In Cogita's garden.
It was mid-afternoon, and the sunlight over the Crimson Mirelands was warm and gentle.
The garden, carefully chosen and tended by Cogita, carried a rich scent—a blend of earth and blooming flowers.
On a day like this, Cogita would usually be more than happy to brew a pot of tea and enjoy a leisurely afternoon.
But today…
Floating not far from her was an unusual Pokémon: completely pink, feet balanced atop a soft cloud.
"Enamorus?"
Cogita blinked in surprise at the unexpected guest.
Enamorus, also known as the Goddess of Spring, was the guardian of life's renewal—faithfully bringing vitality to the Hisui region year after year.
And yet, for reasons of her own, she had willingly let herself be captured by Cogita many years ago.
Before Elias appeared in her life, Enamorus had been the only one she could truly talk to.
However, afraid her strange appearance might scare the boy, Cogita had sent her to live out in the wild after his arrival.
It wasn't as though a legendary Pokémon like her would have any trouble surviving.
Which was why her sudden appearance now made Cogita uneasy.
"Did something happen?" she asked, brows knitting.
Enamorus nodded.
Meeting her gaze, the pink Pokémon began gesturing with both arms, miming the thoughts in her head.
Cogita understood her meaning at once.
And the next moment, Enamorus saw something she had never expected:
The usually composed, calmly aloof Cogita trembled—her hand clenching so tightly around her teacup that it shattered.
Porcelain shards cut through her white silk gloves, and blood bloomed from a thin gash on her palm.
Startled, Enamorus rushed forward to snatch the broken cup from her.
But Cogita was no longer paying attention to anything else. Grabbing Enamorus by the shoulders, she leaned in and asked in a low voice:
"You're sure Tornadus is unstable?"
"You didn't misread the signs?"
There was a flicker of fear in her eyes.
The message Enamorus brought was simple—Tornadus seemed to be slipping into a state of agitation. There were signs of an impending rampage.
Tornadus, like Enamorus, was one of the Forces of Nature. But instead of spring and life, he governed the howling storms of the Hisui region.
He kept to himself, rarely appearing, and had no real bond with Enamorus—only a distant familiarity.
But that wasn't the issue.
The problem was this: Tornadus resided deep in the Alabaster Wastes.
Every time a massive blizzard erupted in the region, he was often the one behind it.
And that just happened to be where Elias had gone.
If Tornadus lost control…
Cogita didn't even want to imagine what might happen out there in that frozen deathscape.
"Take me to the Alabaster Wastes. Now."
Steadying her breathing, Cogita placed a hand on Enamorus's shoulder, signaling her to fly.
Whether Tornadus truly rampaged or not, she was bringing Elias back. She would not let him face that danger alone.
...
Meanwhile, within the Alabaster Wastes...
Contrary to what Cogita feared, the weather in the interior was surprisingly calm. In fact, it seemed even more peaceful than usual.
"Looks like the blizzards are only hitting the outskirts," Elias murmured.
They'd encountered some squalls on their way in, but as they ventured deeper, the skies cleared and the wind grew gentle.
"Elias… is there a particular Pokémon you like?"
The sudden voice—crafted from illusion—echoed in his mind. Zorua had spoken.
"A favorite Pokémon?" Elias turned to glance at "Irida." When he saw the nervous look on her face, he immediately sensed something deeper behind the question.
Truth be told, he'd already noticed it on the journey over—Zorua's eyes kept drifting to the Poké Ball on his belt, lingering with what seemed like longing.
That alone had surprised and delighted him.
He hadn't considered trying to catch Zorua as his own partner, simply because he wasn't sure she'd want that.
If she was the type who cherished freedom above all, she'd likely reject becoming anyone's Pokémon.
But…
Everything this little fox had done so far seemed to say otherwise.
A smile tugged at the corners of Elias's mouth.
Still, now wasn't the time to say outright that his favorite Pokémon was Zorua. If he did, the shy little thing might bolt on the spot.
Choosing his words carefully, he said, "Hmm… I guess Gardevoir?"
Which wasn't a lie—he really did like Gardevoir.
At his response, Zorua's little body flinched ever so slightly.
A swirl of emotions churned in her heart.
For just a moment, she'd truly hoped he would say "Zorua."
But of course, that was just fantasy.
Very few humans even tolerated her kind—much less loved them.
"Gardevoir, huh…" she echoed softly, feeling a pang of envy.
Gardevoirs were strong, beautiful, graceful—and their elegant, sweet-natured demeanor made them one of the most beloved species among humans.
They were everything Zorua wasn't. The polar opposite of her kind.
She let out a quiet sigh.
If only I were a Ralts instead… then I could stay by his side openly, without hiding, without lying…
"There are Gardevoir in the Alabaster Wastes," she murmured, voice as quiet as a breeze. "Do you want to catch one?"
"Maybe even find one of those Alpha Gardevoirs…"
She forced a smile, though her chest felt tight.
She hated asking that. Hated even thinking about it.
But she couldn't let her cover slip.
To her surprise, Elias shook his head.
"Not Gardevoir."
"Why not?" she asked.
"I don't know. Just a feeling. Like… if I really caught one, something bad would happen."
He was being honest.
He'd considered catching a Gardevoir just a few days ago—but the instant the thought came, a strange chill had run down his spine.
Like his body was trying to warn him.
Zorua nodded, not pressing further.
She pressed her lips together in silence, running through her mind to see if she had any similarities with Gardevoir.
But no matter how she sliced it—her type, her looks, her nature—they weren't even in the same league.
"Nnh…"
A quiet whimper escaped her lips. She felt… deflated.
But then—she suddenly felt someone grasp her wrist.
Startled, she looked up.
It was Elias.
He was holding her hand.
That snapped her right out of it.
She hadn't forgotten—her form as Irida was nothing but an illusion.
She'd even faked the texture of her body, but if someone held on long enough… they'd start to notice something wasn't right.
She tugged at her paw, trying to pull away. It didn't budge.
Then Elias spoke again, his voice light but steady:
"Besides Gardevoir, there is another kind of Pokémon I find really interesting."
"Want to hear about it?"
---
T/N: LMAOOO even in a simulation... the fear of Gardevoir stays