Meanwhile, in Rustboro City in the Hoenn Region.
Ash had already completed his challenge at the Rustboro Gym and received the Stone Badge from Roxanne.
Brock was saying all sorts of strange things to Roxanne, but Max dragged him away.
Later, while his Pokémon were being treated at the Pokémon Center, Ash noticed the email Xin Mu had sent him.
[Hey, kid, remember your Primeape?]
The subject line made Ash pause. Then, as he looked at the Primeape wearing the same kind of cap as his own and holding a trophy, his memories returned to when he had first caught him.
Before Primeape had evolved, back when he was still a Mankey, he had loved Ash's cap.
"Isn't that Primeape? Looks like his training with Mr. Shan Dou is going well. He's won another championship."
"Yeah, he seems to be doing pretty well."
Ash adjusted his cap. It never occurred to him to wonder how Xin Mu knew he had once owned a Primeape. Even if it had, he wouldn't have thought much of it.
"I should go see Primeape when I get back..."
Primeape was currently in Kanto, and Pallet Town was also in Kanto. Well, so was Viridian Forest.
In theory, as long as Ash didn't suffer a bout of amnesia, he had a chance to spend time with them after every League tournament.
The email also left Ash with a stronger impression of Xin Mu, mostly in the sense that he wanted to battle him even more.
"Ash, Professor Oak wants to speak to you!"
Rustboro City's Nurse Joy brought him this new message. Professor Oak had already returned to his lab and sent Ash a gift through the communications system.
The development of communications technology was a major step forward for the Pokémon world. Not only