Growing up to be different

by Queleron

After being saved by an untimely demise by his two classmates, Ash Ketchum found himself travelling with Kayla and Marble, the daughters of Pallet town's Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. Though inexperienced and relatively naive, the young man gradually rise above the trials and tribulations fate throws at his way, especially when it comes to romance. (Ash x harem)

4. Day in Cerulean

Reviews:

Batman1998: When it comes to pokemon for Ash, I actively try my best not to give him canon pokemon outside of Pikachu, mainly because Ash here would be quite the wanderer. Instead, he will be capturing pokemon that I personally thought he would have caught in the main anime, but didn't for some reason.

RFK22: Glad you enjoyed it.

QwertyKev: I wouldn't spoil it for you but I have a specific set of scenes I want to achieve before they become a core couple, and yes, I do agree that Ash x Joy x Jenny should be more popular.

Biginferno: There are specific and rarely paired characters I want, but sadly Domino and Skyla wouldn't be involved, mainly because I read Fanfictions that actually pair them with Ash already and I want to give other ships a shot.

frankieu: The Rockets would play a bigger role in this story, one which would shape Ash's destiny and his harem.

UltimateCCC: This chapter will confirmed it! As for more battle experiences for the ladies, sadly with how I'm structuring the story they wouldn't get the experiences they need until later.

---

Trailing across the pristine lakes and gushing rivers, Oddishes, Poliwags and Psyducks can be seen gathering around riverbanks. They jovially greeted one another like neighbours next door and chatted with one another about their day. Each species exchanged berries and trinkets to each other, fostering a stronger bond and relationship between communities to ensure their mutual survival and long term benefit. They splashed around the cool waters of the river, with Poliwhirls tugging their young close to them and oddishes waddling their feet in the lake. Their calm and relaxing time together however, was interrupted when they noticed a young human trainer with his pokemon hiding behind the bushes observing them. They cocked their head, he didn't looked like a heinous poacher, more like a lost traveler more than anything.

"Oops sorry! Please continue." Clearly aware that he spooked the group of pokemon, Ash Ketchum waved hello to them as he squatted down to observe the different species peacefully co-existing with one another. He took his handy notebook out and began jotting down notes of pokemon to pokemon interactions, writing down key points and similarities between the different species.

"Okay so all of them are herbivore based pokemon, non-territorial and thrive on land and sea..." As their human trainer took down his research notes, Pikachu, Shroomish and a timid Sandshrew exchanged conversation with the locals here. Ash's lips curled upwards at the sight, it was really cute seeing them interacting with one another. Kayla has been vocal that trainer owned pokemon should have frequent social interactions with wild pokemon for their mental well-being, similar to how humans should step out of their comfort zone and interact with new people too. A pokemon journey isn't just about reaching your goals and achieving your dreams, it's also about ensuring you and your pokemon make the best out of the experiences you take.

In fact, the two girls are the main reason why he is doing this survey of sorts too. They instructed him to learn more about pokemon biology and behavioral interactions to better prepare him for future encounters. After all, dealing with a calm and docile Oddish is a far cry from dealing with an aggressive and feral Tyranitar that can blast you with Hyper Beam without a shred of hesitation.

The cheerful atmosphere shifted suddenly when the electric mouse sensed strong electrical particles near their vicinity. Pikachu narrowed its eyes and heightened up its guard, rarely would an electric pokemon absorb large amounts of electricity in the wilds that have little to no power outlets to feed on. The only conclusion Pikachu can come up with is that an electric pokemon is engaged in a fierce battle and is charging up an attack, though that itself is unlikely as the endothermic process leaves you extremely vulnerable in the heat of battle.

"Pikachu? What's wrong?" Sensitive to his starter's pensive expression and growing anxiety. The young adolescent looked around his surroundings that were seemingly normal and peaceful, yet Ash fully understood that the foliage of the forest provided predators and adversaries the perfect opportunity for ambushes. His tensed facial expression softened once his starter assumed a more lax stance, it sniffed the air for the briefest moments and a curious look crept onto its face. Has the threat finally passed?

"Pi?" The nearby bushes rustled lightly, indicating that a pokemon is walking through it. The suspense of what is coming for them soon lifted upon the sight of an unfamiliar pokemon poking its head out of the bush. It was adorable looking with the big bright blue eyes and cute little face. On closer inspection, the bipedal lizard like pokemon is primarily pale yellow with black paws and tail tip. The top of its head is black with a triangular yellow mark on its forehead. The most distinctive feature part of the pokemon however, is the two black frills with yellow tips by the side of its head.

The Pallet Town company looked amongst each other before turning back to the skittish looking pokemon who finally emerged fully from the bushes. The bright yellow colour on its body indicated that it is probably an electric type, at least according to common sense. The raven haired teen lowered himself and placed his knee on the ground, appearing to be more friendly and less towering to the small pokemon.

"Hello little one." The foreign pokemon squeaked and gave a wide smile to him. It greeted Pikachu, Shroomish and Sandshrew with a customary hello by expanding its frills, which caught everyone off guard. Hastily, the fledgling trainer scanned the pokemon with his Pokedex, and his eyes widened at the native origins and typings of the pokemon.

"Helioptile? Wait you're from Kalos? That's really far!" The over enthusiastic tone spooked the little basilisk as it squeaked out faint traces of electrical sparks. Pikachu chuckled at his trainer's flustered and panicked expression before the juvenile pokemon approached the Kalos native with a bright smile on its face. With his starter acting as his translator and ambassador, Ash sat on the forest floor with his legs crossed, watching the two pokemon conversing with great interest with Shroomish and Sandshrew occasionally chipping in. Although oblivious to the context of their conversation, the young teen was pleased to find the Helioptile was warming up to his starter.

"Heli are you done sunbathing yet?" A pleasant female voice from afar instantly earned the attention from the Kanto native and his pokemon friends. The bush where Helioptile came started to shake and before long, a tall woman with fair complexion and light brown curly hair appeared right before then. Her bright green eyes intrigued the young man as it encaptivated him, she was slender and undoubtedly beautiful. Clothing-wise, she wore a fashionable collar blouse that shows off her voluptous frame. It consists of a tight black and red shirt with a white collar, medium-length sleeves with white cuff and skin-tight gray pants. Notably, she wore two yellow earrings and a fanny pack wrapped around her waist, held up by a brown and silver belt that kept it secured, presumably to hold pokeballs and other important items.

"Ah there you are, you enjoy the morning sun?" Seemingly not noticing their presence, she scooped up her little Helioptile in her arms and pat its head, earning a coo and a nuzzle from the adorable electric type. As the little giggles escaped the mature and sophisticated lady, she finally noticed the pokemon's perplexed expression and a very observant and keen looking Ash staring back at her.

"Oh hello, nice to meet you. Did my Helioptile bother you?" The Pallet Town teen shook his head and slowly stood up, eyeing the basilisk pokemon that sat on top of its trainer's shoulders. So this exotic and cute pokemon belongs to her, it was certainly intriguing! Kayla and Marble's advice on not trusting random strangers seemed to be lost on Ash's mind as he was thoroughly interested in striking a conversation with the beautiful lady before him.

"No not at all, is Helioptile your pokemon?" The woman before him didn't look like a rookie trainer, in fact the jet black haired teen was willing to bet that she was a seasoned trainer who has seen many summers.

"Yeap! He is my buddy. But allow me to introduce myself, my name is Alexa, a journalist working for Lumiose Press." A journalist? You don't see a journalist every day in this part of Kanto, Route 4 is known for its tranquil waters and gushing rivers that flowed from Cerulean's mountains. The peaceful valley is home to many aquatic pokemon, with the occasional martial artists sparring in the mountains. Essentially, this place is utterly boring for scoop seeking journalists.

"Lumiose Press, that's from Kalos right?" The look of pride plastered on Alexa's face couldn't be more evident as the young man before him recognized the esteemed press agency she worked for. But before she could further introduce herself, a familiar voice that she keenly recognized quickly grasped her attention.

"Alexa, has Heli finished recharging himself?" Pikachu cocked his head aside when another fair woman appeared from the bush where Alexa and her Helioptile came. Good grief, is this bush a magical gateway for fashionable travelers? On closer inspection, the observant electric type noted that the two women looked awfully similar, passing on for sisters even.

"He has, but looks like he made a new friend." The Kanto native stood in complete silence as he was taken aback by the presence of another woman suddenly appearing out of nowhere. The young lady in question has a bob haircut with two curly thin locks. Her attire consists of a white tank top with her midriff exposed, grayish-green cropped pants with lots of pockets and a pair of brown ankle boots with laces that match her trousers. Strapped across her chest was an expensive looking camera that hung by her waist, a journalist like Alexa perhaps?

"Hello trainer, may I ask for your name?" His pokemon noted their trainer stammering composure, it seems their adolescent teenager was in the process of maturing and an awakening. They chuckled at his shy and flustered expression, they thoroughly enjoyed watching their trainer navigating interactions with other people.

"My name is Ash Ketchum. I'm from Pallet Town and this is my buddy Pikachu, Shroomish and Sandshrew." The two ladies giggled when the pokemon gave a huzzah to them. All of them looked adorable and properly cared for, which is always a testament to a trainer's ability to care for their pokemon.

"You have adorable pokemon Ash, are you a new trainer?" He nodded with pride, Brock's mighty Onix and Geodude had fallen to his fungus friend with the power of its seed and mighty absorbs.

"Yeah, I just got my first gym badge at Pewter City yesterday." The two ladies were surprised when Ash pulled out the Boulder Badge from his badge case. Though it's only the first badge, it's also the first step to every trainer's climb to greatness.

"Ooh you beat Brock, congratulations Ash! I remember my first pokemon adventure, I can't believe that it has been years now." The bob-cut haired lady sighed and placed one hand on her cheek. How long has it been since she traveled around the tranquil forest of Kalos with her Vivillon? Blissfully exploring new sights with a camera ready to capture every single enchanting moment. Now those days are gone, and the heavy burden of being a gym leader and adulthood has come into the frame.

"Make you feel old doesn't it sis?" The little nod from her made Alexa chuckle as she patted her sister's head to comfort her.

"Sis?" The perplexed tone from Ash made the two blinked before they realized they failed to explain themselves to the young man proper.

"Oops, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Viola and Alexa here is my sister. Both of us are from Kalos and we're visiting Kanto as tourists." Ash already suspected they were Kalosian given their accent and Alexa's occupation. Still, for them to come all of their way Route 4 of all places for a holiday is a little weird. Utterly devoid of anything interesting, Route 4 has nothing for scoop seeking journalists.

"That sounds wonderful, but why are you two on Route 4? There's not much to do here." Viola held her camera tight to her and eagerly scooted closer to the Oddishes and Psyducks who just stared at them with the faintest amusement. Human travelers are common in these parts, but none as energetic or weird as these people.

"I love taking photographs of the local pokemon, there's so many unique and diverse pokemon here. I heard that Viridian Forest is a haven for bug type pokemon, so I am ecstatic to visit there later!" The absolute joy in her voice was honestly cute and admirable, but Ash had never heard anyone being heads over heels for bug types, much less for girls.

"You like bug types?" Viola smiled at the question, it was something she fully expected just about everyone she met. Indeed, her desire to become a bug type specialist raised many eyebrows, some mocked her, others laughed at the silly assumption that bug types are weak. But Aaron, Bugsy, Burgh and Katy all shared her passion for their insect friends, and those who underestimate them would soon learn the errors of their ways.

"Of course. In fact, I am a bug type gym leader." Gobsmacked by the revelation, Ash was surprised to see a gym leader casually strolling in the woods. Gym leaders aren't just some skilled trainers that specialize in one type and give out badges to trainers who defeated them. They are also responsible for the safety and stability of their cities, coordinating defenses, promoting its economic welfare, establishing legislations, policies and more. Essentially, they are similar to mayors where they hold a lot of power and influence while also acting as celebrities or influencers online. So yes! It is a very huge deal to see a gym leader outside of their cities.

"You're a gym leader?" Viola's lips curled upwards at the awe and wonder voice from the young man.

"The gym leader of Santalune City." Santalune City… Ash has no idea where that is or what it looks like, but that doesn't mean he wasn't impressed. He also started to sense a pattern of young adults becoming gym leaders, Viola can't be that much older than Brock or even himself, perhaps early to mid 20s?

"Wow, I never met a gym leader before- I mean like in person outside of gyms." Viola grinned and gave a cheeky wink to the young man.

"You have now." His pokemon smirked at their trainer's flushed face, he had certainly become more attune or aware of the opposite sex after traveling with Marble and Kayla. It made sense after all, the two ladies have been instrumental to Ash's growth and maturity, so perhaps respect and interest comes hand in hand.

But a well timed ringtone interrupted their conversation, Ash promptly slid the answer call button and held the phone to his ears. As he expected, it was a worried Kayla calling him.

"Hello? Yeah, I will head back to camp soon."

"Your friends?" Ash nodded to Alexa's question, he should have been back earlier to help pack up the tent and their equipment. Getting sidetracked talking to strangers is a cause for concern after all.

"Yeah they are getting a little worried." Good friends lookout for each other, the sisters are just glad that Ash isn't traveling alone.

"Well then we won't delay you any longer, it was nice to meet you Ash. We hope to see you again in the future." Pikachu squeaked when Alexa patted its head, eagerly nodding to the well earned head pat it sorely deserved.

"You too, it was nice meeting both of you." With that, the two sisters departed from Route 4 and headed towards Mt Moon. As Ash and his pokemon waved goodbye to the sisters, the young man let out a sigh and turned to his comrades.

"That was cool right guys? A gym leader and a journalist, both sisters too." The pokemon wasn't sure what Ash was more interested in, the fact there were gym leaders and journalists hailing from far away lands or the fact they were sisters. The company of friends hiked back to their camps with the two girls diligently packing their equipment into their storage pouch. The young Joy was the first to notice Ash returning and waved to him.

"There you are, Marble and I were starting to worry that you fell into the river." Ah an inside joke as old as time, one day Ash will fall into the river to prove their point.

"Sorry I got some company. I met Viola and Alexa!" Kayla and Marble were on the side of concern when Ash stumbled upon strangers, but he seemed to know them enough judging by his tone.

"Friends of yours?"

"No, but Viola is a gym leader from Santalune and Alexa is a journalist from Lumiose Press. They are vacationing in Kanto for the moment." That Viola? Marble was surprised that they are here in Kanto right now, did Ash really just happen to stumble upon a revered gym leader?

"Ooh, Viola is a Bug type specialist if I'm not mistaken, she is also a professional photographer. You're pretty lucky that you met her, she is quite popular online." Ash wasn't necessarily surprised by that, but the inflection and tone from Marble made it seem like Viola is really popular.

"Really?"

"Mhmm, in addition to being a skilled gym leader, she also won many awards for World Photography Contests. You can check her socials." Ash did just that, he pulled his phone out and typed out Viola's name and- oh my goodness there are a lot of photos. All of it ranged from amazing shots of pokemon in their habitat, to her own daily life activities like caring for her pokemon or going to a cafe. However, the most liked and popular video is Alexa and Viola together relaxing on a beach with their swimsuits on. The well endowed sisters posing for the camera in their tight fitted two piece swimsuits left many very thirsty comments.

"O-Oh wow, there's quite a lot of pictures." Marble and Kayla smirked triumphantly when Ash lingered on the more risque pictures and photos of them.

"Hehe, let's just say photos of pokemon aren't the only thing she posts." As the young man kept scrolling to see more of Viola's pictures, Kayla decided to tease the blushing young man who was enamored by the Santalune gym leader.

"Is she your type?" The pokemon chuckled and cackled at their trainer's beet red face, he swiftly turned off his phone and shove it in his pocket.

"H-Huh? No no no!" Marble rolled her eyes, he is a hormonal teenage boy who obviously has interest in girls, still she could tell he was developing and shy when it came to these kinds of things when most boys of his age would be open about it. Perhaps being raised by a single mother had made him more passive and mellow to the opposite sex.

"Your red face seems to tell a different story Ash." With the girls giggling at his reaction, they decided it was enough teasing for the poor boy and they got the show on the road. Cerulean shouldn't be far, but hopefully they manage to avoid any downpour or storms. Ending Ash's misery and flustered expressions, he helped with stuffing the rest of the items into their bags. Strapped with their equipment and wares, the trio headed down the mountain trail to reach Cerulean City. The journey was uneventful but Ash did find it nice to walk in the forest again after dwelling in the caves for so long.

"So did you learn about pokemon symbiotic relationships Ash?" Kayla spoke as she stretched her arms out.

"Yeah, I saw Oddishes weave a nest for the Poliwag's youngs and Golducks are always looking after everyone's safety." Sounds about right, leveraging everyone's strength to cover their respective weaknesses is the right way forward when it comes to cooperation and teamwork.

"By working together, they improve their chance of survival in the wilds. Our ecosystem is intertwined with each other, so always be aware of the impact we humans can have on pokemon, and vice versa." In another life Ash could be convinced that Kayla works as a researcher or a scientist. She is always so well read but also respectful to the world around her, really made him wish that she can branch out and see the world. In a way, he was quite proud of her.

Their monotonous walk soon ended when they saw they reached a hill that allowed them to see the lands below. In the distance, they spotted Cerulean City with its numerous waterways and lakes flowing seamlessly from the ocean to the lakes and lagoons. Marble's eyes sparkled at the beautiful sight of the glorious sunlight reflecting onto the sea, this was definitely going into a gallery!

"I can see Cerulean from here, is that the city?" It was Ash's first time seeing Cerulean, all he knew about it was that it was big and blue. That is still mostly true but the many cargo ships, yachts and jetties cruising on the big blue ocean really made him appreciate the port town Cerulean is. Pallet Town never had anything like this, the nautical themes were going off the charts here! The walls of the city seemed to be made of white marble and limestone, further making it look like the lost city of Atlantis with water streams spewing out of its walls.

"The lagoons are really blue and clear, just like the pictures." Phone camera shutters going off at every turn made Pikachu squeaked, humans really like to take pictures don't they?

"Let's go! I heard that Cerulean's seafood is world class!" Kayla chuckled at Ash's enthusiasm, food is always the highlight of their journey with every city offering something special or unique to their culinary history and culture. Fortunately for Ash, Marble and her already made the decisive decision to book a table.

"One step ahead of you, we booked a seafood restaurant that is famous for floating on top of a lake for dinner. It's pricey but it's worth the experience." Jubilant joy overwhelmed Ash for the briefest moment, but his mind instinctively went to the more practical and financial side of things.

"But isn't it really expensive? It's hard to get a table there." Marble assumed a more motherly persona and patted his head, Kayla and her had it all covered.

"Don't worry Ash, we made sure it is within our budget. Let's not worry about the details, yeah?" He only nodded to her question, but the undeniable feeling of someone patting his head just made him feel warm and fuzzy inside. The trio promptly traveled the side path that led them to Cerulean City, rangers were patrolling the outskirts of the city, where lush vegetation, meadows and forests were abundant. There was a long stretch of cars and lorries on the highway too, traffic was congested on the large bridge that connected Cerulean to the rest of Kanto as custom officers and border patrol inspected each vehicle.

"The city is like an island." Kayla was awed at how picturesque it is, a beautiful esplanade can be seen with families and couples walking around. Waterfronts lie abundant across the city and a large theme park can be clearly seen in the distance with ferris wheels and mascots hugging the skylines. Skyscrapers were all located in the heart of the city and high speed railways that interlinked all of Kanto's city together allowed commuters to travel freely as they pleased. Compared to the rustic charm of Pewter City, Cerulean looked so much more modern and sleek.

But before the trio could properly enter the city gates, a lone brunette ranger dressed in red with goggles above her head waved to them with her faithful Raboot accompanying her.

"Hello respectable travelers, please sign up here for registration." After filling up the necessary paperwork, scanning pokedex and ensuring they were law abiding citizens, the company was finally granted permission to enter the seaside city at their leisure.

"Enjoy your stay at Cerulean!" Bidding the cheerful ranger farewell, they finally step foot into the city. White stone marbles decorated the walls and streets, with traditional and contemporary aqueducts allowing water to flow freely around the city. Canals, waterways and rivers lie abundant, with tourists and their pokemon sitting on canoes to take pictures. Large stone staircases that linked the lower commercial districts to the upper administrative zones had brilliant marble statues of various water pokemon in the city scape. It was clear to Ash that they spent no expense in building by making it visually distinct and unique to Cerulean, and the result was a resounding success.

"Whoa, the streets are made of marbles and stone?" Marble grinned and proudly stood in front of Ash with her hands perched on her hips.

"Yeap, it's built by my blood and magic. You're standing on my body Ash." Kayla rolled her eyes over the poor taste of a joke and released Skitty from her pokeball to allow her to see the sights of Cerulean.

"Cerulean is famous for its water canals and bustling market. A lot of tourists come to visit Cerulean just to ride the canoe in the waterways. If I'm not mistaken, the architecture and designs were all inspired by Alto Mare's waterways, so it's very unique compared to other cities." Almost to prove her point, a school of Goldeens and Magikarps swam past them. Pikachu waved hello to them as they also greeted back by waving their fins or sprouting water from their mouths.

"Gah so cute!" Kayla gushing over the various pokemon was not surprising, they were many aquatic pokemon dwelling in the canals and rivers. So anyone caught littering or dumping rubbish in the canal faces a very hefty fine as they directly endanger the pokemon that lived within them. Cerulean was yet another example of human and pokemon living in perfect harmony.

"When you have a water type gym leader running the city, expect it to be a safe haven for aquatic pokemon." Passing by streets and restaurants, it was impressive that such a large city can accommodate so many little alleyways and natural scenery untouched by pollution. Yet for all of the city's eye candy, they must make their way towards a Pokemon Center to put down their backpacks.

"Hang on tight to me Pikachu, it's a busy crowd." Shoulder to shoulder, Ash squeezed between the crowds of pedestrians with the electric mouse clinging to his shoulders for dear life. The occasional glimpses of pink and turquoise hair in the distance was the only guidance Ash had for direction, but after entering a less crowded street where old timers and retirees seemed to be relaxing or playing a few games of chess with one another, Ash spotted the Pokemon Center located next to a waterfront. The gorgeous view allowed them to see the wide esplanade that would illuminate at night, allowing for a stunning walk along the lake.

"Pika." His starter patted his cheeks, ushering him to enter the Pokemon Center to avoid the girls from worrying about them since they were separated by the crowds of people.

"There you are Ash, we were worried that you got lost in the crowds." As always the girls took care of their logistical and administrative hassles. Kayla handed a keycard to Ash with Skitty lying on top of her hat with a content purr.

"I booked our rooms, here is your keycard." With the card firmly in his pocket, Ash noticed the two girls were eyeing him with a look of anticipation on their face. After traveling with them for so long now, he knew it was a cue that they wanted to do something, but didn't want to bring it up directly out of not pressuring him to do something he doesn't want, which is shopping in this case. So like any emotionally intelligent person, he decided to bring up the issue first.

"We still have time before it's 6, want to explore the market?" Immediately, Marble nodded. She had her eyes on the prize when she was squeezing past everyone in the street. The market street is by the canal with many traders and merchants selling an assortment of imported goods, so yes a thorough shopping trip is in order!

"Duh, I saw so many trinkets when walking to the center, it took all my willpower to not browse them."

"I want to buy some pokeblocks treats too, there's a lot of berry flavors I have never seen before." Before the young man could say anything, the two grabbed his hand and yanked him out of the Pokemon Center with his backpack and Pikachu still on his shoulders.

"Let's go Ash, we have to make the best of our time." Barely keeping up the pace with them, the raven haired teen chuckled at their enthusiasm. The many pictures they took at every photo worthy location seemed to be in spades, some were really good shots of Marble and Kayla sitting by the stone rail guards gazing upon the ocean with their hair flowing by the sea breeze, others were just them goofing around with the local pokemon who took part in the pictures too.

"The Wingull keychain is so cute, do you want one Kay?" Finally settled in the streets, the two ladies browsed over the woman's accessories wares while Ash went to wander off on his own. The young Jenny held the precious Wingull chain in her hand and smiled at the chibi design.

"Mhmm! I saw some phone case shops there, there's a design that I really want." As the girls hopped to different shops to sate their browsing needs, Ash was just casually walking around with Pikachu taking in the sights. It really seemed like a bustling marketplace, a melting pot for people from different walks of life to mingle around with one another. His wanderlust and aimless stroll however, came to an end when a jewelry shop by the road caught his interest.

"Hello young man, see anything that catches your fancy?" The elderly gentleman sat on his rattan chair with his Meowth purring on his lap. Roadside jewelry doesn't exactly scream quality or luxury but Ash would still like to buy something meaningful within his budget.

"Just looking. Actually, do you sell bracelets?"

"Yes. In fact I specialized in engraving names or messages onto bracelets. Do you have a certain special someone in mind?" Ash shook his head vehemently when his thoughts drifted to the two people he had in mind.

"N-No, I mean- yes! I want to buy my friends a gift as an appreciation for all the things they have done to me." The shopkeeper chuckled at his reaction, how nice to be young, exploring new sights and experiencing new feelings.

"I see, a personalized gift that comes from the heart is very precious, whoever they are, they must be very important to you." The raven haired teenager managed a nod, his lips rested into a small smile when he fondly thought of Kayla and Marble staying by his side when he was at his lowest.

"They are." The old man would not question any further, the sentimental expression from the young man told him enough.

"Very well, why don't you choose the bracelets?" With the help of Pikachu and his own intuition, Ash spent a considerable amount of time picking the right bracelet for each of the girls.

As the sun reached its zenith, the crowds of tourists began dispersing from the bustling streets and into the plethora of bistros and restaurants to sate their hunger. High above the Cerulean Cape lies the Lakeside Catch, a high class seafood restaurant that is renowned across the world. Fresh seafood, quality service and a picturesque view of the blue lagoon, its stunning location and gastronomic importance to the seaside city made it a jewel of the crown among the people of Cerulean.

"Ash isn't here yet." Currently sitting in their seats, Marble sipped on her glass of water while waiting for their male companion to join them. Admittedly, she hoped Ash would check his phone for directions to the restaurant.

"He did tell us to go ahead first, I hope he doesn't get lost." Just as they were about to call him, Ash entered the restaurant at that very moment with his backpack finally returned to the Pokemon Center.

"Hey sorry guys, I have trouble finding the place." Kayla grinned and ushered him to look outside, the sound of Wingulls squalling and gentle breeze of the wind rippling the waters made Ash smile. The riverbank had many trees and lush scenery, with Tangelas and Oddishes sunbathing together with the other pokemon.

"Look at the view! Stunning isn't it?" Sunlight glittering across the lake, schools of fish pokemon swimming around the deep blue sea waters, this really reminded Ash of home. High up in the cape, the crisp cool air and the foggy mist really made it more atmospheric and enchanting.

"Yeah, it's like the entire lake is made out of gold." Their shimmering eyes gazed on the lake together when a dapper waiter appeared with a tablet in hand.

"May I take your orders?" Right, the food! Before Ash could take the menu and scan for anything good, the girls had already decided on the meal with Kayla curtly ordering a feast fit for a king.

"We will have the Kalosian bouillabaisse, Seaking sized platter and one Kingdra's delight."

"Your order will arrive shortly." Ash blinked and glanced at the menu, his eyes widened at the exorbitant price of the food. What Kayla just ordered was meant to fit at least a party of five or six, certainly you would need at least six people to split the bill itself!

"Umm Kayla, we ordered a little too much don't you think? They look quite expensive too-" A dainty finger on his lips from Kayla silenced him instantly.

"Shhh, don't worry about the price Ash, just enjoy okay?" The soft smile and the low raspy voice had Ash nodding without thinking. Marble smirked at their interaction and placed a hand on her cheek, never in her life would she thought Kayla would be so daring and bold to a boy. She's quite the prude due to her upbringing, but it's nice that Ash manages to bring out a softer side of her.

After taking in the scenery and snapping some pictures, their grand feast arrived with the eyes of every connoisseur and customer locked on them. Ash salivated at the sight of Kalos Bouillabaisse, the rich broth made with simmering fish bones, shellfish, and aromatic vegetables like onions, fennel, and tomatoes gave a beautiful golden color. Generous shellfish serves like clams, mussels, prawns and even the tasty Slowpoke tail simmered in the aromatic broth, while herbs such as thyme, parsley and bay leaf were sprinkled upon with the stew, with even crusty slices of bread by the side of the pot of seafood.

"Your Seaking sized platter." Overflowing with cooked sea basses, king crab legs and oysters. The various cuts of tuna, salmon, trout and halibut presented beautifully with tomatoes, salad and lemon zest decorated. The prize of the dish, the Seaking's fin and filet were simmered beautifully with salt and pepper as marination. Such a simple looking dish constructed together in perfect symphony to create something delightful and delectable.

"Kingdra's delight." The main star of the show and the pearl of Cerulean, Kingdra's delight with jumbo shrimps and fresh sea scallops cooked with shallot, garlic and fish stock. The meaty and succulent Kingdra's Filet was sliced to perfection with various cuts of juicy Clawtizer's claw steamed to perfection. This was by far the grandest feast Ash had ever laid eyes on, and to think Marble and Kayla were willing to blow up their budget for this, so much for being the financially sensible and responsible one of the group eh?

"This is… oh my goodness Kay, pinch me now!" The excited squeals from Marble were not dampened despite being pinched by her best friend who is equally as ecstatic as her.

"I'm pinching you, I'm still pinching." Pikachu chuckled at the human's giddy and excited expression. You can clearly see the sparkling stars in their eyes when they gazed upon their extravagant lunch. After taking the mandatory pictures for social media and memorabilia sake, it was time to feast on the bounty of the sea. Ash did not hesitate to take the massive meaty claws and chomped on them, the salty and sweet taste of the meat drew a slew of nods from Ash.

"This is great, I feel very luxury." Marble loosened a smile while chowing down the clams and mussels.

"You feel very luxury." Realizing his mistake, he quickly snapped out of his foodwhelmed stupor and spoke concisely.

"Luxurious! This is the first time I'm having this. This is… I mean- I'm speechless, I'm actually speechless but I'm still speaking! That's how good it is." Tongue and cheek as always, Ash gobbled down the rest of the food, dipping garlic bread into the sauce.

"Arceus this is worth it." The culinary extravaganza continued with the trio devouring everything on their table. They never had anything like this before, the best they had in Pallet Town were mackerel, tai meshi and sushi, yet this? This was a feast worth every penny for its price.

As the crispy baked fish crumbled against the weight of the mighty fork, with mussel shells scattered across the tables and prawn skins curled on the plates, the sight of a fierce battle between humans versus food had finally come to an end.

"I can't move, I'm so full." Battered and triumphant, Ash felt thoroughly accomplished by devouring his fair share of the meal. The fact they managed to clear all of it is impressive, Kayla and Marble were definitely food fighters in their previous life because his ravenous appetite was nearly beaten by the the Joy and Jenny duo. Unfortunately, Marble and Kayla were raring to go spend the rest of their precious afternoon elsewhere.

"Too bad Ash because we're going to Cerulean Cape next!" Pikachu squeaked out a chuckle when his trainer stared at them with pain in his eyes. Ash looked thoroughly defeated and dazed right now, a testament to the mighty feast they had.

"W-Where's that?" Kayla clasped both hands together and smiled fondly, how could anyone still looked so radiant and graceful after devouring a buffet was beyond Ash.

"It's a great glamping spot, but it's also popular for stargazing and seeing the city skylines. I've always wanted to visit there ever since I saw those pictures online." Ash rested into a smile and nodded, seeing the excited glint in Kayla's sapphire blue eyes sent a fuzzy feeling down his spine.

"Is it far?"

"A little? Just a 20 minute walk." The raven haired teen conceded and glanced at the waiter who brought in the bill. Any attempt of pulling his phone out for payment was swiftly thwarted by Kayla using her credit card on the card scanner. Their eyes met for the moment but the two girls merely flashed a reassuring smile, it seemed they already planned to pay on his behalf.

"Let's take a picture, Ash." He sighed inwardly, basic math told him that this feast would cost four figures, and the girls had already paid more of their share when it comes to daily provisions. Honestly, what did he do to deserve them? Still, he won't bring it up directly in front of them, if anything he learned when traveling with them, it's that subtle and indirect actions wielded the greatest results.

He will repay them one way or another.

The trio sat together with their pokemon out and center, Shroomish sat on the table with Shinx and Skitty while Sandshrew sat in Kayla's arms and Pikachu sat in Marble's. The snuggly moment was forever captured when a waitress took a picture of them. The background of the beautiful blue lake shimmered in a warm comforting glow, mirroring the radiant and sweet smiles of the trio.

---

Exiting the restaurant, the company walked away from the busy commercial district of Cerulean and into the tranquil forest. Crossing over the waterways, rivers and the famous Nugget Bridge, they followed the beaten path and ascended upwards towards the cape of Cerulean.

"It's quiet." It was still noon, Ash thought there would be more people relaxing but he acknowledged that it was also a weekday. Dandelions and poppies were widespread across the grassy fields, with wildflowers blooming and dancing to the tune of the summer breeze. In the distance, Ash could clearly see the large esplanade and Cerulean's skyscrapers hovering the city skylines. Marble sighed and placed her hands behind her head.

"Far away from the streets and skyscrapers, Cerulean Cape is really all about nature and scenery, enjoying some time for yourself or with others. I like quiet and serene places like these in busy cities, it's a breather you know?" Coming from Pallet Town, it was hard for any of them to see themselves living in the big city. Yet the numerous opportunities of city life are numerous, far more than a farming town like Pallet. One day, they will become responsible adults and have to shoulder the burden of adulthood and independence.

"Yeah, I think I will become super stressed if I stay behind concrete walls every day of my life. The occasional getaway is nice." The brisk walk towards Cerulean Cape was peaceful but the day was still young and there was plenty of time to be killed before he battles Misty.

"Umm, so any more plans for Cerulean? We visited the market and ate the seafood, anything else you all want to do?" Marble clasped both hands and pushed her fingers against each other, her eyes sparkled with a lightbulb magically materializing above her head once she saw how blue and wide the ocean looked.

"Hmm, I want to try swimming at the lagoon. It's been ages since I went swimming." Kayla held her best friend close, the two always wanted to go swimming in a private place untouched by tourists or people. Their little own hideaway from the outside world where they are free to do whatever. Honestly, the two aren't exactly a people's person and would much prefer the company of solitude.

"Let's go tomorrow then, it will be a while before Ash challenges Misty to a gym battle right? We will go in the afternoon after he finishes his training." Marble nodded and laid her head on Kayla's shoulders, she could envision the cold waters welcoming her body as she floated on top, watching the sky and flying birds chirping along.

"Aww thanks guys, but I can take it easy too you know." Kayla shook her head and wagged her finger in front of Ash Ketchum. Misty is not an opponent he can take lightly, though young, she is skilled with water types and her defensive strategy that punishes opponent's overcommitment and mistakes.

"No taking it easy! Misty is a tough opponent with her defensive strategy. Her Starmie can easily take out both Pikachu and Shroomish if she stalls you out." The two really wanted him to win, make sense after all, if he loses and he needs to rechallenge Misty, they would have to spend a few more days in Cerulean in their already tight schedule.

"Okay, okay, I will do my best." Trudging towards the incline and through the flowery meadows, they finally reached the cape with pants and sighs. To Ash's surprise, families and couples can be seen having picnics and spending time together, nary a scenic spot was left unoccupied. So much for being a busy weekday.

"Crowded." The slight annoyance and grumbling tone from Marble was subtle, but effective. Fortunately, there's just one spot behind the lake that was spacious enough to fit all of them, far away from the lovey dovey couples and their partner pokemon.

"Here is a good spot." Nestled in the distant cliff lights a white lighthouse, stained with rust and overgrowth, the towering structure stood above the crashing waves and jagged rocks. It was awe inspiring, something contemporary and nostalgic seeing an abandoned lighthouse that stood in for decades of service, only for the light to be snuffed out in an era of gadgets and digitalization.

"Wah, you can see an old lighthouse from here and the big blue sea." Wingulls squawk about, flapping their wings as they ride the updraft of the sea breeze to soar high in the skies. The occasional tidal waves and crashing of the rocks, it's all so therapeutic to take all of it in. For a moment, the trio stood in complete silence when they gaze upon the seas, watching the ever expanding sky and the seas that go beyond the horizon.

"Now I wish we actually camp outside here." An awesome camping spot with the sea within reach, Marble could already envision the late night campfire songs.

"Another day Marble, we already booked a room in the center." The young Jenny sighed and hugged Kayla's arms, the cold gust of sea breeze was just sending her hair flying.

"This place will look so much better at night." One foot on rock, Ash shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand as Pikachu squeaked at the many Wingulls flying around them. Pallet Town's ocean is pretty but nothing compared to this! Being so high up on the cape gives you such a different perspective, as if you were a king looking after your domain.

Kayla snapped a few pictures with her phone and smiled at the lighthouse sitting by its lonesome. She remembered a story about that lighthouse told by her mother when they watched a documentary of Cerulean City back in Kalos before coming to Pallet Town.

"That lighthouse over there is a legend among the city. Back then when Cerulean was still a small fishing town, it was said that the lighthouse built by Cerulean's architects and engineers navigated merchant ships to dock at Cerulean for safe harbor after their long voyage. That allowed Cerulean to grow into a bustling trade port that it is today as no merchant ships would have stopped by if it weren't for the guiding light."

"Mhmm, it's an integral part of the city's history and roots. I'm actually glad I got to see historical important sites like these. It makes me wish that every city took steps like these to preserve their own traditions and culture." Ash stared at the two gushing over historical monuments and landmarks such as this, they were so much appreciative of everything around them while he struggles to comprehend the importance of a tall building with a beacon on top. Perhaps the saying is true, everyone's idea of a pokemon journey is different from everyone else.

"Let's take a picture with the lighthouse in the background later, I want to conquer every landmark we visit." Marble settled down and ushered everyone to come sit with her. So like a family picture where everyone struggled to get into the frame, all of their pokemon were released from their capsule for this very moment. Marble, Ash and Kayla gave a peace sign as the pokemon all cheered and posed for the camera.

"Perfect! This is definitely going to the gallery." As the humans celebrated their picture, Shroomish and Sandshrew's faces went pure white when they realized how high up they were. They glanced at the crashing waves that break against rocks and shore, watching in absolute horror that the seas can swallow the whole if they made a misstep. Given they were cave and forest dwelling denizens from the lowlands, the concept of high alps and large open oceans is a foreign experience to them.

"S-Shroom." Their enigmatic trainer chuckled at their scared reaction and scooped both of them up, placing them down on a spot Marble secured. Basking on the sunlight and breeze, the pokemon took the moment to gaze upon the moving clouds by lying on the grass, with Pikachu pointing to different familiar shapes or cloud objects.

"Are we the only non couple here? Sheesh everyone is getting frisky here." Their quiet moment was interrupted when Marble noticed how many couples were around, somewhere whispering to each other's ears, others were more physical with their affection.

"It is a popular dating spot, people come here to exchange vows, confess their feelings or get rejected." Ash was mildly amused on Kayla's choice of words, she looked thoroughly unimpressed or deadpanned here.

As time passed and the sun slowly set into the horizon, the company snapped more pictures of the sunset with the orange hue brushed against the sky. Dusk settled into twilight and soon enough, the sunset watchers began to make their way down to the market streets, where street lights began to illuminate with every dim of light.

"The evening market is in full swing now!" Crowds of people walk through the marble streets of the market, the fresh smell of takoyaki, grilled chicken skewers and the tasty yakisoba noodles dripped in Worcestershire sauce were present at every corner. And yet, full from their lavish seafood lunch, Kayla and Marble's stomach were set on something more savoury and cold.

"Round two it is, I saw a stall selling dessert and shaved ice!" The young man watched with a small sigh as the two already bolted off to the nearby stall selling cendol. A dish made with shaved ice, coconut milk, palm sugar syrup, green flour jellies and sweet red beans decorated on top. Mixed together in its confectionary splendor and you have yourself a savoury and sweet dish. Ash skillfully avoided the crowds and squeezed past humans and pokemon to make his way to the stall. He chuckled at Kayla and Marble tiptoeing up and down to see the menu as the queue for the stall was quite long already.

"They really have a sweet tooth huh." Pikachu nodded at his trainer's brilliant deduction.

"Ash! What do you want?" They waved to him all excitedly, oblivious to the looks of the people queuing behind them as Ash squeezed through the other lines and queues to reach them.

"I will have what you are having." Kayla squeezed Marble's shoulders and pointed at the picture of a delicate pudding on the menu.

"Haupia, a traditional Alolan coconut pudding- ooh I want to try this one too."

"Since you two paid for dinner, how about I paid for desserts? You girls can order anything you want and I will pay for it." An unsettling feeling churned his stomach, a dark chill sent down his spine when the glint of wicked mischievousness was apparent in the girls' eyes.

"Hear that Kayla? Let's drain Ash's bank account dry." The quick nod from Kayla sealed his fate.

"Right with you Marble." Horrified by the implications, Ash watched helplessly as Marble and Kayla ordered half of the menu items from crepes, haupia, waffles and shaved ice all while Pikachu cackled at his trainer's misfortune. Arceus forbade that the entire street is filled with dessert stalls with all things savory and sweet.

"W-Wait!"

---

Marble stretched her limbs and let out a long drawn out yawn, an infectious act that was followed by her starter Shinx. She chuckled at how adorable he looked and placed him on her lap, scratching its fur softly as she watched Ash and his pokemon training up a storm. Based on her observation, she noticed that Ash seemed to be training their overall coordination with one another and teamworking skills. Which is to say, less on 1 on 1 battles, more on battlefield tactics or situations. It isn't a bad thing but with Misty's gym battle coming up soon, Ash ideally should focus on Shroomish and Pikachu's ability to fight against water types or hone their swimming capabilities.

A warm presence next to her stole her attention and Marble smiled when Kayla extended a cup of hot coffee for her. The young Joy seemed to manage to wake up early too, though her bed hair was hidden behind her cap.

"Thankies." The two sit down side by side, with their respective starters greeting one another before snuggling on their trainer's lap. Kayla watched Sandshrew stood as the vanguard while Pikachu and Shroomish stood in the rear, it seems like a formation tactic of sorts, something which Ash has grown fond of using after the Team Rocket accident in Mt Moon.

"How's his training going?"

"Pretty good, I think Ash is waiting for us to go swimming though." Kayla raised her eyebrows from Marble's comment, she didn't expect that from Ash.

"Is he that excited to see us in a swimsuit?" Marble chuckled at the trailing sentence, why would her dear friend come to that conclusion first hmm? Granted maybe Ash is secretly a high libido teenager and they would never know.

"Well I think he wants to train Pikachu and Shroomish swimming for Misty's battle but I like your thinking more." Kayla rolled her eyes though the pink flushed cheeks were evident. The young Joy hugged her Skitty close to her and placed her chin above its adorable head, gazing upon a sweat soaked Ash giving commands to his troops.

"He works hard." The soft whisper of pride from Kayla didn't go unnoticed. Arguably, Marble suspected Ash's decision to wake up at the crack of dawn to train his pokemon was because of them.

"Mhmm, he wakes up super early to train his pokemon because he knows he won't have time for it when we are on the road."

"I know he is doing it for our sake too, he wants us to fully enjoy our time traveling and taking in all the sights. In a way, we're holding him back." Marble frowned at Kayla's sudden self-loathing, what's going on here? Ash had never blamed it on them for anything and neither were they too pushy with him too. Their relationship is always about open communication and respect for one another, if they had a problem they would talk it out like good friends do.

"Hey don't think that way, he is grateful to have us with him, just like how we are grateful to have him too. If he truly feels that way, he would voice it out or show signs of it. For the record, he enjoys the downtime as much as we do." Kayla received a warm arm hug from Marble, she stared at Ash again and found herself smiling at how silly she was. Deep down, she was scared that their insistence of arriving in Vermillion City on time would rush Ash's own experiences too since he had conceded much of his own time for them too.

"Let's go, I want to swim in that lagoon." Marble and the pokemon agreed wholeheartedly, the morning sun is harsh yet bright, perfect time to go swimming in the cool waters.

"Ash! Are you done?" The dark haired teen glanced at their direction and gave a thumbs up, this training session was to drill the basic teamwork composition among the pokemon, with Sandshrew acting as a juggernaut with his Defense Curl and Rollout strategy to flatten its foes and brush off petty attacks while Shroomish and Pikachu would assume a more supportive role.

"Yeah, just wrapping up." With his squadron trained and ready for action, Ash recalled the Shroomish and Sandshrew to their pokeball to let them rest for the moment.

"Awesome, let's go." Heading towards the blue lagoon, they hiked up towards a hill near the northwest side of Cerulean. Large stone bridges that connected different parts of Cerulean were filled with pedestrians, couriers, taxis and trucks.

"That is Nugget Bridge right?" In the distance, Ash spotted the familiar Nugget Bridge that stretched far and wide. Trainers were having an epic duel of the fates, all while kids cheered on and watched the battle with awe.

"Yeap we passed by yesterday." It was the very bridge that allowed them to reach Cerulean cape, everything in this city is so interconnected with different modes of transportation being considered for all.

"The city is so walkable, I thought only cars and motorbikes are the only way to get anywhere in the city." Citylife is exotic, elusive and ecstatic. The hustle and bustle of it can get overwhelming and tiring, especially when it's all about the go-go-go life where everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere all the time. In some ways, how people travel is an indicator of their lives too.

"All cities in Kanto must be walkable under the Region Planning Act, that means plenty of shade, a lot of crosswalks, well maintained sidewalks and of course efficient public transport. This is to reduce environmental pollution and wildlife disruption that would affect pokemon habitat, the idea is to always coexist with pokemon regardless of human development." Again, Kayla's repertoire of knowledge when it comes to general knowledge amazes Ash. Of course it made sense to have plenty of shade and well maintained crossings to encourage use of public transport, how else are people going to move about during rainy clouds and sunny days?

"Didn't know they take things that seriously."

"It's good for us too, less cars on the road reduces traffic jams, carbon emissions and noise pollution, also less accidents too. People and pokemon should be prioritized over everything else, stick to that simple thinking and you will be amazed how much we can achieve without compromising either side." Marble trailed off her profound words of wisdom when her eyes laid on the gushing waterfall. Finally, paradise was within reach. Unfortunately, the sound of children and adults laughing and screaming quickly made the trio flinch for a brief moment at the implications of a crowded paradise.

"I can see the waterfall from here." Granted, as they walked closer towards the forest path, the way that led to the open lake was filled with cars, slippers, luggage and rubbish lying around. There were many people sitting on their reclining chairs while others were having a barbeque in the wide open. Not exactly the most private of places to relax.

"Yeeeah, we're not going there, see the amount of people?"

"Oh yeah, it's like a water park." Kayla grinned at Ash's disappointed expression, did he really think they would bring him here without doing any proper research?

"We're going somewhere more discreet, my aunts told me about this place." Curious of her tongue and cheek tone, Ash followed the enigmatic teenager with Marble simply smiling away. They walked for a few more minutes and found a secluded grotto hiding deep within a valley. Surrounded by lakes, trees and greenery, the moss filled caves seemed to be lit with lanterns adorning the walls.

"This is like a secret entrance." Amazed by the find, they entered a cave and found a spiral staircase of sorts that led up to the summit. Little small holes that act as windows allow Ash to see how high they were climbing. Clearly this place was well maintained since the limestone staircase didn't have moss or overgrowth and the lanterns were well oiled. With their legs near collapse and exhaustion, the panting trio finally reached the top of the summit where the open skies greeted them once again.

"Whoa, you serious?" A beautiful lagoon that stretched far and wide surrounded by nature's beauty, being so high up in elevation gave them the clear view of Cerulean City and its bustling port far below. From this distance, Ash could clearly see the road they took to come here. It was magical, awe inspiring and honestly impressive that they came that far for this view, and it was absolutely worth it.

"I had a hard time believing it too when I first saw the pictures, this is better than what I expected!" Kayla would definitely give her Cerulean aunt a huge hug whenever she sees her. Untouched by tourists, this secluded spot is only known to the select few. Which means no online postings of this place, lest they want their hideaway to be swarmed.

"You can see all of Cerulean City from here, the ships, ferries and even Cerulean Cape!" Pikachu reached its paw out over the cape of the lagoon, a large volume of water seemed to be held together by the mountains and rocks, like a bowl of sorts. The electric mouse dipped one hind leg into the waters, it squeaked wildly once it indeed confirmed that the cold lagoon is indeed cold.

"Well let's get to it then." Shinx leaped into a shady spot to curl up on while his owner and her friend began to retrieve their swimsuit from their bags. Naturally, the sound of their rummaging and sudden skittish behavior of eyes darting between Ash and their swimsuit raised the eyebrows and interest of the pokemon who just gave a smirk at the awkward situation brewing in the air.

"We're going change into our swimsuit, no peeking Ash." The coy tone from Marble was effective at drawing an overreaction from the young man. He stammered and swiftly turned to face the gorgeous scenery rather than the gorgeous girls standing behind him.

"I won't!" Snickering and giggling at his response, the girls slipped away behind a large rock where their privacy is guaranteed while Ash took some time to cool off his flaming cheeks. He sighed and stared at his pokemon who looked enamored by the view, Shroomish particularly looked captivated by the landscape view below despite.

"Shroom." Despite its beady eyes, the shimmering sparkle was evident with how amazed he looked, it seemed fear and fascination go hand in hand. Ash smiled and placed one hand on the mushroom pokemon's hand while Sandshrew tiptoed higher to get a better view of the vast oceans that stretched far and wide.

"It's an amazing view isn't it guys? You have all of the city's view to yourself." The symphonies of nods was heartwarming, living vicariously through his pokemon experiences as well as his own is important. Unfortunately, Sandshrew glanced at the wide bodies of water and felt his body froze at the thought of sinking into the abyss. The sudden shiver of Sandshrew quickly earned Ash's attention and he swiftly held the ground type in his arms to comfort him.

"It's alright Sandshrew, you're safe. Why don't you stay here and enjoy the sun?" The mouse pokemon agreed and rolled his way towards a nearby sand pit to cover itself in the warm sands. Shinx blinked at Sandshrew's ability to dig out motes and watched in amazement when it created a sand castle of sorts with just its sharp claws within moments.

"Shrew!" The raven haired child chuckled at the pokemon antics and stared at the lagoon behind him, Arceus he is sweating right now with the hot sun beating down on him, what he won't give to cannonball his way into the waters right now.

"Come on, come out already, why are you so shy?" The voice of Marble echoed from the rock, drawing Ash and the pokemon's curiosity. The shadows cast by the sun allowed Ash to see Kayla and Marble's silhouette with the young Jenny pulling a reluctant Joy's arm into the open.

"I- I never wore a swimsuit in public." The quivering and bashful tone from Kayla was so meek and frail, a far cry from the confident and calm composure she usually has. Though clearly, Marble was not taking no for an answer.

"It's just Ash, not some strangers in a public pool." Beaten by Marble's superior reasoning and Ash clearly listening to their conversation, a shy Kayla slowly walked out of the covers of the rock with Marble holding her shoulders and arms to proudly present her bestie rocking in a killer swimsuit.

"What do you think Ash? How does Kayla look?" There she stood in a two-piece swimsuit that took his breath away. The top was a bright, crimson red. It was a bandeau style, with a wide band that hugged comfortably around her chest and a straight neckline that showed off the delicate line of her collarbones. Thin straps looped over her shoulders, disappearing into the back where a cute little bow tied just below her shoulder blades. The bottoms were a high-waisted style, a refreshing change from the usual bikinis he associates with. The high waist, in the same vibrant red, sat just above her hips, offering a touch of coverage while still showing off her long legs. The bottoms tapered down from the high waist to a flattering and comfortable-looking cut that ended just above her mid-thigh.

The whole look was both stylish and not too skimpy, but showed enough curves and skin that made Ash question the nature of humanity itself. It was a far cry from the baggy clothes she usually wore, the cool tomboy persona was instantly replaced by a shy and eye-avoiding Kayla who rubbed one arm.

Of course in that moment of stupor and wonder, Ash could only think of one word in his short-circuited capacity.

"Cute." The very word that came out of his mouth left Kayla crossing her arms with her eyes scanning on the ground. Thoroughly aware of Marble teasing smirk, she felt her best friend leaning closer to her ear for a whisper.

"See? I told you that he likes it." Kayla ignored Marble smug grin and glanced at Ash to see his reaction, suffice to say the red flushed cheeks and the roaming eyes set on her body told her enough that Ash was enamored and impressed. She rested into a small smile, now she was a little more confident in herself.

"You look good too Marble, I like your swimsuit." Bright blue two piece that scooped her figure perfectly with the straps held together by a thin fabric. The swimwear was a little more skimpy compared to Kayla's one, frill thigh straps adorned her toned legs with her hair tied to a stylish high ponytail. Ash stiffened up considerably and felt strangely embarrassed that he was staring at them so much. They all looked so- different.

"O-Oh Thanks." Marble sheepishly smiled off the compliment from Ash and awkwardly stared at him. The trio looked amongst each other, a needle thread of silenced sow between them all before Marble cleared her throat.

"Umm, you should get changed too Ash."

"R-Right, I will be right back." Hastily with his swim trunks in hand, Ash walked past them and dashed towards the large rock that provided him privacy. He breathed a sigh of relief and changed into his swimwear and emerged from the rocks topless. He glanced around the clear lagoon and realized the two girls were nowhere to be seen, just the pokemon staring at him with an unreadable expression.

"Kayla? Marble?" Perplexed and creeped out by the silence that echoed back at him, he slowly walked towards the edge of the lagoon and stared at Pikachu who was resting on top of a tree branch.

"Guys do you know where-" The fits of giggles behind instantly sank Ash's heart, chills of biblical horror crept onto his spine when he felt two pairs of soft delicate hands sending him straight down to the cold spiraling depths of the abyss.

"WAH!" Falling face first into the cold waters, Ash flailed around for a brief moment, pretending to be struggling around in water so the cackling faces of Marble and Kayla became one of genuine concern when Ash sunk lower to the lagoon, and just when the two girls tried to approach him and reach him out, he grabbed both of their arms and pulled them towards him.

"AH!" The ghastly shrieks from the two were replaced by the loud splash from their weight. Ash skillfully weaved and swam away from the two as Marble and Kayla began to recollect themselves from the attack.

"Ash! Our hair!" Soaked through and through, the displeased duo splash water at Ash as they battle it out with every spurt of water and torrent they could. But after the battle between the three water benders ended, the pokemon finally joined in the fun with Pikachu jumping head first from the branches above.

"Pikachu can swim so well." Kayla watched the electric mouse pokemon effortlessly swimming with such style and grace, zipping across the lagoon with much speed and precision by waddling its paws and legs.

"Back in Pallet, he always played with the Poliwags in the rivers, so they taught him how to swim." Marble stayed near the edge of the lagoon and chuckled at Skitty's reluctance to enter the waters despite Kayla's insistence. Sandshrew would never enter any body of liquid, her Shinx is relaxing under the shade and Shroomish- where is that little guy anyway?

"Aww that's cute, Shroomish are you having fun-" Stranded in the waters, the frowny Shroomish floated aimlessly to worlds unknown as it lacked any limbs to properly control its movement in the water. Just as it drifted away to the edge of the lagoon, Ash quickly waddled his way towards him and picked the mushroom pokemon up, firmly placing him right in front of him as the buoyant boy can float effortlessly.

"Got you buddy." Kayla patted the grass type's head and smiled at his happy expression, a little head pat goes a long way when it comes to improving pokemon mood behaviors.

"Since Shroomish doesn't have any arms, it's difficult for him to move around." The grass type grunted at his obvious weakness, give him enough time and he would become a ferocious Breloom. Foes would tremble under his strength, while allies would hearten at sight of a mighty defender. Right now however, he is just a walking mushroom with no limbs to his name. Ash rubbed his chin and pondered about how to remedy Shroomish glaring weakness, obviously having a grass type for Misty would be crucial but the arena of the battlefield is surrounded by water. It would be game over if Shroomish is knocked into the pool, the lack of mobility would be the end of it.

"Hmm, Shroomish can you throw Leech Seed on the water surfaces?" Shroomish was confused but obliged nevertheless, he spewed out budding seeds on the water as it floated on top after bouncing up and down the waves.

"What are you thinking Ash?" A close Kayla swimming next to Ash made him keenly aware of how much skin the suit was actually showing and how developed Kayla actually is. He maintained a steady composure and focus on Shroomish and not the busty Joy and Jenny standing right next to him.

"I saw how Shroomish can control Leech Seed vines, I was thinking maybe I can use that to tether or slingshot Shroomish around the water since he naturally floats on top." The girls were impressed, Ash's creativity with various pokemon moves is commendable. Grass types are known to be highly versatile and can adapt to every situation, despite its numerous weaknesses to different types like flying, fire, poison, bug and ice, their numerous fighting style and tactics allows them to have a counterplay to every situation.

"Oh that's smart Ash, you can spread the seeds across the body of water and use them as anchors or launchers." It was a sound idea, but even Ash had doubts Shroomish can pull it off seamlessly.

"Yeah but that requires Shroomish to control each individual Leech Seed while maintaining focus, gonna be tough. I wonder if I can use that strategy against Misty." He trailed off slowly as Shroomish was already putting in work, presumably because it was tired of being carried by the currents of the waters while it flailed its stubby little feet to no avail. Vines crept from the seeds to attach to Shroomish head and with a flick of movement, the young mushroom pokemon skidded across the waters and screamed over the apparent high velocity and non stop spinning that left it dazed.

"Pika!" Fortunately Pikachu swam towards the sentient fungus and patted its head to soothe its headache, with the electric type becoming his overseer and coach, the two began to work around a definite strategy of placing tactical buds across the lake for maximum mobility. Ash sighed and sunk deeper into the cool waters, he watched his pokemon training on and kept an eye on Sandshrew, the little guy was having a time of his life building sand mounds and castles.

"This is so relaxing, I always wanted to do this." Marble floated on her back with her limbs extended, she glanced at the clear sky above and sighed when her body felt so relaxed. Ash was tempted to pour water onto an unsuspecting Marble but saner thoughts prevailed when he realized that Kayla was standing next to him too, thus he turned to Sandshrew and ushered the young lad to come in.

"Sandshrew, you sure you don't want to come in? The water is warm." That was a lie, the waters are as frigid as Snowpoint's winter, but Ash was hoping to help Sandshrew overcome its hatred for all things wet and moist.

"Sand!" It shook his head and snuggled into the sand pit, this was his safe space, no one can bring him out of it. Thoroughly relaxed under the spell of the waters, Marble glanced at the glaring sun above and realized it was already half past noon, at least according to the location of the sun.

"Shinx can you grab my phone for me please." The electric cub nodded and picked up her phone with his mouth before walking towards the edge of the lagoon to hand it to his mistress.

"Thank you." Content with a pat on its fur, Shinx joined Pikachu by splashing into the waters to chase after his electric compatriot. Marble briefly giggled at her Shinx and leaned against the edge of the lagoon to put her phone on dry land. She had been doing some research about Cerulean and was eager to share it to everyone else.

"So! I did some digging last night-" Ash just couldn't resist the opportunity.

"With a shovel?" The two girls stared at him before he mouthed a quiet sorry as he sunk deeper into the waters. Marble promptly continued with her tone slightly more strained than usual.

"I did some digging last night and apparently Cerulean's star attraction is its mermaid show, hosted by the beautiful Waterflower sisters." To prove her point, she played a video of the performance that showed all the sisters swimming around in an aquarium with their pokemon. It was an impressive display of coordination, performance and physical endurance. Coupled with beautiful lights and the dazzling movements, Ash could definitely see why it's popular.

"So they swim inside a large aquarium tank with their pokemon? Is it safe?" Kayla chuckled at Ash's tone of worry, he isn't wrong to think that way but fortunately pokemon are awesome as always.

"Completely, water pokemon can make sure non-aquatic pokemon or humans hold their breath for long periods of time." Kayla spoke as if that was the most normal thing in the world! This is Ash's first time hearing this fact.

"Wait what?"

"It's widely known to scuba diving enthusiasts or sailors, but yes water types can temporarily give drowning humans the ability to breathe underwater for the moment. Some use Safeguard to give air bubbles, others use Dive to create an aura to allow humans to breathe freely while diving with them."

"That's so cool." The pink haired teen nodded, it is indeed very cool and crucial for every trainer to have a water type. Her aunts had told her that many lives were saved in the sea because kind hearted pokemon like Lapras and Sealeos rescue drowning swimmers or sailor from their demise.

"Mhmm, so if you ever head near deep waters, make sure you have a water type or a good swimmer on your team." Ash has a few ideas of a good water type, Poliwags are frankly amazing since their amphibious biology allows them to fight on land and sea. But he is also open to other pokemon too, maybe he would find the right friend when they crossed paths. Their occasional chatter and swimming session came to a rough end when thunder clouds loomed above them, the rapidly approaching gray hues boom with crackling thunder, much to the despair of the trio.

"Thunderstorms again?" Did Marble mention how much she hates the monsoon season? Everyday there would be a risk of rain, ruining everything good she anticipated for.

"Ugh, let's pack up before the rain falls." Kayla, the leader and sensible one practically forced those words out of her mouth. Being caught in a thunderstorm would mean being sick is the least of their worries, falling trees, landslides and hypothermia is enough of a threat itself. She stepped out of the waters and placed one foot on the edge of the rock, only for her to slip backwards and lose her grip due to how slippery it is. Before the pokemon or Marble could voice their cries of worry, Ash was quick to catch a falling Kayla in his arms with a sleight of movement.

"Careful." The beating heart from Kayla didn't stem from the adrenaline of her falling, rather it was from how close Ash is to her. His gravel husky whispers that sent a chill down her spine and the strong arms wrapped her waist to secure her position. Her back rested against his broad chest with his chin barely above her shoulders. Keenly aware of his interlocked fingers that tightened her to him, Kayla stiffened her shoulders over the splash of water from her fall that made all of them soaking wet again.

"T-Thanks Ash." Marble and the pokemon watched in pure silence as they internally screamed at the typical cliche drama scene they found themselves witnessing in. The young Jenny watched on in suspense, the exchange of eye contact between the two, the disbelief of what just happened and the sudden hit of realization, all of it was just so juicy and enticing to a drama fanatic like her. The awkward pauses and yet the reluctance of parting ways, gosh she could drink it all in.

"Umm, you can let go now." Alas, the scene came to an end. Ash swiftly let go of Kayla once she planted her feet on the lagoon floor. He retracted his hands but his eyes carefully watching Kayla exiting the lagoon, this time she pushed herself upwards to sit on the edge of the lagoon before standing again.

Not wanting to dwell on it, the company swiftly dried themselves with the towel and wore their travel clothes again. Marble gave a triumphant smirk to Kayla every now and then much to her annoyance, but the mood was generally awkward as their normally chatty trio found themselves at a silent standoff.

---

"Welcome to the Old Blue Grubs, we will begin to set sail around 2 PM, please make yourself comfortable until then." The dapper waiter welcomed the trio into the cafe. Situated upon Cerulean City's wide canals lies a large boat dedicated to host passengers, cafe on a boat as the locals fondly call it, is popular among tourists and locals alike. There's no better way to see what Cerulean has to offer by traveling down the gorgeous waterways and seeing the beautiful architecture and layout of the city.

"It's like a yacht." Today Ash felt like a king, dining in Cerulean's finest seafood restaurant and boarding a cafe on a ship, it's truly something he never thought he would be doing in this journey. He peered through the windows and watched the numerous pedestrians walking past, some kids were even waving at the ship with their partner pokemon, others were enamored by the concept of a ship in a canal.

"May I get your drinks?" Ash turned to face Marble and Kayla when the waiter came, but the two promptly ordered for him as Pikachu was eyeing the ketchup bottles on the tables.

"Two lattes and one mocha." With a table reserved for them, Marble and Kayla released their starters from their pokeball to allow them to roam free on the ship.

"No running around okay?" The mischievous duo nodded to their mistress' words and joined Pikachu, Shroomish and Sandshrew sat in a pen made for pokemon to relax. The kitten and cub placed their paws on the window hull and glanced at the bustling city life, the many aquatic pokemon swimming in the canal made Skitty licked her lips in anticipation.

But being in a lavish ship filled with extravagance and luxury could mean one thing and one thing only.

"Take a picture of us, Ash." The amateur photographer chuckled when Marble shoved her phone in his hands and sat at a corner with a window next to her. The angle showed her legs resting on a cushion rest with one hand holding her coffee cup while Marble gaze sagely at the window contemplating about life or something philosophical like that. Naturally, the warm cafe lightning also made her look more flattering and radiant with the cozy room emanating comfy vibes.

Next was Kayla's shot and her's was just natural. They exited the warm insulated cabins and into the ship balcony with her cap miraculously missing. The gloomy clouds above and the wind blowing her hair allowed Ash to capture the scene of her putting a lock behind her ear. The perfect shot was taken by Ash without the young man even thinking, she looked so graceful and calm behind the tomboyish and no-nonsense demeanor that it had his finger twitched to the button.

"You took the shot?" He jolted up when Kayla peered at the phone.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I did." Marble slipped between the two and wrapped her arms around their shoulders. She glanced at the photos as Ash swiped the pictures, the photogenic shots really did them some justice!

"Are you sure you didn't do any filters or edits? We looked a bit too good in these pictures." The wry grin on Kayla and Marble's face was an attempt to tease and rouse the young man, yet fortunately he had grown accustomed to their antics and could play the same card too.

"Well it helps that you two have what it takes to become models." The two chuckled at the complement and leaned against the railings of the balcony. The slow movement of the ship allowed them to take in all the sights of Cerulean, the downtown residential areas and the upmarket fish market was filled to the brim with life and vigor.

"It really feels like we are on a cruise." The trainers chatted for a little white, enjoying the sights and the breeze when their cart of coffee drinks came rolling in with the pokemon pushing.

"Ah Thank you so much guys." Pikachu saluted and leaped onto the railing, carefully balancing its position to avoid falling overboard while his trainer took his cup of hot mocha under the spell of a chilly and cloudy afternoon. Their short voyage around Cerulean however, came to a stand still when Marble spotted the all too familiar police vehicles situated near the outskirts of Cerulean.

"Hmm? What's going on there?" Police tapes, personnel and sniffer pokemon were all present, but it was the sight of her aunt that piqued Marble's curiosity. She cupped her hands around her mouth to shout at her aunt, hoping to get her attention.

"Auntie!" Instantly, the pensive expression of a battle-hardened and world-weary chief police officer sprung up to life at the sound of her beloved niece. She frantically located the source of her voice and ran towards the bridge that connected the suburbs to the big cities and saw her niece waving to her from the ship canalways below.

"Marble!" Barely holding to wits and logic, the mature lady leaped from the bridge and perfectly landed at the ship's balcony with the moving ship catching her fall. Her subordinates watched in pure shock and awe at their normally stoic chief being so energetic and excited, a sentiment that was reflected on Ash's and Kayla's face.

"Come here you!" The squishy hug from her aunt drew sighs from Marble, she was by far the most overbearing Jenny in the family. Beneath her gruff and serious cadence was just someone who loves family a bit too much.

Ah who was she kidding, Marble loved her the same!

"Auntie." The pouty tone of embarrassment made her aunt chuckle as she rested her arms around Marble's neck.

"Hehe, sorry, just really excited to see you. Julie told me you just passed by Pewter City, help foiled an illegal Team Rocket operation too." News of their exploits seemed to be spreading among their family members, hopefully a foiled attempt of illegal mining from The Rockets would set back their operations. But Marble was more interested in the clearly burglarized house that had shattered windows and debris.

"What's going on there?"

"A break in, a former prospector's house was ransacked and burglarized. We suspect the culprit was after his Dig TM, they stole nothing else." Immediately it sparked Marble's curiosity. Dig is a notorious move among criminals, particularly robbers who specialize in creating tunnels or burrowing their way to banks, museums or mansions.

"Dig huh, which means the criminal is preparing for another break in, except this time they would use dig instead." It was a fair assessment, but even the Cerulean Police Chief has doubts about this.

"Yes, we suspect their next targets are jewelry stores or luxury goods brands. It's been a long time since we have had any break ins, but this case has strange written all over it." Ash held Pikachu in his arms as the electric type began to yawn over the conversation.

"How so Officer Jenny?"

"For one, this house is situated at the outskirts of town, if the culprit had escaped to the inner city, our cameras would have detected and scanned the TMs code to alert the nearest precinct."

"Wait what?" The trio glanced at Ash's flabbergasted expression, did he not realize that everything brought from Silph Co is labeled with a digital code traced to your pokedex and identification card?

"Every authorized or official TM has a chip inside it for tracking and security purposes, same with pokeballs or any products of Silph Co we carry. That is why your Pokedex and ID is so important, everything can be tied and traced to you. Counterfeit TMs or Pokeballs would never have this code inscribed in it since it's not official." The young aunt watched in amusement when Ash looked visibly shaken and shell shocked, so this was the young man she heard so much about from her relatives. She has to say in terms of his general knowledge, she wasn't that impressed.

"So does that mean he escaped outside the city?" The chief officer nodded curtly, common sense tells her that the culprit escaped to the wilds to avoid detection given the outskirts of Cerulean is close to the meadows.

"Most likely, Cerulean has meadows, forests and mountains but our rangers had reported nothing. It's not possible for the perpetrator to leave the city so quickly, the crime was fresh too." Seeing the worried look on the children's faces, the Cerulean Officer Jenny brushed off the case and spoke in a firm tone befitting of a commander.

"Anyway, I won't delay you any longer, I wish I could chat Marble but duty calls. Be sure to say hi to your aunts and cousins for me yeah?" With her aunt successfully returning to her duties, the trio disembarked from the boat and walked along the road pavement of the city. The large shopping malls in town square were filled with cars and motorbikes zooming past the roads. The storm clouds above loomed again with rapturous thunder, the ominous gray veil blankets covered the entire city with many pedestrians holding their umbrella out or making a run to nearby shelters and restaurants.

"Those clouds looked heavy, can we just have take away dinner? I do not want to get wet again." Sore feets and sluggish bodies were apparent among the three teenagers. They walked an awful lot today and after taking the sights and sounds, they wanted to rest in their room with their pokemon cuddling with them.

"Mhmm I feel you Marble, Ash is it okay?" Any excuse to sleep is fine with Ash, also their budget was thoroughly blown for the past few days so a little rest and cooling off period is appreciated.

"Sure." Satisfied with his answer, they walked near the pier of Cerulean where the crack of dusk had arrived. Couples holding hands with cotton candies, streets lights illuminating with a soft warm glow, there's something really ethereal and beautiful about a pier. But they weren't here to sightsee, they have done that in spades, no they are here for the carnal desire that all living beings have.

"Seafood spaghetti with shrimp squeezed with lemons, ooh it looks so good." Marble hopped around to glance at the pictures of the restaurant's menu. The creamy shrimp with spaghetti and lemons sounds absolutely delicious to the young Marble.

"Let's order takeaway here." As the ladies were busy choosing the meal, Ash stared at the empty stalls on the other side of the pier that was devoid of people and life. Instead of warm vibrant street lights providing illumination at every turn, the cold chilling wind of the sea pierce through his jacket's warmth in the otherwise quiet part of the pier, where the occasional plastic bag rides the wind. There was something undeniably chilling being at a place you normally associate with cheer, laughter and crowds, yet right now the scene is now empty and desolate. It was a form of liminal space where things just don't feel right, despite knowing that it's completely safe and normal.

"Ash what do you want?" Fortunately Ash was brought back to reality when Kayla patted his shoulders and the warmth of companionship melted away the cold winds of the sea.

"I will have what you guys are having." Kayla and Marble sighed at the predictable answer and ordered something different for Ash.

---

"And we are back!" The rapturous shouts from Marble echoed across the hall, informing everyone in the Pokemon Center of her arrival. Kayla groaned at her antics and hoped to Arceus that her aunt wasn't here to witness their childish display.

"I need a shower now." The little grumbles from Kayla earned a headpat from Marble. They were unfortunately caught in the rain while on the way back to the Pokemon Center, so they were soaked through and through but fortunately their dinner was safe from their soggy fate.

"We'll see you tomorrow Ash, we will go to the mall and buy some clothes at 9 AM alright? We'll meet at the foyer." The raven haired teen nodded curtly, he loathed shopping trips with his mother and something tells him shopping with the two over branded clothes and items would test his patience and his ability to stand boredom.

"Sure, good night!" He bid them farewell and took his own dinner into the room. He scanned the keycard of the door and watched the futuristic door give out a chime before it slowly opened itself to Ash.

"Oof, tired." Like a tired office worker who just finished his 12 hour shift, Ash threw his backpack aside and fell face first into the comfy marshmallow of a bed. He sighed at the luxury of comfort and heard the sound of the automatic door closing shut.

"Pika." The electric mouse tapped against the pokeball of his dear comrades, releasing all of them from their capsules. Sandshrew and Shroomish cheered before being taken aback by the nice room they found themselves in. So this is what human burrows look like.

"Let's get all of you to the shower." Two smiles and a face of absolute horror made Ash cackle.

"Sand!" Defiant to the last, it crossed its arms and shook its head. The young mouse pokemon was still covered in sand and grime so a thorough bathing or wipe is needed to ensure its hygiene.

"Sandshrew I know you don't like water but it's for your own good… how about I wipe you with a wet cloth instead?" His brothers in arms gave him a look that asked him to accept their trainer's terms or they would drag him into the showers themselves and douse him with the coldest water imaginable.

"Shrew." Ash chuckled at the defeated tone of acceptance and led the three to the showers. He turned on the heating bath feature and watched the waters magically rise at the tub with steam coming out from it. He placed the buoyant Shroomish into the bath first and watched him bop up and down before Pikachu joined him.

"Water just nice?"

"Cha~" The content expressions on their faces told Ash everything. He took a nearby damp cloth and placed Shroomish down on the bathing room map, wiping his body nice and clean as the white towel quickly became brown and dirty.

"You really enjoyed your time in the sand huh buddy?" Sandshrew nodded unapologetically, but it did find the body wipe quite nice and soothing, kinda like a massage. After a rigorous wiping, the ground type was free from the sand and dirt that he bathed in.

"There you go buddy, all nice and clean." Finally free from the moisture and damp room, Sandshrew rolled his way out and uncurled himself on the makeshift bed he would now call home. Ash scoffed at his pokemon antics and decided it was high time for him to relax too. He submerged into the bathtub and splashed water at Shroomish who unfortunately could not retaliate in kind due to its lack of limbs. Pikachu squeaked and splashed back at his trainer, earning a rare giggle from Ash.

"Today was amazing, isn't it guys? We-"

"Hmm?" The sound of his phone notification going off halted Ash's sentence, he attempted to stand up and get it but Sandshrew quickly raised its voice, presumably informing him that he would get it for him, what a good lad.

"Thank you Sandshrew, pass me the towel please." Not wanting to be electrocuted just yet, his ground type handed him a clean towel and sat on the marble sink with his claws waving to Pikachu and Shroomish relaxing in the tub. Ash dried his hands and leaned against the edge of the bathtub to glance at his notifications. He found himself smiling at the simple but heartwarming message from the girls.

Come to our room to have dinner with us.

Without a moment to waste, he tossed the phone back to Sandshrew who's quick reflexes allowed it to snatch it mid air.

"Okay dinner time, we're going to the girls room." The huzzahs from the pokemon cemented Ash's suspicion that the pokemon were really attached to the two ladies, perhaps a maternal figure of sorts that was sorely needed in their journey. So well showered and clean, Ash dried himself and decided to wear a white casual t-shirt and black shorts to visit the girls.

"Alright let's go." Like a father looking after his three hyperactive children, Ash turned off the room lights and took his dinner on one hand as his pokemon hopped, skipped and jumped to the girl's room. Sandshrew and Pikachu knocked on their doors and patiently waited for the girls to open up.

"Hi guys, come on in." Kayla opened the door for the boys, allowing the pokemon to run into the room to greet Shinx and Skitty. With their pokemon preoccupied, Ash closed the door shut and noticed the two already placed the utensils and plates out on the table.

"What's with the occasion guys?"

"We felt bad that you are eating alone, and since we always have our meals together, why not?" Ash's heart skipped a beat at the warm smiles from the two. To go out of your way to have dinner with someone is really something special isn't it?

"Aww thanks, I just groomed and showered the pokemon." The little rascals nodded in agreement, Shroomish leaped on top of Marble's lap and eagerly waited for a head pat, which it received promptly after a giggle from the young Jenny.

"That's fine, you three cuties can sit right here with Shinx." Occupied with the warm bed they snuggled in, Kayla brought out their preheated dinner onto the table. Marble peered at Ash's dinner and took out the cover, the Alto Mare style seafood rice filled with shrimp, mussels and tomatoes were filling her nostrils.

"Ooh yours look good Ash."

"You can take some." Kayla placed a hand beneath her chin and smiled at the interaction of Ash scoping some bits of his dinner on Marble's plate, sharing meals like these really reminded her of lunch breaks in school.

"We're sharing our meals then." As the great food exchange the trio went underway, Marble pulled her pokedex out and chromecast the drama they watched before. Apparently the latest and final episode came out not too long ago and Marble was keen to finish it before people online spoil the story.

"Since you are here, let's finish that Unovan drama we watched, the final episode is out now!" Thus with dinner in hand, the trio watched the drama and it was… meh? At least for Ash, for Marble and Kayla however, their eyes were glued to the screen, barely leaving it when they consumed their dinner. As the scene slowly faded to darkness, and the star heartthrob of the drama began walking in the rain alone, the absolute silence of awe and disbelief filled the air.

Until Ash spoke anyway.

"I don't understand, why didn't he just shoot the guy when he was monologuing." The whole plot of the show is literally the main character looking for a serial killer in a small sleepy town who turns out to be his best friend, a predictable plot twist that Ash saw from a mile away! Marble however, was quick to defend her new favorite drama from a snarky Ash.

"We need the exposition dump to understand the bad guy's motives and his history with his victims, otherwise there would be a lot of loose threads." Ash rolled his eyes, he would have just shot the man where he stood.

"They can always make a second season." The look of disgusts from the two quickly made Ash squirm.

"Eww no, the pacing and plot is already so well done, no need to drag it on." Leaving the two girls fanatically discussing what they love about the series, Ash turned his attention towards the pokemon as an attention starved Pikachu demanded headpats from his affable trainer. The raven haired child sat by the window of the room and glanced at the outside streets filled with puddles and the street lights reflecting the raindrops in the dark. It was comforting and tranquil to be in the company of good friends, safe and warm from the outside world that is cold and dark.

"Hey Ash." The uncertain voice from Kayla broke his sentimental mood. He glanced at the two with his hand stroking Pikachu's warm fur.

"Hmm?" Their eyes darted, mustering the courage from within to speak up a topic they longed avoided until now.

"What's your plan after we reach Vermillion?" The simple question froze Ash for the moment. Since the beginning of the journey, he has been clear of his goals, travel around the world and take things slow with the pokemon he held dear to him. But after meeting Kayla and Marble, it was clear to him that their companionship and expertise brought around new experiences every day. There was no greater joy in learning new things from them, discovering intriguing facts or living vicariously through their experiences too. Things didn't always go smoothly for them but they always had each other's back.

And now he can say goodbye to that.

"I will keep traveling I guess, get all the gym badges and qualify for the Indigo League." The two girls were admittedly concerned for Ash, he sounded so unsure and unmotivated right now. In hindsight, they expected their upcoming departure from him to have an impact on his mood and psyche but it will be wise to not say anything now.

"I see, that's good." There was an uncomfortable silence between them, their time together was running out and it had only dawned onto Ash that they have been traveling for a few weeks now, rather than just a few days. It felt wrong that their ragtag group would soon disband. It was a strange feeling really, a form of bittersweetness they have to face. The still silence from the humans earned the pokemon's concern, they nuzzled against their trainer's sides in an effort to cheer them up.

"Umm, we still have some time, why don't we stay for a few more days to explore the city?" The meek tone from Ash broke the pensive vibes of the room. The Joy and Jenny duo rested into a soft smile, anytime they could spend together should be done in style and in taste.

"We would like to save those days on Saffron, it's the largest city in Kanto and there are many things we want to do. Is that okay Ash?" Never had Ash nodded so quickly to their request, Saffron is the grand capital of Kanto, the heart of the region and the most populated city in the region. If there was ever a fun night out in the city, Saffron is definitely the place to have them.

"Sure, sure! Anything you all want, as long as you girls are having fun." The rose haired teenager nursed a more pensive expression, Ash was too willing to forgo his own experiences for their sake.

"Are you having fun Ash?" He blinked at the ridiculous question from them, of course he is having fun!

"Yeah, every day it's fun with you two. I think- I never realized how much fun things can be when you travel with other people, it really makes the journey more worth it. Seeing you girls enjoy everything around you is really nice. Watching you two take photos, complain and admire every little thing we come across really makes me appreciate the journey we have so far. If I was traveling alone, I would never have done the things we have done. You girls did more than just save Pikachu and my life, you showed me what it's like to travel with two good friends." It was the rare soft and reflective tone from Ash that made the girls speechless. Although he didn't directly say it, he conveyed his gratitude and feelings enough through his emotionally charged words. Marble's lips curled upwards and reached for his shoulders, squeezing it softly as she sat down next to him, an act that Kayla followed suit.

"If you need anything let us know okay Ash? Your experience is important too." Normally Ash would just give a thumbs up and a grin, but right now sandwiched between the two with their warm body pressing against his shoulders in the cold stormy night. It became apparent to Ash that he was not looking forward to the day of their departure, at all.

"Of course but right now, I'm just happy that you two are here with me." The bold and audacious statement from him, was well received with a warm hug that he slowly reciprocated after he recovered from his initial shock. The pokemon chuckled at their trainer's cuddled state and snuggled deeper into the warm covers of the bed, watching the raindrops racing against each other on the pokemon center's window.