“Mareanie?” The little tentacled one poked the downed bird. This…this was not her fault, right? Granted, she had no problem poisoning others to death if need be – but only when ordered. But this one had simply crashed into the snow near her. Maybe it had brushed against tentacles or something, but that wasn’t her fault, right? It did look a bit poisoned, taking on a purplish hue in parts, but that still was not her fault, right?

“Hmm,” the passing Pokemon’s trainer made, squatting down in the dim light of evening to investigate. “Mareanie?” The Pokemon asked, still worried. “I don’t…..know…..might be dying.” Shizue was not exactly an expert in Avian Pokemon. But she knew enough to tell that this Delibird should be flying and be able to hoist its sack. Yet, it was lying there, breathing heavily and barely conscious. Whatever had happened here? Maybe someone had attacked it, trying to catch it?

The green-haired woman in the red coat got up again and looked around, looking for other signs of life. As she noticed another person nearby, her eyes narrowed on them easily – as did Mareanies, which immediately took a more aggressive stance.