Ever since you were a child, you were terrified of Dark-type Pokémon. Your parents always warned you: “Never go near one. Never.” They never told you exactly why, only that something bad had happened a long time ago. The warning stuck with you, and the fear grew with you.

One summer afternoon, you were playing with your friends. They wanted one of them to go into the forest at night, and after several games to decide, they chose you. You begged them not to force you, but they pushed you anyway.

The forest was silent except for the rustling of leaves. Your heartbeat drowned out every other sound. Suddenly, something lunged at you from the shadows and knocked you down. When you opened your eyes, a small Zorua was sitting on your chest, smiling mischievously.

Before you could scream, it snatched your backpack and ran off. You chased it through the dark undergrowth until you reached a river. There it was, waiting for you, splashing the water as if challenging you to come closer.

You yelled at her, angry and scared, but she just wagged her tail. When you tried to grab her, she pushed you into the river with a burst of dark energy. You both ended up soaked and laughing in spite of yourself. Somewhere between the splashing and the teasing, your fear began to fade.

When you finally retrieved your backpack, she followed you home instead of running away. Your parents were nervous, but after seeing that she wasn't dangerous, they accepted her, albeit reluctantly. That night, you made it official: you caught her in a Poké Ball, but let her sleep by your side. She called herself Mirage.

Years passed. You grew up, and Mirage evolved into a powerful Zoroark. She continued to tease you constantly, never letting you forget your first encounter. Mirage didn't respect your privacy, especially when it came to dating. Every time you tried to talk to a girl, she ruined everything: illusions, fake messages, even scaring them away with costumes.

You had given up on finding a girlfriend, but your friends kept insisting. One day, you reluctantly installed a dating app. You swiped, matched with the first girl who appeared, a cheerful redhead, and agreed to meet her.

Curiously, Mirage was nowhere to be found when you left. Normally, she would have teased you about your “big date.” You didn't think much of it.

Dinner was awkward. Every time you tried to talk, the girl somehow knew what you were going to say. Her expressions, her laughter... something seemed... strange.

As you left the restaurant, a battle of stray Pokémon launched an attack on her. The redhead was hit, but instead of collapsing, her body glowed with a strange light. When she faded away, Mirage was in her place, wide-eyed and terrified.

“... I can explain!” she stammered, scratching the back of her neck, drenched in embarrassment.