Unexpexted Turn

"Lapras, don't let it escape!" Yuga shouted excitedly.

"Lapras..." It seemed that Yuga's excitement had infected Lapras, as it also shouted along.

However, just as Lapras was about to attack the Dewgong, Gardevoir yelled loudly, "Let me handle this!"

She immediately unleashed a Psychic attack. Even though the Dewgong was just an average Pokémon, it couldn't withstand Gardevoir's Psychic power. With just a basic move, the ordinary Dewgong lost its ability to battle and floated on the water's surface.

"Nice!" Yuga gave Gardevoir a thumbs-up.

Gardevoir proudly raised she head in response. However, Yuga's praise was more of a casual remark; he wasn't truly impressed. It was hard to fathom why a former Legendary Pokémon would take pride in defeating a Dewgong.

Something seemed off about this Legendary Pokémon's brain.

Yuga took out a Poké Ball from his bag and attempted to catch the Dewgong. However, the Poké Ball was immediately deflected back.

"Huh? What's going on?" Yuga began to suspect something.

Could it be that this Dewgong already has an owner? Upon further thought, it was plausible. This was a tourist area, and many visitors could have accidentally released their Pokémon into the water.

Yuga hesitated, looking at the now incapacitated Dewgong.

What should he do now that he had attacked someone else's Pokémon? Perhaps he should heal it, and the owner might not even notice.

"What's wrong?" Gardevoir asked Yuga, puzzled by his hesitation.

"It's nothing. This Dewgong probably has an owner, and we... should maybe help it," Yuga suggested.

He was about to ask Gardevoir to use a Heal Pulse move on the Dewgong when a Slowpoke and a pink bikini-clad and long haired young lady emerged from the water nearby.

"Excuse me, have you seen my Dewgong?" the young lady inquired.

... (_)

The plot twist was too sudden!

"Are you talking about this one?" Yuga pointed at the unconscious Dewgong.

"Dewgong!" The young lady turned her head, gasping in surprise. She then swiftly swam over to the Dewgong with her Slowpoke.

"Gardevoir, heal it for them. After all, you were the one who knocked it out," Yuga whispered to Gardevoir.

"Why do you make it sound like it's my fault!" Gardevoir rolled her eyes at Yuga but obediently used a Heal Pulse.

Gardevoir's Heal Pulse worked wonders, and the Dewgong woke up instantly.

Seeing the Dewgong regain consciousness, the young lady directed grateful glances toward Yuga and Gardevoir.

For some reason, Yuga felt that he recognized this young lady.

As the Dewgong woke up, it began scolding Yuga and Gardevoir in an angry, chattering manner.

"Dewgong, what's gotten into you? Others helped you, and you're being so impolite!" The young lady was surprised by Dewgong's behavior; she knew her Pokémon well, and this wasn't like her at all.

"Cough, actually... your Dewgong got hurt because of us," Yuga awkwardly confessed, and Gardevoir also looked embarrassed.

"Eh... how could..." The young lady was baffled.

"Don't get me wrong; it was unintentional. We thought it was a wild Pokémon," Yuga hurriedly explained, with Gardevoir nodding in agreement.

The young lady heaved a sigh of relief. "I knew it; a Gym Leader like you wouldn't do such things on purpose."

The young lady's words left Yuga momentarily stunned.

This young lady knew him? Floating in the water while cradling the Dewgong, she could tell from Yuga's expression that he had forgotten her.

"I'm Solidad. I once tried to purchase a Pokémon from your Pokémon Day Care but got turned down," the young lady reminded him.

"Oh..." Yuga had a vague recollection, but the memory wasn't very vivid. It seemed she had wanted to buy a Pokémon, but there were no available appointments, so he had to refuse.

In the bustling environment of the current YoYo Day Care, where tourists came and went daily, remembering such interactions was a challenge.

However, Solidad didn't seem too concerned about Yuga forgetting her. They didn't have much of a connection, so it was understandable.

"At that time, I really felt embarrassed," Yuga said, scratching his head awkwardly.

Solidad shook her head. "It's okay. Everyone has their own rules."

Looking at the young man in front of her, Solidad felt quite emotional. When they first met, Yuga was just an unknown figure, and YoYo Day Care was just a small and newly established Pokémon Day Care.

Now, Yuga had become the Gym Leader of the League and a Senior Trainer, while YoYo Day Care had gained fame and reputation.

Although Solidad wasn't directly involved with YoYo Day Care, she had been around it enough to know about Yuga's and the Day Care's journey to success.

"By the way, would you like to come up?" Yuga asked, gesturing to his Lapras that had taken her Dewgong for a ride. He wanted to express his remorse for the earlier incident.

Solidad looked at the Lapras, which had a somewhat peculiar appearance, and shook her head slightly. "Thank you, but it's unnecessary. Look."

As she pointed, Yuga noticed another Lapras approaching them from a distance.

"I see!" Yuga nodded, realizing that she already had a Lapras of her own.

Solidad then flipped onto her Lapras's back. The large Pidgeot and Butterfree, which had been perched on her Lapras's back, took flight into the air.

"I'm heading back now. Gym Leader Shimizu, would you like to join me?" she asked.

"Sure, let's go," Yuga agreed after considering that it was getting late, and his companions like Misaki and the others should be returning soon.

The two of them, each riding a Lapras, headed back towards the beach. Solidad's Dewgong and Slowpoke followed in the water, while her Pidgeot and Butterfree soared overhead.

During their conversation, Yuga learned that Solidad was a coordinator from the Kanto region. She had been staying in the Hoenn region because Pokémon Contest weren't as popular in Kanto. This was information she had actually shared during their first meeting, but Yuga had forgotten it.

Upon their return to the hotel, Yuga was surprised to discover that Solidad and his group were staying in the same hotel.

It truly was a small world.