"Oh, Ash, your grandfather and I are in Lamport City right now. He said he was waiting for you here this time, so he brought me along too!" Delia quickly changed the subject, clearly feeling a little helpless.
"Waiting for me? No way… Didn't he say last time that he couldn't wait around anymore?" Ash frowned, confused for a moment—then his eyes lit up. He suddenly remembered the Suicune he had with him. So that's why Professor Oak is here.
"Alright, alright, no need to blame him. Your grandfather has always been so devoted to Pokémon research. Let him satisfy his curiosity," Delia said softly, trying to ease Ash's mood.
"I get it. I'll head over right away. I should be there by evening." No matter how exasperated Ash felt, his mother's gentle tone always washed those feelings away instantly.
In this world, if anyone held the most important place in Ash's heart, it would undoubtedly be Delia. No one could ever replace her.
"Looks like we'll be staying in Lamport for a few days. My mom and grandpa are already there," Ash said as he ended the call and turned to Brock.
"That's perfect. I can use this chance to refine my skills in potion-making," Brock nodded, already planning ahead.
5:30 PM — Lamport Beach
"I'm dead tired... Hiking might be scenic, but next time, we're getting a motorcycle or something. Walking all this way is such a drag." Ash sighed as he finally stepped onto the beach of Lamport City.
They'd been on the road for hours. Everyone was exhausted—especially Cynthia. To make things worse, she was still wearing black short-heeled shoes. In the end, in his eagerness to see Delia, Ash had walked behind Cynthia for more than two hours without complaint.
"You're the Champion, you know. Maybe try switching to comfortable shoes when you travel?" Ash muttered, eyes dull like dead fish as he looked at her.
"I know, I know, I'm really sorry! I wasn't expecting so many travel problems. Back then, I always used to ride a bike…" Cynthia flushed in embarrassment, scratching her head sheepishly.
To be fair, Cynthia was 28 now, but she still looked stunning. Her skin was flawless, and her figure—especially the proud curve of her chest—was striking. But Ash didn't care in the slightest.
He'd had more than his share of women in his past life—some of them breathtakingly beautiful. But they were always one-night stories. Long-term relationships felt like shackles to him now.
"What a pain…" Ash muttered again, stretching his stiff back as Cynthia walked ahead. He showed no trace of sympathy.
Over these days, Cynthia had come to understand Ash's personality. Most of the time, he was cheerful and easy to get along with—often joking around. But once he encountered something that rubbed him the wrong way, he'd become abnormally cold and even violent.
And this only got worse when his Sharingan was active. That's why Cynthia always kept a careful eye on his gaze whenever they talked.
"ASH!!!"
A familiar voice rang out, warm and full of affection. Before he could react, a fragrant blur rushed into Ash and wrapped him in a tight hug.
"Mom—wait—I can't breathe!" Being in Delia's arms was comforting… except for the pair of impressive peaks on her chest that made it nearly impossible to inhale properly.
Struggling a bit, Ash finally pulled away, gasping.
"Aunt Delia! Long time no see!" Brock greeted her politely. Ash had introduced Brock during a video call earlier, so Delia was already familiar with him.
"You brat! Took you long enough! I've been bored to death waiting!" came a loud voice, filled with mock irritation. A middle-aged man in a white lab coat stepped forward—Professor Oak.
"Grandpa! Seriously, you couldn't have waited until after the Quartz Conference? Why come all the way out here now?" Ash complained.
"Enough nonsense! That's a Legendary Pokémon! Your grandfather and I have only seen a Suicune a few times in our lives! I can't believe you of all people caught one!" Professor Oak shouted, clearly still in disbelief—and more than a little jealous.
"Hello Aunt Delia, Grandpa Oak. I'm Cynthia Yoto." Finally finding her moment, Cynthia introduced herself properly. Delia's sudden appearance had left her completely caught off guard earlier. She hadn't been mentally prepared to meet Ash's mother.
Delia smiled warmly. "Hello. You must be Ash's fiancée? You're very beautiful."
Professor Oak looked at her and grinned. "Cynthia! It's been what—three years? Didn't think you'd ever come visit this old man again."
"I'm really sorry, Grandpa Oak. You know what happened back then… there wasn't much I could do," Cynthia replied awkwardly.
The incident had indeed been a mess. One of Cynthia's cousins from the Yoto family had gotten a girl from another noble family pregnant, which led to a bitter feud between the two clans.
Fortunately, the issue was finally resolved. Though it cost a considerable amount of Pokédollars, it was worth it.
After all, his cousin was the only male heir of the Yoto family, and the continuation of their lineage rested on his shoulders. Cynthia and Giselle were women—sooner or later, they'd be married off into other families.
Afterward, Delia accompanied Ash to the hotel. As the daughter of Professor Oak, Delia held a distinguished status by default. It wasn't surprising that they chose to stay at a premium hotel.
Once they dropped off their luggage, Professor Oak couldn't wait. He practically dragged Ash out to the hotel's backyard and urged him to release his Pokémon.
In this world, it wasn't uncommon for high-end hotels to have on-site battlefields. After all, Pokémon battles were still one of the most mainstream professions. Any hotel without a practice arena was considered behind the times.
"Alright, guys—come on out!"
Ash tossed all his Poké Balls into the air. Even Delia looked intrigued, curious about what kind of Pokémon her son had captured.
Steelix: "ROOAAAR!"
Pidgeot: "PIJOOOO!"
Arcanine: "GROWL!"
Suicune: "AAOOOOOH!"
Tyranitar: "BAAAAN!"
Scyther: "SCY!"
Bulbasaur: "Bulba!"
Dragonite: "RAAARRR!"
"Oh!!! They're all so well-raised! Just look at the coat sheen on this Arcanine—and check out the muscle tone on this Tyranitar!" Professor Oak exclaimed like an excited child.
He rushed to examine the Arcanine's fur up close, then eagerly moved over to squeeze Tyranitar's boulder-like arm, visibly thrilled.
...
TN:
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