From the moment he was born until now...
Although Pupitar had lived happily, sharing his time with Cain and many companions, deep down, he still felt a certain melancholy.
After all, the other Pokémon, no matter who they were, had at least met others of their own species.
Only he, Pupitar, had never seen another of his kind. Not a Larvitar, not another Pupitar, nor a Tyranitar.
This was his first time seeing his own kind.
Saying he wasn't excited would be impossible.
Understanding what Pupitar felt, Cain nodded.
But even so, some preparations were needed.
He summoned Slowking and asked him to leave a psychic marker on the ground before following the Tyranitar into the valley.
After all, the Tyranitar's strength was far too great. They had no real means of resistance.
If things got out of hand, their only chance of escape would be Slowking's Teleport move.
One of the Tyranitar at the front looked back when he noticed Slowking's appearance. Upon confirming he posed no threat, they continued deeper into the valley.
Once Slowking finished recording the point, Cain and his Pokémon also began moving toward the valley.
After all, these Tyranitar didn't live solely on minerals.
Predator-prey relationships between wild Pokémon were evident here too.
Compared to the slow absorption of minerals and energy from rocks, extracting it directly from other Pokémon was, of course, much easier.
The three Tyranitar led Pupitar and Cain's group deeper into the valley.
Except for the Tyranitar who were working, the rest of the Pupitar and Larvitar looked at them with curious eyes.
Especially at Cain.
They had truly never seen a creature like him before.
Feeling the gazes of the Pupitar and Larvitar...
That look of pure curiosity managed to relax Cain's tension a bit.
Smiling slightly, he opened his storage space and took out a box of special Pokéblocks for Pupitar.
Although these Pokéblocks were specifically designed for Pupitar, they were also incredibly appealing to the Larvitar and Pupitar of the area.
When Cain brought them out, the little Pokémon's eyes sparkled, sniffing lightly as if they had detected a delicious scent.
Cain smiled as he offered the Pokéblocks to them one by one.
It was probably their first time seeing something like that. Only after Pupitar himself demonstrated that they were edible did they understand it was food.
Food!?
Wasn't food just rocks!?
Food = rocks!
That had been a core belief for them since birth, but now that logic was crumbling.
However, after trying the Pokéblocks for the first time, all the Larvitar and Pupitar were amazed.
How could something be so delicious?!
Pupitar, with a proud and emotional air, explained to them the purpose and benefits of Pokéblocks.
As if enthusiastically telling them how amazing his "dad" was and how delicious the things he made were.
Full of pride and admiration.
"Tyran~!"
Suddenly, a large hand descended from the sky, patting Pupitar and interrupting his speech.
Turning around, they saw the leader Tyranitar.
His face no longer showed ferocity. In his other hand, he was carefully holding a rough stone bowl that contained a bit of water.
He carefully brought the vessel to where Cain and Pupitar were.
It was hard to imagine that such a massive Tyranitar could handle an object so delicately, as if afraid of spilling even a drop.
The moment the water appeared, all the Pupitar and Larvitar present swallowed in unison, as if that water were a treasure.
Cain immediately understood.
In an environment dominated by rocks, a simple container of water was an extremely scarce and valuable resource. Only the Tyranitar truly grasped its importance.
That small pond in the center of the valley was probably the reason this group had chosen to settle here.
It was their most precious possession.
Although Tyranitar appeared fierce, in truth they were gentle-natured Pokémon.
They simply hid their kindness behind an imposing appearance.
Seeing that scene, Cain recalled the memory he had received from Pupitar's mother when he found his egg: that female Tyranitar who gave up everything for her child.
A Pokémon noble enough to give her life for her son.
Though the water brought by the leader Tyranitar contained some impurities, Cain didn't reject it.
He shared a bit with his own Pokémon and also offered some to each Pupitar and Larvitar surrounding them.
Perhaps these Pokémon had a water ration scheduled every so often, given the resource's scarcity.
Upon seeing Cain's actions, the leader Tyranitar's expression softened even more.
He gave Pupitar another affectionate pat.
"Tyran~!"
He called out loudly.
All the Pupitar and Larvitar quickly finished consuming their Pokéblocks and water and followed the leader Tyranitar toward the clearing in the valley.
Cain watched them with some curiosity.
Then he saw that one of the other three Tyranitar —not the leader— was guiding a group of Pupitar and Larvitar through a training session.
It looked like he was teaching them how to battle.
The method of instruction was a bit rough, but Cain couldn't deny that it seemed to be the most effective for their fighting style.
"Puppp~!"
Pupitar, standing next to Cain, shouted excitedly.
Cain smiled and nodded, "Go. Go see how they train."
Upon hearing this, Pupitar gave a bright smile and ran toward them.
Happy like a child.
Because, in reality, he was still a child.
Since he hatched from the egg, not even a full year had passed.
In terms of age, he was probably younger than all the Larvitar present.
But the effort and growth he had achieved in that short time were clearly visible.
Cain was very satisfied with Pupitar's development.
Seeing him quickly integrate into the group, Cain gave a calm smile.
Perhaps this opportunity to relax and belong was exactly what Pupitar had always lacked.
As the training began, Cain sat on the ground beside Aggron and the rest of his team.
He closed his eyes along with Slowking, both enveloped in waves of psychic power.
Aggron watched the training method with curiosity, even trying to imitate some of the movements.
Only Carbink remained quietly at Cain's side.
If one looked closely, each diamond on his body sparkled with a faint glow, as if mysterious changes were occurring within him.
From the central area of his body —where the Xerneas's Horn was located— a steady, gentle energy flowed, slowly integrating with his entire being.
(End of chapter)