May 5, Lacunosa Town.
The purpose of Li Wei and the others' trip, the Pokémon World Championships Junior Cup, was being held here.
This Junior Cup
was being held at Lacunosa Town's Dome Arena.
Ash, Dawn, Iris, and Korrina had signed up to compete.
Brock was too old to enter.
The Junior Cup was restricted to young people under twenty,
and even Li Wei was over that age.
Cynthia had always thought that was a bit of a shame.
Watching Ash and the others running ahead,
Cynthia said softly, "Did you know? I actually invited Shinji to come, too."
"Did he really come?"
Cynthia shook her head. "No. He said it wasn't time to battle Ash again yet. He's searching for his own path."
Shinji was someone Cynthia paid particular attention to. In the future, he would at least become a member of the Elite Four.
Most likely in the Sinnoh Region.
He was a future successor, and she needed to nurture him properly.
The corners of Li Wei's mouth lifted slightly. "He'll find it."
Li Wei remembered that when Ash later competed in the Pokémon World Championships, Shinji had come to give him special training.
Shinji was definitely Ash's best rival.
Especially with Gary no longer in the picture.
Li Wei was also looking forward to Shinji's growth, eager to see what he would ultimately achieve.
At the main venue, Li Wei and the others spotted Alder from a distance, chatting up a young woman...
In a certain sense,
Brock and Alder had quite a lot in common.
Just as Li Wei and the others were about to greet him,
Trip appeared before them in an orange jacket. "You're the same as ever, just as unserious."
"Who were you again?"
"I'm Trip."
Upon seeing Trip, Ash immediately ran