"A target?" Seeing Natsui proactively bring it up, Erika's expression also turned serious. "Not really. After all, traveling to Johto was a recent, spontaneous decision. I don't have any specific ideas yet."
"I see…" Natsui stroked his chin. "Alright, then let me first tell you about the distribution of some of the Pokémon I've seen on my journey. Although my time in Johto has been short and I haven't traveled the entire region, I can at least give you a general reference."
As he spoke, he took out his Pokédex and also opened the map on his phone. Using both devices, he detailed the Grass-type Pokémon he had registered and the places he had been to for Erika.
He spoke for a good five or six minutes, until Natsui felt a bit thirsty. He paused for a moment, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of tea to wet his throat.
And during this break, Erika also brought over a plate of refreshments and refilled his teacup.
It had to be said, as a traditional woman from a prestigious family, Erika was well-read, sensible, and knew her etiquette. Not only was she skilled with her hands, but she was also proficient in cooking and flower arranging, and was very meticulous in her work.
When interacting with her, one didn't need to speak up or worry about what to do next. In every aspect, she always took care of everything.
She's also beautiful and has a certain level of strength. She's practically the perfect woman.
After saying thanks, Natsui took another pastry.
The pastries were exquisitely shaped, soft and fluffy, and melted in his mouth. They were truly both beautiful and delicious.
And this couldn't help but remind Natsui of his experience when he met Erika in the wild while heading to the Indigo Conference with Koharu.
At that time, Erika had also brought pastries she had made herself, which had left a deep impression on him.
Tasting them again now, the same flavor was still endlessly memorable.
After eating several pieces in a row, Natsui continued to speak. Erika also listened very carefully, chiming in from time to time. With his introduction, she quickly got a general understanding of Johto.
Finally, after Natsui put away his Pokédex and phone, Erika sighed softly.
"It sounds like if I want to collect a few more Grass-type Pokémon, I'll have to go to a lot of places."
"It's not as complicated as you think," Natsui smiled. "Transportation is very convenient now. You can get to Johto quickly by plane, and the distances between cities are also very close. You basically don't need to camp out in the wild. It can be as easy as a hike. By the way, when do you plan to set off?"
Erika thought for a moment. "It should be in the next two days. But before I leave, I still need to pack my luggage and arrange some things."
Natsui nodded in understanding.
After all, she wasn't like him, completely unbound by worldly ties, able to set off on a whim.
Besides being a Gym Leader, Erika was also the owner of a perfume shop and a flower arrangement master. With a large family and business, she had many things to handle personally every day.
"It's clear that your life is filled with various things. If that's the case, then you should take a good rest and relax," Natsui suggested. "This is a rare opportunity anyway. Since the gym is still under construction, you can take the chance to stay outside for a few more days. While catching Pokémon, you can also enjoy some of the famous sights of the Johto region. Think of it as giving yourself a long vacation."
At this point, out of politeness, Natsui added casually, "I'm heading back to Johto tomorrow. You must contact me when you get there. Or better yet, you can just go to Johto with me tomorrow!"
"Well…"
Erika pondered for a moment.
Go to Johto with him?
Having a companion is naturally the best thing, but…
She couldn't help but hesitate.
After all, when Sabrina was around, although she and Sabrina were just acquaintances and not very close, they were both women, so she didn't feel anything about joining them. But now that Sabrina had left, traveling alone with a man, wouldn't it cause a misunderstanding?
She glanced at Natsui. Seeing his clear eyes, and remembering how he had helped her several times, Erika's heart softened. She felt she shouldn't look at him with such vulgar eyes, nor should she lump him in with ordinary men.
He has a girlfriend, after all. And what's wrong with just being travel companions? I shouldn't overthink it.
With this thought, she had already made up her mind.
On the other side, Natsui also regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. After all, he and Erika were, at best, just ordinary friends. Suggesting they travel together was a bit too presumptuous and could easily make people think he had ulterior motives.
But it had just been a slip of the tongue, and now it was too late to take it back.
To prevent Erika from overthinking it, he could only explain, "Um… it's mainly that you're a girl, and it's inevitable that you'll run into some inconvenient situations when traveling alone. If we're together, we can look out for each other. Of course, if you're not willing, you can also go by yourself. Just pretend I didn't say anything."
The explanation was unavoidably a bit weak. But just as Natsui thought Erika would refuse, he was surprised to see her nod in agreement.
"Alright, then I'll get ready tonight, and we'll set off together tomorrow."
Huh?
This time, it was Natsui's turn to be stunned.
She really agreed?
He could swear to the heavens that he had just said it casually, without any ulterior motives.
He braced himself and said, "Uh… okay… of course, no problem… then let's go together tomorrow…"
Erika didn't notice Natsui's forced composure. She stood up and nodded at him. "Alright then, I'll go make the arrangements now. By the way, are you staying here tonight? There are still a few spare guest rooms. We can set off right after breakfast tomorrow."
"No, thank you," Natsui quickly shook his head. "I'll just stay at the Pokémon Center for the night. Let's meet at the gym entrance tomorrow morning."
Leaving the Celadon Gym, Natsui went to the Celadon City Pokémon Center and stayed there.
At night, lying in bed, he couldn't help but feel that something was not quite right.
Tossing and turning, he felt that he should first talk to Sabrina to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings. But after thinking it over, he still didn't dare to tell her about it.
With her personality, if he were to make her unhappy, he would be in trouble.
She might suddenly appear before him and turn him into a doll.
It's better to keep it a secret for now.
Fortunately, Erika was only traveling with him for a part of the journey. After she was done catching Pokémon, she would naturally return to Kanto. At that time, as long as he didn't bring it up, no one would ever know.
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