Chapter 200: Pitiable Yet Detestable

When Togedemaru opened its eyes again, the first thing it saw was a glaringly bright incandescent lamp; shifting its gaze revealed an unfamiliar ceiling.

Togedemaru tried to move, but found itself bound by something resilient, making even moving a single finger exceptionally difficult.

Before Togedemaru could struggle, as if sensing its awakening, a rustling sound arose, followed by hurried footsteps approaching from outside the door, and then someone opened it.

Entering were an adult human male and a Pokémon clad in deep purple armor, with plume-like flames burning behind its helmet.

Togedemaru recognized that Pokémon; it was the Fire/Ghost-type Ceruledge, not weak like itself, but one of the ghostsword warriors sought by that person, an invincible warrior.

After the human and Ceruledge entered, they immediately rushed over, and Togedemaru's gradually recovering vision met the human's gaze directly.

As expected, it was the familiar cold gaze, yet it seemed slightly different from that person's, leaning more toward indifference rather than holding much malice.

Togedemaru felt extremely confused; it appeared that what it had done had been exposed.

Since it had already been exposed, wouldn't this person be angry?

At that moment, the person spoke: "Since you're awake, that's perfect; let's talk before Miss Miss Junsha arrives."

"Toge?" (Why?)

Togedemaru let out a hoarse inquiring cry.

Ceruledge brought over a chair at that moment; Luo Mu sat down accordingly, clapped his hands, and another flame bird, retracting its wings and appearing dazzlingly bright to Togedemaru, walked into the room.

"Let me introduce everyone; this is Moltres, our dialogue translator, this is Ceruledge, my Pokémon, and I am Luo Mu, who, as you can see, is the farm owner you nearly poisoned."

Luo Mu gave Togedemaru a brief introduction in a calm voice.

Then, Luo Mu got straight to the point: "I'll ask directly: why did you poison the berries in my farm warehouse, and why did you poison locations in three other places?"

"We shouldn't have provoked you, should we?"

Not mentioning this issue was fine; although Togedemaru's emotions were confused, they remained stable, but once the reason for its poisoning was mentioned, Togedemaru's expression instantly turned painful, and its emotions became extremely agitated.

"Toge, toge, toge!?" (You all come from the same place as the one who abandoned me; people wearing the same clothes are wandering around here; how could I not hate you?)

(We clearly promised to be together forever when you caught me; to you humans, are oaths just things so easily broken!?)

Ceruledge, who had been standing silently, moved its arm slightly, its gaze toward Togedemaru becoming somewhat complex.

Although Luo Mu clearly couldn't understand what Togedemaru was saying, judging by its agitated emotions and tearful tone, it was likely some sad little story.

Only when Moltres, the gold-medal translator, conveyed the translation via telepathy did Luo Mu understand Togedemaru's meaning, and his gaze toward it became tinged with complexity.

He truly hadn't expected that the reason this fellow poisoned was simply because the person who abandoned it wore clothes similar to those worn by people on the farm; based solely on this reason, coupled with a desire for revenge, it chose to poison.

But what did "similar clothes" mean? Luo Mu frowned slightly, intending to continue questioning Togedemaru, when Ceruledge suddenly moved.

The usually quiet Pokémon suddenly raised its right arm, flames igniting on its great sword, its gaze burning intensely as it looked at Togedemaru, its voice neither sad nor happy.

"Cer?" (Because you were abandoned and betrayed by a human, you feel you are miserable and in pain, correct?)

Pointed at by Ceruledge's flaming great sword and enduring the pressure radiating from Ceruledge, Togedemaru's voice lacked confidence.

"Toge!" (That's right; why am I the only one enduring this pain? I refuse to accept it. Since I cannot find him, I will take revenge on people wearing the same uniform as him; sooner or later, I will find him again and make him feel this pain!)

Looking at Togedemaru, Ceruledge recalled itself from a year ago; back then, it was probably just like this Togedemaru, covered in spikes, feeling that everything was targeting it, filled with cynical emotions.

It had once considered inflicting this pain upon others, but ultimately held back, refusing to choose revenge against others just because of its own misfortune.

Thinking about it, the only difference between it and Togedemaru was that it firmly suppressed the evil within its heart, and not long after, it encountered the sole light in its heart and found redemption.

At this moment, Ceruledge felt that Togedemaru was both pitiable and detestable.

"Cer—?" (I will ask you only one question: what difference is there between you, who indulged yourself, and that human who broke their oath and abandoned you? Aren't you both committing evil acts that cause pain to others—?)

Togedemaru hemmed and hawed for a long time, finally responding with a lack of confidence: "Toge..." (You live such an enviable life; what standing do you have to criticize me...)

Angered by Togedemaru's obstinacy, Ceruledge laughed, and its flames burned even more fiercely.

"Cer?" (Standing? Like you, I am also a Pokémon who was once abandoned; is this standing sufficient?)

Togedemaru froze, and then Ceruledge began recounting its own story on its own, along with its journey of thoughts after meeting Luo Mu.

Sitting aside and listening with a gossipy expression while Moltres provided simultaneous translation, Luo Mu dared not make a sound, for he too was very curious about how Ceruledge viewed him.

After all, among the Pokémon in the team, Ceruledge was the most reserved, its emotions almost never showing externally.

If he didn't know that Ceruledge definitely liked him, Luo Mu felt he would usually find it very difficult to interpret what Ceruledge was thinking.

Fortunately, his damn charm was still playing its role, hehe!

Just as Ceruledge finished telling its story, the siren of Miss Miss Junsha's police car rang out through the sky as dawn broke.

Taking a final look at Togedemaru, which had fallen into deep contemplation due to Ceruledge's story, Luo Mu's mood was currently twofold: on one hand, he was overjoyed that Ceruledge viewed him that way, and on the other, he felt Togedemaru was truly pitiful.

Just as Ceruledge had said, although being abandoned is miserable, that is not a shield for Togedemaru to use as an excuse to wantonly harm other innocent people.

He had suffered no major losses; the only loss was those few baskets of berries, so he did not feel much hatred toward Togedemaru.

But this was not a reason for Luo Mu to represent Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Peter, and other victims in forgiving Togedemaru; now, there was only one thing he needed to do—

Hand Togedemaru over to Miss Miss Junsha.

(End of Chapter)