The cold edge of Scizor’s pincer was already close enough for Jun to feel the wind of its approach against his throat.
He didn’t move.
This was exactly why he’d paid Marnie fifty thousand Pokédollars.
A purple blur shot past his shoulder before Scizor could close the remaining distance.
The newcomer was a sleek feline Pokémon with a curled tail and sharp claws, dark energy coiling around its body as it slammed into Scizor’s abdomen with Sucker Punch.
Purrloin.
The hit knocked Scizor just far enough off course.
Its pincer swept past Jun’s neck instead of closing around it, though the edge still grazed his skin and left a thin line of blood.
Behind Jun, the newborn tightened both hands around her bone club.
She didn’t understand the battle or why everyone was fighting, but she understood one thing perfectly well: the red Pokémon had tried to hurt Jun.
Her mother was gone.
She knew that much too, even if she was still too young to understand what it really meant.
Jun was the human who had tied the green ribbon around her bone club, carried her, and let her sleep beside him.
Whatever that made him, he mattered.
Her body reacted before she had time to think.
The newborn stepped out from behind Jun as brilliant multicolored light gathered inside the oversized skull covering her head.
A heartbeat later, Dragon Breath erupted from its open jaws and struck Scizor directly in the face at point-blank range.
The pincer beside Jun’s throat stopped dead.
Morpeko followed immediately.
Light gathered around one paw as it rushed in and drove Brick Break into Scizor’s abdomen, finally forcing the battered Pokémon backward.
Scizor had already endured Thunderbolt, two Fire Punches, Peck, Sucker Punch, Dragon Breath, and repeated Brick Breaks.
This time its stance finally gave way, and Morpeko’s blow sent it skidding across the snow.
The black-robed man didn’t hesitate.
Before Scizor had even stopped moving, he recalled it and released another Pokémon from the Poké Ball already waiting in his other hand.
A Boltund appeared in a flash of light, and the man mounted it immediately.
Jun barely had time to register what was happening before Boltund cleared the wall and disappeared from sight.
He’d fled the instant the fight turned against him.
Several League staff members burst from the Pokémon Center moments later.
One gave Jun a quick nod before they released their own Pokémon and went over the wall after the fleeing man.
The Center had never been undefended.
Jun had also messaged Marnie the moment the stranger appeared; spending fifty thousand Pokédollars on a bodyguard and then refusing to call her when someone threatened him would’ve been idiotic.
The response had been fast.
Jun’s side had simply ended the fight even faster.
Footsteps crunched through the snow behind him.
Jun turned with a smile as Marnie approached, arms folded beneath her coat and her black-purple beret still perfectly in place despite the rush outside.
“I knew hiring you was a good investment,” Jun said.
“Strong, reliable…
exactly what I wanted.
Definitely had nothing to do with your connections.” Marnie stopped beside him and looked over the yard, still visibly alert.
“The person who attacked you just escaped.
He could turn around and come back the moment everyone relaxes.” Her gaze shifted to Jun.
“Why do you look like nothing happened?” Jun smiled.
“Because I spent fifty thousand Pokédollars on a strong and adorable bodyguard.
At this point, I’m expecting you to protect me even if somebody tries shooting me from across the street.” Nurse Joy came hurrying out of the Pokémon Center before Marnie could answer, with Indeedee close behind.
Indeedee had both fists raised and looked extremely eager to finally participate in one of Jun’s disasters, only to stop when she realized there was nobody left to fight.
“Dee…” Her shoulders sagged.
Marnie ignored Indeedee’s disappointment and took two high-grade Pokéblocks from her pocket, handing one to Morpeko and the other to Purrloin.
“If you spent half as much effort training as you do flattering your bodyguard, maybe you wouldn’t need one.” “Training takes time.” Jun picked Ralts up and settled her against his chest.
“Keeping my very expensive bodyguard happy produces immediate results.
I have to protect my investment.” Marnie’s eyes narrowed.
Jun corrected himself without missing a beat.
“That came out wrong.
I have complete faith in your professionalism.” Nurse Joy laughed before she could stop herself, some of the tension leaving her face.
Then she noticed Jun’s neck.
Her smile disappeared.
“Jun.” He touched the thin cut and immediately knew where this was going.
Nurse Joy walked closer and looked at it with an expression that somehow managed to remain polite and threatening at the same time.
“You were injured the day before yesterday.
You were injured yesterday.
And now you’ve been injured again today.” Jun glanced away.
“I believe I specifically told you that if you made me treat you again, you weren’t allowed back in my Pokémon Center.” Without waiting for an answer, Nurse Joy took Ralts from his arms and began checking her instead, pointedly leaving Jun to deal with his microscopic tragedy alone.
Jun cleared his throat and decided Rookidee suddenly required his full attention.
He walked over and crouched beside the bird, then took several Pokéblocks from his bag and placed them in front of it.
“Eat.
You need the energy, and Nurse Joy can take care of the rest afterward.” Jun didn’t blame Rookidee for what had happened.
The stranger might have followed the Wishing Star here, but he’d also shown obvious interest in Ralts and the newborn.
Even without the stone, someone like that probably would’ve become a problem sooner or later.
Besides, without Rookidee, Jun wouldn’t have the Wishing Star at all.
Rookidee didn’t see things the same way.
It stared at the Pokéblocks, then up at Jun, before lowering its head and devouring them as quickly as it could.
“Krii!” Once it finished, Rookidee spread its wings.
White feathers appeared around its body and began drifting through the air as Roost restored much of the damage from the battle.
One feather floated toward Jun and brushed lightly across the cut on his neck.
The sting disappeared.
Jun touched the skin in surprise.
Even the shallow scratch had closed.
Apparently Rookidee’s version of Roost did a little more than the move normally should.
The move itself seemed important to the bird in another way.
It was the one thing Rookidee had inherited from parents it had never known.
Jun watched it for a moment, then noticed something in its expression.
“You’re leaving?” Rookidee didn’t answer.
It beat its wings once and rose into the falling snow.
Jun remained crouched as the bird climbed higher.
For a moment, Rookidee hovered above the Pokémon Center yard and looked back at him.
From Jun’s perspective, it had done nothing wrong.
It had brought him something valuable, warned him when danger approached, and even tried to protect him during the fight.
Rookidee remembered things differently.
It had brought the Wishing Star here without realizing someone dangerous was following it.
Then, when that danger arrived, it hadn’t been strong enough to protect Jun on its own.
That wasn’t good enough.
The next time they met, Rookidee intended to be different.
It would defeat that terrifying Ralts properly, and more importantly, it would become strong enough that Jun wouldn’t need protection from anyone else.
With that decision made, Rookidee turned away and flew into the snowy sky until its small black silhouette disappeared beyond the rooftops.
[End of chapter]