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“Hammerlocke Stadium, huh?” Gou read from his phone, before glancing around. “This is the dragon gym. The one Champion Lance was talking about, right?” Ash and Pikachu were oddly silent. Gou and Scorbunny both turned around, freezing when the duo was nowhere to be seen. “Ash? Pikachu?”
“Pst, over here!”
Gou nearly dropped his phone trying to find Ash. “Where are you?” Scorbunny tilted its head, pointing to… empty space?
Ash and Pikachu poked their heads from behind a wall, pushing aside the realistic section of the wall with a grin. “...How did you even?” Gou sweatdropped.
“I don’t know,” Ash said with a shrug. Pikachu waved at Gou and Scorbunny, before gesturing down past the secret entrance. “Want to check it out?”
“Wh- Ash! I can never understand your logic, why are you going down-”
“It’d be fun!” Pikachu chirped in agreement, giving Ash a knowing smile as his ears twitched. Before Gou or Scorbunny could respond, Ash darted down the secret pathway, making them sigh, glancing around before following.
It was pitch black. Gou picked Scorbunny up, scooting forward inch by inch. He couldn’t help but feel like they were being followed though...
As Gou stumbled in the dark, Ash strutted down the hall, almost as if he knew the place like the back of his hand. Even Pikachu didn’t seem worried. But they couldn’t have been here before, right? Gou shook his head, holding Scorbunny in his arms as he tried to figure the mystery that was Ash Ketchum out.
Soon enough, murmurs began filling the dark. Gou held Scorbunny closer to himself, before perking up as Ash chuckled, running forward.
By the Gou stepped into the light, Ash and Pikachu were already talking to Champion Lance- Wait. Wait just a sec- What- Champion Lance smirked at Gou’s stunned face while Champion Leon laughed. Gou stared at the tapestries and banners around him, all depicting pictures of… Mew? Scorbunny’s ears twitched as it took in the sight, staring at Pikachu as Champion Lance patted him.
“What.”
A tall figure standing next to Champion Lance and Champion Leon stared between Ash and Gou, eyes flitting back to the glass case behind him, containing a blue outfit. Champion Lance crossed his arms, leaning back against the case while Champion Leon practically jumped in excitement at the sight of them. For… some reason.
As Ash stepped next to Gou, he exclaimed, “I knew someone was down here!” Ash reached out a hand to Champion Leon while Pikachu gave a greeting chirp. “My name is Ash-”
“I know,” Champion Leon said, eyes almost twinkling with excitement as he bowed before shaking Ash’s hand. “Nice to meet you. You already know me as the unbeatable champion, right?” Champion Lance rolled his eyes, face stoic as always as that third person walked between him and Champion Leon.
“Right! Nice to meet you too, Leon!” Ash nodded, putting his hands on his hips when glancing back at Gou and Scorbunny. “Are you going to introduce yourself?” Pikachu also squeaked, almost smug.
Gou froze, before shaking himself out of his stupor and calmly saying, “And I’m Gou from Vermilion City!” He held Scorbunny out, almost as a shield between him and the champions. “This is my starter Scorbunny! It’s an honor to meet you, Champion Lance and Champion Leon!” He couldn’t help but peek at the tall person in between the two champions.
The third figure put a hand on his head, glancing at Champion Lance and Champion Leon. Even Champion Lance couldn’t help but crack a small smile while nodding back. They stepped forward, towering over Ash and Pikachu, who didn’t look in the least intimidated. “Raihan.”
Ash and Pikachu both grinned. “Nice to meet you too!”
Gou blinked, thumbing through his phone while balancing Scorbunny on his shoulder. “Isn’t Raihan… the gym leader-”
“Yeah, he is,” Raihan and Champion Leon both cut in with toothy grins. “Got a problem with that?”
“No sir! Champion Leon!” Gou exclaimed, Scorbunny also giving a startled chirp.
Ash and Pikachu smirked at each other, before glancing at the two other champions. “Oh, you two both did a great job back there! And Lance, thanks again for taking care of Gyarados.” Tilting his head, Gou creased his eyebrow. Again? Raihan seemed to notice Gou’s confusion but only shrugged in response. Scorbunny hopped down onto the ground, blinking when Pikachu scampered next to it, tail flicking up and down.
Champion Lance hummed in agreement, eyes calculating. Champion Leon, on the other hand, nodded with total agreement, dramatically waving his cape and posing in front of them, causing Champion Lance to facepalm. Gou sweatdropped. This day couldn’t get any weirder, could it?
“But first things first,” Raihan started, watching Pikachu and Scorbunny chase each other around. “How did you find us?”
“I don’t know! It was almost like”--Ash froze when he saw the glass case behind Raihan--“I sensed… my way… Oh...” Gou furrowed his eyebrows even more as Ash stared around the room. What’s so special about a spikey cape and hat anyways? Sure, Champion Lance and Champion Leon had capes, but-
“You shouldn’t have come here.” Everyone looked at Champion Lance, who only stared at Ash. Pikachu tilted his head, patting Ash's leg and cooing to Scorbunny.
Champion Leon’s eyes honed in on Champion Lance’s twitching hands, narrowing his eyes when Champion Lance forced himself to be relaxed. Raihan and Champion Leon exchanged glances behind Champion Lance’s back, almost having a full conversation.
Ash shrugged, taking Gou’s arm and nearly dragging him out where they came from. “Yeah, probably. See you guys! Raihan, I’ll see if I capture your main pokemon as well. Sorry to interrupt your talk-” Scorbunny’s ears wilted, leaping back onto Gou’s shoulder.
“As well, huh?” Champion Lance murmured, eyes strangely gleaming. “But no, I meant you shouldn’t be here in Galar.” Ash and Gou both froze. Champion Lance stared back at the glass case, nodding to Champion Leon and Raihan. “It’s going to be dangerous from here on out.”
Raising an eyebrow, Ash and Pikachu both had the gall to laugh, causing Gou and Scorbunny to gape at him. “You and I both know that very well, Lance.” Champion Lance gave Ash a knowing look, before stepping to the side of the glass case and nodding up at it.
“So be it.”
Champion Leon and Raihan exchanged glances, the former grasping the edge of his cape and tensing. Gou hesitantly walked up to the glass case, trying to figure out what was going on with the power of his technology. Scorbunny curiously tapped at the glass, but it seemed indestructible.
“Raihan, want to continue your explanation?” Champion Lance asked.
Raihan stared between the two newcomers, hesitant. Champion Leon went over and lightly punched at Raihan’s arm. “Come on, Raihan, if Lance of all people trusts them...” he trailed off, murmuring something to Raihan that none of the others heard. Gou blinked. Wait, Champion Lance trusted- By that logic, they’ve got to have met before, right?
“I know... Ok so, this replica of Sir Aaron’s outfit appeared here just recently, around the time random pokemon started Dynamaxing,” Raihan said. Pikachu chittered to Ash, who ran a hand through his fur with a nod.
Gou narrowed his eyes, Scorbunny leaning against his head. “Do you know what’s happening, Ash?”
Everyone stared at Ash, who shoved his hands in his pockets. “Nope! Not a clue!” Gou face-vaulted, and Champion Leon and Raihan both blinked when a pink blur passed Ash. A pokemon? Gou and Scorbunny didn’t notice, that’s for sure. Only Champion Lance remained stoic, sporting a thoughtful, nearly regretful look.
Ash and Pikachu seemed to sense it as well, and after a few moments of silence, Ash sighed, “Guess the gods didn’t give me any other choice. Again.” Champion Leon narrowed his eyes, before blinking in confusion. He… wasn’t lying.
“Ash you’re not making any logical sense!” Gou exclaimed, jaw-dropping when the glass case in front of them dissipated into thin air and the crystals embedded in the two gloves glowed a faint blue color. Champion Lance shook his head like he should have expected this, and Champion Leon only shrugged, peeking back at his coworker before watching Ash walk forward.
Raihan stared at the outfit, startling when Ash padded next to him, eyes stormy but grin wide as he poked at the gloves. Pikachu and Scorbunny exchanged chirps, both staring at Ash. “These are actually Sir Aaron’s aura gloves, and only one pokemon would have done this.” The gloves almost shone as Ash held them up. Gou nearly sank to the ground in confusion, but the champions- well, the two other champions exchanged glances.
“How do you know?” Raihan sputtered. “What? What pokemon?” Ash glanced back at Gou and Scorbunny before shaking his head, eyes flickering blue. Champion Leon noticed, gaping at Ash, while Champion Lance slightly shook his head.
Pikachu’s ears twitched as he pointed to the outfit, squeaking up at Ash. “...Yeah, that’s true, Pikachu. Did Rota even permit this?” Ash mused, casually taking the outfit in his arms. “Then again, they didn’t know about the gloves or the Tree, did they?”
Champion Lance glanced off as everyone else stared at Ash in total confusion. “What.” Pikachu’s fur bristled as he gave a warning chirp.
Gou stepped towards Ash. “What do you know about Rota and Mew?” Gou waved a hand around the room, Scorbunny also chittering in confusion, patting at Gou’s cheek as Pikachu hissed at them. “What else have you been hiding from-”
“All of you, drop it,” Champion Lance ordered. Even Champion Leon startled at his words.
Ash tilted his head, standing up straight and running a hand over Pikachu’s back to calm both of them down. “Well, I guess that’s all if you don’t want us here. Gou, Let’s go, we’re done here.” Raihan raised an eyebrow.
“Wait wait wait, what’s going on?” Gou asked, trying to keep his calm but letting out a small yelp when Ash’s eyes glowed blue for a split second. Champion Lance glanced back at Champion Leon and Raihan, absentmindedly flicking at his cape before staring back at Ash with a sense of longing.
“Oh, you know, what I always do.” Ash nodded to the three adults, joking, “Maybe now that I wear a cape, people will recognize me as a champion too!” Pikachu’s ears twitched in exasperation.
“... Wha ,” Gou and Raihan both blurted, Scorbunny nearly falling off Gou’s shoulder in shock, to Pikachu’s glee.
Champion Leon nodded to Ash (Champion Ash?), curiously watching Champion Lance step forward, offering his hand out to Ash. “We need all the help we could get.” There was a moment of silence. Who was this kid?
Ash replaced his cap with the aura guardian hat before shaking Champion Lance’s hand, Pikachu’s cheeks sparking in response. “And you know I’m always happy to help.” Champion Lance nodded, eyes gleaming as if he and Ash shared a secret. What had Gou gotten himself into? Raihan seemed to be thinking the exact same thing as he stared between the three champions.
“Wait, what’s going on, does this mean you’ve met Champion Lance before-” Gou started, watching Champion Leon ruffle his cape. And now Ash was going to wear a cape too? What? And he was a champion ? He reached over and pinched Scorbunny’s cheek to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He wasn’t.
“There’s no need for formality,” Champ- Uh… Lance cut in after seeing Ash’s blank face. Pikachu blinked, before smirking at Lance and darting into Ash’s arms.
Leon hummed in agreement, clasping his arms and inadvertently redirecting the conversation, “And we should talk about what to do about my region.”
“Wh- What is even going on ?” Gou asked, trying but failing to pick Scorbunny up. “How do you all know each other- Ash, when did you- I… What. ” Leon and Raihan awkwardly chuckled, but Lance only stayed silent, if not for a sliver of worry as Ash hugged Pikachu closer to himself.
“We don’t all know each other,” Ash flatly replied. “Well, they do. Ask them.” Gou fell silent. “Alright then, Raihan, why’d you know Lance and Leon?”
“...We’re rivals!” Raihan exclaimed. “I knew Leon since we were kids, and Lance trained here!” Ash nonchalantly shrugged, glancing back at Gou as Leon wildly gestured, clearly enjoying the journey down memory lane.
“Does that answer your question, Gou?” Silence. Pikachu rolled his eyes, almost taunting them. Gou and Scorbunny both gulped when Raihan towered over them, giving stiff nods. Leon grinned, fondly shaking his head and almost restraining himself from bursting. Ash simply grinned back at Raihan, asking, “Ok so! What’s our plan for the end of the world?”
Gou stared at Ash. “ What .” Even Lance joined laughing this time.