"Wait!" Kazuki quickly grabbed Misty's wrist.
Her body jolted slightly, and a shy flush spread across her cheeks.
"Oho~ So you're finally appreciating my beauty?"
"But don't you think that was a little too forward?"
"You're such a clueless guy—gotta be a bit more subtle, y'know?"
"Well, I am the world's most beautiful girl, so I guess I can't blame you!"
Kazuki had complicated feelings about Misty.
Sometimes she was great—made him want to hold her tight and stir-fry her all night.
Other times, like right now, he just wanted to bonk her.
"What are you even talking about?" he asked, puzzled.
Misty blinked, staring back. "Huh? Wait… didn't you grab my hand because—oh… you didn't?"
Kazuki kicked a stone by his foot. It flew forward, slamming into the ground and collapsing the dirt to reveal a hidden pit trap.
"Maybe you'd like to go keep the Digletts company instead?"
Misty stared, wide-eyed, at the gaping hole in the path ahead.
She turned to Kazuki stiffly. "How… how did you even know?"
Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she studied him. "Don't tell me… you have some kind of superpower?"
"Hah. No superpowers—just not as self-absorbed as someone who only looks at herself and not where she's walking." Kazuki brushed it off and stepped closer to examine the trap.
Just as he reached the edge of the pit, rustling came from the nearby bushes.
Five smooth, round Squirtle heads popped out—and right on cue, the system chimed in his ears.
[Ding! Mission triggered: Lead the Squirtle Squad Leader to redemption! Find a place for the Squirtle Squad!]
[Mission Rewards: Basic Rare Candy ×5
Top-grade Swordcap ×3 – Eating these will permanently enhance Pokémon muscle growth and body development! Excellent for bulking up!
Justice Reputation +1]
Basic Rare Candy and top-tier Pokémon supplements.
Not bad—not huge, but considering this was the final leg of the Perfect Starter Mission, the bonus rewards were a welcome surprise.
Most of his team was nearing Level 30. These would be a solid boost.
And with another +1 to Justice Reputation… that would help with Officer Jenny, too.
Kazuki stepped forward, ready to approach the Squirtle Squad.
But the moment he moved, the lead Squirtle barked at him.
"Squirtle, squirtle~!"
"Pika! Pika!"
Pikachu quickly ran up and reported: the Squirtles were taunting them.
"Taunting? Why would Pokémon go out of their way to provoke humans?" Misty asked, frowning at the five smug turtle heads. Despite being Water-types, their cocky expressions totally killed any desire she had to catch one.
Pikachu tried to negotiate, but the situation escalated quickly. Both sides took up battle stances.
Just then—WEEEOOO~!
The sound of sirens rang out, and the Squirtle Squad instantly snapped to attention.
Before Pikachu could react, they turned and darted away at top speed.
"Huh?! They ran off already?" Misty grumbled. "And here I was looking forward to watching Pikachu fry them!"
Moments later, Officer Jenny rolled up on her motorcycle, pulling to a stop in front of them. Seeing the giant pit, her face turned serious.
"Are you two alright?"
"Huh? Officer Jenny again?" Misty blinked. This was getting oddly frequent.
Her mom must've been really dedicated, she thought to herself.
"Hmm? You know me?" Officer Jenny asked, puzzled as usual.
"Well, we've met your cousins in Cerulean City and Viridian City," Kazuki stepped forward, taking the opportunity to see how far his Justice Reputation had gotten him.
"Ah! They're my cousins! Our family has lots of sisters—we all serve as police officers in different cities!"
Sure enough, his rep was working—Jenny beamed the moment she saw Kazuki.
"Whoa…" Misty muttered, glancing at a photo Jenny pulled out. "They all look exactly the same… kinda creepy, honestly."
"Anyway, let me escort you into town—and fill you in on the Squirtle Squad situation, just so you know what you're dealing with."
For some reason, Officer Jenny felt unusually cheerful today. Looking at Kazuki lifted her spirits—and she didn't even know why.
Kazuki smiled and bowed slightly. "Thanks a lot, Officer Jenny."
"Ahahaha, no problem at all! Protecting the public is my duty!"
"And besides… you seem—uh, oh wait! I never even got your names! I hope that didn't sound like an interrogation, haha!"
Though all Officer Jennys looked alike, their personalities varied quite a bit.
This one clearly leaned toward the playful, humorous type.
"Not at all! I'm Misty—a Trainer from Cerulean City!"
"And I'm Kazuki, from Pallet Town."
"Kazuki… what a lovely name. Misty too! You both feel so familiar somehow."
Jenny wanted to compliment Kazuki more directly, but didn't want to make it too obvious—so she threw Misty into the mix to balance it out.
And with that, Officer Jenny escorted them into town, chatting and laughing along the way.