The ship gently swayed as it docked at the bustling port of Slateport City, the warm sun beaming down on the busy streets lined with market stalls and excited tourists. Ash and Lillie stepped off the ship, the salty sea air filling their lungs as they adjusted to being on solid ground again.

"This place is as lively as ever," Ash remarked, glancing around at the familiar sights. His eyes landed on a large screen near the harbor, where a Pokémon Contest was being broadcast live for all to see. The colorful stage and roaring crowd instantly caught his attention. "Looks like there's a contest happening," he added, taking a step closer to get a better view.

Lillie followed Ash's gaze and smiled softly. "Oh, it's a dual contest!" she exclaimed, recognizing the format from her studies. "Look, it's Serena and Lisia!" The two performers were in the middle of a dazzling performance battle, their Pokémon moving gracefully across the screen. Lisia's Altaria soared elegantly through the sky, while Serena's Delphox twirled its fiery staff, releasing a majestic spiral of flames into the air.

Lillie's eyes sparkled as she watched the synchronized movements, the sheer beauty of the performances captivating her. "They're amazing, aren't they? The way Serena commands the stage is just... wow."

But when she glanced over at Ash, her excitement faltered. He was staring at the screen, completely absorbed in the performance, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were locked on Serena's graceful movements, and it didn't take much for Lillie to notice where his attention truly was.

A subtle pang of jealousy tugged at Lillie's chest. She shifted on her feet, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "Ash...," she began, her voice softer than usual, but he didn't seem to hear her. His focus remained fixed on the contest, his expression one of admiration.

Lillie's lips pursed slightly, and she bit her lip, trying not to let her irritation show. She knew Ash cared about Serena, but seeing him so engrossed—so distant from her in that moment—made her feel like she was fading into the background.

Determined to break the trance, Lillie stepped closer to him, brushing her shoulder lightly against his arm. "Ash," she said again, her voice a bit firmer this time. "Don't you think we should check out the contest in person? It might be fun, and we could... get a better view."

Ash blinked and finally tore his gaze from the screen, glancing down at Lillie with a sheepish smile. "Huh? Oh, sorry, Lillie. Yeah, that sounds like a great idea." He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling. "Let's go check it out."

Lillie gave him a small, satisfied smile as they started walking toward the contest hall together, though the feeling of Serena's lingering presence stayed with her.

As the Pokémon Contest wrapped up, the crowd cheered wildly for both Serena and Lisia, their performances leaving a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. With smiles and waves, they exited the stage together, basking in the excitement of their successful contest. Outside the contest hall, the city of Slateport lay before them, bathed in the golden light of the afternoon.

Lisia grinned at Serena as they strolled down the street. "That was so much fun! How about we go do some sightseeing? There's this café by the sea that serves amazing Poké Puffs—my treat!"

Serena chuckled, nodding. "Sounds great. I've been wanting to explore Slateport again. It's been a while since I've been here."

As they walked side by side, the lively atmosphere of Slateport surrounded them. But after a few minutes, Serena's smile faltered. She had an odd feeling, like they were being watched. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed a group of people walking several paces behind them. At first, she thought it was just a coincidence, but the more she paid attention, the more suspicious it seemed.

"Lisia," Serena whispered, leaning closer. "Don't look now, but I think we're being followed."

Lisia's eyes widened slightly as she resisted the urge to turn around immediately. "Really? Are you sure?"

Serena nodded subtly, her instincts kicking in. She slowed her pace, keeping her eyes forward while trying to make sense of the situation. "Let's see if they follow us around this corner," she suggested, guiding Lisia toward a side street.

Sure enough, as they turned, the figures behind them followed, no longer bothering to hide their presence. As they drew closer, Serena's eyes widened in recognition. "Team Rocket?!"

The group revealed themselves fully—clad in black with the familiar red 'R' emblazoned on their shirts. Lisia furrowed her brow in confusion, while Serena's mind raced. "Team Rocket... here? But why?"

Lisia blinked, startled. "Team Rocket? Who are they?"

"They used to target Ash for his Pikachu all the time, but this doesn't make any sense. Why would they be here now?" Serena's voice was low, filled with unease.

Before she could say anything else, the grunts began speaking loudly, their voices carrying in the narrow street. "There they are. Two Team Alpha family members spotted," one of them said, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Orders are to eliminate them."

Both Serena and Lisia gasped, their hearts pounding. "Team Alpha?" Serena repeated, confusion lacing her voice. The term was unfamiliar to her, and she had no idea why the grunts mentioned it or why they were suddenly being targeted.

"Team Alpha? What are they talking about?" Lisia asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty. She shot a quick glance at Serena, trying to make sense of the situation.

Serena shook her head, unable to provide an answer. "I... I don't know, but they must be confusing us for someone else," she muttered. Her thoughts raced as the grunts stepped forward, their intentions clear despite the mystery surrounding their words.

Lisia bit her lip, her usual cheerful demeanor gone as the gravity of the situation sank in. "Whatever this is, we're in trouble."

The grunts wasted no time. "Eliminate them," one ordered, his voice cold and mechanical as they sent out their Pokémon, ignoring the confusion that hung between Serena and Lisia.

Serena's heart skipped a beat. She didn't understand why Team Rocket was targeting them, but they were clearly in danger. "We don't have a choice," she whispered, her voice steadying as she reached for her Poké Ball. "Lisia, get ready."

Lisia, still startled but determined, nodded. "We'll figure this out later. Right now, we need to protect ourselves."

Without hesitation, both girls threw their Poké Balls into the air. In a flash of light, Serena's Delphox materialized, its fiery staff glowing brightly. At the same time, Lisia's Altaria gracefully took to the sky, its wings shimmering under the sun.

The two girls exchanged a glance, silently communicating their readiness to fight, even if they didn't fully understand the threat before them.

"Delphox, we need to defend ourselves! Use Flamethrower!" Serena commanded, her voice full of resolve as her Pokémon unleashed a stream of fire toward the opposing Pokémon.

Lisia, her eyes sharp with focus, quickly followed up. "Altaria, Dragon Pulse!"

Serena and Lisia fought fiercely, but the odds were stacked against them. The grunts were relentless, sending out more Pokémon than the two performers could handle. Despite Delphox's powerful flames and Altaria's graceful attacks, the sheer number of opponents soon overwhelmed them.

"Delphox, get up!" Serena called out desperately as her partner struggled to stand, its energy nearly depleted.

Lisia's Altaria was in a similar state, its wings drooping as it hovered weakly in the air. "Altaria, hang in there!" Lisia urged, but the exhaustion was evident in her voice.

Before long, both Delphox and Altaria collapsed from exhaustion, unable to continue the battle. Serena and Lisia stood frozen, their hearts sinking as the grunts stepped forward, smirking in victory.

"This is it," Serena muttered, dread washing over her. "We've lost..."

Just as the grunts moved in for the final blow, a familiar voice rang out. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Greninja, Water Shuriken! Infernape, Flamethrower! Sceptile, Leaf Blade!"

In a blur of powerful attacks, the grunts' Pokémon were wiped out, leaving the battlefield in chaos. Serena and Lisia gasped in relief as Ash appeared before them, Pikachu at his side, his other Pokémon standing tall behind him.

"Ash!" Serena cried, a wave of happiness and relief washing over her. Lisia shared the same expression, overjoyed to see him.

Ash stood protectively in front of them, his eyes narrowed in determination. "Leave them alone," he demanded, his voice cold and steady. "What did they ever do to you?"

The grunts ignored him, their eyes lighting up with recognition. "Ash Ketchum! He's here!" one of them shouted. "If we deal with him, we'll get a rank raise for sure!"

But then, the grunt's next words caught Ash off guard. "We already have two Team Alpha family members, and now we've got the Ketchum boy!"

"Team Alpha?" Ash echoed in disbelief, his heart skipping a beat as he turned toward Serena and Lisia, who looked equally confused. 

Ash shook his head, pushing aside his confusion. "No time to think about this now. We'll figure it out later," he muttered, his focus returning to the battle. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Greninja, Water Shuriken! Infernape, Close Combat! Sceptile, Leaf Storm!"

His Pokémon sprang into action, unleashing a flurry of powerful attacks that overwhelmed the remaining grunts' Pokémon. One by one, the grunts' Pokémon fell, unable to stand up to Ash's team. Within moments, the battlefield was cleared, the grunts left defenseless.

Just as Ash was about to confront them, a group of figures appeared from behind the chaos. Lillie led the way, flanked by several members of Team Alpha. Their uniforms resembled those of Team Plasma, but with one major difference—a bold "A" symbol on their chests that resembled the rings of Arceus.

Team Rocket's eyes widened in fear. "Team Alpha is here!" one of the grunts yelled. Without hesitation, they tossed a smoke bomb to the ground, filling the area with thick, dark smoke.

"Smokescreen! Get out of here!" another grunt shouted as they made their escape, disappearing into the haze.

As the smoke cleared, Lillie approached. "Ash, should we chase after them?"

Ash shook his head. "No, let them go. We need to figure out what's going on first."

As the smoke fully dissipated, Ash turned his attention to Serena and Lisia. "Are you two okay?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

Without hesitation, Serena rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Ash, thank you... you saved us," she whispered, relief flooding her voice. After a moment, she stepped back, her cheeks slightly flushed. Lisia smiled softly beside her, grateful but still visibly shaken by everything that had just happened.

After breaking the hug, both girls looked past Ash and stared at the group of people who had arrived with Lillie. The unfamiliar uniforms and the mysterious "A" symbol on their chests left them puzzled. "Who... who are they?" Lisia asked cautiously, still eyeing the newcomers.

Ash sighed, knowing that the time for explanations had come. "They're members of Team Alpha," he began, his tone serious. "I'm the current leader."

Serena and Lisia both gasped in unison, their eyes widening in shock. "Team Alpha?" Serena repeated, struggling to process the revelation. "You're... the leader?"

Ash nodded. "Yes. They've been protecting us this whole time. Those grunts you just saw—they were after you because of your families."

"Because of our families?" Lisia echoed, glancing between Ash and Lillie.

Serena's mind raced as she recalled the words the Team Rocket grunts had said earlier. "Wait... does that mean... are we really family members of Team Alpha?" she asked, still in disbelief.

Ash looked at her and nodded. "Yes. The Yvonne family and the Mikuri family have been members of Team Alpha for generations. There's a lot more to explain, but this isn't the place for it."

Serena and Lisia exchanged a stunned glance, the weight of the truth sinking in. "Then... we're involved in this too," Serena whispered.

Ash nodded again. "Let's talk somewhere safer. We'll explain everything."

And with that, they began to walk away from the harbor, knowing that their lives had just taken a turn they could never have anticipated.

Here is a new chapter, and you can see Ash meet up with Serena and Lisia, and they are going to explain everything and I hope you like it.