"Mmm…"
Whitney nodded slightly, but her gaze lingered on Peter's face, carrying a meaning that was hard to put into words.
"Hey… you're acting kinda strange," Peter said.
"Pfft~"
Whitney chuckled softly. Propping her cheek up with one hand, she suddenly asked in a more serious tone,
"Do you still remember the dream we promised each other back then?"
Peter swallowed the food in his mouth and nodded.
"Of course I do. You said you wanted to become the strongest Normal-type Pokémon specialist in the world.
And I said I'd stand at the very top and become the strongest Trainer."
"Then…" Whitney hesitated.
"Do you think those dreams can really come true?"
"Of course they can," Peter replied without hesitation.
"As long as we keep working hard, they'll happen sooner or later."
He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, Whitney's face looked a little blurry. After years of living and working together, Peter could sense it clearly—
She was feeling a bit sad.
"Did something happen?" he asked gently.
"Mm~ no."
Whitney shook her head, then after a short pause added,
"Later, can you take me to the department store? And… I also want to stop by the radio station to see Mary."
Because Whitney was famously terrible with directions, Peter always had to accompany her when she went out.
DJ Mary was her close friend—a radio host at Goldenrod City Radio Tower.
"No problem," Peter agreed readily.
Lately, Whitney had been asking him to go out with her after dinner more often anyway. Today just included an extra stop.
"Mm!" Whitney smiled and didn't say anything more.
The meal ended in a slightly strange atmosphere.
After closing up the ranch, the two headed together toward the department store.
"Peter, just wait for me at the entrance like usual, okay~"
Whitney waved at him and walked in with practiced ease.
Meanwhile, Peter took out his notebook and started scribbling furiously.
He was building his future team.
How to assemble a balanced lineup with minimal weaknesses was absolutely critical.
The newest League Conference had already begun—he didn't have much time left.
Whitney was unusually slow today.
Without realizing it, over an hour passed.
Finally, she emerged with a bright smile, while a store clerk walked beside her confirming details.
"Please deliver everything to MooMoo Ranch early tomorrow morning~"
After reminding the clerk, Whitney grabbed Peter's arm.
"Let's go~"
"O-Oh… okay."
Peter glanced down at his notebook.
It was already filled with dozens of names—pseudo-legendaries he dreamed of, as well as powerful ordinary Pokémon.
Whitney peeked at it.
"Peter, what Pokémon do you like the most?"
"Uh… as long as it's a Pokémon, I like it."
"Nope, you have to pick one."
"Alright, alright," Peter laughed.
"My favorite Pokémon is Miltank, and my favorite type is Normal. What do you think?"
He was clearly teasing her.
"At first, Whitney looked happy—then froze.
"H-Hey! That's cheating! Those are my preferences!"
"Hahaha, guess having big boobs doesn't always mean you're smart...," Peter joked.
"It's not that—you're just a little silly."
"Ahhh! Peter! Are you asking to get hit?!
Milky—use Body Slam!"
...
The two bickered and laughed all the way to the radio station.
After a short visit, they returned to the ranch together.
-----
That night, Peter lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
With the system in hand, he found himself growing more and more excited for the journey ahead.
He had no idea that upstairs, in another room, Whitney was holding her Miltank and quietly sobbing.
"Milky… do you think Peter is going to leave soon?"
"Moo~"
Miltank gently patted her back, comforting her.
"But I don't want him to go… If he leaves, I'll be all alone again…"
"…But he's prepared for his dream for so, so long.
How could I hold him back just because of myself?"
"Moo…"
Miltank patted its belly.
"H-Hey! Stop that—I'm not a kid anymore…"
Whitney refused Miltank's offer of milk. She got out of bed and walked to the window, gazing at the full moon hanging in the sky.
Moonlight bathed her sweet face in a sacred glow.
Looking out over the vast land below, she whispered softly,
"Peter… you have to succeed."
…
"Anyone home? Delivery for MooMoo Ranch! Please sign here!"
Early the next morning, Peter was jolted awake by the deliveryman's shouting.
Rubbing his messy hair, he staggered to the ranch gate and signed the delivery form.
And instantly—
All sleepiness vanished.
He'd thought it would just be a small shipment.
Instead, the deliveryman ran back and forth, unloading what felt like half the truck.
Staring at the mountain of goods, Peter twitched at the corner of his mouth.
…So this is what being a rich girl looks like.
Just as he was about to check what everything was, Whitney's scream rang out behind him.
"Ah—! Don't look!!"
She looked like she hadn't slept well—puffy eyes, messy hair, still half-asleep.
Her pajama buttons were misaligned, and from Peter's angle, a glimpse of snowy-white skin flashed into view—
"Y-You! Go back to bed right now! It's too early to be up!"
Whitney shoved Peter back into his room without explanation, then hurriedly used her space backpack to pack everything away.
Lying back on his bed, Peter's mind was… unfortunately occupied by a certain deep valley he couldn't unsee.
"That was close… I almost let him find out…"
Whitney made trip after trip, carrying items back to her room with a special space pack.
After the final run, she stared at the pile of items, troubled.
"Uh-oh… I might've bought too much. What if it doesn't all fit?"
"What doesn't fit?" Peter's voice suddenly came from behind her.
"AH!!"
Whitney jumped like a startled rabbit.
"Why do you walk so quietly?! Are you trying to scare me to death?!"
But Peter was already staring at the unpacked items on the floor.
Large, medium, and small reinforced travel tents.
All-season sleeping bags made from four different materials.
A high-tech ignition device.
The Devon Corporation's latest running shoes from Hoenn.
A dual-purpose high-speed and mountain bike from the Windfield Bicycle Shop.
League-issued Gym training dolls.
Half a year's supply of high-quality Pokémon food.
One hundred of every rare Berry.
A satellite-communication Pokegear Mate 60 video phone.
An entire crate of premium golden Bug Repellent.
Complete evolution stone sets—Fire, Water, Thunder, Leaf, Sun, Moon, Dawn, Dusk, Ice, and Shiny—three full sets.
And placed right at the center—
Six black-and-gold gleaming Luxury Balls.
"T-These… these are…"
"Hey! I told you not to look…" Whitney pouted slightly, clearly unhappy.
"I wanted it to be a surprise…"
Peter's breath caught.
"Wait… are you saying…"
"…All of this was prepared for me?"