Although sporty girls weren't exactly his type, Misty, dressed in that sheer white gown, radiated the elegance and poise of a noble heiress.
"Logan, get a good night's sleep tonight. We're heading out first thing tomorrow morning!"
After dinner, Misty didn't give Logan a chance to argue, shoving him into the guest room she'd prepared and slamming the door shut with such force that Logan couldn't help but wonder if she'd actually locked it from the outside to stop him from escaping.
"Hah… such a pure-hearted girl. Pity I'm not the type who knows how to play the heartthrob. Otherwise, I could've had her wrapped around my little finger with a few sweet lines."
Logan shook his head, placing his Poké Balls on the bedside table.
Girls were strange creatures—sometimes wickedly sharp, other times hopelessly naive. Regardless of their status or beauty, once they fall in love, they're capable of throwing everything away for the one they choose.
Which is why being a gigolo isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Logan knew that wasn't the life for him.
If he was going to survive, he had to rely on himself.
Even the guest room in Misty's house was extravagantly furnished. Thick carpets underfoot, elegant furniture, and a bed more comfortable than anything he'd ever experienced—even in five-star hotels. Honestly, the dinner alone was worth the trip.
Unable to sleep just yet, Logan pulled out the Moonstone that Giovanni had gifted him. Under the sliver of moonlight leaking through the curtains, the fingernail-sized stone shimmered with a soft glow.
Though valuable, the Eternal Moonstone wasn't particularly useful to him.
The so-called Eternal Stones were like rechargeable evolution stones. They weren't legendary items, just rare and precious. In an entire mining vein, maybe one or two could be found. Most of them ended up in private collections or used by elite trainers.
Once used, they could slowly regenerate their energy and be used again—unlike the standard evolution stones that turned into useless pebbles after one use.
Selling it wouldn't fetch much, and Logan didn't need the money anyway. For now, he decided to keep it. Who knew? It might come in handy someday.
"Good night. Mewtwo, I'll count on you for the night watch."
With that, Logan bid goodnight to the three Pokémon resting in their balls and shut his eyes. Compared to the exhausting 9-to-5 life he'd lived before crossing over, sleep came easy now.
The next morning, Logan washed up and came downstairs to find Misty already fully dressed and waiting at the table.
Gone was the elegant dress from last night. She'd changed back into her practical battle gear—tight-fitting and flexible, perfectly suited for combat. Her long, toned legs and sculpted abs were on full display. The benefits of years of swimming were obvious—aside from the lack of curves up top, but hey, swimming couldn't fix everything.
After a hearty breakfast, Misty led Logan to the back of the villa. Built over a river, the villa backed onto a private lake that belonged solely to the Waterflower family.
"Cerulean City is practically made of water," Misty explained. "Rivers crisscross everything. When my dad designed this villa, he made sure it connected directly to the water network. This lake leads to every part of the city."
"So, we're heading to Mt. Moon by water?"
"Yep. There's a hidden waterway I know that leads straight there. It runs underground, so we'll avoid Rocket's detection."
"I don't have any Water-types that can Surf," Logan said, shrugging. Dratini was too small to ride. He'd have to wait until it evolved into Dragonair—which was supposedly the smoothest ride over the ocean, capable of gliding through crashing waves like a dream.
"Have you forgotten who I am? Cerulean's Gym Leader—Kanto's top Water-type specialist!"
Misty rolled her eyes and tossed a Poké Ball. From the water emerged a majestic Lapras.
"This Lapras…"
Logan found it familiar.
"It's the same one that brought you and Gramps back that day. You were unconscious, so I doubt you remember."
Misty smiled.
"She must be one of your main partners. I can feel how powerful she is."
Logan's eyes gleamed. He walked up and jumped onto Lapras's back, patting her gently.
"It's been a while, Lapras. Thanks for saving me that day."
The intelligent Pokémon turned and gave a soft cry, nudging him affectionately before gliding across the lake. Misty, meanwhile, summoned her Starmie as her ride.
Logan hummed softly on Lapras's back.
"♪ Thinking of you since the day I saw you on Lapras's back…
Like that day again, I see your smile…
Like that day again, I see you shining bright… ♪"
"Huh? You know that song?" Misty asked, surprised.
"'The Boy on Lapras.' Heard it tons of times at Professor Oak's. I guess it just stuck."
"It's still one of the most popular songs to this day," Misty said enthusiastically. "It's been on the charts forever. Supposedly, a short-lived band made it decades ago—wrote, composed, and sang it themselves as a tribute to a friend who had a special bond with Lapras. After releasing it, they disbanded and vanished. Total urban legend now."
Maybe it was the topic of Lapras, or just that it hit her Water-type sweet spot, but Misty lit up as she talked, excitedly sharing bits of gossip and trivia with Logan.
"I don't really know about the song's history," Logan replied, stretching out lazily on Lapras's neck. "But doesn't this count as me being the 'boy on Lapras' now?"
Misty blinked her bright eyes and glanced at him.
"…You look more like the grandpa on Lapras," she teased with a smirk.
"Haha! That boy probably did grow into a grandpa by now," Logan laughed.
The two of them drifted leisurely down the waterway, chatting about nothing and everything, riding toward Mt. Moon once again.
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