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

Chapter 21

Upon arriving at the Motostoke Gym, we find Hop proudly displaying the Fire Badge. "Slow moving, aren't you, Ash? I've already gone and earned my Fire Badge! That man of fire Kabu is just what you'd expect. Nearly got burnt in my battle with him! Even with my strongest team, it was definitely touch-and-go...but I still won in the end! Get a shift on, Ash! I bet you could beat the man of fire, too!"

"No problem," I assure him as we head into the stadium, ready to face the Gym Leader, Kabu.

As we step into the stadium, a staff member welcomes us with enthusiasm. "Hey, a Gym Challenger! That's a welcome sight! We don't have too many challengers, since our Leader Kabu has made his Gym mission so hard..."

Curious, I ask, "How challenging is it?"

"That will be you to find out. But I'll be happy to get you registered at once! If you are here to challenge Our gym, we'll ask you to change into your uniform first..."

The staff member hands me the uniform, and after changing, he emerges wearing a red shirt with black stripes, adorned with the Fire Gym Logo. "How do I look?"

"Wow, that really suits the fiery theme," Gloria remarks.

"I agree. Now, it's time to face the challenge," I say as I confidently stride into the mission field, ready to take on the trials awaiting me.

Dan awaits me in the center of the grassy field, accompanied by three gym trainers. He announces, "The Gym mission for the Fire Type Gym is this! Catching Pokemon to earn the most points! Earn 5 points to clear the Gym Mission. In case you were wondering, you'll earn one point for defeating a Pokemon in the tall grass or two points for catching a Pokemon. But you won't be alone in this competition. Other Trainers will be joining you in your battles! Think about what your opponents might do, and try to take the best action to rack up points!"

"Seems like a challenge, but I'm up for it," I respond determinedly.

As the gym mission commences, three Pokémon appear in the field: a Vulpix, a Litwick, and a Sizzlipede. Strangely, the Gym Trainers aren't aiming to engage in battles with me; instead, they're attempting to intercept and capture my potential encounters.

The Gym Trainers—Darren with Rolycoly and Growlithe, Chaka with Sizzlipede and Salandit, and Elle with a Salandit—are trying to thwart my attempts. To counter this, I decide to use Carkol and Drednaw to swiftly defeat each Pokémon before the trainers can capture them, ensuring that I accumulate the necessary 5 points for completing the mission.

Dan congratulates us on successfully completing yet another mission. As we gather together, Darren chimes in, "Clearing Leader Kabu's Gym mission in that manner... You're really heating up!"

Elle follows up, "The next step is facing Kabu, the Fire Gym Leader! Good luck, Challenger!"

We make our way to the battlefield, where Kabu awaits my arrival. A smile crosses his face as we walk together towards the battleground.

Kabu warmly greets me, "Welcome! I am Kabu, the Fire-type Gym Leader. The fact that you are here means you've bested both Milo's Grass-type Pokémon and Nessa's Water-types, too. That's quite an accomplishment!"

"I'm confident," I reply with a smile. "I aim to defeat you and your formidable Fire-type Pokémon to progress further."

He nods thoughtfully, "Every Trainer and Pokémon trains hard in pursuit of victory. But that means your opponent is also working hard to win. In the end, the match is decided by which side is able to unleash their true potential."

The battle kicks off with a three-on-three showdown. Kabu leads with Ninetales, prompting my decision to start with Drizzile, who's just a step away from evolving into Inteleon.