Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

To say that Ash Ketchum has been traveling for a while would be an understatement.

He has traveled the world since he was ten. His goal was to become the very best like no one ever was, and eventually, he did. He became the very first champion of Alola when he was fifteen and became the World Monarch in the World Coronation Series the following year. His trusty partner, Pikachu, was by his side the entire time.

But he didn’t stop traveling then. He decided to keep traveling, visiting old regions and new. He ran into some old friends like Misty and Brock and made a few new friends like Nemona from the Paldea Region. She was an intense battler and pretty much a girl version of himself. They didn’t travel together, seeing as Nemona was still in school, but they did battle whenever they ran into each other. He could tell she had a lot of potential but still had room to improve.

Nemona even boldly declared that she would one day enter the World Coronation Series and take his throne. He welcomed the challenge if she ever got the chance.

Despite his many travels, he always made it a point to return home to Pallet Town, where he was going now. The now eighteen-year-old trainer had just finished his travels in Paldea and was ready to spend some time in his hometown.

He was soon in front of his home, where Mr. Mime tended to the garden. Upon seeing Ash, the barrier pokémon gave a greeting and waved hello.

“Hey there, Mr. Mime,” Ash said as he greeted the psychic pokémon. “Is Mom home?”

“Mime, mime.” Mr. Mime nodded.

“Great, thanks.” 

He very quickly entered the house and quickly removed his shoes.

“Mom, I’m home,” Ash announced as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder, and Ash started removing the rest of his clothes.

Now, why was he removing his clothes? Well, the Alola region was a very nudist friendly region. Almost 90% of its residents didn’t wear clothes at all. Ash quickly picked up the lifestyle when he spent time in the region. He found it freeing and helped him form a closer bond with his pokémon. He still often wore his iconic cap and his shoes after stepping on one too many pebbles with his bare feet. Ash also looked for opportunities to get naked outside of Alola. Mostly, it has been confined to Pallet Town and some routes.

His mother soon greeted her son, coming out from the kitchen in nothing but an apron. Ash wasn’t the only one who picked up nudism in Alola.

“Welcome back, Ash,” said Delia. “How was Paldea?”

“Great, I met a ton of cool Pokémon and faced a lot of tough trainers.”

“That’s wonderful, sweetie. May I see them?”

“Sure, let’s head to the backyard.”

They went outside, and Ash released his pokémon. A Quaquaval, a Lokix, a Squackabilly, an Armarouge, and a strange, robotic-looking pokémon that looked like a cross between a Gardevoir and a Gallade.

“What’s this one?” Delia asked.

“It’s supposedly a Pokémon from the future,” Ash explained. “One of the teachers at Naranja Academy calls it ‘Iron Valliant,’ but I call them ‘Garllade.’”

“Well, it’s nice to meet all of you.”

All the pokémon let out a happy cry in response.

“Well, I better go finish dinner. Ash, feel free to join in once you’ve cleaned up.”

“Alright, Mom.” Ash goes ahead and gets some food out for his individual pokémon before heading inside to take a quick shower.

While Ash was in the shower, he did some thinking. He was starting to feel a little frustrated. Not with his pokémon; he was very proud of them. It wasn’t his progress either; he was still one of the strongest trainers in the world. No, what frustrated him was the fact that, outside of Alola, He was never able to go on a full journey in the nude. It was so much more freeing and convenient than what he was doing before. Not worrying about what to wear, he’d just throw on his cap, bag, and shoes, and he was ready to go. While he was able to get to do it on a couple of routes since leaving Alola, he was missing going naked all day, every day. Most of the problem was that he didn’t know any other places that allowed nudity in public. He had heard rumors that Hoenn had recently accepted it, but he hadn’t heard anything concrete.

Plus, it meant the possibility of running into her.

He shook that thought from his head and finished his shower. He went down to the dining room, where his mom had set up two plates of curry and a bowl of food for Mr. Mime and Pikachu, who patiently waited for his trainer to arrive. Ash took his seat, and they all started eating.

“Oh, by the Ash, I got a call from Professor Kukui a few days ago,” Delia said.

“Really? What about?” Ash asked.

Professor Kukui was the person Ash stayed with during his time in Alola. He taught at the Pokémon School and was an all-around cool guy. He helped Ash properly adjust to nudism, teaching him all the dos and don’ts, and he practically became a father figure to him.

“He and Burnet won some tickets to a nudist cruise,” she explained. “It will take them to a region that’s even more nudist-friendly than Alola called Medernia.”

“Really?” Ash’s interest was peaked.

“Yeah, it’s pretty much ingrained into the culture. So much so that putting on clothes is almost considered offensive.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing.”

Ash’s mom giggled. “We thought you might like that. They actually ended up getting a few spare tickets, so they were wondering if we’d like to tag along?”

“Really!? That’d be awesome.” This was exactly what he was looking for. A whole new region, a new adventure, and he wouldn’t have to wear a single thing.

“Great! I’ll have Kukui send over the tickets. Get ready to head to Hoenn.”

“Wait, why Hoenn?”

“Well, the ship actually stops there first before heading to Alola, so we can get on a bit before Kukui and his family.”

That was fine; it just meant more time to get acquainted with the ship. It did mean the possibility of running into someone he knew, a very specific someone in particular. But really, what were the odds of running into her getting onto a ship like that?

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

Serena felt stuck. She spent a lot of time in Hoenn, participating in contests and contest spectaculars, doing well in both, but she still felt stuck. She managed to become a major star with Lisia in the Contest Spectacular Circuit and even made friends with the Princess of Hoenn, May Maple, but she still felt like something was missing in her career. Maybe she felt like her shows have been starting to feel too similar. She was basically in a creative rut, and she didn’t know how to get out of it. She let out an exhausted sigh.

“That’s the fifth sigh you’ve let out today.”

Serena looked up to see May Maple herself. The two of them were hanging out at a café in Slateport City after she offered to help Serena out. They were going to meet up with Lisia, too, but she was running late.

“I know, but we haven’t been able to come up with something new since we started,” said Serena.

“Not my fault you won’t take my ideas.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your ideas, May, they just… I don’t know, don’t feel like me.”

“I guess that’s true.”

The two girls then noticed Lisia heading towards them, her Altaria Ali trailing behind her. The Contest Star was currently not wearing her signature contest outfit, sporting some tight white pants and a frilly turquoise tank top with a bright blue bow in the center.

“Where have you been?” May asked.

“Sorry,” said Lisia as she tried to catch her breath. “But, I think I found a solution to our Kalos Princess’ dilemma.”

This caught the interest of both coordinators as Lisia pulled out a pamphlet.

“A cruise?”

“Yeah, I figured what our dear Serena needs is a change of scenery,” Lisana explained. 

The idea did have some merit. Sometimes, visiting a new place can give you a new perspective. That’s certainly what happened when Serena first came to Hoenn; maybe she just needed to do it again.

“That does sound like a good idea, Lisia,” Serena said. “But how do we afford tickets?”

“As our friend from Sinnoh would say, no need to worry. I already got us set up to perform on the ship, a room coming standard.”

“Well, I guess that works,” said May. “Well, I’m in too. Let’s do this.”

“Great! Then let’s get ready. Make sure to pack light.”

Serena wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but she was happy that they had come up with something. Maybe this cruise really will help out. Maybe she will finally be able to get out of this funk she was in. Maybe things will all work out. That is until May brought up a concerning question.

“Uh, Lisia, why does it say ‘Nudist Cruise?’”

Chapter Text

“I cannot believe you talked me into this,” Serena said as she, Lisia, and May were standing ready to board the cruise ship that would take them to Alola and Medernia with a bunch of naked people. Her Sylveon was out of her pokéball to provide support.

“Come on, we all agreed it would be a unique experience,” said the Contest Star. “Besides, I never said we’d have to perform nude. We can still wear our contest outfits.

“But still, it’s embarrassing.” A faint blush started to creep up onto Serena’s cheeks.

“I get what you mean, Serena, but we can’t exactly back out now,” May said, and she was right. When Lisia told them the news, there were only a few days before the ship arrived and departed, so there was no room to cancel. 

“Yeah, and you don’t have to go naked,” Lisia explained.  “You can just wear a swimsuit or a dress like the one you’re wearing now.”

Serena was indeed wearing a dress. It was a pink sundress almost reminiscent of the one she wore as a kid, but with a white sash wrapped around the waist. It was paired with a pink fedora wrapped in a white band.

“I know, but there are going to be so many naked strangers around me,” Serena exclaimed. “I won’t know where to look. Not only that, but we’ll be with them for six weeks.”

“Don’t worry, I did some research beforehand,” Lisia said in an attempt to calm her Kalosian friend down. “You’ll be fine so long as you don’t stare; you’ll be fine.”

Their talk was interrupted by one of the ship's crew members coming to greet them. It was a woman with short and straight brown hair and blue eyes. Thankfully, she was dressed, wearing a white button-up shirt and some black pants.

“Are you three the coordinators?” the brunette woman asked. The three of them nodded. “Excellent. My name is Chara. I’m one of the assistant directors, and I’ve been asked to show you the performance area. If you would follow me?”

The three coordinators followed the woman onto the boat.

“So, is this the first time any of you have been around nudists?” Chara asked. The girls nodded. “Alright, then, I hope you don’t mind if I review some of the basic rules. First, you can look, but don’t stare. Makes things awkward for everyone. Second, no photos or videos without permission. Nudists aren’t here to be ogled at.”

“Um, how do you make sure people aren’t taking pictures discreetly with their Rotom-phones?” Serena asked.

Chara pulled out a pack of red circular stickers. “We have everyone cover their phone cameras with these. Speaking of which, can you three go ahead and do that?”

The three coordinators each took a sticker and covered the cameras on their Rotom-phones.

“Thank you. Now, the third major rule is that public decency is still expected amongst both staff and guests, so you won’t be seeing anyone doing anything they shouldn’t.”

“What if we were willing to get naked ourselves?” Lisia asked.

“If you do try it, have a towel with you at all times to put down where you sit. Your butts can still carry germs, so best to keep those from spreading.”

As they continued to the stage area, May leaned to Lisia. “Why would you ask that?”

“Well, you’re curious too, aren’t you?” Lisia whispered back. “Besides, it’ll be good to have this kind of information ahead of time.”

Soon, they arrived at the ship's performance area. It was a large room with a decently wide stage and a few ceiling chandeliers. Red seats lined the floor, and there was some balcony seating as well. The big red stage curtain was currently open, showing just how big the stage was.

In the center of the stage stood a woman with bright red hair tied into a high ponytail. She was wearing a yellow tank top and black shorts. Her emerald eyes scanned the stage as if to find something out of place.

“Alexia, I brought the coordinators,” Chara shouted to the redhead.

“Excellent, thank you, Chara.” The women turned towards them. “Greetings and welcome aboard The Galaxina. I’m Alexia, the Cruise Director, and I ensure all our guests are properly entertained during our voyage. Thank you for offering to perform.”

“Oh, it was no trouble at all,” said the turquoise-haired coordinator. The other two started glaring daggers at her.

“I can see that some of you are a bit more hesitant,” Alexia said. “But rest assured, I will do everything in my power to ensure the trip is as enjoyable for you as well as the other guests.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” said Serena. “So, when will we be performing?”

“We were thinking you could each give us a contest performance every other Friday,” The director replied. “Does that sound good?”

“That actually sounds great,” said May. “It will give us plenty of time to explore the ship and come up with routines.”

“I’m glad to hear it. If you need to use it, there are a few battlefields on the upper deck.”

“Now, if you follow me, I’ll show you the changing rooms,” said Chara as she led the coordinators backstage to the left. They were met with a moderately sized changing room with a full wall of mirrors and a large coat rack for various outfits. “There is one exactly like this one on the other side, and it is connected by a hallway if you need to make your way to the other side of the stage without being seen. That hallway is where you will enter before the show.”

“These are wonderful,” said Serena.

“We may not have any fancy moving platforms or stage elevators, but we’re proud of our little stage,” said Alexia.

“We hope you three can put on a wonderful show,” said Chara.

“We’ll do our best,” said May.

“Now, why don’t I show you three to your room before you explore the rest of the ship?” said Chara.

The three girls followed Chara through the rest of the ship again as they went to the door marked 456. Inside, they found a small room with two single beds and a large couch. On the other wall, there was a small desk and a TV. At the end of the room was a sliding glass door to a balcony.

“Kinda small, isn’t it?” said Serena.

“That’s normal for cruise ships,” said May, having been on a few ordinary ones herself.

“The question is, who gets the couch?” said Lisia.

Before they could decide that, May’s stomach started to grumble. “Sorry about that.”

“Hey, don’t sweat it,” Lisia reassured her. “It was getting around lunchtime anyway. Let’s start exploring the ship and see what we can get to eat.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. You coming, Serena?”

“Aren’t people going to be boarding?” asked the Kalosian.

“Yeah, but they’ll still be clothed,” said Lisia. “They’ll probably wait until they get to their rooms before they do that.”

“Besides, I think the odds of running into someone we know is pretty small,” said May.

Serena felt Sylveon’s ribbons wrap around her arm gently in reassurance, and she sighed deeply.

“You’re right. What are the odds of running into one of our friends here?”

Chapter Text

“Alright, Ms. Ketchum, you and your son are all set to board. Here are your room keys. Please do try to remain clothed until we depart.”

Delia and Ash nodded as they took back their passports. They grabbed their bags and started boarding. They had only packed a small amount of clothes, enough to fit into a backpack and any other necessities. After all, they wouldn’t be wearing much once they took off.

“Alright, looks like our room is 458,” said the elder Ketchum.

“Let’s get going then,” said Ash as he grabbed a key and raced on ahead.

Their room was simple, with two single beds and a porch with a couch on one wall and a desk on the other. 

“Looks pretty standard for a cruise ship, huh, Pikachu?”

“Pika, pika.” Pikachu nodded in agreement.

“Well, it is quite small,” said his mother as she and Mimey followed in right behind him. “But I guess this just ensures you want to explore the rest of the ship.”

“Mime, mime.”

Ash and Pikachu chuckled in agreement before a rather large growl emanated from the two, particularly their stomachs.

Delia chuckled at her son’s seemingly endless stomach. “Why don’t you check out the buffet while I get us set up here?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Let’s go, Pikachu.”

“Pika!”

Ash left his backpack in the room and bolted out of the room, Pikachu riding on his shoulder.

Delia couldn’t help but chuckle again. Eighteen years old, has traveled the world many times over, the world champion of pokémon battling, and he still acts the same as ever. Still, that did make her worry. He was a young man on the cusp of adulthood, and She couldn’t help but wonder what plans he had outside of becoming a Pokémon Master, a goal she felt he was pretty close to. But it was her job as his mother to worry.

One of the things Delia was worried about was Ash’s love life or, rather, the lack thereof. Now, the possibility of Ash being asexual or aromantic had crossed her mind, and she would wholly accept it if that were the case. But there were a few things she noticed since he came back from Kalos. 

Delia always made sure to ask her son about what he had done on his various adventures, and Kalos was no exception. Ash would passionately describe the various things he’d done with his friends, from Clemont’s inventions to the various ways he trained his Pokémon, and how he often be reminded of Brock whenever Bonnie was trying to get Clemont a bride. But what really caught her eye was when he’d talk about Serena.

Whenever Ash talked about her, there was a certain sparkle in his eyes, something he never had when talking about his other friends. She also noticed that while the goodbye had its difficulties, as they so often do, and despite them all leaving on good terms, Delia couldn’t help but think there was something Ash was omitting, considering how he had a faint blush on his cheeks whenever he brought that up. There were often times when he was home, she’d catch him watching some Hoenn Contests, and after taking note of the coordinators lined up, it was obvious he was watching a certain Kalosian contestant.

This made Delia wonder if Serena was just another friend to Ash or if there was something more. Whatever it was, Ash hadn’t told her yet, and she knew prying wouldn’t get her anywhere, and she wasn’t aware if he had met up with the Kalos performer since then. She would just wait until Ash was ready to tell her.

“Hmm, I wonder if he’ll be able to find it without getting lost?”

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

Ash was actually able to find the buffet pretty easily, especially after finding a map while circling the upper deck six times. Once he was on the right track, he just let his nose take over.

The buffet itself had a wide range of foods prepared from all corners of the world. There was the typical salad bar and a bakery counter serving bread, muffins, and croissants. Across from it, there were counters serving pizza, pasta, and some rice balls and donuts. There was even a counter serving various forms of pokémon food.

“Well, buddy, where should we start?”

“Pika!” His trust partner pointed towards the bakery counter.

“Alright, sounds good.”

He heads over and examines the wide array of options. There were various breads, bagels, muffins, and more to choose from. His eyes land on a tray of blueberry muffins, and he sees only two left. Ash goes to reach for one when he sees another hand going for it.

“Oh, sorry.”

“Sorry about that.”

Then Ash’s brown eyes met beautiful cerulean ones. Eyes he was very familiar with, as they had been in many of his dreams for the past four years.

“Serena?”

“Ash?”

“What are you doing here?”

Both trainers were very surprised to find the other on this cruise. Neither had expected to run into the other. It was both a pleasant surprise and a tiny bit awkward.

Before any more awkwardness could build, Pikachu hopped from his partner's shoulder onto that of the honey-blonde Kalosian and rubbed his face against her cheek. Serena chuckled at the contact.

“Hello to you too, Pikachu.”

This put a smile on both trainer's faces as the tension diminished.

“Sorry,” Serena said. “It’s very good to see you again. I just didn’t expect to see you here, of all places.”

“Yeah, same here,” said Ash. “Um, Professor Kukui from Alola won some tickets for this cruise and gave some to me and my Mom. What about you?”

“Lisia managed to get us to perform on the ship,” she explained. “She neglected to mention it was a nudist cruise.”

“So you’re going to be performing?” Ash asked excitedly.

“Still wearing a dress,” she added quickly.

“Right, it’ll be good to see you perform again,” Ash said, chuckling with nerves. “Sorry, I missed it at Lilycove that one time.”

“It’s alright. You didn’t know I was there, and I’m sure you were caught up in some battle.”

“Guilty as charged,” Ash chuckled. “Still, we were going to go and support Chloe, but the battle held us up.”

“I told you, it’s fine. I’m just glad I got to see you again, even if it was for a brief moment.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, and neither of them was sure where to take this conversation next. Both of them had a lot to say but weren’t sure where to start.

“Hey, Serena,” May shouted, heading towards the buffet. “What’s taking so long? I’m starv… Ash!?”

“May?” said the Kanto boy, facing the Hoenn coordinator. “Wow, it’s been forever.”

“Same to you,” said May as she wrapped Ash in a bone-crushing hug. “And hello to you too, Pikachu.”

“Pika-Pika!” the yellow mouse responded.

“You two know each other?” Serena asked.

“Yeah, we were traveling companions when I first started traveling through Hoenn,” said May. “And judging from how comfortable Pikachu is around you, I’m guessing you’re the same?”

“Yeah, we traveled in Kalos together.” A small blush appeared on her face.

“So, I’m guessing you’re performing with Serena?” Ash asked.

“Yeah, she’s been in a bit of a funk recently, and Lisia thought a change of scenery would be good.”

“Really?” Ash asked, turning to Serena. “You’re in a funk?”

“Just a tiny one.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll find a way out of it.”

“Thanks, Ash,” Serena said with a smile.

It seemed Ash was still the same person on the inside, which made Serena very happy. Sure, he was taller, a bit more rugged, and gained a bit more muscle, but he still had the kind and caring nature he had when they were kids.

“Hey,” said May. “You wanna join us for lunch? Pretty sure Lisia hasn’t met you yet, but it would be great to catch up.”

“Sure. Does that sound good, Pikachu?”

“Pikachu.” said the electric rodent as he gave a thumbs up.

“You okay with that, Serena?”

“Of course. We have quite a bit to catch up on as well.”

“Alright, let’s go grab some food, and we’ll head right over.”

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

“So you’re Ash Ketchum?” Said Lisia as Ash joined May and Serena at their table. “Gotta say, I heard a lot of stories about you from these two. So far, you’re living up to the hype.”

“Uh, thank you?” Ash said, unsure of how to take the compliment.

“I guess it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that the Alolan champion would enjoy spending time in his birthday suit,” the star coordinator said smugly.

“I guess it isn't,” Ash said, rubbing the back of his head.

“It's a shock to us, though,” said May. “You weren't like that when we traveled together.”

“Yeah, did you pick it up as you spent time in Alola?” Serena asked.

“Pretty much,” Ash answered. “We just saw a bunch of people naked there, tried it out as we hit the beach, and I pretty much fell in love with it. Spent my whole stay in Alola naked.”

“Is that really all it takes?” May asked.

“For some people, yeah. But others need to work up the courage.”

“That's… good to know,” said Serena with some slight hesitation.

Ash seemed to take notice of that. He had a feeling Serena would be hesitant towards nudism. She had always liked fashion and dressing up. Being naked was pretty much the opposite of that. Out of all the friends he’s made over the years, Serena was the one Ash knew the least about how she would react. And so far, it seemed to be mixed.

Not seeming to notice Serena’s mood, Lisia asked, “So, does that mean you're going to strip down once the captain gives the okay?”

This made Serena’s face turn bright red. She was trying not to think about it at first, but after Lisia said that, the realization hit her like a Fire Blast. If Ash was here, then there was a very high likelihood that he would be naked on the ship. That meant she would see everything! His chest, his abs, his muscles, all of which would have grown since they last saw each other, and that would mean she would see his- Get it together, girl! You’re acting like you're a flustered fourteen-year-old girl again.

“Uh, yeah. I’ll probably stop by my room to drop off my clothes.” Ash’s following sentence was directed at everyone but specifically looked at Serena. “Are you all okay with that?”

“Sure,” Lisia said without a care.

“I guess it's alright,” said May.

Serena spent a bit more time debating her response. She wasn’t entirely sure whether she wanted to see her crush naked. On the one hand, it might make things more awkward between them, more so when she had a one-sided crush. Was it still one-sided? A question for another time.

On the other hand, if anyone would make her feel more comfortable on this cruise, it would be Ash, regardless of what he wore. He was just kind and compassionate that way. Plus, if it made Ash happy, who was she to say no?

“It’s okay with me,” she finally said.

Ash let out a small sigh of relief and smiled. “Thanks, that's good to know.”

A melody played over the speakers, letting everyone know there was an announcement to be made.

“Attention all passengers, we are about to depart from Slateport City. Please wait thirty minutes after we set out to get naked if you wish to do so.”

“Guess this is it them,” said May. “In half an hour, we’ll be surrounded by bare butts.”

“Oh, come on, it won’t be that bad,” said Lisia. “Especially with Mr. World Champion over here.”

“Really, Lisia?” May asked incredulously.

“What? You gotta admit he’s really good-looking.”

“Whatever, let’s enjoy our food.”

Both Ash and Serena remained silent, both having the reality of the situation dong on them. In not too long at all, one was going to see the other naked, and neither of them knew how to go from there.

Chapter Text

Once they had all finished eating, Ash said, “Well, I should head back to my room."

“Why, too nervous to get naked in front of three lovely ladies?” May said with a smug smile on her face.

“No, it’s not that,” Ash lied. Well, partially lied. “I just don’t have my towel with me, and I figured it’d be easier to carry that around than all my clothes.”

“That does make sense,” said Lisia. “Why don’t we head to our room as well to put on our swimsuits? Might be nice if we decide we want to swim.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Serena agreed. “Meet up at the pool when we’re done?” She asked Ash that specifically.

“Yeah, that works. Right, Pikachu?”

The electric rodent gave a tiny thumbs up. “Pika pika!”

“Alright then, let’s go.”

They all started heading towards their rooms. They made the same turns and took the same flight of stairs. It wasn’t until they were halfway down the hall that Ash turned around and addressed the three coordinators.

“Hey, why are you following me?”

“We’re not following you,” May said. “We just so happen to be going in the same direction.”

“Oh really? Then what’s your room number?”

“456.”

A realization dawned on the world champion. “I’m in 458.”

“Oh wow, so we’re neighbors?” Lisia said excitedly. “That’s just fabulous!”

“Yeah, fabulous…”

This could lead to some more awkwardness. Not only would Ash have to face Serena every day, but they would also practically run into each other every morning when they would go out for breakfast and every night when they would go to sleep. It would be even more awkward if Serena’s feelings about nudism turned out to be more harmful than she let on.

Though, Ash wasn’t sure why he cared about Serena’s thoughts this much.

They soon arrived at their rooms and got their keys ready. Ash and Serena gave each other one last glance.

“So, see you in a few minutes?”

“Yeah, see you in a few minutes.”

They both went into their rooms. Ash closed the door calmly but turned around to his mother with a frantic look on his face.

“Mom, we have a problem.”

Pikachu hopped from his shoulder to the bed and looked at his trainer with concern. This wasn't usually like Ash.

“What’s the matter, sweety? Did you find out Team Rocket was on the ship?”

“No, not that drastic. I just ran into some unexpected faces at lunch.”

“Oh, who was it?”

“May… and Serena.”

“Oh, the girl from Kalos,” Delia said with delight. “I’ve always wanted to meet her in person since you speak so fondly of her.”

“Mom, not now.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“Well, this is going to sound weird, but I’m kinda… nervous.”

His mother blinked. “Nervous? You? The man who took on multiple champions and legendary pokémon is nervous?”

“Quiet down, will you? They’re right next door.” Ash hushed his mother. “And yeah, I told them about my nudism, which I kinda had to since we’re on this cruise, and they told me they’re here to perform with Lisia, and I’m actually kinda nervous about getting naked in front of them.”

“Really? Weren’t you the first one to toss off your clothes the second we landed in Alola and didn’t care who saw?”

“Y-Yes.”

“So, is it all of them that you’re worried about seeing you, or one of them in particular?”

Ash’s silence spoke volumes. This all but confirmed Delia’s suspicions. Ash had a crush on his Kalosian companion. She wasn't sure if he knew that, but it was obvious nonetheless.

“Did any of them say they had an issue with it?”

“N-No.”

“Then there shouldn't be a problem,” Delia said matter-of-factly. “You weren't nervous when you told Misty and Brock, were you?”

“Well, no.”

“And you didn't care if Goh knew or not, did you?”

“No”

“Then this should be no different. What was it that Dawn always said? ‘No need to worry?’”

“That's when I worry the most,” Ash mumbled.

“Look, they're your friends. I’m sure you’ll still be close after all that.”

Ash let out a sigh. “You're right. Thanks, Mom.”

“No problem, hun.”

The two of them embraced in a warm hug before the loudspeakers came on.

“Attention, passengers. We have successfully departed from Slateport City. You are free to strip as you wish.”

“So, shall we get comfortable?” Delia asked her son.

“Yeah.”

They both stripped down until they were both in their birthday suits. Ash put on his hat and shoes as Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder.

“So, going to meet back up with your friends?”

“Yeah, we were going to meet at the pool before we realized we were actually neighbors. We’ll still be heading over there.”

“Sounds fun. I’ll join you in a moment. I just need to put our clothes away.”

“Alright. Let’s go, Pikachu.”

“Pika pika!”

The two of them left to meet back up with the girls while Delia watched wistfully. She didn’t really need to take so much time packing their clothes back up. She just felt she needed to let Ash spend some time with his friends, especially that Serena girl.

“My boy is growing up so fast. Maybe I should remind him of the Pidgeys and the Beedrills later.”

=====◉ ^ ◉=====

Meanwhile, the girls were getting ready for the pool in the other room, changing their regular undergarments to their swimsuits.

“I still can’t believe we ran into Ash here, of all places,” said May.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Serena agreed. “But weirdly enough, I don’t think it’s that odd to find he’s into nudism. It just feels, if you pardon the pun, natural.”

“I guess I can see where you’re coming from,” May said pensively before a mischievous smirk grew on her face. “But are you sure you’re not just saying that because you want a look at the goods?”

Serena’s face turned bright red at the insinuation. “May!”

“What? I saw the way you two were looking at each other. You were practically drooling all over him.”

“I was not!”

“You totally were. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was looking at you the exact same way.”

That took Serena by surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah, but Ash is so dense when it comes to romance. It was probably my imagination.”

Even if that was true, it made Serena really happy to know that Ash might possibly see her that way. Actually, now that she thought about it, he did seem a bit more tense than usual, at least around her. Could it actually be possible? Did their final moments in Kalos actually have some kind of impact?

Before Serena could think about that further, Lisia stepped out of their shared bathroom completely naked.

“Okay, I’m ready to go,” she said.

“Um, Lisia, you’re naked,” said May.

“Yeah, of course I am. We are on a nudist cruise. You know what they say, ‘When in Alto Mare.’”

“You were planning this from the start, weren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Lisia teased. “To be honest, I’ve been wanting to try this for a while. I just needed a good excuse.”

“I can’t believe this,” May said, shaking her head.

“Come on, you’ve got to see the appeal,” Lisia exclaimed. “Exploring one’s natural beauty can bring out even more dazzling performances. And nothing is more natural than a birthday suit.”

“So you dragged Serena and me into this to chase some weird perversion?”

“It is not a perversion. It’s a form of expression.”

“Now, now, let’s not argue,” Serna said, trying to play mediator. “If Lisia wants to be naked on the cruise, then she is free to do so. All we can do is respect her wishes.”

May sighed. “I guess you’re right.” She finished putting her clothes over her swimsuit. “Come on, let’s get going.”

They exited the room the same time Ash and Pikachu did and the girls got a good eyeful of his bare physique. Upon a quick glance, they could tell the current world champion had been through a lot of physical activity as his muscles were very well defined and his chest had a little bit of hair on him.

“Well, well, you certainly don’t disappoint, mister world monarch,” said Lisia.

“Weren’t we told not to stare?” May sneered.

“Well, can you blame me? He’s got a great body and is in perfect shape. Besides, I have a feeling I’m not the only one appreciating the view.”

They both turned to their Kalosian friend and she indeed was staring. In fact, it seemed like Serena didn’t know where to look as her eyes were practically looking at every inch of her childhood friend. Upon noticing she was being watched, her face turned red.

“S-Sorry, Ash.”

“I-It’s fine,” Ash said after noticing Serena was staring. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t do the same thing when I first arrived in Alola.”

“Heh, good to know. Still, I’ll try not to make a habit of it.”

Sylveon wrapped her ribbon-like feelers around her trainer’s arm for comfort.

“Good. So, shall we hit the pool?”

“Yeah, let’s go!” Lisia exclaimed.

So the four went to the front of the ship, two hoping things would get less awkward. One of them hoped three certain individuals would show up and try to ruin things.

=====◉ ^ ◉=====

Meanwhile, under the water, a strange object trailed behind the ship. It looked like a massive Magikarp, but it wasn’t. For one thing, this Magikarp was made of metal, not scales and flesh. Inside, making it move, was not the pumping of its own heart and muscles but the muscles of three shady individuals pedaling inside a submarine. These individuals were a red-haired woman, a blue-haired man, and a Meowth. Yes, this was none other than Team Rocket.

“Looks like we’re close enough to the ship now,” said the red-haired woman, Jessie.

“Then it’s time to put our plan into action,” said the blue-haired man, James.

“Launching Super Suction Hitcher now,” said Meowth as he pressed a button.

A large suction cup attached to a cable shot out of the mouth on the outside of the sub and positioned it to the bottom of the ship.

“There, now we just sit back and let the boat tow our sub,” said the speaking Cat Scratch Pokémon.

“I still don’t get why we can’t just wear disguises on the ship,” said James.

Jessie pulled out a compact and started reapplying her makeup. “Because it’s a nudist cruise, and I’m not willing to flaunt my glorious body in front of everybody.”

“And we ain’t sending a drone to monitor the twoip because that’d be extremely rude,” said Meowth. “With how many hacker types are out there these days, I ain’t risking someone’s nudes ending up all over the web.”

“True,” said James as he leaned back a bit.

It had been pretty shocking coming to Alola and seeing a bunch of people naked. It was even more shocking when the twerp joined in. Still, they didn’t hold it against him and treated their interactions with him the same as usual. Try to catch Pikachu or some other powerful or useful Pokémon, have their plans foiled, and then have a Bewear carry them away. That last one was way more awkward than their usual blast-offs. Still, Jessie, James, and Meowth did their best not to make a big deal out of the twerps' sudden need to go without clothes.

Sure, they were part of an evil organization bent on world domination, but they weren’t going to bash someone for their lifestyle choices.

A smirk soon grew on James’ lips. “Good thing we thought ahead and came up with another way to monitor the Twerp on that cruise.”

“Indeed,” said Jessie as she and Meowth adorned similar grins.

“Now all we got to do is wait for our new operative to report in,” said Meowth. “And then we’ll make our move to capture Pikachu.”

“And then Team Rocket will take off to brand new heights!”

“Wooooobbuffet!”

Chapter Text

As Ash and the others arrived at the pool, they saw a lot more nudity than before. Nearly everyone there was naked, including the staff. The only way to tell that someone was staff was by the sashes around their arms that read as such.

For Ash, this was perfectly normal. For Serena and May, it was a bit overwhelming. The same could be said for Lisia, but for completely different reasons.

“Wow, this is amazing!” The contest idol exclaimed. “I’ve never seen this many bare bodies!”

“Please don’t make this any weirder,” May said.

“Don’t worry, I’m being respectful. Seems everyone has their Pokémon out, too.”

There were indeed some Pokémon walking about with their trainers. Some were even part of the staff, indicated by similar bands or tags to the ones the human staff members wore.

“I guess they don’t have any issue since they’re usually naked anyway,” said Serena.

“Then let’s do the same. Come on out, Ali!” Lisia tossed a Pokéball into the air and released her famous Altaria.

“I guess it’s not a bad idea,” said May. She tossed six Pokéballs in the air and released he Blaziken, Munchlax, and Glaceon.

“Sure, why not,” said Serena as she released her Delphox and Pancham to join Sylveon.

“Wow, so Braixen evolved,” said Ash.

“Yup, we were very proud when it happened.”

“You’re going to have to tell me the story.”

“That’d be nice.”

Pikachu hopped off Ash’s shoulder and waved hello to his old friends and new ones. The others greeted him back, with Pancham giving Pikachu a high five and Munchlax walking up to give the electric rodent a big hug.

“What about you, Ash?” May asked. “Do you have any other Pokémon on you, or is it just you and Pikachu again?”

“Just Pikachu,” Ash answered as he gave his yellow partner a tiny fist bump.

“Well then, with that out of the way,” Lisia said with her hands on her bare hips. “Let’s start enjoying ourselves.”

“Yeah!” Everyone raised their fist due to her infectious excitement. 

With that, Lisia headed to the pool's deep end and jumped right in, making a huge splash. Ash and Pikachu soon followed her lead and jumped in right after her.

The rest of their Pokémon went off to do their own thing but stayed near the pool.

“I guess we’ll just have to find a spot for our stuff, huh?” May said.

“Looks like it,” Serena chuckled.

They found a spot near where Ash and Lisia had dove in and put down their things and some towels. Once that was done, Serana and May removed their outer layers to reveal the bikinis they wore underneath. May’s was a simple red two-piece that showed off her curves, while Serena’s was a pink two-piece that was a bit more frilly and had a short skirt on the bottom, which also showed her figure.

They soon followed their friends into the pool. They swam around, splashed at each other, and overall had a fun time. It almost didn’t matter that half of them were skinny dipping. Some of their Pokémon joined the fun as well.

Pikachu and Pancham engaged in a race with Ash, May, and Lisia. Munchlax was chilling in an inner tube, wearing some shades. Serena and Sylveon spent time splashing each other in the shallow end, laughing all the while. Delphox and Blaziken relaxed on the pool chairs due to them being the only fire types. Glaceon joined them as she worried she might make the water too cold on accident.

“I’m going to go get us some drinks,” May said as she exited the pool after their little race.

“Thanks, May,” Lisia replied.

“I'm going to check on our stuff real quick,” Ash added.

“Aw, but we were just starting to have fun,” Lisia lamented.

“I’m just going to catch my breath for a bit,” Ash replied. “I’ll join back up in a bit.”

Ash swam over to the edge where they all set up and pulled himself out, followed by Pikachu. He sat down on the edge and started gazing at the others, or to be more specific, Serena. 

He never really thought too much about her appearance when they briefly reunited back in Lillycove, but now he can’t help but notice the various ways she’s changed over the years. Her hair had gotten fluffier since their time in Kalos, and she styled it a bit more, too. She had also gotten taller, with her figure still staying slim and fit. Of course, he found himself blushing when he took notice of other parts of her body that had grown over the years. But despite what had changed physically, he could tell she was the same Serena underneath, though there were some changes there, too. She seemed more mature, more sure of herself. He knows May said she has been in a bit of a funk lately, but that doesn’t change the fact that she seems like a woman who knows who she is and what she wants.

An ice-cold feeling on his cheek pulled Ash away from his thoughts. He turned to see May holding four bottles of soda.

“Glad to see you’re still with us,” she joked.

“Geez, May, give a guy some warning before you do that,” Ash retorted as he grabbed one of the bottles.

“Sorry,” May chuckled as she sat down next to him. “You just seemed lost in thought. What’s on your mind?”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“You sure? Because you were staring at Serena pretty intensely back there.”

“I-I was?” Ash stammered.

Pikachu nodded his head in agreement, indicating he was.

“Yeah, you were looking at her like she was a championship trophy or something,” May stated. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you’re crushing on her.”

Her light jab simply made Ash turn his head away and blush, putting a surprised look on May’s face.

“No way!” May gasped. “You are crushing on her!”

“Not so loud,” Ash shushed.

“I don’t believe this,” May continued. “You, Ash Ketchum, the boy who never caught on to when two people or pokémon were in love, the boy who never showed a single ounce of interest in anyone romantically, have a crush!?”

“I-I don’t know,” Ash grumbled.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” May asked with a hint of disbelief.

“Well, like you said, I haven’t had any interest in romance before,” Ash vented. “Plus, all I really had as a reference for that kind of stuff was Brock,  and well… you know how well that usually went.”

“Fair point,” May agreed, knowing their friend's usual flirting habits.

“All I know is that Serena feels… different from my other friends.”

“Really?” May queried. “How does she make you feel?”

“Well…” Ash started to reply as he tried to get his thoughts out. “It feels like she has this light inside her. It’s so bright, but I can’t really look away. She always has this determination that I can’t help but admire. The fact that she has been so accepting of nudism and this cruise really means a lot more to me than it has any right to be…” Ash felt like there was more he could say, but he had trouble finding the words.

“Do you think she’s pretty?” May asked.

“Very pretty,” Ash admitted before slapping his hand over his mouth.

“Well, it seems like you have it pretty bad for her,” teased the Hoenn Coordinator. “So, what are you going to do?”

The World Monarch paused for a moment before admitting. “I don’t know. This is a first for me.”

“Well, if you ever need help, just let me know,” May stated. “I do happen to be a romance expert.”

“Really?” Ash asked. “You’ve dated before?”

“Yeah, Drew and I dated for a bit a few months ago.”

“You did?” Ash inquired. “That’s great. Wait, why aren’t you dating anymore.”

“We… just realized we wanted different things,” May lamented. “But don’t worry, we’re still friends. I’m sure you and Serena will be great together.”

Ash could tell there was more to the story but decided not to press it and just smiled. “Thanks, May.”

“What are friends for?”

“Hey, quit hogging all the drinks!” Lisia shouted as she and Serena made their way toward them.

May just smiled as she gave the other two girls their drinks.

Shortly after, Ash’s mom made her way to the pool deck with Mimey holding her bag right behind her.

“Hey there, Ash,” she waved.

“Hey, Mom,” her son responded. “You sure took your time.”

Pikachu greeted them as well, running up to Mimey and grabbed some things from Mr. Mimes bag to help him out.

“Yeah, well, I just wanted to give you some time to spend with your friends,” Delia smiled sweetly before turning to May. “May, it’s so good to see you again.”

“G-Good to see you too, Mrs. Ketchum,” May stuttered, never seeing the woman naked like this before.

“Oh, don’t worry about the nudity. If you have already become comfortable with Ash, you can do the same for me.” She then turned to Lisia. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“I’m Lisia, the Contest Idol of Hoenn,” said the green-haired coordinator, striking a pose.

“She’s a very famous Coordinator,” May clarified. “We often work together.”

“Well, I’m glad to see Ash has made friends with someone so famous.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Ketchum.”

Delia smiled before turning to the Kalosian girl, who was trying very hard not to blush.

“And you must be Serena,” Delia beamed. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

“Y-Yeah, it’s nice to finally meet you too,” Serena stuttered, trying to compose herself in front of her crush’s naked mother.

“Hmm, I feel like I’ve seen you before,” Delia pondered. “Oh yeah, you're the girl who would follow Ash around at Professor Oak’s Summer Camp all those years ago.”

“Y-Yup, that’s me,” Serena shyly chuckled.

“Oh, you have grown into quite the lovely woman, don’t you agree, Ash?” Delia said, slightly teasing her son.

“Y-Yeah,” he stuttered, causing both him and Serena to blush.

“I think this is going to be a wonderful trip,” Delia thought out loud.

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

Below the ship, Team Rocket sat in wait for news from their secret agent.

“How much longer?” Jessie groaned.

“Come on, Jess, you know these things take time,” James replied.

“I know, but I’m bored!” said the spiral-haired woman. “I wanna hurry up and catch Pikachu!”

“We all do, Jess, but we got to be patient,” said their talking feline.

Just as Jessie was about to complain some more, a buzz sounded on the radio.

“Buzzing Combee to Queenship, come in Queenship,” said a staticy voice.

Jessie grabbed the radio and talked into it with delight. “This is Queenship. What do you have to tell us, our darling buzzing Combee?”

“I still can’t believe that’s what we landed on for our code names,” James whispered to Meowth.

“It was the only thing we could all agree on that wasn’t too obvious. Now shush,” Meowth whispered back.

“Target has been spotted, but he is not alone.” The voice reported.

“Who’s with him?” Jessie asked.

“His mother and three other girls, all of whom seem to be coordinators.”

“Oh? Do tell,” Jessie said with intrigue.

“One is the contest Idol, Lisia, who has an Altaria and is currently naked. Then there’s the Princess of Hoenn, May, with her Blaziken, Munchlax, and Glaceon. The third is the contest Idol’s partner, Serena, who has her Delphox, Pancham, and Sylveon. They are still wearing swimsuits.”

“The Hoenn and Kalos twepettes?” James asked.

“What are the chances?” Meowth pondered.

“Who cares?” Jessie chided. “This is our chance to not only grab Pikachu but some other rare Pokémon as well. Not to mention, with that Altaria, my dreams of becoming a star will become a reality.”

“Your usual delusions aside, I have to agree,” said Meowth. “This is our chance to catch those twerps completely by surprise. We can’t pass this up.”

“Oh, Buzzing Combee, where are the twerps right now?”

“On the pool deck.” The voice responded.

“Excellent! Over and out,” Jessie said as she hung up the Radio.

“So, are we ready to make our move?” James asked.

“Indeed we are,” Jessie replied.

“Then let’s get to it,” said Meowth.

“Wooooooobbuffett!”

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

To say Serena wasn’t expecting to meet Ash’s mother in person for the first time when the older woman was naked would be an understatement. She made a vow when she boarded this ship that she would keep an open mind, but seeing both her childhood crush and his mother in their birthday suits was proving a bit much.

“You doing okay, Serena?” asked Lisia.

“Y-Yeah,” responded the Kalosian. “It’s just… getting a bit much, I guess.”

“Guess this whole thing is getting pretty crazy for you, huh?”

“Maybe a little bit,” Serena admitted.

“I’m sorry, Serena. I guess I really did end up dragging you here for my own selfish reasons,” The Contest Idol admitted. “Plus, I guess running into your friend and his mom was probably a huge curveball for you. If you want me to cover up for the rest of the trip to make things easier.”

“No, if you want to give this a try while on this cruise, I won’t stop you. I just… need more time to adjust, is all.”

“You sure?”

“I said I would keep an open mind, and I will.”

“Okay, good. This wouldn’t be as much fun if you weren’t enjoying yourself.”

Serena gave her Hoeen friend a smile. “Thanks, Lisia.”

“So, what are your thoughts on Ash’s naked bod?” Lisia teased.

“What!? Um, uh, it’s, um…” Serena stuttered in embarrassment at Lisia’s sudden question.

Before she could mutter out a response, they noticed a large shadow over the pool deck. Everyone looked up to see what looked like a giant Magikarp soaring through the air. Everyone cleared the way as the giant fish made a splash down in the pool. A giant mechanical net then came out of its mouth and began scooping up some of the surrounding Pokémon, including Pikachu, Ali, Sylveon, Glaceon, and Munchlax. Delphox, Blaziken, and Pancham managed to get out of the way. Pikachu and the others tried to break free from the net.

“Oh no, Ali!” Lisia cried. “Alright, who the heck are you?”

The dorsal fin opened up as four figures emerged.

“Prepare for trouble. We’re back like a rash.”

“And make it double. We’ve made quite a huge splash.

“To protect the world from devastation.”

“To unite all evils within our nation.”

“To denounce the evils of truth and love.”

“To extend our reach to the stars above.”

“Jessie!”

“James.”

“Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light.”

“Surrender now or prepare to fight.”

“Meowth, that’s right!”

“Woooooobbbuffett!”

“Oh, not you guys again!” May exasperated.

“Nice to see you too,” Jessie barked back.

“Wait, you know these guys?” Lisia asked.

“They’re a bunch of crooks that steal other people’s Pokémon,” Ash answered.

“And they’ve been hounding Ash for years,” Serena said, exasperated. “You’re still chasing after Ash and Pikachu?” 

“But of course, we’ve been after him since day one,” James retorted.

“And Pikachu’s even more valuable now that he’s a Pokémon of the World Monarch,” said Meowth

“Wow, a talking Meowth?” Lisia said in surprise. “That is so cool.”

“Thank you, it’s a gift.”

“Enough, let our Pokémon go!” Ash demanded.

Lisia, shaking from her amazement, added, “Yeah, give Ali back!”

“Come on now, twerp, how long have we done this little song and dance? You know we aren’t going to do that,” Jessie teased.

“And we’ve taken every precaution to ensure that this net is 100% Pika-proof!” James boasted.

“So don’t even think about using your thunderbolt attack,” Meowth bragged. “Or you’ll zap all the other Pokémon as well.”

“But you didn’t get all of them,” May announced. “Blaziken, use Blaze Kick!”

“Delphox, back him up with Mystical Fire,” Serena added.

The two fully evolved fore starter Pokémon unleashed their attacks on the mechanical arm holding the net. Blaziken launched a kick that set his foot ablaze, and Delphox sent out a wave of flames from her wand.

“Not so fast,” Jessie declared as she readied a Pokéball. “Frillish block that fire with Shadow Ball.”

“Amoongus, use Body Slam to keep them in place with Stun Spore,” James added, doing the same.

Both threw the Pokéballs and released their respective Pokémon. The pink Jellyfish launched a dark orb to block the Mystical Fire. The large, mushroom-like pokémon slammed into Blaziken before his attack could connect and then released a bunch of yellow spores, making it difficult for the two fire types to move.

“As tempting as it would be to take your Pokémon too, I think it’s time we made our getaway,” Jessie boasted. “Meowth?”

“You got it.” Meowth pulled out a remote and pressed a button that released a panel from the sub. Out of it, a giant Meowth-shaped Balloon popped out, pulling the sub upwards. Serena, noticing the sub was rising slowly and still in the water, got an idea.

“Pancham, use Ice punch on the water,” she ordered.

The panda Pokémon nodded as he punched the pool water, causing it to freeze along with the Magikarp-shaped sub. Team Rocket began to panic as the ice froze them over, and the net holding the others.

“Alright, Pikachu, use Iron Tail,” Ash shouted.

“Pika!” Pikachu nodded.

Pikachu’s tail started to glow as he used it to break the frozen net open and free all the Pokémon who ran over to their respective trainers. 

“Ali,” Lisia cried as she hugged her Altaria. “Are you alright?” Ali nodded in response. “Thank goodness.”

Ash and Pikachu approached the now-frozen Team Rocket. “You guys were right. We have been at this a long time,” he said. “So I think you know what happens next.”

Through the ice, Jessie, James, and Meowth had a horrified expression on their faces, indicating they did indeed know where this was heading.

“Pikachu, if you wouldn’t mind?” Ash asked.

Pikachu nodded before unleashing a powerful Thunderbolt attack on the sub, launching it and Team Rocket up into the air and far away from the ship.

“Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off again!” The trio shouted.

“Wooooobufffet!”

“Welp, that’s that,” Ash said.

“I’ll give Team Rocket this much. They are persistent,” Delia said. “But I know you can handle them.”

“When do I not?”

“I still can’t believe they’re still bothering you,” May said.

“Yup, feels like they’ve been following me for 25 years,” Ash sighed.

“Hopefully, we don't have to worry about them for a while,” Serena added.

“By the way, great thinking on the Ice Punch, Serena,” Ash said. “Thanks for that.”

“No problem,” Serena smiled.

“Well, now that the pool is ruined for a bit,” Lisia spoke. “How about we find something else to do?”

“Sounds like a great idea,” Delia said. “I’m sure Ash would like to check out the battle area.”

“Yeah, I’d love to,” Ash said enthusiastically before turning to the girls. “You three okay with that?”

“Sure,” May responded. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you battle in person.”

“Sure, I’d love to see you in action,” said Lisia.

Serena smiled and said, “I don’t mind. I’ve missed seeing you battle, too.”

“Alright, then let’s go!” Ash shouted as the five of them went to where the battle arenas were.

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

Meanwhile, out in the ocean, Team Rocket was lying on their sub, adrift in the sea.

“Failed again,” James cried.

“Oh, the shame,” Meowth mumbled.

“So that’s what usually happens.” said the voice from the radio.

Jessie angrily grabbed the mic and bellowed into it. “Oh yeah? And where were you in all this!?”

“I figured you would want to keep me on board the ship if things went wrong,”  The voice responded. “Besides, after hearing so many stories from you guys, I kinda want to see what this Ash guy is like myself.”

“That is a good point,” James said.

“Tell you what,” The voice called out. ”The ship’s next stop is in Alola. Why don’t you head over there and set up a trap?”

“Hmmm, not a bad idea,” Meowth said.

“Alright, we’ll do just that,” Jessie lamented. “But you better help out next time!”

“Don’t worry, I will,” said the voice. “Over and out.”

Chapter Text

After giving their pokémon a quick check-up at the ship's Pokémon Center, Ash and the others were making their way to another part of the ship. This area was filled with Pokémon Battle areas. They saw a few trainers battling in these areas, all of whom were naked, which was to be expected on this cruise at this point.

Ash looked very excited at all the potential opponents. “Alright, now this is what I’m talking about!”

Serena simply chuckled at the Monarch’s actions while May shrugged her shoulders in resignation. “You haven’t changed a bit,” she sighed. “But then again, I shouldn’t really be surprised.”

“Of course,” Ash responded. “I’m always itching for a battle.”

“That’s my Ash for you,” Delia remarked.

“So, are you just going to find someone and challenge them?” Lisia asked.

“That’s usually how it goes,” Ash responded. “Interested?”

“Oh no, I’m not really a battler,” Lisia declined, putting her hands up.

“Really?”

“Yeah, Lisia is more about spectacle than combat,” Serena confirmed.

“Well, that’s too bad,” Ash lamented. “What about you guys?”

“Are you sure a few coordinators will satisfy The World Monarch?” May teased.

“Shouldn’t matter as long as we’re having fun, right?”

“As fun as that would be, I’m gonna have to say no,” replied May. “I’m still not used to seeing all these naked bodies, so my mind might not be fully in it. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“Same here,” Serena added. “This is still a lot to take in.”

“No problem,” Ash said calmly. “I’m sure I’ll find somebody to battle.”

Ash and Pikachu stepped toward the fields to see who could give them a challenge. There were already quite a few trainers engaged in battle already. Their sights were immediately turned to a match between a Swampert and a Gallade. They were matching blow for blow, with Gallade on the defense from Swampert’s onslaught.

The Swampert’s trainer was a very muscular man who seemed to be around Ash’s age, maybe a year older, with short, messy brown hair and sporting a baggy white cap. His tanned body showed a lot of little scars, indicating he’d got into quite a few scrapes. His face remained confident and jovial, indicating he didn’t let his experiences hold him down.

Gallade’s trainer, meanwhile, was a few years younger than Ash. His skin was much lighter, and his body was not as muscular but still pretty lean. He had slick, dark hair and wore a pair of thick-rimmed glasses over his brown eyes. He almost looked familiar to Ash and to May. In fact, he almost looked like…

“Max!?”

The slicked-hair trainer turned to the two shocked trainers who shouted his name.

“Ash? May!?” said the young trainer with a mixture of glee and horror. He was happy to see his friend, who inspired him to be a trainer, but he was also shocked to see that his sister was also on the ship.

“Well, this is certainly a surprise,” Ash said as he approached his old traveling companion. “How’s it going, Max?”

“Pika-Pika!”

“Hey, Ash. Hey, Pikachu,” the young Hoenn native responded. “It’s been a while.”

“It sure has,” Ash agreed. “That’s quite the Gallade you got there.”

“Yeah, he’s the best,” Max boasted as Gallade approached, putting a pause to the battle. “And it’s not the first time you’ve met him either.”

“Not the first…?” Ash pondered as it suddenly clicked for both him and Pikachu. “Wait, is that Ralts you befriended way back?”

“Yup,” The Hoeen boy confirmed. “He found his way to Dad’s gym just as I was about to start my journey and became my first Pokémon.”

“That’s awesome. Glad you two were able to fulfill your promise,” Ash complimented. “I take it you’ve taken on the Hoenn League?”

“And the Kanto and Sinnoh Leagues,” Max added. “I haven’t won any of them. The best I got was Top 4 in Kanto. But when I do, I’m entering the World Coronation Series and taking you on!”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Ash responded confidently.

“Hold it!” said May as she stormed up to her younger brother, not in anger but with enough concern to take Max off guard. “What are you doing here?”

“I-I could ask you the same thing,” Max retorted.

“Lisia got us a gig to perform here,” May responded. “Now, what are you doing here, and when did… this start?” She asked, gesturing to his naked body.

“Well, I guess I just wanted to see a cool new region and figured this would be a good way to get familiar with Medernia before getting there,” replied the younger sibling. “As for the nudism… about a few weeks after I started my journey.”

“That long!?” May gasped. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I wasn’t sure how you or Mom and Dad would respond,” said Max. “I didn’t want you guys to be disappointed or ashamed of me.”

“Oh, Max,” the older sibling said gently. “I’m not disappointed in you. A bit surprised? Sure. But not disappointed.”

“Really?” 

“Really,” May assured. “Besides, you're not the first person I’ve learned is a nudist today.”

Ash chuckled nervously as he scratched his cheek. The others soon joined him and the Petelburg siblings.

“Still, how did this even start?” May asked.

“Well, it’s kind of a funny story,” Max responded nervously. “My Net-Nav lost power, and I got lost in the forest one day, and then I ran into him.”

He pointed toward Swampert’s trainer, who had decided to join the others with the Mud Fish Pokémon beside him. “Hey there,” he waved. “I’m Brendan, Brendan Birch.” He patted the side of his Swampert. “This is my best friend, Herc.”

“He managed to get me out safely,” Max explained. “His nudity was off-putting at first, but we became fast friends and decided to travel together from that day forward. And hanging around him made me wanna try it out.”

“Birch, huh?” Ash said. “Any relation to Professor Birch?”

“Yes, he’s my father,” Brendan explained. “I started my journey a while ago and used it to explore Hoenn’s wilderness. I was never a fan of clothes, so when I started my journey, I left all my clothes behind except for my cap. I used the travels to help Dad with his research, sending him notes on things I had seen.”

“That’s pretty cool,” said the Pallet native. “I’m Ash, and this is my partner Pikachu.”

“Pika!”

“I’m his mother, Delia.”

“My name’s Serena.”

“And I’m the contest idol, Lisia.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Brendan replied. “And you must be Max’s older sister, May?”

“Yeah,” May responded cautiously. “Thanks for looking after my brother.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Brendan responded with open friendliness. “Max often spoke about how he learned a lot about Pokémon from traveling with you and Ash. Although, he didn’t mention how beautiful you were.”

This sudden and blunt compliment made May’s face turn red. She’d never been complimented so directly before.

“So, Max,” Ash said towards the younger trainer. “I know it’s not the World Coronation Series, but do you wanna have a battle right now?”

“I’d love to,” Max responded enthusiastically. “But Brendan and I were just sparring, and my other Pokémon are pretty tired.”

“You can go heal up then, Max,” said his wild companion. “I’d love to see a battle between you and the World Monarch.”

“I’m sorry, did you say World Monarch?” asked a female voice.

Everyone turned to where the voice came from. They were met with a tall, muscular woman with piercing green eyes behind a pair of red-rimmed glasses. She had long, orange hair tied into a ponytail with a hairpiece that reminded them of a Hoothoot. She wore sandals on her feet with what looked like leg armor that looked like a Noctowl’s brow near the knees, and she had a lab coat draped over her shoulders that made it look like a cape.

“Well, I certainly didn’t expect to see you here,” said the tall woman.

“I’ve been getting that a lot lately,” Ash said. “And you are?”

“Ah, right, where are my manners?” The buff woman reached out a hand to shake. “Professor Amanda Olive, I’m the local researcher of the Medernia Region.”

“Nice to meet you, Professor,” Ash said, accepting the handshake. “But what are you doing on this cruise?”

“I’m here to give various lectures about Medernia,” Olive explained. “It’s probably to increase tourism, but I don’t mind teaching others more about my home region.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” said Delia. “When are these lectures?”

“First one is tomorrow at 10,” Professor Olive answered. “I hope you’re all curious enough to stop by.”

“Oh, definitely,” Ash answered. “I’m already planning to explore Medernia when we arrive.”

“Glad to hear it,” Olive smiled. “I have always wondered how our gym leaders would fair against trainers from other regions.”

“Then why don’t you participate in the World Coronation Series?” May asked.

“Other regions are still stingy on nudity,” the nude professor explained.”One of the big things you need to know about us Medernians is that our nudity is something we’re proud of.”

“I’ll talk to Leon at some point about that,” Ash responded. “I’m sure he’ll be willing to help with Hoenn becoming more open to nudism.”

“I’d certainly appreciate that,” Olive smiled.

“Um, I hope you don’t mind me asking,” Serena said. “But what are you doing on the battle deck?”

“Well, nothing wrong with enjoying a free cruise,” Amanda chuckled. “But I’m also here to help with my own research.”

“And what do you research?”

“Battle strategies and how they affect Pokémon behavior,” Professor Olive answered. “Sometimes that comes from watching other trainers battle, but sometimes I like to take a first-hand approach.”

“Is that so?” Ash asked, his eyes filled with determination as Pikachu’s cheeks began to spark. “Then how about we have a battle?”

Professor Olive chuckled. “I was hoping you would say that.”

“You don’t mind, do you, Max?” Ash asked the young Petelburg trainer.

“Sure,” he said. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you battle in person.”

They went straight to an open battlefield and took their positions. Serena and the others found a bench nearby and sat down to watch the battle.

Ash turned to his yellow companion. “You ready to do this?”

“Pika!” Pikachu pumped his fist up in response.

“Alright, Pikachu, I choose you!” Pikachu leaped off Ash’s shoulder and took a battle-ready stance. Ash was excited. This would be his first battle against someone from Medernia. He was excited to see what Pokémon she would fight with.

The professor reached for a pocket in her lab coat and pulled out a Pokéball. “Gallade, prepare for battle!” She tossed the ball in the air, and a Gallade emerged. Unlike Max’s Gallade, however, this one was covered in shades of blue with an orange crest on its chest.

“Not using a Medernian Pokémon?” Ash asked.

“Saving those for my lectures,” Olive responded. “Hope you aren’t too disappointed.”

“Nope, just gives me something else to look forward to,” Ash smirked. “Now Pikachu, use Quick Attack!”

Pikachu took off with great speed towards Gallade. The Blade Pokémon managed to track the electric rodent’s movements and dodge the attack as Pikachu leapt in the air to hit him.

“Use Night Slash,” Olive commanded.

 Gallade built up a large amount of dark energy in his arm and slashed at Pikachu while he was still in the air.

“Counter it with Iron Tail.”

Pikachu quickly spun around as his tail began to glow and harden like it was metal. The yellow electric type swung his tail to meet Gallades Night Slash and blocked it. Pikachu was still knocked back a bit but was able to recover.

“Way to go, Ash!” Serena shouted.

“Good to know he’s still got it,” Max commented.

“Nice recovery,” Olive complimented. “But how well will you do against this? Use Aura Sphere.”

Gallade created a sphere of blue energy and threw it at the electric rodent. Pikachu grew a smirk on his face as he and Ash knew what to do in this situation.

“Catch it with Electro Web.”

Pikachu lept in the air as he launched a net made of electricity directly at the Aura Sphere. The two exploded as they made contact. Pikachu lept through the smoke, ready for a follow-up attack.

“Now use Thunderbolt!”

Pikachu built up the electricity in his cheeks and unleashed it upon Gallade, striking him dead on. The massive amount of power behind the attack was enough to bring the Blade Pokémon to his knees.

Lisia whistled in amazement. “Now that looks intense.”

“Phew, that Thunderbolt is no joke,” said Professor Olive, turning to her partner. “Think you can keep going?”

Gallade nodded as he started to slowly get up. The young man and his Pikachu were proving to be worthy opponents, and he wasn’t about to go down easily.

“Alright, let’s start with non-stop Psycho Cuts.”

Gallade’s arms built up with psychic energy and launched at Pikachu multiple times, making sure the Mouse Pokémon hopefully couldn’t keep up. But Ash and Pikachu didn’t seem to be deterred.

“Use Quick Attack to dodge and get close,” Ash bellowed.

Pikachu picked up speed and quickly dodged and weaved the multiple Psycho Cuts heading towards him. Gallade didn’t seem to stop unleashing his fury of attacks, but Pikachu continued to evade them all until he got really close to the Blade Pokémon. 

“Use Quick Guard!”

Pikachu lept up with his speed, trying to hit Gallade, but the shiny Blade Pokémon raised both of his arms and managed to block the attack.

“Electro Web!”

Pikachu quickly launched the web at Gallade, shocking him and managing to get him tangled up in it, making it difficult to move.

“Use Night Slash to cut free,” Olive told Gallade.

Gallade used the dark-type move to cut through the Electro Web, but they looked up to see Pikachu had lept up in the air, a smirk on his face as his cheeks sparked with electricity, ready to be released.

“Pikachu, use Thunderbolt one more time!” Ash yelled.

Pikachu gladly replied as he hit Olive’s Gallade with a massive burst of electricity. The power almost seemed to be more intense than before, causing Gallade to yell out in pain. Once the Thunderbolt attack ended, Pikachu landed on the ground. Gallade wabbled a bit before falling on his back, clearly unable to battle.

“Way to go, Pikachu,” said Ash, commending his partner.

Pikachu turned back and gave a thumbs-up. “Pika Pika!”

Serena and the others ran up to Ash to congratulate him.

“You did great, Ash,” said Serena.

“Well done, sweety,” said his mom.

“You’ve definitely improved from when I was a kid,” Max complimented.

“Never a doubt,” said May.

“That was one of the most spectacular fights I’ve ever seen,” said Lisia.

“I agree,” said Brendan. “Seeing you battle in person was much more thrilling than through a screen.”

“Thanks, guys,” Ash said as Pikachu climbed back on his shoulder.

Professor Olive returned her Gallade to his Pokéball and came to congratulate the monarch. “Gotta say, you did good,” she said. “If we ever battle again, I’m going to have to pull out all the stops. More so than I have in this battle”

“Thanks, I'll be looking forward to that rematch,” Ash responded, shaking her hand.

“Well, I gotta go,” said the professor. “I hope to see you all at my first lecture tomorrow.”

“We’re looking forward to it,” said Brendan.

Professor Olive nodded before walking in the other direction with a wave. “See you there.”

“Alright, that actually got me pumped,” said Max. “How about we go ahead and battle right…”

Max’s declaration was interrupted by a loud gurgling sound coming from Ash’s stomach.

“Sorry,” said the Pallet native. “Guess that battle worked up an appetite.”

“Same old Ash,” May chuckled.

Brendan’s stomach started rumbling, too. “Guess I’m a bit hungry as well.”

“Well, then, should we all go get some dinner?” Serena asked, getting a unanimous nod from the group. “Then let’s go.”

The group left the battle area and made their way to the dining hall. Professor Olive looked back with a sad smile on her face. 

“Just like his father.”

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

Meanwhile, out at sea, Team Rocket was slowly but surely peddling their way to land. They had no intentions of taking their dinky sub all the way to Alola, so they were hoping to find some form of land so they could get in contact with Team Rocket command and maybe get a decent flight there.

“How much longer?” Jessie asked, feeling exhausted.

“Just a few more miles,” James responded, equally as exhausted.

“You said that twelve miles ago,” Meowth retorted.

“When we finally get to land and call in for pickup, I’m gonna clobber you for making us pedal so far,” Jessie said with a threatening tone, though it fell flat due to their exhaustion.

“It’s not my fault headquarters said they don’t have the funds for a mid-ocean pick-up,” James retorted.

“You know, I’m starting to think they just said that to make us suffer,” the magenta-haired woman mumbled.

“I wouldn’t put it behind them,” Meowth responded.

“Buzzing Combee to Queenship, come in,” buzzed the radio.

“Oh, it’s our little secret agent,” Jessie said, perking right up as she grabbed the radio. “This is Queenship, do you have something to report?”

“Yeah, the target joined up with two other trainers and battled a Pokémon Professor on the ship.”

“A Professor?” James questioned. “Which one?”

“Professor Olive, lead researcher in the Medernia Region,” the voice from the radio responded. “While she didn’t use a Medernian Pokémon in the battle, she did have a shiny Gallade.”

“That’s quite rare in itself,” Meowth responded.

“She also seems to be giving lectures on what to expect in Medernia. One of which is happening tomorrow morning. It might be a good idea to go to that to learn more about the place.”

“Hmm, it would help us learn about what kinds of rare Pokémon there are,” James mused.

“And we can pass this intel on to the boss so he knows we ain’t complete screw-ups,” Meowth added.

“Okay then,” said Jessie. “You heard them. Learn what you can and report back.”

“Will do.” the voice on the other end responded. “Buzzing Combee, out.”

“Looks like we made the right call in recruiting that little spy,” said James.

“Yeah, they think up these things before we do,” said Meowth.

“Indeed,” said Jessie. “Plus, their success means our success.”

“And with success comes great rewards and happiness!”

“Wooooooobuffet!”

Chapter Text

The next morning, Serena awoke to find her cabin mates weren't in their beds. Sylveon was still resting at the foot of her bed, but May and Lisia were absent. She noticed a note on her bedside table that read, "Gone to breakfast. Join us when you're ready." With a small doodle of Lisia winking in the corner. Serena glanced at the clock, which read 8:07. She figured it would be best to get ready and join her friends.

She climbed out of bed and took off her pajamas before showering in the bathroom. As she scrubbed herself and let the water run down her body, she began to reflect on what she experienced yesterday. Not only had she run into Ash again, but she learned he had become a nudist since they parted ways in Kalos. While she wasn't opposed to it, she was certainly shocked; however, what was most shocking to her was how easily the decision to do so came to him. It was undoubtedly exemplified by Lisia going nude later that day. Was it really that easy? Could someone really just decide to go without clothes just like that? Could she just step out of this shower and not…

Serena immediately shook the idea from her head. What on Earth was she thinking? There was no way she could do something crazy like that. At least not as easily as Ash and Lisia. Besides, she liked getting dressed up. Why would she want to throw that away?

Serena finished her shower and stepped out to dry off. As she was drying her hair, her Rotom Phone started ringing. She answered it using audio only.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Serena," came Lisia's voice. "I take it you're awake now?"

"Yeah, I just got out of the shower. What's up?"

"Well, we ran into May's brother and his friend. She wants to catch up a bit more before Professor Olive's lecture. Is that okay?" Lisia asked before switching to a more hushed tone. "Personally, I think May wants to get to know Brendan better, if you know what I mean."

"Sure, I don't mind."

"Great, then we'll meet up at the lecture once you're done with breakfast."

"Is Ash joining you?"

"He hasn't shown up yet," Lisia answered. "Looks like you'll have him all to yourself," she said in a sing-song voice.

Serena was very thankful that this was an audio-only call. She didn't want to know what Lisia would do if she saw how red her face was.

"Well, I'd better get going," Lisia added. "See you later."

"Yeah, see you later."

With that, Lisia hung up, leaving Serena with a blushing face while sitting wrapped in a towel. She was going to be spending time with Ash. 

Alone. 

While he was naked. 

And she wasn't.

This was going to be so much more awkward than yesterday.

Serena slapped her cheeks to knock some sense back into herself. Everything was going to be fine; she could handle this. So what if Ash was a nudist? He's still Ash. They're both mature young adults; they can handle this without being weird.

Once Serena was finished with her hair, she quickly got dressed and entered the hallway, Sylveon right behind her. She turned over to the room next door and made her way over. Just as she was about to knock on the door, Delia opened it with Mr. Mime right behind her.

"Oh, hello there, Serena."

"H-Hey, Mrs. Ketchum," Serena stuttered, seeing her crush's mom in her birthday suit again. 

"Oh, please, call me Delia," she chuckled.

"R-right, Delia, is Ash here?"

"Yes, he and Pikachu are still fast asleep, I'm afraid," Delia sighed. "I swear, that boy can battle his way to the top, but can never get himself out of bed on time."

"True," Serena chuckled. "I've only seen him get up early to do some training before a big battle."

"That sounds like Ash, alright," Delia said as she adjusted some sunglasses on her head. "I've already had breakfast and just stopped by to check on him. I'm about to explore the rest of the ship before the professor's lecture. Think you can try to get Ash to wake up?"

"I-I can try."

"Thanks, dear." Delia winked before turning to Mimey as they both made their way to the deck.

Serena and Sylveon entered the room, the Kalosian girl taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. The room wasn't that much different from her own, which was to be expected on a cruise. As she walked in, she saw Ash and Pikachu sprawled out on his bed, snoring and snoozing away.

Serena giggled at the sight. There had been many times during their journey through Kalos when she saw him in a similar position. It certainly brought back memories. One that came to mind was on the first day of the Kalos League. He slept in so late that Pikachu had to shock him up, and they all rushed to get to registration on time.

She knelt down to Pikachu and started stroking his head. This stirred the electric rodent enough to wake up. 

"Pika?" Pikachu said quietly.

"Good morning, Pikachu," Serena whispered. "Think you can give Ash a small jolt to wake him up? Not full power, though."

Pikachu nodded and crawled up to Ash's chest. He built up a little bit of electricity in his cheeks, ready to give his trainer a good wake-up call. Serena and Sylveon backed up just to be safe before the Mouse Pokémon unleashed a small thunderbolt that got Ash to jump out of his bed.

Ash, meanwhile, was very confused. He was having a very good sleep and had a fun dream of riding on the back of a Ho-oh, and now his trusty partner since day one had just woken him up yet again with a Thunderbolt.

"What the hell, Pikachu?" asked the rudely awoken trainer.

"Good morning to you, too."

Ash turned around to see Serena and her Sylveon standing there, looking very pretty. But Ash had no time to fully process that line of thought as he was now even more confused.

"Serena, what are you doing here?"

"Your mom let me in," the performer explained. "I just wanted to make sure you had some breakfast before Professor Olive's lecture."

Ash looked towards the clock and saw it was half past eight, an hour and a half before the lecture.

"Good call," Ash said as he got up. "Did you already eat?"

"No, I kinda just woke up myself," Serena answered. "Your mom, Lisia, and May have as well, and they're doing their own thing right now."

"So… it'll be just the two of us?" Ash asked.

"Yup," Serena replied with some pink on her cheeks.

Ash responded with a blush of his own forming. "Okay, then, do you wanna wait outside while I freshen up a bit?"

"Of course, try not to take too long," Serena responded before stepping back out into the hall.

Ash made his way to the shower and got the water running. He didn't feel like he needed to do much. He wasn't really one to care too much about his appearance, but he did at least want to smell nice, especially since he was going to spend some alone time with Serena.

Alone.

With Serena.

For some reason, that made Ash more nervous than it should have. It wasn't the first time they'd spent time with just the two of them. They went shopping together on Pledging Tree Day, and he had spent some time with her after the Kalos Crisis to help cheer her up. So why was this any different?

Deep down, he knew the reason. Ever since they parted ways at the airport and Serena did… that! Ash had started feeling different, as if he was beginning to see Serena differently. Or maybe he always had, and that is what made him finally notice it. Ash never gave himself too much time to think about it, distracting himself with training, battles, and other adventures.

He then slapped his hands against his cheeks, putting an end to that train of thought. He was being silly. Serena wasn't making a big deal out of past events, so why should he? They'll just hang out like normal and act like the mature adults they were.

Ash then finished his shower and started drying off. Once he was done, he grabbed his hat, shoes, and sitting towel as Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder. He exited the room to find Serena waiting for him.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

"Yup, let's get going," Serena replied with a smile.

So, the two walked over to the dining area. Both hoped to have a good time and that things wouldn't get too awkward.

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

The two trainers had found a nice, quiet table to have their breakfast. Both Sylveon and Pikachu enjoyed bowls of Pokémon food on the floor, while Ash and Serena enjoyed theirs. Serena had gotten some waffles, while Ash had a large stack of pancakes.

"So, how is life for The World Monarch?" Serena asked after taking a bite.

Ash swallowed a huge bite of his food before answering. "Not too bad. I get to face a lot of strong trainers, some I've met, some I haven't, and my Pokémon and I get to have a lot of fun battling them."

"Does it ever get tiring?"

"Sometimes, but I'm still traveling, so that helps break up the battles."

"Really? Been anywhere new?" Serena asked.

"I actually just got back from a trip through the Paldea region before coming here."

"That's amazing. What's it like?"

"It's awesome. Aside from all the cool new Pokémon I saw, they had this huge school, Naranja Academy, where they teach you all sorts of stuff to be a trainer. And they have this cool ability called Terastalization."

"What's that?"

"It's kinda like Mega Evolution and Z moves. You can use it to make your Pokémon a singular type, and moves of those types get a power boost. They even get this little crown to tell you what type it is, and it almost looks like the Pokémon's body is made of crystal."

"Wow, that sounds amazing," said Serena, already imagining all the performance capabilities of such a phenomenon. "So if you terastalize Pikachu, he just becomes a stronger electric type?"

"That's right, but that's not always the case," Ash explained. "Some Pokémon have a Tera Type that's separate from their regular types. Like a Jigglypuff can terasillize into a water type rather than a fairy or normal type."

"That is so cool. Is there a way to change it?"

"Yeah, there's this place in Medali you go to, but you need some shard of the type you want. I used it to turn my Quaquaval into an Ice type."

"Why?"

"He was really into skating, so I thought making him an Ice type would help," Ash answered. "I asked if he was okay with it first, and he agreed."

"I'd love to meet him sometime," Serena said. "And your other Pokémon, too."

"I'd… like that too," Ash said with a hint of red in his cheeks, though he wasn't exactly sure why. "So, what about you? What have you been up to?"

"Oh, you know, competing in Contests and Contest Spectaculars," said Serena. "The latter isn't too different from Pokémon Performances, so it was really easy to get into. Only difference is I can't perform with my Pokémon."

"Yeah, that's what it looked like," Ash chuckled.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Ash realized he had slipped and decided to explain.

"Well, since I missed the contest in Lilycove, Goh showed me the stream online," Ash confessed with embarrassment. "And whenever I got the chance, I tried to see if I could catch any other contests you were in."

"You watched my performances?" Serena asked.

"Well, yeah," Ash said. "I missed watching you perform. And even if I can't be there in person, I wanted to support you in any way I could."

'That's very sweet of you, Ash. Thank you."

Ash blushed and scratched his cheek.

"Have you seen some of the other things I've done?" Serena asked expectantly.

The monarch's face started to pale. "Other things?"

"Well, you know how Lisia and I became a contest duo, right?"

Ash nodded. He had seen many contests where the two partnered together.

"Well, outside of contests, she had gotten me to do a whole bunch of other things," Serena explained. "Some of which I still wonder how she talked me into."

"Oh, like what?" Ash asked with genuine curiosity.

"She got us to partake in some commercials of certain products, mostly make-up and candies, and she even got me to sing a few songs with her."

"That's amazing," said Ash. "I don't think I've ever heard you sing."

"It's nothing that special," Serena deflected.

"That's nonsense," Ash said. "Do you two have an album?"

"Yeah," Serena admitted.

"Then it's definitely awesome," he reassured her. "Maybe I'll give it a listen sometime."

Serena couldn't help the smile forming on her lips or the reddening of her face.

"Though I remember May said something about a funk," Ash pondered aloud. "What's that about?"

"Oh, you know, as I said before, it's nothing big," said the Kalosian Coordinator, trying to deflect. "Just a little artist's block. I can't seem to come up with any new ideas for performances."

"Any way I can help?" Ash asked.

Serena smiled. "That's sweet of you, Ash, but the only real way to beat something like this is to find inspiration. Part of that can be changing locations and trying something new, hence why Lisia got us on this cruise."

"She certainly seems like the type to do something drastic like that," Ash chuckled. "And nudism aside, I'm sure learning about a whole new region is sure to give you plenty of ideas."

"That is true," Serena mused. "I can't wait for Professor Olive's lecture."

"Me too," Ash added. "I'm sure there are plenty of amazing Pokémon there."

"Oh, I'm sure," Serena chuckled. "You're always excited about meeting new Pokémon."

"Yeah, I want to be able to befriend any Pokémon," Ash explained.

"Any Pokémon?"

"Yeah," he explained. "After I became world champion, I still didn't think I was a Pokémon Master yet. So, I did a bit more traveling to find out what being one actually meant to me, and that's what I came up with."

"That's actually a pretty cool thing to work towards," praised Serena. "It's kinda like my dream to make everyone smile with my performances."

Ash smiled. "Yeah, I guess it is."

The two of them then fell into the lull of conversation. Sharing various stories of things they had done on their journeys. Ash even shared some from before he went to Kalos. The two trainers became so comfortable around each other that Serena wasn't even paying attention to Ash's naked state. They were just two friends catching up after so many years apart, and nothing could make Serena happier at that moment.

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

While Serena and Ash were getting ready, Lisia rejoined May, Max, and Brendan at an outdoor table near the pool, enjoying their own breakfast.

"Alright, Serena's all set to spend some quality time with Ash," said Lisia.

"Great," May responded. "They're both gonna owe us for this."

"I'm still having a hard time believing Ash, of all people, has a crush on someone," Max stated. "I mean, I get why someone would like Serena that way, but that someone being Ash? No way."

"Believe me, I couldn't believe it either," May replied. "But from what Ash told me yesterday, he definitely has a crush on her. And from what I can see, Serena feels the same way."

"And what friends would we be if we didn't help them hook up?" Lisia added.

"Aren't you worried you might make things worse between them?" Brendan asked.

"As my friend Dawn would say, no need to worry," May answered. "We aren't going too extreme with it. What we're doing right now is just giving them time to catch up and spend time together so they can bond and deepen their relationship on their own."

"We're also not going to do this too often so as not to drive a wedge between our own friendship with Serena," Lisia added. "We came to this cruise to help Serena out, and that's what we plan to do. That includes helping her hook up with a hot guy."

"I'm still not used to hearing that about Ash," said the Hoenn Princess.

"Same," Max added. "But I still don't buy it."

"Alright then, let's make a bet," challenged May. "If Ash and Serena don't end up together by the time we reach Medernia, I'll bathe your entire team for a month. If they do end up together, you clean my team."

"Deal," Max declared. He and his sister shook hands to seal the deal.

"And you're sure nothing will go wrong?" queried Brendan.

"Serena is a sweetheart unless you do piss her off," May explained. "And Ash is very friendly, if a bit annoying at times. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Alright," Brendan said, still unconvinced.

"Besides, I do kinda want to get to know one of Max's friends a bit more," she admitted.

"Yeah, how'd you get into nudism?" Lisia added.

"Well, I guess it started when I was five," he said. "I always liked running around in my birthday suit. When I was finally allowed to go on my journey, I just ditched the clothes and stayed in the wild."

"Did you ever go back to see your dad?" May asked.

"From time to time, yeah," he answered. "He and Mom were actually very accepting of my lifestyle. Mom even encouraged it."

"Really?" Both coordinators asked.

"Yeah, she was a big fan of wildman fiction," the Hoenn boy chuckled.

Max chuckled as well, having heard all this before.

"Where did you sleep?" May asked.

"I usually pack a hammock wherever I go, but I actually set up a tree house as my main home."

"I've seen it, it's awesome," Max added.

"Wait, a hammock?" Lisia asked. "Isn't that, like, really inconvenient?"

"Yeah, what do you do if it rains?" May added.

"Well, I set up a tarp over the hammock to keep the rain out," he answered nervously.

"Then why not just set up a tent?" May asked.

Brendan was starting to sweat bullets, trying his best not to answer.

Max, noticing his friend's nerves, decided to interject. "It's nothing too serious," he answered. "Besides, it's nothing compared to sleeping with a doll every day."

"I grew out of that years ago and you know it," May shrieked.

"Yeah, at 14."

The rest of the group laughed, and May's face became flushed with embarrassment and rage.

"Oh yeah," May shot back. "What about you wetting the bed until you were 6?"

"You promised you wouldn't tell!"

Their argument was interrupted by Brendan laughing. "You two are certainly close."

May chuckled as her cheeks started to turn pink. "Well, we are siblings."

"Though he seems to be more accepting than you," Lisia jabbed, which earned her a glare from the Hoenn Princess.

"Hey, I wasn't so quick to nudism myself," Max defended. "It took me weeks to even try walking around without a shirt."

"Everyone moves at their own pace," Brendan added.

They continued to chat with each other for the rest of the morning, talking about some of their adventures. Some were more mundane, while some seemed like they happened straight out of an anime, particularly when May and Max shared some of their stories from when they traveled with Ash.

But they didn't chat for long as it was getting close to Professor Olive's lecture.

=====◉  ^  ◉=====

Ash and the others managed to get to the front deck of the ship just in time for the lecture. They had asked some of the staff why Professor Olive was giving her lecture out here rather than in the auditorium; they said that the professor preferred a more "open environment." None of them complained, though, as it was still a very lovely day out. They all took their seats as Professor Olive made her way onto the stage.

"Good morning, everyone," she said, speaking into the microphone. "My name is Professor Amanda Olive, and welcome to my introduction to the Medernia Region. It is my hope that all of you not only learn more about my home region but also consider exploring it yourself once we reach our destination.

"As I'm sure you are already well aware at this point, Medernia is a proud nudist region. While there are other regions that allow public nudity, a key example being the Alola Region, Medernia has it baked into its very core. Most, if not all, of the people you meet in Medernia will be naked. There are many reasons for this, one of which is Medernia's tropical climate. Its tropical climate, in addition to being pretty hot, allows many flora and Pokémon to flourish in Medernia, some of which are not found in the rest of the world. These are species that many researchers, including myself, believe may die out if too many artificial elements are introduced. It is for this very reason that we try to strike a balance between nature and the modern world.

"Another reason for our nudity is based on a local legend. It is said that thousands of years ago, when our ancestors first came to Medernia, they were greeted by two Pokémon, one that bore a gleeful smile while the other wore a sorrowful frown. These two Pokémon stood in the way of our ancestors and would not let them pass unless they gave up their clothes, warning them that if they didn't, disaster would befall the region. Once our ancestors stripped down until there was nothing left, the two Pokémon let them pass, warning them that if they ever dressed themselves and didn't live in harmony with the Pokémon of the region, bad things would happen. This story was passed down to everyone living in the region, and they quickly abandoned their clothes.

"Now, many historians have debated whether this story is true or not since we've had visitors from other regions come fully dressed, and nothing happened. Some even argue that the Pokémon in the legend didn't even exist. But regardless of whether it was true or not, the story spread like wildfire in the ancient past, and after centuries of living in the nude, it quickly became the norm for Medernians.

"Another reason for our nudity is tied to an ancient tradition in Medernia, the Pokélympics. A special event where both people and Pokémon work together to perform various feats of strength, agility, speed, stamina, and more. This was originally developed as a way to show the two Pokémon from the legend that they were maintaining harmony, and it requires participants to be naked. 

"It's a tradition that continues on to this very day. In fact, by the time we arrive in Medernia, the Pokélympics season will begin, and for the first time ever, we are allowing trainers from other regions to participate."

This announcement excited her audience, especially among the trainers. This would be the ultimate test of skill for them and their Pokémon. Ash and Pikachu, in particular, had a very excitable look in their eyes.

"I'll give more details on the Pokélympics later for those who are interested once I'm ready to take questions," Olive continued. "But for now, I'm sure you would like to see what kind of Pokémon we have in Medernia?"

The crowd cheered.

"Well, I got three here with me right now!" 

She grabbed three pokéballs from her coat and tossed them in the air, revealing the Pokémon inside. The first was a green calf covered in pine needles instead of fur. The second was a red fawn with yellowish-orange patchwork and two small flames on top of its head. The third was a small blue crab with green eyes drooping down and a massive left claw.

"These are the first partner Pokémon that we give to new trainers in the Medernia Region," Professor Olive explained. She gestured to the green calf. "This here is Pefkow, the Cow Shrub Pokémon. It's a grass-type. They like to roam around the forests and eat all sorts of berries."

The calf responded with a loud moo.

Olive then moved on to the red fawn. "This here is the fire-type, Elafotia, the Tiny Deer Pokémon. They're usually very gentle, but they can still put up one heck of a fight."

The baby deer bleated in response.

Finally, she pointed to the blue crab. "This little guy is called Klavouri, the Fiddler Crab Pokémon. While this water-type Pokémon may be shy, it has a really powerful claw."

This caused the crab to hide behind its claw, making the audience chuckle.

Professor Olive chuckled a bit herself before she turned her attention back to the audience. "These are just a small example of what you'll see in Medernia. I hope this has piqued your curiosity about my home and made you want to explore what else the region has to offer. I'm open to taking any questions you may have."

A bunch of hands shot up at once, Ash's being the most prominent as he and his friends were all sitting in the front row.

"You with the Pikachu," Olive pointed to Ash.

"What sort of events are held at the Pokélympics?" he asked.

"Excellent question," the Medernian Professor smirked. "There are a variety of events, including our own gym challenge, but you need to compete in some of the other events to take them on. These can include racing across a track or body of water, navigating an obstacle course, completing a scavenger hunt, or any other myriad of things. We've even recently added contests to the mix."

Lisia then raised her hand, and Professor Olive gave her the go-ahead. "What does someone do if they aren't very good at one of those things, but still want to compete?"

"Another good question. If you're worried that there is something you're not good at, you can always form a team with other trainers. Your teammates can get points in an event you don't feel comfortable in. That includes the gym challenge; only one person on the team can face the gym leader, and if they win, it counts as the whole team winning."

Max shot his hand up. "How many people can be on a team?"

"You can have up to five members on your team," Olive answered. "Of course, it is possible to be a team of two; a lot of couples like to enter that way."

The next question came from a woman sitting behind the group. She had long, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a slender yet curvaceous figure. "How does one sign up for these games?"

"You can register at any Pokémon center. Nurse Joy will provide a forum for you to sign up to enter either solo or as a team. In fact, the Nurse Joy on this cruise can help you out if you wish to enter."

The same woman shot her hand up again. "Would you say the Pokémon in Medernia are more powerful compared to other Pokémon in the world?"

"Well, I'd certainly like to think so," Olive commented. "But that's something that's dependent on the Pokémon and their trainer, just like any other trainer."

The woman smiled, but also rolled her eyes.

The next hand to come up was from Serena. "What's your question, young lady?"

"Um, if someone was a bit more hesitant to try nudism, how would you recommend they ease into it?" The question had shocked the rest of her friends. Heck, Serena was shocked that she asked that herself. But something in the back of her mind was telling her this was something she needed to know.

"Hmmmmm, that is a tough one," Professor Olive pondered. "I guess it would be small things to start, such as sleeping nude or just being naked around those you trust. If you try that, I'm sure you'll learn to appreciate nudity more."

Professor Olive then proceeded to answer some other questions as Lisia and May turned to their Kalosian Coordinator friend.

"What was that about?" May asked.

"Yeah, I didn't think you'd be interested," Lisia added.

"I don't know," Serena admitted. "I just felt like that was something people should know. I'm sure May and I aren't the only ones hesitant about running around naked."

"You sure this has nothing to do with a certain someone coming out as a nudist?" Lisia whispered.

Serena blushed at the suggestion, but managed to give a clear response. "I admit, Ash admitting he's a nudist has made me more curious than I was initially, but so has meeting Max and Brendan. I don't think I'm willing to take that plunge just yet, but now I'm starting to think it wouldn't hurt to try?"

That last part sounded a little unsure, but the two Hoenn coordinators accepted it all the same.

"Well, we're here for you," May assured her. "No matter what."

Serena smiled. "Thanks, guys.