"This weather's got issues. It was clear blue skies just now, and suddenly it's pouring. Did some Pokémon use Rain Dance or what?" Under a huge boulder, Misty brushed a few raindrops off her head and grumbled.
"What's Rain Dance?" As a Newbie, Ash wasn't ashamed to ask.
For this girl he'd run into on the road, Ash felt like she really knew a lot.
The big shots in the Chat Group knew tons about Pokémon—maybe even more than many Champion-level Trainers—but they definitely didn't understand his world's history or everyday life.
Ash couldn't just run into the group to ask about every little thing, and if Misty hadn't brought some of this up, he wouldn't even know what he didn't know.
"...Did you ever take a basic Pokémon studies class? How do you not even know what Rain Dance is?" Misty's eyes fixed on Ash, full of suspicion.
Aside from being able to fight and looking decent, he was basically a kid—knew nothing, understood nothing.
"Uh… well… I got distracted in class and didn't really listen, so there's a lot I don't know." Ash scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
His theory grades really were a disaster. If there'd been a rule that you had to pass a written exam before you could travel, he probably wouldn't be leaving until he was twenty.
"I swear… if you didn't have that Aura Power or whatever, you'd probably take a huge tumble not long after setting out."
Honestly, Misty wasn't wrong. If Ash hadn't drawn Aura Power at the start, never mind the Spearow swarm—he probably wouldn't even have managed to properly win over Pikachu yet.
Good thing for the Chat Group, and good thing he drew Aura Power from it—it turned a terrible starting hand into a god-tier opening.
"It was my fault for spacing out in class… How about you join us!" Ash widened his bright eyes, looking at Misty hopefully.
"Join you?"
"Yeah, I mean travel with us. Misty, do you have a goal you want to accomplish?"
Misty paused, then her face lit with longing. "I want to become a Water-type Pokémon Master! The strongest Water-type specialist in the world—ideally like Master Lorelei, or even stronger!"
Lorelei, one of Kanto's Elite Four, specialized in Ice types. Ice and Water go hand in hand, and she had deep mastery of Water-types as well—so she was Misty's benchmark.
"A Water-type Pokémon Master, huh? I'm not tied to any single type. My goal is to become a Pokémon Master. First off, I'm going to defeat Mr. Leon and become the strongest Trainer out there!" Ash clenched his fists, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Mr. Leon? He's the strongest Trainer in the world, and you want to beat him first? And after you beat Leon, what then—fly up and high-five the sun?" Misty deadpanned.
He didn't know much, but his dreams were huge. Beat Leon first, huh. No offense, but even ten years might not be enough for Ash to take Leon down.
If it were a real, no-Pokémon fistfight, then maybe.
"Heh heh, anyway, I'm definitely going to beat Mr. Leon! So, what do you say, Misty—want to travel with me?" Ash finally gave Misty a formal invitation.
Misty hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I don't have anywhere I need to be anyway. I'll just go with you."
"Yes! Pikachu, we've got a new teammate!"
"Pika pika~" Pikachu smiled too. Ever since accepting Ash, he'd been less wary of humans. More importantly, after spending a little time around Misty, he didn't feel any dislike toward her.
Just like that, Ash's team got a new member. He hadn't expected the first addition wouldn't be a Pokémon but a human. Guess that's life for you—full of surprises.
Misty joining was a big deal for Ash. Forget her battle strength—knowledge-wise, she absolutely crushed him. For everyday questions, he could just ask Misty. If she didn't know, they'd ask the big shots in the group. He was going to cram all the stuff he'd missed in class!
The rain kept falling. The dark sky and steady drizzle made them both a little drowsy.
They had shelter, but the ground was still soaked, so they couldn't sit. Misty was half-sitting, leaning on her bike. Ash leaned casually against a wall, eyes half-closed as if resting—but in reality, he'd already entered the Chat Group.
...
[Newbie Ash: Hey, I've got a new member on my end!]
[Breeder Ash: Oh? Did you catch a new Pokémon?]
[Newbie Ash: No, a person! Her name's Misty, and she knows a ton. For everyday stuff I won't have to run into the group to ask you guys anymore—I can ask her.]
[Champion Ash: Oh? Is that Misty, the Leader of the Cerulean Gym?]
[Newbie Ash: Cerulean Gym? I dunno, she didn't say. But she knows so much, maybe she really is a Gym Leader.]
[Harem King Ash: Misty, huh? Nice. Newbie, you'd better seize the opportunity.]
[Newbie Ash: Opportunity? What opportunity?]
[Aura Guardian Ash: Ignore that guy. He's the only one in the group who thinks with his hormones.]
[Harem King Ash: Hey! Watch your mouth! You're not planning to get married? No kids? What do you mean I think with my hormones?!]
[Aura Guardian Ash: Heh. Most people marry one wife. Maybe count how many you have? Newbie, remember this: you can learn from anyone here—just don't learn from him. Follow that guy and you'll be ruined.]
[Harem King Ash: Don't be like that! I finally found a blank slate! If you two don't want to flirt, fine—but don't mess up a healthy teenager's development!]
[Champion Ash: Heh. The Harem King isn't totally wrong—using his knowledge to find a partner isn't a bad idea. But remember, don't bite off more than you can chew. Don't be a jerk like him... Also, since Misty accepted your invite and joined the team, you should have new lottery draws. Go check the notifications.]
[Newbie Ash: Got it!]
Ash didn't understand a word of the other stuff they were saying, but "go check your draws" he understood perfectly.
He glanced at the top-right corner of the chat window. A tiny light was blinking there—that meant there were new notifications. Ash tapped the notification panel, and sure enough, several new messages popped up on the screen...