240. The Red-Haired Woman and the Hotel
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As soon as Kai and Sabrina stepped into the bustling port, they were met with an overwhelming chorus of voices.
"Welcome! Please stay at the Tangerine Hotel!"
"Looking for a room? Seven Oranges Chain Hotels has vacancies fast check-in!"
"Golden Kumquat Inn! Affordable, clean, and hygienic! Perfect for travellers!"
The sound of hotel employees shouting over one another filled the air.
It was peak arrival time, with waves of tourists disembarking from the cruise ship.
Rather than waiting at their hotels, the staff had taken to the streets, aggressively trying to lure in potential customers.
The competition was fierce like a feeding frenzy of sharks drawn to the scent of blood.
Among the sea of hotel employees, one figure stood out.
A voluptuous red-haired woman was dominating the commotion.
It wasn't just her appearance that made her stand out her personality was just as fiery as her hair.
Her powerful voice effortlessly drowned out all the others, commanding the attention of the crowd.
"Everyone, listen up! If you're looking for the best hotel, look no further than the Kumquat Hotel!"
She waved enthusiastically at the passing travellers.
"We're the finest hotel in the entire Orange Islands! Whether it's lodging or dining, we guarantee top-notch quality and service!"
Kai couldn't help but smirk.
The best hotel in the entire Orange Islands?
That probably also meant the most expensive…
Ignoring her, Kai and Sabrina began walking past, planning to check out other hotels until the woman suddenly stepped in front of them, blocking their path.
"Wait! You two hold on a second!"
Kai raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled by her enthusiasm.
The woman flashed a confident grin.
"You're both Pokémon Trainers, aren't you?"
Kai nodded.
Her grin widened.
"I knew it! I saw that Charizard of yours earlier well-trained, by the way. But since you're Trainers, you should definitely stay at our hotel!"
She gestured proudly toward the towering building in the distance.
"Kumquat Hotel isn't just a place to sleep we have Pokémon training facilities and even dance-based fitness classes designed just for Pokémon! It's a perfect balance of lodging and training, ideal for travelling Trainers like you!"
Kai blinked in surprise.
"Dance-based fitness classes?"
"That's right!" she nodded enthusiastically.
"It helps Pokémon improve flexibility, circulation, and even breath control! A fantastic conditioning method you've never tried it before, right? So why not give it a shot?"
Before Kai could even respond, she waved over a hotel staff member, handing them the responsibility of escorting Kai and Sabrina to the hotel.
Then, without missing a beat, she turned away, already calling out to the next group of tourists.
Kai exhaled through his nose, giving Sabrina a look.
"Well… she's certainly persistent."
Sabrina simply shrugged, indicating she didn't mind, so they followed the hotel staff member down the street.
After a short walk, they arrived in front of a massive skyscraper the Kumquat Hotel.
Illuminated by bright lights against the night sky, the building towered over the surroundings, exuding an undeniable air of luxury.
At over twenty floors tall, the hotel was impressive, Perhaps it really was one of the finest hotels in the Orange Islands.
The moment they stepped into the lobby, they were greeted with a grand welcome.
Lined up on both sides of the entrance, over twenty hotel staff members bowed in unison.
"Welcome to the Kumquat Hotel!"
Kai, momentarily taken aback, paused mid-step.
Before he could process the situation, a man and a woman, both dressed formally, approached them with warm smiles.
"Welcome, Trainers! We're the hotel managers. Are you here to check in?"
Kai frowned slightly.
The hotel managers themselves are handling check-in?
The enthusiasm of this place was on a whole different level.
Even the red-haired woman from before had been surprisingly aggressive in her marketing tactics.
Still, their hospitality left a strong first impression.
Regardless of the hotel's actual quality, they at least treated every guest like a VIP.
At the front desk, Kai booked a single room for two.
Sabrina looked slightly surprised.
She had assumed that since she was on her cycle, Kai would book a separate room for himself.
But Kai simply shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's not like I only share a bed with you for one reason," he said casually.
Sabrina caught off guard, felt a strange warmth in her chest.
She glanced away, hiding the soft smile tugging at her lips.
After paying for the room, Kai was pleasantly surprised, Despite the hotel's luxury, the price was surprisingly reasonable.
'Huh. I was expecting a rip-off… Guess I misjudged them' Kai thought
They took an elevator up to the 17th floor and entered their room, dropping off their luggage.
Kai flipped through a tourist guidebook that the hotel staff had provided.
Apparently, Kumquat Island was famous for two things:
1. Exquisite seafood cuisine
2. Therapeutic hot springs
Unfortunately, since Sabrina was on her period, the hot springs were off-limits.
That left only the seafood dishes though Kai wasn't sure if she could eat seafood under her condition either.
That would be unfortunate, considering how famous the island's seafood was.
.
.
.
.
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The Next Morning
The following day, they decided to check out the Pokémon fitness class that the red-haired woman had mentioned.
They found a large training hall inside the hotel, where a female instructor in a gymnastics outfit was teaching a group of Pokémon to dance.
The movements were eerily familiar to Kai.
The style of training reminded him of Danny, the Trovita Island Gym Leader, who also used dance-based training methods.
'Yeah… this isn't for me' Kai immediately lost interest.
After a quick breakfast, they prepared to challenge the Kumquat Gym but when they asked for directions, the hotel staff gave an unexpected answer.
"The Kumquat Gym?" the receptionist said with a polite smile.
"It's actually inside this hotel."
Kai blinked.
"…Wait. What?"
This was the first time he had ever heard of a Gym being part of a hotel.
That also meant that the hotel and the Gym Leader must be closely connected.
Following the receptionist's lead, they were brought to a large battle arena located in the hotel's back hall and standing on the opposite side of the battlefield was—
The red-haired woman from last night.
Kai instantly recognized her.
"…So you're the Gym Leader, huh?"
The woman flashed a confident grin, placing a hand on her hip.
"Surprised?" she teased.
Kai exhaled, shaking his head & thought
'If I actually remembered the Orange Islands arc, I probably would've recognized you immediately'
But in the end, it didn't really matter.
Whether he knew her identity in advance or not.
This battle was happening either way.
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