After finishing their breakfast, the Mareep herd happily trotted over to the tingly grass pasture to play.
Because the feathers shed by Zapdos still carried residual electricity, the Mareep herd loved staying in this area. Other than eating and sleeping, they spent most of their time here, enjoying the faint tingling current in the grass that made their wool feel pleasantly warm.
As usual, the daily scene among the sheep unfolded with surprising stability.
Burly Mareep circled around Pretty Mareep enthusiastically, Pretty Mareep kept following Happy Mareep closely, and thus the strange triangular relationship between the three remained remarkably consistent.
Warm Mareep lay nearby, lazily resting with her eyes half closed as she basked in the warm sunlight.
Lazy Mareep, on the other hand, lowered his nose to the ground, sniffing carefully as he searched for the most tender and delicious tingly pasture grass he could find.
The peaceful scene gave off the feeling of an idyllic countryside life.
However, while the sheep were enjoying their leisurely morning, high above the pasture a dark shadow circled in the sky.
It was a bird Pokémon with blood red eyes.
Its cold, merciless gaze locked onto the sheep below, already treating them as prey.
The bird Pokémon slowly chose its target.
Among the flock, it selected the fattest and most plump looking sheep.
With its decision made, the bird suddenly separated from its flock and began diving rapidly from the sky.
"Ding ding ding, ding ding ding!"
The small bell hanging on Happy Mareep's chest suddenly shook violently, producing a rapid and urgent ringing sound.
Happy Mareep lifted his head immediately and noticed the descending Pokémon from above. Realizing the danger, he let out a loud series of bleats to warn the others.
"Maaa!" (It is targeting Lazy Mareep!)
After shouting the warning, Happy Mareep immediately sprinted toward the confused Lazy Mareep who still had no idea what was happening.
Burly Mareep quickly followed behind him.
Warm Mareep, meanwhile, released the electric energy she had been storing in her body. The electricity shot into the sky like a beam of light, serving as a distress signal calling for help.
At that moment the attacking Pokémon finally revealed its full appearance.
It was a Mandibuzz.
But this Mandibuzz was very unusual.
A dark aura that made other Pokémon instinctively feel disgust surrounded its entire body, and its eyes were a crazed and emotionless blood red.
"Maaa!" (Happy Mareep, Burly Mareep, please save me!)
Just as Mandibuzz's sharp claws grabbed hold of Lazy Mareep, Happy Mareep and Burly Mareep unleashed two Electric attacks at the same time, striking Mandibuzz directly.
Under normal circumstances, when a Pokémon was hit by an attack from a type that countered it, the reaction would be extremely strong.
However the Mandibuzz before them was clearly an exception.
It simply endured the attack silently without making a sound.
Its claws hooked firmly into Lazy Mareep's thick wool. With a powerful flap of its wings it attempted to fly away.
The two sheep became extremely anxious.
They desperately wished they could become stronger and taller so they could save Lazy Mareep.
At that very moment, a bright light of evolution enveloped their bodies.
With the glow surrounding them, the two evolved sheep charged forward from the left and right, slamming directly into Mandibuzz and knocking it down from the air.
Mandibuzz crashed heavily onto the ground.
Lazy Mareep's round white backside popped out as his body curled into a ball and rolled away quickly, escaping the danger.
Now taller and sturdier after evolving, the two sheep looked at each other and immediately released cotton like Cotton Spore attacks, attempting to restrict Mandibuzz's movement.
They deliberately avoided engaging in a head on battle.
Their goal was to stall for time.
Very soon, in the distance, a huge cloud of smoke and sand rolled toward them like a storm.
The ground trembled under heavy footsteps.
Mudsdale and the others were charging toward the battlefield at full speed.
Good fortune had arrived.
The Mudsdale trio crashed into Mandibuzz with tremendous force, sending it spinning through the air in an exaggerated seven hundred and twenty degree rotation before it slammed violently into the grass outside the pasture, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Before Mandibuzz could struggle to stand, one Mudsdale stomped forward and slammed its heavy hoof into the ground beside the fallen Pokémon.
The impact caused Mandibuzz's entire body to shake as another powerful shockwave struck it.
"Screee!"
Mandibuzz released a sharp and piercing cry, but its blood red eyes still showed nothing but madness.
Even in this state it still attempted to climb back to its feet and continue fighting.
There was absolutely no intention of surrender.
No matter how many times the Mudsdale brothers knocked it down, it stubbornly tried to stand again, dragging its battered and wounded body forward.
Eventually, after being beaten to the brink of collapse, Mandibuzz could no longer rise.
Only then did the older brother Indeedee arrive, having hurried over slightly later than the others.
He attempted to communicate with Mandibuzz using psychic power, but soon discovered that the creature had completely sealed off its mind. No connection could be established at all.
"Indee!" (This Pokémon is very strange. Let us lock it up for now!)
While the Pokémon were restraining this mysterious creature, another event was happening elsewhere.
At the beach of Shalour City, Korrina was conducting special training with Riolu and Jangmo-o.
During the training session she rescued a girl who had fallen into the water.
The girl's name was Anne.
...
"So comfortable."
While soaking in the hot spring and enjoying Diantha's attentive feeding service, Silas felt like life could not get any better.
If it were not for the preparations needed later for the meteor shower, he could easily lie here for an entire day without moving.
However before the meteor shower arrived, Silas still had one more important thing to do.
In front of the ancient arch shaped tree, Volcanion gathered all the Pokémon living on the plateau.
Using telepathy, he explained his thoughts to everyone.
After Volcanion finished speaking, Silas clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention.
"Everyone, let us hold a vote to decide whether we should build a town that belongs to all of you."
As soon as Silas finished speaking, Magearna walked forward while holding a small voting box in her arms.
"Mage Mage~"
The Pokémon discussed quietly among themselves for a moment.
Watchog was the first to step forward, tossing a leaf into the voting box.
Once the first Pokémon cast a vote, the others quickly followed.
One by one they walked forward and dropped their leaves inside.
Before long the box became noticeably heavy.
After the last Buneary finished voting, Magearna opened the box in front of everyone and began counting.
Each leaf had markings carved into it.
One line meant approval.
Two lines meant opposition.
Every time Magearna picked up a leaf, she showed it to everyone before placing it aside.
About five minutes later, the final result was revealed.
"Mage Mage~"
"What did she say? Diancie, please translate."
Diancie smiled brightly.
"Sister Magearna said the vote passed unanimously. Everyone agrees to build a town of their own."
"Silas, Silas." Diancie excitedly tugged at Silas's arm. "Can I also build a Pokémon town in the Diamond Domain? There are many other Pokémon living there now too."
Silas gently placed his hand on Diancie's head and smiled softly.
"If you want to do it, then go ahead. When we return you can discuss it with the Elder and the Carbink Minister."
With the unanimous approval of all the plateau Pokémon, Volcanion no longer had any reason to hesitate.
Under everyone's witness, he and Magearna officially became the first mayor and deputy mayor of the Pokémon town.
Magearna pushed Volcanion forward to stand in front of the ancient tree, asking the new mayor to give a speech to inspire everyone.
"I know, I will say it properly."
Volcanion cleared his throat.
The crowd burst into enthusiastic applause.
Silas and Diantha also clapped while smiling.
However as they listened to the speech, they suddenly realized something surprising.
Volcanion was talking about them as well.
Why had he declared them honorary Pokémon?
And not only that, he also said houses would be built for them in the town.
With such warm hospitality, it seemed impossible to refuse becoming honorary Pokémon.
Confirming the decision to build the Pokémon town was only the beginning.
There were still many tasks waiting in the future.
But before all of that, the Pokémon decided to hold a grand celebration party.
Everyone brought food they had gathered from the forest and shared it together.
With Diantha's help, Silas also prepared several large fruit platters.
Cinccino, Kangaskhan and the others shared their snacks, quickly becoming friends with the wild Pokémon.
By the time Silas and Diantha brought the final dish over, Cinccino had somehow become an honorary town mayor.
After asking around, they discovered the truth.
Cinccino had exchanged candy for votes.
In this way everyone ate, drank, and celebrated happily.
Even after night completely fell, the party continued.
They danced joyfully around the campfire under the lights.
The only one suffering was Morpeko, who can't stuff more food to its mouth.
Finally, in the distant sky filled with stars, a streak of light suddenly flashed across the heavens.
The meteor shower had arrived.
"Cin~!" (So beautiful, so tasty looking!)
"Cyc!" (Quick, make a wish, make a wish!)
"Cin Cin! (The meteor shower is here, everyone make a wish!)
With Cinccino calling out loudly, the entire plateau suddenly became quiet.
Everyone closed their eyes and silently made their own wishes.
Silas and Diantha stood side by side watching the scene with gentle smiles.
"Diantha, are you not going to make a wish?"
Diantha shook her head and tightened her grip on Silas's hand.
"My wish has already come true."
At their feet Morpeko finally stopped eating and looked up at them with a confused expression.
It could not understand why Silas was holding Diantha's hand.
Was he trying to stop her from secretly eating something?
(End of Chapter)