If Arceus had a task for him—
Something like finding Rayquaza and helping purge the darkness from its body—
Chen Shi had no problem with that.
After all, Arceus seemed to have helped him quite a lot from behind the scenes.
Putting aside the fact that Arceus had sent him a thousand years into the past so he could complete this closed loop of history, just helping him find Jirachi was already enough.
If Arceus truly needed something from him, Chen Shi wouldn't refuse without reason.
Besides, those tasks were all beneficial to the world and didn't conflict with his own interests.
Doing them was fine.
But if someone thought they could take Deoxys away from him with nothing more than a vague explanation like "it's not suitable for you to keep it"—
Absolutely not.
Forget Gardevoir.
Even if Arceus personally came over, Chen Shi still wouldn't hand it over just like that.
Gardevoir seemed completely unsurprised by his reaction. The gentle smile on her face did not change.
[But you don't have a good way to deal with it either, do you?]
[As long as it remains asleep, that's fine. But once it awakens, it may cause you quite a bit of trouble.]
[Wouldn't it be better to leave it with me?]
Chen Shi's gaze turned cold.
"Do you not understand human speech?"
"I said it's mine."
"Why should I hand it over just because you want it?"
"Are you seriously not taking me seri—"
"Holy crap!"
Before he could finish, Chen Shi saw a palm-sized purple plate suddenly appear in Gardevoir's hand.
His eyes widened as he shot to his feet.
[Spooky Plate — Projection]
"Spooky Plate?"
Gardevoir shook her head.
[It isn't the true Spooky Plate.]
[It is only a projection formed from the Plate's power. Naturally, it cannot compare to the real thing.]
[But for you, it should be more than enough.]
[Qiu, may I exchange this for Deoxys?]
"Yes!"
"Absolutely!"
"More than absolutely!"
Chen Shi's eyes practically burned as he stared at the Spooky Plate.
Deoxys had never been particularly useful to him in the first place.
He had only refused because he didn't like the idea of someone casually taking something he had found and purified.
But now they had even brought out a Plate projection.
That was sincerity taken to the extreme.
Even if it wasn't the genuine Spooky Plate, it would still be enormously useful to Dragapult.
Gardevoir nodded with a smile.
The Plate floated out of her hand and drifted toward Chen Shi.
She even teased him lightly.
[Then... am I still not taking you seriously enough?]
Chen Shi swallowed as he held the Spooky Plate.
"What kind of thing is that to say?"
"I'm just a weak, pitiful, helpless little human."
"Please, by all means—never take me seriously!"
Gardevoir couldn't help laughing.
She said nothing more.
Chen Shi immediately set down his backpack and pulled out the meteorite containing Deoxys.
Just as he was about to hand it over, he suddenly paused.
"This Plate... Cogita told you to give it to me, right?"
[Yes.]
Gardevoir did not deny it.
She nodded.
[My master said she knows you are not the sort of person who willingly takes a loss.]
[Consider this a small compensation.]
"I understand."
Chen Shi nodded and handed the meteorite over.
The moment Gardevoir produced the Spooky Plate, Chen Shi had already guessed that it came from Cogita.
He had only asked to confirm it.
After accepting the meteorite, Gardevoir did not immediately leave.
Instead, she gave Chen Shi a meaningful look.
[My master also said that there are several Pokémon in Hisui carrying similar Plate projections.]
Chen Shi froze.
His heart immediately began pounding.
Temptation.
This was naked temptation!
Gardevoir hadn't explicitly said anything else, but Chen Shi already understood perfectly.
Arceus was basically telling him—
Complete your tasks properly, and these can all be yours.
Chen Shi had to admit...
He was tempted.
These were Plates.
Even if they weren't the genuine articles, they were still undoubtedly among the highest-grade treasures in the world.
The benefits they could provide to Pokémon were enormous.
If Dragapult and the others could each obtain a Plate projection suited to them, their strength might explode upward in a very short period of time.
Who wouldn't be tempted by that?
Chen Shi took a deep breath and revealed an exceptionally bright smile.
"So once I finish everything here, I'll be able to go to Hisui?"
Now he was actually starting to look forward to meeting his dear Cogita.
This boss was reliable.
When she dangled a reward in front of you—
She actually paid up!
Hearing Chen Shi's question, Gardevoir shook her head.
[I cannot say for certain.]
[All I know is that when the time comes for you to go to Hisui, I will come and take you there.]
[But there is no need to rush.]
[From what my master implied, you probably won't be able to return to your own time anytime soon.]
[So there are some things you need not hurry.]
[She hopes you will make good use of this rare opportunity and improve your strength.]
"I won't be going back anytime soon..."
Chen Shi fell silent for a moment before nodding.
"I understand."
"Thank you for the reminder."
Then he asked,
"Can you tell me why I specifically need to make an appearance in front of all those Legendary Pokémon?"
"Why do they all need to notice me?"
That was something he had never been able to understand.
Surely Arceus wasn't genuinely ordering him to show off for no reason?
At that question, Gardevoir's smile faded.
Her expression became serious.
[This is something I normally should not be the one to tell you.]
[But since you have asked, I can explain.]
[The reason you must appear before so many Legendary Pokémon is to send a message to certain beings hiding in the shadows.]
[The human who possesses the Power of the Heart... is not alone.]
[Of course, "showing your face" does not mean exposing your real appearance.]
[You only need everyone to know that another person possesses the Power of the Heart.]
Chen Shi curled his lips, still looking confused.
"I understand what you mean."
"But what's the point?"
"At the end of the day, both people with the Power of the Heart are still me."
"What difference does it make whether there's supposedly one or two?"
[That is a question you should ask my master yourself.]
With the Deoxys meteorite in her possession, Gardevoir turned around.
A moment later, she disappeared from sight.
As soon as she was gone, Dragapult immediately floated over.
"Draga~"
The instant Gardevoir had taken out the Spooky Plate, Dragapult had felt an almost irresistible attraction toward it.
The pull was even stronger than what it had once felt from Giratina's scale.
It had barely managed to restrain itself until Gardevoir left.
Now?
There was no way it could hold back any longer.
Its eyes locked firmly onto the Spooky Plate in Chen Shi's hand.
"Alright, alright. It's for you."
Chen Shi laughed and tossed the Plate toward Dragapult.
Among his entire team, Dragapult was the only Ghost-type Pokémon.
Who else would he give it to?
"Draga!"
Dragapult happily caught the Spooky Plate and pressed it against its chest.
Then—
Slowly...
Bit by bit...
The Plate began merging into Dragapult's body.
"How does it feel?"
"Anything unusual?"
Chen Shi hurriedly asked.
Dragapult closed its eyes.
It had no time to answer him.
Amazing.
Absolutely amazing.
That was Dragapult's first and strongest impression.
Even more strangely, the Ghost-type energy throughout the surrounding world seemed to hear some invisible summons.
It began gathering toward Dragapult on its own.
At the same time, the Ghost-type energy already existing within Dragapult's body was being gradually purified.
What had once been somewhat mixed and chaotic was becoming clearer.
Cleaner.
Purer.
"Draga!"
(I feel terrifyingly strong right now!)
...
Meowth and the Fruit God
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