When a Childhood Friend Met Someone New

Early that morning, Xu Mu was woken by Arceus licking his face.

Wiping the drool from his face, Xu Mu stared at Arceus in disbelief.

"Why are you hungry again?"

"Is your stomach a bottomless pit?"

After grumbling under his breath, Xu Mu tried to go back to sleep.

But he soon sat bolt upright and jumped out of bed.

"I'll make you breakfast. Just wait a minute."

Xu Mu hurried to soothe little Arceus.

He had no choice. Once Arceus said he was hungry, he would cry if Xu Mu didn't make him food.

He sounded so wronged that you'd think Xu Mu had done something unforgivable.

"Waaah!"

[Dad won't feed me! Waaah, I'm so hungry!]

[I'm going to starve! Poor me! Dad won't cook, and I'm wasting away!]

The little guy's tears broke Xu Mu.

Please, stop crying. I'll make you anything you want right now!

"Stop crying. I'm making you food now, okay? Settle down for a minute."

As soon as Xu Mu agreed, little Arceus stopped crying.

Sure enough, the squeaky wheel got the grease!

The old saying was right!

Having woken Xu Mu, the little troublemaker raced straight to Cynthia's room.

He woke her the same way, licking her face, then grabbed the snacks beside her bed and dug in.

Cynthia chuckled at the little guy's goofy look and went to wash up.

By the time Xu Mu finished making breakfast, Cynthia was ready too.

"Are we leaving today or tomorrow?"

Cynthia happily enjoyed the breakfast Xu Mu had made for her as she asked.

"When does the competition start?"

Xu Mu sat down only after preparing the Pokémon Food, then picked up a sandwich and took a bite.

Cynthia found the poster again and checked it.

"Oh my gosh! The first preliminary round is this afternoon. I only just noticed!"

Xu Mu laughed. Of course. If I hadn't asked, would you have waited until tomorrow to go to Green City?

"Then let's leave as soon as we finish eating. Should we book plane tickets?"

Cynthia shook her head. There was no need.

"We'll have Uncle Tatu fly us there by helicopter. There should be a place for us to stay, too."

Xu Mu stared at her.

Right. I still hadn't realized rich people could be this outrageously rich...

A private aircraft on call, properties all over the country... This is just...

"Sounds good."

Xu Mu accepted the arrangement and said no more. He didn't need Cynthia dealing him another blow.

After breakfast, Uncle Tatu arrived. He handed Cynthia her replacement ID and other reissued documents before taking the pilot's seat.

"What's that?"

Xu Mu looked curiously at the new bag in Cynthia's hands.

"My old backpack was lost in the Secret Realm, remember? These are all the documents and cards I just had replaced."

Xu Mu nodded. He couldn't ask any more.

They replaced all those documents in a single day. I don't want to know how, and I'm not asking.

As for what had happened afterward with the powerful fighters his dear old dad had slain in the Secret Realm, or with Entei, Xu Mu still had no idea.

No one had come asking, and his dad had told him not to worry about it. So everything was fine.

The helicopter was fast. In less than three hours, Xu Mu and Cynthia reached Green City.

Then, with Uncle Tatu leading the way, they arrived at another luxurious villa.

"My Lady, I'll take my leave."

Once Cynthia was settled in, Uncle Tatu left.

Before he went, though, he shot Xu Mu a fierce glare.

The warning in it was unmistakable.

Xu Mu shamelessly pretended not to notice. He set down his bag and whistled without a care.

"We still have time. Let's get something to eat, then head to the venue."

As she spoke, Cynthia went straight to the refrigerator and opened it.

She took out a tub of ice cream and returned to the sofa, looking delighted.

"Want some?"

Xu Mu quickly shook his head. What was this ice-cream-loving girl's stomach made of?

Wasn't she afraid of the cold?

Eating something that cold on an empty stomach... Didn't she get cramps when that time of the month came around?

On the way to the venue, Xu Mu took Cynthia's hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Cynthia paused, then gave him a sly smile.

"There's no danger out here now. Why are you still holding my hand?"

Her sudden question caught Xu Mu off guard, but he quickly came up with an excuse.

With an easy smile, Xu Mu said, "The outside world's even more dangerous. Didn't your family ever tell you that?"

Cynthia thought about it. He did have a point...

Oh well. Holding hands like this feels nice enough. I'll let him.

Hand in hand, they reached the venue.

After verifying their identities, they went into the competitors' waiting area.

What Xu Mu didn't know was that the Little War God Cup, though billed as a competition for powerful Rookie Trainers,

was really a game for the descendants of the powerful.

In other words, its competitors were the children of important people—the best of the best.

They had received a completely different education from ordinary children since they were young.

They had also been around Pokémon and trained them from an early age.

Naturally, their strength far surpassed that of ordinary people.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they had all been born with a head start!

It might sound unfair, but that was reality. Cynthia was one of those people too.

Still, no one could choose where they came from, but they could take their fate into their own hands.

A fast start didn't guarantee a lasting lead. That still depended on individual effort and opportunity.

"Xu Mu, I want you to meet a new friend!"

Cynthia came back from a nearby transfer machine with a smile.

Xu Mu paused as she took out a new Poké Ball and opened it.

Pop!

A Lucario appeared!

"Is that...?"

Xu Mu looked at Cynthia. "A Lucario? That's a rare Pokémon! Is he yours?"

Cynthia nodded.

"He and I were born on the same day. We've been together all our lives."

"He only left recently to train with my father. But now he's finished his training and come back!"

Cynthia spoke with obvious delight.

Lucario waved a greeting to Xu Mu as well.

"Luca!"

[Hey there, Xu Mu!]

Xu Mu smiled back. "Hello, Lucario."

"Luca, luca!"

[Uncle Tatu told me about you. You think you can steal Cynthia away from me? Dream on!]

As another male, Lucario knew exactly what Xu Mu was thinking.

This guy was definitely a shameless pervert. He had to be up to no good getting close to Cynthia.

Xu Mu smiled without a trace of shame. That's right. I've got my eye on Cynthia!

Lucario, was it? If you've got a problem with that, bring it on!