Chapter 21: Princess Misty?
~Azure S. POV~
[Kanto Region, Cerulean City – Misty's Mansion]
Cerulean City… The City of Water, huh?
Cerulean City is a seaside city located in northern Kanto. It is near a sea inlet to the north, with Saffron City to the south, and Mt. Moon to the west. It is home to Misty, the Cerulean City Gym Leader.
Cerulean is one of only two cities in Kanto with four different routes into it, the other being Saffron City. It is a mid-sized city with a few attractions, including the Bike Shop and the Berry Powder Man.
Going around sightseeing, I admired the views of this city with a smile on my face as I suddenly heard Red speak up in a disbelieving tone, "This is a joke, right?"
Turning my head, I see a blinking mansion. I'm a bit surprised at how rich and big this is, but I couldn't help but admire her mansion in an impressed tone, "Whistle. That must be a good home, and it looks well surrounded by water. Is that your home, Misty?"
She smirks at this, with Red mumbling in disbelief, pointing at the building in a surprised tone, "I mean, this place… there's no way this is your home, right?"
Misty only has a smug grin on her face, responding to both of us proudly, "' Fraid so. Better believe this is my home."
"Pita!"
"Pita!"
"Pita!"
Listening to the sounds of footsteps coming from the sides of the mansion as a bunch of maids come out, bowing to Misty, making me do a double-take as they announced, "Welcome home, Lady Misty!"
Is… Is Misty a princess?
That was when one of the maids spoke out, surprised at Misty's appearance, in a frightened tone, "Y-Your ladyship is… is dirty! Whatever happened to our ladyship!"
Misty casually ignores us as she waves her hand at both of us with a smile on her face as she explains in a cool tone, "I'd like you to meet these two boys accompanying me. This one is Red, and the other is Azure."
Waving my hand towards the fine maids, we were soon taken inside as the maids asked for our Poke Balls. I handed them mine but asked the Maid with some concern, "Ok, please take care of them."
The Maid nods with a smile, reassuring me that they will take good care of my Pokémon as I follow Red and Misty with the groups of maids following beside us. Man… I don't think I remember this in the manga before, but this is certainly a nice change of pace from the usual training or sleeping in a hotel or outside tents for the night.
Soon enough, Misty speaks to both of us as she goes to a different part of the mansion, explaining to us, "Ok, you two, I'll be heading to the lady's shower. Go that path to get yourselves cleaned up. My maids will leave you some fresh clothes to wear in the meantime, ok?"
Thanking Misty, we did as we were told as we both got to a nearby bathroom… well, bathroom is putting it lightly as I couldn't help but speak out, stunned, "Shower? This is a literal hot spring!"
The Maid following us laughs as she responds to my question with Red already entering inside the hot spring in an upbeat tone, "Hehehe. Yup. Our Ladyship likes hot springs to feel extra clean along with her Water Pokémon. Please take your time to clean up boy."
Well… I'm sold. It's a literal free hot spring!
Entering the room and changing my clothes, it was time to enjoy those springs. A man's gotta relax, right?
/////
[Kanto Region, Cerulean City – Misty's Hot Springs]
I immediately go inside the hot springs with a towel covering my privates as Red moans in a happy tone at the springs, "Ah… man, this feels great. Come on, Azure, these springs feel so fine!"
*Splash*
Oh god, this feels great! I can feel the pain melt away~
Smiling at this feeling of the hot springs washing away the dirt and debris on my body, I couldn't help but comment on these springs in a happy tone, "Oh god, this feels great~ Misty has great taste in choices of having these springs."
Red smirked, agreeing with me, leaning on the back of the spring stone walls, and added, "Yup! You and I can agree on that, brother! So…"
Finally, going to a different question asking me with some curiosity in his voice, "What's your next plan after this Azure?"
Smirking at this, I responded to Red what my plan is currently in a chill tone, "I plan to challenge the Cerulean City Gym, Misty, to a Pokémon Battle. But I feel like I need to train more to be prepared for her. After that, go after the Gym Badges in Kanto for a good challenge. Then the Finals."
Red has this pondering expression on his face as he responds to him with a curious tone, "A challenge, huh? Sounds like a good goal to reach the Finals. Hey, Azure, once we're healed up, want a Pokémon Battle?"
I paused, hearing Red's words on that. Me?
Battle the famous or going to be famous Pokémon Trainer Red Manga? Not going to lie, it does sound good.
And I could help my Pokémon grow more against Red, of all people, to have a Pokémon Battle to go against. They could use the experience to gain a few levels.
Smiling at this, I nodded at Red's request with a smirk on my face, accepting the challenge, "You're on, Red from Pallet Town. But only when I have my team ready for that time to come, I'll challenge you at the Indigo Plateau. But first, we rest, of course."
Red smirks with a nod, raising his fist in the air and accepting my challenge from the get-go, but so relaxed in a chill tone, "Oh, you're so on! I want to see how skilled you are to win that Boulder Badge. But after we rest, of course."
"Hahaha!"
We both laughed at how chill we were about the challenges to each other. But I'm not gonna lie, I do feel excited about challenging Red to a Pokémon Battle later in the grand big stage. Although I should probably check on my Pokémon status later to see who can fight against Red's team in the future.
/////
~Third POV~
[Kanto Region, Nighttime, Cerulean City – Misty's Mansion]
The two finally reached the dining room, viewing the nice table with food already prepared in advance. Azure was stunned seeing the luxury food, but Red commented in a happy tone, digging in, "Wow! I could get used to this!"
*Tap*
*Tap*
Listening to some steps coming from someone wearing heels, Misty soon presents herself, leaving Azure a bit stunned as she talks to them in an apologetic tone, "Sorry to keep you two waiting!"
Red, for his part, is oblivious to girls' attire, with Azure nodding. Red speaks out childishly, "Whoa! You didn't tell me this was a costume party!"
Misty cringes at Red's response, responding to him with an annoyed puff, "Oh, shut up. Just eat your dinner."
Like that, Azure took the time to eat the food, tasting the culinary food from the Pokémon world as his eyes widened, commenting on the good food in an impressed tone, "Whoa! This food is really good. Say, Misty, sorry if I'm being rude, but the chief wouldn't mind if I take some recipe notes to cook like this?"
Misty nods at this, taking her fork and stabbing into a piece of meat as her maids stand ready to help in an understanding tone, "No problem. After all, with your quick thinking, you managed to surprise those Grunts and Red, allowing us to escape, but…"
Misty soon frowns as she takes another piece of food into her mouth, thinking a bit before finally responding to the two of them in a serious tone, "Hey, Red and Azure. There's something I gotta talk to both of you about, Team Rocket."
Red, for his part, being the young kid of an 11-year-old, smiles, bragging about their win of escaping Team Rocket as Azure remains silent, getting his attention, "What is it, Misty? Can't stand how I saved our days! It only took a few minutes to mop them up. If only Muk wasn't there, I would've beaten them!"
Azure, for his part, rolls his eyes at Red's proclamation, thinking to himself a bit disappointed tone, 'Yeah… sure, go ahead and fight against a literal chemical waste brought to life-ending lives with its touch in an enclosed space. Then be your guest, Red, not like all of us have plot armor.'
Azure kept his remark inside his head, but it wasn't missed by Misty, seeing his expression as she expressed a serious look on her face as she spoke out, "Shut up. Listen, our Pokémon will be fully healed soon. When they are, I think we all need to put 'em in a serious training regimen."
Listening to Misty's offer, Azure smiled, speaking out, interested in the offer presented to them in a curious tone, "A training regimen, huh? Sounds like the game to me. I could use the training for my Pokémon and myself."
Misty smiles at that, with Azure wanting to train as she continues explaining to the two of them the offer in a serious tone, "Yup. Those dopes we fought at Mt. Moon can't be the best Team Rocket's got. We're going to have more opponents to face. Better ones, stronger ones."
Azure nods, accepting the deal right away for the future, speaking out to her in a respectful tone to Misty, "If a Gym Leader like yourself is offering, then I would be crazy not to. You can count me in, although… You won't mind if I search for a team member to add to my team as we train around Route 24, perhaps?"
Misty nods in agreement, but that is why Red suddenly responds nonchalantly, "Ahh, chill out, guys."
Azure raised an eyebrow at that, with Misty getting angry at that remark as Red confidently said to them both in an arrogant tone, "Goons like that might scare you two, but I know how to handle 'em!"
After that, the two begin to argue with each other, making Misty angry enough to leave as she tears up Red, getting confused, responds in a baffled tone, "Sheesh, you don't have to take it personally, you know!"
Seeing the argument end, Azure stands up and asks one of the Maids for his Pokémon in a respectful tone, bowing his head slightly, "Sorry to bother you, miss, but can you please get me my Pokémon for me, please."
The Maid smiled kindly with a nod, responding to Azure's request as he followed Misty after the whole commotion that had happened, leaving Red behind. Going through the halls, seeing the images of Misty dressed in the sharp corners, Azure began to rush ahead to catch up.
Doing so finally leads to him finding Misty on the outside, she turns around to see him reigning in her anger, speaking to him calmly, "Oh? Didn't notice you there, Azure. Did you need anything?"
Sighing at this, seeing Misty sit down on her bench at the front, Azure sat close by, responding to Misty with concern in his voice, "Yeah. Came to check out if you were alright. I know what that thunderhead just said was a sensitive topic. I would've been the same in your shoes, you know."
Misty smiles lightly at that before her head turns towards the night sky as she responds to Azure with anger evident in her voice, "Yeah… but that idiot Red still doesn't get it! Who's to say those we face were even the strongest Team Rocket has to offer, but he's playing the idiot, trying to impress some of my Maids! The nerve of that guy!!"
Biting her handkerchief that she brought out from her pocket, he nods slowly at Misty's assumption with a dead look in his eyes, looking down at the ground, "Yeah. I can understand what you mean, but I doubt Red does, really. He's 11, so he's bound to do some dumb kid stuff, saying some insensitive words. Maybe some real-life attack might get him out of his naïve way of thinking?"
Misty blinked a bit before seeing the look in Azure's eyes, before she started to smile, placing her hand over his shoulder as his eyes wandered towards Misty's hand as she spoke to him softly, "You have a good heart, Azure. You care about your Pokémon as equals and put yourself through this training in case something might happen. I say you have good qualities that every Trainer should have."
Azure, for his part, snorted at that, but the noticeable blush on his cheeks made Misty laugh as the Maid returned, handing them their Pokémon back. Misty stood up with a cheerful tone, "Glad to see we talked this out, Azure. Now, if you excuse me…"
She grins wickedly as she gets hold of one of her Poké Balls with a smirk on her face as she raises her fist in the air, "I have a certain little boy to terrorize for making a maiden as I cry for his stupidity!"
Azure laughed at that as he responded to Misty with a smile on his face, nodding at Misty's action against Red in a nonchalant tone, "Hahaha! I bet Red is going to be in for a surprise, then. It almost makes me want to warn him… almost."
Misty nods as she begins to turn away, getting one of her Water Pokémon in her hand, ready to torment Red as she talks to him as she leaves in a serious tone, "Will begin training after I teach Red a lesson. You can use tomorrow to look around Cerulean City and better be prepared for my Gym Battle!"
Listening to Misty's words entering his head, Azure shrugs but smirks. One of the maids appeared, returning his Poke Balls, thanking her in the process.
Now alone, he grabbed hold of one of his Poke Balls and, talking to his Pokémon inside in a determined tone, "We'd better be ready for a real challenge. Hate to disappoint a lady in waiting, right?"
His Pokémon immediately nodded, filled with new determination after listening to their trainers, with Azure's eyes gazing towards the city of water with a newfound determination in his heart.
Mentally prepared for tomorrow, Azure's eyes gaze at the night sky, taking the time to relax and view the outside night, enjoying the night company a bit longer, thinking of the future ahead of him…