Chapter 150

Green wears a conspicuously nosy expression and asks, "Hey, who are you planning to buy a gift for?"

Gold remains composed, with no sign of blushing, as his heart races. He replies, "I'm giving it to Crys. She gave me chocolate before, so I need to return the favor."

Luke, on the other hand, suddenly has a thought.

Crys is a nickname; her full name is Crystal, and her unique talent is 'The Capturer.' Currently, she's assisting Professor Oak in collecting Pokémon data.

From a certain perspective, Gold and Crystal make a perfect pair...

Lorelei holds his head, eyes moist, and pleads, "Please, refrain from making provocative remarks!"

Lance playfully teases, "I doubt anyone has never received chocolate on Valentine's Day, right?"

[Group member 'Lance' was temporarily banned by group owner 'Teacher Luke' for 5 minutes]

Gold's eyes gleam, and he exclaims, "Wait a minute! Teacher Luke has never received a Valentine's Day present!"

[Group member 'Gold' was temporarily muted by 'Teacher Luke' for 5 minutes]

Red, who rarely participates in group chats, glances at the conversation and suddenly interjects, "So, after receiving chocolate, one must reciprocate with a gift!"

Red: "@Yellow from Viridian Forest, what kind of present do you want for Qixi Festival?"

Yellow blushes, and before she can respond, Red mentions Misty.

Red: "@Misty, I'll be giving a gift too."

Yellow from Viridian Forest: ? ? ?

Teacher Luke: ? ? ?

Astonishingly, such a playful maneuver!

[Group administrator 'Red' was temporarily banned by group owner 'Teacher Luke' for 5 minutes]

Three consecutive bans, and the group leader, Luke, is going berserk!

...

Gold chose a crystal ball descending in Icirrus as a gift for Crystal.

Despite his boisterous demeanor, Gold reveals surprising delicacy in certain aspects, displaying emotional intelligence greater than a certain brawler.

The Qixi Festival is drawing near.

This festival, originating from Orient's traditional celebration, has also influenced the senior members of the group.

Blue receives a Qixi Festival present, a figurine of Red's Charizard.

"Exquisite," Blue murmurs, then places it beside the Champion trophy.

Sabrina receives fan mail, Brock and his younger siblings gather for a toast, and Lorelei stays at home to watch "Kanto Love Story."

Yellow hopes to go on a movie date with Red but is disappointed as Red rushes off to Mt. Silver once again, hoping for a different outcome.

The Silly Couple from Hoenn prepares their bags for a rush to Orient.

"Sapphire, does my headband look good?" Ruby asks while awkwardly tying Red's headband into his hair.

"It looks great."

"You didn't even turn around!" Sapphire playfully grabs Ruby's neck.

"Cough, cough, that's because I can't compete with your genius in any way!"

"You clearly meant that it doesn't suit me!"

"I apologize dear, just pretend I never said it."

"No need to explain today; just don't even think about resting!"

...

At Team Rocket HQ on Sevii Islands, Matori connects to a secure line and speaks respectfully, "This is Matori. How may I assist you?"

A hoarse and commanding voice responds through the microphone, "What have you discovered regarding the comet, and what are the specifics?"

"Based on information obtained from Mossdeep City Space Center, there is a significant likelihood of a Jirachi recovery ceremony."

Matori adds, "However, Orient is heavily fortified, and it appears that the meteorite is being escorted by a Champion."

Giovanni lightly taps the sofa and says in his characteristic hoarse tone, "In that case, it's not worth engaging in reckless actions. Recall all our operatives."

Matori seems hesitant as she continues, "To be honest, due to the stringent security measures, our subordinates have already initiated a preemptive recall."

"What?" Giovanni's brow furrows slightly.

"However, there is a small team that, for unknown reasons, has resisted the recall order."

Giovanni lets out a soft sigh.

In Matori's absence, Giovanni knows exactly who the team members are.

"Let them go," Giovanni says, sighing and holding his head in frustration.

"Prepare an escape route for them...those three idiots..."

Matori is somewhat puzzled, not understanding why Giovanni is so fond of these three members. But upon reflection, whether it's their involvement in Unova, against Team Plasma or the 'Rainstorm Plan,' the trio has made significant contributions.

"I understand," Matori respectfully replies.

...

Wednesday, August 26th.

The weather is splendid.

Luke, with Eevee on his shoulder and Haunter floating beside him, sets out on his journey to Xiangchu.

The train is filled with astronomy enthusiasts heading to Wulingyuan to observe the upcoming comet meteor shower. Luckily, there are numerous observation points available, and with a bit of luck, they might still find open spots.

As the hours pass, Luke arrives in the afternoon at the natural scenic area of Wulingyuan, awestruck by the breathtaking beauty of the landscape.

The numerous towering rock peaks, carved into unique shapes, stand tall amidst the clouds, resembling giant swords thrust into the sky. Amidst the mist, rare birds like Swablu and Natu flutter their wings.

Verdant pine forests dot the landscape among the rock peaks, their reflection mirrored in the azure waters below. Cable cars glide gracefully through the clouds, while flocks of Pidgey soar overhead.

"Vui~..." Eevee, perched on Luke's shoulder, gazes around in awe, momentarily entranced by the stunning scenery.

"Haunter, carry the bag," Luke coughs, dryly adding, "We still need to buy tickets!"

"Jie jie~!" Haunter readily shoulders a backpack that's two or three times its size, nodding energetically.

The rendezvous point with Steven isn't far from the astronomical observatory.

As Luke marvels at the diverse and remarkable rock formations, he hears commotion in the distance.

"Sapphire, slow down!"

"Hurry up! We're almost there!"

At the forefront is a man in a suit with light blue hair, shaking his head in exasperation.

Suddenly, the man's eyes light up as he recognizes Luke and greets him with a slight smile, "Teacher Luke."

This marks Luke's first encounter with Steven.

Curious about the legendary Stone Collector, Luke strokes his chin in contemplation.

Indeed, the resemblance is quite uncanny!

Luke smiles and responds, "The meteor shower will be in the evening. Did we arrive too early?"

"It will be dusk soon," Steven replies, gazing towards the distant forest, his smile unwavering. "With some luck, we may catch a glimpse of meteors today."

Behind them, Ruby and Sapphire engage in a hushed conversation.

"Is this Teacher Luke? He looks quite young."

"Mind your manners, Ruby! Offending him would be disastrous!"

"Allow me to introduce them," Steven says, extending his hand. "These are Ruby and Sapphire, the Pokédex holders of Hoenn Region."

"And I am..." Luke begins, but hesitates.

"I'm an in-game content uploader, Teacher Luke," he continues.

Sapphire, wearing a red headband, is brimming with excitement as she stares intently at Luke. "Teacher Luke! I heard you battled Mr. Lance to a tie. Is it true?"

Luke coughs and nods slowly.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Sapphire is left speechless.

She had imagined Teacher Luke to be a gray-haired elderly scholar. However, it seems he's only a few years older than herself and Ruby!

"Hey!" Ruby suddenly exclaims, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he spots Eevee on Luke's shoulder. "Teacher Luke, is this your Pokémon? It's so adorable!"

"Vui~?" Eevee glances at Ruby disdainfully, twisting its head away with a snub.

"Could I please pet it?" Ruby clasps his hands together, gazing at Luke with pleading eyes.

Steven smiles and explains, "Ruby is a Pokémon Coordinator and has a soft spot for cute Pokémon."

Luke glances at Eevee and apologizes, "I'm sorry... this little one isn't fond of being touched by strangers."

Ruby sighs with regret, though he's also surprised.

Eevee's cuteness is off the charts, whether it's the color of its fur or its overall appearance. Could Teacher Luke be a Pokémon Coordinator after all?

"Jie jie~!" Haunter emerges cheerfully from Luke's shadow, leaving Ruby astounded.

"Wait a second," Ruby stammers. "Is this Haunter... trained Smart?!"

"What are you talking about, Ruby?" Sapphire is puzzled.

Ruby's innate talent, "Charm Man," allows him to identify a Pokémon's inherent talent in coordination and character. Teacher Luke's two Pokémon, with their attributes of 'smart' and 'cute' in the field of coordination, leave Ruby somewhat intimidated!

"Teacher Luke, are you a Coordinator?" Ruby asks with enthusiasm, as if he's met a fellow colleague.

Steven's pale blue eyes light up slightly upon hearing this. He wonders if Teacher Luke has taken a similar path to Wallace.

"A Coordinator?" Luke shakes his head. "I've only fed some ordinary Pokéblocks occasionally."