Helix and Hooves: Trainers of the Future

by The Kelduo

Chapter 3: Breath of the Wild Area

Author's Note:

A little side note that I forgot to add to the last chapter: On the way back to Wedgehurst, both Yamper learned Bite, and the Doctor's Grookey learned Razor Leaf. Also, both Trainer's Rookidee learned Fury Attack.

Upon returning to the Wedgehurst Station, we were greeted by Hop. "Hey guys! Out with it, both of you! How many Pokemon did you two catch?"

I thought back to Routes 1 and 2. "If I remember right, I caught eight Pokemon."

The Doctor smiled. "Really? So have I!"

"Sweet!" Hop said. "You're well on your way to building a fine team. Doc, I've got a little something you might need in your adventure." He gave the Doctor a reflective disc like the one I used to load HM5, Defog, except his was white instead of sky blue. The Doctor put it in his backpack. "That's a Technical Machine! A TM, mate! Helix, I reckon you know about TMs?"

I nodded. "TMs allow you to teach your Pokemon new moves. I've noticed that the more recent ones can be used over and over without breaking, like Hidden Machines. I know that HMs don't break because the most recent time I used one was when I used the HM known as Defog to attempt to blow away the fog we encountered in the Slumbering Weald, although that failed. Actually, I have an entire case of TMs and HMs in my coat pocket. It might not hurt to get myself a new case, though."

"HMs? Wow, you must be a real vet when it comes to Pokemon! Anyway, Doctor, that TM can teach the move Swift. Lee gave it to me ages ago, and now it's yours."

I turned to the Doctor. "Swift allows your Pokemon to fire star-shaped rays that never miss the target, like a unicorn's magic! Of course, since it's a Normal-type move, it won't harm Ghost-type Pokemon like Gastly. You'll want to know things like that if you want to take on the Gym Challenge."

Hop grinned. "That's right! The Gym Challenge will begin in Motostoke! And our train's waiting, so let's go!"

---

The inside of the station had brick walls and a white tiled floor. Next to the gateway to the train platform was a poster depicting some kind of trophy. We began to walk towards the gate when...

"Coming through!" Victor came into the station while riding a rolling sheep Pokemon. However, unlike Wooloo, this one had black and white fur and two long horns. "Whoa... whoa!" Suddenly, Victor lost his balance, sending the Pokemon on a crash course for me.

Pummel was quick to grab the Pokemon before it hit me. "Interception! I've got to admit, Victor, that was some great rolling you did! Keep it up, and someday you'll be as good on a ball as a certain jester I know!"

"Thanks! I'm trying to do some teamwork exercises with my Pokemon to help them prepare to battle the Champion, but I'm still working out the kinks. Anyway, I came here because Professor Magnolia told me that you'd be setting out soon. I figured this would be a good time to see you off and tell you a little about something in your backpack, Doctor." He took off the Doctor's backpack and took something out: a red tent, some stakes, and a mallet for the stakes, among other things. "And here, these are for you." He gave me, Pummel, and Heart the same items. "This is all the gear you need to start camping! By camping out with your Pokemon, you'll get to know each other better and even increase your experience! I know you'll be fine if you're together with your partners."

The Doctor gave a shy smile. "Thanks. You know, this will actually be my first time camping out..."

I put my wing on the Doctor's shoulder. "Don't worry. I know you'll be fine. I've gone camping back on my home planet, and it's actually pretty easy."

"That's the spirit! Oh, by the way, look what I've got!" Victor put down two small bags connected by a strong fabric of some sort. "Here's your new saddle bag, Doctor!"

"A... saddle bag?" The Doctor took off his backpack and transferred its contents to the new saddle bag. He smiled with delight as he donned the saddle bag. "This is brilliant! Thank goodness, that backpack of yours was about to break my back!"

"Yeah, sorry about that. It used to be my dad's when he was my age, traveling around and training Pokemon. He and I are pretty tough, so we can handle how heavy the bag is. But now that you've got a saddle bag with the weight evenly balanced on both sides, you should fare better, especially when you come to the rougher parts of Galar. Now, good luck to all of you!" Victor then got back on his Pokemon and rolled it out. "Okay, Dubwool, this time we're taking it nice and easy..."

The Doctor beamed. "There must be all kinds of Pokemon to catch and Trainers to meet! I can't wait any longer! Let's get on the train!"

---

As we sat in the soft blue seats of the train, we looked up information on Motostoke with our Rotom Phones. I looked at the information in wonder. "So, Motostoke is surrounded by a place called a Wild Area, where several species of Pokemon are abundant. I hope I can find a rare Pokemon... It also seems like we can camp out or go fishing in the various fishing spots. This will be a great experience for all of us. Doctor, what are your thoughts?"

The Doctor answered, "At this point, I'm excited for anything that may reveal itself! I could never get tired of this!"

"...Oh?" From the booth opposite of me and the Doctor, Lucario looked at a spherical blue device in his paw. "Sounds like a request from someone. Let's see who it is..." He tapped the device a couple of times, and his eyes opened wide. "What?! How could she send a request?!"

We all looked at him in confusion. "She?"

He sighed. "My apologies, but I'll have to leave you be after getting off the train. I've got to do what an Elite Star Ally's got to do."

"Elite Star Ally?" the Doctor asked.

I replied, "Lucario is a member of the Expedition Society, and the team he joined has been called the Elite Allies. Expedition Society Members carry an Expedition Gadget, like the one he was using, wherever they adventure. Lucario is also a friend of Kirby, who is known as the founder of the Star Allies due to his most recent adventure."

"You and your friends never cease to amaze me, Helix, and I hope it stays that way."

---

The train stopped, and we hopped off. Roborygon looked at the person next to the desk. "Excuse me, Station Master! This is the Wild Area Station, correct? Is there a problem that's caused the train to stop here?"

The station master nodded with a sigh. "Yes, this is the Wild Area Station, make no mistake. I'm sorry to tell you that the train is halted due to a flock of Wooloo on the tracks."

Pummel looked at us with a smile. "There's nothing to be sorry about. This is great, guys!"

The Doctor asked, "What is?"

"The Wild Area, of course! It must be huge! I bet there's lots of wild Pokemon to battle and catch here! And that means we could even build an awesome team with just the Pokemon caught in the Wild Area!" He and Hop then raced off to check out the Wild Area.

Well, this is going to make for quite the interesting adventure.

---

Upon leaving the station, I looked to my left. There were natural formations that prohibited me from going south. I looked to my right. I saw a large urban city in the distance, and all that was between me and the city was the Wild Area: a large, vast field, full of wild Pokemon. Just what I expected from a place with that kind of name. Towards the north end of the station was a woman in a light gray hat and overalls, as well as a plaid yellow shirt. The Doctor was waiting for her to restore his Pokemon's health.

I went further north to a gap in some iron fencing, where Hop was waiting for us. He pointed towards the city. "Look at that, Helix! You're looking at Motostoke, way off that way!"

I gazed at the area between me and Motostoke. "And to think that there are so many Pokemon between here and there to catch... It's time to really build up my team!"

My sharp hearing allowed me to notice Sonia coming up from behind. "Sorry I'm late! Gran gave me a proper earful, in her own way: 'Those new Trainers are setting out on a journey, but what are you doing with your life?'"

Pummel said, "But I thought you were fulfilling your purpose in life. Have you not found it yet?"

"Ah, never you mind that! It's nothing to worry yourself over! Besides, I've been quite curious about those mysterious Pokemon you met in the forest. I'd been thinking I should look into it, so the timing works out fine actually! Who knows, if I discover something really huge, then maybe even Gran'll admit I've got some talent!"

Pummel nodded. "I can easily say I know you can do it, because I have some friends who have had similar ambitions to yours. I wish you the best of luck!"

Sonia smiled. "Thanks, Pummel. But I said you needn't worry about it! I'm glad to be on the road again, truly! It's been ages. It'll be great fun to fish and camp and rough it outside again. I suggest you stick around the Wild Area and do the same!"

"Right!" Hop turned to us. "Listen, if you want to get really strong, then you gotta look in as many of the glowing red dens as you can find. You'll want to battle the snot out of a bunch of Dynamax Pokemon and reap the rewards of your hard work!" He then ran off to find some dens himself.

Sonia said, "But do be careful! Dynamax Pokemon are really on another level, you know! You'd better Dynamax your partner Pokemon, too, if you want to take on Pokemon that strong! You'll find spots here and there in the Wild Area that emit a red or sometimes purple beam of light. If you think you're up to it, check them out. There'll be Dynamax Pokemon lurking inside, waiting for challengers like you! So with that, how about I send you off with a little treat from me?" She gave me a white cylinder with a dome-shaped top. "With a Pokemon Box Link, you can send Pokemon from your team into your Boxes or add Pokemon from your Boxes to your team. Nice, right?"

My eyes sparkled with wonder. "Incredible! Now I can access the Pokemon Boxes at any time, in any place, without worrying about heading to a Pokemon Center! I must say, Galarian technology is much more advanced than I expected!"

"That's great to hear! So go wild catching as many Pokemon as you like, and fill in some more of that Pokedex of yours! The Wild Area is waiting for you! This is the start of your real adventure!"

"Thank you, Sonia. Without further ado, I'll see you later!" And so, we began to journey into the Wild Area.

Not long after passing the iron gate, I spent some so-called Watts to purchase ingredients from a Backpacker. Later on, I would learn that Watts are obtained when you defeat or catch a glowing Pokemon or when you examine Pokemon Dens with glowing rocks.

After I completed the purchase, the Doctor rashly chose to take on an Onix, a rock snake Pokemon. "Helix, what's strong against this Pokemon?"

I replied, "I suggest Chewtle. Water-types are super effective against both of Onix's types: Rock and Ground."

"Okay." He threw his Poke Ball. "Go, Bite Force!" So, he named his Chewtle Bite Force. I admit, that's a good nickname. "Use Water Gun!"

"I'm gonna splash you all over, Rocky!" Bite Force spat some water at Onix, causing it to roar in anger.

"You'll pay for that!" Onix suddenly wrapped its body around Bite Force. It squeezed him tightly, leaving him unable to escape. "Seems like you're in a real Bind now!"

"No!" the Doctor exclaimed in fear. "Get out of there!"

"I... can't..." Bite Force groaned. "Ugh..." After a few seconds, Bite Force's eyes turned into swirls.

"I completely underestimated that Onix..." the Doctor said with a sigh before returning Bite Force to its Poke Ball.

"To think that it beat a Pokemon with not a single, but a double type advantage over it... That Onix must be at a high level," I said with a scowl. "Time for your starter to shine. Grookey is faster and also has the type advantage."

"Okay. Ukiki, use Razor Leaf!" Ukiki swung its stick, sending a wave of green energy at Onix. "Follow up with Branch Poke!" Ukiki ran forward and prepared its stick.

Onix began to swing its tail at Ukiki. "Uh oh, here it comes, Doctor!"

"Jump on!" Ukiki nimbly jumped onto the tail. "Now hang on and use Branch Poke!" Ukiki did as told, repeatedly striking Onix with its stick. "That's it! Keep on hitting Onix!"

"Oh, yeah! I'm really getting in the groove!" As he was beating Onix, Ukiki began to glow bright blue, like Blipbug before him. "You can't beat my own beats!"

"Helix... is he evolving?" the Doctor asked.

I nodded. "I can't wait to see his evolution!"

Upon finishing the process of evolution, Ukiki's body was now larger and a lighter shade of green, like lime green. He had dark green bands on his wrists; in addition, he had two sticks to attack Onix with. "Yes! As a Thwackey, I'm ready to dish out rhythm!"

We took out our Rotom Phones. "Thwackey, the Beat Pokemon. A Grass-type, Thwackey gets more respect from its peers the faster it beats out a rhythm with its two sticks. Sometimes, when it is battling, it gets so caught up with the rhythm that it doesn't realize that it's already defeated its opponent."

I looked at Ukiki's new form, who was still beating the KO'd Onix. "Like that."

He looked at us before putting away the sticks in his leaf-shaped tuft of hair. "...Oh, it's over already? But I was just getting started!"

As the Doctor caught Onix, I told Ukiki, "Don't worry about it. Besides, we could always use some help knocking Berries down from trees. You can strike up a beat that way."

Roborygon added, "And we can use Berries to make various kinds of curry while we camp."

"Really?" the Doctor asked as he put Onix into a Box. "I've never made curry before. Can you teach me how?"

"Sure. First, let's set up camp. This bare spot where the Onix was should make a great camping spot."

We immediately got to work putting up our tents and pounding the stakes. Once the campsite was complete, we sent out all our Pokemon. What surprised me Pokemon-wise was that Pummel and Heart had obtained Pokemon in Galar that I hadn't yet encountered. "Impressive. Where did you find that Pikachu and Eevee?"

Pummel explained, "Actually, someone gave me this Pikachu because I went on a so-called Let's Go adventure in Kanto and caught a Pikachu there."

Heart replied, "Same here, but with Eevee."

"I see. Since someone gave you those Pokemon, they must be special. That's usually the case. Now then..." I prepared the pot for cooking the curry. "...it's time to learn how to make curry!"

Roborygon nodded. "Excellent! The first step is to add Berries to the pot. Each participant can add up to ten Berries to the pot, and more Berries often means a better curry. The second step is optional: add a key ingredient. Helix, you purchased some ingredients from the Backpacker, correct?"

"Correct."

"Then let's put the Berries and an ingredient into the pot and get a fire going!"

We each put three Oran Berries, three Pecha Berries, and three Cheri Berries into the pot. I tossed in the key ingredient... an assortment of mushrooms. "What? The ingredient seller had worse things to offer. Trust me, I don't think it would be a good idea to add fried food to a curry."

The Doctor replied, "Good point. That sounds like a horrid combination, especially since ponies like myself are strictly vegetarian. Anyways, let's get this fire going!"

I told my Yamper, "Kilowatt, use Nuzzle on the pile of wood." Kilowatt rubbed his electric sac against the wood, causing some sparks to fly and make the wood glow a shade of red. "Roborygon, what's the plan?"

Roborygon brought up a list of instructions. "First, we fan the flames with the Magikarp fans included in the camping kit. But don't let the flames grow too large, or the curry will burn."

"Okay. Need some help, Doctor?"

"It's alright, I think I've got it..." the Doctor said as he awkwardly held the fan in his hooves.

Together, the four of us Trainers did our best to keep the fire going, while also not letting the curry burn. "Next," Roborygon continued, "we must stir the curry. We mustn't stir too much, or it will spill, but stirring too little will cause it to burn. We need to stir at a precise speed to maintain the balance."

Stirring was much trickier; it is incredibly difficult for four people to stir at once. We kept bumping into each other, and the curry spilled a few times as a result. "There's plenty of room for improvement..." Keldeo sighed.

"And finally, we have to put our heart into it... literally!" Roborygon produced a pink heart, as did I, Pummel, and Heart. "I suppose you don't know how to put your heart into it, Doctor?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I have not been befriended by Equestria's little pink savior, so I cannot throw those pink hearts of pure friendship."

"Very well. In that case, behold the power of Friend Hearts!" Roborygon threw his at the Doctor, who was filled with a pink aura. "How do you feel?"

"I feel... I feel..." The Doctor felt the energy flowing through him. "...I feel like a new stallion!"

"Fantastic! Now, we just need to put our heart into the curry at just the right moment. On the count of three, ready? One, two..." We prepared our hearts. "...THREE!" We tossed our hearts simultaneously, and rather than each one individually falling into the pot, they flew high into the air and combined into one large golden heart. We watched as the golden heart fell into the pot, turning the curry bright orange.

I turned to the others. "Get back. This is going to have explosive results, I'm certain of it!"

Sure enough, the pot began to rumble, then the curry burst high into the air like a volcano. "And the cooking has been completed! Time to dig in!" Roborygon put an equal amount of curry onto each plate and dealt them to us like they were playing cards.

I took a spoonful and brought it to my mouth. Owls are better known for their hearing and eyesight than their sense of smell, but I could still tell that the curry smelled pretty good. "Let's all try the curry at once, okay?"

My friends all nodded.

"All right. One, two, three!" I put the spoonful into my mouth. My eyes widened. "For something I've never tried eating before... this is delicious!"

The others agreed. Pummel said, "And to think that I don't even like mushrooms!"

"Ahem, I'm-a right here!" It just so happened that Luigi had also taken the train to the Wild Area.

"Then again, the reason why I said that was because Discord caused me to accidentally consume a Mini Mushroom while I was in Seaquestria. I didn't really have time to draw out the taste. Now that I'm taking the time to get a feel for the taste, this is really good!"

"And even if it wasn't tasty," Meloetta said, "I can't sing on an empty stomach!"

We rubbed our stomachs in delight after finishing our meal. "Curry Dex updated!" our Rotom Phones exclaimed. A bronze medal with a strange blob-like Pokemon appeared on their screens. "New curry added: Spicy Mushroom Medley Curry, Milcery Class!"

"Would it be safe to assume that Milcery Class is good?" the Doctor asked.

"You can say that. There are five different classes of curry, and Milcery Class is right in the middle. Therefore, it isn't excellent, yet it isn't disgusting."

The Doctor shrugged. "Eh, works for me." After we put away our tents, he said, "All right, let's continue with our adventure!"

I proceeded to the east, catching Bunnelby and Pancham and sending them to the PC. I was about to catch myself a Tyrogue, but I was interrupted by Hotshot. "Heads up! Doc's gonna get himself in a tight spot, and he doesn't even know it!"

I saw the Doctor peeking into a gray well that was emitting a red beam of light. "...You know what? Screw catching that Tyrogue. I've already evolved three into each evolution in the Tyrogue family. Hotshot, finish him off while I go after the Doctor! If you find any other Pokemon, go ahead and take them down if you're up to it."

"Sure thing, I could use the experience!" I left Hotshot to take on Tyrogue as I went after the Doctor.

The Doctor looked into the well with wonder. "What is this mysterious place, some kind of dungeon...?"

Hop reached the Doctor before I did. "That's a Pokemon Den, mate!"

"Whoa!" Unfortunately, Hop's sudden exclamation caused the Doctor to jump surprisingly high for his size. "Uh oh, no no no no no no nononononononononooooooooooo..." The Doctor fell down into the well, which was apparently the den of the Pokemon we had been warned about by Sonia.

Hop looked down the Pokemon Den out of worry. "Well, this isn't good..." He turned to me. "Somebody's gotta do something about this! He can't go it alone!"

I stepped up to the Pokemon Den. "Then I'm going with him."

"No, you don't understand! If you want to stand a chance against a wild Dynamax Pokemon, you need a bunch of friends to help you out!"

"That, I do have." I called Pummel and Heart. "Guys, meet me at the closest Pokemon Den to the Meetup Spot. Pokemon Dens look like stone wells."

"Good start, but are you sure you're up to it? You're just beginners when it comes to Galar."

I smirked. "Do you even know my friends? They defeated some of the greatest threats to our home, including a powerful sorcerer possessed by a corrupted crown, and a planet-sized supercomputer."

Hop jumped back. "You lost me at planet-sized supercomputer. That'd mean you're already as good as Lee! And Lee is the unbeatable Champion!"

"I caught it on tape, as well as the battle against the sorcerer," Roborygon proudly proclaimed. "Need I show you? Oh, wait, I don't need to; I posted it on PokeTube!"

"Really?!" Hop checked his Rotom Phone, which had a blue cover. "...Well, what do you know? You really did post it on PokeTube! I'll have to watch the video later. Guys, I think you're ready to battle the Dynamax Pokemon!"

"You bet we are!" Pummel said as he and Heart rushed over. "Time to take this tough guy down!"

The three of us leapt into the den, Hop and Roborygon staying behind to cheer us on.

---

I was impressed by the size of the den. I mean, you could fit over fifty Wailord in there and there still be plenty of room. The den was also dark, as if it was permanently nighttime.

"Helix..." the Doctor said without shifting his gaze from the towering enemy before us. "...I've made a terrible mistake."

We followed his gaze to... a fifty-foot-tall Hoothoot. A large, purple and red vortex was swirling above it, said vortex likely being the cause of the dark, cloudy weather in the den. "HOOOOOTHOOOOOOOOOT!!!"

"Pikachu, I choose you!" Pummel sent out his new Pikachu.

"Go for it, Drizzile!" Heart sent out a new Pokemon. This one had green hands and feet, a fairly lanky blue body, and what appeared to be some indigo hair partially covering the center of its face. "Check it out, Sobble evolved!"

The Doctor and I used our Rotom Phones to gather data on the new Pokemon. "Drizzile, the Water Lizard Pokemon. A Water-type, Drizzile cleverly sets traps using water balloons created by moisture from its palms. It is highly intelligent but also lazy, preferring to lay traps rather than engage in direct combat."

"Your turn, Nickit!" The Doctor sent out his Nickit.

"And finally..." I tossed my Poke Ball. "Go, Rookidee!"

The Doctor looked at his Dynamax Band. It was giving off a purple aura. "Huh? What's going on with my Dynamax Band?"

Hop called to us from the other end of the well, "Doctor, that's Dynamax Energy! Your Pokemon can Dynamax now!"

The Doctor looked at Hop with surprise. "Are you crazy?! I'm not ready to do that! I don't even know how to!"

"That's completely understandable, Doctor. But I think I've got an idea..." Pummel pointed at the Doctor's band. "Maybe you could transfer your Dynamax energy to me. Try aiming your band at mine."

"Uh, okay." The Doctor hesitantly pointed his right hoof at Pummel.

Pummel's band took the glow from the Doctor's band. "Nice! Time to show this Hoothoot some Pika-power! Return, Pikachu!" He returned Pikachu to its Poke Ball. "Okay, let's see. I think this was how it worked..." He held the Poke Ball in his right hand, and the energy from his Dynamax Band surged into the Poke Ball, giving it a Premier Ball's color scheme of white with a red stripe along the center instead of a regular Poke Ball's black stripe. Additionally, the ball was now several times larger and appeared to have a digital skin with a purple glow. "I could tell from Lee's match that it would be heavy, but my muscles are not to be underestimated. I'll do one better!" He turned and served it as if it was a volleyball. "Go, Dynamax Pikachu!"

The Dynamax Poke Ball opened, and from it came a Pikachu that rivaled the Hoothoot in size. But this Pikachu seemed different... "You mean, GIGANTAMAX Pikachu!" So, Gigantamax makes the Pokemon look different. This Gigantamax Pikachu's tail glowed bright yellow and was much longer. In addition, Gigantamax Pikachu seemed chubbier...

Then it hit me. But it hit Pummel first, for he said, "That Let's Go fan gave me a first-generation Pikachu!"

"How did you...?" Gigantamax Pikachu asked.

"Oh, hold on a moment!" I quickly took out my Rotom Phone and took a picture of Gigantamax Pikachu while its mouth was open in surprise. I looked at the picture. "...Just as I'd hoped! It looks just like the meme!"

Pummel replied, "You beat me to it. Right now, it's time for Gigantamax Pikachu to unleash its electric might!" He used his Rotom Phone to discover the new moves of the Gigantamax Pikachu. "Use G-Max Volt Crash!"

"Full power, PI-KA!" Gigantamax Pikachu brought down its mighty tail upon the Dynamax Hoothoot, making a sound like lightning crashing down upon the ground. "Gigantamaximum voltage, super effective!"

"It's time to blow you away with Max Airstream!" Dynamax Hoothoot whipped up a massive gust of wind that blew towards Rookidee.

I warned, "Ride the wind!"

"Helix, that's a ridiculous and completely reckless idea! ...I'm going for it!" Rookidee flew into the air and allowed the wind to take him for a ride. "Wow, this is working!"

"Excellent! Now swoop in and use Fury Attack!"

"Got it!" Rookidee soared around Hoothoot and repeatedly pecked it from several directions.

Heart turned to me as her Drizzile prepared some water balloons. "Helix, think you can help us deliver a few surprises?"

I grinned. "You bet." I grabbed Heart with one talon and Drizzile with the other before flying towards Hoothoot. "Bombs away!" Heart and Drizzile bombarded the Dynamax Hoothoot with water balloons. The balloons burst into waves of water. I was happy to see that Drizzile knew Water Pulse.

"Now's not the time for me to get dizzy..." Dynamax Hoothoot began to teeter and sway.

I exclaimed, "He's confused! Now he's open to attacks!"

"Okay!" the Doctor said. "Nickit, time for Beat Up!"

Nickit whistled to its colleagues. "Guys, time to take this guy down!"

We used the strategy known as strength in numbers to overwhelm Dynamax Hoothoot. You'd think that Gigantamax Pikachu unleashed the final blow, but it was actually Pummel; he punched the ground, causing stone pillars to jut up and strike Hoothoot from below. The last pillar created by Stone Edge caused a bright orange explosion to engulf Dynamax Hoothoot. "Tick-tock, my time has come..."

Roborygon exclaimed, "Hoothoot speaks the truth! Get ready to catch him!"

I borrowed Pummel's Dynamax energy. "This one's mine, to make up for the Hoothoot I accidentally defeated and therefore failed to catch." The energy turned my Poke Ball into a Dynamax Ball, as I call it, and I almost lost balance after taking hold of it. Pummel made holding a Dynamax Ball look easy! Regardless, I chose to toss the Ball into the air and flew up after it. "Go, Dynamax Ball!" I kicked the Ball towards Dynamax Hoothoot.

Hoothoot was sucked into the Dynamax Ball, which promptly fell to the ground with a crash.

The Ball rocked once...

Twice...

Three times...

It returned to its normal size. Click!

I took my new Pokemon with pride. "My first Max Raid Pokemon... I caught myself a Hoothoot!" I sent it to the PC.

After some cheering and applause, we left the den and returned to the Wild Area.

---

Upon exiting the den, Hotshot surprised me greatly. "Cool! I feel tougher than ever thanks to your suggestion!" Hotshot had taken on a whole new form: His ears were drooping to the sides and were completely white; he seemed to be wearing a red turtleneck shirt and black sweatpants; and the band on his nose was now on his forehead. "Let me tell you, there's some really powerful Pokemon out there."

I checked my Rotom Phone, calling Roborygon for the other entry. "Raboot, the Rabbit Pokemon. A Fire-type, Raboot's fluffy fur protects it from the cold and allows it to use hotter fire moves. It kicks berries off of tree branches and uses them to practice its football skills." Roborygon added, "Or in the case of Americans, soccer skills."

Hotshot nodded. "It wasn't just any Pokemon that helped me evolve. I've never seen anything like it. It's this really neat horse Pokemon who makes rainbow explosions. Seriously, he was a real powerhouse."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? You should introduce me to him sometime after our adventure."

I went east through the Rolling Fields, as my Rotom Phone called them, before heading north towards East Lake Axewell. As I got close to the border, I caught a Combee and sent it to the PC. After that, I entered a nearby glowing Pokemon Den. This one...

---

...contained a brown donkey Pokemon, a Mudbray. Like the Hoothoot, Mudbray had a vortex above it. "It ain't too often that I get challengers these days. I'm guessin' that y'all came here to take me on and try ta win my loot?"

Lucario nodded. "Yes, we did. I hope you've been training, because I am stronger than ever thanks to some good friends of mine. Isn't that right, Helix?"

I smiled. "That's right. Lucario's now the Aura Master--wait, you're already back, Lucario? And you know this Mudbray?"

"Yes, and yes. I challenged Dynamax Mudbray to a battle back when I was a Riolu here in Galar, but I lost. I vow to defeat him this time. And I'm not the only one who's back."

I followed Lucario's gaze to... Wait, it couldn't be! "What's up, Helix? I'm back and more awesome than ever!"

I looked at the rainbow-maned Pegasus in disbelief. "Don't tell me... Rainbow Dash, you were the one that sent that message to Lucario."

Lucario sighed. "Yes. Somehow, she made it to Pop Star and sent a request via the Connection Orb."

A pink blur promptly jumped Lucario. "What do you mean, somehow? I held onto that super-neat Missile Ability I got from the Lor Starcutter's Ability Rooms and let Rainbow ride me to Pop Star and then I asked Susie to send a request from me and Rainbow to Lucario and then we found our way here by a weird purple portal and then--"

I put my wing over Pinkie Pie's mouth. "Okay, that's all I needed to hear. Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, do you know how to take on giant donkeys?"

Rainbow looked at the Pokemon I was referring to, and her grin performed a magic act; it disappeared. "Uh, well... against that guy, I could, um... I could call him names so he focuses on me."

Pinkie said, "I'll throw him a party!"

Lucario looked at her. "That won't help much. You see, we'll be blown out of this den if he knocks us out four times, or if we take too long to defeat him. Partying is next to useless because we need to defeat him quickly."

"I mean I'll throw a party in his face!" Pinkie took out a party bazooka from her mane. I have to admit, that's a fine upgrade from the party cannon. "Literally!"

"So, you're going to be the distraction? Okay." I turned to Rainbow Dash. "Fly Pinkie Pie up to Mudbray's face and let her do her thing. Then soar around and periodically strike Mudbray."

Rainbow saluted me. "You got it!" She then picked up Pinkie and took her up to Mudbray.

I tossed my Poke Ball. "Show them your atrocious--oh, right..." I groaned after realizing that my Magikarp hadn't reached the level required to evolve. "If only the Doctor--"

"I'm coming, Helix!" As if on cue, the Doctor came through the entrance to the den. He looked at the Dynamax Mudbray. "Okay, this shouldn't be too tough." The Doctor harnessed Dynamax energy and unleashed the Dynamaxed power of his Thwackey, although it was clear that he had trouble handling the Dynamax Ball's size. "Okay, Ukiki! Use Max Overgrowth!"

"Got it!" Ukiki threw several seeds at the ground near Mudbray.

"Whoa! We're right here, big guy!" Rainbow Dash soared out of the way while the seeds sprouted into giant green mushrooms that sapped Mudbray's health. "That could've turned out awful for us, you know!"

"But we're okay!" Pinkie Pie, who had disappeared somewhere after the mushrooms emerged, showed herself from inside of the Dynamaxed Mudbray's right nostril.

The face Mudbray made instantly reminded me of a similar incident with a wild Hippowdon and a certain female Trainer's Pachirisu. "Hey, you, get outta my nose!"

I nodded in agreement. "I'd do what he said if I were you. You're in a pretty dangerous place!"

Pinkie Pie asked, "What's so dangerous about a giant nose? Can't I stay just a--"

Before she could finish, Mudbray blasted her out with a quick snort. "And stay out, ya little pink booger!"

I caught Pinkie Pie before she struck the ground. Luckily, she only had a run-in with mud in her hiding place. "That's why it's so dangerous. But you're lucky all he did was turn you into a projectile. You could've gone too far in and fallen into the throat to become a snack." I shuddered at the thought. "If you were really unlucky, you'd have gone from the throat to the mouth and taken even more punishment before it's feeding time. So if you want to do something reckless like that again, at least do so in a manner that the Pokemon will be tolerant of it and that you will not take a wrong step."

Pinkie sheepishly giggled. "Sorry about that. Maybe Game Freak should ban Pokemon like Mudbray from Galar to keep that sort of thing from happening."

"Or at least ban them from places where they can Dynamax."

"Now it's my turn. Max Quake!" Mudbray burrowed into the ground and tunneled its way towards Lucario.

"Lucario, I know I am not your Trainer, but I still wish to attempt this." I pressed the rainbow-colored stone on the black bracelet on my left wrist, my Z-Power Ring, and the stone glowed purple. "Together, there's nothing we can't do! It's time to Mega Evolve!"

"I am going beyond the limits of Aura! Let's do this!" The Mega Stone on Lucario's collar glowed, and he became surrounded in a spherical purple shell. Soon after, the shell burst apart, revealing the awe-inspiring Mega Lucario with several black streaks in his fur indicating the intensity of his aura. "No mercy! Aura Bomb!" Mega Lucario created a massive Aura Sphere and threw it at the ground Mudbray was tunneling through.

"Well, I'll be--" The explosion forced Mudbray out of the ground. "Aw, dagnabbit!"

The Doctor exclaimed, "One more time, Ukiki! Max Overgrowth!"

"Here goes!" Ukiki unleashed another Max Overgrowth on Mudbray, bringing it ever closer to defeat.

"I'm gonna finish this guy off with a bang!" Rainbow Dash flew towards Mudbray, causing a rainbow sonic boom just before she struck. "Come on, don't tell me a Sonic Rainboom finale isn't awesome!"

Mega Lucario turned back to normal. "Yes, that was awesome."

"I'll catch this one!" Doctor Hooves prepared a Dynamax Ball and tossed it at Mudbray, although with relative difficulty.

Mudbray went into the Ball. The Dynamax Ball rocked once...

Twice...

It opened, and Mudbray broke out. "You'll have to try a tad harder if you wanna catch me. But I admit, ya did good." Mudbray kicked some things towards us before walking away, the items including light blue candy and some berries. "Consider 'em a consolation prize of sorts."

The Doctor sighed. "I really thought I could catch him. Perhaps I should work on my throw..."

I shook my head. "I'm pretty sure it isn't your throw. That Mudbray was just a little too strong for you. Listen, you'll get another chance to catch a Mudbray. I saw more of them further into East Lake Axewell."

We left the den, with the rewards in hand.

---

Before heading on to Motostoke, though, I realized how late it was; it's amazing how fast time goes by in the Wild Area, considering how much there is to to. I instead chose to set up camp and sleep in my tent for the night, as did my colleagues. As for Pinkie and Rainbow, there's no telling where they went and what they did. Speaking of Rainbow, I sent out Hotshot to talk with him about the Pegasus.

"Hey, Hotshot? There's something you need to know..."

Hotshot held up a paw. "No need to tell me. I didn't know the rainbow-maned horse was a girl 'til I overheard Lucario call Rainbow a she. I feel kinda silly now."

"Don't feel silly. Her sky blue coloring makes it easy to think she's a male. I'm glad you found out, though. I didn't want Rainbow Dash to call you out for calling her a boy."

"Thanks. I also didn't know she wasn't a Pokemon." Hotshot paused. "...You know, maybe when I grow stronger and evolve again..."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

After another pause, Hotshot looked at me with determined eyes. "Nobody's ever fueled the fire in my heart more. I think someone like her would make a great partner."

I chuckled. "I don't think it'd be a good idea for one of the bearers of harmony to get married, and to a Pokemon, no less."

"Wait, what? I'm not talking about marriage, pal. I was thinking of something completely different. I mean, that girl's got all the moves. You saw how she handled that Max Overgrowth! She dodged the seeds like a champ! I bet if she and I formed a team, we'd be unstoppable!"

"A team, huh? Sounds like a good idea. I might think about putting together a football team after completing the Gym Challenge." I then threw my cares away as I drifted off to sleep.

---

I opened my eyes. Everything was black. There was nothing that I could see, except for a small, pixelated flower before me. It had yellow petals. It also had a very weird, goat-like face. A speech bubble appeared above it: "Hi there, Helix! It's me, Disc--"

"No." I repeatedly cleaved the flower with my Leaf Blade, until the flower was no more. "I've no mercy for flowers who steal souls. Come back in a better form."

"Sheesh, okay! I was just trying to make an appropriate reference!" This time, a very strange creature's skeleton in a red suit proudly walked to me. "THEN THE GREAT DISCORD WILL SHOW HIS MIGHTY SKELETAL FORM!"

"Much better, Discord. First of all, what's with the gaming guises? And second of all, how are you in my dream? You're not Luna!"

Discord put on the outer layers of his body and therefore dropped his disguise. "To answer your first question, Button Mash is still in a state after a video game jumpscare. Just wanted to let you know what's going on here in the future. And to answer your second question... wait, why am I even answering that question? I'm Discord, for Celestia's sake!"

"I understand. Tell Button Mash that I truly feel sorry for him getting jumpscared by a video game. Also..." I raised an eyebrow. "Is that seriously the only reason you came to me in my dream?"

"Oh, goodness, no! The truth is, I came to you in your dream for a much more important purpose. I want to give you something that will help you a bunch during your adventure." Discord held out his hand, and in it was a golden twinkle of light. "Take this. You're gonna need it in case you find yourself running low on a little something called... resolve."

"Thanks." I took the light and held it in my wings. "But how do I use it? I mean, I've never actually been in whatever game this is associated with, so I don't know how it works."

"It's quite simple, really. But I don't like simple, so I'm gonna show you." Discord produced another twinkle of light and brought it to his chest. He then walked to his left, saying, "You got any one-hit KO moves? Then use one. Now."

"Okay." I transformed into a bipedal rhino with a rocky hide and a drill for a horn; a Rhydon. I then fired the Horn Drill at Discord's chest, causing him to clutch it in agony. "Too much?"

"No..." Discord groaned. "...just right." He then disappeared as a gray heart appeared where he once was. The heart broke in two before shattering. Moments later, Discord reappeared in his original position with no sign of being impaled. "Ta-da! And that's how you use the power of Record." Not that I'll need it. I never believed in recording my progress. I live as if there are no such things as saving and checkpoints. A tiny Discord appeared on Discord's shoulder and whispered something to him. "...Oh, okay." Discord turned back to me. "Well, I'd better get going. Someone else is gonna be your alarm clock."

---

Heeding Discord's warning, I woke up and rolled to my right just in time to avoid a blast from Pinkie Pie's iconic confetti-firing cannon. "Morning, Helix! Today's gonna be a party-packed day!"

"Good morning, Pinkie Pie." I sat up before looking at the confetti mess. "Looks like you've got your party cannon out. What's the occasion?"

"How could you forget, silly? We did the occasion yesterday! I'm celebrating day-after-fighting-a-giant-donkey day!"

"Glad to see that you like battling giant Pokemon. Hey, I've got a question for you: Do you like adventures?"

"You bet I do! The number-one reason why I go on adventures is to meet new creatures and make new friends! Better yet, I get to discover tons of new stuff like we did yesterday with that neat glowing well!"

"That's good to know. In that case, I have an idea for you and Rainbow Dash..." I took out an empty Poke Ball. "See this? It's a Poke Ball. These can be used to catch Pokemon. If you find any of these lying around the Wild Area, you'd best pick them up. To catch a Pokemon, just weaken it a little, and then throw the Poke Ball. It may take a few Poke Balls since Pokemon may break out of them, but once you hear the ball click shut, you know you've got yourself a new partner. With six Pokemon, your team's at full capacity, so you'll have to send others you catch to the PC.

"If you're really lucky, then you may find a Wishing Star. They look like dark indigo meteorites with glowing red cracks. Once you find one..." I pointed back to the Wild Area Station. "...then you should take it to the professor, at the end of Route 2. She'll hook you up with a Dynamax Band, so you can make your partners temporarily become giant!"

"Wow! Thanks, Helix!" Pinkie began to hug me, only for her hooves to go right through my Ghost-type body. "Oops! Forgot you were a ghost Pokemon. Anyway, I'm gonna go tell Rainbow Dash everything you just told me so that we can train Pokemon to be our best partners ever!" With that, she zipped out of my tent, allowing me to pack up and head towards the stairs leading into the city known as Motostoke.