The Pantheon

Safari Zone

Ashley stretched her arms high above her head, letting the warm sun soak into her skin as the salty breeze played with her hair. The sound of crashing waves filled the air, mixing with the cries of Wingull and Pelipper circling overhead. She stood at the edge of Fuchsia City's beach, her bare toes digging into the soft sand as she gazed out at the sparkling water. This was a far cry from the scorching heat of Cinnabar's volcano and the bone-chilling cold of the Seafoam Islands. It was... nice. Relaxing, even.

"Alright, Neptune, ready to hit the waves again?" Ashley called, grinning as she glanced back at the water.

Her Lapras bobbed in the surf, letting out a cheerful, melodic cry as he tilted his head toward her, clearly eager for another ride. His shell gleamed in the sunlight, the patterns on it catching the light just right, and his gentle eyes practically sparkled with excitement.

Ashley waded into the water, the coolness lapping against her legs as she approached him. Mars and Vulcan sat on the shore watching, their tails flicking idly as they soaked in the sun. Mars looked particularly grumpy about being left out of the water fun, but Ashley had already promised him a battle session later to make up for it.

"Alright, Neptune, let's show these guys what you've got," Ashley said as she climbed onto his back. She adjusted her grip on the shell, leaning forward slightly. "Let's try picking up the pace today—get those muscles working!"

Neptune let out a determined trill before diving forward, slicing through the water like a knife. Ashley leaned into the motion, her heart racing as the wind whipped past her face. Riding Neptune was different from the Lapras they'd taken to Seafoam. This felt more... natural.

"You're getting stronger already!" Ashley shouted, laughing as Neptune sped up, weaving around the buoys set up along the water. She glanced back at the shore to see Mars standing now, pacing anxiously as Vulcan barked encouragement.

"Don't worry, Mars!" Ashley called, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Your turn's coming! I know you're dying to show off."

Mars crossed his arms and let out a loud "Char!" before sitting back down, pretending not to care. Vulcan snickered at him, earning a playful shove.

Ashley turned back just as Neptune slowed, gliding over the small waves and coming to a smooth stop. She patted his neck, beaming. "You're a natural, buddy. We're totally gonna blow through Water-type battles when we need to."

Neptune trilled proudly, puffing out his chest before tilting his head toward the shore. Ashley followed his gaze and spotted a group of Horsea and Seadra playing near the rocks, spraying water at each other. Neptune let out a curious cry, and the smaller Pokémon responded with their own playful whistles.

Ashley grinned. "Making friends already, huh? That's my boy."

She slid off Neptune's back, wading back toward the shore with him close behind. Mars and Vulcan were on their feet the second she hit the sand, both Pokémon rushing up to her like overprotective siblings.

"Okay, okay, I'm fine!" Ashley laughed, holding her hands up as Mars inspected her, sniffing at her legs like she'd somehow drowned and come back. "I swear, you're worse than Dad sometimes."

Mars huffed and stepped back, clearly not convinced, while Vulcan circled Neptune, sniffing him like he was making sure the Lapras was still part of their team. Neptune blinked and let out a low, questioning note, and Vulcan barked in reply, seeming satisfied.

Ashley crouched down, ruffling both their heads. "Relax, you two. Neptune's part of the family now. You don't have to keep checking."

Mars finally stopped pouting, though he still glared at the water like it had personally offended him. Ashley rolled her eyes and pulled out some treats from her bag, handing one to each Pokémon.