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Ash gently placed his hand on Vulpix's body; its soft fur gave him a feeling of refreshment. It was evident that this Vulpix was very well-groomed in terms of physique. Although its combat abilities were relatively average, from its appearance, it should be among the top of its species.
Suzie, who was conversing with Brock nearby, inadvertently glanced at Ash. She then noticed that Ash had already touched Vulpix. One must know that Vulpix is very afraid of strangers. If someone were to touch her casually, she might directly unleash a Flamethrower!
Suzie quickly tried to stop Ash, but then she noticed Vulpix emitting comfortable Growls under Ash's hand.
"This massage technique… are you also a Pokémon Breeder?" Suzie walked up to Ash in small steps and asked softly.
"Not really, I can only say I know a little about massage techniques. Compared to a true Pokémon Breeder, I'm still far behind," Ash replied without turning his head.
In reality, if he included Aura Power, he could definitely be selected as a professional Pokémon Breeder. However, Ash did not count this special ability among his qualifications.
One must know that in another timeline, he reached the pinnacle of the entire world without the help of any special abilities, becoming the strongest Pokémon Breeder in the world!
Compared to that other him, his current self could, at best, only be considered a beginner.
"You're being a bit too modest, you know. Look at Vulpix, she's so comfortable."
Vulpix in Ash's hands had been showing a relaxed expression, and she didn't prevent him from touching her just because Ash was a stranger. This was the first time Suzie had seen Vulpix act this way towards a stranger.
"It's because I have some special power. If we're talking about Pokémon Breeder knowledge, then Brock is much more amazing," Ash replied with a smile, then released his hands from massaging Vulpix.
"Alright, this massage is over. Your body is already in optimal condition."
"Woof~"
"Even if it feels good, I can't keep massaging you. Besides, if too much of that power is infused, you might not be able to handle it."
"Woof~"
"No, I can't stay here forever. I still have to become a Pokémon Master."
Suzie, watching Ash talk to himself, had a puzzled expression on her face. Who was he talking to?
A few seconds later, Suzie suddenly realized that besides Vulpix, who else could have responded to Ash here?
"You can talk to Pokémon?"
"Hmm, I can understand some of it, also because of my special ability," Ash replied with a grin.
"That's truly amazing! Besides understanding Vulpix relatively well, I can't understand what any other Pokémon are saying at all. Your ability is very suitable for being a Pokémon Breeder! If you can understand Pokémon language, you can completely tailor massages and recovery plans for them based on their needs."
Suzie's beautiful eyes seemed to sparkle with little stars. In the past, only other Pokémon Breeders looked at her this way; this was her first time looking at someone else like this.
Brock's face next to them turned a bit dark.
What's going on! Why is the person he admires suddenly starting to admire his teammate?
Ash, this guy, isn't satisfied with Misty; he has to go around attracting other people, too!
If he's going to attract people, he should attract people his own age! Why attract his older sister figure!
Brock was full of complaints internally, but he didn't say anything outwardly. He wouldn't betray his brother over something like this. But more importantly… Ash's skills were genuine; there was no platform to break down.
After Ash politely declined Suzie's request to learn how to listen to Pokémon language, he looked around curiously and said, "Miss Suzie, aren't you a very famous professional Pokémon Breeder? Why are there so few people coming to this place? It should be peak hour now."
It was nearing evening, a time when people and Pokémon alike, tired from a day's work, needed to relax.
So it should be rush hour now. Why was this place empty except for Misty?
Hearing this, Suzie also gave a bitter smile: "The situation is a bit complicated."
There were quite a few professional Pokémon Breeders in the Kanto region, and among them, Suzie was the most famous.
It wasn't that Suzie's breeding skills were the highest, but rather that Suzie was both beautiful and skilled in breeding. This was why she was so famous and had won the "Most Popular Pokémon Breeder" title multiple times.
However, Suzie not only didn't take that so-called "Most Popular Pokémon Breeder" title to heart; she didn't even want it!
Because of that title, countless people initially came to find her!
However, ninety percent of them came for her looks! As a professional Pokémon Breeder, the fees certainly couldn't be too low. Simple decoration didn't mean poverty!
Therefore, ordinary people didn't have the money to come here every day for Pokémon relaxation.
And those who initially came for Suzie's beauty, after realizing that while Suzie appeared gentle and amiable, she treated everyone the same and couldn't be swayed, eventually gave up.
The remaining customers were all those who came for Suzie's skills. Although not many, under the high fees of a professional Pokémon Breeder, the income was still quite substantial. Suzie remained unique on Beauty Street.
But later, as other Pokémon Breeders on Beauty Street changed their strategies, fewer and fewer people came to Suzie for training. This was because the training effects elsewhere were not only similar to Suzie's, but the fees were also significantly cheaper.
"How is that possible? Professional Pokémon Breeders are already few, and their fees are usually standardized. If they are professional Pokémon Breeders and their fees are so low, isn't that malicious competition!" Brock said, sounding a bit displeased after hearing this.
Suzie shook her head and said, "They are not professional Pokémon Breeders. They just use some special methods to temporarily boost a Pokémon's spirit and vitality, but those boosts are harmful and have side effects for the Pokémon."
"However, because those who come to Beauty Street are mostly transients, it's basically a one-time business. Even if they do notice something unusual with their Pokémon, they will just deflect blame, saying it's due to their own Pokémon training."
Upon hearing this, Ash and his two companions all showed expressions of anger. How could such irresponsible behavior towards Pokémon be tolerated?
"Can't they be reported?" Misty couldn't help but ask.
Suzie shook her head: "It's not that it can't be done, but rather that it shouldn't. In reality, this is also my fault."
After learning that those Pokémon Breeders on Beauty Street were using such methods to attract customers, Suzie had even gone to them to persuade them, asking them not to continue doing such wrong things.
But instead, she was talked back to by them.
"As a professional Pokémon Breeder, you don't have to worry about food or clothing. One of your fees is worth five of ours! Of course, you wouldn't use such methods."
"But have you considered, if we don't do this, we'll starve! Who told you, a professional Pokémon Breeder, to be here!"
"There are so many great places outside, but you insist on coming to this corner to steal our business! I'm truly fed up."
"…"
Such words came from the mouths of those Pokémon Breeders, leaving Misty at a loss for what to do.
"The reason they act this way is ultimately because I've squeezed their living space. If I report them, they will completely lose their source of income, and I also plan to leave Beauty Street during this time."
"They are right, I really should go see the outside world. If I leave, they should return to their old ways, right?"
Suzie's words were full of helplessness. To put it plainly, she was too kind. This kind of malicious competition, one report would surely expose them!
After all, the potions, nutrient solutions, and other things those people used were all problematic and couldn't withstand scrutiny.
But those people exploited Suzie's inherent kindness, confident that she wouldn't report them, which is why they acted so brazenly.
"That's not right, Miss Suzie," Ash said, looking at Misty with a serious expression.
"A bad thing is a bad thing. The reasons can be understood, but they cannot be forgiven. Such things that harm Pokémon should be stopped immediately. Being excellent is not your fault. If your excellence causes them to be unable to make a living… then it can only be said that that's just how it is."
When it came to matters that harmed Pokémon, Ash was absolutely zero-tolerant, not to mention that this time, it was indeed those people who were in the wrong.
To put it bluntly, if someone couldn't make a living because of another's excellence, then there are countless excellent people in this world. How do others make a living? It's nothing more than changing one's way of life.
The people on Beauty Street were the kind of scoundrels who were jealous, unwilling to change their way of life, and wanted to use so-called moral standards to hijack others.
Ash had no good feelings for such people. If it were him, he would probably report the other party without hesitation.
After hearing this, the forced smile on Suzie's face also disappeared, replaced by a silent expression.
Actually, Ash was right. Her current indulgence might be good for those people, but what about for her and for those Pokémon?
If those Pokémon who underwent special massage therapy developed problems, she, as someone who turned a blind eye and knew there was a problem but didn't act, would also be an accomplice.
For someone with Suzie's kind personality, this was indeed the case.
So Ash's words also made Suzie ponder deeply. Was what she was doing really right?
"Miss Suzie, whether or not you plan to leave Beauty Street during this time, you must first correct the mistakes of those people. They only did these things because they were temporarily blinded, and precisely because of this, someone needs to uncover their blinded hearts!" Brock also echoed from the side.
"Yes, I will. I'll go find them tomorrow!" Suzie nodded, her voice soft yet firm.
Perhaps it was because Ash and the others had resolved Suzie's inner conflict, but Suzie became even more enthusiastic when dealing with them, even actively teaching them Pokémon massage techniques.
Massage methods, potions, and pressure points were all very important. Although Ash's massage techniques had been taught by experts in the group, they were ultimately not as quick as hands-on instruction. With Misty's help, Ash's massage skills improved significantly.
Brock also gradually began to learn the techniques for massaging Pokémon. This way, when they rested in the wild, there would be one more person to help Pokémon relax…
Three days passed in a flash. Under Suzie's guidance, both Ash and Brock's Pokémon Breeder skills steadily improved.
What surprised Suzie was Ash's Pokémon Breeder skill. Although in many areas he showed signs of being a newcomer, in some aspects, he demonstrated even more professionalism than a professional Pokémon Breeder.
Moreover, Ash's learning ability was very fast. In just three days, Suzie found that there was nothing more she could teach Ash. Although Brock's learning ability was also good, he paled in comparison to Ash.
However, Brock's strength lay in his own understanding. Unlike Ash, Brock had slowly forged his own path, while Ash was still in the exploratory stage.
When Ash eventually categorizes and summarizes the knowledge he has learned, fully transforming it into his own, he will likely become an even more remarkable Pokémon Breeder than her!
Yet, with such talent, Ash's main profession was that of a Trainer, which made Suzie feel a bit regretful.
If Ash specialized in being a Pokémon Breeder, he could probably truly become the top Pokémon Breeder in the world, as his talent was the best Suzie had seen in her years of traveling!
But everyone has their own ambitions, after all.
While teaching Ash and Brock, Suzie also clearly informed the Pokémon Breeders on Beauty Street that they should no longer use massage methods and potions that excessively stimulate Pokémon's potential.
Otherwise, she would report them to the police station.
Under this threat, coupled with Misty's imminent departure, the Pokémon Breeder shops on Beauty Street weighed the pros and cons and finally agreed to Misty's terms.
As for whether they would honor their promise, that depended on whether they dared to gamble their professional careers. If they were caught using those potions again later, there would be no place for them in the entire Pokémon Breeder world.
One should not underestimate Suzie's influence in the Pokémon Breeder world!
Additionally, within those three days, Ash and his companions unexpectedly encountered the Team Rockets trio, a reunion that had been some time coming.
This time, they met at one of the Pokémon Breeder shops on Beauty Street. The Team Rockets trio had disguised themselves as fashion experts and were attracting customers under the guise of making Pokémon beautiful.
With their unique aesthetic standards and James's exquisite makeup and tailoring skills, they actually managed to gain some notoriety.
They then used this to extensively recruit customers and secretly captured the customers' Pokémon. Just as they had pulled off a big heist and were preparing to escape, Ash happened to discover them.
One could say it was bad luck; this time, they weren't even targeting Ash, but by sheer coincidence, Ash's Aura detected their Aura, and once again, their plan was thwarted.
It just goes to show that enemies are bound to meet!
The Team Rockets trio was dealt with, the people at the Pokémon Breeder shops promised not to use potions that harmed Pokémon, and Misty was also preparing to leave Beauty Street.
Ash and his two companions' journey in Celadon City also came to an end, and they prepared to advance to the next city.