Grand Jipang continued to be decorated for the upcoming celebration. The flats and businesses had lanterns hanging over the streets. A giant beetle-like creature with a cross as a horn flew to hang lanterns. It had a blue exoskeleton as an exterior. Looking up, Robin, Ash and Pikachu saw the beetle flying. "Looking good, Heracross!" voiced Ash. The beetle buzzed in acknowledgment.

"I know you wanted to help out with this," Robin smiled. "After all, hearing that you're Lord Cobra's presenter had me in some giggles." Pikachu blinked, confused to Robin's wording. "It's funny that Lord Cobra had asked you to be the presenter instead of Boss with how much he's been running around. Of course, it could be that Boss still hasn't done a thing about his debt to the Pinwheel."

"Yeah, I'm rather surprised about that as well," Ash agreed.

("It doesn't help with how big his tab is,") Pikachu shrugged. Riding on Tauros, Usopp strutted by.

"Hey, how's the family?" he asked. "I hope I'm not sticking my nose into anything personal." Robin, Ash and Pikachu laughed to Usopp's tease. "Although, are you worried that you're taxing your mana? You released five of your summons to help setup for the celebration we have."

"Hey, I'm helping out as much as I can," Ash shrugged. "I've also got Incineroar, Donphan and Torterra also helping."

"That's what I'm talking about," Usopp warned. "You summoned them to bring to helping the cause without a thought about your own health."

"You know, he knows how it works since he's been trained in his summons," Robin pointed out.

"Well, if you say so," Usopp shrugged before hoofing it on Tauros.

"Some people can get a little too worried about everyone," Ash shrugged.

("And you're one to talk,") Pikachu irked. The group proceeded on.

Onsen! Ash's Mana Limits!

The family continued down the streets when someone came by. "I thought I'd find you here!" a man voiced. Hearing, Robin, Ash and Pikachu turned to a large, blue-skinned man with black hair tied up and wearing a yellow robe with squares designing it. Luffy was behind him.

"Ash, Robin!" he greeted.

"Luffy, hey!" greeted Ash.

"Jimbei, I haven't seen you since you negotiated with Lord Cobra two years ago," Robin awed.

"It's been that long, huh?" grunted Jimbei, tusks protruding from his lower jaw and gills from his neck. His hands and feet were webbed. "I nearly forgot how much has changed during that time." That's when he saw Ash and Pikachu. "And here's the star of the show, the Summoner himself." Looking to Jimbei, Ash awed the appearance.

"I heard about fishmen when my Sensei sent me to Grand Jipang," he recalled. "So, you're a fishman…"

"Not just a fishman, but a protector of King Neptune of the Ryugu Kingdom," Jimbei added. "I came here to see the festivities for when the Ryugu Kingdom and Dressrosa Kingdom being a couple of royalties visiting." Ash and Pikachu believed they're about to see more fishmen.

"And King Neptune and his children are merfolk," Robin clarified. Ash and Pikachu awed the new detail.

"Oh, really…" nodded Ash. "I guess Camie informed them of my appearance." Jimbei scoffed to Ash's guess.

"Who knows what goes on in her head," he shrugged. "In any case, I'm actually glad to meet you in person, Ash."

"Same here," Ash agreed as they shook hands. Suddenly, Ash felt a twitch. His eyes became wide before his body started to quake. His knees buckled before falling onto his side. However, Robin caught Ash while Pikachu leaped onto Jimbei's shoulder. Everyone became worried.

"ASH!" she cried. Ash looked passed out. "BABY!"

"Lay him down for a second," Jimbei instructed. Robin complied before Jimbei felt his chest. He felt his heart still beating, though not as strong. "He'll need a lot of rest. After all, he did summon a lot of them out." Luffy laid a damp cloth on Ash's head.

"Jimbei sensed it happen so that's why I got a cloth wet before we saw Ash," he informed. A few minutes later, Ash came around.

("Welcome back,") Pikachu teased as Heracross came over with Onami.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Groggy, Ash was helped by Robin to a seat.

"Yeah," he mulled. "I… forgot what it was like."

"To use your summons at once?" guessed Luffy. Ash nodded.

"It happened one other time, and I forgot how it felt," Ash admitted.

"Talk about a reminder," Onami gulped. "Let's help you up." She and Robin helped Ash onto his feet. He still felt wobbly. "Let's get you inside where you can restore your energy." She and Robin helped Ash into the Pinwheel where Sanji made some ramen for the Summoner. Ash managed to replenish his strength by eating.

"Man, that feels a lot better," he sighed.

"Yeah, if only there was a way you could do that without suffering what happened out there," Blue-Nose admitted after he and Brook waited inside and saw Ash being carried to a table.

"Still, that's not an easy sight to behold," Robin muttered. "I'm your mother, so I do worry about your condition." Ash nodded to Robin's concern. Grand Jipang continued through the day until the sun fell over the horizon. They started to journey to a new part of Grand Jipang.

"I've never been to an onsen before," Ash admitted.

"I figured not," Robin giggled before she turned to Pikachu. "And I bet there wasn't an onsen back in your former plane of existence."

("Not at all,") Pikachu squeaked. They found themselves going into different doorways. A wall separated both baths in the open-air structure. On one side was the boys like Usopp, Brook, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Blue-Nose, Jimbei and Ash. On the other side was Omao, Ocarrot, Onami, Vivi, Robin and Pikachu. Not one piece of cloth was seen on them.

"This is so relaxing…" awed Luffy.

"Tell me about it," Ash sighed. "I'm surprised to see Zoro with us."

"Don't worry about me," Zoro scoffed. "I'm here to simply relax after a day of training in the woods. By the way, I've heard that you haven't been using your new sword that much."

"Zoro, it's been relatively quiet," Usopp briefed. "I'd have an easier time believing there's peace throughout Grand Jipang than say Buggy joining us for a relaxing dip."

"After the trouble we had with Caribou and… whoever he was with him the last time," Luffy sighed. "Seriously, who was that guy?"

"Not someone important, I believe," Brook shrugged. Pikachu shook his head before noticing Sanji scaling the wall with nothing but a towel around his waist. His eyes looked bugged out and ready to escape his head with a sinister grin.

("Sanji's climbing!") the summoned mouse squeaked. Looking up, the men and boys saw the Pinwheel's cook.

"This should be good," Luffy whispered.

"Naked women…" he muttered in glee. "Over this wall… Gotta see…" In a matter of minutes, his hand gripped the top of the wall. "Nirvana… Paradise awaits the great Sanji!" His head started to creep over the wall. A fist barreled over the wall and smashed into Sanji's face. The punch propelled Sanji over the bath and into the wall directly across the one he climbed. He was embedded in the wall for a few seconds before peeling off and falling onto his head. The sickening thud onto his head had him frozen upside-down before he fell into the bath, his face starting to be coated in his blood. The boys mulled to Sanji's perverted attempt. Onami held her fist up, blood staining her knuckles.

"It was only a matter of time before that cook I hired would do such a thing," she growled. Pikachu viewed the girls and their bare and slim bodies, their voluptuous figures and pink nipples erect out in the open to see.

"Sanji will do anything to see naked girls," Makino shrugged.

"By the way, how's your son?" wondered Omao. "And why are you two away from each other?"

"Relax, Shakky's watching over him," Makino smiled. "He's fine. What I want to know is why you have Pikachu here? Isn't he…"

"I don't get enough time with him," Robin giggled. "Also, he's a pet while I have him." Pikachu squeaked happily.

"Speaking of time, how has it been since I officially declared you as family?" asked Vivi. Robin closed her eyes before she thought on the question.

"Where do I start?" she asked herself.

"Don't hold back," Onami urged. "We'd like to know ourselves." Robin snickered before looking to the girls.

"See, I fell for Ash after we first met that I wanted to take care of him," she started. "I wanted to imagine what my child would be if I had one naturally. Having Ash around is like a new life outside protecting Princess Vivi… It's one I wanted to go through and not regretting it." Pikachu and the girls admired the story.

"Youteia don't know how happy we are about it," Ocarrot awed. "I would want Ash as my significant other. It just feels natural for someone as young as we are to fall in love and have a family of our own."

"Not so fast, Ocarrot," Onami voiced. Ocarrot gawked before turning to Onami. "Let's wait until you're both mature enough to take care of a kid." Ocarrot and Omao giggled, understanding Onami. After some time soaking, almost everyone returned to inside to redress themselves.

"Hey, ready to head back?" asked Brook.

"I'm not done," Ash denied. "Let me soak a little longer." Ash stayed in and grew sleepy as he began to relax.

"I should really exercise caution with my summons," he sighed. "If I didn't let my limit be ignored, I'd be okay." He closed his eyes before sighing in relief. "Well, at least I have friends to help me." That's when someone joined Ash in the bath. His face of calm was about to morph. Reaching Ash, the figure entered the bath and kissed him on the lips, a longing smooch. Ash snapped his eyes open, finding Ocarrot with him and her tongue stretching around inside his mouth. Ash's body shook at the romantic moment on him. She broke the kiss to a stunned Ash.

"I didn't want to waste a night without youteia," she teased. Ash's eyes scanned the wet, furry and busty Mink while still stunned at Ocarrot's kiss.

"Ocarrot! What the heck!?"

"I just thought to come on over and see youteia for a late-night dip."

"But this is the men's side!"

"And the men have left youteia behind." That's when she felt something around her legs. She reached down where the white fur of her face showed some red. "Oh my goodness… I think I found the real power youteia have. I just want it for myself!"

"Whoa, too fast! Too fast, Ocarrot!"

"Oh, don't be so bashful. It's not like youteia have a special Lesser Mink in mind."

"I don't feel ready for that!" The bashful innocence made Ocarrot laugh.

"I'm kidding, I'm just teasing youteia…" The easement made Ash sink back down. "It would be easier to talk about how it's been since youteia and Pikachu came to Grand Jipang. I heard about it from Robin." Ash sighed to know that Ocarrot was having a little fun.

"I get it, you love me that much."

"Can youteia blame me? After all, youteia are the first boy that I harbored feelings for. I don't know why, I just did after youteia first came into the Pinwheel. Youteia know what I mean, right?" A slow nod was Ash's reply.

"It's not that I didn't believe you, it's just… I wasn't sure how to react to such a thing."

"Yeah, that happens. Part of me just wants to be able to be in love and youteia have what it takes."

"You think so?"

"I do… and maybe youteia can show Sanji what real love is." A smile beamed from Ash.

"If I can…" Standing up, Ash confronted Ocarrot to give a kiss back. Ocarrot's fur flashed red for a few seconds. Her ears sprung up and stiffened. After they broke, the two laughed. The next day, Ash and Pikachu stepped outside the flat.

"Are you sure you're okay, son?" asked Robin. Ash and Pikachu turned to their mother.

"Yeah, Blue-Nose had checked me out and I filled the recommendation," Ash promised. That's when Pikachu heard a cawing. A little red pigeon carrying a scroll flew down to Ash and Pikachu with a caw.

("Sensei's Pidgey!") he squeaked. Ash heard Pikachu and turned to see the pigeon.

"Sensei's Pidgey?" he repeated. The Pidgey dropped a scroll into Ash's hands. Robin saw the scroll as Pidgey flew away.

"You said Sensei," she mentioned. "What's it all about?"

"Let's see," Ash wondered as he unrolled the scroll. Inside, Ash began to read.

STUDENT ASH-
THE TIME FOR YOU TO BECOME AN ULTIMATE SUMMONER HAS ARRIVED. ANOTHER STUDENT HAS FOUND A SHRINE THAT HOLDS THE KEY TO UNLOCK YOUR LIMITLESS PROWESS. WITH THE SUCCESS IN THE SHRINE THAT HOLDS THE POWER, YOU CAN SUMMON AS MANY OF YOUR CREATURES WITHOUT THE CONCERN OF SPIRITUAL FATIGUE. THIS MAY HELP IN PROTECTING THOSE WHO YOU WANT TO CARE FOR, INCLUDING PIKACHU.

Robin, Ash and Pikachu realized that the letter Sensei Yamamoto offered was a key. "This sounds dangerous, Ash," she voiced her concern.

"Maybe," Ash pondered. "But I don't think Sensei would deliver this to me if it wasn't important." Ash now had a mission from his Sensei. He may need all the help he could get.

TO BE CONTINUED…