"Oh well, who made me get stuck with you? Come with me." Ethan sighed with a headache, but ultimately decided to help her for the sake of 'May's' identity.
After all, she was one of his childhood sweetheart heroines. Her looks, while not exactly earth-shattering, were still quite attractive — and given the chance, he could still pursue her~.
If it had been any other beautiful woman, even if she threw herself at him, he would have given at most a 10% discount.
Beautiful women are nice, but you can't sacrifice money for them, right? Besides, would a rich man ever lack beautiful women?
"But… I can't even afford a 90% discount right now." Sapphire said, feeling embarrassed.
Even with a 90% discount, it would still cost DP$50,000!
As an ordinary college student who also spent money raising Pokémon, how could she possibly have that much in savings?
"Since I invited you over, naturally I won't charge you. Of course, if you really feel bad about it, you could always pay with your body — I wouldn't mind." Ethan shrugged indifferently.
"I would mind!" Sapphire blushed.
She was right — this guy really did have designs on her body!
Normally, Sapphire would never accept such a free favor. What would she do if he actually demanded physical payment someday?
But today, for some reason, her heart was filled with an inexplicable nostalgia, as if she had developed some indescribable feeling for him. She was even willing to accept this free benefit.
Remember, free things are often the most dangerous.
However, she didn't know that her emotions were being influenced by Ethan's Aura.
He could adjust his Aura frequency to change how others perceived him. Sapphire felt nostalgic toward him partly because she was genuinely sentimental about meeting an old classmate, but also because she was affected by his Aura.
In simple terms, Ethan was emitting a special pheromone that attracted her, making her want to follow him and subconsciously feel safe in his presence.
The two of them walked to the small training field behind the shop. The facilities there had been reinforced to gym standards to prevent Pokémon from causing too much damage during training.
"We're here. Let Blaziken out first." Ethan instructed.
"Alright, come out, Chic." Sapphire gently tossed a Poké Ball, and a red light immediately burst from it, taking the form of a Blaziken.
Chic was the name she had given her Blaziken when it was still a Torchic. Since she was used to calling it that, she hadn't changed the name.
This incident teaches us not to name Pokémon too early, or it might become embarrassing later.
"Long time no see, Chic. Do you still remember me?" Ethan stepped forward to greet her, casually stroking her orange-red… chicken feathers.
"Blazi? (Is that you? That punk who always bullied my May!)"
Blaziken recognized him instantly and cautiously stepped back.
She knew this man all too well. Throughout high school, he had constantly teased her trainer, making her blush bright red with his flirtations and wandering hands.
The impressive part was that he always got away with it. He could make May angry but never hate him — a skill worthy of admiration.
Over time, even Blaziken had started habitually using 'May' as a nickname for Sapphire, showing just how much influence Ethan had on both of them. If he weren't their enemy, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him their psychological shadow.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not going to catch you to make chicken stew. We might see each other often in the future, right, May?" Since Ethan couldn't pet Chic, he turned to touch the trainer instead.
"Stop it…" Sapphire hurriedly stepped back with a red face, but instead of showing the disgust Blaziken expected, she displayed the shyness of a young woman.
"Blaziken! (What!)"
This scene shocked Blaziken. What was with that shy reaction? May should be snapping back at him, not blushing like a teapot!
What was going on? Had her May actually developed feelings for that villain?
No way, no way. Had May become addicted to his bullying? She wasn't avoiding him — she was shyly letting him continue his teasing. Had she awakened as a masochist?
The chicken had only been out of the loop for a short while, but it felt like the world had turned upside down!
"Chic, don't overthink things. I came to him because I need his help." Sapphire explained, her face flushed.
"Blazi? (What could possibly make you seek him out specifically?)"
Blaziken was skeptical. As they say, explanations are just cover-ups. Ethan had been the most influential person during their high school years, so it wouldn't be strange if May couldn't forget him.
"You'll see in a moment." Sapphire didn't know how to explain, so she left it to Ethan.
"Blaziken… (Sigh, forget it. Girls grow up and leave. Since you like him, I'll support you in marrying him.)" Blaziken looked utterly resigned.
"I already told you it's not what you think!" Sapphire snapped.
Couldn't this chicken understand human language?
Just because I meet him once means I like him? I see plenty of people every day — does that mean I fall in love with everyone I meet?
"Alright, alright. May really is here for my help. I'll help you awaken your second ability, Blaze. You need to remember that feeling well." Ethan reminded her.
"Blazi? (Blaze? I understand.)"
Blaziken suddenly realized he was going to help change her ability.
Though she believed Speed Boost was superior to Blaze, since it was her trainer's request, there must be a special plan behind it. As a loyal Pokémon, she would cooperate.
So Blaziken didn't overthink it and silently accepted the villain's touch.
But soon she felt something wrong. It wasn't that his touch seemed inappropriate — rather, she suddenly felt enormous heat energy emerging within her body. The heat was like a furnace floating in her abdomen, burning her internal organs. If she didn't release that immense energy, she would burst!
"Blaziken!"
Blaziken let out a joyful cry as a wave of heat erupted from within her, forming a raging fire that enveloped her body. Her power surged dramatically.
What was truly astonishing was that despite unleashing such powerful Blaze, she still retained her Speed Boost ability. She now had two abilities simultaneously.
How could this be possible?
Something that should have been impossible had happened to her. No wonder May was willing to endure his teasing for his help — this villain possessed incredible skills!
Blaziken was overjoyed. With this power, she could finally wash away the shame of her recent defeat at the eighth gym.
Even from a distance, Sapphire could feel the intense heat radiating from Chic's flames — much hotter than any Blaze she had ever witnessed. She had never seen such a powerful Blaziken!
Ethan had actually done it with just a few casual touches. How was this possible?
More incredibly, while Sapphire found the heat uncomfortable from where she stood, Ethan continued touching Chic with his bare hands, completely unfazed by the flames.
What was happening? Was this really the same man she knew?
It was mind-boggling. Sapphire realized how little she knew about this man. She had never truly understood him, only interacting based on first impressions — judging him purely by appearances.
Now, watching the young man working earnestly amid the flames, completely unaffected, Sapphire felt a strange sense of disorientation.
She had never seen him being serious before, and it was somehow… attractive.
After a long while, Ethan finally withdrew his hand from the flames, his skin as pristine white as ever, without the slightest burn mark.
This was all thanks to the protection of his Aura power, which could both shield his body and be shaped into Aura bombs to blast targets — truly a versatile ability.
He had completely unlocked the "genetic lock" for Blaziken, fully releasing the potential of her Blaze ability. As a result, her Blaze was even more intense than the ordinary version, and its power was likely much greater.
"What are you spacing out for? Mesmerized by looking at me?" Ethan finished his work and walked over to Sapphire with a smile.
Seeing her still in a daze, he couldn't help but tease her as usual.
"Dream on, I was clearly mesmerized by my Chic." Sapphire's face reddened. She discovered that when faced with his teasing now, she could no longer show her previous disgust, but instead felt some inexplicable flutter inside.
Clearly, the young man's astonishing ability to handle fire unharmed had left a profound impression on her. This single act had completely transformed his former image of an immoral scoundrel.
"So that's why you don't have a boyfriend — you're into that kind of thing." Ethan said with a sly expression.
"You're the one into that! And when did I ever say I don't have a boyfriend?" Sapphire snapped, her temper flaring.
"Chic, who is Sapphire's boyfriend?" Ethan turned to Blaziken directly.
"Blazi? (How would I know?)"
Blaziken, still experiencing the rush of her Blaze power, replied casually, showing no loyalty to her trainer in this moment.
"Sapphire, this is where you're wrong. Pokémon and trainers are one entity — when you marry, it's as if your Pokémon marries too. How could you secretly find a man without telling Chic?" Ethan smiled triumphantly.
"I…"
I really want to punch someone!
Sapphire fumed inwardly. Whose side was Chic on anyway? That devil only helped you unlock an enhancement, and you're already taking his side?
This Pokémon is hopeless — maybe I should give it away!
"Alright, Chic might need some more time to get familiar. Let's wait over there." Ethan said, easing off his teasing. He took her hand and led her to the nearby rest area to sit quietly.
Even without Blaziken's answer, he could tell that Sapphire didn't have a boyfriend.
First, he could detect lies through the Aura she emitted. Second, his Aura could penetrate anything, giving him a god-like perspective. If he wished, anyone within a hundred meters would be as exposed as if they wore nothing, making it easy to determine whether Sapphire was still pure.
Thanks to his Aura abilities, Ethan could easily read her current thoughts. The fluctuations she emitted matched exactly what appeared when a young woman was falling in love — she was developing feelings for him.
This gave him the confidence to take her hand without hesitation, knowing she wouldn't protest.
Indeed, when Sapphire felt his hand holding hers, her breath caught and her face flushed deeper. Yet she pretended not to notice, allowing him to hold her hand without resistance or any sign of wanting to pull away.
"Um… is Chic's current state considered mastery?" Sapphire asked, feeling flustered by his touch. Her restless mind scrambled for any topic of conversation.
"Not even close. This energy was activated with my help. We need to see if she can activate it herself after the energy fades, otherwise we'll need to continue training." Ethan explained, while growing bolder with his actions.
He not only continued caressing Sapphire's small hand but eventually interlocked their fingers, firmly securing her grip in his.
"Then… how long do we have to wait?" Sapphire asked, acutely aware of the young man's dominant presence, her insides fluttering with embarrassment.
Apart from the flush on her face, she showed no reaction, pretending not to notice. Yet her slender fingers couldn't help but press back slightly, interlocking with his — a subtle gesture of willingness.
"I don't know, it depends on Chic's talent. With good talent, ten minutes will do it; if slow, it might take several days. How long do you hope it will take?" Ethan leaned close to her ear and whispered mischievously.
Their fingers remained intertwined, his question clearly asking how long she wanted this private moment with him to last.
"However long it takes." Sapphire replied with feigned indifference, but her shy gesture of turning her head away revealed her pleased heart.
"Fine, but just waiting like this is boring. How about I sing you a song?" Ethan didn't care what she said; with many tricks up his sleeve, he immediately proposed another playful idea.
"Sing if you want…" Sapphire maintained her shy, temperamental act.
"In that case, a song called 'My Deskmate' for you, my deskmate." Ethan smiled slightly, released her still somewhat reluctant hand, and pulled out an exquisite guitar from behind the sofa.
As an Aura user, his understanding of music came naturally. With his repository of songs from his previous life, if he were to enter the entertainment industry with those popular tunes, current stars would likely be overshadowed.
Sapphire stared at the guitar in surprise, her eyes filled with disbelief. She'd thought he just wanted to sing casually, but he even had professional equipment.
By the looks of it, he seemed quite skilled. How many more talents did he have?
This guy was too versatile — was he really the same pervert she knew for three years in high school?
Dong~!
As Ethan strummed the strings, a melancholic melody drew out her memories like the hand of time. And as his voice rose, her thoughts drifted back to those beautiful, youthful days.
♪Will you remember tomorrow's light?♪
♪The diary you wrote by candlelight♪ …
♪I flipped through photos, memories bright♪
♪Only then recalling my deskmate's sight♪ …
♪You claimed graduation was years away♪
♪Yet like shadows, we all slipped away♪
♪Who was there when tears filled your eyes?♪
♪Who held you close and calmed your sighs?♪
♪Who read the letters penned with care?♪
♪Who cast them free on the open air?♪
♪Those golden days have faded to gray♪
♪Someday I'll have a wife, they say♪
♪I'll show her pictures of youth's sweet glow♪
♪And tell of my deskmate from long ago♪ …
When the song ended, Sapphire found herself completely immersed in sorrowful memories, whether from the influence of his Aura or simply moved by his singing.
Strange — she didn't remember those times being so sad. Why did she suddenly feel so heartbroken?
Was it his sorrowful lyrics, or were the scenes they depicted simply too painful to bear?
Especially that line "Those golden days have faded to gray, Someday I'll have a wife, they say". The words made Sapphire's heart clench. It undoubtedly meant she wouldn't be his wife, an image she found difficult to accept.
She didn't want him to have another wife. She didn't want someone else to put up their long hair…
Coming back to her senses, Sapphire realized her eyes were filled with tears. A song had actually moved her to crying.
Finally surrendering to her feelings, she leaned into his embrace, burying her tear-stained face deep in his chest — as if hiding her vulnerability from his gaze.
Ethan set down the guitar and gently stroked her head to comfort her.
But his lips curved into a smile. While singing, he hadn't forgotten to adjust his Aura frequency, deliberately guiding Sapphire toward sadness and longing. He had manipulated her emotions with ease.
You little thing, thinking you could escape my grasp after high school graduation. Dreaming too much...
After a long while, Sapphire, still in his embrace, finally spoke with a hint of reproach, "Do you treat every beautiful girl who comes here for training like this?"
If not, why else would he have a guitar hidden behind the sofa? It seemed too perfectly planned.
"How could that be? You can rest assured — I only treat you this way." Ethan quickly denied.
"Really?" Sapphire remained suspicious.
"Of course! I've been running this shop for ages, and everyone else pays properly. You're the only one who hasn't paid a cent, so I have to find other ways to recoup my costs, right?" Ethan rolled his eyes, effectively proving he wasn't some playboy who flirted with every girl he met.
"Get lost!" Sapphire pushed him away, completely dumbfounded.
What the hell is wrong with his brain?!
The mood was perfect — I would have fallen for him with just a little more flirting. But what's with that comment?
He can't be serious, right? Just trying to recoup costs? He should have completely won me over first! Once I'm his, couldn't he recoup his costs however he wanted?
He just had to say something like that — what is wrong with him, seriously?
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T/N: If you want to read more, my Patreon has over 40 advanced chapters (120,000 words) available, with Special Chapters (+18) and character images as well, along with Pokémon. Feel free to check it out!
https://www.patreon.com/c/whitesabbath