Chapter 397

Mina shook her head. Although Nurse Joy said that there didn't seem to be any major problems after she handed him over, the sudden fainting was still a bit worrying. However, there was nothing Mina could do to help at this time, and she could only silently pray for Hapu in her heart.

"Mina! I heard Tapu Fini has reappeared!"

"... real!"

Before Qiao Ran and his group could talk to Mina for long, the Oceanic Residents who had heard the news rushed into Mina's boathouse. Leading the way were Mina's parents, who stood at the forefront of the crowd like two guardian deities. Upon hearing that Tapu Fini had reappeared, these people immediately dropped everything and rushed over. With Tapu Fini back, could they finally return to their original lives and no longer have to settle on this deserted island?

"It really is! It really is Tapu Fini!"

"The Island deity..."

The Oceanic Residents cheered excitedly upon seeing Tapu Fini, and some even bowed their heads in prayer. In Oceanic Residents hearts, Tapu Fini not only an island god but also a sea goddess who protected them at sea. As long as she existed here, everything would surely change for the better!

"I said, don't all of you come in!"

However, as the owner of the houseboat, Mina couldn't help but stand up. This was the first time she had been so agitated. If she didn't speak up and let these people continue to come to her houseboat, it would sink.

"Get out, everyone get out first."

The large, fierce-looking purple dog beside Mina, Granbull, took on the role of chasing everyone away, while Mina also looked at Qiao Ran and the others.

"Let's go outside to talk; this place is indeed a bit too small."

"All right."

Qiao Ran watched this scene with a wry smile. She had to admit that although Mina usually seemed a bit absent-minded, her execution ability was quite good at crucial moments, especially her tacit understanding with Pokémon. The Granbull realized Mina's thoughts as soon as she spoke, even though she and Granbull had never communicated at all.

This tacit understanding is enough to prove her strength as a trainer. An excellent Trainer will definitely have a very close partner Pokémon.

Following in the footsteps of the other residents, Qiao Ran and the others arrived directly at the center of the island, next to a small, somewhat rudimentary Altar. There was a large flat area there where they could talk, and it was here that everyone could finally see the Tapu Fini they had been longing to see.

As for this small Altar, it held two uniquely shaped flutes. One flute had a Sun- shaped decoration, while the other had a moon-shaped decoration. These were the props that Qiao Ran and the others would need to "borrow" later: the Sun Flute and the Moon Flute.

"..."

However, now is not the time to use these. Qiao Ran shook his head, shifting his gaze from the two flutes to Tapu Fini, which was Levitate in mid-air and surrounded by the crowd. Normally, the island's inhabitants were already very fanatical in their worship of Tapu, let alone during this special time, when they regarded her as their last lifeline.

Tapu Fini responded to the enthusiasm of the people. She raised her hand, and a drop of water fell from her palm—like Ripple spreading outwards. The droplet unleashed a brilliant blue light upon landing, and as the light spread, the island's inhabitants were astonished to find that their Z-Crystal had lit up again. With Tapu Fini's help, the power of this land had been reactivated, but—

"... Its current effect is limited to this island. To restore its power on Poni Island, we need to return to Poni Island."

"That's what she said, Rotom."

To facilitate communication between the two sides, Qiao Ran still left Rotom outside as a translator, and Tapu Fini nodded to Rotom.

Before, when she talked to these humans, it always felt like talking to a brick wall. Even though she didn't want to do anything, these humans always managed to make strange connections. But now, such a wonderful translator had appeared before her. Where else could she find such a convenient Pokémon?

"Alright, alright, if there's nothing else, everyone should go home. We still need to figure out how to get home; it's not time to rest yet."

After letting them meet Tapu Fini, Mina, seeing that it was almost time, also persuaded the other Oceanic Residents to return to their posts. Now everyone on the island had come to see Tapu Fini, and there were no one left to stand guard, let alone prepare food. If they continued to stay like this, things could easily turn from joy to sorrow.

Mina urged everyone to leave, while Qiao Ran continued chatting with Tapu Fini. After hearing that Qiao Ran had visited several other islands and helped the Tapu there, Tapu Fini pulled Qiao Ran aside, wanting him to tell her about what had happened there. Qiao Ran had no choice but to recount the story to her.

Of course, besides Tapu Fini and Cynthia Mei, Mina also listened in on the stories that happened on other islands.

Although Qiao Ran had already mentioned these things yesterday, Mina was still very interested in the more detailed information.

It was only noon when they returned from the Afterlife Ruins. After meeting with Mina and the others, Qiao Ran and the others decided to return to the Real World to solve the problem of having lunch.

As for Tapu Fini, it seems he stayed on the island and is currently with Mina.

"Qiao Ran, are you planning to leave tomorrow? To the Altar of the Moone?"

When everyone arrived at a restaurant, ordered their food, and waited for it to be delivered, Cynthia asked about the next steps.

"... According to Alola's legends, the Altar of the Moone is far more important than the Ruins on the island. If you go directly there, will your body be able to handle it?"

Cynthia looked at Qiao Ran with some worry. At this point, she no longer had the idea of urging him to hurry up; taking things steadily was the most important thing.

Having experienced the last battle in the Torn World, Cynthia has realized Qiao Ran's importance.

If he were to lose him, it would be difficult for him to continue. If his body couldn't hold on, taking a short rest wouldn't be out of the question, given how intense their adventures had been recently.

"How about one day, a day off?"

The continuous battles had indeed left Qiao Ran feeling somewhat exhausted. Each time he faced a different Tapu in that world, his stamina was severely depleted. Apart from Tapu Koko, the other Tapu particularly enjoyed destroying terrain, and could destroy a sizable Floating Island in no time. In order to avoid falling into the abyss, Qiao Ran could only move quickly between the Floating Island, essentially using himself as Pokémon.

If this continues, he might one day be able to Pokémon in close combat.

Qiao Ran shook his head.

"... To be honest, if I had more time, I'd like to go back to Akala Island to check on Tapu Lele. But since we're already here, we might as well finish it all in one go. Besides, we can awaken Nebby later, so it'll be worth the extra effort."

The saying goes, "One should strike while the iron is hot, but a second attempt will be less effective, and a third will be exhausting." Now that we've come this far, a long rest won't do any good for morale. Besides, it's been so long since we last saw Xiao Nebby, and both Qiao Ran and the others are eager to see him.

However, the Altar of the Moone, where the "fog" is even denser than that of the Ruins on the four islands, is certainly not a place that can be easily reached. Moreover, the location of the Altar of the Moone is on the other side of Poni Island, relative to Exeggutor Island. If Qiao Ran and the others want to get there, it will probably take them some time.

"Then one day will do. I'd like to rest a bit anyway."

Hearing Qiao Ran's answer, Cynthia smiled. The other girls also breathed a sigh of relief. They had expended a lot of energy on their journey. Although they had taken breaks every half day, it was only a temporary respite. It felt like working 996 every day. Although the weekend seemed like a day to rest, they found that one day was not enough to fully recover the energy they had used up after six days of work.

In the end, fatigue accumulates in your body, and it keeps piling up, which is not normal at all.

"Then everyone can do whatever they want tomorrow. You can go wherever you want. As for me... I guess my thoughts are pretty much the same as yours," Qiao Ran said.

Since we have a day to use, let's relax and have some fun. There's no need for any special rules or anything else. If they want, they can stay in the Inn and watch Pokémon videos all day. Just try to relax during this day.

"... Well, I plan to write down what's happened recently and then organize what I've learned."

Cynthia explained her plans. She hadn't had any time to write her recent notes lately. As a scholar, she had always kept records, but sometimes she couldn't recall what she discovered afterward. And recently, so many things had happened.

If the Pokémon World hadn't encountered these problems, these discoveries would certainly have won numerous awards in the scientific community, Harvest Cynthia considerable influence. However, Cynthia isn't doing this for personal gain; these crucial records might prove very useful in the future.

Even if... someday something really happens to her, yes... even if they really fail one day, these records can inspire future generations not to repeat some of the mistakes they made.

Cynthia may not have thought about this before, but after facing Tapu Qiao Ran with Tapu Koko, she completely changed.

Death may not be as far away as we imagine. They are doing something unprecedented, facing unprecedented risks. In that case, relaxing a little is indeed harmless and unnecessary.

You're putting too much pressure on yourself.

That day's experience changed Cynthia quite a bit, making her more "open-minded." Of course, the first to Frisk these changes were Qiao Ran and the others, but Qiao Ran just felt that Cynthia might have become a little too nervous because of what happened that day.

She needs to relax and rest properly.

With the agreement to rest for the next day, the group completely let loose, not wanting to waste this rare opportunity. Some stayed at the Inn in the Real World, some planned to wander around, some went to Galar to see old friends, while Qiao Ran made a special trip to the Wild Area.

There's one thing he still hasn't resolved.

"Silvally... Silvally..."

Upon arriving at the Wild Area, Qiao Ran began searching for traces of Silvally. However, before he could do anything, Pokémon was already waiting for him where he had appeared.

"Owner."

"... Speaking of Silvally's name, you must already know, right?"

Waiting for him there were Suicune and Latias, their faces still bearing slight smiles.

As Maid in the Wild Area, they often help other Pokémon with various tasks. So, when people have problems, they often ask them for help, such as regarding the Humanoid Transformation — Suicune is, after all, a veteran in this field.

This time, Silvally was no exception. After realizing that something was "abnormal," it immediately started asking for help. At this time, Qiao Ran was not around, and she thought it might not be a good idea for her to go out directly, so she simply stayed in the Wild Area. Suicune and Latias were waiting for Qiao Ran there, actually for this very reason.

"How is the Silvally doing now?" Qiao Ran couldn't help but ask.

"She's doing fine, it's just... she doesn't have any clothes of her own right now. If she doesn't have any to change into later, she'll have to ask Suicune to lend her some."

Latias looked at Suicune beside him, and Suicune nodded in agreement.

"Her figure is similar to mine, but I don't have any other kinds of clothes. It would be great if she liked them."

Suicune's clothes are mostly various styles of Maid outfits. Even when she buys new clothes, she updates them with different Maid outfit styles. However, even she can't be sure whether Silvally is interested in Maid outfits. If she is, Suicune would naturally be happy to proselytize her.

"So she is now...?"

Qiao Ran glanced at Suicune's physique and now had a rough idea of what Silvally on par with Cynthia and Mei?

"She's with me now, still practicing her Humanoid Transformation control techniques."

Suicune answered, and in doing so, it also transformed into Pokémon.

She glanced behind her, gesturing for Qiao Ran to come up first. Given Qiao Ran's pace, getting to her would take a lot of time and energy; she needed Qiao Ran's help.

"Master, let me take you there."

When Qiao Ran saw Silvally again, he had already arrived at Suicune's riverside hut. However, when he actually saw Silvally's appearance at this moment, Qiao Ran was still taken aback.

As we all know, not all Pokémon come with their own clothes when they Humanoid Transformation. For example, Vulpix doesn't have its own clothes when it Humanoid Transformation, and other Pokémon at most have some very distinctive "decorations". Pokémon like Dianxi, who comes with its own little dress, are a very small minority.

Now, the Silvally was wearing a very peculiarly designed battle skirt that looked like partial armor, giving Qiao Ran the illusion that she had traveled to some fantasy world. If she were given a sword, she would be a standard female knight.

Moreover, at this time, Silvally had long Silver White hair and peculiar Silver White eyes. Coupled with its tall and voluptuous figure, which was comparable to Suicune's, it certainly had a very special charm.

"How... how is it?"

Normally a tough, straightforward girl who charges forward in battle, she was now somewhat hesitant as she sought Qiao Ran's advice. She had always felt inexplicably inferior about her body. She wasn't a naturally born Pokémon, nor did she have her own kind or parents. All she remembered was her mission.

It was Lillie and Qiao Ran who gave her the life she has now, satisfying not only her desire to fight but also many other things. Naturally, she is very, very satisfied with her current life, and if possible, she also hopes to make Qiao Ran happy.

However, she is clearly not good at doing these things.

"Hmm... it's beautiful, and... very special, isn't it?"

To be honest, this was the first time Qiao Ran had seen someone dressed like this outside of a comic convention, although it did indeed resemble the Silvally.

It feels like something's going on, but if I didn't say it, other people would probably really think it's some kind of weird cosplay.

"By the way, if you don't have any clothes to change into today, you can borrow Suicune's for now. We'll take you out to buy some new things tomorrow."

Wearing this outfit all the time isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're going out, it's better to change into something a little more understated. While Suicune's Maid outfit isn't exactly understated, some of the details are so similar to a regular dress that you probably wouldn't notice much difference if you weren't told otherwise.

Compared to her current warrior Outfit, she definitely looks much more serious now.

"Thank you... thank you."

Faced with Qiao Ran's praise, the Silvally didn't know how to respond and could only stammer in response. Although her gaze was somewhat evasive, she was still very happy inside.

"Since we're going to change, how about we change into something now?"

Upon hearing Qiao Ran's words, Suicune, who was standing to the side, also became interested.

Latias was also fueling the flames from the sidelines.

"Then I'll help you out!"

She also hoped that someone could wear a Maid outfit like them, and now that she finally had the chance, how could she let it go?

So, to Silvally's astonishment, she was carried into the adjacent room by two Legendary Pokémon. Suicune's riverside hut was indeed a thoughtfully designed house. Although it was unclear whether she built it herself or had other Pokémon help, their existence certainly made this world more interesting.

After the Silvally was carried into the room, clattering and rattling sounds began to emanate from within. Qiao Ran didn't know what was happening inside, but he didn't bother to go and see. To maintain his dignity as Trainer, how could he possibly spy on his own Pokémon?

And most importantly... during the time he was waiting, other Pokémon arrived one after another, seemingly having received some news, which was spread by Rotom.

"Silvally? I heard she's here."

"I heard she can also Humanoid Transformation now."

Dianxi, Ninetales, Altaria... and several other Pokémon that have already Humanoid Transformation appeared here. Even Yveltal is usually uninterested in anything, came over. In any case, taking on Humanoid Transformation is a very special thing. To achieve Humanoid Transformation, the first thing to meet is the so-called affinity. And this affinity may not be a one-way number, but a two-way standard.

In other words, the Silvally have already acquired a special status, and they will now have to get to know each other again.

"She was taken inside by Suicune and Latias to change clothes. They should be out in a bit."

Qiao Ran shrugged and answered their questions. He had no way of knowing what was happening behind the door, but if it was just changing clothes, it shouldn't have taken several hours.

Sure enough, not long after, the previously closed door was opened—a silver-haired woman wearing a black and white Maid dress, white gloves, and white stockings appeared directly in front of everyone.

The fluffy skirt slightly concealed her heroic air, but her Silver White eyes still possessed a captivating charm that made her unforgettable.

"Huh?" Silvally was slightly taken aback.

Seemingly completely unprepared to see so many people as soon as he opened the door, the Silvally was stunned at first, and then lowered its head shyly.

I don't think... it's really strange that I look like this.

Silvally is inherently insecure about her body. From birth, she has felt like an anomaly, believing that only by fulfilling her own purpose for survival can she continue to live. Although she can hide some of her Pokémon characteristics after fully Humanoid Transformation, if she insists on using her original powers, a part of her body will revert to its original form.

Moreover, she was unfamiliar with this body. Although she could still feel that this was herself, she couldn't help but feel a little strange. This made her think of when she was first born. Because she had integrated the genes of many organisms, her consciousness and memories were inherently conflicted and chaotic. Each part of her consciousness believed that she was a certain kind of organism, but she was not. Every part of her body was disconnected from each other.