At the docks of Vermilion City, Chloe hurriedly approached Ash, calling out, "Yamper, don't run off on your own!"
She finally caught up, stopping to take a deep breath and calm herself. Seeing her state, Ash asked, "Are you okay?"
Still catching her breath, Chloe managed to reply, "I'm fine."
Ash sat down and picked up Yamper, who had been circling around him alongside Pikachu. Turning to Chloe, he handed her the Pokémon, saying, "Here you go."
Chloe blinked in surprise. "Whoa… How can you pick up Yamper?"
Ash raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Yamper usually shocks any stranger who tries to touch him," Chloe explained.
"Oh," Ash said simply, glancing at the electric-type Pokémon in his arms.
Just as Chloe reached out to take Yamper back, the Pokémon twitched in Ash's hands. Before she could grab him, Yamper leaped out, landing near Pikachu. The two electric-types immediately started playing together.
"Yamper!" Chloe called, but before she could say more, Ash interrupted, "Leave them be. Maybe he just wants to play with another Electric-type."
Chloe sighed, then smiled. "I guess so."
She then turned to Ash. "Are you okay with this? you seem to heading somewhere? "
Ash shrugged. "It's fine."
Half an hour had passed as Ash and Chloe sat on a bench at the docks of Vermilion City. The salty sea breeze drifted through the air, the gentle sound of waves lapping against the wooden pier filling the silence between them.
Nearby, Pikachu and Yamper played together, their cheerful movements a stark contrast to the quiet atmosphere between their trainers.
Chloe stole occasional glances at Ash, who was completely absorbed in his Arc Dex. The lack of conversation made her feel awkward, and after hesitating for a moment, she finally decided to break the silence.
"Hey," she called, hoping to get his attention.
Ash turned his head slightly, tilting it in curiosity. "What is it?"
Chloe shifted in her seat before asking, "I was wondering… what's that device you're using?"
Ash held up his Arc Dex, showing it to her. "This?"
Chloe nodded. "Yeah."
"It's my Pokédex," Ash explained simply.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Wait… so you're a Pokémon Trainer?"
"Yeah," Ash confirmed with a slight nod.
Silence fell between them once again. Chloe fidgeted with the notebook in her hands, feeling the awkwardness creep back in. This is getting uncomfortable… she thought.
Before she could think of something else to say, Ash suddenly spoke. "Why do you have that notebook?" he asked, glancing at the book she had been holding.
"Oh, this?" Chloe looked down at it before responding. "It's for a school project. I'm writing a report on Pokémon."
"A school project, huh?" Ash mused. "Are you working on it alone?"
"Not originally," she replied. "I was supposed to do it with a friend, but he… left."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"He said he saw a Mew, and before I could stop him… he just ran off," Chloe sighed.
Ash blinked. "A Mew, huh?" He briefly closed his eyes, reaching out with his Aura to sense any presence nearby. Finding nothing, he smirked slightly, guessing that Mew was probably off somewhere, having fun pranking someone.
"So, you're working on this project alone now?" he asked, bringing his attention back to Chloe.
She nodded.
"Do you want me to help?" Ash offered.
Chloe looked at him, surprised by the offer. She considered it for a moment before nodding. "Okay."
With that, Ash stood up. As soon as he did, Pikachu perked up and dashed toward him, quickly climbing onto his shoulder.
"Did you have fun, buddy?" Ash asked with a small smile.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu chirped happily, rubbing his cheek against Ash's affectionately.
Ash then turned to Chloe. "Come on, follow me."
Chloe picked up Yamper and followed after him, her curiosity piqued about what Ash had in mind.
Soon, they arrived near the sea. Chloe glanced around, wondering where Ash was leading her. Curiosity turned into confusion as she finally spoke up.
"Hey," she called out.
Ash turned around. "Yes?"
"Where exactly are we going?" Chloe asked, gripping her notebook a little tighter.
Ash smiled slightly. "Oh, we're heading to Dragonite Island."
Chloe froze. "What?! Dragonite Island? Do you even know how to get there?" she asked in shock.
"Yeah," Ash replied casually. Then, as if anticipating her reaction, he added, "Just don't panic about what's going to happen next."
Chloe frowned. "What do you mea—"
Before she could finish, she suddenly felt her body lifting off the ground. Yamper, too, began floating beside her. Panic set in immediately as she flailed slightly, her instincts screaming that something was very, very wrong.
Just as she was about to shout, Ash's calm voice cut through her panic.
"Take a deep breath," he instructed.
Chloe hesitated but followed his advice, inhaling shakily. As she did, she realized that they weren't just floating—they were moving, gently gliding over the sea.
Her heart was still pounding, but as she looked toward Ash, she saw how composed he was. How is he so calm about this? she wondered.
With no other choice, she held Yamper tightly and let the mysterious force guide them forward, toward Dragonite Island.
After a few minutes of flying, they approached an island. Chloe, who had finally calmed down and even started enjoying the breathtaking view from the air, turned to Ash.
"So, this is Dragonite Island?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
Ash, still focused on his Arc Dex, nodded. "Yeah."
As they descended toward the island, the landscape came into view—lush greenery, open skies, and, most notably, dozens of Dragonite scattered across the area. Some were playing near a waterfall, while others were resting peacefully under the trees.
"Wow," Chloe breathed in amazement. "There are so many Dragonite!"
Her awe, however, quickly turned into nervousness as every single Dragonite suddenly stopped what they were doing and turned to look at them. Their large, watchful eyes focused intently on the newcomers.
Chloe stiffened. "Uh… , I don't think they want us here," she whispered, inching closer to him.
Ash placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Dragonite are peaceful Pokémon. They won't attack unless they're provoked."
True to his words, after a few moments, the Dragonite lost interest and returned to their activities.
Chloe let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "That was nerve-wracking…"
Ash, unfazed, continued walking.
"So, why are you here anyway?" Chloe asked as she followed him.
"Oh, I'm here to catch one," Ash said casually.
Chloe stopped in her tracks. "Wait—WHAT? Are you crazy?!" she exclaimed. "If you attack them, they'll definitely retaliate!"
Ash chuckled. "Relax, I'm not going to attack them." Then, as if brushing the topic aside, he changed the subject. "Anyway, shouldn't you be working on your project?"
Chloe crossed her arms. "No way! I'm not going alone," she said immediately.
Ash smirked. "Then, follow me."
Without hesitation, she nodded and walked beside him as they wandered deeper into the island.
As they moved through the island, Chloe focused on writing about Dragonite for her project. Ash helped her by sharing information he knew, occasionally pointing out interesting behaviors among the Dragonite.
After a few hours of wandering and observing, Chloe finally finished her project. She wrote down the final sentence before turning to Ash with a grateful smile.
"Thank you for helping me," she said sincerely.
Ash waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it."
Chloe stood up, dusting herself off. "So… which Dragonite are you planning to catch?" she asked curiously.
Ash glanced around the island. "Oh, about that… I'm still looking."
Hearing this, Chloe frowned slightly. "I'm sorry," she said softly.
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Sorry? For what?"
"You helped me with my project, but I can't do anything to help you with your goal," Chloe admitted, looking a bit down. Even Yamper, who was in her arms, lowered his head with a small whimper.
Ash chuckled lightly. "Don't worry about it. I was the one who offered to help with your project."
Chloe hesitated for a moment before nodding. His reassurance made her feel a little better, and with that, they continued wandering through the island.
After searching for some time, Ash and Chloe arrived near a small pond. The area was filled with Dratini, their sleek bodies shimmering under the sunlight as they gracefully moved through the water.
However, Ash's attention was drawn to a particular Dratini—one that was separated from the group. Unlike the others, this Dratini was focused on something specific, repeatedly moving in a rhythmic motion. Observing closely, Ash realized that it was trying to learn Rain Dance.
Seeing Ash stop and fix his gaze on the lone Dratini, Chloe asked curiously, "Do you want to catch that one?"
Ash nodded. "Yeah."
Without hesitation, he started walking toward the Dratini. The Pokémon was so immersed in its training that it hadn't noticed them at first. But as Ash's footsteps approached, the sound broke its concentration. Startled, the Dratini turned its head, its eyes widening as it noticed the two humans coming closer.
Its first instinct was to dive into the water and escape, but it hesitated as Ash stopped a few steps away. Instead of showing hostility or fear, Ash simply smiled and said, "So, you were trying to learn Rain Dance?"
Dratini blinked in confusion. "Dra… tini?"
Seeing its reaction, Ash chuckled. "How about I teach you?"
The small dragon Pokémon tilted its head, still unsure but curious. After a brief moment, it gave a hesitant nod.
Seeing this, Ash's smile widened.