Ash caught Aipom in his arms.
After taking his hat off Aipom's head and putting it back on his own, he spoke to the Pokémon in his arms in a slightly stern voice. "Aipom, you can't keep playing pranks like this."
Aipom wore a strange smile and gave a few cries of unclear meaning, then jumped out of Ash's arms and fled toward the doors. In a flash, it disappeared outside the Pokémon Center.
After causing such a commotion, it simply ran off.
But since it was a wild Pokémon, the people whose hats had been stolen stopped blaming Ash. They picked up their hats, silently cursed their bad luck, and slowly dispersed.
"I really don't know what to do with it..."
Watching Aipom disappear, Ash sighed and could only turn his gaze away helplessly.
Just then, Drew walked up to them.
He first gave Xia You a slightly wary glance, then discreetly looked away before addressing Ash and the others. "Why are you causing such a fuss again? Can't you see how nervous everyone here is? Have a little consideration for other people."
Apparently, he too thought that Aipom had been one of Ash's disobedient Pokémon and had caused the disturbance!
At his words, Ash and the others looked around.
Even without Drew saying anything, they had already noticed that, perhaps because the competition started tomorrow, every Coordinator gathered here wore a somewhat unusual expression.
Clearly, even though they were all outstanding Coordinators who had won five Ribbon Medals at various Contests, the Grand Festival looming over them still weighed on their minds like an invisible mountain, leaving them struggling for breath.
It also made the atmosphere here exceptionally tense, and everyone could feel the pressure inside.
Aipom had just set off that atmosphere, opening an outlet for their