Pokemon: Skybound

Beside the road stood a low, barren rocky hill.

Calling it a mountain was generous—it rose no more than ten meters high. Halfway up its slope, concealed behind several massive boulders, was a narrow, pitch-black cave entrance just wide enough for a single person to pass through at a time.

Under the raging downpour, the three scrambled up the rocky slope and ran straight for the cave, entering one after another without hesitation.

Only after stepping inside did they realize how small the interior was.

The cave had just one entrance and exit, its overall shape roughly oval, with a total area of barely over ten square meters.

It appeared to have once been the nest of a wild Pokémon. However, judging by the thick layer of dry, withered grass inside—and the complete absence of odor or fresh traces—it was clear that the former occupant had abandoned this place long ago.

From every sign, the cave's previous owner must have left quite some time in the past.

Though cramped, the space was just enough to accommodate three people.

Most importantly, the cave entrance faced away from the typhoon's direction. The violent wind failed to reach inside, and even the torrential rain was guided harmlessly down the slope outside.

The entrance acted like an invisible barrier, cleanly separating the chaotic storm from the quiet interior.

At last—no wind, no rain.

The three finally let out long breaths of relief.

Looking at one another's drenched, disheveled appearances, Kai and Misty burst into laughter almost at the same time. Their laughter was contagious, and even Bea's lips curved upward slightly.

It was a smile born from genuine relief surviving a disaster by sheer luck.

But as the laughter faded, Misty suddenly shivered.

Only then did they realize just how soaked they were, from head to toe. If they didn't warm up soon, catching a cold was inevitable.

Glancing around, Kai said, "Good timing, There's plenty of dry grass and branches here. Let's start a fire first."

Misty nodded and immediately began gathering the dry grass, piling it together. Bea hesitated briefly, but before she could squat down to help, Misty had already finished with practiced efficiency.

It was obvious that this boy and girl were no strangers to camping outdoors.

At the same time, Kai took out a Poké Ball and released his Pokémon.

"Combusken, use Ember."

A burst of flame shot forward, igniting the pile of dry grass. The fire leapt up instantly, illuminating the cave and filling it with comforting warmth.

Still, warmth alone wasn't enough.

If they didn't dry their clothes, wearing wet fabric for too long could easily lead to illness.

However…

Aside from Kai, there were two girls present. Some things weren't exactly convenient.

Fortunately, Kai already had a solution.

He released another Poké Ball.

Dragonite appeared, then sat down squarely in the center of the cave its massive body instantly forming a solid, living barrier.

Standing over two meters tall, with its broad frame and soft, round belly, Dragonite neatly separated Kai from Misty and Bea.

As long as no one deliberately leaned around it, most of their view was completely blocked.

"Alright," Kai said calmly. "Take off your wet clothes and place them on the stones near the fire to dry."

Without hesitation, he stripped down to his shorts, placing his clothes and shoes near the flames.

Afterward, he leaned back against Dragonite. The Dragonite wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close and sharing its body heat.

That was exactly why Kai had summoned Dragonite instead of Tyranitar.

Tyranitar's armor-like body was cold and rigid but Dragonite was warm, soft, and incredibly comforting.

On the other side, seeing Kai already drying his clothes, Misty didn't hesitate either. She quickly undressed down to her undergarments and leaned against Dragonite's opposite side.

She wasn't shy about it at all.

They'd soaked in hot springs together more than once, and besides Kai was someone she liked. With her bold, straightforward personality, there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

She treated it like a visit to the pool.

Only Bea hesitated.

Though she understood this was the most sensible option, there was still an adult man nearby one she'd only met a handful of times.

Frowning slightly, she waited until she was sure Kai couldn't see, then removed her soaked clothes, leaving only her pale pink undergarments.

Misty glanced over unconsciously.

…Big.

Much bigger than her own.

That was normal, of course, there was an age difference. If they were the same, that would've been strange.

Still, while well-proportioned, it wasn't anywhere near Erika's overwhelming level.

Her gaze drifted downward, and she noticed Bea's firm muscles and taut abdomen.

Wow…

Misty was genuinely surprised.

Bea's skin tone was slightly darker than average healthy, clearly the result of constant physical training.

What Misty couldn't understand was why someone needed to train their own body so intensely when being a Trainer already involved so much work.

Looking closer, she realized Bea was undeniably beautiful not the kind that stunned at first glance, but refined and striking in her own way.

Smiling, Misty spoke up.

"I'm Misty, That's Kai over there. Come to think of it, I don't even know your name yet."

Bea looked at her, the shared experience having erased much of the earlier distance.

"Bea."

That was all she said.

"Judging by your accent, you're not from Hoenn, are you?" Misty asked.

Bea shook her head. "I'm from Stow-on-Side."

"…Where's that?"

"Galar."

"Oh! That's really far west, right?" Misty blinked. "Then why are you all the way out here?"

"To challenge Fighting-type Gyms."

Their conversation proceeded in a strict question-and-answer rhythm. Bea showed no interest in small talk—only responding when asked.

It left Misty feeling oddly drained.

Talking to her is exhausting…

She'd already figured it out—Bea was quiet, reserved, and painfully bad at casual conversation.

After a few more dry exchanges, Misty completely lost interest and turned toward Kai instead.

"Kai… how long do you think this typhoon's going to last?"

Kai, who had been listening the entire time, couldn't help smiling.

Bea was clearly the exact type Misty struggled to deal with.

"It's only just begun," he said. "But don't worry—storms always pass eventually."

Misty sighed. "I really hope it ends soon…"

The fire crackled softly.

After more than half an hour, their hair, clothes, and bodies were fully dry. They dressed again and sat together near the fading fire.

Misty checked her phone—no signal.

Outside, the rain still roared relentlessly.

With nothing else to do, Kai and Misty chatted idly. Bea sat quietly to one side, seemingly accustomed to solitude.

Eventually, boredom got the better of Misty. She stretched, paced around, then turned back—only to find Kai grooming Dragonite and Combusken, while Bea was calmly doing push-ups.

"You two really suit each other…" she muttered.

The thought startled her, and she quickly shook it away.

No, no! Kai is mine!

Time dragged on. Noon arrived.

The typhoon showed no sign of weakening.

Misty swallowed.

"I'm thirsty…"

She hadn't brought anything with her.

Kai noticed immediately and took out his foldable water bottle, pouring a little into the cap. He handed it to Bea first.

"You must be thirsty too."

Bea thanked him quietly and drank.

Misty pouted for half a second—then immediately smiled when Kai passed the bottle to her.

The water was warm.

Her heart was warmer.

Is this an indirect kiss…?

Her face flushed instantly.

And when Kai casually took a big sip afterward—without even looking—

Her face turned bright red.

Then—

Grrr~

Her stomach betrayed her.

Bea placed her backpack down and opened it—revealing a surprising amount of snacks.

She pushed most of them toward Kai and Misty.

Misty's eyes sparkled. "Thank you so much!"

From that moment on, her impression of Bea skyrocketed.

Sweet snacks restored their energy and lifted their mood.

As the fire died down and the cave cooled, Kai summoned Dragonite again, letting it wrap all three of them in its arms.

Warmth returned instantly.

And as the storm raged outside—

Inside the cave, the distance between the three quietly disappeared.

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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter

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