1. Ash's Story (Part 10: Galar)

Chapter 2

Alice and I arrive at Wedgehurst, bringing us to a bustling crowd. Curious, we decide to see what's drawing such a large gathering, and to our surprise, we spot Leon and his formidable Charizard amidst the excited crowd.

"Hello, hello, Wedgehurst! Your Champion, Leon, is back!" Leon announces, his voice carrying over the cheering crowd. "I promise I'll keep doing my best to deliver the greatest battles for you all to watch!"

"It's our unbeatable Champion! Leon, you and Charizard are the greatest!" a man from the crowd shouts enthusiastically.

"Well, thank you for that!" Leon responds warmly. "I hope you'll all carry on training up your Pokemon and never shy from battle. Then come challenge me for the Champion title!"

"We're on it! We've been working on our battle skills just like you taught us to, Lee!" another voice echoes from the crowd. "But that Charizard of yours is too strong for the likes of us to take on."

Leon smiles in acknowledgment, "Too true that Charizard is blazingly strong. But other Pokemon can be strong as well! That's why I want the strongest of challengers to fill the Gym Challenge and come battle me! My wish is for Galar's Trainers to work together to become the strongest in the world!" Charizard nods in agreement, emphasizing Leon's sentiment.

"Lee!" Hop's voice calls out, drawing Leon's attention. Leon's face lights up with a smile as he acknowledges Hop's presence.

"So my number-one fan in all the world has come out of his way to pick me up! Look at you, I reckon you've grown... exactly an inch and a quarter since the last time I saw you!" Leon teases good-naturedly.

"Bingo! That's the sort of sharp eye that's kept you undefeated for so long, eh, Lee?" Hop responds, playfully bantering with his brother.

Leon turns his attention toward Victor and Gloria. "And these bright eyes over here... I've got it! You must be Victor and Gloria—am I right? I've heard loads about you from my little brother."

"I bet he tells you that I'm annoying more than he compliments, huh?" Gloria quips with a grin, causing Hop to interject.

"Hey," Hop retorts, feigning offense.

Leon chuckles warmly, brushing off the comment. "Anyways, I am the Galar region's greatest-ever Pokémon Champion—and a massive Charizard fan, too. People call me the unbeatable Leon!" His introduction carries an air of confidence and cheerfulness.

As the crowd begins to stir, voices exclaim, "Hey! It's Ash Ketchum!" "No way! Is that really him?"

Alice and I exchange nervous glances as the fans start to gather around, causing us to pale a little. "Oh boy... why are we in this kind of mess..." Alice murmurs, clearly feeling overwhelmed.

"No way, It really is Ash Ketchum!" Gloria gasps, clearly excited. "He's here in the Galar Region!"

Coming to our aid, Leon steps in and requests the crowd to give us some space. "Thanks, Leon. I really need it," I express my gratitude, feeling relieved for the assistance.

"No problem. It sure has been a while since I last saw you. And Alice, right?" Leon acknowledges, addressing us.

"It's nice to see you again, Leon," Alice replies with a smile.

Introducing us, Leon gestures towards Hop, Victor, and Gloria. "This is my brother Hop, and these two here are Victor and Gloria."

"It's nice to meet you," I say as I extend my hand for a handshake. However, it seems Gloria might be a little flustered by the encounter, and I can't help but notice a small smirk on Alice's face as she observes the situation unfold. Seriously?