Pokémon：Trainer's Gambit

Sinnoh Region, Eterna City.

The sound of music flowed from the gramophone, the blues of the saxophone taking on a gentler tone through the unique charm of vinyl records. The room was furnished with mahogany furniture, and Cynthia lounged lazily on the sofa. Beside her sat a poised and elegant woman with brown hair and green eyes. Her demeanor was proud, her posture as graceful as a doe's, and even while sitting on the sofa, her back remained straight.

Diantha extinguished her slender cigarette in a crystal ashtray, a hint of helplessness flickering in her green eyes. "If you're going to battle, you should really get some proper rest..."

Cynthia shifted into a more comfortable position, resting her cheek on Diantha's lap, murmuring softly, "I just finished work at the research institute. I need to catch the next flight... Let me nap for a bit."

Diantha ran her fingers through Cynthia's waterfall-like golden hair. "Tokyo?"

Cynthia nodded like an orange tabby, her slender eyelashes fluttering. Moments later, her breathing became steady and even.

Diantha gently stroked the smooth golden hair. I have work too, you know... Did you call me over just to use me as a pillow?

But the schedule for the Master League was packed. Since Cynthia was participating, it might be a long time before they could see each other again. Feeling playful, Diantha ruffled Cynthia's smooth golden hair until it became tousled, then covered a yawn with her hand.

The quiet afternoon passed with the two women, each with their own distinct style, nestled together.

As dusk fell, Diantha groggily opened her eyes. The setting sun streamed in through the window, and Cynthia had already changed into her familiar black coat. Her smooth golden hair cascaded down, each strand seemingly glowing with a halo of light.

Cynthia smiled. "Wait for me to come back, and then we'll go shopping."

"Sure, sure," Diantha replied with a resigned smile. "Have a safe trip!"

Cynthia stepped out onto the marble terrace outside. A red light emerged from a Poké Ball, and Togekiss nuzzled affectionately against Cynthia.

Diantha suddenly felt a bit uneasy and reminded her, "The hotel and luggage are all set, right?"

"The luggage has already been sent to the hotel, but I need to visit a little one first," Cynthia said. "A very cute Eevee."

...

July 15th, Wednesday.

The production of Plants vs. Zombies had been underway for a week. Kazuya and Natsume had been working tirelessly, and with the help of a parallel world template, progress could only be described as lightning-fast.

But what gave Natsume a headache was that Haunter and Eevee's strength had also improved at an equally astonishing rate.

Through constant practice of the Copycat move, Eevee had mastered both Yawn and Iron Tail to perfection. Meanwhile, Haunter had been named the monthly outstanding coach at the Battle Club, with a fully packed schedule...

While this was good news, Natsume couldn't bring himself to feel happy about it.

As everyone knew, a Pokémon's strength was directly proportional to its expenses. The stronger they became, the more energy they consumed in battles. The income from Haunter's part-time job at the club couldn't even cover the cost of the berries and Pokéblocks Natsume had to buy.

On the other hand, while Eevee didn't eat much, Natsume had been exchanging and purchasing rare berries for it, and he certainly didn't want to shortchange the little one.

Overall, for Natsume, who wasn't a trainer by profession, the increase in his Pokémon's strength was undoubtedly a sweet burden.

But Natsume didn't blame Eevee or Haunter, nor did he force them not to evolve. Humans and Pokémon were equals, after all. Natsume genuinely loved Pokémon, but the risks and rewards of being a trainer simply didn't add up for him.

"This is way too enthusiastic!" Natsume couldn't help but rub his temples. "If I end up with another big-eater Pokémon, I might just go bankrupt!"

The thought of the Pokémon with the "best potential" that Coach Takashi had promised made Natsume shudder. What if it turned out to be a "stellar" little Munchlax? That would be the end of him!

"No, I can't let someone else handle this," Natsume gritted his teeth. "I'll pick it myself when the time comes. I refuse to believe that in the vast Tokyo Metropolitan University Pokémon Day Care, I can't find a slacker!"

...

In the afternoon, Natsume, serving as the assistant coach, arrived at the school team to slack off and happened to run into Coach Takashi.

Takashi, beaming with joy, said, "Natsume, the two new recruits you picked are fantastic... You really have an eye for talent!"

"Huh?" Natsume raised an eyebrow.

All I did was slack off and pick the simplest free-for-all battle rules. How did that turn into having an eye for talent?

When it came to team strategy and synergy, Takashi got excited. "First, there's that Breloom with the Effect Spore ability. In singles matches, it can handle both surprise attacks and staying on the field with ease. And then there's Tomoya's Torkoal... My goodness, it has the Drought ability! The trainer's strength and character are also solid. This could be the core of our future team!"

Coach Takashi's excitement was understandable. The chances of finding top talent among early-admission freshmen were slim, and he had only been trying his luck. But Natsume, in his first round of interviews, had somehow hit the jackpot—twice!

Plus, with the serious expression Natsume had while taking notes, Takashi truly felt lucky to have found such a valuable helper.

The school team had struck gold!

"Keep up the good work, maintain our league ranking, and the bonuses will definitely be worth it!" Takashi laughed, patting Natsume on the shoulder.

Natsume looked bewildered. Is my judgment really that good?

He couldn't help but glance at the Torkoal on the field and nodded thoughtfully. Torkoal, nicknamed "Little Groudon," was a top-tier attacker in sun teams and could also perform well in space-based strategies. Tokyo Metropolitan University's team had always been centered around psychic-space compositions. The addition of these two freshmen would not only strengthen their synergy but also fill in some gaps.

"I really am something!" Natsume smacked his forehead. "I managed to pick the best candidates at a glance!"

The college league, typically held in the second half of the year, was open to first and second-year Pokémon majors. Third-year students were busy challenging gyms and competing for spots in the Touran League, so they were restricted from participating.

Overall, Natsume's age and strength made him a perfect fit for the competition. But Natsume had zero interest in the so-called league. Being an assistant coach was fine, but actually competing? No thanks. Performing poorly would mean taking the blame, and if his two little ones got hurt, it wouldn't be worth it.

As he hoisted Eevee, who had been secretly beating up Torkoal, onto his shoulder, Takashi called out to him, "Oh, Natsume, are you going to the Master League next Saturday? The school team is covering one ticket per person. I'll save one for you."

Natsume frowned. The Master League was being held at Tokyo Skytree Arena, and he had seen the ticket prices online—3,000 Pokémon Coins for a regular ticket. A mere 3,000 Pokémon Coins? Did Natsume-sensei really need someone to cover that for him?

"I'll go," Natsume said with a smile. "Can I get three tickets?"

Whether they were front-row seats or not didn't matter. The important thing was bringing Eevee and Haunter along!

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