The next day.
After exploring various parts of Castelia City, everyone gathered in the hotel restaurant for lunch.
Aside from its famous Castelia Ice Cream, the city also boasted many popular attractions, such as Castelia Street, the Battle Company, and the Stone Dock.
As the group chatted and laughed, Gardenia excitedly hugged a Petilil and showed it off to everyone.
"Look! I caught this Petilil just outside the city. Isn't it adorable?"
"Lili~"
The little Petilil peeked out shyly from her arms, but upon seeing so many unfamiliar faces, its cheeks instantly turned bright red.
At that moment, Flint, who was devouring a whole steak beside them, looked up, his mouth still stuffed, and mumbled, "Petilil, huh? I ran into its evolved form, Lilligant, during a battle at the Battle Company this morning."
Then he took another huge bite of steak.
"So... did you win?" Candice asked bluntly.
Flint swallowed and proudly said, "Of course! Not to brag, but my Infernape steamrolled the entire Battle Company."
Caleb looked speechless.
A Sinnoh Elite Four member coming to Unova just to crush rookies? If word got out, how would Sinnoh save face?
"By the way, Caleb, where did you go this morning?" Cynthia asked, sipping her wine.
"Oh, I was with Flint," Caleb replied.
Flint clapped a hand on Caleb's shoulder and laughed, "You guys have no idea how perfectly Caleb and I synced up in doubles!"
Gardenia: "..."
So a Gym Leader and an Elite Four member traveled to Unova just to beat up newbies?
"Maylene, were you training all morning?" Gardenia turned to ask her.
"Yeah. Toxic is so difficult. Lucario and I had to work on it for hours just to grasp the basics," Maylene sighed.
Even with the Toxic TM, the move didn't mesh well with Lucario or Maylene's style.
Lucario had to swallow several Toxic Orb shards just to barely learn the move.
"Toxic... is hard?" Caleb tilted his head.
He really couldn't wrap his head around that.
Wasn't it just a matter of smacking the TM on the Pokémon's forehead, and they learned it?
That's how all his Pokémon picked up new moves.
Cynthia wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked at Caleb. "So, what's next for you guys?"
Caleb replied, "Next is Nimbasa City. Haunter said he wants to see Elesa's fashion show."
Gardenia stifled a giggle behind her hand, teasing, "Oh? You sure it's Haunter who wants to go? Don't pin everything on your Pokémon. I'd say you're the one who wants to see it."
She gave him a knowing smirk.
"No, really! It was Haunter's idea! I swear!" Caleb insisted.
A Pokémon interested in a fashion show? No one was buying it.
"I'm serious! Haunter, say something!" Caleb turned to look for Haunter.
But Haunter was completely absorbed in a thick red dictionary, mumbling to himself, completely oblivious to the world around him. He didn't even glance up, only occasionally nodding as if fully immersed in his own little world.
Seeing this, Gardenia laughed even harder. She giggled, "So now you're trying to make Haunter take the fall for you?"
Caleb fumed, about to keep defending himself, when Flint suddenly cut in.
He leaned over and gently patted Caleb's shoulder, wearing a face full of understanding. "It's okay, bro. I get it. I mean... it's Elesa we're talking about."
Like hell you do!
Caleb shoved Flint aside in frustration.
All his honor and glory... ruined by one ghost-type.
Cynthia quietly watched the scene unfold and let out a soft laugh.
...
Nimbasa City.
Another large metropolis following Castelia City.
If Castelia was a massive office building, Nimbasa would be a giant amusement park.
It was packed with entertainment venues and glowed brightly even at night.
Elesa wasn't just the Gym Leader of Nimbasa Gym, she was also the fashion queen of Unova—a celebrity supermodel in the Pokémon world.
All legs below the neck, and all beauty above it.
Already a bustling city, Nimbasa was now overflowing with people thanks to Elesa's fashion show.
The Pokémon Center was so crowded there wasn't a single decent place to rest.
Watching the overwhelmed Nurse Joy and the busy Audino, Caleb couldn't help but wonder if this was another one of Snow's relatives.
"Caleb, let's go. What are you spacing out for?" Flint called out.
"Huh? Where's Cynthia and the others?" Caleb snapped back to reality, realizing only he and Flint were left. Even Haunter was gone!
"Cynthia said she, Candice, Gardenia, and Maylene went on ahead. Being the Sinnoh Champion, she can go backstage."
Flint had to raise his voice over the noise of the crowd.
"As for Haunter, I just saw him sneak straight into the venue."
What?!
That mischievous ghost! Caleb swore to never bring him out again.
Better go find him. What if he got lured away by some shady guy?
Right outside the Pokémon Center was the Nimbasa Gym.
The fashion show was being held inside the Gym, and crowds were already swarming around it.
So many people...
No wait, that's not the point! With this many people, the line's going to take forever!
"You said Cynthia could go backstage, right? As a Sinnoh Elite Four member, you should be able to go too!" Caleb looked at Flint.
"Of course I ca—actually, no, I can't."
Caleb: "..."
Sometimes, I really want to leave him behind and see if he can find his way home.
Meanwhile—
A tall, lean, bronze-skinned girl was staring at the endless line ahead, visibly troubled.
"So many people... I don't think I'll be able to see Elesa's show after all..." she sighed.
The woman in a suit beside her suggested, "Darling, I told you before—if you really want to see Elesa's show, I could've arranged it through her agent. We could've gotten you backstage. But nooo, you insisted on buying tickets and joining the crowd."
The bronze-skinned girl gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry for the trouble."
"It's no problem. I'll try calling her agent again," the suited woman said, taking out her phone.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently busy. Please try again later..."
"The line's busy. No worries, I'll go talk to one of the staff over there. Just wait here, okay?"
Before leaving, she reminded her again, "Stay right here. Don't wander off."
"Got it," the girl nodded obediently.