"Ah-"
Lilligant went straight on mute and stopped talking.
She knew perfectly well that the Sayaka of another world did not know her. Her desire to see her came from remembrance of the past, which also became encouragement and motivation to move forward.
Seeing Sayaka active in the Mega Evolution World Line would bring Lilligant peace and comfort.
"Lilligant, you really are so understanding."
"Then why won't you let me out? Didn't you say you were already in the contestants' preparation room?"
"Uh, wait. Suddenly letting a Pokémon out now would disturb Sayaka's preparations."
Shen Qi's voice trembled slightly, because...
Sayaka had gone into the changing room to put on her battle outfit, while Shen Qi sat on a bench against the wall, with a Lurantis on either side.
The elder sister was bolder, constantly leaning into Shen Qi's arms;
the younger sister was much more reserved, lightly rubbing the "back" of her sickle-shaped foreleg against the outside of Shen Qi's arm, then slowly... moving to the inside.
If he let Lilligant out now, they would not need to enter the arena. There would be a battle right here in the preparation room first.
"Um... you really don't need to be so kind."
"How could we not thank a fan who offered Miss Sayaka the most sincere encouragement, helping her decide to take off her mask as soon as possible and face the rest of her life anew after all those setbacks?"
The words came in a seductive voice, accompanied by a powerful fragrance. A puff of fur like a flared skirt surrounded the purple Pokémon's lower body. Outside her eyes, ringed in black and red, a pair of flight feathers swept upward from the corners, their allure even more striking than eyeliner.
Aromatisse.
A pure Fairy-type Pokémon.
Like Florges,