"Is this for me?"
As Maki took the leaf, an aroma even stronger than the Pokéblocks from before wafted toward him.
Maki wasn't someone who failed to recognize value—he knew just how rare this was. This was nectar brewed by the Florges, an incredibly precious substance due to its extremely limited production.
And that was precisely why the Malamar had been coming here.
The Florges that handed the nectar to Maki smiled brightly, floating up and down as if responding to his question.
"Thank you."
Maki accepted the nectar and glanced over at his Pokémon, who had also been drawn in by the scent—especially Mawile and Cottonee. Cottonee's eyes blinked rapidly, practically spelling out "I want some" on its face.
With a chuckle, Maki lifted the leaf and let a few drops of the golden nectar drip onto his tongue.
As soon as the nectar "bloomed" on his taste buds, a remarkable sensation followed, sliding down his throat like a wave of warmth spreading throughout his body.
After traveling all day, even Maki couldn't deny feeling a bit exhausted. Yet now, he felt much more refreshed, the fatigue noticeably fading away.
"Hmm, it tastes a little different from what I've had before."
Maki clicked his tongue thoughtfully. Though Florges' nectar was incredibly rare, as the heir of Team Rocket, he had certainly tasted it before.
The main issue was that Florges primarily lived in the Kalos region, making them a rarity in Kanto. He had only ever had this nectar a few times.
Still, the nectar made by these Florges seemed slightly different from what he remembered, though its invigorating effects were even stronger.
It made sense, though. The nectar he had previously encountered was likely mass-produced, whereas today's nectar was made directly by the Florges themselves—there was a fundamental difference.
He distributed the remaining nectar among his Pokémon, who each took a taste, their faces melting into pure enjoyment.
Moments like these always reminded Maki of how incredible Pokémon were—capable of feats that humans could never achieve.
As night fell, Maki had Charmeleon light a campfire. Once the fire was set, he left his three Pokémon to play with the Florges.
The naturally hospitable Florges made for wonderful hosts, and the Pokémon played together happily. Meanwhile, Maki stepped away and sat down next to Absol.
Absol lay beside the campfire, resting its chin on its front paws. Its scythe-like horn pointed toward the sky.
"Not interested in joining them?" Maki asked, gesturing toward Cottonee and the others. Cottonee, being naturally social, was getting along with the Florges particularly well.
Though, now that Maki looked closer… was that little troublemaker eyeing the tree hollow where the Florges had just gathered nectar?
As soon as Cottonee noticed Maki's gaze, it stiffened, looking away awkwardly. Maki shot it a sharp look. That rascal—was it really considering sneaking some more nectar?
Seeing Maki's warning glance, Cottonee immediately shrank its leaves, feigning innocence.
Absol, unaware of the small exchange, simply shook its head at Maki's question. It wasn't that it disliked such gatherings—it just preferred solitude.
Even before Maki arrived, the Florges had rarely disturbed Absol while it rested.
"By the way, when do you think the Malamar will show up?" Maki asked again. He couldn't stay here indefinitely; he still had to return to Moen.
"Sa~" Absol responded.
The Malamar visited frequently—likely within the next two days. Since they hadn't appeared today, they would probably arrive tomorrow. Still, Absol couldn't say for sure.
"I won't be staying long. If they don't show up tomorrow, I'll probably move on."
Absol hesitated for a moment before nodding. Though it remained in this place, it couldn't expect others to do the same. Besides, Maki had already done so much for them.
Now that the Florges had developed the will to resist, defeating the Malamar wouldn't be too difficult. It was something Absol hadn't expected—but Maki had made it happen.
At that moment, Absol suddenly seemed to remember something. It stood up abruptly and dashed into the forest, leaving Maki confused about what it was looking for.
Two minutes later, Absol returned swiftly, something gleaming in its mouth.
From a distance, and in the dim evening light, Maki couldn't quite make out what it was—only that it was round and shining.
Absol stepped forward and gently placed the object on the ground before Maki.
"Is this…?"
The moment he saw it clearly, Maki's pupils contracted sharply. Even he couldn't fully control his emotions, his face revealing a look of surprise.
He had already been speculating about what Absol was carrying as it approached. He had a few guesses, but he hadn't dared to believe them.
Because this thing was so incredibly rare that he never thought he'd just stumble upon it in a secret location like this.
"Cotton?"
What's wrong?
Cottonee and the other Pokémon, sensing Maki's reaction, turned their attention to him, confused. They were greeted by the sight of his astonished expression.
They had only seen that look twice before—during the Celesteela incident and when Maki obtained the Flame Plate.
"It's nothing. I'm just surprised."
Raising a hand to stop his Pokémon from rushing over, Maki's expression gradually shifted from shock to a satisfied smile.
"Looks like my luck isn't so bad after all, finding something like this here."
He picked up the small, round object and held it up to examine it closely, verifying its authenticity.
"Is this for me?" he asked Absol one last time, as if needing final confirmation.
"Sa!" Absol nodded.
"Thank you. Let's hope I'll be able to put it to good use soon."
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