Ryuuske inexplicably had this thought, though it was probably an even more perplexing question than Pokémon's "Primal Reversion."
"Mmm—"
Lost in his thoughts, Ryuuske heard a soft moan from the girl. He immediately looked down and saw Green, lying on the bed, weakly opening her eyes.
At first, Green seemed dazed, unable to process what had happened. But as awareness returned, her face instantly paled with fright. She glanced around in panic, only relaxing slightly when she realized she was in a bedroom.
Strangely, the girl showed no sense of alarm at being in an unfamiliar place. She didn't even check herself for injuries, as if her fear of that bird had completely overridden any concern for her own safety.
"Where… is this?"
Gone was Green's usual playful, teasing demeanor. She licked her dry lips and asked cautiously.
"This is Blaine's lab," Ryuuske replied.
"Sigh... What about Sabrina and... Moltres?" She hesitated before asking, her body trembling slightly at the mention of Moltres.
"Sabrina realized she couldn't take on both me and Blaine alone, so she ran off."
"I see... I'm sorry. I wasn't any help at all."
Green gave a weak smile, her face still deathly pale, like someone recovering from a serious illness.
"Don't worry about it. I never expected you to be much help in the first place," Ryuuske said bluntly, his tone almost cruel in its honesty.
"You—!"
Green glared at him, her breath hitching in irritation. This guy was such a contradiction—sometimes he could be so smooth with girls, and other times he was just plain terrible at conversation, his sharp tongue enough to drive anyone mad.
But when she caught the faint, teasing yet concerned look in Ryuuske's eyes, her heart warmed.
Ah... So he's just trying to lighten the mood in his own way.
Someone as sharp as her could easily guess his intentions.
"Anyway, let's not dwell on that. You've been unconscious for a while—you should eat something first."
Ryuuske didn't ask why Green had fainted, and she didn't offer an explanation. Both of them knew Ryuuske was already aware of everything, but as long as it wasn't spoken aloud, it remained a "secret."
He picked up a bowl of porridge from the nearby table. "...Blaine doesn't have much here, so I made this. It's nothing fancy, but at least it's still warm, so I don't have to reheat it."
Leaning against the headboard, Green watched as Ryuuske brought the porridge over. The aroma filled the small bedroom, and for the first time, she showed a fragile, vulnerable smile.
"...You can cook?"
"Don't underestimate me. I almost became Professor Oak's research assistant just based on my cooking skills. And you know he never hires assistants."
Ryuuske joked as he scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blew on it lightly, and held it to her lips.
Green stared at the spoon but didn't open her mouth, her gaze distant.
"What? You disgusted by me? Fine, I won't blow on it next time," Ryuuske said, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmph. If I were disgusted by you, I'd have to go to a plastic surgery clinic and get a whole new body."
The words slipped out before she could stop them, and Green immediately flushed bright red, realizing how suggestive that sounded.
Hearing her words, Ryuuske's heart skipped a beat as he remembered what he'd done after knocking her out—how he'd thoroughly explored her body with his hands and mouth. The memory of his saliva on her skin was something she'd probably need a whole new body to forget.
"I'm not some delicate princess. I don't need you to feed me—I can eat by myself!"
Green snatched the bowl from Ryuuske's hands, not hesitating to eat the spoonful he'd just blown on.
"Mmm... Not bad. Did you mix in a bunch of different Berries? If you ever quit being a Trainer, you could make it as a chef."
She ate quickly, as if she hadn't had a proper meal in years.
Before long, Green finished the entire bowl. She patted her stomach and let out a satisfied sigh.
"...Haven't eaten this much in ages. If I get fat, it's all your fault."
"Hah. With your figure, getting fat would be an achievement."
Ryuuske gave her a once-over. She was slender—almost too much so, though it was the kind of slimness many girls would envy.
"Next time I get the chance, I'll cook for you to return the favor. How's that?"
Green's fox-like eyes were mesmerizing, a single glance enough to make anyone's heart race.
Ryuuske averted his gaze slightly. The way she looked at him stirred something inside him—this girl was dangerously alluring, as if seduction was in her bones. Every smile, every glance carried an irresistible charm.
"Sure, I'll look forward to seeing your skills, Miss Green."
"Hehe~ Handsome~"
"What now?"
"I think I might actually like you. Like, girl-likes-boy kind of like~"
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, her gaze flirtatious.
"Save it. Plenty of girls like me already—I don't need one more."
"Eh? Are you talking about Erika?"
She blinked innocently, her voice sweet.
"...Why bring that up? Anyway, where are you planning to go next?"
Ryuuske swiftly changed the subject.
Green giggled but didn't press further. Instead, she rested her chin on her hands, elbows propped on the bed, and gazed at him with half-lidded eyes.
"...Wherever you go, of course. Didn't I say I'd follow you, silly?"
She was only wearing a simple dress now, her outer clothes long since removed. When Ryuuske glanced down, he caught a glimpse of flawless, snow-white skin peeking from the collar of her dress.
This time, he didn't look away. His eyes lingered there, though his tone remained serious.
"...In two days, once Mewtwo's genetic adjustments are done, I'm heading back to Pallet Town."
"Pallet Town, huh..."
Green's bare legs kicked lightly against the bed, smooth and enticing. Her expression grew complicated before she finally sighed.
"...Fine. I'll go with you."
Pallet Town—for Green, it was a memory too distant, something she yearned for yet feared to recall. It was her hometown, but also the place where she'd lost the happiness of her childhood. Now, all it brought her was pain.
People always longed to return to their carefree childhoods, but for Green, hers had been nothing but darkness. If possible, she'd rather never remember it again.
"Hey, I wonder if there are enough bedrooms here... Wanna sleep with me tonight, handsome?"
Suddenly, all traces of melancholy vanished from Green's face as she shot him a flirtatious smirk.
This girl really is full of surprises, Ryuuske mused.
To be continued…
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