"Hmm, it still feels like something's missing."
Dian rubbed his chin.
"Mis!"
Misdreavus thought for a moment, then clapped her hands excitedly.
She floated in front of Dian, then imitated the boy by moving into the shadows and looking back, her face expressionless and her voice icy. "Mis, mis."
Dian nodded emphatically. "That's it."
That was the one thing the boy had missed earlier. He had forgotten to say, "Just you wait!"
"Mis."
Misdreavus waved her hands helplessly. Young people these days had no patience at all. They were so hasty they even forgot their final line.
Dian checked the two Deerling over. After confirming that neither was injured, he fed them some Pokéblocks.
"You're all right now."
He stroked their pink ears.
"Deer, deer."
The two Deerling licked his face, then bounded away.
"Mis."
Misdreavus circled the Scolipede whose timid behavior was so at odds with its appearance. It had kept its body lowered this whole time, not moving an inch.
"Beedrill, let it go."
Dian spoke flatly, then continued onward.
Bzzz!
Wings buzzed, and the rigid Scolipede moved as though it had been granted a pardon. The feelers on either side moved rapidly, and it vanished into the darkness.
It hadn't been afraid of the boy or that five-meter-long hulking idiot, but of the terrifying presence lurking in the shadows.
As he walked, Dian asked, "How was that larger Scolipede? Was it worth anything?"
Beedrill silently appeared and shook its head. It wasn't even as good as the three-meter-long Scolipede. It was simply bigger.
"Is that so?"
Dian nodded and continued onward.
As they disappeared into the forest, a mole-like Pokémon with yellow cheeks cautiously looked around, then glided down from the treetops.
"Emol."
It picked up the Pokéblocks on the ground and happily began eating.
Once it