Chapter Summaries

Summary

Plot and events

Mingyou distances himself from Nari after realizing she is jealous of his closeness with Kieran, while deciding not to reveal her feelings. Akari correctly interprets the situation and explains that Kieran views Mingyou as a particularly important friend, whereas Nari is only an ordinary friend to him.
Akari gives Mingyou a tour of the League Club and introduces him to Drayton, a former Champion whom Kieran defeated. Although Drayton appears lazy and spends most of his time sleeping and gaming, he becomes energetic when Meloetta is mentioned. He reveals that he has followed Mingyou’s recent livestream battle against Kieran and read his research on Dipplin’s evolution into Hydrapple.
Drayton also claims to know that Mingyou stayed in Akari’s room, causing the club members to misunderstand the situation and embarrassing Akari. He eventually admits that he only inferred this from rumors, a photograph, and the school’s announcements.
Returning to the main topic, Drayton shows Mingyou a photograph taken in the Coastal Biome that appears to depict Meloetta singing beneath a tree. He invites Mingyou to join the search activity, proposing that they “follow the wind” to find her. Mingyou accepts, turning the search into a friendly competition.

Character development

• Mingyou shows tact by protecting Nari’s secret and calmly handling the League Club’s eccentric personalities. He also begins to recognize Drayton as an intriguing, if unreliable, potential ally.
• Nari is revealed to have romantic feelings for Kieran and jealousy toward Mingyou.
• Akari becomes visibly flustered when Drayton exposes the rumor about Mingyou staying in her room, revealing a more impulsive and vulnerable side beneath her normally reserved image.
• Drayton initially appears lazy and unserious, but demonstrates sharp observational skills, extensive information-gathering, and genuine enthusiasm for the Meloetta investigation. His friendly but distrustful attitude toward Mingyou establishes a complicated new relationship.

Themes

The chapter explores jealousy, unspoken romantic feelings, misunderstandings, trust, and the contrast between outward appearances and hidden abilities. It also emphasizes friendship formed through rivalry and shared curiosity, as well as the League Club’s unconventional nature.

Character interactions

Mingyou and Akari bond while discussing the League Club and its unusual members. Drayton teases Akari and Mingyou with his supposed knowledge of their private arrangements, causing reactions from Nari and Lacey. His interaction with Mingyou shifts from playful provocation to a direct invitation to cooperate, ending with the two agreeing to compete in the search for Meloetta.

Key events

• Mingyou and Akari gather information from Drayton about Meloetta, whose appearances at Blueberry Academy have attracted interest. With Drayton’s club activity starting soon, Mingyou worries the attention will frighten Meloetta away. He resolves to find and protect it before other students do.
• Lacey joins Drayton’s activity, while Mingyou recognizes that Lacey, Nari, and Drayton have all become rivals or obstacles in his search.
• On the way back, Akari asks Mingyou whether they seem like a couple and what he thinks of their relationship. He prepares to confess his feelings, but Flutter Mane and Snivy interrupt with another argument.
• Akari ends the conversation and says she will shop in Undella Town for ingredients so they can have a special dinner. Before leaving with Ogerpon and the others, she teases Mingyou and asks him to wait for her.
• Their conversation turns to dessert. Mingyou reveals that he ate—and loved—the Valentine’s Day chocolate Akari made, which makes her happy and eager to prepare something again.
• After lunch, Akari goes shopping while Mingyou returns to her Dormitory to organize the Meloetta information.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingyou is determined to protect Meloetta, but his attention to Pokémon repeatedly derails his attempts at romance. He works up the courage to confess to Akari, then is distracted by Flutter Mane and Snivy’s bickering.
• Akari takes the initiative by asking about their relationship. Although the confession never happens, she reads Mingyou’s expression and seems to understand what he was about to say. She appears pleased rather than upset, and his praise of her dessert warms her.
• Flutter Mane and Snivy resume their rivalry, forcing Mingyou to intervene.
• Akari and Mingyou show growing intimacy through their teasing, shared plans for dinner, and her playful cheek-pinching. Their feelings remain unspoken, but the exchange suggests mutual affection.
• Lacey, Nari, and Drayton are positioned as competitors in Mingyou’s effort to find Meloetta.

Significant themes

• Protecting Pokémon versus pursuing them: Mingyou worries that the search for Meloetta will overwhelm the Pokémon, even as other students see it as a desirable catch.
• Romantic hesitation and missed timing: Akari and Mingyou approach a defining conversation, but interruption and their differing ways of expressing themselves keep the relationship unresolved.
• Care shown through everyday gestures: Akari’s dinner plans and Mingyou’s sincere praise of her cooking reveal affection more clearly than their unfinished conversation.

Plot points and events

• Mingyou investigates reports of Meloetta appearing around Blueberry Academy. Students have spotted it across the Terarium and in the cafeteria, where food has mysteriously vanished.
• Hoping to learn more from a photograph Drayton gave him, Mingyou contacts Shali, a photographer who works at the academy. She reveals that she took the picture and agrees to guide him to the location in exchange for joining his search.
• Shali explains that she photographed Meloetta singing at dusk beside a tree in the Coastal Biome, near a lake and Outdoor Classroom. The wind had moved strangely with the song, and her excited outburst had frightened Meloetta away.
• At the spot, Mingyou and Shali hear Meloetta singing and find it swaying beside a lone flower, surrounded by wind. Shali nearly takes another photo, but Mingyou stops her, sensing that Meloetta is lonely and not in the mood to be disturbed.
• Mingyou decides music might attract Meloetta, but he lacks the skill and time to compose a song. He settles on finding a familiar tune he can play on a harmonica, then leaves with Shali and the Pokémon.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingyou shows patience and empathy, prioritizing Meloetta’s feelings over a rare photo opportunity. He also takes initiative, using Shali’s expertise to advance his investigation.
• Shali is enthusiastic about photography and regrets having scared Meloetta before. Though reluctant to miss another shot, she recognizes its sorrow and agrees to wait; she also negotiates dinner with Mingyou.
• Meloetta is revealed as a shy, elusive Pokémon whose beautiful song appears to affect the surrounding wind. Its performance conveys loneliness and sadness.
• Mingyou’s Pokémon are captivated by the song; Flutter Mane recognizes it from earlier and tries to rush toward Meloetta, but Mingyou restrains it to avoid frightening the Pokémon.

Significant themes

• Respect for wildlife: Capturing a beautiful moment should not come at the cost of disturbing its subject.
• Empathy and patience: Mingyou’s willingness to pause and listen reflects his concern for Meloetta’s emotional state.
• Music and connection: Song is both Meloetta’s means of expression and Mingyou’s planned way to approach it.

Plot points and events

• After returning to Blueberry Academy, Mingyou considers asking Meloetta to teach the noisy Pokémon to sing, hoping to keep them from disturbing others.
• Shali reminds Mingyou that he promised to treat her to dinner. He invites her to the Dormitory, then panics because Akari may be upset to find another woman there.
• Akari welcomes Shali despite a moment of surprise when she sees her. Shali offers to help cook, but Akari insists that Mingyou assist her instead. They prepare hot pot together, while Shali photographs the Pokémon.
• Akari asks Shali whether she knows Adaman, explaining that she recognized his name through research on Hisui. Shali says he may have been an ancestor. Mingyou quietly helps cover for Akari when her explanation seems unconvincing.
• After dinner, Shali leaves and reminds Mingyou to call her about their plan for the next day.
• Mingyou tells Akari he needs a harmonica to lure Meloetta, but learns the boats to Undella Town have stopped running. Akari proposes riding Basculegion instead.
• Akari, Mingyou, and Ogerpon set off across the sea at night. Mingyou holds Akari closely as they ride, and she—despite fearing drowning—draws courage from his embrace.

Character developments

• Mingyou is resourceful about the Meloetta plan but remains awkward and anxious around Akari, especially when he worries she’ll misread his dinner with Shali.
• Akari is hospitable and practical, repeatedly helping Mingyou out of trouble. Her unusual reaction to Shali and reluctance to discuss it suggest she is hiding something or feeling unsettled.
• Shali is cheerful and perceptive, quickly interpreting Mingyou’s nervousness as a sign that Akari is his girlfriend. She remains friendly and considerate throughout the visit.
• Akari and Mingyou show growing intimacy: their teamwork at home is effortless, and Akari accepts his closeness during the frightening night ride.

Significant themes and interactions

• Trust and unspoken feelings: Mingyou and Akari avoid discussing her reaction to Shali, leaving the source of her unease unresolved.
• Family and belonging: The trio’s ride is playfully framed as a “family of three,” underscoring their closeness.
• Courage through support: Akari’s fear of the sea is eased by Mingyou holding on to her.
• Warm domesticity and Pokémon companionship: The shared hot pot, the Pokémon gathering, and the easy household routines contrast with the uncertainty surrounding Akari’s question about Shali and Adaman.

Key plot points and events

• Mingyou, Akari, and Ogerpon visit Undella Town’s lively night market so Mingyou can buy a harmonica. Seeing couples walking together makes Mingyou and Akari self-conscious about their own closeness.
• Ogerpon takes each of their hands and leads them between her friends, easing their awkwardness. They share a quiet, mutual smile.
• At an instrument shop, they encounter N, whom Mingyou met the day before. After a Kricketune finishes playing, Mingyou tells N he has come to help Meloetta. N is surprised by his candor and asks him to report back if he succeeds.
• Mingyou buys a blue Lapras-shaped harmonica. On the ride home, he plays “Summer and Littleroot Town,” a melody associated with home and summer. The music calms the sea Pokémon and stirs powerful memories in Ogerpon and Akari.

Character developments

• Mingyou grows more aware of his feelings for Akari, though he hesitates to act on them. He also shows trust in N and finds renewed confidence in playing music.
• Akari becomes quietly receptive to Mingyou’s closeness. Her memories of childhood and her first love of Pokémon return through his song; she is deeply moved but hides her tears.
• Ogerpon gently brings Mingyou and Akari together, then finds comfort in memories of happier days before Pecharunt’s actions.
• N reveals curiosity and concern about Mingyou’s plans. Though guarded and troubled by his beliefs about humans and Pokémon, he expresses hope that Mingyou can help Meloetta.

Significant themes

• Music as a link to memory and healing: Mingyou’s melody revives feelings and memories that the characters thought were lost.
• Home, nostalgia, and change: The song evokes the comfort of returning home as well as the sadness of leaving the past behind.
• Trust and connection: Ogerpon’s gesture brings the group closer, while Mingyou’s openness gives N a reason to trust him.
• Quiet emotional intimacy: Mingyou and Akari’s unspoken feelings emerge through small gestures rather than direct declarations.

Character interactions

• Ogerpon acts as a loving bridge between Mingyou and Akari, holding both their hands and later sharing her delight in the music.
• Mingyou and Akari support each other’s musical interests; Akari offers to play flute if he struggles with harmonica.
• Mingyou and N speak cautiously but honestly about Meloetta, leaving N with a new hope—and Mingyou with greater interest in N.
• Akari warns Mingyou not to face danger alone and insists she will accompany him if trouble arises.

Key plot points and events

• Mingyou leaves Akari’s Dormitory to give her privacy and takes his Pokémon to their nearby lodgings. After Flutter Mane insists, he practices the Harmonica, playing a melody that impresses the group. He practices nearly all night, sustained by berries.
• The next morning, Mingyou meets Akari and Shali at the Savanna Biome. He suspects Drayton may be tracking Meloetta too, so the three hurry to the Coastal Biome’s Outdoor Classroom, where Meloetta has appeared before.
• They wait through the hot day until Mingyou senses the familiar wind and leads them to the lake. Meloetta appears, dancing beside flowers.
• Encouraged by Akari, Mingyou plays the Harmonica. Meloetta recognizes the tune as the ancient Relic Song, a melody lost for thousands of years. Though puzzled by how Mingyou knows it, Meloetta is moved by his heartfelt playing and joins in, correcting his rhythm and singing.
• The two perform together. As the Relic Song takes effect, Meloetta transforms into its orange-haired form, and their performance ends in harmony.

Character developments

• Mingyou shows dedication by practicing through the night, but his exhaustion and anxiety reveal how much pressure he feels. He overcomes his nerves and connects with Meloetta through sincere music rather than any special “charming” ability.
• Akari supports Mingyou and recognizes his fatigue, choosing to address it later. Her reassurance helps him act when he hesitates.
• Meloetta is intrigued by Mingyou’s knowledge of its lost song. Its love of heartfelt music outweighs its suspicion, and it responds by teaching him the true melody.
• Flutter Mane enthusiastically asks Mingyou to play and hopes to improve its own musical reputation. Snivy remains competitive and grudgingly admits Mingyou’s performance is good.

Significant themes

• Sincerity over skill: Meloetta values the feeling behind Mingyou’s imperfect playing more than technical mastery.
• Music as connection and memory: The Relic Song bridges the gap between Mingyou and Meloetta and carries the weight of a lost past.
• Patience and perseverance: The group waits for hours, while Mingyou’s practice and willingness to perform help make the meeting possible.
• Competition and pressure: Akari describes Blueberry Academy’s intense student rankings, contrasting them with Naranja Academy’s less punishing environment.

Character interactions

• Mingyou’s Pokémon encourage, tease, and critique his music, turning practice into a group event.
• Akari shares breakfast with Mingyou and Shali, then offers him quiet encouragement before his performance.
• Shali documents the encounter and urges Mingyou to approach Meloetta.
• Mingyou and Meloetta gradually respond to one another through music, turning a tentative first contact into a joyful duet.

Key plot points and events

• After Mingyou and Meloetta perform Relic Song together, Meloetta trusts him and shares a card that can turn rose seeds into Melo Roses, whose fruit grants control over emotions.
• Meloetta uses its psychic power to show Mingyou what happened to it. Akari gives them privacy, but Drayton arrives and demands that Meloetta be handed over.
• Drayton explains that his grandfather, Drayden, asked him to find Meloetta after Team Rocket captured it a year earlier. His family wants to protect the Mythical Pokémon and return it to its proper home.
• Meloetta is frightened by Drayton’s approach, so Mingyou refuses to hand it over. Drayton’s fellow League Club members, Nari and Lacey, back him, and the dispute becomes a battle.
• Mingyou’s Pokémon, Akari, and her Basculegion and Ursaluna face Drayton, Nari, and Lacey’s six Pokémon. Shali stays out of the fight to photograph it.
• Drayton’s Rain Dance and Lacey’s sandstorm are turned to Mingyou’s team’s advantage. Coordinated attacks quickly knock out Empoleon and Alcremie, leaving the Elite Four members shocked by their opponents’ strength.

Character developments and interactions

• Meloetta moves from cautious curiosity to genuine trust in Mingyou, sharing its memories and accepting his protection.
• Mingyou makes clear that trust goes both ways: he understands Drayton’s explanation but still refuses to surrender Meloetta.
• Drayton reveals his family’s responsibility for Unova’s legends, though his indirectness and earlier use of Mingyou have undermined his credibility.
• Nari and Lacey confront Drayton over his past neglect of League Club duties, then support his effort to protect Meloetta.
• Akari chooses to fight alongside Mingyou, framing her involvement as a way to prevent the others from ganging up on him.
• Ogerpon and Flutter Mane eagerly defend Meloetta; Flutter Mane hopes to learn from it. Snivy, meanwhile, feels left out of the battle.

Significant themes

• Trust and protection: Meloetta distinguishes between people who treat it as a target and those who earn its confidence.
• Responsibility versus control: Drayton’s family duty may be sincere, but his demand to take Meloetta away clashes with Meloetta’s fear and wishes.
• Teamwork and battle strategy: Mingyou and Akari adapt to changing weather and coordinate their Pokémon with impressive precision.
• Chosen bonds: Meloetta’s new connection with Mingyou and the group’s willingness to defend it outweigh formal claims over its fate.

Plot and events

• Mingyou and Akari face the League Club’s three challengers—Lacey, Nari, and Drayton—in a battle over Meloetta.
• Akari’s Pokémon overwhelm the opponents’ opening tactics. Ursaluna’s controlled Earthquake knocks out Lacey’s Excadrill, while Ogerpon helps bring down Nari’s Metagross.
• Mingyou then reveals his own strategy: Gabite ambushes Kingdra, and Flutter Mane finishes it off. Basculegion takes out Metagross, leaving Drayton and his Archaludon as the final opponents.
• Drayton Terastallizes Archaludon into a Dragon type. Mingyou responds with Flutter Mane’s Fairy Tera Type, but Drayton recalls Archaludon and concedes, admitting he can’t win. The League Club loses its claim to Meloetta.
• Meloetta happily clings to Mingyou, joined by Flutter Mane and jealous Snivy, and the resulting cuddle pile knocks him over. Ogerpon is perfectly content to be left out.
• Mingyou reassures Meloetta that he will protect it and help it return home. Kieran arrives just as the chapter ends, noticing Mingyou.

Character developments and interactions

• Akari demonstrates exceptional battle experience, skillfully directing the fight while still coaching the students. She openly says she wants Mingyou to rely on her, embarrassing him.
• Mingyou initially lets Akari handle most of the battle, but proves his own tactical ability by drawing attention to Alcremie and setting up Gabite’s surprise attack. His promise to Meloetta shows his protective, caring side.
• Drayton begins confidently, then recognizes the strength of Mingyou and Flutter Mane and chooses to concede rather than risk a losing fight. Lacey calls him out for backing down.
• Meloetta’s attachment to Mingyou is based less on his strength than on their shared appreciation of music and the companionship he offers. Snivy shows jealousy, while Flutter Mane is happy to share Meloetta’s affection.
• The League Club members are left impressed by Mingyou and Akari, while Lacey also watches Meloetta’s closeness with Mingyou enviously.

Significant themes

• Trust and companionship: Meloetta wants a friend who understands its loneliness, not merely a powerful protector.
• Strength and teamwork: The battle showcases both Akari’s coordination and Mingyou’s strategic contribution, alongside Pokémon acting independently.
• Affection and belonging: The playful cuddle pile reflects the bonds among Mingyou and his Pokémon, while Ogerpon’s easygoing acceptance adds humor.
• Protection versus possession: The League Club’s desire to claim Meloetta contrasts with Mingyou’s promise to respect and safeguard it.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Kieran, president of Blueberry Academy’s League Club, arrives looking for Drayton and the other students after learning they had skipped training to search for Meloetta.
• He is delighted to discover that Mingyou is attending the academy’s open class and learns that Mingyou will remain until the holidays.
• Kieran ends the group’s unauthorized weekend activity, reminding Drayton and the others that they must return to their League Club duties.
• Kieran explains his strained relationship with Drayton: he once developed a strategy specifically to defeat Drayton, the former Champion, and now finds Drayton’s lazy attitude frustrating.
• Mingyou jokingly suggests that Kieran wear a shirt with Drayden’s face on it to intimidate Drayton. Kieran takes the idea seriously and later appears wearing the shirt, claiming it successfully silenced Drayton.
• Shali finishes photographing Meloetta and announces that she will leave to study the pictures and spend time at Cynthia’s villa. She invites Mingyou and Akari to visit.
• Meloetta returns to the group and becomes more comfortable around everyone, though she remains cautious around Shali.
• On the way back to Mingyou’s lodging, Meloetta teaches Flutter Mane, Ogerpon, Riolu, and the others musical melodies. Even Snivy joins in, creating a joyful, communal atmosphere.
• Kieran invites Mingyou and Akari to dinner. At the cafeteria, he reveals that the League Club is training for the Pokémon World Championships Junior Cup, which will take place in Lacunosa Town the following month.
• Kieran enthusiastically invites Mingyou to enter so they can battle, but Mingyou jokingly objects that competing against academy students would be like bullying children.

Character Development

• Kieran shows a warmer, more excitable side around Mingyou than he does with his classmates. His admiration and trust in Mingyou are clear, as he immediately believes the absurd Drayden-shirt plan.
• Mingyou continues to act as a playful schemer and social catalyst. He also becomes more considerate of Akari’s feelings, carefully avoiding wording that might make his closeness with Cynthia seem romantic.
• Akari displays growing familiarity with Mingyou and curiosity about his relationships, especially his connection to Cynthia. She is also increasingly comfortable participating in his social world, though she becomes shy when Mingyou notices her singing.
• Drayton is established as Kieran’s troublesome subordinate and former Champion, whose casual attitude clashes with Kieran’s sense of responsibility.
• Shali completes her work with Meloetta and moves on to the next stage of her research, while her mention of Cynthia highlights her extensive connections.
• Meloetta gradually trusts the group more and freely shares its music, especially with those who appreciate it.
• Ogerpon, Flutter Mane, Riolu, and Snivy bond with Meloetta through music, emphasizing their openness and emotional responsiveness.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and reunion: Kieran’s excitement at seeing Mingyou contrasts with his ordinary relationship with the League Club members and highlights the special importance of genuine friendship.
• Music as a universal bond: Meloetta’s singing brings humans and Pokémon together, demonstrating that music can overcome differences and create shared happiness.
• Humor and trust: Mingyou’s ridiculous suggestion about the Drayden shirt becomes effective only because Kieran trusts him completely, turning a joke into a successful solution.
• Duty versus leisure: The League Club’s responsibilities conflict with the students’ desire to pursue adventures, while their upcoming tournament gives their training a clear purpose.
• Emotional connections and restraint: Mingyou and Akari’s growing closeness is shown indirectly through curiosity, shyness, and Mingyou’s attempts to avoid misunderstandings.

Character Interactions

• Kieran warmly reunites with Mingyou but argues indirectly with Drayton over his lack of discipline.
• Mingyou teases Kieran about Drayton and offers the Drayden-shirt idea, which Kieran eagerly adopts.
• Akari questions Mingyou about Cynthia, revealing her interest in his personal connections.
• Shali discusses her photography and invites Mingyou and Akari to visit Cynthia’s villa.
• Meloetta teaches music to the Pokémon, creating a shared performance that delights Mingyou and Akari.
• Kieran later invites Mingyou to compete in the Junior Cup, setting up a likely future battle between the two friends.

Plot points and events

• Mingyou initially considers refusing Kieran’s invitation to the Pokémon World Championships Junior Cup, but changes his mind when he realizes the tournament could promote his Manor and give him a chance to approach Unova Champion Alder about collaborating.
• Akari offers to enter as well. Her priorities have changed since recovering her memories: she now prefers a peaceful life, though she still finds the prospect of battling Mingyou appealing.
• Back at the Manor, Mingyou finds Flutter Mane practicing singing with Meloetta. Its dreadful performance has frightened Tangtang unconscious. After Tangtang wakes, Mingyou recognizes its frustration at feeling weaker than the other Pokémon.
• Mingyou tells everyone about the Junior Cup and encourages Tangtang to enter if it wants to grow stronger. Tangtang accepts, and Flutter Mane lets the moment pass without teasing it.
• Mingyou registers for the Cup, asks Calyrex to watch the Manor, and arranges for Calyrex to send fruit for Tangtang. He also prepares for his Blueberry Academy Open Class, seeing it as an important publicity opportunity.
• At the packed Open Class, Mingyou begins by promoting his Pokémon TV account and promising a giveaway of newly cultivated produce to people who repost his message.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingyou shifts from reluctance to ambition, balancing his interest in competition with his goal of promoting the Manor. He responds sensitively to Tangtang’s insecurity, offering support without pressuring it.
• Tangtang moves from feeling useless and excluded to cautiously choosing to compete and improve. Its dependence on Mingyou is clear, as is its desire to join the others in exploring the world.
• Akari shows that her restored memories have changed her outlook: she no longer seeks a life of constant battles, though she remains open to a friendly match.
• Kieran is excited by Mingyou’s decision and eager to prove how much he has improved.
• Flutter Mane continues its playful rivalry with Tangtang but shows unexpected consideration by not interrupting its vulnerable moment. Meloetta patiently encourages Flutter Mane’s singing despite how unpleasant it sounds.

Significant themes

• Growth by choice: Mingyou supports Pokémon who want to become stronger but does not impose training on them.
• Belonging and self-worth: Tangtang’s insecurity reflects the pressure of comparing itself with stronger companions; Mingyou’s invitation helps it feel included.
• Changing ambitions: Akari’s peaceful outlook contrasts with her former drive to battle.
• Publicity and opportunity: The Junior Cup and Open Class are both chances for Mingyou to build connections and raise the Manor’s profile.

Chapter Summary: “I Was Watching You the Whole Class”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mingyou gives a public lecture at Blueberry Academy, but instead of teaching seriously, he turns it into a long comedy routine filled with unrelated stories and tangents. Most students find the lecture useless, though they remain interested because he promotes a giveaway afterward.
• The giveaway becomes extremely popular. Within minutes, thousands of people repost it, and after three days, the post has been shared over 100,000 times and Mingyou has gained tens of thousands of followers.
• Mingyou offers 100 prizes consisting of new fruits grown from Paldea-region cards. Only five are Ancient Oranges, whose potentially dangerous effect makes Mingyou cautious about distributing them widely.
• While students prepare for final exams, Mingyou trains his Pokémon in the Terarium. Snivy follows Ogerpon and learns from her, while Flutter Mane causes problems by singing loudly throughout the night.
• Mingyou’s lack of sleep eventually causes him to forget Professor Vero’s Monday lecture. Akari calls to wake him, and he rushes to class, arriving late and being forced to sit near the back.
• Exhausted, Mingyou sleeps through nearly the entire two-and-a-half-hour lecture. Professor Vero’s lecture is implied to be far more informative and professional than Mingyou’s.
• After class, Akari wakes Mingyou, wipes the drool from his face, and gives him detailed notes she took for him. She explains that she watched him throughout the lecture using a mirror so she could monitor him from the front rows.
• Akari becomes embarrassed by how closely she had been watching him and hurriedly leaves. Mingyou interprets her behavior as concern and is touched rather than uncomfortable.
• Mingyou plans to study Akari’s notes and meet Professor Vero, hoping to invite him to the Manor.

Character Development

• Mingyou: Continues to rely on humor, self-promotion, and unconventional methods rather than traditional teaching. He is clever enough to achieve his marketing goals but remains careless and easily distracted. His exhaustion reveals both his dedication to managing his Pokémon and his tendency to neglect his own needs. He also becomes increasingly aware of his admiration and affection for Akari.
• Akari: Acts as Mingyou’s responsible and practical counterpart. She criticizes his disastrous lecture but still supports him by reminding him about Professor Vero’s class, waking him when he oversleeps, and taking notes for him. Her embarrassed reaction suggests that her concern for Mingyou may be connected to romantic feelings.
• Flutter Mane: Develops as a source of comic trouble, particularly because of her nighttime singing. Her behavior leaves Mingyou sleep-deprived and directly causes him to miss much of Professor Vero’s lecture.
• Snivy and Ogerpon: Their relationship reflects Snivy’s eagerness to learn and Ogerpon’s role as a mentor among Mingyou’s Pokémon.

Significant Themes

• Unconventional success: Although Mingyou’s lecture is educationally poor, his humor and giveaway promotion are highly effective at attracting attention and building popularity.
• Responsibility versus carelessness: Mingyou wants to support and train his Pokémon, but his inability to control Flutter Mane’s behavior damages his sleep and responsibilities.
• Admiration and unspoken affection: Mingyou admires Akari’s intelligence and kindness but lacks the confidence to confess his feelings. Akari’s actions reveal a similar concern that she struggles to express openly.
• Public image and influence: Mingyou’s growing online following shows how quickly entertainment and novelty can generate social influence, even when the original content is criticized.
• The contrast between appearances and reality: Mingyou appears composed during his lecture but is secretly improvising, while Akari appears stern and critical but quietly takes care of him.

Important Character Interactions

• Mingyou and Akari: Their banter highlights their contrasting personalities. Akari rebukes Mingyou for treating the lecture like a comedy show, while Mingyou jokes about the success of his giveaway. Later, Akari’s hidden observation and note-taking reveal her concern for him, while Mingyou responds with warmth and admiration.
• Mingyou and the students: The students complain about his lecture but eagerly participate in his giveaway, showing that they are frustrated by him yet still attracted to his products and personality.
• Akari and Professor Vero’s lecture: Akari takes the class seriously and records the material for Mingyou, emphasizing her diligence and her willingness to help him despite his irresponsibility.
• Mingyou and his Pokémon: He cares about their safety and development, especially Snivy’s training with Ogerpon, but Flutter Mane’s behavior places a strain on him and exposes the limits of his ability to manage them.

Plot points and events

• After teaching a poorly received Open Class, Mingyou studies Akari’s detailed notes and recognizes why his lesson failed: students need to leave having learned something.
• He travels to the Terarium’s Central Plaza to meet Professor Vero, an expert in Pokémon ecology who helped build the Terarium’s Ecological Core.
• Vero demonstrates Meltan, a mysterious Pokémon he discovered and named, which can melt and absorb metal.
• Mingyou explains that he wants to build an Ecological Park in Kitakami so he can grow plants requiring different conditions and give the Pokémon living at his Manor habitats closer to their natural ones.
• Vero agrees with the goal but warns that recreating the Terarium is difficult: its Ecological Core depends on power drawn from beneath Unova’s waters, and its research data is confidential.
• Hoping to engage Vero’s interest, Mingyou claims he once saw a group of Meltan near Cerulean Cave. Vero is eager to investigate the report.
• Meltan tumbles off Vero’s shoulder, rolls over to Mingyou, and climbs onto his hand. Vero then asks Mingyou to look after it while he travels to Kalos.

Character developments

• Mingyou is reflective about his teaching and committed to creating a better home for both his crops and the Pokémon he has taken in. He uses a made-up Meltan sighting to help Vero’s research, though the encounter leaves him baffled when Meltan chooses him.
• Professor Vero comes across as energetic, approachable, and deeply devoted to ecological research. He is especially fascinated by the possibility that Meltan live in groups.
• Meltan appears curious and affectionate, and its apparent desire to join others of its kind brings it into contact with Mingyou.

Significant themes

• Learning and responsibility: Mingyou accepts that a teacher must give students real value for their time.
• Habitats and care: His Ecological Park plan aims to accommodate Pokémon whose needs differ from Kitakami’s natural environment.
• Science and its limits: The Terarium represents remarkable technology, but its scale, energy source, and confidential research make it difficult to reproduce.
• Cooperation through curiosity: Mingyou’s information sparks Vero’s research interest, while Meltan’s behavior unexpectedly links the two men’s goals.

Character interactions

• Mingyou approaches Vero respectfully and openly shares his Ecological Park plans; Vero understands that the project is motivated by concern for his Pokémon.
• Mingyou offers Vero a lead about Meltan, and Vero eagerly plans to investigate it.
• Meltan climbs onto Mingyou, surprising both men. Vero takes this as a sign of trust and asks Mingyou to care for it—an unexpected responsibility Mingyou has not yet accepted.

Key plot points and events

• Professor Vero asks Mingyou to care for Meltan while he finishes his research. Though reluctant and already busy with training and a tournament, Mingyou agrees after Vero promises to visit Kitakami and investigate Terastal energy there.
• Vero explains that Terastal energy helped transform Blueberry Academy’s Terarium into its current thriving state, and suggests it might help Mingyou build an Ecological Park. He admits he still doesn’t know why Kitakami’s seasons behave differently from Paldea’s.
• Left with Meltan, Mingyou tries to summon Ogerpon for help but learns that Flutter Mane has wandered off to find Blueberry Academy’s music classroom.
• Meltan promptly eats half of Synchrony’s twelve experimental Synchronizers, destroying months of work. Mingyou apologizes and accepts responsibility as Meltan’s guardian.
• Instead of asking for compensation, Synchrony asks Mingyou to help test the remaining device by synchronizing with Pokémon. Mingyou agrees out of curiosity, then learns he is expected to start by synchronizing with Meltan.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingyou is reluctant to take on another responsibility but ultimately agrees to care for Meltan. He tries to act responsible after Meltan’s destructive accident and is intrigued by Synchrony’s experiment.
• Professor Vero is practical and persuasive: he entrusts Meltan to Mingyou, then offers a future visit to Kitakami and advice about using Terastal energy.
• Meltan is curious, hungry, and oblivious to the trouble it causes, treating Synchronizers as a tasty source of metal and electricity.
• Synchrony begins furious over the loss of her research devices, but softens when Mingyou accepts responsibility. She redirects her frustration into recruiting him as a test subject.

Significant themes

• Responsibility and care: Mingyou takes responsibility for Meltan despite its mischievous behavior and his busy schedule.
• Scientific curiosity: The Synchronizer offers a way to experience a Pokémon’s life, while the mysteries of Terastal energy remain open to investigation.
• Unintended consequences: Meltan’s innocent appetite destroys valuable research, turning an accident into an unexpected opportunity for experimentation.

Character interactions

• Vero persuades Mingyou to take Meltan by combining trust in his Pokémon-care experience with the promise of visiting Kitakami.
• Mingyou’s attempts to manage Meltan are repeatedly disrupted—first by Flutter Mane’s disappearance, then by Meltan’s encounter with Synchrony’s devices.
• After the accident, Mingyou and Synchrony negotiate a solution: he will help test the Synchronizer, beginning with Meltan.

Plot points and events

• Mingyou agrees to test Synchrony’s experimental device, the Synchronizer, which lets a user’s mind enter a Pokémon’s body and share its sensations and emotions.
• Synchrony explains that the Pokémon must trust the user, that the Pokémon retains priority over its movements, and that synchronization rapidly drains the user’s energy. If it continues too long, it can cause serious exhaustion or mental harm.
• Mingyou synchronizes with Meltan. He sees his own body from the outside and discovers he can sense Meltan’s thoughts when it opens its mind to him.
• Trying to control Meltan proves difficult: Mingyou struggles to coordinate its magnetically held-together body, even accidentally separating its head from its body.
• Meltan’s overwhelming hunger takes over. It races toward a vending machine intending to eat the whole thing, and Synchrony prevents Mingyou from ending the test so he can experience the Pokémon’s sensations.
• Afterward, a drained Mingyou tells Akari he is too full to join her for lunch—he has learned what a vending machine tastes like.

Character developments

• Mingyou is curious and willing to take risks, but discovers that experiencing Pokémon life can be far stranger—and less pleasant—than he expected. He also notices the Synchronizer may reveal Pokémon thoughts more clearly than Synchrony realizes.
• Synchrony is enthusiastic about her research and prioritizes collecting firsthand data, even when Mingyou wants to stop.
• Meltan is affectionate and trusting enough to yield control, but its intense hunger quickly overrides Mingyou’s intentions.
• Akari acknowledges that she behaved badly earlier and reaches out to apologize and invite Mingyou to lunch.

Significant themes

• The chapter explores empathy through literally experiencing a Pokémon’s body, feelings, and instincts.
• It balances scientific curiosity with the risks of experimental technology and the importance of consent and safety.
• The contrast between human intentions and Pokémon instincts creates both comedy and tension.

Character interactions

• Synchrony carefully instructs Mingyou and supervises his first test, but later urges him to endure Meltan’s experience for the sake of research.
• Meltan readily lets Mingyou guide it at first, then takes control when its hunger drives it toward the vending machine.
• Akari’s apologetic invitation contrasts with Mingyou’s exhausted, absurd explanation of why he cannot eat.

• Mingyou’s experiment with Synchrony’s device: After completing the Synchronizer tests, Mingyou learns that Akari had tested an earlier prototype. Synchrony lets him keep the latest unit and asks him to keep collecting data. Mingyou wonders whether a Pokémon could use it to experience life as a human, and decides to synchronize with Ogerpon without telling it.
• Mingyou’s exhausting day: He remembers too late that he was supposed to visit the Music Classroom. By the time he arrives, the Student Council has closed it off, and the disturbing shrieks suggest the classroom’s problem has worsened. Nari approaches him, and Mingyou can only lament his mounting responsibilities.
• Meltan joins the household: That evening, everyone welcomes Meltan. Akari is pleased, believing Professor Vero may help the Manor build its Ecological Park in return. She notices Mingyou seems unwell and asks the Pokémon to let him rest. Flutter Mane and Snivy have grown fond of Akari after spending time with her, while Ogerpon stays behind, anxious about Mingyou.
• Mingyou secretly synchronizes with Ogerpon: Once alone with Ogerpon, Mingyou admits he is merely exhausted and decides to spend the next day experiencing the world through Ogerpon’s perspective. He disguises the Synchronizer as a “game console” and asks Ogerpon to keep it hidden, with instructions to press its red button if he has not woken by nearly midnight the following day. Ogerpon agrees trustingly, unaware of what the device will do.
• The experiment begins: Mingyou presses the blue button and enters Ogerpon’s body. Ogerpon believes he is asleep, tucks him in, hides the device in its cloak, and leaves to join Akari and the others. As Ogerpon talks to Akari, Mingyou discovers that sharing its viewpoint can be unexpectedly awkward—and immediately protests that his interpretation of what he sees is not Ogerpon’s fault.
  Character development and themes: Mingyou’s curiosity and desire to understand Pokémon more deeply lead him to risk crossing Ogerpon’s boundaries, even as he recognizes the ethical problem and intends to apologize. Ogerpon’s devoted, protective nature is emphasized by its worry over Mingyou and its unquestioning trust. The chapter mixes comedy with themes of empathy, trust, responsibility, and the limits of experiencing another being’s perspective.

Key plot points and events

• Mingyou’s emotional and visual synchronization with Ogerpon lets him experience her day from her perspective. He finds the connection awkward at times, especially when Ogerpon has no sense of what he finds embarrassing.
• Akari invites Ogerpon to share a late-night snack and offers to make Mingyou cookies. Ogerpon happily accepts the ingredients, then helps tidy up.
• Akari asks Ogerpon to stay overnight so she can cuddle her. Ogerpon is tempted but declines, choosing instead to keep watch over the resting Mingyou. She suggests another night.
• Flutter Mane privately tells Ogerpon she feels discouraged about singing after frightening students. Ogerpon reassures her and suggests changing her style or using an instrument. Encouraged, Flutter Mane decides to try a different approach.
• Snivy asks Ogerpon for battle practice to prepare for the Junior Cup; Ogerpon agrees to train her the next morning. Riolu asks to learn dessert-making, and Gabite asks Ogerpon to help arrange battles with strong Academy Trainers. Ogerpon agrees to help them too.
• Mingyou realizes that Ogerpon’s companions bring their worries to her because they trust her and do not want to burden him. He also recognizes small issues in his own relationships with them that he needs to address.
• Ogerpon spends the night beside Mingyou’s bed, then continues helping her companions the next day while Mingyou experiences it through their synchronization. As evening comes, the group gathers at Mingyou’s home, worried because he has been in bed all day. Akari plans to stay and prepare food for when he wakes.

Character developments

• Mingyou gains a deeper understanding of Ogerpon and the concerns his Pokémon keep from him. His initial self-consciousness gives way to reflection on how he can be a better companion.
• Ogerpon emerges as a natural, tireless caretaker: she is considerate, dependable, and genuinely happy to help. She also offers thoughtful encouragement rather than dismissing others’ worries.
• Flutter Mane moves from discouragement toward renewed confidence, realizing she can adapt her singing rather than abandon it.
• Snivy, Riolu, and Gabite each seek Ogerpon’s guidance for different goals, showing how much they trust her.
• Akari continues to show affection and care for both Ogerpon and Mingyou, hoping to spend more time with them and look after Mingyou.

Significant themes

• Empathy and understanding: Sharing Ogerpon’s perspective helps Mingyou see needs and problems he might otherwise miss.
• Kindness and mutual support: Ogerpon’s willingness to help strengthens the group, while her friends feel safe asking her for guidance.
• Perseverance through adaptation: Flutter Mane is encouraged to adjust her methods rather than give up on her dream.
• Care and affection: Ogerpon’s choice to stay by Mingyou and Akari’s efforts to comfort him show affection expressed through practical, attentive acts.

Character interactions

• Ogerpon gently redirects Mingyou’s attention and later accepts Akari’s snack invitation, while choosing to postpone Akari’s offer to cuddle.
• Ogerpon listens to Flutter Mane’s doubts and helps her find a new musical direction.
• Snivy, Riolu, and Gabite each approach Ogerpon with requests, and she responds warmly to all three.
• Mingyou silently witnesses these exchanges through Ogerpon, while Akari and the others prepare to care for him as he rests.

Key plot points and events

• Akari invites Ogerpon to bathe with her while Mingyou is still mentally linked to Ogerpon through the Synchronizer. He panics when he discovers he cannot log out.
• As Akari undresses, Mingyou tries to get Ogerpon to activate the Synchronizer, but Ogerpon’s confusion draws Akari’s attention. She recognizes the device and realizes Mingyou has been linked to Ogerpon all day.
• Akari confronts Mingyou. He admits that he saw her bathing, though he insists it was accidental. She is embarrassed and angry, but does not slap him; instead, she scolds him for hiding the experiment and worrying everyone.
• Mingyou explains the Synchronizer to the others and apologizes for making them anxious. Akari then speaks with him privately, returns the device, and tells him he should have simply asked for help.
• They discuss plans to travel to Undella Town after the upcoming exams, where they can stay with Cynthia while preparing for the Junior Cup. Akari offers to make Mingyou a late-night snack, and they end the evening laughing together.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingyou recognizes that, despite the accident, he violated Akari’s privacy and accepts responsibility. He also learns that his secrecy—not just what he saw—hurt and worried the people around him.
• Akari moves from shock and anger to concern and forgiveness. She understands Mingyou likely did not intend to watch her, but is upset that he concealed his situation. Her quiet remark about his reluctance to confess his feelings hints at affection and frustration with his timidity.
• Ogerpon is puzzled by Mingyou’s voice and later realizes he had been experiencing the day through her. She is chiefly relieved that he is safe and does not resent him.
• The group’s reactions vary: Meloetta is relieved, while Snivy and Flutter Mane worry that Mingyou may have discovered their secret request.

Significant themes

• Trust and honesty: Mingyou’s secrecy causes more harm than the accidental incident; Akari stresses that he could have trusted her.
• Privacy and accountability: The chapter treats the bathing mishap as a serious boundary violation, even though it was unintended, and Mingyou accepts responsibility.
• Affection and familiarity: Akari and Mingyou’s teasing, concern, and ability to laugh together show the closeness they have built over time.
• Belonging and care: The others’ worry, and Akari’s offer to feed Mingyou, emphasize the support surrounding him.

Key plot points and events

• Mingyou asks Synchrony why he couldn’t end his synchronization with Ogerpon the previous night. She has him test the Synchronizer with Riolu, then makes him continue until he and Riolu are exhausted.
• The test confirms that Mingyou cannot reliably log out by himself after prolonged synchronization; Synchrony must use the device to release him. She explains that his unusually perfect emotional synchronization can make a Pokémon’s body treat his consciousness as part of itself. She plans to address the flaw in a future version.
• Mingyou repeats the experiment with Ogerpon, taking control of her body. Akari arrives after class with Carmine, who enthusiastically hugs Ogerpon—unaware at first that Mingyou is inside.
• Akari and Carmine discover the situation. Carmine accuses Mingyou of using Ogerpon to take advantage of her; Mingyou counters that she was the one who grabbed them. Akari defuses the argument.
• Akari explains that exams will close the Terarium to non-exam participants, so she and Mingyou decide to leave for Undella Town and continue training there. Carmine reveals she will enter the Junior Cup and trades playful threats with Mingyou.
• After lunch with Carmine and Kieran, Mingyou and Akari pack and travel by boat to Undella Town. Snivy is thrilled by the sea and the prospect of seeing more of the world; Meloetta, though nervous about Team Rocket, stays close to Mingyou.
• Shali meets them at the wharf in Cynthia’s vehicle. In the passenger seat is a dark-haired girl who looks strikingly familiar. When she and Akari see each other, both freeze, each apparently wondering whether she is looking at herself.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingyou learns that his exceptional compatibility with Pokémon has a serious safety drawback. He remains willing to experiment, but recognizes he must be cautious. He also begins considering a date with Akari after overhearing Carmine’s suggestion.
• Synchrony confirms the Synchronizer’s limitation and treats Mingyou as a valuable test case, despite his teasing complaint that he is being used as a guinea pig.
• Akari is comfortable enough with Mingyou’s situation to recognize him inside Ogerpon, helps calm the dispute with Carmine, and plans their trip around the school’s exam schedule. Her expression changes at mention of the Diamond Clan, suggesting an unresolved concern.
• Carmine shows her affectionate, excitable side around Ogerpon, then becomes embarrassed and indignant when she learns Mingyou was controlling her. Her rivalry with Mingyou resurfaces as she prepares for the tournament.
• Snivy eagerly embraces the journey beyond the Terarium, while Meloetta remains wary of Team Rocket but reassured by Mingyou’s presence.
• The chapter ends with the first meeting between Akari and the mysterious girl beside Shali, setting up a major mystery.

Significant themes

• The Synchronizer’s promise of closeness comes with risks: perfect empathy can blur the boundary between human and Pokémon.
• Trust and affection shape the group’s relationships, often expressed through teasing, physical familiarity, and playful rivalry.
• The journey beyond school represents exploration and new possibilities, while the final encounter introduces uncertainty about identity.

Plot points and events

• Mingyou, Shali, Akari, and the newly arrived Dawn travel together after meeting at the airport. Akari and Dawn are struck by how alike they look, but Akari brushes aside the possibility that they might be related.
• Shali reveals that Cynthia researched Meloetta’s connection to the Abyssal Ruins in Opelucid City. Ancient records suggest Meloetta and human guardians have protected the ruins for generations, and that this history may explain Team Rocket’s interest in her.
• Shali warns that the guardians’ descendants may now be watching Mingyou and could try to take Meloetta back. Mingyou recognizes that Meloetta has stayed away because she wants a life beyond her inherited duty.
• Meloetta admits she wants to be free. Mingyou promises to protect her and declares that he will drive away anyone who tries to reclaim her. Overcome with emotion, Meloetta drops her invisibility and embraces him.
• Akari, having overheard the conversation, resolves not to hold Mingyou back this time. As the group reaches the Villa district, a Rotom Drone spots them and reports that Meloetta has appeared.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingyou moves from understanding Meloetta’s situation to openly choosing her freedom over the guardians’ claims. His promise marks a firm commitment to protect her.
• Meloetta acknowledges that she no longer wants to bear the burden of guarding the ruins. Her visible appearance and embrace suggest hope for a future in which she need not hide.
• Akari shows renewed resolve, recalling an earlier incident when she felt she had held Mingyou back.
• Dawn and Akari meet warmly despite their uncanny resemblance; Dawn is outgoing, while Akari is more reserved.
• Shali acts as an ally and source of information, sharing Cynthia’s findings and trusting Mingyou to decide what to do.

Significant themes

• Freedom versus inherited duty: Meloetta’s ancient responsibility may no longer reflect what she wants.
• Trust and chosen bonds: Mingyou’s promise gives Meloetta confidence that she can choose a different life.
• Change versus tradition: Mingyou challenges the guardians’ insistence on preserving old customs at Meloetta’s expense.
• Hope and solidarity: Akari’s resolve and Shali’s support reinforce Mingyou’s commitment to stand by Meloetta.

Plot points and events

• Team Rocket tracks Meloetta to Cynthia’s Villa using a drone that can detect her Special Song Energy, despite her invisibility.
• At Team Rocket’s Kanto headquarters, Giovanni orders Lance to retrieve Meloetta, eliminate Mingyou, and extract the technology behind Mingyou’s successful Manor business. He believes Mingyou beat Lambda largely through luck and notes that Cynthia is away, making the mission seem possible.
• Lance accepts confidently, rejecting Apollo’s warning that he might fail like Lambda.
• At the Villa, Mingyou, Akari, and the others settle in. Dawn invites Akari to visit her room; she wonders if Akari and Mingyou are sharing a room, and Akari says they are not yet in that kind of relationship.
• At dinner, Mingyou gently encourages the shy Meloetta to reveal herself. Dawn is delighted to meet her, while Piplup immediately becomes infatuated and rushes toward her. Riolu stops Piplup before the others can react aggressively.
• Meloetta offers Piplup half a red bean bun. Piplup faints after accidentally touching her hand, prompting Dawn to joke that Piplup has a crush.
• After Akari comments that love must be mutual, Mingyou awkwardly asks to speak with her after dinner. Akari eagerly agrees.

Character developments and interactions

• Giovanni treats Mingyou as both a business rival and a threat, and is determined to obtain the Manor’s technology as well as Meloetta.
• Lance moves from surprise and doubt to eager confidence once Giovanni explains why the mission should be manageable. Apollo openly doubts his chances and compares him to Lambda.
• Mingyou and Akari show mutual closeness, though Akari clarifies they are not yet a couple. Mingyou’s request to speak privately suggests he may be ready to take a step forward.
• Dawn is friendly toward Akari and thrilled by Meloetta. Her teasing makes Akari self-conscious.
• Meloetta remains shy around strangers but trusts Mingyou’s reassurance enough to appear.
• Piplup develops an immediate, comically intense crush on Meloetta; Riolu and the others act protectively, while Mingyou and Dawn prevent the situation from escalating.

Significant themes

• Ambition and rivalry: Team Rocket’s pursuit of Mingyou is driven by both its desire to capture Meloetta and its resentment of his successful business.
• Trust and protection: Meloetta’s willingness to appear reflects her trust in Mingyou, while his Pokémon protect her as a cherished member of the group.
• Affection and romance: Piplup’s one-sided infatuation contrasts with Akari’s observation that love must be mutual, setting up Mingyou’s private conversation with her.