The conclusion was obvious to everyone watching:
Any follower of a monster… is also a monster.
Only the skilled blacksmith Tinkatuff and the newly joined Indeedee still felt "normal."
With the Dynamax Band secured and Basarios achieving G-Max form, the Galar trip was essentially complete.
In the morning, Bai Chen bid farewell to Bea, reminding her not to slack on Aura training—he'd be checking her progress next time.
Then he boarded a private jet with Lillie back to Alola.
On the plane, Bai Chen took out a massive monster egg—the Diablos egg he'd prepared—and offered it to Lillie.
Lillie stared wide-eyed at the egg, which was nearly as tall as she was.
│ "M-Mr. Bai, this is…?"
│ "Your birthday is in a few days, right?
│ This is my gift to you.
│ It'll grow as big as Rock Wyvern at its peak."
As big as Basarios!?
Even imagining it made Lillie feel faint.
│ "T-that's HUGE… How am I supposed to raise something like this?"
Her courtyard felt far too small.
Should she buy a ranch like Kiawe's?
Bai Chen chuckled.
│ "Relax. It can shrink its body, just like Nergigante.
│ Keep it mini when you don't need it, and only let it return to full size for battles."
So far, Lillie and Lusamine had only seen four monsters.
All four had shown the ability to shrink.
Naturally, they assumed all monsters had this ability by default—
never connecting it to Bai Chen.
Lusamine looked lovingly at the egg.
│ "What about me? Did you bring me a gift?"
│ "If you're turning twenty soon, I can gift you a monster egg too.
│ Even stronger—maybe a fire dragon."
│ "Still so stingy."
She wasn't angry—this was just the unspoken balance between them.
She provided him support; he reciprocated when possible.
And what Lusamine (and Aether Paradise) desired most was obviously…
Creatures from another world.
So gifting Lillie a monster was, in Lusamine's mind, basically gifting her one too.
│ "Many monsters are violent and hard to tame.
│ When I find a suitable one, I'll give it to you," Bai Chen promised.
│ "Then I'll look forward to it."
They soon arrived in Alola.
Through the jet window, the five islands shone below.
For Bai Chen, Alola was the beginning—
just like the Stardust Encampment had been in the Monster Hunter world.
The jet landed in the Aether estate garden, where James was already waiting.
│ "Mr. Bai, welcome back," James greeted elegantly.
He had no idea about Bai Chen's inter-world travel.
Lusamine had simply told the staff he was on a secret mission overseas.
│ "Good to see you, James. Still energetic as always," Bai Chen replied.
│ "James, please move the Pokémon egg to my room," Lillie requested.
│ "Of course, young lady."
James saw the gigantic 1.5-meter egg and nearly fainted.
Most Pokémon eggs were the size of an ostrich egg.
This thing was practically a boulder.
He and several maids worked together to carry the Diablos egg into Lillie's room.
Lillie instructed them to wrap it with cushions so it wouldn't break.
Once the staff left, Bai Chen smiled.
│ "Go ahead, touch it.
│ She might hatch in a few days."
Nervously, Lillie placed her hand on the shell.
Nothing inside moved or jumped out at her.
She exhaled in relief.
Bai Chen thought to himself:
In the original story, Lillie's first partner was an Alolan Vulpix…
But now, because of me, she's starting with a Monster Hunter heavy-class herbivore.
Though… she's afraid of touching both monsters AND Pokémon…
He knew the reason.
Long ago, as a little girl, Lillie had accidentally wandered into Aether Paradise's underground lab, along with her brother.
They arrived just as Faba successfully opened an Ultra Wormhole—
An Ultra Beast attacked, trying to take Lillie.
At the last second, one of Faba's artificial Pokémon saved her.
To hide his mistake, Faba had the Pokémon use Hypnosis on both children, wiping their memories.
Because she forgot the truth, Lillie mistakenly believed the Pokémon that saved her had attacked her.
From that day on, she feared touching Pokémon.
Last time Bai Chen visited Alola, he was too weak to confront Faba.
Now? He could crush that old man without effort.
│ "It's time to settle this."
He told them he was stepping out to buy something, then left the estate.
To fix Lillie's fear,
Step 1: Restore her lost memories.
Step 2: Have her explain everything to Lusamine herself.
Bai Chen searched the wilds and quickly located a Psychic Pokémon capable of Hypnosis.
After defeating it and obtaining the skill, he had Indeedee learn Hypnosis as well.
On the way home, he thought about how to "accidentally" unravel Lillie's hypnosis.
Then—
A blond boy suddenly blocked his path.
A boy with hair identical to Lillie's, styled in the most rebellious, eye-catching fashion imaginable.
Bai Chen smirked.
│ "Well, speak of the devil.
│ Isn't this —Gladion?"
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