Pokemon: Skybound

Chapter 619 619: 619. Jigglypuff Won’t Give Up

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Because they'd been too focused on making progress, Kai and Misty once again missed the nearest town where they could have stayed overnight. With no other choice, they set up camp in the wilderness for the night.

Pitching the tent, gathering firewood, boiling water, cooking, and laying out the tableware having done this countless times before, everything proceeded smoothly and efficiently.

Once dinner was ready, Kai released his Pokémon one by one: Gardevoir, Gengar, Dragonite, Scizor, Tyranitar, Eevee, and Blaziken.

The group gathered around the campfire, eating, chatting, and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere together.

Only after the meal was over did Kai finally release Jigglypuff.

The little pink Pokémon was clearly still unhappy. It couldn't believe it had been captured so easily. The moment it appeared, its eyes darted around, and it immediately tried to make a run for it.

Unfortunately for Jigglypuff, Kai had saved it for last for a reason.

All around it sat Kai's Pokémon. With the sole exception of Beldum, every single one of them was far stronger than it. Jigglypuff had barely taken a few steps before a Pokémon blocked its path.

Seeing this, Kai laughed. "Stop struggling. You're already caught. No matter how much you run, it's useless just accept reality."

Jigglypuff tried another direction—blocked again.

It attempted several more escapes, all of them failing, until it finally gave up and plopped down on the ground, cheeks puffed out in frustration.

Misty burst out laughing at the sight.

Together with the Pokémon, they teased Jigglypuff for a while longer. Only after confirming that it had truly stopped trying to escape did they relax and let their guard down.

But Jigglypuff hadn't actually given up.

While they were busy chatting, it quietly slipped toward their backpacks and began rummaging through them!

Naturally, it was looking for its microphone.

Unfortunately for it, the microphone wasn't there.

It turned Kai's and Misty's bags inside out, but still found nothing.

Just as confusion set in, a shadow loomed over it.

Startled, Jigglypuff looked up—only to see Gengar grinning down at it.

And in Gengar's hand…

Was it the microphone?

"Jiggly!"

Jigglypuff's eyes lit up as it immediately reached out to grab it. But just as its stubby arms were about to touch the microphone, Gengar casually raised its hand higher.

That tiny distance was enough.

No matter how hard Jigglypuff stretched, it couldn't reach it.

Unwilling to give up, it jumped.

Gengar jumped too.

Still out of reach.

"JIGGLYPUFF!!"

At that moment, Jigglypuff finally realized it was being toyed with.

It glared up at Gengar and noticed that its expression was exactly the same as that of the annoying human.

That infuriating smile.

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Mauville City

A brilliant metropolis where old and new blended seamlessly, Mauville City shimmered with energy and life.

Not only was it home to the Mauville Gym, but it also boasted landmarks such as the Mauville Game Corner, Mauville Park, and the bustling Mauville Food District a must-visit destination for travelers across Hoenn.

On the morning of the third day, Kai and Misty finally arrived in Mauville City.

After entering the city, they didn't visit anywhere else first, heading straight for the Mauville Gym.

The Mauville Gym was one of Hoenn's official Gyms, led by Wattson, a specialist in Electric-type Pokémon. From a distance, the Gym looked like a multi-story industrial building, its exterior painted bright yellow. Several electrical towers stood atop the roof, and a massive lightning-bolt emblem hung outside, making it resemble a full-fledged power plant.

Unfortunately, their timing was off yet again.

The Gym happened to be closed for the day.

The good news was that the closure only lasted until today challenges would resume tomorrow morning.

With no other choice, the two exchanged a look and decided to find a place to stay.

Following the street toward the Pokémon Center, they soon arrived at Mauville Park, located in the city's central area.

At the park's entrance stood a towering spire modeled after Lumiose City's Prism Tower a symbol of friendship between Kalos and Hoenn. According to local legend, if something went wrong at New Mauville, the tower would emit a brilliant beam of light as a warning.

With time to spare, Kai and Misty decided to take a stroll through the park.

Just after entering, they noticed a young boy arguing with a middle-aged man.

At first, they paid it no mind and continued walking. But as Kai passed by, the boy suddenly ran toward him.

"Big brother! Please wait!"

Kai and Misty stopped and turned around.

"What is it?" Kai asked. "Do you need something?"

The boy bowed politely before speaking in a hesitant, pleading tone. "Are you… a Pokémon Trainer?"

"Of course," Kai replied with a nod.

As he spoke, he observed the boy more closely. He looked around ten years old, with light green hair and delicate features. Dressed neatly in long sleeves and trousers, he had the appearance of a well-behaved student and seemed rather shy.

"Well…" the boy hesitated before continuing, "Would you be willing to battle me?"

To be honest, this was the first time Kai had ever encountered someone this polite especially when asking for a battle.

He glanced toward the middle-aged man in the distance and didn't answer right away. "I don't mind battling," Kai said instead, "but could you tell me what was going on just now?"

Relieved that Kai hadn't refused outright, the boy explained, "I was arguing with my uncle. He thinks I'm not strong enough to challenge the Mauville Gym. I want to battle you in front of him to prove that I'm ready."

So that was it.

But that raised another question.

Why choose him?

What if he lost? Wouldn't that only prove his uncle right?

Or… did the boy assume Kai wasn't very strong?

Kai studied both the boy and the man for a moment before finally nodding.

"All right," he said. "I accept your challenge."

The boy's face immediately lit up with joy. He pointed to the side. "There's a battlefield over there! Let's go!"

After saying that, he ran back to his uncle and whispered something to him.

Watching him go, Kai exchanged a glance with Misty. They both sighed helplessly before heading toward the open-air battlefield.

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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter

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For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:

P-atreon/iamxeno

(Just remove the - hyphen to access normally)

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