Beautifly

It took less than two hours to reach Slateport City from Mt. Chimney by private helicopter.

Sitting silently in his seat, Terrance closed his eyes and rested as he reflected on the past month. To him, this journey had been an exceptionally precious experience, especially the time he had spent growing alongside Swablu. Though he had only recently set out on his journey, he felt as if he had undergone a baptism, and he now carried an indefinable air about him. It was the kind of tempering every experienced Ace Trainer needed.

In other words, the past month had given Terrance the chance to put a great deal of theory into practice and experience firsthand what it was like to watch a newborn life gradually grow.

As Terrance savored everything he had gained over the past month, Master Katsumune came over to ask him about it, curious to hear what he had learned.

Master Katsumune also handed him Beautifly's Cherish Ball. Beautifly had been in Master Katsumune's care for the past month, and after explaining things to Beautifly, Terrance had felt completely at ease about leaving Beautifly with him.

Terrance fell silent for a moment before answering Master Katsumune's question. "I gained a lot: the differences between the theories in books and reality, Pokémon's actual natural habitats, how to raise a newborn Pokémon... and I saw Egg Moves awaken one after another. Dragon Rush in particular made the biggest impression on me."

Terrance spoke slowly, and when he mentioned Dragon Rush, Master Katsumune's eyes flashed and he burst out laughing.

"So it worked?!"

Master Katsumune was delighted. Nothing excited him more than the success of an experiment.

"In that case, you're quite satisfied with this month of training yourself, aren't you?" Master Katsumune said.

Terrance nodded, then sighed. "I'm starting to dislike battling a little."

"For a breeder, having enough knowledge is all that matters. Battling isn't the only way for a person or a Pokémon to grow." Looking at Terrance with satisfaction, Master Katsumune recalled what he had learned when he looked into the boy's background.

For the first six years of his life, Terrance had been ordinary, with nothing particularly remarkable about him. But after his parents died in an accident and he was taken in by Qinggu House, he seemed to have become a different person. He buried himself in his studies and became mature and sensible. Everyone spoke highly of him, which was no easy feat for a child.

Master Katsumune sighed at Terrance's circumstances, but he also had a faint feeling that perhaps only a child who had endured such hardship could be as brilliant and outstanding as Terrance was now.

Although his guess was far from the truth, Master Katsumune had come to think more and more highly of Terrance as time passed.

Now, especially, after gaining a deep understanding of Terrance's character, Master Katsumune looked at him with admiration and satisfaction in his eyes!

"You've had an exhausting month, so take today to rest. I'll take you out for a feast tonight," Master Katsumune said with a smile, stroking his beard.

Slateport City.

The sky was growing dark.

Terrance had returned to the city, and thanks to Master Katsumune's arrangements, he no longer looked travel-worn. After taking a bath, changing into fresh clothes, and eating a proper meal for the first time in ages, he felt great.

In a room at an inn.

Terrance looked at the Cherish Ball in his hand, unable to help feeling both excitement and longing.

"Come out, Beautifly!"

A flash of white light revealed Beautifly's graceful form before Terrance. Upon seeing him, Beautifly immediately flew over and nestled into his arms.

"Beautifly... have you been well this past month?" Terrance greeted Beautifly with a smile. After a month apart, they had both missed each other.

"Coo..." Beautifly cried happily, and Terrance could feel Beautifly's joy.

Looking at Beautifly clinging to him, Terrance could see how much Beautifly had changed, even though only a month had passed. With a top breeder like Master Katsumune taking care of Beautifly, surely Beautifly had lived more comfortably than he had this past month?

Beautifly seemed more energetic than before and had an air about them that had not been there in the past.

"So it really is true... the environment also determines a Pokémon's bearing." Both Beautifly and Terrance had changed greatly over the past month. One had lived under the care of a top breeder, enjoying the finest food, supplements, and surroundings for play and rest. The other had slept outdoors, subsisted on wild fruit and dry rations, and traveled through the forest every day. Compared to each other, their living conditions over the past month were as different as heaven and earth.

Still, for both Terrance and Beautifly, those experiences were nourishment that would help them grow.

"Now let me see how much you've improved this past month." Terrance smiled. He could tell that Beautifly had improved a great deal in every respect since a month ago.

Terrance also wanted to know how much Beautifly had improved under Master Katsumune's care and exactly where the gap between him and a top breeder lay.

"After that, I'll tell you about everything Swablu and I did this past month. Tomorrow... I'll take you to meet your new partner." Gently tending to Beautifly's wings, Terrance spoke to himself. Clearly, Swablu was still on his mind; he could even be said to be impatient.

A new partner?

Taking in the unfamiliar words, Beautifly looked out at the night sky, both confused and curious.

The first rays of sunlight broke across the sky. Terrance put on his coat and quickly washed up, while Beautifly circled and fluttered around him.

Terrance headed to the dining room, where Master Katsumune had already been waiting for him. After breakfast, Terrance, Master Katsumune, and Beautifly boarded Master Katsumune's private helicopter once more and set off for Mt. Chimney as arranged.

Aboard the helicopter, Terrance looked out the window and began to worry about Swablu.

"Don't overthink it. Altaria will surely see how hard you've both worked, and I'm sure Altaria can understand the bond between you and Swablu." Sensing Terrance's concern, Master Katsumune turned to him and spoke.

Master Katsumune had complete confidence in Terrance.

He was also deeply interested in Swablu, who had awakened "Dragon Rush"!

It also concerned an exceptionally important experiment that Master Katsumune, as a top breeder, had been focusing on.

"Believe in Swablu. Swablu will surely do everything possible to persuade his mother... Your future and Swablu's can't be confined to this little Mt. Chimney."

After hearing Master Katsumune's words, Terrance gradually felt more at ease. He was right: Terrance had to believe in Swablu. No one could deny the effort and hardship the two of them had put in over the past month!