Chapter 526: Uncle and the Others Succeeded
The matter of the Draconid people had settled down.
Elder Aster seemed prepared to let Zinnia take over her position, but Zinnia didn't want to succeed so early. Besides, there were other successors older than her.
During those two weeks, Zinnia heard a lot about the outside world from the mouths of Will and Cynthia.
She wanted to go out and take a look with Salamence and Noivern.
To find new partners.
To explore other gods.
And return to be Elder Aster later.
By that time.
She would definitely be able to tell the children many, many stories.
Instead of just repeatedly telling those few matters about Lord Dragon God.
As for the Deoxys.
They boarded the iridescent stone and headed towards the universe.
When passing through the ozone layer on the way, the Deoxys were still somewhat worried about starting a war with Rayquaza again.
But this time Rayquaza didn't appear.
Don't know what it was doing.
Although Steven didn't get the meteorite, nor did he properly explore the iridescent stone.
He did obtain the permission of the Draconid people—permission to head to the underground world they guard.
It's just that.
Steven needed to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Swearing to keep the fact that there is an underground world beneath Meteor Village a secret.
Steven naturally agreed readily, and then happily headed to the underground world to dig stones as a miner.
With his level as a senior Elite Four/Champion.
Exploring a moderately-sized underground world was still something he could do with ease.
What could pose a threat to Steven in the entire underground world were probably only the bosses of a few clans. The strongest Salamence clan, given the reason of the Draconid people, wouldn't attack humans.
Finally.
It was Will and Cynthia who traveled all the way from Sinnoh to the Hoenn region.
This time the work was completed smoothly.
Cynthia not only received praise from the Hoenn League, but also brought great honor to the Sinnoh League.
If they hadn't planned to stroll around the Hoenn region for a bit.
Bellamy would have been impatient to personally come and pick them up long ago.
The northeast corner of Ever Grande City.
Cynthia accompanied Will walking in this humid city.
As someone from the dry Sinnoh region, she felt quite unaccustomed to the environment of Ever Grande City.
This feeling reminded her of the days when she studied in Alola back then.
"Ping'an Daycare."
At this time, Will's voice reached her ears.
Cynthia turned to look at one side of the street.
In this small corner of Ever Grande City, there actually was such a small daycare that looked like an ordinary residential house.
"The location of this daycare is very remote."
Cynthia raised a hand and observed for a moment.
From her location, she could see the small garden behind the house.
But there didn't seem to be many Pokémon in the small garden.
Looks like business isn't very good.
"It's very quiet here. Children can play and be noisy to their heart's content, and the elderly can take an undisturbed afternoon nap."
Will pursed his lips, took a few more looks, and then withdrew his gaze.
This is not his home.
Just a place that looks very much like it.
"Ready to go back?"
"Mm."
Will nodded gently, just taking a look was enough.
What he misses is not this land, but the people and Pokémon who lived on this land in the past.
"Let's go home."
"Okay."
Will and Cynthia took two weeks.
Dawdlingly returning to the Sinnoh region.
No new work had appeared yet, so they planned to go home and rest for a bit.
Celestic Town.
"We're back~"
Cynthia walked into the house, kicking off the high heels on her feet.
"Tini~"
Victini also flew off Will's head, quickly flying towards the living room.
He smelled the scent of mom.
Will smiled helplessly and shook his head.
He bent down and placed the high heels Cynthia kicked off onto the shoe rack.
Then followed behind and walked inside.
The smell of home is reassuring.
In the hallway at the door, he could already smell the scent of Kaoru and Wolf Mom (Mightyena).
Walking into the living room.
Cynthia had already thrown herself into Kaoru's arms, while Victini was being groomed (licked) by Wolf Mom.
When Will was still a Riolu in the past, he didn't like letting Wolf Mom lick his fur.
Now it's all good.
The fur she didn't get to lick in the past.
Wolf Mom got it all back by licking baby Victini.
"Lucario is back? Do you want a hug from mom too?"
Kaoru smiled at Will, waving her hand at him.
Wolf Mom beside her smiled without speaking.
The two of them had already become like besties.
Their actual relationship was also about the same. Wolf Mom was now completely raised like a daughter by Professor Carolina over there; by seniority, she could be considered Kaoru's non-blood-related younger sister.
"No."
Will turned his head away, politely declining.
At the same time, he secretly glanced at Kaoru's cheek.
Fine crow's feet had already appeared at the corners of her eyes, and the nasolabial folds on her face could also be seen a bit.
He understood.
After all, Kaoru was already in her forties.
But he didn't want to see these.
Sighing secretly in his heart.
In the end, Will still walked over and, together with Cynthia, buried his head and hugged Kaoru.
"Good boy~"
Kaoru smiled and raised a hand to stroke Will's head.
Feeling the dog pup's mood isn't good?
Why?
He's clearly already returned home.
Shouldn't he be happy?
Kaoru looked somewhat doubtfully at Wolf Mom beside her.
And Wolf Mom also noticed this, frowning and looking worriedly at her dog baby.
Only Cynthia.
She similarly noticed Will's low mood, but didn't pay too much attention to him, just quietly sniffing the fragrance around Kaoru's neck.
Blonde-kun knew what the little dog was thinking.
Their thoughts were the same.
Cynthia thought Lucario was so mature, he would be more open-minded than her.
But looking at it now.
The little dog seemed even less open-minded than her.
"By the way, there was mail from the Kalos region for you guys a few days ago. Knowing our home address so clearly, they must be your good friends, right?"
Kaoru patted the heads of the two little ones, signaling them to get up.
Don't know if her own constitution has worsened.
Or if the two little ones have grown up.
Hugging these two children, she actually felt a bit strained.
"Kalos region?" x2
Will and Cynthia looked up, exchanging a glance.
They knew quite a few friends in the Kalos region.
But normally, contacting each other could be done using the Pokédex or the computers in the Pokémon Center.
Sending mail?
Who?
"The mail is right here."
Kaoru took out a delivery box from under the table.
Will and Cynthia took one look at the signature and handprint on it and smiled at each other.
"It's Uncle."
The corners of Cynthia's mouth curled up, recalling the time they climbed Mt. Lanakila together back then.
"Let's open it and see."
Will gently swiped the steel blade on the back of his hand.
The delivery box opened.
A rich floral fragrance immediately rushed to their faces.
"Gracidea flower specimens!"
"Looks like Uncle and Sudowoodo successfully reached the summit of Lanakila again later."
Will took out the flower specimens encased in plastic boards.
Without the rendering of the aurora and ice and snow, the Gracidea flower looked just like an ordinary plum blossom.
But this specimen is not the main point.
The main point is.
Uncle and Sudowoodo once again overcame the difficulty that had blocked them for over twenty years.
As expected.
The process from 0 to 1 is the hardest.
Once you have 1, 2 and 3 are not far away.
"If Diancie knew, she would definitely be very surprised, right."
Will remembered that little princess who traveled together with them back then.
This child absolutely wouldn't believe Uncle could climb up a second time even if beaten to death.
"I think so."
Cynthia smiled and nodded.
The pink diamond Diancie gave her is still collected in her bedroom.
Placed together with the first bow hair clip Will gave her back then.
"Don't know how that child is doing lately? Haven't contacted her for a while."
"Heard from Makima that she's addicted to TV dramas and can't extricate herself, giving him a massive headache, frequently complaining to me."
Cynthia helplessly supported her forehead and shook her head.
Kaoru and Wolf Mom beside them listened to the content of the children's chat.
Although not particularly clear on what it was all about, presumably the children also made sincere friends in other regions, gaining important memories worth recalling for a lifetime.
The small home in Celestic Town became lively again.
Will and Cynthia occasionally attended some miscellaneous conferences as special guests.
Occasionally were invited by the Elite Four to help deal with evil criminals.
Most of the time, their lives were still quite leisurely.
In the morning, taking the Four Tyrants of Wolf Mountain out to do chivalrous deeds.
In the afternoon, taking Big Fool (Garchomp) to the Celestic Forest to throw their weight around.
In the evening, returning home to accompany Kaoru and Wolf Mom to watch brain-dead TV dramas.
Unable to sleep in the middle of the night, just making a phone call to friends far away in other regions, dropping a line 'Hey, what's up?'.
Time flew by.
Three and a half years passed.
Spring of the League Calendar year 194.
Cynthia had already become an experienced young Champion. At just 22 years old, she is the pride and signboard of the Sinnoh League, and also a star figure deeply trusted by the common people.
It is worth mentioning.
The Champion over at the Indigo Plateau took office three years ago, the latest region to inaugurate a Champion in the entire Pokémon League.
Moreover, the inaugurated Champion is not named Lance.
Lance failed to pass the tribulation successfully.
The Indigo Plateau couldn't withstand the public opinion pressure from the common people of the Kanto and Johto regions, and indeed couldn't easily continue supporting their favored Lance; they could only slap their own faces and change an invited Champion.
Can this be blamed on Lorelei?
No.
A person who can't even beat the Elite Four, on what basis can he be Champion?
Just because of a type disadvantage?
Then if encountering an evil character in the wild whose typing completely crushes his, should the Indigo Plateau Champion simply give up resisting?
Or should Lorelei go easy?
That would be disrespectful to Lorelei, disrespectful to Lance, and even more disrespectful to Pokémon battling, this competitive activity that has lasted for over a hundred years.
Not to mention Lorelei couldn't accept it.
Lance himself couldn't accept it either.
This Champion.
It's not like he absolutely has to be it.
Even if he does it.
He has to do it relying on his own strength.
The new Champion is a youth named Gold.
When Will first heard this name, he was startled, thinking it was that 'Hatcher' Gold from the Adventures manga.
But actually it isn't.
It's a random passerby.
As for strength, it's relatively mysterious.
Sometimes strong, sometimes weak, but according to what was revealed from Lance's side, it's just about the same as Steven four years ago.
To be the Champion of the Indigo Plateau, it can only be said he barely has this qualification.
But among all the current Champions of the Pokémon League, Gold is undoubtedly the weakest one, and might have to be challenged and step down after only a few years.
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