Linden's response caught Link off guard; her usually obedient cousin had unexpectedly spoken up like this.
After pondering for a moment, Link said, "I'm glad you want to overcome your fear of heights on your own, but I need your assistance with something."
If not absolutely necessary, Link wouldn't have brought Linden to such a perilous location. Any mishap could also implicate her.
In reality, Linden was the heir of the Lin family, and although his Pokemon might not be the strongest, they possessed immense potential.
The Lin family consisted primarily of Coordinators, with most Trainers aiming to cultivate the most beautiful and captivating Pokemon. As the heir, Linden, despite not being exceptionally talented himself, received the finest Pokemon from the clan.
On his tenth birthday, Linden acquired Primarina, considered the most exquisite Pokemon bred by their family, along with its offspring, a Popplio.
From the moment he obtained Popplio, the Pokemon displayed remarkable singing and dancing abilities, almost perfectly inheriting the traits of its predecessor.
Currently, Linden's Popplio had evolved into Brionne. Although not exceptionally strong, its singing and dancing abilities were truly outstanding.
Link's purpose for visiting the eastern mountain range was to find Jirachi. By using Brionne's sweet melodies, he aimed to awaken Jirachi and make a wish.
"What kind of help do you need, cousin?" asked Linden, feeling puzzled as his usually self-sufficient cousin suddenly sought assistance from him. Nonetheless, if he could lend a hand, he was more than willing to do so.
"Borrow your Brionne; I'll return it in three days," Link replied confidently, knowing from their past interactions that Linden wouldn't refuse.
"What do you plan to do with it?" Linden inquired.
Link smiled faintly, having prepared a compelling reason beforehand - one that Linden couldn't possibly decline.
"I'm about to participate in a Grand Festival, and I want your Brionne to practice singing with my Jigglypuff. I'll return it to you after three days."
"No problem!" Linden eagerly agreed without hesitation. Since childhood, he had never been fond of participating in Grand Festivals and instead preferred adventures. However, his family's tradition revolved around Coordinators.
As such, Linden strongly disliked these events. Hearing that Link wanted to compete, he realized if Link could win the Grand Festival, there would be no need for him to become a Coordinator.
His dream was to become a Trainer, unconcerned about being the family heir. Excelling as a Trainer was what truly appealed to him.
"Thank you very much, I'll ensure it's returned promptly," Link replied with a warm smile, secretly delighted inside.
Kalia didn't suspect anything either; she herself wasn't particularly interested in the Grand Festival. Growing up under her father's influence, her focus remained solely on becoming a Trainer.
However, Coordinators held a significant position within the League. As society progressed, Pokemon combat prowess became less crucial, while aesthetics gained increasing importance. Beautiful Pokemon always garnered attention, even if their strength fell short - appearance alone sufficed.
However, Lian had his suspicions, knowing that Jirachi requires beautiful singing to awaken. Additionally, it was Link who informed Linden about Jirachi.
Throughout their journey, Brionne often sang with enchanting melodies and performed graceful dances. Lian couldn't help but wonder if Link planned to use this Brionne to awaken Jirachi.
Link mentioned earlier that Jirachi's thousand-year cycle was approaching, which Kalia wasn't aware of, but Lian knew quite a lot about Jirachi.
Nevertheless, Jirachi needs the most captivating sound to wake up, and while Brionne's singing is lovely, it might not be sufficient enough.
Regardless, this concerns Link and Linden, so Lian decided not to interfere. His focus remained on completing the mission alongside Kalia.
The Brionne reluctantly left Linden but obediently followed Link away.
Meanwhile, Lester, the black-clad Trainer known as Thunder, descended with his Gliscor and spoke coldly, "Don't waste any more time."
"I'm leaving now." Link patted Linden's shoulder and released her Poké Ball, revealing a graceful Swanna that descended to the ground. She swiftly mounted it.
In no time, Link and Lester flew away, becoming mere specks before disappearing entirely from sight.
"Let's continue our journey," Kalia said. Link's appearance was just a brief interlude; their adventure had yet to conclude.
"Alright, let's move on. From here on, Kalia, you need to protect me well. Without Brionne, I only have two Pokemon left," Linden nodded.
"Next time, don't casually give away your Pokemon like this. This time, since it was your cousin, I won't say much," Kalia advised. Pokemon were not commodities to be handled arbitrarily or given away at whim. They are living beings. While Kalia found it difficult to intervene during the moment involving Linden's cousin, she felt it necessary afterward to remind him of this important consideration for future instances.
"I understand."
With that, the duo resumed their journey towards their destination. They still had half the distance to cover, estimating another two days before reaching their goal.
***
Somewhere within the eastern mountain range:
"We've got it! Now let's go find the legendary Jirachi," Link exclaimed excitedly, gripping the Poké Ball containing Brionne with a radiant smile on her face.
Jirachi slumbered deep within the highest peak of these mountains, a secret known to very few. Link discovered this information by chance, finding an ancestral diary about Jirachi in her family archives.
The diary meticulously recorded Jirachi's previous awakening time. After further research, Link realized that Jirachi was due to awaken soon.
Unable to resist the allure of making a wish, she set her sights on Jirachi. However, waking Jirachi required the most beautiful song, and obtaining the Lin family's Primarina seemed impossible for Link.
As a second-best option, she devised a plan to acquire Brionne from Linden. With Brionne's enchanting melody, she believed she could surely rouse Jirachi.
"Lester, you must protect me well; I'll grant you one wish as compensation," Link said.
Lester was a highly skilled Trainer. Both Link and Linden were primarily Coordinators, not adept at Pokemon battles. Thus, venturing into the eastern mountain range necessitated protection from a powerful Trainer. If not for ensuring their safety to reach Jirachi's resting place, Link would never have offered such a valuable reward.
"Don't worry, for the sake of my wish, I won't let any harm come your way," Lester replied with a smile.