Lava

"Huh?"

Larvitar blinked its red eyes and studied the mysterious creature approaching through the sky. Wasn't that the Baltoy it had battled before?

Dian made out the approaching creature too. It was indeed a Baltoy, and something seemed very wrong with it.

He couldn't tell yet whether it was Michael's Baltoy, but...

He quickly threw a Poké Ball. It struck Baltoy, but nothing happened. The ball simply bounced away.

"Whose Baltoy is that? Could it really be Michael's?"

Dian's doubts vanished when Larvitar ran toward it.

This was probably Michael's Baltoy. Otherwise, Larvitar wouldn't have taken off on its own.

"You know it?"

Behind him, Yue Jifei poked her head out for a look, then quickly pulled it back.

She couldn't help it. Her hair had grown longer again, and if the blowing sand got into it...

"I hate the desert."

The girl sighed once more.

"Yeah. It's probably a Pokémon belonging to a boy we met earlier."

Dian nodded and approached under Misdreavus's protection.

"Bal! Bal!"

Baltoy cried out excitedly when it saw him, rocking its body as though trying to tell him something.

"Calm down, Baltoy."

Dian took a quick look at its injuries. They were only scrapes, but a Pokémon's attack had undoubtedly caused them.

He examined it more carefully and found a burn on its pointed underside.

He took out a Potion and sprayed its injuries, then fed it a Sour Berry.

"Something happened to Michael, and he sent you to find me?"

Dian cut straight to the two questions that mattered.

"Bal!!"

Baltoy nodded rapidly, rocking its body in distress.

Dian closed his eyes and thought for a moment. He had a vague feeling there was more to this than a chance encounter.

He opened his eyes. "Baltoy, which way?"

"Bal! Bal!"

Without hesitation, Baltoy