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On the way to Saffron City, Ash and his group decided to rest in a small town to help Brock regain his spirits. But why did Brock need cheering up?
"Ash, why didn't I catch a Butterfree? This would've been the perfect chance to bond with beautiful ladies using a Butterfree!"
"Uh… aren't you a Rock-type specialist?"
"But I've already seen so many gorgeous older sisters releasing Butterfrees today!"
Seeing Brock's worsening mood, Ash sighed. "Just let it go…"
"This is your fault!" Brock yelled angrily. "Don't you know my constant heartbreak is because of you? First Elesa! Then Cynthia! Even Lilith…! I don't even know how to process that! How many fiancées do you even have?!"
Ash patted his shoulder with a smirk. "I'm the villain here, so I get to have a harem. Besides, I can afford it."
"WAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
As Brock ran off crying, Ash figured he'd done enough "comforting." Though he had to admit, rescuing a swarm of Butterfree earlier — including a rare Shiny one — was impressive. So far, the only Shinies he'd seen were that pink Butterfree and Steven's Shiny Metagross.
That night, just as Ash was about to have a meaningful conversation with Elesa, her communicator beeped. She gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, a friend just arrived. I need to pick her up. I'm not sure why she's here, but I can't leave her waiting."
"Elesa… you're gonna leave me hanging like this?!" Ash groaned, frustration evident.
"Sorry, sweetie. Let me... help you settle down first."
Grumpily, Ash followed Elesa to meet Lusamine, whose gaze immediately locked onto him. Lillie and Gladion trailed behind, eyeing the man their mother had called "Dad."
At the Huaxia Restaurant, Brock nearly malfunctioned upon seeing Lusamine, but the Buff Squad swiftly restrained him and dragged him off to their Muscle Paradise.
Meanwhile, Ash fumed in the kitchen.
"Who does she think she is? If not for Elesa, I'd dump juice on her face!"
The trembling chefs watched their boss angrily chop ingredients.
"Wants to taste my cooking, huh? Fine. Let's give her a meal she'll never forget."
With a sinister grin, Ash dumped an alarming amount of spices into the dishes.
"Heh. Hope she enjoys this 'anorexia-special' hyper-concentrated flavor. HAHAHA!!!"
After composing himself, Ash served three plates. Lusamine's kids didn't deserve punishment.
"Dinner's ready. Eat while it's hot."
"Thank you." *3
Lillie smiled blissfully. Gladion savored each bite. But Lusamine... cried while devouring hers.
"What kind of taste buds do you have?! That was pure napalm!!!" Ash blurted, ignoring Elesa's warning glare.
Finishing her meal, Lusamine tearfully whispered, "It's you… it's really you... [Name]!"
Ash froze, then shielded Elesa, Misty, and Yellow behind him, combat-ready.
"Who are you?! Wait… if she ate that poison… no way..."
As realization struck, Lusamine lunged into his arms, sobbing. "I finally found you!"
"Well… I'm Ash now," he said awkwardly.
"You mean… you also…"
"Yeah. After you died, I… didn't last long."
"I'm sorry! It's all my fault—!"
"It was my choice," Ash said softly, patting her back.
"Mind explaining, Ash?" Elesa asked, utterly lost.
In a private room, Ash revealed his past life with Lusamine — her previous self had been his lover, who'd died young from illness. His medical knowledge? All from battling her anorexia.
"So you… died after her? Like a tragic romance?" Elesa mused, unfazed (Lilith had prepped her for weirdness).
"More like exhaustion. I barely slept those final days, taking her everywhere."
Lusamine clung to his arm, guilt-stricken. "I'm so sorry…"
"Enough. Right now…" Ash glanced at Lillie and Gladion. "…I'll do my best as their dad."
The siblings exchanged glances. Their adoptive mother's past lover… was now their father?
Misty dabbed tears. "Such a beautiful love story…"
Elesa hugged Ash's other arm. "You stayed loyal till death. Glad I picked you."
Lusamine smiled, unbothered. Ash had literally worked himself to death for her once — she owed him everything. "He's a treasure. Cherish him."
Leaning against Ash, she sighed contentedly. Lillie and Gladion stayed silent, watching their mother's first genuine smile in years.
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