"Now then," Professor Oak said, his tone bright as ever, "I'll announce the rest of the pairings!"
"Aron and Spade—you two will be staying at the home of our local student, Jun."
"Hiro and Teru—you'll be with Kazu's family."
Though Oak had explained that Kalos students would be split up and temporarily stay with unfamiliar Kanto families, he had made sure that each pair consisted of two close friends, to help ease their nerves.
One by one, the names were called—familiar duos stepping forward, exchanging smiles, and bowing politely.
Finally, Oak adjusted his glasses, smiling as he read from the final page.
"Gabriel and Henri—you'll be staying with Gary Oak."
"Shauna and Serena—you'll be hosted by Green."
A quiet murmur ran through the crowd.
"And last but not least," Oak declared with a genial tone, "Tierno and Trevor—you'll be staying with Ash Ketchum!"
He looked up, scanning the crowd. "Ash? Delia? Come on out and welcome your new guests!"
…Silence.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. The lively crowd of townsfolk and campers exchanged confused glances.
Oak blinked. "Thorne," he asked his assistant, "has Ash and his mother not arrived yet?"
Thorne scratched his cheek awkwardly. "It seems… not yet, Professor."
Just as Oak opened his mouth to speak again, a distant voice called out from beyond the crowd.
"Wait—coming, coming!"
Heads turned. The townspeople instinctively parted to make way as a young woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail came running down the dirt path—dragging along a black-haired boy who looked like he'd barely survived a natural disaster.
It was, of course, Delia Ketchum and her eternally late son, Ash.
They skidded to a stop in front of the crowd, both panting heavily. Delia bent over, hands on her knees, gasping for breath.
"Huff… sorry, everyone! We're late!" she said between breaths. "Professor Oak—have the Kalos students who'll be staying with us arrived yet?"
Oak chuckled, crossing his arms with mock severity. "Well, Delia, if you'd been a few minutes later, I might've had to send someone to fetch you."
"Ahahaha…"
The entire crowd burst out laughing.
No one was really angry—how could they be? Pallet Town was small and tight-knit; everyone knew everyone.
Ash could only smile awkwardly as the laughter spread.
This wasn't the first time he'd caused a scene in front of the whole town. In the original timeline, he'd overslept on the day he left to become a Trainer too, making all the neighbors laugh at the chaos that followed.
And now, history had repeated itself.
"Hey!"
A familiar, smug voice rose from the crowd.
"Let me guess, Ash—you were so excited last night that you couldn't sleep, huh? And now you've gone and overslept again?"
Ash groaned inwardly before even turning around. Of course it was Gary.
The boy stood beside his mother, grinning with that infuriating mix of pride and teasing arrogance.
Before Ash could respond, another voice chimed in—this time, a girl's.
"Hehe, I heard from Auntie Delia that Ash loves sleeping in!" Green said sweetly, giggling as she tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear.
"Boom! Boom!"
Two firm flicks landed on their heads before either could react.
"Shut it, you two!" Ash barked, crossing his arms and glaring at them. "Don't make me start telling everyone your embarrassing stories!"
Gary and Green froze instantly, eyes wide, their smug expressions collapsing into nervous smiles.
"Uhh… sorry, Ash…"
"Yeah… we'll be quiet now…"
Ash nodded, satisfied. "That's what I thought."
The crowd was still chuckling at the scene—it was the kind of everyday chaos they'd come to expect from Pallet Town's most energetic kid.
But while the laughter lingered, Ash finally turned toward the Kalos students.
His eyes scanned the group. There—among the crowd of unfamiliar faces—he spotted her.
A girl with light brown hair, a pink dress, and a wide-brimmed straw hat, half-hiding behind a livelier companion.
Serena.
Ash's lips curled into a soft grin. Target acquired. Six-year-old Serena—spotted in the wild.
Serena, who had been shyly peeking out from behind Shauna, froze as soon as she met Ash's gaze. Their eyes locked for a heartbeat—and she immediately ducked back behind her friend, cheeks bright pink.
Ash couldn't help but smile wider.
"Yep… still as cute as ever," he thought.
In his mind, flashes of the future unfolded—the confident Serena who stood on the Kalos Showcase stage, radiant under the spotlight, chasing her dream with the same determination he chased his own.
The girl who had once drawn courage from a childhood encounter with him… and one day, would stand tall beside him.
Back then, she would dazzle the world with her beauty, her confidence, and her unshakable heart.
But right now?
Right now, she was just a shy, blushing girl hiding behind her friend—
and that, Ash thought, was adorable in its own way.
He tore his gaze away before she noticed again. Staring too long would only scare her off, and that was not how you start a legendary bond.
He straightened up, brushing dust off his pants.
"Alright," he muttered with a grin. "Let's try this again… without the oversleeping next time."
The crowd was still buzzing around them—Gary rubbing his forehead, Green stifling a giggle, and Serena sneaking another curious glance from behind her friend.
For Ash Ketchum, the Summer Camp had officially begun—
and it had started with the most embarrassing introduction imaginable.
…
…