"Grandpa Grey, here's the thing—I need to explain something to you. Let's step aside and talk."
Serena gave Clemont a quick look, and Bonnie quickly caught on too. Together, they helped cover for Ash, while Serena carefully held Flabébé, resting gently on Bonnie's hair accessory.
Ash activated his Aura Power and Auro Vision abilities at once. The instant he did, Flabébé's feelings toward him soared—because now, Ash was speaking directly to its heart.
"Flabébé, don't resist. I'll take you to find a Fairy Flower."
"Bébé~~"
The little Pokémon gave a weak nod. After making sure no one else was around, Ash focused his thoughts—and in the blink of an eye, he transported himself, Flabébé, and Bonnie into his system space.
By now, Ash's system space had expanded to 300 meters in length, width, and height—truly evolving into the beginnings of a small world.
And there, beneath the tall trees, bloomed the Fairy Flowers he had transplanted long ago when he first brought plants and trees into this sanctuary. Ash never imagined they'd be so useful now.
Because within this isolated space, free from outside interference, these Fairy Flowers continued to thrive—even though they had already withered away in the outside world.
"Flabébé, look," Ash said gently, pointing toward the trees. "Underneath that big tree—you'll find plenty of Fairy Flowers. Choose the one you love the most."
"Bébé!"
Flabébé's dim eyes suddenly lit up as it looked in the direction Ash pointed. Sure enough, dozens of Fairy Flowers swayed in the breeze beneath the tree. It rushed forward joyfully, searching for the flower that resonated most with it.
Ash smiled softly. This small effort was nothing for him, and far easier than what happened in the original timeline, where everyone had to scour the mountains for a Fairy Flower that might not even exist.
Here, everything Flabébé needed was right in front of it.
Within minutes, Flabébé had chosen its new flower, hugging it tightly. From that moment onward, it and its Fairy Flower would share energy again, restoring its spirit and strength.
When Grandpa Gray saw Flabébé holding a Fairy Flower once more, his eyes filled with tears of relief. He quickly carried it back to the hospital.
Since the hospital was in the opposite direction, Ash and his friends didn't go with him.
Back at the hospital, Grandma Florence's eyes lit up the moment she saw Flabébé healthy again. Her mood, once so heavy, instantly brightened.
Hearing Grey explain what Ash and his friends had done, she felt nothing but heartfelt gratitude.
"I truly hope those children have a safe journey," Florence whispered with a warm smile. "We owe them so much."
------
With that good deed behind them, Ash and the others were in high spirits. They decided to treat themselves by visiting the Brackish town's most famous chocolate cake shop.
"Ugh, such a long line! And they only had one slice left? That's terrible—the shop's business is too good!"
Serena sighed in disappointment. Splitting a single slice of cake between the four of them wouldn't be enough, no matter how they cut it.
Still, she carried the cake outside, sitting with her friends while pondering how to divide it fairly. Just then, Ash nudged Clemont with his elbow.
Clemont's eyes lit up immediately.
"Perfect! Time for me to shine! Clemontic Gear—on!" he declared dramatically. "I already predicted something like this would happen, so I prepared this machine in advance. I call it…the Precision Divider!"
With a flourish, Clemont whipped out his contraption and prepared to neatly divide the cake into four even pieces.
But just then, a voice drifted over from the cake shop's entrance.
"What?! Today's all sold out? Oh, this is the worst! I came all the way here just to try this city's famous chocolate cake. They say it's divine, but now it's gone? If I can't have dessert, my whole world will collapse…"
A woman wearing a black hat and oversized sunglasses groaned dramatically, clearly devastated. She turned to leave—only to stop short when her eyes fell on a familiar sight nearby.
A Pikachu.
And next to it…
"…Ash?"
The last time they'd met was back at the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh. Who would've thought they'd run into each other here? Diantha's heart leapt with joy. And then, spotting the slice of chocolate cake on their table, her delight only grew.
"Ahem… Ash, it's been a while."
Had it not been for her insatiable sweet tooth, Diantha would never have approached so directly.
But Ash merely nodded calmly, as if he'd expected this all along.
Diantha glanced around—thankfully, no one nearby seemed to recognize her—so she removed her sunglasses and hat.
"W-wait a second… it's Champion Diantha?!"
Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie all gasped in shock. None of them had expected the Champion of Kalos—who was also a world-famous actress—to show up here and greet Ash like an old friend.
Serena's admiration for Diantha ran deep. Not only was she their region's Champion, but she was also a glamorous star who had appeared in countless Pokémon films.
When Diantha's longing gaze landed on the cake, Serena immediately offered to share some with her idol.
Introductions were exchanged, but Diantha smiled and added:
"Thank you so much. Serena, you're wonderful—no wonder Ash asked me to help you out that time."
She was referring to the short Pokémon film Serena had made. Back then, Ash had secretly contacted Diantha, asking her to help promote Serena's work. Serena hadn't thought much of the film after making it, but now she realized just how much effort Ash had put in behind the scenes for her.
Her heart melted on the spot.
Ash chuckled inwardly. Helping others quietly, then letting someone else reveal it at the right time—that was how you made the biggest impact.
Clemont's Precision Divider neatly split the cake into five perfect pieces.
"Mmm… incredible," Diantha sighed after taking a bite. "The sweetness balances the chocolate's bitterness, and the fruit jam's tang ties it all together. No wonder everyone raves about it."
Her cravings satisfied, she turned to Ash with a spark in her eyes.
"Ash, my Gardevoir and I can now achieve Mega Evolution. Would you do me the honor of battling us?"
Diantha herself had issued the challenge!
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T/N:
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