It takes about 30 minutes by ferry from the port near Yoshino City.

The city, the destination of Shirona and Kem, comes into view.

"Oh, you can see it."

"That's Altomare."

"Yes. A city on the water. It is also known as the most beautiful city in the world. ”

Altomaré

A historic city on the water in the Johto area. The city is run by waterways, and you can take a gondola ride to explore the city.

It looks very beautiful and is very popular, so it is always crowded with a lot of tourists.

"Unexpectedly, it's a huge city."

"Even though it's on the water, it's based on an island, and it must have been artificially expanded to become what it is today."

There is a ferry into town. At the entrance stands several pillars, the top of which stands a statue that looks like a Pokémon.

"The city is a city of great faith in Latias and Ladios."

"Yes. According to legend, 'Latias and Ladios expelled the evil forces that attacked the city. ’”

"Ugh"

"Oh, are you interested?"

"It's not. I just want to know what the hell that evil thing is. Is it something that has to be expressed in such an abstract way, or is it the existence of 'can't be forced to express it in an abstract way'? "I'm worried about what's going on."

"You can go to the museum and ask, there is a museum here, and there are a lot of historical artifacts on display in it."

"That's a lot of fun."

Just as we were talking, the ferry arrived at the port.

Drop off your luggage and head to your booked hotel.

Since there was still some time before check-in, the two left their luggage at the hotel counter and went for a walk in the city.

"It's such a beautiful town."

Sirona said as she crossed the stone bridge over the waterway.

Instead of wearing her usual black coat, she walked around happily in light blue sleeveless and sandals.

On the other hand, Keim wore a black short-sleeved hoodie over a navy blue short-sleeved shirt, which didn't look much different from usual.

The water flowing under the bridge is clear for an inhabited city, and you can even see Pokémon swimming in the water.

"It's very different from other cities."

"For example?"

"First of all, the structure of the house is very different, it feels like a crowded apartment, but in this city, it may be treated as a so-called 'detached house'. The character of the old town is still intact. ”

"That's right. The city is classified as a Johto region, but in reality, it can feel exotic. The culture that has developed here is very different from that of the Johto area. Common. I think the only thing is that it's a Pokémon that lives in the Johto area. ”

Each region has a more or less different culture. It's the same in any region, and the way of life changes depending on the land. Due to the high amount of snowfall in the Sinnoh area, people often need to take snow precautions before starting their lives. The degree of development varies from town to town, but the atmosphere that can be called the overall "vibe" is similar everywhere.

However, this Altomare has a different atmosphere than the rest of the Johto region. The architecture, food, and lifestyle are not applicable anywhere else in the Johto area.

"But it doesn't matter. Feel the air of another region. ”

"Ahh It's nice to see up close that you're living a completely different life than you are now, like this, though it's hard to say. “

Looking into the waterway, you can see a few clear ponds swimming by.

"We've all come this far, let's go and see."

"Yes"

"Think about it, this is the hotel we are staying in, and they have a cable car to pick you up."

"Gondola ride? Interesting. ”

"Then why don't we take the cable car on our way home?"

"Isn't that okay? It's been a long time, let's ride. ”

I came to a clearing where I could see the sea.

"Wow, what a view"

"It seems to be the largest square in town."

The square is full of stalls and bustling.

In the center of the square stands what resembles a pillar, on which stands the statues of Latias and Ladios.

"Is there a war going on over there?"

"You're so excited, do you want to check it out?"

"Any"

For a moment, I thought it would be nice to be surrounded by a lot of people if the champion Barona went to take a peek, but after all, it was a different area, and I hadn't been there since I came to the Johto area. Being able to talk to Kem, so Kem is a special problem. I decided no.

An excited group of people is still fighting. One is a local, the other may be a tourist.

It was resolved shortly after Bai Nai and the others arrived.

The winner is a local. The two congratulated each other and shook hands.

"Looks like it's just over."

"Was that a bad time?"

After the race, just as I was about to leave, a victorious local walked towards Sirona.

"My sister over there is so beautiful! You look strong! ”

Sirona judged from the look in her eyes that this was meant to her, and walked towards the gathered crowd with a graceful smile.

"Are you nice to me?"

"Of course.

"Was your Pokémon injured in the fight?"

"I've recovered. The voltage is rising in these guys. It's not just one time. ”

The male Pokémon Odil let out a roar of affirmation.

"I see, I want to accept it, but I'm a person with a position.

"Hey, how do I get in? I'm good enough to qualify for the Pokémon League. ”

Sirona smiled gracefully at the fiercely smiling man.

"If you can defeat my disciple, I am your opponent. Cam, it's your turn. ”

"You are the one who is being nominated"

I hummed as I walked over to Sirona's side.

Honestly, I expected that to happen. When Sirona hears the words "man of status", Kem has a clear vision of what he will be forced to do in the future.

But since Sirona told me, I have no intention of refusing.

"Please tell me a good place"

"I don't look embarrassed in front of my master."

As he walked forward, Kem picked up a ball that hung from his waist.

"Please, Blackie."

"Let's go! Odile! ”

As soon as Blake left the ball, Odier stepped forward and the battle began.

ーー

"Big-leaved chrysanthemum! Leaf cutter! ”

"Blackie, Dodge and Shadow Ball"

Blackie dodges the released leaf cutter with a thin line and shoots out the shadow ball.

The opponent's Giant Aoi avoided a direct hit, but due to the accumulation of damage, it moved slowly, and even a small amount of damage seemed difficult.

"Let's go! Rush! ”

With the last of his strength, Meganim rushed towards Kuroko.

"Blackie, dodge at the last moment, finish the tail"

Black dodged Meganim's dash and kicked it hard in the face.

Meganim, who was unable to dodge due to his momentum, took it from Morrow and was knocked out.

"Meganium!"

"Don't stand up again, your jaw hurts, you're going to spin for a while."

"Oops! I lost! ”

The victory of Kem was decided at the same time as the fall of Meganim, and the people around were excited.

Sensing that the fight was over, Heiki approached Kem and rubbed his face against Cam's leg, as if praising him.

"Thank you, well done"

He picked up Hei and expressed his gratitude.

"Damn, I didn't expect the sunspot to be the third vertical."

"Because I'm training."

A man walked up and said regretfully.

The man defeated Odil, Bakuhun and Meganim with a sunspot. The regrets are worth it.

"Even I get all the gym badges."

"If you can only level up and punch, you can't beat me."

"Oh, yes. If I get into the Pokémon League like this, I'm sure I'll lose in the qualifiers. I should use my brain more. ”

Keim grabbed the man's outstretched hand.

"I learned a good lesson. Thank you. ”

"Is that so?"

"The next time we meet, I'll beat you and let you fight that sister, okay?"

"Don't do it, he's much better than me."

After all, he is the champion of the Sinnoh region and is undefeated in official competitions. No matter how well this guy trains, he honestly doesn't have a chance to win.

"Haha! That's good! Anyway, I won't lose again next time. ”

Well, the man waved his hand at Kem and left.

Kem, who had finally broken free from everyone's gaze, took a deep breath.

"Well done"

"Can you make the schedule as unreasonable as possible?"

A voice came from behind me, and I turned my head to see Sirona smiling gracefully.

"If it were you, you wouldn't lose to someone who only boosted your level and then punched you, right?"

"I think as long as you can properly increase the level of your Pokémon, you are still a good trainer."

Depending on how you raise Pokémon, leveling up is easy, but Pokémon fighting is first and foremost a sport. Rank is only one of the factors that determine victory or defeat. That's why Pokémon itself needs to learn "how to fight". Keim knows that there are areas that cannot be won by blindly exercising power.

In fact, if you just want to collect all the gym badges, just level up and work hard. But when it comes to Pokémon League, that's not the case. The fierce fighters who were able to participate in the main battle were trainers who had "improved their level and established their fighting style". The same is true for serious gym leaders. He discovers what style his companions are good at and builds techniques that work for them.

Keim is still in the stage of establishing his own style. I don't have enough experience to actually deal with it. That's why Sirona launched a battle against Kem to gain as much experience as possible.

"But it's good. You have style. ”

"It's great to have someone teach you."

"Hehe, you said something that made me happy."

Sirona handed the bottle, and when Kem took it, he drank the contents violently.

"Xiao Hei is also doing a good job."

Seeing Kuroko being touched and tickled by Sirona, Kem smiled slightly.

"Kem just passed."

“？ Seriously? ”

"I should have given you better instructions."

"For example?"

"The final counterattack, instead of aiming for a counterattack, is better to use a follow-up attack.

"I see. Indeed it is. ”

"But you did grow. You can be proud of it. ”

"Domo"

He's a lot better than before, but even so, from a championship point of view, there's still room for improvement.

"Let's go, there's a lot more I want to go."

Kem and Bleki chase after Sirona, who is in good spirits and leads the way in front.

ーー

After walking around the town for a while, the two finished their meal and stepped into the museum.

"Altoma Museum, huh?"

Altomare is a city steeped in history. As a result, many of the museum's exhibits are of high historical value.

The inside is imposing, and even among the many old buildings in Altomaré, it looks exceptionally old.

"Amazing"

"yes, I'm also here for the first time, so it's fun. It's a great place to learn about this town from its origins to the present day and how people live their lives. ”

Altomare is also known as the "City of Water". As a result, many of the machines on display are designed to control water.

There are also records of record-breaking disasters in history. Details such as how much damage was caused and what the cause was.

"Watertown sounds good, but it's going to be hard to survive."

"Since the city faces the sea, it is also a city that lives and dies because of water."

"It can easily be sunk by the oceanic climate alone."

"Yes, the day of a big storm must have been difficult.

"The very existence of the city is a testament to our efforts."

"I see"

Go to the museum.

Some of the things on display are Pokémon that have been turned into fossils.

"Hah, Kabutos?"

"Fossil Pokémon, isn't it? There have been such Pokémon for a long time. ”

"Fossil Pokémon vary greatly from region to region. There is one in the Hoenn region, but there are no Pokémon on display here. ”

"Because every region has a different ecosystem. I'm pretty sure there is Lilila among the fossil Pokémon in the Hoenn region. ”

"yes. The Sinnoh region is known as Zugaedos. “

"Now, we have established the technology to recover fossil Pokémon. Sometimes, I see trainers using fossil Pokémon. ”

"It's creative, but I don't know if it's good or not."

Technology can be good or bad, depending on how it is used. Whatever kind of technology it is, it can turn into the "worst technology" depending on who uses it.

Kem is also an inexperienced history student. I know of several cases in the past where the misuse of innovative technologies has led to disasters.

"I don't know if that's a good thing. But we shouldn't think about what it's like or what's dangerous. ”

"I know"

"It's a big machine."

In the largest hall of the museum, a very old but large and magnificent machine is on display.

"The place feels more like a cathedral than a museum."

"It seems that it was originally used as a cathedral, but now it seems that the building is being used as a museum."

"Ugh"

Please read the description of the large machine shown.

Obviously, this device is used to drive away "evil" from the outside world.

"Is this some kind of defense mechanism?"

"It looks like a machine that protects the city from 'evil' from the outside world. How to protect it really did not write. ”

“”

"Kem?"

"Nothing."

Sirona looked at Kem worriedly, and Kem's face instantly turned bitter, but Kem immediately returned to his normal expression and walked away.

“”

I seemed to understand the reason for Cam's bitter face, but Sirona didn't say it.

*

"Yes?"

After leaving the museum and walking around the city again, I suddenly felt someone staring at me from behind and looked back. But there is nothing there, only a narrow road. Xiao Hei at his feet must have sensed something, pricked up his ears, and looked behind him.

"What happened?"

"No, I feel like I'm being watched"

"Oh, I wonder if there are any Pokémon with ghost attributes."

"I don't know."

Kem decided it was just his imagination and stood by Sirona's side.

"Maybe there's someone like Ladias."

"Latias? Why? Is there a place where Latias can hide on this road? “

"There are quite a few legendary Pokémon that can be invisible. This is to prevent their power from being abused by manifestations. ”

"Uh, is that so?"

So far, Kem has not encountered the legendary Pokémon. As a result, while he knows something about legendary Pokémon, he doesn't know much about their ecology. I know a little bit about the Groud, Gaioka, Rykuza, and cashier-type Pokémon from the original Hoenn region, but at most it's just a legend, and even children know it. Also, I learned about the legends of the Sinnoh region after working as Sirona's assistant, so I also have some understanding, but I haven't encountered the legendary Pokémon yet.

"Do you have Sirona? Met the legendary Pokémon"

"Me?

"Is Full Moon Island an isolated island in the northern Sinnoh region?"

"Yes. That's where I met Creslia. It is a very beautiful Pokémon. “

It is said that Sirona once met Cresalia, the ruler of the moon.

Judging by what Kem didn't know, and judging by what Shirona herself said a long time ago, it was probably time for Shirona to become a champion. I didn't ask for details, but from the way he spoke I guessed I just knew him. There was no fighting, only "encounters". Legendary Pokémon often protect their land. Therefore, if it disappears from there, it may cause the divine protection of the Pokémon in that land to disappear. That's why Bai Nai was not captured or fought.

Kem thinks this is typical of her love for the Pokémon race.

"I didn't do anything special, but it was nice to meet you."

"I see. I also want to meet Pokémon like that one day. “

"Are you interested?"

"Any animal trainer would be interested. I have no intention of catching them, but I want to meet them once. ”

The legendary Pokémon hide great power. Kem himself didn't even have the slightest desire to capture the legendary Pokémon, but he was still interested in its existence.

"Someday I'll see you"

"Why can't you just say it"

"Because you're easily liked by Pokémon."

"I don't think we can just meet."

I looked away from Sirona in disgust, looked ahead and saw a flyer on the wall.

If you look closer, it says "Water Race Show Tournament Recruits Participants".

"There's something stuck on it."

"Oh, it's a water race."

"Water races?"

"That's right, it's a race that takes place on the waterways of the city of Altomaré. The water-type Pokémon pulls the boat, and the trainer manipulates the reins of the water-type Pokémon to reach the end. “

"But it can only be done in the summer, can it?"

"It says it's an exhibition, so it might be different from the competition we hold every year."

"You must have a water-type Pokémon to be eligible."

"Are you interested?"

"No"

I thought he must have been interested in the book because he read it with surprisingly enthusiasm, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

"First of all, I don't have water-type Pokémon."

"Can I borrow it?"

"Even if it's Sirona's Pokémon, it's hard for me to get decent results in a short period of time."

"I thought you were interested in it because you read it with enthusiasm."

"I just thought it would be fun as a spectacle.

The date of the event coincided with my stay, so it came at the right time.

"The prize is a medal made of Altomare's famous glass."

"Oh, it's so beautiful."

"What do you like?"

"Yes.

Then an idea popped into Kem's mind.

Before going to the museum, I remembered that the fight had been completely thrown at me, and I planned to fight back.

"Hey, are the champions of the Sinnoh region intimidated by this? Shirona fighting on a bigger stage. “

"Fighting and playing are different. And, although I have ridden Milo Carlos, I have never pulled a boat. ”

"yes. But there's something Bai Nai can do, right? “

"How can you say that?"

"Because he's my teacher, the best teacher in the world."

I wouldn't say what I'm best at. Because you don't have to say it to know.

"And just now, I showed you how I grew in battle, you know?"

"Do you want to get back on your feet?"

"Yes, but there is one more reason that is the most powerful."

"What is the reason?"

"I want to see how cool Shirona is."

The corners of Kem's mouth, which usually doesn't smile at people, are slightly raised, but he shows a defiant smile at Sirona.

Sirona's heart was pierced by that expression, and the remaining trace of resistance disappeared, and she raised her hands.

"Surrender, you say so, I can't back down either."

"Don't worry, I'll support you well."

"That's obvious, right? If you don't support me, I'll be disloyal in the game. ”

"If you're unfaithful, it's troublesome, please forgive me."

With a wry smile, Kem snapped a picture of the flyer with his smartphone.

"It seems that you can receive it online, but it seems that this cable car repair shop is doing it."

"It's not that far, I'm here for sightseeing, let's go."

The two began to walk according to the map.

Blackie followed them, but stopped to stare behind them. After all, there is nothing, but Kuroko feels that there is 'something'.

"Negro"

Hearing Cam's voice, Blackie turned and rushed towards him.

"Excuse me."

The two visited a cable car repair shop near the museum.

"Alright, alright."

When I raised my voice, a sturdy old man came out from behind.

Looks like I don't know if it's the owner of this shop.

"How's it going? If it's a cable car repair, I'll take it."

"Oh no, I want to participate in the upcoming water races."

"Oh yes! I'm glad we're still one person away. ”

"Oh, it's a slide-in safe."

"What's your name, please?"

"Sirona."

"Sirona, are you from the Sinnoh region?"

The old man knew Shirona.

In particular, just by looking at his name, it seems that you can't recognize his appearance.

"Yes"

"This and this, this is a pretty famous person."

"I'm not incognito, it's just not good to make a loud noise, so can I ask you to be quiet?"

"No problem, please rest assured."

"Okay"

"Sorry for the delay. My name is Pengora. I make a living repairing gondolas in this town. ”

The old man introduced himself as Pengola and turned his gaze to Kem.

"Who are these people?"

"Oh, my assistant"

"My name is Cam. Nice to meet you. ”

"I'm Mr. Keim. Nice to meet you. ”

Pengola smiled happily as she handed a piece of paper to Sirona.