"Aaaaaaah..." I sighed contently as I slid into the boiling hot water.
"Right?" Ethan said with a smirk as he relaxed beside me.
"And you grew up with this?" I asked him with undisguised jealousy.
"Yeeep...." He said with a low, drawn out voice as he slid lower into the water in contentment.
"You have anything like this in Pallet town?"
"Not at all..." I replied, making his smirk widen.
"Pallet town was established a few decades ago by professor Oak during his tenure as Champion, specifically so he could have a quiet place to retire and pursue his research afterwards. We have stuff like a market, baker, tavern and so on, but we don't really get many travelers since Pallet town is pretty well off the beaten path. Its mostly a retirement community now, held up pretty much exclusively by professor Oak."
"So a boring place with nothing to do?"
"Except for exploring the surrounding woods, training, and taking care of pokemon for the professor." I replied.
"Too bad you aren't going to stick around for a while. I'd show you all the cool places and sights to see around here." Ethan said, more wistfully than bragging.
"Yeah, well I want to try and make it by the Conference. As it is, we'll probably end up skipping most of what's to see in Johto because of it." I told him, even as I felt a little more regrettable about our timetable. But then again, it was the end of the world as we know it on the line.
"Think you can put off your departure tomorrow by a little bit? Just long enough for us to have a battle!" Ethan asked me excitedly, his aura mimicking a bonfire at the idea.
"Sure. I would love the chance to get a battle in." I immediately agreed with a smirk. Win or lose, with one of the protagonists as my opponent my pokemon were sure to benefit greatly from the battle.
Speaking of, my pokemon were currently enjoying themselves in a separate bath reserved exclusively for pokemon, while the girls were similarly enjoying themselves in the women's bath on the other side of the wall behind where we were sitting.
"Still, it was really nice of your mom to let us stay the night and feed us for free. I was more than willing to pay like everyone else." I told him suddenly while lowering my voice, so that the other men in the bath didn't hear me.
"Don't worry about it. We get plenty of travelers stopping by on their way through, especially with the Conferences coming up, so a single group staying free for one night won't hurt us." Ethan assured me quietly.
"Well then, thank you." I said while relaxing a bit more.
Ethan and I continued chatting a bit about this and that as we soaked, mostly about pokemon and interesting battles we fought. We then moved on to training methods and the different ways we helped our pokemon grow the point they were now.
Eventually we had to get out of the bath though, or rather Ethan had to get out as the hot water and steam started to get to him after soaking for so long. I was fine however thanks to my blessing from Moltres, which Ethan grumbled about irritably the entire time we were drying off.
"So did you REALLY manage to catch a Regirock?" Ethan asked me suddenly as we dressed in the kimonos prepared by the inn. Or rather, mine was. Ethan's was his own personal kimono.
"AND a Regice." I bragged with a smirk, making Ethan scowl.
"So that picture wasn't fake?" He asked next, obviously referring to the one I took with the two Regi's, the Legendary birds, and Mewtwo.
"Nope. I only captured the two Regi's the others were just there and posed when I asked them to." I explained as we exited the dressing room, where we were greeted by my pokemon.
"That was quite enjoyable." Lucario said as he emerged from their bath, a towel wrapped around his waist and a jug of chilled milk in his paw.
"Vul~!"
While Lucario and my other pokemon all appeared relaxed and content after their bath, Vulpix readily ran to my side and started rubbing her chilled fur against my legs as if she had been severely wronged.
"Never seen a Vulpix like her before." Ethan said curiously.
"She's from Alola. Vulpix are ice types over there, while Ninetails have the ice/fairy typing. And she's a little clingy." I explained, to which Vulpix just gave me a smug look as if to say 'that's right~!'
"But she looks just darling~!" 'Mom' declared as she appeared, seemingly from nowhere. I even briefly wondered about hidden passageways throughout the old inn before banishing the thought from my mind as the girls similarly appeared.
"That was heavenly...." May said as she toweled her damp hair.
"I've never been to a hot spring before." Lillie said beside her, looking and sounding so content that it appeared she might actually melt.
"I've been to the springs in Pewter city before with my parents and brother, but it feels like an entirely different experience." Chloe added as she brushed her own hair out with the same meticulous care she usually gave it in the morning.
"And here's a little something to make the experience even better!" Mom said as she brought us a platter of various milk bottles.
"Nice and chilled, and fresh from some of the local Miltank." She said as we each accepted a bottle from here.
"Flavored too?" I asked curiously, as mine said it had Roseli berries mixed in it.
"Of course! Thank's to Lyra, we have plenty of berry bushes around town to pick from! When we have excess, I usually freeze them to continue using them throughout the off season as well. They're all very popular."
I gave Lyra a look when her mom said that, making the girl blush as she started focusing intently on her own bottle of milk.
"Looks like I'll have to get some recipes from Lyra while we're traveling together." I said, making her brighten up while her mom tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"I hope you have a lot of berries stored up then. If not, I have some that I can give you all as well."
"I think we have that covered." I replied, before telling her about our greenhouse and the other Capsules.
For a while after that we just talked as we gathered in the lounge with a few other guests, mostly telling Mom stories of our travels while also listening to some of Ethan's and Lyra's. Apparently both of them had their own fair share of run-ins with Team Rocket throughout Johto, though not quite to the same scale of our battles in Kanto.
Lyra encountered a group of them in a cave that was known to house the largest population of Onix in the entire region. Within was an especially rare Onix that Team Rocket was trying to obtain, along with the others of it's species, that Lyra defended with her pokemon. By the time they were safe, and Lyra prepared to leave, the unique Onix decided to accompany her on her journey.
Ethan meanwhile encountered them a few times, including at a place known as the Lake of Rage. There, Team Rocket had apparently been experimenting with unique radio waves that triggered a forced evolution in a Magikarp, not only forcing it to evolve into a Gyarados, but also a shiny red Gyarados despite not being a shiny Magikarp.
The result of the forced evolution and radio waves though was that the Gyarados was rampaging to the point that the entire area surrounding the lake was unsafe for both people and pokemon. So Ethan not only destroyed the machine creating the disturbing waves, he also battled the Gyarados to forcefully calm it down, and caught it.
I was then recounting our encounter with the group of alpha Parasect beneath Mt. Moon when someone called out to me.
"Excuse me."
"Huh?" I uttered, as an older looking couple approached us, me specifically.
"Would you happen to be Ace Ketchum?" The wife asked.
"That's right." I answered, wondering what they wanted.
"I'm sorry to interrupt while you're probably trying to relax, but my husband and I just wanted to thank you." She said while taking one of my hands in both of her own.
"For what?" I asked, almost tempted to peek into her mind for some answers. But it was unecessary.
"Our granddaughter was on the SS. Anne when that horrible Team Rocket attacked. And she made it crystal clear that the only reason she fought back and survived the battle was because of you. So we just wanted to express our gratitude."
"I don't know who your granddaughter is, but I appreciate your gratitude." I replied with a warm smile, earning myself another one in return before the couple went back to enjoying their stay.
"Does that happen a lot?" Lyra asked me curiously.
"Not really. But I also haven't been showing myself in public too much since the SS. Anne either. We've just been on the road and focusing on trying to make good time in challenging the Gyms."
"You basically wiped out Team Rocket in a single night, battled TWO Legendary pokemon, rode on THE Zapdos, and rallied the other trainers to fight as well. It's not too much of a stretch to say that you're a national hero now." Mom said quietly, though I noticed the way she was looking at me as she said that. I also technically saved her two children as well after all.
The conversation continued for a while after, but began to slow down a bit as more and more guests made their way to bed around us. Eventually Lyra went off to make sure everything was prepared for us before we all headed to bed.
"I think its about time to call it a night as well." Mom said when Lyra came back, collecting the empty bottles of milk before departing.
"I'll show everyone to their rooms." Lyra said as she gestured like a proper host, leading the way while Ethan also wished us a goodnight as he headed to his own room.
"I've already prepared the futons for everyone, so please enjoy them during your stay for the night." Lyra said as she slid the traditional japanese door open to reveal the room, which had four futons laid out with the acccompanying pillows and blankets made up.
"I think we're missing one." I pointed out, as there were five of us, and only four futons laid out. All of which were only for a single person.
"We have a separate room for you Ace." Lyra said shyly while refusing to meet my eye. But none of the other girls appeared surprised as they readily entered the room and made themselves at home.
I followed Lyra to a different room, in what appeared to be an entirely different area of the hotel. Coincidently right next to Ethan's room as I sensed his aura.
"Here you are..." Lyra said quietly, opening the door and allowing me to step inside.
Instead of the standard hotel room like the one the girls were in, this was obviously a certain someones personal room that was NOT availible for travelers staying at the inn. The room was filled with vibrant greens and earthy browns, with small potted plants decorating nearly every surface along with a vanity station in the corner, and numerous pictures decorating the walls.
In the middle of the room was another futon, but there were also several candles around it that flickered to provide a light glow to the otherwise dark room.
"I hope it is to your liking, sir..." Lyra murmured as she closed to dooor behind her, sealing the two of us in what was obviously her own room.
"Its nice. But I can think of something even more lovely." I said while turning to look at her, and approaching her slowly.
"..."
Lyra appeared speechless as I put my hands upon her hips, holding her gently as I leaned in for a kiss.
"Mmm..."
Lyra moaned into my mouth as our lips connected in a gentle kiss, while her arms reached up to link around my neck lovingly.
Though tame at first, our kiss quickly evolved into something more aggressive as her tongue probed my lips experimentally, before entering my mouth when I allowed her access.
"Someone's eager." I teased her lightly when our mouths finally separated, to which Lyra pouted slightly.
"It feels like its been so long. Of course I've missed you." She said shyly, her hands slowly reaching for the collar of my kimono, before slipping inside to feel my chest and shoulders.
While Lyra was tracing my muscles with her fingers, I looped a finger around the belt holding her kimono in place, tugging at it lightly so that it came loose, opening her kimono in the front as it merely hung off of her shoulders.
I shifted my hands from the outside of her kimono to the inside, first putting my hands on Lyra's bare hips once again as I held her in place. Surprisingly, she was not wearing any undergarments under the loose kimono.
I slowly ran my hands up her sides while Lyra continued exploring my chest, returning the favor when I reached hers by slowly circling her nipples with my thumbs as I cupped her breasts in my hands.
"Ahhh..." Lyra sighed from the stimulation, taking her hands off of my chest and shrugging her shoulders, allowing her kimono to fall as it piled on the floor around her. Away from the candles of course.
Now she was standing before me, completely naked, before Lyra proceeded to untie my belt as well, and I allowed my kimono to fall to the floor so that we were both naked.
I took a moment to admire Lyra's body in the sensual candlelight of the room, commiting every single curve, bumb, and even hair to memory as I stared at her.
Blushing slightly from my gaze, Lyra moved slowly as she stepped around me towards the futon that was laid out for us already. She then lowered herself into a crawl as she moved into place, before rolling over onto her back and reaching out to me while spreading her legs slightly.
"Come here..."
I obliged.
I slowly crawled on top of Lyra until my face hovered just above hers, my hands planted on either side of her head as we stared into each other's eyes.
I kissed her once on the lips. A quick peck compared to our earlier kiss, before I kissed her again, and then again.
Soon our lips felt as if they were adhered to one another as we continued kissing, while I lifted one of my hands and brought it down below to cup her sex.
She was completely soaked.
I smirked into her lips as I removed my hands, seeing no need for further foreplay. A decision that was affirmed when I started to blend my aura with Lyra's and felt her raw NEED to have me inside of her already.
I was already standing at attention myself, so all I needed to do was angle myself correctly against her nether regions, before thrusting my hips into hers.
"Ahhhn~!" Lyra moaned sweetly as I entered her, her legs wrapping loosely around my waist as I began to enter a rhythm with my movements.
I don't know how long we were at it as I slowly made love to Lyra, only that I finished inside of her three times, and she came at least twice as many herself. But by the time I laid down beside her, Lyra was immediately asleep as soon as she laid her head on my chest, a content smile on her face.
"Goodnight." I whispered before planting a kiss on her forehead, before waving my hand as I willed the candles to go out, plunging the room into darkness as I too drifted off to sleep.
...
"..."
My eyes shot open in the darkness as something stirred me awake, making me scowl since it felt as if I had just closed my eyes before opening them again.
A quick glance at my watch however told me it was just slightly after five, meaning I had at least managed to get a few hours of sleep. But I knew I had been awoken for a reason.
I carefully slipped out of bed without disturbing Lyra, who groaned in her sleep while frowning as she reached for me.
"Sorry." I whispered to her quietly as I picked my kimono up off of the floor and slipped it on, before sneaking out of the room.
I tiptoed my way through the halls without making so much as single peep or squeak, making my way to the ones who woke me as I crept into the female baths.
"Any particular reason why here?" I asked Gardevoir and Lucario when I found them, though neither answered as they both just fixed me with a serious look.
"Who died?" I asked, half joking half serious.
"I don't know. But whatever it is Gardevoir came to tell us, it isn't good." Lucario replied, and we both turned to look at her pointedly.
"Yesterday, two individuals came to the house looking for information from the mistress. And they were intending to use ANY means necessary to get it."