As Natsui stepped ashore, Sabrina greeted him with a smile. Moments later, Cissy arrived on her Blastoise, leaping gracefully onto the sand to join them.
"Congratulations on your final victory, and on winning the Tangelo Gym's Coral-Eye Badge!"
As she spoke, Cissy pulled a pink seashell from her pocket and handed it to Natsui.
Natsui looked down. The shell had been carefully polished, shining smoothly in the sunlight. But what captivated him most was the blue, eye-like gem embedded within it.
So this is the Coral-Eye Badge?
Holding it, Natsui realized the "gem" wasn't a precious stone, but a piece of crystal-clear glass. The shell itself was a unique variety found only in the Orange Archipelago, known as a "Sakura Shell."
Although the materials were common, the craftsmanship was meticulous, giving it an exquisite appearance.
A girl would probably really like something pink like this, right?
Sure enough, when he handed the badge to Sabrina, she maintained her usual expression, but the way she lingered, fiddling with it, told Natsui everything. Deep down, Sabrina was just like any other girl who had a soft spot for cute, accessory-like trinkets.
Noticing their interest, Cissy explained, "Actually, it's not just our Tangelo Gym. The badges of the other three gyms are also crafted from seashells, just different types."
"I see..."
Natsui nodded. He tore his gaze away from Sabrina, checked the time on his phone, and turned to wave goodbye to Cissy.
"Well, it's getting late. Since we've achieved our goal, we shouldn't stay any longer. We'll be on our way."
"Wait a minute!" Seeing them turn to leave, Cissy produced a small box and handed it to Natsui. "Take this badge case with you, too. Consider it an apology for what happened earlier!"
Seeing the box, Natsui realized that apart from his Indigo League case, he didn't actually have a container for his new badges.
"Ah, then I'll gladly accept it."
After thanking her, Natsui stowed the badge case, waved his hand, and called out to Charizard, who had been sunbathing on the warehouse roof.
Charizard swooped down, lowering its body into a crouch to welcome Natsui and Sabrina onto its back.
Once they were seated securely, the dragon flapped its wings and ascended, carrying them away from Tangelo Island. Under Cissy's watchful gaze, they headed toward the next island of the Orange League.
...
Flying east, Charizard crossed the sea and passed over Mikan Island without stopping. Since the sun hadn't set yet, they pressed on toward the next Gym island.
It was only when they were flying over Sunburst Island and the light began to fade that Natsui finally decided to land and rest.
Just like before, Charizard touched down on a secluded beach to avoid drawing attention.
There, in the dusk, they spotted a little girl—about five or six years old with pigtails—throwing glass bottles into the sea, one after another.
Startled by Charizard descending from the sky, the girl let out a squeak of surprise. She took a step back, hurriedly threw the remaining bottles into the sea all at once, and ran off without looking back.
She looked flustered, as if Natsui and Sabrina had stumbled upon a secret.
Sabrina let go of Natsui's waist and slid down from Charizard, watching the girl's retreating figure. She tilted her head. "How mysterious. What was she doing?"
"I don't know," Natsui shrugged, his curiosity also piqued. "But if we pick up a bottle, we'll find out."
He walked a few steps into the surf, letting the water lap over his shoes, and retrieved a glass bottle that hadn't drifted away yet.
The last rays of the setting sun hit the glass, reflecting a beautiful orange glow.
When Sabrina leaned in, she saw a rolled-up piece of paper inside. It was a message in a bottle!
Sabrina was surprised. "This isn't a deserted island, and people can communicate with a simple phone call. Why would someone use such a primitive method to send a message?"
Shaking his head, Natsui smiled. "I guess it's just a little girl's wish. She's hoping the sea, or whoever finds the bottle, will help make it come true."
In truth, Natsui had already recalled the specific anime plot related to this bottle.
To verify his guess, he pulled out the cork, unfurled the letter, and showed the contents to Sabrina.
"If anyone knows about the Crystal Onix, please be sure to tell me. Thank you for everything. - Marissa from Sunburst Island."
Just as I thought. It's this exact plot point!
"Marissa?" Sabrina looked up toward where the girl had run. "That must be her name. But... Crystal Onix? Does she mean it's made of crystal? Does such a Pokémon really exist?"
Natsui nodded. The crooked, uneven handwriting clearly belonged to a child.
"Of course it does. This is a magical world; there are surely many miracles of life we have yet to discover. Now that we have this lead, I think we should try to find this amazing Pokémon."
Sabrina shot him a skeptical look. "It's a message in a bottle from a little girl. It might just be her imagination. Is unverified information really worth your time and effort?"
Back when he watched the anime, Natsui had been deeply impressed by the Crystal Onix. Even now, he vaguely remembered the storyline and where the Onix was hidden.
"Don't worry," Natsui said, slipping the note back into the bottle. He pressed the cork in tightly and tossed it back into the sea, a brilliant smile on his face. "Actually, I happen to know some clues about the Crystal Onix myself. This time, it definitely won't be a wasted effort!"
Dusk was beginning to fade. Through the thinning forest, they could see the city lights starting to twinkle behind them.
They stood side by side for a moment, enjoying the view of the western sea. Once the sun had completely sunk below the horizon, they turned and entered the city.
The town on this island was a unique hub in the Orange Archipelago, renowned for its glass craftsmanship.
Although there was no Gym or Pokémon Center here, and few trainers visited, the island was famous far and wide for its glass art. In fact, most residents were artisans.
Walking down the street, shops on both sides displayed glass products in every shape imaginable. Countless visitors—just like Natsui and Sabrina—stopped in their tracks, captivated by the beautiful displays.