Ash sulked in the corner and muttered negative things. Gou frowned, "Ash, stop sulking! You've been doing this for the past few days!" Ash ignored the boy and continued sulking. "If this is about you losing battles, then stop worrying! It's only been a few-" "A few?! No, Gou, it's been 3 battles I've lost!" Gou flinched at his tone.
"At this rate, battling Mr. Leon will be a dream within another dream.." Ash buried his head deeper into his knees. Gou let out a sigh and put both of his hands on his waist. "What am I gonna do with you..?"
Professor Cerise came in and gave an exasperated smile, "It seems Ash is still feeling down?" "Yeah, I don't know what to do with him." Cerise chuckled, "Well, I was hoping you two could go check something out for me?"
Gou raised an eyebrow, "Was it?" "Well, there's been reports of some sort of sound waves and are drawing people in a sandstorm."
"Oh. Ash! Let's go check it out!" Ash ignored the boy once more. Gou huffed angrily and grabbed Ash by the collar, dragging him in the process.
_
"Hm? Ash dropped down?" Leon asked himself as he looked at the rankings of Ash. He grew worried and got out of his chair. Raihan walked in with a smile, "Hey Lee, I was wonder- Uh woah what's wrong with you?" Leon walked to the door, "Sorry I have to go." Raihan stepped aside and watched Leon leave.
He sighed and shrugged, "There goes my chance of asking him out."
_
Ash sighed as he sat down on a sidewalk. He was exhausted, and still down from the losing. Leon looked both ways to find a certain black haired boy. Luckily he wasn't lost, even though he's pants with directions..
He then smiled as he spotted the young boy. But soon frowned as he saw Ash's slouched figure. His fatherly instincts acted up and walked over to the boy.
"It took a while to find you, ya know?" Ash's eyes widened as he heard a familiar voice. He looked up to find Leon. "M-Mr. Leon?! What are you doing here?" Leon chuckled and sat down by the confused boy. "I came here, to talk to you." "Huh..?"
"I heard your rankings went down. I grew worried. It was odd to see you lose three battles.."
Ash looked away in shame. Leon noticed this and put a hand on Ash's shoulder, "Tell me, what happened?"
"I..I had battled the Galar gym leader, Bea, she was strong. She is strong. I couldn't beat her. I was too overconfident. I was too weak.. My dream is to battle you Mr. Leon. I want to battle the strongest trainer in the world! And you inspire me whenever I come to watch your battles. But.. my dream will just be a dream within another dream.."
Leon frowned, "Ash, you aren't weak. In fact, you're a strong trainer. A trainer that cares so much about being friends with Pokemon. No other trainer does that. You're Ash from Pallet Town right? Nothing can stop you from achieving your dream. So are you really going to give up and all throw away all that hard work you did with your Pokemon?"
Ash furiously shook his head, "Of course not!" "Then don't give up on your dream! Keep working hard till it's over." Ash smiled brightly at Leon and nodded. "I will!"
Ash then hugged Leon, "Thank you Mr. Leon. For encouraging me to not give up." Leon's eyes were wide but soon smiled and hugged Ash's back. "Not a problem."
---(Yeah get ready to uh, idk cry)---
Screams were heard as the saw the creature, Eternatus. The pokemon Chairman Rose released.
Ash frowned as he looked around. Destruction was all he saw on top of the Rose Tower. "Ash! We have to get out of here!" Gou shouted. "No way! We have to calm down that eternatus!" Gou frowned, "But that's too dangerous...!" "Galar is in danger and we have to help the region! I can't just stand by and see a pokemon destroy it." Gou went into deep thought.
