"…"
"…"
After Ash won the grand prize, proving his luck, the crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed.
Ash had initially thought Dawn would leave too, but even after standing there for a few minutes, he noticed she was still secretly watching him from the shadows…
Her eyes were glued to the Poké Ball Seals in his hands, filled with unmistakable envy.
As expected, this thing really is a hot potato…
Ash grumbled to himself inwardly.
He didn't know Dawn yet, so striking up a conversation wouldn't be a big deal, but it still felt a bit odd.
But just leaving like this…
"(Stare~)"
Dawn's gaze remained fixed on the Seals in his hands.
Ash knew that Poké Ball Seals were incredibly popular for Pokémon Contests in the Sinnoh region.
If the Seals' effects matched well with a Pokémon, just the Pokémon's entrance could earn a hefty score from the judges.
Even so…
"Pikachu, Aipom, let's go."
"Pika~!"
"OKI~"
The two Pokémon, thinking Ash was now heading to a restaurant for a big meal, perked up with excitement.
The dejected air they'd had moments ago seemed to have never existed.
He's leaving…
Dawn, who had been casting envious glances at Ash, thought with some regret as she saw him start to move.
If she hadn't misread, the Poké Ball Seals in his hands seemed to include some of the trendiest limited-edition ones.
Dawn had been wondering if she could ask to take a closer look at them, but now it seemed she was too late.
Time to head home, then…
With great regret, Dawn prepared to return home, but just as she took her first step, she noticed Ash was actually walking toward her.
Huh?
Dawn froze.
She wasn't standing at the store's entrance but in a small corner, and there was no one else around her.
Could he be coming to talk to her?
Or maybe… because she'd been staring at his Poké Ball Seals for too long and made him angry?
Realizing this possibility, Dawn started to panic.
After all, she had never traveled on her own before, and living in Twinleaf Town, she rarely had chances to interact with strangers.
So, she had even less idea of what to do if her small actions outside caused someone to get upset with her.
As the distance between her and Ash grew shorter, Dawn didn't have time to overthink. Just as Ash reached her and was about to speak, she blurted out first:
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything by it—I just thought some of the Seals you have are really rare! I stared too long, it's my fault! I'm sorry!"
Ash: "???"
Feeling the curious gazes from all directions, Ash froze for a moment, but years of travel experience in handling sudden situations allowed him to react swiftly.
"I'm not angry. I just noticed you seemed to really like these Seals… so if you need them, I can give them to you."
"Huh?"
Now it was Dawn's turn to freeze.
He's not mad at me? Wait—no, no, that's not the point! Did he just say…
"You're saying… you'll give them to me? But isn't this the prize you won?"
Though Dawn desperately wanted to accept, the thought that he might be offering them because he couldn't stand her staring made her feel awkward.
Besides, when traveling outside, would someone really just give away a gift like that so casually?
Dawn now had a moment to take in Ash's appearance. He didn't look like a Twinleaf Town resident. After all, Twinleaf Town only had so many people, and if there was someone around her age, she'd have no reason not to recognize them.
"Yeah, I won it, sure, but I don't need it. My goal is the Pokémon League, not the Grand Festival."
"You know about the Grand Festival too?"
Dawn asked, surprised.
In her understanding, Trainers aiming for the Pokémon League usually paid little attention to Pokémon Contests.
Even if they knew what Contests were, they typically didn't know about the Grand Festival.
"Yeah, I did a bit of research before coming to Sinnoh. One of my traveling companions in Hoenn also competed in Hoenn's Grand Festival."
"Really?! Hoenn's Grand Festival?! What rank did she get?"
"Sadly, only Top 8, but considering it was her first year, getting that far was pretty impressive."
Ash's mind conjured up an image of May. Before he time-traveled, May was arguably the first among his companions to achieve her dream. Compared to her, he still had a lot of work to do.
"Top 8 in her debut year… That's so strong. I wonder if I can do that."
Though Dawn was an optimist, when facing a challenge she'd never tackled before, she couldn't help but feel the anxiety and worry typical of a rookie.
"Hmm~ If you work hard, I think you'll be fine. You know, that companion of mine was a total newbie when she started. She wasn't even good at commanding battles and was a bit scared of Pokémon. Compared to her, you'll definitely be okay~"
Ash said with a smile, encouraging Dawn.
As for May, well, she wasn't here, and what he said wasn't a lie, so no problem! As long as neither he nor Dawn spilled the beans, no one would know about today's conversation!
"Yeah! No problem, no problem! I think I've got a lot of potential too! Hmph!"
After Ash's encouragement, Dawn quickly reverted to her usual self.
When she locked eyes with Ash during their conversation, the feeling of talking to a stranger had vanished.
Perhaps this was the power of being close in age and sharing common interests.
"So, do you still want these Seals? If you don't, I'll give them to…"
"I want them, I want them! Please hand them over! I promise I won't let their value go to waste!"
As expected, communicating with Dawn really was a simple thing.
Ash's mood lifted as he saw the smile on Dawn's face after she accepted the Seals.