Elven calendar year 1000, August 26th.
Little Orange Island [Japanese: マンダリン岛, English: Mandarin_Island] has just ushered in the midsummer morning. The heat wave has not yet swept across the land, but the coast is already crowded with people. Countless ships are ready to sail to the southern ocean.
As the largest island in the Orange Islands, it has a bustling city and a noisy harbor. Large-scale competitions are often held here, attracting many trainers to gather here. Even the port is full of various facilities for trainers, providing maximum convenience for travelers.
In the courtyard of the breeding house adjacent to the Pokémon Center, Xiaoye opened LINE while waiting for the procedures to be completed, and cautiously sent messages to her friends.
"——In short, this is the result of the online consultation. It's not a serious problem, so don't worry, Xiaotian."
A few days ago, she received an address link from Xiaotian, recommending her to go to the hospital on Fula Island 4 for treatment of the sequelae of overloading the power of the waveguide - unfortunately, the busy freelance trainer arranged his schedule too tightly and almost left Ginkgo Field flew all the way to the port of Little Orange Island to prepare for the next scheduled "short-term employment". During this period, there was no chance to rest on the passing islands, let alone visit the hospital. In the end, she only had time to apply for an online consultation from the recommended hospital, followed the doctor's instructions and bought two bottles of nutritional supplements before hastily settling the matter.
Recalling the sight of her silver-haired friend chasing the three of them with a medical box on his shoulder, Xiao Ye felt shuddering. She sent all the consultation results and photos of the medicine bottles over her head as if facing an enemy, for fear that next time the box would look weird. As big as kilas. But this time, the other party was calm and friendly, and did not forget to express comfort even when Xiaoye apologized repeatedly.
Since you have already made your itinerary, there is nothing you can do about it - the reasonable captain Mingxiao said this, no longer pursuing the whole matter, so that the vice-captain could finally relax.
Many days have passed since the battle in Fengxue Mountain, and the overload symptoms are no longer as severe as they were at first. The young man's strong physique allows all visible and invisible scars to heal quickly. Now, as long as he doesn't care about the discomfort similar to muscle soreness, he can barely use the power of the waveguide. According to the doctor, as long as you take nutritional supplements on time and conscientiously, you won't even feel "muscle soreness" within a few days.
Now is the peak tourist season, and every employee in the cultivation house is very busy. Xiaoye saw that the storage procedures would not be completed for a while, so she exited the private chat window and clicked on the group called "Four Elders of Dawn".
I don’t know since when, it has become their habit to report each other’s itinerary. It was probably training time yet, and the golden retriever brother and sister were chatting in the group, grabbing Xiao Ye and asking him non-stop questions.
"You said you want to go out on a boat? I heard from grandpa that working on a fishing boat is very tiring..."
"Even if the salary is high, you will definitely get seasick if you float on the sea for seven days! I remember that the bonus for the snowstorm battle is 300,000 yuan, should it be enough?"
Both brothers and sisters were extremely puzzled by Xiaoye's choice of such a difficult short-term employment job. Within a few minutes of Xiaoye going to reply to Xiaotian's private message, the topic turned straight to wondering which of her Pokémon was sick and needed medical attention. Big money. The people involved were speechless and quickly interrupted their random speculations.
After recounting her experience of visiting Professor Shinosaki at the Golden Leaf Nursery, Xiaoye simply concluded: "——In the end, the professor suggested that I change Pichu's electrostatic properties into a lightning rod."
"..."
As soon as these words came out, Xiaojie and Xiaoling fell into silence.
That was indeed a sharp suggestion - hand-to-hand combat was too risky for Pichu to use frequently, and the electrostatic properties therefore had little use. In comparison, a lightning rod that can automatically ignite electricity is more practical and can also help Piqiu control the current more easily.
However, changing a Pokémon's innate characteristics is never easy. It is said that experienced cultivators can achieve this effect through the combination of different foods and medicinal materials, but Xiaoye is not that kind of professional after all. For freelance trainers with mediocre knowledge, the only option left is "purchase characteristic plasters".
It is small in size and easy to use. It can completely change the characteristics of Pokémon in just a few days after taking it. This seemingly convenient new drug costs half a million yuan, even Xiaojie who has no shortage of pocket money. He and Xiaoling could only stay away.
Xiaoye has always been frugal and rarely spends much money. More than half of the Quartz League's top four prize money is still left, and coupled with the huge reward for the best player in the Snowstorm Battle, the savings figure of more than 350,000 could originally support nearly a year's living expenses. But if you want to buy a special plaster, this amount of money is not enough.
Therefore, short-term employment like "fishing boat sailor", which has hard work but high daily wages, became her first choice.
After typing a few ellipses in the group, Xiaojie said with a heavy heart that he could spend tens of thousands of yuan in support as long as Pichu was rubbed by him for a day as a reward. Xiaoling then responded, and the two started a heated debate about which part of Pichu's cheeks or belly felt best. It wasn't until Xiaotian threw an interesting link into the group that the nonsensical discussion was finally suspended.
Xiaoye clicked on the old news, and a puzzled look gradually appeared on her face.
On January 1, 999 in the Elven Calendar, a large number of unknown totems appeared around Zhenxin Town. The crystallized land affected by them did not return to its original state until a few days later...?
The golden retriever siblings expressed their surprise and curiosity noisily as always, and did not forget to joke, "That day happens to be your birthday, Xiaoye, so it must be the unknown totem who went to celebrate your birthday." But Xiaoye knew it was more than that——
She once told Xiaotian that January 1, 999 in the Elven Calendar was the day when she opened her eyes to the sound of morning bells in the pure white town.
——The beginning of her memory, the moment when the traveler from another world came to this world.
"boom!"
The loud sound almost shook Xiaoye's cell phone off. She had no choice but to put it back in her pocket for the time being and look at the Pokémon making noise in the courtyard.
The job of a temporary sailor requires living on the ship for seven days and seven nights. Of course, it is impossible to take more than the quota of Pokémon into a trap - therefore, Xiao Ye has to temporarily store some of her friends at the harbor.
Charizard and Dabi with the ability to fly are indispensable aids in this work, and Gyarados is also indispensable for the sea trip. In addition to Riolu, who volunteered to overcome seasickness, Yukidou, who is curious about the sea, and Pichu, the translator, the six members have been decided, and the remaining Pokémon can only temporarily live in the nursery this week.
Most partners aren't that hard to convince. The forest lizard calmly accepted the instructions to guard the breeding house. As long as Ghoststone could fill his stomach, it didn't matter where he was. As a former police dog, the Kati dog was happy to obey orders and took on the task of guarding those left behind. Only Chao Beibi was so irritable that it was puzzling - Xiaoye thought it would be happy to stay away from this annoying trainer of hers.
Taking advantage of the pause in the heavy rain of rocks, the trainer boldly approached it.
"Nose, the sea is too dangerous for a rock-type Pokémon like you." She gently patted the big guy's nose, which was getting redder with anger, "Just to have the strength to fight with me—— Wait for me here for a few days, okay?"
"..."
The rock Pokémon only remained still for a few seconds before it became twice as angry again and smashed the human's head with rocks larger than its nose. Xiaoye was beaten until she was running around, and finally she had to ask Ghost Stone to calm her down by using mental force. And even though he couldn't move his whole body, he couldn't stop Xiang Beibi from losing his temper. For a while, the entire courtyard was filled with Pokémon's swear words, and their power was no less powerful than the singing of Shoutbolt on the left and the dancing of Kirby on the right.
The trainer squatted pitifully in the corner. If his distress had any form, he would probably flood the entire yard at this moment.
Before entering the breeding house, she had a detailed discussion with the staff about the situation of the north-facing nose. Fortunately, people in the south were used to seeing unruly Pokémon, and they were already familiar with it. She patted her chest and assured customers that they would definitely take good care of it. Not a single stone will let it fall. After seeing the heroic gestures of the training house employees holding up the Longlong Rock with one hand and pressing down on the Firestorm Monkey with three fingers, Xiaoye silently put her worries back in her stomach.
At this moment, the young man is very glad that he did not choose to work in the training house - with her weak arm strength, which can lift up to eight small fist stones, she must not be able to pass the entrance examination...
No matter what - amidst the banging and banging of Chaobi's nose, the storage procedures were finally completed. Xiaoye temporarily left the four Pokémon in the breeding house, and took the rest of her friends into the bustling port of Little Orange Island.
Ships of all sizes were parked on the coast, and tourists and sailors were all crowded together, making the already hot weather even more scorching. Xiaoye's target was not difficult to find - a huge blue flag with a swirl mark flying in the air, more conspicuous than the still-undazzling sun in the early morning.
That's exactly where Saya will work for the next week, the fishing boat "Kaiwang Maru [Japanese: かいおうまるごう, English: Searey_Ferries]".
The southerners have a heroic temperament, and most of the fishing boats are colorfully painted with patterns ranging from Carp King to Phoenix King. At first glance, it does not look like a seaport, but like entering some giant doll store.
And even among these fishing boats with full personalities, the Kaiohmaru is still the most majestic one - the nearly fifty-meter-long dark blue hull is bright and shiny, with red stripes spreading from the bow to the stern, and snow-white spots like waves. Fall on both sides. The huge Kyogre sculpture stands on the bow of the ship, and its majestic eyes are vividly depicted. Unfortunately, two long-winged gulls are huddled on Kyogre's head and taking a nap, which invisibly reduces the sense of oppression.
The curious Pichu jumped from the trainer's arms to the top of his head, standing on tiptoes and staring at the "Neptune" sculpture. Xiaoye had just taken a few steps closer with the electric mouse when a confident shout came from the side.
"Hey kid! Are you here for an interview?"
Pichu was hit by the "sonic blast" and fell into the trainer's hood, almost fainting. Xiao Ye, who had just experienced the attack of the North-facing nasal noise, adapted well to it and bowed to the speaker calmly.
"Hello. I am Xingyuye who is applying for a job as a sailor. Please give me your advice..."
"Hey, hey, you're not allowed to bow—"
The South's per capita allergy to politeness was evident among the crew. The speaker stretched out his thick arms and straightened the person with a crunch, so that he could remove a herniated lumbar disc from Xiaoye on the spot.
The fishing boat had not yet set sail at this time, and the crew members gathered under the shade of the trees to enjoy the shade and chat. They wore uniform sailor uniforms, blue and white, which looked refreshing and cool in the hot summer. At first glance, there were men, women, and children under the shade of the tree. The wide age range made Xiaoye stunned, and she decided to turn her attention back to the person in front of her.
He was a burly young man - his thick black hair fell down to his lower back, and the hair was sticking up in random directions, with only a hair rope scrawledly tied at the end of his hair. His attire is the same as that of the crew, with only the bright red cape on his shoulders highlighting his identity.
"I am the captain of this ship 'Kaiwang Maru', Masahiko Kaifu." The young man who claimed to be the captain was obviously impatient. He clapped his hands and got to the point, "Let's start the interview now. Is it okay?"
"yes."
"First, show off your flying Pokémon!"
Xiaoye took out the Poké Ball that she had prepared, and the figures of Charizard and Dabi appeared in the light.
She remembered that the job posting specifically stated that applicants needed to have at least two Pokémon that were good at flying. Although she couldn't figure out the reason, there was nothing wrong with following this.
Captain Shoyan looked at the two Pokémon up and down, his eyes as bright as a spotlight, looking at Charizard until he didn't know where to put its tail.
"Dabi Bird is qualified. As for the Charizard -" the young man suppressed his smile and asked seriously, "The place we are going to is the sea. Have you ever considered what to do if it accidentally falls into the water?"
"Yes." Xiaoye nodded equally seriously, "Charizard, get into the water!"
Upon hearing the order, Yanlong jumped three feet high and plunged his head into the sea with joy.
Captain Kaiwomaru's face changed drastically. Before he could call the crew for emergency rescue, he saw Charizard skillfully perform a 100-meter return swim. During the period, the swimming style switching was extremely smooth. When using freestyle, he forcibly surpassed the mosquito-repellent frog next to him. , everyone was stunned for a moment, and the noisy beach fell into silence for a few seconds.
It wasn't until Charizard, tired of swimming, began to lie on his back in the water and doze off that Masahiko finally regained his language skills.
"...It's pretty good." He temporarily swallowed the inappropriate lines - such as "It would be a pity not to apply for an underwater lifeguard job if you have the ability" - and cleared his throat to restart the interview.
"Second question, prove to me that your work will not be affected by seasickness!"
The upright trainer nodded and uttered an answer that was impossible to predict.
"I fly a lot on Charizard."
Before Masahiko could ask further questions, the fire dragon lying in the water had risen from the ground. It showed off its excellent flying skills to its employer, performing thirty Z-shaped flights and fifty aerial flips in a row. For a moment, a strong wind swept across the beach, completely dissipating the heat of the hot summer sun, and making people shiver.
Masahiko: "..."
The look he looked at the young man slowly turned from doubt to admiration.
After witnessing a series of fire dragon spectacles, the captain of Kaiwangmaru felt that this applicant was completely consistent with his ship's style. He was lively and unexpected, and his passion was outrageous. It would be unreasonable not to pull him on board. However, considering fairness, Masahiko still asked the predetermined third question.
"Then comes the final test - Pokémon battle! Show me what you're capable of!"
Just as the captain's hand clasped the Poké Ball, a voice came from behind.
"Dad, let me come."
The speaker is a very young boy. He is not tall and looks like he is still in elementary school, but his aura is not weak at all. At this time, he looked at the applicant with an unkind expression, and the mosquito-repellent frog next to him was also angry, as if he was about to rush out and beat him up at any time.
"..."
Remembering how much water the Charizard had splashed on the mosquito-repellent frog while swimming, Xiaoye suddenly looked away with a guilty conscience.
"OK?"
"certainly."
Masahiko raised his voice, "The rule is one-on-one. If you defeat my son Konosuke, you will pass!"
"I see."
Xiao Ye nodded in response and looked at her opponent seriously.
The boy named Konosuke didn't look like he wanted to initiate a friendly exchange. He threw his hands at the other side, curled his lips and said, "Have you been a trainer for a year? Let me talk first. For newcomers, going to sea is not just playing tricks."
The mosquito-repellent frog took two steps forward, and moist air began to surround it, indicating that it had entered a battle-ready posture.
"If you want to get on the ship, you have to pass my test first."
Xiaoye couldn't help but smile when she saw the young boy speaking in an old-fashioned tone.
"Please give me more advice."
After the words fell, the elf ball opened. A small figure appeared in the overflowing cold air.
——Snow boy.
====================
small theater:
Masahiko: When I saw him bowing to me, I thought he was from Guandu. Now I am sure, this guy is definitely from the South!
