Pokémon: Above the Top-Chapter 300: Beyond Imagination

In the living room, Sato sat on the sofa, notebook in hand, making small adjustments to his training plans for his partners.

Joseph was busy in the kitchen preparing lunch, and the aroma wafting through the air made it hard for Sato to fully concentrate.

Mark, meanwhile, was goofing around with Pichu and Togepi, managing to turn the small living room into a chaotic mess of flailing limbs.

And on the sofa next to Sato, the black Gardevoir still hadn't woken up.

Given how drastic Gardevoir's transformation had been, Sato had decided to bring her back to the room instead of letting Nurse Joy see too much.

Sato had never heard of a Pokémon's type changing after the fact, but now he had been directly involved in something so unbelievable that it still felt like a dream.

Truthfully, Gardevoir fit human aesthetics very well. She was fiercely loyal to her Trainer, incredibly powerful, and capable of Mega Evolution; a rare combination of strength and beauty.

As a result, Gardevoir was extremely popular among Trainers... her appeal was almost on par with pseudo-legendaries.

Her "outfit" resembled a white dress, pure and elegant, giving her the appearance of a princess just stepping into the world.

But the black Gardevoir before Sato now carried an air of regal coldness. Charming but not seductive, like a queen of the night.

(Note: Chill, no pokeromance or anything like that)

They were two entirely different types of allure. It was hard to say which was better, but the latter was undeniably one of a kind.

"Lunch is ready!"

Joseph placed the final dish on the dining table and called out loudly.

Sato closed the notebook he had barely written in, glanced briefly at the still-unmoving Gardevoir, and stood up to head over to the table.

Mark, now with two hungry little Pokémon in tow, quickly joined him and sat at Sato's side.

"How's Gardevoir doing?"

"Wash your hands!"

Joseph was handing out bowls and chopsticks and shot the two a glare for sitting without washing up.

Sato and Mark obediently got up and went to the kitchen to wash their hands. While doing so, Sato responded to Mark, "She probably just needs a bit more rest. I'm not entirely sure either."

After washing up, the two returned to their seats. Pichu and Togepi had already started eating, and Joseph also voiced his concern about Gardevoir.

"I made a portion for Gardevoir too... it's in the kitchen, staying warm. Give it to her when she wakes up," Joseph said to Sato.

Visit ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience.

"Okay."

Sato nodded. In truth, he wasn't very comfortable with letting Mark or Joseph approach Gardevoir alone, her evolved strength was frightening.

Even though the mutation had weakened her somewhat, the power she held -Peak Pseudo-Elite Four- was still palpable, even in sleep.

After all, Gardevoir did have a history. Sato had always kept a degree of caution around her.

And just as the group continued eating, Gardevoir slowly began to wake on the sofa.

When she opened her eyes, Gardevoir looked dazed for a moment. Staring at the white ceiling, it took her a while to remember where she was.

She tried to sit up, but her limbs were so weak that she gave up almost immediately.

Tilting her head slightly, Gardevoir saw Sato seated at the table with his back to her. A complex feeling slowly stirred in her heart.

As if sensing something, Sato instinctively turned his head toward Gardevoir... and their eyes met.

"..."

A moment later, Gardevoir calmly turned her head away again and closed her eyes, pretending nothing had happened.

Sato thought for a second, then quickly polished off the remaining food in his bowl and got up to head into the kitchen.

"Sato, you-mmph!" Mark started to speak, but Joseph shoved a big spoonful of rice into his mouth, cutting him off.

"If you're awake, get up and eat something," Sato said coolly as he walked over to Gardevoir.

Gardevoir opened her blood-red eyes and looked at Sato again. Then she lowered her eyelids slightly without saying anything.

Sato stared at the unmoving Gardevoir for a moment, as if something occurred to him. He then crouched down and helped her sit up with both hands.

Gardevoir tilted her head. Whether it was because she didn't have the strength to resist or she was quietly allowing it, it wasn't clear... but her face flushed ever so slightly.

(Note: Chill, no pokeromance or anything like that...x2)

Placing a pillow behind her back, Sato turned and opened the insulated food container on the coffee table, ready to scoop the contents into a small bowl for Gardevoir.

"Thank you."

A cool, familiar female voice suddenly echoed in Sato's mind.

His hand froze mid-motion, but after a pause, he casually scooped two more spoonfuls.

"Can you manage on your own?"

Gardevoir nodded and took the small bowl from Sato's hands, eating slowly and clumsily. She had been in human society long enough to learn how to use bowls and chopsticks.

One bowl, two bowls, three bowls... until the container was completely empty. Only then did Gardevoir put the bowl down, feigning nonchalance.

She could eat, and her appetite was still strong; clearly, Gardevoir was recovering well. Still, Sato asked just in case if she was feeling any discomfort.

"No. Thank you, Sato."

Sato was a little surprised. This was probably the first time Gardevoir had ever said his name.

What's more, ever since she'd woken up, Gardevoir had been unusually polite, completely different from before her evolution.

Sensing Sato's surprise, Gardevoir proactively offered an explanation.

"My form affects parts of my personality. When I was in my 'juvenile' stage, I was more mischievous, which is why I teased Joseph and Mark. It's been a long time, but I still want to apologize to you all."

Sato wasn't used to this overly gentle Gardevoir. To this day, he still vividly remembered the defiant and unyielding look in Ralts's eyes.

But there was no doubt, this version of Gardevoir made Sato more willing to communicate with her.

Setting aside those scattered thoughts, Sato asked seriously, "What are your plans from here on? If you want to return to Seafloor Cavern, I can help you."

"I can't go back. Since you were able to find it, others naturally can too. To protect Seafloor Cavern, I sealed the entrance completely after I left."

Sato nodded. He knew well how strong human ambition for conquest could be. Gardevoir clearly wasn't naive enough to believe that he, Steven, and the others would keep their promise forever.

Even if those few really did honor their word, that didn't mean others wouldn't find it eventually.

"Then why did you leave?" Sato continued.

"The world's so big... I wanted to see it", Gardevoir said casually as she rubbed her slightly bloated stomach.

"That simple?"

"That simple", Gardevoir replied with a sincere nod, then seemed to remember something.

"The unique energy within Seafloor Cavern grants its inhabitants extraordinarily long lives. Can you imagine what it's like to live in such a cramped space for hundreds or even thousands of years?"

Sato shook his head. He couldn't imagine it.