With the P1 Fighting Tournament wrapped up, it was time to head home.
Brock had already packed up his things. His backpack hung off his shoulders, looking for all the world like a scholar heading off to an exam.
"You always bring this much stuff when you travel?" Lu Ye asked.
Brock gave him a quick glance and replied coolly, "Didn't you bring your whole fish tank?"
Lu Ye turned to look.
Squirtle was carefully carrying the tank, waddling out of the hotel like it was a priceless artifact.
Arcanine followed behind, carrying Togepi on its back with steady, measured steps.
Sylveon was curled up in Lu Ye's arms, its ribbon coiled gently around his arm, radiating a faint warmth.
"No worries," Lu Ye said with a nod, "I can just stash my suitcase inside Gengar."
"Gengarr? Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
Brock looked left and right, then leaned in with a mysterious air and pulled out a Poké Ball.
"I usually rely on this for travel."
"What is it?"
Brock raised his hand dramatically. "Come out—Steelix!"
RUMBLE—
A deafening roar split the air as a towering Steelix emerged, massive enough to block out the sky, lowering its giant head with a gap-toothed grin.
Lu Ye looked up and froze.
Brock stepped onto Steelix's head and extended a hand to Lu Ye, "Teacher Lu, load your stuff up. Give Gengar a break."
After all, carrying heavy stuff in its belly cost Gengar energy too.
Lu Ye cleared his throat, "I'll pass on the ride."
Brock thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah… Arcanine would be way faster anyway. Then I'll head back to Pewter City first. See you tomorrow!"
RUMBLE—
Steelix reared up and slithered off, its enormous body carving a long trench through the snow.
These grooves in the earth would actually help displaced Diglett and Dugtrio find new homes. Just another part of the Pokémon ecosystem.
Standing on Steelix's head with his arms crossed, Brock looked pretty dang cool.
Lu Ye watched him go, mixed feelings in his heart, 'It's not that I didn't want to ride Steelix… I just have a fear of heights!'
---
Battle Frontier — Battle Castle
Caitlin stood on the terrace, gazing into the distance.
Outside, snow blanketed the world. The wind howled. Snow piled up on the roads. Streetlights flickered.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps and turned—bump—headbutting someone's chest.
"Huh?" Shauntal adjusted her glasses and gently patted Caitlin's head, "Did that hurt?"
Caitlin shook her head from side to side, exhaling only after a long pause.
She stepped back slightly, looked down, then quietly asked, "Where's Cynthia?"
"She went to Kanto," Shauntal flipped through the hardback novel in her hand, casually explaining, "I think she's attending some kind of party."
"But…" Caitlin said softly, "It's snowing today. When it snows, you're supposed to be with the person you like… That's what the Sinnoh Archive Anthology says, doesn't it?"
"True," Talk of books lit Shauntal up, "They have that anthology in the library in Sootopolis City—I read it there once."
Caitlin leaned her cheek against her hand, elbow on the snow-dusted railing.
"Shauntal."
"What?"
"Let's go to Kanto too."
"But it's already pretty late," Shauntal tapped her chin and thought for a second, "We could go tomorrow. Cynthia said there's a party at Professor Oak's lab."
"Then… we'll go tomorrow," Caitlin lifted her head.
---
In the hazy night air, snowflakes fluttered gently down, gradually covering everything in white.
Lu Ye looked up at the falling snow.
"It's really coming down," He glanced around and sighed, "Arcanine, stop digging snow pits!"
"Awwoo~~"
Arcanine was happily rolling around in the deep snow.
Togepi toddled up and, after much effort, managed to form a tiny snowball.
Then it turned to look—and froze.
Squirtle had rolled a colossal snowball, easily a hundred times bigger than Togepi's, and was still packing more snow on top.
"Tchu… gki~brie…" Togepi's eyes filled with tears.
Lu Ye scratched his head, 'It's just a snowball fight… did you really have to make the world's most stable snowball?'
"Veeon~ o(´^｀)o"
Sylveon crouched next to Lu Ye's foot, clearly not interested in joining.
Lu Ye looked around—then got a mischievous idea.
He scooped up a handful of snow and dumped it on Sylveon's back.
"Veeon!" Sylveon shivered.
"Ahahaha~" Lu Ye laughed so hard he nearly fell over.
Sylveon pounced at him, only to be scooped up by the scruff of the neck.
"Veeon! Veeon!~ (〃＞皿＜)"
Lu Ye's heart skipped a beat, 'No wonder I have Close Combat Lv3 now. The prodigal son has returned!'
"Sir~fetched!"
Sirfetch'd raised its shield and blocked all the snow Arcanine had kicked up, then smirked proudly.
Then it looked up, confused.
"Squirtlee!"
Squirtle stood nearby, holding a massive snowball over its head, grinning ear to ear.
Lu Ye blinked, 'Spirit Bomb? Planetary Devastation?'
While the little ones played, Gengar was sitting off to the side, peacefully building a snowman.
The snowman looked just like a Gengar—eerily accurate.
"Gengarr!"
Gengar patted its own shoulder in pride.
"Catch this!"
Lu Ye lobbed a snowball.
"Gengarr! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
---
Under the orange streetlights… A tired Teacher Lu and his little team collapsed onto a mound of snow.
Looking up at the night sky, Lu Ye exhaled a cloud of white breath. Snowflakes floated endlessly from above.
Then, a soft but real voice came from nearby.
"Aren't you cold?" Cynthia asked.
Lu Ye sat up slightly and looked her way.
Under the warm glow of the streetlamp—
Cynthia's silken blonde hair cascaded down. Two delicate black clips framed her face. She wore a black cloak—elegant and regal.
Snow landed softly in her hair as she exhaled a white puff of breath, "Hug me, and you won't be cold."
"I was just about to head back.… Actually, yeah, it is cold," Lu Ye corrected himself.
Cynthia paused, then smiled gently.
"Your hand."
"…Huh?"
Lu Ye blinked.
A pale, slender hand extended toward him.
After 0.05 seconds of processing, Lu Ye instantly reached out.
Heart pounding.
That hand was delicate and soft. The moment they touched, he could feel its warmth, and the faint scent of her perfume.
There were slight calluses on her palm—from years of gripping Poké Balls.
Lu Ye couldn't help gently brushing his fingertips over them.
Cynthia's cheeks flushed red.
"Rough?"
"Like Garchomp."
Her grip instantly tightened, but her smile grew even warmer.
"Like Garchomp—strong and beautiful."
After a brief silence—Cynthia tugged Lu Ye up from the snow.
"I'll take that as a compliment." She looked genuinely pleased, her eyes curving into soft crescents.
From this angle, golden hair half-shadowed her face, dusted in snow.
"Mm…"
Under the curtain of blonde, Cynthia's pale cheeks turned rosy. She subconsciously loosened her grip.
"What should we have for a midnight snack?" Lu Ye asked quickly.
"..."
Cynthia fell into a long, thoughtful silence.
Lu Ye could feel the softness of her hand, the wild rhythm of his heartbeat, and silently praised himself, 'That's our guy—well played, Teacher Lu!'
At Cynthia's waist, her Poké Ball shook slightly.
Garchomp let out a long sigh.
Fine. Just this once.
Considering he called me strong and beautiful… I won't jump out and third-wheel them tonight.