----
Despite their initial hesitation, Kai and Erika couldn't refuse Chuck's warm insistence and ended up staying for lunch at the Cianwood Gym.
It was sothing Kai hadn't expected. After all, he had just beaten the Gym Leader and claid the Storm Badge, so now to be invited to lunch felt… almost too generous.
Still, if Chuck didn't seem to mind, Kai figured there was no reason to overthink it.
Chuck and his wife lived within the Gym complex, which also housed dormitories for his students. Most of them didn't live locally, so their als were handled directly at the Gym.
Before lunch, Kai and Erika had the pleasure of eting Chuck's wife a beautiful woman with long red hair and a gentle deanor.
Honestly, given Chuck's wild and burly appearance, Kai thought, he must have been blessed by Ho-Oh to land a woman like that.
Once seated at the long communal table with Chuck and his students, the Gym Leader gave them both a teasing glance.
"So… are you two a couple?"
That single question rendered the entire table silent.
Erika had lost count of how many tis people had asked that.
She was just about to deny it when Kai deflected smoothly: "Chuck, did you et your wife during your journey?"
Chuck smiled, glancing fondly at his wife. "I did. That's why I decided to settle down. No more traveling once I t her."
"That's really admirable," Kai said with a nod.
A few monts later, the food arrived massive plates of rice and dishes stacked high. And when it ca ti for Chuck's serving, his wife brought out a bowl the size of a washbasin.
Kai and Erika were both speechless.
Chuck laughed heartily. "Hey, I burn a lot of calories!"
But it wasn't just Chuck his students also devoured their als with the sa unfiltered intensity. Kai could only watch, amused.
Still, considering they were Fighting-type Trainers training alongside their Pokémon every day, it made sense they'd have monstrous appetites. Most of them were still growing, too.
Like a pack of ravenous Machoke, the food was gone in minutes.
During the al, conversation naturally shifted toward Kai's background. As curiosity blood, soone finally asked the question:
"Wait… you're the Kai? The Indigo league Champion?!"
A stunned silence followed.
Chuck exhaled in disbelief. "That explains a lot… If I'd known that earlier, I would've opened with my strongest team. Maybe I wouldn't have gone down so fast!"
After lunch, the pair was seen off by Chuck and his students with warm smiles and loud farewells.
As they neared the edge of the town, Kai took one last glance back at the Gym.
Noticing Erika's curious expression, he said quietly, "He's a good man. It was a short visit, but Chuck really left an impression."
By that afternoon, they were back at the harbor, ready to head toward their next destination..
With the Storm Badge in hand, Kai needed just two more to qualify for the Silver League.
They boarded a small ferry and left Cianwood behind.
After a full afternoon and overnight voyage, they arrived back on the Johto mainland the next morning.
Fully rested, Kai felt energized. If Chuck challenged to another run today, he thought, I'd leave him in the dust.
Too bad that chance had passed.
Their ship docked at a small coastal town not quite to the town yet. From there, they would need to walk two hours north to reach their destination.
As they began their trek, Erika caught and added a second Sunkern to her team.
Kai blinked in confusion. "Didn't you already catch one of those?"
Erika smiled. "Not every Pokémon is for battle. I want the greenhouse at Celadon Gym to have a healthier ecosystem. The more variety, the better."
"Ah. Got it."
They soon passed through a dense oak forest, the canopy so thick that even midday light barely pierced the shadows.
This was a haven for Bug-type Pokémon.
Within the trees, Kai's Pupitar and Eevee, a gift from the Kimono Sisters, got so solid battle practice, fending off aggressive wild Pokémon and gaining valuable experience.
At one point, they spotted a Farfetch'd darting through the brush.
Kai had always liked that species, but just as he raised a Poké Ball to try and catch it, the Farfetch'd vanished into the woods.
"Guess we're not ant to be," he muttered, amused.
Once they cleared the forest, the landscape opened up and the rustic charm of Azalea Town ca into view.
Azalea was a peaceful community, where Pokémon and people lived in harmony.
Located on Johto's southern peninsula, it had once been just a quiet little town until a Trainer established a Gym there and put it on the map.
Still, Azalea carried its share of legends.
According to local lore, 400 years ago a Slowpoke yawned and rain fell, ending a terrible drought. Because of this, Slowpoke was held in near-mythical regard by the townsfolk.
As they entered the town proper, Kai and Erika looked around for directions to the Gym…
…and suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
"Is that…?"
Kai narrowed his eyes.
It was none other than Professor Elm the Pokémon researcher from New Bark Town!
The professor spotted Kai as well, eyes lighting up as he waved energetically.
"Well, what are the odds!"
Kai grinned. "Professor Elm? What are you doing here?"
They both spoke at once, then burst out laughing as their voices overlapped.
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