I caught a Pokémon

"If it's difficult, then forget it," Chihaya quickly said. "It's just that they admire you so much, and I thought that if they could get your guidance, it would be a great encouragement for them."

Maya nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, even just watching you fight is fine!"

Mizuki rarely spoke, but said, "It won't take up too much of your time."

Ziyin also said softly, "Please."

Xia You remained silent for a few seconds before finally nodding.

"Okay, I can come and spar with them tomorrow morning, but I can't offer any pointers."

The eyes of all three women lit up at the same time.

"That's wonderful!" Maya almost jumped up. "Thank you, Mr. Xia You!"

Mizuki and Shion also smiled.

Chihaya nodded in satisfaction and stood up.

"Then it's settled. It's getting late, so you should all go home and get some rest. We'll be waiting for you at the theater entrance at eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

……

By the time we left the Garden Opera Company, the night had grown even darker.

Even though it was late, the town's night market was still bustling. The warm light of the lanterns illuminated the crowds coming and going on the street, and the aroma of barbecue and desserts still lingered in the air. However, the group's minds were no longer on the prosperity of the night market.

On the way back to the Pokémon Center, Dawn broke the silence first.

"I never expected that all those actors were actually fans of Brother Xia You! Brother Xia You, you're becoming more and more famous!"

Xiao Guang's words were somewhat naive, completely unaware of the underlying meaning.

Upon hearing this, Xia You gently shook her head, looked at the people beside her, and said in a calm but somewhat confident tone, "I'm afraid things are not that simple."

"It's not that simple?" Hikaru blinked, looking puzzled. "Why do you say that? Isn't it just practicing a match together?"

Hearing this, Makomo couldn't help but chuckle. She raised her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, her gaze gentle yet clear, and slowly said, "Hikaru, you're still too naive. This matter is actually quite easy to guess. Once you figure out what they really want, it will be clear at a glance."

"What do they want?" Xiao Guang asked, even more puzzled, tilting his head. "Don't they want Xia You's guidance? Or do they want to battle Xia You's Pokémon to improve their own strength?"

At this point, she suddenly realized, "I know! They didn't ask for autographs or photos! They don't seem like real fans!"

“That’s not it.” Makomo shook her head with a smile and explained calmly, “Those things are not important. Even if we improve our strength, that might only be part of the reason. What’s more important is our reputation.”

"Fame?" Xiao Guang was even more confused. "What does this have to do with fame?"

Makomo's gaze swept over the still bustling stalls along the roadside: "Think about it, how famous is Xia You now? Whether it's his performance at the Sinnoh Lily of the Valley Tournament or the rumors about him and Caluno, he's been getting a lot of attention. They invited Xia You to the theater troupe for a friendly match tomorrow. All they have to do is take a few photos or record a short video and post it online, saying that Xia You has a close relationship with them and even came specifically to give them pointers. What do you think will happen?"

Xiao Guang paused for a moment, then subconsciously asked, "What will happen? Oh... they'll become more well-known, and their fame will grow!"

“That’s right.” Makomo nodded and continued, “Even if it’s just riding on Xia You’s popularity, it would be a great help to their opera troupe and to Maya and the other two. If they deliberately make it a little ambiguous and create some buzz, they might attract even more attention. Then the number of people coming to see their performance will only increase.”

"Huh? Would they really do that?" Xiao Guang asked in surprise, her tone tinged with disbelief. "But they all seemed very friendly and respectful to Xia You. They don't seem like the type to deliberately try to ride on Xia You's popularity."

After Makomo said that, Natsumi also realized this.

Ok……

No wonder you have a PhD, your mind works so fast!

He sighed and continued, "It's not really a bad thing. It's just a normal business tactic. They haven't done anything to harm me from beginning to end. They've even been quite respectful and hospitable to me. In the end, they just want to build a good relationship with me and use my fame a little bit to make themselves and the opera troupe known to more people."

Hearing him say that, Xiao Guang completely understood.

However, this is understandable.

It's the entertainment industry after all, so it's normal.

"I see." Her tone was less naive and more relieved. "But since they mean no harm, we don't need to be too wary, right? But Xia You, now that we know all this, will you still go tomorrow?"

"Of course I'm going." Xia You continued walking. "After all, I've already promised them, and I can't be a person who goes back on their word."

"But..." Xiao Guang hesitated, "Knowing their purpose, you still agreed to spar with them tomorrow. Don't you feel like you're at a disadvantage?"

This is what troubles her the most. Normally, she wouldn't easily think the worst of people, but now that she knows the other party's intentions are not pure, why should she still go?

This puzzled Xiao Guang, who then furrowed his pretty little brows.

"It's not a loss." Xia You shook her head and looked at Xiao Guang with gentle eyes. "It's just taking some time to spar with them a few times. I won't lose anything. Besides, we can't be completely sure if things are really as we guessed. Even if they are, let them ride the wave of popularity. I'm not stingy with a little bit of fame."

Seeing that Xiaoguang was still a little annoyed, Makomo chuckled: "Alright, this matter actually has two sides. We can't just look at the side that suffers losses. After all, having more friends means having more help. Think about it, if in the future, when Xia You and Karuno's matter is clarified, or when she faces other public attacks, do you think these friends who once used his fame will quickly sever ties with him and kick him when he's down, or will they speak up for Xia You?"

Xiao Guang was taken aback; she really hadn't expected it to go that far.

“They should speak up for them…” she tentatively said. “After all, if Xia You’s reputation is damaged, then all their current actions with Xia You will be dug up again and attacked.”

“That’s right.” Makomo nodded. “So, looking at it this way, do you still think this is a bad thing? They may indeed want Xia You’s fame, but in turn, they’ve also tied themselves to Xia You!”

If Xiaoguang still can't fully understand by this point, then she's really too stupid.

Moreover, she was not stupid at all; on the contrary, she was quite clever. After figuring out these relationships, she had no worries about tomorrow's sparring match.

"The adult world is so complicated, but it's fine this way. As long as they don't deliberately frame or attack Xia You, I'm willing to be friends with them!"

The group chatted and laughed as they made their way back to the Pokémon Center.

Silent all night.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the aroma of breakfast wafted from the Pokémon Center's restaurant.

After having a simple breakfast and getting ready, Xia You and her group headed towards the Garden Opera Troupe's residence.

Unlike the bustling theater last night, the opera company's residence is hidden deep in the town, a magnificent three-story luxury manor.

The walls, constructed of bricks and iron fences, are covered with patterned tiles. The interior is quite large, with courtyards filled with colorful flowers, greenery, and trees, giving it an elegant and luxurious feel. The main building is even more imposing. If someone didn't know better, they would definitely think this was a private estate passed down from a great noble family.

However, just like the dance hall yesterday, there was a sign next to the entrance that read "Men Not Allowed".

As soon as they reached the door, they saw Chihaya leading Maya, Mizuki, and Shion waiting there.

The four were still dressed casually, but it was clear that they all had exquisite makeup on their faces. Upon seeing Xia You and his group, Qianzao immediately greeted them with a smile, her tone both warm and polite: "Mr. Xia You, and the ladies, good morning."

After her, Maya, Mizuki, and Shion greeted her with smiles, their eyes full of anticipation, though they seemed a bit more reserved than they had been the night before.

Good morning, Mr. Xia You!

Good morning, ladies!

Xia You nodded slightly, her tone indifferent: "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Chihaya smiled and waved her hand, turning to the side in an inviting gesture: "No trouble at all, please come in. We've specially prepared the training room and the Pokémon are ready. We're just waiting for your guidance."

As he spoke, he led the group into the manor, avoiding the other busy staff members, and headed straight for the training room on the first floor.

As the sign indicated, apart from Xia You, there wasn't a single man to be seen in the entire manor.

Even the gardeners are women.

It can only be said that this method has indeed protected the opera singers to the greatest extent possible from any messy scandals, allowing them to focus more on training.

But from another perspective...

Won't their relationships fall apart once there are no men around?

Moreover, once someone like myself enters this place, I will inevitably receive more attention.

Once the group entered the training room, Xia You was the first to look around at the environment.

The training room here is not a single room, but rather divided into many smaller rooms according to their different functions.

For example, the first room they entered was a dance studio. Here, the actors could not only exercise their bodies and practice dancing, but also cooperate with the Pokémon. Of course, more importantly, it allowed them to appreciate their own beauty.

The function of the second, third, and fourth rooms changed.

The rooms had floors, and various training equipment and some strange props were placed around them. It was unclear what they were used for.

Qianzao explained from the side, but Xia You didn't remember it. She just followed them to the last room, which was obviously used for battle.

However, unlike Xia Youxiang, the way these stage actors battle Pokémon is very different from ordinary battles. If you have to make a comparison, it's more like the Grand Festival style, which is Xiao Guang's style.

This made Xia You make up her mind.

Pointing here, Chihaya said with a smile, "Maya and the others usually train their Pokémon here. How about we observe their training routine first, and then have a friendly sparring session? What do you think?"

"can."

Xia You nodded and found a corner to sit down. Yami, Makomo, and Xiaoguang also sat down next to her, their eyes fixed on the training field.

At Chihaya's signal, Maya, Mizuki, and Shion released their Pokémon, which were their partners from the previous performance: Maya's Cinnamoroll, Mizuki's Squirrel, and Shion's Roserade.

The three Pokémon were agile and full of energy, clearly showing that they trained very hard.

The three lead actors clearly had excellent teamwork, issuing commands in turn. Under their guidance, Cinnamoroll nimbly jumped and dodged, Miss Skirt released soft petals, and Roserade precisely controlled her vine whip. The entire training routine was smooth and fluid, demonstrating their high level of synergy with the Pokémon.

No wonder she was so popular last night.

Chapter 1392 Too Many Amazements

After the training demonstration, the three Pokémon obediently returned to their owner's side.

Maya, Mizuki, and Shion wiped the thin layer of sweat from their foreheads and quickly walked up to Xia You, their faces showing a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

Ma Ya spoke first, her tone respectful: "Mr. Xia You, this is our usual training routine. You are very experienced, could you please give us some feedback and tell us what areas need improvement?"

Upon hearing this, Xia You raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment appearing on her face.

He excels at real combat, emphasizing the power of moves, timing, and tactical planning. However, the training of these three people is more focused on the fluidity and elegance of their movements, which is completely different from the combat style he is familiar with. In fact, it is more like a carefully choreographed performance.

Asking him to comment on this kind of "performance-style training" is like asking Lucario, who is good at close combat, to evaluate the moves in a Contest of Fame; he's really an amateur.

He paused for two seconds, his gaze sweeping over the people beside him. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he gently pushed Xiao Guang in front of him, smiling as he said, "Your style is indeed very different from mine, so if you're going to give a critique, I'm not a professional. You should let someone more knowledgeable do it."

Xiao Guang stumbled from his push, looking completely bewildered: "Brother Xia You? Me?"

“That’s right, it’s you.” Xia You nodded, her tone confident, and introduced to Maya and the other two, “Don’t underestimate Xiao Guang just because she’s young. She’s the runner-up in the Sinnoh Grand Festival. She’s much more professional than me in terms of the flair of her moves and the coordination of her movements. Her comments are much more valuable!”

Everyone present was stunned by these words.

Maya, Mizuki, and Shion instantly focused their attention on Hikaru, their disdain and casualness vanishing in an instant, replaced by surprise and high regard.

They originally thought Xiao Guang was just a little girl traveling with Xia You, but they never expected her to achieve such results!

Second place in the grand celebration!?

real or fake?

Even just second place is an honor that countless trainers dream of!

Moreover, from a professional standpoint, their performance style does indeed share many similarities with that of a Coordinator.

From this perspective...

Chihaya also dropped her gentle smile, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, and a wave of emotion washing over her.

As expected, those who can follow Mr. Xia You are all extraordinary. This little girl looks innocent and naive, and I thought that Xia You had some special hobby of raising her, but I didn't expect her to have such strong strength!

Second place in the grand celebration, truly remarkable!

She nodded gently and smiled at Xiaoguang, "I see. Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Xiaoguang."

Being so highly regarded by everyone, Xiao Guang hesitated for a moment at first, but then straightened his back, the blank look on his face disappeared, and was replaced by a confident smile, completely losing his previous naive appearance.

After all… although she is still very young, she is not the kind of person who gets stage fright!

Confidence is Xiao Guang's true charm!

She cleared her throat, her gaze falling on Maya and her two companions and their Pokémon, and said in a professional tone, "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Please forgive me if I say anything wrong."

Maya, Mizuki, and Shion smiled softly.

"Of course not, please tell me."

If they are just ordinary little girls, would you like to comment on them?

What a joke!

But if this little girl is really the runner-up in the grand celebration, then it's a different story.

Not to mention, she was Xia You's companion. Even if she didn't know anything, they would pretend to listen attentively just because of Xia You's reputation.

Xiao Guang coughed lightly, mimicking Xia You's usual tone, and said, "Actually, your training is very similar to the performance in the Grand Contest. Both emphasize the fluidity and visual appeal of the movements. Cinnabar's jumps are very agile, but the power could be controlled a bit more so that the landing would be lighter. Miss Skirt's petal moves are very graceful, but they could be combined with some simple footwork to make the overall look more layered. As for Roserade's Vine Whip, the control is very precise. If it could be combined with the petals, the visual effect would be even better. And..."

It has to be said that you can tell a person's skill as soon as they make a move.

Xiao Guang's comments were precise and detailed, hitting the nail on the head. Maya and the other two listened very attentively, nodding and taking notes from time to time, their faces showing expressions of sudden understanding.