Welcome back everyone! Last time Ash managed to complete his midterm and head right off to the Orange Islands alongside Corey and quite a few other students. Though, it won't be all sunshine and relaxation for Ash.

Ch 21: The Vacation

Ash tossed around within his bed for a moment, the sunlight shining through the window as a groan escaped from his mouth. His eyes fluttered open for a second as he looked around the hotel room he had been assigned. The area held three beds along with a television that was currently airing a rerun from a local tournament. One of the trainers appeared to sweep the entire match with just a Ditto, but Ash couldn't quite tell. He figured they must have fallen asleep with the television on, the boy shutting it off with the remote near his bed.

As he sat up the boy tried to remember the previous day after their arrival on the island, but most of it appeared to be a blur for him. All he could seemingly remember was their arrival at the hotel, some exploration of the island and then a shower before he returned to his room for the night. His head spun for a moment as he got out of bed, Pikachu still sprawled across the covers of their bed as the boy noticed Thad was gone. He hadn't been excited to hear that the rather strange boy was going to be one of his roommates, but his nerves had relaxed upon hearing that the other member of their room was also from their class. Though he had rarely talked to Tyson, he was glad to have the boy in the room.

Looking at the still asleep boy, Ash wondered just where Thad could have run off to since it wasn't even seven in the morning yet. Reaching down, he grabbed his backpack as he tossed the clothes within onto the floor. Though he was careful to make sure his feather didn't join the pile, instead keeping it zipped within his backpack. His hands rummaged through the pile until he grabbed ahold of a pair of pants and a clean shirt. He could hear his mother's voice ring throughout his head, her voice telling him to change his underwear, but the boy ignored it as the pair were still fresh after his shower last night. With a swift movement he tossed the black shirt over his torso as it slid down and sat snuggly against his chest before his legs were shoved into his jeans.

Now dressed, Ash nudged Pikachu slightly as the Electric-Type woke up with a light yawn. A few sparks flew from his cheeks, but they didn't appear to disturb the sleeping Tyson. Instead the boy merely turned away from the duo.

"Let's get something good to eat. Corey mentioned there's a breakfast buffet," Ash whispered as Pikachu nodded in agreement. Quietly placing his shoes on, Ash grabbed ahold of his bag before the duo rushed out the door. The hallway was just as empty as most doors on the floor remained shut. The boy wondered just how many of the students were awake at this point considering the hotel was filled with about five schools.

His feet shuffled against the floor as he passed each shut door, occasionally passing an open one. Without any thought he climbed down the stairs as Pikachu slid down the railing before the duo reached the bottom floor. As they trekked across the main floor Ash passed by the check-in desk before the tantalizing smell of breakfast pierced his nostrils. He felt the saliva starting to pool within his mouth as Pikachu ran off towards the smell. His feet gave chase as Pikachu picked up speed, the Electric-Type stopping before two large doors. A sign sat outside where it mentioned that the complimentary breakfast buffet would be held until nine.

Without a moment of hesitation Ash opened the door as he noted the emptiness of the room. Circular tables filled the center of the room as tables filled with food lined the back wall. He could see different pans and plates sitting across the table as a few students picked at the food. His eyes immediately noted the different options, Pikachu scurrying towards the buffet table. With a swift motion Ash grabbed a plate for himself as he first reached for two pancakes which were met with a few strips of bacon and a pile of home fries. He then scooped a small amount of scrambled eggs onto his plate as he made his way towards the beverages, a glass of milk being the one he chose.

Turning from the table his eyes scanned the nearly empty room for a place to eat, his options limitless as every location held open seats. For a moment his eyes landed upon Ritchie, his former classmate sitting with two other students. He also noticed Ash as he waved the boy over only for his offer to go ignored. Ash instead moving towards a table where a single boy sat.

Pulling a chair out, Ash sat down as his presence didn't seem to disturb the boy. Instead he continued to devour the stacked plate before him. Ash gulped at the pile of food stacked on a single plate as he wondered if the boy had never heard of a buffet or how they worked. Pikachu, however, couldn't have cared less as he started to chew away at the scrambled eggs on Ash's plate. Though something about the boy seemed familiar, an image coming to Ash as the student brought his head up for a breath of air. Goggles rested atop his head as Ash noted some syrup smudged against the lenses. He quickly realized that it was the boy from one of the shuttles he had incorrectly stumbled upon.

"Didn't see you there," the boy stated as Ash blinked. He hadn't even thought of what to say before the boy started to dig in again. His pace appeared to slow down a bit now as Ash started to tear into his own plate.

"Names, Jimmy. You also here on vacation? Stupid question, of course you are if you're here," the boy managed to state between swallows. Ash dropped his fork at the boy's enthusiasm, completely caught off-guard by it being this early in the morning. Normally his classmates were either half asleep or held an attitude that was the opposite of this boy.

"I'm Ash," the Pallet Town native finally managed to get out. He took a sip of his milk while noting that the boy was already finished with his plate. Placing his cup down, Ash noted that a few more students were now entering the room as Tyson along with a few others he had never seen were now present. "It's the first time I've ever been here so I'm actually a bit excited to see the place. I heard there could be some strong trainers here."

"Which school? I know you're definitely not from New Bark. Otherwise I'd have seen you."

"New Bark? Never heard of that one," Ash muttered out. Jimmy seemed to notice his confusion, the boy tapping his fork against his plate as Ash took another bite. "Is that like a new school? Or is it just not a major school?"

"We're actually the only school in Johto right now. Technically there's only two grades at the moment since we just got up and running not too long ago.

"But if you're looking for tough trainers there's this one kid in our class who's a beast. He beat everyone in our midterms, even me! Couldn't believe it. But other than him and me...we're not so great."

Ash nodded as he tried to understand the boy amidst his enthusiasm. He wondered just who this student could have been if he managed to defeat every student in their class. Ash looked down towards his plate for a moment as Pikachu reached for a few home fries, Ash sliding them towards his partner.

"Is he here?" Ash finally asked. The question getting a head nod from Jimmy. Ash wanted to ask the boy a few more questions but a sudden beeping noise echoed through the room. A few other students looked around the area as Jimmy scrounged around in his pockets until a Pokégear sat amidst his hand. Pressing a small button, the alarm came to an end, Jimmy embarrassed by the noise as he shoved the device back into his pocket.

"Sorry, just a reminder."

"Oh?"

"Yeah! They're holding scuba lessons and I've never done them before, so I didn't want to miss it. I've been needing this vacation for too long! The beach, the parks and most of all the food, it's everything I could ask for!"

"Scuba lessons sound amazing. When are they?"

"Well...that's the problem..." Jimmy trailed off as he pulled the Pokégear back out of his pocket. He handed the device towards Ash as the boy felt his face drop. The device held over a dozen alarms but they were for each hour of the day. "I kind of don't know what time they start at, so I just have alarms to check every hour."

"Really, Jimmy?" a new voice called out. Ash turned towards it as a younger girl came walking towards their table. She had on a pink t-shirt that was covered by a white windbreaker that was open. She also had a pair of gray athletic shorts on as a hat sat atop her blue hair that took on two pigtails at the ends. Her hands rested upon her hips, cheeks puffed out slightly as she glared at the boy. Another boy stood behind her as he held two plates of food.

"I told you four times yesterday when it would begin!"

"What do you expect, Marina, he has rocks for brains."

"This is coming from the guy who failed his midterm," Jimmy muttered. The boy across from him slammed his plates onto the table as Ash watched a sausage roll off one of them. The other boy, dressed in a green polo shirt and khakis, seemed exasperated from the statement as he crossed his arms.

"That was only the practical! You know I scored the highest on the written portion!"

"Heh. What good will that do when you're in a real battle?"

The two boys were nearly upon each other now as Ash nervously skidded his chair backwards. He had been in his own fair share of fights and knew when it was best to not get involved. Though to his surprise the girl sat down at the table as she slid her plate towards herself. A sigh escaped her lips as her fingers strummed against the table.

"These two are always like this for some reason…" Marina muttered out. She plopped her fork full of pancake into her mouth as the food was chewed upon and swallowed. Ash however paid more attention to the two boys, Jimmy now holding the other in a headlock as he struggled to be freed.

A fork entered Ash's view as Marina twirled it before the boy, Pikachu reaching for it only for Ash to pull him away. "I hate to say it, sweetie, but it's too late to register for scuba lessons today. They filled all the spots already.

"But you could always swing by, maybe someone dropped out. Not like they'll be held every day this week. It's at nine, noon and three. There's three classes across the day."

"Thanks," Ash replied as he rubbed the back of his head. "I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town."

"Marina of New Bark Town. You've already met Jimmy, but the other boy is Vincent. He's very sweet but a bit overprotective of his friends," Marina replied. The girl giggling for a moment as Ash felt a pair of eyes digging into his body. His eyes slowly moved over towards Jimmy and Vincent, the latter shooting daggers at him with his eyes.

"Jimmy, what's that guy doing being all sweet to my Marina?"

"What do you mean by your Marina?"

Marina just smiled at the two's argument as Ash wondered what the relationship between the three was really like. Though in a way he felt it reminded him of Corey and his friends, especially the similarities between Jimmy and Vincent and Corey and Fergus. Standing, Ash grabbed his plate as Pikachu leapt onto his shoulder.

"It's been a pleasure meeting all of you, but I think I'm gonna explore the island a little. Jimmy, think you could introduce me to that guy later?"

"Sure thing, Ash. I'm sure he would love to face different trainers too."

With that Ash made his way from the table and towards the exit, dropping his plate in a bin filled with sudsy water along the way. A few other students entered the room as Ash left, the boy swearing he had seen the likes of Jeanette and Otoshi strolling in. Back in the main entrance to the hotel, he noted how the ferry was scheduled to take trips towards the surrounding islands for the entire week.

But for the time being he had no reason to leave Pummelo Island. Especially since he hadn't explored a single bit of the island. Stretching alongside Pikachu, the duo pounced out the door as the intense rays of the sun struck them immediately. The sensation sweat ran down Ash's back as he searched for shade, the boy finding some under a tree.

"I don't think I'll get used to the heat."

"Pikapi..." Pikachu muttered in agreement. The Electric-Type sat atop his head lazily, his body spread out as his stomach pressed against Ash's skull. His hat rested atop Pikachu, doing its best to shade the Electric-Type from the rays of the sun.

The clock in front of the hotel read roughly half past eight for Ash as he composed himself before stepping out into the sun again. People everywhere were dressed in swimsuits or beachwear of some kind as he watched them stroll down the road towards the ocean.

Besides the beach he had also heard of a battle stadium within the town along with some shops that were well known for their souvenirs. He definitely wanted to pick up a few for his friends that weren't on the trip and his mother.

"The beach will be there later, Pikachu. How about we explore the island a little? Besides, Corey said he wanted to meet up around noon. That gives us three hours."

Pikachu nodded at the statement as Ash took off down the road. A few stares were shot in his direction as the boy figured it was odd to not head to beach. Though he figured he also wasn't in the proper attire for such a place, his jeans making him wish he had packed shorts. His feet carried him out of the hotel's parking lot as he passed the multiple shuttles that brought them there and made it out onto the sidewalk. A few cars passed by him now, the boy able to see a few buildings off in the distance as a stadium was erected out of a cliff. He could see statues aligned at the top of it, but he failed to make out what the statues were depicting.

As he made his way into town, he noticed a change in appearance as those he saw were dressed less for a tropical vacation and more for the grueling labors of work. Shopkeepers stood in the windows as Ash felt them watch him pass by, the boy also noticing a few farmers selling their crops to the local vendors as their trucks sat there loaded. It reminded him a bit of his own hometown as what appeared to be a school sat nearby. Ash wondered if anyone was present at the building, but quickly ignored it as he passed it by.

"Nothing looks good here," Ash muttered to his partner. Pikachu however remained silent, the sensation of wind alerting Ash that Pikachu resorted to fanning himself with the hat. Pulling a small wallet out of his backpack, Ash looked at the small amount of money he had within it. The cash being awarded to him from a few battles he won during his time away from class. Luckily for him he hadn't lost, otherwise he would have been forced to call his mother for money to pay the trainers. He hadn't heard of it, but both Leaf and Janine explained how with some battles, while rare, trainers would wager money on them. Regardless, he was fortunate for it now as he wondered what he could get for a decent price.

It didn't help that all the vendors nearby appeared to have rather cheap items. None of them catching his eye as he examined one booth. It all seemed like a tourist trap as Ash began his climb towards the stadium, passing a few buildings along the way. His eyes wandered about once more at the different stores before checking the time. He still had a bit more before he had to meet up with Corey. The boy decided to use it to check out the stadium, as it was he would have an entire week to find souvenirs.

His feet struck the ground like lightning as he rushed up the stairs. His enthusiasm took over as he hoped a match would be in progress. Eventually Ash reached the stadium as silence filled his eardrums, a sure sign that nothing was taking part. Taking a look around, Ash recognized the statutes atop the stadium as Dragonite. The creature looked quite formidable as he heard Pikachu sigh out. He took that as a sign to get his best friend out of the sun.

Stepping through the colosseum-like entrance, Ash danced around the pillars until he entered the concourse. To his surprise the entire stadium had been built from marble as his hands slid across the surface of a wall. He followed along the circular path until an entrance to the field was present, the boy taking it as his eyes widened from the awe of it.

The seating took on a very olden view to him, the seats made of stone as the circular design made Ash wonder if he was at a stadium for Pokémon battles or a gladiator fight. The field down below just an open, dirt circle but he could see a line split across the middle. No doubt that was for the different fields which were most likely housed underneath the stadium. His eyes continued to look around as he realized instantly that some sections had been renovated recently as television booths sat midway up the seating. Likewise, a large scoreboard sat atop the walls on either side of the stadium as a thin cable could be seen attaching the two screens. Ash wondered for a second if they had a camera run across it for aerial views for their broadcasting.

Ash's observations were cut short as the sound of shoes striking the marble floor alerted him to a new presence. They didn't appear to be running but it felt like the person was rather trailing him. A sudden drop in temperature made Ash feel fortunate as Pikachu perked up from it. Though he immediately knew it was odd, especially since they were in a tropical setting with no rain in the forecast to cool the area down. Likewise, the building obviously lacked air conditioning so it put the boy slightly on edge.

Pikachu leapt from Ash's head, the boy's hat still atop him as his cheeks sparked slightly. Ash's eyes darted side to side as he failed to notice another body within the area. He didn't like the current situation but knew he had to play it carefully, his feet slowly moving forward as Pikachu followed him. The duo made it back onto the concourse without any other person entering their line of sight. The duo paused for a moment as they calmed their nerves, the temperature starting to cool again as the sound of footsteps entered their vicinity once more.

"Let's get out of here, Pikachu."

"Pi!" Pikachu agreed.

The duo wasted no time as they booked it out of there, Ash turning around for one moment only as he could have sworn he saw a Gengar emerge from the marble floor. Part of him wanted to go back and investigate but he wondered if that's what whoever was there wanted. Instead he placed his head down and continued towards the city. His feet slammed against the unpaved road as he decided to just head straight to the hotel, the words from Misty ringing through his head.

"You're the reason the schools are under scrutiny."

He shook his head at that as Pikachu leapt atop his shoulder, his hat being placed atop his head now. He didn't want to be responsible for anything else, especially during this trip. He couldn't ruin it for everyone else by getting involved in something. For all he knew, it could have just been part of security to keep people out of the stadium. His view changed quickly as the buildings gave way to the vendors and outdoor market once more. The area was livelier now as what Ash assumed were citizens of the town were buying their groceries now.

He weaved between the many customers until finally he was back on the main road. The feeling that whoever was watching him now gone the boy slowed his pace down as he began walking. A few cars passed by him once more as the boy stared out towards the ocean. The sun shined off it brightly as a small breeze passed through, the coolness created by it feeling different than the one he felt back at the colosseum. That one had felt similar to what he felt at times in class.

"Pikachu, did you smell anyone when we were back there?" Ash asked as he threw his hands behind his head. Off in the distance sat the hotel as he watched a few vehicles pull into its parking lot. It seemed a bit more crowded as he watched a few students board a shuttle for parts unknown. Groups also appeared to walk from the main entrance, a few heading into the city while others explored the resort.

"Pipi," Pikachu replied. Based on the head movement alone Ash realized his best friend hadn't smelt another person. However, he was certain that he saw something back there. Choosing to ignore that thought, he stumbled past the parking lot and towards the spot he agreed to meet up with Corey.

The sun was now straight above him as Ash felt the sweat start to take over, his shirt now drenched as he looked for a spot to sit in. It was nearly noon now as he watched a few different activities go on. A few students appeared to be playing tennis with their Pokémon as he also noticed a group taking part in the scuba lessons that Jimmy had mentioned earlier. Though to Ash there still had been no sight of Corey or the others, Ash growing slightly impatient as it felt like he was wasting time.

His foot started to tap against the ground, his sneaker kicking up dirt as he continued to look at a nearby clock. It wasn't like Corey to be late, but here he was already fifteen minutes behind schedule. Ash was ready to give up and go explore elsewhere when he heard the older boy's voice.

"Hey, Ash!" Corey called out to him. Ash stopped tapping his foot at that, the boy instead moving towards the older student. But the Pallet Town native was confused when he saw two pieces of paper held within Corey's hand. "Sorry for making you wait, I had to make some last-minute adjustments first."

"I still have no clue what's going on," Ash replied in a half-serious tone. With a slight tilt of his head, the boy stared at the two papers. Within seconds he recognized them as tickets, but to what he had no clue.

"We're going on a little side trip for the day. I hope you don't mind, but I need to go visit Valencia Island and figured you would love to see it," Corey explained. The older boy handed one of the two tickets over, Ash gripping it lightly as it blew in the breeze. "We won't be long. In fact, we should be back by dinner tonight if it all goes well."

Ash remained silent, the boy unable to say a word as Corey started to walk away. When the boy made it sound like he had something amazing to show him before the trip, he hadn't thought it was just another island. In fact, Ash had hoped it had been some special training technique or maybe even a rare Pokémon. But he couldn't say no, not at this point.

Still silent, Ash followed Corey as the duo made their way around the hotel complex and back towards the front of the area. As they emerged around the corner however, Ash was surprised to see a line already forming at the shuttle.

"Are all these people heading there too?"

"Of course not. The shuttle takes everyone to the port where different vessels head for different islands. We'll be taking a high-speed ferry, courtesy of the League."

"Wait, why the League?" Ash asked as they got in line. As the students in front of them boarded one at a time, Ash could make out a few different students as he saw the likes of Ritchie and Thad sitting down in different seats on the shuttle. Though still in line appeared to be someone he hadn't expected to see there as he could barely see the shorter Pete Pebbleman due to everyone towering over him.

"Truthfully I have no clue," Corey laughed out. The boy rubbed at the back of his head as Ash realized he still wore his orange track suit, the younger boy unable to comprehend how that was possible in this heat. "All I know is Surge wants me to pick some package up for Professor Oak. But I figured since you're from Pallet Town, you could deliver it instead."

"So I'm just the middleman."

"Pretty much!" Corey stated. Ash narrowed his eyes at that statement, the duo now boarding the shuttle as its doors shut behind them. Finding an open seat, Corey plopped himself down into it as Ash followed suit. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Don't think of it as you being a delivery boy, but rather an adventure.

Valencia Island is home to many rare Pokémon. Or rather rare forms of Pokémon since I heard there are different colored Pokémon that reside there."

Ash had no clue what the older student meant, but he nodded his head anyways as the vehicle pulled out of parking lot. Instead of turning towards the town, however, it took a left and followed the paved road. Ash stared out the window, Pikachu crawling over Corey to also look, as he made out the sight of the ocean beside them. It glistened in the afternoon sun as he could make out a few different ships and sailboats out on the water. There were even trainers battling on top of the water courtesy of platforms as he watched a Gyarados launch a Hyper Beam into the ocean. Waves shot upwards from the attack, the water looking like a downpour as it rejoined the ocean.

To Ash's surprise the drive was rather short, maybe five minutes at most, as he could already make out the port. All different styles of ships sat parked at the location, a large terminal being the only thing that separated the boats and the harbor from the groups of citizens that walked around. Ash noted how a few stores were located here along with some seafood restaurants, but for the most part it was pretty deserted. One ship appeared to be arriving as the shuttle came to a stop at their destination, a handful of sailors getting off as they helped unload the vessel's cargo.

As the doors to the shuttle opened, Ash found himself standing along with every other member of the vehicle. Within moments he found himself making his way to the front, his feet stepping down against the cement as the smell of fish entered his nostrils. A musty smell fought for control as Ash watched crates be unloaded from the ship that had come in, an unfamiliar stench radiating from them. The Pallet Town native wanted to continue to look around, but Corey had other ideas as he grabbed Ash by the back of his shirt.

"We should get onto the ferry so we can get back here sooner."

"Which one is it?" Ash asked as he wrangled himself loose of the boy's grip. Corey merely pointed to a sleek looking boat, only a few students waiting before it as Ash followed behind Corey. The design definitely gave way to a feeling that it could traverse the ocean quickly, though once he was on the inside he was surprised at how fancy it seemed.

Furniture lined the inside as Ash felt his feet plant against the carpeted floor. Stairs led to the outside along with the upper deck, but Ash decided to explore the innards first, a few couches stationed by the windows drew Pikachu's attention as the Electric-Type laid across one of them. Tables with refreshments lined the middle of the room as both Ash and Corey grabbed one, the two boys now heading outside as they felt the boat's engine rev.

"Trust me when I say this is fast," Corey stated, the two boys making it to the top of the stairs. Ash momentarily felt his body push backwards as the ship shot off for their destination, a few others needing to hold onto the support railings until their bodies got used to it. A few boats could be seen in the distance as they sailed for different islands, Ash noting their slower speed as they already approached a few islands. "We should reach there before you know it."

"Is this one Valencia?"

"Nah. That's Rind Island. I heard there's mass Magikarp evolutions there each year," Corey replied. The boy allowed a yawn to escape from his lips, Ash knowing full well what would come next. With just a simple wave of his hand, Corey made his way back down into the lower section of the boat as Ash leaned against the railing.

"There's so many places I won't have a chance to see," he muttered. As the wind kicked around him, Ash planted a hand against his hat to keep it from flying off. His other sat comfortably within his pocket as he noticed another island far off in the distance. A thunderstorm seemed to be forming over it as dark clouds raged in the distance, but luckily, they weren't sailing towards them.

"Maybe I'll come explore the Orange Islands during summer vacation."

"Already scheduling plans? For the Neanderthal you are, there's quite the lively thoughts dwelling within."

Ash jumped at first, the boy not expecting anyone to talk to him. Though when his eyes landed upon Thad adjusting a tie, he still felt uneasy. His eyes narrowed at the boy as Thad finished adjusting his tie, his body now leaning against the railing as wind blew through his hair. A devilish smirk sat atop his face as Ash could feel his eyes plastered on his backpack.

"Valencia Island is quite the perplexing place. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Never been there so beats me." Ash took a step away from the boy as he wondered how he could be dressed in a suit coat, the white outfit making Ash sweat just by looking at it. Thad appeared unaffected however as a coolness swept over the top deck for a moment. It reminded Ash of what he felt at the stadium, but it was gone too quickly for him to compare. "Heard there were some specially colored Pokémon though."

"Exactly," Thad responded with a snap of his finger.

"You'd surmise that the climate here would establish such a conundrum across all the islands. But it's only Valencia. Quite the spectacular circumstance."

"Yeah. Sure," Ash responded. The boy started to walk back towards the stairs. He wanted to get away from Thad but before he could the boy reached forward and grabbed his backpack. The force used was much stronger than Ash expected as he struggled to break free, Thad pulling him closer as the boy chuckled oddly.

"Why the scramble? Wouldn't this alluring scenery transcend the dull interior of the ship?"

"I'd rather go sit for a bit."

"Stay, I insist," Thad stated, his voice low as he swung an arm around Ash's shoulder. The Pallet Town native's heart started to beat, the look Thad was giving him told he had no choice in this as he realized everyone else who had been with them were now gone. A few other islands appeared out in the distance now as Ash tried to use them to calm his nerves. The boy wondered what might have been on them, but it did little as his eyes kept darting back towards Thad.

The boy remained silent as Ash wondered just what he wanted. While he had always been a bit strange, this was in a sense their first real interaction since the Class Battle and it had him on edge. Luckily the sound of footsteps echoed as someone climbed the stairs, a yawn joining them as Ash recognized the first bits of hair that emerged above the railing. An orange collar joined it as Corey's face was covered by his hand, the boy stifling a yawn.

"I forgot to mention..." he began to say, his voice trailing as he saw the situation. Ash hoped he could tell things were odd between him and Thad, though based on his tone Ash figured he already knew that. Rubbing at his eyes, Corey stared down Thad as he took a step closer.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something, Ash? A friend of yours?"

"I consider myself more of an acquaintance," Thad stated as he removed his arm from Ash's shoulder. Ash took this chance to move towards Corey, the older boy standing between him and Thad as he continued to watch the eccentric boy. Thad seemed unfazed by it all, running his hand through his hair for a moment before walking away. He paused for a moment as he grinned towards Corey. "Oh, Mr. Big Three, it might be paramount for you to stay out of others' business."

"Is that supposed to be a threat," Corey replied. Ash now noticed that one hand rested atop a pokeball while the other was planted against his chest. Ash could feel Corey's fingers twitch for a moment as he pushed Ash back a few steps. The younger student wondered if something was about to break out here as he reached for his own pokeball to be prepared. Though he wished Pikachu had been awake in that moment.

"If you'd like to receive it as such. Consider it friendly advice however."

With that Thad began to walk away, a sigh escaping from Corey as his arms sagged. Any tension in the air vanished as Corey seemed to relax now, though his eyes remained planted on the retreating Thad. With a gentle push he motioned for Ash to head back towards the interior level of the boat as the duo descended the stairs.

"Who was that?" Corey asked as they made it back inside. He seemed rather interested in Thad now, a dent present on his cheek as he chewed on the inside of it. Sitting on one of the couches, Ash noted how no one seemed to be inside now. He wondered if they just happened to move outside as he noticed a few more islands pass by.

"Just a classmate of mine," Ash replied. Now awake, Pikachu scurried over to him as he laid across Ash's lap, the boy rubbing at Pikachu's stomach. "He's always been strange, but never like that."

"I don't want you around him. I don't have a good feeling about him."

"That's a bit hard when I'm rooming with him here."

"Not anymore," Corey stated as he leaned forward. His elbows dug into his knees as he appeared to be deep in thought. Ash stared at the boy, unsure of where he was going with it all. Though before either said a word, the boat came to a stop.

"We have reached our destination of Valencia Island. We would like to thank everyone who chose to ride with us. Our next voyage to Pummelo will occur in one hour. Our vessel will make a trip every hour."

Ash rose at those words, Corey joining him as the duo stared at the clock. It read roughly one in the afternoon as Ash realized it really did take no time at all. As they disembarked from the ship, Ash looked around for the other students but couldn't seem to find any. He wondered if they had already taken off, or even if they were still on the boat. Regardless, he followed Corey as the boy took off down a dirt path.

"Yeah. That'll work for sure," the older boy muttered out. Ash and Pikachu exchanged a look of confusion as Corey turned towards them. He quickly slammed his fist into his palm as both hands shot behind his head. "I'm sure Fergus will complain at first, but he'll have to get used to it."

"You okay, Corey?"

"Perfectly fine. But I figured out your roommate problem."

"You did?" Ash asked. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a Butterfree that was sitting atop one of the trees. Though unlike his, this one was a darker shade of purple, its wings also a bit darker as spots were on them as well.

"Yep! You'll room with Fergus and me."

Ash nearly fell over from that declaration, the boy feeling a bit awkward over the thought of intruding on their room. Especially since it was due to a situation he could have avoided if he moved faster when they first got to the hotel. Though he figured that Corey was being generous with the offer. With a simple "thanks" Ash took the boy up on his offer as he figured he could grab his clothes when they returned to the hotel.

Walking down the dirt path, the duo remained in silence as Ash looked at all the different Pokémon, a few buildings now visible in the distance as Corey pointed out they were part of the only town on the island.

I wonder how many people live here, Ash thought to himself as they could see a fork in the road. One path headed off towards the buildings courtesy of a path through the forest while another followed the ocean, Corey choosing that path as Ash chased after the boy.

"It shouldn't be that far," Corey stated as he looked over his shoulder. Ash followed the boy as he watched a Cloyster emerge from the nearby water. The creature dove right back under as Ash wondered what other Water-Type Pokémon were living in the ocean.

A sudden cry from Corey, however, broke his train of thought as a large building sat before them. The structure was rather small, a sliding door in the front as the stone building reached out towards the edge of the cliff. Ash wondered if this was their destination, though based on Corey's continued pace he felt there was no need to ask.

Instead he followed the boy as he knocked on the door. Silence followed as Ash figured no one was home, Corey likewise about to go check around the backside only for the door to slide open. An older woman stood in the doorway dressed in nothing but a swimsuit and a lab coat. To Ash she seemed rather unprofessional but when he turned towards Corey, he saw what looked to be a slight blush form on the older boy's face.

"Ah, you must be the one's Samuel was talking about."

"Y-Yeah," Corey stuttered out as he shook his head. Ash rolled his eyes at the boy; he had never pictured him to be similar to Brock when it came to this sort of stuff. "There's some sort of package he needs?"

"You could say that," the woman replied as she motioned them inside. A yawn escaped from her mouth as Ash and Corey followed her inside. Once inside, Ash blinked a few times at the mess that was present as stacks of papers were everywhere. On top of that, trash littered the floors as bags packed with old takeout sat half closed. The smell caused Ash to grab at his nose for a moment, even Pikachu gagging as the woman paid it no attention.

"Please excuse the mess, my work keeps me too busy to clean up and my assistants are out in the field right now."

Ash narrowed his eyes as he felt those words were targeted towards him, the boy following the small group as they exited the front room and headed for a hallway. Unlike the living section of the building, this area was clean as the pristine hallway lacked any trash or papers that filled the front of the house. Instead they came to a door to which the woman pulled a keycard out for.

Scanning it, the woman placed it back in her lab coat pocket as Ash stole a glance at it. He saw that her name on the card was listed as Professor Ivy, though in that moment he realized the woman had never introduced herself. It made him wonder if she barely interacted with anyone to the point she never introduced herself.

"So, this is it," Professor Ivy stated as she yawned once more, her hands rubbing at her eyes as a device rose from the floor. It reminded Ash of the device that housed pokeballs for beginning trainers back at Professor Oak's, but this time it opened up to reveal a single pokeball. It looked nothing like the ones Ash had ever seen, the device being half gold and half silver as a "G" and "S" were engraved on it. "I discovered it one night and tried to research it, but nothing happens when you try to activate it. I called Samuel and he asked if he could take a look."

"Why didn't you try to transport it through the transport system? Shouldn't a pokeball work like that?" Corey asked, his hand rubbing at his chin as he looked at the device. Professor Ivy shrugged at that question, the woman flipping a switch as a laser of sorts shot down towards the capture device. Sparks flew outwards as Ash and Corey moved away, the laser ending as the pokeball still remained.

"We've tried to send it over the transport system, but this pokeball, or the GS ball as I've dubbed it, doesn't seem to be broken down and transported. That's where you two come in," she explained.

Ash was confused by it all as Pikachu tried to climb the device to touch the GS ball, Ash pulling him away from it. The last thing he needed was for Pikachu to break something in this lab. And yet it felt like the GS ball was just another pokeball, almost like the device called out to him. He wanted to grasp it, but Corey reached it first.

"GS ball, go!" he shouted, making a throwing motion as it did nothing. "Activate! Release! Do something!"

The boy continued to yell in frustration as the pokeball didn't react to anything. Instead he sighed out in frustration as he tossed it back and forth between his hands. Ash continued to watch the pokeball as a cooling sensation passed through him. This time he knew exactly what it felt like. It was just as it had been at the stadium.

"Professor Ivy, do you have air conditioning in the lab?" Ash asked, the woman confused at first over how he knew her name. She seemed to forget that as she walked over towards a panel, the device seemingly set to a certain temperature already.

"Yeah, but it shouldn't be on right now. It only activates when the temperature rises too much in the lab. Why?"

"No reason," Ash lied as Corey looked at him suspiciously. Ash merely looked back at him as neither of them spoke. Instead Corey handed the GS ball to Ash as it felt warm in his grasp. It even looked to shine for a moment, but Ash figured it was from the lights in the lab.

"Ash, mind holding onto that until we get back to Kanto?" Corey asked. "I forgot my backpack at the hotel, so it'll be safer this way. Especially since it can't be shrunk to an inactive state."

"Sure," Ash muttered. Tossing his backpack onto the floor, Ash got down onto one knee as he unzipped his bag. To his surprise a rainbow-colored light seemed to be resting inside the bag, his feather glowing for a moment as he placed the GS ball next to it. A strange sensation appeared to pass over him as he felt dizzy for a moment, but just as it had emerged, the sensation vanished.

"I would like to be kept in the loop about the GS ball if possible. Could you let Samuel know to contact me once it reaches him?"

"Of course. But I think we should be going now," Corey stated as he placed a hand on Ash's back. The boy nodded as Professor Ivy stared in confusion at the two boys. But instead of answering any questions they merely walked out of the lab and towards the front of the building before they were outside once more. Now alone, Corey pulled Ash close as he whispered to the boy.

"What was going on back there?"

"I think someone is following us," Ash answered as he eyed their surroundings. There was no trace of a stalker but with such a rare pokeball he wouldn't have been surprised if someone was trying to steal it. "It was odd. I felt like when Agatha's Gengar shows up.

"The temperature dropped, but I guess you and Professor Ivy didn't feel it."

"Maybe you've just been in the sun too long. I'd hate to think someone is after us now that we have the GS ball," Corey replied. A smile quickly plastered itself on his face as he slapped Ash's back. The boy felt the GS ball roll around from the action until it came to a rest.

"But we're on vacation, Ash! Even if someone tries anything, the chaperones will stop them! So let's get back to Pummelo for dinner. They're doing a barbecue tonight."

Ash felt his mouth begin to salivate at those words, the boy walking towards the port to board their vessel once more. Despite their trip to Valencia being cut short, Ash still enjoyed the time here. He wondered if he'd be able to explore any of the other islands before the end of the week. Though for the time being he knew it would be best to stay on Pummelo until things calmed down. Taking a few steps, he paused and looked around only to see nothing.

"Pikapi?"

"It's nothing," Ash replied. And yet he had a bad feeling about the rest of the week. He didn't want to believe it, but he wondered if it would be best if he just left for Kanto.

And Ash is finally in the Orange Islands, but not without some problems of his own. Strange things are already happening and of course Thad is a creep. So, pretty much there are two more chapters that'll take place for all of this, so hopefully I manage to make it as interesting as I have it planned.

Thank you to everyone who read the chapter and supports this story. Please leave a review letting me know what you enjoyed and how I can improve the story.