Chapter 226: Let Hoopa Show You What It Feels Like to Fly!

[VIP Chat Group]

[May]: Wait, wait, wait——Hoopa’s good friend who can’t fly was actually Groudon?!

[Gary]: ...I was just wondering what kind of person would treat "can’t fly" as one of their defining traits. I never expected it to be Groudon. Sorry, I still underestimated Hoopa’s social circle.

[Lorelei]: Groudon is the God of the Land in the Hoenn region. According to legend, every step it takes can create new land. Would a being on that level really care whether it can fly or not?

[Leon]: I can kind of understand it. Just imagine the three Hoenn legends having a meeting. The other two are talking up in the sky, while Groudon is stuck below yelling, "What are you saying?! I can’t hear you!"

[Raihan]: Leon, that image is way too vivid. I’m already feeling embarrassed on Groudon’s behalf.

[Iris]: Hahaha! Hoopa suddenly feels kind of evil too. Bringing Meowstic to meet Groudon is basically like saying, "Look at this Groudon. It can’t fly either, but it’s still living a perfectly happy life, so not being able to use psychic powers isn’t that big of a deal!"

[Flint]: Suffering itself isn’t frightening. What’s frightening is realizing someone else is suffering even more than you—and somehow feeling a little comforted by it.

[Volkner]: Flint, that was way too philosophical. It doesn’t sound like something you’d say.

[Bianca]: But... is Hoopa seriously not going to get hit for this?

[Diantha]: It won’t. Hoopa can fly, so Groudon can’t hit it. (Certain.)

[Skyla]: Groudon: Do you have any manners?

[Valerie]: Hahaha, this is way too funny.

The video continued playing.

"Hoopa."

Lillie gently tugged on Hoopa’s little hand.

"The good friend you were talking about is Groudon?"

"That’s right, that’s right!"

Hoopa puffed out its chest proudly.

"Groudon is one of Hoopa’s very best friends! Other than not being able to fly, it can do anything!"

Two streams of scorching steam blasted from Groudon’s nostrils.

"ROOOAR——" (Hoopa, do you actually need something or not? I’m trying to soak in magma. I don’t have time to play with you.)

"Hoopa isn’t here to play!"

Hoopa gestured wildly with both hands.

"This Meowstic can’t use her psychic powers anymore. She’s really, really sad, so Hoopa thought you’d definitely be able to cheer her up!"

"Roooar~"(What’s that got to do with me?)

Groudon slowly sank farther back into the magma.

"Roar roar——" (I’m the God of the Land, not the God of Therapy.)

"Of course it has something to do with you!"

Hoopa spoke as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You’re a Legendary Pokémon who’s lived for who-knows-how-many tens of thousands of years and still hasn’t achieved your dream of flying!"

"You must have tons of life experience!"

"If you share all that wisdom with Meowstic, she’ll definitely learn to be strong just like you!"

Groudon slowly rose from the magma.

Molten rock streamed down its scales.

The entire volcano began to tremble.

"ROOOOOOOOAR——!!!!!" (WHO DID YOU SAY CAN’T FLY——?!!!!!)

[VIP Chat Group]

[Flint]: Hahahahahaha! Groudon: I’m the God of the Land! Hoopa: You can’t fly. Groudon: ...

[Volkner]: Hoopa struck Groudon’s one and only weakness with perfect accuracy. As expected of Team Elaria’s trash-talker.

[Steven]: Makes perfect sense. Hoopa is a Pokémon raised by Brother Asher, after all. The trash talk is clearly hereditary.

[Asher]: Steven, can you stop dragging me into everything? Go on, tell me. What exactly makes you think Hoopa learned its trash talk from me?

[Steven]: Hey, Brother Asher, don’t get worked up. Every time you say something has nothing to do with you, it always ends up getting proven true later anyway.

[Asher]: ...

[Leon]: Hahaha. Asher and Steven’s love-hate routine is practically a regular segment at this point.

[Raihan]: Seriously. I don’t think I could even enjoy my meals anymore if this stopped happening.

[Lana]: Come to think of it, Hoopa’s logic is actually pretty normal. It thinks Groudon has "already gotten used to the pain of not being able to fly," so he must "have a lot of wisdom to share." The problem is, you can’t say something like that right in front of Groudon!

[Diantha]: Hehe. I actually think Hoopa’s way of handling the problem is pretty good. Its way of expressing itself is just a little... creative.

[Skyla]: Master, I think you’ve already developed the full mother-of-Elaria filter. You love Elaria so much that now even when Hoopa does something ridiculous, you’re looking at it through rose-colored glasses.

[Diantha]: I’m only stating the facts.

The video continued playing.

"Hoopa is telling the truth!"

Hoopa planted its hands on its hips, showing absolutely no fear of death.

"You really do——Mmph mmph!!"

Lillie immediately covered Hoopa’s mouth and dragged it back into her arms.

"Mr. Groudon! Hoopa doesn’t know any better! Please don’t take it seriously! We’ll leave right now!"

Two streams of scorching steam blasted from Groudon’s nostrils.

It slowly raised one enormous claw.

Lillie instinctively stepped in front of Elaria, her fingers already pressing against a Poké Ball.

Then—

Groudon slammed its massive claw into the ground.

The entire volcano shook again.

From the center of the magma pool, a crimson rock slowly rose into view.

Dark-golden patterns covered its surface, glowing faintly beneath the intense heat.

"ROAR——ROAR ROAR ROAR!" (This is a lava crystal from the core of the volcano! It can help reactivate the energy inside her body! Take it and leave, so you stop bothering me!)

Hoopa wriggled free from Lillie’s arms and flew over to the lava crystal.

It inspected the stone from above, below, left, and right.

"How do you use it? Does Meowstic just eat it? Won’t it burn her mouth?"

Groudon rolled its eyes.

"ROAR!" (She just needs to hold it! The energy inside the stone will help her feel her own power again!)

Elaria accepted the lava crystal.

It was scorching hot the moment it touched her hands, but its surface quickly cooled until it was merely warm.

Holding the stone carefully, she walked over and crouched down in front of Meowstic.

Meowstic stared at the glowing crystal.

Then she looked up at Groudon.

The tip of her tail trembled almost imperceptibly.

"..Meow." (...Thank you.)

Groudon turned its head away and sank back into the magma.

"Roar." (Hurry up and leave. Stop interrupting my bath.)

Hoopa suddenly reached through one of its rings and pulled out an enormous megaphone.

It pointed the megaphone straight at Groudon.

"Good friend! You helped Hoopa out big time!"

"So Hoopa has decided—— TO LET YOU EXPERIENCE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FLY!!"

Groudon’s expression instantly became incredibly complicated.

Its eyes lit up first.

Then it immediately forced its face back into a stern expression and spoke in the calmest tone it could manage.

"ROOOAR——" (It’s not like I particularly want to fly or anything. But since this is a gift from a friend, I suppose I’ll cooperate.)

"Right, right! Cooperate, cooperate!"

Hoopa nodded furiously.

...

TL: Lmao didn’t expect them to make it a tsundere.