Baimu calls Teacher Adam, isn't this a generational gap!
We're both talking separately?
I call you uncle-master, and you call me teacher?
Good kid! You've got something!
Liuqia made funny faces at Baimu where others couldn't see; if it weren't inappropriate to play on the phone publicly, their chat interface would probably be flooded with emojis.
"Good afternoon."
Adam nodded and waved his right hand to summon the Milotic from the water.
"Milu~"
The Milotic suddenly slithered ashore, flicking its wet tail fin as it lay down on the prepared blue air cushion.
He said softly, "This afternoon, I plan to teach you massage techniques specific to Milotic, methods for maintaining scales, fins, and fuzz."
Nurturing a Pokémon should obviously not be limited to battles. For a Coordinator Trainer, ensuring the perfect outward appearance of a Pokémon is equally important.
Liuqia came to help lend a hand, she had no announcements to go out for today and was feeling idle.
Baimu released an Altered-color Milotic, letting it lie in a vertical position, shaped like a long bar, just like Adam's Milotic on the blue cushion.
"Milo~"
The Altered-color Milotic chirped lazily.
Adam glanced briefly, squatted beside it, and waved to Baimu, "Come, take a look."
He pointed to the tail base and three inches above the Altered-color Milotic, "The Milotic's tail fin structure is more agile than you imagine. Without proper massage techniques, it's difficult to achieve unfolded and rotating maneuvers."
Unfolding, rotating.
This is the change when Adam's Milotic uses Tornado and Tide Spin, its tail fin transforms into a propeller-like structure.
Baimu had always been curious about how it was done, and now hearing this, it seemed somewhat related to massage techniques?
Adam used three fingers to heavily knead a few times at the spots he pointed out earlier.
There was a crisp snapping sound.
The Altered-color Milotic showed an astonished expression, immediately turning its head in disbelief, looking at the tail fin changing from a combined fan shape to a cross shape, gently flicking it twice in amazement.
Baimu was similarly amazed, "Amazing!"
He never thought before that you could develop a Pokémon's body through massage.
"Does it look simple? But you must know that if there is no maintenance, this kind of change can increase the burden on Milotic's tail fin joints, which could lead to the tail fin falling off."
Adam spoke confidently and issued a stern warning, "Once the tail fin falls off, it's difficult to grow back. Milotic generally only has four tail fins in its lifetime."
"Understood."
He nodded, then saw the cross-shaped tail fin revert back to its original fan-like appearance.
"Change requires time for adaptation. Before achieving autonomous transformation without relying on massage points, don't casually attempt rotations, it burdens the muscles on its tail."
Adam mentioned several key points, emphasized the hand gestures, and urged Baimu to try mastering the force himself.
He pressed tactfully on the Altered-color Milotic's tail, filled with joy in his heart.
Yes, this was exactly what he wanted.
He remembered Xiaogang once taught him how to nurture Pokémon personally, these precious knowledge aren't absent online, but can be mixed with false and unreliable information.
"Above, this area plus this area, these two places are generally weak points in Milotic's body, ensure they aren't hit in battles."
Adam pointed out why the Altered-color Milotic had been bound tightly and immobilized.
"Two places..."
Baimu blinked, he only knew one, the chunk that appeared fattest on the Altered-color Milotic, the purpose for Thick Fat was to protect fragile organs.
"This spot is where the nervous system is concentrated, a heavy hit here can easily cause a temporary loss of resistance." Adam explained the reason for the other weak spot.
The weak point of Steelix is its joints, while the weak points of Altered-color Milotic are organs and nerves...
Long snake-type Pokémon are so complex.
During the subsequent time, Adam used his Milotic as a sample to teach Baimu massage techniques specific to these types of Pokémon.
From the very top to the tail, even those two long mustache-like eyebrows weren't overlooked.
"Eyebrows are important organs for sensing water flow direction underwater. Do you see these three black spots? They actually connect and are generally used to filter murky water; clean them, otherwise, they will smell."
Adam even mentioned the Milotic's three "black spots" on its neck.
His understanding of this Pokémon was truly thorough, even the tail fin had its own specialized maintenance oil, which impressed Baimu greatly.
The amusing part was that during this time, the Altered-color Milotic learned a new technique —
[Water Cannon].
The cause was when Baimu rubbed the front section of its water storage sac on the abdomen, the intense desire to eject forced it to release all the water mixed with Attribute Energy from the organ all at once.
Everyone knows that Water Attribute techniques require the Pokémon's internal water as a medium to be successfully used.
Thus, just like Electric-type Pokémon have Electric Storage Bags, Fire-type Pokémon have fire storage organs, Water-type Pokémon similarly possess similar structures.
And to be able to learn high-power techniques of the same type, Baimu was naturally delighted.
Just hope it doesn't turn out like a certain famous streamer's ghost Lapras, where four consecutive Water Cannon misses almost drained all its PP.
—
In the following two days.
Baimu remained immersed in nurturing Milotic and studying the strategy of Attack in Place of Defense.
Adam didn't teach him how to perform because he believed everyone's aesthetic was different; at most, he could describe his feelings toward performances from his own perspective, which doesn't represent the tastes of the judges he would face.
"Performance lacks a fixed formula, requiring enough imagination and creativity, as well as satisfying the public's aesthetic. In this area, I really can't teach you much."
In fact.
This was Adam being overly modest.
Though the outside world claims that he, as a top Coordinator Trainer, has retired, his [Water Art] performances still frequently appear in Glazed City, deeply adored by various noblewomen and young ladies.
The audience is always full, with crowds streaming in endlessly.
In Hoenn, he is undoubtedly one of the most famous Coordinator Trainers.
Some say Mikoli's growth to this point is deeply associated with the fervent promotion by ladies who adored his master back then.
Baimu has to admit, he designed his performance for Milotic based on Adam's Water Art show, and performing it in front of him always carries a sense of awkwardness like a Li Gui meeting a Li Kui.
Adam, however, didn't seem angry; on the contrary, he was quite happy, although his happiness often carried a faint melancholy.
Which puzzled him.
Are there stories in the Water Art performance? Like performances designed for someone who, unfortunately, passed away.
Teacher Adam is still single, maybe there are some unknown pasts...
Alright.
Such irresponsible speculation is quite rude.
Baimu admonished himself silently.
Adam has no idea his clever student has secretly schemed against him; he merely sighed as a Sinking Ship card-drawer.
The encounter and observation over these two days are akin to big data incessantly presenting him with various evaluations, almost forcing him to see "Baimu" as a must-draw divine phantom, a human rights card, constantly tormenting him.
Of course.
As an elegant gentleman, Adam also understands the philosophy that what is meant to be yours will come, and what is not meant to be should not be forced, so he didn't dwell on it for long.
Are ordinary students not students?
Adam adjusted his mindset; teaching became even more earnest, enjoying the experience of imparting knowledge and skills, especially to someone he admired.
This mental satisfaction is one major reason he never attempted to compete for the Four Heavenly Kings in the Champion Alliance many years ago. He believes becoming a Celestial King might make it difficult to contact so many diverse Trainers.
After all, the Champion Alliance only serves tournament champions.
Consequently.
On the opening day of the Mikoli Club.
Adam extended his blessing to the departing Baimu and Liuqia, "Wishing you a great success. This competition will undoubtedly be one of the priceless experiences in your lives."
"Yes, Teacher."
"I promise to win the championship, uncle-master!"
Their voices were each distinct.