c35: Lapras and the Next Destination
After chatting on the phone with Leng Yue for a while, Chen Xiaoxiao returned to her hotel suite and entered the private Pokémon training space provided within the building a feature exclusive to Huaqing University's elite candidates.
Inside the familiar training zone, she activated the Poké Ball that Leng Yue had recently transferred to her through the league's encrypted trainer network.
A gentle shimmer of light burst forth. What emerged was a deep blue Pokémon with a grayish, ridged shell on its back. The large shell had several knob-like protrusions recesses that could support a rider's seating and ridges that could act as natural handlebars for a stable aquatic journey.
It was a young Lapras, the Transport Pokémon, known for its intelligence, empathy, and rarity.
Chen Xiaoxiao opened her Pokédex to verify the data.
Pokémon: Lapras
Species: Transport Pokémon
Gender: ♂
Level: 6 (Standard Intermediate Tier)
Type: Water/Ice
Nature: Gentle (+Sp. Def, -Atk)
Ability: Water Absorb — Restores 25% of HP when hit by Water-type moves.
Hidden Ability: Hydration — Cures status conditions in rainy weather.
Potential Grade: Elite Tier
As noted, this Lapras was still a juvenile barely past infancy and not yet physically mature. While fully grown Lapras typically exceed 2.5 meters in height, this little one barely stood a meter tall at the shoulder. Despite its low level, its innate potential had already reached the Elite tier a testament to its rare bloodline or careful breeding, possibly arranged by Leng Yue herself.
Chen Xiaoxiao smiled warmly and knelt beside it.
"Little Lapras, I'm your trainer. My name is Chen Xiaoxiao. I'll be counting on you from now on."
She hugged the tiny Lapras gently, stroking the smooth, cool surface of its head. Her voice brimmed with tenderness.
In her previous life, Lapras had always been her favorite Water-type Pokémon not for its raw power or battle prowess, though its stats were quite respectable with a base stat total of 535. It was the elegance of Lapras, the serene expression, the comfort of riding on its broad shell. Watching Ash traverse the Orange Archipelago atop Lapras in the original Pokémon Adventures manga and anime had left a lasting impression on her younger self.
Back then, she had only dreamed of one day riding a Lapras across calm waters.
Now, that dream was real.
"Rapp!"
The little Lapras let out a soft, melodious cry. It was not shy in the slightest perhaps it had already grown familiar with Chen Xiaoxiao's aura during its time at Leng Yue's family estate, where it had been raised. Lapras snuggled into her hand and nuzzled against her lap, enjoying the warmth and trust of its new Trainer.
Soon, the atmosphere shifted.
The rest of Chen Xiaoxiao's Pokémon, sensing the presence of a new companion, emerged from their rest areas and gathered curiously around her. Psychic energy flickered from Gothorita's gaze, Lucario silently observed, and Gardevoir floated gently, her eyes full of maternal kindness.
"This is Lapras," Chen Xiaoxiao announced. "He's your new teammate young and still learning. Be kind to him, okay? Don't bully him, and help him grow strong."
Her veteran partners nicknamed "the old squad" responded with cheerful cries, nods, and gestures of welcome. They had traveled many routes with her, and understood the importance of nurturing the young.
However, their warm greetings were suddenly interrupted by a deep, resounding roar.
ROOOAAAR!
Solgaleo, the mighty Sunne Pokémon and arguably the most imposing member of her team, had approached. Standing over three meters tall, with a golden mane that shimmered like dawn and piercing blue eyes that radiated divine power, it was a breathtaking sight but one that was clearly overwhelming to the little Lapras.
Startled by the sound and presence of the lion-like Legendary, Lapras whimpered, then quickly hid his head in Chen Xiaoxiao's arms, trembling.
Seeing the scene unfold, the narrator inside her couldn't help but exclaim mentally: "Move aside! Let me comfort the baby!"
Okay, maybe that was too much.
But honestly, who could blame little Lapras? Solgaleo wasn't just huge—it radiated a cosmic energy that bent the very air around it. For a newly hatched Water-type Pokémon, being in the presence of such a divine creature could be downright terrifying.
Chen Xiaoxiao chuckled softly, reassuring Lapras with a pat and a few gentle words. She cast a glance at Solgaleo, silently asking him to tone it down and with a dignified nod, the Legendary stepped back, lying down like a noble guardian watching over the young.
It was a touching beginning to a new chapter in her journey.
Lapras had arrived.
And soon, they would head toward their next destination.
Knowing that he had frightened the newcomer, Solgaleo, usually the awe-inspiring Sunne Pokémon, looked visibly embarrassed. The massive lion-like Legendary lowered himself gently to the ground, tilted his celestial mane sideways, and scratched the side of his head with a massive, clawed paw an uncharacteristically sheepish gesture for such a divine being.
The other Pokémon couldn't help themselves they burst out laughing.
"Little Lapras, it's all right now," Chen Xiaoxiao said with a smile, gently stroking Lapras's smooth, cool skin. "See? Solgaleo's not scary at all. He's actually quite cute when he's not roaring."
Hearing Chen Xiaoxiao's soothing voice and catching the warm laughter of the others, the little Lapras dared to open one eye and peek at Solgaleo.
To its surprise, the Legendary Pokémon looked more like a confused, oversized Meowth than the majestic creature of legends described in the Kalos archives and Johto myths.
Lapras's eyes squinted into joyful crescents, and a high-pitched giggle escaped from his throat.
"Lapras, let me formally introduce your new companions," Chen Xiaoxiao continued warmly. "This is Solgaleo the Sun Pokémon you just met. Over here is Gardevoir, and this is Metagross, Meowstic, Sunflora, and Togekiss."
She listed the team clearly, her tone filled with pride and familiarity, referencing Pokémon she'd carefully cultivated since her journey began. These Pokémon were not just teammates they were veterans who had stood by her in several difficult battles, including those recorded in previous chapters like the Saffron Arena simulation trial and the Moonlight Tower event.
Little Lapras listened attentively, then turned to greet each Pokémon with a joyful call. His natural empathy an inherent trait of the Lapras species as shown in Pokémon Adventures allowed him to sense their friendliness and intentions. He greeted them all warmly.
His gaze, however, lingered on Solgaleo the longest.
There was no longer fear in those eyes only admiration and hope. The tiny Lapras looked up at the radiant lion Pokémon, perhaps imagining a future where he, too, would become strong, respected, and dazzling.
After the introductions, Chen Xiaoxiao spent some time playing and interacting with her Pokémon, letting Lapras grow more familiar with the team dynamic. They practiced low-intensity agility movements and bonding exercises nothing too exhausting for a level 6 Pokémon but sufficient for emotional integration.
Afterward, she exchanged purified glacial spring water through the system's inventory and handed a tray of custom-made Ice-type and Water-type PokéPuffs based on Pokéblocks and Poképuffs researched in Kalos—to Gardevoir, who had unofficially taken on the "caretaker" role for the younger members. Gardevoir accepted the task with a gentle nod and took Lapras aside for further nurturing.
With the Lapras integration proceeding smoothly, Chen Xiaoxiao exited the Pokémon space and returned to her room.
"The Lapras is still too low in level," she mused, sitting cross-legged on the bed and opening her system menu. "I need to strengthen it fast get it to basic battle-readiness."
Opening her points interface, her expression soured.
"I spent 100,000 points on expanding the advanced Pokémon space, and just used more for the Water- and Ice-type enhancement cubes. Now I'm down to less than 10,000."
That wasn't enough to buy potential-enhancing potions or a Double EXP card items she normally used during focused training phases.
"I need to find a good place to farm some points."
Determined, she reached over to her Pokédex, logged into the Huaxia Trainer BBS, and navigated to the Elite Trainer section—a prestigious forum accessible only to trainers officially ranked Elite or above by the Huaxia League.
Unlike the chaotic Primary section—flooded with dating threads, team-up ads asking for 'cute girls,' and newbie mistakes the Elite board was organized, pragmatic, and data-heavy. There were discussions on deep mechanics, zone-specific training experiences, reports on dangerous area expeditions, and updates on national-level events, including recent Legendary sightings and championship movements.
One recent post caught her eye—it mentioned a trainer arriving in Shantou City on the back of Articuno, drawing immediate attention from the top ranks.
Further down the board, she filtered posts related to field expeditions. One title stood out:
"Fushi Highlands: The Fighting Pokémon's Secret Paradise?"
The post came from an elite martial arts-type trainer and mentioned rumors from a previous life: Fushi's deep mountains, said to house powerful Pokémon with raw, combative instincts—including Quasi-Elite and even Elite-class wild Pokémon similar to the Fighting-focused sanctuary once nicknamed South Shaolin by trainers in the previous timeline.
"Fushi?" Chen Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow. "That's right next to Shantou."
She recalled her current lineup: Gardevoir, Meowstic, and Togekiss—all capable of dealing with Fighting-types through their Psychic and Fairy advantages. Even without Solgaleo or Metagross, she'd still have a clear edge.
"Well then, decision made."
She closed the Pokédex with a snap, checked out of the hotel, and headed straight for the southern terminal.
Her next destination: Fushi Highlands.
A place full of challenge, mystery, and hopefully—the growth Lapras needed.
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