At Misty Lake, Munkidori wagged his tail excitedly, tongue lolling out, golden eyes filled with eager anticipation—like a giant Akita waiting for his trainer to give the command for dinner.
"Go ahead, Munkidori. This was meant as a reward for you. You were the one who drove off Team Rocket in the Rainforest, right?"
Hearing Summer's approval, Munkidori snatched up the Mandrake Grass and stuffed it into his mouth, his face blissful as he chewed. The Poison Chains around his neck darkened into a deep violet hue. Unlike the others, however, he wasn't particularly surprised—instead, he was still licking his lips, savoring the taste.
Nearby, Milotic sighed in exasperation, unsure if Munkidori had matured or if he was still exactly the same.
"By the way, Milotic," Summer said, "was there any Pokémon here at Misty Lake that stood out during the battle? I have a Water Stone that I'd like to use to help one of them evolve."
Milotic thought for a moment before calling out softly.
A floating lily pad on the lake suddenly sped toward the shore, then rose up sharply, revealing a green head beneath it.
"I see… it's Lombre." Summer nodded. "Yes, it can evolve with a Water Stone."
Milotic had chosen Lombre because, during the battle against Archer, it had been the first to use Rain Dance and fought tirelessly to protect the lake.
It might have looked dopey, but in reality, it harbored great wisdom.
"Lombre, do you wish to evolve?" Summer crouched down to ask.
Lombre hesitated. In that brief moment, it thought of many things.
With Milotic, the Queen of the Lake, already here, was it really necessary for Lombre to evolve? Wouldn't it be better to let another Pokémon take this precious chance instead?
"Miloo~!"
Milotic suddenly spoke up, her voice strict and commanding.
Lombre—listen to your heart. What is your true desire?
Lombre closed its eyes, then slowly reached out its tiny paw.
It admires Milotic. It wants to be strong like her. It wants to evolve!
A radiant light enveloped Lombre's body.
Its lily pad expanded, and yellow fur covered its once small frame, making it rounder and livelier. Though its appearance radiated joy, its eyes remained sharp and focused.
Summer rested his chin on his hand, intrigued. "A Calm-natured Ludicolo…? This is the first time I've seen one."
Ludicolo mechanically clapped its hands, sensing its newfound power.
Yet… it still felt like something was missing.
"Rillaboom," Summer suddenly said, "play a cheerful tune for Ludicolo."
Rillaboom blinked in surprise before pulling out his stump drum. In his memory, Ludicolo was supposed to dance joyfully to music.
He still vividly recalled the Ludicolo that taught him how to use Feint Attack, dancing happily along to the beat.
But could a Calm-natured Ludicolo even dance?
Still, Rillaboom began to play a bright, lively rhythm.
The beats resembled raindrops pattering into a crystal-clear spring. They carried the carefree essence of someone playfully stepping through puddles after a warm summer rain.
At the sound of the upbeat melody, Ludicolo shuddered.
Then, without realizing it, it jumped out of the water.
Its body moved on its own, its instincts accepting the rhythm, its feet finding the beat, its arms swaying to the music.
Seeing the familiar dance steps, Rillaboom's excitement grew.
He struck the drum harder, and Ludicolo's steps became even more energetic.
With a final powerful beat, the song ended.
Ludicolo stopped dancing, panting slightly.
For the first time, a trace of joy flickered in its usually cold gaze.
Dancing once in a while isn't bad… Ludicolo thought. It really does lift the mood…
…But staying noisy all the time? No thanks.
"One more thing," Summer said, turning back to Milotic.
"Is there a suitable Slowpoke in Misty Lake? I'd like to use this King's Rock to evolve one into Slowking. You've seen how Munkidori has helped Sunset Forest—Slowking is said to be just as intelligent."
"Miloo…"
Milotic hesitated.
To her, all the Slowpoke were exactly the same—lazy, carefree, drifting through life without a care.
Their tiny brains were mysteries even she couldn't comprehend.
How was she supposed to choose the right one?
"Yeah, I figured it'd be hard to decide," Summer said, amused.
"Not only does it need to touch the King's Rock, but it also requires a Shellder to clamp onto it. Let's leave it up to fate, Milotic."
"Miloo?"
Milotic looked at him, puzzled.
"That's right—fate," Summer said with a grin. "I'll leave the King's Rock here at Misty Lake. Just toss it somewhere random. Maybe, one day, a Slowpoke will pick it up, and boom—Slowking."
"Miloo…"
Milotic looked unsure.
For a moment, she had even considered simply grabbing a Slowpoke and a Shellder, forcing them together to speed up the process.
But Summer shook his head.
"Don't overthink it, Milotic. I know you're always carefully considering everything, but just let this one go. Let it flow naturally."
"As for whether Misty Lake will suffer without a Slowking… I'm not worried. You're here, aren't you? I trust you to handle things—you've already proven yourself many times."
Summer smiled at her.
Milotic's expression softened.
Alright… then she'd trust him.
She'd truly let go, take a real deep sleep.
And maybe, when she woke up, a new Slowking would be waiting at Misty Lake.
Because even when she was sleeping, Milotic was always aware of the lake.
She never truly slept deeply—she stayed in a light dream state, remaining vigilant and ensuring that Misty Lake was safe.
Only now did she realize how exhausting that truly was.
"Since you work so hard, I have a gift for you," Summer said, pulling out a Silver Wing.
The Silver Wing was Lugia's feather, infused with its divine aura.
It was said that if a worthy soul held it and traveled to Whirl Islands, they could summon the Guardian of the Seas.
Since Lugia was the God of Ocean Currents, Summer figured it was the perfect gift for Misty Lake's queen.
Milotic's eyes sparkled with curiosity and delight.
Nearby, Ogerpon covered her mouth in shock—Wait… Milotic can make expressions like that?
Milotic stretched her neck and rubbed against Summer's cheek, purring softly.
A rare sight—the Queen of the Lake acting like a little girl.
Ogerpon, Munkidori, and Ludicolo stared in awe.
Even Milotic… could be this affectionate?!
Rillaboom crossed his arms, nodding in understanding.
"You kids are too young. Never forget—the bond between Summer and Milotic runs deeper than the ocean itself."
(End of Chapter)