A/N: heyyyy again part 1/3 here AKA chapter 23!!!! Enjoy!!

Ash's pov:

Hmmm I though the sea breeze ruffled through my ebony hair.

"Ash...." Serena said softly as she stood next to me on the edge of the ferry.

"Serena..." I started. "I need to talk to you about something-"

"-ash. Don't worry about it. Yes. I did like you.... But you're with Lillie now..."

"Mmm... WAIT. WHAT. Lillie?? But we're just friends???"

After earsdropping mallow joined in.

"Oh. Really. That's a surprise?? But you do like her don't you....?" Mallow blurted.

"Yes, she's a really good friend!"

"Well.... What do you like about her??" The seaweedette persisted.

"Umm, well she's so selfless and caring..... She believes in me and we get on really well."

"So that means you like like her!!!" Mallow exclaimed running off to find lillie.

Serena giggled seeing mallow jumping to conclusions way to quickly but I just continued staring at the ocean... thinking of Lillie.

Normal pov:

Mallow quickly ran back to ash and serena and pulled the female's arm so she was being dragged along the boat to a quiet spot with Lana.

"Ok!" Mallow started excitedly. "We need to set up Lillie and ash on a date!" She exclaimed, her eyes sparkling like a thousand solgaleos. [My similes are getting better... Riiigghhttt!!???!?!!??!??!!?????]

"Err..." The honey-blondette replied.

The seaweedette continued much to Lana's dismay, "Well they're obviously meant for each other!!!"

"If you say so!" Serena said slightly terrified of her friend.

"Lana will you help?"

"Hm? Oh - yes... It is all part of the plan after all........" The bluenette replied.

"Ummm...."

"I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that......." Serena said nervously.

"ANYWAY. Back to operation Lillie X Ash!"

"It has a name?" Lana asked.

"Yes. It does and so do you...." She paused for a moment then pointed at lana. "Tori, Serena you're Louise and I'm ... Jess!" Mallow responded proudly. Serena and Lana exchanged glances, slightly concerned for the sanity of their green haired pal. "So, there's a fancy restaurant on this ferry and they are going to have lunch in it."

"But what if they don't want-"

"They are going to have lunch in it louise." Mallow said it an evil tone. "So Tori you go and convice Lillie to have lunch with you and ditch her once she's sat down, and Louise do the same with ash.......... Mwa haha hahaha........."

"But Mallow-" Mallow shot a hard look at the honey-blondette. "Ma- I'm mean Jess, they are friends we could just ask them together why do we have to go separately??" Serena pointed out.

"Because Louise because." She replied.

So the trio split up to complete their mission.

***

"Hey Lillie."

"Oh hi there Lana."

"It's now Tori..." Lana muttered.

"Umm..."

"Nevermind..."

Lana's pov:

Lillie looked lost in thought - I felt bad for disturbing her but I was simply scared for my own wellbeing if I didn't follow mallow's instructions.

"So umm the time is 1 o'clock......... Lunch time."

"Yes though I'm not that hungry at the moment... You see had a rather large breakfast and-"

"Let's go have lunch Lillie, I found this really nice restaurant." I pleaded.

"But...umm...."

"I felt at the moment that we never speak anymore Lillie and well...... I just want to spend some time with you....." I sniffed sorrowfully.

"Ohhh ok then......" She sighed.

"Yayay!!!! Thank you!!"

***

Normal pov:

"Hi ash d'ya wanna grab lunch with me - I found this pretty cool restaurant... They do the best food."

The mere mention of food instantly persuaded the ravenette to immediately follow Serena to the restaurant.

***

Mallow's plan had worked the four of them met up at the restaurant.

"Whoa serena, ash, totally did not expect to see you here!!!?!?!???" The bluenette said over exaggerated - enjoying this a little too much. Serena glared in response worried they would catch on. As soon as they all sat down Lana and serena made a run for it. Almost knocking over their chairs, they simultaneously shot out of their seats, out of the restaurant to where they arranged to meet mallow.

***

"There........" Serena started breathing heavily. "We..... Did it......." She sighed.

"Perfect." The seaweed haired girl smiled evily.

"Now what?" Lana asked.

"Now, we watch.... Here take these walkie-talkies and give updates every 5 minutes... Louise, restaurant - nearby table, Tori open window, Jess in the vent above." Mallow explained.

***

"That's was......" Lillie started.

"....weird!" Ash finished. They both giggled. "Well I don't know about you but I'm starving!! Let's order anyway!!" Lillie giggled at this used to her close friends unusual eating habits.... Close friend..... Lillie thought... Then why do I....... Nevermind.

Lillie's pov:

Ash ordered a large burger.... I just settled with an orange juice.

While we were waiting I looked up to catch ash staring at me lost in thought. He quickly looked away blushing which in turn caused me to blush.....

"So.... Umm...." I started nervously.

"Lillie."

"Yes?" I said curiously, he sounded serious.

"I need to thank you."

"For what?"

"...For what you said to me at the beach.... But not just then, all those other time you believed in me when no one else did!" He said.

"Oh ash......" I smiled to myself.

"You look really nice today Lillie!"

"Oh, umm thanks!" The blush on my face was very noticable.

"Im gald to have you as my best friend!"

'Best friend' I thought... I haven't heard him call us that before.... I was.... So happy! But..... Something wasn't right.... Why was this not ok?

Mallow's pov:

"Are you alright lillie?" I could hear ash say from the gap in the vent above their table.

Mwa ha ha all was going according to plan.

"Yes. I'm fine, sorry." She replied.

I got out my walkie-talkie, "psst Louise, Tori any intel?? ... Over."

"Nope."

"Serena you have to say over.... Over."

"Fine..."

"..."

"...over."

"Thank you.... Over."

"Hey guys they're in a deep conservation.. shut up.... Over." Lana said.

Ash's pov:

"So umm I need to ask you something...." I said. Finally I had the opportunity to ask her about the secret she's keeping.

"Yes?"

"Well.... I was just going to say, could you tell me more about your family?"

"Oh... Umm... You know I think I will ash." She smiled finally. She trusts me. "So what do you want to know-?"

"AAHHHHHH"

Lillie's pov:

Just at that moment a girl with suspiciously familiar seaweed haired dropped from the ceiling and landed on our table...

I shall interrogate later... I thought to myself.

***

"Ah hoenn!!" Ash said happily.

We soon arrived at the dock, as we got off the boat two trainers waved at us. I didn't recognise them so I looked at ash and serena, they both did. One, the female, had brown hair tied in pigtails and blue eyes, the other, the male, had green hair not seaweed more like grass I would say.

"May!! Drew!!" Both ash and serena shouted in unison.