CHAPTER 722: THE MEANING OF TRAINER (2/3)

Bineck Town, buffet restaurant.

Diancie sat gracefully on the dining chair, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

Ash was wolfing down food nearby.

Steven rested his cheek on his hand and asked, "So, Princess Diancie, you're heading to Orus Forest?"

"That's correct. As long as I can meet Xerneas, I'll be able to master the power to gather true diamonds—that's what Minister Diamond told me," Diancie replied.

Bonnie, with Dedenne perched on her head, cupped her cheeks in her hands. "Diancie really has such princess-like elegance!"

"Thank you, Bonnie," Diancie said, her eyes curving into crescents.

"I'm going to get some more bofuretsu, anyone want to come?" Serena said.

"Then, please allow me to accompany you," Diancie said, hopping down from her chair and following behind Serena.

Lu Ye glanced at Haunter who had devoured an entire plate of cake in one bite: "Gengarrr~(￣～￣)"

Then he looked at the tall, silent drifter stirring his spoon.

Lu Ye said slowly, "King AZ..."

"Cough! Cough!" AZ choked violently, lifting his gaze. "How... how did you know?"

Steven said with a sigh, "Your height alone is enough to identify you, Your Majesty."

AZ fell silent. "I am no king... I am but a sinner now, so there's no need for formalities."

Lu Ye had encountered many kings—the King of Pokélantis who was punished by Ho-Oh, Damos of Michina, Queen Ilene of Cameron Palace.

Among them, AZ's achievements were the most remarkable—while Damos earned Arceus's friendship, AZ actually made the gods of life and death serve his purposes.

"Then... why are you traveling with Diancie?" Lu Ye asked.

AZ looked deeply at the black-haired young man.

This envoy of Arceus carried the aura of many deities. Though they had never met before, he seemed to understand everything.

"I..." AZ hesitated, "am heading to Orus Forest, and Diancie is going there as well."

After that, no matter how much Lu Ye and Steven pressed for his reason for going, AZ remained silent, just stirring his spoon.

His attire was quite dated—a green scarf, red hat, all tattered and emitting a decaying smell.

Steven mentioned wanting to take him to a clothing store, but AZ strongly resisted.

Teacher Lu, considering they might need to travel with AZ later, made a strange face and said:

"Then at least go to the bathhouse, King AZ... Otherwise, you should travel alone."

AZ looked up blankly. "Bathhouse?"

...

"Here we are."

Lu Ye crossed his arms and gestured upward. "We'll meet up at the Pokémon Center later."

AZ looked up at the bathhouse shrouded in white steam and mumbled, "I usually just use public restrooms..."

"Stop complaining. Use this card for whatever you need, get a Machoke master to scrub your back, or I'll take you to a barber shop!" Lu Ye threatened.

Steven: "..."

That seems to be the card he just took from me...

Can't blame Teacher Lu for being harsh—the smell was really overwhelming.

In the storyline, King AZ had been wandering for three thousand years... Even if he maintained some hygiene habits, it couldn't be that good.

As for the possibility of AZ going berserk—

Lu Ye had some understanding of ancient era combat power—the royal advisor of Michina was probably at Elite Four level.

King AZ, wandering in agony for a thousand years, couldn't possibly possess 'battle legend' level strength.

"I am a sinner atoning," AZ said hoarsely.

Lu Ye: "Even modern prisons allow hot showers. Make it quick."

AZ fell silent. Since he was Arceus's envoy, there must be a reason for his actions.

He had heard that some divine envoys had various taboos.

I couldn't possibly take Diancie away with me—traveling together was the best option.

Besides, the day of my liberation shouldn't be too far away now...

AZ gently closed his eyes.

Unlike Diancie, he was heading to Orus Forest for Yveltal.

The 'Destruction God' Yveltal had fallen into slumber three thousand years ago and was only now about to awaken. To free himself from this torment, AZ had wandered for three thousand years. ᚱ𝐀ΝộʙЁs

Holding onto his final conviction, AZ stepped into the bathhouse.

"Why does this feel like walking to the execution ground," Lu Ye muttered.

"Are we really going to travel with AZ, Teacher Lu?"

Steven frowned. "I'm worried unexpected situations might occur."

While communicating with Diancie, Lu Ye had already learned about her background and connection with King AZ.

"Let AZ come along."

Lu Ye said quietly, "For the king... Diancie might be his only remaining friend."

Steven nodded slightly.

One hour later.

The tall figure of AZ, slightly hunched over, arrived at the Pokémon Center entrance.

Diancie looked at AZ in surprise, covering her mouth with a light laugh. "You look quite refreshed, AZ."

AZ showed a rare hint of awkwardness—an emotion he hadn't experienced in centuries.

He looked at Teacher Lu who was leading the group and said solemnly:

"Then, please allow me to travel with you, envoy of Arceus..."

Lu Ye indicated the decision was Diancie's.

"I permit you to travel with me, AZ."

Princess Diancie smiled slightly and turned around. "And Ash, Steven, Lu Ye..."

Diancie accurately called each person's name present—this too was part of proper etiquette.

"Are we departing tonight?" Serena asked.

"Camping, camping!" Bonnie cheered.

"We'll leave tonight. Driving will take about half a day, then we'll transfer to a ferry tomorrow morning to reach our destination," Steven said with a smile.

Lu Ye thought of the trio forgotten in the attic.

Forget it... those three should manage on their own.

Night fell.

The rented large pickup truck drove out of Bineck Town, its headlights piercing through the night fog as it advanced along the highway.

AZ sat in the open back, hands on his knees, his gaze unconsciously searching through the night.

Orange streetlights formed a continuous line along the highway, the countryside quiet on both sides. Wind swept across the wilderness, and nocturnal Pokémon stirred in the darkness.

AZ missed the nights of three thousand years ago. Even though nights were dangerous back then, with Pokémon having violent temperaments, back then Flabébé was still by his side, the two of them keeping watch from the lookout tower until dawn.

"Envoy of Arceus..."

AZ said hoarsely, "What exactly is this 'trainer' you speak of?"

"Trainer..."

Lu Ye sat in the back keeping watch on AZ, resting his cheek on his hand, black hair swaying in the night breeze as he replied lazily:

"A group of humans who use Pokémon battles to express their convictions, form bonds with Pokémon, and trust each other."

"Weren't magical beasts human servants?" AZ's gaze was terrifyingly bright in the night.

"There's a guy from Unova who even thinks he's a Pokémon, not human."

Lu Ye chuckled. "Besides, that's not what you truly believe, King AZ."

The black-haired young man's eyes shone brightly as he interlaced his fingers. "You believe Pokémon are your friends, even... your family."

An indescribable sadness surged in AZ's chest.

"Yes... but she has left me now, forever unable to forgive me."

"That's not true."

Lu Ye stretched. "Because trainers and Pokémon have a relationship built on mutual trust."

"When you free yourself from sorrow, your Pokémon will trust you again."

"Gengarrr~" Haunter materialized from the darkness, grinning toothily.

AZ remained silent for a long time before changing the subject: "...They all call you teacher, envoy of Arceus."

"Did your era have the teaching profession?" Lu Ye asked curiously.

"Yes."

AZ nodded firmly. "And they were respected by the king."

"I've been to your era... an age of conflict and war, when Pokémon were called 'magical beasts'," Lu Ye recalled.

That was during the Michina incident... when Dialga brought Teacher Lu through time to seek Arceus's forgiveness.

AZ looked at Lu Ye in astonishment.

"But even in that era, there was the Aura Guardian Sir Aaron and his Lucario, King AZ... and his Flabébé."

Lu Ye's eyes shone brightly. "In modern terms... they were trainers."

"Is that so... so-called trainers." AZ repeated dazedly. "I too... was once a trainer."

"After this journey ends, let's have a battle, AZ."

Lu Ye showed a smile and extended his fist.

"If your opponent is a trainer, you can understand what kind of person they are and what convictions they hold just by battling! No words needed then to completely understand!"

AZ's cloudy eyes flickered as he slowly extended his fist, lightly bumping it against Lu Ye's.

"...Very philosophical words, Lu... Lu Ye."

"Haha, because my beloved said them. Everything she says is quite philosophical," Lu Ye said cheerfully.

AZ's wrinkled face curved into a slight smile.

This was the happiest day AZ could remember in thousands of years.

He had met Diancie, taken a hot bath, and roughly understood the meaning of trainer.

All that remained was to meet Yveltal, and he would be completely free...

The vehicle stopped at a grassy area near a stream.

"Let's camp here!"

Steven got out of the car, leaning on the door with a smile. "Tomorrow morning, we'll transfer to a ship and reach our destination."

"Great, camping~" Bonnie lifted Dedenne high. "I want to sleep with Diancie!"

"Of course, Bonnie," Diancie said with a gentle smile. "This is my first time experiencing camping."

"Then I'll stay with Teacher Lu—" Ash scratched his head.

"Rejected. You sleep in your own sleeping bag, or with King AZ," Lu Ye said flatly.

"Eh!?" Ash's shoulders slumped.

AZ looked at Ash, his face breaking into a wrinkled smile.

"Eek!" Ash stiffened and ran off to help set up tents.

Lu Ye looked at AZ in surprise. "Were you deliberately scaring him just now?"

AZ neither confirmed nor denied.

Who would have thought AZ had such a lively side.

Lu Ye sent out Haunter, whose Double Team skill expertly set up tents.

Serena exclaimed in surprise, "A Gigantamax Haunter-shaped tent? So cute!"

"Brother, I want to sleep with Teacher Lu!" Bonnie's eyes sparkled.

Lu Ye: "Ahem, no!"

"Hmm... then let's have ghost story time tonight. Want to join, Serena?"

"What are ghost stories?" Diancie asked.

"Ghost stories are tales about groups of Ghost-type Pokémon scaring people," Serena explained with a laugh.

"Gengarrr!" Haunter appeared eerily behind Serena, will-o-wisps floating around him.

"Eek!" Serena paled as she sensed the chill.

"Haha, Haunter is so cute~" Bonnie wasn't scared at all, instead laughing out loud.

"Gengarrr~" Haunter chuckled and scratched his head.

Steven stood by the stream with a smile, his suit jacket draped over his arm, enjoying the evening breeze.

"Did you not bring a tent?" Lu Ye approached.

"For me, a sleeping bag will suffice," Steven replied.

"Share my tent then. My tent is quite spacious," Lu Ye said.

Steven looked surprised, then nodded. "...My apologies."

2 AM, the forest was dark, silver moonlight spilling over the pebbles.

AZ leaned against a cool large rock, his eyes flickering as he saw Diancie hopping out of the tent.

"You're not resting yet, AZ?"

"What about you," AZ asked hoarsely.

"Thinking about meeting Xerneas tomorrow makes it hard for me to sleep," Diancie said with a gentle shake of her head.

AZ smiled silently. "Me too."

"Is AZ also looking for Xerneas?"

"...Yes."

AZ murmured, "You will definitely master the power to create diamonds and save your country... Princess Diancie, you certainly can."

"Thank you, AZ~" Diancie smiled softly.

Moonlight poured down as AZ and Diancie silently gazed upward together.

Inside the tent.

Lu Ye stroked the side-lying Sylveon, resting his head on one arm as he fell into thought.

"When we meet Xerneas, I should ask about the Fairy Plate's whereabouts..."