"Mmm..."
Nanami seemed to sense someone approaching, slowly raised her head, and opened her drowsy eyes.
When she saw the figure, she instantly snapped to attention and was startled.
Natsuhiko's bent waist and outstretched hand froze in place.
Fortunately, Nanami didn't scream loudly. After seeing clearly that it was Natsuhiko, she let out a long sigh of relief.
"Natsuhiko?"
"Uh...yeah."
"How did you get in? Didn't I lock the door?" Nanami asked, somewhat puzzled.
This question was quite awkward.
Natsuhiko rubbed his nose, unsure of how to answer.
He could only change the subject, "They say...you forfeited?"
Nanami heard this and nodded lowly, responding in a mosquito-like voice.
"Yeah."
Natsuhiko silently sighed and sat on the ground beside Nanami, holding Togetic in his arms.
He didn't ask why because it was meaningless.
After a long silence, Nanami suddenly asked, "Natsuhiko, what is your goal?"
"Goal?"
"Yeah." Nanami nodded, looked at the beautiful sunset outside the window, and said as if talking to herself, "I don't know where my goal is."
"I thought I would go into Pokémon research, but after reading and watching a lot of papers, I found that I actually only enjoyed the results obtained, not the process. Then I thought I might be more suited to being a Trainer, so I joined the competition with my Pokémon.
But just now, I suddenly realized that being a Trainer isn't what I want either, so I'm a bit lost."
Goal?
Natsuhiko gently patted Togetic's head, also looking at the sunset, slowly smiling.
"Regarding what my goal is, I actually don't know either. I only know that initially, I just wanted to live a life where I can feed myself, become a Trainer who isn't very strong but can protect myself and protect my Pokémon.
Gradually, I discovered that I actually prefer the days spent with my Pokémon, growing stronger together, working hard together, laughing and feeling disappointed together.
I want to take them around the world to see places and create memories so I won't feel regret in my old age.
Perhaps...
I just like Pokémon."
This was something Natsuhiko had never said to anyone, but it was his true expression from deep in his heart.
Goal?
Just take things one step at a time.
For someone like him who climbed up from the bottom, goals seemed too distant, too grand felt unrealistic, and too small felt lacking ambition.
Living well in the present is what's most important.
Of course, who doesn't have a bit of ambition, right?
Nanami stared blankly at Natsuhiko as he slowly spoke, and she felt that Natsuhiko must be a person with stories to tell.
Similar to her, there was also Togetic in Natsuhiko's arms.
Its little eyes twinkled as it looked at Natsuhiko.
This was also the first time Togetic had heard Natsuhiko say these words, and its feelings were naturally far deeper than Nanami's.
"Toge-tic..." Togetic called out softly.
Showing a hint of confusion.
Natsuhiko's goal, Nanami's goal, then what was Togetic's goal?
Sleeping as long as it wants every day?
Having endless ice cream every day?
Playing pranks with other Pokémon every day?
No.
Togetic instinctively shook its head.
Those days would be very comfortable and peaceful, but they weren't what it truly wanted.
What it wanted...
Once again, lifting its head from Natsuhiko's arms, looking at the familiar determined jawline that had already become a habit, an indispensable part of its life.
Togetic's gaze gradually turned resolute.
Its goal.
Is Natsuhiko.
Just like Natsuhiko said, he possibly just likes Pokémon.
Actually, it also just...
Likes Natsuhiko.
Understanding this point, Togetic leaned its head gently against Natsuhiko's chest.
As a Happy Pokémon, it felt very happy at this moment.
That was enough.
Suddenly, Togetic's body began to emit a faint light, and its temperature gradually rose.
Natsuhiko was the first to notice the anomaly in Togetic.
His expression changed slightly.
After saying something to Nanami, he quickly got up and left.
"If you don't try, how will you know what you truly like? So don't hesitate, use your heart to feel what you want."
Watching Natsuhiko's departing back, Nanami murmured, "I've never felt such a high level of affinity between a Pokémon and a Trainer, and just now...was that a happiness aura so dense that it was visible to the naked eye?"
Natsuhiko ran out of the room, heading straight for the villa's entrance, not noticing Lance and the others emerging from around the corner after he left.
"What's up with Natsuhiko?" Lance couldn't help but ask.
Everyone was equally puzzled.
"Toge-pi..."
Only the Togetic in Hilona's arms looked shocked.
As a fellow Happy Pokémon, it could clearly feel the changes in Togetic.
The overwhelming happiness aura almost made it die from envy.
Hilona looked at the Togepi in her arms, then at Natsuhiko who had run out of the villa, her almond-shaped eyes flickering, seemingly realizing something.
...
...
On the other side.
In a hurry, Natsuhiko ran out of the villa and into the forest outside the villa area, a place rarely visited by people.
He hadn't expected Togetic to undergo such an unexpected change.
Actually.
Since the last time Togetic battled Electric Rhenium Cat, Natsuhiko discovered some deficiencies in Togetic and was thinking of ways to address these shortcomings.