Upon returning to Rockcliff City, Kalia went back to her hotel room and prepared a letter for Sean. The city had a dedicated postal service; once the address was written, Flying-type Pokémon would deliver the message.
The letter's content briefly mentioned acquiring a Toxic Orb by chance and her intention to sell it. She wanted to know if any students at the Pokemon Academy were interested in purchasing it. If so, she suggested Sean fly over from the academy to discuss further details.
After sending the letter, Kalia patiently awaited Sean's response or possibly even his visit. In the meantime, she decided not to accept any new missions. First, she purchased a sealed box to safely store the purple orb, preventing its toxicity from leaking out.
Later that evening, at the hotel:
Lian sat on the floor feeling somewhat bored, watching exercise tutorials with Torchic, including Bulk Up and Brick Break techniques. Although he couldn't learn them yet, there was no harm in observing.
Torchic eagerly bounced around as it watched the move demonstrations, showing great enthusiasm, seemingly eager to master these moves itself.
Unfortunately, Torchic currently lacked the Fighting Type attribute. At least until evolving into Combusken, it couldn't grasp Bulk Up or Brick Break. For now, familiarizing itself with the moves would lay the groundwork for future mastery.
In another room, Kalia, clad in tight workout attire, noticed a message from Lewis while exercising. She paused momentarily to check it.
As she glanced at the message, Kalia's expression showed surprise. Lewis informed her that Totem City was organizing a Pokemon competition, primarily inviting young Trainers from the Sebas region, with those under fifteen eligible to participate.
Among them would be some mid-level trainers, although few, as becoming a mid-level trainer is quite challenging. Typically, mid-level trainers reach this rank by the age of fifteen or older. Exceptional cases like Kalia, who obtained five badges within months, are extremely rare.
However, the tournament format intrigued Kalia - it was a 3v3 battle, but unlike standard matches, it featured double battles. This meant each Trainer would simultaneously deploy two Pokemon on the field.
Generally, normal battles are single encounters, and Kalia had yet to attempt a double battle. The opportunity to participate in a 3v3 double battle competition was too enticing to pass up.
Totem City is a significant urban center known for its ancient ruins housing numerous mysterious Unowns, hence its name. It is also home to the Normal-type gym, classified as a Gold Star Gym city.
"The competition starts in a week; I should prepare accordingly," Kalia murmured to herself. Double battles require careful coordination between two Pokemon using their moves effectively, enhancing their combined strength when synchronized well.
***
On Sai Island, at the Ruby Pokémon Academy.
Shortly after Kalia sent her letter, it arrived swiftly via Wingull and was received by the academy personnel.
At the advanced class training grounds, Sean engaged in a practical combat session against another student from the same level.
"Sean, you have a letter!" A loud voice echoed outside the training area.
The battle was nearing its end, with Sean's Pokémon at a disadvantage. Hearing the call, he felt puzzled; who could be sending him a letter? He had just returned home a few days ago, so it couldn't be his family.
"I'm done here, my letter has arrived." Sean promptly recalled his Pokémon, sprinted away, and headed straight towards the exit of the training grounds.
"Dang, Sean! That's shameless. Running when you're about to lose? Can't we finish the match?" The other student was speechless; Sean had beaten him multiple times before. This time, finally catching a lucky break, he seized Sean's mistake and was on the verge of victory, only for Sean to bolt abruptly.
Outside the training grounds, Sean approached the delivery uncle and asked with a smile, "Uncle, where did this letter come from?"
"Rockcliff City," replied the uncle as he casually handed over the letter, then left.
"Rockcliff City?" Sean found it odd; he didn't know anyone there. Apart from occasional visits to a few cities, most of his life revolved around the Pokémon Academy.
Sean swiftly opened and read the letter, then placed it back inside the envelope, muttering to himself, "Kalia's luck is incredible; she managed to obtain a Toxic Orb from the ruins."
Feeling quite pleased, Sean recognized the value of a Toxic Orb—it was rare even at the Pokemon Academy. Many students sought one for their Poison-type Pokémon.
The Toxic Orb had high demand but limited availability. If he could purchase it from Kalia and resell it to another student within the academy, not only would he make a profit, but also gain a favor in return.
Deciding promptly, Sean planned to head straight to Rockcliff City to find Kalia. Before leaving, he decided to bring along the Fire Z-Crystal.
Without Kalia's assistance last time, he wouldn't have obtained the Flight Z-Crystal. Since the Fire Z-Crystal wasn't particularly useful to him, and most advanced-class students primarily needed Z-Rings rather than Z-Crystals,
He could sell the Fire Z-Crystal to Kalia at a lower price. Knowing that selling the Toxic Orb would earn her substantial profits, it made sense to offer both to her simultaneously.
Directly gifting the Fire Z-Crystal might seem inappropriate given their level of familiarity.
Although he couldn't acquire a Z-Ring yet, he already had some leads on obtaining one. With a Z-Ring, his Braviary could unleash its signature move, significantly enhancing its power.
This would position him among the strongest students in the advanced class, potentially surpassing even those few in the Ellie Region who already possess Z-Rings.
***
Late at night.
Lian entered the system space.
With no urgent matters today, he briefly checked his combat stats before directly entering the Dream World.
Within the Dream World, Lian had advanced from level sixteen to twenty-three. Since he could only spend limited time each day, he would eventually be forcibly ejected.
The exact level of Zapdos was unclear, but it was undoubtedly much higher than Lian's due to its longer combat experience. However, Lian still believed his overall strength remained superior.
At level twenty-three, Lian had mastered Flamethrower, significantly increasing his offensive capabilities and allowing him to face more diverse opponents.
Additionally, he felt his Control Rating steadily improving. One day, Lian might even unleash Flame Spiral and Wrath of Fire within the Dream World, becoming a dominant force among Pokemon there.
As usual, upon arrival, Lian spotted Zapdos immediately and greeted, "Sorry for keeping you waiting." Now, he and Zapdos could communicate normally, thanks to Zapdos being a Legendary Pokemon with exceptional comprehension abilities.
"Yes, I've been here waiting quite early," Zapdos responded, hovering in the air with electric arcs constantly flickering around it.
As Zapdos's level increased, its size gradually grew, although still much smaller compared to a fully grown Zapdos.
"Oh right, today I saw the person who captured me before; he entered the Dream World again," the little Zapdos recalled and mentioned.
"Has the Dark Guild returned?"
Lian wasn't surprised by this revelation. The long-haired man had numerous Lunar Feathers last time they encountered him, so it was unsurprising that he could re-enter the Dream World. What mattered most now was how much his Pokemon's strength has improved since then.
"Did you engage in battle with him?" Lian asked.
"No, I can't defeat Larvitar." Zapdos shook its head. Since Larvitar is a Ground-type, Zapdos's Electric-type moves have minimal effect, and aside from electric attacks, it lacks other significant offensive capabilities.
"Is he still here?"
"Not for long, but he should be at the same location as earlier. Shall we go find him?" Zapdos harbored strong resentment towards the long-haired man, as he forcibly captured it and brought it into the Dream World, preventing it from escaping and finding its mother.
"Absolutely, let's go."