"Haha, it's alright," Professor Oak waved off Gary's sharp words with a cheerful chuckle and didn't reprimand Goh in the slightest. Instead, he turned back to continue introducing the wild Pokémon they encountered along the forest path.
Still sulking after being thoroughly roasted by Gary earlier, Goh was now both embarrassed and irritated. He no longer rushed to answer Professor Oak's questions like before. Instead, he dropped back from the front of the group to the very rear, arms crossed, clearly stewing in his own frustration.
Ash and the others barely noticed Goh's change in demeanor, and the rest of the campers paid even less attention. After all, the summer camp had just begun, and no real bonds or trust had been built between most of them yet.
Neither Thorne, who walked alongside the group, nor Sophie—the researcher sent from Professor Sycamore's lab to assist with the Kalos campers—paid any mind to Goh's mood either. With 100 campers to supervise, each adult's attention was already spread thin.
Only Chloe, kind and empathetic by nature, noticed her friend trailing at the back with a scowl on his face. Quietly, she dropped back to join him.
"Goh, come on… That wasn't very polite," Chloe chided gently. "Even though Professor Oak didn't scold you, if you keep acting like that, it'll be hard for you to make any friends."
But Goh didn't seem to care much for her advice.
"I didn't come to this summer camp to make friends," he grumbled. "One day, I'm going to catch every species of Pokémon in the world—even the ones no one's ever seen before. The super rare, super powerful ones!"
Whether it was Ash's bold declaration at the opening ceremony or Gary's jab earlier that stung his pride, something had stirred inside Goh. Now, staring ahead with clenched fists, he proclaimed what he believed to be the greatest ambition of all.
But instead of being amazed or cheering him on, Chloe hesitated. Her expression grew a little awkward and uncertain.
"…You don't believe me? You think I'm just bragging?" Goh frowned, looking sharply at her.
"No, no, it's not that!" Chloe quickly shook her head, knowing full well how sensitive Goh's pride was. If she told him she didn't believe in him, he'd definitely get angry.
"It's just… catching every Pokémon in the world sounds kind of impossible. Like… a dream," she added gently, choosing her words carefully.
But Goh wouldn't have it.
"It's not just a dream—it's the future! And that future is right here in these hands!" he declared with blazing determination.
"Oh really?" Chloe tilted her head curiously, eyeing his two empty palms. "Doesn't look like much…"
"Ugh! Chloe, you don't believe me at all!" Goh groaned, dramatically puffing his cheeks.
Their camp was nestled in a mountain valley surrounded by steep hills, forming a pocket-like terrain. Streams trickled down the slopes and converged in the center of the forest, forming a vast lake. But today, Professor Oak wasn't taking them to the lake. Instead, he led them beyond the campgrounds to a stream hidden behind the forest.
Though called a "stream," it was wide and deep enough to be considered a small river.
The journey wasn't long. Strolling leisurely through the woods, stopping to observe Pokémon and take in the scenery, the group reached the riverbank in just over twenty minutes.
"Alright, young Trainers," Professor Oak called out as they arrived, "while Water-type Pokémon like Marill and Poliwag often come ashore, most of them live in the water. And one of the most important ways to catch Water-types is through fishing!"
"Which means… learning to fish is a skill every Trainer must master!"
"Today's camp activity will be a Water-type fishing challenge. You'll each use this special blue Poké Ball to catch a Water-type Pokémon in the river."
"We'll score you based on the size and weight of the Pokémon you catch."
"Ten points is the maximum. If you don't catch any Water-type Pokémon, you'll get zero. And if you hook one but fail to capture it, you still get no points."
"Also, each camper must complete the activity on their own. No cheating. No helping each other."
"However," the professor added with a smile, "since Goh's current partner is a Magikarp with no battle capability, he's allowed to borrow one Pokémon from another camper during the capture phase."
As he explained the rules, Professor Oak held up one of the blue-tinted Poké Balls.
"Yes, sir!" the campers shouted back in unison, all nodding obediently.
Even Goh, who'd been pouting just moments ago, felt his mood lift a little at the professor's special allowance. The fact that he could borrow a Pokémon gave him a sliver of hope.
Naturally, the first person he thought of was Ash.
Despite how jealous he felt of Ash, Goh couldn't deny the boy's strength. Ash had performed impressively in the previous challenge, and if he could borrow his Froakie… then Goh would feel incredibly confident about catching a Water-type today.
But then he remembered earlier—how he'd clashed with Professor Oak, and how Gary had torn him down in front of everyone. Even though it was Gary who'd called him out, not Ash, Goh still felt too embarrassed to approach him now.
Truth be told, there was another reason Goh hesitated to talk to Ash.
Whenever he looked into Ash's calm, piercing eyes, Goh got the eerie feeling that Ash could read his mind—like nothing he thought could be hidden.
He'd spent days hanging around their little group without ever speaking to Ash directly. And every time their eyes met, Goh felt a chill crawl up his spine.
But… if he couldn't ask Ash, there was someone else who could help.
Goh's eyes suddenly lit up. He turned toward Chloe, smiling sheepishly.
"Hey, Chloe… so, um, could you maybe…"
Before he could even finish, Chloe already understood what he was getting at—she knew him too well.
"Don't worry, Goh," she smiled warmly. "If you manage to hook a Water-type, I'll lend you my Spritzee."
She didn't even hesitate.
To her, it was just a small favor for a friend.
…
…
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T/N:
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