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Luther only learned in the afternoon that the Pokémon League had begun its operation. By then, the League had already swept through every known hideout with astonishing force.
After hiding for so many years, the Hodgepodge Organization was exposed for the first time and immediately suffered the heaviest blow the Pokémon League could deliver. They couldn't even escape, let alone fight back.
It was only through this operation that Luther truly saw the power the Pokémon League unleashed.
In the anime, Ash and his companions often looked like the ones charging around and beating various organizations into confusion. The Pokémon League only stepped in afterward to reap the rewards.
In reality, without Ash, the League could easily crush any troublemaking organization.
For someone like Luther, whose strength was not yet fully developed, such forces might pose a threat. But in the eyes of the Pokémon League, the Hodgepodge Organization was nothing more than a slightly more elusive ant.
Cynthia left the house keys with Luther. It was the first time Luther had seen Cynthia mobilize all her trump cards at once.
Blissey and the Pokémon left behind to guard the house watched as Garchomp carried Cynthia away.
With the Pokémon League in full swing, it would have been absurd for the Champion to sit idle.
On that day, everyone witnessed the forbidden skies above Sun Heart City being cut open as Garchomp flew into the distance.
Of all the people in Sun Heart City, only Cynthia could ignore the no-fly regulations.
—
At around ten in the evening, Luther's Pokémon gathered in Cynthia's study. Standing beside the teleportation device, Luther waited nervously.
Right on time, light flared up on the transfer platform. He glanced at the message on his phone and rubbed his hands together excitedly.
It was the first time Darkrai had seen Luther behave like this. Out of curiosity, it drifted out to take a look.
As the light faded, Luther impatiently grabbed the Poké Ball that appeared on the platform and threw it straight out.
A purple-black figure flashed through the air, turned around quickly, and pounced onto Luther's face.
A warm, wet tongue kept licking Luther's cheeks. He struggled to push it away, but when he saw Mismagius's expression, he gave in.
Smiling brightly, Mismagius didn't spare Mai either. After licking Luther to her heart's content, she launched into another face-hugging tackle, knocking Mai over and rubbing her cheeks wildly.
By the time Mai's face had turned completely red from the onslaught, Mismagius sneakily took a bite of Mai's earlobe.
"I heard from my master that for some people, the earlobe is a sensitive spot."
That was what the waterfall-hoarding Goodra had once explained to Mismagius.
After biting Luther's earlobe earlier and receiving no reaction, Mismagius was deeply disappointed.
Fortunately, it worked on Mai. If Luther hadn't wrapped an arm around Mismagius, she would've happily gone in for another bite.
Looking at Mai, who was lying limply on the floor, Luther covered his face. "What exactly did you learn over at Diantha's?"
Taking advantage of the moment, Luther read Mismagius's medical report while Mismagius hung over his shoulder and observed Darkrai curiously.
Darkrai was also watching Mismagius.
Through interacting with Garchomp, Darkrai had more or less come to understand human behavioral patterns, but this scene seemed a bit beyond the scope of what he had learned.
In order to reach a level of combat power comparable to Garchomp's, Darkrai had actively participated in daily training. Among Cynthia's Pokémon, Darkrai was the most enthusiastic about sparring.
However, that still wasn't enough. Garchomp said that greater power could only be unleashed by being truly in sync with one's Pokémon Trainer.
Luther had no intention of capturing Darkrai. Although he fit in well with the team, in the eyes of the other Pokémon, he was more like a close guest, someone with a very good relationship with Luther rather than an actual teammate.
When the clingy Mismagius appeared, Darkrai listened carefully to the cheers of all the Pokémon. Their joy was genuine, like welcoming back a family member who had been away for a long time.
Darkrai rarely felt envy, but he did at that moment.
Mismagius shifted her position, rubbing past Luther's neck and drifting over to Darkrai.
Without warning, she pressed her face right up against his, her eyes wide as she stared at him curiously.
"Darkrai is a partner who's temporarily joining our team. Don't pull any pranks on him; you'll need his help later," Luther said.
Mismagius blinked, then rubbed her cheek against Darkrai's. Darkrai, however, showed no reaction, leaving Mismagius disappointed.
Darkrai had been asked by Luther that very morning.
Mismagius's Black Hole was still an unstable move. She had learned this move through experimentation, and it didn't seem to drive her into madness, for now. Mismagius appeared to particularly like it.
Because of her Ability, she naturally liked moves that put others to sleep. During their stay at Diantha's villa, Whimsicott was chased daily by Mismagius to practice Black Hole, only to be dragged into dreams and teased by her afterward.
In the information Diantha sent to Luther, there were notes from breeders and doctors. One thing was emphasized repeatedly: if possible, find Darkrai.
Only Darkrai understood how to control this kind of power and could guide Mismagius in properly channeling the move.
Darkrai didn't refuse. For him, it was simply a matter of repaying Luther for his care during this period.
He crooked a finger at Mismagius, signaling her to follow him.
Luther stopped him. "It's too late today. Do it tomorrow instead. Besides, my Pokémon still want to play with Mismagius for a while."
Darkrai fell silent. As he watched Mismagius being surrounded by Luther's and Mai's Pokémon and ushered into the courtyard, he quietly sank back into the shadows.
Milcery and Chikorita, who joined the team later, had never met Mismagius before.
Jumpluff said that Mismagius was a troublemaker who loved pranks. Kirlia said that Mismagius could make them feel like they were flying.
Marill hoped Mismagius wouldn't come back because she didn't want her belly pinched after eating.
Chansey felt that Luther would never be able to sleep in again. With Mismagius teaming up with her, "just five more minutes" would become pure fantasy.
These chaotic evaluations made Chikorita picture... a Ditto?
Houndoom yawned and took one look at Mismagius before curling up in a corner for a nap.
Chikorita and Milcery stared curiously at Mismagius, who stared right back at the two little ones.
The staring contest ended when Milcery's fidgety nature kicked in. Mismagius had long been curious about what licking this delicious-looking creature would feel like.
Without another word, Mismagius stretched out her tongue and pressed it against Milcery, giving her a gentle lick. Smacking her lips, Mismagius tilted her head in confusion.
She couldn't understand how this tasty-looking creature had absolutely no flavor.
Luther and Mai exchanged helpless looks. No matter who it was, their first instinct upon seeing Milcery was always to lick her to test her taste.
At first, Milcery was unwilling to hide her sweet scent constantly. But after being chased by various wild Pokémon all over the place, she finally learned her lesson.
She realized that she truly had a "monster-attracting" constitution. The Pokémon chasing her weren't trying to hurt her; they just wanted to lick her.
Kirlia lifted Milcery and placed her on Mismagius. Then, she gestured for Chikorita to hop on as well.
A completely confused Chikorita did as she was told. After securing Milcery so that she wouldn't fall, Kirlia suddenly waved her hand, and the surroundings instantly blurred.
Only then did Chikorita understand what Kirlia meant, it really felt like flying!
The lightning-fast rush of wind was incredible!
Hearing Chikorita cheer excitedly from Mismagius's back, Kirlia nodded repeatedly.
Back when she was still a Ralts, her favorite thing had been clinging to Mismagius and enjoying this flying-like thrill. Unfortunately, after evolving, she could no longer experience it.
Luther sat beneath the eaves, looking at the irregular shadow at his feet. He asked, "Why don't you join them? They don't actually dislike you."
Darkrai revealed half of his head and looked at Luther.
"If you're confused by the things Garchomp taught you, then you don't need to force yourself to understand them. Techniques for coordinating with a Pokémon Trainer don't mean much to wild Pokémon."
"You don't belong to human society in the first place. If you truly feel resistant, forcing yourself to understand them will only make it harder for you to survive in the wild later on."
Darkrai narrowed his eyes, the blue, ghostly glow within them flickering.
He had argued with Garchomp... argued fiercely. The two Pokémon nearly came to blows in the courtyard.
Darkrai believed that with Garchomp's ability, she could have reached her current heights whether or not Cynthia existed.
Normally calm and rational when communicating, Garchomp had suddenly erupted in anger. Darkrai's entire body tensed; the suffocating battle intent was not a joke.
Had Blissey and Gastrodon not rushed in to mediate, Garchomp would have attacked.
"Without Cynthia, my achievements would belong to another Garchomp."
No one understood Cynthia better than Garchomp did.
Back then, Cynthia had set her sights on Jumpluff, but Jumpluff refused to leave the research lab. As a result, through a twist of fate, Cynthia ended up nurturing Roserade instead.
Her ability to do so was no less than turning stone into gold. Every Pokémon she chose to raise became famous across the Pokémon world.
The world was vast, and there were more than ten times as many Pokémon as humans. Encounters between humans and Pokémon happened every single day.
For two lives to meet and form a bond, how tiny was that probability? How much luck did it require?
For Garchomp, meeting Cynthia and earning her trust over the years was the greatest fortune of her life.
She repaid that trust by allowing Cynthia to share in her fortune.
Darkrai took a long time to finally understand Garchomp's anger in that moment.
Bonding and trust were unnecessary for wild Pokémon; they cared far more about survival.
Everything Darkrai thought he understood had been interpreted from the perspective of a wild Pokémon. He had never grasped the deeper meaning behind Garchomp's strength.
Darkrai rose into the air. The Poké Ball on Luther's belt floated into his hand as well.
Taking a battle-ready stance, he moved to the center of the courtyard, his gaze locked firmly on Luther.
All the Pokémon heard Darkrai's voice.
"I only acknowledge those who can defeat me."
(End of Chapter)