Well, here it is, the twenty-ninth part of the fifth and final installment in my 'Heart' series. I know that once again it's taken a lot longer than normal to get a new Part out but such is life and while I will still strive for regular Parts, there will be longer waits than normal due to the various factors in my life. Part length will play a role, as will whether or not I've update my other active stories, but this story will soldier on until it's conclusion no matter how long it takes. Anyway, the Konikoni City Contest is over and time is running out for Ash and Dawn in Alola but there is one thing that Ash has left to do in Alola, the only thing he really has to do while here, which he's waiting on but will it come in time? That is all the administrative stuff I have for this Part and there is a guest review to respond to that will answer a direct question so I will do so now. Do please keep your reviews coming as I love hearing from y'all.
To Guest (guest), that's not a bad question and I don't think that I have another major or notable recurring character getting a Beheeyem so I will consider it. I'm a ways off from the Unova arc of this story, however, so try to remind me nearer the time as I'll have a better understanding of if it would work or not. As of right now, Ash will get one new Pokémon in Unova and Dawn will get two but depending on various factors they or someone else could add a Beheeyem. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.
That is it for this pre-Part note which means that it is once again time to sit back which and enjoy the latest installment in Heart of Champions. Part CCXVIII: Challenge from a Champion.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Part CCXVIII: Challenge from a Champion
"Excuse me, you're Ash Ketchum right?"
The question came from the Nurse Joy who ran the Konikoni Pokémon Center and was asked just as Ash, Dawn, Iris and all the Alolan girls had returned from breakfast and were about to relax in the common room as they decided what their plans for the day would be while digesting and tending to some basic Pokémon care. Now it seemed that something was up and as it pertained to Ash there was really only one thing that it could be so instantly they were all alert.
It was two days since the Konikoni City Contest where Iris won her 5th ribbon after a little over a year of competing in Contests as a way to broaden her training and was now eligible for the Alola Grand Festival which she was looking forward to as it would help further prepare her for her second crack at that Manalo Conference. Since then they'd been in Konikoni City while deciding the next thing to do with Ash and Dawn's limited remaining time in Alola and waiting for what they all now knew was coming.
Of course, they hadn't been idle while here either as the night of the Contest they had all celebrated Iris's win and qualification for the Grand Festival. It had been good time as they relived the highlights of the Konikoni City Contest where Iris had to beat first Lillie, then Mallow and finally Lana in the battle round of the Contest win it in a series of tough and interesting matches.
Apparently it was the first time that any of the girls had had to face off against the three others in the same Contest regardless of the outcome of the final which had surprised Dawn as they'd entered several Contests together of the last 15 or so months and she was used to odd draws that often caused strange paths to victory. It shouldn't have been though because, as Iris explained, their first year they'd either hit the barrier that was the appeals or ran into favorites like Kenny and then Jessilina this year in the battles so they'd often been knocked out by others.
Even in the few other Contests like Konikoni where it was just the girls they'd run into obstacles like failing in appeals, something that Lana did more than the others though all four had failed to advance to the battles at least once, or having brackets drawn where they all faced off in either the first or second round of battles. This had been the first time that a bracket had fallen in such a way that Lillie or Iris would have the chance of facing the other two on the path to victory providing that Lana and Mallow won their respective battles, which they did.
It came at the perfect time for them as it enabled Iris to prove that in battles she was still the strongest of them while also allowing her to qualify for the Grand Festival in style though it had been close in places and naturally the others still wanted to beat Iris in a battle no matter what kind of battle it was. The result was that it fueled them to get stronger and with Dawn around they were able to get some good feedback on how they'd done.
As such they'd spent the day after the Contest, so yesterday, getting all the feedback they could and absorbing it as Dawn broke down each of their performances, including Iris's. Fron that she was able to give them tips for how to improve when it came to Contest battles which could be transitioned into improving general battle styles if they wanted.
The one thing that Dawn couldn't help with though was appeals. That was because it seemed that in Alolan, the judges' tastes, at least from Nurse Joy and the Sukizo that was based here, ran more into the attractiveness of the moves themselves and how the Pokémon pulled them off rather than how the Pokémon looked doing them.
That was why Lillie's appeal, which had some obfuscation that wouldn't go well in one of the established regions or Kalos, had done better than Dawn had expected. Of course there was the additional factor that the competition level was still lower in Alola than other regions so it had been enough to advance in Alola regardless of tastes. Regardless, Dawn did have some tips for Lillie so that she could adapt to the tastes of other regions where the nuances in judging ran more traditional and the competition stiffer should she ever compete outside of Alola.
Naturally, Lillie had understood this and taken it to heart, as had all the other girls, and they got right down to training to improve as they were all motivated to try and reach the Grand Festival as well so that they could compete with Iris there. Well, that and they were general battlers as well as coordinators so it wasn't just with Dawn but Ash as well.
For the last few weeks they had been focused on Contests because Dawn had come to Alola because she had to win a Contest here and so it made sense to focus on them while preparing for her one. Then, following her impressive win over Jessilina, which also showed that Jessilina was truly the favorite, they were all motivated to show off what they could do to their new friend, or old friend in Iris's case. However, at the same time, all 4 were going to reenter the Manalo Conference so they needed to train for that.
Obviously when it came to training for standard battles, well there was no one better to learn from than Ash. Not only was he skilled at battles from 9 years of experience but he had a wealth of out of the box tactics and was known for his ability to adapt to almost any battle. Even the ones that he failed to do so and lost he still learned from them and adapted that way so that he could return stronger and win a potential rematch at some point. Add in that Ash was a regional Champion and they couldn't have asked for a better sparring partner and mentor even just for a bit.
Thankfully, Alola was small and while Ash was well known and his presence in the region had been established by this point he wasn't mobbed too much where he went though he of course got that yesterday both in the Pokémon Center and when he went out. It wasn't too bad though and they got through it with Ash doing his best to help as much as he could even if it had been tiring but that was just who Ash was, he was always willing to help those who asked.
Mercifully, though, that was now over. There weren't that many people in the Pokémon Center as those who'd come in for the Contest had already left and there wasn't much else to do in Konikoni City at the moment so many were back on their own journeys leaving just Ash and the girls.
Kiawe and Sophocles were still wrapping up what Kiawe had to sort out while on his home island but it should be completed by lunchtime so they were set to return that afternoon. Then they'd all be back together as they waited for the final thing that they knew was coming before Ash and Dawn had to leave Alola for Dawn's next regional Contest that she had to win on her path to the Majestic Festival.
They were cutting it close, though. They could only stay for a maximum of one more week if they wanted to really make up for the time lost in Kalos where it took Dawn three tries, and May two, to win a Contest there but now it seemed like that final wait was over and the anticipated challenge was about to be issued.
"Yes, I am." Ash said to the Nurse Joy. "Do I have a call?"
"No, well not technically, but Professor Kukui reached out to me to make sure that you are watching the TV." Nurse Joy said and at that her Blissey, they used Chancey's evolution along with a native Alolan Pokémon called Comfey that was one of the many former normal turned fairy types here, turned it on where it was located in the common room. "Please watch and excuse me as I do need to get back to a call to confirm that you are watching."
That was a bit confusing but Ash just shrugged at that as he and the girls made their way to the sitting area near the TV and looked at it with Axew popping his head out of Iris's hair to do so. The moment they did they saw that it was a broadcast on a news channel, likely the main one in Alola, but all it showed was a stage of sorts in a location that Ash and Dawn didn't know at all, though the girls did, and a gathered group of reporters waiting before it with a clearly nervous atmosphere.
"Where is that?" Ash asked as they sat down as Dawn and Lillie took Piplup and Snowy into their respective laps while Pikachu remained on Ash's shoulder. "I don't recognize it though I haven't seen much of Alola so that's not saying much."
"That's the interview area in Manalo Stadium." Iris said looking at it. "Well on it as it's a floating structure that features the stadium itself and the various other things needed there like the Pokémon Center, training facilities, and what not, but the whole structure is simply referred to as Manalo Stadium as that is the main thing there."
"It was built by the Aether Foundation for the League Conference and frankly is better than what it replaced which was an abandoned part of the island challenge ritual that involved battling at the peak of Mount Lanakila." Lana said. "Though now there is a Contest there so we know what it's like and frankly this is better. Naturally, Manalo Stadium is now the premier stadium in Alola and the only battlefield in the region that can compete with the big ones in other regions. In fact the Grand Festival was held there as well as it made the most sense."
"It's not used for mundane things though." Lillie said. "The training there is good but the stadium is only used for major battles and events."
"Which we all know what that means." Mallow said. "There's no other place in Alola that is remotely acceptable for what we've known is coming since you got here Ash but if they're already in this area for the issuance of the challenge then they're going all out for this."
"My brother is the Alola Champion so it is only fitting that he makes it from Manalo Stadium." Lillie said as there seemed to be a sudden buzz from the gathered reporters and other people who'd come out for what had to be a snap press conference indicating that someone important was coming. "Looks like they're really promoting this though."
"Kukui worked hard to set up the Conference and determine the first Alola Champion which has helped establish the Alola League as a viable Pokémon League." Iris said. "So now that there is one and his first real challenge is before him why not make the most of it. If nothing else this will raise Alola's profile as people around the world will be interested in watching two Champions battle even if it is the two most recent ones."
"Ash may be a recent Champion but that might actually help." Lana said. "The world watched his challenge once it became clear that he had a shot at facing Diantha following his win over Wikstrom put him on the cusp of it. Then he actually did it which really raised his profile."
"And that's not factoring in what Ash did in Kanto when he revealed fairy types to the world." Mallow said as Iris shuddered. "We didn't even know Iris back then but we all knew of Ash Ketchum after what he did."
"Don't remind me of that horror, I was there and still have nightmares of what Mimey did to that poor, innocent, Hydreigon." Iris said. "But you're not wrong, Ash's actions over the last few years have grown his profile so this is more than just the two most recent Champions going at it."
"Yes, there will be many who will tune into this because Ash is in it." Dawn said with a smile. "Ash is amazing like that. Plus it's his first challenge as Kalos Champion so many will be interested. I know that…"
However, before Dawn could finish, she was interrupted by Kukui walking out and onto the stage followed by someone that she and Ash had never seen before and they all shut up as they waited to see what happened. The person with Kukui was a male either in his late teens or early 20s with pale blond hair cut short but for a massive and stranded tuft that came out of the center of his head and fell over his right eye with a single tufted cowlick raised above it and piercing green eyes.
As he came to a stop and faced the camera Ash and Dawn got a good look at him and, to them, he gave off, at least appearance wise, the look of an edgy teen. It wasn't hard to see why as he was wearing a sleeveless black hoodie with the lowered hood cut in a spikey fashion and an open zipper design in the center as if to show that he was wearing a red shirt under it.
However, his under shirt was clearly black as they could see the long sleeves that had a pair of clearly deliberate cuts in the left bicep and right forearm. Similarly his pants that fell to his mid calves were black with deliberate cuts in the left thigh, right knee, and just below his left knee. To contrast, almost all this the man's accessories and shoes were red as he had a slightly low slung red belt with a red pouch on his left hip and a red Z-Ring on his left wrist which was something Ash and Dawn would have expected from someone like him. The exception were a pair of silver earrings in his upper left ear.
Despite the edgy look he had a reserved seriousness to him and Ash could tell that he was a confident man by how he held himself. It was a look he knew well and if Ash was to make an assessment based on some of his more notable rivals he'd had over the years then he'd put the man's general attitude somewhere between Trip and Paul's at a glance but of course all that would mean nothing in the end as all that truly mattered was how he battled and Ash would soon find that because there was no doubt who this person was. This was Gladion, the Alola Champion.
Even if it hadn't been in this setting with Gladion standing beside Kukui on the man made structure that was Manalo Stadium, Ash would have guessed it was him simply because he looked so much like Lillie and he knew that Gladion was her brother. Clearly they had different personalities but that was to be expected and Ash was ready for what was to come as Kukui began to speak.
"Thank you all for coming at such short notice." Professor Kukui said to the gathered reporters and spectators as he looked at the camera and Ash got the feeling that the Alola Professor was talking directly to him. "We weren't sure when this was going to happen and time was limited so I appreciate your flexible schedule in this matter."
"This was my fault." Gladion said taking responsibility for it his voice calm and measured as he spoke. "I was out on Poni Island training on my own in a remote area there for the last month so I was hard to reach. As you know, while I have registered for the Pokémon World Championship that will culminate all the League Conferences this year and will be participating in it without the need to worry about a qualifying via the points system, it is not a guarantee that I will be one of the top 8 seeds for it."
"Why is that?" A reporter suddenly asked. "You're our Champion so surely you should be treated the same as the others."
"And I am in the sense that I have automatically qualified for it even if I had to officially register unlike the other 6." Gladion said simply. "However, while top 8 seeds are reserved for the Champions, only one of them is fully secure in his spot due to recently becoming a Champion via beating the Elite Four and previous Champion of a region while exercising his right upon winning a League Conference thus earning immunity from challenge until after the PWC concludes. The others may still lose that spot though unlike them I am still different."
"How so?" Another reporter asked. "The Pokémon League has released the criteria for who automatically qualifies providing they registered in time and who can go for one of the at-large spots via the points method but they haven't been specific. Can you shed light on this?"
"I can only illuminate what I know." Gladion said. "And that is that I wasn't automatically entered into the PWC by right of being Champion of Alola, I had to register. This is because unlike the Champions of Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova, who can be knocked out of their spots by losing a challenge from someone in their Elite Fou, or the Galar Champion by one of the gym leaders, I am in a more precarious position as the Champion of Alola won't be considered officially on par with the other Champions until after the next Manalo Conference."
"This is for a good reason." Professor Kukui said before another question could be asked. "We are new to the Pokémon League's official system and still don't have gyms or an Elite Four, though we are working on both and in time there will be two gyms per island and an established Elite Four, so our Champion is still considered weak compared to the others. As such the PWC won't consider the Alola Champion's slot filled until either Gladion has defended his spot against the second Manalo Conference winner or has been beaten by said winner in a full battle. In addition, due to the new Johto Champion being selected from their current Elite Four, whoever is the Alola Champion at the time of the PWC will start off ranked 8th."
"It is a fair assessment but one I fully intend to prove the Pokémon League wrong in making when the time comes." Gladion said confidently. "As such I fully intend to defend my title this year should the next Manalo Conference winner challenge me and then I will show the world what an Alolan native can do hence the intense training I was going through. I will start this by proving I can compete on the same level as another regional Champion who just so happens to be in Alola right now as even I am aware that the Kalos Champion is present in our region."
"That's right and I have confirmed just before starting this press conference that Ash is watching this right now in Konikoni City." Professor Kukui said smiling at the camera. "He's in Alola as his fiancée is a Top Coordinator who is currently trying to qualify for the Majestic Festival but I know that he's always down for a good battle and as the newest Champion and one of only a few to become one by sweeping and Elite Four and then beating the previous Champion during his right following a League Conference win, in his case Diantha, Ash has made a name for himself so Gladion what do you have to say?"
"Only this." Gladion said looking at the camera and this time Ash definitely got the sense that he was being personally addressed which was confirmed a second later. "Ash Ketchum, I, Gladion, the Alola Champion, challenge you, the Kalos Champion, to a three on three exhibition match to be held here in Manalo Stadium and broadcast to the world in one week's time. If you accept, send word to Professor Kukui right after this so that everything can be finalized."
This got a massive buzz from the reporters and several began shouting questions at Gladion and Professor Kukui for it but they ignored it as they let Gladion's words sink in. Naturally, Ash was grinning as this was just what he wanted and he couldn't wait for it. He would of course accept the challenge the moment that he could but he understood that it had to be done formally.
"Please hold your questions." Professor Kukui said raising his hands after a few moments and the reporters quickly died down. "I've already spoken to Ash when he arrived and told him that this was likely to come and that this would be the same as an Island Challenge and he's more than happy to battle Gladion. Of course we had to wait for Gladion to issue the challenge and now await a proper acceptance from Ash but rest assured he is already aware of this so I fully expect this will be formalized within the hour."
"Yes I just wanted to make it official and as we are in Alola it is my duty as the Champion to be the one to issue the challenge." Gladion said. "I would have done so earlier but as I training when I got the news of Ash's arrival in Alola and the reason for it, I opted to intensify it for another two weeks before making this declaration. This ensured that Ash's fiancée's own goal in Alola was achieved and as I was aware that that took precedence I decided not to interfere with it. Plus it gave me time to get ready and I know that I will have to be ready for this."
"More than you already are?" A different reporter to the last two asked. "Why?"
"Because right now, and based all that I know about Ash, which is more than most as my sister is good friends with a former traveling companion of Ash who pushed me to the edge in the final of the Manalo Conference, I am the underdog in a matchup against Ash." Gladion said with only a slight hint of annoyance in his voice. "So I want to be as ready as I can be to show that in this match the underdog won't lose."
"You're both Champions though?" A fourth reporter, clearly one who wasn't as well versed in the nuances of how the other Champions stacked up compared to Alola's, asked. "So surely it should be even, right?"
"No because while we are both Champions our paths to this point were different." Gladion said simply. "Ash earned his status the hardest way possible by beating 8 gyms in Kalos, winning a 256 trainer Conference with 4 full battles in the final stage, and then swept the Kalos Elite Four followed by beating Diantha all in the same season. Meanwhile all I did was win a 151 person conference that anyone could enter and which had only one three on three battle and that was the final one so rightfully my ascension to Champion is less than Ash's."
"In time the Manalo Conference will mirror the other Conferences in the sense that full battles from the final 16 onwards will become the norm rather than just used for the Champion's Challenge as it will be this year." Professor Kukui said. "And while we will keep the battle royale formula as a unique preliminary round similar to the round robin group stage that Johto uses, we hope that it can be refined to either general groups or to limit down from 256 to 128 and then start with three on three battles but we are a few years from implementing that. This is all why Alola is ranked 8th of the regions sending Champions to the PWC and we accept it."
"I fully intend to show them that Alola can produce top tier talent despite the weaker nature of our Conference compared to the other regions and that I can compete with the other Champions." Gladion said. "Hence why I am eager for this battle that I am looking forward to but naturally I will not take Ash lightly. I am aware of the path he took to become Champion, the near decade of experience he has as a Pokémon trainer, and the victories that he has had along the way so I need to be fully ready for him."
"Are you expecting his best then?" A fifth reporter asked. "We all saw the footage of his battle with Diantha as by then the world was tuning in given what Ash had done to reach that point. That was one intense fight and many believe that that might not have been his strongest overall team given the Pokémon he showed off again the Kalos Elite Four and in the Lumiose Conference."
"I would be insulted if Ash didn't use what he felt was his best team against me as I will use what I believe is my best against him." Gladion said. "I fully expect it and understand that they might not all be his strongest overall but I do expect who he feels can best beat me. Of course this is just a three on three battle not a full battle so there is a limit but I've studied the battles Ash had over his time in Kalos to learn of his Pokémon, as well as his battles from the Indigo Conference where he revealed fairy types to the world, to learn how they fight so that I can be ready. Naturally, he could just use something new but I didn't use all that I have in Manalo last year so we're both going to be going in blind."
This got another buzz from the reporters but Ash had to admit that he was impressed with Gladion's analytical skills. The Alola Champion had clearly done his homework and wasn't leaving anything to chance and so Ash would do the same and look over the footage of Gladion's wins in the Manalo Conference and ask the others for help with it. He expected Lillie wouldn't help, and by extension the other Alolans likely wouldn't either, but Iris would so he was going to be fine and like Gladion he wasn't going to take his opponent lightly.
Gladion wasn't wrong about one thing, Ash did have Pokémon he could use that Gladion hadn't seen so it would be hard for the man to predict what Ash might use based on what Ash learned about Gladion's Pokémon. Add in that this wasn't a full battle which meant that Ash's usual guarantee, Pikachu, might not be in it as he'd shown that he might not use Pikachu if it wasn't a full battle when he only used Pikachu once during his Elite Four challenge in the four on four battles there so that added a new layer to it.
There was one thing that Gladion could at least narrow down though and as he'd asked for Ash's best Ash was all but duty bound to use one of them in this battle, which he'd already planned on. Coincidentally, that thing was about to be brought up.
"Ash has proven his skills, as has Gladion, so this will be a good battle and showcase what Alola has to offer to the world when it comes to our Champion." Professor Kukui said. "And to that end we will be following most of the rules that will be used in the PWC though as this is taking place in Alola not Galar there is no way that Dynamaxing can occur as that is a phenomenon that can only occur in Galar."
"Rules?" A reporter asked. "Are there limits to what can and can't be used?"
"There is though the prescription that mythical and legendary Pokémon not be used won't apply to this battle." Kukui said, which surprised Ash a bit though as he now had a Meltan which was a mythical Pokémon he didn't mind that, not that he was going to use a recently caught Pokémon in a battle like this, so he just ignored that as Kukui continued. "That will apply in the PWC but not here as this is still just an exhibition match. However, the rule that substitutions can only occur after a Pokémon has been defeated and before the next is sent out by the trainer who just lost a Pokémon and the rule limiting the power up phenomenon to only one use will be followed."
"Power up phenomenon?" Another reporter asked. "You mean Z-Moves and Mega Evolution, right?"
"I do." Professor Kukui said with a nod. "That isn't really that much of an issue as Gladion only has a Z-Ring and Ash only a Key Stone but there are some nuances there. Gladion can use a Z-Move once while Ash can only Mega Evolve one Pokémon during the battle. Usually that wouldn't be an issue as most trainers only have one Mega Evolution capable Pokémon that has a corresponding Mega Stone. However, Ash is known to have 4 and while this too might not be an issue as it has yet to be confirmed that you can have two Mega Stones in your party there is an issue with Ash."
"You're referring to that Greninja that Ash has that beat Diantha's Mega Gardevoir." One reporter who had yet to speak said. "It can Mega Evolve without a Mega Stone."
"Correct, it has an ability that allows for it which is unique to that specific Greninja and only Ash can draw it out." Professor Kukui said. "As such it was ruled during the Lumiose Conference that Ash's Greninja will be considered a Mega Evolution capable Pokémon and should he use it then it will be considered his Mega Evolution Pokémon. Due to this exceedingly rare phenomenon it is believed that this could allow Ash a second Mega Evolution with one of his other known Pokémon so the rule was made for the sake of fairness."
Ash was more than fine with that as he understood the unique situation that Greninja was in. It was why he'd removed Charizard and Gengar's Mega Stones for his battle with Diantha as Greninja's change to Ash-Greninja was based on their battle wavelengths not a Mega Stone so could happen naturally in battle so it was always safer to ensure that if he had Greninja in his party for a battle that he be the one to serve as Ash's Mega Pokémon. That also ensured he could use both of them in that battle as well as Greninja.
Of course Ash wouldn't tip his hand as to which of his 5 Pokémon that could Mega Evolve, or equivalent in Greninja's case, he intended in using against Gladion but of all of Ash's plans it was the one that Gladion could best prepare for. Conversely, however, as Gladion had a Z-Ring, Ash could use the Pokémon Gladion had shown in the last Manalo Conference to prepare for the potential Z-Moves that he'd have and work on how best to counter or avoid them.
"So bring your A-game Ash because I will bring mine." Gladion said. "I await your response and the battle to come."
With that Gladion turned and left the press area while the reporters began to ask questions but he ignored them. Professor Kukui did his best to answer some but Ash wasn't listening to them as he got up while the girls just turned to look at him.
"This is what I've been looking forward to while I was here and just what I need to keep my skills sharp for the PWC." Ash said with a grin. "So I'll respond now and accept the challenge. Then it's time to start my intensive training for it."
"Pika, pi." Pikachu said in agreement just as ready for the training as Ash was. "Pi, Pikachu."
"Naturally I'll help." Dawn said.
"Pip, Piplup." Piplup said with a nod.
"Me too." Iris piped up. "Gladion will be tough, he beat me pretty handily even if it went to the wire, so you'll need advice."
"I'm going to go and see my brother." Lillie said as she too rose holding Snowy so that the ice type didn't fall out of her lap as she stood up. "I'll be helping and supporting him in this."
"I understand." Ash said.
"We'll remain neutral." Lana said and Mallow nodded. "Same with Kiawe and Sophocles I presume."
"That's fine, don't worry about it." Ash said and he meant it he was going to win this but he wasn't going to demand help from anyone and it was probably for the better that the Alolans other than Lillie remain neutral though he'd also not be offended if they decided to help their Champion either. "I promise that this will be a good battle."
With that Ash turned and walked to where Nurse Joy was at her desk to set up a call with Professor Kukui. It was time to formally accept Gladion's challenge and thus get the ball rolling on it.
At long last the first true battle of Ash's time as Kalos Champion, the first of the many challenges he expected to face this year as he traveled the world with Dawn and which he would use to get ready for the PWC, was on him. He couldn't wait for it as he got into the zone for what was to come as the Kalos Champion prepared to face the Alola Champion in what would be Ash and Dawn's last moment in Alola.
Well there it is, at long last Ash's first challenge as Kalos Champion has come and the expected battle with Gladion which will be the culmination of the Alola arc is fast approaching us. The next chapter will be final setup for it, a last tease as the arc steadily nears its conclusion before Ash and Dawn move on to the next region. Hopefully, I will be faster with the next Part than this one but no promises as the expected slow down with this series is really upon us but it will come sometime in February. That is all that I really have for this Part, however, so I will leave it off here. As always if you like my work then please favorite (both this story and me in general to be notified of any new content I post), if possible leave a review as I really like hearing what you think of my work and your suggestions that help complete this story (and respond as best I can) and just in general keep enjoying my work. Until next time.
Stringdog