Author's note:

  This is the Nina's journal chapter I forgot to release. Since there were more than a couple of you that requested it, I decided to pull the trigger.

  I'll hold off on reordering the chapter for a day because I don't know what that will do to the notifications and I don't want to cause any unneeded confusion

  ***

  Year 9 AT, April 7th.

  The Johto Crystal Derby. Not gonna lie, despite what I said to Mizuho, it does sound very exciting. Still not a horse girl though.

  But gosh, is Rice Shower cute! >.<

  After my time with Mihono Bourbon was up, I caught her peeking at us near the fences. And with some strategically placed bait Berries, I was able to get close enough to engage with her.

  She was still a little shaky and scared (again, CUTE!) but after some gentle coaxing, I was able to get her to relax enough for cuddles. Oh Arceus, she was sooooo soft.

  Bourbon was nice and all given the sheer power of his musculature, but his coat was more aged. Smooth, still lustrous, but hardy. Ricey though, was like silk of the highest quality.

  And once she warmed up to us, literally, because Ricey’s flame becomes warmer and more pronounced in her comfort, we managed to coax her into a game of tag.

  I have to say, though. With how energetic she was, I think that little Ponyta has a bright future ahead of her as a race horse. If we could somehow help bolster her confidence that is.

  ***

  Year 9 AT, April 7th.

  Damn you, Mizuho! Stupid idol outfit! Why’s everything gotta be so freaking frilly?! And what’s with all the ribbons?!

  Also, those nonsensical lyrics! What in Arceus’s name does Umapyoi even MEAN?! It’s not even a proper onomatopoeia! (Yes, I had to search how to spell that word, so sue me!)

  At least riding has been fun. More fun than I had initially thought actually. The 3 hour time limit with Bourbon though, not so much. But then again, these are fully trained Ride Pokemon. I’m the amateur here. And as Mr Imanami said, all I gotta do is not get in the Pokemon’s way.

  On the bright side, our sparse schedule does allow for a bit of leisure. Since Mizuho did keep her promise of cancelling the rest of my work, much to Violet’s dismay (Muhahaha!)

  Actually, I think I do have a photoshoot with PKQLO in a couple of days. But it’s fine. I actually wear their products and they’re the only one of my commercial sponsors who paid enough to “officially” sponsor my Gym circuit. Not to mention all the free goodies that I’m likely to get.

  What’s not so cool though was their proposal to do a nautical themed shoot with Dhelmise once they found out about it. FUCK NO!

  As much help as Morty’s Shadow Sign has been. That… eldritch creature is nowhere near tame enough to be in the proximity of such a crowded and confined space.

  Luckily, being that she has worked in the Cerulean Gym her whole life, Mizuho had enough sense to outright decline such a reckless proposal. In exchange though, she did offer up Kerry as a supporting model, which the girl was more than happy to oblige.

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  On a brighter note, Kerry and I spent the evening in the Goldenrod Tunnels. She was skeptical at first, thinking that I was planning to drag her down some dusty old wartime ruin, only to be pleasantly surprised by the vibrant shopping complex that unfolded before her eyes. (Unlike the games where it was just a single strip with just a handful of NPCs)

  Honestly Kerr, have some faith in your best friend, will you?

  Though in truth, it really was a repurposed wartime construct. The entire city, as far as I knew, sat atop a sprawling network of tunnels, used for logistics and shelter during the war.

  These days though, the more accessible parts of it had been converted to house all sorts of little boutique stores and stalls selling a variety of handmade goodies. (An ingenious initiative from the Goldenrod Department Store)

  It kind of reminds me of those underground malls of my past life actually. The ones that were often built near subway stations in East Asia. Japan, Korea, Singapore… I remember I spent an inordinate amount of time exploring them back when I traveled the region since there were always obscure little gems to be found.

  Makes sense really. If they were gonna go through the trouble of tunnelling underground and relocating infrastructure just to fit a train station, they might as well go a bit further and commercialize all the surrounding real estate.

  Anyways, we mostly just went around indulging in street food and dressing our Pokemon up in all sorts of adorable accessories. Peppy, Polly, Brinny, Espy and Azzy had a lot of fun. Though Lynxie got super fussy when we tried to put stuff on him. Honestly, that naughty lion cub! No more sneaky snacks from Aunt Nina.

  Although… I did spot a flyer advertising guided tours into the “Old” Tunnels. I wonder if I can convince Kerry to come with. Justin will definitely be game. But if not, then I’ll just go alone. Maybe after the derby though. The available timeslots don’t fit in my current schedule.

  ***

  Year 9 AT, April 8th.

  Bourbon got hurt because of me.

  I know Imanami said it wasn’t my fault, that his cleat was faulty to even allow such a splinter to begin with. But I still feel bad.

  Ricey is so sweet though. To think that she would be willing to come under the spotlight for me. Still, she is just a Ponyta and despite my best efforts, trying to ride atop her tiny frame was quite a challenge.

  We have four days to get her up to shape. But unfortunately, Mizuho won’t cancel my photoshoot, so a little less than that actually.

  Today was mostly spent planning with the team and testing Ricey around the tracks. And while Ricey is plenty fast for a Ponyta, she’s still limited in her arsenal of moves. So that’s the first thing we need to remedy.

  Fortunately, Espy came up with an ingenious solution which saves me the trouble of spending a fortune on last minute TMs.

  After all, we are surrounded on all sides by a whole ranch full of Rapidashes. And just because I’m not allowed to Ride Bourbon, doesn’t mean we can’t hang out with him. Not to mention there’s Kerry and Justin’s Rides as well.

  So it was a simple matter of getting one of them to help out and demonstrate some of their moves to my beautiful, fuzzy, pink TM copier. (You’re the best, Espy!)

  Flame Charge, Fire Spin and Flare Blitz. Those were the basics. Espy will be personally teaching Quick Attack to Ricey and I’ll also use the Giga Impact TM that Falkner gave me on her as well. Not all at once, of course. We just started off with two moves for now. Trying to cram too many new moves into a Pokemon in one day, especially for one as young and underdeveloped as Ricey, was a surefire way of inviting complications.

  But once everything is in place, Nitey will be teaching Ricey on how to combine multiple moves. A very difficult feat and not something every Pokemon is adept at as I’ve learned over the years. Espy, for example, finds it to be a frustrating challenge, though her strengths lay in move modification and more creative application of her arsenal.

  I have the utmost confidence in Ricey. Her Type Energy manipulation is well beyond a Pokemon her age and she’d already shown promising signs on the first day.

  That said, we’ll still need a secret weapon. And I have just the thing in mind. Though that’ll have to depend on Azzy’s help.

  The next few days are gonna be hectic…

  ***

  Year 9 AT, April 14th.

  Curse me and my stupid mouth. Did I really have to go and court trouble like that?

  No more, Nina. No more wishing for Team Rocket to crash in whenever you have some sort of public appearance. I’m over 40 years old now for Arceus sake! Grow up already!

  I feel so bad for Kerry. She was really looking forward to dancing on stage. I’ll have to find a way to make it up to her. Maybe I can have Mizuho arrange something with the Gym. A mermaid show isn’t exactly the same thing but we can maybe come up with something idol themed.

  Yeah, that’ll work.

  Note to self: Call Beverly and have her think up some appropriate choreo. That girl’s really good at this sort of stuff and she has been complaining of monotony recently.

  Team Rocket… Yeah, it’s time to get off my ass and actually do something about them. But what though? I don’t actually know what Giovanni’s after.

  Time to have a serious conversation with Celebi, about this whole mess and about the Mew Gem.

  ***

  Year 9 AT, April 16th.

  Last night felt like a blur. My throat is sore and I feel woozy.

  I guess that combating a horde of Gyarados in the rain all night long will do that to anyone. Bless Kerry and her magical Nurse Joy touch. Otherwise I’d be down with a fever today.

  Anyways, I’m currently on Nitey’s back heading towards Cianwood City. I wish I could stay and help with disaster relief but this is too important to put off. I already informed Kerry and she was understanding. Even Justin was opting to stay put for once, wanting to help the good folks of Mahogany instead. For all his flippantness, the boy does have a heart of gold.

  Truthfully, I would prefer to help out as well. The eyes of the city’s residents are haunting… So this better lead to a Mega Stone or I swear that onion isn’t getting a single Berry from me ever again.