Wild Chansey are so rare these days. If you want one now, you've got to go through the Joy family. I really want to raise one someday…"
"I remember that exceptional breeders and Pokémon doctors sometimes get the chance to raise a Chansey. There are also contests run by the Joy family, winners can sometimes receive a rare Pokémon Egg. I even heard someone once hatched a Happiny from one," Luther said, trying to comfort Mai with a half-remembered story he couldn't quite place.
The scarcity of Chansey was largely a result of past poaching. Because of the eggs they carried in their pouches, Chansey were heavily targeted by those with greedy intentions.
In response, the Joy family took it upon themselves to protect and care for the species. By designating Chansey as a partner Pokémon for licensed Pokémon doctors, they gave them a safer and more dignified life.
"Do you want a Chansey of your own?" The shop owner asked with a friendly smile.
Mai instantly replied, "Of course! But… finding a wild Chansey? That's just wishful thinking."
"Anyone could say that, except you," The shop owner chuckled. "Take you into the forest a few times and you're likely to run into a shiny Pokémon twice. You buy a single slice of cake and somehow win the jackpot. Who's to say a Chansey won't walk right up to you next time you're out exploring? By the way, where's your shiny Lopunny? Haven't seen you let her out today."
"I sent her home," Mai grinned. "She's so cute, of course, I wanted my family to get to spend time with her first! I'll bring her back to bond with her properly later."
"If it's a Chansey you want, there just might be a chance."
Luther and Mai both paused and looked toward the shop owner with interest.
"You know where to find one?" Mai asked, eyes gleaming. "Wait, don't tell me, it's the grand prize? Spill it!"
"Not quite. Wild Chansey are still incredibly rare," The shop owner replied.
Luther glanced toward the Chansey currently playing with Eevee, Mismagius, and Jumpluff nearby.
"You're not about to say that this Chansey is the grand prize… are you?"
"You guessed it."
Luther blinked in surprise. "What does this Chansey have to do with Cynthia?"
Cynthia just laughed, bringing up how she'd had soft bones for breakfast that morning, brushing off the surprise as if it were nothing.
Luther couldn't wrap his head around it. Somehow, Mai's absurd good luck had brought this opportunity full circle, again.
After hearing the full story from the shop owner about Chansey's dream, Luther and Mai both went quiet, then turned toward Cynthia.
She had previously mentioned something about helping the shop owner with an "assessment," though neither of them really understood what that meant.
It was impossible that the "assessment" involved battling Cynthia; she'd never put them in that kind of situation.
"There was going to be a test," Cynthia admitted with a shrug. "But since it's you two, I've dropped the idea."
"I know Luther's situation well enough, and I saw how warmly Mai treated Chansey just now. The only thing I'm uncertain about is whether Mai intends to continue her journey."
"I heard Luther mention earlier that you still haven't figured out what direction you want to take, and that you entered a Gym battle on a whim?"
Mai awkwardly scratched her nose.
Cynthia seemed to catch on immediately.
"Why is it so hard for you to decide?"
"…I'm sorry." Mai hesitated, then lowered her head.
She chose not to answer.
Luther remained silent as well. He had made a promise to Mai earlier that afternoon, and now, he acted as if he hadn't heard anything.
"Pokémon choose their Trainers, just as they choose their own path. I can't hide anything from Chansey."
Seeing that Mai wasn't going to speak, Cynthia turned to the shop owner.
"In that case, please pass on exactly what I said to your Chansey. Both of them are a good fit for her, but the circumstances differ. In the end, it's Chansey's choice to make."
(End of Chapter)
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