The Fog Rolled In

Time wore on. As the sun sank and shadows gathered beneath the trees, Eternal Forest fell into an eerie silence. Even the Hoothoot and Noctowl flying overhead made no sound.

They knew exactly what would happen here tonight. Their eyes remained fixed on the people below, who had lit a campfire and were eating...

Mingyou rode Wyrdeer through Eternal Forest. The trees that had looked perfectly normal by day now resembled ghosts.

Their trunks looked like dried bones, and their branches twisted in the night wind like ghostly hands, as though they might snatch the life from anyone who let down their guard.

He stopped and studied the trees. They reminded him of the strange trees outside Wolf Castle in a famous cartoon...

"They really do look alike..."

Mingyou looked away, took out his Rotom Phone, and messaged Akari. "I'm in Eternal Forest. I haven't found anything yet. What about those people from Kitakami?"

He wanted to see when they would make their move, then slip in among them. But Akari did not answer his question. Instead, she replied...

"Share your location with me."

"???"

Puzzled, Mingyou sent her his location anyway. Before long, Akari arrived with a bag on her back and Zorua in her arms.

"Good evening~"

"Wait... You asked for my location just so you could come find me?"

Mingyou was speechless, but Akari only smiled. She took two Fast-Food Sandwiches from her bag. "Have you eaten? I've got sandwiches."

"I'm full from eating fruit."

"That won't do. Here."

She tossed him one sandwich, then tore open the other and shared it with Zorua.

Mingyou sighed softly. He let Ogerpon out of the Poké Ball and shared the sandwich with Ogerpon and Latias. Then he looked up at Akari. "By the way, are you here alone?"

"Yep.