"Son, you've gotten a bit tanner during summer camp."
"Yoshio, you rascal! Did you get fatter? Were you slacking off instead of participating in camp activities?"
"No, Auntie! Puff and I just thought Yoshio was too skinny. So we made sure he ate more every day at camp."
"Yeah, yeah! And Yoshio was really active during camp too. He even ranked 25th in the camp's final evaluation!"
"Actually, it was all thanks to Puff and Tora. They encouraged me and gave me lots of courage. I'll keep studying hard and learn everything I can about Pokémon. I want to become a great Trainer one day."
"When we officially begin our journeys in the future, the three of us have already promised—we'll travel together!"
"Really? Puff, Tora, when you two return to Kanto, you must visit Pallet Town again. Even though Kanto and Kalos are far apart, you have a home here. We are your family too!"
Puff: "Auntie~"
Tora: "Auntie~"
Scenes like this were happening all over town. Since Pallet Town was still a good distance from the metropolitan Saffron City, the Kalos students wouldn't be going back to stay at their host families' homes. So, they were saying their goodbyes right at the town entrance.
"Aunt Delia, thank you for everything you've done for us. Tierno and I baked an almond cake for you…"
"Wow! It looks delicious!"
"Tierno, Trevor, Auntie loves your gift. Travel safely, and when you get home, listen to your parents, okay?"
"I packed you a lunch for the road! Tierno, it's got your favorite curry rice. And for Trevor, there's…"
"Thank you, Auntie."
Time was short. After heartfelt farewells, the Kalos students began boarding the bus again.
Shauna, Tierno, Trevor, and Serena all waved goodbye as they stood together, while Ash, Gary, and Green stood nearby waving back.
"Don't forget us when you get back!"
"Don't worry—we'll always be friends!"
"Shauna, Serena, Tierno, Trevor! Take care, all of you!"
"We all added each other on our social media, so let's keep in touch!"
"...Ash!!"
Just as Serena was about to step onto the bus, she turned back toward the open space at the town entrance where Ash stood among the farewell crowd. Her eyes, already reddening, locked onto his.
This wasn't just a farewell between friends. Serena's feelings for Ash ran much deeper—admiration, affection, longing.
Though they had already promised to travel together once they started their journeys, now that the moment of parting had arrived, her heart filled with a deep, aching sorrow.
She remembered how her earlier confession had been interrupted… and now, at the edge of goodbye, an overwhelming tide of emotion surged in her chest.
"Ash—" Her eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at him. Though the town entrance was packed with people, to her, in that moment, the world held only Ash.
As the bus driver urged her to hurry aboard, one foot already on the step, Serena made a bold decision.
Without warning, she turned and ran straight toward Ash.
Before Ash could even react, Serena stood in front of him. She tiptoed, leaned forward, and—like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water—gently kissed him on the cheek.
"Ash, don't forget our promise," she whispered, her face flushing crimson as she turned and rushed back onto the bus.
"Woooooah!!"
"Yooo!!"
"Wooooooow!!"
The residents of Pallet Town, the local students, even the Kalos kids on the bus—all erupted in cheers.
Ash hadn't expected the normally shy Serena to pull off such a bold move in front of so many people. But that single kiss… even without using Aura, he could clearly feel the intense emotion behind it. The warmth. The courage.
And instead of embarrassment at the teasing crowd of uncles, aunties, and neighbors, Ash simply raised his head and shouted boldly toward the departing bus:
"Serena! I won't forget you! And I'll always remember our promise!"
"When the time comes, I'll have your ticket ready—so come find me! We'll travel the world together!"
Though Serena didn't reply, through the window of the bus, Ash could see her nodding, her face red, but filled with a smile.
Vrooooom...
The bus engine roared to life. Slowly, the bus disappeared down the dirt road, vanishing from view. Only then did the residents begin to scatter and return to their homes.
"Kid, you're really something," a neighbor laughed. "Not only did you score first place at the Pokémon Summer Camp, but you even brought home a beautiful girlfriend from Kalos!"
"You made us Pallet Town folk proud! Come over for lunch, Ash—let's have a talk about girls!"
"Ash is still a kid! Mitchell—you'll set a bad example for my son!"
"Come on, Delia! Ash has a girlfriend now—he's not a little boy anymore. He's becoming a real man."
"Shun, look at Ash! First place at camp, and a girlfriend from Kalos!"
"Yeah, seriously! You, on the other hand—can't even get a girlfriend from Kanto, let alone Kalos. Make your mom and me proud for once, will ya?"
The town buzzed as everyone walked home along the dirt path, the air filled with one topic and one name:
Ash.
He had become the living embodiment of "someone else's amazing kid." Every adult was using him to lecture their children.
"Gary, Green, I'm heading home now," Ash waved to his friends as they parted ways at a fork in the road.
"OK~"
"Same here. I'm home."
They both waved back, clearly eager to return to their homes after two weeks away.
Creak!
Ash pushed open the white-painted wooden gate. As he stepped into the courtyard, his mother Delia—who'd been carrying his suitcase—reached out to ruffle his hair, her face full of joy.
"Ash, you really surprised me this time. Not only did you ace the entire camp, but you even found yourself a girlfriend! That's my boy—you're even better than that Tucker's son."
"Okay, Mom, can we not talk about this?" Ash groaned, quickly changing the subject. "I'm starving. I want your curry rice!"
"Oh, and how's Pichu been? Why didn't he come to greet me at the town entrance?"
Delia smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'll go cook for you right now."
"As for Pichu, he's been a good boy. But he really missed you. Every day he sat in front of the TV, hugging the remote, watching the camp livestream."
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