Chapter 109: Why I was tricked?

The sun sank low behind the jagged outline of Maiden's Peak, casting jagged shadows that sliced across the narrow dirt road. The soft glow of festival lights flickered in the distance, shimmering with a false sense of comfort. I walked ahead, Shadow perched lazily on my shoulder like he had always belonged there, his tail twitching occasionally with sparks of electric blue. The wind kicked up dust, but I kept moving, my hands tucked into the pockets of my black jacket, eyes locked forward.

"I'm sure of it," I muttered under my breath, my voice low but steady. "That guy wasn't strong. He didn't look like a killer at all." The words felt like they should've calmed me, but a gnawing doubt twisted in my gut. 

Shadow's tail flicked, and he nodded without hesitation. 

"You're thinking I was tricked, huh?" I said, trying to keep my tone light, but the edge of suspicion slipped through.

Shadow's voice, smooth and clear, cut through the evening air. "Yes, master. You were tricked—by my previous master… or, should I say, your future self from another dimension."

I stopped dead in my tracks. My heart punched against my ribs, but outwardly, I stayed calm. "You… can speak?" My words came out more as a statement than a question, disbelief lacing my tone. I kept my gaze ahead, refusing to show anything more than mild curiosity.

Without warning, Shadow licked my cheek. "Yes, I can," he replied with a chuckle, his voice light with amusement. "And I'm happy to meet my new master—young, naive, but with a familiar fire."

"Naive?" I repeated, my eyebrow twitching. I grabbed him off my shoulder, holding him in front of me as his red eyes sparkled with amusement. 

"You're not," Shadow said, licking my face again, "not entirely." 

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. "Smartass." I tucked him into my arms, continuing our march down the road. His fur was warm against my chest as I absentmindedly rubbed his belly. "So… what happened?" My voice was steady now, pushing past the disbelief, past the oddity of a talking Pokémon.

Shadow's laugh was a deep hum. "My previous master… let's just say he reached the perfect level with an organization called 'World Horizon.' He did a lot for them, more than I care to repeat, and got a shot at going back to his world."

I didn't respond right away. My mind was already racing. Something in my chest tightened, but I pushed it down. 

Shadow continued, his voice dripping with something like nostalgia. "He sent all his Pokémon to his friends before he left. All except me." 

I unwrapped a candy from my bag and held it up to him. He snatched it from my hand with a gleam in his eye, munching away contentedly. "What about you?" I asked, still keeping my voice calm. 

Shadow chewed thoughtfully before responding. "He made a deal. Sent me to someone like him in another dimension—someone strong, resourceful… but, well, younger. And a bit more—" He hesitated, eyeing me.

"Gentle?" I suggested with a grin, though I felt anything but.

"And naive," he added with a chuckle, finishing the candy with a satisfied gulp. "But I like it." He shifted in my arms, looking up at me, his red eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. "You're the one who passed the test, after all."

I stared down at him for a long moment, letting the information sink in. "World Horizon doesn't just let people go. They'd fight to keep someone like that, right? Even through a battle…"

Shadow snickered. "The battle was easy because I listened to you, master. But yes, World Horizon isn't that simple. They've removed the custom eggs from their Horizon shop—ones that could hatch Pokémon like me. But none of them are as powerful."

"Custom eggs?" I shook my head, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Stop. Don't tell me about it. I don't need any regrets piling up. You're enough." 

Shadow nodded, content, and climbed back to my shoulder. His soft fur brushed against my cheek as he nuzzled me. "But master," he said, his voice quieter now, "I don't want to fight unless we have no other choice. Or unless it's something that interests me. Right now, I've only got one move—Shadow Copy."

I nodded, my mind already strategizing, calculating the future. His ability alone made him more valuable than anything World Horizon could throw at me. But still… something felt off.

"I can't tell you everything," Shadow added, his voice growing quieter. "There are things you shouldn't know yet, master. I'm not allowed."

I glanced at him, noting how he laid down on my head now, quiet and relaxed. "So… you're just a lazy Pikachu, huh?"

For the first time since he'd started talking, Shadow didn't respond. 

I chuckled softly, my pace slowing as we neared the outskirts of the festival. Twilight had settled in, casting a strange, almost surreal glow over the scene. The air was thick with the smell of incense and cooked food.