Chapter 477

Greenhills Gym entrance.

Xiao Feng and Xiao Nan watched Baimu depart, exhaling deeply, yet feeling a touch of melancholy.

"It seems we, as Gym Leaders, still have many immature aspects."

"Yes! I actually feared a challenger—even if he was just slightly stronger! It's an insult to my grand ideal of facing the depth of the stars!"

"... Is there any connection between these two things?"

"Of course there is! Can't you see the analogy? No wonder you never passed Mandarin class."

"You're not much better than me..."

After the Gym battle, the two underage Gym Leader twins, brother and sister, argued until their faces turned red, causing Lei Yin nearby to sigh and pinch the bridge of her nose, wondering when her two unlucky kids would ever grow up.

It made her, the very center of the universe's supervisor, now act as a personal nanny to two idiots.

No way!

I must have a serious talk with that guy Keen!

Lei Yin made up her mind.

Elsewhere.

Pokémon Center.

After handing over his three battling Pokémon to Miss Qiao Yin, Baimu silently reflected on the recent battle.

Setting aside the flashy double performances of the Contest, the Greenhills Gym battle was his first truly serious Double Battle—feeling the strain of managing two perspectives simultaneously, the difficulty had skyrocketed geometrically.

But Double Battles aren't the mainstream format in the anime world; at most, there'd be one more triple battle in the Cho Yau Tournament qualifiers—no big deal.

The surprising standout was Gyarados.

Even though he'd already overestimated its attack power, its performance in the Gym battle was impressive enough to earn Baimu's applause.

Perhaps this is the true value of the 【Strong Jaw】 ability—Gyarados already had a natural aptitude for strength, its attack slightly above its peers; after Mega Evolution, the ability nearly doubled, maximizing its destructive power.

Congratulations indeed.

He'd long been troubled by his team's excessive defense and insufficient offense, unable to keep up with the top anime trainers' power-blast meta—until Mega Gyarados appeared and filled most of that gap.

Moreover, its attack potential could still be pushed further.

In his mind surfaced the final 【Play Rough】 moment, when Mega Gyarados couldn't contain its energy, which erupted from its jaws—he felt as if he'd seen a Gundam with its engine fully revved...

Perhaps I can do something about it.

"Cough. Cough."

Baimu coughed twice, looking up to see a happy egg nurse pushing a stretcher carrying a Charizard whose back continuously smoked, drenched and looking pitiful.

The trainer... oh, a short chubby kid hidden behind the happy egg, probably around ten years old.

He turned his gaze away and sipped tea; over the past year, he'd transformed from frail to robust—his appearance hadn't changed much, but his physical attributes, once deficient, now surged endlessly as if without limit.

Even his senses had grown sharper—though that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Two weeks from now: Mi Ke Li Cup, Liuli Gym battle... then preparing for the Grand Festival, the League Conference, returning to the Orre region after the Champion League..." Baimu muttered his schedule, then suddenly pulled out his phone to check his notes.

——【Heir Trial】!

How could he have forgotten this!

He remembered Miss Xijiana telling him to contact her after collecting six badges—but now he was about to qualify for the tournament...

Though he'd initially ignored it, not wanting to compete with Miss Xijiana for the so-called "Heir," breaking a promise was still unacceptable.

Baimu opened PokémonLine and sent a message to Miss Xijiana.

By the time he retrieved his three healed Pokémon and boarded the car back to Champion Dawu's hometown, her call came through.

"Moshi moshi?"

Miss Xijiana's voice brimmed with energy.

He replied: "It's me, Baimu."

"Hehe, Baimu-kun is impressive—got six badges so fast?"

"Uh... thanks for the compliment." Actually, seven.

"Where are you now? In Inoue City?"

"... Greenhills City."

"Huh? So eager to get the seventh badge? The League Conference is still a while off."

Miss Xijiana spoke casually, seemingly uninterested in his location—she was just setting up the next line: "Can you make it to Duskwater Town within two days?"

Duskwater Town?

Not planning to go to the Sky Pillar, are you?

Baimu's expression turned odd, yet he replied naturally: "I can."

"Then let's meet at the Duskwater Town Pokémon Center—don't be late~" Miss Xijiana hung up without waiting, sounding decisive and brooking no argument.

But she hadn't even given a specific meeting time.

This girl... is she reliable?

Baimu couldn't judge someone's competence, especially after only two meetings—but given her success in taking down a Team Rocket outpost, even if crude, she was crudely meticulous.

He sent her a message asking for the exact time, then went to the back mountain of Champion Dawu's home.

Since Bonsly hadn't fought in today's Gym battle, he'd left the big monster here—he now planned to sneak over and see what the thing did all day besides learning moves and battle experience from the other two Bonsly, and managing the mountain.

So.

After climbing a hill, he saw, across a mountain stream, a broad, pitted expanse—a harmonious scene of one planting trees and the other watering them.

The planter was obvious; the waterer was the Shiny Milotic, beloved by thousands of girls, who also hadn't gone to the Gym battle to cheer from its Poké Ball—this fangirl preferred to trail after Bonsly.

At this moment, both wore full smiles—the scene was as beautiful as it could be—

One's Egg Group is 【Water】 and 【Dragon】, the other is 【Monster】—you two won't have a good outcome!

All Baimu really wanted to shout that, but he figured Milotic itself didn't have any such intention — right now it was purely admiration, the same as toward a big brother.

Playing matchmaker randomly wouldn't do.

Besides, if it were true love, what would a mere reproductive barrier count for! Humans and Pokémon don't have reproductive barriers!

Hmm… they should, right?

The figure of N suddenly flashed through All Baimu's mind, and he recalled a few urban legends about psychic boys turning into Aggron, so he didn't dare think too deeply about it.

Damn you, Game Freak, for digging pits and never filling them.

Just as he was about to approach, the Aggron over there seemed to sense it psychically and looked over; Milotic also turned its gaze, and upon seeing it was the trainer, one revealed a dopey, silly smile, while the other simply twisted its body and swam right over.

"Milo~"

Milotic's movement speed was quite swift, and even while wading through the stream its speed didn't diminish — Peng De plunged in with a splash, sending water flying everywhere.

Once upon a time All Baimu had worried that this fellow, crawling on the ground for so long, would leave indelible black marks on its beautiful golden scales and cream-colored fur, like old calluses. But as this fellow evolved longer, he realized that whenever its belly and tail that touched the ground showed any sign of wearing marks, it would shed fur and shed scales.

Therefore it could always maintain the most perfect appearance.

Really now, what do they call Pokémon?

A little too miraculous.

All Baimu once again realized on Milotic's body that Pokémon should not be judged by common sense. "Eek—!"

He grabbed the huge body that this fellow leaned over, complaining:

"Don't charge so hard, I'm going to be crushed to death."

Milotic's body was very soft, but the feel differed between land and water — on land it was fluffy like a big plush doll, in the water it was so smooth it was like an extra layer of scales had been added.

Just how does this fellow keep its body from losing too much moisture?

A question worth researching and discussing.

"Milo~"

Milotic nuzzled All Baimu's cheek several times before lifting its head. Given its formerly self-abased personality, this kind of intimate gesture would never have dared to be done, but the boost in appearance after evolution also gradually let it learn to act coquettish in the true sense — its moves weren't learned for nothing.

They say the appearance follows the heart, but it seems the heart following the appearance also has some truth to it.

At least it can let Milotic become confident.

The two arrived beside the Aggron; the latter was carefully observing the tiny sapling, not daring to extend its claws for fear of accidentally knocking it over.

"Gurou~"

In the end the Aggron contentedly withdrew its gaze — its evaluation of this tree-planting was: perfect!

"What about those two? Just you and Milotic doing the work here?" All Baimu looked around, but didn't spot the two Aggron from Champion Dawu's house.

Actually this clearing originally had trees, but the big monster and the one from Champion Dawu's house fought too fiercely — even without really using moves they destroyed quite a few, quite a sin.

Earlier All Baimu had been very surprised how the trees on the territory were destroyed, yet the outsider big monster looked more heartbroken; the two from Champion Dawu's house didn't care at all, looking completely nonchalant.

Now he understood.

After all this fuss, it was because they knew the big monster would definitely replant them — the kind that cleared the old roots and replanted anew — even though the other two had broken more…

Alright then.

When all was said and done, the trees being destroyed was also because the big monster wanted to learn from Champion Dawu's house's two — without learning, how would this situation have arisen? Letting it replant them itself, no problem at all, it was supposed to do it in the first place, and as the trainer he also had the responsibility to work together.

But All Baimu looked at the ground that was still bare over a large area, and felt a bit worried.

Can it be fully planted in two days?

"Gurou?"

Time to depart?

The Aggron seemed to understand what the trainer was worrying about; after getting a definite answer it raised its head and roared, "Roar—!"

The howl shook the mountain forest, and also caused two massive figures to slowly emerge in the distance.

It went over to discuss with the two Aggron about coming back to plant next time, and assured them it absolutely didn't mean to shirk responsibility — the situation just didn't allow it.

"Gurou."

The male one told it to stop talking.

Although they'd only spent a few short days together, just as Champion Dawu appreciated All Baimu, the big monster also gained the appreciation of the two Aggron from Champion Dawu's house.

Letting it and Milotic work alone on the tree-planting earlier was just because they heard it had never personally planted a tree — only tended flower beds and shrubs — so they wanted to let it get some hands-on practice.

What kind of Aggron has never planted a tree!

Flower beds and shrubs?

Are the trunks as thick? Are the roots as hard? Don't be too outrageous! Big trees are what Aggron should really be planting!

Fortunately the tree-planting skill was engraved in this species' genes, like spiders being born knowing how to spin webs — it could proceed easily without instruction.

"Gurou~"

The two Aggron each placed a claw on the big monster's left and right shoulders, a human-like sense of relief flashing across their fierce faces.

That made the latter strangely excited.

"Milo?"

Milotic didn't quite understand what they were doing, and wanted to get excited together with good big brother, but just couldn't work up the emotion.

All Baimu said: "It's saying goodbye. It's rare to have two of the same species as teachers, and it gained a sense of recognition from them — reluctance is certain."

The true meaning of traveling the Pokémon world is to constantly encounter all kinds of people, experience all sorts of things, and then part with them, leaving behind memories worth cherishing with each other.

In the past only he encountered others; now his Pokémon could also encounter other Pokémon.

Pretty good.

"Milo…"

Milotic still didn't quite understand — its comprehension of complicated things had never been very strong, whether during the Feebas period or the current Milotic period.

But perhaps this very "simplicity" was a major reason it could leap over the fence of weakness and welcome transformation.

"You'll understand eventually." All Baimu smiled.

Once they headed to Lilycove City, they would surely see Mi Ke Li's Milotic.

—

No need to trouble Hu Pa with opening a portal.

All Baimu boarded the ferry bound for Sootopolis Town.

In the games, Sootopolis Town was a seaside town built atop numerous rafts, whereas in the anime it sat on an island—a rare vacation destination.

The local Sootopolis branch of the Grand Contest was also one of the higher-value venues among the many.

If not for the Mi Ke Li Cup, his next target would most likely have been the Sootopolis Contest.

"Lovely weather today, isn't it?"

All Baimu leaned against the railing, gazing out at the boundless sea; Wingull circled overhead—not eyeing him for fries, but because someone nearby had been feeding them bread.

Suddenly.

An excited voice came from behind.

"Baimu-kun?"

Can you still recognize someone wearing bug-eye sunglasses?

All Baimu turned his head in disbelief, found the voice somewhat familiar, and then realized it was the pink-haired twin-tailed Uraraka he'd met back in Cianwood City.

The other girl looked to be in fine spirits, accompanied by a rather listless Sharpedo that kept yawning.

"Long time no see, Uraraka."

A smile spread across his face.

Though Uraraka in the anime was a bit annoying, the Uraraka he knew had already turned over a new leaf, and their last conversation had been pleasant enough.

"Ah!"

Uraraka looked a little delighted, seemingly surprised All Baimu still remembered her, and quickly asked:

"Are you heading to Sootopolis Town to take part in the Sootopolis Contest?"

"Not exactly…"

All Baimu waved his hand. "I've got other things to do. Are you entering the Sootopolis Contest?"

Uraraka nodded, then felt a touch of regret that she couldn't compete on the same stage as him—she really wanted to show him how much she'd grown lately.

But on second thought, she asked: "Then the Mi Ke Li Cup…"

"That I'm naturally entering, and I intend to take the championship." All Baimu replied with a smile.

Uraraka also laughed: "I hope we get the chance to settle the score when the time comes."

"Naturally."