Time passed slowly, day by day. Like the blink of an eye, Alex had been back home for more than half a month. Those days were peaceful but busy, with every morning and afternoon filled with the sounds of training footsteps, heavy breathing, and familiar clashes in the yard.
This afternoon, sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering warm golden patches on the ground. In the yard, Alex stood with his arms crossed under the shade of a tree, eyes focused intently on the training of his two beloved Pokémon.
Whoosh—
In an instant, Lucario disappeared from its spot. Like a blue lightning bolt, it appeared right in front of a training target, its eyes shining with absolute concentration. Lucario's arm coiled, muscles tensed before unleashing a straight punch, so fast and strong that the surrounding air vibrated.
A sharp clang echoed as the punch hit the metal plate on the target. The sound resounded through the yard, mingling with the gentle rustling of the trees.
Before the target could "react," Lucario vanished again. Coordinating perfectly with its teammate, it teleported to another spot, aimed precisely at a new target, and struck again.
Then disappeared once more.
Like that, the chain of attacks and teleports repeated continuously, so fast it left afterimages in the eyes of the spectators.
"Alright, very well done!" — Alex, watching nearby, smiled with satisfaction. He clapped his hands, the steady sound encouraging the two Pokémon who were drenched in sweat after the intense training session.
On the other side, Kirlia stood breathing lightly. It was the one who used Teleport to bring Lucario right next to the target in an instant, allowing Lucario to immediately strike. When the hit landed, Kirlia would instantly teleport its teammate to a safe position.
This combined attack tactic was the result of many special training sessions that Alex painstakingly built, designed to maximize the strengths of both.
"Luka~ Luka~" — Lucario nodded softly, its deep voice carrying satisfaction. "Lalu~ Lalu~" — Kirlia also chirped happily, its clear, bright voice like a joyful note echoing across the training ground.
Both couldn't hide their excitement at Alex's praise.
"Alright, Rocky, keep training." — Alex gently patted Lucario's shoulder, his hand touching the heavy protective armor it was wearing. — "Try to get used to that ultra-heavy armor as soon as possible."
Lucario nodded seriously, then quietly stepped aside to continue its endurance exercise.
"Luna, use meditation to recover your spent energy." — Alex bent down, placing a gentle hand on Kirlia's soft hair, his voice soothing like a cool breeze.
Repeated use of Teleport was a heavy burden on Kirlia, draining a lot of its mental energy.
"..." — Kirlia's face flushed. Its eyes gently lowered, showing a shy yet slightly pleased expression at Alex's caring gesture.
Without a word, Kirlia quietly moved to a shaded spot, sat cross-legged, closed its eyes, and began practicing the meditation technique Alex had carefully taught earlier.
Alex turned and walked slowly back to his study room. In his mind, he quickly reviewed everything.
"Almost all the 70 coins earned last time are gone." — he calculated silently. — "After this training, Rocky and Luna have reached level 26, and their strength has improved significantly. I can take on harder missions to earn more money."
At the League Center, missions were publicly posted. Any trainer could register to take a mission and receive a worthy reward upon completion. The missions varied: from routine patrols, investigating incidents, temporary bodyguard duties… and of course, the higher the risk, the bigger the reward.
After returning to his room, Alex sat down at his desk, opened his computer, and logged onto the League Center's website to search for missions. Just as his finger hovered over the mouse, the latest news headline caught his eye.
"According to the latest report, the renowned Professor Oak will visit the Hoenn region from Kanto next week.""A special lecture will be held in Rustboro City, lasting the whole day.""The topic revolves around effective Pokémon breeding.""Those interested should register early…"
Alex raised his eyebrows.
"Professor Oak is coming to Hoenn to give a lecture?" — he thought.
Hoenn, Kanto, and Johto were neighboring regions that often held exchanges and conferences. The appearance of Professor Oak — a top Pokémon researcher — here was not too surprising, but still notable.
"Next week, huh..." — Alex smiled softly. He had heard of Professor Oak's reputation and knew the professor was not only a brilliant scholar but also highly skilled in training and nurturing Pokémon. Hearing his lecture in person would surely bring valuable knowledge.
Missions to earn money could be done anytime, but chances like this to learn were rare.
A few days later...
The sky stretched wide and blue, fluffy white clouds drifting lazily. Alex set off early, heading toward Rustboro City.
From afar, Rustboro appeared like a giant steel block under the sun. It was Hoenn's heavy industrial center, home to Devon Corporation. To the north, Meteor Falls splashed white foam day and night, hiding rich mineral deposits. The Gym here, specializing in Rock-type battles, was sturdy and solid like a fortress.
Rustboro's architecture was quiet but radiated strength. Wide stone-paved streets, tall buildings with silver-gray walls reflecting the afternoon sun.
As Alex passed by the Pokémon Center, a young female voice called from behind, shy but bright.
"Alex?"
The voice was cute yet mischievous, and Alex immediately recognized it. He turned and saw May — the girl he had met before — smiling, her eyes sparkling.
"It really is you, Alex!" — May exclaimed, joy clear on her face.
"Such a coincidence, you're here in Rustboro too?" — Alex replied, a smirk playing on his lips as he noticed her cute little fang smile.
"Yes, what a coincidence." — May put her hand behind her back, eyes playful, then asked — "You're here to attend Professor Oak's lecture, right?"
"Yeah." — Alex nodded.
The city was busier than usual today. Many people — trainers and researchers alike — gathered here for the lecture.
"The lecture starts tomorrow." — May tilted her head, her big round eyes full of curiosity. — "Besides attending, do you have any other plans?"
"Plans?" — Alex hesitated slightly.
Seeing this, May grinned mischievously, then suddenly stepped closer and gently grabbed Alex's arm. She shook it lightly, voice full of hope:"I've been challenging the Rustboro Gym these days but keep losing... I don't know what to do. You're strong like that, can you help me?"
Her eyes were full of hope, making it hard for Alex to refuse.
The lecture would be in the evening, and Alex still had plenty of free time this afternoon. Thinking so, he nodded slightly."All right."
Immediately, May happily pulled Alex along, her quick steps heading straight toward the Rustboro Gym.