Pokémon: No Way! The Golden Finger Only Comes When I'm About To Die!?

On Diancie's Side

After Diancie fell asleep, faint pink mist began to drift once again from the body of the Munna in the darkness.

The mist gradually filled the entire room and, with every breath, was absorbed into the bodies of Diancie, Spinarak, and Mareep.

When Diancie regained awareness, it found itself once more in the courtyard of Mareep's dream.

"Spinarak~"

"Spinarak~"

The two Spinarak called out.

Hearing this, Diancie bent down to pick them up. Now that it had returned to this place, it was no longer as confused as it had been the first time.

After walking around the courtyard without finding Mareep, Diancie headed toward the small house where Mareep lived.

Sure enough, on the grass in front of the house, it spotted Mareep sitting on a bench. In front of Mareep was an easel with a canvas, and in its hooves were a paintbrush and paints. It was clearly engrossed in painting.

Diancie and the Spinarak didn't make a sound to disturb Mareep but quietly walked to its side. On the canvas before Mareep was a half-finished landscape painting.

Mareep was so focused on its work that it didn't notice Diancie and the Spinarak's arrival.

It wasn't until quite some time later, when Mareep finally finished its painting, that it put down the brush and paints. As it turned its head, it suddenly noticed Diancie and the Spinarak standing behind it.

"Mareep~"

Mareep's face lit up with delight, and it dove straight into Diancie's arms.

"Mareep, we're back again!" Diancie gently stroked Mareep as it spoke.

"Mareep~ Mareep~"

Overjoyed, Mareep kept licking Diancie's cheek.

Holding Mareep, Diancie turned its gaze to the finished painting. It depicted a stunning sunrise over a sea of clouds. Diancie asked.

"Is this a new painting style you've learned? I didn't see anything like this the last time I was here."

"Mareep~ Mareep~"

I learned it from the art classes you and Angie got me!

Diancie was surprised. "You learned it so quickly?"

"Mareep~ Mareep~"

Mareep nodded vigorously, then leapt out of Diancie's arms onto the grass. Tugging at Diancie's hand with its mouth, it urged.

"What's the matter?" Diancie asked.

"Mareep~ Mareep~"

Mareep walked toward the wooden house, motioning for Diancie and the Spinarak to follow.

Once they entered the house, Diancie was astonished to see many large paintings displayed inside.

The first painting depicted Angie lounging on a chair at the entrance, looking relaxed. Munchlax and Pawmot were sprawled on either side of his lap, both appearing half-asleep.

The second painting featured Inteleon holding a flower, striking a dramatic pose as if trying to look cool.

The third showed Gengar who is shyly peeking out from behind a doorframe.

The fourth painting portrayed Passimian, Komala, and Infernape enjoying wine together, while Dusknoir and the Shuckle played nearby.

The fifth was a scene of Metagross teaching Lairon and Drilbur, with a serious expression on its face.

The sixth painting depicted Magearna and Volcanion strolling together in a field of flowers.

And the last painting showed Diancie sitting on the steps of its home, knitting a sweater. Beside it, Mareep was dozing off, and the two Spinarak were nestled snugly on Mareep's back.

Diancie asked in surprise, "Mareep, did you draw all of these?"

"Mareep~ Mareep~"

Mareep nodded and then proudly walked up to the paintings, like a king surveying their territory.

This lively, confident, and adorable Mareep was entirely different from the Mareep in the real world.

Diancie silently admired the paintings before her, her love for them written all over her face. Unable to hold back, she muttered to herself, "If only you could bring these paintings to life in reality."

Mareep's ears twitched, and then its head drooped slightly, lost in thought.

After spending some time playing with toys in the house, Diancie and the Spinarak accompanied Mareep to the grass outside to practice its skills.

Since they had nothing else to do, Diancie and the Spinarak decided to join Mareep in its training.

The night passed quickly, and the dawn arrived with the chirping of Fletchling and Swablu. Angie groggily opened his eyes.

After getting up and washing his face, his mind finally cleared.

"Time to head to work. Let's do this!"

Angie remembered his promise to help Ayaka explore the ruins.

"But I've just returned. Taking a couple of days to rest at home shouldn't delay anything, right?"

With this thought, Angie's mood lightened, and he stepped out of his room, humming a cheerful tune. The moment he opened the door, he bumped into Diancie.

"Good morning, Diancie!"

"Good morning, Angie!"

They greeted each other in unison, then burst into laughter.

After the laughter subsided, Angie said, "Oh, right, Diancie, I have something for you."

"What is it?" Diancie asked curiously.

"Take a look!" Angie said, pulling out the Mega Pendant he had obtained the night before.

"Wow, it's so beautiful!" Diancie exclaimed joyfully. "Is it for me?"

Angie nodded. "That's right. It's for you. You can embed your Mega Stone into it."

Diancie nodded eagerly and took out her Mega Stone from her bag.

Angie accepted the stone from her and pressed it into the pendant's slot. To his surprise, it fit perfectly.

"It's ready! I didn't expect it to fit so well," Angie said in amazement. "Here, Diancie, let me put it on for you."

"Okay~" Diancie turned around and faced away from Angie.

Once Angie fastened the pendant around Diancie's neck, she happily touched the Mega Stone embedded in it. Feeling delighted, she said, "Let's go downstairs!"

"Sure."

Side by side, Angie and Diancie headed downstairs.

At the same time, Magearna stepped out of her room. Angie and Diancie smiled warmly and greeted her.

"Good morning, Magearna!"

"Good morning, Magearna!"

Magearna responded cheerfully.

"Magearna~ Magearna~"

Good morning, Angie, Diancie!

Magearna quickly noticed something different about Diancie that morning. Her sharp eyes spotted the pendant around Diancie's neck and asked.

"Magearna~"

What's that?

Diancie grinned, took Magearna's arm, and whispered something into her ear. The two Pokémon chatted and laughed as they headed downstairs.

Downstairs, Angie prepared for the day with the help of Inteleon. After some quick preparations, he set off for the capital with the two Meowstic and Ralts.

Early in the morning, Munchlax Home already had visitors. The two Meowstic and Ralts quickly stepped forward to welcome them.

Upon seeing the female Meowstic, the guest expressed surprise, "Oh, has Espurrr evolved?"

"Meowstic~ Meowstic~"

The female Meowstic nodded with a smile.

"That's wonderful news! Congratulations!" the guest said sincerely, expressing their heartfelt congratulations.

The Meowstic smiled as it welcomed the customer into the store. After inviting him to sit, it handed over the menu.

"You're here early. Do you still have tofu pudding available today?" the customer asked while scanning the menu.

The tofu pudding at the Munchlax Home was a limited special—if you came too late, it was usually sold out.

"Meowstic~"

Yes, we do.

Meowstic nodded cheerfully.

"Great! Then I'll have a serving of tofu pudding, a steamed bun, and two meat buns," the customer said, his face lighting up with joy.

"Meowstic~"

Got it. Please wait a moment.

With that, Meowstic trotted off into the kitchen, clutching the menu.

Not long after, Meowstic returned with the ordered dishes. The customer eagerly picked up the bowl of tofu pudding that he'd been craving and took a bite.

At the first taste, the customer paused, then broke into a smile as he looked at Meowstic.

"Is the little boss back?"

"Meowstic~"

Meowstic nodded with a satisfied squint.

The customer gave a knowing smile. "I thought so. I can tell the little boss's cooking as soon as I taste it."

Angie's dishes were always treated with Aura, making them easy to distinguish from those prepared by Inteleon.

As more customers poured in, the news of Angie's return began to spread. Once people heard, many ordered extra dishes compared to their usual, boosting the shop's business by 10-20%.

"Ah, nothing beats the little boss's cooking!" one customer exclaimed with admiration after taking a big bite of his meat bun.

At that moment, Ralts floated by, using its Psychic powers to carry a large tray of steamed buns and bread. The customer chuckled and patted Ralts's mushroom-like head, asking.

"Ralts, Espurr has evolved—when will you evolve?"

"Ralts~"

Ralts shook its head with a confused look.

Its adorable expression drew laughter from everyone. The customer ruffled its mushroom-like head again and said

"No worries, Ralts is already cute enough without evolving."

"Exactly, Ralts is the cutest!"

"Ralts is definitely the mascot of Munchlax Home!"

Other customers chimed in to praise Ralts.

Encouraged by the compliments, Ralts worked even harder.

One customer joked, "Wait, isn't the mascot of Munchlax Home supposed to be Munchlax itself?"

Another replied, "Munchlax doesn't show up that often—only when it's filling in for the little boss."

Someone else added playfully, "Honestly, I think the true mascot of this shop should be our little boss!"

"True, true!"

The suggestion was met with enthusiastic agreement, and laughter filled the room. Even the two Meowstic and Ralts joined in the mirth.

When Bruno entered the shop, he was greeted by this lively scene.

Spotting a new customer, Ralts hurried over to welcome him.

"Ralts ~"

As Ralts approached Bruno, a flicker of fear crossed its eyes.

The customer in front of it was an imposing figure, towering at nearly two meters tall. He wore a sleeveless blue top that exposed his chest and loose-fitting pants. His muscular physique looked as solid as carved stone, radiating an aura of overwhelming pressure.

Bruno noticed the subtle fear in Ralts's expression, and his gaze darkened slightly.

Despite its fear, Ralts mustered its courage and led the guest to a seat.

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

Ralts obediently presented the menu.

"Thank you," Bruno said in his deep, gravelly voice.

He browsed the menu but didn't recognize any of the dishes, so he said to Ralts, "I'd like to try one of everything, please."

"Ralts?"

Everything?

Ralts looked astonished.

Bruno immediately understood Ralts's hesitation and smiled gently. "Don't worry, I can finish it all."

Ralts, sensitive to others' emotions, realized that this guest wasn't dangerous after all. Feeling reassured by his kind demeanor, its fear gradually faded.

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

It nodded and darted into the kitchen with the menu.

When Angie heard that a customer wanted one of everything on the menu, he was just as surprised. Nevertheless, he quickly got to work preparing the massive order.

Before long, Ralts was using its psychic powers to carry a mountain of food to Bruno's table. The other patrons in the shop were stunned by the spectacle.

Some began to recognize Bruno's identity.

"Wait… isn't that Bruno, the Fighting-type Elite Four from Kanto?"

"Wow! Has our Munchlax Home become so famous that even an Elite Four from other regions traveled here?"

"With food as good as His Highness, isn't that totally expected?"

"You're right about that."

"Maybe Bruno's just passing through on other business!"

…

Although people recognized Bruno, his intimidating presence made them hesitate to approach, let alone strike up a conversation.

Meanwhile, Bruno grabbed a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth. The soft, fluffy texture surprised him instantly.

After devouring the bun in a few bites, he picked up a meat bun next.

Another surprise.

Delicious! Absolutely delicious!

Not only that—when he ate the food, he felt a faint surge of energy coursing through his body before it was quickly absorbed.

The sensation was subtle, but he could definitely feel it!

What kind of magical food was this? He wished he could eat it every day! If he did, he was convinced his physical strength would improve exponentially, and his martial arts would reach new heights!

Bruno had ordered so much food that Ralts had to make several trips to deliver it all.

Yet even with a table full of food, Bruno polished it off in no time.

"Please bring me the exact same order again!" Bruno said, patting his stomach contentedly.

ヽ(°〇°)

"Ralts~"

More?!

Ralts was utterly dumbfounded.

Seeing its reaction, Bruno repeated patiently, "Please bring me the exact same order again."

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

Ralts nodded and rushed back to the kitchen.

When Angie heard that the guest wanted another round of everything, he was genuinely shocked.

"After eating that much, they still want more?"

"Ralts~ Ralts~"

Ralts nodded repeatedly.

"Alright," Angie said, and he and Inteleon once again began preparing the food.

Soon, Bruno's table was filled with dishes again.

By the time Bruno was almost finished, most of the other customers had left the restaurant, as it was nearing closing time. Meowstic hung a "Closed" sign on the door.

With things calming down, Angie finally poked his head out of the kitchen to see who was eating so much.

One look, and he was stunned—wasn't that Bruno?! No wonder he had such a massive appetite!

Watching Bruno devour the food with complete focus, Angie suddenly had an idea.

He walked out of the kitchen and approached Bruno's table.

"Mr. Bruno, do you like the food here?"

The answer was obvious—how could he not? After all, he had just eaten two entire tables' worth of food.

Hearing Angie's question, Bruno looked up in surprise. "Are you the chef here?"

Bruno wasn't surprised that Angie recognized him. As an Elite Four member of the League, being recognized was perfectly normal.

Angie nodded. "That's right. I'm the owner and chef of this restaurant."

"The owner? Are you Prince Angie?" Bruno asked, surprised.

Angie was taken aback. "Mr. Bruno... knows who I am?"

Bruno nodded. "King Edward recommended this place to me. I heard about you from him."

It turned out Bruno was in the Azoth Kingdom on official business. During a chat with Edward, he had learned about Munchlax Home and decided to check it out.

To his surprise, it turned out to be a delightful experience.

"I see!" Angie said, understanding now.

Bruno praised sincerely, "Your cooking far exceeds my expectations, Prince Angie."

"I'm honored that you enjoy it, Mr. Bruno," Angie replied with a smile.

Bruno said, "Not just enjoy it—I absolutely love it."

Seeing this, Angie extended an invitation. "If you'd like to try more of my cooking, you're welcome to visit my home anytime, Mr. Bruno."

Angie's invitation had a simple motive: he wanted to learn some martial arts techniques from Bruno.

With his powerful physique, it would be a shame not to put it to good use. Seeing Bruno reminded him of this idea.

Bruno was considered a master in the fighting world, often called a "human Fighting Pokémon." Missing such a golden opportunity would be a waste!

"Your home?" Bruno was intrigued.

Angie explained, "Yes, my home is on the Nebel Plateau outside the city. You could also enjoy the scenery there—it won't disappoint you!"

After a moment of thought, Bruno agreed to Angie's invitation.

"In that case, I'll be sure to visit when I have the chance!"

Angie was delighted. "I'll await you on the Nebel Plateau, Mr. Bruno."

Bruno nodded. "Alright!"

"Oh, one more thing!" Angie added. "Let's exchange contact information so you can call me before your visit. I'll prepare in advance."

"Good idea!"

Bruno took out his phone, and they exchanged numbers.

After finishing his meal, Bruno chatted with Angie for a while longer before leaving, while Angie closed the restaurant and returned to the Nebel Plateau.

Having met Bruno, Angie was in high spirits, humming a tune all the way home.

When he arrived, his Munchlax apprentice was already in the kitchen preparing lunch. Angie wanted to help, but his apprentice pushed him out, wanting the master to rest after working hard all morning.

With nothing else to do, Angie sat at the table, contemplating when to meet Astrid for their appointment.

As fate would have it, Astrid just called him to inform him that their meeting would have to be postponed due to urgent matters.

Well, at least he didn't have to worry about that for now. After all, the ruins weren't going anywhere.