The group was taking a break by the beach they had come across while traveling. Ash was wiping his badges, ribbons and pokeballs while Lucario was meditating next to him and Fearrow was above them snoozing away on a branch. Charmander was snuggled on the other side napping away his exhaustion while Squirtle and Milotic were playing in the water with Misty's Pokemon. Misty and Jessilina were relax and talking about their families from what Ash could tell and Brock and Jameson were exchanging ideas on Pokemon care. Ash sighed in content getting a rumble from Bulbasaur who joined him after playing with Bonsly and Butterfree.
Ash pat a space beside Charmander, "Hey buddy! Enjoying yourself?"
Bulbasaur nodded, "Saur!"
Ash smiled, "I'm glad to hear that."
They had decided to take a break for today and simply enjoy the cool ocean breeze as it swept over them. It was very refreshing during the hot summer season plus there was the bonus of swimming in the ocean with the Pokemon. Squirtle came over after a while, it seems he had made friends with a very young Krabby who had taken to following the shell Pokemon around. Ash welcomed the little one to have dinner with them and the young crab happily joined them at the prospect of free food. As night fell, it had now become a new routine for Ash to sing Charmander to sleep, the others didn't mind as 'You'll be in my Heart', was a nice song. However a few minutes passed and they were woken up by a song coming from the ocean.
Misty, "Where is that song coming from?"
Ash, "I don't know, it sounds so beautiful."
Jameson, "Look over there by the cliff!"
Brock, "A beam of light? I get it, there must be a lighthouse."
Jessilina, "We can check it out tomorrow."
Ash nodded yawning, "Yeah too sleepy right now."
The Pokemon yawned in response to Ash's comment before the singing came to a stop and they turned in for the night again. The next day they decided to check the beach out and went North towards the place where they saw the light coming from. They walked till late in the afternoon before coming across a large old fashioned lighthouse on top of a cliff. Misty rushed forward hoping there would be beds available for them to sleep on, while it was much easier to sleep outside with the Pokemon around, a bed was just different. By the time they reached the lighthouse however it was already early evening.
Misty, "That was further than I had expected."
Jameson nodded, "Yeah, it's already evening."
Ash, "Look at the engravings, these are Pokemon from the Kanto region."
Brock, "I'll ring the bell."
A voice answered, "Who is it?"
Jessilina, "Hi, we are a few travellers who were hoping to spend the night here."
The voice answered, "Do you know how to cook without tofu?"
Ash, "We can make many dishes that doesn't need tofu."
The voice answered as the door opened, "Come in. I have been dying to eat something that's not tofu for a while. My cook took a break for a week."
Ash sweatdropped, "I see, well we are decent cooks don't worry. May I use your phone?"
Voice, "It's by the door on your right."
Ash, "Thanks!"
Misty, "I'll call my sisters too!"
Brock, "I'm calling my siblings as well."
Red came on screen, "Ash, this is a surprise!"
Ash, "Hey Red just wanted to check up and ask what the verdict was?"
Red, "Well I think it's obvious, he is now forbidden from becoming a trainer and is doing a five year jail time. Yes, I know that's not a long time but unless he undergoes therapy and a ten year volunteer work that too with positive results, he is not coming near any Pokemon."
Ash asked warily, "Volunteer work?"
Red, "At a human hospital or any such centres away from Pokemon."
Ash looked doubtful, "I hope it works and how is Charizard handling it, she was calm back then but... "
Red, "Charizard was pissed, she just didn't want to scare her baby. Lance and I had to hold her and her mate from frying him to a crisp. Although on another note it has now become mandatory for trainers to always check in with the Pokemon centre or with a Professor once a month to register all their Pokemon. No exceptions, speaking of you are not calling from a center are you?"
Ash shook his head, "We are at an old lighthouse. I'm not sure where but it's close to Vermillion city."
Red's eyes lighted up in recognition, "You are at my friend's place then. Bill you there?"
Bill, "Yes, I'm here. I didn't know you were close to each other. Is this the baby cousin you always told me about?"
Adh blushed and mumbled, "Not a baby."
Red chuckled, "Yes, he is. Don't worry Ash you are in good hands. I trust Bill, Daisy does too actually, maybe he can give you tips for the next gym and help with your Pokemon."
Ash, "Really?"
Red, "Really, I have to go now, I will talk to you later alright?"
Ash, "Okay, Good night Red!"
Ash turned to Bill only to do a double take, "I didn't know there was a large Kabuto alive."
The Kabuto, "No, no I'm Bill and I'm stuck in a costume."
Jessilina started to giggle, "How did you even get one of those?"
Bill huffed, "I was trying to understand how Pokemon live in their habitats by dressing like one then I realized I was stuck like this."
Ash ran up to Bill with Lucario and Charmander behind him, "How do you open it?"
Bill, "There's a button on top, you push that button to open the costume."
Ash, "I can't reach, I know, Charmander bud, help us. Push that button."
Lucario picked Charmender up and he clicked the button, "Char!"
Bill came out of the costume stretching his hands and back, "Finally, I'm out of that thing, I have been inside it for hours. Thank you for helping me out Ash."
Ash grinned, "No problem, although I'm telling Daisy about this."
Bill, "Hey, don't go snitching to my girlfriend about this. It's embarrassing enough already."
Misty joined them after talking to her sisters, "Girlfriend? Daisy?"
Ash grinned, "Gary's older sister and this here is her boyfriend hopefully future husband Bill."
Bill ruffled Ash's hair, "You sure have a lot of confidence in me."
Ash, "Red trusts you and that's enough for me."
Jameson, "The Champion himself trusts you, what else do you need?"
Bill gave a wry smile, "Approval from her brother apparently."
Brock joined them after saying goodbye to his father, their relationship was still shaky but it was getting better, "So where is the kitchen?"
Bill, "This way, I'll show you."
Bill lead them to the kitchen as he told them about his research and how he worked together with Professor Oak on the pokeball teleportation system. Ash and the others were impressed by the large lighthouse and the research Bill was currently working on. The Pokemon looked around curiously and sniffed around the light house and the kitchen not minding the place. Ash decided to ask the question on everyone's mind as they entered the large kitchen.
Ash, "Hey Bill last night when we were camping by the beach we heard a song coming from the sea. Did you hear it too?"
Bill, "You guys heard the song too? It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Jessilina, "Too? You know about the song?"
Bill nodded, "Yes, they are a friend of mine, well I'm trying to become their friend, they only come at night to sing around midnight."
Lucario, -Ask him if he knows what Pokemon it is.-
Ash, "Which Pokemon is it?"
Bill blinked, "Ah Red told me you had an aura bond with Lucario allowing you to communicate with each other with aura speak. As for your question, I'm not sure, they always come covered in fog, most nights I'm lucky enough to catch an outline."
Jameson, "I'm curious now, do you think we could meet them too?"
Bill, "Well I'm hoping they will visit tonight and if they do... you may meet them."
Ash, "Great till then I will start working on the dessert while Brock and the others tackle dinner."
Bill smiled as he watched the group work together and prepare dinner, he would help but he was no good in the kitchen. New tech, mysteries, he can solve them happily but ask him to cook and he is worse than a newbie starting out on their journey. The dinner was a combination of freshly baked bread and curry with roasted steak and vegetables, dessert were six different types of cake, from vanilla to berries, milkshake consisted of different berries and fruits. There were enough food for everyone to eat and save for the next day, Ash sweatdropped a bit realizing they may have gone a bit overboard.
Bill laughed, "Don't worry Ash this will tide me over till my cook returns, I will not have to eat tofu anymore."
Ash snorted before following him to the dining hall where they released all of their Pokemon, "If you say so."
Bill grinned, "I must say Ash I'm impressed, you and your friends have quite a variety of Pokemon among you. On top of that you have all three of Kanto starters, a dream come true for any trainer ever since Red battled with them to win his Championship."
The group settled to eat but before Ash could speak Charmander walked up to him holding his plate. Ash smiled before picking him up and starting to feed him as he told Bulbasaur and Squirtle's backstory. Bill frowned hearing about how they were abandoned and commented that he was glad he had voted for trainers signing in with Nurse Joy once every month along with their Pokemon. It would help them keep track of the Pokemon as well as the reason they were released and in what condition as the pokeball kept a file log on the Pokemon it held.
Jameson nodded in agreement, "I have only left my Wheezing behind and that too because he found a mate. But I didn't release him as I didn't want some upstart trainer or poacher catching him. Instead I caught both him and his mate."
Jessilina sighed, "Same with my Arbok and her mate. I miss her so much."
Bill, "That's not a bad idea. It would protect them from being targeted by trainers at least."
Ash, "And if anyone hurts the Pokemon badly we can get a notification from the pokeball."
Misty, "Beauty of technology."
Brock, "Indeed!"
Bill looked at Ash, "You look like a mother feeding Charmander like that."
Ash blushed but smiled, "Thanks!"
Lucario grinned, -Best Meema in the world.-
Misty, "Keep your hair open and long no one will even doubt you are a girl."
Ash, "Let's not go too far."
Jessilina snickered, "We'll have to pray big brother doesn't try to maime the boys who end up crushing on Ash."
Misty sweatdropped remembering how overprotective Red acted back at Mt Moon, "Uh yeah, good point. Well I'm done eating. Dessert?"
Ash put Charmander down, "Cooling on the pantry, I'll help you."
Brock, "Me too, you made three large cakes."
Ash, "It's for everyone."
The Pokemon looked in anticipation as Ash cut their share for them. Lucario mostly loved the Chesto berry cake a lot, even Seviper enjoyed the strawberry cake and he was one picky eater. Jessilina had taken to trying to remake the cake but still couldn't get it quite right, she'll get there at one point. Bill after dessert commented on Charmander's clinginess making Ash sigh, he was going to book a meet with Surge for that reason. Bill nodded at that as he helped them clean up the dirty dishes and table, while it was cute when Pokemon cling to you, it could be harmful for the Pokemon in the long run. They could develop separation anxiety and become dangerously protective and possessive over their trainer.
Ash, "That's not their fault."
Bill, "No it's not, you are already helping him by healing the wounds Damien left physically now for mental health do not be afraid to ask for help."
Ash, "It's why I plan on staying in Vermillion for a bit, I need to learn how to heal Charmander's heart. I don't really know what to do besides help him sleep and make sure he eats."
Misty, "I'm sure you can do it Ash, besides we are here to help."
Jessilina and Jameson nodded as Brock answered, "You can count on us, Ash."
Lucario poked Charmender, -See, he cares about you, you are not a burden. Do not even think for a second that you are.-
Charmander rubbed his head before rushing to hug Ash, Ash who had just finished scrubbing bent down to hug him, "What's wrong bud?"
Charmander shook his head, "Chaaaar!"
Bill, "Now come it's almost midnight. I'll introduce you to my friend."
They followed Bill to the top of the lighthouse as he waited for the clock to hit midnight before he put the light on and played a recording of the song. A minute after midnight and answering song came from the ocean as a huge figure loomed over them singing.
Lucario used his aura sight, -That's a Dragonite!-
Ash, "A King gene Dragonite."
Bill, "Are you sure?"
Ash nodded, "I trust Lucario. Try using your aura to talk to him bud."
Charmander watched the big Pokemon as it sang it's song in answer, they left two large eggs with them that night before disappearing. Lucario informed them the Dragonite was old, very old in fact and wished to move on but not before finding a safe place for her two youngest. Bill closed his eyes before turning to the eggs and making a promise to care for them, they were bigger then normal eggs and he feared for what will happen if the wrong person found out. Ash and the others promised to keep it a secret understanding the need, they left the next day after taking Bill's personal number so they could keep in contact. Ash reminded himself to get a pokenav in Vermillion city and save their numbers.