Paldea

A region filled with vast, untamed nature, marked by rugged landscapes, numerous rivers, lakes, swamps, deserts, snowy mountains, and a variety of other environments. This is Liko's homeland and the first destination of this journey.

"Jin, Sprigatito! We're almost there!"

Several days had passed since they left Indigo Academy in Kanto. After overcoming numerous challenges, including battles with the Explorers and encounters with the Black Rayquaza, Jin and the Rising Volt Tacklers finally arrived in Paldea.

"We made it… without any mishaps."

"Come on! You're still saying that?"

"...Meow~"

Ever since it was decided that Jin would meet Liko's parents, he had secretly hoped for an attack from the Explorers, but they arrived in Paldea without incident, with no sign of the enemy since leaving Kanto's outlying islands.

(It's a good thing, really…)

But Jin's wish remained unfulfilled. That's just how stories go—when you're fully prepared for an attack, nothing happens, and when you're caught off guard, that's when trouble strikes.

"Don't worry! My dad is really kind!"

"...Just because he's kind to his daughter doesn't mean he'll be kind to her boyfriend, too, right?"

"Ah… sorry, I'm not sure about that…"

"Haah…"

Jin let out a heavy sigh. He had survived countless dangers on his journey through Hoenn and then from Kanto to Paldea. Yet, despite all that experience, he couldn't come up with a single strategy to overcome the challenge ahead.

(If it comes to this, I'll have to wing it until the last moment. I'll analyze their behavior and use what Liko's told me about their personalities to adapt on the fly. I'll improvise a strategy, and if necessary, use the prepared script to navigate through the conversation smoothly…)

"...Pfft."

As Jin was mentally preparing his plan, Liko suddenly started laughing beside him.

"...What? Did something happen?"

"S-sorry! But… heh… it's just… it's the first time I've seen you genuinely worried like this, and it's kind of funny…"

Usually, Jin would be the one amused by Liko's troubles. This was their usual dynamic. But this time, it seemed their roles had completely reversed.

"You know..."

"Hehe, sorry. But don't worry, everything will be fine."

"...And what's your reason for saying that?"

"Because you're Jin. You'll figure it out in the end, right?"

It wasn't really a reason, more like blind faith. But for Liko, that was enough to trust him completely.

(...Forget it.)

Seeing Liko's optimistic attitude, Jin began to feel like he was the one overthinking things. The idea of a script now felt unnecessary, even counterproductive.

"...I'll do my best."

"Yeah! Go for it!"

"Meow!"

(...Well, maybe for once, I'll just charge ahead like a 'Flare Blitz' without overthinking.)

If overthinking wasn't helping, then he might as well leave it to fate. He would charge forward as he was, accepting any recoil damage. With that resolve, Jin decided to trust things would work out.

---

Once the Brave Olivine docked, the team split up to take care of various tasks. Murdock, Mollie, and Orla went shopping, while Jin, Liko, Roy, and Friede took Liko to her home.

"Wow, this is amazing!"

Before heading to Liko's home, they made a stop at Mesagoza, the main city of the Paldea region, as Roy had wanted to see it. As soon as they entered the city, Roy couldn't contain his excitement, and it was easy to see why.

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"This city is huge."

Mesagoza, the central city of the Paldea region, was filled with large and beautiful buildings, bustling with people and Pokémon. Jin, too, found himself intrigued by the sights, especially by the Pokémon unique to Paldea.

"That's Naranja Academy!"

Among the many impressive buildings, one stood out the most—the Naranja Academy, the oldest school in the Paldea region. Nearby, they could see people wearing uniforms with orange trousers, likely students of the academy.

"...The age range is all over the place."

As they looked towards the school, they noticed that students ranged in age from around ten years old to people in their 50s or 60s, all wearing the same uniform and heading to Naranja Academy.

"Oh, I heard there's no age limit at Naranja Academy. People from all over, both kids and adults, attend."

"Hmm... That sounds interesting."

A school that welcomes trainers of all ages from various regions naturally offers a broader range of interactions and experiences compared to ordinary schools. The experiences and friendships you could gain there would likely surpass those at any other school.

(It might have been interesting to attend this academy.)

If Jin had attended Naranja Academy, he would have probably enjoyed an even more fulfilling school life than at the Indigo Academy. Especially with the outdoor classes that involved freely exploring the Paldea region, a curriculum that would have suited him perfectly.

Jin and the others continued their tour of Mesagoza with Liko as their guide. The city had numerous shops, and Roy, who wasn't used to big cities, was constantly excited. There was a funny moment when Roy's excitement dropped two notches after seeing Jin purchasing training equipment at the Delibird Presents store and starting to think about their future training regimen. Despite this, they all enjoyed the sightseeing.

"That was so much fun!"

"Yeah, this city has so many interesting places to see."

(I see... It's just the usual scenery for me, but seeing Jin and Roy so happy makes me feel a bit ticklish inside.)

"Still can't reach her..."

While they were resting on a bench, Friede had tried calling Liko's mother, who had requested their escort, but it seemed she wasn't answering. According to Liko, her mother was a teacher, so she often couldn't answer the phone while working.

"Liko, your father is a picture book author, right? He usually works from home?"

"Yeah, I think he's probably at home."

"I see. In that case, should we head to your house?"

"Yeah, let's go!"

"Oh! You're all fired up!"

"Yeah, I've made up my mind. Besides, if I keep stalling, I'll start overthinking things again, and that's more terrifying. Liko, lead the way."

"Okay!"

With that, Jin and the group left Mesagoza and headed straight to Liko's nearby home. Along the way, they were attacked by a Paldean Pokémon, Lechonk, which was aiming for the cake they had bought as a gift. However, Jin easily fended it off with his Sceptile, boosting their morale for the upcoming challenge.

"Ah! I can see my house now."

"...No way."

Hearing Liko's comment from the front, Jin turned his gaze forward and saw a house that, while not a full-blown mansion, was definitely larger than a typical home. The house had a spacious yard with fruit trees and what looked like playground equipment in the back.

"Considering they hired Friede and the others for protection, I figured your family was wealthy... Liko, could it be that you're a rich girl?"

"I-I don't think so..."

"No, you definitely are... This house is way bigger than my family's home."

If Jin were to calculate not just the house's value but also the cost of the large land it sat on, he figured the total would be triple what his own family's home was worth. The gap between their homes seemed that significant.

"Woof! Woof!"

As they approached Liko's house, a Pokémon burst out from the pet door under the front door and rushed toward Liko.

"Fidough! I'm back!"

"Liko, who's this Pokémon?"

"This is Fidough. He's my dad's Pokémon."

Fidough circled around Liko before hugging her and nuzzling her cheek affectionately. It seemed overjoyed to see her again, displaying a strong need for affection.

"..."

While everyone else was watching Liko and Fidough with warm smiles, Sprigatito alone had a conflicted expression as it looked at Liko. Noticing this, Jin quietly approached Sprigatito and spoke softly.

"...Don't make that face. She's just a little excited to see him after so long."

"Meow..."

(...This one can be quite jealous... I should remind Sceptile to be careful too.)

They say Pokémon often resemble their trainers, and in terms of jealousy, it seemed these two shared that trait quite well.

"I'll make sure Liko spends some time with you later. Cheer up, okay?"

"Meow..."

"And maybe I'll get you your own Pokéblock and some of Murdock's special treats."

"Meow!"

Hearing the words "Pokéblock" and "Murdock's treats," Sprigatito finally let go of its sulky expression and smiled.

(...Just meeting Liko's dad is already nerve-wracking enough. I really don't need any more of this.)

"Liko?"

As Jin and the others were talking, a bespectacled man watching them from inside the house called out. Realizing it was Liko, he quickly ran to the front door, opening it wide with a beaming smile as he rushed outside.

"Welcome back, Liko!"

"I-I'm home, Dad."

(...So this is Liko's father...)

"Ah, hello there. Thank you for looking after Liko. I'm Alex, her father."

Liko's father, Alex, seemed to notice Jin and the others for the first time after stepping outside, hurriedly introducing himself. Following his lead, everyone introduced themselves in turn, but when Jin said his name, the warm atmosphere instantly shifted.

"...So, you're Jin... I've heard a lot about you from my daughter. It seems Liko relied on you a lot at school. Thank you very much."

"N-No... It's nothing."

Strangely, despite being thanked, Jin didn't feel any warmth in his heart. In fact, the temperature seemed to drop slightly.

"Well, everyone, let's not just stand here talking. Please, come inside."

It appeared that this change in atmosphere was only affecting the area around Jin, as Liko, Roy, and Friede entered the house with no sign of noticing anything unusual.

"Come on, Jin. You should come inside too... We have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

"Haha... Yeah, we do."

Thus, the greatest challenge Jin had faced since the start of his journey was about to begin.

// END

To summarize the changes from the original story:

- Jin takes down Lechonk instead of the previous scene.

- Sprigatito's jealousy scene is resolved thanks to Jin's intervention.

It seems like many of you are looking forward to the conversation between Jin and Alex, but due to the word count, it'll be in the next chapter. I have a rough idea of what kind of conversation they'll have, but I'm a bit nervous about whether it will meet your expectations. I'll do my best, so please look forward to the next chapter!

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