{In the sky on the Brave Olivine, a few weeks ago}
Liko was sitting on the edge of the helm of the Brave Olivine, looking at the clouds as Sprigatito rested on her lap. A new Pokémon she had caught a few weeks ago, Hatenna, was nestled in her hood, she had taken a page out of Ash's book and let her rest there. She grabbed her pendant and rubbed the crystal, gazing at it.
It had been a weird few months since Liko and the Rising Volt Tacklers parted ways with Ash. They had spent time traveling, eventually reaching Paldea, where they met several people, including Liko's mother and later her grandmother.
Of course, there were things, like that one time she got brainwashed and forgot everything. But don't worry, she got better. That whole ordeal even helped Dot open up more.
Now, they had been sent on a mission… or something. Liko still didn't entirely understand what any of it meant. Something about a paradise called Laqua and a mysterious Laquium crystal that was beyond human comprehension… or something like that.
Honestly, after being told about it, she felt even more confused. But one thing was clear, they now had a mission: to find the six heroes, one of which was the Black Rayquaza.
They had found the first one, a giant ancient Arboliva in Paldea, which they managed to secure after saving the forest. Then, they traveled to Galar to meet Liko's grandmother.
There, they found the second hero they were looking for: Moltres—specifically, the Galarian Moltres. They thought it would be simple: if they couldn't convince Moltres, they'd prove their strength to it.
Boy, were they wrong.
Moltres wiped the floor with them, Liko, Roy, and even Friede. And the fact that Amethio showed up didn't help either. In the end, they lost, and Moltres flew away. But before it left, something did happen.
Her pendant glowed again.
This time, instead of just a glow, an entire Pokémon emerged, Terapagos. When it appeared, Moltres finally calmed down, though it still didn't join them. Not yet. It wouldn't until they could truly prove their strength and impress it. So for now, it had flown away, meaning they had failed to capture one of the heroes.
As for Terapagos, it decided to stay outside the pendant, but it didn't join Liko's team or allow itself to be caught. It just… hung around. Most of the time, it stayed in Liko's bag. That's where it was right now, actually.
Liko sighed as she leaned back, glancing at her bag, which Terapagos had claimed as its personal spot. She didn't even know what was going on anymore or where she was headed. Friede was looking into leads on where the other five heroes could be.
Just as she was lost in thought, she heard a voice call out to her.
"Yo, Liko!" Roy's voice rang out.
She looked down to see him waving and jumping to get her attention. His Cyndaquil stood next to him, while his new Pokémon, a Wattrel, flapped excitedly on his shoulder.
"What's up, Roy? Do you need something?" Liko asked.
Roy waved his hands excitedly. "Friede says we have some leads, two, actually. He's calling everyone for a meeting. Come on, I'm going to get Dot!"
Before Liko could ask anything else, Roy was already running off.
Liko sighed helplessly, grabbed her bag with Terapagos inside, and walked down. She moved slowly but eventually arrived at the meeting room just in time to see Roy dragging Dot in.
Everyone was gathered as Friede stood in front of a screen.
"Okay, Rising Volt Tacklers, we have some new leads on the six heroes," he announced.
He pointed at the screen as images began to appear. "We have rumors of a giant Lapras roaming the waters. The problem is that no one has gotten a clear look at it, so it might just be a regular Lapras. And checking the ocean is a pain, but it's an option."
The screen then switched to images circulating online—pictures of the Legendary Beasts. Friede pointed at Entei.
"Now, Entei here, this one is more reliable. There have been sightings of the Legendary Beasts all over Johto. My sources say they've been challenging Gym Leaders, so that's something we can check out. Any questions?"
As the others began asking questions, Liko's mind got stuck on what Friede had just said. Sightings in Johto… Wasn't Ash in Johto right now? Did that mean—
"Liko? Earth to Liko, you there?"
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Friede's voice.
"I asked where you think we should go," he repeated.
Liko sat up straight and blurted out, "I—I want to go to Johto!"
Everyone blinked at her sudden outburst.
Friede cleared his throat. "You mean go after Entei, right? Yeah, we'd have to go to Johto for that. Well, if you're that passionate about it, I guess we're going after Entei."
Murdock frowned, leaning closer to Liko. "Hey, are you alright? You hungry? I can make you something if you are."
"N-No, I'm fine," Liko said, shaking her head nervously.
Thankfully, Roy stepped in, raising his hand excitedly. "I'm not! I'm always hungry!"
Cyndaquil and Wattrel chirped in agreement. The three of them were gluttons.
"Not a bad idea. Cap's hungry too, isn't that right?" Friede said, looking at Captain Pikachu.
Cap gave him a confused look. "Pika? [Huh? What do you mean? Didn't we just eat?]"
Friede nodded. "See? So let's all get something to eat!"
Orla rolled her eyes. "Another suspicious translation…"
"Fine by me. Alright, I'll start cooking," Murdock said with a smile before giving everyone a side-eye. "And I suppose none of you will be helping me… again, huh?"
Suddenly, everyone found themselves deeply interested in the floor, the ceiling, or anything other than Murdock.
With a sigh, he walked toward the kitchen. "And this is why I wanted Ash to join…"
As he left, the others let out a collective sigh of relief. Orla and Mollie also left to continue their work on the ship, leaving the rest behind.
Friede studied the map, then looked toward Ludlow, who was sitting idly.
"Hey, Ludlow. Since we're going to Johto, how about we start at your hometown, Olivine City?"
"Wait, your hometown is Olivine City?" Roy asked.
"Well, isn't that kinda obvious? How do you think the ship got its name?" Dot pointed out. "This boat was Ludlow's before Friede took it over."
"That is correct," Ludlow said as he gazed out at the water. "I wouldn't mind visiting my hometown. I'd like to see how much it has changed."
"Well, that settles it! We'll start in Olivine City," Friede declared. "And I think Sohdayo mentioned some Entei sightings near Olivine. As far as I've heard, the current Gym Leader hasn't been challenged yet, so we might get there just in time!"
"Cap, let's do this! Take the wheel and change directions, we should reach Johto in two or three weeks. Though I would have liked to check out the Ecruteak Festival," Friede added as he headed to the helm.
"I'm so excited!" Roy grinned. "This time, we're definitely going to get another one of the six heroes for sure!"
"I guess," Dot mumbled. She was still nervous about all of this, she had only recently been pulled out of her shell. Well, thrown out of her shell was probably more accurate.
Meanwhile, Liko clutched Sprigatito and Hatenna tightly as she stared out the window.
Johto… That means…
No. There's no way. Just because he's traveling in Johto doesn't mean 'he'll' be there at the exact moment we arrive.
No…probably not, the chances were slim… but if 'he' was there…
What was she going to do?
—-
It had been a bit since they got back to base. When they arrived, Sayoko took the Pokéballs and told them to go rest while she handled the actual business with the masked man.
So, Helena and Ash were resting. Ash sat with Meowth on his lap, sipping a smoothie through a straw tucked under his scarf, while Helena played with her new Shuppet. They were just chilling.
Helena kept her word, she had no intention of spilling the secret, especially since Ash trusted her with it. So she would keep it just that, a secret.
From the corner of the cafeteria, however, Jay, Enid, and Domino were watching. They couldn't help but feel a little salty about how Helena seemed to have grown closer to D after their mission.
"This isn't fair…" Domino mumbled. "Why am I the one getting punished for this idiot's choices?" she grumbled, gesturing at Enid.
"Watch who you're talking to," Enid snapped, scowling. "I've done nothing wrong."
"You mean besides all the things you did to D?" Jay said, rolling his eyes. "You know, Helena told us that if you just apologize, he might forgive you."
"Never! Why should I apologize?" Enid exclaimed. Since when does the main character apologize? Ridiculous.
"I still don't understand how we became friends…" Domino muttered.
"We're the only Team Rocket members around the same age," Jay said simply, taking a sip of his drink.
"Right. And also, we all met because of D, and since he's avoiding us, we're stuck with each other," Domino sighed.
Jay exhaled. "Well, at least Helena told us D doesn't hate us. If that's worth anything."
"It's really not," Enid mumbled.
"Seriously, just go talk to him and apologize so we can be a squad again," Domino said, resisting the urge to strangle Enid.
"Never!"
Domino took a deep breath, then turned around. "You know what? I just realized—why should I wait? I can just go apologize myself and maybe he'll forgive me. Jay, are you coming?"
Jay sighed and shook his head. "As much as I'd love to apologize to D, if I leave Enid alone, I'm afraid she'll make things worse. Also, out of everyone, I'm pretty innocent in all this."
Domino raised a finger as if to argue but stopped herself. "...That's a very good point, actually. Alright, can't argue with that."
She was about to head over to D when, suddenly, the cafeteria doors burst open.
A squad entered, laughing and cheering. At the center of the group was Aman—finally back from his break after being there for the birth of his child. He looked overjoyed.
He walked in, chatting excitedly as he showed off an album filled with pictures of his newborn. Then he stopped.
Across the room, he spotted D sitting in the corner. Aman's face lit up with a smile, and he immediately ran over, his squad following behind, they all remembered him.
Aman walked up and placed a firm hand on D's shoulder. "Hey, D! It's good to see you again!"
Ash looked up and nodded. "Aman, it's a pleasure. So, did everything go well with your wife and baby?"
Aman grinned widely, practically glowing with excitement. "Yep! Little Katakuri is doing great—look!" He was already pulling out a mountain of pictures, flipping through them eagerly to show each and every one.
Aman went through photo after photo, proudly showing off his newborn with the kind of enthusiasm only a new father could muster. His squad leaned in, laughing and commenting, some nudging him playfully for being such a doting dad. Ash took another sip of his smoothie, the straw disappearing beneath his scarf, nodding along with a faint smile hidden underneath.
"Look at this one! See how he's already making a fist?" Aman chuckled, pointing at a close-up of his baby's tiny hand clenched as if he was about to throw a punch. "I swear, he's gonna be a fighter."
Helena smiled as she played with Shuppet, though it was clear she was listening. "You say that, but he might just end up being a researcher or something."
Aman gasped dramatically. "No way! My kid? Stuck in a lab? You sound like his mother! Nah, he's got adventure in his blood. I'll make sure to support him so he becomes a big-time trainer one day!"
Meanwhile, across the cafeteria, Domino hesitated. She had been about to approach D, but with Aman and his squad surrounding him, the timing felt off.
"Tch, I was just about to go over there," she muttered.
Jay, still leaning on the table, shrugged. "Yeah, kinda sucks. Aman is our senior, and he likes D, so you're probably not gonna get him alone anytime soon—especially since he just got back."
Domino crossed her arms. "Yeah, yeah… but the longer I wait, the harder this gets."
Enid, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally smirked. "Or, and hear me out… don't apologize. See where that takes you."
Jay rolled his eyes. "Straight to being ignored forever? I swear, sometimes I wonder how I became the responsible one. I just wanted to hang out with my bros, and here I am."
Domino huffed but didn't argue, drumming her fingers impatiently against the table.
But then, the mood in the room shifted as someone else entered. Sayoko.
The soft click of her boots against the tile made people unconsciously straighten up. She wasn't moving in a rush, but her reputation preceded her. Most people knew better than to cross her, even if Ash didn't know everything about her, he'd heard enough. It was honestly impressive how a bunch of grown men could be scared of a 15-year-old.
Sayoko walked up to their table and gave Aman a polite nod. "Good to have you back. I hope everything went well." The words were more of a formality—she didn't particularly care, but it was something to say.
Then she turned to Helena and, more specifically, D. A smile crossed her lips.
"Well, I turned everything in. Don't worry, I handled the paperwork, so everything is finished."
Then, her smile sharpened. "But I must say, working with you two was quite fun. I haven't had that much excitement in a while."
"Uhh… thanks?" Helena said, unsure of how to respond.
By now, most of the room had started paying attention, but Sayoko didn't seem to care.
"So," she continued, "what happened while we were separated? Come on, I'm curious. Don't make me beg~."
"N-nothing happened," Helena replied a little too quickly.
Sayoko raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Oh? Nothing happened?" she echoed, her voice lilting with amusement. "Then why is it that when you two come back, you seem so much closer~?"
Helena stiffened slightly, fingers twitching against Shuppet's wispy form. "Maybe because we were on a mission together?" she said, feigning innocence. "Y'know, teamwork? Bonding through shared trauma? The usual?"
"Hmm, well, if you won't say it…" Sayoko turned her attention to Ash, a sly smile creeping onto her lips. "How about you, D? Are you gonna tell little old me what's going on between you two~?" Her implication was crystal clear.
Ash, still sipping his smoothie through his scarf, blinked at her—entirely unfazed. "We worked together. That's it."
Sayoko pouted dramatically. "Boo, you're no fun, D. I give you a cute sidekick, and you don't even want to tell me things? How mean~."
But she wasn't about to drop it that easily. She leaned in, breaching his personal space, her voice lowering to a husky murmur. Nobody dared to intervene—fear of what she might do kept them frozen in place.
"I know you're hiding something," she whispered, her single purple eye glowing faintly from beneath her bangs. "Your heart rate just spiked. I can tell. Come on, just say it… I promise, it'll feel so good~."
Ash really didn't want to do this. He was probably going to regret it.
But at this point, he had no other choice.
"…How do you expect me to react," he said smoothly, "when a beautiful girl is right in front of me?"
Silence.
Dead, absolute silence.
Somewhere in the cafeteria, a spoon clattered onto the floor.
Every grunt who knew Sayoko, who had seen what happened to the poor souls who had dared flirt with her before, had the same collective thought:
"He's dead."
No one dared to move. No one even breathed.
Then—
Sayoko stumbled back.
She actually stumbled, nearly tripping over her own boots.
Her mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. No words came out. A faint pink dusted her cheeks, slowly creeping up to her ears.
"W-what, w-what did you just say?" she stammered, her usual sultry tone nowhere to be found—replaced instead with something far more… unsteady.
"I said what I said." Ash's voice remained calm, unreadable.
Sayoko's face turned red.
Not slightly red.
Not an elegant, barely-there dusting of color.
No, her face went full-on deep crimson, like a malfunctioning Voltorb about to explode.
The entire cafeteria collectively held its breath.
Most of the grunts were already mentally lighting candles for D's funeral. The last guy who tried flirting with Sayoko ended up sent on a month-long mission in the frozen tundra. Another one? He woke up one morning with his head completely shaved.
No one flirted with Sayoko and lived to tell the tale.
And yet—
"I-I, you—b-but—no," Sayoko stammered, looking for all the world like a glitching program.
Her eyes darted around in pure panic before she spun on her heel. "Ugh! Whatever! I have actual work to do!" she snapped, her voice a fraction too fast as she stomped toward the door. "This conversation is over!"
With that, she stormed out of the cafeteria, slamming the doors behind her.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
They were still trying to process what had just happened.
Finally, Aman broke the silence, clapping a hand on Ash's shoulder, "Kid…you have balls of steel."
The entire cafeteria erupted. Gasps, cheers, stunned exclamations, no one could believe what they had just witnessed.
Aman shook his head, still looking at Ash like he had just performed a miracle. "Kid, I'm not gonna question why you ignored my warning the last time we talked about this… but be careful. Things with Sayoko never end well."
Ash gave a small nod. "I'll keep that in mind."
Meanwhile, across the room, Jay, Domino, and Enid sat in stunned silence.
They didn't know what to say, and yet, for some reason, the girls found themselves unconsciously gritting their teeth.