Pokémon: No Way! The Golden Finger Only Comes When I'm About To Die!?

About twenty minutes later, Angie, Ninetales, and Pawmo dismounted from Metagross and stood at the city entrance, gazing at the grand, antiquated walls before them.

Rota City, much like the Azoth Kingdom, had preserved much of its historical architectural style.

While the Azoth Kingdom featured a blend of vintage aesthetics and technological innovation, Rota City embodied a purely medieval theme.

Angie led his Pokémon into the bustling streets of the city, only to be surprised by the lively atmosphere—it seemed a festival was underway.

After some inquiries, he discovered that Rota City was celebrating its annual festival, a tradition steeped in the legend of the Aura Guardian.

According to the legend, centuries ago, Sir Aaron, the Aura Guardian, singlehandedly stopped a war that could have destroyed the kingdom.

To honor and commemorate Sir Aaron, the city held an annual festival.

At the heart of Rota City stood the Cameran Palace, the queen's residence, where, alongside the festival, a grand Pokémon battle competition was hosted each year.

The ultimate victor of the tournament would be bestowed with the title of "Aura Guardian."

Angie had learned from Ash that Sir Aaron had relied on the power of the Tree of Beginning to bring an end to the war.

The Tree of Beginning and the aura were deeply intertwined.

Ash had also warned Angie not to venture into the Tree of Beginning on his own but to wait for Mew to guide him there for safety.

Mew often disguised itself as other Pokémon and secretly visited Rota City or Cameran Palace for fun. Angie's task was to find Mew among the many Pokémon in the city.

While this might seem daunting for others, it was straightforward for Angie, who possessed the power of aura. Aura Guardians identified Mew not by appearance but by its unique aura, which was unlike any other Pokémon's.

No matter how Mew altered its physical form, its aura remained unchanged.

Ash's warning stemmed from the Tree of Beginning's nature as a unique lifeform with a powerful immune system. Any human entering the tree would be identified as a threat and targeted for elimination.

Once inside, avoiding the immune system's relentless pursuit was nearly impossible.

Furthermore, the tree was protected by three formidable guardians: Regirock, Regice, and Registeel.

Even if Angie managed to defeat Regirock, Regice, and Registeel, and somehow disrupted the immune system's function, it wouldn't help him achieve his goals. In fact, it could result in catastrophic consequences.

A compromised immune system could destabilize the Tree of Beginning, potentially leading to its death.

In short, forcefully entering the Tree of Beginning was not an option unless Mew granted permission.

Mew and the Tree of Beginning shared a symbiotic relationship. If Mew granted access, it would signify the tree's consent.

Ash, having entered the Tree of Beginning and interacted with Mew, knew all this firsthand.

From the moment Angie entered Rota City, he kept his aura perception active, constantly scanning the auras of Pokémon in the streets.

Loke and Pawmo curiously examined the sights of Rota City.

Due to its unique geographical location, Rota City wasn't usually as lively as today, and Angie and his companions had indeed arrived at just the right time.

As they walked, Pawmo suddenly tugged on Angie's pant leg. Looking down, Angie saw it drooling as it stared longingly at a cotton candy stall.

"You little glutton!" Angie said helplessly. "Fine, I'll get you some."

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Pawmo cheered, rubbing against Angie's leg in delight.

Angie approached the stall and said to the vendor, "Could I have three cotton candies, please?"

"Sure thing!" the vendor replied enthusiastically. "What shapes would you like?" He gestured toward a sign displaying the various shapes and colors available.

Turning to his Pokémon, Angie said, "Pick whichever you like!"

Loke seemed surprised that it was included but accepted Angie's offer without hesitation. Using its paw, it pointed to a red-colored cotton candy shaped like a Vulpix.

Pawmo initially wanted a cotton candy in its own likeness but, finding no such option on the sign, reluctantly settled for one shaped like a Teddiursa.

As for Metagross, it declined entirely, having no interest in cotton candy. Angie respected its choice and adjusted the order to two instead of three. He didn't want one for himself either.

As the vendor prepared the cotton candy, he struck up a conversation. "You're not from around here, are you?"

Angie smiled. "Good eye, sir."

The vendor chuckled. "I can tell! You've come at the perfect time—Rota City's buzzing with activity. Make sure you visit the Cameran Palace later; you might even catch a glimpse of Her Majesty the Queen!"

Her Majesty rarely made public appearances, but during the Aura Guardian Festival, she was sure to be there.

Angie nodded. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The cotton candy was ready in no time. Pawmo eagerly grabbed its portion and began licking it with gusto, while Loke used its psychic powers to hold and eat its share.

After leaving the cotton candy stall, Angie continued strolling through the bustling streets of Rota City. He even ventured into some quieter corners, observing the diverse Pokémon that inhabited the area. Yet, he saw no sign of Mew.

Pawmo quickly finished its cotton candy, leaving only the stick. It waved the stick in the air, smacking its lips as it commented.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Not nearly as good as Magearna's desserts!

Angie chuckled.

Well, that was to be expected. Street-side cotton candy was simple—a spun-sugar treat with no technical finesse. It was more about the experience than the flavor.

Loke leaned closer to Pawmo and asked, "Are Magearna's desserts really that good?"

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Of course they are!

Pawmo was always 100% confident about its home-cooked treats.

After studying Loke for a moment, Pawmo hesitated briefly before pulling out a box of pudding with a proud expression.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Consider this a chance to expand your horizons.

Loke looked astonished. "Where did you pull that from?"

"Pawmo…"

Obviously, it's from…

Realizing mid-sentence that Angie had forbidden it from revealing the existence of its system backpack, Pawmo quickly covered its mouth.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Never mind that—just enjoy the treat!

Dodging the question, Pawmo opened the pudding box, scooped out a piece with its little spoon, and offered it to Loke.

Loke hesitated briefly before opening its mouth and swallowing the pudding Pawmo had been waving in front of its face.

The moment the pudding touched its tongue, the soft texture and sweet flavor transported Loke to a sea of desserts, an ocean of blissful delight. It was so intoxicating that the cotton candy in its paw suddenly seemed far less appealing.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Tasty, huh?

Pawmo grinned proudly.

"It's delicious," Loke nodded reflexively. Then it asked curiously, "If you have pudding this good, why were you so eager to eat cotton candy?"

"Pawmo~"

You wouldn't understand.

Pawmo wagged its finger in a mock sage-like manner.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

I have to taste every delicious thing!

Loke thought to itself: What a greedy little creature.

"Pawmo~"

Here, it's yours!

With that, Pawmo handed the entire box of pudding to Loke.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

It's so pitiful you've never eaten something this good before.

Loke: …

It had lived over two centuries, yet today it found itself being pitied by a little creature.

Using its psychic powers, Loke accepted the pudding and levitated the spoon to take small bites.

Well, it admitted, the pudding really was incredible. Perhaps it was just an ignorant, unfortunate fox after all.

After wandering through much of Rota City without catching a glimpse of Mew, Angie finally said to Pawmo, Metagross, and Loke.

"Let's head to Cameran Palace."

The three Pokémon nodded in agreement.

Cameran Palace is located at the center of Rota City, it's stood on much higher ground than the surrounding areas. To get there, Angie and his team needed to take a cable car.

Upon reaching the castle, Angie found the area bustling with activity. People were dressed in exaggerated, sometimes bizarre costumes.

After asking a passing Trainer, Angie learned that all participants in the festival were required to wear special attire to recreate the cultural atmosphere of Cameran Palace from centuries ago.

"See that tower over there? You can borrow costumes for free there," the Trainer said, pointing to a tall building.

"Got it, thank you!" Angie replied gratefully.

"No problem," the Trainer said, waving as he walked away.

Once the stranger was gone, Angie turned to his three Pokémon and said, "Let's follow the local customs, shall we?"

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Pawmo chirped excitedly.

Pawmo was thrilled after hearing this and bounced around joyfully.

What should I dress up as? Pawmo eagerly followed Angie into the tower.

Upon entering the tower the stranger had pointed out, Angie discovered that no one was managing the place. Inside, rows of neatly arranged clothing racks were filled with various costumes for visitors to freely choose from.

There were formal evening gowns, royal uniforms, knights' armor, coarse farmer's clothing for tilling fields, and even specially designed costumes for Pokémon.

"Which one should I pick…" Angie murmured as he walked between the racks, scanning the options.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Angie, wear this one! It looks great!

Pawmo tugged at Angie's pant leg, pointing to a specific outfit.

Angie followed its gesture and saw that it was pointing to a prince's uniform.

Pawmo knew Angie had been a prince in the past, so it had deliberately chosen this outfit for him.

Understanding its intent, Angie chuckled, ruffling Pawmo's head. "Looks like you've been playing with the phone a lot—you even know what a prince wears."

"Pawmo~"

Of course!

Pawmo placed its hands on its hips, raising its head proudly.

However, Angie shook his head and said, "I think I'll pass."

His gaze swept the room before settling on a simple farmer's outfit. He walked over, picked it up, and said, "I'll go with this instead."

Hearing this, Pawmo looked visibly disappointed, but Angie had already taken the outfit and gone into the changing room. When he came out, his appearance had completely changed.

He wore a straw hat, a gray shirt layered with a dark brown vest, light brown trousers, and rough-textured knee-high leather boots.

"How do I look?" Angie asked with a smile.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Amazing! You look great, Angie!

Pawmo cheered enthusiastically.

Loke, however, was more blunt, saying, "You look way too refined to be a farmer. Even in farmer's clothes, you don't look like one."

"Metagross~"

Metagross nodded solemnly in agreement.

"Really?" Angie walked over to the mirror and checked himself out. Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he admitted, "You're right, I don't look much like a farmer. Oh well, it doesn't matter."

Then he turned to Loke and the others. "Alright, now it's your turn!"

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Pawmo was eager, dashing into the Pokémon costume section. In no time, it came back out dressed in a knight's outfit.

It had a helmet on its head, silver armor on its body, and a miniature lance in its hand.

Angie laughed when he saw Pawmo's tiny head barely visible under the oversized helmet, making it hard for the little Pokémon to see where it was going. He walked over and adjusted the helmet properly for Pawmo.

Pawmo swung its miniature lance with impressive vigor, shouting proudly.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

I am the brave knight protecting Prince Angie!

"Hahaha~~"

"Metagross~ Metagross~"

Everyone burst into laughter at Pawmo's antics.

Next, Angie released Komala and dressed it up. He adorned its log with lace trim, put it in a pink lace dress, and added lace bows to each of its ears.

The look… was simply adorable!

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Angie, Komala is a boy!

However, seeing Komala ''cute" appearance, Pawmo couldn't help but laughed so hard that it rolled onto the floor while clutching its belly.

Suddenly, Komala jumped out of Angie's arms, rolled right up to Pawmo, and raised its log. With a thud, it brought the log down on Pawmo's head.

Pawmo's laughter stopped abruptly.

This time, it was Angie who laughed out loud.

Joy doesn't disappear; it simply changes hands.

Pawmo clutched its head, looking at Komala with a face full of grievance.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

It wasn't me who dressed you up! Why are you hitting me?

Komala didn't care. It rolled back to Angie's feet, climbed up his leg, and nestled back into his arms.

Next, Angie dressed Metagross as a scholar, wrapping its four limbs in a cloak and perching a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on its eyes.

Then, he dressed Loke as a queen.

Loke awkwardly examined itself in the mirror. "Does this suit me?"

In the reflection, Loke wore an elegant crown adorned with jewels. Its body was draped in gemstones, and its tail was decorated with satin, resembling a luxurious gown.

Angie smiled and reassured it, "Trust me, my fashion sense is impeccable!"

"Alright." Loke turned around, and though it was reluctant to admit it, it felt it looked quite stunning.

"Now that everyone's dressed up, let's head out," Angie announced.

Just as Angie was about to open the door to leave, someone else entered the tower to change outfits.

It was a young woman.

She had golden hair like Angie, wore a purple short skirt, and was accompanied by a majestic Pokémon—an Absol, the Disaster Pokémon.

The young woman noticed Angie and gave him a polite nod in greeting.

As she moved, the earring dangling from her ear caught Angie's eye.

It was a Key Stone.

Angie quickly nodded back in return, but inwardly he was surprised. He hadn't expected to see a Key Stone in the Kanto region.

That meant the Absol by her side was capable of Mega Evolution.