Chapter 512: The Most Excellent Trainer
Will looked at Reggie's pupils filled with shock, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
For a person who only knows how to impose his own will and decisions on Pokémon, a trainer completely trusting their Pokémon's judgment must be a difficult thing to understand, right.
Thinking that the decisions made by a Pokémon are inferior to the wisdom of oneself, a human... or something like that.
Following the referee's urging.
Reggie snapped back from his shock.
The look in his eyes had already transformed from its original dead silence.
Could be considered to have gained an extra kind of gleam.
A gleam named "doubt".
Don't know who he is doubting.
And in the subsequent battles, Cynthia, as always, only made move selections, without providing any train of thought or fighting style.
Will then used a similar train of thought four more times, first breaking Reggie's proud plans, and then turning around and one-shotting them with a single move.
When the battle completely ended.
Without a doubt.
Reggie had already started doubting life.
Not just saying it casually.
Truly starting to doubt what meaning his life has had up to this point.
Will looked at this brat speechlessly.
A 12-year-old child.
Has already started considering this kind of question?
"Reggie, what do you think is between you and me, besides the gap in Pokémon strength?"
Cynthia walked over, reaching out to hold Will's arm and asking him.
"Your Pokémon has the ability to think independently, while my Pokémon... are my puppets."
Reggie held up the Poké Ball in his hand in a daze.
"No."
"?"
"It's because the 'feeling of battling' is different, whether it's you, or your Pokémon."
"What does that mean?"
Reggie looked up at her.
People weaker than himself preaching to him is talking nonsense.
People stronger than himself preaching to him is good advice.
This person.
Respects the strong.
"What kind of feelings one holds while battling is different for every trainer and every Pokémon."
Cynthia turned her head and glanced at Will, then continued,
"Pokémon will experience the trainer's feelings, and thereby fight with all their might. Just by looking at a Pokémon's appearance when battling, one can already understand their trainer."
"What kind of trainer am I?"
A smear of anticipation flashed through Reggie's eyes.
He hoped to understand his true self from Cynthia's mouth.
What am I doing.
What should I do.
What do I want to do.
"You are not a trainer."
The one who said this was Will,
"A character like you, placed in the Hisui era, is called a Pokémon Tamer."
The strongest representative figure of Pokémon Tamers—Cynthia's ancestor, Volo.
"Tamer... doesn't sound like a good title."
Reggie raised his hand and scratched his head.
"Yes, but this is the current you. You haven't become a true trainer yet."
Will crossed his arms and nodded.
"What is a true Pokémon trainer?"
Reggie looked up at Will.
This time.
In his eyes.
The Pokémon in front of him was no longer a weapon and tool in Champion Cynthia's hands, but a truly powerful senior.
"Only when the reason your Pokémon fights is truly wanting to bring you victory, are you qualified to be called a Pokémon trainer."
Will raised his hand and pointed at the few Poké Balls at Reggie's waist. "The reason your Pokémon fight right now is merely because they don't want to be scolded or abandoned by you."
"...Is that so."
Reggie's eyes widened slightly.
He had never considered these Pokémon's feelings before.
After all.
He felt Pokémon battling was a game of chess between trainers.
Pokémon didn't need to have their own thoughts and feelings; as long as they honestly obeyed the trainer's commands to conduct special training and battle, it was fine. But today he was certain.
If a Pokémon doesn't even have its own thoughts and consciousness, then it truly will be limited by the trainer's personal ability.
The battle of Will and Cynthia is 1 plus 1 is greater than or equal to 2.
While Reggie's battle is 1 plus 1 is less than or equal to 1.
"Perhaps your Pokémon have these feelings not only because of how you interact usually, but also because of your own feelings."
Cynthia looked down at Reggie.
And also looking at her past self.
Her past self.
The reason she initially chose to battle was merely to better conduct archaeology.
Until later.
In Pokémon battles, she deeply and clearly felt that the distance between her heart and the Pokémon's heart was getting closer and closer.
That feeling fascinated her.
Every battle is a fusion between souls.
So.
She fell in love with Pokémon battling from the bottom of her heart.
Perhaps Mega Evolution would consume her physical strength and make her feel a bit uncomfortable.
But.
Not only does Cynthia not reject it, she even likes it very much.
Because during this period of Mega Evolution, her soul and Lucario's soul...
Tightly embrace.
"My own feelings?"
"Your reason for battling, your reason for wanting to win, is just not wanting to let others feel disappointed in you. Just like your Pokémon, fighting because they don't want to make you feel disappointed in them."
Cynthia nodded, looking at Reggie's still somewhat confused appearance, smiled slightly, held Will and turned to leave, leaving behind the most straightforward words:
"You don't love Pokémon battling at all, and you can't feel the joy of battling from it. Might as well go do something else with Pokémon; after all, Pokémon battling is not the only thing in this world."
"Other things..."
Reggie murmured, raising his head to look at the departing backs of Will and Cynthia.
So cool.
Anticipation arose in Reggie's heart.
He wanted to become such a cool trainer.
Wanted it from the bottom of his heart.
He paused in place, suddenly gripping the Poké Ball in his hand tightly.
Stepped forward two paces and asked:
"Even if doing other things, can one also become a trainer? Senior Cynthia... how can I become an excellent trainer like you?"
Hearing this question.
Cynthia originally didn't want to answer.
But Will stopped his steps.
He turned his head to look at Blonde-kun beside him, looking forward to her answer.
Cynthia felt Will's anticipation, thought for a moment, and then said:
"As long as Pokémon like you, then you are destined to become an excellent trainer."
The first to be stunned wasn't Reggie, but Will.
Because this sentence.
He had heard it before.
One hundred and fifty years ago.
In Jubilife City of the Sinnoh region in another world.
Rowan once told him a short story about his ancestor.
The two parties of that story.
Were a Queen named Liz, and a youth named Akari/Rei (Dawn/Lucas). (Translator's note: The text says 晓星 "Xiao Xing", referring to the protagonist of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. In the context of the story's timeline, "Akari" or "Rei" fits the Hisui era protagonist.)
Liz once said to that youth the exact same words as Cynthia.
"Hahaha..."
Will suddenly laughed heartily.
Is it a coincidence?
Perhaps not.
Maybe this is a kind of fate.
Fate destined him to choose people harboring this kind of thought as his partners.
Or perhaps.
It was he who influenced Liz and Cynthia.
"What are you laughing at?"
Cynthia looked at him with a face full of doubt.
"Nothing, I'll just add a sentence."
Will turned around to look at Reggie behind him,
"Hey, brat, if one day in the future, your Pokémon can disregard anyone's gazes and words, love and believe in you from the bottom of their hearts, only thinking about becoming stronger for you, then you are the most excellent trainer in this world."
Disregarding everything.
Only becoming stronger for a certain person.
When was the first time he had this thought...
Ah.
Right.
It was two hundred years ago.
He went deep into Mt. Silver to train for two years, just to become the power in Liz's hands.
"Hehe, that's right. If at that time someone says you are not, you can have them come find us and let battles do the talking."
Cynthia reached out to embrace Will, strongly supporting his words.
The two left their final words, then turned and left.
Reggie stood in place.
He raised the Poké Ball in his hand above his head for the first time.
Under the sunlight.
The plain red and white ball seemed to reflect a star-like light.
"I will become the most excellent trainer in this world."
If at that time.
I could be that cool too, that would be great.
Leaving the Sinnoh League venue.
"Do you think that child will sink into obscurity in the sea of people, or shine brightly on another path."
Cynthia turned to look at Will.
"Who knows, I don't care."
Will shrugged.
Just as Cynthia planned to say something else.
The Pokédex in her backpack suddenly rang with an emergency phone ringtone.
Answering the phone.
Mabel's voice came from the other side:
"Cynthia, your first big job after taking office is here. Head to Rustboro City in the Hoenn region to find the new Champion of the Hoenn League, Steven. He will tell you the specific details on the way."
"Okay, I got it."
"Time is urgent, set off immediately. A helicopter is already flying towards the entrance of the Sinnoh League, you just wait there. This mission... please be careful."
After Mabel finished speaking, he hurriedly hung up the phone.
"Looks like something incredible happened over in Hoenn; Steven can't solve it alone, it definitely involves the Legendary Pokémon level."
Will frowned.
Those few gods in Hoenn...
The first ones he suspected were the two idiots ([Kyogre and Groudon]).
As for the reason...
Already calling them the two idiots, do I still need to elaborate on the reason?
The other few gods...
Rayquaza, the Legendary Titans (Regis), Jirachi, Deoxys.
Of course.
It also can't be ruled out that gods from other regions ran to Hoenn.
Like Mew, Celebi, Manaphy, the Legendary Birds, the Legendary Beasts...
These are all possible to appear in the Hoenn region.
"Stop thinking about it, we'll know when we get there."
Cynthia extended a finger and poked the space between Will's tightly furrowed brows.
She wasn't very nervous herself.
Well.
Also normal.
After all.
It's not their first or second time dealing with these 'gods'.
"Besides, we have Victini."
Cynthia hugged the little guy and rubbed against him.
"Tini~"
Smack.
Victini hurriedly patted his chest confidently.
He will protect Will and Cynthia!
"True."
Will smiled in relief.
Who cares who it is.
He has Victini, plus the assistance of other partners and Steven; as long as it's not the two idiots in Primal Reversion state or Rayquaza.
Then there basically shouldn't be any problems.
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