The thought that Electabuzz might be able to evolve even further gave Reggie a sudden boost in appetite!
Yong, on the other hand, looked at Akemi in puzzlement and asked,
"Miss Akemi, I noticed you don't have any Pokémon with you?"
Akemi smiled faintly and explained,
"I'm not a Pokémon Trainer. I'm a Pokémon Groomer! I do have Pokémon of my own, but I only came along to keep Reggie company while he unwinds in Johto and Hoenn, so I left them in Veilstone City."
"A Pokémon Groomer?"
Yong nodded. He knew that grooming was a profession that had branched off from Pokémon breeding and was quite popular among ladies.
Reggie picked up the conversation,
"Akemi is really talented! She's the fastest-improving Intermediate Pokémon Breeder in the Sinnoh Region in recent years! She's already preparing for the Senior Pokémon Breeder Certification Exam..."
Akemi shot him a look, then smiled,
"You're exaggerating! I still have a lot to learn before I can become a Senior Pokémon Breeder!"
Yong looked at her with admiration as well.
His own mother was an Intermediate Pokémon Breeder. Although she was already on the verge of reaching the senior rank and counted among the most talented, just how young was Akemi?
"That's impressive! Advancing as a Pokémon Breeder is much harder than advancing as a Trainer!"
Akemi smiled a little bashfully,
"I'm not that amazing! I have a good friend who's a year younger than me, but she's already passed the Senior Pokémon Breeder exam! She's the real genius!"
Reggie nodded.
"You mean Yōka, right? You can't compare yourself to her! She's the youngest Senior Pokémon Breeder in the Sinnoh Region! She broke the record, and Mr. Lucian teaches her personally. Yōka works hard herself, too. How could she be anything but exceptional..."
Mr. Lucian?
Yong's