When night fell, Togekiss, who had previously left in dejection, appeared once again in front of Cain.
Although she still seemed to have difficulty accepting reality, she had decided to face it, because the facts spoke for themselves.
When she reappeared before Cain, it was obvious that she had something she wanted to say.
However, before she could speak, Cain took the initiative: "Togekiss, your aura power is extremely strong. My companion Magearna also possesses aura power, but she doesn't know how to use it. Could you help her?"
Upon hearing Cain, Togekiss set aside her doubts and looked at Magearna, whose body was composed entirely of mechanical parts.
With just one glance, her attention fixed on the Soul-Heart installed in Magearna's chest.
Rather than saying that Magearna was that mass of metal, it would be more accurate to say that the Soul-Heart was the true Magearna.
Togekiss closed her eyes, and her aura power expanded abruptly. Magearna seemed to sense something; her body tensed, and from her Soul-Heart emerged a strand of light-blue energy.
Togekiss opened her eyes immediately. As she looked at Magearna, her expression changed—from indifference, to surprise, and finally to shock.
She discovered that within Magearna's Soul-Heart existed an infinite ocean of aura power. Even exerting herself to the utmost, she barely managed to mobilize a tiny fraction of it.
"Tookkisss!" Togekiss whispered softly into the air.
The Togepi, Togetic, and Clawitzer who had been playing—all the Pokémon capable of using aura power—sent their energy toward Magearna's Soul-Heart.
Only then did the Soul-Heart undergo a drastic change.
An overwhelming surge of aura power erupted from Magearna's body, illuminating the valley, which had already darkened with night, and dyeing it completely blue.
With the help of the Soul-Heart, Magearna slowly rose from the ground. Enormous quantities of aura power poured forth from her core and enveloped her entirely.
The Pokémon who, following Togekiss's instructions, had poured their aura power into Magearna recovered their energy almost instantly, and through Magearna's aura power, it returned even more abundantly than before.
Lucario, who had awakened his aura power not long ago, did the same.
Under the radiance of the Soul-Heart, his aura power increased rapidly and fully recovered in the blink of an eye.
Togekiss and the other Pokémon stared at Magearna in astonishment, floating in the air like a blue light bulb.
Cain was also watching Magearna in amazement, not understanding what had happened to her.
But when he activated the system to scan Magearna's data, he discovered enormous changes.
Pokémon: Magearna (Light Black)
Gender: Genderless
Level: 75
Types: Steel + Fairy
Ability: Soul-Heart
Held Item: Soul-Heart (First awakening)
Egg Moves: None
Basic Moves: Crafty Shield, Gear Up, Shift Gear, Iron Head, Helping Hand, Sonic Boom, Defense Curl, Psybeam, Lucky Chant, Aurora Beam, Mirror Shot, Mind Reader, Flash Cannon, Fleur Cannon, Synchronoise, Aura Sphere
Learned Moves: Magnet Rise, Last Resort, Pain Split, Shock Wave, Heal Bell, After You, Iron Defense, Zen Headbutt
TM Moves: Protect, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Double Team, Energy Ball
Her level had risen from 70 to 75, skipping directly past the Initial Elite Four level and reaching the Intermediate Elite Four level.
Although Magearna did not like to fight, her Soul-Heart constantly supplied her with energy, and the Pokéblocks Cain had prepared for her helped her improve. That was why, like Diancie, she had already reached the Elite Four level long ago.
This time, the awakening of her aura power caused her level to surge explosively.
But what caught Cain's attention the most was not the level increase, but the text added after Soul-Heart: "first awakening."
It was easy to understand, yet it appeared far too suddenly.
Or rather, Cain had never imagined that the Soul-Heart could awaken.
If there was a first awakening, did that mean there would be a second, a third, or even a fourth? What were the conditions for each awakening?
He didn't know.
Not even Magearna herself seemed to fully understand her current state.
Gradually, the blue light dissipated, and the aura power once again concentrated within the Soul-Heart.
"Megarr!" Magearna shook her head, clearly confused.
But Togekiss's gaze toward Cain changed once more.
She had returned to ask him whether he had any Shiny Stones so that the Togetic could evolve, but Cain had interrupted her before she could speak.
She had never imagined that Magearna's awakening would be such a shocking scene.
Only a Pokémon capable of using aura power could understand the immensity of the energy she had sensed within the Soul-Heart. What Magearna had awakened was merely a fraction of that power.
Although Togekiss was far stronger overall, she had to admit that when it came to aura power, Magearna's talent and potential far surpassed her own.
"Thank you," Cain said sincerely. Then he asked, "Did you want to tell me something?"
Togekiss looked with mixed emotions at Magearna, who was standing obediently beside Cain, and nodded. "I wanted to ask whether you have any special stones that allow my clan to evolve. If you do, I am willing to exchange all of our current resources."
Cain frowned. The only stone that allowed Togetic to evolve into Togekiss was the Shiny Stone.
However, aside from the Supreme-quality Shiny Stone he had previously obtained for Florges's evolution, he had not paid attention to that type of stone again.
At the moment, he had several Dusk Stones, Leaf Stones, and others, but not a single Shiny Stone.
With a resigned expression, Cain shook his head. "I'm sorry... I didn't think I would need a Shiny Stone, so I didn't bring any. I don't know whether they exist on this continent."
Togekiss could sense whether Cain was lying or not.
Fortunately, since Cain entered the valley, he had never shown any ill intent nor tried to deceive her.
Togekiss's expression filled with helplessness.
After so many years of attempts, she had discovered that without that special stone, the Togetic could not evolve.
As long as she lived, she could still protect the entire Togepi clan and the Aura Valley. But when her life came to an end, who would protect them?
Without her, the combat strength of the Togepi clan was truly weak.
By contrast, the Clauncher and Clawitzer she had protected possessed much stronger combat capabilities and could protect them.
But she could not rely on others forever.
Seeing Togekiss's disappointment, Cain pondered for a moment and said, "Then why not take your clan to another place? Perhaps outside of here you could find Shiny Stones and allow more members to evolve."
"Leave here? We came from another place... wait, do you mean leaving this world?" Togekiss reacted.
At that moment, Slowking, who had been resting nearby, seemed to sense something and looked toward Cain.
A lost Pokémon, without direction, and a trainer with an almost infinite future... Slowking could imagine the outcome.
Feeling a bit secondhand embarrassment, he decided not to look any longer and went to find Honchkrow to train for a while.
Cain did not notice this. Togekiss also had no time to perceive her surroundings, focused on considering the proposal.
"There are almost no Shiny Stones here. There is no sun; although there is light, it is very diffuse. The probability of them forming naturally is practically zero. The fact that you evolved was a perfect coincidence," Cain continued.
It was the truth. The conditions required for a Shiny Stone to form were extremely strict.
"In the Pokémon world, although Shiny Stones are valuable, they are far easier to find than here."
"If you trust me, once we leave this continent I can help you obtain several Shiny Stones, though their quality will vary and they will need to be used carefully."
Cain was offering a clear incentive.
Togekiss fell silent.
"Let me think about it," she finally said, glancing once more at Magearna.
Cain smiled and nodded.
Whatever decision Togekiss made, Cain would not lose out.
The next day, as Cain stepped out of the tent, he saw Togekiss waiting for him together with the entire Togepi clan.
With just one look, he knew what her decision had been.
(End of chapter)