Trainer School.
Under Principal Oak's guidance,
Li Wei and Cynthia arrived at the lower-grade classroom, where they met Ash's future classmates.
Lillie, Mallow, Sophocles, Kiawe, and Lana-these five were all great teammates, without a single annoying one among them.
Lillie made her admiration for Li Wei abundantly clear. She was a huge fan of his.
Of course, it wasn't because of his battling skills.
Lillie didn't like Pokémon.
She preferred raising Pokémon.
After all, as Li Wei remembered it, Lilia had initially been unable to touch Pokémon.
So when Lillie said she was his fan, Li Wei felt rather flattered.
"Thank you for your support. If you have any questions about raising Pokémon, feel free to ask me."
"Thank you!" Lillie clasped her hands in front of her and gave him a formal bow.
"No need to be so polite."
This was how Lillie saw it:
Even though she couldn't handle Pokémon yet, she could study hard, and once she could touch them someday...
She would be able to put all that knowledge to use.
Since they had entered the school grounds,
Li Wei had temporarily recalled the large Metagross, Corviknight, and Arcanine.
Only Pokémon that could move through the hallways, such as Lucario, Zeraora, and Sirfetch'd, remained at his side.
They had certainly given Principal Samson Oak plenty of material for his impressions along the way...
"Melo~"
"Kimi!"
Meloetta and Victini, perched on Li Wei's left and right shoulders respectively, greeted Lillie enthusiastically.
Victini even flew off Li Wei's shoulder, trying to settle on Lillie's hat.
But...
Before Victini could even reach her,
Lilia had already hurriedly backed away.
In no time,
Lillie had hidden behind Mallow, leaving only half her face and her large, watery eyes peeking out.
"S-s-sorry,
I can't touch Pokémon..."
Victini froze.
*Do I look