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Aspertia City—signifying renewal and development—is a town stretched at the foot of high mountains from which one can overlook the entire Unova region.
Here all kinds of flowers are in full bloom, both in the city and in the forests.
The southwestern continent of Unova is mountainous with rich natural landforms, and Hikaru hadn't realized he had unknowingly arrived at the hometown of the Black 2/White 2 protagonists.
Black 2/White 2's starting town—also the most prosperous starting city in the series—is the place where dreams begin.
In the Special manga, Colress rode Genesect to assault Aspertia City and fought the International Police.
"A sublime view ahead."
"Come to think of it, Aspertia City really does have a fated link with Genesect… maybe we'll see it here…"
Southern Unova also preserves a relatively primitive look, and the Poké-Device's map notes that the big city Newt City sits on Unova's southwestern continent, as does Alsace Nature Park, so perhaps there are Altas Flowers near Aspertia too.
The Melody Tree is also in the mountains near Aspertia; it was a treasure that grew after Meloetta sang loudly on the night of a full moon, though that phantom lady's performance happens only once a year, and her stage is a forest of rocks as large as Moon Stones.
"Meloetta's glittering concert—the Melody Tree actually isn't a normal tree but more like a living score, though the fruits it bears are real."
"All right, let's start searching."
There wasn't much of note in Aspertia City at the moment, though the city's high lookout is certainly worth a "pilgrimage."
Besides that, the city's other claim to fame is a very large, long-established Trainer School; in the B2W2 era, Cheren comes here as a teacher and serves as Gym Leader.
"Geh-no—"
Genesect's eyes lit up; it seemed to have found something and ferried Hikaru rapidly through the sky toward a certain spot, and along the way, Hikaru saw Aspertia's high lookout.
Sure enough, there's a lake near the Aspertia lookout that can be surveyed from above, and as one of the places preserving Unova's original ecology, it's dotted here and there with unknown yet vitally important things.
In the corner of the lake, pure white blossoms as lovely as waterlilies bloomed quietly.
[Rare Plant: Altas Flower.]
[Description: Originating 300 million years ago, the oldest surviving flower, once called the Flower of Dreams; due to climate change it has gone extinct in many places, and it possesses a wondrous power to calm the heart.]
[Effect: Can be made into special secret medicine and is required for many such medicines; this flower is aquatic and is difficult to cultivate without water.]
Genesect finished transforming and gently scooped up one blossom; in that instant, its fractured memories seemed to knit further, and it recalled the shape of its old homeland.
Mm, a truly distant memory.
Then the steel bug handed the flower to Hikaru, like offering a gift.
"Thanks."
Hikaru accepted it, while Genesect, having found an Altas Flower, was excited.
This flower truly existed, not a fantasy from its memories, which gave it a tangible sense of really being alive in this world.
"Let's plant this kind in the water connected to the world."
However, the tranquil, beautiful moment didn't last long.
Just as Hikaru and Genesect were admiring the lakeside scenery, there seemed to be some slight commotion in the surrounding forest.
"Nice, even if we're being chased, everyone's at 1000% energy."
"But we snuck out to capture Pokémon—if they find out we'll get scolded."
"I'll never forget the injuries my partner took today!"
"Uh—why is there a Bouffalant here?"
Parting the forest and brush, three little brats came into Hikaru's view, though by age they were already ten, about the same as Ash.
In Unova, people tend to travel at a slightly older age, and ten-year-olds usually aren't allowed to set out unless they're truly exceptional.
But kids' curiosity for Pokémon battles always runs hot, so they don't obey the grown-ups!
If you're not hot-blooded, are you even young!
Gotta have that "I'm number one in the world" vibe!
Three familiar hairstyles entered his eyes; in the Pokémon world, recognizing someone by hairstyle is the simplest method, since most people here have only one hairstyle.
Bun-head, bird's nest, and a spiky Bouffalant-like explosion!
"Rosa, Nate, Hugh?"
The three were grimy and bedraggled, and before them an enraged Bouffalant glared fiercely; in front of Hugh lay an injured Durant and an adorably dopey Pidove.
As for Nate and Rosa—future little heroes—they weren't holding any Pokémon.
However, Hikaru noticed some Poké Balls in Rosa's hands.
Hikaru felt Hugh's lineup was a bit off.
While Durant and Pidove were indeed his hidden Pokémon, where was the "mainstay."
Traditionally, rivals pick a Starter with a type advantage over the protagonist's, though that default rule is broken in later gens.
But Hugh is the only rival who doesn't "pick" a starter, because his first partner didn't come from the Professor—it was one he hatched from an Egg himself.
"Looks like he hasn't obtained that Egg yet," Hikaru thought.
On the field.
"Looks like we've made this guy mad."
Rosa was a little nervous, but her eyes still sparkled—she seemed thrilled by the charged atmosphere, and on the other side Nate was the same, his expression turning serious.
Hugh, for his part, kept up the blazing fury!
And somehow, the Bouffalant before them got intimidated by these three weird kids!
Clearly it held the advantage and was fuming with rage, but when these three human kids came to fight it, their aura actually cowed it for a moment.
Bouffalant couldn't make sense of it, shook its head violently!
If you can't understand it, don't think—let rage wire directly into the brain, and Head Charge replaces thought!
You kidding me, puny humans daring to take me on? For a second you actually spooked me three!
"Here it comes! This is the moment I've been waiting for!"
They say Bouffalant has power to launch a train, and as the only one of the trio with Pokémon, Hugh was naturally the main fighter, while the other two would throw balls at the key moment.
"Durant, Signal Beam!"
"Pidove, Bestow!"
Hugh ordered as if victory were in hand; the two Pokémon obeyed, and Pidove's wings beat as a mysterious force tied the ribboned scarf it carried over Bouffalant's eyes!
Signal Beam struck true, confusing Bouffalant!
"Ha! We win! Next is to throw the ball—"
However, a terrifying aura erupted!
"Hugh!" Nate dove and tackled Hugh aside, and Bouffalant suddenly went berserk; one savage Head Charge snapped a big tree like a twig!
Durant also took a hit and fell with a smack to the side.
"What happened—didn't Signal Beam confuse it?" Hugh lay sprawled, staring in shock at the rampaging Bouffalant.
"No, it's confused!" Rosa ran over. "But its power suddenly spiked! Now it's blind and just furiously raging!"
"I… I blew it," Hugh muttered, crestfallen.
This reckless outing to catch a Pokémon had put his partners in danger!
"That 'gift'… ahem, wasn't that a Silk Scarf."
A sudden voice made the trio jump—Hikaru stepped into their training ground, gazing thoughtfully at the blindfolded Bouffalant ahead.
"Bestow's Silk Scarf boosts Normal-type move damage, so this Bouffalant's power got stronger."
"Eh?" Hugh blinked.
"So that's how it is! Learned something new again!" Rosa clapped with a soft thump.
"Uh! Not the time for that… thankfully I brought this."
Nate pulled out a strange tuft of grass like a Minccino's tail. "We'll use this to run."
"Ahh, Nate is reliable!" Rosa praised, then scampered over to scoop up Durant, and the trio prepared to retreat.
"Big onii-san, you should come too!" Rosa explained to Hikaru, "This is Poké Tail Grass, a plant that's a local specialty; throw it and it draws a Pokémon's attention."
But Bouffalant kept up the chase; it seemed to have shaken off confusion, and even blindfolded it locked onto the direction the three were fleeing!
Hikaru said, "Did you come out to train or to capture a wild Pokémon?"
"Yikes, this is no time to ask that!" the trio squawked. "That Bouffalant's charging us!"
Hikaru was unconcerned. "Mm, its power spiked not only because of the Silk Scarf but also because it used the move Rage just now."
"In Rage state, whenever the raging Pokémon takes damage from a move, its Attack rises by one stage."
"Iron Defense."
Thunk!
Bouffalant's ferocious slam crashed into what felt like a steel citadel; its brain reeled and its body staggered, and the blindfolding Silk Scarf slipped loose and fluttered down.
Bouffalant raised its head to see a purple iron behemoth!
"Iron Head!"
A silvery sheen ran over Genesect's huge head as Download boosted its Attack!
A single Iron Head—overwhelmingly heavy!
Bouffalant went face-down, the ground under it cracked, and its eyes spun as it lost the ability to fight.
"Looks like after the performance upgrade, its raw power went up as well."
No wonder those tech fanatics are obsessed with enhancing Pokémon using technology; with strong tech boons, Pokémon indeed can unleash tremendous strength.
Seeing the three kids dumbstruck, Hikaru beckoned to them.
"All right, you can catch it now."
(The End of This Chapter)
(End of Chapter)
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