The first signs of a rainstorm (please bookmark)

Misdreavus flew at top speed toward the nearest garbage collection point outside the forest.

The fierce wind could not stop her, and exhaustion could not extinguish her love of candied hawthorn!

Her dignity as a candied hawthorn hunter was at stake!

Life was precious, freedom worth still more, but for candied hawthorn, both could be cast aside!

Vroom, vroom, vroom!

A black motorcycle sped in from the distance, executed a stylish skid, and came to a steady stop on the path.

Liyin adjusted her equally cool helmet, glanced at the black trail in the sky, and smiled. "Finally found you."

She quickly straightened up, then gunned the throttle and raced off after the black trail, leaving dust in her wake.

"Mis!"

Misdreavus searched rapidly as she flew. Suddenly, a Snorlax-shaped trash can with its mouth wide open came into view.

She immediately brightened and gave a forceful swing, sending the garbage bag behind her sailing neatly inside.

Misdreavus calculated the time and realized only a minute had passed.

Relieved, she began flying back at a leisurely pace.

"Hey! Misdreavus!!"

Suddenly, a shout came from the ground.

"Mis?"

Misdreavus glanced down a few times, circling around, but saw nothing except a sea of green. She tilted her little head in confusion.

Vroom, vroom, vroom.

When Liyin saw the black figure in the sky stop, she worried Misdreavus would not see her and quickly revved the throttle a few times, producing several loud roars.

"Mis."

Misdreavus's gaze immediately sharpened.

She looked down toward the source of the noise but did not fly down right away.

Instead, she immediately used Shadow Sneak, probing below.

Liyin looked thoroughly exasperated as the black shadow that had dragged her into the sky last time appeared again, flickering unpredictably. Rather than dodge, she took off her helmet and forced a smile.

She grumbled inwardly, Like Trainer, like Pokémon. Each one is more cautious than the last. Is there no trust left in this world?!

Perhaps her indignation had gotten through, or perhaps Misdreavus simply decided she posed no threat. Misdreavus flew down and looked at the familiar creature before her. "Mis?"

Misdreavus gave a soft cry, then began circling her, looking utterly adorable.

But Liyin was not about to be fooled. This Pokémon's personality had absolutely nothing to do with being adorable.

Last time, she had screamed so miserably, and all it had done was make Misdreavus even happier.

After returning, she had looked it up and learned that this seemingly adorable Pokémon was actually a Ghost-type—a Misdreavus that fed on fear and delighted in playing tricks on people.

In other words, she was the sort whose happiness came from your suffering, whose amusement came from your struggles.

She pointed south. "A small tornado appeared over there earlier. The Weather Bureau says it's moving this way, so your Trainer could be in serious danger!"

"Mis?!"

Misdreavus's playful expression turned cold, and her eyes instantly darkened.

She stared hard at Liyin, gave a quiet cry, then quickly took the lead.

As a Misdreavus, her instinctive sensitivity to emotions told her that the human before her was telling the truth.

If that was the case, this really was no longer a safe place.

Liyin breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the worst-case scenario had not happened.

She had no idea what kind of evidence would convince Misdreavus to believe her.

Luckily, the forum had been right. Pokémon like Misdreavus, which fed on emotions, had an innate ability to distinguish feelings.

She twisted the throttle and quickly followed.

"Hop, hop..."

Hoppip had been happily chasing butterflies across the grass.

But it suddenly stopped, its two little eyes looking into the distance in confusion.

The two long leaves atop its head, which had been swaying in the wind, immediately stood upright.

Hoppip closed its eyes to sense the wind direction, and the tips of its two leaves slowly shifted.

"Hop, hop!"

It suddenly opened its eyes and cried out rapidly.

Pat, pat, pat.

Hoppip hurried to Dian's side, calling urgently, a rare look of anxiety appearing on its face.

Dian had been holding candied hawthorn in one hand, waiting for Misdreavus to return.

When he saw Hoppip's unusual behavior, his heart immediately sank.

Hoppip were Pokémon extraordinarily sensitive to wind, but they did not dislike it. It would be more accurate to say they liked it.

But if the wind was too strong...

Dian noticed that the leaves atop Hoppip's head were pointing south. "A strong wind is coming from the south?!"

This was probably not a light breeze like before, but something far more dangerous.

He frowned. It looked like his plans to set off today would have to wait.

"Here, Hoppip. Hold this."

Dian handed Hoppip the candied hawthorn, letting it grip the stick between its leaves, then picked it up. "Be careful. We're going to run!"

With that, he quickly ran toward the nearby mountain.

He had already agreed with Misdreavus and Beedrill that if anything unexpected happened, they would meet at the shelter rather than wander around.

Elsewhere.

After Misdreavus swiftly returned to the lakeside, her ruby-red eyes swept over the area before turning toward the nearby mountain.

"Mis!"

She called to Liyin behind her, then continued flying ahead.

Liyin glanced south, gave a wry smile, and followed again.

Although she did not know whether they had enough time, backing out now was not her style.

Dian climbed a low hillside as fast as he could, while Beedrill flew beside him carrying Hoppip.

He briefly scanned the slope above, paying particular attention to the footholds. After a quick assessment, he made up his mind.

Normally, there was no need to go to so much trouble. He could simply have Misdreavus carry him up.

But now he was pressed for time. Otherwise, he could have waited for Misdreavus to return before setting out.

After all, he was not the only one who knew about the shelter on the hillside. If he arrived too late, there might be no room left.

Dian licked his lips and scrambled up on his hands and feet, hauling himself onto the hillside in a few quick movements.

Ignoring the scuffs and scrapes on his body, he looked into the mountain's hollow.

"Good. There's still room."

Dian breathed a sigh of relief, took Hoppip from Beedrill's arms, then followed Beedrill inside.

If he had been alone, he could have forgotten about getting in.

Of course, he could still enter. Whether he would come back out alive was another matter.

After all, Pokémon that sensed an approaching disaster were unlikely to be in a gentle mood.

A single Ursaring could dispose of a person in a decidedly inhumane fashion.

So anyone who was not a Trainer had better not go courting death by competing with Pokémon for territory. Otherwise, they would accomplish nothing beyond delivering a generous gift package.