077: Snipe Shot From High Segment!!
"Rattata is unable to battle! The victory goes to Ser Lena and her Clefairy!" The referee's voice echoed across the field as Rattata collapsed, eyes swirling, no longer able to continue.
"She did it!! Serena actually won!"
"Ash, that's incredible. She was only with you for ten minutes, but it's like she's a different person now! She was so composed out there, like a true Trainer!"
"Seriously! What did you do to her, Ash? I swear, if I had to face Ser Lena now, I'm not even sure I could beat her."
"It's amazing. I've known Tieruno, Trevor, and Serena since we were kids. Never never have I seen her speak with such clarity and confidence. It's like she evolved too, like a Pokémon would."
To most summer camp students unfamiliar with Serena's background, her win wasn't shocking they simply assumed she was strong. But to Shauna and the others who grew up in Vaniville Town alongside her, this was monumental.
Serena had always been deeply reserved. Her shyness wasn't a surface quirk it was deeply rooted. She often struggled to speak up or even make eye contact in crowds.
Initially, when they asked Ash to help Serena, it was mostly out of admiration for his skill. They hadn't expected such a dramatic transformation from a brief training session.
Ash simply smiled and shrugged off the praise.
"You're all underestimating Ser Lena. She's not as timid as you think."
"Her mother, Grace, is a renowned Rhyhorn racer in Kalos. Growing up with a woman that tough, Lena's learned more than you realize. Sure, she's quiet but she's determined and strong-willed deep down."
"She didn't want to weigh down the group, so she came to me asking for help. I just told her something simple: If the Trainer is nervous, that anxiety will transfer to their Pokémon."
"And Serena… she didn't want to let Clefairy down either. She found her courage for both her team and herself. That's what made the difference."
Ash's words struck a chord, especially with Shauna and Trevor, who exchanged silent, thoughtful glances.
"Of course," Ash added with a grin, "I did help strategize based on Clefairy's move set Pound, Sing, Splash, and Copycat and made sure her battle plan worked against the more predictable opponents here."
"Still, most of the credit is hers."
"You're too modest, man," Gary said with a grin, giving Ash a thumbs up.
"Come back, Rattata. You did great," Mai said gently, recalling her fallen partner. She looked across the field at Ser Lena, her straw hat shading eyes that held no bitterness only respect.
"That was amazing, Serena. I'd love to battle again sometime. And hey maybe next time, we can just talk too."
Serena smiled warmly. Mai's honest words and cheerful tone touched her deeply.
"I'd like that. I'd really like to be friends."
This moment, fleeting as it was, marked something important: Mai was the first friend Ser Lena had made on her own at summer camp.
After the battle, Xiaolan and Shauna immediately rushed to her side, voices bubbling with excitement like Fletchlings at dawn.
"Serena, that was incredible!"
"The way you commanded Clefairy? So cool! You were like a different person out there!"
Their enthusiasm made Ser Lena blush, and she instinctively ducked her head. Though she'd just displayed poise and bravery on the field, her natural shyness crept back in under their praise.
She glanced at Ash.
He was watching her too, and their eyes briefly met.
Her cheeks turned redder.
"It was all thanks to Ash. If he hadn't encouraged me, I don't think I could've gone up there, let alone win," she said softly, a smile tugging at her lips.
"You're giving me too much credit," Ash said, waving her off modestly. "The real reason you won was because you chose to step up."
"Alright, Xiaolan, Shauna ease off her for now. Take Ser Lena to the Pokémon Center. Let Nurse Joy give Clefairy a quick check-up."
"Gary, Tieruno, Trevor let's find Lena a few more opponents."
"You got it. We'll handle things from here."
---
There were a total of 100 students participating in this year's Pokémon Summer Camp. Due to League regulations, none of them were official Trainers yet all under 10, meaning they couldn't own their own Pokémon.
Most were complete novices. Even those who had studied Pokémon battles beforehand panicked during live matches, often resorting to simple attacks without strategy.
Ser Lena, too, had never been in an official battle before today. But with Ash's personalized tutoring session, she had both theory and practical insight.
Using Clefairy's move set Pound, Sing, Splash, and Copycat—Ash helped her build a battle plan that focused on reaction, rhythm, and exploiting inexperienced opponents' rigid patterns.
And because Xiaolan and Gary had chosen opponents who were not highly ranked, Lena's first few matches allowed her to ease in and gain confidence.
She won four consecutive matches—an impressive streak that earned her 8 points and launched her to third place on the Student Ranking Board.
With those victories, Serena's name started spreading through the camp.
Some students whispered admiration. Others, competitiveness.
Before she could even pick her next match, the students who were currently ranked first and second each approached to challenge her.
They wanted to stop her ascent snipe her.before she could reach the top.
Serena had every right to decline. But after four straight wins, her heart was brimming with a confidence she hadn't felt before.
She believed in herself.
And besides… if Ash could watch over her through his aura, then maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have to be afraid.
With her nerves steeled, Serena accepted the challenge head held high.
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