Even in the middle of battle, Scream Tail's Jigglypuff Radar still went off.
Who had a death wish!?
Scream Tail turned toward the voice and saw Baimu's excited face. Its cheeks puffed up with rage, and it shrieked, "Ah! Ah-ah-ah! Eee—ah!"
How dare he!
Insulting me for no reason!
"Sorry, sorry! I got too excited!"
Baimu scooped Scream Tail up and planted a fierce kiss on its forehead. "I'll apologize properly tonight!"
He set the bewildered Pokémon down and ran toward Ogerpon, who stood frozen as its Terastallization slowly faded.
"Ogerpon! It's been so long!"
It really was him!
It really was that familiar person!
Ogerpon watched his smiling face draw closer. Joy welled up inside it for the first time in ages, followed immediately by nerves.
It grew so flustered that it didn't know what to do. Beneath its mask, its eyes kept darting from side to side.
"Ponio..."
It was panicking.
What should I say?
How should I act?
What if he asks where everyone went? How should I answer?
Ogerpon took half a step back and turned slightly, as though it might flee at any moment.
Baimu noticed at once. He stopped three meters away, crouched down, and said:
"Do you remember me? I'm Baimu... the traveler who got stranded nearby."
He carefully showed it the Porygon Phone.
Unlike the Loyal Three, who had spent all those years asleep in their Poké Balls, Ogerpon had witnessed centuries of change firsthand. It would have been understandable if it hadn't recognized him right away.
That would have been a little disappointing, but Baimu himself could barely remember many of his classmates from his previous life.
His memories of Pokémon, on the other hand, had only grown sharper over time.
Ogerpon still gave no response.
So Baimu brought out the