The sun was setting in the west, dyeing the sea surface a lovely rosy red, reflecting on people's faces so you couldn't tell if it was the color of dusk or the color of people.
"The scenery here is really nice."
On the hillside behind Fula City, colorful flowers of all kinds bloomed, swaying in the wind and blossoming under the dusk, accompanied by waves of refreshing floral fragrance.
Cynthia rode Garchomp and finally arrived at Fula City before nightfall.
"Yes, very nice."
Johan was absorbed in reading Cynthia's palm, looking at her life line, love line, and career line.
"Ka-kaah ka-kaah~~"
Gengar wrapped its arms around Garchomp's neck, pulling it to walk in another direction.
Come come come, let me tell you, there's a cat that can do backflips over there, let me show you.
"Cha?"
Tinkaton held its hammer, blocking Lucario's path.
Can you tell if my hammer has changed?
"It's evening now, even the Crobat are coming out." Cynthia looked up slightly.
"Speaking of which, this should be the best-looking bat, right?"
Previously, the career line looked longer than the love line, but now it seemed like the love line had overtaken it?
Johan muttered silently to himself.
Suddenly a hand gently patted his forehead.
Johan looked up.
Cynthia's eyes were calm: "First time asking me out, and you can't focus on me properly?"
"Cough cough."
Johan shifted his gaze but still held firmly onto the softness in his hands.
"I'm with you, I'm with you. You really are the most beautiful."
A faint blush spread from her neck to her cheeks, but it wasn't very obvious under the dusk.
The sea breeze blew through, passing through the forest's barrier and becoming a gentle breeze. Colorful flowers everywhere competed to release their fragrance, swaying in the wind. The flowers and leaves rubbed together making rustling sounds.
The two sat down in the flower field, their knees submerged in the sea of flowers.
"If we're really talking about beautiful flower fields, it would definitely be the Nebel Plateau in the Kalos region. The flower fields there are unique in the entire Pokémon world."
"Have you been there?" Cynthia turned her head, and his distinct features came into her eyes.
"No." Johan shrugged slightly. "There's someone guarding that place who's not easy to deal with."
The Nebel Plateau was a location from the movie "Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel," where abandoned or discarded Pokémon lived, with the mythical Pokémon Volcanion as their leader.
It wasn't very friendly toward humans.
"You talk about it like it's real." Cynthia wrinkled her nose, showing some cuteness.
"I'll take you to see it if there's a chance." Johan didn't argue, just spoke very gently and calmly.
"Mm."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Until Johan patted his shoulder.
Cynthia looked at him for a while, then slowly leaned over, resting her head on that not-too-broad shoulder. Johan couldn't help but smile, slowly wrapping his arm around from behind and gently embracing her shoulder.
[Never seen anything like this, have you?]
The Zygarde core, having lost its "territory" early on, looked at Victini, who had also lost its "territory," trying to find sympathy.
"Vii~~"
But Victini had no time to pay attention to it, just covered its eyes with both hands while leaving gaps between its fingers, watching the two figures nestled together and excitedly bouncing in mid-air.
The Zygarde core looked up to the sky, feeling lonely.
The sun set and moonlight fell, landing on every petal, making the petals appear even more crystalline, bright and charming.
Glittering like jewels, gentle breeze.
The two still said nothing, did nothing, just nestled together.
Johan slowly closed his eyes, feeling the warmth beside him. Whether it was floral fragrance or body fragrance, he didn't know—he just felt that if Dialga appeared now to freeze time, he would be quite willing.
Cynthia was tall, and you couldn't tell when she wore her coat normally, but when nestled together, Johan could feel her slenderness and those assets that were better than he had imagined.
Cough cough...
Time passed gradually.
Dark clouds appeared in the sky at some point, slowly obscuring the moon's light.
Johan frowned.
He'd have to discuss with Rayquaza tomorrow—the "Air Lock" ability should be used when needed.
"What's wrong?"
Seeming to notice Johan's expression change, Cynthia asked softly.
"Nothing..." Johan tightened his grip on her wrist. "Just suddenly thought of Rayquaza."
After hearing his explanation, Cynthia smiled like a flower. "Didn't you say you didn't want to deal with legendary Pokémon?"
"This is different." Johan said with a straight face, especially seriously.
Cynthia laughed so hard her body trembled slightly, and the two finally separated from their previous state. Johan felt somewhat disappointed.
In two lifetimes, he was also like a young bride on her wedding day—first time.
The bold live well, the timid starve to death!
"Can I..." Johan thought of how Cynthia got along with Caitlin and pointed to her lap.
"Mm..."
Finally.
Johan's head successfully found its wished-for place on the elastic yet soft position, looking up at the night sky while Cynthia quietly searched for white hairs.
Unfortunately, she found none...
"Are you tired lately?"
"A little..."
Cynthia's pressure wasn't small because she set high standards for herself, which naturally required more effort.
"Garchomp seems more robust."
"Mm, it eats so much."
"Hahaha—"
After another brief quiet moment.
"If you're really tired, why not give yourself more vacation time? Isn't there still Lucian you can boss around?"
"Aren't I on vacation now?"
True...
Cynthia looked down, their eyes met, and she smiled: "I'm waiting for you to call me 'Champion.' Then I can order you around."
Johan was speechless.
Just for this?
One above, one below, eyes meeting each other. Cynthia's cheeks climbed with color again, and Johan felt his heart beating heavily and violently, his ears feeling like going from extreme cold to extreme heat in winter, slightly itchy.
Thump—
"Garrr!!"
Garchomp, who had been dragged back by Gengar with great difficulty, saw this scene and suddenly pounded its chest.
Pain! So painful!
"Lucaa..."
Lucario had a bitter smile on its face—you couldn't say it was happy, but there was some heartache.
The cabbage they had protected for so long was finally taken by someone.
"Ka-kaah~ Ka-kaah~"
Gengar gently patted Garchomp's shoulder, indicating it was okay.
Don't worry, our Old Johan Family will be responsible.
"Mm..."
Sunlight came through the window, gently shining on his face.
Johan kept his eyes closed for a long while before stretching and reluctantly sitting up.
Beside him was Tinkaton lying in a "big" character shape drooling, and Ninetales curled up in the blankets. Obviously, there was no sign of Cynthia.
But what happened last night before sleep still made this first-time guy in two lifetimes full of reminiscence and nervousness, like a dream—he didn't know if it was real or fake.
He patted his cheeks and became a bit more alert.
"Rotom, what time is it?"
"It's already 10 AM, Rotom!" The Rotom Pokédex floated out from the side.
Ten o'clock?
Johan was stunned.
Gengar didn't wake him up?
Then he remembered that last night... Gengar had accompanied Garchomp in battle until very late to be "responsible," and was now still sleeping soundly on the ceiling.
And he had chatted with Cynthia until very late, finally sending her back to her room under the "murderous" gazes of Garchomp and Lucario.
"Sigh, lazy, lazy."
Johan threw off the covers and got up to wash.
Women?
They only slow down my getting up!
"Ka-kaah!"
Hearing the commotion, Gengar rolled over and got up, stretching long, then immediately perked up.
Today was the Wind Festival, the Pokémon Catch Race!
Gengar was full of energy.
"Pokémon Catch Race?"
Cynthia showed a look of realization.
Johan's liking for participating in "kiddie competitions" wasn't a secret among their group, and Cynthia saw it as Johan's "little quirk."
After all, who didn't have little quirks?
Noticing her expression, Johan understood that Cynthia had definitely misunderstood.
"It's Gengar who wants to participate." He explained.
"Mm, I know, I know." Cynthia nodded repeatedly, gently patting Johan's head like comforting a child.
Gengar on the side noticed his gaze and quickly crossed its arms, pouting and looking up at a 45-degree angle while whistling.
Johan: "..."
This purple fatty...
"What about you? What's this..."
Johan noticed the small bucket in Cynthia's hand.
"Going to dig up some flowers."
"Hm?"
"To take back and plant."
"Lucaa."
Lucario showed the small shovel in its hand—made by Tinkaton last night.
"Garrr!! (▼皿▼)"
Since this morning, Garchomp had been wearing Gengar's same style sunglasses, making it impossible to see its eyes clearly, but Johan always felt... like there were thorns in his back.
"Should I come with you?" Johan asked.
"Aren't you going to participate in the 'Pokémon Catch Race'?"
"There's still time..."
At this moment, Fula City's broadcast sounded.
"Attention trainers of Fula City! Attention trainers of Fula City! The Pokémon Catch Race is about to begin. Interested trainers please immediately gather at the Wind Festival venue center. Repeat, please immediately gather at the Wind Festival venue center!"
Johan: "..."
Cynthia smiled sweetly: "Go quickly. I'm just picking some flowers. Isn't there still the fireworks festival tonight?"
"Alright, I'll try to... make it quick."
Johan grabbed Gengar by the spike on the back of its head and headed toward the Wind Festival venue on the sea.
"Ka-kaah~"
Gengar put its hand to its forehead and waved vigorously at Cynthia and Garchomp.
See you later~
The Wind Festival was an activity and holiday created by Fula City to celebrate their pact with Lugia.
Because Fula City itself was quite distinctive, plus the Wind Festival venue's amusement park and its legend about the legendary Pokémon Lugia, quite a few people gathered here.
Wearing an Alolan floral shirt, flip-flops, a sun hat and sunglasses, Johan blended into the crowd and signed up for this Wind Festival's "Pokémon Catch Race."
"First, welcome everyone to Fula City for the annual 'Pokémon Catch Race.' Now let me explain the competition rules."
On the temporarily built stage, a rather flashily dressed host began.
"First, everyone please look to my left."
There, standing or lying, sleeping or playing, various Pokémon gathered.
These Pokémon weren't just from the Kalos region, but from all over the world.
Golduck, Sudowoodo, Pidgeot, Vileplume, Persian, Kingdra, Ampharos, Azumarill, Miltank, Mightyena, Luxray, Snivy, etc.
And the most eye-catching was undoubtedly the pseudo-legendary Pokémon Tyranitar.
It stood like a tyrant in the center of all the Pokémon, with no other Pokémon daring to approach it.
Uh... that wasn't quite right.
Behind Tyranitar leaned a Froslass, looking cold and aloof with its chin raised, seemingly not taking the Pokémon and trainers in front of it seriously.
Hm?
Was this a combo?
Desert Tyrant paired with Froslass?
That was quite unique.
All the Pokémon on the field, including the Tyranitar and Froslass in the center, had special tags on them, representing their special nature.
"I believe everyone has seen the tags on the Pokémon."
"That's right, they are the targets of this 'Pokémon Catch Race.' What all contestants need to do is use the Poké Balls we provide to catch as many of these Pokémon as possible!"
As he spoke, the host took out a dark blue specially-made Poké Ball.
Just like the "Bug Catching Contest" and "Pokémon Safari Zone," this "Pokémon Catch Race" also used specially-made Poké Balls for the competition.
"Each Pokémon will be scored according to its rarity and strength level, and the trainer with the highest final score will become the champion of this 'Pokémon Catch Race'!"
This was quite reasonable.
Pokémon like Tyranitar and Azumarill would definitely represent different point values, otherwise everyone wouldn't bother with Tyranitar.
The difficulty of catching a Tyranitar was much greater than catching an Azumarill.
"I believe everyone is very eager, but please don't rush. Let me show everyone the prize for this champion!"
A Z-Crystal!
Whoa!
The audience and contestants below erupted in amazement.
Even Johan was quite surprised.
Fula City... really went all out!
But looking at the surrounding crowd, the ever-present Magnemite broadcast cameras, and the number of participating contestants... it was much larger than the one Ash participated in from the movie "The Power of Us" that Johan knew about.
It seemed Fula City's publicity was quite good.
Look, with the champion prize announced, not only were the contestants more motivated, but the audience's enthusiasm was also stirred up, and there were many more online viewers watching the live stream.
"Whoa! Z-Crystal, Fula City is really generous."
"There's actually a Z-Crystal! I would have gone if I'd known."
"Speaking of which, what type is the Z-Crystal?"
"If I'm not mistaken, it's an Electrium Z!"
"Hey, that person looks familiar, who is it..."
The online streaming heat skyrocketed.
Wind Festival venue site.
Backstage.
Mayor Ollivier of Fula City, wearing a sharp suit, was tidying his clothes in front of a mirror, preparing to go on stage.
"Mr. Mayor, our prize this time, isn't it..." A secretary behind him hesitated.
Mayor Ollivier looked quite calm: "One Z-Crystal can make the trainers more enthusiastic and attract more live stream viewers. More and more people will know about Fula City and come to Fula City. This won't be a loss."
"Yes."
"Moreover..."
Mayor Ollivier turned his head to look at the "Sacred Flame" in the city center.
Fula City had developed and become famous because of the "pact with Lugia."
But only a few people knew, or remembered, that the legendary Pokémon Lugia hadn't come to Fula City for a long time.
He didn't know what method could make Lugia come again, but he thought... showing the enthusiasm of Pokémon and trainers shouldn't be a bad approach.
As long as Lugia could appear once, all the expenses would be worth it.
"Now, let us welcome the mayor of Fula City, Mr. Ollivier, to announce the start of the competition!"
The well-dressed Ollivier took the stage, grabbed the microphone, took a deep breath, and waved his arm shouting:
"Do you want the Z-Crystal? If you want it, then go catch Pokémon!"
The Pokémon Catch Race officially began!
As Mayor Ollivier's words fell, the Pokémon on the left side of the stage seemed to receive some command and scattered using their various methods.
In a few blinks, they disappeared from everyone's sight.
Next.
What the contestants needed to do was catch as many of these Pokémon as possible within the time limit, catching strong and rare Pokémon.
"Charge!"
Some chuunibyou youth shouted and charged out first, then the other contestants were stirred up and followed.
Johan, in his flip-flops, seemed rather out of place.
"Does asking for your help count as cheating?" Johan said softly.
[Hmph!]
The Zygarde core, still holding a grudge from yesterday when Johan had removed it from his shoulder, snorted coldly.
But still said:
[I don't have many cells scattered in and around Fula City.]
"Oh?"
[This is my partner's area of responsibility, and... there's a pretty decent guy in Fula City who maintains order here.]
"Batman?"
[What Batman?]
"Cough, nothing, I think I know who it is."
"Ka-kaah~!"
From a distant corner, Gengar cupped its hands like a megaphone and shouted at Johan.
Come quick, there's a target here!
Hearing this, Johan quickened his pace slightly.
Then he saw... this guy Gengar really had sharp eyes and quick hands, actually cornering a Sudowoodo in a dead-end alley.
"Sudo! Sudo!"
Sudowoodo was already nervous because of Gengar, and seeing Johan appear made it even more panicked.
Its branch-like hands scrabbled on the left wall, then it hurriedly ran to scrabble on the right wall, but obviously a Sudowoodo didn't have wall-climbing abilities.
"Sudo..."
Sudowoodo was so anxious it was sweating.
"Sudowoodo, Rock-type Mimic Pokémon. To avoid being attacked, they often disguise themselves as trees, but in fact... even young children are hard to fool, Rotom!"
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar rubbed its nose.
This Sudowoodo had been hiding in this alley pretending to be a potted plant, and it had seen through it with its sharp ghost eyes. It thought it was pretty impressive, but it turned out...
"Sudowoodo, huh."
Johan had a strange expression.
In the original work, there was also a timid, cowardly Sudowoodo that liked to lie, corresponding to one of the characters and eventually being caught by that person, being one of the highlights of that movie.
This Sudowoodo... couldn't be that one, could it?
Same timidity, same bit of silliness.
"Sudo!"
Suddenly, Sudowoodo cried out and pointed behind Johan and them.
Look, there's a very powerful rare Pokémon!
But neither Johan nor Gengar turned around.
"Where? Where? Where, Rotom?"
Rotom looked around and turned back, only to meet Johan and Gengar's "contemptuous" gazes.
At this moment.
In Johan and Gengar's minds, Rotom and Sudowoodo were put on the same level.
"Rotom..."
Realizing it had been fooled, Rotom floated to a corner and started drawing circles.
What hurt most wasn't actually Johan and Gengar's gazes, but Rotom realizing it had been "foolishly amusing."
"You want to participate in the competition, you do it."
Johan gestured toward Sudowoodo for Gengar.
"Ka-kaah~"
Gengar grinned wickedly, stuck out its tongue and spun it around, making the already frightened Sudowoodo's face turn completely white.
"Sudo!! Σ(д|||)"
However, Gengar didn't attack, but instead took a Poké Ball from Johan's waist and threw it out.
"Ka-kaah!"
Go, Larvitar!
Johan: "???"
Sudowoodo: "???"
Larvitar: "???"
The Larvitar that appeared looked completely confused, scratching its head.
Who called me?
Gengar turned Larvitar's gaze toward Sudowoodo, then indicated... don't look at it being a tree, but it's actually made of rock.
Rock?!
Larvitar's eyes began to glow.
"Sudo?"
Sudowoodo suddenly shivered, noticing Larvitar's "fiery" gaze and swallowed hard.
But...
The previous Gengar and Johan had made it extremely afraid, but now just a Larvitar... it might not necessarily lose!
"Sudo!"
Sudowoodo patted its cheeks, perked up, said "I can do it" to itself three times, then struck a master's pose and beckoned to Larvitar.
"Yoji!"
Larvitar grinned, clenched its little fists and slowly approached.
You asked for it.
The next second.
"Sudo——!!"
Sudowoodo's "miserable" cry echoed in the alley, lingering for a long time.
Three minutes later.
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar patted Larvitar's shoulder encouragingly while tossing a contest-special Poké Ball, walking leisurely out of the alley.
Johan, following behind, had a strange expression.
He had told Gengar to go handle Sudowoodo, not expecting Gengar to treat it as... Johan telling it to participate in the contest.
Trainer Gengar?
With its Pokémon Larvitar, defeating Sudowoodo and successfully catching it?
Something felt weird about this.
But...
Not having to do it himself was good—Johan was happy to slack off.
Pulling down his hat brim, adjusting his sunglasses, hands in pockets, he honestly followed behind.
He didn't dare let Gengar take Larvitar out of his sight, or who knew what trouble these two could cause.
If they really made it big, sinking the entire Wind Festival venue island was possible.
"Ka-kaah~"
Gengar threw out the blue special Poké Ball and summoned the just-caught Sudowoodo.
"Sudo?"
The bruised and swollen Sudowoodo saw Gengar and Larvitar, this "fierce and vicious" combo, and trembled slightly.
These two guys... Gengar was one thing—it looked fierce from the start, but how was that seemingly baby Larvitar so ruthless too?
"Ka-kaah~"
Gengar put its arm around Sudowoodo's shoulder.
As a "people expert," Gengar clearly knew that a Pokémon with Sudowoodo's personality being able to stay among those competition Pokémon definitely had its own abilities and methods.
So...
Come, tell me which guys are tougher and where they'll be.
The Wind Festival was held once a year, and each time there was a Pokémon Catch Race, with quite a few Pokémon participating year after year. Sudowoodo should know some things.
"Su-sudo..."
Sudowoodo shrank its neck and spoke hesitantly.
Under the "intimidation" of Gengar and Larvitar, it was hard not to show something...
Tyranitar and Froslass were the toughest...
Gengar rubbed its chin.
During the opening, it had also seen the Tyranitar and Froslass standing in the center.
"Yoji?"
Larvitar's eyes lit up.
What?
Tyranitar?
"Yoji——!!"
Larvitar clenched its fists and roared to the sky.
It wanted to fight Tyranitar!
"Sudo..."
Sudowoodo tilted its head and mentioned another Pokémon.
Oh, there's also a Snivy.
Snivy?
Johan, following behind, looked puzzled.
Tyranitar and Froslass were within his expectations—whoever could catch these two would probably have the championship locked up.
But why was there also a Snivy?
As the starter form of the Unova region Grass-type starter, Johan was naturally familiar with Snivy.
But this was just the initial form of a starter, right?
A Snivy following right behind Tyranitar and Froslass was somewhat surprising.
But why it ranked this way, Sudowoodo just gestured around without being able to give a specific reason.
However, Johan didn't pay much attention to it.
Snivy was Snivy—just catch Tyranitar, Froslass, and Snivy all, and the championship would be secured.
As expected.
Gengar put on sunglasses. "Ka-kaah~!"
Tyranitar, Froslass, Snivy—the targets are these three, let's go!
Larvitar marched forward proudly.
According to Sudowoodo's "intelligence," Tyranitar and Froslass would most likely be in the central plaza, waiting for "challengers" to come.
As the two strongest Pokémon in the Pokémon Catch Race, they hadn't been caught for several competitions.
When Gengar and Johan's group arrived at the central plaza, they found...
The Snivy that Sudowoodo mentioned was actually here too.
And.
It was challenging Froslass!
Hm?
Seeing the Snivy battling fiercely with Froslass, Johan raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected things to develop this way.
But Larvitar didn't care about any of that, charging straight up and running to Tyranitar.
"Yoji——!!"
Come out and fight me one-on-one!
"Tyra?"
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Powerstones?
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