028: Tieruno and Trevor!!
Ash glanced toward the open space near the entrance of Pallet Town and quickly noticed two boys about his age standing somewhat stiffly, with no townsfolk around them to welcome them.
He figured they must be the two students from the Kalos Region whom Professor Oak had said would temporarily be staying at his home for the summer camp. Without hesitation, Ash left Gary's side and approached them.
"Sorry for being late! I'm Ash Ketchum. Are you the students Professor Oak assigned to stay at my place?" he asked, wearing the sunny grin Pallet Town knew so well.
"Hi~ Ash! I'm Tierno, and this is Trevor," the round-faced boy said cheerfully, nudging his timid friend forward. "Yep, Professor Oak said we'd be living with you during the camp. Looking forward to it!"
He added with a joking tone, "Also, if you need help waking up on time from now on, Trevor and I have your back!"
Tierno, already a familiar character from Ash's Kalos journey in the manga, had initially thought Ash was the careless type after seeing him arrive late. But seeing Ash's open and friendly approach quickly changed his impression.
Ash laughed at the good-natured tease. "Haha, you caught me! I did set an alarm last night because Professor Oak told us you'd be arriving. But somehow, I knocked it off my desk while dreaming and smashed it."
Of course, Ash tactfully left out the part where he had mistaken it for a Poké Ball in his sleep and threw it at his ceiling fan. That was more embarrassing than being late.
Tierno, ever the lively one, kept up the chatter, while Trevor, quieter and more reserved, nodded politely and listened with great interest. Even though Trevor didn't say much, it was obvious from his attentive eyes that he was a thoughtful and respectful kid.
"Mom! These are the two students staying with us Tierno and Trevor!" Ash called. "Guys, this is my mom, Delia Ketchum."
"Hi, Aunt Delia!" both boys said at once, bowing slightly.
"Welcome, boys. You're both very welcome here," Delia replied with her warm, maternal smile.
She had known in advance that two Kalos students would be lodging at their house Oak had given her notice during the registration the previous afternoon so she'd already laid out extra bedding and bathroom supplies.
"Professor Oak, is there anything else we need to do before heading back?" Ash called toward the professor, who was still speaking with other students and hosts.
"No, Ash, you're good to go," Oak replied. "Once everyone is settled, students can show their new friends around Pallet Town but remember, no leaving town limits without a chaperone."
"Got it, Professor!" Ash and the others echoed back.
As Oak's welcome roster finished up, the townspeople slowly dispersed, leading the rest of the summer campers to their host homes.
Back at Ash's place, Delia began tidying the guest room for Tierno and Trevor, carrying bedding up the stairs. "Ash, take your new friends around town for a bit. I'll finish setting up the room."
"Sure, Mom!" Ash called back, already heading for the door with the two Kalos boys in tow.
Pallet Town wasn't a bustling city or a well-known tourist spot but thanks to the fame of Professor Oak and the fact that many strong trainers (like Ash and Gary) had started their journeys there, it had become a symbolic location in the Pokémon world.
Ash noticed the curiosity on Tierno and Trevor's faces as they took in the town's peaceful charm.
Of course, Ash already knew these two well from the Kalos manga arc. Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna were all from Vaniville Town in the Kalos Region just like Serena.
Shauna had helped spark Serena's journey into performing and was her main rival in the TriPokalon Satellite Competitions. Despite their competition, their friendship was close.
Both Tierno and Trevor had entered the Kalos League alongside Ash. Tierno, known for combining dance moves with battle tactics, advanced to the quarterfinals just like Ash had in his first Indigo Plateau appearance.
Trevor, however, was eliminated in the top 64 due to an unlucky draw facing Alan, the eventual Champion, early in the preliminaries. Despite that, Trevor wasn't weak by any means his Charizard could Mega Evolve, and his strategies were sharp.
Whether it was the spirited Shauna, the shy but determined Serena, or Tierno and Trevor each of them had carved a memorable path in Kalos, and now Ash felt genuinely excited to connect with them before those iconic journeys began.
The house was filled with energy as the trio prepared to head out
Ding dong~ Ding dong~
"Ash~ Ash~" came a familiar voice from the front door.
Ash opened the door and found Gary standing outside. "Gary? What are you doing here? What happened to the two campers assigned to your place?"
Gary rolled his eyes, clearly irritated. "Ugh, don't get me started. Just mentioning those guys gets my blood boiling…"
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