"It really does look suspicious… I just don't know what scheme it's plotting this time."
"Exactly, exactly! Bonnie won't be fooled that easily."
"What do you think, Ash?"
Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie all had skeptical looks on their faces, clearly not ready to believe Meowth.
But Ash knew better. What Meowth had said was the truth. Could it be… the beginning of the Malamar storyline had already started?
Just thinking about that terrifyingly sinister Malamar, Ash felt his resolve sharpen. If they could intercept its plan in advance, that would be a great outcome.
He nodded firmly.
"No matter what, whether Meowth is telling the truth or not, we're going in to check. After all, we were planning to explore this place anyway."
"Pika!"
Ash and Pikachu spoke almost in sync. Everyone thought it made sense, so Meowth eagerly scurried ahead to guide the way, desperate to rescue Jessie and James.
Ash quietly spread out his Aura, completely wrapping the entire Radio Observatory. Yet, he frowned. No trace of Malamar?
Could it be that the storyline had already been altered? Or was this one of those inevitable events that no human intervention could change?
"Meowth, how long ago did you escape from here?" Ash asked, eyes narrowing.
"Just about an hour ago, nya. I was so terrified that I had no choice but to run. Look, up ahead is where we first encountered Malamar."
Ten minutes later—
"Jessie, James, wake up! It's me, nya!"
Meowth shook Jessie and James awake.
The two stirred, trembling with lingering fear, and quickly explained what had happened. That's when Ash finally pieced the story together.
Apparently, for reasons unknown, Malamar suddenly stopped exerting its control over them.
Not only that, it even released the other Pokémon it had hypnotized.
But then Malamar itself… simply vanished without a trace.
"You little twerps, since you came to save us, we'll spare you today. We've got our own score to settle with Malamar!" Jessie snarled.
"Such an unpleasant feeling!"
With that, Jessie, James, and Meowth bolted off like a shot, disappearing in no time.
Just then, Officer Jenny stirred awake as well.
It turned out she had been investigating the observatory when Malamar's Hypnosis had seized her mind, even giving her the creepy title of "Madame X."
Ash and the others looked around the bizarre chamber Malamar had created—its walls twisted and grotesque, like some kind of insect hive.
Did Malamar leave because it foresaw their arrival?
Ash felt a pang of disappointment.
Still, it didn't matter. With Pikachu, Sceptile, and the others at his side, he wasn't afraid of any number of Malamar.
"I'm truly sorry for dragging you into this. To thank you, I insist you visit our town—it's not far from here. I'll personally show you around," Officer Jenny offered warmly.
She explained that her town was famous for producing all kinds of Pokémon short films.
"Wow, really? I've always loved watching those short films by Aria and her Pokémon! Ash, Ash, let's go check it out!" Serena said, her eyes sparkling.
"Sounds fun enough. Let's do it!"
"Yay, hooray!"
Serena was absolutely thrilled. The group followed Officer Jenny to the town and rented professional filming equipment and an assortment of costumes.
"Hehe, Serena, I've got experience with this too. How about a contest? You team up with Ash, and I'll team with Clemont. Let's see whose film turns out better!" Bonnie smirked mischievously.
It was her not-so-subtle way of creating a private chance for Serena and Ash to spend time together.
Ash saw through it but didn't call her out. If Serena enjoyed this, he could also help her gain more attention.
When the film was done, he could even ask Diantha, the star Champion of Kalos, to help promote it. Perfect plan.
With that decided, they chose a quiet, leafy park—perfect for filming.
"Ash, look, look! Does this outfit suit me?" Serena had changed into a themed costume: a Fennekin uniform to match her partner.
She wore mock Fennekin ears on her head and even had a fluffy tail attached to her outfit.
Ahem.
Ash froze for a second, completely caught off guard by how cute she looked.
"Pika pika!"
"Fennekin!"
"Melo!"
Even Ash's Pokémon applauded enthusiastically.
"Of course it suits you. You look great in anything," Ash admitted honestly.
Serena felt a warm flush rise to her cheeks, her heart lifted with a quiet joy at his words.
"Th-then let's get started!" she said, smiling.
Serena filmed several short scenes: dressed as Fennekin, in a frilly apron outfit, and more—all playful, all charming. Meanwhile, Clemont, much less enthusiastic, was dragged by Bonnie into filming his own segment.
The town had a special center for handling these projects. After handing over their footage, the staff worked quickly on editing and post-production.
About half an hour later, it was time to preview the results.
On screen, Serena appeared, dressed in adorable outfits, interacting with Fennekin in natural, lively ways. She immediately felt embarrassed and, without thinking, glanced sideways at Ash.
Her heart pounded—what mattered most was his reaction.
And sure enough, Ash's gaze told her everything she needed to know.
Relief washed over Serena. As long as Ash likes it… that's enough.
Then came Clemont's short film. But unlike Serena's, his was awkward, stiff, and utterly lacking charm. Forced by Bonnie, Clemont clearly hadn't put his heart into it. The result was… a total failure.
When their short films were uploaded, Ash stepped in.
"Serena, you want your work to be loved by as many people as possible, right?"
"Of course! Pokémon short films are ranked by audience votes. The more people like them, the higher the ranking. But Ash… do you have a way to help?" she asked curiously.
Ash grinned.
"Of course I do. You'll see in a few days."
He didn't explain further, but the confidence in his tone filled Serena with anticipation.
With that, the group resumed their journey.
They hadn't yet reached Cyllage City, but they arrived instead at a new location— Ambrette Town, home to the legendary Golden Magikarp!
Could it be possible for Ash to capture such a rare Pokémon?
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T/N:
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