The afternoon sun beamed high over the Cerulean Gym, where love is in the air for one or two of the Pokémon that currently resided there. Inside, Ruby had been busy going over some plans for a potential redesign of the Gym, when she was surprised to hear that Tracey was coming over. Dashing down to the main entrance, she was just in time to greet Tracey upon his arrival.

"Hello, Tracey," said Ruby cheerfully. "I wasn't expecting to see you today."

"Daisy phoned and told me she had gotten some new Pokémon she wanted to show me," explained Tracey with a merry expression.

Ruby gave herself a small chuckle, thinking how her eldest daughter clearly had a thing for Tracey. "Indeed. She just got them in this morning. As a matter of fact, Violet and Lily haven't seen them yet."

"So where are your other daughters?" asked Tracey.

"Well, as usual, out getting pampered. Violet's getting a manicure and Lily's getting a pedicure. I had considered joining them, but frankly, I've been too busy sorting things out here at the gym."

"I've never gotten a manicure, but Professor Oak says they're incredibly relaxing," remarked Tracey, as Daisy came into the room and eagerly hurried over to join them.

"Tracey! When did you get here?" said Daisy cheerfully.

"Hey, Daisy! What's up?" said Tracey with a friendly smile.

"Love's in the air! Can you feel it?" squeaked Daisy sprightly, prompting a confused look from Tracey. "Never mind, come with me. I have something to show you!"

Quickly taking Tracey by the arm, Daisy dragged the young Pokémon researcher out of the reception area and over to the main aquarium, with an amused Ruby following closely behind. Crossing over to one of the many glass tanks, Daisy pointed over to a fishlike light pink Pokémon swimming inside, which had a relatively flat body in the shape of a heart.

"Meet Caserin, one of our new Luvdisc Pokémon!" said Daisy jauntily, as she introduced Tracey to this unique Water-Pokémon.

"Wow! I've never seen one of these up close," said Tracey, as he quickly pulled out his drawing pad and vigorously began to sketch the Luvdisc.

"I don't suppose either of you kids have spotted Luverin by chance, have you?" asked Ruby.

"Huh? You mean there's another one hiding in there?" said Tracey in surprise, his eyes darting back and forth over the tank.

"Sure! Luverin is always hiding from Caserin. He's very intense, and she's kinda shy and reserved," said Daisy.

"I guess. I can't see her anywhere," said Tracey, still fruitlessly scanning the aquarium tank with his eyes.

"She's rather good at hiding," chuckled Ruby. "But keep an eye on Caserin, because he can always find her."

Taking Ruby's advice, Tracey trained his keen eyes on Caserin, and was surprised to see the Luvdisc swaying from side-to-side, before pointing in a specific direction.

"Hm? Looks like Caserin is pointing at something, like a compass needle!" observed Tracey with interest.

"That's right, Tracey, he's pointing towards his one and only love, just like a compass points towards north," said Daisy.

"You mean he points toward wherever she is?"

"That's right. He's madly in love with Luverin," confirmed Ruby, as a second Luvdisc emerged from behind one of the rocks in the aquarium tank. This female Luvdisc was identical to Caserin, except for the small golden tiara on her forehead.

"Luvdisc," said Caserin happily, an adoring look forming in his eyes upon spotting Luverin.

"Isn't she precious?" sighed Daisy passionately, as they watched Caserin swim up to Luverin. "You know, in a weird way, Luverin reminds me of me."

"Oh, you mean when you were in your tiara phase, dear?" said Ruby teasingly.

"Wow, Caserin sure does have it bad for Luverin," said Tracey, as Caserin appeared before Luverin to express his affection for her.

"Unfortunately, she does not seem to feel the same way for him," said Ruby sadly, as she and Daisy shared a sorrowful look.

Sure enough, Luverin closed her eyes and snorted, before rudely turning her back on poor Caserin and swimming away.

"Man, shot down by Luverin," said Tracey sympathetically.

"Yes, the poor little thing," said Ruby, before directing her words at Caserin, in an attempt to encourage him. "Cheer up, Caserin. Just try again and I'm sure she'll warm to you."

But Caserin was feeling utterly dejected, and he sunk miserably to the bottom of the tank.

"Oh dear, he's feeling utterly heartbroken," sighed Ruby morosely. "Maybe those two aren't meant for each other."

"But we have to get them together, Mom!" wailed Daisy. "How can we prepare a new underwater spectacular, if Luverin's gonna act like such a diva!"

Ruby looked at her daughter in surprise and just a little suspicion. "I don't recall you mentioning plans for another underwater show, Daisy? What exactly are you planning?"

"Oopsie, I forgot to tell you, Mom," said Daisy. "I've been making plans for a new underwater ballet, which I just know everyone is going to love!"

"Hey, sounds like it could be fun," said Tracey keenly.

"Oh, it is gonna be fun, Tracey," giggled Daisy with a whimsical look in her eyes, as the three humans made their way up to the main pool area. "Not to mention totally romantic! Picture this, a beautiful mermaid swimming dreamily through the water, searching for someone to love."

"What, you're just doing your own version of the Little Mermaid tale?" said Ruby, recalling how she used to read that story to her four daughters when they were little, before tucking them into bed.

"Does she ever find someone, Daisy?" asked Tracey.

"Uh-huh, a handsome prince," nodded Daisy. "You can play that part, Tracey."

"Me?!" exclaimed Tracey in some alarm.

Failing to notice Tracey's expression, Daisy carried on fervently with the idea for her ballet. "Although, deep down, the mermaid and the prince like each other, they're kinda afraid to show it."

"Rather like Misty and Ash," chuckled Ruby.

Ignoring the interruption, Daisy carried on. "Each hopes the other will say it first, but nothing happens, until Caserin and Luverin appear to them. The love Caserin and Luverin feel for each other is so powerful and strong, that the hearts of the mermaid and the prince melt, and they too fall in love. The audience will love it. I could cry just thinking about it! I mean, if I knew it wouldn't ruin my mascara."

"It sounds a lovely idea, sweetheart," said Ruby. "But I thought you were busy doing that girl-detective movie?"

"Oh, I am, but water ballet's my first love. Just wait till you see the adorable looking costumes, Tracey. You're gonna make the cutest prince ever! All the girls in the audience are gonna fall in love!"

"I don't know, Daisy" said Tracey nervously, evidently not keen on the whole idea.

"And who may I ask is going to play the mermaid?" asked Ruby. "You can't rope Misty in for the part. Even if she were willing, she'd never get over here from Hoenn in time."

"Yeah, it is kinda a pity that Misty's not here," said Daisy. "Unless you'd like to play the role, mother dearest?"

Ruby could not help but laugh at this idea. "I'm sorry, Daisy. It's a fun thought, but frankly, I'm too tall to fit in that mermaid costume. Besides, as the Gym Leader here, I have enough work on my plate as it is!"

"I'm not sure I can take part either," said Tracey. "Uh, tell me. Would I by any chance have to wear tights for this show?"

"Absolutely!" said Daisy zestfully.

"Then I can't. Plus, I've got an awful lot of work to do at the lab," said Tracey apologetically.

"Why don't you get Violet and Lily to play the roles, Daisy?" suggested Ruby. "After all, they are competent swimmers and performers. This kind of show is just their cup of tea."

"I guess you're right, Mom. Though there won't be a show at all if I can't get Luverin to play nice with Caserin," sighed Daisy.

"She sure is playing hard to get, isn't she?" said Tracey, as they all looked at the pool water and saw that Caserin was still swimming after Luverin beneath the surface, desperately trying to convince her just how much he loved her.

As Caserin and Luverin surfaced and bobbed about on the water of the pool, Golduck abruptly popped out of its Poké Ball and appeared next to Ruby.

"Golduck? What do you want?" asked Ruby, who had noticed that although Golduck was not as dopey as it was when it was a Psyduck, it still retained its tendency to come out of its Poké Ball when it felt like it.

"Go-du," quaked Golduck at Ruby, who understood what it was saying.

"Oh, you want to try and play matchmaker, do you? Encourage Luverin to take notice of Caserin? Well, I guess anything's worth a try."

With a happy squark, Golduck dived into the water and swam over to Caserin. The two chatted for a moment, and Caserin began to look a bit more upbeat, as Golduck then swam to Luverin and tried to encourage her to be a bit more friendly. However, Luverin, visibly annoyed at being bothered about the matter, promptly sprayed water in Golduck's surprised face, before swimming back under the water. Feeling considerably dejected by this, Golduck clambered out of the pool, while Caserin wept heartbroken tears.

"Cheer up, Golduck," said Ruby kindly, as she tried to reassure the glum Golduck. "It was sweet of you to try and mend fences between those two."

"Yeah, but it looks like Luverin's just not having it," said Daisy.

It was bad enough that Luverin was being so incredibly stubborn and anti-social, but none of them realised that things are about to get a great deal worse. As Luverin swam obstinately under the water, a dark and sinister shape emerged rom the shadows and crept up behind her. As Luverin turned around, she was startled to see a large robot drone, in the shape of a ball, practically on top of her and opening itself up like the jaws of a predator. Before the terrified Luverin could swim away, the robot snapped its mechanical jaws shut, trapping her inside it, much to the horror of everyone else, who had just too late spotted what was going on.

"Oh no, my Luverin!" cried Daisy in alarm.

"What's going on?" blurted Tracey, as the robot burst out of the water and flew up to the top of the diving board, upon which perched two familiar villains.

"All right, prepare for trouble!" bragged Cassidy at the figures down below.

"And while you're at it, make it double," said Butch, his hands holding a remote control box which operated the robot drone that now contained Luverin.

"To infect the world with devastation!"

"To blight all peoples in every nation!"

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!"

"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch too!"

"Team Rocket circles the Earth day and night!"

"So surrender to us now, or else you will lose this fight!"

"Oh good grief, it's those wretched crooks, Cassidy and Bleach!" exclaimed Ruby with some annoyance.

"It's not Bleach! It's Butch, Butch, BUTCH!" bellowed Butch, angrily stamping his foot on the diving board like a demented creature.

"You better give me back my Luverin!" demanded Daisy crossly.

'No way!" said Cassidy, giving a a cruel laugh, as she threw a Poké Ball and let out a bipedal purple coloured Pokémon with sharp claws and gemstone-like eyes. "Sableye, shadow ball, right now!"

The Sableye formed a large shadowy blob in its claws, which it sent hurtling towards Ruby, Daisy and Tracey. Upon impacting with the floor, the ball exploded, sending smoke everywhere. As the three Pokémon trainers coughed and spluttered from the thick smoke, Cassidy and Butch took advantage of this distraction, quickly clambering down the ladder of the diving board and darting through the fire exit towards their getaway vehicle, with Butch firmly holding the drone imprisoning Luverin.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," smirked Cassidy, as she and Butch clambered into the large and futuristic-style red hover-car that had been hidden beside the Gym building.

"Yeah, let's roll!" grinned Butch, as he closed the door of the vehicle and operated the steering controls. A second later, the vehicle lifted off the ground and began to glide speedily down the road.

"I can't wait to tell Namba," cheered Cassidy, pleased with the apparent success of their mission. "He'll be tickled pink!"