Cerulean City shimmered in late spring light, its lake reflecting the calm after battle. The tide of trainers that usually flowed in and out of the Gym had slowed. The buzz around the boy who Mega Evolved against the Gym Leader was still whispered about on street corners and café patios.
But Skylar and Misty?
They stayed hidden in the quiet moments.
A few more days.
Just until the golden Magikarp grew strong enough to swim on their own.
In the Waterflower estate garden, two golden streaks zipped through the pond, leaving trails of glimmering water behind them.
Skylar sat on the grass, Gardevoir meditating beside him, while his Magikarp flopped at the edge of the stones, ready to dive again.
"Almost ready to take on the open river," he murmured.
Misty sat across from him, legs crossed, her Magikarp lazily bumping its tail against her shin.
"They're starting to learn how to leap together. It's weird how in sync they are."
Skylar smiled. "Like their trainers."
She flushed slightly, then threw a pebble into the pond. "Don't get sappy."
He laughed. "You started it."
That evening, Skylar sat on the rooftop alone, bathed in soft moonlight. Gardevoir hovered just behind him, eyes closed.
His PokéGear buzzed.
He answered without hesitation.
Cynthia's face lit the screen, wind blowing through her platinum hair.
—"You look calm," she said.
Skylar shrugged. "Been resting. Training a little. Misty's family invited me to stay while our Pokémon mature."
Cynthia smiled softly. "I'm glad. You needed a pause."
There was a quiet moment.
Then Skylar leaned forward.
—"I met her parents."
Cynthia blinked. "And?"
—"Her father gave me his blessing… to travel with her. And… maybe more."
Cynthia's expression flickered—complex emotions dancing through her golden eyes.
But she didn't look away.
Instead, she smiled gently.
—"Skylar. I told you before: you attract strong women."
He swallowed. "I don't want to lose you."
—"You won't," she said, gaze steady. "Just remember… I was the first."
Skylar nodded. "And the most important."
Cynthia's face warmed, if only for a second.
—"Then that's all I needed to hear."
They lingered in silence—soft, still, unspoken connection between them.
—"How many badges now?" he asked finally.
She tilted the camera down. Five gleaming symbols rested in a velvet-lined case.
—"Five."
Skylar whistled. "You're flying."
She leaned back, the stars behind her.
—"And tomorrow… I take the trial."
He blinked. "Trial?"
Cynthia's tone lowered.
—"The rite of the Celestial Veil. If I succeed, I'll be named the next Priestess of Time and Space."
Skylar sat upright. "Cynthia—what does that mean?"
She exhaled.
Behind her, faint ruins could be seen—stones with Dialga and Palkia carved into them.
—"It means… I'll be the one chosen to keep their balance."
She smiled, but it was distant now.
—"Pray for me, Skylar. The old world never sleeps."
The screen faded to black.
Skylar stared at the sky for a long time.
The next day, Cerulean warmed with golden light.
Skylar and Misty trained by the lake, their Pokémon gathered for drills. Charmeleon sparred with Milotic—learning patience while Gardevoir floated beside Misty's Starmie, practicing focus and recovery timing.
Gary Oak even passed through for one afternoon, critiquing their positioning with a smirk.
—"Not bad, lovebirds. But your footwork's still too synchronized. Try not to mirror each other all the time."
They both glared at him in unison.
He grinned. "Exactly like that."
Later that evening, Skylar and Misty walked through the marketplace near the river. Lanterns glowed in the fading dusk. Children ran past, chasing balloons shaped like Dratini.
They stopped by a quiet bench beneath a cherry tree.
The air smelled faintly of sweet tea and lilac.
Skylar glanced sideways. "So… is this what counts as a first date?"
Misty sipped from her moomoo-milk latte. "Feels like one."
He smiled. "I never really thought my first date would be with someone who kicked me into the water six times during training."
She smirked. "You deserved it."
They sat in companionable silence.
Then Misty looked down at her cup.
—"Do you think we're… rushing into things?"
Skylar shook his head slowly.
—"No. I think we were always going to get here. We just had to survive long enough to recognize it."
She turned to him.
And didn't say a word.
She didn't have to.
Their hands brushed.
And stayed that way.
Far across the continent, Cynthia knelt before a shrine carved into a mountain's heart.
Her grandmother, cloaked in midnight-blue robes, stood over her.
The cavern was full of swirling air, runes glowing on every surface.
Before her stood a stone shaped like a star.
Etched with two names:
Dialga. Palkia.
Her grandmother placed a crown of silver reeds on her head.
—"The storm is coming. You must become the sky that holds it."
Cynthia opened her eyes.
No fear.
Only resolve.
She rose.
And took her first step forward.