NURSE: “Oh! Come here a minute, will you?"


YOU: “...Hey, weren't you just--?"

NURSE: “...I have no idea what you're talking about." [Then, continues cheerfully on script:] “Anyway~ Hello, and welcome to the Pokémon Center or, rather, welcome to the second floor! Are you new to the area?"

YOU: “More like I'm passing through on my way to--"

NURSE: “Fantastic! At the next kiosk, you can rent a room for the night. Or, here, I could get you some snacks or postcards or other traveling essentials!"

NURSE: “Could I interest you in a souvenir Ralts plushie? Each purchase contributes to the conservation effort for this rare and endangered species, which is only found on nearby Route 102! Or a t-shirt, perhaps: ‘I hiked through Petalburg Woods and all I got was this crummy shirt'? Those are always selling out!"

NURSE: “And don't forget some slakoth or shroomish keychains to bring back for all your friends, while you're at it! You don't want them to think you forgot to bring them back anything, do you? Only $300 each!"

YOU: [blink] “Uh, no, I think I'm fine for now."

NURSE: [She gives you a look, then says, flatly:] “...Look, kid, I'm required to keep going until you buy something. Do you really want to inflict that on both of us?"

YOU: “...On second thought, I guess I could go for some coffee about now."

NURSE: [She regains her trademark saccharine smile.] “Excellent choice! I actually just finished brewing a locally sourced seedot coffee, roasted in-house!" [She pours you a cup.] “That'll be $700. I've also automatically signed you up for our special PokéCafé Monthly Coffee Club subscription, where all the different Pokémon Centers join together to send you a different curated local coffee each month. Good luck trying to cancel that, and we hope to see you again!"

You sit down for a minute, nursing your rather nutty (and decidedly not-coffee) drink, and think about just how desperate the PokéCenters must be for funding nowadays... More importantly, though, you can't help but wonder what that woman at the next table over is up to.