Kanto - Indigo Plateau

Gary walked up to Ash, "Who's the pretty girl you were talking to right now, Ashy boy? Did you get a girlfriend?"

Ash thought he heard a bit of jealousy there but decided it was just his imagination, "That was actually my opponent. She was interested in teaching her Pokemon more healing moves."

Gary, "I see! Ooof!"

Misty hit Gary's back, "Relax would ya?"

Ash raised his eyebrow, "Am I missing something?"

Ritchie snorted from behind, "Not really, you are not!"

Ash, "How was your battle?"

Gary scowled, "I lost to Jessilina."

Misty blinked, "What!"

Ritchie, "I knew she was tough, but dude!"

Ash, "I'm not surprised, Jess is a three time consecutive winner of Pokemon Grand Festival in Sinnoh, Hoenn and Jhoto before she disappeared. I bet she'll be our strongest opponent in the League."

Ash, 'Not to forget her complicated relation with Team Rocket. I just hope it doesn't blow up on all our faces.'

Jessilina, "Why thank you for the compliment! But don't be down Gary. You were very close to winning. We won thanks to experience and well."

Gary, "I know... But it stings though. I have only lost to my Gramps, Daisy, Blue, Red and Ash... well Ash and I have fifty fifty sort of score and now you."

Misty, "I can't wait to battle you Jess! It'll be fun."

Jessilina laughed ruffling her hair getting a squeak from the orangette. The two Sevipers who had done talking or rather hissing joined their trainers. Gary's Seviper nuzzled against him and Gary smiled patting his head. Ash found out later that Gary had lost because Seviper had lost it's temper while facing Jessilina's Seviper. Ash gave a sympathetic look at Gary, he had to deal with Togekiss's desire to prove himself a lot. Even now they struggle with Togekiss's lack of confidence from time to time. Just last night he had to calm the Fairy type down, reminding him he had won a Championship and is a Champion Pokemon. If Ash could he would go back and give Anne a bitch slap, she has no right to call herself a trainer. Thankfully Diamond would make sure she never gets near another Pokemon ever again.

Lucario placed his dinner plate down, -Food for thought Meema?-

Ash, "Just thinking, Pokemon deserve good trainers, but not all trainers deserve Pokemon."

Banette, "Nette!"

Gengar, "Geng."

Ash smiled, "Here's your plate. I know as ghost you mostly prefer moonlight energy and absorbing high emotions. But it's always good to have full stomach. Especially if you want to be out and about during daylight instead of resting."

Phantump, "Phantump phan!"

Lucario, -Don't worry one month after the League is over, you will be turning one year old.-

Ash rubbed Phantump's head, "And you can join us during training and battle officially and legally."

Phantump pouted at the thought of waiting for one more month while Lapras and Tyrunt grunted at him. They had to wait six more months according to Nurse Joy who kept an eye on their growth. Ash laughed as he cuddled them close and looked at the side where the others were. They had decided to have an open barbeque to celebrate how far they had come. They would be having a ball the next day and Ash wondered who to take with him before he noticed Misty approaching Chloe and got an idea.

Ash, "Gou!"

Gou looked up, "Yeah?"

Ash, "Wanna be my plus one for the ball?"

Gou blinked, "Sure, but are you sure?"

Ash, "Yep! It'll be better than wasting your money to get a pass, right?"

Gou, "That's true! I thought you would invite your mom."

Ash, "I was planning but she told me about this ball back in Pallet and already got a pass for herself and my aunt."

Gary, "What! Who am I supposed to invite then?"

Ritchie, "I think I'll invite my little cousin. She always wanted to dress up like a Princess and go to a ball. You could invite one of our other friends who are in Kanto Gary."

Gary grumbled before getting an idea, "Hey Jess! Mind if I take Tomo as my plus one. I really don't want to take any fangirl or boy with me."

Jessilina who was wiping sauce from Tomo's mouth smiled, "What do you think Tomo?"

Tomo, "I don't mind... Will Arcanine be there?"

Gary grinned, "Sure kiddo! We can show off both our Growlithe and Arcanine. Right buddy?"

Arcanine, "Arf!"

Growlithe agreed, "Grow!"

Jameson, "Thank you. I was honestly reluctant to leave him alone for too long and League balls can start around noon and last late past midnight."

Trisha, "So what are we gonna wear?"

Tally, "We need dresses, well we already have prepared dresses. But what about you all."

Berk, "I hate suits though."

Paul who had been dragged to the barbeque with promise of good food, "My brother and sister in law got a dress suit for me."

Ash, "My mom did too."

Ritchie, "Same!"

Gou, "Same!"

Misty, "My sisters sent dresses for me, Chloe and they had sent a dress for you too Ash. They really loved how you looked in the blue dress before and the yellow one too."

Jessilina, "Hmm! We can make it work actually."

Silver, "Oh boy!"

Jessilina took Ash with her along with the girls and explained a little surprising tid bit about the League ball parties. According to her coordinators took this chance to show off their talents more to people. And as there was no time limits, they could give longer performances and plays. Ash hummed in thought there was one song that had been playing in his head the last few days but first he had to check the dress available. In order for the play to work the dresses and outfit needed to match.

Ash, "Hey! It matches!"

Chloe, "You have a plan?"

Ash, "Yes but a few hours only to practice and I will need two more people to do the acting."

Jessilina brightened, "Well, Misty has performed before and so have I tell us what to do. Your stories are always interesting."

Ash grinned, "Well we need to fix one of the outfits to be a hunter. Thanks to the aura connection between Lucario, Milotic, Charizard and myself my Pokemon will handle the background. They know what to do so we don't have to worry about it. We only have to worry about them hunter and maiden."

Jessilina, "Dibs on the handsome hunter."

Misty, "Guess I'm the maiden."

Ash, "Okay, Chloe I'll need you, Tally, Trisha to play the part of other three spirits that visit the maiden from time to time. You don't have to worry about any lines. Just smile, visit and leave a few flowers."

Tally, "Hmm, sounds simple."

Trisha, "Sounds fun!"

Chloe, "I'm not good at acting though."

Jessilina, "Which is why we will practice. Now let's do it."

Ash grinned before looking back at the dresses and giving a soft huh, at how the dresses conveniently matched. Well he was not gonna complain when it was convenient for him and he focused on the play they would be putting up instead. Soon the time of the fancy ball came and all of them got ready to go to the ball. Both boys and girls were having a fun time dressing up while the Pokemon took the time to relax. Jessilina's Pokemon were telling them about the ball they had attended after the Grand Festival a few years back. As she was a coordinator back then, she was requested to perform.

Lucario, -She is performing with Meema at the ball.-

Milotic, -It'll be fun, I am happy we can still perform with Ash although we are not cleared to battle.-

Charizard grumbled at the side, he had become really annoyed when Yellow had benched him. But one look at Ash's condition had him back down without throwing a tantrum which was tempting. Charizard huffed as they got ready to get on stage and watched as the light dimmed and Milotic, Lapras, Wigglytuff and Jessilina's Blissey started to use sing. Charizard and Banette nodded and used Willow O Wisp to give the stage a mystical effect.

Their trainers had enjoyed mingling with the other trainers before going back stage to get ready to perform. Now the curtains had lifted following the song and Jessilina could be seen wearing a hunter's get up. Following the storyline the hunter met with Misty, who was the Willow maiden and introduced himself and told the maiden he liked her. The maiden shook her head and told the hunter she could not leave. Of course they were not really talking, but following the song Ash and the Pokemon were singing. Gou had decided to sit this one out to record the performance for their friends outside the region.

Misty had left her hair open and free flowing with a flower crown placed on her head while wearing a long sleeved green dress. The dress complimented her eyes really well but went barefoot without any shoes on. The Pokemon around the stage acted like spirits who flew around her giving her gifts before she was visited by Chloe, Tally and Trisha dressed in a similar manner. They were there to represent the spirits of the forest in beautiful human forms and hence the reason why the hunter fell in love with the maiden.

The play went on and the hunter tried to woo the willow maiden but was rejected thoroughly by her. Finally the hunter decided to take the maiden by force which didn't end well for both of them. The hunter took an axe and cut the willow tree down and forced the maiden to follow him only for the maiden to faint and become one with the earth. The hunter left the forest heart broken and the Willow maiden's friends were left to mourn the loss.

As the curtains closed the audience clapped enthusiastically and everyone went to the front to bow down. Delia and Rose were delighted by the play and complimented them on their performance. Drake who was invited as a special guest ruffled Ash's hair before he decided to go hide from the press. He was met by Jessilina and the others and changed into different clothes and wigs. Ash was now wearing the dress Misty's sister had brought for him, it was dark green and accompanied with an orange wig.

Ash snorted, "I think your sisters are trying to tell me something."

Misty took one look and laughed, "As far as I'm concerned we are already family so."

Chloe, "How do I look?"

Chloe was wearing a purple dress and her hair was behind a dark wig with curls, "Well."

Misty, "You look amazing."

Chloe looked at Misty and Ash with exchanged hair colors and the same dress, "You look like twins."

Gou was talking to the others online, :It was fun.:

Serena, :I really want to go on my own journey soon.:

Mallow, :Don't worry Serena, just a few more years, or rather two years till you are fifteen.:

Lillie, :I really love how Misty looked.:

Sophocles, :The long sleeved dress really brought out her eyes.:

Kiawe, :Another successful play.:

Gladion, :Not bad.:

Lana, :Where are they though?:

Ritchie, :They went to put on disguises so the reporters don't go Houndoom on them.:

Serena, :Ah! Downside of fame. Are they still bothering Mrs Ketchum?:

Gary, :Gramps has it handled, he is an ex Champion of Kanto. And knows how to deal with the press.:

Gou, :They are here. I'll send a picture over later. I don't want to blow their cover.:

Mallow, :It's okay Gou. Go and enjoy the party. We can talk later.:

Gou put his phone away before joining his friends who were at the banquet table at the moment. Misty had decided it would be better if they grabbed something to eat first and then do whatever they wanted. Ash sometimes half wondered how no one recognized him when he put on a dress and a wig and if there was a Superman and Clark Kent logic going on. He would not be surprised if it were considering they lived in a world where creatures capable of bending time and space existed.

[To be continued....

For more context of the play, watch "The Willow Maid" by Erutan. I added a little of my own twist to it.

I got inspired to wrote this filler chapter after watching that video today on YouTube.

See you all next week.]