It's hard to not meet people when you're taking Galar's challenge. Everyone gathers at the opening ceremonies and pretty much starts at the same time, so there's plenty of people out on the road. Even if you don't make it to the end, you're bound to make a friendship that'll last a lifetime.

[ hell, a few of the people he met on his own challenge ended up being his colleagues, years later. that was the sort of determination that the Gym Challenge bred. he'd met lots of people on his travels, but Leon was always the one person that really made him want to get stronger.

Blue's admission surprises Raihan, looking at him with a cocked eyebrow. he thought that the other man would be the social Beautifly type, but maybe things were different when he was younger... it was that way for himself, after all. the quick-tempered wild child that was Raihan in the past is nigh unrecognizable now, with his remnants only showing on the pitch. ]

Can't imagine there was a lot of talking going on if Red was your only company.