Celebi's eyes lit up as it listened to Luo Yuan's words.
Though it hadn't thought deeply about the implications, the idea sounded appealing.
Just as Luo Yuan had said, if it were captured by him, no one else could capture it again.
If Celebi had to choose someone, it would rather be Luo Yuan, whose aura made it feel safe and comfortable. Besides, he wouldn't restrict its freedom, and he gave it delicious juice. It was simply perfect.
Without realizing it, Celebi had fallen into the trap of Luo Yuan's carefully crafted words.
Luo Yuan's argument relied on the assumption that Celebi would inevitably be captured by someone in the future.
But would that actually happen?
Of course, it wasn't certain.
Unaware of the logical snare, Celebi stretched out its tiny hand and pressed the button on the GS Ball Luo Yuan held.
Swish!
A beam of light engulfed Celebi, and it was drawn into the GS Ball.
Without even a hint of resistance, the ball clicked shut with a satisfying ding. Celebi had officially been captured.
Luo Yuan looked at the GS Ball in his hand and smiled.
While he had played a bit of a word game to convince Celebi, his argument wasn't entirely wrong.
Given Celebi's uniqueness, there would always be ambitious individuals coveting it.
Luo Yuan couldn't guarantee Celebi would be captured in the future, but likewise, no one could guarantee it wouldn't be.
It was a simple matter of risk management.
One might ask why Luo Yuan didn't simply capture Celebi by force back in Hoenn.
To this, Luo Yuan would respond that those who asked this didn't understand Pokémon—or relationships.
Capturing Pokémon was sometimes akin to navigating a relationship.
The timing and sequence of actions could make all the difference.
If Luo Yuan had captured Celebi first and then helped Pryce, Celebi would have seen it as fulfilling a task.
But by helping Pryce together with Celebi and sharing that experience, he not only earned Celebi's willing cooperation but also deepened their bond.
Two identical outcomes, but the order of events created vastly different results.
That's the magic of intention and the essence of "ceremony."
Having captured Celebi, Luo Yuan didn't linger in Johto. Instead, he returned directly to Saffron City in Kanto.
---
Saffron City, Saffron Gym
In the gym, Sabrina was teasing Celebi with a special Pokéblock, while Luo Yuan reclined with his head in her lap, scrolling through unread emails.
His extended stay in Hoenn had left him with plenty of updates to catch up on.
---
Team Rocket Updates
First, the Team Rocket trio had successfully launched their newspaper business.
Thanks to intelligence from Team Rocket, their detailed coverage of the Groudon and Kyogre incident in Hoenn had caused a massive stir. The newspaper's sales were skyrocketing.
Reportedly, the trio was now expanding aggressively and had even acquired a television broadcasting license in Johto. Plans to establish a TV station were underway.
---
Ash's Troubles
Luo Yuan chuckled as he read an email from Gary.
Apparently, the GS Ball Pryce had given him had indeed been stolen from Ash.
Luo Yuan couldn't help but feel relieved that he had relocated the Rocket trio in time. Had they been around, Pryce wouldn't have stood a chance of taking the GS Ball from Ash, even with double the manpower.
Ash, on the other hand, was taking the loss hard.
However, Professor Oak had reassured him, even giving him a Pokémon egg from Professor Birch as consolation—much to Gary's envy.
Even through the screen, Luo Yuan could sense the jealousy dripping from Gary's message.
--
Team Flare
Next was an update from Malva.
She had completed the integration of Team Flare and was ready to rebrand the organization under the Team Rocket banner.
Luo Yuan, mindful of Team Rocket's current high profile, advised her to delay the announcement until the Hoenn incident had cooled down.
---
Misty's Letter
Misty had written to complain about Luo Yuan neglecting her.
Luo Yuan sent back a lengthy reply, appeasing her for the time being, with plans to visit her in a few days.
---
Silph Co.'s Proposal
Finally, there was an intriguing proposal from President Silph.
Upon learning of Luo Yuan's involvement in aiding Hoenn and the positive reputation he had garnered there, Silph suggested expanding the company's operations into Hoenn—Devon Corporation's stronghold.
The timing was impeccable.
Devon Corp had suffered massive losses during the Groudon and Kyogre incident. Worse, their connection to Team Magma and Team Aqua—specifically their provision of the Submarine Explorer 1—meant they now faced scrutiny from the Hoenn Pokémon Association.
Though Devon's ties to Champion Steven softened the backlash, the company was still in turmoil.
Silph Co. had already prepared a killer product to seize the opportunity:
A next-generation all-in-one holographic communicator, developed in collaboration with Lysandre Labs, which outclassed Devon's PokéNav by a full technological generation.
Once launched, it would devastate Devon's communications market.
And with patents from both Lysandre Labs and Silph Co. forming an impenetrable legal barrier, any future counterattack from Devon would be futile.
After reading the proposal, Luo Yuan couldn't help but admire President Silph's sharp instincts.
His approval was a no-brainer—Silph Co.'s growth only benefited him as a shareholder.
Silently, Luo Yuan offered a brief moment of sympathy for Devon Corp.
---
At the bottom of his inbox, one last email caught Luo Yuan's attention.
"Hmm? The Aether Foundation in Alola is inviting Silph Co. for a collaboration?"
When it came to the Aether Foundation, one couldn't overlook their president...
---
T/N: Women above the age of 40 is in demand...
...
If you're reading this, then you've wandered all the way to the end. I'm impressed. Stories are like wine—meant to be savored, not rushed. So if you took your time? Thank you.
Of course, the real thanks goes to WiseTL—the one who turned tangled words into something beautiful. I just got asked to wrap things up with a ribbon. Hopefully this counts!
If you enjoyed the journey and want to support the person who made it possible, you can find them here:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Go on. Be generous. They've earned it.
Until next time—read well, rest often, and maybe come visit me at the Hostess of Fertility sometime.
– Syr ✨