After finishing taking commemorative photos with the fans on site, Theo bade farewell to Gym Leader Wattson and smiled as he waved goodbye to Watt. He then returned the still-excited Tyrantrum to its Poké Ball—this big guy had just been surrounded and petted by fans for quite a while, and its tail had practically been wagging straight up into the air. After that, Theo left the Mauville Gym while holding Beldum in his arms.
Instead of ending the livestream, Theo adjusted the camera to a suitable angle and gave the screen a mysterious smile. "Next, I'll be taking everyone to experience another must-do activity in Mauville City—cycling along the bike path. I guarantee it'll be an eye-opener."
As he spoke, Theo arrived at Rydel's Cycles in the city center. In the display area outside the shop, two very different types of bicycles were neatly lined up. On the left were bikes with sleek, arrow-like frames and wide, sturdy tires—clearly built for blazing speed on flat terrain. On the right were bikes equipped with reinforced suspension systems and special spring mechanisms on the handlebars, obviously designed for rough and complex landscapes.
The shop clerk was a young man wearing blue work overalls, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing solid, well-built forearms. When he saw Theo approaching, he greeted him enthusiastically with a bright smile.
"Hello! Looking to rent a bicycle? The ones on the left are Mach Bikes—speed-oriented, perfect for sprinting on flat roads. The ones on the right are Acro Bikes, with jump-assist functions. They can easily clear small slopes and obstacles, great for outdoor exploration. We offer hourly and daily rentals. If you ride one full loop along Mauville City's outer cycling path, you'll basically get to see all the city's scenery."
Theo's gaze settled on a Mach Bike, and he pointed to a silver-gray one. "I'll rent this one."
With the clerk's help, he then installed a small basket with a soft cushion on the front of the bike—this would be Beldum's seat.
Beldum immediately dove into the basket with excitement. It wiggled around on the cushion, its red eyes darting back and forth as it curiously examined every detail of the bicycle. From time to time, it rubbed its head against the edge of the basket, letting out soft ding-ding sounds, clearly fascinated by its new "ride."
At the entrance to the cycling path stood a small grocery stall. A wooden sign painted in bright colors read "Poké Beans & Berry Specialty," and next to it were drawings of a few Magnemite nibbling on beans, which looked especially cute. Theo stopped his bike and explained to the camera, "If you want to really enjoy Mauville City's bike path, you absolutely have to buy something here. These Poké Beans and berries will bring you some big surprises during the ride!"
He went inside and bought a small bag of mixed-flavor Poké Beans along with a few bright red berries. Before he had even ridden very far, the livestream viewers noticed something unusual. Along the roadside lampposts and at the edges of the green belts, every so often there were several Magnemite floating in the air. With their two round magnet arms, they looked like diligent staff members, leisurely patrolling the road. Occasionally, they would tap magnets with one another, producing faint zzzt sounds.
When Theo reached a gentle uphill slope, his speed gradually slowed. At that moment, two Magnemite suddenly zipped over from a nearby lamppost and affectionately brushed against the rear frame of the bike, faint electric light shimmering around their bodies. In the next second, Theo felt the bicycle become noticeably lighter, as if an invisible force were pushing it forward. The resistance of climbing vanished instantly, and the bike even sped up faster than it did on flat ground.
"See? This is the secret of Mauville City's cycling paths," Theo said with a smile as he pedaled and looked at the camera. "These Magnemite will actively help riders accelerate. And all we need to do is give them some Poké Beans or berries as thanks, and we can enjoy this kind of 'Pokémon chauffeur' service. Isn't that fun?"
As he spoke, he took two blue Poké Beans from the bag and held them out to one of the Magnemite that was energetically "pushing" the bike. The little Pokémon let out a cheerful zzzt, used its magnet arms to securely attach the beans, and carefully moved them into its mouth. It crunched away happily, its eyes narrowing into contented slits. After finishing, it pushed the bike with even more effort, and even rubbed its head against the back of Theo's hand, as if saying, "You're welcome."
Beldum sat steadily in the basket, watching the Magnemite busily at work. It couldn't help but float slightly upward, extending its head to gently bump into one of the Magnemite flying beside it. The other responded amicably with a light tap of its magnet arm. The two steel-type Pokémon bumped and nudged each other back and forth, clearly enjoying themselves, drawing warm smiles from the livestream viewers:
"This is way too wholesome! Magnemite can actually act as 'rickshaw pullers,' and all it takes is a few beans as payment—what a bargain!"
"I've officially added Mauville City to my travel list! I have to come ride a bike here and experience being 'pushed' by Magnemite!"
"Beldum interacting with Magnemite is just too cute!"
Theo continued cycling while enjoying the scenery and introducing various sightseeing spots and activities in Mauville City to the viewers. "Up ahead is the Mauville Game Corner, with the latest Pokémon battle arcade machines. Take another turn after that and you'll reach the famous food plaza. Once we're done riding, I'll take everyone there to try some local specialties—"
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the roadside trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The soft whir of bicycle wheels, the gentle zzzt of Magnemite, and distant laughter wove together into a warm, harmonious symphony. Beldum swayed in the basket, its red eyes reflecting the passing scenery—colorful buildings rushing by, blooming flowers along the roadside, and other tourists riding bicycles just like them. From time to time, it let out contented ding-ding sounds, having completely forgotten the jealousy it had felt earlier in the gym.
After finishing the ride, Theo returned the Mach Bike to Rydel's Cycles. Beldum, still unsatisfied, continued swaying in the basket, its small head turning along with the motion of the bike being parked, as if reliving the thrill of racing through the wind. After that, Theo took Beldum and the livestream viewers over to Mauville City's food plaza.
The moment they stepped into the plaza, the aroma of all kinds of snacks hit them head-on—sweet, savory, and fresh scents mingling together and instantly whetting the appetite. Besides the electric cotton candy and Thunder Tater Balls they had tried earlier, another signature snack—"Electro Takoyaki"—had a long line in front of its stall. Golden-brown balls sizzled on the iron griddle, releasing an irresistible fragrance.
The stall owner was a middle-aged woman wearing an orange apron, skillfully flipping the round takoyaki in a special circular pan. The outer layer was baked to a crisp golden color, the edges slightly charred. After sprinkling on seaweed flakes and bonito flakes, she drizzled a spoonful of sauce that glowed faintly blue, causing the bonito flakes to tremble gently on top of the takoyaki.
"This sauce is really special," Theo explained softly to the camera while standing in line, deliberately giving the sauce a close-up shot. Fine patterns resembling electric currents could be seen within it. "It's made by using a weak electric current from electric-type Pokémon to stimulate the umami of seafood sauce. When you bite into it, there's a slight numbing sensation that makes your taste buds more sensitive. The texture is incredibly unique."
Beldum, held in Theo's arms, had already been completely captivated by the scene. Its small body squirmed impatiently, repeatedly rubbing against Theo's neck. Its red crystalline eyes were glued to the takoyaki, shining like light-soaked rubies, filled with longing, its breathing even growing a little faster.
Theo laughed helplessly. When it was finally their turn, he bought a serving and immediately skewered one ball with a toothpick, holding it up to the dark opening near Beldum's eye. The little Pokémon cautiously opened its "mouth" and gently "absorbed" the takoyaki into its body. Its silver form paused for a moment, as if savoring the rich flavor. A moment later, it happily squinted its eyes, and a series of crisp, satisfied ding-ding sounds rang out. Its small silver body swayed lightly, clearly enjoying the mildly numbing yet savory taste, its red eyes curving into crescent moons.
The livestream viewers were thoroughly amused by Beldum's unique way of eating, and the chat filled with laughter:
"LOL, so this is how Beldum eats? Is that little hole by its eye really its mouth? That's wild!"
"Just looking at it squint and sway, you can tell it's delicious—I'm drooling through the screen!"
"That expression is too cute. I really want to reach out and pet it!"
"Does that sauce actually have electricity? I kind of want to try it but I'm also scared—this is what they mean by 'pain and pleasure,' right?"
"Streamer, try it too! We want to know what it tastes like!"
(End of Chapter)