"Damn it, even now I have to watch them being all lovey-dovey."
Soak had worked surprisingly well, and Shen Qi remembered another use Pelipper had in battle: Tailwind.
As he leveled up, he could naturally learn the Flying-type move Tailwind.
Once activated, it lasted four turns and doubled the speed of allies.
Just like with Soak, what they needed now was not the move's original effect, but its influence on the current downpour.
"Have the two Pelipper try standing back-to-back and blowing Tailwind diagonally upward in opposite directions."
After a brief period of trial and coordination, Mr. Pelipper first used Tailwind toward the upper left, and his wife did the same toward the upper right.
Much of the rain above the Berry field was blown off to either side.
Tailwind also lasted for a while in reality, leaving the Pelipper enough time to use Water Pulse to blast holes through the mud.
The water level on the slope where the Berry field lay dropped sharply. Several islanders, exhausted almost to the point of immobility, managed to give them a thumbs-up.
Once their reserves for Water Pulse ran dry, the Pelipper switched to Water Gun. Keeping Tailwind going at the same time put them under considerable strain.
As for Luvdisc, her proficiency with Soak exceeded 80%, giving her 20 PP. That was certainly enough for a battle, but who could guarantee she would last until the rain stopped?
If it rained for another three days and nights... no, even another half day would be too much for the islanders and their Pokémon.
Eventually, the two Pelipper landed to rest, and Luvdisc floated listlessly in the water.
Repeated blockages had caused the pump to break down in a way they could not easily repair on-site.
Rain poured down across the vast expanse between heaven and earth. Auntie Chunhe kept shedding tears, apologizing to everyone through the curtain of rain in a hoarse voice.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry. I did think there wasn't much chance of saving the Berry field. If I'd known there was no hope, I shouldn't have put everyone through all this in the middle of the night."
"What nonsense are you talking about? During that storm a few years ago, I asked all the neighbors to help shore up my shack when it was about to collapse. Didn't you come too?"
"Exactly. None of us are particularly capable or powerful Pokémon Trainers, but when trouble comes, we have to shoulder it together."
"Thank you, everyone."
Chunhe wiped the droplets from her face, unable to tell rain from tears, and gazed lovingly at the Berry field passed down by her ancestors.
They no longer had the strength to stop the rising water, but with islanders as close as brothers and sisters seeing it off alongside her, life had not entirely lost its hope.
Chunhe took off her bamboo hat and held it against her chest, letting the rain beat down on her as though bidding the Berry field farewell. Unable to bear his despair, her son crouched beside a muddy puddle, clutching his head in silence.
The islanders slumped in the muddy water around them also lowered their heads in silence, mourning the loss as though it were their own.
"Hm?"
The patter of rain against straw capes and raincoats dwindled sharply. A shaft of daylight broke through the heavy clouds and the gloom that had persisted for days, reaching the earth once more and breathing life into it.
It took Dev a long moment to react.
"The sky's clearing!"
"Wow-!"
"We held out until the sky cleared!"
The clouds receded visibly, and Chunhe's younger son grinned foolishly up at the sky.
"I knew it..."
Before he could finish, the young man next door gave him a kick. "You were the one crying the loudest."
"Hahaha!"
"Hahahaha-!"
Gwahahahahaha-
Amid the laughter, the Pelipper joined in with wild cackles, despite being unable to understand human speech.
Chapter 43: Radiant Light and Shadow
Click.
Shen Qi pressed the camera button on his phone. On the screen, Lilligant sat serenely in a meadow scattered with tiny flowers, peaceful and lovely.
The torrential rain had finally stopped, classes had resumed at Pokémon High School, and the Pokémon Photography activity could continue.
Time really was tight. There was only one week left, with just a single weekend in between, meaning Shen Qi had few chances to shoot on location.
If he was caught skipping class to take pictures, he would be disqualified from the photography event outright. The event was meant to encourage learning; he could not put the cart before the horse.
As for making up an excuse to take leave and go take pictures... Lilligant certainly would not let Shen Qi do that.
Having a Pokémon as beautiful as Lilligant, plus being able to take her outside Pokémon High School for photo shoots, were Shen Qi's two main advantages in competing for first place in the Pokémon Photography activity. Now, because of the schedule, he had only one weekend to make use of them.
If he could not get good location shots next weekend, he would have to shoot within Pokémon High School, leaving him on much the same footing as the other students.
During lunch break and the afternoon activity period, Shen Qi wandered around with Lilligant. In the end, this was still the best spot: the hidden woodland clearing Lilligant had discovered.
[Narration: Lilligant cast a curious glance his way, wanting to see the results of today's shoot.]
"These ones turned out pretty well."
His phone held over sixty new photos, all taken that day.
He took several shots in each burst and would slowly sort through them at home.
After the storm, the sky was a pristine blue. Brilliant sunshine carried all the warmth of summer, remaining vibrant even after filtering through the gaps between the trees.
Even Lilligant's secluded patch of grass beside the water received plenty of light.
After scrolling through all the photos, Shen Qi was most pleased with one of Lilligant bending down to lightly touch the water's surface.
The angle was just right, capturing her leafy hair partly gathered and partly hanging loose.
Filtered through the branches and leaves, bands of sunlight spilled gently down from behind her at an angle, veiling the image in a dreamlike beauty.
With that level of polish and control over the composition, combined with Lilligant's exceptional beauty and figure, the photo genuinely looked like a contender for first place.
Shen Qi breathed a sigh of relief. The photos he had taken on location with Lilligant the previous weekend all had their flaws.
For instance, the one of her looking back beside the spring had a good pose and composition, but unfortunately, the lack of light made the image too dark.
As for the photos taken on the bridge between Island 5 and Island 6, most looked like miserable prison shots through bars.
The only shot of her running beyond the railing, with the sea and sun in the background, had been a lucky accident. Lilligant had suddenly started running to avoid Xia Yang, a fellow Racing Driver, and Shen Qi had taken the photo without thinking, leaving her moving limbs somewhat blurry.
He could enter those photos in the contest, and Shen Qi believed they could earn a decent placing, but winning the grand prize for first place was genuinely uncertain.
[This one looks nice too.]
Lilligant picked another photo, taken in front of the little library building.
Lunch break had been about to end then, and no students were lingering near the library. Shen Qi had asked Lilligant to sit on a simple stone bench and taken a series of shots.
The library stood in the center of the frame, while Lilligant occupied the lower-right area, her eyes narrowed and her body tilted slightly, giving the photo a relaxed, pleasant campus feel.
"It's definitely nice, but it can't compare to the one where you're bending down to touch the water."
For a posed shot in front of the library, as long as the Pokémon was beautiful enough, anyone could achieve a fairly similar result using the same style.
But in the photo Shen Qi had chosen earlier, where Lilligant leaned down to touch the water, her clear sense of movement contrasted with the stillness of her surroundings;
The sunlight falling through the gaps in the trees had also happened to form a faint rainbow halo in the moist air, something equally rare.
Photography depended heavily on luck. Even a master photographer taking Lilligant to the water might not capture movement of that same caliber and that magical touch of light at just the right moment.
"Photography is the art of light and shadow."
Only one photo could be submitted to the Pokémon Photography activity, so he had to choose the one that stood out most in every respect.
Lilligant nodded, agreeing with Shen Qi's assessment.
The red glow of the evening clouds gradually faded. After taking two more photos beneath the setting sun, neither the surroundings nor his phone's battery would allow them to keep shooting.
Shen Qi took two bottles of juice from his backpack and handed one to Lilligant.
"We have to submit our photos for the Pokémon Photography activity next week."
[Honestly, you tricked me with that text before, saying you wanted help taking photos.] [And you ended up making me keep you company for so long.]
"I didn't trick you."
Under the streetlight, Shen Qi gently swirled his juice bottle. The light passed through it, casting colors brimming with youthful energy.
"I said I wanted Lilligant's help participating in the Pokémon Photography activity. The event was always going to last a month."
[Hmph!]
"Lilligant agreed, so isn't it perfectly reasonable for you to spend a month taking photos with me?"
[Hmph~!]
Lilligant let out a lilting, brisk Grass Whistle melody, swaying leisurely and taking occasional sips of juice. She did not look angry at all.
["Speedy Hot Girl," Romance Scenario progress: 66%]
"If you feel shortchanged, Lilligant, I can give you part of the prize."
[I think it's Pokémon Rations worth 3,000b. How much are you planning to give me?]
"I didn't say I'd give you food."
Shen Qi beckoned mysteriously, signaling for Lilligant to come closer because he was about to whisper something.
There was clearly no one else around. At this hour, not only were classes over, but even the students participating in club activities had gone home.
[Narration: Lilligant inwardly muttered that the boy was putting on an air of mystery and being silly.]
Even so, Lilligant obediently leaned against him and brought her ear closer.
Shen Qi cupped a hand beside his mouth and leaned in to whisper.
Whispering to a Racing Driver in private, Shen Qi almost recited that famous line: I bought a really s*xy swimsuit...
Ahem...
"Lilligant, I didn't say I'd share the Pokémon Rations with you. What I want to give you is... a Poké Ball."
[Hm?]
Before you continue