After finishing texting her pilot, Lusamine placed her phone away in her back right pocket, hidden under her two-layer skirt. Then, making her way around to the opposite side of the U-shaped couch, she sat back, crossed her left leg over her right, and said, "I just informed my pilot that I will be leaving shortly. Before that, I would like to make our respective positions clear so there is no confusion in the weeks and months to come."
"I'm listening," responded Jason, nodding.
"First and foremost are the matters of exclusivity and confidentiality..." stated Lusamine. "We understand your desire to return to your world by any means, but it could cause numerous problems if your knowledge and information about your Subspace and System were to become public. We will, of course, share our findings with the League's executive committee, but we reserve ownership of any discoveries and technologies that come about as a result of our research and your cooperation."
"As long as I'm reasonably compensated and retain ownership of myself and my property, I don't foresee that being an issue..." contended Jason, nodding approvingly.
"Then let's talk compensation," stated Lusamine, adopting the distinctive smile of a businesswoman as she posed, "Alongside my sponsoring you to enter the Pokémon School on Melemele Island, you will receive ₽336,000 each month for the duration of the research period. Additionally, you will be reimbursed up to ₽500,000 for personal expenses. That includes food, clothes, training equipment, and anything else you might require to ensure your and your Pokémon's comfort. And that's monthly, mind you."
"From what I hear, that is more than generous..." affirmed Jason, causing Lusamine's brows to perk as he added, "But there are three things I would like to request, in addition to what you've just offered..."
"And what might those be...?" asked Lusamine. She had expected Jason to have terms of his own, but she thought she would have to prompt him into revealing them. His seizing the initiative to do so exhibited a certain level of courage and intentionality.
Holding up his right hand with his thumb extended, Jason stated, "Since I am new to this world and playing catch-up, I would benefit greatly from a RotomDex or a Rotom Phone with Pokédex functionality."
"A simple request," affirmed Lusamine, nodding.
Offering a nod of his own, Jason extended his right index finger, adding, "Second, I would like you to cover Korrina's expenses and help with her PR work while she's here in Alola. Since she'll be helping to draw in future Trainers and residents to the Alola Region, I feel that's not an outrageous request..."
"On the contrary, it's perfectly reasonable and very easily done," stated Lusamine, her smile broadening and her valuation of Jason going up. She had heard he was the conscientious type, but hearing his second request was for another's sake made it apparent that he was the kind of man who repaid his debts and reciprocated kindness.
"I am relieved to hear that..." sighed Jason, exhaling faintly from his nose before raising his middle finger alongside his other two and adding, "Last but not least, my partner, Ren, ended up doing a number on Ellaine's back door and berry garden. I can fix them myself, but I don't have the tools or materials on hand..."
"You're a very responsible and considerate young man..." Lusamine noted, leaning back with her fingers linked atop her belly, her yellow-green eyes narrowing perceptively as she contended, "But you should know that with the Aether Foundation's wealth, personnel, and resources, these are small matters—hardly qualifying as requests. As such, I am left wondering why you made a point of requesting them."
"It's because you came all this way..." answered Jason, leaving Lusamine momentarily confused until he clarified, "I'm not oblivious to what goes on around me. I know you came here to do more than evaluate my character. And as I was unable to meet your expectations, I technically wasted your time—even if it wasn't my intention. Now, we have a better understanding of each other's positions. And by entrusting my requests to you, it ensures they will be addressed in a timely fashion, and hopefully gives us a reason to associate further... "
"And you thought of all of this in the short time since my arrival...?" asked Lusamine, her yellow-green eyes glistening with interest. Ellaine had told her that Jason was smart, but he appeared to have a grasp of politics and at least a basic understanding of business and, most notably, the value of time.
"It came to me after your exchange with Ms. Wicke and you mentioning you would be leaving shortly..." clarified Jason, causing Lusamine's eyes to flash and her smile to broaden.
"You're a very perceptive young man," remarked Lusamine, rising to her feet, crossing her arms, and beaming confidently as she stated, "When you receive your Rotom Phone, you will find my personal number listed among your contacts. If you have any additional requests, you can reach out to me directly."
"You heading out, Lusamine?" asked Ellaine, noticing Lusamine rise from the kitchen. She had also been listening in on the conversation alongside Korrina, so before Lusamine could respond, she appended, "I'm just about finished with a berry arrangement. Take it with you as something to snack on during your return flight."
"I am feeling a tad peckish," conceded Lusamine, seemingly finished with her and Jason's conversation as she walked around the side of the couch and made her way toward the kitchen. As a result, Jason suddenly found himself alone with Wicke, who, in a playful tone, leaned closer and asked, "Now, then...how shall we get to know one another?"
"..."
Understanding that Wicke was simply showing an interest in him rather than deliberately attempting to appeal to him, Jason carefully considered his response before asking, "How about we start with you explaining how you can wear a wool sweater in humid, 27-degree weather...?"
"It's actually not wool, but a synthetic polymer designed to emulate the insulating, thermally regulating hide of a Slowpoke," revealed Wicke, her green eyes flashing excitedly as she began to ramble about the various fabrics her clothing was assembled from. Fortunately for her, Jason was a good listener and found the topic interesting. After all, acquiring powerful equipment was just as important to securing one's status as stats, so with conventional clothing items ranging between F and E-Rank, he had a keen interest in anything that might exceed them...
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"Oh, my..." remarked Wicke, her green eyes glistening with fascination as she unabashedly eyed Jason's lower half.
With Lusamine gone and dinner completed, Ellaine had asked Jason if he wanted to join her, Korrina, and Wicke in the bath. He was apprehensive at first, but the expectant glimmers in the three women's clear gazes made it exceedingly difficult for him to refuse.
"I was also surprised when I first saw it..." stated Ellaine, bumping Jason with her shoulder in the changing area as she playfully appended, "But it's now my second, maybe third favorite thing about Jason."
"What are the other two...?" asked Korrina, her curiosity piqued as she got undressed right in front of Jason, briefly presenting her breasts to his face as she bent over to remove her spats and panties.
"I would also like to know..." appended Jason, doing his best to appear and sound calm despite his heart pounding to the point he could feel his pulse in the tips of his fingers.
"The first is your brain," answered Ellaine, noting, "Your way of thinking and your ability to think are impressive. After that—though it could use some work—is your personality. You can be a tad awkward at times, but you're empathic, considerate, and passionate. This past week of us living together has been really fun, at least in my opinion. I can't speak for you or Korrina."
"Oh? If you're asking for my thoughts, I've been having a blast..." pealed Korrina, presenting a radiant, sparkly-eyed smile as she stepped forward, causing Wicke's eyes to flash due to how she positioned herself, leaning into Jason. The latter's face heated considerably due to her forwardness. But instead of pulling or turning away, he reciprocated Korrina's embrace and rewarded her with a protracted kiss—his way of communicating that, despite the awkwardness caused by the disparity in their cultures, he had similarly enjoyed the past ten days.
"My turn..." hummed Ellaine, waiting for Jason's and Korrina's lips to part before joining their embrace and acquiring a kiss of her own. Wicke's eyes glistened expectantly as she observed their interaction, but as Jason had made it clear he wasn't interested in pursuing an intimate relationship with her, at least not at that time, she flexibly unclasped her lavender-hued, L-Cup and placed it atop the rest of her clothes, neatly folded within one of twelve cubbies.
"Are you certain you don't want her to join us...?" questioned Ellaine, half-turning following her and Jason's kiss to stare at Wicke, prompting Korrina to do the same. As a result, Jason got an unobstructed view of the buxom woman as she glanced up at him curiously and casually removed her pale lavender panties. When she stood upright, it was as if the laws of physics didn't apply to her. Meanwhile, Jason's gaze was drawn downward before he realized it.
"Would you like to try touching them...?" asked Wicke, folding her arms under her breasts and deliberately accentuating them. At the same time, she couldn't help finding Jason's reaction both amusing and curious, as it was her first time being on the receiving end of what Ellaine called sexual attraction. It was surprisingly invigorating. And as Ellaine had suggested, seeing the intense focus on Jason's face as he couldn't help but glance at her breasts gave her the peculiar urge to have him keep looking.
"..."
Looking between Wicke, Ellaine, and Korrina in turn, each staring at him with curious, expectant gazes, Jason felt like he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. In reality, he was between the supremely soft and toned bodies of two exceptional beauties, and if he simply accepted the informality of his, Ellaine's, and Korrina's relationship, he could have Wicke them and the only person who would find it odd was him...
"I would be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't tempted..." admitted Jason, pulling Ellaine and Korrina closer by their waists as he met Wicke's gaze and less-than-firmly asserted, "But I want to value and develop the relationships I already have—similar to my relationship with Ren. Until we officially become partners and I personally feel I'm ready, I don't plan to catch or train any other Pokémon..."
"Right. You did mention you would prefer to get to know me first," noted Wicke, her nonchalant, smiling response making it clear she hadn't taken Jason's rejection personally. Rather, as he had once again reiterated that he found her attractive, she felt a peculiar sense of gratification alongside her belief that it was only a matter of time before he permitted her to join his little fellowship of intimacy.
"I'm beginning to understand what you mean by the men in your world being protective..." hummed Ellaine, her yellow eyes shimmering and a narrow-eyed, increasingly sultry smile adorning her face as she, rather abruptly, put her left hand to work.
"Right...? It makes me feel like I need to try harder..." remarked Korrina, taking the initiative to place herself in the position Jason had imagined Wicke moments prior. Then, as Wicke watched them almost unblinkingly, she and Ellaine demonstrated some of the skills they had acquired over the past week. It felt incredibly wrong from Jason's point of view, but as Wicke had already received permission from Ellaine to stay the night and they still had dailies to grind, he did his best to match the latter's calm as the two scientists openly discussed aspects of his unique physiology...
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(A/N: If you're enjoying the story, please consider giving it a follow, leaving a review, or commenting. If we're able to increase the exposure of the novel, there's the possibility for many more than daily releases.)