Shi Yiyi took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and smiled faintly.
Although she had been the one to raise objections, by this point, she had already been won over by Dianxi. Faced with a Pokémon like this, what more could she possibly say?
"There are no more objections! I hereby announce that the champion of this Zhenhui Town Pokémon Performance Competition is...!"
The host walked over to Qiao Ran and Dianxi and excitedly announced the final result.
"The champions are—Qiao Ran and Dianxi! Congratulations to you both!"
"Thank you for that wonderful performance! Thank you!!!"
As the result was announced, a wave of applause rose up.
Qiao Ran and Dianxi interlaced their fingers, gazing at each other with joy and happiness.
However—at that incredibly thrilling moment, another ray of light suddenly shone from Dianxi's body.
"...!"
The sight made Qiao Ran's heart leap. He had seen this kind of light countless times before. This light was...
No! Not here!
Panicking, Qiao Ran hurriedly grabbed Dianxi's hand and pulled her off the stage as if they were fleeing, slipping into a corner backstage where no one could see them.
"...H-Heavens, our champions ran away!"
The host was utterly dumbfounded by Qiao Ran's bizarre move. What was going on???
What was going on??
The awards had not even been presented yet. Why had they run off already?!
The Bride Attire
The award ceremony was still going on, but the male and female leads of the ceremony had run off hand in hand right before everyone's eyes.
No one knew where they had gone, because after Qiao Ran pulled Dianxi backstage and found a quiet corner, he activated his Rotom Phone and teleported into Pokémon Pioneer Land.
To activate teleportation, he had to eliminate every possible danger and choose a safe place. After all, no one knew what situation they might face when teleporting back. If a Milotic happened to fall from the sky and sit on him, flattening him with its butt, there would be no explaining that.
"Dianxi, are you alright..."
Upon arriving in Pokémon Pioneer Land, Qiao Ran instinctively wanted to ask about Dianxi's condition. Yet the sight that appeared before him left him frozen in astonishment.
Amid the misty white smoke, the one he was holding by the right hand had changed from a cute Pokémon into a beautiful girl with long dark-purple hair, dressed in a gorgeous set of Bride Attire.
Yes, a girl.
—She had gemlike rose-red eyes, the tips of her hair glowing pink. Her white gown, adorned with pink diamonds, accentuated her purity, while her slender legs were covered in pristine white stockings.
The girl stared blankly at Qiao Ran, her eyes brimming with excitement. Without the slightest hesitation, she threw herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Master! Master!"
Unlike Vulpix, who could only babble after taking human form, Dianxi gained the ability to speak the instant she transformed. Not only that, she had changed into a one-of-a-kind bridal outfit, luxurious clothing Vulpix had never possessed.
"That's wonderful! I finally... I finally succeeded! Master, I did it!"
Dianxi's face was full of excitement as she threw all her weight onto Qiao Ran. He had no way to resist such an attack, and in the end, Dianxi knocked him straight onto the grass.
"W-Wait... Dianxi!"
Looking at Dianxi, who had slightly parted her stocking-clad legs as she straddled him, Qiao Ran swallowed. Compared to Vulpix, who had appeared wearing nothing at all, Dianxi was somehow even more alluring now.
Qiao Ran felt that he might need some time
to get used to this kind of stimulation.
"I'm so happy. I'm really so happy."
It was as though Dianxi had not heard Qiao Ran at all. Right now, she only wanted to express her excitement and affection through all sorts of actions.
"Dianxi, you..."
Qiao Ran tried to resist, but to his surprise, he discovered that he was not as strong as Dianxi now.
Or rather, as a human, it was simply impossible for him to contend with a Pokémon, let alone a Mythical Pokémon like Dianxi, one who truly belonged to legend.
"Master feels so nice... so soft... Is this what a human body feels like? It's completely different from mine..."
Gradually, a flush appeared on Dianxi's face. She lay on top of Qiao Ran, hugging his chest with both arms as her body gently...
"Strange... what's happening...?"
Dianxi was somewhat confused, but she could not suppress the thoughts welling up from deep inside her heart.
"Wait, Dianxi! What are you doing, Dianxi?!"
Qiao Ran instinctively felt that she was doing something extremely dangerous. To stop things from spiraling completely out of control, he cried out in panic, trying to halt this inappropriate behavior.
At the very least, for the sake of this world's integrity, something like this absolutely could not happen!
Stop it already, Dianxi!!
Stop!
And at that moment—as if some force had responded to Qiao Ran's cries, another burst of light shone from Dianxi's body.
"Huh...?"
Dianxi froze, a puzzled expression appearing on her delicate little face.
"This is..."
As the light spread, Dianxi's body began to rapidly shrink. Gradually, her figure changed from that of a young girl into that of an even smaller child. Not only that, her gorgeous Bride Attire turned into specks of starlight and vanished completely from her body.
Dianxi's appearance did not change much, but she seemed to have become several years younger, taking on a more juvenile form.
"I... I... I... The power of Mega... disappeared?"
Child Dianxi blankly looked around, then looked at Qiao Ran beneath her, whom she was still straddling, and then at her bare...
"Eeeeeeeeeek!!!"
The Diamond Princess's little face instantly turned bright red. She let out a miserable scream and, without the slightest hesitation, fled in a flash, only to trip over a rock along the way.
"V-Vulpix's clothes... I'm going to find Vulpix's clothes!"
Dianxi rubbed her swollen red forehead, tears welling in her eyes.
"Vulpix's clothes are in the tent beside us... Um... try them on and see if they fit."
Qiao Ran wiped away his nosebleed and watched Dianxi's "back" as she fled. For a moment, he did not know what to say.
Clearly, compared to Vulpix, who had initially possessed no sense of shame whatsoever, Dianxi had her own set of principles. By the standards of a princess like her, she definitely could not allow herself to show Qiao Ran such an embarrassing appearance.
Suddenly, two heads poked out from behind a nearby rock.
Qiao Ran focused his gaze and found that they were Suicune and the already humanized Vulpix.
Pokémon Pioneer Land was divided into several sections. The place where Qiao Ran currently was belonged to the private domain shared by him and his Pokémon. He stored small items here, trained and relaxed with his Pokémon here, and no wild Pokémon could enter this place.
In a sense, Qiao Ran possessed most of this world's administrative authority, even if he did not have the power to reshape the world.
"Why are you two here? You..."
Qiao Ran instinctively wanted to ask how long they had been watching, but when he saw the regretful looks in Vulpix and Suicune's eyes, he swallowed those words.
"Master... is thinking strange things."
"Arf."
The two Pokémon walked forward step by step until they stood before Qiao Ran, their Trainer. Seeing them approach, a bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
"Well... actually..."
Qiao Ran wanted to explain, waving his hands in panic. Yet in the next moment—the things he had imagined did not happen. Vulpix and Suicune merely sat down on the grass beside him and leaned against him.
Vulpix's long white hair carried a cool, pleasant scent, and an innocent, adorable smile appeared on her face.
"Don't worry... As long as Master doesn't leave us, no matter what Master is like, we'll stay by your side."
"Arf." Suicune also extended her white ribbon and affectionately tickled Qiao Ran's neck.
Their journey was far from over.
A Night in Zhenhui Town
After spending some time in Pokémon Pioneer Land with the Pokémon, Qiao Ran returned to the real world.
Dianxi, who had only just taken human form, was really... difficult for Qiao Ran to handle. She was clearly a dignified princess, yet he kept having the illusion that she was going to devour him.
Perhaps someone like Vulpix was the standard obedient, soft-hearted girl. As for Dianxi... although she was obedient too, and her body was soft too, once she started having ideas of her own, she became incredibly aggressive.
"My god... What time is it now?"
Back in the real world, Qiao Ran looked at the pitch-black backstage area and rubbed his head in frustration.
"It's already eleven o'clock."
The Rotom Phone floated in the air, displaying the time and turning on its flashlight function.
"No wonder. Has everyone already left?"
Walking through the passage leading to the stage, Qiao Ran arrived onstage. Looking at the plaza that had once been so lively, a strange feeling rose within him.
The excitement he had felt while standing onstage... seemed not to have faded from his body yet, but now there was not a single person left in the plaza.
Desolate, dull, lifeless—any bland word could describe this place.
And yet, in a place as boring as this—it was Dianxi who had made it lively.
"Master, what's wrong?"
Seeing Qiao Ran suddenly spacing out, Rotom asked in confusion.
"No, it's nothing."
Qiao Ran jumped down from the stage and jogged across the plaza as the summer night breeze brushed against his face.
"Let's hurry back to the Pokémon Center and rest. We still need to travel tomorrow."
When he returned to the Pokémon Center, Qiao Ran swiped his card through the entrance security. This was a public place open twenty-four hours a day, so he could still enter even at this hour. The nurses at the Pokémon Center also took turns working night shifts.
After all, no one knew when adventurers might arrive at the Pokémon Center, nor did anyone know when their Pokémon might get hurt.
However, after entering, Qiao Ran saw someone in the Pokémon Center's lounge whom he had not expected to find there.
—She sat on the lounge sofa with her body leaning against its back, a thin blanket draped over her. Her eyes were slightly closed, and her original black twin-tails had been let down, becoming long black hair that fell behind her.
"Miss Shi Yiyi?"
Although he did not know why she was here, Qiao Ran still called out softly.
"Mm...?" Shi Yiyi's body trembled as she raised a hand to rub her eyes. Only after seeing that the person before her was Qiao Ran did she gradually wake up.
"I've been waiting for you forever. You finally came back. That little girl kept saying you hadn't returned, and no one knew where you'd gone."
Shi Yiyi yawned softly, took out a pair of pink women's glasses from the handbag beside her, and put them on. Then she took out several items and handed them to Qiao Ran.
"This is your trophy, and this is your prize money. Since you became champion, don't just run off next time. It makes things difficult for us when you run around like that."
"This..."
Qiao Ran looked at the things she had taken out, unable to find anything to say for a while.
"Take them. These are the rewards you deserve."
Shi Yiyi stood up from the sofa and draped her coat over herself.
"Also, about today's competition... I may have gotten a little emotional. Sorry. Your performance was actually very good."
She walked to the entrance of the Pokémon Center, looked back at Qiao Ran, and gave him a faint smile.
"If you can participate in an official performance competition next time, I'll welcome you too... Though by then, we might be opponents. And don't speak badly about this town. I really will get angry."
Shi Yiyi left quickly, disappearing into the night before long.
"...Opponents... huh."
Qiao Ran stared blankly at her retreating figure. He did not know how long she had waited there, but it had probably been quite a while.
What kind of person... was she, exactly?
Before you continue