Misty's sudden closeness startled Delia, who was still carefully combing the last leaves from her hair.
Delia froze mid-motion, a single leaf pinched between her fingers. Her gentle eyes widened as she watched Misty lean right into Yuuto's face. Her heart gave a strange little skip.
*Huh?*
*Th-this girl… why is she suddenly… are they about to kiss?*
A faint heat rose in Delia's cheeks. An inexplicable sour feeling twisted in her chest, but mostly she just felt shocked and shy. *Are young people today really this bold and direct?*
She squeezed the comb tighter, standing rooted in place, a little lost.
From Yuuto's point of view, Misty's face was only inches away.
Misty had just finished combing her short orange hair; it now lay smooth against her ears, the tips still damp from the night dew. Firelight danced across her skin—smooth, firm, glowing with the healthy flush of someone who'd been running hard. Tiny beads of sweat dotted the tip of her nose.
Her features were sharp and lively, large eyes bright and full of spirit, long lashes like delicate brushes. Her pink lips were slightly parted, warm breath carrying the faint scent of sausage and rice as it brushed Yuuto's face.
Yuuto assessed her calmly in his mind.
*She looks a lot prettier than she did in the anime.*
The old animation style really had hidden this little mermaid's natural beauty.
In real life, she was easily top-tier.
Especially up close like this—raw, unfiltered, alive.
He could see the delicate texture of her skin, the firelight reflecting in her pupils, even the tiny speck of food still stuck near the corner of her mouth.
She practically radiated vibrant life.
Misty stared into Yuuto's eyes for several long seconds, clearly hunting for any trace of bluff or joke.
She found none.
His gaze was steady and deep, like still water—completely unruffled.
Suddenly the corner of her mouth curled into a sly, curious smile.
Her pink lips parted, voice dropping low with a teasing edge:
"I'm really curious…"
"How that little mouth of yours can spit out such big words~"
She deliberately stressed "little mouth" and "big words," exhaling warm breath right against his lips.
Yuuto smiled faintly.
He knew Misty's personality well—competitive, stubborn, endlessly curious.
Exactly the kind of person who was easy to guide.
"You don't believe me?"
He leaned back just enough to create a little space, but kept his eyes locked on hers.
"Do you think I'm bragging?"
"Heh heh, I've never met a rookie Trainer who dares to call winning the Indigo League a 'small goal.'" Misty sat up straight, crossing her arms with an expression that clearly said *Let's hear your story.*
"That's simple."
Yuuto picked up his water cup, took a casual sip, and answered like they were talking about the weather.
"You can just travel with us."
"See for yourself how I do it."
Reverse psychology—straightforward, but effective.
Misty's eyes instantly widened.
"Join you?"
"Yes." Yuuto nodded. "Aren't you aiming to become a Water-type Pokémon Master? You'll hit every Water Gym, lake, and river on the road. Traveling with us won't slow you down at all."
"Besides…"
He glanced at the frying pan still warming over the fire.
"You've already tasted Big Sister Delia's cooking."
Bullseye.
Misty's throat bobbed. Her eyes darted sideways toward the fragrant pan.
Her stomach gave a perfect, traitorous little *grumble*.
Big Sister Delia's food was *incredible*…
The sausages were crispy outside and juicy inside, the mushrooms so flavorful they made her tongue tingle… If she could eat like this every day…
She shook her head hard, forcing the foodie thoughts down, and coughed with forced dignity.
"Hmph! I mainly just want to see if you actually have any real skill! It's *not* for the food, okay!"
But her sparkling eyes had already given her away.
"So?" Yuuto raised an eyebrow.
"Mhm, alright!"
Misty agreed almost instantly, barely hesitating.
The speed of her own answer surprised even her.
*Uh… did I say yes too fast? Does that make me seem too easy?*
Her cheeks flushed, but she quickly recovered her usual confidence.
*Whatever… I'm just curious! I want to see why this guy is so cocky!*
*And incidentally… purely incidentally… I get to eat Big Sister Delia's cooking every day…*
Having agreed with Yuuto, Misty finally remembered the other person present.
She turned quickly to Delia, who was still holding the comb and looking slightly dazed. Misty instantly switched to her sweetest smile, voice turning a little coy.
"Um… Big Sister Delia!"
"Can I tag along with you two? I won't be a bother, right?"
Delia was fundamentally a gentle soul. Ever since Yuuto arrived, she had quietly followed his lead on almost everything.
She realized he had used reverse psychology to pull Misty in, so she smiled warmly and nodded.
"Of course you can."
Delia stepped forward, lightly patted Misty's shoulder, and brushed the last blade of grass from her collar.
"The more people, the livelier and safer the journey will be."
"That's great! Thank you, Big Sister Delia!"
Misty happily hugged Delia's arm and rubbed against her like a pleased kitten.
Just like that—before the meal was even finished—the first Misty storyline mission, "Become Travel Companions," was completed with ease.
[Ding!]
The system chimed clearly in Yuuto's mind.
[Mission One Complete!]
[Harmonious Family Aura successfully loaded!]
A gentle, warm current flowed quietly through his body—subtle, but unmistakably there.
He glanced at Delia and Misty chatting together.
Delia was smiling softly, asking if Misty got cold at night and whether she needed an extra blanket.
Misty looked touched, waving her hands and insisting she was fine, yet her eyes sparkled when Delia pulled out the soft spare blanket from her pack.
The atmosphere between them was warm and natural, as if they had known each other for years instead of minutes.
No awkwardness. No distance.
As if they were always meant to be sisters.
*So this is the effect of the Aura…*
Yuuto praised silently.
The traveling party had officially grown from two to three.
And the successful activation of the Harmonious Family Aura laid the strongest, most stable foundation for however large their "family" might grow in the future.
The night passed peacefully.
Inside the tent, Delia and Misty slept on the inner side while Yuuto took the outer edge. Pikachu and Eevee curled up together on a soft mat in the corner.
Misty was exhausted—she barely touched the pillow before falling into soft, steady breaths.
Delia lay on her side for a long time, quietly watching Yuuto's silhouette in the dark before slowly closing her eyes.
The next morning.
Amid the delicious breakfast Delia prepared, the three of them packed up full of energy, doused the fire, and set off.
The team was now officially a trio.
Misty walked at the front, steps light and bouncy.
Delia stayed in the middle, answering gently while jotting notes in her small notebook about edible berries and mushrooms they spotted.
Yuuto brought up the rear, scanning their surroundings while keeping an eye on the system map and script info in his mind.
Pikachu rode on his shoulder; Eevee trotted elegantly at his feet.
The mood was relaxed and pleasant.
But as noon approached, the sky suddenly darkened.
Thick, heavy clouds rolled in without warning.
"Oh dear, it looks like rain," Delia said, glancing upward.
The moment the words left her mouth, fat raindrops began to patter down.
The shower came fast and felt strangely heavy. The clouds were a deep, somber gray, faintly laced with an inexplicable, subtle rainbow shimmer.
"Quick! There's a cave over there!" Misty's sharp eyes spotted it first. She pointed at a small opening in the mountain wall not far ahead.
The three hurried forward and ducked inside just as the rain grew heavier.
They had barely shaken off the water when—
A dazzling seven-colored light suddenly tore across the gloomy sky!
It ripped through the heavy clouds like a sacred tear.
The light flowed, majestic and ancient, carrying an indescribable aura that instantly captured every eye.
"W-what was that?" Misty stared upward, mouth agape.
Delia covered her mouth, eyes wide with shock.
Yuuto's pupils shrank.
Without hesitation he yanked his Pokédex from his backpack's side pocket.
He raised it, aiming at the exact spot where the rainbow light had vanished.
Even though it was no longer visible to the naked eye, he knew exactly what it was.
The script had clearly recorded that Ho-Oh would make a fleeting appearance near Pallet Town early in the journey.
*Click! Click! Click!*
Yuuto maxed out the Pokédex's burst mode. The high-speed camera frantically captured the lingering energy trail and the noble silhouette streaking through the sky.
Rain and mist blurred the shots, and Ho-Oh moved faster than expected.
In the end, the Pokédex screen only managed to save three photos—each blurrier than the last.
"You got this excited over a shiny Fearow?" Misty's puzzled voice sounded right beside his ear.
She had somehow moved close, standing on tiptoe to peer at the Pokédex screen.
The rain had dampened her short orange hair; wet strands clung to her smooth cheek.
Because she was so close, the fresh scent of her body—mixed with rain—drifted over faintly.
Her cropped top was soaked, clinging tightly to her slender waist and abdomen, tracing an alluring curve.
Yuuto only needed to turn his head slightly to see her profile right next to him, her long lashes fluttering with curiosity.
"Shiny Fearow?" Yuuto chuckled, lowering the Pokédex. "This isn't a Fearow."
"Then what is it? Pidgeot? Or some bird Pokémon I've never seen?" Misty's knowledge of non-Water types was clearly limited.
"What it is doesn't matter right now." Yuuto didn't explain further—Ho-Oh's existence was still too mythical for most Trainers. "What matters is that these pictures are valuable."
"Valuable?"
"If I post them on the forums, people will pay good money for them."
Before he gained real fame and a stable income, the path of a Pokémon Trainer was surprisingly expensive.
Pokémon food, potions, items, travel costs, gear maintenance… Many Trainers from ordinary families had to stop and work odd jobs—escort missions, item retrieval—just to keep going.
Although Delia had said her savings from years of work would last them a long time if they were careful, Yuuto had no intention of relying on her money forever.
First, pinching pennies would limit training efficiency.
Second, constantly spending a woman's money just felt wrong.
So using "script information asymmetry" to generate early income had always been part of his plan.
Rare Pokémon he would catch himself.
Legendaries he couldn't catch yet—like the fleeting Ho-Oh—he would still monetize through exclusive visual data.
Trainer forums were always full of researchers, collectors, and rich enthusiasts hungry for anything Legendary.
Even a blurry long-shot of Ho-Oh would spark bidding wars.
"People pay money for pictures of Fearow? That's weird~"
Misty pouted, clearly still confused.
She only had eyes for Water-types. In her opinion, that money would be better spent on a Vaporeon scale or a Milotic feather model for her collection.
Yuuto didn't bother explaining further. He simply pocketed the Pokédex and continued leading the group toward Viridian City…