Chapter 9: Stories & the First Date

The girls laughed outside with Ash and the Pokémon on the porch. The Pokémon were released to get some fresh air. "Boy, Bayleef has always been that supportive since you helped her out the first time," Lucia awed while Bayleef was with the group.

"I can understand why you can't let Ash go," Elze said. "I'd probably want to have him in the same way if it was me." Bayleef hummed and agreed. "How about another story, Ash?"

"Sure, which would you like to hear?" offered Ash. Seeing Phanpy sleeping, Yae had an idea.

"What about Phanpy?" she suggested.

"Okay, I can talk about how I got Phanpy," Ash agreed as he turned to Bayleef. "And she's the one who helped get him." Bayleef looked confused. "See, it started in a little town named Eggseter. They hosted an annual event called the Extreme Pokémon Egg Race which combines Pokémon and skateboarding." The girls looked confused.

"Skateboarding?" repeated Lucia. Touya rolled around the front on a skateboard that looked recently created. He peddled forward with his foot.

"Are you serious?" shrugged Yae.

"Touya showing off his Null Magic Modeling again," Yumina sighed.

"But that's skateboarding," Ash pointed out. Touya rolled up to the porch.

"So, what story is Ash telling today?" he asked.

"We were just about to learn about Phanpy's claim," Elze started. "Apparently, it involved skateboards." Touya giggled to the coincidence.

"Oh, my bad," he apologized. "Anyway, what happened?"

"It started as Misty, Brock and I made it to Eggseter," Ash started. "We got there to see trainers getting ready for the race. Little did we know, my rival would be there to participate in the race. Gary was not only my rival, but he's Professor Oak's grandson. I knew I had to face the challenge. Luckily, the organizers of the event offered me a skateboard, and Bayleef was the perfect choice for the race."

"So, it's a drag race of sorts?" guessed Touya.

"Yeah, the race drag starts in town before it goes to the nursery before returning back to the starting line with an egg to finish," Ash summarized. "Of course, the eggs used in the race aren't real. No way would you jeopardize real Pokémon Eggs for a race."

"True," Lucia giggled.

"Well, Bayleef and I entered as did Gary and his Arcanine," Ash continued. Interested, Yumina wanted to see the new Pokémon.

"Arcanine?" she repeated. Ash brought out his Dex to the middle of the table where he showed a large bengal-like dog with a large mane.

"ARCANINE, THE LEGENDARY POKÉMON," it computed. "A BARK FROM ARCANINE EXPRESSES ITS MAJESTY. THOSE WHO HEAR IT BOW BEFORE THE POKÉMON STANDS." The girls awed the Arcanine.

"Anyway, plenty of racers lost control at the start of the race," Ash continued. "Gary and I came out of the pack just fine. As we raced to the nursery, Team Rocket attacked and took Arcanine. I didn't want to beat Gary that way and chose to rescue Arcanine."

"That's rather noble of you to rescue your rival's Pokémon," Elze awed.

"In order to save Arcanine, I grabbed the balloon they used, and we shifted the weight to crash it by the nursery," Ash added. "I freed Arcanine with the help of the couple who ran the nursery before I saw Gary and Bayleef. By the time they got there, Team Rocket tried to steal the real Pokémon Eggs. Gary and I worked together and got the eggs before sending Team Rocket blasting off. The couple thanked us before they gave us the dummy eggs for the race."

"It must feel nice for rivals to work together for a common cause like getting rid of Team Rocket," Touya believed.

"We don't see eye-to-eye since we both became trainers, but we do respect fair play," Ash smiled. "We resumed the race with Arcanine and Bayleef racing back to the starting line. Now, I'm a guy who tends to think outside the box, so Bayleef and I found ways to keep up with Arcanine before the final stretch. I was able to encourage Bayleef to reach where we won the race. Gary may have beaten me in Pokémon Battles before, but outside of them, I got his number."

"I wouldn't gloat too hard about that," Lucia shrugged.

"Well, the prize was a real Pokémon Egg," Ash resumed. "A few weeks later, Phanpy hatched. He was a little difficult to control, but he soon became mine." Phanpy laughed while hopping.

"So, little Phanpy became a hatchling," Elze awed before she knelt to pet the Long Nose Pokémon.

"Is it alright if I ask about your skateboarding skills?" wondered Touya.

"Well, I did do boarding on the hills by Pallet Town," Ash brought up. "I did that as a way to get an adrenaline rush. Little did I know that I'd use it in a real-life event." The girls and Bayleef giggled. Francesca came to the group.

"Master Touya," she spoke up. Everyone turned to the gynoid. "The Sky Garden is ready. I would want to take the Pokémon up to see and feel the stimulation."

"Oh, okay," Touya figured. "Keep in mind, you need to ask Ash to bring the Pokémon with you and for me to use Gate." Francesca bowed to acknowledge Touya's knowledge.

"Master Ash, would you allow me to show your Pokémon to the Sky Garden?" she requested.

"We've been up there, and I know your Pokémon will enjoy it," Yumina added.

"Yeah, I'd like to see it myself," Ash wished. "Bayleef, Phanpy, you want to see the Sky Garden?" The Pokémon cheered before Touya acknowledged the wish.

"Okay, let's get you in position," he offered. The girls watched in the back before the Pokémon gathered. Touya stuck his arm out. "GATE!" The Gate opened, stunning the Pokémon. "I'll bring them back when they're done." Ash nodded before turning to his Pokémon.

"Everything will be alright," Ash promised. Pikachu, Phanpy and Bayleef nodded before they entered with Francesca and Touya. The other girls had other Pokémon to work with as they demonstrated their moves. Ash smiled before a brown horse came from behind and started to nuzzle his face.

"Whoa, aren't you affectionate!" he laughed. The horse continued to nuzzle his face.

"Quite a happy mare," Sue teased. Ash looked back to see Sue riding on another brown horse.

"What's up, Sue?" he asked.

"I thought we could go on a little horse stroll. Wedding Belle already likes you." The mare neighed a little.

"I'll say. It's not the first horse I've ridden."

"So, you've ridden one before? Are there Pokémon that are horses?"

"And a fiery one at that." He presented his Dex to Sue which had a white horse on fire.

"PONYTA, THE FIRE HORSE POKÉMON," it registered. "PONYTA'S HOOVES ARE HARDER THAN DIAMONDS, WHICH COME IN HANDY IF IT FEELS DEFENSIVE FROM BEHIND." Sue awed the horse.

"I wouldn't mind having that to ride on!" she cheered.

"Ponyta can evolve as well," Ash added before pressing a button. It showed a white unicorn on fire.

"RAPIDASH, THE FIRE HORSE POKÉMON," it computed. "RAPIDASH IS THE EVOLVED FORM OF PONYTA. GALLOPING AS A PAST TIME, THE FLAMES GROW LONGER THE FASTER RAPIDASH RUNS."

"A horse with serious heat," Sue gulped. "It makes me want one."

"Well, good luck," Ash warned. "Ponyta don't trust humans. They burn anyone who gets too close if it's a stranger."

"I see. Anyway, do you want to join on a horse ride? You and Wedding Belle, and me and Gros Michel."

"Count me in." After Ash boarded Wedding Belle, Sue and Gros Michel led the other horse and rider away from the mansion. As they trotted into town, Ash thought back to a talk with Touya.

(Flashback)

Touya allowed Ash and Pikachu to examine Brunhild, the gun used on the goblins. "Ever since I had a gun pointed at my face," Ash voiced. "I've been fearful of someone shooting me in the face."

"No kidding, that's like instant death," Touya agreed. "I wouldn't shoot at someone indiscriminately. I want to use it to protect the girls." Ash nodded to agree as he handed Brunhild back. "By the way, are you liking Sue more and more?"

"I am. I keep finding new reasons to love her."

"Yeah well, fair warning: As sweet as she is, Sue is a very dangerous tickler."

"What do you mean? Tickling's just harmless fun."

"Trust me, Ash… I'm speaking from experience here. When Sue wants to tickle you, watch out… 'cause she won't show any mercy to your ribs."

"Touya, come on… how bad can it be?"

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you." Touya walked off while Ash and Pikachu looked to him with puzzled looks.

'I'm still trying to understand what Touya meant,' Ash thought. Wedding Belle snorted to the side, having Ash look to her. "Wedding Belle, did you see something?" Wedding Belle snorted to the side where there was a stand having apples on sale. "Oh, good idea." Sue and Gros Michel looked back to why Wedding Belle stopped and Ash hopping off of her.

"What's going on?" she wondered. Soon, the seller packed a bag full of apples and pears. Purchase made, Ash returned to Wedding Belle before mounting her again and riding to Gros Michel and Sue.

"Wedding Belle wanted some fruit. I bet Gros Michel would want the same thing." The reality made Sue giggle.

"They can have their lunch while we have ours." The addition made Ash laugh. They reached the outskirts before the horses lied down and Ash offered the paid fruit to them. Sue laid a blanket on the ground before unloading a basket. There were a few sandwiches, more fruit like grapes and peaches, and some juice.

"Lucia provided quite a spread." Wedding Belle softly neighed to the food Ash and Sue had.

"You told the story of how you got Phanpy. How about the Ponyta?"

"Well, I don't have a Ponyta, let alone Rapidash."

"But you said you rode one."

"I did. See, my friends and I came to a ranch where we befriended a girl named Lara Laramie who had a Ponyta. She was preparing Ponyta for her race. Her race would determine an honorary member of the family. When I tried to pet Ponyta, my hand was burned. Luckily, I got it quickly treated. However, Ponyta got spooked by Team Rocket under the direction of Dario. It bucked Lara off and she broke her arm. She turned to me to race in her place. Ponyta wasn't liking the idea of having a new rider on it, but Lara coaxed it to let me ride and it wasn't hot anymore. We entered the race which was sabotaged."

"Team Rocket and this Dario, no doubt."

"Yep. Dario wanted to run the ranch without consequences. Well, Ponyta and I overcame about every obstacle before Dario used his Dodrio to attack Lara's Pokémon. When Ponyta recovered, it evolved to Rapidash. The new form and new speed were just enough to beat Dario and win the race."

"And meaning that you're an honorary member of this ranch?"

"I am, but I gave it to Rapidash's real trainer, Lara. It was her Pokémon."

"Okay." As they ate, Sue had a thought. "After meeting Mom and Dad, are you interested in seeing the Ortlinde House?"

"Well, yeah… Your parents are awesome to be the Duke and Duchess. Sure, it's not like your aunt and uncle who are king and queen."

"They're happy as they are. Don't get me wrong, I don't want them to be anything bigger than they are now."

"I'm not saying they should. As long as they're happy…"

"Much like we are." She reached and crawled up to Ash's face. Ash seemed pretty nervous to Sue's approach.

"Sue, I love you, but this is a bit sudden."

"I love you, too." That's when she rubbed a finger which entered his navel on the covered stomach. Ash winced and snorted a short giggle. "Are you okay?

"Yeah, I'm… really sensitive there."

"You're sensitive and giggling?"

"It's where I'm the most ticklish, my mom wouldn't stop messing with me there." The confession made Ash sneer.

"Oh, you arrrrrrrrrrrrreee?" Realizing his confession, Ash became fearful.

"Oh… no…" Sue began to tickle him all over his body.

"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" All over Ash's ticklish waist, Sue wiggled and rubbed her fingers on his body. Ash flailed around, laughing at the tickling assault.

"No-oh-ho! No-oh-ho! Stoppppp! Se-hu-hu-hue! Ha-ha-ha-have mercy!" The onslaught of laughter continued until Ash accidentally grappled Sue to which he dragged her to him. She fell on top of him, and both stopped. Wedding Belle and Gros Michel looked to find Sue on top of Ash and their lips attached. Both were shocked that they started to kiss each other. Quickly, their eyes started to water before they closed them. Sue curled her legs to her knees as she kept mounted on top of Ash, but their kiss continued. Their tongues danced in the makeshift ballroom that were their seals lips. Seeing on his smartphone, Touya watched and awed the sight from a garden patio with Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Sue has never kissed me like that," he laughed. Bayleef and Phanpy were too busy enjoying the many flowers in the sky garden.

("Those two are in love,") Pikachu smiled. After the moment, Ash and Sue returned back to the mansion. When they returned, cooing and giggling girls met up with them.

"Touya showed us the kiss," Linze briefed. "My goodness, you two acted like you're married already."

"It did look like true love," Hildegard teased. Ash and Sue slightly blushed as they held hands.

"It does sound like we're making fun of this," Leen spoke up. "Honestly, we would want you two to be together after we saw the first meeting."

"A lot of me wishes the same," Ash agreed. The girls embraced Ash as the Divine Beasts came to see Ash and Sue. The Pokémon were asleep in Ash's room, unaware of the action that took place. "By the way, how were the Pokémon in helping with your magic?"

"They helped in combining different spells," Yumina replied. "Imagine fire wolves…" The girls became increasingly supportive to Ash's and Sue's growing relationship.

TO BE CONTINUED...