Dusk deepened, and Saffron City's neon lights blinked on one after another.
The evening breeze carried the savory smell from a takoyaki stand, colliding head-on with the tide of office workers pouring out of the buildings after work.
Even though it was Saturday, plenty of people still had to work overtime just to keep their families fed.
A street-corner record shop spilled out nostalgic old hits, while a few teenagers in school uniforms chased after falling promotional flyers.
The pulse of this sleepless city only grew more vivid as night came on.
Grey glanced at his watch and held a hand out to Sabrina. "Time to go."
"Mm."
Sabrina rose from the sofa, and the two of them left the Fighting Dojo together.
"You two have fun tonight~"
Green watched them go, then immediately tugged Bumiao and Silver out through the back door.
"What's going on, Green?" Silver didn't understand why she was dragging them along.
Green didn't answer. Instead, she tossed him a question. "Gym Leader Grey treats us well, right?"
Silver nodded. "Yeah. He's taught me a lot, and he didn't hold a grudge—he even gave me a way to work and survive."
He truly hadn't expected Grey to be this good of a person.
People always say that once you teach your apprentice, you starve yourself.
But Grey really did teach him everything he could—street-fighting techniques, Pokémon battles… even practical knowledge like refereeing and Pokémon care. He never held anything back.
"Hehe, then tonight we're going to help him!"
Green's eyes gleamed. "Bumiao, you go buy fireworks. I'll go find the spot."
"What about me?" Silver asked.
"You handle paying."
"?"
…
…
"Teleport, or walk over?"
Standing at the entrance of the Fighting Dojo, Sabrina turned to look at Grey.
"Neither."
Grey shook his head and took out Articuno's Great Ball from his waist.
"Alright—let's go, Articuno!"
"Kree~" (What's the plan today?)
Articuno spread its wings in the twilight, and falling ice crystals glittered like scattered diamonds under the streetlights.
Tonight, they were flying into the city on Articuno.
Bright. Eye-catching.
If being careful didn't work, then they might as well travel in style.
Grey jumped up and settled Sabrina securely onto Articuno's back with him.
Then he pointed forward with a decisive sweep of his hand. "Articuno, move out! To the Financial District!"
"Kree!" (Got it!)
Articuno's clear cry cut through the city's noise. Its wings snapped open with a powerful beat, and the ice crystals it kicked up refracted into a rainbow shimmer in the dusk.
It didn't shoot straight into the clouds. Instead, it weaved through the skyscrapers.
A streak of ice-blue light skimmed past glass curtain walls, casting fleeting shadows across countless office windows.
White-collar workers packing up froze mid-motion, coffee cups hanging in the air.
Even in the gridlocked traffic below, phones rose everywhere, chasing the miracle streaking through the steel forest.
"Wait—didn't you change outfits this morning? Why did you switch back to your usual clothes again?"
The night wind brushed across Articuno's back. Grey turned his head and paused.
Somewhere along the way, Sabrina had changed back into her signature fuchsia outfit.
The black bodysuit outlined her waist in the fading light, and the skirt's fluttering hem was exactly as familiar as always.
And honestly… it really did suit her best.
"I changed when we went out. I thought wearing what I'm used to would feel more comfortable."
Sabrina spoke softly, both hands resting on her knees. When she heard Grey's voice, she looked straight at him.
They could both see each other's eyes clearly.
So clear—no hiding emotions away.
In that sense, they matched well. Both of them were the type to say what they meant, not force the other person to guess.
"Yeah. This one really fits you."
Grey nodded, offering the compliment just as they neared their destination.
Up ahead stood a low-key gray-white building. A garden terrace enclosed by black wrought-iron fencing glowed with warm lights.
There were no gaudy decorations, but in land as expensive as this, owning an entire standalone building was more than enough to show the restaurant's status.
Before Articuno had even fully folded its wings, Grey noticed the scene at the entrance.
Two rows of attendants stood straight as an honor guard. A deep red banner swayed gently in the wind.
[A Grand Welcome to the Two Heroes Who Protected Saffron City]
When she read those words, Sabrina's fingertips tightened on her sleeve.
The gazes aimed at her held none of the fear or wariness she'd grown used to—only pure respect and gratitude.
So this was what it felt like…
To be sincerely welcomed by ordinary people…
Sabrina could feel their emotions were genuine.
Not an act that didn't match what was inside.
"Esteemed guests, please come with me."
The manager bowed and led them into the elevator.
The moment the elevator reached the top floor, Saffron City's lights spread out beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows like a river of stars.
This seat, with a full view of the Financial District's nightscape, was clearly the restaurant's trump card—carefully prepared.
Even the folded napkins had been shaped into Luxury Balls.
They really had put thought into it.
The two of them sat down, and the dishes arrived right on cue.
Under the crystal chandelier's soft glow, Sabrina stared at the silverware for a moment, slightly dazed.
The steak's juices pooled into dark stains at the bottom of the plate, yet she still didn't move.
All those complicated Western dining rules were simply too unfamiliar for a Psychic-type who had lived alone for so long.
"Here—cut it like this."
Warmth suddenly brushed the back of her hand.
Grey had moved behind her at some point. His broad palm gently covered her fingers on the knife handle, guiding her as she cut through the tender meat.
So this is how you do it…
The moment the steak separated, she heard her heartbeat more clearly than the clink of knife and fork.
A heart that had been frozen over…
Now slowly melting, with that single cut.
"Here. You… try it."
When Grey returned to his seat, Sabrina speared a piece of steak with her fork.
Maybe because she wasn't using her psychic power, her fingertips trembled slightly.
Still, she stubbornly held the fork out in midair. In her usually indifferent eyes, there was a faint, unmistakable hint of anticipation.
The bite of steak hovered between them. Grey's gaze flicked briefly from Sabrina to the meat, then he leaned in.
As he took the bite gently from the fork, a faint smile brushed his lips.
When the rich flavor spread across his tongue, Grey nodded to Sabrina—who was still holding the fork—and then cut a small piece from his own plate. "Tender. You should try it too."
Two simple words, paired with a casual motion…
And Sabrina's ears flushed pink at a visible speed.
They ate slowly—painfully slowly. Sabrina chewed each bite with unusual care.
She even used her psychic power to slow the staff's movement when they brought dessert, as if she could hold time back that way.
But no matter what, every dinner ends.
Just as Sabrina was about to stand, she noticed the faint smile on Grey's face. Following the direction of his fingertip, she looked toward the window—
Boom!
Outside the entire glass wall, a golden rain exploded across the sky!
Thousands upon thousands of fireworks rose at once, turning the night into something like daylight.
As the brilliant sparks fell, words appeared in the reflections on the glass:
"Thank you for protecting us."
"You've already done so well. From now on, leave the days ahead to me."
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