The first ray of morning sun had just peeked over the hills east of Pallet Town when the wooden door of Delia's house was gently pushed open.
Seven-year-old Ash tiptoed out of the gap in the door, followed by two sleepy-eyed Pokémon.
"Shh—" Ash put his index finger to his lips, turning back to Ralts and Riolu with a silencing gesture, "Mom is still sleeping, let's be quiet."
"Ralts..." The lavender Pokémon rubbed its eyes, let out a tiny yawn, but still nodded obediently.
The red horn-like crest on its head glowed with a soft halo in the morning light.
Riolu shook its blue fur, looking much more energetic.
"Riolu!" It called out in a hushed voice, nimbly jumping onto the stone bench in the yard, vigilantly looking around as if performing its duty as a guard.
Ash tiptoed to the gate, his hands gripping the wooden fence, gazing expectantly in the direction of the town entrance.
His black hair was as messy as ever, as if it had just been visited by a flock of Spearow, but his brown eyes were astonishingly bright.
"They said they'd arrive this morning..." Ash muttered softly, his fingers unconsciously caressing the golden pendant hanging around his neck.
It was a keepsake Arceus had left him three years ago, its surface engraved with intricate patterns, shimmering with a mysterious glow in the sunlight.
Ralts floated onto Ash's shoulder, gently straightening his upturned collar with its small hand.
"Ralts Ralts?" It tilted its head, making a questioning sound.
"I'm waiting for Xiao You!" Ash explained excitedly in a low voice, "You know, the blue-haired girl we often see in videos, remember? She and her mom are moving back today!"
Riolu heard the commotion and jumped off the stone bench, curiously nuzzling Ash's leg.
"Riolu?"
"They've been in Sinnoh for four years..." Ash's voice suddenly became a little nostalgic, "We were only three back then.
Xiao You loved Mom's blueberry pie the most, and she always shared half with me..."
Ralts suddenly puffed out its cheeks, tugging Ash's ear with its small hand.
"Ralts!"
"Ow! Not so hard..." Ash shrank his neck, "What's wrong?"
Ralts huffily floated to Ash's other shoulder, turning its back to him in a sulk.
Riolu shook its head helplessly; it had long noticed that whenever Ash mentioned other girls, this extremely possessive Ralts would throw a tantrum.
"You're up early." Delia's gentle voice came from behind.
She walked out with a plate of freshly baked berry cookies, the morning breeze rustling her long brown hair.
"I bet you can't wait to see Xiao You?"
"Mom!" Ash turned and pounced on Delia, almost knocking over the plate in her hands, "When will they arrive? Aunt Xiao Ying said this morning, but the sun is already so high..."
Delia smiled and ruffled her son's hair: "Moving trucks take a long time to come from Sinnoh, be patient."
She distributed the cookies to the three eager little ones, "Come, have something to eat first."
Ralts immediately forgot its earlier unhappiness, happily took a cookie, and nibbled on it.
Riolu, on the other hand, politely held it with both paws, carefully savoring it.
Just then, the roar of a car engine came from afar.
Ash suddenly looked up, cookie crumbs falling from his mouth.
"They're here!" He shouted, rushing towards the fence gate without wiping his mouth.
A mud-splattered moving truck slowly came into view, the words "Sinnoh Moving" on its side already faded.
In the truck's rear window, a small blue head was pressed against the glass, looking out.
"It's Xiao You!" Ash excitedly jumped up and waved, almost bumping into the Ralts floating above his head.
The truck stopped in front of the house, and the back door opened with a "creak."
First to step down was an elegant blue-haired woman, her golden eyes immediately filling with a smile upon seeing Delia.
"Xiao Ying!" Delia quickly stepped forward, and the two long-separated friends hugged tightly.
Ash, however, stood rooted to the spot, suddenly afraid to move.
After four years, the Xiao You in the videos seemed a little different from the real girl in front of him.
She was much taller than he remembered.
Her long blue hair was tied into an exquisite braid, hanging over the strap of her light yellow dress.
As she walked from the truck's shadow into the sunlight, Ash noticed her eyes were such bright gold, like melted honey.
"Ash..." Xiao You called softly, her voice even softer than in the videos, "You've grown."
"You too!" Ash finally found his voice, grinning, "Your hair is even more—"
"Ralts!" Ralts suddenly squeezed between the two, staring warily at the new girl.
Its red eyes glowed slightly, clearly using Confusion to sense the stranger's emotions.
Ash quickly picked up the sulking Pokémon: "Don't be like that, this is Xiao You, I told you about her."
He turned to Xiao You, "This is Ralts, it's a little shy..."
Xiao You wasn't scared; instead, she squatted down, looking at the pink Pokémon at eye level.
She slowly extended her hand, palm up: "Hello, Ralts.
Ash often mentions you in videos, saying you're his best partner."
Ralts froze; it hadn't expected this human girl to treat it so gently.
It hesitated for a moment, then finally gently touched Xiao You's fingertip.
"Ralts..." Its voice was noticeably softer.
"This is Riolu!" Ash quickly introduced the other Pokémon, "It only joined us last year."
"Riolu!" The little blue dog Pokémon barked happily, its tail wagging like a propeller.
It even performed a backflip, making Xiao You giggle.
"Oh no!" Xiao Ying suddenly exclaimed, interrupting the warm reunion, "We forgot to clean the house beforehand!
It's been four years uninhabited; it must be full of dust."
Delia was about to speak when Ash raised the golden pendant on his chest: "Leave it to me!"
His expression suddenly became serious, a composure beyond his years appearing on his childish face.
The pendant began to emit a soft golden light, and Ash's eyes lit up with the same glow.
Ralts and Riolu immediately stepped back a few paces; they knew their master was about to use the power bestowed by Arceus.
"Mind Plate, Splash Plate..." Ash murmured softly, making a strange hand gesture in front of his chest.
Golden light overflowed from his palms, intertwining into complex patterns in the air.
At the same time, clear water appeared out of thin air, swirling around his arms.
Xiao You's eyes widened in surprise, and she instinctively clutched her mother's sleeve.
Xiao Ying was completely stunned; she had never seen such a sight.
"Go!" Ash pushed both hands forward, and the water immediately split into several streams, flying like living beings to every corner of the house.
They passed through window cracks, slipped through door gaps, and even the chimney wasn't spared.
What happened next was even more astonishing.
Wherever the water flowed, dust, cobwebs, and mold spots all disappeared.
The curtains automatically unfolded, as clean as new; stains on the floor disintegrated into specks of light and vanished; even the rusty faucet in the kitchen was Refresh.
The entire process took no more than three minutes.
When the last stream of water completed its task and flew back into Ash's palm to disappear, the entire house was Refresh, even more thoroughly than a professional cleaning company could manage.
"This... this is..." Xiao Ying was too shocked to speak, her golden eyes wide, looking at the house and then at Ash.
Delia gently held her friend's hand: "It's the power of Lord Arceus."
She explained softly, "A gift Ash received three years ago when he was chosen to be the Guardian of Time and Space."
Ash put away the light, scratching his head somewhat sheepishly: "It's not that amazing actually... it just makes cleaning easier."
He turned to Xiao You, finding the girl looking at him with a completely new gaze.
"Just like the videos said..." Xiao You's voice was full of awe, "Are you really saving the world?"
"Uh..." Ash's face turned red, "Mostly Arceus does most of the work; I just help run errands..."
Ralts proudly puffed out its chest: "Ralts! Ralts Ralts! (No way! Master is the most amazing!)"
Riolu also nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Delia smiled and clapped her hands: "Alright, now that the house is clean, let's move the luggage in.
Ash, didn't you say you wanted to show Xiao You your 'little world'?"
"Oh, right!" Ash's eyes lit up, immediately forgetting his shyness, "Xiao You, I'll take you to see the secret base Arceus gave me!
It's even more spectacular than what you saw in the videos!"
After settling the luggage, Ash led Xiao You to an open space in the backyard.
It looked unremarkable, with only a few ordinary shrubs and a flat rock.
"This is it!" Ash said excitedly, taking off his pendant and drawing a perfect golden circle of light in the air.
The space rippled like water, gradually forming a rotating portal.
Xiao You gasped, unconsciously taking half a step back.
Ralts proudly floated in front of her, making a "follow me" gesture.
"The first time crossing might make you a little dizzy," Ash cautioned, extending his hand to Xiao You, "Hold on tight."
Xiao You hesitated for a moment, then gently took Ash's hand.
Her palm was a little sweaty, but surprisingly warm.
Ralts immediately squeezed in between the two, forcefully pushing Xiao You's hand away and tightly hugging Ash's arm. "Ralts!" It stuck its tongue out at Xiao You.
"Ralts!" Ash sighed helplessly, then had no choice but to grab Xiao You with his other hand. "Never mind, this works too. Riolu, stick close to us!"
The feeling of passing through the golden halo was like jumping into a pool of warm honey. Xiao You felt a slight dizziness, and countless colorful fragments flashed before her eyes. When she regained her footing, the sight before her left her utterly speechless.
An endless grassland stretched to the horizon, with herds of Deerling leisurely roaming, their fur changing colors with the seasons as they walked. Dozens of Charizard perched on a distant volcano, their flames forming brilliant rainbows in the sky.
Even more astonishing, not only were common Taillow soaring freely in the sky, but also Archeops and Aerodactyl, which she had only seen in the Pokédex.
"Welcome to my little world!" Ash spread his arms, his voice full of pride. "Arceus said this place is equivalent to three Kanto regions!"
Xiao You's legs felt a bit weak, and she had to lean on a nearby rock to steady herself. "These... are all Pokémon you invited?"
"Most of them are." Ash nodded. "Some were created directly by Arceus, some I rescued from bad people, and some came through the Ultra Wormhole on their own." He pointed to a lake shimmering with strange light. "Look over there!"
The lake surface shimmered with a rainbow glow, and strange creatures occasionally leaped out of the water. Xiao You recognized one of them as Poipole, but she had never seen the others.
"That's where Naganadel and Poipole like to be," Ash introduced, as if reciting from a cherished collection. "Pheromosa live in the eastern forest, and Kartana like to spar with Aegislash in the ancient city ruins to the west."
As if to confirm his words, several Pokémon shaped like origami flew over their heads, emitting crisp "snapping" sounds.
Xiao You crouched down. A timid Poipole was peeking at her from behind a rock. This little purple creature had a large head and an adorable expression. When Xiao You extended her hand, it hesitated for a moment, then floated over and gently touched her fingertips.
"It likes you!" Ash said in surprise. "Poipole rarely get close to strangers."
"Ralts!" Ralts tugged at Ash's ear in dissatisfaction, then made a face at Xiao You.
Xiao You was completely captivated by the Poipole. She carefully stroked its smooth head. "Hello there, little one..." The Poipole let out a joyful "Bebebi Bebebi" sound, and suddenly sprayed a small puff of purple liquid from the needle on its head, forming a heart shape in the air.
"Wow!" Xiao You clapped her hands in surprise. "It's performing!"
"This is their way of showing affection," Ash explained. "It seems it really likes you."
The Poipole flew a few circles around Xiao You, then reluctantly returned to the lake. Before leaving, it secretly slipped a shiny purple scale into Xiao You's pocket.
Just as Ash was about to take Xiao You to see the Dynamax Dens, a crisp cry suddenly came from the sky. A Shinny Swablu swooped down, its pure white feathers gleaming with a pale blue luster in the sunlight.
"Wallace's performance is about to begin!" a lively voice came from the bird's back. "Ash, you actually... Eh?"
The Swablu landed gracefully, and a girl with long teal hair lightly jumped down. She wore a stylish short skirt and boots, and her aqua-blue eyes narrowed the moment she saw Xiao You. "Who is this?"
"Ah, Lucia!" Ash didn't notice the subtle change in atmosphere at all. "This is Xiao You, my childhood friend. Xiao You, this is Lucia, the niece of Wallace, the top Coordinator Trainer of the Hoenn region!"
The two girls nodded to each other in greeting, but invisible sparks seemed to fly in the air. Ralts keenly sensed this change and mischievously rubbed Ash's cheek—now there would be some entertainment.
"Ash said he was going to take me to see the Dynamax Dens," Xiao You said softly, her fingers unconsciously twisting her skirt hem.
"Really?" Lucia's eyes lit up, and she naturally linked her arm with Ash's other arm. "I was just looking for some partners to challenge a Gigantamax Alcremie! We worked so well together last time!"
Ash, completely oblivious, was caught in the middle: "Yeah, yeah! Xiao You hasn't seen a Dynamax battle yet!"
Ralts rolled its eyes, while Riolu looked at its Trainer with sympathy. Delia cleared her throat: "Children, if you're going, go quickly. Remember to be back before lunch."
Crossing the grassland, they arrived at a circular area enveloped in purple energy. A dozen dens of varying sizes were scattered within, the largest exceeding ten meters in diameter, with pulsating energy on its surface that sent shivers down one's spine.
"These are the Dynamax Dens," Ash explained excitedly. "Different Dynamax Pokémon appear every day. Defeating them can yield various rare items." He pulled out a few golden glowing stones. "Look, these are the Mega Evolution ites I got last week!"
Lucia suddenly pointed to the sky: "Look! An Ultra Wormhole is opening!"
A rainbow-colored spatial rift was forming, and several Naganadel flew out of it, clutching glittering objects in their claws. Ash waved to one of them, and it respectfully handed him a star-shaped crystal.
"Wow! Star Shard!" Ash exclaimed in surprise. "These shards, which can give Pokémon a special Star Crystal attribute, are super rare!"
Xiao You curiously touched the shard, and it immediately bloomed with a dreamlike starlight. "So beautiful... Are these all treasures from the Ultra Space?"
"That's right!" Lucia eagerly replied. "Ash and I often explore the Ultra Wormhole together!" She added meaningfully, "Only the most compatible partners can move safely inside."
Xiao You pursed her lips, then suddenly pointed into the distance: "What are those glowing crystals?"
"Ah! Those are the Terastallize Dens!" Ash ran towards the new topic as if granted a reprieve. "Terastallize is a special phenomenon of the Paldea region..."
The tour continued until noon. When Ash finished showing the last of the eighteen type habitats—the ancient graveyard of the Ghost type—Lucia's Altaria suddenly let out a warning cry.
"What's wrong??" Ash vigilantly looked around.
Lucia frowned: "Uncle Wallace sent an urgent message. There's unusual weather in the Hoenn region." She jumped onto Altaria's back. "I have to go back immediately."
She leaned down and whispered something in Ash's ear, making Ralts Glare. Before leaving, Lucia waved to Xiao You: "Welcome back, I hope to have a Pokémon battle with you sometime!" She winked meaningfully, "Of course, provided you have your own Pokémon."
The Swablu carried the girl into the sky, leaving an awkward silence. Xiao You lowered her head, her golden bangs covering her eyes.
"Um... Lucia can be a bit direct sometimes..." Ash explained, flustered.
"She likes you," Xiao You suddenly said.
"Huh?" Ash looked bewildered. "Likes what?"
Xiao You looked up, revealing a gentle smile: "Nothing. Ash, can you take me to see where you rescued Ralts? I want to hear that story."
Ralts immediately perked up its ears; it loved this part the most. Ash, beaming, began to narrate: "It was when I was five years old, a group of Pokémon hunters in the forest near Pallet Town..."
When they returned to Delia's house, the aroma of lunch already filled the entire yard. Xiao Ying and Delia were setting the table, and Riolu was helping to carry plates.
"How was it?" Xiao Ying asked her daughter with a smile.
Xiao You looked at Ash, who was being pestered by Ralts for food, and softly said: "It was even more magical than I imagined... Mom, I want to become a Pokémon Trainer."
Xiao Ying put down a plate in surprise: "Really? Didn't you used to prefer reading?"
Xiao You nodded, her gaze firm: "I want to be with Ash... No, I want to help him in my own way." She touched the purple scale that Poipole had secretly slipped into her pocket. "And, I've already received my first gift."
At the dinner table, Ralts keenly sensed Xiao You's change. It tilted its head, thought for a moment, and then suddenly pushed its favorite Berry in front of her. "Ralts~"
Xiao You smiled in surprise, knowing this was a temporary truce from her rival. The oblivious Ash was too busy stuffing sandwiches into his mouth to notice the silent skirmish.
Delia and Xiao Ying exchanged knowing glances. No matter how many challenges the future held, at least today, the sun in Pallet Town was still warm and bright. Without Ash knowing, a new journey had quietly begun.