Pokémon: Perfect Start

"Ash! What is this!"

Elesa's scream made Ash's ears hurt, but thinking about what he was about to say, Ash stepped out of the tent, while Meowth thoughtfully held up an umbrella for him with a mechanical arm.

"Thank you, Meowth. Elesa, what are you talking about?"

"What does this share certificate of the Continental Hotel in the Unova region mean?! Do you know how much just one percent of the shares is worth? And you gave me five percent?!"

Elesa's manager, standing beside her, was visibly shocked. The Continental Hotel was a renowned chain across all regions, with numerous properties under its name.

Most importantly, the hotel's shares were held by major families. It was said that the Oak family from the Kanto region, which had connections to legendary Pokémon, held shares, as did the Pokémon League. There were also two mysterious shareholders whose identities were unknown—until now, it seemed, as it was likely Ash, the person her lady was calling.

That's right, Elesa was also from a prominent family, the Striaton family of Striaton City, and her manager was actually sent by the Striaton family to take care of her.

"Ash, explain this to me. What does this mean? If you've gone crazy, I'll help you find a doctor, and I've got some great electrotherapy here." Elesa wasn't joking anymore. While the wealth was indeed tempting, she was more concerned about Ash's mental state.

Ash, however, looked at the rainy forest and said, "I'm fine, completely normal. But sis, we've known each other for so long, and you should know I'm not exactly a saint. So, I'm going to start pressuring you now."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Elesa was confused by Ash's words, but her manager seemed to have guessed something and quietly began contacting the Striaton family.

"There's a small box in the package, right? The one that looks really plain and unremarkable."

Hearing this, Elesa indeed noticed a small, inconspicuous box.

"I see it. Is this a new toy Meowth made?"

"Meowth would cry if you said that. Never mind, just open it and you'll understand."

"All this mystery… Huh!"

Elesa was still puzzled, but when she saw what was inside the box, she was speechless. It was a diamond ring.

"You…"

"I've told you I'm the type who falls in love over time, right? So, will you wear it?"

Elesa looked at the ring, suddenly laughed, and then tears started streaming down her face.

"So, you've known all along. You've been pretending to be clueless!"

Hearing this, Ash sighed and explained, "I had no choice. I wasn't an adult before, so I couldn't say anything or make any promises. Now that I'm an adult, of course, I'm going to act. I'm really afraid someone else might steal you away, Elesa."

Elesa rubbed her slightly red eyes and said, "Smooth talker. Tell me, does Diantha have one too?"

"Yes."

"Couldn't you have lied to me?"

"I didn't want to. Lying about something like that would make me a real scumbag."

Putting the ring on her finger, Elesa took a deep breath and said, "What about Nana? And the Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy families?"

"I've already sent one to Nana. As for Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy, I've talked to them, and they'll let me know once they've chosen someone."

Looking at the ring on her left middle finger, Elesa couldn't help but ask, "Where did you get such a big diamond?"

"Don't even ask. I spent nearly a year observing Steven's Pokémon to come up with a suitable meal plan for them just to get his help. Can you imagine how hard it was for Meowth and me to communicate with those Rock and Steel types? I even had to consult scientists to figure out what nutrients were good for them!"

"That's why I kept hearing knocking sounds from your place that year."

"Exactly. So, Elesa, you better take good care of it. I had it custom-made. Of course, if you lose it, I'll just order another one."

"I won't lose it! I don't know if you're smart or just dumb. I'll let my family know." Glancing at her manager, who was holding a communicator, Elesa added, "Well, they already know. Once everything's settled, I'll announce it publicly." She was still a bit nervous, unsure if the announcement would affect Ash.

But Ash's response put her at ease.

"Go ahead. It's nothing to hide."

"Alright, it's all your fault. I can't sleep now!"

"I apologize. Get some rest, then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Seeing Ash end the call, Meowth couldn't help but ask, "Boss, so that's how you propose?"

"Yeah, what else?"

"I wanted to learn how to confess, so I can go find my Meowzie."

"Just bring her one of my specially made grilled fish. That should do it."

"Boss, that's such a crude method."

"I'm not a Pokémon. How would I know how you guys propose?!"

"Pika pika!"

Just then, Pikachu came out carrying three cups of warm milk. Ash took one and said, "Thanks. Let's enjoy the view. Honestly, I really like this scenery. It's beautiful."

And so, Ash, Meowth, and Pikachu, three guys, sat there watching the rainy scenery while sipping warm milk, feeling an unexpected sense of contentment.