~Nurse Aiko Joy~
As the trio of Kaede, Misty, and Soutarou stepped out of the battle arena they were immediately met by the much more flat and in uniform Nurse Joy who had immediately intercepted them with her staring at her cousin in indignation. All before she gave Soutarou a beautiful, but clearly pitiful smile with her hand open and ready to receive Pokéballs.
But in surprise Kaede then handed over two Pokéballs and including Latios' Masterball making the Nurse Joy's jaw drop and stare at Soutarou as if he were some sort of monster. She did a double take before Soutarou retrieved all three of his Pokéballs and handed them to her.
While Nurse Aiko Joy, who had introduced herself after Kaede explained how the battle went, took the Pokeballs on a tray as Kaede went ahead and released her Blissey to help Aiko with the increased workload. Aiko still had a dazed expression as she realized that Soutarou wasn't some chum who challenged her cousin randomly.
Sure her cousin lost only one Pokémon and her Latios was slightly injured… But that was her cousin, Kaede Joy. The strongest trainer of the entire Joy Clan! And Latios was a Legendary Pokémon in the hands of one of the strongest trainers alive! Even if her cousin held back most of her ability and her pokémon's ability, that was still… Absurd.
~Soutarou POV~
Feeling Aiko's gaze full of respect, Soutarou's eyebrows twitched and he thought, 'Do you have any idea how easy this woman was going on me? Forget Latios, even that Toxapex and Incineroar that Kaede admitted were only using about 5% of their actual ability. Well whatever… I guess that's really impressive to her…'
'Nurse Kaede Joy, huh… Why am I not getting that negative feeling from her anymore…?'
Kaede's gaze met Soutarou's and she chuckled and she said, "You're thinking something bad aren't you~?"
Soutarou deadpanned and he said, "What was the real point of that battle, Ms. Inspector?"
Kaede twirled her hair and she said, "That's a secret~"
All while leaning forwards a bit and putting her finger in front of her lips all while looking up at Soutarou with those eyes that seemed to hold no impurity, yet Soutarou clearly knew this woman was anything, but an angel.
'This damn she-devil… Why's she gotta say it like that.'
Misty on the other hand finally had enough and jutted herself right in between the two while she glared at Kaede and thought,
Kaede looked at Misty and then looked down at Misty's chest and immediately puffed her chest out and she left out a, "Heh."
Misty's face darkened immediately and she glanced over at Soutarou who was now staring up at the ceiling admiring the chiseled stone vibe of the Pokémon Center. Her face turned even darker and immediately kicked Soutarou's leg in annoyance.
Soutarou coughed into his fist and said, "The ceiling is quite interesting isn't Misty-"
Misty's arms shot behind her and her annoyed face closed in near Soutarou's and said, "Shut up."
Soutarou warily smiled and turned to Kaede with that 'Why did you have to do that' look.
As the trio began walking around and bickering amongst each other before Kaede finally asked, "Are you going to challenge the Pewter Gym?"
Soutarou turned around and said, "That's the plan."
Kaede scratched her chin in contemplation and asked, "What about after that?"
Soutarou paused for a moment and said, "Cerulean, Celadon, Vermillion, and then Saffron. Before heading over to Johto and going for Violet City, Azalea Town, and Cianwood, before heading to the Safari Zone."
Kaede tapped her finger against her chin before saying, "Have room for one more?"
Soutarou's eyes widened and he said, "Are you sure…? I'm just warning you I'm really not who you think I might be."
Kaede laughed softly and she said, "Don't worry. I know who I'm looking for."
Soutarou's eyes narrowed and he finally let it go and said, "Of course we're always happy to have more company. The more's the merrier-'
Misty said flatly, "Sorry, but we don't have any more tents or sleeping bags."
Kaede smiled and said, "It's ok I can share with Soutarou."
Soutarou literally choked on air the moment she said that, with his eyes wandering for a moment before he focused and said, "It's no problem I'll just buy-"
Misty stomped on his foot and said, "We don't want anyone else joining."
Soutarou sighed and then turned to Kaede, before Kaede grabbed Misty for a moment and dragged her somewhere before whispering something into her ear that made her ears turn completely red.
Misty tried to fan her face before the pair came back and Misty just glared at Soutarou and Kaede happily clapped her hands together, making Soutarou utterly curious about just what Kaede could've possibly said and so of course he asked to which he only got Kaede winking at him playfully and Misty avoidantly saying, "She'll give us free healing and let us eat Blissey eggs. Why wouldn't I say yes?"
Soutarou's eyes narrowed and he said, "Really?"
Misty softly muttered, "She's said she'll help us train too…"
Soutarou let it go after hearing that, but what he didn't notice was the gleam in both girls' eyes.
Without much more though the trio went to the Poké Center's cafeteria and had lunch before Misty said she wanted to explore the city a bit, and Soutarou whose Pokémon still weren't healed, made the executive decision to push the Gym Battle to tomorrow no matter how easy he thought it might be. Plus by the time they finished with Misty's side quest Soutarou doubted he'd have time left to challenge the Gym before it closed for the day.
And so the trio went into the city, before Soutarou discretely took out his SummersDex and called Sebastian via the small red colored handheld device.
Unfortunately for Soutarou at that moment that call connected Kaede and Misty came over and Misty came over and said, "Hey I've been meaning to ask, why is your Pokédex so different?"
Sebastian who was about to greet his master turned his head in surprise before Soutarou lied through his teeth as naturally as breathing and said, "It's a prototype of a new Pokédex our Morita Corporation made, called the SummersDex."
Kaede raised an eyebrow and looked at the device that clearly showed Sebastian's face and was also a Pokédex before Soutarou just clearly explained, "It's named after someone Professor Oak thought I looked awfully like. And I honored him and named the device after them."
Kaede nodded her head before Sebastian's eyes glinted and he stared at Kaede before saying, "Kaede Joy. What a pleasure."
Kaede responded, "Sebastian Valor Belmont, the pleasure is all mine. Our clans have had a long standing friendship, I didn't realize you were Soutarou's retainer."
Sebastian's eyes seemed friendly on the surface, however they were anything but and Kaede immediately noticed it too, while Misty and Soutarou were too clueless to notice anything.
Soutarou explained how he'd battled Kaede and fought her Latios and how his journey had been so far, before Sebastian finally interrupted and said, "So why exactly did you run away, young master?"
Soutarou clearly explained, "For the authentic trainer experience of course!"
Sebastian's eyebrow twitched and he said, "What if something had happened to you? How would I answer your father or mother in the afterlife or the Ghost World?"
Soutarou kept a picture perfect poker face, but Misty's face instinctively turned saddened and guilty which Sebastian noticed right away. Sebastian stayed quiet before saying, "What's the real story, young master?"
Soutarou sighed and said, "We might have had a run in with Team Rocket..."
Sebastian's gaze hardened and he said, "I'm sure with Kaede there nothing happened-"
Soutarou smiled thinly, "She wasn't with us…"
Sebastian's gaze darkened and he said, "Who exactly did you run into, young master?"
Soutarou just gave it up and bluntly said, "A trio by the names of Domino, Jessie, and Cassidy."
Sebastian looked as if he had a heart attack on the spot and he muttered, "You actually got away from those three? They're S-grade criminals, Morita-dono! Forgive me for my rudeness, but I cannot accept this. You must return to the mansion at once, young master."
Soutarou shook his head and said, "It's fine if they come back Kaede, Me, and Misty will teach those Rockets a lesson-"
What he didn't notice was how dangerous Kaede's gaze had become and she softly said, "Soutarou-kun… You didn't tell me you ran into S-grade criminals… And as for beating those three…You don't need to worry about them… I can at the very least keep Soutarou safe from harm's way. So no need to worry about Soutarou-kun. "
Those words only made Sebastian turn more worried, but he sighed and said with a hardened gaze, "Very well I'll entrust his safety to you Ms. Joy… Now, why did you actually call me, young master?"
Soutarou then explained how he needed certain supplies from a store of theirs and that he needed more on hand funds.
Sebastian quickly nodded and then just told Soutarou the progress of the developments of each project to which Soutarou turned the Dex off of speaker and camera mode and put it to his ear listening carefully. All before Soutarou just said to continue as is, with a significant emphasis on funding Professor Sada.
Then Soutarou quickly remembered something and said, "Oh right Sebastian, find me a few people… First is a boy named Goh. He should be close with Professor Cerise's daughter. Yes that Professor Cerise, the one that's Old man Oak's student. Once you find him… Blacklist him from all of our products and ban him from our partners. Other than that, keep an eye on Gym Leader Giovanni-"
Sebastian turned confused and said, "Gym Leader Giovanni? Giovanni of Earth? The Strongest Gym Leader in the Indigo League? The one with the upcoming and talented son named Silver?"
Soutarou literally spasmed and glitched in real life as he said, "Say that again?"
Sebastian said, "The Strongest Gym Leader in the Indigo League?"
Soutarou quickly said, "No I mean- No you said he has a son? Does the son have red hair and a sneasel?"
Sebastian thought for a moment and said, "Yes he has red hair, but no he has a weavile."
Soutarou's eyes narrowed in annoyance, before he said, "All the more reason. Keep an eye on him. Keep me posted if any information about former Champion Red or Blue shows up. Also look into the Draconids for me too and it would be nice if you could get me some information on Chairman Rose-"
Sebastian chuckled and said, "Chairman Rose? You mean that criminal Rose from Galar who tried to become Chairman? The current Chairwoman is Oleana, if I'm not mistaken, she's also the CEO of Macro Cosmos, their dominance in Galar has been hard to break to be blunt, young master. As for Oleana, she's very secretive. Most of the public doesn't even know she's chairwoman… No one knows why."
Soutarou clutched his head and said nothing else for a moment, digesting all the new information before he said, "Keep an eye on her then. Keep your eyes out for information on a Pokemon named Eternatus in specific.
Just as the two were about to end the call Sebastian suddenly said a worrying line, "Young master. Be careful of women, especially those who are powerful trainers. Don't take it to heart too much, but be careful and wary. You never know what could happen."
Soutarou said nothing, but his eyes narrowed all the same.
'I knew it. This old man wouldn't have said anything unless he was certain about something.'
'Well… The good news is I have a living… hot… sorry… breathing experience machine next to me now…'
Soutarou's eyes lit up with pokedollar signs as he glanced at Kaede, before his eyes seemingly watched Misty dragging Kaede around a Morita Corp. designer store.
While in reality his eyes were focused on an entirely different view…