"Ash, hurry up! I already grabbed breakfast for you."
"Man, you're way too hardworking," Gary said with a sigh. "Do you have any idea how guilty it makes the rest of us feel when we're still snuggled in bed at six in the morning?"
Ash chuckled as he sat down beside him, cradling Froakie. "Well, if you feel that guilty, why not come train with me in the mornings, Gary? I promise it'll make you feel accomplished instead."
"Forget it. Waking up at six-thirty? That's never happening." Gary took a sip of his shrimp porridge and shook his head.
"Well then, guess there's nothing I can do about that~" Ash shrugged with a grin.
"By the way, do you know what activity we're doing in camp today?"
"No idea. Gramps didn't tell me anything."
"Gary, seriously? You're that lazy? Even if Professor Oak didn't tell you, couldn't you at least ask Uncle Thorne or someone?"
"...Huh. That didn't occur to me."
"Speaking of which, I saw a car pull into the forest camp on the way here," said Trevor as he peeled a boiled egg. "There was a logo on the side. I think it was the same media outlet that interviewed us when we landed at Saffron City Airport from Kalos."
"A media crew?" Ash blinked. "But I thought this camp was supposed to be sealed off. How are reporters getting in?"
"Heh, I know this one." Gary smiled smugly, spooning another bite of porridge.
"Spit it out already!" Ash rolled his eyes.
"Alright, alright. So yesterday, remember that camper who got badly injured when that Gyarados rampaged during the fishing activity?"
"Yeah… that was pretty serious."
"Well, even though it didn't cause a huge stir inside the camp, outside in the real world, the news spread like wildfire. This summer camp is part of a Kanto–Kalos interregional cultural exchange program, co-hosted by Professor Oak's Lab and Professor Sycamore's Lab."
"From the start, it's been getting tons of attention. So when word got out that a camper was attacked and injured, the media and public opinion exploded. Both my grandpa and the League came under a lot of pressure."
"Turns out, after the League investigated, that Gyarados had actually evolved from a Magikarp after the camp's safety inspection had been completed. So technically, it wasn't the same Pokémon from before."
"Still, it was a safety failure. But at least that helped calm the outrage a little."
"Also… apparently Goh was involved. Before the fishing event started, he had his Magikarp enter the river to provoke and lure out larger Water-type Pokémon. That's what triggered the whole Gyarados attack."
"Once the full story came out, public pressure eased up. But still, due to safety concerns from both parents and the wider community, the League decided to end the camp's closed-door policy."
"Which means… Saffron City Television will be sending in a news crew to the camp. From now on, the entire summer camp will be broadcast live, all day, every day. Parents and the public will be able to watch everything that happens in real time."
"And that's everything I know. My mom told me all this when I called home last night," Gary finished.
"A full-day live broadcast by Saffron City TV…" Ash mulled it over quietly. "This really changes everything."
Today marked the third day since the camp officially began, and so far, they'd completed three activities — all of which Ash had aced with full scores, putting him firmly in first place.
Now that reporters were entering and the camp was going public, it wouldn't affect his performance. He wasn't worried about being distracted by cameras or interviews.
Ash knew one thing for sure: whether the media was there or not, he would give it his all in every remaining camp activity. His goal of maintaining first place and earning top honors wouldn't change — his confidence remained unshaken.
…
The Pokémon Summer Camp was designed as a talent-scouting initiative for the League — a way to find promising young Trainers ahead of time.
Now, with the TV station broadcasting everything, Ash's skills, his abilities, and his performance would no longer be hidden behind reports from Professor Oak after camp ended. Instead, they'd be directly visible to the League — and the entire region.
To Ash, this was a golden opportunity.
This nationwide exposure would not only validate his talent in the eyes of the League but also boost his fame across the Kanto region.
He could even use the broadcast to promote his upcoming online shop — the one where he offered skill-learning services.
But… that also meant he'd have to abandon his original plan of pretending to be just a Breeder.
His "superpower" — the ability to help Pokémon learn moves — would be fully exposed. So would his training prowess, and even his Healing Grace from the Viridian Blessing.
Originally, Ash had intended to reveal all this within the closed environment of the camp — just enough to gain attention from the League without going public.
But now, the entire camp was becoming a stage, live-streamed to the world.
The upside?
His potential, powers, and achievements would gain widespread recognition, skyrocketing his reputation and making his online shop a hit before it even launched.
The downside?
With all that fame… came danger. There would be eyes on him — not all of them friendly. People would covet his gifts. His risks were about to increase.
"Is it worth it?"
"Should I keep showing off during the rest of camp… or stay low-key?"
Ash didn't need long to decide.
His heart had already answered.
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T/N:
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