Elf: Rewriting the script, starting with Black Stocking Hanako

The ancient Dragonite lay beside Jiang Chuan.

It curled up, wings folded to its sides, its massive head lowered, its large amber eyes staring at him. Its posture was cautious, like an elephant afraid of stepping on an ant. It squatted there, motionless, as if it had been there for a long time.

Jiang Chuan was stunned for a moment.

Then he understood. Dragonite woke up first, and then stayed here, guarding them.

A warm feeling welled up in Jiang Chuan's heart.

"You're awake?"

Dragonite's voice was very soft. It deliberately lowered its voice, making its deep voice sound muffled, as if it were coming from a large vat.

Jiang Chuan nodded.

"Yes, you're awake. You've been here the whole time?"

Dragonite blinked its big eyes.

"Okay. You're all asleep, so I'll stay and watch over you. You're my friend, my person. It wasn't safe just now, and my friend needs me to stay and watch over him."

Jiang Chuan smiled.

"Thanks."

Dragonite laughed too. When it laughed, its whole face scrunched up, its eyes narrowed into slits, and its mouth stretched wide, revealing two rows of neat teeth. It looked incredibly憨厚 (honest and simple).

"It's okay. We're friends, after all."

Jiang Chuan glanced down at Nanami in his arms; she was still asleep. He then looked at Pikachu, who was also still asleep. He thought for a moment, then didn't move. He decided to let them sleep a little longer.

"Where are the others?"

Jiang Chuan gestured towards the quarry with his lip.

Dragonite followed his gaze. The center of the quarry was empty. Alakazam and Gengar were gone. Only the traces of a battle remained on the ground—a huge crater, shattered rocks, corroded holes, and three deep trenches. But the giant beast itself had vanished.

Dragonite shook its head.

"I don't know. The three of them disappeared after I woke up."

Jiang Chuan remained silent for a while. The ancient Fat Ding arrived with a set of chimes, and left with a set of chimes. Where did it come from? Where did it go? Nobody knows. Perhaps it was just passing through. Perhaps it was simply awakened by the chimes, sang a song, and then returned to some slumbering corner.

Jiang Chuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Dragonite.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." His tone was very sincere. "I called you all this way, but I still couldn't find you any friends or people of the same kind."

Dragonite shook its head.

Its movements were slow and deliberate, as if it wanted to make the action as clear as possible so that Jiang Chuan would understand its meaning.

"It's okay. They love to fight too much. I still don't want to be friends with them."

It paused, its large amber eyes looking at Jiang Chuan.

"I still prefer to be your friend, person."

Jiang Chuan opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Dragonite laughed again, its eyes narrowing into slits.

"I'm already very happy to see that there are other beings as enormous as myself today."

It raised its head and looked towards the distant quarry. In the twilight, the huge pits and cracks appeared particularly deep in the shadows.

"I've figured it out now. We're not the same age, so it's better to be friends."

It turned its head back to look at Jiang Chuan. The twilight reflected in its large amber eyes, warm and bright.

"I'm so happy to have a little friend like you."

Jiang Chuan looked at it, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved up.

"I'm so happy to be your friend."

Dragonite stood up with a grin. Its body was enormous; when it stood, its wingspan blocked out half the sky. But it didn't fly. First, it lowered its head, nuzzled Jiang Chuan's shoulder, and gently touched him. The movement was very light and careful, as if afraid of knocking Jiang Chuan over.

Then it took a step back and flapped its wings.

"Now that you're awake, I'm leaving."

Its sound echoed in the twilight.

"I'm too old for this place. If you ever need my help in the future, please feel free to call me, my good friend!"

Jiang Chuan stood up. Nanami was still leaning against the spot where he had been sitting. He carefully placed her down, letting her lean against the rock, and then nodded to Dragonite.

"Yes."

Dragonite flapped its wings and took off.

A colossal figure rose into the twilight, its orange-yellow scales reflecting the last rays of daylight, like a slowly rising sun. With each flap of its wings, it stirred up a gust of wind, causing Jiang Chuan's hair and clothes to flutter wildly.

Then Dragonite transformed into a streak of yellow light.

The smooth streak pierced the sky, soaring straight into the clouds. Its speed was astonishing; in the blink of an eye, it was reduced to a tiny dot of light on the horizon. Then, in the next blink, the dot of light vanished as well.

Jiang Chuan looked up at it for a long time.

He didn't look away until the last ray of light on the horizon faded.

Nanami woke up.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Jiang Chuan's profile. In the twilight, his features were clear: a clean, sharp jawline, a straight nose, and slightly pursed lips. His eyes were still looking up at the sky, his gaze distant.

Nanami was stunned for a moment.

Then she realized what position she was in.

Her head rested on Jiang Chuan's thigh. Her hands rested on Jiang Chuan's forearms. Her body was slightly curled up, her entire weight pressed against Jiang Chuan. She could feel the warmth of Jiang Chuan's thighs through the fabric of his pants, warm and firm. She could smell his scent—sweat, dust, and something deeper, his own unique aroma.

Her heart started racing.

So warm.

I'm so happy.

Then she regained consciousness.

It seems that she and Jiang Chuan don't have any special relationship.

Nanami suddenly sat up.

The movement was so fast that she felt dizzy for a moment. She steadied herself, braced herself with her hands on the ground, and turned to look towards the quarry. In the twilight, the center of the quarry was empty, with only a mess on the ground.

"They've disappeared?" Her voice was still a little hoarse. "Is the conflict over?"

Jiang Chuan glanced down at her.

He stood up, dusted himself off, and then reached out his hand to Nanami.

Nanami looked at that hand.

The fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, and the palm faced upwards. In the twilight, the hand looked very steady.

She reached out and took his hand. His palm was warm, dry, and strong. He pulled her up, and her hand clenched in his for two seconds. After two seconds, he released her.

Nanami withdrew her hand, the warmth of his palm still lingering on her fingertips.

The two turned and walked towards the archaeological camp.

Dusk had completely fallen. Only a last sliver of crimson light remained on the horizon. A few emergency lights flickered on in the camp, their dim yellow glow swaying in the darkness. The camp was quiet; most people were still asleep. Fat Ding's singing had lulled them into a deep sleep, a sleep deeper and more thorough than a normal night's rest.

Jiang Chuan walked in front. Nanami followed behind.

Her steps were a little slow, but her eyes were always on Jiang Chuan's back.

He has broad shoulders, a straight back, and a steady gait.

The work clothes, stained with sweat and dust, clung to the body, outlining the contours of the back. Further down, the waist was narrow, tucked into the trousers. Below the waistband…

Nanami abruptly looked away.

Her face was burning.

What happened?

Nanami bit her lip, her mind a jumbled mess. Her head was filled with a jumble of chaotic thoughts. When she first woke up, the sight of Jiang Chuan's profile had made her heart race.

As she leaned against him, a strange heat surged through her body, spreading from her chest down to her lower abdomen—a feeling that was both strange and familiar.

She had secretly thought about Jiang Chuan before.

But that thought was faint. Like a tiny seedling, it would occasionally sprout, and she would quickly nip it in the bud. She was a researcher, an archaeologist; her mind should be filled with fossils, strata, and ancient civilizations. She shouldn't be thinking about those things.

But now.

Now that little sapling has suddenly grown into a tree. A tree with lush branches and deep roots, so large that it can't be suppressed. Her mind is filled with Jiang Chuan.

His profile, his hands, his shoulders, his waist, and...

Nanami bit her lip hard.

The pain brought her to her senses for a moment.

wrong.

This isn't right.

Even if she had ideas before, they were only "a tiny bud".

What is this now? This is an absolute monster!

She felt as if she was being controlled by something, and all sorts of images were flooding her mind.

Jiang Chuan placed his hand on her waist. Jiang Chuan's chest was pressed against her back.

Jiang Chuan lowered his head, his lips close to her ear…

Nanami suddenly shook her head.

She clenched her fingers, her nails digging into her palms. It hurt. A little better. She clenched them again.

Jiang Chuan heard the noise and turned to look at her.

"What's wrong?"

Nanami quickly shook her head.

"N-nothing. My foot slipped."

Jiang Chuan glanced at her for two seconds, then didn't ask any more questions and continued walking forward.

Nanami followed behind, head down, staring intently at the ground. Her heart was still pounding, her face was still burning, and her mind was still filled with a jumble of chaotic images.

She knew something was wrong.

But what she didn't know was that the hypnotic waves from the ancient Jigglypuff did something while she was asleep. It didn't destroy her consciousness, but merely suppressed her primary thoughts temporarily. During that time, her subconscious took over her mind. Those thoughts, desires, and impulses that had been suppressed for years surged up, rampaging through her brain.

If the body is conscious at the time, these subconscious thoughts will not have a significant impact. People can suppress impulses with reason and control desires with willpower.

But now Nanami has woken up.

Her main thought had awakened, but her subconscious hadn't retreated. Those surging thoughts were still swirling in her mind, vying for dominance with her main thought. And the deeper she suppressed them, the stronger her subconscious became. Plus, her recent "little budding" feelings for Jiang Chuan had already been growing.

So right now, Nanami's mind is filled with desire for Egawa.

She could only distract herself by physically biting her lip and pinching her fingers.

After all, this is in the wild. At an archaeological camp. Surrounded by colleagues.

If she were to actually do those shameful things, she would never be able to live a normal life again.

Nanami took a deep breath, then another.

Then he quickened his pace to catch up with Jiang Chuan.

The situation at the camp was better than expected.

Although several tents were overturned and some equipment was damaged during the fight, everyone was safe. After everyone gradually woke up, a headcount of the number of people and supplies was taken, and it was found that the losses were still within an acceptable range. Several precision instruments were damaged by rubble, and there weren't enough spare parts to repair them, but the core data was all preserved. Three tents were missing, but they could still squeeze in.

Everyone sat around the emergency light and ate a simple dinner.

Bread, canned food, bottled water.

No one complained.

The relief of surviving the ordeal was written on everyone's face. The researchers talked in hushed tones; some were still trembling, some laughed mid-sentence, then fell silent again. Several Pokémon surrounded their owner, all awake but still somewhat listless.

Nanami sat at the edge of the crowd.

She held a piece of bread in her hand, took two bites, and put it down. Her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Jiang Chuan. Jiang Chuan was sitting at the other end, examining the stone slab. His fingers traced the patterns on the surface of the slab, blue light dancing on his fingertips. His profile was sharply defined in the emergency light, his jawline clean and sharp.

Nanami bit her lip again.

She turned her gaze back to the bread in her hand.

"Stop looking, stop looking, stop looking..." she muttered to herself. "Think about something else. Think about geological strata. Think about fossils. Think about the distribution patterns of ancient civilizations..."

Useless.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of Jiang Chuan…

Nanami suddenly stood up.

The person next to her glanced at her.

"It's okay," she forced a smile. "I'll go tidy up my things."

She hurried to her tent, turning her back to the campsite. Head bowed, she breathed heavily. Her heart was pounding in her throat. Her face was burning. Her thighs felt weak.

"What's wrong with me...?"

She asked herself in a low voice.

"Before, it was just a tiny, fleeting thought... why is it so strong now..."

She didn't know the answer.

But her body knows.

It was a deep, irrepressible longing that surged up from the depths of one's being.

It was like a wild beast that had been caged for too long smelling the scent of its prey, or like parched land that had been dry for too long encountering rain.

Her body was telling her: You want…

Nanami closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Then she heard footsteps.

She suddenly opened her eyes and turned her head.

Jiang Chuan stood three steps behind her.

Are you alright?

Nanami's heart skipped a beat.

"N-nothing." She quickly stood up straight and withdrew her hand from the car door. "I'm just a little tired."

Jiang Chuan glanced at her. In the twilight, his gaze was calm, but Nanami felt there was something in his eyes. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I'll sleep in your car tonight. There aren't enough tents; leave them for the injured and the ladies."

Nanami paused for a moment, opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end only managed to squeeze out one word.

"it is good."

………………

After dinner, the campsite gradually quieted down.

After a quick tidying up, everyone found a place to rest. The injured went into the tents, and the women were assigned to three tents. Several male researchers laid out their sleeping bags next to their off-road vehicles.

Jiang Chuan returned to Nanami's off-road vehicle.

He put Pikachu into his Poké Ball.

Pikachu released too much electricity today and was also affected by the hypnotic wave, so it needs to rest. Jiang Chuan took the Poké Ball in his hand, gently stroked it, whispered "Sleep well," and then tucked it into his waistband.

He slowly lay back in the back seat, his superpowers and aura overloaded, his physical strength at its limit. The moment his head touched his coat, he felt drowsiness wash over him.

He closed his eyes.

The moonlight streamed down, bathing the campsite in a silvery glow. The distant quarry appeared serene in the moonlight, its massive pits and fissures resembling scars on the earth. The trees rustled gently in the night breeze.

Jiang Chuan's breathing gradually slowed and became heavier...