Xia Huanao’s plan to splurge at Rainbow Star Mall to placate Shen Yu was foiled by Zhang Hong’s meddling. However, it didn’t matter much. Shen Yu and Xia Huanao clashed frequently, and in their own words, it helped maintain a good relationship…
A few days later…
The weather was clear, and a gentle breeze blew. From a trainer’s perspective, it was a perfect day to go out and catch Pokémon.
Xia Huanao yawned, letting out a series of “ga ga ga” sounds, and then got up to change.
On his desk lay a rainbow-colored card. This was what his father, Xia Tianjue, had placed there after Xia Huanao told them he and Shen Yu were going to Rainbow Star Mall. He called it a Rainbow Star Group stored-value card, usable at any of their affiliated stores.
Xia Huanao took the card, filled with doubt, and examined it twice. It looked like an ordinary card, only slightly thicker than a playing card, with nothing else remarkable. The only peculiar thing was his own avatar on the front.
Pointing at the image, Xia Huanao asked his dad, "Why is my avatar on this?"
Xia Tianjue, busy stuffing braised pork into his mouth, replied, "It's made with your ID, so of course it has your avatar." He glanced at his watch. "Alright, your mom and I have something to do, we're leaving."
Watching his parents rush out, Xia Huanao felt they were becoming increasingly mysterious. They could obtain anything but stubbornly refused to tell him what they did. He’d speculated they might be high-level researchers, but even researchers didn't disappear from home so often. Were they playing guerrilla warfare?
Returning to the present, Xia Huanao tucked the card into his pocket and, after a hasty mouthful of breakfast, prepared to leave. Apropos Doll wobbled over, swinging its little hands, clearly indicating its intention to tag along.
Xia Huanao rubbed its ear. "Xiao Meng, be a good girl and stay home, okay? I don't have your Poké Ball."
While it wouldn't have been a problem for Xiao Meng to come along, he had a date planned. Dealing with Zhang Hong as a third wheel was already annoying enough. Fortunately, Zhang Hong usually vanished just as dusk settled. Xiao Meng, however, would be harder to shake.
Xiao Meng whimpered twice, then produced a polished Poké Ball from her apron and handed it to Xia Huanao. He took it, a corner of his mouth twitching. "Fine, whatever you want."
Stepping out with Xiao Meng and Froakie, Xia Huanao felt a touch of triumph. After all, he now had two Pokémon (even if one didn't technically belong to him…)
They agreed to meet by the hot spring entrance of Shen Yu’s house, where the rich second-generation Zhang Hong would pick them up. Xia Huanao had never seen Zhang Hong’s car before; the guy was so low-key. This was his chance.
To everyone’s surprise, Zhang Hong arrived on a bicycle, shouting as he rode, "I'm here, I'm here!"
Xia Huanao had the urge to kick him off the bike. Couldn't he have just had a driver bring a car? Riding a bike? How could he even think of that! Rainbow Star Mall was several kilometers away from the hot spring. Cycling would be slower than taking the subway.
Zhang Hong stopped his bicycle next to Xia Huanao and slung an arm around him. "See? Your buddy looks out for you, right?"
"Look out for me, my foot! Riding a bicycle?"
Zhang Hong waved to the side. A small Minion on a bicycle approached, parked, and then turned to leave.
"Look at this bike. It's specially prepared for you two. Imagine your Sister Yu sitting behind you, her arms around your waist. Isn't that a perfect chance to grow closer?" Zhang Hong felt immensely proud of his ingenious plan. "You know, I originally planned to get a tandem bike, but that requires two people pedaling, which isn't very romantic."
Xia Huanao helplessly patted Zhang Hong’s shoulder. "A tandem bike would have been better. Don't you know Jinghai City’s law prohibits carrying passengers on the back of a bicycle?"
Zhang Hong slapped his thigh. "Then my valet just now was hired in vain!"
In the end, the three of them reached Rainbow Star Mall via the Gyarados subway. Speaking of the Gyarados subway, they had initially intended to model the subway after Rayquaza. However, because the neighboring nation of Liuying had beaten them to it and then suffered a "Dragon Pulse" attack, the plan was abandoned. Gyarados was safer; at least they wouldn’t randomly use Hyper Beam inside the subway.
Back to the matter at hand, the trio arrived at the entrance of Rainbow Star Mall. It had to be said, Rainbow Star Group, with assets spanning the entire Spirit Demon Star, was incredibly wealthy. A massive ten-story mall stood in the city center, operating twenty-four hours a day.
The mall attracted many visitors because, unlike the Pokémon League’s store, purchasing items there required trainer verification, and the number of items available increased with the trainer's badge count. Rainbow Star Mall, however, had no trainer level restrictions. As long as you had money, you could buy.
Of course, with no restrictions, items were more expensive. A regular Great Ball cost only 200 at the Pokémon League, but 250 at Rainbow Star Mall. There were no bulk discounts, nor were any commemorative balls given away. Xia Huanao declared that anyone buying Poké Balls at Rainbow Star Mall was truly an idiot.
As the three entered Rainbow Star Mall, despite a discount promotion for their anniversary, few trainers with spare cash were present. At the entrance was a colossal television, at least a hundred inches wide. Neither Xia Huanao nor Zhang Hong had ever seen a TV that large.
As they approached, the television automatically turned on, and a voice spoke, "What would you like to purchase? I am Rotom, your guide."
"Rotom?"
The three were taken aback. While Rotom, as an Electric/Ghost Pokémon, did have many forms, Xia Huanao’s system Pokédex had only shown him the forms within an oven, washing machine, refrigerator, fan, and lawnmower – specifically, Heat Rotom, Wash Rotom, Frost Rotom, Fan Rotom, and Mow Rotom. Beyond these, while there were unrecorded forms like Rotom in a Pokédex or phone, a TV Rotom was a first, especially on such a large screen.
"Rotom, do you know where I can buy TM’s?"
The TV Rotom excitedly shook its cord. "It’s been so long, so long since someone talked to Rotom, Rotom!"
Seeing the TV Rotom so excited that it completely ignored his question, Xia Huanao tapped the screen with his index finger. "Don't get too worked up. Can you answer my question first?"
The TV Rotom immediately displayed a floor plan of the mall on the screen. "Look here, TMs can be bought on the eighth floor. By the way, the first floor sells Pokémon accessories, the second floor has potions, the third floor has Poké Balls, the fourth floor has berries, the fifth floor has stationery, the sixth floor has battle aids, and the seventh floor has all sorts of treasures…"
Listening to the TV Rotom chatter incessantly about its mall, Xia Huanao clenched his fists. If he wasn't afraid of being shocked, he would have punched the screen long ago.
Quickly leaving the first-floor entrance, the trio took the elevator to the eighth floor. As the elevator ascended, Xia Huanao asked the system, "System, what do you think the type of that Rotom we just saw would be if it were in the Pokédex?"
This question seemed to be beyond the system's scope. Only when the elevator doors opened and the three stepped out did the system reply, "Perhaps to parents, it would be an Electric-type and Dark-type Pokémon, like the Rotom game console."
Just as the system finished its answer, the three saw another hundred-inch television at the eighth-floor elevator exit. Xia Huanao had an ominous premonition.
As expected, the TV screen flickered, then turned red, and an antenna shaped like a lightning bolt appeared on its head. "Long time no see, we meet again, Rotom!"
Xia Huanao wasn't surprised that the Rotom had followed them from the first floor. After all, its entire body was composed of plasma, and following the wires up wouldn't be difficult. But why was it so noisy?
"System, appraise this thing for me. It's definitely not Levitate. I suspect it has an undiscovered ability called 'Chatterbox,' which increases the power or number of uses of sound-based moves."
The system took a look at the Rotom and then presented its appraisal:
Name: Rotom (TV Form)
Type: Electric/Ghost
Level: Lv. 8
Ability: Levitate
Effect: +Attack -Defense
Stats: HP 26, Attack 14, Defense 15, Special Attack 20, Special Defense 17, Speed 19
Seeing the system's appraisal panel, Xia Huanao asked why it had two types this time. The system explained that one type determined the battle matchups, while the other affected the combat data. The type that determined matchups was generally not specifically highlighted unless it was a Pokémon with many types, like Rotom. Of course, similar types included Alolan Raichu and Silvally…
Zhang Hong and Shen Yu, however, were quite fond of the trailing Rotom, engaging in lively conversation with it in front of the television. Xia Huanao, through his research, seemed to have discovered something.
"System, what moves would an Lv. 8 Rotom theoretically know?"
"Excluding TMs, it would theoretically know Thundershock, Thunder Wave, Astonish, Charge, Trick, Nasty Plot, Discharge…" The system paused, then added, "And 'Chatter,' which it just learned at level 8. I strongly suspect it learned that on its own!"
It seemed even the system couldn't tolerate this overly chatty Rotom, or it wouldn't have said such a thing.
Xia Huanao, recalling something, asked another question. "Um, about that '+Attack -Defense' effect…"
The system sighed. "In your previous life, the reference table translated it in two ways: one was 'Aloof,' and the other was 'Fear of Loneliness.'"