Chapter 104: Festival Encounter with Friends

The festival lights flickered overhead as Erin and I stood in the crowd near Maiden's Peak. The air was thick with the scent of incense and the distant hum of chatter, but all I could focus on was the soft weight of my shiny green Dratini coiled around my neck, his cool scales brushing against my skin. Erin, holding my Raichu, savored her ice cream with the same calm, detached expression she always wore, but I could feel the subtle tension in her shoulders. She was fine around my Pokémon, but any others? Different story.

"Here," Erin said, holding up her half-eaten ice cream toward me, her hazel eyes flicking to mine. I leaned in, taking a bite of the cold sweetness, then smiled. She smiled back, the corners of her lips lifting ever so slightly, a rare sight. Raichu snickered, nosing her other hand for his share. She offered him a bite, and he took it eagerly, his tail flicking happily. 

People stared at us as we stood there—my Dratini shining like an emerald against the dim evening light, and Raichu playfully tugging at Erin's sleeve—but we didn't care. I reached up, stroking Dratini's head, feeling his scales ripple beneath my fingers. He nuzzled into my cheek, a soft purr-like hum vibrating from him. 

Erin elbowed me lightly, pointing toward the other side of the street. I followed her gaze and froze for a second, spotting the familiar faces in the crowd. Ash, Misty, Brock—and of course, Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder. 

"They're here," I muttered, shifting my weight as we started walking toward them. Erin stayed close, her grip on Raichu tightening as we wove through the crowd. She always kept her distance from other people's Pokémon, even though mine never seemed to bother her. Her calm facade was paper-thin in moments like these, and I could feel it. Still, she stuck close to me, her fingers brushing mine as we walked.

I slid behind Misty, quiet as a shadow, and leaned in close to her ear. "Did you miss me, Misty?" I whispered, my voice low and relaxed.

She jumped nearly a foot in the air, spinning around with wide eyes. "Punit! Why do you always do that? Do you want to give this beautiful girl a heart attack?"

Ash piped up, "Where is beautiful girl?"

Misty's fist connected with the back of his head before he could finish, and I couldn't help the smirk tugging at my lips.

"It's fun, don't you think?" I asked, shrugging as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Misty scowled, crossing her arms. "No, I don't. And if you keep doing that, what's Erin going to think about us?"

Erin didn't even blink. She took another bite of her ice cream and said, deadpan, "I don't mind." Raichu, in sync with her, nodded as he tossed away the remains of his ice cream stick, then snatched a bite from Erin's ice cream. I intercepted Raichu's grab for a second bite, laughing as he just collapsed against my chest, completely unbothered.

Dratini, not wanting to be left out, slithered down and licked Raichu's face, causing him to burst into his signature snickering laugh. Ash's eyes lit up as he pointed at Dratini. "Is that the Dratini from that egg?"

I nodded, not missing the awe in his voice. Misty leaned in, her earlier annoyance forgotten as she examined the bright green scales of my Dratini. "He's so cute. Maybe I'll get a new one someday." Her tone softened at the thought.

I saw Brock standing off to the side, a strange look in his eyes. I tapped him on the shoulder, frowning. "What's with you? You look… distracted."

Ash jumped in before Brock could answer. "He's been like that since we got off the boat. He keeps saying he saw a beautiful girl on the rocks, calling to him or something."

Erin, always in sync with me, tightened her grip around my arm. She lifted her ice cream toward me again, and I took another bite before Dratini got his share. After a few more licks, Erin tossed the stick away, then leaned in to kiss me softly on the lips, her tongue flicking across mine, tasting the last remnants of the ice cream.

Suddenly, an old woman appeared beside Brock, her voice raspy but commanding. "You'll get into trouble because of beautiful girls, boy."

Misty, overhearing, puffed out her chest. "Don't worry, I'm not letting him get into trouble."

The old woman's eyes narrowed as she turned toward Misty. "Scrawny blabbermouth."

Misty's face went from pink to red in seconds. Ash and I exchanged a glance, both of us struggling to stifle laughter as Misty's hands clenched into fists, ready to explode. Before she could tear into the old woman, Ash doubled over laughing, and Misty lunged at him, fists flying.

Ignoring the chaos behind me, I approached the old woman, Dratini winding tighter around my neck, his eyes watching her intently. I stayed calm, my voice smooth and unbothered. "What about me then?"

The old woman's gaze shifted to me, her lips curling into a knowing smile. "You'll get into trouble too, boy."

Erin's grip on my arm tightened even more, her eyes darting around the crowd, searching for whatever danger the old woman hinted at. Raichu, sensing the unease, tensed in my arms, sparks flickering from his cheeks, but I rested a hand on his head, keeping him calm. Dratini, now fully alert, hissed softly, his tail flicking against my chest.

I smiled, leaning in just a little closer. "It'll be fun meeting the ghost of Maiden's Peak, don't you think?"

But before I could press further, the old woman turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd as quickly as she'd come.

Misty's voice snapped me back to reality as she dragged Ash by the ear. "I'm taking him and Brock somewhere else. You two coming?"

I glanced at Erin, who nodded without hesitation. "Yeah," I said, my voice light. "Let's see what kind of trouble we can find."