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Kai hurriedly adjusted his sitting posture.
To break the awkward silence, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "What a coincidence! Did you come to the hot spring too? I thought you'd be out with Brock, looking for Ash."
Misty swirled the water with her hand and shook her head. "Why bother looking for him? Even if we don't, he'll come back on his own in no time."
After saying that, she turned to look at Kai and asked, "Since you've earned the Volcano Badge, are you leaving Cinnabar Island tomorrow?"
Kai nodded slightly. "Yeah, now that I've got my seventh badge, there's no point staying here. It's time to continue my journey."
Misty hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Actually, I..."
Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Kai interrupted her. "You know, sometimes I envy you three."
"Eh?" Misty looked at him in surprise. "Why would you say that?"
"Traveling together three people exploring, camping, and facing challenges as a team sounds like a lot of fun," Kai explained, scooping up some hot spring water and gently pouring it on his Blastoise. "It's not like me, travelling alone. Sometimes, there's no one to even talk to."
Nearby, his Haunter floated silently, shooting him a comical glare.
"No one to talk to? What about me?"
Misty blinked, then blurted out, "Why not travel with us? Or-o-or I could travel with you! Two people together would definitely be more fun than going it alone!"
Kai gave her a gentle but firm look. "I appreciate it, but what about Ash and Brock? Without you, who's going to keep Ash from getting lost, distracted, or oversleeping? You're the glue holding that group together. Wouldn't leaving them cause all sorts of chaos?"
"This..." Misty hesitated, realizing Kai had a point. Over time, she'd become the group's stabilizer.
If she suddenly left, it was hard to imagine Ash and Brock making it through the Indigo League on their own.
Seeing her conflicted expression, Kai continued, "You don't have to rush into it. When your journey with Ash and Brock comes to an end, there'll be plenty of time for us to travel together."
"That's true." Misty smiled, a weight lifting off her shoulders. "Alright then, it's a promise. We'll travel together next time."
"Of course." Kai chuckled. "As long as you're still interested when the time comes, we'll plan the ultimate journey."
Misty chuckled softly. "I'm already looking forward to it."
Just then, a small, round Pokémon bounced into the courtyard.
Before Kai could get a good look, Misty's voice rang out. "Ah! It's that thing a Jigglypuff!"
Kai turned and saw a pink, chubby Pokémon with big, round eyes and a microphone-like marker in its hand. He instantly understood Misty's alarm.
If there was any wild Pokémon from the early days of Ash's journey that left a lasting impression, it was this one the mischievous Jigglypuff!
With its unique singing ability, anyone who heard its song, whether human or Pokémon, would fall into a deep sleep.
"Wait, why is it here?" Kai muttered, caught off guard.
Before he could react further, Jigglypuff decided the hot spring was the perfect venue for a mini-concert. Raising its microphone, it began to sing.
"No! Don't sing!" Misty shouted in panic, but Jigglypuff paid her no mind.
"Jiggly…puuuuff~ Jigglypuff~"
As soon as the first note hit, Kai felt his eyelids grow heavy. His thoughts scattered, his body succumbing to the hypnotic melody.
He fought to stay awake, but his Pokémon weren't as strong-willed. Blastoise and Haunter slumped over, fast asleep.
Beside him, Misty collapsed, leaning against Kai for support. Her bath towel, now loose, began to slip—
Before he could do anything, Kai's vision darkened, and he fell unconscious.
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Sometime later, he stirred awake to the sound of rustling. The moon hung high in the sky, casting its light over the scene.
His Pokémon were still fast asleep, and Misty, now facing away from him, quickly wrapped her towel back around herself. Jigglypuff, the troublemaker, had vanished without a trace.
Kai tried to move but found his body weak and swollen from soaking too long in the hot spring. Fortunately, he'd woken up before his body gave out entirely.
Beside him, Misty turned to check on him. To Kai's surprise, there was no awkwardness.
Instead, her face was decorated with crude, marker-drawn doodles a signature parting gift from Jigglypuff.
She couldn't help but laugh, her mood lightened by the absurdity of the situation.
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The next morning, after bidding farewell to Ash, Blaine, and the others, Kai prepared for the next leg of his journey. Reenergized, he and his Pokémon set off for the mainland.
They travelled north along the coast of Cinnabar Island before summoning Gyarados to cross the waves. The wind rushed past as they left the island behind, brimming with new memories.
Kai's next goal was to continue his journey towards the mainland, where he could challenge the final Gym Leader for his eighth badge.
However, a sudden whirlpool forced him to alter his course. When he finally reached land, he realized he was near Fuchsia City instead.
It wasn't a big deal; Fuchsia City wasn't far from Mainland, and Kai decided to use the opportunity to rest before continuing his journey.
Just as he sat down to take a break, a sudden noise in the nearby forest caught his attention.
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