Slateport City

Zeno was happy that night, and slept soundly. Not only because he had won three months' worth of premium custom Pokémon food, but also because he had made two new friends who shared common interests.

Early the next morning, Zeno had barely run onto the deck when he spotted Slateport City's skyline in the distance. Sunlight shone over it, making the whole city look warm and vibrant, like the utopia described in books.

Zeno stood quietly, watching the hazy outline grow clearer and clearer. The Wavebreaker slowly entered Slateport City Harbor, and the passengers aboard grew excited one after another, waving to their families below.

There were many people coming and going at the harbor, and if one was not careful, one could easily get swept off somewhere in the crowd. To avoid getting separated, Kam held Zeno's hand tightly.

"Zeno, come play with me when you have time!"

Lin Yan stood behind the crowd, shouting loudly as he waved at Zeno. The middle-aged man holding his hand was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, looking every bit the accomplished professional. Seeing his normally steady son acting like this, he could not help but feel curious.

Though it was noisy, Zeno still heard him. He quickly turned around and met Lin Yan's gaze. The two little friends smiled knowingly, and Zeno waved back.

Slateport City's harbor was huge and had many exits. Even after Zeno came out, he did not see Lin Yan or Jia Ya anywhere.

Compared to Lilycove City, Slateport City was a true metropolis built by the sea. Surrounded by the ocean on three sides, it had Hoenn's most famous golden beach. For a long time, Slateport City had been Hoenn's top-ranked tourist destination.

"Come on, let's look around the seaside market and grab some breakfast while we're at it."

Seeing how absorbed Zeno was, Kam could not help laughing. When he had first come to Slateport City, he had been just like Zeno. Back then, Slateport City had not been nearly this prosperous.

Zeno's eyes lit up when he heard Uncle Kam's words.

"Uncle Kam, have you been here before?"

"A few times."

"Really? Tell me about it!"

"You little brat, you may not be hungry, but I am. Let's go eat at the seaside market first."

"Is the seaside market far? Why do we have to go there specifically to eat?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

The moment Zeno arrived at the seaside market, he was stunned by the sight before him. The boundless sea shimmered under the sun, and Slateport City's horizon met the ocean in a straight line. Even though he had lived by the sea for years, he had never seen such a magnificent view.

Kam waved a hand in front of his eyes, and only then did Zeno slowly come back to his senses.

"Well? Pretty breathtaking, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Let's eat first."

Kam chose a fairly famous seaside restaurant. It had an excellent view, allowing diners to admire the ocean from every angle.

The owner of the seaside restaurant seemed to love battling. Every day, he held a Pokémon battle, and the winner could receive a whole case of Soda Pop. This soda not only refreshed people, but could also restore a Pokémon's strength if given to them. It was said to be the restaurant's unique recipe.

All kinds of people entered the competition, so Kam did not let Zeno, a child, join in the fun. The two ate a simple meal, watched others battle, and admired the beautiful sea view. It was quite relaxing.

After the meal, Kam planned to take Zeno to the large market next door and let him pick out a gift he liked.

There were countless goods in the market. Zeno looked for a long time without knowing what to choose, until he spotted a delicate little bell and stopped in his tracks.

"Do you like that?" Kam noticed where he was looking as well.

Seeing customers approach, the shopkeeper immediately came over enthusiastically. "You've got a good eye, little brother. This Soothe Bell only arrived today."

"How much is it?"

"Not expensive. Just 5,000."

Kam and Zeno were both shocked by the price. The shopkeeper noticed their expressions too and began thinking about how to close the sale.

"That's way too expensive!"

"Little brother, I won't hide it from you. Demand for this item is high, and the price has already doubled. Even so, it's still trending upward."

"Is it really that scarce?"

"Yes. A Soothe Bell can quickly improve the bond between a Trainer and their Pokémon, making the Pokémon more obedient, so lots of people buy them."

"It's still too expensive. Could you lower the price a little?" Zeno asked hopefully. He really liked the bell, and he thought Carvanha would definitely like the gift too.

"This... this..." Seeing such a handsome little boy pleading with her, the shopkeeper could not help softening. "Fine, I'll knock 200 off for you!"

"That's great! Thank you, ma'am!" Zeno hurriedly thanked her, then immediately ran over to Uncle Kam. "Uncle Kam, is that okay?"

Kam still felt it was expensive, but he had no objections. He had brought Zeno here to buy a gift, so naturally he should listen to what Zeno wanted. Besides, a large part of the money they had before had been earned by Zeno himself.

"No problem. As long as you like it."

"Thank you, Uncle Kam!"

Zeno eagerly ran back to the shopkeeper. Seeing how excited he was, she knew the deal was done. Though she had made 200 less, she was still quite happy.

"Here you go. Come again next time!"

Smiling, the shopkeeper handed him the wrapped Soothe Bell. Uncle Kam had already paid, and Zeno happily headed outside, not forgetting to say goodbye to her.

Zeno ran to the shore and let Carvanha out.

"Carvanha, this is a gift for you. Do you like it?"

Zeno opened the package and showed Carvanha the Soothe Bell.

"Carvanha! Carvanha!"

"Haha, I knew you'd like this gift. Let me put it on you, okay?"

"Carvanha~"

Carvanha was looking forward to it too. The Soothe Bell was rather small. Zeno found a little groove between Carvanha's pelvic fin and scales and fitted the bell into it. He even had Carvanha turn around several times to make sure it would not fall off before he felt reassured.

Having received a gift, Carvanha excitedly swam back and forth in the sea. Though it could not see it, it felt very happy. With the bell attached, it made a cheerful jingling sound as it swam.

Seeing the two of them getting along so harmoniously, Kam felt the money had been well spent. But when he thought about Zeno boarding at Trainer School in the future, he could not help feeling a little melancholy. He wondered whether Zeno would have trouble adjusting on his own.

It was still early, and Kam was in no rush. Since they were already here, he might as well let Zeno have all the fun he wanted.

There were many people on the golden beach. They found a spot close to the sea, where Carvanha could swim to its heart's content and Zeno could conveniently play in the sand.

The morning sun shone warmly on them, making everything feel especially comfortable.