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[Pokemon] Chapter 37: Picnic
🕑 Added 2024-08-25 05:39:28 +0000 UTCIn order to gather information about the pendant and the Six Heroes, the Rising Volt Tacklers decided to travel to the Galar region to meet Liko’s grandmother, Diana. The next day, they were scheduled to set sail for Galar, but... an unexpected situation arose.
“What do you mean the ship can’t depart!?”
“Why? Why? What’s going on!?”
Summoned by App, they headed to the control room where Friede, Orla, Mollie, and Murdock were already gathered. There, they received a detailed explanation of the Brave Olivine’s current situation.
“The tail wing’s movement is a little sluggish. We’re running an automatic check now.”
Friede and the others didn’t seem particularly worried. It appeared to be a common occurrence for them. Dot, who manages the system, mentioned that the reboot would be completed within half a day. Considering that they would be continuing their journey aboard this ship, it was a necessary wait for the sake of safety.
“Well, now we suddenly have some free time.”
“Then, since we have time, how about some new training with the equipment we bought in Mesagoza City—”
“Everyone! Is there anything I can help with!?” Roy interrupted Jin’s suggestion, frantically looking for something to do. It was painfully obvious how desperate he was to avoid Jin’s training.
“Now, now, calm down, both of you. Today, there’ll be no training or helping. We’ve been on a long journey from Kanto without much rest. How about we take this opportunity to relax and go on a picnic to refresh both body and mind?”
(It’s true, a lot has happened so far... We’ve been on edge, constantly alert for attacks from the Explorers. A picnic, huh...? Hmm?)
As Jin considered Friede’s suggestion, both Roy and even Liko looked up at him with sparkling eyes, silently pleading. If it were just Roy, Jin would have ignored him immediately, but Liko’s puppy-dog eyes were super effective against him.
“Well... I suppose it wouldn’t hurt for once.”
“Yaaaaaay!!”
Upon getting Jin’s approval, Liko and Roy high-fived each other in excitement. The distance between them had closed significantly since their first meeting, and now they seemed like close siblings.
(...This is a good opportunity. Maybe I should ask her... though it might be hard to do it normally... hmm...)
Leaving the ship in Ludlow’s capable hands, who offered to stay behind, Jin and the others began preparing for their picnic.
***
"Wow~~~ What a great view!"
After disembarking from the Brave Olivine, Liko and the others made their way to a nearby beach. It was a spot with a great view, a gentle breeze, and perfect for a picnic. The scenery beautifully captured the charm of the Paldea region.
“Oh, look! There are so many buildings over there!”
Roy pointed to the left, where a city filled with skyscrapers came into view. This was Hakkou(Levincia) City, a modern metropolis with bright neon signs and futuristic buildings. At night, it’s said to be one of the most beautiful views in the Paldea region, known as the "Million-Volt Nightscape," and is considered one of Paldea’s top ten scenic spots.
“Hey! Everything’s ready!”
Orla called out to Liko and Roy, who had been gazing at Hakkou City. It seemed the picnic preparations were complete. As the two hurried over, they saw a table set under a large tree, laden with ingredients like bacon, sausages, sliced fruits, cheese, and various seasonings.
“This is so fancy!”
“It looks delicious!”
“It’s thanks to Murdock going all out on the shopping trip.”
“I was amazed by the selection in Hakkou City. They had everything you could think of.”
Hungry, Roy quickly reached out for the ingredients, but Orla stopped him. The point of this picnic wasn’t just to eat the ingredients as they were, but to use them to create custom sandwiches with whatever toppings they liked.
“Your creativity is on the line here. You two, make the best sandwich you can!”
“Right!”
With Friede’s signal, Liko and Roy both set to work making their sandwiches. Each chose their favorite ingredients, doing their best to create something unique.
Liko’s sandwich had fewer ingredients but was well-balanced. In contrast, Roy, inspired by a sandwich he once saw in a picture book, tried to stuff as many ingredients as possible and ended up with a bit of a mess. Their personalities were clearly reflected in their sandwiches.
“Alright! This time I nailed it!”
After failing with his first attempt, Roy’s second sandwich was much better balanced, though it still had far more ingredients than Liko’s. He cut it in half, ready to share it with Fuecoco. But just as he was about to take a bite, a Pokémon suddenly leaped out of the bushes and snatched the sandwich from his hands.
“Huh? My sandwich… Wait, that Pokémon! Get back here!”
“Roy! Don’t go too far!”
“Got it!”
The culprit was quickly spotted—a small, black bird-like Pokémon that clamped Roy’s sandwich in its tiny beak and took off running towards the sea without even looking back. Roy and Fuecoco immediately gave chase, determined to get the sandwich back.
“He sure has a lot of energy.”
“It’s good for kids to be that energetic.”
“By the way, where’s Jin? Isn’t he here yet?”
Indeed, Jin had yet to show up. When they were all preparing to leave the ship with the picnic gear, he had said, "I’ve got a small errand to run, so go ahead without me." But since then, there had been no word from him. Enough time had passed that it wouldn’t have been strange for him to have joined them by now...
“Should we send him a message saying everything’s ready?”
“Yeah… No, looks like there’s no need. He’s coming this way.”
“Speak of the devil... Wait, is that... no way...”
Turning their gaze toward the ship, Friede and the others spotted Jin walking toward them. But what caught their attention was the person following behind him—a small girl with purple curly hair, holding a Quaxly, slowly trailing after Jin.
“Sorry for the wait. Took a bit longer than I thought.”
“Jin! Finally… Wait... who’s that?”
"Eek!"
“Quax!”
Liko’s eyes lost all their sparkle the moment she noticed the girl behind Jin. Her voice turned icy, like a "Sheer Cold," and she glared intensely. The girl, hearing Liko's voice, was immediately frightened and nearly collapsed on the spot. Thankfully, Jin quickly supported her, preventing her from falling. But in doing so, Liko’s glare only sharpened.
“Alright, that’s enough of the ‘Glare.’ I brought her here for your sake, after all.”
“…For me?”
“Come on, introductions, introductions.”
With that, Jin gently pushed the girl forward until she stood right in front of Liko.
“…I-I’m Dot.”
“Huh... Dot!?”
Dot, the one responsible for information gathering and system management for the Rising Volt Tacklers, was also Murdock’s niece and around the same age as Liko. While Liko had visited Dot’s room multiple times to talk about Nidothing-related matters, they had never actually met face-to-face.
“Dot! We finally meet!”
“…Y-yeah…”
Liko’s eyes sparkled as she excitedly spoke to Dot, who blushed and looked down, trying her best to avoid direct eye contact.
“But why did you come? When I invited you, you said it was too much of a hassle...”
When the picnic was first planned, Liko had naturally invited Dot to join them. However, Dot had declined, citing reasons like it being bothersome and inefficient. Yet, here she was now, with Jin. Liko was dying to know what had changed her mind.
“T-that’s because…”
“Actually... Dot really wanted to talk to you in person, but she’s super shy and couldn’t bring herself to say it...”
“Whaaaaat!? H-hey! Don’t make stuff up! And stop looking at me like that! It’s really not true! I only came because I lost a bet! I had no choice, really, I didn’t want to!”
“A bet!? With Jin!? Is Quaxly okay? Did it get hurt?”
Liko’s sparkling expression instantly turned into one of concern as she hurriedly checked Dot and Quaxly for any injuries. She gently touched Quaxly, carefully examining to ensure it hadn’t been harmed in the process.
“…”
Jin, meanwhile, seemed a bit displeased with Liko’s response. But given how he treated Roy and Fuecoco during their training, it wasn’t surprising for her to react this way. With how strict Jin was in his training, it was only natural to assume he’d been tough on Dot and Quaxly as well. It was, after all, his own fault.
"...We didn't have a Pokémon battle. Besides, Quaxly isn't even my Pokémon."
"Huh? Really? You're always together, so I just assumed..."
Even Jin was surprised by this. Quaxly was always in Dot's room and often appeared as an assistant during Nidothing's livestreams. Jin had completely assumed they were partners. But, like many other Pokémon on the ship, Quaxly had simply made itself at home.
(That explains why it's not used to battles...)
Quaxly had appeared in a few of Nidothing's battle commentary videos, and while it had improved a little after watching recordings of Jin’s past battles, it was clear that it still wasn’t very comfortable with battling. Jin had never imagined that Dot wasn't even a trainer.
"Didn't you ever think about catching Quaxly?"
"I never wanted to be a trainer in the first place..."
(...That's a bit of a waste.)
The relationship between humans and Pokémon is entirely up to them. They don’t need to become trainers or partners to have a good connection. Dot and Quaxly were a perfect example of that. However, Dot was knowledgeable about Pokémon, and Quaxly clearly liked her. From what Jin had seen in their videos and daily life on the ship, the two had great synergy.
(The compatibility between them is excellent, and that's crucial. Dot and Quaxly don’t have any issues there. If they became partners, with Dot’s knowledge and their existing bond, they could become a formidable duo...)
Considering future adventures, having more strength would always be a plus. If Jin or Friede weren’t around during an attack, it would be helpful to have someone who could at least buy them some time. With that thought, Jin pulled an empty Poké Ball from his pocket.
"Dot, here. Take this."
"L-like I said, I don’t—"
"I know. I'm not forcing you. Just keep it with you in case you change your mind."
Of course, Jin had no right to force Dot to catch Quaxly. But he genuinely wanted to see Dot and Quaxly grow as partners. That was why he offered the Poké Ball as a compromise.
"It won’t take up much space, so... here."
"Ah... ouch!"
Jin tossed the Poké Ball to Dot underhand. She fumbled the catch, and the ball hit her head before falling to the ground.
"Whoa... you okay?"
Ever since their first encounter through the door of the ship, Jin had a feeling—Dot seemed to lack physical coordination. Actually, it wasn’t just that. She seemed so unathletic that Jin doubted she'd ever exercised in her life.
"Quaaax!"
"Huh? Quaxly!?"
As soon as Quaxly saw the Poké Ball hit the ground, it suddenly began to squirm in Dot's arms, trying to break free. Since Dot wasn’t very strong, Quaxly easily slipped out, charging towards the ball and hitting it with a Tackle. It accidentally pressed the button, opening the Poké Ball. A red light enveloped Quaxly, and in an instant, it was drawn inside.
"...W-What should I do?"
Everyone stood in shocked silence, staring at the Poké Ball. Dot was the first to snap out of it and asked the question.
"If Quaxly went into the ball on its own, it must really want to be your partner."
That was probably the case. Seeing Dot drop the ball and seizing the opportunity like that, it was clear Quaxly had always wanted to be Dot's partner.
"...Quaxly, come out."
"Quaaax!"
Dot cautiously picked up the ball, and when she tossed it into the air, Quaxly popped out with a cheerful cry, approaching her right away.
"So... are you really okay with someone like me?"
"Quaaa!"
When Dot asked with uncertainty, Quaxly responded by raising an arm with a smile. Even if Dot couldn’t understand its words, Quaxly’s actions and expression made it clear that it had accepted her as its partner.
"...Well, officially, nice to meet you. You're my... partner now."
Though it had happened in the most unexpected way, Dot had just caught Quaxly, and their relationship shifted from simple friends to a Pokémon Trainer and her partner Pokémon. It was the moment they truly became bonded companions.
"Dot! Congratulations!"
Liko, who had been watching nearby, was the first to speak, followed by everyone else celebrating Dot and Quaxly. Dot, though clearly embarrassed by all the attention and praise, seemed genuinely happy.
(Dot, I'm so glad for you... huh? Wait a second, if Dot and Quaxly just became partners, then… what about...)
Liko realized something important—Dot had just become a Pokémon Trainer. This brought a question to her mind.
"Hold on, so what about that match with Jin?"
"Oh, that? It was a quiz battle about Pokémon. We took turns asking questions, and whoever got one wrong first would lose."
While everyone was off looking for a good picnic spot, Jin had visited Dot's room and proposed this challenge. He knew that if he asked her to join them outright, she would refuse, just like she always did. But if it was a battle of wits about Pokémon, Dot, being confident in that area, wouldn't back down. Jin was sure of that and issued the challenge.
And in the end... after a long battle lasting over thirty minutes, Jin barely managed to win. As a "punishment," Dot had agreed to come along for the picnic.
"I lost fair and square... but I still think that question was unfair! A silhouette quiz about Pokémon? And the answer was 'Jigglypuff from above'?! Who could guess that!?"
"Hahaha."
"Don’t just laugh it off!"
At first, Jin had played fairly, but as he realized Dot’s knowledge exceeded his expectations, he resorted to a forbidden question. It was a notoriously difficult one, previously used in the official Pokémon League qualification exams, but was removed after a flood of complaints from test-takers for being too hard. That was the question Jin used to win the battle.
"Regardless of how it happened, the victory is mine. Since you're already here, you might as well enjoy it. Now, let's see... looks like there's a seat open next to Liko. Dot, you can sit there."
The seat where Roy had been was now vacant. Normally, Jin would take that spot, but he decided to let Dot sit there this time. Murdock tried to point at the seat next to him, but Jin pretended not to notice and directed Dot to sit beside Liko instead.
"Dot, is this your first time making sandwiches?"
"...Y-Yeah."
"Then let's make them together!"
"Okay, fine..."
Liko eagerly engaged Dot in conversation, and Dot responded. Though Jin had seen them chatting on the ship many times before, this was the first time they were speaking directly and sharing a meal. The combination of the picnic and meeting face-to-face for the first time had Liko more excited than ever. Her earlier grumpiness was gone, and now, all she seemed to care about was bonding with Dot.
Dot, on the other hand, had taken a liking to Liko. Even though Liko didn’t know her true identity, she had complimented Dot (as Nidothing) so sincerely and frequently, striking up conversations without hesitation. They had spoken through the door several times before, and even if Dot didn’t fully realize it, they were already friends. Now, being on this picnic together with her friend, Dot couldn’t help but smile.
"Dot looks so happy... I'm really glad we brought her on board. She’s made a friend."
Watching Dot’s joyful expression, Murdock smiled warmly. But it wasn’t just him—everyone in the group was delighted to see Dot, who usually stayed in her room, outside and smiling. It was such a rare and precious sight that it was hard not to be captivated by the moment.
(...I suppose this isn’t so bad once in a while.)
Adventure is full of mystery and excitement. Every adventurer instinctively seeks these things, and Jin was no exception. He constantly craved the challenge of powerful opponents and intense battles. But sometimes, a peaceful moment like this was nice too. Secretly, Jin hoped that Liko and the others would get more chances to relax and enjoy moments like this in the future.
---
Meanwhile, as Jin and the others were enjoying their picnic, a tall man and several Magneton hovered around the Brave Olivine, surrounding it from the air.
Magneton constantly emit strong magnetic waves, electromagnetic pulses, and radio signals. Because of this, nearby computers and other delicate electronic devices often malfunction or break down. With a large group of Magneton focusing their electromagnetic waves on a single target, it would be easy to disrupt the ship's systems.
"Heh heh... The wind is in our favor. The trap is already set. Now we just wait for them to fall into it, and once I steal that pendant... the mission will be complete."
// END
I made Dot and Quaxly partners a little earlier than expected.
From the next chapter, Spinel will start to take center stage. The events might not follow the anime exactly, but I hope you'll continue to enjoy it.
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