Pokemon: Way of Life Chapter 26

Hi all,

Here is the next chapter. Alot of fishing, and some rambling about Pokemon breeding. Enjoy.

In Terracotta Town, Lucas explored the harbour and quizzed the locals about fishing spots where only low-level Pokemon were likely to appear. Most of them laughed in his face, stating that there was no place in the sea where you could guarantee a consistent level of Pokemon.

Feeling embarrassed, he scuttled away and continued exploring. Lucas eventually found success when a kind middle-aged man pointed him toward a small private beach on the outskirts of the town, where an old fishing charter business was based.

"Is this the place?" Lucas murmured. "Could that man have been scamming me?"

{Imara} 'It looks like a dump.'

{Dante} 'For once, I agree with lizard-brain.'

{Maximus} 'I like it.'

Ahead of him was a small pier with a shabby-looking store. Observing the fishing tools and discarded trash scattered around the area, he deduced that he had found the fishing charter and supplies shop. There was no doubt, however, that it had seen better days.

An ominous creak filled the air as Lucas stepped across the rickety pier. A little nervous, he feared the old wooden structure would collapse.

He peered into the store window, but it was covered in dust, so he couldn't see anything inside. An old sign displayed a list of services next to the door, and the last one caught his eye.

Lapras Pokemon Fishing - Enjoy the experience of riding a Lapras while casting a rod into the open sea! No other experience like it!

How was this even a thing? It was even more dangerous and unpredictable in the ocean than on land. There was no convenient Danger Zone classification that gave you a clear idea of what to expect. You could encounter a level five Pokemon one moment, then a level forty Pokemon the next. What measures did they take to ensure the safety of their customers?

Lucas knocked on the door, and while waiting, he took out his fishing rod and Lure Balls from his inventory. Since he had not examined the Lure Balls before, he decided to do so now.

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Lure Ball | Equipment | Uncommon | Grade: n/a

Description: The Lure Ball is the second generation of Pokeballs to be designed, increasing the capture rate of low-level Water Pokemon from lakes, rivers and the sea. In general, it is most effective on a lower-level Pokemon.

⦁ Capture chance: +30% chance for level one Pokemon.

⦁ Every level increase lowers the chance by 1%.

=====

Lucas still had yet to capture any wild Pokemon at this point. All three of his Pokemon were virtually handed to him on a silver platter. Although, he may have put a bit of effort into obtaining Imara.

Wild Pokemon were much more resistant to capture, so you had to deplete their health to increase the chances of catching a Pokemon. However, you couldn't let the Pokemon faint because it was impossible to bond to an unconscious Pokemon.

In this case, Lure Balls would be of great help since he was not looking for Pokemon that were higher than level ten. Furthermore, his Pokemon Bond skill increased the capture chance by ten per cent.

Lucas waited a moment later, but no one appeared to be there. He was planning to hire them to take him on a fishing tour, but he would have to wait for now.

Putting the fishing rod over his shoulder, he walked down to the pier's end, a massive square structure offering ample space to battle Wild Pokemon. As opposed to the rest of the pier, the square was reinforced steel that provided some protection.

Lucas took out some bait from his inventory and baited the fish hook. He had brought various types of meat to lure the Pokemon, but it would take some experimentation to figure out what worked the best.

This rod was incredibly durable and flexible, resistant to breaking when reeling in Pokemon. Even with his Physique, it would be impossible to reel some Pokemon back; instead, he may get pulled into the water. However, no rule stated that his Pokemon couldn't help him. Teamwork makes the dream work.

"Max, you're up first. Stand in the middle of the square and wait for me to send a Pokemon your way."

{Maximus} 'Okay.

"Imara and Dante, I need your help reeling in Pokemon."

The two Pokemon nodded. With a grin, Lucas cast the rod into the sea and began his hunt for a Shiny Pokemon. It was possible because of the fishing rod's unique ability.

=====

Old Fishing Rod

Consecutive Chain Capture: Reeling in the same Pokemon in the same area repeatedly increases the chances of hooking a Shiny Pokemon, reaching a maximum chance of 1% with a streak of ten or more.

=====

Lucas had devised a plan initially to cheat the System by utilising skills in order to choose what Pokemon he could hook on the line.

To accomplish his goal, Lucas would use a combination of three skills. His first step would be scanning the sea to locate Aura impressions with Aura Sense, then pierce the veil of water with Transparent Vision, and finally, examine the Pokemon with Observation Plus.

However, as soon as he tried it, he realised it wouldn't work. Sure, he could find Pokemon easily enough and cast the line in their direction, but they were not static. They were constantly on the move and very fast. Any Pokemon could hook the line in the water despite his best efforts due to their sheer numbers.

Instead, he chose to relax and enjoy the process. It may take him longer, but fishing was all about patience anyway. Choosing a random location, he cast out the line.

"Be ready to assist," Lucas told the two Pokemon standing at his side.

He got his first bite after a few minutes. Working together as a team, the three slowly reeled in the Pokemon as it thrashed on the line. Despite his partner's assistance, Lucas felt a strain from pulling against the Pokemon's power.

Finally, they launched the Pokemon onto the square, a level three Tentacool. Maximus wasted no time and attacked without mercy. It was a short battle, as the Pokemon was at a disadvantage being on land and having a type disadvantage.

It was difficult for most Water Pokemon to move outside the water since their form made it difficult. They could move effectively on land through Aura manipulation, but it drained their Aura faster, and they were also slower than in the water. In official competitions and gym battles, the arenas were chosen randomly, with some containing water, so it wasn't wholly egregious. Besides, a nifty ability called Swift Swim, combined with Rain Dance, completely removed the movement weakness.

'What do I do with it?' Maximus poked the fainted Tentacool.

"Place it to the side," Lucas replied. "As soon as it wakes up, I'll get some practice in using my Aura and calm the Tentacool down before we throw it back into the sea."

It is better to be efficient and grind a skill simultaneously. Calming Aura could save him from some sticky situations at higher levels.

Despite the easy fight, the Tentacool gave a fair amount of experience, even with the restriction. It was an excellent place to grind, as quite a few Pokemon were swimming beneath the waves.

Lucas captured a few more Tentacools before taking a break to check his notifications since he had a few pending.

=====

The player has discovered a new location!

300 experience gained.

=====

Abandoned Beach Fishing Spot!

Special Highlights:

Tentacool Territory - Fish up plenty of the poisonous Pokemon (65%).

Treasure Chests - Crimson Seaweed (74%), Pearl ( 20%), Poison Barb ( 5%), Rare Candy (1%).

=====

Fishing Spots - They are locations scattered around the world with increased rates of encounters and treasures to be found. The player must venture into dangerous areas to find the best-hidden fishing spots.

Treasure Chest - A player-exclusive perk that allows him to find invisible treasure chests floating beneath the water. However, they can only be found at Fishing Spots. The fishing hook only has to touch the chest to obtain the item.

=====

The player has unlocked the Luck Attribute!

Luck: (LUK) The Luck Attribute affects everything, both good and bad. Raising it may increase his odds of finding treasure, rare Pokemon, or unique opportunities, but it also increases the chances of encountering dangerous situations.

=====

Lucas hummed. He didn't know how he felt about the Luck Attribute; he already felt that his ability to find danger was too high. Since he didn't have any AP currently, he could spend some time deciding what to do with it.

It was two pm, and he had to meet his team at five, so he still had some time to grind and potentially find some treasure.

Elekid still had over half his Aura left, which had increased significantly in the past few days. Besides, two Thundershocks were enough to take out most of the Water Pokemon. He still had a massive stack of Ethers in his inventory, and with the potential to find some Pearls in Treasure Chests, which would sell for quite a bit, he didn't think he would be wasting his Pokedollars.

Two hours later, Lucas lay down the fishing rod and stretched. It had been an excellent grinding session, and he earned some rewards for his efforts. He read the summary on his phone.

=====

Treasure Chests: Three crimson seaweed and one Pearl.

Progression

Lucas

⦁ Luck + 1

⦁ Calming Aura Level 1 ➝ 4

Maximus

⦁ Level 4 ➝ 5

⦁ Charge Mastery: 46% ➝ 47%

⦁ Thunder Wave Mastery: 67% ➝ 68%

=====

He would get some points in Luck regardless of what he wanted. Hopefully, it didn't come back to bite him in the ass.

Since he found the Pearl, he decided to be less frugal with Max's Aura and began training his Moves. He added the five AP to Maximus's Attack and nodded in satisfaction.

"Okay, guys and gal, that is enough for today," Lucas said.

{Maximus} 'That was fun. Easy fights are boring, though.'

"I can't argue with that," Lucas grinned. "But you feel a bit stronger already, right?"

Maybe Arceus had been a gamer from the beginning because even without the 'System', Pokemon gained pseudo-experience from fights to get stronger. Sure, it got harder the stronger they became, but it was still a mechanic that felt ripped straight from the video games. Even humans in this world recognised this and put in place the levelling system that roughly determined a Pokemon's strength. It felt like the precursor to what he had, but without all the bells and whistles.

Lucas decided to wait another half hour for the store owner before he left. He gave his Pokemon the electronic pads, and they sat down and began reading one of their books. He pulled the Fire Stone out since he promised himself to examine it when he arrived here.

Lucas stared in fascination at the swirling fire energy trapped in the red crystal.

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Fire Stone | Evolution Stone | Rare | Grade: 2 |

Description: The Fire Stone is a crystal that absorbs fire-type energy from its surroundings. The total fire energy contained inside depends on its capacity and age. Fire Stones act as catalysts for Evolution when Pokemon enter their pre-evolution state, but they also have many other uses. If it becomes full, it may shatter, releasing a scorching fire, depending on the amount of stored energy.

Capacity: 3343/5000

=====

"Pre-Evolution State?" Lucas wondered. "What is that?"

Lucas needed to find some information on evolution. He wasn't sure when his Pokemon would evolve, but if he was missing vital information, then it may affect them negatively.

{Dante} 'Someone is coming.'

Lucas turned his head and saw an older woman marching down the pier with an annoyed expression. Lucas quickly put the Fire Stone away and stood up as the woman stopped a few metres away.

He was distracted immediately by her left arm, which ended in a stump at the elbow. Didn't she have it treated by an Aura Healer? They could regrow limbs if they treated it within forty-eight hours, but she might not have had access to one. They were scarce and in high demand, after all.

Could he do the same if he levelled his First Aid skill high enough? Maybe he should prioritise levelling that skill more, but it meant deliberately inflicting wounds on himself, which he found distasteful. He wasn't a masochist. Should he volunteer at the local hospital instead?

"Take a picture; it will last longer," the woman scowled.

"Sorry," Lucas apologised. "I'm Lucas Walker, ma'am."

"It's Maggie. Don't call me ma'am," she pointed to the few strands of grey peeking through her short blond hair. "I'm not over the hill yet. Now, tell me, what are you doing on my pier?"

"Your pier? Does that mean you're the owner of the business?"

"That's right," Maggie shrugged. "You must not be a local. I haven't taken anyone on a fishing tour in the last eight months."

"Yes, well, it does look a little neglected," Lucas pointed out delicately.

"No need to sugarcoat it," Maggie pulled a flask from her overalls and took a swig. "It's a dump."

Maggie seemed a trifle unsteady on her feet. Was she drunk? Her speech didn't seem to be too affected, but even from a couple of metres away, he could smell the stench of alcohol coming from her.

"So, are you not doing tours anymore?" Lucas asked. "I'm interested in catching a Water Pokemon, but I don't think simply casting from the pier will do the trick."

Maggi ignored the question. "How did you find this place? It is a fairly well-concealed place."

"Ah, an older gentleman pointed it out to me."

Maggie cursed under her breath, muttering something not worth repeating. "I can take you out on the boat tomorrow, but it will cost you a bit. Are you the only one going?"

"I have a couple of friends who may come as well."

"No skin off my nose," Maggie snorted. "What Pokemon are you interested in catching."

"A Horsea," Lucas grinned. "is there a fishing spot around here with a good amount of them? I want to try my hand at getting a Shiny version."

"Ambitious much," Maggie said dryly. "I know a place, but it is a couple of hours out in my boat. You have to get here at dawn if you want to get a good fishing session in, and it will cost you three thousand Pokedollars. And bring some food for yourselves and your Pokemon. I'm not currently set up to serve customers."

Lucas shrugged, unconcerned. "I will be here. Uh, you are going to be sober, right?"

Maggie glared at him. "I will be by tomorrow."

“By the way,” Lucas paused as he was walking away. “What’s up with the Lapras tour?”

Maggie’s expression turned flat. “I can’t believe I forgot to remove that from the sign. It is not in operation any longer.”

Lucas sensed a story there, but he didn’t pry. It wasn’t his business since they were strangers. Besides, with the size of her biceps, she could probably knock him out flat with a single punch if he angered her.

{0(((..)))0}

Lucas met up with the others, and they decided to dine in a restaurant with outdoor seating, so their Pokemon could join them. When he revealed his plans for tomorrow, Ron declined.

"I'm joining a group of trainers who will be hunting for Pokemon in the local area. Seeing that Mankey fight, I want to get one for myself."

"Well, I'm interested," Faith said. "Maybe we can find a safe place to take a swim."

Lucas's eyes gleamed. Faith in a bikini? Why had he not seen this glorious sight before?

"And we lost him." Jason waved a hand in his face, smirking. "We could do another livestream? Would fans be interested in seeing you fishing for Pokemon? Or will the females be more interested in seeing you without your shirt?"

"I know if I were a female, I would be certainly interested in the latter," Ron grinned.

The others eyed him with a strange gaze. Was this a confession?

Ron realised his words and waved his hands. "That didn't sound as funny out loud as it did in my head."

Lucas shrugged. "It's not like I care if you're gay, but I like girls. Maybe you should consider Jason?"

The two boys vigorously protested that they were straight, drawing gazes from other tables.

{Maximus} 'What are they talking about?'

Dante shrugged. 'I will tell you when you get older.'

{Imara} 'It's nothing complicated. The two of them are simply in denial.'

Later in the evening, Lucas sat on his bed in the inn and held the vial of blood up to the light. If anyone had seen him at this very moment, they might have been concerned with his excited expression.

With Eevee's blood, he could now work on creating the incense. It occurred to him that he should get started sooner rather than later, as Ron would move on eventually, and he may need another blood sample.

Before he left Pallet Town, he had asked Daisy for specifics on how to go about designing incense for helping breed Pokemon in captivity. It turned out to be a lot more complicated than he had ever imagined.

Three conditions were required for two Pokemon to produce an egg.

It needed a male and female Pokemon. They had to be in the same egg group, with an additional benefit if they were the same species. Finally, they had to like each other enough to go through the creation of an egg.

The process of forming an egg was a complex matter. The Pokemon had to sacrifice some Aura and blood to act as the catalyst to materialise an egg. It was not wise to allow a Pokemon to breed several times in a short amount of time as it may affect their potential and shorten their life. That didn't stop some unscrupulous people from trying to exploit Pokemon, though. It was a severe crime in the eyes of the Government, and they were very harsh with their punishment.

So, the question was, what causes a Pokemon not to be able to breed effectively around humans? Was there a resource that Wild Pokemon had access to that domesticated Pokemon didn't? Was it because people's own Blue Energy tainted the Pokemon somehow? He recalled that Blue Energy affected human reproduction, which prevented them from growing beyond a certain population level.

Lucas was correct that people were the cause of the breeding problems, but it had nothing to do with Aura. It was in the blood. For whatever reason, humans infected the Pokemon with pathogens that disrupted the egg's materialisation.

How did Professor Oak and Daisy devise a way to create incense for the starter Pokemon? The recipe for the three-starter Pokemon was a secret, but the methodology wasn't.

The workaround was to create incense that could purify the blood as it left the body and before it combined with the Aura to materialise the egg. Incense was a fantastic air purifier, but now it was being used for another purpose. It also had the benefit of helping calm the Pokemon when they went through the arduous process.

Unfortunately, there was no cure-all incense for every Pokemon. Because blood was different for every species, you had to craft individual incense for all of them.

Lucas examined Eevee's blood with Observation and whistled. It gave a surprising amount of information on the blood components, most of which went over his head. However, there was an important line detailing the pathogen strain in Eevee's blood. If he expanded further, it even offered potential combinations of ingredients that could work to filter the pathogen out. Unfortunately, there were over a hundred combinations, and he could only create a third of them with his current supply of ingredients. He could eliminate a lot of possibilities at least, and one of them could be the cure if he were lucky.

{0(((..)))0}

14th October

The next day, the teenagers waited on the beach as the tug boat reversed into position. Attached to it was a colossal barge which stopped shy of scraping the bottom and getting stuck in the sand.

"Well, you don't see that every day," Jason said.

Lucas, Faith and Jason stepped onto the barge with their Pokemon and watched as the little tug struggled briefly to get moving. The barge was a clever solution to allow for Pokemon battles at sea, and it looked solid enough to take some hits.

Behind the wheel, Maggie was piloting the boat with a cigarette hanging from her mouth. At the front of the barge, a tall, intimidating Cacturne was standing there with its arms crossed. Faith's eyes lit up, and she looked like she was going to step forward and greet the Hoenn native Pokemon.

Lucas had shadows under his eyes from staying up late, creating different combinations of incense. He would have to wait for them to dry before he tried them on Eevee blood, but he was satisfied with his efforts despite feeling sleep-deprived.

"How late did you go to sleep?" Faith poked him in the shoulder. Her blue kaftan dress was transparent enough to reveal her bikini underneath, and Lucas couldn't stop staring at her.

"What time? I don't remember," Lucas said dumbly.

Faith rolled her eyes and pushed him out of the way.

Jason shook his head at the state of his friend. "Dude, you're an embarrassment to all the males in the world. "

"I feel that's what a guy without a girlfriend would say," Lucas said callously.

"Asshole," Jason walked over to the edge of the barge. "How safe is this exactly."

"Eh, it will be fine," Lucas yawned, turning his face up and breathing deeply. Today looked like it would be warmer than yesterday, the perfect day to be out on the ocean.

Lucas turned to Faith with a calculating gleam in his eye. "Let me help you put the sunscreen on."

"Too early for that." Faith pulled her braid free, and her glorious red hair cascaded down her shoulders.

"I feel like such a third wheel," Jason huffed, and Sandee patted his leg in sympathy.

Lucas walked forward and stared at the Cacturne that towered over him by at least a foot. It looked like a green scarecrow made from cacti with numerous spikes along the length of its arms, legs, and around its neck.

"Hi there, big guy. Can my girlfriend have a look at you close-up? She is a big grass-type fanatic."

The Pokemon shrugged, and Lucas took that as a positive, so he turned around and called Faith over. The girl stepped forward eagerly and began examing the Pokemon.

In order for people to board the boat, Maggie had fitted a wide wooden board onto the back of the tug boat, which rested on the front of the barge.

Lucas stepped into the cabin. "Morning, Maggie."

Maggie grunted, resting her stump on the wheel and taking the cigarette out of her mouth. "Hi, kid. Look, I'm not one for small talk, so spit it out if you have something to ask."

"Do you get many marine Pokemon attacking the boat?" Lucas peered out the window to keep an eye out for his team.

"I've had some hairy moments," Maggie shrugged. "The worst thing that has ever happened to me is when a Wailord almost capsized the boat."

"Wow, I would have been pissing myself," Lucas said.

Wailord was a massive Pokemon on par with Blue Whales from Earth. They were on the list of banned Pokemon that were not allowed to be captured and used in Pokemon battles. Only the most elite trainers would have a chance of catching the behemoths, but none would even try. Where would you even keep the thing, or how would you support its massive food consumption?

It was an omnivore, and Pokemon were its main meal. It was not a nice thought, but the reality was that the sea was already far too populated by Pokemon, so it served a brutal purpose in its own way.

Also, imagine trying to summon one on land, especially in a stadium during a competition. It would be chaos. Their sheer size alone gave them impressive parameters, and they were considered pseudo-legendary Pokemon.

For the next couple of hours, the boat travelled in relative peace. There were a few Pokemon that jumped on board the barge, who were beyond their Pokemon's capabilities. However, Cacturne made short work of them, and they continued without pause.

"We are approaching the area," Maggie called.

Lucas opened his Map and looked at their current location. No discernible land masses were nearby, merely water as far as the eye could see. He wondered if the Map would work underwater. Would it uncover details like it did on the surface? Not that he was even going to try and explore the ocean anytime soon, but it would be interesting to find out.

Lucas checked his phone as soon as he received a notification.

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The player has discovered a new location!

300 Experience gained.

Fishing Spot: Pink Coral Reef.

Special Highlights -

Horsea Territory - Fish up plenty of the tiny Pokemon, but watch out for the Kingdra! (80%).

Treasure Chests - Pink Coral Mushroom (65%), Pearl (20%), Dragon Fang (12%), Smart Candy (2%), Rare Candy (1%).

=====

Maggie slowed and shut the engine down.

Lucas peered down over the side of the boat. Beneath the clear blue water was a forest of pink coral. The reef extended for several kilometres by his judgement. Watching the bright pink colour shimmering beneath the waves contrasted beautifully with the clear blue ocean

He took some pictures with his phone before retrieving his fishing rod. There was no time to waste. Time was Pokedollars, after all.

Jason caught Bane on the verge of jumping into the ocean by climbing the side of the barge. "Squirtle!"

"Do you want to start streaming?" Jason huffed, holding the struggling Squirtle.

"Maybe after lunch," Lucas's eyes gleamed. "Shiny, shiny Horsea, come to Daddy."

"You are seriously underestimating how rare they are, kid," Maggie walked onto the barge. "You will be lucky to spot one in a week. It looks like I will be earning a good paycheck this week."

"You need it," Lucas said rudely.

"Why, you little punk!" Maggie reached out to grab him, but Lucas nimbly avoided her grasp.

"Listen," Maggie said, turning serious. She grabbed a Pokeball and released an Exeggutor onto the barge. "Godo is to be by your side at all times. The level range of the Horsea varies greatly, but since your fishing rod can't cast too deep, you should not get too many Pokemon above level ten. The one you have to watch out for is Kingdra, the leader of this territory. If he gets upset, he may rise from the bottom of the sea and attack. So be on your toes."

Lucas nodded rapidly. "Why do you not use Electric Pokemon? Wouldn't they be more effective since the water conducts electricity?"

Maggie snorted. "Only if you have a death wish. The chances are remote but you could draw the attention of some high-level Pokemon that even my team cannot go against. You would have to put a lot of power into the Move since electricity doesn't conduct well in seawater, but it's not impossible, so why go looking for trouble?"

"I guess that makes sense," Lucas nodded before turning and spotted Faith taking off her dress and revealing her pale curves dressed in a turquoise bikini.

"Let me put some sunscreen on you," Lucas shouted, all thoughts of fishing having fled his brain.

"You can do my back," Faith said, taking sunscreen from her straw handbag.

Lucas punched Jason's shoulder, who was eyeing Faith with interest. "Avert your eyes, moron."

Jason rubbed his shoulder and smiled sheepishly. "No harm in looking."

Maggie rolled her eyes before climbing back onto her boat. "Spare me from teenager hormones."

Lucas sat next to Faith as she placed a towel on the deck and lay down on her front. Holding one arm to her chest, she reached out, untied her bikini top, and let it fall to the floor.

Lucas eyed her narrow back and slim shoulders appreciatively. The sides of her perfect c-cup breasts could be seen peeking out from the sides, and he almost swallowed his tongue. His gaze slid down to her ass, encased in her modest bikini bottoms, and he resisted the urge to reach out and squeeze the perfect cheeks.

"Are you going to start?" Faith asked mischievously, "Or are you incapable of functioning right now."

"You little minx," Lucas growled, feeling hot and bothered. "If we were alone, I would take you over my knee and give you a spanking."

Faith wiggled her hips. "But, sir, I have been a good girl."

He didn't know where this flirtatious side of her had come from, but he wasn't going to complain. It felt like they had reached a new step in their relationship in the last few days, and he was looking forward to where it took them.

Lucas grabbed the sunscreen and squeezed some onto his hands. Rubbing them together until they were slick, he reached out and traced a finger down her spine. Faith shivered, and Lucas smiled, pleased with her reaction. He began gliding his hands down her back in long even strokes, taking his time, making sure to be very thorough; for her benefit naturally. Faith quietly moaned throughout it all, causing Lucas to have a predictable reaction.

He reached the top of her bikini bottoms and was tempted to lower them slightly—

'What are you doing?'

Lucas started and turned to see Maximus standing a metre away, looking at them curiously. Just behind him, the entire posse of Pokemon was staring avidly, with Tangela primarily fixating on a specific part of her trainer's anatomy.

Lucas cursed and quickly retied her bikini top. While he was curious to explore their physical relationship more, he didn't want to give anyone else a show. Thankfully, Jason was busy with his phone and didn't notice the scene.

Faith sat up, her body flushing red as she suddenly realised what they had been doing.

"It's okay, Lucas said. "I forgot myself too."

Faith nodded but turned away from him and started applying the rest of the sunscreen. Lucas stood up and retrieved his rod. "You better stay on the boat," he told the two teenagers. "It's going to get dangerous here."

Lucas cast his line out into the water. Dante would be the MVP this time, while Max and Imara helped him reel in the catch. He would utilise the Fire Pokemon next time, since she was getting impatient for some battles. She may have a weakness to Water-Type, but she had Sunny Day to halve the power, so it evened the odds. It would allow her to increase her Mastery of it as well.

After hooking the first Pokemon of the day, Lucas managed to pull it in by himself. Once on deck, it was revealed to be a level 5 Horsea.

Since it wasn't a Shiny, he didn't bother looking at its parameters. He watched as Dante made short work of the Pokemon, not even bothering to give commands. The Horsea gave less experience than Tentacool, so it would take longer to level up Dante.

Three hours later, they had made some gains, but not a Shiny Pokemon was to be seen. There were a few occasions when he caught a Horsea above level eight, and Elekid stepped in with his type advantage. Dante had Grass Knot, but its power depended on the Pokemon's size, and Horsea didn't get very big.

Like all Pokemon in this world, they were, on average, taller and heavier than the games depicted. Still, it only became especially apparent in older Pokemon, as they continued to grow for a few years after birth.

Occasionally, he would get a Magicarp on the line, which broke the capture chain, so he had to start again patiently.

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Treasure Chests: 6 Pink Coral Mushrooms; 1 Pearl.

Progression:

Lucas

⦁ Level 10 ➝ 11

⦁ Luck Attribute + 1

⦁ Calming Aura: Level 4 ➝ 6

Dante

⦁ Level 4 ➝ 5

⦁ Psybeam 56% ➝ 57%

=====

"Take a break, guys," Lucas called.

He sat down next to Faith, who was grooming her Tangela, as some of its vines had become tangled— someone had nailed the name when they chose Tangela. The Pokemon had a look of utter bliss on her face, although she glared at Lucas when he sat down as if daring to interrupt her time with her trainer.

"No luck?" Faith asked.

"Nope," Lucas shrugged. "I knew it would take time, so I'm not too worried."

"Why are you fixated on getting a Shiny so much?"

"They look cool," Lucas replied. "Plus, having a Shiny Pokemon in your team is a huge status symbol."

Faith shook her head at his answer—what a silly posturing male.

Lucas was patient, but he knew the chances of finding one today or tomorrow were slim. Since he levelled up, he considered putting points into the Luck Attribute, but he didn't know if he was playing with fire.

His hand hovered over the screen, undecided. Should he take the plunge?

So what do you think? Should Lucas put points into Luck or be more patient? And what do you think of the Luck Attribute in general? It won't be too overpowered; it just adds a percentage chance for specific situations.

Thanks for reading.