"How are you, loved?" Ash asks through the phone once he successfully sneaked away from his friends, right now they are at Mesagoza looking around the stores.

"You know, I am really bored if you aren't here. But it is a good thing that my Mom and Adam have been taking good care of me now that he knows the truth." Lillie says. "How about you? Where are you now?"

Ash says with a slight annoyance, "I'm back at Mesagoza. I was having a school reunion with Nemona, Arven, and Penny."

Lillie notices the tone Ash is giving, which is full of annoyance, she asks, "Ash? What's wrong? You don't seem happy..."

"I've been annoyed since we leave Kanto." Ash says with a frustrated tone. "Because those guys are following me as well."

"Seriously? You mean those people that stayed at your house also came with you to Paldea?" Lillie asks in surprise. "Didn't they know you want privacy?"

"Sorry for not mentioning it to you earlier, it was getting harder for me to sneak past them in the last couple of days. Even my call time has been reduced since those guys came back to the group." Ash says.

"I see... but why are they following you again? I thought that some of them are gym leaders and Coordinators." Lillie asks.

"Their reasons are annoying. They decide to have some sort of vacation and go wherever I want to go." Ash sighs.

"But that is not the main reason you are not happy?" Lillie asks.

Ash chuckles after hearing that, "You know, I am glad that you are the only one who could read this well."

"What do you expect from your lover?" Lillie asks humorously. "But seriously, what's the real reason why you're annoyed at your friends?"

"They have been sticking to me like glue and they want me to help them out, they are beginning to get on my nerves. Did I tell you that I accidentally throw the knives at them because they try to ruin the pancakes that my mother made for me, I now kind of regret that I missed them."

Lillie's eyes glint dangerously when Ash told her that the girls aren't leaving him alone, she still manages to remain calm and asks, "So they have been annoying you as a trainer, they are not doing anything hostile, right?"

"No, my feelings for them aren't going to change, they are like my sisters. Besides, why should I look at another girl while the girl I intend to marry is in front of me talking to me? Comparing you to them is like comparing Ho-Oh to a bunch of Spearow, heck, even our parents already give us blessings."

Lillie giggles at the comment and then she notices the clothes that he is wearing, "And why are you still wearing the clothes that you wear in Kalos?"

"Because it reminds me of the travels we had in the Kalos Region. But I made some changes." He shows her the heart that was made of two ribbons, which has become the wrist band and it fits Ash's arm perfectly. Lillie smiles. "I am very glad that you like it."

"And I see the blue ribbon on your dress is changed into the heart as well." Ash says.

"This is very important to me after all." Lillie says. Ash says as he notices that Pikachu and the invisible Arceus are in front of them, "Well, I'll call you later since I'm going to meet Director Clavell again."

"Sure, just call me later, okay?" Lillie asks with a little disappointment.

Ash nods and says, "I love you."

"I love you too." Lillie says as they end the call. Ash turns to Pikachu and Arceus, "So they are finished, huh?"

"Yeah." Pikachu says. "I still don't know why you are trying to teach them about the moves you taught us?"

"Don't worry, they are simple-minded, they may be trying to learn it, but they can't reach the full potential of the technique." Ash chuckles.

Just as they are walking back to the Pokemon Center, Ash accidentally bumps into a girl, who has been holding a bunch of papers. The girl was about to fall until Ash quickly grabs her hand, and he also quickly grabs the papers before it falls down to the wet ground.

"I am sorry about that, are you okay?" Ash asks with a casual tone.

"I am fine." The girl says, "I was just too busy with those papers." Then the girl looks at him and she is surprised to see how handsome he looks as well as his aura glowing. Ash also pulls her up until she can stand properly.

"No, I should be the one that should say sorry. I should be paying more attention in the first place." This causes the girl to blush and she smiles at him. "It is fine. Mister."

Ash helps her with the papers and then gives them to her, then the girl asks, "By the way, do you know me by any chance?"

Ash looks at the girl and says, "Well...you look like someone who is really familiar to me, but my instincts tell me that I just met you here...I am sorry." Then Ash leaves with Pikachu chasing him. The girl is just standing there in shock. "How could someone not know me? I thought all the trainers in the world know who I am..."

"It's a shame that Miss Lillie isn't here with you, but I understand that she's been busy with the Kalos League." Clavell says to Ash, who nods and says, "Yeah. But I'm pretty sure that she can win the League without any problem."

"You two are really amazing, Master Ash." Clavell says. "Our school really benefits a lot from your company despite you just graduated a year ago.'

"I know. Maybe it is because you gave us permission to have our classes five years ago." Ash smiles. "Well, I will need to go, so I'll see you later."

When Ash leaves the director's office and find the others at South Province, they find the same girl that Ash bumped into before is handling a rampaging Spidops. Just with the swift movements of her Oricorio, she manages to calm it down without any problem.

"Wow...that is very amazing to calm down that Spidops." Dawn says as the girl turns to them. "Why thank you." Then she notices Ash and says, "Hey, handsome. I can't believe we meet again."

"Hello miss, it sure is nice to see you again. It sure is a small world." Ash says as the others are confused. "Ash, do you know her?" Misty asks, not believing that the famous person is in front of them.

Ash says, "No, I just bumped into her when I was visiting the director of the university. Why do you ask about that? Do you guys know her?" This causes them to get shocked and they yell, "YOU DON'T KNOW HER? HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW HER?"

Ash and Pikachu are startled at the loud voice and then Ash raises his hand in defense, "Well, for starters, I just met her a few minutes ago, and I didn't watch any news since I was busy training Pokemon and coming up with new techniques."

The others sigh in defeat and Max says as he shakes his head at Ash's ignorance, "How could a trainer like you not know who she is, she is probably the most gifted and talented trainer in this era."

May says, "Even I know her, she had won every Grand Festival there is, and her performances were said to be one of a kind." Then she also looks at the girl with adoration.

"That's not all, she is able to win every League just like you, but she also defeats every Elite 4 member of the regions but declines to battle the Champions." Misty says.

"And she is also an S Ranked Connoisseur." Cilan says.

Ash glances at the girl and his friends and he is totally surprised, but he also notices that the girl looks uncomfortable after what his friends rant about her. The way it frowns looks just like Lillie and Aunt Ruka in some way. Ash finally realizes who the girl is and he walks toward her.

As Ash stops mere inches away from her, he extends his hand and smiles at her. "My friends seemed to know your background but I really could care less about that." This causes everyone to look at him like he was crazy.

"But I would like to know the name of this lady in front of me." Ash says politely as he extended his hands toward her like a gentleman. "And I would like to hear the name of my future cousin-in-law." Ash also thinks the same thing.

The girl is shocked at that, even though his friends had told him about her achievements, all he wanted is to know her name. And it is unreal for her. Then she says, "You should ask your friends, they seem to know my name." The girl also thinks, "I can't believe that I am blushing... especially in front of a boy... but he is really hot..."

Ash says, "I know that they probably know your name, but they are your fans, I don't want to hear your name from your fans. Since an introduction from the lips of the beautiful lady is the best on served." This causes Max and Cilan to giggle and the girls are getting jealous. Brock is just trying to keep those words in his notebook so that he could use them one day.

The girl finally blushes, and somehow she can't use Aura on the boy in front of him. But she can tell that this boy is not lying to her, so she says, "My name is Kristen, Kristen Aether. But please call me by my first name if you want to."

Ash smiles and says, "My name is Ash Ketchum, but please call me Ash as well, I really don't like it when people call me by my name."

Kristen blushes madly after feeling the breath of Ash on her skin, it literally sends shivers down her spine, then she asks, "So you said that I seem familiar to you, why did you say that a few minutes ago?"

Ash smiles and says, "Oh, when I was traveling in the Alola Region, I got to visit the Aether Foundation. There, I met my mom's old friend who is called Ruka. Since you really look like her, I thought that I mistook her for you."

Kristen is surprised and she says, "Oh, don't worry. The woman from your lips is actually my mother. My mother is called Ruka after all...But do you somehow know my mother?"

Ash says, "Why of course, we have some run-ins back in the Kanto Region even a few weeks ago. I was surprised that she never told me about her daughter to our family, that's all."

Sarah keeps a mental note that she needs to ask her mother why she didn't mention her to Ash Ketchum in front of her, and why didn't she tells her that she knows him as well. But by looking at Ash again, she gives a bright smile and thinks, "I never actually believe in 'love at first sight', but hell, I am not complaining."

Ash notices that she zones out and he asks, "Um...Kristen? are you okay?"

Kristen shakes off the dreamy thoughts and says, "Oh, I am fine, so what are you guys doing here?"

Ash says, "I'm a graduate of Narauva University, I was here to visit my friends who are still at school, and I'm also taking part in the Academy Ace Tournament held here."

"I see, if you don't mind, can I watch how your battles go? I am curious since the teachers here are strong opponents, and I wonder how would you defeat them with ease."

"Sure, I don't see the reason not to." Ash says causally to her, causing the girls to be jealous of her. As for Brock and Gary, they knew about Ruka as she is Lillie's aunt, but just by seeing Kristen, they are surprised that she and Lillie are related, which is why Ash is acting nice towards her compared to the girls beside them.

Here is another new chapter, and Ash finally gets to meet one of Lillie's Cousins. In the next chapter, I will try to reveal the Aura Weapons to the group that doesn't know about them. I hope you like it.