Watching May's back disappear at the end of the corridor, Xinhai popped the last piece of dried Berry into his mouth. The sweetness melted across his tongue, lifting his spirits without him even realizing it.
He casually tossed the empty snack bag into a nearby trash bin, then turned and walked toward the healing machine in the corner. Its blue indicator light had changed from blinking to steadily lit.
He clipped the six Poké Balls back onto his belt one by one, then headed down the corridor toward Independent Training Room Six.
The days that followed were peaceful yet fulfilling. Every morning, he fought six-on-six battles against the instructors at the Main Training Ground, while in the afternoons, he honed his skill-switching techniques in the Independent Training Room.
Day after day, his partners' offensive and defensive coordination grew smoother. The rhythm of energy conversion that had once required deliberate control gradually became an instinctive bodily response.
Just like that, the two weeks of intensive training came to an end before he knew it.
On the evening before his departure, May stood beneath the Gym's porch, looking up at him with the half-empty snack bag still clutched in her hand.
"Brother Xinhai, are you leaving tomorrow?" Her sparkling eyes were full of reluctance, and even her little red shoes unconsciously scuffed against the ground twice.
Over their time together, this adorable little girl had grown fond of the big brother who told her stories, played with her, and let Eevee nap on her lap.
Xinhai gently ruffled her soft short hair and smiled. "Yeah. The special training is over, so it's time to move on to the next place."
May's lips puckered slightly, but she did not cry. She merely lowered her head and lightly kicked at the ground with the