Steven slowly opened his eyes. Around him, silver and blue blended together into a calm, pure world that felt oddly familiar. He had been here before.
"This is…"
His long white hair drifted and swayed, even though there was no wind at all.
Steven looked at the girl in the white skirt, took a slow breath, and asked quietly:
"Has something happened again?"
The first time he had met the White Skirt Girl — or rather, the last time before this — she had come to him with a desperate plea to save Celebi. It seemed like every time she sought him out on her own, something important had already gone wrong.
It had been a month since Regigigas awakened.
Honestly, Steven had been feeling like his days were almost too peaceful. When he had nothing to do, he would train alongside his Pokémon, and during breaks, he would compete with Diancie over who got to use the game console next. In the evenings, he would video call Cynthia.
From time to time, Steven would also head out for fieldwork. But most of his focus had still been on training.
His strength was not enough. He needed to grow stronger.
Over that past month, his Sandslash had risen to the quasi-Champion level. Both Honedge and Larvitar had reached the outstanding level.
The energy around both Pokémon had started to shift and ripple — a sure sign that evolution was drawing near.
Larvitar's strength, however, was likely more than just outstanding. Once it evolved into Pupitar, it would stop eating. It would then begin digesting all the minerals and ores it had consumed during its time as a Larvitar. When that process was complete, it would evolve into Tyranitar — and only then would its true power finally show itself.
"I keep getting a bad feeling," the White Skirt Girl said softly. Her head was lowered, and her pale eyelashes trembled slightly.
Steven studied her unusual expression and asked, "Can you be more specific?"
"Zekrom has awakened."
Steven's brow furrowed.
In the myths and legends of the Unova region, Zekrom was a Legendary Pokémon said to scorch the world with its lightning, and to lend its power to those who sought to build an ideal world. It was sometimes called the Ideal Dragon.
But those were Unova myths, and Steven did not know much about them. He only knew that Zekrom was said to represent "ideals."
"How do you know that?" Steven asked.
In everything Latias had told him, Zekrom's name had never once come up. By that logic, the White Skirt Girl should have had no way of knowing whether Zekrom had awakened or not.
"Victini felt it," the White Skirt Girl said quietly. Her already sad eyes seemed to dim a little more.
Steven was quiet for a moment. "So, you want me to go to Unova again?"
"Yes."
He let out a long, helpless sigh.
First Yveltal. Then Regigigas. And now, after a single month of rest, was he really going to have to face Zekrom — another Legendary Pokémon from Unova?
Still, maybe it wouldn't come to a fight. He didn't know that yet.
"Where is Victini right now?"
"In the Unova region. Eindoak Town…"
Steven opened his eyes.
Right in front of him was a small, familiar face looking back with calm, unblinking eyes.
"Diancie," Steven said, surprised. "How did you get into my room?"
"It is already nine-thirty," Diancie replied simply, her small hands folded neatly in front of her. "Steven is an hour and a half late."
Steven sat up slowly, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"This feeling… like being given a quest by an NPC," he muttered to himself. "Not exactly pleasant."
But he had to go. Victini was a Pokémon that had once traveled with his mother. The White Skirt Girl had felt Victini's unease, and that was enough reason.
"So, Steven," Diancie said, tilting her head to one side, "are you still going to play Pokémon: Gem with me today?"
"Sorry, Diancie. Not today. I have to get to the Unova region as soon as I can."
Steven reached over and gently patted Diancie on the head, his voice carrying a quiet apology.
Diancie didn't seem bothered in the slightest. "That's okay. Steven has been spending plenty of time with me lately, so I will come along to Unova too!"
"Thank you, Diancie." Steven smiled a little.
She really was a good companion. He was about to say so when Diancie added:
"Besides, Cynthia told me to keep a close eye on Steven."
"To make sure no one sneaks in," she clarified, nodding with great seriousness.
"…"
He had almost given her too much credit.
Steven turned to look out the window. The situation this time did not feel as urgent as it could have been — if it were truly critical, Latias would already be hovering outside the window. Still, he went ahead and booked a flight for noon.
Before leaving, he prepared food for all his Pokémon, then cooked himself a quick bowl of noodles. Diancie had no interest in energy cubes — she much preferred regular food. Whatever Steven made for himself, he always made a little extra for her.
"Lar~."
In the backyard, Larvitar took a bite of ore, then a bite of pink diamond. It did this in a slow, satisfied rhythm, as though nothing in the world could possibly be better.
Its life was truly simple and good.
Recently, though, its appetite had not been quite what it used to be. Larvitar had started to wonder if something was off. It didn't feel like its usual self.
Troubled by the thought, it popped another pink diamond into its mouth.
Well, one thing was certain — a diet of solid ore and gems made for very strong teeth.
"Lar?"
The moment the pink diamond went down, Larvitar's whole body erupted in a bright white light. Every Pokémon in the backyard turned to look at once.
Larvitar's body expanded rapidly, but its arms and legs seemed to shrink away and disappear into its growing form. The small pink diamond it had been holding fell to the ground.
As the white light faded, the transformation was complete.
The small green Pokémon was gone. In its place sat a Pupitar — a gray-blue cocoon covered entirely in a rigid, rocky shell. Four sharp horns jutted out from its sides, with three smaller ones on its forehead. Its red eyes peered through two openings in the shell, and two triangular gaps sat just above them.
"Kaaoh?" Aggron heard the commotion and wandered over, curious.
It looked down at its little teammate, now completely unrecognizable, and slowly raised a hand to scratch the side of its face.
Something was… different. It just wasn't sure what.
After completing its evolution, Pupitar swayed and tumbled over onto the ground. It lay there with a blank, empty expression on its face.
"Pupitar?!"
Its hands. Where were its hands?
Its feet. Where had those gone too?
Even if they had always been small, at least they had been there!
Without hands, how was it supposed to reach the food?!
Wait—
Pupitar's gaze drifted slowly downward, and then realization hit.
"Pupitar?!!!"
Its mouth. Where was its mouth?!
"Kaaoh!"
Aggron doubled over, clutching its stomach, absolutely delighted by the sight of the horrified, mouthless Pupitar.
Hahaha! Your mouth is gone!
Pupitar's eyes went blank. It stared up at the laughing Aggron with a hollow, lifeless look.
"Pupi…"
The world had turned gray.
Without a mouth, there was simply no point to anything.
Wuwu…
Across the yard, Metagross glanced up from its book and looked at Pupitar lying flat on the ground.
Before I evolved into Metagross, I had no mouth either. You don't hear me complaining.
"Nyu?"
Honedge drifted over, floating curiously above the despondent Pupitar, tilting side to side.
Metagross looked at Honedge and gave a slow, resigned shake of its head.
And there's another one. No mouth.
"Larvitar, I noticed you haven't been eating much lately, so I made you some energy cubes with a few Oran Berries mixed in. Should help with your appetite…"
Steven pushed open the backyard door, carrying a bowl as he spoke.
Then he saw Pupitar lying flat on the ground, completely motionless, radiating a quiet sense of despair.
Steven stopped.
He stood very still.
Even a Shiny Pupitar was not gray. That was not a color Pupitar came in.
But more importantly—
When did my Larvitar evolve?!