[Really? Can you show me which Pokémon it is?]
Lionel replied immediately, his heart brimming with curiosity.
In the past, whenever Drake encountered unique Pokémon in Alola, he would always snap a photo and send it over so Lionel could see if it suited his tastes. This time, however, he claimed the Pokémon would specifically complement Lionel's current team—a claim that only heightened Lionel's anticipation.
Mere seconds later, a voice message from Drake came through.
The faint sound of a Salamence's cry seemed to be mixed into the background audio.
[Kid, what kind of question is that? I haven't managed to snap a photo yet—cut me some slack! Would an old geezer like me ever steer you wrong? These little guys are absolutely a perfect fit for your team; I guarantee you'll be completely satisfied!]
No sooner had his voice faded than the message cut off, followed by a final text message:
[Alright, gotta run—I'm busy right now. Hanging up. Talk to you later!]
*Beep.*
Lionel held up his communicator, looking utterly bewildered as he scratched his head.
"Why is he being so mysterious?"
In the past, whenever he helped Lionel scout for Pokémon, he would always take photos and send them over. This time, however, he refused to even provide a single image—it was truly out of character.
However, upon further reflection, Lionel reasoned that Drake was, after all, an Elite Four-level Trainer; his discerning eye was a proven fact. Since he claimed the Pokémon would complement Lionel's team, they were bound to be top-notch.
A smile formed in the depths of his heart.
He decided not to press the matter any further, choosing instead to temporarily set aside his anticipation.
*Though... if it had been the Cynthia instead, I wouldn't have been able to resist asking for every last detail.*
*After all, that particular Person's taste in choosing Pokémon leaves much to be desired.*
Meanwhile, high above the Alola Islands, Drake was soaring through the sky atop his Salamence. The sea breeze whipped through his hair, making it fly wildly around him.
He reached out and patted his Salamence's head, muttering to himself:
"You big mouth! You just can't keep a secret. What business is it of yours whether Cynthia has arrived in Unova yet? That little girl hasn't even decided what she wants to do with her life yet—who knows if she'll even make it to the Elite Four?"
"Now I've really gone and put my neck on the line. If I can't pull this off, I'll lose all face!"
Drake cast a sidelong glance at the Salamence beneath him; the Pokémon let out a low growl, sounding almost as if it were grumbling in agreement. He gave his Salamence's Poké Ball a testy tap:
"What are you laughing at? It's entirely your fault—you didn't register properly, so you didn't even realize the Pokémon's *parents* were standing right there! We nearly suffered a humiliating defeat right here in Alola!"
Recalling yesterday's close call, Drake still felt a lingering sense of dread.
He remembered Chairman Damalanche warning him earlier about just how formidable Alola's Totem Pokémon and Z-Moves could be, emphasizing that he needed to be extremely cautious.
At the time, however, Drake had thought to himself: *My Salamence has already Mega Evolved—who on earth could possibly stand a chance against us?* Consequently, he had paid little heed to the warnings issued by Chairman Damalanche and Blaine.
He had simply assumed that Blaine—who had accompanied Chairman Goodshow to Alola—had only suffered a setback because his own strength was insufficient.
He never imagined that Alola's Totem Pokémon and the power of Z-Moves would actually be—to put it mildly—damn formidable.
The wild Totem Pokémon they had encountered yesterday had nearly finished them off; in the end, they had only managed to escape by the skin of their teeth thanks to Salamence's sheer speed.
"Damn it. This time, I'm really going all out."
Drake rubbed his temples.
"I've already made such bold boasts; if I go home empty-handed, it'll be utterly humiliating if word gets out. I'm not like you, Salamence—I don't have a hide thick enough to be completely shameless! Alright, Salamence—let's move out!"
Salamence let out a resounding roar, then swooped down to scoop Drake onto its back, soaring toward the distant island on the horizon and leaving a streak of light slashing across the sky.
Lionel, of course, remained blissfully unaware of Drake's "troubles." He put away his communicator and turned to look at the Larvesta currently frolicking with his Metagross.
The little fella seemed to sense his gaze; it immediately flew over to him, wagging the little flame-shaped "hat" atop its head. It then nudged his phone with its head—clearly signaling that it wanted a photo taken.
"Alright, alright. You win."
Lionel gave a helpless chuckle as he raised his phone. Larvesta immediately struck a series of goofy, adorable poses.
Three days later, Lionel made plans to head for Petalburg City. Since Hirono had already returned to Petalburg City, and—
On the North Petalburg side, all the formidable opponents had, over the past few days—
Essentially been challenged and defeated.
They were thoroughly "broken in."
Metagross had mastered its various skills to a level of absolute proficiency.
Had it not been for Hirono and his Pokémon still being around these past few days—
Allowing Metagross to practice moves like Ice Punch, Earthquake, Meteor Mash, and Arm Thrust—Lionel would have set off long ago.
As Lionel finished packing his luggage and was checking out of his room, the young lady at the hotel front desk smiled and said:
"Good luck! We hope you succeed in challenging the Gym! We'll all be waiting to watch your live stream!"
Lionel smiled gently and nodded in response.
Stepping out of the hotel, he found many people along the street waving and calling out greetings to him. Over these past few days, Lionel had already gained a modest reputation in North Petalburg.
At first, some people had been dismissive, feeling that he—an "outsider" wasn't worthy of challenging Norman. But after several battles, everyone had come to acknowledge his true strength.
In the eyes of the people of North Petalburg, only truly powerful Trainers had the right to stand before the Petalburg Gym; Lionel had, naturally, already—
Passed their test.
There was an express route connecting North Petalburg to Petalburg City. The tript ook only half an hour, but Lionel decided to walk instead.
Having spent so much time cooped up in the city these past few days, he wanted to take in the scenery along the way. Besides, his Sewaddle had been insisting—
That it wanted to ride on Metagross.
It had pestered him endlessly about it—so much so that even Metagross had given in and nodded its agreement. Naturally, Lionel was happy to indulge the little guy.
As they walked out of the urban sprawl of North Petalburg, the surrounding scenery gradually shifted from a landscape of towering skyscrapers to rolling green fields. Lionel halted his steps and released his three Pokémon from their Poké Balls.
"Alright, we're outside the city now. Go ahead and roam around freely for a bit."
Larvesta, having just materialized, immediately surged forward with eager impatience.
It used its small forelegs to excitedly tap against Metagross's metallic body, drumming away as it scrambled upward.
Its small eyes—filled with an expression that practically screamed, "Take me flying!"—were brimming with anticipation.
Metagross let out a deep, resonant hum; a flicker of resolve flashed within the crimson core embedded in its body as it utilized its psychic powers to gently lift Larvesta.
With that effortless motion, it settled Larvesta securely onto its back.
"Let's go."
Lionel said with a smile.
A faint ripple of psychic energy emanated from Metagross as it slowly ascended into the sky, carrying Larvesta along with it.
Larvesta clung to Metagross's body, squealing with excitement high above; sparks flew from its five antennae as it reveled in the sheer joy of the moment.
Meanwhile, Milotic manipulated the surrounding moisture, keeping close to Lionel's side to act as a guardian, ensuring that Larvesta could play to its heart's content.
Lionel strolled leisurely along the country path, gazing up at the two little companions frolicking in the sky and at Milotic—his self-appointed "bodyguard"—walking beside him; his spirits were exceptionally high.
Occasionally, Pidgey, Fearow, and other Pokémon would fly across the sky overhead; upon spotting Metagross, they would freeze mid-flight, utterly baffled—how could this creature, which possessed no visible wings, possibly be flying?
Lionel and his companions ambled along, stopping here and there to chat and laugh, until late in the afternoon—around three or four o'clock—when the skyline of Petalburg City finally came into view.
Unlike the bustling modernity of North Petalburg City, Petalburg City exuded a rich, profound aura of antiquity and weathered history.
The buildings lining the streets were predominantly quaint, two-story structures; their walls were overgrown with lush green vines, and beneath the eaves of some of the older houses, wind chimes hung swaying—ringing out with a crisp, clear melody whenever the breeze swept through.
Yet, much like in North Petalburg City, one particular figure could be seen everywhere throughout the town:
His posters were plastered across the glass doors of grocery stores; his cartoon likeness—often depicted alongside a Slaking—adorned the signboards of dessert shops; and even along the roadside...
The park benches were adorned with cartoon stickers of Norman and Slaking.
Lionel had already scheduled his appointment at the Norman Gym for just two days hence.
He planned to spend these two days exploring Rustboro City, taking the opportunity to indulge Larvesta's ever-growing obsession with—what he dubbed—the "Photography Bug."
Lionel couldn't quite figure out what had gotten into the little Larvesta lately; it had become increasingly vain.
The very first thing it did upon waking up in the morning was gaze into the mirror, carefully adjusting the tiny "fireball" hat perched atop its head to ensure it sat perfectly straight.
It refused to take the hat off—not even while eating or sleeping. Whenever it spotted a shop window with reflective glass, it would sidle right up to it and spend ages admiring its own reflection.
Every now and then, it would chirp excitedly at its reflection in the glass, as if marveling at its own beauty.
Watching Larvesta tug insistently at his clothes, Lionel sighed helplessly and pulled out his phone.
The little creature's eyes lit up instantly; squealing with excitement, it scampered over to a cherry blossom tree by the roadside and began clambering up its trunk.
It then enlisted Metagross to use its psychic powers to manipulate the fallen petals on the ground, creating a swirling vortex of fluttering cherry blossoms.
Metagross dutifully played the role of the "tool"—a mere prop—holding the background in place for the photo shoot, while Larvesta struck an adorable pose, ready for its close-up.
*Click!*
The shutter snapped.
The resulting photograph captured Larvesta beneath the cherry blossom tree, surrounded by a flurry of fluttering petals, with a quaint, old-fashioned building visible in the background—creating a scene of truly picturesque charm.
Larvesta nodded in approval, expressing his admiration for Lionel's photography skills; he really liked this particular shot.
Lionel rubbed his head. Over the past few days, with Larvesta constantly posing for photos, his photography skills had truly been honed to perfection.
The photo album was already overflowing with pictures of Larvesta:
There were shots of him perched atop Metagross, breathing fire against the backdrop of the setting sun;
Others featured him posing alongside Milotic, with Milotic using Bubble Beam to create a romantic, shimmering atmosphere;
Then there was the time he secretly snuck into a Pokémon accessories shop, tried on a tiny little hat, and struck a pose in front of a mirror—looking utterly adorable.
Lionel, unable to resist the cuteness, found himself apologizing profusely to the shopkeeper before ultimately buying the little hat for him.
The next day, Lionel and his Pokémon headed to the outskirts of the greenhouse forest located near the Gym.
Although it wasn't open to the public yet, they could peer through the glass walls and see vast expanses of tropical vegetation within. A few Pokémon could be seen napping on the tree trunks, their bellies rising and falling gently with each breath.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon the day arrived for Lionel to challenge the Petalburg Gym.
That afternoon, Lionel changed into a lightweight athletic outfit—a black short-sleeved shirt paired with gray sweatpants—a look that was both sharp and allowed for easy movement. With three Poké Balls clipped to his waist, he looked spirited and ready for action.
Meanwhile, Larvesta was currently busy "getting dressed up." Laid out on the hotel room table were various small accessories they had purchased in Petalburg City over the past two days:
A pink butterfly hair clip... Hair clips adorned with bows and sequins, a small pink collar... and so on.
The little guy would pick up a bow one moment and hold it up against his hat to see how it looked; the next, he would grab a hair clip and try to fasten it into his own fur.
He kept gazing into the mirror, tilting his head this way and that, letting out little cooing sounds—clearly torn over which accessory to choose.
Lionel had started his livestream quite early that day. The camera remained focused on the bustling, self-preoccupied Larvesta-chan as he primped and styled himself, while the chat feed exploded with comments:
[Hahaha! Is Larvesta-chan actually putting on makeup right now? That is just too adorable!]
[That pink bow looks amazing! It would go perfectly with his little fireball hat—it'd be an absolute killer look!]
[Don't listen to the guy above me! The sunglasses are way cooler! They make him look so sharp and energetic!]
[I'm casting my vote for the shades! Wearing sunglasses gives him such a cool, intellectual vibe!]
[Look! Metagross is standing right there acting as his fashion consultant! It looks like it's pointing right at the pink bow!]
Inside the room, Metagross did indeed stand tall beside the table.
Using one of its metallic arms, it gently nudged the pink bow; there was a distinct air of seriousness in its movements as it surveyed the array of accessories.
Over the past few days, it had come to fully understand its little companion's preferences.
It knew that while the little guy might *seem* to prefer "tough" or "cool"-looking things, in reality, he had absolutely zero resistance to the color pink.
Larvesta-chan tilted his head, glancing over at Metagross. Ultimately, he grabbed the pink bow and—with great determination—tried to tie it onto his little fireball hat.
Alas, his paws were simply too small; after several attempts, he still couldn't get it to stay put. Frustrated, he grew so agitated that tiny sparks began to fly from his five little horns.
"Here, let me help you." "
Lionel walked over with a smile, picked up the bow tie, and—with great care—gently fastened it to the brim of the hat.
With the hat now in place, the pink bow tie sat perched upon it, standing in stark contrast to the Larvesta's fiery facial markings. The result was a look that was both striking and full of spirit.
"Cough!"
The Larvesta spun around in front of the mirror, letting out a cry of pure satisfaction. It even struck a pose for the camera, as if showing off its brand-new look to the audience.
[It's too adorable! I can't handle the cuteness!]
[Streamer, hand over the link for that Larvesta accessory—and fast! I need to get one for my Torchic, too!]
[Stop getting distracted by the outfit! You're about to battle Gym Leader Norman in a little while—don't you get nervous, Streamer?]
[I wonder if we'll get to see Gym Leader Norman's Slaking? It seems like he usually only uses his Spinda, Linoone, and Vigoroth against challengers.]
Lionel glanced at the question in the chat—*"I wonder if we'll get to see Gym Leader Norman's Slaking?"*—and silently gave an affirmative answer in his heart.
Although Gym Leader Norman was known for his gentle and amiable demeanor—much like a caring teacher—he wasn't just willing to offer pointers on Pokémon training in everyday life; he was equally willing to do so during battles.
However, his Gym Battles were anything but easy.
According to his standard protocol, he would first send out his Spinda, Linoone, and Vigoroth. Only by winning three consecutive matches against this trio could a challenger earn the coveted Balance Badge—the symbol of their strength.
Furthermore, if a challenger managed to win those three battles with an overwhelming advantage, Norman would grant them an extra "Bonus Battle"!
He would send out his Slaking to give the challenger a firsthand look at the power of a top-tier Trainer, using the heat of actual combat to mentor the up-and-coming newcomers.
It was precisely for this reason that Trainers from the surrounding areas—as well as the locals of Petalburg City itself—had spontaneously come to view the Gym as a sort of "gateway trial."
When faced with challengers whose abilities are clearly lacking, they would proactively step forward to intervene, urging the opponent to first hone their skills so as not to waste the time of Gym Leader Norman;
However, if the challenger is a formidable combatant everyone becomes incredibly enthusiastic, perhaps even more so than the challenger themselves, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the battle day.
For this signifies an opportunity to witness the magnificent presence of Slaking.
"We should probably be heading out now; the scheduled time for the Gym battle is fast approaching."
Lionel spoke into the camera while simultaneously summoning his three Pokémon to head out.
The Gym.
As they stepped out of the hotel, the streets were already teeming with people.
Most of the pedestrians were heading in the same direction—a diverse crowd comprising parents leading their children and Trainers accompanied by their Pokémon. Many held signs in their hands cheering, "Go, Gym Leader Norman!"
There were also plenty of people holding up their mobile phones, their cameras constantly sweeping across the crowd as excited chatter filled the air:
"Did you hear? It's *that* Trainer—the one with the Shiny Metagross—who defeated so many experts back in North Petalburg City!"
"Surely this means we'll get to see Slaking in action, right? It's been a whole month since Gym Leader Norman last sent out Slaking!"
"I've already asked someone to save us a spot; come on, let's hurry!"
"Don't be late!"