Chapter 3

"You guys are spendthrifts," Leaf murmured as they headed to the Pokemon Center after their shopping spree in Viridian City.

"I just found so many pretty clothes and couldn't resist myself." Anira innocently replied.

"You didn't have to buy me..."

"Come on!" Anira admonished her for the tenth time in the day. "Stop thinking about these things. You are my Brother's Assistant, and he is filthy rich. So, stop feeling low about it. Neither of us minds it."

"Well, she's right. Don't worry about money." Aizen nodded to her words and smiled at Leaf. "You should be worrying about keeping your Sponsorship." He reminded her.

Leaf pensively looked down after hearing those words.

"Bebe" The little fairy nestling on her head tried cheering her up. And it worked.

"We can do it, right, Fiona?" She asked her only Pokemon.

"Bebe!" The little fairy enthusiastically nodded its head.

"Since Kanto will not be having Pokemon Contests for another three years, you will have to get 8 Gym Badges and make it to the Top 32 of the Indigo League if you want to keep the Sponsorship for the following year." Aizen reminded her.

"But we will be getting all 12 Badges in this Region. Right, Brother?" Anira evilly giggled but it sounded adorably sweet.

"Mhm..."

Kanto was one of those regions that did not have all 18 Types of Pokemon Gyms. It was mostly because not all Types were found in the region, and some only had one or two Pokemon Species residing there.

"I have heard that Psychic, Normal, and Ground Type Gyms are the toughest. Viridian Gym does not accept challenges if the Trainer does not have seven Gym Badges." Leaf sighed.

"All executive Gyms get to decide such regulations." Aizen nodded to her. "Psychic and Dragon types are always tough to go against. Normal Pokemon are powerhouses, and those found in Kanto are not to be taken lightly."

"Vee vee!"

Aizen chuckled when he heard his partner nod enthusiastically to his words.

"I doubt there is an Eevee as strong as you..." He commented. "And of course, our Rinko is the most beautiful Eevee in the world." He gently scratched the back of its ear, earning a few appreciative licks in return.

"Thankfully, there is no Dragon Type Gym here." Leaf sighed again, but this time, in her heart.

"No Ice, Flying, Fairy, Dark, and Steel Gyms as well." Anira thoughtfully looked at the sky. "There is a reason why the Indigo League has the highest number of participants each year. It's because you only need 8 Gym Badges, and you can easily avoid the tricky Types."

Aizen glanced at Leaf and found her sulking again. The little girl was already racking her brains to come up with a proper Team since her silly dreams of a Grass Team were not possible now.

"Take it easy for now. We have over 11 months before the League starts."

"Stop!"

Just as they were about to enter the Pokemon Center, an Officer Jenny called them to a halt.

"Is everything all right, Officer?"

Jenny glanced at the Eevee on his shoulder and then at the little Fairy hiding in Leaf's hair. Her eyes then settled on the boy, and her cheeks turned a little rosy under the intense gaze of his violet eyes.

"May I see your IDs, please?"

Aizen did not know what was happening, but he nodded and handed over his Pokedex to Jenny.

"Hi! This Pokedex Belongs to Trainer Aizen Sin Orayen from Blanc Island, Hoenn Region. Trainer Rank: S-Class, Diamond Perks. He is famously known as Professor Sin..."

Aizen snatched back the Dex before it continued. And it helped in bringing Jenny out of her trance.

Her lips were fumbling to say something to him, but she was not sure what to say.

"Welcome to Kanto, Professor Sin!"

She settled on the one thing Aizen wanted to avoid, and professionally saluted him, attracting the attention of people to them.

"Thank you." He sighed and nodded. "She is my Assistant, and this here is my little sister." He introduced them to her.

"Good Evening!" She respectably greeted the two girls. "You may enter the Pokemon Center."

"May I ask why we were stopped?" He was curious why there was a Jenny outside the Pokemon Center.

"It's because of yesterday's incident. A duo and their mascot, Meowth, members of Team Rocket, tried to rob all the Pokemon in the Center. Thankfully, they were repelled by a Trainer and his Pikachu from Pallet Town. However, the culprits managed to escape, and I am here as a precaution against anything happening again." She politely summarised everything to them.

"A Trainer with a Pikachu?" Leaf inquired. "Was it Ash or Ritchie?"

"I believe his name was Ash Ketchump," Jenny answered her.

"It's Ketchum."

"Your friends?" Aizen raised a brow and asked.

"Not really... We are of the same batch and went to the same primary school. They started the journey with me. Ritchie and Gary were the other two Students who managed to get the Sponsorship from Professor Oak. Ash already had a place booked on the Sponsorship roster..." She added the last part rather bitterly.

Aizen and Anira did not answer her why that was so. Even if they did not know Ash, they could guess who his father was. The famous Red Ketchum, the former Kanto and Jhoto Champion, who was currently off the radar.

The trio bid Jenny farewell and entered the Center which was less crowded than they had expected. In the middle of the lounge, the roof and the pillars were still being repaired, with Nurse Joy overseeing the work.

"Chansey!" The evolution of Happiny pulled Joy's attention to the newly arrived Trio.

"Good evening!" Joy approached them and smiled. "Welcome to the Viridian City Pokemon Center. How may I help you?"

"Good Evening." Aizen handed her his Pokedex. "I would like a Guest Suite for me and my Assistants."

Joy frowned at his words. As handsome as he was, he seemed a little too young to have the privileges of Guest Suites that were reserved for famous Professors, but once she heard the information on his Pokedex, she understood everything and steeled her nerves to act professionally.

Thankfully, the Guest Suites were safe from yesterday's ordeals and she guided them to one.

"Damn... He's more handsome than the rumours..." Joy sighed with a blush after she returned to her workstation.

And as professional as she was, it didn't stop her from gossiping about the news of the arrival of the famous Professor Sin in Kanto. And by the official stamp on his profile, it was obvious that he was going to take part in this year's Indigo Conference! She informed all her cousins and sisters in the Region about it and even shared the footage of him arriving at her Pokemon Center.

It was a good thing that Joys would only gossip among themselves. Otherwise, Aizen would have to wear a mask wherever he went in the region.

A few minutes after they settled into their suite, a Blissey came and served them their dinner. It was not anything extravagant, but it was a delicious meal.

"Have you decided if you want to catch anything in the Viridian Forest?" Aizen asked Leaf.

"There are mostly Bug Type Pokemon. I am not interested in Butterfree, and Beedrill is not recommended for starting Trainers. Since its line evolves quickly, I better not train a Weedle or a Kakuna. Well, not for now." Leaf revealed her thoughts.

She had the entire day to think over this after yesterday night's discussion with Anira when the siblings had stayed at her home back in Pallet Town.

"If you want a Beedrill, go for it. I will help you train it." Anira encouraged her.

Leaf shook her head.

"I am hoping to find a Bellsprout in the forest. They are rare, but we could get lucky." She smiled happily at the prospect of getting a Grass Type.

"There are some Pidgey too. Do catch one if you find a strong one." Aizen reminded her.

"Are you not going to catch any Pokemon?" She asked confusedly.

"I have a Pidgeot that I raised with my Grandmother. But no, I am not going to use him in the League." He shook his head. "For a flying type, I think all I would need is a Zubat."

"A Zubat?" Leaf was surprised at his choice.

"Here..." Anira grabbed her brother's Pokedex and showed her the evolution line.

Leaf understood his intentions. Looking at the moveset of Crobat, even she wanted one now.

"These bats are strong!"

"Yes, they are." Aizen smiled at her.

"By the way, why won't you use your Pidgeot?"

"The Leagues are not yet ready to allow the usage of Mega Pokemon. That's why."

"Mega Pokemon?"

"Your homework for the night." He worked on his Dex and transferred the file related to the topic to her Dex.

"And do remember, you are privy to some information because you are my Assistant. You must not talk about it publicly or to anyone." He patted her head and kissed Anira good night before leaving them to work on Leaf's homework.

The little girl from Pallet Town was already drowsy at seeing the size of the file that he had transferred to her.

"It will take all night!"

"Nah." Anira shook her head. "With my help, four hours. I know all of it, and I will help you."

Leaf felt sweet in her heart at seeing how readily Anira was willing to help her. And she felt even more grateful and indebted to the girl.

"Thank you!"