The moment of awkward blushing didn't last long. After all, it didn't take much thought to realize—this was Satoshi, a boy with a brain completely filled with "Pokémon." There was no way he'd say something as suggestive as that on purpose.
Anon, having spent a little time with him by now, already had a basic grasp of his personality.
[Jolly]:+Speed, -Sp. Atk.
Hot-blooded, earnest, radiating sunshine—he was the very definition of a bright and sincere shounen boy. It left a deep impression on her.
I repent for my earlier thoughts.
Watching the energized Satoshi, Anon tentatively voiced her thoughts.
"Pulling an all-nighter might be a bit much, but I can stay with you until around 7 PM."
"That's perfect. Thanks!"
Satoshi gave her a smile so warm it was like sunlight itself. His cheerful expression made Anon's cheeks flush pink, her heart skipping a beat.
Ah... I think I get why Soyo likes him.
"I'll keep you company too, right, Whimsicott~?"
Annoyed by Anon's reply, Soyo forced herself to smile and, with practiced grace, summoned her Whimsicott from its Poké Ball.
"Fu?"
"We're staying up all night."
"Fu?! (Aren't you the one who goes to bed early?!)"
Whimsicott waved its little hands in protest, clearly hesitant.
"Okay, right?"
Soyo tilted her head and—out of sight of Satoshi—her eyes went dull and menacing. A heavy, oppressive aura fell on Whimsicott, making it shiver with fear.
I'm going on a date with my boyfriend. If you refuse... I'll deck you! Twice!
"Fufu!! (AUV, why is Soyo so evil?!)"
Whimsicott broke into a cold sweat and hastily nodded in surrender. Satoshi and Anon, of course, were completely unaware of the unspoken threat—distracted by Whimsicott's cuteness.
My god. Black-hearted cotton ball.
Its base stat total was only 480, but that hidden ability, [Prankster], was absurdly powerful.
[Prankster]: Gives +1 priority to status moves.
Even if it's slower than its opponent, it still gets the first move.
Say it uses [Charm] to harshly lower a physical attacker's Attack by two stages—that attacker's basically neutered.
Whimsicott had so many tactical options, but with only four move slots, its full potential was always limited.
Unfortunately, this was a singles meta.
Doubles weren't very popular here, so Satoshi didn't think much of it.
As a training opponent, though, Whimsicott was perfect.
Because Satoshi could only describe it with one phrase:
Utterly degenerate.
He had this irrational urge to punch through its [Focus Sash] and uppercut it right in the belly.
That irritation earned it two more words:
Absolutely vile.
"Never mind the all-nighter. It's not realistic anyway. But seriously—thank you. I'll make sure to repay you both."
Satoshi reconsidered. He might be a super rookie, but he wasn't reckless. Sleeping at school was fine and all, but Pokémon needed rest too.
Overtraining could diminish their potential, and Satoshi didn't want to treat his Pokémon like tools.
Only when they were in good physical and mental shape could they perform at their best—and help him chase his dream.
Repay us...?!
Soyo's head snapped up, face suddenly flushed.
"Mm... that's fine then."
This girl is hopelessly in love...
Anon couldn't help but complain internally.
Having a lovebrain like Soyo on the team made it hard to join conversations.
Wait—if Soyo and Satoshi are too absorbed in each other... I could date Satoshi instead?!
A sudden flash of brilliance struck her, but she immediately banished the thought.
Nope!
That would make her a homewrecker, and she was a pure-hearted girl. If Soyo found out, she might stab her in the back.
Literally.
Sure, she and Satoshi got along well.
But she'd never steal someone else's guy. Never!
Anon clenched her fists, resolute.
Soyo's murderous aura was the real deal. Satoshi might be too dense to notice, but Anon could feel it loud and clear.
No emotional filters. Soyo was just... intense.
Like Yandere-plus levels of intense. If Anon misstepped even once...
She'd die.
"Anon-chan~ It's not good to let your thoughts get too dark, you know~"
Just then, Soyo seemed to sense something. She turned and gave Anon a sweet, innocent look.
Anon flinched.
That soft smile, that cruel insight, that ability to read hearts—she was terrifying.
"Yes sir!"
Anon blurted out in Galarian English.
"Huh? What are you guys talking about?" Satoshi tilted his head.
"Oh, it's nothing! Say, Satoshi—can I hold your hand? I'm feeling a little tired. Could you match my pace?"
"Sure~"
Soyo made her request openly, completely unconcerned. Anon let out a small sigh of relief—at least she wasn't in the crosshairs for now.
"No problem! Let's all hold hands, then!"
Without missing a beat, Satoshi grabbed both their hands at once.
Soyo and Anon were stunned into silence.
"Huh?" ×2
The mood instantly became even more awkward.
"Alright—let's go!"
Satoshi tugged both girls along energetically, heading toward the training room.
The two exchanged glances—Soyo's eyes were full of hostility. Anon broke into a nervous sweat.
Help... Soyo's gonna murder me...
Someone take me home...
…
"Kero... kero..."
After a full day of training, Froakie was sprawled out on the ground in exhaustion, while Raichu was still standing tall, full of energy.
As for Anon and Soyo—one had left early due to the awkwardness, and the other got called home by her mom.
So in the end, Satoshi trained alone with Froakie and Raichu.
Without anyone around, he took the chance to personally test out various moves, gaining a clearer sense of his Pokémon's current progress.
[Thunderbolt]'s tingly. Kinda nice.
[Water Pulse]? Basically a shower.
This was peak Super Rookie Energy.
"You guys worked hard today, Raichu, Froakie."
"Raichu~" "Kero~ kero~"
Satoshi stretched, then gave both Pokémon affectionate pats on the head.
They responded by reaching out with their paws, returning his affection in kind.
As Satoshi left the training room and headed home, he made a small detour.
He wanted to take a peek at the EcoDome.
EcoDome: A massive, artificial environment designed to replicate diverse Pokémon habitats. A self-contained oceanic biosphere built to help raise the strongest Trainers in the world.
He didn't have clearance to enter yet—but one day, he would.
Soon, a grand structure appeared in his line of sight. The EcoDome's gleaming sphere was suspended under a domed roof—what he could see now was just the tip of the iceberg.
"So big... huh?"
Ding-ling~
As he marveled at the EcoDome, a girl exited through the back entrance—instantly catching his eye.
She seemed to notice him too.
For a moment, their eyes locked. Satoshi's pupils dilated.
The blue-haired girl's expression turned cold—distant and withdrawn. Her mood was clearly sour.
"Asama Satoshi... are you here to mock me?"