Ash sat in the Champion's Lounge at Wyndon Stadium, trying to relax after the excitement of his first battle in the Master 8 Tournament. His heart was still racing with the energy from the arena, and he was grateful for this quiet break before the next round. He was joined by Cynthia, Diantha, and Iris, all of whom were similarly resting but seemed a bit restless.

"Man, it's quiet in here," Iris sighed, leaning back on the couch and crossing her arms. "I thought there'd be more action in the Champion's Lounge."

Diantha laughed softly. "Well, the only excitement in here right now is our company. You're very lucky, Ash."

"Huh?" Ash raised an eyebrow, looking over with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean, lucky?"

Diantha leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands with an amused smile. "To be alone with us, of course."

Ash blinked, genuinely baffled. "Come again?"

Cynthia chuckled, twirling a lock of her blonde hair between her fingers. "What Diantha means is… not everyone gets the chance to be alone with three Champion ladies like this."

Ash's confusion only deepened, and he glanced at each of them, looking for more explanation. "Uh… okay?"

"Seriously?" Iris shook her head in disbelief, her hands now resting on her hips. "Ash, you're such a little kid if you haven't noticed."

"Noticed what?" he asked, still lost.

Diantha sighed with a playful shake of her head. "That you're alone with three lovely ladies," she said, giving him a teasing smile.

"Oh." Ash just blinked, his usual directness deflating the moment. "I mean, I guess that's cool?"

Iris groaned, exasperated. "What do you mean just 'oh'?! You don't think it's… well, special or anything?"

Ash tilted his head. "I mean… is that supposed to be special?"

Diantha let out a small laugh, amused by his cluelessness, while Cynthia's lips quirked into a smile. She leaned a little closer to Ash, her voice soft and teasing. "You know, Ash, it's okay if you're not used to this kind of attention. It just makes it even more fun to tease you."

Ash scratched the back of his neck, looking between the three of them. "Hey, wait a minute! Are you guys messing with me?"

Diantha placed a hand on her chest, feigning shock. "Who, us? We wouldn't dare."

Cynthia's eyes sparkled with mischief as she nudged him slightly. "We're just having a little fun. After all, it's not every day we get to spend some time with the new World Champion."

Ash felt his cheeks heat up. "Oh, come on, it's not that big of a deal," he muttered, looking away.

Iris smirked, picking up on his embarrassment. "Oh really? Then why are you blushing, World Champion?" she teased, drawing out the title in a mocking tone.

"I'm not blushing!" Ash protested, crossing his arms defensively.

Cynthia chuckled, giving him a playful look. "You know, I have to admit, it's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously. But just so you know, that kind of innocence can be… quite charming."

Ash rubbed the back of his head, unsure of how to respond. "Uh, thanks, I guess?"

Diantha stifled a giggle. "Come on, Ash, you don't have to be so bashful. We're just saying… it's a rare quality to be so genuine. And it's one of the reasons we're all cheering for you in this tournament."

"Exactly," Cynthia agreed. "It's not just your strength as a Trainer, but your kindness that got you here. That's something worth teasing you for, don't you think?"

Ash glanced at them, finally understanding a bit of what they were saying. A small smile tugged at his lips. "I guess… I never thought of it like that. I just wanted to do my best."

"Well, you certainly impressed us," Diantha replied warmly. "And trust me, we don't say that lightly."

Feeling the warm support from the Champions, Ash's nervousness faded, and he smiled at them genuinely. "Thanks, guys. I mean… I really appreciate it. It means a lot coming from all of you."

Cynthia raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "So, does this mean we've managed to make you a bit less clueless, Ash?"

Ash's grin grew wider. "Maybe a little. But I'm still going to keep training hard, with or without all the… uh, teasing."

Iris laughed, punching his shoulder lightly. "Now that's the Ash we know!"

As Ash and the Champion ladies laughed, the door to the lounge swung open, and in walked Leon, Lance, and Steven, looking like they'd just come from a strategy discussion. They stopped at the sight of Ash surrounded by Cynthia, Diantha, and Iris, all sitting close, their expressions warm and teasing.

Leon's eyes gleamed with mischief as he took in the scene. "Well, well, look at this cozy gathering," he said, folding his arms with a grin. "Ash, didn't know you were such a charmer."

Ash blinked, feeling his cheeks flush. "W-What? That's not what's happening at all!"

Lance chuckled, clearly amused. "Oh really? From where I'm standing, it looks like you're keeping the Champion ladies all to yourself, Ash."

Ash's blush deepened, and he shook his head. "No, I wasn't—It's not like that!"

Steven smirked, stepping forward with an elegant wave of his hand. "You've got quite the fan club here, it seems," he said with a wink at Cynthia, Diantha, and Iris. "Are we intruding on something special?"

Ash's face was beet red by now. "Come on, guys! We were just talking!"

"Talking, sure," Leon said, winking at the ladies. "He just happened to be surrounded by the three of you, all smiling and laughing. Looks like he's getting a little… distracted from the tournament, maybe?"

Ash groaned, burying his face in his hands, while Cynthia, Diantha, and Iris shared amused smiles.

"I think Ash has more than enough focus," Cynthia said, her tone light but playful. "It's just fun seeing him all flustered for a change."

Diantha leaned forward with a smirk. "He was doing just fine until you three walked in and started picking on him."

Iris giggled, nudging Ash. "See, even they think you're hogging us to yourself!"

Ash gave her an indignant look, though he couldn't help but smile. "Hey, it's not like I told you guys to hang out here with me!"

Leon chuckled, patting Ash on the back. "Just messing with you, Ash. You're a good sport—and besides, with the three of them on your side, you're bound to go far."

Steven nodded, his smile softening. "All jokes aside, we're all rooting for you, Ash. It's great to see you holding your own in this tournament."

Ash looked up, his blush fading into a grateful smile. "Thanks, guys. Really… thanks. It means a lot to hear that."

Leon leaned back against the wall, still grinning from the teasing. "Hey, Ash, maybe one day you'll be more than just close friends with one of these lovely ladies," he said with a wink, his tone half-joking, half-sincere.

Ash's eyes widened as the idea caught him completely off-guard. "Wait, what?" he stammered, looking from Cynthia to Diantha to Iris, his mind racing to process Leon's comment. The idea of marriage was so far from his thoughts he could barely comprehend it.

Cynthia and Diantha, both initially flustered by Leon's remark, shot quick glances at each other before exchanging looks with Ash, who seemed entirely baffled.

"Now, now, Leon," Cynthia said, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow, though a slight blush colored her cheeks. "You don't want to get too ahead of yourself, do you?"

Diantha, usually so poised, coughed lightly, her cheeks slightly pink. "Yes, Leon, that's quite a leap."

Leon only laughed, undeterred. "Hey, it could happen! Ash is pretty great. Who knows what could happen once the tournament's over?"

Lance joined in, chuckling as he nudged Ash with an elbow. "Besides, if it did happen, Ash would be lucky. Getting to marry someone like Cynthia or Diantha? That's a big deal, kid. You've got some impressive ladies here."

Ash just scratched his head, still completely lost and now blushing as well. "Uh… thanks, I guess?"

Steven smirked, amused by Ash's innocent reaction. "Indeed, Lance is right," he said with an exaggerated nod. "Though I do wonder… Ash might prefer someone closer to his own age."

The room fell silent for a moment, the teasing air suddenly shifted by Steven's comment.

Diantha's eye twitched, and Cynthia's usually calm expression darkened just a bit. "Closer to his age, you say?" Cynthia asked with a dangerous smile. "And what exactly are you implying, Steven?"

Steven, realizing his slip, tried to backtrack. "Oh, well, I just meant—"

"Yes, Steven," Diantha added, her tone sweet yet sharp, "since you're obviously so familiar with age-appropriate relationships."

Leon, sensing danger, held up his hands in mock surrender, a grin on his face. "Hey, hey, easy there! Steven just meant that, uh, Ash still has a lot of time to… figure things out!"

Lance joined in, chuckling as he eyed Steven, clearly amused. "Yeah, Steven, you might want to tread lightly here. Cynthia and Diantha don't exactly appreciate comments on… age."

Steven, looking a bit red himself, let out a nervous laugh. "Point taken. Ladies, no offense intended."

Iris, who had been watching this unfold with pure enjoyment, finally chimed in, grinning widely. "Yeah, no one wants to get on the bad side of these two."

Ash, who had been silently observing the whole exchange, finally let out a small laugh, feeling the tension ease as Cynthia and Diantha relented, their teasing smiles returning.

"Well," Cynthia said, glancing over at Ash with a smile, "who knows what the future holds, right, Ash?"

"Yeah… I guess we'll see."