Pokemon Journeys: Masters 8 Tournament

Chapter 16 - Calm before the Storm

A/N: Just a wild thought: if Leon can have a legendary/mythical/Ultra Beast, what would you give him? Eternatus? Urshifu? Or something else?

And if Ash can own a legendary/mythical/Ultra Beast, what would you give him? Solgaleo? Latias? Or something else?

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It was such a relaxing day for Ash to travel around Galar with his friends. Most of Galar was repaired after what happened in the quarterfinals, making this traveling journey a decently good one. It reminded Ash of his time traveling with them in their respective regions.

They went on rides and ate a lot of good food. The girls went shopping for new clothes and shoes, while the boys enjoyed their time in the café without the annoying girls. They were so glad that the ladies didn't force the gentlemen to shop with them, or it would be such a drag.

"So how is it going? Between you and Serena?" Brock suddenly asked Ash in front of all the other boys while the girls were shopping. He finally finished with the surgery on Alain's Charizard and Bisharp, so he quickly went to meet up with Ash and his friends in Hammerlock.

Ash spit all the coffee in his mouth onto Brock's shirt, "Can I just answer the first question?"

"No," Brock OPENED his eyes for the first time in his entire life. The background turned into fire and his eyes turned into fire, "You get the girl when you didn't even try, I got rejected every time I try. That doesn't seem fair. Tell me. How did you do that?"

"She...she wanted to come with me to Kanto," Ash continued, "Of course I let her. I am alone after all."

"So she is your girlfriend now I suppose?" Cilan smirked.

"Wait a second. Don't be too fast Cilan," Ash scratched his head, not denying that she was more than just a good friend, "Why do you assume that already?"

"Because she confessed to you?" Kiawe suggested, "In front of the world, and especially you?"

"Do you count that as a confession?" Sophocles referred to the time when Serena screamed at Ash to wake him up during the quarterfinals, "I thought she was just there to cheer him up."

Gladion facepalmed at the chubby kid and whispered, "You are so clueless..."

Ash answered, "I mean...after talking to my mum, and looking back, I think...she does love me."

Sawyer's eyes turned into stars, "Ash-senpai you are having a relationship before me? Tell me! How did you attract Serena? I have to jot all that down in my notebook!"

Paul looked at Sawyer, "That's not something you should jot down. Maybe you can record Ash's strategies, but for love-related stuff, I'd say you want to avoid taking notes from the dense Champion."

Ash looked at his cup of coffee, thinking about her, "But I am not sure if I am ready. I...I want to decide after the tournament is done. I don't want to screw this up because of a relationship."

"Fair point. So do you decide to confess to her after you win the finals?" Cilan pushed.

"Don't be so pushy, Cilan," Clemont sweatdropped, "Ash can choose whoever he wants to date. It doesn't have to be Serena, and it doesn't have to be now."

"Clemont you are dense as a rock!" Brock argued, "Even I can tell he is best suited with Serena."

Clemont sighed. From his traveling with Bonnie, Ash, and Serena, he always noticed that Serena was the one who had feelings for Ash. But he also noticed that Ash was not returning the feeling. He guessed that Ash wasn't into Serena, contrary to how the boys think.