After saying goodbye to Steven and Elite Four Drake, Yong and Cynthia picked up Qingcao from the Devon Corporation's ground-floor lobby, where he was happily playing at an arcade machine.
The three politely declined the offer of a car and enjoyed a rare leisurely stroll through the streets of Rustboro City.
"It's changed so much..."
Yong couldn't help sighing.
"More imposing, less laid-back..."
This was Qingcao's first taste of a bustling metropolis, too. The sheer variety of shops and buildings dazzled him, and their styles were completely different from those in the Kalos Region.
"Teacher Yong, are all the cities in the Eastern Hemisphere this tall and grand?"
Yong hesitated briefly at the question, then answered with a smile.
"There aren't many industrial cities as developed as Rustboro City, but in terms of bustle, this isn't actually the liveliest metropolis out there. When we have time, I can take you around the Kanto Region."
"Really...?"
The boy looked stunned.
There were places even livelier than this?
Beside them, Cynthia smiled.
"I don't remember you ever visiting the Kanto Region."
"You can figure that out without going, right? It developed much earlier, after all. I'm really curious about it!"
The young man laughed freely, then looked at Cynthia.
"What do you say, Madam Champion? Want to come along when the time comes?"
"Huh...?"
Seeing the smile on his face, Cynthia paused for a moment before breaking into a smile of her own.
"Sure! But you'd better not fall too far behind in strength. You can't expect a Champion to personally step in whenever you run into danger, can you?"
"Of course... I'll gladly take care of it!"
Yong laughed, resting his hands behind his head as he spoke casually.
"The road through the Elite Four level is a long one. That