Realizing Ralts was missing, Diantha's face instantly went pale.
To her, Ralts wasn't just a Pokémon—she was family.
She'd even dreamed of raising her into a Gardevoir one day. She absolutely couldn't lose her like this.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Diantha forced her thoughts into order, retracing what Ralts had done earlier.
After that mysterious Pokémon and the ghostly boy left, Ralts had gone limp in her arms, looking completely drained...
Since Diantha had only planned to browse the library casually that day, she hadn't thought much of it. She'd set Ralts down gently and found herself a quiet corner to flip through the book Elias had been reading.
After all, she'd never encountered anyone—or anything—like him before. Her curiosity had been impossible to resist.
Lost in thought, she hadn't noticed when Ralts slipped away.
But then... Diantha frowned, the memory snapping into focus.
Ralts had been staring after Elias and Diancie as they left—clearly reluctant to let them go.
She knew her Pokémon too well. Ralts had always been drawn to powerful psychic energy, unable to resist it.
Now that she'd encountered such a presence, it was entirely possible she'd quietly followed after them.
Diantha sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
There was no doubt in her mind now—Ralts had gone after that mysterious boy.
Realizing this, she quickly gathered her things and bolted out of the library.
All she could do was pray that Ralts wouldn't get herself into trouble before she found her.
...
Elias and Diancie had ventured even deeper into the forest.
After thinking it over, Elias had decided to investigate further.
According to Dianna, it was the Pokémon called Yveltal that had once gravely injured her.
And it was after that very incident that Diancie had come into being.
Given Diancie's current frail state, there was a good chance her condition was linked to that same Pokémon.
"Elias, look."
Just as he was thinking this, Diancie tugged gently at his sleeve.
Following her gaze, Elias fell silent.
He hadn't noticed before—but now, looking up, he saw clearly:
The forest ahead had been reduced to scorched earth.
Once-lush trees were splintered and scattered, as if ripped apart by a violent storm.
Even the ground was cracked and dry, littered with strange fragments of stone.
This wasn't the work of nature.
It looked like the aftermath of a battle between two immensely powerful Pokémon.
Elias frowned.
He could feel a heavy aura of death hanging in the air—as if the life force of everything here had been drained away.
And yet, faint beneath it, there was something else: a flicker of Life Energy.
It was so slight that anyone less sensitive would've missed it entirely.
"Elias… let's just mark this place and come back when it's safer, alright?"
Diancie's little face had gone pale.
She looked up at him pleadingly.
Earlier, Elias had told her his suspicions, and that was the only reason she'd agreed to come this far.
But seeing this devastation, her courage was gone.
She couldn't protect Elias if danger struck—if anything, he'd be the one protecting her again.
And she couldn't bear to let that happen.
Seeing her trembling with worry, Elias hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
She was right—they weren't ready for whatever lay ahead.
"Alright. Next time, then," he said softly, offering her a reassuring smile.
But before he could finish speaking—before Diancie could even relax—
BOOM—!
A deafening explosion tore through the distance.
At the same time, a massive pillar of crimson-black energy surged into the sky.
Even from where they stood, the glow was blindingly vivid.
"Eep!"
Diancie flinched hard, shrinking against Elias's chest in fright.
Holding her protectively, Elias focused his senses toward the direction of the blast.
Extending his psychic reach, he could just barely sense it—a powerful, living presence moving rapidly toward them.
"E-Elias, don't... don't be afraid," Diancie stammered.
"I... I'll protect you..."
Seeing him stand frozen and silent, she assumed he was terrified.
Forcing herself to stay calm, she tried to reassure him even as her own voice trembled.
She just prayed that no strange Pokémon would suddenly appear.
...
Deeper within the forest—
Behind a large rock, Ralts crouched, panting hard.
Her pale face was drained of all color.
I've messed up, I've messed up...
That was the only thought spinning through her head.
She'd only meant to sneak out for a bit—to catch another glimpse of that ghostly boy from the library.
The psychic energy radiating from him had been the purest, most mesmerizing she'd ever felt—utterly irresistible.
And beyond that, the Power of Viridian within Elias had drawn her even more strongly.
Usually, whenever Ralts wanted something interesting, Diantha would buy it for her without hesitation.
Money was never an issue, and Diantha rarely said no.
But today... Diantha had flatly refused her request to "buy" the ghostly boy—and had even scolded her afterward.
So Ralts had snuck away on her own, intending only to steal a tiny sip of Elias's psychic energy before returning.
But she'd gotten horribly lost instead.
Luckily, she'd managed to pick up his aura again and had almost reached him when—
She nearly tumbled straight into a massive pit.
The crater was enormous—so vast that Ralts had frozen, eyes wide in shock.
And deep inside it... a gigantic Pokémon lay sleeping, its body marked in ominous red and black.
The moment Ralts saw it, instinct screamed at her not to move.
She tried to back away quietly.
But even her careful steps must've disturbed it—because the Pokémon stirred, and the ground began to quake violently beneath her feet.
---
Ralts: Didn't find the ghost... but stumbled onto treasure!
bonus chaps
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200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
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