Inside Professor Rowan's laboratory.
After returning to the laboratory and telling Professor Rowan about everything that had just happened, everyone began catching up.
"Xiaoyun, from what you were saying earlier, you and Ash have known each other for ages!" Dawn said to Xiaoyun in surprise after everyone returned to the laboratory.
"Yeah. Actually, you were supposed to go with me back then, but once you heard it was a summer camp Professor Oak was holding for learning and exchanging ideas, you stayed home and refused to come out. In the end, I went alone."
After answering, Xiaoyun looked at Dawn teasingly.
"Well... um... I really wasn't feeling very well back then."
"That's right. I definitely wasn't deliberately trying to avoid studying."
Watching Dawn's terrible acting, everyone felt that her answer was written all over her face, but none of them called her out.
"I see. Then, if you and Ash have known each other for ages, Xiaoyun, why didn't Ash recognize you just now?"
Feeling that the atmosphere was a little awkward, Dawn changed the subject by asking that fatal question, instantly putting Ash under pressure.
"Um... well, you see..."
"All right. Sorry, Xiaoyun. I forgot."
Ash really had forgotten, and he had originally wanted to make an excuse.
But even after thinking it over for a good while, he couldn't come up with anything. Besides, he really hadn't recognized Xiaoyun earlier, which was awkward, so he could only answer honestly.
"It's fine, don't worry about it. We haven't seen each other in so long, after all. We've all grown up, so it's perfectly normal not to recognize me."
Xiaoyun smoothed things over and helped explain for Ash. He hadn't expected this guy to remember in the first place.
So he didn't mind. They were both boys, after all. If Ash had been thinking about him every day, that would have been another matter.
"By the way, Ash, has Gary come to the Sinnoh Region too?" Xiaoyun asked Ash.
Judging by the timing, Gary should already have given up challenging the League and become a Pokémon researcher. He wondered whether Gary was in Sinnoh.
"Gary should still be at Professor Oak's Laboratory, but he'll probably come over after a while too. He's the one who told me about this place, which is why I came."
"Speaking of which, are you traveling now, Xiaoyun?"
Ash thought about where Gary was now and answered Xiaoyun.
He remembered how, just after he had finished challenging the Battle Frontier and his confidence was through the roof, Gary's Electivire had taught him a lesson.
Naturally, he hadn't accepted that defeat, so he had rushed straight to the Sinnoh Region to train himself. Then the trio had set their sights on him, and things had ended up like this...
"Yes. I'm planning to challenge Gyms, collect Badges, and enter this year's Lily of the Valley Conference."
"Dawn is traveling with me, but her goal is to enter Pokémon Contests and collect Ribbon Badges so she can compete in the Grand Festival."
Xiaoyun briefly explained their current plans. He was about to say more when he saw Professor Rowan walk toward them and say to Ash, "Ash, Oak called. He said he has something to talk to you about."
"Oh, okay. Thank you, Professor Rowan. I'll be right there." Hearing that, Ash bowed to Professor Rowan in thanks, then walked toward the telephone.
"Xiaoyun, everyone, come over too. Professor Oak wants to see you."
A moment later, Ash came back and told them, evidently having already explained what had happened to Professor Oak.
Hearing this, Xiaoyun stood up and followed Ash to the screen, where he saw a kindly old man in a white lab coat on the video call. It was Professor Oak.
"It's been a long time, Professor Oak. Have you been well?" Xiaoyun stepped forward and greeted Professor Oak.
"Ah, Xiaoyun! Long time no see!"
"Thank you for helping Ash rescue Pikachu this time."
Professor Oak hadn't seen Xiaoyun for a long time either. He greeted Xiaoyun with a smile and thanked him for helping Ash.
"No need to thank me, Professor. Ash and I are childhood friends, after all. It's only right to help a friend in trouble," Xiaoyun replied sincerely.
Though he thought that, with the Team Rocket Trio's intelligence, even if they gained every advantage, they would surely end up failing for one reason or another.
All he had done was give that outcome a speed boost.
"What a good kid. No wonder I often hear Rowan mention you. He says you're a rare talent."
"It's a shame your heart isn't in it and you won't do research with him. I rarely hear him praise anyone so highly."
Professor Oak praised the refined, mild-mannered boy before him.
No wonder that deadpan Rowan's expression softened whenever he mentioned Xiaoyun. In his place, Professor Oak reckoned he would like the boy too!
"You flatter me, Professor. I've actually only scratched the surface when it comes to research. Professor Rowan was just exaggerating a little.
"But I hear Gary is doing research now and has been getting pretty good results. That must be thanks to your excellent guidance, right?"
Hearing Professor Oak praise him so highly, Xiaoyun, well versed in social niceties, began praising Gary in front of him.
He launched into an impromptu round of mutual flattery.
"Hahahaha, you're exaggerating, you're exaggerating. Gary has only just started. He's still a long way from achieving anything."
Professor Oak heard Xiaoyun begin praising his grandson Gary.
As Gary's grandfather, Professor Oak was naturally delighted to hear it, but he still modestly said things like how Gary wasn't good enough yet.
"Uh..."
Looking at Professor Oak, who spoke modestly while smiling nonstop, Xiaoyun's mouth twitched.
Please rein it in a little, sir. That grin of yours is harder to keep down than an AK's recoil.
"Um, Professor Oak, this is Xiaoyun's traveling companion, Dawn, and her partner, Piplup. Dawn helped rescue Pikachu earlier too."
Ash stepped forward at an inopportune moment, interrupting Xiaoyun and Professor Oak's mutual flattery, and began introducing Dawn, who stood beside Xiaoyun.
"Ah, so you're Dawn. Ash mentioned you just now too. Thank you for rescuing Pikachu."
Professor Oak wasn't angry that Ash had interrupted their mutual flattery. He looked at Dawn and spoke gently.
"Hello, Professor Oak. You're welcome. I didn't really help much. Xiaoyun did most of it."
Seeing that Professor Oak was actually thanking her, Dawn grew a little nervous, like a student facing a teacher, and hurriedly answered him.
"That doesn't matter. You dared to stand up to Team Rocket just after getting your Pokémon. That courage alone already puts you ahead of most people. You're sure to achieve great things in the future."
Professor Oak waved a hand as he spoke, his voice full of encouragement for Dawn.
"Professor Oak is right. Don't sell yourself short, Dawn. You're already doing great, aren't you?"
Hearing Professor Oak encourage Dawn, Xiaoyun voiced his agreement beside her.
It was true, though. Dawn had claimed the runner-up title in her very first Grand Festival, which was quite impressive among the many heroines over the generations.
"R-really?"
Faced with encouragement from both an authority in the Pokémon world and her childhood friend, Dawn's face began to grow hot, and her head felt a little fuzzy.
"No need to worry. Just like your catchphrase, there's no need to worry!"
With a serious expression, Xiaoyun spoke softly to Dawn.
Their eyes met, like a stone dropped into a tranquil lake, stirring ripples of attraction.