A few days had passed since Nidothing's true identity had been revealed (to Jin), and the members of the Rising Volt Tacklers were continuing their journey toward Liko's hometown in the Paldea region. Over these past few days, several changes had taken place aboard the Brave Olivine.

The first change was in the relationship between Liko and Dot. Since that day, whenever a new Nidothing video was posted, Liko would visit Dot's room and passionately express her endless love for Nidothing, while Dot, though troubled, would listen. This routine was quickly becoming a tradition.

As promised, Jin hadn't told Liko about Dot's true identity. He merely mentioned that "there might not be anyone who knows more about Nidothing than Dot." As a result, Liko mistakenly believed Dot to be a hardcore Nidothing fan and tried her best to show her dedication, leading to the current situation.

From the way things had been going over the past few days, it seemed that Dot actually enjoyed hearing Liko praise her (as Nidothing). Though Dot still seemed somewhat reluctant, to those around them, the two already looked like friends with shared interests. It might not be long before Dot steps out of her room to talk with Liko in person.

The second change was...

"Scizor!"

The Scyther that had been caught on a remote island in Kanto had evolved into a Scizor. While stopping at a port to restock supplies, they had stumbled upon a rare item market where they happened to find a Metal Coat for sale, which they purchased to trigger the evolution.

Originally, Scyther had been a high-level Pokémon with plenty of battle experience. Upon evolving into Scizor, it lost some speed but gained increased attack and defense stats. It also learned new Steel-type moves, making it even stronger than it had been as a Scyther.

"Hah!"

Scizor spread its wings and accelerated in a low-altitude dash, speeding across the battlefield and charging directly at Aggron.

"Aggron!"

In response, Aggron braced itself defensively, ready to withstand the impact head-on. As Scizor sped by, it struck with its wings. At first glance, it looked like a simple Wing Attack, but...

"...Aggron."

Aggron showed Jin the spot where it had been hit by Scizor's wings. There was a faint scar, indicating multiple hits even though the attack had only seemed to strike once.

"...Looks like it worked."

"Scizor!"

(So it managed to learn Dual Wingbeat within just a few hours of training, including the early morning sessions... It's always rewarding to train a quick learner.)

Scizor was training to master Dual Wingbeat, a Flying-type move where it strikes the opponent with its wings, delivering two hits in a single attack. Each hit has a base power of 40, totaling 80 damage when both strikes land. Additionally, Scizor's ability Technician boosts the power of weaker moves by 1.5 times, allowing it to deal even more significant damage.

"This will give us more strategic options... Good work, you two. You can rest for the day," Jin said.

"Aggron!"

"Scizor!"

Upon hearing Jin's words, Scizor raised its arms high into the air and let out a loud cheer, only to collapse on the ground, spread-eagled, from exhaustion. Aggron, too, slowly sat down, rubbing the spot where it had been hit.

After returning Scizor and Aggron to their Poké Balls, Jin checked his phone. The training session, which had started after dinner, had gone on for quite some time.

"Oh... It's already this late? We should wrap it up... Roy, Fuecoco, Sceptile, you three can call it a day too," Jin called out to the trio training on the opposite field from Scizor and Aggron.

"Sceptile!"

"..."

Sceptile responded energetically, but the other two were sprawled out on the field, not moving at all, let alone responding.

"Hey, don't just fall asleep out here."

"..."

No response. They were like lifeless corpses.

"They're not dead, right!?"

"Fue!?"

"Oh, they're alive."

Correction: it seemed they were just barely clinging to the world of the living.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Ugh... You said you were going to train Scizor, so we thought we'd have the day off..."

"Fuecoco..."

"Don't be silly. There's only so much time to train. We can't afford to waste it."

While on the ship, Jin and the others helped with various tasks besides keeping watch. They prepared food for the Pokémon, washed dishes, checked supplies, and maintained the ship. With remote classes to attend as well, they didn't have much time left for training.

"But, for today, you can call it a day."

"Wait... really!? This isn't some trick where you lull us into a false sense of security and then ambush us, is it?"

"Would you prefer that?"

"No, I'm sorry! I think ending the day now is a great idea!"

"Fuecoco!"

"Alright then. I've got plans anyway."

"Plans?"

"Yeah, I need to talk to Liko."

According to Friede, they were close to arriving in the Paldea region. Ever since Liko heard that, her behavior had clearly changed. To Jin, she seemed troubled by something, but knowing her, she might have a hard time bringing it up herself.

(If Liko doesn't come to me, I'll just have to go to her.)

Whether their relationship is the ideal one for a couple is unclear, but considering the dynamics between Liko and Jin, it might be just fine as it is. Jin is the proactive one, while Liko is more passive. Even though they became a couple, this dynamic hasn't changed since they first met.

"By the way, weren't you going to invite Liko?" Roy asked, referring to the evening training session. Liko usually only participates in the early morning training and skips the nighttime sessions.

"You guys are a bit behind compared to Liko, so I've increased the amount of training for you. Besides... well, never mind."

"?"

It's true that Jin has increased the training volume to help Roy catch up to Liko. But that's not the only reason.

Jin has a big goal: becoming a Champion, while Roy's goal is to catch the black Rayquaza. Liko, however, doesn't have a specific objective like that. When she was at the academy, she wanted to grow closer to Sprigatito and learn to use its moves better, but she's already achieved that.

Now, the reason Liko continues training seems more out of habit. It's not a bad thing, and considering her situation, it's good for her to have some strength for self-defense. However, Jin believes that her regular training routine should be sufficient.

(Well, there's no need to rush. Sometimes, these things come to you unexpectedly.)

"Don't worry about it. We've got an early start tomorrow, so you should head back to your room and get some sleep."

"Aww, do we have to train again tomorrow?"

"Fueee..."

"Is that so? Well then, tomorrow's training might be a bit more—"

"Goodnight!"

Before Jin could finish his sentence, Roy quickly grabbed Fuecoco and dashed away, heading back to his room.

"…I was actually going to suggest a lighter training load since he's been working hard lately, but he seems energetic enough. I guess the usual amount will be fine."

After returning Sceptile, Aggron, and Scizor to their Poké Balls, Jin followed Roy's lead and headed toward the observation room.

***

"Just a little longer until we reach Paldea..."

"Meow?"

Liko murmured as she sat on her bed in her room. They were almost at her home, a place she hadn't visited since she started attending the Indigo Academy. Of course, she was happy about returning and seeing her parents again. But...

(Once that happens, my journey will be over...)

Originally, the Rising Volt Tacklers were hired to escort Liko. It was only natural that once she was safely delivered to Paldea, they would part ways.

(...What should I do?)

Knock, knock, knock.

"! ...Yes?"

As she was wrestling with what to do next, a sudden knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"It's Jin. Can I come in?"

"Jin? Sure, the door's open. You can come in."

With Liko's permission, Jin opened the door and entered the room. Liko patted the spot next to her on the bed, and Jin complied, sitting down beside her, leaving just enough space for a fist between them.

"What's up?"

"I'll get straight to the point because it's easier. You've been worrying about something, haven't you?"

"...Jin, you're amazing. You can figure out anything."

"It's just that you're easy to read, Liko. So, what's on your mind?"

"Yeah… So, will you listen?"

Liko then confessed everything: her concern that her journey would end once they reached Paldea, and her uncertainty about what to do when that time came.

(I see... So that's what's been bothering her.)

"Hmm… First, let me ask you this. What do you want to do, Liko?"

"...I..."

"Whether you want to stay with your family or continue traveling on the ship, don't worry about what your parents or the crew might think right now. Just focus on what path you want to take."

(What do I want to do...)

Memories of her journey flashed through Liko's mind—from her first meeting with Jin and Sprigatito at the Indigo Academy to everything that had led them to this point. She recalled being attacked by the Explorers, Sprigatito being kidnapped, and how Jin and the Rising Volt Tacklers had helped her throughout. There had been many scary and uncertain moments, but the journey had also been filled with countless joyful days.

"Taking that first step is the scariest part. But once you do, you'll find a whole new world unfolding before you, and you'll forget you were ever scared... As long as you have Pokémon by your side, you'll be just fine."

(So that's what Grandma meant by that…)

"I want to go on more adventures with Sprigatito, with you Jin, and with everyone in the Rising Volt Tacklers!"

"Haha, I see..."

"Jin! Thank you! I won't hesitate anymore. Tomorrow, I'll tell Friede and the others about my decision!"

(It seems she's made up her mind. Now, the only remaining issue is...)

Whether Liko can continue her journey depends on whether she can get permission from her parents.

(Just like with Roy, convincing the parents seems to be the first major hurdle when setting off on a journey...)

However, this probably won't be much of an issue. Liko's parents had already allowed her to attend a school far away in Kanto, which shows they're understanding. All that remains is for Liko to convey her feelings to them.

"Well, things went smoothly with Roy, so this should work out too. When we get to Paldea, I'll go with you to meet your parents."

"Really! You'll come with me!?"

"Of course."

"Th-then, I'll have to properly introduce you to my mom and dad as my boyfriend!"

"........ Actually, is it too late to back out?"

"Why?!"

The thought of meeting his girlfriend's parents was already weighing heavily on Jin's mind. Even though they still had time before reaching Paldea, he was already feeling more nervous than he had when he was about to face the final match of the Ever Grande Conference after defeating five of his opponent's Pokémon.

// END

This part of the story corresponds to the time of "The Secret of the Unopened Door." However, I've mostly condensed the anime part into a summary. Initially, I planned to write it out in detail, but I found there wasn't much to write about, so it ended up like this.

Next time, we'll finally begin the Paldea arc. I'll repeat once more: there won't be a battle with Alex!