c92: He You! Are You Courting Death?
Flashback — Some Time Earlier
Ever since He You had encountered Chen Xiaoxiao the previous night, curiosity had gnawed at him like a hungry Poochyena. A trainer so young, commanding powerful Pokémon like Gardevoir and Solgaleo? That kind of strength didn't come from nowhere.
She couldn't possibly be some no-name novice.
He had scoured every channel he could access — online trainer registries, battle forums, local Gym circuit results — but came up empty. No official trainer league ID, no media reports, nothing.
But just this morning, he got a lead.
A young heir from a Steel-type specialist family — one with distant ties to He You's own circle — had arrived near the outskirts of Ghost Town. Seizing the opportunity, He You stocked up on fine wine and gourmet ingredients, then invited his acquaintance over for dinner and conversation.
(He You had lived near the Ghost Town for years to specialize in training Ghost-types. The eerie environment provided the perfect battlefield conditions.)
The guest, Zhong De, was 28, the scion of a long-standing Steel-type lineage. While not as talented as He You, Zhong De held his own with solid strategy and elite-level Pokémon. Their bond went back years, even if their personalities often clashed.
Dinner lasted late into the night. Both men were tipsy, though He You held his liquor better. As the food dwindled and conversation turned toward recent events, Zhong De leaned in to ask about the girl from the woods.
Just then — BOOM!
Several explosions echoed from the distant forest.
"Huh? Did you hear that?" Zhong De, half-drunk and blinking blearily, pointed toward the source.
"Pokémon battle sounds," He You replied, eyes narrowing. His instincts were sharp.
"Let's go check it out! Maybe we'll get lucky!" Zhong De declared, suddenly animated, and dragged He You toward the noise.
They hiked through the darkness, eventually emerging into a clearing.
That's when Zhong De stopped short slack-jawed.
"He You! Am I hallucinating?! Look! Is that… a white Metagross?!"
He rubbed his eyes as if trying to banish an illusion. The full moon reflected off polished white-blue steel.
It wasn't a hallucination.
He You's breath caught too he recognized the species instantly.
"It's a Shiny Metagross," he confirmed with solemn awe. "No doubt about it."
"By Arceus!" Zhong De trembled with excitement. "A Shiny Metagross! In the wild?! Don't you dare fight me for this! You use Ghost-types anyway!"
He You held up a cautionary hand. "Calm down. This might be a trainer's Pokémon. I've lived here for years — I've never once seen a wild Metagross, let alone a Shiny one. Let's investigate first"
But Zhong De was already beyond reason. Fueled by alcohol and greed, he suspected He You was stalling to try and capture it for himself.
"I'm not taking any chances! Let's go! Steelix, GO!!"
He hurled a Poké Ball, and his signature Pokémon a massive Steelix burst onto the field with a roar.
On the other side, Metagross, who had long sensed them lingering, instantly became alert. Its four-brained neural network processed the incoming threat in nanoseconds.
"Steelix, use Earthquake!" Zhong De bellowed.
Steelix reared back and slammed the ground. Tremors rippled outward violently.
Metagross's optical sensors flared. Instantly, it activated Magnet Rise, levitating above the shockwaves.
As soon as the Earthquake dissipated, Metagross dropped — and returned fire.
BOOM!
A powerful Earthquake of its own surged out.
"Steelix, Protect! Skarmory, come out!" Zhong De shouted, startled. A barrier shimmered around Steelix just in time. He released Skarmory and leapt onto its back, rising above the range of the aftershock.
"Go, Pidgeot!" He You responded calmly, summoning his own aerial transport and flying up to Zhong De's side.
Midair, He You frowned as he reviewed the scene.
"Zhong De, wild Metagross can't learn Earthquake without a TM. This one clearly has a trainer."
"So what? You think there's not more than one Metagross out there with Earthquake? I'm not letting this one get away!"
Zhong De's eyes gleamed red from drink and obsession. His voice rose in intensity. "Steelix, use Dark Pulse!"
A wave of sinister energy, enhanced by the effectiveness of Dark-type moves against Psychic-types, shot toward Metagross.
He You shook his head in frustration. He's lost it… Greedy fool. That Metagross will destroy him if it belongs to someone powerful.
Metagross, calculating Steelix's attack vector, raised a massive foreleg. It smashed the oncoming Dark Pulse with a Hammer Arm, the impact ringing out with a sharp shockwave.
"What the—?!" Zhong De gasped. "It broke through?!"
He You's eyes narrowed.
Steelix was Elite-tier — while its Special Attack stat was notoriously low, for a Pokémon like Metagross to shrug off a type-advantaged move was no small feat.
This Metagross isn't just trained — it's powerful. Possibly Champion-level.
Not missing a beat, Metagross advanced, raising another glowing Hammer Arm.
"Steelix, use Bind!"
Desperate, Zhong De countered. Steelix endured the Hammer Arm strike with a metallic screech, then whipped its serpentine body around Metagross in a crushing hold.
Metagross didn't flinch — its red eyes still gleamed with battle-ready calculation.
But before it could retaliate— FLASH!
A burst of blue Psychic light erupted nearby.
Gardevoir appeared in a shimmer, and Chen Xiaoxiao stepped out beside her.
One glance at Metagross being bound was all she needed.
Her expression darkened like a storm rolling in.
With a voice colder than Ice Beam, she shouted across the clearing
"He You! Are you courting death?!"
Her words cut through the air like a blade.
Both men froze. He You paled.
Zhong De, blinking, finally realized what he'd done.
Metagross the Shiny Pokémon he'd attacked wasn't wild.
It belonged to her.
And Chen Xiaoxiao… was furious.
…
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