Chapter 156: The "Habitual Offender" Bulbasaur, and Gardevoir's Grievance
Chapter 156: The "Habitual Offender" Bulbasaur, and Gardevoir's Grievance
This sudden commotion instantly caught the attention of both Latias and Gardevoir.
It turned out to be a Bulbasaur that had jumped onto the rooftops, using its vines to snatch a Grass-type treasure from a stall below.
The vendor below was gritting his teeth in frustration.
"Damn it, you little Bulbasaur! Can't you find another stall to rob?"
"Someone help me! Whoever can knock that Bulbasaur down gets to keep the treasure it stole!"
This declaration piqued Hikaru's interest.
Judging by the vendor's reaction, this wasn't the first time this particular Bulbasaur had targeted him.
The stolen item was a D-grade Green Essence Fruit, a small treasure known for replenishing energy. On the market, a single piece could sell for a few hundred credits.
Bulbasaur's quick escape made it clear—this wasn't its first heist.
The Pokémon darted across the rooftops, skillfully evading capture.
"Go, Cottonee!"
"Go, Beautifly!"
Two trainers who had been eyeing the stall's wares quickly released their Pokémon to give chase.
"Damn it, the wild Pokémon around here have been acting up a lot lately. My Green Essence orchard has been raided several times by Pokémon from the Qinling Forest!"
The vendor cursed loudly, prompting other stall owners to chime in with their own complaints.
Apparently, the past few days had been far from peaceful. Wild Pokémon had been coming into town with increasing frequency, a phenomenon the townspeople hadn't seen in over a decade.
Meanwhile, the trainers returned empty-handed, their expressions sullen.
Hikaru, intrigued by the situation, turned to Latias.
"Want to check it out?"
"Absolutely!" Latias replied enthusiastically.
Gardevoir had no objections either—she was more than happy just being by Hikaru's side. To her, such small detours were perfect opportunities to spend more time with him.
"Gardevoir~" (Let's go, let's go!)
With everyone in agreement, Hikaru used his Aura Sense to track the Bulbasaur's trail. Conveniently, it was heading in the same direction as the location Mew had indicated—the World Tree.
Leaving the bustling marketplace behind, the trio soon found themselves at the edge of the forest. Mist hung low over the trees, lending an air of mystery to the landscape.
A few patrol officers, accompanied by Growlithes and Herdier, were stationed at the forest's edge.
After Hikaru presented his Advanced Trainer License, they allowed him through, though they seemed skeptical of his youthful appearance.
Of course, Latias remained invisible the entire time—she didn't exactly have a trainer's license of her own.
With that hurdle cleared, Hikaru's mind turned to the upcoming Youth League Championship. If everything went smoothly with the World Tree mission, he would still have time to challenge gym leaders and prepare for the tournament.
He was determined to seamlessly transition from the National High School League to the Youth League, aiming for the championship.
To qualify, he needed to either challenge eight Provincial Gyms or three National Gyms.
Fortunately, Hikaru had already taken down one National Gym—the Torrent Master Gym in Light Water Province. Reflecting on his victory, he couldn't help but feel that Aqua Grace, the gym leader, had gone easy on him.
The Youth League would undoubtedly feature many advanced-level trainers, and a significant number of them would likely be Elite-tier.
Still, Hikaru wasn't too concerned. With six months to prepare, he was confident in his ability to reach the Elite rank himself.
The forest was serene, filled with the crisp scent of morning dew. Under Hikaru's Aura Sense, he could detect the faint movements of Caterpie and Weedle as they nibbled on leaves.
"This place feels peaceful. Why is everyone saying the Pokémon here have been so aggressive lately?" Hikaru wondered aloud.
His Aura Sense had a range of roughly five kilometers. Within this radius, no Pokémon—except perhaps an Elite-tier Psychic-type—could escape his detection.
So far, the outskirts of the forest seemed calm, populated mostly by novice and ordinary-tier Pokémon.
However, Hikaru knew this tranquility wouldn't last. The Qinling Forest was classified as an SSS-tier super-large dungeon due to the sheer number of high-level Pokémon within its depths, including many Elites and even Champions.
In the past, the Pokémon League had sent multiple Elite-tier trainers to explore the forest. Despite their efforts, the mysteries surrounding the Aura Force remained unsolved.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, Gardevoir became noticeably more active. Here, she didn't need to constantly maintain her Hypnosis to avoid attracting attention, allowing her to move freely.
Hikaru, however, had other concerns.
"Gardevoir," he began, "why don't you head back to keep an eye on Mew? I might need Lucario to help guide us through this area."
Though his Aura Sense was useful, it wasn't perfect. If a powerful wild Pokémon were to appear, he needed Lucario's advanced aura manipulation to stay safe.
"Gardevoir?" (Why? I don't want to…)
Gardevoir's expression immediately fell, her red eyes brimming with disappointment.
"Gardevoir…" (Does Hikaru not like me anymore? You used to let me stay close to you, but now you keep sending me back to my Poké Ball…)
"Gardevoir…" (And you don't even let me hold onto you anymore…)
Hikaru sighed, running a hand through his hair. Was Gardevoir going through some sort of rebellious phase? That didn't seem right—rebellion was more common during her Kirlia stage.
"Gardevoir, are you going to listen to me?"
Gardevoir floated closer, nodding reluctantly. "Gardevoir…" (I'll listen…)
Seeing her crestfallen expression, Hikaru felt a twinge of guilt. Perhaps he was being too harsh on her.
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