Chapter 203: New Identity
Xiaoyuan's eyes were still red, but the earlier panic had subsided, replaced by a fragile determination. "I understand." she said quietly, her voice still thick with emotion. "I won't let you down again."
Xiu managed a faint smile, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "Hey, you're still young. Plenty of time to learn." He added, with a touch of his usual wryness, "Besides, think of it this way: if I do kick the bucket early, the entire company becomes yours. You should be thrilled."
"Xiu!" Xiaoyuan smacked his arm lightly, exasperated by his morbid attempt at humor, though a reluctant, watery smile touched her lips despite herself.
He chuckled, then deftly changed the subject, steering the conversation towards anything to distract her from the uncomfortable truth he'd accidentally revealed. He kept talking until he saw her focus shift entirely back to work, the immediate crisis averted.
Finally managing to extricate himself from the room, Xiu glanced back at the closed door with a lingering sense of unease, then quickened his pace down the corridor. That was too close. I need to be more careful next time.
He stopped outside room 904 and knocked lightly. "Xiaochun? It's Xiu."
The door opened almost immediately. Xiaochun stood there, looking up at him with her usual silent intensity. Xiu slipped inside quickly, leaning back against the closed door for a moment, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
Xiaochun tilted her head, her expression conveying curiosity at his slightly flustered demeanor.
"It's nothing," Xiu reassured her, guessing her unspoken question. He waved a dismissive hand and walked further into the room. "You were looking for me earlier? What's wrong?"
Xiaochun simply pointed to the bandage still visible beneath the hem of her shirt.
Ah, right. Time for a dressing change. "Sorry," Xiu apologized, feeling a pang of guilt. "I overslept and got distracted. My bad." He sat down on the edge of the sofa in the small living area, retrieving his medical supplies from his backpack. He patted the cushion beside him. "Come here."
She obediently sat next to him and lifted her shirt without prompting, revealing the bandaged wound on her lower abdomen. Xiu worked quickly and efficiently, his hands steady as he cleaned the area and applied a fresh dressing. "Nice! Looking much better."
"Keep eating the nutrient paste I gave you; it helps with healing. Just give it another two days, maybe, and it should be mostly closed up. Then you can finally have a proper bath, get some new clothes… and put the past behind you completely."
He finished securing the bandage and found himself smiling genuinely. The thought of Xiaochun finally being free from the reminders of her ordeal felt… good. He let out a small, almost unconscious chuckle.
Xiaochun watched him silently, her own expression unreadable. Then, she reached into a pocket and produced a small, official-looking booklet, handing it to him.
"Ah, excellent," Xiu said, taking it. "Professor Oak is quite considerate." He opened the booklet and inside was a new identity card, complete with a recent, surprisingly clear photo of Xiaochun.
He noticed Xiaochun carefully observing his smiling face, her own lips twitching slightly, as if trying to mimic the expression. The attempt looked stiff, unnatural on her usually stoic features.
Xiu scanned the details on the ID card – name, date of birth, place of origin (Viridian City, naturally). All the necessary basics were filled in, impeccably well done by Professor Oak's connections. He closed the booklet and handed it back to her. Leaning forward slightly and lowered his voice, "Xiaochun," he said softly, using the name on the card.
"That's who you are now. Xiaochun, born and raised right here in Viridian City."
She took the booklet with both hands, clutching it tightly, her gaze fixed on the photo. Xiu saw the muscles around her mouth tremble again, a struggle for an emotion she didn't know how to express.
He reached out instinctively and gently ruffled her short, dark hair. "Don't force it," he advised kindly. "Relax. Laughter comes from inside, when you feel it. Your life is just beginning now. Go experience it, feel your new freedom. When the time is right, the smile will come naturally."
Xiaochun looked up at him, nodding slowly, a thoughtful, almost puzzled look on her face that Xiu found endearingly innocent. He couldn't help another soft chuckle, which only seemed to increase her curiosity.
"Okay, okay," he said, standing up. "I actually have somewhere to be soon, but first… mind if I borrow your bathroom?" He realized he'd rushed out after his conversation with Xiaoyuan without taking care of himself. Can't go out looking like I just rolled out of bed after a crisis.
He quickly prepared some food for Abra and Scizor (while Happiny was still 'napping' in the PokéBall), releasing them in Xiaochun's room while he slipped into the bathroom.
"Ahhh…" Xiu sank into the hot water of the bathtub with a groan of pure bliss. Luxury suites have their perks. His own small room barely had space for a shower stall. He let his muscles relax, the fatigue of the past few days settling deep into his bones.
He hadn't been soaking for long when the bathroom door creaked open. Gentle, almost silent footsteps approached. Xiaochun. He didn't bother moving, just turned his head slightly, peering at her through the steam. "What is it?"
She simply stood beside the tub, watching him with that unnervingly direct gaze, showing no sign of embarrassment or awkwardness.
Xiu sighed. "Abra," he called out mentally, establishing the telepathic link facilitated by his Pokémon. "What does she want?"
Abra relayed the girl's simple, direct thought:
Xiu sputtered, sitting up slightly. "What?!" He stared at Xiaochun, bewildered. "No! Why would you think…?" He paused, realization dawning. "By any chance, did you recall a memory of me bathing?"
Her mental reply was hesitant but affirmative.
"They're Pokémon!" Xiu exclaimed, exasperated. "You're human! It's completely different!" Gods, this kid has zero social conditioning.
"Haaa…" Xiu took a deep breath, trying to remain patient. "No, I did wrong by not explaining things properly." He adjusted his tone, speaking aloud again. "Look, Xiaochun, we have some time now. Why don't you go sit in the living room? I need to teach you some… basic common sense about human interactions."
She nodded obediently and padded out of the bathroom. Xiu sank back into the water, sighing again. Using Abra as a relay, he began patiently explaining concepts like privacy, personal space, and the difference between interacting with Pokémon companions and other humans…
Half an hour later, washed, dressed in clean clothes, and feeling marginally more human, Xiu found Professor Oak in his temporary office space within the Pokémon Center.
Oak looked up as he entered, raising an eyebrow at Xiu's appearance. "Ah, finally among the living. You look… less like death warmed over." Then his expression shifted slightly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Xiu managed a strained smile, shaking his head. "Nothing, Professor. Just… thinking." I can't exactly blame him for Xiaoyuan's reaction when I was the one who spilled the beans now, can I?
"You gave everyone quite a scare, sleeping that long," Oak remarked, his tone holding a note of genuine concern beneath the usual scientific detachment. "You need to take better care of yourself, Xiu. Pushing your limits constantly has consequences."
"I know, Professor," Xiu deflected, not wanting to rehash the conversation he'd just had with Xiaoyuan. "What's the situation?"
"It's okay," Oak confirmed. "They rescued the Gym Leader from the rubble. He's alive, but critically injured. Multiple fractures, internal damage. He hasn't regained consciousness yet." He leveled a knowing gaze at Xiu.
"Your plan succeeded, however brutally. The market is in chaos, prices are crashing, and whispers of infighting among the factions are already spreading. You certainly stirred quite the pot."
"Speaking of stirring," Xiu said, changing the subject smoothly. He placed the bundle of documents and the micro-cassette tapes recovered from the Gym Leader's hidden stash onto Oak's desk. "Evidence. These should be useful." He intentionally omitted the more valuable books and the vials found in the ceiling beam.
Oak picked up the items, his sharp eyes quickly assessing their significance. He processed the implications instantly, a flicker of understanding – and perhaps weary resignation – crossing his face. He sighed. "This implicates him thoroughly."
"I'm taking this to Head Nurse Joy," Xiu stated, gathering the evidence back up. "Do you want to accompany me, Professor?"
Oak waved a dismissive hand, leaning back in his chair. "No, no. You handle it. She's likely waiting for your report."
Leaving Professor Oak, Xiu went directly to Head Nurse Joy's office and immediately presented the bundle of evidence.
Head Nurse Joy examined the ledger and listened briefly to the tapes. "This confirms his direct role," she acknowledged, her expression grimly satisfied. "But it's all indirect regarding his backers. Middlemen, coded messages… it doesn't give us enough to directly move against the higher-ups."
"It's enough," Xiu countered calmly. "Those people aren't clean. They don't know exactly what evidence we have. This," he gestured to the bundle, "combined with the attack on the Gym, creates uncertainty and suspicion. They'll scramble to cover their tracks, point fingers, and betray each other.
The more mistakes they make, the more evidence will surface." He met her gaze levelly. "And frankly, with your resources and authority… once you have a legitimate excuse to start investigating them directly, finding proof becomes much easier, doesn't it?"
He then casually produced a heavy sack, letting it thud onto the desk beside the evidence. "I also recovered from this from his private stash. Over seven million all in all."
Head Nurse Joy looked from the sack of money to the evidence, then back to Xiu, her gaze suddenly sharp and assessing. The pieces then clicked into place – the evidence and the substantial sum of cash. Something about Xiu's calm demeanor seemed to trigger a deeper suspicion.
"Alright, Xiu," she said slowly, her voice dangerously smooth. "What is it that you really want?"