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Thanks to his unusually sharp perception, at least when girls weren't around, Brock immediately picked up on a slip in Kai's wording.
"No feelings for Erika? But you didn't deny the part about Sabrina… does that mean you were actually dating her!?"
'This guy…'
Kai raised an eyebrow.
He had to admit that when there weren't any girls nearby, Brock's IQ climbed fast. Gone was the hopeless romantic, replaced by what felt suspiciously like Detective Conan in a vest.
Sensing Kai's silence as confirmation, Brock leaned forward eagerly. "Kai, please! Teach me your secret! How do you get girls to like you so much?"
Kai glanced toward the hallway.
Erika, Misty, and Marina were still in the restroom. Good. If Erika had heard Brock say that, it might've caused some very awkward misunderstandings.
She might actually think Kai had invited her to travel with ulterior motives.
This needed to be shut down fast.
Looking over at Brock's eager (but ever-so-slightly aging) face, Kai cleared his throat and said seriously, "Well, if you really want to win a girl's heart, there's only one thing you need. Two words."
Brock's eyes lit up. "Two words?"
Kai nodded solemnly. "Just two."
Brock straightened in his seat, full of anticipation. "Is it… kindness? Persistence? Charm? Wit?"
Kai shook his head, hesitating as if debating whether to share such a powerful truth.
Brock leaned forward, nearly vibrating. "Come on, Kai—please! Tell me!"
Kai locked eyes with him, lowered his voice, and said with great gravity, "Alright… since you really want to know, I'll tell you. The two words you need to win over any girl are…"
He let the moment hang.
Brock leaned in so far he almost fell over.
Kai grinned.
"...Be handsome."
"...What."
Brock dropped to his knees, a thunderclap of despair ringing in his soul. He felt like he'd just swallowed a gallon of seawater and got punched in the gut at the same time.
Seriously? That was it?
If he were as good-looking as Kai, he wouldn't need help! He'd probably be married by now—with a baby old enough to be shopping for Poké Puffs!
Brock clutched his chest in agony.
"I was such a fool… I really thought you were going to teach me something useful..."
"Pika, Pika, Pika"
At the table, Pikachu rolled over laughing, paws gripping its belly in hysterics.
Even Ash, though he didn't totally understand the conversation, couldn't help but chuckle. There was something timeless about the way Kai and Brock interacted it was the kind of moment that made traveling together feel special.
A few minutes later, Erika, Misty, and Marina returned from the restroom… only to find Brock sulking in a corner, drawing circles on the floor with his finger, looking like he'd just failed every exam in life.
"Huh? What's wrong with him?" Misty asked, confused.
"Don't worry about it," Kai said casually. "He's suffered a deep emotional blow. He might need a while."
The girls exchanged puzzled glances but chose not to pry.
Just then, Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny entered the room again, this time accompanied by a man in his late twenties. His messy hair and oversized coat marked him immediately as someone who lived and breathed research.
Introductions were made, and the group learned his name—John, assistant to the recently missing Professor Spencer Hale.
Kai studied him for a moment. He looked exactly like someone who'd spent more time in ancient ruins than shaving.
After some brief greetings, Erika stepped forward and asked the question on everyone's mind. "Mr. John, could you please tell us what's going on?"
John looked to Jenny for approval. At her nod, he took a breath.
"It's the Unown."
"Unown!?" several voices echoed at once.
Only Kai, and perhaps Jenny and Joy, had heard the term before. The others, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Erika, were clearly unfamiliar.
Ash blinked. "Is that… a kind of Pokémon?"
"It is," John confirmed. "But an incredibly rare one only found in certain ancient ruins around the world."
He paused, then explained, "Professor Hale is one of the world's top experts on Unown and the ancient script they represent. We've been researching them for months, traveling from site to site. A few days ago, we finally discovered a major lead inside a desert ruin. But then… something went wrong."
John paused, visibly shaken by the memory.
"We were studying different walls in a sealed chamber. I was copying symbols from one side… and when I turned around—he was gone."
"Gone?" Misty repeated.
John nodded. "Vanished without a trace. In his place… was a box, filled with Unown glyphs."
Kai frowned slightly.
He couldn't help but think of a Professor they'd met at the Ruins of Alph someone else who could read the Unown language and had been researching similar mysteries. It was a small world. Surely Professor and Hale must have known each other.
John continued, "I brought the box back to Hale's estate and gave it to his daughter, Molly, thinking it was just… something left behind. But that night… the crystal phenomenon began. I ran into Molly's room and saw her surrounded by a swarm of Unown."
"And the estate started crystallizing shortly after?" Erika asked.
"Exactly." John nodded. "It's all being caused by the Unown. If we want to stop it… we have to stop them and rescue Molly."
That's when Officer Jenny stepped in. "Experts are on their way. But until they arrive, we need to keep the situation from spiraling. I know this is asking a lot, but… would you be willing to stay and help? We're out of our depth here, and you're all seasoned Trainers."
Before anyone else could respond, Ash stood up and clapped a fist to his chest. "Count us in, Officer Jenny! No matter what it takes—we'll help!"
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