Chapter 288: Senior's Pokémon
"What's with that silly grin?"
Aunt Yuki set down the energy cubes and walked over to her daughter.
"Are you leaving tomorrow?"
"Huh? What?"
Yuki put down her phone, still not completely out of the chat mood.
Aunt Yuki rubbed her forehead and repeated,
"I asked if you're leaving tomorrow. I need to prepare some energy cubes for you."
When trainers head out, the first thing they need to consider is their Pokémon's energy cubes.
Especially when venturing into secret realms for several days, having enough energy cubes is crucial.
If one knows how to make them, that's great; otherwise, they would have to rely on finding berries in the wilderness.
Moreover, the quality of energy cubes made by external breeders varies greatly, which isn't ideal for Pokémon who need a consistent diet.
As a high-level breeder herself, Aunt Yuki always prepared her daughter's energy cubes personally.
Yuki stood up, not even looking back.
"Yeah, I'm leaving tomorrow. But Hikaru said he's coming over and wants to give me some energy cubes he made."
She hurried into her room without giving Aunt Yuki a chance to respond.
"Look at how happy she is..."
Watching her daughter's cheerful steps as she headed to her room, Aunt Yuki just shook her head.
She turned around, preparing to make some energy cubes.
"Wasn't Hikaru just in Kyoto a few days ago? Did he come back just to deliver energy cubes?"
It seemed like Yuki's relationship with him had progressed nicely these days.
"Ah well, kids have their own lives to live."
With a sigh, Aunt Yuki decided not to dwell on it and went to prepare the energy cubes.
Sitting in front of her vanity, Yuki looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Her radiant face was framed by soft, flowing hair, and a playful smile curved her rosy lips.
"My hair's grown a bit... Should I go for twin braids or a high ponytail?"
She tilted her head thoughtfully.
She had always worn her hair in a high ponytail when it was long, but today she wanted to try something cuter.
Besides, her current hairstyle wasn't really suited for a high ponytail.
So, she decided on twin braids.
Honestly, when it came to young love, boys and girls alike were often overly self-conscious, especially when meeting someone they liked.
They would fuss over their appearance and carefully consider their words.
That was true not only for Yuki but also for Hikaru.
While Yuki was debating whether to take a quick bath, Hikaru was in the sky, secretly hoping that Latias would fly a bit slower.
He truly had no idea how to face Yuki.
But with Latias' speed, the distance was covered in no more than an hour.
They landed in a secluded area within Mizuki City.
Compared to the heavily guarded Kyoto, Mizuki City was far more relaxed.
With Latias hidden and on foot, Hikaru headed toward the Frost Gym.
Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and opened his chat with Yuki.
[Hikaru]: Senior, I've arrived...
There was a one- or two-second pause before an instant reply came through.
[Yuki]: Huh? That fast? Wait for me, I'll come out right now!
It didn't take long before Yuki appeared at the gym entrance.
Hikaru instinctively looked at her, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Huh?"
He couldn't help but let out a confused sound.
Usually, Yuki always wore a ponytail, whether her hair was long or short.
With her silver hair and always cool, aloof expression, she gave off an unapproachable aura.
But today, she had styled her hair into twin braids, which fell delicately over her chest.
She had also swapped her usual casual outfit for a plain white dress with no decorations.
The combination gave off a pure and cute vibe, entirely different from her usual cool demeanor.
"Senior... you..."
Hikaru subconsciously blurted out.
This was the first time he had ever seen Yuki wearing a dress.
Yuki casually walked up to him.
"What? Does it not look good? My mom bought it for me. I never wore it before."
She greeted Latias cheerfully.
"Hello!"
Latias responded with a somewhat stiff smile.
Hikaru mumbled,
"It looks... good."
He then took out the box of energy cubes.
"These are the energy cubes I made. Let your Pokémon out, and I'll plan a routine..."
Before he could finish, Yuki pulled his hand.
"Oh come on, let's go inside. Talking out here feels too distant. My Ninetales is inside."
Realizing she had a point, Hikaru let Yuki drag him inside.
Feeling slightly left out, Latias tugged at Hikaru's sleeve.
Sensing Latias' slight displeasure, Hikaru took out a red coat from his space backpack and handed it to Latias.
The dragon Pokémon blinked, then accepted the coat, her eyes squinting happily, her previously pouting lips relaxing.
Together, they made their way to the backyard.
As expected, the area was a snowy wonderland.
Before Hikaru could say anything, Yuki took out several Poké Balls.
"Come out, everyone!"
Besides the familiar Ninetales and Delphox, three new Pokémon appeared:
Togetic
Sliggoo
Frogadier
Frogadier squinted its eyes while Togetic floated cheerfully.
Sliggoo, however, immediately felt the chill of the icy terrain and moved to Delphox's side, seeking warmth.
Delphox, visibly uncomfortable with Sliggoo's slimy texture, quickly conjured a fire ring in the air to melt some snow and provide warmth.
Hikaru examined each Pokémon carefully.
Seeing the diverse lineup, he couldn't help but feel impressed by Yuki's selection.
"A Champion-level Sliggoo... That's pretty rare."
He murmured to himself, his mind already calculating the optimal use of the energy cubes for each Pokémon.
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