Ace, Serena, May, and Dawn stood near the outskirts of Fuchsia City, waving goodbye to Ash, Gary, Brock, and Misty. The four friends smiled and waved back before turning and continuing their own path.
"Good luck, guys!" Ash shouted, his voice carrying over the distance.
"Stay safe!" Misty added, her eyes glistening a little.
"Catch lots of strong Pokémon!" Gary grinned.
"We'll see you soon!" Brock said with a thumbs-up.
Ace and the girls waved until their friends disappeared from sight. Then, adjusting their backpacks and helmets, the four of them hopped onto their bikes and began pedaling out of Fuchsia City.
The warm afternoon sun shone above them, the road ahead open and wide. As they pedaled along, the rhythmic turning of the wheels filling the silence, May turned her head towards Ace.
"Hey, Ace," she called out, her voice curious, "why are we going to the port to catch a ferry to Cinnabar Island? Shouldn't we head to Saffron City first now that the lockdown has been lifted?"
Ace glanced back at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Cinnabar Island is a lot farther compared to Saffron and Viridian City," he explained. "Since I only need three more badges, it makes sense to take on the farthest gym first. That way, after we beat Blaine at Cinnabar, we can ferry back here, go through the Bike Road again, and head straight to Saffron City for Sabrina's gym."
Serena nodded thoughtfully. "And after Saffron, it'll be just Viridian left..."
Ace nodded. "Yeah. Where Giovanni, the strongest Gym leader, is waiting."
May and Dawn exchanged glances before smiling. "Sounds like a solid plan to me!" Dawn said cheerfully.
"Yeah, let's do it!" May added, her voice full of energy.
The group picked up the pace, the wheels of their bikes whirring faster as they approached the coastal port.
However, none of the girls noticed the troubled look that flashed across Ace's face. His grip on the handlebars tightened slightly as his mind churned with thoughts.
'This isn't as simple as it sounds,' Ace thought grimly. 'Ever since Koga revealed his past with Team Rocket... I can't stop thinking about the manga storyline.'
He pedaled in silence, his thoughts darkening. 'In the manga, Giovanni wasn't just Team Rocket's boss. He had other Gym Leaders working under him too... Surge, Koga, Blaine, Sabrina.'
His eyes narrowed slightly. 'Koga is out of Team Rocket. That's good. Surge...'
Ace's chest tightened. 'Surge was killed... by Sin. Could it be that he tried to leave Team Rocket too? Maybe Giovanni saw him as a liability and had him eliminated.'
The thought unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.
'And then there's Blaine and Sabrina,' Ace thought, his brows furrowing. 'If I remember correctly, Blaine eventually betrayed Team Rocket. He went into hiding on Cinnabar Island, researching ways to heal himself after the Mewtwo's Cells went haywire in his hand...'
He sighed heavily, the sound lost in the wind rushing past him. 'If Blaine's already a rogue, that's manageable. But what about Sabrina?'
Memories of the cold, calculating Psychic Gym Leader surfaced in his mind.
'Unlike Koga and Blaine, Sabrina never seemed to regret her actions. She followed Giovanni's orders because she found everything else boring after mastering her psychic abilities.'
Ace let out a small, frustrated sigh.
'These problems... I'll have to handle them one step at a time. First, Blaine. Then Sabrina. Finally... Giovanni.'
He steeled his resolve as he continued pedaling alongside his friends, the port slowly coming into view on the horizon.
Soon enough, Ace, Serena, May, and Dawn arrived at the bustling port. The salty breeze of the ocean blew through their hair as they secured their bikes and hurried toward the large ferry that was ready to depart for Cinnabar Island.
"Finally made it!" May cheered, stretching her arms above her head.
"Just in time," Serena said, smiling warmly as she watched the ship's crew preparing the final boarding procedures.
"Let's get on before it leaves without us," Dawn added, her tone filled with excitement.
Ace nodded, leading the way as they boarded the ferry. Moments later, the vessel began to move, leaving Fuchsia City behind, the skyline slowly shrinking into the horizon.
The group stood together on the deck, watching the ocean waves crash against the ferry's hull. The sea breeze was refreshing, and the sun sparkled off the endless blue waters.
Suddenly, a shrill beep beep beep came from Ace's pocket, breaking the peaceful moment.
"Huh? What's that?" Serena asked, tilting her head curiously.
Ace quickly pulled out his Pokédex, frowning as he stared at the flashing screen.
"Maybe it's a message?" May guessed, leaning closer.
"Or a system alert?" Dawn suggested, also peeking over Ace's shoulder.
The Pokédex's AI voice rang out clearly, its mechanical tone causing all four of them to pause and listen.
"Reminder: Alarm set by Ace Drago. Fifteen days from today will be Chloe's birthday."
As soon as the Pokédex finished speaking, it went silent, leaving the group blinking in surprise.
Ace froze for a second before his face paled. "Oh no!" he shouted, clutching his head. "I almost forgot about Chloe's birthday! What should I buy!? There's only fifteen days left!"
'How could I forget something so important!?' Ace thought in panic, pacing back and forth on the deck.
May giggled at his frantic behavior. "Relax, Ace! Maybe we can find something special for her at Cinnabar Island," she suggested brightly.
"Yeah! We'll help you!" Dawn chimed in with a cheerful smile. "The more people searching, the better gift we'll find!"
Serena placed a reassuring hand on Ace's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find the perfect present for Chloe together."
Ace looked at them with wide, grateful eyes. "Thanks, guys... Seriously, you're the best," he said with a genuine smile.
Still, deep inside, he felt a little anxious. 'What should I even get for her? It has to be something meaningful... something she'll treasure since she will become a trainer...'
As the ferry continued sailing steadily toward Cinnabar Island, Ace stared out at the horizon, determination building inside him to make Chloe's 15th birthday truly special.