"I promise. Though I don't know what potential you saw in it, if this fellow still can't meet my expectations one day, I can give it to you."
"To me, training that produces no results is useless, no matter how much effort goes into it."
Paul left those words behind and walked away, ignoring whatever Xiaoyun might say next as he turned toward the outskirts of town.
"Xiaoyun, why did you make that agreement with him just now?"
Once Dawn saw that Paul had left, she held Piplup in her arms and spoke to Xiaoyun with her delicate face puffed up in indignation.
"Everything about him makes him seem so unapproachable, and the way he talks isn't likable either. His Pokémon must be just as cold as him, doing nothing but blindly following orders."
"That Chimchar is different."
"For someone as rational as Paul, that Chimchar is destined never to reach its full potential in his hands if it stays with him. I believe he'll come to understand that," Xiaoyun said slowly to Dawn beside him as he watched Paul's retreating figure.
"All right, it's time we set off for the next town too. We've already lost quite a bit of time these past few days."
"Yeah, so much really has happened over these last two days," Dawn said with a sigh.
After all, as a rookie Trainer, she had already been harassed by Team Rocket before even leaving the starter village-and twice at that!
Was this what traveling was like? No wonder people said traveling made you mature.
(Ash: Running into Team Rocket makes you mature? Are you sure?)
"Professor, we'll say goodbye here."
"Ash, Brock, we'll be heading off first."
"We have plenty of time ahead of us. Let's meet again if we get the chance."
Although he knew his route was much the same as Ash's, Xiaoyun had no intention of traveling with them. Wasn't having Dawn all to himself better?
And so, after saying goodbye to Professor Rowan, Brock, and Ash and resting for a night with Dawn at the Pokémon Center, the Yun-and-Dawn duo once again began their journey. (For real this time.)
It was a beautiful day, sunny and bright with a gentle breeze. With the Pokémon Contest in Jubilife City as their goal, Xiaoyun and Dawn left Sandgem Town early in the morning and set off toward their destination.
Several days had already passed since they said goodbye to Ash and the others. After a day on the road, the two began setting up camp for the night.
"Xiaoyun, is my posture right now?"
"Yes, very good. Put a little more strength into your arm and it'll be even better."
"But this is so tiring."
"That's normal. You'll be fine with more practice."
Sitting on the grass, Xiaoyun gave Dawn pointers as she practiced throwing Poké Balls.
"All right, take a break."
"Huh, I can finally rest?"
Hearing that she could rest, Dawn suddenly perked up. She immediately jogged over to Xiaoyun and sat back-to-back with him.
"Dawn, with all that energy, you don't look worn out at all."
After feeling Dawn lean against his back, Xiaoyun quietly lowered himself a little so she could recline more comfortably, then spoke helplessly.
"But I really was tired just now. We walked so far during the day too," Dawn said comfortably with narrowed eyes, noticing that Xiaoyun's back had somehow become more comfortable to lean against, but not thinking much of it.
"I never expected you to defeat Buneary earlier, only to miss with your Poké Ball and throw it straight into my face. That throw nearly disfigured me."
Remembering what had happened earlier, Xiaoyun instinctively rubbed his nose. He had never imagined there were still people these days who couldn't land a ball.
That was right. Just yesterday afternoon, Dawn had encountered Buneary again, and this time she had successfully defeated her opponent.
But when she tried to catch Buneary, she actually threw the Poké Ball into Xiaoyun's face as he watched from the sidelines. By the time she took out another Poké Ball, Buneary was long gone.
Her catching plan had failed once again, which had led to the scene just now.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't expect the ball to hit your face either."
"How is it? Does it still hurt? Should I rub it for you again?" Knowing she was in the wrong, Dawn got up from Xiaoyun's back, sat down in front of him, and prepared to give him another localized spa treatment with her hands.
"No need. But you still need to practice throwing. How about this? I'll teach you a mnemonic."
Xiaoyun moved aside Dawn's little hands as she massaged him and put on an inscrutable expression.
"A mnemonic? What mnemonic? For catching Pokémon?"
Dawn looked at Xiaoyun in puzzlement. Why had he suddenly stood up? He wouldn't even let her rub his nose anymore.
"Simply put, the mnemonic is: get your stance right, keep your movements steady, and you'll nail it in one... hit the mark. You'll hit the mark in one throw," Xiaoyun said slowly once he saw that Dawn was interested.
"Uh... how is that any different from the way I throw?" After listening to the mnemonic, Dawn felt something was strange. Didn't it mean the same thing as standing in place and throwing, just as she already did?
"Of course it isn't... there is a little difference. How about I give you a demonstration?" Xiaoyun nearly let it slip, thinking, What damn difference is there? I just made that up to lighten the mood.
Who needed a mnemonic to throw a Poké Ball? Did he think he was One-ball man, catching whatever he threw at?
But to keep up the pretense that he hadn't lied, Xiaoyun still pulled a Poké Ball from his waist.
Then he casually struck a pose that looked fairly convincing and threw it at a distant rock. The result...
It hit a Buneary that happened to jump out of the grass... right on the head.
Ding, ding, bang!
Watching Buneary pop out of the Poké Ball, Xiaoyun looked a little bewildered. He thought, Holy moly, there really is a mnemonic? Then if I recite it silently, could a Legendary Pokémon come along and let me have one?!
"Xiaoyun, you're amazing! You really hit a Pokémon!" Dawn looked at Xiaoyun with a hint of admiration in her eyes, feeling that he was truly a treasure of a boy. He could do anything.
"Uh... it's all right. Pretty average, really. Basic stuff, no need to spam praise."
Although Xiaoyun was bewildered himself, he still maintained a calm, breezy demeanor as he responded to Dawn's praise.
"But Xiaoyun, that Buneary looks a little angry." Dawn pointed at the Buneary that had popped out of the Poké Ball.
"Huh? What?"
Following Dawn's words, he looked over. Buneary was glaring at the two of them with puffed cheeks. Buneary had merely been hopping along on a walk after a meal, only to get hit on the head with a Poké Ball by some sneaky bastard the moment Buneary left the grass.
If you want a battle to catch me, say so! Why launch a sneak attack? You want to catch me without doing anything? As if!
"Mi-mi." The more Buneary thought about it, the angrier Buneary became. Ice-blue light gathered in Buneary's hands, and a forked beam of icy blue shot straight at the two of them.