The morning sun filtered through the high glass windows of the Viridian City Pokémon Center, bathing the lobby in a sterile, hopeful light. It was 7:00 AM, and the facility was already humming with low-level activity. Early risers were buying coffees from the vending machines, and the morning news played softly on the wall-mounted monitors.
Behind the main counter, Nurse Joy stood as a pillar of professional grace. Her pink hair was looped back into its perfect, gravity-defying rings. Her white uniform was crisp, without a single wrinkle. She moved with efficiency, sorting through transfer request forms.
To anyone else, she looked exactly like the Nurse Joy who had greeted them yesterday. But Kian knew better.
He walked up to the counter, his backpack slung casually over one shoulder. He watched her for a moment before she noticed him. He knew what that uniform was hiding. He knew the sounds she made when that composure cracked.
"Morning," Kian said, his voice smooth.
Joy's head snapped up. For a split second, her professional mask slipped. Her blue eyes widened, and a faint, almost imperceptible tremor ran through her hands. But she recovered quickly, clearing her throat.
"Good morning, Kian," she said, her voice steady, though she avoided direct eye contact for a beat too long. "You're up early."
"The road waits for no one," Kian replied with a small smile. He unclipped the Premier Ball from his belt and placed it on the counter. "Just a quick check-up for Gardevoir before I head out. She had a long night, too."
Joy's cheeks flushed a delicate shade of peony pink. She took the ball, her fingers brushing against his. The contact was brief, but the static electricity between them was undeniable.
"Right," she murmured. "I'll... I'll heal her right away."
She placed the ball into the machine. Ding-ding-ding-dong-ding. The familiar chime rang out, signaling the restoration of his partner's vitality.
As she handed the ball back, she hesitated. "So... are you heading into Viridian Forest now?"
"That's the plan," Kian nodded, clipping the ball back to his belt. "Since the Gym here is closed—permanently, it seems, for guys like me—I have to head north to Pewter City. Brock is my first target."
Joy nodded, her expression shifting to one of genuine concern. She leaned slightly over the counter. "I hope you become the best, Kian. I really do. But please, be careful. The Viridian Forest is notorious for being confusing. The canopy is so thick it blocks out the sun, and the path changes constantly."
She lowered her voice slightly. "And the wild Pokémon... they can be aggressive. Especially the Weedles and the Beedrill swarms. They don't take kindly to trespassers."
"Don't worry, Joy," Kian said, adjusting his collar. "I can take care of myself. And Gardevoir is stronger than she looks."
He looked at her, his dark eyes softening. "You take care of yourself too, alright? Don't work too hard."
Joy nodded, biting her lower lip. Kian turned to leave, his boots echoing on the tile floor. He felt good.
"Kian."
The voice was soft, barely a whisper, but it stopped him dead in his tracks.
He paused in the middle of the lobby, half-turned. He looked back.
Joy was gripping the edge of the counter, her knuckles white. She wasn't looking at her computer screen anymore. She was looking at him. Her face was flushed, her eyes shimmering with a mix of shame and lingering adrenaline.
"Yes, Nurse Joy?"
She took a deep breath, glancing around to ensure no one was within earshot.
"It was..." she started, her voice trembling. "It was a good experience. One which I would never forget in my life."
Kian blinked, surprised by her candor. He had expected her to bury it, to pretend it never happened.
She looked up slowly, meeting his gaze with a raw, naked honesty.
"Will you... will you come back, Kian?"
She offered him a shy, tentative smile—a smile that promised secrets. "I want to experience this again sometime."
Kian felt a surge of triumph. He hadn't just used her; he had left a mark.
He smiled back, a dazzling expression that made Joy's heart flutter. "I promise, Joy. And believe me... next time will be far more better than this."
Joy didn't say anything, but her smile deepened, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Kian turned around and pushed through the glass doors, stepping out into the fresh morning air of Viridian City. The wind was cool, carrying the scent of pine from the north.
He stretched his arms high above his head, letting out a satisfied groan. "Viridian Forest, here I come."
He took a step forward, his mind already calculating the experience points he would farm from the bug catchers in the forest. He reached into his pocket to pull out his navigation tool.
His hand met empty fabric.
He patted his other pocket. Empty.
He checked his backpack's side pouch. Empty.
Kian froze. His confident stride faltered.
"Wait," he muttered, his brow furrowing. "The Town Map."
The realization hit him like a brick to the face.
Yesterday, when he was spinning his sob story to Nurse Joy to get into her room, he had lied and said he forgot his Town Map at Daisy Oak's house. It was a calculated line to make himself look pathetic and in need of help.
But as he stood there on the street corner, patting his pockets like a maniac, the cosmic irony crashed down on him.
"Fuck," Kian hissed, staring at the sky. "I actually forgot it."
In his rush to leave Pallet Town, in his excitement to start his harem-building, world-conquering journey, he had completely walked past Daisy Oak without grabbing the essential item.
He struck his palm against his forehead with a loud smack.
"Fuck, Kian! How can you be this stupid?"
He groaned, looking back toward the south, toward the long, winding road of Route 1 he had just traversed yesterday. Without a map, navigating the shifting paths of Viridian Forest would be a nightmare. He needed that map.
"I have to go back to Pallet Town," he whispered in horror. "No way..."