"That guy just now was seriously weird. Trying to catch your Pikachu, Ash — poor Pokémon would've been so unlucky ending up with someone like him! He's just like Paul!"
Dawn fumed all the way down the path.
"From what he said, he's already caught a Pichu and a Raichu. Plus he mentioned having a Magneton and a Mareep. But the moment he realized Pikachu was yours, he immediately tried to trade — offering both Magneton and Mareep just to get your Pikachu. And he even called them his 'Electric Shock Trio.' Looks like he's a Trainer obsessed with building a team around Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu,"
Anabel analyzed calmly.
"Ugh, a total fanatic! I'm getting more convinced he's the same annoying type as Paul. My good mood's completely ruined now. Piplup — from now on, no more running off randomly, got it?"
Dawn tapped Piplup's round little head lightly.
"Pip-pip…"
Piplup nodded sheepishly, looking very guilty.
"Alright, alright. There are all kinds of Trainers out there. We might even meet crazier ones in the future. Just relax. You know why I brought you two here today?"
Ash grinned and pointed ahead.
"Not far from here is Lake Valor. Let's spend the afternoon there!"
Lake Valor — home to Azelf, the embodiment of willpower!
And together with Lake Verity and Lake Acuity, it formed the trio guarding Sinnoh's ancient balance.
The three lakes were positioned in different directions around Mt. Coronet.
If you connected them, the point at the center was Mt. Coronet itself — the heart of Sinnoh.
"Yay! Lake Valor! It's said Azelf, the Spirit of Willpower, lives there! Do you think we'll get to see it?"
Dawn was bursting with excitement and dashed ahead at full speed.
Ash and Anabel chuckled, then chased after her.
Lake Valor looked much like the other two legendary lakes — vast, mysterious, and often shrouded in thick white mist.
Sometimes the mist grew so heavy you couldn't even see the surface.
And occasionally, a shadow would flicker across the lake.
They said anyone who glimpsed that shadow would be blessed with incredible luck.
When the trio arrived, Lake Valor was already cloaked in a swirling, ethereal fog.
"Wow! It's incredible! It looks just like Lake Verity back home! Ash, Anabel — come on, hurry up!"
Dawn called out eagerly.
"Piplup!"
Piplup happily bounced alongside her.
"We're coming, we're coming," Ash laughed.
"This is one of Sinnoh's three legendary lakes — Lake Valor. The environment here can change at a moment's notice."
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp, misty air.
Splash, splash…
"Miiilooo~"
"Miraaaa~"
Splash, splash…
From somewhere in the center of the lake, a soft, melodious singing floated through the mist.
All three of them turned toward the sound.
The fog was thick, hiding the lake's heart from view.
But through his Aura powers, Ash could sense it clearly.
It was a Milotic — gracefully playing and singing in the water, carefree and joyful.
'So Wallace is nearby after all,'
Ash thought to himself.
Wallace — originally Hoenn's Champion, taking over from Steven Stone.
But after becoming Champion, he shifted his passion toward being a Top Coordinator, dazzling the Contest world with breathtaking performances.
His partner, Milotic, was both stunningly beautiful and unimaginably powerful.
"What a beautiful song! I wonder which Pokémon is singing? Could it be Azelf?"
Dawn asked, her eyes sparkling with wonder.
"It's a Milotic. It's known as the most beautiful Pokémon in the world. That song was its doing,"
Ash explained, leading Dawn and Anabel toward the shoreline.
The mist thickened near the water's edge.
Ahead stood a massive boulder — and on that boulder, a figure emerged.
A man in a flowing white cape, with striking green hair.
"Ah— wait — aren't you the Top Coordinator superstar — Wallace?!"
Dawn gasped, instantly starstruck.
She adored Contest performances. To meet a living legend like Wallace out of nowhere?
Her mind practically short-circuited from excitement.
Wallace had noticed them long before they saw him.
He waved gently, greeting them with a dazzling smile —
but Ash could tell the greeting was directed mostly at him.
Powerful Trainers — especially those of Champion caliber — could instinctively recognize one another.
Wallace felt it immediately:
the extraordinary pressure hidden within Ash —
and the incredible strength of the Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
'A Champion-level Pikachu?'
Wallace's heart skipped a beat.
Could this really be the boy Steven had mentioned?
Steven and Wallace were close friends.
Steven had told him stories about an unbelievable Charizard that had battled his Metagross on equal footing — the Trainer's name: Ash.
And now here he was, standing right in front of him.
As they chatted, Wallace confirmed it:
this youth was exactly who Steven had spoken so highly of.
Meanwhile, Dawn and Anabel still couldn't get over how handsome Wallace looked.
The white cape, the green hair, the elegant Milotic by his side — he was like a painting come to life.
"Wallace, you're way less stuck-up than the rumors made you sound,"
Ash teased, chuckling.
"Oh? And what kind of rumors are those?"
Wallace asked curiously.
"They say you're a total show-off!"
Ash grinned cheekily.
"Ugh…"
Wallace pretended to be wounded, then burst out laughing.
He and Steven were close friends — and Steven admired Ash immensely.
So naturally, Wallace treated Ash more like a companion than a stranger.
"Still, why do you Coordinators love wearing capes so much? You're like Lance with his flashy cloak!"
Ash added, eyeing Wallace's dramatic outfit.
"I think it looks great! Super stylish!"
Dawn piped up.
"Hey, Ash — you should try wearing one too!"
Ash imagined himself wearing a swirling cape… and immediately buried his face in his hands.
"Pikapi…"
Pikachu rolled around in the grass laughing uncontrollably, picturing the same thing.
Yeah, no thanks.
A cape just wasn't his style.
"Wallace, while you're here, could you take a look at Dawn's performance skills? She's a Pokémon Coordinator too. Maybe you could give her a few pointers?"
Ash suggested.
"That's a great idea. Dawn, would you like to give a performance?"
Wallace smiled warmly.
Dawn's eyes lit up like stars.
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T/N:
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