My heart was practically thumping against my ribs. Looking at the two kids in front of me was like staring at a living piece of history. There he was—Ash, with those signature lightning-bolt markings on his cheeks and that "Venonat" hairstyle that somehow worked on him. And there was Serena, looking like a little doll in her pink dress, her eyes wide with a mix of leftover fear and newfound admiration.
"Holy cow!" I blurted out again, my voice echoing through the quiet Kanto woods.
Ash tilted his head, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion. "Big brother? What did you just say? Is something wrong?"
"Ah... no! Nothing! Everything is great!" I stammered, frantically waving my hands to dismiss the awkwardness. "I was just... uh... surprised to find anyone out here! I was looking for Professor Oak. My name is Julian. It's... it's really nice to meet you both."
I had to bite my tongue to keep from babbling. I've seen this scene a thousand times on a screen, but standing here in the flesh was a different story. This was the legendary Summer Camp. The moment that defined Serena's entire life and the only time in recorded history that Ash Ketchum showed more emotional intelligence than a Geodude.
I should have had my camera out five minutes ago! I screamed internally. I could have filmed the handkerchief scene! That footage would be worth a fortune to the history books—or at least to the shippers back in my old world!
"Hello, Julian!" Ash chirped, his energy radiating off him like an Electric-type. "I'm Ash, and I live right here in Pallet Town! I know exactly where the Professor is. I was just heading back to find him myself. Come on, follow us!"
"O-okay. Lead the way, Ash," I replied, finally finding my feet.
As they turned around to walk, Ash naturally reached out and took Serena's hand again to help her over a fallen log. My collector's instinct flared up like a Flareon's tail.
Wait. This is it. The shot.
I quietly reached into my backpack and pulled out my high-end camera. I didn't care if I looked like a weirdo; I needed this for the archive.
Click. Click. Click.
The shutter was quiet, but in the silence of the woods, it sounded like a gunshot to my guilty ears. Ash stopped and looked back, catching me with the lens still pointed at them.
"Um, big brother? What are you doing?" Ash asked. "Why are you taking pictures of our backs?"
"Ah, habit! Totally just a habit!" I lied through my teeth, my eyes darting around. "I'm a traveling researcher, you see. I like to record every new place I visit. You two are the first people I met in Pallet Town, so I thought I'd take a souvenir photo. Actually... can I get a group picture with you two?"
"A group photo? Sure!" Ash grinned, then looked at the blushing girl beside him. "What do you think?"
"Y-yes... that's fine," Serena whispered, her face turning a shade of red that rivaled a Cherubi. She didn't let go of his hand, though.
"Alright! Everyone look here! One... two... three... Cheese!"
Click.
The photo was a masterpiece of unintentional storytelling. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, dappling their young faces. Serena was looking at the camera with a shy blush, but her eyes were clearly trying to steal a side-long glance at Ash.
Ash was just beaming at the lens, his hand firmly clutching hers. And there I was in the background, wearing my blue tracksuit and my brand-new Ash-model hat, looking like the happiest third wheel in the world.
We emerged from the woods into a clearing near the base of the back mountain, where a large group of children were gathered around a tall man in a white lab coat.
"Ash! You're finally back!" Professor Oak called out, his voice booming with authority and warmth. "And you found Serena! Thank goodness, I was starting to get worried. But... who is this young man with you?"
"This is Julian!" Ash announced, pulling Serena along. "We found him in the woods. He said he was looking for you, so I brought him here."
The Professor turned his gaze toward me, and I felt the weight of his legendary reputation. But the moment he saw my face, his eyes lit up. "Julian! Of course! I've been waiting for you to arrive. I'm so sorry—I'm usually buried in paperwork at the lab, but I couldn't pass up the chance to run the Summer Camp. I hope you didn't have too much trouble finding me."
"Not at all, Professor," I said, shaking his hand. "It's an honor to finally meet you in person. I've read your thesis on Pokémon habitats more times than I can count."
"And I've read your work on Sylveon!" Oak countered, his excitement bubbling over. "Tell me, the specific cellular mutation that triggers the Fairy-type evolution—is it a reaction to the trainer's aura, or—"
"Um... Professor?" I gestured toward the thirty or so children who were now staring at us with wide, confused eyes. "Maybe we should save the deep-science talk for later? You've got a camp to run."
Oak blinked, then let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, right! I got ahead of myself. My apologies! It's just not every day I get to talk shop with the discoverer of a new type."
"I don't mind helping out," I offered, looking at the kids. "I've never been to a Kanto Summer Camp before. I'd love to see how you do things here."
"That would be a lifesaver!" Oak sighed in relief. "I love the children, but keeping track of forty of them in the wild is a bit much for one old man."
For the next few hours, I became the "Assistant Counselor." I found myself leading a group of kids through a meadow, pointing out a wild Farfetch'd that was nesting near a pond.
"Look closely, everyone," I said, keeping my voice low so as not to spook the bird. "That's a Farfetch'd. They're quite rare here in Kanto."
"Why does it have a leek, mister?" one of the kids asked.
"Great question! That 'leek' is actually its weapon, its tool, and sometimes even its emergency food," I explained, feeling the familiar rhythm of teaching. "They use it like a sword to defend themselves. But did you know that in the Galar region, Farfetch'd look completely different?"
The kids leaned in, even Ash and Serena, who were listening intently from the front row.
"In Galar, the air and the soil are different," I continued. "The Farfetch'd there are much bigger, and their 'leeks' grow to be five times as large! They're so heavy that the Pokémon has to carry them like a giant lance. They even evolve into a Pokémon called Sirfetch'd—a true knight of the forest."
"Whoa! A knight Pokémon!" Ash's eyes were practically glowing.
I looked up to see Professor Oak watching me from the back, a look of genuine impressed curiosity on his face. "Truly fascinating," he said later as we walked back toward the main campsite. "I knew about the Galarian forms, of course, but your level of detail is extraordinary. You talk about them as if you've lived there for years."
I gave him a mysterious smile. "I'll explain more about that over dinner, Professor. I've picked up a lot of 'unconventional' knowledge during my research."
"I'm looking forward to it!" Oak laughed.
"Hey, Julian!" Ash suddenly ran up to me, his face full of excitement. "You're a Trainer, right? You said you were a researcher, but you have Poké Balls on your belt!"
"I am," I replied, smiling down at him.
"Can I see them? Please?! I want to see a Pokémon from a different region!"
I looked at the group of kids, then at the Professor, who gave me an encouraging nod.
"Alright, Ash. But just for a minute. These two have had a long trip across the ocean."
I stepped into the center of the clearing and tossed two Poké Balls into the air.
"Floette! Sylveon! Come out and say hi!"
In a burst of white light, my partners materialized. Floette hovered elegantly, her blue flower parasol spinning slowly, while Sylveon landed on the grass with a graceful flick of her ribbons.