"Yeah, I like it quite a bit."
Lu Ze looked at the six-petaled pink flower inside the display case, and couldn't help but smile.
"How did you know I'd definitely like it? What if I said I didn't like it? Wouldn't that be awkward for you?"
"Really?" Zhuge Ziyu scratched his head. "Lots of people love this thing. Right now it's practically unavailable on the market — demand outstrips supply."
"Seriously?"
Lu Ze stared at Zhuge Ziyu in surprise, gesturing toward the Grassium Z flower. "What's so valuable about this thing?"
He knew that Grassium Z could transform Shaymin into its Sky Forme — but what did that have to do with so many people loving it? Did everyone have a Shaymin or something?
"You really don't know?"
"I really don't."
Lu Ze shot back, standing his ground.
Knowing isn't the same as telling you!
"Because Shaymin can purify air, the Grassium Z flowers that bloom in its habitat have come to symbolize pure love."
Zhuge Ziyu explained, then asked again, puzzled: "You really don't know?"
"I really don't."
Lu Ze shook his head with a wry smile.
He genuinely didn't know Grassium Z carried that meaning. All he knew was that Grassium Z could turn Shaymin into Sky Forme and could be used as medicine to treat certain Pokémon species' congenital illnesses.
Zhuge Ziyu gave Lu Ze a strange, measuring look, then asked one more time: "You really don't know?"
"Really don't!"
Lu Ze answered again, dead serious.
"Fine."
Zhuge Ziyu was now convinced — Lu Ze actually didn't know.
But that couldn't be right. Last time he ran into Lu Ze on the snack street behind the research institute, Lu Ze and the little girl beside him had looked exactly like a couple experiencing their first love. Young lovers like that — how could they not know what Grassium Z meant?
Still, even as he thought it, he had no real interest in Grassium Z himself. These days, anything connected to love commanded premium prices.
And Grassium Z was rarer than diamonds.
Diamonds being rare was a lie — but Grassium Z? That was genuinely scarce.
"Right, let's move on to the next item."
Zhuge Ziyu scratched his head and let the matter drop, leading Lu Ze onward.
A short while later, Lu Ze and Zhuge Ziyu emerged together. Lu Ze had selected three items total — he still had two chances left.
Admittedly, while the National Vault didn't hold a massive collection, every single item was top quality.
There was the Volcanic Stone, which granted one assistance from Heatran.
There was the Sea Sound Bell, which could summon Lugia for one instance of Lugia's help.
And then there was the Gene Pact — supposedly something Kyurem had given Zhuge Ziyu after Zhuge Ziyu fed it not long ago. Zhuge Ziyu had no idea what it did, so he'd simply placed it here too.
Beyond those, there was also the Rainbow Feather, which could grant entry to the Rainbow Trial.
Though even with the Rainbow Feather, whether one could actually attempt the Rainbow Trial still depended on Ho-Oh's say-so — but at the very least, it gave you a chance to try.
Ho-Oh's Rainbow Feather carried an age restriction: anyone over thirty was ineligible to participate. This piece of information had been purchased by a certain Champion for five National Vault Key Fragments.
The story went that this Champion felt his strength was sufficient, so he redeemed a Rainbow Feather and headed to Phoenix Ancient Town ready to attempt the trial.
But when he arrived, Ho-Oh looked at him with an apologetic expression.
Marshadow later explained to him that anyone over thirty was barred from the Rainbow Trial.
The Champion had no choice but to return and request a refund.
But the person he dealt with was Zhuge Zijing — the self-styled Keeper of the National Treasure.
So, through Zhuge Zijing's silver tongue, the Champion agreed to let him buy it back for five Key Fragments.
One transaction later, Zhuge Zijing had turned a profit equal to half a Rainbow Feather for the nation.
When the Champion returned home, he realized he'd been played. But the deal was done and couldn't be undone.
But he was furious. So what did he do?
One dark and windy night, he lay in wait on the roadside and ambushed Zhuge Zijing — beating him thoroughly before the matter was settled.
Zhuge Zijing's strength was negligible, but he had protection. The problem was that his protector recognized the Champion's fist — and the Champion fought entirely bare-handed, without Pokémon, so the protector had no grounds to intervene.
One small note: the Champion specialized in the Fighting type.
Though the protector did place a call to his superiors. Their superiors only laughed and said:
"Let them have their fun. No need to get involved."
So the Champion beat Zhuge Zijing to his heart's content, felt better, and thereafter continued calling Zhuge Zijing his buddy.
After getting beaten, Zhuge Zijing realized he'd earned that half a Rainbow Feather fair and square — so he felt better too, and also went back to calling the Champion his buddy.
When Zhuge Ziyu told Lu Ze this story, his expression was pure helplessness. He'd asked his brother at the time: aren't you angry about this?
Zhuge Zijing had waved a dismissive hand.
"I made the profit. He didn't slap me!"
"Uncle Ziyu, I'll head back now."
"Yeah, be careful on the road."
"You got it."
After exchanging farewells, Lu Ze got into the car heading home.
None of the three items he'd chosen were anything to do with Legendaries.
Those things were useless to him right now, anyway. His current strength wasn't enough to stand against a Legendary — so even if he'd picked them, he couldn't make use of them yet. Better to select what he could actually apply in this stage.
"A Gold Crown? Should I use it to push Snorlax or Charizard up to Black quality — or try to get Crobat to Gold quality?"
Indeed, his first pick was a Gold Crown — and there just happened to be one left. Lu Ze didn't hesitate; he went ahead and selected it.
"Or I could check if there's any Star Piece in the official store. If there is, I could make some quality-boosting Energy Cubes. Why not have it all?"
"On top of that, I also have purchase access through the research institute. I can see if they have anything too."
Lu Ze sat in the car, turning the two smooth-surfaced stones he'd redeemed from the National Vault in his palm, lost in thought.
(End of chapter)
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