A/N: I know I know I am getting a little behind on updating but trying my best. I really had a hard time pinpointing where I wanted to stop this chapter as there isn't a easy spot imo to stop but chose this spot for a reason. Decided I wanted to give each twin a chapter alone with their parent before the story merges people back together quickly. Please leave a review or favorite if you feel so inclined.

Coral, the almost 10 year old with an air of anticipation around her, was in the process of disembarking from the bus that had carried her all the way back to the familiar surroundings of the Indigo Plateau bus stop. A wave of anxiety washed over her as she scanned the crowd, her heart pounding in her chest as she hoped to catch a glimpse of her father, Ash Ketchum. This was a momentous occasion for her, as it was the first time she could recall meeting him in person.

In an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure of the situation, she had chosen to dress in the style of her sister, Marina. She held onto the hope that her father wouldn't immediately recognize the ruse, or worse, feel any sense of disappointment or anger when he eventually did. She knew, deep down, that the truth would eventually surface, it was only a matter of when.

With a firm grip on her duffel bag, she stepped off the bus and into the bustling environment of the bus stop. Her eyes quickly found the figure she had been anxiously searching for. There he was, standing amidst a group of other familiar faces, all of whom were beaming with joy and excitement.

Ash Ketchum, her father, was easy to spot with his unruly black hair that seemed to dance in the gentle wind. His attire was casual, a clear reflection of his laid-back personality. He wore a pair of well-worn jeans that had seen better days, and his sneakers were visibly battered, hinting at the many journeys they had accompanied him on. His shirt was an older model of the Pokemon League merchandise, a black tee that had faded over the years, but still held a certain charm. His smile radiated warmth and Coral felt a sense of relief wash over her.

Ash greeted Coral with a wave and a warm welcome, saying, "Hey Marina, welcome back home, kiddo!" Coral, without saying much, took the opportunity and joyfully ran up to her dad, giving him a big hug. After the embrace, Ash got down to Coral's eye level and expressed his feelings, saying, "You know, I shouldn't let you go to camp again. I missed you so much."

Coral reciprocated the sentiment, saying, "I missed you too, Dad," and hugged him once more. As Ash observed Marina's appearance, he couldn't help but sense that something had changed. Addressing his observation, Ash remarked, "You seem different."

Coral replied with a smile, "Just spending a whole summer away has the power to completely change a girl, Dad." Ash proceeded to carry Coral's duffle bag to his car.

During the drive, Ash mentioned, "By the way, I really appreciate all the letters I received. It was necessary for me to get you that personalized stationery."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dad. We were just extremely busy," Coral began.

"We?" Ash inquired while driving.

"Oh, sorry," Coral quickly responded, realizing she couldn't reveal that the girl's name was also Coral, as it might draw attention to her father. "Maggie, a girl I met at camp. We spent so much time talking and hanging out. We're practically like sisters."

Ash smiled, delighted to see his daughter speaking so happily about her camp friend. Glancing over at her, he noticed something and remarked, "It also seems like you've stopped biting your fingernails."

"Dad, you noticed?!" Coral exclaimed, surprised.

"Of course, I noticed. You've been biting them since you started chewing," Ash chuckled.

"Well, it's not something a growing girl should do, so I decided to stop, Dad," Coral explained.

"Wow, so proper. Did I send you to summer camp or finishing school?" Ash replied, smiling.

"Well, I just needed to grow up, Dad," Coral said, still smiling.

"Okay, Marina, it seems like you're using 'Dad' in every sentence," Ash observed, noticing the trend.

"Well, Dad, I missed having the opportunity to say 'Dad'," Coral shared, smiling, happy to see her father for the first time in her life.

"You missed saying the word 'Dad'," Ash said, confused but touched.

"Yes, I missed being able to say 'see you later, Dad' or 'catch ya later, Dad'," Coral expressed, widening Ash's smile and causing a tear to form in his eye, though it didn't fall.

Just as they approached the house, it came into view with its breathtaking two-story structure and the outdoor pool. Coral exclaimed, "Oh my god, oh my god!"

"Now you sound much more like yourself," Ash remarked as they pulled up.

Delia, Coral's grandmother came running out of the house excited to see Marina. The gray hair that started to show in some small parts of her hair embracing her grand daughter and being incredibly happy to see her back home. "Grammy I missed you so much."

"I missed you too sweetpea." Delia said squeezing tight.

Pikachu approached Marina, prepared to jump onto her shoulder. However, Pikachu suddenly froze and sensed something unusual, which made him suspicious and caused his cheeks to spark. Ash and Delia were perplexed by Pikachu's behavior, as he seemed unfamiliar with Marina. "Pikachu, relax. It's just Marina," Ash reassured. Pikachu stopped sparking and decided to walk away.

Delia looked at Pikachu with a confused expression and smiled as she said, "I made all your favorites so that we could eat fried chicken and unpack or unpack then eat fried chicken."

"What's this I hear about fried chicken?" Ash asked kissing his mom's cheek. Delia just smiled and gestured at the door for Ash who ran through it.

"So I can eat and unpack in my room?" Coral was surprised that it was even an option.

Delia smiled saying, "I think we can make that happen."

Going into Marina's room with her duffel bag, Delia and Coral started the process of unpacking her belongings. They sorted through the items, determining which ones needed to be laundered and which ones could be put away. As Coral glanced out of the window, she noticed her father approaching with two cups of lemonade. To her surprise, she saw a woman's well-manicured hand reach out and take one of the cups. Ash leaned in towards the woman, but due to the sun umbrella shading her, Coral couldn't see her face or body clearly. Curiosity piqued, she turned to her grandmother and asked, "Grammy, who is that?"

Delia glanced over and let out a sigh. "Marina, it's not my place to meddle in your dad's affairs and how he chooses to make a fool of himself."

"Okay, but seriously, who is she?" Coral asked, her tone betraying a hint of worry that she might have unintentionally offended her grandmother.

"Her name is Naomi Teokuitlatl, and she's from Mauville City in Hoenn. Your dad met her while she was covering this year's Indigo League," Delia explained with a touch of humor. "But, if you ask me, she seems to have captured your father's attention more than the tournament itself."

"What do you mean?" Coral inquired, although deep down, she feared that her worst suspicions might be confirmed.

Before Delia could respond, they both heard Ash and Naomi giggling. Delia rolled her eyes in response, while Coral hurried back to the window, hoping to catch a better glimpse of this mysterious Naomi. Delia continued, "Both you and I know that your dad isn't some kind of mysterious, smooth bachelor. So, I can't help but wonder what a young and attractive woman in her twenties sees in a Pokémon Trainer who hasn't been very active in competitions for the past decade or so. I've come up with a million reasons in my head."

Eager to gather more evidence, Coral pulled out her phone and used the camera to zoom in discreetly, hoping not to draw attention from her dad or Naomi. With a clearer view, she could see them holding hands, completely engrossed in each other's company. As she absorbed her grandmother's words, Coral couldn't help but ask, "Do you think she genuinely likes him?"

Delia sounded nonchalant when she said, "What do I know, but I can tell you one thing your father is eating out of the palm of her hand. They do everything together lately, they ride Ponytas together, they go out to eat almost every night. But don't let me influence you- see for yourself."

"What about Pikachu, how does he feel about her?" Coral asked.

Delia glanced over and noticed Pikachu perched on the railing. "Honestly, Pikachu isn't exactly fond of her, but he hasn't shown any aggression either." Coral, upon hearing those words, managed to snap a photo of them seemingly sharing a kiss, although it didn't reveal much about the woman involved. Seeing that they had decided to relax near the pool, Coral thought it was a great opportunity to assess this person and changed into a swimsuit to join them. The swimsuit she wore was a simple one-piece adorned with baby's breath flowers. Dressed in an oversized Pokemon League shirt and carrying a towel, she made her way down to the pool.

Seeing Marina approaching, Ash felt it was time for an introduction. He placed his hands on her shoulders and proudly presented, "Here's my girl." He then introduced her by saying, "Marina, meet my friend Naomi Teokuitlatl."

Coral took a moment to study Naomi's appearance. She wore a black sun hat paired with a white dress featuring a deep V-neck that accentuated her well-endowed bosom. Coral also noticed a few gold rings adorning her hands, which were painted with a deep red nail polish. Despite being seated, Naomi appeared to have a slim and athletic physique. As their eyes connected, Coral couldn't help but notice Naomi's large almond-shaped brown eyes and gold stud earrings and wavy shoulder length tangerine hair. Naomi greeted with a warm "Hi."

Being prompted, Coral politely responded, "Hi, Naomi Teokuitlatl."

"Well, it's truly unbelievable that I finally have the chance to meet the famous Marina," Naomi exclaimed, leaning forward in her seat. "I've been eagerly looking forward to this all summer."

Surprised but not showing it, Coral replied, "Well, here I am."

Ash, with hopeful anticipation, observed their interaction, sporting a smile. Naomi couldn't hold back her admiration as she complimented, "Ash, she's absolutely adorable." Looking straight at Coral, she continued, "Marina, considering how your dad talks about you, I envisioned a little girl, but you're way more grown up than that."

Feeling a slight shift in the atmosphere and recalling some advice from her aunts, Coral responded with a tinge of curiosity, "Well, I'll be turning 10 soon. How old are you?"

Both Ash and Naomi chuckled at the question. Naomi then answered, "I'm 26."

Coral couldn't help but smile confidently as she spoke, "You're only 16 years older than me. By the way, how old are you again Dad?"

Ash, wanting to divert the conversation, abruptly responded, "Well, well, all of a sudden you're interested in math! I'll grab more fried chicken and a bottle of champagne to celebrate."

Curiously looking at her father, Coral inquired, "What's the occasion? What are we celebrating?"

Naomi's smile grew wider as she replied, "We're celebrating your homecoming, of course." Coral returned the smile but still felt uncertain about Naomi's intentions as she noticed Naomi's phone ringing. Naomi gestured for a moment of patience, while Ash walked back to the house, leaving them alone. Coral decided to take off her shirt and dangle her toes into the pool, trying to catch snippets of the conversation between Naomi and the unknown caller. She managed to pick up only a fragment where Naomi mentioned that Ash would be away during certain dates. When Naomi ended the call, she turned to Coral and asked, "So, Marina, how was camp?"

"Wait, Dad is going out of town?" Coral asked, skillfully evading Naomi's question.

Realizing that Marina had caught onto the phone conversation, Naomi responded calmly, "Oh, no, I just told a small lie so your dad wouldn't have to worry about something he dislikes doing."

Coral nodded in acknowledgment, yet she didn't appreciate how it was handled, although she couldn't quite pinpoint why it bothered her. Naomi continued, "You know, I've never heard a father speak about his daughter the way Ash talks about you. It's evident that you and your dad share a very close bond."

With a slight smirk, Coral stood up and confidently declared, "Well, we go beyond being close. We're all we have." She then executed a cannonball dive into the pool, creating a splash that unexpectedly drenched Naomi, who let out a small yelp. As Coral emerged from the water, she immediately apologized, "Oops, my apologies, Naomi. Did I splash you?"

"Just a little, Marina," Naomi answered, trying to shake off the droplets of water from her dress while standing up. Naomi walked to the edge of the pool and remarked, "Your dad took me riding the other day. He allowed me to ride your Ponyta. I hope you don't mind."

Coral responded with a hint of smugness, "Oh, yes. Belle is used to strangers riding her. Not that you're a stranger. Compared to the others, you're quite normal."

Somewhat surprised, Naomi asked tentatively, "Others? Who are they?"

Coral asked, "Want to know the gossip?"

"What's the gossip?" Naomi inquired, clearly intrigued and eager for an answer.

"It's about the other women. Can't blame you. I mean, there have been 27—or rather, 28—other women," Coral replied.

Naomi raised her eyebrows and asked, "Am I the 28th?"

Expanding on the details, Coral replied, "Always the same routine. Ponyta rides through the trails, followed by romantic dinners with some reserve wine."

Ash emerged by the pool and said, "Here we are, some of my reserve champagne." Coral met Naomi's eyes smugly, conveying her earlier point. Unaware of the subtle exchange, Ash asked innocently, "So, did you girls find something to talk about?" Coral promptly submerged into the pool.

Naomi smiled, keeping her composure, and said, "Yes, we did."

Later that evening, Coral found herself in her bathroom, desperately calling Marina. She hoped that Marina would answer and be awake at this late hour. With each ring, her anxiety grew as she struggled to figure out how to approach the situation with Marina. Finally, Marina picked up the phone and greeted her, "Oh, hi Mildred, how are you?"

"Hey, how's everything going over there?" Coral asked, trying to ensure their conversation remained confidential.

"Everything's great. We're expecting some rain. Can you hold on for a moment, Mildred?" Marina replied.

"Okay, but please hurry, Marina. I really need to talk to you," Coral urgently pleaded.

Marina slowly made her way to the bathroom, turning on the fan to prevent her mom, aunts, or uncle from overhearing the conversation. "Alright, now I can talk. Oh my god, Mom is incredible! It's unbelievable that I've gone my whole life without her. She's beautiful, smart, and she's involved in these amazing artistic performances."

Coral sighed, realizing her sister was caught up in the excitement. Marina continued, "If you ask me, there's definitely something strange behind Mom and Dad's breakup."

Knowing that her sister wouldn't stop talking, Coral interjected, "Marina, please stop. We have a major problem, and you need to bring Mom here immediately."

"What? No, I can't do that. I've only just reunited with her. I can't and I won't," Marina replied.

Coral was determined to get her point across. "Marina, this is an emergency. Dad's fallen in love."

Marina laughed dismissively, saying, "Come on, Coral. Don't tease me. Dad doesn't fall in love, at least not seriously."

Assertively, Coral responded, "Believe me, he's serious this time. He's constantly holding her hand, kissing her neck, and catering to her every need."

"Seriously?" Marina asked in surprise.

"It's disgusting," Coral stated with a tone of disapproval.

"In that case, do whatever you can to ruin their relationship. Invent some stories to scare her away," Marina suggested.

"Well, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here. I've only known him for 12 hours, and I could really use your help, Marina," Coral explained.

"I can't. I want to spend more time with Mom," Marina replied before abruptly ending the call.

Looking at the phone, Coral muttered, "Thanks for the help, Marina."

The following day, Coral woke up in the morning feeling a mixture of frustration and disappointment. She got dressed, still grappling with the fact that her twin sister seemed insufficiently supportive during what Coral perceived as a major crisis in her life. Her father, whom she had hoped would reconcile with her mother, had instead fallen in love with another person.

Delia prepared her favorite breakfast, which she described as the most important meal of the day: sunny-side-up eggs, bacon, hash browns, and, for those with a bigger appetite, a stack of large pancakes.

Impressed by her grandmother's cooking skills, Coral admired the food but also felt a bit overwhelmed, realizing how much her grandmother must eat sometimes. Observing Coral's expression, Delia grew concerned and asked, "Aren't you hungry again? You hardly touched your favorite food, fried chicken, last night. Are you feeling sick, sweetheart?" Delia then promptly placed the back of her hand on Coral's forehead.

"I'm fine, Grammy, I promise," Coral replied calmly. "Where's Dad?"

Sighing, Delia relaxed and responded, "Oh, he and Ms. 'I'll just have half a grapefruit' left about an hour ago."

Coral's spirits dipped slightly upon hearing that, but Delia continued, "He saw that you overslept and didn't want to wake you up. Of course, I would oversleep too if I were busy making phone calls from my bathroom at 11 PM."

Taken aback, Coral choked slightly on her orange juice. "Oh, I was just calling my friend from camp, Mildred. She's from Galar."

Delia looked at Coral as she poured herself some tea and sought clarification, "So you called her at that hour to accommodate her?"

Coral simply nodded and said, "Mmhm."

Though not entirely convinced, Delia didn't have anything else to add and remarked, "Well, next time, try not to stay up so late. Your father also mentioned that he wants to talk to you when you have a moment."

Coral's face lit up with excitement. "Really?" she exclaimed. Taking a hearty bite of her eggs, she wiped her mouth and headed towards the door. Pikachu then gave Coral a spark from his cheeks, prompting her to remark, "Pikachu still hasn't forgiven me for going to camp." Coral attempted to open the door to access Ash's work area, but no matter how hard she pulled, it wouldn't budge.

Observing her struggle, Delia intervened, saying, "Push it open, Marina."

"Sorry, Grammy, I just forgot," replied Coral. Delia looked at Marina, uncertain about the changes she had noticed in her granddaughter. Marina didn't seem like the same person anymore. Delia recalled how much Ash had changed during the year he spent adventuring through Kanto at Marina's age.

When Coral found her father, he was on the phone talking to Gary. Upon seeing Coral, he said, "Hey, Gar, can I call you back?"

Smiling, Ash said to Coral, "I'm really glad you're here. There's something important I want to talk to you about."

While walking, Coral said, "That's funny because there's something important I want to discuss with you."

Chuckling softly, Ash replied, "Well, you go first."

Concerned, Coral responded, "No, you go first."

"Okay," Ash began, "I want to talk to you about Naomi."

Before Ash could continue, Coral interjected, "And I want to talk to you about my mother. What about Naomi?"

Surprised, Ash asked, "Well, what about your mother?"

Taking a breath, Coral expressed, "Dad, I'm almost 10. How long do you expect me to believe that story about a Pelipper dropping me off at the door?"

Chuckling heartily, Ash said, "Oh, come on, Marina. We've talked about your mother."

As they continued walking, Ash placed his hand on her shoulder while Coral stated, "No, not really. A girl needs more in her life than a half-crumpled photograph. Dad, face it, I'm almost a teenager. I need a mother."

"You're right. Absolutely right," Ash exclaimed, just as Naomi came into view.

"Hey Marina!" greeted Naomi.

"Hey," replied Coral politely, standing in front of Ash, who placed both hands on her shoulders.

"Hey Ash, I was thinking the three of us could go into town and have lunch," suggested Naomi, wearing a white crop top and pink yoga leggings.

Speaking up, Ash said, "Actually, I promised Marina that I would go riding with her."

Naomi smiled and responded, "Oh, of course. No problem. You both have fun and enjoy your father-daughter time." Naomi quickly approached Ash and kissed his cheek, causing a playful smile to appear on his face, while Coral tried to ignore her father's gaze as he watched her walk away.

The sun was beginning its ascent, casting long, golden light across the sprawling fields surrounding the Indigo Plateau. The well-trodden dirt trails snaked through the tall, swaying grass, only interrupted occasionally by patches of wildflowers in full bloom.

Ash and Coral, each mounted on their Ponytas, started off side by side. Ash's experienced Ponyta moved with grace and ease, every stride carrying years of trust and connection with its trainer. Beside them, Belle, Coral's younger and more spirited Ponyta, flicked her flaming mane impatiently, raring to go.

"Ready for our usual race to the lookout, kiddo?" Ash called out, a hint of challenge in his voice.

Coral, with a gleam in her eye, responded, "You bet, Dad! But don't be too surprised if we beat you this time!"

With that, she tapped Belle's sides, and the fiery horse bolted forward. The race was on! The two Ponytas darted down the trails, their hooves thundering against the ground, and their flaming manes leaving a mesmerizing trail of fire and sparks behind them.

As they galloped, Ash was reminded of his own younger days, feeling a mixture of pride and nostalgia seeing his daughter so full of energy and confidence. The winding trails took them through groves of trees, over wooden bridges crossing bubbling streams, and up steep inclines.

As they neared the base of the final hill leading to their favorite lookout spot, Ash's Ponyta began to close the gap, drawing level with Belle. But Coral, sensing the finish line was near, whispered words of encouragement to her partner, and Belle responded with a surge of speed.

Reaching the top, Coral and Belle came to a graceful halt, taking in the panoramic view of the vast landscape below, the Indigo Plateau in the distance glowing softly in the setting sun. Moments later, Ash joined them, slightly out of breath but smiling broadly.

"You two sure have gotten faster," he commented, ruffling Coral's hair playfully.

Coral beamed, hugging Belle's neck. "We've been practicing. Plus, Belle loves this spot as much as I do."

Both father and daughter then sat, letting their Ponytas graze as they sat atop them.

"Are you looking forward to our camping trip?" Ash asked.

"What camping trip?" Coral clarified.

Ash feeling like she was pulling his leg said, "The camping trip we take every year before your birthday."

Coral remembering Marina mentioning it said, "Yeah of course that camping trip. Can't wait."

Ash then nervous looked away before asking, "What do you think of Naomi?"

Coral feigned innocence but had a feeling where this conversation was going clarified, "As what dad, a journalist, your friend?"

"No," Ash realized he could be very unclear sometimes asking, "Just what do you think about her?"

Coral nodded saying, "She is cute, she is nice, good hair and teeth. Honestly dad she is a complete stranger to me why do you ask?"

Ash worrying he was losing control he calmly said, "Believe it or not honey I–"

Before he could get the words out Coral said, "Race you back to the house dad." Without a second Coral had Belle racing off as fast as she could spur her on from Ash.

Ash yelled out, "Marina, I am trying to tell you something!" Ash then urged his own Ponyta after Coral.

Coral swiftly secured Belle to her post before sprinting toward the house. Her eyes stung with unshed tears, dreading the confirmation of her worst fears from her father. Upon entering the house, a single tear slipped from her eye as she began to mutter anxieties to herself in the living room, "How can I handle this? I'm just a kid..."

"Is there something you'd like to discuss, Marina?" Delia interrupted, revealing her presence by rising from behind the counter, Pikachu perched on her shoulder.

"Grammy, you scared me!" exclaimed Coral, taken aback.

Emerging from behind the counter, Delia responded, "Did I now?" When Coral remained silent, Delia began to circle her, probing, "So, want to discuss your changed diet, or why Pikachu behaves differently around you? What's happening, Marina?"

"Nothing, Grammy. I just matured over the summer," Coral replied, making it sound as though there could be no other explanation.

Delia eyed Coral skeptically, then conceded, "Alright." Pikachu, however, maintained a stern, unconvinced expression. Delia continued, "You know, it's almost as if..."

"As if what?" Coral inquired.

Delia dismissed it, "Never mind, it's impossible."

"What's impossible?" Coral pressed.

"Nothing. Just forget I said anything, Marina," Delia responded, beginning to exit the room.

"It's almost as if I'm Coral," Coral admitted.

At this, Delia and Pikachu froze. Taking a deep breath, Delia turned to look at Marina more closely, "You know about Coral?"

"I am Coral," Coral confessed, her anxiety spiking as she awaited her grandmother's reaction.