Finally, just before nightfall, they arrived in Coumarine City.
Cain was carrying the sticky Ralts in his arms, with Blaziken following close behind.
As they entered Coumarine City, they attracted many glances.
Blaziken's recovery progressed faster than expected.
Although his gait had initially been unsteady, he now appeared almost fully recovered.
Cain understood what Blaziken wanted.
When the body is at its weakest, it's the best time to perceive every change after evolution.
Taking advantage of that weakness to understand the body's new capabilities allows one to adapt more quickly to the transformation.
Moreover, Blaziken had shown great interest in the principles Cain had taught him: overcoming brute force with gentleness and controlling energy with precision.
Given his current weakened state, it was a good time to delve deeper into those concepts.
That's why, even upon entering the city, Cain didn't return him to his Pokéball.
Although Blaziken is a starter Pokémon from the Hoenn region, even in Kalos he enjoyed great fame.
As they walked through the streets, many stared at Blaziken with admiration.
Owning one of those Pokémon was a symbol of prestige.
Most trainers who had starter Pokémon were prominent members of the League, legitimate and well-connected.
Even though Cain still bore signs of recent battles in the Lumiose Badlands, the League police officers patrolling the streets didn't stop him.
In the Kalos region, the belief that trainers should treat their Pokémon as friends prevailed, so it was common to see people accompanied by their partners.
Some were powerful Pokémon belonging to expert trainers, while others were simply pets or beloved family members.
Coumarine City was located in the northwest of Kalos, surrounded by mountains and bathed by a bay.
It was a place where the sea and nature blended perfectly.
At the top of the mountain stood a majestic thousand-year-old tree, where the Coumarine City Gym was located.
Coumarine City didn't offer much that interested Cain, except for the gym and the Pokémon trained there.
The Coumarine City Gym specialized in Grass-type Pokémon, and now that Blaziken had just evolved, it would be a good challenge to measure his progress.
However, there were some interesting places outside the city.
Azure Bay, located beyond Coumarine City's beach, was a popular spot among trainers for battling and exploring.
At the center of the bay was an island with a cave called the Sea Spirit's Den.
It was said that the three legendary birds—Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos—could be found there.
Each year, many people visited in hopes of seeing the legendary birds, although few were lucky enough to encounter them.
However, every now and then, someone would spot one of the birds resting, which only increased the interest in the place.
Trainers dreamed of such encounters, unaware that one of those birds had already been captured and auctioned off by Team Rocket.
While Cain reflected, he arrived at the Coumarine City Pokémon Center.
He handed his Pokémon's Pokéballs to Nurse Joy and looked for a quiet place to wait.
As for Pupitar, Cain no longer worried about showing him in public.
As one of the twin stars of the Hoenn League, it was only natural for him to have a pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
Wasn't it logical for a young Pokémon researcher to have one?
Even Augustine Sycamore, during his time as a researcher, had a fully evolved pseudo-legendary as his main Pokémon.
Discovering the Fairy type surely earned him a powerful Pokémon as backup.
With his current position, no one would be surprised that Cain had a Pokémon of that caliber.
Moreover, in terms of strength, Cain was already nearly an elite-level trainer, able to compete seriously.
His other Pokémon were also progressing quickly, and it wouldn't be long before they reached Slowking's level.
Nurse Joy showed no particular interest in the Pokémon Cain handed over.
After verifying his ID, she stopped paying attention to him.
Within the League, they rarely monitored the Pokémon of their own members—especially those with official positions.
Cain was the Gym Leader of Leafy Town and a registered League researcher, giving him VIP status at the Pokémon Center.
His Pokémon were treated immediately and healed in just half an hour.
After retrieving his Pokéballs, Cain headed to the room he had reserved.
After five days of battles, it was time to rest.
That night there would be no training—just a good night's sleep.
He planned to stay in Coumarine City for a few days, hoping Blaziken would fully recover and the Coumarine City Gym would open its doors.
Although, given his status, the Gym Leader would probably be willing to receive him at any time.
If the gym's opening was close, he could wait; but if it would take a while, he'd request a special match.
That night, they rested peacefully at the Pokémon Center.
The next morning, Cain headed toward the majestic tree atop Coumarine City's mountain.
The size of the tree rivaled the Great Tree of Life he had seen on Mythical Island.
Although it didn't radiate the same life energy, it was impressive in its own right.
The air around the tree was fresh and pure—invigorating.
Living under that tree probably extended the lives of both humans and Pokémon.
After admiring it briefly, Cain went to the gym's reception desk.
He was informed that the gym had recently closed after an event and wouldn't reopen for another two weeks.
With this information, Cain decided to leave.
He'd return in a few days to request an internal match, but for now, Blaziken needed time to recover.
As he left the gym, he released Flygon from its Pokéball.
Mounted on its back, they flew toward the Sea Spirit's Den.
He would take advantage of Blaziken's recovery time to explore that mysterious place.
(End of Chapter)