Elf: Who told him to be an investigator!

Gifts in Chapter 286

Chapter 286 A Gift from Afar

"Those two guys from Orei have caught quite a few Pokémon."

After leaving Qiu Wansui and Dischu to Daigo for safekeeping, Zeki also took the fossil aeroda back to the original tsunami rock.

Then you see that the net bag that originally contained the Poké Balls has been torn open, and many Poké Balls that have activated their self-destruct release program are scattered around.

Suddenly, many Pokémon appeared here.

Many stinging beetles, several serpentine bears curled up together with eyes that seemed to be brimming with tears, proud swallows standing on branches, Parasus with its mushroom-like back swaying, a cotton ball like a wad of cotton, and even a few lazy otters lying motionless on the ground...

"These children were all released from that Poké Ball." Xiao Lan and Sapphire each had an adorable Zigzagoon beside them. Xiao Lan rubbed one of the Zigzagoons and explained, "Quite a few wary Pokémon have left, but these ones are still here."

"Pfft pfft~~"

The snake-striped bear rubbed its furry head against Little Blue's palm, its eyes narrowing into slits.

As it was being stroked, it happily stuck out its little red tongue.

The "Tanuki" Pokémon reminded Zeki of a "red panda" or "raccoon" in its crawling state. It had snake-like, ring-shaped bristles on its body, but the fur on its head was soft. Rubbing it felt like an experience somewhere between petting a dog and petting a bear.

You asked Zeshu why he knew this feeling?

As soon as he arrived, it seemed that he already knew that Ze Shu was the one who rescued them. The three snake-striped bears stuck out their tongues, swayed their bodies, and eagerly brought their heads close to Ze Shu's hand.

"Pfft pfft pfft~~~"

Ze Shu's "craftsmanship" seems to be exceptionally good.

Before long, the three snake-striped bears were so comfortable that they almost let out a "burp" like warm pigs.

Seeing this, Higana puffed out her cheeks: "Ugh! Why aren't any snake bears rubbing against me? I'm the one who rescued them!"

Ze Shu: "Besides making a fool of yourself in front of those two..."

1

Before he could finish speaking, Higana jumped up in anger: "Those two have such weird brains! I went to great lengths to scare them, and they weren't scared at all! It's definitely not because my ghost costume was too funny!"

"Don't you think so, Gengar?"

Higana glanced at Ze Shu's shadow.

Half a chubby purple head peeked out from the shadows. Gengar blinked its red eyes, saw Higanbana's embarrassed and indignant expression, hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Hehehe!"

Higana curled her nose: "I knew it!"

Ze Shu remained silent; as long as she was happy.

So, Higanbana looked around, wanting to find a rescued Pokémon to pet, but the adorable Zigzagoon was already lying around the tree, Taillow flew away at the slightest touch, Paras was huddled at the bottom of a tree hole, and Wurmple was covered in thorns...

Finally, she spotted the piles of sloth otters lying on the ground, rushed over, and asked expectantly, "We saved you, so...can I pet you like they do?"

The lazy otter didn't react.

Higana patiently repeated it once.

The lazy otter still didn't react to what she said.

Higana puffed out her cheeks and repeated her words once more.

This time, the lazy otter finally reacted!

Under Higana's expectant gaze, it stirred its limp little paws, bent its head, scratched the itchy fur on its forehead, and then... nothing more.

The lazy otter continued to lie there.

Higanbana: (#A)

"Fine, I won't let you touch me then!" She turned her head away, "Hmph!"

Ze Shu: "————"

Xiao Lan: "...

—."

Shafia tilted her head as well: "?"

Why is this Sigirna competing with a Pokémon that sleeps at least 20 hours a day, eats only three leaves all day, and whose heart is so lazy it only beats once a minute?

"Safia!!"

Then, a worried shout came from afar.

Professor Birch burst through the bushes and came running.

"Safia! You...you're alright, Daddy is...I'm so relieved!" Dr. Birch breathed a sigh of relief upon finally seeing his beloved daughter.

But Shafie asked doubtfully, "But Dad, are you worried? With Brother Zeshu and Sister Xiaolan around, I should be fine! Your concern seems a bit unnecessary."

"Huh...?! Is that so?!"

The sweet words from his daughter left Dr. Scroll completely speechless.

He collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, somewhat questioning the meaning of life.

"Safia...I...Was my worry really unnecessary...?"

'

But before Dr. Birch could have doubted himself for long, he looked down in despair and saw a serpentine bear sniffing him curiously. This startled Dr. Birch so much that he jumped up on the spot!

"Oh no! It's a serpentine bear! I'll lure it away!"

In the blink of an eye, Professor Birch ran to a tree and stood guard.

I noticed his inexplicable behavior.

Zeqi: "???"

Little Blue: "???"

Shafia tilted her head too: "Daddy, you're such a coward!"

The snake bear that had terrified Professor Birch tilted its head slightly, then returned to Sawaki's side, enjoying the caress of Sawaki's palm, wriggling its tail and squinting its eyes in comfort.

"Doctor, you..."

"Haha, haha..." Realizing something was wrong, Professor Otom rubbed his head and stepped out from behind the tree trunk, saying awkwardly, "Because I often do outdoor research, I'm also frequently chased by snake bears..."

The Pokémon Zigzagoon is so curious and energetic that it often chases moving objects and even zigzags around, much to the chagrin of Professor Birch.

"It's a conditioned reflex, a conditioned reflex... Haha, haha..."

Oda Scroll glanced at the snake-patterned bear comfortably squinting its eyes in Sawaki's hands, breathed a sigh of relief, and chuckled a few times, feigning ease.

"But I heard that the one chasing you, Doctor..." Ze Shu asked, "wasn't it a wolfhound?"

"I have...I have..." Odamaru explained awkwardly.

"Dad, you're such a coward! You get chased by hyenas and snake-faced bears every day!" Shafia said. "Shafia has grown up and gained strength. She'll protect Dad!"

Professor Birch was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes: "Really...really?"

With the unexpected words of concern from his sweet little girl, Dr. Scroll no longer felt the pain of the heartbreak he had just experienced.

"Yes! Dad, you're too weak!" Sapphire nodded earnestly, explaining her thoughts: "If Sapphire had power, she would definitely protect Dad first, then release her Pokémon and seriously chase after Dad so he could train!"

Dr. Odama: (;;)

I'm drenched in sweat...

The Pokémon on site lingered, and apart from Zigzagoon and Sloth, they all looked at Zeki and the others with eyes that were both somewhat afraid and grateful.

It's a good thing that Pokémon living in the wild are wary.

But this can't go on forever, and besides, Ze Shu will leave sooner or later anyway.

So, Xiao Lan suggested, "How about we eat lunch with them?"

Once the temptation of food was created, the snake bears and the guide mushrooms were the first to fall for it, and those who stayed there, such as Paras and Cotton Ball, gradually fell for it as well. Ze Shu also managed to knead the Cotton Ball, the degenerate form of the "black-hearted cotton".

Even the Aerodactyl, which prides itself on being unruly and different from these low-level Grass-type Pokémon, was curiously entangled by several Zigzag Bears.

The fossil pterosaur intended to roar in anger and then whip its tail to show them what the consequences were of angering this "top predator" while they were eating!

But Ze Shu only coughed twice.

The fossil pterosaur forcefully suppressed its earlier outrageous thoughts, letting the serpent bear crawl erratically on its body.

As the sun gradually traversed the sky, its blazing rays shone on the top of the mossy rocks, carrying the unique scent of sun-dried grass. After a meal, Ze Shu had to bid farewell to these Pokémon.

"Puff! Puff!"

Petalburg Woods is located near the southern entrance to Petalburg City. The "Sociable Mushroom" of Petalburg Woods led a group of Pokémon to bid a tearful farewell to Soryu. After this farewell, they might never be able to eat such delicious food again!

"We should meet again."

Sawaki chuckled and waved goodbye to the lingering Pokémon. After walking along a road by the sea, he saw an old man sitting with a long-winged gull before entering Petalburg City.

Petalburg City is a rural town. In the center of the town, you can see a gym under construction. Under the direction of employees of a construction company, Machamp and Porter are moving wood and stone into it.

Qianli stood by a pond not far from the dojo.

Ze Shu walked up.

"You've arrived." Qianli didn't even turn his head.

"Yes, I'm here," Ze Shu said.

"I thought you would be late." Qianli moved her lips, but in the end, she only said this.

"But I'm here now." Ze Shu spread his hands, then added, "It seems you have something else to say after this chat."

Qianli shook his head: "It's nothing special, it's just..."

'

He suddenly said, "You know... more than four years ago, almost five years ago, that big event about Rayquaza, right?"

"

Ze Shu shrugged and didn't answer, because Qian Li's question wasn't a question.

Looking at the still water, Qianli said, "After Rayquaza was captured, it was imprisoned in the Pokémon Association research building in Goldenrod City, Johto. Coincidentally, I was also in this building at that time, taking the exam to become a Gym Leader. At that time, I also had my son Ruby with me."

Higana was initially confused by this person's talk of "four years, five years," but upon hearing this, her eyes widened in shock, and she exclaimed, "Isn't this...?"

Qianli: "But a Salamence broke in."

Higana immediately shut her mouth.

Qianli looked at her strangely, then said, "I was taking an exam at the time and didn't know what happened."

All I know is that my son Ruby chased away that Salamence...

"

Ze Shu suddenly asked, "How much older is Lu Bi now?"

Qianli said, "Five years old."

Ze Shu exclaimed in amazement, "A five-year-old child actually managed to drive away a Salamence! And it was a whole Salamence! It's simply unbelievable!"

Higana puffed out her cheeks, her eyes darting around.

Qianli sighed: "Yes...but under surveillance, that's exactly what happened."

"The Salamence that was chased away accidentally stumbled into the research building, where it ran amok and destroyed all the equipment. Rayquaza, which was imprisoned there, also escaped as a result, committing a serious crime in the eyes of the Pokémon Association."

"I'm worried that Ruby will be blamed and her future will be ruined..."

'

"I...I took responsibility for that incident."

"From then on, even though I had passed the Gym Leader test at that time, I was still forbidden from becoming a Gym Leader and was ordered to find Rayquaza's whereabouts to make amends."

"For the past five years, I've spent very little time with my wife and children while searching for Rayquaza. I only come home a few times a year. Ruby has misunderstood me because of this and thinks I'm not fit to be his father."

'

At this point, Qianli paused, then said, "I'm sorry to bring this up all of a sudden."

Ze Shu shook his head.

"I brought all this up just to thank you," Qianli said, rummaging through her pocket for something. "Ever since that big thing you did in Hoenn, the Pokémon Association president was dismissed... It seems they've given up on finding Rayquaza, and even approved my gym building application."

Qianli took out a fragment of a green round bead.

Ze Shu was taken aback: "What's this?"

Senri: "This is what I found; it should be related to Rayquaza's power."

Ze Shu nodded: "Yes."

Just as the Flying Giganotosaurus has a crimson gem, and the Giant Giganotosaurus has an indigo gem, Rayquaza also has an emerald green gem—but these are merely artificial imitations created for a certain purpose. Nevertheless, they possess similar power to the previous two gems.

Ze Shu recognized that what Qianli held in his hand was a fragment of the emerald green pearl.

"How did you get it?" Ze Shu asked curiously.

Qianli hesitated for a moment: "It was obtained from... a child."

"Because of what you did, Zeki, I'm temporarily relieved of the mission to find Rayquaza, and I have time... to go back to Johto and be with my wife and children. But in Johto, I happened to meet a child who was holding this broken gem."

"His name is Mirat. He found this gem. He's a persistent kid. I told him I wanted his gem and I'd grant him any request. But he chose to have a Pokémon battle with me instead."

In the face of Qianli, a man hailed as "born to fight," Mirat was naturally utterly defeated.

Qianli handed the green gem fragment in her hand to Zeshu: "This gem is yours. Consider it my..."

A thank you in a way that isn't really a thank you.

Ze Shu accepted the pearl: "Thanks."

Qianli nodded without saying a word.

Higana, standing behind, kept craning her neck to look at the precious pearl in Ze Shu's hand: "This belongs to the Dragon God... Damn it, it was this very pearl that caused the Dragon God to..."

Just then, the bushes next door rustled, and soon after, a green-haired child emerged from them.

The green-haired child glanced at Qianli, hesitated for a moment, and then said to Qianli, "I...I heard you're the new headmaster, is that right? Um...Can I ask you for a favor?"

"I...I want a Pokémon."

Qianli looked at the green-haired child with a puzzled expression and frowned.

Ze Shu, however, asked him first, "What's your name?"

The green-haired boy hesitated for a moment, then said, "I...I'm called Man Chong."