Chapter 45: Do I Look Like Lucian to You?
The video began playing.
Outside the Pokémon Center in Lavender Town...
Raina stood at the entrance with her bulging backpack strapped to her shoulders. Eevee lay atop her head, leisurely swishing its tail.
"Did you say goodbye to everyone?"
Raina glanced back in the direction of Pokémon Tower.
"Gengar~"
Raina’s shadow twisted, and the chubby Gengar poked its head out before nodding.
Raina smiled.
"All right, then. It’s time for us to leave Lavender Town~"
Eevee brushed its tail against her cheek.
"Eevee~"
"I know."
Raina tightened the straps of her backpack.
"Let’s go! Our next destination—Celadon City!"
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"So Gengar is simply leaving with Raina? Didn’t it live in Pokémon Tower?"
"You didn’t understand the situation. Gengar voluntarily chose to travel with Raina. The feelings are mutual!"
"What kind of ghost is ’mutual feelings’ supposed to be?!"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Acerola]: Chubby Gengar is traveling with Raina! This is wonderful! Our Ghost-type lineup has grown even stronger! =≡Σ((( つ•̀ω•́)つ
[Agatha]: Hehehe. Gengar may still be growing, but its abilities are well balanced. It will make an excellent partner.
[Phoebe]: Raina’s team composition is becoming more interesting!
[Iris]: So Raina’s next destination is Celadon City? That means she’ll be challenging the Grass-type Gym!
[Erika]: ...
[Ash]: Erika, why did you suddenly stop talking?
[Erika]: I was thinking... what kind of team could prevent Raina from sweeping straight through my Gym?
[Lt. Surge]: Hahahaha! I’m finally not alone!
[Lt. Surge]: What must come will always come! Now it’s finally your turn! Hahahaha!
[Erika]: Lt. Surge, the footage of your Raichu hiding behind your legs is still trending.
[Lt. Surge]: ...
[Volkner]: I saved a high-resolution image. Where should I submit it?
[Lt. Surge]: Just you wait, Volkner!
[Wallace]: @Steven, I recorded a high-resolution video of you imitating an Onix burrowing underground. Should we play it at the Devon Corporation’s next annual banquet?
[Steven]: Wallace, stop right there!
[Wallace]: I’ve already saved three backups.
[Steven]: ...
[Raihan]: Hahahaha! Wallace, why is your combat power so high today?
[Leon]: It might be because Steven previously said, "Friendship between men requires no time." That sentence must have dealt Wallace tremendous damage.
[Wallace]: Steven and I have known each other for years, yet he has never once invited me to a hot spring.
[Steven]: You never asked.
[Wallace]: Then tell me. What does Asher have that I don’t?
[Steven]: Brother Asher understands stones.
[Wallace]: ...
[Lance]: Wallace, you genuinely have no way to argue against that reason.
[Phoebe]: I can feel Wallace’s resentment drifting through the screen.
[Glacia]: Even I can sense it from here.
[Steven]: Ahem. I was only joking, Wallace. Later, I’ll bring Brother Asher along, and the three of us can go somewhere together. How does that sound?
[Wallace]: Well... It would be wonderful if you could introduce me to him.
[Steven]: Don’t worry. Brother Asher is very eager to meet you too~ For now, let’s watch the video!
The video continued.
On a forest path leading toward Celadon City...
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow across the ground.
Several Caterpie slept on branches beside the road, while a Butterfree leisurely flew over Raina’s head, the scales on its wings sparkling in the sunlight.
Raina walked along the path while holding the ancient book open in front of her, reading as she went.
She had been walking like this for approximately ten minutes.
Eevee seemed to have fallen asleep atop her head.
Gengar floated beside her, anxiously staring at the tree directly ahead of Raina while repeatedly waving its claws.
"Gengar! Gengar!"
"Hmm? Gengar, if you want something to eat, take it from my bag. Don’t disturb me..."
Thud.
Raina walked directly into the tree trunk.
She lay on the ground clutching her forehead, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes from the pain. After sitting up, she pointed accusingly at Eevee.
"Eevee! Why didn’t you warn me?!"
"Eevee, Eevee, Eevee!"
Eevee raised its tail and pointed it toward Gengar, seemingly saying, Gengar warned you. You were the one who refused to listen.
"I’m your Trainer! Weren’t you worried that I might seriously hurt myself?"
"Eevee, Eevee~"
"Eevee! Did you just call me an idiot?!"
"Eevee~~"
Gengar picked up the ancient book from the ground, blew the dust off its cover, and handed it back to Raina.
Raina accepted it and rubbed her forehead.
"...Thank you."
Gengar proudly puffed out its belly.
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Hahahahaha! She walked into the tree! Of course you’ll hit something if you read an ancient book while walking!"
"Eevee, you’re completely unreliable! How could you fall asleep on top of her head?!"
"Eevee: Navigation system online—navigation system has given up."
"I already captured the exact moment Raina fell, complete with the tears in her eyes. I’m going to turn it into a reaction image."
"Don’t keep it to yourself! Share it with the rest of us!"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Viola]: I captured the entire scene as a complete four-image set. DM me if you want it.
[Valerie]: Please send me the complete set. Thank you~
[Elesa]: I want it too! On another note, are we really not adding knee pads to Raina’s traveling outfit? If she keeps falling, it might affect the shape of her knees.
[Skyla]: Elesa, could you go three sentences without discussing fashion?
[Elesa]: You can’t deprive me of my enjoyment.
[Wulfric]: Young people nowadays never watch where they’re walking. Back in our day, if we dared walk like that on a snowy mountain...
[Valerie]: You would have turned into a snowman, Mr. Wulfric.
[Wulfric]: How did you know?
[Ramos]: This old man also walked into a tree when he was young. However, the Berries growing on that tree tasted exceptionally sweet afterward, so walking into a tree isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
[Viola]: Mr. Ramos... That is a rather unusual way of comforting someone.
[Ramos]: It works. That’s what matters.
[Gardenia]: The Berries in Celadon City really are delicious... Waaaah! I didn’t manage to visit the last time!
[Dawn]: Don’t cry, Gardenia! Celadon City isn’t going anywhere!
[Gardenia]: But I don’t get any vacation time!
[Viola]: Huh? Are Sinnoh’s Gym Leaders really that busy?
[Diantha]: As far as I know, the only person in Sinnoh with enough free time to wander around all day is Cynthia~
[Cynthia]: Diantha!
[Steven]: I’m jealous. Wallace, do you think I could ever live that kind of life?
[Wallace]: Do I look like Lucian to you?
[Lucian]: ...
[Phoebe]: Pfft.
[Glacia]: Wallace’s combat power remains as impressive as ever.