Roy also noticed Solgaleo's enthusiasm as the Legendary Pokémon rushed toward him, and he felt a warmth in his chest.
Hugging Solgaleo's leonine head and stroking it twice, Solgaleo let out a small yelp as Roy touched its mane.
Roy laughed aloud at Solgaleo's reaction, ruffling its head again.
"How have things been? Have you been training hard recently?"
"Leo~"
Of course I have!
As it spoke, Solgaleo's eyes drifted toward the Black Tower.
Roy followed its line of sight and saw a black figure quietly hanging upside down at the top of the structure.
Black, bat-like wings tightly wrapped around its body, leaving only a faint yellow crescent visible on the far side, which was quite striking in the sunlight. Its eyes were closed, making it difficult to discern its emotions.
"It's Lunala. How has it been doing recently?"
Solgaleo looked away and shook its head.
That one absorbs light like crazy every day, regardless of whether the sun will harm it or not.
Roy felt relieved when he heard Solgaleo say this.
According to Solgaleo's account, Lunala's body had almost fully recovered by now, based on time calculations.
Although Roy didn't know to what extent Lunala's twisted mind had healed, it should be improving day by day.
Thinking of the ruthless tactics employed by the Illumaniti, one could roughly imagine what Lunala—still a Child of the Stars at that time—had suffered.
Every time he thought of this, Roy couldn't help but feel sympathy.
But he was also secretly grateful that Cosmog had met him at that time and hadn't suffered the same torture.
So Roy grabbed Solgaleo's mane with one hand, pulling it closer to him.
Solgaleo probably guessed that Roy had something to say, so it brought its ear to Roy's mouth.
Its large eyes were full of anticipation and curiosity.
"Leo?"
What is it?
"Treat Lunala well, and of course, help it adjust its mentality properly."
Solgaleo nodded solemnly, indicating that it would definitely do so.
The longer Lunala stayed in Alola's spirit realm, the more it could feel the natural affinity this place held for it.
This also made it begin to question what those people had told it.
Looking at those Pokémon who were becoming increasingly familiar and caring for it meticulously, Lunala started to hesitate about whether to continue with its previous mindset.
It's just a trick to deceive me. I won't be fooled.
But they seem to be genuinely kind to me without asking for anything in return...
In such contradictory emotions, Lunala's psychological barriers were being untangled little by little.
Accompanying Lunala day and night, Solgaleo—who openly "monitored" Lunala—naturally felt the most intense changes in its emotions.
From initial rejection to now being able to occasionally chat during ordinary days.
Compared to that battle in space, the progress of their relationship was truly remarkable.
So even though Solgaleo didn't know what had happened to Lunala after they were both taken away, it was willing to accompany it and slowly help it through these frightening times.
It is one of my people, and so is Lunala.
Lunala, which had been hanging upside down atop the black tower, seemed to sense something and slowly opened its eyes, revealing light crimson pupils.
Ah... that silly lion is looking at me again.
I don't know what it's staring at.
Lunala's gaze flickered, mottled with black spots, and looked toward where Roy was standing.
In an instant, Lucario felt an unfriendly gaze from Lunala.
Alarm bells rang in its mind as it raised its head and locked eyes on Lunala.
Roy naturally felt the intense signal from his Aura power—it belonged to Lunala.
But it disappeared just as quickly.
Before Solgaleo could even growl to make Lunala calm down, Lunala had already closed its eyes again.
Its body didn't move. If it weren't for that unfriendly gaze just moments ago, Roy would have worried whether the reddish eyes he'd seen were hallucinations.
Or perhaps, was Lunala—which had been hanging upside down this whole time—even a living being?
Fortunately, Roy's intuition told him that this hostility probably wasn't directed at 'Roy' specifically, but at 'humans' in general.
Thinking about previous events, Roy didn't feel too upset.
He hadn't been the one involved in the first place, so why should he take it personally and cause trouble for himself?
Solgaleo looked worried, concerned that what Lunala had just done might have upset Roy.
Roy, however, shook his head.
"It's okay. This kind of thing is up to you to handle."
When Roy said this, he suddenly felt that Solgaleo was like the man caught between his wife and mother in television dramas.
Roy shook his head, banishing this strange thought from his mind!
"Let Blastoise and the others play for a while, and we'll go find Tapu Lele to heal Lucario's wound."
After hearing Roy's words, Solgaleo bowed to Roy somewhat reluctantly, expressing its sadness.
"Leo..."
Ever since I evolved, I haven't had much time to play with you...
I'm so lonely...
When Solgaleo said this, Roy also felt a pang of regret.
But the matter of the black tower required Solgaleo's presence, so he could only pat Solgaleo's head again and comfort it.
"It doesn't matter. We'll be training at the geyser beneath Poni Island."
"It's very close by."
"You can play together when you have time, or when they finish training."
Solgaleo brightened up as soon as it heard this, and its previously dull eyes suddenly became radiant.
"Leo?"
Really?
"Of course."
"Leooo~"
Then I'll visit you often to play!
Roy smiled and agreed. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the black figure on the black tower and added.
"When that time comes, if Lunala is willing, it can also come play with you."
Afterward, Solgaleo went to play with Blastoise and the others. The former companions were roughhousing and having a wonderful time.
Finally getting a chance to play freely, even Ninetales and Lucario joined in the chase and games.
Only Metagross remained stuck recuperating in its Poké Ball, feeling rather aggrieved.