Chapter 248: They’re Both Daddy’s Little Girls, So Why Are They So Different?

The video continued playing.

A burst of white light erupted from Kirlia’s body.

The glow spread outward from her chest, traveling along her slender limbs until it enveloped her entire body.

When the white light finally faded—

A Gardevoir with pink hair stood in front of Elaria, her tall, elegant figure glowing with a soft pearlescent sheen beneath the sunlight.

"Gardevoir!"

Elaria hugged her tightly.

"That’s great! You finally evolved!"

Gardevoir gently stroked Elaria’s hair.

Then blue light flashed through her eyes.

The next second—

Several Pokémon were lifted into the air by psychic power.

They struggled desperately, flailing around in midair, but couldn’t break free at all.

With Gardevoir’s help, the battle gradually began turning in Elaria’s favor.

"Yes!"

Bonnie pumped her fist.

"Now it’s our turn to fight back! Dedenne, Thunder Shock!"

"Gardevoir, Moonblast!"

Elaria raised one hand as well.

Gardevoir brought both hands together in front of her chest.

A silvery-white sphere of light formed between her palms, growing larger and brighter by the second.

Just then—

"CUT——!!!"

The shout was so loud, so energetic, and so completely unexpected that everyone in the clearing jumped.

Elaria, Ruri, and Bonnie all turned toward the source of the voice.

The bushes were pushed apart.

Asher walked out holding a cup of iced coffee, the straw still between his lips.

His entire body radiated an air of lazy relaxation.

"Daddy?!"

Elaria’s eyes widened.

Then she immediately ran over and threw herself into Asher’s arms.

"Ruri! Over here, over here! Your dad’s here too!"

Steven had an enormous professional video camera resting on one shoulder.

He flashed Ruri an incredibly bright smile.

Clearly, he was hoping his daughter would come running over and hug him too.

"Dad, what are you up to this time?"

Ruri merely stared at him expressionlessly.

She showed absolutely no intention of moving.

Steven’s smile froze.

Then he slowly turned toward Asher.

"Brother Asher... why is there such a huge difference between our precious little girls?"

"That’s normal."

Asher raised one finger.

"My daughter clings to me because I spend time with her, tell her stories, and regularly make time to take her out and have fun."

"What do you usually do?"

Steven thought about it seriously.

"Dig for stones."

Asher spread both hands.

"So now you understand why your daughter doesn’t cling to you, right?"

"I understand."

Steven nodded seriously.

"From now on, I’ll take Ruri mining with me more often."

"...You’re truly beyond saving."

"Daddy."

Elaria looked up from Asher’s arms.

"What exactly is going on?"

"Well..."

Asher placed his coffee on a nearby rock and crouched down until he was at eye level with Elaria.

"It’s nothing too serious."

"Allearth Forest really was suffering from a decline in life energy, so Daddy brought Eternatus over and helped settle the little disagreement between Xerneas and Yveltal."

"But why didn’t Daddy reply to any of my messages?"

Elaria tilted her head.

"Elaria was really worried about you these past few days."

"Oh, that."

Asher stood back up.

"I figured since those two Pokémon had already woken up, it’d be a waste not to make use of them."

"So I had them cooperate with us and film a movie while we were here."

After saying that, Asher walked over and patted one of Xerneas’s antlers.

"Right, old deer?"

Xerneas nodded furiously.

It certainly looked extremely willing.

"Wait, wait, wait."

Ruri pointed toward the monocled man’s group nearby.

"Then what’s going on with those hunters?"

"They were actually attacking us."

"Excellent question."

Steven proudly puffed out his chest.

"They’re all extras I hired! I supplied the Pokémon too."

"What do you think? Their acting was pretty good, right?"

Ruri fell silent for a moment.

Then she spoke.

"Your allowance next month is being cut in half."

"?"

The smile on Steven’s face instantly froze.

"That’s not right, Ruri! I’m your dad! How can you cut my allowance?"

"Because all the money you spend is money I earn."

Ruri crossed her arms.

"Any problem with that?"

"..."

"...Apparently not."

Ruri turned toward the extras.

"You guys can wrap up now."

The men who had looked so vicious moments earlier immediately scattered in every direction.

"That’s a wrap! That’s a wrap!"

"Time to collect our boxed lunches!"

Asher walked over and pointed toward Xerneas and Yveltal.

"Sweetheart, you and Ruri should go catch them."

Elaria blinked.

"But Daddy, aren’t they supposed to stay in the forest and maintain the ecological balance?"

"What balance?"

Asher picked up his coffee and took another sip.

"Every time those two wake up, they start fighting. And every time they fight, they turn the whole forest upside down."

"Might as well have you two take them away."

"But..."

Before Elaria could finish, Ruri rushed over and grabbed her, pulling her along.

"W-Wait, Ruri!"

"Oh, Elaria, stop hesitating."

"Uncle Asher already made it perfectly clear. Refusing at this point would just be rude."

"Besides, I don’t even have a single Legendary Pokémon yet!"

And so—

Elaria caught Xerneas.

Ruri caught Yveltal.

Afterward, Elaria had Hoopa teleport over a limited-edition poster.

She signed her name on it and handed it to Bonnie.

"Bonnie, this is for you."

Bonnie’s eyes immediately lit up.

She eagerly took the poster and hugged it against her chest.

"Yes! I finally have a limited-edition signed poster too! Thank you, Elaria!"

"You don’t have to thank me."

Elaria smiled.

"We’re friends."

"Mm-hmm! Elaria and I are best friends!"

Bonnie carefully put away the poster.

Then she took Elaria’s hand.

"Elaria, are you going to participate in this year’s Kalos League Conference too?"

Elaria blinked.

"The League Conference?"

"But you can’t participate unless you’ve collected eight Gym Badges, right?"

"That’s easy!"

Hoopa floated up from above Elaria’s head.

"Hoopa can help! We can finish every Gym in a single day!"

"The League Conference, huh..."

Ruri walked over with her arms crossed.

"Elaria, let’s enter. It sounds like it’ll be fun."

"Exactly!"

Bonnie stepped forward and held out her hand.

"The three of us should all enter together! It’ll be super fun!"

"It’s a deal. We’ll meet on the battlefield."

"And I won’t hold back!"

"Hmph. We don’t even know who’s going to win yet."

Ruri placed her hand on top of Bonnie’s.

Elaria added hers as well, stacking all three together.

"Mm. Elaria won’t hold back either."