Chapter 217: A Gathering of Powers

Chapter 217: A Gathering of Powers

Seeing Xiu signal, Xiaoyuan quickly reacted, taking Xiaochun's hand and moving through the dispersing crowd to join him. She didn't know what Xiu was planning, but she trusted his lead implicitly.

As Xiu approached the area where the red-haired woman and her Jynx had been standing, the woman was inexplicably there, watching him with that unnervingly calm, knowing smile as Jynx stood silently beside her.

Their eyes met. "Do I need to queue for questioning as well, Mr...?" the woman asked, her voice smooth and cultured, a hint of amusement in her tone.

"Please, ma'am, no need for formalities," Xiu replied, matching her polite tone, though his mind was racing. "And it's Xiu. If you hadn't intervened just now with that Weezing, things could have become far more… complicated." He gestured towards a quieter corridor leading away from the main lobby. "Perhaps we could speak somewhere more private?"

The woman nodded gracefully. She glanced briefly at Xiaoyuan and Xiaochun, then turned and walked towards the corridor. Xiu followed, a step behind, acutely aware of the security guards at the entrance who simply watched them pass, making no move to stop them.

Xiu could feel the eyes of the remaining crowd on his back, hear the renewed buzz of speculation. My name, my identity, my purpose here… all still a mystery to them. Good. All they knew for sure was that he wielded authority and possessed a formidable Pokémon. For now, that's enough.

Once they were in a secluded corner of the corridor, Xiu made the introductions. "I am Xiu. These are my companions, Yuan," he indicated Xiaoyuan, "and Chun."

Xiaoyuan, sensing the gravity of the woman's presence and Xiu's respectful demeanor, offered a polite, "A pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

Xiaochun, as usual, remained silent, her gaze unwavering, though Xiu could feel a subtle tension in her. She doesn't react much to anyone, not even the 'Heavenly Kings' if they were here.

"A pleasure," the woman replied with a slight, acknowledging nod.

"May I ask, ma'am," Xiu began, broaching the subject carefully, "what brings you to Viridian City at such a… tumultuous time?"

Before she could answer, a Pokémon Center staff member hurried down the corridor towards them. "Mr. Xiu? Head Nurse Joy requests your presence in her office immediately."

Xiu exchanged a quick, almost imperceptible glance with Xiaoyuan. Interesting timing. "Of course," he replied to the staff. He then looked at the red-haired woman. "Perhaps you'd care to join us? I suspect this might concern all of us."

The woman's smile didn't falter. "Lead the way." She moved with an effortless grace, seemingly unconcerned by the summons or Xiu's presence.

They arrived at Nurse Joy's familiar office. The staff member opened the door for them and discreetly withdrew. The red-haired woman entered as if she owned the place, exuding an air of quiet authority that didn't defer even to Nurse Joy.

Xiaoyuan, having been in this office before under more stressful circumstances, managed to maintain her composure. Xiaochun, however, visibly tensed as they stepped inside, her hand instinctively seeking Xiu's. He took it reassuringly, giving it a slight squeeze.

Nurse Joy was at her desk, immersed in data on her terminal, seemingly unfazed by the earlier chaos in the lobby. Her focus was absolute. She looked up as they entered.

"Ah, Kona," Nurse Joy said, her voice polite but with an underlying familiarity. "You finally decided to make your presence known. You didn't inform us of your arrival." She then turned to Xiu.

"Xiu, you may not have been formally introduced. This is Ms. Kona, a… senior investigator dispatched from the Pokémon League headquarters. She is an exceptionally skilled Trainer. Though she only just arrived, I believe you've already witnessed a demonstration of her capabilities."

So, my guess was correct, Xiu thought. Lorelei of the Elite Four... Senior Investigator is quite the cover. "Indeed," Xiu agreed smoothly, adding a touch of flattery. "If Ms. Kona hadn't neutralized that Weezing so swiftly, the situation could have been far worse. My Scizor was preparing to engage, but her Jynx was… something else."

Kona, however, seemed unimpressed by the compliment, her sharp gaze fixing on Xiu. "I 'just arrived,' as you say," she reiterated, her tone holding a subtle challenge. "Yet you seemed to identify those operatives in the crowd with remarkable speed and accuracy. How did you know who they were and that they were a threat?"

"They were suspicious," Xiu replied, choosing his words with precision. "They were like… scouts. They maintained deliberate spacing, positioned near potential choke points or with clear lines of sight. It felt coordinated and professional. Too many small tells that didn't add up for a group of random civilians." He offered a plausible, even if vague, explanation.

The truth – that I recognized some of their faces from the souls of the criminals I've dealt – is not for her ears.

"Xiu has a remarkably keen eye for detail, Ms. Kona," Nurse Joy interjected, smoothly covering for the slight implausibility in Xiu's explanation. "He's assisted us in several incidents recently. His contributions have been invaluable."

Xiu noted that Head Nurse Joy was drawing the line against outside interference, even from the Pokémon League itself. He sensed an undercurrent of tension between the two women, a power dynamic at play.

Kona wasn't 'just arriving.' She's likely been in Viridian for days, observing, and gathering intel independently. He wanted no part of any internal conflict between the Joy Family and the wider Pokémon League whatsoever. His own agenda was complicated enough.

Just then, the office door opened again, and Professor Oak stepped in, looking slightly flustered. "You called for me, Nurse Joy?" He'd clearly been summoned from his room and had only just learned of the recent developments. His eyes widened slightly as he took in the assembled group, particularly Kona.

Oak beamed with surprise and recognition in his eyes. "It's been a long time. What brings you here?" His tone, unlike Joy's, was familiar, suggesting that they were familiar with each other.

"Just official business, Professor," Kona replied casually, though her smile held something unreadable. "Keeping an eye on things. You know how it is."

Xiu felt the atmosphere in the room shift again, becoming more complex. He exchanged another subtle glance with Xiaoyuan. Time to make a strategic exit.

However, before he could voice excuse himself, the door opened a third time. Sachiko entered, accompanied by another woman Xiu didn't recognize.

She was young, perhaps in her early twenties, dressed in plain, unremarkable clothes. But her eyes… they were incredibly sharp and intense, sweeping across everyone in the room with a gaze that felt like a deep, analytical scan.

It wasn't arrogance, like Kiba's, nor the detached amusement of Kona. It was… pure scrutiny, devoid of personal emotion. Xiu felt an instinctive prickle of unease. This newcomer, despite her unassuming appearance, radiated a far more unsettling pressure than even Kona.

This is something else. Something… dangerous.

As the newcomer's gaze fell on Xiaochun, Xiu felt the girl's hand tighten convulsively in his. He kept his own expression neutral, giving Xiaochun's hand a tiny, reassuring tap with his little finger. He immediately looked at Professor Oak. "Professor," he said brightly, "didn't you mention an urgent matter you needed to attend to this afternoon?"

Oak, catching his cue instantly, slapped his forehead. "Ah, yes! Good heavens, it completely slipped my mind! Thank you for the reminder, Xiu!" He turned towards the door with an air of natural urgency. "If you'll all excuse me…"

Seeing their chance, Xiu quickly followed, gently guiding Xiaochun with him. "We should probably get going too."

Xiaoyuan, no fool, took the hint and practically bolted after them.

As they made their escape, Xiu glanced back. Head Nurse Joy and Kona were watching them leave, with faint, knowing smiles on their faces. Only the newcomer with the unsettlingly sharp eyes maintained her intense stare, her expression unchanging.