The World Had It In for His Name

"Jifei, are you all right?"

Only after Dian finished thinking did he notice the sweat covering his forehead. If he was this badly off, Yue Jifei behind him must have been worse.

He hadn't asked Misdreavus to use the Shadow Barrier to shut out the weather. She needed to save her strength for a battle that could come at any moment.

The same was true of Yue Jifei behind him.

He took out two Sour Berries and handed them to her, then glanced up at the blazing sun. Honestly, unless he had no choice, he would never come here again.

"I hate the sun..."

Yue Jifei nibbled on a Sour Berry, then murmured something Espurr and Misdreavus wholeheartedly agreed with.

Of course, two Pokémon didn't seem to mind: Larvitar and Hippopotas, who were searching together for the Smooth Rock.

Dian gave a wry smile. He felt the same way, but the hardest part still lay ahead.

He put on a pair of specially made goggles, then tied one end of a rope made from a special material around his arm and the other around Yue Jifei's.

"Huh?"

Yue Jifei was startled, her cheeks reddening slightly. Then she understood: it was to keep them from getting separated in the blowing sand.

"And put these on."

Dian handed her another pair of goggles, then looked down at Larvitar, who was staring at the Sandstorm just ahead. "Larvitar, use Sandstorm to open a path."

He took out his Capture Styler and checked its position, then immediately pulled out Beedrill's Poké Ball. "Beedrill, try to sense anything unusual."

After saying that, Dian gave Misdreavus a look.

Misdreavus nodded, then vanished into the air, hiding herself from sight.

Dian moved Aggron's and Teddiursa's Poké Balls to where he could reach them most easily. After checking