Chapter 204: Make Your Student Too Good, and You’ll Starve.
Only after both of them had been teleported back to their original locations did the black-screen privacy protection finally deactivate.
[VIP Chat Group]
[May]: The picture’s finally back! What happened just now? Dawn, are you okay?!
[Dawn]: Um... thanks for worrying about me, everyone. I’m fine. I’m already back now.
[Johanna]: Dawn, what exactly happened? It wasn’t what your mother is imagining, was it?!
[Dawn]: I’m fine, Mom. The camera just malfunctioned a little. Mr. Asher handled it really well, and nothing happened.
[Steven]: "Nothing happened"—when those words come directly from one of the people involved, their credibility automatically gets cut in half.
[Dawn]: Really, nothing happened! Everyone, please stop imagining weird things!
[Wallace]: Steven, could you stop adding fuel to the fire? She already said she’s fine.
[Steven]: Sigh, what a shame. I was really looking forward to seeing how Brother Asher would get himself out of this one.
[Asher]: Steven, are you asking me to make your life difficult again?
[Steven]: Brother Asher, you’re okay?! Your sisters-in-law actually didn’t do anything to you?
[Asher]: Why wouldn’t I be okay? I have nothing to hide and nothing to feel guilty about.
[Misty]: @Asher, we’ll talk when you get back inside.
[Asher]: ...Yes, darling.
[Diantha]: Pfft.
[Viola]: Don’t laugh. You still have the second hurdle to survive—getting your memories.
[Diantha]: My memories haven’t arrived yet, so that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the show right now.
[Skyla]: Screenshot taken. Master, don’t blame your student. I just really want to see what happens.
[Diantha]: ...
[Elesa]: @Skyla, I suppose the saying "make your student too good, and you’ll starve." really has come true for you.
[Valerie]: By the way, can Dawn share the photos that camera took? I want to see all those outfits!
[Dawn]: Sure! I’ll send you the files.
[Viola]: Me, me! Send me a copy too!
[May]: Um... maybe we should watch the video first? The screen is moving again!
The screen lit back up.
The video continued playing.
After Lana finished demonstrating her Z-Move, it was as though someone had flipped a switch inside Elaria.
She stood in front of the blackened rock face that Oceanic Operetta had blasted apart, her golden eyes opened as wide as they could go and her mouth forming a perfect O.
She remained frozen like that for more than ten seconds.
"Big Sister Lana."
Elaria finally spoke, her sparkling eyes overflowing with anticipation.
"That dance was amazing."
"Please teach me!"
Lana slung her fishing rod over one shoulder.
"You want to learn how to use Z-Moves?"
Elaria nodded vigorously.
Hoopa poked its head out from atop hers and nodded along at exactly the same rhythm.
The two looked like a pair of woodpeckers pecking side by side.
"If you want to use Z-Moves, the first thing you need is a Z-Ring and a Z-Crystal."
Lana raised one finger.
"And if you want to obtain a Z-Ring and Z-Crystal, you first have to complete trials as part of the Island Challenge."
"A trial?"
Elaria tilted her head.
"What’s that?"
"To put it simply, you complete tasks assigned by the Captains on each island."
"And I—"
Lana took a step backward and planted both hands dramatically on her fishing rod, striking an exceptionally heroic pose.
"Am the Water-type Captain responsible for the trial at Brooklet Hill!"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Olivia]: Oh? So this is the Captain responsible for my parallel world’s Water-type trial? She certainly seems like an interesting girl~
[Lillie]: Congratulations, Lana. Although... isn’t that pose a little too... imposing?
[Sophocles]: Lillie, you’re being too nice. Just call it "chuunibyou."
[Lana]: How is it chuunibyou?! Using Z-Moves also requires specific poses! This is clearly an important part of Alola’s traditional culture!
[Hala]: That child’s mentality... actually does seem rather well suited to being a Captain.
[Acerola]: If Lana becomes a Captain, is the Brooklet Hill trial going to turn into a fishing tournament?
[Lana]: Wait, I can do that?! That sounds amazing!
[Misty]: Speaking of Water-type Pokémon and fishing, I suddenly remembered that Raina loved fishing when she was little too...
[Daisy]: Oh my~ Misty’s reminiscing about her daughter again. Then you’d better work hard, shouldn’t you? That way you can meet Raina sooner.
[Misty]: ...I want to! But Cynthia still hasn’t... Aaaagh, this is so frustrating!
[Diantha]: Cynthia? What about Cynthia? Details, details!
[Elesa]: Diantha, your mentality really is impressive. You’re already the featured mother in this episode, yet you still have the energy to enjoy everyone else’s gossip.
[Diantha]: Well, since things have already reached this point, I might as well enjoy myself~ So what did Misty mean just now? Can someone tell me?
[Cynthia]: Nothing! Just keep watching the video.
[Diantha]: Hmph. So stingy~
The video continued playing.
"My trial is actually very simple."
Lana pulled a tablet from her backpack and swiped across the screen several times.
"Recently, a Totem Wishiwashi school migrated into these waters."
"They drove the Popplio that originally lived here out of their habitat, forcing them all into a very narrow tributary."
"There isn’t enough food, and there isn’t enough space."
Elaria nodded.
"I understand!"
"So my trial is to help the Popplio take their home back!"
"Exactly."
Lana nodded approvingly.
"Once you complete the trial, I’ll award you a Waterium Z in my capacity as Captain."
"No problem!"
Elaria patted her chest confidently.
Then she turned toward Hoopa.
"Hoopa, open a ring for me."
"Put the other side right in the middle of the fish school."
Hoopa grinned.
Its two little hands swept through the air—
And a golden ring tore open directly above Elaria.
On the other side—
A dense mass of tiny black fish simultaneously raised their heads.
Tens of thousands of tiny, pea-sized eyes all stared directly through the portal at the little girl on the other side.
Elaria stared at the Wishiwashi school.
The Wishiwashi school stared back at Elaria.
Three full seconds passed.
Then Elaria silently turned toward Lana.
"Big Sister Lana..."
"Isn’t that a little too many?"
"That’s why it’s called a trial."
Lana rubbed Elaria’s hair.
"If you want the Z-Crystal, you’ll have to think of a solution."
"Hoopa has a solution!"
Hoopa floated up from Elaria’s head and planted both little hands on its hips.
"It’s only a bunch of Wishiwashi!"
"One ring from Hoopa can send all of them straight to—"
Hoopa suddenly stopped.
Then it turned toward Lana.
"Big Sister Lana, what kind of place do Wishiwashi hate the most?"
"Probably... the desert?"
"Then Hoopa will send all of them to the desert!"
Hoopa excitedly rubbed its hands together as its golden ring began to glow.
"No."
Elaria reached up, pressed down on Hoopa’s little head, and pushed it back onto hers.
"Our job is only to help the Popplio get their original home back."
"We can’t go too far!"
"Then how about Hoopa sends them all to Uncle Steven’s house?"
"No, no!"
Elaria shook her head.
"Uncle Steven only likes rocks. He wouldn’t like a whole school of Wishiwashi either."
"And if we did that, Big Sister Ruri would definitely have a lot of trouble."
Hoopa scratched its head.
"Then..."
"Hoopa doesn’t have any other ideas either."
...
TL: Smh, Misty, what are you doing? No wonder Raina wasn’t the firstborn.