The Sailor held his head up with a serious expression. Willy, passing by, laughed at the sight.
"Captain, eh?" He watched Sandy putting the hat on the Sailor and suddenly remembered the old broken-down boat behind the fish shop.
However, since there were no materials to repair it, Willy just thought about it and didn't pay much mind. But that boat was the only means of transportation that could reach Ginger Island.
Although he had another small fishing boat, because Ginger Island was indeed quite far, he had never considered using that boat to go there.
As for why that boat could reach Kalos—Willy had never thought deeply about this question. In any case, both Ron and Ron's grandfather had successfully used that small boat to go to Kalos, and that was enough.
As for how they got there, how they arrived—that was never his concern.
Furthermore, even Willy himself had secrets he was unwilling to tell others.
"Next time I go out fishing, if you want to come, find me at the fish shop," Willy patted the Sailor and said. "I'll let you experience real sailor life!"
"Ratta?" The Sailor, waiting for Sandy to fasten the last button of his captain's uniform, immediately became excited.
"Right, in a while, there will be a night market at the docks. I have an old friend with a submarine. I'll take you to see it then."
"Rattata!"
Meanwhile, Ron was currently crouching beside Leah, watching her carefully carve a large block of ice dug from the lake.
There was still some time before the fishing competition. At the moment, they were busy setting up the venue and providing ice blocks for the ice sculptures. Leah gripped her file, grinding away at the ice with a scratching sound.
The Deerling beside her was chewing on a grass cake, staring motionlessly at Leah's hands.
"What are you planning to carve?"
"Haven't decided yet," Leah said, then turned and saw Froakie on Ron's shoulder, currently patting its chest with a thumping sound. "Then I'll carve you. How about that?"
"Froakie."
Froakie's paws paused. It looked quite excited but managed to put on an expression of, "Since you insist, I suppose I can't stop you."
Leah laughed and continued grinding away at the ice block.
Thanks to her woodworking skills, ice sculpting went surprisingly smoothly. Before long, the rudimentary form of a Froakie was born in her hands.
Not far from the two of them were Robin's family, currently busy building a snowman.
Sebastian and Croagunk were vigorously pushing a snowball on the ground. "This should be big enough."
Croagunk puffed out its cheeks, tilting its head to watch Sebastian strenuously lift another snowball and drop it on top of this one.
It was packed solid enough, so it didn't break apart.
Sebastian looked with satisfaction at the two stacked balls, then began decorating the snowman.
Demetrius watched from the side. Seeing the increasingly strange shape of this snowman, he took a deep breath, turned away, and forced himself not to make any judgments about it.
After all these days, he was gradually coming to understand. People were ultimately different. Some liked things by the book, while others specifically hated that.
It didn't have to follow his ideas. Personal preferences weren't about right or wrong, so there was no need to pass judgment.
Thinking this, he glanced at Maru's snowman. Maru stood on tiptoe, wrapping her red scarf around the snowman's neck.
"It looks wonderful, dear," Robin patted her head, then turned to look at Sebastian's snowman. "Yours is creative too."
Sebastian looked at the monster-like snowman before him and nodded in agreement.
Croagunk also puffed its cheeks in agreement from the side.
Ron glanced over from afar, then returned his gaze to the ice sculpture Froakie in Leah's hands.
To be a proper model, even though Leah no longer needed it to hold a pose, Froakie still remained motionless, mimicking the sculpture's posture.
Ron reached out and picked up a tool nearby, helping Leah with the finishing work.
"Are you leaving tonight?" Leah's voice suddenly came over.
"Mm, probably in the afternoon or evening, depending on when the festival ends."
"I see." Leah's voice was a bit downcast. "Have a good time. When will you be back?"
"The 14th," Ron thought for a moment and said. "At the latest, I'll be back in Pelican Town by the morning of the 15th. Right, there's a machine at the farm, in the barn."
Ron drew a simple map in the snow and said to Leah beside him: "I'll use that machine to send some hay back then. If Deerling needs it, just tell Shane at the barn."
Leah turned to look at Ron, somewhat surprised, completely not expecting Ron to still remember this matter. After a moment, she curved her lips toward him: "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Ron waved his hand. Looking at Froakie beside them, whose pose was getting a bit stiff from holding it so long, he continued working on the ice sculpture with Leah.
"Is this Froakie?" Jas, holding Shane's hand, walked over at some point. Standing before the two of them, she pointed at the ice sculpture and asked.
"Mm, yes, Froakie," Leah said. "What do you think?"
"It really looks like him!" Jas continued. "But I think Froakie's claws could be a bit higher. That would look cooler."
Hearing it would look cooler, the model Froakie couldn't help but raise one paw following Jas's words.
Seeing this, the three of them immediately burst into laughter.
"Froakie?"
Froakie narrowed its eyes at the sight and slowly lowered its paw.
"Can I hug him?"
"If he's willing," Ron said.
Jas thus extended her hands toward Froakie.
Froakie tilted its head, then after a moment hopped into Jas's arms.
Froakie's weight was a bit much for Jas. She mustered all her strength to lift him up, then buried her face in Froakie's neck.
"So cold—" Jas said, rubbing against the foam on Froakie's neck. She then turned to look at Shane and asked: "When can I have my own Pokémon?"
"When you turn ten," Shane answered upon hearing this.
"Ten years old." Jas buried her face back into Froakie's chest with some disappointment.
Froakie couldn't help but pat Jas's head.
"Froakie."
"What did he say?" Jas looked up and asked Ron.
"He said if when that day comes, you want to catch a Pokémon, he can help you," Ron listened for a moment and said.
Jas excitedly spun around several times holding Froakie. She then put Froakie down, glanced at Vincent looking envious not far away, and lowered her head to the slightly unsteady Froakie and said: "Then I'll be counting on you then!"
"Fro—Froakie."
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)