Going Back

Without agreeing to Lysandre's proposal or accepting the Mega Evolution wristband, Yuga decided to let things simmer for a few days. After all, during the Pokémon Exchange Conference, he would have the opportunity to meet Lysandre, who was hosting the event.

Lysandre was quite content with Yuga's attitude and the outcome of their conversation. He understood that it would take more than a few words and unverified promises to persuade someone as powerful as Yuga to join their cause. So, he was patient.

Wasn't this the case with Malva as well? She had ended up joining Team Flare, and now she was a member of Team Flare, wasn't she?

After both parties were satisfied, Lysandre had someone politely escort Yuga out of the forest park.

Once outside the forest park, Yuga checked the time and realized that the sun was about to set, painting the sky in shades of orange.

While the forest park was situated in the city of Lumiose, it was on the outskirts of the city. Otherwise, it wouldn't have had such a vast expanse of land. Consequently, it was quite far from the aircraft docking station.

Yuga pondered for a moment, then took out a Poké Ball and released his Dragonite before hopping onto its back.

Mid-flight, Yuga suddenly spotted Bonnie and Clemont siblings down below. They both seemed anxious, so he urged his Dragonite to descend.

Bonnie and Clemont were startled when they saw a Dragonite descending from the sky out of nowhere.

When they realized that it was Yuga on the Dragonite's back, Bonnie exclaimed, "Big brother!"

Yuga dismounted from the Dragonite and smiled at Bonnie and Clemont. "What are you two doing here?"

Clemont stammered and looked embarrassed, but Bonnie blurted out, "We're trying to find a way to get back home!"

Their father worked in the city and they had come to visit him during lunch. However, when they tried to return home in the afternoon, Clemont had spotted a Magnemite he wanted to catch.

But this Magnemite was too cunning, they had spent most of the afternoon chasing it around the city for a long time, but they couldn't catch if. Which had delayed their journey back.

Normally, there should have been a train back to the suburbs at this time, but for some unknown reason, they hadn't seen any trains coming. So, they were starting to get worried.

"How about I give you a lift?" Yuga offered, pointing to his Dragonite.

"Sure, that would be great!"

Clemont had yet to say anything, but Bonnie eagerly agreed. Ever since Yuga had arrived, Bonnie's gaze had been glued to the Dragonite, and she couldn't take her eyes off it.

"Isn't this a bit tricky? There are three of us," Clemont hesitated, glancing at the Dragonite, which, despite its impressive size, didn't seem like it could comfortably carry three people.

"Oh, right, what should we do?" Bonnie said disappointedly, even shooting a reluctant glance at the Dragonite.

Yuga chuckled and ruffled Bonnie's hair. "Don't worry; this should work."

With that, he released his Charizard.

"Big brother, it's a Charizard! It's my first time seeing one!" Bonnie exclaimed excitedly when she saw Yuga's Charizard.

Clemont, on the other hand, looked both exasperated and indulgent as he watched his younger sister's enthusiasm.

"Clemont, you can ride on Charizard, and I'll take Bonnie on Dragonite. Is that okay?" Yuga pointed to Charizard and asked Clemont.

Bonnie was quite young, and whether she followed Clemont or rode a Pokémon on her own, it was a bit concerning for Yuga's peace of mind. So, he decided to have her ride with him on Dragonite.

"Yeah, that's fine with me. Bonnie, you'll be in good hands with Big Brother Yuga," Clemont nodded, agreeing to Yuga's proposal.

And so, Yuga safely transported Bonnie and Clemont all the way to their doorstep. When they arrived home, their father had not yet returned from the city.

By the time they reached the suburbs, it was already getting dark. Bonnie and Clemont's house stood out in the residential area because it was significantly larger than the neighboring houses.

"Big brother, thank you for bringing us home," Clemont thanked Yuga politely as they parted ways.

Yuga waved his hand dismissively. "No problem at all. It was on the way, and I'll be heading back anyway."

"Big brother, can I come and visit you tomorrow?" Bonnie asked excitedly, tugging at her brother's sleeve.

"Of course! You like Pokémon, right? I'll show you some of my Pokémon from the Pokémon Exchange Conference," Yuga replied warmly.

Yuga appreciated Bonnie's lively personality, and despite only recently getting to know them, he didn't feel like strangers with them. Perhaps it was because he had known about Bonnie and Clemont's connection to him for some time.

"Really? That's great! We're set then. Goodbye, Big Brother, and goodbye to Dragonite and Charizard too!" Bonnie said happily.

Bonnie was so excited that she practically leaped three feet high and dashed into the house. The lights in their home were already on, indicating that someone was inside.

Watching the spirited little girl, Yuga shook his head and said to Clemont, "Clemont, it's getting dark. You should head inside too."

"Okay, Big Brother, goodbye for now."

Clemont nodded and then entered the house. Yuga faintly heard a gentle female voice from inside, likely the mother of Bonnie and Clemont.

When Yuga returned to the aircraft docking station, he found Momiji waiting for him.

"Why did it take you so long to come back? Did that Nick from Aurora have any business with you?" Momiji asked, concerned about Yuga. She worried that Aurora might have ulterior motives involving Yuga.

Shaking his head, Yuga replied, "Don't worry, Ms. Momiji. They just wanted to collaborate with me. Nothing serious."

Yuga couldn't reveal the actual situation to Momiji because he didn't want to involve her and the Aroma Day Care in this complicated matter. After all, he received a salary from the Pokémon League and had their protection, whereas Aroma Day Care didn't.

Relieved, Momiji sighed and patted Yuga's shoulder. "That's good to hear. If you ever need anything, just let me know. In our line of work at the Day Care, we have some reputation, after all."

Hearing Momiji's words, Yuga felt touched.

YoYo Day Care and Aroma Day Care had a simple business relationship, usually conducted on a "quid pro quo" basis, with neither party owing the other. However, Aroma Day Care had helped YoYo Day Care on several occasions, and now Momiji was extending her support willingly.

"You said it, Ms. Momiji. If I ever need anything, I won't hold back," Yuga replied playfully.

"Now you're taking advantage of my kindness," Momiji teased.

"All right, you caught me," Yuga laughed. "Well, I haven't had dinner yet. Let's go to the cafeteria and grab something to eat. It's been a long day."

With that, Momiji led Yuga to the aircraft docking station's cafeteria for a well-deserved meal.

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The mention of Clemont and Bonnie's mother is an addition made by the author, as it wasn't present in the original work.