"Ch-Champion..."
The male student's face went pale with fright.
Baimu raised a hand. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have battled here. Don't worry, I'll take responsibility."
Seeing someone step in to handle the disaster, the students relaxed.
The male student handed over the stamp. Baimu noticed he was trembling, patted his shoulder, and told him and his friends to leave.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. I can handle it myself. I'm the Champion, after all."
He smiled.
The students were so moved that they suddenly declared, full of fervor, that they wanted to stay and share the responsibility.
"We'll face this with the Champion!"
"That's right! We're responsible too!"
"I—"
"All right, all right. I appreciate it, but there's no need to make a big fuss. You wouldn't want everyone to know if your house got knocked down, would you?"
Baimu hurried to reassure them. It took a great deal of persuasion to send the Blueberry Academy students on their way, reluctant and looking back every few steps.
"What earnest kids," he said with a sigh.
Just then—
"Meow..."
Alolan Meowth came over with its ears drooping to admit its mistake. It realized its Dark Pulse had given the disoriented Hitmonlee a chance to get close to the little building.
Baimu picked it up. "No, it wasn't your fault. I should thank you, actually."
Without Alolan Meowth, he probably never would have learned that the Loyal Three's Poké Balls were hidden inside their statues.
Were they still in there?
"Meow..."
Meowth didn't quite understand, but when it saw its trainer staring at the shattered statues, it wisely kept quiet.
It had always been a clever cat.
Baimu stepped forward. He had barely taken all the Poké Balls from inside when an angry shout came from behind him.
"What are