Early the next morning, after assigning the farm work for the day to the maids, Hakuya rode the police motorcycle with Jenny Rin towards Hearthome City.
Compared to the quiet and peaceful Hinata Town, the empty and deserted Snowpoint City, and the flower-clustered Floaroma Town, Hearthome City obviously had more of a visual sense of a modern metropolis.
Jumping off the stopped police motorcycle, what entered the eyes was a scene of towering skyscrapers.
People came and went on the spacious streets. Bustling crowds were either wearing suits and carrying briefcases, walking towards office buildings; or pulling up the rolling doors of shops along the street, starting a new day of business; or Trainers preparing to challenge the Gym walking with their Chimchar, clicking their tongues in wonder at the scenery along the way...
And the tall electronic screen at the intersection was playing promotional advertisements for the Wallace Cup. Wallace, the Sootopolis Gym Leader and an important initiator, pressed his hat and raised his hand, standing side by side with his signature Pokémon Milotic.
"Hakuya, next time I come to Hinata Town, I'll bring other sisters from the Jenny family along..."
"Okay, if there's anything the Police Station needs help with, remember to find me anytime."
After bidding farewell to the affectionate Jenny Rin in front of the Police Station, Hakuya's remaining itinerary was simple and clear.
First go to the company sales building to taste the upcoming Pokémon specialty food, then discuss recent work matters with the secretary lady, and finally go to the Contest Hall to meet Dawn.
"Mmm... is this a Badge Case?"
Just as Hakuya was walking along the street towards the company sales building according to the location sent by Oleana in advance, he suddenly paused, bending down to pick up a square box glowing with molten-gold-like light at his feet.
Obviously, this was probably accidentally left behind by a rookie Trainer after failing a Gym challenge.
Hakuya opened the iron box lightly, looked at the empty interior, then looked at the Hearthome Gym located not far away, judging.
First time challenging a Gym resulting in defeat, rushing to the Pokémon Center for treatment because Pokémon lost combat capability... Under disappointment and panic, accidentally leaving something behind was also reasonable.
However, do new generation Trainers nowadays like losing Badge Cases?
If he hadn't picked it up, estimating a passerby would kick it casually and it would roll into the sewer opening nearby.
Hakuya sighed helplessly, then turned to look at Miss Gardevoir following silently beside him.
As a qualified citizen of the Pokémon world, he naturally had to follow local customs and help these traveling Trainers within his ability.
"Gardevoir, can you find the Trainer of the Badge Case through Future Sight?"
"Gar~"
With a soft hum, the azure figure beside him closed her eyes slowly.
The so-called [Future Sight] wasn't a move, but a special ability of the Gardevoir family.
In the latest version of the Pokémon Pokédex proofread and issued by Professor Oak, the most authoritative figure in the research community, Gardevoir was classified as the Embrace Pokémon. It had the ability to predict the future and know dangerous situations about to happen in a short time.
Of course, besides passively sensing danger, if strong enough, one could also predict directly like this—just holding the thought of finding the owner of the Badge Case and consuming a large amount of mental power, one could peek at her appearance and location.
"Gar~"
The outwardly cold Miss Gardevoir opened her eyes, shaking her head at the Trainer.
No need for them to search specifically; the owner will come back later...
Hearthome City, in front of the Pokémon Center.
"Uuu~ Why..."
"Torchic~"
May walked side by side with the female Torchic who just recovered vitality on the lonely street, dejected.
Just today, their first Gym Challenge failed.
The rule was 2v2. Facing the fierce offensive of Fantina, the Hearthome Gym Leader, her Torchic and Wurmple couldn't even put up decent resistance, easily swept one-v-two by the Gym Leader's Gastly.
"Sure enough, I'm not suitable to be a Battle Trainer..."
This chestnut-haired girl with teary eyes kicked a pebble on the roadside as if giving up.
Her father Norman was a renowned Gym Leader, strong enough to be hailed as the successor to the Elite Four in the Hoenn region.
Her sister Sapphire officially started traveling a year ago after receiving the Pokédex. In just the debut year, she swept through eight major Gyms and won the Hoenn Ever Grande Conference championship. Now aiming to become a Pokémon Master, she also started traveling in the Sinnoh region.
And when it came to herself, the first Gym Challenge ended in a miserable defeat. Simply too terrible...
May sighed lightly, suddenly remembering that figure destroying the beast tide alone in the Hiyori Forest—this was also the reason why she wanted to be a Battle Trainer earlier and came from the Hoenn region to Hearthome City in Sinnoh as the first stop of her journey.
She wanted to get close to that black-haired youth. Even having trauma about Pokémon and so-called Pokémon Trainers due to childhood experiences, she mustered up the courage to choose this path...
Only the idol she longed for day and night hadn't been met yet, but she suffered such a painful defeat first.
Wandering disappointedly on the street full of people, not long after, this chestnut-haired girl suddenly found she seemed to have lost something important while organizing her backpack.
"Eh, my Badge Case seems to be gone?"
Searching through her carry-on backpack and pockets repeatedly, even returning to the Pokémon Center to ask Nurse Joy, but still failing to find the special box for holding Badges, May panicked undoubtedly at this moment.
Similar to the Pokédex, the Gym Badge Case was also an important item Battle Trainers needed to keep well.
Without this symbol, not to mention whether she could participate in the regional League Conference next year, even she probably wouldn't qualify for the Gym Challenge she had already participated in... And if she wanted to regain the challenge qualification, she either had to find the Badge Case back or go to the Pokémon Center for replacement.
Thinking of this, May searched anxiously along the street she came from with Torchic.
But only tens of minutes later, the operation to retrieve the lost Badge Case was declared a failure.
"Torchic, you didn't see it either, right?"
"Torchic~"
Like the dejected Trainer, Torchic also shook its small head disappointedly.
"Uuu~ Then can only go to apply for a replacement..."
Getting the Pokémon's affirmative reply, May sighed helplessly.
After all, the time since losing it was really too long; not finding it back was also reasonable.
Fortunately, there wasn't a single Badge inside her Badge Case; the loss wasn't too big. Therefore, she only needed to re-register at the Pokémon Center. Although the replacement fee was a full 10,000 League Coins, to continue challenging Gyms, she could only pay with tears...
"Hello, excuse me, is this what you are looking for?"
Just as May lowered her head dejectedly, preparing to take Torchic back along the street to the Pokémon Center for replacement, she suddenly heard a gentle male voice by her ear. The tone and intonation inexplicably made a touch of familiarity rise in her heart.
Immediately after, the Badge Case she accidentally lost a few hours ago and searched for all the way sweating profusely came into view.
"Y-Yes, thank you very much for your help!"
May reached out tremblingly to take this recovered square box and hold it in her hands, bowing sincerely to thank him.
"You're welcome. Remember to check your carry-on backpack in advance after challenging Gyms next time. After all, losing such a precious thing is indeed troublesome..."
"Mmm... I know. Still have to thank you again for helping me find the Badge Case..."
After this chestnut-haired girl bowed and thanked repeatedly, raising her head, she finally saw the man's face clearly.
Black hair and black eyes, emitting an approachable aura like an incubus around him. And beside him followed a Gardevoir, standing silently, with a temperament so cold that one couldn't approach to blaspheme.
At this moment, rushing here from the distant Hoenn region, the girl finally met the idol she longed for day and night.
"You... You are Mr. Hakuya?!"