Bugsy winked at Feng Che, and Feng Che instantly understood his intent. Azalea Town was suddenly swarming with strangers, all of whom were after the Sun Pattern Vivillon in his possession. If he left alone now, he would be an easy target for an ambush. Bugsy was offering him a place to lay low at the Gym.
"My name is Feng Che. I'm from the Kanto region," Feng Che said aloud, playing along with Bugsy's feigned unfamiliarity to avoid unnecessary trouble. After all, Bugsy was a judge of the contest. He then followed the Gym Leader into the Azalea Gym.
Azalea Gym
"Haha, Mr. Feng Che, thank you for what you did in the Bug Forest. You saved Johto's largest forest," Bugsy said once they were inside. He led Feng Che to the Gym's storage room, which was filled with ancient artifacts he had recovered from various ruins.
"I've prepared a small gift for you. One who is recognized by Celebi is surely a person of kind heart," Bugsy said, pointing to a massive Bug Crystal.
"Thank you, Gym Leader Bugsy." Feng Che accepted the gift without hesitation. Cultivating Scyther into a top-tier powerhouse would require a mountain of resources.
"By the way, Miss Chika Kinoshita, the head of the Kinoshita family, wishes to speak with you regarding the Sun Pattern Vivillon. Would you be willing to meet her? If not, I can decline on your behalf."
"I'll meet her," Feng Che replied. "Miss Kinoshita, since you're already here, you might as well come out."
Chika Kinoshita stepped elegantly from behind a folding screen. "Haha, hello, Mr. Feng Che. How did you know I was there?"
"The scent of Butterfly Orchids," Feng Che replied directly. "They're used to attract Butterfly Pokémon and gain their favor. It's quite distinct."
"A keen eye and a keen nose," Chika smiled. "I'll be blunt. I want to ask you to entrust that Sun Pattern Vivillon to me. Name your price, and I will pay it immediately. Or, if you need rare resources that are difficult to find, I can use my family's channels to acquire them for you. Everyone has their own preferences, after all."
"Miss Kinoshita, whether I entrust him to you isn't entirely my decision. It's up to the Vivillon himself," Feng Che said. He released the Sun Pattern Vivillon from its ball.
Feng Che knew that word of his prize catch was spreading like wildfire. The best course of action was to trade it for maximum benefit while he had the protection of a high-profile buyer. Since he had only caught the Vivillon half a day ago, there was no deep emotional bond to break.
To his surprise, the Vivillon fluttered straight toward Chika, dancing around her with clear affection.
"It seems I've been lucky enough to gain his approval," Chika said, her eyes glowing with delight. "I've never seen a specimen so perfect. What do you require in exchange? Money, resources, or Pokémon?"
"I have enough money and plenty of Pokémon," Feng Che said. "I want resources. Legendary-grade resources. You know the value of a Cyan-potential Sun Pattern Vivillon—it's a golden phoenix that can sire a legendary lineage. I want three Legendary resources."
"Specifically, I'm looking for Flying, Water, and Fire types. If you don't have those, I'll look at what else you have in stock."
Chika agreed with a refreshing promptness, winning Feng Che's respect. He then pulled out the Icy Snow Vivillon he had won from Doris. "This one is also rare, though not on the level of the Sun Pattern. I have no use for it; I'll trade it for a set of High-grade resources."
"Deal. I don't have many Icy Snow variants in my collection," Chika said. She handed Feng Che a tablet displaying her family's inventory.
It was an impressive list. Among the treasures, Feng Che spotted Sacred Ash from Ho-Oh, capable of reviving any Pokémon within an hour of death. He also saw a Dragon Orb from a Guzzlord, containing the essence of Dragon and Dark types. Finally, his eyes landed on a Space-Time Scale from Palkia.
Feng Che made his selection of the three Legendary items and several High-grade resources.
"Wait one hour," Chika said. "The items will be delivered, and we will provide a private jet to take you wherever you need to go to avoid the 'flies' currently buzzing around town."
One hour later, several bodyguards arrived via jet, presenting three exquisite briefcases. Feng Che inspected the contents: a small pile of shimmering silver ash, a black Dragon Orb pulsing with the dark silhouette of a Guzzlord, and a palm-sized silver dragon scale.
"The deal is done," Feng Che said, handing over the Poké Balls. "I'd appreciate a lift to Hoenn."
As Feng Che boarded the jet, the crowd of hopeful "negotiators" outside the Gym realized they had lost their chance. "He sold it to the Kinoshitas... damn. No one can touch him now."
Three Days Later: Rustboro City, Hoenn
Feng Che stepped off the plane and headed toward Mt. Chimney under the cover of night.
Meanwhile, at Meteor Falls, Shiori and Zinnia had returned to their clan. Shiori immediately summoned the elders to discuss the survival of the Draconids.
"The Hoenn factions are uniting to seize our minerals," Shiori declared. "Our current path leads only to ruin. We must begin controlled mining of the Meteoritic Iron."
"Impossible!" the elders cried. Shiori's grandmother, the Great Elder, frowned. "It is the domain of the Sky Lord! To mine is sacrilege!"
"We are about to be wiped out, and you talk of ancient taboos?" Shiori slammed her hand on the table, shocking the room. "I am the High Priestess! I have lived beside the Lord of the Sky, and he has never forbidden us from prospering! We sit in poverty on a mountain of wealth while our children go hungry. That is not faith; that is a slow death!"
"But the Dragon Pokémon will be enraged!" an elder countered.
"The environment?" Shiori sneered. "Look at this barren wasteland where not even a berry grows. What are we protecting? And the Dragons? Give them a share of the profits in glittering gems, and they will be the most enthusiastic miners in the caverns!"
The room fell into a stunned, thoughtful silence as Shiori's words—echoes of Feng Che's logic—began to take root.