When there's a shared topic, time always seems to pass quickly. Before they knew it, evening had arrived.
The soft orange sunlight slanted through the window, casting a gentle ambiance over Dawn's home.
It wasn't until the evening light touched her face that Johanna realized how late it had gotten.
"Oh my, I got so caught up I didn't notice it's almost dinnertime."
"Really, huh?"
It wasn't just Johanna—even Dawn only now noticed the time, and Ash was no different.
Perhaps because it was rare to have the chance to share stories of his past with others, Ash had been so engrossed that he hadn't noticed the passage of time at all.
"Pika~"
"OKI~~"
Ash got up to look for Pikachu and Aipom, quickly spotting the two curled up on the sofa.
Pikachu and Aipom seemed worn out from their travels.
He wasn't sure when it happened—probably not long after lunch—but they had fallen asleep.
Pikachu and Aipom were snuggled together, Pikachu curled into a ball while Aipom's tail draped over it, looking almost like a blanket covering Pikachu.
Soft snores emanated from their noses and mouths, creating a warm and serene scene.
"They're asleep, huh…"
Ash scratched his hair, muttering with a hint of dilemma.
He had been about to suggest they get ready to leave, but he hadn't expected Pikachu and Aipom to be sleeping so soundly.
Pikachu was one thing—it had slept a bit on the plane.
But Aipom, to keep up with him, hadn't slept much at all. With its curious and energetic nature, arriving in a brand-new region and seeing new things naturally kept it too excited to sleep.
So why were they able to sleep so peacefully in Dawn's house? Perhaps it was the comforting atmosphere here.
That afternoon, as the three of them sat at the dining table softly sharing stories, Pikachu and Aipom must have been lulled to sleep by the soothing conversation.
"Ni~ya~"
Seeing Johanna approach, Glameow, who had been lounging on the back of the sofa, stood up and let out a lazy meow. Johanna smiled, gently stroking its fur, then, as if reading Ash's thoughts, made a suggestion:
"It's getting pretty late. Why don't you stay the night? If you're not in a rush."
"Hmm… I don't really have anything urgent. After all, it's my first day in Sinnoh, and I'll be taking my time challenging the eight Gyms, collecting Badges, and competing in the League tournament."
"Then staying over tonight shouldn't be a problem, right? Consider it a thank-you for sharing so many captivating stories with us."
Without giving Ash a chance to protest, Johanna headed straight upstairs to prepare the guest room for him.
"It feels so familiar," Ash said to Dawn, who was still a bit lost in thought. "Johanna kinda reminds me of my mom. If you ever visited my house, I bet my mom would do something similar."
Ash thought about how his mother, Delia, had never changed, not now nor in the distant future.
"But I think my mom's really annoying. She's always poking at my old mistakes. I'm about to start my journey—I've already grown up!"
Though the afternoon had passed, Dawn was still hung up on parts of their earlier conversation.
After all, with Ash present that afternoon, it was different. If he hadn't been there, Dawn would've been nearly immune to Johanna's teasing by now, maybe just grumbling a bit at most.
"Though I don't think just being ready to start a journey counts as being grown up."
"Ugh—how can even *you* say that, Ash?!"
Dawn crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, voicing her dissatisfaction.
By now, Dawn felt no awkwardness around Ash, as if they were old friends who had known each other for years.
"Ah, sorry, sorry~"
Realizing Dawn just wanted acknowledgment of her growth, Ash followed her lead and said:
"But your dream is to become a Top Coordinator, surpassing your mom, right? If that's the case, why not start proving it with actions from tomorrow? Stand on the grand stage's podium, look into the TV cameras, and ask, 'Have I grown up now?' Wouldn't that be more effective?"
"That…"
Dawn furrowed her brows, tapping her lips with her index finger, then broke into a bright smile, clearly taken with Ash's suggestion.
"You're right! I'll definitely do that when I win! That'll shut her up, won't it? Hmph!"
Dawn tilted her chin up, her expression brimming with the triumphant smile of someone who had already won.
Caught up in her rosy visions of the future, she seemed to forget she was just a rookie about to debut.
Winning a championship in your first year?
That's incredibly difficult. Unless you're a once-in-a-generation genius, reaching the peak right at the start is nearly impossible.
But…
Runner-up? That's pretty great…
As it happened, Dawn did have talent in this area. In her debut year, she achieved runner-up at the Grand Festival, just one step away from the champion, Zoey.
Compared to Dawn, Ash really couldn't call himself a genius. In his debut, he was just an ordinary Top 16, barely noticed by anyone. Later, at the Lily of the Valley Conference, he only reached the Top 4.
"Of course, I believe you can definitely do it!"
Perhaps this chance to start over wasn't just for him—it might be for Dawn too, who knows?
Ash thought to himself.
…
Night arrived as promised after the sun set. Twinleaf Town, yet to undergo large-scale urbanization, retained most of its natural charm.
The cool evening breeze drifted into Ash's room through the open window. Leaning against the wall by the window, he gazed up at the bright, clear moon, his ears filled with the chirping of Bug-type Pokémon active at night, and…
"Pika~ Pika~~"
"OKIII~~~"
The snoring of Pikachu and Aipom.
"Seriously, didn't these two sleep all afternoon? How are they still sleeping so soundly at night?!"
Ash grumbled about them, but on the other hand, he was also indirectly grumbling about how he couldn't sleep.
He hadn't slept much himself and had walked quite a bit, so why wasn't he sleepy at all? Not even a hint of drowsiness?
He tossed and turned in bed for a long time, but there was no sign of falling asleep.
Maybe he was too excited about being able to go back in time, and that's why he couldn't sleep.
Ash guessed as much.
"Sigh, forget it. I'll go for a walk."
With that, he boldly pushed open the door and headed downstairs, planning to step outside and feel the evening breeze.
But as Ash went downstairs, he didn't notice that Dawn's door wasn't fully closed—it was left slightly ajar.
Hearing the sound of Ash heading out, Dawn poked her head out, thought for a moment, made a decision, and followed him outside.