The sun rose slowly over Liyue, bathing the city in a warm golden glow. The harbor, with its towering cliffs and elegant architecture, bustled with activity as early traders set up their stalls. Pokémon moved among the people of Liyue, some wild, some partnered with trainers, adding a new layer of life to the already vibrant city.
Lumine and Paimon were just making their way into Liyue after a long journey from Mondstadt. Lumine had Pikachu perched comfortably on her shoulder, its bright yellow fur standing out against her white outfit, while Oddish toddled beside her, occasionally tripping over its own leaves. Paimon floated just above them, chattering non-stop as usual.
"I can't wait to see all the new Pokémon in Liyue!" Paimon said, her voice filled with excitement. "And the food! Oh, the food in Liyue is the best! I heard they even use berries from the Pokémon world in their cooking now. Can you imagine how delicious that must be?"
Lumine smiled at Paimon's enthusiasm. "It does sound interesting. Plus, I heard there's a new Pokémon Center here too. We should check it out, maybe see if we can help with anything."
As they entered the harbor, they were greeted by the sight of several Pokémon roaming around. Wingull flew overhead, squawking as they circled the boats coming in. A group of Magikarp flopped near the docks, splashing around in the water, while a couple of Poliwag played along the shoreline, chasing each other in circles.
"Liyue looks so different now," Lumine remarked, taking it all in. "It's amazing how quickly everyone has adjusted to Pokémon being here."
Paimon nodded. "Yeah! Remember when everyone was so confused? Now it's like they're just part of the family." She pointed ahead excitedly. "Look, isn't that Beidou over there?"
Sure enough, Beidou was standing near one of the docks, her Fletchinder perched on her shoulder and Mareep sitting beside her, enjoying the morning sun. She noticed Lumine and waved them over with a broad smile.
"Lumine! Paimon! It's been a while!" Beidou called out, her voice as loud and confident as always. She gave Lumine a hearty pat on the back once they approached. "How's Mondstadt treating you? And look at these little guys!" She gestured to Pikachu and Oddish.
Pikachu gave a cheerful "Pika!" while Oddish waved its leaves, looking up at Beidou with curious eyes.
"We're doing well," Lumine said, smiling. "It's great to see Liyue thriving like this. Pokémon really do fit in here, don't they?"
Beidou laughed. "You bet! My crew's even taken to training some of them. They keep saying that Mareep's wool makes the best blankets for the ship during cold nights." She ruffled Mareep's wool, which earned a happy bleat from the Pokémon.
Paimon floated closer, eyes shining. "Ooh! Do you know where we could find Xiangling? Paimon's been dreaming about her cooking!"
Beidou nodded towards Wanmin Restaurant. "She should be there. Last I heard, she was trying to teach Poliwag how to help in the kitchen. Good luck with that one, though." Beidou grinned mischievously. "Poliwag's got more of a knack for causing a mess than actually helping."
With a quick goodbye, Lumine, Paimon, and their Pokémon made their way to Wanmin Restaurant. The delicious aroma of food hit them even before they saw the restaurant itself. When they arrived, they found Xiangling, surrounded by her Pokémon—Charmeleon, Buneary, Lotad, and of course, Poliwag, who looked absolutely covered in flour.
"Lumine! Paimon!" Xiangling waved at them, her face lighting up in excitement. "You came at just the right time! I'm testing out a new dish with Oran Berries, and I could use some taste-testers."
Paimon practically swooned. "Paimon's dreams are coming true!"
Lumine laughed. "We'd love to help, Xiangling. Though it looks like Poliwag's been helping quite a lot already." She gestured to Poliwag, who blinked innocently, flour covering its entire body.
Xiangling sighed, though her smile didn't waver. "Yeah, Poliwag's got a lot of enthusiasm, but not a lot of coordination. Still, it's learning! And besides, it's all part of the fun, right?" She winked, giving Poliwag a reassuring pat.
As they sat down to try the dishes Xiangling had prepared, Pikachu and Oddish got curious and sniffed at the food. Pikachu seemed particularly interested in a dish that involved Pecha Berries, while Oddish waddled over to a salad that used fresh Galarian herbs.
"What do you think, Pikachu?" Lumine asked, giving Pikachu a small piece of the dish.
Pikachu tasted it, its eyes widening before letting out an enthusiastic "Pika!" Lumine chuckled. "I think Pikachu approves, Xiangling."
Paimon was already stuffing her mouth, her eyes twinkling with delight. "This is soooo good, Xiangling! You've really outdone yourself!"
Xiangling blushed a little, scratching her cheek. "Aw, thanks, Paimon. I've been working hard to figure out how to mix in the flavors of the Pokémon berries. There's so much potential!" She suddenly perked up, her eyes bright. "Oh! Lumine, you should scan Poliwag with your Pokédex! I think it's leveled up since last time."
Lumine nodded, taking out her Pokédex. She pointed it at Poliwag, and it beeped to life, displaying information about the Pokémon.
**Poliwag - Level 17**
*Water Type*
*Known Moves: Water Gun, Hypnosis, Mud Shot, Bubble Beam*
"Level 17, huh? That's some good progress," Lumine said, smiling at Xiangling. "You've been training really well."
Xiangling grinned, puffing out her chest proudly. "Thanks! Charmeleon's been helping a lot too. It keeps everyone in line." Charmeleon crossed its arms and gave a confident nod, looking quite pleased with itself.
As they continued chatting, Zhongli approached, his Slowpoke trailing lazily behind. Zhongli gave them all a courteous nod. "Good afternoon, everyone. I see that today is filled with culinary experimentation."
"Zhongli!" Paimon greeted him, then leaned closer to Lumine and whispered, "Maybe we can ask him to pay for lunch!"
Lumine tried to stifle a laugh, and Zhongli, ever observant, raised an eyebrow. "I take it you are enjoying the fruits of Xiangling's labor," he said, his eyes briefly glancing at Paimon.
Paimon quickly straightened up, trying to look as innocent as possible. "Of course! Xiangling's cooking is the best!"
Slowpoke had found its way to Oddish, the two Pokémon staring at each other as if having a silent conversation. Oddish gave a cheerful "Odd!" and Slowpoke responded with a long, drawn-out yawn, which seemed to amuse Oddish greatly.
Zhongli watched the exchange, a small smile tugging at his lips. "It appears that Slowpoke has made a new friend. It is always fascinating to observe the way Pokémon interact, is it not?"
Xiangling nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely! Each one has such a unique personality. It makes cooking and training with them so much more interesting." She glanced at Poliwag, who was now attempting to clean the flour off itself by using Bubble Beam, and sighed. "Although, sometimes they're a little too unique."
They all laughed, and the rest of the afternoon passed in a comfortable mix of training, cooking, and simply enjoying each other's company. Paimon, of course, continued to devour everything Xiangling put in front of her, while Lumine helped Poliwag with its aim for Bubble Beam, using Pikachu as a playful target that dodged around, making it a fun game for both Pokémon.
As the sun began to set over Liyue, the group made their way to Feiyun Slope. They found Chongyun sitting by a small fountain, his Duskull hovering beside him. Chongyun looked like he was trying to meditate, but Duskull kept floating around, clearly restless.
"Chongyun!" Lumine called out, waving.
Chongyun opened his eyes, looking relieved to have an excuse to take a break. "Lumine, Paimon. It's good to see you. And Xiangling too. What brings you here?"
"We've been spending the day exploring Liyue and helping out," Lumine explained. "How's Duskull doing? It seems... energetic."
Chongyun sighed, giving Duskull a pointed look. "Yes, Duskull has been... quite spirited lately. It's been difficult to meditate with it constantly trying to distract me." Duskull giggled mischievously, clearly unrepentant.
Xiangling grinned. "Maybe Duskull just wants to train! We could have a little sparring match if you're up for it, Chongyun. Poliwag's been itching to practice its Bubble Beam on something other than kitchen walls."
Chongyun looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Alright, a sparring session sounds like a good idea. Duskull, what do you think?"
Duskull let out a delighted wail, its single eye lighting up with excitement.
They moved to an open area, and Lumine acted as the referee. "Alright! Let's keep it friendly. No over-the-top moves, just enough to practice control."
Poliwag hopped forward, its eyes locked on Duskull. Xiangling called out, "Alright, Poliwag, start with Bubble Beam!"
Poliwag took a deep breath and fired off a stream of bubbles, which Duskull dodged by phasing out of existence momentarily. Chongyun called out, "Duskull, use Night Shade!"
Duskull's eye glowed, and it released a wave of dark energy towards Poliwag. Poliwag countered by rolling to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. The two Pokémon went back and forth, neither landing a direct hit, but both clearly enjoying the challenge.
As they sparred, Paimon floated over to Lumine. "You know, Lumine, it's moments like these that make everything feel so... normal. Like, even though we're on this crazy journey, we still get to have fun like this."
Lumine smiled softly, nodding. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It's nice to just... be here. With everyone."
Zhongli, who had been watching quietly, spoke up. "Indeed. It is in these small moments of camaraderie and connection that we find true meaning. The bonds we form—with each other, with Pokémon—are what make our journey worthwhile."
Chongyun and Xiangling called a halt to the sparring session, both laughing as their Pokémon panted from the exertion. Poliwag waddled back to Xiangling, looking proud, while Duskull floated beside Chongyun, clearly satisfied.
"That was great, Poliwag! You're getting stronger every day!" Xiangling praised, giving Poliwag a big hug, which made the little Pokémon blush.
Chongyun smiled, patting Duskull. "You did well too, Duskull. Thank you for sparring with us."
As the night settled over Liyue, the group found themselves sitting together near the fountain, the city lights twinkling around them and the sound of the harbor in the distance. It was peaceful, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.
Hiroshi appeared just then, Zekrom by his side. He waved as he approached. "There you all are. I've been looking for you. Zekrom said he sensed some fun happening here." He grinned at Zekrom, who nodded.
"I could hardly ignore the laughter," Zekrom said in his deep voice, earning surprised looks from Lumine and Paimon.
Paimon nodded knowingly. "Zekrom's deep voice never fails to surprise me, even though I know you can talk."
Hiroshi laughed. "Yep, and he likes to keep it that way."
Zekrom lowered his head slightly, almost in a bow. "Only when it seems appropriate," he said with a smirk.
Everyone laughed, and the group settled in for a comfortable evening together, surrounded by their Pokémon and the warmth of friendship that only seemed to grow stronger with each passing day. And as they sat there, Lumine knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, moments like these were what truly made the journey worth it.