The meteors had arrived!
People ran toward where they had fallen. Baimu and his Pokémon were among them.
A lush, grassy hillside came into view. Gray-brown shells lay scattered across it, and colorful Minior had dropped into the soft grass like ripe fruit falling from a tree.
They gave off a faint glow.
Children rushed over, cheering. The Minior that had broken free of their shells floated up, revealing innocent, wide-eyed gazes marked by swirling pupils.
"Dano~"
"Dano, dano~"
Their cries sounded like those of young deer. They showed no fear when people or Pokémon hugged, stroked, or picked them up, and would drift skyward the moment no one was watching.
They looked like colorful lanterns.
They were adorable!
Baimu crouched before a pink Minior that looked as though it had sprouted from the ground. As he watched the little star, he picked up a fragment of shell beside it.
It was brittle enough to crumble between his fingers.
He handled the next pieces more carefully, slowly fitting the shell back together.
He clearly intended to keep it as a souvenir.
He had Lugia's Silver Feather, a scale shed by Rayquaza, and a lock of Solgaleo's white mane. Minior might not be a Legendary Pokémon, but it was special!
Photos alone would never satisfy Baimu.
Meanwhile,
the pink Minior "opened" its swirling eyes. The way it unfurled like a flower fascinated Mawile and the other Pokémon.
"Mawi?"
"Dano~"
Minior gave a soft cry.
Every Pokémon's heart melted.
Mawile, who loved cute things most of all, scooped Minior into a hug and stroked it over and over, reluctant to let go.
"Mawi~"
"It feels so soft..."
Baimu gave Minior a gentle squeeze, surprised that its body was not hard.
Its smooth surface felt a little like—
A balloon?
No, not that