Chapter 213: The Upcoming Pokémon Championship
The Schicksal private jet arrived on time.
After saying goodbye to Seele and Elysia, who'd come to see him off, Xander Masato lay back on a half-reclined seat, eyes half-closed to hide the fatigue in them.
Yesterday, Seele and Bronya had messaged him one after the other. Just as he was excited to draw lots to decide which League to choose, Kaguya Houraisan quietly came to him.
"Why not tie the sisters together?" That was what Kaguya said.
Xander Masato shamefully felt tempted. So he didn't reply to either message. While the two girls changed into tight black outfits to get ready to tie him up, Kaguya slipped in; the two of them, working inside and out, caught the sisters in one net. After that came the classic movie scenario where the interrogators are reversed and "trained." Because this concerned the Masato family's secrets, it naturally isn't for outsiders' ears.
It was certainly enjoyable, but the next day—ammo spent and supplies exhausted—he was completely drained. After breakfast, even when Kiana deliberately pressed herself against him, he barely reacted, which scared her enough that she nearly dragged him to a urologist for a check-up.
Xander's listlessness that morning had truly given her a fright. She thought either Xander couldn't do it anymore, or she no longer held any attraction for him. Either one would be an unacceptably terrible outcome!!
In the end, with the beaming Kaguya helping to smooth things over, Kiana finally believed Xander's explanation that he was fine. When he closed his eyes, a deeper weariness rose up. Maybe his body was a bit weak; even though he'd taken medicine, the airsickness headache that hadn't shown up in a long time came back today.
Frowning, his breathing turned a little uneven and rough, and the change in air pressure left his ears ringing, so much so that he didn't notice the footsteps slowly approaching from behind.
A slender figure walked over. Seeing the pained look on Xander's face, she slowed at once. After a moment's hesitation, she headed for his seat. Before he saw her, a faint fragrance reached his nose. Just as he wondered if the crew had set out some aromatherapy, a pair of warm hands came to rest on his head. Soft, tender fingertips carried an undeniable warmth.
Those fine, beautiful hands moved gently, pressing in a steady rhythm over his crown and temples.
Since when did the crew offer massages? And it's actually pretty comfortable, huh~
Feeling the dizziness quickly pressed down and fading, Xander wanted to say something. But once the headache passed, an even stronger wave of fatigue swept through his mind, and he forgot to speak; before long he drifted into a deep sleep. Even so, just before dozing off, he vaguely saw a short, gray-gold-haired figure standing behind him.
This might have been the most comfortable sleep he'd had in days. No dreams, no stray thoughts—he slept straight through until the plane was about to descend. He opened his eyes, stretched hard, and the exhaustion in his body dispersed. Xander hadn't felt this refreshed in a long time.
"How was your rest?" A warm, gentle voice sounded not far away.
He turned—and met a pair of wine-red eyes. Rita sat a short distance off. Her short gray-gold hair caught the sunlight with a golden sheen. Lounging lazily, laughter in her eyes, she looked at him with a tenderness that words couldn't quite capture.
"Pretty great. Thanks for earlier." Putting together his pre-nap thoughts, he knew exactly who had given the massage, and he smiled his thanks.
"No need to be so polite. Consider it thanks for letting Rita share the flight."
It was a Schicksal private jet, yes, but allocated for Xander Masato's exclusive use. If Rita wanted to ride along, it did count as catching a lift. Of course, whether she had other motives was something only she knew.
"It was nothing." That brief contact took some of the edge off their unfamiliarity. Xander wasn't the type to sit in silence. Seeing there was still time before landing, he struck up a topic at once. "By the way, Rita, aren't you usually at Academy Head Theresa's side? Why head back to Schicksal HQ all of a sudden?"
"There are some matters that require me to return to headquarters." She didn't specify. Xander naturally didn't pry.
"Running back and forth like that is rough. Want to share the ride on the way back too?"
Rita's lips curved. "Then Rita will gladly accept."
At that, their conversation opened up. They chatted about little odds and ends. Xander shared amusing things from work and daily life; Rita offered a few funny episodes from looking after Theresa. In that short stretch before landing, the two got along pleasantly and easily. When they disembarked, they even waved goodbye like friends.
Rita got into the car sent to pick her up, and Xander got into his. Seeing Kallen across from him rubbing her hands together in anticipation, Xander smiled and took out an envelope.
"These are the latest four."
With a swish, the envelope vanished from his hand. Kallen drew her hand out from her bosom and nodded in satisfaction. "Good child. Very nice."
Xander only smiled and nodded. His stock of Theresa photos was nearly gone; it looked like it was time to get more from Theresa.
Theresa, you wouldn't want the Gensokyo Paradise project to stall, would you? .jpg
After chatting a while with Kallen—whom he still wasn't sure whether to call mother-in-law or grandmother—he soon got out of the car. He'd been here so many times that walking these paths felt like coming home. Familiar with every turn, he found his way to the institute where Luna was. Because his identity information had been registered in advance, he moved through the facility without hindrance.
Passing through door after door, he soon neared Luna's room. But today, a figure in a white lab coat stopped him. It was the physician in charge of Luna's treatment. They'd met a few times.
"Yo, still as punctual as ever~" She greeted him with a smile.
Xander returned it. "It's nothing. Long time no see, Doctor." He stepped closer. "Waiting for me here—was there something you needed to tell me?"
"Of course. I came specifically to talk about little Luna." Seeing Xander's expression turn serious, the doctor cheerfully patted his shoulder. "Don't worry—it's good news."
"Good news? That's great."
He let out a quiet breath, and the doctor continued, "Lately, little Luna's recovery has gone very smoothly. We expected the process to take about a year or two, but it's nearly wrapped up in half a year." At that, the doctor showed a hint of frustration. She stared at Xander, puzzled. "I don't know if it's because you're by her side. Gene therapy does have targeted drug guidance, but there's still a fair bit of randomness overall. And yet you—like some new, unknown catalyst—sped the whole thing up more than twofold. Does affection really work? Can't figure it out…"
Medicine has plenty of unsolved mysteries. After a few sighs, she dropped it and got to the point. "At the current pace, little Luna's gene therapy might be finished by the end of this month."
"Her body will be all right by the end of this month?!"
"Don't get too excited yet. Recovery is recovery, but the rehabilitation afterward is just as important." She pressed down on Xander's shoulder, signaling him to calm down. "Little Luna entered the nutrition pod not long after she was born because of her condition. Even with assistive devices in the pod all these years, symptoms like muscle atrophy are unavoidable. At the same time, because she's had so little contact with the outside world, she'll need to receive a whole array of vaccinations. At first she can only stay in a clean isolation room, gradually adapting to the outside environment, and she'll also need physical rehab…"
After listening for a while, Xander finally asked, "How long will rehab take?"
"A few months if things go quickly; up to a year if they don't."
"Got it." He couldn't help feeling happy. But without the need for awakenings anymore, would he still need to come?
The physician read the thought in his eyes and waved it off at once. "As for whether you still need to come—that's between you two. Little Luna will only need the isolation room at the very beginning. After that, a regular ward will be fine. How you meet up is for you to decide."
With that, she exited through a side door, no longer delaying him from seeing Luna. Setting aside the overthinking, Xander made his way to Luna with practiced ease. In under ten minutes he'd awakened the little girl; then he lay in the virtual pod and began his time alone with her.
The first few days were no different from usual. In this ever-growing, ever-richer virtual metropolis, their footprints were everywhere. The zoo, the aquarium, all sorts of quirky clothing shops—though everything was fake, their happiness was real.
Until his last day there. The usually lively, adorable Luna suddenly looked hesitant when she saw him.
"What's wrong? Where do you want to go today?" He walked over and took her little hand as naturally as ever, and Luna leaned in and tugged at the hem of his clothes. Long familiar with this dance, Xander knew exactly what she meant and immediately bent to pick her up.
Supporting her little bottom, holding her soft, warm body, feeling her hug his neck tight and nestle into his shoulder like a clingy kitten—he said nothing, only held her and gently stroked her hair.
"Today, I want to go to Homu Park."
He didn't know how long had passed before the small voice sounded in his ear. Naturally, he wouldn't refuse. He flicked open the menu, pulled up the city map, and they vanished from where they stood.
They walked into Homu Park hand in hand, moving slowly. They didn't look at the rides around them; Luna hurried straight in one direction. Realizing where she was headed, Xander smiled. "What is it? Do you want to cosplay the vampire princess again?"
"Mm, don't laugh at me~" Her grip tightened on Xander's palm, and only then did Luna say, "Mr. Homu, did you hear about my condition?"
"Mm. Congratulations on the recovery."
"Mm." Luna nodded. This was a problem that had plagued her for who knew how many years, finally solved—she should have been happy… But the thought that Mr. Homu wouldn't come to her every month like he did now dulled the joy of getting better, and she started to feel anxious and possessive.
"Um… if I get better, will Mr. Homu still come every month like now?" Nervous and expectant, Luna asked.
"If it's coming every month at a fixed time like this… probably not." Xander thought for a moment and answered lightly.
"Huh? R-Right, that makes sense. Mr. Homu is busy. I can't be willful…"
"Because by then, if we want to see each other, we can just set a time, right? There's no need to make it this troublesome."
"Eh?" The moment she heard that, the once-downcast Luna snapped her head up. Catching the laughter in Xander's eyes, she knew she'd been teased and puffed up in a huff. "Mr. Homu, you only ever bully me."
Her tone, though, was pure spoiled act. Luna leaned in closer and hugged his arm. They reached a castle deep in the park, and Luna slipped inside in a flash.
The sight of the building brought a warm nostalgia to Xander's eyes. Back when he was still in Anti-Entropy, it had been his last day with Luna. To give that encounter a grand curtain call, Xander had staged a tale of the Homu Knight and the vampire princess.
The story was cliché: the knight overcame layer after layer of hardships and finally came to the princess's side to be with her. But Luna loved it. She felt like the princess imprisoned in a high tower, and Mr. Homu was the one and only knight who rescued her—full immersion.
He walked slowly into the castle, expensive carpet underfoot. The sealed hall was a little dim. Just as he wondered how to turn on the lights, it was as if the ceiling understood, and two beams of light poured down from above. One fell on him; one fell before him.
At some point, Luna had taken her place, facing him—graceful and poised. Her white hair was combed into two low ponytails, with a red ribboned rose pinned at her crown. She'd changed into a black-and-red dress that lent a touch of mature allure to her petite cuteness. She looked just like a true vampire princess—fragile and beautiful, begging to be gathered into an embrace.
The familiar outfit brought a smile to Xander's face. It was exactly as it had been the last time she played the vampire princess. No change at all.
Stepping lightly forward, Luna came to his side. She lifted her skirt and dipped into a lady's curtsey. Then, extending a gloved hand in black silk, she offered it to him with her most sincere smile. "Would you dance to a song with me?"
"With the greatest pleasure."
The two beams of light merged into one, and they stepped into a lovely dance. Toes tapping, skirt flaring—everything looked perfect… aside from the bit of flamboyance in the steps she'd inherited from Kallen.
When the song ended, Luna clung to him and refused to let go. "Mr. Homu, hold me like this today. I don't want to be apart from you."
"Mm." Gently embracing the small, warm body, Xander glanced toward the clock tower not far away. The second hand turned without pause, and time slipped by, second by second. He found himself staring, lost in it.
Click.
When the clock struck the hour, Xander suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. "What are you spacing out for? You've been staring into space for ages."
He snapped back to himself to find he was in the office. Beside him, Bronya was nudging his shoulder, asking curiously.
"No—it's nothing." He chuckled and shook his head. Yesterday, when he parted from Luna, the little girl had been on the verge of tears. And even then, she'd told him not to come find her afterward—he didn't know why. Forget it. They'd agreed to contact each other by phone once she recovered; he could ask then.
Setting the thoughts aside, Xander looked to Bronya. "Has the Gensokyo app been released? How's it looking?"
"It went live at dawn today, and surprisingly there weren't many complaints." She sounded a little amazed, and Xander thought for a moment.
"Probably because they didn't lose any convenience—and it's easier to browse the forum. Everyone likely thinks it's just a routine upgrade responding to player feedback."
"Mm. Even though the rollout went well, neither the companies nor the media seem to be treating it as a big deal."
"That's even better. We can make a fortune quietly~"
"You're right."
They both laughed. Life slipped back into the everyday. Two months were just a few flips of the calendar. In the blink of an eye, the Pokémon Championship was about to begin!
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