Chapter 149

Tuesday, August 25th.

In Unova, Undella Town, the waves crashed against the Beach, and a row of luxurious sea-view villas lined the coastline.

A long-haired, blond woman with sunglasses stood on the terrace of one of the villas, gazing out at the beach. She was dressed in a light blue swimsuit that, while not overly revealing, still showcased her tall figure.

"Would you like some juice?" a voice inquired from behind, soft and cool.

The speaker was a girl of around sixteen, not very tall, with wavy, waist-length blonde hair cascading down her back. She sported an extravagant white hat perched atop her head.

"Sure, I'd appreciate that, Caitlin," Cynthia replied, her eyes still fixed on the beach as she smiled.

"What flavor would you like?" Caitlin asked, holding up a variety of juices.

Cynthia turned around, her expression thoughtful as she contemplated her choice.

Caitlin nodded with a hint of satisfaction, her smile suggesting a successful prank. "Just kidding... I'll pick one for you."

Cynthia relaxed.

Caitlin poured juice into a cocktail glass and handed it to Cynthia, asking casually, "What prompted your sudden vacation to Unova?"

"I recently finished a job with the Alliance, and I have a week-long break," Cynthia explained as she sipped her juice. "Undella Town is perfect for escaping the summer heat, so here I am."

"Basically, you're just reading and playing games somewhere else," Caitlin remarked, her lips curling.

"Exactly," Cynthia agreed with a chuckle, raising a finger. "And occasionally, I challenge powerful Trainers!"

Caitlin smiled slightly. "If you ever need it, Battle Chateau is always open..."

Just then, Cynthia's phone rang, interrupting Caitlin's words.

"One moment," Cynthia said, picking up her phone from the coffee table. She listened for a moment before curiously inquiring, "Teacher Luke?"

"Yes, I'm on vacation... Qixi Festival? What festival is that?"

Caitlin watched Cynthia, her mouth slightly puckered, her fingers twirling her long, curly hair in apparent annoyance.

"Planning to come to Orient for a visit? Hmm... that can work, but I might arrive later," Cynthia said thoughtfully. "I'm currently thinking about my vacation plans."

"Sure... no problem."

After Cynthia ended the call, Caitlin asked, "Who was that?"

"A friend from the Orient Alliance," Cynthia replied with a slight smile, giving Caitlin a meaningful look.

"Are you planning to go on a trip to the Orient? We can go together," Caitlin suggested.

Caitlin opened her mouth, then sighed in resignation. "Never mind... I sneaked away this time, but I have to return to fulfill my duties as a member of the Elite Four."

Cynthia gently touched Caitlin's head as if she were a small animal.

"Um..." Caitlin whined in dissatisfaction but didn't pull away.

"I'm not in a hurry to leave," Cynthia said with a smile. "We can go visit your Battle Chateau first."

Caitlin's eyes lit up, and her golden curls seemed to levitate with excitement. "Let's go now! You can come along!"

…

Teacher Luke grinned as he put down the phone.

"It's surprisingly easy to arrange a meeting with Cynthia!"

Tomorrow is the Qixi Festival.

Astronomical forecasts indicate that there will be a comet meteor shower over Xiangchu.

Having not traveled much this summer, Luke decided to take advantage of this opportunity to go on a trip with his Pokémon companions.

"I wonder if she mentioned how late she'll be..."

Luke muttered to himself while packing, "I hope she doesn't keep me waiting!"

"Jie jie~!"

Haunter happily helped with the packing.

This would be the first time the Pokémon would be traveling, and they were brimming with excitement.

"Don't forget to pack the dumbbells," Luke shouted, "Eevee, do you really need those rollerblades?"

"Vui~?" (Why not?)

Eevee scratched its head.

Luke sighed when he saw the sparkle in Eevee's eyes. "Fine, you can bring them, but that's it... Haunter, you and I will carry them together when the time comes!"

"Jie jie~!" Haunter patted its chest confidently.

"Uirt~, uirt~!"

Squirtle cheered, happily dragging its fish tank out of the room. It preferred to stay in its own tank to ensure the safety of the water quality during the journey.

Luke glanced at Squirtle and said with indifference, "The fish tank won't work."

"Uirt~! ∑(っ°Д°;)っ"

Squirtle froze for a moment and suddenly had an epiphany.

The master wants me to train my moves outdoors, in an unfamiliar environment, to become stronger!

"Uirt~..." (I see...)

Squirtle rubbed its chin and nodded slowly.

Meanwhile, Luke continued packing his luggage and noticed his vibrating phone. "Hmm? Someone's calling this time?"

On the other end of the line, Steven's warm and gentle voice greeted him, "Teacher Luke, are you planning to visit Xiangchu for some mountain climbing tomorrow? I have two young trainers with me, and we're heading to Orient."

"Oh, that sounds fine. Are they joining us as well?" Luke inquired.

"Yes, but their stay won't be long. I'll be leaving after we complete the observatory's commission," Steven replied.

Luke was slightly taken aback. It seemed like every time he made plans with Cynthia, a wild Steven would unexpectedly join in. However, considering the debt he still owed Steven, he cleared his throat and agreed, "No problem, Cynthia might join us too."

"Really?" Steven sounded pleasantly surprised, implying a closer relationship between Cynthia and Luke than he had thought.

"By the way, what are the names of your two young trainers?" Luke asked.

"They're Ruby and Sapphire."

The Silly Couple!

Luke covered his chest dramatically, feeling the need to prepare himself for an overdose of romance during the Qixi Festival!

He couldn't let them steal the limelight in this game of love!

"If everything's set, I'll see you tomorrow," Steven said, sounding cheerful.

"Oh, does Gold Miner getting a sequel? I'm almost finished clearing the levels," Steven added.

Luke couldn't help but twitch his mouth. The game had only been out for a few days, and Steven was already close to completing it. The man was truly the lord of grinding!

After ending the call, Luke carefully planned his schedule. The trip would last anywhere from three days to a week, with rented tents available near the observation point. The thought of camping with his Pokémon filled him with excitement.

Opening his live broadcast room, Luke posted a message to inform his viewers of his upcoming absence:

"Going on a little adventure for three days, but I'll be back with some fresh tactics. Love you all, your Teacher Luke."

The comments from his Online Friends Group poured in:

"Teacher Luke, we'll miss you!"

"Don't lose too much blood while trying out the new tactics in three days!"

"Maybe Teacher Luke is not out for leisure; he might be out there fighting the evil organization!"

"Could it be that Teacher Luke is secretly a member of the evil organization? Hahaha."

Teacher Luke's Online Friends Group was abuzz with excitement. Meanwhile, Erika, who was traveling in Orient, was enjoying her trip, and Steven apologized as he was now responsible for his two colleagues.

Lorelei took off her glasses, wiped them, and sighed, "It's nice to have a good man as company."

Green seized the moment to advertise, "Buy Presents from me now and enjoy a 20% discount!"

Luke couldn't help but ask, "How many items have you sold?"

Green replied with a grin, "So far, only Red has made a purchase."

Gold chimed in, "I want to buy something too!"

Everyone was eager to know more about Gold, who seemed to have a strong feature – a girlfriend!