Story From Childhood

A number of people in the village heard a long, whale-like sound.

Seito, who was discussing how many Pokeballs would be appropriate to purchase, also heard it, and with this sound, he knew exactly what the source was.

His face changed several times before he looked somewhat eerily at the impassive Takeshi.

"You sold it?"

The corners of Seito's mouth dropped, and there was a hint of a stern look showing in the corner of his eyes.

Takeshi remained unchanged, just silently planning this time on paper.

"There's no way we can take him. Letting Rope take it away might be our best bet."

Takeshi's face stayed the same, as if he were stating a very simple fact.

"You're selling our friend short! You're trading him for Rope's support?!!!"

Seito looked at Takeshi's demeanor. The tone of his voice was noticeably one part worse.

Takeshi looked up at him as he listened to his obviously unkind tone, put down the pen in his hand and said, "I repeat, there is no way we can handle Kujira properly."

Takeshi had a serious look on his face, trying to look as calm as possible. But the hostility in the bottom of his eyes said he didn't think so.

"You and I both know very well that Kujira is just too strong for anyone's good."

Takeshi's fists couldn't help but clench.

"If we relocate with Kujira, then no one will take us in, and no one will agree to us purchasing land and buying property. We with Kujira are the biggest threat in their eyes."

Takeshi was resigned. But there was no way out.

After listening to Takeshi's words, Seito also fell silent. The original reason for the migration had also become clear to him. And the scene of the battle between Rope and that possible enemy outside, Seito had also gone on a field trip.

That kind of destruction, if it was really caused by a human battle, then perhaps they should really consider whether they should listen to Rope and run away.

Anyway, after returning from the field trip, Seito doesn't oppose Takeshi's relocation plan, but instead appears in the office to help Takeshi deal with these things.

Anyway, in their hearts, Rope, this guy, should really not be lying.

Takeshi had started out just to be prepared, and anyway, according to the plan, their evacuation plan, even if it went ahead, would be in two or three years' time.

He wasn't trusting Rope. he just didn't want to put Sennogi at risk.

As for the villagers... you could hardly tell how much Takeshi felt for them.

"Do you remember anything from your childhood, Seito?"

Takeshi spoke somewhat helplessly as he listened to the whale chants.

Seito looked at Takeshi's face and after a few moments of silence, he nodded and then smiled bitterly, "I thought you'd never want to remember those things again."

Takeshi didn't have much of an expression on his face. Just the corners of his mouth slightly hooked up, revealing an arc that he didn't know whether it was gentle or cold.

…

"How?"

Takeshi looked at the little girl in front of him with tears in her eyes and spoke with a helpless face, "How could I leave you!"

The little girl was wearing a small dress with old colors, and in her hands she was holding a bear doll with the same old colors.

Although they both looked old, both of them were clean. The little girl was naturally the same. Clean and dry. Looking like an angel in an old dress.

Even though she was still young and her features hadn't opened up yet, she could still be seen as a beauty at a glance.

"But, but, mom and dad, and grandpa said the same thing."

Although the little girl held back her tears as much as she could, two drops of golden peas eventually fell out of her eyes and down her cheeks, smashing on a blade of grass by her feet.

Takeshi stopped talking for a moment. Because Sennogi, was telling the truth.

So he leaned down and held Sennogi tightly in his arms, then said, "Don't worry Sennogi. i'll be back soon."

After saying that, he smiled and patted Sennogi's back. Then to the two girls and a boy behind Sennogi, he said, "I'll leave Sennogi in your care while I'm away."

With that, he gave the three a deep bow.

The boy smiled and said, "You're welcome with us, don't worry, as long as there's a bite of food for me Seito, there's definitely half a bite for Sennogi."

Takeshi looked to his best friend and gave a thankful smile.

"Go out with confidence. Be safe.Sennogi you don't have to worry, I'll take care of her."

Which was the taller girl, with blonde hair and a tight look, her watery blue eyes clear and innocent, like a deer drinking from a lake. A gentle smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

With that, she stepped forward and hugged Takeshi.

"Be safe."

She whispered in Takeshi's ear.

"...I will."

Takeshi was visibly blindsided by the sudden hug on his back, but he didn't get in and out of the hug after all. Instead, he hugged the girl back, seriously.

Seito rolled his eyes. The youngest girl, on the other hand, ignored the two guys and stepped forward to hug Sennogi into a hug, "Don't worry, Sennogi!"

"Me! Definitely won't let anyone else bully you!"

The little girl's face was serious, and even had a hint of perseverance.

Looking at her own brother who was hugging that blonde beauty, even though Takeshi hadn't left yet, Sennogi now had a feeling of abandonment.

So Sennogi turned her head and hugged the little girl tightly.

"Thank you, Mizu!"

Mizu hugged Sennogi and nodded vigorously.

"I won't let anyone bully you anymore! If they bully you again, I'll go to the temple guards and teach them a hard lesson."

"Ha! Little Mizu who became a trainee priest is really different!"

Seito stroked Mizu's head, then smiled and said, "But there's no need to call the temple guards' uncle over for these small matters. If you encounter a small matter, just come to me."

I'm afraid it wouldn't be a good thing for Mizu if this sort of thing casually went to the temple... if the temple really cared about Sennogi and their situation, then Takeshi still wouldn't have to venture out into the outside world at this age.

And on his own, no less.

After a brief farewell, Takeshi left the place anyway.

The crowd looked at Takeshi's back as he left, and their hearts were filled with mixed feelings.

One must know that the current Takeshi, after all, was only a thirteen year old child.

Even if those Pokémon in the outskirts of the wetland wouldn't actively congratulate them, the people in the village, that didn't mean that the outside world was necessarily safe.

Otherwise Sennogi and the others wouldn't have been reduced to a brother and sister duo, dependent on each other.

Thinking so, Seito shook his head and couldn't help but look behind himself at the village.

At the entrance of the village, a few idle adults were standing somewhere, looking this way. Uncertain of their intentions, and unable to see any expressions from this distance, Seito still kept a sharp eye. He blocked Sennogi behind himself.

Then said to the blonde girl, "Ajia, you take the back, be careful."

Ajia nodded. Obviously also noticing the few adults standing over there. Although it was also clear that these adults wouldn't do anything too much to a child after all.

But a lot of things that weren't too big in the eyes of the adults were enough to leave a lifelong shadow on a child of that age.

Or, some adults are well aware of it, but they don't care. Because children can't express themselves clearly, much less fight back when they're bullied.

So Sennogi, protected by two slightly older children, headed that way.

And as they moved, bubbles and ripples rose from the lake behind them.

...

"What are you doing?!"

Seito realized that he had still underestimated the shamelessness of these adults. They were actually really planning to make a move on a little girl.

"It has nothing to do with you! Kid! Didn't your father tell you to mind your own business?!"

A fierce-looking big man growled at Seito.

Seito was taken back a step.

Just as a triumphant smile appeared on the man's face, Seito suddenly took two more steps forward, and was no more than half a step away from the man.

He stared the man dead in the eye.

"My dad didn't tell me to keep my nose out of their business. And my father told me that if I really have a backbone, I shouldn't inflict the unprovoked anger and jealousy of my heart on people who have nothing to do with it!"

Seito's strength and firmness caused the man to take a half step back and pull away from him. Seito couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

But in the very next moment, he felt someone push him. Then came the sensation of smashing into the ground.

"Don't mind your own business, Seito's boy, I'm just here for my money. Her father swindled me out of my money, so now it has to be returned to me."

The big man and the two little brothers behind him still looked fierce. It also didn't even look like they were going to negotiate.

Seito was just about to get up before he was kicked by one of the little brothers.

"Don't mind your own business, your dad's here and he won't mind either."

There was no lack of sarcasm in the little brother's tone.

The big man was still approaching, reaching out and grabbing towards Sennogi.

Sennogi's lips are pursed and there are tears of fear in her eyes, but there is a fierce look deep within them.

Ajia came up behind her and stepped in front of her, then said, "I didn't hear anyone say anything about... Uncle Village Chief taking your money."

Ajia looked at the big man in front of her.

"If you really had money, you would never have given it to the village chief's uncle and squandered it yourself."

"Ha!" The big man sneered.

"This has even less to do with you. Little girl. Piss off! This is between me and them!"

And so mercilessly pushed Ajia away.Ajia went up and approached again. But was stopped by another minion.

Now, only Sennogi and Mizu are the only two little girls left, facing the big man straight on.

Mizu held Sennogi back, her face filled with anger.

"I'm a trainee priest! Do you believe I'll call the temple priests over to teach you a lesson!"

"If the temple priests are really phased with these things, then there's no way I'm even going to follow them."

The big man's face remained unchanged.

"Little girl, too young after all."

The big man pushed Mizu out of the way, then extended his hand towards Sennogi.

"Ah!"

The big man looked at the two brats in front of him.

As expected, Mizu and Sennogi both bit into his hand together. There was already blood oozing out from the force of the dudes.

He flung his hand violently, dropping both little girls to the ground. Grimly glaring at the two of them, he raised his hand.

Just as he was about to give these two little girls a profound lesson, a whale roar entered the ears of everyone.

Everyone couldn't help but look towards the distant lake.

Where, a huge Wailord had surfaced at some point, its head facing their side as if it was watching them move.

An oppressive aura came over. That big man's already raised hand stopped in mid-air, he felt that if his hand were to fall, then he might have to undergo some unacceptable destruction.

But even so, he still didn't manage to escape the fate of being beaten up.

There was another whale cry, and a pillar of water blasted towards the big man's side.

The big man wailed before being sent flying by the current.

Wailord let out another long bellow before going back underwater as the crowd stared in disbelief.

The big man's two minions immediately panicked and left the area as soon as Wailord disappeared.

Seito slumped down from the ground.Ajia also hurriedly ran in the direction of Sennogi and the others.

Sennogi was looking at the center of the lake that had calmed down.

He didn't even react to Ajia who came up and hugged him.

And in the village, many people got the news. And so after sighing, they all coincidentally chose to call it quits as well.

"Motherfucker, I don't even know whether this village is ours or that dead whale's!"

A tall, skinny man looked at the Wailord in front of him that had disappeared into the lake, slapped the railing under him, and then spoke indignantly.

A demurely dressed woman shook her head and said, "If you want to go and challenge Kujira, I have no problem with that and will absolutely support you in spirit!"

The man glared at her, but didn't say anything more, just silently returned to his seat.

There were still two other people near this table.

The entire room fell into silence.

A good long while.

"I don't even know if we're all from the same village. What in the world are we fighting over something. Even the whales can't stand to watch."

The room was dark. It was hard to see who was opening their mouths.

And in the middle of the temple.

The High Priest sighed deeply, then said to the one beside himself, "Tell everyone to tighten up."

"Your will."

The priest bent down and said.

After saying that, he was about to get up and walk towards the outside.

"Including our people, don't make a mess of the whole village because of those subtle treasures."

"Your will."

And with that she was out the door.

Silence returned to the room once more.

The High Priestess prayed with her eyes closed.

Like nothing had happened.