บท 1204: Finis And Suzie

As a VIP of the beauty salon, Misty didn't need to wait in line. She led Yuga to the entrance, where the attendants, upon seeing her, immediately welcomed her warmly.

"Miss Misty, you're here! Please, come on in!"

Due to her participation in the gym leader exchange, Misty had been in many battles over the past few days. After each match, she would bring her Pokémon here to relax, so the attendants were already very familiar with her.

Misty introduced Yuga with a smile, saying, "This is my friend; he came with me."

The attendant, smiling widely, said, "Since he's Miss Misty's friend, please come right in. Miss Misty is one of our top members and has the privilege of bringing one or two guests along."

The salon's membership has several tiers, from basic to VIP. Misty was in the top tier. Some of the customers waiting outside had initially been annoyed, thinking that Misty and Yuga were cutting in line. However, after hearing that Misty was a VIP, their resentment immediately dissipated.

VIPs are entitled to bring guests ahead in line. So… well, that doesn't really count as cutting, right?

Under the attentive guidance of the attendant, Misty and Yuga entered the beauty salon.

Though this place was called a beauty salon, it wasn't the same as salons for humans. They didn't provide styling services; rather, they focused on treatments like massage, aromatherapy, medical care, and relaxation techniques for Pokémon. Their goal was to make Pokémon naturally exude a healthy beauty, hence the name "beauty salon."

If it hadn't been for Misty's introduction, Yuga would never have known how complex these salons for Pokémon could be.

There are similar salons in various places, but the quality varies greatly. Some are outright scams, while this one was a standout in the industry. It was precisely because of its top-notch services that it had gained such a great reputation.

The moment Yuga stepped into the salon, he noticed a particular scent in the air that instantly relaxed him.

This was the effect of Lax Incense!

Since YoYo Day Care sell Incense, Yuga immediately recognized the smell. Incense for Pokémon tends to be expensive, earning it the nickname "burning gold." In other words, burning incense here was like burning through gold. The price of incense is no joke.

To be able to keep incense burning 24/7 in the lobby like this, the salon was clearly well-funded. But naturally, the clientele here could probably afford it easily.

With a quick glance around the lobby, Yuga noticed that the Pokémon accompanying the customers were either precious pets from wealthy families or the main battlers of powerful Trainers.

Since it was his first visit, the attendant gave Yuga and Misty a brief tour. By the end, Yuga felt that he'd truly seen something new.

The salon offered a wide range of services, accommodating even large, intimidating Pokémon like Onix and the fierce Gyarados and Ursaring.

Yuga personally saw one of the Pokémon groomers meticulously bathing an Onix with fine sand and another cleaning the scales of a Gyarados, removing the buildup from between its scales.

Both the Onix and Gyarados looked utterly relaxed and were quietly lying there in total enjoyment.

According to the attendant, all the Pokémon groomers here were certified Pokémon breeders and Pokémon doctors, each highly skilled.

Yuga was genuinely impressed. With so many Pokémon groomers employed, the salon's wage costs alone must be enormous, as Pokémon doctors and breeders are both high-paying professions.

After the tour, Yuga and Misty were led into a private suite. The attendant asked Misty, "Miss Misty, which Pokémon groomer would you like today?"

Misty thought for a moment and replied, "Let's go with Finis."

The salon's Pokémon groomers were also ranked by levels, with higher-level Pokémon groomers commanding higher prices. Finis, the Pokémon groomer Misty requested, was at the top tier.

"Alright!" The attendant said happily, then turned to Yuga. "Mr. Shimizu, is there any service you'd like to try?"

As he spoke, he handed Yuga a menu of services and carefully went over each option.

Misty, as a regular customer, was already very familiar with all the services here, so the attendant directly asked her which Pokémon groomer she preferred. However, Yuga was a newcomer, so the attendant naturally provided a more detailed introduction.

Since it was his first visit, Yuga hadn't planned to have all his Pokémon try the services. For just Ninetales alone... he thought for a moment and asked the attendant, "I'd like to get a massage for Ninetales. Could you recommend a suitable Pokémon groomer?"

Not knowing the specific skills of the Pokémon groomer here, Yuga decided to go with the attendant's suggestion.

"For a massage, let's go with Suzie," Misty interjected before the attendant could reply. "I heard Suzie is here today. Is she booked?"

The attendant checked his tablet and said, "Yes, Miss Suzie is here today, and she currently has no appointments."

Misty nodded, "Then let's go with Suzie."

"Alright, please wait a moment, both of you. The Pokémon groomer you requested will be here shortly. I'll be right outside if you need anything, so feel free to call me."

Once the attendant left, Misty told Yuga that Suzie, the Pokémon groomer she recommended, was actually a friend she'd met while traveling with Ash.

Suzie was very skilled in massage, though she wasn't a resident Pokémon groomer at the salon. She was specially hired by the salon owner and only worked here on specific days.

Although Suzie wasn't yet a top-tier Pokémon groomer like Finis, Misty was sure that with more time, she'd eventually reach that level.

Hearing Misty praise Suzie so highly, Yuga became curious about her, and Ninetales beside him was already eager to start.

Before long, Yuga saw two young women enter, one behind the other. The woman in front was very tall, around thirty, with a voluptuous figure and a sensual look; the one behind her was petite, looking sweet and pure, and appeared to be in her twenties.

The two women greeted Misty warmly upon entering, showing that they were well-acquainted. Misty introduced Yuga to the two women: the tall one was Finis, and the petite one was Suzie.

To Yuga's surprise, Finis actually recognized him. She exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't expect to meet the famous Gym Leader Shimizu here today. What an honor!"

After speaking, Finis noticed Yuga's Ninetales and, with admiration, remarked, "Is this your Ninetales, Mr. Shimizu? You've raised it wonderfully."

Finis wasn't only a Pokémon doctor but also a breeder. Although she specialized more in Water-type Pokémon, her keen eye was undeniable.

Upon hearing the praise, Ninetales proudly lifted its chin: That's right, this Ninetales is indeed that remarkable!

Suzie, a quiet young woman, hadn't said much, though she noticed Ninetales as soon as she entered. It wasn't only Ninetales' extravagant, glamorous appearance that caught her eye but also its outstanding form.

Being an expert, Suzie understood well that a Pokémon's natural appearance best reflects its health and development.

She herself had a Ninetales, so she was more familiar with the species than others and could recognize this one's exceptional qualities.

After Misty introduced Yuga, Suzie understood it all—of course, a skilled Trainer would have such a remarkable Ninetales.

What Suzie didn't know was that Ninetales' excellence wasn't entirely Yuga's doing.

Well... it wasn't completely unrelated either; Yuga had, after all, played a role in Ninetales' final stages of growth, at least in reaching Level 100.

After a brief chat, the two Pokémon groomer began their work.

Today, Misty came to treat her strongest Pokémon, Starmie.

Finis had prepared everything meticulously, starting by setting up a bath suitable for Starmie and adding a special liquid to it.

Finis explained that this medicinal liquid was her exclusive formula. It not only healed accumulated injuries in Water-type Pokémon but also strengthened them physically—a luxury treatment indeed.

She then took out a box of odd incense, lighting it so that the room filled with a refreshing fragrance.

This odd incense could enhance the meditation efficiency of Psychic-type Pokémon, making it ideal for Starmie. During Misty's last visit, Finis used Wave Incense, tailored for Water-types; this time, she made a suitable adjustment.

Meanwhile, Suzie started Ninetales' massage.

Suzie's massage technique not only activated Ninetales' meridians but also relieved accumulated fatigue. Before long, Ninetales was humming contentedly.

When Finis lit the odd incense, Ninetales noticed right away.

Although it wasn't a Psychic-type, it had a strong affinity for mental energy, especially after its advancement to Level 100 with Mew's help, which further developed its psychic abilities.

Seeing Ninetales enjoying the massage while eyeing the incense burner with longing, Yuga thought quickly and said, "No need to be so envious. Once we get back, you can use as much as you want. The incense we have at home is far superior to this."

As soon as Ninetales heard this, its eyes brightened, looking at Yuga as if asking, Really? You're not lying, are you?

Yuga's words also caught the attention of Finis and Suzie. Finis asked, "I heard that Gym Leader Shimizu is also the owner of YoYo Day Care, a very well-known place these days! Does your daycare also sell incense?"

Yuga replied humbly, "You're too kind. Yes, YoYo Day Care does sell incense, and it has a very good reputation."

Finis responded, "Then I'll definitely have to try it out sometime."

Though Finis was just being polite, Yuga seized the opportunity and said, "As it happens, I have some with me. Allow me to gift Miss Finis a box, and one for Miss Suzie as well."

With that, he theatrically took out two boxes of incense from his portable space bag—though, in truth, he pulled them from his system bag. It happened to be the same rare incense, ideal for comparison.

Knowing Yuga well, Misty immediately backed him up. "YoYo Day Care's incense is really excellent! Our Cerulean Gym exclusively uses their incense, and I think the quality is noticeably better than what's used here." Though she was supporting Yuga, Misty was speaking truthfully.

Yuga gave Misty an approving mental thumbs-up.

With Misty's endorsement, Finis and Suzie's interest was piqued. They took the boxes of odd incense from Yuga, trusting that Misty wouldn't lie about such things.

Opening the boxes, Finis and Suzie saw the shiny, fine-grained odd incense inside and immediately recognized its high quality.

As people who regularly worked with incense, they knew how to discern quality at a glance. A quick inspection was enough to make them decide to test it properly later.

Seeing them accept the incense, Yuga beamed with joy.

Earlier, Yuga had learned from a staff member that a Pokémon groomer of Finis's level held considerable influence at the salon. If YoYo Day Care's incense received her approval, Yuga would have a chance to sell his products here through her.

This beauty salon was exceptionally large and a luxurious establishment, consuming vast quantities of incense daily. Securing a partnership with them would mean significant business for YoYo Day Care.

Even if it didn't work out, Yuga wouldn't lose much—just two boxes of incense, which was hardly a big deal.

Having achieved his goal, Yuga then engaged in casual conversation with the three women, mostly discussing experiences in Pokémon breeding.

Though Suzie and Finis weren't trainers, as breeders and Pokémon doctor, insights from a trainer's perspective could offer them valuable inspiration.

Speaking of Ninetales, Misty remarked, "I remember Suzie's Ninetales was taken care of by Brock for a while. I wonder how Ash and Brock are doing these days."

Hearing this, Yuga recalled that Brock had indeed cared for a Vulpix once, though he hadn't known whose it was. So it was Suzie's?

Suzie added wistfully, "Yes, I really owe Brock for that. I was busy preparing for the breeder's certification exams at the time, and he took such good care of Ninetales for me!"

That Vulpix had since evolved into her current Ninetales.

After the massage session, Suzie thoughtfully helped Ninetales put back on its accessories and clothing, restoring it to its stylish (and flamboyant) appearance.

Feeling even more beautiful, Ninetales strutted in front of the mirror in the room, prompting Yuga to think, I can't bear to look at this!

Its so narcissistic!