"Sorry, sorry..."
As the first contestant went on stage, Terrance blinked.
The girl on stage was wearing a swimsuit, waving as she walked over. After a closer look, Terrance recognized her. Isn't that Misty?
With Brock's flamboyant introduction, Terrance's guess was confirmed.
At this point, Terrance could finally be certain: Ash had already set out on his journey.
Not only that, he had already formed a team with Brock and Misty, striving toward the goal of challenging the Indigo Plateau Conference.
Terrance swept his gaze across the audience, trying to find Ash. But at the next moment, a new change appeared on the stage. Starmie and Squirtle were performing together with Misty. Starmie floated in the air, while Squirtle stood on Starmie to form a combination that imitated a "UFO"...
"UFO?" Terrance's lips twitched. For the first time, he was admiring someone's imagination.
But the next instant, an even more exasperating scene unfolded. Misty was shoved aside by a woman with magenta-coloured hair, who wore an arrogant expression and declared, "The winner will be us." Beside her stood someone who caught Terrance's eye, someone who looked extremely familiar.
Short purple hair, probably around a D-cup…
"James, what are you doing? You're a man!" Misty stormed back angrily.
Terrance: "…"
When James followed up with, "My beauty knows no gender~," Terrance's expression turned into that of someone who had just seen a ghost.
Was he really the well-mannered, rich young master he once knew?!!
"James… just what have you been through…" Terrance muttered helplessly, watching the farce unfold on stage. As Team Rocket stirred up trouble, chaos only worsened. Then Professor Oak's grandson, Gary Oak, appeared with six stunningly beautiful girls, kicking Team Rocket off the stage and monopolizing it. Holding a microphone, he mockingly shouted Ash's name.
Listening to Gary Oak's taunts toward Ash, Terrance once again felt speechless. Just how deep did his grudge run…
"Found Ash… let's go say hi." Suddenly, Terrance spotted Ash's figure and instinctively pushed through the crowd, heading toward him.
A few minutes later, when Terrance finally reached Ash, Ash was in the middle of a quarrel with Gary Oak.
"If I stay quiet after being ridiculed like that, then I don't deserve to be a Trainer!"
"I want to duel you right now!"
Gary Oak waved dismissively, his face bored. "Too bad. Today I only came to vacation with my girlfriends. I have no interest in battling a weak Trainer like you."
Seeing the two nearly come to blows, Terrance shrugged and stepped forward. "Ash, long time no see. You're a lot more reckless than when you were a kid."
The sudden voice startled both Gary Oak and Ash, and they turned toward Terrance.
Meanwhile, Brock, who had noticed the tension between Gary and Ash and was hurrying over to break up the fight, froze in his tracks. His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw the figure approaching.
"Who are you…" Gary Oak spoke.
"You're…" Not only Gary, but Ash also showed a puzzled expression.
Terrance: "…"
"Terrance, are you Terrance?!" Brock rushed over quickly, easing Terrance's awkwardness. Seeing Brock, Terrance smiled and greeted him. "Brock… what a coincidence."
"It really is you, Terrance! I didn't think you'd still remember me!" Brock said, overwhelmed with excitement.
Who was Terrance?
Among the three present, probably only Brock knew best.
He was the only one who had always paid attention to what was going on with Terrance. What Brock hadn't expected was that after five years had passed, someone as accomplished as Terrance still remembered him. This moved Brock deeply.
"Uh… Brock, is this someone you know?" Ash asked.
Terrance: "…"
Glancing at the hat Ash was wearing, Terrance suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. Wasn't that the very hat he had given Ash?
It had only been a little over three years, and Ash had completely forgotten about him?!
A vein throbbed on Terrance's forehead. Just as he was about to personally tell Ash who he was, a sudden commotion erupted in the distance.
The crowd screamed one after another. When Terrance and the others looked over, they saw a Gyarados leaping out from the sea, launching an attack toward the people.
Seeing the Gyarados, Ash quickly snatched up the microphone and shouted, "Everyone, please calm down. That's not a real Gyarados, it's a fake!"
"Team Rocket?" While Ash was urging the crowd to stay calm, Terrance turned his gaze to the charging Gyarados.
Looking closely, it wasn't hard to see that the Gyarados's whole body carried a metallic sheen. It was a mechanical creation. Other than Team Rocket, Terrance couldn't think of anyone else who could create such a thing.
"Everyone, please remain where you are and don't panic. Leave the fake Gyarados to us. Everything is still under our control, so please be rest assured!"
As Ash managed to calm the crowd, he pulled out two Poké Balls, sending out Pidgeotto, who grabbed Charmander. The two Pokémon flew under the stage and began fighting the mechanical Gyarados.
Terrance stood silently at the side, watching Ash's performance, feeling a little surprised. In a situation like this, Ash was unexpectedly reliable.
Following Brock's advice, Ash had Charmander block the mechanical Gyarados's missiles with flames, and then they quickly beat Team Rocket into retreat.
Perhaps due to type advantage, Ash had easily driven away Team Rocket…
"Yes!" Seeing Team Rocket defeated, Ash jumped up excitedly.
At this moment, Professor Oak, Ash's mother Delia, and Misty all rushed over to the stage.
"Eh, isn't that Terrance?"
Professor Oak spoke in surprise, a little taken aback to see Terrance standing on the stage.
"Ah, Professor Oak, it's been a long time. You're here in Acapulco too?" Terrance was startled.
"Yes, I didn't expect to run into you here in the Kanto Region. How about visiting my laboratory for a few days?" Professor Oak invited him.
"Another time, perhaps. I still have things to take care of, but if I get the chance, I'll definitely pay a visit," Terrance replied with a wry smile.
"Then it's settled," Professor Oak said. He had long wanted to study the totem aura of Terrance's Pokémon.
Meanwhile, Ash suddenly seemed to recall something. He stammered as he pointed at Terrance…
"Y-you… you… don't tell me you're…"
"Remembered now?" Terrance said with a helpless smile.
"Who is he?" Misty and Gary Oak, off to the side, were still bewildered.
"Brother Terrance?!" Ash cried out. Mainly because Terrance's appearance had changed quite a bit, Ash had to think for a long time before recognizing him. Once he did, Ash completely lost his composure.
After blurting it out, Ash took off his hat and said, "Look, Brother Terrance, I still have the limited edition Pokémon battle commemorative hat you gave me. Now I've also become a Trainer!"
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