novelraw Chapter 780: Endless Zeros! Until We Meet Again!
Chapter 780: Endless Zeros! Until We Meet Again!
Kusuroski was arrested, and the remnants of Team Flare were declared destroyed.
Miare City, Handsome Guy Detective Agency.
A middle-aged man with a weathered face and messy hair, draped in a brown trench coat, held a phone and said in a low voice,
“Is that so... Team Flare’s plot has been dismantled.”
The person on the other end replied, “In summary, Detective ‘Handsome Guy,’ your next assignment is to go to the Alola region and investigate the Ultra Wormhole and the Ultra Beast incidents.”
“The organization has assigned you an overseer, Lila, and Mr. Lu Ye,” the person explained. “Officially, Mr. Lu Ye is the head of Interpol’s Ultra Beast countermeasures division... but we do not have the authority to mobilize Mr. Lu Ye without soliciting his personal consent.”
Handsome Guy rubbed his stubble, his expression odd. “Understood.”
Lu Ye, Lila... everyone who joined after me ends up becoming my superior.
Even an old colleague like Murdane became king of an Alolan island... life truly is unpredictable.
“I’ll head to Alola as soon as possible.”Handsome Guy hung up and looked out the window at the sunlight, lost in thought.
“Handsome Guy Uncle...” a timid voice called from behind.
He turned and saw Makiel holding a tray of tea, her gaze complicated as she asked,
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes, I’ve been assigned the next mission,” Handsome Guy answered.
“Then Meowrong and I will go with you!” Makiel said loudly.
He shook his head and said seriously, “Makiel, you’ll stay in Miare City. I appoint you as the second-generation director of the detective agency!”
“But! That’s so unilateral...” Makiel lowered her eyelids.
“With the E-Battle Suit and Meowrong here, Makiel, you must take my share and keep working hard,” Handsome Guy said with a smile. “You and Meowrong are my most trusted assistants, so this is an important responsibility I’m entrusting to you. Understand?”
Slowly a light bloomed in Makiel’s eyes. She nodded, “Yes!”
...
Miare City, Colorful Café.
Espathra, Alcremie, Indeedee, Steenee, Delibird—these staff Pokémon stood in a row, unwilling to part.
Although they had only been with the manager a few months, a deep bond had already formed.
The hardworking Little Penguin;
winning “Best Juice Award” together with Steenee;
the manager training Alcremie’s culinary skills;
Indeedee letting everyone slack off when the manager was away...
No battlefield fervor here—these Pokémon’s lives were built from countless small daily moments.
“Why are you all staring at me like that?”
Lu Ye teased, “I’m not not coming back. I’m planning to open a branch in Alola.”
“Woo…” Delibird’s eyes shimmered as it slowly set down its pack and took out a sparkling ice sculpture.
The face was blurred, but it was clearly modeled after Teacher Lu.
Lu Ye took it in astonishment, and Delibird bowed again, “Woo…”
I made this with the Iceproof Ice you gave me.
I don’t know what to say, but thank you, manager~
Lu Ye’s gaze flickered and he nodded solemnly.
Decided—Rocket Delivery must raise Little Penguin’s wages!
In the café courtyard stood a low-fi World Tree full of life, its stump ringed by Revival Root, and beside it hung Sylveon’s favorite swing.
Next to the swing was the sandbox Pupitar often squatted in, and a small cave nearby led to the path toward the Diamond Country.
Lu Ye closed his eyes again. Behind the café’s “world,” time-space coordinates were anchored—representing Celebi, little Hoopa, Marshadow... These little ones came by now and then to raid the café;
they’d likely be disappointed this time.
Of course, they can find Teacher Lu through Haunter.
Teacher Lu could also invite these cuties over using the Power of Transcendence.
The greatest gain from the Kalos trip wasn’t becoming a battle legend, but meeting this bunch of adorable cracked-egg cuties.
Today, would you like some cracked-egg cuties?
Lu Ye glanced around.
“Rati~” Latias fluttered in the sky, smiling with upturned eyes;
her glassy feathers reflected the sunlight and she soon became invisible.
Victini perched on his head, chewing a macaron and blinking happily, “Nimi~”
“Melo~♫”
Meloetta sat in the treetop, swinging slender legs and softly humming the Oración melody.
Darkrai had asked Meloetta to hum it... because it was his favorite song.
Shade descended, and Darkrai leaned against the big tree, lower body nestled in shadow, eyes closed as white mist billowed around him.
The Nightmare God did not normally have nightmares, but since following Lu Ye, nightmares came often.
Today’s nightmare: a chaotic Barren City, Lu Ye’s black-and-gold cloak reflecting light, eyes set in determination, confronting the sky-darkening Super Demon and roaring,
“It’s decided—you’re it, Darkrai!”
Darkrai woke in a cold sweat, opened his eyes, looked around, and sighed in relief.
Even the Super Demon got taken apart—surely now he could rest.
It can’t be that the planet’s guardian beasts get beaten and then some extra-terrestrial god shows up...
Teacher Lu looked down at a pile of shrunken Poké Balls in his palm.
At the moment, only Haunter possessed “battle legend” level in normal state.
The trip to Alola was destined to fully raise the team’s strength.
After all, Dan Emperor, Red, Green... these people all had terrifying growth speeds.
In the original timeline, not long later, when directly confronting Eternatus, Dan Emperor’s Charizard already had “battle legend” level in its normal state.
At that time, his Gigantamax Charizard was not intimidated by Green’s Mega Charizard Y.
If he wanted to take part in the World Championships six months from now and keep his promise to Haunter, he could not slack off.
“Everyone, come out!”
Lu Ye waved and red light burst forth;
Pokémon gathered around him with nonstop cries.
“Gengarrr~(⁎˃ꌂ˂⁎)” Haunter bared fangs and slurped Teacher Lu up right away.
“Bu-bii! o(´^｀)o” Sylveon lifted her head proudly and glanced at Meloetta in the treetop, clenching her teeth silently.
“Ka-may…ヾ(⌐■_■)” Blastoise stooped and dug up Revival Root beside the World Tree... we’re leaving, can’t waste it.
“Awooo! (｀0´)” Arcanine howled proudly, then bounded across the courtyard, kicking up dust.
“Togepi-doo! ヾ(◍°∇°◍)ﾉﾞ” Togepi ran along, arriving before Alcremie and the others to say goodbye.
“Gah! (｡・`ω´･)” Sirfetch’d held its leek and shield, soul drifting outward.
“Bangii…(￣～￣)” Pupitar tore open a big bag of chips filled with pink diamonds, making Steven green with envy.
“Beep beep... I’ll take pictures, Rotom!” Rotom Pokédex flapped its mechanical arm.
Lu Ye: “Delibird’s coming too... wait, what’s that ring?”
The courtyard flashed with light as little Hoopa peered out of a ring, sticking its face in front of the camera and making a silly face.
“lue~~ were you scared by Hoopa!”
“Beep beep... incomprehensible, Rotom! ∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ” Rotom jumped.
Little Hoopa chuckled and tossed three rings into the sky, shouting,
“Hoopa, grab grab!!”
From those three rings flew carefree Celebi, dreamlike pink Mew, and stoic Marshadow.
“Mew~~” Mew waved its tail, circled once, and giggled behind a hand.
Marshadow stood silently in the shadows, its eyes flickering like flames, “Mahshah...”
“Shhh…” Celebi darted around the courtyard sprinkling forest-green light.
“This is really going to be a group photo.” Lu Ye said helplessly. “Come on, stand nicely...”
But just as everything was ready, a strange lullaby came from the beams above.
“Bo~ bo gogo bo, boli, bobo li, bo~~♪”
Teacher Lu had let his guard down and wasn’t wearing earplugs;
even Meloetta’s eyes grew heavy and her lids drooped.
The song softened and deepened like a pale moonlight pouring over a drifting boat at sea.
Lu Ye collapsed on the spot and yawned, “Hoarse~”
Everyone present, whether battle legends or mythical guardians, sank into sleep!
When Jigglypuff’s song ended, she opened her big eyes expectantly—and froze.
“Boli!!(◦`~´◦)”
Jigglypuff puffed up in anger and removed her microphone head.
With a ‘clang clang clang’ sound effect, a marker pen was revealed!
...
Miare City Airport, boarding hall.
A blonde beauty in an elegant black outfit with a black velvet collar stood with arms folded, hand beneath her chin, grey eyes thoughtful.
“Sorry... I’m late.”
A black-haired youth yawned repeatedly as he waved and walked to Bamboo Lan’s side, yawning again.
“Slept in?” Bamboo Lan asked.
“No... it took some time to wipe off the marker graffiti.”
Lu Ye told Bamboo Lan the story of Jigglypuff “annihilating” the café and then messing it up with marker ink in anger.
Bamboo Lan smiled wryly. “I didn’t expect Jigglypuff to be a bigger ‘disaster’ than Hoopa.”
“Togepi’s luck, Jigglypuff’s singing, Marshtomp’s gaze, what’s Snorlax thinking... truly the world’s unsolved mysteries,” Lu Ye sighed.
The two, wearing matching black coats, chatted as they walked toward the boarding gate. At the end of the moving walkway, a youth waved frantically, calling loudly,
“Teacher Lu!! Champion Cynthia!!”
“Ash?” Bamboo Lan sounded a bit surprised.
“Serena and Clemont and Bonnie are also here,” Lu Ye noticed behind Ash.
The group reunited and Bamboo Lan smiled, “Are you going back to Pallet Town, Ash?”
“Yeah!” Ash nodded. “I want to bring Greninja to meet everyone in the courtyard!”
“Have Greninja fight Infernape,” Lu Ye was eager. “I think the monkey’s stronger.”
“Huh?” Ash blinked.
Bamboo Lan rolled her eyes at Teacher Lu and gently asked, “What about Serena?”
“I, plan to...” Serena said shyly, “to go to Hoenn and challenge Contest shows, and try to become a Coordinator.”
“Is that so... indeed, Kanto and Alola aren’t big on the Coordinator culture,” Bamboo Lan nodded.
Although Teacher Lu felt reluctant, he understood Serena’s earnest intention.
She was a girl with strong will;
rather than staying by Ash as his spectator, she wanted to stand equal to him.
This was a very difficult decision for Serena, but because of that, she was Short-Haired Serena, not the weak tearful child once carried down the mountain.
“Good luck, Serena.” Lu Ye smiled. “If you don’t understand something, you can ask Mike and me.”
Although her basics weren’t as solid as Mike’s, Teacher Lu’s Meloetta ‘artistic aura’ made her performance no less expressive, perhaps even stronger.
“Okay!” Serena said cheerfully.
“What about Bonnie and Clemont?” Lu Ye turned.
“I’ll stay in Miare City and become an excellent Gym Leader,” Clemont adjusted his glasses.
“Me, too!” Bonnie said. “I want to be a trainer like Teacher Lu and Champion Bamboo Lan!”
Lu Ye and Bamboo Lan exchanged a glance. Bamboo Lan smiled lightly, “You’ll definitely make it, Bonnie.”
Lu Ye thought to himself: The starter fairy Z god... this support is bigger than many fanfiction protagonists...
Imagine a bug-catching kid on the roadside challenging!
“Go, Weedle!”
“Go, Xerneas 100% form!”
Lu Ye pictured the bug-catching kid’s perspective looking up at a towering Xerneas and shivered.
Ash’s flight was that afternoon;
Serena’s was about to depart.
Lu Ye and Bamboo Lan had time to spare and stood by the sun-drenched picture window watching the white planes on the tarmac.
Behind them Clemont’s farewell calls echoed:
“Have a safe trip, Serena!”
“Remember to be happy!” Bonnie shouted, cupping her hands like a microphone.
The two champions looked back. Serena stood on the slowly descending escalator and waved to Ash and the others.
Ash was a little distracted, then smiled and waved, “Safe travels.”
Serena turned, turquoise eyes bright, pushed her short hair behind her ear, and called out:
“Ash, can I ask you one last favor?”
Ash blinked and nodded slightly, “Mm.”
Serena flashed a sweet smile.
Then she lightly trotted down the escalator toward Ash.
She tiptoed up, leaned in, and placed a brief kiss on Ash’s lips.
“!???”
Clemont’s face flushed red and steam seemed to blow from his head. Bonnie’s face turned crimson as she covered her eyes and peered through her fingers.
Serena clasped her hands behind her back, cheeks shy and flushed. She tucked her short hair and called from the descending escalator,
“Thank you~ Goodbye!”
Ash stood stunned, eyes flickering, then loudly called back,
“Goodbye, Serena goodbye!!”
Clemont and Bonnie waved too, and Pikachu called out its farewell,
“Pikachu~~”
The two champions averted their gazes and looked at each other.
Bamboo Lan placed a hand at her slender waist, golden hair shading her cheek, and murmured softly,
“How truly beautiful a feeling.”
“Bamboo Lan.”
Lu Ye said solemnly, “Can I ask you one last favor?”
“Don’t even think about it.”
Bamboo Lan rolled her eyes, turned coolly, and strode toward the boarding gate with her hand on her hip.
She suddenly stopped, turned to look back at Lu Ye, and lifted a stirringly beautiful, gentle smile before stepping forward.
Lu Ye felt the cool touch of a kiss on his lips, like Milotic leaping from the water, like a wish-star streaking past Jirachi on a seven-night sky.
Bamboo Lan naturally held Lu Ye’s arm and they walked to the boarding gate together.
“The meeting of lives...” Lu Ye suddenly said aloud, “always gives birth to new things.”
Bamboo Lan’s grey eyes glittered and the corner of her mouth curved faintly.
Lu Ye restrained his smile and, with a deep look, said earnestly,
“Trainers and Pokémon are like irrational numbers—after traversing countless digits, they return to infinite zero...”
He smiled and said,
“And endless zeros will one day meet again.”
He tossed a Poké Ball, red light flashing.
Amid a chorus of wails, endless bu-bii and doo-ee sounds, Lu Ye shouted,
“So, let’s begin our Alola journey, everyone!!”
“Gengarrr~！（๑`▽´๑)۶”
...