"No way, you're light as a feather! You need to eat more to grow strong! I was able to eat a lot when I was young, that's why I'm so strong now. With strength, you won't be afraid no matter what dangers you face." Ash said as he carried the little girl with fair legs and walked towards the summer camp.
The broad back, solid arms, strong wrists, warm palms, everything made the little girl feel very safe. The fear she felt when she got lost and scratched all over was gone.
The little girl was named Serena. She actually didn't want to come to this summer camp, but her mom insisted that she should come to toughen up. She was already ten years old and still lacked independence. It was time to see the outside world and mingle with the Pokemon in the wild.
So her mom forcibly signed her up for this camp. This time, it even crossed two regions to reach the farthest Kanto Region. If anything happened, it would be like calling to the sky without a response and calling to the ground without aid.
And indeed, something did happen. Before Ash appeared, she had no idea it was a human, thinking it was some kind of wild beast or fierce Pokemon.
From her perspective, she could only see the rustling bushes. When Ash appeared, her restless heart felt like it was soothing.
Ash's actions completely calmed Serena down. While leaning on Ash's back, although she felt a bit embarrassed and even blushed, she couldn't bring herself to speak and say she wanted to get down.
Initially, Serena felt that the day she came to the summer camp was the worst day of her life. But now, she felt — it was a good thing she came!
...
This is the story of Ash and Serena back then. Although it seemed like an insignificant event, it left a deep impression on Serena's mind.
After Ash carried her back, Serena spent the whole summer camp with Ash, becoming Ash's tag-along. That's why Ash remembered Serena.
If it was just finding her, even Ash couldn't recall so quickly after a few years had passed. But since Serena spent the whole summer camp with him, how could Ash forget?
"You seem to be called... Serena, right?"
"Yes!!" Seeing Ash still remembered her name, Serena couldn't be more thrilled. Now, she felt like a successful fangirl meeting her 'idol' who recognized her. Encountering such good fortune at her first traveling location, could she be the legendary lucky girl?
Beside them, Misty watched the two with surprised expressions, feeling a mix of emotions. She didn't expect the righteous young girl they met roadside to be familiar with Ash. Judging by their appearance, they hadn't seen each other for a long time.
Theoretically, this girl shouldn't pose any threat, but her charming face, lithe figure, and decent clothing made Misty feel a crisis.
"I didn't expect to meet you here; the last time must have been five years ago, right?"
"Yes, yes! After that summer camp, I wanted to contact you again, but I didn't have your contact details. Later, I saw you on the big screen of the TV~" Serena nodded.
Listening in, Misty catching 'five years ago,' 'summer camp,' instantly understood where the bad premonition came from!
Turns out, it's a childhood friend! Moreover, a childhood friend dropped from nowhere!
Judging by the romance novels she read before, women with such status basically couldn't lose!
But the good news is, Ash's girlfriend is her now!
If she hadn't bravely stepped out at that time, she might have missed the chance against such a formidable foe!
Now she is the legitimate girlfriend and can stand by Ash's side confidently, even when a childhood friend appears!
"Woo~" Lapras, treated and left aside, let out a cry. Ash turned around, patted Lapras's head, and said, "Is your body not hurting anymore? Be more careful outside now and avoid storms, don't just crash into things. By the way, your injuries weren't just caused by natural weather, right? Is there another reason?"
"Woo~"
"Just as I thought..." Lapras's brief words explained that she was actually attacked by poachers. It was due to the attack that she got separated from her group and blown to the shore of Penggan Island by a storm.
Poachers' fire, storm's rampage, left Lapras severely injured. At the shore, she couldn't even return to water to rest and recover.
Then she was attacked by some delinquent teens. Although they used sticks to poke her, the harm they caused was negligible.
Finally, Serena and Ash arrived, rescued her, and helped her recover.
"What are you going to do now? Are you heading to the sea to find your family?" The Orange Archipelago has a Lapras group. Lapras is rare and popular worldwide.
Not to mention their cute appearance, gentle nature, even the fact that Lorelei's trump card is Lapras is enough to make the Lapras group famous worldwide.
That's why poaching teams target the Lapras groups. If they could capture the whole group, the poaching team could live comfortably for the rest of their lives.
The League is cracking down on poaching teams, deploying marine police to patrol constantly around Orange Archipelago waters. Common poaching teams can't bypass Miss Jenny and her team.
Lapras's group encountered a significant poaching team, not some small-scale force. If Lapras returns to the sea and meets them again, just this still-growing Lapras wouldn't stand a chance.
Don't be fooled by Lapras's Advanced Level; from her size and skin, this Lapras is just a kid within her group, just like Little Lugia.
Sending a child out to sea searching for her parents and group is cruel.
"Woo~" Lapras looked hesitant. She knew that despite her wounds having healed, if she met the poaching team or encountered storms again, she likely wouldn't survive.
But she also didn't want to wait here.
"How about this? We also need to find a Pokemon in the Orange Archipelago. You can join us, and if you meet your companions and group along the way, you can leave." Ash thought for a moment and suggested.
One sheep is led, two sheep follow, helping Little Lugia find parents and helping Lapras find parents don't conflict. They all reside in the Orange Archipelago, better than letting Lapras venture alone.
"Woo!!" Lapras agreed without hesitation, seemingly waiting for Ash's offer.
Serena watched, eyes wide, wondering why Lapras agreed so easily? Books stated Lapras is gentle but wary of humans. Why did this Lapras agree so easily to Ash's invitation? Does Ash possess magic power?
You have to say, Ash indeed has magic power! Not mentioning his act of helping Lapras, Ash's Power of Viridian alone is enough for any wary Pokemon to lower its guard. Ash's initial friendliness rating starts at a hundred (friendly).
This is Ash's personal charm, as well as the Power of Viridian's magic power!