Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. Lucas engages in his first Pokemon battle and continues to learn more about the world around him.

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Chapter 4

Lucas didn't think the Rattata had any moves that posed a threat to Icarus while he was in the air. In terms of individual strength, they would be relatively easy to handle. All five Rattata were either at level three or level two. But because Icarus was outnumbered, it was better to rely on long-range attacks and keep a safe distance.

"Use Gust," Lucas ordered.

Icarus swiftly executed Gust, and a vibrant bluish-white energy appeared on his wings. Below the Rattata's feet, a large swirl of wind emerged, before it surged upwards. The wind was laced with flying-type energy, and visible to the naked eye.

The five Rattatas lacked the intelligence to recognise the attack or the speed to evade it. They were launched upwards and tossed about as they were trapped in the swirl of wind. It emitted flying-type energy, making it clearly visible to the naked eye. The Rattata were subject to numerous small bursts of compressed air, which damaged their bodies. Because Icarus expanded the move's area of effect to include all of the Rattata, its focus was diluted and they suffered reduced damage.

The swirl disappeared and the Rattata fell to the ground. Lucas took the opportunity to retreat further away from the fight. If he wasn't careful, the Rattata might choose to attack him, or he might get hit by a stray attack.

All the effort they put in was worthwhile when he witnessed the results of Icarus' new move. Gust can manifest a fair distance from the user and does not require it to cover ground to reach the target.

Icarus was far from perfecting the move. As he continued to raise his proficiency, the manifestation speed, rotational power, and duration of the attack would all see improvement. It had a greater impact on smaller Pokémon with less body mass, therefore the Rattata were more significantly affected by it. A larger Pokémon, while not being launched into the air, would still sustain damage.

"Use Gust again," Lucas called.

The five Rattata regained their footing and stood up. Icarus deftly unleashed another Gust, this time directing it towards the level three Rattata at the forefront. The Rattata was lifted into the air and trapped in the vortex.

The remaining Rattata were enraged and charged at Icarus. They leapt into the air, trying to reach him. They were enveloped in a shroud of white energy when they launched their attack—Tackle.

What the hell?

Lucas watched in disbelief as he witnessed two Rattata collide with each other in mid-air. The impact left them stunned as they fell back to the ground, having suffered significant damage due to their mistake.

Well, that was an absolute riot. Evidently, they needed to improve their teamwork.

Icarus climbed higher into the sky to avoid the remaining two Rattata, although it appeared unnecessary. The momentum of the Rattata came to a halt, causing them to begin falling towards the ground.

"Quick Attack!" Lucas called, recognising an opportunity. "Strike them while they're falling!"

Icarus swiftly dove downward, surrounded by a brilliant white shroud of energy. He landed a solid hit on one of the mid-air Rattata, sending it spiralling towards the ground with a startled squeak. The Rattata slammed into the ground with a powerful impact, and it lay motionless.

The text above its head indicated that its condition had changed to Fainted. Two of the combatants were now out of the fight, including the Rattata that fell victim to two consecutive Gust attacks.

Only three opponents remained. Lucas took a moment to assess Icarus' condition, which had shifted from Perfect to Excellent. Although Icarus had not sustained any damage, his condition had still deteriorated. A Pokemon's condition would gradually decline as they expended energy.

Undeterred, the three remaining Rattata made another attempt to attack Icarus. Their efforts proved to be in vain as Icarus stayed out of their reach and swiftly eliminated each one until all five opponents lay sprawled on the ground.

"Well done, Icarus," Lucas praised. The fight turned out to be disappointing, but his partner had put on a strong performance.

Icarus gracefully descended and landed on Lucas' shoulder, affectionately pecking at his hair.

Lucas checked his own status and noticed that he had gained two hundred and fifty experience points, and Icarus received the same amount. Each Rattata that was defeated was worth fifty experience points.

What actually constitutes a defeat? Is it the moment when a Pokemon faints? What would happen if the Pokemon were to run away from the battle? Is that considered a defeat?

Lucas spent his experience points and reached level three, earning an additional skill point and making strides towards the next level. Initially, levelling up was a breeze, but as time went on, the amount of experience needed steadily increased.

"That was an amazing battle, especially since you were outnumbered!" Delia exclaimed, stepping forward with her Pokemon by her side.

"Having a flying-type Pokemon is an advantage at lower levels," Lucas murmured, his lips tightly pressed together.

"You look disappointed in the fight," Delia observed.

"I am," Lucas replied. "They fought with the ferocity of wild animals, displaying a complete absence of strategy or coordination. Are Pokemon truly lacking in intelligence?"

"They were low-level Rattata," Delia said. "Not every Pokemon is created equal. Rattata is renowned for its fierce nature, which affects their judgement. They are known as canon fodder at lower levels, as their body is not sturdy enough to withstand significant damage."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a small, portable device. It was a Pokedex. Lucas glanced at Delia with envy, knowing that acquiring one would require spending a significant amount of Pokedollars. However, he didn't require one, as he had his Insight skill, which was far superior.

She aimed the device at the downed Pokemon, and the A.I. promptly announced their levels. Lucas found it unsurprising that there was a method to measure a Pokemon's levels. His curiosity was piqued. What method did they use to determine their level?

"Is a Pokemon's level an indication of their intelligence?" Lucas inquired as they continued their stroll.

"No. A lot of research has gone into studying a Pokemon's intelligence, and it is believed that their intelligence is determined at birth. As Pokémon mature and acquire new knowledge, it influences their intelligence to some extent. However, their intelligence remains within certain parameters, much like that of a human. You must remember not to compare their intelligence with human intelligence. They are still predators. Wild Pokemon, regardless of their level of intelligence, possess the capacity to be extremely dangerous."

"I understand," Lucas said. "Although they are intelligent, their thought processes deviate significantly from ours."

"Exactly. There are other factors that determine a Pokemon's intelligence," Delia said. She gestured to her three Pokemon. "Who do you think is the smartest out of these three?"

Lucas studied the three Pokemon; Mimey, Chase, and Blue. There was no obvious difference between the three. He had been interacting with all three of them over the past few weeks. Despite not being able to speak to him directly, they were able to communicate their thoughts and desires well enough. There must be something that distinguishes them.

As he gazed at Mimey, an idea struck him. Could it really be that straightforward? Was the Pokemon's type a contributing factor?

"It's Mimey," Lucas said. "She is a psychic-type Pokemon, who harnesses the power of her mind. It is therefore reasonable to assume that she possesses higher intelligence as a result."

Mimey gave him a thumbs-up

"Well done!" Delia exclaimed. "Psychic-type Pokémon typically have higher intelligence compared to other Pokémon on average. Dragon-type Pokemon are often regarded as the second smartest after psychic types. There are also certain species that could demonstrate greater intelligence due to their unique physiology."

Delia retreated some distance, allowing Lucas more opportunities to engage in battle as they approached the forest. During his journey, he came across two additional groups of Rattata.

They didn't trouble Icarus at all, but he exerted a great amount of energy to defeat them. Because of this, his condition worsened further, prompting Lucas to return him to his Pokeball. Pokemon recover faster while in their incorporeal state, which is one of the advantages of keeping Pokemon in their Pokeballs. Although recovering this way took a lot of time, so it was actually faster to either use a Pokemon Centre or potions.

Lucas levelled up again and earned another skill point. He spent Icarus' experience points and it was just enough to level him up to level six. Now, he could train Icarus further and improve his stats. He still couldn't figure out how to increase Icarus' Luck. Did he have to score a critical hit to increase it?

Delia caught up with him as he reached the outskirts of the forest. They took a small break before venturing into the forest. With every step they took, Lucas's anxiety increased. A myriad of unfamiliar sounds pierced through the silence, setting his nerves on edge. In the distance, a bird Pokémon let out a cry, which was met with a cascade of responses. Moreover, there was a disconcerting buzzing sound in the distance that ignited his imagination. What could be causing it?

The forest was a different environment from the open fields. The trees were redwoods, tall large evergreen conifers that were broad at the base and tapered at the top. They were spaced a few feet apart, so there was plenty of room to move between them. The trees didn't have wide canopies, so plenty of sky was exposed. As a result, the forest was well-lit and easy to navigate. That didn't help his nerves, however.

Mimey and Chase took the lead, with Poliwrath bringing up the rear. Delia urged Lucas to stick together, as the presence of Pokémon in the trees increased the chances of being ambushed. To illustrate this fact, just a few minutes later, Mimey directed our attention to a Pokémon hidden among the trees, which he would have never discovered on his own.

The strange-looking Pokemon hung from a branch. It resembled a pinecone, with a pair of large eyes.

"What Pokemon is that?" Lucas asked.

"That is a Pineco," Delia explained. "It's originally from Johto, but when the two regions were united, Pokemon were intermingled between the two regions."

Lucas nodded. He had read up on the history of Johto's assimilation into Kanto after the war ended. It was a fascinating read, highlighting humanity's remarkable ability to adapt in the face of a changing world.

After the war, the Johto region experienced devastation on various fronts. The use of weapons of mass destruction had the most significant effect on the region's population. Not only did they lose the highest number of soldiers in the war, but a town was completely destroyed, resulting in the loss of over ninety per cent of its inhabitants. This tragic event stands out as the most heartbreaking event of the entire conflict, ultimately highlighting the consequences of mankind's reckless indifference towards the lives of both humans and Pokemon.

They could have eventually recovered, but the economy was greatly affected by the new mandates imposed by Arceus. Johto's revenue relied heavily on the manufacturing sector in their region. With a larger population and a well-developed infrastructure, Johto was able to maintain a robust production schedule. To draw a comparison, it can be likened to China, which is known for being a manufacturing powerhouse.

Their economy crashed overnight when the Legendaries destroyed their factories and manufacturing facilities. Faced with a dire situation, they urgently sought assistance from other regions.

First, they turned to their old allies in Hoenn. However, with all their trade agreements now null and void, Hoenn showed no interest in providing assistance. In fact, the region adopted an isolationist stance and retreated from the international stage. This was facilitated by its status as a separate island nation, isolated from the main continent.

Johto sought assistance from Sinnoh next. Regrettably, Sinnoh had its own share of difficulties. Besides grappling with Arceus' decree, they were also embroiled in a divisive political conflict within their region. Two factions tussled for dominance, and it took several years to settle down.

Johto was left with no alternative but to seek assistance from Kanto, despite their deep-seated animosity. As the initial instigators of the Great War, the two regions harboured a profound hostility towards each other. However, Johto had no other recourse. Negotiations took place, and in the end, Kanto came out as the clear winner because of its strong initial position.

In the agreement, the regions were merged and given the new name of the United Regions of Kanto. The Johto parliament was disbanded, and Saffron City was designated as the capital. Thankfully, Johto's towns and cities retained their original names, and their unique culture was also preserved. It is worth noting that, considering the severe poverty and imminent starvation faced by its people, the situation could have been much worse.

Lucas shifted his attention back to Pineco as they passed beneath it. He worried that the Pokemon might fall from its branch and launch an attack on them. The Pineco showed no interest in attacking them, however. He was uncertain about the Pokemon's capability in battle. Was it able to move effectively with its unique physiology?

He used the Insight skill to check the parameters of the Pokemon. The only problem with the information was that it wasn't complete. Where was its Special Ability? For the first time, he considered spending skill points to level Insight.

Was it worth spending two points to level up this skill? If it meant gaining more valuable information from Pokemon, then it would definitely be worth it. Moreover, in the long run, it could greatly assist him as a Pokemon Breeder.

During the early stages, he was able to level up easily, so earning more skill points wasn't an issue. Deciding to take the plunge, he spent two skill points and levelled the skill up. It left him with one skill point.

He examined the Pokemon again. The menu now provides additional information.

Species: Pineco; Bagworm Pokemon

Gender: Male

Status: Wild

Favorability: -

Favourite Food: Pine Sap

Condition: Excellent

Threat Level: Low

Level: 7

Next: [56/100%]

Current Level: Potential Achieved?: No

Special Ability: Sturdy

Attack: 20

Special Attack: 15

Defence: 30

Special Defence: 20

Speed: 15

Luck: 2

Moves:

Tackle

Protect

Self-Destruct

Description: A Pineco hangs from a tree branch and waits for prey. While eating, if someone shakes its tree, it falls to the ground and suddenly explodes.

Out of all the new information, knowing a Pokemon's special ability was the most useful. Identifying Pokemon's favourite foods may also be beneficial when raising Pokemon. Would it help improve his favourability with Icarus?

Pineco possessed some defensive capabilities and had access to the move Self-Destruct, which would be useful in certain situations. Pineco could enhance the survivability of a team while venturing outside. It may be worth considering capturing one in the future.

Lucas was interested in adding more Pokemon to his team, but it would have to wait until he had more Pokedollars on hand. He would need to buy additional Pokeballs in order to capture another Pokemon. The most common type sold for fifteen hundred Pokedolars each.

For the next few hours, Delia guided Lucas through the forest. He was taken aback by the vastness of the forest, as its true size was not readily apparent from the outside. How did Delia manage to bring him to Pallet Town so swiftly, considering his life-threatening injuries? With the Arbok's venom pumping through his veins, he imagined he wouldn't have much time left to live.

Through the spaces among the trees, he caught a glimpse of the small mountain range that lay ahead. Somewhere inside their depths was the gorge through which he had initially entered this world.

There better not be another Arbok hiding inside. One traumatic near-death experience was sufficient to last a lifetime.

They reached a spacious clearing with a collection of boulders in its centre. Delia called for everyone to stop, signalling the need for a break. Lucas, feeling utterly exhausted, was grateful for the rest. Although his leg had healed, it still wasn't accustomed to intense physical activity yet.

"It should be another hour before we reach the cave," Delia said. She reached into her purse, pulled out a bottle of water, and took a sip.

"Are there any high-level Pokemon in the forest?" Lucas asked.

"There are some areas in the forest home to higher-level Pokemon," Delia answered. "As long as you stay clear of them, you should be fine. Of course, that doesn't mean they don't leave their territories as they have a tendency to wander. It can be dangerous if they enter a populated area. The Pokemon Rangers do their part, but their resources and manpower are finite. They respond as fast as they can whenever a high-level Pokemon needs to be moved."

"So, we need to stay alert."

"Always."

An hour later, they arrived at the foot of the mountains. Lush green vines draped down from the cliff face, creating a picturesque scene. Mimey skillfully made her way through the thick foliage, revealing a narrow opening that led into a dimly lit passage.

Delia took out a torch and switched it on. She shone the light into the cave, revealing a high ceiling and smooth grey walls. From what he could see, the passage remained fairly straight, as if it had been shaped by humans.

"Be careful," Delia said. "There might be a few Zubats in this area. I came across them the last time I visited."

Mimey pointed above them. "Mr Mime."

She erected two purple barriers above their heads. Their safety would be guaranteed if they were suddenly attacked from above.

"What a fantastic idea!" Delia exclaimed, gently patting Mimey on the back.

They cautiously ventured into the cave, pushing through the narrow corridor. A silence hung in the air, interrupted only by the echo of their footsteps. Lucas strained his eyes, desperately trying to penetrate the darkness that concealed everything beyond their feeble torchlight. The idea that a Pokémon could be hiding in the darkness, silently waiting to ambush them, seized his thoughts with an undeniable unease.

They made their way through the passage, taking ten minutes until they reached the other side. Lucas felt a sense of relief that they hadn't encountered any Pokemon during their journey through the cave. While he had confidence in Delia's Pokemon to handle any encounters, it wasn't exactly ideal to engage in battles in such narrow confines.

Ahead of him lay the ominous long narrow gorge, lush with foliage and its rugged cliff faces towering above. A jolt of phantom pain pierced through his leg, and Lucas winced. He kneaded his leg until the pain subsided. The mere sight of the gorge was a haunting reminder of the nightmarish assault he endured.

"Is the Arbok really gone?" Lucas asked with a hint of anxiety.

Delia kindly placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I am absolutely certain. Even if it were still present, my Pokemon would easily handle the situation."

"Okay. Then let's harvest the berries."

"The first group of trees is nearby," Delia replied.

They strolled along the gorge's bottom for a few minutes until they came across the initial cluster of trees around a sharp bend. A total of five trees stood there, adorned with hundreds of luscious berries.

Lucas tried to count the berries on one tree but soon lost count. "How much is there on each tree?"

"About three hundred," Delia said. "There is probably more than that because I haven't harvested them in a while."

"Now that the Arbok is gone, shouldn't there be more wild Pokemon eating them?"

"Pokemon have varying tastes," Delia explained, as she reached into her purse and retrieved a cloth bag, and unfurled it. "While some Pokemon in this vicinity enjoy Oran berries, others do not. A diet solely consisting of Oran berries is not considered healthy for Pokemon, so they eat them in moderation."

Delia skillfully climbed into the closest tree, settling herself on a sturdy branch. With the deftness that comes from experience, she began efficiently plucking the ripe berries.

Lucas reached for the Pokeball attached to his belt and called forth Icarus.

"Can you keep a lookout while we harvest the berries?" Lucas asked his partner.

Icarus chirped and ascended into the sky, finding a small outcropping to perch on. From his vantage point, he had a clear view of wild Pokemon approaching from every direction.

Lucas selected another tree to start work on. Delia's Pokemon took charge of the remaining trees and began working as well. He quickly fell into a steady rhythm of harvesting berries, but the monotony of the task soon allowed his mind to wander. Thoughts of his future plans and ideas consumed him.

Once his pack was full, he emptied it into the massive basket on Poliwrath's back. It took them a half hour to collect all the berries, and by then, Poliwrath's basket was already halfway filled.

"Great, let's move on to the next one," Delia said.

The duo proceeded further into the gorge, where they came across several wild Pokemon with levels ranging from seven to ten. It appears that they settled in the area after Arbok moved out. The area was inhabited by a combination of Pidgey, Spearow, and Beedrills. Since the latter were fully evolved Pokemon, they were at the highest level. Lucas allowed Delia's Pokemon to drive them away since they were all flying-type Pokemon. Icarus would lose any advantage he had against them, so he wasn't sure he could deal with them.

Lucas came to a stop when he spotted a new Pokemon in the grass up ahead. It was a Metapod, and though it noticed their presence, it didn't attempt to flee.

Species: Metapod

Level: 8

Condition: Excellent

Threat Level: Low

Lucas used Insight to get a deeper look at its parameters. The Metapod had only had one move: Harden. If there was ever a Pokemon that got the short end of the stick when it came to their evolution, it was this Pokemon. The only saving grace was that it evolved quickly into Butterfree. Although, there was no evidence to indicate that it was incapable of learning other moves. Maybe this particular Pokemon was defective.

This will provide him with some easy experience points.

Delia noticed his interest. "I'll leave the Metapod for you to handle."

"Don't mind if I do," Lucas said. "Why isn't it running away?"

"It is probably trying to evolve quickly by fighting other Pokemon. Even if it loses the fight, it still gains something from it."

"I guess Metapod doesn't have many options," Lucas replied. "Icarus, use Gust!"

Icarus executed Gust. The swirl of wind appeared beneath Metapod, but it made no attempt to avoid it. Instead, it used Harden, causing a momentary sheath of white energy to encase the Pokemon. The wind buffeted the Metapod repeatedly, but it failed to dislodge it from its position. It appeared as if its outer shell was dense enough to prevent him from being thrown into the air.

Metapod used Harden again, but it was a futile effort. Gust dealt Special damage, so it wasn't reducing the damage being inflicted on it. Furthermore, it was weak to flying-type damage, so it was taking twice the amount of damage. As a result, Metapod's condition decreased by two levels, to Healthy.

"Again," Lucas ordered.

Lucas had Icarus employ Gust a further two times to finish off the Pokemon. The fight was completely lacking in suspense; it was like shooting fish in a barrel. It made him feel somewhat guilty for bullying the Metapod.

Icarus landed on the ground and stared at his trainer. He stared at his trainer with an accusing look. If he could speak, he would be saying, "Are you serious? Could the fight have been any easier?"

"I will find you some harder opponents," he promised.

As they were about to continue forward, Lucas was taken aback as a brilliant white light emerged from the Metapod.

"It's evolving," Delia exclaimed.

Metapod underwent a complete transformation, turning completely white as its shape morphed. Initially, its body diminished in size slightly, followed by the unfurling of two massive wings from its sides. The bottom was transformed into small feet, while the head took on a round shape. The white glow vanished, and Butterfree emerged from its cocoon. It lifted off into the sky, performing some aerial manoeuvres as though to test its newly acquired form.

"I always wanted a Butterfree," Delia said with a smile. "But I have repeatedly delayed it due to various reasons. They have delightful fragrances and they amplify the scents of flowers. Is it alright with you?"

"No, it's all yours," Lucas said.

"Thank you," Delia said. "Chase, I need your help to incapacitate Butterfree. Use Sing to put it to sleep."

Chase opened his mouth, and Lucas braced himself, anticipating the melodic sound of his singing voice. To his surprise, there was no sound to be heard. Confused by the sudden turn of events, he watched as Butterfree gradually slowed down and drifted towards the ground. Its eyes shut, falling into a peaceful slumber.

"Want to explain why I didn't hear anything?" Lucas asked.

"Chase has the ability to alter the frequency of its sound waves," Delia explained. "It uses a higher frequency that is inaudible to people, but can be heard by Pokemon."

"Can all Pokemon do that?"

"Yes, but it takes a lot of practice." Delia retrieved a Pokeball and threw it at the sleeping Butterfree. It was pulled inside the Pokeball. It shook for a few seconds before a sound rang out and the Pokeball stopped moving.

"Yes!" Delia exclaimed with joy as she picked up the Pokeball. Her Pokemon gathered around her, celebrating the arrival of their new teammate.

While they were busy, Lucas checked his status. He earned one hundred experience points from that fight. Did that have anything to do with its level, or because of its evolved form? Lucas grabbed the guidebook from his bag as Delia summoned her Butterfree.

Lucas flipped to the page that explained experience points. From what he understood, wild Pokemon from levels one to ten gave fifty experience points when defeated. However, if it was evolved, it would gain an extra fifty experiences per evolution. That meant bug-type Pokemon like Metapod and Butterfree were the best to grind for experience.

His Pokemon couldn't earn experience from wild Pokemon whose level difference was greater than five. Although he could control his Pokemon's level growth because he had to spend experience to level them up, he couldn't use it to cheat the system. The experience contained within their cache counted towards their level. For example, if Icarus had one level of experience stored in his cache, it would count towards the level restriction.

Lucas placed the book back in his rucksack. Knowing how experience works was valuable information. He was in a rush to increase his level because he wanted more options available to him. Once he started down the path of a Pokemon Breeder, he imagined the skills he would gain from the profession would ensure that he became successful.

"Let's get moving," Delia said. She returned the Butterfree to its Pokeball. Although the presence of the high-level Pokemon got it to behave, it wouldn't help Delia bond with it. She would have to train it when she returned home.

They reached the next group of trees and harvested them. By the time they were finished, Poliwraith's massive basket was filled to the brim. It didn't impede his movement; he walked as though he bore no burden.

Between their own packs, and the Pokemon, they only had enough room to harvest one more tree, so they continued forward. They were making good progress, so they decided to finish gathering before they sat down for lunch.

Lucas froze in his tracks as he caught sight of the all too familiar vines hanging down. His heart pounded as he advanced towards the scene. A sickening feeling washed over him as he noticed the telltale signs of dried blood staining the grass, evidence of his attack. Has there not been any rain since then to wash it away? He averted his gaze and inhaled deeply a few times.

"Are you going to be okay?" Delia asked.

"Give me a minute," Lucas said.

After a moment, Lucas turned back to Delia. "I'm good. I know there is a berry tree not far from here, so we are almost done."

Delia gave a nod of approval and proceeded ahead. When they finally arrived at the final tree, they efficiently gathered its berries before finally settling down to enjoy their well-deserved lunch.

They made sure to feed their Pokemon before enjoying the sandwiches that Delia had prepared.

"Ash told me about his excitement about turning ten and fulfilling his dream of becoming a Pokémon trainer," Lucas said. "I didn't know what to say. I don't know what your plans are with regard to him."

Delia winced and set her sandwich aside. "I'm not surprised that he opened up to you about wanting to leave when he reaches ten years old."

"Have you thought about accompanying him on his journey?" Lucas asked.

"Yes, but it is a perilous world out there, especially when it comes to humans rather than Poké I were to go with him, it wouldn't be for at least a few months. I would prefer not to spend Christmas travelling on the road."

Lucas paused, deep in thought. While he couldn't accompany them, as he had his own plans, there was something he could do to thank her for helping him out so much.

"If I manage to become a Pokemon Breeder quickly enough," Lucas offered. "I will give Ash a Pokemon Egg to get him off to the right start."

So, what do you think? Lucas is out exploring the world. This is the only time Delia holds his hand, as he will explore on his own from now on.

Thanks for reading.