Chapter 44 Waytide City
Waytide City, nestled along the coastline, boasts a stunning beach with the ocean stretching out endlessly before it. As Ash and his friends arrive, they are captivated by the breathtaking view.
"Wow, this city really has an oceanic vibe," Ash remarks, his eyes wide with wonder.
Alice nods, taking in the scenery. "I know what you mean. It's right by the seaside, and the view is absolutely beautiful."
Delia smiles warmly. "Since we're here, why don't we find the Gym Leader and say hello?"
"Sounds like a plan," Ash agrees. They head to the gym, but to their surprise, the Gym Leader is nowhere to be found.
"If he's not here, what should we do?" Ash asks, feeling a bit puzzled.
Delia suggests, "Why don't you take some time to relax at the beach? I'm sure it will do you some good."
Ash nods, a smile returning to his face. "That sounds like a great idea."
They make their way to the beach, the sound of waves crashing against the shore filling the air. After a short while, they decide to change into their swimsuits. Ash quickly changes and now stands in front of the shower room, waiting for Alice.
"Ash... I'm ready," Alice says softly, her voice tinged with shyness. Ash turns around to see her emerging from the shower room, wearing a white bikini adorned with blue spots. He can't help but blush at the sight, his heart skipping a beat. Alice, noticing his reaction and catching sight of his toned abs, blushes as well.
"Alice... you look... stunning," Ash stammers, his words faltering as he struggles to describe her beauty. "I don't even know how to put it into words..."
Alice's cheeks flush even deeper. "You look really great too," she says, her voice filled with admiration. Then, with a playful smile, she grabs his hand. "Come on, let's go play!"
"Sure!" Ash replies, grinning as they run towards the water, ready to enjoy their time together. Delia and Mark remain in their regular clothes, content to watch Ash and Alice play in the water. Delia glances at Mark, who is sitting on a beach lounger. "Mark, do you want to join them?"
Mark sighs, looking a bit troubled. "I'm sorry, Mother. To be honest, I'm still scared of the water and anything ocean-like. You know, because of that near-death experience..."
Delia nods understandingly. "I see. That must have been really hard for you."
Just then, a voice interrupts their conversation. "That's surprising to hear from our little brother." Delia and Mark turn to see a boy, slightly older than Mark, approaching them. He's wearing a white tank top, blue beach shorts, and sunglasses.
"Brother Wade?" Mark exclaims in surprise, recognizing him immediately.
Wade smiles at them both. "Hello, Mother. Hi, Mark. What brings you here?"
"We're traveling with Ash and his girlfriend," Delia explains. "They're out there having fun in the ocean right now."
"What? Ash is here?" Wade's face lights up with excitement. "Mother, you should have told me! I've been dying to see Ash!"
Delia chuckles softly. "I'm sure he'll be just as happy to see you."
Meanwhile, Ash and Alice are still enjoying their time in the water. As they begin to swim back to the beach, Ash suddenly spots someone familiar. "Hey, that's my brother Wade!"
"Wade?" Alice asks, confused as she follows Ash and Pikachu, who are rushing eagerly toward the person in question.
"Wade!" Ash exclaims, bumping fists with his older brother.
Wade grins widely, giving Ash a playful ruffle on the head. "Look at you, Ash. You've really grown! And Mom finally brought you here, huh? About time!" he laughs.
Ash swats Wade's hand away, chuckling. "Come on, Wade, I'm not a little kid anymore." He then gestures to Alice, who has joined them. "Oh, and Wade, this is Alice. Alice, this is my brother, Wade."
Alice smiles warmly and offers a polite bow. "It's nice to meet you."
Wade's eyes widen slightly as he picks up on Alice's aura. "Ah, a member of the Mache family, I see. You two sure make a great couple."
Ash sighs, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Yeah, everyone keeps telling me that." He then shifts the conversation. "So, Wade, I heard you're the Gym Leader here in Waytide City. I want to challenge you for a badge."
Wade's grin returns, clearly excited. "Oh, so you're competing in Gym Battles? That's awesome! How many badges do you have so far?"
Ash proudly shows him his collection. "I've got five. I even beat Damon and Amber. They were Mom's travel companions back in the day, right?"
Wade's eyes light up with pride. "You must be doing great, Ash!" But before he can continue, a voice calls out teasingly, "Watch out, Wade! You might get beaten by your little brother!"
They all turn to see a girl with green hair approaching. She's dressed in aquatic-themed clothing—a blue top and matching shorts. She chuckles, "Haha, I'm just kidding… but who knows? He just might!"
Wade then turns back to his family and friends, introducing the newcomer. "Oh, it's you! Yeah, right... Everyone, this is Reisa. She's my girlfriend."
Mark's eyes widen in surprise. "What? You have a girlfriend too? Why didn't you tell us?"
Wade rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I've been so busy with Gym duties that I didn't get a chance to tell you guys."
Reisa smiles warmly at Ash. "So you're Ash? I've heard a lot about you from both my father and Wade. They say you're a really talented trainer."
Ash tilts his head curiously. "Did I know your father?"
Wade steps in to explain. "Reisa is not just any trainer—she's also a Top Coordinator and the daughter of the famous Top Coordinator, Wallace Mikuri."
Ash's eyes widen in surprise. "Wait, you're related to Wallace? The Hoenn Champion?"
Reisa nods with a smile. "Of course. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ash."
Alice, intrigued, asks, "So what brings you to Rikoto? I didn't think there were any contests in this region right now."
"I'm here for the Pokémon Fishing Contest, actually," Reisa explains. "Wade's been showing me all kinds of Water-type Pokémon native to the Rikoto Region, but I'm eager to see even more." She glances over at the gate leading to the contest fields, her excitement evident.
Wade suddenly gets an idea. "Hey, Reisa, why don't you have a battle with Ash? I'd love to see your battling style in action."
Reisa looks at Ash, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Well, okay! I'll battle—if you're up for it, Ash!"
The battle begins with anticipation buzzing in the air. Reisa steps forward, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Though I have many Pokémon, I'll show you three of my Water Types from this region. Go, Parasea!"
As the Pokémon materializes on the field, Ash nods, ready for the challenge. "Since we're at the beach, I'll use Water Types too. I choose Blastoise!"
Blastoise emerges from its Poké Ball, towering over the sand. The crowd murmurs in awe at the sight of the foreign Pokémon, unfamiliar to many in the region. Alice watches, intrigued. "Blastoise? When did he get that Pokémon?"
Delia, standing beside her, explains, "While you were visiting Brushus Town, I was keeping an eye on the traitors. During that time, I asked Officer Jenny in Vermillion City to retrieve Blastoise for Ash."
Alice nods in understanding. "I see. And it looks like Blastoise is really strong."
The battle intensifies as Blastoise quickly overwhelms Parasea, landing a decisive Ice Punch followed by a powerful Crunch. Reisa recalls Parasea, determination shining in her eyes, and sends out her next Pokémon. "Angelight, you're up!"
Recognizing the challenge, Ash recalls Blastoise and sends out Sharko. The electric sparks crackling around Sharko are a stark contrast to the serene beach setting. With swift precision, Sharko's Electric-type attacks strike Angelight, taking it down efficiently.
Reisa, unfazed, releases her final Pokémon. "Guppish, let's finish strong!"
Ash responds with a confident smile. "Lapras, I choose you!"
As Lapras glides onto the battlefield, its graceful presence draws gasps from the crowd, and Alice's eyes widen in admiration. "Lapras looks absolutely beautiful," she murmurs.
Delia smiles fondly, watching the majestic Pokémon. "Indeed. I found her around the Orange Islands. Her mother had perished, and I decided to help her heal by returning her to Ash."
The battle resumes with Lapras taking charge. It unleashes a stunning combination of Ice Beam and Thunder, leaving Guppish no chance to recover. As Guppish faints, the crowd erupts in applause.
Reisa smiles warmly, accepting her defeat with grace. "You're as talented as your brother, Ash. Wade, I think you've got some serious competition on your hands."
"Indeed! That was a great battle, Ash!" Wade says with a grin. "It's impressive to see how far you've come. I've got an idea—how about this: if you win seven badges, I'll battle you for your eighth!"
Ash frowns slightly, disappointment creeping into his voice. "What? I can't challenge you yet? But I really wanted to battle you now."
Wade chuckles, placing a reassuring hand on Ash's shoulder. "Just think about it, Ash. Wouldn't it be amazing to have your eighth Gym Badge be the one you earn by defeating me? It'll make the victory even sweeter."
Ash considers this, then nods. "I guess you're right. But that means I need to know where the next Gym is."
Alice chimes in, "The next Gym is in Greenpine City, but it's pretty far from here. And after Greenpine, it'll be my Subhail Gym."
Wade raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? So you're a Gym Leader too, Alice? That's interesting."
Alice nods with a smile, and Wade turns back to Ash. "Well, I've got some business to take care of at the aquarium. How about you guys watch the Fishing Contest with Reisa?"
Reisa's eyes light up with excitement. "That's a great idea! I'd love to show you how the Fishing Contest works!"
Mark, eager to join in, says, "Then you won't mind if I help out as well?"
Delia smiles warmly at her children. "No problem at all. Have fun, all of you."
After Mark and Wade leave the group, Reisa turns to Ash and Alice with a smile. "Alright, follow me to the gateway over there once you've changed back into your clothes."
Ash and Alice nod and head to the shower room to change. Once they're dressed, they meet Reisa at the entrance, where she begins explaining the rules of the Fishing Contest.
"This is the Fishing Contest," Reisa starts. "When you enter, you'll receive 30 Fishing Balls. Once inside, you can find a spot to go fishing. When you hook a Pokémon, you can try to catch it."
"That sounds pretty straightforward," Ash comments.
Reisa nods, then adds, "But here's the catch—you're only allowed to bring one Pokémon with you to battle, and you can only keep one Pokémon that you catch during the contest."
Ash's eyes widen in surprise. "Wait, so I can only catch one Pokémon during the contest?"
Reisa laughs lightly, shaking her head. "No, you can catch as many as you like, but you'll have to choose which one you want to keep. If you catch a new Pokémon and decide to keep it, you'll have to release the previous one. Once the contest is over, the Trainer who has caught the best Pokémon wins a prize."
Alice, intrigued, asks, "So even though we catch multiple Pokémon, we can only keep one for the contest, but we get to keep all the others we catch outside the contest?"
"Exactly!" Reisa says with a grin. "It's a fun challenge, right? And by the way, Ash, I have a little gift for you."
She pulls out a Pokémon Egg, and Ash's eyes light up in amazement. "Let me guess, it's a Water-type Pokémon Egg, right?"
"Of course," Reisa replies with a wink. "But you'll have to figure out exactly what it is."
Ash turns to Alice with a thoughtful expression. "Alice, how about you keep this Egg? You gave me one back in Brushus Town, so it would be nice if you took this one."
Alice blinks in surprise, touched by the gesture. "If you say so," she says softly, accepting the Egg. With a grateful smile, she carefully cradles it in her arms.
With that settled, Ash heads towards the contest area, ready to take part in the Fishing Contest.
Here is a new chapter, Ash reunited with his older brother Wade, and I change Misty to Reisa since Misty is a traitor, it will be weird to see her here. The next chapter will still be in Waytide City, but with the Fishing Contest and new captures.
Waytide City:
Rock Smash: Crablue:70% (LV:30), Tortarock:30% (LV:30)
Old Rod: Shrubsea:70% (LV:5~10), Weedsea:30% (LV:5~10)