Chapter 39: Yaya

The Grand Contest concluded in splendid fashion.

In the end, the winner was not Xiaoyi, but rather a man accompanied by a Milotic.

Xiaoyi and her Glameow’s performance earned only 16.7 points, failing to reach even the second round of judging. She was so devastated that she left Fallarbor Town that very day, vowing never to return to this sorrowful place.

Hu Yang: "..."

For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words.

Saori asked, "Do you have any plans for where you’ll go next?"

Hu Yang replied, "I might head to Lavaridge Town for a short rest."

"Alright then." Saori turned, leading Xiaoyi forward for a dozen meters, then looked back, waved energetically, and called out, "I hope we’ll meet again someday!"

Hu Yang smiled and replied, "There will be a chance."

Such is the world of Pokémon.

Some people meet, others part.

For the sake of their dreams, they journey ever onward.

The beautiful girl with soft pink hair left, taking her dejected companion with her.

"Where are we going?" Gengar floated cheerfully beside him, watching the scene.

Hu Yang grinned mysteriously. "I’m taking you mining!"

Gengar: "???"

...

Two hours later, dressed in mountaineering gear, iron shovel in hand and a backpack slung over his shoulders, Hu Yang stood at the entrance to Meteor Falls.

Just like at Petalburg Woods, a warning sign stood by the entrance.

It read: "Cave is dangerous, unauthorized persons keep out."

"Are you scared?" Gengar asked curiously, seeing Hu Yang hesitate at the entrance.

Hu Yang: "...I was just thinking—if we dig up a large gemstone, how will we carry it out?"

With that, he stepped inside.

The cave was not as dark as he’d imagined; because it had been formed by a meteorite crashing down from the heavens, the cavern had no roof.

So much time had passed that the crater had been weathered away, and the flow of water had carved it into an uneven landscape.

Walking through the cave, one could hear the distant, clear sound of underground streams.

As he proceeded, Hu Yang activated his scanning ability; information about everything in sight—objects and Pokémon—flooded his mind one after another.

However, apart from ordinary rocks, he found nothing of interest.

He continued onward, and soon spotted a massive Fraxure drinking by the riverside.

The sudden appearance of a human immediately caught Fraxure’s attention.

It turned, fixing Hu Yang with a ferocious gaze.

[Species: Fraxure ♂]
Type: Dragon
Ability: Rough Skin
Base Stats: 485 (HP: 77, Attack: 120, Defense: 90, Sp. Atk: 60, Sp. Def: 90, Speed: 48)
Known Moves: Scratch, Leer, Bite, Dragon Rage, Dragon Claw

Current Mood: Vigilant
Physical State: Thirsty, Hungry
Friendship: -20 (It has already regarded you as prey)

Hu Yang: "..."

"Roselia, use Stun Spore!"

Before Fraxure could pounce, Hu Yang quickly sent out Roselia.

At his command, Roselia aimed at Fraxure, and a thick cloud of paralyzing spores burst forth from her rosebuds.

"Roar!" Fraxure let out an enraged howl, and the Stun Spore happened to flow right into its wide-open mouth.

Time to run!

Hu Yang had no intention of capturing Fraxure, the disgrace of the dragon clan.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, he scooped up Roselia and fled.

Gengar floated after him, perplexed. "It was provoking you; why not let that silly bird out and teach it a lesson?!"

Hu Yang was speechless. "Because I don’t want to die."

Any one of Decidueye’s four moves could bring the entire cavern crashing down.

Speaking of Decidueye...

Hu Yang found a clearing with no wild Pokémon and released it.

Then, pulling a Gardevoirite from his backpack, he gestured to Decidueye: "I’m hungry. I want to eat this. Can you help me find more?"

"Kaaw?" Decidueye made a foolish-sounding cry.

Then it flapped its wings and took flight.

Did it understand?

Hu Yang was overjoyed and hurried after it.

But Decidueye was too fast; they simply couldn’t keep up.

Gengar said, "…Let’s just wait here for it to return."

Hu Yang grew a bit anxious. "Do you think it really understood me?"

He soon had his answer.

For, less than five minutes later, Decidueye returned, clutching a large stone in its beak.

[Mysterious Meteorite: A fragment of the giant meteorite that fell into Meteor Falls, containing terrifying cosmic energy. A certain mysterious organization seems intent on using it to reactivate Mt. Chimney.]

Hu Yang: "..."

Damn, isn’t this the meteorite from the game’s storyline—the one Team Magma uses to reactivate Mt. Chimney?

He remembered it being stolen from Professor Cozmo by Team Magma.

Which meant, if he hadn’t come today, this meteorite would’ve been found by Professor Cozmo two years later, then snatched by Team Magma, triggering Groudon’s resurrection arc.

"Kaaw?" Decidueye tilted its head, as if puzzled why Hu Yang wasn’t eating.

Gengar snickered, "If you don’t eat it, this silly bird will be heartbroken!"

Hu Yang: "..."

Suddenly, Decidueye let out a cry, turned around, and flew off once more.

Hu Yang sat where he was, stowing the meteorite in his backpack.

Before long, Decidueye returned with another item.

This time, it was a stone resembling onyx.

[Moon Stone (Top Quality): A magical stone as black as the night sky, capable of evolving certain special Pokémon.]

Hu Yang could not stop grinning.

Never had he found Decidueye’s habit of bringing things back so useful!

A windfall—an absolute windfall!

From this day forth, he, Hu Yang, would take up residence at Meteor Falls until his backpack was bursting at the seams!

Gengar, floating beside him: "..."

Hu Yang urged, "Can’t you phase through solid objects? Why don’t you go underground and see if there are any buried stones?"

Gengar: !!! Truly unscrupulous!

"You’re not getting obsessed with money like those humans, are you?" Gengar asked, worried.

Hu Yang replied, "And who told you that?"

Gengar: "That human called Rika. She said it about Nishida. When she did, Nishida wore the same expression you have now."

Hu Yang: "..."

As they chatted idly, Decidueye returned once more, carrying fresh "prey."

From a distance, Hu Yang heard a cascade of "Axew! Axew!" calls.

His heart skipped a beat.

Looking up, he saw an Axew dropped right in front of him, rolling twice on the ground.

The little dragon, tense and wary, scrambled to its feet—only to see a human staring at it.

Sensing danger, Axew prepared to attack, but in the next instant, a powerful beak clamped onto its body, lifting it into the air.

"Axew!" Axew struggled desperately.

Decidueye held fast, unmoving.

At last, when Axew was exhausted, it lay limp like a salted fish, tears of humiliation welling in its large eyes. Pitifully, it turned, only to find the human still watching.

Seeing this, Axew immediately turned its head away, refusing to meet his gaze.

Hu Yang: "..."

Gengar clicked its tongue and shook its head. "Poor little thing."

Fortunately, it had no physical body.

Thinking this, Gengar looked up at Decidueye, and in its heart, raised the bird’s danger level another notch.

A truly terrifying bird!