Chapter 1: A New Adventure Begins
"Giovanni sir, we found one!" A man dressed in the fancy grey colored uniform that signified he was a Team Rocket Executive walked into the room. A man dressed like a ninja followed him into the room while a hooded figure with the Rocket sigil present upon his chest stood silently in the back. "Or rather Sasuke and Shade did." The man thumbed towards his underlings before uncovering the object that the ninja held in his hands, showcasing a sleeping Jirachi that began to show signs of awakening soon.
Giovanni's eyes widened, clasping his hands together as a smirk spread across his face. "Jirachi the Wish Pokémon, they're said to grant any wish when they awake before falling asleep for another thousand years." Some were said to grant multiple wishes but this Jirachi appeared to be quite young so it was likely it'd only grant one wish.
"What are you going to wish for, my lord?" Sasuke asked.
"You could literally do anything; the wish is nearly limitless. We could rewrite space and time!" Archer sinisterly laughed while Shade uttered out a grunt of surprise.
"No." Giovanni firmly spoke. "I refuse to fiddle around with that, it's what did Team Galactic in. No, I'm simply going to do a little rewiring that shouldn't affect much. The events that occurred did occur but nobody will remember them happening." Giovanni looked towards a nearby dartboard to showcased images of Cynthia and Ash. "Meddlesome do gooders... my identity was soiled after the power corrupted me and made me blind." After Cynthia outed him as the leader of Team Rocket, he lost everything.
"I simply wish to rewire the memories of the world so that nobody outside of Team Rocket remembers that I, Giovanni, am the leader of Team Rocket!" Giovanni firmly spoke as Jirachi stirred awake. Jirachi gave off a light nod as a bright white glow began to engulf the office before overtaking the entire Team Rocket Headquarters which quickly overtook the Kanto region before engulfing the entire world.
"Pikachuuuu!" Pikachu fired a powerful electrical bolt towards a Dragonite who uttered out a light grunt but appeared to be mostly unharmed as it simply smirked in response.
"Hyper Beam!" Lance shouted out while pointing towards Pikachu.
"Dragoooo!" Dragonite roared out, bright orange energy erupted from his mouth in a beam of light. The energy flew across the field before exploding against Pikachu, sending the electrical mouse flying across the field.
"Chaaaaaa!" Pikachu cried out, laying on his side as swirls formed in his eyes.
"Pikachu!" Ash gasped out. Shortly after returning to the Kanto region, Ash's new title of Alolan Champion had gotten to his head and he immediately sought out Lance for a one on one battle. However he quickly learned that although Alola had powerful trainers, he wasn't quite ready to take on trainers like Lance just yet. Lance reached out to shake Ash's hand, which Ash returned but his gaze was focused to the ground the entire time while pondering what to do next.
Ash soon returned to Pallet Town and remained there for a few months, although he still trained with his Pokémon he hadn't really left Pallet Town throughout that timeframe as depression had gotten to him. He was still at a lost as to where to go next with his life, there were countless regions out there and usually his choice was made for him as circumstances usually introduced or took him to an entire new region but that hadn't happened yet.
"Ash honey?" Delia's voice called out to him early one morning, waking him from his sleep. "Professor Oak has a proposition for you."
Ash let out a groan as he and Pikachu rose from their bed, stretching their arms and getting dressed before heading downstairs to meet Professor Oak who stood at the foot of the stairs with his usual friendly smile. "Good morning, Ash." Oak reached into his lab coat, producing a ticket which he held towards Ash. "Have you heard of Mustard?"
"The condiment?" Ash asked, glancing towards the kitchen while Pikachu made a face of disgust.
"Chu..." The mouse stated that ketchup was far superior.
"Er, Mustard's a guy." Oak chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck. "So I suppose you've never heard of him. Well Mustard is the current Champion of the Galar region and former World Champion, back when they still held that. He runs a dojo on an island in northern Galar and is accepting students for his course as there was a recent dropout, I already put in your name and he was quick to accept so long as you head there within the week. He apparently has a que but made an exception in your case."
Ash's eyes lit up at the prospect of studying under one of the world's strongest Pokémon trainers while also getting to explore an entire new region that was sure to be full of Pokémon he'd never seen before! "Pikachu and I would love to go, right buddy?!"
"Pika!" Pikachu gave a thumbs up while enthusiastically nodding in response.
"Oooh this is perfect, I've been working on the perfect out-" Delia held out a box for Ash. "I bet you'll look real handsome in it."
Oak laughed out knowing that Delia was dreaming of Ash bringing a girl home one of these days, or a boy as there wasn't really evidence supporting either option just yet. "I look forward to seeing whatever you send me, and I'm sure your Pokémon are eager to join you as well." Oak's words lingered as Ash gave off a light nod.
"I'll take Oshawott, Scraggy and Totodile with me." With Pikachu that allowed him two free slots for new additions to his team.
"Slow... poke..." Slowpoke with yellow scales upon its head and tail tip yawned while laying sprawled out across the beach.
"Whoa Galarian Slowpoke?!" Ash excitedly reached for his Pokedex before turning pale as he recalled how he hadn't had one for nearly two years since Rotom Dex functioned as one during his Alola journey. Ash looked around and saw a gray squirrel, a blue and yellow caterpillar and several other Pokémon that he'd never seen before. Excitement shivered through him but he did his best to control himself and resist the temptation of capturing something as Mustard was expecting him.
He headed up the hill and soon arrived at a large dojo that had a strange bear cub Pokémon statue atop it that Ash could have sworn was watching him as he made his approach. The door opened up as Ash made his arrival, showcasing an old man that wore a teal colored jacket that had a paw print on the upper corner. The man scratched the bottom of his chin as he looked Ash over before uttering out a laugh as he extended his hand to him. "Welcome to my dojo, Ash. I've heard great things about you and look forward to seeing you in action. Follow me," Mustard motioned with his finger, leading Ash inside. Ash glanced around upon entering the dojo, noticing living quarters to the right and a kitchen to the left where a rather attractive older brunette could be seen cooking away. The woman noticed him looking her way and gave off a warm smile and wave before resuming her cooking as Ash followed Mustard out a nearby door and onto a battlefield where several trainers could be seen in yellow and black uniforms.
"Slowbro!" A bizarre Slowbro that appeared to be poisoned had it's Shellder atop its hand. A Hitmontop could be seen fighting alongside it while several other students were currently engaged in battle save for one who stood alone. Ash recalled how somebody dropped out, speculating that it must be the other trainer's sparing partner.
"Rio..." The trainer gave a Riolu a soft gentle pat as the two stared at the ground.
"Ash meet Zach, you two will be partners as you undergo my tasks." Mustard spoke as he outstretched his hand towards the other trainer. The trainer glanced up, showcasing chocolate brown eyes beneath his short brown hair. He appeared uncertain as he looked towards Ash.
"Is he going to leave me too?" He asked a bit bitterly before looking to the floor.
"Pardon his behavior, he's usually not like that." Mustard spoke. "The guy that dropped out was his best friend and was... a bit harsh when he left. I'm sure the two of you will become great friends during your stay here."
"Great friends, pffft." The Slowbro trainer let out a cackle while adjusting her vibrant pink hair, her outfit stood out as unlike the other students she wore a flashy jacket along with a toxic green uniform beneath it. "Don't make me laugh, he's super naive and way too friendly. Not to mention Riolu's never evolved and is the only Pokémon he has, he's a joke! Though now that I mention it..." Klara glared at Pikachu. "You two might actually be a great pair, what kind of kid keeps his Pikachu unevolved?" She laughed causing Ash and Pikachu to growl out.
"Hey, it's Pikachu choice!" Ash angrily shouted out. "If he wanted to then I'd let him, I have no right to force him to evolve!" He'd outgrown any desire to evolve Pikachu, that was never happening as Pikachu made his decision firm nearly eight years ago.
Klara laughed out. "Oh please, how do you expect to get anywhere if you never evolve him? I bet that he can't even take on my Slowbro in battle."
"Slowbro..." Slowbro chuckled while leering at Ash.
Zach silently watched but said nothing as Ash clenched his fists. "You're on, let's go Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu angrily flicked his tail as he leaped onto the battlefield while Slowbro lumbered into position.
"Bro..."
"Shell Side Arm!" The Slowbro aimed his Shellder hand towards Pikachu and took aim as an eruption of toxic goo shot from it.
"Chaaaa!" Pikachu cried out as the goo covered his body, a purple tint formed upon his cheeks as poison took effect.
"Counter with Thunderbolt!"
"Pika...chuuuu!" Electricity engulfed Pikachu's cheeks as he sent a dose of lightning flying towards Slowbro.
"...brooooo!" Slowbro cried out a few seconds after impact, his body instantly began swaying back and forth while Klara looked on with shock.
"What the f-"
"Language!" Mustard shouted out.
"Apologies." Klara bitterly growled out. "Slowbro use Psychic and throw that rat across the dojo!"
"Brooo..." Slowbro's eyes glowed bright purple as a similar glow formed around Pikachu, lifting him off the ground before Slowbro sent him flying across the field.
"Chaaaaa!" Pikachu cried out as he flew across the field.
"Pikachu!" Ash quickly dove to catch him in his arms causing Zach to sit up as he and Mustard looked on with impressed expressions while Klara merely gave off a look of disgust.
"Why on earth would you injure yourself to cushion his fall?" She spat.
"Because Pikachu is my best friend!"
"Pi Pikachu!"
"You know he'd be fine right? Not like I was gonna kill him." Klara muttered.
"You did try to kill Riolu before." Zach spoke up. "Wouldn't put it past you."
"That was different, the runt had it coming after your friend said he called me a stupid sl-"
"Language." Mustard firmly spoke. Ash noticed Klara had quite the potty mouth
"Riolu never said that, it was Bede." Zach countered. "Also next time you're in battle, make sure you're paying attention to the enemy." Zach smirked, thumbing towards Pikachu as electricity flowed through his cheeks. It was far too late to counter the incoming move as Slowbro was blasted away within seconds.
"Bro..." Slowbro collapsed onto his back as swirls formed within his eyes.
"No, nononono! I will not stand for this!" Klara stomped her foot while giving both Zach and Ash harsh looks. "You'll regret making an enemy of me, Ketchup." Klara spat. "I'll find a way to make you pay for this!" She cried out while stomping away from them.
"Fu..." The bear Pokémon was standing atop the roof, staring down at Pikachu.
"Chu?" Pikachu turned his body upon feeling as if somebody was watching him but shrugged it off as Kubfu had disappeared from view.
"Well now it's getting a bit late, Zach will you lead Ash to your dorm while I help my wife finish dinner?" Mustard asked. Ash's eyes widened as he recalled the brunette woman, Mustard appeared to be in his sixties while the woman physically appeared to be mid-thirties.
"Wait that's your wife?!" He gasped out.
"Yep!" Zach couldn't help but laugh out. "She may not look it but she's actually fifty, it's like she's a vampire or something. I've known her for about a decade and she hasn't changed a bit. Anyways, this is our dorm." He opened the door before going pale as he noticed he left a few things up. Ash stepped in and tilted his head slightly upon spotting posters of Cynthia all over the wall on one half of the room. Zach's face turned bright red as he held up his arms. "I-I forgot I left those up! I-I'm a fan..."
"Heh," Ash smirked lightly, recognizing his behavior mirrored Brock's when it came to referring to the Sinnoh Champion. He didn't quite understand it though. "So you've been here awhile?" He asked while trying to avoid uncomfortable ground.
Zach tensed up a bit before turning to face Ash. "Yes... and no." He sighed. "I used to live in Wedgehurst but after my father unexpectedly passed, Mustard agreed to look after me. I was only nine at the time and my mother... I've never met her so I was sent to stay here as apparently he was Mustard's best student or something." Ash looked him over real quick, Zach's skin tone was far too light to make him of relation to Ash. Ash always wondered where his own father had gone off to but Delia always kept a tight lid on the subject for some reason. "Riolu and I tried to fit in after I was old enough to enroll but... we never fit in as the other students thought I was too different." He looked to the side.
"So one day I packed my bags and left," Zach looked towards a nearby plague that read 'Uva Academy graduate'. "Took up some classes before returning a few years later to finish my training. I've been here for several years now but I'm determined to finish the course before I head off on my own adventure, Riolu and I won't give up!"
Ash looked towards his own half of the room as a smile formed on his face. "Well Pikachu and I are willing to help, there's ton of cool Pokémon here that we'd love to meet and I'd love to face Mustard in a Pokémon battle!" The two smiled before clasping hands together as Mustard and Honey began calling out to the students that dinner was ready.
"Has anyone seen my uniform?!" Klara groaned out while walking around in a towel a few weeks after Ash's arrival. "It's missing." A few male students looked her way and silently snickered while Ash and Zach looked away as she passed. "Hold up, you two! It was you wasn't it? Trying to mess with me?! Hoping to catch a glimpse maybe...?" She glared.
"Arceus no!" Zach made a face of disgust at her suggestion.
"I haven't even been in the shower room today." Ash firmly stated while keeping his eyes away from her.
"Yeah right," Klara growled, pressing her face up against Ash's while glaring into his eyes. "You've had it out for me since day one, I wouldn't put it past you to humiliate me by hiding my clothes!"
"That's not like Ash." Zach spoke up in defense. "He'd never."
"I wasn't talking to you, re-" Klara growled before Mustard interrupted her.
"Pardon me but my security cameras caught this-" Mustard held out a Rotom Phone, showcasing a clip of three Galarian Slowpoke hightailing it out of the dojo at surprising speed while carrying Klara's clothes in their mouths.
"My uniform!" Klara gasped out while making no attempt at apologizing.
"Getting her uniform back feels like a great first trial for you two." Mustard pointed towards the dojo's entrance. "If you hurry you might just catch them!"
Zach let out a sigh. He didn't hate Klara but he had a great dislike for the way she treated him and his friends, besides nobody should be forced to walk around like that. "Alright Ash, let's go."
"Sounds good to me!" Ash was excited to meet the extremely fast Slowpoke. The two raced out of the dojo alongside their Pokémon partners before eventually coming to a halt as they lost track of the paw prints.
"What now?" Zach asked while frantically looking around.
Ash glanced around before spotting a blue cormorant Pokémon that was perched on the nearby beach. "Cramor..."
"Oshawott, I choose you!"
"Osha!" Oshawott enthusiastically cried out as he burst from his ball.
"Use Tackle!" Ash shouted while thrusting his arm towards Cramorant.
"Osha!" Oshawott charged across the beach, slamming his body into Cramorant who uttered out a cry of protest. The bird spread it's wings to get Oshawott to retreat before glancing in Pikachu's direction. The bird let out a squawk as he flew across the beach, quickly engulfing Pikachu into it's throat!
"Pikaaaa!" Pikachu cried out.
"What the-Is he trying to eat him?!" Ash cried out in alarm.
"Relax, that's a Cramorant." Zach informed. "They have a habit of swallowing Pikachu and Arrokuda before spitting them out, essentially weaponizing them! Some Cramorant can even weaponize the electricity but I'm not sure this one can, it's a wild one." He spoke while double checking with his Rotom Phone. "Yep, thought so. It's level twenty which is standard for this island."
"Cra!" Cramorant took aim before launching Pikachu from his throat, firing him towards Oshawott!
"Oshawott use Aqua Jet to redirect him!" Ash shouted out as Pikachu gave a light nod.
"Osha!" A veil of water surrounded Oshawott as he blasted through the air, creating a large current of water that sucked Pikachu in and redirected him with the current so that he'd fly right at Cramorant.
"Cra!" Cramorant let out a terrified squawk before collapsing against the field as Oshawott stood atop his unconscious form.
"Osha, Oshawott!" Oshawott cheered while Ash and Pikachu praised.
"Alright Oshawott!" Ash praised while readying up a ball before throwing it at the fallen bird, absorbing him in a beam of red light. The ball shook a few times before chiming out to signal the capture. "Alright, we just caught a Cramorant!"
"Pi Pikachu!"
"Osha!" Pikachu and Oshawott posed alongside their trainer while Zach and Riolu lightly sweated.
"Do they do that every time...?"
"Rio..." Riolu shrugged as Ash summoned Cramorant from his ball.
"Alright Cramorant, I need you to fly up and see if you can spot a trio of speedy Slowpoke!" Cramorant nodded in response to his trainer's command before taking flight. The bird scoured the area before letting out a cry upon spotting the Slowpoke. "He found them, let's go!"
The two raced after Cramorant before arriving at a cavern that stood along the island's coast, the trio could be seen inside of it along with a heap of manmade goods that were likely stolen over the years. "Wait a minute, that's where all my old Rotom Phones went!" Zach shouted while pointing at a pile of phones. "I thought I misplaced them."
Empty Pokeballs, rings and other jewelry could be seen in the cavern as well while the Slowpoke remained unaware of their presence. "Look, Klara's uniform!" Zach pointed towards the flashy jacket. "Let's get it!" He lunged forward but a Slowpoke swiftly turned around and slapped his hand away with his tail.
"Poke!" The other two leaped towards Ash while the third leered at Zach.
"Alright Riolu, we got this!" Zach shouted.
"Totodile, Scraggy I choose you!" Ash threw forward a pair of Pokeballs, summoning Totodile and Scraggy onto the field.
"Toto!" Totodile cheerfully danced while Scraggy pulled up his lower skin.
"Scraggy!"
"Aura Sphere!" Zach shouted out.
"Rio!" Riolu clamped his paws together, summoning up a large current of aura which he sent towards Slowpoke.
"Poke!" Slowpoke cried out as he flew across the cavern, slamming directly into the wall before slowly sliding down as his eyes turned to swirls.
"Headbutt!" Scraggy raced up and headbutted one of the Slowpoke, instantly bringing it to it's knees while the third leered at Totodile.
"Slash!" Totodile swiftly moved before Slowpoke, raking his claws across it's face. Slowpoke grunted before leering at Totodile, it appeared much stronger than the other two.
"That must be the leader!" Ash clenched his fists as Slowpoke headbutted Totodile. "Totodile, use Bite!"
Totodile bared his fangs and sprang across the field before sinking his teeth into his opponent. Slowpoke uttered out a cry of pain as his eyes bulged before ultimately fainting from the critical hit.
"Alright, way to go Totodile!" Ash praised as Totodile cheerfully danced.
"Totototo!" A bright beam of light began to engulf his body as it began to change, his jaw grew rounder and firmer while the pale coloring on his chest began to expand into a spotted pattern while the spike atop his tail shifted into a diamond shape.
"Croconaw!" The newly evolved Pokémon cried out as stars filled Ash and Pikachu's eyes.
"Way to go, Croconaw!"
"Pi Pikachu!"
"Crocococo!" Croconaw cheerfully danced while the three Slowpoke began to recover.
"Slow..."
"Slowpoke, I know some of the stuff here is quite alluring to the eye while some not so much," Zach glanced towards Klara's uniform. "But you can't just take what doesn't belong to you."
The Slowpoke lowered their heads.
"We'll take these," Ash gathered up Klara's uniform.
"And this," Zach picked up a Rotom Phone before tossing it towards Ash. "You really need a Pokedex, the app is already downloaded. They can keep the rest so long as they promise not to steal anymore, I don't need multiple phones."
The Slowpoke eagerly nodded while muttering out as they promised not to steal anymore. When they returned to the dojo, Klara swiftly took her clothes and raced off to get changed without any indication of appreciation. The bear Pokémon had been watching however and looked quite impressed with Ash.
Several months had passed since the Slowpoke incident when Mustard approached the two with another task. "I believe you two are ready for the next step, you're to venture out to the nearby forest and seek out Max Mushrooms so that you can create this recipe."
"Max Soup...?" Zach looked at the recipe paper before shooting a brief glance towards Pikachu. He then shrugged before pocketing the recipe to keep it safe.
"What do they look like?" Ash questioned, there were plenty of different mushrooms out there so it was best to ensure they were getting the right kind. Especially since it was probably meant for consumption. Ash didn't want to poison somebody by giving them bad mushrooms.
Mustard held up a picture of rather sinister looking mushrooms. "Make sure you don't eat these, they'll make you awfully sick if you eat them unprepared." He warned.
"Got it, let's go Pikachu!"
"Priiii!"
"Gah!" Zach shouted out as a Caterpie sprayed his arm with String Shot as he tried reaching out for the final mushroom.
"Riolu use Force Palm!" Zach swiftly shouted while wiping away the string.
"Rio!" Riolu sprang forward and slapped the bug Pokémon away with a thrust of his hand. Caterpie let out a groan as he collapsed onto his side, swirls forming within his eyes.
Zach enlarged an empty ball and hurled it towards the Caterpie. "Alright, let's catch it!" The ball slapped against Caterpie's body and swiftly opened it, absorbing the bug in a beam of light before falling to the ground. It shook three times before finally chiming to announce the capture complete!
"Caterpie the Worm Pokémon," Zach's Rotom Phone read out as it registered the newly captured Pokémon. "It's easy to catch, and it grows quickly, making it one of the top recommendations for novice Pokémon Trainers."
Ash smiled as the two cheered upon the capture, recalling how he captured a Caterpie of his own for his first capture. "I wonder what he's up to..." Ash couldn't help but ponder as they returned to the dojo where Zach stepped back as Ash took over. Zach didn't seem the least bit of experienced with cooking, Ash on the other hand had learned from Professor Burnet so he was actually able to cook stuff now without burning it to a crisp.
Mustard gave the finished product a sniff and placed a finger inside before giving it a good lick. "Hm," The Champion shrugged before nodding at the two. "Alright, have Pikachu and Caterpie drink it. The entire thing."
"Wait how did you-" Zach started. He hadn't told Mustard he'd captured it and Caterpie was still resting inside his ball.
Mustard shrugged while offering a sly smirk as he left the room. Caterpie burst out and began eagerly lapping up every drop while Pikachu appeared weary as it had a rather bizarre smell but upon giving it a curious lick, found himself eagerly finishing up his own portion as it was surprisingly tasty!
"And now for your final task," Mustard motioned for the two to step outside. Zach and Ash looked at one another before following him outside which was surprisingly empty save for three Pokeballs that laid upon the central battlefield. Mustard bent down and tapped the release button, summoning up an anxious blue lizard Pokémon that quickly camouflaged from view, a cheerful tan and green monkey Pokémon and a cheerful energetic white and orange rabbit that danced about as she burst out.
"Ash meet the three Galar starter Pokémon, that's Grookey." Mustard motioned towards the monkey before pointing towards the lizard which began showing himself. "That shy guy is Sobble and that is Scorbunny!"
"Scor!" Scorbunny enthusiastically waved at Zach whose attention was locked on her.
"The two of you must choose and-"
"SCOR!" Scorbunny raced across the field and leaped into Zach's arms, meeting him in a warm embrace.
"Er-Hello there." Zach laughed while looking towards Mustard for his approval.
"Well I do believe she made her choice." Mustard gave a nod while turning his attention back towards Ash. "Ash, which of the two would you like to choose?" Mustard questioned while Caterpie and Riolu eagerly welcomed Scorbunny to the team.
"Scorbunny the Rabbit Pokémon, fire energy gathers in the pads of its feet, raising their temperature. Once hot, Scorbunny's footpads can deal heavy damage to opponents." Zach's Rotom Phone read out as Scorbunny was officially registered onto the team.
Ash retrieved his own Rotom Phone, which was red and black in contrast to Zach's violet colored phone, before scanning the other two starters.
"Sobble the Water Lizard Pokémon, it's a very cautious Pokémon. When it has no choice but to battle, it hides itself before attacking."
"Grookey the Chimp Pokémon, as Grookey strikes everything in sight with its stick, it has more and more fun, and its rhythm becomes livelier."
"Alright..." Ash stared at the two for a moment while thinking his decision over. "I think... Okay... I choose you-" He was about to point when a gray blur swiftly kicked his hand away, making his choice unclear. The blur then revealed itself to be the very statue that stood atop the dojo, the bear smirked at at Ash and performed a combat stance while motioning towards his belt.
"Kubfu?" Mustard smirked. "Well Ash, it appears you've got a third choice after all. Do you accept Kubfu's choice of taking you on as his trainer?"
Ash stared at Kubfu for a moment before smiling as he extended a hand to the cub. "I choose you, Kubfu!"
"Pi Pikachu!"
"Fu." Kubfu crossed his arms and gave a nod in response before pointing at his belt. Ash reached for the empty ball before giving Kubfu a gentle tap.
"Welcome to the team, Kubfu!" Ash cried out as the ball chimed out.
"Kubfu the Wushu Pokémon, Kubfu trains hard to perfect its moves. The moves it masters will determine which form it takes when it evolves."
"I promise we'll grow stronger together, Kubfu." Ash placed the ball upon his belt.
Mustard smiled at the two before offering a pair of black belts. "Congratulations you two, you've passed my trials" Though he intended on giving Ash an additional trial at a later date, when him and Kubfu were ready for it. "I trust that the two of you will experience great things, wherever your adventure takes you."
"Mustard wait, I want to-" Ash reached for his belt only for Mustard to hold up his hand.
"I know what you're going to ask and I refuse, if you can defeat the strongest trainers in the Galar region then I'll consider it but until then... I must bid you farewell." Mustard gave the two a bow.
"The strongest trainers in the Galar region? Is he referring to the Elite Four?" Ash questioned Zach who uttered out a light laugh before shaking his head. "Galar doesn't have an Elite Four. I believe he's referring to Raihan and the other Gym Leaders, which coincidentally is who I'm going after! Ever since I became a kid, it was my goal to beat Mustard and take on the title of Champion!"
"There's still a Pokémon League here though?" Ash questioned.
"Oh yeah, the winner gets to directly challenge the champion which in this case is Mustard." Zach spoke.
"Well then, looks like I'm taking on the Gym Challenge as well." Ash smirked while extending his hand. "How about we travel the region together? I could use a new traveling partner."
"Sure," Zach took Ash's hand with a smile before turning his attention towards the nearby television as they entered the dojo. "Chairman Rose...?"
"Sorry, did you just say Chairman...?" Ash questioned. "Whatever happened to Goodshow?"
"He moved on to a better place," Zach casually mentioned.
"You mean-" Ash and Pikachu went pale as they gasped out.
"Huh? Oh no, no no no!" Zach held up his hands and hastily shook his head. "I simply mean he retired! He's living out the rest of his days in the warm climate of the Alola region. No more stress of handling over a dozen different Leagues annually."
"So you're bringing back the Pokémon World Championship?" Alexa's voice could be heard.
"Hold up, that's Alexa! She's really moved up in the world, huh." Ash smiled upon hearing his friend's voice on the television.
"Yep, thanks to a generous amount of funding from the Silph Corporation!" Rose grinned while waving to somebody offscreen. "Introduce yourself to the people, my good friend!"
Ash tilted his head as Giovanni stepped into view, adjusting the fedora atop his head before removing it and the trench coat to reveal a luxurious black suit beneath. "Happy to be here, Chairman. And I'm honored to be the one funding the World Championship for it's 2024 season!"
"They're bringing it back?!" Ash excitedly asked. Forget the Galar League, Ash was going to keep his word and travel with Zach but his goal swiftly changed to that of the Championship as Mustard and the other Champions were sure to compete along with a heap of powerful trainers that were sure to help him grow stronger and experienced!
"For those in the dark, the World Championship came to a scratching halt nearly two decades ago on this very day." Giovanni spoke. "When the former World Champion disappeared without a trace, we closed it for a few years hoping that he'd return but he hasn't and we feel it's not right to keep the title locked away anymore as it's a well sought after title."
"Who was the former Champion?" Ash asked only for Zach to shrug.
"Beats me, we were both infants at the time." Zach spoke.
"And thanks to my Rotom Drones that'll circle the world," Giovanni snapped his fingers, causing a yellow drone with Rotom's face on it to fly into view. "We'll document every battle live to ensure there's no cheating or poor sportsmanship!"
"But what about privacy? If these drones are flying around twenty four seven, won't they see stuff that people don't want to see?" Alexa spoke only for Rose to brush it off.
"My dear, Giovanni is a well-respected businessman that donates to hundreds of charities and helps tons of underprivileged children become Pokémon Trainers! Giovanni made sure to do the proper programming, so they won't venture into homes or companies"
"That's right, you have my word that they're completely harmless." Giovanni grinned. "In fact we'll be hosting the opening ceremony in just a few short days in Vermillion City, we welcome all and have open registration! Anyone that wants to compete may do so unless they have a criminal record or are blacklisted."
"World Championship...?" Ash stared at the screen as an eager expression formed. "Alright, this is my chance to battle against the best and truly prove myself! I'll enter the Championship and fight my way to the top, I'll beat them all and prove to the world that I'm a Pokémon Master!"
"Pi Pikachu!"
Officially back! Scarlet/Violet, Legends AZ and the next Generation will be a part of the story somehow. I already got Scarlet/Violet plotted out, the unreleased stuff will take planning to fit in without interfering with the plot too much
