In the chat group:
Yellow from Viridian Forest: @Teacher Luke, I'm almost at the Airport~! [Video]
In the video, Yellow has already boarded Charizard and is now using her mobile phone to capture images of clouds and fog.
Green exclaimed, "Isn't the flight at 2 o'clock? It's almost 4 o'clock now."
"Um... it's a long story."
Yellow secretly glanced at the back of the red windbreaker in front of her and shyly scratched her head.
Teacher Luke: No need to come here, I'm almost home.
Yellow from Viridian Forest: Hey ∑(っ°Д°;)っ
"We don't make the guests wait so long," Blue said helplessly.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! (T▽Ｔ)"
"You're fine."
Luke said, "We'll have another chance to meet."
Brock nodded, "Saffron City has direct maglev trains to various cities. It is indeed more convenient for organizing parties."
Gold: I want to come too!!
Crystal raised her forehead and said, "Don't mess with Teacher Luke, Gold!"
"I should be welcomed by Teacher Luke too!" Gold insisted.
Teacher Luke: I don't have one, don't talk nonsense. [Angrily rubs the dog's head upstairs]
Gold: ???
After the usual teasing of Gold.
Erika smiled, "Teacher Luke, I will report to Celadon University tomorrow. The little girl will lead the way."
Teacher Luke: Thank you!
Turning off the chat group [Heaven Realm].
Luke looks at the silhouette of the black trench coat in front of him.
Counting the trip to Sinnoh, it was also the flight where Cynthia picked him up.
This feeling of someone waiting...
Um... a little heartwarming!
The winter temperature is a bit damp and cold.
Cynthia is wearing a thick black trench coat with a fleece collar at the collar.
The waterfall-like blonde hair falls down, covering the left half of her eye.
As if sensing Luke's gaze, Cynthia turns her delicate face.
"en?"
"I'm thinking, are you cold."
"It's okay." Cynthia puts her hands in the pockets on both sides, saying with a smile.
"I'll make you ginger cola later," Luke said.
Cynthia blinked, seemingly unsure whether it was a drink or the name of a dish.
"Jie jie~! (¯﹃¯)"
Gengar levitates in midair, seeming to catch a whiff of the fragrance of dinner; drool has formed at the corners of its mouth...
Saffron City is a typical metropolis.
High-rise buildings, flyovers, subways extending in all directions, and urban elevated structures.
Cynthia's villa seems to be far away from here.
While Luke is pondering, Cynthia leads him to a black roadster in front of the terminal.
"Can you drive?" Cynthia shakes the car key in her hand.
Luke freezes for a moment.
Sports cars are parked at every airport...
Is this the world of a wealthy lady?!
"I drove a thief!" Luke says proudly.
Cynthia smiles, lets down her blonde hair, and opens the door of the open-air driver's seat.
"You're here for the first time... I'll drive."
Cynthia leans her head toward Luke with her elbow on the car window.
"Get in."
Teacher Luke frowns.
Get in, or don't get in.
This is undoubtedly an extremely difficult choice.
After pondering for 0.05 seconds, Teacher Luke simply says:
"I'll get in!"
The sky is getting better in the evening, and the sunset sets the sky ablaze with golden hues.
The open-air car seat is breezy at night.
"Want to listen to some music?"
"I'm okay with that."
Cynthia turns on the car stereo.
The music that flows out suddenly surprises her.
Afterward, blood rushes to her earlobes, tinting them a beautiful cherry color.
"Uchiage Hanabi?"
Luke is astonished, "Isn't this a song I wrote."
Cynthia gives a soft 'um' and silently taps the steering wheel.
"Have you been listening?"
"...Hmm."
"Or on loop?"
Cynthia remains silent, slowly exhales, and smiles slightly.
"Here, get out of the car."
This sudden brake causes Gengar, sitting on Teacher Luke's lap, to dive into the popcorn bucket.
"Jie jie~? (*⊙~⊙)"
Gengar sticks out its tongue and cleans off the popcorn stuck on its face.
This time, there's nothing to say.
You can't blame me for this!
.....
In front of you stood a two-story single-family villa.
Adorned in a simple black and white style, the courtyard featured a white sea lion fountain with the gentle sound of water flowing.
Indoors, an orange chandelier illuminated the living room, adorned with spacious and bright hand-woven carpets.
Overall, it was much more luxurious than the villa Teacher Luke had previously rented.
Teacher Luke gazed at the sky with a touch of emotion.
What if suddenly he didn't feel like putting in the effort?
In a flash of red light, Cynthia's Pokémon materialized one after another.
"Spiritomb," greeted Luke, raising its branches and leaves in a slightly shy manner.
Lucario and Garchomp, arms crossed, stared at Luke with mischievous eyes.
"Jie jie~! ヾ{ 0 ▽ 0ゞ )"
Gengar, self-possessed, levitated forward with a pot of Pokéblock.
Lucario and Garchomp exchanged glances and involuntarily swallowed.
After a moment, the three Pokémon draped their arms around each other's shoulders, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
"The quality of these Pokéblocks... seems to have improved again?" Cynthia asked, a bit surprised.
"Incorporated into Pokémon cooking techniques," nodded Luke with a dry cough. "In general, it enhances the flavor."
"Humans can eat them too," added Luke.
"Ah, I see," Cynthia said thoughtfully, nodding.
"By the way... are you here in Kanto to participate in the Alliance conference?"
"Huh?" Luke was taken aback. "Why do you think so?"
"Because in two months, it will be the Indigo Plateau Conference," Cynthia explained. "If you sign up now, you'll be able to catch up with the process verification."
The Alliance Conference served as an excellent platform to assess team configurations.
Every year, Trainers would bring new teams to the conference, revealing the disparity between the first and second teams.
Cynthia, leaning on the sofa with her chin resting on a pillow, mused to herself:
Breed for half a year... with Teacher Luke's new lineup, it could indeed participate in the Alliance conference.
Luke was momentarily stunned.
I came to Kanto... to fish!
To teach students and explore with little Pokémon... Isn't that perfect?
Luke coughed lightly and said, "I have no plans to compete for the time being."
Cynthia nodded slowly. "That's understandable."
Typically, the Alliance conference is for players below the Master rank, while Master Rank Trainers usually focus on the path to becoming a Champion or Elite.
"Time to cook," Luke said, noticing Cynthia's contemplative look. "What would you like to eat?"
Cynthia tilted her head, pondering for a moment. "Noodles."
"No problem."
Upon entering the house, with the professionalism of a chef, Teacher Luke immediately checked the kitchen refrigerator.
Even though he didn't live there often, it seemed like there was a steward taking care of things. The refrigerator even had fresh fruits and vegetables.
Well... making a bowl of udon noodles wouldn't be a problem.
"Add a hot spring egg?" Luke called out.
"Sure~~" Cynthia replied, watching TV with her cheek in her hand.
Udon, soba, ramen... Each type of noodle has its advantages. Udon, especially in colder weather, imparts a fuller feeling and a thicker soup base.
Potatoes were sliced and cooked, while melted butter in the hot pot emitted a sweet 'zi zi' aroma.
The thick curry soup, made with mashed potatoes as the main ingredient, was perfect for enjoying on winter nights around the pot.
As the Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma mid-autumn trial dish, it had an eye-catching name.
[White Soup Curry Udon]
"This name isn't serious..." Luke remarked.
Pouring Moomoo Milk into the pot.
Additionally, ginger cola would be prepared for the little Pokémon.
Togepi clutched a large bottle of Coke, still sipping on the ice.
Steaming ginger tea could also serve as a cold drink.
"Why do I feel more and more like the old man?" Luke rubbed his chin, muttering.
...
Meanwhile, in the living room.
Togepi rode on Togekiss's back, flying around joyfully.
Sylveon, with a sleepy yawn, napped on Cynthia's knee.
Even Glaceon, with narrowed eyes, seemed to doze off.
"Uirt~! ヾ(⌐■_■)"
On the other side, Squirtle adjusted his sunglasses and scrutinized Lucario, who had closed his eyes in meditation.
On Lucario's body, there emanated an incredibly strong Aura.
If Squirtle considered itself a '1', this Lucario was a '1000'!
Squirtle wiped away some cold sweat and silently clenched its small fist.
They still had to continue developing sneakily!
"Luca."
Lucario opened its eyes and glanced at Squirtle, frowning.
Could it be... it couldn't see through this Squirtle?!
"Ao wu ~~(｀0´)"
Facing the group of big Pokémon, Growlithe rushed past the living room excitedly, snarling.
Glaceon, awakened, had a 'tic' on its forehead and also barked loudly:
"Gla——!!!"
[Hyper Voice: Attack the opponent with a loud and resounding vibration.]
Ka-cha!
The high-frequency Growl shattered the glass windows, even waking up Sylveon.
"Vui~?"
Seeing Glaceon, Sylveon's blue eyes lit up.
"Ao wu ~~"
Thinking Glaceon was playing, Growlithe growled even more excitedly.
Apparently, this scene amused him.
Cynthia rested her cheek on her hand, smiling slightly.
"What's going on?"
Teacher Luke hurried out of the kitchen.
Observing the chaotic living room, he stood still.
"The little Pokémon are having a skirmish," Cynthia explained with a smile.
"But the broken glass window..."
"It's fine."
Cynthia waved her hand, seemingly unfazed.
"I have the contact number for the renovation team; I'll have them come for repairs soon."
Luke paused for a moment.
You're also a VIP customer for the renovation team?
What's the definition of a soulmate? This is it!
"By the way, I'll give you the contact number for the renovation team."
Cynthia suggested, "It'll be more convenient for you next time."
Luke blinked, looking up at the sky.
Could it be...
Upon arriving in Kanto, was it inevitable to seek the services of the renovation team?!
....
The night deepened.
Teacher Luke served up the piping hot udon noodles, declaring, "Dinner's served!"
Cynthia led the playful little Pokémon to the Pokéblock hills.
"Gengar, no sneaky stealing allowed!" warned Luke.
Gengar chuckled and signaled an 'ok' to Luke, having already hidden numerous Pokéblocks. "I'm not a fan of this stuff."
The udon noodles in the white soup emitted a rich fragrance and warmth.
Cynthia licked her lips, stained with soup, and smiled, "Delicious."
"How does it taste?"
"Warmth envelops my body," replied Cynthia with a smile. "Eating a steaming bowl of noodles in winter is indeed delightful."
[Cooking Lv5] had reached the level of a Cooking God, thanks to Teacher Luke intentionally suppressing the effects of 'Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma.'
Even so, the deliciousness was apparent.
"If you go to Celadon University... Where will you stay?"
"Not sure yet, maybe the staff dormitory," Cynthia replied.
"If you don't mind, you can stay here."
Cynthia, twirling her blonde hair, picked up the noodles. "I have to return to Sinnoh in a few days, and the house will be empty."
"Hmm?" Luke hesitated, not yet comprehending.
"Here's the key, and there's a spare car key with the steward. Feel free to use it," Cynthia said, placing the key on the table.
"What do you think?"
Luke was shaken.
Trading a bowl of noodles for a villa? No, think rationally.
Even if he felt lazy momentarily, Teacher Luke wasn't one to back down from hard work.
"I'll pay the rent," he declared, coughing slightly. "Whether it's a car or not, I prefer commuting to work."
"That works too," Cynthia replied, smiling lightly.
Teacher Luke clearly wasn't short on funds.
Anyhow, it was a mutual help situation, saving Teacher Luke the trouble of searching for a listing.
As Luke relaxed, a sudden alertness struck.
This luxurious house... If it got wrecked by the little Pokémon, wouldn't it be disastrous?
A bead of cold sweat traced down Teacher Luke's forehead.
This could turn into a major problem!
...
The night deepened.
As Cynthia wasn't adept at housework, Gengar took charge of dishwashing.
Blushing, Cynthia lightly coughed, expressing her gratitude to Gengar.
Luke remarked, "This is really unnecessary."
Cynthia insisted, "It's a must!"
Luke rubbed his eyebrows.
In any case, the new home was finally settled.
Situated in the prime location of Saffron City, not far from the subway and commercial center, commuting would be convenient.
Considering Cynthia's occasional visits...
Speaking of which... Was this cohabitation?
However, Cynthia's mansion was considerably more expensive.
Anticipating increased decoration costs, Luke surveyed the lavishly decorated living room and mused, "Hope there won't be any mishaps..."
After arranging the house and placing Sylveon's rollers and Squirtle's water tanks in their respective spots, Cynthia, sipping on ginger cola, asked, "Ready to go?"
"What are we doing?"
"Playing cards."
Luke looked puzzled. "Didn't you say you'll leave later?"
Cynthia fell silent.
The cold night outside, the warm heating indoors, and the Pokémon company...
It seemed quite nice, continuing like this.
But he... Wasn't he too young?
A blush crept onto Cynthia's cheeks.
Seemingly absurd, she coughed and turned around. "I'm going to take a bath."
"Wait for me!"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, wait for me to play cards," Luke asserted.