Peter gently brushed his fingers across Type: Null's restraint mask. The warmth in his eyes faded, replaced by a trace of coldness.
Right at that moment, Faba's voice sounded from behind him.
"Professor Peter, have you noticed anything?"
Peter turned around.
Only then did he realize that, at some point, a yellow humanoid Pokémon had appeared beside Faba.
Its pendulum-like rings swayed rhythmically.
Hypno.
Faba muttered under his breath as if reciting an incantation.
"You didn't notice anything… and you'll soon forget everything that happened here…"
Peter stared at him for a second.
Then said quietly—
"You really deserve to die."
"?!"
The words squeezed out between Peter's teeth made Faba's heart skip.
"You—"
Before he could react—
a gray figure slowly emerged from Peter's shadow.
Flames of resentment burned atop Zoroark's head.
Faba suddenly felt his vision distort.
By the time his sight returned—
he realized something horrifying.
He and Hypno had been standing there—
earnestly hypnotizing the wall.
Meanwhile—
Peter had already opened Type: Null's containment unit and was standing there looking at him coldly.
"You?! Professor Peter, what are you doing?!"
Faba panicked and glanced toward the entrance.
Because of the thick mist filling the laboratory, Lusamine still hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Peter looked calm.
"Nothing much."
"Just teaching you a lesson."
As he spoke, silver-white and emerald light appeared in both hands.
Healing.
Purification.
Both were cast simultaneously onto Type: Null.
Peter stepped back and crossed his arms.
"If there's something you want to do…"
"Go ahead."
"Tai…"
Type: Null looked deeply at him.
Then—
white light exploded around its body as it lunged forward.
"Quick! Hypno, use Psy—AAAH!!"
Before Faba could finish—
Peter punched him directly in the face.
The next moment—
Type: Null tackled both Faba and Hypno to the ground.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
A series of violent impacts echoed through the laboratory.
The mist gradually dispersed.
Within moments—
Faba's body was covered in bruises and he collapsed unconscious.
"TAI——!!"
Type: Null let out a furious roar.
As though it wanted to vent every grievance, every frustration, every moment of suffering buried inside its heart.
Then—
its head began glowing with metallic light.
It slammed itself into the wall.
BOOM.
A dull impact echoed.
But it didn't escape.
Instead it was thrown backward.
Peter looked at it and sighed.
"Want to get out?"
"I'll help."
He bent down and took the laboratory authorization card from Faba's pocket.
Then inserted it into the control panel.
[Confirm disabling defensive systems?]
"Confirmed."
The moment he spoke—
the glowing energy lines throughout the underground laboratory rapidly dimmed.
Then—
they vanished completely.
Peter looked at Type: Null and smiled.
"Hurry."
"If you wait any longer…"
"…I won't be able to help you anymore."
As he spoke—
he took out several treasure-grade Pokéblocks and stuffed them through the gaps of its restraint mask.
"Tai…"
Type: Null stared quietly at the smile on the boy's face.
Then nodded slightly.
The next moment—
terrifying energy erupted from its body.
A beam of pure white light exploded upward—
bright enough to illuminate the night.
Hyper Beam!
BOOOOOOOM——!!!
The laboratory ceiling was blown open.
Blue sky appeared above.
The longing in Type: Null's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"Tai…"
It gently nudged Peter once.
Then—
with one powerful leap—
escaped through the hole.
Peter watched it go.
His eyes softened.
Then he closed them—
and deliberately collapsed to the floor.
Moments later—
Lusamine and the staff finally rushed inside through the smoke.
"Peter! Faba! What happened here?!"
But—
between the battered unconscious Faba—
and Peter pretending to be unconscious—
no one was answering.
…
Afterward—
both Peter and Faba were transferred into special care rooms.
Lusamine immediately sealed off the underground laboratory.
Lying in bed—
Peter heard the system notification.
[Ding! Legendary Capture Mission has entered its final stage…]
[(Unique) Legendary Capture: Silvally]
Description: Due to the host's intervention, Type: Null successfully escaped the Aether Foundation.
Although it longs for the outside world—
it still cannot let go of the past.
Its simple heart believes that its sudden appearance caused Lillie to lose her memories from excessive shock.
Now—
it wants to help Lillie recover her memories.
Currently searching across all four islands of Alola for traces of Lillie.
Requirement: Help it fulfill its wish as perfectly as possible.
Reward: Gain the opportunity to challenge and capture Type: Null.
Peter slowly smiled.
Back then—
the easiest way to achieve his goal would've been simple.
Threaten Faba.
Take control of Type: Null's freedom.
Make it his.
But—
if he had actually done that—
he wouldn't deserve to call himself a trainer.
And even less—
a Pokémon fan.
So he chose selfishly.
He chose to give it freedom.
Even if that meant losing the chance to capture it—
he wouldn't regret it.
But now—
the result seemed worth it.
A man-made Pokémon—
created by someone with selfish intentions—
yet possessing such a pure heart.
Wasn't that irony?
Peter gently rubbed the Poké Ball at his waist.
His eyes filled with affection.
"…I really do love Pokémon."
At that moment—
BANG!
"HONEYYYY——"
Whitney burst through the door and rushed to the bedside.
The sweat on her forehead.
Her messy hair.
The panic in her expression.
Just looking at her—
Peter could imagine how frightened she'd been after hearing that he had been "injured."
Peter reached out and rubbed her head.
"Sorry…"
"I worried you."
"But I'm fine."
"Nothing happened~"
Whitney bit her lip.
Her eyes immediately turned watery.
"Mm…"
"You scared me…"
Peter panicked.
"Aren't I perfectly okay?"
"Don't cry…"
"Nui~"
Stufful, sitting on her shoulder, cried softly too and tried comforting her.
Whitney wiped her eyes.
"I was scared…"
"A few days ago, you almost died too…"
"I keep worrying…"
"What if one day…"
"What if something really happens to you…"
Her voice broke.
"…What if…"
Peter fell silent.
Then quietly pulled her into his arms and patted her back.
Being cared about like this—
made him feel incredibly cherished.
But also guilty.
After a long silence—
he spoke softly.
"I promise."
"I won't recklessly put myself in danger anymore."
"Okay?"
"Mhm!"
Her thick, teary voice sounded.
Whitney raised her head.
Her reddened eyes looked directly into his.
"You said before…"
"We're one."
"If something happens to you…"
"…I don't want to—mmph…"
Before she could finish—
Peter kissed her.
Whitney's eyelashes trembled.
Her body softened.
Stufful tilted its head.
"Nui?"
Then—
it leaned forward too.
"Ah…!"
The romantic atmosphere shattered instantly.
Whitney turned red with embarrassment.
Stufful patted its own mouth.
"Nui!"
Clearly asking for a kiss too.
Whitney buried her face.
"Stupid Honey…"
"This is all your fault…"
"You're teaching this child bad things…"
Peter raised both hands.
"How's that my fault?"
"You're the one who said weird things."
The two looked at each other and laughed.
One—
a boy who came alone into this world chasing a dream.
The other—
a pure-hearted girl who had lost the most important person in her life.
Without realizing it—
they had already become each other's most important support.
Neither could be missing.
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T/N:
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