[Leave your brains here. Character and Pokémon pictures are at the end of the chapter.]
Lihai Town, Sinnoh Region.
"The three-way fork on Back Mountain really does look like the future Metagross Mountain."
A three-way fork lay before Li Wei. This was the fourth location he had searched based on his hazy memories.
About eighteen years ago, Li Wei had been born into this world where humans and Pokémon coexisted.
To Li Wei, this place was both familiar and unfamiliar. Ash and Pikachu were familiar; his surroundings were not.
What had once been anime and games in his memories was now something he experienced firsthand.
His family's property had been slated for demolition, and their Pokémon Day Care had closed.
His parents had gone traveling for the time being.
Li Wei finally had time to search for the silver Metagross.
It was just too cool. He couldn't resist.
Strength was temporary, but looking cool was forever.
A handsome guy needed a cool Pokémon!
At Jessie and James's Ramen Shop at the foot of the mountain, Li Wei overheard a couple talking.
"I heard someone else went to challenge the Shiny Metang on Back Mountain, only to get beaten to a pulp."
"That Metang has such a bad temper. I hope no one else gets hurt."
A third wheel slipped into their midst.
"Hello. Sorry for the trouble, but could you tell me more? I can pay for your ramen."
Given Li Wei's good looks, neither refused.
After forcing his way into their conversation and paying for their noodles, Li Wei got the information he needed and headed to Back Mountain in Lihai Town.
Li Wei tossed out two Luxury Balls.
"Lucario, Arcanine, I'm counting on you."
Arcanine was covered in fluffy, flaxen fur, with alternating black and orange stripes and a long, bushy tail.
Lucario stood on two legs, yellow above and blue below, with white bone spikes on the backs of its paws and its chest. It looked as imposing as a werewolf.
Leave it to me.
Lucario nodded solemnly.
Lucario could use the power of aura to convey messages through telepathy.
"Awooo~" ┗|｀O′|┛ "Awooo~~"
Just leave this to yours truly!
Arcanine flashed a toothy grin like a triumphant king returning home.
Dropping to one knee, Lucario pressed a paw against the ground and scanned the surrounding aura with itself at the center.
The power of aura lives within my heart.
Lucario's aura could easily detect things a kilometer away, and images of its surroundings surfaced in its mind.
Meanwhile, Arcanine shot off like an arrow, lowering its head as its nose twitched.
Less than fifteen minutes later-
Found it!
Excitement filled Lucario's voice.
Following the path uphill, Li Wei reached a cliff jutting out from the mountaintop.
Standing at the edge, Lucario pointed into the ravine below. It's down there.
"Metang, come on out!"
Li Wei's voice echoed through the valley.
Before long, a Metang with a disc-shaped body and two arms, sharp golden spikes protruding from its joints,
The Shiny Metang, its whole body gleaming with a dazzling metallic sheen in the sunlight, flew out of the ravine.
Ordinary Metang were blue-green.
Shiny Metang, however, were bright silver.
A strange glint flickered in Li Wei's eyes. How could a Pokémon be as cool as a Shiny Metang?
Li Wei estimated that this Shiny Metang's disc-shaped body was nearly a meter across, roughly thirty centimeters larger than average.
Li Wei met the Shiny Metang's dark red eyes.
"Metang, battle me! If I win, become my Pokémon!"
"Bzz-clang!"
The Shiny Metang nodded expressionlessly.
"Lucario, fall back for now."
"Arcanine, I choose you!"
"Awooo~" 凸(｀0´)凸
Arcanine let out a majestic howl.
Li Wei's Arcanine had the ability Intimidate, which lowered the Attack of opponents within range.
A metallic sheen washed over the Shiny Metang's body, and its imposing presence remained unchanged.
Σ(☉▽☉"a
Arcanine tilted its head in surprise.
Li Wei murmured, "Looks like its ability is Clear Body. Doesn't that make my nasty little Intimidate-and-Snarl combo useless?"
Clear Body prevented opponents' moves and abilities from lowering the user's stats.
The Shiny Metang attacked first.
Its right claw gleamed as it brought a Metal Claw down toward Arcanine's massive head.
"Take the hit and use Will-O-Wisp at point-blank range!"
Metal Claw struck Arcanine squarely on the head, but at the same time, three dark purple flames roared out from Arcanine's body!
The three eerie flames spiraled together and compressed before exploding against Metang with a bang, clinging to its body and burning relentlessly!
Hit by Will-O-Wisp, Metang was immediately burned.
You might have Clear Body, but that's fine.
I still have my nasty little Will-O-Wisp.
Metang's eyes flickered in pain.
"Flamethrower!"
Li Wei pressed his advantage.
Orange-red flames poured from Arcanine's open jaws, splashing across Metang's body.
The force of the flames slammed Metang into the cliff face. Pain twisted its expression, and black scorch marks appeared on its metal body.
A layer of blue light enveloped Arcanine, lifting its body into the air against its will and cutting off its Flamethrower.
Floating about thirty centimeters off the ground, Arcanine panicked a little, dog-paddling in midair.
!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ
"Confusion, huh?"
Li Wei hadn't expected Metang to be able to use Confusion under these circumstances.
That only further proved this Shiny Metang's talent.
"Break free! Flare Blitz!"
"Awooo!"
With a majestic howl, Arcanine cloaked itself in flames and charged straight at Metang in midair.
Metang tried to dodge, but flames flared across its body. The pain from its burn kept it from getting clear in time.
Bam-
Struck by Arcanine's Flare Blitz, Metang went flying backward and slammed heavily into the cliff face.
"Finish it off! Extreme Speed!"
This wasn't a turn-based game.
When an opening appeared, you had to keep up the pressure.
Before Metang could fall,
the nimble Arcanine kicked off the cliff face, its body glowing white. In the blink of an eye, it appeared right in front of the falling Metang!
Boom-
With an earth-shaking explosion, Metang collapsed to the ground, spirals filling its eyes.
"That wasn't as hard as they said. Pretty easy, actually."
"Go, Luxury Ball!"
Li Wei threw a Luxury Ball with a mostly black shell, a yellow stripe around the middle, and a red ring on each half.
Luxury Balls had a higher catch rate and comfortable interiors.
Pokémon living inside them felt more at ease, making it easier to strengthen their bond with their Trainers.
Their only drawback was the price.
The unconscious Metang immediately turned into a beam of red light and was drawn into the Luxury Ball.
It didn't shake at all. A perfect catch!
Li Wei picked up the Poké Ball, exchanged a glance with Lucario and Arcanine, and raised the Luxury Ball high.
"Shiny Metang, Get☆Daze!"
"Luca!"
"Awooo!"
Just then, Li Wei's Pokémon watch rang.
Before you continue