Night fell.
Peter and Whitney sat inside the hollow-tree nest, their stomachs bulging from overeating.
Meanwhile, Bewear enthusiastically prepared dinner for the rest of the Pokémon.
Having lived alone for years, the giant bear was surprisingly hospitable.
More than anything, it adored taking care of babies.
At that moment, Audino was being held in one of Bewear's massive paws, happily swinging back and forth like it was on a playground ride.
Laughter echoed throughout the nest.
The atmosphere was peaceful, warm, and strangely comforting.
"Living out in the wilderness doesn't seem so bad once in a while~"
Whitney hugged her knees as she sat on the ground. The position pushed her ample chest into an exaggerated curve.
Peter nodded.
"Yeah... though I still have no idea how to bring it up with Bewear..."
He was still worrying about his legendary capture mission.
"Maybe you could just tell her directly?" Whitney suggested. "I don't think she'd refuse. At worst, Stufful would have to say goodbye to her. We could always come back and visit them often..."
Her gaze drifted toward Stufful.
The little bear was sitting happily on Bewear's shoulder, smiling without a care in the world.
Yet despite her words, there was obvious reluctance in Whitney's eyes.
Peter reached out and gently pinched her nose.
"You always try to comfort me even when you don't mean it yourself."
"Well, what can I do?" Whitney smiled and wrapped herself around his arm. "You're my Honey. Honey comes first~"
The girl's soft, fragrant body naturally nestled against his chest.
Holding her close, Peter's eyes hardened with determination.
"I have to at least try. If it doesn't work, then we'll think of something else."
"Mhm~!"
Peter stood up and walked toward Bewear.
"Bewear?"
The giant bear turned around.
Its sharp senses had already detected him approaching.
"Can we talk privately?" Peter asked directly.
Bewear paused for a moment before nodding.
"Bewear..."
A short while later, the two sat side by side atop a nearby cliff overlooking the coast.
Moonlight cascaded across the landscape, draping the earth in a blanket of silver.
"Bewear? (What is it?)"
"Let me introduce myself properly," Peter said seriously. "My name is Peter. I'm a Pokémon Trainer."
"Bewear? (Trainer? What's that?)"
"A Trainer is someone who grows together with Pokémon. Someone who's both a partner and family."
"Bewear... (I don't understand...)"
The giant bear shook its head.
Peter smiled.
"Have you noticed how much Stufful has changed?"
Bewear blinked.
"Over this period of time, it's grown a lot stronger. That's what Trainers do. We help Pokémon reach heights they couldn't reach alone."
Bewear lifted its head.
Its large, pure eyes stared directly at Peter.
"Bewear? (Can I do that too?)"
"Of course."
Peter nodded firmly.
"And more importantly, the bond between Trainers and Pokémon can often awaken a power that surpasses their limits."
"Bewear? (What's that?)"
Peter looked up at the moon hanging high above them.
His voice softened.
"It's... the most beautiful thing in the world."
"Bewear..."
The giant bear tilted its head.
It didn't really understand what Peter meant.
Yet somehow...
It felt that he was telling the truth.
The sensation was strange.
As though the young man sitting beside it shone even brighter than the moon above.
"Would you like to see it?"
Peter turned toward Bewear.
"The most beautiful thing in the world, according to me."
"Bewear!"
The anticipation shining within its eyes left no room for hesitation.
It nodded immediately.
Peter tapped the first Poké Ball at his waist.
A flash of light appeared.
Lopunny quietly emerged.
"Watch carefully."
Peter turned around.
His gaze met Lopunny's crimson eyes.
Trainer and Pokémon smiled simultaneously.
The next moment—
Brilliant rainbow-colored light engulfed her body.
Her fluffy ears transformed into whip-like appendages.
Her figure grew taller.
Her long legs became wrapped in torn black stockings.
The clover-shaped tuft of fur on her forehead added an unexpected touch of cuteness to her fierce appearance.
"Lopu..."
Mega Lopunny slowly extended a fist.
Violent fighting spirit flickered within her eyes.
Bewear stared blankly.
It could clearly see the invisible bond connecting Peter and Lopunny.
Almost unconsciously, it extended its own fist and bumped it against Lopunny's.
The fire in its eyes ignited.
At that moment...
It finally seemed to understand what Trainers meant.
At the very least, the sight of Mega Lopunny awakened a deep yearning within its heart.
"Lopu!"
"Bewear!"
The two Fighting-type Pokémon growled simultaneously.
Their shared fighting spirit resonated instantly.
[Ding! The Legendary Capture Mission has entered its final stage. Please check the mission panel.]
[(Unique) Legendary Pokémon Capture: Bewear]
Description:
After witnessing the bond between Trainer and Pokémon, Bewear's fighting spirit has been ignited.
The host has earned an opportunity to defeat Bewear in direct battle.
Requirements:
Defeat and capture Bewear through a relay battle.
Reward:
Bewear's acknowledgment.
————
"So it's finally happening..."
Peter slipped one hand into his pocket while his mind raced.
Ever since seeing Bewear's status panel, he'd been planning how to capture it.
Since the system had listed a recommended level of sixty, he had long suspected that the answer would be a relay battle.
After all, wild Pokémon captures weren't restricted to one-on-one matches.
And now...
Thanks to Stufful and the emotional appeal of the Trainer-Pokémon bond, he had successfully piqued Bewear's interest.
Everything had fallen naturally into place.
Bewear suddenly leapt backward.
In a single jump, it widened the distance by dozens of meters.
Its massive paws lowered slightly.
The gesture was clear.
Come at me.
The flat shoreline became their battlefield.
"Lopunny! Fake Out into Agility!"
Peter opened with a combo.
Mega Lopunny's figure stretched into a blur.
An energy-coated slap arrived instantly.
"Bewear!"
A flash appeared in Bewear's eyes.
The next moment—
The attack pierced straight through it.
"Lopu?"
Mega Lopunny froze.
A second later, she realized what had happened.
She had only hit an afterimage.
"Lopunny! Quick Attack and then Bounce to evade!"
Peter shouted.
Through their bond, Lopunny understood immediately.
She launched herself high into the air without hesitation.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
An earth-shattering explosion erupted beneath her.
The ground where she had been standing moments earlier shattered under a massive bear paw.
Cold sweat instantly appeared on Peter's back.
Bewear had completed both a dodge and a counterattack so quickly that it looked like teleportation.
"Bewear..."
The giant bear glanced upward.
Then it stomped the beach.
The sand exploded.
A moment later, Bewear shot skyward like a cannonball.
A glowing aura gathered around its paw.
Close Combat.
Peter's eyes narrowed.
"Baby-Doll Eyes! Then use the momentum to Bounce away!"
"Lopu!"
Mega Lopunny instantly understood.
She gave a playful wink.
A heart-shaped aura flew from her eyes and struck Bewear directly on the forehead.
A glow appeared around the giant bear.
Its Attack dropped.
Its charge slowed slightly.
Lopunny's whip-like ears struck against Bewear's fist.
Using the force of the collision, she flipped through the air.
Just barely.
She avoided what would have been a fatal Close Combat.
"Perfect! One more time, then Baton Pass!"
"Lopu!!"
Under Bewear's confused gaze, a spotlight suddenly appeared beneath its feet.
A shining golden baton materialized and flew through the air.
Lopunny transformed into red light and returned to her Poké Ball.
Peter immediately grabbed a second Poké Ball.
"Go! Zoroark, you're up!"
"Zoroark..."
The white fox emerged from a haze of ghostly shadows.
As it caught the glowing baton, a surge of increased Speed enveloped its body.
Then—
WHAM!
Before Zoroark could even move, an enormous bear paw punched straight through it.
"Bewear?"
Bewear tilted its head in confusion.
It couldn't understand why its Close Combat hadn't worked.
Peter's lips curled upward.
"Fighting-type moves can't hit Zoroark."
The moonlit shoreline fell silent for a brief moment.
Then realization slowly dawned in Bewear's eyes.
And the true capture battle...
Had only just begun.
--------------
T/N:
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