Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

Perhaps there are indeed people among the villagers who understand the facts and are truly clear-headed, but the erroneous inheritance has led to a deep-rooted influence. Even if later generations are willing to set things right, they will be silenced by the 'majority' who are ashamed to admit the mistakes of their ancestors. They can only worship the former thieves and former war criminals, and even distort history, beautify their image, and even hang them high in the center of the shrine, where they are revered by thousands.

Chapter 106 Reunion with Zhu Lan

"So, you rushed down the mountain because of the appearance of those three Pokémon?"

After listening to the back and forth and learning the truth, Nan Yin also understood why the little guy wanted to go down the mountain.

“Bonnie, oh.”

Nodding slightly and swinging his slender legs, the girl's comfort had eased the anger that had been etched on his face.

But it wasn't neglect or tolerance; it was just that the encounter was too sudden, the time spent together too warm, like a long-awaited reunion with the past. Rather than fighting, it preferred harmonious companionship.

Yes, being misunderstood and unacknowledged—who could accept being alone for hundreds of years?

Adding some firewood to the campfire made its orange-yellow glow even warmer and more inviting.

Without saying much, Nan Yin simply spread her five fingers and gently stroked the little devil's head.

Again and again.

"You've worked so hard all this time."

As her gaze softened, and the truth was revealed, the girl couldn't help but feel pity, and she also gained a clearer understanding of the villagers' ignorance.

No amount of words can wake up a group of people who are pretending to be asleep. When they are stubborn and refuse to acknowledge the bad consequences, there is no need to communicate with words.

"Bonnie~"

The shared feelings brought vibrant colors to their lives, and sweet drops of water flowed into their parched existence. Egui Peng reached out her small hand and took Nan Yin's five fingers into her embrace. She wanted to feel this warmth and savor this tenderness a little longer.

The legends that have been passed down in Beishang Township since ancient times are now decades or even centuries old. For the little guy, that past is a long time gone by.

In the distant past, the ancestors of Danyu and Wuli made four masks for it.

The foundation mask, representing joy.

The Stove Mask, representing anger.

The Well Mask, representing sorrow.

And the Azure Mask, which represents joy and has been held captive by the evil spirits until now.

When the mask was taken away, the little beast's heart was also broken. After a long time, it could no longer feel those complex emotions.

Whether you're happy or angry.

The anger that once filled his heart after being misunderstood and ostracized by humans, losing his companions, and bearing a long-standing bad reputation is now difficult to ignite again.

Those sorrows and tears, washed away by time, even if we try hard to recall them, at most we can only feel a faint sadness, an lingering aftertaste.

Egui Peng had long been accustomed to hiding and running away. Although it often felt lonely, it was even more afraid of meeting humans and incurring their disgusted looks.

Whenever he puts on the Azure Mask, which symbolizes supreme bliss, the little beast hides his expression behind the laughing mask.

But this chance encounter, the warm smiles, and the campfire around them created unprecedented ripples in the little devil's heart.

For over a hundred years, Evilpek has been wandering and has always been afraid of the loneliness of waiting. But even more than the former, it fears hurting others and hurting its own heart. So, the little guy would rather avoid people and Pokémon and live alone.

Until Ghost Mountain was visited by humans again, until a ray of fire appeared in the long darkness.

Nan Yin traversed the treacherous path and ventured into the mountains in search of the truth. Even though she had a fleeting connection with the evil spirit, she never imagined her encounter with it, nor did she intentionally try to get close to it. She lit a campfire, simmered a pot of hot soup, and dispelled the chill of autumn and the preconceived notions about the evil spirit. All of this was simply something she did naturally, following her heart.

It is precisely because of this pure state of mind and peaceful perspective that she was able to forge friendships with so many legends, and even go further.

"Are you planning to return to Ghost Tooth Cave today?"

Shaking his head, Egui Peng sat up, moved closer to the girl, and secretly observed her expression.

Seeing that Nan Yin was unmoved and even encouraged, a feeling of joy welled up in the little beast's heart like a clear spring.

Compared to the cold and chilly cave, it undoubtedly cherishes and longs for this warm little home more.

"Pony, Pony oh?"

It was a timid inquiry, asking if we could stay together tonight, and if we could sleep peacefully.

With a slight upturn of her lips, Nan Yin softened her tone, speaking in a gentle and authentic voice.

“We certainly welcome your visit, Egui Pong.”

"Just like we said at the beginning, we will continue to stay with you in Ghost Mountain as long as you wish."

"Bonnie~"

His star-shaped eyes shone brightly, and ripples of joy surged within him. Without making any other move, Egui Peng simply tightened his grip on the white-haired girl's slender hand.

"Bu Yi..."

He was initially filled with anger, but seeing the childlike clinginess and reluctance to part, Eevee unusually suppressed his dissatisfaction, simply turning his head to the side and letting out a soft groan.

There will be no next time!

Amused by her jealousy, Nan Yin flattened her free hand, called the little guy's name, and instantly her temper vanished. Sylveon obediently lowered its head, placing its adorable little face in the girl's palm, letting her fingertips knead and rub the soft flesh until it was smooth and uneven.

“I’ve said it before, you’ll always be number one, and the leader of these kids.” Kneeling down to meet their gaze at eye level, she didn’t stop at her usual mannerisms. She leaned down again, bringing her cheek close to the little beast’s ear, and whispered these words.

"If you want to throw a tantrum, you can do it openly and honestly when we're alone."

The warm, moist breath fell, adding a slight blush to her fair face and a striking hint of shyness to her earlobes.

"Buyi!"

Before the girl could finish speaking, the little guy darted into the tent that had been set up earlier, just to calm the ripples in his heart and smooth the flushed face.

There was no more conversation, only the deep, rustling chirping of insects, a constant companion.

Listening to the little guys' snores, more or less, and watching their various sleeping postures, it was as if the ice was melting. Nan Yin's usual calmness completely disappeared, leaving only her gentle features.

Not only Scorpion King and Kirby, but even the little devil she had just met held her arm, and after a few moments of closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.

It's clear that it's reluctant to part with this companionship and doesn't want it to leave, but—

"How am I supposed to sleep like this?"

With all four limbs erected, perhaps this is what is meant by the troubles of happiness.

Fortunately, Nan Yin herself was not that tired. She raised her head and looked at the starry night sky, watching the silvery light fall on the rocks of all sizes, and also watching her friend's pretty face gradually approaching.

"E Guipeng's experience is really... pitiful. How could those villagers do such a thing? And those Baobans are all charlatans who deceive the world."

Angry and annoyed, only when they were alone and no longer disturbing each other did Korne speak up, defending the child and expressing her dissatisfaction with everything she had been through.

“The truth is completely different from the legend. Nanyin, I think we need to correct these things and seek justice for it and for ourselves.”

She spoke out naturally, unable to contain her intense emotions; however, her extreme words were rejected by the former.

"No, it's just that we can't clear that child's name."

Recalling what she had seen and heard since entering Beishang Township, and remembering the villagers' despicable faces, Nanyin had already guessed the outcome of telling them the truth.

Self-reflection and acknowledgment?

Of course not. The erroneous historical narrative has ingrained such prejudices that even if the truth comes to light, those dull-witted and stubborn villagers will still refuse to admit their mistakes or acknowledge that the revered deity is the ringleader of evil.

They would place them in the center of the shrine as before, or even, for the sake of slander, question them and accuse them of being the minority.

"why?"

Her lack of social experience prevented Korne from understanding the hidden meaning behind her friend's sneer.

“Because we are a minority. The majority of people in Beishang Township clearly only want to believe the history they know and only want to hear voices that agree with them.”

Objectively speaking, the way the villagers treated them foreshadowed a part of the ending.

"The story of Hoban saving the village is already ingrained in the villagers' minds. If they suddenly heard on the eve of the Hidden Face Festival that the Hoban they have always revered were actually three thieves, the root of the disaster, how would they react?"

“They should… no, they will absolutely deny it.”

Even though she was young, the blonde girl was not stupid. With her friend's reminder, she quickly realized the inevitability of the situation.

“That’s right, they will definitely label it as a rumor. With the Face-Covering Ceremony just around the corner, if a scandal breaks out at this time, it will undoubtedly be a major blow to the entire Beishang Township.”

In the tourism industry, reputation is of utmost importance. Once the reviews are negative, no amount of promotion will only attract dislike from others.

"Then let's..."

Suppressing one's anger has never been the style of either of them, but Nan Yin is completely carefree and even has the idea of ​​watching from the sidelines.

“Don’t worry, Korrina. You heard the villagers complaining about the harvest, and those three Pokémon are greedy and lazy by nature. They don’t fit the world’s definition of a hero at all.”

Looking through the Rotom Pokédex, the headlines are now dominated by headlines about Pokémon's resurrection.

“Those villagers spread the word as soon as Baoban recovered. Now, most of them are no longer on the side of justice. Those who don’t know the truth and only watch out of curiosity will judge the truth and distinguish between good and evil based on their own knowledge.”

“When the behavior of Baoban is presented on a clear screen, when their image, which contradicts the legend, falls into the eyes of the public, then the villagers’ propaganda will only become a sharp blade piercing themselves, exposing all their ugliness.”

Just as the girl said, once the villagers welcomed the three treasures into the main hall with great fanfare, what followed would inevitably happen.

Whether it's Nanyin or the little devil, all they need to do is observe how things unfold, see how the villagers' faces lose their arrogance, and see how Baoban's reputation falls into the mire.

To be honest, she didn't bother to correct these fools' ideas, nor did she want to bother to teach those bastards a lesson. There was no point or sense of accomplishment in bullying the rotten fish and shrimp in the same pond.

Greed can be turned into motivation, and ignorance can be guided through education, but that is not her job. The world's perspective and the cleansing of society will replace any words, unveil the surface, reveal the truth, and let the villagers recognize the facts.

"I feel that Nan Yin, you are... amazing, you see everything so clearly."

Admiring her friend's composed demeanor, Korne's longing grew stronger. However, a snap of her fingers once again stopped her despondency and allowed a slight pain to spread.

"Ugh."

"Focus on the things in front of you, look at them and think about them in a down-to-earth manner, and you will be able to make the appropriate judgments."

His earnest teachings always echoed in my ears, and the gentle moonlight poured into my embrace, bestowing tranquility upon those violet eyes.

Without realizing it, Korni choked up and nodded gently.

There were no more words spoken, only silent companionship, and the girl resting her head on one arm, lost in lingering thoughts.

......

At the beginning of the next day, the first light of dawn shone through the curtains into the tent and into my sleepy eyelids.

Her long, dark eyelashes were slightly watery, and trembled slightly with the opening and closing of her eyes, giving her a languid look.

"Well......"

The moment after waking from a long dream always leaves the girl slightly dazed.

Taking out a wooden comb, the pink and white little beast, who had woken up early, waved a ribbon and spontaneously tidied the comb's messy hair. This had become a habit for them and a way of taking care of each other.

However, there was one more little beast watching today.

Hugging its knees, the emerald-green little devil sat quietly to the side, watching their tacitly coordinated actions. With each rise and fall of its breath, the refreshing scent of citrus gradually filled the not-so-spacious tent.

It also longs for such companionship and yearns for a tacit understanding where hearts and minds are in sync.

As the morning sun slanted towards the center, the warmth of the small room gradually settled, and the Southern Music completely broke free from the lingering charm of its long slumber.

She tightened the hair clip with Ibrahimovic's head on it, raised her arms, and let her waist stretch out, outlining her graceful curves.

She did not ignore E Guipeng's gaze, but did not get too close. The girl simply drew back the curtain, hugged her legs, leaned against her sleeping bag, and sat with him in the same corner, a corner bathed in the morning light.

"Today, I plan to go back to Emerald Town. Do you mind, Egui Peng?"

It was a gentle inquiry.

"Bony?"

Tilting its head slightly, revealing its small canine teeth, the little devil took out the turquoise mask from behind its back after a moment's thought.

It didn't want this long-awaited warmth to dissipate, nor did it want to stay in the dry, cold Ghost Mountain any longer, and it certainly didn't want to wait for the other's misfortune as it had on that day.

"Alright, let's pack up and set off."

It wasn't that I had any fondness for that small town; it was simply because some of my luggage was still at the hotel, and I hadn't brought it with me before making the decision yesterday.

They woke up their sleeping friends and took the opportunity to tidy their clothes. Before long, they packed up their tents and headed down the mountain path.

The morning breeze carried a chill, and all the Pokémon were still sound asleep, unwilling to face the cold.

Crossing the cobblestone path, they arrived once again at the human village. Undoubtedly, the familiar scenery and numerous figures instilled fear in the little demon, and also stirred up the lingering pain of the past.

Without offering any further words of comfort, Nan Yin simply tightened her grip on the former's small hand, lowered her gaze, and expressed her deep concern.