Chapter 138

Luke carefully recalled the details about Mina from the animation.

This Alola girl possessed an innate talent closely tied to Pokémon, destined to become Alola's Fairium-Z Captain.

In this timeline, however, she was merely a street painter wandering in the Orient Region.

"It's undoubtedly a headhunting company from Team Rocket..." Luke sighed. "The talents they recommend are on par with Gym Leaders!"

Alola's Captain, while less experienced, was essentially equivalent to a Gym Leader in disguise. In this world, characters like Lillie, Lana, and others were probably still attending Trainer school.

As the day grew late, little Mina picked up her drawing board and obediently followed Luke.

"Aren't you going back home?" Luke's eyes widened in surprise.

"I don't have any money," Mina whispered. "I slept in the passenger lobby last night... This morning, I missed the boat's schedule again..."

Luke slapped his forehead in exasperation.

Had he just hired an employee who wasn't very savvy?

"I'll give you a task for original artwork and pay your salary upfront," Luke decided. "First, use the money to get something to eat and then find a better place to stay."

Mina blinked in surprise and then bowed. "Thank you, Boss!"

Luke found the situation rather peculiar. While it was technically legal for a sixteen-year-old to work, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had just hired a child laborer.

Taking another look at Mina, who appeared frail and malnourished, Luke shook his head. "Let me treat you to a meal first, then."

Mina hesitated before answering, "It doesn't seem right..."

...

Five minutes later, they were in the cafeteria.

"jie jie~!" Haunter floated around the self-service area, carrying a plate and looking excited.

Squirtle, donning sunglasses, used Aura to inspect each dish on the plate. Everything seemed safe to eat.

With her dirty face and torn jeans, Mina devoured her food eagerly, though she occasionally coughed between bites.

"Thank you, Boss!" she managed to express her gratitude.

Luke playfully shook his head and looked helpless. "This is a valuable lesson for me!"

Eevee slowly approached Granbull and bared its teeth in demonstration.

"vui~! (▼﹏▼#)"

Granbull, in the middle of enjoying a Berry, dropped half of it upon hearing Eevee's command.

Quickly, Granbull scurried to the ground and began to wag its tail, offering a humble whimper.

Eevee knocked on Granbull's head in response. "vui~!" (Show your Charm again!)

Granbull moved aside promptly, placing its front paws on Mina's knees. It gazed at her, emitting a low and affectionate growl.

"vui~ …" Eevee nodded with satisfaction.

The cafeteria atmosphere had changed, and Luke was taken aback. He felt like he had hired some rather unique employees.

Eevee moved to sit on Luke's knee and nudged its head against his abdomen. It sought his attention, as if it had something to say.

Luke, in return, petted the little Pokémon and smiled. "Is this not to your liking?"

He realized that their appetites had been greatly diminished since they had been enjoying gourmet Pokéblocks worth tens of thousands of dollars every day. The cafeteria's offerings just didn't measure up.

"I'll make you dinner when we get back," Luke whispered.

Eevee shook its head. "vui~! (〝▼﹏▼)"

Luke was puzzled. "Is something bothering you?"

Eevee raised its head abruptly, blinked, and tried to squeeze out tears.

"Bu, vui~! (Tilted his head and nudged Luke again.)"

After a couple of seconds, it couldn't maintain the act any longer and drooped its ears in frustration. It headed to a corner of the wall to sulk.

It seemed its efforts hadn't made any impact at all!

Luke stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Do your eyes hurt?"

Eevee flushed, turned back to Luke, and dashed into his arms. He easily held the back of its neck.

"Alright, I understand. You're very cute, and you don't need to hear it every day."

Luke furrowed his brows, though. "I actually wake up every day and think to myself that giving compliments gets boring."

Eevee sent out a soft growl, wagging its tail lazily.

Mina commented, "Uncle, you seem to have a really good bond with Pokémon."

One's attitude toward Pokémon often revealed a lot about one's character.

This uncle seemed like a genuinely kind person.

Luke sighed, saying, "You have no idea what they've put me through..."

Thinking about the enormous hole in his living room, Teacher Luke instinctively clutched his chest, trying to calm himself.

"Squirt~!" Squirtle smiled and scratched its head, a bit shy after receiving compliments.

As they left the cafeteria, Mina accompanied Luke, her face still stained with paint.

Cradling the bewildered Eevee on his shoulder, Luke handed the notebook to Mina and explained, "These are the basic requirements for the original painting. It's quite straightforward, just ensure that the various minerals are depicted accurately. If you'd like, we can continue to collaborate even after you return to Alola."

While savoring her curry rice, Mina twitched her lips and retorted, "Uncle, you underestimate me."

Luke felt a pang of guilt and clenched his teeth, saying, "The base salary is 10,000, with potential increases based on the quality of the original artwork."

"Consider that an extra 500 yuan deducted for calling me 'uncle'!"

Mina hesitated briefly, glanced up at Luke, and decided to hold her tongue.

"Alright, Boss," she conceded.

...

After discussing the finer points of the art technique, Luke intended to take his leave. However, upon reflection, he realized that Mina was alone and would need to book a hotel and secure an SS Ticket for the journey in three days.

"Don't oversleep for the boat schedule in three days!" Luke admonished her, sounding much like a concerned parent.

Mina bowed her head and expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Uncle."

"Another 500 yuan deducted," Luke retorted with an arched brow.

"As someone who rarely ventures out, I find the outside world too perilous," Mina declared with a determined expression. She raised her dirt-smeared face and continued, "I want to be an artist, which is a shared dream between me and Pokémon. Just like how you and your Pokémon work diligently to become Pokémon Masters!"

Without hesitation, Luke waved goodbye, adding, "That's a 1000-yuan deduction! See you tomorrow!"

In her tidy room, Mina smoothed the white quilt, lost in thought. She muttered, "I wonder if there's an uncle out there...who has Fairy-type Pokémon..."

"If such a person exists, I'd love to hear about their experiences."

With her face bearing paint stains, Mina earnestly retrieved today's oil painting from her bag. She hung it on her easel and began crafting her masterpiece in earnest.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow by the harbor, a lone figure contemplated the horizon. An Eevee perched atop the man's head, baring its fangs as it gazed at the orange-red sunset in the distance.

...

The art for "Gold Miner" was completed. Next, Damien would handle the framework, and ORAS would be ready for launch this week. If everything went well with their collaboration...

The day concluded successfully, and Luke let out a yawn, preparing to recline on the sofa for a nap when his phone unexpectedly rang.

It was Red. He asked, "Teacher Luke, your address in Magic City hasn't changed, has it?"

Luke felt a sudden surge of alertness. He replied, "What's the matter?"

Red replied with a smile, "No big deal, just an old friend of mine who wants to visit you."

Luke glanced up at the sky, suspecting that there might be more to this visit.

"Of course, that's not an issue. You can have your friend over, and I'll make sure to give them a warm welcome."

Red corrected Luke, saying, "It's not him, it's her. You probably know her too, she's a professor from Celadon University and Miss Erika from Celadon City."

Erika? Wasn't she the elegant woman in a kimono? However, Luke furrowed his brow, sensing that something was amiss.

"When is she arriving?" he inquired.

"Next week," Red responded.

Luke considered for a moment. "Next week, 'Gold Miner' will be released, so I should have some time to entertain. That shouldn't be a problem."

He nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "Please convey my message to her: there's really no need to bring any gifts. We're all friends here."