"Lorelei, take this. Memorize these Ice-type techniques and take them back with you."
After their brief embrace, Ash handed her a small, weathered notebook. Lorelei knew exactly what this meant. Looking at the dense, meticulously written pages filled with move theory and training protocols, she pulled out her phone and began photographing the contents.
"Alright. Which ones can I distribute to the family, and which ones are off-limits?" Lorelei asked as she tucked her camera away.
Ash waved a hand dismissively. "Do whatever you want with most of them. Just make sure Frozen Purgatory stays exclusive to you."
Lorelei smiled, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry. I'll be strategic about who learns these. I won't let your hard work go to waste by feeding potential enemies."
"As long as you understand. Just don't go empowering people who might bite us back later."
"I've got it under control. I have to head back now, but I'll be watching for you at the Kanto League. Don't disappoint me~"
*
After Lorelei's departure, Ash headed back into the main area of the Cerulean Gym. He was immediately intercepted. Misty's three older sisters—Daisy, Violet, and Lily—swarmed him, forming a perfect perimeter. Misty watched from the sidelines, her irritation mounting by the second.
"Hmm, I didn't get a good look before," Daisy remarked, eyeing Ash's frame. "Under that jacket, you've actually got a really well-built body."
Violet reached out, feeling the firm muscles Ash had developed through years of intense training. "At first glance, I thought he was just a normal boy. I didn't realize he was a 'Predator-type' hunk. These muscles weren't built in a day."
Lily, the third sister, didn't touch, but her eyes were glued to Ash's midsection. "How do you even get a physique like that?"
Ash remained unfazed. After spending months being assaulted by older women at the local high-end gyms back home, he was used to this kind of attention. Misty, however, was not. She immediately shifted into guarding mode, stepping between Ash and her sisters.
"Alright, sisters, that's enough! Ash just finished a high-level battle with Master Lorelei. He needs rest! Stop bothering him!"
"Oh, come on, Misty! Don't be so stingy," Violet teased, seeing right through her little sister. "A guy like Ash is exactly my type. Maybe you should hand him over to your big sis?"
"In your dreams! Ash isn't a piece of property! Let's go, Ash! We've got the badge, let's get out of here!"
As Misty tried to drag Ash away, Daisy called out to stop them. "Wait a second, Misty! I'm sorry to ask this, but... could you leave one of your Pokémon here for a while? All of our easy Pokémon are exhausted, and we can't exactly send out Gyarados against every rookie who walks through the door..."
Ash wasn't surprised. People often joked that Cerulean was the weakest gym, but that was a misconception. They simply couldn't use their elite Pokémon like Gyarados against beginners, or no one would ever get a badge.
"What about Seel?" Misty asked.
"Dew!" (The Seel looked up, looking completely unmotivated.)
Ash patted Misty's shoulder. "It's fine. Let Seaking stay and help out. I've taught her everything I can for now. Fighting different challengers will be good for her development."
Misty nodded, though she looked reluctant. She released the Pokémon—a magnificent Seaking that had evolved from her Goldeen under Ash's tutelage. "Come on out, Seaking!"
The sisters were stunned. They remembered the Goldeen Misty used to have; seeing it evolved and radiating such power was a testament to the training it had received.
"Seaking, please look after the gym for a while."
"Seaking!" (The Pokémon let out a confident cry.)
After Misty explained Seaking's new move set to her sisters, she grabbed Ash's hand and practically bolted for the exit.
"Miss Daisy! That giant machine will be collected soon, so don't touch it! Goodbye!" Ash called out.
"Miss Daisy! Miss Violet! Miss Lily! I shall miss you all dearly!" Brock wailed as he was dragged away.
"Nobody wants a creep like you missing them!" Misty barked.
"Yes, the Boss really needs to give that skirt-chaser a lesson," Meowth muttered.
*
As the group disappeared into the distance, Lily turned to Daisy. "Sister, do you think Ash will come back?"
"Don't worry," Daisy said with a knowing smile. "With a girl like Misty sticking to him, he'll definitely be back. Besides, I heard from Elesa that Ash is the type of person who develops deep feelings over time. We can't keep him here now, but Misty is in the perfect position to win him over."
Violet looked skeptical. "Is Misty really his type? Her... well, her proportions aren't exactly there yet."
"Don't be so sure," Daisy laughed. "Even a Ducklett has the potential to become a Swanna one day, doesn't it?"