After the old man disappeared around the corner, the corridor slowly returned to silence.
The emergency room door remained firmly closed.
Gardevoir still stood closest to it, her posture elegant even now. She held the small wooden box carefully in her hands. The strange warmth from it kept tugging at her focus, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.
A few steps behind her, Meowscarada pushed herself away from the wall and padded closer. Her tail slowed its restless flicking as her eyes fixed on the box.
From the nearby bench, Lopunny leaned forward slightly, quiet curiosity showing in her posture.
Noticing both of them watching, Gardevoir fully lowered her gaze to the wooden box in her hands.
The old man's words echoed faintly in her mind. One day… it may help you protect what you cherish.
Her fingers brushed lightly along the edge of the lid. She too began to wonder what was inside.
For a moment she didn't move.
Ryan was still unconscious behind that door. Nothing else should matter right now.
Yet the box remained in her hands, drawing her attention again and again. The pull was faint but difficult to ignore.
"Gar…" she whispered softly, making her decision at last.
She slowly opened the box.
The hinge gave a soft, reluctant creak as though it hadn't been opened in a very long time. A gentle rainbow-like glow spilled into the dim hallway.
When the glow finally dissipated, inside, nestled in deep red padding, lay two polished stones.
The first shimmered with a beautiful gradient, shifting from soft purple to deep blue and gentle green. A dark, elegant helix symbol floated at its center.
The second stone was completely different. Its surface was clear like flawless glass, containing swirling ribbons of vibrant pink and soft light green that twisted gracefully inside, like living energy captured in crystal.
Gardevoir's gaze locked immediately onto the second stone.
She reached out and lifted the crystal stone carefully into her palm.
The instant it touched her skin, a subtle pulse rippled through her aura. The sensation was faint but unmistakable, as if the stone were connected to her somehow.
Meowscarada leaned in closer, her emerald eyes widening with clear curiosity. "Nyaa…?"
With gentle care, Gardevoir passed the stone to her. "Garde… Gardevoir…"
Meowscarada took it between her paws and held it up toward the overhead lights.
She squinted one eye dramatically and turned the stone slowly, examining it from every angle like a detective she had once watched in a TV show, studying it with intense focus.
After several seconds, her ears twitched. She lowered the stone and shrugged lightly.
"Meow…" she murmured, shaking her head.
She passed it over to Lopunny.
Lopunny accepted the crystal with both hands and studied it carefully for a moment, turning it over. She eventually shook her head too and handed it back to Gardevoir with a soft, apologetic expression.
The second the stone returned to Gardevoir's palm, the faint resonance stirred once more. Soft, steady, and strangely welcoming.
She placed it gently back into the box and picked up the other stone, the one with the helix symbol.
This one felt like nothing special. It seemed like an ordinary gem or crystal.
Meowscarada gave it a quick tap with one claw, then shrugged again. Lopunny simply leaned back against the bench, her ears lowering as interest faded.
To them, both stones were simply unusual gems. Neither of them felt anything from any stones.
But for Gardevoir, the second one felt deeply personal. Almost as if it had been waiting just for her.
Then came a soft click.
All three Pokémon froze at once, heads snapping toward the sound.
The emergency room door had opened.
-><-
Next week, I'm thinking of starting a challenge.
If this story reaches 500 Power Stones, I'll upload 1 chapter (or 1 chapter part) every day for a full week.
Let's see if we can hit the goal!