"Wal..."
Beneath the Pacific Ocean, at a depth of 1,800 meters.
A plump Walrein was swimming leisurely through the sea, wearing the carefree expression of an easygoing fellow. Just then, a wild Gyarados suddenly appeared beside him.
Walrein had thick layers of fat, and eating just one provided a great deal of energy, making them a favorite food of many vicious ocean predators. This Gyarados was no exception.
Delighted, the Gyarados bared its fangs and brandished its claws, about to rush over and devour Walrein. Then Walrein cast a slight sideways glance at it with his half-closed eyes. In that single instant, the Gyarados seemed to have seen something terrifying. Its entire body stiffened, and then it activated Dragon Dance and fled.
"Wal..."
Nalu sat on Walrein, slowly leafing through a magazine with one hand while continually rubbing the fur on the back of his neck with the other.
This was her Pokémon. As Walrein swam freely through the sea, he continually maintained an energy barrier of Protect around himself. With Protect shielding her, Nalu could swim through the ocean alongside him, with not only enough oxygen to breathe but also protection from the crushing pressure.
Nalu glanced indifferently in the direction the Gyarados had fled, then chuckled softly and stroked the head of the Walrein beneath her.
"Swimming freely through the sea must make you really happy."
"Wal!"
"You've had to put up with a lot. You were born to swim freely through the ocean, but following me all this time, you haven't had a chance to enjoy yourself to your heart's content." Nalu's gaze drifted into the distance, a yearning look appearing on her face. "In a few years, I'll buy a villa by the sea. Then you can swim for as long as you want."
"When that