A few days after Cynthia left.
Teng Jun called him.
He was inviting Heiduo to attend the regional Decision Meeting. Attendance was optional, not mandatory, and all the votes in his hand would be counted as abstentions.
But this Decision Meeting concerned Mr. Yujian's seat, as well as the establishment of the Pokémon Nature Preserve. Heiduo could not possibly be absent.
It just so happened that the venue was at the Pokémon Association headquarters in Goldenrod City.
"More meetings, more this and that. Looks like a Gym Leader isn't any freer than a Champion." Umbreon yawned. It had stayed up late watching shows with Individual Three and the others yesterday, and was a little sleep-deprived now.
"Those days on Mt. Silver were still more carefree."
During the years it lived on Mt. Silver, Umbreon had only needed to eat, drink, sleep, and play on the computer. Whenever the preserve's buyers went to Blackthorn City, it could have them bring back its deliveries. Life had been ridiculously comfortable.
Unlike now, when it had to beg Gardevoir just to pick up a package.
And where Deoxys lived was so damp and cold. If it stayed there any longer, it might end up with rheumatism in its old age!
Heiduo's expression did not change. "People always need to find something to do. If you spend every day doing nothing, you'll turn into one of those useless fools in Goldenrod City who are used to comfort."
A comfortable environment made people degenerate. All one had to do was look at the Top Trainers who had battled Heiduo before. Without external enemies and without any need to fight desperately, every last one of them had been raised soft and plump, while their Pokémon had become lazy beyond belief.
Still, they were among the better ones.