Tuesday, August 17.
The large hole in the living room had yet to be repaired. Luke held Eevee in his arms and gazed at the opening that connected the upper and lower floors, letting out a sigh of frustration.
"I'm such a fool," he muttered. "I knew I had to be prepared for Dig, but I never expected Squirtle to learn it in a dream."
Aura was proving to be an incredibly practical ability. It boosted not only healing and detection but also training. Pokémon's progress was nothing short of remarkable when aided by Aura.
"It's become so strong," Luke said with a hint of amazement. "I really wish it could evolve into Blastoise. That would be incredible!"
"uirt~! (ω＼)"
"Don't get too ahead of yourself," Luke teased. "It's not all thanks to you!"
With a playful shake of his head, Luke gently placed Eevee on the sofa and headed to the kitchen. He prepared Pokéblocks for breakfast for the three Pokémon and cracked open a can of Moomoo Milk. On this scorching summer day, only an ice-cold beverage could provide some comfort to Teacher Luke.
"Haunter! Don't drink Coke for breakfast! It's not good for your stomach..." Luke said, his expression one of bemusement. "Wait, do you even have a stomach?"
"jie jie~! (≧∇≦)ﾉ"
Haunter cackled mischievously as it popped open a soda can, making a contented sound.
Luke was reminded of his plans for the day, and he realized it was time to meet with the art painter recommended by the headhunting company.
The manager had arrived early at the café, and upon Luke's arrival, handed him a résumé.
"The artist we recommended hails from Alola Region," the manager explained. "Her style is quite unique."
"Alola?" Luke exclaimed. "That's quite a distance from Magic City!"
"Every artist has their own muse," the manager replied with a smile. "She even traveled to Vermilion Port in Kanto just to capture the sunset view."
The manager added, "During her current trip to Orient, she's taking on part-time work. I've heard she's also a Trainer."
Luke was intrigued. A painter from Alola who was also a Trainer? It sounded familiar.
He took the résumé and examined the photos, deep in thought. The maroon-haired girl in the images was absorbed in her work, with her hair, clothes, and face all smeared with colorful paint.
Mina...
Wasn't she the Captain of Fairium-Z in Alola Region, as seen in the Pokémon anime? In the show, she was portrayed as an adult. But the person in the photos seemed much younger, possibly just turning sixteen.
Luke looked up at the sky. It appeared that this world's timeline was still before the events of Pokémon Sun and Moon.
"Wait, if TV characters are showing up here..."
Luke pondered for a moment before shrugging. "It's none of my business. My goal isn't to become a Pokémon Master."
However, Mina's artistic abilities were still highly regarded. After all, in the Pokémon Sun and Moon series, she became Alola's chief artist a few years later.
"If we can recruit her and bring her into the studio, it could be quite beneficial," Luke thought aloud.
"Regarding her monthly salary, is it based on the number of original artworks?" Luke asked the manager.
The manager replied, "You can discuss the details with her in person. She has a unique temperament, and while we've agreed to help her find work, she often doesn't stay in one job for long."
"Artists can be a bit eccentric," Luke acknowledged with a nod.
"Indeed," the manager agreed. "Just keep that in mind."
Currently, the studio consisted of only two programmers, Teacher Luke and Damien. While Matori could assist as a secretary, it wouldn't be prudent to rely on Team Rocket's resources without good reason. Luke was considering the future, where he might establish a company and need a secretary.
Luke stayed at the café until sunset and then proceeded to Mina's location as provided by the manager. Roadshow bands were already adjusting their sound, Magnemite buzzed excitedly, and flocks of Pidgey flew past against the backdrop of the setting sun.
"I've always disliked these band players before gaming sessions," Luke muttered to himself. "Each of them has a 'strong' Magnemite, and they all spam Thunder Wave!"
With Eevee perched on his head, Teacher Luke reached Magic City Pujiang Harbor. The river water glowed in golden hues, and Wingull soared through the sky as the white sails of boats dotted the waters.
"The Orient Battle Tower is in the distance," Luke noted as he gazed at the scenic view. "The neon lights are starting to come on. It's like something out of Monet's impressionist paintings."
"No wonder she's here to sketch," Luke said to himself. "Can you at least keep this pose?"
Luke turned his head to find a young girl with maroon hair and paint smeared on her face, testing the perspective with a paintbrush.
"Please hold that pose," Mina's voice was calm yet firm. "This scene is incredibly beautiful."
Luke was taken aback. He had come to invite her, but it seemed she had other plans for him.
"I can compensate you for modeling," Mina offered.
Luke put on a contemplative expression. "Is this pose suitable?"
Mina eagerly nodded and swiftly painted a few strokes on her canvas, capturing the essence of the scene. Once satisfied, she relaxed.
"Thank you for your patience," Mina said gratefully.
Luke leaned closer to the drawing board, rubbing his chin as he examined her work. He raised an eyebrow and commented, "Um... I'm having trouble discerning what this is."
In the impressionistic painting, only a vague silhouette was visible, with Eevee perched on the silhouette's head.
"vui~?" Eevee poked its head out curiously.
Mina twirled a strand of her hair and whispered, "It doesn't matter what I paint... As long as the emotions between people and Pokémon are genuine, my brush can capture them."
At that moment, a Cutiefly resembling a hummingbird fluttered by and perched on Mina's slender shoulder, affectionately rubbing against her cheek.
"My name is Mina," she introduced herself, extending her hand. However, upon seeing the paint on her hand, she withdrew it apologetically.
Luke acknowledged, "I know. I've actually come here to invite you to join us."
Mina seemed taken aback by his proposition. "I'm sorry... I've already made plans to return to Alola."
Luke nodded understandingly. The young girl was petite, just having turned sixteen, and had been wandering abroad. It was undoubtedly a challenging life.
With a friendly smile, Luke said, "It's okay if you decline. Just pay me the modeling fee."
Mina hesitated, explaining, "I don't have any money."
"No money?!" Luke exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Then you've just wasted half an hour of my time!"
Perhaps he had raised his voice a bit too much.
Mina looked up with blank eyes, tears beginning to well up.
"I... I need to save money to buy an SS Ticket to get back home."
Mina wiped her cheeks, smudging the paint on her face, and sniffled.
"I've missed several boats already... I can barely make ends meet by working."
Luke couldn't help but feel sympathetic as he looked at her. She was quite petite, her hair was stained with paint, and her attire seemed basic and worn, having been soaked in bleach.
Mina trembled, resembling a helpless little creature. She wiped her eyes as tears continued to fall.
"In the end, I'll just give you this painting!" she said in frustration.
Teacher Luke sighed as he stroked his chin. It seemed he was beginning to feel like a villain.
"Well, I was just kidding," he admitted. "Besides, there's no need for you to worry. The early boat to Alola departs in three days. How about you take on another job until then?"
The young girl looked up in surprise, and Eevee greeted her with a friendly wag of its tail.
Mina hesitated before asking, "How much... How much will you pay me for this?"
"Ten thousand yuan?" Luke suggested. "If that's not enough, we can discuss it further."
Little loli's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Ten thousand yuan for one piece?!"
Eevee playfully shook its tail and displayed a friendly smile, trying to ease the tension.
Mina's voice trembled as she spoke, "You really don't have to pay me so much."
Luke, with his shrewd economic sense, considered the long-term potential. Mina would become Alola's artist in the future, even though her current skill level was still modest. Investing early could be a wise move. The painting she was working on today might someday be renamed "Sunset: Teacher Luke" and sold in art galleries.
"Truly, I'm genius!" Luke exclaimed, patting his own forehead. His knack for business was undeniable.
"Te... Ten thousand?!" little loli exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.
She wiped her cheeks, and her eyes turned red as she said resentfully, "That's way too much!"
Luke couldn't help but stare in astonishment. Her eyes had nearly turned into the shape of the ¥ symbol just a moment ago!
"Alright, you can go ahead and leave," Luke said helplessly. "In three days, I'll buy you that SS Ticket to ensure you won't miss your boat."
Mina looked at him with a bewildered expression. She had a hard time trusting strangers, but the bond she could see between this man and Eevee spoke volumes.
This man... was a good person.
With her Poké Ball in hand, Mina released her Granbull and affectionately embraced the pink Pokémon.
"Nice, Granbull. We're finally going home!"
Granbull wagged its tail with delight, rolling over with Charm.
"Hey... we can finally afford a boxed lunch..." Mina muttered, unintentionally revealing her true circumstances.
Luke regarded her with an odd expression. While he understood that artists often faced financial struggles, Mina's situation seemed particularly dire.
She was living on a tight budget, and Luke couldn't help but wonder if her artistic skills were holding her back.
With a smile, she said, "Well, at the very least, I'll give you this painting!"
Eevee, who had been observing Charm's Granbull, felt a pang of envy for the attention Granbull was receiving. Sneakily, it glanced at Luke, who was lost in thought.
It had a slightly embarrassed look on its face as it tugged on its ears. It seemed to want to be pampered, but...
Eevee stole another glance at Luke, who appeared deep in thought. It tugged at its own ears and covered its reddened cheeks.
Maybe it wouldn't hurt to seek a bit of affection from Luke after all...
But...
Eevee took another furtive look at Luke's pensive expression. It couldn't make up its mind.
Ultimately, it decided that a little pampering should be fine, right?