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

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. I will post another chapter later this week to make up for missing a few weeks. There will be a double release next week as well.

Chapter 21

Lucas observed Giovanni as he conversed with Ash. He wanted to tell the boy to avoid the dangerous man, but what was he supposed to say? I believe the man is Team Rocket's leader, but I have no evidence, but you can trust me.

If Giovanni found out that he knew who he really was, then it would come to a swift end. He had no business getting involved with Team Rocket.

Meowth leapt from his shoulder and dashed off to explore the lab. Lucas hoped the little thief didn't try to steal anything and jeopardise his job.

"Is that another companion you obtained while in the city?" Sabrina asked, standing beside him.

"That's right."

"You seem wary of Giovanni."

Lucas grimaced. "Am I that obvious?"

"Not at all. But I have been staring at you since you arrived, so I have noticed some subtle details. I have been studying body language in order to better understand people."

Lucas couldn't help but smile at how proud she sounded. He was aware that she struggled with social interactions at times, but he found it endearing how openly she expressed herself without regard for how others perceived her.

"Were you watching me?"

Sabrina creased her brow. "Why wouldn't I be? You are very handsome."

Lucas reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, startling her. "Are you flirting with me?"

Sabrina blinked, her usually expressionless face filled with surprise. "Do you think so? I thought I was stating something obvious."

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"

"No. Interacting with others is difficult enough without having to deal with the muddled emotions that come with a relationship."

"How about you get some practice with me?" Lucas suggested. "I could take you out on a date. We can get to know each other a little better."

"Are you flirting with me?" Sabrina countered, returning his own question.

"If you had paid attention during our previous interactions, you would have already noticed that I was flirting with you."

"I hadn't realised."

"I don't think that you are as obtuse as you pretend to be."

"You are imagining things."

"So, how about we go out to get some lunch?" Lucas asked, checking his watch.

Sabrina paused to consider the offer. "Alright. I will go to lunch with you."

Lucas smiled. "Great. Do you want to go back to your hotel to change? I will be returning to the house to do the same. I could pick you up in two hours."

"What do I wear?" Sabrina asked,

"Casual is fine. I believe a picnic would be an ideal first date."

"First?" Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think there will be a second?"

"I'm an optimist."

When Lucas heard Ash's laugh, he turned around. The boy appeared completely engrossed with the story Giovanni was telling him about his father.

"Is there any reason to be wary of him?" Sabrina asked, noticing his expression.

"I have no concrete reasons to distrust the man," Lucas said, watching Giovanni pull out a photograph to show Ash. "But when I met him yesterday, I got some bad vibes from him."

"There is something strange about him," Sabrina agreed. "But it's not something I can put into words."

Lucas glanced at her. She was looking at Giovanni as if he were an interesting specimen. As far as he knew, she had no reason to suspect Giovanni, but he didn't know how often they had interacted with each other before. They were both gym leaders, so they would have to meet on occasion.

"I need to go back to my hotel to get ready," Sabrina said, interrupting his thoughts.

Lucas watched her leave and didn't notice when Professor Oak approached him.

"Lucas, could you please come into my office?"

Lucas nodded and followed the professor into his office. He sat across from him and was about to say something when he noticed the curtain twitch. He approached the window, and reached out to grab the rascal hiding behind the curtain.

"Meowth!" The Pokemon struggled in Lucas' grasp, but he held on tight as he resumed his seat.

"He is a lively one," Oak remarked, watching Meowth struggle in Lucas' lap.

Lucas snorted. "He is a little thief. If you don't keep a close eye on him, he will rob you blind."

"Where did you find him?"

"In the city streets. He may be trouble, but he is extremely intelligent, so he makes for an interesting companion."

Oak nodded. "The intelligence of a Pokemon varies greatly from one to another. I know some species that are more predisposed to higher intelligence, but there are still many unknown factors that determine it. I have always wanted to see if there was a way to influence a Pokemon's intelligence through breeding, but that aspect of my career took a backseat to other projects."

"It would be an incredible discovery if you could find a way," Lucas agreed. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Do you have the Pichu egg that I asked you to pick up?"

Lucas nodded and reached for the bag at his feet, pulling out an egg. It was wrapped in a small cloth to keep him from touching it with his bare hands. He handed the egg to the professor. "What are you going to do with the egg?"

Professor Oak examined the egg thoroughly before placing it on his desk. "I am researching a fascinating new field of study in which Pokemon evolve while still in their eggs."

"Is such a thing possible?"

"Until recently, nobody thought it was possible. As you may be aware, Pokemon are formless when in their eggs, which is why their sizes can vary greatly when they hatch, depending on the species. However, I came up with this concept while studying the Pichu evolutionary line. Pokemon are usually born in their most primitive evolutionary form, but Pichu is an exception. They typically hatch as Pikachu, which is why Pichu are so rare."

The subject piqued Lucas' curiosity. He had never considered that Pokemon could evolve while still inside their egg. It wasn't something that had shown up in the description of any of the eggs that he had examined. Maybe he needed to increase the level of his Egg Insight skill first.

"I see you are interested in the subject," Professor Oak said, smiling. "Perhaps you will find the answer when you become a breeder yourself. How are your studies coming along?"

"Everything is going well. I should be able to take the exam in another two weeks."

Professor Oak nodded in approval. "I recommend you schedule the test now because it will take some time to process. The tests are held in Pokemon schools in every major city."

"I will be sure to do that."

"Now, is there anything else you need to report about the tasks I assigned you?"

Lucas shared some information with Professor Oak, but there was little he could add that had not already been revealed in the reports he had sent. He kept quiet about the stolen egg incident because of the deal he made with Gloria.

"Good work," Oak said. "I expect you to be at work again tomorrow."

Lucas stood up, assuming the professor had finished speaking with him, but was stopped in the doorway by his voice. "What is your relationship with Miss Kuroi?"

He turned around, his eyes narrowing with irritation. "I don't see how it's any of your business. You may have some say over who your granddaughter dates, but Sabrina isn't related to you."

Professor Oak frowned at his tone. "I am simply looking out for you. She is a very troubled young lady with a lot of powerful enemies. While I do like her, her issues may affect your prospects in the future."

"What enemies are you referring to?"

"The Church of Arceus," Oak replied. "It is said that she can communicate directly with Pokemon, which is why she is such a powerful gym leader. Outside of Giovanni and Blaine, no other gym leader in Eastern Kanto can match her in terms of strength."

Lucas couldn't believe that he had forgotten such an important detail. But he had only watched a few seasons of the anime, and that was when he was a kid, so he couldn't be too critical of himself. He didn't care if Sabrina had psychic powers, as it wasn't going to change how he felt about her.

'I am confused," Lucas said. "I thought all trainers could communicate with their Pokemon once their bond was strong enough."

"That is correct," Oak said, "but it is believed that Sabrina can communicate with all Pokemon, not just her own. And there are even some rumours suggesting she can command them as well."

Lucas' eyes widened. If that was the case, it was an extremely powerful ability. But, according to Professor Oak, they were just rumours, and he didn't believe anything that didn't have solid evidence backing it up. He had always been a realist.

"Why does the church hate her?" Lucas asked.

"The church believes that humans shouldn't have supernatural abilities like Pokemon," Oak explained. "Have you read up on the Aura Guardians' history?"

Lucas nodded. More than thirty years ago, the church declared the Aura Guardians to be heretics. Because they wielded so much power within the Kanto government, they were able to declare aura practice illegal. The church had formed its own knight order and was tasked with tracking down anyone still using Aura.

As a result, the Rota Kingdom, which revered Sir Aaron, and the Aura Guardians as a whole had become cut off from the rest of Kanto. They had discovered historical documents that allowed them to regain their independence from Kanto, so the church had no influence there. It had become a safe haven for all Aura Guardians, not just those from the Kanto region, but from around the world. Since then, the city has grown to a population of several million people. Although it was still technically located within the United Kanto region, it could also be considered a sovereign state in its own right.

The more he discovered about the church, the less he liked it. They were greedy bastards who received massive amounts of pokedollars from their followers and were exempt from paying taxes. They also imposed absurd rules, which they expected to be followed. It was one thing if it stayed within the church. However, because they wielded so much influence within the government, they were able to enact laws that legalised some of those absurd rules.

The church may regard him as a heretic because he possessed supernatural abilities. The irony is that Arceus was the one who bestowed the ability on him. He would love to see how the church would react if they found out about his secret. Would they revere him as a saint because of Arceus' blessing, or would they burn him at the stake?

"Then you will understand why Miss Kuroi is an eyesore in the eyes of the church," Oak said.

"How come they haven't done anything to her?"

Oak laughed. "Because she is the Prime Minister's niece. Nobody from the church will be able to touch her until he is removed from office. Well, I suspect they had something to do with her being suspended from the gym, but that's only speculation."

"I didn't expect Sabrina to have conflict with the church," Lucas admitted. "But none of it matters. I really like her, and I am not going to let the church decide whether or not I can have a relationship with her. That applies to you as well. Mind your own business."

Lucas walked out of the office, a jumble of thoughts racing through his head. He had learned a lot about Sabrina today and was wondering if he should bring it up during their date. He immediately dismissed the idea. That would guarantee that he didn't get a second date. It would be better if she brought up the subject herself when she was ready.

"You look fantastic," Lucas exclaimed as Sabrina opened the door to her hotel room.

"Thank you," Sabrina said. "You look handsome as always."

She was dressed in black jeans and a purple camisole that accentuated her cleavage. He was a little disappointed that she didn't wear one of her kimonos, as he loved how they looked on her, but she still looked amazing.

Lucas was carrying a picnic basket. Delia had noticed him rushing around the kitchen preparing food for his date, and she helped him prepare some simple yet delicious food.

He extended his arm to Sabrina, who wrapped her arm around it. "Where are we going?"

"There is a park near the town entrance with some nice scenery," Lucas said. "I immediately thought of it after you agreed to the date."

They walked in silence for a few minutes, taking in the beautiful, sunny afternoon.

"Did Salem return?" Lucas asked.

"Yes. I was surprised at how long he stayed by your side. He isn't usually so patient, so he must like you."

"That makes me very happy!" Lucas exclaimed with a sarcastic tone.

"Banette!"

Lucas wasn't surprised when Salem announced his presence. By this point, he had grown accustomed to the Pokemon's jump scares and assumed he was always close by. Looking around, he noticed Salem was still invisible, so he shrugged and ignored him.

"Salem will not be pleased that you are no longer afraid of him," Sabrina said. "He is going to do something extreme to elicit a reaction."

"I can hardly wait," Lucas replied. "Yes, Salem. That was also sarcasm."

"Banette."

Someone called out to them as they walked down the street that housed the Adventurer's Guild, and they turned around. An elderly man approached them, wearing an ornate white robe with a symbol on the front. It resembled Arceus, so it was obvious who this person was immediately. It was a priest from the Church of Arceus.

Lucas felt Sabrina's arm tighten around his, and he smiled reassuringly.

"Miss Kuroi, we meet again," the elderly man said. He had a pleasant smile on his face, but his eyes told another story.

"Priest Marcus," Sabrina addressed him.

"I don't believe we have met," Marcus said, looking at Lucas. "Are you a resident of Pallet Town?"

"Yes."

"I haven't seen you in the church before."

"I'm not a member of the church."

Marcus shook his head. "That saddens me. Everyone should go to church to learn how to lead meaningful lives.

Lucas cocked his head. "I grew up in the orphanage. I am afraid I couldn't afford the membership fee at the time."

Marcus's face turned red. "But it appears that you are doing well for yourself right now. Perhaps I can persuade you to join. We are always looking for new members, and I can help you find better acquaintances who don't have negative influences on you."

Marcus glanced at Sabrina after saying that, clearly indicating that she was the bad influence he was referring to. What an asshole!

"I would rather spend my time with people whose friendship isn't contingent on handouts that feed their voracious appetites," Lucas said, looking down at the man's bulging stomach.

Sabrina snickered, unable to contain her mirth.

"How dare you!" Marcus took a threatening step forward. "You don't know who you are messing with. I can run‒"

"Banette!" Salem appeared, floating in front of the old man, who screamed and collapsed to the ground.

Sabrina's snickers turned into full-fledged laughter at Salem's prank on the priest. Nearby onlookers watched the commotion with interest, and Lucas hurried to pull the laughing girl away from the scene.

They slowed down and resumed walking once they had gotten far enough away from any pursuers. He smiled as he gazed at the laughing girl. Sabrina's face changed as she laughed, making her even more beautiful.

"I am sorry," Sabrina said, recovering from her fit of laughter. "I shouldn't have laughed so hard, but that man has been especially annoying over the last two weeks."

"You don't have to apologise," Lucas said. "The priest is an idiot. You should laugh more often."

Sabrina sighed. "There has not been much to laugh about recently. I have to admit that I haven't been completely honest with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't take a vacation on my own volition. The truth is that I am temporarily suspended from my position as a gym leader."

"How did that happen?" Lucas came to a stop in the middle of the street. After he had spoken with Professor Oak, the revelation didn't come as a surprise. He tilted her face up so he could see her face better. "Why were you suspended?"

"Because of the church," Sabrina replied, a tear rolling down her cheek. "There was an incident with a gym battle. My opponent staged an accident in which his Pokemon was crippled, and he made a big deal out of it. After a review, I was suspended for three months."

Lucas wiped the tear off her cheek. "How do you know the church was involved in the matter?"

Sabrina paused and took a deep breath. "Because my uncle investigated the matter. He is—"

"The prime minister," Lucas finished. Seeing her surprised expression, he elaborated further. "Professor Oak called me into his office earlier and told me. He tried to discourage me from dating you."

"It appears that you didn't listen to him."

Lucas chuckled. "Interfering, old geezer. Why couldn't your uncle reverse the suspension if it was discovered that the church was involved?"

"My uncle is in a precarious position because the church wields so much power," Sabrina said. "He has already sacrificed a great deal to protect me, so I asked him not to intervene in this matter. To be honest, I'm not dissatisfied that I get to spend some time away from the gym, as the job was becoming a bit too much. I just don't like how it transpired."

"I understand."

"Did he tell you about the rumours that I was a psychic who could control Pokemon?" Sabrina asked, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"He did, but I don't believe in rumours until I can verify them myself," Lucas replied, taking her hand in his and kissing it. "I will wait for the day until I hear it from you."

Lucas sighed when he saw Sabrina's worried expression. "You do not have to force yourself to tell me. How about we change the subject? I want our first date to be a happy occasion."

"First? You are still acting as if a second is a given."

"I'm an optimist."

"I thought you were a realist."

"I can be both."

Lucas was in Delia's backyard a week later, setting up a table to make more salves. Delia had chased him out of the house because his activities had filled it with an unpleasant odour. Aside from his job at the lab, he had been working hard to improve his alchemy profession. He had a feeling that he wasn't far off from reaching his goal of obtaining the potion skill.

Following the incident with the priest, his date with Sabrina went extremely well. Throughout the picnic, they continued to get to know each other while avoiding any serious topics. He knew she had many secrets, but he was going to be patient and wait for her to tell him.

She had asked him about his childhood in the orphanage, and he had to rely on the previous host's journal to fill in the blanks because he had no memories of his own. He mentioned his artistic abilities to her and promised to draw her portrait during their next date.

Unfortunately, Sabrina had been called away from town, so this wouldn't be possible for some time. She hadn't said what it was about, but she had mentioned that she was temporarily returning to Saffron City but would return as soon as possible.

Lucas checked his status out of habit after finishing the batch of salves he had been working on, and he was pleased to see that his alchemy profession had finally reached level five. He took out his guidebook to read the description of his new skill.

Skill: Potion Mastery Level 1/5 Next: 2SP Type: Active Charges: 10/10

Description: The player embarks on the path to the mastery of alchemy potions. They are more potent than salves and have a much broader range of applications. When this skill is activated, the player's chance of successfully creating a salve increases by twenty percent. This applies to both known and untested recipes. Furthermore, as the player repeatedly uses this skill on a recipe, they will gain insight into it. Advancing in this skill will further increase the chance of success and provide additional perks.

The potion skill had more levels than his salve skill, which wasn't surprising. Salves had a limited scope, and other alchemists didn't recognise them as true alchemy. He would gain recognition from the alchemy guild once he began producing his own potions. Unlike the adventurer's guild, it only had one main branch in Saffron City, where alchemists could gather to exchange knowledge and complete missions. You could only join after demonstrating your ability to make your own potion.

He had been purchasing the ingredients for the growth potion for the past week, and he had enough for approximately thirty attempts. He didn't know if that was enough to make the potion, but it was a start. But he was getting ahead of himself. Instead of beginning with the growth potion, he chose to create another potion first to gain experience.

He took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

Smoke Grenade

A potion that emits a plume of smoke in the immediate vicinity, blinding everyone within its reach. It also has mild toxic properties, which could cause respiratory problems if inhaled in excess. The potency of this potion is determined by the quality of the ingredients used and the alchemist's skill.

This was yet another recipe he had discovered using Itemfinder. Aside from earning pokedollars, one of his primary goals with alchemy was to create potions that would protect him in dangerous situations. The smoke grenade was mostly effective against humans, but it may also have some effect against some Pokemon.

Lucas packed up his alchemical supplies. Before he could begin making potions, he needed better equipment. His current set was inadequate for making good quality potions.

"Are you finally finished, Meowth?"

Meowth stood up once he finished grooming himself. He was fixated on cleanliness, just like a real cat.

"I need to go into town and purchase a new alchemy set."

"Finally!" Meowth exclaimed as he leapt onto his shoulder. "I was growing tired of sitting around. You should put more effort into entertaining me, Meowth."

"You could always spend time in your habitat practising your normal-type affinity," Lucas suggested.

The normal-type Pokemon's habitat turned out to be a replica of a typical city block, with a mixture of skyscrapers and smaller buildings. They were only a facade because they had no interiors, but the streets could be explored. Meowth enjoyed exploring the habitat for a day before becoming bored when he realised there was no treasure to be found.

Meowth ignored the suggestion. "That is too dull. I would rather go exploring around town."

"I'm not letting you roam without supervision."

Meowth hissed. "Sticking with you is quickly becoming a chore, Meowth. My paws are getting itchy. I need to put my talents to use."

So far, Meowth has shown no interest in fighting Pokemon, but he wasn't about to force the issue. Lucas wasn't lying when he said he didn't mind if Meowth didn't have to fight alongside the rest of his teammates. His ability to communicate was already useful, having helped him numerous times in the previous week. Saphira, for example, was able to communicate her desires more effectively, allowing him to prepare a nutritious meal tailored to her specific needs. It also had a significant improvement over his other Pokemon, increasing their favorability significantly.

But it wasn't enough to satisfy Meowth. No matter how hard Lucas tried to persuade Meowth not to steal, it was something so deeply ingrained in him that he didn't think he would be able to change that aspect of him. He would have to think about it; otherwise, Meowth might decide to leave. Unlike his other Pokemon, Meowth's favourability hadn't improved much during the past week.

His phone rang as he was making his way back to the house. He looked at the screen, which showed an unknown number. "This is Lucas Walker speaking."

"Hello. I want to hire you to make a portrait of my Pokemon. It is an urgent matter."

"I don't have time today, but I could book you in for tomorrow afternoon after I finish work."

"That isn't good enough," the man insisted. "I am heading out of town tomorrow, so I need it done tonight."

"Where are you located?"

"I own a house in the lower district. I will give you the address if you agree to come tonight."

Meowth tapped him on the shoulder, indicating that he wanted to say something. "Hold on for a moment."

He lowered the phone and raised an eyebrow at Meowth.

"It sounds too suspicious," Meowth whispered in his ear.

Lucas nodded in agreement. The man was a little too insistent on finishing the portrait tonight. He was also hesitant to take portraits for anyone from the lower district. He wasn't overly biassed, but there was a lot of crime in that neighbourhood, and most of the residents didn't have the money to pay for portraits. Another factor was that it was widely known that he owned a Dratini, and he had already received envious looks from people around town. It wasn't unreasonable to suspect that someone was plotting to steal Saphira from him. Even though the Fearow Gang had been expelled from town, other criminals remained.

It wasn't like he needed to continue doing portraits, as he had better ways to earn pokedollars.

Lucas held the phone up to his ear. "I can't do it today. It has to be tomorrow afternoon, or you will have to find someone else."

The man thought about it for a moment before agreeing. He hung up after giving Lucas the address.

Lucas frowned. "He doesn't sound like he is in a rush to leave town anymore."

"It is clearly a set-up, Meowth."

Lucas stared at Meowth as an idea struck him. "Are you interested in breaking into a house?"

"Are you serious?" Meowth's eyes gleamed.

"I have the address," Lucas said, smirking. "Do you think you can look around the house to see if the owner has bad intentions? I would turn a blind eye if some valuables mysteriously disappeared from the house."

Meowth rubbed his paws together. "Finally, partner, you are speaking my language."

Lucas gave Meowth a map that would help him find the house. Meowth would investigate it before breaking into the house later tonight. He wasn't too concerned about him, as the Pokemon was extremely resourceful.

Meanwhile, Lucas went into town and paid twenty-three thousand Pokedollars for a brand-new alchemy set. It was expensive, but it was superior to his previous set and would improve the quality of the potions he created.

When he returned home, he quickly assembled the equipment and got to work. Depending on the information Meowth returned with, he would have to decide whether to proceed with the commission. Even if Meowth found nothing suspicious, he wanted an ace up his sleeve. This potion could be exactly what he needed to survive a dangerous situation.

He went to bed after several hours of attempting and failing to make the potion. It felt like he had just laid his head down on the pillow when Meowth shook him awake, disturbing the other Pokemon who were sleeping beside him.

"Everything is fine," Lucas assured them as he sat up in bed. He noticed Meowth carrying a small bag over his shoulder that was bulging at the seams. "You appear to have had a productive evening."

"Dat's right," Meowth said as he placed the bag on the bed and opened it.

"Did you run into any problems?"

Meowth shook his head. "The owner wasn't home, but I found this letter in a secret compartment. We were right to be suspicious."

He took out a few pieces of jewellery until he found what he was looking for—a folded-up piece of paper. He passed it to Lucas, who opened it and read it.

I want you to teach Lucas Walker a lesson that he will never forget. Cripple his hands and seize his Pokémon. The bastard is fortunate to have a Dratini, which should provide adequate compensation in addition to the fee I am paying you.

I recommend luring him into a trap by paying him to draw a portrait. He is just a poor orphan, so he lacks the intelligence to recognise the danger.

Make sure you do not screw this up or your life will be forfeited. I am looking forward to receiving the good news.

M.

Lucas tossed the letter onto his bed. "It seems like I make enemies everywhere I go. Who could this 'M' be, though?"

"The priest," Meowth answered immediately.

Lucas nodded. "He is the most likely suspect. The priest was angry with Sabrina and me. He wouldn't dare go after Sabrina, but I am a much easier target."

"What are you going to do, Meowth?"

Lucas considered the situation carefully. If he planned it right, taking down the hired thug would be simple, but how could he ensure that he took down Marcus as well?

If it was the priest who was after him, that jerk was going to get what he deserved.

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas plans to take down the priest from the Church of Arceus.

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Thanks for reading.