When Lu Ze woke up and came downstairs, the first thing he saw was Snorlax in the living room.
Snorlax was sprawled out on the carpet, and Little Red was draped right on top of him. The TV was blaring in the background, and the two of them were fast asleep, snoring away.
Lu Ze couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. He carefully stepped around them, turned off the TV, and draped a blanket over Little Red.
He also wiped the drool from the corner of Little Red's mouth — but as for the stuff that had already dripped onto Snorlax's fur, there was nothing to be done about that.
"Where's Electabuzz?"
Having done all that, Lu Ze glanced around and asked Crobat.
Snorlax was in the middle of the living room, fast asleep. Charizard and Klefki were on the sofa, equally groggy, staring blankly at the switched-off TV.
Mini Dragon was nestled in his arms. Crobat and Crawdaunt were having tea at the dining table. Through the window he could see Sirfetch'd training hard outside.
The one thing missing was Electabuzz.
"Chii."
Crobat stretched out a wing and pointed toward the back mountain.
"He's at the back mountain?"
"Chii."
Crobat nodded. Lu Ze started to worry.
"Do you think he got triggered by that loss at noon?"
When Crobat nodded again, Lu Ze couldn't sit still. He got up, ready to go find Electabuzz.
"Chii!"
But Crobat immediately understood what Lu Ze was thinking and came over, pressing Lu Ze back down onto the sofa.
"Chii!"
After pinning Lu Ze in place, Crobat pointed toward the back mountain, then pointed outside toward Sirfetch'd.
"You mean Electabuzz is training out there, just like Sirfetch'd?"
"Chii!"
Crobat relaxed once it saw Lu Ze understood. It nodded.
"Right then, I'll leave him to it."
Lu Ze was still a bit uncertain, but if Electabuzz was training, he'd just leave him alone for now. He'd have a talk with him when he got back.
Meanwhile, at the back mountain's stream, Electabuzz was sitting cross-legged in the water alongside another Pokémon — slightly taller than him, also yellow-skinned with black stripes.
But unlike Electabuzz, this other Pokémon had some blue markings on its upper body. A third color, beyond Electabuzz's yellow and black.
(Sit still. Breathe steady.)
(Master, I can't seem to calm down.)
Electabuzz turned to look at the Pokémon beside him with a troubled expression, but was immediately pushed back into position by a paw equipped with a肉球.
(Sit properly. Close your eyes. Listen to the sound of the water.)
(Yes, Master.)
Electabuzz obeyed and, mimicking its master, sat quietly cross-legged in the current.
A moment later, once it sensed Electabuzz's mood had settled a little, the other Pokémon spoke again.
(After a loss, there's no need to be glum. You just have to win it back next time. Besides, your match with him was only a draw.)
(But Master, you taught me that a draw still counts as a loss. If you don't win, you've lost.)
(…)
The other Pokémon was at a loss for words. This kid really was stubborn.
(Fine then — it's a loss. A loss is just a loss. Train hard, and win it back next time.)
(But Master…)
(Sit still!)
(…Yes, Master.)
After that roar, both Pokémon settled down again. In the afternoon forest, the only sounds were the rustle of wind through the leaves, the chirping of insects, and the water flowing past them.
(Are you calm now?)
(I'm calm, Master.)
(Why did you lose?)
(Because I wasn't strong enough.)
(What do you do when your strength isn't enough?)
(Train!)
(That's right!)
Seeing Electabuzz's confidence restored — no more of that gloomy, lose-faith look it had when it first arrived — the other Pokémon suddenly stood up.
(I have a move. You — may learn it.)
(Wha—)
The other Pokémon raised a paw to cut Electabuzz off before it could finish, then continued.
(I can teach you. But whether you can master it or not — that's on you.)
(Alright, Master! What's this move called?)
Electabuzz was over the moon. The first time it met its master, it had seen the master use this move — one strike that punched a hole clean through a small mountain.
Electabuzz had only just taken this master on, and now, finally, the master was going to teach it this move. Of course it was thrilled.
The master rose from the water, then clenched a fist tight. Electric sparks scattered everywhere, though most of the energy converged into the master's paw.
(Plasma Fist!)
Electabuzz's eyes went wide. Plasma Fist?! Just the name sounded incredible!
(Master, I want to learn this move!)
In a large conference room, Cyrus Zhuge put down his phone, ignoring the message that had come through: "Manager sir, Rayquaza and Latios are at it again."
His brow was furrowed. He stared down at the several elderly gentlemen seated across from him and pressed:
"Wasn't this already decided? Why call another meeting? I'm busy. Sort it out quickly."
Cyrus had no patience for these old men. They spent their days lording their age over everyone, sticking their noses into everything with that same insufferable attitude.
Cyrus acknowledged they'd contributed plenty to the New Dragon Nation in their youth. But the things they'd done in their middle years — even a firing squad wouldn't be enough punishment for those.
It was only their earlier merits that had spared them from real consequences. And now, in their twilight years, they couldn't let anything go. They had to meddle in everything, argue every point just for the sake of arguing.
"Manager Zhuge, calm yourself."
The three old gentlemen exchanged glances. The white-bearded elder in the middle finally spoke, waving a hand at Cyrus with a greasy smile.
"Speak fast. I'm leaving."
"It's like this — we feel that the exchange student proposal is highly unreasonable…"
"Get to the point."
Cyrus's brow creased even deeper. The exchange student matter had already been decided at the top level. What business did they have bringing it up?
Undeterred by Cyrus's sharp tone, the white-bearded elder pressed on, still smiling.
"America is harboring wolf ambitions. If our exchange students go there and something happens to them, who's responsible? These are all talents of our Dragon Nation."
"Is that really all you called me here for?"
"Yes, because…"
"If that's your issue, there's nothing more to discuss. This is above your pay grade."
Cyrus cut the old man off mid-sentence and turned to leave.
The deal was already set — twenty students from Dragon Nation, twenty from America as exchange students.
Since America had proposed it, Dragon Nation had made a special demand: America's strongest incoming freshman had to come as an exchange student as well.
America had agreed. The matter was settled. Cyrus had no idea why these three relics had suddenly resurfaced to cause trouble.
After Cyrus left, the remaining two men turned to look at the white-bearded elder in the middle.
"Brother, what do we do?"
The white-bearded elder's expression soured as he glanced at his two companions. "Hmph. We roll with it. Let's go."
———
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