After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly lively.
At the table, the orange glow emanating from Iron Boulder had taken on a deep, flushed red, and its eyes had become unfocused.
It pounded its front paw on the table with gusto, making the cups clatter, yet it remained oblivious, simply grinning and laughing heartily.
This Pokemon, known for its immense strength and rigidity, was now, on its home turf, displaying a rare and utterly relaxed state of intoxication.
What was striking was that alongside it, drinking freely, was the massive Iron Thorns, covered in hard metal armor.
Its thick metal hand, capable of crushing mountains, now held a specially made large wooden cup filled with clear, strong liquor, with a dexterity utterly unsuited to its appearance.
From time to time, it would tilt its head back, gulping down the alcohol with a dull thud, and a hint of pleasant tipsiness showed in its green eyes.
Xiao Mei and the others also happily ate two Energy Cubes and tasted a few sips of fruit wine, enjoying themselves immensely!
"Ha... haha!" Iron Boulder's tongue was tied. It turned its massive head towards Iron Thorns beside it, its voice loud but swaying with drunkenness: "Number 669... *hic*, no, Iron Thorns... tell me! This time, going out with the kid Chen... the, the world outside... what was it like? Is it livelier than our deep mountains and old forests?"
Iron Thorns set down its cup, its metal body rotating slightly with a low grinding sound.
It could still metabolize alcohol normally. After a moment of serious thought, it replied in a dull but clear tone, like rocks colliding: "...Very lively.
Energy... flows more actively.
Environment... very comfortable."
"Hahahaha! Good! Good!" Iron Boulder seemed extremely pleased with this answer, its laughter shaking the already dilapidated rafters.
It took another mighty gulp of wine, then, with blurry, drunken eyes, leaned closer to Iron Thorns, its breath heavy with alcohol, its voice a little lower, full of mischief and curiosity, and asked: "Then... then what do you think... of this kid, Chen Kai?"
Chen Kai, who was drinking juice nearby, nearly choked on his drink, his face instantly darkening.
Who asks such a question directly? Iron Boulder really was quite drunk!
However, Iron Thorns was unusually straightforward.
It didn't even turn to look at Chen Kai, simply maintaining its usual factual attitude, and honestly replied in its calm, dull voice: "Chen Kai... is very good."
This simple three-word evaluation, devoid of any flowery language, made the previously boisterous drinking table fall silent for a moment.
Iron Boulder stopped drinking, its drunkenness seemingly clearing by half. It stared at Iron Thorns, wide-eyed and incredulous.
Chen Kai was also stunned, his embarrassment gradually replaced by surprise. He hadn't expected Iron Thorns to have such a good impression of him!
And Iron Boulder knew its subordinate too well.
Iron Thorns had followed it through countless battles, traversing dozens of vastly different worlds, meeting all sorts of humans and Pokemon, and possessed an extremely rich experience.
Iron Thorns' personality was steady, almost rigid, and it rarely offered evaluations of things, especially positive ones.
For it to utter the words "very good," the weight of that praise was something Iron Boulder understood perfectly; it was practically unprecedented!
"Hahahahaha! Good! Good! Good!" After a brief silence, Iron Boulder's laughter became even more uninhibited and hearty, filled with an indescribable joy and relief, louder than any time before.
It gently patted Chen Kai's shoulder, but still hard enough to make Chen Kai wince, "Good kid! You've got something! To make my subordinate actually praise someone! Hahahaha! One more drink!"
With that, it used Confusion to lift a barrel of wine, not bothering to pour it into cups, but directly filling its own and Iron Thorns' special large cups, and declared with grand ambition: "Come on! Drink! Today is a happy day! We won't go home until we're drunk!"
Iron Thorns seemed to be influenced by Iron Boulder's mood, silently raising its refilled cup.
Chen Kai looked at the scene before him, which had become boisterous again, even more out of control, watching the loudly laughing Iron Boulder and the silently raising-its-cup Iron Thorns, and could only give a helpless, wry smile.
He had originally planned to go to Iron Crown's side, but it seemed that wouldn't be possible today.
This hearty drinking session lasted from when the sun began to set until the moon was high in the sky.
Ultimately, Iron Thorns' massive metal body silently took on the task of cleaning up the mess.
Chen Kai leaned back in his chair, watching the scene with a hint of amusement—this powerful Pokemon, who had once bravely clashed with Diancie, shattered a skyscraper in France with a single kick, and instantly defeated a group of Ultra Beasts, was now using its sharp fingers, capable of crushing steel, to meticulously, almost clumsily, wipe stains from the wooden table with a rag, its movements so gentle as if handling fragile treasures, fearing that a single misstep would cause the table to fall apart.
This stark contrast made Chen Kai's mind involuntarily conjure the phrase "tough guy with a tender heart," though it seemed a bit odd to apply it to Iron Thorns.
"Come on, kid, up there... *hic*... let's cool off." Iron Boulder swayed over, its large horn on its forehead glowing orange, and it used Psychic to lift Chen Kai, taking him outside without question.
The two floated up to the not-so-high rooftop.
The night breeze, carrying the coolness of the forest, blew gently, instantly dispelling much of the post-drinking heat.
The bright moonlight poured down like quicksilver, bathing the entire jungle and the open space before them in a soft silver, and the distant low cries of unknown Pokemon made the night seem even more tranquil.
Iron Boulder plopped down on the rooftop, nearly collapsing it. It patted the spot beside it.
Chen Kai sat down next to it, the cool night breeze clearing his mind, which had been somewhat muddled by recent trivial matters.
Perhaps it was the utterly silent atmosphere, perhaps the easygoing nature of this 'legendary Pokemon,' or perhaps the accumulated frustrations of recent times had finally found a seemingly reliable outlet... Chen Kai gazed at the clear, cold moon in the sky, and after a moment of silence, suddenly felt the urge to confide.
He didn't need the other party to offer many solutions; perhaps he merely needed someone to listen.
He haltingly recounted his travels over the past month, from the ancient mountains of France, to his reluctant return to the Capital of Longguo, and then from modern cities, all the way to the sunny, distinctively charming Alola region.
He spoke of the various people and Pokemon he had met, Princess Diancie, and Longguo's friendly attitude towards it.
He spoke of the beautiful scenery along the way, and also of the unpleasant things—especially in Alola, the stifling frustration and helplessness brought by certain people or events, the intricate web of vested interests and ideological conflicts that even the powerful Island Guardian Kapus were powerless against, leaving him feeling powerless and annoyed.
These matters were currently beyond Miraidon's temporary capabilities. He usually suppressed these emotions, but now, under the moonlight, he poured them all out to a half-drunk Pokemon.
Sometimes it's like this: when people seriously discuss troublesome matters, they might not find solutions after discussing for a long time, and instead become more depressed.
But if they don't seek solutions, and simply confide while under the influence of alcohol, and then everyone forgets about it the next day, it can actually be quite stress-relieving.
Chen Kai felt a little better because of this now.
And Iron Boulder just sat there quietly, its rugged profile softened slightly by the moonlight.
It had, at some point, pulled out a small flask from behind itself, occasionally taking a sip, but mostly just listening in silence.
Though still intoxicated, its eyes were no longer unfocused, but showed a calmness born of much experience, as it listened intently to Chen Kai's narration.
Until Chen Kai's words gradually ceased, leaving only soft breaths and the sound of the night wind, Iron Boulder slowly spoke, its voice hoarse from drinking, yet possessing a strange penetrative quality: "So... your Blue Star has so many... different countries, huh..."
It paused, seemingly digesting the information, then continued: "That... Unova region you just mentioned? Humph, it sounds a bit like my old world...
The people there also always loved to spout grand principles, making a fuss, saying things like leading backward worlds, but in reality, it was just greed...
If you want to invade another world, then invade it, but they always have to find some high-sounding reasons."
It tilted its head back, took a sip of wine, and sighed: "Xiao Kai, some things... just let them go. The world is big, and there are all sorts of birds, and people are the same.
Not everything can go your way, and not all reasons can be understood... Sometimes, out of sight, out of mind; avoiding something isn't necessarily cowardice."
It patted its chest, laughing at itself, "Otherwise... why would I, this old man, hide away in Area Zero for peace and quiet? It's annoying... even I, sometimes, truly can't do anything."
However, Iron Boulder's topic shifted, and when it mentioned Longguo's approach to Diancie, its brow relaxed somewhat, and it nodded: "Hmm... what your Longguo did with this matter, it's quite decent.
Respect, minimal disturbance... that's right.
When dealing with Pokemon like us, you really can't force things, nor can you be dismissive. This way... is quite good."
Chen Kai listened to Iron Boulder's drunken yet heartfelt words. Although he didn't get specific answers, the stifling feeling in his chest seemed to genuinely dissipate quite a bit with the night wind.
"Then, do you want to try to make contact with Longguo?" Chen Kai was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, suggesting.
He then quickly explained and made up for it: "Of course, I'm just making a suggestion; how to proceed is still up to you."
"Haha, no need to be nervous." Iron Boulder found Chen Kai's flustered appearance somewhat amusing: "You didn't say anything wrong; I think your suggestion is quite good. I'll go discuss it with those two tomorrow."
"If the people of Longguo are indeed as you described, then contact is certainly worth considering."
Another voice suddenly rang out.
Chen Kai turned his head, only to see two figures quietly standing in the shadows on the other side of the rooftop, he didn't know when they had appeared.
One of them was elegant and slender, gleaming with a cold luster in the moonlight, its entire body primarily a deep, inky green, its four feet lightly touching the tiles, as if it had merged with the surrounding night. This was Iron Leaves.
And the other figure floated beside Iron Leaves. It had a bluish-green body, like a combination of metal and carapace, silent, yet exuding an undeniable, cold and wise aura. This was Iron Crown.
The one who had just spoken was, naturally, Iron Leaves.
Iron Boulder scoffed: "Oh! Greeny, you want to go to Blue Star too? Are you that eager to make Leafage tea?"
"Boom—!"
Chen Kai didn't even react; he just saw a pink glow emanate from Iron Leaves, and Iron Boulder, such a large Pokemon that had been sitting beside him, instantly vanished without a trace!
And in the distance, a huge cloud of dust and smoke suddenly erupted, with gravel and grass flying everywhere!
From the bottom of the pit came a rustling and a painful groan.
Iron Boulder lay on its back at the bottom of the pit, its drunkenness clearly more than half gone, dizzily trying to get up.
And Iron Leaves, still standing elegantly in place, coldly cursed towards the large pit, a clear hint of anger in its voice:
"You drink a little horse piss and forget your own weight. You were the strongest opponent then, and now you're the first to suggest making contact. You damn well deserve a beating!"
Iron Boulder climbed out, indeed remembering this, and gave a sheepish laugh: "Hehe."
Iron Crown cleared its throat and began to speak to a surprised Chen Kai: "We apologize for eavesdropping on your conversation. If Longguo, as you described, treats beings different from itself with the principles of respect and coexistence, as you said..."
It paused slightly, seemingly evaluating something, then continued: "Then, limited contact and cooperation are not unfeasible."
Chen Kai grinned happily. His spur-of-the-moment suggestion seemed to have... truly sparked an unexpected reaction.
Iron Leaves' gaze then subtly shifted downwards towards Iron Bundle and Iron Hands, the two Pokemon helping Iron Thorns clean up. Its voice rang out again, carrying a long-term consideration:
"Iron Boulder, Iron Crown, and I. The three of us, we don't really care about the outside world.
In our long lives, sleep and waking alternate; one closed eye might mean a hundred years for mortals. Changes in the outside world are perhaps just a fleeting moment for us."
"It's just that these two little ones have been in Area Zero since birth, and it's been a hundred years already.
Iron Hands' mind has long since flown to the vibrant world outside, an uncontainable restlessness.
Even a well-behaved child like Iron Bundle will show a simple fondness for the ingenious creations of the outside world—like human crystal balls."
"Yes, even Iron Thorns drinks now, haha." Iron Boulder climbed back onto the roof, adding.
Iron Crown turned its gaze to Chen Kai: "We also need to consider the future for these 'youngsters' who follow us. We cannot let them be forever confined here because of us three, only able to imagine the vastness of the world through our memories."
Chen Kai nodded slowly at this. He understood; Iron Leaves and the others didn't truly care about themselves, but rather about their relatively "young" subordinates who were full of curiosity about the world.
Seclusion was a choice for the strong seeking tranquility, not a restriction on those who came after.
Seeing that Chen Kai understood the reason, Iron Crown continued: "Since we've decided that limited external contact is necessary, then a reliable and mutually acceptable 'agent' is essential.
This person must first be trusted by the three of us, and then be responsible for communication and negotiation with the outside world, ensuring that the contact process is stable and controllable, and upholding our wishes and safety.
After observation and evaluation, Iron Leaves and I unanimously believe that you are the most suitable choice at present.
Chen Kai, will you agree to be our agent for communication between this group of Paradox Pokemon and the outside world, especially with your Longguo?"
"Eh? Me?" Chen Kai was stunned, his finger even subconsciously pointing at himself.