After listening twice in a row, Cynthia picked up her Celestica Flute and began to try it out.
A similar melodious flute sound once again spread across the sea.
"Ooo~"
Basculegion immediately responded—success!
"That's about it. The more you play, the more skilled you'll become in the future."
Iscan nodded with satisfaction.
This way, Ash and Cynthia won't need to specifically find him every time they act on Cobalt Coastlands in the future.
"One more thing, don't worry too much about the sea's waves when riding Basculegion."
"He will actively adjust his body and swimming direction according to the water currents, as long as you sit tight, regular waves won't easily knock someone off his back."
Iscan shared the precautions he knew with the two of them.
Ash's eyes lit up slightly; it was somewhat similar to Wyrdeer's ability.
Wyrdeer, when running fast on land, also uses his power to help the rider stay stable.
Basculegion applies this ability on the sea.
Indeed, every Mount Pokemon blessed by the Venerable Sinnoh has special adaptations to its environment.
Thinking of this, Ash suddenly remembered what Iscan had just said.
"Mr. Iscan, you've ridden Basculegion before, haven't you?"
"Ridden... rode once."
The smile on Iscan's face suddenly froze.
Ash became more curious.
"Since you've already ridden it once, why are you still so afraid afterwards?"
Usually, there's a first and then a second!
If you succeeded the first time, shouldn't the second time be much easier?
"Umm..."
Iscan suddenly didn't know how to explain.
"Because that time he was saving me," Palina suddenly interjected from the side.
Ash and Cynthia were simultaneously stunned.
Palina looked towards the distant, undulating sea, and her expression slowly became complex.
"I told you before that the previous King disappeared into this sea to protect his child."
"Actually, on that day, I also jumped into the sea."
The confusion on Ash's face instantly vanished.
So, Palina was on the scene back then!
"At that time, all I thought about was quickly saving Growlithe, not considering whether I could handle such strong waves. In the end, I didn't save Growlithe and instead got swept away by the waves."
Now when Palina talks about it, her tone remains calm.
But what truly happened that day was far more than just being swept away by waves.
The previous King rushed into the sea to protect his child.
Palina also jumped in, and in the end, the King never returned, and Palina herself nearly died in that sea.
"In the end, it was Iscan riding Basculegion who saved me."
Palina turned to look at the tall man beside her: "Even though he's terribly afraid of Ghost-type Pokemon, when he saw me swept away by the waves, he still rode it immediately."
Iscan awkwardly scratched his head.
"At that moment, who had time to think about these things? I couldn't just stand on the shore watching you be swept away by the waves."
Palina's eyes clearly softened.
That was also Iscan's first and true ride on a Basculegion.
And it was the only time.
After Palina was safely brought back, the fear that Iscan had momentarily set aside in his hurry quickly resurfaced.
Have him ride again?
Sorry, I can't do that!
Iscan sometimes can't even understand where he got the courage from back then.
Perhaps when one wants to protect someone, there's really no time to worry about one's own fears.
"And..."
Palina lowered her eyes, her voice softer: "If my swimming skills had been a bit better at the time, maybe I could have saved Growlithe myself, and the previous King wouldn't have needed to enter that stormy sea to protect his child."
She didn't continue, but Ash and Cynthia understood.
Even though Palina can now face the experience normally, she still harbors regrets in her heart.
She can't help but wonder... if she had been stronger back then... if she could swim better... could things have turned out differently?
Cynthia gently patted Ash on the back.
Ash immediately realized.
"I'm sorry, Miss Palina, I didn't know there was more to the story."
"Pika Pika..."
Pikachu also jumped down from Ash's shoulder and earnestly bowed his head to Palina.
The trainer's fault for not teaching, Pokemon's fault.jpg.
The melancholic mood Palina had was instead lifted by this person and Pokemon.
"It's okay."
"It's been a long time; I can come to the seaside normally now and won't keep thinking about that day because of seeing the ocean anymore."
With that, Palina looked down at the Growlithe by her feet.
The little guy had unknowingly shrunk beside her leg.
Waves crashed toward the shore again and again.
Each time the sound of the waves became more pronounced, Growlithe's body would tense up instinctively.
Palina could move forward, but he still hadn't.
Back then, although Palina almost perished at sea, she was eventually saved by Iscan, but Growlithe's father truly never came back...
"If one day this child can truly overcome his fear of the seawater and is willing to face Firespit Island again..."
Palina gently patted the fluffy fur on Growlithe's head: "Maybe at that time, he'll truly be ready to inherit the throne."
"That day will come."
Ash looked at Growlithe seriously: "Being afraid isn't something to be ashamed of, as long as you can muster courage to move forward later!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu nodded vigorously.
Growlithe lifted his head, looked at Ash, then towards the distant Firespit Island, with a trace of inexplicable emotion in his eyes hidden by fur.
Palina saw this scene and her face broke into a smile again.
"I hope so."
"Now let's go find the other Growlithe!" Ash regained his spirit.
The means to cross the sea were available, and the location of Firespit Island was right ahead, of course we should set off directly!
"Will Warden Palina and Warden Iscan come along?"
Cynthia glanced at Basculegion's physique.
Its wide back could easily accommodate Ash and Cynthia.
Even if Palina and Iscan were added, the space would be barely sufficient.
Basculegion: "..."
Just ate two fish, now planning to let me carry four people, huh? Isn't this toll a bit too low?
Unfortunately, Ash didn't have the nerve to listen to Basculegion's complaints right now.
Palina shook her head first.
"I better stay here."
She glanced down at Growlithe by her feet: "Even with Basculegion around, this child doesn't dare to cross the sea right now, I can't leave him here alone."
"I'll stay too."
Iscan immediately chimed in: "No need to explain, if you let me stay on Basculegion's back all the way to Firespit Island, I probably won't make it before succumbing myself."
As he said this, he glanced again at Growlithe.
"Besides, with the other Growlithe already missing, who knows if the people who took him will come back, it's safer to leave someone here to protect Palina and this child."
Cynthia's gaze moved back and forth between Iscan and Palina.
"Hehe, what Warden Iscan truly wants to protect, isn't just Growlithe, right?"
Iscan: "..."
Palina: "..."
The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
The next second, both of their faces visibly flushed red!
Ash and Pikachu both puzzledly showed a question mark, what does this mean?
Clearly, they didn't catch Cynthia's implied meaning.
Cynthia, seeing their reaction, realized her guess was accurate.
But she didn't continue to tease, having already hinted enough, saying more would probably make both want to find a place to hide.
"Then let's go."
Cynthia waved her hand towards the two, then hopped lightly to land steadily on Basculegion's broad back.
Ash picked up Pikachu and followed with a jump.
"Are you stable?"
"No problem!"
"Pika!"
Cynthia gently patted Basculegion.
"Let's go, to Firespit Island."
"Oooo——!"
Basculegion released a low moan.
The next second——
"Boom!"
Basculegion's massive body suddenly launched forward!
The water on either side was instantly torn into a long white wave, Ash's body instinctively swayed back, quickly steadying himself.
"So fast!"
Previously, just viewing Basculegion moving on shore hadn't felt this apparent.
Once truly seated on its back, Ash began to realize how outrageous its speed was in water.
It's like having a booster installed!
And though the speed was fast, the ride was surprisingly stable.
The incoming waves, as they approached, would prompt Basculegion to adjust its direction and angle, most waves being divided from the sides.
Even when occasionally larger waves hit, their seating position wouldn't produce any distinct slant.
This was truly fish traveling in a line!