"League Special Announcement: Citizens of Haikou City and the surrounding areas, as well as traveling trainers, please take note. If you have recently experienced recurring nightmares, report immediately to the nearest Pokémon Center. Once verified, the League will issue rewards ranging from 50,000 to 1,000,000 credits.
In addition, there have been confirmed sightings of extremely powerful Pokémon arriving from outside the region. Some possess the ability to induce nightmares. Please stay alert."
"Rotom~ that's the latest news. The Champion himself even released a video."
Hovering in midair, Rotom relayed the message in its cheery, electronic voice.
The moment the word "nightmare" was mentioned, Gardevoir's emerald eyes flickered with unease. She turned sharply toward Lin Feng, her elegant form gliding silently closer.
"Gar?"
Lin Feng gave a small shrug, his voice calm yet steady. "Looks like the one who cursed you with that nightmare power has finally realized it doesn't belong to them anymore."
"Gar…de…"
Her gaze faltered. In the haze of memory, the shadow of that dark figure surfaced again.
It was true that shiny Pokémon often faced prejudice from their own kind. But when she had been just a Ralts, she hadn't suffered mockery or bullying. Not really. The others simply noticed her unusual skin color, and she herself felt different.
Back then, believing she was special, she trained alone, practicing her psychic abilities without anyone's help.
And then… Darkrai appeared.
It whispered to her in a voice like velvet laced with poison: "I can make you stronger. But in return, every living creature around you will be plagued by nightmares. Do you accept?"
Young Ralts had no concept of sacrifice. She didn't yet know that every gift carried a price. Without hesitation, she agreed.
The consequences came swiftly.
When she returned to her kin, nightmares spread like wildfire. Any Pokémon that tried to meditate near her fell into horrifying dreams. For a species that depended on calm minds, this was intolerable.
The elders traced the disturbance with their psychic sight and found the source.
Her.
At first, they tried to help. They searched for ways to untangle the curse. But the power originated from a being far beyond them. No matter what they did, the nightmares clung to her.
In the end, the verdict was clear: she could no longer remain among them.
To stay meant the younger Ralts would grow up stunted, their psychic development ruined by constant night terrors.
Banished. Cast out.
For the little Ralts, it was as though the sky had collapsed. She wandered alone, aimless and small, living in guilt and fear. Wherever she went, chaos followed Pokémon fled, humans shivered at night, whole areas fell into restless sleep.
She hated herself. She hated the shadow. She thought Darkrai had cursed her life forever.
Yet when she grew older, when she evolved into Gardevoir, she finally understood. Darkrai hadn't forced her hand. She had chosen. The gift had been hers to accept. And so was the burden.
More than ten years she had carried that weight.
Now, if Darkrai truly had come to reclaim the power… she would never give it back.
"Gar…" (Is it here to take its power from me?)
Lin Feng shook his head. "Not sure. Rotom, pull up the Champion's video."
"Rotom, on it, master!"
Rotom zipped around and projected a video onto the wall.
The footage was shaky, clearly shot in a rush. A man, riding atop the blazing wings of a Moltres, spoke to the camera. His expression was grave as he explained the situation: powerful nightmare energy had been detected across the region. Trainers needed to stay vigilant.
The fact that even the Champion himself had personally addressed the matter proved how serious it was.
Lin Feng scratched his chin, then waved dismissively. "Well, whatever. Big world or not, food comes first."
At the mention of food, Combusken's head immediately poked out of its little wooden coop, eyes shining.
"Cha?"
Lin Feng groaned, covering his face. "Out of everyone, you're always the most enthusiastic when it comes to meals."
Checking the time, he realized it was about that hour anyway. Dragonite would likely be landing soon.
Sure enough, moments later, a streak of orange shot across the clouds. The mighty dragon descended… only for its cheerful expression to collapse the instant it spotted the visitor standing near Lin Feng.
Dragonite hovered, wings twitching, clearly debating whether to run. At last, shoulders sagging, it touched down reluctantly.
"Wu…" (Wait, weren't you supposed to be traveling? Why are you here already?)
Lin Feng chuckled, instantly grasping the dragon's worry. "Relax, Dragonite. Mewtwo's the one who called you. He just needs you to deliver some letters. He promised it won't take more than a few days."
"Wu?!" Dragonite's eyes widened as it stared at Mewtwo, desperate for confirmation.
Mewtwo's lip twitched. Living here, even he felt a twinge of jealousy. The care, the peace, the comfort Dragonite had it good.
Still, he gave a small nod. "It's true."
But inside, his own thoughts churned. This was his last trial his final test of coexistence between humans and Pokémon. And once it ended… what then?
He had no answers. No clear path forward. Only a void of uncertainty.
One step at a time, he told himself.
Together, they entered the breeding house.
Lin Feng inspected the work done by Gallade and the other helpers. Everything was tidy and smooth. Satisfied, he made for the kitchen to prepare lunch.
But before he could, the doorbell chimed.
Two high school trainers, faces flushed from excitement, entered the shop. They browsed briefly before selecting a fifth of the stamina energy cubes in stock.
As they paid, they whispered to each other.
"Man, that challenge was brutal! How can a Pidgey fly that fast and that steady? But I swear, Pichu's skill mastery skyrocketed during it!"
"Same here! My Nidoran's movements are way sharper now. It's definitely because of those energy cubes. They recharge stamina in just minutes… even if they're pricey."
The other boy elbowed him. "Don't complain. Didn't Brother Lin say today's cubes were free? Next time he'll probably start charging again. We've gotta take advantage of this!"
Clutching their purchases, the two dashed back outside to continue their training.
Lin Feng, overhearing their words, blinked in surprise.
"They've been at it the whole morning?" he muttered, half in disbelief, half in admiration.
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