"Definitely a big spender. It feels like a single person could support my entire café business."
Arriving at the academy, Johan stretched his somewhat sore hands and couldn't help but smirk at the thought.
Selling coffee for 500 Pokédollars a cup, and someone actually bought it? Not just one, but twenty-one cups at once...
Truly, times have changed.
A tidy profit of over 10,000 Pokédollars in one morning.
"If Steven ever gets the idea to treat his entire company to coffee, I don't know whether I should be happy or..."
Johan shook his head and turned his attention to the counseling office door.
"Speaking of which, Professor Cozmo hasn't been around much this semester."
Last term, the two of them often killed time together with casual banter, but now Cozmo had suddenly gotten much busier.
It gave Johan the distinct feeling that while they'd agreed to ride bicycles together, his buddy had secretly gone and bought a luxury car.
This thought quickly faded when Johan noticed someone waiting by his office door—Erika.
"Good morning, Johan," Erika greeted him with a polite bow.
"Morning, Erika. You're early."
For reasons Johan couldn't explain, seeing Erika reminded him of the bizarre dream he had last night, making his gaze falter slightly.
Of course, Erika didn't notice these subtle changes. She smiled. "Just call me Erika, no need for formality."
Johan unlocked the door, and the two stepped inside. Their conversation settled into a comfortable rhythm.
"Would you like some coffee?" Johan offered.
"I usually prefer tea," Erika replied, glancing at the coffee he placed on the desk. Then, after a moment's thought, she added, "But I wouldn't mind trying some."
Johan chuckled and prepared her a shot of espresso.
"The ingredients are limited here, so if you don't like it, feel free to visit my café. I can make you a latte next time; it's much smoother."
Erika sipped the coffee, her delicate face briefly wrinkling at the bitterness before smoothing out into a calm expression.
"Rich aftertaste," she commented.
"What about your students?" Johan asked.
"They're attending classes today," Erika said, taking another sip of coffee.
Exchange visits usually lasted three to seven days, sometimes extending to a month. The goal was to expose students to new knowledge and perspectives.
"And what about you, Erika? Is there anything specific you'd like to see today?"
Erika's eyes gleamed with excitement as she replied, "The Breeding House."
The Petalburg Academy, being the largest Pokémon academy in the Hoenn region, naturally boasted its own Breeding House.
In fact, it had more than one!
New students without Pokémon often obtained their first companions there. Many others chose the Breeding House to acquire their second or third Pokémon.
This was one of the benefits of attending a prestigious academy.
Different academies, influenced by regional climates and philosophies, bred Pokémon with distinct characteristics.
Additionally, special breeding methods often enhanced their reputations further.
To be honest, Johan didn't know much about the academy's Breeding House.
He had never visited it before.
His Gengar, however, seemed to know it well.
Sure enough, Gengar strutted confidently ahead of them as they approached the Breeding House. The moment they neared, a chorus of distressed Pokémon cries erupted.
The rough translation? "Run! That Gengar is here again!"
Infamous, to say the least.
Gengar's mischievous grin and carefree demeanor made Johan sigh in exasperation.
"Ka-kah~~"
"Don't mind me, kids! The boss is back!"
As Gengar fished a pair of triangular sunglasses out of its dimensional pocket and perched them on its face, Johan squinted.
This style looked different from the last pair.
Fortunately, Johan had already informed the academy, ensuring that Gengar wouldn't be barred from the Breeding House altogether.
As they reached the entrance, an elderly woman with a cane came out to greet them.
"Are you Johan and Erika?" she asked, her voice warm with welcome.
"Yes, ma'am," Johan replied, stepping forward to support her frail frame. "We're here for a tour."
Before he could finish, she gestured toward a pile of tools with a smile.
"Wonderful. Help me out, then. The principal already told me about your visit. I'll leave today's tasks to you."
Wait, what?
Did I not make myself clear?
The elderly woman began listing chores as if ticking them off a checklist:
"Let's see, the lawn needs trimming, the fence needs fixing, the pond water needs replacing, and we've got ripe berries that need harvesting..."
Johan opened his mouth to explain, but upon seeing the woman's trembling figure, he sighed lightly and nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. We'll take care of it."
Gengar had been snatching berries from the academy's gardens a bit too frequently...
Think of it as paying back the debt.
Erika, for her part, didn't mind the unexpected labor.
To her, it was an opportunity to learn about how the academy's Breeding House operated and what methods they used to raise Pokémon.
The two donned aprons, boots, and gloves, ready to dive into the work.
Behind them, the elderly woman straightened up, her frailty vanishing in an instant. Her eyes gleamed with amusement as she watched the two young trainers walk away.
The academy principal had mentioned Johan's visit, including the promise that he could choose a Pokémon from the Breeding House as a reward.
This little test was her way of gauging whether he deserved it.
So far, she was impressed. Johan had shown respect and responsibility, qualities essential in a trainer.
Perhaps one of the special Pokémon she and her husband had raised would find a worthy partner in him.
Upon stepping into the Breeding House's expansive courtyard, Johan was taken aback by its sheer size.
It felt as large as the entire teaching campus.
"Cheri Berries, Oran Berries, Sitrus Berries..."
Berry trees of all kinds filled the space, including rare ones like Leppa Berries, Durin Berries, and even golden and silver Pinap Berries.
All of it was money, growing right on the trees!
The area teemed with life.
Butterfree flitted among the flowers. Pineco hung like ornaments on tree branches. Sudowoodo disguised themselves as tree trunks by the pond.
Nearby, Flygon hovered over a sandy patch, while Larvitar nestled in the sand, and Lycanroc basked lazily in the sun.
Elsewhere, Ludicolo tapped out a rhythmic tune with its maracas, accompanied by Kricketune and Exploud.
"Impressive, aren't they?"
The elderly woman returned, leaning on her cane with a proud smile.
Johan and Erika couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Perhaps opening a Breeding House wasn't such a bad idea...
If only it weren't so expensive.
And if Johan weren't so soft-hearted about parting with Pokémon he'd raised...
With a deep breath, Johan released his team from their Poké Balls.
"Let's get to work!"
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Powerstones?
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