Oak Research Institute.
Because Xiaozhi and Fang Yuan's battle caused quite a delay, it was now very close to the time for the celebration feast to begin.
When Xiaozhi's trio arrived at the institute with Fang Yuan, several tables full of sumptuous food and fruit had already been set up in the courtyard.
About thirty villagers were gathered around, already brimming with impatience.
"You know, Xiaozhi—"
In the crowd, Xiaozhi's mother, Delia, dressed in a white apron, scolded Xiaozhi for just arriving: "I reminded you to leave early, and yet you have kept everyone waiting for so long."
"Ah... but isn't it still not time yet?" Xiaozhi pouted.
It wasn't his fault the Rocket Team disrupted their plans.
But, maybe it was a good thing after all.
It was better for the Rocket Team to show up earlier rather than cause trouble during the feast.
"It's okay, Delia. Call Xiaozhi over here; he is the star of the day, haha."
"Right, Pallet Town is finally home to another great Trainer."
"Xiaozhi, you must have a big meal today."
The villagers of Pallet Town cheered, smiles on all their faces.
Pallet Town wasn't big, and the residents almost all knew each other. They had even sent off Xiaozhi when he had first started his journey.
It was hard to believe that a year had passed and Xiaozhi had indeed become a remarkable Trainer. Xiaozhi's neighbors couldn't help but genuinely rejoice for Delia.
Raising Xiaozhi on her own, and now that he was successful, Delia had finally come into her own.
"Don't worry, everyone. I, Xiaozhi, will become the strongest Trainer and make Pallet Town's name known all over the world!!!" Seeing everyone speaking up for him, Xiaozhi suddenly laughed boisterously.
Brock and Misty, standing beside him, covered their foreheads. This guy, just a couple of compliments and he's got too big for his britches again.
Definitely still a kid.
"That's nice."
Next to them, Fang Yuan, too, wore a smile, feeling there would come a day for this—he, theoretically, just like Xiaozhi's neighbor aunts and uncles, had watched Xiaozhi "grow up."
[But this time Xiaozhi surely won't remain 10 years old forever, right???] Fang Yuan wondered.
If Xiaozhi stayed 10 forever, that would mean he, too, wouldn't age, a time travel trip leading to eternal youth. That seemed rather nice?!
"I get it, I get it."
After his bold statement, Delia couldn't help but feel helpless, but she knew her child too well. If it weren't for reliable companions like Misty and Brock, she really wouldn't be at ease about Xiaozhi traveling alone...
Speaking of which...
"Huh..."
Delia held her chin in one hand with a puzzled look, gazing towards the extra person beside Xiaozhi's trio, and asked, "Xiaozhi, who is this?"
"Oh right, this is my friend Fang Yuan, whom I invited to the feast! And this is his partner, Eevee," Xiaozhi introduced.
"Oh, so you're Xiaozhi's friend! I'm Xiaozhi's mother. He must have caused you a lot of trouble. Thank you so much for taking care of him," Delia thanked Fang Yuan.
"Mom—" Xiaozhi complained.
Am I really that hopeless in your eyes???
Although, Fang Yuan certainly had given them a great deal of help just now.
"Hello, it is I who should be grateful for the help," Fang Yuan politely said.
"Alright, let's go eat something," Xiaozhi urged.
After a battle, he was almost starving.
"Ay, when will you ever grow up?" Delia worriedly looked at Xiaozhi. Without a doubt, being friends with Xiaozhi must be exhausting.
......
Just like that, Fang Yuan mixed into the banquet quite smoothly.
He didn't feel any discomfort, as if he had instantly blended in with these people.
This made Fang Yuan have to exclaim at the congeniality of the group.
At the same time, Eevee was also quite pleased; the banquet food, although not extremely delicious, was completely different from Earth's cuisines, and the long-missed sense of novelty made it start eating with a big appetite.
Of course, while eating, Eevee didn't forget to make friends with Pokemon like Xiaozhi's.
"Pika~~ (You're really strong.)"
Pikachu said while nibbling on an apple, complimenting Eevee.
Although his Trainer Xiaozhi might not have felt it, Pikachu's keen intuition told it that the Eevee it had just battled was extremely strong, far surpassing all other opponents it had encountered.
"Bwoo bwoo… (You're quite impressive too, Little Pika, it's just that your battle style is too straightforward.)" Eevee said with a mouthful of cream.
"Pika-pi! (Because that's how Xiaozhi issues commands.)" Pikachu crunched another bite of the apple.
"Bwoo! (Isn't that even better? Your Trainer's style is straightforward, which can easily make opponents underestimate you and find your weaknesses. But if at that moment, while following your Trainer's command, you have another trick up your sleeve and you use the opponent's underestimation and your own weaknesses to your advantage through acting, making the opponent think you're really just reckless, then victory will always be in your hands!)" Eevee advised.
The last time Eevee had given such advice was to Liu Le's Little Ka Bi and Lin Jing's Growlithe.
However, those two Pokemon were just not very talented.
But this Pikachu, Eevee could see light in its eyes.
This electric rat was surely destined for greatness.
No wonder it's Alpha Leather!
"Pika… (Acting…)" Pikachu pondered thoughtfully.
Then it nodded, thinking there was some truth to it.
Xiaozhi was always issuing some inexplicable commands during battles; perhaps Eevee Big Sister was right, it really should make an effort and learn a new skill.
...
Xiaozhi, Misty, Brock, and Fang Yuan, of course, had no idea what the Pokemon were whispering about.
Since Xiaozhi had invited Fang Yuan over, he naturally took up the responsibility of being a good host, taking care of Fang Yuan.
Xiaozhi understood this point, so he didn't neglect Fang Yuan, the outsider, and kept asking him various questions:
"Mr. Fang Yuan, the Pokemon from the Sinnoh Region must be completely different from those in the Kanto region, right?"
"Indeed, the Sinnoh Region has quite a few local Pokemon with distinctive features," Fang Yuan said, smiling.
Ah Xiaozhi, it wasn't that he was worried about being neglected, he just wanted to ask more about Pokemon, Fang Yuan saw right through him.
That's so like Xiaozhi.
"Then Mr. Fang Yuan, have you caught any? Can you show me?"
"Er, I have a Monferno; it's one of the three Beginner Pokemon given to New Trainers in the Sinnoh Region, the final evolution form of Chimchar," Fang Yuan said. "Unfortunately, I don't have it with me right now, maybe next time."
"Monferno, huh? A very nice Pokemon, with top-notch fighting and flame abilities," Brock chimed in from the side.
"Water Series Piplup must be cuter, right?" Misty thought dreamily to herself.
"Ah, that's too bad…" Xiaozhi said, salivating as he imagined the majesty of Monferno, and as he did, his thoughts turned to his own disobedient Charizard, his expression turning bitter.
Would a Monferno be more obedient than a Charizard?
"Ahem, by the way, this is Oak Research Institute, right? Why haven't I seen Dr. Omu?" Fang Yuan didn't want to keep chatting and quickly changed the subject, fearful that Xiaozhi might impulsively decide to travel to Shinnoh; that would really mess things up.
"Oh right, where's Dr. Omu…" Xiaozhi also paused.
Dr. Omu eats instant noodles every day, and now, with a feast available, why isn't he hurrying over to eat!