Big Sis Jess

After leaving the Pond, Tong Hua headed home with Turtwig and Minccino.

"Grrrr..."

It was almost two in the afternoon, and both Pokémon and Tong Hua himself were starving.

Luckily, Tong Hua had brought Berries along to tide them over. Otherwise, they might actually have fainted from hunger.

"Huh?"

When he reached the Wooden Cabin, Tong Hua instinctively took out his key to unlock the door.

But with a gentle push, the door actually opened.

"That's odd. Did Miltank open the door?"

Without a key, the only way to unlock it from outside was to force it open. But the lock was intact, so someone must have unlocked it from within.

He had clearly told them not to open the door for strangers...

Come to think of it, he seemed to have noticed that all the curtains were drawn...

Tong Hua cautiously pressed his ear against the door. Beside him, Turtwig and Minccino exchanged puzzled looks, not understanding what was going on.

He could faintly hear steady breathing inside.

Apart from that, there was no other sound.

Tong Hua carefully pushed the door open and checked that no burglar or anyone like that had broken in.

With the curtains drawn, the room was rather dim. Tong Hua narrowed his eyes, adjusting to the light. Turtwig and Minccino followed behind him, looking around warily.

"Miltank? Bounsweet?" Tong Hua called softly, but received no response.

Looking closer, Tong Hua discovered Miltank and Bounsweet lying on the bed, both Pokémon fast asleep.

Strangely, however, apart from the two of them, steady breathing was still coming from the kitchen. Someone else was definitely in the Wooden Cabin.

Could it be the Celebi? The thought had barely entered Tong Hua's mind before he dismissed it.

Tong Hua tiptoed over to the kitchen, rested his fingers lightly on the doorknob, took a deep breath, and flung the door open.

Tong Hua: "?"

What greeted him was the back of someone slumped over the kitchen counter, sound asleep.

Judging by his first impression of her from behind, she seemed to be about Tong Hua's age.

She was stylishly dressed, like a cowgirl straight out of a movie poster. Her waist-length blond hair spilled across the counter, and a brown Cowboy Hat sat crookedly on her head.

Tong Hua froze, never having expected an actual stranger to suddenly appear in his home. Turtwig and Minccino poked their heads out from behind him, looking just as bewildered.

"...Hello?"

Tong Hua called out tentatively, but she did not react. Her breathing remained even, as though she was sleeping deeply.

He carefully walked around to the front and finally got a look at her face.

Her demeanor alone gave the impression of a warm, approachable older sister. She had delicate features, a little jam smeared at the corner of her mouth, and half an unfinished Muffin clutched in her hand.

Several empty bottles were scattered across the counter. Tong Hua picked one up and looked inside. What remained seemed to be Wheat Juice.

"...Not bad.

Wait, no! Why did she come into someone else's house and get drunk in broad daylight?"

Tong Hua was just about to wake the woman and question her when he spotted a very familiar Pelipper sprawled out asleep in the corner of the kitchen...

Half an hour later, Tong Hua and the Pokémon had all finished a simple lunch before the blond woman finally stirred awake.

She groggily pushed herself up, her Cowboy Hat tilting to one side and her long blond hair falling messily over her shoulders.

Her emerald-green eyes blinked, slowly focusing on Tong Hua as he cleaned the kitchen.

"You're awake?"

Seeing that she had woken up, Tong Hua handed her a cup of warm water.

She took it and drained it in one gulp, finally becoming a little more alert.

"Burp. Hey there. You're Tong Hua, right? My name's Jess... Jess..."

She scratched her head, struggling to get her own name out. After repeating "Jess" for quite a while, she finally managed to introduce herself.

"My name's Jessica. Yeah, you can call me Big Sis Jess."

"Jessica?" Tong Hua repeated the name in confusion, then suddenly remembered something.

The dedication on the opening page of the Planting Notes the Village Chief had left him was signed Jessica.

"You're the Village Chief's granddaughter?" Tong Hua could hardly believe it.

This person who had wandered into someone else's house and gotten drunk in broad daylight had actually put together those beautifully detailed notes.

The contrast was a bit much...

"Ah, right!" Big Sis Jess slapped her forehead, almost knocking her Cowboy Hat off. She hastily straightened it and flashed a hearty smile.

"Grandpa showed you my notes, didn't he? I drew all the illustrations myself."

Tong Hua nodded, but his brow remained slightly furrowed. "But... why did you suddenly show up in my house? And even..."

Jessica scratched her cheek sheepishly, her blond hair gleaming faintly in the sunlight. "Well...

"I originally came because Grandpa told me to check whether you needed any help. I brought you a few things, too.

"But you weren't here, so I had to wait outside. Just then, a Pelipper arrived with a delivery. It knocked on the window, and Miltank opened the door.

"Oh, all the food I ate was stuff I brought myself. I didn't sneak any of yours."

After hearing her explanation, Tong Hua was somewhat speechless.

Although events had unfolded much as he had guessed, hearing that his own Miltank really had opened the door still left him with mixed feelings.

The good news was that she really hadn't opened the door for a strange "person."

The bad news was that she had let a stranger walk straight into the house.

Maybe I'd better not leave this girl in charge of the house again...

Tong Hua had also woken the delivery Pelipper earlier and sent it on its way. It seemed to have joined Big Sis Jess for some Wheat Juice, and it had flown off in a dizzy wobble.

Come to think of it, Miltank and Bounsweet still hadn't woken up. Had they sneaked a taste of the Wheat Juice too...?

Big Sis Jess stood and stretched luxuriously. The hem of her denim jacket lifted with the movement, revealing firm abs and tanned skin.

She was tall, standing a head above Tong Hua. One look was enough to tell that she was a farmer accustomed to hard, honest work.

"All right, now that you're back, I should get down to business." Jessica patted her cheeks to wake herself up completely.

She turned, pulled a package from the Leather Backpack she had brought, and handed it to Tong Hua. "Here. Grandpa asked me to bring you this."

Tong Hua accepted the package and opened it.

Inside, he found a bag of Berries, a One-Piece Raincoat, a pair of Rain Boots, and a piece of Waterproof Cloth.

They all looked sturdy and durable.

"The spring rain's been nonstop lately. Grandpa said you might find these useful." Jessica leaned against the counter with her arms folded, a faint, lazy smile on her lips.

Tong Hua felt the raincoat's material and found that it was very finely made. Loops of cord had even been carefully sewn along the edges of the Waterproof Cloth to secure it in place.

"Thank you. These really are useful." Tong Hua thanked her sincerely, then asked with some hesitation, "But... what made the Village Chief suddenly think to send these?"

Jessica blinked, a hint of mischief flashing in her emerald-green eyes. "You've been busy with spring planting lately, right? Once the spring rain hits, things can get pretty troublesome without protection."

As she spoke, she suddenly leaned close to Tong Hua, carrying a faint scent of wheat and sweet jam. "Besides... Grandpa thinks very highly of you."

Her sudden closeness made Tong Hua a little uncomfortable, and he took half a step back.

Turtwig and Minccino immediately moved in front of Tong Hua to guard him. Minccino in particular raised its tail slightly, looking wary.

At the sight, Jessica laughed and straightened up. "Your Pokémon are pretty protective of you!"

She reached out to pat Minccino's head, but the little Pokémon deftly dodged her hand.

"All right, I've delivered everything. Time for me to go."

Jessica waved casually and turned toward the door. "Oh, right. How about we grab a drink together sometime? My treat!

"Cherry Blossom Season is coming up soon, too. Want to go see the blossoms together?"

Before Tong Hua could answer, Jessica had already opened the door. Afternoon sunlight spilled in, making her blond hair sparkle.

But just as she stepped outside, a low rumble of thunder suddenly rolled across the sky.

Boom!

Immediately afterward, fat raindrops came pelting down without warning.

"Whoa!" Caught squarely in the rain, Jessica hurried back inside. "Hadn't it cleared up already? Why's it suddenly raining?!"

Tong Hua looked out the window. The sky, which had been clear just moments earlier, was once again blanketed in dark clouds. Rain poured down in torrents, the curtain of water almost obscuring the view.

"Looks like a passing shower..." Tong Hua murmured.

Jessica shook the droplets from her hair. Her Cowboy Hat was already soaked through, drooping limply on her head.

She sighed helplessly. "Well, this is a problem. I'd get drenched even with an umbrella.

"Why don't you let me shelter from the rain here for a while?"