"S-Sabrina!"
Hearing the voice outside the window, Red's entire body stiffened.
Ninetales made matters worse by suddenly letting out an exaggerated cry and deliberately pulling the blanket over her head.
Red felt completely numb.
He had merely been giving his Pokémon an ordinary massage. Why did this feel like he had been caught cheating?
Red found the entire situation deeply unfair.
Sabrina floated in through the window and sat on a chair in the living area. She crossed her legs, one small foot clad in black stockings raised slightly into the air.
"Relax. I'm not petty enough to be jealous of a Pokémon."
Only after hearing Sabrina's words did Ninetales slowly poke her head out from beneath the blanket. With tears glistening in her eyes, she looked at Sabrina and whispered,
"O-Okay..."
Ninetales's illusions and acting skills had long since reached an entirely different level. Even Sabrina was momentarily dazed by the sight of her tear-filled eyes.
While Red sat upright, staring at the stocking-clad legs he felt he could admire for an entire year, Sabrina slowly spoke.
"Red, you've completely stolen the spotlight this time."
"But can you really win?"
"Don't do all the work only for someone else to reap the benefits."
"Of course!"
Red slapped the thigh beneath his hand and answered solemnly.
Sabrina's normally cold expression instantly stiffened.
She angrily smacked his hand away.
"Can't you slap your own leg?!"
Red said nothing and simply resumed caressing her leg.
"Don't worry. Would I do something like this without being confident?"
Sabrina sighed helplessly and allowed him to continue.
After all, they had already done far more intimate things. Letting him touch her leg wasn't going to cost her a piece of flesh.
Then Sabrina seemed to remember something.
"Does this confidence of yours have something to do with Tyranitar's special evolution last time?"
"More or less," Red replied, enjoying the silky sensation beneath his hand.
Sabrina's eyes immediately lit up.
"Then do any of my Pokémon have such an evolution?"
Red thought about it for a long time—so long that Sabrina was nearly ready to hit him—before finally answering at a leisurely pace.
"As far as I know, Alakazam can Mega Evolve."
Sabrina's breathing quickened, and her face flushed with excitement.
"Want to know how?"
Red quietly glanced at Sabrina's lips.
A moment later, he discovered that he could no longer move.
Sabrina rolled her eyes at him.
"Tell me or don't. Last time only happened because of the circumstances. Do you really think I'm that kind of woman? Just what do you take me for?!"
...
Half an hour later, Sabrina left Red's room with bare legs and a flushed face.
Nothing had actually happened between them. Red would never stoop to using information to threaten Sabrina.
After all, their relationship as a man and a woman was perfectly pure. Red didn't want something as vulgar as money changing hands between them.
"So Pokémon only need the corresponding Mega Stones to Mega Evolve."
"But that bastard still refused to tell me the most important part! How infuriating!"
Sabrina looked down at her smooth, pale legs and muttered,
"Why does he always want my stockings?"
"I really can't understand what goes through Red's head."
However, she didn't dwell on it for long. She immediately began searching for the Mega Stones scattered throughout the market.
Unfortunately, by the time Sabrina entered the market, most of the readily available Mega Stones had already been bought up.
Still, Sabrina had access to her own special channels.
She spent only a small number of Team Rocket contribution points to purchase five Mega Stones from the organization.
However, she had no idea which Pokémon those Mega Stones belonged to.
Nor did she know how to use them.
The fastest solution would have been to ask Red, but remembering the way he always looked at her immediately made Sabrina furious.
"Hmph! I refuse to ask him!"
"I am Sabrina, the esteemed Gym Leader of Saffron City. Whether in the Pokémon League or Team Rocket, I'm a genuine high-ranking member. Why am I always the one practically delivering myself to his doorstep?"
"Not this time. I won't go even if it kills me!"
Sabrina silently swore to herself.
Next time, she would wait for Red to come looking for her!
...
Meanwhile, the area outside Red's hotel room had already been surrounded by reporters.
Red had anticipated this situation and left the hotel early with all his belongings.
He glanced at the second pair of stockings he had claimed as a trophy and carefully stored them inside a small box.
Then he took Swampert to an open field and brought out the Poké Balls containing all his Pokémon.
Pupitar, Castform, Ninetales, and Swampert appeared before him.
After confirming there was no one nearby, Red looked at Castform.
"Use Rain Dance. Keep the range small and try not to draw any attention."
Castform nodded.
Before long, a light rain began pattering down from the night sky.
An empty wilderness.
A gentle rainfall.
Red and Swampert stood facing each other.
Red raised his hand and looked at Swampert.
"Let's familiarize ourselves with Mega Evolution one last time. The final is tomorrow, so we need to be in our best condition."
Swampert nodded.
Red placed his hand on the unremarkable Key Stone.
The instant his fingers touched it, countless ribbons of rainbow-colored light burst from both the Key Stone and the Mega Stone.
The light from the two stones intertwined.
Trainer and Pokémon.
Key Stone and Mega Stone.
All four began resonating through the power known as their bond.
The next moment, all that energy surged into Swampert's body.
The light of evolution pierced the dark night sky as an enormous Mega Evolution silhouette flashed over Swampert's body.
Swampert released a deep roar.
Mega Swampert had officially arrived!
—————————————————
[Pokémon: Mega Swampert ♂]
[Level: 44 (49)]
[Talent: Perfect]
[Ability: Swift Swim—Doubles Speed in rain.]
[Held Item: Swampertite]
[Moves: Growl, Tackle, Rock Throw, Bite, Mirror Coat, Counter, Yawn, Hydro Pump...]
[Special Talent: After absorbing a trace of blood from a Paradox Pokémon, Swampert's appearance has changed, and its Ability is still undergoing a transformation. It has initially mastered the ultimate technique: Frozen Hell.]
[Evaluation: A calm and hardworking Swampert. Intense training has granted it strength far beyond others of its species. Combined with a trace of Paradox bloodline, Swampert's past now holds limitless possibilities.]
✨ Bonus Chapter Goals ✨
10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ You can read Advance chapters ahead on P@treon if you're interested:
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