“That’s Amphy. Adorable, isn’t she?”

  Nina’s astonishment was offset by the smell of tangerines wafting from her side. “L-Lady Jasmine, it’s nice to meet you. And yes, Amphy’s absolutely adorable.” The girl affirmed as she eyed the photos on display, of a younger Jasmine with a shining Ampharos taken atop a scenic lighthouse.

  “I am sorry for your loss…” Nina murmured, knowing how close the pair was.

  The woman giggled. “Don’t be. Amphy had always been very sickly, despite our best efforts. It was a miracle that she lived for as long as she did. I’m just glad that I got to know her at all. This tower was built as a tribute to her actually, hence the lighthouse motif.”

  “What about the original lighthouse then? Is it still around?” Nina couldn’t recall if she saw it when they landed, on account of how distracted she was.

  “Of course, the Olivine Lighthouse is a symbol of the city. These days, it is tended to by another Ampharos, Sparkle, along with my apprentice, Janina. And you must be Miss Jones, I’ve heard a lot of tall tales about you as of late.”

  “Yup, that’s me. But you can just call me Nina. Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with us today, Lady Jasmine.” Nina smiled and returned the handshake, marvelling at the soft and slender fingers of the dainty Gym Leader.

  Jasmine did not look like a woman who ran a Steel Type Gym. Matter of fact, she did not look like the CEO of a multi-billion Pokedollar conglomerate either. Soft, tender features, pale, sandy hair and wearing a casual teal-colored one-piece dress. The young woman looked more like the sort of sheltered heiress that one would often see in TV dramas than a hardass iron woman.

  “It’s my pleasure, Nina. I’ve always been a big fan of your Gym’s work. We should discuss some form of collaboration some time.”

  “Ron…”

  Before Nina could respond, her attention was stolen by a stubby little lump of Steel waddling by Jasmine’s side.

  “Oh my gosh, is that an Aron!” The girl squealed and bent down to pamper the child, gently caressing the cold metallic shell of the Iron Armor Pokemon. Her first instinct was actually to pick them up and coddle Aron in her arms, only to nearly break her back from the attempt.

  Jasmine chuckled. “Careful now, Arons are deceptively heavy, owing to how dense they are. This little guy in particular was around 64 kilograms the last time we weighed him.”

  “Amazing…” Nina gasped while Kerry and Justin joined her side. “They only eat metal right?” The nurse girl chimed, also cooing at the Aron and somehow managing to find a soft spot underneath his mask that she was currently tickling, much to the little guy’s delight as he rolled onto his back and wiggled his stubby little legs in the air.

  Jasmine smiled and bent down to join the teens with a handful of metal chips in her hand. “That’s right — iron, more specifically. Though this one isn’t too fussy about his food. It’s part of the reason why he’s heavier than the average.”

  “Are you sure it’s not because you’ve been spoiling him rotten?” Nina remarked while watching the gluttonous Aron greedily chomp at the proffered treats, earning a laugh from the older woman. Until they were abruptly interrupted by a cough from the side.

  “Ahem. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me again, Lady Jasmine.” said Lilian. The girl looked a little bitter for being so blatantly disregarded.

  Jasmine sighed and reluctantly got up to go sit in one of the many sofas adorning the center of her penthouse office, before gesturing for Lilian to come join her. Recognizing the tension in the air, Nina, Kerry and Justin opted to remain by the corner to play with Aron instead.

  “Lady Lilian, I find it hard to believe that you’ve managed to complete my mission in such a short span of time. So tell me, what brings you in today?” The woman’s tone was cold with a hint of condescension.

  But the Blackthorn girl was undeterred as she sat adjacent to Jasmine and confronted the woman with a steely gaze. “You would be correct. I’ve only managed to acquire a single Storm Badge from Master Chuck. But that is also the reason why I have returned prematurely. Master Chuck has agreed to train me for a time and I am here to relay a missive from him.”

  With a curt gesture, Lilian reached up to grab a sealed letter from her butler, which she then passed on to the disbelieving Gym Leader in front of her.

  “I see…” Jasmine murmured once she was done reading through the letter’s contents. “I would be tempted to accuse you of forgery if not for the fact that I recognise Uncle Chuck’s unique… cadence.”

  Whatever was written on the letter must have been quite amusing as evident by the slight smile tugging at the woman’s face. “But regardless, I am curious as to what my uncle sees in you.”

  In the eyes of the Hagane Clan, as a family who could trace their roots to a time before the Blackthorns, Lilian’s family was naught but an invasive species who unduly infringed upon their land. From their perspective, an indifferent Champion who was absent in their governance like Lance was much preferred to a meddling one, allowing their influence to spread unopposed.

  In fact, there was scarcely a bureaucrat in the Johto League who had not at least brushed shoulders with one of the Haganes’ lobbyists, let alone the number of individuals who were deeply entrenched in their pockets.

  “Master Chuck recognizes the need for change.” Lilian argued. “Especially considering the severity of recent events. This fracture dividing the League must be dealt with if we are to effectively exterminate the scourge of Team Rocket.”

  Jasmine scoffed. “And you think that you are the best person to accomplish such a feat? Why not Lady Sabrina? Or for that matter, my brother, Bruno? It has been close to twenty years since our last non-Blackthorn Champion. If you are truly advocating for change, why settle for half-measures?”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Nina and her friends shuddered and huddled closer together at the sudden drop in the room’s temperature, trying to stay as out of sight as possible to avoid being embroiled in the invisible conflict brewing in the middle.

  Lilian breathed. “Lady Sabrina would be an ideal choice, yes. But as you well know, she has already expressed her lack of interest in the Champion’s seat on multiple occasions. As for your esteemed brother…” This time, it was her turn to scoff. “You and I both know that it takes more than just strength to become a good Champion.”

  If Jasmine was offended by Lilian’s insinuation, she did not show it. In fact, she seemed to be in agreement if the wry smile on her face was any indication. “Lady Sabrina’s denial is due to her ongoing relationship with Champion Lance. No doubt her inhibitions would be mitigated by a voluntary abdication from your patriarch. But even setting aside Bruno’s unfortunate nature, there are other candidates available — Lady Clair, for example.”

  Lilian leaned back on her seat and crossed her legs. “I would not be opposed to Aunt Clair’s ascension. In fact, Master Chuck said much the same. However, she herself has expressed a similar reluctance to Lady Sabrina. In large part because her pride would not allow such a lofty stature unless she was able to earn it through her own merit.” The girl sighed.

  “And it is an unfortunate fact that Aunt Clair is no match against Lance when it comes to the strength of her Pokemon.” Lilian sat just a bit straighter and placed a hand on her heart. “But rest assured that I have received my Aunt’s full endorsement. If you would place your faith in Aunt Clair, then please, I would ask that you extend just a fraction of that faith in me as well.”

  “You Blackthorns and your stubborn pride…” Jasmine furrowed her delicate brows, before turning to address her other guests. “Nina my dear, I heard from my assistant that you are looking for a competent metalworker?”

  The girl jolted at the sudden address and nodded fervently in response.

  Jasmine smiled. “It seems that this discussion might drag on for some time. I would hate to keep you waiting. So why don’t you and your friends move on first? I’ve already made a list which my assistant will provide on my behalf. Oh, and I’ve also asked for each of you to be included in our VIP pantheon. So expect a hefty discount when you go browsing in our company’s shopping complex later on.”

  “Thanks, Lady Jasmine! You’re very kind. But um…” Nina and her friends looked towards Lilian and received an assuring nod in response. “Alright, then we’ll leave you girls to it. Remember, any disagreements can be settled through a good ol’ Pokemon battle. No need to literally rip at each other’s throats.” That last part elicited a chuckle from both the legacy girls, considerably lightening the mood.

  With one last headpat to Jasmine’s Aron, the three teens gingerly made their way out of Jasmine’s office to go look for the woman’s assistant.

  ***

  “Man, that was intense, huh?!” Justin exclaimed right as they exited from the elevator.

  “Yeah, I’ve always heard rumours that Lady Jasmine was a delicate wallflower. I didn’t expect her to be so cool!” Kerry chimed with admiration clear in her eyes.

  Nina nodded in agreement. The Olivine Gym Leader had always been depicted as a shy, innocent girl back in her original world. But that was a younger version of her. It made sense that an older Jasmine would be much more hardened, especially given all the responsibilities on her shoulder.

  The list that Jasmine’s assistant provided was a fairly short one, unsurprisingly. Most people had no need for bespoke metalwork in the modern era. So Nina just settled on one that Jasmine herself patronised on occasion. Prices would be steep no doubt, but when it came to her Pokemon, the miserly girl spared no expenses.

  The workshop itself was located a short train ride away. It had been awhile actually, since Nina last took the train, not to mention the subway. And she was embarrassed to say that she had been inordinately excited about the commute, much to Kerry’s chagrin.

  “You don’t get it, Kerr. The clanking of the rails, the shake of the carriage, the hum of the tunnels…” Nina sighed. “Isn’t it just wonderful~?” Not to mention nostalgic, the jankiness of the rails really reminded Nina of her past life.

  Justin nodded along. “Yup! Not to mention the smell! That puddle of Growlithe puke, the Grimer hidden under the seats and that nest of Rattatas up on the luggage compartment!” The boy then took in a big huff, eliciting a look of disgust from Kerry. “Ahhh~ Smells like the big city, alright!”

  Nina locked eyes with her friend. Then, in an unspoken sense of camaraderie, the two clasped their hands together and grinned with a single vigorous shake.

  “Weirdoes…” Kerry groaned as the train screeched to a halt at their designated stop.

  ***

  “Hello, welcome! What can I do for ya?”

  Stepping into the shop they were referred to, Nina and co were immediately hit with the smell of rust and iron, the whine of grinding metal and the roar of burning bellows. And this was despite the fact that the reception area was segregated from the raucous workshop.

  “Hi there, we’re here under the recommendation of Lady Jasmine.” Nina replied. “I’m looking to commission a few items and we were told that you were the best in the city.”

  “Haha! Well that’s mighty kind of her!” The hardy looking woman cackled, seeming inordinately pleased by the recognition. “But yes, Minny’s assistant called in just now and told us about’chu. Miss Jones, right?”

  “Yup.” Nina affirmed as she released Nitey from his Pokeball. Brinny was already out and in her embrace as they were walking through the city. “I’m looking to commission three items actually. One is a collar for Nitey here to hold his Mega Stone.” The girl gestured towards her peppy Dragonite who was giving the forewoman a friendly wave.

  “Drago-nite!”

  “Secondly, we got Brinny here who will be taking over Nitey’s Mystic Water pendant. I’m thinking a little ringlet around his tail will suffice? What do you think? I’d like it if it was designed in a way that would allow it to carry over to when Brinny eventually evolves into a Primarina.”

  “Bri~ Bri-one ?”

  “Naturally, both items will need to endure the rigours of battle.” The girl added. “It would suck for them to suddenly break after just taking a couple of hits.

  “‘Course! Sturdy, battle-worthy items are what we specialize in here. An alloy of chromium and Steelix fragments should be plenty durable for the collar, plus your Dragonite’s pretty much done with the bulk of his growing anyway.” The woman said, followed by a considerate hum. “As for the ringlet… I’ve never seen a Primarina in my life. Mind showing me a pic?” Nina happily obliged and pulled up a Pokedex entry for reference.

  “I see, your idea of a tail ring is fine. I can maybe make one that’ll be adjustable enough to function as a collar for when your Brionne evolves. Forretress shell should do quite nicely — hardy, malleable and the pink should complement her — him? — beautifully. But more importantly, it’s resistant to water-based corrosion. That work for ya?”

  Nina nodded. “Yup, that’ll be perfect! I also have a crap ton of Dragon Scales you can use, even some from when Nitey was a Dratini and Dragonair.” The girl dug into her backpack to produce a sack full of her partner’s translucent sheddings, much to the forewoman’s delight.

  The shiny Dragon Scales might be a valuable commodity in the larger world, but to Nina, it was just a mundane waste product from Nitey which he had a bad habit of just carelessly picking at and dumping all over the floor. Despite her repetitive pleas for him to deposit them into a bin she had prepared for the purpose.

  In fact, what she had on hand was just a small fraction of her hoard. She still had several chests full of the stuff back at her parent’s apartment and had set up an arrangement with Mizuho for the woman to go retrieve them and sporadically sell to avoid oversaturating the market.

  “Lilian keeps telling me I should make a cape out of them but eh… Too chuuni for my taste. A jacket secretly lined with Dragon Scale though… Now that sounds awesome.” Too bad the tailor that Alfred referred her to was too uppity to work with more mundane clothing — it was either an expensive suit, a flashy dress or nothing at all.

  “And lastly, I need a necklace that will hold my Key Stone and this special little gemstone that I have — preferably something modular, but durability is key. I don’t want to have either of them fall off on me when I’m not paying attention.”

  The forewoman frowned. “That’ll be harder. We don’t really do dainty little necklaces for girlies like you… I think you’d be better off going to a dedicated jewellerer.”

  “Sure, I’m heading back to Cerulean City after this anyway. I’ll just go back to my usual jewellerer to have a necklace made.” It was disappointing, but Nina understood the logic and acquiesced easily enough. “And that’s pretty much it — just two items. How long will it take?”

  The woman chuckled. “Hold your Ponyta, kiddo. We still gotta take some measurements first. After that, I’ll getcha a quote and a time. Seeing as Minny sent you here, we’ll even push it to the front of the line.”

  Nina beamed and thanked the woman profusely for her consideration. She had nearly forgotten the fact that it would take time for the items to be crafted. So it was good to be able to save some time in the process.