Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

They poked each other with their fingertips, and she stammered an explanation to cover it up, but her shifty eyes revealed the young woman's guilty conscience.

Fortunately, Nan Yin simply picked up her chopsticks and chewed slowly with the rice grains, acknowledging the former's efforts through her words and actions.

"Okay, thank you for everything you've done."

It was clear to the naked eye that Korne's initial awkwardness had turned into joy.

"Yes, yes, as long as you think it's good."

It was a series of echoes.

Despite being the focus of the young girl's attention, to be honest, whether in her past or present life, Nan Yin has always taken care of herself and has rarely been cared for by others in this way.

This strange feeling made her feel somewhat unfamiliar and uncomfortable. It wasn't exactly odd, but she felt something was slightly different deep inside.

When she speaks out, someone responds; when she is happy, someone echoes her; when she is down, someone encourages her. To be honest, Nan Yin thought it would take her a long time to get used to walking together with her partner, but now she has become accustomed to the atmosphere of sharing and being together.

Her gaze fell upon the small, burnt pieces of egg, and the girl, unusually, lost her composure.

Perhaps, companionship can truly and quietly change a person's habits and thoughts.

Trying to calm their emotions, after breakfast they prepared to head to Shuanglong City to see the concert. Of course, their real purpose was actually to get authentic, locally made Tundra Bear ice cream.

After tidying up the small items and changing into suitable clothes, Nan Yin softly asked in front of the full-length mirror by the door and her friends in the entryway.

How's this outfit?

A beige cashmere coat with a pure white ruffled lining has an elegant, clear, and peaceful style. It has no special features, but it perfectly complements the girl's beauty.

She tiptoed and twisted her body, revealing her curves. Although she had never been close to him, Nan Yin was still able to let her guard down and show her brilliance in front of him.

"nice."

The words were brief, yet full of praise and sincerity.

The lace ruffles accentuated her skin, the gray-black cotton socks outlined her legs, and the shallow neckline flattered her collarbone, subtly revealing her ample breasts.

Even though this wasn't the first time Korne had seen the person in front of her dressed in casual clothes, every time she saw it with her own eyes, she couldn't help but sigh that her friend was a natural clothes hanger.

Looking out the window, the morning warmth still lingers, like the gentle embrace of early summer, but Nanyin is like a snow sprite in winter.

"At least, I like it very much."

Without any ulterior motives, he spoke frankly about his feelings, but to Nan Yin, these simple words were nothing short of a heartfelt appeal.

A lump formed in her throat, and the girl turned her face away, not uttering a word in response to the former, but only urging him on, concealing her inner turmoil.

"Let's go."

"it is good."

They put the topic aside for the time being, and started walking together, one after the other, leaving the entrance hall. They also set off together with Cattleya, who happened to arrive, to head to the city that symbolizes two dragons.

......

Shuanglong City, a contradictory city, a city of conflicting ideas.

Its west side is entirely white, reflecting a pursuit of convenience that has led to constant changes and the loss of any trace of the past. Its east side is paved with black bricks and tiles, respecting history and preserving artifacts from the past.

Just like tracing the two extremes of ideal and reality, even living in the same city, people here still go their own way and rigidly maintain completely opposite lifestyles.

In this black and white, deserted street, a tall, green-haired young man leaned against the wall, saying nothing. Passersby cast curious glances at him, but he was too busy making a living to notice them and hurriedly left.

As if separated by countless worlds, a cold wind blew, seeping into the corners of his clothes, causing the young man's thin shirt to rustle.

Taking off her baseball cap and letting her long, emerald-green hair cascade down to her waist, she gazed at the Pokémon Center in the distance, quietly listening to the breath of all things.

Someone rushed in, carrying the injured Hayok, and shouted something at Miss Joey.

He heard Hayok's persistence, which was driven by his dream of becoming a trainer, forcing him to fight.

Someone released the adorable Beandove from its Poké Ball and carried it on its arm as it walked.

He heard DouDou's persistence, saying that it really liked its trainer and wished it could stay with him for life.

The young man bent his knees, closed his eyes, and the scenes of his childhood seemed to reappear in his mind.

He sat in a closed, windowless room, surrounded by tired building blocks and creaking toy trains, but only Pokémon remained a constant companion.

An injured water otter, a disabled slippery boy, a symbolic bird with a broken wing...

They all had been bullied by humans, and they feared any human who approached them. Only the boy in the masterpiece N used gentleness to ease their fear and patience to wear down their guard. Although he was already covered in wounds and suffering greatly, he gave everything and gave all his care to his only companion.

Therefore, he hates trainers who forcibly capture Pokémon and humans who disregard the Pokémon's will and force them into enslavement.

Perhaps, to others, Pokémon are mostly tools and pets, but to N, those faces are the only ones in his life.

This small voice and ideal collapsed in the scene of the adoptive father, Quixote, trying to forcibly control Zekrom.

My adoptive father—no, Ghetsis—was the kind of person I hated most. He was two-faced, claiming to have ideals but treating Pokémon as tools, and even cursing me as a 'monster'.

Until Zekrom's Thunder engulfed Team Plasma, the young man left Team Plasma and embarked on a journey through the Unova region, healing injured Pokémon.

Over the past two years, N has heard the voices of many Pokémon 'loving trainers', and just because of this, the vows he once made have been shaken, making him wonder if what he has done has any meaning.

—You can question, you can hesitate, but you must never stay in one place.

These are the words spoken by the girl who created the masterpiece, Douzi, while riding the Ferris wheel together. They are also the reason why he continues to take steps and pursue the answer.

"Brad, it's been a long time."

He spoke, not towards the azure sky he could see, but through the elf's senses, pointing to three figures hidden in the shadows.

“Mr. N, we must ask you to return.”

A man dressed in black with a badge on his chest bowed and spoke politely.

The three men, wearing masks and bearing identical insignia, were verbally humble but acted cautiously, approaching the man in a pincer-like formation step by step.

"As you know, the plasma team now needs you to oversee the overall situation."

"is it?"

The young man's voice was as peaceful and languid as a lullaby, like a long nocturne, with birdsong rising softly, and even his rhetorical questions carried no weight of condemnation.

"Is it about taking charge of the overall situation, or about sitting on the throne and becoming a puppet, or perhaps your plans will once again rely on the power of Zekrom?"

Upon hearing this, Brad, who was in the lead, suppressed his distraction and spoke only his words without showing any emotion.

"Liberating the Pokémon of the Unova region is your natural mission."

“But I’m tired.” N put his baseball cap back on, raised his eyes, and through the gaps in the streets, he saw countless figures walking hand-in-hand with Pokémon. “In the past two years, I’ve seen and heard many beautiful sounds. Those Pokémon don’t hate humans; they even possess incredibly beautiful emotions…”

"Lord N, completing the arrangements left by Lord Quetzs is what you should be doing right now!" The Plasma Team members immediately shouted, interrupting the former's denial.

"Father......"

Upon hearing that familiar name, the young man's dim eyes gleamed slightly, but quickly lost their luster, his voice turning cold.

“I will not tolerate or condone acts that harm Pokémon or manipulate emotions, and there is no reason for me to go back.”

"Is that so? Even if you don't want to see Pokémon get hurt, and you don't want to force them to battle, it's not up to you. Go, Seviper!"

"Go, Cool Leopard, Mongoose Slash!"

The red light fell to the ground and transformed into three Pokémon with sharp teeth and claws. They hissed and surrounded N, gradually closing in.

But the next moment, the young man opened his arms wide, his eyes revealing a calm and peaceful gaze, leaving the opening wide open and exposing his weakness.

"Don't worry, don't feel burdened, it's... all right now."

The power of words seemed to have no effect. The leopard bared its teeth and bristled its fur. The mongoose slayer and the rice spoon snake, these two sworn enemies, sharpened their claws and teeth, their ferocity growing even stronger.

However, a moment later, Brad and his two companions witnessed a scene they would never forget.

"Well......"

The leopard stood upright, nestled in N's arms, and licked the former's cheek with its tongue. The rice spoon snake clung to the young man's arm, showing no desire to bite. As for the mongoose slash, it was already captivated by the caresses of those hands, and even its eyes were comfortably narrowed.

"This...how is this possible?!"

Brad's voice was hoarse, and a nameless fear made him tremble all over.

The male subordinate swallowed hard and said, "M-Sir, that is the power that Chief Ghettosh mentioned—the power to bewitch Pokémon!"

"Bewitchment?"

Upon hearing the three people's words, N's eyes dimmed and turned cold, filled with sorrow.

"I simply heard their voices and shared their pain."

“You are,” Brad said through gritted teeth, enunciating each word clearly, “a monster born of a human and a Pokémon.”

"That's what Quidditch said."

Having said all he could say, N stretched out his arm and pointed to the numerous members of the Plasma Team, "That's exactly what I'm about to do now."

At the same moment, three Pokémon pounced on Brad and his group.

In an instant, the situation reversed. With all the Pokémon betraying them, how could mere humans possibly withstand this power?

In the blink of an eye, the three who had been so imposing just moments before were now sitting on the ground in a sorry state. When they looked up again, the young man had vanished, leaving only the still deserted street.

It wasn't that he left there; the young man who created the masterpiece N simply witnessed people and scenes that he would never forget after he had sorted out the matter.

"Nanyin, what flavor do you want to eat?"

"Strawberry, vanilla, chocolate?"

Her fingertips pressed against her lower lip, making the soft flesh turn red. The figure standing in front of the stall was incredibly pure, and her fair skin, set against the dawn, was also incredibly eye-catching.

The youth's vision, which was originally gloomy, seemed to be flooded with a torrent of colors, and beautiful thoughts welled up in their minds like a clear spring.

He stared intently at the white-haired girl in the distance.

The love of Pokémon is entwined around her, and those heartfelt words unfold slowly before N's eyes like a scene from a painting.

Eevee, abandoned by others but patiently melted away; and Gliscor, lonely and ostracized by his tribe.

A chance encounter for life, a destined Diancie, a companion like a child, a mother-loving armored dragon, a yearning for life, a beloved little devil, a willing submission, a Zapdos that has shed its arrogance...

Why do her Pokémon have so many happy colors, as if they grew up in sweetness and cream?

The young man's gaze grew increasingly confused, his lips tightened, and his breath nearly stopped.

Just then, the girl's gaze swept over, as if the boundary between black and white had met. She was taken aback, she was surprised, but she spoke up as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Seeing is believing, hello, ideal hero, N."

Chapter 186 The Clash Between Reality and Ideal

"Is your name Nan Yin?"

The young man's voice was slightly hoarse, and even his dim eyes were filled with tears.

"Ah."

After a long pause, Nan Yin was already surprised to run into N here, but what was even more puzzling was the former's attitude towards her.

"I wonder if I would have the honor of speaking with you?"

Lowering their stance and bending their backs, their heartfelt words pierced through the streets and alleys, reaching deep into the soul; they were nothing short of earnest requests.

"Huh?"

Even though they were far apart, the behavior of her friend and the young man was unusual, and it was difficult for Korne to ignore it, even if she wanted to.

The blonde girl glanced at the former with some wariness, then leaned close to her neck and asked softly.

"Nanyin, who is he?"

The warm breath brushed against her skin, slightly reddening Nan Yin's earlobes and making her words a little hesitant.

“He is… the N we mentioned at the manor yesterday.”

"It is an honor that you two still recognize me despite my criminal record."

Passing the food stalls, the young man, who was called N, slowly approached and finally stopped a little distance away from the girl.

He spoke softly, denying the title that others had previously given him.

"Just now, you called me an ideal hero, but how can I bear such honor and responsibility?"

Her long, emerald-green hair swayed in the wind like drooping willow catkins, yet it could not conceal the darkness in her eyes.

"Even now, I still can't determine the best way for humans to get along with Pokémon. I used to think that collecting Poké Balls was coercion, and I even thought that Pokémon battles were evil. But now, those countless smiling faces and countless heartfelt words clearly tell me that the ideals I set before were nothing but delusions made in the heat of the moment. Mr. Alder can't give me the answer, and I can't follow my confused mind."