"So how about a challenge for Shigeki." Chloe offered.
"What's the challenge?" Ash asked, his interest piqued.
"Boys vs girls, most impressive photos win." Chloe said. "Me and Serena against you two."
"Thanks for the clarification Chloe." Ash said sarcastically. "But you're on. What do the winners get?"
"How about no lab chores for a month, losers have to do them." Chloe offered.
"Chloe, are you sure about that?" Serena said.
"We're experiencing the local flavor, they're exploring a jungle. We've got this." Chloe said.
"Then let's sweeten the deal, two months of chores." Goh counter offered.
"Oh, it's on." Chloe said agreeing to the new terms. "And to keep it fair, Fred will judge."
"How are you able to do all of this." Goh said, struggling to keep up.
"Remember my old friend Iris? She taught me how to swing from vine to vine." Ash said, taking a break.
"Sometimes I forget how much more you've done than the rest of us, then the three seconds pass and we're good for a while again." Goh said with a laugh.
"Hey Goh, do you hear that?" Ash exclaimed.
"It sounds like, water?" Goh said.
The two quickly took off again to find the source of the sound.
Back in the Village
"So much better than a jungle." Chloe said, getting a smoothie.
"I've had enough time in strange jungles, this is definitely better." Serena commented.
"How'd the talk with Ash go last night?" Chloe asked.
"I have some work to do on working with him." Serena admitted.
"None of us exactly have this figured out, don't be so hard on yourself, for now this mango blast is calling my name." Chloe said happily.
Back with Ash and Goh
"This is amazing." Ash said.
"This water is so clean, and it looks so deep." Goh said, looking down into the crystal clear water. "Gah, what was that for…". Goh trailed off, as Ash shimmied out of his shorts. "How'd you come so prepared for this?"
Adjusting the one piece, Ash turned back to Goh. "Swellow did a fly over earlier with my phone, I knew there was this lake, I just didn't know to what extent." Ash continued, looking in his bag. "Here, you coming?" Ash said tossing Goh a pair of swim trunks.
"When and where'd you get these?" Goh asked, looking at the Crawdaunt style swimsuit.
"On the boat this morning." Ash said, before diving into the lake.
"Hey! Wait up!" Goh said, scurrying to catch up.
Back at the Village
"I'm curious if Ash and Goh have found any Pokémon yet." Chloe said, finishing her smoothie.
"Your friends, are they on the island looking for Pokémon?" The waiter asked.
"Yeah, is that a problem?" Serena asked concerned.
"Not if they know what they're doing, but you can't make it five minutes without seeing any Pokémon." The waiter said. "Apparently, there's even a lake where a Milotic has been rumored to be seen."
Back with Ash and Goh
Goh broke through the surface of the water, catching his breath. "Ash, why'd you get out?"
"You can't tell me you haven't noticed it either." Ash said.
"Notice what, we're the only ones here…". Goh said, realizing it. "Where are the Pokémon?"
"Swellow let's go!"
"Skarmory come on out!"
The flying Pokémon sped off, looking for where any wild Pokémon were. Ash and Goh running off after them.
"Cassidy and Bill reporting in." Cassidy said.
"It's Butch! Not Bill!" Butch complained, pushing a cage holding a Milotic.
"Was your mission successful?" A woman asked.
"Yes Matori, we have found and captured over three hundred Pokémon from the island. We will have them back at HQ in a matter of days." Cassidy said.
"Good, Giovanni will be pleased to hear that, we will be awaiting your arrival." Matori said.
"Who are they?" Goh asked, as Ash quickly shoved him down.
"Team Rocket." Ash said.
"They don't look like Jessie and James though." Goh pointed out.
"They're not, their names are Cassidy and Bob." Ash said.
"So what's the plan?" Goh asked.
"What do you have on you?" Ash asked.
"I've got Cinderace, Lopunny, Drizzile, Skarmory, Ekans, and Shiftry, how about you?" Goh asked.
"Pikachu, Dracovish, Heracross, Swellow, Infernape, and Meganium." Ash said.
"Not our best options." Goh said, regretting not having Golurk or Registeel.
"Go and get Chloe and Serena." Ash said. "I'll try and stall them, but who knows how many more of them there are."
"Ash, I'm not leaving you behind, you don't have your A Team." Goh said.
"Goh, I'll be fine, just go and get help." Ash said.
"Wait, how gullible are they?" Goh asked.
"What's your plan?" Ash said, curious at what might come.
10 minutes later
"Now, I'm telling you our boat is just through here." Goh said, pushing aside a branch.
"Ugh! This is so like you!" Ash complained. "Let's go on a cruise, it'll be fun! Let's go explore the jungle it'll be romantic!"
"Look, I'm sorry I thought…". Goh began.
"Hey hey hey! You two can't be here!" Cassidy yelled running towards them.
"Tell it to mr Navigator here!" Ash complained. "I'm all sweaty, my hairs a mess, and I'm exhausted. I never should have gone with you!" Ash shouted.
"Hey, now hold on, take it easy on the guy, I'm sure he meant well." Butch said.
"Exactly, it's not like I wanted us to get lost." Goh said.
"No, but it always happens!" Ash yelled, throwing a bottle at Goh.
"Cassidy, we need to get them out of here." Butch whispered.
"I know that, but how!?" Cassidy whispered back.
"Let's talk to them separately, away from the boat, and get them to reconcile. Then once they're gone we can leave. No captives, all the Pokémon." Butch offered.
"Great idea Hutch." Cassidy said.
"It's still Butch, but I'll take the guy. You try and do a little girl to girl." Butch said, walking over to Goh.
Once Ash and Goh had moved with Cassidy and Butch out of the way to the ship. Pikachu and Drizzile headed quickly towards the boat.
"Okay, maybe you're being to hard on him. Guys are going to be idiots, but you should at least try and be more forgiving." Cassidy said.
"Look, women care about their looks, more than almost anything, if you can't see that, you need to open your eyes and notice when they're uncomfortable." Butch said.
Ash and Goh turned around, smirks on their faces. Butch was slammed into the ground by two rabbit like feet, while Cassidy was hung up by Meganium's vines.
A few minutes later, of keeping the two strung up/knocked out, a speed boat arrived, alongside Swellow and Skarmory.
"Took you guys long enough." Ash joked, as Meganium released her hold on Cassidy as local law enforcement handcuffed her. On the other side of the beach, the same was being done to Butch.
"And there's the Pokémon." Goh said, as Pikachu led the wild Pokémon back out of the ship.
"Well, you two had an exciting day." Serena commented.
"That was some great fake complaining you had there Ash." Goh said.
"Who said all of it was fake. I'm wearing a cover up and slip on wedges. I'm exhausted, and sticky. This was going to be a water day." Ash said.
"Well come back to the boat and shower, there's a big dinner planned for tonight." Serena said.
Back at the boat
"Ash, are you in there?" Professor Cerise asked, knocking on the door.
"Yeah, hold on." Ash said, trying to get untangled from his shirt. "What's up Professor?"
"I'm just curious how you got these photos." Professor Cerise said, showing off photos of the island from above, as well as from in the lake.
"Swellow, and Dracovish." Ash said. "I'm not sure about the labs, but mine and Serena's phones have a shutter like feature." Ash said
"Well, anyway I showed these to Fred, and he's looking into maybe doing jungle tours now thanks to these photos." Professor Cerise informed.
At the dinner
"Well ladies, I hate to say it, but I think we won." Ash said.
"Good work again Ash on the photos." Fred said.
"Fine we'll do your chores for a month." Chloe said.
"Actually we agreed on two." Goh said.
"Double or nothing. First one to chug a mango smoothie!" Chloe exclaimed.
"Oh no, I think you've had enough of those." Serena said stopping Chloe in her tracks. "Plus I've seen Ash eat, you've already lost."
"But, but, but…". Chloe stuttered.
"It's just chores, how bad can they be?" Serena said.
"Oh, our chores involve washing and feeding all our Pokémon." Goh said. "You and Chloe have it easy, us two, not so much."
"You're kidding me." Serena said defeated.
"Good luck." Ash said, meekly.
Authors Note
Shigeki Island, named after Shigeki Morimoto, and if you've noticed the trend, he also worked on Pokémon Red and Blue as the battle system designer.