"Lucas, why don't you help me take care of my child for a while?"
Lugia's mother looked at Lucas with hopeful eyes. She was deeply worried—not only about her mate's current situation but also about the condition of her clan's chieftain.
The Lugia species was already so rare. None of them wished to see another of their kind suffer misfortune.
"This…"
Lucas froze for a moment.
He was genuinely stunned. A short while ago, he had still been thinking about how he might persuade Lugia's mother to entrust Little Lugia's guardianship to him.
But now—she had taken the initiative and handed Little Lugia over herself!
"Lugia, do you really trust me this much?"
Although the smart move here was clearly to agree immediately, Lucas still could not help but feel curious about her decision.
After all, had it not just been moments ago that Little Lugia was nearly abducted?
"I can sense your goodwill toward us."
Lugia's mother's gentle telepathic voice echoed in his mind as her calm gaze fell on Little Lugia, who was still playing happily with Blastoise in the surf.
Of course, if possible, she did not want to be separated from her child—after all, this was her own flesh and blood.
But her mate had already been gone for far too long—an entire century. Under ordinary circumstances, a hundred years would be nothing for a Lugia. She would not have worried too much.
Yet with their species chieftain's abnormality weighing heavily on her heart, she could not find peace if she simply did nothing.
She could not just sit idly by.
"And besides… I believe in Mew's judgment. Since it has acknowledged you, I trust that you will take good care of Little Lugia."
Her voice softened further.
Yes—it was not only the kindness and respect she sensed from Lucas that moved her. She also trusted the judgment of Mew and Rayquaza.
Someone who could gain their recognition could not possibly be a wicked man.
Lucas: "…"
Emmm… Lugia's mother, you've misunderstood. Mew is only following me because of the Creation Plates's overwhelming attraction.
As for Rayquaza…
Well, perhaps it was simply because, at that time, there was no one more suitable than me to inherit its legacy…
"I will protect it well. Please don't worry. I will also do my utmost to raise it properly."
Lucas smiled reassuringly at Lugia's mother. With words spoken to this extent, he had no reason to refuse.
Moreover, by temporarily obtaining guardianship of Little Lugia, he would have the chance to nurture it thoroughly.
"Thank you. Then I shall entrust Little Lugia to you for the time being."
A faint, almost human-like smile appeared on Lugia's mother's face. With this arrangement, she could now head to the Orange Islands without lingering worries.
"By the way, Lugia—do you know anything about Ho-Oh's whereabouts?"
Lucas thought for a moment before posing the question.
Since she would soon be leaving for the Orange Islands, that would leave Johto without any other Lugia around.
If he could also "take care" of Ho-Oh, then he would no longer have to worry about Pryce receiving any word from it.
"Ho-Oh… ever since I sensed its presence ten years ago, I have not seen it again."
Lugia's mother recalled carefully, then shook her head.
She and Ho-Oh both resided in Indigo—they were, in a sense, neighbors. Their relationship was decent, but as fellow Legends, not humans, it was not in their nature to constantly track one another down.
They would occasionally cross paths, but deliberately seeking each other out? That was rare.
"I see…"
Lucas felt a twinge of disappointment.
He had previously asked Mew about Ho-Oh as well. But while Mew might look cute and innocent, in truth it was very shrewd.
Sensing that Lucas harbored intentions toward both Lugia and Ho-Oh, Mew had deliberately withheld their locations from him.
"Ho-Oh's attitude toward humans is not particularly friendly. I do not recommend you seek it out."
Lugia's mother gave him a word of caution. She had no idea why Lucas wanted to find Ho-Oh.
But she did know that Ho-Oh only sought to meet humans with hearts utterly pure and without blemish.
And Lucas…
Although she held a fairly good impression of him, she could hardly call him "pure."
To be clear, she was not worried for Lucas—she was worried for Ho-Oh.
Ho-Oh's temperament could hardly be called gentle. On the contrary, it was somewhat hot-tempered. If it happened to anger Lucas…
Then Ho-Oh might very well be the one to suffer!
"I understand. Thank you for the advice, Lugia."
Lucas chuckled softly, not taking her words too seriously.
After all, it wasn't as if he intended to capture Ho-Oh in the first place.
As the two continued their idle conversation, lunch was soon ready.
After their meal, Lugia's mother carefully instructed Little Lugia for quite some time.
Finally, she cast a gentle gaze upon her child one last time, then spread her wings and plunged headlong into the ocean, vanishing from sight.
"Luuu…"
Watching his mother depart, Little Lugia let out a mournful cry, eyes brimming with tears as it stared longingly at the sea's surface.
Though still young, it understood that its mother had left for important reasons. That knowledge did not ease the sadness in its heart.
"Don't be sad. She will come back for you soon. But until then, you must behave yourself, all right?"
Lucas walked over and gently rubbed Little Lugia's head, offering comforting words.
After all—it was still just a child.
"Luu~?"
Little Lugia turned its head to look at him, as if asking, Really?
"Yes. So, from now on, you must work hard. That way, when your mother returns, you can give her a wonderful surprise."
Lucas spoke softly with a smile. Though he had never raised a child before, he had no trouble handling this.
"Luuu!"
Little Lugia's spirit instantly lifted, bursting with energy once again.
"Good child~ Well then, it's time for us to leave this place. Come inside here first."
"This will be your new home."
Lucas pulled out a Luxury Ball, smiling as he held it out.
"Luu?"
Little Lugia tilted its head curiously at the strange sphere, then tapped it with its small wing.
Beep~ Beep~ Beep~ Ding!
Capture successful!
Lucas stared at the Luxury Ball in his hand, a broad smile spreading across his face.
Well—though the process had been somewhat different than he originally imagined, the outcome was all that mattered. And the result was perfect.
"Amazing! You really caught Lugia!"
Ilene's eyes sparkled with excitement. This was the first time she had witnessed Lucas capturing a Legendary with her own eyes.
And not just any Legendary—it was Lugia!
Although she had guessed this might happen after Lugia's mother departed, actually seeing it with her own eyes still filled her with joy.
Not only had a Legendary been captured—but the one who had done it was her fiancé.
"Hmp~ Just a baby Lugia."
Green pouted, feigning indifference with a calm, nonchalant air.
Merely baby Lugia.
Would she tell anyone that she had personally watched Lucas capture both Reshiram and Rayquaza? Of course not.
"Let's go. There's nothing more for us here."
Lucas pocketed Little Lugia's Poké Ball and turned to smile at the three girls.
His original purpose in coming to the Whirl Islands had been to visit Ilene and Lugia. Now that Little Lugia was in his care, there was no longer any need to linger.
Besides, there were still matters awaiting him in Kanto.
"Okay~"
------------------------------------------------
Kanto Region, Saffron City.
This was the largest and most prosperous commercial hub in the entire region.
Countless corporate headquarters were located here, most famously the sprawling Silph Co.
In the very center of the business district, the tallest skyscraper dominating the skyline belonged entirely to Silph Co.—the whole building!
And then there was the Saffron Gym, one of the city's most iconic landmarks.
As one of the most difficult Gyms in Kanto, Saffron was renowned.
Its current Leader, Sabrina, was not only an exceptionally rare psychic but also strikingly young, with refined, elegant beauty.
Most importantly—her strength!
Psychic-type Pokémon were already notoriously difficult opponents, and Sabrina herself was a powerful psychic. When combined, the two made for an opponent almost impossible to handle.
Most challengers, brimming with confidence at first, ended up stumbling out of her Gym with pained expressions plastered across their faces… thoroughly schooled, to say the least.
Though unlike in the anime, Sabrina here did not turn defeated challengers into dolls with her psychic powers, her frosty and distant aura was enough to make hearts tremble.
And yes, she would occasionally hold back. But even when she did, as a Trainer whose strength rivaled that of the Elite Four, she could still crush more than 80% of challengers to the point of near despair.
Thus, the reputation of the Saffron Gym had only grown more fearsome over time. Everyone knew—the girl who had inherited the position from her father, this psychic prodigy—was not to be trifled with.
Without question, if one were to rank the most difficult Gyms to challenge in Kanto, Saffron would be near the very top.
At this moment, Lucas, accompanied by two of his companions and with Ilene (who planned to return to Rota the following day), arrived at the Saffron Gym.
But just as they stepped inside—
"Ahhh! Pikachu!"
A heart-wrenching cry of despair rang through the Gym, instantly catching everyone's attention.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. That voice… it sounded familiar.
"Isn't that Ash?"
Green blinked in surprise. She too recognized the owner of that voice.
Indeed—it was none other than the boy they had once shared hardships with aboard the S.S. Anne: Ash Ketchum.
To be honest, Green's impression of him was actually rather good.
Yes, the kid was reckless, naïve, and as green as they came. But somehow, being around him was unexpectedly pleasant.
Why? Because he was utterly guileless. Whatever he thought, he said. His feelings were always written all over his face.
Back then, when Lucas had forcefully taken Green away, Ash had even stood up for her. That alone spoke volumes about his character.
…
Inside the Gym.
A boy in a cap held his fallen Pikachu with a look of pure heartbreak. Across from him stood a Kadabra.
"Your battling ability is truly poor. All you do is rush forward with reckless attacks, without a shred of strategy."
The words came from a cold, refined black-haired girl, who looked at Ash with calm, detached eyes and spoke bluntly.
She was none other than Sabrina, the Saffron Gym Leader.
"Go back and train more. I will not hand over a badge to a Trainer this weak."
Her voice was utterly indifferent, carrying no emotional ripple at all. Though she secretly held a position as one of Team Rocket's three executives, here she was still fulfilling her role as Gym Leader with a sense of responsibility.
And the boy before her—this novice Trainer—was far from qualified in her eyes.
Since he was unqualified, there was no way she would ever award him a badge.
(End of Chapter)