Moonlight bathed the courtyard in a tranquil glow, as the gentle flow of water created a soothing background, accompanied by the melodious sound of bamboo tubes 'clanging' in the quiet surroundings.
After the intense battle with Blaine, Luke was covered in sweat. He pulled Gengar along and spent half an hour in the hot spring.
"Ah, this feels so comfortable," Luke sighed, running his hand over the smooth bluestone.
"jie jie~ (ૢ⁼̴̤̆ꇴ⁼̴̤̆ૢ)~ෆ" Gengar nodded in agreement.
The massive Arcanine sat by the shore, dipping her feet into the water and eventually immersing his whole body, wearing a foolish smile.
Post-evolution, Arcanine measured about two meters in length. However, the one from Teacher Luke's family seemed to have developed more physically, reaching about 1.7 meters. Visually, it resembled a large lion, not too exaggerated, suitable for riding and fitting comfortably at home.
Luke patted Arcanine's furry head and suddenly had a realization.
Could he commute to work on Arcanine next Friday?
Not only could he walk the dog, but it would also save transportation expenses. Most importantly, it would be incredibly cool!
"I'm counting on you next week!" Luke exclaimed happily.
"ao wu (O_o)??" Arcanine seemed puzzled, sensing that there might be something amusing afoot.
Exiting the hot spring, Arcanine shook his mane, the flaxen-colored hair shimmering subtly under the moonlight.
Luke ran his hand through the mane, feeling a sense of pride.
Every time his Pokémon evolved, it felt like being a proud parent. Evolution was the grand leap of life, and it was the individual choice of each Pokémon. Luke's responsibility was to take good care of these beloved companions.
"Let's go," Luke said with a smile. "Time for supper!"
"ao wu ~~" Arcanine raised his head, emitting a vigorous posture, his mane swaying in the night breeze.
...
The night grew darker, and the refreshing early winter wind swept through.
Red and Yellow hurried back from town, the latter holding a Poke Doll.
"Senior Red gave it to me," Yellow said with a smile, clutching the Poke Doll in both hands.
Red explained, "There were battle activities at the night market, and this was one of the prizes."
Luke stood in silence, taken aback by the notion of Red buying presents under such circumstances. Buying gifts after battle? Quite the unusual choice.
"Being defeated by the strongest person is a good death!" Luke remarked, appreciating the Trainer spirit of those participating in such intense battles.
Despite Red using Yellow's Butterfree, the battle scene was so intense that it left onlookers stunned. The two made a swift return to the hotel to share their findings with Teacher Luke.
Observing the well-matched and smiling duo, Luke nodded in satisfaction. As their group leader, the significant events in the lives of the group members were also part of his considerations.
For supper, the chef Blaine arranged nigiri sushi, miso soup, and tamagoyaki. Yellow, sitting on the corridor, eyed the chubby Arcanine lying on the ground curiously.
"Did it evolve during the last battle, Teacher Luke?" Yellow inquired.
Luke nodded, handing a jade to Togepi in his arms. Togepi, bowing respectfully, suddenly toppled over, kicking its little feet adorably. Sylveon used a ribbon to straighten Togepi, casting a glance at Luke, who sighed.
"It was quite a challenging fight," Luke confessed.
Red nodded, sharing a sense of understanding. "Probably... similar to when I first encountered the Three Sacred Birds."
Luke was startled. The Three Sacred Birds? What connection did they have with a Gym battle? Observing Arcanine, still munching on glutinous rice balls with grains stuck in the corners of its mouth, Red's eyes bore a sense of depth.
Could it be that the real purpose of Teacher Luke's visit to Cinnabar Island was to gain experience and even evolution through Entei's Cinnabar fire?
Luke, noticing Red's contemplative expression, apologized for disturbing his thoughts.
Sitting between the two, Luke turned to Yellow and asked, "When do you both plan to leave tomorrow?"
"If we stay for one more day and night, we'll leave tomorrow afternoon," Yellow replied. "Teacher Luke, do you plan to stay for a while?"
"I'll also be heading back tomorrow," Luke said after a brief contemplation. "I have school on Friday, though it wouldn't be too inconvenient for Erika to take over."
He added with a playful note, "Plus, I'll get to show off by riding Arcanine to school."
The night wind was gentle, and Arcanine took a nap on the ground after eating, while Snorlax exposed his belly, lazily rubbing it.
Blaine arrived on the corridor, saw the stacked plates, and raised an eyebrow, wondering if this included tonight's half-month income.
Sylveon sat gracefully on the floor, swaying ribbons like a lady. Luke affectionately rubbed its long ears.
"I'll be heading home tomorrow, and I'll have the wheel running in no time!" Luke exclaimed.
Sylveon responded with a light snort, and with its beautiful blue eyes, it gazed at the bright moon over Cinnabar Island.
...
Tuesday, November 24th.
Having bid farewell to Red, Luke boarded the ferry heading back to Saffron City.
On the harbor, Red exclaimed, "Teacher Luke, let's have another match next time!"
Luke nodded in agreement, "Next time!"
Play against Red? Not unless Gold stops avoiding battles and Sylveon becomes less arrogant!
In the group chat, a cheerful atmosphere prevailed. 'The Evolver' Green, upon learning of Arcanine's evolution, expressed excitement.
"Any photos? Let me take a look!"
Teacher Luke shared adorable sleeping photos of Arcanine, eliciting surprise from Crystal.
"I always feel... much stronger than the usual."
"Pokémon individuals can differ based on their breeding methods," explained Brock, nodding. "As a stand-in player, this is a significant achievement."
While Blue was examining the pictures, Red's call interrupted the moment.
"What is it?"
"I'm ready to return to Mt. Silver; can I borrow your Charizard?"
"No problem," Blue began to respond.
As the person who knew Blue best, Red interjected, "Are you interested in Teacher Luke's strength?"
Blue responded solemnly, "Have you battled him?"
"No," Red regretfully shook his head. "But he challenged Cinnabar Gym and defeated Mr. Blaine."
Blue furrowed his brows.
"Not only that, I also spotted Entei's silhouette on Cinnabar Island."
Red added, "I believe Mr. Blaine leveraged Entei's power and still lost the battle."
"Indeed," Blue nodded slightly.
With that level of breeding strength, defeating Entei wouldn't be an impossible feat.
"Anyway!" Red enthusiastically grabbed the phone and lowered the brim of his hat with one hand.
"Coming over to play today made me feel quite excited!"
"Just to my liking," Blue responded with a cold snort, a hint of a smile playing on the corners of his mouth.
...
Back at home, Luke let out a drowsy yawn.
"Gengar, fetch me a bottle of Coke~"
"jie jie~!"
"kek ke ke ke~~ " (I want one too)
Stretching out on the sofa, Teacher Luke began to reflect on the gains from his trip to Cinnabar Island.
Overall, the evolution into Arcanine left Teacher Luke with mixed feelings. Strength was growing, but the potential for household destruction was also escalating!
"Extreme Speed" combined with "Thrash" created such a spectacular scene that Luke couldn't help but shudder.
Moreover, keeping Blaine's "Fire Blast" TM at home seemed like an unsafe choice. Luke decided it would be better to store it in the school sunroom for future use.
The Cinnabar Badge, while a nice addition, didn't carry the same weight as the other gains.
What left Teacher Luke feeling helpless was the fact that Entei's Fire of Life appeared to enhance Arcanine's energy. Could it be that seeing a similar-looking Arcanine made Entei feel a sense of familiarity?
In the end, Luke shook his head, giving Arcanine's rear a pat.
"Come on, let's take a stroll in the yard!"
"ao wu ~~(⊙o⊙*)"