Tonight’s Moon Is So Round

BTW, I'm on a break so my freetime has increased. Can you guys let me know which chapters feature, name mistranslations and less content. I'll start fixing them.

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"Oowoo~(≧▽≦)"

Ninetales swayed its body gently as the warm air from the hairdryer gradually dried its fur.

With its abilities, it could easily freeze the moisture on its body and shake it off, but it still enjoyed the feeling of Johan carefully drying it with the hairdryer.

On the other side, Charcadet was gently wiping the Pokémon egg with a towel, its body returning to its normal state.

Meanwhile, Kubfu and Gengar sat beside it with their hands stretched out… warming themselves by the fire.

Kubfu's fur gradually dried as well.

"Ku~ Ku~"

"Cha~"

Tinkaton exhaled lightly onto its hammer before wiping it down with a towel, producing a crisp "squeaky" sound.

Johan glanced at Flint and his Pokémon huddled in the corner and called out:

"Rotom."

"Here, Roto!"

"Fan mode."

"Understood, Roto!"

Gengar spit out a fan, and Rotom's body sparked with electricity as it dived into the fan, instantly transforming into Fan Rotom.

A gust of wind blew toward Flint and his Pokémon.

Whooosh—

"Ku?"

Feeling the wind's intensity, Flint's Infernape squinted its eyes, tears forming at the corners.

Why didn't they have all this fancy equipment?

Flint opened his mouth, and a gust of air rushed in. He quickly shut it again.

He exchanged a glance with Infernape—Actually, this isn't so bad.

Once everything was sorted out, Johan adjusted his posture and leaned comfortably against Dragonite's smooth, soft belly.

With the room warmed by Charcadet and Flint's Pokémon and the lingering warmth from the hot spring…

Lying against Dragonite's cool, squishy belly—nothing could be more comfortable.

Perfection!

Squeak—

The door slid open.

Cynthia, accompanied by her Pokémon, walked in.

She wore a loose-fitting purple bathrobe, wooden sandals clacking softly with each step. Wrapped up tightly, she still carried a lingering warmth from the hot spring.

Her waterfall-like golden hair cascaded down to her waist, and her fair cheeks were tinted with a faint pink hue from the bath. She smiled as her gaze swept over the scene before her.

Johan was sprawled out, completely at ease. Flint…

"Flint, did you change your hairstyle?"

Flint: (﹏)

Three people, a long, quiet, and comfortable night. Johan felt a thought stir in his heart.

"Let's play cards!"

His gambler's instincts reawakened.

Given the current setting, nothing could be more fitting than an intense game of Pokémon World Landlord!

"I'm in," Cynthia said, eyes curving into a smile.

"Let's do it!"

Flint rolled up his sleeves, suddenly energized.

As expected, no Trainer could resist the temptation of a card game.

As for the little ones, Johan had already prepared Pokéblocks and gourmet treats from the inn for them.

Some time later…

"This is unfair! Why isn't the Joker a Gengar?!"

—

Midnight.

The snow had stopped. A bright, full moon hung high in the night sky.

Johan and Cynthia sat at the edge of the open-air balcony, their feet soaking in the steaming hot spring.

Cynthia propped her chin up with both hands, watching as her pale feet swayed in the water like two tiny fish, mischief flashing in her eyes.

She gently kicked the water, sending droplets splashing onto Johan's face.

Her delicate feet, glistening in the moonlight, were as flawless as porcelain.

Johan: "…"

The golden-haired beauty chuckled like a playful child.

Noticing Garchomp's gaze from a distance, Johan pressed his lips together and temporarily suppressed his urge to retaliate.

Leaning back, he rested against Dragonite's belly.

Steady, even breathing came from beside him.

Cynthia, mimicking him, leaned against Dragonite's belly as well.

She had to admit—there were benefits to having a large, soft belly to rest on.

Charcadet sat cross-legged nearby, already fast asleep, yet it instinctively controlled its body temperature to keep the cold at bay for them.

Ninetales curled into Johan's lap, letting out a long yawn, its eyelids growing heavy.

"Oowoo…"

Johan gently stroked its head, smoothing down its fur as he whispered,

"Sleep."

"Oowoo~"

Ninetales nuzzled into his chest, found a comfortable position, and quietly drifted into slumber.

On the other side, Ice Eevee did the same, burrowing into Cynthia's arms.

Johan and Cynthia exchanged glances but didn't speak, mindful of the sleeping Pokémon.

Their eyes alone were enough to convey their understanding.

A gentle smile passed between them.

"Ka-kaah~~"

Gengar and Rotom tiptoed sneakily from outside, hands clasped behind their backs, looking suspicious as ever.

Earlier, they had gone to gather materials, and their return was earlier than Johan had expected.

Crossing over Tinkaton—who was sprawled out in the shape of a star—and Kubfu, who was doing push-ups with a snot bubble hanging from its nose, they stopped before Johan and Cynthia.

"Ta-da!"

The little purple rascal proudly pulled out a small bouquet of flowers and presented it to Cynthia.

Cynthia's eyes sparkled like the stars in the sky. In a soft voice, she said:

"Thank you~"

Finding fresh flowers in winter was no easy task.

"Ka-kaah~()"

Gengar grinned widely.

Then it turned to Johan and smugly raised an eyebrow.

Not long after, it let out a yawn, kicked its feet, and floated into the air, falling asleep midair.

Johan shook his head, pried open its mouth, and pulled out its precious "Spirit Cloth" from within, gently draping it over Gengar.

Gengar smacked its lips, clutched the cloth in one hand, and rolled over in satisfaction.

"You and your Pokémon really share a deep bond," Cynthia murmured.

"Do we?"

Johan chuckled.

"These little guys keep me on my toes."

"That's exactly what makes your bond so strong…"

Truthfully, though the little ones were sometimes mischievous, when it truly mattered, they would always stand by Johan's side—or even in front of him.

Mischief was just their way of interacting with him.

And for Pokémon like Gengar, being playful was simply their nature.

Most Trainers tried to suppress that nature, making them more obedient. But Johan was different—he embraced their personalities and transformed their quirks into strengths.

Honestly, spending time with them was a joy.

"Oowoo~"

Ninetales, lying on Johan's lap, rolled over, revealing its soft belly.

He couldn't resist reaching out to rub it.

"Oowoo…"

The little one murmured sleepily.

Just then—

A sudden, ethereal sound rang out.

A hazy figure appeared in their line of sight.

"…Is that…"

Both of them froze.

Johan reacted almost instantly, asking,

"This hot spring inn… it's not near Lake Verity, is it?"

Cynthia blinked.

"Probably… not far."

Lake Verity was once a volcano. Over time, the crater had transformed into a massive natural lake.

And this hot spring inn was built atop the geothermal remnants of that volcano.

Well then.

Johan sighed, accepting fate.

What's meant to come will come. What's not meant to come… won't appear even if you search for it.

Cynthia seemed to catch on and hesitantly asked,

"…Is that Mesprit?"

Mesprit, the legendary Emotion Pokémon!

Johan nodded.

"Ying~~"

The phantom form of Mesprit drifted through the air, its twin tails swaying, scattering shimmering stardust in its wake.

The sheer emotion radiating from this scene was impossible for the Emotion Pokémon to ignore.

To Mesprit, Johan and his Pokémon, Cynthia and hers—even Flint, who was snoring inside, hugging Infernape—were like beacons of light.

And among them, the bond between Johan and his Pokémon shone the brightest.

"Ying~"

With a soft chime, a tiny, crystalline feather drifted down from the sky toward Johan.

Ding-ling~~

Like the chime of a bell, Mesprit vanished.

Johan stared blankly at the small feather in his hand—far smaller than the Rainbow Wing.

No surprises. No excitement.

The Wing of Mesprit!

With this, the set was complete.

Now, with the Claw of Uxie, the Tooth of Azelf, and the Wing of Mesprit, the binding tools were all gathered.

"Finally, it's complete," Johan murmured, gazing at the delicate feather in his hand.

"What will you do with it?" Cynthia asked softly, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders.

"I'm not entirely sure yet," Johan replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "But having these might be crucial for future challenges."

Cynthia nodded, understanding the weight of his words. The legends surrounding these items were vast and varied, and their true purpose remained a mystery.

As the night deepened, the group settled into a comfortable silence, each lost in their thoughts. The gentle hum of the wind outside and the soft breathing of their Pokémon companions created a serene atmosphere.

Johan leaned back, feeling the steady rise and fall of Dragonite's belly beneath him. The warmth from Charcadet and the soothing presence of his team made him feel at peace.

"Tonight's moon is exceptionally round," Johan mused aloud, his eyes reflecting the luminous orb in the sky.

"It is," Cynthia agreed, her voice barely above a whisper. "A perfect night."

As sleep began to claim them, the last thing Johan saw was the gentle glow of the Wing of Mesprit, a reminder of the adventures that awaited them.

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Powerstones?

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