Pokémon from Galar

Watching the program's broadcast, which was still introducing the current situation in Su Chuan Town, Mary casually asked a question. Actually, she didn't really care about it. Anyway, whether they finished challenging the dojo sooner or later wouldn't affect their participation in the final elimination round.

"That seems to be true—the number of people challenging the gym has decreased significantly since Motostoke City. How should I put it, are gym challenges really that difficult?"

"Pfft..."

Hearing Yuri's question, Mari couldn't help but laugh. Not everyone has their talent. For most people, the improvement in strength brought by a year is quite limited.

If newcomers don't grow quickly enough, and elite trainers aren't strong enough, it's extremely difficult to break through eight gyms in less than a year when facing increasingly difficult gym challenges.

"It's not that the gym challenge is easy, it's that Yuri, you yourself are exceptionally talented,"

"is that so……?"

"Of course! Do you think the Dan Emperor would just send out invitations randomly? Just because you're his brother and neighbors?"

This is probably the effect of traveling with companions for a long time; one's self-perception is easily skewed by the level of those around them.

Marie didn't know whether this influence was good or bad. If possible, she hoped that Yuri could try to recognize the true level of her talent. Not all trainers in this world are like her or Mizuki, who can achieve this level at the age of ten.

"Ah ha ha……"

Yuri scratched her head shyly. She had always thought she wasn't that great, only good enough to fight Hop, and that was only because Hop had been neglected for a while.

Seeing Yuri's reaction, Mari sighed helplessly. People who are talented but lack self-awareness are most likely to be hated. Yuri needs to understand this.

"never mind……"

With a helpless sigh, she realized that talking about this kind of thing was useless. She would probably gain her own understanding once Yuri experienced it firsthand.

"what……"

Mary yawned for no apparent reason, then squinted and leaned back on the sofa, letting her mind wander.

"Is Mary-chan sleepy?"

Yuri turned the TV volume down and curiously leaned closer to Mary, asking with a smile.

"It's alright. Compared to this, Yuri, would you like to soak in a hot spring later?"

"Huh? Are we going down again?"

"Of course not, there's an indoor hot spring in the room, and we haven't used it even once."

"It seems so! I want to soak it!"

Upon hearing this, Yuri immediately perked up, stopped watching TV, and ran to the balcony to mess around with the small hot spring.

Seeing this, Mary slowly stood up from the sofa and followed behind, smiling as she said:

"Why are you in such a hurry? You think you can run away?"

"Hehehe~ I just find it funny."

Mary leaned against the support pillar next to the balcony, watching Yuri fumble with the instructions to use the device. She remained silent, but in her heart, she was actually thinking about whether she should just finish what Yuri hadn't finished yesterday.

His gaze was fixed intently on Yuri's upturned buttocks. If it weren't for Yuri, Mari probably wouldn't have felt any extra desire for the next two or three years.

"...?"

Perhaps Mary's gaze was too direct, because Yuri turned her head and looked over in confusion, silently asking Mary what was wrong.

"..."

Feeling a slight sense of shame at having her lewd thoughts exposed, Mary silently averted her gaze and turned to look at Hime-chan, who was quietly refining the melody on the Rotom phone.

"By the way, Hime-chan—after this song is finished, how about I record a better video for you and post it online?"

"Oh~ (Is this okay for me?)"

Hearing Mary's voice, Hime-chan looked over with a mixture of surprise and worry. After all, she hadn't been singing for long, and Hime-chan always felt that she was far removed from that figure from before.

"That's great. It's nice to be able to record your progress little by little. I'll also take you to the Grand Contest in the future. It's good to get used to being commented on, isn't it?"

"Aww~! (So happy! I want to do it!)"

"come on!"

Mary watched as Hime-chan became engrossed in her work again, and shut her mouth without disturbing her.

When it comes to performing, Yuri's vibrato salamander doesn't seem to have any desire to perform. Although she enjoys listening to music, she has no intention of doing anything herself.

After standing there in a daze for a while, as her mind gradually went blank, a pair of arms suddenly reached out from behind and wrapped around Mary's waist.

"It's about time to go for a soak, Mary-chan."

Obediently letting her body lose its balance and lean against Yuri's chest, Mary tilted her head slightly and smiled, saying:

"I understand, please help me inside."

"No, walk by yourself, I can't drag you!"

Yuri pulled Mary a few steps inside by the waist before giving up, mainly because they were both walking backwards with their backs to each other, which made it easy to fall.

"Hi hi..."

Straightening up again, Mary deftly untied her robe, the silk fabric slipping down to reveal her figure.

After removing her undergarments, Mary entered the small hot spring pool, no bigger than a bathtub, and generously submerged herself in it. Then, she reached out her hand and smiled at Yuri standing beside her, saying:

"Come here."

"Uh-huh……"

Yuri awkwardly took off her clothes, carefully stepped into the hot spring, and then sat down with her back to Mary, leaning back. Immediately afterward, Mary's hands nimbly wrapped around her.

"Mari-chan?!"

"What you did to me last time, it's time for Yuri to do it again."

Mary deliberately leaned close to Yuri's ear and whispered these words, ignoring the girl's weak resistance, and forcefully began a complete but somewhat flawed educational lesson.

P.S.: I had so much fun writing this! 2333333333 I guess I'm more comfortable writing this kind of thing.

Chapter 289 Dilemma and Strawberry Planting

After spending half an hour in the hot spring, and then...

Mary lay in the hot spring, panting slightly, not wanting to move, while Yuri clung to her chest, not daring to lift her face.

"It's almost time to go up, we've been soaking for long enough..."

"……Oh."

It was like a tiny sound leaking from between her teeth, making Mary even doubt whether she had heard it at all.

I never expected to be this shy...

Mary scratched her face with a slightly unease. It was Yuri who initiated things the day before yesterday. Although she couldn't finish it due to a lack of relevant knowledge, she had clearly shown that kind of inclination.

I thought she had mentally prepared herself before attacking me... otherwise, Mary wouldn't have been so unable to control herself from attacking Yuri.

His hand traced Yuri's skin underwater, and after feeling the girl in his arms tremble with his movements, he smiled and said:

"Okay, sit up first, let me wipe you down."

Marie helped Yuri up from the hot spring and sat her down on the edge of the pool. She looked up at Yuri's unavoidable gaze.

"Waaah..."

Then Yuri avoided her again.

Mary picked up the bath towel lying next to her, pulled it open, and wrapped it around Yuri's body. She carefully wiped Yuri's body, while secretly wondering if it was because she had been too dominant earlier.

But since a significant part of my intention was to teach Yuri things she didn't quite understand, I subconsciously became so proactive.

Mary gently wiped Yuri's little feet clean in her hands, then let go. Looking at Yuri, who was curled up beside her clutching a towel, she raised her arm to support Yuri's back, turned and gave her a firm kiss on the cheek, saying with a smile:

"Go change your clothes quickly, don't catch a cold."

"Uh-huh……"

Nodding hastily, Yuri hurriedly stood up and ran outside, treating Mary as if she were some kind of monster.

"...Am I really being too radical?"

Seeing Yuri's expression, Mary also felt a little regretful. If today's events really made the atmosphere between the two of them become awkward, that would be too bad.

With a soft sigh, Mary casually draped a towel over herself, then looked up at the moon through the French windows.

"Hiss... It's getting colder."

She subconsciously shivered, and as her body heat gradually dissipated, Mary also felt a slight chill.

Curled up, Mary leaned against the wall beside her, casually wiping her legs. The unsightly wrinkles on her palms from being soaked in water now reflected a subtle tactile sensation.

Just then, the door that Yuri had just closed was opened again, and Yuri, who was dressed, walked in with a clean towel in her hand and a blush on her face.

"Um... let me... let me wipe it for you... so you don't catch a cold..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, and her cheeks flushed redder and redder, but this time she did not look away from Mary.

"Okay, then I'll leave it to you."

A smile spread across Mary's face. She stood up, supporting herself with her hands on the ground, letting the towel slide off gracefully. Mary took two steps forward and stood in front of Yuri, their eyes meeting.

Unable to resist, this time Yuri took the initiative to reach out, open the towel, grab Mary's arm, and then kiss her.

……

After draining the water from the indoor hot spring pool, Mary walked into the house from the balcony and found that Yuri had turned off the TV. Yuri then huddled under the covers, playing on her phone with her back to Mary.

Hime-chan had already returned to her Poké Ball at some point. Not every Pokémon likes to stay outside; at least when she's sleeping, Hime-chan prefers to stay inside her ball.

Mary sat down on the bed, turned off the main light, gently rubbed the little Mo nestled beside her on the pillow, and then slipped into the covers.

As soon as Mary lay down, before she could even reach out, a soft, warm object snuggled into her arms.

By the faint light of Rotom's phone, Mari smelled the familiar scent of shampoo, looked at Yuri facing her, wrapped her arms around the girl's waist and hugged her tightly, the thin nightgown easily transferring her body heat to the other girl.

Yuri remained silent, staring intently at Mary's face in the darkness. Her slightly rapid breathing told Mary that Yuri was probably not at peace.

"Go to sleep early, aren't you exhausted?"

"Wh-what?! You're no different!"

Yuri raised her little fist weakly against Mary's chest under the covers. Although Mary couldn't see her expression, she could guess that Yuri must be filled with shame and indignation.

He grabbed Yuri's hand, forcefully pried open her fist, and then interlaced his fingers to hold hers.