Pokémon, Ash is going to become a perfect man from now on.

"Hey, if you go out now, are you going to eat dinner or not?" By the time Aya chased after her, the girl had already ridden her bicycle far away.

"No problem, no problem~"

A girl's confident voice drifted faintly through the air, and Ayako couldn't help but sigh helplessly upon hearing it.

This kid, every time he says there's nothing wrong, there's actually a big problem...

Chapter 712 Reunion at the Research Institute... and Rotom of Hades!

Sandstone Town isn't far from Twinleaf Town. Ash and Lillie set off in their Dragonite and soon arrived at the Yamanashi Research Institute.

"Hello, we've come to visit Professor Yamanashi," Ash told his assistant.

"Is this Mr. Ash from Kanto? Please come in. Professor Yamanashi and Ms. Cynthia are inside."

The assistant led Ash and his companion into the research institute, where they happened to see a white-haired professor chatting happily with the champion. The champion was holding a food bowl, seemingly having just fed her Pokémon.

On the long table beside her, three little Pokémon were struggling to get food; they were the starter Pokémon from Sinnoh.

Grass turtle, Piplup, and Chimchar...

They all looked very small, about the same size as the baby Mudkip on Wudou Island, and must have just hatched not long ago.

Ash's gaze lingered on the Fire Starter for a moment, naturally reminding him of the incredibly inspiring Fire Master from the anime.

"Waaah?" The latter seemed to sense something as well. It glanced at Ash, grinned for a while, and then continued eating.

"Oh, Ash, you're here." Professor Yamanashi noticed Ash at that moment.

He is sixty years old this year, but he is tall and strong with a serious face, giving people a sense of authority without anger.

It is said that many people in academia are afraid of his authority... such as a certain chuanliu master.

However, Xiao Zhi knew that the other party was actually a seasoned dessert lover, and he had brought a gift for him this time.

"Hello, Professor Yamanashi," Ash replied politely, while taking out a gift he had prepared beforehand. "These are Angry Buns from Kaji Town, which Professor Oak specially asked me to bring to you."

"At least he can remember some important things." Dr. Yamanashi reached out and took it, his expression softening.

"Ash, it's been so long since we last met. Did you prepare a gift for me?" When it was Cynthia's turn, who was already familiar with Ash, her greeting was much more casual. She directly reached out to Ash to ask for the gift.

She was probably helping out at the research institute; instead of her usual black trench coat, she was wearing a white lab coat, looking very much like a uniform...

“Of course we wouldn’t forget Cynthia.” Ash immediately handed over a dessert box. “This is for you, and also to congratulate Cynthia on becoming the Sinnoh Champion.”

"Your congratulations are a bit late... but the dessert is quite exquisite." Cynthia picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, immediately showing an expression of enjoyment. "I say, did you make this yourself?"

"Miss Cynthia is joking. I don't have that skill... My girlfriend made these." Ash waved his hand to clarify that these desserts were actually made by Serena.

"Girlfriend? ...It doesn't matter, as long as there's food." Cynthia waved her hand dismissively, then turned to Lillie. "So, this is the girlfriend you were talking about?"

"Uh...no!" Lillie hurriedly explained, politely introducing herself to the two, "I'm Lillie, and for some reason, I'm currently traveling with Ash."

The young lady is the kind of well-behaved girl that no one can find fault with. Both Miss Cabbage and Dr. Yamanashi have a good impression of her.

As for that 'certain reason,' since Ash brought them to Sinnoh on a mission, they knew it was something they shouldn't inquire about.

"Oh, right, there's something I need to thank you for." Cynthia suddenly put her hand on Ash's shoulder gratefully. "I didn't even know you did my sister a huge favor before."

"You...sister?" Xiao Zhi asked, puzzled.

When did Miss Cabbage suddenly have an older sister? And when did I ever meet her?

"Still pretending~" Cynthia said with a smile that she had seen through her long ago, "You clearly know that girl Mako, but you kept it from me when we were in the Orange Islands."

"Okay..." Ash finally sorted out the relationship.

He previously regained Ho-Oh's resurrection power in another world, and at the same time, he reintegrated the worlds and interpersonal relationships that had been separated. Therefore, between Ash's tenth birthday and his tenth year, ten months, and ten days, he traveled with Mako and Souji.

Then, for some reason, Cynthia gained an older sister, and Mako became the daughter of that unknown older sister.

Then, because of that trip, Chengzi, who had run away from home, resolved her inner conflict and went back to open up to her mother, resulting in a happy ending for both mother and daughter.

When this was relayed to Cynthia, she naturally felt even more grateful to Ash.

So you see how interesting this is? Helping Ho-Oh with a task actually increased Cabbage Sister's affection level!

But having said that, Ash really misses his friends Mako and Souji. If he has some free time this time, he should get together with them...

"Ash, you're here just in time. Take a look at this." Professor Yamanashi led Ash to a medical pod. "Did Snow City tell you that we're in trouble here?"

"Uh...no." Ash was a little embarrassed; Professor Oak was probably going to get a scolding again.

"I knew that guy was unreliable!" Dr. Yamanashi snapped, opening the medical pod.

Ash then realized that it was a device that was always powered on, and inside lay an orange Pokémon, Rotom, which was the one he was going to find next!

“I heard from Snow City that you needed Rotom, so I looked into it for you. We found this Rotom at the Forest Mansion, but it’s in very bad condition,” Dr. Yamanashi explained. “For some reason, its body is constantly losing power, and if it’s not replenished regularly, it won’t even be able to maintain its physical form!”

"Is that so?" Ash frowned and examined Rotom's body, finding that there was indeed something wrong with it.

This isn't an illusion like a ghost, but rather like an object that was originally charged but suddenly becomes unable to attract electrical charges.

Rotom's body is made of plasma, and if it loses its charge, it is equivalent to its body collapsing!

Its outer plasma shell is now almost gone, and even its arms are nearly gone.

"Pikachu, try to supply it with electricity." Ash thought for a moment and then had Pikachu inject electricity into Rotom.

"Rotom...Rotom?" Rotom groaned weakly, then immediately opened his eyes wide!

Its plasma shell instantly recovered, and it floated up from the medical pod, curiously examining Pikachu.

"Roto!" It seemed to really like Pikachu's electricity, and immediately pounced on it, grabbing Pikachu's tail with both hands.

"Don't worry, Pikachu will provide you with electricity," Ash reassured Rotom, who then released his grip.

It flew around Ash once, seemingly to express its gratitude.

"Amazing! Pikachu healed Rotom in one go!" Professor Yamanashi exclaimed incredulously.

"It's not cured, it just means Pikachu's electricity is stronger, which can make up for Rotom's deficit in one go," Ash explained, shaking his head. "Unless its physical problem is resolved, its electricity will continue to dissipate."

“But we’ve done so many tests, and we still don’t know the cause,” Dr. Yamanashi said, shaking his head helplessly.

"I just asked, and it got like this because of an accident," Ash explained. "It might have been the first Rotom to be researched that could change form using household appliances, but the constant experimentation with different appliances made it difficult for it to accumulate charge, and it even caused a serious electrical leak during one of its form changes!"

If Ash isn't mistaken, Rotom's original owner was Pluton... who is the scientist from Team Galactic.

The Forest Mansion was once the residence of Hades, where he studied the changes of Rotom, using the very one before him.

Hades was trying to find a way to solve Rotom's problem once and for all, so that Rotom wouldn't have to change his home appliance so frequently.

However, Rotom's body soon could not withstand the strain, and Hades had no choice but to end the experiment.

When Pluto abandoned the Forest Mansion, he didn't take Rotom with him. As a result, Rotom made a mistake while idly replacing an appliance, and ended up looking like this...

"Rotom, you can come with me from now on, so Pikachu can easily recharge you whenever you want," Ash suggested to Rotom... Of course, that's not what he said in private.

(I have a way to let you see that person again... If you'd like, become my Pokémon for now.)

"Lotom!" Rotom agreed without hesitation.

In its current state, it must rely on Pikachu's electricity to survive.

If it stays by Ash's side, it might have a chance to see that person again...

Then ask him why!

Chapter 713 The God of Emotions Chosen a Nine-Year-Old Savior…

After having dinner at the Yamanashi Research Institute, Ash and Lillie decided to go for a walk.

"I heard... Xinqi Lake is nearby?"

The three lakes of Sinnoh are famous throughout the region, and they are also very close by, so Lillie naturally wanted to go and see them.

Ash was determined to fulfill the girl's wish, so the two went out together, only to run into the Sinnoh Champion, who was taking a stroll after dinner.

“Going to Xinqi Lake? Can you add someone? I’ll show you the way.” Cynthia naturally joined the trip. “Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I’ve been there.”

"Miss Cynthia, are you familiar with Lake Heartbeat?" Lillie asked curiously.

“I used to be Dr. Yamanashi’s assistant. Back then, I worked with Gible and our daily routine consisted of organizing data at the research institute,” Cynthia explained with a smile. “In my spare time, I would often come to Lake Heartbeat to play.”

Looking back on her past life, Cynthia seemed to miss it very much.

Ash imagined what the other person looked like when they were still a little cabbage; they must have been so cute...

Amidst laughter and conversation, the three arrived at the shore of Xinqi Lake.

This is a large lake with crystal-clear water that reflects the setting sun in the distance.

A thin mist floated on the lake, adding a touch of mystery to the entire lake.

"This place is so beautiful!" Lillie exclaimed happily. "I heard that legendary Pokémon live in Lake Heartbeat?"

“That’s true. They are legendary Pokémon known as the Lake Gods,” Cynthia nodded. “Lake Heart, Lake Steadfast, and Lake Wise… all three of Sinnoh’s great lakes have such legends.”

“Sinnoh actually has four lakes, right… Near Lake Tide, isn’t there a Fountain of Farewell?” Ash suddenly interjected.

“I didn’t expect you to know even this.” Cynthia raised her beautiful eyebrows. “The Fountain of Farewell, even many Sinnoh scholars don’t know about it.”

"I happen to be quite interested." Xiao Zhi's smile carried a hint of meaning.