Chapter 683: Passing and Growth
Chapter 683: Passing and Growth
As Chief smiled, Ki Shu felt something was amiss.
Unsure of what it was, she changed the topic, "Chief, how's the preparation for this year's League Tournament going?"
Just then, Shizuru entered, and the group sat by the window to chat.
Yashi nodded lightly, "Of course, it's going smoothly. This year, there are many strong trainers, not only Xiao Qing, but also the previous year's champion, Xiao Zhi."
"That child defeated everyone and became the champion of the Padia region. I wanted to invite him to join the Padia League, but he refused."
At this point, Yashi couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.
Shizuru: "..."
He suddenly remembered that when Xiao Zhi first came to the Padia region, it was probably to challenge him.
"By the way, when I was at the Pantier Giant Pit, did Xiao Zhi visit the Ranch?" Shizuru asked, looking at Ki Shu.
"He did, but I heard that you weren't at the Ranch, so he left," Ki Shu patted her head, having been worried about Shizuru during that time, and she forgot to tell him.
"Oh, I see..." Shizuru nodded, "I understand. I'll contact Xiao Zhi later."
"Oh? You know that trainer?" Yashi's interest was piqued.
"Yes, he's a very hard-working trainer. He started his journey from New Town and has traveled almost all over the world. Now, he's finally achieved his dream," Shizuru nodded.
"I see," Yashi nodded lightly.
Her gaze shifted to the window, and memories of the first time she met Shizuru flashed through her mind.
Back then, a giant Swift Dragon had crossed the sea to reach the Padia region, and it was Shizuru who stopped its landing.
In the blink of an eye, nearly a decade had passed, and she was already in her thirties, approaching forty.
"Time flies!" Yashi couldn't help but exclaim, "I still remember the first time I met you; I felt that you were an extraordinary trainer."
Shizuru smiled, secretly admiring Yashi as well.
As the Chief Champion over the years, he had been diligent and responsible, managing the various affairs of the Padia region.
Although the staff of the Padia League seemed to be working hard, compared to other regions, the Padia region could be considered the safest and most secure place in the world.
"Alright!" Yashi slowly stood up and bid farewell to the couple as usual, "That's all for now! I still have some matters to attend to at the Padia League. I'll come back to visit Xiao Shu and Yuki after some time."
The couple nodded and escorted Yashi out.
On the grass, Xiao Shu was holding a Poke Ball, commanding Skrelp and Yandi in a battle.
Despite her young age, her movements were precise and well-executed.
"Skrelp, use Spark!"
Skrelp's body ignited with high temperatures, spitting out a spark towards Yandi.
Although Yandi could dodge, it cooperated with Skrelp to make the battle more exciting for Xiao Shu.
The spark landed on Yandi, but at this stage, the Pokemon's fire was weak in both power and temperature, causing no harm.
Nevertheless, Yandi pretended to be affected and fell over.
Seeing this, Xiao Shu thought her Pokemon had reached its full potential and truly injured Yandi.
She rushed towards Yandi, frantically pushing its large claws.
Noticing Xiao Shu's panic, Yandi stopped pretending and slowly raised its head, its eyes radiating an unprecedented gentleness.
It looked like a "father" playing with his child.
Xiao Shu breathed a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, Kaminari and Suijin on the side gave Yandi a strange look.
Realizing his slip, Yandi quickly stood up, regaining his dignified and upright posture.
Kaminari and Suijin: "..."
"Oh, ho ho!" Yashi chuckled at the scene, "Xiao Shu is very talented!"
When it came to his daughter, Shizuru, as an old father, couldn't help but feel proud, "Yes, her dream is to become the strongest trainer in the world."
"I look forward to that day," Yashi said, "Alright, you two go back and take care of Yuki! I'll take my leave now."
"Be careful on your way!" Ki Shu and Yashi bid farewell.
Yashi nodded and turned to leave, disappearing at the end of the road.
The couple watched Yashi leave and then turned back to their home.
Ki Shu went to care for Yuki, while Shizuru took out his Rotom Phone and called Xiao Zhi.
After a series of beeps, the call connected, and Xiao Zhi's now more mature face appeared on the screen.
"Hmm? Mr. Shintaro, are you done with your work?" Satoshi asked.
Shintaro nodded, and at that moment, he suddenly noticed the scene behind Satoshi.
It seemed to be a backyard specially built for Pokemon, where numerous Pokemon were playing with each other.
Bulbasaur, Charizard, Sunflora, Kingler, Pidgeot, Dragonite, Gengar, Infernape...
Obviously, these were all Pokemon that Satoshi had encountered during his travels.
"Satoshi, what have you been up to lately?" Shintaro asked.
Upon hearing this, Satoshi became interested and turned around, showing Shintaro the scene behind him.
"After returning from the Paldea region, I stayed in Pallet Town with everyone, and with Mom's support, we transformed the backyard into a Pokemon paradise. Then, I brought all the Pokemon I had left with Professor Oak over here!"
"So, are you going on another journey?" Shintaro raised an eyebrow and asked.
But speaking of which, it's been a while, and Satoshi is now approaching twenty years old.
"Hmm..." Satoshi thought carefully, then said, "Let's talk about the future later! I've been away from home for too long, and now I just want to rest and spend time with everyone!"
As he spoke, Sunflora ran over from behind and affectionately rubbed its head against Satoshi's cheek.
"Alright, alright, Sunflora!" Satoshi patted Sunflora's head, "I'll never leave you alone at home again!"
Shintaro smiled, and as he looked at Satoshi, he thought of the travel companions he had met during his nine-year journey.
Kasumi, Hikari, Iris, Serena, and Lillie...
Shintaro teased, "Satoshi is an adult now, and according to the customs of Pallet Town, he should be getting married soon, right? Have you found a girlfriend?"
"No, not yet..." Satoshi felt a bit uncomfortable, "It's too early to talk about that now!"
Shintaro couldn't help but laugh.
Satoshi quickly found an excuse and ended the call, "Alright, alright, Mr. Shintaro, it seems Professor Oak needs me for something. We'll talk later!"
"Okay." Shintaro nodded.
After hanging up, Shintaro suddenly felt like his "childhood" had come to an end.
Although he was now a 29-year-old senior, when he truly heard that Satoshi's journey had ended, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
In the anime, the commentators introduced Satoshi as "a ten-year-old trainer with twenty-five years of travel experience."
But this isn't an anime; it's the real world. Both Pokemon and Satoshi will grow up and age.
The "plot" he was familiar with had ended, and from this moment on, everyone's fate would unfold in unknown directions.
In this world, new lives are born, and people will start to pass away.
In the Union Calendar 207, May, a significant event occurred in the town.
Mrs. Tang Taise, who lived at 308 Blue Sea Street, reached the end of her life and passed away on a warm afternoon.
Shintaro, who was well acquainted with the elderly couple, attended Mrs. Tang Taise's funeral.
Shizuru followed behind her father, observing the mourners dressed in black, crying incessantly, enveloped in sadness. She felt the atmosphere was incredibly heavy.
[No mistakes in this chapter, one shot, one inner, one content, one in 691, one book, one look!]
The young and naive Shizuru couldn't quite understand the meaning of passing away. She could only hide behind her father, holding onto his coat, and nervously observed everything around her.
Shintaro noticed his daughter's demeanor and gently patted her head, keeping her close.
Shintaro's gaze shifted to the coffin where Mrs. Tang Taise lay.
His mind couldn't help but recall the scene of their first meeting with the elderly lady.
At that time, Mrs. Tang Taise had gone to the ranch to seek sheep milk to help her husband regain his health.
Now, with Mrs. Tang Taise's passing, her husband seemed to have lost his vitality as well. He knelt by his wife's coffin, his eyes lifeless.
The Pokemon that Mrs. Tang Taise had raised during her lifetime also surrounded the coffin, grieving and bidding her farewell.
Shintaro stepped forward and said to the old man, "Please accept my condolences."
"It's Shintaro! Dragonite has come too?" Mrs. Tang Taise's husband lifted his head, and when he saw Shintaro and Dragonite, the cloudiness in his eyes gradually cleared.
"Roar..." Dragonite felt very sad about Mrs. Tang Taise's passing.
It loved the old lady who had always taken care of it and made it cookies.
Even after Dragonite Express became successful, it never stopped delivering goods to the town. Every day, it would deliver fresh vegetables and sheep milk to Mrs. Tang Taise on time.
And the kind old lady would also bake cookies for it and Shizuru.
Thinking of these things, Swift Dragon felt a deep sadness.
"I'm fine, don't worry, Swift Dragon. You've been a great help over the years, and we won't need the vegetables from the ranch anymore," the old man said slowly.
Shizuru remained silent.
"Gak..." Swift Dragon felt a tinge of sadness.
Thomas, the town elder, the owner of the seed shop, and the other townsfolk also attended the funeral.
Together, they prayed for the departed Mrs. Tang Taise, and then buried her in the cemetery.
After the funeral, Thomas's expression turned melancholic.
For him, another familiar acquaintance had passed away.
Perhaps it wouldn't be long before it was his turn.
He looked at Shizuru, as if he had much to say, but in the end, he could only sigh with sorrow.
"Shizuru, after I'm gone, if you see your grandfather, I'll tell him about your experiences over the years. That old man will surely be proud of you! It's just a shame he didn't get to see Little Tree and Yuki's birth..."
Shizuru could only say, "Thomas, you're still very healthy!"
Thomas smiled and then sighed, "We've grown old!"
After the funeral, everyone bid farewell to each other and returned home.
On the way back, Little Tree tugged at Shizuru's clothes and asked, "Dad, what happened to that grandma? What does death mean?"
"That grandma has reached the end of her life and left the mortal world," Shizuru held Little Tree in his arms and walked home with Swift Dragon and Gogoat.
"Will she come back?" Little Tree asked innocently.
"No," Shizuru thought for a moment and then explained the harsh reality to Little Tree, "After death, one goes to another world and never returns."
"Does everyone die?" Little Tree suddenly asked with a hint of panic.
"It's okay, Little Tree," Shizuru hugged his daughter tightly, "Everyone will die, but don't be afraid. Mom and Dad will be with you for a very long time before that, until you grow up and become a great Trainer, and have children of your own."
"Our love for you and the beautiful memories we share will forever remain in your heart. As long as you don't forget Mom and Dad, we will always live in your heart."
However, Little Tree's eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and she tightly hugged Shizuru, "I don't want Dad to die!"
Shizuru was slightly taken aback. Perhaps Mrs. Tang Taise's death that day had triggered his emotions. He held Little Tree and gently comforted her,
"It's okay, Little Tree. Mom and Dad can still be with you for a long, long time. Maybe a hundred years, maybe two hundred years. In any case, it's a very long time. Before that day arrives, let's cherish every day and appreciate the life we have now."
Little Tree seemed to understand, yet not quite.
She suddenly felt tired, so she hugged her dad and leaned against his chest, silently shedding tears.
This was a child's innate fear of death. They were afraid of losing loved ones and being left alone.
As a parent, Shizuru could only guide her slowly, helping Little Tree face this inevitable part of life.
"Are you sleepy?" Shizuru gently patted Little Tree's back, "If you're tired, have a good sleep! When you wake up, we'll be home!"
Hearing her dad's words, Little Tree slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep in his arms.
Shizuru didn't ride Gogoat or ride Swift Dragon. He walked home, holding his daughter, along the country road they had lived on for over a decade.
Gogoat and Swift Dragon followed alongside, also feeling downcast.
Seeing that the two Pokemon were also sad, Shizuru shook his head helplessly and said,
"You guys, you've become such powerful Pokemon, but you're acting like children too?"
"Agasy..."
"Gak..."
Swift Dragon and Gogoat looked at him sadly.
"Didn't we promise?" Shizuru smiled and stroked the heads of the two Pokemon with his other hand, "Even if my body dies, I will always be with you in spirit, and we still have a long, long time together!"
Hearing this, Gogoat and Swift Dragon finally calmed down a little.
That's right, this was something Shizuru had promised them! If Shizuru made a promise, he would keep it!
(End of Chapter)
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