"Wow! What Pokémon is that? It's so beautiful!"
"My god, I want a Pokémon that beautiful too!"
"The Pokédex can't identify it. It must be from another region, I just don't know where."
As he walked along, voices constantly reached Gu Yuan's ears. This was because Hatterene, following behind him, was far too eye-catching. Gu Yuan simply chose to ignore them.
The onlookers soon recognized Gu Yuan's identity as well. After all, his previous performance in the Regional Battle Tournament had been exceptionally outstanding. In an instant, people abandoned any thought of approaching him to ask questions, let alone those who might have wanted to buy or forcibly take his Pokémon. Putting aside his terrifying strength, his current status alone made them fear to act.
Faced with the surrounding crowd, Hatterene acted like an "ice queen," refusing to give them a single glance, much less a smile. Yet, ironically, the crowd felt this behavior perfectly suited her aura—giving off a cold, sophisticated "older sister" vibe.
To this, Gu Yuan could only say they were too young. When facing him, Hatterene was a clingy little sprite, with not even a hint of coldness. Of course, he wasn't going to explain that to passersby; it was enough that he knew.
Now that Hatterene had matured, he needed her to shoulder her responsibilities in the team. He had originally chosen her to be the team's medic while also serving as a core coordinator, much like Alakazam. Since she possessed the Psychic type, Alakazam had already begun teaching her Teleport and Ally Switch. With Alakazam's skill, teaching his Expert Mastery of these moves to her was not difficult.
Hatterene's role in the team differed slightly from Alakazam's. While Alakazam acted as a core, he also bore the responsibility of offense, using Teleport and Ally Switch to coordinate with teammates for unpredictable attacks. Hatterene, however, would focus on rescue and healing while directing the flow, ensuring the team's combat endurance. She would only take over the offense at critical moments.
Considering this, Gu Yuan decided to let Fraxure, Dreepy, Hatterene, and Coalossal participate in more team battles so she could adapt early. With his own instruction and Alakazam's experience, he was confident she wouldn't disappoint him.
As they walked, perhaps tired of being stared at, Hatterene grew a bit unhappy. Since she couldn't break her public "persona," she constantly acted spoiled toward Gu Yuan via Telepathy. Gu Yuan, who always had a soft spot for affection over aggression, found it hard to resist and led her away from the crowd.
Soon, they found a secluded spot. Gu Yuan stretched and checked the time; he planned to stay out a little longer before heading back. Under the current pressure, he preferred spending every possible minute on training. Perhaps his own awakened psychic power would allow him to use one more Teleport, and that one extra move might be the key to his survival.
Lost in thought, he spotted an ice cream shop nearby and decided to buy some, both for himself and to help Charizard and the others cool down. As he approached, he saw a person he had noticed earlier still standing at the shop entrance. Looking at her from behind, she seemed somewhat familiar.
Driven by curiosity, Gu Yuan walked closer and glanced at her. This look left him stunned in place.
She had long, golden hair and wore a black trench coat. Her exquisite face was currently wearing a slightly troubled expression, giving her a touch of "gap moe." Her identity was even more startling—the reason for Gu Yuan's shock—she was the Champion of the Sinnoh region, Cynthia!
Despite being a Champion, Cynthia had a minor quirk known to everyone: severe indecisiveness. Glancing at the helpless shop clerk, Gu Yuan could easily guess what was happening.
"Hello, I'd like one of every flavor, please."
"Certainly! Please wait a moment."
The clerk nodded and smiled, moved nearly to tears. After waiting so long, a customer had finally arrived.
Hearing this, Cynthia couldn't help but turn to look at Gu Yuan. There was confusion in her eyes, as if she were wondering if he had some strange obsession that required eating so much ice cream at once.
"It's like this—I plan to taste just one bite of each flavor. The rest can go to my Pokémon; they have quite the appetite."
"Since I struggle with a bit of indecision, instead of worrying about what to eat, it's better to let my Pokémon share it with me. That way, the problem is solved."
Noticing her puzzled gaze, Gu Yuan explained with a slightly sheepish look. Cynthia's eyes lit up upon hearing this, as if a door to a new world had opened.
"Hello, I've decided! I'll take all the flavors too!"
Cynthia waved and spoke excitedly to the clerk. Her voice was clear and crisp. In reality, her charm and aura far exceeded what was shown in the anime.
"Thank you. I really appreciate your suggestion," Cynthia said to Gu Yuan with a smile after taking a bite of her ice cream.
"It's nothing. We're both people tormented by the same quirk; we have to help each other out."
"By the way, I have a few other good ways to solve indecisiveness. Do you want to try them?"
"Oh, yes, please!"
As they spoke, Gu Yuan shared some small tips for overcoming indecision—mostly simple psychological suggestions. However, Cynthia's indecisiveness was unique; she simply didn't know which was best and wanted to try everything. Fortunately, this world had Pokémon with massive appetites, allowing Gu Yuan to offer plenty of practical advice.
After swallowing another ice cream Cynthia handed over, Garchomp suddenly felt a chill. It wasn't from the ice; it was from being frightened by Gu Yuan's suggestions. This kid basically treated it like a bottomless pit, suggesting that Cynthia should taste only a bite of everything and leave the rest for it and its companions.
But then again, wouldn't that mean it got to eat a lot of delicious things? At that moment, Garchomp also seemed to discover a new world, nodding vigorously at Cynthia to indicate that Gu Yuan's suggestion was excellent.
Once all the ice cream was finished, it was time for them to part. Gu Yuan went straight back to the hotel, ready to plunge back into training. Cynthia, meanwhile, continued her leisurely stroll.
A brief conversation was enough. Gu Yuan never expected anything more to happen or to forge a deep connection. This was the real world; he wasn't from the Sinnoh region, and the gap between his strength and hers was like a vast chasm, making equal dialogue difficult. Using this chance to become a familiar face was the limit; anything more would be annoying.
After all, Cynthia was a regional Champion. Her mind was as clear as a mirror regarding such matters.