c31: Ralts
Knowing that Leng Yue and her father Leng Xin were on their way, Chen Xiaoxiao managed to calm herself down a little.
At the same time, her mind recalled something the middle-aged Trainer had said when she had interrogated him earlier:
"Turns out I couldn't tame the strong one, so I settled for a smaller one. A bit of a shame, really."
Her expression darkened. She turned to Gardevoir, who stood silently at her side.
"Gardevoir, use Confusion to open the Poké Balls on that man one by one. Be cautious."
A shimmering blue aura glowed around Gardevoir's body. The six Poké Balls on the fallen Trainer's belt lifted into the air, enveloped in the Psychic energy.
With precise control, Gardevoir opened the first Poké Ball. A flash of red light hit the ground, and out came a scowling Scrafty, its baggy skin swaying as it stood up aggressively.
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Scrafty
Gender: ♂
Level: 50 (Quasi-Elite Intermediate)
Type: Dark / Fighting
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"Gardevoir, Moonblast."
Scrafty was only of moderate strength certainly not a match for an Elite-tier Gardevoir. With a Fairy-type attack like Moonblast, a move that dealt 4x super-effective damage to a Dark/Fighting type, the result was immediate. The blast of radiant energy struck Scrafty head-on, knocking him out cold.
"Okay. Put him back into his Poké Ball and move on to the next."
With measured precision, Gardevoir used Confusion to return the unconscious Scrafty into his Poké Ball. Then she opened the next three Poké Balls in turn. Each was empty.
Chen Xiaoxiao frowned, then quickly realized: those must have belonged to the Houndoom, Mightyena, and Honchkrow all of whom had already fainted in earlier battles.
"Try recalling them," she instructed.
As ordered, Gardevoir directed the now-empty Poké Balls toward the three downed Pokémon. With brief flashes of red light, each of them was successfully retracted.
Next, Chen Xiaoxiao nodded at Gardevoir. "Now activate the Poké Ball lock mechanism on each."
Gardevoir focused, her eyes glowing as she clicked the external locking switch on each Poké Ball using Confusion. Once activated, this lock prevented the Pokémon from being released unless externally overridden.
Of course, Chen Xiaoxiao knew that this was only effective on Pokémon below the Elite tier. It likely explained why the middle-aged Trainer had chosen to kill the wild Gardevoir rather than attempt to imprison her she simply wouldn't have been held.
As for her concern that Houndoom or Honchkrow might regain consciousness and escape: she quickly dismissed it. Without medical attention, even a conscious Pokémon wouldn't have the energy or condition to break free from a Poké Ball so soon after collapse.
Gardevoir opened the fifth Poké Ball.
This time, a Skuntank materialized Dark/Poison type, and about the same level as Scrafty.
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Skuntank
Type: Dark / Poison
Level: 52 (Quasi-Elite Advanced)
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But before Chen Xiaoxiao could even give a command, the Skuntank looked around, took one glance at Gardevoir, and immediately darted back into its Poké Ball voluntarily.
Clearly, it had witnessed what had happened to Scrafty, and had no interest in being next.
Chen Xiaoxiao blinked, slightly taken aback. Then she gave a faint smirk.
"Forget it, Gardevoir. Just lock the Poké Ball."
Gardevoir obediently used Confusion to press the external lock on Skuntank's Poké Ball, sealing it. There was no need to punish a Pokémon smart enough to stay out of trouble.
Chen Xiaoxiao paused in thought. It was becoming clear that these Pokémon shared a strained or even hostile relationship with their former Trainer. Not one of them had shown any reaction to his death. None had come to defend him, or even tried to flee in fear.
That silence said more than any words could.
"A man who could crush a Gardevoir underfoot and talk about it like squashing a bug... Could someone like that really treat his Pokémon with kindness?" she muttered bitterly.
"He probably saw them all as tools.nothing more."
Now, only one Poké Ball remained.
Her heart trembled with anticipation. Was this the one?
Gardevoir opened it gently.
A flash of red energy spilled onto the forest floor, slowly coalescing into a small, delicate figure.
It was a Ralts.
She looked like a little girl in a white skirt, with a green helmet-like fringe covering her eyes. She stood motionless, then slumped forward scarred and unconscious.
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Ralts
Gender: Unknown
Status: Comatose, injured
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The sight made Chen Xiaoxiao's chest tighten.
"Gardevoir, Heal Pulse," she said softly.
Gardevoir nodded solemnly. A warm pink aura flowed from her palms, surrounding Ralts like a gentle embrace. The faint, injured body began to glow softly under the healing energy.
Chen Xiaoxiao watched closely, her expression pained but hopeful.
This Ralts… was likely the one he couldn't "tame." The one he had settled for, the one he regretted.
And yet… even that one he had hurt.
But Chen Xiaoxiao wouldn't make the same mistake.
Not ever.
Surrounded by Gardevoir's Heal Pulse, Ralts glowed with a gentle emerald-green light, a manifestation of life energy channeling through her small, fragile frame. The visible wounds on her body, once raw and inflamed, began to fade gradually as the healing Psychic energy mended torn tissue and soothed her pain.
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Ralts
Gender: ♀
Level: 5 (Common Primary)
Type: Psychic / Fairy
Nature: Timid (+Speed, -Attack)
Ability: Synchronize – Transfers Poison, Paralysis, or Burn to the attacker.
Hidden Ability: Telepathy – Avoids damage from allies' moves.
Potential (IVs): Elite Tier
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"This must be the daughter of the Gardevoir that died," Chen Xiaoxiao murmured to herself as she analyzed Ralts' aura and potential. "Her aptitude is exceptional, but she's still only at Level 5… likely just hatched recently. The Gardevoir that was killed she probably died protecting this child. With Elite-level power, Gardevoir should've easily escaped if she hadn't chosen to stand and fight."
It wasn't an unreasonable conclusion. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Elite-class Pokémon like Gardevoir could Teleport long distances with ease, even while under attack—unless they stayed willingly to shield something more precious.
If this had happened earlier, Chen Xiaoxiao would have been thrilled to encounter a Ralts in the wild. After all, Ralts had been her favorite Pokémon species in her previous life even now, she already had a fully trained Gardevoir by her side.
But after everything that had just happened the death, the battle, the confrontation with a murderer—her heart was heavy. There was no joy left in this moment.
As the last of the Heal Pulse faded, Ralts stirred weakly. Her eyelids fluttered open, and her eyes locked onto Gardevoir standing nearby. Overwhelmed with recognition or hope Ralts leapt into Gardevoir's arms, trembling with relief.
But only a second later, she hesitated.
It wasn't her mother.
She pulled back slightly, glancing around anxiously, searching for the Gardevoir she had known.
Chen Xiaoxiao's heart clenched at the sight. There was a sorrow to it that was deeper than anything she had expected. At least Ralts had been saved… but her loss was still irreparable.
"Gardevoir," she said softly, "destroy the Poké Ball that was used to catch Ralts. Then explain what happened to her, and… ask if she has any remaining family. Try to comfort her, please."
"Sha~naai." (Understood, Xiaoxiao.)
Chen Xiaoxiao stepped back to give them space. She didn't know how to explain something so devastating to such a young Pokémon. Better to leave it to Gardevoir they were kin, after all. Psychic-types had ways of communicating emotion and memory that humans couldn't fully grasp.
Walking about thirty meters away, she found a large tree and sat beneath it to rest, giving Gardevoir and Ralts a private moment together.
Chen Xiaoxiao sighed to herself.
If she hadn't already raised a Gardevoir one she had spent ten long years bonding with she might have kept Ralts without hesitation. But now… raising a second one didn't seem right, no matter how talented she might be.
If Ralts had any family left… Chen Xiaoxiao would return her.
She didn't want to treat this like fate or possession. Pokémon weren't meant to be collected like trophies they were meant to be understood, and chosen.
About half an hour later, Gardevoir gently floated back to her, holding Ralts in her arms. The little Psychic-type was still sobbing softly into Gardevoir's shoulder, tears staining her cheeks.
Gardevoir looked solemn.
"Sha...naai." (Xiaoxiao… Ralts has no remaining relatives. Her Gardevoir mother was her only family.)
Chen Xiaoxiao let out a breath.
This… was going to be complicated.
Drip… drop… drip…
Her Pokédex vibrated softly. The notification chime from Penguin had arrived.
Chen Xiaoxiao flipped it open quickly.
"Xiaoxiao, I've arrived above the inner forest canopy. Where exactly are you?" – Leng Yue
She exhaled in relief. Good. Reinforcements had come.
She quickly gave the command, "Togekiss, fly up to the forest canopy and guide them down."
As Togekiss soared skyward, Chen Xiaoxiao replied on Penguin:
"I'll let Togekiss pick you up."
And for the first time in a long while, a faint light returned to her eyes.
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