There was no question that Gardevoir was powerful. Lin Feng had acted purely on instinct when he smashed through the psychic barrier.
But even he was a little astonished by the result.
Was his fist really that strong?
Or was it that any attack relying on energy-based powers lost 99.9…% of its potency in front of him?
"Garde?" (Work?)
Gardevoir tilted her head slightly, puzzled.
Lin Feng quickly explained, "Yes work. You can tell me how many Pokémon you're taking care of and how many berries you'll need, and then we'll agree on how much you'd help me. The work is simple. All you'd have to do is help me harvest these fruits and berries."
"Just like you were doing just now."
"Garde…"
Gardevoir turned to look at the berries floating beside her, lost in thought.
By nature, she didn't actually want to steal them outright.
But years of survival experience had taught her that she could easily teleport away with the berries, and no matter how physically strong this human might be, he couldn't stop her.
And yet… this human seemed kind.
Seeing that Gardevoir was wavering, Lin Feng continued, "Of course, you can take some berries with you first to feed the Pokémon you're taking care of. I can wait for your answer."
A Pokémon like Gardevoir, who had managed to grow so strong in the wild, had probably been surviving alone for a very long time. Lin Feng knew there was no way he could simply trick her into agreeing, as he had with the little Caterpie earlier.
Instead, he'd have to appeal to what mattered to her like the Pokémon under her care.
With that thought, Lin Feng tossed her a small bottle of Pokéblocks. "Besides, these are even more helpful for weaker Pokémon."
The bottle hadn't even reached Gardevoir when it was suddenly suspended in midair, held tight in an invisible psychic grip.
One of the Pokéblocks, made from Lum Berries, floated free of the bottle.
Sensing its energy, Gardevoir's crimson eyes widened slightly in surprise as she stared at Lin Feng.
As a Psychic-type Pokémon, she could feel clearly that these Pokéblocks, even for her current level, would be beneficial.
Lin Feng went on, "And that's just a small part of it. I have other types of Pokéblocks too, all specially formulated for baby Pokémon, tailored to their different constitutions. They're perfect for helping them grow."
The surprise in Gardevoir's eyes turned into something more complex. At last, she spoke.
"Garde…" (I understand. I'll give you an answer before tomorrow night.)
Once she finished speaking, her silhouette vanished in an instant.
And with her, a portion of the berries disappeared as well.
"Teleport, huh…"
Watching the shimmer of Gardevoir's fading psychic light, Lin Feng couldn't hide the trace of envy in his eyes.
With a Pokémon like that, he could go anywhere he wanted!
"I hope she decides to stay."
Lin Feng sighed softly, then pulled out the Poké Ball containing the Caterpie he'd captured earlier. He released it into the meadow.
"This will be your new home from now on. Just remember besides the tree leaves and berries, you can eat anything else here. Got it?"
Caterpie glanced cautiously around, then bent down to take a tiny bite of the grass.
Its eyes immediately widened.
??(o_o)??
So… so much food!
Eastern Edge of the Wutong Forest
The bright moonlight spilled over the lake, turning its surface into a shimmering mirror. The shoreline lay utterly still, without so much as a ripple.
Suddenly, a small, round head poked up out of the water.
Its entire body was sky blue, and its eyes were as large as bronze bells. A fin, shaped almost like a pair of wings, rested lightly against the shore, followed by a pale pink nose emerging from the water.
It called softly toward a thick clump of bushes on the bank. "Popplio?" (Are you there? Are you there?)
"Chick-chick! Chick-chick!"
From the bushes, a Torchic immediately bounced out.
"Chick-chick?!"
"Popplio, Popplio."
Answering Popplio's call, a Pokémon shaped like a small Mangosteen fruit suddenly tumbled down from the tree branches above.
"Bounsweet?" (Did she come back?)
"Popplio?" (I don't know… I don't think she's back yet.)
Popplio glanced nervously around, as though terrified some predator might leap out and devour them.
"Chick-chick~~" (She should be back any moment now, right?)
Three Pokémon from entirely different regions Alola's Bounsweet and Popplio, and Hoenn's Torchic were gathered together here in secret, a wild meeting in a foreign forest.
"Popplio…" (I'm so hungry…)
Popplio patted its round belly, a miserable look on its face.
"Chick-chick…" (Why don't we go find something to eat ourselves?) Torchic's eyes lit up as it suggested the idea.
Bounsweet immediately shuddered, her expression filling with fear. "Bounsweet!" (But she told us to stay right here! What if she can't find us later? We don't even know what's around this place, and there might be dangerous Pokémon nearby who could eat us!)
"Popplio…" (Let's just wait a bit longer…) Popplio agreed with a nervous nod.
"Chick-chick…"
Seeing his two companions refusing the plan, Torchic could only lower its head and sigh.
In the next instant…
A silhouette appeared out of thin air among the three Pokémon.
"Garde?" (Didn't I tell you to stay hidden?)
Gardevoir floated above them, her tone a little sharp as she gazed at the huddled trio.
"Popplio, Popplio…"
Popplio immediately stepped forward to explain that it was his idea to call everyone out, because it had been so long since Gardevoir left and they were all starving.
Gardevoir fell silent for a moment, then said nothing more. Instead, she produced the Pokéblocks she'd taken from Lin Feng.
"…Garde…" (Here. Eat these first.)
Instantly, the eyes of all three Pokémon lit up with joy.
They eagerly began gnawing away at the colorful Pokéblocks.
Gardevoir gazed at them, her crimson eyes softening with a rare tenderness.
These three little ones…
Popplio and Torchic had both been abandoned by their trainers for various reasons. Bounsweet, meanwhile, had lost her mother to capture right after she was born, left all alone in the world.
Popplio and Torchic had grown up accustomed to human care, while Bounsweet had lost her family far too early.
None of the three knew the first thing about surviving in the wild. When Gardevoir had first encountered them, they'd been on the verge of collapse.
Ever since she herself had been exiled by her own kind as a child…
She'd developed a deep compassion for Pokémon who'd suffered similar fates.
That was why she'd chosen to take these three under her wing.
Because once you've walked through the rain, you can't help wanting to hold up an umbrella for others.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
Love the story? Show your support and unlock early access to new chapters by joining me on Patreon! and if we hit every 250 Power Stones, a bonus chapter drops!
P@treon.com/_tey
Change @ to a.