Baimu proactively answered its doubts, "Go ahead and eat with peace of mind."
"Roar..."
Lei Gong, in fact, didn't quite understand. Seeing the group of Pokémon in front of it finish their portions but still have a voracious appetite, yet making no move to grab the remaining food by the boiler, Lei Gong was slightly surprised.
As Pokémon are usually very faithful to their desires, especially when it comes to appetite.
Being able to have one's Pokémon hold back their desires is proof that Baimu is a particularly excellent Trainer, at least exceptional in nurturing Pokémon.
Given this...
Why hadn't he shown any intention of wanting to capture it?
It wasn't that Lei Gong was narcissistic. It had encountered too many Trainers wanting to capture it, both weak and strong.
Perhaps... it was wary of its injuries?
Lei Gong watched Baimu, surrounded by Pokémon with a beaming face, feeling a spark of curiosity about this strange human. Like a seed, it was planted in its heart.
After the meal.
Having devoured an entire bucket of leftover food, Lei Gong lay down to rest. It wasn't bashful, eating as much as it could, its belly seemingly a bottomless pit, which made Zweilous and Steelix incredibly envious.
After washing the dishes, Baimu didn't rush into training but sat in front of Lei Gong, wanting to chat with it.
"I say, why don't I see you licking your fur and paws? Do Legendary Pokémon not need to groom themselves? Is this why your fur has no smell?"
"..."
Lei Gong slightly lifted its eyelids, looking at him with an extremely speechless expression.
It found it hard to explain the issues of its own body to this curious one before it and didn't want to explain such trivial matters.
Baimu, not getting a response, wasn't in a hurry. He continued, "Can I touch your head?"
"Roar~"
Lei Gong bared its sharp fangs with an expression that said, "If you dare try, I dare bite."
"What about your face? Is the layer on your face fur, not keratin— whoa!"
Baimu quickly pulled back his hand. This guy really would bite at the slightest provocation, nearly chomping down. Even a member of the Ho-oh Guard, enforcing justice and punishing evildoers, could be this petty?
"Tsk."
Lei Gong turned its head disdainfully.
Baimu couldn't help feeling a bit sad and quietly went around it to touch its back.
Lei Gong: "..."
Why is this person so annoying?
It very much wanted to follow its wild instincts and swat him away. However, rationality prevailed, preventing it from acting. After all, it wouldn't have joined the Ho-oh Guard alongside its two companions to uphold justice if it weren't for Ho-Oh.
Fine, let him touch then.
After all, he's just a human kid.
Thinking this way, Lei Gong suddenly felt much more at ease. Then a tingling sensation surged along its spine, causing every bone in its paw to stretch out, sharp claws exposed, its fur suddenly tightened, and its head tilted upwards.
"Roar!?"
It widened its eyes in disbelief, watching Baimu and trying to stand but found its legs weak and powerless.
"Don't get excited, it's a normal technique. I'm a professional."
The latter smiled smugly, continuing to press and stroke several sensitive spots on Lei Gong's back.
If possible, he'd want to touch its belly as well, but fearing that he'd be electrocuted by an angry Lei Gong, he focused on the upper spine, daring not to venture lower.
He just caught a glimpse of a certain area—
No eggs, not even a pouch.
In that case, the base of the tail probably won't work, so he had to follow the spine. He applied slightly more force, this big cat was tougher than he imagined; a little extra strength in gripping wasn't much of an issue. Legendary Pokémon are indeed different.
"Roar..."
Lei Gong stretched its claw in humiliation yet pleasure, thankful that no one was watching. Otherwise, it might go mad.
For hundreds of years, this was the first time experiencing such treatment.
Novel yet a bit embarrassing.
Not long after.
Baimu, having had his fill, pulled his hands back and sniffed his fingers... Indeed, there was only the smell of soil from the fur, no pungent odor. This guy was indeed extraordinary.
"I'm going to train the Pokémon now, I'll come back to take care of you later." He tapped Lei Gong's foreleg.
The latter didn't want to talk, flicking its tail in annoyance.
What a disgrace to a feline, even when those humans were bombing it, it never furrowed its brow. Yet, after just a few touches, it couldn't even stand up.
Lei Gong felt a bit withdrawn.
Occasionally, it lifted its eyelids to watch Baimu who was training the Pokémon.
The more it observed, the more it confirmed Baimu's excellence as a human Trainer, not just in battle prowess, but also in his interaction with his Pokémon partners. There was no need for excessive words or instructions.
A mere glance or a gesture, and those Pokémon understood Baimu's intentions, executing them perfectly.
From these aspects, one could see their accumulated effort over time and their seemingly telepathic bond.
Lei Gong yawned, like a lazy big cat.
In the distance.
Baimu frequently glanced its way, somewhat wanting Lei Gong to help in training, but considering how it had been tormented enough during the day, he decided against it.
To be honest, with the healing ability of a Divine Beast, although its injury was severe, as long as it could gather enough energy, it shouldn't take long to recover.
With Lavaridge Town's hot spring, it'll likely recover faster.
Better take the opportunity during this time to properly pet it.
Baimu thought to himself.
He, of course, didn't have the extravagant hope of capturing Lei Gong, but he couldn't help wanting to get closer to the Legendary Pokémon, especially since these creatures have a certain special aura about them.