Chasing After A Legend

Hall of Fame

"Human talking"

'Human thinking'

"Talking in a Flashback/Memory"

"Pokémon talking"

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Wyndon Stadium, Galar

"Cinderace is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!"

"UNBELIEVABLE!" the announcer's boisterous voice bellowed across Wyndon Stadium, resounding over even the crazed cheers of the thousands upon thousands of spectators in the stands. "Folks, in all the years since I've spectated his matches, never did I ever think that the unbeatable Champion Leon would be brought down to his very last Pokémon! But I doubt anyone expected such an out-of-this-world super-powered Gigantamax from Pikachu, either! Just what kind of training has the rising star of Kanto been up to?!"

On one side of the battlefield, a tall rabbit-like creature was returned to its Poké Ball by an older, purple-haired trainer wearing an outfit akin to a soccer uniform. He was trembling, but not of anger or fear. Rather, he was shaking from excitement, the thrill of being pushed to a corner he didn't think he could ever get pushed to.

"Good job, Cinderace." Leon thanked his Pokémon. "Hey, Ash!" He raised his voice, a child-like smirk on his face. "I'm having a lot of fun... the most fun I've had in years!"

On the other side of the field, behind a worn out but determined yellow creature standing on four legs, a younger, black-haired trainer returned the smile and nodded vigorously, despite seeming just as winded as his Pokémon. "Yeah... Me too, Leon!" His grin grew wider and his energy seemed to be refilled with those words. "I'm really glad I'm here facing you today!"

"With having taken down Cinderace, Pikachu is surely feeling the burn from its prolonged battle! Meanwhile, Leon still has his strongest Pokémon saved for last! But it's still anyone's game, folks! Will the trainer from Pallet Town finally break the monarch's unstoppable streak?! Or will Leon remain the strongest and number one unbeatable trainer in all the world?!"

Leon closed his eyes as he pulled out one final Poké Ball. "Alright then..." he let the roars of recognition from the crowd wash over him as he got himself into a familiar pose – stretching his legs apart, head turned and pointed to the ground, his left arm holding the ball and raised above him. "Let's have ourselves one last CHAMPION TIME! CHARIZARD!" The Poké Ball opened and an orange, flaming blur burst out. It circled the sky a few times before landing on the field with a resounding CRASH.

The dust settled, and Leon's final Pokémon stood proudly for all to see. "RA-AARGH!" Charizard roared and unleashed from its maw a burning white flame whose heat could be felt even by the audience, which served to increase their already intoxicated fervor.

Ash Satoshi Ketchum eyed the winged Pokémon with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Next to him, a small yellow rodent's cheeks sparked with feelings like those of his trainer.

"This is it..." Ash said softly, his words somehow reaching the Galar Champion across the field.

"This is it," Leon repeated back to Ash, his own words heard loud and clear by the raven-haired youth.

"Chuu..." / "Rrgh..." both Pokémon growled in preparation.

Between the Charizard staring them down, its trainer gesturing to them in a universal sign of "bring it on," and the cheers of his friends in the crowd telling him to fight till the end, Ash was more than fired up.