Shipping: PrimeraShipping
One-Shot 10: Villa-bration

The victory of the Orange Crew and their winner deserves a celebration...and what better place to celebrate it than the villa of a member of the Elite Four. Watching from her villa on the Southern Mandarin Island, Prima saw Ash beat Drake in the showdown of challenger and Orange Leader. Invited to her villa to enjoy the spoils, Ash, Misty, Tracey and their Pokémon friends rode Ash's Lapras to the island. "Cheers!" everyone chimed as they clapped glasses of orange soda in the middle of the picnic table outside a picturesque sunny sky. It's mild enough where even those bundled up aren't irritated by the heat the Orange Islands can offer. There's an entrée of food for both human and Pokémon. Standing behind Ash was the Orange League trophy and the GS Ball that he needed to return to Prof. Oak. Right now, it's a party to congratulate the trainer from Pallet for his wins.

"Eat up!" Prima encouraged. "There's plenty to go around!" You don't need to tell Ash twice. He's stuffing his face like no one's business.

"This is awesome!" he muffled. Misty and Tracey smiled at Ash for his childish antics like...

"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full, Ash," Misty warned. Ash heeded the advice, barely before any food got caught in his throat. He swallowed his food, perhaps a piece of his pride before taking a breather.

"Right...sorry." Tracey and Prima giggled at Ash's kiddish gimmick. It's a wonderful treat for Prima to grant Ash this prize. Prima had more to say.

"Ash, by defeating Drake, you've shown me that you're capable in understanding your Pokémon," she praised...somewhat.

"Thanks." However, she had her doubts.

"However, you're years from refined to consider you the best." Ouch! Getting set up only to get knocked down... "But it does tell me you have potential to understand how your Pokémon will act like your Charizard for instance. Also, your battling style may need some retooling." Ash gawked a little from the well-endowed Elite Four companion.

"What do you mean?" The cold smile got on Ash's nerves as Pikachu watched on.

"You're still like jagged waves, a storm unrelenting to find a calm surf. One must learn that a cool demeanor and calm mind will think clearly when the trouble rears itself. On a side note, your Pokémon have become stronger than when you battled me." To Ash, that sounded like a challenge.

"Wait until I battle you again to see how strong my Pokémon can get!" Just not now and Tracey would put him at rest.

"Ash, let's concentrate on what we need to do next," he reminded. The cooler head forced Ash to stop before he got full of himself and loss badly to Prima before.

"Yeah, good idea..." he eased. "Prof. Oak and the GS Ball." Everyone knew the real reason Ash was sent to the Orange Islands in the first place and that was getting the GS Ball from...her. Seeing the trophy next to the infamous Pokéball reminded Prima of another item.

"I almost forgot," gasped the magenta-haired host. Her high-heels clicked to her walking inside where she snagged a new trophy. It was like the Winner's Trophy but with the inscription that read "HONORABLE TRAINER." "I did say that you'd get this trophy after you beat the Orange Crew. It's the Honorable Trainer's trophy that you've earned." Ash now had two trophies to give to his mother back home.

"Thanks very much!" Ash glared at the newly acquired trophy, amazed at the shine and texture of the trophy. He'd only wished he won the Indigo League by beating Ritchie and whoever else stood in his way, not ending up in the Top 16. However, what he held to him wasn't accomplishing the Orange League, but a reminder of how far he's gone with his Pokémon.

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" To Ash, this small accomplishment gave him a big step toward becoming a Pokémon Master.

"These trophies...they mean a lot!" The humble tremble of Ash's voice tickled Prima. Pikachu climbed Ash's shoulder to see the trophies as well. "You, Charizard, Lapras, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Snorlax... Just imagine this at a bigger scale."

("I can see it now!") Pikachu awed, visions of the two crowned champions of a major Pokémon league...Delia, Prof. Oak, Misty, Brock, Tracey, Gary and many, many people they've met during their journeys. There was a jerk looking at his defeated Marowak before walking away in disgust. Ash held Pikachu as close as possible, the thrill of victory embraced with each. However, it was just a dream...for now.

"How long are you gonna stare at those trophies?" Misty teased. Hearing the redhead, Ash shyly looked back and itched his head in embarrassment.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Just caught ourselves in the moment." Misty huffed a sigh but smiled realizing that this was Ash, the same wondrous boy she's grown accustomed to and one that may never really change unless by some miracle. Prima noticed the sky getting reddish.

"Tell you what," she spoke up. "You can stay here for the night. It's...not part of the reward, just looking out for trainers like you." Thoughtful of Prima to do so. As the moon rose in the sky, Ash slumped on a sofa while Misty and Prima joined him. He wasn't asleep, just felt something was off with him.

"Is something bothering you?" Misty questioned. Pikachu woke up on the table and turned to the two young women and Togepi in Misty's arms. Ash sprung to a seating position and twisted his head to them.

"Misty..." he recognized. "Prima..." Reading his face, Prima had a good idea what's going on with Ash.

"Contemplating your future?" she guessed. From lying on the sofa to sitting on it, Ash took a big breath and relaxed.

"Yeah...I wonder if I should challenge the Indigo League again? Or find another region to compete in? Right now, it feels like I've hit a crossroad and I'm not sure what I should do next." This was supposed to be a spry young man chasing a dream since he first acquired Pikachu. Now, he looked like someone who's lost his way. Did he lose interest because he beat the Orange League? Even Misty knew Ash wouldn't act this way without reason.

"I believe you, and that's hard for me to say," she confessed. "Keep in mind you still owe me a bike and we have that GS Ball to bring back to Prof. Oak." That's when a thought struck her. "That's it! I bet the professor can give you a path to travel towards." He didn't think about that. Ash thought it couldn't hurt to check in on Oak to see about a new adventure he'd know about.

"Yeah, good idea. If anyone should know about anything new for trainers, it's the professor." He pulled out the GS Ball and gazed at the real reason for the trip to the Orange Islands in the first place. Then a Pokéball: Lapras' Pokéball. "Maybe we can also find Lapras' school." The welfare of one of Ash's Pokémon was also a priority. This worried the ladies.

"Are you saying that you want to give up your Lapras?"

"That's not it. I think there's a reason that school left Lapras behind and I doubt something like a storm would be enough to separate them." Ash may have been onto something big. Misty gawked at what Ash believed was a more serious reason for Lapras' abandonment.

"What else could there be? Team Rocket involved?"

"I wouldn't be too surprised if they're part of the problem." He had no proof but their encounters would lead to the only conclusion.

"Even so, your waves will become bothersome if you don't relent your torrent," Prima advised. Come again?

"What Prima is saying is that if you get angry a lot, you won't be able to understand," Misty clarified. Ash realized what the ladies meant.

"Sorry..." he murmured. His passion got on Prima's mind, how enthusiastic he acted to helping Pokémon drew her to him.

"So there is a burning heart for Pokémon within you," she awed. Kneeling to meet the face, her inkling inched her face to his enchanted eyes. "May the love of Pokémon save them from the evils of the world. I bestow it upon you." Sealing the deal was a sealing of lips. Prima gave Ash the kiss he'd never forget. Misty wouldn't forget it either...for an entirely different reason.

"What in the world are you doing to Ash!" she screamed, Togepi withdrawing itself to shape an egg. Prima turned while the trainer from Pallet fell on the soft sofa, encumbered by her smooch. Talk about a goodnight kiss.

"You mean to tell me that you've traveled with Ash for this long and have no feelings for him?" The face on Misty was utter shock. As true as it sounded, she refused to let her face be seen. She has feelings but...

"The only reason I'm traveling with him is that he destroyed my bike!" To Prima, it's an excuse. She had all this time from Ash's first day as a Pokémon trainer to now for her to come out and face him with her feelings. To Prima, the one who should feel ashamed for not coming forward was Misty.

"One will not know what the other realizes unless they come clean about it." Prima's specs and eyes refocused on Ash, sound asleep on the couch. "Ash needs the love and support, not just from his Pokémon. Those he comes across may share their feelings as well...perhaps to show love that you'll fail to see. At his rest, he's a river that flows with some off-chutes for his passion. You need to find his river and grow accustomed to how he flows. The two of you can learn a lot if one understands the other." Misty wanted none of Prima's words to get in her head. She headed to bed and left Ash with Prima who gathered a blanket and covered him up. Ash looked so comfortable, Prima thought that it wouldn't hurt sleeping with him. She dug in the blanket, took her heels off and snuggled next to Ash while his Pokémon fell back to sleep now that the fiasco stopped. For a member of the Elite Four, seeing her cuddling with someone like Ash was...cute. The next morning rose. Ash woke to the sound of the receiver of the video phone hanging up. Prima came by Ash with some information. "Good news." Ash could only wonder what news Prima had.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I got a report about where a school of Lapras were found. It's southwest of here. It could be the school which your Lapras came from." Ash figured that reuniting his Lapras with the group it came from was nearby. They needed to go right away.

"Okay. As soon as Misty and Tracey get ready, we'll head out toward that school." Just before the afternoon, the trainers boarded Lapras for the group. "Just imagine, Lapras. You get to tell your family about winning the Orange League. I bet they'll be proud of what you did." The Transport Pokémon wailed in excitement about getting back to the school which broke away from him.

"Lapras can't wait to get back to that school," Tracey studied. "I can tell that from its wail." Misty could agree. Just as they were taking off, Prima found them to wish farewell.

"So this is it," she discovered. "Ash, may the rest of your journeys be as fulfilling as here in the Orange Islands." Ash nodded to her request.

"Don't worry!" he smirked. "And one day, I'll come back to challenge you to another Pokémon battle!" Prima couldn't wait for that day to come. Lapras swam out, leaving the island as Prima watched. As the heroes drifted to sea, Tracey noticed Ash's smile so wide.

"Ash, did something happen last night?" he questioned. "I haven't seen you this happy since I met you." Misty wasn't as happy as Ash. She was steaming.

"Just imagine if you got some love from a member of the Elite Four," she murmured. Hearing that, Tracey had a mental photo of Ash and Prima making out. Needless to say, it freaked the Pokémon Watcher out. The kiss from Prima wasn't as cold as her Pokémon, but it did give Misty the cold shoulder on what love is.

END of ICE

(Since someone else did this, and that I couldn't think of another Ice trainer, Lorelei or Prima sounded like a decent choice. Keep up on those votes.)