One by one, they looked like eggplants withered by frost.
All their spirits had wilted.
No one spoke.
But then Ho-Oh spoke again.
"Why don't we just submit to that man?"
The other Pokémon stared at Ho-Oh in disbelief.
Had Ho-Oh been hit in the head?
Just moments ago, he had been saying something about how...
Life was precious, and love more precious still.
But for freedom, he would give up both.
And now?
Now he was telling them he wanted to surrender to that man.
Was he really Ho-Oh?
Had someone taken over his body?
The Pokémon all looked at Ho-Oh suspiciously.
But Ho-Oh looked back at his companions with complete sincerity.
He could still picture it.
The day they had all come together.
"You're Ho-Oh, aren't you?"
Solgaleo smiled at Ho-Oh as he spoke.
He paid no attention to the pursuers behind him.
Ho-Oh was being hunted.
He was covered in blood.
He looked utterly miserable.
But the men chasing him felt no pity.
They only glared at him fiercely.
They had given him just two choices.
Become their Pokémon, or die!
Ho-Oh looked at the men and shouted:
"Life is precious, and love more precious still. But for freedom, I would give up both!"
It was those words that brought Solgaleo to Ho-Oh's side.
He looked at Ho-Oh with delight.
Ho-Oh gave him a puzzled look.
"Who are you?"
Solgaleo burst out laughing.
Then he told Ho-Oh:
"I'm me!
"One of a kind!
"I came here because there's something I need to tell you!"
Before Ho-Oh could respond,
the men behind them shouted:
"Another rare Pokémon!"
"I'll ask you one more time!"
"Surrender or die!"
Ho-Oh shouted back at the man:
"Didn't you hear what I said?"
"I'd rather die than go with you!"
Then he