The rain that had fallen throughout the night stopped the next morning, but the temperature had dropped significantly.
For Johan, though, a slight chill like this was nothing.
Between Gengar's frequent licks, which seemed to make him immune to paralysis, and his natural resilience to cold, Johan believed his resistance to cold weather was his true superpower.
That said, given winter's approach, Johan still threw on a hoodie before dragging his Pokémon out of bed.
"Gengar, lead the team—brush your teeth! Let's go!"
"Ka-kah~~"
Gengar gurgled and spit out its mouthwash, flashing its sparkling white teeth in the mirror.
With a thumbs-up to itself, it admired the glint of its teeth.
"Ka-kah!"
During breakfast...
"If there's nothing else today... we'll focus on training."
Moves like Thunder and Overheat could use a little more fine-tuning.
The Pokémon naturally had no objections.
After all, the final and toughest Gym in Kanto awaited them—they had to win!
All of Johan's Pokémon were full of energy and determination.
"But since the Weather Institute isn't fixed yet, let's head to the beach today!" Johan declared.
The Pokémon all perked up at the mention of the beach.
Truth be told, despite spending so much time in Rustboro City, Johan had rarely visited the local shores.
However, plans were made to be broken.
Just as Johan packed everything for the day—lunchboxes, picnic blankets, fruit juice, and Moomoo Milk—a little visitor appeared at the café.
It was an Eevee.
And not just any Eevee—it was a slightly chubby Eevee!
"Eevee~~"
The Eevee curiously padded around the café, stepping on the soft cushions before hopping onto the counter. It pawed at the glass jars and utensils, producing a series of crisp, clinking sounds.
The noise caught Gengar's attention.
Poking its head through the ceiling like a phantom, Gengar peered down and froze.
"Ka-kah?"
When it saw the chubby Eevee on the counter, it hesitated.
"Eevee~~(｡･ω･｡)"
The Eevee, completely unbothered, waved cheerfully at Gengar.
Gengar scratched its head, a faint sense of familiarity tugging at it.
At that moment, Johan also walked downstairs to check the commotion.
When he spotted the Eevee licking its paws atop the counter, his heart skipped a beat.
That feeling...
"Eevee~~"
Before Johan could speak, the Eevee took two bounding steps and leapt straight into his arms.
Feeling its soft weight, Johan smiled wryly.
"You've gotten chubbier, haven't you, Mew?"
"Eevee?"
The chubby Eevee looked surprised that Johan had recognized it.
But it soon giggled, covering its mouth. A flash of white light surrounded it as its form shimmered and transformed back into its true self—Mew.
"Mew~ Mew~~"
Sure enough, it was Mew.
Thanks to his Aura powers, Johan could sense the familiar energy radiating from it.
Mew's ability to transform wasn't limited to appearances—even its Aura signature could change.
If not for the fact that Johan's Aura had awakened through Mew's help, he might not have recognized it.
However...
Johan raised an eyebrow as he stared at the slightly plumper Mew.
Have I really turned Mew into a housecat?
A tender smile crossed Johan's face. Holding the rounder, fluffier Mew, he couldn't resist pressing his face into its soft belly.
The plush little Mew was even more huggable now.
Despite its smooth appearance, Mew was covered in a fine layer of fur, making it incredibly satisfying to pet.
"Mew~ Mew~!"
Blushing slightly, Mew squirmed in Johan's arms before giving up and settling down.
"W-wooo?!"
Vulpix appeared at the top of the stairs, stunned by the scene.
"Mew~~"
"Woo~~"
Soon, Mew was tumbling and playing with Vulpix, Tinkatuff, and Dragonair.
Meanwhile, Gengar was busy downloading movies and games for Mew on her phone, handling the process with the skill of a tech professional.
Mew had come here not only because it missed Johan, Gengar, and the others, but also because...
It had run out of games to play and shows to watch.
After all, the World Tree didn't have Wi-Fi.
Feeling Vulpix's occasional jealous glances, Johan rubbed his temples.
Caught red-handed cuddling Mew.
"Ahem." Johan cleared his throat. "Gengar, download this episode for Mew, too."
He handed Gengar his phone, which contained the unreleased first episode of Meowth and Pichu.
"Ka-kah!"
Gengar nodded confidently.
"It'll take a while to download, so let's go to the beach while we wait," Johan suggested.
Maybe the little ones can even learn a trick or two from Mew—that'll save me some money.
"Mew~~"
Mew's eyes lit up with excitement as it nodded eagerly.
"Woo~~"
Vulpix huffed, turning its head slightly.
Johan chuckled, stepping forward to scoop up the sulking Vulpix and ruffle its fur affectionately.
"Come on, Vulpix."
Vulpix squirmed briefly before relenting, its fur now a tangled mess.
"W-Woo~~(((//Д//)))"
"But Mew, you'll have to change forms."
While most people wouldn't recognize Mew, Johan didn't want to risk unnecessary trouble.
"Mew~~"
Mew playfully winked but didn't transform. Instead, its body became transparent.
A moment later, Johan felt a soft, warm weight settle onto his shoulder.
Rustboro Beach.
The morning sunlight reflected off the sea's surface, casting rippling waves of light.
A gentle breeze carried the faint scent of saltwater, and Wingull soared back and forth in search of breakfast.
Compared to Vermilion City's bustling shores, Rustboro Beach was quieter, especially as winter approached.
There were still some visitors, however, along with food carts and small stands.
Johan and his Pokémon strolled around, buying snacks before settling on a quiet stretch of beach.
Mew, now visible again, floated cheerfully nearby.
After laying out the picnic blanket and setting down snacks and toys, Johan turned to Gengar.
"Ka-kah?"
Gengar emerged from the shadows, already wearing swim goggles and a swimsuit it had somehow procured, ready to dive in.
Johan pulled its mouth open and started fishing around inside.
"Sharpedo's teeth? Gyarados scales? Golbat fangs? Weedle silk?"
Just how much stuff have you been hoarding?!
"Ka-kah..." (Listen, let me explain...)
Johan rolled his eyes. He knew Gengar's collection habits all too well.
"Where's my beach umbrella and chair?"
"Ka-kah!"
Gengar obediently rummaged through its mouth, pulling out a sun umbrella and reclining chair. It even set them up for Johan with a grin.
"Don't bother the Pokémon in the water too much, all right?" Johan said as he settled comfortably into the chair.
"Ka-kah!" (Of course! As long as they don't provoke me first, I won't touch their stuff!)
With Johan's permission, Gengar cackled gleefully and charged into the waves.
Nearby, Vulpix and Mew built sandcastles while Tinkatuff and Dragonair surfed the waves together.
The gentle warmth of the sun lulled Johan into a peaceful state.
Hmm?
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a faint black dot far off on the horizon.
It hovered in place, circling back and forth but never coming closer.
Johan squinted but ultimately shrugged it off, deciding it wasn't worth worrying about.
Hoenn, Dewford Town.
On the vast ocean, massive waves crashed like rolling mountains.
Atop one such wave, Dewford Gym Leader Brawly expertly rode his surfboard, grinning with exhilaration.
Beside him, Bea—her tanned skin glowing with health—matched his moves with ease, riding the surf like a pro.
"Do you feel it, Bea?!" Brawly shouted, clenching his fist.
"Feel what?"
"Look at my biceps! My pecs! My back muscles! Muscles never betray you! The effort you put in comes back to you tenfold—just like raising a Pokémon!"
"Yes, sir!"
Bea replied firmly, though her thoughts drifted to something else entirely.
It's been so long since I had cream cake...
Despite the challenge, Bea had quickly mastered Brawly's surfing techniques, impressing him with her talent.
For her, though, controlling the waves was no different from kneading dough—a skill she had honed long ago.
Did Johan send me here to prove the results of my training?
As the waves calmed, the pair paddled back to shore.
Just as they prepared for more training, Bea's phone rang.
When she saw the caller ID, her brow furrowed slightly, but she still answered.
A cheerful, familiar voice rang through the speaker.
"Ha ha ha! Bea, I heard you're training in Hoenn!"
"You're in Hoenn too?"
"Yup!"
"So...?"
"Uh... I think I'm... lost."
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Powerstones?
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