Chapter 157: Delibird Encounters a Street Loiterer

However, Luo Mu keenly noticed the flower buds on the berry trees that were about to bloom.

It would not be long before they bloomed, and most berry trees required the help of Bug-type Pokémon with the habit of collecting nectar to bear fruit.

Pokémon like Beedrill, Butterfree, Beautifly, and Combee all possessed such habits.

Normally, nearby wild Bug-type Pokémon would complete the pollination work for ordinary berry trees, but obviously, wild Pokémon could not be allowed to enter and exit Luo Mu's farm at will; one of Luxray's regular duties was to drive away wild Pokémon attracted by the farm's crops.

After all, there was no guarantee that these wild Pokémon would not pose a threat to the farm and the Pokémon within it, so the only choice was to apply a blanket ban.

Perhaps he would have been troubled by this before, but now, using Hearing Nimo's Cubchoo as a stepping stone, Luo Mu had established excellent relations with the Vespiquen and Combee colonies in a small woodland near the wilderness.

With this friendship, perhaps he could conduct transactions with Vespiquen and the others.

The flowers on the berry trees, as well as those in the flower field cultivated for Flabébé, were about to bloom in full; he could invite Vespiquen and the others to the farm to collect pollen, which would not only deepen his connection with Vespiquen's colony and complete the pollination of the berry trees but also yield extra Combee honey.

This was truly a move that killed multiple birds with one stone.

Luo Mu decided that after obtaining the evolution item for Milcery from Circhester Town, he would visit the small woodland to meet with the Vespiquen colony and finalize the cooperation matters.

Once these matters were settled, Moltres's weight loss should have shown results, and by then, he could have it carry him and Growlithe to the volcano to prepare for evolution.

Kanto Region, Old Coast Pier.

After watching the trio and Pikachu, soaked to the bone, scramble into the ferry terminal hall in a sorry state, Delibird heaved a long sigh of relief.

But when Delibird realized that this was actually the pier where it had first disembarked, it immediately felt utterly exhausted in heart.

It had never imagined that there could be people in the world so ridiculous; if it had known earlier that they were heading to this place, it wouldn't have had to work so hard following the three of them as they got hopelessly lost in the wilderness for half a month.

That cap-wearing boy, who seemed to be named Ash, felt that everything was due to their good luck, turning danger into safety numerous times along the way, but in reality, it was because Delibird needed them to lead it to the location of the Dragonite leader, forcing it to reluctantly lend a hand.

It didn't know why they were so unlucky, pursued relentlessly by a duo-and-a-cat combination that looked like clowns; several times when that Pikachu was caught by robots created by the three clowns, it was Delibird, using moves from the shadows to create openings, that allowed Ash and his group to turn danger into safety.

After landing on the roof of the port hall and listening for a while to the conversations of the humans gathered inside, as well as analyzing information gleaned from snippets of Ash and his group's speech,

Delibird took another look at the pouring rain outside, the pitch-black storm clouds and sea, and the fierce winds and towering waves rising occasionally, finally understanding the reason.

An invitation issued by the "Strongest Pokémon Trainer"?

Delibird frowned deeply; in its understanding, Luo Mu was the strongest trainer.

Although it very much wanted to slap the face of this mysterious "Strongest," the most urgent task was still to investigate clearly the relationship between the Dragonite leader and the other party.

Luo Mu's notebook had written that one should not show off strength for boring reasons when outside, and that one must remain calm in all matters.

Delibird had always upheld this as a creed and practiced it earnestly.

In the gap while Delibird was thinking, a disturbance arose in the crowd; immediately after, many trainers released their Pokémon one after another, intending to break directly through the storm and waves to reach that place called "New Island."

Miss Miss Junsha's shouts were completely unable to stop this group of hot-blooded trainers; even the trio and Pikachu whom Delibird had been following all along boarded a wooden boat and proceeded in the direction of New Island.

After memorizing the general direction of New Island on the map, Delibird's gaze fell upon the few people on the wooden boat, seeing through at a glance the two rowing the boat and seeing through Meowth's disguise as a decoration.

After silently complaining that these three clowns were truly haunting ghosts, even though Ash counted as the person in Delibird's memory whose love for Pokémon came closest to Luo Mu's, Delibird was too lazy to bother with this matter anymore.

Anyway, those two humans and one cat would ultimately fail.

On the contrary, this storm made Delibird's face show an expression of excitement.

It loved challenging nature the most!

Looking at that area of wind and rain, shrouded in heavy dark clouds, which according to the judgment methods taught by Dragonite and the others indicated a disaster site where a sea hurricane was highly likely to exist, Delibird flapped its wings and plunged fearlessly into it!

"De-li!!"

At this moment, having once again conquered the storm, Delibird felt immensely cheerful; with a single breath, it pierced through the thick storm clouds, and above the firmament, a bright full moon came into view.

Below was a storm that could be described as a disaster for ordinary Pokémon, yet above the storm clouds, the years were quiet and good, with calm winds and tranquil seas.

Such beautiful scenery stunned Delibird, until a pink figure fluttering up and down broke into its field of vision.

"De-li?"

Delibird was startled; could it be that there were other Pokémon that had also conquered this storm like it, arriving above the storm clouds?

It rubbed its eyes, wanting to see more clearly, but unexpectedly, when it opened its eyes again, that pink figure had vanished without a trace, as if it had been an illusion.

Delibird stood dazed for a moment, feeling that it might truly have been just its own illusion; shaking its head to banish the complicated thoughts from its mind, Delibird immediately intended to turn and fly downward.

New Island was right below here.

However, the moment it just turned its head, a pink cat face quietly occupied its entire field of vision just like that.

"De-li-li!?"

Delibird was so frightened that its fur nearly stood on end; when had this thing appeared behind it? It hadn't noticed at all!

"Mew-mew-mew! ~"

Seemingly aware that its prank had succeeded, Mew covered its mouth and emitted an innocent and guileless laughter; this was not mocking Delibird, but simply that Mew never concealed its emotions.

After calming down, Delibird rarely felt somewhat ashamed; after despising itself in its heart for having broken through a storm only to be frightened by such a prank, Delibird scratched its head and spoke: "De-li?" (Who are you? Why are you here?)

"Mew?" (Then who are you? Why are you here?)

Mew tilted its head, asking counter-questioningly as if on purpose.

Delibird was startled; did this even come with a counter-question?

But Delibird was truly curious about this Pokémon that had conquered the storm just like it and could mysteriously appear behind it, so it could only speak first: "De-li-li!" (I am Delibird; I crossed the naturally occurring disaster storm below, intending to infiltrate that island below to conduct an investigation!)

"Mew?" (Disaster?)

"Mew-mew-mew!" (But, this storm was distorted and formed by a Pokémon using psychic powers!)

(End of Chapter)