Hidden in the bushes, Ralts cautiously observed the ongoing battle, occasionally jotting something down with a small pencil.
That tiny hand struggled to grip a pencil thicker than its own wrist, scribbling down words that, aside from itself, only Natsume could decipher.
At some point in the past, Ralts had developed a peculiar habit—specifically, it had discovered that trash talk was ridiculously effective.
Not only did it break an oppo’s mental defenses in battle, but it also made itself feel great.
As the saying goes, "Let the curses out, and the heart stays ."
Ralts deeply agreed with this se.
Every time it watched Corviknight battle, Ralts felt like that was the kind of battle it aspired to.
Unfortunately, its sister didn't approve.
She always war to stay away from Corviknight and not to be led astray.
Ralts couldn’t uand why.
But it didn’t matter—I just wat secret!
To avoid getting caught by its sister’s “search operations,” Ralts had traiself to be the sed-fastest Teleport user on the farm.
In terms of just Teleport, Ralts was fident it ranked iop three on the farm.
Even its sister and brother could o its dust!
Sensing something, Ralts abruptly closed its notebook.
A brilliant blue glow fshed us mushroom-like head.
The moment—Ralts vanished.
Shortly after Ralts disappeared, Gardevoir arrived at the same spot.
She narrowed her eyes and sed her surroundings.
She was certain her little sister had just been here, secretly watg the battle.
But…
She got away again!!!
Gardevoir spped her own face, frustration written all over her expression.
Her little sister clearly had a remarkable talent for teleportation.
That kind of talent was supposed to be a good thing—normally, it should be something to celebrate.
But for the love of Arceus, don’t waste it on sneaking around learning that damn couch-potato bird’s trash talk!
At least use it for something productive!
Even delivering food would be better than this!
If she were telep food deliveries, maybe—just maybe—Gardevoir could accept it.
(…Okay, no, that would still be bad. But less bad than this.)
“Garde.”
Gardevhed.
A moment ter, she teleported away.
Even though she khe ces were slim, she had to at least try catg that troublemaking little sister.
She couldn’t just stand by a her go astray.
She also o visit that oddball Zorua for lessons soon.
Otherwise… this was getting way too embarrassing.
The moment Gardevoir vanished—poof!—a tiny mushroom-headed figure reappeared in the bushes.
Pencil in hand, Ralts resumed scribbling in its notebook with great focus.
Nothing stop me from learning trash talk.
Nothing. (shrug)
Meanwhile, in Natsume’s house, a small bck fox stealthily nudged open his bedroom door.
“Suo.”
Zorua’s ears flicked as it sed the room.
After making sure the coast was clear, it leapt onto the desk, pulled open a drawer, and took out a fresh notebook.
Then, with a serious expression, it started writing.
The way it sat—hunched over, scribbling away—made it look less like a Pokémon and more like a little kid.
Everything from its posture to its expression was dht adorable.
“Suo.”
Just as Zorua was writing, a small, hesitant voice spoke up.
Zorua turs head.
At the doorway, Hisuian Zorua crouched low, gazing at it with relut, almost pleading eyes.
“Suo.”
What’s with that look, little bro?
“Suo suo.”
e on, I’m still right here, aren’t I? I’m not dead, lighten up!
With an effortless hop, Zorua nded on the floor and, in a wise older-brother manner, patted Hisuian Zorua on the shoulder.
“Suo.”
“…I just don’t want you to go.”
Hisuian Zorua mumbled, looking as if it had just been abandoned.
Zorua could only sigh.
Why is this kid so attached to me?
It wasn’t like Zorua articurly o it.
If anything, it retty mean most of the time.
Retly, it had barely even aowledged him.
…Wait.
Was he M?
A weird thought popped into Zorua’s head.
It immediately shook it off.
No. Nope. ’t go there.
If it let that thought linger, its brain would get inated.
Fet it. Fet it.
“Suo.”
e o’s go for a walk.
Without waiting for an answer, Zorua trotted out the door.
Hisuian Zorua followed.
The notebook Zorua had been writing in remained spread open on the desk—until a Lopunny, tidying up the room, discovered it.
---
"Thanks, Lopunny."
Taking the notebook from Lopunny, Natsume chuckled and gave its head a fond pat.
Lopunny happily rubbed against his hand, just like a cat.
As he absentmindedly stroked Lopunny’s fur, Natsume flipped through the notebook.
The handwriting was messy, the letters crooked.
But the message was clear:
Dear Natsu,
By the time you read this, I’ll have already left the farm.
(Oops, fot the intro. Fot the middle. Fot the end. That’s what Genshin Impact does to me. (crossed out))
Anyway, I’ll be gone for a while, but don’t worry—I’ll be back soon.
I took the Pokéblocks you stored in the warehouse sihey were just sitting there. sider it helping you clear out iory. o thank me. Doing good deeds without seeking credit—that’s me, the world’s cutest Zorua!
P.S. By the time I’m back, that egg should be hatg. Take good care of it for me!
Love, (crossed out) Suo
After finishing the note, Natsume couldn't help but ugh.
This little brat…
Even when leaving, it had to take some snacks, huh?
And that egg?
It was y, you take care of it!
Why had the responsibility somehow shifted to him?
And really—"the world’s cutest Zorua"?
The first half of that sentence for debate, but the sed half was an ht lie.
Even though he had plenty to pin about, Natsume still took note of the importaails.
“Thanks fing this to me, Lopunny.”
“Lopunny~” Not a problem, Natsume.
Lopunny hugged his arm before happily hopping away, looking every bit like aic little rabbit.
---
Far from the farm, deep in the wilderness, a white Pokémon staggered through the barren hills.
Its breathing was weak.
Its dition—dire.
“Yadon?”
Now dressed in a training bodysuit instead of referee attire, Slowking suddenly looked up.
It had felt something.
Something important—something urgent—in that dire.
Gcell
