Luther lay on the bed, feeling miserable.
With a stormy expression, he nearly lost control of his temper as he stormed out of the Pokémon Center. But when he saw Mai and Misdreavus waiting outside, he forced himself to calm down, his features gradually softening.
After helping out briefly in the Pokémon Center's kitchen, handing his schedule to Nurse Joy, and returning to his room, the frustration he'd tried to suppress flared up again.
The International Police were monitoring him, digging through his past like they were running a full-on Trainer audit.
Luther didn't care about that, his former self was long gone. What truly bothered him was their current attitude.
It was obvious that the people watching him carried themselves with cold authority and treated everyone with dismissive harshness. Looker had said that was just their operational style, and Luther could understand that— up to a point.
A force accustomed to chasing criminals would inevitably grow used to using threats and control to get things done. But the icy indifference they showed was something Luther couldn't tolerate.
During that tense conversation with the woman's voice over Looker's tie, Luther had felt nothing but a suffocating chill. Her manipulative tone, her lofty attitude— it felt less like a dialogue and more like an interrogation. He hadn't stood a chance emotionally; his defenses had shattered immediately.
Maybe there were good people within the International Police. But Luther had made up his mind, he wouldn't get too involved with them.
Houndoom was still with Cyrus, but Luther didn't believe for a second that Cyrus would simply run off with his partner.
He wasn't sure where this confidence came from as he'd only met Cyrus once.
Maybe it was something about how Cyrus had described himself, a fading hero retreating from the world… Or maybe it was the stories Lucian had told him about Cyrus's past.
Whatever the case, Luther didn't know why Cyrus had vanished, but he had a creeping feeling that something was unraveling inside the International Police.
Having sorted through his thoughts, Luther felt a little more at ease. He got up to pour himself a glass of water— just as a soft knock came at the door.
Peeking through the peephole, he saw Nurse Joy standing outside. He opened the door.
"Lucian dropped this off while you were at the Gym. He asked me to make sure you signed for it." She handed him a brown box, about the size of a small satchel. After thanking her, Luther closed the door and eyed the package with growing curiosity.
Inside, wrapped snugly in layers of bubble wrap, was a collar.
Luther studied it carefully for a long while, but nothing about it seemed unusual at first glance. Then his eyes landed on an envelope tucked inside the box.
As he read the letter, Luther's face darkened, and his hand holding the page began to tremble ever so slightly.
Inside the package, attached to the collar, was a wristwatch-like device. He fastened it onto his wrist, and after a few adjustments, real-time data about his own vitals appeared on the screen.
Luther called out Misdreavus.
Ever since the amplifier incident, Misdreavus had developed a strong aversion to wearing any kind of accessory. Now, seeing Luther holding a collar, the little Ghost-type shook its head rapidly in refusal.
It took a long stretch of coaxing before Misdreavus, still pouting, reluctantly allowed Luther to put it on.
Moments later, Misdreavus's data synced with Luther's on the watch screen.
Seeing that the stats were within a healthy range, Luther let out a relieved sigh.
Though it had initially found the collar irritating, Misdreavus's mood shifted the instant it noticed the shiny beads adorning it. The little Pokémon began twirling around in front of the mirror, delighted with its sparkling new look.
Luther glanced back at the letter, then slowly tore it into pieces and flushed it down the toilet.
Just then, there was another knock on the door— this time, it was Mai.
She gently placed the Eevee she was holding next to Misdreavus, letting the two Pokémon play together. As she noticed the collar on Misdreavus, Mai's eyes widened with surprise.
"A Pokétch from Devon Corporation? It monitors your vitals and your Pokémon's? Isn't this the unreleased model everyone's been buzzing about? Where'd you get it?"
Luther looked just as surprised. "Is it… expensive?"
"It hasn't even hit the market yet, so there's no official price. I don't know if it's pricey, but the older models definitely didn't come with this level of Pokémon tracking features."
Mai's eyes lit up with interest. "Seriously, where'd you get it? Can you get one for me too?"
"Elite Four Lucian gave it to me… I didn't think he'd hand over something like this."
Luther avoided mentioning the real reason behind the gift, quietly keeping that part to himself.
"You're so lucky… knowing someone like Lucian from the Elite Four." Mai sat down on a chair, swinging her legs back and forth, her face filled with envy. "So? Have you finalized your travel plans?"
Luther waved his Pokégear. "Booked a bus ticket for tomorrow morning. Heading to Eterna City."
"A bus? You're not walking there? There are so many routes along the way, and they are prime spots to encounter wild Pokémon. The Heracross you've been chasing might show up."
Luther shook his head. He'd practically given up on Heracross by now. He'd wandered the woods in his free time more than once but came back empty-handed every time. Even checking the Trainer forums didn't help— no one had reported catching that Heracross spotted during the last bounty mission in Purpleleaf Forest.
Most people figured the crowd scared it off, forcing it to retreat deeper into the forest.
Just as Luther had cleared his Oreburgh City Gym challenge, Ash had recently wrapped up his battle at Eterna City Gym. If things played out like the usual storyline, the epic clash between Paul and Cynthia would happen soon. Luther didn't want to miss that iconic battle, so the moment he passed the Gym, he booked his ride for the next day.
"Why the rush to Eterna City?"
Luther scratched his head. He couldn't exactly say he was eager to watch someone get completely humiliated.
Fortunately, he did have other reasons to go.
"Wait, are you trying to meet Champion Cynthia?"
Mai's drowsy gaze instantly sharpened. "Cynthia's going to be in Eterna City? There's been no news about her movements. How do you know?"
Luther paused. Guess your sources aren't doing their job... Should I say I've read this part of the script already?
"Lucian told me," Luther said, suddenly recalling a perfect excuse.
Sure enough, Mai's face lit up at the name. As a die-hard Cynthia fan, the chance to see her in person was way too tempting to ignore.
"I also plan on getting a part-time job in Eterna City to cover travel expenses." Luther pulled out his wallet, where only a few coins rattled inside, and showed it to Mai. "If I don't make some money soon, this journey might be over."
Mai's cheeks flushed as she pulled her own wallet from her jeans pocket and opened it.
Luther glanced at the emptiness inside— it looked just like his. They exchanged a long, heavy sigh.
Good-quality Pokémon food, training gear, and recovery items weren't cheap.
If they wanted to raise their teams right, they couldn't just live on air and dreams.
"Then I'm coming to Eterna City too. I've got just enough left for bus fare."
Mai grinned. "Let's work together, I could use the cash too."
And so, the two broke Trainers made their plans and returned to their rooms, tidying up the space provided by the Pokémon Center for traveling Trainers.
The next morning, just after sunrise, Luther and Mai boarded the first bus from Oreburgh City to Eterna City, gently rocking with the motion as they began their journey.
(End of Chapter)
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