"There has been a lot of sightings of foreign pokemon lately."
"Especially here near the forest, I don't know what happened," Officer said.
"Large-scale groups of Pokémon began migrating over."
"If you encounter something like this in the future, be more careful."
"Don't mess around. A Pokémon riot is no joke."
Evan raised his eyebrows upon hearing the news.
A large number of Pokémon entering the city? What could have caused this?
Although Evan was curious, he didn't dwell on it for long. "I see. I'll be careful. I'll leave these Pokémon to you."
No matter what was going on, it had nothing to do with him. At most, they just needed to handle the Pokémon that had wandered into the area. No big deal.
Evan, after all, had both a Shiny Gardevoir and Gallade. He wasn't afraid of a challenge like this.
After Officer Zhou finished explaining the situation, he and his team began loading the Pokémon into their transport vehicles. The plan was to move them away from the city and release them elsewhere.
Evan felt a wave of relief as the security personnel left. Turning to his Pokémon, he said, "Gardevoir, Gallade, you two go eat. I'm going to grab something to eat as well. I'll be back soon. If anything happens, just find me at the orphanage."
When preparing the energy cubes earlier, Evan had told his Pokémon that they were safe to eat. Now, they could feed themselves without his help, saving him a lot of effort.
Hearing his instructions, both Pokémon nodded. "Good~!" they responded via telepathy, their voices warm and cheerful. Taking their younger siblings with them, they went off to enjoy the energy cubes.
Meanwhile, Evan headed to the orphanage for his meal. After eating and drinking his fill, he returned to the breeding house to rest.
The night passed peacefully, and the next morning, Evan got to work with Luna and the others. Later, a delivery truck arrived carrying the energy cubes arranged by Sophia. Box after box of neatly packaged energy cubes were unloaded and moved into the warehouse.
Evan glanced over the delivery order and noted that the energy cubes Sophia had sent were all popular varieties on the market. It was clear she had chosen them carefully.
These energy cubes were mostly medium to low level—affordable for the average Trainer. There were no high-end cubes, but Evan figured those might arrive once the energy cube formula he had provided Sophia went into mass production.
After thanking the driver, Evan turned to Aunt Jenn and the others.
"Aunt Jenn, we're going to open an energy cube shop here at the orphanage," he announced. "We'll put up a sign outside once it's ready. This is one of the main roads leading to the wild, so a lot of Trainers pass through here. I'm sure they'll stop by to take a look. Even those returning from the wild often take this route, so business should be decent."
Aunt Jenn looked hesitant. "Is this really a good idea?" she asked. "Are you sure Trainers will buy from us? Evan, are you certain about ordering so much stock at once? What if we don't make enough sales and lose money?"
This was Aunt Jenn's biggest worry. Losing money would be terrible.
She had already seen the purchase price, and these energy cubes cost several million. Would Trainers really buy such an expensive item?
Hearing her concerns, Evan couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry," he reassured her. "These energy cubes were produced at Sophia's family business—the same person who visited us before. If they don't sell or expire, we can simply return them. They'll recycle any unsold stock."
He continued, "This way, there's no risk of losing money. All the profit we earn will go toward supporting the orphanage."
His explanation put Aunt Jenn and the others at ease. Knowing the cubes could be returned alleviated their concerns.
With this assurance, Aunt Jenn nodded. It was better than staying idle, and opening a shop sounded like a good idea. While there weren't many Trainers living nearby, plenty passed through the area.
Convinced, they began tidying up the hall that would serve as the shop.
"Alright, Evan," Aunt Jenn said. "You go back to your work. Leave this to us."
She knew Evan was busy and didn't want to hold him up.
Evan nodded, but he left a few of the children, including Luna and others, to help. He instructed them to stay and assist Aunt Jenn rather than follow him.
Meanwhile, the younger children had already run off, likely playing with Kirlia and the others at the breeding house. Gardevoir's presence had made her a beloved playmate for the kids and Pokémon alike.
Evan returned to the breeding house, diving back into his work making energy cubes. He also enlisted Gardevoir to help train Sophia's Kirlia.
With Gardevoir's guidance, evolution would come naturally, as her training was both efficient and effective. Gardevoir readily agreed to help, while Gallade assisted Evan by preparing berries for the energy cubes.
Pikachu trained alongside Gardevoir, benefiting from the challenging practice sessions. Meanwhile, Flash remained at the back mountain, as Evan didn't have time to check on it yet.
Evan's current priority was completing Violet's order for energy cubes. Although Violet had said there was no rush, Evan decided to prepare next month's supply in advance.
He figured Violet might overfeed her Pokémon during training. Even if Evan provided three boxes a day, who could predict whether Violet might run out early and demand next month's supply halfway through?
To avoid last-minute stress, Evan worked proactively.
After a few days of effort, he completed Violet's order. Relieved, he notified her and finally found some free time to observe Ralts' training.
Gardevoir's training style was straightforward and a bit unorthodox: she had several Kirlia and Pikachu team up to battle her at once. The result was a one-versus-four match.
Though Gardevoir held back to avoid causing harm, her approach left the trainees exhausted and embarrassed. The rough practice ensured they grew stronger while honing their abilities.
Under this intense and high-consumption training, the combat experience of the Pokémon gradually improved. Evan couldn't help but feel a spark of admiration as he observed the scene.
Gardevoir was incredibly methodical—she seemed to have a natural talent for being an instructor.
However, something felt off. During the battles, her demeanor was unnervingly cold. Gardevoir, engaged in combat, resembled a frosty rose. She faced the attacking Pokémon without hesitation, sending them flying with precision and power, showing no signs of holding back.
In a typical training scenario, one might expect her to go easy on her opponents. Yet, she fought back seriously, though carefully avoiding any real harm. The Pokémon, however, were clearly struggling, their efforts met with one-sided domination.
" Stand up and carry on!"
After knocking the Pokémon away, Gardevoir would urge them to get up and attack again.
Evan watched for a while, then turned his gaze to Gallade, raising an eyebrow.
"Is Gardevoir always this... intense?" he asked.
Gallade nodded, unsurprised by the scene. Using telepathy, it replied:
"Because only this way ensures the lessons of battle stick."
"It's the most effective way to grow stronger."
"My sister has always believed this."
"And believe it or not, she's holding back here."
"In the wild, opposing Pokémon wouldn't hold back at all—they'd be even more ruthless."
"If you want them to grow, you have to be just as tough."
Evan couldn't argue with Gallade's logic, but Gardevoir's personality puzzled him. Wasn't Gardevoir supposed to be the type that doted on others? Why did her demeanor shift so drastically during battle?
It was like she transformed into a completely different Pokémon, a battlefield rose with an almost dual personality. Normally, Gardevoir was deeply loving and protective of her younger siblings, but now she seemed distant and commanding.
Although this shift in behavior confused him, Evan ultimately let it slide. The contrast was intriguing but not worth worrying over.
Shaking his head, he decided to address Gardevoir directly.
"Gardevoir, I think you can ramp up the training intensity," Evan said with a grin.
"Don't worry about injuries—if they get hurt, we'll just use the treatment machine. A little water, and they'll be fine!"
Far away, Gardevoir froze at Evan's words. Pikachu and Kirlia exchanged worried glances, visibly alarmed.
"Pika?! (What?!)" Pikachu exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief.
Kirlia seemed equally panicked, her expression practically screaming, "Do we really have to?!"
The training was already grueling, and now Evan wanted to crank it up? To the Pokémon, this sounded like a death sentence!
Gardevoir stood still, lost in thought for a long moment. Finally, she nodded slowly.
"Okay~!" she replied, her tone surprisingly calm.
Pikachu and Kirlia's faces fell as they braced themselves for an even tougher session. Gardevoir, meanwhile, seemed resolute, ready to carry out Evan's instructions.
Gardevoir used telepathy to affirm its understanding of Evan's instructions and immediately increased the training intensity.
The next scene was pure chaos. Evan witnessed what could only be described as a one-sided domination. Gardevoir moved with precision, its cold aura unshaken, while Kirlia and Pikachu scrambled around, shouting in distress as they were repeatedly overwhelmed.
Evan couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "See? The results are more obvious this way! Physical exhaustion alone isn't enough for growth. Proper training involves pushing limits—and maybe a few scratches!"
Eventually, all the Pokémon ran out of energy and collapsed in defeat. Evan picked up their Poké Balls and carried them to the treatment machine. While the machine worked its magic, he explained its operation to Gardevoir, who listened attentively.
"This way, Gardevoir, even if I'm not around, you can take injured Pokémon here and treat them yourself," Evan said, smiling mischievously. "Hey hey hey~!"
The thought of future training sessions made Evan grin even more, but the Pokémon were less amused. Pikachu and the others exchanged glances, clearly dreading the inevitable.
Meanwhile, Ralts, still unevolved, was trembling as it watched the carnage. Charmander wasn't faring any better; the little Fire-type's tail flickered nervously. Both seemed to be rethinking their future prospects—especially Ralts.
"Maybe it's better to stay as I am," Ralts thought to itself. "I get cuddles from Gardevoir now… but if I evolve, it'll just mean holding a hammer and getting beaten every day."
However, fate had other plans. Just as the thought crossed its mind, Ralts was engulfed in a brilliant white light.
Both Gardevoir and Gallade turned to look.
"Hm?"
Ralts panicked, desperately trying to suppress the evolution, but it was too late. Its body shifted and grew, and in a matter of moments, a new Kirlia stood in its place.
Kirlia froze, staring at its new form. "What just happened?! Why now?!"
Gardevoir wasted no time. "From now on, you'll train with me."
Kirlia's expression twisted into one of despair. "Noooo!! Does this mean I'll never escape being beaten?!"
Evan chuckled, finding the scene thoroughly entertaining. Watching Gardevoir's stern authority over Kirlia was highly amusing.
As the treatment machine beeped to signal completion, Evan retrieved the Poké Balls containing the healed Pokémon and handed them to Gardevoir.
"Take these guys back for more training," Evan instructed. "You saw how to use the machine, right? If they get injured, bring them back here. Oh, and this is Pidgeot's Poké Ball. Train it too—don't let it spend all day fishing in the back mountains."
Gardevoir nodded with an air of determination. "I'll do my best!"
Evan smirked. "You're really reliable. I'm getting better at being a hands-off leader."
Just as Evan basked in his managerial success, an unfamiliar voice called from outside.
"Excuse me, is anyone here?"
Evan frowned, puzzled. Who could be visiting at this time? From the sound of it, the voice belonged to a stranger.
Turning to Gardevoir, Evan said, "Gardevoir, teleport ahead and check it out. Gallade and I will follow."
He turned to Charmander. "You go with Gardevoir. Watch and learn how they're training. Once you're ready, you'll join the sessions too. I have high expectations for you."
Charmander gulped, feeling the weight of Evan's words, but nodded obediently.
With everything settled, Evan and Gallade stepped outside. There, they found two female high school students standing by the entrance.
"Hello," Evan greeted. "Do you need any help?"
The two girls perked up immediately upon seeing him. Their eyes lit up, and their excitement only grew when they noticed how handsome he was.
Evan, however, was perplexed. "High school students? What could they want here? Are they lost? Or… no, surely not that…"
A sudden thought struck him, and he shuddered. "Could this be some kind of ploy for… doorstep services? That'd be a disaster with all my Pokémon here!"
Meanwhile, the girls couldn't hide their excitement, their gazes fixated on Evan. Whatever their reason for being here, it was clear they were thrilled to see him.