Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

Running two steps and panting three, climbing three floors and having to rest twice—that's all normal.

That's why most of the students figured out the best strategy to deal with her.

If Nemo challenges you and you feel awkward refusing, just pretend you didn't hear her and walk away quickly.

Nemo, physically exhausted, will eventually disappear on her own.

.......

Meanwhile, the four were unaware that there was another person following them.

After all, that aura was so strong that even Caterpie couldn't compare to it, and Ash almost overlooked it, so there's no need to mention anyone else.

I went to the Pokémon Center and had my Charizard checked out.

After confirming that there was nothing seriously wrong, the three of them dragged Brock, who was in heat again, out of the Pokémon Center.

Led by Lillie, the group arrived at an Alola beverage shop that looked expensive and specialized in high-end drinks.

With the support of a wealthy tycoon, everyone relaxed and let loose.

I chose a booth by the window and sat down.

Xiao Zhi ordered an Iced Nine Tails Handmade Beverage and sipped his drink while petting the beverage maker.

Pikachu is also drinking his favorite tomato juice.

Ash's Pokédex, which was stroking Ninetales' fur, suddenly beeped after he had only drunk half of it.

With a straw in his mouth, Xiao Zhi swiped the screen with his free hand.

"Ok?"

Upon seeing the message above, Xiao Zhi paused for a moment, then spoke to the other three.

"Hey everyone, my mom said she's coming!"

"W-What!" Lillie abruptly pulled her hand back from touching Kurama. "A-A-Auntie is coming!"

"Pikachu?"

Pikachu also peeked its head out from behind the giant cup.

"Eh?"

"real or fake?"

Others also reacted in different ways.

"Really, she said she'll arrive around noon tomorrow."

Xiao Zhi continued scrolling down the messages, reading and relaying them as he went.

"Oh, by the way, she said she heard I made several good friends at the Quartz Conference and wants to meet them..."

He crossed out another line.

"……Um?"

Ash tilted his head, his expression turning confused.

"What does 'the more like me the better' mean?"

"puff--!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiaoxia sprayed her Good & Bad Star Special Mix into the air, the deep purple liquid precisely covering Pikachu's face.

"P...Pikachu?"

Pikachu was somewhat shocked.

I can't believe that the team's mascot would actually dare to attack a mouse!

"Ahem! I'm so sorry, so sorry!"

Xiaoxia hurriedly grabbed a warm napkin and pounced on Pikachu, rubbing it against its face repeatedly.

But the result was more of a hindrance than a help. After a series of actions, the hair color was evenly applied to Pikachu's face, giving it a novel hair color.

Pikachu: "........"

The mouse looked at itself, then at Xiaoxia.

Without a trace of malice, it immediately shook its body.

The remaining purple liquid splashed back in a fan shape, precisely hitting Xiaoxia and splashing it all back onto her.

"Are you... alright?"

Holding a napkin, Lillie looked at Xia with concern.

"It's alright, it's alright!"

Xiaoxia, who dared not express her anger, wiped her face.

"This special blend is grape and blueberry flavored, and the taste is kind of amazing, hahaha!"

The more like Ash Ketchum the better...

Upon hearing this, Xiaoxia felt a little guilty and couldn't think of anything else.

It seems that when I was chatting with Aunt Hanako before, I casually mentioned that there was someone here who looked like Satoshi, and she even sent me a photo.

At the time, Aunt Hanako only replied, "She'll ask," and then there was no follow-up. She thought Aunt Hanako hadn't taken it to heart.

Looking at it this way...

This doesn't seem like someone who doesn't care!

After a moment of silence, Xia, who still held a sliver of hope, cautiously asked a question.

"Then, Satoshi...where's your father? Did Aunt Hanako say whether your uncle is coming or not?"

"My dad? Let me ask him."

Ash lowered his head to type, waited a few seconds, and then Hanako's reply popped up.

"Oh, my mom said she's not feeling well and can't come, but she'll be there to cheer me on at the hospital..."

Hope... is shattered!

Xiaoxia slowly buried her face in her hands.

Ask her, how did she ask her...? Xiaoxia doesn't even dare to think about it! Just thinking about it sends chills down her spine!

She silently lit a candle for the uncle she had never met.

"As for me... it's definitely Hiroshi, isn't it?"

Ash was completely unaware and continued swiping through his Pokédex contacts.

"Isn't Ditto quite similar?"

While researching dessert recipes, Xiao Gang casually mentioned that he wanted to recreate the recipes for his younger siblings at a low cost.

"That's right!"

"I'll send a message to both Ah Hong and Imetti!"

........

After sending the message and celebrating, the three of them left the beverage shop satisfied and strolled back towards the athletes' village along the same route they had come from.

They hadn't walked far when Xiao Gang was saying that he should buy some materials on the way so he could try to recreate it that night, when Xiao Zhi suddenly stopped.

Boom-!

With her mind preoccupied, Xia bumped right into it.

Ash didn't budge, but Misty was in a terrible state. Due to her physical defect, she didn't have enough cushioning, and when she bumped into Ash's back, it caused a large swelling on his forehead.

"Ouch—!" Xiaoxia rubbed her forehead. "Xiaozhi, why did you suddenly stop?"

“Look over there…”

The three of them looked in the direction he was pointing.

Just a few dozen meters away, it appeared that a person was lying on the road ahead.

A Pokémon was squatting next to the woman, anxiously nudging her shoulder with its paw.

That Pokémon looks short.

Its round body is covered in brownish-yellow fur, and its two long ears droop down.

It looked like a bear and a rat at the same time, with two orange bulges on its cheeks that throbbed.

"...That's a Pokémon from the Paradis region!" Ash's eyes lit up as he recognized the Pokémon. "It's so rare to see one in Kanto!"

Before he could finish speaking, he had already darted out and rushed over to her in a few quick steps.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Has something happened?"

"Bababu!"

There was no time to think about how this person suddenly appeared.

Babubo immediately grabbed Ash's trouser leg with both paws, while its other paw hurriedly pointed to its fallen trainer.

"Is that so...? Don't rush, don't rush."

Having understood Babu's meaning, Ash nodded and quickly crouched down to examine it.

He carefully reached out and supported the woman's shoulder, then gently flipped her over from her prone position.

The man was pale, and a strand of green hair on his forehead was soaked with cold sweat and stuck to his forehead.

Huh?

I've seen this girl before... she looks very familiar!

"Baboo!"

Babu tugged at Ash again.

Xiao Zhi scratched his head. To be honest, he really didn't know what was wrong with this person.