Chapter 75
After putting on the white coat, she seemed much more rational.
"The root cause of this mentality is a lack of security... What we should do in this situation is give her someone to rely on; that's what she wants and Covet most... So my plan is..."
"Qiao... Qiao Ran, hurry up and go, stop staring at me like that!"
Noticing that Qiao Ran seemed to be staring at her, Lillie couldn't help but let out a coquettish laugh and patted Qiao Ran's chest.
"These two guys..." Upon noticing their little antics, Mei couldn't help but twitch her lips, feeling like a light bulb was shining above her head.
These two guys are completely acting like they don't exist.
"Um... um, I know."
Qiao Ran looked away from Lillie's slightly flushed cheeks and turned to walk towards the other door.
He kept moving forward, but in his heart he couldn't help thinking— Lillie only realized Mimikyu needed someone to rely on because she put herself in Mimikyu's shoes.
So, about herself--
Where is she relying on...?
Section 141, Chapter 138 [Evil Service]
Lillie's plan, though it sounds complicated, is actually quite simple to execute.
That is to have Qiao Ran act as a "savior," rescuing the "princess" Mimikyu from danger, allowing the "princess" to develop a sense of dependence on the "savior," thereby breaking through the previous awkward and rigid relationship. Of course, the suspension bridge effect may also be at play in this process.
This kind of plot is commonplace in various classic fairy tales and has been a timeless classic from ancient times to the present.
A routine becomes a routine not because it is old-fashioned, but because it is so useful and convenient that everyone likes to do it.
Of course, in contrast to the "savior," this plan also needs a pure "villain." The villain's role in this script is to bring fear and malice, and his position is extremely important. He needs to be someone who can make people's hair stand on end to Role Play.
Qiao Ran glanced at his Pokémon. Dianxi, Vulpix, Suicune, and Altaria were definitely out of the question; their appearances weren't suited to playing villains, they were better suited for being cute. As for the Type: Null, it was always disobedient and now frequently Contrary him, often resulting in it being knocked to the ground and left to play for an entire day. And then there Yveltal looked obviously evil... her size was simply too large; she couldn't function properly in the narrow alleyways of the Aether Foundation. If she were squeezed into the alleyways, she'd probably be crushed like a bacon. Besides... Qiao Ran had a feeling that if Mimikyu saw Yveltal directly, she'd probably faint on the spot.
Sometimes, too much fear is not a good thing; it's important to keep these things within a suitable "degree."
After much deliberation, Qiao Ran finally chose Nihilego —this Ultra Beast from Otherworld naturally possesses a strange and Pressure, causing any Pokémon from this world to involuntarily feel hostility upon seeing them. Furthermore, Nihilego doesn't speak the language of this world's Pokémon, meaning that if she were to Role Play the "villain," there would be no need to worry about her acting being awkward.
Sometimes, being able to talk nonsense can be a significant advantage.
Qiao Ran used simple line drawings to communicate with Nihilego about the responsibilities she needed to Role Play. Although there might be some discrepancies, she basically understood what she needed to do.
--As long as we knock that doll down, everything will be fine!
"!&@!...&*@!&!!!!"
In the pristine alleyway, Nihilego extended its tentacles, gathering the Power Gem once more. This Rock Type Energy Beam attack converged at the tip of its tentacle, shooting towards the fleeing Mimikyu like a laser beam.
"Boom!! Boom boom boom!"
Nihilego's Energy Beam carried considerable energy with each strike, but Mimikyu, like a mouse that had put all its skill points into agility, managed to dodge them all once again.
... What's wrong with this guy?
Are they really that good at running away?
Nihilego fought, a sense of unease began to creep into her heart. As the leader of the Nihilego, the center of the Ultra Beast, how could she be troubled by a mere little mouse?
"... Mimimimi!"
On the other side, Mimikyu was fleeing in a panic. Although she dodged all the attacks, she also knew that this state could not last long. When she could no longer hold on and when her strength began to run out, that would be the time when she would be caught and eaten by her opponent!
Mimikyu glanced behind her; in a few seconds, her stamina would likely begin to decline, and then she wouldn't be able to...
Should we run away like this?
Is there... is there anyone who can help me...?
What about the other Ghost type in the Western-style Mansion? What about the Western-style Mansion's owner?
Where are they all?!
A wave of helpless despair washed over Mimikyu. Being hunted by such a powerful Pokémon, with nowhere to hide, what... what should she do?
I... I don't taste good!
In this unfamiliar environment, after she had exhausted all her resources, there was really nothing left to help her.
Mimikyu was both afraid and desperate, but deep down she hadn't completely given up.
No... no... perhaps there's one more person...
She couldn't help but think of that human figure, but... given her previous attitude... that human...
That human... could they have already abandoned her and left this place...?
Thinking of this, Mimikyu's tears, which she had been holding back, began to well up in her eyes again. She couldn't understand why she, who had been living a peaceful life, had fallen to this state.
Even if life was boring and meaningless back then, at least we lived well...
In a daze, Mimikyu felt her consciousness beginning to drift away from her body. Perhaps due to overexertion, she felt that she had lost control of her body.
"Mi..."
Through her blurry vision, she seemed to see that familiar Western-style Mansion again, a place that brought her such peace of mind.
But—at that moment, a startled shout shattered the illusion in her eyes.
"Dianxi, Diamond Storm!"
"Dididididididi!"
A massive pink diamond Whirlwind, like a giant dragon, flew from the other end of the alley and crashed directly into the terrifying soft-bodied creature.
"...!&@...!&@!"
Under this magnificent yet terrifying attack, the soft-bodied creature let out a miserable cry and wobbled as it fell from mid-air. It twitched a few times on the ground and then seemed to lose all reaction, becoming completely still.
Are you alright?
The series of sudden events left Mimikyu with no time to react, and the next moment, she was being held in something's arms. Mimikyu struggled to lift her head and discovered that the one holding her was none other than the man who had chosen her earlier.
He... he actually... didn't abandon me?
... He saved me...?
This man...
"Mi..."
Mimikyu let out a weak voice. She didn't resist at this moment, perhaps because she had no strength left, or perhaps for some other reason. As for the real reason... only she herself could know.
At least... this feeling seems pretty good right now...
Well then... let's leave it at that for now...
Section 142, Chapter 139 [Morning in the Western-style Mansion]
"Qiao Ran? How is he?"
Seeing Qiao Ran enter the room from afar, Lillie was the first to go to greet him, while Mei slowly approached.
"Shh... she's probably tired. Let her rest for a bit."
Qiao Ran asked them to keep their voices down. Mimikyu was in his arms and seemed to have fallen asleep. Qiao Ran did not intend to use the Tokiwa Power to treat her, after all, it was far from the point where the Tokiwa Power was needed.
Nihilego is quite sensible... I guess so.
"It looks so small... so cute!"
Lillie leaned closer to Mimikyu. This Pokémon was only about 0.2 meters tall, which was indeed a tiny creature compared to Vulpix.
"It's small, but it's surprisingly fast."
Qiao Ran smiled gently, clearly in a very good mood. Lillie's plan had indeed greatly improved the relationship between him and Mimikyu. If it were before, Mimikyu would definitely not have wanted to stay in his arms, let alone fall asleep in his arms.
Although this plan caused Mimikyu some trouble, Qiao Ran believed that he would have more time to make it up to her in the future, and he would not mistreat any of his Pokémon.
"However... it's said that Mimikyu's true form is..."
Suddenly, Qiao Ran had a very bold idea for some reason. Mimikyu's body felt soft to the touch, and when he picked Qiao Ran up, he could feel that she was very light. However, he had no idea about Mimikyu's true form beneath the doll.
Beneath that skirt-like section... in that darkness... what is hidden?
"Don't... don't look! Please don't look!"
Just as Qiao Ran had this bold idea, Lillie stopped him in a panic.
Lillie's expression immediately turned very serious.
"In our Alola legends, it's absolutely forbidden to look under Mimikyu doll... If you do, you'll be Infestation by a strange disease and die a very, very tragic death!"
Mei, standing nearby, chimed in seriously, "Indeed... Although I'm not a native of Alola, I've heard many similar Mimikyu."
The earliest discovery site was a supermarket Ruins in Alola. It's said that whoever sees the real body beneath the cloth will suffer a agonizing death that very night...
"Why is it getting worse? Didn't they get sick in the first place? How come they died on the same day...?"
Bombarded with all sorts of ghost stories by the two girls in front of him, Qiao Ran couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. He knew quite a few urban legends about Mimikyu, but for some reason, he had just had an inexplicable urge to see what was under Mimikyu's skirt.
Is this some kind of dark Captivate?
Thinking of this, Qiao Ran couldn't help but gasp in shock at the Aether Foundation.
"Don't just stand here like an idiot. Put that Mimikyu down and let her rest for a bit."
Mei shook her head. This man was still too unreliable. In the world of Pokémon, one should always be skeptical of rumors. There are many unknown forces in this world, so it's always better to be cautious.
"That's true... Lillie and I should probably head back soon. It wouldn't be good if someone came looking for us and we weren't there."
Qiao Ran glanced at Mei and nodded slightly.
He and Lillie are currently living in someone else's Western-style Mansion. If the owner suddenly visits and finds them both missing from their rooms, that would be quite a problem.
Qiao Ran had no intention of revealing his abilities to others. Apart from a limited number of people who knew about them, he had not even mentioned a word about them to his family.
"Well... see you next time, Mei... um... I don't mind the clothes. If it's you, we can swap clothes occasionally... Um, if you need to buy new clothes, just talk to Qiao Ran about it."
Lillie also began to say goodbye to Mei. After all, their trip here was only a spur-of-the-moment decision, and it was definitely not an option to stay overnight; the chances of being discovered were far too high.
However, upon hearing Lillie's words, Mei couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Who's going to tell him?"
Even if Mei jumped into the sea and fell into a deep trench, she would never talk about such a topic with a man.
It's so warm...
How am I...?
I think I was just being chased by some kind of Monster?
Consciousness awoke from the chaos, Mimikyu cautiously opened her eyes. The first thing that caught her eye was not the terrifying light, nor the terrifying Monster, but an all-too-familiar scene.
The curtains were drawn, the room was elegant, and the decorations were luxurious—undoubtedly, she seemed to have returned to that Western-style Mansion, but beside her, embracing her body, was another presence that surprised her greatly.
--That man.
How... how could he be here...?
Wasn't that... a dream?
The man before her seemed to have fallen asleep, his eyelashes trembling slightly. Although Mimikyu had many questions in her mind, a feeling Mimikyu had never experienced before was spreading within her.
Her reason told her that she couldn't have too much contact with others; she was afraid of everything unknown; she should hide in a familiar, dark corner where no one could find her. However... her body seemed to be resisting this reason—the moment the man hugged her tightly and pulled her into his arms, that feeling filled her body.
Not only her body, but also her heart felt warmed, and she even felt that she no longer needed to look for any corner.
Why...
What exactly is that...?
She is Fairy type, and a cold Ghost type, but she is an anomaly among them.
Why... did this man choose her in the first place...?
Lost in a jumble of thoughts, Mimikyu didn't move her body, but stayed quietly on the bed. As time passed, the Sun gradually rose, and the first rays of dawn broke through the curtains of the Western-style Mansion, shining on Qiao Ran's face.
The boy slowly awoke from his sleep, and the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes Mimikyu in front of him, blinking its little eyes and staring at him without moving.
Good morning!
Qiao Ran couldn't help but greet it, and to his great surprise, the Mimikyu on the other side also made a sound.
"Mi..."