'Hoo~~~'
In that silent and long night, a small tent stood alone on the open wilderness.
Moonlight spilled onto the top of the tent like water, and through the thin fabric, the scene inside was faintly visible.
Inside the tent, there was peace and tranquility. Two figures lay quietly in their sleeping bags, accompanied by steady and crisp breathing, as if the whole world had fallen asleep.
This breathing sounded like musical notes gently played in the night sky, rising and falling rhythmically, adding a touch of vitality and warmth to this pitch-black night.
As time passed, the breathing became clearer.
Meng Xi glanced faintly at the sleeping Lin Siyu, a shallow smile appearing on her fair, delicate face, unable to help but sigh at the quality of her sleep.
She turned her head toward the top of the tent, her black pupils becoming clearer, with no hint of sleepiness.
This was not because the snoring around her was too loud, although it did have a slight effect...
Meng Xi turned to face the tent exit, and outside, it was Fei Xiao sleeping in the wild.
Fei Xiao looked at the group sleeping on the ground and shook her head slightly.
The tent could actually squeeze in a few petite Pokémon, but everyone seemed quite united.
In the end, they rested leaning against a large tree with her, and now they had fallen asleep in a heap.
Diancie and Meloetta were sleeping while hugging each other, Talonflame was lying on the back of Bulbasaur, snoring away, and the body of Dragonair circled the four little ones, bringing a touch of warmth to everyone.
Fei Xiao smiled, a hint of tenderness appearing in the depths of her eyes.
'Sigh, these guys really are a handful.'
Then she took a few blankets from her bag and covered everyone.
After doing all this, Fei Xiao stood on a tree branch, looking out at the meteor shower that hadn't yet disappeared on the horizon.
A head of white hair fell naturally below her shoulders.
Her cyan eyes gazed quietly at the sky, her consciousness exceptionally clear at this moment, but her heart was unexpectedly calm, unlike usual.
Just a few more questions in her heart, she murmured softly.
'Am I... Fei Hao or... Fei Xiao, or...'
The next morning, the morning sun spilled over the earth.
'Hoo~'
Fei Xiao exhaled hot air, and a small amount of sweat on her forehead dripped down along her fragrant shoulders.
Yes, Fei Xiao went for her morning run as usual; this had completely become her own habit.
Fei Xiao put on a sports vest and shorts and went running around the nearby woods.
After a while, Fei Xiao's cheeks flushed slightly, and she returned to the camp covered in sweat.
'Huh? This is...'
Fei Xiao's attention was drawn to the shaking Poké Ball on the table.
She stepped forward and tapped the button on the Poké Ball, and a white light appeared.
It was exactly the Poké Ball containing the wounded person that Lin Siyu had dug out yesterday.
'Suo...'
Ceruledge shook its head and gradually woke up.
Although its whole body was still in pain, it could at least move.
After leaving the Poké Ball, Ceruledge looked around blankly.
'Suo?'
'You're awake? It seems I underestimated your recovery ability. Come to think of it, you must have experienced quite a few battles, right?'
Fei Xiao leaned against the table, crossing her arms as she sized up Ceruledge.
'Hmm, the recovery is not bad.'
Ceruledge looked over at the sound.
Before it was a white-haired human with a perfect, hot figure revealed by her thin sportswear.
Although it didn't know why the human in front of it had a pair of strange ears, it recognized at a glance the human who had easily crushed it before.
But looking at it now... is she really a human?
'Suo?'
'Eh? This... wait a moment.'
Fei Xiao accidentally forgot that Ceruledge couldn't speak; after having Diancie's professional translation, she almost ignored this.
'Oh~ what are you doing?'
Diancie rubbed its blurry little eyes and spoke softly.
Seeing this, Fei Xiao picked it up to serve as a voice actor... translator.
'Eh? It's you, are your injuries healed?'
Diancie saw the slightly battered Pokémon in the soft embrace.
It had heard about this Ceruledge from Talonflame.
'Suo.'
'You're welcome, after all, Sister Fei Xiao was a bit heavy-handed.'
'It says thank you for the treatment, otherwise it might have...'
'No, come to think of it, that was my own lack of restraint. Now can you explain in detail why you were following us before?'
Ceruledge did not hide and told its story.
'I was originally a wandering swordsman, challenging powerful Pokémon to become stronger. A few days ago, I happened to pass by here. It was right then that I witnessed an incredible scene with my own eyes. It was your brilliant battle where you defeated Hydreigon in one move.'
Ceruledge's gaze turned to the confused Fei Xiao.
Fei Xiao was indeed a bit surprised; at that time, her perception was far less sharp than it is now. Plus, the situation was urgent, so she hadn't noticed there were unexpected spectators.
Fei Xiao supported her chin with one hand and asked again.
'My name is Fei Xiao, thank you for your recognition. So? Why didn't you directly challenge me to a battle? Instead, you followed us sneakily?'
'My intention was indeed as you guessed, but I noticed you are a human, yet a different kind of human. I just didn't expect...'
The only thing Ceruledge didn't expect was Fei Xiao's ears.
Fei Xiao felt its gaze and knew what it was thinking.
There was no help for it; unless it was some legendary Pokémon, it really wouldn't be able to Detect the hidden ability of the system item.
However, what Fei Xiao cared about was the previous sentence.
'What do you mean by
different
?
'
'You are not like other humans who are hostile to us Pokémon. Instead, you seem to be spreading this idea. I could clearly feel your heart during the following process. Between the clash of blades, I can see that your swordsmanship has definitely been forged through countless battles. I admire you immensely. Someone with your martial arts skills, I am certain you are not a cunning villain.'
Ceruledge clasped its hands—its blades—and bowed slightly to Fei Xiao, expressing its respect for a strong person.
It accepted its defeat in this battle wholeheartedly.
Whether it was strength, speed, or combat experience, she was far superior to it.
'However... I also felt a trace of confusion in your blade. This must have to do with the inexplicable loss of control when we were deciding the winner, right? I also thank Fei Xiao for suppressing yourself in time, otherwise, I might not have survived.'
Ceruledge's originally relaxed tone suddenly changed.
Fei Xiao's eyes flashed instantly, revealing inner surprise.
And Ceruledge saw all of this, out of concern for its opponent.
'So, Fei Xiao, is this...'
Fei Xiao originally wanted to hide it again, but the words were on the tip of her tongue...
Finally, she shook her head and sighed.
'It's nothing. Many humans, no matter how strong their bodies are, can still suddenly develop some minor ailments. And I am not a human myself; I am somewhat different from my original race. So I was born with a powerful force inside me. But this force is not my blessing... instead, it is a disease that is crushing my life.'
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