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With the addition of the Slugma–Magcargo line Pokémon, Liam's team had grown once again. After some thought, Liam decided that once they reached the next city, he would send a few of his Pokémon back home—otherwise, it would simply be impossible to properly take care of so many at once.
The wonderful hot spring trip eventually came to an end. Liam and Delia changed into clean, dry clothes, while the set that had gotten dirty earlier had already been washed, dried on hot rocks, neatly folded, and packed away in their backpack. After recalling all their Pokémon into their PokeBalls, the two of them mounted Arcanine once more and happily dashed down the mountain.
After leaving the vast stretch of dormant volcanoes behind, Liam and Delia continued onward, passing through many strange regions—hills frequently struck by lightning, and even a forest rumored to be home to witches.
After traversing these unusual places, they finally arrived at the first small town along their route: Showcase Town, a town famed for proclaiming 'performance is the way of life'.
Once inside the city, Liam and Delia were greeted by countless performances of all sizes along the streets. Both performers and Pokémon gave it their all, and smiles filled every face.
After enjoying the lively shows along the way, the two arrived at the Pokémon Center and registered for lodging. Soon after, Liam connected a video call to Professor Oak.
"Oh? Little Liam! I've already received what you sent me, and I've started handling the matter you asked about. If that's why you're calling, rest assured—it's being taken care of."
Professor Oak smiled warmly the moment he saw Liam on screen.
"Huh? You sent something back? Liam, what did you send? Why didn't I know about it?"
Delia, standing behind him, asked in confusion after hearing Oak's words.
"Cough—haha, it's nothing important, just some research materials. Anyway, Professor Oak, I actually called about something else. A few days ago I caught another Magcargo. I now have eight Pokémon with me, so I'd like to send two of them to you for safekeeping. Would that be convenient?"
Caught off guard by Delia's question, Liam quickly changed the subject, wiping imaginary sweat from his brow as he pulled out two PokeBalls.
"Oh! A Magcargo! That's a fine Pokémon. Very nice. To be honest, Liam, I've wanted to say this for a while—you've been carrying too many Pokémon. I know travel used to be inconvenient, and you're excellent at caring for them, but human energy has limits. Now that we have the transfer system, it's good that you brought this up yourself. Of course it's convenient. Which two are you planning to send?"
Professor Oak nodded approvingly.
"Well, I was thinking of sending Magcargo and the Elekid I caught earlier. What do you think?"
Liam asked while holding the two PokeBalls.
"Magcargo is fine—I haven't researched it thoroughly yet. But Elekid… not necessary. Instead, send me your Arcanine. I've been researching the Justified ability recently, and your Arcanine would be perfect to help."
Clearly less interested in Elekid, Professor Oak stroked his chin and made his suggestion.
"…Alright. Arcanine's worked hard lately anyway—it could use some rest. Let's do that. Professor Oak, I'll send Arcanine and Magcargo over now. Please be ready to receive them."
After deciding, Liam placed Arcanine's and Magcargo's PokeBalls onto the transfer machine. With a surge of electricity, both balls vanished.
"Oh—right, Professor Oak. My Magcargo is a little different from normal ones. Please be careful when taking care of it."
Liam suddenly remembered Magcargo's unusual size and quickly added the warning.
Professor Oak waved dismissively, already opening the transferred PokeBall. A massive white light slammed down onto the floor—
"WHAT?! WHAT IS THIS THING?! Liam, you definitely sent me a fake Magcargo! Hey—don't come any closer! Oh my goodness—it's on fire! Fire extinguisher! Where's the fire extinguisher?!"
Panic erupted on the other end of the call, followed by total chaos and a barrage of frantic noises.
Liam stared blankly at the thick black smoke rising on the screen, then calmly ended the call, clasped his hands together, and silently prayed for Professor Oak.
After sending Arcanine and Magcargo away, Delia dragged Liam into town to watch performances. She'd heard that a concert was being held in the central park, featuring many top singers and dancers. Naturally, she wasn't going to miss such a rare event.
It was very late by the time a thoroughly satisfied Delia—sleepy-eyed and clinging to Liam's arm—returned with him to the Pokémon Center. After a wonderful night's rest, the two set off once more.
Blackthorn City—a city with a history no less ancient than Ecruteak's—was renowned for its breathtaking scenery.
Several days after departing Showcase Town, Liam and Delia crossed a long, Ice Path and finally entered Blackthorn City's territory.
This was the ancient Village of Dragons, home to the famous Dragon Clan of the Johto region, guardians of the mysterious Dragon's Den.
Compared to Ecruteak City, Blackthorn felt far less old-fashioned. Modern buildings stood everywhere, making it a highly developed city in every respect.
Their destination—the Blackthorn Gym—was located on the outskirts of the city. Nestled between mountains and water, the Gym exuded an indescribable sense of harmony.
"Hello? Is anyone here? We're here to challenge the Gym—could someone please respond?"
After resting and searching for some time, Liam and Delia finally arrived at the Gym entrance. Looking at the tightly shut steel doors, Liam stepped forward, pressed the doorbell, and called out loudly.
Moments later, a fit figure jogged toward them from a nearby road. It was a young woman, only slightly older than Liam, dressed in tight athletic wear and glistening with sweat.
"Oh? Hello! You're here for a Gym Challenge, right? Haha, the League Conference is approaching, so there've been quite a few challengers lately. Let me introduce myself—I'm Clair, the Gym Leader of Blackthorn City. I'm very pleased to battle you."
She smiled brightly as she came to a stop in front of them.
"Ah—yes! Hello! My name is Delia. I'm here to challenge the Gym!"
Delia hadn't expected to meet the Gym Leader right outside. After a brief pause, she bowed respectfully and spoke earnestly.
"Haha~ No need to be so formal. Pokémon battles are something I truly love. I should be thanking you for coming to challenge me. Come on—don't just stand outside. I'll take you in."
With that, Clair opened the heavy doors and led Liam and Delia into the Blackthorn Gym.