Pokémon: Above the Top

Although Fuyuko was a woman, she was also the head of the family. After the initial panic, she quickly composed herself and try to reassured the crowd.

The series of actions taken by both the suited man and Sato had been clearly witnessed by everyone, especially the moment Beedrill turned around, directly exposing him!

"What are you doing? That Beedrill isn't mine!" the suited man said, trying to stay calm.

"Espeon, Psychic," Fuyuko commanded softly.

The next second, the suited man was restrained, and the empty Poké Ball in his pocket was retrieved.

A flash of red light—the Beedrill, still under Gengar's control, was recalled into its Poké Ball.

There was no way for him to talk his way out of this!

The suited man was devastated. His bloodshot eyes glared at Sato in fury, but his body was immobilized, leaving him unable to utter a single threat.

Fuyuko's Espeon was, in fact, a Pseudo-Elite Four Pokémon!

Sato called Gengar back to his side and silently watched the suited man until Fuyuko approached him, thanking him sincerely.

The Garden Tea Party ended abruptly.

News of the assassination attempt on Fuyuko, the head of the Kabuki family, would soon spread through the streets of Ecruteak City.

Guests left, carrying a mix of excitement and lingering fear, while Sato and White were asked to stay behind, waiting for Officer Jenny's report.

---

It wasn't until 7 or 8 PM that Officer Jenny had finished questioning everyone involved.

Since Sato had played a critical role in stopping the assassination, he was interrogated for nearly two hours—including questions about how he had noticed the suited man's suspicious behavior and how Gengar had arrived in time.

They asked him the same questions over and over again.

In the end, even Ecruteak City's Nurse Joy personally came to vouch for Sato, listing his past achievements.

Only then did Officer Jenny reluctantly believe that this young trainer—who had only been on his journey for less than a year—was an actual prodigy.

Not only that, but he had repeatedly clashed with underground organizations and was an extremely valuable talent.

A trainer under direct observation by the Pokémon League, and a protected asset of the Nurse Joy family.

Of course, back when Sato had met Matriarch Joy, Haruka and a high-ranking Officer Jenny, that didn't mean the entire Jenny family viewed him as someone special.

After all, Sato had saved a Joy, not Jenny.

----

By the time it was nearly 9 PM, Sato and White finally sat down to a lavish dinner.

Fuyuko and Mr. Ikeda were extremely warm towards Sato, having been present when Nurse Joy recounted his experiences.

Unlike the suspicious Officer Jenny, Fuyuko, having experienced a life-and-death situation firsthand, was deeply grateful to Sato.

The way she looked at him became more and more like a mother-in-law eyeing a potential son-in-law.

"Sato, dear, Auntie is truly grateful that you saved me in such a critical moment. Tell me, how should I repay you?"

Fuyuko had likely been shaken by the ordeal, drinking a little alcohol to calm her nerves. Her face was slightly flushed as she spoke to Sato.

Sato had been waiting for this moment. Without hesitation, he stated his request.

"Auntie Fuyuko, if possible, could you give me an Eevee?"

"Oh, an Eevee? No problem at all! If there's one thing our family has in abundance, it's Eevee. I'll also give you a set of evolution stones and our family's exclusive Eevee training method."

At the dinner table, aside from Fuyuko, Sato, and White, Fuyuko's husband and sisters were also present.

Hearing Sato's request, they all secretly sighed in relief. These things were trivial for them to provide, and their expressions became even more approving toward Sato.

Talented, well-mannered, and thoughtful, not to mention the family's benefactor—he was someone worth befriending.

"Auntie Fuyuko, can I choose the Eevee myself?"

"Oh, of course! That's no problem at all."

Fuyuko hesitated slightly but nodded without much thought.

No one else objected either. After all, if they were the ones selecting the Eevee, it would reflect poorly on them if it had poor potential.

By letting Sato choose for himself, no one could say anything, regardless of whether it was good or bad.

After dinner, they agreed to select the Eevee in the morning, and everyone retired for the night. A lot had happened that day, leaving everyone physically and mentally exhausted.

Sato and White's status had also significantly improved, and their guest rooms were upgraded to the finest accommodations.

Closing the door behind him, Sato took off his jacket, ready to head to the bathroom for a shower, but White stopped him.

"You knew Fuyuko was going to be assassinated, didn't you?"

Although White usually acted carefree, he had the discipline to become an excellent Pokémon breeder—he was far from being foolish.

He had always considered Sato a friend, and even when questioned by Officer Jenny, he hadn't said anything unnecessary.

"…No," Sato replied without a change in expression. "I only realized something was wrong when the assassin appeared."

"Forget it, it doesn't matter. In the end, the assassin failed, haha," White shrugged, then quickly rushed past Sato, racing into the bathroom.

"I'm showering first!"

Sato took a deep breath. He couldn't underestimate people.

Fortunately, White was on his side. If someone really wanted to investigate this incident, there were definitely flaws they could find.

------

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, servants arrived to invite Sato and White to the dining hall for breakfast.

Fuyuko's family was already there, waiting.

Everyone from yesterday was present, and in addition, there were four little girls, all younger than Clair, sitting properly in their seats. Clearly, they had been raised with strict discipline.

After breakfast, aside from Fuyuko and the four children, the others excused themselves and left.

"Let's go, Sato. These four have also reached the age to receive their Eevee, so you'll all be choosing together."

With that, Fuyuko led them through the depths of the garden, taking several twists and turns before reaching a guarded gate.

"Do not attack or harm the Eevee. They are very gentle and won't attack you either. You must earn their recognition through your own abilities—this applies to you as well, Sato."

"Alright." Sato nodded, feeling a hint of excitement. Finally, he was going to see it again.

Once the guards let them in, the group entered in single file.

The four little girls, although maintaining an appearance of calm, had bright, sparkling eyes that betrayed their excitement.

Inside was a vast simulated garden—rock formations, rivers, grasslands—everything was present, even several artificial caves.

Currently, the three well-known Eeveelutions were Vaporeon, Flareon, and Jolteon, but the presence of caves here suggested that they had also discovered Umbreon.

The simulated garden was filled with numerous Eevee, along with several evolved forms.

Upon seeing the sudden arrival of strangers, the older Jolteon and Vaporeon barely reacted, glancing up before ignoring them entirely.

The younger Eevee, however, hurriedly hid, timidly poking their heads out to observe from safety.

Sato and the four girls quickly advanced, each with their own approach.

Sato had already chosen his target—his eyes scanned quickly, moving from one Eevee to the next.

Meanwhile, the four girls had also come prepared, immediately taking out their homemade Pokémon food and approaching different Eevee to try and win them over.

And at that moment, Sato locked his gaze onto an Eevee.