Four years later.
"Star, Starly."
Sunlight streamed through the window into the room, and the Starly outside chirped their morning calls, seemingly welcoming the start of a new day.
"Ring, ring, ring..."
Bang!
A hand reached out from under the covers and switched off the Treecko-shaped alarm clock. Xiaoyun threw back his covers and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Looking at the traveling outfit Lina had prepared for him on his bedside table, he began changing into it.
"Whew, not bad. As expected of me. Even I can barely resist this handsome face. This must be one of those little perks of being a transmigrator."
Dressed in his new clothes, Xiaoyun admired the handsome face reflected in the bathroom mirror. (Only a tiny bit less handsome than you Daniel Wus in front of the screen.)
"Are you ready, Ayun? Come down for breakfast. Aren't you picking up Dawn soon to go to the Rowan Research Institute together for your starter Pokémon?"
"I'm ready! Coming down now."
Hearing her call, Xiaoyun lingered no longer. He picked up the Great Ball on the table and headed downstairs.
"Tap, tap, tap, tap!"
"Mom, where's Dad?" Xiaoyun asked Lina in the living room after coming downstairs.
Lina turned to look at her child, momentarily dazed.
The boy stood around 175 centimeters tall, with neat, short black hair and beautiful black eyes. His slightly fitted black clothes showed off his perfect figure, and he wore white sneakers, with a yellow Poké Ball hanging from his belt. He gave off a sunny, handsome impression.
"Oh, your dad went to work. He told me he wouldn't be seeing you off today. From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself. He has nothing left to teach you."
With her usual smile, Lina walked over and straightened Xiaoyun's collar as she spoke.
"Mm... all right."
Without another word, Xiaoyun quietly finished the sandwich on his plate and the milk in his glass, picked up the travel bag Lina had already prepared, and headed outside.
"Ayun!" Lina called, reluctant to see him go.
"I'm off, Mom. Don't miss me, okay? Otherwise, I won't be able to resist staying."
"And tell Dad to get ready to cheer me on from home. I'm definitely going to win the Lily of the Valley Conference. His jaw's going to drop."
Xiaoyun walked up to Lina and gently hugged her, speaking lightheartedly as though he did not care about parting at all.
"You really do love teasing your dad."
At Xiaoyun's words, Lina imagined her husband cheering him on and could not help laughing. The sadness of their parting eased considerably.
"All right, I should get going. Dawn's probably getting impatient."
Xiaoyun let go of her, shouldered his travel bag, and walked out through the yard gate.
"Xiaoyun, be careful out there," Lina called after him from the doorway.
"Got it!" Without turning around, Xiaoyun waved to Lina with his back to her, then headed toward Dawn's house.
Meanwhile, at Dawn's house...
"Oh no! This is bad, this is bad! Mom, why didn't you wake me up?"
Still in her white pajamas, Dawn hurried through washing up in her room, looking anxious.
"Honestly, what am I going to do with you? You agreed on your departure date with Xiaoyun ages ago, and you still got the time wrong!"
"Thank goodness you're traveling with Xiaoyun. Otherwise, with how scatterbrained you are, I really couldn't stop worrying. Isn't that right, Glameow?"
"Meow."
Dawn's mother, Johanna, stood in the living room, helplessly watching her daughter fumble around packing her things as she spoke to the Glameow lying on the table.
Hearing Johanna's question, Glameow merely gave a soft meow to acknowledge her, without answering the question.
"Ding-dong!"
"That must be Xiaoyun! I can't let him see me before I'm ready. Mom, go stall him for me. I'll be ready in a second."
Hearing the doorbell, Dawn rushed back to her room like a startled little rabbit.
"Honestly. Not the slightest bit ladylike. I wonder who she takes after." Johanna sighed and walked toward the door.
"Creak."
"Ohayou-good morning, Auntie Johanna. I'm here to pick up Dawn so we can start our journey."
Johanna opened the door and looked at the boy before her. His outfit today was a refreshing change. Just looking at him made him seem dependable.
"Oh, Xiaoyun, you're here. Come in and sit down. Dawn's upstairs. She'll be ready soon."
"Sure. Sorry for the intrusion, Auntie Johanna," Xiaoyun replied with a smile.
"Honestly, child, there's no need to be so formal with me. I watched you grow up."
Johanna gave Xiaoyun a gently reproachful glance and smiled.
"Here, have some water first. Did Lina make you breakfast? Would you like something to eat?"
"I've eaten, Auntie. I'll just sit here for a bit." Xiaoyun did not stand on ceremony either. He accepted the water Johanna offered and began drinking.
"Time really does fly. It feels like you were still a little kid coming over every day just yesterday, and now you and Dawn are about to set off on your journey." Looking at the sunny, handsome boy before her, Johanna could not help marveling at how quickly time passed.
"Not at all, Auntie. You still look very young to me. And you're a top Coordinator..."
"I'm sure Dawn will inherit your talent and become a top Coordinator too." Xiaoyun looked at the woman before him, her beauty unchanged, her distinctive charm warm yet dignified.
"Hahaha, you always know what to say, Xiaoyun. Unlike Dawn, who forgets things every day. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."
Pleased by the boy's words, Johanna covered her mouth and laughed.
"Mom, you're talking about me behind my back again! I'm not like that."
Dawn had finished getting ready by then. She wore her familiar round white hat, a black V-neck camisole, a pink skirt, and pink boots.
With her hands on her hips and her cheeks puffed out, she looked at her mother with some displeasure as she spoke.
"But you are. If Xiaoyun weren't going with you, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you leave on your own."
"Auntie, Auntie, let Dawn eat first. It's getting late. We don't have much time before our appointment with Professor Rowan."
Xiaoyun interrupted the mother and daughter's little argument, thinking that if he did not, they would not get out of Twinleaf Town even by nightfall, and all the Pokémon would be taken. After all, Professor Rowan didn't have...
"All right... finish your breakfast first," Johanna told Dawn.
"..."
Xiaoyun quietly watched Dawn finish her breakfast, then prepared to set off with her.
But when they reached the door, Xiaoyun looked at Dawn, who had nothing on her, and asked, "Dawn, where's your travel bag?"
"Right here!"
Thud!
The girl then pulled an enormous yellow suitcase out of the cabinet beside her, showing that she had no problems at all and was thoroughly prepared.
Uh...
Xiaoyun broke into a sweat. She certainly was thoroughly prepared, but wasn't this a little too thorough?
If they really took that thing along, who knew when they would ever reach Sandgem Town!
"What have you packed here? Clothes? Clothes? More clothes! Do you think you're going on vacation?"
Auntie Johanna opened Dawn's suitcase and looked at her daughter, utterly exasperated.
"But these are all clothes I need for Pokémon Contests..."
Before Dawn could finish, Auntie Johanna thrust a small yellow bag into her hands.
"Here, this will do. This is all I took with me back then."
Still a little worried, Johanna turned to Xiaoyun beside her after speaking. "Xiaoyun, sorry for the trouble, but I'll be counting on you to look after her along the way. You know how Dawn is. She's always saying, 'No need to worry, no need to worry,' when really, there's nothing but things to worry about. Thank you for looking after her on this journey, Xiaoyun."
"Don't worry, Auntie. I'll make sure Dawn and I successfully complete this journey." Although he knew everything she said was true, Xiaoyun still replied with a smile.
"Mom, we're off! Bye!"
Xiaoyun and Dawn waved goodbye to Johanna at the door, then officially set out on their journey.
"Have a safe trip."
Johanna spoke softly as she watched their retreating figures.