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To give Mismagius a comfortable environment in which to master the Black Hole move, Luther temporarily postponed his plans to leave the Sun Heart City.
Becoming Luther's Pokémon did not change Darkrai much. He remained silent and taciturn, like a sealed gourd. However, when it came to teaching Mismagius, he completely abandoned his usual quiet demeanor.
Luther often saw Darkrai quickly correcting Mismagius and demonstrating the motions required to use the Black Hole Move repeatedly.
Although Mismagius was made uneasy by Darkrai's perpetually sour expression, she had to admit that he was an excellent instructor when it came to teaching.
After a month of intensive training, the Black Hole Move had become reliable enough that, once activated, it would certainly hit its target, and there would no longer be any miraculous scenes of someone waking up immediately after being caught in the black hole.
This was the most relaxing month Luther had experienced on his journey so far. There was no nonstop rushing, no need to move out before dawn, and no constant anxiety about dangers in the wilderness.
After this period of rest, Marill and the others were clearly much better off. This also made Luther realize the importance of taking long holidays to give the body time to relax and reset its rhythm.
During this time, Mai had been studying continuously through various books. After setting off again, Luther's next destination was Veilstone City. Breeder examinations would be held there over the next month, and passing them would qualify Mai as a junior Pokémon Breeder.
Only with this certificate could Mai fulfill her wager with her family.
The outcome of this examination would determine not only Mai's future but also the possibility of repairing her relationship with her family.
Luther no longer allowed Mai to cook for herself. The most important thing for her right now was passing her exams. All she needed to do was focus on studying; Luther would handle everything else.
She did not refuse. She knew how important the assessment was. She borrowed Cynthia's study and practically did not step outside at all, beginning to study with full dedication.
That night, Luther was shaken awake while still half-asleep. As he groggily opened his eyes, he saw Cynthia standing by the bed.
"No need to check the time... it's three in the morning."
Cynthia's words made Luther put his phone down.
"It's urgent. I need to leave Sun Heart City for a while. This time it'll probably be very troublesome, and I can't set a return date."
Cynthia's expression was extremely serious as she spoke, completely lacking her usual composure.
"At this hour… what exactly happened?" Luther reached out to cover Espurr's ears, afraid that their voices would wake her.
"You probably won't believe it, but I might be going to save the world."
Cynthia picked up the suitcase at her feet. Luther moved aside slightly to allow her to place it on the bed.
Inside were more than a dozen Poké Balls in different colors and designs.
Luther's eyes widened. He remembered Cynthia saying that she hadn't captured many Pokémon; these were practically all her main forces.
"When we were in Snowpoint City, I told you that I really liked Sinnoh's creation myths and that I desperately wanted to see Dialga and Palkia. This time... I might actually get to see them."
Luther shuddered and sat up straight in one motion. "Team Galactic?"
Cynthia didn't ask how he knew about Team Galactic. She gently brushed her fingers over the Poké Balls arranged inside the suitcase.
"A month ago, the Pokémon League failed to uncover the whereabouts of the Hodgepodge Organization, but they unexpectedly discovered information about Team Galactic."
"The Adamant Orb has been stolen, and the Lustrous Orb has gone missing. According to confessions from captured Team Galactic members, Cyrus has found a way to summon the two Legendary Pokémon, and the conditions have been met."
Cynthia turned on the bedside lamp, the warm yellow light illuminating their faces.
"Logically, there shouldn't be any uncertainty. The Pokémon League is sending three Elite Four members with me to defeat Team Galactic. It should be foolproof."
Luther looked into Cynthia's eyes and said, "With your strength, even gods can be injured."
Cynthia froze for a moment, then smiled brightly.
"Take this." She took a blue Poké Ball out of the suitcase.
Luther took it and glanced at the sticker on it.
"Altaria?"
"Even though you have Darkrai and the others with you, the Hodgepodge Organization has taken a hit this time. There's no guarantee they won't come looking for you to vent their anger. Having him with you will provide some extra security, after all, you've never managed to catch a suitable Flying-type Pokémon before."
Cynthia pressed down on Luther's hand and pushed the Poké Ball towards him. "Think about Mai's safety too."
Those words struck right at Luther's weak spot. The refusal he had been about to voice never came; instead, he gripped the Poké Ball tightly.
Cynthia closed the suitcase and stood up.
"You don't need to see me off... Oh, right. Help me tell Mai that she has a very solid foundation. There's no need for her to stay up like this; it's bad for her health.'
Luther gave a bitter smile as he asked. "But didn't you used to stay up late gaming too?"
'"Pay attention to safety."
After saying that, Cynthia pushed the door open and walked out towards the courtyard.
The sound of Garchomp spreading its wings and tearing through the air echoed in the distance. Luther stared blankly at the Poké Ball in his hand.
Cynthia wasn't afraid of Cyrus's Team Galactic having much impact on her. She had never lacked confidence.
What she was worried about was whether she should take action against the twin gods of space and time if they truly descended and were controlled by Team Galactic, and whether she could even defeat them.
His arrival in this world had changed the course of many events.
Originally, Cynthia should have been involved throughout the confrontation with Team Galactic. However, Team Galactic managed to summon the gods of space and time for various reasons. Nevertheless, Cynthia had enough information to ultimately resolve the crisis.
However, his arrival threw everything into chaos. The appearance of the Hodgepodge Organization forced her to divide her attention, while Team Galactic began to make progress.
Before anyone realized it, they had gathered all the conditions required to summon the twin gods.
Ash's journey had also lost its intersection with Team Galactic. According to information Luther had investigated a month ago, Ash was still in Snowpoint City, meaning the tragedy at Lake Acuity had likely already occurred.
Wearing his pajamas, Luther walked into the courtyard and gazed up at the starry sky, his mind in turmoil.
After all, the main forces of the Pokémon League had rushed off to stop Team Galactic. Cynthia always found a way to succeed, so even if things spiraled out of control, she should still be able to handle it.
Thinking of Cynthia's terrifying strength, the anxiety weighing on Luther's heart finally eased.
On his way back to the bedroom, he noticed a sliver of light shining from beneath the door to Cynthia's study.
He crept over quietly, carefully pushed the door open, and slowly squeezed into the room.
Pachirisu was lying on top of Slowpoke; the two Pokémon were leaning against a bookshelf and sleeping soundly.
Corsola was submerged in a large basin of water, blowing bubbles.
Eevee was curled up in a pile of books in the corner, sleeping with its tail as a pillow.
Mai was resting her head on her arm, one hand stretched straight across the entire desk, softly snoring.
Suddenly struck by a mischievous impulse, Luther reached out and poked Mai's cheek. She immediately let out a few indistinct murmurs in her sleep.
He closed the window for her, drew the curtains, then thought for a moment before going to Mai's room to fetch a thin blanket and a pillow.
Carefully sliding the pillow out from beneath Mai's arm and tucking it under her head, he draped the blanket over her. Then Luther turned off the light, yawned, and returned to his own bedroom.
(End of Chapter)