Clap, clap—
"Alright, future Pokémon Trainers, welcome to Pallet Town! I'm delighted to have you all here for this year's Pokémon Summer Camp!"
Professor Oak's warm, booming voice carried over the field as dozens of children turned to face him, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Our friends from the Kalos region arrived two days ago and have been staying with local families in Pallet Town," Oak continued with a smile. "Now that everyone has gathered, feel free to get to know each other! After lunch, we'll head straight to the forest campsite, where you'll be spending the next two weeks."
The crowd murmured with anticipation.
Those from Kalos and Pallet had already grown close after two days together. They'd explored the town, played with local Pokémon, and even shared stories late into the night. Ash, Green, and Gary had bonded quickly with Tierno, Trevor, and the others.
Meanwhile, the newcomers from other Kanto cities—arriving only this morning—stood awkwardly at a distance. The Pallet kids and their Kalos friends already had their little groups, leaving these latecomers feeling slightly out of place.
Even so, most of them stood quietly, listening to the Professor's speech…
Except for one.
In the middle of the new arrivals, a boy with a red hair clip fidgeted restlessly, his eyes darting around with curiosity.
"Eh? Why are there so few people?" he muttered, brow furrowing.
"What's wrong, Goh?" whispered the braided girl beside him. "What do you mean, 'so few people'?"
Goh leaned closer, cupping a hand to his mouth as if sharing a secret. "Didn't you see the broadcast two days ago? When the Kalos students arrived, half the town showed up to welcome them! There were banners, confetti, everything! But when we got here—nothing. Not a single crowd, not even a parade!"
He pouted, lowering his voice further. "I thought Pallet Town folk were supposed to be warm and kind. Guess TV was wrong. They're just a bunch of snobs pretending to be friendly."
The girl beside him— Chloe —looked genuinely alarmed. "Goh, that's not true! My dad told me this camp was co-hosted by Professor Oak and Professor Sycamore. The Kalos kids came from really far away, so of course the town wanted to give them a special welcome! It's just good manners."
She crossed her arms, frowning. "Besides, when we arrived, Professor Oak and the other students came to greet us, didn't they? You shouldn't talk like that—it's rude!"
Goh sighed dramatically, scratching his head. "Yeah, yeah, fine… I wasn't trying to insult anyone. I just… didn't expect it to be so dull, you know?"
Up front, Professor Oak was explaining the day's schedule when his eyes flicked toward the crowd—and landed right on the whispering duo.
"The young Trainer with the red hair clip," he called out, tone still gentle but firm, "if you've got secrets to share, please wait until after the briefing."
The field went silent for a beat, followed by a few giggles. Goh froze like a startled Meowth, while Chloe nearly jumped.
"S-sorry, Professor Oak!" she squeaked, cheeks turning bright red.
Oak chuckled softly. "No harm done, young lady." His kind eyes lingered on her for a moment before shifting to her fidgeting companion—the one nervously rubbing his cheek with a finger, avoiding eye contact.
"And what about you, my boy? What's your name?"
Caught, Goh straightened up immediately. "I'm here because she invited me! My name's Goh, from Vermilion City! And this," he said proudly, placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder, "is Chloe, the daughter of Professor Cerise—the famous genius researcher from Vermilion!"
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Ohh, really?" Oak's face brightened. "So you're Professor Cerise's daughter! I've known your father well—he was once one of my brightest students. How is he these days?"
"He's doing well, Professor Oak," Chloe said politely, bowing slightly despite wanting to hide from everyone's stares.
Oak smiled approvingly. "Ah, excellent. Your father was already called a prodigy when he was your age. I'm glad to see his daughter following in his footsteps."
The camp erupted in chatter.
"Wow! She's Professor Cerise's daughter?!"
"That's so cool!"
"She must be super smart!"
Chloe blushed even harder, wishing she could sink into the ground. But beside her, Goh's grin only grew wider—his chest puffed out with pride, as though he were the one being praised.
"Well," Oak chuckled, folding his hands behind his back, "I'm looking forward to seeing great things from both of you."
The boy adjusted his hair clip and flashed a smug smile, clearly enjoying the attention.
For Goh, it didn't matter who the camp's true stars were.
In his mind, he was already the main character.
…
…
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals