Clemont stared at that Bellossom holding its sword motionless, couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"I choose you, Magneton!"
Saying this, Clemont threw out his Poké Ball.
Then, he shouted to that Magneton: "Use Magnet Rise."
Before the words finished, under the effect of magnetic force, that Magneton floated in mid-air.
"I see, if it's floating in the sky, it can't be cut, meow?"
Meowth thought this, couldn't help but become somewhat worried.
After all, Bellossom's body length was only about forty centimeters. Even raising that sword to the top, it would at most be a bit over one meter. This could be said to have no way of dealing with Magneton floating in mid-air.
Just as Meowth was thinking this, a flash of cold light passed by.
The next second was a crisp sound, accompanied by the grating friction of metal striking a hard object. In the next instant, that Magneton fell to the ground.
"Magneton is unable to battle!"
"So strong." James couldn't help but take a deep breath. He then lowered his head and asked: "What were we worried about just now?"
"Don't know, meow." Meowth said, resting its chin on its paws, wiping away a tear and saying: "Meowth wasn't thinking about anything at all."
Meanwhile, in Pelican Town, at Penny's house.
After getting up early to make breakfast, Pam couldn't wait to push open the door and go to the small garden to observe the growth of the Powdermelons.
"Looks like they're ripe." Pam patted the Powdermelons again and again, then went back inside to find a pair of scissors, cutting off the grown Powdermelons one by one. After selecting a few, she carried them and walked toward the door.
Halfway there, she turned her head to Penny, who had just woken up, and said: "I'm going to deliver some Powdermelons to Lewis's place. Breakfast is on the table, remember to eat later."
"Oh, okay." Penny responded softly. She rubbed her eyes, reacting belatedly: "The Powdermelons are ripe already?"
"Mm, there's some on the table. You can bring some when you go to the library later, eat them when the children get tired from studying." Pam said, carrying the Powdermelons out the door.
When the new house was built, most of the neighbors had helped out, and she really had nothing to repay them with. It was rare to have grown something—delivering them out now was just right.
Thinking this, Pam knocked on George's door.
"Good morning." Evelyn opened the door, saw it was Pam, was stunned for a moment, then smiled and greeted Pam: "Is something the matter?"
"Morning." Pam took out the Powdermelons from her arms: "Penny and I planted some Powdermelons in the small garden. They bore fruit these past two days, so I thought I'd bring you some."
"Oh my, that's too much trouble." Evelyn smiled, but didn't refuse Pam's kindness. She happily accepted them: "You've taken good care of them. Right, I have a few flower pots here. If you need them, take them back. You can plant some flowers in the house or something."
Just then, George also walked over. He had a thick cloth bundle on his lap. In previous years, this was when George was most irritable, but today he seemed to be in a good mood.
Noticing Pam's gaze, Evelyn explained while taking out cookies she had baked from the cabinet: "That was sent over by Ron. Apparently it's called something like an orb. It's warm, and fits perfectly on George's lap." (Flame Orb)
This thing was somewhat similar to ancient warming methods using hot bricks and hot stones—throwing bricks and stones into the fire, then wrapping them in thick cloth and wool to borrow the stove's warmth.
The difference was that the temperature was constant, so there was no need to unwrap and replace them, avoiding the situation of sudden hot and cold.
Plus, with a bit of Cheri Berry and Wild Horseradish rubbed on the legs, as long as that stayed on his lap, George's old ailment wouldn't flare up, and his temper had improved a lot recently as a result.
"I see." Pam paused: "He's really a good person."
"Yes, who would have thought he would even notice this."
After all, no one had told Ron about George's legs. As for George's foul temper, he had hardly even spoken to Ron, yet he could notice this and give him such a gift on George's birthday.
The old couple were both grateful for this.
Evelyn smiled, then handed the cookies to Pam: "I baked these early this morning. They taste quite good. If you don't mind, please accept them."
Pam thanked Evelyn and left the house carrying the cookies.
It was snowing outside at this moment. A gust of cold wind blew past, and Pam couldn't help but tighten her hat, braving the wind and snow, and walked toward Gus's house.
Penny sat at the table eating breakfast, looking out the window while eating.
It had been cold these past few days, so the fireplace had been burning continuously, causing a thick layer of condensation to form on the window.
Biting her bread, Penny moved to the window and extended her finger to draw on it twice.
"R-O-N—"
Penny suddenly reacted and hurriedly wiped away the written text with her hand.
"Ah, it's snowing." Penny looked up at the snowflakes falling outside the window, turned back to her room, and took out a towel.
"What would Kalos be like now—" Penny thought, folding the towel and placing it on her lap, waiting for Pam's return.
Before long, Pam pushed open the door braving the wind and snow.
"I'm back. This is soup Gus simmered, these are cookies Evelyn made, and Lewis also sent us some mountain produce." Pam put the things down, just about to say something, when a towel was placed over her head.
Then, Penny's fingers gently pressed on her head: "Dry off first, the rest can wait."
Penny said, rubbing Pam's hair with the towel: "Your head is almost freezing over—right, I knitted you a hat. Remember to wear it next time you go out."
"Ah—mm, thanks."
Pam then held the towel: "I'll do it. You go to work, don't you still need to pick up Vincent and Jas?"
Penny paused, hurriedly walked to the door, put on the hats and gloves from the coat rack one by one, fully equipped, and walked out the door.
Although both Jodi and Marnie had plans to let the children go to school independently, in winter, Pelican Town was covered in thick snow everywhere, plus the roads were icy. For the children's safety, Penny still chose to pick them up from each house.
It was worth mentioning that Gunther had officially become Pelican Town's Pokémon photographer recently. Therefore, on the days when Penny tutored, she would take the keys to open the library, stay there until closing after dropping off the children, then go home.
Correspondingly, Gunther would pay a certain amount of compensation.
Thinking of that loan that was nowhere near being paid off, Penny took a deep breath and plunged into the wind and snow.
Meanwhile, at the Lumiose Gym.
"The winner is—Ron from Pelican Town!"
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