After all, it's a little past two in the morning in the Ore Region right now.
"Shanren~"
He gently nudged the other person's shoulder and whispered.
In an instant.
Shanren's even breathing stopped, his entire body became tense, and his hands tucked under the blanket seemed to be ready to make a small move, like reaching for a Pokeball.
"If you're awake, open your eyes. I have something to discuss with you!"
Baimu could tell right away that this guy thought someone was here to harm him, so he raised his voice.
The familiar voice prompted Shanren to open his eyes and look in utter complexity at the person half-revealed from a strange golden ring—a presence so bizarre—that he said, "Baimu, you didn't die in a plane crash, did you?"
"You're the one who died! Are you wearing underwear?"
Shanren was met with a head-on burst of expletives.
Then.
The wealthy young master was pulled out of bed and through the golden ring to the Carlos Region, located on the other side of the planet.
Shanren, clad in pajamas, looked towards Balza and Mei Yali not far away, then at the grinning Hoopa and the two Dreepys, and finally at the expressionless Mawile and a mockingly smirking buddy.
The latter said, "Welcome to hell, are you happy?"
"Hehehe! Did I scare you?"
Hoopa laughed madly.
"..."
Without saying a word, Shanren turned around to dive back into the golden ring, without even bothering to respond.
Baimu grabbed his arm, "Why the rush? Don't rush! Why are you so rushed? I didn't die in a plane crash!"
"If you keep pulling, I'll punch you!"
Shanren angrily scolded while trying frantically to push him away, struggling madly to dive back into the golden ring.
Poor him, an intellectually inclined heir busy with political affairs, couldn't match the increasingly robust Baimu in physical strength, struggling for a long time without getting into the golden ring, until he was nearly furious enough to bite before being let go.
Balza and Mei Yali watched the spectacle, inevitably reminded of their childhood friends in the Valley of Creation and that tumultuous, mischievous youth.
Ten minutes later.
Shanren returned, dressed to the nines, and immediately sent out his Alakazam to lock Baimu with Strong Mental Will, however, the latter was prepared and hid behind Mawile.
Mawile, trapped under Strong Mental Will, rolled its eyes in exasperation, and with a forceful wrench, shook off the spiritual binding.
"It's useless! You're no longer my rival! Look at you, aren't you furious?" Baimu taunted while waving to Hoopa.
The puzzled Hoopa then retrieved the golden ring.
Afterward, he introduced to Balza and Mei Yali, "Let me introduce to you, this unpresentable fellow is the current mayor of Pyrite Town—Shanren."
"...Hello, everyone."
Shanren glanced at him, then smiled at the Balza siblings, aware that Baimu wouldn't call him here to introduce him to two strangers without a good reason.
There must be a plan in mind.
The Balza siblings politely returned the gesture.
Hoopa then mysteriously patted his chest, "Hoopa is Hoopa!"
Upon hearing this name, Shanren, who had roamed the Carlos Region before, instantly understood the situation.
It turned out that the appearance of so many Legendary Pokémon in Desert City was due to this so-called "All-purpose Demon God" in the classical narrative—Hoopa.
When he turned to look at Baimu, the latter also explained the situation and the reason for calling him over.
"Hiss... You woke me up and called me over just for several billion?" Shanren held his head in exasperation, responding with, "That capitalist is worth a hanging."
Baimu bluntly said, "Just tell me if you want it or not!"
"If you're giving it to me, of course I want it." Shanren took the bag —
Phew!
The excessive weight nearly made him drop it, he almost lost it without a helping hand to steady him.
The heir very politely thanked Hoopa and the Balza siblings again, stating he would use the money for the benefit of Pyrite Town's residents.
But when he looked at Baimu, there was a hint of contempt in his eyes.
Clearly wanting to take it but too embarrassed to say it, dragging him all the way here to talk about choices, if there really was an intention to hand it over to Officer Jenny or return it, was there any need to call him over?
Hypocrite!
Moreover —
"Why do you need me to call N? Couldn't you have just called him over like you did just now?" Shanren expressed discontent over the special treatment he received.
Baimu replied, "It's just that the relationship hasn't reached that point... Let's not fuss when getting down to business."
"Do I have to thank you then?"
"I wouldn't mind if you did."
"Get lost!"
An agitated Shanren set out to find N with Hoopa's help.
Undoubtedly with a device like the golden ring that can summon people from all over the world, Baimu no longer planned to meet that ill-fated Lugia alone as an Ore Person.
Primarily for fear of a beating.
With N's involvement, at least it ensures Lugia won't lose its temper; this individual is a professional in calming Pokémon.
On the other side.
Baimu didn't neglect the Balza siblings either, engaging them in conversation, he was intrigued by the Valley of Creation and the special powers the siblings wielded.
According to Balza's introduction, their ancestors could communicate with Arceus, gaining power from it.
This reminded him of the Jewel Drill movie "Super Overcoming Space-Time," where Arceus once gifted the Life Jade to humans who helped it, and the Life Jade was made up of its Stone Tablets.
Is the power of the Valley of Creation the power of the Stone Tablets?
He was somewhat curious.
Seeing the Thousand Cosmos Wrist Pendants on the Balza siblings' chests, he had an inexplicable urge to get one himself and try to communicate with Arceus.
While chatting, Hoopa suddenly turned its gaze to the ring.
"Huh?"
Then the warmly smiling N stepped out of the ring, with Shanren popping his head out, saying, "I leave the rest to you guys, I'm going to sleep."
"I'll come find you if anything comes up!" Baimu responded.
"Don't bother!"
Shanren didn't reappear.
After many days apart, N still appeared as he did at the beginning, wearing a hat and a white shirt, as if time hadn't etched any marks on him.
"Hello."
He smiled at Hoopa, "You possess very magical powers."
"Magical? Hoopa is magical?" Hoopa, becoming proud at the compliment, was promptly reminded by Mei Yali not to act recklessly, or who knows what this guy might conjure up.
And N, after scanning around, saw Mawile and the Dragapult siblings behind it, couldn't help but walk over with a smile, "Long time no see, seems like your choice back then was right, staying by Baimu's side makes you happier."
"Chido~"
Mawile softly replied.
It's an old friend of N, the latter being adept at forming friendships with all types of Pokémon, regardless of species or age.
"Once again, I need to trouble you, and thank you for taking care of Steelix all this time." Baimu quietly spoke as he approached.
N replied with a smile, "I'm glad that even after traveling for so long, your mindset and attitude haven't changed, your new companions still like you very much."
He was referring to the Dragapult siblings.
"Just a matter of heart-to-heart." Baimu casually remarked.
N loves to see Pokémon happy, and after changing his perspective and dedicating himself to making Pokémon coexist with humans, he even more relishes scenes of harmony between them.
Back to the main topic.
The primary aim of bringing N here was to find the missing Lugia.
With time still early, Baimu once again asked Hoopa to open a door that could see Lugia.
Honestly, he was surprised that it was so obedient, never refusing his requests, for reasons unknown.
The golden ring opened.
N was about to step inside, but Baimu stopped him.
"Don't rush in, how do you know it's not some deep sea inside? Just to be safe, let my Milotic go in first—"
Before he could finish his sentence.
A massive head, a mixture of avian and beast, emerged from within, curiously looking outside.
"Woo???"
A long whale-like call emanated, seemingly asking who you are.