"So you run this whole place by yourself?"
The owner of the bakery paused in thought before she shook her head at my question.
"No, I actually have my Pokemon help me out, Spidops are you here?" She told me before calling into the building as she flicked a switch and turned on the lights.
As the light turned on, I could see a green and brown bug-type pokemon walk towards us, carrying a puffy hat in his arms.
The owner of the bakery picked up the hat and put it on her head, turning back to look at us with a smile.
"So, what was it that you needed?" She asked, and I gave her the list that Lorenz gave us.
"Oh... I can do this, Sure, Will you be paying upfront or after?" She asked as she hanged the note near the kitchen, where she will see it.
"We'll be paying now, If possible," Dendra said and passed her the card.
A quick transaction later, and we were practically free to leave.
"I'll send these over to the Alfronda gym when everything is done, don't worry," She smiled at us and started quickly moving around the kitchen.
"You two can go enjoy yourselves for now, I'll send your number a text when it's done, just to let you two know," She smiled as she put on an apron and started washing her hands, Her Spidops slowly pushing us outside the bakery so she could focus on her work.
"Ursa!" The small Teddiursa waved us goodbye before the Spidops closed the door behind him, flipping the sign so that it would say closed.
"..."
"...Wanna grab something to eat?" Dendra asked.
"Sure."
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"Okay, so what's the deal here with sandwiches?"
Dendra blinked as she looked up from her bite, her Pokemon sitting in the grass next to us eating their own food.
"I mean, I've only really been in Paldea for a month and I see Sandwich places everywhere, is it like a cultural thing or...?" I took a bite of my own sandwich.
I'm not complaining or anything, just curious.
"That's right!" Dendra suddenly exclaimed, pointed a finger at me with her signature confident smile on her face, "You're from outside of Paldea!"
"...Yeah, I've said as such. Are you trying to change the topic?"
"What?! pfft, NO! I just remembered that we haven't really hung out that much since you joined the gym, and I don't know where you're from."
"I'm from Unova, now let us get back to my question." I make up an answer that is sure to fool her, I can't tell her that I'm from a different universe.
"I didn't know you were from Unova!" She exclaimed with a smile.
"...yeah, We made that clear beforehand." I told her blankly, before a thought popped in my head.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Dendra, are you changing the topic because you're interested in me or is it because you also don't know the deal with sandwiches here?"
"..."
"That's what I thought," I smirk and get back to eating.
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"Do you see that?" Dendra asked as she pointed to an open plain of grass just outside of Cortondo.
"Do I see what?"
"Hehe, Sewaddle..." Dendra giggled, and I was really confused as to why.
----------------------------------------
Hearing a bell sounding at the entrance of her store, the owner of Patisserie Soapberry turned away from her job for just a moment to see who entered her shop.
"Oh, Hello Lorenz, The order your workers brought is almost done, Are you here to pick it up yourself?" She asked with a smile as she saw the tall Psychic Gym Leader.
"Yes, And also two of those Pokemon healthy cakes you have lying around," The Gym Leader leaned on his elbows as he waited for the orders to finish.
"I hope this wasn't too much of a hassle for you, kid," The mustache sporting macho man said as he smelled the sweet scent of cookies and cakes being made.
"It was no problem," The younger gym leader told him, "And also don't call me kid! I'm not that same girl that Kofu had running around, I'm twenty-six."
"Heh, Sorry but no can do. To me, it's once a kid, always a kid." Lorenz chuckled, "And again, twenty-six is still a child when you compare it to the old leaders like Kofu and I,"
"I guess your right," The baker sighed, "Speaking of age..."
"Yep," The tone of the conversation took a change, the soft and warm environment of the bakery became almost business-like in an instant, "Grapa is planning to retire, leaving his Son to take over the gym, and then there's that new kid who managed to join the Elite 4 in her late teens, And all of that is not even taking into account that we only got a new Top Champion last year."
"I wouldn't be surprised if by the time Tulip takes over the gym, Kofu and Hassel will be the last of us around," The gym leader sighed, "Sorry for getting the mood down, I'll be back in an hour, Gonna have to check up on the twerps."
"Take your time Lorenz, these muffins aren't running away," The baker told him.
"Aye, But my life is, See ya in the Circuit meeting Katy," Lorenz said before exiting the bakery and started making his way to search for his employees.
And as he walked down the streets of Cortondo, thinking about all the other Gym Leaders and Elite 4 members that were replaced recently, he couldn't help but release a sigh.
"Ah, To be young again,"
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"What are you searching?" Dendra asked as she looked over my shoulder at me searching on the internet.
"I'm looking up stuff about the ruins near Alfronda, I'm planning on vlogging it live with Fanny tomorrow, I need to know what the rules are about the place beforehand," I explained to her, Fanny perking up on my lap as the prospect of the two of us filming a day out once again makes itself into her head.
"Oh those places, They're a great place to train!" Dendra said before flexing her bicep, slapping it with her palm.
I stare blankly at her enthusiastic reaction before turning back to reading about the ruins.
"Maybe I could show you some stuff over there, You'll need some protection in case a Tinkatuff tries anything," Dendra says, looking at me from her vantage point of standing instead of sitting.
I turn to look at her, "If you want to join us you can just ask," I tell her, a small smile on my face, "No need to beat around the bush,"
"Oh... Yosh! Then tomorrow we're going to the Alfronda ruins!" She cheered, soon joined by her Falinks and Medicham in a little improvised victory dance.
"Sure," I say before smirking, "It's a date," I pick myself up and walk towards a water fountain.
"What?" Dendra stopped when my words entered her ears, "Hey wait a minute!"
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"Now you two remember, don't tell Orchid or Tulip anything," Our boss told us as our group appeared at the plaza outside the Gym, Arriving back to the Battle Hotel with a Teleport as soon as he picked us back up, before he placed his hand on his Bronzong and disappeared in a flash of light.
"...Why didn't we teleport to Cortondo in the first place?" I ask as I think back to the horrible ride on the Flying Taxi from this morning.
"...Hey Dishon," Dendra said.
"Yes, Dendra?" I replied.
"I'm not good at keeping secrets," She said.
"And you're telling me this because?" I ask.
"Good luck keeping Tulip in the dark!" She yelled before running away, likely to avoid telling her friend about the super secret muffin collecting job that we had.
"Sal?" Fanny asked as she poked me in the back after I stood there staring at where Dendra ran off to.
"Yeah, Let's get some dinner in you," I smile at my shiny Salandit and walk back into the Battle Hotel.
I'll leave coding more Cave Story for tomorrow, I'm already tired.
"Salandit?"
"You betcha'"