"Although my main profession is being a Pokémon doctor, with Pokémon Breeder as my secondary profession, I've never been particularly passionate about training Pokémon to become stronger or making them capable of overwhelming combat power."
"But Ash believes that while someone like me, as a doctor and Breeder, doesn't necessarily need to pursue battle strength, the Pokémon under my care still need to be properly trained."
"Pokémon with higher levels and greater strength can use healing-type moves with much better effects than Pokémon that are low-level and weak."
"So whenever Ash competes at the City Arena, he also teams up with me for Double Battles, bringing me along so that I can raise my Pokémon's levels as well."
"And that's how my Happiny evolved into Chansey in less than two months. In just half a year, it had already evolved into its final form—Blissey."
"After my Chansey evolved, Ash even took the initiative to accompany me into Viridian Forest, where I caught an Oddish with excellent potential. It then evolved from Oddish into Gloom, and eventually into Bellossom."
"With Ash's help, the Pokémon under my care have grown stronger and stronger…"
"As my medical knowledge became increasingly profound and the strength of my Pokémon continued to improve, the elders of the family, who had originally worried that dating Ash would interfere with my studies and training, gradually stopped having any concerns."
"After that, they not only had no objections, but firmly supported Ash and me being together. From top to bottom, the entire Joy family came to recognize Ash as their son-in-law."
"I know Ash is extremely outstanding and naturally attracts a lot of girls. Not to mention that after he officially sets out on his journey in the future, he'll meet more and more beautiful and talented girls. Even now, I can't have Ash all to myself."
"After all, Serena, your home is in the distant Kalos region, while Misty's Cerulean City is located on Kanto's northeastern coast, and Ash's Pallet Town and Viridian City are deep in the southwestern part of Kanto."
"For Ash to travel to Kalos, it takes an entire day by high-speed train just to reach Saffron City's international airport, and another day by plane to get to Kalos. That's four days for a round trip, which is extremely inconvenient."
"Even traveling from Viridian City to Cerulean City takes seven or eight hours. It's inconvenient for Ash to go all the way to Cerulean City, while Misty also has to take care of the Gym, so it isn't convenient for you either."
"Right now, the circumstances are special, and that's why I'm able to spend so much time with Ash every day. That's why I treasure it all the more."
"At present, aside from accompanying Ash at the clinic every afternoon, I also have dinner with him in the evening and then go with him to the City Arena for battles."
"Every morning after breakfast, I drive to Pallet Town and train together with Ash as well, because I know that this kind of life is something I can only enjoy right now."
"When Ash eventually sets out on his journey, when you, Serena and Misty, come to travel with him, and when Ash meets even more outstanding girls, I won't be able to have this much time alone with him anymore."
"Even so, although I try my best to be involved in Ash's life, I always make sure that I don't interfere with him or take away the time Ash should spend with you, Serena and Misty."
"I know Ash video-calls you and Serena at night, so I generally don't call him in the evening. I only send him a simple 'good night' message before going to sleep."
"So... Serena, Misty, you won't blame me for doing this, will you?"
Clarissa spoke timidly, her cheeks carrying a faint blush.
"No ×2."
Serena and Misty both shook their heads after hearing Clarissa's words.
"Clarissa, you're currently living in Viridian City and you're physically close to Ash, so naturally you have more opportunities to spend time with him. And there's nothing wrong with you wanting to treasure the time you have with him right now."
"If it were Misty or me, we'd probably do the same. It's only human nature."
"I believe Misty feels the same way I do. We don't resent you at all. We're just a little envious that you live so close to Ash and get to spend so much time alone with him every day," Serena said.
"Mhm." Misty nodded as well.
After listening to Clarissa recount the entire story of how she had met Ash, gradually come to know him, and eventually fallen in love with him, both Serena and Misty couldn't help feeling deeply moved.
Although Ash hadn't been the first person to enter a relationship with Clarissa, the two of them had officially become a couple relatively early.
Serena had indeed been the first to meet Ash at Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp, but the main content of that camp consisted of ten evaluations—one evaluation each day—which meant the formal camp itself lasted only ten days.
Adding the two days they had spent in Pallet Town beforehand and the one or two days they remained after the summer camp ended, Serena and Ash had only spent around half a month together in total.
They had barely confirmed their relationship and hadn't even had much time to enjoy being together when Serena had to return to Kalos with the other exchange students.
Afterward, the two of them maintained their relationship through daily phone calls and video chats. Because both of them were relatively mature emotionally and handled their long-distance relationship properly, their feelings didn't fade simply because they were separated.
However, that separation also meant their relationship couldn't develop at the lightning-fast pace of a couple constantly together during the passionate early stages of romance. Although their feelings continued growing stronger through their efforts, compared with Clarissa and Ash, their progress was naturally much slower.
Clarissa, meanwhile, had first met Ash through the summer camp broadcasts. Through those broadcasts, she had already come to know him and had developed feelings for him on her own.
Immediately after the summer camp ended, the Joy family had proposed a marriage alliance. Although the engagement ultimately didn't happen, the existence of that unfinished marriage arrangement created a unique bond between them.
Once Clarissa and Ash officially became a couple, that unresolved connection from the past instead made their relationship even closer.
Then came their time studying together as classmates, working together during their medical internship, competing together at the City Arena, and now even training their Pokémon together.
They spent practically every day together, and the amount of time Clarissa spent with Ash was far greater than the time Serena or Misty could spend with him.
Naturally, Clarissa's relationship with Ash had also become deeper than either Serena's or Misty's.
Serena wasn't jealous.
She knew that she occupied a unique place in Ash's heart—a position that belonged only to her and could never be replaced.
But seeing how much time Clarissa and Ash could spend together alone every day still made Serena genuinely envious.
"By the way, Misty, how did you meet Ash?"
Seeing Serena staring into space without saying anything, Clarissa turned her attention toward Misty and asked curiously.
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals