Time flew by, and soon it was December twenty-fourth.
Before Christmas Eve, in preparation for the next day's holiday, the school began handing out all sorts of colorful decorations to the students and teachers to adorn the campus and classrooms.
By the time Zane got back from his training by the river, the school grounds had been completely transformed. There were snowmen wearing Santa hats, Christmas trees decked out in ribbons and lights, and teachers and students with faces flushed red from the cold. It was the end of the school day, and the students were gradually heading home for their two-day Christmas vacation.
"Is the whole school decorated now?" Rika and Tsuyoshi, bundled up in winter coats and carrying a pile of supplies, crunched through the snow towards him.
Tsuyoshi nodded. "Just the staff dorms are left."
Zane was surprised. "You guys didn't go home?" Unlike him, most of the teachers at the school had families to return to.
"I wanted to," Tsuyoshi said with a helpless look on his face. "But the ferry tickets to Slateport City were completely sold out."
Rika just smiled. "Same here."
Zane couldn't help but laugh.
Rika showed him the ribbons and Santa hats she was holding. "Perfect timing! Want to help us decorate the dorms?"
Zane, of course, had no objections.
By the time the three of them were finished, it was already eight o'clock at night. Zane saw them off, then returned to his own apartment. Looking around at the room, now filled with Christmas cheer, he felt a strange, warm sensation.
He took out the extra Santa hats Rika had left behind and put one on Budew and one on Cramorant. Gengar floated nearby, its eyes burning with envy.
"...You can't touch it," Zane said, deadpan.
Gengar looked utterly dejected.
Zane smiled. He hung the Santa hat on the wall and then had Gengar float backwards until it was perfectly positioned under it, making it look like it was wearing the hat.
Too bad I don't have a camera, he thought. Otherwise, he could have taken a picture for the gengar.
Gengar seemed to feel a bit better, gently reaching out with its ghostly claws to touch the ordinary Santa hat.
"Are you going to collect this one, too?" Zane asked.
Over the past few months, whenever he'd gotten gifts for Budew and Cramorant, he'd also made a point of getting something for Gengar out of politeness. Gengar treasured every single item, and it had made Zane put them all in a small cardboard box for safekeeping. Zane didn't really understand it, but he'd fulfilled the ghost's wish.
Gengar nodded and watched with supervising eyes as Zane carefully placed the Santa hat into the little box.
With that done, Zane went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Infected by the festive atmosphere, he had bought a lot of ingredients earlier and was planning on making a lavish Christmas feast.
Just as he placed the final dish—a chocolate-frosted strawberry cake—on the table, fireworks began to explode outside the window. The people of Petalburg City were celebrating the holiday.
"Merry Christmas," Zane said, placing a small slice of cake in front of his Pokémon. He smiled softly. "Please continue to take care of me from now on."
This was the first holiday he had celebrated in this new world. Although he had come here all alone, with the company of his new friends, he didn't feel lonely at all.
"GAH!" For a rare moment, Cramorant's dopey expression broke into one of slight happiness as it squawked at the food on the table.
"NINI!" Budew was overjoyed. This winter was completely different from all the others it had known. This was the happiest winter of its life. It really, really liked this human. In that moment, a powerful thought rose in Budew's heart: it wanted to stay by his side forever.
The very instant that thought formed, its body was suddenly enveloped in a brilliant white light.
Gengar and Zane's attention was immediately drawn to it. That light...
Evolution!
An indescribable feeling of excitement surged through Zane's heart. To personally witness the transformation of a Pokémon he had painstakingly raised was a completely different experience from watching it happen on a game screen. Surprise, excitement, joy, anticipation—he felt it all.
In the intense light of evolution, Budew's form began to change rapidly. A refreshing, pleasant fragrance emanated from the light. Its body stretched from a small, round bud into a humanoid, fairy-like shape. Two roses of different colors bloomed from its slender wrists—one red, one blue.
A moment later, the light faded, and a brand-new Pokémon stood before Zane.
"ROSELIA!" the newly evolved Roselia cried out happily.
At the same time, the information in Zane's mind updated.
Species: Roselia ♀
Type: Grass / Poison
Ability: Leaf Guard
Base Stats: 400 (HP: 50, Atk: 60, Def: 45, SpA: 100, SpD: 80, Spe: 65)
Moves: Giga Drain, Stun Spore, Seed Bomb, Stun Bomb (Stun Spore + Seed Bomb), Landmine Bomb (Seed Bomb+), Poison Sting, Magical Leaf
Current Mood: Happy, Joyful
Status: Relaxed, Satisfied
Friendship: 100 (It likes you very much and wants to be with you forever)
Zane's eyes grew moist; he was so moved. Compared to humans, Pokémon were such pure, simple creatures. Once they chose a person, they would dedicate their entire being, even their lives, to that person. That was a level of devotion that even most humans couldn't easily achieve.
"Thank you," Zane said softly, reaching out to touch Roselia's cheek.
"Roselia!" it replied happily.
Christmas Eve passed in a warm, peaceful atmosphere. Lying in bed that night, Zane replayed the events of his time in this world in his mind. Budew's evolution was a milestone of incredible significance. From this day forward, he finally had some real combat capability. Not only that, but upon evolving, Roselia had learned two brand-new moves. Zane couldn't wait to test their power in battle.
But just then, a sudden noise came from the kitchen.
Zane's thoughts were interrupted. He held his breath, listening to the sounds outside.
Don't tell me it's haunted again.
But the sound quickly disappeared, and the room fell silent once more.
Maybe it was just a mouse, Zane thought, relieved. He was about to close his eyes and go to sleep, but then he heard a soft rustling sound again.
Then, the handle of his bedroom door began to turn. With a faint click, the door creaked open.
Zane was instantly on high alert. He flicked on the light. And there, tiptoeing in from the crack in the door, was a Surskit, carrying a gift.
"SUR!"
The sudden light scared the Surskit half to death. The gift box it was holding with its feelers fell to the floor with a clatter.
Zane and his other Pokémon all stared at the intruder. He recognized this Surskit. It was Principal Kiriyama's.
The Surskit was so scared it could barely move. Seeing its face, flushed red from the cold, the corner of Zane's mouth twitched. He got out of bed to check the situation. "Did Principal Kiriyama send you?" he asked.
The busted Surskit nodded its head sheepishly.
Zane walked over to the window. Sure enough, there he was, standing outside, dressed as Santa Claus.
Zane stared, his face a perfect blank. ...So that's why he told all the teachers staying for the holiday to hang a stocking at the end of their beds. He wanted to pull this stunt.
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