Lei Gong stood to one side, looking at the distant Fallarbor Town, and suddenly let out a low growl.
"Roar~"
"What? You want to go to Meteor Falls now?"
Baimu couldn't understand what this guy was saying, but he could more or less guess, especially since this guy's eyes were fixed in the direction of Meteor Falls.
"We haven't even had dinner yet! And I want to go too—hey!"
Baimu couldn't finish his sentence.
Lei Gong had already started running towards the distance.
"Will you be back tonight? Will you be able to find me?" Baimu shouted at the back of this guy, who responded with another low growl, slightly easing his worry.
Being able to respond to questions meant there should be no big problem.
He noticed that Lei Gong's senses were extremely sharp in all aspects, not just in terms of smell or aura. It could observe things through the ever-present charged particles in the air, which allowed it to easily find things it wanted, like Jirachi, a Fire Stone, and a Fire Gem.
In other respects too, it was likely that it sensed Rocket Team Base through abnormal electric currents.
From this perspective, finding him shouldn't be too difficult.
"The cat is too big and unruly, just leaving like that without saying what it's up to." Baimu sighed incessantly, feeling that the biggest obstacle between them was that the guy never told him anything.
Even if something was right in front of him, it would still respond with silence.
So why Lei Gong was going to Meteor Falls, Baimu still had no clue, completely in the dark.
"Forget it."
He stopped worrying about it and found a hotel with individual courtyard rooms for rent. These were specifically for trainers who did not want to keep their Pokémon in their Pokeballs for long, although they were quite expensive.
But Baimu had money now, so it didn't matter to him.
He put down his backpack not long after.
He was about to take his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center for a check-up when he received a call from Da Wu.
"Mr. Da Wu?"
"Long time no see, Baimu! I heard you got a rock that might be a sleeping Jirachi?" Da Wu's hearty laughter came over the phone.
There was some special whooshing sound in the background.
"Yes, I got it by chance from a scammer over by Chimney Mountain."
"...Scammer?"
"Yeah, he just picked up a bunch of weird rocks and sold them, saying something about gemstone gambling. That's where I found it," Baimu explained briefly.
"I see, no wonder Laisa says you're a lucky guy."
"By the way, you should be in Fallarbor Town by now, right? Can you share your location?"
Baimu was about to respond when his eye caught a flash of silver light in the sky, "I am... ah, I think I see you. Blissey, use Magic Brilliance!"
"Happy~"
Blissey released an incredibly dazzling, multicolored light around itself, like needles shooting out in every direction.
The nearby Hydreigon looked scared on all three faces and quickly fled to a corner where it couldn't even be attacked, having learned long ago as a Deino how terrifying an x4 weakness to Fairies could be.
It wouldn't dare pretend it didn't see that.
"I see it."
Da Wu's gentle voice came through the phone, immediately followed by a disconnection, as the silver light in the sky grew brighter and larger.
Soon.
Da Wu appeared, crouching slightly on the head of an Altered-color Metagross. The wind blew at his coat, and maybe because it was cold at high altitudes, his face was a bit flushed.
"Long time no see, Baimu!"
Da Wu jumped down, his hair a bit tousled but quickly returning to its natural form, "After our last parting, I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
"Same here."
Baimu understood very well why this Champion had come and didn't keep him in suspense. He turned around and had Mawile bring out the Wishing Star, "Miss Laisa said this might be the sleeping Wishing Star, but I can't be sure. Can you take a look?"
"Alright, let me take a look then."
Da Wu spoke with a tone that feigned uncertainty, but he was already in front of the Wishing Star, pulling out white gloves from his pocket and putting them on, touching its surface carefully.
The excited flush on his face showed no signs of fading, only intensifying with his examination of the Wishing Star.
Baimu clicked his tongue in admiration from behind.
He knew Da Wu loved rocks, but his look of being ready to marry one was a bit unexpected.
Then again.
Da Wu must have come to Fallarbor Town with some intense expectations, so his passionate display wasn't surprising.
Since you're touching my stone...
I'll have to touch your Pokémon.
Baimu turned to look at the Altered-color Metagross crouched like a crab, its bright silver exterior and gold X-mark on its face, along with its hulking body.
Everything about it screamed coolness.
"Hello there, remember me?"
He waved at the Altered-color Metagross, assuming it would be aloof. However, it immediately raised its right front claw upon recognizing his face.
"Metah!"
The Altered-color Metagross's red eyes curved into crescents, clearly recalling the time in Pyrite Town when Baimu had fed it.
The guy who cooked great food!
Baimu smiled slightly, "Glad you remember me. Are you hungry? Want me to whip up something for you?"
"Metah!"
The Altered-color Metagross glanced at its trainer, seeing Da Wu still engrossed with the Wishing Star, and nodded vigorously.
If the Trainer doesn't care, it can still get itself something to eat.
Soon after.
A bowl of delicious Pokémon food was placed in front of the Altered-color Metagross, and it used a claw to grab a piece and put it in its mouth, immediately brightening its eyes.
Delicious!
As a Champion's Pokémon and trusted partner of Da Wu, the Altered-color Metagross had tasted its share of good food.
But no matter how much it ate, truly delicious food still moved it.
Good food never becomes less tasty just because you eat a lot of it.
Meanwhile, Da Wu, who was examining the Wishing Star, suddenly felt his stomach growl. He instinctively turned to see Metagross happily gobbling up food like a crab, his expression slightly awkward.
"Uh... um..."
"If you don't mind, Mr. Da Wu, I have plenty of food here. You could have a bite to eat," Baimu offered his leftovers very considerately.
Da Wu gave him a look, then gazed at the meal, his mind wandering back to the time in Pyrite Town.
"Well then... might as well accept your gracious offer."
The Wishing Star was captivating, but you could always admire it while eating.