Late at night.
On the viewing balcony.
Baimu sprawled in a lounge chair and let out a contented groan.
Behind him, Shiny Gengar floated in midair, kneading his shoulders with its chubby little paws and wearing the ingratiating grin of a scheming courtier.
"That's the spot! A little harder!"
"Geng!"
"Ahh—feels good. How are you so good at this?"
"Hee-hee-hee..."
Beside them, Aggron was trying to watch the stars while being forced to listen to its trainer's noisy moans. It was not amused.
Why did they have to do the massage on the balcony?
What was this supposed to be?
Was the newcomer showing off to make the old guard look bad?
It raised a claw with mischief in mind, considering a little lesson for its trainer, only to see him take out his phone.
"Good afternoon, great mayor of Pyrite Town."
"Heh. It must be well past midnight over there. What, too excited to sleep now that you've won the Top Coordinator title?"
"Not at all. We only just finished. Hoopa rounded up a whole crowd, and I invited Bei Lingyin and the others from the fan club. It's been nonstop until now..."
"You've certainly worked hard, Baimu-san, Top Coordinator. You spend the night partying and somehow sound ready to drop."
The sarcastic reply made Baimu burst out laughing.
"I can't compare with a mayor responsible for the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people and Pokémon. Besides, you were the first person I thought to invite. You're the one who didn't come."
"Heh, heh, heh. You'd better sleep with one eye open from now on, or I'll make a whole 'Baimu Sleep Special' and put it on television."
"My mistake, brother. I'm sorry."
He hurried to beg for mercy.
Because of the time difference, it had already been