Return to the Indigo Plateau!

Over the next week, Ash and his friends stayed at Pewter Gym, helping Brock and Lucy restore the gym to its former glory.

Brock and Lucy had made several upgrades to the gym, ensuring it remained strong for the future. While Lucy had no plans to leave his duties as a Battle Pike Queen, Brock also had no intention of abandoning Pewter Gym, especially since his father was still in good health and could continue managing the gym for many years.

During this time, Ash took advantage of the gym's battle arena to train alongside Misty and May, honing their skills for upcoming challenges.

For May, the Indigo Plateau's Grand Pokémon Festival was a monumental event—her ultimate goal was victory!

Ash also made a video call to Anabel, who was staying on a small island across from Hoenn's southeastern sea.

He proudly informed her that he had conquered the Battle Frontier and also told her about his next plans—after competing at the Indigo Plateau's Pokémon Grand Festival, he would head to Battle Tower to meet her.

However, Anabel revealed that she had already wrapped up her other commitments and was simply waiting for Scott to arrange her successor as the Battle Tower's Frontier Brain.

Since it would take some time for Scott to finalize the handover, Ash wouldn't need to make a special trip to her—once Anabel completed her transition, she would head straight to Indigo Plateau.

After all, she and May had become good friends, and she wanted to be there to cheer for her at the Grand Festival!

One could only imagine Scott's reaction when he found out—not only had he failed to recruit Ash as a Frontier Brain, but Ash had also 'stolen' one of his own!

Finally, after a full week of effort, Ash and his friends restored Pewter Gym to a state that looked as if it had been completely renovated.

With heartfelt goodbyes to Brock and Lucy, Ash, Misty, and May set off toward Indigo Plateau, their next destination.

A Familiar View—Indigo Plateau!

After a week of travel, the group finally arrived near Indigo Plateau.

"So this is it…" Ash said, standing atop a mountain ridge, gazing down at the legendary battlefield of the Pokémon League.

"This place brings back memories, doesn't it, Pikachu?"

"Pika!!" Pikachu cried out excitedly, sharing Ash's nostalgia.

Excitedly, Ash sprinted ahead, rushing toward the mountain's peak for a better view.

"Wait up, Ash!" Misty called after him.

May giggled, shaking her head. "Geez, anyone would think he's the one competing in the Grand Festival!"

Misty chuckled. "He's probably just excited. It's been a long time since he's been here. Come on, May, let's catch up!"

Reaching the summit, they stood alongside Ash, gazing down at the massive Indigo Plateau Stadium.

Ash took a deep breath, feeling a surge of emotion.

"Misty, May…" he called out.

The two turned to look at him.

"The last time I stood here, I was just a rookie trainer, new to my journey. I was young, reckless, and... well, I had a disobedient Charizard, a Pidgeotto that hadn't evolved yet, and a team still finding its footing."

He paused, remembering his past teammates.

"That time, I only made it to the Top 16 before losing to Ritchie—who also used a Pikachu."

"Pika…" Pikachu nudged Ash, sensing his emotions.

"But now…" Ash clenched his fist. "Now, I return as the Champion of the Battle Frontier! No longer just a rookie—this time, I won't lose again!"

Fueled by passion, Ash suddenly cupped his hands to his mouth and let out a thunderous shout:

"I'm ASH KETCHUM! My dream is to become a POKÉMON MASTER!!!"

His voice echoed across the valley, carried by the wind.

Pikachu, not wanting to be left out, stood proudly on Ash's shoulder and mimicked him:

"Pika!! Pika Pi!!!"

Misty and May stared, wide-eyed.

"Come on, you two try it!" Ash grinned. "It's a great stress reliever—especially you, May! Shout out your goal, loud and clear!"

"Huh? Us?!" May hesitated.

Misty and May exchanged glances—then nodded in determination.

Climbing onto a large rock, Misty took a deep breath and yelled:

"I'm MISTY!! The world's most beautiful girl—and I WILL become a WATER-TYPE POKÉMON MASTER!!"

Her voice rang out, fading into the mountains.

May clenched her fists.

She was nervous. The Indigo Plateau Grand Festival was the biggest Pokémon Contest in all of Kanto. If she could win, she would be recognized as a top-tier Coordinator.

But… was she ready?

Could she really compete against the best of the best?

May closed her eyes, summoning all her courage—then shouted with all her might:

"I'm MAY!! I swear, in this Grand Festival, I'll give it everything I've got—no regrets!!"

The words rang out, bold and powerful.

As her voice faded, May took a deep breath—then blinked in surprise.

"…Whoa. That actually felt really good."

Ash laughed, patting her head. "Told you!, this was a great way to release stress."

Misty smiled. "Alright, let's head down. First stop—registering May for the Grand Festival!"

"Right!"

Preparation for the Grand Festival!

Descending from the mountain, they officially arrived at Indigo Plateau's Contest Hall.

May successfully registered for the competition and received detailed information on her rivals.

By the time they finished, the sun was setting.

After dropping off their Pokémon for a check-up at the Pokémon Center, the group finally sat down for dinner.

Ash turned to May, his expression serious.

"May, just remember one thing—give it everything you've got. Winning isn't the most important part—it's knowing you did your best."

May nodded, understanding his words.

However, Ash knew that this tournament wouldn't be easy.

Among the contestants… was Solidad—a Top Coordinator already recognized as one of the best.

May's road to victory… would be a tough one.

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