Chapter 27.2

The PokéMart annex was smaller than the stores Ravina had seen in Cherrygrove and Violet. More practical, less display space, more shelves packed tightly with camping and outdoor survival gear alongside Poké Balls and medicine. A vending machine hummed beside the entrance.

Ravina took one step inside and the machine turned toward her.

Not metaphorically. The entire housing rotated on some unseen axis until the screen faced her directly, then lit with a soft blue glow.

GOOD MORNING

Ravina stopped. The machine dispensed a bottle of water with a sharp clunk.

She stared as the bottle rolled into the collection tray, the plastic moving with unnatural smoothness.

A little electrical face flickered across the top display plate, the pixels forming and dissolving like heat lightning. It blinked.

Ravina looked at Victor, whose gaseous form had coalesced with palpable excitement.

"Possessed retail."

"I see that."

The vending machine buzzed again, drawing attention as the woman behind the counter looked up.

Brown skin, long dark hair, pink eyes, pointed ears, a bovine tail that swayed with gentle rhythm, and a blue PokéMart cap sitting at a jaunty angle.

Ravina stopped mid-step. The woman's smile widened, recognition dawning with sudden clarity.

"Ravi?"

Ravina closed her eyes.

"Oh no."

The woman vaulted the counter with impossible grace, her movements carrying the fluid energy of someone who had done this before.

"Oh yes."

Ravina had just enough time to put one hand up before Pudding hugged her.

Hard. Very hard. The embrace carried the weight of someone who hadn't seen her in far too long, despite this being their first meeting.

Toni squeaked from the sling, the sound tiny against the force of the reunion. Ravina immediately shifted, her body moving with maternal reflex.

"Baby."

Pudding released her at once, her hands dropping as if scalded.

"Oh!"

Her attention snapped downward as Toni stared up, small fingers reaching with curious determination.

Pudding stared back, then looked at Ravina with the sudden intensity of someone whose worldview had just been fundamentally altered.

"Did you have a baby?"

"No."

The denial landed with absolute certainty, followed by a pause that stretched with unspoken implications.

"Kind of."

Pudding's eyes widened as Ravina sighed, the sound carrying the weight of cosmic injustice.

"Long story."

“Excellent.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Pudding leaned closer to Toni, her bovine tail swaying with gentle rhythm as she lowered herself to the Togepi's level. The motion carried the natural grace of someone who was very flexible.

“Hi.”

Toni stared back, her head tilting with the focused determination of someone cataloging new sensory data.

PINK. WARM. THERE?.

Ravina smiled,

“She likes your eyes.”

Pudding lit up, the transformation immediate as her pink irises caught the overhead lights with dramatic flair.

“I like her already.”

Toni reached toward the brim of Pudding's cap with uncoordinated determination, her small fingers stretching through the sling's opening as if she had just discovered the world's most fascinating object.

Pudding lowered her head obligingly, with a practiced patience of a big sister.

Toni's fingers closed around the cap's brim with surprising strength, and Pudding laughed, she sounded genuinely delighted rather than merely polite.

“Strong grip.”

Ravina rescued the cap and wondered how many more baby thefts she will need to prevent when they arrived at a proper town.

“No theft.”

Pudding looked deeply offended, as if her familial generosity had just been questioned.

“She’s family.”

“That makes it worse.”

Pudding straightened to her full height, her gaze sweeping over Ravina with frank assessment.

"You're shorter than Mother described."

"We're practically eye to eye."

"Exactly the right height for cute, wouldn't you agree?"

"Don't even think about it."

Pudding's grin widened into something mischievous.

Behind them, the vending machine emitted another buzz, this time the water bottle inching further along its tray with unnerving purpose.

Ravina's gesture was sharp. "And that thing?"

"Rotom."

HELLO RAVINA flashed across the display in glowing pixels.

Ravina's brow furrowed. "How does it know my name?"

Pudding tapped her chest with pride. "I told it."

"When?"

"Just now."

"You literally didn't."

Pudding's expression was all innocence. "Retail magic."

"That's definitely not a real category of magic."

DISCOUNT AVAILABLE scrolled across Rotom's screen in an impossible hand-drawn font.

Ravina's eyes narrowed. "What kind of discount?"

Pudding's smile could have cut glass. "Family discount."

Ravina's exhale was long and weary.

“Of course.”

- - - - -

Chapter 27.3

Pudding possessed a weapon more insidious than April's medical authority or Berry's terrifying competence: she could make Ravina buy things.

Ravina entered with a mission—Repels, rope, backup light, food, maybe emergency meds. Practical, controlled, achievable.

Pudding took one look at her neatly scribbled list, her pink eyes dancing with amusement.

"That's cute."

"Cute?" Ravina's eyebrows drew together. "It's functional."

"You think that's a shopping list," Pudding said, already slipping out from behind the counter. "This is a warm-up exercise."

"No... Pudding?!"

"Repels first."

Ravina complied with a hint of reluctance. "Fine."

Pudding led her to an aisle lined three rows deep with identical blue cans. The price tags escalated with the promise of greater protection.

"Regular, Super, or Max?" Pudding gestured broadly at the choices.

Ravina squinted at the labels. "There are grades?"

Pudding turned her head slowly, a single eyebrow raised in mock disbelief.

Ravina's shoulders slumped. "Yes, I know exactly what you're about to say."

"Ravi."

"Don't."

"Sweetheart."

"I said don't."

Pudding leaned closer. "You were honestly planning to enter Union Cave without knowing that repels come in varying strengths?"

Ravina crossed her arms, her magenta eyes narrowing. "This is precisely why I came back to restock first."

Pudding considered this, then nodded with approval. "Good girl."

Ravina stared at the casual praise.

Pudding's smile widened. "See? Growth."

With a sigh, Ravina picked up a regular can. "What's the difference between them?"

"Duration and effectiveness against stronger Pokémon," Pudding explained, pointing to each tier. "Regular keeps the main path clear for a reasonable time. Super lasts significantly longer. Max is what you'd want if you planned to explore the deeper, more dangerous side tunnels where bigger wild things linger."

Ravina's eyes narrowed.

"Main pass?"

Pudding blinked. "Mm?" Her gaze drifted deliberately toward the store's exit.

"You know something too," Ravina accused, the words carrying a sharp edge.

"Retail confidentiality," Pudding replied with mock severity.

"That is not a thing."

"It is now."

After a moment of tense silence, Ravina selected several regular Repels, then added one Super. As she turned toward the counter, Pudding swiftly slipped another Super into her basket.

Ravina removed it with pointed precision.

Pudding added it back.

Ravina stared. "Why?"

"Bundle discount," Pudding chirped, her finger gesturing toward a barely visible sign.

A beat of silence passed before Ravina's shoulders slumped. "...Fine."

Pudding's triumphant smile lit up her pink eyes.

- - - - -

Chapter 27.4

Rope became rope plus specialized rock-climbing chalk. That chalk morphed into waterproof chalk, which in turn became a complete trail-marking kit with reflective tags. The simple backup light became a compact lantern; the lantern demanded spare cells; those cells came in a multi-pack with a savings that only materialized if she bought two.

Midway through the transaction, Ravina's brain caught up to her hands.

"Stop selling."

Pudding clutched her chest theatrically. "I'm not selling, I'm helping."

"You're multiplying my items," Ravina countered, gesturing to her burgeoning basket.

"Two sides of the same transaction," Pudding replied with a wink.

"I'm stopping this now."

"Too late," Pudding chirped, already scanning the second pack of cells.

A low clatter announced Machoke's arrival from the stockroom, his gray-skinned arms straining under three stacked crates. Each slammed onto the floor with a heavy thud that made Toni stir in her sling.

Pudding's voice dripped with sweetness. "Thanks, sweetie! Such a helpful boy~"

Machoke turned, his muscular frame towering over Ravina as he offered a friendly wave. His biceps bulged with the motion.

Ravina returned the gesture. "At least you're normal."

Machoke's brows drew together in confusion.

Pudding's gasp cut through the quiet shop. "Rude!"

"Compared to you," Ravina clarified.

Pudding planted her hands on her hips. "That's somehow worse."

A buzz echoed from the corner.

RUDE flashed across Rotom's screen in glowing pixels.

Ravina pointed. "You stay out of this."

The vending machine whirred, dropping another bottle into its collection tray with unnerving precision.

Ravina stared at the plastic container as if it might reveal secrets of the universe.

Pudding leaned against the counter, her grin widening. "He's taken a liking to you."

Ravina's shoulders slumped. "Why?"

"He has taste."

Victor drifted through a shelf of spare Poké Balls, the smooth orbs rattling as his gaseous form passed through the wood.

Pudding pointed, her pink eyes widening with delight. "Oh! A Ghost!"

Victor dipped mid-air, his form coalescing slightly into a formal bow. "Merchant."

Pudding's smile broadened, her bovine tail swaying with enthusiasm. "I like him."

Ravina sighed. "Everyone does until he talks."

"I have heard worse." Pudding adjusted her cap, the motion drawing Ravina's attention to the family resemblance.

Victor drifted closer, his voice resonating with renewed interest. "From customers?"

"From sisters."

"Ah."

A silent understanding passed between them, perfectly complete in that single syllable.

Ravina watched them share a conspiratorial smile. That worried her.

- - - - -

Chapter 27.5

Pudding tugged Ravina toward the rear display, her pink eyes gleaming with mischief. The wall was crowded with small, sealed packets hanging from orderly hooks. Vibrant labels featured bold question marks alongside the unmistakable TM booklet icon.

Ravina's steps faltered. "No."

Pudding's smile stretched wide. "You don't even know what they are."

"I recognize your expression. That's enough."

"That's profiling."

"What are they?"

Pudding plucked one from its hook. "Mystery technique pack."

"What's inside?"

Pudding shook the packet teasingly. "It says mystery on the label."

Ravina's expression remained unimpressed. "That's not selling. That's gambling."

Pudding's fingers rattled the packet. "Could be common. Tackle, Growl, basics like that."

"Uh-huh."

"Could be unusual. Struggle Bug, something niche."

"Uh-huh."

"Could be rare. Something excellent you'd never expect to find here."

Ravina's eyes narrowed. "Or it could be garbage."

Pudding's grin reached its full width. "Exactly."

Ravina studied the price tag. Reasonable, almost too reasonable for something promising mystery.

"How many techniques?"

"Three distinct possibilities," Pudding explained with relish.

"And they're random?"

"Completely."

"These haven't been tampered with?"

"Factory-sealed against prying eyes."

Ravina's gaze sharpened. "So you genuinely don't know what's inside."

Pudding struck a dramatic pose, hand fluttering to her chest. "My reputation as a purveyor of goods precedes me."

Ravina's stare remained unwavering.

Pudding's pose softened. "Mostly intact."

Victor drifted nearer, his gaseous form coalescing slightly. "An excellent gamble for the bold."

"This isn't a committee vote, Victor."

"I am expressing my democratic right."

"You're harassing your trainer."

"All interactions carry political weight if one is sufficiently persistent."

Ravina took the packet, its glossy surface reflecting the overhead lights.

Pudding's smile widened in triumph.

Ravina raised one finger decisively. "Only one."

"Two reduces the individual price point."

"One."

"Three would unlock a sister discount..."

"One."

Pudding's shoulders drooped. "Your loss."

Ravina dropped it into her basket, the action carrying a faint undertone of buyer's remorse already setting in.

- - - - -

Chapter 27.6

She believed the ordeal had concluded. That belief was mistaken.

Pudding's fingers darted toward Ravina's bag, only to be intercepted mid-air by Ravina's grip around her wrist.

"What?"

"Vs. Recorder."

Ravina blinked, confusion clouding her features.

"What about it?"

"You brought it?"

"Yes."

"You upload?"

Ravina's brow furrowed in concentration.

"My battles?"

Pudding's stare was unnervingly direct.

Ravina held her gaze, unwavering.

"Yes?"

Pudding slowly retracted her hand as if withdrawing from something dangerous.

"Oh, honey."

Ravina's eyes narrowed with sudden dread.

"What?"

"The recorder."

"Yes."

"You know it records battles."

"Yes."

"You know it can upload them."

Ravina paused, her mind processing the implication.

"...Upload them where?"

Pudding squeezed her eyes shut.

Ravina's expression darkened with realization.

"Ito."

Pudding opened one eye, confirming her suspicion.

"Ito gave it to you?"

"Yes."

"With the manual?"

Ravina froze, her blood running cold.

"There was a manual?"

Pudding covered her mouth, suppressing a gasp.

Victor drifted backward, creating distance between himself and the brewing storm.

Nikola's tail bulb flickered erratically, sensing the sudden shift in tension.

Cinder's head lifted, his orange-red eyes watching his trainer's mounting distress.

Ravina spoke, her voice dangerously quiet.

"I am going to kill her."

Pudding laughed, the sound light and untroubled.

"Don't. She's funny."

Ravina's grip on Pudding's wrist tightened.

"What does the recorder do?"

Pudding's hands closed around Ravina's shoulders, steering her toward the counter with unyielding guidance.

"Sit."

"I don't need to sit."

"You'll thank me later."

"I'm perfectly capable of standing..."

Pudding jabbed a finger toward a stool behind the counter. Ravina sank onto it, the leather sighing beneath her weight.

Pudding's smile held triumph. "Good girl."

Ravina's glare could have frozen water. "Explain."

Pudding propped herself against the counter, her bovine tail swaying in gentle arcs. "The League purchases battle footage."

Ravina's head tilted. "What?"

"Not all footage, mind you. Selected uploads."

"Why would they want that?" Ravina's fingers tightened on the edge of the stool.

"Research purposes." Pudding ticked items off on her fingers, each point building the impossible structure before them. "TM development. Move timing analysis. Tactical studies. Pokémon behavior under stress. Referee training materials. Gym battle preparation. Broadcaster licensing. Educational resources."

Ravina's expression remained blank. "Television?"

"Possibly. If the battle's exceptional."

"Pay-per-view?"

"Sometimes, yes."

Ravina swallowed. "Real money?"

"Poké, definitely."

Ravina went rigid, her knuckles white where she gripped the stool. My untrained battles. My improvisational fights. Being sold for research? Being broadcast somewhere I can't see? She finally looked up, her magenta eyes wide with dawning horror.

"You're telling me my battles could be televised without my knowledge or consent?"

Pudding's smile shifted, softening. "Nah, only if you sign up to the program, you can then pick your uploads."

Victor's gaseous form shimmered, an unseen smile dancing through his purple haze.

Nikola shifted, head tilting between the two humans, her black eyes sensing trouble before it fully formed.

Ravina's fingers dug into her bag, extracting the Vs. Recorder with deliberate slowness. The sleek metal felt cold against her palm as she stared at it.

Then at Pudding.

"How much?"

Pudding's smile never faltered. "Depends."

"On?"

"Quality. Usefulness. Rarity. Research versus broadcast license rates differ significantly."

Ravina's voice dropped to a dangerous calm. "Ito has one."

"I would assume so," Pudding replied, leaning against the counter.

"She knows about this." It wasn't a question.

"Probably."

Nikola's fleece crackled with static as Ravina's anger intensified. The Togepi in her sling stirred.

"She has money," Ravina continued, her thoughts forming words as she connected dots. "She is making money from battles." Her gaze hardened. "And she did not tell me I could sell battle data."

Pudding's grin widened, revealing something almost predatory. "Sisters."

"She is not my sister." Ravina corrected, closing her eyes.

Pudding's grin widened further. "Sure."

"Don't you start."

Without breaking eye contact, Pudding reached beneath the counter and slid forward a thin replacement manual. "Free."

Ravina snatched it. "Why?"

"Watching you find out was payment enough."

Ravina sighed, the sound tinged with defeat. She cracked open the manual, pages rustling as she flipped through. There it was, in bold letters: LEAGUE BATTLE DATA CONTRIBUTION PROGRAM.

She stared at the text. "I really, truly hate her."

Victor drifted closer, his form whispering near her ear. "You say that, but your heart tells another story."

Ravina's eyes flicked to him. "I'm genuinely considering maiming her right now."

- - - - -

Chapter 27.7

By the time Ravina escaped the shop, her wallet felt considerably lighter than anticipated, though not quite as emptied as she had feared. Which, she suspected, meant Pudding had engaged in some magical price manipulation during their transaction.

Her haul now included: an array of Repels in varying strengths, specialized climbing rope with waterproof chalk, a compact lantern with spare power cells, extra bandages, nutrient-dense trail food, waterproof wrapping for delicate items, one Mystery TM packet that still felt like questionable judgment, a replacement Vs. Recorder manual Ito should have provided, and, the true mystery, a pair of dry socks Pudding had insisted were survival-critical.

Ravina peered into her bag. "Why did I buy socks?"

Pudding leaned through the doorway, not quite leaving, her bovine tail swishing. "Wet feet ruin lives, Ravi."

Ravina pointed a warning finger. "You are done selling me things."

"For today," Pudding replied with a wink that contradicted her words.

"That was not reassuring."

Pudding blew her a parting kiss through the air. "Come back alive."

Ravina stopped, turned. The playful mask had momentarily softened around Pudding's pink eyes, revealing something genuine beneath.

Still Pudding, yes.

But sincere enough.

Ravina allowed herself a small smile. "Planning on it."

"Good." Then the mischief returned instantly. "And tell me what's in that mystery pack."

"There it is."

"Bye, Ravi!"

As Ravina walked away, the Rotom vending machine caught her eye through the window, its display glowing with farewell.

BYE