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The shop owner leaned down and whispered a few gentle words to Chansey, then quietly stepped back, giving her space to decide for herself.
Luther straightened his posture, subtly checking his reflection in a window and quickly wiping the bit of grease at the corner of his mouth with a tissue. This felt like an interview, and first impressions mattered.
Mai, too, took a deep breath to calm herself. She lightly patted her cheeks and wore a bright, welcoming smile.
Chansey, still holding the egg she had earlier tried to offer to Mismagius, slowly approached the two. Her steps were hesitant, and her eyes flicked back and forth between them.
She looked at Mai first, then at Luther. For a moment, her body leaned subtly in Mai's direction.
Luther let out a silent sigh. As expected, the pretty girl had the edge. If you couldn't compete on charm, you had no shot.
Mai couldn't help but grin as Chansey turned toward her.
But just as Mai reached out to gently pet her, Chansey suddenly turned around. Holding the egg carefully in both hands, she waddled over to Luther instead.
Chansey stopped in front of him and extended the egg, clearly trying to place it in his hands.
Luther blinked, stunned. His mind stalled. 'Why the sudden change? It didn't add up. As he stared at the Chansey before him, it all felt too surreal.'
But the soft pressure of the egg against his stomach grounded him in reality. After a moment of disbelief, he crouched down, accepting the gift with wide eyes and a rush of excitement.
Cynthia, seated calmly nearby, didn't seem surprised at all. She sipped her tea with an unreadable expression.
Noticing the joy fade from Mai's face and give way to disappointment, Cynthia stood and quietly walked over to her side.
She rested a hand on Mai's shoulder and spoke softly into her ear.
"You didn't tell Luther about your situation, did you?"
"I did," Mai replied, her voice low. "He just said everyone has secrets. If I don't want to talk, he won't ask."
One of Mai's strengths was her ability to bounce back. Even if Chansey didn't choose her, as long as she continued traveling with Luther, she'd still see her often.
"I almost let something slip earlier," Cynthia added. "Don't mind it too much."
"Then help me find a Chansey too."
Cynthia didn't ask why Mai didn't go through her family; she simply nodded.
"The next time I meet someone from the Joy family, I'll ask around."
With that promise, Mai brightened and lunged playfully at Chansey. Whether Chansey belonged to her or not didn't matter; she just wanted to hug her!
The shop owner stepped forward and handed Chansey's Poké Ball to Luther.
"I'm not the best with words," He said, his voice slightly rough. "All I ask is… please keep the promise I made to Chansey."
His wife, who had been quiet throughout the evening, stepped forward for the first time since the barbecue began. Without a word, she gently fastened a small backpack onto Chansey's back.
Luther noticed the bag was filled with tiny shiny trinkets, odds and ends Chansey must have cherished.
"Honestly, we're not leaving Hearthome City right away," Mai said as she patted Chansey's soft, round body. "This feels way too much like a farewell."
"When are you planning to challenge the Gym?" Cynthia asked.
"After we earn some money," Luther replied sheepishly. "Mai and I are both flat broke."
Cynthia nearly choked on her tea. Luther being broke was believable, but Mai?
"You can work at my Cake Shop," The shop owner offered with a chuckle. "I'll pay you the standard rate. No special treatment, just like regular employees."
Luther shook his head. "I know you're trying to help, and I really appreciate it. But I want to rely on my own ability to earn money."
Understanding that pressing further would only make Luther feel like he was accepting charity, the shop owner said nothing more.
Eevee, who had been watching quietly for some time, suddenly leapt onto Mai. Mai's obsession with Chansey had made Eevee feel left out, and she couldn't let that go unnoticed.
Just then, Diantha strolled over, holding Ralts in one arm while Gardevoir followed gracefully behind.
Noticing Mai now juggling Chansey in one hand and a pouting Eevee in the other, her expression pure bliss, Cynthia leaned closer to Luther and whispered, "Diantha and I want a word with you."
Being summoned by not one, but two Champions gave Luther no chance to say no. As he was about to follow, Cynthia turned back and added, "Bring your Mismagius. This involves her too."
They made their way to a quiet corner of the courtyard and sat down on a stone bench. Luther and Mismagius exchanged confused looks.
Cynthia and Diantha took turns gently petting Mismagius, then asked her to perform a few Moves on Garchomp and Gardevoir.
The air felt oddly tense.
"The collar and wristband, Lucian gave them to you, right?"
Luther's heart sank. So this was what they wanted to talk about. He could feel his nerves fraying.
"Lucian must've explained what they were for, didn't he? He's usually very careful with things like this," Diantha said calmly.
"Is it really that serious?" Luther asked, not doubting Lucian's warning, but desperately hoping it wasn't as bad as it sounded.
Cynthia and Diantha exchanged a glance. "We're not certain how far it'll escalate. That's why Lucian's worried. It's a difficult situation."
"Several Pokémon that escaped from that underground facility were found by Lucian," Diantha continued. "Most were in critical condition. Some… were beyond help."
"There was a Slaking that escaped," Cynthia added. "A Trainer took it in. Everything seemed fine until it joined a few high-intensity matches. After that, it went berserk."
Luther flinched, instinctively glancing at Mismagius.
Mismagius's eyes widened, clearly shaken. Hearing about what happened to a fellow escapee struck a chord deep within her.
"The damage was neurological," Cynthia explained grimly. "The enhancement gear didn't just push the body, it overstimulated brain activity. That kind of artificial boost triggered violent tendencies, amplified aggression, and pushed physical limits beyond what the body could handle."
"Some Pokémon subjected to those more powerful enhancement prototypes began showing signs of mutation," Diantha added, her eyes meeting Mismagius's. "For example…"
"No way!" Luther stood abruptly, wrapping his arms around Mismagius protectively. "She's been perfectly fine this whole time!"
"She's been with me, day in and day out. She's normal!"
Cynthia stayed calm. "After the explosion at the lab, Lucian went back to investigate. He found a final report, buried under debris. Seven Pokémon were listed as test subjects. Those who endured over six months of exposure… ended up little more than battle drones. Their personalities erased. Just raw instinct."
"Mismagius, Slaking, and a Sandslash, who's still missing, were part of the same batch. But their exposure lasted just two months. Lucian found something unusual about those three."
Diantha reached into her small bag and pulled out a neatly bound document.
Luther accepted the report with a steadying breath, trying to hide how his hands trembled. It was a photocopy, slightly smudged with soot. Flipping through the first few pages, his eyes went wide in horror.
There were pictures, photos of Mismagius strapped down, tubes inserted into her misty body, surrounded by cold, sterile machinery. Alongside them was a wall of data Luther couldn't begin to understand.
He stopped reading the equations. His heart twisted at the sight. It was like watching strangers dissect a Pokémon he loved, clinical, cruel, devoid of care. Desperate, he flipped to the end.
In the summary section, one line stood out:
"Subject Mismagius has undergone mutation. Has learned the Move: Black Hole."
(End of Chapter)