Chapter 324: Innocent Child's Words
Although there are various Pokémon and various people, everyone coexists in the same ecosystem as living beings.
This saying refers to the Unova region.
After coming out of Mt. Silver.
Professor Rowan didn't take them back to Sandgem Town but drove them all the way to Jubilife City, letting Will and the others take a transport to the largest city in the Unova region—Castelia City.
It's worth mentioning.
Although Castelia City is the largest city in Unova, it isn't the most populous city or the one with the most traffic.
That city is Nimbasa City, located in the center of Unova.
The entertainment metropolis where Will once took Meowscarada to deliver a letter.
Castelia City is a coastal city in the south-central part of Unova.
Connected to the desert in the north and the ocean in the south, making it a port city.
It is the commercial and economic center of Unova. The streets are full of people rushing back and forth, the pace of life is tense, prices are exaggeratedly high, and the city is noisy and busy, somewhat similar to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen when Will was a human.
It has a special "crowd" phenomenon.
Simply put, during certain periods and festivals, a large number of people will flock here.
And at that time, Castelia City will jump to become the most populous city in the world.
Castelia Street.
This is the largest street in Castelia City, with quite a lot of pedestrians.
Similarly, there are a large number of inns, apartments, and hotels here.
On the morning of the second day after Will and the others arrived in Unova.
The blonde girl pulled the humanoid puppy out of the hotel in a hurry, her face anxious as if something big had happened.
"Quick, quick! Riolu! We must buy a Castelia Cone!"
"Waking me up early in the morning just to eat ice cream?!"
A '#' mark appeared on Will's forehead.
"That ice cream is delicious, quite famous in the Unova region. The reason I chose to challenge the Unova League this year is for it!"
"What?! Just for such a careless reason?!"
Will's eyes widened.
He thought.
Cynthia was definitely a calmer and more composed child than Lorelei.
At least from her performance in the anime, Cynthia was a very rational and reliable person.
He thought.
Coming to the Unova region was Cynthia's deliberate choice, for example, to explore the three dragons (Tao Trio) or the three clouds (Forces of Nature), or at least the four swordsmen (Swords of Justice).
Turns out it was because of ice cream?!
"Those, of course, I'll research too, but right now, ice cream is more important!"
Cynthia dragged Will by the paw, running wildly down Castelia Street.
Many people around couldn't help but look at the girl and the dog until they disappeared from view.
Such a scene wasn't eye-catching in Castelia City.
Many late office workers ran all the way like this.
However.
Riolu, which was quite rare even in the Sinnoh region, arriving in the Unova region, was naturally a sight to behold.
Here it must be mentioned again.
Even Pikachu, described by Ash in Kanto as "as many as stray dogs by the roadside," was a rare and uncommon Pokémon in Unova.
Riolu was second only to those Legendary Pokémon.
It was just that transportation was developed now.
People also started to learn about or see Riolu and Lucario on TV and the internet.
If this were pushed back a hundred or two hundred years.
Will walking on Castelia Street might have a bunch of people chasing him with nets.
Running all the way from Castelia Street to Mode Street.
Cynthia didn't stop even when panting from exhaustion.
Until arriving at the end of a long line, she collapsed on Will's shoulder, exhausted.
"Huff... huff..."
The girl's breath hit Will's big ears, making him feel a bit ticklish.
Will turned to look.
This so-called Castelia Cone was clearly just a roadside food truck stall.
But there were dozens of people in line.
And.
The speed of making ice cream wasn't slow; maybe one ice cream could be made in ten seconds.
Before this, don't know how many people had already bought it.
"So exaggerated?"
"Of course, Castelia Cones are only sold every Tuesday in spring, summer, and autumn, and each person can buy at most one. Many people rush from other towns just to buy it."
Cynthia recovered a bit before standing up again.
She was already wearing a brand new black ribbon on her head.
Picked by Will last night.
Paid for by Cynthia.
"Hmm... is that so."
Will pinched his chin and responded, looking around.
He had been to Castelia City in his previous life.
But just passing through casually.
His target at the time was Nimbasa City, so he only stayed in Castelia City for a few hours and didn't know much about it. Even when playing games before, he focused more on the plot and Pokémon, leaving no impression of terms like "Castelia Cone" which obviously had nothing to do with the main storyline.
This was natural.
Although the anime part for the Unova region was done quite trashily.
Whether it was Ash's baby team, the female lead Iris, the Pokémon art style, or the plot design, all were quite "child-oriented."
But in the game part.
The Black and White series might not be called masterpieces, but calling them excellent works was more than enough.
Pity the anime production team didn't portray any of its excellence.
Last night.
When Will learned from Cynthia that they were coming to travel in the Unova region.
He specifically tried hard to recall the few memories of the Black and White plot remaining in his mind.
Hoping that at some critical moments in the future, these memories might be somewhat useful.
Now good.
Buying ice cream is all there is to it.
About ten minutes later.
Will and Cynthia arrived not far from the food truck.
There were probably eight or nine people left in front.
Just then, the lady working in front of the food truck shouted to the back:
"Only the last 10 portions of ingredients left today; customers further back, please don't queue anymore."
"Yay!"
Cynthia counted the people fearfully, then jumped in place.
She happened to be the 10th person!
"Phew..."
Will sighed in relief.
The reason for his relief wasn't because there was the last portion of ice cream ingredients.
But because Cynthia happened to be the last one.
This child had difficulty making choices.
Choosing an ice cream flavor took her at least 5 minutes.
Will worried about making other waiting customers dissatisfied.
Now there was no need to worry about this problem.
Since she was the last person, choosing a bit longer wouldn't be a big problem.
Moreover.
There probably weren't many flavors left for Cynthia to choose from.
Just then.
"Woof!"
A dog bark suddenly came from behind, startling Will who was spacing out.
Turning around.
It was a Herdier with a somewhat pale face.
He wore a harness on his back, and the other end of the harness was held by a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses.
'Blind person?'
Will muttered in his heart, then looked down at his feet.
He was stepping right in the middle of the tactile paving.
"Sorry."
Will said apologetically, then stepped aside.
Herdier walked past him, then led the blind man to stand behind Will and Cynthia.
Seemed like they planned to buy a Castelia Cone.
"Already..."
Will just opened his mouth intending to remind them that the Castelia Cone ingredients were gone.
At this time, two children ran over from the side.
Surrounded him instantly.
A boy and a girl.
Will felt his scalp tingle.
He feared these seven or eight-year-old kids the most; reckless like tiger cubs, rubbing him without knowing light or heavy.
"Wow, it's a Riolu! First time seeing one!"
"Me too! So cute!"
The two children seemed quite well-educated.
They didn't reach out to touch Will immediately but stood aside looking at him curiously.
The line moved forward slowly.
Seemed because only the last few portions of ingredients were left.
The staff making ice cream weren't in a hurry either, and the few customers in front also started considering flavors leisurely.
"Woof!"
Herdier barked quickly seeing the two kids blocking the way, preventing him from leading his trainer forward.
He didn't want his trainer to be cut in line.
Occasionally encountering guys cutting in line before, just bullying his trainer for being blind to act so presumptuously. Dealing with such people, Herdier would bite them hard.
"Wow! Herdier, his face looks white."
"Why is he wearing such strange things?"
The two children stood aside, looking at Herdier and tilting their heads in confusion.
"Hehe, because Herdier has to lead me; my eyes can't see."
Hearing the children's voices, the blind man lowered his head and responded with a smile.
"Ah? You can't see?"
The little boy looked up strangely.
The blind man wore sunglasses; he couldn't see anything.
"Mm, can't you tell?"
"Can't tell."
"Why is Herdier's face white?"
"He's older. How old do you think he is?"
The blind man bent down and gently stroked Herdier's head.
"30 years old!"
"50 years old!"
"50 years old?! Haha, at 50 Herdier would have to retire."
The blind man smiled and shook his head.
"Then will your eyes be healed too?"
The little girl looked up at the blind man innocently.
Her gaze was pure and fervent.
Even if the blind man couldn't see, he could feel this child looking at him.
His Adam's apple rolled slightly, but he couldn't say a word.
Will's ears twitched, looking down at the floor.
Children are young; their words carry no taboos.
Unaware that a dog's life has an end, and blindness is hard to cure.
Such innocent words; anyway, he couldn't say them even if he racked his brains.
Fortunately, children's minds are always erratic; their attention soon shifted back to Will.
"Riolu, can I hug you?"
"I want to hug too~"
"...Well, just this once."
Will wagged his tail casually, letting the two children handle him.
Their movements were very light.
And very gentle.
Must have a family full of love.
~~~
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