Chapter 223: You Were Still Dressing as a Girl at Ten! I Stopped at Three!

The video continued playing.

Elaria opened the first page of the first photo album.

Lillie leaned over to look with her—

And the two of them fell silent at the same time.

The first photo showed a little child wearing a fluffy princess dress, with a pink bow clipped into their hair and glittery little shoes on their feet.

They were smiling brilliantly at the camera.

Elaria stared at the photo for several seconds.

"Professor Oak, did this big sister also set out from Pallet Town as a Trainer?"

Professor Oak leaned over and took a look.

"Oh, that? That’s Gary."

Elaria blinked.

She looked down at the child in the princess dress again.

Then she looked back up at Professor Oak.

"...Isn’t Senior Gary a boy?"

"He is."

Professor Oak nodded.

"But that was when he was three years old. His sister Daisy dressed him like that."

"Why?"

Elaria looked thoroughly confused.

"If I remember correctly, Daisy always wanted a little sister."

Professor Oak rubbed his chin.

"But then Gary was born instead, so she decided to take matters into her own hands—and dress Gary up as her little sister."

Elaria and Lillie simultaneously looked down at the photograph of "Little Sister Gary," who was smiling brightly at the camera.

"Why does he look so happy?"

Lillie struggled to get the words out.

"Because Daisy told Gary she’d give him candy if he wore the princess dress."

[VIP Chat Group]

[Daisy]: Oh my, seeing this photo brings back so many memories~ Gary was obviously so adorable when he was little. I have no idea who he learned it from, but once he got older, he started walking around with that serious face all day.

[Gary]: Daisy, can you please stop talking...

[Ash]: Hahahaha! You wore girls’ clothes just for one piece of candy? Gary, your willpower was seriously weak!

[Brock]: Speaking of dressing as a girl, Ash, I don’t think you’re really in a position to laugh at anyone. Didn’t you dress as a girl before too?

[Ash]: ...

[Gary]: Oh? Do tell.

[Brock]: Back when we were challenging the Gym in Celadon City, Ash needed a way to sneak inside, so he put on a dress and a wig.

[Gary]: HAHAHAHAHA! And you still had the nerve to laugh at me?! You were still dressing as a girl at ten! I stopped after I was three!

[Ash]: That’s completely different! I did it for a Gym battle! That’s called doing whatever it takes!

[Gary]: Oh, really? Then come battle me in a dress next time, and I’ll admit you’re stronger than me. Hahahahahaha!

[Ash]: Damn you, Gary...

[Blaine]: Hehe. Young people certainly are energetic. We didn’t have nearly this many tricks back in our day.

[Agatha]: That’s normal. Oak wore one himself back then.

[Professor Oak]: ...Agatha, didn’t we agree never to mention that?

[Agatha]: Did I ever agree to that?

[Professor Oak]: ...

The video continued playing.

Elaria turned to the next page.

In the photograph, Ash and Gary were both pulling on fishing rods at the same time.

But what was hooked onto their fishing lines wasn’t a fish—

It was a red-and-white Poké Ball.

Both Ash and Gary’s faces were flushed bright red from exertion, their fishing lines pulled completely taut while the Poké Ball swung back and forth in midair.

Elaria tilted her head.

"Professor, what’s happening in this photo?"

"Oh, that was a long, long time ago too."

Professor Oak flipped toward the latter half of the album.

Every page was filled with photographs recording memorable moments from Ash and Gary’s respective journeys.

"There are plenty more after these. Even I don’t remember some of them very clearly anymore."

Elaria looked through the photographs one by one.

Then she raised her head.

"Professor, I want to hear them tell these stories themselves."

"I see."

Professor Oak rubbed his chin.

"I’m not sure where Ash is right now. As for Gary... I remember him saying he was going to Anistar City today to collect samples."

He thought for a moment.

"Knowing those two, they’ve probably already run into each other somewhere in the hills by now."

Elaria immediately raised her hand.

"Hoopa, prepare for teleportation!"

Hoopa grinned and swept both little hands through the air.

The moment the golden ring opened—

A deafening explosion came through from the other side.

Immediately afterward, a powerful Electro Ball shot through the ring and slammed into a crooked tree nearby.

BOOM!

The entire tree was blown cleanly in half.

Elaria cautiously poked half her head through the ring.

Before she could even get a clear look at the battle—

A powerful stream of water shot right over her head.

Immediately afterward, several Electrowebs came raining down across the battlefield.

Lillie hurriedly pulled Elaria away from the ring.

"Elaria, be careful!"

"Ooooh! Are they fighting on the other side?"

Hoopa rubbed its little hands together excitedly.

"Hoopa loves watching fights!"

On the other side of the ring—

Ash and Gary were right in the middle of an intense battle.

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

Gary raised his hand.

The twin cannons on Blastoise’s shell fired simultaneously.

Two massive streams of water crossed through the air and blasted toward Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to knock them away!"

Ash reacted as quickly as ever.

Pikachu’s tail gleamed with a metallic light.

It leaped into the air, flipped once, and brought its tail down perfectly against the side of the water blast—

Knocking the Hydro Pump off course.

"Not bad, Ash."

Gary brushed a hand through his hair.

"Looks like becoming Champion hasn’t made you rusty."

"Of course not!"

Ash rubbed the tip of his nose.

"I’m definitely beating you this time!"

He thrust out one hand.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Blastoise, Skull Bash!"

Just as Quick Attack and Skull Bash were about to collide—

A golden ring suddenly tore open in midair directly above the battlefield.

Then—

A long black object that looked suspiciously like some kind of filming equipment slowly extended out of the ring.

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Ash instinctively stopped Pikachu.

"What is that thing?!"

"A camera?"

Gary frowned.

"Who’s secretly filming us?"

A series of rustling noises came from inside the ring.

Then Hoopa’s unmistakably loud voice rang out.

"Elaria, Elaria! This angle is amazing! Pikachu’s Iron Tail and Blastoise’s Skull Bash are right in the middle of the shot! Hoopa got an awesome close-up!"

"Hoopa, don’t stick the camera that far out! You’ll disturb their battle!"

Elaria’s soft voice came from the other side of the ring, but her tone was completely serious.

"Hoopa is just looking for the best camera angle! This is the professional dedication of a real cameraman!"

Hoopa confidently defended itself before poking half its head through the ring.

It waved at Ash and Gary below.

"You two keep fighting! Just pretend Hoopa isn’t here!"

Ash and Gary looked at each other.

Then they simultaneously raised their heads and shouted—

"HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PRETEND YOU’RE NOT THERE?!!"