Deep within Unova's Lostlorn Forest, hidden inside a narrow hollow of an ancient tree, lay a cramped shelter.
The top of the tree hollow was carefully sealed with neatly cut planks and layers of dried grass. In one corner stood a small wooden bed, while the entrance was covered by a crude curtain woven from massive leaves. It looked less like a Pokémon den and more like a secluded mountain cabin.
At the center of the hollow, Whitney slowly stirred and opened her eyes.
The first thing reflected in her pink irises was a pair of terrifying eyes—red and gold interwoven like burning embers.
"AHHH—!!"
She screamed instinctively and scrambled backward, her body retreating in panic—sending her impressive curves swinging through the air in a dramatic arc.
Thud.
Her lower back slammed hard into a protruding tree stump.
"Ugh—ow, ow, ow!!" Whitney hissed, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes as pain finally snapped her fully awake.
"Zoro…"
The Pokémon before her let out a low, cautious sound, as if asking whether she was hurt.
Standing there was a fox-like Pokémon that walked upright on its hind legs.
Its body was cloaked in gray fur, with a deep black-blue mane covering its chest. Sharp crimson claws gleamed at the ends of its powerful limbs. Long, flexible ears paired with a flowing mane of dark red fur trailing all the way down to its heels gave it the agility of a fox and the pride of a lone wolf.
Elegant. Wild. Dangerous.
"Ah… you're… Zoroark?!" Whitney's face lit up with surprise and excitement.
She'd come here in the first place to help her boyfriend Peter find a Zorua. Seeing a Zoroark was practically a jackpot.
"Zoro."
Zoroark nodded, then gestured toward the bed with one claw.
Nestled among the dried grass lay a small fox Pokémon, curled up and unconscious.
"That's… Zorua?!" Whitney smiled—only for her brows to knit together moments later.
"Wait… it's hurt?"
A deep gash split Zorua's lower abdomen. Though crudely treated with herbs, blackened blood still seeped from the wound, and its breathing was shallow and weak.
"Zoro… zoro…"
Zoroark's voice was urgent. It formed two oval shapes with its claws in front of its chest—then pointed toward Zorua.
"Huh?" Whitney tilted her head innocently.
"I… don't really get what you're saying. And I don't know any medical stuff either. In this situation, shouldn't we be finding Nurse Joy…?"
"Zoro…"
Zoroark sighed in frustration.
A ripple of illusion washed over its body, and in a flash of distorted light, it transformed into a human woman holding a swaddled infant.
The baby drank greedily, face full of bliss.
The illusion vanished.
"Zoro! Zoro-zoro!"
Zoroark pointed at Whitney—then at its child.
"…Eh?"
Whitney froze.
"You're not saying…"
Her eyes widened as she glanced down at her own exceptional figure.
"You want me to… breastfeed it?!"
She panicked instantly.
"H-Hey! I'm not being stingy or anything, okay?! I know they're big, but there's literally not a drop in there! Really! And besides—"
Besides… even if there were…
Her thoughts drifted to a certain sharp-eyed boy, and her cheeks flushed pink.
Thump.
Zoroark smacked its forehead straight into the tree stump.
It stared at her in utter disbelief, then calmly reached over and pulled a Poké Ball from Whitney's belt.
"Zoro, zoro."
"…Ah."
Whitney's face burned red.
"You meant Miltank… hahahaha… sorry, sorry! That's totally on me. My bad! Really!"
She wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
Flustered, she tossed out two Poké Balls.
"Miltank! Use Milk Drink on Zorua!
Clefairy, use Life Dew!"
"Moo~!"
"Clef~!"
Gentle droplets of life energy flowed into Zorua's forehead, while Miltank lifted the little fox and gave it a thorough feeding.
Before long, the wound on Zorua's belly visibly began to close.
"Zoro…"
Zoroark bowed deeply to Whitney, then offered berries to Miltank and Clefairy in gratitude.
"Hehe… you're actually really kind, you know," Whitney said with a warm smile.
"Zoro…"
"Um… can I touch your fur?" she asked, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
She had zero resistance to fluffy things.
"…"
Zoroark hesitated—then lowered its head.
"It looks really pretty~" Whitney said happily, reaching out.
That was when—
A cold, sinister male voice echoed from outside.
"Come out, Zoroark. I know you're in there."
Zoroark's ears snapped upright. Its fangs bared, claws carving deep gouges into the ground.
…
Whitney hurried to peer through a crack in the tree hollow.
Outside stood a man in a white suit, short blue hair framing his face. A star-shaped tuft of hair at his forehead was dyed bright yellow, giving him an oddly sharp, predatory look—almost reminiscent of a Garchomp.
At his side stood a bodyguard in a black suit.
"Don't be scared," Whitney whispered, clutching her third Poké Ball—the one her grandfather had given her.
"I'll protect you."
"Zoro…"
The rage in Zoroark's eyes softened slightly.
After days of surviving alone with its child, it felt something strange from this cheerful girl—
Support.
"Come out, Zoroark!" the man shouted again.
Whitney gently stroked Zoroark's ear and whispered,
"Don't rush out. They haven't found us yet. If you go now, you'll fall straight into their trap."
For once, the Miltank girl's brain was fully online.
But then the man outside laughed darkly.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot to mention—
to make sure you behaved, we injected Zorua with a special lethal energy."
"If you don't obey… you'll just have to watch it die. Hahahaha!"
"GRAAAHH—!!"
Zoroark snapped.
In a burst of gray shadow, it charged out.
"Zoroark—!" Whitney reached for it, but it was already gone.
She clenched her fists and stayed behind, guarding Zorua, waiting for the right moment.
"Well, finally decided to show yourself," the blue-haired man smirked.
Zoroark snarled, hatred burning in its eyes.
"Goone," the man ordered coolly. "Take it down."
"Yes, sir."
Six Poké Balls burst open at once.
Two Scizor and four Ninjask appeared, instantly surrounding Zoroark.
-----
Sinnoh — Eterna City Pokémon Center
Peter stood inside a pillar of descending light, clutching a round crystalline stone in his hands.
Ding!
Using Summoner Skill Stone – Teleport.
Target: Whitney.
Teleportation initiated.
Countdown: 30… 29… 28…
He didn't have time to buy a ticket.
This was why he'd saved that item.
Everything pointed to one conclusion—Zoroark hadn't abducted Whitney out of malice. It had needed help.
And the one hunting it?
Most likely Grings Kodai, the villain from the movie timeline.
A man who could see the future.
Against someone like that, Whitney stood no chance.
So Peter had to get there—
Now.
Whitney… wait for me.
BOOM!
Zoroark was smashed into a tree trunk by a simultaneous strike from both Scizor, sliding down weakly as leaves rained around it.
Six Bug-type Pokémon.
Resistant to Dark. Super effective against it.
A perfect hunting squad.
"Zoro…"
Blood trickled from the corner of its mouth as Zoroark slowly rose.
They'd chased it for days. Battle after battle. Otherwise, it would never have been driven into such a state.
But even now—
Its pride refused to yield.
A dark aura surged outward.
Black chains of malevolent energy wrapped tightly around its body.
"Zor…
ROAAAH—!!!"
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