Meowth, completely unaware that his food budget had been slashed, was still working hard selling Ash-themed merchandise.
Even though the trio had once again been defeated by Ash and Pikachu on screen,
At least they weren't the kind of cannon fodder that got instantly knocked out the moment they appeared anymore!
They'd taken one step closer to a promotion!
"Come and see! Exclusive scoop on Ash and Team Rocket!"
"The untold story between Ash and Team Rocket!"
"For the sake of money, the trio abandon their dignity!"
—On screen—
After dealing with Team Rocket, the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur began their own journey of evolution.
Ash placed Pikachu back onto his shoulder, then sat down to watch the Bulbasaur.
"Can't believe after all these years, I get to see a whole group of Bulbasaur evolving again,"
Ash said with a note of nostalgia.
Time flew so fast—
All those moments from the past still felt vivid in his memory.
Koharu edged closer to him, nervously clutching the hem of her skirt before sitting down.
Ash's gaze was fixed on the Bulbasaur,
But Koharu's gaze was fixed only on Ash.
What had just happened had healed the last cracks in her heart.
Compared to Pokémon, what she cared about more now… was Ash.
Not everyone was like Goh, someone who would abandon his companions.
And not all Pokémon were vicious and cruel.
Even knowing they were no match for Team Rocket, the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur had still thrown themselves in front of Ash to protect him.
In a dazzling glow, the Ivysaur evolved into Venusaur.
As they completed their evolution, the Venusaur released a wave of Sweet Scent from the blossoms on their backs.
Even the wind tasted sweet.
The Bulbasaur soon followed, successfully evolving into Ivysaur under Ash's watchful eyes.
"Beep beep, Rotom here. Research shows that this kind of group evolution among Bulbasaur is mainly to spread pollen."
Ash's Rotom Phone chimed in right on cue.
The breeze carried the pollen, turning even the air around them pink.
"Shua!"
Ash suddenly leapt up, pulling Koharu along to the edge of the rooftop before she could even react.
"Look—the flowers are blooming!"
"Pikachu!"
Ash and Pikachu both pointed toward the fields below.
Koharu instinctively followed his gesture—
And saw that the once-barren field had transformed into a sea of vibrant blossoms under the influence of Venusaur's pollen.
A field of flowers.
And inside Koharu's heart, her own flower bloomed.
If her feelings for Ash at first had been little more than a vague fondness,
Now… they had grown into admiration.
"Come on, our journey's just getting started! I've decided—the next League will be Galar!"
"Koharu, let's go together."
Ash turned his back to the sea of flowers, holding out his hand to her in invitation.
Koharu, without hesitation, placed her hand into his!
[Korrina: So sweet! This couple is amazing! The boy who heals the girl's childhood scars with his actions—it melts her heart!]
[Cynthia: Honestly, I really like it too. Just wondering when they'll actually confess though. Ash seems emotionally intelligent, but… he's still such a straight arrow.]
[Professor Cerise: I'm happy Koharu is overcoming her trauma, but Ash! My daughter's still so young, how can you even…?!]
[Lt. Surge: Haha, lucky for you Ash isn't one of our biker punks. Otherwise, you'd have a blond-haired Ash revving his motorcycle under your window and you'd have to watch it for him.]
[Misty: Ash, that guy, leaving broken hearts everywhere he goes!]
[Delia: Professor Cerise, do you have time to visit Pallet Town? I think it's about time we discussed Ash and Koharu's future. After all, they're not kids anymore—it's time to think about marriage.]
At that moment—
Koharu, watching from her room, blushed furiously.
How could this be! She didn't even know Ash in real life!
So what if he was gentle, considerate, and kind?
She wasn't going to fall for him… right?
It was all the light curtain's fault!
But despite her words, curiosity had taken root in her heart.
Was Ash really like the boy she saw on the screen?
Or was all of this just a fabrication?
…
—On screen—
Koharu officially became Ash's companion on his journey to Galar.
That morning, she had already spoken to her father.
She'd taken leave from school, and left her Hamper in her father's care.
Seeing his daughter practically volunteering herself away, Professor Cerise could only tearfully agree.
A new journey, a new companion—Ash's eyes shone with excitement!
In this world, ten-year-olds could travel alone, so Ash and Koharu boarding a plane to Galar posed no issues.
On the plane—
Ash was glued to his Rotom Phone, frantically searching up information about the Galar League.
The moment he saw Dynamax battles unique to Galar, his eyes sparkled like stars.
"Dynamax, huh! A system completely different from Mega Evolution and Z-Moves!"
"This is… super exciting!"
"Pikachu!!"
Ash and Pikachu mirrored each other perfectly.
For the unknown journey ahead, Ash and Pikachu always brimmed with anticipation!
The plane soon landed.
They had arrived in the Galar region.
After some twists and turns, Ash and Koharu finally began their new adventure.
Not long after arriving—
They came across a massive Snorlax sprawled across the train tracks, blocking the way.
Without hesitation, Ash and Pikachu rushed forward to investigate the phenomenon.
"It's huge! This Snorlax is way bigger than mine!"
Ash spread his arms wide as if trying to measure it himself.
"This must be Dynamax."
Compared to Ash's recklessness, Koharu—who had actually studied at a proper Trainer's school—remained calm.
For a Snorlax that defied all logic in size, the only explanation was Dynamax.
"Didn't think we'd run into a Dynamax Pokémon the moment we arrived. Pikachu, we're really lucky!"
"Pikachu!"
"Doooot doooot—"
But before Ash could get too excited, a train whistle in the distance snapped him back to reality.
A train—
And a Dynamax Snorlax blocking the tracks!
[Steven: Amazing. To think an ordinary Pokémon could grow so massive. The name 'Dynamax' is well-deserved!]
[Steven: Wait—can this phenomenon only be applied to Pokémon? What if it could be used on inanimate stones? Don't misunderstand, I only want to contribute to humanity's development.]
[Leon: Sorry, Champion Steven. At present, Dynamax only works on Pokémon. What you're suggesting isn't possible.]
[Wallace: Don't apologize, Leon. This guy just wants to hoard giant rocks. Steven here once gave up being Champion just to dig stones.]
[Lance: Don't you dare drag me into this!]
[Lorelei: If you want the title back, then beat me first.]
[Steven: cough cough… How long does Dynamax last? Is the train in danger?]
[Leon: Well… wild Dynamax phenomena only end when the Pokémon's stamina is depleted…]
Leon didn't need to finish.
Everyone understood what he meant.
This was bad.
A sleeping Snorlax wasn't going to tire itself out anytime soon!
Would something happen?
Could Ash stop it?