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

Chapter 96 A Tragedy Triggered by a Golden Bead

The passenger ship slowly sailed into the port of the Sinnoh region's scenic area through the morning mist.

The familiar, moist air, mixed with the fresh scent of sea breeze and vegetation, rushed towards Zhang Jianying, who was standing on the deck, and he unconsciously took a deep breath, a relaxed smile appearing on his face.

"Finally almost home."

He turned to look at the monster sitting on the fence, its eyes wide with curiosity as it surveyed its surroundings, and began to describe it with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Little one, do you see that over there? Beyond this grove of trees, there's a private beach, and behind it is our big house!"

"In the backyard, there's a large orchard that the turtle has cultivated with its 'Grassland,' and a haunted house in the ruins area that the ghost built especially for it," although it seems to prefer lying on the sofa watching TV and eating snacks these days—"

Following the direction of his finger, Erguipeng could only see lush green trees and the faint outlines of buildings in the distance.

But the lively scene described in Zhang Jianying's words had already filled its starry eyes with bright anticipation, and it couldn't help but make a soft "pop" sound, causing the leaves above its head to sway happily.

"And there's Gardevoir's favorite meditation garden, the rocky beach area where Saberag usually practices swordsmanship, and the place where Shuckle and Glaceon often play—"

Zhang Jianying was enthusiastically introducing the place when Zi Guang inadvertently swept his gaze across the sky behind the trees, and his voice abruptly stopped.

A wisp of black smoke was seen rising from the direction of the private beach, standing out starkly against the pale blue sky of the early morning.

"Um?"

Zhang Jianying shaded his eyes with his hand, squinted, and looked around, somewhat puzzled. "Whose house is on fire? So early in the morning, how unlucky!"

He paused for a moment as soon as he finished speaking.

Hiss, wait a minute—

In this direction, it seems, probably, possibly—he's the only one, right?

With a bad feeling creeping into his heart, Zhang Jianying quickly recalled his Pokémon. "Gardevoir, quick, use Teleport to take me there!"

Gardevoir also sensed the anomaly. Without hesitation, a flash of blue light appeared in its eyes, and it grabbed Zhang Jianying's arm. The figures of the man and the Pokémon suddenly disappeared from the spot.

Only the delivery guy, who had been ordered to bring the drinks, was left standing there bewildered in the wind.

Let's go back to about an hour earlier, to Zhang Jianying's backyard.

The morning light was just right, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

In a corner of the backyard near the orchard, three wild Lulili were sitting in a row on their round, big tails, chests puffed out, little heads held high, looking at the thriving scene before them with satisfaction.

On the left is the fruit tree area, nourished by the talents blessed by Shirabi, with various high-quality fruits hanging from the branches, plump and tempting in color.

-

To the right is a flowerbed carefully tended by the spiny cotton and owl grass, where various flowers bloom in competition, emitting a delightful mixed fragrance.

"Lili~!"

A lily let out a triumphant cry and nuzzled against the fluffy cotton wool beside it.

These few wild little creatures are actually gardeners "hired" by Zhang Jianying, responsible for the daily maintenance of this area.

Looking at the vibrant garden they had taken care of, the little ones felt a great sense of accomplishment.

"When Ah Jian comes back and sees this amazing orchard and garden, he'll definitely reward us with even more delicious energy cubes!"

One of the Lulili thought to itself with delight, already planning what flavor of energy cube it would want next time.

"Mwah~" "Yoyo~"

The spindle cotton and the walking grass nodded in agreement, their faces beaming with satisfaction and pride after their work.

However, this tranquility and beauty was soon shattered by a series of clanging noises coming from the direction of the neighboring warehouse.

The wild Pokémon exchanged a knowing look.

"Lili—it's definitely those three again—"

"Mianmian - just another day in the day."

"Oh—you'll get used to it."

They shook their heads, continued to admire their masterpiece, and planned to wait for the commotion to pass.

The source of the noise was Zhang Jianying's new cat and a pair of mice.

The story begins this morning.

A pair of smaller mice, after much effort, finally dug out what they considered to be the most perfect and enormous golden pearl they had ever seen in their lives from a crevice in the rocks on the beach yesterday!

Golden and round, it can dazzle a mouse's eyes in the sunlight!

It carefully hid the treasure behind a broken wooden box in the corner of the warehouse, thinking it was absolutely safe, intending to wait for the big mouse to come back so they could admire it together and add it to their "secret treasure."

As a result, when it excitedly led the big mouse to admire the treasure this morning, it found that the treasure spot was empty!

The little mouse was dumbfounded.

A pair of mice ransacked the warehouse, only to find a few cat hairs with a distinctive fragrance belonging to a certain wicked cat not far away.

"Squeak! It's that naughty cat! It must be it!"

New and old grudges surged into their hearts. New Leaf Cat had too many past records of "cheating and deceiving," and the pair of mice's anger instantly exploded!

The two mice, of one mind, followed the scent and went out.

-

Sure enough, at the edge of the garden, they found New Leaf Cat leisurely lying on a tree branch, basking in the sun and whistling, looking completely content. What was even more infuriating was that there were a few pineapple fruits rolling down next to New Leaf Cat's paws—these were the snacks they had hoarded!

"Squeak! Give us back our golden pearls! And our fruit!"

Startled, New Leaf Cat scrambled down from the tree branch and instinctively shrank back when it saw the menacing pair of rats.

But it quickly raised its head, flicked its tail, and tried to play dumb and get away with it.

"Meow~ What golden pearl? I don't see it~ Fruit? I picked it up from the ground~"

Xin Ye Miao's arrogant and irritating attitude completely ignited the anger of the two mice!

"Squeak squeak squeak!!!"

The smaller mouse launches the attack first! [Slap] It charges straight at New Leaf Cat! The larger mouse follows closely behind.

Seeing that things were not going well, Xin Ye Miao jumped away with a "meow," staging a scene of a mouse chasing a cat, a reversal of the natural order.

Xin Ye Miao was nimble, weaving nimbly among the materials and tools piled up in the warehouse. Every now and then, she would turn around and make faces at the pair of mice that were chasing her breathlessly, sticking out her pink little tongue: "Nya nya nya~ Can't catch you~".

The two mice grew angrier the more they chased each other, their white fur turning faintly red with their fury.

Finally, near the pipes on the warehouse's outer wall, just as the smaller mouse was about to bite the tip of Xinye Miao's tail with its signature "angry incisors," Xinye Miao shrieked and leaped nimbly onto the horizontal metal gas pipe. From its elevated position, it continued to mock the pair of mice below, who were jumping up and down in a panic: "Meow~ Come on up, you silly mouse~"

"squeak--!!"

Anger clouded their judgment. The two mice exchanged a glance and instantly reached an understanding!

The larger mouse stood upright, its two paws firmly supporting the smaller mouse's hind legs, and with all its might, tossed it upwards!

Using this force, the little mouse shot into the sky like a cannonball, its angry front teeth gleaming coldly as it bit straight at the new leaf cat on the pipe!

Xin Ye Miao was surprised that the pair of mice were fighting so hard today, and hurriedly jumped to the side.

Click.

A crisp sound of metal breaking rang out!

The little mouse's angry attack missed New Leaf Cat, but instead gnawed solidly at the old gas pipe connection!

The already somewhat rusted pipe couldn't withstand the power of the "Angry Fangs" and snapped instantly!

laugh-

A pungent smell of gas immediately emanated from the break.

The new leaf cat that jumped to the side and the pair of mice that landed on the ground were both stunned.

Three pairs of eyes stared blankly at the gushing colorless gas, their noses filled with an unpleasant odor.

A few seconds later, the leaking gas came into contact with an occasional spark from an old electrical circuit in the warehouse—

boom--!

The orange-red flames burst into flames instantly.

The gas leak spread rapidly along the leaking gas and the dried wood and debris in the warehouse.

"Meow?!!"

"Squeak!!"

The three little ones were completely dumbfounded.

They watched the flames grow rapidly and smelled the burning odor before realizing they had committed a terrible crime.

"Meow! Run!"

"Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Help! We need someone to put out the fire!"

The three little ones, panicked and disoriented, scrambled out of the smoking warehouse, their first instinct being to find "reinforcements."

They knew that the usually capable wild Pokémon in the backyard must have a way!

When Newleaf Cat and a pair of mice rushed into the orchard looking disheveled, Lulili and the others had just finished watering and were resting.

"Hey? You three again—hmm? What's that smell?"

"Mianmian! Fire?!"

Several wild Pokémon also smelled the burning smell in the wind. When they looked up, they saw black smoke rising from the direction of the warehouse!

The pride on their faces instantly turned into terror!

"Lili lili! Quick! Put out the fire!"

"Cotton, Oddish, go help!"

The wild Pokémon, who had been well taken care of by Zhang Jianying and considered this place as half their home, did not hesitate and immediately began to save themselves.

The Lulili puffed out their cheeks and sprayed out water guns and foam beams with all their might.

Cotton floated in mid-air, trying to cover the flames with water from the Squirtle Sprayer, but with little success.

The pair of mice and Newleaf Cat also came to their senses and, together with Oddish, started digging sand and throwing it into the fire.

However, the fire spread too quickly.

The gas fueled the fire, the wooden structure dried out, and a slight morning breeze made their efforts seem like a drop in the ocean. Soon, a large part of the warehouse was engulfed in flames, billowing thick smoke and scorching heat.

Several wild Pokémon were so smoky that their eyes were watering and they were coughing incessantly. Their beautiful fur and leaves were covered in black ash, making them look miserable.

As the flames began to dangerously lick the gas pipes connecting to the main house, despair filled their eyes.

"Lili—it's no use, we can't hold them off anymore—"

"Meow—Ah Jian, where are you?"

"Squeak! Oh no, our home is going to be gone—"

At that moment, space distorted slightly, and in the next instant, Zhang Jianying and Gardevoir appeared at the edge of the backyard.

The scene before him made Zhang Jianying's eyelids twitch.

The small wooden warehouse in the corner of the backyard was ablaze with flames and thick smoke, and the flames were dangerously spreading towards the main house along the broken gas pipe!

Several small, dusty figures were futilely trying to put out the fire, creating a disheveled and perilous scene.

Holy crap!

Even though Zhang Jianying is usually calm, he couldn't help but swear at this moment.

He spotted the broken, leaking gas pipe at a glance.

"Greatsword Demon, Salamence."

He quickly threw out two Poké Balls, shouting, "Hydro Pump! Suppress the fire, don't let it get near the pipes!"

The Greatsword Demon and Salamence appeared simultaneously without the slightest hesitation.

With a swing of his greatsword blade, a thick, pillar-like torrent of water gushed forth from the tip of the blade!

The Salamence opened its maw wide, and another jet of water, no less impressive, roared forth. The two jets of water struck precisely the bottom of the warehouse, where the fire was most intense!

laugh-

When water and fire meet, a large cloud of white steam rises up, instantly suppressing the raging flames.

"Gardedor, Gengar, [Rain Dance]!"

Gardevoir and Gengar exchanged a glance and simultaneously gathered their energy.

Gardevoir held its hands up, while Gengar waved its short claws. The two non-Water-type Pokémon, with their half-baked Rain Dance, stirred up the already abundant seaside moisture.

Soon, a small patch of dark cloud gathered above the warehouse, and the drizzling rain began to fall, quickly growing larger and turning into a torrential downpour. Together with two water cannons, it provided a full-coverage attack on the remaining flames.

Zhang Jianying rushed to the main gas valve and tightened the huge valve with all his might, finally stopping the hissing sound of leaking gas.

The fire was quickly extinguished by the combined impact of water jets and torrential rain, leaving only charred wood emitting blue smoke and a mess on the ground.

Zhang Jianying finally breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the rain off his face, took out the guidebook, and contacted the local repair company.

Only after he finished doing all that did he have time to carefully examine the scene.

The wild aloe vera, bougainvillea, and dwarf lilies that usually take care of the garden and fruit trees were soaking wet and covered in black ash, sitting on the ground panting heavily.

There were also several spray bottles and buckets next to them, which they used to splash water and put out the fire. It was clear that they had already tried their best before Zhang Jianying returned.

Behind Gardevoir's flowing skirt, three even more disheveled Newleaf Cats, almost turned into coal balls, and a pair of mice were hiding.

The three little ones clung tightly to Gardevoir's skirt, only revealing a few pairs of guilty eyes peeking out.

Gardevoir felt the hem of her skirt being tugged, turned around to look at them, and a hint of helplessness and amusement flashed in her crimson eyes.

It reached out its fair hand and gently stroked the heads of Xinye Miao and the pair of mice, their fur bristling and covered in black ash. A gentle spiritual wave conveyed to them: Don't be afraid, it's alright. Ah Jian won't really blame you.

Feeling Gardevoir's gentle comfort, the three little ones relaxed a little, but when they saw Zhang Jianying's face, which was as black as the bottom of a pot, they couldn't help but shudder.

Looking at the horrific warehouse ruins before him, and the exhausted wild creatures, Zhang Jianying glanced at the three "culprits" behind Gardevoir's skirt—a feeling of utter exhaustion rushed to his head, but he was filled with even more lingering fear.

Thankfully it was just a small storage room, thankfully it was discovered in time, and thankfully the Pokémon are all safe.

A surge of emotions finally culminated in a long, weary sigh.

"It's good that you're all alright."

He rubbed his temples. "It's just a warehouse. If it burns down, it burns down."

He released the Ice Goose: "Little penguin, help me get some ice to put on Lulili and the others. Some of them may have been burned."

The ice goose nodded, flapped its wings, and condensed several pieces of pure ice of suitable size.

Zhang Jianying then took out a wound spray and carefully treated the minor burns and abrasions of several wild Pokémon that had participated in the firefighting efforts, while also giving them a large handful of high-quality energy cubes as a reward.

"Thank you for your hard work, little ones. Gardevoir will take you to wash up after you finish eating." He said gently.

"Lili!" "Mianmian!" "Yo!"

Upon seeing the Energy Cube, Luli, Cotton, and Oddish instantly forgot their fatigue, cheered happily, and ran off to enjoy their share.

After dealing with the firefighters, Zhang Jianying's smile faded.

He turned around and looked at the three figures who were preparing to slip away after Gardevoir left.

"stop."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling undertone.

"Where do you three little rascals think you're going?"

The three little ones' escape motion froze instantly, as if a pause button had been pressed.

"Gengar."

"

Zhang Jianying gestured with his chin to the side.

"Genga~" (Yes, sir~)

Gengar, who had been waiting for this moment, let out a sly laugh, and with a flash, its short paws precisely grabbed Newleafy by the scruff of its neck, while its other hand grabbed the tails of the two mice that were trying to run away separately, and lifted the two mice together.

The three little ones were neatly dragged to Zhang Jianying's front, their heads drooping and limbs hanging down, looking guilty and cowardly.

"Tell me about it."

Zhang Jianying crossed her arms and looked at them: "What happened? Who started it? How did they manage to break the gas pipe? And almost blow up the house?"

His gaze swept over the three small rats, finally settling on a pair: "Judging from the marks on the broken ends, were they gnawed or caused by an impact?"

Upon hearing this, the two mice froze simultaneously, exchanged a glance, and DouDou's eyes were filled with regret.

The smaller mouse instinctively reached out its paw to point at the new leaf cat that was trying to curl up in a ball next to it, but was stopped by a gentle pat from the larger mouse.

Xinye Miao lowered her face even further, her ears drooping like airplane ears, and she let out a guilty "meow" sound from her throat.

Looking at them, and combining the traces at the scene with the "glorious record" of these little guys, Zhang Jianying had roughly pieced together what had happened.

He snorted irritably, "Alright, enough pointing fingers. I could guess what you two were up to with my eyes closed. It was probably Xin Ye Miao stealing a pair of mice's treasured possessions again, and then the mice chased after her in a fit of rage, and in the process, they lost control of their attacks and broke the pipe, right?"

The three little ones lowered their heads even further, almost burying them in their chests.

"Given your repeated failure to correct your behavior, including vandalism at home and arson outside—"

Zhang Jianying drawled, looking at the three little ones' pitiful appearance, and tried hard to maintain a serious expression, "I've made up my mind."

The three little ones tensed up and pricked up their ears.

"Starting today."

Zhang Jianying said, enunciating each word clearly, "The three of you, you're coming with me on this trip and for training!"

"Meow?!" "Squeak?!"

Xin Ye Miao and a pair of mice simultaneously raised their heads, their eyes wide with surprise.

They weren't kicked out?

"So you won't stay at home causing trouble."

Zhang Jianying added, then looked at a pair of rats.

"And you two rats, stop playing dumb. Hand over the two gold beads you secretly hid! They're confiscated to offset the losses from this warehouse!"

"!!!"

Upon hearing this, the two mice were struck dumb!

The two mice turned grayish-white at the same time, as if they had lost their souls in an instant. They slid straight out of Gengar's paws and knelt down with a "thud," their four little paws covering their heads, letting out a mournful cry.

Those were their most precious and shiny collections, the ones they had worked so hard to gather!

"Meow~"

Seeing the pair of mice looking like this, Xin Ye Miao couldn't help but chuckle with smug satisfaction, wagging her tail triumphantly.

Zhang Jianying turned her gaze to it: "And you, you naughty cat. What are you laughing at? You think you can get away? Your catnip supply is completely canceled for the next two months."

"Meow?!"

The smile on Xin Ye Miao's face froze instantly, and the cat turned grayish-white like a pair of mice at a visible speed. It froze on the spot, its ears and tail drooping down completely, as if it had lost all the color of its cat life.

"Genga!"

Gengar, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, finally couldn't hold back and rolled around in the air laughing, clutching his stomach.

The earth turtle, which was lying to the side with its eyes closed in rest, let out a low laugh.

Even the usually cold-faced Greatsword Demon's lips curled up almost imperceptibly before quickly returning to normal, as if nothing had happened.

Just then, Gardevoir returned with the group of wild Pokémon that had finished consuming the Energy Cubes and had been carefully cleaned and dried by its psychic powers, becoming clean and fluffy again.

Seeing this scene of "three trials" before her, Gardevoir shook her head helplessly.

It walked to Zhang Jianying's side, gently tugged at his sleeve, and looked at him tenderly with its crimson eyes, conveying gentle advice through telepathy.

"Ah Jian, don't be angry. There wasn't anything valuable in the warehouse to begin with. They know they were wrong and will be more careful in the future."

Its emotional fluctuations simultaneously soothed the three gray-white "criminals," offering a sliver of comfort to their collapsing minds.

Newleaf and the pair of mice looked at Gardevoir with teary eyes, as if grasping at a lifeline, their eyes filled with gratitude.

As expected, Gardevoir is the true angel, and the trainer is the devil!

Zhang Jianying looked at the three little ones who were gazing gratefully at Gardevoir, as if they had found a powerful backer.

He glanced at Gardevoir beside him, whose gentle smile had easily dispelled his serious demeanor, and his lips twitched involuntarily.

He suddenly realized that his status as a trainer within the family was precarious.

Why does it feel like Gardevoir's words carry less weight than Gardevoir's?

Zhang Jianying sighed helplessly, and finally, under Gardevoir's gentle gaze, he could only wave his hand and say, "Alright, alright, everyone disperse. Pack up, the repair company people will be here soon."

"As for the three of you."

He glared at the three little ones who were trying to shrink behind Gardevoir. "Go and get ready to welcome your new companions from your hometown."

A pair of mice and a new leaf cat curiously examined the unfamiliar Poké Ball, then exchanged a disapproving look before hurriedly running towards the bathroom.

Sunlight streamed into the backyard under renovation, and the sea breeze brought a gentle, moist atmosphere.

An unexpected fireworks display, a chaotic trial, and finally the formal inclusion of three "problem children" into the travel group.