Hi! How is everyone doing? So, with this chapter the Sinnoh Journey is done! Finally! It took me a while but we got there. Now, for the next story arc I will take a break to decide what to do next, I have various ideas but not sure of what is the best one. But I will return to this story! And it will be continued here, I will not be publishing it in another place as a sequel. Thank you for your understanding! XOXOKURENOHIKARI😉
Amid the tranquil beauty of Alola's Treasure Island, Ash and Celeste found solace and respite after their respective battles in Sinnoh. The warm, golden rays of the tropical sun caressed their skin as they lay side by side on the pristine, ivory sands.
Their pokemon, ever loyal and spirited, playing nearby, embracing the carefree spirit of the island. Titania and Loki chased after some wild Pikipek, as Drako basked in the sunlight, after finally managing to get through Ladon's thick head. Who, by the way, was cuddling with Aeolus, in a makeshift sand bath. The Mega Bracelet on his fin being a new addition, a treasured one by the shark dragon.
The sea stretched out before them, a vast expanse of cerulean blue that met the horizon in a gentle embrace. The rhythmic sound of waves lapping against the shore provided a soothing melody, inviting tranquility and reflection.
As Ash and Celeste lay there, they couldn't help but appreciate the breathtaking scenery around them. Towering palm trees swayed in the breeze, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Exotic pokemon calls echoed through the air, adding to the island's enchanting ambiance.
With eyes closed and faces turned toward the sun, they let the warmth wash over them, rejuvenating their spirits. It was a well-deserved break from their rigorous battles and competitions, a moment to simply exist in the serenity of nature.
"Mmm!" Celeste moaned, as she streched, longing on her beach chair. "I am so thankful for Steven! His surprise vacation gift was just what we needed! Alola is beautiful!"
"It is quite something," Ash agreed, with a deamy sigh, as he craddled his newly obtained pokemon egg.
During their well-deserved break in Alola, Ash decided to take a step back from battling and decided against doing the Island Challenge. Instead, he and Celeste embarked on a series of exciting adventures across the vibrant islands of this tropical paradise.
One of their memorable escapades led them to Poni Island, where they encountered the Kommo-o Guardian. Ash couldn't resist the opportunity to test his skills against this powerful opponent. After an intense battle, Ash emerged victorious, proving once again who he was the only one in the Lily of the Valley Conference to have been able to take not one, but three Legendary pokemon.
But the real surprise came after the battle. Rather than offering a Z-Crystal as a token of victory, the Kommo-o Guardian presented Ash with a precious gift—a Jangmo-o pokemon egg. The sheer joy on Ash's face was palpable, his excitement barely contained. It was an understatement to say he was ecstatic. He was getting a rare, native dragon pokemon from the Alola Islands! And it wasn't just Ash who was thrilled. Bruce shared in the excitement, as he was quite delighted to no longer be the youngest member of the Thunder.
"How is the egg doing?" Celeste asked curiously.
"Nurse Joy informed me that it will take a couple of months before hatching. After all, I was given a young egg." Ash smiled, caressing tenderly said egg. "By the time I am starting my journey through Unova, it should be ready to hatch."
"I am still quite disappointed that you decided against following me to Hoenn!" Celeste huffed pouting. "I'm sure Cilan wouldn't have minded coming along, there are many fishing competitions in Hoenn!"
"My aim is to win the Vertress Conference and get the chance to challenge the Unova League. After the Vertress Conference, I will wait to complete the Battle Frontier, before challenging the Elite Four of Unova. That is if Scott invites me," Ash frowned, before turning to his best friend with determination. "Drayden-sensei informed me that Champion Alder is looking to retire. I want to be the one to take over after him. Kanto was the region I was born into, but Unova has become my home and I want to earn my Dragon Master title there."
"That sounds like a solid plan. If there's someone capable of ahieving it, it is you." Celeste smiled kindly. "Talking about facing the Elite Four, Bertha kicked Tobias out. His Heatran was no match for her team. Serves him right!"
Ash smiled as Celeste cackled vindictively. "The thing about Tobias is that he relays a lot in his Legendary pokemon, without that his strategies were rookie-level at most." Ash frowned, feeling quite dissapointed after having lost against such a trainer. Then again, there must be more to him than just power. Tobias did catch three Legendary pokemon after all. "You need more than just raw power against the Elite Four, they did not reach that level easily."
Whatever answer Celeste had ready, got interrupted by Bruce's dramatic entrance. Amid the sun-kissed shores of Alola, where golden sands met the glistening sea, Bruce descended gracefully from the sky, a sense of urgency in his flight. Clutched firmly in his talons, he carried a fainted pokemon, cradling them with care.
His descent stirred up a swirl of beach sand, as he gently laid the pokemon before a stunned Ash and Celeste.
This pokemon was no ordinary Mareep. Typically, Mareep boasts a coat of fluffy, cream-colored wool that envelops their entire body. Their distinctive, blue-hued head showcases endearing black eyes, and their four dainty feet sport a pair of digits each. They often appears as if they are permanently on tiptoe. The creature's conical ears and tail bear a striking pattern of yellow and black stripes, drawing the eye. At the tip of their tail, like a beacon of light, rests an orange sphere that resembles a small light bulb.
But this Mareep was a rarity, their wool, instead of the customary cream, shimmered with a dazzling pink hue. This was a Shiny Pokemon, a creature with a coloration that set them apart from their peers.
"Well, you can no longer say you do not have an especially type of luck," Celeste mumbled, as they both stared at the scene before them in disbelief. "A second shiny pokemon to add to your repertoire… not bad."
Ash facepalmed, muttering under his breath: "Mareep is not a Dragon-type pokemon."
"Now that's a lousy excuse," Celeste turned to him with a judgemental expression. "Neither is Agni, yet you still caught him. Mareep evolves into Ampharos, who can Mega Evolve into a Electric/Dragon-type."
"It will do Agni some good having another none Dragon-type into the Thunder," Ash agreed with a sigh. A couple of minutes went by. "I should catch them and take them to Nurse Joy, shouldn't I?"
"You should," Celeste agreed, amusment laced in her tone.
So, that's what they did. Their beach break was over just like that, and they were all rushing towards the nearest Pokemon Center. Luckily, other than exhaustion and dehydration there was nothing wrong with Mareep.
"It looks like Mareep is female," Ash hummed, checking out her stats in his Pokedex. "That's good, we don't have enough females in the Thunder. Maybe I should name her Astrape, after the Goddess of Lightning. I'll check it out with her once she is awake."
Pokemon: Mareep.
Gender: Female.
Ability: Static.
Type: Electric.
Move set: Tackle, Growl, Thunder Wave, Thunder Shock, Cotton Spore, Charge, and Take Down.
Egg moves: Electric Terrain and Agility.
NOTE: This pokemon is shiny. The Egg moves have yet to be unlocked.
"Not a bad move set for a wild pokemon," Celeste whistled impressed. "Look at you go! Two new pokemon before you even started your new journey!"
"Shut up," Ash chuckled with a blush, as he nudged her away. His laughter died as soon as his eyes laid upon the boy that was talking with Nurse Joy. He was beautiful, with his blond hair and emerald green eyes. "Wow…"
Celeste snickered at how ridiculously her best friend was acting, he always did that when pretty boys crossed paths with him. What made it twice as hilarious this time around, was the Umbreon besides the blond boy, who had noticed Ash staring and looked ready to attack the raven-haired boy for lusting after his trainer.
"Oh, I am so going to miss you making a fool of yourself in front of boys," Celeste chuckled, and ended up laughing when Ash did not hear a word she had said and simply nodded his head in agreement. "This is gold!"
"Are you ok?" Ash turned towards her in beliwerment. "Did you hit your head or something?"
Celeste was gasping for air, as she tried to calm herself. "I am good. Better than good even. Hey! Look! The pretty boy has a sister!"
"Pr-pretty b-boy?!" Ash stuttered, blushing brightly.
As Ash turned to the boy and noticed that Celeste was right, there was a younger girl with the same shade of hair and eyes besides him. She looked just as pretty as her brother, but in a more doll-like manner. It seems that they were fighting about something.
"Are you sure?" Celeste's serious tone had Ash turned to her startled. Especially, when he noticed her angry expression, as she talked with Dolos, whose gem shinned as he stared at the young girl. "Shit!"
"Celeste!" Ash exclaimed, eyes widening at her language- Celeste never curses!
"You would be cursing if you knew what Dolos had just told me," Celeste frowned and approached the couple of siblings and Nurse Joy without saying anything else. Startled, Ash rushed to follow her. The boy and girl stopped fighting, with the boy frowning and hidding the scared little girl behind him. With a sigh, Celeste turned to Nurse Joy. "You should call Officer Jenny," everyone's eyes widened by her request. But what followed after, left everyone stunned in disbelief. "Someone messed up with her memories."
A shocked silence filled the group. It was not until Officer Jenny was arresting Faba that the group had time to stop and take a deep breath. From what Dolos had informed Celeste, he had noticed some Psychic-type influence in the mind of the young girl, who they had later learned was named Lillie. Gladion had then revealed about Faba's ilegal experiments that they had discovered a couple of months ago, which had lead to Lillie gaining a phobia against touching pokemon. Which, also ended up being a secondary effect to Faba's Hypno's manipulations.
Everything was a complete mess and dramatic as those soap operas they showed in T.V. There was so much family drama and secrets going on that it left Ash's mind reeling and spinning. What Ash did understand was that Gladion, the pretty boy, and Lillie had lost their dad in a lab explosion, which left the family in disarray, and that Faba had made it even worse. But, at the end of the day, justice was served and Faba was arrested for his crimes.
If it led to Gladion exchanging numbers with Ash and Celeste… well, that was just a bonus. One that Ash took full advantage of and scheduled various meetings for their last week stay in Alola. Meetings that Celeste, suspiciously, had tos kip because she was meeting with Lillie or had something else to do. Not that Ash paid it much mind, he was having such a good time with Gladion that nothing else computed.
The only time anyone burst into their bubble, was when Lillie interrupted their date… sorry, their lunch! Lillie interrupted their lunch, not date! With great news! With the help of Celeste, Lillie had managed to wake up their father's Magearna, who somehow seems to be the clue to find their father. Who by some miracle seems to be alive.
A soap opera, Ash thought hysterically, as Ash and Celeste were at the port saying their goodbyes to the Aether family, who was ready to jump into their journey to find their patriarch. This is taken out of a soap opera and there's nothing anyone can say to convince me differently.
"I don't think I will ever be able to thank you for everything you've done for my family," Gladion told Ash earnestly, eyes sparkling with gratefulness.
"It's not like I had anything to do," Celeste scoffed from nearby, as Lillie giggled beside her. "It was only my Espeon that realized Faba's mind manipulation and I only helped Lillie wake up Magearna, who is the reason this journey was possible to begin with."
They ignored her.
"You have nothing to thank me for," Ash assured him, a dopey smile on his lips, as his cheeks blushed bright red. "Good luck finding your dad."
"Good luck in Unova," Gladion smirked, making Ash blush brighter. After a couple seconds of debate, Gladion leaned in and closed the distance between them with a short but sweet kiss. "Until next time we see each other."
"Until next time," Ash squealed, eyes wide open, face red, as Gladion giggled and joined his family in the ship.
"You are so stupid," Celeste snickered, as they waved to the departing Aether family.
"Shut up!" Ash moaned, covering his embarassed face with his hands.
If he was smiling underneath his hands, who had to know?