Eventually, the two hungry Trainers gave up trying to think through the problem. The rich, creamy scent of freshly baked desserts wafted through the air, and before they knew it, Luther and Mai were following the delicious aroma without even realizing it.
Just outside the hotel affiliated with the Pokémon League, a crowd had gathered. Some were morning joggers in athletic gear, and others had just woken up and were out searching for breakfast. All of them stood in front of a brightly decorated cake shop.
The shop owner stood cheerfully at the entrance, greeting customers. He was a spirited middle-aged man in a baker's uniform, with a short crew cut and neat stubble that gave him a charming, gentlemanly vibe.
While Luther was still lost in the mouthwatering smell, Mai tugged on his sleeve.
Luther looked where she was pointing and spotted a large, handwritten signboard full of scrawled announcements.
"Grand Opening Special: All cakes just 10 Pokémon League Coins until 5 PM today!"
"Special Event: Trainers who find Pokémon cartilage in their cake today will win a mysterious grand prize!"
"Bonus: Trainers who find a tiny fish in their cake today will receive a charming little gift!"
"Give me money!" Mai's eyes sparkled as she held out her hand expectantly.
"Why me?" Luther asked, already reaching for his wallet. Only then did he realize the issue.
"I already spent all mine!" Mai declared confidently, so sure of herself that Luther didn't even have the energy to argue.
With a sigh, he placed a 10-Pokécoin piece into her hand and made one last effort to dissuade her. "Cake this early in the morning is kind of heavy, don't you think? Maybe we should grab something else."
"This isn't about the cake, it's about the lottery!" Mai grinned, clutching the coin like a ticket to victory. "You've got to believe in my luck. It's always been good!"
"You don't even know what the prize is."
Luther had seen these kinds of gimmicks before, those so-called grand prizes usually turned out to be discount coupons or tiny plastic souvenirs. But given how honest and straightforward most towns were in this region, a small part of him dared to hope.
"Does it matter? A win's a win."
Watching Mai already act like she'd won something big, Luther couldn't help but remember how they'd encountered two shiny Pokémon together in the forest—Mai even caught one of them. Hesitating, he took out another coin and handed it to her.
"Get one for me, too."
Clutching both coins with determination, Mai squeezed into the bustling crowd. After quite a while, she returned triumphantly with two beautifully decorated fruit and cream cakes.
Luther's cake was generously topped with strawberries, orange slices, and a few unfamiliar local fruits. Under the vibrant toppings was a thick layer of snowy white whipped cream, dusted with a fine sprinkling of dark powder.
He pinched some of the powder and gave it a taste—chocolate.
While Luther was still inspecting the ingredients, Mai had already carved out a bite with her fork and started eating. But as she chewed, her smile faded and her expression slowly turned sour…
"Not good?" Luther asked, pausing mid-bite, fork in hand.
"No prize," She muttered dejectedly.
Luther let out a breath of relief and finally dug into his breakfast.
He had to admit— cream really was a guilty pleasure. It was the sworn enemy of anyone watching their figure. Fortunately, Luther didn't have that concern. He scooped up a generous amount of the creamy layer with his fork and relished its cool, silky texture before ditching the fork and taking a massive bite of the cake.
Seeing Mai still looking glum, Luther tried to cheer her up. "If you could win every time, you'd basically be a Chosen One. Just because you didn't win this time doesn't mean it's a loss."
"Let me try again— I really think I'll win this time!"
Funny enough, that exact mindset had gotten Luther into trouble back in his trading card game days. Every time he got the urge to go for one more pull, he'd always end up with nothing but regret.
"Don't even think about it…" Luther's chewing suddenly slowed down.
Mai looked over, curious about his sudden hesitation, only to watch with a frown as Luther awkwardly reached into his mouth. Her expression quickly changed to one of realization, and then excitement lit up her eyes.
Luther pulled out a tiny fish— well, what was left of it. Only the fish's head remained.
He really wanted to complain to the shopkeeper. This was such a sneaky trick. The fish was just the right size to be swallowed whole without even noticing, and the prize would be missed completely.
If not for that faint salty tang suddenly cutting through the sweet flavor while he was chewing, Luther probably wouldn't have caught it either.
"Alright, I'll admit it, your luck is absolutely unreal. It might not be the grand prize, but it's still amazing." Luther was completely speechless at Mai's uncanny streak of good fortune.
The cake shop was bustling with customers, yet the prize redemption counter stood empty. Carrying the half-eaten fish head sealed in a small bag, Luther approached the window. The staff member stationed there nodded as a Chansey waddled over and retrieved a box from the prize shelf. With a cheerful "Congratulations!" the clerk set a small gift box on the counter and motioned for him to open it.
Luther gave Mai the honors.
She eagerly tore the box open, only to find... another box inside.
Luther watched with quiet amusement as Mai unwrapped box after box, like some kind of dessert-themed nesting doll. At last, she reached one about the size of a Pokédex and opened it to reveal a sleek black card inside.
It looked like a points card— pretty generic- and Luther let out a quiet sigh.
But Mai was beaming, waving the card in front of his face like she'd just pulled a shiny Pokémon.
"Look! It's a points card, really nice, huh?" she said, eyes gleaming.
Luther squinted at it, humoring her and then froze like he'd been hit by a Thunder Wave. One thought echoed through his mind: Wait… is this real?
A 1,000 Pokécoin Pokémon League voucher, usable at any official League-affiliated store. Not a measly discount token or a limited-use promo card. A full-blown, spend-it-anywhere voucher!
Until now, Luther and Mai had barely enough money left for one more day of food and shelter. They'd even started discussing part-time jobs just to stay afloat. Their remaining funds were already stretched dangerously thin.
But now? Everything had changed. They finally had some breathing room.
"I take it all back," Luther said in awe. "You're not just lucky, you're a certified Chosen One."
"I'm dying to know what the actual grand prize is now." Mai's eyes sparkled as she glanced over at the display shelf full of colorful prize boxes.
It was the perfect example of that classic saying: "Give her an inch and she'll want the whole route to Victory Road." But really, with luck like hers, who could blame her?
"The grand prize isn't on the shelf—it's in the shop." The cake shop owner, the same man who'd been greeting customers earlier, appeared before them holding a bag filled with cakes. "Since you're our first official winners today, here's a little bonus gift, on the house."
Mai blinked, then glanced around the shop with curious eyes, clearly wondering what the real grand prize could be.
"Are you Pokémon Trainers?" the shopkeeper asked.
Both Mai and Luther nodded, each pulling out their Pokédex.
Verifying a Trainer's identity was easy, just flash a registered Pokédex, and you were good to go.
The owner studied their Pokédexes for a moment, then eyed the two of them thoughtfully, scratching his chin. "Alright then, how about this? If no one finds any 'cartilage' by the end of the afternoon rush, the grand prize is yours."
Luther's jaw nearly hit the floor. He couldn't even put a sentence together.
Mai, on the other hand, clapped her hands in delight and excitedly promised they'd be back later that day.
With their bonus cakes in hand and a freshly won Pokécoin voucher tucked away, the two of them quietly set off toward the natural park on the outskirts of Baidai City.
Even though Mai wasn't sure why Cynthia would be in such a place, the information had come from Wusong, and Luther seemed to trust it, so it had to be reliable.
Still, Luther couldn't get over Mai's ridiculous good luck. Just walking next to her made him feel like he was inviting disaster. After all, lightning probably wouldn't strike someone like Mai.
It'd go for the unlucky guy standing next to her.
(End of Chapter)
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