The lights of the banquet hall fell on Happiny's round body. It tightly clutched its favorite round stone in its arms, its small curly hair drooping, looking very dejected.
As a Pokémon, Happiny could understand human speech and knew clearly that the Trainer before it was planning to trade it away like a piece of merchandise just because it wasn't good at fighting and couldn't help him win matches.
The man rejected several more Trainers who came to inquire, attempting to trade Pokémon like Rattata or Pidgey for Happiny.
"What I want are powerful Pokémon! Don't waste my time coming over here with that trash Pokémon you're carrying!"
Happiny's body trembled slightly. Abandoned by its Trainer, was it also a trash Pokémon?
Happiny didn't understand what a trade was; it only knew that the Trainer who had personally hatched it from a Pokémon Egg didn't want it anymore and was going to use it to trade for a stronger Pokémon from someone else.
"That's a bit too much to say!" a girl holding an Eevee stepped forward to rebuke him.
The man glanced at the Eevee in her arms and said haughtily, "I'm just stating facts. In that case, let me show you all what a truly powerful Pokémon is!"
With that, the man took out several Poké Balls from his waist.
Accompanied by flashes of white light, several Pokémon with powerful auras and great strength appeared before everyone's eyes.
A Charizard with a fierce aura and a blazing fire burning on its tail;
A Pidgeot with sharp eyes and a vigorous posture;
A massive Nidoking with a terrifying horn on its head;
And a Rhydon clad in steel-like armor with a cruel gaze.
The surrounding Trainers couldn't help but let out a series of exclamations.
Clearly, this man was a very powerful Trainer. The Pokémon by his side were likely infinitely close to Gym Leader level.
Watching this scene and hearing those words, the electric aura around Raikou stagnated slightly. Beneath its golden fur, the current tightened silently.
What it detested most were humans who only treated Pokémon as tools or bargaining chips.
Fuyuki gently patted Raikou's back, signaling it to relax, then his gaze pierced through the crowd and landed precisely on the man holding Happiny.
"Sir, could we discuss a deal?" Before Fuyuki's words had even finished, he had already started walking over.
The man looked up. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and sophisticated clothing, looking like a proper collector.
When he saw the incredibly powerful aura of the Raikou beside Fuyuki, his pupils contracted slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Hello," Fuyuki said, getting straight to the point, his gaze falling on the dejected Happiny in the man's arms. "I heard you want a powerful and rare Pokémon?"
The man raised an eyebrow and looked Fuyuki up and down, his tone flat.
"That's right. Ordinary Pokémon don't catch my eye. Why? Do you want to make a trade? Unfortunately, while those beside you are decent, they don't seem to meet my requirements."
The man's gaze swept over Squirtle and Gastly, finally resting on Raikou: "Unless you are willing to trade it with me."
"Sorry, the Pokémon by my side are all [Not For Sale]." Fuyuki smiled slightly, reaching into his bag to pull out a tightly wrapped cloth bundle, which he placed gently on the nearby table. "I wonder if this meets your requirements?"
The cloth bundle was slowly unwrapped, revealing a clear, transparent piece of amber with a hint of crimson inside, lying there quietly.
"This is?" The man was stunned.
"The fossil of an ancient Pokémon, Aerodactyl," Fuyuki introduced. "Aerodactyl, the overlord of the skies in ancient times, powerful and fierce. I think it should be much better suited for your team than Happiny."
"Aerodactyl?!"
A look of shock flashed in the man's eyes.
In fact, as early as a year ago, some research journals had published information on fossil resurrection technology.
This technology could revive extinct ancient Pokémon, bringing them back to the world. For some Trainers, this technology was no longer a secret.
The first revived fossil Pokémon, such as Omanyte, Kabutops, and Aerodactyl, had already been used by Trainers to dominate the Indigo League last year.
In this world, fossils were not just antiques, but treasures containing ancient Pokémon genes, with a rarity far exceeding that of ordinary Pokémon on the market.
Even if it couldn't be revived, it was still a priceless artifact in the eyes of some collectors.
The man's gaze was instantly pinned to that fossil. He stood up abruptly, his breathing becoming a bit ragged.
He stepped forward quickly, carefully picking up the amber. His fingertips stroked the smooth surface, and his eyes erupted with an unprecedented light.
"This is—an Aerodactyl fossil?!" His voice trembled with excitement. "You actually have this?!"
The surrounding Trainers also erupted into a commotion.
"My god! Aerodactyl! That's an ancient Flying-type Pokémon!"
"This piece of amber is so perfectly preserved, it's beautiful!"
"Its value is much higher than an ordinary Pokémon!"
Fuyuki looked at him calmly: "I'm not very interested in battling; this fossil is just a souvenir to me. But I see your Happiny—it doesn't look very happy."
The man looked down at the Happiny curled into a ball in his arms, his eyes flickering with a complex expression.
He indeed wanted this fossil very much, but he also knew the weight of this trade was too heavy.
He remained silent for a full ten seconds, as if engaged in an intense psychological battle.
"You want to use it to trade for my Happiny?" the man asked in a low voice.
Fuyuki nodded gently: "That's right. Happiny is a very gentle Pokémon. Seeing its current state, rather than being dejected here because it can't meet your expectations, it would be better for it to go somewhere where it can be happy."
The man was completely stunned.
He had originally thought the young man with the Raikou would demand an exorbitant price, but he didn't expect the other party to be so reasonable, even considering the Pokémon's well-being.
The way he looked at the other party instantly became incredibly complex.
"You—" The man opened his mouth, but it eventually turned into a long sigh. "Alright, I agree!"
He carefully put the Aerodactyl fossil into a specialized protective box, then took out a Poké Ball, recalled the Happiny into the ball, and handed it to Fuyuki.
"Thank you. Perhaps you're right; it really should have a change of environment."
Fuyuki took the Poké Ball containing Happiny and then released it.
The little fellow seemed to sense something. Its originally drooping head lifted slightly, and it peeked at Fuyuki with its large, watery eyes before looking back at its original Trainer.
The surrounding crowd let out a chorus of envious sighs.
Fuyuki held Happiny while Raikou followed behind. The three people and two Pokémon turned and left the noisy crowd.
The middle-aged sailor named Shark saw this and caught up with them, patting Fuyuki on the shoulder and giving a sincere thumbs-up: "Good job, young man! I knew you were a man of character! An Aerodactyl fossil, that's real hard currency!"
Fuyuki smiled and didn't explain much, just looked down at his new partner in his arms and took it straight back to the guest room.
Placing Happiny on the bed, Fuyuki, along with Squirtle, Gastly, and Raikou, surrounded it in the middle.
"Welcome, Happiny. I'm Fuyuki. From today on, we are family," Fuyuki said. "Don't worry, by our side, whether you are weak or strong, no one will look down on you."
Outside the window, the night fell heavily, and the lights of the S.S. Anne swayed with a warm glow on the sea surface.
"Happiny—"
Happiny's pink eyes were filled with tears as it stared blankly at Fuyuki.
Its heart was still feeling incredibly dejected and sad because its original Trainer had traded it away.
In the eyes of its previous Trainer, it was just a burden that wasn't strong, fierce, or useful enough.
But now, this human named Fuyuki—
"Squirtle—"
Squirtle poked its head out from the side and waved its claw at Happiny, showing a friendly expression.
Gastly also floated over, gently circling Happiny once, with no malice, only comfort.
"Kekeke~"
The sea breeze blew in through the porthole, and Fuyuki said with a smile, "In my team, we don't need machines that only know how to fight. What we need is a family that can eat together, sleep together, and sunbathe on the sea together."
Happiny stared blankly at Fuyuki's clear eyes, then looked at the Squirtle showing kindness beside it,
Gastly, and the Raikou that, though majestic, had a gentle gaze.
The next second.
Crystal-clear tears flowed from its eyes.
"Happiny—"
Within the small whimpers were hidden long-held grievances and insecurities.
Fuyuki smiled and rubbed Happiny's head, then took it into his arms.
His eyes flickered as the man's words surfaced in his mind.
In his view, Happiny was by no means a weak Pokémon!
After evolving into Blissey, that HP base stat of up to 255 and a Special Defense stat of up to 135, combined with its inherent excellent recovery abilities, could absolutely become a nightmare for many Pokémon in battle.
Even if it wasn't good at fighting, Happiny could rely on moves like Pound and Take Down to wear down its opponents.
Furthermore, he had Sacred Ash at his disposal, which could be used to maximize a Pokémon's constitution and life force.
Undoubtedly, after a Happiny that ate Sacred Ash every day grew up, it would definitely become a nightmare for countless Pokémon.
"Sleep, sleep, Happiny!"
Fuyuki did some simple washing up, then got into bed and fell into a deep sleep with several Pokémon.
Happiny seemed to really like the scent on Fuyuki's body, found a comfortable position in his arms, and subsequently fell asleep peacefully as well.
Outside the window, the night grew deeper, and the sea was calm without waves.
A night without dreams.
The next morning, the warm morning light spilled into the guest room through the porthole, gently falling on the fluffy fur of several Pokémon.
The waves gently rocked the S.S. Anne like the softest cradle. Fuyuki was woken up by a warm sensation rubbing against his chest.
Opening his eyes, he saw Happiny's round body snuggled against his chest. The small curly hair on its head was no longer drooping but instead curled up softly.
Those large pink eyes were watery, and it was carefully rubbing its cheek against his neck, still holding its beloved round stone in its arms. The dejection from yesterday was gone from its eyes, replaced only by a timid dependence.
"Happiny~"
Seeing Fuyuki wake up, Happiny gave a timid cry, its voice soft and fluffy like a marshmallow.
Squirtle had already woken up and was lying by the bed, wearing its small black sunglasses, seriously waving its claws at Happiny as if trying hard to Role Play a reliable senior.
Gastly floated in mid-air, spitting out a small cloud of faint purple mist. The mist gathered into a purple smoke ring in the air, making Happiny tilt its head slightly, a hint of curiosity appearing in its eyes.
Raikou was still guarding by the bed, its golden fur gilded with a warm glow by the morning sun. Seeing that Happiny had let down its guard, the majesty in its eyes also faded a bit, and it only gave a soft grunt, which counted as acknowledging this new companion.
Fuyuki smiled and sat up, reaching out to rub Happiny's soft cheek: "Good morning, Happiny!"
He got up and did some simple tidying, then took several Pokémon to the second-floor restaurant.
Along the way, many Trainers recognized Fuyuki as the one who had brought Raikou and traded an Aerodactyl fossil for Happiny yesterday. Their gazes were full of curiosity and respect, and they actively made way for him.
The restaurant was filled with all kinds of delicacies: fragrant berry porridge, crispy poffins, fresh sea fish dishes—everything was there.
Fuyuki specifically picked the softest Sweet Berry Pudding and warm milk for Happiny. Happiny held the small plate, eating in small bites, with a bit of pudding crumb on the corner of its mouth, looking extremely cute.
Squirtle leaned over and pointed at the corner of its own mouth with its small claw, signaling Happiny to wipe it clean.
Gastly floated to the side, secretly using its mist to snatch a small cookie, making Happiny giggle out loud.
This was the first time it had shown a truly happy smile since coming to this new home.
Having eaten and drunk its fill, Fuyuki took the Pokémon back to the deck.
The sea breeze brushed against their faces, Wingulls circled above the cruise ship, and the distant horizon merged with the blue sky, beautiful enough to put one's mind at ease.
Squirtle occupied its familiar lounge chair, its tail cocked as it sunbathed; Gastly chased after Wingulls, floating here and there, having a great time; Raikou lay quietly on the deck, resting with its eyes closed, the electric aura around it gentle and soothing.
Fuyuki sat down to the side, holding Happiny on his lap, and took out a piece of bread baked with Sacred Ash and flour from his backpack.
"Happiny, try this."
Fuyuki handed the bread to Happiny's mouth. Happiny tilted its head and sniffed, and a warm, comfortable aura instantly enveloped it.
It gently opened its mouth and ate the bread.
As the bread entered its mouth, a stream of gentle energy slowly flowed into its body, causing its originally somewhat thin aura to instantly become full.
Happiny squinted its eyes in comfort, its entire pink fur glowing with a faint, soft light.
Fuyuki saw this and understood.
As expected, Sacred Ash had an excellent strengthening effect on Happiny's constitution.
Before long, this seemingly weak Happiny would grow into an existence that even Gym Leader-level Pokémon would find hard to shake.
Just then, the cruise ship's broadcast sounded again, still in that sweet female voice: "Attention all passengers, the S.S. Anne will arrive at Cinnabar Island this evening. It boasts the best seaside resort in the Kanto Region. The cruise ship will stay there for one day. If any passengers wish to disembark and experience it, please return to the cruise ship on time by 8:00 AM the day after tomorrow!"