Shane took out a fresh Oran Berry and placed it on the cutting board, precisely slicing open the skin with a silver-handled knife.
He used a small spoon to carefully scrape out the active ingredient-rich flesh and core essence, placing it into a heat-resistant glass mortar.
Since he hadn’t used it much, his aim was slightly off.
“Nervous?” Kade teased, leaning on the bar counter.
“Your wrists are usually rock-steady when mixing Pokéblocks.”
“Practice makes perfect.
Give it a couple of days and I’ll be fine.”
Shane placed the mortar on a constant-temperature heating pad set to 60°C, stirring the orange-yellow fruit puree at an even pace with a glass rod until a translucent gel separated out.
At the same time, he took a hand grinder and ground the selected coffee beans into an even powder.
Amidst the low hum of the espresso machine, dark brown espresso with a rich crema flowed into the cup.
When the Oran Berry syrup gradually reached a thick consistency, Shane slowly poured it into the coffee, stirring along the edge of the cup until an orange-gold halo swirled within.
The steam wand frothed chilled milk into a dense foam, and as he tilted the cup to pour it in, he drew a simple heart shape.
In the fine specks of light dancing along the rim, the fruity aroma and the rich coffee blended perfectly.
“Give it a try,” Shane said, pushing the white porcelain cup with its amber glow across the counter.
Looking at the latte, which didn’t seem any different from a normal one, Kade downed it in one gulp and smacked his lips.
“Not bad, tastes a bit better than soda—hiss—why do I feel all warm inside?”
“Pearls before swine.
Did you think 3,600 Alliance Credits was just for a taste?
I poured all my skills as an Intermediate Breeder into this.”
Kade sent out Charizard.
The Charizard still had scars on its body, clearly having just finished a battle.
Kade handed over the coffee cup with its swirling orange light.
“Shane’s special blend, want to try?”
Charizard’s nostrils flared twice before it tilted its head back and gulped it down, its tongue licking the rim of the cup, wanting more.
*Hmm…
not as good as soda.*
“Roar!”
Charizard suddenly widened its golden eyes as a faint green light flared up around its scarred left wing.
Kade watched helplessly as the muscles writhed and grew like a time-lapse video, the scabs falling off to reveal newly formed orange scales.
“This healing speed…” Kade reached out with a trembling hand to touch the wing, his fingertips feeling the hard texture of perfectly intact scales.
“It’s even faster than eating a high-grade Oran Berry Pokéblock.”
[Oran Berry Latte: High-speed healing of internal and external injuries]
“Awesome, Shane.
If I had your skills, I’d be raking in the cash too.”
Shane wiped away a coffee stain with a rag, the blue light of the scanner reflecting in his smiling eyes.
“Seven thousand and eighty Alliance Credits.”
Kade directly scanned the code and paid.
Shane looked at the energetic Charizard.
“Did you just go battle?”
“Yeah, and I just snagged my third Magic City Badge from the Magic City Gym this morning!”
People in the Donghuang Region could only own their first Pokémon after turning eighteen.
Furthermore, to challenge a Gym, one had to pass the Trainer Certification Exam, which included but was not limited to Pokémon History, Basic Pokémon Principles, and Pokémon Essay Writing.
To acquire more than three Pokémon, one also needed to obtain a Junior Breeder Certificate to ensure they had the ability to care for multiple Pokémon at once.
Therefore, even if many people had the ability to challenge a Gym, failing to obtain these two certificates meant they still lacked the qualifications to challenge the Donghuang League.
Shane had passed them all on his first try during his freshman year, while Kade took three attempts to pass.
“Third badge?” Shane raised an eyebrow.
Whimsicott took the opportunity to jump onto Charizard’s back, its cotton fluff lightly brushing over the new scales.
Charizard let out a comfortable rumble from its throat, completely devoid of its usual ferocity.
“You don’t get it.
The Magic City Gym Leader is one of the top five toughest opponents in the League!” Kade spun the badge proudly.
“I’m taking advantage of the time before we leave Magic City to grind it a few more times, challenge them more, and learn as much as I can.
Right now, my Charizard can easily sweep three of their Pokémon.”
Good grief, that was actually pretty smart.
Since Kade had only earned one badge, the Magic City Gym Leader definitely wouldn’t bring out their main team, but sweeping three Pokémon indeed showed real strength.
Charizard suddenly poked Kade’s back with its claw, its smooth wings gleaming with a healthy luster in the evening light.
“Alright!”
Kade recalled his Pokémon into its Poké Ball and stood up.
Charizard’s last bit of scab had fallen off.
There was no need to go to the Pokémon Center, saving him a sum of money.
“I’ll definitely be your walking advertisement!”
As the glass door jingled, he leaned halfway back inside and shouted, “Next time I’ll bring people over to boost your sales!”
“Remember to bring enough money.”
“Will do!”
The bar’s scanner lit up with a blue light.
“Today’s revenue: 14,080 Alliance Credits.”
Throughout the whole day, Kade was the only one who had visited the cafe, bringing in a revenue of fourteen thousand.
The reason was simple: after drinking coffee in the afternoon, they went to challenge the Magic City Gym again, and upon returning, they drank two more cups of coffee before heading back.
Kade was ranked first in the Battle Department of Magic City University, known as the “Trainer Killer.” Shane was ranked first in the Breeding Department of Magic City University, known as the “Pokémon Charmer.”
Together, they were known as the Demonic Duo of Magic City, often teaming up to utterly decimate their peers.
Kade was Shane’s closest friend at Magic City University.
Whimsicott jumped onto Shane’s lap and pawed at the phone screen.
The balance digits flickered in the twilight: 331,482.
This was the total of today’s revenue, school bonuses, and four years of savings.
If he added what he had invested in Whimsicott, Shane would have over four million; he had received three million in scholarships alone.
After giving Grandma Hazel one million, the remaining three million had all been invested into Whimsicott.
“Whimsicott.” Shane suddenly lifted its soft body, his fingertips sinking into the warm fluff.
“Do you want to learn a new move?
Or…”
Shane looked into the Pokémon’s round orange eyes.
“…welcome a new companion?”
The air froze.
Whimsicott’s ears suddenly stood straight up.
*A new companion?*
It remembered freshman year, when Shane had picked it up at the breeding house, his school uniform still smelling of laundry detergent.
Over the four years, the scholarships had turned into Technical Machines for it to learn moves, and all the late-night lights had been distilled into the luster at the tips of its fluff.
*If there’s another Pokémon…*
*Will the embraces that belong solely to me be shared?*
*Only Kade came today…
the revenue is just over ten thousand.
A Technical Machine for a normal move costs a hundred thousand, and other resources cost hundreds of thousands more or less.*
*What if another glutton comes along?*
*Sun Stones are so expensive!*
But memories of the day’s events surged up: the bitter stains left on the rims of seven coffee cups, and the way it had collapsed, eyes rolling back, after drinking the seventh sip.
*No!*
*I absolutely do not want to test coffee alone anymore!*
Whimsicott spun in circles in front of Shane, its fluff puffing up like a dandelion.
It alternately flipped through the move tutoring webpage and poked at the Magic City University Breeding Center’s app, before finally burying its face in Shane’s cuff in frustration, rubbing against it.
“Whim…
si…”
*Opening a shop requires new products…
new products require taste testing…*
*It didn’t want to taste test; coffee was so bitter.*
*But I’m really afraid Shane’s wallet will go flat…*
*So conflicted.*
Under the warm yellow desk lamp, the young man watched the Pokémon shaking its head in anxiety, and suddenly cupped the messy cotton ball in both hands.
“If you can’t choose,” he said, lightly resting his forehead against Whimsicott’s warm little head, “then pick the one you’ll regret the least.”
Whimsicott suddenly went still.
*The one I’ll regret the least…*