The night deepened. The fire popped softly, embers floating upward like orange fireflies. William leaned back against a smooth boulder, watching the flames. His Pokémon surrounded him with some sleepy, others content.
Leafeon lay nearby, bandaged and resting after her earlier battle with Electabuzz, Shocker. Kirlia was gently brushing her leaf-fur with psychic energy, the air faintly glowing pink and slowly healing her.
"She'll be fine by morning," William said quietly.
Leafeon opened one eye and gave a faint, appreciative sound. "Lea…"
Ivysaur nudged her gently. "Ivy…"
Leafeon blinked with surprised but didn't move away. The rest of the team watched the interaction curiously.
Eevee trotted closer and chirped cheerfully, her tail brushing Leafeon's side. "Vee vee!"
Electabuzz smirked, flicking a spark between his fingers like a lighter. "Buzz-buzz."
Kirlia translated telepathically and her tone light and teasing. "He said you fought well… and he's proud of you for joining us."
Leafeon gave a soft smile which is faint, tired, but real. She looked around, realizing this wasn't just a trainer and his Pokémon. It was a family.
Nidoran sat a bit apart but kept watching with his ears twitching as if he didn't want to admit he liked what he was seeing.
Kirlia noticed, stood up, and walked over. She sat beside him silently, not forcing a word. Her presence was gentle, patient like a gentle older sister.
Nidoran glanced at her, then back at the fire. After a moment, he exhaled slowly and leaned just slightly toward her warmth presence.
No one said anything. But everyone felt it.
The team had grown not just in number, but in bond with each other.
When William's pokemon are bonding each other, William is taking many photos about the Mysterious Garden and its habitants.
He also saw many rare flowers and some medical related roots. He already asked the permission from Venusaur to take some of them for research purposes.
After all this place is filled with large amount of vitality, the air is very clean and full of floral scents.
From the information he got from Guardian Venusaur through Kirlia with her telepathy, this place is protected by some mystical pokemon and that pokemon will choose the next generation guardian for this garden.
While William is doing his job with absent minded expression, the particular little pokemon is watching him with adore expression.
After everything is done and later, when the forest had gone quiet and even the wild Pokémon were drowsy, William set up a small tripod camera beside a log.
"All right, everyone," he said, smiling faintly. "Before we forget this night, let's take a picture."
Eevee instantly jumped onto his shoulder. Kirlia floated gracefully beside him. Electabuzz stood proudly at his back, arms crossed. Ivysaur plopped down front and center, chewing on the last berry. Leafeon lay beside him, eyes half-closed but smiling.
Nidoran hesitated for only a second and then hopped beside William's leg.
The camera timer blinked. Three… two… one.
-Click!
A flash of white captured them all: trainer and team, surrounded by the soft glow of the Mysterious Garden, Venusaur's silhouette in the distant trees, and hundreds of tiny lights swirling around like drifting petals.
As the night wore on, William sat quietly by the fading fire, running a hand through Eevee's fur. The Pokémon around him dozed one by one, lulled by the sound of rustling leaves and faint river wind.
He looked around at Leafeon's peaceful breathing, Ivysaur's slow snores, Nidoran curled near Kirlia's side, and Electabuzz leaning against a log with crossed arms, pretending not to be asleep.
William smiled softly.
Tomorrow, they would leave the Mysterious Garden and continue toward the next journey.
But tonight here, this small, fleeting moment belonged only to them.
The trainer, the team, and the bond they shared under the petal sky.
~~~~~~
The first rays of dawn spilled gently through the treetops, painting the forest in liquid gold. The dew on the leaves shimmered, catching the morning light like a thousand tiny gems. The fire from last night had burned down to a quiet bed of embers, faint smoke curling lazily upward into the still air.
William sat leaned against a moss-covered log, still asleep. His jacket was loosely draped over his shoulders, a strand of his hair falling across his face. Around him, his Pokémon rested in their own comfortable circles like a living constellation of peace.
Eevee was curled up on his lap, tail flicking slightly with each sleepy breath.
Kirlia sat nearby, eyes half-closed, meditating softly.
Electabuzz snored faintly, arms crossed even in his sleep.
Ivysaur's flower bulb pulsed slowly, releasing faint motes of scent into the air.
Leafeon, now fully recovered, rested beneath the same sunlight, her leaves catching tiny drops of dew.
Nidoran lay beside Kirlia, his ears twitching every so often at the sound of the forest waking.
And nestled beside William's leg, almost hidden in the grass, was a small Chikorita which is the shy little one from campfire feast.
Chikorita stirred when a warm ray of sunlight touched her cheek. She blinked once, twice, lifting her head sleepily. The sounds of the forest, chirping Pidgey, rustling leaves which greeted her ears. For a second, she yawned adorably and stretched her little legs.
Then....She froze.
All around her, pairs of eyes were watching.
Eevee tilted her head curiously. "Vee?"
Kirlia smiled softly.
Ivysaur blinked and leaned in closer.
Nidoran's ears twitched in interest.
Even Electabuzz had cracked one eye open, brow raised.
The poor Chikorita's leaf trembled. "Chi… Chiko?"
There was a small squeak voice and then she panicked, darting behind William's arm, peeking out with wide, trembling eyes.
Leafeon tilted her head, blinking in confusion. Ivysaur snorted in amusement.
Kirlia's soft giggle echoed telepathically. "She's just shy."
William stirred when Chikorita accidentally brushed his side with her leaf. He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and sat up slowly. "Huh…? What's going on?"
Eevee chirped immediately, hopping onto his shoulder. "Vee vee!"
Kirlia pointed at the bushy patch beside him.
William blinked with surprised and then noticed the small green creature trying her best to hide behind his jacket. "Ah… so that's what all the commotion's about."
He smiled softly, voice calm and kind. "Hey there, little one. It's okay."
Chikorita froze again but peeked out just a bit. Her big red eyes met his gentle, curious, patient.
"Don't be scared," William said, lowering his voice. "They won't hurt you. They're my pokemons. Don't you also afraid of me?"
Eevee hopped down and approached first, tail swaying slowly. "Vee…" she said softly, sitting in front of Chikorita without touching her.
Chikorita hesitated, sniffing the air, then lowered her leaf slightly.
Kirlia followed, her psychic aura warm and comforting. "See? We're friends."
A few moments passed. Chikorita inched out from her hiding spot, step by step, until she finally stood beside William's knee with trembling legs but brave.
William chuckled quietly. "There you go."
He offered a small poke puffs from his pouch. "Hungry?"
The little Chikorita blinked, then nodded shyly. She took the puffs gently between her teeth, nibbling. Her leaf swayed happily once she tasted the sweetness.
William smiled. "See? You don't need to be afraid."
The rest of the team relaxed. Electabuzz stretched lazily, Ivysaur yawned, and Nidoran sneezed softly, shaking off morning dew.
***************
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