Gary took the country girl, Xiaohui, on a leisurely circuit of the Silver Conference venue, stopping here and there along the way.
The girl let her guard down a little and could now start a brief conversation with Gary herself.
As it turned out, her hometown was Dingxiang Village, beside the waterways of Vermilion City.
It had once been a fairly prosperous port, and the villagers had lived comfortably.
Later, after Vermilion City built its port, the place gradually fell into disuse.
Had that been all, the villagers could still have supported themselves and lived in peace.
But then Blackcloud City's sewage pipes passed through the village, contaminating Dingxiang Village's water supply and ruining its fields.
As living conditions worsened by the day, those who could leave gradually moved away.
Only some impoverished families and sick elderly people and children remained. According to Xiaohui, the pollution meant people in their village often developed leukemia or pneumoconiosis.
In an obscure village with neither money nor influence, all they could do was wait in agony for death.
And Xiaohui was Dingxiang Village's only Pokémon Trainer. She was the most promising child in the entire village.
Everyone hoped she could make a name for herself in the Pokémon League, so people would notice Dingxiang Village and help it.
The entire village had poured everything it had into supporting this one Pokémon Trainer, and she carried the hopes of the whole village.
"So, no matter what, I have to place in the Silver Conference. That's the only way the Pokémon League's higher-ups will notice me." Xiaohui looked at Gary earnestly.
"Well... that's a fine resolve. I believe in you." Young Master Mao nodded with feeling.
The girl reminded him of someone else: Leon.
He often mocked Leon for taking any sponsorship money he could