Jecht couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle at the sight of Airi, the bold Captain Ranger, charging toward him, her Absol snarling in defense. Always the hero, he thought, his lips curling into a sly grin. She was good—he could see it in the way she carried herself, the fire in her eyes. But this situation was more complex than it appeared.
The Drifloon and Drifblim floating eerily around the meadow weren’t inherently malicious, but they’d caused enough trouble to make it look like Jecht had orchestrated something far worse than he intended. The kid—Haku. The Drifloon had picked him up by accident in their wandering, and now he was caught up in this strange moment. Jecht had a reputation for showmanship, but not for harming innocents. There was a way out of this, and it would have to be… a spectacle.
Jecht raised his hands, palms open, feigning surrender.
"Whoa, whoa, easy there!" he called, his voice light with mock innocence.
"This? This is all just a misunderstanding, I swear. Haku’s fine! See?"
With a flick of his wrist, Jecht released his Mimikyu, who appeared at his side with a mischievous tilt of its head. The Drifloon hovering around seemed to respond to the ghostly Pokémon’s presence, drifting closer in curious silence.
"These Drifloon? They’re not kidnappers, they’re wanderers—lost, just like the stories say," Jecht continued, stepping slightly to the side to show Airi that Haku was unharmed, just a little scared.
"Poor little Haku got swept up in the confusion. I was just about to bring him back. No need for things to get messy now, right?"
His mind raced, formulating a quick plan. He needed a way to return Haku without causing a scene or letting Airi arrest him. And if there was one thing Jecht excelled at, it was turning every situation into a performance.
"Tell you what," Jecht said, his grin widening as an idea took shape.
"Let’s make this a little fun. I’ll return Haku to you, safe and sound. But first, let me show you something that’ll make your little heart skip a beat." He flicked his fingers toward the Drifloon and Drifblim.
"Ever see a Drifloon parade before?"
Without waiting for an answer, Jecht’s Mimikyu let out a soft, eerie call, and the Drifloon began to drift in formation, swirling and dancing in the air like balloons in a circus show. They moved in rhythm, creating a hypnotic, spiraling dance that filled the clearing with an eerie, ethereal glow. The spectacle was enough to distract the eyes of anyone watching. However, this was also a signal for the remaining Drifloon and Drifblim under Jecht's control to escape with the rest of the pokemon they took, which was his actual goal.
"There," Jecht said, taking the opportunity.
"Now, while they’re entertained…" He moved swiftly toward Haku, placing a hand on the child’s shoulder and leaning down to whisper,
"Time to go back home, kid."With a gentle nudge, Jecht guided the boy back toward Airi, making sure to keep the Drifloon’s performance going to avoid any suspicion.
"See?" he called, extending a hand toward Airi. "
No harm done. Haku’s safe, and the Drifloon get to do what they do best—wander."
Jecht's eyes glinted with satisfaction as he took a step back, preparing to make his exit.
"Now, " he said with a playful smirk,
"how about you let me slip away quietly, and we’ll both leave this meadow with a little less drama, hmm? After all, it’s all just part of the infinite jest."
AIRI WATANABE