Join my p@treon for more chapters
[email protected]/Tempest_29
"Oh, everyone's here early!"
David pushed open the door of the private room and walked in, grinning at the four people already seated inside.
He had arranged this meeting with his friends the day before, asking them to gather at their usual coffee shop this afternoon. Now here he was, walking in to join them.
"We got here early. We've just been waiting on you, David. Could you try showing up on time for once?"
Inside the private room, Luke, Miles, Emma, and Willow were already seated around a table covered with snacks, fruit, and drinks they had clearly ordered a while ago.
David sat down without any fuss, picked up the drink waiting for him, and took a sip. Nice — tropical fruit flavor.
Ever since his trip to the Hundred Flowers Gym, David had grown fond of this flavor and had gotten all his friends hooked on it too. These weren't cheap drinks, either. They were freshly squeezed juices mixed with Bounsweet nectar, and only a handful of shops sold them, since the nectar had to be handled carefully to keep the taste right.
Luke looked over at David, half amused and half tired of the routine. "Every single time we plan something, you're the last one through the door. Could you try being a little more punctual?" Still, he didn't push it. At least David always showed up.
"Hey, I was getting something ready! It's not like I was wasting time. Besides, it's not even two o'clock yet — you guys just got here too early."
"Anyway. Take a look at this."
David pulled out a box he'd brought with him and set it down gently on the table.
"Is this the surprise you mentioned?" Miles asked, unable to wait, and immediately snatched up the box to look it over. Emma and Willow, who had been chatting, stopped and turned to watch.
"It just looks like a plain box. Where's the surprise supposed to be?"
Miles turned the box over and over, but no matter how long he stared at it, he couldn't find anything special. It really was just a cardboard box.
Thonk.
"Ow!"
"I meant open the box and look inside, not hold it and stare at the outside like it's going to do something."
Watching Miles fixate on the box itself instead of what was in it, David's face went flat with disbelief. He gave Miles a light knock on the head.
Of course the box itself wasn't special — it was just whatever delivery box David had grabbed on his way out. What mattered was what was inside.
"Oh! Right, got it."
Miles rubbed his head but wasn't bothered in the slightest. He grinned and tore the box open, revealing what was inside to everyone at the table.
"Whoa, these are beautiful! David, what are these?"
Nestled inside were four small glass vials, each filled with a swirling red and blue liquid. Caught in the light, the twisting colors looked like gemstones shaped by a jeweler's hand — and in a sense, that's exactly what they were.
Emma's eyes lit up at the sight of the vials. Willow, usually the calm and quiet one, nodded slightly in agreement. Something this beautiful was hard for anyone to look away from, especially the girls at the table.
"So what is it, David? Another souvenir from your winter break trip? Didn't you already bring us something back?"
Miles picked up one of the vials and turned it in his fingers as he spoke. He was thinking of the trinkets David had brought back for everyone after his last trip — including the lucky find of a Gardevoirite that David had picked up along the way, plus a few small handmade souvenirs for his friends. Naturally, Miles assumed this was more of the same.
"No, wait... this feels different. Is this some kind of Pokémon potion?"
Luke, sitting beside him, had noticed something the others hadn't. He studied the vial closely before asking.
"Luke's right. This is a Pokémon potion."
Since someone had already guessed it, David didn't bother hiding it any longer and confirmed it outright.
"A Pokémon potion?" Miles repeated, turning the vial over with a puzzled look. They were all familiar with Pokémon potions — with their family backgrounds, their own Pokémon had used plenty of them over the years.
But this one looked nothing like the potions sold in any shop. It was far too refined, too carefully made, for something you could just buy off a shelf.
Everyone turned to David, waiting for an answer.
"Mm-hmm~"
David didn't say a word. He simply picked up his drink and finished it in one go. Miles, ever the "helpful" one, refilled the glass right away. Satisfied, David nodded and finally began to explain.
"Unbelievable," Emma muttered, rolling her eyes at him.
Once he'd had his fun, David dropped the act and walked them through where the potion came from, what it did, and how he'd made it — though he left out exactly how he'd come across the knowledge for it, only mentioning offhand that he'd received some notes from a senior.
"So it's a general conditioning potion that improves physical fitness, and it might even raise the user's aptitude?"
"Yes."
"And you're telling us you made this yourself?"
"Yes."
Everyone stared at David like he'd grown a second head, but he answered as calmly as ever.
Miles and the others exchanged glances. They already knew David was skilled at Pokémon breeding — he'd ranked first in their year for two and a half years running, and with his family's background in the field, he could probably pass the breeder certification exam without even studying for it.
But none of them had expected this. A custom formula for a high-grade Pokémon potion, one that could even raise aptitude? Where was the fairness in that? Was this guy even human?
Under all those stares, David kept his composure, though anyone looking closely might have caught the faint trace of smugness he couldn't quite hide. Showing off in front of his friends clearly gave him a small private thrill.
"There are four potions here — one for each of you."
"Use them on your starter Pokémon first. I'll head to the school later to get more materials and make another batch when I have time."
Hearing this, Miles, Luke, and Emma understood immediately how valuable these potions really were. None of them hesitated, and each took a vial without a second thought.
Willow, though, held back. Among all their starter Pokémon, her Sceptile was the only one with a natural weakness and lower aptitude. Even after a few chances to improve it, it still lagged behind the others.
Miles's Arcanine already carried a purple-red aptitude. Luke's Metagross had climbed even further, into light red. Emma's Togetic sat at a deep purple, but it still had one shot left to evolve into Togekiss using a high-grade Shiny Stone. Out of everyone, Willow clearly needed this potion the most.
But unlike the others, who had grown up alongside David since they were kids, she didn't feel right just accepting something this valuable without a second thought. She hesitated, the vial sitting untouched in front of her.
"Just take it, Class Leader. The materials came from the school anyway — I only put in the work. Use it to strengthen your Sceptile, and go show everyone what First High is made of at the league." David spoke up, guessing exactly what was holding her back.
"Exactly! Take it, Willow — do it for your Sceptile if nothing else," Emma added.
With everyone pushing her along, Willow finally accepted the potion. She didn't say much, but there was a flicker of gratitude in her eyes before she looked away. She wasn't one for long thank-yous, but it was clear she wouldn't forget this favor — and that she'd repay it when the chance came.
Once everyone had their potions in hand, nobody wanted to linger any longer. They finished off the last of the snacks and drinks in a hurry, said quick goodbyes, and headed out.
They were all eager to get back and give the potions to their Pokémon — the preliminary qualifiers started the next day, and time was already running short.
After the last of his friends had gone, David got up, made his way downstairs, and headed out as well.