At first, Erika only felt a faint sense of admiration toward Logan. Through her best friend Misty's introduction, she had already formed a certain impression of him. And when they finally met, she realized that Misty was right—he really was the kind of man a girl could entrust with something precious. At that time, she thought Logan was someone worthy of receiving her beloved Eevee.
But now… she wondered if perhaps he might be the one she could entrust her whole life to.
Hardworking, unyielding, able to endure hardships that would break ordinary people, able to live comfortably yet deliberately choosing the most difficult road—that was what she saw in Logan. In this way, she found him much like herself: stubbornly pursuing a goal, refusing to give up until it was reached, no matter the sacrifice, no matter the suffering endured.
If, in the beginning, she had only seen him as a potential goal worth chasing—now it had transformed into something far stronger. Now it was a feeling of I must have him, no matter what.
Spending two months in close contact with him—living, traveling, and training together—was perhaps both the wisest and the most foolish decision of Erika's life.
To truly understand someone, you must live with them. The simplest way to know a person's heart is through a journey shared by only two people.
And during this intimacy, during this shared journey, everything about him revealed itself to her without disguise.
And Erika found herself falling. Falling completely.
In every way, Logan met her standards. He remained true to himself. He strived upward relentlessly. And perhaps most importantly—he was not like other men. He did not fawn over her beauty, did not let her charms sway him. To him, she was not some goddess to chase, but a partner in training.
And ironically, that was what captured her heart.
For girls were strange, mysterious creatures. Sometimes they would like someone for no reason at all, sometimes they would hate someone just as easily.
This was not love at first sight. No—this was two whole months of daily life side by side.
Still, if he were to reject her now… what then?
Her heart trembled with unease.
A confession laid bare after such closeness, after such intimacy… if he refused her, Erika could not even imagine the pain that would follow. Perhaps, in her anguish, she might even twist her feelings into hatred.
As she stood torn and confused, Logan suddenly stepped into the stream before her.
Her heartbeat quickened. Fear, hesitation, a desperate urge to run away filled her—but her feet refused to move, as though rooted into the water's stones.
"You're not dressed warmly enough," Logan said calmly as he reached her. "The mountain forest at night won't show mercy to your body. Put something on first."
He draped his jacket over her delicate shoulders, his hands pressing gently but firmly upon them.
Erika's frame was small and slender. Over the past seven or eight months, Logan's constant training in the wild had hardened him—his height had shot up, his body stronger than ever. Standing before her now, he easily towered over her.
He lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes meeting hers—and then, suddenly, he pulled her into his arms.
Her body trembled. And then… softened. This was the scene she had often imagined—but now that it was real, her girlish shyness overwhelmed her.
He held her tightly, breathing in the faint fragrance of her hair and skin. If Sabrina's unforgettable quality was her aura, and Daisy Oak's unforgettable charm was her spirit, then Erika's was her unique, intoxicating scent.
No woman in the world could rival it.
Pressed together, their clothes so thin they were nearly skin-to-skin, their hearts beat wildly in unison.
Logan could endure no longer. His hand slowly moved, inch by inch, until it finally brushed against her bare skin.
Feeling her lack of resistance, he grew bolder.
"Erika… you're carrying too much on your shoulders," he whispered into her ear.
The warm breath sent shivers racing through her body. She bit down gently on her lip, struggling to control the storm of feelings that threatened to overwhelm her.
Logan knew well why she had abandoned all reserve, why she set aside a woman's pride and dignity to come to him. It was the unbearable weight of the pressure crushing her.
"I don't know if I'll live through this…" Erika's voice cracked, breaking into a fragile sob. For the first time, she let someone see her weakness.
"This isn't just Pokémon battles anymore. It's not a simple fight—it's war. A war where people will die. Maybe many will die. As the current commander of the Kanto Alliance, everyone else can retreat. But I cannot. I'm still just a girl—I feel fear too. I don't want regrets. Even if I die, I want to die with my heart at peace."
Her words carried the weight of despair. To the world, she was their shield—the one expected to hold everything together. And though she had stood strong, bearing that role at only seventeen or eighteen years old, the cost of it all was hers alone to pay.
Now, she only wanted release.
In another time, another place, Erika might have teased Logan endlessly. A playful game of chase, of subtle flirtation, stretched out over months, perhaps a year, before they finally came together through mutual attraction.
But now? Circumstances had changed. Even a rational girl like her longed to surrender to the moment—to throw caution aside. Even if she had misjudged him, even if he abandoned her later, even if reality shattered her illusions—it no longer mattered.
So long as here, tonight, in her deepest need, she could find comfort in him. That alone was enough.
And Logan did not make her wait.
Some things, if hesitated over, became too contrived, too shallow. His feelings for her were not deep love, not yet—but after two months together, he too had grown attached to this elegant, luminous girl.
The forest fell silent. The stream splashed softly around them. Time itself seemed to pause. Heat flared, reason burned away, and only instinct remained.
And amid the quiet, only the girl's trembling whispers lingered in the night air.
On the riverbank, her Vileplume and Bellossom fidgeted nervously, looking anywhere but at their trainer. Eevee buried its face in the grass, covering its eyes with its little paws.
--------------------
T/N:
Check out my Patreon
[email protected]/FictionalRealms784 - (Replace '@' with 'a')
for 5 Advanced Chapters absolutely FREE—or unlock 35 Advanced Chapters
--------------------