"Sorry, Goh. The summer camp has arranged separate lodging for boys and girls, so I won't be able to share a cabin with you," said Chloe apologetically.
Goh had been asking Gary a question, but before Gary could respond, Chloe—his close friend—interrupted with her soft apology.
"It's okay, Chloe!" Goh replied with a warm smile. "Isn't the whole point of this camp to meet other Trainers our age and make new friends?"
"Did you find a roommate yet?"
Chloe nodded quickly, seemingly unaware of the concern in Goh's tone. "Yes! Green, Shauna, and Serena invited me to room with them, and I agreed."
"That's great! I'm glad you found someone to stay with. Green, Shauna, and Serena all seem like amazing people. Be sure to get along well with them!"
Green and the others were part of Gary's friend group. Seeing Chloe blending in with them made Goh genuinely happy.
"Mhm, I will," Chloe nodded again, her earlier shyness already fading thanks to the short time she'd spent chatting with the girls during the ride. She already felt closer to them than before.
With his gaze finally shifting away from Chloe, Goh turned eagerly toward Gary again, his eyes practically glowing.
"Gary! Can I stay in your cabin too?"
"I heard a little insider tip... During the cabin selection, if you choose a cabin that has one of the three Starter Pokémon flags, you get more attention from the judges—and even bonus points during assessments!"
"So let's hurry and grab one of the Starter cabins before anyone else does!!"
Goh's excitement was bubbling over as he shared his little "secret," completely unaware of the look of disgust Green was shooting him from the side.
Most girls admired cheerful, upright, and strong-willed individuals. It wasn't just about sunshine personalities or heroism—it was about real strength and honesty.
But people like Goh, who didn't focus on improving themselves and instead obsessed over shortcuts and tricks, were the kind that girls like Green looked down on the most.
Still, Gary—ever the gentleman—didn't show any disdain on his face.
"You're Goh, right? We'd love to have you as our roommate, but unfortunately, our cabin is already full."
His response was polite but disappointing.
Goh glanced at Gary's current roommates—Ash, Tierno, and Trevor—and a flicker of jealousy passed through his eyes.
Still, he knew there was nothing he could do about it now. He quickly masked his feelings, said a few courteous words, reminded Chloe to get along well with the others, then turned and walked off.
Even if he couldn't be roommates with Gary, he had made conversation, gotten a bit of face time, and Chloe had successfully connected with Gary's circle.
The network he wanted was already forming. There would be plenty of chances to deepen that bond during the summer camp events.
Since the Gary option was off the table, Goh pivoted without hesitation and made a beeline for the cabins that had Starter Pokémon banners hanging at the door.
If his intel was accurate, those cabins were specifically flagged by Professor Oak—and campers staying there were guaranteed extra attention and bonus marks during evaluations.
"Alright, let's get going too. Time to find our own place to stay," Ash clapped his hands and turned to the group.
"Okay!" everyone responded, lifting their bags and heading toward the rows of wooden cabins.
With the help of Aura, Ash quickly located two unoccupied cabins. The four boys—Ash, Gary, Tierno, and Trevor—moved into a cabin that had a Pichu flag hanging on the door.
As for the girls—Green, Serena, and the others—Ash found them a cozy cabin with a Butterfree banner. All the girls were delighted with the choice, especially since Butterfree's gentle appearance instantly won them over.
…
…
While the campers were busy choosing cabins and settling in, a short distance away in the camp's clearing...
Professor Oak, his assistant Thorne, and Sophie from the Sycamore Research Institute were huddled together, discussing the roster of campers.
Nearby, three staff members were unloading tightly sealed boxes, grunting under the weight.
"Phew... Finally done. What the heck's inside these crates? They're ridiculously heavy—my arms are sore!" one of them, a woman with crimson-violet hair, grumbled aloud as she rubbed her hands.
"Jessie, stop complaining. We went through a lot of trouble sneaking into this camp disguised as staff. Our mission is to steal every last Pokémon Professor Oak prepared for these campers."
"One hundred campers, one hundred Pokémon. And I heard some of them include rare Starters from both Kanto and Kalos!"
"So suck it up for now—meow!"
The smallest of the three workers, dressed in a staff uniform, spoke up excitedly.
"Yeah, Jessie. Headquarters is training new recruits right now. If we can snatch all the Pokémon set aside for the campers, Giovanni will definitely reward us—with promotions, raises, maybe even bonuses!"
The Green-haired man in the middle adjusted his cap with a confident smirk.
"Ara Ara I get it, I get it. Whether it's to beat that annoying Cassidy to a promotion or get a fat paycheck, I'll give it my all!" said Jessie, fire blazing in her eyes.
…
…
"Thorne, Sophie, go inform the campers to gather outside," Professor Oak said as he folded up the roster.
"Yes, Professor!" the two responded in unison.
Thorne headed toward the rows of cabins, while Sophie made her way to the PA room.
"Attention all campers who have selected their cabins! Please come outside to the central clearing. The official opening ceremony of the Pokémon Summer Camp is about to begin!"
"Once again: All campers who have selected their cabins—"
The broadcast repeated twice from a speaker mounted on a pole in the center of the camp, and as soon as it did, doors to the cabins began swinging open.
The students who had already unpacked and settled in with their roommates quickly filed out, ready for the summer camp to officially begin.
...
...
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals