The moment Trevor mentioned "an Electric-type prodigy" and "the Lumiose Gym Leader," Ash had already thought of one person—
Clemont.
And now, hearing Trevor's confirmation, everything clicked into place.
What surprised Ash, however, was something else entirely—
Clemont was Trevor's cousin.
That connection?
He definitely hadn't expected it.
Trevor:
"Ash, I just called my cousin. He confirmed that his Heliolisk does know Parabolic Charge."
"But since it's his starter Pokémon, he said if you want to borrow it, he needs to have a video call with you first—to understand the situation and give some instructions."
…
"OK—no problem!"
Ash agreed immediately, without hesitation.
Trevor quickly sent over Clemont's contact.
Ash added him—
And the request was accepted instantly.
A new profile popped up in the chat window:
A blond boy with glasses and a distinctive lightning-shaped ahoge sticking up from his head.
"Hello/ I'm Ash. Are you Trevor's cousin, Clemont?"
Ash greeted first.
Clemont:
"(^～^) Yes, that's me!"
"Are you available for a video call right now?" Ash asked.
Clemont:
"(y～) Sure!"
"Great."
Ash immediately initiated the video call.
…
The screen flickered—
And a young boy with glasses appeared.
Looking at him, Ash couldn't help but smile.
This was the first time they were meeting like this—
But to Ash, it felt strangely familiar.
He hadn't expected that the Clemont he knew from memory—
The one who built all kinds of inventions, sometimes brilliant, sometimes hilariously unreliable—
Would look this adorable at this age.
Clemont:
"Ash, hello. I wanted to thank you—for taking care of Trevor during Professor Oak's summer camp."
"No need to thank me," Ash replied warmly.
"Trevor's my friend. Helping him is only natural. Besides, he helped me a lot during the camp too."
Clemont shook his head.
The summer camp had been broadcast live starting from the third day.
He had watched it afterward.
He knew very well—
Trevor had relied heavily on Ash's help.
From staying at Ash's home—
To earning the Outstanding Camper Award and receiving his first Pokémon—
Ash had played a huge role.
…
So when Trevor mentioned that Ash needed help with Parabolic Charge research, Clemont agreed immediately.
The video call?
That was just an excuse.
What he really wanted—
Was to thank Ash personally.
Ash, on the other hand, already held a natural fondness for Clemont.
After all—
This was someone who would later become his traveling companion.
Both of them were also regarded as genius Trainers.
And geniuses—
Tended to recognize each other.
The conversation quickly became lively.
They chatted for over ten minutes, completely at ease.
Clemont, as an Electric-type specialist, even offered Ash several valuable insights.
------
Meanwhile—
Ash found himself deeply intrigued by Clemont's expertise in technology and robotics.
Especially the idea of a Gym Leader robot guarding a Gym—
Something Clemont would eventually create.
When Ash expressed his interest in artificial intelligence and robotics—
Clemont's eyes lit up instantly.
He had found a kindred spirit.
In just a short conversation—
The two quickly became close friends.
Clemont readily agreed to lend his Heliolisk.
And even invited Ash to visit Lumiose City someday.
"Don't worry," Ash said with a grin.
"I plan to travel the world and become the strongest Pokémon Trainer."
"When I reach Kalos, I'll definitely challenge the Kalos League."
"Maybe we can even travel together."
"Really?! That's a promise then!"
Clemont beamed with excitement.
"When you come to Kalos, we'll definitely travel together!"
As the heir to the Lumiose Gym and a well-known prodigy—
Clemont didn't have many close friends outside Trevor.
So meeting someone like Ash—
A fellow prodigy—
Made him genuinely happy.
"By the way," Clemont added,
"Send me the code for your Poké Ball transfer system. I'll prepare Heliolisk and send it over."
"Sure."
Ash nodded, then added:
"I'm a Psychic—I can help Pokémon learn moves through my abilities."
"And I can also treat injuries."
"If your Pokémon ever need help learning moves or recovering from injuries that Pokémon Centers can't handle quickly—feel free to come to me."
"Got it! That's amazing!"
Clemont replied enthusiastically.
Among strangers, "returning favors" often reduced relationships to transactions.
But among true friends—
It only strengthened the bond.
Knowing Clemont's character, Ash deliberately chose to deepen their connection.
And Clemont, seeing that Ash showed no arrogance despite his talent—
Found him even more admirable.
Ash came from an ordinary background.
Yet his demeanor was humble, polite, and easy to be around.
"Zzzzt—!"
The call ended.
Ash then messaged Serena, Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna:
"Clemont has already sent over Heliolisk. No need to go searching tomorrow."
After thanking them—
Ash turned to the Poké Ball transfer machine on his desk.
A Poké Ball sat neatly in the receiving slot.
He picked it up.
"Come out."
Click—
"Chaaah!"
A Pokémon appeared in a flash of light.
It resembled a mix of a lizard and an iguana—
With a unique frilled membrane around its neck.
When it expanded—
It looked like a radiant parasol, almost like a miniature sun.
Heliolisk.
And with it—
Ash had taken another step forward in mastering a new skill.
--------------
T/N:
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