Leon was just a child when he accepted that deal. A deal he would regret for years to come. He pondered it as he looked out from his house that day, Charmander by his side.

"You ready to go buddy?" Leon inquired.

Charmander cried out happily.

Leon reread the letter he had received. It was written in cursive, very elegant and detailed with many fancy frills and the like which almost made it hard to read. However it read as followed, "Dear Leon. You remember our deal. No one cares about a fourteen year old becoming champion, as such, you will lie about your age while in the crowd. You will claim to be ten years old while in gyms. While you will be able to reveal your true age to those close to you you are not to reveal it to any leauge staff. Don't forget to win. We need an undefeated champion."

The letter had no return adress. Leon thought allowed, "This has to be the one that gave me you, Charmander. Guess this means if there's a Leauge Card of mine printed a few years down the line it'll say I became champion when I was ten, but that's gonna be a lie because I'm fourteen now."

Charmander nodded and the duo left their home to become champion.

"Wait up!" A voice exclaimed at the young girl ran to catch up with the trainer. She tried to catch her breath as Leon turned to greet her.

She adjusted her green beanie over her red hair and demanded, "We... one sec... lemme catch my breath... we were gonna battle first? Remember?"

"Oh right!" Leon smiled, "You ready Sonia?"

Sonia nodded, "Let's get this started! First battle of our journey!"

Pokémon Trainer Sonia would like to battle!

Sonia sent out Squirtle as Charmander prepared for combat. Sonia smiled and exclaimed, "Magnolia had this imported from Kanto! He's not gonna be easy to take down!"

Charmander made the first attack, dashing across the stone road the two stood in and leaping at Squirtle, slashing it with Scratch. Squirtle cried out in pain before it countered, charging full force with Tackle only for Charmander to leap out of the way. Squirtle fell over onto its shell, unable to get up, which left it open as Charmander turned around to strike, slicing the Squirtle's soft underbelly for a Critical Hit that fainted the Pokémon.

"Good battle," Sonia smiled, "You really ready to go? I'm not even packed fully yet. If you're leaving now I'll have to catch up."

"No I have to say bye to mom," Leon explained, "Just making sure my Charmander is strong enough to get me through the Wild Area, practicing on Pokémon in Route One. So, I'll be doing that a bit longer."

"Alright," Sonia replied, "I'll be at my house. Lemme know when you're ready so we can head out together. Wild Area can be a little dangerous alone after all."

Leon nodded in response and exclaimed, "I'm off to say bye to me mum!"

"It's the other way!" Sonia called out.

"Right!" Leon exclaimed as he turned around and walked towards his home.

Sonia chuckled and left towards her own home, where a young man, a year younger in a boy scouts outfit chatted nearby with some buddies of his before he turned and greeted.

"Oh one second guys," the boy scout told his friends as he ran over to greet Sonia, "Hey Sonia! What's up?"

"Not much Grant," Sonia replied, "Just packing before I head out. What about you?"

"Just earned my curry badge from the boy scouts," Grant responded with a smile, "Hey, you're gonna be gone for a while aren't you? No good traveling on an empty stomach. Lemme fix you and Squirtle some curry before you go."

"You don't have to do that," Sonia insisted, "I can cook by myself. Magnolia taught both of us after all."

"I insist," Grant replied, "I mean, without you and Magnolia I wouldn't be able to cook in the first place."

"Alright alright," Sonia chuckled, "If you insist."

Grant smiled and started a fire as he dug through a small berry pouch, a satchel made of a scratchy brown fabric with an Oran Berry added to the front to indicate its contents.

"What kind you want spicy or sweet?" Grant inquired, "I would offer bitter but I ran out of bitter berries earning the badge."

"Spicy sounds good," Sonia replied sitting on the stone wall by Grant as he cooked in a massive metal bowl over the fire.

"So you're not going this year?" Sonia inquired, "Are you sure? I can catch you a starter."

Grant shook his head, "Sonia you know I'm way behind in school. I'm ten years old and I still can't read. I gotta buckle down and study, get caught up. My parents won't let me go until I do so, yeah."

"It's only because they love you," Sonia explained sternly as Grant began to stir the curry, adding in some precooked burgers, "You can't go through life not knowing how to read."

"I know but doesn't mean I like it," Grant sighed, "I'm moreso mad at myself for being illiterate than my parents for making me stay, but better watch out cause when you're champion next year I'm gonna take that crown."

The duo chuckled as Grant prepared two plates of curry. Sonia replied, "We'll see. I mean, Leon has as much a chance of winning as I do."

Grant shrugged, "True true. Anyways, I better head home and get studying. Give me a ring if ya wanna chat. I'll try to catch your matches on the telly."

"Lemme know if you need any help with your studies," Sonia replied, giving Grant a one armed hug, "I'll see you soon."

"Best of luck," Grant replied hugging Sonia back before finishing his meal and walking away with the other boy scouts. Sonia too walked away to pack her bags and double check to make sure everything was in order...

Leon's mom handed him his backpack as she explained, "Leon I still don't understand why you're lying about your age."

"Mum come on it's marketing!" Leon chuckled, "Look, it's like wrestling. It's not as fake but do you really think everything they show us is real? I'm just fudging some numbers to make myself more marketable. All sorts of trainers in the Galar League do it!"

"Still..." Leon's mother protested, "It seems... dishonest."

"Wrestlers lie a lot harder than I am," Leon elaborated, "Besides, I've gotta make that bread so we can have a better life. I'll be back when I'm champion. Love you."

Leon's mom hugged her son and replied, "Love you too. Remember even if you don't win you've done enough to not worry about the money."

Leon nodded and left as he muttered to himself holding the letter, "This isn't about a financial debt... this is... something else."

With that Leon left for the train station, ready to begin his journey across Galar with only a Charmander and a burning desire to win...