"We are not very familiar with Kona, you... won't you go and ease the atmosphere?" Hilona gave Natsuhiko a look.
"I'm not going." Natsuhiko shook his head decisively, ignoring Hilona's gaze.
Kidding, that's the eye of the storm right now.
What if someone lets it slip that Lance challenged Kona because of something he said, and Kona blames him?
A force that has been able to stop Dragon Master Lance from becoming a Champion for years on end.
He doesn't want to provoke it.
Who cares.
Hilona nudged Natsuhiko, slightly annoyed, "Go quickly."
The atmosphere is uncomfortable for anyone staying here.
Only Natsuhiko can alleviate it now.
It was the first time Natsuhiko saw Hilona showing such an expression.
One has to admit.
With familiarity, Hilona slowly shed the "No strangers allowed" facade.
She's a very introverted person, the complete opposite of Lance, who is naturally outgoing.
Natsuhiko raised his hands, choosing to surrender.
"Alright, alright, alright."
He looked at Kona, then at Lance, and after some thought, decided to approach the easier side first.
He walked over to Lance.
Lance looked embarrassed, seeing Natsuhiko like a savior, hurriedly came up.
"Natsuhiko."
He almost didn't say "save me."
Natsuhiko couldn't help but want to laugh, but fortunately, he held it in.
He leaned in and asked Lance in a low voice, "Why were you so harsh? She's a girl, you should be gentler."
But Lance responded, "But she's really strong, if I held back, I'd lose."
The answer was earnest, with sound reasoning, and indeed that's what it was.
Looking at Lance's confident eyes, Natsuhiko decisively gave a thumbs up.
Very good.
This answer, definitely full marks on a straight man's test.
He glared at him slightly annoyed.
"Does your cousin ever call you a 'fool'?"
"No." Lance looked at Natsuhiko in surprise, "Why do you ask?"
Xiaochun is too accommodating of Lance's straightforward nature, spoiled him rotten.
For Lance, life is about training, battles, missions, nowhere near enough time for these boy-girl issues.
Too complicated, unlike straightforward brotherhood or friendship.
Natsuhiko sighed deeply, "Alright."
"Natsuhiko, help me... apologize?" Lance said.
"Why don't you do it yourself?"
Immediately, Lance helplessly shook his cloak, still dotted with a few ice crystals.
Obviously, he's faced closed doors several times.
"What's in it for me?" Natsuhiko asked again.
Upon hearing this, Lance pondered slightly, then raised his head and said with a smile, "Three months, I won't challenge you for three months."
Implicit meaning.
If Natsuhiko doesn't agree, Lance will keep challenging him.
Looking dumbfounded at Lance's slightly teasing smile.
Learned some bad habits.
Really learned bad habits.
He's no longer the simple "Dodo" from before.
After being countered, Natsuhiko struggled a bit.
"At least half a year."
"Deal!"
"..."
Fell for it.....
Natsuhiko hesitated, thought carefully about his wording, and then walked toward Kona.
After these days of interaction, Kona and Du Juan's relationship had become quite harmonious.
The Lapras guarding beside Kona recognized Natsuhiko and did not attack.
And Kona and Du Juan naturally saw Natsuhiko approaching.
After interacting for these days, they had become quite familiar with Natsuhiko, understanding him a bit more.
"Natsuhiko, that guy bullied Kona!" Du Juan spoke up immediately.
Like a student complaining to a teacher.
"Ahem, well, um, Kona, Lance asked me to express his apologies..."
Natsuhiko accurately conveyed the message Lance wanted to express.
Then he saw Kona lift her head, her eyes behind thin glasses, originally bright and serene, were slightly red, with a few more shades of vulnerability than the usual gentleness.
Under Kona's gaze, Natsuhiko paused and his heart trembled.
Things were about to go south.
Then, Kona bit her lip and slowly said, "Senior Natsuhiko, teach me!"
"...Okay."
He, had completed what Lance entrusted to him, right?
This time, it was Kona's request for help.
So why get involved as a middleman?
Fortunately, the small "conflict" between Lance and Kona seemed to be set aside for now.
After all, the root cause of this situation wasn't Natsuhiko, but the two main factions of the alliance.
Even without Natsuhiko, Lance and Kona would sooner or later have a showdown, with more chances of Kona losing, and then...
And then the outcome would be similar to now.
...
...
The flickering campfire.
A group of six sat around the campfire.
Last night's actions from Volcarona directly led to major issues with the biological clock of the Pokémon and trainers inside the Alternate Space.
Especially Natsuhiko, who hadn't slept all night, even as a Superpower User, he just felt exhausted.
Lance, Natsuhiko, and Flint sat on one side, while Hilona, Kona, and Du Juan sat on the other.
No one spoke, silently watching the flickering sparks in the fire.
The atmosphere was completely eased.
It wasn't any deep hatred, just factions influencing the thoughts of two people.
They all were waiting.
Waiting for the alliance's response.
Lance had already passed on the message to the alliance as per Natsuhiko's suggestion about the Magma Team's retreat and the matter of the Original Groudon Shell Fragments with the campfire.
But unfortunately, the campfire died at Volcarona's last "Fire Dance" that exhausted its life energy, so now in the Alternate Space, the Magma Team must be headless, in complete chaos.