An abstract trainer who taught Charmander the Incinerate move

Chapter 289 The Mysterious Elf Era, by Android artist Yati (Seeking monthly votes)
With the negotiations temporarily concluded, Mo Zhen wanted to visit Tang Gou, another seriously injured companion.

Guided by the nurse, he arrived at another, more secure intensive care unit. Through the huge observation glass, he could see Luca Mingfei lying quietly on the bed, surrounded by countless sophisticated pipelines and vital sign monitoring instruments.

Its blue fur was dull and lifeless, and its body, which was once full of waveguides and vitality, now appeared withered and fragile. Its chest only rose and fell very faintly, and its life signal on the monitoring screen flickered like a candle in the wind, as if it would completely return to a straight line at the next second.

However, seeing this scene, Mo Zhen was completely relieved, and his face did not show much worry.

Because he knew better than anyone how extraordinary this Tang dog's characteristics were. The power of the "Something for nothing" contract had already surpassed the ordinary laws of life. As long as it wasn't reduced to ashes on the spot and its soul was scattered, even if it only had half a breath left, it would always find a chance to press the B key deep in its soul and crawl back from hell to perform the miracle of sit-ups.

He concentrated his mind, mobilized a meager wisp of dream authority, and transformed an extremely pure wisp of dream power into two phantoms that only Lucario's fading consciousness could perceive, quietly injecting them into the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness.

One was a bald-headed, healthy-looking man named Big Coby Braunt, giving a thumbs-up; the other was General Red Dragon, his back to him, his red cape fluttering in the wind, bearing the word "Justice," and his physique as imposing as a mountain.

These two phantoms acted like anchors, firmly holding onto Lucario's fading will to survive, and roaring at it.

After absorbing Mewtwo's power, Mo Zhen was able to inject his divine power into others in the same way as Kotoamatsukami, creating special effects.

It was this power that allowed Mo Zhen to remotely control Tang She and help him see the existence of the [Soul Ring].

Having done all this, Mo Zhen acted as if she had accomplished a trivial task. She clapped her hands lightly, turned around and left the ward without a second thought, leaving the heavy suspense of life and death behind the door.

During the long days of waiting for Xiao Huolong and Lucario to recover, Mo Zhen had a rare moment of leisure, so he simply left the oppressive atmosphere of the Pokémon Center and wandered aimlessly through the streets of Feiyun City.

Xiao Mengzi anxiously fluttered up and down on Mo Zhen's shoulder, emitting mental waves that only he could hear.

【Oh my god! Lord Mo Zhen! Are we just going to let this go?! That girl named Zi Yu is clearly trying to take advantage of Tang Long's predicament and forcibly seize him! Can we tolerate this? This is not in line with your wise and courageous style! We must immediately think of a way to get Tang Long back!】

Mo Zhen, wearing his newly bought Toad-themed sunglasses and Greninja-themed face mask, simply yawned lazily upon hearing this and responded telepathically.

"What's the rush? Little Mengzi, you're still too young and impatient. We don't even have a decent Pokémon right now. Are you going to personally go out and reason with that team of level 50+ Pokémon?"

Upon hearing this, and recalling the tornado that had been blasted around, Xiao Mengzi shuddered three times, then immediately became serious and said in a very earnest tone.

"Oh dear! Lord Mo Zhen, I think we should consider this carefully. Xiao Huolong is young and energetic; being exploited for a few days won't be a big deal..."

Upon seeing Xiao Mengzi, this opportunist, Mo Zhen snorted coldly. Through his sunglasses, he surveyed the endless stream of people and floating cars among the skyscrapers of Feiyun City, his tone carrying an air of knowing everything.

"As the saying goes, forced love is never sweet. Once Xiao Huolong wakes up, he will naturally make that girl realize reality and obediently return to her rightful owner. Even if she tries to force herself on us then, we will have enough justification. As the saying goes, if the name is not correct, the words will not be proper, and if the words are not proper, things will not succeed... With a legitimate reason, we can find helpers and send people to give her a good beating. In short, Tang Long will definitely not escape, so you don't need to worry about it!"

Xiao Mengzi asked tentatively again.

What about the alliance registration? Legally speaking, they've already made it a fait accompli!

Mo Zhen snorted coldly, his face full of disdain.

"The League laws are worthless. We're not participating in any Unova League tournaments. Forget about registering Pokémon qualifications, so what if they get married? Xiao Huolong will still be working for us anyway..."

As the economic and technological center of the Unova region, the prosperity of Flying Cloud City is indeed far beyond the industrial ruggedness of Ritsu City or the pastoral charm of Sanyo City.

Skyscrapers, like a steel forest, pierce the clouds, while holographic billboards shimmer with dazzling light.

Since the God of Cookery competition, Mo Zhen's handsome and distinctive face has become a household name.

He had to go into complete disguise in order to enjoy a moment of peace in the crowd.

As he strolled through a narrow alleyway famous for its street art, his gaze casually sweeping over the colorful graffiti and stalls of various styles on both sides, a down-on-his-luck figure that seemed out of place amidst the surrounding hustle and bustle caught the attention of this professional.

He was a rather young-looking man with slightly messy flaxen hair, wearing faded work pants and a plaid shirt, and was tending to an extremely simple easel.

The nanny insect next to him was weaving a canvas on the easel with its silk.

Mo Zhen originally approached the matter with the mindset of a peer scrutinizing her, wanting to see just how much artistic talent this fellow artist possessed.

However, when his gaze inadvertently swept across the down-on-his-luck painter's face, which was slightly obscured by his bangs, his pupils, hidden behind his sunglasses, suddenly contracted violently!
Isn't this the artist Arty from Pokémon Black and White, known for his gorgeous elegance and hailed as a Bug-type Pokémon artist?

As a Bug-type Gym Leader, Arty's strength can only be described as Android-like.

After all, Bug-type Pokémon are mostly Android Pokémon, which are worlds apart from the noble and infinitely potential Apple Pokémon like Dragon-type Pokémon.

In the realm of trainer battles, he's a pure Android trainer, using only Android Pokémon and running Android gyms.

But the other party's artistic attainments are as high as two or three stories.

Mo Zhen moved closer, his gaze sweeping across the canvas—which, with its unrestrained brushstrokes, depicted a chaotic scene as if the heavens and earth were collapsing and a storm was tearing space apart.

If Mo Zhen weren't a veteran artist, it would be difficult to discern from the extremely abstract and expressionistic blocks of color and lines that this painting depicts the terrifying moment when Odin unfolds his domain amidst the tornado clouds.

"Tsk..."

Mo Zhen stroked his chin and deliberately commented in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.

"Bold use of color, dynamic composition, and a remarkably precise capture of the sense of disorder that intertwines destruction and order... Hmm, the artistic level is very high. However, this postmodern expressionist approach requires a certain level of artistic appreciation to understand its subtleties; it might be too obscure for the average passerby."

Hearing someone's praise, especially from an expert, Yati abruptly looked up. Her eyes, slightly tired from long hours of focused work, lit up instantly, and she nearly knocked over the paint box with excitement. "You...you can understand it? Do you think I handled the lines in this storm correctly? I feel it's not twisted enough, not conveying that sense of oppression..."

He spoke rapidly, but the next second, his gaze froze on Mo Zhenna's figure and lower face, which, even with sunglasses and a mask, could not conceal his unique artistic temperament.

Yati's pupils slowly dilated, his mouth opened slightly, his breathing became rapid, and he trembled as he extended his finger.

"You...you are...Master Mo Zhenzhen?!"

"Sh-!"

Mo Zhen reacted quickly, grabbing Yati's hand that was about to point at her nose, and raising her index finger to her lips with her other hand, making a shushing gesture. Her eyes behind her sunglasses carried a warning and reminder.

"Keep your voice down, bro! I just want to stroll around in peace and quiet, enjoy the atmosphere of folk art, and I don't want to be mobbed by fans asking for autographs and photos, causing traffic to come to a standstill."

The two understood each other without saying a word, quickly packed up their art supplies, and soon found a retro coffee shop playing soft jazz music.

After taking a seat in a quiet corner of the coffee shop and ordering, Mo Zhen gently stirred the latte art in her cup and casually started a conversation.

"Judging from your style, you don't seem to be someone trained locally in the Union. What's your name? Are you here in the Union for inspiration?"

Yati held the warm coffee cup in both hands, sighed, and spoke with the bewilderment and persistence of an artist.

"My name is Artie... and I am indeed from another region. To my shame, I came to Unova to find creative inspiration. I want to create a series of artworks about the close and harmonious coexistence between humans and Pokémon. Not the kind of generic works where trainers command Pokémon in battle, nor the kind of utilitarian relationship that simply treats Pokémon as production tools or competitive partners..."

The more he spoke, the more his brows furrowed, revealing his inner distress.

"As you've seen, in today's world, the relationship between humans and elves is either superficial exploitation or strained and alienated by endless competition. This kind of superficial interaction, lacking any depth of soul, simply cannot touch my creative spark! I've heard that there exists an alternative organization in the Unova region that is completely different from the mainstream societal ideals. They advocate and practice a lifestyle where humans and elves are truly close and intimate, like family. So, I've traveled a long way to find them, to draw inspiration, to help me fulfill my creative aspirations, and to realize my Unova dream!"

【Oh my god, oh ...

Little Mengzi, who had been resting on Mo Zhen's shoulder, could no longer hold back, and two crystal tears squeezed out of her beady eyes.

[This is so moving, I'm crying! In this materialistic, indifferent world where even Pokémon are treated as tools, I've finally encountered a truly genuine Gym Leader with pure ideals who cares about the relationship between humans and Pokémon! Such noble sentiments, such a great pursuit of art! Lord Mo Zhen! We must help him! We must help him realize this dream! This is absolutely not for Mew Power! Absolutely not! This is to make this world a better place, filled with love and peace!]

Mo Zhen's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. He knew this pink fat pig's character all too well; it always spoke with seven parts acting and three parts truth. Only a fool would believe it.

However, he did develop some interest in the artistic conception of "humans and elves being intimately connected" described by Arty.

Therefore, Mo Zhen's face showed the understanding and agreement that comes with an artist meeting a like-minded person.

"Is the organization you're looking for Team Plasma, which has been very active in the Unova region lately, advocating for 'Pokémon liberation' and promoting Pokémon equality?"

Upon hearing this, Yati immediately shook her head, a clear look of disapproval on her face.

“Master Mo Zhen, I know about Team Plasma that you mentioned. Their philosophy sounds wonderful, ‘liberating Pokémon from their Poké Balls,’ but if you think about it carefully, they advocate for the complete separation of humans and Pokémon.”

He paused, his gaze sharpening as if he could see through appearances.

"This may seem like protecting the elves, but isn't it essentially severing the bond and connection between us and the elves? It's just replacing another form of domination with a seemingly noble isolation."

Mo Zhen paused slightly in the coffee cup she was holding, a genuine look of surprise flashing in her eyes behind her sunglasses.

He hadn't expected that this seemingly down-on-his-luck Bug-type Gym Leader would have such profound knowledge, seeing through the core contradictions and potential problems beneath the slogan of "Team Plasma" at a glance.

This made him think even more highly of Ayati, and at the same time made him even more curious about the truly ideal organization that Ayati had described.

"Oh? It seems Mr. Artie sees things more clearly than many others. So, if I may be so bold, which organization are you truly looking for? Is there any group in the Unova region that aligns with your ideals more than the Plasma Team?"

Yati took a deep breath, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then slowly uttered five words in a tone filled with longing and mystery.

"The name of that organization is—[Elf Era]!"

【Elf Era】!
Upon hearing this name, Mo Zhen's fingers tightened slightly, almost imperceptibly, as she gripped the coffee cup.

His memory bank searched rapidly, but neither his memories of the game in his past life nor his experiences in Unova in this life had ever appeared in his mind.

But the name itself exudes a grand narrative and lofty idealism—it's about to usher in a new era of harmonious coexistence between humans and elves!

The scope of the discussion instantly expanded!
Just as Mo Zhen was rapidly considering whether he should contact his trusted assistant, Miss Wanlong, to inquire about the details of this "Elf Era"...

"Oh? Mo Zhen, you're actually interested in the [Elf Era]?"

A woman's voice, with a hint of languid laughter yet strangely familiar, drifted softly from the booth next to them, like a clear spring in a secluded valley.

"Regarding this organization, perhaps... I can offer you a small bit of help..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Asking for monthly ticket

(End of this chapter)