Chapter 53: Awkward Encounters and Missteps

I stood outside Pokémon Technical School, hands in the pockets of my red jacket, eyes scanning the gate. Beside me, Misty crossed her arms, impatience rolling off her in waves. Brock leaned in, all wide-eyed curiosity, and Ash was quiet for once, though Pikachu kept darting between his legs, electric tail flicking excitedly.

Misty finally broke the silence, her voice cutting through the still air. "What exactly are we waiting for, by the way?"

I smirked, glancing at her with a teasing edge. "I'm waiting for the most beautiful girl I've seen so far."

That got their attention. Brock nearly stumbled over himself as he rushed closer, eyes shining with excitement. Ash wasn't far behind, a mix of curiosity and disbelief on his face.

"Who is she?" Brock's voice pitched higher. "Is she an actress? Is she single?"

I chuckled, the sound low and amused. I could feel Misty's eyes burning into me, her frustration building with each second. Without missing a beat, I shrugged, playing it cool. "Nope, I'm talking about Erin Oak."

There was a moment of silence, and then, almost in unison, Ash and Brock nodded knowingly. "Ohhh," they echoed together, like it suddenly made sense.

Misty rolled her eyes, crossing her arms tighter. "I didn't expect you to be like them." Her words were clipped, but the edge was there.

I exchanged a glance with the other two and grinned. "All boys are the same," we chimed, a chorus of mischievous grins spreading across our faces. Misty's face twisted into something between annoyance and mild disgust as we all broke into laughter.

My Pokégear beeped, cutting through the noise. Erin. I glanced at the screen, the message short and direct as always: 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?

"Outside the gate," I typed back quickly, my fingers flying over the keys. Ash and Misty had already returned to their usual banter, but I cut through it with a sharper tone, demanding their attention.

"Hey, listen up," I said, my voice calm but firm enough to make them all pause. "Erin is scared of Pokémon, so when she gets here, keep your Pokémon away from her. Especially Pikachu." My eyes locked on Ash, who nodded immediately, though Pikachu looked up at me, confused.

Kneeling down to Pikachu's level, I softened my voice. "You're adorable, but she's afraid of all Pokémon. Not just you."

Pikachu's ears twitched, a thoughtful look crossing his face, then he nodded with a little "Pika." He understood, but I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in my gut.

Misty scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Here comes your Erin, Erin, Erin..."

I turned just in time to see Erin walking toward us, calm as ever in her oversized green hoodie, the sleeves rolled up almost to her elbows. Ash and Brock immediately flanked me, whispering like idiots.

"She 𝘪𝘴 beautiful," Ash muttered. Brock, as usual, didn't waste a second. "Is she single?"

I groaned, rolling my eyes. "She's ten, Brock."

Undeterred, he smirked. "I can wait."

𝘚𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴.

Erin reached us, standing beside me without saying a word. Brock, of course, made his move, grabbing her hand and flashing his most ridiculous grin.

"I'm Brock, gym leader of Pewter City. Erin, you're so beautiful. If you're free, how about we go on a date—uh, I mean, for dinner?"

I muttered under my breath. "Damn."

Erin didn't even blink. "No, I don't like you."

Brock collapsed to the ground, dejected, drawing sad circles in the dirt with his finger. Misty stepped forward next, trying her best to break the awkward tension. "I'm Misty, gym leader of Cerulean City. You can call me your big sister."

Erin's expression didn't change. "Misty," she said flatly, and I sighed. "She's not big on words," I added, trying to ease the atmosphere.

Ash took his turn, all eager and smiling. "I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town, just like Punit!"

Erin's gaze shifted to me briefly, then to Ash. "Ash."

Before he could respond, Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder, squeaking happily, "Pikachu! Pika, pika!"

That's when it happened. Erin's body wavered, and before anyone could react, she collapsed, her legs giving out. I caught her just before she hit the ground, pulling her close as her weight slumped into me.

Misty rounded on Ash. "Punit told you not to let Pikachu get too close!"

Ash's face flushed red with guilt, and Pikachu's ears drooped, clearly upset. I patted Pikachu's head gently. "It's okay. I had a feeling this might happen."

While Misty comforted Ash and Pikachu, Brock stood up, curiosity lighting his face. "How do you know so much about her? Are you her boyfriend or something?"

I rolled my eyes, adjusting Erin in my arms. "No, I know her from Professor Oak. I'm not her boyfriend."

Erin, barely conscious, mumbled from my arms, "Boyfriend?"

Brock nodded enthusiastically, like he'd just solved some grand mystery. I shook my head, exasperated. "I'm not."

Erin blinked up at me, calm as ever. "Fine, boyfriend."

She stood up on her own, steadying herself, and I ran a hand through my hair. The moment Pikachu moved again, Erin quietly shifted behind me, seeking protection.

I shot a look at Brock. "Now she's going to keep calling me 'boyfriend' because of you. What am I supposed to do with that?"

Brock shrugged, still looking guilty. "Well, it wouldn't be the worst thing, having a beautiful girl as your girlfriend."

I groaned. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. Just the thought sent a shiver down my spine.

Misty, always practical, chimed in. "It's perfect! They can both travel with us. I can be the big sister for a while!"

Ash and Brock nodded enthusiastically, while Pikachu kept casting curious glances at Erin, keeping his distance. Erin didn't say anything, but the tension in her body was clear.

"Looks like we'll be traveling together for a while," I sighed. With Erin sticking close and Pikachu hovering at a safe distance, we started , ready for whatever chaos was coming next.