That eerie sound finally snapped Delia out of her cooking trance. She whipped her head toward the rustling bushes behind her.
"Ah!"
Delia yelped like a startled deer and instinctively lunged toward Yuuto, clutching his arm tight. Her soft, warm body pressed firmly against him.
"Is… is it a ghost? Or some ferocious wild Pokémon?"
Her voice trembled, her whole body shaking slightly.
Yuuto shook his head, eyes locked sharply on the bushes.
"Not a ghost. Not a beast."
"It's a person."
"Hungry… so hungry…"
The voice floated out again, clearer this time—definitely a girl, though weak and airy.
Then the bushes parted.
A head of messy, bird's-nest orange hair poked through with a rustle.
It was a girl.
She wore a short yellow midriff top that showed off her slender waist and cute belly button. Below that were tiny blue denim overalls, the legs cut high on her thighs. Her long, straight legs were smeared with mud and grass.
Only one strap was over her shoulder; the other dangled loose.
She looked completely wrecked.
Leaves stuck out of her hair, and a few dark-brown feathers clung to her shoulders.
The short orange hair, the crop top, the short denim shorts—Yuuto recognized her instantly.
Misty, the original-series heroine!
Looking at her current state… Yuuto's lips twitched.
He had a pretty good idea what happened.
The Spearow flock he'd dodged earlier had probably found her instead.
And from the look of her, they'd chased her hard.
*Grrrrrumble~*
A loud stomach growl rumbled from Misty's belly.
Her face was pale, lips dry—she was clearly starving and exhausted.
But the next second her nose twitched.
Her tired eyes suddenly lit up like headlights.
The smell!
The sizzling sausages and mushrooms, the steaming rice… Misty's gaze turned predatory.
With a *whoosh*, she shot toward the campfire at a speed that didn't match her earlier weakness.
"That!"
She stared at the pan like it was treasure, then at the pot of rice, swallowing hard.
"Is… is this your food?"
"Can I have some?"
"I can pay!"
She frantically dug through her pockets and pulled out a few coins and some leaves.
Her face immediately turned embarrassed.
[Ding!]
The system chimed in Yuuto's mind.
[Triggered Script Emotional Line — Misty!]
[Task 1: Become travel partners with Misty.]
[Task Reward: Harmonious Family Aura — Once activated, any beauties who enter a relationship with the Host will automatically get along perfectly as sisters, with zero conflicts.]
[Task 2: Become partners with Misty and establish a special intimate relationship.]
[Task Reward: Psychic Constitution — Grants the ability to cultivate psychic powers.]
Yuuto's eyes gleamed.
*Trust the system.*
He was aiming for the absolute top of the Pokémon world, and it had just handed him one of the most broken support abilities imaginable.
"Harmonious Family Aura" might not boost combat stats directly, but in the long run it was priceless.
How many powerful Trainers throughout history had their journeys ruined by jealous wives and harem drama?
With this aura active, every girl who joined would automatically treat the others like beloved sisters—no fights, no jealousy, no backyard fires.
It was the ultimate dream skill for anyone building a real family on the road.
And Task 2's reward—Psychic Constitution.
The power to develop actual psychic abilities.
Yuuto knew exactly how broken psychics could be in this world.
Even a fraction of Sabrina-level power would be a massive edge in battle, exploration, and daily life.
He took a slow breath, expression turning serious.
For the future harmony of his growing family.
And for that sweet Psychic Constitution.
He had no choice but to accept.
This task—locked in.
"No need for money."
Yuuto set down the tent pole he'd been securing and walked over to the fire.
Delia, still clinging to his arm, followed right beside him.
"Just don't sneak up on people pretending to be a ghost next time."
As he reached the campfire, Delia finally realized it really was just a person. Most of her fear vanished.
She let go of his arm, stepped forward with a gentle smile.
"Yes, come eat with us. I made extra anyway."
She quickly pulled out a clean plate, scooped rice, added sausages and fried mushrooms, and ladled hot soup on top.
"There's more in the pot if you want seconds."
"Wuu~ Thank you so much!"
Misty stared at the steaming plate like it was a miracle. Her eyes watered.
She bowed deeply.
"My name is Misty! I'm from Cerulean City, and my dream is to become a Water-type Pokémon Master!"
After the quick introduction she couldn't hold back anymore. She grabbed the plate and started devouring everything with a spoon.
"Eat slowly, don't choke."
Seeing how starved the girl was, Delia's motherly instincts kicked in immediately.
She fetched a canteen, poured fresh water, and handed it over.
Then she took out a comb.
"I'm Delia, from Pallet Town. Misty, let me help tidy your hair?"
Delia spoke softly, eyeing the bird's-nest mess of orange hair still full of leaves and feathers.
"Mmm… okay!"
Misty nodded with her mouth full, eyes shining with gratitude.
Delia moved behind her, gently picking out the debris before carefully combing through the tangles.
Her touch was soft and caring.
"Thank you so much, Big Sister Delia!"
Misty said sweetly after swallowing.
Delia's heart melted at the "Big Sister" title. Her combing became even gentler.
"By the way, handsome—what's your name?"
Misty finally turned her attention to Yuuto while still eating.
She sized him up. He looked only a couple years older than her—handsome face, steady eyes, confident posture.
He had a Pikachu and an Eevee with him, classic rookie setup.
But the way he'd pitched the tent had been smooth and practiced, and he hadn't panicked at all when she suddenly appeared.
He was strangely calm.
"My name is Yuuto."
Yuuto sat down across from her and picked up the plate Delia had served him.
"Also from Pallet Town."
"As for my goal…"
He paused and met her eyes.
"My first small goal is to win the Indigo League Tournament."
"Pfft—cough cough cough!"
Misty nearly sprayed rice everywhere.
She clapped a hand over her mouth, coughing hard, then grabbed the water and chugged it down.
She stared at him with wide eyes, completely stunned.
"Huh? Small goal? The Championship?"
She set her plate aside and scanned him again.
There really was only a Pikachu and an Eevee.
Pikachu was nibbling a berry at Yuuto's feet, while Eevee napped elegantly by Delia's legs.
Standard rookie team.
"By the way… you're a brand-new Trainer, right?"
Misty's tone was openly skeptical.
"Winning the Indigo League isn't that easy."
"First you have to collect eight Gym Badges just to qualify!"
"And even then, the tournament is full of monsters. Most people who reach the main bracket have been traveling for at least a year or two."
"The ones who make top sixteen or top eight are usually veterans with three-plus years on the road."
"As for the actual champion…"
Misty shook her head, giving him the classic "kids these days don't know how big the world is" look.
"I've never heard of a rookie winning the Indigo League. The youngest champion in history only won after traveling for two full years."
"You literally just started, right?"
She took another big bite of rice.
Yuuto's expression didn't change.
"Then you'll see it very soon."
"Really?"
Misty gave him an "are you serious" stare.
She set her spoon down and studied him for several long seconds.
His eyes were calm. No joking. No hesitation. Just pure, unshakable confidence.
Misty suddenly felt a spark of curiosity.
Was this guy just blindly arrogant…
…or did he actually have something real backing it up?
Without warning, she leaned forward, bringing her face inches from his.
The distance closed instantly.
They could feel each other's breath.
Misty carried the wild scent of the forest mixed with a faint trace of sweat.
Her short orange hair glowed warmly in the firelight, a few strands stuck to her damp forehead.
Because she was leaning in her midriff top, her entire slender waist was on full display.
The smooth lines of her abs were clearly visible.
Her cute little belly button peeked out.
Lower still, those tiny denim shorts rode low on her hips, showing the soft curve where waist met hip.
From Yuuto's angle he could even catch a faint shadow beneath the frayed edge of the shorts.
The two of them stared at each other like that, faces close, breaths mingling…