Pokemon : Rewind

"I'm truly sorry for troubling you like this, Ash." In the living room, Elder Kenzo poured tea for Ash, Misty, and Brock, along with their Pokémon. His sigh was heavy with gratitude as he handed out the cups.

"Thank you," Ash and his friends responded politely, accepting the tea.

"Fortunately, I encountered you today and you agreed to help. I must thank you again," Elder Kenzo said, his tone earnest.

Originally, he had only brought Ash to challenge his granddaughter, hoping Ash's skills would expose Chigusa's shortcomings. 

Yet, Ash and Pikachu's power had far surpassed his expectations. Not only did they highlight her flaws, but they also offered her a chance to grow.

Elder Kenzo himself had often sparred with Chigusa, deliberately holding back to match her level. 

Even so, Chigusa would dismiss her losses, assuming her grandfather's victories were purely due to experience and not because of gaps in their skill sets.

"It's nothing, sir. You're too kind," Ash said modestly, shaking his head. Despite the effort it took, he didn't mind lending a hand.

Elder Kenzo regarded Ash with admiration. Ash was not only skilled but also humble—a rare combination. 

If such a young Trainer were his disciple, he would be the perfect heir to the Kenzo-style Martial Arts School. 

However, Kenzo could see that Ash's ambitions soared far beyond their small dojo. Like Bruno, Ash was destined for the wider world—a Trainer with no limits but the sky itself.

"By the way, sir," Ash began, curiosity evident in his voice, "you mentioned something about Ma's Martial Arts School earlier. Could you tell us more about it?"

Both Misty and Brock perked up, intrigued. They had never heard of this school either.

"Ma's Martial Arts School..." Elder Kenzo murmured, his eyes distant as he recalled a fateful encounter years ago. The memory was as Vivid as ever.

—-

"Mienshao, Force Palm!" A commanding voice echoed in the dojo as a tall, energetic man with curly eyebrows directed his Mienshao against Kenzo's Machamp.

Despite being over fifty, the man's vitality was striking. His long, neatly tied hair reached his waist, and his yellow training uniform added to his commanding presence.

With an elegant motion, Mienshao raised its arm, channeling energy into its palm. The air shimmered as a powerful shockwave exploded from its hand, bridging the distance between the Pokémon in an instant.

The Force Palm struck Machamp like a cannonball, launching it out of the arena. Machamp landed hard, defeated.

"I concede," Kenzo admitted with a deep breath. "You are truly remarkable, Mr. Ma."

The man chuckled, stroking the tuft of his beard, and cupped his fists in a respectful gesture. "You honor me, Kenzo."

As Mr. Ma turned to leave, Kenzo couldn't suppress his curiosity. "Mr. Ma, wait! May I ask, which martial arts school do you represent?"

The man paused briefly, then waved a hand without looking back. "I am the head of the Ma Family Martial Arts School on the Isle of Armor in the Galar Region," he declared before disappearing from sight.

Intrigued, Kenzo had tried to investigate this Isle of Armor and Ma's Martial Arts School. Yet his search was fruitless—no such place or school seemed to exist in the Galar Region, leaving him with unanswered questions.

—

"The Isle of Armor and Ma's Martial Arts School..." Elder Kenzo finished his story, his voice heavy with lingering awe.

Ash, Misty, and Brock exchanged surprised glances.

"Wait, do you know something about the Isle of Armor or Ma's Martial Arts School?" Kenzo asked, noting their reactions.

"We've never heard of Ma's Martial Arts School," Ash admitted, "but we do know about the Isle of Armor."

"Really?!" Kenzo exclaimed, leaning forward in anticipation.

Ash nodded. "The Isle of Armor is a large island off the coast of the Galar Region. It's not part of the mainland but is recognized as an official location within the region."

"That's right," Brock added. "It was officially named and recognized about twelve years ago. Before that, it wasn't well-documented."

"That explains it..." Kenzo muttered, sinking back into his chair. "Twenty years ago, I searched for years and found nothing. It wasn't officially recognized back then."

For Kenzo, this revelation was both enlightening and frustrating. He had spent so much time searching for a place that officially didn't exist during his prime.

Ash, however, remained curious. Before his journey, he had heard about the Isle of Armor through Pokémon research articles but had only explored the main game world. His knowledge of the island and its supposed martial arts connections was limited.

"I didn't expect the Kenzo Martial Arts School to have ties to a place like the Isle of Armor," Ash mused aloud.

"Thank you for this information," Kenzo said, his voice soft but sincere. "I have little to offer in return, but please rest here for the day. Soon, I'll resume my search. Now that I know the Isle of Armor exists, I can continue my pursuit of Mr. Ma and his martial arts school!"

Though the journey ahead was uncertain, Kenzo's resolve burned brightly. Meanwhile, Ash couldn't shake his growing curiosity about this mysterious rival and what secrets might await on the Isle of Armor.

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