Back at Professor Oak's summer camp, the Pokémon Serena had received was a Cleffa.
That tiny Cleffa had witnessed her entire journey—her transformation from a timid, shy girl into someone brave and confident. It had seen her bond with Ash grow bit by bit, watched her discover her dreams, and helped her define her future.
Because of that, Cleffa held a very special place in Serena's heart.
Now that she had the chance to raise another Cleffa, she simply couldn't bring herself to refuse.
"Alright, Serena, just accept it," Ash said with a gentle smile. "Compared to me, Cleffa is better suited for you. Raise it well, let it grow with you, and one day stand with you on an even bigger stage."
"For Clefable, and for Daisy Oak… that would be the best way to repay them."
"As for me… with the relationship we have now, there's no need to be so formal. And I know what Cleffa means to you. So just accept this gift."
"When you debut at ten… I want to see an even more confident, beautiful, and outstanding Serena."
"That will be the best return gift you can give me."
"Alright… alright, I'll accept it. Thank you, Ash."
His words made Serena's heart flutter—sweet, warm, and tinged with shy embarrassment. At the same time, she found herself filled with anticipation for the day they would meet again when she officially set out on her journey.
—
After chatting with Serena, Ash didn't forget to check in with Misty as well, asking about her Pokémon training progress.
Unlike Clarissa Joy, whom he could see every day, Serena was far away. Fortunately, the bond they had formed during the Pokémon Summer Camp had already taken root.
As for Misty…
Ash's feelings toward her were somewhat different. Part of it came from his fondness for her as a character from the original story. But more importantly, it stemmed from what had happened recently with her Magikarp.
Back then, Misty had a lingering psychological shadow—an incident where she had accidentally climbed into the mouth of a sleeping Gyarados. To overcome that fear, she decided to raise a Magikarp herself and personally nurture it into a Gyarados.
Her goal was simple: face her fear head-on, and slowly dispel it through experience.
Who would have thought…
She had managed to hook a Magikarp with decent potential and sent it to Ash to learn Tackle.
But when Ash checked it, he discovered something surprising—
That Magikarp already knew Tackle.
So he returned the Pokémon and gave her a call, explaining the situation based on the order details from his online shop.
That single interaction became the starting point of their connection.
Two people who, at this point in time, were never supposed to cross paths… had become friends.
Ash already had a natural fondness for Misty. And on her side, after watching the televised broadcast of the summer camp, she had already taken notice of him.
A boy around her age—yet far more outstanding and capable.
It was impossible not to admire him.
And on top of that… he was good-looking.
As she learned more about him, that admiration slowly deepened, evolving into something warmer… something closer to affection.
Every time Ash offered her guidance and advice on training her Pokémon, that feeling grew stronger.
And when Ash later gifted her a rare Pokémon—Marill—
That final push made her feelings spiral completely out of control.
She fell for him.
Completely.
—
When Ash realized Misty's feelings, he had been a little surprised at first.
But he didn't reject them.
If anything… he was quite happy about it.
At present, the two of them still hadn't met in person. Their relationship existed entirely through communication—messages, calls, shared training discussions.
But even so…
Their bond had already grown incredibly close—intimate, affectionate, almost inseparable.
—
Their conversation that night revolved mainly around Pokémon training.
Among the three girls, Misty had the most ambitious goal—
She wanted to become the world's greatest Water-type Pokémon Master.
At the same time, she also carried the responsibility of revitalizing the Cerulean Gym.
Because of that, Ash treated her differently from Serena.
When Serena pushed herself too hard, he would comfort her, telling her not to put too much pressure on herself.
But with Misty?
He never discouraged her.
Instead, he constantly offered strategies, advice, and guidance to help her grow stronger.
—
At present, Misty already had a solid team:
Staryu
Magikarp
Marill
For a six-year-old, owning three Pokémon was already remarkable—even if it didn't match Ash's numbers.
Regarding their training, Ash had given her extensive guidance.
For Staryu and Marill, he often had her send them over so they could learn moves under his supervision.
As for Magikarp…
To keep the secret of the Ascension Trainer System hidden, Ash didn't accelerate its development like he did with his own Pokémon.
So Misty's Magikarp currently only knew:
Splash
Tackle
Every day, she took it to the Cerulean Cape to battle wild Water-type Pokémon. She also brought it to the Pokémon Center's battle hall to fight other trainers.
Through constant training and battle experience…
Her Magikarp had now reached LV.15 — Beginner Tier (peak).
It stood on equal footing with Ash's own Magikarp and Feebas.
Evolution into Gyarados… was no longer far away.
—
As for Staryu and Marill—
Both had already surpassed LV.20 — Intermediate Tier.
While this growth speed couldn't quite compare to Ash's…
It was still on par with Gary.
From this alone, it was clear—
Misty possessed exceptional talent as a trainer.
—
After chatting with Misty for a while, Ash turned his attention to another message.
"Clarissa, are you asleep?"
Unlike his conversations with Serena and Misty, this time… he had something specific in mind.
"Not yet. I was just reading. You're still awake too, Ash?" came the reply from the Pokémon Center in Viridian City.
"Yeah. I need a favor," Ash said.
"A favor? What is it?" the girl asked curiously.
It wasn't about their relationship this time, which made her feel a slight hint of disappointment. But at the same time…
She noticed something else.
After their honest conversation earlier, Ash had changed.
Before, even if she helped him with something small, he would thank her repeatedly—almost too politely.
But now?
He was willing to ask her for help directly.
That subtle shift… made her heart warm.
—
"Well… more precisely, I need your family's help."
"Oh? What do you need?" she asked.
"I'm training a Fearow right now," Ash explained. "And I'll need several items for its development."
"Specifically—"
Quick Claw
Sharp Beak
Scope Lens
Razor Claw
Razor Fang
Wide Lens
"I'd like you to use the Joy family's network to help me gather information on these items. I want to purchase all six."
Ash didn't beat around the bush. He went straight to the point.
After all…
On the market, a single Pokémon item could cost anywhere between 2 million to 3.5 million Poké Dollars.
Although the City Arena's Battle Shop offered these items at a lower price…
They could only be exchanged using prize money earned through battles.
Which meant—
If he wanted them quickly, relying on external channels was the most efficient option.
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