A mother knows her child best; having spent over a decade with him, even if he's pretending, Delia can see through Ash's thoughts in an instant.
But after a few seconds of silence, Delia smiles and says, "I see, so this trip was a chance for you to relax a bit, right?"
"Yeah... Mom, isn't it lunchtime now? Why haven't you cooked?" Ash feels like his mom might have noticed something, so he quickly changes the topic.
"Oh, because someone else is cooking." Just as Delia finishes speaking, a figure slowly walks out of the kitchen. Everyone takes a closer look, and Ash and Misty exclaim, "Brock?!"
"Pika Pika?!"
The person suddenly appearing before Ash and the others is none other than their former travel companion, Brock!
Back when Ash and the others first arrived at the Orange Archipelago, Brock had resolutely stayed behind with Dr. Nemu to pursue his love. But now... why is Brock here in Pallet Town?
"Long time no see, Ash, Misty... Who's this?"
"This is Serena, a companion we met on the Orange Archipelago, and also my childhood playmate from summer camp. She just started her journey last month, so she's kind of like my apprentice now!" Ash said proudly, hands on his hips.
To be able to take on an apprentice in just half a year shows how much he has improved!
Upon hearing this, Brock glances at Serena. Though Serena can't see Brock's eyes, she can feel his scrutinizing gaze.
For this tanned, easy-going former member of Ash's team, Serena feels a bit anxious about whether she can make a good first impression.
"I see, got it. This kid is much stronger than when you started out, Ash."
Ash: ???
What do you mean she's stronger than me? You just took one look at her! This is definitely targeted at me!
"No, no! I still have so much to learn. Ash has been teaching me for a long time, but I've only learned a little bit," Serena says, waving her hands, looking a bit flustered.
"Haha, don't worry about it, I'm just kidding. I'm Brock, a former member of Ash's team. I left for some other reasons. Just between you and me, when Ash first started his journey, he didn't know anything. The reason he's come this far is not because he had a solid foundation, but because his ability to learn is just that monstrous."
"So you don't have to compare yourself to him. This guy is just a pure monster. Comparing yourself to him might crush you under unimaginable pressure. Just compare yourself to your past self."
Brock says with a smile to comfort Serena.
From the moment they met, he could sense that this girl seemed to be under a lot of pressure. Ash is great at many things, but he doesn't understand people's feelings well, and he's probably been too harsh when teaching Serena, leading to the pressure she's feeling now.
"Hey, Brock, you can guide people without slandering me! I never told Serena to compare herself to me, nor did I pressure her. On the contrary, I think the progress she's made in just a month is already remarkable." Ash rolls his eyes and speaks irritably.
When did he ever put pressure on Serena? When she was feeling down, he was the one comforting her, okay?
The clueless Ash, who knew nothing about relationships, doesn't exist anymore now that he has a girlfriend!
In the past, he might have felt pressured, but now... he somewhat understands that you should be more understanding with girls.
And Serena's talent is indeed quite impressive. By normal standards, she could be considered a genius, so the pressure thing doesn't really exist, okay?
Brock rubs his chin, slightly stubbled, with a thoughtful expression.
If the pressure wasn't coming from training, where was the pressure he sensed from Serena coming from? He looked at Ash, then at Misty, and finally at Serena, and suddenly had a moment of realization.
So that's what it was.
"All right, all right, I get that you weren't bullying newcomers. Come on, let's cook together. It's been a while since we cooked together, and I'd like to show you how much my cooking has improved." Brock, having figured things out, grabs Ash and pulls him into the kitchen.
Ash lets himself be dragged along without resisting and instead curiously asks, "By the way, Brock, weren't you with Dr. Nemu? Why..."
Before Ash can finish his sentence, he feels the force pulling him vanish entirely, and Brock is already crouched in a corner of the kitchen with a cloud seemingly hanging over his head.
Ash falls to the ground, bewildered, looking at Brock with no idea what just happened.
"What's wrong, Ash?!" Misty and Serena, hearing the commotion, come running over, only to find Ash on the ground and Brock crouched nearby.
...
After some experimentation, Ash and the others finally understood that for Brock, mentioning the name Nemu is prohibited.
It seems his romance with Dr. Nemu has suffered a devastating blow. It's unclear whether Dr. Nemu rejected him, or whether they broke up after getting together, but regardless, Dr. Nemu has become a taboo for Brock, and even her name must not be mentioned.
In less than a minute, Brock returns to normal. After he and Ash prepare an incredibly delicious lunch, Ash temporarily bids goodbye to Delia and the others with Pikachu.
After all, he still has the GS Ball that he needs to give to Professor Oak. He planned to head over right after eating, originally wanting to go with Misty, Serena, and Brock.
But Brock insists on doing the dishes, Misty wants to catch up with Delia, and Serena stays with them too, leaving only Ash and Pikachu to head over alone.
Ash's house isn't far from Oak's Research Institute, so even walking slowly, it only takes about five minutes to get there.
However, as he reaches the entrance of Oak's Research Institute, he unexpectedly comes across someone he didn't expect: "Are you... Gary?"
Ash says uncertainly as he looks at the figure standing at the entrance to the Research Institute.
When the figure turns around, Ash confirms that it is his familiar Gary, but Gary's demeanor is vastly different from when they last met at the Quartz Conference.
If Gary previously had a bit of youthful arrogance and an air of superiority, now he seems like someone who has matured through countless trials, becoming a very sophisticated Trainer.
For experienced Trainers, it's clear at a glance that such an opponent is quite formidable!
"Hey, Ash, you came back to Pallet Town too."
"Yeah, I just got back today. How about you?"
"Same as you."
Despite not having seen each other for a while, they chat without any awkwardness.
"Did you go to the Orange Archipelago over the past month? I thought you'd go straight to the Silver Conference after the Quartz Conference." Ash's adventure to the Orange Archipelago is no secret; it's well known by now.
That's because Ash was so high-profile, even battling Lorelei and summoning the legendary Sea God—albeit the corrupted version—and eventually defeating her.
That battle catapulted Ash's fame to a new height, and Gary, who keeps up with the news, naturally knew about Ash going to the Orange Archipelago.
And he knows that Ash is much stronger than he was during the Quartz Conference!
To be able to outright defeat Lorelei—such strength is nothing less than terrifying. Had he not had some fortuitous encounters this past month, he wouldn't even be able to see Ash's dust trail.