After a short wait at the entrance, the doors of Green Sprout Gym slowly opened from within.
The person who came out was Senior Brother Wang Qiang, whom Ye Lan hadn't seen in ages.
Perhaps Ye Lan was imagining it, but Wang Qiang seemed to have gotten darker since they'd last met.
And not just a little darker. He was so dark Ye Lan could barely make out his features!
Ye Lan couldn't help wondering whether Wang Qiang had gone traveling through other regions for grueling training and only recently returned.
"Long time no see, Uncle Ye!" Unlike Ye Lan, who still wasn't used to it, Green Sprout Gym took its rules seriously. Wang Qiang had long since grown accustomed to honoring his elders, and he respectfully greeted Ye Lan as a junior should.
"No need to be so formal. We used to be fellow disciples, remember?" Ye Lan helped Wang Qiang up and tried his best to dissuade him. On his shoulder, however, Leafeon nodded solemnly, clearly enjoying Wang Qiang's show of respect.
"Leaf!"
You may rise!
It couldn't be helped. Even back when Leafeon was an Eevee, it had ranked far above Third Disciple Huang Yuntian in Zhang Shuling's eyes. Everyone at Green Sprout Gym respected it, too.
Behind Wang Qiang, several Shroomish and Breloom poked their heads out. Once they recognized Ye Lan, they ran out in delight, followed by even more Shroomish and Breloom.
"Shroom, shroom~"
At Green Sprout Gym, a Pokémon from the Shroomish line had become standard for every disciple.
This was the first time they'd seen Ye Lan with his long green hair since he left Green Sprout Gym for Huaxia Academy.
When he'd left, Ye Lan had been a bright young man with black hair. Now he carried a gentle, Grass-type air