Chapter 156: Dinner

Chapter 156: Dinner

"No need to trouble yourself, Sachiko," Xiu said smoothly, already turning to leave as if the matter was concluded. "Just help me distribute these, please. I need to head up."

"Hey! Wait just a minute!" Sachiko called out, stepping quickly around the front desk to intercept him. She pulled him aside slightly, her tone tinged with playful accusation. "So that's why you asked when my shift ended today? Just to dump fruit on us?"

Xiu blinked, caught slightly off guard. However, he adapted instantly and seized the opportunity she presented. "Well," he began, feigning a casual change of plans, "I was going upstairs to change first, but since you brought it up... how about dinner? My treat." He added the last part quickly, emphasizing the offer.

Sachiko paused, momentarily surprised by the direct invitation, then her smile returned, genuine this time. "Okay," she agreed readily. "I'd like that."

Just then, another Pokémon Center staff member approached. "Excuse me, sir? Those crates you mentioned... where should we put them?"

"Ah, right. The fruit," Xiu remembered. He quickly addressed the staff. "The person who helped me bring them in has left?"

"Yes, sir. Just drove off."

"Understood. I'll handle them," Xiu dismissed the staff politely. He turned back to Sachiko with an apologetic look. "Looks like dinner might be slightly delayed. You'll have to wait a bit longer while I sort these out."

"No problem," Sachiko replied easily, glancing towards the crates with amusement. "I have a few things to finish up here anyway."

Later, after arranging for the fruit crates to be stored temporarily (and setting aside one specifically for his own Pokémon), Xiu met Sachiko outside the Center. "So," he asked, "where are we going? You know the city better than I do. You mentioned wanting to try local specialties?"

"I know just the place," Sachiko said enthusiastically, leading him away from the main square towards a network of older, narrower streets. "It's a famous old street here in Viridian, lots of traditional food stalls and small restaurants."

She guided him to a particular small eatery nestled between other shops. As they entered, Sachiko exchanged warm greetings with the middle-aged woman behind the counter, clearly a regular customer. The proprietress responded cheerfully but eyed Xiu with open curiosity.

They found a small table. The place was lively, filled with the chatter of locals and the aroma of cooking food. It seemed situated in a transitional zone, where the older part of Viridian met newer developments – likely an area repurposed or promoted by the city as a food district to attract both tourists and residents.

"Xiu?" Sachiko's voice pulled him from his silent analysis. "You zoned out again."

"Sorry," he murmured. "Just observing."

"What would you like to eat?" she asked, holding out the simple menu.

Xiu waved it away. "You choose. You're the expert."

Sachiko didn't argue, quickly placing an order with the waiter for several dishes she recommended. As they waited, Xiu initiated casual conversation. "You seem very familiar with the owner here."

"I used to come here a lot when I was studying," Sachiko explained.

"Ah, so you're originally from Viridian City?"

The conversation flowed easily from there, with Xiu subtly steering it towards topics he was interested in – the city's economy, local customs, common problems, the impact of the forest, the general standard of living. Sachiko, relaxed and perhaps flattered by his interest, answered openly.

However, after a while, she seemed to notice the pattern. "Why all the questions about the city?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "It feels like an interrogation."

"Just curious," Xiu replied smoothly, offering a disarming smile. "Trying to understand the kind of place that you've lived all this time."

After a pleasant meal – the food genuinely was good, showcasing local flavors – they strolled back out into the vibrant night. The festival lights illuminated the streets, casting a warm glow. People who had worked during the day were out enjoying the evening, mingling with tourists eager to experience Viridian nightlife. The distant sounds of cheering suggested battles were underway at the stadium – warm-up matches before the official competition began tomorrow.

Looking at the prosperous scene, the bustling crowds, the well-lit streets, Xiu couldn't help but feel a disconnect with the rise in pries earlier. "Viridian Forest provides such rich resources..." he mused aloud, then turned to Sachiko, posing a hypothetical question that had been nagging at him. "If, hypothetically, Viridian City faced a sudden, severe food shortage... how prepared is it?"

Sachiko laughed, dismissing the idea easily. "Impossible. Even if a major disaster struck, disrupting supply lines, the Pokémon Centers alone store enough emergency food supplies to last the city for at least half a month. That's one of our core functions, disaster preparedness."

A granary network... managed by the Pokémon Centers. "And the locations of these storage facilities... are they common knowledge?" Xiu asked, probing deeper.

Sachiko frowned, looking at him strangely again. "Why are you asking such things? First the economy, now disaster supplies... You're acting very peculiar tonight, Xiu. Often distracted, too."

"It's nothing," Xiu waved it off, forcing a relaxed expression, though his mind was still churning. "Perhaps I'm just overthinking things..." But a city reliant on external supplies, with rising food prices despite high local production... and a known criminal element like Team Rocket present... It feels fragile.

He walked Sachiko back to her apartment building, located in a pleasant, well-maintained neighbourhood. She seems to be doing well for herself, financially.

At her doorstep, she paused. "Aren't you going to come up for a bit?"

"No, thank you," Xiu declined politely but firmly. "You must be exhausted after your shift and dealing with the festival. I imagine a hot bath and sleep are more appealing than entertaining a 'boring person' like me."

Sachiko pursed her lips, feigning dissatisfaction, but then a knowing smile played on her lips. "Alright then." She gave him an oddly appraising look. "Goodbye... little brother." The emphasis was subtle but deliberate.

Xiu managed a wry smile in return. He simply watched her unlock her door and disappear inside.

Once she was gone, the smile vanished from Xiu's face, replaced by a thoughtful frown. His doubts lingered. The dinner had been pleasant, the information gleaned useful, but it hadn't resolved the underlying inconsistencies he sensed. The city felt prosperous on the surface, yet vulnerable beneath. Was he just paranoid, or was there a genuine fragility here that others were overlooking?

He turned and walked back towards the Pokémon Center alone, the festive lights casting long shadows that seemed to deepen his contemplation.

Back in the quiet solitude of his room, sometime after nine, Xiu finally allowed himself to relax, sinking into the computer chair with a sigh. But rest was brief. He soon sat up, retrieving the Poké Balls from his belt.

One by one, he released them. Abra, Scizor, and Happiny materialized in the room, looking around drowsily after their extended rest in the Poké Balls.

"Alright, everyone," Xiu murmured, a genuine warmth entering his voice as he addressed his team. He had already laid out their evening meal – carefully measured Pokéblocks for Scizor and Abra, a soft milk formula for Happiny, and small portions of the fruits Fushun had given him, selected specifically for their individual tastes and nutritional needs.

"Come and eat." As they gathered around their respective bowls, Xiu began recounting the day's events, speaking softly for his silent, non-judgmental audience. Explaining the roadblock, the confrontation, the juice stall venture, the conversation with Sachiko, the economy... It was his way of ordering his thoughts, finding clarity in the story.

Abra listened intently, its psychic presence a familiar, albeit draining, comfort. Scizor observed with its sharp, analytical gaze, while Happiny simply enjoyed the fruit.