Pallet Town, Professor Oak's Laboratory.
"I'm back!"
Ash dashed along at full speed, even with two huge bags of ingredients in his hands.
He certainly lived up to his nickname, Super New Trainer.
"Pika!"
Standing on Ash's shoulder, Pikachu gazed at the distant windmill that marked the direction of Professor Oak's Laboratory.
Back in Pallet Town once more, Ash was positively buzzing with excitement.
Li Wei, Green, Red, Lance, and the others would all be gathering today. Just thinking about getting to challenge them...
Ash felt as though he was about to burst into flames, his blood boiling with excitement!
Tonight's lineup was nothing short of spectacular.
There was Lorelei, whom Ash had met in the Sevii Islands, and Bruno, whom he'd encountered on Back Mountain...
Though somehow Li Wei, who didn't have a single battling title to his name, had slipped into the mix...
In Ash's eyes, however, Li Wei could go toe-to-toe with Lance and had beaten Siebold of the Kalos Region's Elite Four...
In a certain sense, that wasn't wrong.
Even if the Dragonite Li Wei had drawn against was Lance's sixth...
Even if Li Wei would probably still have lost to Siebold in a full-team battle back then.
Who should he challenge first?
Ash wasn't deciding whom to challenge. He planned to challenge them all; he just needed to figure out the order.
Still carrying those two huge bags of ingredients, Ash forced one hand up and turned his cap backward.
"Ah!!! I'm so happy! Aren't you, Pikachu?"
"Pika!"
"Ash, wait for me!"
Even with his long legs, Brock simply couldn't catch up with Ash.
"Aren't you going home first?"
Ash answered as he ran, "It's fine! My mom's going straight there too!"
Brock sighed helplessly, but said nothing more. That was just Ash.
"I'm back!"