>>37545643I know we can't really read too much on a easter egg that lasted few seconds, but she also doesn't seem to hold a crush on Ash and her smile is more of a friendly gesture commonly used when greeting or thanking a stranger. I also have my doubts on whether or not AU Ash has traveled with any of the AU companions. In the anime, he met most of his companions by an incident that drew all of them closer together while in AU, he's basically just asking them where the local gym is and probably walk away after that (the AU companions on the other hand, just gave some directions to a stranger and don't really have any reason to be following him or carrying a deep conversation). The only ones I can imagine following Ash all the same are Brock, Cilan, Iris and *maybe* Clemont and Bonnie. It's weird to think that in the AU, Ash might not know his former companions that well.
