998 Crystal Flower

When Yuga heard Yuichii's sarcastic remarks toward him, he hadn't even responded when Ined spoke up with displeasure, "Just now, Gym Leader Shimizu was giving me guidance, there's no bullying here. Besides, I'm not a child who can be bullied at will. Please be more careful with your words, senior."

Ined had a strong sense of self-esteem, and even after losing the battle just now, she never considered herself weak. She felt that Ined's words were not only aimed at Yuga but also a sign of disrespect towards herself.

To Ined's surprise, her straightforward words caught Yuichii off guard, and he stammered, "I...I didn't mean it that way."

Ined continued with her displeasure, "If you have any issues with me, senior, how about we have a little match?"

Yuichii: ...

Yuga, watching the confident young lady who had just stood up to the senior, found the situation rather funny.

Yuichii also noticed the smile on Yuga's face and he felt that he was being ridiculed. So he glared at Yuga, displeased with the situation.

Principal Keihara, sensing the tension between the three, quickly intervened, "Gym Leader Shimizu, it's not easy for you to visit. Why don't you come to my office for a while?"

Yuga also didn't want to continue this childish confrontation with Yuichii. So he agreed, saying, "Sure, let's go have a chat. It's been a while since we last met, and we can also discuss the Pokéblock you reserved with us."

Since the event at the Trainer School was over, there was no reason for him to stay here any longer.

"Great, let's go," Principal Keihara said, then turned to Yuichii, "Yuichii, you've met Gym Leader Shimizu now, and we have some other matters to discuss. You can head back."

Principal Keihara was secretly displeased with Yuichii's impoliteness earlier. Yuga was also his honored guest after all, but Yuichii stabbed others in front of so many people. Where did this put his face as the principal?

However, he had to maintain a respectful attitude due to Yuichii's father being on the school's board of directors. So even if Principal Keihara has any dissatisfaction in his heart, he can only put it aside.

Unlike Principal Amuro, Principal Keihara wasn't a Trainer. He was a managerial leader and didn't teach students directly. He handled the school's various administrative matters, which was why he was in charge of dealing between Tust and YoYo Day Care.

Under Yuichii's angry eyes, Principal Keihara and Yuga left together.

Before leaving, Yuga greeted Roxanne and Principal Amuro. And informed Roxanne that he would meet her in Rustboro Gym as per their prior arrangement after his meeting with Principal Keihara.

Principal Amuro was a bit frustrated with Principal Keihara behavior for disrupting the meeting with Gym Leader Shimizu: It was obviously me first!

(Roxanne: I haven't even said anything yet!)

Nevertheless, a high-level trainer is welcome wherever he goes, especially Principal Amuro, who is also a trainer. He also wants to ask Yuga for advice!

Yuga and Principal Keihara chatted for a long time and had dinner together before going to the Rustboro Gym and staying one night under Roxanne hospitality.

The next day, Yuga met with Roxanne, and together, they headed to the private Trainer exchange event that Roxanne had mentioned the previous day.

According to Roxanne's introduction, this private exchange event was somewhat like the Pokémon black market. Many Trainers would trade items with unknown origins here.

Trainers from all walks of life participated in this event, whether they were involved in legitimate or not-so-legitimate activities.

Not only that, although the format of this trade exchane is similar to a black market, the event was organized by the Investigation Bureau, a special organization under the Pokémon League.

The Pokémon League has two special organizations: the Internal Prosecutor Bureau and the External Investigation Bureau.

The League understands the concept of "out of sight, out of mind," especially when it comes to highly skilled Trainers. So instead of letting some gray-area Trainers roam around without any discipline, the League prefers to keep an eye on them. As long as they don't go too far, the League doesn't intervene.

These trade events serve as platforms where the League can supervise these Trainers.

Such events are held regularly in various major cities, but it's challenging for those without connections to locate the venue, as these trade events aren't meant for ordinary Trainers.

Those gray-area Trainers with sensitive backgrounds are well aware of the League's intentions. However, trade events organized by the League provide security and confidentiality, making them the perfect place to exchange items that might not be safe to trade openly.

There's an unwritten rule at these trade events: once items are inside, their origins and sources aren't questioned.

With so many benefits, those people are naturally unwilling to leave such a good platform unused. This is the so-called willingness to take the bait.

However, Most people at these trade events don't know who the real organizers are, and the Investigation Bureau never publicly acknowledges its role. After all, it's not something they want to advertise.

The reason Roxanne knows all this is due to her cousin, who works for the Investigation Bureau and happens to be in charge of the trade event in Rustboro City.

Her cousin's work is quite different from the usual dangerous missions performed by Investigation Agents. His role is to manage the trade event in Rustboro City, making him a civilian employee of the Investigation Bureau.

Furthermore, most people, including many within the Investigation Bureau, aren't aware that Roxanne's cousin works for the Bureau.

Of course, while Roxanne gave Yuga a brief introduction to the background of the trade event, she didn't mention her cousin. Such a confidential matter can't be mentioned casually.

Also along with Yuga and Roxanne was Roxanne's friend Lila. She arrived at the Rustboro Gym early in the morning and was waiting for the two of them. She was also looking forward to this trade exchange.

Roxanne had her own car, and she drove Yuga and Lila to a tall building in the North District of Rustboro City. There, she led them to a hidden elevator.

Before entering the door, Roxanne said a code word to the two security guards at the door. After hearing the code word, the security guard called a beautiful young lady from inside. Under the leadership of the young lady, the three of them came to a building with elevator door hidden in the dark.

"The top floor of this elevator is your destination for today," a beautiful young lady said politely to the three of them as the elevator doors opened.

"Thank you!" Roxanne expressed her gratitude before taking Yuga and Lila into the elevator.

However, as soon as the three of them exited the elevator, the elevator doors on the opposite side also opened, revealing Yuichii and Principal Amuro. It was clear that there was more than one elevator.

Yuichii upon meeting Yuga: ...I Leaving the place with excitement, only to run into the person i least wanted to see!

Principal Amuro, on the other hand, greeted Yuga with a big smile, "Oh, if it isn't Gym Leader Shimizu! What a coincidence! Are you, Roxanne, and Lila here to attend this trade event?"

"Principal Amuro!"

"Principal Amuro!"

Roxanne and Lila politely greeted Principal Amuro.

Yuga also nodded and said, "It is indeed a coincidence. I didn't expect to meet Principal Amuro and this student here."

"This student," Yuichii: You ***! You can't even remember my name! Am I not worth it?!!!

Yuichii was utterly received a critical hit.

However, Yuga's forgetting Yuichii's name wasn't intentional. Even though Principal Keihara introduced them yesterday, Yuga felt that there was little chance of meeting him in the future, so he didn't care and forgot Yuichii's name. Unexpectedly, they would meet again the next day.

"Gym Leader Shimizu and Gym Leader Roxanne, don't you want to act with us?" Principal Amuro immediately killed the snake and followed the stick, and wanted to invite Yuga to accompany him. He want to establish a good relationship with him, given that he was a student of Mr. Kuni'o!

Yuichii couldn't help but roll his eyes at Principal Amuro's eagerness, thinking he seemed like quite the "lapdog."

Initially, Yuichii's father wasn't in favor of him attending this trade event, but Yuichii was eager to experience it. Therefore, his father had to ask Principal Amuro to accompany him.

If this were a typical day, Yuichii would have certainly voiced his displeasure with Principal Amuro, regardless of his status as the principal. However, today he had to hold back; otherwise, if Principal Amuro backed out midway, he'd have to go back home.

Just as Yuga was about to respond, Yuichii jumped in, saying, "Maybe we should pass. Gym Leader Shimizu is quite busy and probably doesn't want to be with us small fries."

Principal Amuro: Stop! If you're going to be a small fry, don't drag me down with you!

Of course Yuga could see that Yuichii wasn't fond of him. So, Yuga just went along with it, saying, "Let's forget it." It just so happened that he didn't want to go with Yuichii either.

After that, they all went their separate ways.

Crossing through a long corridor, Yuga and the others entered a bustling hall. This was the venue for the trade event.

Yuga had expected a more formal event, given that it was held on the top floor of a tall building. However, the reality was quite the opposite.

The place was more like a local market, with no formal counters in sight, and street vendors shouting their wares. The atmosphere was down-to-earth and very different from the luxury of the towering building.

Seeing Yuga's surprised expression, Roxanne asked with a smile, "What's the matter? Are you surprised?"

Yuga nodded and explained, "Indeed, I am. I didn't expect the trade event to be like this."

Roxanne clarified, "The people who come here are from all walks of life. Managing them uniformly is extremely difficult, so the organizers decided not to bother and let them trade freely, as long as they don't cause trouble."

Understanding this, Yuga replied, "I see, that makes sense!"

After browsing for a while, they passed by a small vendor's stall, and the vendor waved at Yuga, calling out, "Hey there, young fella, want to take a look at this Psychic Bead from Spoink?"

He raised a fist-sized, pinkish gem and shook it in front of Yuga.

Yuga gazed at the gem for a moment and then, after some thought, walked over and touched the pinkish gem, asking, "You claim this is a Psychic Bead from Spoink?"

The vendor, assuming Yuga wanted to buy it, eagerly pitched, "Absolutely, absolutely! It's genuine, no doubt. Look at its color, its luster. It's unmistakably a Psychic Bead from Spoink. You won't be cheated here."

Yuga lightly tapped the pinkish gem, causing it to make a clinking sound, and he replied, "Shopkeeper, you're quite unscrupulous! This is clearly a Pearl from Clamperl, and you're trying to deceive me by calling it a Psychic Bead from Spoink!"

The vendor, hearing this, quickly laughed awkwardly, saying, "Haha... I... I didn't expect to encounter an expert today."

Clamperl's pearls and Spoink's Psychic Beads look almost identical, and it's difficult for most people to distinguish between them. With a little modification, it becomes even harder to differentiate them.

Clamperl's pearls, while also a rare and valuable resource for nurturing Pokémon, are significantly less valuable compared to Spoink's Psychic Beads.

"Shopkeeper, your deceitful behavior is not appreciated!" Yuga grinned at the vendor.

The vendor quickly covered Yuga's mouth and whispered, "Hey, little buddy, keep your voice down! If anyone else hears this, my business is finished!"

The items at this trade event is to test your ability to judge things accurately. If you have poor discernment and get cheated, it's your own fault.

However, deceiving customers is also a skill on its own, and if a vendor's trickery is exposed, it can harm their business.

Yuga calmly pushed the vendor's hand away and gave him a mysterious look.

Feeling uneasy under Yuga's gaze, the vendor reluctantly waved it off and said, "Alright, alright! I knew you'd try to shake me down! Fine, I'll show you something good today!"

With that, he pulled Yuga aside and slyly took a box from his bag. Slowly, he opened the box, revealing a deep blue-black crystal flower inside.

This crystal flower was exceptionally beautiful, entirely transparent, and as he opened the box, it refracted dazzling radiance. The white specks on its petals added an air of purity and mystery.

"This is..." Yuga's heart raced as he laid eyes on the flower.

The vendor quickly closed the box and put his arm around Yuga's shoulder, smiling broadly as he said, "How about that? I didn't deceive you, did I? As long as you can afford it, this item can be yours!"

The blue-black crystal flower, called the "Reverse-Light Flower," may look like crystal on the surface, but it's an actual plant. It only grows in the most frigid polar regions and blossoms under the northern lights. These flowers are extremely rare and precious, on par with a Revival Herb in terms of value.

What sets the Reverse-Light Flower apart is its name. It's bathed in the aurora borealis as it blooms but is, in fact, a Ghost-type material, greatly beneficial to Ghost-type Pokémon.

Seeing this Reverse-Light Flower, Yuga immediately thought of Mimikyu, slumbering in the Shadow Space. Due to long term oppression from Trevenant, it remained in a weakened state. Having this Reverse-Light Flower would help Mimikyu recover quickly.

"What price are you thinking of?" Yuga asked in a hushed tone.

The vendor chuckled and said, "Hehe... I can see you're not short on funds, young fella. How about this? Eight million, I'll sell you this Reverse-Light Flower for eight million."

He initially aimed to make a good profit, but he didn't really care to whom he sold it. If the young man could afford the price, he would be fine with selling it to him.

"Eight million!" Yuga was taken aback by the price. "Are you out of your mind?"

The vendor raised an eyebrow and said, "You know the value of this item. Eight million, and you won't be at a loss. Plus, it's not easy for me to acquire these things. A little inconvenience fee is necessary."

"However, you should also know that Ghost-type Trainers are rare, and it's not easy to sell this immediately. I'll take seven million as a final price!"

Yuga knew that eight million was a bit steep for the Reverse-Light Flower, but not unreasonably so. However, sticking to the principle of trying to save money whenever possible, he still wanted to negotiate a lower price.

If he hadn't recently earned a considerable sum from Gillruta, he probably couldn't afford this item.

The vendor sighed, saying, "Young man, you're quite tough. Won't you let me make a little extra for my troubles? You started by cutting down a million! Alright, you seem like a good person, so how about seven hundred and ninety thousand, my final price!"

Yuga replied, "Come on, you can do better than that. Lower the price a bit more."

After a bit more back-and-forth, Yuga finally managed to buy the Reverse-Light Flower for seven hundred and fifty thousand.

Once the transaction was complete, Yuga happily stashed the box containing the Reverse-Light Flower into his backpack. A great start!

During the whole negotiation, both Roxanne and Lila observed silently, never saying a word. It wasn't until they left the vendor's stand that they both gave Yuga a thumbs up simultaneously.

Afterward, the trio continued exploring the trading venue. Not long after, Roxanne purchased a well-preserved Shieldon that had been revived from a fossil, spending a significant amount. Lila, on the other hand, got a Held Item – a Flame Orb.

As they strolled around some more, Yuga's attention was caught by another vendor who had a strange collection of electric appliances. Washing machines, refrigerators, lawnmowers, electric fans, and more were on display. Oddly enough, these appliances appeared to move on their own.

Were these possessed by Rotom? Yuga's attention was immediately drawn to the Rotom inhabiting these devices.

With these Rotom in the household appliances, would that mean taking care of house chores with Audino and Wigglytuff would become much easier?

It's safe to say that Yuga's thought process is quite unique. His immediate response upon seeing Rotom was to buy them to help with household chores. Imagining a house filled with appliances that come to life was indeed both bizarre and intriguing.

With this in mind, Yuga headed over to the vendor selling Rotom-possessed appliances. The though of appliances moving around in his home brought both an eerie and exciting vibe.

"Are these all possessed by Rotom?" Yuga asked the vendor.

The vendor, without lifting an eyelid, nodded casually and replied, "They are. Choose whichever you like."

Yuga nodded, not minding the vendor's indifferent attitude. He focused his attention on the appliances that Rotom had inhabited.

Through his "Insight" ability, Yuga could discern that these Rotom's potentials weren't impressive; most were either red or orange, and only a few were yellow.

However, it didn't matter much to Yuga because his purpose for buying these Rotom was to assist with household chores, and their potentials didn't affect their ability to help with chores.

"How many would you like to buy?"

Seeing Yuga's genuine interest in purchasing, the vendor asked casually once more.

Yuga contemplated the various forms of Rotom: Heat Rotom, Wash Rotom, Frost Rotom, Fan Rotom, and Mow Rotom.

"Well, I'll take five."

The vendor nodded and said, "Feel free to pick your choice."