In short, if all six of Ash's Pokémon were ordinary Pokémon, then the most suitable candidate to be trained as his absolute ace would undoubtedly be Greninja.
After that would come Pidgeot and Milotic.
As for the remaining three Pokémon, while they were certainly worth training, they weren't ideal choices for the role of a primary ace.
However—
None of Ash's Pokémon were ordinary.
And more importantly, Ash himself was anything but ordinary.
He possessed the power of Source Cleansing, capable of improving a Pokémon's potential.
He possessed Will Empowerment, which could temporarily grant Pokémon effects similar to Pseudo-Mega Evolution or Pseudo-Z Moves.
And he had the Ascension Trainer System, allowing Pokémon to level up rapidly and learn a vast array of skills.
Because of this, Ash didn't need to worry about a Pokémon's species potential.
He didn't need to care whether a Pokémon was popular or obscure.
As long as its stat distribution was good...
Its personality suited him...
And its appearance appealed to his tastes...
Then he could capture it.
And he could raise it into an exceptionally powerful Pokémon.
...
After spending some more time at the Pokémon Fan Club, Misty and her three sisters led Ash's group to another local attraction—the Miracle Bicycle Shop.
There, a road cycling race was being held.
To avoid being recognized and causing a commotion, Ash deliberately wore a mask.
He even put a baseball cap on Pikachu.
The disguise proved surprisingly effective.
Throughout the entire event, not a single person recognized him.
As a result, Ash and his friends were able to enjoy the race in peace without constantly being surrounded by fans.
By the time the cycling competition ended, it was already 11:40 AM.
Following the schedule they had planned earlier that morning, everyone immediately headed to their next destination—
The famous Patty Restaurant for lunch.
To Ash's surprise, the restaurant's signature Patty was genuinely delicious.
The owner looked every bit like a greedy businessman obsessed with money.
The cashier wore a perpetually exhausted expression that made it seem as though life had already defeated him.
But the head chef was cheerful, humorous, and full of energy.
Altogether, the dining experience was extremely enjoyable.
Before leaving, they even bought an extra Patty to take back for Green, who had remained buried in work at the hotel.
"Ash, Gary, Clarissa, make sure you all get some rest."
"At 1:30 this afternoon, we'll come pick you up."
"Then we're heading to the beach for swimming, diving, and surfing!"
Outside the hotel entrance, Lily waved as she spoke.
"Sounds good!"
Ash readily agreed.
Although Pallet Town was also located near the sea, whenever he visited the coastline downstream from Pallet River, it was usually to train Magikarp and the then-unevolved Feebas.
He had never actually gone swimming in the ocean himself.
Now that he was visiting Cerulean City, a famous coastal tourist destination, he genuinely wanted to experience the relaxing lifestyle of beachgoers.
Swimming.
Diving.
Surfing.
Simply enjoying the sea.
"Click."
The hotel room door opened.
Inside the living room, Green was still hard at work.
"Green, have you eaten lunch yet?"
"We brought you a Patty. It's really good—eat it while it's still hot."
Hearing the door open, Green finally looked up.
"Ash, you're back!"
Her face immediately lit up with excitement.
"I've got good news!"
"Between the overtime work I put in last night and all the progress I made this morning, I've already finished organizing two-thirds of Feebas's beauty-photo materials."
"And the portion I've completed has already been sent to the editor-in-chief at Quartz Publishing."
"They've already begun layout design and other production work."
"If I push a little harder this afternoon, I should be able to finish everything before sunset."
"At that point, once the final manuscript is assembled, it can go directly to print tomorrow."
"And the first edition could go on sale that very same day!"
Green's excitement was impossible to hide.
"That's great."
Ash nodded approvingly.
"You've worked hard."
"But eat lunch first."
"Don't wear yourself out."
He handed her the paper bag containing the Patty.
The speed of her progress genuinely surprised him.
The most difficult part of the beauty guide had always been obtaining the photographs themselves.
Compared to that, organizing the text and supporting materials should have been easier.
Even so, completing two-thirds in such a short period was still remarkably efficient.
"Mhm!"
Green happily accepted the bag.
Opening it immediately, she took out the Patty and began eating with obvious satisfaction.
"Oh, right."
As if suddenly remembering something, Green looked up.
"The publishing house plans to use one of Feebas's original no-makeup photos as the cover."
"The back cover, meanwhile, will feature Milotic."
"The idea is to create a complete narrative."
She gestured enthusiastically.
"From humble beginnings..."
"To gradual accumulation and growth..."
"To a magnificent transformation."
"A complete cycle."
Ash nodded.
That concept actually sounded quite good.
"Feebas's original photos are already in our digital album."
"And because they're meant to represent its simple, unpolished beginnings, the requirements aren't very strict."
"But the Milotic photo is different."
"The publisher wants it to be as beautiful and fashionable as possible."
"So they've contacted one of their contracted photographers."
"He specifically came to Cerulean City to shoot a professional photo set for Milotic."
"One photo will be selected for the back cover."
"As for the remaining photos, they can be printed as bonus collectibles included with the first edition."
"A Milotic photoshoot?"
Ash blinked.
"That's right."
Green nodded.
"When is the photographer coming?"
"Well..."
Green thought for a moment.
"Since we're rushing to finish publication as quickly as possible, the photos need to be delivered today."
"My side should finish organizing the materials this afternoon."
"The publisher will probably complete the layout and design work by tonight as well."
"So the Milotic photos must be submitted before the end of the day."
"Actually..."
Green looked at him strangely.
"Before you came back, the photographer already called."
"He's arrived in Cerulean City."
"And he's currently checking into this same hotel."
"Right now, everything depends on your schedule."
"Whenever you're free, the photoshoot can begin."
Ash raised an eyebrow.
"He's already here?"
"In the hotel?"
"Then let's do it now."
Since there was free time around noon and the project was operating under a tight deadline, Ash saw no reason to delay.
"If we're doing this, let's do it immediately."
Ash had always been decisive.
Once he made a decision, he acted.
Coincidentally, Green's personality was quite similar.
The moment she received his answer, she nodded without hesitation.
"Alright."
"I'll contact the photographer right now."
Taking out her phone, she immediately made the call.
Because the back-cover photo required a sense of beauty, elegance, and fashion, they couldn't simply take pictures anywhere.
A professional studio setup would be necessary.
After confirming the arrangements with the photographer, Ash and Green immediately sprang into action.
Within minutes, both of them were heading out once again.
Watching the pair leave in a hurry, Clarissa couldn't help sighing.
"Ash and Green are really hardworking when it comes to work."
Gary couldn't help laughing.
"As for Green, I don't know."
"But ever since Ash attended Grandpa's Pokémon Summer Camp and officially became a Trainer..."
"Whether it's training Pokémon or handling other projects..."
"He's always been like this."
"A complete workaholic."
Gary rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"Honestly, being friends with that guy is exhausting."
"Every time I feel like slacking off for a bit or taking it easy..."
"I look at him and suddenly feel guilty."
"Seriously..."
He let out a long sigh.
"The pressure is real."