With everything packed away, the group of three set off once more.
The morning road was quiet, the dirt path still damp from the night air. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between trees, casting long shadows that stretched alongside them as they walked. Misty found herself talking more than she had the previous day—small comments at first, then longer conversations as the hours passed.
She realised, a little to her own surprise, that Ash and Yellow were easy to talk to.
They were like-minded in ways she hadn't expected. Especially after they learnt she was from Cerulean Gym, neither of them asked for favours or made suggestive remarks about Water-type Pokémon. That alone eased something in her chest.
After all, Cerulean Gym wasn't just famous—it was troublesome. Water types were rare. Gyarados was nearly impossible to find, and even Squirtle wasn't something you could simply stumble upon. Her parents had been placed there by the League itself, tasked with guarding the gym while sending their daughters out one by one to train properly each month.
Misty had always thought people would look at her differently once they knew.
But Ash barely reacted.
Yellow, on the other hand, seemed far more interested in Grass-types—especially Bulbasaur—than anything else. Neither of them carried that greedy curiosity Misty had grown used to. They simply walked forward, free of those thoughts.
More than that, Ash's way of thinking fascinated her.
He talked about training not as repetition but as shaping. Depending on the move a Pokémon used, certain abilities naturally developed over time. Like Pikachu's Double Kick—most trainers used it purely as a damage move, but Ash saw it differently.
"A solid leg is the foundation for speed," he had explained earlier. "If I want Pikachu to walk the path of extreme speed, his legs have to handle it first."
It wasn't flashy. It was practical.
When she learnt Pikachu hated the idea of evolving into Raichu, Misty had been genuinely surprised. Thunder Stones were every Electric-type trainer's dream. But Ash hadn't forced it.
Instead, he built an entire strategy around Pikachu's preference.
That alone earned her respect.
Pikachu wasn't weak—far from it. In fact, Misty felt his mobility far surpassed most Raichu she'd seen. And there was also that rumor her mother once mentioned… the Gigantamax form. A special power unique to Pikachu. Something Raichu didn't possess.
A mystery of its own.
As they talked, the trio gradually picked up their pace.
The sky shifted without warning. Clouds rolled in, thick and heavy, dimming the sunlight. Ash slowed slightly, his gaze lifting upward. He let out a quiet sigh.
Then he saw it.
A massive silhouette passed silently through the clouds—a bird wreathed in rainbow light, wings spreading wide as it glided across the sky.
"Ho-oh," Ash muttered.
Misty and Yellow stopped, following his gaze.
The sight stole their breath.
A single feather drifted downward, spinning gently as it descended, glowing with shifting rainbow colours. It floated as if guided by something unseen, stopping directly in front of Ash. Without thinking, he reached out and caught it.
The feather shimmered brightly in his hand.
'…Eh?'
Ash froze.
Misty and Yellow stared, stunned into silence.
"Ash… it's so beautiful," Yellow said softly, eyes glittering.
"Want to hold it?" Ash said absentmindedly, still trying to process what was happening. He extended the feather toward her.
Yellow smiled and took it carefully.
The moment her fingers touched it, the light vanished.
The feather turned dull.
"Eh—! Did I break it?" Yellow panicked instantly, eyes watering as she clutched it gently.
"Wait, wait," Ash said quickly. He stepped closer, placing one hand on her head reassuringly while the other touched the feather.
Light burst forth again, rainbow colors flowing along its edges.
Yellow's expression lit up instantly, tears stopping just as fast.
"Why does it shine when you touch it?" she asked, pouting slightly. Misty reached out and touched the feather too. Nothing happened. No glow. No reaction. But the moment Ash brushed it again, the light returned. Silence settled between the three of them.
It was obvious. "I… don't know," Ash said, shaking his head.
He wasn't lying completely—but he wasn't telling the whole truth either.
Unlike the real Ash, he was an imposter wearing his body. He had never expected something like this. He had never hoped for Ho-oh's recognition. That was why the feather confused him more than anyone else.
Yellow looked at him quietly for a moment, then smiled.
"I think he chose you," she said. "You're always kind, Ash."
She thought back to the last five years—his shamelessness, his occasional perversion, and his sharp mind. But more than that, his kindness. Toward friends. Toward Pokémon. Always thinking of what was best.
'That's just who he is,' she thought, giving him a small grin.
"Is that so?" Ash smiled faintly. "Well… so be it." As they resumed walking, his thoughts drifted upward. One day… Could he catch Ho-oh?
'Flying type…'
'If I'm going to try, I'll need something special.' His gaze flicked toward Pikachu walking proudly at his side. 'An Electric mythical with Pikagod might just do it.'
It was a beautiful day.
Sunlight poured down gently, warming the road beneath their feet as the trio finally reached the outskirts of Viridian City. Just moments ago, dark clouds had threatened to pour rain without mercy, and now the sky was clear and bright. The contrast made it hard not to feel a little speechless about how strange the weather had been.
"Hoof… at least we arrived early in Viridian City," Ash said, letting out a relieved sigh, choosing to look at the bright side.
"Yep, we're here," Misty replied, nodding.
Yellow, meanwhile, slowed her steps, her legs clearly feeling the strain. She looked tired, but her face still lit up with relief. Arriving early meant rest—and more importantly, a proper shower. That thought alone revived her spirits a little.
For both girls, the hardest part of travelling wasn't the battles or the walking—it was the lack of proper bathing. Seeing Viridian City ahead instantly made them feel alive again.
Ash, however, narrowed his gaze as he looked at the city.
He knew what this place really was.
Viridian City wasn't just another stop—it was the base city of Team Rocket. In the anime, the organisation was treated with a comedic undertone, more nuisance than threat. But reality was different. Those who worked under Team Rocket were well-trained, well-funded, and ruthless when it came to Pokémon battles.
An organisation that trained criminals using top-tier resources could not possibly be weak.
And then there was Giovanni.
Ash still remembered what he had seen—Giovanni's Beedrill mega-evolving and overwhelming a mega-evolved red Gyarados. If someone could raise a Beedrill to that level, then how terrifying must Giovanni's true mainline Pokémon be?
Just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.
'I can't take on this gym yet,' Ash admitted inwardly.
'But I will come.' His eyes shifted toward the gym building. It stood tall and imposing, radiating an authority that made even experienced trainers hesitate.
As they drew closer, they noticed a crowd gathering nearby. "Looks like someone with four badges is challenging the gym," Misty observed.
"Hey," she added with a smile, turning toward Ash, "we can buy tickets for the battle. It's scheduled for tonight at seven." Ash blinked in surprise. "Really?"
He had assumed the chances were slim. Part of him genuinely wanted to see Giovanni battle—to understand just how wide the gap between them truly was.
"I'll handle it," Misty said confidently, smiling with satisfaction.
For her, this was a small way to repay Ash—for the food, the care, and the smooth journey since yesterday.
"Than—" Ash started.
"It's alright," Misty interrupted him lightly. "You did say you'd be shameless about it." She pointed out his own words from breakfast, making Ash chuckle as he nodded.
Misty stepped aside and made a call. A short conversation later, she returned, holding up three tickets. "Got them."
She had secured three seats. After all, if Ash planned to challenge the Indigo Conference—and with his personality, that was inevitable—then he would one day face Giovanni himself.
She wanted him to see it.
To see how strong that man truly was.
Even her father, the proud Gym Leader of Cerulean City, admitted that his chances against Giovanni weren't high. And that was coming from someone confident in his own strength.
Giovanni was that kind of challenge. No one had ever seen him bring out his full professional team. Not to mention… his ace team.
As the city bustled around them, Ash looked once more toward the Viridian Gym, eyes steady and sharp. Tonight wouldn't just be a battle.