Sensing that Zoroark was in a sour mood, Elias gently squeezed her paw in silent comfort.
The reason Zoroark had left her tribe wasn't complicated.
It mostly came down to a personality mismatch.
The title fierce beast was admittedly a bit of an exaggeration for her—but it wasn't entirely undeserved.
Most Zoroark preferred to dwell in the snowfields, using their fur to blend into the terrain and ambush lone travelers for food.
Thanks to their unique abilities, they could do this with virtually no risk.
At least with the people of Hisui today—there was almost nothing that could effectively counter a Zoroark.
But the one in his care was... different.
Rather than ambushes, she preferred to disguise herself as a human and sneak into villages to steal food.
If she hadn't taken on Irida's appearance and stayed with him for so long, he might never have noticed.
But that unorthodox, inefficient approach to foraging—and her softer demeanor—had drawn the ire of her kin.
As tensions grew, her share of food within the group dwindled.
Sometimes, her meals were outright stolen by other Zoroark.
Eventually, pushed to anger, she left the tribe entirely.
"Any of those Zoroark look familiar?" Elias asked quietly.
Zoroark gave a slight nod.
Their numbers were never large, so she recognized nearly all of them.
She eyed her glinting claws, her gaze narrowing.
Elias had raised her well—so well she doubted any of them could beat her.
Hadn't they once looked down on humans?
She was eager to see if, after being defeated one by one, they still held the same arrogant views.
Resting her head against Elias's cheek, she silently plotted.
"Mr. Elias."
Cyllene approached.
"I've spoken with the others. They have no objections."
She pointed to a few people standing nearby.
Elias nodded.
Aside from Kamado, the rest of the Galaxy Team's leadership was at least reasonable.
At the very least, they weren't clinging to pride in the face of logic.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Cyllene gave a slight bow, relief softening her expression.
She'd already seen what Elias's Zoroark could do in the battle against Kamado.
There was no need to worry about victory.
Even among all the places she'd traveled, a Pokémon of this caliber was in a league of its own.
On Elias's side, seeing Zoroark practically bouncing with anticipation, he didn't plan to waste any time.
After using telepathy to confirm the direction the wild Zoroark had retreated, he gestured forward.
"Let's go. Time to meet your kin."
---
[With Zoroark in tow, you moved swiftly toward the retreat path.]
[The wild Zoroark didn't seem particularly worried about human retaliation.]
[Before long, you spotted them crouched among the underbrush.]
Elias studied them closely.
Like his own, they were coated in pristine white fur with crimson highlights.
But even so—whether in body proportion or the luster of their coats—his Zoroark stood out.
Especially when he noticed the mud smeared across a few of them.
Elias couldn't help feeling extra proud of the fox by his side, her fur always lush and flawless.
He was about to compliment her aloud—when he stopped himself.
A sly smile tugged at his lips as he leaned in and murmured,
"Zoroark... don't you think those other ones look a little... different from you?"
Zoroark blinked, ears flicking.
Different? They were all Zoroark, weren't they?
She thought for a moment, then swished her tail proudly.
"I'm prettier."
A simple fact—and Elias nodded in agreement.
But just as Zoroark began to smile—
"Still... there's something kinda... wild about them, isn't there?"
Elias pointed, expression thoughtful.
"Look—compared to you, they look a bit more robust."
"Like their lower bellies—yours is starting to show a little softness."
"And their eyes? Sharper than yours, maybe."
"..."
With a grin, Elias began listing trait after trait, each observation sharper than the last.
Sometimes he even threw in little anatomical critiques.
Meanwhile, Zoroark's face grew darker and darker.
Her little snout scrunched in fury.
She did NOT have belly fat. And her eyes were bigger and more expressive.
She was clearly the one who matched human aesthetics best!
So Elias was just talking nonsense!
But even knowing that, the way his gaze kept darting toward the wild Zoroark made her panic a little.
What if...
What if Elias actually wanted to try raising one of them instead?
It wasn't impossible.
That thought alone made her bare her fangs.
More than irritation—it was war.
She snapped her jaws shut, bit Elias on the shoulder before he could say anything else, and clamped a paw over his mouth.
"Ssss—mhmph!"
Elias barely had time to hiss in pain before her paw muffled him.
Somehow, her claws smelled... fresh?
Actually—her entire body gave off that scent.
He was still trying to place it when he realized—Zoroark was pushing him forward.
Rustle—rustle—
Leaves parted as Zoroark led Elias out of the thicket.
The wild Zoroark turned instantly, eyes wary.
But when they saw it was one of their own, they relaxed.
Still, something about her felt... unfamiliar.
They stared at her—and at Elias—with curious expressions.
That aura... was odd.
But when they noticed Elias, they grinned wide.
They didn't eat humans. Usually.
But watching intelligent prey like him wander into their illusions?
That was entertainment.
Especially clever humans—they were always the most fun to play with.
The lead Zoroark gave a wave of its claw.
—Bring the human forward!
Zoroark read the gesture instantly.
Her expression twisted into something darker.
---
T/N: heuheuheu stupid Elias tsk tsk