027: Late, Ash's "Death Scene"!
"Next, I will announce the Contest Category and final homestay pairings"
"Shipei and Awu, you two will be hosted by student Xiaojun, a local of this town."
"Hongyan and Sixian, you've been assigned to student Xiaoke's household."
Though Professor Oak had previously mentioned that some students from the Kalos Region would be separated from familiar companions, he had made thoughtful efforts to group familiar pairs together wherever possible. Despite staying in homes of unfamiliar Kanto children, the Kalos pairs would at least have the comfort of each other's company.
In truth, Oak had arranged things with great care. The homestay assignments were always in pairs friends grouped together to make this transition into a new environment easier.
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"Si Cong and Xiao Lin, you'll be staying with student Gary Oak."
"Shauna and Serena, you'll be hosted by Lan, another student from Pallet Town."
"The final group Trevor and Tierno you'll be staying at Ash Ketchum's home."
"Delia, Ash! Come on out to welcome your guests!" Professor Oak called toward the gathered Pallet Town families, a smile on his face as he closed the assignment list.
But his call was met with silence.
"Gondaira," Oak turned to his assistant, "Ash and his mother Delia haven't arrived yet?"
"They haven't checked in yet, Professor," the aide replied awkwardly, scratching his head.
"Ah, here they come!" A voice rang out from behind the crowd before Oak could respond.
The local townspeople who had been chatting warmly with the Kalos students turned their heads in unison. The gathered welcome team instinctively made way, parting like a tide to let the newcomers pass through.
Down the dusty road leading into Pallet Town came a flustered woman with a brown ponytail, tugging along a short black-haired boy, both of them panting from exertion.
It was none other than Delia Ketchum and her son, Ash who had apparently overslept after smashing his alarm clock that morning.
"Hah... Sorry we're late!" Delia panted, placing her hands on her knees. "Professor Oak, have the two Kalos students we're hosting arrived yet?"
"Delia, if you were any later, I was about to send someone after you," Oak said with mock exasperation.
"Hahahaha..." The crowd around them burst into laughter not in scorn, but in warm amusement. Pallet Town was known for its close-knit, good-humored community.
In the original manga, when Ash was about to begin his Pokémon journey, nearly the entire town followed Delia to Oak's lab to see him off. After he placed in the Top 8 at the Indigo Plateau Conference, the townspeople again turned out en masse to welcome him home.
This deep connection and support from the townspeople were something Ash had grown up with it was part of why he loved Pallet Town so much.
"Hey! Ash! Let me guess stayed up too late last night dreaming about adventures and overslept again?" came a teasing voice from nearby.
It was Gary Oak, standing smugly beside his elegant mother, Mieko. Gary had that usual cocky grin that came naturally to him even at a young age.
"Heehee! Aunt Delia said you love sleeping in!" Lan, the cheerful girl next door, chimed in, giggling at Ash's disheveled state.
Bonk! Bonk!
"Knock it off, you two," Ash muttered, giving both of them playful forehead flicks. "You're not exactly perfect yourselves. Want me to spill your embarrassing secrets next?"
"Hyaa~!"
"Eep!"
Ash's words sent Gary and Lan into panic mode. They shrank back like startled Meowth, their earlier smugness replaced with sheepish silence. The town's kids giggled behind their hands.
Having recovered from the humiliation of arriving late, Ash turned his attention toward the Kalos delegation. He scanned the crowd quickly.
And then he saw her.
Nestled among the unfamiliar faces, standing next to an energetic girl with short light-brown hair, was a petite girl with soft honey-blonde hair and sky-blue eyes.
Little Stephanie stood at the front with Shauna. And right next to her, half-hiding behind her friend, was Serena just six years old, with a quiet air and a bashful look in her eyes.
"There she is," Ash thought, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile. "A wild little Serena, huh?"
Serena, noticing Ash's gaze lingering on her, blushed furiously and shrank further behind Shauna. She peeked from behind her friend, unable to stop herself from stealing another glance at the boy everyone had just been laughing at.
"She's cute," Ash thought, his expression softening. "Real cute."
In the future according to both anime and Pokémon Adventures canon Serena would grow to become a confident, driven Performer. With the support of Shauna and others, she would find her dream in Pokémon Showcases and take the Kalos performance world by storm. Her once-shy personality would be transformed into strength, elegance, and passion.
She would even go on to challenge Kalos's finest eventually reaching the finals of the TriPokalon and competing against the reigning Kalos Queen, Elle.
Back during that journey, she would confess to Ash that he had been her inspiration ever since they met as children at a summer camp held by Professor Oak. That experience, and Ash's kindness, left an unforgettable mark on her.
And yet, here and now, that future Kalos Queen was just a bashful little girl, hiding behind her friend, overwhelmed by the crowd and the unfamiliar place.
"Confident Serena was amazing on stage," Ash mused. "But shy Serena… she's adorable, too."
Still, he didn't stare long. They didn't know each other yet not properly and he didn't want to spook her. He turned his attention away, returning his gaze to Oak, who had resumed coordinating the last of the students.
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