Luckily, their time together didn't last long. Karen and Satoshi quickly split up, which meant Taki could finally interact with Satoshi normally. Otherwise, trying to compete with Karen—whose acting was way too good—would've been… really hard~
Unfortunately, that happiness of them separating didn't last long either.
Because the moment they walked out, they ran straight into the super possessive-girl Nagasaki Soyo.
"Satoshi~~ you worked so hard~ It was really hot in there, right? Take off your jacket first. You must be tired today—I'll wash it for you."
Soyo spoke in that same sugary-sweet, clipped voice, wearing a face full of gentle smiles—
and casually exposed exactly what she was thinking.
As for what she wanted Satoshi's jacket for? Obviously to secretly take it home and sniff it, and maybe even lick it once!
Then she'd wash it so carefully and gently, leaving not a single trace of herself behind. That was Soyo's plan!
"You just want Satoshi's jacket, don't you?" Taki put one hand on her hip and immediately ripped the mask off Soyo's intentions. Hearing that, Soyo's expression darkened slightly as she tilted her head, looking at Taki like she genuinely didn't understand.
"Hm? Taki-chan, what are you talking about?"
Two-faced Soyo hid her fangs really well.
Satoshi didn't pay too much attention to their exchange. He'd only just put his jacket on again. The Cinnabar Training Facility was open-air for temperature reasons, and it also had all kinds of cooling gear you could use.
Otherwise, dozens—maybe even more—Fire-type Pokémon battling indoors would turn the place into unbearable hell.
Compared to that, what Satoshi cared about more was how he was going to battle Aijo Karen.
Libero meant Cinderace could change types every time it moved. That was seriously annoying.
And then there was that "promise" too…
Whatever. When you get to the bridge, you'll figure out how to cross it. As long as I win, it's fine.
Victory is everything!
Satoshi set that tiny thread of doubt aside and turned his attention to Taki and Anon. The two of them were still bickering nonstop, so he just… grabbed both their hands.
"Satoshi?" "Huh?"
The sudden touch snapped them back. They turned their heads in confusion to look at him.
"Soyo, Taki—about time we go. If we don't hurry, we'll waste the rare training time we have."
Satoshi's lips lifted into an easy, bright smile, and he held his hand out to them. Under that warm smile, both of them felt their hearts speed up, their cheeks go scorching hot, and the argument died instantly.
"Mm." ×2
Crap. He's an incubus.
...
"Today's battles were really interesting. Even though I've watched Satoshi's matches a million times these past few days, I still can't take my eyes off him."
Back in her dorm, Aijo Karen wandered around lightly, kicked off her little leather shoes, and revealed her pale feet wrapped in black knee socks. A faint heat and fragrance drifted into the air. Smiling, she walked to her desk and tilted her head toward the photo sitting there.
She'd watched Satoshi battle countless times at the Cinnabar Training Facility, and yet she still felt… unsatisfied. Like she wanted more.
That itching, restless hunger in her body didn't get soothed by just watching. The more she watched, the more Karen's heart filled with anticipation, with craving.
Last time, it was Raichu vs. Armarouge. That battle had completely unleashed a desire she hadn't felt in years.
And from that moment on, she'd only wanted more—she wanted a full-power battle with Satoshi even more badly.
Because Armarouge wasn't her ace. Aijo Karen's true ace was always—and only—Cinderace.
Not getting to use Cinderace last time was honestly a pity. But back then, Karen noticed Satoshi was clearly interested in her Armarouge, so she followed her boyfriend's wishes and used Armarouge.
As for when Satoshi became her boyfriend?
A future boyfriend is still a boyfriend. There's no need to fuss over details!
Karen's fingers brushed gently over the photo, and the desire deep inside her kept breeding, spreading, thickening.
Normally, students from the Performance Department didn't need to walk the Battle Department's road. Balancing both was hard.
Fortunately, driven by pure desire, Karen could keep up—she could even match Battle Department students without losing.
And with her childhood friend Kagura Hikari at her side, it became even easier to grow stronger.
She was nearly at the level of the School Elite Four. These past few days, she'd even dragged Yuuki Setsuna into training with her on campus.
Everything was for the sake of defeating Satoshi.
To fulfill that promise!
"Marry Satoshi!"
Karen pulled the small scrap of paper from her pocket—the one with their childhood promise—and placed it in front of the photo.
While everyone else is still fighting over a man, I'm already planning for the Wedding Cup!
The photo was a picture of little Satoshi and little Karen together, with Pikachu and Scorbunny—and also a photo of that promise note.
It had something like marriage written on it. That day, Satoshi's family was moving away, so Karen forcibly made him write down what they'd do when they met again in the future… and casually hinted at marriage while she was at it.
So little Satoshi, without hesitation, wrote—
Let's battle together for a lifetime!
Dude's dense. Instant KO.
Following that, little Karen used her tiny hand to write her own thoughts onto the note.
Karen: If I win the Pokémon battle, you have to marry me!
Satoshi: No problem!
If she thought about it carefully—remembering it now—it was unbelievably embarrassing.
But luckily, Karen never cared about that stuff. She was a bright, outgoing type!
Because before Satoshi left, her best friend Kagura Hikari also left her side, and it made Karen's demands on Satoshi absurdly heavy… mixed with her own private feelings, like marriage and things like that.
We're all friends, so why are you all moving away? Then what about me?
As a loyal puppy type of girl, Karen practically wanted to bite Satoshi so he couldn't go to some other city.
Prisoner, don't leave!
If you leave, I'll ride a Togekiss and charge right at you~~
But there was nothing she could do. What could a kid do?
It's not like she could be like Poppy, the Steel-type Elite Four of Paldea—becoming an Elite Four-level trainer at nine years old.
Thankfully, Karen's personality was extremely outgoing, so she didn't hesitate to turn her feelings into a "promise" and preserve it.
Even if that promise was a little childish.
But Karen knew Satoshi wouldn't reject it. He'd definitely accept the engagement naturally, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Maybe he'd even end up thinking about building a harem, because he had too many girlfriends and didn't want to disappoint any of them.
But all she had to do was put a collar on him first.
Aijo Karen took a Poké Ball from her pocket. Her gaze, hot and intense, locked onto the photo of the two of them. Her lips curved up into a smile.
"I really want to win… Tomorrow's battle—even if I have to throw everything away, I'm still going to win. Satoshi… I'll be the one to protect you."
Anyone other than me—everyone gets beaten up!
Even Satoshi's friend Shiina Taki is no exception!
Honestly, just watching other people battle Satoshi was enough to make a blazing, extreme fury surge up from deep inside Karen.
"I absolutely won't allow anyone to hurt my Satoshi!"
"Unforgivable!Unforgivable!Unforgivable!"
---
T/N: the no space is a conscious note
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