Ledger:
Razor Claw: 150,000
Seven-day vacation villa + private beach: 50,000
Living expenses: 45,000
Investment into Feebas: 135,000
These were Kael's expenses over the past week.
All told, he had spent roughly 380,000. Earlier, selling the villa in Viridian City had netted him 200,000 in savings, and the Gym-guarding mission in Cerulean City had brought in another 150,000. Without even realizing it, Kael discovered that he was once again staring down an economic crisis.
If he hadn't passed the Elite Trainer certification earlier—and received the League's so-called 20,000 stipend—Kael felt he might not even have enough money left to eat.
Fortunately, there wouldn't be any major expenses in the near future. Once the one-week escort mission ended, he'd receive 170,000, which should at least tide him over and ease the financial pressure a bit.
Looks like I need to speed up how fast I take missions, Kael thought as he closed the ledger. He had to earn more money as soon as possible—just in case he ran into another Prism Scale being sold on a trading or auction site and couldn't afford to have it snapped up instantly by the Sootopolis Gym.
In reality, most Prism Scales discovered in the wild were found along coastlines. Elderly Milotic nearing the end of their lifespan would often seek out a hidden cavern deep beneath the sea, quietly waiting there for death.
As time passed, with the tides rising and falling, when that dreamlike, beautiful body finally turned to white bones, ocean currents could carry away Prism Scales that had naturally shed from the Milotic's body, washing them up onto distant shores.
If someone ever picked up a Prism Scale on the beach, chances were high that it had fallen from a Milotic that had died decades—or even centuries—earlier.
For Kael, an item as crucial to Feebas's evolution as a Prism Scale was absolutely non-negotiable. If he was lucky enough to encounter one, and money couldn't solve the problem… then he wouldn't mind resorting to a few special methods.
...
"Boooo—!"
With a thunderous blast from the ship's horn, the S.S. Anne—having remained docked at Vermilion Harbor for a full day—prepared to set sail once more. The massive metal anchor, as tall as a two-story building, was slowly hauled up from the sea.
Kael checked the time. He had boarded at 7:00 a.m. under the guise of applying for security work, and it was now nearly 8:30. He'd rested for about an hour and a half—right on schedule with the departure time printed on the ticket.
Sitting around in the room was boring anyway. He might as well take a walk around the ship. After all, this was a world-famous luxury liner—how often did one get the chance to be aboard without properly enjoying it?
He changed into a crisp white short-sleeved shirt, sky-blue ripped jeans, and red-and-white canvas sneakers. He tied his hair back with a silver hollowed hairband, then topped it off with a black baseball cap.
Staring at his reflection in the mirror, the ponytailed looked unmistakably bright.
"So—what do you two say?" Kael leaned against the doorframe, smiling at the two Pokémon staring at him. "Care to join me for a tour of the luxury liner?"
"Lulu wants to go!" Kirlia replied via telepathy, instantly teleporting to Kael's right side and reaching out with her small, pure-white hand.
Kael understood at once. Smiling faintly, he extended his right hand and took hers.
Weavile, on the other hand, still wasn't used to that kind of closeness—or perhaps it was simply a cat's natural pride. She leapt up from her cushion nest and landed beside Kael's left leg, tugged at the red scarf around her neck, then folded her arms across her chest.
After recalling Feebas from the bathtub into its Poké Ball, Kael opened the door and strode out.
He didn't dare leave Feebas alone in the room. He had a strong premonition that something was bound to happen during the seven-day voyage of this so-called luxury liner. Otherwise, the captain of a world-class ship would never have hired bounty hunters as external security—those profit-driven types were themselves a source of instability.
In Kael's eyes, he and the other three bounty hunters who'd been hired probably looked more like expendable pieces to that decisive, iron-handed captain.
Still, when trouble came, he'd help if he could. But if things went beyond his capabilities? Running away was always an option. Risking his life for a mere hundred-thousand or so would be idiotic. He figured the other three were thinking the same way—after all, bounty hunters had the keenest noses for danger.
...
The central deck hall of the S.S. Anne was the very definition of opulence. A massive crystal ceiling refracted dazzling, multicolored light across the space. As per tradition, a morning party was held on the first day passengers boarded.
Unlimited free drinks, exquisitely prepared breakfast pastries, long tables laden with food—everything was laid out in abundance. Trainers and tourists from all over gathered in the hall, chatting freely. Acquaintances and strangers alike discussed their upcoming journey or exchanged training experiences.
Naturally, merchants weren't about to miss such an opportunity. Anyone who could board the S.S. Anne was, without exception, comfortably well-off. The officially designated vendor area along the outer perimeter was especially bustling—setting up a stall here required paying the ship an exorbitant rental fee.
Kael moved through the crowd, occasionally picking up treats from the tables. He grabbed two strawberry-flavored Pokémon puffs—one for Lulu and one for Weavile. As for himself, being a carnivore at heart, he went straight for a thick chicken roll.
"Hey!"
Someone suddenly patted Kael on the shoulder.
He turned around to see a youthful, pretty face before him.
"What a coincidence-and thanks again for the ticket," Kael said with a smile, lifting the glass in his hand. "Didn't expect to see you here."
It was the red-haired girl who had given him the ticket back in Vermilion City. Today, though, she wasn't wearing that eye-catching sailor outfit. Instead, she had on a neat black service uniform-a fitted blazer and skirt, sheer stockings, and modest heels.
Compared to yesterday, the outfit was far more professional, yet it somehow suited her even better.
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