Chapter 28 A New Day with the Couple
The next morning, Ash is gently roused from sleep by the sunlight streaming through the window, warming his face. As he stirs, he turns to find Alice still peacefully asleep in his arms, her soft breaths creating a sense of calm. He can't help but smile, thinking, Wow, she's really cute. I'm so glad I finally confessed to her…
Just then, Pikachu's excited yelling from the floor startles Alice awake. She blinks her grey eyes open and sees Ash gazing at her. A giggle escapes her lips. "Good morning, Ash."
"Good morning to you too, Alice," Ash replies with a grin. "I still can't believe we're officially boyfriend and girlfriend now. It feels like a dream come true."
Alice smiles warmly, snuggling closer for a moment. "Yeah… We met when we were little, and now look at us." But then, reluctantly, she breaks the embrace and sits up, stretching. Ash frowns slightly, wishing they could stay like that a little longer.
"But we have to keep moving if you want to make it to the Pokémon League," Alice reminds him gently. "We can't stay in bed all day."
"Yeah, you're right," Ash agrees, though a bit reluctantly, as they get ready and head down to the lobby. There, they find Delia, Elena, Alex, and Electra waiting for them.
"Did you two sleep well?" Delia asks, her eyes twinkling as Ash and Alice grab trays of breakfast from the buffet.
"We did, Mom. Thanks for asking," Ash says as he starts to chew on a piece of bread. "As much as I wanted to stay in bed with Alice, we have to keep going on our journey."
Delia gives him a stern look. "Ash, don't talk with your mouth full. That's bad manners."
Ash shivers slightly at her tone and quickly nods, swallowing before speaking again. "Sorry, Mom."
Alice chuckles softly before turning to the others. "So, what about you guys? What are your plans?"
"Well," Elena begins, "I need to help Electra with some things here in Rustbolt City, so I won't be able to travel with you for now."
Ash looks surprised. "Really, Sis? We just reunited, and now we're separating again?"
Elena gives him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Ash. But that's why Alex will be traveling with you. He'll help you along the way, so you won't be alone."
She leans against Alex, who wraps an arm around her shoulders. "Right, Alex?"
"Of course, my princess," Alex replies, gently rubbing her back. Then he turns to Ash, his expression serious yet kind. "You can trust me, Ash. I promise I won't be a burden."
Ash and Alice nod in agreement. After finishing their breakfast, they bid farewell to Elena and Electra. With their goodbyes said, the group of four—Ash, Alice, Alex, and Pikachu—set off toward Route 4, ready to continue their journey.
As the group arrives at Route 4, Alex turns to Ash with a curious expression. "Say, Ash, I've heard that you have all three starters. If it's possible, could you show them to me?"
"Why not?" Ash replies with a grin. He then releases his three starter Pokémon from their Poké Balls. Alex watches with awe as the Pokémon appear, each one full of energy.
"I see," Alex says, examining them closely. "They're all close to evolving. How about I help you train them so they can evolve into their next stages?"
"That would be great!" Ash exclaims, excitement building. "I wonder what they'll evolve into…"
Delia, who is watching with a protective eye, steps forward. "Just make sure you don't push Ash or the Pokémon too hard, Alex. I'll be keeping an eye on you all."
With Delia's supervision, Ash and Alex, with Alice by their side, begin a sparring session with the three starters. Ash and Alice utilize their aura weapons to guide and train the Pokémon, each battle pushing them to their limits. The training is intense, and by the end, all of them are tired but satisfied. Then, in a burst of light, the three Pokémon begin to evolve.
Ash watches in awe as his starters transform into their second-stage evolutions. The newly evolved Pokémon stand before them, full of newfound strength and confidence.
"Finally, our training paid off," Ash says, beaming as he admires his Pokémon's new forms.
Forestone: The Guardian Pokemon: Grass and Rock Type. Evolved from Herovor at LV:16. Forestone supports smaller Pokémon, and helps grow wildlife in its habitat by spreading seeds that grow on its leaves.
"It suits your nature, Forestone," Ash says, nodding in agreement with the entry.
Purryo: The Gepard Pokemon: Fire and Ground Type. Evolved from Purrlit at LV:16. Purryo is a rapscallion among Pokémon, loving to cause mischief with other Purryo. Perhaps this is why it usually fears evolving into the well-behaved Flearoe.
"Rapscallion?" Purryo repeats in disbelief. "How can the Pokédex say that? I'm not that bad…"
Alice chuckles, kneeling down to reassure Purryo. "Don't worry, Purryo. Not every Pokédex entry is spot-on. We know you're just playful."
Purryo seems to appreciate the reassurance, a mischievous glint still in its eyes.
Salanip: The Salamander Pokemon: Water and Poison Type. Evolved from Salatad at LV:16. More adapted to land than its previous evolution, Salanip has developed sharper claws. Its poison sacs allow it to stun prey.
"So now you're a Poison type," Ash notes with a grin. "That'll be really helpful against Grass types."
Salanip smirks confidently, nodding in agreement with Ash's assessment.
The group is delighted with the progress, and as the Pokémon enjoy their new forms, Ash feels a renewed sense of excitement for the journey ahead.
As the group continues their journey through Route 4, they start to search for new Pokémon. Soon, they spot a Pokémon basking in the sunlight, its roots firmly planted in the ground.
"This Pokémon is Buzzeed," Alex explains. "If you remember your gym battle, Ecobuzz is its evolution."
Ash nods, observing the small Pokémon with interest. "I can see the similarities. But what's it doing?"
"It's absorbing energy from the sunlight," Alice says, her tone thoughtful. "Just like other plants do."
Pikachu, always curious, approaches the Buzzeed and shares a small burst of electricity with it. The Buzzeed responds with a joyful hum, clearly delighted by Pikachu's gesture, and the two quickly become friends.
Alice smiles at the interaction. "So, Ash, do you want to capture the Buzzeed?"
Ash hesitates for a moment. "Sure, I'd love to. It would be great to add Buzzeed to my team, and it would help fill out my Pokédex. But I'm not sure if it actually wants to join us…"
Just then, a Budcherp swoops down from the sky, attempting to snatch the Buzzeed. However, Pikachu reacts quickly, unleashing a powerful Thunderbolt that shocks the bird and sends it fleeing.
The Buzzeed, now free and grateful for Pikachu's help, hums happily and approaches Ash. It seems to understand the offer of joining his team and, with a determined nod, expresses its desire to join the group for protection.
Ash smiles warmly and takes out a Poké Ball. "Looks like we've got a new friend." With a gentle toss, he captures Buzzeed, adding the Pokémon to his team.
Alice claps her hands together, pleased with the outcome. "It's wonderful to have Buzzeed with us. I'm sure it'll be a great addition to your team, Ash."
Ash nods, looking down at the Poké Ball with a smile. "Welcome to the team, Buzzeed. Let's protect each other and keep growing stronger together."
Buzzeed: The Energy Seed Pokemon: Grass and Electric Type. Buzzeed is often seen as food by other Pokémon, only for them to deliver a powerful shock as they approach. They absorb both energy from the sun and the ground.
After playing with their new team member, Ash checks the time and turns to his mother. "Mom, how about we make lunch together? It's been a while since we did this."
Delia blinks in surprise and glances at her watch. Her son is right—it's nearing noon. She smiles warmly at the idea. "Of course, Ash. How about you try making something while I cook for everyone?"
Alice, eager to contribute, speaks up. "Then I'll set up a tent here." She begins taking out the materials and sets up the base, but just as she reaches for the cloth to cover the frame, she notices a blue, puppy-like Pokémon gnawing on it.
"Hey, stop that!" Alice exclaims, trying to pull the cloth away from the mischievous Pokémon.
At the same time, Alex, who's helping with the food, notices the commotion. "Ash, it looks like your girlfriend could use some help. How about I take over the cooking while you go assist her?"
"Alright," Ash agrees, handing over the cooking duties to Alex. Delia, observing the exchange, asks, "Are you sure you can handle this, Alex?"
Alex grins confidently. "Elena has taught me a thing or two. I've got this."
Meanwhile, Ash hurries over to Alice and sees the dog-like Pokémon and Alice in a tug-of-war over the tent cloth. "Pikachu, help Alice out! Use Electroweb!" Ash commands.
Pikachu nods and swiftly launches an Electroweb at the Pokémon, which lets out a yelp of surprise as it becomes ensnared in the electrified net and falls to the ground, momentarily paralyzed.
Ash rushes to Alice's side. "Are you okay?"
Alice sighs in relief, nodding. "I'm fine, but that Pupool was using Megalo Fang on the tent..."
"Megalo Fang? What's that?" Ash asks, curious.
"It's a move that can make the target flinch," Alice explains. "It's a Water-type move, though it seems this Pupool was more interested in causing trouble."
Ash looks down at the Pupool, who is still paralyzed on the ground but glaring up at him with defiant eyes. "I think I'll capture him. He looks strong, but he definitely needs to learn some manners."
With that, Ash takes out a Poké Ball and captures the Pupool, adding another new member to his growing team. He looks at the Poké Ball with determination. "Alright, Pupool, let's work on getting you stronger—and maybe a bit more well-behaved too."
Pupool: The Pup Pokemon: Water Type. Pupool have a tendency to gnaw on everything. Trainers have to take care to clean up their drool from their furniture.
"Eww..." Ash groans as he notices the drool smeared across the tent. "I think we should clean this up."
"I agree," Alice says, wrinkling her nose in agreement. They quickly send out their Water-type Pokémon, who use Water Gun to wash away the mess on the tent. Once the tent is clean and everything is back in order, they rejoin the group for lunch.
After finishing their meal and cleaning up the table, Alex turns to Ash with a thoughtful expression. "Ash, after seeing how you handled that Pokémon earlier, I think it's time I gave you a present."
"A present? You don't have to do that, Alex," Ash says, surprised. "It wasn't a big deal."
"Don't worry," Alex replies with a grin. "I'm sure you'll like this gift." He reaches into his bag and pulls out a Poké Ball.
Ash looks at the Poké Ball curiously. "What's inside? I'm intrigued."
"As a Psychic-type user, I've caught quite a few of these Pokémon," Alex explains. "But I don't need so many, and releasing them doesn't feel right. So, I'd like you to have this one."
Ash opens the Poké Ball, and a beautiful, peacock-like Pokémon materializes in front of him. The Pokémon is a vibrant mix of colors, its tail feathers fanning out elegantly. However, as soon as it sees Ash, it quickly hides behind Alex, clearly shy.
Alex chuckles at the Pokémon's reaction. "Don't worry, Peafan. Ash won't harm you."
Peafan timidly peeks out from behind Alex, its large eyes full of curiosity. Slowly, it approaches Ash, who reaches out to gently pet it. As Ash's hand brushes its feathers, Peafan begins to relax, leaning into the touch.
"So, this is Peafan?" Ash asks, a smile spreading across his face as the Pokémon grows more comfortable.
"Yes," Alex confirms. "And from now on, you'll be Peafan's new trainer."
Ash feels a surge of gratitude as he continues to pet Peafan. "Thank you, Alex. I'll take good care of Peafan."
Peafan: The Peafowl Pokemon: Normal and Flying Type. Peafan actively chases others away from their territory by showing their tail, but they are easily scared away by larger predators.
"It's nice to meet you, Peafan," Ash says warmly, and Alice echoes his greeting. Peafan, sensing their kindness, begins to open up and soon starts to play with them, his shyness melting away.
As Ash and Alice engage with Peafan, Alex and Delia watch from a distance. Alex turns to Delia, his expression serious. "Your Highness, may I ask you a question?"
"Of course," Delia replies, her gaze still on Ash and Alice. "What's on your mind?"
"It's about the prophecy you mentioned a few days ago. Are you certain that Ash and Alice are the ones destined to fulfill it?" Alex asks, his voice laced with concern.
Delia sighs softly, her expression thoughtful. "I'm not entirely sure, Alex. Prophecies are tricky things—only time will reveal the truth. But from what I've seen so far, they have the potential to be the ones who will save us all."
Alex nods, still troubled. "You're right. But there's something else. Elena told me about two groups—Team Solar and Team Lunar. Are you sure Ash and Alice are ready to face them? And… you do know their leaders, don't you?"
Delia's expression darkens, and she looks away, clearly unsettled by the topic. Rather than answering, she changes the subject. "Alex, I'm not very comfortable with riding bicycles, so I'll be leaving for a while. I have a request: Can you watch over Ash for me on the Cycling Road?"
Alex is taken aback by the abrupt shift, sensing that Delia is avoiding the question. However, he nods firmly. "You can count on me, Your Highness."
Ash, noticing that Delia has released her Charizard and is preparing to leave, calls out to her. "Mother, where are you going?"
Delia turns to face Ash and Alice. "I have some matters to attend to at the castle, so I'll need to head back. Besides, there's something that's been bothering me—a matter involving those murderers."
Ash stiffens, understanding the gravity of her words. He takes a deep breath and asks, "What do you mean?"
"I need to understand why they did what they did to your Pokémon," Delia says, her voice heavy with determination. "That's why I'm going to search for them."
"But what if they hurt you again?" Ash asks, his voice tinged with worry.
Delia gives him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Ash. I won't be defeated that easily."
With that, she mounts Charizard and takes off, leaving Ash and Alice to watch her departure with concern in their hearts. They can only bid her farewell as she flies away, determined to uncover the truth.
Here is the new chapter, the next chapter will be the Cycling Road and I hope you like it.
New Pokemon/Evolution: Forestone, Purryo, Salanip, Buzzseed, Pupool, Peafan
Route 4:
Land: Hamstar:25% (LV:15~17), Buzzeed:20% (LV:14~16), Paracaw:20% (LV:14~16), Peafan:15% (LV:14~16), Pupool:10% (LV:14~16), Spony:10% (LV:14~16)
Headbutt: Paracaw:40% (LV:15~17), Elecritter:30% (LV:15~17), Woodbeak:20% (LV:15~17), Tweetot:10% (LV:15~17)
Old Rod: Angling:100% (LV:5~10)