Next day.
Ash was ready to leave.
Misty, Leaf, Yellow, and Elsa were already packing up as well, the quiet morning air filled with the soft sounds of rustling bags and Pokémon cries. Their next destination was clear—Cerulean City.
Having Misty along was like having a living map.
She looked genuinely excited to return home, even though she had only been away for about a week. On the way out, she had already called her parents to explain everything, and the response had been overwhelmingly enthusiastic.
Especially from her eldest sister, Daisy.
Ash was a little surprised when he heard about it. In this world, Misty's sisters were… different.
Daisy was the most caring of the three.
Violet was cheerful and energetic.
Lily was calm and reserved.
From the way Misty spoke, it was clear she loved all three of them—no resentment, no awkward distance. That alone told Ash how different things were here. Another difference stood out as well. The Cerulean Gym wasn't run by the sisters.
It belonged to Misty's father—Aurelian.
Walking out of Pewter City, the group headed west-northwest toward Cerulean. The road stretched long and open, winding between grassy plains and scattered trees. Ash felt a familiar excitement bubbling up—it had been a while since he'd travelled this route.
Still, he kept a careful eye on everyone. Especially Yellow.
It didn't take long for him to notice the subtle signs—slower steps, quieter breathing, and a faint sheen of sweat. Without hesitation, he raised a hand. "Hey, how about a stop? We should rest a bit." The group slowed, then stopped. Nearby was an open patch of land perfect for camping.
After a moment's thought—and a collective realisation that they were hungry—everyone agreed. Only Yellow knew the real reason they had stopped. She smiled softly as she sat down, wiping sweat from her brow. "You alright?" Leaf asked gently.
She had been walking beside Yellow the whole time and hadn't noticed the fatigue creeping in. "I-I'm alright," Yellow replied quickly. There was a bit of fatigue hidden within her tone.
"Just… a little heat catching up." She nodded as if to reassure herself, although it looked quite obvious to Leaf. Leaf glanced toward Ash—and noticed something she hadn't before. He had stopped almost instinctively.
Even she hadn't picked up on Yellow's condition that quickly. 'He really does pay attention to her,' Leaf thought. A little jealousy rose within her chest.
'I hope, he also pay attention to me too.' She inwardly thought. Though she shook those thoughts away in a hurry.
'We should be doing the same for him.' With that, she quietly started helping Ash with lunch. When the food was ready, Leaf took her first bite—and froze. Her eyes widened.
It had been nearly two years since she last ate Ash's cooking. "This is still amazing…" she muttered, completely serious.
Afterward, the girls insisted on handling the cleanup, pushing Ash away with firm smiles. They told him to focus on Pikachu and the others instead. But Ash shook his head.
He didn't train today. Not like grinding. Instead, he turned it into a game. Races—who could jump higher. Light-ball catch—Butterfree and Pidgeotto using [Gust] to keep it swirling while others tried to grab it mid-air.
Training through play.
Creative. Natural.
Even Misty was impressed.
"Ash, that's actually really clever," she said, standing beside him.
Yellow sat nearby with her Bulbasaur, who eagerly joined in. Leaf brought out her Bulbasaur as well, and soon they were playing a tackle-sumo game while Ash kept track of wins and losses.
Leaf leaned down, encouraging her Bulbasaur for the next round.
"Haha, it's just excitement and play," Ash said casually. "They're special to us—but they're also living beings." That perspective made Misty pause.
She agreed—but she also knew how easy it was to forget something so simple. "Yeah… that's true," she said quietly. Ash smiled at her tone. As they both grinned and then looked at the match, Ash watched the girl out of the corner of his eye.
Especially noticing that she did not change much after that night kiss.
They watched the match—Pikachu versus Leaf's Bulbasaur. With a well-timed Vine Whip, Bulbasaur managed to push Pikachu out. "Pika~Wiga." Pikachu scratched his head sheepishly. Looking really adorable at it.
Ash laughed and patted his head. "We'll win it next time, Aibo."
"Pika~!" The cheerful chirp came instantly.
In the end—
Bulbasaur [Leaf] won overall.
The final match was Bulbasaur [Yellow] versus Bulbasaur [Leaf].
Leaf's Bulbasaur prevailed again.
As the excitement settled, evening crept in. They continued walking until they reached a small town just before Mt Moon. It wasn't large, but it had everything they needed—including a hotel.
Instead of the nearby Pokémon Center, they booked three rooms.
Two girls shared each room.
Ash took one alone.
Once inside, Ash lay back on the bed, finally letting the fatigue sink in, and before sleeping, he released his Pokémon.
Pikachu. Pidgeotto. Riolu. Frogadier. Butterfree. And the newest addition—Ralts.
"La~" Ralts looked completely worn out. Ash smiled faintly.
The new training involving [Confusion]—especially controlling heavy objects—was clearly taking its toll. He sat up slightly, watching them all with quiet satisfaction.
Tomorrow—the journey would only get more interesting. After all, they were all leaving for Mt. Moon, which he had watched in anime. He was quite excited about it.
Before turning in for the night, Ash made sure every Pokémon under his care was fed properly. One by one, he handed out Poké Blocks, watching familiar reactions—some eager, some picky, and some pretending not to care while clearly caring a lot.
Only after everyone was settled did he step out again, the evening air of Pewter City cool against his skin.
He found a small roadside eatery tucked between two older buildings.
Nothing fancy—wooden stools, a counter polished smooth by years of use, and the comforting sound of sizzling food.
As he ate alone, Ash found his thoughts drifting.
Travelling really did burn through money faster than he liked. Lodging, food, supplies… it all added up. 'I might need to pick up some work soon,' he thought quietly.
Yet sitting there by himself also made something else clear. Until now, he had been constantly surrounded—voices, laughter, footsteps beside him. The silence felt strange… but not unpleasant. For once, it felt earned.
After a simple but satisfying dinner, Ash headed back to the inn. The hallway was quiet, lanterns casting soft light along the wooden floor. He opened the door to his room and stepped inside.
And froze.
His gaze landed on the small sitting area near the sofa. 'Eh…'
Misty was there. Wearing a sports bra and white panties that were visible from the V-shaped leg that was created by her knees coming together, giving a clear and nice view of it.
She looked just as startled, mid-stretch, clearly not expecting anyone to walk in. For a brief second, neither of them moved, the air thick with mutual surprise. Ash's mind blanked; he looked at Misty's soft skin.
Her slim figure and youthful look lit a small fire within him. 'Eh…' Misty blinked too, then immediately straightened, her expression shifting fast.
Ash reacted first, snapping his head away. "S-Sorry! Wait—what are you doing here?"
There was a sharp rustle behind him as Misty stood up fully. "So that's your excuse," she said coolly. "Any last words?"
"I'm serious," Ash replied, forcing his voice calm despite the tension. "This is my room. I didn't exactly plan on walking in on anyone." She paused. "…Is that all?"
Ash swallowed. "Let's just check the room number." He wanted to act calmly; after all, running from here will only make it awkward later. Plus, he did enter into his room.
They stepped back into the hallway together. Misty glanced at the door, then at the number, her frown softening into confusion. "…Huh?"
"Yeah," Ash said with a sigh of relief. "Definitely mine."
Misty let out a breath, rubbing the back of her neck. "I could've sworn I went into the right one."
"It happens," Ash said quickly. "And—uh—sorry for freezing like that." She looked at him for a second, then laughed quietly.
"Yeah… sorry too." There was a brief, awkward pause.
"Well," she said, trying to sound casual, already turning away, "good night, Ash."
"Night." She slipped into the next room, cheeks warm, door closing a bit faster than necessary. Ash stood there for a moment longer, then exhaled. 'That was way too close.' He thought, looking at the little bulge on his lower clothing.
The next morning, things felt… different.
Not bad. Just slightly off.
Ash looked calm as ever, but Misty avoided holding his gaze for more than a second. They exchanged a small smile before heading out, nothing more. At Elsa's recommendation, they grabbed breakfast together, the mood light but quieter than usual.
Soon after, the four of them set off toward Mt Moon. 'They're acting weird,' Leaf thought, watching Ash and Misty from behind. Ash was always a little strange, so that part didn't stand out—but Misty's subtle stiffness did.
"What are you thinking about?" Yellow asked, noticing Leaf's expression. "Nothing," Leaf replied. "Just… Ash."
Yellow giggled, looking at her friend and thinking. "You always think about Ash."
Leaf rolled her eyes, clearly not amused, taking it from Yellow. "That goes for you too, idiot." Yellow laughed, not denying it. After all, living that long together, she was clear of her feelings toward Ash. She never tried to force it on Ash. Because at the moment, he was chasing his dream, and she wanted to be there to support him, not drag him down.
Elsa caught up with them, joining the conversation, while Misty lingered slightly behind—until she felt a hand gently catch hers.
"Ash…" she said, surprised. To think that Ash took action in it. But given the situation, especially Leaf, who can be rather perceptive toward things like this. Ash knew he had little chance. So, he might as well talk it out. "Sorry, am I making it awkward for you?"
"Not at all. Just feeling a bit awkward. I almost make it inconvenient for you." She easily laid it out. Well, Misty was never the type to dwell. But her current self was self-conscious.
Which is why she was being a little hesitant about it all.
"Inconvenient. At least, for me it was a great treat. It is not daily that I get to see it." Ash's sly voice almost makes her blush.
With it, Ash let go of her hand and winked; while looking right, he saw others walking ahead and kissed Misty's cheek. "I almost felt like eating you up that night." He commented while rushing ahead. Leaving a blushing Misty back as she glares at Ash.
"Hmm." Elsa notices it too.