The morning sun streamed through the gaps in the curtains, and Pikachu's tail gently tapped Ash's cheek. "Ash, wake up!" it chirped, with a hint of impatience.
Ash groggily opened his eyes and reached out to rub Pikachu's head. "Alright, alright, I'm up." He yawned and sat up in bed.
Outside the window, the calls of Wingull and the sound of waves crashing against the shore reminded him that he was currently in the famous seaside resort city, Porta Vista.
"Today I can finally relax properly!" Ash stretched, quickly washed up, placed Pikachu on his shoulder, and picked up his other Poké Balls from the bedside. "Let's go see if Xiao You is awake yet."
The lobby of the Pokémon Center was already bustling with trainers. As Ash reached the staircase, he saw a familiar figure standing in front of the display board in the lobby.
"Xiao You!" Ash waved and called out, quickly descending the stairs.
The girl in the light blue dress turned around, her Bulbasaur lounging at her feet, basking in the sun. "Good morning, Ash. How did you sleep?"
"Not bad!" Ash said with a smile. "Pikachu woke me up extra early today."
Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and ran over to Bulbasaur. The two Pokémon touched noses, seemingly exchanging morning greetings.
"Where's Brock?" Xiao You asked, looking around.
Ash shrugged: "He must have gone off to flirt with older ladies again. He said last night he was going to wake up early today to go to the beach to 'gather intelligence.'" He made air quotes, which made Xiao You cover her mouth and giggle.
"Then shall we go out and play, just the two of us?" Xiao You suggested. "I checked the travel guide, and Porta Vista has a lot of fun places."
"That's great!" Ash said excitedly. "I've always wanted to see this legendary resort. I heard the beaches here are among the most beautiful in the world!"
The two decided to have breakfast before heading out. The Pokémon Center's restaurant offered a buffet, and Ash piled his plate high with food, causing Xiao You to shake her head.
"If you eat so much, you'll get cramps when you swim later," she warned.
"Don't worry!" Ash said, his mouth full of food, "I'm going to be a Pokémon Master, what's a little food?"
Pikachu nibbled on special Pokémon cookies nearby, while Bulbasaur enjoyed a fresh leaf salad. Xiao You watched them, her eyes full of tenderness.
After breakfast, the two walked out of the Pokémon Center. The streets of Porta Vista were already lively, with various shops and stalls opening for business, and the air was filled with the salty scent of the sea and the aroma of food.
"Wow!" Ash took a deep breath. "This is what a vacation feels like!"
Xiao You took out a tourist map: "Where should we go first? The Marine Pokémon Exhibition Hall or the Water Park?"
"Hmm..." Ash pondered, suddenly drawn to a stall by the roadside. "Wait, what's that?"
It was a stall selling local specialty snacks, and the vendor was making a blue, spherical food item.
"This is Porta Vista's specialty 'Sea Orb Jelly,'" the vendor enthusiastically introduced. "It's made from local seaweed and berries and is very popular with tourists!"
"We'll take two!" Ash said without hesitation, pulling out his wallet.
Xiao You was a bit hesitant: "The color looks so strange..."
"Adventure is about trying new things!" Ash had already taken the jelly and taken a big bite. "Mmm... so sweet! But it has a taste of the sea..."
Xiao You carefully took a bite, and her eyes lit up: "It's surprisingly delicious!"
The two ate their jelly as they strolled along the seaside boulevard. There were many street performers, trainers showcasing Pokémon tricks, and artists creating Pokémon sculptures out of sand.
"Look at that!" Ash pointed to a giant sand sculpture, a lifelike Kyogre.
"Amazing..." Xiao You exclaimed. "Shall we go build sandcastles on the beach this afternoon?"
"Sure! But before that..." Ash's eyes were drawn to something else. "Let's go check out that exhibition hall!"
It was a building shaped like a giant seashell, with a sign at the entrance that read "Marine Pokémon Ecosystem Exhibition Hall."
The exhibition hall was cool and comfortable, simulating various marine environments. The first exhibit was a coral reef ecosystem, with various Water-type Pokémon swimming in giant aquariums.
"Wow! It's Corsola!" Xiao You excitedly pressed against the glass. "They're even prettier than they look in the Pokédex!"
Ash, meanwhile, was captivated by a group of Tentacool: "Look at how they swim, so graceful..."
Pikachu and Bulbasaur were also mesmerized, especially when a school of Chinchou swam by, their light spots twinkling in the tank like a beautiful starry sky.
"There's a touch pool here too!" Xiao You discovered a shallow pool where they could gently touch some mild Water-type Pokémon.
Ash knelt down and let a Seel rub against his hand: "Such smooth skin!"
Xiao You carefully let a Clamperl open its shell in her palm, revealing the shimmering pearl inside. "It's so magical..." she whispered.
It was noon after visiting the exhibition hall, and the two decided to find a place for lunch. They chose an open-air restaurant where they could enjoy the sea view while dining.
"The seafood pizza here is famous," Xiao You said, looking at the menu. "Want to try it?"
"Of course!" Ash nodded. "I want the biggest one!"
While waiting for their food, Ash released his other Pokémon, letting them enjoy the sea breeze and sunshine. Charmeleon sneezed as soon as it came out, clearly not used to the humid air by the sea.
"Charmeleon, are you okay?" Ash asked with concern.
Charmeleon shook its head and puffed out a small flame to indicate it was fine. Wartortle excitedly dashed towards the ornamental pond at the edge of the restaurant and splashed in with a plop.
"Wartortle!" Ash called out. "Don't cause trouble for them!"
The restaurant's waiter, however, smiled and said, "It's alright, we welcome Pokémon to use this pond."
Bulbasaur walked into the sunlight, and the seed on its back began to glow faintly, seemingly absorbing the sun's energy. Metang floated in the air, curiously observing its surroundings, while Pidgeotto landed on a nearby railing, preening its feathers.
"Your Pokémon all have a lot of personality," a staff member said with a smile.
"They are all my best partners!" Ash said proudly.
The staff member looked at Xiao You's Bulbasaur: "By the way, your Bulbasaur also looks very healthy."
Xiao You gently stroked Bulbasaur's head: "It's my first partner, and we've been working hard to get stronger."
After lunch, the two decided to head to the famous Porta Vista Beach. The golden sand glittered in the sun, waves gently lapped the shore, and in the distance, they could see people swimming and Surfing.
"This is great!" Ash took off his shoes and walked barefoot on the warm sand. "Let's go swimming!"
"Wait," Xiao You stopped him. "Put on sunscreen first, or you'll get sunburned."
Ash made a face: "I don't need that stuff!"
"You'll regret it," Xiao You insisted. "The sun here is especially strong."
At Xiao You's insistence, Ash reluctantly applied sunscreen. They found a spot to put down their backpacks, and Ash eagerly rushed into the waves.
"Pikachu, let's race to swim!" he called out.
"Pika! (Alright!)" Pikachu excitedly followed, but as soon as it touched the seawater, it jumped back. "Pikachu!" It clearly didn't like the salty water.
Ash laughed: "You'd better stay on the beach!"
Xiao You, meanwhile, played with Bulbasaur in the shallow water. Bulbasaur was initially a bit afraid of the water but quickly adapted, even learning to propel itself across the surface with Vine Whip.
"Look at my Bulbasaur!" Xiao You proudly shouted. "It invented a new way to move!"
Ash swam back, looking surprised: "Wow! That's so smart!"
They played in the water for a long time, until they were both tired, and then returned to the beach to rest. Ash lay on the sand, letting Wartortle cool him down with a small Water Gun, while Charmeleon dried its wet skin nearby.
"Let's build a sandcastle," Xiao You suggested. "Let's see who builds a better one!"
"You're going to lose!" Ash said confidently.
The two began to seriously build sandcastles. Ash tried to construct a huge castle, but the sand kept collapsing; Xiao You took a more cautious approach, building a small, exquisite palace.
"That's not fair!" Ash complained, looking at Xiao You's perfect creation. "You must have some secret!"
Xiao You smiled mysteriously: "To build sandcastles on the beach, you need to use wet sand and compact it layer by layer."
Just as they were playing, Pikachu suddenly perked up its ears, looking warily towards the distant reef area. "Pika? (What's that?)"
"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Ash asked.
Pikachu pointed towards the reef, and Ash and Xiao You walked over to investigate. Behind a rock, they found an injured Horsea.
"It's hurt!" Xiao You immediately knelt down to examine it. "It looks like it was scratched by the reef."
Ash took out a Poké Ball: "Let's take it back to the Pokémon Center."
Xiao You nodded and gently picked up Horsea: "Don't be scared, we'll help you."
On the way back to the Pokémon Center, the two discussed Horsea's injuries.
"Nurse Joy will definitely be able to heal it," Ash said. "Then we can release it back into the ocean."
"You really care about Pokémon," Xiao You said with a smile. "No wonder your Pokémon trust you so much."
Ash scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "They're my partners, after all. By the way, your Bulbasaur has also made great progress. I remember last time we met, it wasn't very good at controlling Vine Whip."
"We've been training," Xiao You said, stroking Bulbasaur's head. "Although we don't participate in official battles as often as you do, we also have our own goals."
"What goal?" Ash asked curiously.
Xiao You looked into the distance: "I want to become a Pokémon Breeder and help Pokémon grow up healthy. Seeing them happy makes me happy."
"That's awesome!" Ash said sincerely. "You can definitely do it!"
Back at the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy immediately took over Horsea's treatment. The two sat in the lobby waiting, sharing their experiences of the day.
"Today was so much fun," Xiao You said. "Thank you for spending time with me."
"I should be thanking you," Ash laughed. "If it weren't for you, I might have just run around aimlessly and missed a lot of interesting things."
Just then, Brock pushed open the door, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Brock!" Ash called out. "Where have you been all day?"
"Oh, just exchanging some Pokémon care knowledge with some beautiful ladies," Brock said, feigning seriousness, but the blush on his face betrayed him.
Xiao You couldn't help but laugh: "It seems you've gathered quite a bit of 'intelligence.'"
The three had dinner together, sharing their individual experiences. After hearing about Horsea, Brock also went to the treatment room to visit it.
"It should be fully recovered by tomorrow morning," Nurse Joy told them. "You are truly kind trainers."
Before returning to their respective rooms, Ash said to Xiao You: "Shall we release Horsea together tomorrow?"
Xiao You smiled and nodded: "Okay, and then we can also visit the lighthouse. I heard the view there is beautiful."
"It's settled then!" Ash said excitedly. "Goodnight, Xiao You."
"Goodnight, Ash."
Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, and the two entered their room, ending a fulfilling and enjoyable day. Outside the window, the sound of waves gently lapped the shore, like nature's lullaby, foreshadowing another beautiful day tomorrow.