Chapter Forty-Four: The Rotom Phone, Acquired!

President Rose was clearly a very busy man. After a simple lunch together, his secretary Oleana unceremoniously urged him to proceed with the rest of his schedule.

“My apologies. Although I would love to hear more of your adventure stories, Mr. Sui, I am simply swamped with official duties,” President Rose said politely.

“It’s no trouble at all. In fact, I should be the one thanking you for all your help,” Sui replied.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

After President Rose departed, Leon turned to Sui and said, “President Rose has done so much for Galar. Wyndon City owes its status as the thriving center of Pokémon battles to his efforts.”

“President Rose truly is a devoted man,” Sui agreed.

Though, in the main storyline of the game, he was the final boss.

If Leon was the superstar and spiritual pillar of Galar, then President Rose was the very foundation of its prosperity.

Years ago, it was Rose, in collaboration with Professor Magnolia, who developed the Dynamax Band that allowed trainers to Dynamax their Pokémon at will. This breakthrough made Dynamaxing and the Gym Challenge the region’s unique trademarks, earning worldwide acclaim.

One could say that Galar’s current flourishing state was largely thanks to this President of the Galar League and CEO of Macro Cosmos.

What’s more, it was interesting to note that, in the opening scenes of previous Pokémon games, it was always the region’s professor who introduced the world of Pokémon. Yet in Sword and Shield, it was President Rose—the main story’s antagonist—who gave the introduction.

And as for the mistakes President Rose later made? Like the bosses of previous generations, his arrogance and unilateral decisions led him to attempt to harness the power of a legendary Pokémon, only to underestimate its might.

...

“President, you seem quite interested in that young man?” Oleana asked from within the Flying Taxi.

President Rose smiled, “For two reasons, really.”

“First, Leon clearly thinks highly of him. Leon is even planning to give this Sui a letter of endorsement. I haven’t seen him do that in a long time.”

“All these years, Leon has upheld his undefeated image, but deep down, I think he longs for a rival who could finally best him. For someone to catch his attention, that young man must have remarkable potential.”

“I trust the Champion’s judgment.”

“And the second reason is that young man’s identity.”

Oleana asked, puzzled, “Is there something special about it?”

Rose chuckled, “No, it’s that he has no identity. To be precise, he’s not in the League’s database at all, and he owns at least three Pokémon that don’t exist in any of our records.”

“Do you realize what that means?” Rose said with interest, “He comes from somewhere unknown to us.”

“He first appeared on the Isle of Armor. Doesn’t that suggest that, perhaps near Galar, there are regions we have yet to discover?”

“A new region, new Pokémon—these represent new possibilities and opportunities. Galar is already thriving, but we’ve reached a bottleneck. To break through, we may need an entirely new path.”

“That’s why I told him I hope he brings something new.”

After all that, Rose laughed it off. “But in the end, it’s merely a move made in leisure—a little diversion in the midst of my busy life.”

Oleana admired, “You always think so far ahead, President.”

...

At that moment, Sui had no idea how much President Rose was pondering his identity and origins.

But Sui didn’t care about others’ speculations, as long as they didn’t interfere with him. He only wanted to enjoy the adventure and the journey.

Just as Leon was about to show Sui around Wyndon, an unexpected person approached.

“Yip yip!” A Yamper ran up to Leon’s feet, barking a greeting.

“Leon, this is...?” A cheerful young woman walked over.

Leon smiled and introduced, “This is a new friend of mine and a fellow student under my mentor—his name is Sui. He owns Pokémon you’ve never seen before.”

“Oh, and this is Sonia, granddaughter of Professor Magnolia, Galar’s Pokémon Professor,” Leon said, introducing her to Sui.

And your childhood friend, too.

“Hello,” Sui said with a smile.

“Meow, hello!” Dewleaf waved her little paw.

“What kind of Pokémon is this? So cute!” The adorable Ailucat instantly caught Sonia’s attention. She squatted down to examine Dewleaf closely.

“Ahem, since you’ve got company, Leon, you go ahead. I’ll wander around with my partners. If I shop with you, the Champion, your fans will block the whole street,” Sui said with a meaningful grin.

“But you’re not familiar with the city...” Leon hesitated.

“I’m not a child. Go on, she came to find you for a reason...” Sui waved his hand, already prepared to leave.

“Well then, here—this Rotom Phone is installed with a Pokédex and some basic functions. My number’s in there; call me if you need anything,” Leon said, handing over a phone with a Rotom motif.

Beep beep!

The Rotom on the back of the phone opened its eyes.

“Delighted to serve you, Rotom! Will you take me with you on your travels? I don’t want to be stuffed in a bag all day, Rotom!” The Rotom Phone’s tone was tinged with curiosity and excitement.

Leon gave a wry smile, “Just know, this Rotom can be a bit too lively.”

But Sui took the Rotom Phone with interest. “No problem; actually, I like it this way. My name’s Sui—let’s get along from now on!”

“Leave it to me, Rotom!” Rotom laughed joyfully, then slipped into the side pocket of Sui’s backpack.

“Thanks, Leon. You keep helping me so much, I feel a bit embarrassed,” Sui said, genuinely grateful—every bit of help from Leon mattered to him.

“It’s nothing. After all, you’re my fellow apprentice,” Leon replied with a laugh.

“Then I won’t intrude any longer. Have a great date!” Sui winked, grabbed Dewleaf, and dashed away. He had no intention of being a third wheel.

“Your friend is really something,” Sonia laughed.

“It’s a pity you didn’t get to see his Pokémon—truly unique,” Leon said, a bit regretful.

“There’ll be a chance. There’s a shop nearby; we can...” The two quickly melted into the bustling crowd.

...

“Come on out, everyone!” Reaching a spacious area, Sui released his Pokémon.

The Sizzlepede was cradled in his arms, flanked by Chansey and Kubfu, with Dewleaf trailing behind.

“Chii!” Sizzlepede gazed in awe at the bustling crowds and vibrant streets. Though a bit timid, curiosity quickly overcame fear.

Kubfu looked around, wide-eyed at all the new sights.

“Let’s go! Today, I’ll show you all the wonders of this modern city!” With excitement, Sui led his adorable companions into the lively heart of town.