He had tried to save her. Raging rivers, he'd tried to save her. He'd leapt into the river like it was nothing more than a stream. He'd swam for her, even though it was impossible.

And now he was going to die for it.

Waterlily screamed, staring at the place he'd just disappeared. Behind her, the human said something, raising its arm. It was holding some kind of ball. She didn't care. She only cared for the eevee that was being swept away from her as she sat there, trembling like a hatchling.

And then something inside of her changed. Something deep down, that had been sleeping for so long but finally awoke. Blue light shimmered across her fur, growing brighter and brighter.

The human threw the ball. She jumped to the side, towards where she'd last seen the eevee. There was a faint splash as it hit the river and went under, gone forever. Like him. No. I won't let it happen.

Waterlily saw in her head an image clearer than day. Eight forms standing around her, each glowing with its own light. Each ready to take her, to grant her powers unlike anything she'd known before.

But only one of them was what she needed. Only one of them would save him.

Waterlily leapt for the glowing blue light in her head at the same moment her body leapt from the ground, launching herself into the river as the blue light swallowed her whole.