Itâs a Friday night, Brock and I are at a small PokĂ©Mart near Pewter City called âThe Ordinary PokĂ©Stop.â Weâre nestled into a cozy little corner booth, the dim light glinting off the PokĂ©Balls clipped to Brockâs belt. Weâre waiting for Ashâwhoâs running late, as usual. This PokĂ©Mart is one of Brockâs favorites because of their âBerry Blends,â and his taste in exotic PokĂ©-themed smoothies is as unpredictable as ever. Tonight, weâre sipping on âMiltank Malt,â a rich, creamy blend of MooMoo Milk and Oran Berries.
Weâre on our secondâand Iâm starting to feel the sugar rushâdid I mention Ash is running late? On a celebratory note, Brock finally perfected his recipe for âRock Candy Rice Cakes,â and I just won my third straight battle at the Vermilion Gym with Magikarp in my lineup.
But more importantly, earlier today, I stopped by Mt. Moon and stumbled across something remarkable: a Moonstone. As soon as I picked it up, it seemed to hum faintly in my hand, like it was alive. I tucked it safely into my pack, but even now, I can feel its faint warmth.
So, weâre sitting there, sipping our drinks and sharing a basket of PokĂ© Puffs when this guy walks inâa cool, scruffy Ace Trainer named Milo. Heâs carrying a bottle of Soda Pop and wearing a slightly rumpled Team Rocket hoodie, which is either ironic or incredibly bold. Heâs got that charming, disheveled look that you canât quite trust.
At first, heâs just passing by, but then he stops and glances at us. âYou wouldnât happen to be Ash Ketchumâs crew, would you?â he asks, raising an eyebrow.
âNo,â I reply casually, âNever heard of him.â
âYou sure? Youâve got that whole underdog vibe,â he presses.
âWell, I wouldnât know,â I shrug.
âBut Ash wouldnât hang out in a dive like this,â he teases.
âOh, yes he would,â Brock says, deadpan, not missing a beat.
Then it hits meâMilo was in the tournament Ash and I just watched in Celadon. âWaitâyou were in that match against Erikaâs gym team last week, werenât you? Congrats on your big win!â
âThanks for bringing that up,â Milo says dryly, a faint blush rising.
âWe lost. Her Bellossom wiped us outâcritical hits, all day. Total bad luck.â
âBad luck,â Brock chuckles. âThatâs one way to put it.â
Milo looks a little deflated, so I motion for him to take a seat. He slides in beside Brock, who offers him a cheerful nod. âMilo,â he says.
âI KNOW,â Brock says slyly. Weâve talked about him beforeâBrock thinks his battle strategy is solid, but his PokĂ©Fashion? Not so much.
âDo you believe in luck?â Milo asks suddenly, looking at both of us.
âAbsolutely,â I reply, sitting up. âI mean, how else do you explain Magikarp getting a win? I always carry a lucky Moonstone with meâitâs way more reliable than, you know, strategy or training.â
âYou have it on you now?â he asks, curious.
âAlways,â I say, pulling it out of my pack and holding it up. The light catches the faint, shimmering surface.
âDoes it really work?â he asks, raising an eyebrow.
âWell, Magikarp won, didnât it?â I joke, tucking it back in my bag. âThough I guess Iâm living proof that luck is, uh, inconsistent.â
âBrockâs into luck, too,â I add, gesturing toward him.
âAll breeders are superstitious,â Brock declares solemnly. âBack home, my sisters used to throw Clefairy dolls into the cave by Mt. Moon to ensure a good egg hatch.â
Milo laughs out loud, nearly choking on his Soda Pop. âAnd it worked, huh?â he says, smirking as he clinks his glass with Brockâs.
âWe have a saying,â Brock adds with a knowing smile, âItâs better to have a lucky Magikarp than a perfect Gyarados.â
Just as Milo nods thoughtfully, agreeing with this ancient wisdom, Ash bursts through the doors, slightly out of breath. âYouâll never believe what Pikachu just did,â he announces. Typical Ashâalways the center of the story.