Lucas, unaware of Lugia's sudden disappearance, stood on the upper deck of the speedboat.
The speedboat was returning to the harbor.
Lucas scratched his head, his face dark.
Gengar had been mocking him all along.
But he couldn't retort.
Not catching any fish meant not catching any fish.
Lucas could only endure Gengar's mockery.
He turned his head, ignoring Gengar.
"Gengar!"
Gengar appeared before him, gesturing the size and length of the fish he had caught.
He was exactly like those fishermen who caught big fish and passed their homes three times without entering.
Looking at the large purple face that appeared before him again, Lucas could no longer hold back and pounced, frantically pulling at Gengar's mouth.
Until Gengar begged for mercy.
Only then did Lucas stand up, satisfied, and walk to the railing, leaning on it with both hands, leisurely enjoying the sea breeze.
The setting sun, red as blood, reflected on the sea, making it glow fiery red; the fusion of fire and blue created an extremely beautiful painting.
Wingull flew in flocks beside the speedboat.
Looking at the endless expanse in the distance, the sea and the fiery red sky seemed to merge.
Wingull continuously flew nearby.
In neat formations.
The autumn waters and the vast sky were one.
Lucas quietly watched all this, with Lilligant and the others by his side.
He picked up his camera and snapped a picture of the scene.
Putting down the camera, he looked up and found that the scene before him seemed to have lost its charm.
Perhaps this beauty was only fleeting, or perhaps beauty required full attention.
Lucas chuckled softly to himself, then collected his thoughts.
Gengar laboriously carried a bucket and approached Lucas, pouring the fish back into the sea.
Lucas turned to look at Gengar.
Gengar grinned at Lucas.
Lucas shook his head slightly, a smile playing on his lips.
You really are something, Gengar.
He wondered if Lugia would adopt his suggestion.
To give The Legendary Birds a good beating.
It had to be said, Lugia's appearance completely captivated Lucas.
Extremely elegant.
Lucas was lost in thought.
Suddenly, a black dot appeared in the distance, slowly growing larger and larger.
Until it revealed its original form.
In Lucas's line of sight, the blend of red and blue was suddenly interrupted by a yellow figure.
The golden yellow trees at Twinleaf Town's harbor swayed in the wind, welcoming Lucas and the others back.
Lucas stepped onto land.
A strange sense of relief filled him.
On this fishing trip, he was lucky enough to encounter Lugia, and fortunately, Lugia harbored no ill will.
However, Lucas, who had never been out to sea on a boat before, had always been enveloped by a strange emotion.
In the world of Pokémon, the ocean is full of unknowns.
If he hadn't encountered Lugia this time, if he had encountered Lugia in a different state, even in a world without Pokémon, the ocean would still be full of unknowns.
But Lucas's emotions were somewhat agitated.
Recalling the Pokémon he had met today, Lucas let out a soft sigh.
It was truly wonderful.
"Shop Manager, today..."
Lucas collected his thoughts, looked at Drake, whose face showed apology, and gave a thumbs-up like Machamp.
"Today's fishing was absolutely delightful."
"Is that so?"
"Next time, we must go fishing together again."
"I'll definitely catch more than all of you combined."
As soon as he finished speaking, Drake and Lucas exchanged glances, then burst into laughter together.
Drake swallowed the words he had intended to say.
Since the Shop Manager said it was fine, then it must be fine, right?
He recalled the rumors in town.
The owner of the Breeding House, with his Pokémon, had defeated the villains who destroyed forests and abducted Pokémon.
If there were truly any problems, the Shop Manager would surely resolve them, wouldn't he?
Thinking this, Drake's heart slowly settled.
After bidding farewell to Drake, Lucas led Gengar and the others towards the Breeding House.
Underwater.
The halo lit up again, and Lugia, radiating light, emerged from within.
Then the halo closed.
Lugia paused its movements underwater, gliding for a distance.
It found itself back in a familiar place.
It looked around, trying to find the halo again.
But it couldn't find it anymore.
Its mood grew even more irritated.
The fight was half-finished.
It made it incredibly uncomfortable.
It circled around underwater.
Stirring up the sea in that area into utter chaos.
Only then did Lugia stop, flying out of the water.
It looked at the shore not far away.
Feeling three familiar auras converging in one place.
It grinned.
Then it flapped its wings fiercely.
Lugia: Got you.
Because the fight was only half-finished, Lugia, feeling hot, rose higher and flew towards the continent.
At this moment, Lucas had already returned to the Breeding House.
He lay lazily on a chair in the lounge area.
Mime Jr. and Gothorita were preparing dinner in the kitchen. Lucas originally wanted to help.
But Lilligant stopped him, then pushed him out of the kitchen.
Lilligant and Roselia acted as assistants for Mime Jr. and Gothorita.
Lucas could only lie on the chair, scrolling through his phone boredly.
He hadn't expected that merely saying he hadn't tried dinner made by Lilligant and the others would strip him of his dinner-making privileges.
Thinking this, Lucas shook his head while scrolling through his phone.
Gengar, seeing this, showed a disdainful expression nearby.
"Gengar —"
Although you don't know what you're thinking, I know you're definitely not a good person.
Lucas glared at Gengar, then rolled over, turning his back to Gengar.
Gengar, seeing this, floated up.
"Gengar!"
He squeezed his large face into Lucas's phone screen.
He found Lucas was browsing comments.
"Gengar!"
Boring.
Gengar picked up the remote control and started watching TV.
Lucas was browsing the comments on the two videos he had posted a few days ago.
He read comments expressing yearning for such a life, or wanting a cute Pokémon, and so on.
Lucas couldn't help but smile.
As expected, the videos unexpectedly went viral.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out Cynthia had tagged these two videos on her social media account.
Lucas took a screenshot and opened Cynthia's chat page.
Their last conversation was about pearl milk tea ice cream.
He sent the screenshot, then added a thank you.
Cynthia didn't reply.
Seeing this, Lucas continued to browse the comments under the videos.
Gengar watched TV, snacking, and noticed Lucas was still engrossed in the comments.
He felt an itch.
Finally, he couldn't resist squeezing in again.
Lucas was a bit speechless seeing Gengar's large face, pushing and shoving, reappear before him.
He eventually moved over a bit.
To make Gengar more comfortable watching.
"I'm really done with you."
Lucas rolled his eyes.
"Gengar —"
So what? You still made room for me obediently.
Then Gengar also looked at the comments.
"Gengar —"
What is this? I don't understand! (
He found Gengar's scarlet eyes staring intently at him.
Lucas thought for a moment.
"You can't read?"
Gengar nodded somewhat reluctantly.
"Hahahahahahahahahahaha —"
Lucas burst into a piercing laugh.
This drew the Pokémon from the kitchen and Machamp and the others from the backyard.
They watched Lucas, still laughing unrestrainedly, using his foot to block Gengar, preventing him from getting closer.
Gengar, held back by his foot, looked defiant, trying to lick him with his tongue, but couldn't reach.
Machamp led his group back to the backyard. Lilligant, seeing this scene, couldn't help but mimic Lucas, putting her hand to her forehead.
Finally, she came to Lucas's side. Mime Jr. glanced at the foolishly laughing Lucas.
He reached out a small hand and placed it on Lucas's forehead to check.
"Mime Jr.~"
No fever.
"Lilligant~"
Lilligant nodded.
Then they both turned and walked towards the kitchen.
"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?"
Seeing Lilligant and the others looking worried about him, Lucas felt a bit indignant.
He couldn't help but ask.
And thus, he let down his guard.
"Gengar!"
Take this!
Lick~
"Numb.—Numb—"
Lucas was numb, truly numb this time.
Gengar had used Lick.
Gengar was shocked.
"Gengar!"
I used the wrong move!
One sentence made the entire Breeding House erupt in noise.
Pokémon cries and the clatter of objects echoed everywhere.
Finally, with the help of the forest Pokémon in the backyard, Lucas was relieved of his paralysis.
Chewing on a berry.
Lucas still hadn't fully recovered.
Such a strong aftereffect! How do trainers in this world endure Flamethrower and Thunderbolt?!
Especially a certain trio.
How do they survive flying off every time—
Coming back to his senses, he saw Gengar standing beside him, head bowed.
Sincerely admitting his mistake.
Lucas swallowed the berry in his mouth.
Then he tugged at Gengar's mouth.
"It's fine, honestly, it was quite stimulating."
Seeing Lucas's smile, Gengar also grinned.
"Gengar —"
Then I'll use this next time.
Lucas didn't understand what Gengar said, thinking he was moved.
However, he still punished Gengar.
He made him clean up the Breeding House.
The entire Breeding House had been almost turned upside down just now to cure his paralysis.
Gengar floated in the air, tidying up the Breeding House.
In his heart, he happily calculated the berries needed for next time.
After dinner.
Lucas, who was resting in bed after a shower, picked up his phone and found that Cynthia had sent him a message.
He tapped on it.
Cynthia: You're welcome.
Lucas thought about today's events, pondered for a moment, and told her about it.
"Have there been any sightings of The Legendary Birds in other parts of the Sinnoh region recently?"
Cynthia: ?!
Cynthia: How do you know?
Lucas: I encountered Lugia while fishing at sea.
Cynthia: .
Cynthia: ?!
(The other party has retracted a message.)
Cynthia: Lugia?
Lucas: Mmm.
Looking at the message Lucas sent, Cynthia looked at the message Elite Four Drake had sent her on Rotom.
"Lugia has already left with The Legendary Birds."
Only then did she continue to reply to Lucas's message.
"So it was you."
Lucas: ?
Cynthia: Earlier, Drake and Flint, along with Oreburgh City's Gym Leader Roark, were in Oreburgh City preparing to stop The Legendary Birds from flying into Oreburgh City.
Cynthia: Just before Flint and The Legendary Birds were about to start fighting.
Cynthia: A Lugia charged at The Legendary Birds, severely dealt with them, and then left with them.
Cynthia: We are investigating the reason why Lugia attacked The Legendary Birds.
Lucas saw the message and couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
He hadn't expected Lugia to actually adopt his suggestion.
Thinking of The Legendary Birds' miserable state, Lucas couldn't help but laugh.
Lucas: Maybe The Legendary Birds provoked Lugia.
Cynthia: Who knows.
Cynthia: However, Lucas, you seem to encounter these legendary Pokémon very easily.
After chatting with Cynthia for a while, Lucas turned off his phone.
Recalling the recent conversation, Lucas thought for a moment.
His encounter with Celebi was unexpected, and his encounter with Lugia also seemed to be due to an accident.
Lucas nodded, thinking this.
Then he placed his phone on the dressing table.
"Gengar, adjust the light for me."
Gengar came down from the ceiling.
"Gengar —"
At your command.
The small lamp behind Lucas lit up, and the room's light bulb dimmed.
"Goodnight, everyone."
"Gengar!" "Whoosh~"
In the middle of the night, Lucas felt a constant breeze blowing on him.
He pulled the blanket over his head.
His hand fumbled inside the blanket for a while.
He didn't feel the familiar touch.
Empty.
He opened his eyes.
Where was Vulpix?
The wind rattled the door.
Gengar wasn't in the room either.
Lucas threw off the blanket.
The wind made him a bit cold.
He went to the balcony.
Gengar and the others were all on the balcony.
Above the Breeding House in front.
A white Pokémon, like a giant bird, hovered in the air, constantly flapping its wings.
Behind it were three bird Pokémon.
A yellow, ruffled bird, a yellow, flaming bird, and a blue, long-haired bird.
Lucas turned and went back into the room.
He pulled the blanket over himself.
The blanket was blown away by the wind coming through the door.
Lucas could only return to the balcony.
"Why are you suddenly coming to my house in the middle of the night?"
Lugia: ?
The Legendary Birds: ??
Gengar (and the other Pokémon): ???
Lugia chuckled softly.
"Lucas."
Lugia's voice echoed in his mind.
"You know my name?"
"These Pokémon told me."
Lucas followed its gaze and saw some weaker Pokémon trembling.
Facing Lugia, who was a deity, the aura it emitted was too powerful.
Even though it had tried its best to suppress its aura.
It still affected them.
Lucas glanced at Gengar and the others.
They fearlessly shielded him from behind.
"Then, can you tell me why you came to find me in the middle of the night?"
Lugia sensed the aura of Gengar and the others, and the deep connection they shared with Lucas.
It gently flapped its wings.
Another gust of wind blew by.
Lucas shivered.
"You have a very good relationship with them."
Lugia's gentle voice continued:
"You take very good care of them, and not just them."
All the Pokémon in the entire Breeding House were well cared for.
"I came here this time because I wanted you to help me with something."
Listening to the voice in his mind, Lucas was a bit surprised.
Lugia came to him for help?
Him?
Lugia saw the hesitation on Lucas's face.
It chuckled softly.
"It's nothing particularly dangerous, just for you to give me some advice."
"Just like this afternoon."
Lucas breathed a sigh of relief.
He had thought it wanted him to teach The Legendary Birds a lesson.
He had really scared himself.
"What kind of advice?"
"How can I make the three of them get along well, so I don't have to constantly deal with their problems?"
Looking at the somewhat arrogant The Legendary Birds behind Lugia.
Lucas was a bit speechless.
As The Legendary Birds, who arguably appeared the most, if they didn't cause trouble, could they still be called The Legendary Birds?
How would the plot unfold then?
And judging by their expressions, it was clearly very difficult.
Lucas secretly checked their status.
....
[Get 20+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "PokeFicLord"]