Chloe quickly replied to Aria, a thought budding in her mind: Pokémon Contests... TriPokalons... maybe I should give them a try sometime?
In the Footage—
Learning the details of Contests and Showcases, Chloe's eyes sparkled with longing, yet she remained hesitant.
Performing under the gaze of a massive crowd was immense pressure. At least for now, she didn't dare take that step.
Ash assured her it was fine; May, Dawn, and Serena had all started as beginners. "Don't worry! You've got me, a veteran trainer, guiding you! It'll be no problem!" "Pika-pika!" Pikachu puffed out its chest alongside Ash, making Chloe burst into laughter.
Returning to the Cerise Laboratory, Professor Cerise's smile nearly reached his ears upon hearing Chloe had participated in a battle. As Professor Oak had said, Ash was a miracle worker.
Soon, a Piplup arrived—having swum all the way from Snowpoint City in Sinnoh! Entrusted by the Professor to return it, Ash set off for Sinnoh.
"Sinnoh, huh... Flint, Volkner, Cynthia, Paul—they're all people I met there! Paul is my rival and my friend!" Ash told Chloe.
"And of course, my best friend in Sinnoh is Dawn! She traveled with me and Brock for a long time, and she has a Piplup too!"
"…Her?" Chloe's "element-detection" went off again. Why did it feel like Ash had a girl waiting in every single region?
[Volkner: Looks like Ash came to challenge my gym again in the future.]
[Flint: Or maybe I took him there. With your personality, you might not have accepted a challenge otherwise~]
[Paul: ...]
Paul watched the screen coldly. Hearing Ash call him a "friend" caused a stir in his heart, but his face remained a mask of indifference. He still believed in strength above all, but perhaps a seed of change had been planted.
In the Footage—
After returning Piplup and a brief stint in a Water-type race (where Team Rocket provided their usual "assistance" by causing a mess that led to a heartwarming reconciliation), Ash looked for his old friends.
However, everyone was busy! Cynthia was on a mission, Flint was out challenging trainers, and Dawn was in Hoenn for a Contest.
Most surprisingly, Paul was studying to become a Gym Leader! This left Ash—and the real-world Paul and Reggie—utterly stunned.
Returning to Kanto, a dejected Ash was cheered up by Chloe. "It's okay, Ash. Everyone is just chasing their goals. As long as the friendship exists, you'll meet again!"
"Chloe... I didn't know you could be so deep." "What do you mean by that?! What kind of person do you think I am?!"
"Alright! I'm fired up! If everyone is chasing their goals, I'm chasing mine too! World's No. 1 Pokémon Master, here I come!" Ash sprinted toward the lab. "Is your dream located inside the lab...?" Chloe sighed.
In the Footage—
The next mission: Find Dragonite Island, a legendary place where Dratini and Dragonair are said to gather. The Professor marked potential locations on Ash's Rotom Phone, but there was one problem—they had no sea transport.
Ash patted his chest confidently. "Leave it to me!" He went to the Vermilion City docks and screamed at the horizon: "LAPRAS!!!"
The Audience: ???What kind of logic is this? You shout at the ocean, and a Lapras just appears? Even with Max Friendship, that's impossible!
[Lorelei: Remember the memory before the Articuno fight? Ash was riding a Lapras in the Orange Archipelago.]
[Wallace: But he said he doesn't have a sea mount now. He must have released it. How can he call it back from the middle of the ocean?]
In the Footage—
As people stared, Chloe whispered, "Ash, what are you doing? Do you have a Lapras stationed here?" "No, I left her in the ocean long ago to protect her herd. I want to see if my call can reach her heart."
"Where did you... Release her?" "I didn't release her! Her Poké Ball is still with me. We're still partners!" "Fine. Where did you leave her to protect her herd?" "The Orange Archipelago."
"…Ash, sound only travels so far. We should just rent a boat." "Chloe... just give me one hour."
One hour later, just as Chloe was about to give up, Ash smirked. "She's here!!" "Wooooooooh~" A beautiful, clear cry echoed as a pod of Lapras swam toward the dock at high speed!
[Lorelei: No way... that actually worked?]
[Wallace: I don't understand, but I am deeply moved!]
[Leon: Calling a Pokémon from across the ocean with a single shout... that's beyond 'bond.']
In the Footage—
Ash hugged the lead Lapras. "Long time no see! You heard me, didn't you?" Lapras nodded gently. "Let's go, Chloe! To Dragonite Island!"
On the way, Chloe asked how he did it. Ash just scratched his head. "I don't know, intuition?" "Classic Ash answer..." Chloe sighed.
"Even if we are worlds apart, our hearts are connected!" Ash smiled. "Lapras, Larvitar, Primeape, Butterfree, Pidgeot, Greninja, Solgaleo... their hearts are all linked to mine!"
[Professor Kukui: Did he say... Solgaleo?]
[Lance: Is that a problem?]
[Professor Kukui: He is the God of Alola! An 'A-Tier' Legend, a First-Class deity! Ash actually caught Solgaleo?!]
[Professor Oak: I think there's only one explanation for this 'call.' Ash is a Hero of Aura!]
[Professor Oak: Aura Power is on par with Psychic or Viridian powers. Lucario and Riolu use it naturally. It allows a trainer to communicate their feelings across any distance if the bond is strong enough. Ash must have recorded the Aura of every Pokémon he's ever caught. When he calls, his Aura carries his voice directly to them!]
The Audience:What kind of cheat-code ability is that?!
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