Last time, the boat's teleportation point from Santalune City was near the factory, so in the blink of an eye, the two of them arrived at the factory's entrance.
Haley looked around at everything in disbelief. "Heavens—I thought, I thought we would arrive by boat, docking at some pier."
Ron paused and used Pelican Town's warp totem as an example for Haley.
"So, you have to be at sea to use that thing, and then you can teleport to Kalos?" Haley thought for a moment.
Because Emily always liked researching these mystical things, Haley actually adapted to this quite well. After just a few moments of thought, she quickly accepted this setting.
"So where are we staying tonight? This factory?" Haley asked, pointing at the nearby factory.
The factory had a sign with "Pelican Town" written on it. She guessed this factory probably belonged to Ron.
"Let's go to Santalune City," Ron paused. "We'll stay at the Pokémon Center tonight. We can also do the Contest registration there."
Haley nodded.
After asking Haley to wait at the door for a moment, Ron went straight into the factory.
As soon as he entered, a row of Zubat flew toward him.
These Zubat had been working as security at the factory since they arrived, and their meals had become Poké Beans and various meats. However, because they had daily patrol duties and the workload was heavy, they hadn't eaten themselves into round balls like they had at the farm.
After petting each of the flying Zubat, Ron took a simple tour around the factory.
After roughly estimating how many more machines could be added later, Ron walked out of the factory door.
At this time, Kalos was in the height of summer. Haley was holding her coat, stuffing it into her backpack.
Seeing Ron come out, she wiped the sweat from her face and said: "Kalos is so hot. Good thing I wore summer clothes underneath my coat beforehand."
The two of them made their way to the Pokémon Center in Santalune City.
The Joy at the entrance was stunned when she saw Ron come in, then greeted him: "Good evening. Are you the trainer who took in that Nacli before?"
Seeing Ron nod, she smiled: "I remember you. You are—mm, the farmer from Pelican Town? And this is?"
"I'm Haley, also from Pelican Town." Haley greeted Joy generously. Although she had seen another Joy who looked exactly the same on TV before, seeing the real person in person still made her a bit dazed.
After learning that Haley was preparing to participate in a Pokémon Contest, Joy took the Pokédex from Haley's hands. While doing the registration, she looked at Ron: "Right, that Nacli, how is it now?"
"Not bad," Ron thought for a moment and said. "There's a Desert near us. It's been going there by car every day recently, so it should be quite adapted."
"I see." Joy smiled, finished the registration for Haley, then returned the Pokédex to her. She apologized to Haley: "Sorry, because the League is currently short on Rotom, your Pokédex temporarily cannot have a Rotom installed."
"Rotom?"
Haley looked at Ron confused. Ron simply explained: "It's also a Pokémon that can enter electrical appliances."
"I see."
Not knowing much about Rotom Pokédexes, whether she had a Rotom or not didn't affect Haley much. She waved her hand indifferently and followed Ron to finish the accommodation procedures, then went to their room to rest.
Meanwhile, in Kalos, Lumiose City, Lumiose Gym.
Lumiose Gym Leader Clemont was video calling with his sister Bonnie. Seeing her and Dedenne still full of energy, he couldn't help but say to the Zygarde (Core) on her shoulder: "Please take care of her."
"Why isn't it me taking care of Zygarde?" Bonnie pouted, dissatisfied, and held up the Dedenne in her arms to show Clemont: "Look, Dedenne is being taken care of very well by me."
The Dedenne being held by Bonnie had almost doubled in size, and called out obediently to the other side of the video: "Dedenne~"
Clemont was silent for a moment. "Still, feed it fewer snacks."
Bonnie had been traveling alone for several years now, but she was still the same as before. If it weren't for this Zygarde accompanying her, Clemont really wouldn't feel at ease about her traveling alone.
"Where are you planning to travel next?" Clemont continued to ask.
Bonnie on the other side of the video couldn't help but blink at Clemont: "Of course, it's Laverre City! I saw Serena on the Contest broadcast some time ago!"
"Serena?" Clemont was stunned. Ever since the journey ended and he returned to continue being a Gym Leader, he hadn't heard that name in a long time. Hearing it now, he couldn't help but show a nostalgic expression.
"Yeah, if I appear in front of Serena, she'll definitely be surprised!" Bonnie said, and the Dedenne in her hands also called out: "Dedenne misses her too!"
"I see." Clemont smiled. "Then, safe travels."
The video call ended. Clemont leaned back in his chair and turned to look at the empty gym.
After a while, he let out a long sigh, opened the computer beside him, and as usual began handling work beyond gym challenges.
As an Electric-type gym, plus Clemont's own enthusiasm for inventing things, the Lumiose Gym also handled mechanical business for Lumiose City and even part of Kalos.
In addition, it also handled part of the Pokémon supply work.
This included the indispensable Pokémon Rotom for Pokédexes now.
Compared to the old Pokédexes that required manual operation to identify Pokémon, Pokédexes equipped with Rotom could automatically identify Pokémon that trainers hadn't encountered yet, and provide trainers with basic Pokémon information.
They also had functions like map navigation and helping trainers avoid emergencies when necessary.
But because of the recent surge in trainers, the Rotom supply had run out. And because there were no specialized breeding institutions for Rotom, he was currently worrying about this matter.
"If only we could always be children." Clemont leaned back in his chair, let out a long sigh, remembering the time when the four of them traveled together. After a while, he reluctantly sat up straight and tried to communicate with those breeding institutions.
"We currently only need twenty—yes, I know, Rotom are a bit... difficult to manage, but—money is not an issue, this money the League—"
The phone was abruptly hung up. Clemont took a deep breath.
Because Rotom were mischievous by nature and liked to enter electrical circuits, basically any modern breeding institution refused to accept Rotom breeding orders.
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