Why is my Pokémon girl a bit strange?

"Huh?"

"I said I want some too... Is there a problem? Master, I want some too..."

Dianxi lifted her head, her ruby-like eyes shimmering with moisture as she looked in Qiao Ran's direction.

Even if she was a step behind, Dianxi didn't want to fall too far behind. Compared to Vulpix, what she desired was far more than just this.

"Here...?"

Qiao Ran looked at Dianxi's tender, small lips, which were trembling slightly, and his heart also trembled gently.

This was the rest room—not just Vulpix, but even Eve was here!

Also, is this something a Pokémon should be doing!!

Why are all my Pokémon so strange!

Qiao Ran's heart roared, but he also had to admit that even now, he still remembered the feeling Vulpix had left him with.

These… are they really just Pokémon meant for battle?

"No… Let's go to the deck."

Dianxi tugged at Qiao Ran's sleeve. She was different from Vulpix; even at this crucial moment, she felt that a certain atmosphere was necessary.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Dianxi didn't want to waste it.

"Let Vulpix and Suicune stay here, just the two of us… Master… just the two of us…"

The two held hands and went to the deck together.

With the gentle breeze, the view of the water, and the sunlight, this was indeed the place with the best scenery on the entire ship.

Dianxi liked the river surface; it was a landscape she had never seen before, so she felt it had the best atmosphere.

"Brother… Master… Ah…"

Dianxi and Qiao Ran's bold actions, as expected, garnered quite a lot of attention.

Of course, the main reason was that Dianxi's appearance was too eye-catching. In comparison, Qiao Ran's appearance could only be considered "ordinarily handsome."

"Cough."

"Mm… Mm…"

After some bold actions, looking at Dianxi's blushing face, Qiao Ran didn't know what to say to ease the awkwardness between them.

Compared to Vulpix's shallow, fleeting kiss back then, Dianxi's was clearly more proactive and intimate this time.

Moreover, compared to Vulpix's cool, sweet touch, Dianxi felt warmer and more decadent. Their feelings… were different.

"Let's… go back first. It wouldn't be good if something happened with Eve."

"Mm… Mm."

Dianxi lowered her head and replied to Qiao Ran. Even now, her legs felt weak, and her head was swimming.

What exactly happened?

Dianxi didn't know and didn't dare to ask Qiao Ran. She just felt that this feeling was good… perhaps it could be addictive.

They walked through the corridor and returned to the bedroom.

The first to greet them was Vulpix in her human form—or rather, the girl who called herself Qiao Liuliu.

"You're back, Brother… Did you go…"

Vulpix's gaze swept over Qiao Ran and Dianxi's faces, and she understood what had happened with little explanation.

"...Welcome back."

Vulpix didn't say much else. Eve, lying on the bed, secretly glanced at the scene, muttering to herself.

Why is the atmosphere between these people so strange? So… heavy?

Could this be the relationship between ordinary siblings?

Fortunately… I only have one older sister at home.

Eve couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Her sister was a very understanding person, and she often helped Eve understand things she couldn't comprehend, teaching her many interesting things.

Eve's desire to go to Jinling this time was fueled by the hope that her sister could help her. Moreover, after so many things had happened, her conviction only grew stronger—she had to pursue her dream.

Otherwise, what would be the meaning of life?

On the other side of the room, Suicune lay on the ground, bored. However, as she looked at the lively group of people in the room, a gentle light gradually appeared in her eyes.

Since she no longer needed to hide her identity from Eve, Suicune had the opportunity to move around outside. Most importantly, she could start researching cooking again.

"Roar—"

Suicune's thoughts were perhaps the simplest among everyone present. As long as she could stay by their side, that was enough for her.

Gigantamax.jpg

Section 48 047 [Evolutionary Stone]

For the next period, basically nothing happened. The two kidnappers did not reappear, and Eve's health improved day by day.

However, to accommodate Eve's condition, Qiao Ran proactively slept on the floor, as her body still needed rest. To Qiao Ran's surprise, ever since he started sleeping on the floor, Vulpix and Dianxi seemed to have lost their minds, falling under the bed every day, which gave Qiao Ran a terrible headache.

Besides all this, Qiao Ran also picked a suitable time to hold a welcome party for Altaria. It wasn't easy to choose the right time. While needing to protect Eve's safety, he also couldn't let her find out, so Qiao Ran could only go to Pokémon Pioneer Land after she fell asleep.

"Welcome to our group... Altaria, without you, our last operation would have failed."

For this welcome party, Suicune had prepared food in the Pioneer Land beforehand. The wonderful aroma attracted many Pokémon from the forest. Qiao Ran didn't stop them from coming, and everyone was happy to share their joy with these little guys.

Although they had returned to their wild environment, these Pokémon all recognized Qiao Ran in their hearts. More importantly, they also loved this new home.

Compared to the world outside, they felt more at home in this world, and even their physical recovery abilities had accelerated. Qiao Ran had asked Vulpix and Dianxi for their opinions on this matter, and they also agreed, admitting they felt more comfortable in the Pioneer Land.

"Ching—Ching Ching."

Altaria flew excitedly in the sky. Her golden body shone even in the night. Qiao Ran had always liked Altaria, both in the game and in reality.

It wasn't just because of her beautiful and unique appearance, but also because of her gentle and lovely personality. In short, Qiao Ran never played favorites with his Pokémon.

"Ching Ching Ching."

After circling in the air, Altaria finished her peculiar cries and finally stopped beside Qiao Ran. However, there was a glowing round stone in her mouth.

"This is..."

Upon seeing the stone, Qiao Ran's eyes flickered.

Qiao Ran knew what she meant, so he quickly took the stone. In the center of the stone was a pattern that resembled both a leaf and a DNA helix.

"Is this your Evolution Stone? Altaria?"

"Ching—" Altaria nodded vigorously.

Undoubtedly, this was an Evolutionary Stone, a special stone used to forge a bond with specific Pokémon and achieve Mega Evolution.

Qiao Ran gently lifted his clothes. On his chest lay a stone – Dianxi's stone.

The reason Dianxi was able to evolve on stage last time was because Qiao Ran never took off that Evolutionary Stone. When Dianxi's strong will resonated with Qiao Ran, an unprecedented evolution would occur, liberating her into a new form.

This was the same for Altaria, as from now on, Qiao Ran would wear her stone close to him and never take it off.

However... Qiao Ran couldn't help but have some strange thoughts. He only had two Keystone Stones now, and wearing them on his chest was fine, but what if he had more in the future?

Would he really have to string them together and wear them around his neck like prayer beads???

"..."

Shaking his head, Qiao Ran finally dismissed these strange thoughts. It was useless to worry about those things now; it was better to focus on the present.

"I'll accept it properly."

Qiao Ran gently stroked Altaria's soft head, paying special attention to the two long, ribbon-like ahoge on her head.

"Ching...!"

Altaria trembled slightly but still didn't resist. It was clear that she was very sensitive about her ahoge.

I wonder how it would feel if she were in human form, Qiao Ran thought to himself.

"Let's take a group photo, Lotto. Seed—Machine Gun!"

The welcome party didn't last long into the night. Qiao Ran and the others had to return quickly. Although they could use pillows to fake a human shape, if something went wrong and Eve found out, it would be difficult to explain.

Qiao Ran didn't want anyone else to know about this. Perhaps not even his closest loved ones.

This was a secret belonging only to him and his Pokémon.

The cruise was nearing its end, but before disembarking, Qiao Ran asked Eve some crucial questions.

"Who exactly were those kidnappers? What was their objective?"

Qiao Ran felt it was necessary to know, after all, he had paid a price for this battle.

"Those people... they were probably mercenaries or something like 'fixers.' People who take commissions and get things done."

Eve glanced at Qiao Ran. She no longer intended to hide anything from this boy.

"As for why they kidnapped me, it's probably my mother's doing... She wants me to go back and continue my studies, to be a proper lady, and marry well in the future."

"Mercenaries?" Qiao Ran frowned. "If she wanted to bring you back, wouldn't it be better for your mother to contact the police?"

"It's different. My mother... she's not that simple. In short, she prefers dealing with these kinds of people."

Eve's eyes flickered as she carefully chose her words.

"So, your family is actually very wealthy?"

"Yes, I've actually been attending a private aristocratic Pokémon school... I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, I didn't mean to deceive you, I just felt..."

Eve's gaze dimmed slightly. Many people yearned for a life of privilege, but as someone from that circle, she longed for the freedom outside of it.

"My mother is a very strict person. She just wants my sisters and me to live peaceful lives, but what's the point of that...? My sister has already made her own career, and I can do the same... That's why I ran away alone..."

Eve lowered her eyelids, her voice growing softer. This was the first time she had spoken about these things to anyone, not even her sister had heard these thoughts.

"I trained in secret, my Jynx and I trained and trained... all to be able to travel..."

Eve's pursuit of her dream also resonated with Qiao Ran. Wasn't his own journey also for his long-held dream?

"I know, I can tell. You really worked hard."

Qiao Ran looked at her seriously, a smile appearing on his face, and he subconsciously reached out to pat her head.

Qiao Ran swore this was a truly subconscious action. Perhaps he had been brainwashed by his Pokémon; he certainly wasn't like this before.

Just a few months ago, his understanding of his hands was limited to the level of holding chopsticks to eat... but now...

Feeling the touch on top of her head, Eve was slightly stunned. Her face quickly flushed red, and she couldn't help but stagger back a step, hugging her chest.

"Don't... don't be so good to me all of a sudden... I'll really cry..."

Even though she said that, tears were already welling up in her eyes. Sometimes, meeting someone who can understand you is truly a sweet and luxurious thing.

Most importantly, at this moment, she was undoubtedly happy.

Section 49: 048 [Ruins and Fossils]

"Wow—it's so big!"

As soon as she stepped off the cruise ship, Eve couldn't help but exclaim.

Jinling, one of the most prosperous cities in the south, has been an important place for the prosperity and inheritance of Huaxia civilization since ancient times. It has suffered disasters of war many times, but each time it has been able to rebuild its prosperity from the rubble and smoke. This city is a true legend.

"Haven't you been here before? I saw it in the photos."

Qiao Ran couldn't help but tease her. She had admitted earlier that she was a rich young lady, so why was she pretending to be an unsophisticated country bumpkin now?

"Hehe, I just wanted to say it like that. If my mother were here, she wouldn't allow me to say such things."

Having recovered from her injuries, Eve seemed to have returned to her usual mischievous self. However, since her backpack was lost during the kidnapping incident, she couldn't disguise her appearance now and could only run around with her signature golden hair.

"Let's go find your sister now. Where do you think she'll be?"