Chapter 701: Wearbear's Request

Chapter 701: Wearbear's Request (Two-in-One, Requesting Monthly Votes!)

"Ruru?"

Wearbear, who was about to make a move, suddenly stopped and stared blankly at Jinghe.

Seeing this, Jinghe let out a slight sigh of relief.

Honestly, it's not that he was really afraid of Wearbear. After encountering so many Mythical Beasts, even a bear god couldn't realistically take on seven or nine opponents at once, right?

Jinghe believed that if Gengue were to use all his abilities, he could probably match Wearbear. However, one is a Normal-type and the other is a Ghost-type, so neither could truly overpower the other.

In fact, Jinghe still had a soft spot for Wearbear.

It had been so kind to the Rocket Trio, treating them like its own children and companions.

Wearbear's kindness to the trio was unwavering. When the trio was blasted away by Ash, Wearbear would appear at sunset, using its agility to navigate between buildings and carry them away.

When the trio was about to fall into the sea, Wearbear would use its water-walking ability to save them.

As a result, the trio's complaints of having an "annoying feeling" in Alola became much less frequent.

Of course, the Rocket Trio was one aspect.

The other aspect was that Wearbear was a mother who had lost her child.

A kind, relatively harmless Pokémon with a missing child, occasionally showing strong emotional fluctuations, and possessing extraordinary power—Jinghe found it hard to feel much animosity toward it.

"Ruru!"

Wearbear took a few steps forward.

"Aowu!"

"Houru!"

Nine-Tails and Thicklipuku immediately assumed defensive stances.

"Teacher Jinghe!" (x3)

"Soso~ nanshi—!!"

From a corner of the forest, the voices of the Rocket Trio rang out.

"Don't attack! Teacher Jinghe, this Wearbear is actually a good guy!" Kojirou shouted.

"It just lost its child!" Musashi added.

Why, despite being villains and part of Team Rocket, do most Pokémon fans not dislike them, and even like them?

It's because, while the trio is undoubtedly the antagonist, their values are often very upright.

When it comes to events that touch on moral or ethical lines, the trio always acts with integrity.

Just like now.

"It says: How do you know, Meowth?" Meowth translated as he ran over.

Jinghe patted Nine-Tails' head and Thicklipuku's shoulder, signaling that it was okay.

Jinghe vaguely remembered that Wearbear's child should be in the Aether Paradise, which is an artificial island built by the Aether Foundation.

The Aether Foundation is an organization that Jinghe is currently observing.

The Aether Foundation's portrayal in the anime differs significantly from its portrayal in the games.

The main difference lies in the character of Lusamine, the president of the Aether Foundation and Lillie's mother.

In the games and manga, Lusamine's personality is extremely twisted, bordering on yandere. She is obsessed with collecting Pokémon specimens and Ultra Beasts, and many innocent Pokémon have been "collected" by her.

In the anime, Lusamine's personality is much better. She is a dignified and elegant person, albeit a bit tsundere and narcissistic, who lacks concern for her children.

She not only established the UB Task Force but also provided Ash and his friends with a lot of equipment and items, actively cooperating with Dr. Kukui and Dr. Burnet, representatives of the league.

Currently, Jinghe cannot easily determine the true nature of the Aether Foundation, as Lusamine's situation is still unclear.

Not only the Aether Foundation and Lusamine, but also the differences between the games, manga, and anime in the portrayal of Alola's "Light God", Necrozma, are significant.

The exact details will have to be investigated and understood over time.

Regarding the current situation, Jinghe took a deep breath and said:

"I have a good idea where your child might be, but I need to investigate further to confirm."

"Ruru."

Wearbear looked at the trio.

Compared to Jinghe, who suddenly appeared and was so powerful that even it felt threatened, the trio, with whom it had a more "amicable" relationship and who seemed harmless, was more trustworthy.

"Teacher Jinghe is absolutely trustworthy!" Kojirou was the first to stand up for Jinghe.

"Right!"

Musashi echoed, her expression serious.

"Teacher Jinghe has helped many Pokémon, including Mythical Beasts and powerful Pokémon, meow." Meowth also expressed his support.

Putting aside the hierarchical relationship between Teacher Jinghe and them, the trio genuinely trusted and appreciated Teacher Jinghe.

"Soso~ nanshi~!"

Even Faithwarden, at this moment, stood by Jinghe.

Seeing the trio and Faithwarden's support, Wearbear gradually put away the sinister smile that had appeared on its face in the light.

Watching Wearbear's expression change, Jinghe felt a bit nostalgic.

When did it become that his words had less influence with Pokémon than the Rocket Trio's?

However, the Rocket Trio often unexpectedly wins the favor of Pokémon, like this Wearbear, which is partly due to their unique affinity with Pokémon.

“Roo~ Roo!”

Wearbear let out another sound.

Meowth promptly translated, "It says, Teacher Jinghe, can you help it find its child? It has already searched all over Melemele Island, but hasn't seen its child."

Before Jinghe could respond, Kojirou jumped in:

"We'll help too!"

Musashi gritted her teeth, "Kidnapping someone's child is unforgivable!"

Jinghe inwardly grumbled, Are you guys heroes or villains?

"Roo!"

Wearbear was moved by their words and immediately reached out its arms, pulling the trio and Faithwarden into a warm embrace, affectionately rubbing its head against them.

"Ouch! Ouch, ouch, ouch!! It's going to break!"

"Help! Save... (soul floating out)"

Jinghe took a half-step back.

Dratini's hugs were already intense, but a Wearbear hug was something only a handful of Pokémon in the entire world could endure.

Right now, there were two such Pokémon in front of him.

Perhaps this was one of the reasons Wearbear chose to trust the trio.

"Cough, I'll send some help, but determining its location might take some time."

"Roo"

Wearbear hesitated but nodded.

Though it missed its child, it had already waited for so long, and a little more wouldn't make a difference.

Jinghe felt a bit more relaxed.

Regardless, he had managed to establish some connection with Wearbear through the trio.

With a Pokémon god like Wearbear, even if Necrozma were to awaken, he would have more confidence.

"Of course, when necessary, I'll need their cooperation."

Jinghe pointed at the trio.

Infiltrating the Aether Foundation, there was no one more suitable than the trio.

Wearbear, though reluctant, agreed.

After all, it would ensure the trio's safety.

"Teacher Jinghe, we can cooperate right now!" Kojirou eagerly said, with Musashi and Meowth nodding in agreement.

Jinghe smiled but didn't respond.

It was rare to have a break where they didn't have to work, face danger, and still get free, unlimited food. He thought it best to let the trio "enjoy" it a bit more.

Vacations were rare.

He would talk to Zunia later.

"By the way", Jinghe took out some food, including energy bars, Poké Puffs, Marcarong, and cream cakes.

Since they had established a connection, he might as well use this opportunity to get closer to the Pokémon god.

"I brought some food. If you don't mind, would you like to have some?"

"Roo-roo?"

Wearbear looked at the food in front of Jinghe, then at the trio in its arms, who were already drooling.

Honestly, with its strength, Wearbear never lacked food in the forest.

But the food here was limited to tree fruits and, at most, some honey. While it tasted good, eating too much of it got old.

So, Wearbear often used honey to trade with the Oranguru who ran a bar in the forest for things like pineapple juice.

However, the food from the bar and what Jinghe had brought were quite different.

A few minutes later.

"Wow! So delicious! As expected of Teacher Jinghe!"

The trio and Jinghe's own Pokémon were enjoying the food immensely. After hesitating for a moment, Wearbear picked up a piece of cream cake.

But then it thought for a moment.

It pulled out a jar of honey from somewhere and offered it to Jinghe.

"Roo-roo~"

This time, Meowth didn't need to translate. Jinghe understood its meaning.

The bill.

Or, rather, an exchange.

Jinghe smiled, "As a friend, this is my treat."

Friend?

Wearbear looked at the trio, nodded, then quickly picked up the honey again and placed it in front of Jinghe.

"Roo-roo!"

This wasn't an exchange; it was inviting Jinghe to share.

Jinghe couldn't help but laugh.

Such a godly Pokémon was actually quite adorable.

After that, Wearbear started eating with more enthusiasm.

It was clear that it enjoyed the food Jinghe had brought.

As the "Energy Bar Succubus", Jinghe was quite confident in the effectiveness of his energy bars.

He got up and sat next to Thicklipuku, gently patting his Pokémon's shoulder.

"Roo?"

Facing Thicklipuku's gaze, Jinghe smiled, "Do you want to spar with Wearbear again?"

Thicklipuku laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

Jinghe knew his Pokémon well.

Earlier, Thicklipuku had been sent flying by Wearbear's punch. Though he wasn't seriously injured, he clearly felt the gap between himself and Wearbear.

This was the first time Thicklipuku had felt such a significant difference from another ordinary Pokémon, apart from Mythical Pokémon.

"It's fine, you'll get your chance."

Why Wearbear was so strong was a mystery, even to Wearbear itself.

But it proved that, to some extent, Pokémon had infinite potential, and Wearbear was the best proof of that.

Copying Wearbear's path was unrealistic, but learning from it was possible, especially for Thicklipuku.

If Bulkachu was an excellent sparring partner, then Wearbear was a great teacher.

"Roo!"

Thicklipuku nodded seriously.

"Have some honey, it's the freshest."

Jinghe placed the honey in front of Thicklipuku. For bears, honey was a temptation they couldn't resist.

"Ruu~!"

The bear roared happily, grabbing a handful and stuffing it into its mouth.

Hmm?

Seeing the honey disappear so quickly, Jinghe had a sudden thought.

If the Wearing Bear could consistently collect honey, did that mean it knew about the Buzzwool?

Jinghe's mind started racing.

He looked at the Wearing Bear, only to find that Gengue had already sat down beside it, casually wrapping an arm around its neck, as if they were old friends.

Gengue was telling a story, or rather, introducing his group.

The word "group" made Jinghe's face twitch slightly.

"Ruru!"

The Wearing Bear seemed delighted to meet these new friends and immediately opened its arms to hug Gengue.

However, its arms passed right through Gengue.

"Ruru?"

The Wearing Bear looked confused.

"Genka~!" Gengue couldn't help but chuckle.

As a Ghost-type Pokémon, how could a Normal-type or Fighting-type Pokémon like the Wearing Bear easily touch him?

Just as he was feeling smug, the Wearing Bear hugged him again, this time firmly.

The purple little fatty's round belly was instantly squished flat, making him look like a squeezed balloon—big head, big feet, and a small belly.

Gengue didn't pay attention to his own transformation, only looking at the Wearing Bear in surprise.

It hadn't felt the Wearing Bear use any move like "See Through."

Jinghe couldn't help but laugh.

He shook his head. The Wearing Bear didn't play by the rules. In the anime, the Wearing Bear had casually picked up and hugged the trio's Mimikyu.

"Wearing Bear", Jinghe called out.

"Ruru?"

Both the Wearing Bear and Gengue looked at him.

"Where do you get this honey from? I don't want more; I just want to offer a new home to any Buzzwool who are willing."

First, he declined the Wearing Bear's offer of more honey before stating his purpose.

"Ruru."

The Wearing Bear scratched its head and looked at Gengue.

Gengue scratched his bottom, his body returning to its original form.

Then he simply told the Wearing Bear about their island, or rather, Gengue's "kingdom"!

He also warmly invited the Wearing Bear to visit his "kingdom" in the future.

The Wearing Bear suddenly understood.

It stood up and waved at Jinghe.

The Pokémon and the trio followed, puzzled.

In a canyon within the Melemele Island forest.

"Ruru!"

The Wearing Bear made a "shh" gesture, leaning against a rock. Jinghe followed its gaze.

He saw orange Buzzwool, each like three bees with part of a hive, flitting about with transparent wings, busily darting through the canyon.

They occasionally flew into a cave, and more Buzzwool emerged, happily flying off to another location.

This cave was clearly the Buzzwool's nest.

With so many Buzzwool and their orderly behavior, it was obvious there was a queen in the cave, the Queen Buzzwool, to whom they all pledged their loyalty.

Regardless of anything else, the sheer number of Buzzwool was enough to deter most humans or Pokémon from approaching.

Only the Wearing Bear could move freely among them, taking honey as it pleased, almost becoming a kind of "currency" in the forest.

"So many Buzzwool, there must be a lot of honey!" Meowth's eyes turned into dollar signs.

"If we could take it all, we could get a lot of funds, right?" Musashi couldn't help but say.

"Ruru!"

But the Wearing Bear waved its hand at them.

"It says: take what you eat, but it's rude to empty the nest", Meowth translated.

Jinghe's expression was odd.

The Wearing Bear understood long-term development?

If it took all the honey from the nest, the hive would surely move the next day.

"Ruru!"

The Wearing Bear pressed its hand down.

"It says: wait here; I'll get some. You should also try to catch a few", Meowth translated again.

With that, the Wearing Bear flexed its arms and prepared to act.

But Jinghe quickly stopped it.

"Wearing Bear, I mean, if any Buzzwool need help or are willing to come with me. These Buzzwool clearly serve their queen. If I force them to come, it's no different from taking someone else's child."

The Wearing Bear was clearly taken aback, staring at Jinghe in a daze.

"Teacher Jinghe, you're so kind, I'm in tears~" Meowth bit his handkerchief, looking moved.

"This is the Jinghe we know", Kojirou and Musashi said, looking admiringly.

Feeling a bit embarrassed by the trio's praise, Jinghe didn't know what to say.

"Ruru!"

Just as he was about to turn away, the Wearing Bear suddenly lunged, hugging Jinghe firmly.

"No, wait, wait!" Jinghe's face changed dramatically, shouting.

But the Wearing Bear didn't give him a chance, giving him a "gentle" bear hug.

"Just a little..."

Jinghe felt the Wearing Bear's iron arms for the first time.

After a while, the Wearing Bear affectionately nuzzled Jinghe's head with its own, then let him go.

Gengue, laughing, helped Jinghe up and asked how it felt.

Jinghe took two deep breaths, rubbed his waist, and finally felt like he was coming back to life.

Damn.

Let the trio enjoy this treatment.

However, it had to be said that it was from this embrace that Wearbear officially recognized him.

Buzz—

The commotion they caused, or rather, Jinghe's startled cry, inevitably caught the attention of the Buzzwool, and even the Queen Buzzwool inside the cave.

A large Buzzwool with a hive-like skirt and a wasp-like appearance flew out of the cave. Its crimson eyes immediately noticed the familiar figure of Wearbear.

"Buzz—!!"

The Queen Buzzwool immediately let out a shrill cry, and countless Buzzwool received the command, quickly swarming toward them.

"They're coming! They're coming!" Kojirou's face changed drastically.

"J-Jinghe-sensei!"

Musashi looked at Jinghe for help, but saw him take a quick step back to avoid Wearbear's bear hug, then said:

"I'm fine. You take them and go."

With that, he turned and ran in the direction they had come from.

"Ruru~"

Wearbear nodded, then, amidst the trio's screams, picked them up.

The next second.

Bang!!

The ground let out a muffled groan as Wearbear shot into the sky like a cannonball, faster than any flight.

Jinghe looked up, his eyes following the "launch" of Wearbear and the trio's cries, which grew longer and more distant.

"Well, these days, who doesn't know how to fly?"

Gengue jumped.

He immediately floated up, spreading his hands.

Not me, old man~

In another part of the forest, a distance away from the canyon.

A Poké Ball drew a curve in the air and hit a Buzzwool precisely. The opened Poké Ball shot out a red light, capturing it inside.

Without a single shake, the Poké Ball clicked and locked.

Gengue gave Snivy a thumbs-up.

"Hiss~"

Snivy, with a look of "disdain", curled its Vine Whip and handed the Poké Ball on the ground to Jinghe.

Jinghe took it with a smile and looked at the trio, whose hair still resembled a broom, and Wearbear standing beside them.

Understanding Jinghe's intention, Wearbear led them around the forest for a while before finding a small group of only four Buzzwool.

Among these four Buzzwool, there was one female and three males.

Distinguishing between male and female Buzzwool was easy; just look at the middle head for a structure similar to a fringe.

In a group with a female Buzzwool, it was clear that the Queen Buzzwool did not recognize them, making their numbers scarce and survival difficult. Therefore, when Jinghe proposed his idea, Snivy battled them and won easily.

The four Buzzwool accepted the suggestion to "relocate."

Although their numbers were small, having a female Buzzwool meant a high potential for population growth.

Once the female Buzzwool evolved into a Queen Buzzwool, the entire Buzzwool population would experience explosive growth.

This would add another asset to the island's "industry."

After doing all this and confirming the trio's condition, Jinghe decided to return.

As for the trio—

Jinghe, using the reason that "accompanying a mentally wounded mother is an important task", left them with Wearbear.

Then, under Wearbear's waving bear paw and the trio's desperate goodbyes, Jinghe left the "bear-infested" forest in a hurry.

As night fell, in the cafeteria of the Alola Pokémon School, the Mushroom Soup emitted a tempting aroma.

"Home Visit?!" ×5

Five small voices of surprise echoed from the cafeteria.

Jinghe sipped the rich and fragrant soup made from Shiitake mushrooms, nodded slightly, and said:

"Yes, only a home visit can better understand you and learn about your daily lives, allowing us to create a better and more suitable study plan."

The five exchanged glances, seeing a bit of fear in each other's eyes.

No student was not afraid of a home visit.

Even the best students feared that the teacher or parents might say something different.

"Don't be afraid, I just want to understand your situation, not say anything bad about you", Jinghe reassured them with a smile.

"Scared they'll say something terrifying", Mamane muttered under his breath, and the others nodded in agreement.

But Jinghe had clearly made up his mind.

He said directly:

"Let's start with you, Mamane. Tomorrow, we'll go to Ula'ula Island."

"Ah!?"

The chubby Mamane nearly jumped out of his chair, his face falling. "Why start with me?"

The other kids let out a sigh of relief.

As long as they weren't first.

After dinner, the five kids "fled" the cafeteria, each calling home to make arrangements.

Jinghe felt the joy of a teacher conducting home visits.

No wonder his own teacher used to visit homes every semester; it felt like this.

On the way back to his residence, he called Lila.

He asked her about the Aether Foundation.

"The Aether Foundation?"

Lila was slightly puzzled but quickly replied:

"I'll send you the information."

"Make it a bit more discreet", Jinghe reminded her.

Lila paused and responded again: "Alright."

As an International Police officer, she couldn't ignore the Aether Foundation, a massive entity in Alola.

Even her "UB Task Force" had to collaborate with the Aether Foundation when dealing with Ultra Beasts.

"Lila, do you think the Aether Foundation is normal?" After a moment's hesitation, Jinghe posed this question.

For a moment, Lila also fell silent.

Although she didn’t have much time to conduct an in-depth investigation, if she were to say something—

Seeing that Lila didn’t respond, Jinghe already understood.

“I get it.”

“Teacher Jinghe.” Before hanging up, Lila spoke again, “Maybe you should visit Ula'ula Island and have a chat with Mr. Marden.”

Marden, a retired International Police officer and now the Island King of Ula'ula, had a wealth of experience and even some connections to Giovanni. As one of the first to encounter the Ultra Wormhole and having lived in Alola for a long time, Marden would likely have more insights into the Aether Foundation.

“I would have gone anyway.”

Jinghe smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I’m just gathering information. Even if something does come up, I should be able to handle it.”

With the support of the Bear God, there was nothing to fear.

Unless the Aether Foundation could somehow assemble another "Rainbow Rocket Team" lineup.

At this thought, Jinghe shook his head.

Impossible, absolutely impossible. No one could be that unlucky!

Hmm.

Lila naturally trusted Jinghe’s words completely.

If Teacher Jinghe couldn’t handle it, there wouldn’t be many people in the Pokémon world who could.

After hanging up, Lila quickly sent over the Aether Foundation’s files.

The information provided by the International Police was far more detailed than what was available on the official website, including the Aether Foundation’s research on “UB” and the Ultra Wormhole.

“Just looking at these documents won’t reveal much. I’ll have to pay a visit.”

Back at his residence.

“Bulkachu! (‵‵)”

Bulkachu was still showing off its muscles.

“Bulkachu!” Dr. Burnet had already taken off her lab coat and even untied her bodysuit, leaving it tied around her waist, revealing a neat gray tank top. Mimicking Bulkachu, she also flexed her muscles, though they were not as impressive.

Even though she was a “weakling,” Bulkachu was still happy to have someone respond to it.

“Bulkachu, I brought you something to eat.”

Jinghe shook the bag in his hand, which contained mushroom soup, energy bars, and honey sent by the Bear God.

Releasing his Pokémon from the Poké Balls at his waist, they all tumbled out eagerly.

It was time for their main meal.

Jinghe sighed, touching his wallet.

Although only a day had passed, he couldn’t help but think that Lila’s funding approval was a bit slow, not at all like the Hoenn people should be.

“Teacher Jinghe!” Dr. Burnet seemed excited, her cheeks slightly flushed as she said, “Perhaps, we will soon be able to develop a special Poké Ball to capture ‘Ubs.’”

What was the most troublesome about dealing with “Ubs,” or Ultra Beasts, was that even if you defeated them, there was no suitable way to contain them.

You had to wait for the Ultra Wormhole to open, ensure it stayed open long enough, and make sure the Ultra Beast was defeated within its range to send it back.

This was even harder than winning the lottery.

Moreover, the Ultra Beasts that could cross through the Ultra Wormhole were mostly extremely powerful, far beyond the capabilities of ordinary trainers.

Even the friendly Bulkachu, if not for Jinghe defeating it earlier, would not have been so cooperative.

“Thank you, Dr. Burnet.” Jinghe said.

It seemed the Ultra Ball would be available soon.

“It’s all thanks to you, Teacher Jinghe.”

After saying this, Dr. Burnet gathered the data and files she had collected today and prepared to leave.

With Jinghe back, she no longer needed to keep an eye on Bulkachu.

“No need to see me off—”

Dr. Burnet quickly left.

Jinghe waved, opened his mouth to ask a question, but Dr. Burnet was already out of sight before he could say a word.

“I was just going to ask about a bonus.”

He sighed softly.

Turning around, he saw his Pokémon, especially Gengue, Thicklipuku, and Dratini, huddled together, whispering to Bulkachu.

“Bulkachu?”

Bulkachu seemed particularly excited by something it had heard.

But after only one call, Gengue pressed its head down and made a “shh” gesture, signaling it to be quiet.

Then, all the Pokémon looked at Jinghe. When they noticed he was watching them, they quickly turned away in unison.

They huddled together again, whispering softly.

Bulkachu, clearly inexperienced, kept glancing at Jinghe, but was quickly pressed back down by Gengue and Thicklipuku, making it “behave” a bit more.

As their trainer, Jinghe knew exactly what they were up to, even with his eyes closed.

Trying to hide from him, huh?

Jinghe glanced at Nine-Tails.

“Awooo~”

Next to him, Nine-Tails’ tail gently stretched out, and soon a chill mist formed, faintly outlining the shape of the Bear God.

Wow, they really have some nerve.

However, Jinghe wasn’t worried about any accidents. His Pokémon might not be able to handle the Bear God, but the Bear God also couldn’t harm them.

More importantly, he and the Bear God had established a good relationship.

What he was thinking about more was—

“Will Bulkachu, when it returns to the Ultra Space, form a ‘Gengue’s Rogue Squad Ultra Space Branch’?”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end