c155 A Flash Of Inspiration
Chen Xiaoxiao looked in the direction the village chief pointed, and noticed a small dried-up pit at the side of the dirt road leading into the mountain forest. It was only about a meter wide, clearly the remains of a stream that once flowed through here. The cracked earth and scattered stones showed that it had been dry for some time.
According to the village chief, this pit used to be the village's main water channel. Now, with the stream cut off, the riverbed was nothing but dry soil.
"Village Chief, is there really only this one river around here?" Chen Xiaoxiao asked with a puzzled expression.
"There is only one stream that passes directly through the village," the chief explained patiently, his tone weary. "A larger water source exists a few kilometers upstream, but to reach it one must climb the mountain. The terrain is rugged, and dangerous wild Pokémon make the road treacherous. Carrying water back over that distance with only buckets is far from convenient."
Chen Xiaoxiao nodded slightly, glancing at the village chief's attire. He wore no storage equipment such as a bracelet or a specialized Poképack, unlike professional trainers in the cities. Along the way she had counted barely a dozen houses scattered across the settlement, so the population could not be many.
For such a small community, irrigating the large grove of fruit trees and berry orchards with only manual water transport was truly difficult. Even a plantation of standard Oran or Sitrus berries required consistent hydration, let alone the rarer varieties that seemed to grow in this region.
"Village chief, have you personally checked the source of the river?" Chen Xiaoxiao pressed.
"The villagers investigated for several kilometers upstream," the chief replied, shaking his head. "No obvious blockages were found. But further in, the path is guarded by powerful wild Pokémon. Some are notoriously territorial things like Ursaring, Primeape, or even groups of Beedrill and we dare not provoke them."
Chen Xiaoxiao accepted the answer quietly. As she strolled along the road, she noticed older villagers working nearby with their Pokémon companions. She spotted a Sandshrew digging to loosen soil, a Machop carrying bundles of firewood, a Breloom helping to tend crops, a Skiploom floating overhead scattering spores, and even a Sunflora turning its face toward the afternoon light.
Using her system to scan discreetly, she realized most of these Pokémon were only at the ordinary to mid-level range. None even approached quasi-Elite level. That meant the villagers' definition of "powerful" wild Pokémon was relative—their companions simply couldn't compare to threats deeper in the forest.
"Village head," Chen Xiaoxiao said after some thought, "I can go and examine the water source myself."
The old man's face changed immediately. "Xiaoxiao, no! Pokémon upstream are extremely strong. Please don't risk yourself on our behalf!"
"It's fine, really," Chen Xiaoxiao reassured with a smile, patting the elegant Gardevoir standing by her side. "My Gardevoir can use Teleport. If we encounter danger, we'll escape instantly."
To demonstrate, Gardevoir's eyes glowed faintly. In an instant, both trainer and Pokémon vanished, reappearing hundreds of meters away down the road before blinking back just as quickly. The sudden display left the chief and the nearby villagers utterly stunned.
Yet despite witnessing such power, the chief only sighed, his eyes soft with worry. "We are grateful for your kindness, child. But we cannot allow a young girl to risk her life. The water will return in a few days. Nature has its rhythm." Around them, villagers nodded with gentle smiles, clearly underestimating Chen Xiaoxiao's true strength despite what they had just seen.
Their sincerity warmed her heart. These people were simple and kind, and precisely because of that, she wanted to help them even more.
"Xiaoxiao, my home is just ahead," the chief said with a smile, pointing toward an old house at the eastern edge of the village. "I picked mushrooms after the last rainfall. You city folks may not often taste such things. Come, my wife will cook them for you."
"Rain? That's it rain!" Chen Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration.
The chief blinked at her, confused.
"Hehe, I've got it, village chief! Gardevoir, use Rain Dance!" Chen Xiaoxiao declared.
At once, Gardevoir raised its arms gracefully. A psychic pulse spread outward, gathering atmospheric energy. The sky dimmed, gray clouds rolling in overhead. Within moments, droplets began to fall, light at first, then steadily growing into a proper rainfall.
"It's raining!" the chief gasped, stretching his weathered hands into the drizzle. Villagers nearby froze in disbelief before bursting into cheers.
"Rain! It's real rain!"
"Great, the berries are saved!"
"Woohoo, thank Arceus, it's raining again!"
Some villagers ran out of their homes despite getting drenched, laughing and even weeping with joy. Children splashed in the puddles, while elderly folk clasped their hands together in gratitude.
"This… Xiaoxiao! Thank you, truly!" The village chief wiped water from his face and bowed deeply.
"It's nothing, chief," Chen Xiaoxiao replied with a smile. "Tell the villagers to place pots outside to collect water. And don't let anyone catch a cold."
"Yes, yes! Everyone, bring out your pots and buckets!" the chief shouted. At once, villagers scrambled to gather every container they had to catch the life-saving rain.
The old man then grabbed Chen Xiaoxiao's hand. "Come inside, child! You're soaked through!" He pulled her into his home, calling out, "Wife, prepare extra dishes tonight we must thank our benefactor properly!"
A warm, elderly voice responded from within, "Understood!"
"Village chief, you're being too polite," Chen Xiaoxiao protested. "Really, just something simple is fine. I only helped a little."
The old man chuckled, shaking his head. "A little help? No, child. You've saved our orchard. Without water, our berry trees our very livelihood would have withered. To us, you've saved the entire village."
Chen Xiaoxiao, embarrassed, was pushed into a side room to change clothes. Gardevoir floated beside her, producing a towel from the storage bracelet to help dry her hair.
"Alright, Gardevoir, I'll handle it. You too, take care of yourself. And after this rain stops, we'll use Rain Dance again, just in case."
"(Understood, Xiaoxiao)," Gardevoir replied softly through telepathy.
While Chen Xiaoxiao changed, word spread quickly among the villagers. Soon, more arrived at the chief's house, carrying baskets of freshly picked berries some common like Oran and Pecha, but others rarer varieties that even city markets seldom sold. With heartfelt gratitude, they placed their offerings at the door, determined to repay the young trainer who had given them rain.
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