By the time Hakuya finally managed to stop the brawl between the teenage girl and the jealous cat, it was already time for lunch.
The duty of cooking fell once again to Hakuya, whose culinary skills were far superior, and the menu remained the usual fresh fish soup.
After eating her fill, Sprigatito curled up in his p as she always did, exposing her soft, pale belly.
She squinted her eyes in pure ecstasy, purring as Hakuya's practiced fingers massaged her fur with rhythmic strokes.
The afternoon sun spilled over them, casting a warm glow that induced a heavy, pleasant drowsiness.
While Hakuya enjoyed this moment of domestic peace, Misty was staring at the messages on her PokeGear, aggressively ruffling her hair in frustration.
"I can't believe it! My sisters are so obsessed with their water ballet that they got reported again!!!"
—[According to the Kanto League investigation, Cerulean Gym issued a total of 438 Gym Badges st month. Problems include dereliction of duty and excessive focus on commercial activities. Starting this month, Cerulean Gym is ordered into a 3-month rectification period. Upon completion, League officials will conduct a Trainer Qualification Audit.]
The number '438' was so staggering that Misty buried her face in her hands in shame, while even Hakuya was visibly shocked.
In a 30-day month, that averaged out to 14 badges a day—they were basically handing them out like free flyers.
It reminded Hakuya of Volkner from the Sunyshore Gym in Sinnoh, who used to leave a basket of badges at the front door for anyone to take.
But unlike Volkner, who possessed Elite Four-level strength, Misty's three older sisters were legitimately pathetic in battle.
They were weak, and their minds were entirely focused on their underwater performances; it was no wonder the Kanto League was cracking down.
"It's over... if they fail the audit, the Cerulean Gym will be shut down for good..."
Misty's head slumped, her eyes vacant and gzed over as if she were on the verge of a total mental colpse.
Usually, the officials responsible for gym audits came from the Pokemon Inspection Agency, or PIA.
These inspectors were mostly Joys who performed periodic visits; if a Gym didn't meet the standards, its right to grant badges was revoked, and extreme cases led to permanent closure.
Given the current strength of the Cerulean Gym, they were almost guaranteed to fail.
"Well... I think I can understand how you feel," Hakuya said, nodding slowly.
This wasn't just some polite ptitude to get on her good side; he genuinely meant it.
After all, his experiences in the Randomized Emerald world were quite authoritative on the subject of helplessness.
Occasionally running into those randomized gods gave him the same sense of powerlessness Misty felt about losing her family's legacy.
"But looking at it from another angle, this might actually be a blessing in disguise," Hakuya added.
He gently patted Sprigatito, who was sleeping in a rather suggestive, unrefined posture, her paws almost reaching up to his colrbones.
"When you have a clear goal, you find a never-ending source of motivation. Besides the audit, isn't becoming stronger alongside your Pokemon the basic duty of a Trainer? Instead of worrying about failure, you should use this time for some hardcore special training."
"The audit... strength... getting stronger..."
Misty lowered her gaze, gripping her Poke Ball tight as she whispered to herself.
She didn't want to be like her sisters, lost in the gmour of water ballet. She didn't want the Cerulean Gym inherited from her parents to be erased by the League. That was why she had left home in the first pce.
Yes—rather than wasting energy on despair and self-pity, she needed to focus on how to become powerful enough to pass that audit.
Misty wasn't the type to wallow in a dead end; she had simply been overwhelmed by the sudden pressure, and Hakuya's comfort had quickly pulled her back to reality.
Seeing the light return to Misty's eyes, Hakuya offered a soft, encouraging smile.
"Rex. You have three whole months. Cerulean Gym is famous in Kanto; as long as you can show them power they can respect, the League won't shut you down."
He was right—the Cerulean Gym's incompetence wasn't new.
The League had likely turned a blind eye for so long because the water ballet attracted massive crowds to Cerulean City, boosting tax revenue.
But things had become too scandalous, and to maintain the image of the Gym system for the public, they had to issue a formal warning.
"Yeah... you're right!"
Perhaps it was because they had been making eye contact for too long, or perhaps it was the afternoon heat, but Misty's cheeks flushed a deep, luscious crimson.
At such close proximity, as her breathing hitched, Hakuya could catch the faint, intoxicating scent of gardenia wafting from her skin.
"By... by the way, Hakuya, do you have time for a battle?"
Misty sat up straight, patting her hot cheeks to compose herself.
After hearing the news about the audit, she had zero desire to sit around fishing and catching nothing; she needed a high-octane battle to burn off the stress!
"If you're willing, please give me a real-combat training session!"
"A real-combat session, huh..." Hakuya nodded. "That's not a problem at all."
In the world of Pokemon, battling was the most efficient way to train. Besides, he had been mooching off Misty for days; he owed her a favor, and there was no reason to refuse such a simple request.
"But I only have Sprigatito and Milcery with me. Who do you want to face?"
"Hmm..."
Misty bit her lip, her eyes darting between the two Pokemon.
On the left was Milcery—tiny, cute, and a Fairy-type; it didn't look like much of a challenge.
On the right was Sprigatito—a Grass-type that would absolutely wreck her Water-types.
Real training meant facing challenges head-on.
If she didn't adapt to disadvantageous matchups, she would just be a "Badge Vendor" for the rest of her life when she took over the Gym.
However, remembering how Sprigatito had made a wild Gyarados cry with a single move the other night, Misty swallowed hard. She pointed a finger, choosing the much weaker-looking Milcery.
