[Main mission completed!]
[Mission rewards will be settled after the instance ends!]
"Finally, some good news..." Caleb's mood visibly brightened.
He couldn't help but wonder what expression Giovanni would make when he saw that list of traitors.
But now that he had left Kanto, he had no intention of returning. Once the hidden mission was complete, he would immediately ascend and leave this annoying instance behind.
The Alola region was extremely far from Kanto. Even by plane, it took a full six hours to reach.
Caleb checked the time and calculated when they would arrive in Alola.
Outside, the sky had already darkened... The plane soared above the pitch-black clouds, and if he tilted his head up slightly, he could see the deep blue, star-studded sky.
"So beautiful!" Amber pressed her face against the window, her eyes sparkling like stars.
Mimikyu, being nestled comfortably in Caleb's arms, let out a relaxed sigh. Just like its trainer, only now did its tightly wound nerves finally loosen.
Caleb yawned, leaning back into the soft seat for a quick nap...
...
By the time the plane landed in Hau'oli City, it was already 9 PM...
Having slept for a few hours on the plane, Caleb and Amber were now wide awake. After a brief discussion, they happily made their way to the seaside...
Unlike Kanto, Alola had a typical tropical maritime climate... The fresh, moist sea breeze swept over them, intoxicating the soul.
Sand, ocean, palm trees...
Amber gazed at the endless expanse of the sea, her light blue hair fluttering in the wind. The soft moonlight bathed her face, giving her an ethereal, gentle beauty.
Amber looked incredibly excited. Like a delighted Krabby, she dashed across the sand and ran freely against the sea breeze.
Caleb and Mimikyu stood quietly under a palm tree and watched.
After running for a while, Amber returned to Caleb's side, her face filled with unprecedented joy, "Thank you, Onii-san. I'm so happy… really, really happy!"
At that moment, the hidden mission prompt finally reappeared:
[Unique Hidden Mission: "Amber", Progress Updated!]
[Objective: Take Amber to see the ocean! (Completed)]
[Completion Rate: 100%!]
[Hidden mission completed. Rewards will be issued upon instance settlement!]
[Detected that the player has completed all missions. Leave the Instance now?]
Without hesitation, Caleb rejected the option:〔No!〕
However, just then, blood began to trickle from Amber's nose and ears again.
Her small body swayed before collapsing into Caleb's arms, unconscious...
...
~In the dream~
Little Amber hazily opened her eyes. She suddenly felt so tired, so sleepy... But she couldn't sleep yet... she hadn't said goodbye to her Onii-san...
That was what she thought.
Her tiny body lay alone in an endless expanse of darkness.
This time, Mewtwo did not appear.
Amber was worried about her friend, but she no longer had the strength to think. Even the simple act of keeping her eyes open was impossible.
In her daze, she seemed to see a beam of white light shining down from above...
...
~Outside the operating room~
A doctor in a white coat stepped out, wiping sweat from his forehead...
He sighed and said, "We've stabilized her for now. If nothing unexpected happens, she may have about a week left. Prepare for the worst… my condolences."
Inside the operating room, Amber, now conscious again, heard the doctor's words. Slowly, she opened her eyes, raising a hand to shield them from the harsh white light.
Caleb walked in from outside.
Amber's face was deathly pale, but she smiled and said, "Onii-san, don't be sad. These past few days… I've been really happy."
Caleb remained silent.
Amber continued, "Onii-san, I'm so tired. I want to sleep for a while."
Caleb stepped forward and tucked her in, "Rest well. Mimikyu and I will stay right here with you."
And so, Amber closed her eyes.
The doctor had said she only had about seven days left...
...
While Amber slept, Caleb racked his brain, searching all over Hau'oli City for the most beautiful and fun places to take her...
On the first day, he rented a yacht and took Amber fishing on the open sea.
On the second day, he brought her to a mountaintop to gaze at the stars.
On the third day, they spent the entire day sitting in a flower-filled field in the countryside.
Amber said she loved places that were full of blooming flowers...
On the fourth day, little Amber's body completely gave out... she could no longer move on her own.
On the fifth day, her hearing, sense of smell, and vision faded away...
On the sixth day, little Amber left this world forever...
....
On that sixth day, Mewtwo was finally freed from the effects of the inhibitor, and awoke...
The moment it entered the mental realm, it saw that Amber's spirit had already mostly faded.
Amber noticed Mewtwo and smiled weakly, "Mewtwo-chan… you finally came. I thought I'd never see you again."
Mewtwo's expression darkened: "...What's happening to you?.."
Amber looked down at her fading body, "I'm going to die, Mewtwo-chan. You… you have to live on happily, okay?"
Mewtwo refused to accept it: "...No… NO!.."
Seeing her friend's despair, Amber suddenly felt a pang of sorrow.
She remembered what the doctor had told Caleb and repeated softly, "Mewtwo-chan, don't be sad. You have to… accept it. I was really happy these past few days. Onii-san took me to so many places… I saw so many things I'd never seen before. Oh, Mewtwo-chan, have you ever seen the ocean? Onii-san really did bring me to Alola to see it. It was even more beautiful than I imagined… You should go see it too!"
Mewtwo could no longer hear her clearly. It stared blankly as Amber disappeared before its eyes. An unfamiliar emotion surged in its chest.
Mewtwo clutched its heart... 'What does… "accept it" mean?'
....
Caleb and Mimikyu placed a bouquet of fresh flowers before Amber's gravestone...
Returning to the hotel, he sat on the sofa and pulled up the mission panel:
[Leave this instance now?]
[Main mission and hidden mission rewards will be settled upon exiting!]
Just as Caleb was about to confirm, his phone (discarded in the corner) suddenly rang.
Caller ID: Lance...
Ever since the day Caleb left Kanto with only a letter, Lance had never contacted him.
He wondered what the situation in Kanto was like now. After a brief hesitation, Caleb answered the call.
Lance's weary voice came through:
<...Caleb, about your mission reward… I've already secured approval for you...>
Caleb forced himself to focus.
Lance continued:
<...The Dragon Holy Land hasn't had any newly hatched Dratini recently, so your only option is an already-evolved Dragonite. There's one available now, but… it's a bit special. It might not be suitable for you…>
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Read ahead on my P@treon...
[email protected]/MayaMatengele01