Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Gamefreak.
Hi all,
Back on schedule and not feeling so sleep-deprived. Lucas explores the island a bit with his parents and gains a new companion.
Shout out to {Anthony Maxwell, Steve Miles, Tyler Loeding, TobiasYahiro365, Chen, Ravelord2015, David Davidson, Jeffery and John} for their patronage. Cheers.
All Patrons get access to chapters early. Chapter 17 of Pokemon: Way of Life and Chapters 5 and 6 of Harry Potter: A Mage's Path is already posted on my website.
If you want to become a patron, head over to Pat re on and add a /GamerFiction after the com.
Please favourite, follow and review.
The group had descended the mountain and now stood outside the compound. As the adults discussed their next move, Lucas spent the time communicating with Dante and discovering what had been happening in the last few weeks while he had been kidnapped.
Lucas was relieved that Faith was safe and that the two Team Rocket members were arrested. It was still up in the air whether the two would be charged, as it seemed that an outside influence was controlling them. Lucas wouldn't be surprised if it were Alan Goldman who was responsible.
Unfortunately, the boy Arbok captured couldn't be saved and died in the forest. The others were fine, if not shaken up by the ordeal. The training camp was postponed until they could increase security and ensure nothing else went wrong. Lucas felt responsible, as nothing would have happened if he had not been there. He decided to check on the boy's family to ensure they were okay.
Now that Giovanni had fled, he hoped he could complete the training camp without any more drama. Getting another crack at getting a Charmander would be a bonus.
Aside from that, Lucas discovered that the Director of the orphanage had been giving the outcast orphans grief, and only the video evidence prevented him from doing anything egregious.
Lucas wondered why the Director had such beef with the kids. There had to be a more reasonable explanation beyond him being an asshole. He promised himself he would finish the quest when he got back home.
The last bit of information he got was not surprising, but maybe he underestimated the sheer scale of the furore that resulted from his actions. What was he talking about? It was the Pokemon song he debuted on Tweak. The song went viral, and now he had representatives from the Pokemon League on his parent's doorstep who wanted to purchase the song. Of course, they couldn't do anything because Lucas was unavailable, and his parents had been too occupied searching for their son. So, they could only wait.
His kidnapping only escalated the mayhem, as Jason went on their livestream, publicly denouncing Team Rocket and turning the viewers further against the organisation. It generated more interest, and even more, people joined the channel.
He despaired at all the attention that was waiting for him at home. Even though he didn't mind the publicity so much now, he still didn't want to be known as the guy who was kidnapped by Team Rocket.
Lucas turned as an engine sounded and saw a boat stopping next to the small pier. The others turned at the sound, alert to any trouble.
He spotted the familiar ungainly figure of Nora, who was carrying the Elekid they had rescued. She wore a cloak with the hood raised, obscuring her features partially.
"Relax, it's just Nora," Lucas said. "Alan Goldman's daughter."
"What the hell did that monster do to her?" Sophia gasped, holding a hand to her mouth in shock.
Nora ambled closer, taking her time as she was clearly wary of the group. The Elekid jumped down and started running over towards Lucas. Dante, who was beside him, tensed in preparation for an attack.
'Relax, he is not attacking. The little guy seems to have taken a shine to me after I rescued him.'
Lucas crouched down as the small Pokemon jumped into his arms and snuggled into his side. Dante looked at the Pokemon with narrowed eyes, looking like he was going to eviscerate the Pokemon on the spot.
'Don't be jealous. I'm hoping Elekid becomes part of my team. You will always be my first partner.'
Dante crossed his arms and looked away.
{Dante} 'I don't know what you're talking about.'
Nora stopped next to Lucas, peering at the others nervously. She pulled the hood down further to cover her face.
Sophia stepped forward. "Hello, Nora. I heard from Lucas that I have you to thank for helping my son escape. So, thank you. If there is anything I can do for you in return, then please don't hesitate to ask."
"That goes for me as well," David echoed.
Nora nodded, then was startled when a skinny man sidled up to her and peered under her hood.
"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said she was turned into a monster."
"Charlie," Tobias growled.
Lucas tapped Charlie on the shoulder. The man turned his head, only to be met by Lucas's fist crashing into his nose, which dropped him to the ground with a grunt.
Charlie cried as he rolled around on the ground, clutching his nose as blood leaked between his fingers. "Motherfucker, you broke my nose."
Everyone laughed, no one having a lick of sympathy. Sonya walked over and kicked him, adding insult to injury. "You deserve it, you moron."
"Nora Goldman?" Tobias asked.
"Yes," Nora nodded warily.
"I'm Tobias Walker. Lucas's grandfather and the Minister of Defence. I want to state that you will not be charged with killing your father. From what I have heard, he is a monster that deserves death. However, that's the only free pass you will get. From now on, I don't want to hear of any violence that is not the result of self-defence. Am I clear?"
"Crystal," Nora replied.
"With that being said, I want to thank you for helping my grandson. I am in your debt, so if there is anything you need, and it's within my power, then you only need to ask," Tobias said seriously. "My team, Vincent, and I want to explore the compound for any incriminating evidence. I need your help in navigating the place."
Nora looked at Lucas, who nodded in reassurance. She followed them into the compound. Charlie was holding his nose and complaining the entire time.
"Can you see if you can find my gear? They took them away after I was captured," Lucas called after them.
Tobias waved a hand in acknowledgement.
Come to think of it, if he had only kept his cell phone and Pokeball in his inventory, he might have escaped sooner. The phone may have been useless because he was sure that Giovanni would have jammed the signal, but he could have summoned Dante and relayed a message to his family about his location. Lucas decided that he was going to keep another spare cell phone in his inventory in case of an emergency.
He looked down at the simple white scrubs he wore and shuddered. Recalling that he had spare clothes in his inventory, he took out a set and turned to his parents. "Do you mind turning around for a second? I want to get rid of these clothes."
"You haven't got anything that we have not seen before," Sophia said, rolling her eyes. They turned around, and Lucas swapped out his clothes.
"Aren't you going with them?" Lucas asked.
"We will stay with you," David said. "It's possible that we still missed some Team Rocket members. Plus, all the Pokemon you freed have spread across the island. We don't know if they will remember to be grateful to you because you saved them."
"Who is watching the Team Rocket members who were captured?" Lucas figured there was someone else waiting at the aircraft.
David grinned. "We left some Pokemon to guard them. They are not going anywhere."
"Right," Lucas sat on the ground with Elekid in his lap. "I'm going to meditate to clear my mind."
Since they had seen him meditate plenty of times before, they didn't question him and merely nodded.
Twenty minutes later, Lucas had restored his {Aura} and opened his eyes. Elekid was peering at him curiously, trying to figure out what he was doing. Lucas patted its head in fondness, which was quite awkward with the two prongs that stuck out from the top of its head. Since he now had the time, he decided to check the Pokemon's parameters.
Pokemon: Elekid | Age: 0 | Gender: M | Type: Electric | Potential: C
Description: Even in the most vicious storm, this Pokemon plays happily if thunder rumbles in the sky.
Affection: 15 Favourite Foods:?
Baby Stage: All stats halved. Prone to injuries.
Moves
Leer | Normal/Status | Power: - | 5 Aura
Quick Attack | Normal/Physical | Power: 40 | 6 Aura
Stats
Level: 1 | Next: 0% | AP: 0 | HP: 30 | Aura: 10 |
Attack: 20 | Defence: 10 | Sp Att: 20 | Sp Def: 25 | Speed: 30 |
Special Ability: Static - If a Pokémon with Static is hit by a move making contact, there is a 20% chance the foe will become paralysed.
Nothing remarkable stood out, but Lucas was satisfied. If Elekid became part of his team, he would work hard to bring out the Pokemon's true potential.
"It looks like you made a new friend," Sophia smiled. "Are you going to have it join your team?"
"If he will have me," Lucas shrugged. He took a Pokeball out of his inventory. Before he tried to capture Elekid, there was something he wanted to check out.
[Pokemon Bond] (Active/Permanent) [Lv:15] (Next:35%)[Cost:10]
Description: Form a bond with a Pokemon and gain a life companion. The Pokemon receives energy from the player to quell the side effects of Red Energy, and in return, the player receives a small amount of Red Energy to enhance their Physique. A bond may be broken if the affection falls below ten.
+15% to Physique for every Pokemon in bond.
+50% to Affection and Potential gains with Pokemon.
Telepathic Communication: Intermediate
10 Aura is permanently restricted for every Pokemon in bond.
+5% chance to catch Pokemon with a Pokeball within five levels of the player.
A new bonus ability appeared when he reached level fifteen in {Pokemon Bond}. It would help with catching wild Pokemon. Once he purchased more advanced Pokeballs, then he would increase his chances further.
The {Pokemon Bond} skill was easy to level up because he only needed to interact with Dante to level the skill. The only downside was that it was slower than other skills to compensate for its easy levelling.
Lucas shifted Elekid off his lap and placed him on the ground. "Okay, buddy. I would really like it if you joined my team and became stronger. But first, I have to catch you with a Pokeball to form a bond. Are you ready?"
Elekid tilted its head, not understanding what Lucas was saying, but nodded anyway. Just in case, Lucas activated {Calming Aura}, hoping it would help with the capture.
Lucas threw the Pokeball at the Pokemon, and Elekid froze. Lucas placed his hand on the Pokemon's head as the Pokeball shined a golden light, working to establish a bond between the two.
The Pokeball worked differently than canon, obviously. When catching a wild Pokemon, it did not disappear into the Pokeball. Instead, it froze the Pokmon, allowing the trainer to approach and try and establish a bond between the two. Lucas didn't know exactly how it worked, but he theorised that the Pokeball lowered the barriers surrounding the Aura Seed, which allowed the connection to form. But it was a dangerous gamble because if the bond failed, the Pokemon would be close enough to attack the trainer. That's why they usually weaken the Pokemon first, to increase the chances of the bond forming and to incapacitate the Pokemon for the trainer's safety.
Lucas felt Elekid's consciousness reach out to his, and the bond snapped into place.
Congratulations!
You have formed a bond with your second Pokemon.
10 Aura is permanently restricted due to Pokemon Bond.
Physique has increased due to Pokemon Bond.
Congratulations!
Physique has reached a new threshold!
You have learned a new Perk!
Tenacious Vitality: (Passive) [MAX] (-) [Cost:0]
Description: The player is twice as resistant to debilitating illness, diseases, poisons and other negative status effects. Also gives the player a small chance to survive a fatal wound.
Lucas tapped the Pokeball, and Elekid disappeared. After clicking the ball again, the Pokemon reappeared and looked around in confusion. Lucas could see the physical representation of his bond with the two Pokemon in his mind. His consciousness was in the middle, larger and brighter than the other two. A thread connected him to the Pokemon, and because he had already levelled the bond to fifteen, he could instantly communicate with his new partner.
'Hey, Elekid. Can you hear me?'
{Elekid} 'Is that you, my saviour?'
Lucas grimaced. That was not the tone he wanted to set with his new partner.
'Call me Lucas. You are a part of our team now.'
(Elekid) 'Okay. What's with the other guy? Mr frowny face?'
{Dante} 'The name is Dante. Remember it well, loser.'
{Elekid} 'He gets a name as well? Is loser a good name?
Dante snickered, covering his mouth with his hands and eyes squinting in amusement.
Lucas shook his head at the bickering Pokemon.
'Be nice, Dante. Listen, Elekid; I will come up with a good name for you as well.'
{Elekid} 'Okay.'
"Congratulations," David said. "Well-prepared trainers usually have two to three Pokemon in their team before they even start their journey."
"What about all the people who can't afford Pokemon and rely on lotteries," Lucas asked. "Isn't it a little unfair?
"Perhaps," Sophia said. "But it's not like trainers have to rush off and complete the Pokemon Circuit straight away. You can compete in the Junior Division as long as you are below twenty years of age. So many trainers spend their time building their teams and making Pokedollars."
Luca hummed. "Isn't that unfair, though? Couldn't trainers make their Pokemon uber strong and then steamroll the competition?"
David shook his head. "There are devices that scan Pokemon and calculate their strength. The Pokemon League created a unit of measurement that divides Pokemon into levels, which is a rough estimate of their overall strength. Any Pokemon above level thirty cannot compete in the Junior Division."
Interesting. So level thirty was the target for all his team members before he challenged the Junior Division. Now that he was building his team, he had to keep in mind the balance of his team members. If the Viridian gym was the same in this world, Dante and Elekid would be less effective against rock and ground-type Pokemon. Dante had {Grass Root}, which would be handy, but it didn't seem like it would be enough to challenge a gym. He could teach the two Pokemon some fighting moves. Something he could ask his dad about later.
If he managed to get a Charmander as his third team member, he should consider catching a water-type Pokemon as the fourth member to have a type advantage before he challenges the Gym. He should spend some Pokedollars on a good fishing rod. Then again, it was not like he had to challenge the Viridian Gym first. Lucas could do it in any order he pleased.
Lucas stood and stretched. "I want to go explore the island. Do you mind?"
His parents didn't, so they headed east from the compound. Lucas opened his map to get a layout of the island and activated the mini-map feature. It would be easier to notice granular details like Pokemon and potential loot.
Thinking about the map, Lucas reminded himself to think of a new feature to request with his {Prayer} skill since it had already been more than a month since it was last used.
David summoned one of his Pokemon, a Hitmonlee. It seemed he wasn't taking any chances with their safety.
Beyond the dock, the beach transitioned into a gradually inclined cliff face the further they travelled east. They followed the road just beyond the cliffs through a grassy area dotted sporadically with tropical trees and heavy vegetation. This far south, the climate reminded him of Jamaica, which he visited on one of the few occasions he went on vacation. The water was crystal clear and stunning to behold, and Lucas was interested in what Pokemon he could discover in the surrounding sea.
Lucas kept an eye out for Pokemon with his {Aura Sense} and soon spotted the first Pokemon scavenging for berries on the road's edge. It was a Bellsprout, a Pokemon he couldn't recall seeing in the group he and Nora rescued. He supposed it made sense that there would be other Pokemon on the island, considering its size. However, he would have thought that Team Rocket would have gotten their greedy hands on them by now.
Lucas quickly observed the Pokemon before it noticed their presence since he hadn't scanned it before.
100 experience, 10 Pokedollars gained.
The Bellsprout finally noticed them, but it seemed more concerned about Hitmonlee, and it quickly ran away on its twig-like legs. The Pokemon wasn't a high-level, so it wasn't a surprise it had been scared away.
"Are you interested in catching any more Pokemon?" Sophia asked.
Lucas shrugged his shoulders. "I want a Charmander as my next Pokemon. It means I only have one spot left until I increase my trainer level. I was thinking of a water-type Pokemon for my final choice, so if I spot one I like, I might capture it."
Lucas stopped next to the small berry tree the Bellsprout had examined.
'{Observation}.'
Oran Berry Tree | Common | Grade: 1 | Capacity: 120 |
Description: A berry tree holding the Oran Berry. The tree is of the lowest grade, which decreases the yield and effectiveness of the berries.
Overall Capacity: Grows up to 120 Oran Berries
Current Capacity: Holds 46 Grade 1 Oran berries.
Respawn Time: 3 days, 7 hours
Lucas picked an Oran Berry and put it in his mouth. He grimaced at the taste, which invoked a feeling of an awful combination of spicy and bitter.
"Berries are not used for human consumption," Sophia said, amused. "It is hard to find a berry that tastes good. Some are used in medicines, but who likes the taste of those?."
Lucas turned away in embarrassment. He picked another berry and scanned it for information.
Oran Berry | Common | Grade: 1 | HP Restoration |
Description: The Oran Berry is a ubiquitous sight in the Kanto region. It is a food source for many wild Pokemon and can be used as an ingredient in Pokemon Cooking and some medicines. Has a spicy and bitter flavour. May lower affection with some Pokemon who dislike this berry.
Restores 10 Hp to a Pokemon.
Lucas decided to harvest a few more to try and receive a skill. After grabbing a dozen of them, he received the notification.
[Harvest] (Passive) [Lv:1] (Next:1%) [Cost:0]
Description: The Harvesting skill increases the player's expertise when harvesting ingredients. The higher the skill, then the increased chances of harvesting higher-grade ingredients.
+5% chance to increase the grade of common ingredients to uncommon when harvesting.
+1% chance to receive two ingredients from one harvest.
Lucas stopped there, not wanting to take any more of the Pokemon's food, considering that another hundred Pokemon had been added to the island. There was a chance that some of them would have to be relocated simply because it may cause conflict with other Pokemon or they may not be suited to the environment. Not to mention the carnivores would target some of the Pokemon.
"Let's continue," Lucas said. They followed the road around the island for another fifteen minutes. He spotted a plethora of Pokemon and added another ten more to his Pokedex. His {perception} increased by one as well.
The island opened up again, the cliffs declining again and turning into a long stretch of the shore. The road ended at a few buildings and a wide veranda that overlooked the beach. The buildings looked like they had been abandoned, as there was no sign of human inhabitancy.
"We should be careful," David cautioned as they approached the buildings. "There could be some people or Pokemon hiding out here."
"I can't see anything with my {Aura Sense}," Lucas said.
"What is the range of your ability?" Sophia asked, a hand on her belt where her Pokeballs were sitting.
"About ten meters in all directions," Lucas replied. He continued to search as they walked past a storefront that looked like it had once sold souvenirs.
"That's impressive," David said. "But don't always rely on the ability, as some Pokemon can conceal their {Aura}."
"Huh," Lucas slowed down, looking around more cautiously.
"Hitmonlee," the fighting Pokemon protested.
"Right, forget you were here, Bradly. He should spot any trouble we don't pick up."
Lucas peered into the window of a diner; seeing the building was stripped bare, he soon lost interest. Lucas checked his mini-map to see if there were any treasure in the surrounding area, but there wasn't anything of interest.
"Let's go down the stairs and walk down the beach," Sophia suggested. She seemed to be a lot calmer than before, with a smile blooming on her face. Lucas noticed they looked worn around the edges and had lost weight. He couldn't help but feel guilty that he had put them through hell.
They descended the stairs and walked along the beach. They took off their shoes to feel the sand squishing between their toes.
The island's eastern side was dominated mainly by a dense forest just beyond the beach. It looked like it would constantly be dark inside the interior, considering how the wide canopies blocked out the sun. Lucas watched a swarm of Beedrills descend into the forest and disappear from view.
David's cell phone rang, and they paused as he answered, "Walker."
Davis listened to the other side, and by the way his eyebrows raised in astonishment, the news must have been noteworthy. He muttered a goodbye and hung up the phone,
"Who was it," Sophia asked curiously.
"That was dad," David replied. "It seems that Giovanni was being extra careful and blew up his office as an extra precaution. However, he did discover deeds to the island, and he will seize it and petition the government to hand it over to Lucas."
"What!?" Lucas and Sophia shouted together.
"Lucas has a good chance since he saved Kanto from a massive natural disaster."
Sophia looked incredulous. "The government will not give up an entire island to a fourteen-old boy."
"Don't be so sure," David replied. "There are no valuable resources on the island, and if they want to keep it, they have to send people to manage it, which would take resources away from the Kanto region. The island is too remote to be of clear value to them. There are plenty of islands like that in the southern seas. "
Lucas shook his head. "I still think you are totally bonkers. I wouldn't mind if they gifted me some property on the island, but the entire thing?"
They continued their trek, and the beach stretched conveniently into the island's northern part. Lucas stopped when he spotted a strange rock formation just off the coast. "What is that?"
It was an arch that looked like a natural rock phenomenon that thrusts out of the sea and ascends into the sky like a skyscraper. However, it was something different from what caught his attention. It was the enormous bird that perched on top of the arch that had him entranced.
Hitmonlee stiffened and turned to look at the Legendary Pokemon with fear.
"Moltres," David breathed. "Everyone, slowly back into the forest. Legendaries don't usually attack unprovoked, but it's best not to take chances."
Lucas stared at the fiery Moltres as he slowly retreated into the forest. It was too bad that {Observation} had a minimal range so that he couldn't read the Pokemon. Not that would be possible currently, with his level being way too low. What level would a Legendary Pokemon be? He didn't know, but even standing so far away, he felt intimidated by its sheer presence.
Moltres didn't notice them, or it couldn't be bothered to give them its attention because it didn't move from the arch.
David breathed a sigh of relief as they were swallowed by the trees and out of sight. Next to him, Hitmonlee was trembling, its powerful legs looking like they would collapse beneath him.
"You okay, Brawly?" Davis asked, concerned.
The Pokemon nodded, then puffed itself up, trying to appear at ease. Dante and Elekid clutched Lucas's legs in fright, and he soothed them quietly.
"What is Moltres doing here?" Sophia peered from behind a tree, looking at the Pokemon with excitement.
"Well, it doesn't have a home, exactly. It roams all the islands in the southern seas, scavenging for food just like other Pokemon."
"So frickin cool," Lucas said. "I wish I had a camera right about now."
That gave him an idea. Why doesn't he use the {Prayer} skill for a camera function? He immediately dismissed the idea, knowing he should request more essential features first.
After another five minutes of watching the Legendary Pokemon, they continued north through the edge of the trees until the arch was a distant spot on the horizon. Continuing on the beach, they came across nothing else interesting before they reached the outskirts of the old town.
It wasn't that impressive, with only a single street with about two dozen buildings on either side, both a mix of houses and some essential services. Blaine's old Pokemon Gym dominated the skyline; the pagoda-like structure was twelve stories tall.
Lucas wondered why Blaine sold the island in the first place. If he recalled, Blaine was rewarded the island for services rendered to the Kanto government. The Gym leaders held a lot of power due to their importance in the strength and prestige they brought to the region.
The other notable building was a derelict mansion that had long been abandoned. Nature had retaken hold of its space, with overgrown foliage covering the grounds and creeper vines climbing the mansion's walls.
"It would be kinda cool if they gave me this town," Lucas said. "I could rebuild it and make it better than ever."
"Do you know why this town died, right?" David asked. "This place relies on tourism to stay afloat, and it's only because the Pokemon Gym was here that people ever bothered coming here. The place is too remote."
"The Seafoam islands are hardly any better," Lucas protested.
"Yes, but they are closer to Fuschia City," Sophia said. "Which has the Safari zone, the most popular destination in the entire Kanto region. The Seafoam Islands see plenty of tourism as a result, with its own dedicated shipping route. Plus, theirs the perception of danger people perceive from the volcano on Cinnabar Island even though it hasn't erupted in thousands of years."
Lucas nodded thoughtfully. He wasn't being serious about developing the town. It was a passing fancy since he would soon be busy taking on the Junior Circuit.
At the other end of town were the captured members of Team Rocket, sitting in a circle, surrounded by a bunch of intimidating Pokemon. Next to them was a sleek aircraft that had been heavily modified. It could take off and land vertically with thrusters placed below the wings. Lucas was sure he had seen something similar before in a movie. Was it X-men?
"Is that Grandpa's?" Lucas looked at the aircraft with greedy eyes.
"That's right," David replied.
"Do you think he will let me take it for a spin?"
"Over my dead body," Sophia said. "We have already almost lost you twice. I cannot handle a third time."
Lucas grimaced as he sensed they were about to delve into an uncomfortable conversation.
"We need to talk about your experiences at the compound," David said.
It looked like he was correct. This conversation was going to suck. Lucas sighed and leaned against a nearby fence. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything."
{0(((..)))0}
A few hours later.
Lucas stood in the aircraft as it flew across the sky, heading back to Pallet Toen. The cargo door was open, and Lucas was preparing to drop the bomb into the sea. Hopefully, there were no Pokemon in the area, but detonating it in the water will decrease the intensity of the explosion.
"Whenever you are ready," Tobias said.
Lucas nodded before crawling to the edge of the open door. Since the device was so heavy, he needed to ensure it dropped immediately outside the aircraft. When he was in position, he retrieved the bomb from his inventory. Before it dropped out of view, Lucas saw the timer restart, Lucas retreated, and the doors closed.
Everyone waited with bated breath before they heard the gigantic explosion detonating in the sea. Although he couldn't see it, Lucas could imagine the size of the plume of water that would have erupted into the sky.
"Well, that takes care of that," Tobias sat down and smirked at his disciples. "See how impressive my grandson is? I may have to add him as another disciple."
Sophia snorted. "Are you going to speak as if his parents are not sitting right here?"
"Of course, he is," David said wryly. "He always steamrolls over anyone's opinions as if they don't align with his own."
"The kid can decide on his own," Tobias argued. All three faces turned to Lucas in unison.
"Stop bickering, children," Lucas said absently, having pulled out his cell phone. Thankfully, it still held some charge. "Sorry old man, but I'm more interested in the Pokemon Circuit."
Tobias grunted, looking away in disappointment while his parents smirked in triumph. After a lengthy discussion with them, emotions had been riding high as they had listened to what Lucas had been through. To say that there had been a few tears, especially from his mother, was an understatement.
After that, it dissolved into a discussion about his upcoming journey. Unsurprisingly, they didn't want him to go anywhere. Lucas argued that they would leave him alone because the research didn't pan out as Team Rocket had planned. If he took the proper precautions, then he should be fine.
The argument had ended in a stalemate, with further discussions to be held, but Lucas was positive he could convince them to change their minds. He had a few ideas to make himself more secure when he started his journey.
Lucas checked his cell phone and scrolled through the dozens of missed calls and text messages. He winced at some of the messages, the tone conveying how worried they had been. He saved Faith's for last, glad that she cared enough to send so many of her own texts.
Lucas found her number in his contacts and dialled the number.
"Lucas?"
"Hey, I'm alive and well," Lucas said happily.
Everyone turned and looked at him in interest, not even hiding that they were listening to his conversation—nosy bastards.
"I'm glad," Faith said.
Simple words, but they meant the world to him.
So, what do you think? The drama is over for the moment, and it will be smooth sailing at this point up to the start of his journey. Next chapter, he deals with the fallout from his kidnapping.
Cheers.