I caught a Pokémon

The two pointed at each other, their faces showing a mixture of surprise and shock. They seemed unable to believe their eyes or that they would encounter Cai's former companion here!

Only Xiaoyao and Xiaosheng, the two siblings, looked left and right, and because they didn't know what had happened, they could only watch them in bewilderment.

Xiaoxia glanced at Xiaogang and said, "So this is how you take care of your younger siblings!"

Xiao Gang laughed and said, "Why haven't I seen your sister either?"

Caught in the middle, Ash wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said helplessly, "If I had known it would be like this, we might as well have continued our journey together."

"Hmph, who wants to travel with the two of you?" Xiaoxia snorted, then puffed out her chest and said smugly, "I'm traveling with Xia You now, and it's just the two of us!"

Xiaoyao and Xiaosheng watched this scene from the side. Although they didn't know Xiaoxia, they could definitely feel that although the three of them seemed to be at odds, they actually had a very good relationship.

Unable to get a word in edgewise, the siblings took advantage of the three's conversation to approach Xia You.

"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Xia You." Xiao Yao looked up and gave Xia You a big smile. "I didn't expect to run into you here. By the way, where's Miss Li Jia?"

“She’s already gone back to Kanto.” Xia You shook her head, then asked knowingly, “How come you’re with Ash and Brock?”

“That’s quite a long story,” May sighed. “Not long after we parted ways last time, I went to Professor Birch’s lab to pick up my first Pokémon. It was there that I met Ash. Pikachu was sick at the time and accidentally damaged my bicycle. I had no choice but to travel with them. As for Max, he insisted on coming along after we arrived at Petalburg Gym. And Brock was someone we met in the wild.”

Xia's ears immediately perked up when she heard someone mention bicycles.

She turned to look at Xiaoyao and blurted out, "What? Did Xiaozhi break your bicycle too?"

"Also?" Xiaoyao looked at the beautiful yet slightly wild and strong-willed girl and couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean by 'also'?"

Misty glanced at Ash and snorted, "Of course it means exactly what it says. When I first met this guy, he stole my bicycle. Although it was to save Pikachu, he never paid me back after the bicycle was destroyed. I only traveled with him for a while because of Pikachu."

"Huh?" Xiaoyao was immediately dumbfounded. "What? He has a criminal record?"

Then he thought, this girl had accompanied Xiaozhi on his journey for so long, but in the end it all came to nothing. Wouldn't his own bicycle be even less likely to be successful?

Seeing that the two people had somehow moved onto the bicycle, Ash could only offer an awkward smile. Even Pikachu looked somewhat uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Xiaoxia no longer cared about this matter. She simply extended her hand to Xiaoyao and smiled, saying, "Hello, I'm Xiaoxia."

Xiaoyao was taken aback for a moment, then quickly extended her hand: "Hello, I'm Xiaoyao."

Thus, the two female protagonists who accompanied Ash on his adventures in different regions in the anime have officially met today, which also means that they have successfully completed the handover in the grand scheme of things, and as the new generation changes, they are also embarking on their respective paths.

After such an awkward silence, Xiao Zhi seemed afraid that these people would continue to talk about something that would embarrass him, so he quickly looked at Xia You and asked, "By the way, Brother Xia You, how many badges have you gotten so far?"

Xia You naturally noticed Xiao Zhi's embarrassment, but was happy to help him out, and said with a smile, "I just finished the Mauville Gym, so I only have one more than you."

"One more than me?"

Upon hearing this number, Xiao Zhi was overjoyed. Xia You had started much earlier than him, yet he only had one more badge. Wouldn't he be able to catch up soon?

It seems I need to work even harder!

Thinking of this, Ash laughed and said, "That's such a coincidence! I just finished battling the Martial Arts Gym and was on my way to challenge the Mauville Gym!"

“It’s quite a coincidence.” Xia You nodded. “It seems our routes are exactly opposite. You’re going to Zijin City, and I’m going to Wudou Town next. It’s really not easy for us to meet here.”

"Alright, alright." Xiaoxia waved her hand. "What do you mean it's not easy? Once or twice is called coincidence. You guys do the math, how many times have we bumped into each other? I'm not even surprised anymore. I think we shouldn't stand here talking, let's find somewhere else to sit for a while."

Xiaoxia was right; after so many chance encounters, even Xia You and Xiaozhi had gotten used to it.

Moreover, their group standing on the street was indeed obstructing traffic, so after a brief discussion, they found a nearby coffee shop and went inside to rest for a while.

They ordered a few coffees and desserts and sat in a corner chatting.

It was here that the group shared their experiences, and Xiaoyao and Xiaoxia became acquainted at this time.

"You're in for a tough time!" Misty said to May with a knowing smile, covering her mouth. "You'll see how painful it is to travel with Ash, especially since Team Rocket is always there!"

Xiao Gang nodded in agreement.

Seeing the expressions on the two people's faces, Xiaoyao carefully recalled her experiences since meeting Xiaozhi, and then she suddenly realized.

"So, what I experienced before—being attacked by strange people, getting lost, going hungry—was not an isolated incident, but something that happened frequently before?"

Chapter 632 Becoming Best Friends

After slowly sipping a cup of coffee and eating a few pieces of dessert, the joy of seeing each other again after so long cooled down, and their conversation became more casual, including the purpose of Xiaoyao's visit.

Although there are no Pokémon Gyms in Slateport City, Ash and his friends did not come here aimlessly.

Originally, May had no goals at the beginning of her journey, but after traveling for a while, she overcame her confusion and became determined to become a top Pokémon Coordinator.

The so-called Pokémon Coordinators are different from ordinary trainers like Xia You. They specialize in catching and raising their own Pokémon for Pokémon Contests, and they also travel around to various cities and regions to collect medals for the Contests, rather than engaging in regular Pokémon battles.

Trainers value the appearance and condition of their Pokémon, so they groom them and feed them berries, Pokémon cubes, and Poffins to improve their condition. They also focus on training their Pokémon's moves, including the flair and execution of those moves.

In short, although the paths are different, they are equally arduous.

"You mean there's a grand competition going to be held here?" Xiaoxia's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this.

As a newcomer, she was clearly very curious about this exhibition match. She had already regretted missing it last time, and she never expected to encounter another one here so soon!

“Yes,” Xiaoyao nodded. “It’s going to be held tomorrow, and I’ve signed up to participate.”

Hearing this, Xiaoxia became even more excited. She quickly turned to look at Xia You, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Brother Xia You, shall we go and take a look too?"

"Of course you can."

Xia You naturally had no reason to disagree. After all, the purpose of traveling is to see all kinds of people and things. Now that they had the chance, how could they miss it?

He also really wanted to see what a real Grand Prix was like.

Most importantly, he also wanted to see with his own eyes what kind of performance Haruka, the 'Hoenn Dancer', would deliver!

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at Xiaoyao again.

As the female protagonist who accompanies Ash on his adventures in the third generation, May's appearance is in no way inferior to Misty's. In terms of the feeling they give off, the two are even more unique and have completely different styles.

However, one thing is the same: both of them are equally 'ordinary' at this moment!

Because of their age, although it's clear that both of them will be exceptionally beautiful as adults, they are still growing. While their thinking and ideas are more mature than boys of the same age, they are still quite different from the word 'woman'.

This beautiful young girl, after participating in several grand competitions, was dubbed the Hoenn Dancer and became a favorite among many. This shows that Haruka's choice of path was correct and also demonstrates her great talent.

Perhaps sensing Xia You's gaze, Xiao Yao, who was sitting opposite her, also looked over at that moment.

Xia You didn't feel embarrassed at all—like someone being caught looking at you. Instead, when Xiao Yao met his gaze, he first smiled and nodded at her before casually looking away.

Despite her young age, Xiaoyao has a keener sixth sense than most girls.

She was certain that Xia You had indeed been looking her over, but she didn't think much of it. When Xia You looked away, she turned back to continue talking to Xiaoxia.

Speaking of which, she and Xiaoxia felt like they had known each other for a long time and appreciated each other's talents!

Although Xiaoxia was a bit 'overbearing', she generally shared the same values ​​as her. She had a feeling that this person who claimed to be the most beautiful girl in the world might become her best friend in the future!

The reason she felt this way was mainly because Xiaoyao had only recently decided on the path she wanted to take, and was in a stage full of ambition but lacking confidence, especially since she was about to participate in her first Grand Contest, which made her even more anxious.

The people around her were all boys who didn't understand girls' feelings at all. In addition, their personalities were also different. One was careless, another would swoon over pretty older women, and the third, although her younger brother, was also a bookworm. Being with them, she could only helplessly keep her troubles to herself, no matter how complicated or inexplicable they were.

But now things are better. She met a cheerful girl her age, and finally she has someone to confide in!

For Xiaoxia, the situation was actually quite similar.

Although she has three older sisters, there is a certain age gap between them, and their dreams are different, so they don't have much in common. They basically spend their days bickering. No matter what kind of girlish heart she has, she can only keep it to herself.

Now that she has finally met Xiaoyao, who is also her suffering 'successor', she naturally feels an instant connection with her.

And just like that, the two hit it off immediately. They talked about everything from interests and hobbies to shopping, and they had a great time. When the group came out of the coffee shop, they were even walking hand in hand!

Including Xia You, these men were actually quite slow-witted and couldn't understand this kind of friendship between girls. They just felt that it was incredible that these two had become such close friends in such a short time, even though it was their first meeting!

Considering they would be spending the night there, after leaving the street where the coffee shop was located, the group headed towards the Pokémon Center.

Along the way, Ash excitedly told Xia You about the Pokémon he had caught. In particular, when Xia You told him that he had also caught a Torchic and evolved it into Combusken, Ash couldn't wait to have a battle with him right away!

Seeing his excited expression, Xia You had no choice but to tell him to calm down.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Even if you want to fight, you should wait until you've checked in first."

"Hehe." Rubbing his nose, Ash realized something was amiss and said sheepishly, "I guess I was too hasty. Let's wait until we get to the Pokémon Center! GOGOGO!!"

Despite saying that, how could he possibly suppress his desire to fight Xia You?

With his anticipation, the group traversed a large part of the city and finally arrived at the Pokémon Center.

However, when the door opened, Ash was immediately dumbfounded.

The lobby of the Pokémon Center was already packed with people of all ages, genders, heights, and builds. Despite their different ages and appearances, each of them had a Pokémon by their side!

He muttered, "Why are there so many people?"

"Is there even a question?" Xia You walked past him and headed straight for the bar. "They must all be contestants here for the Grand Contest. Alright, stop standing there like idiots. Let's hurry up and check in. If we delay any longer, we won't have anywhere to sleep tonight."

Chapter 633 Preparations Before the Competition

Upon arriving at the front desk and seeing Miss Joy, before Xia You and the others could even state their purpose, Miss Joy glanced at them and smiled, "You've come at just the right time. There's only one dormitory room left for both men and women. If you had come any later, you probably would have had to share a room with the other trainers."

This is indeed good news. After all, who would want to live with complete strangers? Otherwise, it would be very inconvenient and uncomfortable to do anything.

Xia You nodded: "That's great, then please arrange rooms for us."

“Okay.” Miss Joy tapped a few keys on the computer, then asked without looking up, “Judging from your appearance, you’re obviously here for the Grand Contest, right?”

As soon as she spoke, Xia You keenly sensed that the atmosphere around her had changed.

Almost simultaneously, some trainers who were originally in the lobby grooming their Pokémon or feeding them all subtly turned their gazes toward them.

As the only two women, Xiaoxia and Xiaoyao naturally noticed the gazes of these people and subconsciously took a step closer to each other.

Xiaoyao looked around and whispered, "Why are they looking at us?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Xia You said indifferently without turning her head. "There are already enough people participating this time, but there are only so many spots. Now that everyone sees our group, they all know that the competition will become even more intense."

Glug...

With so many people watching, Xiaoyao inevitably became more nervous, and even unconsciously swallowed.

Fortunately, at this moment, someone who didn't understand the atmosphere broke the silence. A figure flashed in front of them, and Xiao Gang leaned against the bar, looking at Miss Joey with deep affection, and said, "You misunderstand. Only Xiao Yao among us is going to participate in the Grand Contest, but if you wish, I can also sign up separately for the beautiful you!"

vomit!

Xiaoxia really couldn't stand such cheesy words!

She stepped forward and grabbed Xiaogang's ear, intending to bring him back, but then she discovered that Xiaogang's other ear was also being grabbed by the little boy named Xiaosheng!

Huh!?

She was taken aback, then remembered that when they were introduced at the coffee shop earlier, Xiaoyao had mentioned that this person was her dim-witted younger brother, whose name seemed to be... Xiaosheng?

But why would he pinch Xiaogang's ear?

After just a moment's thought, she immediately realized that this little boy, just like herself, definitely couldn't stand Xiao Gang's cheesy confession!

It seems that I have someone to carry on this legacy!

Xiao Sheng and Xiao Gang exchanged a glance, smiled, and then pulled together to drag Xiao Gang back into the group.

Brock's screams echoed throughout the hall, and it was this scream that diverted the attention of the other trainers, allowing Yao to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

……

After putting their luggage in their respective dormitories, Xiao Zhi couldn't wait to drag Xia You outside for a battle.

However, after witnessing so many competitors, Xiaoyao felt heavy-hearted and clearly had no desire to watch the battle. She shook her head and said:

"You guys go ahead, I want to find a place to practice a little more."

Despite having made some preparations during the trip, she felt increasingly uncertain as the time came.

"I'll go with you!" Misty said with a smile, looking at May. "Anyway, I can predict the outcome of their match. Ash is no match for Xia You. Besides, I'd like to see how someone who wants to participate in the Grand Contest trains!"

Xiaoyao clearly understood that Xiaoxia had offered to keep her company because she was afraid she would be lonely, and she was deeply moved.

"Thank you."

And so, the group split into two teams. Xia You, Xiao Zhi, and Xiao Gang went to the battle arena behind the Pokémon Center for a battle between men, while Xiao Xia and Xiao Sheng accompanied Xiao Yao to the beach for practice.

"We're off then!" Xiaoxia waved to Xia You. "Brother Xia You, come find us at the beach after you're done!"

"understood."

After watching Xiaoxia and the others leave first, Xia You and her two companions also went through the back door of the Pokémon Center to the open-air area behind it.

In fact, unless it's a very remote place, the open-air battle arena is a standard feature in every Pokémon Center. Even if you've never been to this city before, you don't have to worry about not finding a battle arena.