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Things were going far better than Luther had anticipated. The Lily of the Valley Conference brought a massive influx of people, keeping the Pokémon Center bustling. Some Pokémon were thriving under the center's care and growing into valued members of the facility.
Meanwhile, many others were being adopted by loving Trainers.
Just as Luther was reviewing the charts, a male Pokémon Trainer carried away a Cherubi.
Not everyone prioritizes a Pokémon's battle strength. For most people, the initial motivation for capturing Pokémon is simple; they want to become partners.
After encountering the wrong owner, finding the right one is a true blessing.
Mao was contemplating whether she should become the right Pokémon Trainer for someone and was torn by indecision.
Although Etorre had agreed with Mao last night, he had no immediate plans to expand his team. After Joy brought out the Pokémon, he didn't see any that were particularly suited to his team's electric-type composition, so he remained uninvolved in the corner.
Dakota wanted to find a playmate for his Corsola. Most of the Pokémon on his team were well-trained, and Corsola didn't interact with them much outside of training.
Seeing Corsola and Milcery play happily with Chikorita, Dakota began to consider the idea. He brought Corsola to the scene, hoping she could choose her future partner herself.
Perhaps due to the intimidating aura that Corsola exuded, all of the Pokémon that Joy had brought out huddled behind her the moment they sensed it.
Mao witnessed this scene and sighed.
Dakota shook his head in resignation and walked outside the Pokémon Center to wait for the others.
Twilight Sea Town had more than one center, and Luther planned to explore the other areas.
Joy quickly explained that the Pokémon were merely acting on instinct and did not mean any harm to Corsola.
Luther understood, but Dakota was looking for a friend who wasn't afraid of Corsola and could play with her.
While the other Pokémon immediately retreated upon seeing Corsola, Milcery and Chikorita had instinctively approached her. Naturally, Dakota eliminated these hesitant ones.
Ultimately, Mao took home a Surskit, which had approached her curiously upon her arrival.
Such is the nature of mutual attraction. The Surskit was fascinated by Mao, and Mao was equally intrigued by its four slender legs swaying in perfect unison.
Mao chose the Surskit with her Igglybuff in mind. Having a playmate to grow up with would be wonderful.
Adopting a Pokémon required relatively complex documentation designed to prevent adopters from abandoning their Pokémon midway through the process.
However, Pokédex holders only needed to record their Pokédex information.
Luther had long realized that being a Pokédex prototype holder was useful.
Initially, he had only wanted a Pokédex to fulfill a childhood dream. Yet, during his travels, he discovered that nearly all Pokémon League facilities were linked to the Pokédex.
Beyond being a symbol of credibility and a gateway marker, the Pokédex served as a universal pass.
After seeing that Mao had found the Pokémon she wanted and playing with Paras for a while, Ash quickly stood up to catch up with the group.
He had no intention of adopting a Pokémon himself; he simply wanted to see firsthand what Wakaba had described.
Although Ash was a seasoned "bargain hunter" who didn't prioritize strength above all else, the Pokémon he acquired were typically those that resonated with his personality. As he would say, it was clear at a glance that the Pokémon here weren't a good match for him. They could be fleeting friends, but never lifelong partners.
They strolled leisurely toward the next Pokémon Center; none of them were in a rush. They treated the day's journey as an opportunity to relax, so it didn't matter if they found a Pokémon that caught their eye.
Following their usual routine, Joy provided them with a chart detailing the available Pokémon upon arrival. Dakota immediately placed Cursola on the ground and observed how the other Pokémon reacted.
After visiting three Pokémon Centers in a row, Dakota was still empty-handed. The Pokémon couldn't help but recoil at Cursola's dejected expression.
If it weren't for Luther's Milcery and Chikorita comforting Cursola nearby, the poor Pokémon would have likely burst into tears of frustration.
Dakota began to doubt whether he should be doing this at all. The whole process seemed to hurt Cursola too much.
But he really wanted a Pokémon who, at their first meeting, hadn't been intimidated by his expression but had approached him instead with curiosity.
'Was that really so difficult?'
'Milcery and Chikorita had done it, hadn't they?'
Etorre, standing nearby, reminded him, "The Pokémon on Luther's team think differently."
Dakota paused, realizing he had a point.
Take that utterly eccentric Marill, for example. Despite being a remarkably talented attacker, she let everyone on Luther's team push her around.
She even seemed to enjoy it, like some kind of masochist. She giggled after each tease.
Luther openly admitted that, apart from Mai reducing her food portions, Marill mostly remained in a state of goofy contentment.
There was one exception, though: she became slightly fierce during mealtimes.
The clingy Mismagius orbited Luther all day, remaining unfazed even when Kirlia pushed her away.
As for Jumpluff, Luther claimed that she was easily embarrassed.
Dakota thought Luther was pulling his leg. Would an easily embarrassed Jumpluff haughtily order an Eelektross to lie down just to ride it?
No wonder Luther's Darkrai always looked so worried. Their brains clearly worked differently; it must still be adjusting.
Dakota sighed as he watched Cursola laugh while Milcery and Chikorita teased her. He hesitated, about to retrieve her with a Poké Ball, when a Wooper suddenly leaped out.
With its mouth agape and eyes squinting, the Wooper gazed at Cursola with an adoring grin.
The Wooper's expression seemed utterly carefree. While its companions cowered behind it, the Wooper alone grinned foolishly at Chikorita and Milcery.
Cursola paused, surprised. This was likely the first Pokémon to approach her willingly all day.
The pale purple horn on the Wooper's right cheek was broken off, as if ground down by something, giving it an asymmetrical appearance.
"This child suffered an accident shortly after birth," Joy truthfully explained to Dakota's inquiry. "The broken horn has remained this way ever since. We're not sure if it will ever recover."
Dakota watched Wooper, who was still grinning foolishly at Milcery and the others. Then, she glanced at Cursola, who was desperately trying to show off. Smiling, he nodded.
"She's the one. I'll adopt her."
With that, he handed over his Pokédex.
Joy smiled and took it, scanning it to retrieve his information. After a moment, she apologized. "I'm sorry, but I can't find any records for you," she said.
"I remember you said you borrowed this Pokédex from Professor Akatane temporarily, right? You're not the registered owner; you're just holding it temporarily."
Seeing that Mai wanted a bite too, Luther offered her a lick of his ice cream.
Dakota had nearly forgotten about this because of Mao's adoption process. With a sigh, he reluctantly followed Joy's instructions to fill out the registration form.
After trying Luther's strawberry ice cream, Mai let Luther taste her chocolate ice cream.
"Don't you think you're being too picky? With the current number of Pokémon, your estate might feel quite empty," she remarked.
"Actually, I just want to experience the thrill of hatching eggs again," Luther replied with a smile.
Hatching eggs can indeed be addictive, especially when the results are random. Ever since hatching Milcery, Luther had grown fond of the sensation.
The sheer joy of witnessing a new life emerge from its shell and look up at him was almost intoxicating.
Joy, who was assisting Dakota with the registration form at the front desk, looked up.
"If you're interested in Pokémon Eggs, we have two here that were abandoned because they failed to hatch after a long time."
"Some people predicted they would be dead eggs, but we've been caring for them for a month now. They haven't shown signs of death, nor any signs of hatching. If you're willing to take care of them, I can show you the condition of the Pokémon Eggs..."
"Take me to see them!"
"Take me to see them!"
Luther glanced at Ash, who was also looking at him.
'Wait, Ash is an egg enthusiast too?'
(End of Chapter)