The sun shone particularly brightly on Indigo Plateau, and a refreshing breeze swept across the plaza where Trainers gathered.
Ash stretched with a big yawn, and Pikachu comfortably squinted its eyes on his shoulder.
"It's great that there are no battles today!" Ash exclaimed excitedly, turning to his companions.
"We can have a lot of fun on Indigo Plateau!"
Xiao You smiled and nodded.
She had specifically changed into a light blue dress today, and her hair was intricately tied with a ribbon.
"I've already checked the guide; the amusement park on Indigo Plateau has opened several new attractions, and I hear they're very interesting."
"Amusement park? Sounds good!" Brock stroked his chin, his eyes already scanning around.
"But before we go, I think I see a beautiful lady over there who needs Helping Hand..."
Before he finished speaking, Brock had already hurried towards a young woman in the distance who was looking at a map.
Ash and Pikachu exchanged glances, then shrugged helplessly.
"Pika Pika... (Here we go again...)" Pikachu sighed, jumping down from Ash's shoulder.
"Pika Pika (I'll go keep an eye on Brock so he doesn't cause any more trouble.)"
It blinked, giving Xiao You and Ash a meaningful look, "Pika Pika (You two have fun.)."
Ash was about to say something when a familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Ash! So you're here!"
The two turned around and saw Lucia jogging over.
She was wearing a pink skirt and a white top today, with an exquisite hair clip in her hair, looking more lively and cute than when she usually commentated battles on TV.
"Lucia? Why are you here?" Ash asked in surprise.
Lucia was slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed from jogging.
"I canceled my commentary work today and came specifically to find you."
She glanced at Xiao You, her smile unchanged but her eyes subtly shifting.
"I heard you don't have a battle today, so I thought we could explore Indigo Plateau together."
Pikachu had originally been ready to go with Brock but immediately changed its mind at this sight.
"Pika Pika! (I suddenly remembered, Brock might need Helping Hand!)"
It quickly chased after Brock, who had already walked away, giving Xiao You and Lucia a "you two got this" look before leaving.
Xiao You's fingers unconsciously intertwined, but she maintained a polite smile.
"What a coincidence, we were just about to go to the amusement park.
Would Miss Lucia like to join us?"
"Of course!" Lucia happily agreed, naturally walking to Ash's other side.
"I'm very familiar with Indigo Plateau, so I can be your guide."
Ash was completely oblivious to the subtle atmosphere between the two girls and said excitedly, "Great! With you two here, today is sure to be fun!"
The trio walked towards the amusement park, with Xiao You and Lucia walking on either side of Ash, occasionally exchanging competitive glances.
"Ash, do you remember when we explored the back mountains of Pallet Town as kids?" Xiao You suddenly spoke, her voice sweet.
"You almost fell out of a tree trying to pick berries for me back then."
Ash laughed heartily, "Of course I remember! You were the one who pulled me up in the end.
You were much fiercer back then than you are now!"
Lucia frowned slightly, then joined the conversation, "Ash, do you remember that picnic we had by the Kanto seaside?
You said the sandwich I made was the best thing you'd ever eaten."
"Ah! That time!" Ash's eyes lit up.
"Your sandwich was indeed great! But..." He scratched his head, "I remember you were mad at me for a long time because I got ketchup on your skirt."
Lucia's face flushed, "Th-that's because it was my favorite skirt!"
Xiao You chuckled softly, "Sounds like Ash has been a careless person since he was little."
"He has," Lucia shook her head helplessly, "He hasn't changed at all."
Ash looked at the two in confusion, "Why are you suddenly ganging up on me?"
"Because you're just that dense," they said in unison, then looked at each other in surprise, the atmosphere becoming a bit awkward.
The cheerful music of the amusement park broke the silence at the right moment.
The giant Ferris wheel sparkled in the sun, the roller coaster tracks twisted and turned, and long lines formed in front of various attractions.
"Which one should we go on first?" Ash asked excitedly, completely forgetting the little interlude.
"How about the carousel?" Xiao You suggested.
"We can enjoy the view of the entire amusement park while riding."
Lucia, however, pointed to the roller coaster in the distance, "Wouldn't something thrilling like that be more suitable for us?
Doesn't Ash always love a challenge?"
Ash looked at their expectant eyes, then suddenly had an idea.
"Let's go to the haunted house first!
I heard the haunted house on Indigo Plateau is the scariest in the Kanto region!"
The two girls exchanged glances, both seeing the determination not to lose in each other's eyes.
"Alright!" They said in unison again.
There weren't many people queuing at the haunted house, and it was soon their turn.
The dimly lit entrance was like a gaping maw, waiting to devour brave visitors.
"I-I'm a little scared of the dark..." Xiao You whispered, unconsciously moving closer to Ash.
Lucia immediately linked her other arm with Ash's.
"It's okay, we're here.
Right, Ash?"
Ash confidently patted his chest, "Don't worry! No ghosts or monsters can scare us!
It's a shame Pikachu isn't here; it loves places like this the most!"
Upon entering the haunted house, eerie music and spooky lighting immediately created a terrifying atmosphere.
Suddenly, a disheveled "ghost woman" jumped out from the side, letting out a bloodcurdling scream.
"Ah!" Xiao You shrieked, throwing herself into Ash's arms.
Lucia was not to be outdone, tightly hugging Ash's arm, "S-so scary!"
Ash, however, laughed heartily, "What's there to be scared of!
Look, that's just a staff member in a costume!"
He pointed at the "ghost woman" who was retreating into the shadows, and she gave him a thumbs-up, seemingly admiring his courage.
Xiao You and Lucia separated from Ash, both a little embarrassed.
For the rest of the journey, whenever a scary element appeared, both of them tried to suppress their fear, resulting in pale faces.
As they exited the haunted house, Xiao You let out a long sigh, "It's finally over..."
"Yeah, it wasn't scary at all!" Lucia said, trying to sound brave, but her voice was still trembling slightly.
Ash looked at their pale faces and asked with concern, "Are you two okay?
Do you want to rest for a bit?"
"N-no need!" Xiao You immediately shook her head.
"Let's go on the Ferris wheel; it'll be a good way to relax."
The line for the Ferris wheel was longer than expected, and as they waited, the atmosphere between Xiao You and Lucia gradually eased.
"Ash," Lucia suddenly asked, "Do you remember Serena?"
Ash paused for a moment, "Of course I remember!
Isn't she in the Kalos region?
We last saw each other on the rotom phone."
Xiao You's eyes flickered, "Serena... she recently messaged me saying she's doing well in Kalos."
"She's always liked you, Ash," Lucia said meaningfully.
Ash blinked in confusion, "Yeah, we're good friends!
Just like the four of us were when we were kids!"
Xiao You and Lucia both sighed simultaneously, exchanging a look that said, "He really doesn't get it."
Finally, it was their turn to get on the Ferris wheel.
Since each cabin could only seat two people, the staff member asked, "Are you three together?
Do you need to sit separately?"
"No!" Xiao You and Lucia said at the same time, then chuckled awkwardly.
"We can squeeze in," Lucia added.
So the three of them squeezed into one cabin.
As the Ferris wheel slowly ascended, the beautiful scenery of Indigo Plateau unfolded before their eyes.
"It's so beautiful..." Ash leaned against the window, his eyes sparkling.
"From here, you can see the entire battle arena!"
Xiao You and Lucia, however, had no interest in the scenery.
In the small space, the two had to sit close together, and the atmosphere was subtle.
"Ash," Xiao You asked softly, "Are you ready for tomorrow's battle?"
"Of course!" Ash turned around, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
"I can't wait to get out there!"
Lucia smiled at him, "I believe you'll definitely win.
But..." She hesitated, "If I'm commentating your battle, I might be a little biased."
Xiao You pursed her lips, "I'll be cheering for you from the audience too."
Ash looked at the two of them with gratitude, "With your support, I'll definitely work even harder!"
When the Ferris wheel reached its highest point, the entire Indigo Plateau was visible.
The sunlight bathed the trio, as if coating this moment with a golden glow.
After getting off the Ferris wheel, Ash suddenly pointed to a distant ice cream stand, "I'll go buy you two ice cream!
What flavors do you want?"
"Chocolate," Xiao You said.
"Strawberry," Lucia replied simultaneously.
Ash nodded, "Okay, wait for me!" He then ran off, leaving the two girls standing there.
After a moment of silence, Xiao You spoke first: "You... really like Ash, don't you?"
Lucia didn't deny it; instead, she looked directly into Xiao You's eyes, "Don't you?"
The two exchanged smiles, and the atmosphere relaxed.
"He's so dense it's headache-inducing," Xiao You said helplessly.
"He's been like that since he was little," Lucia nodded in agreement.
"I remember that picnic; I specifically made heart-shaped sandwiches, but he only cared about playing with Kirlia and Riolu."
Xiao You chuckled, "In Pallet Town, I deliberately carved our names under a heart design in a tree hollow, but he thought I was just practicing carving."
The two fell silent again, each lost in their thoughts.
"Serena, she..." Xiao You said hesitantly.
"I know," Lucia sighed.
"She's braver than both of us; at least she let Ash know her feelings."
"But the result was still the same," Xiao You said with a bitter smile.
"He still only sees her as a good friend."
Lucia looked at Ash, who was queuing for ice cream in the distance, her eyes gentle and helpless, "Perhaps that's Ash's charm.
He's so sincere with everyone, never trying to please anyone, yet he makes it impossible not to like him."
Xiao You nodded, "Yeah... Sometimes I really wish he'd catch on a bit, but then I don't want him to change."
"What are you two talking about so seriously?" Ash's voice suddenly came, holding three ice creams.
"Here, chocolate, strawberry, and my vanilla!"
"Nothing," Xiao You took the ice cream, smiling slightly, "Just saying you're still the same as when you were little."
"Yeah," Lucia licked her strawberry ice cream, "You haven't changed at all."
Ash scratched his head in confusion, "Why do you two keep saying that today?"
"Because that's just the kind of person you are," Xiao You and Lucia exchanged smiles, this time with less competition and more understanding and tacit agreement.
"What do you want to ride next?" Ash asked, already eagerly looking around.
"How about the roller coaster?" Lucia suggested.
"I won't be scared this time!"
Xiao You also mustered her courage, "I want to challenge it too!"
Ash nodded happily, "Great! Let's go!"
The trio ran towards the roller coaster, their figures brimming with youthful energy in the sunlight.
Xiao You and Lucia, without prior agreement, slowed their pace, watching Ash run ahead, their eyes revealing the same emotion.
"Actually..." Xiao You whispered, "We can compete fairly."
Lucia smiled slightly, "Alright.
But you're not my only rival."
"Yeah, there's also Serena..." Xiao You said softly, then quickened her pace to catch up with Ash, "Wait for us!"
As the sun set, Indigo Plateau was bathed in golden-red hues.
The amusement park lights gradually came on, marking a perfect end to a wonderful day.
"Today was so much fun!" Ash stretched, saying contentedly.
Pikachu had returned to his shoulder at some point, "Pika Pika! (I'm back!)" It chirped happily, seemingly asking how the day went.
Brock also walked over from a distance, a satisfied smile on his face, "Ah, a beautiful sunset, beautiful ladies... Today was a perfect day!"
Xiao You and Lucia stood on either side of Ash, watching the setting sun.
"Ash," Lucia suddenly said, "I'll be cheering for you from the commentary booth during tomorrow's battle."
"I'll be in the front row of the audience too!" Xiao You quickly added.
Ash looked at them with gratitude, "With your support, I'll definitely win!"
Pikachu watched the scene, shaking its head helplessly, muttering, "Pika Pika... (What a dense guy.)"
In the afterglow of the sunset, the shadows of the three stretched long, like their years-long friendship and the unspoken feelings between them, leaving a beautiful mark on Indigo Plateau.