Chapter 3: Xiaozhi's appearance (and Xiaoyao's coke bike)
Because the research institute's supplies were about to run out, Heimer and Bombyx went out to the nearby town early this morning to purchase goods for the research institute.
By the way, after the last Proud Swallow incident, Dr. Odamaki left them some change in case of emergency.
Back to the topic, because Dr. Odamaki went out for research and the assistants in the institute had other work to do, the task of going out to purchase supplies naturally fell on Heimer.
After buying supplies in the town, Heimer also bought a piece of Taiyaki for Bulrush. The rich red bean filling made Bulrush very greedy. Seeing Bulrush happily eating the Taiyaki in his hand, Heimer felt very happy for some reason.
Perhaps it’s because the relationship between them is deep enough. As the saying goes, the happiness of close friends is contagious.
(The wood gecko really likes to eat delicious food. Hmm, next time the doctor is on a business trip, I will take him to try the newly opened pastry shop. Hmm, but I still have to spend money sparingly. After all, I don’t want to go to the forest to pick fruit for the second time.)
When almost reaching the research institute, Heimer, who was carrying a lot of bags, saw from afar a girl with a red headscarf on her head asking something to an assistant from the research institute. He recognized at a glance that the girl was Xiaoyao!
Xiaoyao looks like an eighteen-year-old girl, and her clothes are similar to those in the animation, with a yellow waist bag and a red headscarf.
(Oh, that means Xiaoyao will soon lose her bicycle. I feel so sorry for her.)
Because today the work of preparing Pokémon for the newcomers was done by other staff members of the institute, otherwise, Heimer should have discovered long ago that today was the day Xiaoyao came to get the Pokémon.
Xiaoyao asked the assistant of the institute some questions and then rode away on his bicycle. The assistant sighed and said.
Assistant: "This lady is really impatient."
After Xiaoyao left, Heimer held the things and asked his assistant about what happened. He recalled the animation process and calculated the time.
(Hmm, so next, Xiaoyao will meet Dr. Odamaki, and according to the plot of the animation, they will return to the research institute after a while.)
Although Heimer wanted to help, he was still afraid that it would disrupt the original development, so he did not rush to help the doctor.
After Heimer and Bumblebee moved the things into the house, they started to do today's cleaning work while eating snacks.
(It should be about time.)
As expected, after a burst of explosions in the forest, Professor Odamaki, Satoshi, Haruka and Pikachu returned to the institute.
After hearing the news, Heimer was still very excited, because after all, it was Xiaozhi, Pikachu and others.
(Although I really want to meet this protagonist, I can’t finish my work today, so forget it.)
So Heimer suppressed his excitement and worked overtime with the wood gecko to complete today's sorting work until the next morning.
It was just dawn in the morning. After finishing the final work, Heimer stretched and looked at the sleeping wood gecko. He covered him with a blanket and whispered.
Chi Haimo: "Thank you, Wood Ghoul."
(Luckily I had the help of the Wood Guardian last night, otherwise I would have been busy for a long time.)
After washing up, Heimer walked out of the institute and breathed in the fresh morning air in big gulps.
Xiaozhi: "Good morning."
Hearing the voice, Heimer turned around and saw that it was Xiaoyao and Xiaozhi, as well as Xiaoyao's newly acquired Torchbill and Xiaozhi's Pikachu.
Xiaozhi is pretty much the same as in the anime, with a youthful tenacity and the same clothing as in the anime, the only difference from the anime is that he now seems to be a teenager in his twenties.
Chi Haimo: "Hello, my name is Chi Haimo, and I am currently in charge of document sorting at the research institute."
Xiaozhi: "Hello, I'm Xiaozhi from Pallet Town, and this is my partner Pikachu."
Pikachu greeted Hammer with a smile.
Pikachu: "Pika."
Xiaoyao: "Hello, my name is Xiaoyao. This is my partner, Fire Chicken."
Fire Chicken: "Don't be scared, don't be scared."
Chi Haimo: "Hahaha, hello."
As they were introducing themselves to each other, Dr. Odamaki and his assistant came out.
Dr. Odamaki: "It seems you already know each other."
Chi Haimo: "Yeah, everyone is very energetic today."
After Dr. Odamaki explained to Satoshi and the others some matters regarding registration into the Hoenn Alliance, Satoshi and the others set out on the road to Guchen Town together.
Looking at Xiaozhi's back at this moment, Heimer realized that the days when he watched the Pokémon animation were so far away from him.
Somehow, Heimer's eyes gradually became moist, and at this moment his heart was filled with an inexplicable excitement, perhaps because he saw this "old friend" who had grown up with him, or perhaps because he had stayed up all night for the first time in a long time.
(In the past, when I watched the Pokémon animation, I was just as enthusiastic as Xiaozhi.)
With his thoughts surging, the spark in Heimer's heart seemed to be reignited by Xiaozhi...
After Xiaozhi and the others walked a few steps, he finally couldn't hold back his inner excitement and shouted loudly to Xiaozhi.
Chi Haimo: "Xiaozhi, you must become a Pokémon master!"
After hearing this, Xiaozhi waved to Heimer happily.
Xiaozhi: "Yeah, definitely!"
(My childhood animation friend is right in front of me. He is still as energetic as before, but I have become like this. If only I could have met you earlier, Xiaozhi.)
(Perhaps, then, I would not have given up my passion for life so early, and I would have remembered how cool it was to pursue my dreams with all my strength.)
(If only I could have met you earlier. Well, Xiaozhi, old friend, I envy you so much.)
Heimer lowered his head, and his obvious loss caught the attention of Dr. Odamaki, but the doctor said nothing and went straight back to the office of the institute with his assistant.
Seeing this, Heimer also went back to prepare breakfast for the wood gecko.
Just as Heimer was about to return to his room, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the charcoal bicycle next to him. From its pitch-black surface, it was obvious that it was Pikachu's masterpiece.
(Pikachu is indeed a bicycle killer.)
After breakfast, in the room, Heimer slowly made coffee, and today's scenes replayed in his mind over and over again.
(In the past, I was also a young man who had great expectations for the future like Xiaozhi. I had dreams, passion, and was unruly. I was freer than the wind on the grassland. I always worked hard to move forward and was not afraid of anyone.)
(Unfortunately, now, all those things that once made me proud have become a thing of the past that I cannot embrace.)
Thinking of this, Heimer lowered his head again with a sad expression.
The wood gecko seemed to see his sadness, so it patted him with its tail out of curiosity.
Chi Haimo: "It's okay, I was distracted accidentally just now."
At this moment, Dr. Odamaki knocked on the door of Heimer's room. After Heimer signaled that he could come in, Dr. Odamaki looked at him with a smile while holding the Pokémon Encyclopedia and Poké Ball.
Chi Haimo: "Doctor, this is."
Dr. Odamaki: "Heimer, do you want to try traveling?"
Chi Haimo: "I, let it go."
Dr. Odamaki: "Although you once told me that you don't want to pursue your past memories, but what about new memories in the future?"
Chi Haimo: "Me."
Dr. Odamaki patted Heimer on the shoulder and said.
Dr. Odamaki: "It's okay, you can think about it."
Chi Haimo: "Doctor, am I not doing something good enough, so you don't need me anymore."
Dr. Odamaki: "What are you thinking, silly boy? An excellent assistant like you is a priceless treasure to me. But when I saw the way you looked at Xiaozhi and the others today, I thought you also wanted to be an excellent Pokémon trainer like them and embark on a journey with Pokémon."
Chi Haimo: "I..."
Dr. Odamaki: "Think about it."
Dr. Odamaki left after he finished speaking. Heimer sat alone in his seat, looking up at the ceiling.
(To be honest, I don’t know how to choose, because it is undeniable that I am a little envious of Xiaozhi and the others.)
Just when Heimer was very conflicted, the wood gecko jumped onto Heimer's knees and touched Heimer's hand with its tail.
Chi Haimo: "Ah? What's wrong?"
The wood gecko patted his chest with his hand, as if saying to him, it’s okay, if you want to go, go ahead, I will accompany you.
After spending so much time together, Heimer immediately understood what the wood gecko meant.
Chi Haimo: "Wood Gourd, are you willing to try to travel with me?
After Carob nodded firmly, he jumped onto the table and took out his Poké Ball that he had hidden in the corner.
With the affirmation and support of the Bumblebee, somehow, Heimer gradually began to have the idea of traveling.
Perhaps it was because he was no longer traveling alone, but with the company of close friends, he would be much less afraid of the unknown.
Heimer thought about this matter for a long time. Although the shadow of the past kept haunting him, somehow, at this moment, he had a courage in his heart that he had never had before.
After a few hours, Heimer finally made up his mind, so he took the tree gecko to see Dr. Odamaki.
His face flushed and his eyes firm as he spoke to the doctor.
Chi Haimo: "Doctor, I want to try traveling with the wood gecko."
Dr. Odamaki: "Okay! Good kid. Go with peace of mind. If you need my help in the future, feel free to come to me."
Dr. Odamaki said to him after giving Heimer the Pokémon Encyclopedia and the Poké Ball.
Dr. Odamaki: "Then be careful on the road. Did you remember everything I told you before?"
Chi Haimo: "Yeah, I remember it."
Under the watchful eyes of the institute staff, Heimer and the wood gecko left the home they had always cherished and loved.
When Heimer walked away from the research institute, Dr. Odamaki shouted loudly to Heimer.
Dr. Odamaki: "Heimer! Take care of yourself!"
Hearing this, Heimer turned around with tears in his eyes, bowed properly to the Doctor, and then shouted to the Doctor.
Chi Haimo: "Thank you, Doctor!"
In response to Heimer's thanks, Dr. Odamaki happily waved to Heimer.
After that, all the staff members of the institute just stood silently behind Heimer, watching him embark on his journey until his figure disappeared below the horizon.
(Although it’s a little late, I’m setting off too, Xiaozhi.)