Was there even a need to hesitate?
Lionel made up his mind almost instantly. While Dratini was certainly rare and precious, in his heart, it couldn't compare to even a ten-thousandth of this shiny Beldum!
Even if the Dratini before him were a rare shiny individual, in Lionel's heart, it wouldn't carry even half the weight of this Beldum.
Of course, if that Dratini possessed the top-tier combination of the Multiscale ability and a shiny appearance, he might have struggled between the two for a moment, but such a heaven-sent scenario clearly didn't exist here.
In any case, Lionel's mind was already made up—he would choose nothing but this shiny Beldum!
Wasn't it just the Pokémon Contest? How hard could that be?
As far as Lionel was concerned, as long as he could take this dream-worthy shiny Beldum for himself, he would gladly accept the challenge, let alone just participating in a Contest, even if it meant facing a much harsher stage.
Besides, his mind was already filled with many ingenious ideas for Combination Moves. When the time came, he would just need to settle down, polish them carefully, and provide patient, meticulous guidance.
This little fellow, split from Steven's shiny Metagross and possessing immense talent, would surely bloom with the most dazzling light on the Contest stage and amaze the entire audience!
Lionel didn't respond to Steven with words. Instead, he walked straight toward the shiny Metagross, his gaze landing on the silver-white, translucent shiny Beldum at its feet.
He half-knelt, his fingertips hovering gently over the little fellow's head. He tilted his head slightly toward it, a gentle smile rippling in his eyes as he quietly teased the shy little creature.
In the next second, Lionel's figure flickered slightly as he nimbly dodged to the side of the shiny Metagross. He crouched down, using Metagross's body to hide himself, leaving only a small corner of his clothes visible.
The shiny Beldum paused, clearly stunned for a moment, as a flash of curiosity instantly crossed its red crystalline eye.
It first looked up at the Metagross beside it, then quickly turned its head toward where Lionel had just been standing. Its body swayed gently, its silver-bright metallic surface reflecting the light as if it were seriously pondering this sudden, novel game.
A few seconds later, it seemed to suddenly figure something out.
It slowly moved to the other side of Metagross, hiding its body completely while leaving only its small head exposed. Its red eye peeked back and forth toward where Lionel was hiding, looking exceptionally well-behaved.
Lionel hid behind the shiny Metagross, intentionally remaining silent to see what the little fellow would do next.
After a moment, seeing that Lionel across from it still hadn't moved, the shiny Beldum finally couldn't hold back. It cautiously poked half its body out and looked around, its red eye full of inquiry.
Just then, Lionel suddenly circled around from the other side of Metagross's body. His fingertip quickly tapped the Beldum's smooth metallic body, making a light 'ding' sound.
Startled by the unexpected touch, the Beldum's small body quickly darted to the side, using Metagross's massive frame to hide itself.
But not even half a second later, it couldn't help but peek out again. Its small red eye showed no fear at all; instead, it was filled with an excited light, clearly finding the game exceptionally fun.
It no longer stayed hidden in place but began to move flexibly around Metagross, darting to the left and then to the right. Its body was like a small silver-white cannonball, playing with great joy.
Lionel cooperated with it, intentionally slowing down so that it could always 'find' him.
Every 'discovery' caused the little fellow to shake its body and emit a series of crisp 'ding-ding' sounds, as if it were cheering for victory.
Metagross stood still, its dark red eyes quietly watching Lionel and Beldum as the human and Pokémon played wildly around it. Its massive body remained motionless, letting them play by its side.
The nearby Dratini seemed to realize Lionel's choice. It slowly crawled to Steven's feet, curled up its body, and occupied itself by rubbing its head against its tail. It seemed completely indifferent to Lionel's decision, appearing casual and at ease.
Steven watched the intimate interaction between Lionel and the shiny Beldum, the smile in his eyes deepening with satisfaction.
He reached out and took out a Poké Ball, pressing the button. A flash of red light appeared, withdrawing the Dratini, which was still focused on its own play.
Lionel and the shiny Beldum played together for a while longer until the shiny Beldum gradually ran out of energy. Its small body swayed, and it slowly leaned against Metagross's thick metallic leg, panting heavily.
But its red crystalline eye remained sparkling like a polished ruby. The gaze it directed at Lionel was no longer filled with the initial shyness and timidity; instead, it was replaced by complete trust and closeness, becoming very clingy.
Lionel also stopped and walked over to the shiny Beldum, sitting down slowly and gently pulling the little fellow into his arms.
The shiny Beldum comfortably squinted its red crystalline eye, its small body curling up slightly in his arms. From time to time, it rubbed its head against his palm, appearing docile and clingy, full of Charm.
After the hearty play session just now, it had already completely accepted Lionel as its new partner.
"It seems you two have become quite familiar with each other."
Steven walked over slowly, his tone relaxed and pleasant. His gaze fell on Lionel and the shiny Beldum snuggling intimately, a knowing smile appearing in his eyes.
"By the way, have you decided which city you're heading to next?"
Lionel looked down at the shiny Beldum in his arms, stroking its smooth, cool metallic shell that shimmered with a silver-white light.
"I plan to go to Mauville City first. I already checked the detailed information at the hotel earlier and made a plan long ago.
Route 111, above Mauville City, connects to a vast, boundless desert where Sandstorms of varying intensities often blow.
Although the environment is harsh, it is very suitable for Tyrunt's training.
Under the influence of that city's desert and rocky environment, Tyrunt should be able to grasp the power of the Rock type more quickly, and train, learn, and master Rock-type skills faster.
And Feebas can also conduct Water-type skill training there. Under the influence of the drought and windblown sand, it can polish its water and ice control techniques, taking its mastery of Water and Ice-type skills to the next level."
As he spoke, Lionel stood up while holding the shiny Beldum, the anticipation in his voice growing stronger:
"Furthermore, Mauville City will host a Pokémon Contest in a month and a half, which will be the perfect chance for Beldum to experience the intense atmosphere of a Contest on-site.
By letting it experience such a magnificent stage from a young age, I hope to stimulate its interest in the Contest stage and lay a good foundation for subsequent Combination Move training.
Once Tyrunt's training in the desert reaches the expected goals, I will then take it to the Mauville Gym to challenge the Gym Leader, Mr. Wattson."
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