Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Gamefreak.
Hi all,
Another chapter down, and closing in on 100k words. I never imagined that I would get there so quickly. Is anyone going to play the new Pokemon games? I'm cautiously optimistic about how they are changing some things up, but to be honest, it's getting harder to get excited for Pokemon games like the old days.
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Chapter 17
Lucas looked outside the window as they passed over the familiar sight of Pallet Town. As they approached his home, the aircraft slowed to a crawl, and Lucas expected a peaceful return to normalcy as they slowly descended onto the back lawn. However, he was unprepared for the absolute chaos occurring outside the mansion gates.
A crowd gathered outside, consisting mainly of news media outlets. There looked to be fans of his as well, as he noticed signs waving around, all proclaiming support for him. There was security outside the gates, holding off the surge, but they looked a little overwhelmed. Only the threat of the canine Pokemon held the crowd at bay.
As he watched, Lucas witnessed a hilarious sight. One intrepid reporter tried to scale the wall on the eastern side but a vigilant Granbull caught him and dragged him down. The man lost his pants in the scuffle before he ran off, screaming. Lucas chuckled before turning to the others."Someone want to clue me in on what the hell is going on?"
"This is the price of your fame," Sophia sighed. "Do you know how popular you have because of your song? Your kidnapping only increased the furore."
"But how did they know I was returning?" Lucas asked.
"I let the authorities know we had rescued you," Tobias growled. "Obviously, someone leaked the news to the press."
The aircraft landed with a small thump, and the group disembarked. Nora looked nervous and looked around as she got off the aircraft. Thankfully, no one had invaded the grounds, so they had total privacy as they approached the mansion.
The massive double doors opened as they approached, revealing Sarah standing there with a smile. She held her arms out as if to obstruct the doorway, preventing others from exiting. Sarah was probably wary of any potential lurking reporters getting a hold of one of her charges.
"Welcome back, Lucas," Sarah said, reaching out and hugging him, and Lucas returned it after the initial surprise.
"Good to be back," Lucas replied. "Wasn't expecting all the commotion, though."
"Mother, let me out," Jason shouted from behind his mother.
"Cool your jets," David strode forward. "Let's talk inside."
They entered the mansion, and Lucas was about to be mobbed by Jason when he was rudely pushed aside by Abigail, who latched onto her brother's waist. Elekid, who Lucas was carrying, cried out in alarm, overwhelmed by the attention.
'It's okay. They are all family and friends.'
Lucas patted Abigail's head as she clung on with surprising strength. These awful reunions were becoming a habit, and he sure hoped he didn't get involved in another incident anytime soon.
"I'm glad I got my {Armament} up, or else I might be squeezed to death by a little monster," Lucas wheezed.
"Shut up, dummy," Abigail sniffed, clinging even harder to his waist.
Jason slapped him on the back, relieved to see his friend safe. Lucas reached out and gave him a fist bump before turning his attention to the girl standing in the corner.
Seeing Faith here, watching the group cramming into the entrance hall was a delightful surprise. Why didn't she mention on the phone that she would be here?
Eventually, Abigail let go of him but held onto one of his hands. They moved over to where Faith stood, and Lucas noticed she looked tired, with shadows under her eyes. Dante held up his arms to her, and Faith picked the Pokemon up and held him to her chest.
'Hey, partner. Want to swap places?'
{Dante} 'Not a chance.'
'Spoilsport.'
"Hey, you could have told me you were going to be here," Lucas said half-seriously. "I would have worked on my presentation a bit more."
"Don't tell me you have become even vainer on your brief holiday," she smirked, adding air quotes onto the last word.
"God, I missed your vicious tongue," Lucas said. Jason snickered, and Lucas face-palmed at his choice of words. "You know what I mean."
Faith shook her head, but a small smile appeared momentarily. "Apparently, you still haven't lost your habit of putting your foot in your mouth."
"Not that I'm glad to see you," Lucas smiled. "But why would you want to be here with the circus outside?"
Faith glared at Jason, who took a step back nervously. "I don't have a choice. Because of this moron, the entire world seems to think we are together, making my life very inconvenient. The media started camping outside the orphanage, waiting for an interview with the girlfriend of the tragic hero. To give the orphans some peace, I moved here for the foreseeable future. "
"I see," Lucas turned to Jason with a look of mock outrage. "You idiot, how dare you imply we are together." Making sure Faith didn't see, he winked at Jason and gave him a thumbs up.
"Why are you giving Jason the thumbs up?" Abigail asked innocently. "Aren't you mad at him?"
Lucas groaned and turned his head to peek at Faith, who was giving him a flat stare. Abigail smirked at him, dispelling the illusion of her innocent act. "I'm going to get you back for this brat," Lucas whispered.
Lucas turned to Faith. "I'm sorry the media are giving you trouble because of me, but I have an idea to fix it."
"You're going to tell them we are not together?" Faith asked hopefully.
Lucas waved his hands in denial. "Hell, no. The way I've been acting around you, it's going to be hard to convince the public that we are not involved. If we suddenly broke up, you may have a lot of abuse coming your way."
"So, what's your solution?"
"Simple, we become a couple for real," Lucas explained with a straight face. "If we go on dates and everyone see's us happy together, then things will cool down." Lucas looked at her with a beatific expression as if he had invented the cure for cancer.
"Real smooth," Jason mumbled. "Is that your best pickup line?"
Faith looked around the room, where people had gathered in different groups to talk. However, they had stopped and were listening avidly to their conversation. "Let's discuss this later."
"Aww," Abigail pouted, looking like we had denied her some entertainment.
"At least she's going to let you down in private," Jason whispered in his ear. "What a gal."
Lucas ignored him. "That's fine."
He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Turning around, he glared at all the nosy people listening to their conversation. "There are too many people around who don't respect people's privacy. Why don't we go to our room and catch up with everything that has happened."
"Uh," Faith said nervously. "I don't think it's appropriate to be in the same room alone together.'
"She probably thinks you're going to jump her," Charlie said nastily. Somebody was holding a grudge. Everyone laughed except for Sophia, who was looking at her son with accusing eyes.
"I meant Jason as well," Lucas rolled his eyes. "I want to find out what's been going on for the last month."
"You are going to need to make a statement to the press," David reminded him. "Those vultures outside won't leave otherwise."
"Tell them to come back tomorrow," Lucas said. "I can't be bothered today."
David nodded and left the room.
Abigail looked up at him. "I'm coming to," she stated.
"Leave him be," Sophia frowned. "You have plenty of time to catch up later."
Abigail shook her head and grabbed onto Lucas like a limpet. "She's fine," Lucas replied wryly. "Besides, with her there, you don't have to worry about me acting on my base instincts."
Sophia flushed in embarrassment. "What about something to eat? You must be hungry."
"Can you send Mr Mime up with something?"
She nodded before turning to her father-in-law. "Are you and your team going to stay here? It's the least we can do after you helped us to rescue our son."
"Sure," Tobias nodded. "I need to make some phone calls, but otherwise, I'm going to relax for a while. You three," he turned to his disciples. "You earned yourself a holiday, so you get the week off."
Sonya cheered. "Your so generous, Boss."
Lucas looked around in confusion. "Where did Nora go?"
"Dude, don't tell me you have another girl stashed away," Jason protested. "Not cool."
"It's not like that," Lucas replied flatly. "She helped me escape and has suffered far worse than I ever did."
"I think she was overwhelmed by the number of people here," Gideon said, who was standing next to the door. "She slipped away and headed towards the Pokemon habitat.'
"I'll go see how she's doing," Sonya said. "Us girls have to stick together." She walked outside.
Lucas frowned but let her go. "Come on, let's go up to my room."
{0(((..)))0}
"So, are you going to introduce your new companion?" Jason asked. They were sprawled out on the carpet in his room.
"Everyone, this is Elekid," Lucas lifted the Pokemon as if showing off a prize. Elekid waved his arms in protest. "Elekid, this is my partner in crime, Jason. My beautiful friend, Faith. And my adorable little sister, Abigail."
"Can I hold him?" Abigail asked, holding out her arms.
{Elekid} 'Stay away.'
Lucas brought him back into his lap. "He's still a little shy. Wait till he gets to know you better."
"Do you have a name for him?" Faith asked.
"Haven't had time," Lucas shrugged. "Let's brainstorm some ideas for his name, yeah?"
Jason folded his arms and looked up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. "Electro," he finally said.
"I hate it," Abigail said.
"Not bad," Lucas nodded. "However, it sounds like a supervillain."
"What!? In what universe?" Jason protested.
"One where Electro is a supervillain," Lucas smirked.
"How about Raiden?" Faith suggested.
"I like it," Abigail cheered.
"Nice," Lucas nodded. "Keep the suggestions coming."
"Bolt," Jason raised his head triumphantly.
"I hate it," Abigail said.
"Oh yeah, why don't you come up with a name?" Jason huffed at the little girl.
Abigail placed her hands under her chin and screwed up her face in thought.
"Remember, it doesn't have to be related to the Pokemon's name or type affinity," Faith said. "It can be anything."
"Maximus," Abigail finally suggested.
'{Dante} That's a good name.'
'You think so?'
"I hate it," Jason said.
Faith reached over and punched his shoulder, and Abigail giggled. Jason winced and looked aggrieved. "How is that fair?"
"I will suggest Ramiel, but let's ask Elekid which he likes best," Lucas said, ignoring Jason completely.
They waited in anticipation, leaning forward and staring at the Pokemon with intense expressions. Elekid pressed himself closer to Lucas in fright as he listened to him over the bond.
"And the winner is...Abigail. Maximus is his name," Lucas exclaimed.
Abigail cheered, and high-fived Faith as Jason snorted in disgust and looked away.
{Maximus} What's that guy's problem?
{Dante} Where do I start?'
"Don't you think the name is too big for such a little guy?" Jason asked.
"Meh, we can shorten his name to Max until he grows big enough," Lucas waved his hand dismissively.
Mr Mime entered the room with a massive tray of snacks floating beside him and placed it down in the middle of them.
"Thanks, Mr Mime," Lucas said. The others echoed the sentiment.
"Mime," Mr Mime held a hand to Abigail and pointed to the door. Abigail protested, but Mr Mime was resolute, and she rolled her eyes and stood. They left the room, and the three teenagers were now allowed to discuss more adult subjects.
The room fell into silence as they started snacking on the tray of finger foods. Lucas devoured a plate of chocolate chip cookies by himself, having missed eating sugar after his bland diet at the compound. Although he had some food in his inventory, he didn't bother to utilise it because he was being fed.
They stood up and walked out onto the balcony, sitting at the small table. Lucas looked at the Pokemon habitat in the distance, searching for Nora. Since he had increased his {Perception} by a fair amount, he had put all of his points into {Sight}. His vision was excellent, over one hundred meters, and he could make out distant objects with a lot of detail.
Lucas spotted Nora sitting next to a tree, talking to Sonya. They appeared to be having a meaningful discussion, with Sonya making elaborate gestures with her arms to get her point across.
"So I heard about the guy who died," Lucas returned his attention to his friends. "What was his name?"
"His name was Simon," Faith answered, looking down in sadness.
"Does he have a family?" Lucas asked.
"He comes from a big family," Jason said. "They are not that well off, which is why he was upset when you got the chance to compete for a starter Pokemon."
"Right," Lucas rubbed his face with his hand. "I feel responsible for his death. It would have never happened if Team Rocket wasn't targeting me."
Faith shook her head. "As much as it was a tragedy, Simon wasn't mentally strong. If he had become a trainer with his current attitude, he wouldn't have survived for long in the wild. He should have never aspired to be a trainer."
"I can understand why he was doing it, though," Jason said. "Being a trainer is lucrative. He was probably like me, who wanted to earn money. When you don't have much in the first place, you are willing to risk more to get ahead. If I weren't fortunate enough to meet Lucas, I probably would have given up on my dream and become a trainer."
"I took Team Rocket too lightly," Lucas said. "Here, I thought I was safe because grandad was hunting Team Saber, yet they kidnapped me the first time I left the town."
"What was it like?" Jason asked. He winced when Faith kicked him under the table. "Sorry, you don't have to answer the question."
"I don't mind," Lucas said, repeating the story he told his parents, amazed that he could be indifferent to the suffering he endured. At first, he put it down to his sheer anger and resolve to escape. However, he had forgotten that {Mental Resistance} significantly diminished potential psychologically damaging effects. It may seem cheap to avoid repercussions, but he would not argue with the results. The Gamer System had already given him so much; it would be hypocritical of him to complain at this point.
"Are you okay?" Faith asked.
"Yeah," Lucas replied. "I don't know why I'm so unaffected by my kidnapping and torture, but I will not question it too deeply. Maybe whatever they did to me gave me some mental resilience."
They fell silent for a moment before Lucas clapped his hands. "Enough doom and gloom. When is the Pokemon Camp recommencing?"
"In about two weeks," Faith said. "They are going to make sure that security is tight this time. Olivier Armstrong was angry because someone died, and Team Rocket kidnapped another under her nose."
"Right," Lucas slapped the table with the palm of his hand. "So, I only have to worry about convincing my parents to let me attend."
"Good luck with that," Jason said dryly, taking out his phone and reading something on the screen.
"So, how is the Tweak channel going?" Lucas asked curiously.
"Why don't you find out for yourself?"
Lucas accessed his Tweak account from his phone and whistled when he saw the number of followers had reached over seventy thousand. It was small potatoes compared to a lot of popular trainers, but considering he hadn't even started his journey yet, it was still an incredible achievement. He considered posting a message but decided to wait until after he gave an interview with the press.
"Your Poketube channel is taking off as well," Jason said. "Considering we only post Vods of your Tweak streams, its pretty incredible."
Lucas hummed. "I don't know how I feel about gaining so much popularity from being kidnapped."
"Most of that comes from the song you created," Faith retorted. "Your kidnapping wouldn't have been big news if you weren't already popular. Just think about the charities you can support with the profits from the channel."
"That is true," Lucas nodded. He put his phone away.
"When do you want to do your next livestream?" Jason asked absently, tapping away at his phone with a fierce expression. It seemed someone online had upset him, and he was entering keyboard warrior mode. Lucas had seen him riled up plenty of times by something people said online.
"We can do it tomorrow after I do the press conference," Lucas said, but Jason only grunted in acknowledgement without taking his eyes off the phone. Lucas motioned Faith to leave Jason be and walked back inside.
"How are the kids doing," Lucas asked as they sat on the bed.
"They are doing alright," Faith replied, nervously wiping her hands on her jeans.
"You don't have to be scared of me," Lucas said. "We are just having a conversation. I'm not about to grab and push you down on the bed."
Faith flushed, her beautiful eyes sparking with outrage. "I know that."
"So, how about it? Do you want to try going on a date?" Lucas drummed his fingers on the bed, not realising he was feeling nervous himself.
"Why do you like me so much?"
"I can't say for sure. The first time I laid eyes on you, I was smitten. It only increased when I got to know you more."
"I don't know if I'm ready for a boyfriend," Faith said. "I want to become a trainer, so it's going to be hard to maintain a relationship."
"Are you interested in the Kanto championship?" Lucas asked.
Faith shook her head, and a few curls escaped from her braid. Lucas watched with fascination. "I want to become a Grass-Type Master Trainer. Maybe one day I will have my own Gym."
Lucas raised his eyes in surprise. "And you can't do that with the Pokemon Circuit?"
"I will challenge the Gyms and build a team," Faith replied. "But my goal is to take on the Type Tower challenge in the Battle Frontier once I have visited enough regions and built a formidable team."
"The Battle Frontier in the Hoenn region?" Lucas questioned. "I've never heard of that Tower."
"It's one of the most challenging Towers in the Battle Frontier," Faith said excitedly. "You have to have a team of six, with all of them having at least one type in common. Then you must climb the tower and battle a series of trainers in an endurance run. Many of the Gym Leaders take the same challenge."
"That sounds so cool," Lucas said. "So I bet you're aiming for first place in the Camp competition so you can choose Bulbasaur."
Faith nodded. "It's going to be hard with you as my competition. I don't know the others in the camp."
"You don't give yourself enough credit," Lucas smiled. "Besides, even if I manage to get first, I will choose Charmander. So make sure you get in the top two, at least. We can cooperate to ensure we come out on top if there is a chance."
"What about Jason?" Faith asked.
"That would be cool if he could get in the top three," Lucas said. "because I know he would go for Squirtle. However, what are the chances of all three of us getting into the top three? If the two of you get into the top three and I miss out, I wouldn't be too upset. I already have two Pokemon."
If Faith were the one to miss out, he would happily get the Bulbasaur for her. He had another idea to get a Charmander so he wouldn't mind the sacrifice.
Faith nodded, looking relieved. At first, Lucas thought you could choose any three of the starters, but there weren't multiple copies of the same Pokemon. So if you wanted to avoid another person choosing your Pokemon, then you needed to get first place.
"But since you are going to be challenging the Gyms," Lucas said. "Then you are always welcome to journey with Jason and me. That means if we start going out, there will be no problem with a long-distance relationship."
"What if we date and decide we are not suited?" Faith raised her eyebrow.
"I don't foresee that happening on my end," Lucas said wryly. "But if it does, then we can still be mature enough to travel together as friends. So, how about it? Want to go on a date?"
"Fine," Faith said. "But we are going to take it slowly. We are only fourteen."
Lucas nodded rapidly, happy that she had agreed to a date. "Are you free at the weekend?"
"Yes."
"Then I will make sure to plan our date carefully."
"Don't go overboard."
"No promises."
{0(((..)))0}
July 16th
The next day.
Lucas carried Dante outside, ready to face the press conference. A huge tent was set up outside the gates with some tables and chairs to give a modicum of comfort. His parents were at his side, which gave him some reassurance.
Despite getting used to the attention, Lucas still felt nervous. He didn't know what to expect from the media. How did they compare to the reporters in his old life? Having witnessed the reporter trying to scale the walls, he was leaning towards them being on the Paparazzi side of crazy.
A man stood outside the tent, waiting for them. The man certainly knew how to dress stylishly and attract attention. The blue-silver aristocrat suit was worn with casual grace as if he wouldn't look out of place when doing hard labour. His hair and beard were immaculate, and Lucas wondered how long it took for the man to get ready in the morning.
"Lucas, this is my publicist, Julian Gracewell," Sophia introduced.
"It's nice to meet you, Lucas," Julian shook his hand firmly. "I'm glad that you returned safe and sound."
"Hello," Lucas replied. "So, are you going to be the one that keeps the wolves at bay?"
"From what I have seen of your live streams," Julian chuckled. "You already have plenty of poise for your age."
"Talking into a camera is easier than faced with hungry reporters," Lucas replied.
"Indeed," Julian said. "Listen, you have nothing to worry about. Since you are still a minor, the reporters must keep themselves in check. If there is a question you don't want to answer, then don't. Let me handle any rogue reporters."
'Okay."
They stepped into the tent, and the reporters immediately besieged Lucas with camera flashes and a cacophony of voices. Julias guided him to the front table, and he sat with his parents.
Julian raised his hands for quiet. "I implore you to quiet down before I end this interview, before it even begins. Remember, you are talking to a minor, so show some decorum."
Everyone quieted down, and reporters returned to their seats. Lucas had to dial down his {Sight} or risk becoming blinded by constant flashes from the cameras.
"Now, we will give each of you a chance to ask a question," Julian continued. "After that, you will get another question, time permitting. When I point to you, ask your question. Security will throw anyone who speaks out of turn out. Everyone understands the rules?"
After the reporters nodded, Julian pointed to a middle-aged man in front. "Henry, we will start with you."
"Hello, Lucas. Pallet Town Tribune. How does it feel to be home, son?"
"It feels great to be back, surrounded by family and friends," Lucas replied. "Although, I didn't expect the commotion on my return. I witnessed one reporter lose his pants trying to scale the wall. Let's hope that none of you suffers the same fate."
The room exploded in laughter, and Lucas could feel himself relax more. If he kept it light-hearted, then it would be a breeze.
"Jackie, your next," Julian said.
"Hi, Lucas. Saffron City Herald. Imagine that Giovanni was watching this interview. What would you say to him?"
Lucas leaned forward. "I don't think Giovanni cares about what I think. However, I'm a big believer in karma. One day he will get what he deserves."
"Hello, Lucas. The Viridian Times. What exactly did Giovanni want with you? There have been rumours of illegal experiments."
Julian jumped in before Lucas could respond. "Please stick to the facts and not some scurrilous rumours. Next question."
Lucas felt Dante's irritation over the bond.
'Relax, he will not get a second question.'
"Hi, Lucas. The Aura Guardian Chronicle. Is it true that you are an Aura User?"
Julian looked at Lucas, unsure if he wanted to answer the question. Lucas shrugged. Since he used it in the forest, it was bound to leak. "Yes. I awakened after I woke from my coma."
"Stephanie, your next," Julian pointed to a woman who treated her appearance just as importantly as Julian. "Hi, handsome. The Teen Girls Magazine. Is it true that you are in a relationship with Faith Harper?"
Thankfully, he had already cleared this question with Faith. "Before I was kidnapped, we started going out, yes. But we are only fourteen, so we are taking things slow."
The woman looked disappointed, leaning down to scribble something on a notepad.
"Hello, son. Vermillion City Prophet. Do you feel you have an enormous advantage over other trainers because you were gifted your two Pokemon?"
His parents tensed beside him, but Lucas wouldn't let the man get away with slandering him or his parents. "They gifted me a Pokemon egg. Should I apologise for being privileged? May I remind you I spent three years in a coma? Just because I'm luckier than most doesn't mean my life is a bed of roses. As for Elekid, I caught him on my own. He was not a gift from anyone."
"Next," Julian smiled at him in approval.
"Lucas, dude. The Jigglypuff Mic Magazine. Your song was lit. Is it true that the Pokemon League is interested in purchasing your song?"
"They had expressed interest when I was absent," Lucas said. "I don't know if they are still interested or not. We will have to wait and see."
"Cerulean City Inquirer," a man with glasses stated. "Do you feel any guilt for the death of Simon Coles? He would still be alive if it weren't for your cowardice and refusal to go with Team Rocket."
David rose from his seat, but Lucas held him back. He looked at the man with a steely expression. "I regret Simon's death, but I'm not responsible for Team Rockets' actions. My condolences go out to his family, and I wish them all the best." Lucas took a breath after almost losing his composure. "Now, may I ask you a question? Did you get your pants back? I have to remember to get a gift for Granbull for being so vigilant."
The man flushed as the room exploded into laughter again. For the next ten minutes, Lucas continued to answer questions before Julian signalled an end to the press conference. Lucas stood with his parents and left the tent.
"The nerve of that bastard," David growled. "I was this close to punching his lights out. Why did you stop me?"
"David," Sophia slapped his shoulder.
"What? You didn't protest when Lucas punched Georgie," David whined.
"Hmm, you're right. But I was going to punch Georgie myself, so it would be hypocritical of me to scold Lucas for doing the same thing."
Sophia left the two astonished males behind.
David shook his head ruefully. "After all these years, I still don't understand your mother."
{0(((..)))0}
July 17th
Lucas finished {Meditation} and opened his eyes. He had been working on his {Immutable} skill since dawn. He still had plenty of time to level the skill to twenty, but it was better to do a little every day rather than grind it out like he did last time.
There was a knock on the door. "It's open," Lucas called.
His mother entered the room with a smile and a concerned look on her face. "You're not coming down for breakfast?"
"I'll be down in a moment," Lucas said, getting up to stretch, his t-shirt riding up to reveal his six-pack.
"You become so tall and strong," Sophia murmured. "I remember when I first saw you awake in the hospital. You were so small that I could pick you up and place you in my lap."
"Well, I worked hard to get in shape," Lucas stepped up to his dresser to find some clothes.
"How are you holding up since..." Sophia trailed off awkwardly.
"Are you asking if I am traumatised by my experience? Not really. It may seem strange, but I had no time to be upset at my predicament. I was always thinking of a way to escape. Meditation helped keep me calm as well."
"What about seeing a therapist? Just to come to terms with everything?"
"No way in hell," Lucas said bluntly. "Talking to you and dad was enough for me to sort out conflicting thoughts I may have had."
"Okay, fine," Sophia raised her hand in resignation. "I just got a call from a representative from the Pokemon League. They want to talk to you about purchasing your song."
"What do you think I should do?"
"I have contacted the law firm my company works with," Sophia replied. "They are going to send someone to protect your interests. The meeting is going to be at two in the afternoon."
"Okay" Lucas finished choosing his clothes and kissed his mother's cheek on the way out.
{0(((..)))0}
"Do you think I got a good deal?" Lucas watched as the two men left the room. The negotiations for the rights to his song had gone on longer than expected.
"I think we got the best deal we could hope for," Lucinda replied, closing her briefcase. "Since they have to do all the work on producing the instrumental version besides using your voice, I think it was fair."
Lucinda Green was the lawyer sent to represent his interests. She was a middle-aged woman who dressed sharply and took no umbrage from anybody.
"Well, thanks for your help," Sophia said. "Just add the bill to my account."
Lucinda nodded before turning to Lucas. "If you're going to keep producing music in the future, then I suggest you hire an agent. Someone more knowledgeable of the music industry." She said goodbye before leaving the room.
Lucas looked at the check that lay in his hands. One hundred thousand Pokedollars, plus he received five per cent royalties for every copy of his song sold. Not bad.
"What are you going to do with the money?" Sophia asked.
"I want to give half of it to the Coles family," Lucas said. He was always going to feel some guilt at the death of the teenager.
"What about the other half?"
"Put it into my savings account. I will start saving to buy my own place and build my own Pokemon habitat."
"Funny you should mention that," Sophia said. "Tobias managed to get you the island."
"What?! Are the government crazy?"
"Tobias has a lot of influence with the Prime Minister. Besides, you have a lot of potential for the future as an Aura User. They saw it as a simple choice compared to an island with little value."
Lucas shook his head. "It's still too much." Then he had a brilliant idea to solve a problem that had become apparent over the last couple of days.
"Where's Nora?"
So, what do you think? What plans does Lucas have for the island? Of course, I gave away one thing he is going to do with it.
Cheers.
