Inside the small world within Mt. Pyre, in the wooden cabin on the summit.
The furnishings were simple. Everything was made of wood, giving the place a very plain look.
Another elderly man sat at the wooden table in the living room, with Gengar happily chattering away beside him.
The old man listened attentively, nodding now and then.
This had to be Pheobe's grandfather.
Seeing his wife bring in an unfamiliar young man, the old man beckoned gently.
"You're Chen Shi, aren't you? Come and sit down."
Chen Shi sat down comfortably in front of the two elders.
"I contacted Old Chen because I wanted him to help look after my granddaughter."
Pheobe, who had just entered, immediately exclaimed in delight, "Grandpa, you're going to let me leave?"
Pheobe's Grandpa sighed. "Come and sit down too."
Pheobe skipped over and sat beside Chen Shi.
Seeing the teasing smile still on his face, she looked a little awkward and turned her head slightly, not daring to look at him.
Pheobe's Grandpa continued, "This child grew up here. Her personality is... rather innocent. Sorry for the trouble, but I'd like you to look after her."
"Teach her how to live in the outside world and tell good from bad."
Chen Shi's expression turned a little odd. Pheobe's Grandpa was putting it very delicately.
Rather innocent? This girl was ridiculously naive.
He also understood what the old man wanted: for him to babysit Pheobe for a while.
During that time, he would help her adjust to the outside world.
Suddenly, Chen Shi remembered something. The orbs belonging to Can't Fly and Fathead Fish seemed to be in these two elders' possession.
After a moment of thought, he hinted, "Sir, things aren't exactly peaceful out there right now."
"Two underground organizations have emerged in Hoenn lately. One's called Team Magma, and the other's Team Aqua."
"I hear they're looking for something, with the aim of tracking down the legendary God of the Land and God of the Sea."
"I've heard they even have Champion Level Pokémon."
"A while ago, the League sent Mura of the Elite Four to capture them, but unfortunately, he didn't get very far."
"Do you still want me to take your granddaughter out there?"
"Of course, I'm not trying to refuse. I'm just giving you a heads-up. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come."
The two elders' expressions grew grave.
How could they fail to see what this young man was getting at?
He was using Pheobe's situation to remind them to keep the orbs safe.
Neither asked how Chen Shi knew about these things. Since he had warned them, that meant he bore them no ill intent.
There was no point in digging to the bottom of everything. After living so many years, the elders had long since learned to let such things go.
After a moment of thought, Pheobe's Grandpa lightly tapped his cane.
Another Gengar immediately emerged from his shadow.
"Go and fetch that thing for me."
Gengar climbed straight out and vanished.
Chen Shi glanced at that Gengar's stats. Yes, peak Elite King.
He wasn't surprised.
Without some strength of their own, how could these two elders protect the two great orbs?
A little later, Gengar returned with a pitch-black little box and placed it on the table.
"This is your payment. Sorry for the trouble, but please take good care of Pheobe."
"And thank you very much for the warning. If anything unexpected happens, I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you for help as well."
Chen Shi paused, but didn't think much of it.
Yet the moment he opened the box, Chen Shi's pupils contracted sharply, and Drakloak's Poké Ball at his waist began shaking violently.
Chen Shi hurriedly shut the box, and only then did Drakloak settle down.
Now he understood what the old man's final remark meant.
He wanted Chen Shi to come and help if anything happened inside Mt. Pyre.
Put plainly, he wanted Chen Shi to owe him a favor.
But this was one favor he really couldn't avoid owing.
When he had opened the box, the system panel had displayed a description of the item inside.
[A reverse scale naturally shed by Giratina. It holds a powerful attraction for Dragon-type or Ghost-type Pokémon.]
That attraction really was powerful.
No doubt about it.
For Dreepy, who was both Dragon-type and Ghost-type, its appeal was practically irresistible.
He had almost burst out of his Poké Ball just now.
After giving it some thought, Chen Shi nodded firmly. "I'll accept."
Pheobe's Grandpa inclined his head slightly. They understood each other without another word.
Turning to Pheobe, he said, "Go upstairs and pack your things. You'll be leaving with him."
Pheobe agreed excitedly and bounded upstairs.
She had wanted to leave for ages. Staying here meant doing nothing but growing flowers out of boredom, and there was no fun in that at all.
Once she was gone, Chen Shi couldn't help asking, "Sir, are you really giving this to me?"
"You won't regret it?"
The old man slowly shook his head. "It's no use sitting in my hands. Better to give it to you."
"I hope that once you've grown stronger, you'll look out for this place."
"No problem," Chen Shi promised without wasting words.
"If you ever need my help, just contact me."
Although he now owed them a huge favor, Chen Shi accepted it willingly.
If he gave Dreepy this reverse scale to eat when it evolved, it might bring about a complete transformation.
Like Dreepy, Giratina was a Ghost-type dragon, and a first-tier god at that. The benefits of a reverse scale it had naturally shed went without saying.
That was why Chen Shi had agreed so readily.
The old man then smiled and added, "Please keep a close eye on Pheobe."
"She's lived here all her life and grown up under our care. She doesn't know how treacherous people out there can be."
"We don't want to keep her tied to this place forever, either. We can only entrust her to you."
Pheobe's grandmother chimed in, "That's right. Young people need to get out and see the world."
A flicker of reminiscence passed through her clouded eyes, as though she had recalled something from her youth.
Chen Shi shrugged. "Then I'll have her stay at my family's farm for a while."
"When the time's right, I'll let her go out and explore. Once she suffers a few minor setbacks, she'll understand."
Teaching someone like Pheobe wouldn't help. She had to experience things herself and discover the ugliness of the outside world on her own.
Otherwise, no matter how many times you told her, it would be useless.
Anyway, innocent girls like her always seemed pretty good at surviving in TV dramas.
She should be fine.
Hearing Chen Shi's words, Pheobe's Grandpa froze. After a moment of silence, he sighed.
"You're right. Once she's seen more of the world and suffered a few minor setbacks, she'll understand."
"If I'd understood that back then, my son..."
Pheobe's grandmother immediately cut him off.
"That's enough, old man. Why bring that up?"
Then she turned to Chen Shi. "Shi, let's do as you suggested."
"All right. I'll take her with me in a bit."
Giratina
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