Chapter 50: Is This the Rhythm of the Offer?
"Mii~woo."
A soft, melodic cry rang out.
The stunning Water-type Pokémon emerged from the Poké Ball with an elegant arc, its long, ribbon-like fins trailing gracefully behind it.
It turned out to be Milotic?!
Of course He Xiaowen recognized the Pokémon standing before her!
And precisely because she recognized it she stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at the Pokémon in utter disbelief.
She blinked hard, as if suspecting she was dreaming. Then she snapped her gaze toward the video screen, locking eyes with Chen Xiaoxiao.
Her look practically shouted: "Are you kidding me?!"
But when she saw Chen Xiaoxiao smiling with a relaxed nod, not denying anything, realization truly hit.
He Xiaowen slowly turned back toward the majestic Milotic, hands involuntarily rising to cover her mouth. Her voice failed her; she was overwhelmed by emotion.
Milotic tilted its head curiously.
Huh? This person... isn't familiar.
But something else something strange was happening. Milotic sensed it immediately: its body felt different, lighter, more powerful. A shimmering energy coursed through its form.
It looked down at its reflection in a nearby glass cabinet.
What... was this form?
"Miiiii~woo!"
It twirled excitedly, ribbons fluttering in a radiant swirl. These were the same features it had seen in the pictures Chen Xiaoxiao once showed it—images of the magnificent Milotic it dreamed of becoming.
Then it remembered her words:
"When you meet your true trainer, you'll evolve. That's your destiny."
The newly evolved Milotic turned its red eyes back to the girl standing before it.
So... this girl was its trainer?
(This was, of course, a well-meaning white lie from Chen Xiaoxiao. To encourage Feebas to evolve and bond quickly with He Xiaowen, she had told it that evolution would come once it met its destined partner. For the sake of her best friend, Chen Xiaoxiao had gone to great lengths.)
"Mii~woo."
Milotic floated forward with fluid grace and affectionately brushed against He Xiaowen, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek.
Still stunned but slowly regaining her senses, He Xiaowen gently reached out, then suddenly pulled Milotic into a tight embrace.
On the video screen, Chen Xiaoxiao watched the scene and nodded with satisfaction.
Her gift the Prism Scale, an incredibly rare and valuable evolution item—hadn't gone to waste. Feebas had evolved perfectly, and more importantly, had already begun to bond with He Xiaowen.
He Xiaowen, still hugging Milotic tightly, turned to the video call, her eyes glistening.
"Xiaoxiao... this is a Milotic, right?"
Her voice was breathless with awe.
"Yep," Chen Xiaoxiao replied casually, as if she were discussing the weather. "I caught that Feebas yesterday while fishing near Shantou City's harbor. I happened to still have a Prism Scale, so I used it. But since I already have Lapras, I figured you could use another Water-type."
"A... Prism Scale?!"
He Xiaowen's mouth dropped open again. Her tone was now filled with a mix of reverence and disbelief.
As a Water-type specialist and the daughter of an Elite-class trainer in the Huaxia Region, she knew exactly what a Prism Scale meant.
It wasn't just rare it was mythic.
Originally, she'd assumed Chen Xiaoxiao had captured a wild Milotic by sheer luck. But now, realizing that this was a Feebas that had evolved and that her friend had freely gifted both the Pokémon and the item He Xiaowen was overwhelmed.
She had no words.
Chen Xiaoxiao, ever the nonchalant one, waved it off with a smirk.
"Aiyah, I gave it to you, didn't I? What's with all the drama?"
She leaned closer to the screen, eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Come on, we've been roommates for four years. You don't need to act all formal with me. I don't need it anyway. But hey if you really feel bad, how about you repay me... with your body?"
Her voice was light, teasing.
He Xiaowen immediately flushed a bright red.
"You...!!"
She shot Chen Xiaoxiao a mock glare, eyes rolling as she huffed, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Fine! I get it. Xiaoxiao, I'll accept it. I really will. I promise I'll take good care of Milotic and thank you, seriously!"
She looked at the camera, her expression now soft and sincere.
She didn't say it aloud but in that moment, a silent understanding passed between them.
Whatever "repayment" Chen Xiaoxiao had jokingly asked for... maybe He Xiaowen had already accepted it in her heart.
After finishing the call with He Xiaowen, Chen Xiaoxiao, who was preparing to leave the Pokémon Center, suddenly received an incoming call on her Pokédex—from none other than Master Zhang, the Gym Leader of the Shantou City Flying-type Gym.
"Xiaoxiao, are you still in Shantou City?"
The moment she answered, Master Zhang's familiar face appeared on the Pokédex screen, framed by the traditional wooden interior of the Gym office.
"Yes, I'm still here in Shantou City. What's going on, Master Zhang?"
Chen Xiaoxiao raised her eyebrows in surprise.
Was this about the Yanma incident from last week? she wondered silently.
After all, she didn't believe someone like Master Zhang known for his strict discipline and minimalist approach would call just for casual small talk.
"It's like this," Master Zhang began, his voice a mix of authority and curiosity. "The recent champion of the National Alliance Tournament, and runner-up in the Global League Xu Fei, of the Nanyun Xu family do you know him?"
The name dropped by the Gym Leader made Chen Xiaoxiao blink.
"Xu Fei? Of course I know him. What happened?"
She was visibly surprised but answered without hesitation. How could she not remember Xu Fei?
Not only had she once traded her Togekiss with him back when he was just another skilled junior trainer, but later he had earned the favor of Entei, a Legendary Pokémon a feat that had shocked even senior officials in the Huaxia Region. Now, he was hailed as the number one rising star in China.
"Good, good," Master Zhang exhaled lightly. "He came by the gym earlier today looking for you. At first, I was hesitant to respond. But considering the long-standing friendship I have with his elders and given how earnestly he swore he knew you—I figured I should at least reach out. If you'd said you didn't know him, I was ready to toss him out myself."
His tone softened, even as he crossed his arms in the traditional pose of a martial artist.
Chen Xiaoxiao chuckled at his blunt honesty.
"Looking for me? But how did he even know to find me through the Flying Gym?"
Her tone was skeptical. She couldn't help but feel curious how exactly had Xu Fei tracked her to this specific location?
"Word travels fast in trainer circles, especially after what happened at the fishing spot near Shantou Port a few days ago. Maybe he got wind of it through his network. Either way, since you've confirmed you know him, I'll patch him through if that's alright with you. I don't know the reason he came, but he insists it's something important."
Master Zhang's tone was calm but implied urgency.
"Sure, let him speak," Chen Xiaoxiao replied easily. "Sorry for troubling you, Master Zhang."
No matter the surprise, she wasn't about to disrespect a senior like Master Zhang—one of the early disciples of the Flying Dojo system, rumored to have studied under Falkner's lineage when Johto hosted foreign students.
Still, she couldn't help but wonder what Xu Fei was doing here in Shantou City of all places. The two of them had only met twice once during a junior competition and again during the trade for Togekiss.
That had been four years ago.
They hadn't exchanged contact information. No letters. No Pokédex messages. Nothing.
Then, a few seconds later, the video call shifted again and Xu Fei's face appeared on the screen.
Chen Xiaoxiao blinked in slight surprise.
His features had matured since their last meeting. The once pale and awkward boy had now become refined and composed. Gone was the slightly green expression of youth; instead, he carried himself with the bearing of someone used to standing on a championship stage.
But in that moment, when his eyes met hers, something flickered.
Whether it was embarrassment from an old memory or just the reaction to seeing her after so long his face turned faintly red.
Chen Xiaoxiao instantly burst into laughter.
"Pfft! Come on, Xu Fei! Stop pretending to be shy and act your age. Just say what you came for!"
Her voice was teasing, but it wasn't cruel. She still remembered his performances in last year's Alliance Finals especially the battle against Kalos' champion, where his Mega Garchomp had nearly turned the match around. The Xu Fei she had watched on screen was confident, sharp, and calm under pressure. Yet now, faced with her, he looked like a rookie again.
"Chen Xiaoxiao... long time no see! Are you free right now?"
Xu Fei scratched his head nervously, clearly trying to compose himself.
"Right now?" Chen Xiaoxiao repeated, confused. "Yeah, I'm free. What's up?"
Why was he asking about her availability so directly?
Was he trying to schedule something? Invite her somewhere?
She couldn't help but quip silently to herself: "Are you making a move? Or have I lost the strength to lift my sword?"
Xu Fei, regaining his composure, nodded seriously.
"If it's alright, I'd like to meet you at the Flying Gym here in Shantou City. There's something important I need to tell you face to face."
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