Although Edward was busy, those matters were things for later. For now, there was only one thing occupying his mind—today's New Year's Eve celebration.
In the Pokémon world, the New Year was celebrated on the very first day of the calendar year. Tomorrow was that day, which meant that tonight was New Year's Eve. Edward had given his company employees a full seven-day holiday in advance, and after that, he himself returned home to Rustboro, keeping busy alongside the old butler, Robert, as they handled various household affairs.
"Grandpa Robert, thank you for your hard work during this time." Edward glanced at the neatly decorated home, a smile tugging at his lips as he clapped his hands lightly and spoke to the loyal old butler standing nearby.
"Young Master Edward, you've done quite a lot yourself these days. The master has been very pleased—why, he even smiled and had a few sips of red wine last time." Butler Robert chuckled warmly. Edward raised his brows slightly at that, his smile widening. He had not expected that his father, Joseph, would actually enjoy drinking on occasion.
Stretching lazily, Edward lay back on the sofa, relaxing as he looked around the house.
In the Pokémon world, people were also quite enthusiastic about the New Year, though compared to his previous life, there were not as many rituals or customs. For the most part, families did whatever they wished, but the one common tradition was that everyone would gather together for a meal.
That meant his older brother, Steven, and his father, Joseph, would definitely be coming home tonight. This was precisely why Edward had given himself a break and stayed at home, waiting. Once the holidays were over, he planned to meet with Director Angel to discuss the filming details of The Dark Knight.
"Kyu!" Q suddenly jumped down, its gaze fixed toward the door. Turning his head, Edward's eyes lit up in surprise as he spotted a familiar face he had not seen in a long while—Fortune. On Fortune's head sat a rather unique hat, which made Edward blink in astonishment. That hat…
"Fort, welcome home." Edward smiled warmly. Fortune ran over excitedly, spreading its little arms, and Edward lifted it up in an affectionate embrace. Butler Robert stood to the side, smiling kindly at the reunion.
Fortune then pulled something out and handed it to Edward. Taking a look, Edward realized it was a Master's Degree certificate. So ever since Fortune had gone off to pursue graduate studies, it had already completed all its coursework and successfully graduated with a Master's?
Edward was surprised. He had guessed as much when he saw the graduation cap Fortune was wearing, but he hadn't expected things to happen so quickly. Just how intensely had Fortune been grinding every single day to manage this feat?
"Do you want to pursue a doctorate next?" Edward asked curiously. In the Pokémon world, universities also had doctoral programs, though PhDs were far rarer and much more challenging to complete. If Fortune decided to go for one, graduating quickly would be almost impossible. But at this question, Fortune shook its head firmly.
Back when it was studying, Fortune had already understood one principle: most of those who continued to pursue higher and higher academic degrees were usually people who had no family business to inherit or no established career path, so they relied on stacking up degrees in order to secure positions in large corporations in the future.
Besides, after completing graduate studies, Fortune found that while it had learned a lot, much of it felt impractical—mere theory that didn't translate well into real life. Even its advisor had recommended more hands-on practice as the next step, to integrate theory with reality.
"Well, that's fine too. In that case, how about coming to work at my company?" Edward chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Fortune's hair. He didn't mind at all that Fortune wasn't pursuing a doctorate. In fact, this might be better. As the saying went: 'Reading ten thousand books is no substitute for walking ten thousand miles.' True mastery came only when knowledge was tested in practice.
Theoretical study was good, but most disciplines only bore fruit when applied to reality. Otherwise, many students would graduate only to realize that what they had learned hardly matched the world's actual demands.
To Edward, what Fortune needed now was to slowly adjust its mindset, gain practical experience, and start from smaller tasks—perhaps by taking over a department—to gradually build up competence and confidence.
"A department…" Edward tapped his chin thoughtfully. Ghost Films had plenty of departments, but every employee there was diligent, and it wouldn't be proper to simply parachute Fortune into a leadership position. After some thought, Edward's mind drifted to the Hoenn Comic company he had recently acquired.
While Edward was mulling this over, Q bounded over to Fortune, tugging Void along and introducing the two. Void still looked a bit absentminded and dazed, but Fortune smiled politely, extended a hand, and quickly struck up a bond. After all, they were all Edward's Pokémon—naturally, they shared a close connection.
Watching the three little ones happily playing together, Edward smiled faintly. Lately, he had been too preoccupied with filming and managing company matters, leaving him little time to focus on his own Pokémon. That thought made him glance down at his waist. Four Poké Balls hung there—the fourth one containing Groudon.
These days, Groudon had been uncharacteristically calm, sleeping constantly without any sign of awakening. Because of this, Edward often forgot he was even carrying four Pokémon.
Meanwhile, Team Aqua had quieted down after their loss of high-ranking cadres at the recent charity gala. But as long as Archie and Maxie remained at large, Edward doubted they would truly give up.
After all, anyone capable of leading a villainous team could not be a simple person. To reach such a position required talent, persistence, and determination. In fact, villains were often even more driven than protagonists—they had unshakable goals, and were willing to accept any sacrifices to achieve them.
A protagonist only needed to walk their own path. Villains, however, bore the burden of plotting and maneuvering.
That was why Edward was certain Archie and Maxie were biding their time, hiding somewhere while waiting for their chance. But since they remained in the shadows, it wasn't easy to track them down in the short term. For now, he could only leave them be.
"Oh right, what about Mewtwo lately?" Edward muttered, pulling out his phone to send Mewtwo a message.
These days, Mewtwo had been frequently uploading video game guides on the PoképokéTV Streaming platform. Because of its high output and comprehensive coverage of nearly every game, it had amassed a huge following—now at 930,000 fans. At this pace, it would soon become one of the platform's rare million-subscriber creators.
The achievement was astounding. Its videos garnered immense viewership and comment engagement, making it a unique phenomenon in the gaming community. Of course, where there were people, there was drama. Where there were profits, there were disputes. Mewtwo had not been spared from controversies either.
For example, when it posted guides for niche games, some accused it of hiring others to play for it, or even plagiarizing. But Mewtwo had silenced doubters by live-streaming for ten days straight, grinding three entire games to 100% completion in full view of the public.
After that, the internet hailed it as the "Grind Emperor," joking that no one could accomplish such feats without having hundreds of livers.
It became famous for endurance as well, attracting sponsorships from energy drink companies and even brands specializing in late-night care products.
With money pouring in, Mewtwo eventually told Edward—while he was still filming The Truman Show—that it had already saved up enough to buy its own seaside villa in Mossdeep City, retreating there in seclusion.
Edward understood. Mewtwo had grown weary of its constant battles of wits with Team Rocket. By disappearing into Hoenn, a region beyond Rocket's influence, it could finally enjoy peace. If it had stayed in Kanto or Johto, Team Rocket would never have left it alone.
Soon, a reply came.
[Mewtwo: I've been busy streaming lately. Ah, right—it's New Year's Eve today. I'll come visit you later.]
Edward blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Mewtwo to show up in person. Still, he didn't mind. Though technically a Pokémon, Mewtwo was far too unique to be described as such. In Edward's heart, he regarded it more like a true friend.
"Grandpa Robert, a friend of mine will be visiting later. Could you make some preparations?" Edward instructed the butler. It was still morning, and visits from friends were perfectly normal. Evening, however, was reserved for family dinner.
"Oh? Edward, which friend of yours is coming? Is it Shizuka~?" Steven's teasing voice rang out as he stepped inside with a broad grin. Edward's mouth twitched in exasperation. His brother was older than him and still hadn't dated anyone, yet he had the nerve to tease him about romance.
No doubt their father would be bringing up marriage soon as well.
"Shizuka's having dinner with her family tonight, she doesn't have time to visit me." Edward sighed helplessly. He reached into his coat and placed a peculiar stone on the table. He had stumbled upon it earlier and bought it because of its uniqueness. The crystal-like gem was pink and oddly shaped, resembling a Pokémon's former dwelling, though it was difficult to tell exactly which one.
"Hm? Isn't this a product of Diancie?" Steven's eyes lit up as he examined the stone, quickly identifying it.
Edward raised a brow—so it really was related to Diancie. Then again, it made sense, as pink diamonds were Diancie's trademark.
The mention of Shizuka softened Edward's expression. Though their relationship had not yet crossed the final threshold, they were already very close, speaking often during their free time, their feelings for each other growing rapidly. Edward had already decided—once Shizuka was a bit older, he would marry her. But that was for the future.
"By the way, why did you return so early, brother?" Edward asked, genuinely curious. As Champion of the Hoenn League, Steven usually had an overwhelming workload. The year's end, especially, was filled with summaries, reports, and endless paperwork.
He had expected Steven to come home only in the evening, yet here he was already.
"Kyu!" Q chirped happily at Steven. Steven chuckled, extending a hand to tease the playful Pokémon. He could tell Q wanted a battle, but that would have to wait until the New Year.
"Of course I came to keep an eye on you. What if Team Aqua and Team Magma still haven't given up?" Steven said cheerfully. Edward rubbed his face in mild annoyance. Clearly, his brother was using him as a convenient shield. Still, the League had its reasons—after all, the Groudon at his waist was far too important to risk.
Steven glanced at the Poké Ball on Edward's belt.
"Edward, do you know how many Champions and Elites I've had to turn down on your behalf? All of them want to battle just to witness the power of a legendary Pokémon." Steven smirked, slipping the Diancie stone into his pocket. It was well-preserved, and since it was a gift from Edward, he planned to keep it in his private collection.
"They won't get to see much. I may have caught Groudon, but it won't obey my commands anyway," Edward muttered. To him, Groudon was just looking for a new place to nap.
Catching a legendary Pokémon was one thing—actually controlling it was a whole other story.
"Even just witnessing it is enough," Steven sighed wistfully. As a Champion-level trainer, he too longed for the chance to battle against such a Pokémon. To face Groudon, even at the cost of defeat, would be an honor.
As the brothers conversed, their father, Joseph, entered the room in haste.
One look, and Edward noticed the worry in his father's eyes. Though Joseph quickly forced a smile, the unease lingered. Moreover, he carried a bag marked with the League prison's insignia.
Had Father gone to the prison? Was it about Zinnia?
Such concern on his father's face could only mean one thing.
And sure enough—if the League had dispatched him, then the Mossdeep Space Center must have already discovered the incoming meteor.
Edward's expression grew heavy. Time was running out. The meteor was indeed headed straight for the Hoenn region.
(End of Chapter)