"Suosuo."
Hisuian Zorua took the lead, sniffing around as it followed the scent it had picked up.
To Hisuian Zorua, the scent was fairly distinct. However, because Natsume's farm was quite large, the owner of the scent seemed to have been wandering around for quite some time.
Moreover, with so many Pokémon on the farm training and moving about, the air was filled with a mix of different smells.
Not to mention... it's not like I'm a canine Pokémon or anything.
I'm just a cute little fox.
And if you're about to say that foxes are also part of the canine family…
There's no need to be so pedantic about Pokémon classifications. (Indifferent face.)
"Garde?"
Gardevoir, who was in Natsume's old workshop learning how to make Pokéblocks, curiously looked toward the rather unusual team entering the room.
Natsume and Ogerpon teaming up was a common sight.
Natsume and Hisuian Zorua, while not seen together as often, was still a familiar pairing.
But Natsume, Hisuian Zorua, and Ogerpon all together?
That was a first.
A rather rare sight indeed.
"Garde."
What's going on, Natsume?
Gardevoir's voice rang directly in Natsume's mind.
At first, Gardevoir wasn't exactly skilled at telepathy—it could barely manage broken phrases when focusing with all its might.
Both Gardevoir and its intended recipient found the process frustrating.
Initially, Gardevoir didn't think much of this ability.
After all, as a Psychic-type, simply linking mental energy was enough to convey meaning—who needed telepathy?
It wasn't until it arrived at the farm that Gardevoir began to take this skill seriously.
Even though Natsume could understand it just fine, Gardevoir felt it should do something more to show how much it valued him.
Even if it turned out to be pointless, effort mattered most.
That was Gardevoir's philosophy.
Because of this, Gallade often teased it.
To Gallade, this whole thing was utterly meaningless.
Natsume was a good person—he wouldn't dislike Gardevoir over something like this.
But Gardevoir fiercely refuted that claim, and in doing so, it also suffered relentless ridicule from its own younger sister.
Something along the lines of: "Foolish, shortsighted, destined to be a fishless fisherman."
Yeah… that last part seemed to have the most impact.
After being told that, Gallade instantly sank into a state of deep self-doubt, questioning its entire existence.
If there had been a trash can or an empty box nearby, it probably would've crawled inside.
"A Ghost-type Pokémon seems to have sneaked in. Hisuian Zorua is leading us to find it now."
"Garde?"
Do you need my help?
Gardevoir set down the Pokéblocks it had been working on, grabbed a towel from the table, and casually wiped its hands before asking.
"Oh? You want to help? That'd be great."
Psychic-type Pokémon were useful in all sorts of situations.
From daily life to wild expeditions, their abilities were invaluable.
Just the move Psychic alone could solve a ton of problems in the wild.
For many trainers, Butterfree—one of the most common Pokémon capable of learning Psychic—was an essential capture.
That was exactly why Natsume had caught a Butterfree back then.
And now? That same Butterfree had become his dedicated Pokéblock assistant.
Occasionally, it would help out around the farm—like managing all the butterflies drawn in by the flowers.
"Garde."
It's fine. If I can help you, Natsume, I'd be happy to.
Gardevoir untied its apron and placed it on the rack. Its eyes suddenly shone with a bright blue glow.
A vast surge of psychic energy spread out, sweeping across the farm like a radar.
It was on par with Slowking's abilities.
Which made sense—after all, Gardevoir was known as the "Psychic Queen."
This level of power should be perfectly normal…
Or not.
Wasn't this already way beyond the usual range of a normal Pokémon?
Slowking, who had been explaining move techniques to a Servine nearby, let out a quiet sigh.
Was there even a single normal Pokémon on this farm?
His own abilities were thanks to a special opportunity and training from Uxie.
But what about Gardevoir?
Was it really just natural talent combined with a diet of high-quality Pokéblocks and a unique training environment?
"Garde."
Found it.
The blue glow faded as Gardevoir turned to Natsume.
Just as he suspected, there was indeed a foreign presence on the farm—something they hadn't encountered before.
Though Gardevoir wasn't sure exactly what Pokémon it was, the Ghost-type energy it gave off was unmistakable.
"Garde."
I'll take you there.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Gardevoir."
"Garde."
It's no problem.
A blue psychic aura enveloped Natsume and the two smaller Pokémon as Gardevoir activated Teleport.
In the blink of an eye, the group appeared in front of the warehouse.
"Garde."
Gardevoir clutched its chest, breathing in small, measured gasps.
What should've been a routine teleport had unexpectedly taken a toll on it.
Normally, just bringing Natsume along would have been manageable.
But this time, Ogerpon was part of the group.
The stronger the Pokémon, the more energy was required to teleport them.
This time, the energy consumption had been several times greater than usual.
The moment the teleportation activated, Gardevoir had realized the issue.
Luckily, everything went smoothly in the end.
Gardevoir let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"You worked hard, Gardevoir."
Noticing its exhaustion, Natsume quickly extended his hand, and the radiant glow of Viridian's Blessing washed over Gardevoir.
Bathed in its light, Gardevoir's energy rapidly recovered.
"Garde."
Thank you, Natsume.
"It's nothing."
Natsume waved it off before turning toward the warehouse.
Why did it feel like weird things always happened here?
Did warehouses naturally attract Pokémon over time?
As he pushed open the door, he flicked on the lights.
The moment the warehouse lit up, something in the corner twitched slightly—just enough to catch the edge of Natsume's vision.
Following that subtle movement, his eyes landed on an old, somewhat worn-out treasure chest.
"A treasure chest?"
The moment he saw it, a possibility crossed his mind.
And moments later, that guess was confirmed.
A small figure timidly peeked out from inside the chest, cautiously staring at Natsume.
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