Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

"In Galar, I want to see more than just Dynamax battles, because that's just a feature of a region and a few cities."

Sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting dappled patterns that danced on Nan Yin's eyelashes. As she lifted her eyelids, Ke Erni saw her own small reflection in those usually calm eyes.

She only listened, and she only spoke:

"The popular doubles, the advocated philosophy, Galar has what you pursue, and even more so, the people and scenery that I care about."

A drop of water slowly rolled down her brow, bringing a cool, tingling sensation. She saw the white-haired girl take something out of her pocket—a brooch inlaid with a keystone.

“A year ago, the Sharp Claw I received from the Sala Gym became the foundation for the Chimera Key Stone.” Nan Yin placed the Key Stone in Korrina’s palm, the cool touch causing both of them to tremble slightly. “Back then, you said, ‘I want to become a trainer worthy of it.’”

Memories flooded back, and Korrina recalled the shocked expression on her grandfather's face when she handed it to the naive young girl. At that time, she simply felt that this traveler who could read Pokémon's minds deserved the most dazzling light of evolution.

"Now I want to tell you—" Nan Yin suddenly took half a step forward, until they were close enough to count the tiny water droplets on each other's eyelashes, "What truly deserves it has never been strength or weakness..."

A drop of water from a loose faucet suddenly fell into the ceramic basin, the crisp 'tap' sound like the pressing of a switch. Warm liquid involuntarily welled up in Korni's eyes, causing her to turn her head to fix her ponytail, only to meet her friend's gaze in the mirror.

"It's the sentiment," Nan Yin finally finished speaking, her voice as soft as the wind stirred by fluttering wings, "Just like you always say that Mega Evolution is proof of our bond..."

"From the time we met to the time we lived together here, we have been together for a full year. You don't need to prove anything to me, because I am just as used to the days of watching the dawn and dusk with you and those children."

"I have seen your efforts and I have witnessed my progress. If we had not met on that tram, the journey ahead might still have been long, but it would have lacked the joyful vitality that brings a smile to people's faces."

The invisible waveguide acts as a bridge connecting emotions, allowing both parties to perceive each other's feelings.

The white-haired girl's emotions were just like her—clear, gentle, and filled with the fragrance of waiting. These were memories that didn't belong to Korni, yet were everywhere—memories of tossing and turning under the starry sky, of the natural feeling of glimpsing the audience after each victory, of the cold fingertips when she received the 'something came up' text message at Carlos Airport. In these fragments of memory, her golden hair and smiling face shimmered.

"So, Nan Yin, you are..."

I have been confused, lost, and hesitant, afraid to take even half a step forward.

They were all waiting for the other person to speak, as if that would allow them to willingly and happily accept their inner longings and unknown feelings.

"I need you, Corne."

Simple words, yet they express a myriad of emotions.

Korni couldn't help but smile. She had always thought that Nanyin was an unattainable star, but she didn't know that the star was also gazing at the earth.

Why didn't you say so sooner?

That's a rhetorical question.

However, the second half of her sentence was interrupted by the embrace. Nan Yin's hug carried the unique vanilla scent of a trainer, and the metal buttons on the front of her uniform felt slightly cool against her cheek. This realization made Korni stiffen—they had had many physical contacts in the past, but never with such clear intentions as now.

“Because Korne always runs too fast and smiles too sweetly.” Nan Yin’s chin rested gently on her shoulder, her breath brushing against her earlobe as she spoke. “It took me a long time… to confirm that this wasn’t a gym leader’s well-intentioned care for a traveler before I could cross the chasm in my heart and try to accept it.”

Outside the window, the Frost Fairies sang "Mimi~" in unison, while the sweet aroma of baking soufflés wafted from the kitchen. It was the same time when Korni and Tong Si first saw the winter scenery in Yingxue City; Nan Yin had stood quietly half a step behind her, as if always maintaining the perfect distance.

"What if this opportunity had never come?"

The blonde girl couldn't help but make a hypothesis, even though the answer was obvious.

"We will see things clearly eventually, even if it takes a very long time, long enough for the memories of the past twenty years to be filled in by a brand new chapter."

"Pfft!" Korni suddenly burst out laughing, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes. "What? Nan Yin, you're not even twenty yet! But even the usually calm Fairy King can tremble with nervousness?"

The arm around her waist stiffened noticeably, and Nan Yin's usually calm voice unusually carried a hint of embarrassment: "...The perception of a wave guide is superfluous at times like this."

The budding emotions in her heart were acknowledged for the first time. The slightly shorter girl stood on tiptoe and whispered in her friend's ear, "Nan Yin, should we now verify whether our past interactions were well-intentioned care?"

These words were like sunlight breaking through the dark clouds, abrupt yet bright. Korne felt a wave of dizziness as she spoke, but the courage to continue surged within her.

only--

"Buyi!"

Sylveon's scream and the sound of banging on the door rang out simultaneously. Winged Beast, dragging its hairband stuck with syrup, rushed in, followed by Gliscor, who was trying to clean it up. The two Pokémon collided in the cramped space, eventually smearing the spilled cleaning foam onto the mirror.

Nan Yin instinctively shielded Korni behind her, only to have her face covered in sugar frosting from Zhen Yi's hair. After the playful banter, only Magiana slowly stepped forward to carefully wipe away the stains from the two of them.

When they finally returned to their seats, looking disheveled, Serena was decorating Karuni's pancakes with icing. Meanwhile, Miss Champion watched the two slightly flushed girls, a barely suppressed smile playing on her lips.

"Have fun, you two young ladies. Carlos has always had a free spirit, and it can accommodate a sweet and memorable story."

"I have a shoot this afternoon, so I'll head out now."

Donning his signature sunglasses, Carlos offered only a word of blessing before gracefully rising and walking away from the crowd.

She was someone who had been through it all, and she knew the sequence of events. That sentence, that veil, was ultimately pierced by Nan Yin herself, just like Zhu Lan back then. Even without further expression, even if it was still not clear, the choice between being proactive or passive had already been made.

There was no more conversation. As the sun began to set, more and more customers entered the dessert shop. No matter how much heartfelt words or emotions were brewing within him, he found it difficult to speak them in front of everyone.

Without uttering a word, they simply gazed at each other's friends, as if transported back to the dusk when they first met on the tram, when they too had so impetuously barged into each other's lives. Those shared dawns and dusks, those shared seasons, had somehow woven together the most precious bonds.

"Nanyin, you said you wanted to travel the world with me and see all the unique sights?"

“Mm.” She gently squeezed Korne’s hand back. “Let’s start again from Galar.”

Feeling inferior is unnecessary, and feeling timid is also fine. The current state of naivety is just right. Even if there is no further progress, it is enough, because they still have time.

That's good. As long as we take the first step and acknowledge each other, that's enough.

Moreover, before that, she wanted to give her friend one last act of kindness to dispel her inferiority complex.

"Cornee, you never need to prove to me that those things that make you uneasy and troubled will never need to exist. Because—"

Along the long streets, amidst the crimson sunset, Nan Yin no longer had her friends walk in front, but instead shielded them from the warm sun that had sunk into the foothills.

she says:

"This place is in the shade."

As soon as he finished speaking, the wind rose, whistling across his cheek as if leaving a light kiss.

She was the sun that was pursued and longed for, but now, the sun has voluntarily lowered its altitude for the sake of one person.

Chapter 236 Galar's First Day

The following morning, at Miare Airport.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and Serena's suitcase was covered with souvenirs she had brought from the dessert shop.

She kept adjusting the angle of her sun hat, glancing at the terminal's large screen every now and then.

"Arora Airlines CZ-114 is about to begin boarding..."

Karuni arrived at the airport early to see off her three friends, jokingly saying, "It's not too late to back out now, Serena."

"No way!" The girl clutched her small bag, which contained a carefully prepared travel guide—the last page of which featured a map of the Alola region cut out of a magazine, with a certain island circled repeatedly in red.

"Then I wish you a safe journey." Karune smiled and waved, her long silver-gray hair fluttering gently in the morning breeze. "Remember to bring me some Alola and Galar specialty desserts."

Nan Yin nodded slightly, while Eevee on her shoulder was enthusiastically fiddling with its newly bought travel charm. Korrina, holding Lucario's hand, occasionally stole glances at the white-haired girl beside her, her cheeks still flushed from the previous night.

The boarding announcement sounded again, and the three said goodbye to Karuni before heading towards the security checkpoint. Serena hesitated for a moment, but her eyes hardened once she stepped into the gate.

As Nan Yin said, how will you know the answer if you don't try? Even rotten wood can bloom, let alone him.

Saying goodbye with lips, the snow-white wings glided through the sky and soared into the clouds, where the constraints of gravity ceased to exist.

As the view slowly rises, all words are drowned out by the roar of the plane's engines, leaving only the shrinking city below and the lingering memories.

They left this land again, with new feelings and emotions that they no longer concealed.

Sitting quietly in the designated seats, the several hours along the way may be tedious or make you sleepy, but with those children by your side, how could you possibly feel disgusted?

Just as the wings of the aircraft cleverly borrow the characteristics of a ghost, it shuttles between the inside and outside of the porthole, sometimes overlooking the distant ocean, sometimes disappearing into the nearby clouds, and also like the Scorpion King spreading its wing membrane, following its nature to tease the passengers, eliciting laughter from the children.

Of course, Diancie, accustomed to such sights, could only smile and gracefully sit down, watching the clouds drift by outside the window, sketching strange shapes against the azure sky. Shifting her gaze further, she saw Sylveon's ribbon gently draped over the girl's knees, rising and falling with the slight sway of its body.

While the scene was heartwarming, the unexpected event was always ill-timed.

"Buyi!"

Suddenly, Ibrahimovic pricked up his ears and turned his nose toward the outside of the cabin.

The hair ribbon, which had been piercing through the clouds, drifted back from the porthole, the end still clinging to the chill of the high altitude.

It touched the hot cocoa in the girl's hand with its tentacles, and the milky cream instantly spun into a star-like shape—exactly the same latte art Serena had done at the dessert shop yesterday.

"Koboo!"

The little beast nuzzled Nan Yin's cheek as if seeking praise, but the next second it was jolted by a sudden turbulence and bumped into her arms.

The cabin lights suddenly blazed on, oxygen masks cascaded down, and the flight attendants' urgent announcements were accompanied by the whooshing sound of the Scorpion King's wings flapping open.

"Flight C-755 has encountered unexplained turbulence and requires an emergency landing!"

boom--

As soon as the captain's urgent announcement came down, the plane began to shake violently, with the sounds of luggage snapping open and screams echoing throughout.

A hiss echoed, and Sylveon squirmed restlessly on her lap, its fluffy ribbons fluttering slightly—a reaction to sensing powerful energy.

"What's going on?" Korrina instinctively grabbed her friend's wrist, trying to protect her, while her Lucario had already jumped out of its Poké Ball, looking around warily.

"Don't worry, I'm here."

Similarly, Nanyin also uses the simplest language to reassure young girls.

As the eyebrow star releases its senses and constructs images, the uncontrolled energy clusters fall into the mind, like someone throwing a boulder into a calm lake.

It was a massive, mountain-like vibrato salamander.

Its size, reaching tens of meters, and the bursts of electricity disrupted the magnetic field. The enormous storms it stirred up with just a single movement were enough to destroy mountains and seas, let alone a passing airplane.

The trembling salamander is inherently unpredictable, and through observation, Nan Yin was able to confirm that the creature had been overwhelmed by excessive energy and toxins, losing its rationality and being driven by instinct.

Fortunately, with his meticulous mental power, he was able to achieve a delicate balance and restore the aircraft to its previous stability without much difficulty.

Words are law, but the sudden accident determined the outcome of the forced landing. As the landing gear brushed past the airport in Gongmen City, Nan Yin had already glimpsed the dark red smog at the top. Although it was obscured by thick clouds, it was constantly affecting the soil below.

Her brows furrowed slightly until Corinne's warm palm covered her knuckles.

“It seems,” the blonde girl lowered her voice, “that the Dynamax phenomenon rampant in the Wild Area is even more severe than reported.”

Yes, this trip to the Galar region is not only to write about my journey, but also to fulfill the commission that Chairman Loz has given to the Alliance.

The future of Galar, a thousand-year-long calamity of darkness.

"Dear passengers, it is an honor that we have landed safely at Gongmen City Airport..."

As the announcement of safety was made, the entire cabin quieted down, and cheers and sighs of relief spread among the passengers.

As passengers disembarked, an orange figure flashed past the window. Her signature fluffy curly hair stood out on the runway as she ran towards the plane, waving a tablet computer. The hem of her white coat was still covered in mud from the open field.

"Thank God you're all alright!"

As soon as the hatch opened, the researcher's exclamation, mixed with the humid air, rushed in: "That Dynamaxed Toxtricity has already destroyed two power transmission towers!"

Her tablet screen flashed a red alarm, and the map showed the entire wilderness area enveloped in an unusual, massive energy.

"I'm so sorry, Nan Yin, Ke Er Ni. Not only did I fail to make a good impression on you, but I also caused you this dangerous situation."

“No need to apologize, Dr. Sonia, this is not your fault.”

Such a title revealed the visitor's identity; she was none other than Sonia, the newly appointed Pokémon Professor of the Galar region.

"Thank you for your understanding. I was originally planning to take you to see a Dynamax battle, but I didn't expect that we would set a bad precedent instead."

Nan Yin shook her head slightly to show that she didn't care, while Korni squatted down to comfort Lucario, whose muscles were tense from nervousness.

Only gentleness will not dissipate.

“Since it was an accident, there’s no need to blame yourself, Dr. Sonia. I heard there’s a public match in Gongmen City today, and the two sides are—”

"It's Dante and Kibana!"

It was a preemptive response.

Chapter 237 Upon Meeting Yuri

As the storm subsided and the clouds dispersed, the unique architectural style of Gongmen City came into view.

Towering towers reaching into the clouds, maglev trains crisscrossing the city—the pace of high technology has taken hold in this city. Even while on a flight, Nan Yin had already glimpsed this magnificent landscape through the porthole. Now that things had calmed down, she naturally wanted to go and see it for herself.

Of course, she was with her friends and children.

Passing through the airport's special passage, even before getting close, the dome of the distant arena shimmered and sparkled in the sunlight, while the cheers of the audience surged in like a tide.

"Leon has been the champion for eighteen consecutive months." As Sonia introduced this briefly, a live battle video popped up on her tablet, showing a trainer wearing a cape waving to the audience.