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"Hehe…"
Sam took a cautious half-step back.
Brock, flushed from the firelight (or maybe sheer obsession), was shuffling closer, rubbing his hands together and squinting as though scheming something outrageous.
That face…
That energy…
Sam instinctively felt a chill creep up his spine.
"Something is definitely wrong here."
"Brock…" Sam said warily, his eyes narrowing.
"What do you actually want?"
"Hehehe~" Brock laughed again, looking like a shady merchant about to pitch a once-in-a-lifetime scam.
Then, in a lowered voice—like he was sharing a state secret—he finally confessed:
"I… I want to ask for an autographed photo of Miss Diantha…"
Sam: "???"
"…Diantha? You mean the famous Kalos actress Diantha?"
Seeing Sam's confused look, Brock immediately straightened up and clarified, as if this were a holy mission:
"Yes! That Miss Diantha!"
"I heard that Cynthia—Miss Cynthia, your fiancée—is good friends with her!"
"So I thought… maybe… just maybe… you could help me get one!"
"I'm her #1 fan! President of her Kanto Fans Association!"
As Brock spoke, he took another step forward, hands clutched in desperation.
"Please, Sam!"
"If you can get me her personal, signed, intimate autographed photo…"
"I'll do anything!! I'll climb a mountain of swords, dive into a sea of fire—you name it!!"
Sam stiffened.
This was somehow more pressure than his battle with Ash.
"Brock… take two steps back first."
"Y-Yes sir!"
Brock obediently hopped backward, eyes still sparkling like stars.
Sam finally exhaled.
"For a moment there, I thought you were about to propose something crazy…" he muttered.
"Fine. I'll… ask Cynthia for you."(T/N: You so dead)
"YES!!!"
Like a spring-loaded rocket, Brock launched into full celebration mode.
He grabbed Sam's hands and pumped them up and down like he'd just won the Pokémon League.
"THANK YOU, Sam!"
"You don't know what this means to me!"
"I've seen all of Miss Diantha's movies!"
"I even attended the 3D premiere of 'Steel Princess: Radiant Heart'—twice!"
"Without her autographed photo, my life just… isn't complete!"
"I get it, I get it—enough!" Sam gently pried his hand free.
Being clutched like that by another man under starlight—yeah, no thanks.
Brock didn't take offense.
He grinned from ear to ear, his spirits completely revived.
"Then I won't disturb you further tonight, Sam—sir, boss, legend!"
"Rest well! And thank you again!"
With that, Brock spun on his heel and marched off to his tent, humming a Diantha theme song under his breath.
Sam sighed and finally lay back inside his tent, pulling the blanket over himself.
The stars were bright. The air was cool.
And the camp had fallen quiet.
"Anime didn't lie to me after all…" he murmured to himself.
Whether it was Ash, Brock, or Dawn—they were all exactly as they appeared in the show.
Ash: bold, a little dense, but endlessly determined.
Brock: hopelessly romantic, but fiercely loyal.
Dawn: sweet, bright, and quietly perceptive.
From this brief journey with them, Sam felt a sense of ease.
The fusion of anime, games, and manga might have altered a few details…
But the world's heart remained the same.
And that gave Sam confidence.
The future of this world was something he could navigate—and maybe even shape.
With a calm breath and a faint smile, Sam finally closed his eyes, drifting off under the stars.
Early the next morning—
Sam had just stepped out of his tent when Brock was already bustling around the camp, full of energy and oddly… glowing with enthusiasm.
"Sam!" Brock greeted with a dazzling smile, holding up a wooden tray like a five-star room service waiter.
"I prepared this breakfast specially for you!"
"Premium Miltank milk from Kanto!"
"A warm Lola porridge—soothing and easy on the stomach!"
"And a fiber-rich salad—good for digestion!"
He pointed to Lucario nearby.
"And I didn't forget your partner either! Lucario has his own portion, perfectly balanced for high-performance combat types!"
Sam blinked.
"…Thanks?"
Brock wasn't done.
"Oh, and over there—" he gestured to a basin of water just off the path.
"I've already prepared your washwater. Fresh mountain spring. If you want it warmer, just say the word—I'll heat it up immediately!"
Sam: "…"
Ash and Dawn, watching from a distance, exchanged baffled looks.
"…Did we miss something?" Dawn whispered.
"I thought he said Sam was the 'Public Enemy of Sinnoh' last night?" Ash muttered.
Dawn nodded. "Now he's acting like a butler from a Kalos romance drama…"
Despite the sudden shift, Sam politely accepted the hospitality.
After washing up and sitting down, he found the meal—surprisingly—delicious.
"Just like in the anime," he thought.
"This Brock really can cook."
After a hearty breakfast and some quick camp cleanup, the group set out again.
Thanks to Lucario's presence, they encountered no wild Pokémon at all.
The journey remained peaceful and swift.
And by sunset, they emerged from the dense canopy of the Psychedelic Forest.
In the golden light of dusk, the silhouette of Canalave City appeared before them.
The coastal metropolis stretched across a chain of connected islands, each linked by grand bridges that spanned shimmering waterways.
At the far end loomed tall buildings, industrial cranes, and anchored cargo ships.
But their current destination wasn't the main city—it was the outermost island, known as Mine Island, the gateway to Canalave.
Here stood the Canalave Gym—a steel-type stronghold famous across Sinnoh.
"According to the map, this should be Mine Island!" Dawn confirmed, pointing to the paper unfolded in her hands.
They could now see it clearly in the distance—rust-colored stone, factory buildings, and mining rails glinting in the sun.
"Awesome!" Ash grinned, clenching his fists.
"I'm gonna use all the tips Brother Sam gave me to challenge the Gym Leader!"
"I feel totally pumped!"
Sam smiled at his enthusiasm and took the lead.
"Let's go."
But as the saying goes—a mountain seen from afar may be near, but walking to it may take till nightfall.
Even though the island looked close, the group didn't actually set foot on Mine Island until the sun had nearly vanished into the sea.
Sam glanced at the setting sun and sighed internally.
"I really need a Flying-type Pokémon…"
As the group walked the weathered streets of Mine Island, something immediately felt off.
The streets weren't bustling. There were no cheers from children or voices from tourists.
Instead, every passerby they saw walked with hunched backs, heavy steps, and sagging eyes.
Many looked half-awake, carrying bags under their eyes and blank, lifeless expressions.
Ash and Dawn slowed down too, clearly sensing the mood shift.
"…Is it just me, or does everyone here look… totally exhausted?" Dawn whispered.
Even Pikachu, normally full of energy, tilted his head in confusion.
Sam narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings.
"This atmosphere…"
"It's not natural."
The workers and residents of Mine Island weren't just tired.
They were drained. Worn out from something beyond long hours and hard labor.
And Sam, feeling a strange pressure in the air—something just beneath the surface—frowned.
"Could it be… because of him?"
A ripple of Aura power flickered faintly through his body.