Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [17]

[Giovanni quickly sent you all the information he had on the Masked Army. You now had a much deeper understanding of this criminal organization operating in the Johto region.]

[But as for their leader? You still had no clue.]

[Fortunately, solving this mystery wasn't your goal. You only needed to know one thing—next time you met that masked man, you'd crush him in midair.]

[At the same time, your injuries weren't entirely without gain. Not only did you bring back Ho-Oh's feather, but you had also obtained one from Lugia.]

[With that, all the materials for crafting the GS Ball were now complete.]

"The next step is figuring out how to make it."

Elias twirled the gold and silver feathers in his fingers, deep in thought.

The method for crafting the [GS Ball] seemed to be a closely guarded secret of a particular family. Not only was it absent from Team Rocket's database, but it was also highly unlikely that the Pokémon League knew of it.

Still, there were traces to follow.

After conducting a thorough investigation, Elias eventually pinpointed a location—Azalea Town.

Situated on the southern peninsula of Johto, Azalea Town was home to a semi-reclusive family of Poké Ball craftsmen.

His research revealed that much of the existing documentation on the [GS Ball] had originally been provided to the League by the ancestors of this very family.

Which meant there was a good chance that its current heir possessed the knowledge Elias needed.

"Big brother, Gardevoir is awake."

As Elias planned his next move, Blue—who had been instructed earlier—ran in to inform him.

Hearing this, Elias paused, then picked up a small bag of Pokéblocks from the table and handed it to Blue, who was standing nearby.

"As promised, these are for your Jigglypuff."

Knowing that Blue had a Jigglypuff, Elias had offered specially made Pokéblocks for it as payment—on the condition that she alert him the moment Gardevoir woke up.

Blue's eyes lit up as she carefully accepted the Pokéblocks.

"I'll thank you on Jigglypuff's behalf!"

Elias ruffled Blue's hair absentmindedly before making his way toward Gardevoir's room.

Inside the room, Gardevoir had just woken up, resting weakly against the headboard.

The immense stress and exhaustion from the previous events had left her already pale complexion even more ghostly white.

Her slender frame only added to the delicate, almost fragile aura surrounding her.

Yet, hearing from Blue that Elias had regained consciousness helped ease some of the unease in her heart.

But even so, the image of Elias plummeting into the depths of the Bell Tower replayed over and over in her mind.

A suffocating wave of helplessness and fear wrapped around her, rendering her completely powerless.

"Garde…"

A barely audible whisper escaped her lips.

She had never experienced such overwhelming fear before.

Not even when she was a child, exhausted from overusing her psychic powers and about to be trampled under the feet of wild Pokémon—she hadn't been this scared.

Just a little more… and Elias would have died under Lugia's attack.

And the one responsible for it all… was her.

If not for her, Elias should have been in an office at the League headquarters, living a life of prestige and security.

Not out here, throwing everything away just to chase after Celebi.

Not being forced into battles with legendary Pokémon like Ho-Oh and Lugia.

A deep self-doubt took root in Gardevoir's heart. Hugging her knees, she buried her face against them, her thoughts spiraling into chaos.

Suddenly, she felt a warm hand gently press against the top of her head, slowly running through her hair.

But the hand didn't stop there.

Sensing no resistance from her, it traced down to her cheek, then her neck, before finally lifting slightly, resting lightly under her chin.

Following the gentle pressure, Gardevoir's face—buried in her knees—was lifted upward.

Tears still clung to the corners of her eyes, making her vision blurry.

But even through the haze, she could feel it—the warmth of Elias's presence, the tenderness in his gaze.

"Elias…"

Without thinking, Gardevoir threw her arms around him, her voice trembling with both relief and lingering fear.

Elias froze for a second at the unexpected embrace before gently patting her shoulder.

"Sorry for worrying you," he said softly.

After years of sharing psychic energy, the bond between them allowed them to sense each other's emotions with ease.

And right now, Elias could clearly feel the fear and vulnerability weighing down on Gardevoir.

She didn't reply immediately. For a long moment, the room was filled with silence.

Then, in a slightly hoarse voice, she finally spoke.

"Elias… Please, stop chasing after legendary Pokémon."

This was the decision she had just made. If it meant Elias wouldn't have to risk his life anymore, she would rather leave her condition untreated.

Elias wasn't surprised by her request.

After all, the reason he had been injured this time was precisely because of Lugia.

But even so, this was the one request he could never agree to.

Because Celebi wasn't just any legendary Pokémon—it was the key to curing Gardevoir.

"I'm sorry, Gardevoir, but I can't—"

"Yes, you can!"

Before he could finish, Gardevoir cut him off, her voice filled with sudden urgency.

Elias stared at her, momentarily taken aback by the intensity of her reaction.

Then, with her next words, he finally understood.

After a brief silence, Gardevoir took a deep breath and looked at him, eyes filled with determination.

"I've always known about my condition," she admitted. "That night, when you spoke with Nurse Joy—I overheard everything."

"I know why you want to catch Celebi. I know why you've chosen to work with Team Rocket. But what I want to say is…"

"Elias, I might not need your help at all. Pokémon are born in the wild. We grow up in the wild. What you're doing… it's completely unnecessary."

"If you really want to help me… then… then…"

"Just set me free."

By the time she finished speaking, her voice had become barely audible.

If not for the psychic control keeping her tears from falling, she would have already been crying.

But despite that, the slight tremble in her body betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

At this moment, her mind had gone completely blank, leaving her no energy to suppress the involuntary reactions of her body.

Hearing his long-guarded secret spoken aloud, Elias rubbed his temples, finally realizing the real issue.

From the very beginning, he had overlooked one crucial possibility—

Gardevoir had always known the truth about herself.