When the gang got back to land, it took a few hours, but finally they reached Slateport City. It was about midday, the sun high and warm, the harbor alive with noise, boats coming and going, gulls crying overhead, vendors shouting as they hauled crates of goods across the docks.
After the chaos of the ship, the normalcy almost felt unreal.
May stretched her arms the moment her feet hit solid ground. "I cannot believe I'm saying this," she said, laughing weakly, "but I missed crowds."
Brock smiled, adjusting his pack. "Slateport does have that effect. Food, people, no collapsing decks, very relaxing." Then he put his hand on his chin. "And most importantly, lots of beautiful girls!"
Max peered around excitedly. "And the Contest Hall is here too, right? It's huge!"
"Yep!" May's eyes sparkled as she looked toward the city proper. "And it's only a week away. That means-" she pumped a fist "-training time!"
Almost on cue, a loud splash echoed from the harbor as Lapras surfaced nearby, letting out a happy call.
"Lapras!" Ash said, waving. "Thanks for the ride."
Lapras gave a happy cry as Ash put her back in the Poké Ball. "Alright, I'm gonna head to the Pokémon Center to call Misty and give her Lapras back. It might also be nice to talk with her for a bit, and I should check up on Yellow too."
Brock nodded. "That's a good idea. Maybe I should call her one of these days, Yellow too. I hope she's doing well on her own." But then he looked at the beach and couldn't help himself. "Butttttt, I can call them later. Right now, beautiful girls are ca-"
Brock was cut off when Lotad jumped out of his Poké Ball and blasted him directly in the face with Water Gun.
Ash, May, Max, Pikachu, and Vee all held back a laugh as Brock dried his face.
Max shook his head first. "Okay, I guess I'll stay with Brock to make sure he doesn't get banned from the beach."
"Smart," Ash said, pointing at Max. "Anyway, like I said, I'm off to the Pokémon Center. We can deal with where we're gonna stay later. For now, we can have fun while we have it."
"I love it!" May exclaimed as she looked around at the crowded beach. "But there are too many people around here. I'm gonna walk over there to look for another place to train." May pointed generally north-ish.
"Cool. Then we all have each other's numbers, let's meet up for lunch in three hours?" Ash suggested.
"Sounds great to me!" May gave a thumbs-up, and Max and Brock nodded too. With that, Ash turned to go into town, and everyone else went to enjoy the beach.
Ash headed into the city, weaving through the crowds until the familiar red roof of the Pokémon Center came into view. The automatic doors slid open with a soft chime, cool air washing over him as he stepped inside.
"Ahh… air conditioning," Ash sighed. Pikachu nodded enthusiastically from his shoulder.
Ash found an open video phone terminal off to the side. He set Lapras's Poké Ball on the counter beside it, hesitating just a second before dialing.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then the screen flickered to life.
"Ash?" Misty's face appeared, sunlit and slightly windswept. Behind her, blue water stretched out, dotted with floating barriers and the familiar shapes of Lapras moving lazily through the sanctuary. "You're calling already? That was fast."
Ash grinned and waved. "Hey, Misty. Yeah, we're in Slateport."
Misty's shoulders visibly relaxed. "Good. I was starting to worry." Her eyes flicked down to the Poké Ball beside him. "So… is she okay?"
Ash tapped the ball lightly. "Yeah. Lapras was amazing. Got us through some really rough seas."
Misty smiled, softer now. "I figured she would be." Then she leaned closer to the screen. "Hang on."
She turned the camera, angling it toward the water just as a larger Lapras surfaced with a loud, impatient call.
"Laaaapraaaas!"
Ash chuckled. "Woooww, if it isn't our tsundere Lapras."
Misty snorted. "Unfortunately." She raised her voice. "Yes, yes, I know! Calm down!"
Misty's Lapras thrashed slightly, sending ripples across the water, clearly agitated. One of the Gym trainers nearby sighed and stepped back, already used to this routine.
Misty crossed her arms. "He's been like this since you called three days ago. Won't listen to anyone. Won't let any of the others near him. Won't even eat properly, honestly, it's a pain sometimes."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Still refusing to cooperate, huh?"
"Refusing is putting it nicely," Misty muttered. "…He's being a jerk."
Ash smirked. "Remind you of someone~"
Misty shot him a glare. "Don't start."
Ash laughed and held up Lapras's Poké Ball. "Alright, alright. Let's fix it." He set it on the teleporter.
In a flash, the Poké Ball was teleported over to Misty, and she raised the ball. "Got her!"
Misty turned just in time as the Poké Ball clicked open in her hand.
"Lapraaaas!"
Ash's Lapras burst out in a shimmer of blue light, landing in the water with a cheerful cry. Almost instantly, the larger Lapras froze mid-splash. The agitation vanished like it had never been there.
"LAAAAAP!"
Misty's Lapras surged forward, nearly ramming the barrier as he pressed close. Ash's Lapras answered with a happy call, swimming up to him without hesitation. The two circled once, and Ash's Lapras booped Misty's Lapras on the nose.
The tension in the water evaporated.
Misty blinked. "…You've got to be kidding me."
One of the Gym trainers stared. "He's… calm?"
Lapras let out a deep, content hum and floated beside her, tail swishing lazily. He even allowed one of the younger Lapras to drift close without complaint.
Misty stared, then pinched the bridge of her nose. "So the problem was literally you being gone."
Ash laughed. "Told you she'd straighten him out."
Misty sighed, but she was smiling now. "Yeah… thanks, Ash. Seriously." She looked back at the pair of Lapras, now swimming side by side. "…Guess she missed you too."
"Is she the only one who misses someone~?" Ash teased.
Misty narrowed her eyes at the screen. "…You say one more word and I'm hanging up."
"No you won't~," Ash continued.
"…I hate it when you're right," Misty sighed.
"But you didn't say you hate me, wooooo, that's a win!" Ash raised his arms and did an over-the-top celebration, like he'd won something.
Misty shook her head, but she remembered Ash was only this overdramatic for two reasons: when he was tired or when he was stressed. Two years of knowing someone would do that to you.
"Hey," Misty said, her tone shifting. "You okay? Like, actually okay?"
Ash blinked, then smiled, softer than before. "I think so. Tired. Confused. But… yeah. I will be."
Misty smirked faintly. "Good. Because if you get yourself knocked into the ocean again without telling me, I'm dragging you out by your ear."
"Wow, threatening violence already? And I thought you got over your anger problems,"
Misty smirked. "You love it."
"…Maybe a little," Ash shot back.
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling again. "You said you were in Slateport, right?"
"Yep. Contest Hall, beach, way too many people."
Misty groaned. "Ugh. Crowds."
"Tell me about it, but don't mind that, tell me how life's been for you." Ash leaned forward.
"Wooowww, since when are you interested in me, Mr. Traveling-the-World?" Misty asked with a smile.
Ash put a hand on his chest, looking offended. "So I can't miss my friend and want to see if she's doing well?"
"Pss," Misty held back a snort. "Fair enough. Fine, I guess I can't be mad about that. Alright then, let's catch up," Misty said with a smile.
"Of course. I've got nothing but time," Ash replied, returning the smile.
—
Meanwhile
In Team Magma's base, the air was quiet in the way only underground facilities ever were, thick stone walls, humming machinery, heat lamps casting a dull red glow across the command room.
Maxie sat behind his desk, calm as ever, pouring himself a cup of sake. The bottle looked almost empty, and based on the slight redness in his face, he had probably drunk most of it already. He took a slow sip, eyes half-lidded, as the doors slid open.
Tabitha stumbled in first, trying, and failing, to look composed. A dark bruise was already blooming along his cheek, and one sleeve hung awkwardly where he'd clearly taken a hard fall.
Courtney followed a step behind him. She was silent.
Maxie didn't look up at first. "You're late," he said mildly.
Tabitha bristled. "We ran into complications."
Maxie finally raised his eyes, taking in Tabitha's condition in a single glance. "…I can see that."
Maxie's gaze shifted to Courtney. "Did you recover the device?"
Courtney nodded once. "…Yes."
She reached into her jacket and placed the scanner on the desk. It gave off a faint hum as it touched the surface.
Maxie's eyes gleamed, not greedily, but with quiet satisfaction. "Excellent."
Courtney didn't immediately perk up like she usually did. Normally, any form of praise affected her, excited wasn't quite the right word, but it was the closest she came to showing real emotion.
Tabitha exhaled sharply. "But there's a problem. We don't have the codes."
Maxie narrowed his eyes and sighed. "That's an annoyance. Without those, this scanner will be harder to use." He looked at it more closely. "And it's also broken. I'll just chalk that up to this thing being old." He placed the scanner back down.
Courtney didn't say anything. She just looked down, like she knew something they didn't, but they didn't question it. They just thought it was the same old Courtney.
Then a low whistle echoed through the hall. Slow footsteps followed, and someone else walked in, a young man with purple and red hair that fell over one eye.
His name was Zenith.
A while ago, when Maxie was first building Team Magma, Zenith had suddenly appeared and claimed he fully supported Maxie's goals. Since then, Zenith had confidently taken the position of second-in-command of Team Magma, replacing Tabitha.
Zenith's low whistle echoed softly through the command room as he strolled in, hands tucked casually into the pockets of his coat.
"Well," he drawled, eyeing Tabitha's bruised face with open amusement, "you look like you took the scenic route down a flight of stairs."
Tabitha stiffened. "Watch it."
Zenith shrugged, unconcerned, his visible eye flicking briefly to the scanner on Maxie's desk. "Hey, I'm just saying, if you're going to lose a brawl, at least make it dramatic."
Maxie didn't react immediately. He took another slow sip of sake.
"Hm…"
The single sound silenced the room.
Zenith straightened slightly, not respectfully, exactly, but attentively. Courtney lifted her gaze.
Maxie set the cup down. "I understand that you're unsatisfied with our current lack of activity."
Zenith smirked faintly. "You make it sound like a crime."
"However," Maxie continued calmly, "now is not the time to act."
Tabitha nodded at once. "If Groudon goes out of control and destroys the world, we would lose everything. As Leader Maxie says, it is important we go about it carefully."
Zenith clicked his tongue. "Careful is boring."
Maxie's eyes flicked to him, sharp for just a moment. "We still haven't been able to calculate the extent of Groudon's power. In order for Team Magma to control it and make it our own, we'll need a bit more time."
Courtney shifted where she stood, fingers curling at her sides. "…Leader Maxie…"
He looked to her.
"With Groudon…" she said slowly, "…we could take Team Aqua… in a heartbeat… So why not… attack?"
Zenith's smile widened, amused rather than surprised. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "See? She gets it. Why wait when you can erase a problem?"
Maxie shook his head. "Furthermore, our main goal as Team Magma isn't to defeat Team Aqua…"
Zenith sighed theatrically. "There it is."
"Do not make that mistake," Maxie finished.
Courtney fell quiet, eyes lowering. "…Okay…"
She clasped her hands together, voice soft, almost disappointed. "Leader Maxie says… to be careful…"
Then her head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing, not angry, just focused.
"But Team Aqua… so annoying…" she muttered. "If I get rid of them… I bet he'd be proud of me…"
Zenith chuckled under his breath. "Careful, Courtney. Thinking like that gets you promoted, or buried."
She didn't respond.
Maxie's attention returned to the scanner. "This device being damaged complicates matters. Without the codes, its usefulness is… limited."
Zenith shrugged, smiling. "You could give it to me. I can get it repaired, and maybe I can hack into it. Maybe while I do that, you all could go burn down a few towns."
Maxie tried to pour himself another drink, only to find the bottle empty. He'd finished it all. He sighed. "Now don't get overenthusiastic. Blaise should be back any minute now."
Right on cue, another man walked in. He wore a hooded red shirt with a Team Magma logo on it, marked by a black spot between two black horns, and a cloak draped behind his back. He also wore a belt at his waist and black pants with two stripes down the legs.
Team Magma's third admin, Blaise.
"I'm back, boss," Blaise said, walking forward.
"Told you. How'd it go?" Maxie asked.
Blaise put his hands in his hood pockets. "Things are in good shape. I checked out the shipyard at Slateport City, and the submarine explorer is 95% complete."
Maxie smiled. "Good. But what is that last 5%?"
Blaise sighed. "The explorer needs one last part to be made for it to reach the deep oceans we need to use it for, but that part can't be manufactured because of an incident at Devon Corporation."
"Oh yeah, I heard about that one, Team Aqua doing Team Aqua things," Zenith shrugged. "And here you said we shouldn't get rid of them, when they're the ones in the way of us getting what we need."
Maxie huffed as he threw the empty bottle onto his desk, smashing it. "Dang those idiots. If only they weren't around, then we likely could finish our plan now."
That wasn't an exaggeration. Team Aqua and Team Magma were both playing their cards close to their chests. To the public eye, both organizations were just normal corporations, they made projects, sponsored trainers, and gave funding to researchers, but underneath it all, they were the evil teams everyone knew.
The problem was that they stalemated each other so often that, in a world where the other team simply disappeared, one of them could actually win in a month at most. That's how much they countered each other.
Maxie sighed and rubbed his temple. "No matter. Everyone prepare for the next stage. For now, Zenith, I'll trust you to repair and hack the scanner." Maxie slid the scanner across the table, and Zenith grabbed it.
Zenith smiled. "Of course. I'll have it done," he said with a smirk.
—
Ash leaned back against the cool wall of the Pokémon Center, phone pressed to his ear, the noise of Slateport a distant hum beyond the glass doors.
"…Yeah," he said softly, smiling. "I promise. If I hear anything, even a rumor, I'll let you know right away."
On the screen, Yellow nodded quickly, clutching the edge of her hat with one hand. But there was something steadier in her posture now.
"Th-thank you, Ash," she said. "I know you don't have to help me with… with my parents, but you still do, and that really means a lot."
"Hey," Ash replied easily, "we're friends. After all we've been through, you really think you're getting out of me helping you?"
"Yeah, I know, and thank you." Yellow smiled at that, small, warm, and very real. "I'm on a ship right now," she added. "We're going to another region. I've been doing okay, but sometimes I miss it when you and Brock cooked," she laughed helplessly.
"Well, I'm proud of you. You're on your own, you finally made your own choice, and you're not just following me around. That's great," Ash said genuinely, smiling.
She straightened just a bit, clearly proud. "Y-yeah, and my Pokémon did help, like Dody, he helped a lot, and Ratty, and Gravvy, and Omny, and Kitty, and Chuchu… she's… she's really strong now."
Right on cue, a familiar yellow face popped into frame.
"Pikaaa~!" Chuchu chirped brightly, cheeks sparking.
Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder, immediately leaned toward the screen. "Pika!"
The two Pikachu pressed their faces close to their respective cameras, chattering excitedly at each other, sparks crackling harmlessly between them.
Yellow flustered instantly. "Ch-Chuchu! Don't get too close, you'll—"
Too late. A tiny spark jumped, making her camera static for a moment. Yellow could be heard frantically trying to fix it, and then the picture cleared again.
Pikachu giggled. "Pika!"
Chuchu beamed, completely unrepentant. "Pika~chu!"
Ash laughed. "Yeah, that tracks."
Yellow relaxed, smiling despite herself. She watched Ash for a second longer than necessary, then hesitated.
"A-Ash…?" she said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm… I'm really glad you called," she admitted. "Sometimes traveling alone still gets scary, but… hearing your voice helps."
Ash's smile softened. "You're doing great, Yellow. Really. You're way braver than you think."
Her cheeks flushed pink immediately. "I-I'm just trying my best!"
"And that's better than a year ago, so that means you're improving," Ash said.
There was a brief, comfortable silence. Yellow wanted to keep talking, then the ship's horn whistled. She looked disappointed, but turned back to the screen.
"That's the ship, I guess… I have to hang up. You should probably get back to your friends," Yellow said finally, glancing off-screen. "I don't want to keep you."
"Yeah, I should go find them. But it was great talking to you again, Yellow," Ash said with one last smile.
She hesitated, then added, "You know… you can call anytime. Even if you don't know what to say."
Ash nodded, his eyes softening a little. "Yeah. Same goes for you, okay?"
"…Okay," Yellow said quietly as the call ended.
Ash pushed his chair back and sighed, leaning against it as he looked up at the ceiling.
Pikachu looked up at him. "Pika?"
Ash smiled faintly, ruffling Pikachu's head. "Yeah. Everyone's out there doing their own thing."
Then he got up and headed out to find everyone. They still needed to decide where they were going to stay tonight, since the Pokémon Center was too crowded with people who'd come for the Contest. That option was out.
He walked back toward the beach and spotted Brock and Max still there, well, more like Max having fun, with Brock lying in a shallow ditch after getting rejected again.
Ash sighed through his nose. There was still time until they'd agreed to meet up, and unfortunately he didn't want to go to the beach right now. That would mean taking off his shirt, and if he did that, people would see his scar, and he really didn't want the attention.
So instead, he headed north, where May had said she was going to train on her own. He didn't have anything better to do.
As Ash walked closer, he heard her first, almost chanting, "Okay, Beautifly [Silver Wind]!"
Sand immediately blasted everywhere. When it finally settled and Ash walked around the small dune, he saw May face-down in the sand, with Beautifly hovering nearby, looking mortified.
Ash blinked.
Then he pinched the bridge of his nose, "…I had a feeling."
Beautifly fluttered awkwardly in place, wings buzzing as she tried very hard not to make eye contact. A few stray sparkles from the fading Silver Wind drifted down like glittery dust.
May groaned and lifted her head slightly, only to immediately spit out sand. "Bleh, okay, note to self, maybe don't aim upwind next time."
Ash stepped closer, hands in his pockets. "You know, from a distance, that almost looked intentional."
May froze, Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head. "…Ash."
"Hey."
She sat up so fast she nearly fell over again. "H-How long were you standing there?!"
"Long enough to confirm that gravity is still working," Ash said dryly.
Beautifly let out a small, apologetic cry. "Beau…"
May's face turned red. "Okay! Training mishap! Totally normal! Contests are all about control, and I was just, uh… stress-testing the environment."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "By face-planting?"
"…Yes."
There was a beat.
Then Ash laughed, quiet at first, then full-on, shoulders shaking.
May scowled. "Hey!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said, holding up his hands. "It's just, after everything we've been through, seeing you get taken out by sand is kind of refreshing."
She huffed, brushing grit out of her hair. "Glad my suffering brings you joy."
Beautifly fluttered down and gently fanned her wings, blowing the remaining sand away from May like she was trying to fix things.
May softened immediately. "It's okay, Beautifly. That one was on me."
Beautifly perked up a little.
Ash glanced around the open stretch of beach north of Slateport, fewer people, quieter, just the sound of waves and wind. "You picked a good spot, at least. Plenty of room. No crowds."
May sighed and put her hands on her waist. "So, what are you doing here?"
Ash shrugged. "Didn't feel like swimming, so I came to watch you. What, I can't have a private show of my favorite up-and-coming Coordinator?" Ash said with a cheeky wink.
May's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.
"…You're impossible," she muttered, cheeks pink, though there was a smile tugging at the corner of her lips despite herself.
Ash grinned unabashedly. "Hey, I said up-and-coming. That's a compliment."
Beautifly fluttered happily between them, clearly pleased by the praise, wings shimmering faintly in the sunlight.
May crossed her arms, trying, and failing, to look stern. "Well, if you're here, you could at least be useful."
Ash smirked. "Oh? You want me to train you again~"
"NO!" May said quickly. "I-I mean, sorry for acting smug. You're totally right, and you can just sit down and enjoy your Ash-only exclusive May show," she said frantically, trying not to relive Ash's training-from-hell sessions.
Ash laughed and waved a hand. "I'm joking. Really."
May sagged with visible relief, shoulders dropping. "Oh, thank Arceus." She wiped the last of the sand from her face and shot him a wary look. "Your 'help' usually involves near-death experiences."
"Hey, those build character," Ash said easily, dropping down to sit on a sun-warmed rock nearby. Pikachu hopped down beside him, stretching out. "Relax. I'm just here to watch. Promise."
May studied him for a moment, then nodded, turning back to Beautifly. "Alright. Let's try that again, but smarter this time."
Beautifly buzzed confidently. "Beau!"
May took a breath, centering herself. "Okay. Low angle. Controlled output. Beautifly, [Silver Wind]."
This time, the gust unfurled in a smooth, spiraling current, glittering motes of light riding the breeze as it skimmed across the sand instead of blasting straight up. The wind curved gracefully, dispersing in a wide arc before fading.
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly, not critically, but thoughtfully. "That was better."
"Do you actually want my help," Ash asked, "or do you just want me to praise you?"
"I meeeennnnne, I wouldn't say no to some words of encouragement," May suggested, turning away like she totally wasn't expecting Ash to say something.
But then another boy's voice spoke up. "I'll say that was passable at best, and embarrassing at worst."
May froze, already about to yell, when she realized that wasn't Ash's voice. She looked toward the source and saw a green-haired boy staring down at her.
"You wouldn't use this level of ability to participate in a Pokémon Contest, would you? This doesn't even reach the basic level of a Pokémon Coordinator."
"Who do you think you are? And why would you say that?" May snapped. She was obviously, rightfully, pissed. She survived Ash's training to get to this point, and here was some guy she'd never met trashing her. She half-considered asking Ash to train him next.
"The name's Drew, and I am a Pokémon Coordinator!" Drew introduced himself.
"Oh, so you're a Coordinator," she said flatly, brushing the last bits of sand from her gloves as she stood. "Congratulations. Do you want a medal, or were you just planning on insulting people all day?"
Beautifly drifted closer to May's shoulder, wings buzzing faintly as it sensed her irritation.
Drew smirked, clearly pleased he'd gotten a reaction. He adjusted the collar of his jacket, eyes flicking briefly to Beautifly before returning to May. "I'm just being honest. If that's your standard, you're going to embarrass yourself on the Contest stage."
Ash pushed himself up from the rock slowly, hands still in his pockets, posture loose, almost lazy.
Almost.
"Wooowww," he drawled, tilting his head as if genuinely impressed. "So let me get this straight."
Drew glanced over at him, unimpressed. "And you are?"
Ash ignored the question entirely, stepping forward until he stood beside May, not in front of her, but close enough that it was obvious whose side he was on.
"The only way you can get wins," Ash continued cheerfully, "is by walking up to newbies you know are better than you and trying to make them quit before they even get started?"
He let out a low whistle. "Man. Must feel real proud of yourself."
May blinked, then looked at him. "…Ash."
"What?" He shrugged innocently. "I'm just being honest. Apparently we're doing that now."
Drew's smirk twitched. "I'm offering constructive criticism."
Ash laughed once, short and sharp. "No, you're not. Constructive criticism sounds like, 'Hey, your control is good, but your presentation could use more flair.' What you did was just talk trash and hope it sticks."
He leaned a little closer, grin widening. "Which usually means you're scared."
Drew's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"
"Yeah," Ash went on, warming up now. "See, confident people don't need to punch down. They focus on their own performance. Insecure people? They try to thin the competition before it ever reaches the stage."
Drew scoffed, straightening. "You've got a lot of opinions for someone who isn't even a Coordinator."
Ash gasped softly and put a hand to his chest. "Ooo, that one hurt. You hear that, Pikachu? I'm not even a Coordinator."
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head.
Ash snapped his fingers. "Dang. Guess that means I can't recognize bad attitudes when I see them."
May snorted despite herself, quickly covering it with a cough.
Ash took another step forward, eyes bright now, "But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you're right, Drew. Maybe the secret to winning Contests really is walking up to people who are still learning and trying to crush them before they get better."
He leaned in just enough to be annoying. "Wooowww. That's… efficient. Kinda pathetic, but efficient. You don't want anyone on your level to ever have a chance to shine."
"An opponent on my level? Don't compare me to her!" Drew snapped, clearly refusing to agree. He looked at May. "You and your Pokémon are not beautiful at all!"
May's eye twitched as she was about to say something. But Ash's smile fell.
He looked down at Drew, voice dropping. "Wow. See, saying the things you said earlier is one thing, but actually insulting May? That's where I draw the line. I can laugh at a lot, but you're starting to annoy me."
Ash tilted his head in a way that made Drew's thoughts go dry, "So you must be either incredibly stupid, or have balls of steel, to insult my friend." He snorted. "Because you? I'd say you're a five out of ten on a good day. I've seen better fashion on the back of cereal boxes. And if you want to keep talking," He crossed his arms. ",do something about it."
Pikachu and Vee both crossed their arms as well, glaring at Drew.
Drew took a step back, then immediately forced his smug tone back into place, though the shakiness was obvious now, "Whatever. Not like it matters. Oh, and by the way, you two are on private property. Did you even wonder why no tourists are here? It's because this beach is reserved for people staying at my luxurious resort."
Ash blinked once.
Then twice.
"…Huh."
Drew straightened, clearly seizing the opening. "That's right. Private property. This stretch of beach is reserved exclusively for guests of my resort. So unless you're staying there—"
Ash lifted a hand. "Hold on."
Drew paused mid-sentence, frown twitching. "Excuse me?"
Ash turned slightly and looked back at May. "Hey, May."
"…Yeah?" she answered cautiously.
"Quick question," Ash said, perfectly calm. "What's the name of that resort again?"
Drew scoffed and puffed out his chest, clearly thinking this was his moment, "Hmph. Figures you wouldn't know. It's the Verdant Wave Resort, Slateport's most luxurious seaside accommodation. Top-tier Coordinators, wealthy patrons, people with actual taste. Not exactly the kind of place you just walk into."
Ash nodded slowly. "Verdant Wave Resort. Got it."
Then, right in front of Drew, Ash pulled his phone out of his pocket.
Drew frowned. "…What are you doing?"
Ash didn't answer. He tapped the screen, scrolling casually. Pikachu leaned in, curious. Vee peeked over his shoulder.
"Oh, cool," Ash murmured. "They've got a website."
May stared at him. "…Ash?"
"One sec," he said, holding up a finger. "Ooo, beachfront view, infinity pool, spa, wow, Brock would lose his mind here."
Drew's smugness wavered. "You're wasting your time. The rooms are booked solid because of the Contest. Even if you had the money-"
Ash hummed. "Huh. Funny."
"What?" Drew snapped.
Ash tilted the phone so Drew could see it. "Looks like they've got availability."
"…What?"
"Yeah," Ash said, scrolling. "Couple of standard rooms, a few deluxe, oh dang, even a suite."
May's eyes widened. "Ash—"
Ash glanced back at Drew, innocent as could be. "Hey, quick question."
Drew hesitated. "…What?"
"What floor are you on?"
The silence was deafening.
"…Why does that matter?" Drew asked sharply.
Ash shrugged. "No reason. Just curious."
Drew sneered, trying to recover his footing. "Top floor. Ocean-facing. Best view in the entire building."
Ash's grin sharpened. "Sick. Thanks."
He looked back down at his phone.
Tap.
Scroll.
Tap.
"Oh wow," Ash said loudly. "There's a bulk discount if you book multiple rooms."
May's mouth fell open. "Wait, multiple?"
"Mhm," Ash replied. "One for me, one for May, one for Brock and Max,"
Drew barked a laugh. "You think you're staying at my resort? You don't belong there."
Ash didn't even look up. "-and one extra, just because I felt like it."
Tap.
"…Ash," May whispered, half horrified, half amazed. "What are you doing?"
Ash finally looked up, eyes bright with mischief. "I'm fixing the 'private property' problem."
Drew stepped forward. "This is ridiculous. You can't just"
DING.
Ash's phone chimed.
He held it up, "Reservation confirmed."
Drew froze.
Ash scrolled once more, then nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, now let's see… floors."
He tapped again.
"Oh hey," he said pleasantly. "Looks like the farthest available rooms from the top floor are on… the second floor."
May covered her mouth. "Oh no."
Ash glanced at Drew. "Hope you don't mind. I figured we'd want some peace and quiet. You know, away from annoying people."
Drew's face flushed. "Y-You did that on purpose!"
Ash tilted his head. "Did I?"
He tapped again.
"Oh, wait," he added, eyes lighting up. "Soundproofing upgrade. Might as well."
DING.
Another confirmation.
Pikachu pumped a tiny fist. "Pika!"
Ash slipped his phone back into his pocket and finally crossed his arms, mirroring Drew's earlier stance, but somehow making it look effortless.
"So," Ash said cheerfully, "looks like we are allowed to be here after all. Now, if you don't mind, I think May and I are going to properly enjoy this beach. You can stay if you want, it's your money too, but if you do, please be quiet. We usually train our Pokémon, not our mouths."
Drew shot her a glare, then looked back at Ash, who was still smiling. "…This isn't over," Drew muttered.
Ash waved casually. "Cool. See you at the Contest."
Drew turned sharply and stalked off down the beach, shoulders stiff, pride visibly cracked.
The moment he was out of earshot, May turned to Ash, eyes wide, "…You just rage-bought hotel rooms."
Ash shrugged. "He annoyed me, and we needed a place to stay anyway,"
She stared at him for another second, then burst out laughing hitting Ash on the shoulder, "You're unbelievable."
Ash grinned, "Hey. Only I get to bully you,"
May rolled her eyes, smiling anyway. "Yeah, yeah… thanks for standing up for me."
Ash glanced toward the water, then back at May, and elbowed her softly. "C'mon. Let's get you trained up properly. Wouldn't want you embarrassing that poor guy on stage."
May smirked, "Oh, I'd hate for that to happen."