c113: Heartbeat, Serena's Feelings!!
Serena, now having found her passion and gained clarity about her dream, seemed transformed like a different person entirely.
Gone were the days of quiet confusion. Her eyes now sparkled with vitality and purpose, brimming with enthusiasm for life and a longing for the future. Her whole expression radiated joy, and she carried herself with more confidence than she had just a day earlier during the camp's Pokémon battle challenge.
"Yeah!!" Serena's cheeks turned a deep pink with excitement as she nodded eagerly, much like a Torchic pecking for food quick, determined, and sincere.
Looking up at Ash, whose warm, gentle smile made her heart flutter, Serena felt like a small sun had begun to glow within her chest spreading warmth throughout her body. She was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Before she had come to the Kanto region to attend the Pokémon Summer Camp hosted by Professor Oak, Serena had been shy, hesitant, and painfully reserved. She couldn't even raise her voice in front of others. Back in Kalos, she often thought of herself as useless a quiet shadow in the background.
But after coming to the camp and meeting Ash, everything began to change. Ash never treated her like she was weak or unworthy. Unlike the fairy tales where the "ugly duckling" waited to be saved, Ash treated Serena like she had strength within her all along she just hadn't seen it yet.
Even before the summer camp's opening ceremony, Ash had taken time to show her the basics of Pokémon battling. That small gesture had been the first spark his gentle coaching helped Serena begin to believe in herself. Slowly, her once-empty sense of self began to fill with something stronger: confidence.
And now, just a day later, through Ash's patient encouragement and thoughtful guidance, Serena had discovered her true passion. She no longer felt lost. She knew she wanted to be a Pokémon Performer.
In that moment, Serena's heart was a storm of emotion. Beneath the surface of her grateful admiration was something deeper an unfamiliar but exciting feeling that made her cheeks grow hotter and her heartbeat quicken.
It was just yesterday that Ash had helped her rise above her own expectations and win the camp's opening challenge. And today, with only a few sincere words, he had helped her face her deepest uncertainty and uncover her dream.
They were both only six years old but Ash already seemed exceptional.
She recalled how, during the trainee introductions the day before, Ash had calmly and firmly stated his goal: to become the greatest Trainer in the world. At the time, she had simply admired his confidence. But now, with her new understanding, Serena felt her chest tighten with inspiration his dream stirred something inside her.
"If Ash wants to reach the summit as the world's strongest Trainer… then I want to reach the peak of performance. I want to become the top Pokémon Performer in the world!"
"If I become someone as amazing as Ash… maybe then, I can stay by his side forever."
Ash's earlier words echoed in her mind: "Confused people are like wild Pokémon they instinctively chase after the things that bring them joy."
Serena's hand lightly brushed against her chest.
"So… what does it mean to chase after the one who makes my heart feel light? Why does my heart beat so fast when I look at him? Why does my face feel so warm?"
That familiar fluttering sensation filled her again, leaving her breathless.
Meanwhile, the fishing competition, which had ended early around noon, gave all the students the afternoon free to relax.
Many of the campers chose to bond with their Pokémon, others spent time playing with new friends they had made, and some wandered off into the nearby forest in pairs or small groups. A few opted to wind down in the cafeteria, watching shows or training videos on the large screen.
Gary, Blue (Xiaolan), and several other participants had taken the opportunity to find a quiet spot near the campgrounds to focus on their Pokémon's training.
They had witnessed Ash's thrilling battle earlier that day how he and Froakie had subdued the rampaging Gyarados using quick thinking and teamwork. It was clear to everyone that Ash wasn't just passionate he was powerful.
That impression had left a mark on them. But perhaps the one most affected by it… was Serena.
Even though the challenge wasn't as direct as yesterday's battle, where confrontation was the core focus, stronger Pokémon still played a crucial role in helping Ash and the others pass assessments and earn high scores.
However, Ash had to make a slight adjustment in his training routine. After the intense battle against Gyarados earlier in the morning, Froakie (Bubble Frog) was a little exhausted, so Ash decided against additional training for the afternoon.
Fortunately, the battle had proven extremely beneficial for Froakie, as the experience and energy gained from facing such a powerful opponent helped it level up to Level 14. This was significantly higher than the level of many other campers' Pokémon at the same stage of training.
As a result, Ash felt less pressure than before. His focus was more relaxed now, and the need to push Froakie as he had initially planned wasn't as urgent.
In the afternoon, Ash and Serena, along with Froakie, wandered around the nearby forest. He took the opportunity to guide Serena toward uncovering her true passion, something he thought was far more important at that moment than continuing with Pokémon training.
Ash didn't coach Serena directly in her Pokémon training not because he didn't want to teach her, nor because he was waiting for her to invite him again, but because he understood that Serena needed time to process and digest the dream she had just discovered. She needed to fully internalize her newfound passion for being a Pokémon Performer before she jumped into any serious training.
Meanwhile, Ash used his aura abilities to scan the area. He then sought out wild Pokémon to encounter, with the goal of observing their movements and learning new skills to copy. As part of his training routine, he also passed on the power of Zygarde through his "gift-giving" method, which is part of his Viridian power a practice Ash liked to call "giving a rose to someone, leaving the fragrance in your hand."
On the business side, Ash had already made significant progress with his online store. The registration was completed, and his mother had hired a design company to set up the virtual storefront. Moreover, Ash had finally acquired the much-needed portable Poké Ball conveyor—a tool that had been a challenge to secure. With Professor Oak's help, the device had been obtained, and now, Ash was ready to prepare for the store's official launch.
Ash's next task was to gather as many useful skills as possible from wild Pokémon. Once the store opened, he intended to have a variety of "Skill Discs" for customers to purchase for their Pokémon.
However, Ash faced a limitation: the wild Pokémon at the camp were mostly low-level none exceeding Level 10 having been screened by the League staff for safety and assessment purposes. The skills he could copy from these Pokémon were basic and foundational, though plentiful. Unfortunately, these basic moves wouldn't fetch a high price on the market. Even if he accumulated a large quantity, the selling value of these skills wouldn't generate much profit.
In contrast, before arriving at the camp, Ash had spent time at Professor Oak's lab, where he'd copied many rare, advanced, and attribute-based moves from wild Pokémon there. These were much more valuable and could be sold as higher-end products in his online store. As Ash planned, the store would feature products in three tiers low-end, mid-end, and high-end so the lower-tier moves could still have their place, even if they didn't hold as much market value. The true challenge was establishing a reputation, which would take time and effort to build.
After all, Ash's ultimate goal was clear: to become the world's greatest Trainer. His confidence in his abilities was growing, and he was certain that success would eventually come, though it would take considerable hard work and time.
Money was not the priority at the moment. His focus was on growth, both for himself and his Pokémon.
Ash had already devised a plan for his online store, which he called the "Tackle + Magikarp" approach essentially a method of gathering business in a way that ensured there would always be customers, even when he first launched the store.
By the time Ash and Serena had finished their walk through the forest, the sun had begun to set, and they met up with Gary and the other campers at the camp entrance. Together, they made their way to the cafeteria for dinner.
Afterward, the sky had turned fully dark, and the students began preparing to return to their cabins. Conversations buzzed around about the activities planned for the next day at the camp.
Just then, Professor Oak, who had been missing all afternoon, suddenly appeared with his assistant Okahira and researcher Sophie. They gathered the students and announced that a new activity had been scheduled and it would take place that very night.
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