"Hahaha! Edward! I heard you've got a Legendary Pokémon now, right?"
As soon as Edward saw Leon, the Champion burst into laughter and strode over enthusiastically, causing the corners of Edward's mouth to twitch.
Here we go again... As soon as he heard Leon was coming, Edward had already braced himself. He knew exactly what kind of person Leon—and all Champions, really—were like: absolute battle maniacs.
The moment they heard about a strong Trainer, they would drop everything and rush off to battle them. Leon was the most notorious of them all.
And sure enough, he was here because of Groudon.
Edward's possession of Groudon was considered a top-level secret within the League. Only a few high-ranking officials knew about it—and, unfortunately, Leon happened to be one of those high-ranking officials.
"Come on, I didn't catch Groudon—it was just an accident," Edward said, sighing. He wasn't worried about confidentiality. The two of them were in the luxury compartment of the train, soundproofed and private. No risk of eavesdropping.
Honestly, he was tired of explaining this story.
Groudon wasn't something he had gone out of his way to catch. He had just casually tossed a Poké Ball at the statue… and somehow, it went in.
That being said, Groudon's presence had helped him immensely. Without it, Edward wasn't even sure he could've turned the tables against Cyrus. That lunatic was practically cheating—with an ability to see the future, no less.
Edward had only managed to contend with him thanks to his own even stronger "cheat"—and only then did he stand a chance. Cyrus was insane.
"I heard you can already command Groudon in battle. Can you bring it out so I can experience it?" Leon asked excitedly.
"Wait, what? Who told you I can command Groudon? Who's spreading this nonsense? Because I certainly didn't know about it," Edward was practically rolling his eyes.
These rumors were getting way out of hand.
Before long, people would be claiming that Edward was planning to use Groudon to overthrow the Hoenn League Champion and crown himself instead.
The truth? Groudon didn't listen to him at all. When Groudon had first appeared, it completely ignored him and just went off to battle the Time and Space Gods.
It wasn't until later—after Edward used his cheat system to acquire the Red Orb and resonated with Groudon for its Primal Reversion—that Groudon even acknowledged him. And even then, it merely protected him for a while. It never obeyed commands.
This was a Legendary Pokémon, after all.
When Groudon appeared in Sinnoh, it had changed the entire region's climate. Once it underwent Primal Reversion, all of Sinnoh was thrown into chaos.
Countless Water-type Pokémon were rendered useless. Even Surf and Waterfall users were stuck, helplessly stranded. Groudon wasn't just powerful—it was absurdly powerful.
And taming a Legendary Pokémon wasn't easy.
Even if you were strong enough to challenge them, earning their respect and willing cooperation was another matter entirely. These beings were highly intelligent. To work with them, they had to accept you with full conviction.
"What a shame," Leon said wistfully. "I heard Groudon caused quite the scene in Sinnoh. Massive regional crises and all that… but it's still incredible that you could make it react like that. Was that some kind of Mega Evolution?"
Edward gave Leon a helpless look. It was clear he'd come specifically to grill him about Groudon.
Left with no other choice, Edward stayed in the carriage and had a long conversation with him. Thankfully, Leon had arrived early, and there was still time before the evening banquet.
However, there were several things Edward didn't mention to Leon.
Like what had happened after the Time Gem exploded. Or how Dialga's gem had been shattered. Or the mysterious disappearance of the Disk. Or the time he blew the Azure Flute…
Some things could be shared. Others—definitely not.
Edward was clear on where to draw the line.
Just dealing with the Groudon situation already had him stretched thin. If he had to add the Time Gem, Dialga, the possible existence of Arceus, and everything else into the mix… he might not even be allowed to leave Hoenn. He wouldn't be filming this drama at all.
Once they'd finished chatting, Edward and Leon left the compartment and headed to the banquet.
At the dinner, people kept coming up to toast Edward. Fortunately, everyone knew he wasn't a drinker, so he stuck to fruit juice—and no one minded.
Edward also invited members of the train's off-duty service crew to join the event, making sure they got to enjoy the celebration as well. For those still on duty, he arranged for a generous portion of food to be delivered to them.
His goal was simple: make sure everyone could enjoy this banquet.
"To a smooth start for Sherlock Holmes Season 2!" Edward smiled as he raised his glass of juice.
Everyone else joined in, raising their glasses. Amidst laughter and cheerful voices, the train slowly pulled away from Motostoke and rumbled into the wilds of the Galar region.
Edward also reminded everyone: "Drink in moderation, please. If you can, stick to juices and sodas."
They'd begin shooting the next day, and he absolutely didn't want anyone showing up with a hangover to ruin the opening of the shoot.
Thanks to his advice, everyone restrained themselves, and the banquet went smoothly without incident.
Only Crane sat alone in the corner, eating quietly while plotting out his next mystery.
The evening ended on a warm, light-hearted note.
Returning to his own carriage, Edward sat on his sleeper bed, gazing out the window.
Night had fallen over Galar, stars twinkling across the sky, and the beautiful landscape passed by in soft silhouettes.
Edward sighed with admiration.
"Galar really is a wonderful place for a vacation."
(End of Chapter)