Baimu slept poorly. He spent the first half of the night wondering how to trick... persuade Raikou to keep traveling with him.
Could he say they might run into Team Rocket in the future?
It was a fair point.
He was sure they would run into those people someday. Even if they hadn't met face-to-face yet, their continued pursuit of Mega Evolution made a clash only a matter of time.
Hoenn wasn't small, but it wasn't all that big, either.
Come to think of it, he still hadn't asked Raikou what it wanted. He had a feeling that asking would break an unspoken understanding and force Raikou to reconsider something they had both taken for granted.
But he couldn't keep stewing over it forever.
He would find a chance to ask.
Baimu turned toward Raikou, who was sleeping beside the bed. Every time Raikou stirred, his heart gave a little jolt. He couldn't shake the feeling that if he looked away for a moment, Raikou would vanish without a sound.
Of course, that was just his imagination.
The other Pokémon noticed his behavior. They were a little envious, but they didn't want Raikou to leave, either.
Ordinary Pokémon naturally held Legendary Pokémon in high regard. Unless their trainers ordered them to attack, most would neither strike at one nor feel much hostility toward one.
Besides, they had already come to see Raikou as one of their own. So what if they had barely talked?
Galarian Corsola didn't talk to them much, either, and every one of them accepted it.
So the Pokémon still awake quietly watched Raikou, just as their trainer did.
Raikou: "..."
What is wrong with these guys?
Why are they staring at me instead of sleeping? Do they think I can't tell?
Raikou's gaze swept over Baimu