The corner where sunlight cannot reach

In Azurill's view, the dazzling impact of Giga Impact kept expanding. She took a deep breath and, with a resolute attitude, extended her tail to withstand the impact.

Jumpluff woke up, and the unconscious Houndoom also regained consciousness at this moment. They, along with Ralts who had hurried to Azurill's side, launched their attack together.

Jumpluff's Energy Ball, Houndoom's Dark Pulse, and Ralts's Psychic, three skills hit the Giga Impact, slowing down its force. In the moment when the speed slowed down, Azurill's tail barely slowed the momentum.

Jumpluff, Houndoom, and Ralts continued to work hard to maintain their skills. Azurill was facing a tremendous pressure from the Giga Impact. She was already lying on the ground, with her back against the move, trying to muster more strength in this position.

Despite the support of the three Pokémon, the momentum from the Giga Impact showed no signs of dissipating. Azurill's tail was already bending, and Roy couldn't imagine the pain. He made a painful decision in advance.

If they couldn't stop it, then let Azurill retreat. Otherwise, the momentum of Giga Impact would bring Azurill to hit the boulder.

"Azurill..."

Roy was about to say this cold decision, but he saw Azurill's body shining with a dazzling white light.

Roy, who was quite familiar with the scene of evolution, was stunned.

The supporting Pokémon, who were familiar with the scene of evolution, were ecstatic. Azurill's smaller body gradually became round, and in the instant the light faded, Azurill, who had withstood the Giga Impact with her tail, turned around instantly. With both hands, Marill, grabbed the Mismagius wrapped in the energy of Giga Impact, gave it a hard pull, and changed the direction of the Mismagius's body.

With a roaring wind, the Mismagius violently kissed the ground, rolling several times on the ground and falling down. The gemmed ribbons on the Mismagius's body also turned into a pile of rubble.

Confirming the status of the Pokémon, Roy, who suddenly felt relieved, immediately felt dizzy and his body collapsed softly.

Roy found himself in a strange world, surrounded by endless white mist that seemed to shroud everything. He only remembered battling the Mismagius a second ago, and now he was here in this place.

As Roy searched for a way out in the mist, the world suddenly gained color. It was as if an invisible brush was slowly outlining the surroundings, filling them with rich hues.

Suddenly, Roy found himself in a grand castle, with gardens blooming with a riot of colorful flowers.

The Mismagius appeared beside Roy, her body appearing somewhat faded, almost transparent.

At the sight of the Mismagius, Roy knew immediately that he was trapped in her dream. This mysterious creature had managed to pull him into her own dream at the last moment.

The Mismagius's gaze at Roy was quite complex, mirroring Roy's own complicated feelings. He couldn't quite grasp the origin and intentions of this Mismagius.

But then, a Misdreavus entered Roy's view, diverting his attention.

This Misdreavus joyfully frolicked through the flower-filled garden, surrounded by many beautiful flowers and ladybugs that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Other Pokémon danced around the Misdreavus, who happily enjoyed the attention and playful antics.

"Misdreavus, you'll trouble the mistress like this. Didn't we say that the mistress has difficulty moving, so try not to move too quickly," a tall, thin butler, sweating profusely, chased after the Misdreavus, gently reminding her.

The Misdreavus, upon hearing the butler's words, looked somewhat forlorn, and the Pokémon in the flower garden gradually fell silent.

The butler's attire was quite vintage, and from Roy's knowledge, it seemed to be a style from at least two hundred years ago in the Sinnoh region. Such attire would only be seen at costume balls nowadays.

Roy turned to look at the Mismagius beside him, realizing that at this point, he was experiencing what the Mismagius wanted him to see—her memories.

Roy gazed toward the long cobblestone path leading to the castle garden gate, where the Mismagius's gaze lingered.

A frail girl sat in a wheelchair, pushed by a Chansey. Her face was pale, eyes sunken and devoid of luster, dry and tangled hair, and a heart-wrenching cough that told Roy that this girl, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, was terribly ill.

The Misdreavus softened her desolate expression, then cheerfully wedged herself into the girl's embrace. The girl, with her thin, delicate hands, carefully caressed the Misdreavus, murmuring softly, "It's okay, I don't mind. Go play with the beautiful flowers and the others."

The Mismagius floated lightly beside the girl, mirroring the actions of the Misdreavus, inching closer and closer until she nestled next to the girl's hand. With the rhythm of the girl's gentle strokes, the Misdreavus delicately moved her head, displaying an expression of pure bliss.

Roy watched the scene in silence, unable to determine who was the illusion in this moment. But the Mismagius's genuine affection for the girl was evident in her eyes and actions.

Time swiftly passed by, with the flowers in the garden blooming and withering repeatedly.

The girl appeared less and less in the garden, and Roy found himself walking through the empty castle courtyard, feeling like a specter from another time. He witnessed the enormous clock on the castle gradually covered in vines, the moss-covered cobblestone paths, and the corroded, rusting metal mechanisms inside the castle. The number of servants dwindled with time.

The Misdreavus gently turned the pages of the calendar inside the castle, and suddenly three years had passed.

The scenery around Roy shifted, and he found himself in a room adorned with various dolls, flowers, and paintings, giving it an exceptionally warm and elegant atmosphere.

Beside the girl's bed was an open album, filled with early Pokémon League Conference portraits, each with the girl's handwritten comments underneath.

"If I could stand on this stage, I would also gamble everything for my Pokémon, and to prove myself."

This was one of the sentences Roy read.

Under the pale pink canopy, the girl's body resembled the withered flowers of the courtyard in winter, her veins visible through her emaciated frame.

The Misdreavus lay on the girl's waist, a position easily reachable for the girl's trembling hands.

The girl's gentle strokes on the Misdreavus remained as they were three years ago in the courtyard—steady, gentle, and filled with a warmth and indescribable tranquility.

"Just a little longer... just a little longer," the girl's voice, once soft and pleasant, now sounded hoarse and sharp, sending shivers down Roy's spine.

"Just a little longer, and it'll be okay. Once I'm gone, you'll be free. I'm sorry, I want to see more of this world. I'm sorry, Misdreavus, and the other Pokémon."

"I really want to see what you'll look like when you evolve," the girl gazed at the Misdreavus with hopeful eyes.

The Mismagius collapsed onto the bed, wailing loudly, while the Misdreavus looked up in terror, then vigorously pushed away the girl's hand, seemingly displeased with the girl's despairing words.

Roy felt a pang in his heart, unsure of what expression, posture, or action to take in response to the girl's attitude about life and death. He could sense her deep attachment to staying alive and also the guilt she held for imprisoning the Pokémon within the castle.

This is a person with half feet stepped into the deathbed.

The scene remained unchanged, but time seemed to accelerate in the room. As the castle was blanketed in heavy snow, the resolute girl shook off Chansey's hand, refusing the Misdreavus's help, and struggled to stand up.

She opened the wardrobe and selected a lavender dress with crimson floral patterns at the hem, a color scheme reminiscent of the Misdreavus. With tears and a smile, she huffed and puffed as she dressed herself.

By the time Roy discreetly turned away and then glanced back, the girl had gathered her skirt, half-crouching elegantly in Roy's direction, offering a graceful bow.

Looking at the mirror behind him, Roy saw the girl's efforts to control her throat, attempting her voice several times until finally managing to suppress the hoarse, sharp tone.

With a contented smile, the girl remarked, "Ugh, this color combination is so ugly."

Then, with tears streaming down her face, she collapsed onto the bed, her breathing ceasing.

She didn't give Roy a chance to say, "Actually, it looks quite nice."

Mismagius cried bitterly. She and Roy watched as the Misdreavus in the room continuously tried to awaken the girl in various comical and silly expressions. Using its psychic power, it formed the flowers into grimaces, then with tears in its eyes, it nudged the girl's body, pressing its head against her hand.

At the moment when the Pokémon and the butler flooded into the room, the scene inside shattered.

The bedroom was covered in cobwebs, dust blanketed the walls, and the furniture was decaying. The portraits in the girl's bedroom had turned yellow and black, with tiny holes chewed by insects. The girl's beloved dolls were now covered in mildew stains. The Misdreavus lay quietly on the girl's bed, its head trembling slightly.

The castle was now empty, devoid of any life. The garden no longer boasted blooming flowers; instead, wild grasses had taken over, wrapping the castle in desolation.

Occasionally, travelers stumbled into this abandoned castle, seemingly enjoying the thrill of exploration. They walked on the broken furniture, carrying torches or releasing Fire-type Pokémon to inspect every corner.

The illusionary lights from Misdreavus frightened these unwanted guests out of the castle. However, the fear did not deter these adventurers, and they started to enter the castle in groups.

Finally, the illusion of Misdreavus was broken. In the face of the more pressing situation, it evolved on its own into Mismagius.

With tears streaming down its face, Mismagius scared away all the intruders.

This form, achieved through so much effort, should have been displayed in front of the girl. However, it was a group of strangers who witnessed everything.

Mismagius came to the wall outside the girl's room, gently marking a vertical line on the wall. This was the counting method the girl had taught Mismagius. For each time Mismagius protected the castle, it carved down a mark.

The wall was now covered with countless vertical marks, like some wild beast venting its madness on the wall.

Time once again forgot this silent castle, and along with it, the Mismagius that slumbered within was finally awakened by the sounds of the castle collapsing. Bulldozers and excavators meticulously plowed through every inch of the castle's land. The Mismagius looked on in despair. She was able to scare away the passersby, but unable to rebuild the castle.

The subsequent scenes became fragmented, sporadic, as if memories were distorted by the Mismagius's loneliness and despair.

Roy found himself in a fragmented dreamscape, witnessing Mismagius battling with strange trainers, seeing the peculiar people putting that ribbon with an embedded gemstone on Mismagius... witnessing Mismagius's angry destruction of everything around her, leaping into the night... seeing her restless nights in the forest, unable to sleep. He also saw her sheltering and caring for the abandoned Pokémon, cuddling with other Mismagius in mutual comfort.

The world returned to its initial swirling mist.

Roy looked at the misty-eyed Mismagius, words on the tip of his tongue, but swallowed them back.

He remembered that moment in the flower-filled courtyard when the girl touched Misdreavus.

Carefully, Roy reached out his hand, hesitated, and then withdrew it.

After a while, he slapped himself lightly on the face, looked into Mismagius's eyes, and slowly placed his hand on her head.

The ghostly form of Mismagius did not offer any tangible sensation of touch. The mist surrounding Roy gradually dissipated.

Roy looked around the blank white surroundings in a daze, as the image of Mismagius slowly dissipated in the air, and the clamor of voices began to flood into his exhausted mind.

"Wake up, wake up!"

A familiar voice sounded in Roy's ears, and he struggled to open his eyes. Sachiko's excited face appeared in Roy's field of vision.

Roy's hands and feet were wrapped in bandages, his arm secured in a cast, and his forehead felt heavy and tight, probably wrapped in a lot of bandages.

Next to Roy's hospital bed were a fruit basket, flowers, and his backpack. Jumpluff, Ralts, and Marill jumped into Roy's arms all at once.

This was troublesome; the three little ones' careless actions exacerbated Roy's pain, making him cry out in pain. Sachiko hurriedly lifted the three little ones away from the bed.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Two days, exactly two days," Sachiko replied. "The doctor said you suffered a back injury, but after handling it that night, they found out that your problems weren't too serious, just couldn't figure out why you wouldn't wake up."

"Professor heard about your accident that night and drove over with me. Do you know what it was like for the rescue team to see over twenty Pokémon lying unconscious by a small stream. Everyone was shocked. Before I came, I joked with the Professor, comforting him, saying that Roy might become the fastest trainer to start and end his journey. Then I saw you with a head wound, lying there with a bunch of scratches."

Roy chuckled, then remembered something.

"What about those Pokémon?"

"Oh, they were properly treated at the Pokémon Center. At first, they showed some resistance, but with the help of Silvally, they became obedient. After taking care of four wild Pokémon, they've chosen to follow the Professor."

"Let me guess, it's Swampert, Lopunny, Noctowl, and Pachirisu, right?"

"How did you know?"

Roy smiled. He was quite grateful to those four wild Pokémon who intervened when things weren't right. He didn't expect Professor Rowan to act so quickly, that he already took the four Pokémon in the research institute while Roy was unconscious.

Roy smiled and then fell silent for a while before asking, "What about that Mismagius?"

Sachiko, who had been wearing a sweet smile all along, suddenly looked gloomy. "Still hasn't woken up. It's strange. She was checked just like you, and they confirmed there was no major problem, but she's been in a coma. Professor said she's dreaming, and according to the instruments, her emotions are fluctuating greatly in the dream, it's a nightmare."

A dream weaver trapped in her own dream?

It sounded somewhat ridiculous, but Roy had seen that desolate castle with Mismagius. He didn't find it funny at all; he only felt a strange sense of desolation.

This poor soul, forced into homelessness, wandering endlessly, constantly hurt by others. Since that girl, it seemed she hadn't smiled again, leaving all her beauty in a dream.

Struggling to sit up, Roy was about to get up. Sachiko had initially wanted to stop him, but seeing Roy's determined attitude, she voluntarily went to support him. She was someone who could read the signs well.

Roy, with unsteady steps, followed Sachiko's guidance and arrived at the infirmary of the adjacent Pokémon Center. Through the glass window of the infirmary, Roy could see Mismagius in the isolation room, covered with unknown wires, while the machine next to her showed a spectrum of regular and large fluctuations.

Mismagius still furrowed her brow, looking pained.

A hand lightly patting Roy's shoulder, a middle-aged man wearing a brown trench coat over an old-fashioned suit, his face marked with years of experience, appeared beside Roy.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Sachiko stepped forward to separate Roy from the middle-aged man.

"As for my name, I can't reveal it due to certain reasons, but you can call me 'Looker'," the middle-aged man replied, taking out a file from his trench coat pocket. The badge and text displayed in the file showed that he was an International Police officer.

Roy recognized this identity, and he even knew this person known as "Looker."

The International Police were a law enforcement agency in the Pokémon world, assigned to investigate the activities of various evil organizations in many regions. In the setting Roy knew, the International Police officer who had long been active in the field was none other than the middle-aged man known by the code name "Looker."

Roy was puzzled as to why the International Police had come looking for him. Did the original Roy have some sort of misdeeds?

"Considering the nature of the issue, would this lovely young lady mind stepping away for a moment?" Looker asked politely.

Sachiko understood that something complicated might be happening and very tactfully left the infirmary.

After confirming that there was no one around, Looker took out a sparkling red gemstone shard and placed it in his palm for Roy to observe.

"This was found last night near the creek where you and Mismagius battled. Because the material is very unique, Professor Rowan contacted the Pokémon League, and the League then informed me since I was nearby. I wanted to ask you if you have any impression of this gemstone."

Roy pinched the red gemstone shard, carefully observing it for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, this was the decoration hanging on Mismagius when I first saw her. It broke when we stopped Mismagius from harming herself."

Looker's expression turned grave, and he paced back and forth in front of Roy, rubbing his chin.

"Can you tell me... what exactly is this gemstone? What does it have to do with Mismagius's frenzy?" Roy couldn't help but ask, sensing the connection between the two.

Looker stopped his pacing, glanced at his watch on his wrist, sighed, and said, "Time doesn't allow me to explain now. Professor Rowan will explain to you later. I can only tell you that you have done something remarkable; Mismagius was saved because of you."

With that, Looker hastily left, leaving Roy alone to ponder the alluring gemstone shard in his hand.

Sitting outside the infirmary in silence for a long time, Sachiko and Professor Rowan sat down beside Roy.

"The International Police been here?" Professor Rowan asked.

Roy nodded.

"Guess what that gemstone really is," Professor Rowan asked.

"A tool to control Pokémon actions?" Roy had thought about several possibilities during his silent contemplation. Without hesitation, he voiced the most likely one.

Professor Rowan picked up the gemstone shard from Roy's palm and then took out another broken shard from his pocket, laying them both in Sachiko's hand.

Roy examined a few of the shards, and suddenly noticed that several of them had polished, inset marks on their inner sides. These intricate circuit-like patterns couldn't possibly be naturally occurring.

"Something is inside the gemstones?" Roy was surprised.

"Yes, they have embedded a device inside the gemstones that amplifies Pokémon skills through nerve stimulation by radio waves," Professor Rowan's expression turned deeply disapproving, "This is a prohibited study because this amplification gradually causes the Pokémon to lose rationality and judgment as they use their skills more often, eventually turning them into puppets for commanding wild, frenzied attacks."

Roy's hand trembled as he played with the gemstone shard. He stood up abruptly, enduring the pain, and leaned against the glass of the infirmary, gazing at the unconscious Mismagius.

"Almost all conscientious researchers would refuse to continue studying such things, yet some crazed individuals managed to complete it. They applied these devices in underground Pokémon fights, gambling, and even wild brawls, attracting fanatics obsessed with ultimate power. The sudden raids by surveillance teams from various regions of the Pokémon League made them disappear for years. Just when everyone was almost forgetting about them, they resurfaced."

Roy clenched his fists tightly, the pain in his palm unable to deter his actions.

"Isn't this... too much?" he questioned, his voice filled with a mix of anger and sadness.

Professor Rowan sighed heavily, "In the peaceful and tranquil world of Pokémon, these remnants of scum and villains thrive. They are a small fraction of those who love Pokémon overall. Yet often, this small group inflicts the greatest harm and danger upon Pokémon."

"Sometimes, the sunlight fails to reach every corner of the earth."

Roy sat back down on the chair, his head hanging low.

The abandoned Pokémon that had come with the professor crowded around the door of the infirmary, anxiously watching over the still unconscious Mismagius.

"Will she wake up?" Roy asked softly.

Professor Rowan shook his head, "I can't give you an answer. It seems not a matter of whether she will wake up, but whether Mismagius herself wants to wake up. It's as if she has sealed herself within the dream. The readings indicate it's a nightmare, yet she refuses to awaken from it. Perhaps that nightmare is sweeter to her than what she faced later on."

With permission granted, Roy pushed open the door to the infirmary. The abandoned Pokémon rushed in, surrounding Mismagius's small bed, their eyes filled with eager anticipation for her awakening.