Yellow.Tokiwa Lilac

"You..."

The rest of what Ryuuske wanted to say got swallowed back down. He watched as the little girl slowly walked over and crouched in front of the Goldeen, placing a hand on its body. Though she was still very young, the smile on her face was like that of an angel—healing to the heart, and healing to the spirit of Pokémon.

The Goldeen that had seemed rather fierce earlier, as if upset about being dragged ashore, no longer flopped around in place. Instead, it gently swayed its body and closed its eyes along with the little girl.

It looked as though the two were communicating.

Ryuuske found it somewhat unbelievable. As far as he knew, the only Pokémon capable of communicating like a human was Mewtwo. Even Mew, a legendary Pokémon, while extremely intelligent and spiritual, couldn't communicate with humans through language. His own "Dragon Tamer's Power" wasn't true communication either—it was more like a form of emotional perception with Dragon-type Pokémon.

The smile on the little girl's face deepened. With a soft grunt of effort, she picked up the Goldeen and slowly carried it to the riverside, placing it back into the water. Although Water-type Pokémon could survive on land unlike ordinary aquatic creatures, they didn't enjoy being out of water.

The moment the Goldeen touched the water, it used Splash on the spot, then sank into the river and vanished.

"You... can communicate with Pokémon?"

Ryuuske frowned as he looked at the little girl in front of him, a hint of scrutiny in his gaze.

It was only now that he really looked at her carefully. Her golden hair shone like sunlight, and her petite frame looked around eight or nine years old—a true, innocent little girl just past toddlerhood. 

Her delicate features weren't fully developed yet but were exquisitely sculpted, like a beautiful porcelain doll or a lotus blossoming in clear water, shaped by nature itself. Even at her young age, it was clear she would grow into a stunning beauty who would leave men breathless.

"No, no, no. I can't communicate with Pokémon... it's just... I can sort of feel their emotions. That Horn Goldfish wasn't mad anymore after I apologized."

When she heard Ryuuske's question, the little girl quickly waved her hands and lowered her head in embarrassment. Her light brown eyes were bright and clear, sparkling like stars. Not knowing what thought crossed her mind, she gave Ryuuske a gentle smile—elegant and delicate, the kind of purity that made one hesitant to sully it.

Smart and considerate—that was Ryuuske's first impression of this little girl. Absolutely none of the annoying, bratty behavior common in some kids.

"So... you can only sense emotions, huh..."

Ryuuske murmured to himself. It seemed the little girl in front of him had a special ability too. Hers was likely more versatile than his—capable of sensing the feelings of all Pokémon. However, unlike his, it lacked specificity and depth. She could only sense emotions, whereas his original Dragon Tamer's Power allowed him to deeply perceive the thoughts and feelings of Dragon-type Pokémon.

"Ah! Big brother, your Pokémon is hurt!"

Ryuuske had one hand in his pocket, silently observing the girl, which made her a bit nervous. She looked around uncomfortably and, upon noticing the injuries on Gible's body, let out a startled cry.

"It's nothing. Just some superficial wounds. They've actually already healed. I'll drop by a Pokémon Center later to fully treat them."

Ryuuske replied indifferently. After all, how could any trainer journeying through the wilds not get injured? Not just Gible—he himself had been hurt many times. But with the aid of medicine, his scars had already faded. Gible's, however, needed professional care from a Pokémon Center to disappear.

But the little girl didn't seem to care about what he said. She ran over to Gible, hesitating a bit as she looked at the fierce-eyed but otherwise adorable Pokémon that was about her height. Then, kneeling on one knee in front of it, she placed her hand forward. A soft, green glow—like the breath of life—emerged from her palm as she closed her eyes and leaned closer to Gible.

Before Ryuuske's very eyes, Gible's visible wounds and scars rapidly faded. In just a short moment, Gible looked like it had just received the most professional treatment from a Pokémon Center.

At that moment, Ryuuske's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he stared in disbelief at the little girl before him.

What was this?! What kind of ability was this?! A portable, mobile Pokémon Center?! She could actually heal Pokémon just by touching them?! That's insane! That's practically a cheat code!

Ryuuske was shaken to his core. He even felt a little sour inside—he had transmigrated and got some special powers too, but compared to this little girl's outrageous ability, his seemed kinda... underwhelming.

But having endured over a month of wilderness survival, even dancing on the edge of life and death multiple times, Ryuuske had grown stronger in both body and mind. He quickly calmed down, evaluating the pros and cons with a rational mind.

It looked like a cheat, but it wasn't as overpowered as it seemed. This ability was extremely useful in battle, sure—but it only healed injuries, not stamina or energy. That meant she couldn't make a Pokémon into some invincible perpetual-motion machine. Even if the physical wounds were healed, once a Pokémon's stamina and energy ran out, it would be like a character in a game with no more skill points—just a big sandbag, no offensive power left.

And it seemed the activation conditions were quite limiting. Judging by her actions, she needed to be close to the Pokémon and fully focus. In a real fight to the death, there wouldn't be time for a trainer to calmly kneel beside their Pokémon to treat their wounds.

Ryuuske breathed a sigh of relief. This ability, while powerful, wasn't hopelessly broken. Against true powerhouses, it might not even get a chance to activate.

After a moment of thought, Ryuuske made an effort to seem like a kind older brother instead of some shady adult. He smiled at the little girl and asked:

"...I'm Ryuuske. What's your name?"

"I'm Yellow.Tokiwa Lilac. I'm almost nine! I live in Tokiwa City, big brother~~"

The little girl clearly had no social experience and didn't possess even a hint of wariness toward strangers. Her soft, childish voice seemed to clear away all the gloom from one's heart. That beaming smile on her delicate face sparkled under the sunlight streaming through the tree branches.

To be continued…