"Is this normal, just ordinary?"
Ruby paused for a moment, carefully examining Eevee, and then touched his chin as he muttered, "No, it actually makes sense... Could it be another method of coordination?"
"Alright, don't just stand there!" Sapphire patted Ruby on the back of the head, causing him to wince in pain and cover his head.
"Why don't you go and help Teacher Luke with the luggage?"
"Ouch! Why don't you go yourself?"
"I'm a girl, you know!"
"Since when does a girl wrestle hand-to-hand with a Donphan?"
Observing the young couple arguing again, Steven shook his head helplessly and turned to Luke.
"Teacher Luke, there's one more thing I'd like to ask for your assistance with."
Luke contemplated for a moment, wondering why Ruby, who was recommending others, was himself a Coordinator and a five-year-old who could ride a Salamence.
"Of course, please tell me," Luke responded with a smile. "Is it related to Jirachi?"
While the comet was indeed related to Jirachi, not every comet had the power to attract a Legendary Pokémon. It seemed too coincidental.
"You already know?" Steven asked, a hint of surprise visible in his light blue eyes before he broke into a smile.
"I suppose... I couldn't keep it from Teacher Luke," he said with a sly grin.
Luke: ? ? ?
"Has Teacher Luke had contact with Jirachi before?" Sapphire squatted down and inquired, her ears perked with curiosity.
"Well... isn't it normal?" Ruby sighed. "After all, he's Orient's Champion!"
"But isn't Orient's Champion called Liang Cheng?" Sapphire questioned.
"It's not unusual for a Region to have multiple Champions," Ruby proudly remarked while wagging his finger. "After all, doesn't Hoenn have both the Master and Senior Steven?"
"I see," Sapphire responded thoughtfully, nodding in agreement.
Meanwhile, Teacher Luke attempted to maintain a composed demeanor and moistened his lips.
"Is it really, truly Jirachi?" he inquired.
"I'm just speculating," Steven replied. "If it happens to be Jirachi's Meteorite, my mission is to ensure its safe return to the sky."
Luke pondered this for a moment. With Steven by his side, he felt reassured against any potential mishaps. Moreover, there was the possibility of encountering another individual like Cynthia in the future.
"Where is that Meteorite piece? May I have another look?" Luke asked.
Steven nodded, retrieved a Poké Ball, and activated it, causing a one-eyed Beldum to appear. The Beldum clutched a rough, bumpy Meteorite in its claws and handed it over to Steven.
"You can attempt to sense it," Steven suggested, passing the Meteorite to Luke. "Perhaps it can be awakened."
Luke was taken aback for a moment. According to legend, Jirachi, who awakened once every thousand years, could only be stirred from its slumber by a pure heart and song. Wasn't this too straightforward?
Teacher Luke accepted the stone, but when he noticed that the Meteorite remained unresponsive, he couldn't help but mutter, "This must be a fake!"
It seemed impossible that a person with such a pure heart couldn't awaken it. How could this stone be Jirachi?
Steven smiled and reassured him, "Perhaps the time isn't right yet."
Just then, Sapphire's voice rang out from behind them. "Mr. Steven, Teacher Luke! Let's go camping!"
"Trollo found a great spot nearby, and we can fly there!"
"Trollo?" Luke was surprised. "Is that just a Pokémon's nickname?"
Before he could finish speaking, a long cry echoed through the mountains and forests. On a distant steep rocky peak, a Tropius flapped its massive wings and soared through the sea of clouds.
The gusty wind subsided as Tropius slowly descended, extending its long neck to affectionately nuzzle Sapphire.
"Jie jie~?"
Haunter's eyes gleamed mischievously as it snuck beneath Tropius' neck and retrieved a bunch of bananas.
The onlookers' reactions: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
"Jie jie~ !(￣～￣)" Haunter chewed on the bananas and even offered one to Luke as he passed by.
"Oh, thank you," Luke said, accepting it and peeling it open, though he soon realized something was amiss.
"Go and apologize to the others, Haunter!" Luke commanded.
Haunter promptly pulled down two bunches of bananas and handed them to Ruby and Steven, respectively.
"Hmm..." Tropius lay humbly on the ground, its eyes wide, and it dared not make a sound.
Sapphire laughed and patted Tropius' head. "It's alright; I also enjoy eating Tropius fruits!"
Steven returned the banana to Haunter with a gentle smile and said, "Let's go and set up a campsite."
"Jie jie~ !(*⊙~⊙)"
...
This marked the first time Teacher Luke had experienced riding a Flying Pokémon. As they glided through the air, the wind rushed past from both sides. Despite Tropius's wings providing some protection against the wind, it still caused discomfort to their eyes.
"Teacher Luke, look at that!" Ruby, wearing goggles and gripping Tropius's long neck, shouted excitedly. However, he was taken aback when he saw Luke lying on all fours with sunglasses, maintaining a calm expression.
"This helps reduce air resistance, you see," Luke calmly explained, his voice barely audible over the wind.
Sapphire mimicked Luke's actions and called out, "Watch out for the Pidgeotto up ahead!"
Ruby tilted his head and skillfully dodged the fast-flying Pidgeotto, but he couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
"Teacher Luke sure is a professional!" he remarked.
Initially standing upright, Steven joined the others by bending down when he realized the others were doing the same.
"What are you all doing?" Steven asked curiously.
"We're imitating Teacher Luke," the Silly Couple replied in unison.
Steven nodded, still somewhat puzzled.
"What exactly is Teacher Luke doing?"
...
Tropius safely carried them to a rocky peak with a lush, broad-leaved forest nearby. Sentret and Mankey roamed through the forest, and a clear stream flowed not far away.
Tropius retracted its wings and approached the stream to drink water. Sapphire, brimming with excitement, leaped off Tropius's back.
"We've arrived!" she exclaimed.
Teacher Luke, with sunglasses still on, stepped onto the ground cautiously, but his legs almost gave way. Flying techniques were truly something to reckon with!
Taking a deep breath, Luke made a mental note to add guardrails to Flying Pokémon saddles in the future.
"Teacher Luke, are you alright?" Steven inquired.
"It's fine... just getting used to this," Luke replied, his voice unsteady.
No wonder Teacher Luke needed those protruding saddles; his vehicle was a high-speed Pokémon like Aerodactyl or Salamence.
"I'll set up a tent!" Sapphire volunteered.
"Ruby, go and scout the surroundings!"
"Alright, got it," Ruby responded, standing up reluctantly.
The tents were erected swiftly, with Sapphire's Blaziken lending a hand. Luke, on the other hand, averted his gaze and contemplated the Meteorite in Steven's possession.
"What if it turns out to be a fake? What should we do?" Luke wondered aloud.
"That's alright," Steven reassured him with a faint smile. "In any case, this journey is meant to be enjoyable and stress-free."
Luke nodded in agreement. The initial purpose of the trip was simply to travel; Jirachi's involvement was merely an unexpected development.
...
As dusk descended, the setting sun cast a fiery glow on the water's surface, turning the sea of clouds into a blazing spectacle.
Eevee lay on Luke's shoulder, its tail swaying lazily as it gradually drifted to sleep.
Squirtle practiced its moves by the stream.
Haunter, busy picking fruits from Tropius, chortled happily.
"Jie jie~!" Haunter gathered a handful of fruits and nodded in satisfaction.
Tropius, with a tearful expression, remembered its trainer's instructions but dared not say anything.
Luke lay on the cool sand, resting his arms, and gazed up at the sky.
Meanwhile, Steven sat on the ground, raised the Meteorite, and stared at it for a long while before speaking with a slight smile.
"If it awakens now, we might even catch it in time for dinner."
"I'll prepare dinner," Luke offered with a smile. "I'm quite skilled at cooking."
Steven nodded and took a harmonica from his suit pocket. A burst of red light emerged from a Poké Ball, revealing a silver-white Metagross with a commanding presence. The blue-haired man leaned against Metagross, slowly closing his scarlet eyes, and began playing the harmonica.
The melodious music filled the air, lulling the approaching twilight into drowsiness. Suddenly, the river surged, and a column of water shot into the sky.
"Uirt~!"
A bluestone in the river shattered into pieces, and Squirtle proudly struck a Bulk Up pose.
Simultaneously, the entire stream turned into a swirling vortex.
"Mastered Aqua Tail!"
Mastering the move, water droplets fell like heavy rain.
Teacher Luke, with wet bangs clinging to his forehead, watched with mixed emotions.
Steven, who had managed to move away in time, looked slightly surprised. "Are you alright, Teacher Luke?"
"Squir.. tle!" Luke gritted his teeth.
"Uirt~! (≧ω≦)" Squirtle joyfully raised its small paw.
It seemed Squirtle was a bit too thrilled; this was actually an accomplishment of its own!
Sapphire, perched on a rock, swung her legs playfully and watched the scene with a smile.
"Teacher Luke's bond with his Pokémon is truly remarkable."
Suddenly, Sapphire's expression changed.
"Mr. Steven!" she called out. "Did you hear that sound?"