The Goldenrod Department Store was in the southern part of the city. Despite its plain-sounding name, it was actually the largest Pokémon merchandise shopping center in the entire city, and indeed, in all of Johto.
The building had six floors above ground and two below, for a total of eight. Not only was it spacious, bright, and magnificently decorated, but it also sold more than just Pokémon-related items, making it a great place for anyone to browse.
When Natsui and Erika entered, they found the place was packed with visitors. There were not only trainers but also many fashionably dressed men and women. It seemed countless people were drawn to the store's fame every day.
The first floor was for cosmetics and jewelry, perfect for trainers who spent their days out in the sun and wind. Natsui accompanied Erika as she bought a moisturizing lotion and some face masks. After the long journey, she hadn't had much time for skincare and felt her face was getting a little dry.
The second floor's theme was "Travel Companion," selling all sorts of items a trainer might need on their journey. Here, Natsui restocked on some supplies, buying more Poké Balls and potions.
The third floor's theme was "All for Victory," which sold various items for use in Pokémon battles. Natsui had never been very interested in such things, so they went straight to the fourth floor.
The fourth and fifth floors also sold Pokémon-related items, each with its own theme. Though Natsui didn't browse much, he did buy a Metal Coat. He was familiar with this item; he had used one to evolve his Crystal Onix into Crystal Steelix. Now, he was going to use it to evolve his Scyther. It was a coincidence that the Metal Coat was only known to evolve Onix and Scyther, and he happened to have both. The item felt like it was tailor-made for him.
After shopping for over an hour, they went up to the sixth floor. The theme here was "When You're Tired of Shopping." As the name suggested, it was a place for people to rest. It was the most crowded and lively floor. Following an online recommendation, Natsui and Erika had dinner at a popular restaurant there.
Beautiful music played in the background. The atmosphere was perfect, and the two of them sat facing each other, looking as relaxed and happy as any young couple on a date. At the very least, their actions, expressions, and the way they looked at each other would make anyone think they were a real couple. They chatted and laughed, and soon, dinner was over.
After the meal, seeing that it was still early, they went to see a popular Pokémon movie. By the time the movie ended, it was dark. They walked shoulder to shoulder back to the inn they had booked earlier.
After checking in, Natsui walked Erika to her room. Just as he was about to turn and leave, she looked back at him, her eyes bright with a smile.
"Thank you for today. I had a really wonderful time."
Looking into her eyes, Natsui spoke without thinking. "If you like, I'll go shopping with you forever."
The moment the words left his mouth, he knew it sounded wrong. It sounded just like a confession. Erika seemed to think so too. She stared at him for a long moment, then a brilliant smile spread across her face. She didn't say anything, simply turning and going into her room. That smile made Natsui's heart race.
He took a deep breath to calm his pounding heart and went back to his own room. He threw himself onto the bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time, but the feeling of restlessness wouldn't go away.
Sigh, I guess there really is no such thing as a pure friendship between a man and a woman...
The longer he traveled with Erika, the deeper their bond became, and it was hard not to develop other feelings. Especially after what had happened with Maya, it felt as if the shackles on his heart had been broken, and his desire for Erika grew even stronger. Thinking about it now, agreeing to let her travel with him was like spinning a cocoon around himself.
The more he tried to calm down, the more his mind raced. He had no choice but to take a cold shower. The cold water finally settled his thoughts. To keep from thinking too much, he took out a Poké Ball, went into the courtyard, and sent out his Scyther. Then, he took out the Metal Coat he had just bought.
Looking at his Pokémon, Natsui smiled. "Scyther, let's evolve."
Scyther looked at the item in his hand and seemed to understand. It gave him a firm nod. As a former pack leader, it was a natural-born fighter and had no resistance to the idea of evolving.
Seeing the commotion, Gengar floated out from the shadows to watch with interest.
Natsui walked over and placed the Metal Coat on Scyther's forehead. The moment it touched, a brilliant white light erupted from Scyther's body. Hearing the noise, the window to Erika's room opened. She was fresh from a bath and wearing a robe. She smiled at Natsui first, then turned her gaze to the light. She had known what he was planning when he bought the Metal Coat, so she wasn't surprised.
Natsui looked away from her and back at his Scyther. He was very familiar with the light of evolution. He stepped back, and just as he did, the light vanished.
A cool, red Pokémon stood before him. It was Scyther's new, evolved form—Scizor. Scyther had two evolutionary paths, and using a Metal Coat was one of the common ways.
Scizor was a humanoid Pokémon, covered in crimson armor, with two pairs of translucent wings on its back that were mostly for show. The more Natsui looked at his new Scizor, the more he liked it. He took out his Pokédex and aimed it.
Pokédex:"Beep. Scizor, the Pincer Pokémon. A Bug- and Steel-type. Scizor has a body as hard as steel. Records show its strength even exceeds that of refined steel. Normal attacks cannot harm it at all. It flaps its wings at high speed to regulate its body temperature and prevent its metal body from melting during battle. Though its body is thin, it possesses astonishing attack power. Its steel-hard pincers can crush any hard object it grabs."
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