Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

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"Pi! Pi!"

A cheerful cry came from the adorable Cleffa as it jumped into Liam's palm. Despite its chubby appearance, it was incredibly light, easily supported by one hand.

"Well then, I'll be counting on you from now on, Cleffa." Liam smiled warmly at the tiny Pokémon in his hand.

"Pi! Pi!"

Cleffa responded happily, then seemed to remember something. It held out the mysterious meteorite it was carrying, presenting it to Liam.

"Huh? Are you giving this to me?" Liam asked, a bit surprised, as he reached out to take the meteorite.

"Pi!"

Cleffa nodded firmly.

"What is this exactly?" Liam examined the mysterious meteorite in his hand. It was smooth and round like an egg, its surface glossy black with an enigmatic aura. 

"Lulu, take a look. Do you recognize this thing?" Liam held the meteorite up to his shoulder, where Lulu perched.

"Let me see! Let me see!" Lulu chirped excitedly as she flew off Liam's shoulder and circled the meteorite, examining it closely. A flicker of astonishment appeared in her eyes.

"Did you find something?" Liam noticed her reaction and inquired.

"I can't believe it… This thing actually appeared here," Lulu murmured, stroking her petite chin in thought.

"What is it? Don't keep me in suspense," Liam said, exasperated.

Meanwhile, Cleffa looked puzzled, staring at the human in front of it. After giving away its strange stone, this person started talking to thin air, leaving Cleffa wondering if it had accidentally caused some kind of mental breakdown.

"Do you know about Rayquaza?" Lulu finally asked.

"Of course! Who doesn't know the legendary Sky Dragon?" Liam rolled his eyes.

"Then, do you know about the lost Meteorite Core of Rayquaza?" Lulu continued.

"What? This thing is part of the Meteorite Core? With this, Rayquaza can Mega Evolve?" Liam was stunned. Both the games and anime had mentioned this legendary item as one of the rarest artifacts. 

To think he'd come across it so easily!

"To be precise, this is just a fragment of the core," Lulu clarified. "On its own, it's not enough to enable Mega Evolution. However, if you spend 50,000 system points, it can be refined into a Sky Orb. At a critical moment, you can use the orb to summon Rayquaza for battle. How exciting is that?" Lulu's eyes gleamed mischievously as she smiled.

Liam's lips twitched. 

Without a second thought, he tossed the meteorite into his spatial inventory. Then, he reached out to pat Lulu's head and replied bluntly, "Forget it. Even if I saved for years, I wouldn't accumulate enough points. By the time I did, I might be strong enough to take on Rayquaza myself. I don't need this kind of flashy, impractical item. And don't think I don't know what you're planning. These orbs—Sky Orb, Blue Orb, Red Orb—each contains the will of their respective Legendary Pokémon. They could easily backfire and take control. I'd like to live a little longer, thank you."

With that, Liam turned his attention back to Cleffa. He took out a brand-new PokeBall and held it out to the little Pokémon.

"Cleffa, thank you for this wonderful gift. I truly appreciate it. This here is a PokeBall. Please stay inside for now. Once we're back, I'll make sure someone takes good care of you," Liam said gently.

"Pi! Pi!"

Cleffa, reassured by Liam's calm demeanor, reached out and pressed the button in the center of the PokeBall. A beam of red light enveloped Cleffa, drawing it inside. 

The PokeBall shook twice before emitting a soft ping, signaling a successful capture.

"Haha! Delia's going to love this adorable Cleffa," Liam chuckled. Although he hadn't managed to catch the Clefairy he initially aimed for, this even rarer Cleffa might be even more cherished. 

Feeling victorious, Liam prepared to leave. This trip had been a windfall—not only had he found a massive Moon Stone, but he'd also gained a rare Cleffa and a fragment of the Meteorite Core. Rewards or not, he was more than satisfied.

"Cleffa will be well cared for. You don't have to worry. I also won't reveal your location to anyone. You can live here in peace. So, until we meet again." Liam bowed slightly to the elder Clefable, then turned to leave.

However, before he could take more than a few steps, a capture net shot out from the cave ahead, catching Liam off guard and pinning him to the ground with a heavy thud.

"What? Who's there?" Liam's eyes narrowed as he gripped the sturdy net restraining him, his voice icy.

"Hahaha! We've hit the jackpot this time, Captain! So many Clefairy and Clefable—rare Pokémon like these will make us a fortune! Promotions and pay raises, here we come!" A cocky voice echoed from the cave, one that Liam found disturbingly familiar.

"Shut up! Promotions and pay raises? You're dreaming of stepping on my head, aren't you? Your guts sure have grown!" A scolding voice interrupted.

Hearing this, Liam immediately recognized his assailants—it was that same group of poachers he'd encountered earlier while searching for the meteorite.

"So, it's you scum again!" Liam's voice was laced with venom. "I suggest you leave Mount Moon immediately and never return. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what will happen to you today."

Several figures emerged from the cave, seven or eight in total. Their leader, a man with sunglasses, smirked as he held a capture net launcher, mocking the furious Liam.

"In your current state, how exactly do you plan to deal with us? Glaring us to death? Oh no, I'm so scared!" The man sneered before breaking into laughter, joined by his crew.

"You lot really are clueless about the meaning of danger!" Liam growled. Without needing any commands, four PokeBalls at his waist opened simultaneously. 

His Pokémon—Nidorino, Sneasel, Arbok, and Gible—appeared, immediately launching attacks. Gible stood by Liam's side, slashing the net with its powerful fin, freeing him.

"Don't hold back! Take them down! It doesn't matter if they end up dead!" Liam ordered coldly.

Nidorino, Sneasel, and Arbok attacked fiercely, incapacitating three poachers in a single round. Seeing the tide turn against them, the leader pulled out something all too familiar to Liam—a grenade.

"Grenade! Damn it! Everyone, fall back!" Liam shouted through gritted teeth.

His Pokémon retreated swiftly, their gazes fixed on the man with the grenade.

"Haha! Scared now, are you? Where's all that bravado from earlier? Too late to regret it now!" The man cackled maniacally as he pulled the pin and hurled the grenade toward Liam.

"Careful! Arbok, Acid! Now!" Liam commanded.

Arbok opened its maw and unleashed a stream of Acid, hitting the grenade mid-air. The grenade fizzled and exploded prematurely, sending a wave of heat and debris surging toward them.