c33: Things Ended Perfectly
A group of people gathered around the scene where Gardevoir had fallen, drawn by the sound of Ralts' heart-wrenching cries. The somber atmosphere silenced even the most hardened bystanders; the grief was palpable, and the tears of the small Pokémon moved everyone present.
But the man was gone. Chen Xiaoxiao could only hope that Ralts would find a brighter future.
She turned to Leng Yue, who was crouched beside Ralts, gently comforting it with both words and warmth.
Perhaps Leng Yue could take care of Ralts now.
Guided by Ralts' memories, they brought Gardevoir's remains to the small glade where she and Ralts had once lived. The place still bore traces of psychic energy, gentle and lingering. It was there, under the watchful eyes of nature and the reverent silence of the group, that they held a simple and solemn burial.
With time and Leng Yue's gentle persuasion, Ralts slowly calmed. Eventually, Ralts gave a small nod, wiping away its tears as it chose to leave with Leng Yue, deciding to become her Pokémon.
While helping Ralts gather Gardevoir's cherished belongings—items that still radiated a psychic aura Leng Yue noticed something curious.
"What's this?"
She looked down at the object Ralts held tightly in its hands: a glimmering gem with a familiar shimmer.
"A Mega Stone… though I'm not sure which Pokémon it's for," she murmured in surprise.
Hearing this, Leng Xin approached and studied the gem carefully. His eyes widened.
"I didn't expect to find a Mega Stone here," he said, astonished. "Even I would be tempted by one that matches my own Pokémon."
Mega Stones were exceedingly rare even among champions, few had the privilege to wield one.
Leng Yue recognized the gem as well. Something about its shape stirred her memory. Then, as if prompted by the same realization, both she and Leng Xin turned their gaze toward the necklace still resting on Gardevoir's chest.
The resemblance was undeniable. The stone was identical.
"This is Gardevoir's Mega Stone. Leng Yue, congratulations."
Chen Xiaoxiao, having overheard them, nodded. She had already recognized it during the burial preparations but waited for them to discover it on their own.
With Chen Xiaoxiao's confirmation, excitement lit up Leng Yue's face.
"Xiaoxiao, thank you," she whispered sincerely.
It was because of Chen Xiaoxiao that this unexpected blessing had come into her life. Leng Yue ran forward and hugged her tightly in gratitude.
Leng Xin, watching silently, thought to himself:
"I did Chen Xiaoxiao a 'small favor,' but I never expected Leng Yue to receive two such priceless 'gifts' in return. I'll have to make it up to her when we return."
A Ralts alone was a rare and valuable companion. Capable of learning Teleport, it wasn't just a touching ally it was tactically irreplaceable in both emergency escapes and combat.
Even as the reigning Champion of China, Leng Xin knew how rare such a Pokémon was.
And now, paired with a compatible Mega Stone?
That was something no amount of money could buy.
Mega Stones were not traded lightly. Even trainers whose Pokémon couldn't use them would hold onto them, opting only to exchange with someone who had a direct need—a matter of trust and equivalence.
"Alright," Leng Xin finally said, "everything's packed. Let's go deal with the matter of that S-rank fugitive."
They had been delayed long enough. Since Solgaleo had been the one to bring them here via its signature move, Warp Ride, Leng Xin had left Articuno to secure the scene, ensuring no other trainers wandered too close.
"Solgaleo, come out. Please take us back."
Chen Xiaoxiao summoned the majestic Pokémon. Gardevoir wasn't strong enough to Teleport the entire group across a twenty-kilometer distance, so she relied on Solgaleo instead.
As its luminous body flashed, time and space bent momentarily, and they were instantly returned to the scene of the initial confrontation.
Leng Xin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"Teleportation—it's practically a cheat code. For law enforcement, it's unbeatable. But in the wrong hands? Almost impossible to counter."
Back at the scene, Articuno circled high above, its wings shimmering like sapphire blades. Its imposing presence had drawn attention.
Nearby trainers in the Shantou forest had noticed the Legendary Bird soaring overhead and were heading toward it in awe. But Articuno, following its orders from Leng Xin, stopped them kilometers away with a chilling burst of wind and psychic pressure.
News of the cold-hearted Champion riding Articuno had already gone viral online. The gathered trainers quickly realized who must be inside the perimeter and, respecting the situation, refrained from approaching.
"Thank you, Articuno," Leng Xin said after consulting Chen Xiaoxiao's translator device and understanding the scene. He gently patted the bird's icy crown. "You've worked hard."
The trainers had approached from all directions, and Articuno had tirelessly held the line.
After expressing gratitude, Leng Xin contacted the Flying-type Gym Leader of Shantou City, Zhang Guosheng, briefly explaining the situation and requesting reinforcements.
Though Leng Xin was China's Champion, local jurisdiction required cooperation with the regional Gym Leader.
Within five minutes, Zhang Guosheng arrived with a few aides.
To Chen Xiaoxiao's surprise, one of the group was an acquaintance—Zhang Guoxiong, whom she had recently battled after arriving in Shantou.
After greetings and introductions, she learned that Zhang Guoxiong was actually Zhang Guosheng's son and a junior Gym apprentice.
Leng Xin then led the group to the place where the S-rank criminal's body lay and began summarizing what had transpired.
"This is Chen Xiaoxiao, the youngest Elite Trainer in the Alliance's history," he stated. "Mr. Zhang, you may have heard of her."
"She's also my direct subordinate."
Leng Xin's voice grew firmer as he continued.
"During the pursuit of the fugitive, he lost in battle and gave the order for his Honchkrow to attack her directly. Chen Xiaoxiao responded instantly, using Ally Switch. Her Pokémon intercepted the attack. In the confusion, the criminal was struck down by his own Pokémon."
This is the Poké Ball confiscated from the S-rank wanted criminal, and there is also a full battle recording captured via the Rotom Drone Surveillance System.
First, confirm the identity of the suspect using facial recognition and Alliance biometric databases, then conduct a full site survey according to standard incident protocol.
My direct subordinate, Prosecutor Chen Xiaoxiao, will complete the detailed battle and incident report. Once submitted, compile the closing summary and hand it over to me for final signature and archival.
You're lucky today."
In just a few sharp and calm instructions, Leng Xin laid out the entire process—concise, professional, and unquestionable.
There was a cold elegance to how he handled the aftermath.
However, seasoned observers couldn't shake the feeling that something more was at play.
If the situation had truly been that simple, there would've been no need for Leng Xin the Champion of the Huaxia Region himself to travel all the way from the capital to intervene.
Under normal circumstances, it would've been sufficient for Chen Xiaoxiao, his direct subordinate and registered Elite-tier prosecutor, to file a report and close the case locally.
Upon examining the scene in detail, investigators confirmed that everything aligned with Leng Xin's earlier summary.
The fatal strike had indeed come from the Honchkrow owned by the fugitive. Forensic scans revealed fragments of the criminal's epidermal tissue on Honchkrow's talons and beak, which matched the laceration patterns on the body. The data captured by the recording device embedded in Honchkrow's Poké Ball provided synchronized confirmation of the timeline and events.
When the identity of the fugitive was verified an internationally wanted ex-Gym Leader involved in black-market Pokémon trafficking and his power ranking confirmed, all present couldn't help but look at Chen Xiaoxiao in shock.
At that moment, they recalled Leng Xin's repeated emphasis: that Chen Xiaoxiao was his "direct prosecutor" and also the "youngest Elite trainer in Alliance history."
The message became clear.
Veterans in the enforcement community—the so-called old hands—quickly understood Leng Xin's deeper intention.
To reach Elite rank at such a young age was already unprecedented. But to single-handedly outmaneuver and defeat a high-level criminal that had evaded authorities for years? That was the mark of someone destined for the upper echelons of the Pokémon League hierarchy possibly even the Regional Elite Four in the future.
Leng Xin had come not just to supervise a case.
He had come to legitimize Chen Xiaoxiao's rising status—clearing her name of any suspicion of excessive force or manslaughter. The personal appearance of the Champion was not a necessity for this operation; it was a calculated act of protection and endorsement.
In essence, he was escorting her reputation toward its rightful place in the history of the League.
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P.S. This is the third chapter update for today.
Also, a quick note about character development—this is a clarification from the author on the rationale behind Pokémon personality traits in this series.
When I first decided to write a Pokémon-based story, I studied the character database and nature tables from the official Pokémon Encyclopedia. One conclusion stood out: just like people, Pokémon have personalities. And where there is personality, there are strengths and weaknesses.
I cross-checked the nature mechanics in the core games and decided to incorporate them as a narrative layer in this book.
Here are two simplified examples to illustrate the design philosophy:
Brave nature: Because of their courage, Brave Pokémon are more likely to face danger head-on, which increases their physical attack stats. However, since they don't avoid or evade threats, their speed tends to be lower.
Timid nature: Their cautiousness drives them to flee when danger arises, granting them high speed. However, they are not prone to offensive tactics, so their attack stats are generally lower.
Of course, this is my interpretation. If the personality aspect isn't your style, feel free to skim past the stat-related mentions.
Thank you all for your continued support!
Finally—cheeky as it may be—I'd love to ask for a wave of support: bookmarks, flowers, review votes... anything to keep this story growing!
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