Autumn Excursion (4)

Lavaridge Town.

After night fell, gauzy mist drifted through the starry sky, sometimes stretching into distant curtains, sometimes condensing into fantastical visions that stirred the imagination, like ever-changing Pokémon.

The winding paths of the courtyard led into secluded quiet, shutting out both the noise and turmoil of the outside world. Behind it lay an open-air hot spring, its gentle babbling stirring faint ripples in the heart.

With a white bath towel wrapped around his waist, Jing He slowly stepped into the warm water.

Steven Stone was already lounging in the hot spring, his arms spread as he leaned against the stone edge of the pool, a neatly folded towel resting on his head.

In the end, Steven Stone and the other two failed to get what they wanted. Once Jing He defeated Flannery, their "escape plan" came to an end.

As for soaking in the hot spring, that had been part of the plan.

It just was not the kind of mixed bathing Jing He had imagined.

A wooden divider stood at one side of the pool where Jing He and Steven Stone were soaking, while Roxanne and Flannery bathed on the other side.

Splash—

When the hot spring water reached his stomach, Jing He finally felt the "charm" of the springs. The exhaustion throughout his body seemed to slowly fade away.

Steam rose and mingled with the mist, sketching out a hazy picture of a beautiful young man bathing.

"Professor Jing He—"

Hearing the movement, Steven Stone slowly opened his eyes. After a brief moment of confusion, he quickly regained his alertness.

Jing He leaned his head back against the smooth stone at the edge of the pool, letting the buoyancy of the water make his body feel lighter and lighter, leaving him pleasantly dizzy and weightless.

He waved a hand, cutting Steven Stone off.

"Steven Stone, we're not that far apart in age, are we?"

Steven Stone paused, then nodded. "If I remember correctly, Professor, you're only two years older than me. You completed four years of university in three years, and finished six years of higher academy in five. As for primary academy—"

Was he checking his household registration?

How did he know so much?

"So when we're in private, you don't need to be so formal. Just call me by my name." Jing He interrupted him again.

".Jing He?" Steven Stone called out tentatively after a slight hesitation.

"Mm." Jing He narrowed his eyes and made a sound through his nose, looking utterly lazy.

Teachers had to learn to mingle with their students and lessen the distance between them.

That was even more true for a psychologist and his "patient."

Of course, it was not because of Steven Stone's identity, nor the family fortune that even he himself probably had not fully figured out yet. Well, at least that was not the main reason.

"By the way." Jing He spoke again. "Aren't Lavaridge Town's hot springs supposed to be famous? Why are there only a few of us in this pretty decent place?"

As he spoke, Jing He seemed to think of something. "Don't tell me you bought it?"

Steven Stone smiled and shook his head. "Not exactly."

Before Jing He could say anything else, he added, "The nearby establishments have always been part of my family's businesses."

Jing He: "."

He raised a hand and gave him a thumbs-up.

Still, that certainly made things convenient.

"Gastly," Jing He called.

Splash! The previously calm surface of the water suddenly burst apart as Gastly shot out of the hot spring.

It wore a wicked grin.

"Koujie!"

Gastly evolved into Ghost Wet Cave!

Jing He and Steven Stone: "."

But Jing He quickly jolted upright. "No, you're soaking in the water. Your gas is poisonous!"

"K-Koujie?"

Gastly: Σ() After a burst of chaos and commotion.

Steven Stone and Jing He sat at the edge of the pool, while Gastly floated nearby with an awkward grin.

Gas did not dissolve easily in water. As long as Gastly controlled its toxins properly, it was actually fine.

"If that's the case, everyone can come out too." Steven Stone threw several Poké Balls.

Flash Metang, Lairon, Skarmory, and Baltoy were all summoned.

However, Lairon, a Steel-type and Rock-type Pokémon, and Baltoy, a Ground-type and Psychic-type Pokémon, had an instinctive aversion to water. Skarmory, being a bird, was not particularly fond of soaking in hot springs either.

In the end, only Metang and Gastly entered the water.

But Jing He and Steven Stone, who had followed them in, were a little on edge and repeatedly reminded their Pokémon.

Control your toxins. Control your electromagnetism.

Finally.

The hot spring pool gradually quieted down.

"Ku—" (It doesn't seem to feel like anything.) "Koujie?" (No way, look.)

Gastly plunged headfirst into the water and began blowing bubbles with a gurgle.

"." Metang turned to look at Lairon, Skarmory, and the others beside the hot spring.

Which one of you wants to play with it?

Lairon and Skarmory both turned to look at Baltoy.

Baltoy: (— —)

Seeing the Pokémon chatting happily, Jing He was happy to relax. Leaning against the edge of the pool, he picked up his phone and quickly discovered that the client named "Eevee Eating Cabbage" had replied.

Eevee Eating Cabbage: Okay, I've already made them into Energy Cubes. Feebas likes them very much, and it seems to be in better condition now, but it still doesn't dare interact with other Pokémon.

Eevee Eating Cabbage: Um, this might be a little presumptuous, but could you provide some psychological treatment? Psychological treatment?

If it were something like Mewtwo, that might not be impossible, but Feebas?

Was he supposed to make Feebas type?

Even a video call might not work. He would need to use Hypnosis for a chance at any sort of psychological intervention.

Jing Zhong Zhi He: Sorry, but I still have work, so...

Meet in person?

That was dangerous.

Who knew what kind of toe-picking old man might be behind such a cute-sounding username?

Jing He, with memories of his past life, had plenty to say about that.

"Eevee Eating Cabbage" was offline, so Jing He did not receive an immediate response to his message.

But aside from "Eevee Eating Cabbage," he had also received a message from someone else.

Digital Magician: Poké Balls are restraints upon Pokémon, preventing them from truly existing and making them unhappy. I believe Pokémon and humans should live separately. Pokémon should live in the Pokémon world, while humans should live behind the steel walls built by humans!

For some reason, Jing He found those words strangely familiar.

But then he thought about the issue itself.

Were Pokémon caught in Poké Balls necessarily unhappy? Jing He looked toward the hot spring.

Gastly was floating on its back on the water's surface, using the mist to do backstroke. A wooden tray floated beside it, bearing a bottle of warmed Moomoo Milk. Several straws had been pieced together, running directly from the bottom of the bottle to Gastly's mouth. Was Gastly unhappy?

Beside the hot spring, Steven Stone, with a towel wrapped around his waist, was scrubbing Lairon's back. Glittering white foam clung to his face, while Lairon and Steven Stone wore nearly identical smiles.

Metang and Skarmory were still waiting in line behind them.

Were they unhappy?

Not necessarily.

Granted, there really were unhappy Pokémon in this world, but those were relatively rare cases. It could not be generalized.

This is the typical mindset of someone trapped in his own world, believing his own experiences are everyone's experiences and wanting to build an "ideal" nation.

But Jing He did not reject this person, because his starting point was concern for Pokémon. He might simply have become somewhat obsessive because of different experiences.

Obsessive.

Jing He sighed inwardly.

Such preconceived ideas were the hardest to change.

Because even if he found the real "answer," as long as that answer was not the one he sought, he would still choose to ignore it.

So in this situation, one could not immediately stand against him. Otherwise, no matter what was said, he would not listen.

Standing in his position, seeing things from his perspective, earning enough of his recognition first, then giving him the most "real" understanding—only then might there be a chance to make him see through his "ideal nation."

After thinking for a long time, Jing He finally replied.

Jing Zhong Zhi He: If you come across abused Pokémon, please make sure to save them. Because to them... you might be the only beam of light in their dark world. You are their hero.

After sending the message, Jing He put down his phone and sighed again.

"Koujie?"

Noticing the change in his mood, Gastly lifted its head, spat out the straw in its mouth, and floated over.

What was wrong? Jing He shook his head.

It was difficult to imagine what kind of experiences a person had gone through to develop such nearly extreme thoughts. His heart felt a little heavy.

"Koujie!"

The mist around it wriggled, seeming to turn into a pair of shells. Then sharp spikes extended from them one after another. Gastly Bay!

"Pfft—"

Seeing Gastly looking almost exactly like Cloyster, Jing He could not hold it in and burst out laughing.

"Kekekeke~~"

Gastly started laughing along with him.

Its laughter was a little creepy, though.

Steven Stone was drawn over by their laughter and could not help sighing. "Professor Jing He, you and Gastly are really close."

Boom!!

A sudden roar rang out, accompanied by Roxanne and Flannery's screams.