Chapter Summaries

N left the castle after seeing Jing He’s example of helping displaced Pokémon, while Jing He dealt with Haunter and Vulpix’s overeating and kept up their training. After Steven Stone found an ancient inscribed tablet in a cave, Jing He sent its photograph to Cynthia for help identifying it.

• N interpreted Jing He’s photos as an example of how humans could help Pokémon and leaped from the castle roof, escaping on Sigilyph.
• Haunter used Substitute to ease its discomfort from overeating, and Vulpix imitated it by creating a miniature version of itself.
• Jing He made Energy Cubes and trained Haunter and Vulpix at the Canalave Police Station and Pokémon Center grounds while the school facilities were closed.
• Steven Stone showed Jing He a photograph of an ancient, partly submerged tablet he had found in a cave.
• Jing He asked Haunter about the tablet, then sent its photograph to Cynthia to identify the writing.

Jing He wondered whether a Hoenn stele might be the Slate Tablet after Eevee Eating Cabbage compared its writing to ancient text in Snowpoint Temple. Back home, he kept Haunter busy with training and answered messages, including one from a runaway Growlithe owner.

• Jing He asked Eevee Eating Cabbage about the stele, and the reader said its writing resembled text in Snowpoint Temple, making Jing He suspect it might be the Slate Tablet.
• Cynthia put away her phone during her battle with Volkner, ordered Gible to use Earthquake, and watched it evolve while Volkner was thrown into a tree.
• Haunter frightened the taxi driver unconscious several times, and Jing He apologized before the driver finally drove away.
• Jing He returned home and had Haunter practice Shadow Punch to burn off its excess energy while Little Vulpix played nearby.
• Jing He replied to Bird Falling on the Ground about winning over a Pokémon with cooking, then received a message from Little Growlithe, who said they had run away from home and only just gotten a phone.

Jing He spent an ordinary day with Haunter and Vulpix before Steven Stone told him that Metang had evolved into Metagross. Cynthia then called to ask where Jing He was, leaving him to wonder whether she was coming to Canalave City.

• Jing He found Haunter and Vulpix sparring, turned their ice shavings into flavored shaved ice, and watched a horror movie with them.
• Haunter frightened a Machop deliveryman by sticking his head through the door, and Jing He apologized before accepting the Moomoo Milk delivery.
• Steven Stone called to tell Jing He that Metang had evolved into Metagross and thanked him for his guidance.
• Jing He planned to take Haunter and Vulpix shopping and to the Pokémon Center before Cynthia called and asked where he was.
• Jing He told Haunter that Spiritomb was coming to play with him, and Haunter reacted with alarm.

Jing He met Cynthia and examined her Spiritomb, while Haunter recognized her from something it found in his phone history. The chapter ended with Cynthia wondering what the search result titled “Cynthia’s…” had been.

• Cynthia arrived with Garchomp, and she and Jing He introduced themselves while Vulpix admired her.
• Garchomp threatened Haunter and Jing He before Cynthia ordered it to stand down.
• Cynthia released Spiritomb, and Jing He asked it to use Nasty Plot before beginning some simple tests.
• Jing He discovered that Spiritomb was happy and shy, with high friendship toward him because he had called it pretty.
• Haunter searched Jing He’s phone history and tried to show Cynthia a result beginning “Cynthia’s…,” but Jing He stopped it before she could see the full title.

Jing He and Haunter began calming Spiritomb’s hostile spirits, confirming that the treatment was working but would take time. Afterward, Jing He and Cynthia headed toward Canalave City, where Cynthia chose the Canalave Grand Hotel as their destination.

• Jing He guided Spiritomb’s spirits apart while Haunter prepared to use Hypnosis on the unfriendly ones.
• Cynthia praised Vulpix’s recovery, and Vulpix happily jumped into her arms while Garchomp watched.
• A malicious spirit broke away from Spiritomb and attacked Jing He, but Haunter blocked it with Will-O-Wisp and hypnotized it before returning it to Spiritomb.
• Jing He noticed Spiritomb’s spirits growing agitated and stopped, then reassured the confused Spiritomb that it had behaved well.
• Cynthia recalled Spiritomb and joined Jing He in calling a taxi after Garchomp’s glare discouraged him from accepting a ride on its back.
• Cynthia told the taxi driver to take them to the Canalave Grand Hotel, and the driver gave Jing He an approving thumbs-up.

Jing He visited Cynthia’s luxury suite, where their Pokémon met and Haunter charmed Garchomp and Lucario with Energy Cubes. Milotic recognized Jing He’s voice and asked for a bedtime story, while Cynthia grew curious about something Haunter had seen on his phone; Jing He changed the subject to Spiritomb, saying its condition was very serious.

• The taxi driver advised Jing He to pursue Cynthia, then fled when Haunter frightened him.
• Cynthia invited Jing He into her suite and brought out her Pokémon, whose intimidating Garchomp and Lucario confronted Haunter over its Hypnosis Ring.
• Haunter turned the ring into Energy Cubes, winning Garchomp and Lucario over, while Cynthia’s Eevee tried to befriend Ice Vulpix.
• Milotic recognized Jing He as the voice that had once told it bedtime stories and affectionately approached him by the pool.
• Cynthia mentioned that Haunter had shown her Jing He’s phone, and Jing He claimed Haunter had watched one of her battle shows and wanted her autograph.
• Jing He redirected Cynthia’s attention to Spiritomb and gravely said its condition was very serious.

Jing He explained Spiritomb’s unstable condition to Cynthia, and they agreed to gather capable trainers to deal with it in Sootopolis City. After Cynthia gave Jing He money and invitations, they went to dinner in Canalave City, where they unexpectedly ran into Wataru and Clair.

• Jing He explained that Spiritomb contained many fragmented minds and could release its spirits if its balance broke, and Cynthia gave him 1,000,000 League Credits.
• Jing He and Cynthia agreed to stabilize Spiritomb for now and recruit trainers such as Steven Stone and Wataru to help handle it in Sootopolis City.
• Cynthia gave Jing He two invitations, including one to a Pokémon Researcher Conference stop at Mt. Coronet.
• Jing He bought Haunter an annual SVIP subscription after confronting it about nearly causing him trouble with its phone.
• Jing He and Cynthia chose to eat volcanic grilled meat at Torkoal BBQ Restaurant, where they coincidentally met Wataru and Clair.

Jing He, Cynthia, Wataru, and Clair shared a barbecue meal before Wataru proposed a Pokémon battle. Clair challenged Jing He and offered him a Dragon Fang if he won, but Cynthia stepped in to battle her instead.

• Jing He asked Wataru to introduce Clair, who was revealed to be Wataru's cousin and the Gym Leader of Blackthorn City.
• Jing He and Wataru grilled meat while Haunter greedily ate its portion too quickly and burned its tongue.
• Vulpix cooled the barbecue for Cynthia, Eevee, and itself, while Haunter realized it could have used the same help.
• Wataru suggested a battle after the meal, and Clair challenged Jing He, offering him a Dragon Fang if he won.
• Cynthia stopped Jing He and volunteered to battle Clair.

Wataru defeated Clair’s Kingdra during their warm-up battle, and Jing He took the field with Vulpix to face Clair’s Dragonair. As snow began falling in the arena, Jing He encouraged Vulpix to fight without holding back.

• Wataru’s Gyarados landed a Hydro Pump on Clair’s Kingdra and won their warm-up battle.
• Jing He declined Cynthia’s offer to battle Clair and prepared to take her place.
• Clair sent out Dragonair, and Jing He chose Vulpix, hoping its Ice typing would help against the Dragon-type Pokémon.
• Cynthia used the promise of a Shadow Ball Technical Machine and a meeting with Minccino Adventures’ Minccino to tempt Haunter.
• Jing He reassured Vulpix that it could fight without fear of hurting anyone, and Vulpix faced Dragonair as snow began falling.

Jing He and Ice Vulpix fought Clair and Dragonair in a snowy battle, using snow decoys and Nasty Plot to seize the initiative. Vulpix froze Dragonair solid, leaving Wataru and Cynthia surprised by Jing He's victory.

• Clair ordered Dragonair to attack with Dragon Breath and Thunder Wave, but Vulpix dodged through the snowstorm.
• Vulpix used snowman decoys to confuse Dragonair, then built up power with Nasty Plot while Dragonair struck a decoy with Thunder Wave.
• Dragonair used Twister to clear the field, but Vulpix's boosted Aurora Beam froze the twister and weakened Dragonair.
• Clair sent Dragonair into the air with Dragon Dance and ordered Dragon Rush, but Vulpix dodged with Substitute and fired Aurora Beams.
• Vulpix froze Dragonair inside a thick block of ice, and Jing He stopped it before it fired again.
• Wataru and Cynthia realized that Jing He had taken control of the battle when Vulpix used its snow decoys.

Jing He defeated Clair with Vulpix and received a Dragon Fang, while Cynthia confronted him about online swimsuit advertisements after Haunter showed them to her. The misunderstanding ended without a confession, and Jing He decided he needed to raise a third Pokémon after his current partners teased him.

• Jing He and Vulpix defeated Clair, who admitted his command skills and Pokémon rapport had outmatched hers.
• Wataru worried that Jing He's Snowy Hide-and-Seek tactic might reach an old rival at Silver Academy, while Jing considered how Vulpix's tactics could improve as it learned more moves and evolved.
• Clair gave Jing He a Dragon Fang, then left with Wataru after warning that she would use different Pokémon in a rematch.
• Cynthia asked Jing He whether he had seen the fabricated swimsuit advertisements, but Jing feigned ignorance and she left to investigate the companies behind them.
• Jing He confronted Haunter, who explained that it had shown Cynthia an advertisement but had not accused Jing of browsing it.
• Jing He accepted Haunter and Vulpix's reassurance that they believed him, then concluded that he needed to raise a third Pokémon.

Jing He escorted Cynthia through Canalave City’s night market and obtained Haunter’s Shadow Ball Technical Machine before returning home. He reflected on his day’s earnings and training his Pokémon, then noticed that the Pokémon Egg had moved.

• Jing He found Cynthia choosing ice cream at the night market and bought treats for her, Haunter, and Vulpix.
• Jing He and Cynthia strolled through the market, where she explained that she used to buy an entire mall when she could not decide what clothes to choose.
• Cynthia invited Jing He up to her hotel room, but he soon left with Vulpix and a Shadow Ball Technical Machine while Haunter grinned beside him.
• Jing He returned home and watched Haunter study the Technical Machine while Vulpix practiced building snowmen with psychic power.
• Jing He noticed that the Pokémon Egg in the cabinet seemed to have shaken.

Jing He’s Pokémon Egg showed signs of life, while Haunter accidentally blasted holes in the sofa while testing Shadow Ball. At Steven Stone’s estate, Jing He treated Spiritomb and learned the tablet likely concerned the Regi Trio, leaving him wary that the Sootopolis City Youth Performance Competition would become an exhibition of powerful trainers.

• Haunter and Vulpix heard faint knocking from Jing He’s Pokémon Egg, which he said would hatch within a few days.
• Haunter accidentally damaged the sofa twice while attempting to form and contain Shadow Ball, but insisted it was unharmed.
• Vulpix heard the Egg knocking again after Jing He went to wash up.
• Jing He hypnotized Spiritomb with Haunter’s help and told Cynthia that two more treatment sessions should resolve its problem.
• Cynthia’s deciphered tablet text mentioned Relicanth, leading Jing He to conclude it was the Slate Tablet connected to the Regi Trio.
• Jing He worried that the Sootopolis City Youth Performance Competition would turn into a powerful trainers’ exhibition match, then received a message from Forever Eighteen.

Lorelei arranged to visit Jing He in Hoenn after a competition, while Haunter made an unconventional breakthrough with Shadow Ball. Cynthia then brought Jing He to a Canalave City coffee shop, where he met her friend Diantha.

• Lorelei asked Jing He if she could visit him in Hoenn after her competition, and he agreed.
• Haunter formed a more stable Shadow Ball by combining Shadow Claw with the move, then blasted a crater in the estate grounds.
• Steven Stone and Wataru left on urgent business, leaving Jing He and Cynthia to depart together.
• Cynthia took Jing He to a coffee shop in Canalave City, where she introduced him to Diantha.
• Haunter recognized Diantha and drew a threatening glare from someone behind it.

Jing He helped Diantha assess Haunter’s Shadow Ball and learned that she was worried about her friend Lysandre’s increasingly extreme beliefs. The chapter left Jing He realizing that Diantha’s concern could draw him into a dangerous situation.

• Jing He ordered desserts for the group, and Diantha agreed to have her Gardevoir examine Haunter’s Shadow Ball.
• Haunter demonstrated his newly learned Shadow Ball, and Gardevoir contained and dispersed it with psychic power.
• Diantha offered to send Jing He training materials and arrange for Gardevoir to help Haunter practice.
• Diantha asked Jing He for advice about a formerly compassionate friend who had grown extreme and begun speaking of “Eternal Beauty.”
• Jing He recognized the friend as Lysandre and tried to avoid getting involved, while Cynthia looked away instead of helping him.

Jing He cautiously advised Diantha to investigate what had changed Lysandre’s thinking, while Cynthia suggested meeting him in person. The afternoon ended with Cynthia, Jing He, and their Pokémon sharing a warm evening as Haunter and Vulpix showed how much they considered Jing He family.

• Jing He told Diantha that a sudden change in Lysandre’s thinking might have been caused by a stimulus and urged her to uncover what had happened.
• Cynthia agreed that they should meet Lysandre face-to-face, and Diantha said she would look into his situation.
• Diantha left after pretending her manager had called her to an event, while Cynthia invited herself and Jing He to dinner at his home.
• Cynthia asked Haunter and Vulpix whether Jing He was important to them, and Vulpix shyly called him their “Father.”
• Jing He returned from the supermarket with groceries, and Haunter and Vulpix affectionately greeted him before he listed the food he had bought.

Cynthia visited Jing He’s home, where she discovered his many talents and joined him, Haunter, and Vulpix for a lavish dinner. The Pokémon Egg began hatching during the meal, leaving everyone waiting to see what would emerge.

• Cynthia visited Jing He’s small, tidy home and learned that the Pokémon Egg he carried was close to hatching.
• Haunter and Vulpix discussed entering the Battle Department Instructor Qualification Assessment, and Cynthia suggested they ask Jing He together.
• Jing He served Cynthia and the Pokémon a large dinner, and Cynthia enthusiastically praised his cooking.
• Vulpix noticed the Pokémon Egg shaking, so Jing He brought it to the table as a crack appeared in its shell.

Jing He’s Pokémon Egg hatched into a Kleavor, which quickly showed its playful nature and remarkable strength. After Stone Mokuren explained the egg came from Paldea, Kleavor smashed Jing He’s sofa with its newly forged hammer, while Haunter and Vulpix considered how it might fit into their hypnosis lessons.

• Kleavor hatched from the Pokémon Egg, frightened briefly by the dinner spread, then took Haunter’s utensils and forged itself a tiny hammer.
• Jing He identified Kleavor and suspected it had the Pickpocket Ability after watching it steal the utensils.
• Jing He called Stone Mokuren, who said Devon Corporation had found the egg during an inspection of its land in Paldea.
• Kleavor struck Haunter’s damaged sofa with its hammer, shattering it in one blow as Jing He and Cynthia watched.
• Vulpix and Haunter decided Kleavor’s hammer could suit the Old Jing Family Hypnosis Technique, and Vulpix noticed frost on the hammer.

Jing He discovered Kleavor’s powerful inherited moves and considered ways to train it, but the little Pokémon immediately began smashing household objects and learning from Haunter and Ice Vulpix. After Kleavor settled down with its new companions, Cynthia suggested Jing He ask Steven Stone for training advice.

• Jing He read Kleavor’s Pokédex entry, learned it had Ice Hammer and Pickpocket, and considered possible Ability swaps and battle tactics.
• Kleavor used Feint to get past Haunter and hammered Jing He’s laptop into a heart shape.
• Kleavor tried to reach the Berry Blender, but Ice Vulpix distracted it by making snowmen for Kleavor to smash while Haunter gathered the ice.
• Kleavor attempted to use Substitute, prompting Haunter and Ice Vulpix to offer to teach it moves, including Hypnosis.
• Cynthia praised Kleavor and suggested Steven Stone could advise Jing He on training Steel-type Pokémon, and Jing He agreed to ask him.

Jing He welcomed newly hatched Kleavor into his household and considered entering Canalave Pokémon Academy’s Battle-Type Instructor Assessment to fund his Pokémon’s training. After seeing the rewards, he began weighing ways to give his team battle experience and settled on challenging Gyms as a free option.

• Cynthia flew back to her hotel on Garchomp after dinner, while Haunter, Ice Vulpix, and Kleavor watched from Jing He’s window; Kleavor then tried to hit Garchomp with a hurled stone.
• Jing He received Diantha’s advice on training Haunter’s Shadow Ball, caught Kleavor in a Luxury Ball, and released it again after the Pokémon knocked him down in its excitement.
• Jing He checked the Battle-Type Instructor Assessment rewards and decided that placing in the top eight could help cover his Pokémon’s expenses.
• Cynthia messaged Jing He that she could not sleep, and he went to the balcony to help her.
• Jing He ruled out the Battle Restaurant and Battle Club as sources of battle experience, then considered challenging Gyms because the battles were free.