The grass ahead swayed gently in the night breeze.
At first glance, there was nothing unusual—just an ordinary patch of wild grass under the pale moonlight. But in Gary's eyes, the scene was anything but normal.
Shaymin were everywhere.
To an untrained observer, this place looked empty. Even to most Trainers, it would have appeared no different from any other roadside field. But Gary possessed the Eye of Insight, and through it, the truth was laid bare.
Six Shaymin.
They were hiding in plain sight.
Each one had compressed its body low to the ground, petals folded, ears tucked in tightly, disguising themselves perfectly as ordinary clumps of grass. Their concealment was flawless—so perfect that even Arcanine, despite tracking the Gracidea scent to this exact location, could not visually identify them.
"Woof…?"
Arcanine slowed to a stop, clearly confused. The scent was strongest right here, yet there was nothing to see.
Gary raised a hand gently.
"I know," he whispered. "You've found them. Don't act rashly."
Arcanine exhaled softly and nodded.
The Legendary canine trusted Gary's judgment completely.
Gary stepped down from Arcanine's back, his boots brushing softly against the grass. He deliberately moved slowly, making no aggressive motions. His posture was open, relaxed, and calm.
"Shaymin," Gary said, his voice low but clear. "I know you're here."
There was no response.
The grass remained still.
"You don't need to be afraid," Gary continued. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk."
Still nothing.
The Shaymin were cautious—far more cautious than most Pokémon. That alone told Gary something important. These weren't inexperienced individuals. At least one of them had lived a very long time.
Gary let out a small breath.
"The disturbance earlier," he said evenly, "that was caused by you, wasn't it? And I also brought something you want."
He slowly lifted the flower basket in his hand.
The faint fragrance of Gracidea spread instantly.
The effect was immediate.
The grass trembled.
Tiny heads peeked out.
One… then two… then several.
Six pairs of emerald-green eyes stared straight at the basket.
Their expressions were unmistakable.
Longing.
Shaymin were known as the Gratitude Pokémon, but they were also deeply bound to Gracidea flowers. Without Gracidea pollen, they were trapped in their Land Forme, unable to transform into the elegant Sky Forme they yearned for.
Garcidea bloomed only once a year.
And Sky Forme could only be maintained during daylight—unless a sufficient amount of pollen was continuously absorbed.
For Shaymin, migration to Gracidea Field was not a luxury.
It was survival.
Slowly, the grass disguise dissolved.
Six small, hedgehog-like Pokémon stood revealed, their green fur and pink flower petals glowing faintly under the moonlight.
One of them stepped forward.
This Shaymin was different.
Its presence was heavier. Its eyes were calm, steady, and intelligent—far beyond that of an ordinary Pokémon.
A gentle, feminine voice echoed directly in Gary's mind.
"Human… what do you want?"
Telepathy.
Gary wasn't surprised.
Although Shaymin was not a Psychic-type, it possessed a unique form of spiritual energy linked to gratitude and emotion. Telepathic communication was well within its capabilities—especially for one that had lived long enough.
Gary met its gaze calmly.
"So you're the one speaking for the group," he said aloud. "Are you the only one who can communicate like this?"
"Yes," the voice replied. "I can speak for them. What is it you want to discuss?"
The other Shaymin remained silent, watching warily.
Gary didn't waste time.
"I can give you the Gracidea," he said directly. "All of it. But in exchange, I hope you'll help me with something."
The Shaymin stirred.
Hope flickered through their eyes.
Helping a human—for Gracidea—wasn't an unreasonable trade.
"And what is it you want us to help you with?" the leader asked.
Gary took a breath.
"I want one of you to enter a Poké Ball—briefly," he said. "I'll release you immediately afterward. No binding. No ownership."
The Shaymin froze.
Their expressions turned confused.
Gary continued quickly, knowing he had to be clear.
"My goal isn't to keep you. I want proof. Proof that I've encountered and subdued Shaymin. Once that's done, I'll release you at once."
The Shaymin leader's eyes narrowed.
"You want to capture us… and then let us go?" she asked. "That makes no sense."
"From your perspective, maybe not," Gary replied calmly. "But for me, it matters."
In truth, Gary's primary goal was to trigger a system task and obtain its reward. Capturing Shaymin permanently was secondary.
The Shaymin leader studied him carefully.
She was not young.
At Level 75, she had lived for decades—long enough to see countless Trainers, some sincere, some deceitful.
"You humans are strange," she said. "You say you want to capture us, but you also say you'll release us. Why should we believe you?"
Gary didn't argue.
Instead, he walked forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
He knelt down and placed the flower basket gently on the grass between them.
Then he stood up and stepped back—far enough that even the most cautious Shaymin would feel safe.
"If you don't trust me," Gary said, "you can take the Gracidea first."
The Shaymin fell silent.
They had expected bargaining.
They had not expected this.
Even the leader hesitated.
"It's not yet time for Gracidea to bloom," she said cautiously. "How do you have it?"
"We humans have ways to preserve flowers," Gary replied. "These bloomed last year. The effect might be weaker than freshly opened Gracidea, but it should still allow Sky Forme."
The Shaymin leader inhaled deeply.
She recognized the scent.
It was genuine.
After a long pause, she stepped forward.
Her small nose brushed against one of the Gracidea flowers.
Instantly—
Golden light erupted.
Shaymin's body lifted slightly from the ground as radiant energy enveloped her. Her form elongated, petals spreading, limbs becoming sleek and agile.
When the light faded, a small, deer-like Sky Forme Shaymin hovered in the air, wings shimmering faintly.
The reaction was explosive.
"Shay—min!!"
"Shaaa!!"
"Min—min!!"
The other five Shaymin could no longer contain themselves.
They rushed forward.
Five more golden lights burst into existence.
One by one, the remaining Shaymin transformed, their Land Forme replaced by graceful Sky Forme bodies, floating lightly above the grass.
Even though it was night, the continuous presence of Gracidea pollen allowed them to maintain the transformation—if only for a limited time.
Gary exhaled softly.
"I told you," he said. "I wasn't lying."
The Sky Forme leader hovered before him, her wings beating gently.
"You were honest," she admitted. "You may leave now."
Gary blinked.
"…That's it?"
He frowned.
"You haven't helped me yet," he reminded her. "You agreed to consider my request."
The Shaymin leader tilted her head slightly, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"Did I?" she replied lightly. "You brought the Gracidea of your own will."
Gary's brows twitched.
"You're saying you're backing out?"
The Shaymin smiled.
"We are the Gratitude Pokémon," she said. "But gratitude does not mean blind obedience."
Gary stared at her.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he sighed.
"…So that's how it is."
He had underestimated them.
The Pokédex described Shaymin as kind, gentle, and grateful—but that didn't mean naïve.
These Shaymin were clever.
Experienced.
And apparently, quite shameless.
"You tricked me," Gary said flatly.
The Shaymin leader didn't deny it.
"If you want to fight us, you may try," she said calmly. "But you will lose."
Gary assessed the situation instantly.
Two Shaymin at Champion-level.
Four others close behind.
His own team—only Blastoise was Champion-level. The rest were Elite at best.
A battle here would be reckless.
He clicked his tongue.
"Fine," Gary said. "I'll find other Shaymin."
He turned without hesitation.
"Arcanine, let's go."
"Woof!"
Gary mounted Arcanine and rode away, not even attempting to retrieve the flower basket.
It wasn't worth it.
Behind him, the Sky Forme Shaymin hovered silently, watching.
Gary's voice drifted back faintly through the night.
"So much for the Gratitude Pokémon," he muttered. "More like a gang of robbers."