By the time they finished touring the greenhouse garden, which could be called a treasure trove of botany, the sky was approaching dusk.
Erika enthusiastically invited the three of them to stay in the Gym's guest rooms.
The Celadon Gym was quite large, after all, and had living quarters specifically for hosting travelers. Compared to the Pokémon Center, the Gym's guest rooms were more spacious and comfortable, carrying a faint, reassuring scent of sandalwood and plants.
In the end, the Pokémon Center was a public facility serving the masses; it couldn't possibly be like a private residence such as the Gym. Indeed. The Celadon Gym was not a League property, but Erika's private property.
Ash and his friends were each given their own room. The rooms were large and excellent.
"This is awesome~" Misty almost immediately threw herself onto the soft large bed, letting out a sigh of satisfaction.
"The decoration is really nice~" Brock, meanwhile, enthusiastically began studying the Zen-inspired flower arrangements and incense in the room.
Ash set down his backpack, his gaze falling upon two Poké Balls. One contained Pidgeotto, whose feathers were slightly messy and needed cleaning. The other contained Little Misdreavus, who had gotten covered in dirt during the battle just now and urgently needed grooming.
Since they weren't injured or anything, they hadn't been handed over to the Gym's medical team.
"I have to give you two a good bath first," Ash muttered to himself, picking up the Poké Balls and heading toward the en-suite bathroom attached to the guest room.
The bathroom was spacious, clean, and tidy, filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees consistent with the Gym's overall style. Ash ran warm water into the bathtub, adjusting the temperature to be just right—neither too hot nor too cold. The sound of rushing water filled the air, and steam gradually spread, veiling the bathroom in a hazy white gauze.
"Come out, Pidgeotto, Misdreavus."
A light flashed, and Pidgeotto and Misdreavus appeared in the bathroom.
Pidgeotto curiously surveyed the surrounding environment. It was no stranger to bathing; during their travels in the wild, Ash often used stream water to help clean its feathers. It stood obediently by the edge of the bathtub, awaiting instructions.
Misdreavus, however, was in a completely different state.
"Eh?" As soon as Misdreavus appeared, seeing this private space full of steam, and her trainer running the water, then recalling Ash's earlier words about "helping you wash clean"... Her petite body froze instantly.
Misdreavus began to let her imagination run wild. Those various "romantic" legends—or rather, gossip—about humans and Pokémon that she had heard from her Ghost-type seniors suddenly flooded her mind.
It was hilarious. Pokémon were high-intelligence creatures, after all. They couldn't simply be viewed as pets. Especially types like Ghost and Psychic.
Alone... bathroom... bath... The combination of these words caused the temperature of Misdreavus's brain to start soaring. A layer of faint pink rose onto Misdreavus's originally dark green cheeks. Her eyes became darting and erratic, not daring to look at Ash at all, only emitting a trembling sound as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "Ee... ee..."
Her small body shrank back slightly, as if she wanted to hide herself inside the wall. Misdreavus, shame-shame.
Ash was focused on testing the water temperature and didn't pay much attention to Misdreavus's abnormality, merely saying casually, "Mengmeng, wait a little bit, okay? Wait until the water is ready. I'll help Pidgeotto wash first; its body is covered in dust and crushed leaves, so it needs a good rinse."
Hearing this, Misdreavus's body trembled violently. Help Pidgeotto wash first? Did that mean... not washing just me alone?
Her chaotic little brain couldn't turn the corner for a moment.
Just then, Ash turned around and spoke very naturally to Pidgeotto, "Come, Pidgeotto, stand in the bathtub first. Let's rinse the loose dust off your body with water."
Pidgeotto obediently hopped into the bathtub with a flutter, the warm clear water instantly soaking the feathers on its belly. It shook its wings comfortably, letting out a short and satisfied cry of "Bii—", showing absolutely no sign of coyness.
Pidgeotto: Baffling companion.
Pidgeotto's gaze was extremely sharp. Because its Ability was Keen Eye, and it had also learned the move Foresight. It saw all of its companion's strange behavior.
Misdreavus: "!!!"
Her large eyes instantly widened into perfect circles; the shyness faded, replaced by a dullness bordering on petrification. Misdreavus looked at Pidgeotto, who was perfectly at ease in the bathtub and even starting to groom its wet feathers with its beak. Then she looked at Ash, who was picking up the Pokémon-specific body wash with movements that couldn't be more natural.
Why are you so skilled?
Misdreavus's entire brain felt like it had been hit head-on by a Swift attack, completely ceasing to function.
W... Why is Pidgeotto here? And acting so matter-of-factly?! Why did it turn out like this?
The first time I have someone I like. The first time doing intimate things. Two joys overlapping together; these two joys should have brought me even more happiness. It should have been a time as blissful as a dream. Why... isn't taking a bath... that kind of... very special... thing that only those with a very, very intimate relationship can do?
Why does Pidgeotto look like it's used to it?!
Did I... did I understand it wrong?!
Misdreavus felt that certain understandings she had established were crashing down with a loud boom. The "exclusive intimate time" script full of pink bubbles that was originally playing in her mind was instantly replaced by the reality of "Pokémon Collective Hygiene Cleaning Day".
Misdreavus instantly became teary-eyed: Gua, don't be like this!
Pidgeotto groomed its feathers a few times. Then it noticed Misdreavus was still floating blankly in the same spot, motionless, staring at it with hollow eyes. It tilted its head, letting out a "Bii?" with a questioning tone. As if asking: "What's wrong? Aren't you coming over to wash together? It's very comfortable."
This "innocent and naive," "completely clueless about the situation" appearance made Misdreavus feel an inexplicable, indescribable sense of defeat and shame.
So... the "bath" Ash spoke of was really just a bath in the literal sense! What on earth was I fantasizing about just now! It's too embarrassing!
Compared to Pidgeotto's pure Pokémon mindset, Misdreavus's way of thinking was closer to a human's. Perhaps this was the gap caused by different living environments.
The pink color surged up on Misdreavus again, but this time it was the redness of humiliation. She wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, or immediately use "Invisibility" to disappear.
Misdreavus let out an extremely faint whimper full of social death: "Mai..."
Ash finally noticed Misdreavus's abnormality at this moment. He stopped his movements and asked with concern, "Hmm? Mengmeng, what's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere? Or is the water temperature not right?"
He thought Misdreavus might be afraid of water or sensitive to the smell of the body wash... such possibilities were not non-existent. Misdreavus's mental storm was known only to herself. After all, Ash couldn't read minds.
"Mai! Mai mai!" Misdreavus shook her head violently, her voice louder than before, carrying a panic eager to cover up. She wooshed to the other corner of the bathtub, staying far away from both Pidgeotto and Ash.
Misdreavus turned her back to them, pretending to have a strong interest in the tiles on the wall, but her slightly trembling small body betrayed her uncalm heart.
Although Ash thought it was a bit strange, he didn't think much of it, assuming Misdreavus was just a bit shy having just arrived in a new environment.
"Alright, then Mengmeng, you play by yourself for a while first. I'll come help you after I get Pidgeotto clean."
"Pidgeotto, don't move around, close your eyes, I'm going to rinse you now."
Ash was still too young right now; even if his thoughts were mature, his body didn't match. Perhaps when his body was a bit older, his head would be filled with lewd thoughts, right? Human thoughts were, after all, influenced by the body.
In the bathroom, only the sound of rushing water, Ash's gentle speaking voice, and the occasional coo of comfort from Pidgeotto remained.
Misdreavus had her back to all this, her heart filled with complex emotions. She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling lucky she hadn't made a bigger joke of herself, but at the same time, felt a bit of inexplicable loss. The fantasy was shattered... along with intense shame over her rich imagination just now.
Just then, the sound of the living room TV faintly drifted in from outside the bathroom door. It seemed Pikachu had switched to its favorite "Pokémon Hollywood" movie channel.
The film industry in this world was still very developed. The Kalos League Champion, Diantha, was a world-class movie actress.
Along with a burst of rousing background music and exaggerated dialogue, Pikachu's excited voice also came in through the crack in the door.
"Pika—Pikachu!"
Presumably, the protagonist had unleashed a super move, and Pikachu was dubbing it.
"Bibi—Bibibo!"
This familiar voice made Misdreavus come back to her senses a little. Right, Pikachu was also outside... It seemed Ash really just treated bathing Pokémon as a part of daily care, just as ordinary as eating and sleeping.
Those messy thoughts she had just now were simply... simply what the seniors called "being possessed by a drama queen."
She secretly, extremely slowly turned a tiny angle, glancing at the bathtub out of the corner of her eye. Ash was patiently scrubbing the feathers under Pidgeotto's wings, his movements careful and gentle, muttering, "There's still a bit of mud here... Alright, you'll be even more beautiful once rinsed clean."
Pidgeotto stood obediently, occasionally shaking its body comfortably, splashing up some water droplets.
Pidgeotto: Innocent face.
The scene before her was actually very heartwarming, full of a trainer's care for their Pokémon. It was just that this care was a bit different from the "that kind" of care Misdreavus had imagined earlier.
The shame in her heart was gradually replaced by a warmth, although she still felt a bit embarrassed to face Ash and Pidgeotto.
After a while, Ash finished rinsing Pidgeotto completely, wrapped it in a large towel, and carefully absorbed the moisture.
"Alright, Pidgeotto, come out~" Ash picked up the hair dryer.
Pidgeotto gave a cry, obediently hopped out of the bathtub, and shook its damp wings. After being blown all over with the hair dryer, Pidgeotto was restored to its handsome and clean appearance.
"Pidgeotto, you go out and play with Pikachu first." Ash patted the bird's head.
"Bii~" Pidgeotto happily strode out of the bathroom. The welcoming sound of Pikachu's "Pika Pi!" and clearer fighting sound effects from the TV immediately came from outside the door.
Pikachu didn't need Ash to worry about bathing. Pikachu preferred to wash himself. He had grown up too maturely.
And now, only Ash and Misdreavus remained in the bathroom.
Ash turned to Misdreavus, who was still huddled in the corner, his voice becoming lighter and softer, "Alright, Mengmeng, it's your turn. Don't be afraid, it'll be done very quickly. It feels comfortable to be washed squeaky clean. I'll spray some perfume on you after the bath~"
Ash was running the water again. The water in the bathroom gurgled.
Misdreavus slowly turned around. The blush on her face hadn't completely faded, but her gaze was much calmer. Looking at Ash's outstretched hand, and those clear, open eyes containing not a speck of impurity, the last bit of awkwardness vanished.
Carrying a remnant of shyness, she floated in front of Ash.
"Haii..."
Ash smiled and began to gently wet Misdreavus's body with warm water. Misdreavus was a bit stiff at first, but as the warm water flowed over her, along with Ash's gentle massage, she gradually relaxed.
The dust and scorched ash left from the battle were washed away bit by bit, revealing her original beautiful dark green luster.
Ash praised her while washing, "Look, how beautiful our Mengmeng is when clean! Even better looking than the moonlight!"
Anyway, praise, praise, praise~
"Hai hai~" Misdreavus finally let out a truly happy cry, narrowing her eyes and enjoying this cleaning process that was indeed very comfortable.
As for those wild thoughts just now... let them drift away with the wind! But next time Ash said the word "bath," she definitely wouldn't think crooked thoughts again! Absolutely!
Steam filled the bathroom; only the gentle sound of water and occasional conversation remained. And outside the door was the sound of Pikachu shouting at the TV and the fluttering of Pidgeotto's wings.
For Misdreavus, this was perhaps her first lesson in integrating into this new family. She was also gradually adapting to getting along with Ash after joining the team.
____
New Story: Frieren: Capturing Aura at the Start
✅ Read 40 chapters ahead on all series.
✅ Get exclusive content and updates.
Help us hit our targets:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 free chapter for all
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 bonus chapters (all stories)!
👻 P - Walnutchan