c137: Consecutive First Place, Two Weeks Later!!
The evaluation of the Pokémon short film concluded, and once again, Ash earned the highest possible score a perfect 10 points.
Ash himself was clearly surprised that his short film had received full marks, and many of the other students were equally astonished.
Although everyone recognized Ash's considerable strength as a Trainer, they hadn't thought that sheer battling prowess could translate into a high-quality cinematic short much less one deserving a perfect score of 10.
However, after viewing "Little Rock Pool · Fishing", the rest of the students were completely convinced. This was undeniably a short film of exceptional quality worthy of the highest honor.
In today's short film competition, Ash's perfect 10 had almost become expected by now. With the exception of Goh still watching remotely from a hospital ward in Tokiwa City none of the students expressed jealousy.
After spending nearly two weeks together, Ash had thoroughly won over his peers at the summer camp not only with his evident talent and training abilities but with his warm-hearted, passionate, and approachable personality.
Back at the start of the Summer 07 Camp, many of the students especially those who had been recognized as "Outstanding Students" by the League had entered with grand ambitions. Many had seen Ash as a rival to surpass, someone standing in the way of a top-three finish.
But now, the competitive spirit among them had softened. None of the students still viewed Ash as someone to defeat. He had become something else: a benchmark of excellence, someone to respect and support.
The Pokémon Summer Camp had ten official assessments in total, and so far, four of them had been completed nearly half. Most students had accumulated between 20 and 30 points overall, while Ash had the highest score with 40 points.
Given the current pace and point differentials, the likelihood of catching up to or surpassing Ash was now exceedingly slim.
Moreover, none of them felt like they were even in the same league as Ash a student who not only had remarkable natural talent but also woke up at 6:30 every morning to lead Pokémon in morning exercise sessions. The combination of talent and tireless dedication simply placed Ash on another level altogether.
"Student Achievement Score Ranking List · Overall Leaderboard"
1st place: Ash – 40 points
2nd place: Shauna – 38.8 points
3rd place: Serena (Ser Lena) – 38.6 points
4th place (tie): Xiaolan – 38.4 points / Tierno (Tieruno) – 38.4 points
5th place: Gary Oak – 36.5 points
6th place: Trevor – 36.2 points
7th place: Hinata (Xunzi) – 35.5 points
After the short film evaluation concluded, the students exited the auditorium in an orderly fashion. Ash lingered for a moment, glancing back at the leaderboard displayed on the large screen above the stage.
He stood at the top with 40 points, but what struck him more was that the second through sixth places were all held by members of his current group of friends. Even though this was a commendable outcome, Ash wasn't entirely satisfied.
He knew well that finishing in the top three of the final camp assessment would automatically guarantee the title of "Excellent Student." However, being in the top three didn't exclusively define who was named an Excellent Student.
According to the official camp policy, aside from the top three, students whose overall performance during the camp had been exemplary and whose total points were close to the top rankings would also be considered for selection as Excellent Students.
Receiving this honor came with great benefits: students designated as Excellent could, with special approval from the Pokémon League, be allowed to receive their first official Pokémon earlier than the usual age requirement, and would even be given the opportunity to choose one of the three traditional starter Pokémon from their region.
Yet even with that knowledge, Ash understood one critical thing: being selected as an Excellent Student by Professor Oak himself was considered far more prestigious and secure than just hoping to be included from the non-top-three pool.
That was why, as he walked quietly behind the stream of students leaving the auditorium, Ash thought to himself with determination:
"Looks like I'll need to help Serena and the others secure higher scores in the remaining events one by one so they can all break into the top-tier rankings."
Ash knew that his own success didn't matter as much if he couldn't raise up the people who had been working alongside him. The next half of camp assessments would be crucial not just for himself, but for his entire group.
Under the dark blue night sky whose hue seems to rise from the earth as much as it descends from the depths of the heavens the stars, forest valleys, and the quiet rows of summer camp cabins all blend into a seamless dreamscape.
Time has flown by. In what felt like a blink, two full weeks of the Pokémon Summer Camp have passed!
The summer camp was scheduled to last just two weeks, and now, the final day had arrived.
Throughout these two weeks, the students engaged in near-daily assessments and activities, each one designed to develop their skills, deepen their connection with Pokémon, and test their growth under real conditions.
Here's a breakdown of the activities conducted over the past two weeks:
Day 1: Opening Camp Challenge – Each student demonstrated basic Trainer skills and teamwork.
Day 2: Fishing Competition + Forest Night Courage Trial – Trainers had to both catch Pokémon and navigate the forest at night with a borrowed partner Pokémon.
Day 3: Pokémon Video Creation – Students created short films showcasing their Pokémon partners' personalities and bonds.
Day 4: Wild Pokémon Observation – Trainers observed Pokémon in their natural habitat and compiled detailed reports.
Day 5: Cooking Contest – Teams worked together to create meals using Berries and ingredients suitable for both humans and Pokémon.
Day 6: Off-Road Challenge – Pokémon and Trainers navigated tough terrain, emphasizing agility and teamwork.
Day 7: Triathlon – A grueling race involving running, swimming, and biking with Pokémon support.
Day 8: Pokémon Performance Stage – Students performed routines or skits, showcasing creativity and bond with Pokémon.
Day 9: Pokémon Food Preparation – Students learned how to mix and prepare specialty Pokémon food based on species' dietary needs.
In total, nine core activities were completed. Ash through consistent performance, strong instincts, and his unusually natural bond with Pokémon earned a perfect score of 10 in every single activity. With his help, even students like Gary, Shauna, Serena, Tierno, and Trevor managed to place among the top three ranks at least once, boosting their overall scores.
Meanwhile, Goh (Xiaohao), who had been hospitalized in Tokiwa City due to an injury sustained during the first challenge, was unable to participate. His close friend Chloe (Xiaochun) had remained with him at the hospital as support, causing her to miss all camp events as well.
Originally, Chloe was housed in the same dorm cabin as Xiaolan, Shauna, and the other girls, and would have likely become part of Ash's growing circle of friends. But due to her absence, the group occupied with camp life gradually began to forget her.
On the other hand, Hinata (Xunzi), who had been living in a different dorm cabin, gradually became integrated with Ash's team after regularly partnering with Tierno during the events. By the second week, she had become a full member of their informal team.
In fact, Hinata's consistent effort earned her enough points to climb into fourth place overall in the Student Achievement Rankings just below Ash and his inner circle.
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Over the past two weeks, two and a half significant events unfolded outside of the scheduled camp activities:
The only authorized media outlet stationed within the Pokémon Summer Camp grounds was Saffron City TV, which had exclusive coverage rights. However, other outlets including smaller commercial and entertainment press were desperate to find ways to report on the camp's rising stars.
Unable to secure access to the campgrounds, these outlets shifted their focus to the one person linked to the camp and accessible to the public Chloe (Xiaochun), who was staying at Tokiwa City Hospital.
Soon, both Chloe and Goh found themselves inundated with interview requests.
Chloe, annoyed by the attention and preferring to stay out of the spotlight, only accepted one interview before firmly refusing all others.
Goh, however, basked in the attention and granted interviews freely clearly enjoying his unexpected brush with fame.
During one interview with a small commercial outlet from Cerulean City, Goh was asked about Ash, who had by then become the standout prodigy of the summer camp.
When questioned about his impression of Ash, Goh replied with deliberately vague skepticism:
> "I don't really know him that well… but I heard from a few campers that Ash's Froakie was personally selected by Professor Oak and might be stronger than the Pokémon handed out to other campers."
"Of course, that's just what I heard… haha" (scratches head innocently) "I don't know if it's actually true." (gives a simple smile)
Though Goh delivered his words with a casual tone and innocent gestures, his remark implied doubt about Ash's fairness subtly casting suspicion in a way that the media could spin.
Despite the layers of feigned innocence, his comments were picked up quickly, sparking minor discussions among the public and trainers following the camp coverage remotely.
But back at the camp, Ash remained unaware of the media noise and unfazed even if he had known. His focus remained on his teammates, his Pokémon, and helping everyone end the camp as strong and united as possible.
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