"Team Rocket... They really must be destroyed."
Walking home, Sakiko's eyes smoldered with barely contained fury.
She despised Team Rocket. After all, it was Team Rocket who had wrecked the very foundations of her life.
If Team Rocket hadn't ambushed her father, leaving his Pokémon permanently injured, none of this would have happened. She would have smoothly inherited the family's legacy—and possibly even married Satoshi.
And it wasn't just one instance of them harming someone important to her. Two days ago, seeing Satoshi battle fiercely against that Team Rocket member on the livestream, Sakiko couldn't hold back her anxious tears.
Thankfully, the outcome had been perfect—Satoshi had been extraordinarily brave and defeated his opponent spectacularly. Considering his condition afterward, she thoughtfully chose not to disturb him at home, merely sending a concerned message instead.
Those two experiences had firmly resolved her to utterly annihilate Team Rocket. To achieve this goal, she'd even expanded her own team, bringing in her childhood friend Misumi Uika, along with two other formidable teammates.
How had she managed to recruit them? Well, by leaning on the appeal of Misumi Uika, the school's Elite Four Electric-type and popular idol, as well as Wakaba Mutsumi, the acting Gym Leader specializing in Grass-types.
Put simply, Sakiko had now fully embraced the role of the "freeloader" of the group.
If she didn't start seriously improving her skills, she might have no choice but to pin Satoshi down, force him into some unspeakable act, and depend on him financially in the future.
As for what specific act...? Well, Teacher Sakiko certainly can't say!
She needed to grow stronger, no matter what.
"Team Rocket, I'll be the one to finish you!"
Togawa Sakiko's eyes gleamed fiercely with unyielding determination. She took a deep breath, her resolve hardening.
She reached into her pocket and took out five Poké Balls.
If she had faced that Team Rocket member two days ago, he definitely wouldn't have been so lucky.
Milotic, Meowscarada, Gardevoir, Noivern...
In terms of strength, even if she battled Satoshi, it would be nearly impossible for her to lose—and very likely she'd even win.
Next, she needed to focus on gaining qualifications for the upcoming competitions. At the very least, she needed to secure a spot as one of the Elite Four.
With this burning determination, Sakiko returned home. Originally, she'd been scheduled to work at the EcoDome today but had requested a day off to carefully consider her future plans.
Besides, after helping Satoshi train his Pokémon, Sakiko had earned a considerable sum of money—nearly ten times her usual EcoDome salary—so she wasn't currently short on funds.
Surprisingly, her good-for-nothing dad hadn't wasted money on alcohol yesterday, either. There was even some money left over.
That's actually great. Maybe soon I won't need to use Milotic's Hydro Pump just to refill emergency water anymore.
"You didn't drink today, old man? And the house... it's surprisingly clean."
Sakiko's eyes swept across the room, astonished at its tidiness.
It appeared freshly cleaned. Her useless old dad wasn't lounging around either—he'd gone out somewhere. Such an event hadn't happened even once since they'd left the Togawa family home.
"What on earth happened here...?" Sakiko muttered suspiciously.
Her confusion didn't last long, however, because soon enough she heard her old man returning home.
"Ah... Sakiko, you're already back from school? No work today?" Her father's voice was unusually humble, instantly catching Sakiko's attention, causing her to glance toward him.
But when Sakiko turned around, her eyes widened in shock. Her usually shabby father looked impeccably neat—his scruffy beard was shaved clean, his long hair trimmed short, and he wore properly formal clothes.
"Welcome home... Father. I took a day off today."
Sakiko blinked rapidly, suddenly finding herself unable to use her habitual phrase, "worthless old man." Her father's dramatic change was so unbelievable her brain short-circuited on the spot.
Standing before her wasn't the usual disheveled drunkard she'd known—but the dignified Elite Four-level trainer her father once had been.
"Oh, I see. That's good. It's important to relax sometimes… I went looking for work today too. Although it probably won't be as good as your job, it should be enough for us to get by."
Her father smiled weakly, while Sakiko quietly pinched her own cheek.
Am I dreaming right now...?
No, that hurts—it seems not.
But as Sakiko struggled to accept reality, her father suddenly knelt down on the floor, prostrating himself in a deep dogeza.
"Sakiko, I was wrong in the past. I'm truly sorry."
"Father...?" Sakiko stared, unblinking.
"Two days ago, I saw that boy on your phone… He's completely different from me—he's courageous enough to confront Team Rocket directly, risking everything to save a Garchomp. That's something I could never do."
"He's genuinely admirable—totally unlike someone weak like me."
As her father solemnly apologized, he lavishly praised Satoshi, making Sakiko's emotions grow increasingly complicated.
Today at school, there'd also been plenty of people who liked Satoshi for exactly that reason—there was even a crossdressing boy among them!
Is Satoshi some kind of incubus? Father, you better not become my rival for him in the future?!
I won't accept BL!
"So, Father... what exactly do you think of him?"
Considering the sheer number of BL fans recently, Sakiko was genuinely concerned.
"Well, I guess you could say… he's like an idol. There's a kind of restlessness inside me that just won't calm down."
Is he really some kind of incubus, seriously? Anyone else hearing this would think he'd used Attract on you! Wait... Attract doesn't work between the same gender.
[Attract]:A move that makes Pokémon of the opposite gender infatuated, drastically lowering their ability to attack.
Sakiko stepped closer, very seriously reminding her father:
"Dating a minor isn't appropriate. Please remember that clearly."
"...Hmm? Ah—oh, no, you misunderstood. I simply see him as a role model..."
"Is that really true?"
Sakiko didn't believe him one bit.
That's exactly what every freak would say.
"Why are you looking at me with so much doubt?" Seeing his daughter's disbelief, her father let out a helpless sigh, deciding not to dwell further on the subject.
"I have a strong feeling that kid will become incredibly powerful in the future—perhaps even one of the Elite Four… or maybe even the Champion. Sakiko, you do like him, don't you? I'll fully support your relationship."
"Huh? Who likes him?! T-that's ridiculous!" Sakiko instantly turned bright red, lowering her head shyly, flustered beyond belief.
"I'll be rooting for you two." Her father didn't seem bothered, instead rising from the floor. He reached into his bag and pulled out an old Pokédex.
"I may no longer possess Elite Four-level strength, but I can pass on all my knowledge to you. With this, I'll help you catch up to him as much as possible."
"...This is a Pokédex."
Sakiko felt a wave of surprise. She hadn't expected her father to keep something so valuable without selling it off.
After all, a Pokédex allowed you to look up Pokémon moves and contained vast, invaluable knowledge. It was still extremely valuable on the market.
"Sakiko, can you keep up with me?" her father asked seriously, passing her the Pokédex.
"Hmph, more like you should keep up with me, worthless old man."
Accepting the Pokédex, Sakiko couldn't help but think of Satoshi, her lips curling gently upward into a soft, genuinely happy smile.
Both my father and I… you ended up saving us, Satoshi.
Thank you, Satoshi-kun.
I love you most of all.
---
T/N: Nooo! Sakiko you must support BL!
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