Fortunately, Anon wasn't left abandoned for long. Standing just outside the training facility's doors was Kaname Raana, who casually stepped inside, exuding an air of easy confidence while carrying a box.
Her gaze swept lazily over the group, eyes flashing with indifferent ease. When she spotted Satoshi, a faint, teasing smile curved her lips.
"I'm here."
Wait, am I going to have to train with Raana-san? Anxiety fluttered in Anon's heart. A troubling thought crept in: She was probably the weakest member of this entire team—at least among those she'd battled. She still hadn't seen Soyo in action yet.
"Don't worry, Raana's super strong," Satoshi reassured Anon with a nod, before promptly being dragged off by Soyo.
In truth, seeing a Pokémon as cool as Torracat made Satoshi contemplate having Raichu produce an egg.
Strength had its own beauty!
Where did Pokémon eggs come from, anyway? Probably from picnics…
Satoshi wasn't exactly sure; he just knew Pokémon laid eggs at breeding facilities or during picnics. Afterward, you'd simply carry them around for a few hundred steps, and if you had a Pokémon with the [Flame Body] ability, it would speed up the process.
Too much strength isn't good at all!
Anon's vision darkened. Training with Satoshi meant he could at least hold back, preserving her fragile dignity. But with Kaname Raana, she suspected she was about to be utterly destroyed.
Having spent time in Galar, Anon knew well this team's strength was definitely on par with Galarian high-schoolers—maybe even stronger.
Galar was a region where Pokémon battles were fiercely popular, unlike Kanto, and their Gym Leaders were champion-level trainers.
From Anon's quick assessment, everyone here probably had the strength to challenge Gyms.
I'm definitely losing!
Anon's shaky confidence crumbled spectacularly, much like a certain tragic figure from history.
"Please take care of me, Raana-san…" With no other option, Anon tremblingly approached her partner, unable to hide her anxiety.
But Raana ignored her entirely, instead opening the box she carried. Inside were multiple types of Poké Balls: Moon Balls, Premier Balls, Luxury Balls…
What is she, some kind of heiress?
Anon couldn't help but silently remark.
"Boring girl. Hurry up and start training," Raana coldly said, selecting an Ultra Ball from the box and staring at Anon with mismatched eyes.
Annoying!
Fine, she'd teach her a lesson!
Fancy Poké Balls didn't equal strength!
Anon quickly drew her own Poké Ball from her pocket and stepped confidently onto the training field, throwing it with enthusiasm. With a flash, a cute Eevee appeared.
"Eevee, we'll give it our all!"
"Vee!"
Raana tilted her head, mildly intrigued, before casually tossing a black-and-yellow Ultra Ball. It traced a graceful arc before landing neatly.
"Go, Luxray~!"
"ROAR!"
With a thunderous roar, Luxray appeared center-stage.
Hey, boss, maybe hold back a little…?
Suddenly, Anon thought maybe training alone wouldn't be so bad after all.
Meanwhile, Eevee's earlier bravery had completely evaporated beneath Luxray's [Intimidate] ability, instantly flattened to the ground.
"Vee…"
Unaware of Anon's despair, Satoshi fully immersed himself in training with Soyo.
Except…
"Whimsicott, be gentle, alright? I want to train with Satoshi longer," Soyo instructed sweetly, smiling warmly—but the unsettling emptiness in her eyes filled Whimsicott with sudden dread.
"Fufufu…" (Sigh, you lovesick girl, you're beyond saving…)
Under pressure from her trainer, Whimsicott reluctantly took its place on the field.
"Froakie, jump up and use [Icy Wind]!"
"Whimsicott, counter with [Fairy Wind]."
Froakie twisted elegantly in mid-air, unleashing a frigid blast of icy mist toward Whimsicott.
The chilling wind surged forth from Froakie's mouth, rapidly forming an icy cloud, swirling toward Whimsicott.
But Whimsicott was fearless, summoning greater strength. A vibrant [Fairy Wind] burst forth, spiraling toward Froakie's attack.
Whoosh—!
The moves collided spectacularly, blending icy chill and mystic fairy power in a captivating clash.
"Fu!"
Whimsicott narrowly prevailed, repelling Froakie's [Icy Wind].
Satoshi reluctantly acknowledged that Froakie struggled against Whimsicott. But at Froakie's current level, the best approach was constant battling to steadily improve.
"Rush in with [Quick Attack]!"
"Block it with [Cotton Guard]."
As this was their first session, meant mostly to familiarize teammates and Pokémon, training didn't last long.
...
An hour and a half later, training concluded.
However, for Anon, that time was pure torture. She and Eevee had been thoroughly demolished by Raana's Pokémon without a single opening to train.
Having finally escaped Galar, Anon now realized her new teammates were equally—if not more—absurdly strong. It left her, an aspiring but weak trainer craving attention, entirely overwhelmed.
And to think she'd initially fled Galar simply due to her poor English skills…
"Um, I've suddenly remembered something urgent." As soon as training ended, Anon furrowed her brows, hastily concocting an excuse to escape, immediately catching everyone's attention.
"Huh?" Taki voiced confusion, but Anon didn't elaborate, merely bowing deeply before fleeing without looking back.
"Sorry! See you tomorrow!"
"What's with her?" Taki frowned irritably. They hadn't even reviewed their training yet, and Anon had already disappeared.
At the same moment, Satoshi's phone buzzed. A message from Sakiko appeared, instantly grabbing his attention.
[Togawa Sakiko]:I've finished handling my work. You can come over now.
Alongside her message came Sakiko's location.
Rainbow Wing Mountain was near the EcoDome. Initially, the EcoDome had been planned near Rainbow Wing Mountain, but various complications had prevented that.
According to Blueberry Academy's EcoDome philosophy, the facility artificially recreated natural Pokémon habitats without damaging the environment.
Rainbow Wing Mountain itself was home to rare Pokémon. With the EcoDome's arrival, many trainers now preferred capturing Pokémon safely inside the dome instead of risking the dangerous mountains.
But Satoshi didn't care about any of that.
I'm a true Pokémon rookie trainer!
Adventure! Exploration! These were essential experiences in the Pokémon world!
Sakiko knew Rillaboom was on the mountain because, as a customer service worker, she regularly received all sorts of inside information. Recently, EcoDome staff had mentioned sightings of Grookey, making it a prime catching spot.
The power of corporate intel!
School at Rainbow Wing Academy ended at 3 PM. Even after training, it was still afternoon, leaving plenty of time to find Grookey.
For Satoshi, this marked his first real Pokémon-catching adventure. His heart blazed with excitement.
"Alright, Grookey—I'm coming to catch you!"