Pokémon: An Unexpected Odyssey

Chapter no.33 Secrets Beneath the Surface

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Vee sat on the oversized grooming salon chair, looking incredibly out of place. His little body practically disappeared in the massive seat, and Austin could feel his discomfort radiating off him in waves.

The barber, a woman with short, cropped hair and a smile that practically lit up the room, stepped forward to assess Vee's condition. Her apron was filled with tools, each one seemingly ready to fix the mess Austin had made. "Looks like a bit of a botched job," she remarked, her eyes flicking to Austin with a playful smirk before turning back to Vee. Austin felt his face heat up.

Yeah, he totally deserved that.

"I can tidy it up around the sides," she continued, her voice soothing as she gently touched Vee's fur. "Maybe add a small faux fur piece if Eevee feels a bit shy about his appearance."

Austin glanced down at Vee, who was trying his best to hide how self-conscious he felt. His ears twitched, and Austin could almost hear his thoughts. Vee gave a hesitant nod, and he exhaled in relief. "That'd be great, thanks."

"Alright, let's get started," she said brightly, fastening a black grooming cape around Vee. He looked like a tiny, fluffy king sitting there, though Austin could tell Vee wasn't exactly thrilled about it.

Austin moved over to one of the seats nearby, trying to settle in and relax while keeping an eye on Vee. He was Austin's partner, and seeing him nervous made Austin feel on edge too. As he sat down, though, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. The guy next to him was hidden behind a massive broadsheet, the kind of thing you only see in old detective movies. It lowered slightly, and when Austin caught a glimpse of the face behind it, his heart skipped a beat.

Brock? What the—

Before Austin could even process what was happening, a hand clamped over his mouth, muffling his immediate reaction. Brock, wearing some ridiculous disguise—sunglasses and a fake mustache that fooled literally no one—leaned in close, his expression dead serious. "Talk. Outside."

Austin gave a quick nod, feeling like he'd just been dragged into some sort of spy movie. Brock's grip loosened, and Austin swallowed hard, the surprise still buzzing in his head. What was Brock doing here, and why all the secrecy?

They both stood up, moving as casually as possible toward the door. The groomer barely noticed them, too focused on fixing the mess Austin had made of Vee's fur. She was working like a pro, trimming here and there with delicate precision. Vee, despite his earlier nervousness, seemed to be calming down, probably realizing he was in good hands. Austin felt a small bit of relief wash over him at that.

But still, what was Brock up to?

The moment they stepped outside, the cool air hit Austin's face, his mind buzzing with questions, but before he could even get one out, Brock was already scanning the area like they were fugitives.

"You know, the fake glasses and mustache combo isn't exactly a winning strategy for getting her number."

Brock blinked. "What?" It took him a second to process what Austin was saying before his eyes automatically followed Austin's thumb back toward the Pokémon groomer inside.