The air in Pewter City felt lighter after the Gym match. The pressure of challenge had lifted, replaced by something quieter—satisfaction, reflection, and sore muscles.
Skylar stretched as he stepped out of the Pokémon Center the next morning, the fresh sunlight warming his face. His backpack felt lighter with the Boulder Badge safely tucked inside. Charmander stood beside him, proudly polishing his claws on his tail flame like he had something to prove to the world.
Misty joined him a moment later, arms crossed, her hair tied up in a loose bun. Starmie hovered behind her, spinning in lazy arcs.
—"So?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "Are we bolting straight to Mt. Moon? Or do we give our bones a break?"
Skylar smiled. "I vote rest. At least a few days."
Misty gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Because I'm not hiking through a mountain with you limping and mumbling about strategy like a sleep-deprived professor."
They laughed—and for the first time since entering Viridian Forest, it felt like they were traveling, not just surviving.
The next two days passed in a comfortable rhythm.
They trained in the morning, sparring with locals and fine-tuning Scyther's speed and precision. Skylar even started teaching Charmander new defensive patterns, improving his footwork and dodges.
Misty took time to rework her technique with Starmie—working on pivot timing and syncing her water-type's psychic instincts with her commands.
Afternoons were for rest—books, berry smoothies, and soft conversations in shaded spots across the city.
Evenings… were quieter. But something lingered in the air. A feeling neither of them named.
Until the third night.
Misty stood outside the lodge entrance in a light jacket, one hand behind her back. She looked… not like herself. Calmer. Almost unsure.
—"Hey," she said when Skylar opened the door. "I was thinking…"
He blinked, tilting his head. "Yeah?"
—"The Museum of Science is open late on weekends." She shifted slightly. "There's a special exhibit tonight. Fossils. Ancient Pokémon. Interactive stuff. Thought it might be cool."
A pause.
Then Skylar smiled.
—"Are you asking me on a date?"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't get cocky."
But her cheeks turned the faintest pink.
—"Well," Skylar said, stepping out and pulling his jacket on. "It would be rude to say no."
The Pewter Museum was quiet under the glow of lantern-like exterior lights. Inside, the halls were lined with skeletons of Kabutops, Aerodactyl, and other ancient creatures. The air smelled like polished stone and old stories.
Skylar and Misty wandered through the exhibits side by side.
At one point, they stood in front of a massive Tyrantrum skull mounted on a pedestal. Misty let out a low whistle.
—"That thing makes Onix look like a plush toy."
Skylar chuckled. "Imagine fighting it with a Charmander."
She turned to him. "You'd still try. And you'd still probably win."
He glanced at her. "You really think so?"
She met his eyes. "I don't say things I don't mean."
For a moment, neither of them looked away.
Then Misty nudged him with her shoulder, breaking the tension. "C'mon. There's a moonstone display I want to see. Supposedly, it glows if two people are compatible."
—"Wait, what?"
She was already walking. "Don't read into it!"
Skylar grinned as he followed her through the halls, the flicker of something unspoken dancing between them like the fossil lights around them—ancient, quiet, but powerful.
Later that night, under the stars and beside the dark rooftops of Pewter City, Skylar glanced over at Misty.
She was walking a little closer than usual.
And for once, neither of them said anything about what that meant.
They didn't have to.