Adopt a more stable combat approach.
Instead.
He calmed his restless mind, even though the Hydreigon had evolved to its final stage, it still had a ways to go before reaching the Ultimate Form. It needed to learn more moves to cover its weaknesses, like Fire Attribute, Water Attribute, Fighting Attribute, and so on.
Moreover, a certain move that had been saved for so long could finally be taught to it.
Baimu patted the purple checker-patterned belly of the Hydreigon beside him and gave it Feather Rest, a move set aside for the right moment.
"Shaa hmm?"
The Hydreigon, learning a move through the simulator for the first time, was momentarily startled as a white light unknowingly glowed on its body. Countless feathers of energy appeared out of thin air, floating down, releasing a brilliant aura as they melded into its body.
Clearly, it was used automatically as soon as it was learned.
"Hmm, not bad."
He looked at the bewildered look of the Hydreigon and nodded slightly.
To be honest.
The appearance of the Hydreigon was actually quite fierce, the kind that made most Wild Pokémon's little hearts race. But because his was rather goofy, with an often not-so-smart demeanor, it quickly turned that fierceness into cuteness.
Coupled with its two additional heads, it gave off a ferociously cute vibe.
Will it act more serious in battles?
It should.
——
In the evening.
Baimu and Blissey had just finished dinner when Raikou jumped in from outside the stone wall surrounding the hot spring.
It coincidentally ran into the former, who was carrying two bowls of food.
Raikou: "..."
Nothing is more embarrassing than sneaking out and then sneaking back in only to be caught red-handed.
Fortunately, it was thick-skinned enough to pretend nothing happened, beginning to search for its food. After so many days, meals had become a habit.
Even though, in essence, it didn't need to eat or drink, absorbing natural thunder was already enough.
"You still know to come back."
Baimu placed the food bowls on the ground, looking at it with a scrutinizing gaze, "I know why you came to the Hoenn Region to target the Rocket Team."
He disclosed the intel about the Super Crystal Ore.
"Am I right?"
"..."
Raikou didn't answer and silently approached the food bowl to start dinner, a bit surprised at how this Little Ghost had found out so much in just one afternoon.
But admitting it was out of the question, so it kept silent to let him guess.
Seeing Raikou's tail swishing behind it, Baimu knew he had hit the mark. It only wagged that lightning-like tail when frustrated.
So the question is——
How did Raikou know the Rocket Team intended to harness the power of Super Evolution? Where did it get its information?
This truly piqued Baimu's curiosity.
Instead.
He went on to say: "Actually, you don't need to be too nervous because their plan is doomed to fail. Let me tell you why..."
Raikou outwardly continued eating silently, but inwardly paid attention.
After listening to the whole story, it still remained non-committal.
It wasn't only here to stop the Rocket Team from mastering Super Evolution's power. Whatever the reason, if it was associated with bad deeds, it was determined to stop it.
Speaking of which.
Earlier it clearly sensed the aura of the fleeing Rocket Team Member, yet after giving chase, it couldn't find them even after searching all afternoon?
Indeed.
The scent of human towns was too mixed...
Noticing a familiar figure from the corner of its eye, Raikou raised its head to see the Hydreigon, briefly stunned, taking several seconds to reconcile its appearance with the Zweilous it remembered.
It evolved! Why more heads? And it can fly?
"Shaa hmm..."
The Hydreigon sensed Raikou's attention and greeted it amiably.
"Rooar..."
Raikou swallowed the last grain of food, slightly responding with a sound, glancing at the hot spring but deciding not to go in since it had soaked enough already.
It looked around, settling down at the most spacious part of the bed, resting its head on its forepaws for a nap.
Baimu, seeing this, quickly finished his bowl of food and, after washing his hands, prepared to pet the cat.
This post-meal period was when Raikou was at its least vigilant, so taking a little liberty wouldn't be too much of an issue.
Hence, he decided to take this opportunity to break the boundary of its head being off-limits —
At least getting to the chin.
With a certain anticipation, he sat cross-legged in front of Raikou, rubbed his hands, and stretched them out.
Pa~
The sudden static shocked him, causing him to instinctively pull back his hand. Raikou, having used Electric Techniques, would have its fur filled with static electricity, so getting shocked was natural.
Baimu was long used to it and slowly placed his hand on its warm back.
Raikou, with closed eyes, slightly raised its eyelids to glance at him, showing no resistance. It, too, had gotten used to this post-meal routine.
Although seldom in contact with humans, these days, it truly experienced all the tenderness from a human Breeder in Baimu, a silent meticulousness it had never encountered before.
Thus, after failing to find the fleeing Rocket Team Member, it instinctively returned to this hotel.
Even though it was almost fully healed and could have left just like that.
As it always had in the past.
Yet something special drove it back here, leaping over the stone wall, facing Baimu's slightly resentful but joyful gaze, choosing to acquiesce.
Why was it lying here, allowing a human Little Ghost to touch it?
Raikou couldn't say.
Perhaps, this was why Ho-Oh always held hope for humans; they could always bring about all sorts of unexpected things.
In contemplation, a sudden tingling sensation surged from the chin to its brain, Raikou's eyes widened, its body surface sparking with Electric Light, tail going stiff.
It snapped back to its senses, realizing that Baimu's hand had unknowingly reached its chin, gently scratching it.
And against its inadvertent release of Thunder, the other showed no reaction.
"Insulated gloves, kid!"
Baimu triumphantly raised his left hand.