Chapter 26: Christmas, Evolution

In the blink of an eye, December 24th arrived. On the eve of Christmas, the school began distributing various decorations to students and teachers, preparing for the festivities of the next day. When Hu Yang returned from his training by the river, he found the campus had undergone a remarkable transformation.

Snowmen with Santa hats, Christmas trees adorned with ribbons and twinkling lights, and teachers and students with cheeks flushed red from the cold filled the grounds. It was also the end of the school day; students were leaving for home, ready for their two-day Christmas holiday.

“Is the school all decorated now?” Rika, bundled up in her winter coat, walked over with Tsuyoshi Nishida, both carrying armfuls of festive items through the snow.

Nishida nodded. “Just the staff dormitory left.”

Hu Yang was surprised. “You’re not going home?”

Unlike him, many teachers at the school had families.

“I’d love to,” Nishida replied helplessly. “But all the tickets to Kaina City are sold out.”

Rika smiled cheerfully. “Same for me.”

Hu Yang couldn’t help but laugh.

Rika showed him the tinsel and Santa hats she was holding. “Perfect! How about we decorate the dormitory together?”

Hu Yang, of course, had no objections.

By the time the three of them finished, it was already eight in the evening. After seeing his friends off, Hu Yang returned to his room, now brimming with Christmas spirit, and was struck by a strange, wonderful feeling.

He took out the remaining Santa hats Rika had left behind and put one on each of Budew and Oricorio, while Gengar floated nearby, eyeing them enviously.

Hu Yang said, “You can’t touch them.”

Gengar looked crestfallen.

With a chuckle, Hu Yang hung a Santa hat on the wall and had Gengar move back so it would appear as if the hat perched on its head.

“If only I had a camera,” he mused—otherwise, he could have taken a photo of Gengar.

Gengar felt a bit better and, cherishing the moment, reached out a claw to touch the ordinary Santa hat.

“Are you going to keep this one too?” Hu Yang asked.

Lately, whenever he prepared a gift for Budew, he made sure to include one for Gengar out of courtesy.

Gengar treasured every item, insisting that Hu Yang keep them all in a cardboard box. Hu Yang didn’t quite understand, but still granted Gengar’s wish.

Gengar nodded, watching closely as Hu Yang placed the Santa hat in the little box.

Then, Hu Yang went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The festive atmosphere had inspired him, so he had bought plenty of ingredients earlier, planning a lavish Christmas feast.

When he finally set the last dish—a chocolate frosted strawberry cake—on the table, fireworks began to light up the night outside the window. The people of Chanhua City were celebrating the holiday.

“Merry Christmas!” Hu Yang placed a small piece of cake in front of Budew and said with a gentle smile, “I look forward to your company in the future.”

This was his first holiday in this world. Though he had arrived here alone, with everyone by his side, he didn’t feel lonely.

“Caw!” Oricorio, for once, broke from its usual dazed state and showed a hint of happiness, calling out foolishly at the food on the table.

“Ni!” Budew was overjoyed. This winter was unlike any other it had experienced—a season of happiness it had never known before.

It loved this human dearly, and at that moment, a thought blossomed in Budew’s heart: it wanted to stay by his side forever.

And the instant that thought formed, a brilliant white light suddenly enveloped its body.

Gengar and Hu Yang’s gazes were instantly drawn to the radiance.

That light was—evolution!

An indescribable thrill surged through Hu Yang. To witness, with his own eyes, the transformation of a Pokémon he had nurtured with care was nothing like watching an evolution through a game screen.

Surprise, excitement, joy, anticipation.

Within the intense light of evolution, Budew’s form began to change rapidly. A refreshing fragrance wafted from the glow. Its body stretched from a small bud into a figure resembling a woodland sprite. Two roses of different colors, one red and one blue, blossomed from its slender wrists.

When the light finally faded, a brand-new Pokémon appeared before Hu Yang.

“Roselia!” it cried joyfully.

At the same time, information in Hu Yang’s mind shifted:

[Species: Roselia ♂]
Type: Grass, Poison
Ability: Leaf Guard
Base Stats: 400 (HP: 50, Attack: 60, Defense: 45, Special Attack: 100, Special Defense: 80, Speed: 65)
Known Moves: Giga Drain, Stun Spore, Seed Bomb, Paralyzing Bomb (Stun Spore + Seed Bomb), Landmine Bomb (Seed Bomb+), Poison Sting, Magical Leaf
Current Mood: Happy, Joyful
Physical State: Relaxed, Satisfied
Friendship: 100 (It likes you very much and wants to be with you forever)

Hu Yang’s eyes grew moist with emotion.

Compared to humans, Pokémon were truly pure beings. Once they chose a human, they would give everything—even their lives—to that person.

Such devotion was something not even a human could easily achieve.

“Thank you,” Hu Yang whispered, gently stroking Roselia’s cheek.

“Roselia!” it replied, beaming with happiness.

Christmas Eve faded away in this warm and gentle atmosphere. As Hu Yang lay in bed that night, memories of everything since he had arrived in this world drifted through his mind.

Budew’s evolution was deeply meaningful to him. From today onward, he finally possessed real battling strength. Moreover, Roselia had learned two new moves after evolving.

Hu Yang was eager to test their power in a real battle.

Yet just as this thought crossed his mind, a sound suddenly came from the kitchen.

His thoughts were interrupted. Holding his breath, he listened intently.

Surely it wasn’t another haunting?

But the noise quickly faded, and the room was quiet once more.

“Maybe it’s just a mouse,” he sighed in relief, preparing to close his eyes and sleep—when a rustling came again from outside.

Moments later, the bedroom doorknob turned, and with a soft click, the door opened.

Hu Yang tensed, instantly flicking on the light, and saw a sneaky Swirlix tiptoeing in with a gift in its arms.

“Liu!”

The sudden brightness startled Swirlix so much it nearly jumped out of its skin, dropping the present with a thud.

Hu Yang and his Pokémon all turned to look at Swirlix.

He recognized it—it was Principal Kiriyama’s Pokémon.

Swirlix was so scared its body went limp. Its cheeks, red from the cold, made Hu Yang purse his lips as he got out of bed to check.

“Did Principal Kiriyama send you?” he asked.

Swirlix nodded shyly.

Hu Yang walked to the window and, as expected, saw Principal Kiriyama outside, dressed up as Santa Claus.

No wonder at yesterday’s meeting the principal had reminded all teachers staying for the holidays to hang a stocking by their beds before sleeping. So this was his plan.