Chapter 149: I'm Really Not a Coordinator
Blue wore a look full of curiosity. "Huh? Who are you planning to buy it for?"
"For Kris, of course," Gold replied without hesitation, his expression calm. "She gave me chocolates before, so I should return the favor."
Lu Ye suddenly understood. Kris's talent was "The Catcher." She was currently assisting Professor Oak in collecting Pokémon data. In some ways, Gold and Kris seemed like a perfect match…
Lorelei hugged her head, her eyes moist. "Don't say such hurtful things so casually!"
Lance teased, "No way, there's nobody here who hasn't received chocolates on Valentine's Day, right?"
[Group Member 'Lance' has been muted by Group Owner 'Teacher Lu' for 5 minutes.]
Gold's eyes lit up, and he shouted, "Masaka! Teacher Lu hasn't received Valentine's Day gifts before!"
[Group Member 'Gold' has been muted by Group Owner 'Teacher Lu' for 5 minutes.]
The rarely active Red glanced at the chat and commented, "So, you have to return the favor when you receive chocolates, huh?"
Red: @Yellow, what gift do you want for Qixi Festival?
Yellow's face turned red. Before she could even feel touched, Red tagged Misty again.
Red: @Misty, I'll return the favor for you too.
Yellow: ???
Teacher Lu: ???
This was such a blatant display of affection!
[Group Admin 'Red' has been muted by Group Owner 'Teacher Lu' for 5 minutes.]
Three mutes in a row—Teacher Lu was going wild!
Gold picked out a crystal snow globe for Kris. Despite his penchant for trouble, he showed surprising thoughtfulness in certain matters. His emotional intelligence was clearly higher than that of a certain battle legend.
With Qixi approaching, the traditional festival was influencing everyone in the group. Green received a gift from Red—a Charizard figurine. "It's very detailed…" Murmuring to himself, Green clicked his tongue and placed it next to his championship trophy.
Sabrina received letters from fans, Brock celebrated with his siblings, Lorelei stayed home watching Kanto Love Stories... Yellow had hoped to invite Red to a movie, but unfortunately, he had headed to Mt. Silver again.
In Hoenn, a certain pair of foolish lovers were packing their bags. "Ruby, does this hair accessory look good on me?" Sapphire stood nervously in front of a mirror, tying a red headband in her hair.
"It looks great."
"You didn't even turn your head!" Sapphire pinched Ruby's neck harshly.
"Cough! Because nothing can compare to how you look in my heart!"
"You're clearly saying I'm not pretty!"
"I was wrong, my dear. Just pretend I didn't say anything."
"No way. If you don't explain yourself today, don't even think about sleeping!"
…
Sevii Islands, Team Rocket's base.
Matori answered a secure line. "This is Matori. What are your orders?"
A man's hoarse yet powerful voice came through. "What's the status of the comet data you gathered?"
"Based on the information from the Mossdeep Space Center, it's highly likely related to Jirachi's awakening," Matori reported. "However, Donghuang's security is tight, and the meteorite seems to be under the escort of a champion."
Giovanni tapped the sofa lightly. "Then it's not worth risking anything foolish. Recall all our personnel."
Matori hesitated. "To be honest, due to strict regulations, I had already ordered the recall in advance…"
"What is it?" Giovanni frowned.
"A small team refused to comply with the recall order for some reason," Matori said awkwardly.
Giovanni sighed. He didn't need Matori to elaborate—he already knew who they were. "Let them be," he said, rubbing his forehead. "Prepare an escape route for them… those three fools…"
…
Wednesday, August 26th. Clear skies.
With Eevee perched on his shoulder, Haunter hovering nearby, and Squirtle at his waist, Lu Ye embarked on a journey to Xiangchu. The train was filled with astronomy enthusiasts, heading to Wulingyuan to observe the comet.
By the afternoon, Lu Ye had reached the scenic nature reserve, marveling at its breathtaking wonders. Distant rock pillars towered into the clouds. Amid the faint white mist, Swablu and Natu glided gracefully.
"Eevee…" Perched on Lu Ye's shoulder, Eevee gazed in awe.
"Haunter, carry the bags," Lu Ye coughed. "We still need to buy tickets!"
"Hauunter!" Haunter cheerfully nodded, carrying a bag twice its size.
The meeting point with Steven was near the observatory. While admiring the distinctive peaks, Lu Ye heard distant voices.
"Sapphire, slow down!"
"Hurry up! We're almost there!"
Leading the way was a man in a suit with light blue hair, shaking his head in exasperation. Spotting Lu Ye, the man's eyes lit up, and he greeted him with a smile. "Teacher Lu."
This was Lu Ye's first meeting with the famed "rock maniac," Steven. He curiously studied the legendary figure. Not bad. His looks are nearly on par with mine!
"The meteor shower isn't until evening. Did we come too early?" Lu Ye asked.
"Twilight is almost upon us," Steven replied, gazing at the distant forest. "With some luck, we might see a meteor tonight."
Behind him, Ruby and Sapphire whispered. "So that's Teacher Lu? He looks so young."
"Mind your manners, Ruby!"
Steven introduced them, "These two are Ruby and Sapphire, the Pokédex holders from the Hoenn region."
Lu Ye interjected, "A gaming content creator, Teacher Lu."
Sapphire, with her red headband, stared at Lu Ye with shining eyes. "Teacher Lu! I heard you tied in a battle with Lance. Is that true?"
Lu Ye coughed, nodding slowly. "That's incredible!" Sapphire exclaimed.
"Eeek!" Ruby suddenly exclaimed, his eyes fixed on Eevee. "Teacher Lu, is this your Pokémon? It's too cute!"
"Eevee?" The Pokémon cast Ruby a disdainful glance and turned away.
"Can I pet it?" Ruby pleaded, clasping his hands together.
Steven chuckled. "Ruby's a coordinator and can't resist cute Pokémon."
Lu Ye glanced at Eevee. "Sorry, this one doesn't like strangers touching it."
Ruby sighed in disappointment, though he couldn't help but admire Eevee's appearance and demeanor. Whether its coat or physique, this Eevee is refined to perfection. Could it be… is Teacher Lu really a coordinator?
"Hauunter!" Haunter happily emerged from Lu Ye's shadow, startling Ruby.
"Wait a second!" Ruby exclaimed. "This Haunter… it's perfectly trained for cleverness!"
Ruby's talent, "Charm Seer," allowed him to discern a Pokémon's coordination and personality potential. Both of Lu Ye's Pokémon had astonishing attributes, leaving Ruby amazed.
"Teacher Lu, are you a coordinator?" Ruby asked, excited to meet a kindred spirit.
Steven's pale blue eyes glimmered with curiosity. Could Teacher Lu be following the same path as Wallace?
"A coordinator?" Lu Ye shook his head. "I just fed them some ordinary Pokéblocks."
[Inorin Note:
If you wish to support me so I can continue to survive and afford proper food, you can join my membership on Patreon [patreon.com/InorinTL]. Be sure to check out "The Founding Pillars"—a special, limited-time tier that offers all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" at a discounted price! Slots are limited, so grab yours before they run out. Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]