Natsume was slightly surprised—this customer service representative had impressive patience, not hanging up even after all this time.
It wasn't until Valerie spoke again in her soft voice that Natsume suddenly remembered.
The contact info for the "Fairy-type Master" that Wallace gave me last time—I never got around to calling her, and now she's come to me first!
"Miss Valerie," Natsume said seriously, "If it's convenient, we could arrange a time and place to meet in person."
"Of course. I'll be arriving in the Sinnoh Region this afternoon."
Valerie smiled behind her sleeve, perhaps this was just the casual side of a Champion. Her tone carried a hint of apology:
"I didn't have time to prepare a gift. I hope you'll forgive me."
No gift? Perfect!
"Please, don't bother with that," Natsume said cheerfully. "Where's your next stop? I'll come pick you up."
"Jubilife City will do… There's a fashion exhibition there, and I'll be representing Laverre Gym," Valerie replied gently.
Valerie's side job was as a "fashion designer," much like the Contest Master Fantina.
However, Valerie's designs leaned toward kimono styles, while Fantina specialized in Western ball gowns.
In Lumiose City—Kalos's Paris-inspired metropolis—Valerie's works had frequently appeared in fashion week showcases.
'Typical Kalos,' Natsume mused.
'Gym Leaders all busy with side gigs, while training Pokémon becomes the side hustle…'
"No problem," Natsume said. "Then we'll meet in Jubilife City. I actually have a few things I'd like to ask for your advice on."
For example—why was his Sylveon so damn cute? (Scratch that.)
Sylveon's battle style was that of a "melee mage"—was there something wrong with its training…?
"You flatter me," Valerie said softly. "Then, I'll trouble you at our meeting, Mr. Natsume."
"What flavor of Pokéblocks does your Sylveon like?" Natsume suddenly asked.
"Eh?" Valerie's perfect composure slipped for a moment, letting out a girlish sound of surprise.
"I can make macarons too. You can take them back to Kalos as a memento," Natsume said without a hint of boasting. "After all, it's rare to find this level of quality."
Valerie hesitated, about to politely decline, but instead smiled and said:
"A bitter flavor, like Johto-style… Thank you for your trouble, Natsume-sensei."
...
After hanging up, Natsume slowly pictured Valerie in his mind.
This Fairy-type Leader from Kalos had jet-black hair that cascaded like a waterfall, resembling a geisha dancer from Bell Tower.
Since he was the one seeking Valerie's advice on advanced breeding methods for Sylveon, it was only right to prepare a gift in advance.
If she's eating my food, she'll be less likely to charge an outrageous price.
Natsume nodded to himself and headed into the kitchen, activating Rotom's Oven Form.
While cooking lunch, he mixed bitter berries into the macaron batter.
As he waited for the oven timer to count down, he pulled out his phone and opened the group chat.
Natsume-sensei: "@Wallace, Valerie's coming to Sinnoh today. Why didn't you give me a heads-up?"
Wallace paused for a moment before replying gently: "Perhaps it's because of the fashion exhibition in Jubilife City. Since you were also invited, she decided to come directly."
"Natsume-sensei, are you attending the fashion show too?" Fantina chimed in. "I designed an outfit that would suit you perfectly!"
Natsume-sensei: "Oh? Let me see."
Fantina: [Image attached]
"T-That's a women's outfit, right?" Green was the first to point it out.
Ruby's eyes sparkled: "This design is so cute!"
"It even has a bow—it'd match Sylveon perfectly!" Auntie Lorelei teased.
"Yeah, yeah! If Natsume-sensei wears it, he'll definitely be popular!" Gold added with a smirk.
[Group Member "Gold" has been muted by Group Owner "Natsume-sensei" for 2 hours.]
Ash scratched his head curiously: "Why is it always Gold who gets muted?"
Natsume paused. "Huh. Good point."
[Group Member "Ash" has been muted by Group Owner "Natsume-sensei" for 2 hours.]
Lance: "LOLOLOL"
Yellow: "(I'd better not say anything.jpg)"
Sabrina's lips twitched, though her face remained cold: "…"
Silver maintained his deadpan expression: "…"
Erika smiled behind her sleeve: "This one also thinks it would suit Natsume-sensei quite well~"
Brock squinted: "(ー_ー)☆ Not bad. I approve."
Realizing that authoritarian moderation wasn't the answer, Natsume-sensei joined in on the self-deprecating fun.
And extended Gold's mute to 24 hours.
When Ash was unmuted, it was as if a "+0.1 Emotional Intelligence" notification appeared above his head.
A world where only Gold suffered had been achieved.
Ding—
The oven timer went off. Freshly baked macarons were ready.
"Gengar, taste test." Following the household tradition, Natsume handed a macaron to Gengar.
"Gengar~ (￣～￣)" Gengar chewed, licked the chocolate crumbs off its fingers, and gave a thumbs-up.
"Bitter berries mixed in—chocolate nut macarons," Natsume said proudly. "I've got some skills in the dessert department."
"Gengar! (*⊙~⊙)"
"Don't shove them all in your mouth! Save some for the guests!"
...
After baking another batch, Natsume summoned his beloved Arcanine and set off for Jubilife City.
"Arcanine~ (｀0′)" Arcanine's fiery mane flared, its Intimidate making the mail-delivering Delibird freeze in place.
Delibird: (⊙-⊙)
Seizing the opportunity, Natsume flicked the penguin's forehead, then leaped onto Arcanine's back. "Run for it!"
"Arcanine!" Arcanine took off like the wind, racing toward Jubilife City.
Delibird stood there, utterly bewildered, before finally lowering its large sack and covering its forehead with its wings.
"Delibird~ （｀へ´）"
Next time, I'm making him pick up his mail himself!
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Jubilife City basked in the golden glow of dusk.
Employees dressed as clowns handed out flyers for the "Pokétch Company" promotion.
Natsume remembered that in the Diamond and Pearl games, finding three of these NPCs would reward you with a free "Pokétch."
But in reality, no such perks existed—and the device was quite expensive.
Moe-Moe! had once offered to buy one for Natsume.
With unshakable dignity, Natsume-sensei had refused, declaring that he didn't need such things—living in Sandgem Town was enough.
After a brief glance at the street, Natsume turned toward the glass storefront and headed to the reserved meeting spot.
...
Inside a traditional Japanese restaurant, in an elegantly quiet private room, Natsume finally met Valerie and her entourage.
"Mr. Natsume, it's an honor." Valerie, dressed in cherry-blossom pink with black lace thigh-highs, knelt flawlessly on the tatami mat.
"Just call me Natsume." Natsume-sensei glanced at the wooden sandals that stood like stilts next to the tatami and was slightly surprised.
How do girls walk in those without twisting their ankles?
The room was filled with the faint scent of incense. Behind the screen, the melancholic strumming of a shamisen played as geishas hummed softly.
"Natsume-sensei." Valerie's dark eyes gleamed, her smile serene. "I'd prefer to address you this way."
Natsume nodded and opted to sit cross-legged. "I'm not used to this kind of atmosphere… so forgive me if I'm a bit lax on etiquette."
"That's quite alright." Valerie smiled faintly, lifting her sleeve to lightly tap the table.
The shamisen music stopped. Soft footsteps rustled behind the screen as the geishas quietly withdrew.
Silence returned to the room.
"I've been meaning to ask," Natsume said, eyeing the large wings on Valerie's back. "Aren't those heavy?"
"A little." Valerie's smile carried a hint of resignation. "But it's the best way to understand a Pokémon's feelings."
"Understand their feelings?"
"Those who yearn to become butterflies will dream of butterflies in their sleep." Valerie said. "Wearing fairy wings might help me sense their hearts."
"Did it work?" Natsume asked.
Valerie nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing. "Yes. And I've learned much from it."
Natsume recalled that this Fairy Maiden was fluent in Pokémon speech.
Much like the Meowth who once longed to be human—learning to stand on two legs and speak like one—Valerie had sought to become a Pokémon, donning fairy wings to master their language.
Thinking back to the "Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream" reference Valerie had made earlier, Natsume mused:
In the Pokémon world, Zhuangzi probably dreamed of a Butterfree… and then body-swapped with one?
Clearing his throat, Natsume pulled out the gift bag he'd brought and handed it to Valerie.
"You came all this way, so consider this a welcoming gift from your host."
Valerie accepted it with slight surprise. "May I open it now?"
"Of course. You can even eat them right away—they're fresh out of the oven."
Valerie blinked, then looked at Natsume.
Compared to her, who could never act freely, Natsume's casual demeanor stirred a hint of envy in her.
With perfect grace, she bowed slightly, her long hair spilling over the tatami.
Then, carefully, she opened the bag—and her eyes widened.
"Sylveon~"
The Sylveon in her lap perked up, nuzzling against Valerie's chest.
"She says it smells wonderful," Valerie translated.
"If it smells good, then try it," Natsume said. "My Gengar already ate an entire batch."
"Gengar~ (ˉ﹃ˉ)" Gengar floated above Natsume's head.
Valerie delicately picked up a macaron and took a small bite. The rich chocolate shell gave way to the bitter berry filling, the flavors melting into her senses like a stream through a cherry blossom grove.
Her cheeks flushed slightly. She raised her sleeve to hide her expression, steadying her breath before bowing again.
"Exquisite, Natsume-sensei."
Natsume nodded. "Now, let's get down to business—"
Natsume nodded. "Now, let's discuss the main matter..."
In that instant, countless scenarios flashed through Valerie's mind. A faint blush crept across her cheeks as she whispered softly:
"Y-Yes, Natsume-sensei?"
"Take a look at this." Natsume scratched his head. "Did I allocate my Sylveon's stats incorrectly?"
"...Please send it out."
Valerie's expression showed a hint of disappointment before she smiled again:
"Actually, I prepared a gift for your Sylveon as well."
A sense of impending danger rose in Natsume's chest.
Their eyes met. Valerie blinked. Natsume braced himself.
"Come on out, Sylveon."
"Sylveon! (〝▼皿▼)"
Instantly, a sharp, murderous aura filled the private room.
Valerie's Sylveon shrank back in fear, while Valerie herself froze momentarily...
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