[Gary: Do you think Parallel world Ash is gonna get beaten to death by Aunt Delia?]
Playing outside until half past midnight before coming home—no matter the reason, that was way too rebellious for a five-year-old.
If it were his mom, she'd beat him so hard he wouldn't be able to get out of bed for three days.
[Misty: No way! Aunt Delia's so gentle—how could she ever hit him?]
Misty wasn't stupid. She wasn't about to agree with Gary's nonsense.
Especially when it came to Delia, her potential future mother-in-law. That was one person she couldn't afford to offend.
[Brock: Parents usually deal with sensible kids and disobedient ones differently. If our Ash had stayed out all night at five, Aunt Delia probably would've given him a deep life lesson.]
[Ash: Don't slander me! I've never given my mom a headache! No one's more sensible than me!]
[Delia: Heh heh.]
At that moment, the black screen dimmed, replaced by the bright display of the Original World—the one bordered in white.
On a bright and sunny morning, six-year-old Ash burst into the kitchen, waving a poster in excitement.
"Mom! Mom! Professor Oak's summer camp! Sign me up! Please sign me up!"
"Okay, okay, no problem," Delia said casually while stirring breakfast.
"Oh right!" Ash suddenly remembered something important. "Mom, you don't have anything planned for that morning, do you?"
This was very important. Last year, he'd missed the summer camp because he overslept. That wasn't going to happen again!
Delia rolled her eyes.
"You're already six years old, and you still need Mom to wake you up?"
"I'm just making double sure!" Ash said proudly.
[Gary: Heh, six years old and still needs his mom to wake him up. Classic Ash.
[Ash: No, no, no! Don't talk nonsense! That never happened!]
[Gary: Heh heh.]
[Grace: Professor Oak's summer camp… Oh, I remember now. Serena, didn't you also attend that camp?]
[Serena: Mom! Don't say that in the livestream chat!]
Grace blinked, realization dawning.
Ah, so that's how it is!
No wonder Serena blushed every time Ash's name came up—those two already had a childhood connection!
Kanto Region — a quiet corner of Pallet Town.
"Ash, do you… know Serena?"
Though the conversation in the livestream was short, Misty's sharp instincts picked up on something.
"Serena?" Ash frowned, thinking for a while before answering, "Don't know her."
"Really?" Misty eyed him suspiciously.
Something didn't add up. That Serena girl clearly knew Ash—so how could he not know her?
Strange. Very strange.
With Delia's help, Ash finally managed to make it to Professor Oak's summer camp this time.
The moment they reached the forest, Ash's true nature kicked in. Ignoring Oak's calls, he dashed off into the wild.
Watching his disappearing figure, Oak sighed. "Delia really has it tough."
To raise Ash safely to age six… heaven only knows how much effort Delia put in.
Since there were so many children, Oak couldn't leave the group to chase Ash down. What he didn't notice, however, was that another child had gone missing.
"Everyone! Everyone, where are you?"
In the forest, a lost little girl was on the verge of tears.
As she called out for her companions, a rustling came from the nearby bushes—scaring her so badly that she tripped and fell.
The girl, who hadn't wanted to join the camp in the first place, finally broke down and cried.
"What are you doing here?"
Fate truly works in mysterious ways—two lost children crossing paths in the forest.
After learning the girl—Serena—had injured her foot, Ash took out a handkerchief from his pocket and gently tended to her wound.
"It still hurts. I can't stand up," Serena said tearfully.
"Don't give up until the very end," Ash encouraged.
With his words, Serena gathered her courage and stood up.
The two held hands and walked back to camp together.
🚨 Danger!!! 🚨
Warning sirens blared in Misty's mind. That girl named Serena… felt like a threat.
[Daisy: Oh no, Misty! Your little boyfriend's about to get snatched away!]
[Lily: You can't really blame him. That Serena girl is super cute and gentle. Honestly, she's way more ladylike than Misty. It's natural for Ash to fall for her.]
[Violet: Oh, and doesn't Serena have that item that lets her teleport straight to Ash's side? There goes your only advantage, Misty—companionship!]
[Daisy, Lily, Violet: Danger! Danger! Danger!]
[Lance: Hey, hey, hey—if I remember right, Ash and Misty are ten, and Serena isn't even ten yet! Why are we talking about love already? This is adult territory! You're ten years too early!]
[Bruno: Hmm… or maybe it's not that they're ten years too early… maybe we're ten years too late.]
[Lance: Impossible! Absolutely impossible!!!]