[Lorelei: Why is May still dressed like that? Norman, is the Petalburg Gym suffering from a budget crisis? Can't the girl get a full set of leggings?]
[Norman: ...Perhaps it's just the style she likes! Besides, that outfit has become iconic for her. It represents her growth as a trainer.]
[Caroline: Oh, don't mind him. I think May was influenced by Ash's habit of keeping one signature look for an entire region. It's a very 'adventurous' fashion sense, don't you think?]
[Norman: Exactly! It's Ash's fault for being such a bad fashion influence! My daughter is just being loyal to the 'traveler' aesthetic!]
[Lorelei: ...You two are really desperate to link everything back to Ash, aren't you? Are you that worried your daughter won't find a good match?]
The chat continued to spiral into a battle of parents, with the Champions and Elite Four members unable to get a word in edgewise.
Even Ash, usually as dense as a Golem, seemed to sense the atmospheric pressure rising. Under the constant barrage of "hints" and parental bickering, even a wooden man would start to feel the heat.
In the Footage—
May, having reunited with Ash after what felt like an eternity, turned her attention to the girl beside him. The enthusiastic smile on her face softened into something more analytical.
"And this is...?"
"Ah, I forgot to introduce you! This is Chloe," Ash said brightly. "She's my research partner. I'm currently staying at her dad's place, the Cerise Laboratory, as a special researcher. We're traveling together while I compete in the World Coronation Series!"
May's ears perked up at one specific detail.
He's living at her house? She looked at Chloe, noting how the girl had lost her childhood roundness and was blossoming into a graceful young woman.
Ash, of course, spoke of her as if she were a small child, oblivious to the "threat" she posed to the other girls in his life.
"Nice to meet you! I'm May, from Petalburg City!"
"I'm Chloe, from Vermilion City," Chloe replied, her voice steady despite the flutter in her heart. "I've heard a lot about you from Ash. He says you're the generation's leading Coordinator."
May was taken aback, then laughed. "He said that? Well, he's not wrong! But what about you? Are you here to compete?"
"We actually came to watch," Ash interjected, rubbing the back of his head. "I wanted Chloe to see a real Contest to help her find her own path. But... well, I forgot to buy tickets. Hehe."
May shook her head, a fond but exasperated look on her face. "Ash... you're still as reckless and disorganized as the day we started traveling. Some things never change!"
"Hey! I've changed a little!"
"Denden! Look at these!" May reached into her bag and pulled out four VIP passes. Before Ash could speak, she pressed two into their hands.
"I'm the guest performer for the opening ceremony today. I won my very first Ribbon here in Fallarbor Town, and I wanted to come back to find my 'original heart.'
I've been losing to some newcomers lately in other regions, and I figured I needed to remember where it all began."
It was a sentiment Ash understood perfectly. In both battles and Contests, a trainer's heart dictates the Pokémon's strength. If the heart is clouded, the moves lose their luster.
"That's perfect! Thanks for the tickets, May! Let's go in!" Ash cheered.
"Of course! But don't think you're getting off easy," May teased, leaning toward Chloe. "If you try to keep him all to yourself in a 'two-person world,' I'll have to intervene!"
Chloe's face turned the color of a tomato. "It's... It's not like that! We're just partners!"
May chuckled, whispering in Chloe's ear, "I started as a 'partner' too, Chloe. I can see what's in your heart."
Chloe felt like her soul had been read by a master. Not only had May discovered her secret, but she had done so while positioning herself as both a mentor and a rival.
[Caitlin: There's only one way to describe this. It's a 'Tachibana' situation! The air is thick with sisterly rivalry!]
[Bruno: What does 'Tachibana' mean? Is that a new Pokémon?]
[Lorelei: Men... you really don't understand anything. It's a girl thing. Just watch.]
[Wallace: Regardless of the drama, May has grown tremendously. I remember her being so timid during the bonding encounter with Sceptile. Now, she's confident, assertive, and radiating the aura of a Top Coordinator.]
[Professor Cerise: Norman, are you sure she was timid? She looks like she's about to take charge of the entire situation. She's completely overshadowed Ash and Chloe's 'date'!]
In the Footage—
The trio entered the Fallarbor Contest Hall. For Ash, it was a familiar environment, filled with the cheers of the crowd and the sparkling effects of move combinations. For Chloe, it was a revelation. The atmosphere was electric, far more intense than anything she had seen on television.
As the performances began, Ash found himself sitting in the middle, with May on his left and Chloe on his right. The two girls spent the entire event chatting across him, discussing moves, aesthetics, and Ash's "dark history."
"...And then, on the very first day we met, he fried my bike to a crisp!" May giggled.
"He did the same to Misty!" Chloe added, her eyes sparkling with shared amusement. "Is it a tradition for him?"
Ash sat stiffly, looking straight ahead. "Can we please talk about the beautiful beauty on stage instead of my past mistakes?"
"No!" the two girls said in unison, sharing a look of perfect, newfound understanding.
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