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Just like Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny was someone often seen across many cities, maintaining law and order wherever she appeared. But that didn't mean her presence was trivial far from it.
Within the police force, she wasn't just a public face; she was core personnel. If even she had been dispatched here, it meant the situation was serious possibly catastrophic.
As Joy stepped forward to greet Jenny, more vehicles began arriving one from a local TV station, others marked with engineering and hazard containment logos.
In no time, the front of the Pokémon Center was crowded with professionals setting up equipment, unloading tools, and preparing for coverage. Kai and Erika were forced to move aside, giving the teams space to work.
Then, from the far end of the street, more figures appeared running fast.
Kai squinted. His eyes widened.
Ash, unmistakable as ever, was charging ahead, with Misty close behind. And bringing up the rear… was Brock finally reunited with the group after a long time apart.
But there was one more an unfamiliar young woman traveling alongside them.
When the group reached the Pokémon Center, they noticed Kai at once. Their faces lit up as they ran toward him.
Before Ash could speak, Misty was already calling out in excitement, "Kai! What are the odds?! I can't believe you're here too!"
Then she spotted Erika.
"Wait—Erika?! What are you doing here!? And with Kai?!"
Erika smiled calmly and greeted them with a polite nod. "Ash, Misty, Brock it's good to see you again. As you can see, I've been traveling with Kai for a while now. We came to Johto to catch some new Pokémon and explore the region."
"Traveling with him!?"
All three of them shouted in surprise. But while Ash and Brock looked confused, Misty's heart nearly stopped.
For a split second, Ash swore he could hear her heart shatter like glass.
Kai chuckled and greeted them. "I didn't expect to see you guys here either. What a coincidence. Brock, I see you've joined Ash again. Seeing the three of you together it really brings back memories."
"Memories?" Brock rubbed his chin, clearly puzzled. He had no idea what Kai was referring to.
Kai didn't explain. Instead, he turned back to Ash with a smile. "So, how's the badge collection going? You've been in Johto for a while now, right?"
Ash grinned proudly and pulled open his jacket to reveal two shining badges.
"Yep! I've already earned Two Badges. What about you?"
Kai nodded. "Nice. I just earned my third badge a few days ago. We're neck and neck."
Ash let out a breath of relief. As long as Kai wasn't too far ahead, he still had a shot at catching up.
Kai gently tousled Misty's hair to bring her back to reality, then glanced at the woman standing with them.
She looked to be around his age long hair tucked under a red bandana, red short-sleeve shirt, a backpack slung over her shoulders, and a playful Aipom perched there. A typical—but seasoned—Trainer's look.
"And you are…?"
Before the others could answer, she stepped forward. "Nice to meet you. I'm Marina. I met Ash and the others in the forest earlier. Since we were all heading here, we decided to come together."
'Marina, huh?'
Kai ran the name through his mind, but it didn't ring any bells.
Then Ash looked around, confused. "Wait where's Sabrina? Isn't she traveling with you?"
Kai sighed. "She went back to Saffron City. She's returned to her Gym."
"She's gone?" Misty suddenly perked up but one glance at Erika and she let out a heavy sigh.
'Sabrina just left… and now Erika shows up?'
'Will it ever be my turn…?'
Even if Erika and Kai only seemed like travel companions, Misty's instincts as a girl screamed otherwise.
On the other side, Kai noticed Brock's expression shift like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
Before Kai could ask, Marina jumped in. "We saw that whole crystal field from the hilltop earlier. Do you guys know what's going on?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Kai said. He quickly filled them in on everything he and Erika had witnessed the night before, ending with, "Officer Jenny's here now, so I'm hoping we'll get answers soon."
As he finished speaking, something clicked in his head.
At first, he'd thought this was just another random incident… but now that Ash had shown up, it all made sense.
This was a movie plot.
No wonder it had all felt so familiar.
But… what was the name again? Crystal of the Emperor? Tower of Flames?
He scratched his head. It had been too long. He couldn't quite remember the title or the details.
But one thing was certain: if Ash was here, the mystery wouldn't stay unsolved for long.
While Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny were still talking outside, the group wisely decided not to interrupt. Instead, they returned to the Pokémon Center's lounge to relax.
They found a corner booth and ordered some coffee.
Then, while Erika, Misty, and Marina excused themselves to the restroom, something unexpected happened.
With a blur of movement, Brock dropped to his knees in front of Kai, gripping his hands with intensity.
Kai blinked. "Brock?"
"Please—no, Kai-senpai! Teach me your ways!!"
Kai stared, stunned. "Teach you… what?"
Brock's voice sped up with desperation. "Ash and Misty told me—you traveled with Sabrina for a long time, and now Erika! Two gorgeous women, both traveling with you! What's your secret!? What's the method!?"
Kai couldn't help but laugh.
'So that's what was eating at him this whole time…'
Gently pulling his hands away, he shook his head and smiled. "You've got it all wrong. Erika and I are just friends. Really." (Yeah.....)
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