Pokémon: I have no choice but to do this old thing?

Chapter 110 Memories are Pearls

Following the flowing "river of stars" in the sky, Zhang Jianying and his companions walked through the rustling reeds, treaded across the soft muddy edges, and gradually ventured deeper into the heart of the great wetland.

The cool moonlight spilled across the winding waterways and silent forests. The faint flapping of wings by the swarm of dust moths, accompanied by tiny specks of light falling from their scales, guided their way.

Parting the last dense vine, a vast lake suddenly appeared before my eyes. The lake's surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the starry sky and the magnificent river of light that stretched across the horizon.

Deep in the wetlands, by a tranquil lake.

The Rockets trio stood beside a fallen giant tree.

Musashi stood with his back to the lake, gazing up at the starry sky, deliberately avoiding the migration route of the poisonous moth swarm.

On the open ground in front of her, a Poké Ball lay quietly.

Her poisonous moths were anxiously circling around her, their compound eyes constantly looking at their kind in the sky, then at Musashi, their wings flapping wildly and helplessly.

"What are you looking at!"

-

Musashi's voice carried a deliberate coldness as she turned around.

"You want to go with them?! Go ahead! I won't stop you!"

She waved her hand, as if to shoo them away.

"Get out of the way! Don't get in the way!"

The poisonous moth froze in mid-air, its compound eyes staring straight at Musashi.

"Ringling——"

The wind chimes around Kojiro's neck tinkled softly with worry.

Meow Meow wanted to go forward and say something, but Kojiro quietly pulled it back and gently shook his head. He looked at Musashi's straight but slightly trembling back with a complicated expression.

Seeing that the poisonous moth didn't move, Musashi raised his voice even louder: "What are you still standing there for?! Waiting for me to send you away?! Hurry up! Go far away with your kind! So you won't keep hanging around in front of me every day, it's so annoying!"

Suddenly, she raised her foot and stomped down hard!

"Snap!"

The crisp cracking sound was particularly jarring on the quiet lakeside.

The Poké Ball shattered into several pieces beneath her feet.

This also means that Toxad is no longer bound by the Poké Ball; it is completely free.

Musashi turned around, no longer looking at the poisonous moth, crossed his arms, and looked up at the starry sky.

The poisonous moth circled Musashi twice behind him, emitting a few low, unreadable chirps. Finally, it gently landed and carefully cradled Musashi's hand, which was hanging by his side, with its legs.

Musashi clenched his fists even tighter, his nails almost digging into his palms.

The poisonous moth paused for a few seconds, then flapped its wings and flew towards the Milky Way in the sky that awaited it. Its wings traced brilliant trails in the moonlight, growing ever more distant.

Only when the poisonous moth completely blended into the stream of light in the night sky and could no longer be discerned did Musashi's tense shoulders slump almost imperceptibly for a moment. She still held her head up, and no one could see her expression.

Kojiro sighed softly, pulled Meowth along, and retreated into the shadows, leaving Musashi some space to be alone.

He knew about Musashi's past. He knew that before she joined Team Rocket, she had a vague romantic relationship.

Musashi knew what "missing out" meant.

She didn't want her poisonous moths to suffer the same fate as she had back then, leaving behind regrets and endlessly pondering "what ifs" in the years to come.

Therefore, she made the gentlest decision for her partner in a "rough" way.

Under the same starry sky, at the edge of the wetlands.

Shinji carried his pack and walked on, recalling the various scenes by the campfire. These scenes lingered in his mind, causing him distress.

However, the hushed voices and the clanging of metal ahead interrupted his thoughts.

Two men in waterproof suits were crouching under camouflage netting, fiddling with several specially made metal cages. Weak, anxious cries came from inside the cages.

poachers—

Shinji's eyes turned cold. He had always despised this kind of behavior, but he had no intention of getting involved too much.

He wasn't a hot-blooded brute like Ash, nor did he want to cause unnecessary trouble.

He took out his Pokédex, switched to the emergency contact interface, and sent his location and a brief message directly to Officer Jenny, who was the nearest Pokémon.

After doing all this, he glanced at the two unsuspecting poachers, and after confirming that the Pokémon in the cage was not in immediate danger, he prepared to turn around and leave.

Just as he was about to leave, the Poké Ball on his waist suddenly opened automatically.

A flash of red light appeared, and the massive body of the electric monster silently landed beside him.

It didn't roar as usual, but gently tugged at Shinji's clothes with its thick arm, pointing in the direction of the poachers with its other hand. Its eyes, which usually flashed with a fierce electric light, were now fixed on one of the cages.

Shinji looked in the direction it was pointing.

In that smaller cage, an electric monster with several scratches on its body was huddled in a corner.

The two electrodes on its head were somewhat dim, its hands were wrapped around its knees, its body trembled slightly, and it glanced fearfully at the two men outside the cage from time to time. The Electric Demon Beast looked at the Electric Monster and let out a low growl.

Shinji stopped moving.

He glanced at the tense profile of the Electivire, then at the weak and helpless Electivire of the same kind in the cage, and remained silent for two seconds.

"----trouble."

He muttered something under his breath, his tone unreadable, but he stopped himself from leaving. He retreated back into the shadows, his gaze fixed on the two poachers.

With tacit approval, the Electrified Beast quietly lowered its body, and tiny arcs of electricity began to silently dance around it, ready to strike.

Zhang Jianying and his group spotted the trainer with the heterochromatic powder moth on a shallow beach.

The young female trainer was squatting on the edge of the shallows, tightly hugging her Pokémon.

The golden wings of the poisonous moth shimmered with a magnificent luster under the moonlight, creating a striking contrast with its kin in the night sky.

"Poisonous White Moth — Poisonous White Moth —"

-

The trainer's voice choked with emotion, his face buried deep in the fluffy hairs on the side of the Toxapex's neck, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

I... I can't bear to part with you, I really can't bear to part with you—"

The Poison Powder Moth emitted a low chirp, its antennae gently wrapping around the trainer's wrist, and its wings lightly patting her back, as if soothing her or bidding her farewell.

Zhang Jianying, Xiao Zhi, Xiao Gang, and Xiao Guang stood quietly not far away, without going forward to disturb them.

Finally, the female trainer released her embrace, looking at her Toxapex with teary eyes. The Toxapex's compound eyes also reflected the tears.

"Go."

She sniffed and forced a smile, though it looked worse than crying. "I want to fly high, find lots and lots of friends, and be happier than when I was with you."

The poisonous moth chirped softly, nuzzled her cheek with its head, and then slowly retreated, its wings beginning to gather strength.

One step, two steps, leaving the shallows, taking off.

The female trainer bit her lower lip tightly, watching it get further and further away, watching its golden figure approach that galaxy.

Until they can no longer be seen.

The dam that had been held up collapsed instantly.

"Waaaaaah—!"

She finally broke down, squatted down, buried her face in her knees, and burst into tears. Her cries echoed along the tranquil lakeside, filled with reluctance and a profound emptiness after letting go.

Hikari hugged Piplup, her eyes reddening, and instinctively wanted to go over and comfort her. But Ash gently pulled her wrist instead.

He shook his head at Xiaoguang, then took a step and slowly walked over.

He walked over to the female trainer, didn't speak immediately, but simply stood there quietly, looking up at the sky.

The female trainer's sobs gradually subsided, turning into suppressed sobs. She knew there were people nearby and felt somewhat embarrassed, trying to control herself, but the tears just wouldn't stop falling.

"I'm so sorry—"

She said in a thick nasal voice, wiping her face haphazardly, "—I'm so embarrassed."

"There's nothing shameful about it."

Xiao Zhi's voice was calm, carrying an understanding beyond his years. He squatted down, took a pack of tissues from his pocket, and handed it to him.

The female trainer accepted it in a daze and thanked her softly.

Ash sat down on a nearby rock and gazed at the starry sky. "My first Pokémon, Butterfree, flew away with its flock just like this."

The female trainer paused in her act of wiping away tears.

"I was very sad at that time too."

Xiao Zhi smiled, a clean and serene smile in the moonlight. "But thinking about it now, I feel more of a blessing. I know it's where it wants to be, living the life it has chosen. That's enough."

He turned to look at the female trainer: "You and your Dustow must have many wonderful stories to tell, right?"

The female trainer gripped the tissue in her hand, remained silent for a few seconds, and then nodded slightly.

She took a deep breath, gazing at the streak of light carrying her companion as it gradually disappeared into the night sky. Her voice was soft: "I met it on the road when it was still a stinging worm. I had just started my journey then, knew nothing, and it was very weak too. We stumbled and fell together—"

"When it evolved into Cocoon, I watched over it for two whole days, afraid it would be disturbed by other Pokémon —"

"The day it evolved into the poisonous moth, the sun was shining brightly, and its wings were golden. I was stunned. At that moment, I thought, my companion is the most special thing in the world."

"We've challenged gyms together, gotten lost together, shared the same umbrella on rainy days, and it always liked to gently poke my face with its antennae to wake me up—"

Her voice was sometimes tinged with laughter, sometimes choked with sobs, as she recounted those ordinary yet precious moments in a broken and intermittent manner.

Zhang Jianying, Xiao Gang, and Xiao Guang listened quietly from a short distance away. Bojiaman also quieted down and leaned against its owner.

Ash listened attentively, nodding occasionally. When the female trainer finished her explanation, he suddenly spoke, his tone solemn: "As Champion Cynthia once said: 'When any life encounters another life, something new is born.'"

The female trainer, along with Zhang Jianying and the other two who were not far away, were slightly taken aback.

Ash continued, "Your encounter with the dustworm gave birth to these memories and these feelings. Now, it's going to meet more lives and embark on a new journey. As for us, all we need to do is continue to bless it."

Xiaogang and Xiaoguang looked at Xiaozhi in surprise.

Under the moonlight, the once impetuous and reckless boy now had a soft profile, and his eyes were clear and firm, exuding a reassuring sense of reliability.

By the lake, the female trainer stared blankly at Ash. After a long while, she rubbed her eyes hard and finally revealed a smile that was no longer sad.

"Um!"

She nodded emphatically, looked up at the sky, and whispered, "I wish you happiness, dust moth. I will continue my journey, and we will both become better."

She stood up, solemnly thanked Xiao Zhi and Zhang Jianying and the others not far away, then took a deep breath of the moist night air, turned around, and walked back the way she came, her steps much lighter than before.

After the female trainer left, Zhang Jianying stroked the Poké Ball at his waist, feeling the calm or lively aura of his companions inside.

Every bond is unique. A gentle smile appeared on his face.

"When any life encounters another life, something new is born—"

Xiao Guang repeated softly, hugging Bogaman tightly in his arms.

"Yes," Xiao Gang smiled, "it's the same every time we meet."

Ash grinned, his eyes still bright as stars: "So, let's just keep going! There's a competition tomorrow!"

At another lakeside, Musashi also composed himself.

There were no tear stains on her face, but her eyes were red as she stared at the disappearing band of light in the night sky for a very long time.

Then, she abruptly tossed her long hair, resuming her usual posture, and shouted at the sky, "Hey! If you're not doing well, get back here! You hear me?!"

Of course, there will be no answer.

She snorted, turned around, and strode towards Kojiro and Meow Meow, her footsteps pounding as if she wanted to crush all the sadness.

"Let's go! I'm starving! Let's find somewhere to get something to eat! We still need to catch more rare Pokémon for Boss Giovanni tomorrow!"

Her voice returned to its usual loud and boisterous tone.

"Yes, yes, yes—"

"Ling Ling~"

Kojiro and Meowth quickly agreed, exchanged a quick glance, and followed.

The trio quickly disappeared into the depths of the reeds.

Meanwhile, on Shinji's side...

The battle ended quickly, and could hardly be called a battle at all.

Before the two poachers could even release their Pokémon, they were subdued by Shinji's calm commands and Electivire's swift and precise Thunder Punch and Brick Break.

Electivire deliberately controlled its power, only temporarily incapacitating the Pokémon. At Shinji's signal, Ursaring quickly broke the cage, releasing all the imprisoned Pokémon.

The electric monster jumped out of the cage, still somewhat hesitant.

The Electrify Beast walked over, crouched down, and stretched out its huge palm to gently touch the electrode on its head, transmitting an electric current as if to soothe it.

Electabuzz sensed the powerful yet gentle aura of its kin and slowly relaxed, carefully placing its hand on Electabuzz's fingers.

Shinji did not go to see this heartwarming scene.

He was inspecting the two poachers who were lying on the ground, groaning and moaning, and confiscating all the Poké Balls and suspicious tools from them.

One of the younger poachers seemed to regain some consciousness and began to curse and threaten in a show of bravado.

"You little brat, do you even know who we are?! You dare ruin our plans! Just you wait—"

Shinji didn't even raise an eyebrow. He simply picked up a rag from the ground and stuffed it into the other person's mouth to stop the foul language that followed.

He straightened up, dusted off his hands (which weren't actually dust), and looked at the two defenseless, bluffing men on the ground. A hint of undisguised contempt flashed in his cold eyes.

"Useless thing!"

The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.

Shinji looked up and saw several lights rapidly approaching in his direction. He gestured for the Electabuzz to step back, neatly placed the confiscated items to the side in a conspicuous spot, and then stood quietly in place waiting.

Officer Jenny and her partner Arcanine arrived quickly.

Shinji succinctly explained the situation, pointing to the two poachers on the ground and the Pokémon that had been rescued and were being looked after by Electivire and Ursaring. He then showed Officer Jenny the records and contact information from his Pokédex.

The whole process was concise and efficient, without any unnecessary words.

After Officer Jenny recorded and reviewed the information, she saluted Shinji to express her gratitude: "Thank you very much for your bravery and timely report, Trainer Shinji. We will take good care of these Pokémon and provide them with treatment. These two individuals will also be dealt with according to the law. Please leave your contact information, as we may need your cooperation in giving a brief statement later."

Shinji nodded and gave his Trainer ID and temporary communication number.

After the handover was complete, he didn't linger and retrieved all the Pokémon except for Electivire.

Before leaving, Electabuzz looked at the Electabuzz monster that followed it closely, seemingly wanting to get close but not daring to, and then looked at Shinji.

Shinji glanced at the Electro Monster.

The glow from the electrodes on the little guy's head had returned somewhat, and he was glancing at the Electabuzz with a look of dependence and expectation, then stealing glances at him.

"—Keep up."

Shinji said something to Electabuzz, which can be considered as tacit approval.

Electivire growled and gestured to Electabuzz. Electabuzz's eyes lit up, and it quickly trotted to Electivire's side.

Shinji took one last look at the restored scene, then looked up at the night sky.

The band of light had become sparse and was about to disappear below the horizon.

Different lives, different encounters and separations.

The ideals he once firmly believed in seemed to have taken on a more complex and indescribable form under the starlight tonight.

He turned and left with Electivire and his newly joined little follower.

The moonlight, like water, spilled over every corner of the wetlands, and over everyone who had just experienced separation, blessings, and protection.