"Wow! Xiaoyun, you're amazing! You actually beat that ice-cold guy! I knew you were the strongest!"
Dawn jogged over from the side to praise the boy. Then she turned to Sceptile and praised him as well:
"Of course, you were really cool too, Sceptile."
"Scep!" At Dawn's praise, Sceptile proudly raised his head and gave her a slight nod.
(Xiaoyun: This damn tsundere.)
"Of course." Looking at Dawn's delicate, pretty face, Xiaoyun couldn't help rubbing his nose. The girl's smile and praise were undoubtedly infectious to a boy who liked her. At the very least, Xiaoyun's vanity was thoroughly satisfied now.
"Xiaoyun, Paul, you were both so strong in that battle just now! Especially your last move, Xiaoyun-that was amazing!"
Ash walked up and looked happily at Xiaoyun, his fists clenching involuntarily. A fiery fighting spirit shone in his eyes, and he could hardly wait to have an intense battle with the two of them.
"That's right, Xiaoyun. When I traveled through Johto with Ash, I saw Gym Leader Bugsy battle too. Compared to him, your combination of Leaf Blade and Swords Dance was even more masterful," Brock added.
"It was just luck. Ash, I've watched videos of your battles. Don't you have a Sceptile too? Why not try practicing it yourself?"
Xiaoyun responded modestly to Ash and Brock's praise, then turned to Ash to offer that reminder.
After all, Ash's Sceptile was exceptionally gifted and had an impressive battle record. He could be called one of Ash's mainstays in the Hoenn Region. Bringing him along again would definitely be a great help to Ash.
"Sceptile, huh..." Prompted by Xiaoyun's reminder, Ash murmured to himself, seemingly thinking about something.
Paul watched Xiaoyun surrounded by the others, his face expressionless. Having never liked socializing, he grew irritated and was about to turn around and leave first.
"Wait, Paul." But Xiaoyun noticed and called him back.
"What, are you going to lecture me like that guy too?"
Paul turned to look at Xiaoyun, who had stopped him. He felt a little puzzled, but his words remained cold.
"No. Everyone has a different way of raising Pokémon. I have no objections to yours."
Xiaoyun paid no mind to Paul's sarcastic words. He knew that was just Paul's personality. If he started smiling, that would be wrong.
Then Xiaoyun continued, "I only stopped you to remind you... haven't you forgotten something?"
After all, he was still counting on this promise to trick... no, persuade Chimchar into joining his team someday.
"What?" Hearing that Xiaoyun wasn't going to give him a victor's lecture or question his way of raising Pokémon, Paul felt a trace of surprise.
He knew most people disliked his way of raising Pokémon. Even his older brother Reggie had repeatedly advised him not to be too harsh on Pokémon and to show them some affection, along with other such things.
But he scoffed at his brother's words. After all, he had personally witnessed his brother fail to recover after his defeat. That meant emotions were nothing but a burden, and if they were a burden, there was no need for them to exist.
But hearing that Xiaoyun actually approved of his training methods made him look at Xiaoyun a little differently. So much so that he almost missed what came afterward.
But to Xiaoyun's ears, it meant something else entirely.
This guy looks so cold, with those thick brows and big eyes. Is he planning to go back on his word? What about my future Fire-type mainstay, then?! Xiaoyun decided to spell it out.
"Before the match, we agreed that the loser would grant the winner one request. Don't try to wriggle out of it. Professor Rowan was here as our witness. Isn't that right, Professor?" After speaking, Xiaoyun shot Professor Rowan a meaningful look.
"Uh... yes, you did say that." After watching that exciting battle, Professor Rowan had almost forgotten the promise. If Xiaoyun hadn't suddenly brought it up, he wouldn't have remembered it at all.
"So that's what you wanted to say."
Paul's brow tightened as he stared at Xiaoyun and spoke. Xiaoyun's performance in that battle had simply left him so stunned that he had forgotten their promise.
Couldn't you just remind me? You even had to get Professor Rowan to repeat it, making me sound like someone who doesn't keep his word.
"Yeah. What else did you think? Did you think I was asking you to stay for a meal?"
Xiaoyun spoke rather casually. His somewhat shameless manner made him seem like a completely different person from the one who had just battled Paul.
"Phew..."
Paul took a deep breath. He had actually lost to someone like this, and been completely dominated at that. No. Once I get back, I have to train harder and wash away this humiliation.
He really wanted to turn around and leave right now, but remembered that Professor Rowan was still there, and he needed to show an elder the proper respect. (It definitely wasn't because Professor Rowan was a witness or anything.)
"Go on. What's your request?"
After taking a moment to calm down, Paul spoke coldly.
What could I possibly have that this guy wants so badly that he dug a pit for me before the match and waited for me to jump in? It couldn't be me... Pah, damn it! Why would I even think that?
"It's about your Chimchar." Xiaoyun put away his casual expression and looked at Paul as he began slowly, "Although I acknowledge your way of raising Pokémon, and choosing the ones with the most potential to train really can save a lot of time and effort, that Chimchar clearly doesn't fit in with your team."
"If one day you're disappointed in him and don't want to keep training him, don't abandon him. Let me raise him. How about it?"
"Do you... know about the power hidden inside that guy?"
Paul's expression gradually grew grave after hearing Xiaoyun's request. Only after a long while did he speak slowly.
"What power? I dunno. (´ε｀;)" Upon hearing that, Xiaoyun immediately played dumb, indicating that he knew nothing at all.
"Then why would you make a request like that? What else does that weakling have that you could possibly want?" Paul clearly wasn't so easy to fool and continued questioning Xiaoyun.
"Why, of course, this Pokémon and I are bound by fate. When I first saw him today, I knew we shared an indescribable bond as partners, as though heaven itself had ordained it. Amen." Xiaoyun continued spouting nonsense, presenting it as well-reasoned and well-supported, with quite a Western flair.
Then he folded his arms and quietly asked Paul:
"Besides, is Chimchar really weak?"
"If he is, how could someone as proud as you accept a weakling by your side? I noticed some old injuries on Chimchar before he entered the battle. He must have been training hard to live up to your expectations as his Trainer, right?"
Paul looked at Chimchar's Poké Ball in his hand and said softly to it, "To think someone would actually want you. In that case, I'll give you a little more time. I hope you won't disappoint me."
"I agree."