That night, the two of them returned to their reserved inn. Because they were traveling with quite a few Pokémon, Yuri had specifically booked a more spacious twin room enough for even someone of Balu's size to move around comfortably.

"I'm gonna hop in the shower first~"

Wearing nothing but her undergarments and holding her change of clothes in her arms, Yuri gave a casual wave to Marie, who was seated on the nearby sofa.

"Yeah, go ahead."

Marie did her best to keep her focus on the Pokémon egg resting on her knees. Though Yuri had gotten frighteningly good at teasing her with these sorts of casual displays, what made things worse was how utterly nonchalant she acted about it.

Which, ironically, only made Marie feel more conflicted. That kind of fearless attitude just made it painfully clear that Yuri had never once considered anything more.

And at this point, Marie had no idea when or how to bring up her own orientation. It was such an intimate topic... not the sort of thing one could just blurt out.

"Ugh... seriously."

"Eee~ (Why not just tell her already~?)"

I-chan had been with Marie the longest, so it wasn't surprising she was aware of this deeply personal matter. Hearing her trainer sigh, she looked up from Marie's side and offered a rather naive suggestion.

"If I could just come out and say it, I wouldn't be stressing over it, dummy."

Marie reached out and gave the small Pokémon's head a gentle rub. Still, she appreciated the concern.

"Kiru? (What are you two talking about?)"

As always, Silk was nestled beside I-chan, hugging her beloved giant cat plush while quietly meditating. Hearing their vague exchange, she opened her eyes and tilted her head in confusion.

"Eee~ (It's nothing big. You just keep meditating, Silk.)"

"Kiru... (Oh... okay.)"

Silk wasn't the type to pry, so after nodding with a puzzled expression, she wriggled around and shifted into a more comfortable position, then resumed her daily meditation practice.

Balu, on the other hand, was busy looking after the younger Pokémon, especially the newly born Toxel. Despite his massive size and intimidating appearance, he'd gradually earned a solid role as the team's big brother and unofficial babysitter.

Most of his energy went into caring for Toxel, who had only just hatched a few days ago. Even though Pokémon were naturally more independent from birth compared to other species, there was still no harm in offering guidance and care while they were young and impressionable.

Marie actually appreciated this side of Balu. She figured it would come in handy when the egg she was holding finally hatched having a reliable Pokémon around to help with childcare would definitely lighten her load.

Chuchu fluttered down and landed on the egg incubator in Marie's lap, gobbling up a rice ball he'd been holding before speaking.

"Chuu chuu (So, about that upcoming challenge... can I battle in it?)"

Marie blinked in surprise. She had fully expected him to say something ridiculous again, but this time, the little guy was actually being serious.

She reached up and gently stroked his round little head, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Of course. I was already planning to have you in the lineup. No need to rush."

"Chuu chuu!! (Hehe~ One more pat! I'm gonna shine out there, just you watch!)"

Her hand paused. Then she switched to pinching his puffed-up cheeks instead, pulling at them as she gave him a stern look.

"Shine? I hope you make good choices out there. But this goes for you specifically under no circumstances are you allowed to use Brave Bird. Got it?"

"Chuu? (Aw, come on! At least let me use it as a last resort, will you?)"

"No means no. I'm saying this for your own good. That's one rule I won't compromise on."

Seeing that her tone had gotten a little too harsh, Marie let go and scooped Chuchu into her arms, hugging him softly. This time, her voice turned gentle.

"You've got talent. A lot of it. That's why I want you to think long-term. Don't throw away your future just for one or two wins. Back then, maybe you didn't have a choice. But now, you have teammates. Just focus on growing up healthy."

"Chuu... chuu~ (I... Mmm~ Marie-chan, you're so comfy~)"

"..."

She knew he was just trying to cover up his feelings by acting goofy, but even so, Marie couldn't help the way her expression darkened. He really had no filter anymore... someone needed to teach him a lesson.

Without warning, Marie's hands began to press down harder.

"Chuu!! (Aaaaaaah! It hurts! It hurts! Mercy! Have mercy!)"

His screeches were so over-the-top they sounded like a bird being slaughtered, but he still refused to leave Marie's lap, clinging to her like a stubborn barnacle. Annoyed yet amused, Marie initially planned to let him go after a couple of squeezes but now she figured she might as well keep massaging him a little longer.

Sure, her grip might've been rough, but with all her years of experience in massage techniques, she could swear it was still good for the body.

"Hang in there. Just a little more."

"Chuu chuu?! (What?! Noooo! I'm dying! I'm dying! Have mercy, Boss Lady!)"

"...Marie-chan, are you torturing Chuchu again?"

Apparently, his screams were so dramatic that even Yuri, still in the bathroom, had to poke her head out to check what was going on.

"Ah..."

Marie looked up reflexively, only for her hands to freeze the moment she saw Yuri.

"Chuu... chuu... (Ha... ha... Boss Lady, that was intense... I can't take much more...)"

"Pffft..."

Yuri couldn't understand the words, but judging from Marie's face alone, she had a pretty good guess. One hand gripped the doorknob while the other covered her mouth as she struggled to hold in her laughter.

Marie had no energy left to argue. She gave Chuchu's wing a light pat and shoved him off into a nearby sofa.

"You should hurry up and get back in there. Coming out like that without a towel aren't you cold? You're dripping wet."

Good thing Yuri hadn't started developing yet. If she had, that sight of her standing there, shivering and giggling... Marie might not have been able to keep it together. Her eyes instinctively flicked to a certain spot before quickly darting away, feeling both excited and relieved.

"Hehe, it's not my fault Chuchu was making so much noise. I could hear those death screams all the way from inside."

Yuri chuckled, feeling the chill of the open room. She grinned and quickly ducked back into the steamy bathroom.

"Haaa-"

Marie collapsed back onto the sofa and let out a long sigh. When she glanced over, she met I-chan's stare.

They exchanged a long, silent look... then Marie flushed, turned away, and started vigorously ruffling I-chan's head.

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