Inside the Cerise Research laboratory, the atmosphere was thick with a tension that felt like the precursor to a world-ending event.
Ash and Chloe stood frozen as Professor Cerise slowly reached into his pocket, his face a mask of solemnity. Finally, he pulled out two slips of paper.
"There... it's done," the Professor said, his voice heavy. "Tomorrow, Pewter City is hosting a grand Fossil Museum Exhibition. T
he curator sent me these two tickets. My research here has reached a critical stage and I can't leave, so... I'm asking you two to go in my place."
He leaned in, his eyes wide. "They say there are living fossil Pokémon on display! And a special excavation zone where visitors can dig for their own fossils. If you find a complete one, the museum will resurrect it for you—for free!"
Ash and Chloe's shoulders slumped in unison. They had expected a crisis, a mission to save the world, or at least a high-stakes research assignment. Instead, it was a trip to a museum.
But Ash's disappointment didn't last long. Within seconds, his eyes were twinkling with a thousand stars. "That sounds awesome! Living fossils? Digging our own treasures? Let's go, Chloe! It'll be an adventure!"
"But my classes tomorrow..." Chloe began hesitantly.
"Don't worry! I've already called the school and handled your leave," Cerise said with a thumbs-up.
Chloe stared at her father, speechless. It was normal for children to want to skip school, but she was seeing a father actively helping his child play hooky for the first time.
She knew, however, that he wasn't just being a "cool dad." He wanted her to be with Ash. He knew that traveling with the boy beside her taught her more about life and Pokémon than any textbook ever could.
"Fine," she sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Let's go."
"YAY!!"
[Wallace: Smooth move, Professor Cerise! You're playing the long game!]
[Caitlin: Seriously, Professor, are you that worried your daughter won't find a husband? This isn't research; this is a blatant blind date setup!]
[Professor Cerise: Ouch, hey! Don't talk nonsense! It's not matchmaking; it's just a logic-driven opportunity! Of course, their happiness is their own business... I'm just providing a little tactical assist!]
[Morty: Ah, yes. A 'little' assist. Right.]
[Professor Cerise: Look, Ash's character is obvious to everyone. He's a top-tier genius and a gold-standard human being. If you don't grab an opportunity like this when it presents itself, you're failing as a parent! Besides, I've seen the rest of you. Norman, Delia, Lusamine, Grace... you're all on my 'rival list' now!]
The world audience watched in stunned silence. The barrage list had transformed from a discussion about Pokémon into a battlefield for potential in-laws. Professor Cerise was taking notes on every parent who spoke!
Back in the real world, Chloe wanted to vanish into the floorboards. How can my father be this embarrassing in front of everyone?! If Ash wasn't such a dense "wooden man" who barely reacted to romantic subtext, she would have run away right then and there.
Meanwhile, the parents mentioned by Cerise narrowed their eyes. This was a declaration of war.
[Caitlin: How bold...]
[Norman: I didn't realize Professor Cerise was such a strategist. Very well.]
[Grace: The war... has begun!]
This was no longer a simple quarrel. It was a battle of parental pride to see whose daughter would claim the "Chief Partner" position in Ash's life.
The scene shifted. The dark night dissolved into the crisp, endless blue sky of the next morning. Ash and Chloe arrived early in Pewter City.
The night before, Ash had contacted Brock, who informed them that he was helping maintain order at the museum. As the former Gym Leader and a son of Pewter, such a massive event required his oversight.
Brock greeted them at the entrance, his signature squinty-eyed smile in place. "Ash, glad you made it."
"Brock! Have you been waiting here the whole time?"
"Not exactly. I've been inspecting the interior for suspicious characters, but I came out to give you this." Brock handed Ash a palm-sized, circular device.
"A Roomba?" Ash asked, tilting his head.
Brock chuckled. "It's a fossil detector. It's an experimental prototype from the curator. The accuracy isn't perfect, but it's better than digging blindly."
Ash beamed and slapped Brock's shoulder with enough force to make the older boy wince. "You're the best, Brock! A true best friend!"
"Cough—okay, okay! You're going to kill your best friend before the tour even starts!" Brock escaped Ash's "demon slap" with a grin.
Chloe stepped forward, bowing slightly to Brock. "I'm sorry, Gym Leader Brock. Ash can be a bit... careless. I hope you don't mind."
Brock rubbed his chin, looking at Chloe thoughtfully. Since his eyes were always narrowed, no one could tell exactly what he was analyzing, but his voice turned meaningful. "Ash is a lucky guy... but you have a lot of competitors, girl. Better keep your guard up!"
Chloe's face turned bright red. Brock continued, "I've traveled with Ash for years. I know him better than anyone. If you don't stay proactive, things get messy~"
Chloe froze. She knew Ash had traveled with Misty, May, Dawn, Iris, Serena... the list went on. Could she really stand out among such a crowd?
"Let's go, Chloe! What are you waiting for?" Ash called out from the entrance.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.