Until the End of Our Lives

While the grandfather and his two grandchildren chatted, Pheobe slowly opened her eyes on the sofa.

Looking at the unfamiliar ceiling and the glaring lights above her, she gradually remembered what had happened before she fell asleep.

Her grandparents had told her to go out with Chen Shi, but he had played dirty and put her straight to sleep with Hypnosis.

Pheobe's face flushed with anger. She sprang off the sofa and looked sharply around.

When she spotted Chen Shi chatting with the two elders, she stormed over.

"You..."

Chen Shi cut her off before she could get started. "Yes, me. What's wrong?"

"I..."

"Yes, you fell asleep."

"I have to say, you sure can sleep."

Pheobe gritted her teeth in fury. You were the one who told Gengar to use Hypnosis on me, and now you're blaming me for sleeping!

Chen Shi sighed and said earnestly, "I did all this for your own good."

"To teach you not to trust people too readily when you're out in the world."

"See? You fell for it, didn't you?"

"If I'd had bad intentions, you'd be digging in some mine somewhere by now."

His words left Pheobe bewildered, and she scratched her head in confusion.

Her dark little face was full of conflict. Part of her thought he was talking nonsense, while another part thought he made a lot of sense.

Grandma Chen couldn't watch any longer. Chuckling, she beckoned Pheobe over.

"Your name is Pheobe, right?"

"Don't listen to that rascal's nonsense. He's pulling your leg."

"Come sit here with Grandma!"

Only then did Pheobe realize that these two elders must be her grandparents' friends.

She had heard they were two remarkable breeders.

She hurriedly bowed. "Hello, Grandpa Chen, Grandma Chen. My name is Pheobe."

The Chen elders were quite taken with the nervous little girl before them.

Grandma Chen even rose to her feet and took her hand, leading her over to sit down.

"You can stay here with us for now."

"I've already had Gardevoir prepare a room for you upstairs. Go have a look later and see if there's anything else you need."

"If you need anything, just tell this old granny. Don't be shy."

Grandpa Chen added gently, "Child, your grandparents and I have been friends for decades. Just make yourself at home."

Pheobe relaxed a little. "Thank you, Grandpa Chen and Grandma Chen."

The girl had never left the Ghost Mystery Realm before. Having only just emerged, she was now facing two elders of her grandfather's generation, so it was only natural that she felt awkward.

So Grandma Chen asked Chen Shi to take her upstairs to look at her room.

She would probably feel much more comfortable once she got to know them.

Upstairs, Pheobe's eyes sparkled at the positively luxurious room before her.

As soon as she walked in, her feet sank into a newly laid carpet. The room had every piece of furniture she could need, with an enormous bed in the middle.

The quilt, pillows, and mattress were all new, and a faint floral fragrance lingered in the room.

Pheobe had always lived in a little wooden cabin and slept on wooden boards. She had never seen anything like this.

"Th-this is really for me?"

Chen Shi gave her a puzzled look. "Of course it's for you."

"You can stay as long as you like. This room will be kept for you from now on."

"Oh, right. My room is just across the hall. Call me if you need anything. I'll leave you to it."

Pheobe gave a little "Oh," then continued looking around the room and touching things.

Chen Shi left her to it and returned to his own room.

But as soon as he entered, he found a Togepi fast asleep on his bed.

A Shiny Beldum was also sleeping in the nest Chen Shi had made for him.

Chen Shi thought nothing of it and walked over to shake Togepi awake.

Togepi rubbed its bleary little eyes, then saw that its Pokémon Trainer had returned.

"Cha~ Chaki-dui~"

The little one's eyes reddened, and it immediately threw itself into Chen Shi's arms, tears streaming down its face.

"Chaki-du~ Yi~"

Chen Shi's heart ached at the sight, and he hurriedly asked in a gentle voice.

"What's wrong? Who upset our great Togepi?"

"Chaki-dui!"

At that, Togepi grew angry. It hopped down and pointed a little hand at Chen Shi.

All afternoon, Togepi had been unable to find its Pokémon Trainer or its little friend Leafeon.

It had asked Florges, but she had said she didn't know where its Pokémon Trainer had gone either.

It had asked Grandpa and Grandma, but they couldn't understand it and thought it was just acting cute.

The little one had been frantic. With both of its important companions missing, Togepi had felt as though its world had collapsed.

In the end, it had returned dejectedly to the room, hoping its Pokémon Trainer would come back soon.

All the while, wild thoughts had kept running through Togepi's little head. Was I too naughty? Does my Pokémon Trainer not want me anymore?

Earlier that day, Gardevoir had said that its Pokémon Trainer had obtained a Togepi Pokémon Egg.

Does that mean my Pokémon Trainer has a new Togepi and has abandoned me?

The more it thought about it, the more hurt it felt. Finally, it could only retreat into its eggshell and cry quietly.

There was also a flying iron-clawed thing in the room, and the little one was afraid it would see it crying and laugh at it.

In the end, somehow, it had fallen asleep.

When it woke and saw its Pokémon Trainer back, Togepi's nose stung, and it could no longer hold back all its pent-up hurt.

Caught between laughter and tears, Chen Shi explained, "I only went out for half a day to take care of something."

"See? I'm back now, aren't I?"

"Chaki~ Chaki~ Chaki-dui~!!!"

"All right, all right. I'll definitely take you with me next time. I promise."

"Chaki-dui?"

"What new Togepi? I told you that egg was a gift for someone. I've already given it away!"

"Chaki-dui~?"

"Of course it's true!" Chen Shi said gently.

"You're the only Togepi I need. I won't go looking for another."

Only then did the little one smile through its tears, but a moment later, it felt embarrassed.

Its little face red, it threw itself into Chen Shi's arms and buried its face.

Chen Shi gently patted its head.

"Don't keep imagining things."

"I told you, I'll never leave you, until the end of our lives."

Togepi froze. In a daze, it seemed to see the moment it had first met its Pokémon Trainer.

He had given it and Eevee food they had never tasted before and carefully cleaned the dirt off its body.

Then he had asked whether it and Eevee wanted to come with him.

The boy's words from back then remained vivid in its memory.

"Togepi, Eevee, would you like to leave this dark cave with me?"

"The world outside is huge. This place is only one tiny corner of it."

"Would you like to come with me and see the vast world outside?"

"We'll stay by each other's side and rely on each other."

"Until the end of our lives."

Caught up in the beautiful future the boy described, Togepi had let go of its constant wariness. Forgetting its usual caution, it had nodded before it could help itself.

Togepi looked up and met Chen Shi's gentle eyes.

Suddenly, it smiled.

"Chaki-dui~"

(We'll stay by each other's side and rely on each other.)

"Until the end of our lives."

Togepi nuzzled against Chen Shi in his arms, finally letting go of the last trace of worry in its heart.

The most dazzling, incredible light in the Pokémon world began radiating from its body.

Overjoyed, Chen Shi hurriedly pulled open a drawer and took out a Potion Box, then handed Togepi the sky-blue potion inside.

"Quick, quick, quick! Drink this!"

Togepi immediately took it and gulped it down, and the light around its body grew even brighter.

Chen Shi and Beldum, who had long since woken but had remained silent off to the side, watched the scene in a trance.

Within the hazy light, Togepi's form gradually changed. Its eggshell vanished, and a pair of wings sprouted from its back.

Its neck lengthened a little, and its body turned from bright yellow to white.

The light of evolution slowly faded, revealing a newly evolved Togetic before Chen Shi.

"Congratulations, Togetic."

"Chak-yii~"

Togetic