The next day, Sunshine Gym.
"Paw!"
"That's it, very powerful!"
Nemona, now officially a Gym apprentice, had arrived at the training grounds early. She was directing Pawmi to repeatedly punch a heavy sandbag.
Following Aiden's advice, she and Pawmi focused on maximizing the advantage of its Iron Fist Ability.
Meanwhile, Aiden sat on a bench, observing Nemona's training while occasionally glancing at Eevee, who was intently watching Move videos on repeat.
As an exceptionally self-disciplined Pokémon, Aiden wasn't worried about Eevee's initiative at all.
Even though Eevee hadn't yet mastered Snarl, at this rate, it might just need a moment of epiphany to finally learn it.
Speaking of which, after receiving guidance from Iono, his stream yesterday went much better than usual. Thanks to the Gym's growing popularity, he earned over 200 Growth Points in one go.
Eevee had gone to bed early last night, and with Nemona around, he couldn't use the Travel function.
Otherwise, he really would've sent Eevee to another region for more experience—it might help trigger learning new moves.
But there was no rush. He could wait until tonight.
After pulling his gaze back, Aiden instinctively glanced at the phone resting on his lap.
[Aiden: Around what time? Should I pick you up?]
[Cynthia: Don't know. Just send me the location—I'll fly over on Garchomp.]
[Aiden: Okay.]
The last message had been sent two hours ago.
The fact that Garchomp could fly was already miraculous enough—Aiden had no idea how fast it could actually go.
However, based on the Pokédex entry stating that Dragonite could circle the Earth in 16 hours, it would probably take at least half a day to travel from Sinnoh to Paldea.
So, it should be around afternoon by the time she arrives.
But only two hours had passed since then…
Aiden put down his phone, feeling as though time was moving unusually slowly today.
Eevee was self-studying, and Nemona and Pawmi's training didn't require his guidance.
Why did he suddenly feel like the odd one out?
Scratching his head in frustration, Aiden quietly picked up the notebook lying at the corner of the bench.
This was the Blue's Breeding Notebook produced by the system, so naturally, it didn't mention Paldean-exclusive Pokémon like Pawmi.
Still, basic Pokémon training principles were universal.
Pokémon specializing in close combat, especially Fighting-types, needed to start physical conditioning during their growth phase to adapt to their offensive rhythm.
Thus, the training method Aiden devised for Pawmi was a modified version based on the notes, tailored specifically for Paldean young Pokemon.
After a flurry of punches, Aiden wasn't sure if Pawmi had trained adequately, but Nemona, standing nearby commanding it, was clearly out of breath.
It was evident her stamina was quite poor.
"Paw…"
Though exhausted after completing a set of boxing drills, Pawmi seemed strangely cheerful.
Feeling its sore muscles, perhaps this was the necessary path to becoming stronger?
Attack EV +1, +1, +1, +1…
Aiden even felt like he could see numbers rapidly flashing above its head.
It seemed this training method was indeed effective.
"Alright, that's enough for today."
Aiden waved with a smile.
"If you overdo it, it'll affect the quality of training in the coming days."
"Okay!"
Nemona nodded, noticing once again how often Aiden glanced at his phone.
She couldn't shake the feeling that Gym Leader Aiden seemed preoccupied today.
It must be her imagination!
---
Near the coast of Paldea.
A purple meteor streaked across the sky at high speed, leaving behind a silvery-white trail.
"We should be arriving soon?"
The black trench coat flapped in the wind, making a sharp sound.
Sitting atop Garchomp, Cynthia instinctively reached out to prevent her freshly styled golden hair from being blown away.
"Leaving the Sinnoh region… is this the first time?"
Though her tone carried some uncertainty, Cynthia didn't need to think twice to confirm the answer.
Before becoming Champion, she had spent her time traveling across Sinnoh as part of Professor Carolina's team, leaving no time for trips to other regions.
"Cabo Poco isn't far from the coast—it shouldn't take long to find, right?"
Approaching the coastline, Cynthia patted Garchomp's shoulder, signaling it to slow down.
When she met Aiden later, his expression would surely be amusing.
---
Afternoon.
"Teacher Aiden, please guide us again today!"
On the Gym's battlefield, Nemona and Pawmi stood on the opposite side, brimming with determination.
Although the Gym had gained some initial popularity, perhaps due to its remote location, there were still no challengers today.
Nemona, being restless by nature, decided to challenge Aiden herself since there were no challengers.
"..."
How did I become a free sparring partner?
Aiden waved his hand helplessly, gesturing toward Eevee with his eyes.
You, go beat Pawmi!
Though Eevee currently lacked offensive moves, its speed was unmatched.
Even if Pawmi used Quick Attack, it would almost certainly miss Eevee when prepared.
Aiden even suspected this wasn't about reaction speed but pure prediction.
Hmm, Pokémon resemble their Trainers—that makes sense!
After battling Eevee for a few minutes, Pawmi collapsed, completely out of breath.
Being a recently hatched baby, its stamina couldn't keep up with high-intensity battles. Perhaps it would only become a reliable mainstay after evolving.
"Teacher Aiden, your Eevee is amazing!"
Though Pawmi lost decisively, Nemona showed no signs of disappointment. Instead, she eagerly praised Eevee.
"Bui!"
Eevee proudly raised its head, looking extremely proud.
By gradually building confidence through battles, Eevee would surely grow stronger in time.
Aiden looked at it affectionately, preparing to pat it.
At that moment, someone suddenly knocked on the Gym door.
Knock-knock-knock—
His heart instantly tightened.
He couldn't even tell if what he'd just heard was the knock or his own heartbeat.
"I'm coming!"
While Aiden was frozen in place, Nemona enthusiastically ran over.
Click—
The door opened. Expecting a challenger, Nemona was momentarily stunned upon seeing the golden-haired girl before her.
Then, she let out a sharp squeal.
The iconic black trench coat, the waterfall-like smooth golden hair;
A gentle smile masking an aggressive gaze;
And the imposing, commanding presence of the large purple shark Pokémon behind her.
There was no doubt—it was none other than her poster-covered idol, newly crowned Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia!!!
Caught off guard by her idol, Nemona suddenly became flustered and unsure what to do.
"Hmm?"
Seeing the athletic girl at the door, Cynthia instinctively tilted her head, peering into the Gym through the half-open door.
Her gaze met Aiden's, who was silently watching her with a look of astonishment.
"It's been a while, Aiden."
Cynthia smiled warmly and waved in his direction.
Then, she confidently walked into the Gym.
Huh?
What's going on?
Nemona, utterly bewildered, quickly activated her remaining functioning brain cells and came to a shocking conclusion—
So Teacher Aiden knows Champion Cynthia???
Teacher Aiden's connections are terrifying…
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