The battle between Mewtwo and Mew caused a tremendous commotion. At the very least, Giovanni no longer had any interest in continuing this exchange. As he gazed at the pillar of psychic light opposite him, longing showed in his eyes.
Sure enough, Mewtwo had returned to New Island!
As though sensing something, the main Team Rocket force lying in ambush around New Island mobilized in full. Large numbers of airborne weapons appeared, their target New Island.
Giovanni and Gongping were effectively holding each other in check, neither able to move. Neither could head to New Island alone without getting past the other.
So Giovanni resumed his earlier enthusiastic smile. "By the way, the new Pokémon Center offers several special medicines that are quite effective at treating Pokémon injuries. Let me show you."
The two entered the new Pokémon Center side by side. Its facilities and surroundings were undeniably top-class. From the carpeting to the chandeliers throughout, everything spoke of considerable expense.
The new Pokémon Center had separate treatment and sales areas. As they walked down the corridor, Gongping saw famous paintings displayed along both sides.
"Are these all originals?"
"They're some pieces from my personal collection."
Gongping raised his eyebrows, impressed by Giovanni's lavish spending. "You certainly are generous, Mr. Giovanni."
As a League King, dealing with figures like Giovanni, who had connections in both the legitimate world and the underworld, would become routine for Gongping. He understood why Giovanni wanted to keep him occupied, but he did not particularly mind. Team Rocket's capture operation on New Island was bound to fail anyway.
"This is the new medicine."
A brand-new bottle of medicine with a gold label was placed before Gongping. Giovanni looked thoroughly pleased with himself, his words carrying a boastful note. "Compared to traditional medicine, this golden medicine is twice as effective. It can almost match treatment with a Pokémon Center's equipment."
As Giovanni demonstrated, the previously gravely injured Nidoking was treated with the golden medicine. Both the broken arm and the brain damage inflicted by Lucario's psychic attack quickly healed. Ten minutes later, Nidoking slowly stood up, evidently fine now.
This really does work well. Fortunately, the price and production costs look very high. Otherwise, if Giovanni equipped Team Rocket with it on a large scale...
"One bottle of this costs ten times as much as ordinary medicine, doesn't it?"
Gongping picked up the golden medicine's instruction leaflet and looked through it. He discovered that many of its ingredients were gathered from different regions. Even Team Rocket could not equip every member with something so precious.
Quite a few Trainers were also in the sales area. Although they were curious about this miraculous medicine, they backed off as soon as they saw the price.
Before Giovanni could speak, a young Trainer in red passing nearby scratched his head. "It costs ten times as much as ordinary medicine, but its effectiveness is only about two grades better. I'd rather use ordinary medicine."
Giovanni was unbothered by his complaint. For ordinary battles, economical standard medicine was naturally the choice. But for Pokémon League investigators who spent long periods away on dangerous missions, the golden medicine was far more useful.
This Trainer looks a little familiar. Beside the young man in red, a little girl with twin ponytails was looking around. The moment she turned and saw Gongping, her eyes lit up with excitement.
"It's Gongping!"
The little girl with twin ponytails ran happily toward her idol, only to have an accident halfway there and pitch forward.
Behind her, the girl's guardian-the young man in red-watched with some concern. This Sandstorm King did not usually have a very good reputation. With his daughter liking an idol like that, he could not help worrying a little that she might be led astray.
As for his younger sister falling over, he was long used to it. His sister would suddenly fall once every day. Even if Gongping had not appeared, she would have fallen at some other point.
Gongping reacted quickly, gently catching the little girl with one hand. Her face instantly flushed red. "Ah, sorry!"
"As long as you're all right. I didn't expect to see you two again."
"Huh? You remember us, Elite Gongping?"
The young man in red walked over with a lollipop in his mouth, while the chips his Twin-Tailed Girl sister liked were in his keeping.
Gongping chuckled. "During the last Gym assessment, I remember your sister attacked you with Confusion."
He's so handsome!
The twin-tailed girl's eyes shone. In truth, Gongping was not really a cold young man. His looks and manner of speaking made him a typical warm, friendly older brother. Unfortunately, the bunch of violent monsters he brought along always made people suspect he was a brutal Trainer.
"Uh, she didn't know any better."
At the words of her brother, who had a thing for older women, the twin-tailed girl's expression instantly returned to normal. Her eyes blazed as she turned and shouted at him. "You called me flat-chested and said I wasn't feminine! I'm your little sister, not your big sister!"
"I wish I had a big sister I could do that with, too..."
"Pervert, go die!"
The twin-tailed girl unleashed Confusion again, and the young man in red was thrown away once more, as though this were an everyday occurrence.
The girl's Confusion was powerful, at least stronger than that of an average psychic. Although Gongping did not know how strong the Confusion of a human-shaped legendary Pokémon like Caitlin was, judging solely by what the twin-tailed girl had just used, she was at least a match for an ordinary Abra.
"Um, Gongping, could I have your autograph?"
"Sure. What's your name?"
"Niko! My name's Niko!"
The girl blinked cutely, looking up at Gongping with a pitiful expression, nothing like her earlier ferocity.
After simply signing his name, Gongping handed the item back to the girl, only to unexpectedly spot a face inside the Pokémon Center that he could never forget.
With brown hair and twin ponytails as well, the Twin-Tailed Girl quietly walked out through the Pokémon Center's front door.
It's Rosa!
Gongping's expression changed. After returning the autograph board to Niko, he rushed out of the Pokémon Center in the direction Rosa had gone.
"Rosa, it's me, Gongping!"
No matter how Gongping called, the girl ahead kept walking on her own, seemingly unable to hear him.
Are you doing all right?
Long ago, on a rooftop in Aspertia City, the night wind blew. Just as Gongping began to feel a chill, Tepig clumsily climbed onto the roof and threw itself at him. The warmth flowing from its body immediately made him feel better.
"Honestly, you're about to leave on your journey, and you're still so lazy."
Holding Snivy, Rosa nimbly climbed onto the roof. Seeing Gongping wearing only a tank top at night, she helplessly tossed him a jacket.
Gongping picked it up and put it on, still grinning. "Haha, thanks, Rosa."
"Honestly, why are you always so lazy? You need all sorts of survival skills when you're traveling. You..."
Unable to quite stand Gongping's lazy manner, Rosa was about to continue scolding him when he rolled over with a grin and stared at the girl before him.
"Rosa, if you're worried about me, then come with me. We can travel together, challenge Gyms and regional tournaments together, become League Kings together, become Champion Leaders together, and finally conquer the whole world. How about it?"
Under the boy's burning gaze, Rosa flushed scarlet. "What nonsense are you talking about? How could we both become Champion Leaders..."
"Doesn't the Hoenn Region have two? We can do it too. Let's travel together, Rosa!"
"Mm, then let's travel together."
Hearing Rosa's reply, Gongping picked up Tepig. "Did you hear that, Tepig? Rosa said yes! She said yes!"
Tepig answered Gongping with a joyous cry. Snivy and Rosa exchanged a glance, wearing identical smiles.
The scenes of the past surfaced one by one. Watching Rosa's retreating figure grow more distant, Gongping gradually turned pale. Just then, as though hearing his calls, "Rosa" paused in surprise and stopped walking.
Rosa, do you still remember our promise?
We can travel together, challenge Gyms and regional tournaments together, become League Kings together, become Champion Leaders together, and finally conquer the whole world.
Seeing Rosa finally hear his call and turn around, hope shone in Gongping's eyes.
PS: That's the fourth update. That's all for today. Time to rest.
Before you continue