Delia stopped in front of an accessory stall and picked up a pair of silver stud earrings.
Misty leaned in.
"They look great! Sister Delia, you'll definitely look beautiful wearing these!"
Delia smiled and turned to look at Roy.
Roy walked over and took a look.
"If you like them, buy them."
Delia pursed her lips in a smile and obediently paid the money.
Misty pulled Jenny along to go goldfish scooping.
Jenny truly lived up to being a police officer; her hands were steady and her eyes were sharp, scooping up three fish with a single net.
The stall owner's face turned green.
Misty clapped and cheered from the side.
Jenny smiled and handed the goldfish to a wide-eyed child nearby, forfeiting her prizes.
Roy leaned against the stall's pillar, watching them.
The setting sun cast long shadows.
The shadows of the three women stretched out far.
He suddenly felt that this wasn't bad at all... In the evening, the festival reached its climax.
A giant bonfire was lit in the central plaza, flames soaring into the sky and illuminating the entire night.
Tourists formed a circle, holding hands and dancing a traditional dance.
The three women pulled Roy into the fray.
He didn't want to dance at first, but Misty dragged him in by force.
Pikachu jumped into Delia's arms, waving its little paws to the rhythm.
The bonfire crackled.
The drums went thrum-thrum.
People's smiling faces flickered in the firelight.
Jenny danced the best, her posture upright and her steps steady.
Delia danced gracefully, her skirt swaying gently.
Misty danced the most enthusiastically, occasionally missing a beat, sticking out her tongue, and continuing.
Roy followed their rhythm, occasionally getting his feet stepped on by Misty.
He didn't mind.
The firelight reflected on the three women's faces, making them look rosy as if they were wearing rouge... The bonfire party was getting into full swing.
As Misty danced, she quietly moved closer to Roy.
She leaned into his ear.
"Roy..."
Her voice was a bit airy.
Roy tilted his head.
"Hmm?"
Misty pursed her lips, her gaze drifting toward the small grove of trees at the edge of the plaza.
"Shall we go for a walk over there?"
Roy looked at her.
The girl's cheeks were crimson; it was unclear if it was the reflection of the fire or something else.
She didn't look away.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, but her eyes were sparkling.
Roy took her hand.
While Delia and Jenny were focused on dancing, the two of them quietly slipped out of the crowd... to the edge of the woods.
The light from the bonfire filtered in faintly, and the distant drumming sounded muffled.
Misty leaned her back against a tree trunk and looked up at Roy.
She was still wearing that resized miko outfit.
It wasn't the revealing one from before, but a normal one.
But at this moment, the collar was slightly open, and with her rising and falling breath, her snowy skin was faintly visible in the dim light.
Roy looked down at her.
"Why did you bring me here?"
Misty bit her lip.
She didn't speak, but reached out to grab his hand and pressed it against her chest.
"Roy, I think I'm feeling a bit hot right now..."
Her voice was light, like a dream.
"You said this afternoon that me wearing the miko outfit... was very beautiful."
"Was it true?"
Roy looked at her.
"It's true."
Misty smiled.
She let go of his hand and untied the bow at her collar herself.
The words Misty had said when they first landed on the island had become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
She really did wear the miko outfit and was in the woods with Roy... An hour later, Roy walked out of the woods holding Misty's hand.
Misty's steps were a bit soft.
She kept her head down, the tips of her ears were bright red, and her fingers tightly gripped the hem of Roy's clothes.
The flush on her face hadn't faded yet.
The bonfire party was still going on.
Delia and Jenny were dancing hand-in-hand to the rhythm, and Pikachu was perched on Delia's shoulder, waving its little paws.
Jenny saw them first.
"Eh? Where did you two go?"
She had a light sweat on her forehead from dancing and waved them over with a smile.
Misty opened her mouth.
But no sound came out.
Her mind was still a daze.
After what they had really done, there was no way she could say it.
Jenny was still waiting for an answer.
Roy's expression was as usual, his tone very steady:
"I sensed some abnormal fluctuations over by the woods just now, so I took Misty over to check it out."
He paused.
"It might have been a wild Ghost-type Pokémon. We looked around and didn't find anything; it probably left."
Jenny's eyes lit up.
"Mr. Roy is too responsible! Even while attending a festival, you're always thinking about everyone's safety."
She was full of admiration.
Beside him, Misty's face turned even redder.
Delia walked over.
She didn't say anything, just approached Misty.
Then, she caught a whiff of a special floral scent on Misty.
Delia's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she looked at Misty.
Misty bit her lower lip, her eyes darting away.
Delia gave a soft smile.
She took Misty's hand and said in a gentle tone:
"Yes, with Roy around, one can naturally feel completely at ease~"
The base of Misty's ears felt like they were on fire.
She gently bumped Delia's shoulder.
"Sister Delia..."
Her voice was as soft as melting sugar.
Delia just smiled and squeezed her finger.
Jenny hadn't noticed a thing and had already turned back to scoop goldfish.
The masters were full of joy.
The Pokémon were also incredibly excited.
Pikachu and Eevee, the two little fellows, locked eyes.
Then they both buried their heads and started a frantic eating spree.
Pikachu was using both hands, candy apple in the left and takoyaki in the right.
Eevee was even more intense, burying its entire face into a bowl of shaved ice, surfacing with a face full of cream.
Charmeleon watched from the side, dumbfounded.
The grilled skewer in its claws hung in mid-air, forgotten.
The flower bulb on Bulbasaur's back shook twice.
It never knew these two little things had bottomless pits for stomachs.
Oddish stood dazed on the spot, its little leaves forgetting to sway.
It saw with its own eyes as Pikachu stuffed down its tenth takoyaki.
Then the eleventh.
Then the twelfth.
Pikachu let out a burp.
Then continued eating.
Charmeleon silently handed over its own skewer.
Pikachu took it, and it was gone in two bites.
Charmeleon: "..."
Squirtle didn't join the fray.
It carried two cups of juice and strolled leisurely over to the edge of a stall.
Staryu was lying on the edge of a pool, its five-pointed body glowing softly in the firelight.
Squirtle handed over a cup.
"Want a taste?"
Staryu rotated its body.
A point reached out and took the juice.
The two little fellows sat side by side, quietly sipping.
The scene was peaceful and beautiful.
Behind them, Pikachu and Eevee were going at it with all four paws for the last skewer of tricolor dango.
The dango was being pulled back and forth between them.
Charmeleon, Bulbasaur, and Oddish formed a circle around them.
Like they were watching a tennis final, their heads went left-right-left-right.
Finally, the dango flew out.
Splat.
It pasted itself onto the back of Jenny's head.
Jenny turned around.
Pikachu and Eevee simultaneously pointed at each other.
Jenny looked at the two little fellows' innocent expressions.
She sighed.
She knelt down and used a tissue to wipe their faces.
The bonfire burned out.
The crowd began to disperse.
The four of them played together until late at night before returning to the courtyard... The next morning.
Maiden Gorge pier.
Roy stood at the bow of the ship, Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
Delia and Misty were on either side of him.
The ship slowly pulled away from the shore.
Jenny's figure on the pier grew smaller and smaller, still waving vigorously.
Misty leaned over the railing and waved back just as hard.
Delia leaned into the crook of Roy's arm.
"Where to next?"
Roy looked at the sea chart.
"Saffron City."
...The ship sailed for several days.
The three of them landed at a coastal pier.
The wooden planks were old and creaked under their feet.
The surroundings were desolate, with only a few crooked coconut trees and a beach that stretched as far as the eye could see.
The first thing Roy did upon landing.
Was to look around.
Left.
Right.
Left again.
Misty took his arm.
"What are you looking for? Is there a Legendary Pokémon nearby?"
She blinked, her tone serious.
She really thought he had sensed some legendary Pokémon again.
Roy shook his head.
"I'm not looking for a Legendary Pokémon."
He paused.
"I'm looking for a wife."
The air froze for three seconds.
Delia and Misty both stopped in their tracks.
Two sets of eyes were pinned directly onto his face.
Misty spoke first.
"Roy..."
She pursed her lips.
"Even though Sister Delia and I don't mind having a few more sisters."
She paused.
"But you've only just landed; are you in that much of a hurry?"
Her voice got smaller and smaller as she spoke.
But her face got redder and redder.
"Last night on the ship, you already..."
She glanced at Delia, too embarrassed to be too blunt.
"I only just messed around with you last night."
"Your desire is just too much..."
Delia didn't speak, just looked at Roy.
Her gaze was gentle, but it carried an inquiry.
Roy raised his hand.
He rubbed the top of Misty's head.
"It's not for me; I'm looking for a wife for Butterfree."
"The breeding season has arrived."
Misty blanked, then her face turned even redder.
Delia also blanked, then gave a soft laugh.
"So it's for a Pokémon..."
She paused and pursed her lips.
"We thought..."
Misty covered her face at the side.
"Ahhh, why didn't you say so sooner!"
Roy looked down at her.
"You didn't let me finish."
Misty was choked up... Since it wasn't a human wife he was looking for.
But a wife for Butterfree.
Then of course they had to help.
The three of them began to wander along the coast.
Beach.
Reefs.
Low bushes.
Occasionally, they could see Butterfree flying past.
Their wings glittered with scales in the sunlight.
But they were all male.
Misty squatted on a rock, shading her eyes with her hand.
"How come they're all male..."
Delia said softly:
"Maybe we came too early."
Roy looked up at the sky.
The sea breeze carried a salty, fishy smell.
He thought for a moment.
"Never mind, let's set up the tent first. We'll wait a few days."
...With their combined efforts, the tent was pitched on high ground.
The view was good, overlooking the entire coast.
The three of them ate some simple dry rations.
Roy stood up.
"I'm going out for a bit."
Misty, who was spreading out the sleeping bags, looked up.
"Where to?"
"To level up Horsea."
...Wild Pokémon were scattered along the coast.
Because many were here for breeding, Roy didn't touch the groups.
He only picked off the stragglers.
After a few days of grinding, Horsea had improved significantly.
[Pokémon: Horsea, Level: lv10→lv13]
...It was the morning of the third day.
On the morning coast, sunlight slanted down from the sea level.
Roy stood outside the tent, looking up at the sky.
A dense swarm of Butterfree covered the sky like a breathing cloud.
Some were resting on bushes by the shore, some were dancing in the air, and some were in pairs on the rocks, their wings quivering gently.
The breeding season had arrived.
Roy withdrew his gaze and turned toward the corner of the tent.
His Butterfree was perched on a withered branch, its antennae swaying slightly as if sensing something.
Roy squatted down and looked at it.
"Butterfree, do you want a wife or not?"
Butterfree blanked.
It tilted its head, its Compound Eyes flashing with a confused light.
Roy pointed to the sky.
"Outside, the sky is full of female Butterfree. Go pick one you like, just like I taught you."
Butterfree followed his finger and looked at the sky.
The next second.
Its wings suddenly unfurled!
Butterfree took flight immediately, hovering in the air, its antennae shaking frantically.
Roy smiled and stood up.
"Let's go."
...Roy led Butterfree toward the dancing swarm.
Delia and Misty followed.
Misty rubbed her eyes, still sleepy.
"So early... Did the Butterfree really come?"
Delia was already wide awake, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the magnificent sight in the sky.
"So many... so beautiful..."
Pikachu sat on Roy's shoulder, pointing its little paws here and there.
Eevee followed at Delia's feet, looking up at the sky, its tail wagging back and forth.
The goal was very clear.
Because the "goddess" Butterfree had been dreaming of was a Shiny Pink Butterfree.
Its pink wings would give off a faint pearly luster in the sunlight.
This kind of rarity could be recognized at a glance in the swarm.
Roy scanned the area.
He quickly used Lock-On on the target.
On the highest rock by the shore.
A Shiny Pink Butterfree was perched there, its wings fanning gently, surrounded by several male Butterfree.
They were dancing.
Wings vibrating, antennae swaying, they were trying to attract the Shiny Pink Butterfree's attention.
The Shiny Pink Butterfree remained indifferent.
"Go on," Roy said to his Butterfree.
Butterfree flapped its wings and took off.
It didn't hesitate, flying straight toward that rock.
Then, the males that had been surrounding the Shiny Pink Butterfree suddenly froze.
They all turned their heads at the same time.
Looking at this incoming "peer."
Roy's Butterfree was a full size larger than a normal Butterfree.
Its wingspan was wide, and its lines were smooth and powerful—this was the effect of the super flight berry.
Its antennae were particularly thick, more than double the thickness of a normal Butterfree, and the tips even glinted with a faint metallic luster.
The most exaggerated part was the wings.
Gorgeous patterns had grown on its originally ordinary wings.
They weren't natural patterns, but unique markings formed after the super flight berry's modification—like flames, or drifting clouds, refracting rainbow-colored light in the sun.
Where Butterfree flew, it left a faint trail of scales in the air, shimmering with fine light.
The area around the rock instantly fell silent.
The Shiny Pink Butterfree looked up.
Its Compound Eyes were fixed on this incoming "behemoth."
The next second.
The male Butterfree that had been surrounding it all cleared a path.
No Butterfree dared to block its way.
Several female Butterfree even flew up from the nearby bushes and gathered toward Roy's Butterfree.
One.
Two.
Three.
They danced around Roy's Butterfree, the frequency of their wingbeats visibly increasing—this was a signal for courtship.
The Shiny Pink Butterfree was also watching.
Its wings trembled slightly.
Roy watched this scene from a distance, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.
Sure enough.
As long as you are strong enough, partners, wealth, fame, and everything else will come rolling in.
What original script about being a simp?
It didn't exist.
His Butterfree didn't even need to actively pursue.
It just flew over and made an appearance.
And it became the focus of the entire field.
Butterfree ignored the "hot babes" surrounding it.
Its gaze was fixed on that rock the entire time.
The Shiny Pink Butterfree.
It flew straight over and landed on the other end of the rock.
The two Butterfree locked eyes.
Roy's Butterfree's antennae swayed gently—this was the language of Butterfree.
The Shiny Pink Butterfree responded.
Its wings unfurled, revealing the bright patterns on its abdomen.
The pairing was successful.
Then, his Butterfree didn't fly away with the Shiny Pink Butterfree to breed immediately.
It said something to the Shiny Pink Butterfree: Come on, follow me back!
Then it flew back toward Roy.
The Shiny Pink Butterfree blanked for a second.
Then, it followed.
The two Butterfree, one in front of the other, landed on the bushes in front of Roy.
Roy looked at his Butterfree.
Butterfree's antennae swayed proudly.
That look clearly said: Master, I've learned all those tricks you usually use.
First, display value.
Attract attention.
Then be neither humble nor arrogant, maintaining the initiative.
Finally, bring the target back and take control!
Roy nodded, very satisfied with Butterfree's learning ability.