The Ketchum Family - An Amourshipping Story

by RazorKeyboard

This is the story of what happens after Ash wins the Masters Eight Tournament. (Amourshipping Fanfic) What will happen when Ash and Serena reunite? Where will their journeys take them? I don't have any profanity or overly dark elements in my story. Things will get steadily steamier between Ash and Serena as things progress. All main characters are 18 years or older.

35. Three Kids and a Pokémon Master

Kiawe stepped out the front door of the main building and took in the sight of another day in Pallet Town. This morning was far less cheery than recent ones. The sky was grey and overcast. A chill was in the air and an occasional breeze blew which sent a shiver through everyone not wearing a coat. The man from Alola briefly wished that he'd brought his warmer clothes along but then he spotted Mallow, rubbing her arms as the cold air hit her.

The green haired chef was still wearing her dark pink cami and pale blue shortalls. Her clothing was completely unsuited for the colder weather. She smiled sheepishly and glanced at Kiawe.

"I'd say that I should have brought my warmer clothes," she said in an ironic voice, "but I don't own any."

Kiawe started to chuckle but the wind blew and the dark skinned man grimaced as the cool air swirled against his bare chest. Perhaps he should have deviated from his traditional attire and worn a shirt?

"It pays to be prepared, doesn't it, big brother?" Mimo said, with some snark. Kiawe groaned internally and turned around to face his little sister. She, and her partner in crime, Lana, were looking incorrigible, as usual. The blue haired woman was standing next to the teen and smirking subtly. Unlike himself and Mallow, the two mischievous girls were wearing long pants, heavy shirts and light coats. Lana's clothing was blue and black while Mimo's was a dark shade of olive. The two of them had possessed the foresight to consider the cold weather in Kanto, while he and Mallow had not; a detail the two warmly attired girls had reminded him about numerous times over the past few days.

Mallow whined and looked longingly at the winter clothing. "Boy, I can't wait for our trip to Saffron City," she said, "I'm definitely going to get a few things."

Kiawe looked at Mallow's distress and directed a frown at the two girls. "You could share, you know," he said critically.

Lana subtly shook her head while Mimo rolled her eyes. The yellow and brown haired youth then spoke up in a condescending tone.

"Hmm, I'd love to, Kiawe, but let me just check here."

The young girl made a show out of holding a hand up to her head and measuring how much shorter she was than the fully-grown Mallow. Once finished, she turned back to Kiawe, grinning sardonically.

"Nope, I'm still way shorter than her," she said, as if the discovery was a big revelation.

Mallow frowned at Mimo's disrespectful attitude and Kiawe glowered. The Kahuna in training gestured toward Lana and spoke in an annoyed tone.

"I meant Lana!" he barked. "She could at least give Mallow something to wear."

Lana again shook her head and a small smile formed on her face. "Can't happen," she said in her usual, low-key voice. "My shirts don't fit her."

Kiawe looked incredulous. Was this another underhanded ploy by Mimo and Lana to mess with him and Mallow?

"What do you mean?!" he pressed. "You two are the same height and everything!"

Mallow suddenly looked a bit bashful and blushed slightly while looking down at the ground. Lana appeared amused while Mimo grinned hungrily from ear-to-ear. With a thoughtful sound, Lana looked to the side at her best friend and spoke in a teasing tone.

"Well, see, she's a lot heftier than I am," she said with a wry smile.

Mallow's blush suddenly deepened and she sharply elbowed Lana in an effort to silence her. "Stop it!" she chortled in a tight and embarrassed voice.

Kiawe felt a small spike of indignation. Even though it had been a joke, Lana's playful insult of the girl he cared for still stung his soul. Her comment was patently untrue. Mallow's body was as shapely as they came. There was not any bulge of fat or roundness to her glorious, almond curves. He felt an urge to rebuke Lana over the joke. It was also an excellent opportunity to subtly compliment Mallow on her appearance. Without further consideration, he acted.

Kiawe fixed a confident expression on his face and folded his arms. "That's ridiculous," he said in an even tone. "Mallow's not hefty at all."

Mallow struggled to keep from covering her eyes out of embarrassment while Lana struggled to keep from sniggering. Mimo, however, did not struggle to keep from speaking what was on her teenage mind.

"She's meaning that Mallow's boobs are a lot bigger than hers!" she said in a loud voice. "That's why Mallow can't wear her shirts."

Kiawe's eyes widened and he felt shame wash over him. In his interactions with women, he tried not to think about or look at such things, but it was now obvious to him that Mallow was…. hefty, compared to her skinny friend.

Lana blushed a little and covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Mallow's expression was somewhere between displeased and mortified. She finally covered her eyes out of embarrassment and let out a groan.

Silence hung in the air for a brief moment before Kiawe managed to find his voice. "Uh…." he grunted. "I…. didn't know that."

A still grinning Mimo promptly continued. "Yeah, Lana's an A while, Mallow, you're like a D, right?" Mimo craned her neck and ran her eyes over Mallow's feminine hardware. "Maybe a double D?"

That comment finally got a rise out of Mallow. The blushing and flustered girl from Alola uncovered her eyes and pointed at the edgy teenage girl.

"You need to mind your own business!" she said sharply.

Mimo shrugged and became silent. Lana glanced over at Mallow and whispered a comment.

"Yeah, sorry, my shirts don't really work for you," she said in an apologetic voice.

An amused expression crossed Mallow's face. "No, they really don't," she said with a girlish giggle, remembering a few times when they'd tried on each other's wardrobes. They'd discovered that Mallow's frame could technically fit in Lana's shirts, but the fabric was so tight across her bust that it was borderline uncomfortable. Mallow had thought her appearance looked terrible, however Lana had teased that any man who crossed her path would surely disagree.

Lana smiled subtly. "A small price to pay for being beautiful," she said to Mallow in a sing-song voice.

Mallow rolled her eyes and purposefully shrugged her shoulders, causing her bust to rise and fall slightly. "Honestly, they're just a big hassle most of the time," she said to Lana in a hushed voice.

Lana frowned.

Mallow leaned closer to her friend and spoke in a cheeky voice. "Sometimes I wish we could trade. I sure wouldn't mind scaling down."

Lana simply stared at her best friend, unsure how to respond.

Kiawe had finished glaring at his little sister and returned his gaze to the other two girls. Mallow saw this and quickly spoke up, eager to turn the conversation away from further discussion of her shapely body.

"So, what do you have planned for us today?"

Kiawe smiled subtly at Mallow and stood up straight. "Today, you and I will be working to get a vegetable garden ready while Mimo and Lana will be checking to make sure the water Pokémon are doing okay."

Mallow nodded in approval and Kiawe felt a rush of excitement. The past week, he'd been slowly working toward having Mallow work with him, alone, on the reserve. He didn't want to move too fast and be too forward with her. Perhaps after a few weeks of on-and-off working together, he'd sit next to her during lunch and chat. It would be a bold move and he hoped it would work out.

The breeze blew and Mallow grimaced. "Okay, let's get started so we can get inside," she said tensely.

Mimo sniggered and spoke in a sneaky voice. "Don't worry, Mallow, Kiawe can always warm you up if you need it."

Kiawe stiffened and sent a horrified, sidelong look at Mallow. Why was his sister so meddlesome! Fortunately, the green haired girl simply laughed and waved off Mimo's comment.

"I think Kiawe's the one who's gonna need warming up," she said in a jovial voice. She looked at Kiawe's bare-chested, muscular form and the man from Alola felt a sudden surge of manly pride. The girl he cared for was eyeing him!

Mallow hummed and continued in her amused voice. "Are you sure you don't want to go in and put something on?" she asked.

Kiawe had been seriously considering putting on some warmer clothing, however, now that Mallow was asking him about it, he suddenly felt compelled to demonstrate his discipline and toughness to her. If she could stay out in the cold weather wearing non-winter clothing, so could he!

The man from Alola shook his head and smiled confidently. "Nah, I'll be fine!" he said boldly. "This is nothing compared to the training I went through as a Kauhna!"

Mallow shot him an admiring look and Kiawe felt his heart jump inside his chest. The girl he cared for stepped closer and smiled.

"So, where's this vegetable garden going to be?" she asked.

Feeling enthused; Kiawe turned and started walking toward a large plot of open land some distance from the main building. Mimo and Lana, meanwhile, started trekking toward the water Pokémon area. Once they were out of earshot, Mimo spoke up.

"Did you hear her?! She said having those huge honkers is a hassle!"

Lana nodded somberly. "I know. She doesn't realize how beautiful she is and how other people look at her."

Mimo unhappily folded her arms. "She's, like, the definition of stunning and she won't even look at a guy."

Lana nodded again. "She's got her head stuck in that restaurant of hers. She wouldn't even blink if a naked hunk fell out of the sky and landed in her lap."

Both girls giggled at this. Lana was the first to recover and continue.

"At least we don't have to worry about her going for another guy," she said.

"Yeah," Mimo replied in an annoyed voice. "My brother's a hunk, but he's like the most useless hunk there's ever been."

Lana smirked and a struggled to keep from smiling. "Your brother is pretty hot, isn't he?" she commented in a giddy voice.

Mimo grinned and nodded. She then caught sight of Lana's expression and her eyebrows shot up.

"Hold on! Don't tell me you have a thing for him!" she said sharply.

Lana blushed and shook her head. "Nope!" she squeaked. She continued grinning guiltily, however, and her blush deepened. "But, he was the first guy I thought about when I started noticing boys."

Mimo's eyes widened. She tightly pressed her lips together but she wasn't able to suppress a boisterous laugh that first caused her mouth tremble, before exploding out in a big outburst. Lana began to laugh as well and the flesh of both girls turned a shade of dark red as their bellies jiggled from amusement. They gasped and giggled before they finally got their breathing back under control.

"Oh, my brother would die if he knew you'd thought about him like that," Mimo crowed.

Lana grinned maniacally and hesitated before continuing. "Well…. I did a little more than just think about him…."

Mimo's eyes went wide for the second time and she again pressed her lips tightly together to no avail. More uproarious laughter erupted from the two girls and echoed across the reserve.

---

Mallow sent Kiawe a curious look as he finished pointing out the boundaries of the planned vegetable garden.

"But, why do we need to turn over the soil and plant something?" She idly rubbed her arms as a shiver went through her. "It's too cold for something to grow."

Kiawe felt a burst of pride and struggled to keep from grinning as he took the chance to demonstrate his knowledge of farming to Mallow. "See, we'll plant a cover crop for the winter. It will help enrich the soil and when spring comes, everything will grow way better."

Mallow looked impressed. "Really! Huh, that's interesting," she replied.

Kiawe nodded. "Exactly. It pays to put in the extra work."

The wind blew and Mallow let out a warbling moan as her skin became covered with goosebumps. Kiawe gritted his teeth and maintained a stoic exterior. After telling Mallow he was fine being outside without a shirt, the last thing he wanted to do was admit to being cold.

Mallow blew out a shuddering breath. "Okay, well, let's get this done so we can go back inside," the warm-weather girl said in a tense voice.

Kiawe grinned and led the way to the equipment he'd put in place the previous day. Waiting at the edge of the garden area was a harness and a plow attachment. Within a couple of minutes, Kiawe coaxed a Rhyhorn over and hooked it up to the plow. After a little bit of motivation, Kiawe was soon guiding the rock type back-and-forth across the field, leaving a trail of overturned dirt in his wake.

When Mallow wasn't shivering, she followed behind Kiawe, picking up rocks and other debris. The work went smoothly and soon the job was half finished. Kiawe stopped for a break and stepped to the edge of the garden area. Mallow joined him, her teeth chattering and her skin a bit paler than usual.

"W-well, I th-th-think it's going p-pretty good," Mallow said as she came up beside Kiawe. She frantically rubbed her arms and shifted uncomfortably on her feet; rubbing her chilled legs together.

Kiawe glanced over at her and suddenly Mimo's words from earlier popped into his mind. Mallow was freezing and he could offer her some warmth. All he needed to do was reach over and casually wrap an arm around her. It would be so simple and she surely wouldn't refuse. Kiawe imagined her thanking him for the warmth and snuggling close to him. All he had to do was step to the side and reach over…..

Seconds passed and no one moved. More seconds passed and Kiawe spotted his and Ash's Charizard a short distance away, plodding along as they hauled a couple of large rocks. He didn't know why they were carrying rocks, he hadn't asked them to.

The man from Alola glanced at Mallow and back at the Charizard. The girl of his dreams was within reach. All he had to do was lean over, slide an arm over her shoulders and‑

"Hey, Charizard!" Kiawe called out. "Come on over here!"

The two winged, fire types grunted and looked over. They set down their heavy loads and briefly took flight, landing next to Kiawe and Mallow.

Kiawe gestured to Mallow. "Help warm her up," he asked.

The two Charizard grinned and quickly moved to either side of Mallow. They turned their backs to her and moved their flaming tails so she was bathed by the radiating warmth.

Mallow sighed in relief. "OOOoooooo, that's nice," she breathed, rubbing her hands together. "Thank you!"

The Charizard smiled at Mallow and then Ash's sent Kiawe's a smug look and increased the intensity of its tail flame. Mallow hummed in approval while Kiawe's Charizard frowned. A moment later, Kiawe's creature followed suit and increased its flame.

A quick series of escalations ensued and soon Mallow was flanked by a pair of roaring blazes. Sweat started to break out on her brow and she laughed in amusement.

"Okay, okay," she chortled. "If this gets any hotter I'm gonna be cooked just like my dumplings!"

With a tense expression on his face, Kiawe subtly gestured to the Charizard to go back to whatever they'd been doing. Their task complete, the beasts nodded in satisfaction and plodded away. Mallow sweetly thanked them and waved goodbye.

It took a moment for Kiawe to regain his bearings. When he did, he gestured to the plow and looked at Mallow.

"So, would you like to have a try?" he asked.

Mallow's eyes brightened. "Oh, really?" she squeaked eagerly. She smiled and happily stepped forward. "Sure, it looks like fun!"

Mallow quickly took her place behind the plow and Kiawe stood so he was a couple steps behind her. Kiawe told her to start plowing and she looked ahead at the resting Rhyhorn.

"Okay, let's get going!" she asked kindly.

The Rhyhorn didn't so much as budge.

Mallow pursed her lips and then spoke in a sweet voice. "Come on, Rhyhorn, we need to get moving!"

The Rhyhorn still didn't budge.

Mallow started to look a little embarrassed. She idly tapped the tips of her fingers together and spoke again.

"Giddyup!" she barked.

The Rhyhorn remained motionless.

Mallow tensely glanced over her shoulder at Kiawe. She fancied herself as being very empathetic with Pokémon. She loved fixing meals specifically for certain Pokémon and she had a good feel for how they thought and behaved. This Rhyhorn, however, wasn't cooperating.

Mallow reached forward and gave one of the ropes attaching the plow to Rhyhorn a snap. "Hi-yah!" she cried out.

Kiawe grinned and stepped forward. "So, Mallow‑"

Mallow sharply held up a hand. "Hold up!" she said, cutting Kiawe off.

Kiawe stopped and merely watched Mallow, subtly smiling as he did so. Mallow made a consternated sound and stepped forward so she was standing behind the Rhyhorn. She put a hand on the creature's rump and gave it a shove.

The Rhyhorn started to yawn.

Mallow made a frustrated sound and shoved a shoulder into the immobile rock type. She grunted and struggled. Her feet started to slide in the freshly churned dirt.

"I bet you like really sour meals," she commented in a strained voice. After a few more shoves and grunts, Kiawe stepped forward and spoke up.

"Okay, let me show you," he said in a kind voice.

Mallow's shoulders sagged in defeat and she let out a disappointed groan. Kiawe smiled and moved so he was directly behind the Rhyhorn.

"So, Rhyhorn don't like being surprised from behind. If you want to get their attention, just give them a little pat down here,"

Kiawe reached down below the Rhyhorn's large rump and delivered a couple of gentle pats to the creature's rocky hide. The Rhyhorn promptly let out a grunt and rose to its feet. It glanced back at Kiawe, looking alert.

Mallow nodded but she still looked downcast, unhappy that she hadn't been able to get the rock type to move. "Thanks," she said in an unenthused voice. She recovered quickly, however, and moved back behind the plow. With a small command, the Rhyhorn started walking forward, hauling the plow along with it.

The rest of the work went smoothly. Mallow guided the plow and soon the entire field was ready for planting. Kiawe started using a hose to water the churned earth while Mallow worked to guide the Rhyhorn over to where she could wash the dirty creature. The rock type had dirt caked all over its legs and they wanted to ensure the Pokémon was in good condition before they sent it on its way. Mallow, unfortunately still didn't quite have the creature's respect and it kept going its own way.

Mallow pulled on the rope attached to the Rhyhorn's harness. "No, go this way!" she hissed through clinched teeth.

The rock type merely let out a low huff and started walking back toward the now muddy field. Kiawe watched Mallow's struggle and felt admiration for the green haired girl. Even though she was having nothing but trouble, she refused to give up. He loved that feature about her.

"Hey, do you want any help?!" he called out, continuing to water the plot of dirt.

Mallow glanced up and chuckled nervously. "Nope, I've got it!" she said sharply.

Kiawe watched and struggled not to smile as the Rhyhorn continued to ignore Mallow's guidance. The girl strained and yanked on the rope, but the rock type kept walking straight ahead, into the mud.

"NO NO NO!" Mallow screeched as the Rhyhorn's feet started to squish into the mud. "COME ON!" She wrapped the rope around her right wrist and pulled with all her might.

Kiawe started to snigger and immediately felt bad for doing so. He couldn't help it, though. It was a hilarious sight.

Mallow frantically grunted and churned her legs. The Rhyhorn didn't stop, though, and after a few seconds, her feet reached the wet mud. Unfortunately, Mallow didn't reduce her effort, and as a result, her feet instantly skidded out from under her as they slipped on the mud. The girl from Alola cried out in distress and fell to the ground. As she collapsed, she desperately flailed her legs and accidently kicked Rhyhorn underneath its rump, right in the place Kiawe had showed her earlier. Rhyhorn's eyes went wide and the creature let out a panicked bellow.

Kaiwe watched as the rock type bolted forward and Mallow was yanked right along with it. The rope from Rhyhorn's harness was tightly wrapped around her wrist and the frightened Pokémon pulled her along like she was a ragdoll. The green haired girl landed with a wet splat in the mud and then started being dragged through the freshly churned earth as the Rhyhorn charged ahead.

Mallow screamed in surprise and distress. Her voice quickly changed into high-pitched howl for help which was repeatedly interrupted as her face plowed into the mud. "KIII‑‑AHHH‑‑‑WAAYYYY!" she cried out

"MALLOW!" Kiawe exclaimed, dropping the hose. He instantly started sprinting after the Rhyhorn but it was way too fast for him to catch. Terrible fear and worry started to clutch at his chest. What if Mallow got hurt?! How far would she be dragged?! What would she think of him after all this?!

Kiawe let out a shout of determination and tried to run faster. Just at that moment, a pair of orange blurs rapidly descended from the sky and slammed into the fleeing Rhyhorn. The rock type nearly flipped over forwards as its head was shoved down into the mud. The startled creature came to an abrupt stop as did Mallow. A cloud of dust cleared and both Charizard were revealed standing in front of the Rhyhorn.

Kaiwe skidded to a stop and watched as the fire types started posing and grunting, clearly proud of their accomplishment. His Charizard mildly flexed its arms and flourished its wings. Ash's Charizard put a foot up on the Rhyhorn's head and grinned, as if it was posing over a defeated foe. Kiawe's creature followed suit and also put a foot on Rhyhorn's head, driving the rock type further down into the muddy earth.

Kiawe finally snapped back to his senses. "AUGH! MALLOW!" he cried out, moving to her side.

The girl from Alola was face down in the mud. Her previously green hair was now caked with grime, as was most of her body. She weakly moved her arms and lifted her head from the slop.

"I'm….. okay," she whined.

Kiawe swallowed nervously. He bent down so he could look Mallow in the eye. She glanced up at him and he saw that her almond skin was now a dark brown, covered in mud. Her eyes stood out on her face, like two white orbs with beautiful green pupils. She chuckled weakly and managed a smile.

Kiawe still looked worried. "You sure you're okay?" he asked.

Mallow bobbed her head. "Yeah, I think so," she said in a rattled voice. She started to shift herself and let out a groan.

Satisfied that Mallow wasn't injured, Kiawe looked at the Rhyhorn and grimaced at what he saw. His and Ash's Charizard had stepped aside but the rock type's head was still mostly buried in the ground. Rhyhorn's body wiggled and its rear legs slowly kicked in the air as it tried to unstuck itself. Kiawe was grateful for Charizard's help, but they seemed to have gone a little too far.

"It's okay, I'll get you out!" Kiawe said, moving behind Rhyhorn. The man from Alola started pulling down on Rhyhorn's backside, trying to free its head from the muck. After a few seconds of fruitless effort, Kiawe called out to the two fire types milling about nearby.

"Hey! Could you two give me a hand?!" he said.

The two proud beasts looked over and let out grunts of interest. Each of them moved swiftly to aid Kiawe, wanting to be the first to accomplish his request. Kiawe had to jump back from the rock type as first his and then Ash's creature grabbed hold of the Pokémon and yanked it clean out of the ground.

Kiawe cocked his head to the side in puzzlement as the Charizard held the muddy, four-legged Pokémon above their heads in some kind of celebration, or maybe it was a contest. Regardless, after a few moments, they roughly set the dazed rock type down and it promptly started scurrying away. The Charizard puffed out their chests, let out satisfied huffs and went on their way. Kiawe scratched at his cheek, thinking that he'd probably skip telling Ash about this incident. A few seconds later, Mallow's voice sounded in a sharp and surprised exclamation.

"OOPS!" she cried out from behind Kiawe.

A puzzled expression formed on Kiawe's face as he heard the rapid squishing sound of Mallow moving in the mud. He turned around to look at Mallow. He found her sitting on the ground, her legs folded underneath her. She had her back mostly turned to him and she was anxiously looking down at her chest while fiddling with the front of her cami. She cast a tense glance over her shoulder at Kiawe, her white eyes standing out against her muddy face.

"UHHHH! Just a little…. wardrobe issue, here!" she warbled.

Kiawe started to take a step and opened his mouth to ask a question. He instantly stopped in his tracks and his mouth fell half-way open as he spotted the problem. Mallow was tugging at what remained of the front of her cami. The dark pink outfit and her shortalls had been ripped free of their straps when she'd been dragged along the ground. The clothing which had previously made up her top was now muddy, torn and bundled together, down at her waist. Kiawe's eyes widened as he stared at the muddy, bare back of the girl he cared for, suddenly understanding that her front was also equally uncovered.

Mallow grinned sheepishly and adjusted herself so she was facing completely away from Kiawe. "I think I can…" she reached down and tried pulling the tattered front of the cami up over her chest. "Maybe….."

Kiawe stood transfixed as he watched the sight unfold. He found that his eyes kept lingering on the sides of Mallow's torso where he could just barely see the fringes of her uncovered breasts peeking out around the sides of her body. He knew he shouldn't be staring, but he simply couldn't help himself. Mallow was so gorgeous!

After a few very, very, very awkward seconds, Mallow stretched the grimy fabric of the cami up to her bust. She grimaced as she pressed the grimy, improvised covering against her bosom. There was the wet, squishing sound of mud, which Kiawe found to be incredibly alluring. Knowing that the mud was moving against the sumptuous, feminine flesh of Mallow's chest caused his loins to sizzle with manly energy.

With her hands holding the remains of the cami up to her chest, Mallow used her legs to lever herself to a standing position. She started to turn toward Kiawe but then thought better of it. She looked to the side at her friend from Alola and grinned sheepishly.

"I'm, uhhhh…." she began in a warbling voice. She inclined her head toward the main building while keeping her hands tight against her chest. "I'm gonna go… change!" she managed.

Kiawe swallowed and spoke in a pitchy voice. "Yeah, definitely!" he chirped.

Mallow smiled tensely and started to walk swiftly toward the reserve. After a few steps, her now strapless shortalls started to slide down her hips. Mallow whined in dismay and quickly grabbed her sinking shorts with her left hand. With her right hand preserving the modesty of her chest and her left the modest of her nether regions, Mallow shuffled as quickly as she could back toward the main building.

Kiawe watched Mallow until she disappeared from view. Even then, he remained staring, hands on hips, barely believing he'd just had so sensual a moment with the most stunning woman on the planet. He smirked and chuckled to himself. He slowly turned around, and abruptly came face-to-face with the grinning and leering faces of Mimo and Lana. Kiawe flinched and shouted in surprise. The girls' grins deepened and Mimo spoke in a low voice.

"So, how's it going, big brother?!" she said, bouncing her eyebrows at him.

Kiawe made a perturbed sound and gritted his teeth. He was done being baited by the girls and he remained silent! The girls waited a few seconds and then Lana spoke up.

"It looked like things were going really well," she deadpanned.

Mimo laughed and continued. "And then Mallow's top got ripped off and it got even better!"

Kiawe's face contorted and his blood boiled. How could they be so caviler about Mallow's misfortune!

"I can't believe you two," he hissed. "Mallow could have been really hurt and all you two can think about is her clothes."

The girls glanced at each other and sniggered. Mimo looked at her brother and spoke in a sneaky voice.

"I'm pretty sure that's all you're thinking about too."

Lana nodded. "Mmm-hmmm," she hummed. "It's too bad you weren't looking at Mallow when she sat up."

Mimo grinned. "Yeah, there was a moment when she was facing you and you could have seen those big hassles she has to deal with."

Kiawe stiffened, Lana giggled and Mimo grinned. Before Kiawe could say anything, the teenage girl shrugged and looked disappointed.

"But, alas, you missed out," she teased.

Kiawe ground his teeth, trying to think of a retort. His hesitation went on for too long and Lana quickly filled the void.

"She really is beautiful, Kiawe!" she said in a melodic voice. "Even all covered in mud."

Kiawe's eyes suddenly widened. "WAIT! You saw her?!" he shouted.

The girls sniggered. "Of course we did," Mimo replied. "Once we finished with the water Pokémon, we came over here to see what was happening. We didn't know we'd get front-row seats to a burlesque show."

Kiawe nearly choked on his own words. He wanted to demand how Mimo had learned what a burlesque show was, but he quickly thought better of it. Instead, his anger over them spying on Mallow's partial nakedness rose to the surface.

"I can't believe you two were….. LOOKING at her!" he raged.

Lana snickered and Mimo shrugged. His little sister folded her arms and replied in a sarcastic and loud voice.

"What, they're just BOOBS, Kiawe! It's nothing us GIRLS haven't seen before!"

Kiawe blanched and his sister gave him no quarter. She turned to Lana and continued in a casual tone.

"I mean, you've seen them dozens of times, right?"

A guilty grin spread across Lana's face. "Yeah, I guess so," she replied, in a lighthearted voice. "We are best friends, after all."

Kiawe's mouth scrunched up in a perturbed expression. He honestly didn't know what to do with his horny little sister and Lana. An infuriated whine escaped his throat before he turned his back to them and started stalking away. He didn't want to continue this.

After a few steps, Lana piped up in her usual, playful, monotone voice. "I mean, we used to go sunbathe topless out on one of the small islands."

Kiawe grimaced and nearly turned around to confront the horny duo. Instead, he slowly shook his head and kept walking. Mimo could taunt and Lana could make stuff up all she wanted, but he wouldn't give them what they wanted.

A sharp cry abruptly rang out from the sky and Kiawe looked up to see Ash's Swellow flying toward the main building. A few seconds later, Talonflame also cruised by. Kiawe glanced around and saw several Pokémon all dashing, flying and walking toward the main building. The man from Alola let out a groan and started following them.

"Ugh, now what?!" he sighed.

---

After spending a couple of weeks on the road with Ash, our heroes have returned to Pallet Town to resupply for another quick adventure before winter sets in. Soon, they will be heading back out to resume training for the Pokémon league.

Ash reached the top of the stairs and looked at the large structure of the main building. Pikachu hopped up the steps and let out a happy cry. Ash grinned and looked down at his buddy.

"Yep, it's good to be home," he said in a relieved voice.

There was some grunting and huffing behind him as the trio of kids finally caught up. They stopped a couple of stairs from the top and Cyril let out a moan.

"Why do we always have to go so fast?" he wheezed.

Ash half turned and shot the youngsters a confident smile. "It's all about pushing yourself. If you're not going forward, you're going backward."

Gwyn frowned. "That sounds like something you'd get out of a fortune cookie," she quipped sarcastically.

Ash pursed his lips and scratched at his chin, looking thoughtful. He wasn't sure where he'd come up with that phrase. Maybe he'd read it in a fortune cookie? He shook his head dismissively and smiled.

"It doesn't mean it's wrong!" he replied in an upbeat voice.

The three kids sighed and their shoulders slumped. They all looked exhausted and famished after the lengthy hike they'd just finished. With their legs heavy from all the miles they'd traveled, they trundled up the stairs and followed after Ash.

The world's greatest Pokémon trainer grinned, turned on a heel and took a step forward. A sudden chorus of cries and shouts caused him to look up and spy a rapidly oncoming mob of Pokémon.

Ash smiled and then cringed. "Hey, guys‑" he managed to say before he was slammed backward by a dozen creatures of various types. The three kids stood to the side, eyes wide and speechless as they watched their teacher getting the warmest of all welcomes.

Ash's Bulbasaur came trotting up to the trio and welcomed them back with a happy croak and smiling eyes. The kids looked at the grass type and smiled in return. Before they'd officially become trainers, Ash had helped them learn battling. Bulbasaur had been one of their practice Pokémon and they all had fond memories of the grass type.

"Hey, Bulbasaur," Gywn said happily.

"Good to see you," Cyril added.

Terence grinned. "I know someone who'll be happy to see you," he said, pulling out a Pokéball. A moment later, his Bulbasaur flashed into existence and looked at Ash's creature with sparkling eyes.

Ash's Bulbasaur looked a little tense as Terence's Pokémon bounded over to it and began nuzzling against its cheek while rasping softly.

Gwyn clapped her hands together and spoke in a sweet voice. "Awww, aren't they just the cutest!"

Terence and Cyril smiled while a droplet of sweat ran down the side of Bulbasaur's head. Ash's creature let out a nervous chuckle and started looking for a chance to get away.

An older, female voice suddenly sounded from the direction of the main building. "Hey, what's going on?!" The kids all turned and spotted a green haired young woman approaching at a brisk pace. She was wearing a white t-shirt, grey shorts. Mud was caked on her legs and speckled throughout her hair.

"Who's that?" Terence asked.

Cyril shrugged while Gywn frowned and looked thoughtful.

Ash laughed and finished hugging a few of his Pokémon. He stood up and Mallow instantly gasped in surprise.

"Ash!" she shouted, gleefully.

Ash turned toward his friend, smiled and waved. "Hey, Mallow! Kiawe told me you'd come to help out."

With a giggle, Mallow dashed a few quick steps toward Ash and came to a stop right in front of him. He grinned and extended a hand. Mallow merely chuckled and stepped forward, arms extended for a hug. She wrapped her arms around her friend from Kanto, smiling and laughing as she did so. Ash awkwardly received the hug, hesitating for a moment before embracing his friend from Alola.

Mallow gave Ash a squeeze before giggling and stepping back. She clasped her hands together let out a happy sigh.

"Wow, you're the world's best Pokémon trainer, now!" she said in a breathless voice.

Ash looked a bit embarrassed and shrugged dismissively. "Yeah, guess so," he replied, chuckling subtly.

Mallow sent him an amused but piercing stare. "We all keep hoping you'll come visit Alola, but it hasn't happened yet,"

Ash's expression became tinged with guilt. "Yeah, I've been meaning to do that. Something always comes up."

Mallow continued smiling and chuckled at how similar Ash still was to when he'd stayed with them in Alola for so long.

Ash tensely scratched at his chin and then spoke up to break the silence. "So, I heard you're running a restaurant all by yourself now?"

Mallow instantly looked proud and bashful at the same time. She blushed slightly and waved dismissively.

"Well, my brother helps out a lot. That's how I'm able to be here right now," she answered. "But, yeah, it's going really well. I have tons of customers and they like what I serve."

Terence, Cyril and Gwyn all stepped forward.

"Hey, Ash, who's this?" Terence asked.

A look of realization finally dawned on Gwyn's face. She leaned close and whispered to Terence.

"She's one of the girls from that Alola picture."

Ash grinned and looked at the kids while gesturing at Mallow. "Guys, this is Mallow! She's one of my friends from Alola."

Mallow smiled warmly and waved. "HI!" she said in a bubbly voice. "I've heard a little about you! You're all going to challenge the Pokémon league, right?"

Cyril nodded. "That's right, but not till next year," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's too late this year to earn enough badges and so we're gonna have to battle the gyms‑"

Gwyn stepped in front of Cyril and cut off his ramble. "I'm Gwyn. It's nice to meet you!" she said sweetly.

At that moment, an anxious looking Kiawe came round the side of the main building and looked toward the mob of Pokémon surrounding Ash. His expression immediately relaxed when he saw there was no crisis and he walked forward to join the gathering.

"Hey, Ash!" the man from Alola called out.

Ash smiled and waved to his friend. "Hey, Kiawe!" he called back.

Several of the Pokémon muttered to each other and cast brief, disapproving glares in Ka-we-we's direction. Mallow glanced at Kiawe, blushed and quickly averted her eyes toward the ground. The embarrassment of her torn clothing was still fresh in her mind and she struggled to keep from ducking out of sight. Terence and Cyril waved hello while Gywn simply stared at the shirtless, buff man with wide eyes. Her lips scrunched up into a silly smile and her cheeks became rosy.

Ash smiled and spoke to Kiawe. "Well, it looks like things are going okay, here," he said.

Kiawe smiled nervously and laughed. He definitely wasn't going to mention the Rhyhorn incident from this morning.

"So, are you back for good?" Kiawe asked of Ash.

Ash grinned and looked at the kids. "Nah, I'm just here to get a few things. We want to do a bit more training before it gets really cold."

Mallow's face fell. "Aww, you're not staying," she said in a disappointed tone.

Ash shrugged sheepishly. "We'll only be gone for a week or so."

Mallow huffed and started to say something when Mimo and Lana called out.

"Hey, Ash!" the two girls shouted happily.

Ash chuckled and waved back. "Mimo, Lana!" he replied.

The duo joined the gathering and sent Ash excited looks. Mimo fist-bumped Ash and congratulated him on winning the Master's Eight. Lana meanwhile leaned close to Mallow and whispered something which caused the green haired girl to squeak and blush. Kiawe looked on nervously, hoping Lana wasn't saying things about him.

After exchanging some pleasantries, Ash cut things short. "Guys, I promise I'll catch up with all of you when we get back, but we really need to get going before it gets dark."

The four from Alola looked disappointed but they all nodded in agreement. They wished Ash well and waved as he headed toward the main building. Terence and Cyril waved as well and followed after Ash. Gwyn paused for a long moment, her blushing face a mask of tension and nervousness. She finally pressed her lips together and squeaked out a comment.

"Hi, Kiawe!" she said in a barely audible voice. A moment later she giggled and sped off after her friends.

Mimo's eyebrows went up and she stared after the young girl. "Hold on there, sister," she said in a low voice to no one in particular. "He's like twice your age!" Mimo then glanced to the side and saw Lana whisper to Mallow again. The green haired girl blushed and sent Kiawe a quick glance.

The teen grinned hungrily and looked back at Gwyn. "Besides, he's taken!"

---

Ash pushed his way past the front door and rubbed his hands together to get some warmth into them. He moved into the kitchen area and was quickly joined by the trio of kids.

"Okay, I'll just get a few things and then we can get going." He gestured at the cabinets. "Get some food and whatever else you need."

Terence, Cyril and Gwyn all smiled openly and began looking for supplies. Ash chuckled and turned to go upstairs. He reached his room and pulled a few sets of winter clothes out of storage. He then went over to a case which contained his many Pokéballs and retrieved a few specific ones. He held the three red-white shrunken spheres in his right palm and a smile slowly spread across his face. It had been a while since he'd done something like this. It felt good to have an adventure in front of him!

He stowed the Pokéballs in his pocket and started to step toward the door. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the nightstand next to his bed. He stepped over and picked up the picture of Serena he kept there. It was a picture he'd taken earlier that summer during an excursion to the beach. Serena was wearing her bandini and looked absolutely gorgeous. Ash let out a wistful sigh and ran a finger over the glass of the picture frame. He was looking forward to when she came back home!

Ash set the picture back on the nightstand and headed out of his room. He went downstairs and checked in on the kids. Terence had climbed up on the kitchen counter and was pulling out all the snacks he could find in the cabinets and tossing them down to Gywn and Cyril. Ash thought it was excessive but he merely chuckled and shrugged. Kids would be kids after all.

Ash headed out the backdoor with Pikachu dashing along at his heels. He slowly turned the Pokéballs over in his right hand. It was time to assemble some friends! The world's greatest Pokémon trainer moved with purpose across the reserve but constantly found himself being stopped by groups of creatures happy to see him. He scratched many heads and hugged many others as he searched for his chosen companions.

After a couple minutes, Ash located Quilava. The fire type was hanging out near a small pond, creating a steam bath that Pokémon could use to warm up. The four-legged native of Johto jumped at the invitation and eagerly joined Ash in his quest.

A short while later, Ash saw Staraptor fly overhead. He called out to his friend and, with a swoop and a happy cry, the flying type was a part of the team once again. Ash spent several more minutes looking for the final member of his training team. Gengar finally appeared behind him and freaked out all who had gathered. With the crew assembled, Ash bid farewell to the other Pokémon who'd joined him and headed back inside.

Ash walked into the kitchen and found Terence working to jam some final snacks into his backpack so he could zip it closed. Cyril and Gwyn already had their packs slung over their shoulders. The colorful hiking packs were bulging with whatever contraband they'd pilfered from the pantry.

Ash snorted in amusement and shook his head. "Okay, you guys all ready to get going?" he asked.

Gwyn and Cyril nodded while Terence grunted and gave his back a shove. There was the sharp crinkling of plastic as the contents were compressed and then the boy zipped the pack shut.

"All ready!" Terence said with a tense grin.

Gwyn rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "So, where are we going?"

Ash grinned and felt a sense of pride fill his chest. "Well, we can't stay out for too long, but I thought we could head up toward Viridian City and then go check out Victory Road."

The jaws of all three kids fell open.

"The place where they've got the toughest trainers and super dangerous Pokémon?!" Terence squealed.

Gwyn rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "That's just on those television shows!" she remarked. "The real Victory Road is all about the history of the Indigo League."

Terence looked unhappy while Cyril appeared enthused.

Ash chuckled. "Well, it's still pretty cool." He looked at Terence and raised an eyebrow. "Plus, there will probably be a few tough trainers in the area, since the league will be starting in just a week."

Terence brightened. "Oh, boy!" he chirped, rocking side-to-side on his feet.

Ash nodded and waited a moment for dramatic effect. "Plus, if you guys train hard, we might stick around and watch the first day of the Indigo League. It will give you all an idea of what you're in for."

At this, all three of them brightened and stood up straight.

"I've never been to the Indigo League!" Gwyn replied.

Terence grinned. "My dad took me when I was five. It's great!"

Cyril bounced on his heels. "Let's get going!"

Ash waved a hand toward the front door and the kids eagerly began moving. Soon the four of them and Pikachu were back outside and facing a huge gathering of Pokémon along with Ash's friends from Alola. It took a while for Ash to work through all of his friends and wish them well. He reassured them all that he would be back soon and wouldn't be leaving again for a while.

Several of the Pokémon were sad to see Ash leaving so soon; none more than Lucario. It took all of the stoic Pokémon's will to keep from bawling when it learned that order and sensible decisions would not be returning to the reserve just yet.

Lana embraced Ash and gave him a squeeze. With her lips just an inch from his ear, she briefly considered making a comment about the golden haired girl in the picture next to his bed. She decided against it though. That would have to wait for later. She let go of Ash and watched Mimo also give him an enthusiastic hug. The teen was less reserved and definitely enjoyed wrapping her arms around the fully-grown, male frame of Ash.

"See you soon," Lana said.

Ash grinned and nodded. "Yeah, for sure," he replied.

Mallow, having already hugged Ash when he arrived, waved goodbye to him while Kiawe stepped up and offered a hand to shake. The world's greatest Pokémon trainer smiled and clasped the other man's hand.

"Keep an eye on the place!" Ash said.

Kiawe nodded solemnly. "I will, he replied.

Ash glanced at all of them again and started to turn toward the steps leading down to Pallet Town. "See you‑"

At that moment, there was a warbling cry from the direction of the main building. Ash turned to look and saw the Dreepy Vernon had left at the reserve flying toward them.

Ash smiled and waved. "Hey, Dreepy," he called out.

The dragon type floated up to Ash and let out a series of rapid pip and whines. It looked on with pleading eyes and waited for Ash to respond.

Ash cocked his head to the side, not entirely sure what Dreepy was asking. He glanced down at Pikachu and his buddy smiled while making a few gestures. Ash grinned slyly and looked up at the dragon Pokémon.

"So, you wanna come along with us, huh?" he asked.

Dreepy nodded and whined humbly. Ash met its gaze for several seconds and nodded in return.

"Okay, we've got plenty of room," he said in an upbeat voice.

Dreepy's eyes brightened. It let out a happy squeal and flew around Ash in several quick circles. Ash chuckled and looked toward the kids.

"This is Dreepy," he said in an amused voice. "Looks like it will be joining us."

Cyril looked on in amazement. "Dreepy are so cool."

Terence nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they're just like Magikarp," he commented. "Really weak right now, but way stronger later!"

Gwyn huffed in dissatisfaction at the boy's comment. "Seriously," she grumbled. She looked at Dreepy and smiled. "So, how long have you been one of Ash's Pokémon?" she asked in a sweet voice.

Ash shook his head. "Actually, Dreepy isn't mine," he said.

The kids all looked surprised.

Ash held up a finger and tickled the underside of Dreepy chin. "We took Dreepy in, here, and we've been watching after it. It isn't anyone's Pokémon."

Cyril and Terence's eyes widened in excitement. "So, it's up for grabs?!" Terence said.

Ash frowned and looked at the two boys. "Uh," he began.

Cyril and Terence grinned and pulled out Pokéballs. Dreepy promptly squealed and retreated behind Ash. Gwyn let out an exasperated sigh.

Ash looked back at Dreepy and then forward at the boys. "I don't think Dreepy wants to be caught right now," he said.

The boys hesitated and lowered their Pokéballs. "Okay," they said in unhappy voices.

Dreepy slowly moved back into view and Pikachu jumped up on Ash's shoulder so he could say greet the dragon Pokémon.

With a satisfied sigh, Ash looked at his friends from Alola, his friends from the reserve and the trio of kids.

"Okay, next stop, Viridian City!" he said in a bold voice.

The kids all let out a happy cry and began descending the steps. They nearly fell over as their overloaded backpacks made them very top-heavy. Mimo laughed openly as the trio tottered and flailed their way down to ground level.

Ash chuckled, waved goodbye to his many friends, and moved to join the kids.

---

Kiawe let out a deep sigh as he watched Ash and the kids walking down the main road of Pallet Town. He turned to look at Mallow and she met his gaze. For the briefest of moments he felt a spark between them, like their awkward interaction earlier had in some way drawn them closer. Maybe this could be the start of something special?!

Kiawe tried to find words to say, but it was Mallow who spoke first. She pursed her lips and an embarrassed expression crossed her face. Was she about to say something sexy?! Was she about to ask if he'd thought she looked okay while she was covered in mud?! Kiawe's heart started to pound. Could he summon up the courage to tell Mallow how gorgeous she was?!

The moment seemed to drag on forever before Mallow finally spoke. With a sheepish hum she glanced over at the far-away plot of dirt they'd just turned over and voiced her thoughts.

"Uh, I think the Tauros are stampeding through the garden," she said.

Kiawe snapped back to reality and the uproarious laughter of Mimo and Lana filled his ears. The two girls were nearly doubled over, holding their bellies as they laughed uncontrollably. He looked at the vegetable garden and saw, to his dismay, that a large herd of Tauros was indeed making tracks through the newly turned earth.

"OH NO!" Kiawe screeched.

The man from Alola took off at a full sprint, shouting and yelling at the top of his lungs. Mallow shrugged and spoke in a deflated tone.

"I guess we'll need to put up a fence."

With that, she began chasing after Kiawe, realizing that it would be a while before they could go inside and rest.

---

The sun was starting to dip toward the horizon when Kiawe and Mallow finished washing the last Tauros. They gave the four-legged creature a good brushing and then sent the happy Pokémon on its way. Both of them were muddy and exhausted as they gathered up their cleaning equipment and made the short trek to the storage shed. Cleaning up the Tauros after their jaunt through the mud had taken a while, but it was finally done.

As they walked, Mallow sighed and rolled her head, trying to loosen up the kinks in her neck. "Phew, I'm glad that's done with," she said in a tired voice. "I'm ready for a hot shower."

Kiawe nodded and struggled to keep his teeth from chattering. His hands felt frozen and his torso was beyond chilled. He was seriously regretting the big proclamation he'd made about colder weather not bothering him. Despite the chill in his bones, the last thing he wanted to do was backtrack on his boast. Why he couldn't have tried a different way to impress Mallow?

"Yeah, I could use one t-too," he said, his lips briefly quivering from the chill.

Mallow glanced over and an amused smile spread on her face. "Are you cold, Kiawe?" she asked in a friendly tone.

Kiawe gritted his teeth and tried to put on a strong front. However, there was no denying that he was freezing.

"Uh, m-maybe a little," he replied sheepishly.

Mallow responded in her ever-optimistic, joyful voice. "I'm surprised you're not shivering. After messing around in the mud all day, I'm really cold. I don't know how you do it without a shirt!"

Kiawe felt bashful as he took in the compliment. He shrugged and managed a tight-lipped smile. He would have blushed, but his body was too chilled at the moment.

"Well, i-it's probably because of the training I did on Mount Lanakila," he said through clinched teeth. "I spent a lot of time up there."

Mallow nodded. "I have to say, I like little bits of cool weather here-and-there, but I'm not a fan of it being cold for months at a time. I like our climate in Alola."

Kiawe managed a tense smile. "Yeah, I-I do too," he replied.

The two of them reached the storage shed and stowed all of their equipment inside. Mallow took the opportunity to stretch her arms and her back; a move which drew Kiawe's eye.

The man from Alola couldn't help but smile as he watched his long-time friend arch her back and grunt as she raised her arms above her head. It was a strange sight for Mallow to be wearing a muddy, white t-shirt. He couldn't remember the last time she wore something other than a cami or other extremely light top. Even with her green hair matted and speckled with mud, she was still amazingly beautiful. Her almond skin was caked in various places with dried mud, but it stilled glowed with radiant, feminine energy.

Kiawe's thoughts drifted and he suddenly remembered the vivid and alluring image of Mallow's bare back and her incredibly amusing cry of 'oops!' as she'd realized that her top had been dislodged and destroyed. Part of him wished she'd been facing toward him so he could have seen the sight Mimo and Lana had viewed. Kiawe's gaze drifted to the two lovely mounds concealed by Mallow's t-shirt and he quickly shook his head. It wasn't right for him to stare at her curves, as beautiful as they may be!

Mallow blew out a sigh and let her arms drop to her sides. Kiawe walked out of the shed and shut the door. They exchanged a glance and Mallow spoke first.

"Well, is it time to head inside?" she asked.

Kiawe nodded but looked a little anxious. "Yeah, but we need to clean up a bit first."

Mallow raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Kiawe frowned and scrunched up his mouth before he continued. "I don't like tracking a bunch of mud in Ash's place, so I always hose off if I'm really dirty."

Mallow looked down at her grungy clothes and an unhappy expression spread across her face. "Do we have to?" she asked. "We're just gonna take showers. Plus, it's really cold!"

Kiawe grimaced. He couldn't argue with Mallow's points, but at the same time, he really didn't want to dirty up Ash's place. From day one, he'd treated the place like a palace and he wasn't going to stop now. He hadn't spoken up earlier when Mallow had gone inside to change, but the circumstances had been different then…

"Ehhhh, it will just take a second," Kiawe said hesitantly. "Then we can go inside.

Mallow sighed and her shoulders slumped. She glanced up at him and shot him a feisty look.

"Okay, but I'm showering first," she said flatly.

Kiawe nodded quickly. "Yeah, definitely!" he said quickly, wanting to placate the displeasure of the girl he loved.

The two of them walked over to where the hose was and Mallow moved to pick up the nozzle. She glanced at her friend and a small smirk pulled at the corners of her mouth. She waited for him to take off his shoes and set them aside before she spoke up.

"I figure since it's your idea you should go first," she said, hefting the nozzle in her hands. She then raised an eyebrow. "Or we could just go inside and be careful not to get dirt anywhere."

Kiawe cringed at the dilemma his actions had created. He could easily back down and let them go inside without hosing off. It was a reasonable choice; however, it would show weakness and indecisiveness, something he didn't want to do in front of Mallow. On the other hand, Mallow was clearly going to blast him with cold water as punishment for making her suffer the same. After spending a day freezing outside, that was the last thing he wanted to endure. Kiawe wavered for a moment and then fixed a determined expression on his face. He wasn't going to back down in front of Mallow!

The man from Alola braced himself. "Come on, just get it over with!" he groaned, holding his arms slightly out to the side.

A mischievous expression played over Mallow's features and Kiawe prepared for a jet of frigid water. However, instead of drenching her friend, Mallow hesitated and rocked back-and-forth on her feet. Kiawe saw that she looked a little uncertain and he understood why. Mallow was so kind and compassionate. Hurting others wasn't in her nature at all. Even something as innocuous as hosing off a friend in cold weather was sure to give her pause to consider‑

Kiawe's thoughts were interrupted as a blast of freezing cold water slammed into his chest. He flinched and then cried out in shock as his skin felt like it was being pricked by thousands of tiny, icy needles.

"YEARRGHHH!" he howled. "ARRGHHH! THAT'S COLD!"

A guilty grin spread across Mallow's face as she listened to Kiawe's distressed cries. She struggled to keep from laughing as she kept the water directed at her friend. With a guttural gasp, Kiawe began quickly rubbing down his body, washing the mud away as quickly as was humanly possible. Within less than a minute, the shivering, dark skinned man from Alola cried out in a shrill voice.

"OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH!" he screeched, holding up a hand in an effort to block the stream of frigid water.

Mallow giggled and kept the stream directed at Kiawe. "What was that?!" she asked, uncertainly.

"I SAID STOP!" he shouted.

Mallow struggled to keep from laughing. "You want it to stop?" she questioned.

Kiawe merely yelled something unintelligible in reply.

With a final smile, Mallow shut off the water and watched as Kiawe flinched and grunted in chilled discomfort as rivulets of water flowed off his shaking body.

"Feeling all clean?" the green haired girl quipped.

Kiawe moaned through clinched teeth and took several stilted steps toward Mallow. "Okay, your turn," he wheezed.

Mallow grinned but didn't say anything as Kiawe advanced and held out his hand for the hose nozzle. She hesitated a moment and then handed over the nozzle. She hummed playfully and walked over to where Kiawe had been standing. She took off her shoes and set them aside so they wouldn't get splashed by the water. She brushed at the partially dried mud on her legs, knocking some off, however she was still extremely dirty.

Kiawe grunted as a tiny breeze caused his skin to feel like ice. He couldn't wait to get inside. First, though, it was time for some revenge! Feelings for Mallow aside, he was going to enjoy drenching the one who'd just tormented him. The man from Alola sized up his target and a small smirk pulled at his lips.

Mallow planted her feet and eyed Kiawe. She saw his expression and her face suddenly fell.

"Uhh, maybe I should have turned the hose down a bit," she posed diplomatically.

Kiawe struggled to keep from grinning. He squeezed the nozzle with his hand and aimed it at Mallow. The girl from Alola smiled sheepishly and spoke up in a tense voice.

"Truce?" she offered.

Kiawe faintly shook his head and thumbed the valve on the nozzle. Water blasted out, plastering Mallow right in the chest.

Mallow flinched, screeched and then started laughing frantically. "AAAA-AAAAAHHH-AAAHHHHH! THAT'S COLD!" she yelped.

A grin slowly spread across Kiawe's face as he directed the stream of water at Mallow. Part of him couldn't believe he was doing this, but he loved it! He watched as Mallow squirmed and twisted, frantically rubbing the mud away. She gasped and squealed under the freezing blast of water but Kiawe showed no remorse. She'd gotten him and now it was his turn!

Kiawe even aimed the stream of water up at her face a couple of times and was rewarded as her shouts were briefly interrupted by a gurgling sound. Normally, he never would have behaved this way; however, Mallow's actions had given him the courage and justification to act.

After a short while, Mallow waved her arms and shouted for Kiawe to stop. He promptly did so. He'd gotten his revenge and there was no reason to keep tormenting Mallow. He shut off the stream and watched as Water dripped from every part of the girl he cared for.

Mallow shivered and quickly folded her arms in front of her chest. "O‑o‑o‑kay! I th‑th‑think i‑it's time t‑to head inside!" she said through chattering teeth.

Kiawe felt more than chilled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's go!" he replied.

Mallow moaned in discomfort and stiffly walked to where her shoes were. She unfolded her arms and gave them a quick shake to discard what water she could from her skin. Kiawe glanced over at her in amusement and suddenly his eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

Mallow's now thoroughly soaked white t-shirt was tightly clinging to her body and the fabric was virtually translucent. Additionally, the man from Alola discovered that when Mallow had gone inside to redress, she'd simply pulled on the t-shirt and not bothered to don anything underneath it. The white fabric which had previously protected her modesty now did little more than minutely blur the image of what lay beneath.

Kiawe's pupils widened to take in the mouthwatering sight of Mallow's incredible bust, revealed for him to see. The chill he'd felt throughout his body suddenly vanished as his manly desires burst into flame. Blazing hot emotions roared inside him, as if Wela Volcano itself had just erupted within his bosom and his loins.

Mallow grabbed up her shoes and turned toward Kiawe. It was incredibly hard, but he managed to raise his gaze up from the erotic, pink flesh of her nipples and look her in the eyes.

Mallow's lips trembled before she spoke. "How a‑about we n-not d‑d‑do that again!" she shivered. "N‑next time, l‑let's just, p‑put down newspaper or s‑something, inside!"

Kiawe's brain was only filled with images of Mallow's womanly delights. He worked his mouth for a moment as he tried to form a reply.

"Yeah….. sure," he squeaked. "I think that'd be breast‑‑ BEST!" he added sharply.

Mallow merely nodded and clinched her teeth against the chill she felt. She kept her arms at her sides as she carried her shoes. She made no move whatsoever to cover herself. Kiawe couldn't believe she hadn't noticed her predicament. He stole one last guilty look at the luscious flesh of Mallow's chest and then looked stoically ahead. Perhaps if he just played it cool, Mallow would never be the wiser and the whole awkward situation would pass unnoticed. The two of them turned toward the main building and-

"HEY, MALLOW!" Mimo's voice rang out.

Their heads turned to see Kiawe's little sister standing a short distance away with Lana at her side. The teenage girl had her hands raised to either side of her mouth to help project her voice. As usual, the mischievous duo's timing was impeccable.

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE WORN A WHITE T-SHIRT!"

Kiawe cringed and Mallow glanced down. A second later, Mallow's eyes widened and another, dismayed 'OOOPS!' flew from her lips. The green haired girl squawked in embarrassment and promptly wrapped her arms around her bosom. She laughed nervously and slowly glanced up at Kaiwe, her face quickly turning several shades of red.

"Ah Ha! Eh, Ha ha! Uhhhh," she chortled and gasped. She finally caught her breath, swallowed her pride and smiled sheepishly. "Oh, wellllll… I guess it's not all that different from when you saw me in that one bathing suit."

Kiawe immediately understood what she was talking about. One time, Mallow had taken him out to the sea to help her gather ingredients for the restaurant. The bikini she'd chosen to wear that day had been at least one size too small and she'd spent half her time constantly adjusting the top to keep her bust from popping free. There'd been lots of giggling and embarrassed looks from Mallow that trip and Kiawe had ultimately ended up seeing almost everything she had to offer. It had been his sexiest memory of her… until now.

Kiawe swallowed and managed to squeak out a reply. "Yeah… I guess… so!"

Mallow's eyes darted between Kiawe, Mimo and the main building. She tensely grinned and took a sliding step toward the building.

"Well… I guess I'll head inside!" she said anxiously.

Kiawe managed a tense grin. "Sounds good," he answered.

With another nervous laugh, Mallow turned and began quickly stepping toward the main building. She kept her arms wrapped tightly around her torso the entire way. Kiawe watched her go and then suddenly felt a presence standing next to him. He turned around and was confronted by the leering faces of Mimo and Lana, standing just a couple steps away. Kiawe's yellow and brown haired little sister was first to speak.

"Smooth moves, big brother!" she said in a sneaky and sultry voice. "I didn't think you had it in you!"

Kiawe's face scrunched up in puzzlement and indignation. "What do you mean?!" he barked.

Lana and Mimo exchanged glances and sniggers before the younger girl continued. "You saw she was wearing a white t-shirt and you decided that a little water would be just the trick!"

Kiawe blanched and his eyes widened at the implication. "I DIDN'T‑!" he glowered at his little sister. "YOU-!"

Both girls giggled and Lana spoke up. "Like we said, Kiawe, they're really beautiful, aren't they!" she breathed, her voice dripping with innuendo.

"Especially, when they aren't covered in mud!" Mimo added in an equally syrupy voice.

Kiawe ground his teeth and clinched his fists. "NOW LISTEN HERE!" he shouted. "I'D NEVER TREAT MALLOW LIKE THAT! I DON'T THINK OF HER THAT WAY!"

The girls exchanged sneaky glances and Mimo piped up in a girlish voice. "The evidence speaks to the contrary, big brother!"

Kiawe glared back. "What do you‑"

Mimo grinned fiercely, hesitated, blushed and then spoke in a tense and supremely amused voice. "You're standing at attention!" she said, her gaze dipping downward for the briefest of moments.

Spittle spewed from Lana's lips as she struggled to keep from bursting out laughing at Mimo's comment. The two girls clamped their hands over their mouths and turned red with embarrassment.

Kiawe glanced down and a sense of shame and mortification swept over him. The sight of Mallow's bust had ignited the flames of Wela volcano within him. The fire had yet to die down and his shorts utterly failed to conceal the magnitude of his excitement. The man from Aloa glanced up at his little sister and started to shake with fury.

"MIMO, THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR!" he raged.

Mimo nodded and pulled her hands away from her mouth. "I agree. You should have asked for her permission before you looked at her boo‑"

"QUIET!" Kiawe shouted. He huffed for a second before continuing. "BOTH OF YOU ARE JUST HORNY LITTLE TROUBLE MAKERS!"

The girls exchanged glances and Lana shrugged. "I like to think of us as horny little matchmakers," the older girl quipped.

Kiawe growled and kept going. "BECAUSE OF YOU, MALLOW'S BEEN EMBARRASSED!"

Mimo looked skyward and pinched her chin with her right hand as if she was considering a very, very deep thought. "Actually, I think Mallow's recent wardrobe issues have been because of you."

Kiawe shook with rage and Mimo smirked.

"After all, if you hadn't drenched her‑"

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL HER WHAT WAS GOING ON!" Kiawe bellowed. "SHE HADN'T NOTICED!"

Mimo's eyes widened in mock understanding. "Ohhhhhhhhh!" she said slowly, as if she'd just figured out the solution to the world's problems. "I get it! You're mad that I interrupted your peep show."

Kiawe froze in place, speechless.

Mimo grinned. "If I hadn't said anything, you could have kept on gazing at those juicy melon‑"

To describe what followed as a tirade would do injustice to the word. Kiawe unleashed the full force of Wela volcano in a blistering lambasting of his little sister and Lana. He raged. He vented. He called them out on their voyeurism. He demanded they keep their noses out of his and Mallow's interactions. Finally, with his rage spent, Kiawe gasped in a breath and looked at the two girls.

Mimo merely stared back, arms crossed and face slack in an expression of boredom. "You done?" she grumbled.

Kiawe stopped short. "NO I'M NOT DONE!" he replied furiously.

Mimo rolled her eyes, shrugged and turned to Lana. The older girl also had her arms crossed and an expression of boredom on her face.

"Come on, Lana. There's no sense standing around when he's like this."

Mimo turned her back to Kiawe and started walking away. Lana cast a glance at him, offered a quick, taunting wave goodbye and fell into step with Mimo.

Kiawe huffed and stamped his right foot. "MIMO, I'M STILL TALKING TO YOU!"

"You're a real stick-in-the-mud, big brother," the teenager chirped over her shoulder.

Kiawe ground his teeth and planted his feet. He puffed out his chest and spoke in his most authoritative voice.

"MIMO, GET BACK HERE! YOU WILL STAY AND LISTEN!"

Mimo's only response was to raise her right hand high above her head and clinch all but one of her fingers into a fist. The man from Alola was left staring at the rude gesture while the two retreating girls looked at each other and began to naughtily snigger and giggle.

---

The sun was just starting to sink below the horizon when Ash finished setting up his tent. He glanced over and saw that Gwen had finished with her tent while the boys were still working to get their up. Pikachu let out an unhappy moan and Ash glanced down at his buddy. The electric type was rubbing his hands together and shivering slightly. With a grin, Ash reached down and rubbed the head of his little friend.

"Don't worry, with the camp set up, we'll get the fire going in just a minute."

Pikachu looked relieved and nodded eagerly. Ash glanced at the kids and stepped away from the trio of tents, looking for firewood. He'd soon gathered an armful of small sticks and a few larger chunks of deadwood. He set up a fire pit and finished arranging the wood just as the boys completed their tent.

Gwyn walked over with her hands jammed into her armpits and a look of discomfort on her face. "Okay, let's get the fire going," she said in a tense voice. Turtee was continuing to stay out of sight. The water type was tucked safely inside her warm shell, hiding inside Gwyn's backpack.

Ash pulled out a Pokéball and snapped it open. A flash of white light burst out and resolved into Quilava. Terence and Cyril walked over, eyes fixed on the Pokémon from Johto.

"That's so cool," Terence said.

"Yeah," Cyril added.

Ash chuckled and pointed at the pile of sticks. "Okay, Quilava, light it up!"

The squat, fire type let out a grumbling noise and then breathed out a concentrated stream of fire which neatly lit up the gathering of sticks. The three kids' faces brightened and then they started to look forlorn as they realized the fire wasn't putting off all that much heat.

"Is that it?" Gwyn criticized.

Ash chuckled. "No, the fire will get bigger. But it just takes a little while to get going."

The youthful trio all frowned and began to shiver. It had been a long and chilly day. They really wanted to get warm.

Ash glanced down at Quilava and his Pokémon met his gaze. He gave the creature a wordless nod and it let out a happy cry. A moment later, spiky flames erupted out the back of the Johto native and bathed the campsite in warmth. The kids let out an awestruck and grateful gasp and quickly moved toward the Pokémon. They surrounded Quilava, holding their icy fingers up for the flames to warm.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Gwyn commented.

Terence grinned. "Yeah, thanks, Quilava! You're great!"

Ash's Pokémon looked very pleased and cooed happily. Pikachu joined the kids in warming himself and Ash grinned at the sight. With the kids taken care of, he stepped away from the campsite and retrieved his phone. A smile pulled at his lips as he thought about finally talking with Serena. It had been two days since he'd spoken with her and he was looking forward to hearing her voice. Additionally, tomorrow was the date of her performance in the Anistar City showcase. He wanted to wish her well.

Ash tapped his phone to activate it and…. saw that there was no reception.

The man from Kanto frowned and walked a few paces around the campsite. There was still no signal and so he kept walking. Minutes passed and nothing changed. There was no signal and thus no chance to talk to Serena. Finally, a shout from Gwyn brought Ash's attention back to the campsite.

"Mr. Ash!" she called out. "Terence is trying to cook dinner and he doesn't know how!"

"Hey, be quiet!" the young boy replied sharply.

"No! You'll just burn it, like you always do!" she retorted.

Terence made a face and Gwyn huffed indignantly.

Feeling a little disappointed, Ash stowed his phone away and walked toward the campsite. Serena would have to wait until later. He stepped to the edge of the campsite and suddenly heard a warbling cry from a nearby cluster of trees. He looked over and saw Dreepy was charging back-and-forth between the foliage. The small dragon was working hard to perfect maneuvering at high-speed. Ash nodded in approval and smiled.

"That's how you do it," he said to himself. "Keep at it and you'll get stronger.

---

Kiawe no longer felt chilled as he made his way inside the main building. Between Mallow's arousing of his feelings and his fury at Mimo, he actually felt hot-under-the-collar rather than freezing cold. He shut the outside door and glanced around inside. He took a step into the living room and checked to see if Mimo or Lana were around. The last thing he wanted was for them to pull something else.

The dastardly duo was nowhere in sight and so Kiawe returned to the laundry room. As he passed within earshot of the bathroom, he heard water begin to fall in the shower and Mallow hum happily from within the room. It seemed she had just started her shower.

Kiawe froze and his eyes became glassy as the image of Mallow's mouthwatering bosom filled his thoughts. He still couldn't believe he'd actually seen her breasts through her clothing. The almond and pinkish flesh of her bust had simply been beyond magnificent to behold. It was as if someone had given physical form to the very essence of sex. That was the only way he could describe what it felt like to lay eyes on Mallow's mounds of feminine flesh.

Kiawe abruptly felt guilty about daydreaming of Mallow's bosom. He grunted and shook his head to clear his thoughts. He took a step into the laundry room and heard Mallow continue to hum. A silly smile spread across his face and he struggled to keep images of his green haired beauty at bay.

Kiawe pulled open the drawer which held his clothes and started retrieving a new set for him to dawn after his shower. He'd just shut the drawer when the bathroom door abruptly opened. He heard the rapid padding of bare feet and glanced up to see Mallow stop dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened in surprise, as did Kiawe's.

The girl from Alola was using her right hand to hold a large, white towel tight to her chest. The fluffy fabric concealed everything down to her knees, however, her arms, shoulders and parts of her hips which peeked out to the sides were completely bare. It was plainly obvious that, behind the towel, Mallow wasn't wearing anything at all.

"OOPS!" the green haired girl squeaked in surprise and embarrassment.

Kiawe simply stared. The clothes he was holding fell to the floor as his grip failed. Silence hung in the air for several seconds and then Mallow grinned tensely and started scooting sideways, toward the dryer. As she maneuvered, she made sure to keep her covered front facing directly toward Kiawe.

"I…. UM….." Mallow stammered awkwardly, her face, neck and shoulders turning red. She scooted within reach of the dryer and leaned toward the appliance. She reached out with her left hand, grasping for a grey bottle, frantically glancing between Kiawe and her objective.

"Just….. forgot my shampoo!" she managed, seizing the bottle.

Kiawe continued to silently stare at the spectacle unfolding before him.

Mallow pulled the bottle to her chest and readjusted the towel. "Just….. Uh…" she stammered in a flustered voice, starting to scoot back toward the bathroom. She took a couple of quick steps rearward and stood in the doorway of the restroom. The green haired girl laughed nervously and forced a smile. "Just, forget you saw anything!" she said with playful, girlish energy. With that, she speedily ducked behind the door and began to shut it.

Kiawe started to reply but his words caught in his throat. As Mallow moved out of sight, she turned a little too quick and stepped a little too rapidly. As a result, for a very brief moment, the towel fluttered aside as Mallow's body turned. Time seemed to freeze for Kiawe as he was treated to a dazzling, unimpeded view of Mallow's cute, little, shapely, almond butt cheeks, jiggling and wiggling as she tried to dance out of sight. Though he saw her bare buttocks for less than a second, the image permanently burned itself into his brain, right next to the memory of her boobs.

The bathroom door slammed shut and Kiawe let out a gasp. His mind felt full of fuzz and his hands were trembling. How was it possible for Mallow to be so jaw dropping, enthralling?! He slowly took in a breath and bent down to pick up his clothes. When he straightened back up, Mimo and Lana were standing a couple steps away, leering and grinning. Kiawe flinched and squawked in surprise. The two girls stared for a few seconds before Mimo spoke.

"Boy, big brother," she said in a low, condemning tone. "Camping out around the bathroom so you can sneak a peek."

Lana nodded in agreement. "I thought the whole chivalrous attitude was an act," she said in an accusatory tone. "You're just a peeping tom!"

Kiawe's face reddened and he clinched his teeth. He pointed a finger at the two snarky girls and was about to severely ream them, when he thought better of it. Mallow was on the other side of the bathroom wall and he didn't want her to overhear what would be said. Silence reigned and the girls promptly took advantage of the opportunity.

"So, you've seen her boobs and her butt," Mimo chided.

"I guess that leaves only one thing left," Lana added, her voice dripping with implication.

Kiawe steamed and leaned closer to the girls. He growled and spoke in the harshest whisper possible.

"I was not trying to look at Mallow!" he hissed.

The girls giggled.

"Of course you weren't, big brother," Mimo said in a coy, sarcastic voice. "It's just a coincidence that you've seen more of Mallow today than the rest of your life combined."

"You've got to be the luckiest guy on the planet," Lana said sarcastically. "You should buy a lottery ticket."

Kiawe was about to reply when Mallow's cute humming echoed through the wall. He heard the water within the shower shift, indicating that she'd just gotten inside to begin washing. Mimo and Lana looked toward the bathroom, glanced at Kiawe and grinned sneakily. Mimo was the first to speak.

"You know, I'll bet she could use some company in there," Kiawe's younger sister said in a casual tone.

Kiawe flinched and scoffed but Lana spoke up before he could form a reply.

"She can get a bit playful in the shower," the blue haired girl said in an amused tone. "She likes being silly."

Kiawe glowered at the two girls. "HOW WOULD YOU‑‑‑‑"

His exclamation abruptly trailed off as he realized that Lana was just setting him up for another sensual explanation of how she'd gained this knowledge. It severely annoyed him that he still didn't know if she was making up all this stuff about Mallow.

With Kiawe speechless, Mimo and Lana grinned and sniggered. Mallow's humming continued and the two girls leaned close to each other. They spoke in whispers but made sure they were loud enough for Kiawe to overhear them.

"You can tell he wants to go in there," Mimo said softly.

"He wants to see the trifecta of her body," Lana replied.

Kiawe finally unfroze and spoke up. "I DO NOT THINK OF MALLOW THAT WAY!" he said in a low, harsh voice.

The girls merely sniggered in reply. Their eyes darted up and down while they shifted awkwardly on their feet. Finally, Mimo replied in a sniggering voice.

"You're still standing at attention, big brother!"

Kiawe blanched while Mimo and Lana turned red and covered their mouths to contain their laughter. The man from Alola didn't have a retort and so, once they'd had their laugh, the two girls turned to go.

"Have fun with your shower, big brother," Mimo said in a sneaky voice.

Lana snickered and spoke next. "It may take a while for you to get a turn. She can be a while in there."

Kiawe grunted indignantly but didn't follow after the girls. He was just glad to have them out of his hair. He glanced back at the bathroom door and felt a tingle of excitement over the thought of Mallow washing her beautiful body. He quickly shook his head and prepared to go somewhere else to wait. As he took a step away from the alcove where the laundry room was, Lana popped up a short distance away and spoke in a mischievous voice.

"You see, she always likes to shave when she takes a shower."

Kiawe narrowed his eyes and sent Lana a fierce expression. However, he didn't say anything in reply. It just wasn't worth it at this point. The blue haired girl grinned and ducked out of sight.

Kiawe walked into the kitchen and sat down heavily at the table. He felt exhausted after the day's events. Strangely, all the work he'd done hadn't sapped his energy. It was all of the drama surrounding Mallow, Mimo and Lana that had used up his strength. He let out a sigh and rested his elbows on the table. A second later, Lana again leaned into view.

"And I'm not just talking about her legs and armpits!" she added, in a sultry voice.

Kiawe's blood boiled and he reacted instinctively. He grabbed a roll of paper towels on the table and hurled it at Lana's head. The girl from Alola giggled and ducked out of sight.

Kiawe stared after Lana, making sure that she was really gone this time. Slowly, he turned back to face the table. His teeth were clinched and his breathing was harsh. How could those girls be so disrespectful to Mallow? How could they be so…. endlessly horny?

Kiawe saw yellow movement out of the corner of his eye and realized his little sister was about to strike. He whirled around just in time to see her smirking little mouth open to deliver her latest little quip.

"I guess the plus side is that it will be really easy for you to see the third part of that trifecta!"

Kiawe bolted out of his chair and charged for Mimo. A mask of rage was fixed on his face and his little sister's eyes went wide with dismay. She and Lana turned to run but they only got a few steps before the Kahuna in training grabbed both of them; one in each arm.

"Hey, let me go!" Mimo whined.

Lana's expression was more morbid. "Uh oh," she said solemnly, taking in Kiawe's furious expression.

With his face red and jaw clinched in rage, Kiawe turned both girls over his left knee and did the only thing he could think of appropriate for their behavior.

---

The bathroom door opened and Mallow's happy humming echoed out into the building. She emerged a moment later, wearing a light grey cami and simple pink shorts. She glanced around and walked toward the kitchen. As she stepped into the room, Kiawe rose from the table and sent her a tense smile.

"Hey, Mallow," he began. "Are you all done?"

Mallow experienced a burst of embarrassment and felt her face become hot. She still couldn't believe she'd make the mistake of wearing a white t-shirt to a situation where she could get wet. It was the oldest, feminine faux pas in the book. She swallowed her embarrassment, along with her pride, and spoke up in a happy voice.

"Yep, I'm all done. Shower's all yours."

Kiawe nodded, grabbed a bundle of clothes and started walking toward the bathroom. As he passed by Mallow she cast a glance at his back and watched him for a moment. She smiled faintly, feeling grateful that she had such a great friend. If ever there was a man she could trust to see her unclothed, it was Kiawe. He was such a mature gentleman. She knew he would never act rashly or take advantage of her.

With Kiawe out of sight, Mallow walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She glanced at the contents and quickly decided on what she would cook for dinner. She retrieved a pile of ingredients and shut the refrigerator door. Next, she opened a neighboring cabinet and frowned as most of its contents were no longer there. Apparently someone had fixed themselves a large snack!

The almond skinned girl idly moved her lips in a thoughtful manner, adjusting her plans for dinner. With a shrug and a cheerful grunt, Mallow grabbed one of the few remaining items and began her preparations. She walked over to the kitchen sink and saw Mimo and Lana leaning awkwardly against the cabinets on the opposite side of the room. The girls had pinched expressions and seemed to be grimacing slightly.

Mallow smiled at them and spoke up in a happy voice. "Hey you two, did you get all your work done?"

It took a second for Lana to reply. When she did, her voice was tense and stilted.

"Yeah, we… got everything done," she said in a raspy voice.

Mimo grimaced. "No… problem," she added with a wheeze.

Mallow started washing the vegetables and spoke over her shoulder. "Why don't you two sit down. I'll have everything ready in just a few minutes.

Both girls promptly voiced their disagreement with the idea.

"Eh, no thanks! I'll stand," Lana croaked.

"Yeah, I'm good!" Mimo grunted.

Mallow raised an eyebrow at the strange replies and glanced over her shoulder. Lana and Mimo still looked pained and were surreptitiously rubbing their posteriors. They quickly stopped when they saw the green haired girl looking in their direction.

Mallow frowned at their behavior. She was well aware of how the two of them liked to daydream about boys. They'd even tried to get her to take an interest in men on many occasions, much to her annoyance. She was way too busy with her restaurant to spent time dating a guy! She also knew that Lana did more than just daydream and apparently Mimo did too. She shook her head and spoke in a chastising voice.

"Come on you two. I know Kiawe's not around, but don't do that here!"

Mimo and Lana looked up with puzzled expressions.

"Do what?" the younger girl said.

Mallow rolled her eyes and waved her hand around her lower regions in a poor imitation of what they were doing. "You know…" she said indirectly. "Touching!"

Mimo and Lana glanced at each other and shared a strange expression.

"Uh, we weren't doing that…." Mimo said awkwardly.

Lana nodded and winced as she shifted her posture. "Yeah, we… uh…. we're just kind of sore," she said hesitantly. "From…. uh…"

Mallow's eyes widened and an uncomfortable expression formed on her face. Mimo spotted the other girl's reaction and spoke up quickly to try and correct the record.

"NO, see, we're just sore from all the work‑"

Mallow turned her head away and held up her right hand to silence the younger girl. "I don't want to know!" she said flatly. "I don't want to know!"

Mimo and Lana looked on in awkward silence.

Mallow chuckled ruefully and shook her head. "I DO NOT want to know!" she said again, with more emphasis. She had no interest in learning what sort of activity had led to the two of them being sore down below.

Slowly, the two mischievous girls shuffled out of the kitchen. Their gait was awkward as they took their steps gingerly. Once they were in one of the side corridors they stopped and carefully leaned against the walls. They began gently rubbing their buttocks yet again, grumbling as they did so. Mimo finally groaned and spoke up.

"You know, I'd always thought spanking was kind of kinky…. Not anymore….."

Lana groaned and nodded. "Your little comment about him practicing for Mallow later sure didn't help."

Mimo grimaced. "Yeah, he sure started hitting harder after that."

Lana nodded again. "So, do you wanna call it quits for now?" she asked.

Mimo scoffed. "Are you kidding?!" she said, sounding taken aback. "Kiawe actually saw Mallow's boobs. This is going way better than I ever thought."

An amused expression formed on Lana's face. "You really want her to be your aunt, don't you?"

Mimo nodded emphatically. "Darn straight! Auntie Mallow would be so great." The younger girl's eyes suddenly became dreamy. "She's so cool, plus unlimited free food forever!"

Lana chuckled. "Okay, well, all you gotta do is get Mallow interested in a relationship."

Mimo frowned. "Yeah, you weren't kidding when you said her head's stuck in that restaurant of hers."

Lana folded her arms and a sinister grin spread across her face. "Maybe you could try ripping Kiawe's shorts off in front of her!" she proffered in a lighthearted tone.

Mimo squeaked in amusement and struggled to keep from laughing. Her lips twisted into an equally sinister smirk.

"Even better! Do it while he's standing at attention!" the teen added in a joking manner.

Both girls clamped their hands over their mouths and turned red. Lana was the first to get herself under control.

"He's really got the hots for her, doesn't he," she giggled.

Mimo nodded. "Obviously!" she replied with a snigger.

The two of them alternated between laughing and giggling as they relished the prospect of Mallow getting a look at Kiawe's manly goods. Mimo finally shook her head and spoke in a reserved tone.

"I think we need to do something else first before we go that far," she said.

Lana chortled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah," she breathed. The blue haired woman looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe I could tell her that Kiawe saw her boobs and really liked them?"

Mimo raised an eyebrow in skepticism. "Isn't that kinda obvious? I mean, anyone with eyes could see he liked looking at her."

Lana shrugged doubtfully. "She's pretty dense when it comes to anything about men."

Mimo pursed her lips and thought for a moment. She slowly grinned and started to snigger.

"Maybe I should just rip his shorts off, then!" she giggled, shaking her head in naughty amusement.

Lana began to giggle as well. The two of them shared some sneaky looks and raunchy glances. The older woman finally took a gasping breath and spoke in a bashful voice.

"If you do, just make sure I get a peek!" Lana said, barely able to finish her sentence.

Mimo laughed out loud and pointed an accusatory finger at Lana. The teen tried to speak but was unable. The two horny girls clutched at their bellies as they laughed uproariously.

In the kitchen, Mallow's ears perked up at the sound of echoing laughter. She glanced down one of the hallways, frowned and shook her head.

"I don't want to know!" she murmured to herself.