Chapter 569: The Heart of Gengar

A magnificent grand festival.

An annual coordination-trainer grand event held by region.

Its purpose is to have the strongest emerge from among the many outstanding coordination trainers and be awarded the title of Top Coordinator—one of the premier competitions countless people scramble to chase.

Since Baimu's spontaneous idea with Bibreo.

Four Grand Festival victories earned Baimu a ticket to this grand event.

And after nearly two weeks of waiting, the imminent Grand Festival has set him and Miss Liuqi on the road to compete for the top honor.

The host location—

LaRousse City.

That's right.

The very same high-tech metropolis Ash and friends visited in the movie, where Rayquaza fell to human black technology and two Deoxys appeared.

Baimu had long admired this place by reputation, but never had the time to go—who would have thought he'd come in this form…

But before that, he had to make a detour to Greenfield Town.

Since he'd promised the shiny Milotic he'd go find that watermelon-headed brat to "get revenge," he couldn't very well go back on his word—might as well go pick some fresh berries while he's at it.

Greenfield Town's berries are top quality; the odds of crafting a high-grade Pokéblock from them far exceed those of berries bought elsewhere.

The three generations at the Ecruteak Gym particularly love using Greenfield Town berries; even though most of the Gym's Pokéblocks are bought ready-made, a portion is still handmade by them.

The reason is to maintain sensitivity to Pokéblock effects.

Miss Liuqi had wanted to travel with Baimu, but as a star idol of the Grand Festival, she had to use the pre-competition window for warm-up activities—many Hoenn town TV stations wanted to interview her.

She could only watch helplessly as her "rebellious disciple" swaggered off at the Lilycove City bullet-train station.

If time allowed, she'd drag this rebellious disciple onto a show with her no matter what—a Grand Festival newcomer and an idol interviewed together to hype the event—wouldn't that make a wonderful story?

Meanwhile.

On the bullet-train seat, Baimu was playing poker with his shiny Gengar, who cackled wickedly.

"Ace!"

"Call!"

A small joker was played.

Compared to some of the dummies on the team, this one is genuinely smart—poker clicks instantly for it and it picks up the game at incredible speed; from being unilaterally toyed with to now having the luck to win a small hand took no more than fifteen minutes.

Perhaps because it's had more contact with humans?

In any case, its IQ feels like even if it doesn't match Porygon2 with its artificial intelligence, it's still above the average Pokémon line.

"Sequence! Two left!"

Baimu tossed down his cards, and the shiny Gengar immediately broke into a smug, wiggly-eyebrow expression.

"Hehehehe! Call!"

It cackled and tossed out four twos.

Victory was assured!

"Rocket!"

A thunderclap-like voice rang in the shiny Gengar's ear.

Its smile froze on its face; it stared wide-eyed as the big and small jokers flew down, and couldn't help glancing at the human before it.

It then used its chubby paws to rummage through the deck; finding nothing, it looked up again.

Baimu said: "What?"

"Call…"

The shiny Gengar lowered its head and began pondering.

It had clearly played the small joker, and this guy hadn't touched the deck the whole time—how did he have a small joker? Could there be two small jokers?

"Any problem? If not, I'm sticking a strip on you."

Baimu didn't give it much time to think; he picked up strips of napkin torn into ribbons, dampened them, and stuck them onto the shiny Gengar's plump, oversized face.

A rough count showed the white strips on its face already numbered over a dozen.

A little more effort and maybe it can become a White Ghost without even Mega Evolving.

"Call~"

The shiny Gengar also realized it had been tricked by the human before it; in the past it would definitely have pulled some prank to get back at him, but now…

Since it's eating off the guy, there's not much to say.

Again!

"Call!"

The shiny Gengar was actually a bit indignant; it really wanted to know how the other had gotten hold of the small joker.

"Again? Then again."

Baimu gathered the cards and began shuffling.

A gambler's tricks start at the shuffle—stealing cards is about the simplest operation there is; pity it only works on Pokémon.

If you actually used it in gambling, the guy across the table might just smile and head to the kitchen to fetch you a bat and a knife.

They'd played for nearly two hours.

Greenfield Town had arrived.

"From the easternmost edge of Hoenn to the central area in only two hours—I can't decide whether modern transportation is just too awesome, or Hoenn is just too small…"

Baimu thought no wonder Team Magma had been driven to extremes worrying over land for humans to live on.

However.

The scenery really is beautiful.

"Follow…"

The shiny Gengar gazed into the distance in surprise.

Vast fields, a small town nestled against mountains and beside water.

Simply standing in place, a quiet and gentle breeze brushed against its face; the fresh air made its body feel as though waking from slumber, brimming with vitality.

"We've arrived."

All Baimu wiped the napkin from its face and asked with a smile: "Does it feel comfortable?"

The shiny Gengar nodded. "Follow!"

When it stayed by Jarvis's side, it had never had the chance or the thought to appreciate so-called nature, but at this moment, it truly came to appreciate the beauty of the world.

Why?

Was it because its mood had changed?

The shiny Gengar tilted its head to look beside it, then felt a large hand placed on top of its head.

"A livable town is like this. I hope one day Orei can have this kind of beautiful natural environment too."

He gently stroked it, then walked toward the melon field in his memory. "Let's go! There's a snake that can't wait any longer!"

"Follow!"

The shiny Gengar hurriedly floated up to follow.

Not long after.

Farmland covered in green seedlings.

The rich scent of soil and fertilizer drifted through the air, swirling at the tip of its nose with the breeze.

The shiny Gengar looked around with a strange expression.

"Follow…"

"Does it stink? Actually it's not that bad, right?"

All Baimu looked curiously at the shiny Gengar. This guy clearly only had one pair of eyes and one mouth on its face—how did it smell anything?

But before that, perhaps one should consider in what form ghost Pokémon exist.

Suddenly.

"Halt! I am the Masked Messenger Taro—huh? Why is it you?"

The familiar watermelon-headed little imp jumped out, two vegetable leaves stuck to its face. It froze on the spot upon spotting All Baimu and the shiny Gengar.

"Long time no see. I came back specially to visit."

All Baimu greeted it, stepped forward curiously, and gestured: "How come after a few months you haven't grown a single bit?"

The watermelon-headed little imp Taro's face flushed red. It reached out to push him but couldn't budge him.

"It's because you're too tall… stop talking nonsense! Let's battle! My generals have gotten stronger! I definitely won't lose to you again!"

Taro excitedly shouted.

"That's exactly what I was thinking."

He naturally wouldn't refuse. He took out the Poké Ball gently swaying in his pocket and smiled: "I have a partner here that's been thinking about you for a long time. Don't let it down."

Having said that.

The Poké Ball was thrown.

Poof!

"Milo~"

A shiny Milotic landed amid the gentle white light. The shiny Gengar immediately turned its head away, afraid its spirit would be drawn away.

Taro and his Vileplume were both utterly shocked.

"Th-this this—"

"The Feebas from back then has evolved. How about it? Isn't it beautiful?"

All Baimu said: "It remembers you all this time."

The shiny Milotic responded with a low cry. "Milo~"

Taro's face was full of confusion. He said: "Remembers me? Is it because my family's watermelons are really tasty? In that case, sorry about that—my family isn't growing watermelons this season. If you want to eat them, come back next year. I'll save a few extra for you."

"Hahahaha, maybe that's part of it."

All Baimu laughed and reached out to stroke the shiny Milotic's chin.

The latter narrowed its eyes and nuzzled back, looking comfortable.

He continued:

"The bigger reason is still that 'pretty face' comment you made back then… ah! I know you didn't mean to look down on it. The shiny Milotic doesn't hold a grudge against you either."

Seeing Taro's slightly panicked expression, All Baimu smiled: "It just wants to prove to you with its strength that it's not a pretty face. Let's battle! Nothing is more direct than a battle!"

For this simple-minded shiny Milotic, proving itself to the people or Pokémon who once mocked it was an especially important part of its life.

Those Pokémon from the past would probably be hard to encounter again.

But at least with Taro, it wanted to earn the other's recognition.

To be honest.

All Baimu didn't quite agree with his Milotic's way of thinking. Unless the other party had spoken without thinking, most of those who had deliberately mocked it would not admit their mistake.

Even if it defeated them or outshone them in beauty.

However.

Not agreeing and not encouraging are two different things.

As his partner, the shiny Milotic should have its own will. If it believed this was right and it violated no public order or morals, then as its Trainer he should encourage it and help it.

So All Baimu had brought it here.

"I don't get it, I totally don't get it!"

Tarō's face scrunched up into a knot as he grabbed his hair, then waved his hand grandly and said: "Forget all that! Battle, battle!

"Seed Machine Gun!"

All Baimu laughed: "I've been waiting for you! Go!"

"Milo!"

The shiny Milotic let out a low cry, its coiled body suddenly springing open like a spring, and lunged at Victreebel!

Not far away.

The shiny Gengar hid in the vegetable field, watching the calm and smiling All Baimu and the confident shiny Milotic; its habitual grin stretching to its ears pulled back, its expression seeming puzzled, seeming wistful.

What exactly should the relationship between humans and Pokémon be?

It didn't know, once before.

It doesn't really understand now, either.

But if it could become like the two of them before its eyes, that would be wonderful; if it could become like them, nothing could be better.

"Gen—"

The shiny Gengar quietly watched from the sidelines, and made its own little wish.

At the same time.

The shiny Milotic nimbly circled around Victreebel, the latter turning its head and firing off a large volley of emerald-green seeds, but every single one missed, landing in the vegetable field and kicking up clouds of dust and shredded vegetables.

"Ahhhh—why won't they hit?!"

Tarō screamed in frustration.

And Victreebel's spinning Seed Machine Gun finally came to an end.

Chance.

"Icy Wind."

"Milo!"

The shiny Milotic took a deep breath, then suddenly blew forward!

Whoosh!

The fierce frosty breath instantly froze a layer of glittering ice crystals over Victreebel's body, and the giant pitcher plant's movements gradually grew stiff.

"Victreebel!" Tarō cried out.

Victreebel's eyes ringed with dark circles, and it collapsed backward weakly.

Thud~

Dust scattered in all directions.

"Milo!"

The shiny Milotic excitedly raised its upper body, looking down at Tarō and the battle-worn Victreebel, its face full of anticipation.

"Gulu."

Tarō picked up Victreebel and looked over at All Baimu on the other side, seeing him press his palms together and sheepishly wink his right eye; after a moment's hesitation, he said to the shiny Milotic: "Hmph! Sorry for calling you a pretty-face before! You're really strong!"

"Milo!"

The shiny Milotic's eyes suddenly lit up, and it swam back to its trainer's side in utter satisfaction, affectionately nuzzling his cheek. "Milo! Milo!"

"I know, I know you're really strong."

All Baimu laughed as he stroked its chin and cheek, then quietly gave Tarō a thumbs-up, and waved to the shiny Gengar in the vegetable field: "It's over! Come back!"

This guy didn't know why it had hidden so far away—its spot was perfectly safe.

"Gen!"

The shiny Gengar drifted over, but still didn't quite dare look the shiny Milotic in the eye.

It had seen All Baimu's little gesture just now; although it wasn't sure of the exact meaning, it could tell All Baimu was asking something of that human child.

Asking what?

From the shiny Milotic's expression, it wasn't hard to figure out—it had to be something that would make the former happy.

Honestly, the shiny Gengar was very envious.

Jarvis had never done anything for it, only endless driving and harm…

"Come over here! Tarō's treating us to melons!"

All Baimu's voice broke its thoughts; it saw that he and Milotic had somehow already made their way into the field, holding up a large oval fruit and beckoning to it.

"Gen?"

The shiny Gengar scratched its head in confusion.

"These are sweet melons my grandpa grew! They're no worse than watermelons! Take a few extra with you!"

Tarō enthusiastically picked through the melons in the vegetable field, and Victreebel, fully recovered after sunbathing a bit, trotted along happily behind him.

All Baimu said with a full smile: "Oh, I couldn't possibly."

"Consider it a gift to apologize to Milotic."

Tarō glanced at the person whose arms were already piled high with melons, and snorted.

By the stream.

After a simple washing, the sweet melon feast began.

The shiny Gengar looked down at the small half-melon in its hands, then looked at the other Pokémon around it with their varied smiles, broke into a big grin, and stuffed the whole thing into its mouth.

"Hehehehe!"

Good food always put it in a good mood.

Too bad there wasn't more.

Just as it was feeling regretful, a hand passed over a new melon slice.

"Less than half isn't enough, right? You can spit the rind out without eating it."

All Baimu laughed, noticing the Shiny Gengar staring at him in a daze, and asked curiously, "What's wrong? Not to your taste?"

"Geng geng!"

The Shiny Gengar hurriedly shook its head, beamed as it took the melon slice and tossed it into its big mouth, chewing back and forth between its left and right cheeks with comical dexterity.

In an instant.

It pulled the rind, no thicker than paper, from its mouth and showed it off to All Baimu like a treasure, "Hehihihi!"

"Amazing, amazing!"

All Baimu watched it in astonishment.

Just what is the structure of this guy's mouth? It can eat like that?

The surrounding Pokémon came over at the sound, and upon seeing the thinness of the rind, they all showed expressions of amazement; the competitive Hydrega buried its head and gnawed wildly, gnawing out a piece of "rotten cabbage leaf."

"Geng~"

The Shiny Gengar embarrassedly set down the rind, its stubby little paw rubbing against its cheek.

Just a smile, full of fiery warmth within its joy.