052: It's Froakie!!
"Everyone line up! One at a time!!"
Under Professor Oak's clear command, a hundred eager summer camp students formed three orderly queues. Each line led to one of the supervising adults: Professor Oak himself, his trusted assistant Gang Ping, and the visiting researcher Sophie from the Lumiose-based Sycamore Laboratory.
Each Poké Ball, stored securely within unmarked cartons, looked identical. No labels, no hints. The assignment was completely random every child simply reached into the box and picked one, trusting fate. Still, most students, believing Professor Oak's box might contain the rarest Pokémon, crowded into his queue.
Among them was Xiao Hao, Ash's classmate and Xiaochun's close friend. Driven by excitement and a thirst for discovery, he was one of the first to reach Professor Oak's table and claim a Poké Ball.
Ash, however, didn't follow the crowd. Remembering his prior interactions with Sophie and her gentle, observant demeanor, he approached her line instead. Compared to the chaos surrounding Oak, Sophie's line was much calmer.
As students collected their Poké Balls, none opened them on the spot. Instead, they moved to the open area nearby, finding friends to share the moment of discovery treating the event like opening a "blind box," full of anticipation and surprise.
Ash wasn't paying attention to what Pokémon others had received. His focus sharpened the moment he reached the box in front of Sophie.
"Hmm… which one should I choose?" At first, he thought the selection would be easy just grab and go but when he stood over the box, he hesitated. Each Poké Ball was a mystery, and he suddenly wished he could use his waveguide to sense something more.
Just then, something curious happened.
A Poké Ball near the bottom of the pile gave a faint shake, as if struggling to rise. It rolled, slowly and deliberately, across the box, nudging other Poké Balls aside until it stopped directly against Ash's hand.
Gulu~
"This one…" Ash stared, recognizing the feeling in his chest as waveguide energy. The connection between him and the Pokémon inside was unmistakable.
"Well, since you chose me yourself, I'll be relying on you for the next two weeks," Ash said softly, gripping the Poké Ball tightly and speaking from the heart.
?? Buzzing??—— As if responding to Ash's waveguide, the Poké Ball gave a subtle tremble, almost like a nod.
~
~
"Come on, let's all open them together and see what Pokémon we got!" Ash suggested as he joined the others in the wide open field near the dam.
"Yeah!!" The group echoed in unison, their eyes full of excitement.
"Alright come out, my partner!"
"Go!"
"Let's see!"
Poké Balls flew through the air in arcs of red and white. The damside clearing came alive with the sharp clicks and soft whooshes of capsules opening. Lights flared, and one by one, the students' new companions appeared.
"Whoa! I got Butterfree awesome!"
"My Pokémon's an Oddish! It's kinda cute."
"Ash, mine looks like your Pichu aww, it's adorable!"
Laughter and shouts of joy echoed as Pokémon filled the field.
Ash, Gary, Tierno, Trevor, Xiao Lan, Shauna, Serena, Xiao Chun, and Xiao Hao formed a circle, each tossing out their Poké Ball in sync. There was a soft explosion of light from each ball, followed by delighted gasps and curious Pokémon calls.
This year's Pokémon Summer Camp wasn't just a gathering of children. It was a cultural bridge between Kanto and Kalos a coordinated event designed to deepen understanding through Pokémon.
To reflect that spirit, the Pokémon prepared for distribution came from both the Kanto Region and the Kalos Region. Each child's companion offered them a new window into another region's ecosystem, evolution, and emotional connection.
As the Poké Ball in Ash's hand burst open, a Pokémon with soft white bubbles on its back and a sleek blue body emerged, landing with a nimble hop.
"Froakie…" Ash whispered with recognition and wonder. "It's Bubble Frog…"
The Kalos native blinked at him, its eyes gleaming intelligently.
Ash smiled. The journey had officially begun.
The Pokémon received by Gary was Fletchling, the Tiny Robin Pokémon native to the Kalos Region a Normal and Flying-type Pokémon known for its incredible speed and keen senses. Tierno received the Water-type Pokémon Poliwag, a native of Kanto, recognized by its spiral-patterned belly and slippery, agile movements. Trevor, meanwhile, received a Sandshrew, the Ground-type Pokémon that curls into a tight ball to defend itself.
Xiaolan was assigned Dedenne, an Electric and Fairy-type Pokémon from the Kalos Region. Often called "Pikachu's little cousin," Dedenne uses its antenna-shaped whiskers to communicate and is adored for its small, round body. Shauna received a Butterfree, the iconic Bug and Flying-type evolution from Kanto, known for its compound eyes and powder-covered wings. Serena was particularly lucky she received Clefairy, a rare Fairy-type Pokémon from Mt. Moon in Kanto, cherished for its mystical aura and moonlight dances.
Xiaochun was delighted to find that her partner was Spritzee, a Fairy-type Pokémon from Kalos known as the Perfume Pokémon, which emits a pleasant fragrance from its nostrils and was once used as a perfume ingredient in ancient times.
As for Xiaohao, who had excitedly rushed to queue at Professor Oak's table, the Pokémon he received was none other than
From rivers to lakes, creeks to oceans across the Pokémon world, this species is often overlooked, yet known among researchers for its incredible evolutionary potential: Magikarp, the iconic Fish Pokémon. Though weak in battle, Magikarp's true strength lies in its evolution into the majestic Gyarados.
Upon seeing the unimpressed and almost heartbroken expression on Xiaohao's face as Magikarp flopped uselessly in front of him, even Gary struggled to suppress his laughter, his expression twisted between sympathy and amusement.
But Ash didn't join in the laughter. His attention remained completely fixed on the Pokémon he had just released from his Poké Ball. Since the moment it emerged, Ash hadn't looked away for even a second.
"Ash, is your Pokémon from the Kalos Region too? What's it called?" Xiaolan asked with curiosity, noting its unfamiliar appearance.
The Pokémon standing before Ash was a light-blue frog-like creature. It had large yellow eyes, with pupils that changed shape sometimes round, sometimes narrowing into horizontal slits. A dark blue stripe ran from the middle of its head down to its nose, and its hands and arms bore white segments that resembled gloves.
Most distinctive were the white bubbles clinging to its back and neck, soft and foamy like mousse. The arrangement resembled a small pack or scarf, and the bubbles shimmered in the sun.
Ash's bond with this Pokémon had begun the moment he reached for the Poké Ball. It had moved on its own, rolling into his hands, guided by the unseen thread of waveguide a sign of deep resonance between Trainer and Pokémon.
Even though Ash had been prepared for something special, seeing this Pokémon with his own eyes left him briefly stunned.
"This Pokémon is Bubble Frog," Ash explained. "Its name is Froakie in the Kalos Region. It's the Water-type starter Pokémon there part of the region's Royal Trio."
As Ash spoke, Froakie remained crouched, unmoving. Its golden eyes were locked on Ash, studying him silently. Ash, in turn, kept his eyes fixed on Froakie.
Neither moved. Neither blinked.
"Wow!! Froakie's one of Kalos's starter Pokémon? That's amazing, Ash—you really lucked out!" Xiaolan exclaimed, her voice full of genuine happiness for him.
Still holding her own Pokémon, she added with a grin, "But my Dedenne is still the cutest," and nuzzled her face affectionately against her tiny, squeaky companion.
Ash barely heard her. He was still focused entirely on Froakie, a thousand thoughts flashing through his mind. Just like that moment when he first met Pichu, something deep inside stirred.
"This feeling…" Ash thought. "This closeness, this instinctual bond… the way Froakie controlled the Poké Ball to roll toward me…"
"Could it be… is this the same Froakie I met and eventually tamed during my journey through Kalos in the original timeline?"
Ash's heart beat faster as he stared into Froakie's steady eyes, realizing that this might not just be chance it could be destiny.
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