Maki had seen his fair share of unexpected surprises, but stumbling upon a feast fit for an emperor falling from the sky was a first.
Once he was sure that Ninetales had calmed down, Maki stepped forward again. His Charmeleon, noticing his movement, quickly followed. This small act reassured Maki—despite evolving, his partner hadn't become as rebellious as Ash Ketchum's Charizard.
It was common knowledge that once a Charmander evolved into a Charmeleon, its temperament typically became more stubborn and aggressive. If it deemed its Trainer unworthy, it would outright refuse to obey commands. Ash's Charizard had been a prime example, only acknowledging Ash's strength after a long and arduous journey.
Maki took a deep breath as he approached Ninetales. He hesitated briefly before speaking. "I know this might not be the best time to ask, but I need to know—why did he entrust this to me? And what exactly happened?"
"Nine~"
Ninetales reluctantly tore her gaze away from Arcanine's lifeless body. Since she had facilitated the telepathic link between Maki and Arcanine, she had overheard every word of their final conversation. She understood Maki's question all too well.
"If he chose you, then you deserve to know the truth."
This time, her voice carried more emotion than when they had first met. Perhaps, after everything that had happened, she had come to acknowledge Maki in her own way.
"Let's start with what happened. He may have been aging, but Arcanine was not the kind of Pokémon an ordinary opponent could take down. At least, not one native to this region."
The League was well aware that a family of Ninetales and Arcanine lived in this area. If a wild Pokémon strong enough to defeat Arcanine had appeared, there would have been records of it. Given the danger, trainers would have been warned long ago—after all, few would survive trespassing into a powerful Pokémon's domain unprepared.
"This, too, is the doing of humans."
Ninetales' crimson eyes gleamed with a cold light. Maki knew her anger wasn't directed at him, but he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
He had already suspected as much. If something—or someone—had the strength to challenge Arcanine, it could only be a powerful trainer. Even so, hearing his suspicions confirmed made Maki sigh in frustration.
Everything made sense now. The chaos among the Ninetales and Arcanine clans had been triggered by Arcanine's injury. Yet, despite their fury, the Ninetales hadn't taken their anger out on Maki—because he wasn't the one responsible.
Having lived for centuries, Ninetales had encountered all kinds of humans. Some treated Pokémon as lifelong partners, protecting them as equals. Others were selfish and greedy, viewing Pokémon as mere tools. There were even those who disregarded wild Pokémon entirely but would sacrifice everything to protect their own.
Her long life had taught her that humanity was complex. She no longer saw the world in simple terms of good and evil.
"All of this started because of the item in your hands."
"This fragment?"
Maki held up the stone shard.
Ninetales nodded slowly. "You may not understand its true value, but as a Fire-type Pokémon, I can tell you this—if not for my promise to him, I would have taken it for myself. To Fire-types, it represents something far beyond material worth."
Maki almost wanted to tell her that he knew exactly what it was—perhaps even more than she did.
Because Team Rocket had a similar fragment.
The one in Team Rocket's possession was a pink-colored mysterious tablet, resonating with Psychic energy. However, their fragment was noticeably smaller than the one Maki had just acquired.
Ninetales then recounted the events leading up to this moment.
A few days prior, Arcanine had been resting in his cave, as he often did in his old age. Though he rarely ventured out, every Pokémon in the area knew better than to disturb him. His presence alone commanded respect.
But then, a stranger in a black cloak had arrived.
Without hesitation, the intruder sent out Pokémon to attack the guards—Arcanine and Ninetales alike. His methods were ruthless, showing no mercy. Two of their kin perished from their injuries.
The intruder had one clear goal: the plate fragment.
Arcanine had refused to hand it over. To him, the fragment wasn't just a treasure—it held a meaning far greater than its power. So despite his age, he fought.
But the enemy had come prepared.
The attack was timed perfectly—right when the strongest Ninetales and some of their kin were away. The Pokémon he deployed were all Rock-types—Onix, Golem—chosen specifically to counter Arcanine.
And among them was a Tyranitar. A Pokémon of Elite Four caliber.
Even for Arcanine, it was a battle he could not win.
Despite his overwhelming strength, the odds were stacked against him. His body, already weakened with age, struggled to keep up. The other Arcanine and Ninetales tried to aid him, but the enemy's preparation was too meticulous.
The battle was lost.
To protect his kin, Arcanine had no choice but to surrender a smaller Fire-type fragment while keeping the larger one hidden.
The intruder, despite his cruelty, wasn't reckless. Arcanine had still managed to defeat one of his Golem, and his Tyranitar had nearly fallen as well. If he had pressed on, he might have lost more than he had bargained for.
And so, with his prize in hand, the intruder left.
According to Ninetales, he had concealed his face throughout the attack, but from his voice, she could tell—he was an old man.
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