"Excuse me, are you here for a beauty treatment?" Vivi, the female shop owner, asked with a kind smile after sending off the other students.
Ash blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, not exactly..." He turned toward Brock for help, but Brock was already mesmerized by Vivi, completely tongue-tied and unable to respond.
"Wait, is that a Vulpix?" Misty suddenly exclaimed, spotting a small, fox-like Pokémon lounging in a chair. Its reddish-brown fur, large ears, and six curly tails immediately caught her attention.
Vulpix — a Fire-type Pokémon.
Excited, Misty stepped forward to get a closer look, but Ash quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Hold on, Misty. You shouldn't just touch someone else's Pokémon without asking."
The female boss, Vivi, smiled in relief, seeing Ash stop Misty. "That was close," she said. "Vulpix is shy around strangers. If you had touched it without warning, it might have attacked out of fear."
Misty, eyes wide, quickly stepped back. "Oh wow... thanks, Ash. That could have been bad."
Ash nodded. "Is this Vulpix yours, Miss Vivi?" he asked, glancing over at the gentle Pokémon.
Vivi smiled again, gently stroking Vulpix's fur. "Yes, Vulpix has been with me for a long time. She's very special to me."
At that moment, Brock seemed to snap out of his daze, but his nerves took over. "Uh... h-hello, Miss Vivi!" he stammered, barely able to form a coherent sentence.
Vivi turned toward him, her kind smile never fading. "Yes? How can I help you?"
"I... um..." Brock was clearly struggling, his usual smoothness failing him in front of Vivi. "My name is Brock, and my dream is to become a breeder... just like you!"
Vivi's smile grew even warmer. "That's wonderful, Brock! I'm really happy to meet another aspiring breeder. I hope I can offer you some guidance."
From the corner, Misty whispered to Ash, "He only just met her today, and now he's acting like she's his lifelong inspiration."
Ash chuckled softly. "I think he might have gotten a little carried away. But it looks like Vivi misunderstood, too."
Though Ash and Misty were whispering quietly, the shop was so quiet that Vivi and Brock overheard them. Vivi's cheeks flushed slightly, clearly embarrassed.
Before either could respond, Brock suddenly turned toward Ash and Misty, a rare burst of frustration on his face. "You two don't understand anything!" he exclaimed. "Miss Vivi is not just any breeder—she's the winner of the Beauty Street breeder competition three years in a row!"
Misty blinked in surprise. "Wait... what?"
"That's right!" Brock continued, a proud gleam in his eye. "Not only that, but she was voted the most popular breeder in the Kanto region by 'Pokémon Friends' magazine readers last year! She's a legendary breeder!"
Ash and Misty exchanged shocked looks. Neither of them had known that Vivi was such a renowned figure in the world of Pokémon breeders. Misty muttered, "I guess we underestimated her..."
"I didn't know she was that famous," Ash admitted, now understanding Brock's admiration.
Seeing the tension, Vivi stepped in to smooth things over. "It's okay, Brock. Not everyone keeps up with breeder competitions. Besides, I'm just happy to meet fellow trainers."
Brock finally calmed down, and the conversation flowed more smoothly. Over the next hour, he and Vivi exchanged questions and insights about breeding and caring for Pokémon. Brock asked about techniques and challenges he faced in his own work, and Vivi was impressed by his depth of knowledge.
At one point, Brock offered to make a meal for Vivi's Vulpix. Though Vivi was skeptical at first, she allowed him to try. To her surprise, Vulpix loved the meal and happily devoured it, something Vivi hadn't expected.
"That's incredible!" Vivi exclaimed. "Vulpix rarely eats food made by anyone but me. You really have a gift, Brock."
Brock's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Miss Vivi! I'm just glad Vulpix enjoyed it."
As their conversation deepened, Vivi realized just how skilled Brock truly was. His knowledge of breeding, care, and Pokémon nutrition rivaled even her own. What had started as a friendly exchange became something more — Vivi found herself learning from Brock, and she was impressed by how much he knew for someone so young.
"He's not just another aspiring breeder... he's a rival," Vivi thought to herself, both surprised and humbled by Brock's expertise.
As the afternoon wore on and it came time to part ways, Vivi couldn't help but feel a little sad. "Are you three traveling right now?" she asked, curious.
"Yes!" Brock quickly answered, eager to continue the conversation.
Vivi pondered for a moment, then smiled. "You know... I've been thinking about traveling too. There's so much out there that I still haven't seen."
Before they could say goodbye, Vulpix approached Brock, rubbing against him affectionately. It seemed sad to see him go, something that surprised both Brock and Vivi.
Vivi watched the scene thoughtfully. "Vulpix really likes you, Brock," she said with a warm smile. "There's something I'd like to ask you."
Brock looked up, surprised by her serious tone. "What is it?" he asked, his voice earnest.
Vivi met his gaze. "Would you take Vulpix with you on your journey?"
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