Shopping with a beautiful girl is a blessing.
Shopping with a beautiful girl and not having to carry all her bags like a pack mule is an even greater blessing.
"The Grand Music Theater, the underwater tunnel at the aquarium, the plushie shop, the flower shop, and the arcade..." Hakuya recalled the sightseeing spots he had just visited with Lisia, and suddenly had a strange illusion. "Why do I feel like this isn't a normal shopping trip, but rather a dating route from a Galge?"
He now had reason to suspect Lisia harbored ulterior motives, but he lacked concrete evidence.
At this moment, Lisia, having already taken the sightseeing tickets from the attendant, stood at the turnstile and waved enthusiastically at him.
"Hurry up, hurry up! The staff just told me that if we go up now, we should be able to see the sunset from the Ferris wheel~"
"Alright."
Hakuya nodded and quickened his pace to catch up.
After playing a round of Whack-a-Diglett at the arcade, the idol girl set her sights on the giant Ferris wheel at the westernmost edge of Rustboro City.
As the Ferris wheel cabin gradually ascended, the ridgeline piercing the clouds came into view.
To the east lay the massive Rustboro City. The approaching twilight sunlight cascaded down, coating the densely packed high-rise buildings in a pale golden glow. Looking towards the north, the majestic peaks of a mountain range were faintly visible beneath the clouds. It was said that thousands of years ago, a meteor had struck there, creating the massive cavern known as Meteor Falls.
Sitting in his seat inside the cabin, Hakuya was inexplicably reminded of the Ferris wheel in Nimbasa City from the Unova region.
In the Pokémon Black and White games, riding the Ferris wheel was a crucial story event.
The player not only got to experience the unique charm of Nimbasa City but was also dragged onto a ride by N, the Hero of Truth or Ideals whose presence spanned the entire game. There, N would seriously, yet somewhat chuunibyou-ishly, reveal his true identity.
Mmm... It's great that my first Ferris wheel ride in the Pokémon world is with the adorable Lisia instead of that guy N.
"Speaking of which, I wonder what stage the Unova storyline is at right now..."
Gazing at the scenery outside the cabin's glass, Hakuya's mind began to race.
Mentioning N naturally brought to mind Team Plasma, the massive evil syndicate entrenched in the Unova region.
Unlike Cyrus, who wanted to create a world without spirit, or Archie and Maxie, who merely wanted to expand the ocean or land, Team Plasma's leader, Ghetsis, had only one goal: world domination to satisfy his ambition of ruling over everything.
"I feel like Team Plasma, just like Team Aqua and the others, has probably already teamed up with Team Rocket." Rubbing his chin with his finger, Hakuya fell deep into thought.
Based on the intelligence from the bounty poster earlier, he was almost certain that the Giovanni of this world was highly likely not the vanilla version.
Although he wasn't sure how Giovanni managed to convince Ghetsis—a man whose ambition was to rule the entire world and who was clearly mentally unstable—according to the game's lore, Team Plasma merging with Team Rocket to form Team Rainbow Rocket was an established fact.
Setting aside whether internal factional conflicts would arise among them, just their combined resources on paper made them an incredibly powerful force that could not be ignored. Furthermore, until they achieved their goals, it would be very difficult for the League to take targeted countermeasures against them.
However, regarding the current formation of Team Rainbow Rocket, Hakuya didn't feel the slightest sense of urgency about being surrounded by powerful enemies. Instead, he was somewhat looking forward to seeing their "perfected form" and fast-forwarding to the 'violently elbowing them' phase.
"I feel like I've stayed in the randomized world for so long that I'm actually starting to look down on the low difficulty of the original game's plot. Replacing them with the much stronger Team Rainbow Rocket should make things much more interesting than before."
Hakuya suddenly felt a surge of emotion.
Given Team Rainbow Rocket's strength, setting aside whether they could beat Selene in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, if they were dropped into the cesspool world of Randomized Emerald—where Groudon walked the streets and Kyogre could be found everywhere—they wouldn't even be considered a threat.
Therefore, rather than worrying about whether those ambitious madmen would rule the world, he was currently more concerned about how long Giovanni and his Team Rainbow Rocket could actually last once he collected all the Gym Badges in the game and maxed out the levels of Floragato and the others.
In the randomized world where overpowered monsters are everywhere, I don't blame you for kicking me around like a stray dog on the side of the road. But when I return to reality and pull out a full team of Pokémon tempered through hell... how exactly are you going to respond?
"Nai~"
Sitting on his lap, Alcremie, sharply sensing her Trainer's emotional fluctuations, looked up at him.
"It's nothing. I just suddenly thought of something interesting." Hakuya reached out, rubbed Alcremie's head, and smiled.
Besides mindlessly mowing down enemies like a Musou game, using randomized Pokémon to torture reality's Pokémon was a necessary and highly anticipated part of the experience.
Imagine: Ghetsis confidently sending out his prized Kyurem, only to be immediately met with the randomized [Desolate Land] Reshiram and [Hadron Engine] Zekrom. And because of 'residency issues', his DNA Splicers wouldn't even work, leaving him to be brutally pummeled by the two overpowered monsters.
Just picturing that scene made Hakuya feel like he was going to burst out laughing.
I've already saved up over three hundred Great Balls. Once my 100,000 League Dollar salary from the Trainers' School comes in three days from now, I'll buy a massive batch of supplies and go diving into the tall grass of the randomized world.
While Hakuya was admiring the scenery outside the window and lost in his own thoughts, Lisia was secretly observing him.
The stark contrast between his aura in battle and his demeanor in daily life, coupled with his incubus-like good looks... it was simply captivating.
But how do I progress our relationship from 'just friends' to something deeper?
This is so frustrating!
The girl's cheeks puffed out slightly. After spending the entire afternoon exploring Rustboro City, she felt she had exhausted every single trick she had learned from the Levincia Gym Leader (Iono); she couldn't squeeze out a single drop more.
"Mmm... the sun is finally starting to set~"
At this moment, noticing the sky turning a shade of vibrant orange, Hakuya sighed in admiration.
"It's been a long time since I've seen such a natural, beautiful sight. It's really pretty~"
Lisia pressed her cheek against the glass, sighing softly.
Hearing her words, Hakuya grew slightly curious and asked, "Do you rarely go out shopping, Lisia?"
"Well, not exactly~"
Snapping out of her immersion in the sunset scenery, Lisia shook her head.
"It's just that after becoming a Contest Idol, I haven't had many opportunities for casual outings like this."
At this moment, the twilight sunlight filtered through the glass, illuminating her delicate, porcelain-white face.
Her slender legs, half-hidden by her pleated skirt, were pressed together, faintly reflecting a smooth, white luster like mutton-fat jade.
Lisia sighed, a hint of helplessness on her face.
"As an idol, having a schedule packed full of commercial shoots and promotions all day is completely normal."
"And besides cooperating with the promotional work for Pokémon Contests, as a Coordinator, I also have to do daily coordination training with Ali and the others, as well as travel to Contests in various cities to collect Ribbons. Therefore, the amount of true free time I have in a month is very small, let alone having the leisure to enjoy the sunset with a friend like this."
"I see..."
Hakuya nodded in sudden realization.
In the Pokémon world, many Trainers had both a primary profession and a side hustle.
For example, Elesa, besides her side hustle as the Nimbasa City Electric-type Gym Leader, had a main career as a model. The Flying-type Elite Four member (Lance) was even more energetic; not only did he handle the affairs of two major Leagues, but he also had the spare energy to serve as a Pokémon G-Man, frequently flying his Dragonite around for cross-regional law enforcement.
"You really work hard."
Hakuya patted her shoulder empathetically, offering comfort.
As for why he felt empathetic, it was because he was also a master of time management, constantly juggling reality and the randomized world. Although the total hours he spent busy might not be as long as Lisia's, the intensity, in a certain sense, was likely much higher.
"Having to juggle commercial schedules and collecting Ribbons for Contests definitely makes it hard to find time to relax~ As a good friend, if you ever want to watch the sunset again but can't find anyone to go with, you can always call me."
After the gorgeous battles in the Wallace Cup, their online chats over the past few days, and their shopping trip today, Hakuya genuinely viewed the idol girl before him as a good friend. One more friend meant one more path in life—not to mention she was an ultimate sugar mommy, which suited his tastes perfectly.
"Eh?!"
Seemingly catching a crucial keyword, Lisia jolted violently.
"Good friend... good friend..."
The girl muttered the words repeatedly under her breath like she was possessed. Just as Hakuya was starting to feel a bit confused, she suddenly lifted her face, her eyes instantly lighting up with sparkling little stars.
"Since we're good friends... shouldn't you take the initiative and suggest we debut as an idol duo together, Hakuya?!"
"..."
Ugh, she STILL hasn't forgotten her damn plan to form a Contest Idol duo.
At this moment, watching Lisia change her face faster than flipping a page, Hakuya's mouth twitched slightly.
I let my guard down. I almost fell for this girl's trap out of sympathy.
Feeling helpless against Lisia's act of playing the victim, he ultimately crossed his arms over his chest again.
As a Sigma-style Pokémon Trainer, this level of aesthetic temptation had absolutely zero effect on him.
"You really only think about yourself, don't you~ However, I must refuse—"
The girl's expression froze. Then, wiping away non-existent tears, she let out a wail of despair.
"How could you do this to me~ Waaahhhh..."
For a moment, the entire Ferris wheel cabin was filled with a joyful, lively atmosphere.
Once the Ferris wheel slowly descended and they stepped out of the giant cabin, Hakuya, taking full responsibility as the tour guide, pulled out his PokéNav to search for famous restaurants nearby.
"Let me see... There are many different types of restaurants here in Rustboro City. Inexpensive food stalls, Pokémon specialty restaurants famous for Slowpoke Tail dishes, and Battle Restaurants..."
"There's a Battle Restaurant?!"
The last option caught Lisia's attention.
"Yes." Hakuya nodded and said, "If you successfully challenge the waiters inside to a battle, you get a 20% discount on your bill."
"Additionally, I heard that Battle Restaurant is currently running a new promotion. If a customer can consecutively defeat six waiters in the establishment, they can receive a mysterious grand prize."
"A mysterious grand prize..." The girl's eyes sparkled, full of anticipation.
As for whether they would win or not, Lisia wasn't worried in the slightest.
Teaming up with Hakuya for Double Battles felt like she could just toss her brain away and enjoy the absolute thrill of smurfing—
"What do you say, what do you say? Want to team up and go there for dinner?" Lisia looked at him with a face full of eager expectation.
Hakuya smiled and said, "I have absolutely no problem with that."
"Alright! Then we're going to the Battle Restaurant!"
Not even bothering to glance at the menu prices online, Lisia, acting as the wealthy sugar mommy, made the final decision on the spot.
The Battle Restaurant was located in the northwestern part of Rustboro City. Upon entering, a waiter dressed like a butler enthusiastically greeted them. After confirming that Hakuya and Lisia wanted to participate in the restaurant's Double Battle event, two female waitresses responsible for battles gave a slight bow and led them to a battlefield outside the private dining rooms.
"I'm counting on you next! Ali, make a sparkling entrance!" Lisia was the first to throw her Poké Ball, sending out her ace Pokémon, Altaria.
The final evolved form of Swablu, possessing Dragon and Flying typing.
Judging by its clean, smooth wing feathers, this Altaria had clearly been raised incredibly well by its Trainer.
As their first-round opponents, the two waitresses, who both had experience competing in the Ever Grande Conference, exchanged a glance and made their assessment.
Immediately after, they saw the handsome young man accompanying the girl also throw a Poké Ball.
A dazzling white light flashed, and a red-and-white silhouette resembling a jet plane appeared before their eyes.
"Latias, I'm counting on you for this pre-dinner battle."
"La-woo~"
The little jet plane presented her Trainer with a highly reliable back.
The combat discipline she had developed in the randomized world meant that no matter what kind of battle she faced, she always approached it with the determination to go all out.
Standing opposite them, the two waitresses, who had just sent out a Zangoose and a Seviper, were filled with question marks.
You brought a Legendary Pokémon to fight at a Battle Restaurant?! Is this a joke?!
There was absolutely no need to describe the details of the ensuing battle.
You only needed to know that under the bombardment of Latias's full-power [Draco Meteor], the two rival Pokémon didn't last long at all before they were both lying on the ground together with swirly eyes.
"That... felt so good!"
Looking at the opponents who had collapsed with a massive crash, Lisia, who hadn't exerted any effort whatsoever, could only let out a sigh of pure awe.
"It feels even more satisfying than pulling off a perfectly rehearsed, gorgeous move combination! We're so amazing together!" For the first time, the girl who was passionate about Contest Battles grasped the true charm of overwhelming your opponent with pure stats.
As they fought their way through the later rounds, Hakuya, fully entering battle mode, even considered pulling out his Mega Stone to test the sheer power of his Mega-evolved little jet plane.
But seeing the two female waitresses before him—their pupils having completely lost all light after being defeated—he ultimately decided to be a decent human being for once.
—Using a Contrary Latias to fill out a Double Battle roster is already smurfing hard enough. If I pull out a Mega Stone on top of that, I feel like the staff at this Battle Restaurant will actually lose their minds sooner or later.
However, just as Hakuya and Lisia were preparing to follow the rules and elbow their way through the next round of waiters, the restaurant manager, deeply concerned about the structural integrity of his establishment, hurriedly ran over with the prize in hand, calling for a timeout just in time.
"So the grand prize was just a Shed Shell~"
Taking the ultimate reward from the hands of the sweating restaurant manager, Lisia sounded completely unimpressed.
She had originally thought it would be some cute plushie souvenir. She didn't expect it to just be a small, rather hard-looking shell.
Hakuya took one look at it and was equally uninterested.
Shed Shell. When held by a Pokémon, it guarantees they can switch out with a Pokémon in reserve. It held a certain tactical value for competitive battlers, but it was usually only used as a highly situational counter-item. It was slightly better than the garbage items he had rolled in the randomized world a few days ago, like Revival Herbs or Tiny Mushrooms.
However, Floragato actually liked the Shed Shell quite a bit.
If holding it guarantees I can switch out with a reserve Pokémon, then next time I face an opponent with the Shadow Tag ability, I'll still be able to return to the team normally and activate my Omni-Transformation state!
After finishing dinner, Hakuya and Lisia didn't continue wandering around. Instead, they prepared to head back to their respective accommodations.
Kicking a small pebble by the side of the road, Lisia gazed at the last remnants of the setting sun at the end of the street and sighed.
"This was a really great shopping trip~"
"Agreed."
Hakuya also smiled.
Although the process felt a bit like playing through a Galge, spending the day walking around was genuinely relaxing and refreshing for both body and mind.
"Oh, right! Hakuya! The Hoenn Grand Festival will likely be held in Sootopolis City about half a year from now. A huge group of Coordinators far stronger than the ones at the Wallace Cup will gather there. Would you be interested in participating when the time comes?"
Arriving at the ground floor of her villa complex, Lisia suddenly remembered something, turned her head, and asked.
The Grand Festival is the highest-tier competition in the minds of all Coordinators. The contestant who wins the Grand Festival Championship is awarded the ultimate title of Contest Master.
She could tell that Hakuya's interest in Pokémon Contests was actually far lower than his interest in traditional Pokémon Battles. Participating in the Wallace Cup a few days ago was probably just a spur-of-the-moment whim. But now, before they parted ways, Lisia couldn't resist asking one last time.
Immediately after, to her surprise, Hakuya agreed without a moment's hesitation.
"I'm not really interested in participating in the Grand Festival, but I should have some free time around then, so I can come and cheer you on in person." Noticing the slightly surprised look in the girl's eyes, Hakuya smiled and explained.
"Because I'm quite interested in Sootopolis City, so if I have the chance, I genuinely do want to visit and look around."
This statement naturally wasn't a lie.
Whether it was Kyogre, Groudon, or Rayquaza, they were all inextricably linked to the city of Sootopolis.
Having arrived in the Hoenn region, it would be a massive missed opportunity not to witness the anime version of the "Hoenn Weather Trio" up close.
And while participating in the plot was one aspect, experiencing the unique local customs and culture of different places was another.
In the Pokémon world, besides exhilarating battles, everyday life and adventure were equally important main themes.
If he remembered correctly, Sootopolis City was praised as having the most beautiful sunset in the entire world. Just before nightfall, the golden afterglow of the sun cascaded overwhelmingly across the boundless ocean, pairing perfectly with the pure white buildings lining the shore. It was an ultimate scenic beauty that supposedly captivated countless people.
"Of course, besides genuinely wanting to take Latias and the others to explore Sootopolis City..."
Just after stating his genuine interest in Sootopolis City, Hakuya shifted his tone and teased her.
"I feel like if I just outright refused, you absolutely wouldn't let it go, would you, Lisia?"
"I don't want to open my PokéNav every day just to see thousands of Altaria emojis frantically spamming my screen. My PokéNav's memory would eventually explode from all the messages you send..."
The PokéNav he obtained from Randomized Emerald, while possessing all the basic functions like network communication and search queries, was clearly a model from over a decade ago. After being bombarded by Lisia a few days ago, its memory was already in a precarious state. If she ramped up the intensity, it might actually crash.
"I would never... that was clearly just me expressing how much I value and care about you." Lisia's cheeks flushed slightly as she tried her best to argue her case.
But a moment later, she placed her hands behind her back, her jewel-like emerald eyes curving into beautiful crescent moons.
"However, Hakuya, you really are an excellent judge of character!"