Chapter 043: Proud Xiaohao!!
"Crack..."
"Okay, future little Trainers, welcome to Pallet Town to participate in the Pokémon Summer Camp, co-hosted by me and Professor Sycamore from the Kalos Region."
"Students from the Kalos Region arrived in Pallet Town two days ago. Starting now, everyone is encouraged to interact and get to know one another."
"After lunch, we'll depart from Pallet Town for the summer forest camp, where you'll stay for two weeks."
"..."
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The students from Kalos Region had arrived three days prior, and following Professor Oak's arrangements, were hosted by local families in Pallet Town.
Though unfamiliar at first, over two days they had become close like Ash and Clemont, Shauna and Serena, or Tierno and Trevor, who were also part of the original Kalos cast.
Students from other parts of Kanto who had just arrived today found themselves excluded, since the local Pallet Town children had already formed strong bonds with the Kalos students.
As Professor Oak gathered the full group for an orientation speech, the crowd was clearly divided into two clusters one consisting of the new arrivals from cities like Cerulean and Pewter, and the other a united group of Pallet locals and Kalos students who'd already bonded.
Despite the division, most students listened respectfully as Professor Oak spoke — except for one boy, who stood out with his curious glances and unconcealed disappointment.
"Hey! Why are there so few people around?" the boy muttered, visibly puzzled.
"What's wrong, Xiaohao? Why do you look disappointed?" asked the gentle, observant Stephanie full name Claire, a well-mannered girl and Xiaohao's childhood friend, lowering her voice.
"I watched the Pallet Town news broadcast two days ago. When the Kalos students arrived, didn't half the town come out to welcome them with banners and Poké Ball-themed flags?" Xiaohao whispered.
"So why didn't anyone come out to welcome us this time?" He scanned the surrounding students and, seeing no one paying attention, leaned in closer and whispered again to Claire.
"But Professor Oak and the other campers did come to meet us when we arrived…" Claire said innocently, not grasping the nuance in Xiaohao's complaint.
"I know, I'm not blaming Professor Oak or the students. I mean the townspeople," Xiaohao explained, voice hushed. "When the Kalos kids arrived, everyone in town greeted them even Aunt Reina from the Pokémon Lab gave out Poképuffs!"
"I thought Pallet Town was supposed to be warm and welcoming. Turns out it's just like those isolated, backward villages you hear about in TV dramas. Without Professor Oak, this place is just… boring."
He pursed his lips, muttering the final line with quiet dissatisfaction.
"Xiaohao, that's not true," Claire chided gently. "My dad told me — Professor Oak and Professor Sycamore jointly planned this summer camp, and the Kalos kids traveled across regions to come here."
"As hosts, of course we gave them a proper welcome. That's normal courtesy."
"And don't forget, we were welcomed by both the local students and the Kalos group. Didn't Tierno and Trevor wave at us? Even Serena said hi, remember?"
"So don't speak badly about others behind their backs, okay? That's rude," Claire whispered seriously, glancing at the students around them, who remained focused on Oak's speech.
"Ah, ah fine, I know! I wasn't really insulting anyone. I just thought Mikey from the Lab seemed totally different from the warm guy I saw on the TV special."
Xiaohao defended himself, though clearly unconvinced in his heart. He pouted and muttered his justification, still smarting from the lack of ceremony.
In front of the assembled student teams, Professor Oak stood tall, his aged yet spirited demeanor exuding authority as well as kindness. The afternoon orientation had begun, and the famed researcher of Pallet Town was currently outlining the schedule for their departure to the forest camp. His sharp, experienced eyes swept across the rows of young trainers with his usual gentle warmth, pausing suddenly when he noticed two students in the back whispering amongst themselves instead of paying attention.
"Ahem… the young trainer with the red hairpin yes, you if there's something that important to whisper, save it for after the briefing, okay?" he said with a soft chuckle, though his tone carried an unmistakable note of seriousness. "I'm going over key instructions for our trip into Viridian Forest this afternoon. It's essential that everyone listens closely."
"I'm sorry, Professor Oak~" The smaller of the two, a girl with her hair neatly tied into a ponytail and a sakura-shaped hairpin gleaming near her temple, jumped slightly at being called out. Her face flushed red as she bowed apologetically. Her demeanor was gentle, her tone soft it was Claire, already known among the students for her quiet intelligence and polite behavior.
"It's alright, no harm done," Professor Oak replied, waving a hand dismissively, his weathered face still glowing with a grandfatherly smile. His gaze lingered for a moment on Claire before shifting to the boy sitting beside her.
The boy had been caught mid-whisper, and now sat awkwardly, his hand scratching at his cheek as he avoided Oak's gaze. He shifted his weight uneasily, his eyes darting toward the other students who had now turned their heads toward him with interest.
"And you, young man what's your name?" Oak inquired curiously, noting the boy's confident but slightly fidgety posture. The glint in his eyes showed he was not angry, but intrigued.
"I'm Xiaohao! I was invited by Claire to attend this summer camp," the boy said, recovering his poise. He tilted his chin up slightly, trying to project confidence. "And Claire here she's the daughter of Professor Sakuragi. You might know him he's a leading researcher from Vermilion City!"
Several students immediately began whispering among themselves at this revelation. Professor Oak's eyes lit up with recognition at the mention of an old acquaintance.
"Oh-ho! So this is Claire? Professor Sakuragi's daughter!" Oak smiled even wider, clearly pleased. "I remember Sakuragi back when he presented that study on Rotom-form behavior at the Pewter Science Conference brilliant mind. How has he been lately?"
"Daddy's doing great, thank you," Claire replied politely, though her voice was quieter than usual. She wasn't fond of the spotlight and clearly felt a bit embarrassed that her childhood friend had so casually revealed her background in front of everyone.
"Well, that's good to hear," Oak nodded approvingly. Turning to the group, he added warmly, "Professor Sakuragi is a Pokémon researcher of extraordinary promise. He made quite the name for himself as a prodigy back in the day, especially for his pioneering work on dynamic evolution models and real-time Pokédex integration. It's no surprise his daughter would be just as bright."
"Whoa!!"
"No way…"
"She's Professor Sakuragi's daughter?!"
The surrounding students erupted in soft gasps and muttering as they processed the revelation. For most of them, the Sakuragi Institute was a name they'd only heard in magazines or during televised conferences. Now, one of their own peers was tied directly to it.
Claire, hearing all the murmurs and feeling the weight of so many gazes, fidgeted slightly in place. Her cheeks colored with modesty, and she cast a quiet glance downward. Meanwhile, Xiaohao, unbothered by the attention, seemed rather pleased with himself. He stood a little straighter, hands on his hips, clearly enjoying the attention both he and Claire had drawn.
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