Former Elite Four

"Gastly?"

Though confused, Gastly heard the tone in Jing He's voice and quickly, obediently returned to his side.

Seeing this, Heatran also relaxed slightly.

"From now on, don't go near rocks in the magma, especially red ones," Jing He warned. "Especially if they have stripes on them."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "And if you accidentally get close, don't fly around near it."

"Gastly?"

Huh? Gastly blinked twice.

A red rock with stripes? It sounded impressive, even if it had no idea why!

That rock was not actually anything special. But on closer inspection, quite a bit of the surrounding magma could be seen seeping out through the cracks in it.

Clearly, it served to hinder the eruption of magma to some extent. If Gastly accidentally loosened it, the consequences would be hard to predict.

Judging by Heatran's tense appearance, it had most likely been the one to plug up that rock. As for why, that was impossible to know.

Maybe it was to reduce magma leakage and protect the Pokémon on and below the mountain?

Or perhaps there was something in the magma that needed to be kept quiet? "Roar—"

Heatran crawled out of the passage and hung upside down from the ceiling of the cavern.

It waved its claws at Jing He and Steven Stone again.

Urging them to leave quickly and stop causing trouble here.

Jing He did not want to stay any longer, either.

Though he did not know why Heatran bore them no hostility, who could say how long its "kindness" would last? Jing He recalled Camerupt into a Poké Ball.

This Camerupt was clearly not easy to catch. Healing it alone would likely take quite some time and cost a considerable amount, so he merely kept it in a Poké Ball for the time being, which was more convenient.

Under Heatran's watchful gaze, Jing He and Steven Stone slowly retreated with their respective Pokémon.

Before leaving the cave, however, after a brief hesitation, Jing He took out three bottles of Moomoo Milk and several Energy Cubes.

He said to the somewhat surprised Heatran.

"Thank you."

"Roar?"

After the two left.

Heatran slowly walked over to the things Jing He had left behind, gently sniffed them, and its eyes brightened slightly.

It looked up in the direction they had gone.

This person wasn't bad. Picking up the items, it crawled back inside, gently patted the scorching red rock, and let out a breath.

This was more than just a rock. That little one's senses were quite sharp. "Whew—"

After emerging from the crack in Mt. Chimney, Jing He and Steven Stone let out long breaths almost simultaneously. The scorching heat had faded considerably. Their soaked clothes clung to their bodies, and when a breeze swept past, they even felt a slight chill.

"Gastly, Gastly—"

Gastly, too, kept taking deep breaths. The blazing environment inside Mt. Chimney had been a torment for it as well.

"Hmm, looks like the matter has been resolved."

A steady voice suddenly came from nearby.

Only then did Steven Stone and Jing He notice that Flannery was standing with an elderly man whose hair was gray-white, yet whose posture was upright and robust. He wore a pair of round-framed glasses.

Noticing their gazes, Flannery winked at them.

"Elite Four Mula?" Steven Stone asked tentatively. He seemed to recognize the old man.

The old man wore a stern expression as he said seriously, "This Old One is no longer one of the Elite Four. I am now the Gym Leader of Lavaridge Gym."

Jing He and Steven Stone exchanged an inconspicuous glance.

"Gym Leader Mula."

"Mm." Mula nodded in satisfaction, the corners of his mouth unconsciously rising slightly.

"Come on, Grandpa, you can't keep that smile down," Flannery jumped in to expose him.

"How many times has Grandpa told you?! Don't just run up Mt. Chimney whenever you want! It's dangerous, especially taking these little paths!"

Mula was instantly set off and launched into a barrage of scolding at Flannery.

However, Flannery seemed long accustomed to it. She stood there unmoved as Mula lectured her, even picking at her ear.

"Gastly?"

Gastly floated over beside Jing He's head.

This was one of the Elite Four?

He didn't seem all that impressive.

Jing He shot it a sidelong glance. When he turned back, he found that Mula and Flannery had stopped their grandfather-granddaughter exchange, simply because Flannery had muttered, "Dad used to bring me here all the time."

Mula's expression grew complicated, but his gaze fell on Jing He.

"You must be Teacher Jing He, correct? Thank you for taking care of our Flannery, Teacher!"

As he spoke, Mula, former Elite Four member and current Lavaridge Gym Leader, gave Jing He a standard ninety-degree bow.

Jing He hurriedly stepped forward to support Mula, saying repeatedly, "Gym Leader Mula, you're too polite. I'm a teacher. I merely did what a teacher should do."

Mula sighed. "Teacher Jing He, you don't know this, but Flannery has been like this since she was little—"

Then Mula began recounting some of Flannery's childhood "amusing stories" as though they were treasures.

For example, when she was young, she had accidentally had her hair burned by a Slugma, or had carelessly sat on a Torkoal's back and burned her butt.

"Grandpa!"

After hearing only a few, Flannery could not bear it anymore. Her face flushed red as she ran straight down the mountain.

"Flannery, slow down! Grandpa is talking!"

Though Mula looked stern, he genuinely cared about Flannery and hurried after her.

"Gastly..."

They really are alike.

More than alike. Jing He and Steven Stone also headed down the mountain.

Lavaridge Gym.

Mula, Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy, Jing He, Steven Stone, Roxanne, and Flannery were gathered in one of the Gym's reception rooms.

After listening to the account.

"...You encountered Heatran?" Mula appeared somewhat surprised, though he also seemed to find it expected.

"What kind of Pokémon is Heatran?" Flannery interjected.

"So Gym Leader Mula knows that Heatran?" Jing He asked in return.

He had actually made some guesses himself. Heatran had not shown hostility toward him and Steven Stone; it had even seemed faintly friendly. He had guessed that someone had interacted with it.

Perhaps that person even had a fairly good relationship with Heatran.

Following that line of thought.

In all of Lavaridge Town, only Mula, the former Elite Four member, seemed qualified.

"So what is Heatran?" Seeing no one pay attention to her, Flannery asked again, raising her voice several degrees.

"You could say we know each other. We've dealt with each other a few times. It is the guardian deity of Mt. Chimney."

Mula let out a soft breath, raised his teacup, and took a sip. He did not seem willing to elaborate.

"That explains it."

Jing He nodded and drank his tea as well.

"I mean, is no one going to explain what Heatran is?"

Flannery scratched her head as she looked at the two calmly drinking tea, appearing somewhat annoyed.

Steven Stone could not help smiling as he explained, "I only heard it from Teacher Jing He as well. A legendary Mythical Pokémon—Heatran, the Fire-Steel Volcano Pokémon."

Fire... Steel? Flannery's eyes lit up.

At the same time.

Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy had finished their initial treatment and examination of the weakened Camerupt.

"Sorry, but I need to take this child back to the Pokémon Center."

Nurse Joy, dressed in a nurse's uniform, looked delicate and gentle, but her smile was warm and highly approachable. A Chansey followed at her side.

"We will also conduct further investigations into the cause of Camerupt's rampage. Thank you all for your help. Letters of thanks will be sent to your respective academies in a few days—"

Officer Jenny, by comparison, appeared much more stern.

Just as Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny were preparing to leave, Jing He hesitated briefly before saying, "Officer Jenny, this is only a personal feeling, but perhaps... you could try connecting Camerupt with the giant Graveler found outside Mauville City."

"Hmm?" Officer Jenny looked at Jing He in surprise. "Teacher Jing He knows of something else?"

Jing He shook his head.

"No, it's purely a personal guess. I hope it won't affect your judgment."

Officer Jenny looked deeply at him, then nodded. "All right. We will try exchanging information with the Mauville Alliance Police Station."

Night.

A double room on the third floor of the Lavaridge Town Pokémon Center.

"Here." Jing He tossed a purple orb to Gastly.

It was the Toxic Orb.

"Gastly!"

The moment it saw the orb, Gastly's eyes lit up.

It caught it in one bite, its tongue constantly licking its surface.

It could feel that this Toxic Orb could raise its Poison-type abilities by at least one level! But as it licked, Gastly suddenly froze.

"Gastly?!"

Wait, how did it get taken out?

Hearing Gastly's question, Jing He answered without changing expression, "Oh, the orb? Nurse Joy removed it with an instrument."

Gastly stared at him intently, but it could not find the slightest trace of deception in Jing He's face or eyes.

Really?

But then it saw Jing He take off the white isolation glove on his hand and toss it into the trash can.

Gastly instantly went blank.

The next second.

"Gastly!!"

I don't want this tongue anymore!