When Ash and the others saw Erika, she naturally noticed them too. A hint of surprise flashed across her elegant face before she smiled softly.
"I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Ash."
"Miss Erika! I didn't expect it either! We must be connected by the Destiny Knot of fate...our love..."
"Alright, alright! Let me look at the perfume, will you? Don't start again!" Misty groaned, yanking Brock away by the ear.
Ash and Erika exchanged helpless glances and, without a word, mutually decided to ignore him.
"Ahem… I didn't expect to meet you here either, Erika. Come to think of it, you did mention you were a perfume-shop owner back when I challenged your Gym."
Ash remembered her saying that during their match, and even the Gym's barrier field had been built to protect the flowers and herbs used in her perfumes.
"That's right," Erika said proudly, sweeping her hand toward the polished shelves. "This is my shop, and it's the largest and most famous perfume boutique in Celadon City."
Her tone carried more pride than when she'd introduced herself as a Gym Leader.
"The largest perfume shop, huh? Must be pretty profitable." Ash's voice carried an edge of envy.
He couldn't care less about perfume, but money? That was another story.
He'd spent most of what he'd earned from wild battles on Pokémon food and nutrient formulas. His team kept growing, and his wallet kept shrinking. He hadn't spent a single coin on himself, and yet he was always broke. If not for the Pokémon he'd left with Professor Oak, who covered their expenses, he would've been bankrupt long ago.
So seeing Erika effortlessly run a luxurious business in one of Kanto's richest cities filled him with a mix of admiration and jealousy.
Erika chuckled lightly. "Profitable or not, I've never really paid attention. I make perfume because I love it. Isn't it wonderful to see people, especially girls, wearing a fragrance you created yourself? As for money… it's just a number. There are many things it can't buy, like that Technical Machine in your hand."
Her voice was calm, almost serene. For someone living in Celadon City, wealth was a given; her shop's success was obvious. Money was simply no longer something she needed to think about.
Ash, on the other hand, almost wanted to blurt out that maybe she could just buy the TM back from him instead.
He'd already taught Bulbasaur Grassy Glide, and while it was only in its early stages of mastery, that was good enough. Once one of his Pokémon learned a move, he could teach the rest through Aura Synchronization, better than any TM could manage.
Still, it had been a gift. Asking Erika to buy it back would be too shameless, so he buried the thought with a sigh.
"Tell me," Erika suddenly said, leaning closer with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "are you here to buy perfume for the girl behind you?"
A delicate fragrance wafted toward him as she leaned in.
Ash followed her gaze, and sure enough, Misty was happily testing different scents a few aisles away, closing her eyes and smiling softly after each one.
"I'm just tagging along with Misty and Brock," Ash replied casually. "Perfume isn't really my thing. I mean, what guy needs perfume anyway?"
The smile on Erika's face faltered slightly. "Oh? Is that so?" she said sweetly, though her tone carried a teasing edge. "But tell me, if perfume could boost your Pokémon's training efficiency, help them learn moves faster, and even increase their leveling speed, would you still think that way?"
Ash's eyes went wide. "You're kidding, right?"
Was this perfume or a miracle drug?! Could something like that even exist?
Seeing his stunned reaction, Erika giggled behind her hand. "I'm not lying. Some rare perfumes really can do those things. It all depends on the perfumer's technique, ingredients, and formula."
She began to casually polish her nails as she added, "A bottle like that costs five figures and lasts maybe five or six uses. Each application works for about an hour. It's expensive, but effective."
Ash froze. Five figures. For a single bottle.
He didn't even want to imagine what the first digit was.
That was the kind of price that could buy him a whole month's supply of Pokémon food!
Sure, if the effect was real, the price wasn't unreasonable… but for a broke Rookie Trainer like him, it might as well have been a million. He was barely scraping by as it was.
Erika smiled knowingly. "Tempted, aren't you? Still not interested in perfume?" she whispered.
Ash sighed, half-embarrassed, half-defeated. "You got me there. I am interested, but what's the point? I couldn't afford that in a hundred years."
Erika's laughter was soft but genuine.
Ash could only give a helpless grin. The desire to earn money was growing stronger by the minute. He'd have to ask the veterans in the group for advice on how to make real cash later.
Because really, how could anyone be a Trainer without money?
"Hehe, if you're that interested," Erika said with a teasing smile, "then I'll give you a chance. I'll even give you a formula. If you can successfully mix a perfume yourself, I'll reward you with ten bottles of the Pokémon-training incense I mentioned earlier."
Ash's heart skipped a beat. Ten bottles?! That was an outrageous deal!
"Uh… if I fail, I don't have to pay for the ingredients, right?" Ash asked, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "I, uh… don't exactly have much money left."
It was such a pitiful sight that Erika couldn't help giggling softly, covering her lips with one hand.
"Don't worry," she said gently. "You don't have to pay. Just do your best, but I'm only giving you three attempts. If you can't make it after that, don't waste my perfume stock!"
"Relax! I only need one try!" Ash puffed out his chest confidently. "Mixing perfume is just about getting the ingredients and timing right, yeah? I'm great at precision work!"
Erika smiled knowingly. 'That's what all rookies say.'
"What are you two talking about?" Misty called out, walking over with a faintly suspicious tone. She'd been browsing perfumes a few shelves away, but their constant chatter had caught her attention.
Erika turned toward her, still smiling, and explained the "challenge."
Misty's expression went blank. Ash? Mixing perfume?
He'd never even smelled perfume before today, let alone tried to make one. If it were really that easy, everyone would be doing it.
Still… the thought of perfume that could enhance Pokémon training was enough to tempt even her. She knew how passionate Ash was about anything that could make his Pokémon stronger.
"Can I try too?" Misty asked, hesitating slightly.
"Of course," Erika said warmly. "Come on, I'll take you both to the blending room."
Whether it was one rookie or two, the loss of a few ingredients didn't matter. Besides, watching them try might be amusing.
As Erika led Ash and Misty toward the back, Brock finally noticed them leaving. For a moment, he looked torn between following them and staying with the beautiful women chatting near the front counter.
In the end, he sighed dramatically.
'My brother needs this more than I do.'
And with that noble justification, he returned to admiring the shop's many lovely customers.
Ash, Misty, and Pikachu followed Erika into the perfumery's inner workshop. The air was thick with fragrant mist, and shelves of flowers and herbs lined the walls. Glass tubes shimmered under warm light as workers in white uniforms carefully blended liquids of every shade imaginable.
Erika guided them past the busy main room and into a smaller private chamber.
"The air outside is too mixed with scents," she explained. "For beginners, that kind of interference will throw off your sense of balance. Here, you can focus better."
The private workshop was tidy and quiet, filled with neatly labeled bottles and specialized tools.
"Here," Erika said, placing a paper in front of them. "This is the formula. The ingredients are on that shelf, each bottle is labeled. Use what you need. If you have any creative ideas for your own blend, you're free to experiment."
She gestured gracefully toward a chair, then sat down to watch them with mild amusement as they studied the formula sheet.
Ash scanned the page for a few seconds, then quietly closed his eyes.
Newbie Ash: Big guys, quick question, does any version of me in the multiverse know how to make perfume?
A few seconds passed.
Champion Ash: I think there is one. The name was… @WealthiestAsh.
Newbie Ash: What kind of title is that?! "Wealthiest"? You mean he got rich from making perfume?
Wealthiest Ash: Perfume making? Rookie, why are you interested in that all of a sudden? I thought you were all about battling.
Newbie Ash: It's like this…
Ash quickly summarized his encounter with Erika, explaining the challenge and the incredible effects of her perfume.
Newbie Ash: So, senior, do you have any special Pokémon-training perfume formulas?
Wealthiest Ash: Yeah, yeah, I've got a few of those lying around. Let me think... Here. Take this. It's a standard Trainer's perfume formula. The ingredients should all be available in that Celadon City perfume shop you're in.
As Wealthiest Ash spoke, a glowing image appeared in the chat, rows of labeled bottles, shimmering powders, and annotated steps that described the exact order and ratio of ingredients.
In the multiverse group, sending images didn't require a camera, just the user's mind. A clear mental image was enough to materialize the picture for everyone. That was the same trick the other veteran Ashes had used before when teaching Newbie Ash how to recognize rare Pokémon.
Ash focused on the floating image, carefully scanning through the list of materials and preparation steps. His eyes eventually landed on the final section, where the formula's name and effects were described.
Strange Layered Fragrance
Effect: Induces a semi-hypnotic state in Pokémon. Before entering the trance, instruct the Pokémon on the specific action or exercise desired. Once the trance begins, the Pokémon will instinctively continue performing that action, while its body operates at full efficiency.
Duration: 1 hour of enhanced physical output with no mental fatigue.Best used for: Endurance or physical conditioning. When proper recovery support is available, training duration can safely exceed twelve hours without mental strain.
Ash's jaw dropped.
And then, as he scrolled down, he noticed something that made his eyes bulge even wider.
Wealthiest Ash: Wondering why they call me that? It's simple, I dedicated my life to making money. I invest in every profitable venture I can find, and perfume happens to be one of the best.
Wealthiest Ash: The formula I just sent you, if you can make it successfully, sells for 38,000 per bottle. The production cost? Only 380.
Ash froze.
"Thirty-eight thousand… and three hundred eighty… That's a hundred times profit!!"
He nearly screamed in real life.
Was this perfume business really that lucrative?! No wonder that version of him had become the Wealthiest.
Ash hurriedly copied down every detail of the formula, committing the measurements and sequence to memory. After expressing his gratitude in the chat, he disconnected from the multiverse network and opened his eyes again.
When he came to, Misty was already measuring out ingredients on the counter, carefully following Erika's written formula.
She glanced up briefly when Ash stirred but didn't interrupt.Ash closing his eyes mid-task was nothing new, it usually meant he was doing something unpredictable again. Maybe he'd thought of some ingenious idea? It was best to let him work.
After opening his eyes, Ash recalled the contents of the formula, then looked at the tabletop in the private room and the various materials in the cabinets beside it.
"All the ingredients for Strange Layered Fragrance… perfect."
...
Bonus@ 400
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