> Helix and Hooves: Trainers of the Future
>  by The Kelduo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: Roads are Optional
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to the land of Equestria, a place brimming with very special quadrupeds that come in all different colors and sizes! These adorable creatures are known as ponies. Ponies live a fairly peaceful life in Equestria, all thanks to the efforts of the Mane Six who quash the influence of such villains as King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis. Recently, however, Equestria has fallen into a state of unease, for a group of intergalactic heroes has crashed there with no means of returning to their home land. It is up to these heroes and the Mane Six to gather the lost Energy Spheres in an attempt to escape. Let us follow one of the most technologically skilled of these surprising new heroes as he puts his abilities to the test: Helix!



In the skies above Equestria, a dark green avian creature with black wings was soaring at high speeds in search of something important. Its eyes finally settled on the house of a stallion with a knack for timely activities. 'He'd better be home,' the owl thought to itself as it flew to the doorstep. It knocked on the door with its white talons.

A brown stallion answered the door, revealing the interior of the house to be like that of an old-fashioned laboratory.

Before he could get a word out, the owl said in a calm but hurried male voice, "It's time to put our creation to the test, Doctor Hooves. You ready?"

The stallion, who was known as Doctor Hooves replied, "Of course, Helix." He flashed his flank, which had an hourglass for a cutie mark. "I've been waiting forever to put my talent to use. What's the destination?"

The owl, who was known as Helix, thought for a moment as he entered the time-obsessed stallion's abode. "Considering the situation I'm in, a good destination might be the world of Pokemon, perhaps one year and ten months ahead from today to be safe. I am using such precision because new places to explore in the Pokemon world tend to be discovered towards the end of the year."

"The world of Pokemon? That sounds intriguing."

"It is very intriguing. But enough talk, I don't have much time. We must hurry before it's too late to stop a monster that might roam Equestria within minutes from now! The EPOCH must be--"

The Doctor's eyes opened wide. "Wait, a monster?! What good will traveling to the future be if there's a monster in the present?! It isn't like we'll be able to return on time!"

"You know about that big red and black monster who eats magic? He got his hands on an Energy Sphere, and feeding on its energy gave him the strength to break out of his cage in Tartarus. And don't worry about him destroying Equestria or anything while we're in the future, because I plan for us to return only twenty seconds or so after leaving. As for where in the world of Pokemon we will go, input the following coordinates..."

After hearing the coordinates, the Doctor went into a large machine that was cylindrical in appearance, and Helix followed him into the surprisingly spacious interior. As Helix closed the door behind him, though...

"Mele!" A small, slender green biped literally put her foot in the door before making her way inside.

Helix turned to her with no hint of surprise. Rather, he smiled upon seeing her. "You came to check out the future of music, didn't you?"

"Me, mele!"

"Understandable, Meloetta, but I'm afraid you cannot. If you saw your future self, or vice versa... then it would be Alice Through the Looking Glass all over again."

Meloetta gasped. "Mele! Me, mele..." As she left, she waved at Helix. "Me mele melele!"

"I can assure you that I will say hello to future you for present you, Meloetta."

By then, the Doctor had finished inputting the coordinates. "...Okay! Helix, will your mechanical red partner come along?"

Helix nodded. "Rotom is an expert at identifying Pokemon, so he will be a valuable ally."

"Very well." Doctor Hooves pressed a red, flashing button. "If you feel a bit distorted during the trip, don't panic. Traveling through time and space simultaneously may have dizzying side effects. So sit back and hang on as we make the quantum leap to save the day!"



After a long ride through the space-time continuum, Helix and Doctor Hooves stumbled out of the EPOCH, having to lean on its exterior to keep from falling over. Even the artificial Rotom Dex couldn't see straight. "Remind me to deactivate before traveling through time and space..."

Helix replied, "You don't have to tell me. I've been confused before, but this took it to a whole new level... Not that I don't like it. It would be good training for if we go up against something that warps gravity or some other area of physics."

The Doctor had to agree. "I had not calculated the amount of dizziness to be this high..." The Doctor snapped out of his confusion, and he let his eyes adjust to their surroundings: a sandy beach not far from a thriving town. A small shack was close to the coastline. "I'm not one to judge solely by appearance, but this place is incredible! It's as if Las Pegasus was grounded! Although, I do have anxieties about this place, because it reminds me somewhat of the Everfree Forest. There aren't even any Pegasi moving the clouds!"

Helix got over his confusion by consuming a pastel pink berry known as a Persim Berry. "This is the Alola region, a tropical portion of the Pokemon world. You are wise to compare Alola to Las Pegasus, and even wiser to notice the clouds moving on their own. Weather works differently in Equestria than in the Pokemon world."

"What's going on?!" A man wearing green glasses, a hat, and a white, unbuttoned, long-sleeved shirt burst out of the shack. When he saw Helix, though, his demeanor went from shocked to happy. "Whew, it's just you, Helix. Thought an Ultra Wormhole had opened up... Anyways, Alola, Helix! How are you doing? Oh, is that a new Pokemon?"

Helix shook his head. "This is Doctor Hooves, and he hails from Equestria on the planet Equus. You wouldn't understand, because you've probably never watched something like My Small Ponyta. As it would happen, Equus is actually in the same galaxy as Pop Star, Kirby's home planet. I suppose you've met him or his friends?"

"Well, Meta Knight came by a few years ago to take on the island challenge, and he told me a little about Kirby. As for My Small Ponyta, Pummel's Keldeo seems to really love that show. It must be because he's an equine Pokemon like the stars of the show. But I never knew that the planet the show took place on actually existed! ...Of course, I wouldn't anyway even if I watched the show myself."

"The planet that My Small Ponyta took place on doesn't exist; I was talking about the planet from a very similar show in the world where I come from. Without further ado, it's time for introductions. Doctor Hooves, this is Professor Kukui, an expert on Alolan Pokemon. Professor Kukui, this is Doctor Hooves, a stallion who is fascinated with the idea of time travel."

The two shook hands/hooves. "It's an honor to meet you, Professor Kukui."

"The honor is mine, Doctor Hooves. So, what brings you two here?"

Helix motioned towards the EPOCH. "See that machine over there? We used it to travel through time and space to get here from about two years earlier, in Equestria, in order to prepare for a battle with a dangerous monster."

Kukui laughed. "You came into the future to prepare for battling against a monster? Sounds like you'll need a lot of High Horsepower in order to beat it! ...No offense, Doctor."

"None taken."

Kukui turned to Helix with a frown. "I'm not sure there's much left for you to do here to prepare. I mean, you even caught the Ultra Beasts and Necrozma! The best you could do here is defend your title as Alolan Pokemon Champion once more. Other than that, there isn't anything here in Alola that can help you train much."

Helix nodded. "Exactly. Nothing in Alola. But what about other regions? That's why I came into the future, to gain access to future Pokemon skills and powers."

Kukui put his hand under his chin in thought. "Another region? Here's an idea: Have you heard of Ash Ketchum?"

"The child prodigy who wants to be the very best, like no one ever was? The one whose cause is to train Pokemon, and who always has Pikachu by his side? Yeah, I've heard of him."

"That's good to know. Why don't you catch his Tailwind and set off for his destination? Samson Oak could probably get a flight ready for you."

Just then, an elderly man with light-colored hair and a strong tan came over. "Did someone call Me-mikyu? I think I heard Kukui say one of you needed a Ride-don!"

Helix shook his head. "Yeah, but we've got a flight of our own. Remember what I can do? All we really need to know is where this intriguing new region is."

"Right!" the professor continued. "The region Ash went to, as I've been told, is northeast of the Alola region, a Surf's ride away from Unova."

"Thank you, Professor. Tell the Masked Royal that I said hi." Helix morphed from his dark green owl form into something more suitable for flying long distances: a draconic, bipedal Pokemon with green skin; a Shiny Dragonite. Helix put the Doctor on his back. "Doctor, hang on to me as if your life depended on it, because there's a very good chance it will."

The Doctor obliged, and the duo prepared to take off. However, the Doctor first asked Helix, "What did Samson mean by Me-mikyu and Ride-don? And why did the professor say Alola when he saw you?"

"Well, you see, Samson really likes to use Pokemon puns. In this case, he was referring to Mimikyu and Rhydon. As for Alola, that is how Alolan people say hello or goodbye. So when you say Alola, you not only mention this region but also greet its natives. Now, without further--"

"Melele!" Meloetta flew to the group from the northeast.

Helix paused. "...You're the Meloetta from this year, right? You never followed us into the EPOCH?"

Meloetta smiled. "Me, mele!"

"Good. You had me worried for a moment there. Now, what was it you wanted?"

"Mele me! Mele melele!"

"Okay, we will follow you. Time to soar!"

As the trio took flight, Meloetta materialized a group of string instruments and played them while she sang:

Heroes, it's time
Let us... take flight!

Doctor Hooves exclaimed, "I can understand her now!"

Helix smiled. "Music is a universal language. When Meloetta sings, she is speaking her native language. Since she knows music and song like the back of her hand--or hoof, in your case--she can sing in such a manner that beings of any language can understand her."

The Doctor smiled back. "In that case, Meloetta, sing on!"

And she did.

Oh, we're soaring through the sky
We see no need to be shy!
We're soaring, rip-roaring right on by!

Heroes patrol the air, giving bad guys a scare
You can't beat us with your sheer might...

> Chapter 1: A New Generation of Inspiration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Okay, team, here's our stop
It's time to reach for the top!

Meloetta's song sang the truth; a peaceful rural town covered in grass caught my watchful eyes. I landed in front of a house next to a wooden gate. Several sheep Pokemon were roaming around the town, including one that was rolling into the gate and bouncing off comically. One such Pokemon was lying down next to the gate, looking as if it wanted to explore the area beyond. After Doctor Hooves got off my back, I returned to my Decidueye form.

The Doctor looked around in wonder, as did I. He said, "I'm not quite sure why, but this place feels fairly familiar to me. I almost feel as if I am at home."

"Really?" I asked. "How does this place make you feel at home?"

Meloetta smiled. "I believe that is because we are in the region that is based off of Great Britain. I welcome the two of you... to the Galar region!"

My eyes sparkled with wonder. "The Galar region... I have always wanted to travel to Great Britain, but my negative emotions I hid inside had dragged my mindset away from trying to go there with my new powers. However, since I am in the Pokemon equivalent of Great Britain, I have achieved my dream nonetheless! I do have one question, though... Since you are here, the others should be near. Where is your Trainer?"

Meloetta giggled. "Oh, Heart Fist? She's inside with Pummel, Keldeo, and a couple of new friends."

"You made some new friends? And so soon?"

"Why are you so surprised? This always happens on our Pokemon adventures! In Kalos alone, Pummel and Heart and I befriended Shauna, Tierno, Trevor, and Serena in rapid succession! And need I even mention Equestria? After we explained our reasoning for being in Equestria, everypony welcomed us like we were family! Well, besides Chancellor Neighsay. I'd heard that he chained you up with magic as soon as he saw you. Not that it matters, because it's time for me to introduce you to our new friends!"

We followed Meloetta into the house, where three of my friends were sitting on a couch with two other boys. One of the boys had white skin and brown irises. He was wearing a red long-sleeved shirt with some kind of logo on it, and his jeans appeared to be somewhat worn. The other boy had light brown skin, deep purple hair, and yellow irises. He was wearing a woolly blue jacket.

Of my friends, there were Pummel Fist, Heart Fist, Roborygon, and Keldeo, the latter of them also known as the colt Pokemon. Pummel used to be a human alongside his mother Heart Fist, but Archie and Maxie turned them into Pokemon using a special potion. Now they can take on the form and powers of any Pokemon that is registered in their Pokedex. They have chosen to use Machop, a grayish-green biped with powerful muscles, as their predominant species. Roborygon was constructed by Pummel's Pikachu, PhD, in order to assist him and his friends on their adventures. Considering the fact that it was based off of Porygon-Z, Roborygon (aka Roborygon Mk. Z) looks similar to it, except that in terms of colors, he has a Shiny Porygon-Z's color scheme, although the blue and gray are inverted, and yellow is in place of the blue; in addition, he has purple visual monitors in place of yellow eyes. The entire group was watching something on Pummel's phone, which had a jet black case. And from the looks of it, they were watching something very interesting.

"Hello there!" I said, letting our presence be known.

The group turned to me. Pummel replied, "Oh, hey, Helix. Hi, Doctor Hooves. Has Meloetta told you a little about Victor and Hop?"

"She didn't state their names directly, but she did say you made a couple of friends."

The white boy turned to Pummel. "You know them? Are they your friends?"

Pummel answered, "Yeah, let me introduce you to them. Guys, meet Helix and Doctor Hooves."

The brown boy eyed Doctor Hooves strangely. "Doctor Hooves, huh? Pretty quirky name for a Pokemon, even though it's a horse Pokemon."

The Doctor sighed. "Why does everyone here keep mistaking me for a Pokemon? I'm a pony, for Celestia's sake!"

The brown boy almost jumped off the couch. "Whoa! It can talk?!"

Keldeo looked at him, sighing. "He isn't the first creature you've encountered that speaks human, you know. And he isn't a Pokemon. Truth is, my friends and I met him on a faraway planet populated by equines that can talk. We discovered that world by accident after trying to escape the aftermath of a dark lord's defeat. But enough about us, you guys should introduce yourselves!"

"Oh, right!" The white boy shook my wing. "My name is Victor. Victor Sword."

I replied, "It's nice to meet you, Victor."

The brown boy shook the Doctor's hoof. "I'm Hop. It's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Hooves!"

The Doctor said, "The honor is mine, Hop. It isn't every day that I get to meet someone from the future!"

"From the future?!" Hop gasped. "That must mean you came from the past! But why come here to Galar?"

Pummel answered, "Basically, they came here to the Galar region because they need as much help as they can get in order to defeat a monster that will soon roam around Equestria--that's Doctor Hooves' home planet. His name... Lord Tirek. He's a centaur that gets stronger from consuming magic. When he stole all the magic of Equestria a few years ago, he was bigger than a Primal Groudon! Now, don't worry, because the bearers of harmony defeated him back then and took back the magic with help from the Rainbow Power offered by the Chest of Harmony. But we're sure he won't be a pushover this time either."

Victor exclaimed, "That sounds super tough! If you want to get as strong as you can, I suggest you take on the Gym Challenge. The Gym Leaders will put your skills to the ultimate test!"

I smiled. "That's what I was hoping you would suggest. We can't take it on without Pokemon of our own, though. Do you know how we could get some?"

"Don't put the cart before the Rapidash! You can't go on an adventure without getting used to the customs of Galar. The first thing you need to do is get rid of that Rotom Dex. Nobody uses them anymore!"

"But how will you be able to record Pokemon information without a Pokedex?" Rotom Dex asked.

"It turns out that Rotom have a new device to go into..." Pummel held up his phone, and I saw a Rotom's face on the back of it. "...phones!"

The Doctor gave Pummel a confused look. "I beg your pardon, but this is the very first time I've encountered a phone with a screen rather than buttons. How are you even supposed to work it?"

Pummel laughed. "It's called a touchscreen for a reason. You touch the screen with your appendage in order to interact with the phone. But this may be a little tricky for you, Doctor, because you have hooves."

"But it's no big deal, Doc. Rotom Phones can perform some functions that don't require touching the screen. Here, you can use mine." Victor gave Doctor Hooves his Rotom Phone, which had a red case. "I've already taken on the Gym Challenge, so I don't need this anymore. And you'll need something to carry all the stuff you'll find on your journey, so you can use my bag. It's in my room, on the other end of my home. You'll find it next to my bed, and there's a hat if you need to keep warm."

"Thank you very much, Victor." The Doctor went in that general direction to get his gear.

I held my phone up to Rotom Dex. The phone was dark green like my hood. "Ready to enter your new home, Rotom?"

"Of course I am! But... I could use a little help getting out. I've been in here so long I've forgotten how to exit my Pokedex abode. How can I leave my current appliance with relative ease?"

"The answer to that is quite simple. According to The Dex Can't Help It!, the easiest way to exit a Pokedex..." Roborygon aimed an appendage at Rotom Dex and fired electricity from it. "...is by electrical stimulation!"

"Zz-zzt!" After some erratic movement, Rotom burst out of the Pokedex. "Yow! I love electricity, but that was too much of an overload!" I aimed my phone at the Rotom now flying around. "Here I come!"

The speed generated by Rotom combined with the power taken to enter the phone was enough to push me back a few inches. "Whoa!" I exclaimed.

I looked at my phone's screen, which lit up blue, indicating startup. "Beep boop boop beep..." I turned the phone around to look at its back. After a few seconds, Rotom's eyes appeared on it, and the phone began to float. While it floated, a lightning bolt-shaped protrusion appeared on the top, and a short protrusion appeared on the bottom. "...Phone successfully inhabited! Oh, these circuits are so warm and cozy, Helix!"

I held my Rotom Phone with pride. "With you piloting my phone, you will be able to do far more than if you were in my Pokedex. I am certain of that."

Hop said, "Glad you like the Rotom Phone! As for the Pokemon, I got Lee to bring three of them for you all."

I asked, "Isn't that one too many? Pummel and Heart Fist have exceptional fighting capabilities, and they seem to know enough about Galar to get through without a starter. We're the only ones who really need the help."

"Make that two too many. You're a Pokemon. You could take on the Gym Challenge without a starter!"

I shook my head. "No, I couldn't." I lifted my left wrist, revealing a white bracelet with a Z insignia. "I can't use Z-Moves with my own power alone. And I doubt that I could do whatever special skill is offered in this region."

Hop nodded. "Yeah, you're right. There's no way you could fit yourself in a Poke Ball to go Dynamax. I wonder who could take the third Pokemon..."

"We'll fight that Snorlax blocking the path when we come to it. Right now, I think it's time to set off to find Lee."

The Doctor came back wearing a brown, cylindrical backpack and a gray knit cap. "I have to agree with that, but might I ask, who is this Lee you speak of?"

Pummel showed me and the Doctor his Rotom Phone, which was playing a video of a brown man in a royal robe. A giant Charizard with flaming wings was behind him. "Leon is the current Champion of Galar, as well as Hop's big brother."

Hop jumped up and down. "Come on! Let's go to Wedgehurst to get Lee!"

The Doctor and I stayed for a short time to talk to Victor. The Doctor said, "I mean no offense to you, but..." He turned so that his backpack was visible. It was shifting from side to side. "...this bag is rather uncomfortable, and difficult to get used to. I should have brought along my saddle bags."

"Sorry about that," Victor said sheepishly. "Maybe I can get Mum to whip up a saddle bag for you. We in Galar are used to farming, so it should be pretty easy for us to put together."

"Thank you very much, Victor. Now, without further ado, let's go!"

Victor waved to us as we left his home. "Good luck, guys! I know you can complete the Gym Challenge!"

I turned to Victor before I reached the door. "I know you already took on the Gym Challenge, but aren't you going to come with us?"

Victor shook his head. "No, I'm not going to this time. I would have become the Champion if it hadn't been for Leon's Charizard using its G-Max Move. Right now, I'm taking a little break from battling. I'm sure my partners need it. But when I finish taking my break, Leon better watch out! I've got a sweet trick up my sleeve to take him down."

"Oh, okay. I wish you luck as well, Victor!"

As I walked down the steps from Victor's place, I saw Hop waving to me. "Come on, Helix! You're too slow!"



Elsewhere, a bald doctor in a spherical flying machine scratched his chin in confusion. "That's funny. Why do I feel like somebody ripped me off?"

His spherical red companion answered, "Perhaps it's because someone did reference one of your famous lines."

"Cut it out, Orbot! You should know that nobody would dare rip off the great Dr. Eggman!"



After the long walk through Route 1, we came to a fairly more urban town. A crowd was gathered at the train station, where a Charizard and his Trainer were striking a flashy pose. My keen eyesight allowed me to identify the Trainer as Leon. "Hello, hello, Wedgehurst! Your Champion, Leon, is back! I promise I'll keep doing my best to deliver the greatest battles for you to watch!"

The crowd roared in applause. "Wow, it's our Champion!" "Go, Leon!" "You and Charizard are the greatest!"

We overheard them talking about how they want to fight the Champion, who assured them that Charizard isn't the only Pokemon that can be strong. He wanted the strongest Trainers to come and fight him at the end of their Gym Challenge.

That was when the Doctor waved to Leon in order to catch his attention. "Excuse me! Leon!"

Leon didn't seem to notice the Doctor's attempt to catch his attention, but Hop gave it a shot. "Lee!"

Upon seeing Hop's hand and hearing his voice, Leon grinned. "Hop!" He walked through the crowd to us. "So, it looks like my number-one fan brought along his new friends!" He looked at us, particularly at Keldeo. "Incredible! You've a Mythical Pokemon right there! I reckon he must be yours, Pummel!"

Pummel smiled. "That's right! I'm proud to say that he finally has his own cutie mark! You must have a very sharp eye to have noticed that he's affiliated with me."

"And these fierce eyes over here..." Leon turned to me. "...I've got it! You must be Helix--am I right?"

I nodded. "That's correct. But how did you know about me? I would think that Hop only told you about Pummel, Heart, and their Pokemon."

Pummel shook his head. "Nah, I told Hop about you and Doctor Hooves, and how you would come here to obtain the skills necessary to defeat that magic thief."

Leon said, "Yeah, I heard loads about all of you from my little brother. If you've watched any of my matches, you'd know that I'm the Galar region's greatest-ever Pokemon Champion--and a massive Charizard fan, too. People call me the unbeatable Leon!"

Hop entered the conversation. "Come on, everyone! Bet I can beat you all back to my place! It's right next to Victor's home." He then dashed off, but he didn't know...



...that I was such a fast Pokemon. When he saw me in front of the court at his home, Hop's jaw nearly dropped. "Yow! You're too fast for me, Helix!"

I chuckled. "Never encountered a Decidueye before?"

The rest of the group caught up to us. Keldeo said, "It looks like you didn't think about the speed stat of the final evolution of Rowlet. They're super fast!"

The Doctor turned to Leon. "I beg your pardon, but I'm feeling a tad concerned about when Helix and I will get the chance to obtain Pokemon. I can't bear to think about what would happen if we didn't get the Pokemon and return to save Equestria from Tirek..." He shuddered. "So would you mind showing us these starting Pokemon?"

"Right then! The greatest gift from the greatest Champion... It's showtime, everyone!" Leon pulled out three spherical devices with a red top half, a white bottom half, and a white button on the front. Poke Balls, as every Trainer should know. "Take a good look, you two!" He threw the Poke Balls, and from the first one came a green monkey with orange hands and feet. A stick was hidden behind the tuft of green fur on its head. "The Grass-type Pokemon... Grookey!" From the second came a white rabbit with red toes and ears. An orange band was between its eyes, just above its small pink nose. "The Fire-type Pokemon... Scorbunny!" From the last, a light blue lizard with a yellow fin-like protrusion from the top of its head. Its large curved tail had a dark blue tip. "And the Water-type Pokemon... Sobble!"

The trio of Pokemon went on their own ways to demonstrate their skills and personalities. Grookey climbed up the tree, Sobble jumped into the pond, and Scorbunny stayed on the court. "Whoo! You can't stop me!" Scorbunny exclaimed as it raced around the court, leaving behind fiery footprints.

"Ooh, a Sitrus Berry!" Grookey removed the stick from behind its head and used it to beat against a yellow berry shaped like a pear. "Gotta love that berry beat!"

"This feels nice..." Sobble said before spitting a glob of water...

...said water glob hitting Scorbunny right on the ears. "Wah! I hate water! Gotta dry gotta dry gotta dry!" Scorbunny proceeded to hop high into the air repeatedly...

...striking a tree branch with its head in the process. This caused the berry that Grookey was beating to bounce off the tree branch. "Oops! Oh well, no big deal. I can always find other stuff to hit." The berry fell...

...into Sobble's pond. "Eek!" Sobble quickly leapt out of the water and onto the grass. The poor thing burst into tears. "Waaaahh! Don't startle me like that!"

Grookey jumped down to calm Sobble. "Sorry about that, Sobble! I was just having a little fun!"

Scorbunny soon followed. "Yeah! Besides, it wasn't that scary. That water you splashed me with was actually kinda thrilling, and plus, you weren't alone; we all got in on the action!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right..." In the end, they all laughed about the incident.

Leon declared, "All right! Line up, everyone!" The Pokemon did as instructed, with Grookey on the left, Sobble on the right, and Scorbunny in the center. Leon turned to me and Doctor Hooves. "Which will you choose?"

I glanced at my three options. "I believe I know who I would like as my starting Pokemon, but I feel it would be kind to allow Doctor Hooves to choose first. Is that okay, Doctor?"

The Doctor smiled. "Of course. Thank you very much, Helix!" He then took a look at his choices. "Let's see... I would like to have a starter Pokemon that is curious and willing to try new things. After all, I could use some help with my research into quantum physics. And a Pokemon with flexible digits would be able to make up for my lack of fingers. Therefore, I believe the right Pokemon for me... is Grookey!"

I said, "Out of those three, Grookey most definitely is the right one for you. You know, you can give it a nickname if you want. Anyone can nickname the Pokemon they catch."

"Okay. In that case, I will give him the nickname Ukiki. That sounds like a good name for a monkey like him."

I chuckled. "Nice. That's the perfect name for your new partner. I wonder if there's a Super Mare-io 64 game in Equestria..."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Not that it matters, because right now it's time for me to take my pick. I normally go with Water- or Grass-types to fit my calm and intellectual mindset, but I feel like going outside my comfort zone." I walked over to Scorbunny. "Come on, Hotshot. You're coming with me to begin my Galarian team!"

Scorbunny, which I had nicknamed Hotshot, jumped up and fist-bumped me. "Aw, yeah! You'll score big-time with me on your team!"

I turned back to Leon. "Thank you very much for these new Pokemon, Leon. We will be sure to unlock their full potential, both as friends and as heroes."

Leon replied, "I bet the two of you will, Helix and Hooves. That's why I brought along the Pokemon for you: So you can battle and train to grow stronger together... to conquer whatever evil awaits you!"

Sobble sighed. "Aw, I never get picked to be a partner..."

Pummel looked at Heart and nodded.

She nodded back. Heart crouched down to Sobble and said, "Don't worry, Sobble. I choose you! We'll work together to complete the Gym Challenge!"

Sobble gasped. "Really? ...Thanks so much!" He then jumped into Heart's hands.

"All right, enough of all this Trainer nonsense for one night!" Victor's mother and Hop's mother came from Hop's house. "Dinner's ready, everyone. Bring along your Pokemon, and let's all eat!"

The Doctor gave me a nervous look. "Shouldn't we work to train our team as soon as possible? We don't have all week to conquer Tirek. At this rate, he'll have gotten the magic of all the princesses by the time we start our Gym Challenge!"

I shook my head. "Remember that we can return to Ponyville at any time using our time-space machine."

"Oh, right! I keep forgetting about that!"

And so, after a nice barbecue, we slept in Hop's house for the night.



The next morning, we met back in front of the court. Leon said to us, "You all spent the whole night with your new Pokemon, right? You getting on all right? Understanding one another? Maybe even built up a bit of love?"

The Doctor smiled. "I'm already certain that I'll be good friends with Ukiki. I'm sure that Helix and Heart have gotten to know their own Pokemon pretty good as well."

Leon smiled. "Then listen up, new Trainers of Galar! Believe in yourself and your Pokemon! If you trust in one another and carry on battling side by side long enough, then someday... you might even become worthy rivals for me, the unbeatable Champion!"

I grinned. "And the first step towards that goal..." I turned to the Doctor. "...is a Pokemon battle. Are you ready to learn the ropes of Pokemon?"

Doctor Hooves replied, "Of course, Helix. Will you please demonstrate proper battling techniques for me?"

"Yes, I will. Normally, I would battle my rival--which I consider you to be--but I believe in the saying 'watch and learn.' Besides, even though ponies have had their fair share of combat, you don't know the mechanics of Pokemon battles. So I will instead allow you to spectate as I challenge... Meloetta!"

Meloetta beamed. "Now we're talking! It's been a while since I've had a good battle. I suppose I should take on a more suitable form for this match." Meloetta began to sing, a green sphere of energy enveloping her.

Heroes of light defend against the cold of the night
It is time to unleash my might!

Behold, the tune of this grand Relic Song!
You can sing along!

Harmonic strength is powered by our bond
The show must go on!

Where Meloetta's light green Aria Forme once stood, there was now her auburn Pirouette Forme. Her hair was now wrapped up neatly in a bun, and her skirt was frilled outwards, like a ballerina. "But before we begin the battle, I feel you should check the moveset of your Pokemon."

"I always do." I held up my Rotom Phone. "Okay, Rotom. Bring up the Pokedex entry for Scorbunny and identify the moves that Hotshot currently knows."

But Rotom answered, "I'm sorry, but this phone isn't equipped with the Pokedex application. You'll have to request assistance from Roborygon instead."

"On it." Roborygon brought up a hologram of Scorbunny projected from his single black antenna, which was in the place of where a Porygon-Z's horn would be. "Scorbunny, the Rabbit Pokemon. A Fire-type, Scorbunny warms up for a battle by running around to get fire energy coursing around its body. Once it's ready to battle, the pads on its feet and nose radiate tremendous heat. Scorbunny's moveset right now consists of Tackle and Growl." He then switched to Grookey. "Grookey, the Chimp Pokemon. A Grass-type, Grookey uses its stick to rhythmically strike. The sound waves produced revitalize nearby plants. As it strikes with great speed, Grookey gets more and more pumped. Grookey's moves are Scratch and Growl." Last, he switched to Sobble. "Sobble, the Water Lizard Pokemon. A Water-type, Sobble's skin color changes when it gets wet, and it becomes invisible as if camouflaged. When it gets scared by something, it cries. Its tears have the chemical power of one hundred onions, so attackers won't be able to keep from weeping. Sobble's moves are Pound and Growl."

"I mean no offense to any of the Pokemon," Doctor Hooves said, "but those moves sound considerably weak. My own hooves are likely stronger than them! How can I increase the power of those moves?"

Roborygon replied, "Pokemon become stronger and learn new moves as they increase their level. They can increase their level by obtaining enough experience points. Pokemon get experience points by battling other Pokemon."

"That is very good to know. I feel mildly comforted now, thanks to your lecture."

Roborygon would have smiled, if he had a mouth. "That's what I do!"

Meloetta took on a battle stance while motioning towards Hotshot. "Now, have at me!"

I said, "Hotshot, use Tackle!"

Hotshot ran towards Meloetta and prepared to slam into her. However, Meloetta sidestepped to her right, causing Hotshot to pass right by her. "Whoa! Talk about quick thinking!"

"That was only the prelude to my performance! Time for the opening act!" Meloetta lunged forward and struck Hotshot with a swift kick to the face.

"Ouch! That smarts!" Hotshot exclaimed.

"Behold, a move that even Sectonia would bow down to!" Meloetta cloaked herself in light and began to charge into Hotshot.

I warned, "Jump!" Hotshot leapt right over Meloetta's Dazzling Gleam. "Now, stomp on her!" Hotshot drove his powerful feet into Meloetta's back.

The Doctor was left stunned. "Wait, but... Roborygon, you said he only knows Tackle and Growl!"

I grinned. "Pokemon are not limited to their moves. Moves are the attacks that have official names, like Secret Sword and Thunderbolt. Pokemon can still do other maneuvers. You can tell that a Trainer is having their Pokemon use a move when they say to use a move. That's the difference between using Stomp and stomping an--"

"Look out!" The Doctor warned.

Meloetta punished Hotshot with Psychic, launching him into the tree. "We can't hit pause on the action, Helix! We gotta keep up the pace!"

"I'm not backing down, either!" Meloetta sped towards Hotshot, preparing for another foot strike. "Here comes U-turn!"

I said, "Quickly, Tackle!"

Hotshot's Tackle met Meloetta's U-turn, but the latter won the duel between the moves. "This isn't looking good..." Hotshot groaned.

Having finished executing U-turn, Meloetta flipped backwards into the air. "Now it's time for Sobble to take the stage. I know you can--"

"Now's your chance, Ukiki!" The Doctor launched Ukiki with his hind hooves, and the little monkey grabbed onto Meloetta's face. "Use Scratch, and don't hold back!"

"Just doing what a monkey does!" Ukiki said as it obliged, driving Meloetta crazy.

"You mischievous little chimp!" Meloetta exclaimed in shock. "Get off me!"

The Doctor turned to me. "Now's your chance, Helix!"

I nodded. "Hotshot, use Tackle one more time!"

"Just a little bit more!" Hotshot got back on his feet, and he proceeded to run towards Meloetta.

Meloetta finally got Ukiki off of her. "Got you! Now for the--oh!" Meloetta couldn't finish her thought, because Hotshot unleashed a kick right in her face. She was thrown to the ground by the powerful foot. "You got me good, you two... You finished act one, but I was holding back so you had a chance against me. Now it's time for the real star to debut. Sobble, it's time for you to be Ukiki's training partner!"

"Oh, uh, okay." Sobble timidly walked forward to challenge Ukiki.

"What's the plan, Doc?" Ukiki asked. "I think I'm ready for a new move, but I want your ideas on what to do."

The Doctor replied, "I think it's time for you to utilize that stick of yours. It's time to make like the Pone Age ponies and try beating Sobble with it!"

"Okay!" Ukiki removed its stick from behind its tuft of fur and prepared to strike.

"Dodge it and use Pound!" Heart Fist said.

Sobble jumped to its left, narrowly avoiding the stick, before preparing to slap Ukiki with its front legs.

"Use your stick again!" This time, instead of just smacking Sobble with the stick. Ukiki thrust the stick forward, poking Sobble in the right cheek.

"Owie! That hurt!" Sobble clenched its cheek in pain.

Hop exclaimed, "Nice! Did you already know about type advantages?!"

"Pardon?" Doctor Hooves asked. "Type advantages?"

I said, "I do, but apparently my friend didn't know about type advantages." I turned to the Doctor. "There are many types, but new Trainers should always start by knowing these three types: Water beats fire, fire beats grass, and grass beats water. Ukiki must have used a Grass-type move when it attacked with its stick."

Roborygon brought up a list of Pokemon moves. "Searching move database... Doctor Hooves, it appears that your Grookey used a new Grass-type move specific to Galar: Branch Poke!"

I deadpanned. "...Out of all the Pokemon moves I've heard of, Branch Poke has to be one of the lamest."

"You won't be saying that when Grookey undergoes evolution."

I shrugged. "Good point."

"Sobble, use Pound again!" Sobble dodged another Branch Poke and landed a Pound on Ukiki's orange snout. Surprisingly, the Pound was strong enough to knock Ukiki to the edge of the court.

Hop himself winced after seeing that attack. "A critical hit! What sort of beginner's luck is that?!"

"A what?" The Doctor asked.

I explained, "That's when an attack spontaneously does significantly more damage to the opponent. There can be various causes of a critical hit, such as attacking their weak spot, having obtained a strong enough bond with their Trainer to land a critical hit, or just due to luck. But don't let that lucky shot get you down. Remember that you have the advantage!"

"Right. Ukiki, advance!" Ukiki ran back to the court and continued towards Sobble.

"Sobble, use Pound!" Sobble prepared to slap Ukiki again.

"Jump!" Ukiki suddenly leapt over Sobble, to the latter's surprise. "Use Branch Poke on its tail!" Ukiki poked his stick into Sobble's tail, on the dark tip. "Now, launch Sobble!" Ukiki proceeded to use its stick to hurl Sobble into the tree.

"Oww..." Sobble groaned before its eyes turned into swirls.

Roborygon made a boxing bell sound. "Ding ding ding! Sobble is unable to battle, so Ukiki wins! This match goes to Doctor Hooves and Helix!"

I shook the Doctor's hoof. "You did well for a beginning Trainer. Congratulations on beating Sobble and Meloetta! How did you know to distract Meloetta, giving Hotshot a chance to turn the tables?"

The Doctor chuckled nervously. "Well, actually, I didn't think about that. I merely wanted to get a feel for engaging in Pokemon battles, and I admit that it was somewhat fun. I'm sure Ukiki enjoyed it too."

"Well, I'm glad to see that you wanted to try battling."

Leon told all of us, "Nice job, everyone. You and your Pokemon all fought hard. Made me almost want to let out Charizard and join in on all the fun! Good effort out there! Why don't I get your Pokemon all sorted?"

The participants in the battle stepped forward to have Leon restore their health with Potions and Revives.

Leon turned to me. "And Helix, you've got real promise, I just know it! In fact, I have a suggestion for you: Be a real rival to Doctor Hooves, would you? Push him, so you can make the both of you stronger!"

The Doctor smiled. "That exhilarating experience makes me already want to get stronger with my new friend! I want to become as strong as I can with the help of Ukiki!"

Leon laughed. "So, you want to join the Gym Challenge? You think you're ready for the single greatest competition in the Galar region? Not putting the cart before the Rapidash there, Doctor?"

The Doctor shook his head. "We need to get as strong as we can and build an exceptional team of friends in order to conquer the threat to my home land. If the Gym Challenge is the best way to do that, then I would gladly partake in it!"

"If that's really what you want to do, you have a whole lot you need to learn about Pokemon. Before you even think about getting the Gym Badges, best to think about getting a Pokedex."

"A Pokedex?"

"That's right. A Trainer's Pokedex helps them learn lots of things about all the Pokemon out there, including their strengths and weaknesses. But it's more than just a collection of data, you know. It's a record of a Trainer's passion for Pokemon training!"

"That sounds like an incredibly useful device, Leon. I just hope they don't have a so-called touchscreen... Anyway, how can we obtain these Pokedexes?"

I replied, "During my Pokemon adventures, I was given a Pokedex by a Pokemon Professor, who can often be found in his or her Pokemon Research Laboratory. Therefore, we should go to the Pokemon Research Lab!"

Leon said, "That's the kind of know-how that a Trainer needs! I'll let the professor know to expect you. You'd better let Victor's mum know that you're heading out to say bye, though."

"Right. Okay, everyone, let's go!" The others followed me as I left Hop's--

*CRASH*

I went on high alert. "Did everyone else hear that just now?"
> Chapter 2: An Encounter of Legendary Proportions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We hurried towards where the crash came from, and the source of it was obvious. I turned to the others. "I never thought that such a woolly sheep Pokemon could break through a fence like this."

The Doctor looked at the gate in surprise. "I must admit, I'm quite impressed. Those sheep Pokemon seem to have incredibly soft bodies. Did that one really break though the wooden gate?"

Keldeo nodded. "I'm pretty sure it did. Pokemon have been underestimated so many times. I know that because Ash, Cilan, and Iris were pretty impressed when I broke through that iron gate."

I used my sharp eyesight to look further down the path now opened up. "That forest looks pretty dangerous and difficult to traverse. The poor thing could be in trouble."

Hop warned, "But the Slumbering Weald's off-limits! Nobody's supposed to go in there, not even heroic guys like you who want to rescue the Wooloo! I remember the professor's granddaughter went in once, and she came back in a real state... And that was nothing compared to the earful she got from the professor afterward!"

The Doctor replied, "But that is no excuse to allow an innocent Wooloo to get harmed! We've got to do something!"

I nodded. "We're heroes where we come from. This could be a very risky trek, but we still need to rescue that poor Wooloo!"

Roborygon said, "You're right. However, it would be wise for at least one person to stay behind and come rescue you if you need help."

"Good point." I thought about who should come with me. "...Okay. Doctor, Pummel, Roborygon, you're coming with me. Heart, Hop, we'll call you if we need help."



We entered the woods of the Slumbering Weald, which was as mysterious as the name implied. The path twisted and turned, and the dense fog did not help. The Doctor turned to me. "Where could this so-called Wooloo have gone? Do you have any ideas?"

I sighed. "It's quite stereotypical for something to wander all the way into a dark and dangerous place like this. We'll just have to take this path to the end, unless an emergency occurs."

Pummel added, "We'll have to find it fast, before the fog becomes too overwhelming for us."

"Okay. Let's go!" The Doctor proceeded to gallop along the path.

I exclaimed, "Careful! Tall grass tends to house--"

"Whoa!" The Doctor was jumped by a light gray squirrel with a dark gray tail and ears. Its cheeks were filled with something, most likely food for storage.

"--wild Pokemon... Send out your Grookey, and do battle with it!"

The squirrel yelled, "Hey! If you're after my food supply, then beat it!"

"I'm sorry?" the Doctor asked. "I don't speak squirrel."

The squirrel facepalmed. "I'm not a squirrel, dang it! You should know a Skwovet when you see one!"

"Oh, I see." I turned to the Doctor. "Apparently, that Skwovet thinks you're after its food supply, and it won't let you go without a fight."

"Understood. Go, Ukiki!" The Doctor sent out his Grookey. "Use Branch Poke!"

"All right!" Ukiki thrust his stick forward and poked Skwovet in the right cheek.

"Ptoo!" Skwovet spat out some nuts and Berry seeds due to the stick. "How dare you! I was saving those!" It then tried to tackle Ukiki, who took the blow head-on.

The Doctor looked at Skwovet in surprise. "I think that we should refrain from poking its cheeks. That seemed to make it even more irritable. Jump to the side and use Branch Poke!"

This time, Ukiki poked its stick into Skwovet's tail before throwing Skwovet onto its head using the stick as a handle. "Ow! Okay, okay, fine! I give up! Take whatever berries you want!"

I rubbed Skwovet's head. "It's okay, Skwovet. Relax, we're not here for any Berries."

It looked up at me in surprise. "Wait, what? Then why are you guys here?"

"We're here to rescue a Pokemon that wandered into the Slumbering Weald. You see a Wooloo roll by?"

Skwovet shook its head. "Nope, I was too busy gathering berries to notice if one came along. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some berries to gather!"

"Okay, good-bye!"

We left the patch of grass and moved on. After crossing the short bridge, we came across another patch of grass that was to be traversed in order to proceed. "You said that wild Pokemon live in tall grass," the Doctor said. "Any tips on how to check if a Pokemon is lurking in the grass?"

I turned to him. "Do ponies like you have a good sense of hearing?"

"Why, yes. The auditory senses of ponies are exceptional! I don't suppose that means we could hear the Pokemon moving through the grass?"

I nodded. "Indeed. I also have honed my senses, so I can tell that there's a Pokemon about ten feet away. Let us put my hypothesis to the test."

We took about five steps, and we were ambushed by another Pokemon. This one was a stout, blue bird with a black "mask" around its red eyes and gray beak, the black pattern continuing along the sides of the bird. It had a thick yellow stripe going from its belly to where its legs begin. "I'm Rookidee, and I'll be your opponent! I won't take no for an answer!"

The Doctor smiled. "Okay. Ukiki, use Branch--"

I stopped him, saying, "I'll take on Rookidee, Doctor. Your Grookey has a type disadvantage against such a Flying-type." I sent out Hotshot. "Hotshot, use Tackle!"

"Here I come!" Hotshot charged towards Rookidee.

"Nope!" Rookidee hopped to its left, dodging Hotshot's Tackle. "Time to see who's better at dodging--you, or me!" Flapping its small wings, Rookidee flew into the air and tried to use Peck on Hotshot.

"Use Ember!" Hotshot breathed an ember that struck Rookidee's beak directly.

Rookidee's beak was put ablaze. "Whew, a little too hot for my taste! Not that it matters, because I'm still gonna Peck you!" It flew towards Hotshot, but then it zipped right. "Psyche!" Having caught Hotshot off-guard, Rookidee pecked him on the back.

"Hey, that tickles!" Hotshot laughed.

The Doctor tilted his head. "Why would that tickle? It should hurt!"

I explained, "When a Pokemon is burned, it slowly takes damage, and its attacks do less damage. Additionally, Fire-type Pokemon have a resistance to fire and Fire-type moves. Hotshot, Tackle!"

"Let's try this again!" Hotshot used Tackle on Rookidee successfully, knocking it onto its rear.

"Thanks for the battle," Rookidee weakly said with a hint of happiness. "I won't let this defeat keep me from getting stronger!" It then walked away with a slight limp.

"All right. Let's keep going!" I said.

We left the tall grass and kept moving onward. After walking about ten meters, we saw another patch of tall grass ahead. We proceeded towards it when...

"ARRRRROOOOOOOHHHH!!!" A mighty howl pierced the silence.

"That sounded like a Pokemon!" Pummel exclaimed. "And from the sound of it, this one's really tough!" He stepped forward. "I think I'd better take the lead."

We walked a few more feet into the tall grass, and we were ambushed by a Skwovet. "You better not be after my food!"

The Doctor asked, "Didn't we just do battle with you?"

Skwovet raised an eyebrow. "What's that? I don't remember fighting the likes of you... Wait a minute, you must've been the one who bullied my little brother!"

I sighed. "That's the thing about Pokemon; individuals of a species tend to look the same, save for those with different forms or easily noticeable gender differences."

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, I see. I suppose we'll have to battle this one, too?"

Before I could answer, Hotshot punted the Skwovet away. "Team Helix, three! Team Wild, zero!"

We looked at Hotshot in surprise. After a long pause, I said, "...That's the strongest critical hit I've witnessed from a level 7 Pokemon."

We walked out of the tall grass and only got a few meters when...

"ARRRROOOOOOOOHH!!"

I turned to the others. "Stay on your guard. I feel that we're getting close."

We went from walking to running, and we ran a few hundred meters ahead, where the fog was even more dense. "Visibility levels are becoming slim," Roborygon said. "Engaging thermal vision."

"I can see now why this area is off-limits..." the Doctor said with a hint of fear. "I can't even see my own hoof in front of my face!"

We looked around in caution, wary of what could attack us. Even with my sharp eyesight, I had great trouble seeing. I closed my eyes, concentrating on using my other senses to find danger. Then... "Something's at twelve o'clock!" I exclaimed.

We looked straight forward, and two canine Pokemon stood before us. One was indigo; it had long orange-brown braids along each side of its body. The other was deep crimson, with a dark indigo tuft of head fur and tail. The tip of the indigo one's right ear and the tip of the crimson one's left ear were missing for some reason.

The Doctor began to send out Grookey, but I stopped him. "Wait. We don't know if it is hostile to us." I calmly looked at the two Pokemon. "Hello, resident of the Galar region. My name is Helix, and these are my friends, Doctor Hooves, Pummel Fist, and Roborygon. Have you seen a Wooloo come by?"

"..." The Pokemon did not respond. Then they roared, "Lrrroooaaarrrd!!!" "Grrrrrrriiieeeld!!!"

"I don't understand. As a Pokemon, I should be able to understand these fellow Pokemon." I took on a battle stance. "And it seems like they doesn't want to negotiate. They seem like very powerful Pokemon, so I will take them on myself!" I plucked an arrow quill and fired it at the indigo Pokemon using the tension created by my bow-like vine.

However, a familiar blue paw grabbed the quill before it hit its target. "Stop, Helix!" The blue vulpine to whom the paw belonged turned to us. "This strange creature... it has no aura! We stand before something that either is not alive or does not even exist!"

"There is but one way to determine these creatures' existence, Lucario. Activating Ghost-type schematics!" Roborygon changed color, so that he had a black body with purple highlights. His eyes were now white. "Initiating Shadow Ball module." He charged up a purple ball of energy and fired it at the red creature. But the blast of shadow energy went right through the beast, only causing it to ripple. The creature's gaze was fixed on us. "Unbelievable! Shadow Ball had no effect?!"

Lucario groaned, "It's just as I thought. These beings... must be an illusion. We should leave."

I nodded. "Agreed. Let's go!" We tried to flee, but we couldn't. "What's this? It's as if an invisible force is not allowing me to leave!"

"I have the same problem!" the Doctor replied.

"Me too!" Pummel said.

"What are these abominable monsters?!" Lucario exclaimed with a mixture of fear and rage.

"It appears there's only one way out of this. Time for Leaf Blade!" I flew towards the indigo creature and slashed at it with my arrow quill. Still, it had no effect. "This monster... we have no chance of victory!"

"Lrrroooaaarrrd!!!" "Grrrrrriiiieeeeeld!!!" The creatures howled, and more fog rolled in. It was becoming even harder to see.

"I'll contact the others! We need as much assistance as possible!" Roborygon buzzed and whirred, but he sighed. "I can't reach anyone. Something's tampering with my long-range communication features!"

"How can we even fight if we can't even...!" Then I had an idea. I reached into the TM/HM case in my coat--which was outfitted with a hammerspace dimension split into various sectors, each sector in a different pocket--and pulled out the fifth disc my feathered fingers felt. "Trainers have the Poke Dude Show, but I wonder what Pokemon have... Roborygon, time to load a Hidden Machine."

"Excellent! Preparing Teachy TV disc container." Roborygon stretched his beak and split it along the middle horizontally. I inserted the disc, and Roborygon closed his beak. From his antenna came video footage from 2006. I could tell it was from 2006 because of the fairly pixelated graphics, the dense fog, and the thin rope connecting two plateaus near the black and white bird in the center of the picture. I concentrated hard on the bird because I needed to learn the technique to be taught by the video.

"Hey there!" The bird said. "I'm today's host of the Pokepals Show, Starry the Staravia! How are all my feathered friends out there? Ready to learn a new move? I can't hear you! ...'Course, I wouldn't be able to anyway, because this isn't filmed in front of a live audience. Anyway, today I'm gonna teach you how to use Defog!" Starry motioned towards the background. "Having trouble seeing with fog like this? No problem! You got wings for a reason! Don't look at them just yet, because you've still got to watch mine! Stretch those bad boys out like this, then..." Starry thrust his wings towards the fog, flapping like his life depended on it. "...just BLOW that fog outta here!" He then waved to the camera. "Remember, all you wind masters out there: a smart move a day brings happiness to stay!"

"Episode H5 completed!" I retrieved HM5 and returned it to my TM case.

"Okay, time to put this to the test. Defog!" I stretched my wings out as instructed, then I aimed my gusts at the fog and blew as hard as I could. The fog dissipated, but only for a moment. I stepped back in fear. "Oh no, it came back!"

The Pokemon roared, and the fog grew even thicker. "I can't see a thing!" the Doctor exclaimed.

Lucario said, "There is still one thing left to do... absolutely nothing."

The Doctor was taken aback. "What?! How will that help?!"

"I'm glad you asked. Doing nothing is what made a friend of ours famous. He is a mighty ghost-hunting warrior who will not back down from rescuing his friends..."

Just then, the fog began to rush into a very narrow area, and we were soon able to see. "Come on, let's-a go!"

We ran towards the source of the voice, which was also where the fog was disappearing towards. By the time we could easily see, we saw a portly man in a green cap and long-sleeved shirt, as well as blue overalls. He was using a red vacuum to suck up the fog.

Lucario smiled. "...Luigi! I knew you would come to rescue us!"

Luigi smiled back. "Heart Fist called me to find you all, because she was getting nervous about how long you've been gone. You alright?"

The Doctor replied, "Yes, we are, thanks to you and Heart Fist!"

"Doctor! Helix!" Suddenly, Leon came rushing up to us. He seemed quite upset by our actions. "You had me worried sick! I'd been waiting ages for you and your pals Pummel and Roborygon, and you never showed! Why would you wander into the Slumbering Weald like that?! It's out of bounds!"

"Guys, I found the Wooloo!" Pummel came to us carrying a Wooloo. "Good thing it isn't injured. Although I wouldn't understand how it could get injured by physical attacks; the wool could probably make anything bounce off of it!"

"That makes sense. I admit, it took courage to come in here all the same. And I can understand well enough why you did it. You did good, all of you!"

Pummel continued, "But still, we'd better get out of here while we can, before those strange Pokemon come back and the place gets foggy again! We almost fainted because of that!"

Leon looked at Pummel with curiosity. "Strange Pokemon? What are you talking about, Pummel?"

"You'd never believe me. They were canine Pokemon of some sort, and one looked indigo in color while the other was red. When they howled, more fog came in. And when we tried to attack them, our moves went right through them, literally! It's like the Pokemon were made of air, and all that it did when it was attacked was make ripples throughout its body!"

Leon crossed his arms in thought. "Your moves passed right through them? So, the fearsome Pokemon they say live in the Slumbering Weald... Are they actually illusions or something?"

I shook my head. "Can illusions prohibit one's attempts at escape?"

"Good point. Get strong enough and maybe you could be the ones to reveal the truth someday. For now, let's do as Pummel suggested and get out of this place. You'll be all right now that I'm here with you!"

Still carrying the Wooloo, Pummel said, "Sure, we got lectured by the Champion, but this was an amazing experience! This makes a great start to our adventure!"

And so, we left the woods to return to Postwick.



We met up with the rest of the group, and Lucario said, "Our apologies for making you wait. Two unique Pokemon stood in our path, and it's a good thing that you called Luigi to rescue us. Go on ahead, everyone. I'll tell Victor's mum that you're all off to Wedgehurst before I catch up. She would go crazy if nobody told her what happened."

I asked, "Before we go on, I must know something: Why isn't Kirby with you?"

He explained, "The poor pink puffball's still trying to hunt down Faust. He's still sore that he won't be able to see the ponies he knows and loves anymore. The only reason I left him is to spare the writer. She never did anything wrong, and I'm hoping that one of two things happens: either Kirby's anger dies out before reaching her, or he comes to like the new generation and thanks her."

"That's a good idea, Lucario. Okay, we'll see you later!"

We continued to Route 1, where we saw patches of grass on the east path. At this point, Pummel and Heart had already gone ahead and began without me and the Doctor. "Which path should we take?" the Doctor asked me.

I replied, "I believe it's always better to take the path that will give our Pokemon a chance to get stronger. Besides, the path straight north is blocked." Four sleeping Wooloo were laying in a horizontal line across the path. "I respect the privacy of sleeping creatures, so I'd rather not wake them up anyway. Let's take on whatever wild Pokemon jump out at us in the tall grass!"

"Okay. Then onward into the tall grass!"

So we proceeded along the east path, taking on a few Skwovet and Rookidee in the process. As I finished battling my second Skwovet, though...

"I beg your pardon, sir, but might I have a moment of your time?" I used my sharp eyesight once more, and I saw a fairly small larva Pokemon in the grass. It had an indigo neck, top half of its large head, and bottom half of its abdomen. The center of its abdomen was yellow, and it appeared to have a yellow bow tie.

I bent down to the larva. "Of course. My name is Helix. How can I help you?"

The larva said in its helium-like voice, "Thank you very much for offering your aid, Helix. My name is Blipbug, and I am collecting information on various species of Pokemon. However, I am finding trouble with getting close enough to study them, for my species appears to be rich in nutrients."

"If it's knowledge you want..." I pointed to myself. "...then you have asked the right Trainer. I am also on a hunt for as much knowledge as I can obtain. Speaking of which, I would like to know why you asked an owl Pokemon for assistance. Are not owls predators to insects?"

Blipbug nodded. "True, but your scientific attire alluded to the fact that you were filled to the brim with useful information. In my experience, beings that thrive on knowledge tend to be less hostile towards other insightful beings."

"I am glad to know that you are trusting of me. If you don't mind, I have a request for you..." I reached into my right exterior coat pocket. "...Oh, of all the times I could have emptied my Poke Ball Pocket! I hadn't expected to go on a Pokemon adventure."

"Helix! Doctor Hooves!" Lucario came back with something in each of his paws. "Victor's mum said for you to have these. You'll need them for the Gym Challenge." He gave each of us five Poke Balls. "You can't catch 'em all, as they say, without Poke Balls."

The Doctor asked, "Thank you, but how do I use a Poke Ball to catch a Pokemon?"

Lucario facepawed. "It's as simple as throwing it so that it makes contact with the Pokemon you wish to catch. You should have no problems catching that Grubbin."

"Very well, then. Go, Poke Ball!" The Doctor tossed the Poke Ball at the gray larva with the orange head and pincers. It hit the larva's head and opened up, causing the larva to be turned into blue energy that rushed into the ball. It rocked once, twice, three times... click! "Helix, is that a good sign?"

I grinned as I looked at the Blipbug that was now securely in my own Poke Ball. "Yes. When the Poke Ball clicks shut, you know you've caught the Pokemon."

"And another thing..." Lucario handed each of us P30,000 worth of Pokemon Dollars. "This is the currency of the Pokemon world, Doctor. It's known as the Pokemon Dollar, or Poke Dollar, if you prefer. And before you express your surprise at how much I gave you, you should know that most items have prices that are multiples of 100 or 1000."

"I appreciate the information, Lucario. Now, let us proceed!"

Before leaving the tall grass, I found another Rookidee, this one not even trying to hide in the tall grass. After battling it, I added the battle-hungry Flying-type to my team. Just three more Pokemon, and I'd have a full team...

"Helix, can you tell me what this is?" The Doctor showed me a purple spray bottle.

I replied, "That's a Potion. You can use Potions to restore Pokemon's health. Different kinds of Potions restore different amounts of health. As the most basic of them, this Potion restores a small amount of health. Where did you find it, anyway?"

The Doctor pointed between the patch of grass that we were in and the next patch. "I found it over there, inside of that curiously large Poke Ball."

I walked over to the large Poke Ball. "Personally, I prefer to call them containers, so as to avoid confusing them with actual Poke Balls."

"I have to agree with your logic. And would it be safe to--hey, come back here!" While the Doctor was talking, a red and brown fox with black paws, a large tail, and black ears stole his Potion and began to make off with it.

The fox snickered. "If you want it, you're gonna have to catch me first!"

I prepared to fire a Spirit Shackle, but I discovered that the sun had reached its peak, so that the fox's shadow was directly below itself. "Darn, I can't strike its shadow at that angle."

Luigi motioned to the Doctor. "Give me a boost!"

"Okay, Luigi!" The Doctor bent down to give the green Mario brother a footstool to jump on to.

"Oh, yeah! Let's-a go!" Luigi cupped his hands together, and blue electricity formed between them. He then used the Doctor's back as a footstool to jump even higher. Once he reached the peak of his jump, Luigi launched the orb down at the fox, and the orb exploded in a burst of lightning. "You can't run from the Thunder Bro!"

The fox let go of the Potion with a groan. "Well, looks like this Nickit couldn't knick it..."

"This one's mine!" The Doctor tossed a Poke Ball that consumed the Nickit. It rocked one, twice, thrice... click! "Just a few minutes into our adventure, and I've already caught two Pokemon!"

I said, "Nice job, Doctor. And yes, it would be safe to expect more of those containers throughout our adventure. I've found them in all the other seven regions I've been to."

After defeating a Grubbin and catching a Wooloo, I came across another container next to the wall in a bare patch. This one held two yellow bottles with a spray cap. I gave them to the Doctor. "Here, these are Paralyze Heals. They help Pokemon recover from paralysis caused by electric attacks or contact with a Pokemon that has the Static Ability."

"Ability?"

I explained, "Every Pokemon has their own Ability. Different Pokemon have different Abilities, but some Pokemon can have the same Ability, much like some Pokemon can learn the same moves. However, Pokemon can only have one Ability. This ability affects the way they battle. For instance, the Overgrow Ability boosts the power of a Pokemon's Grass-type moves when it is low on health, and a Pokemon with the Static Ability inflicts paralysis on those who make direct contact with it."

The Doctor laughed. "What would I ever do without you?"

I smiled. "If you ever need information and I'm not around, ask your Rotom Phone. It's a vital source of knowledge. And yes, I knew that was a rhetorical question."

After catching a Skwovet, I followed the Doctor out of the grass and returned to the main path. We crossed the stone bridge and made our way to Wedgehurst. Several people were outside, and we supposed they were fans; they were saying things like "The Champion's here!" and "It's the ultimate Charizard!" We followed their gaze to a large building with a purple roof and a Poke Ball symbol on the front.

We ran to the building, and Leon was standing in front of it. "Well done! You two reached the goal and managed to find the Pokemon Research Lab! You did a far sight better than I did my first time. I'm hopeless with directions."

The Doctor laughed. "It's a good thing you have that Charizard to help you. Truth is, I'm feeling a lot more confident now that I've got Pokemon with me. My world has grown so much!"

"Glad to see that, Doctor! Now, in we go!"



The interior of the Pokemon Research Laboratory was incredibly vast. The far walls were lined with bookshelves that even required stairs to reach all the books. In the far left corner, there was a window that stretched from floor to ceiling, behind which we could see various kinds of plant life.

Pummel looked around in awe. "So this is the Pokemon Research Laboratory... The Professor must have a great taste for interior design!"

"That's something the both of us can agree on," Leon replied. "Everything in here looks fascinating..."

"Hi there!" a high-pitched voice yapped. We looked down and saw a stout little puppy with a short lightning bolt-shaped tail, a thick yellow band around its neck (probably an electric sac), very short legs, and light green irises with a diamond-shaped reflection. It ran to Leon. "Glad to see ya, Leon!"

"What is it today, Leon?" Up on the second floor stood a young woman with a brown leather coat, a green undershirt, orange sunglasses on her head, and orange hair with a ponytail on the right. "Looking for info on another never-before-seen, superstrong Pokemon? I wish you'd stop it with these outlandish requests."

As she walked down the stairs to talk to us, Leon looked at the puppy. "Good to see you, too, Yamper!" He turned to us. "Yamper here is a real champ when it comes to helping you find your way around. He came to my rescue plenty of times back in the day, when I got lost on the road. Oh yeah, and that's his Trainer, Sonia. What can I say about Sonia? Well, I like the way she cooks. She makes food you can gobble down in a flash."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's it?"

"Seriously! You should try her food. She's the best at cooking!"

Sonia scoffed, "Tsk. What kind of an introduction is that? Did you forget we were rivals during our Gym Challenge? It wasn't just Yamper helping you out. I did, too." She looked at us and smiled. "Anyway, nice to meet you all! Name's Sonia. I'm the professor's assistant."

The Doctor looked at her in confusion. "The professor's assistant? Well then, where's the professor? I was told that Pokemon Professors tend to stay in their laboratory."

"Professor Magnolia? She's up in the purple house on Route 2. You can't miss it."

"Oh, thanks for telling us."

I said, "My apologies if my colleague Doctor Hooves appeared to be somewhat rude when he asked of the professor's whereabouts. My name is Helix, and these are Pummel, Roborygon, Lucario, and Heart Fist. The art of Pokemon training is very new to the Doctor. We all wish to take on the Gym Challenge, but the Doctor and I are in great need of taking it on; we need as much help as we can to conquer a villain that will soon rampage around the Doctor's home planet. Could you set us on the right path, particularly the Doctor?"

As if that was a prompt for him, Leon followed Yamper away from our conversation. Sonia sighed. "What does he think I am? He's always got his head in the clouds. It's no wonder he gets lost all the time." She noticed Heart Fist taking a picture of the lab with her phone. "Oh. Looks like you've got a Rotom Phone."

I took out mine. "We all do." The Doctor took out his, and Pummel took out his. "Except for Roborygon, of course. As a multipurpose robot based off of Porygon-Z, he has no need for a Rotom Phone." I held my phone up, and it began to float. "Say hi, Rotom."

My Rotom Phone obliged. "Greetings, Sonia!"

Sonia said, "Those Rotom Phones are handy little things, aren't they? They've got a map and a navigation tool. That said, Leon still gets lost, so..." As Rotom returned to my pocket, Sonia snapped back to the matter at hand. "Oh, sorry. So tell me, do you know a lot about Pokemon?"

Pummel and I smiled. "You bet!" we both said.

Sonia smiled. "Well said! In that case, I'll make it so that you can use the Pokedex on your Rotom Phones!"

We all offered our phones, including the Doctor. "I would like you to allow me to use the Pokedex on my own Rotom Phone, too, if you don't mind. I'm only a novice when it comes to Pokemon, after all."

His Rotom Phone replied, "Actually, since Victor took on the Gym Challenge, he already got me equipped with the Pokedex function."

"Oh, right. Didn't think about that."

"No worries, Doctor." Sonia took our phones and tinkered with them. "Let's see... Poke App Store... Pokedex application, and... installed!" She returned our Rotom Phones. "Just so you know, those Pokedex applications are a gift from my gran! Could you let Gran know that you received the Pokedexes? She's the professor."

"Okay." We proceeded to leave the lab, Roborygon staying behind to check it out and read the books to learn more about Galar.



When we exited the house, a man in a gray shirt stopped us. "Hey there, Trainers! Sorry to stop you. You just left the Pokemon Lab, right? So that means you've all got a Pokedex, yeah? I love talking to new Trainers and giving them useful stuff." He gave each of us a Potion. "You know what a Potion does?"

The Doctor nodded. "Helix told me that it restores the health or stamina of a Pokemon."

"Yep! You can even use Potions during battle." The man smiled. "Knowledge is power! It's a good idea to talk to lots of different people and read everything you can on your journey!" Then he walked away and did his own thing.

"He sounded like he knew his stuff. I'm going to follow his example." The Doctor proceeded to enter the first house he came to.

I sighed. "There's an easier way to do this. Rotom, call Roborygon and put him on video chat."

"Okay." My Rotom Phone rang a few times, then Roborygon appeared on the screen.

"Hello, Helix! Did you know that Yamask here in Galar evolve into a different species than the one you're familiar with? The books here say that is possible."

"I didn't know that. Thanks. But the reason why I called is because I want to complete this adventure to one hundred percent without having to peek into every household. Can you transmit a map of the places in Galar that have something to offer, such as an item or a Pokemon, or even a battle?"

"Of course. I am preparing it right now." After about fifteen seconds, he said, "Transmission completed. Enjoy your 100% completion adventure!"

After hanging up, I went north past the train station, and Hop was at a fork in the road; the left path went towards a flower shop, and the right path led to a building with a red motif and a Poke Ball symbol above the door. "Hello, Hop. The Doctor and I got our Rotom Phones upgraded with the Pokedex application. Now we can record information on all sorts of Pokemon!"

Hop smiled. "Then it's time to meet lots of different Pokemon and start building up a strong team! But battling strong Pokemon in the wild can leave your team in a bad way, not to mention what battling another Trainer can do, but you already know that stuff as a professional Trainer, right?"

"Right. And that's why we've got Pokemon Centers!"

Doctor Hooves exited the Wedgehurst train station and met up with us. "Helix, have you found out anything good?"

I nodded. "You're right on time, because Hop is going to teach us about Pokemon Centers."

"Right you are, Helix!" Hop turned towards the red building. "Lucky for us, they're dead easy to spot. They look the same wherever you go. Come on, Doctor, bet you've never been inside one!"



The interior of the Pokemon Center was split into three different counters. Straight ahead of us was the most iconic part of a Pokemon Center: the pink-haired Nurse Joy standing in front of a machine with slots for six Poke Balls. Behind that was a large blue screen. To the left was some sort of a cafe. At the counter was a man wearing a plaid shirt and a yellow bow tie. His Pokemon partner was some kind of furry, dark indigo, bipedal... maid? To the right of the center counter was a man in a blue vest, behind whom were shelves of useful items. Between the cafe and the recovery counter was a white and pink computer embedded into the wall. On top of that computer was a spherical white object with a black center of its Rotom-like face and two appendages similar to gloves, with pink ends.

I turned to the Doctor. "This must be your first time in a Pokemon Center, correct?"

He replied, "Well, this is my first time in the Pokemon world overall, so..."

"Then the future Champion's got you covered!" Future Champion, huh? I wouldn't be so sure of that. Regardless, Hop pointed towards Nurse Joy. "First things first--you talk to Nurse Joy at that counter if you want your Pokemon healed up." He walked to the computer. "And Pokemon you catch are kept in computers like this one, see? After all, you can only bring six Pokemon with you on the road in your party." Finally, he showed us the right counter. "The Poke Mart sells all kinds of useful items, like Potions and Poke Balls. Their Potions got me out of a real rough spot the other day!"

A teenager next to the counter of the cafe turned to us. "If you all are Pokemon Trainers, you might want to buy some Potions before you head out!"

"Thanks," I said, "but I'm good. I brought some healing items with me."

Hop said to us, "I'm heading to Route 2! Come find me when you're done here!" Then he ran out the door.

I followed him, but not before healing my Pokemon and purchasing ten Poke Balls, and getting a free Premier Ball as a bonus for buying ten Poke Balls in one purchase.



Before I proceeded to Route 2, I went to the boutique and found a container holding a Clefairy doll to the west of it; a Poke Doll, as they're called. Then I went north and found Hop along the path. He said, "Listen, you said you wanted to take on the Gym Challenge, right?"

"Right. Can you tell me more about it?" I called the Doctor with my Rotom Phone. "Doctor, you'll want to hear this."

Hop said, "The Gym Challenge, mate! The annual competition where Trainers can battle it out for the right to challenge the Champion! But the trick is that you've got to be endorsed if you want to take part. Lee endorsed me about a year back, and I tried to take on the Gym Challenge, but Victor beat me and challenged the champ himself. You heard that Victor lost?"

I replied, "Yeah, but he's planning to join the Gym Challenge again this year. He said he's got a trick up his sleeve."

The Doctor asked, "So, an endorsement? How can we be endorsed, and who has the authority to do so?"

Hop answered, "I'm thinking the professor could help get you an endorsement! Hey, you could be rivals with Heart and Pummel! A proper rival is just the thing every Trainer needs to keep growing stronger, after all. Keeps you motivated, right?"

"Oh, I know all about having rivals!" Pummel came racing towards us alongside Keldeo, Heart, and Roborygon. "I've had rivalries with people such as May, Silver, Barry, Hugh, and especially Helix and my mom!"

"Glad to see you're pumped up about having a rival! The professor's house is way down at the end of Route 2, so let's head there... and give our teams a chance to train up a bit along the way!" With that, Hop ran off to Route 2.

I soon followed him, but something caught my eye as I got to the stairs. "Hmm, what's this?" I walked towards the rock to the left of the stairs, and I saw something glittering. I bent over and picked it up, then I could tell that it was a yellow octahedron with pointed ends, like two rectangular pyramids attached by their base. I tossed it towards Heart, who caught it. "Take that Revive and give it to the Doctor when he catches up to you. Be sure to explain that it restores half the health of a fainted Pokemon."

"Sure thing," Heart replied.

I proceeded down the stairs, crossing a bridge soon after. I saw a sign with the number 02 on it, signifying that I had entered Route 2. When I passed the sign, I found Hop up ahead next to a patch of tall grass. He waved to us. "Over here, guys! It's time we filled in our teams a bit--"

Just then, Leon came rushing to the group, startling Hop. "And I'm here to show you how! You'll need to catch Pokemon if you've got any hope of filling in those Pokedexes of yours."

"Lee?! Where'd you come from?"

Paying no attention to Hop's question, Leon looked at the Poke Balls on the Doctor's outside pockets of his backpack. "Only... look at you, Doctor! You've already caught some on your own!"

"Thanks, but I got a little help..." the Doctor sheepishly replied while looking towards Lucario.

Lucario shook his head. "Don't be modest, my timely colleague. You caught two without my advice on throwing Poke Balls. All I did was teach you how to throw one and give you and Helix five each, the Poke Balls gifts from Victor's mum."

Leon said, "His mum gave you those Poke Balls, did she? I'll give you some more Poke Balls. In return, I'll only ask that you catch plenty of Pokemon! The Pokemon around here seem pretty easy to catch, almost like they're itching to join some Trainer's team, am I right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. In fact, the first Pokemon I caught here was a Blipbug, and it wanted to join my team in order to obtain knowledge on various Pokemon itself!"

"Nice! So, here you go!" Leon handed each of us... twenty Poke Balls? He must make a lot of cash as Champion. "The Pokemon on your team will get experience points when you catch Pokemon, too. And of course, they get experience from battling, so take on the other Trainers you meet along the way to help your Pokemon get stronger. Your team will keep on changing and growing as you get stronger together, no doubt. But that's something even I don't know exactly how yet! Show your Champion something good, all right?"

We nodded. "Got it." Leon and Hop ran ahead along the route, leaving us to do our own thing.

The Doctor beamed. "With all these Poke Balls, I'll catch as many different species of Pokemon as I can! I'm sure even the professor will be impressed!"

We continued onward, taking on a few Skwovet in the first patch of grass. A Nickit I fought seemed to be giving off a yellow aura, and I felt as if I had done something brilliant when I caught it. In the next patch, I accidentally defeated a Caterpie, which disappointed me. Suddenly...

"BANZAI!!!" A racoon Pokemon with black and white stripes and a black band across its eyes ambushed the Doctor. "C'mon, put 'em up!"

"Yikes!" The Doctor jumped back in shock. "This little Pokemon is pretty feisty! What should I do?"

I chuckled. "Relax, Doctor. It's just a little Zigzagoon. These little rascals are no problem." I bent down to the surprisingly hyper Zigzagoon. "Look, this one can't even touch a Ghost-type like me. All a low-level Zigzagoon like this could do is use Normal-type attacks and Sand Attack--" I was interrupted when it suddenly opened its mouth and let its long tongue graze my left cheek. "...Galarian Zigzagoon can use Lick, a Ghost-type move?!"

My Rotom Phone got right to work. "Zigzagoon, Galar form, the Tiny Racoon Pokemon. A Dark- and Normal-type, it restlessly runs around, running into any Pokemon it sees in an attempt to start a fight."

I gasped, "A Dark-type?! I hate to do this, but..." I sent out Blipbug. "...it's your turn. You have any good Bug-type moves?"

He sighed. "I have but one move: Struggle Bug. I do hope it will suffice for my first battle."

"It should. Struggle Bug!" Blipbug became surrounded in a dark blue aura.

"I'm gonna tackle you to the curb!" Zigzagoon charged towards Blipbug.

"Now!" The aura then burst outwards, shoving Zigzagoon several meters away.

Blipbug watched his successful attack in awe. "That was incredible! Perhaps my Struggle Bug attack landed a critical hit?"

I smiled. "I believe so. Now, go, Poke Ball!" I threw the Poke Ball at the stunned Zigzagoon, and after rocking three times, it clicked shut. "Now I've got a Galar form Pokemon!" The Poke Ball shrank back to golf ball size.

"What happened to your Poke Ball?" the Doctor asked.

I explained, "As was said earlier, Trainers can only have up to six Pokemon on their team. All other caught Pokemon will be rendered useless and must be sent to a PC like the computer in the Pokemon Center."

Just then, a strange ring-shaped portal opened up. A disembodied, purple, mitten-like hand reached out from the other side. It floated with its palm upwards, as if waiting to be given something.

The Doctor watched the hand in sheer horror. "Helix... what is THAT?!"

I looked at the hand calmly. "Trust me, this is actually a friend of mine. He must want to help me by taking one of the Pokemon I have to the PC. I'll narrow my choice down to types. I have two Normal-types now, so I'll part with one of them. Between Wooloo and Skwovet, I'll give him..." I handed the hand a Poke Ball. "...Skwovet." The hand disappeared inside the portal, which also disappeared.

"Are you sure this creature is trustworthy?"

"Definitely!" Keldeo replied. "He's helped us out in a bunch of tough situations! However, he can be a little mischievous at times..."

I sighed as I thought back to his antics. "And sometimes his mischief gets a little out of hand. Remember when he thought it was a good idea to prank the Heat Master?"

Pummel laughed. "Oh man, he really had it coming! Not that I don't think that the most fiery Charizard ever was asking for it. Now, if he was Dynamaxed, then the little troublemaker would be nothing but ashes."

The Doctor asked, "How exactly was the prank pulled on the Charizard? I don't understand the true reasoning behind your laughter besides the fact that it was a prank."

I opened my right wing with a smirk. "It would have been more in the prankster's favor if Charizard's nostrils didn't have such an... infernal reaction to the feather used to tickle him."

"I admit, that is quite a humorous--and foolish--prank to pull. But what is the name of the pranking creature?"

I chuckled. "You'll find out eventually. He always refers to himself in the third person, so you'll know his name if he pranks you, which will inevitably happen. For now, let us proceed."

I left the tall grass, leaving the Doctor to catch a Rookidee, and further ahead, I saw a young boy dressed in a red shirt and black shorts. Our eyes met. He said, "It's common manners for Pokemon Trainers to battle when their eyes meet. I'm Jake, and I hope you're ready to take on Skwovet!" Jake sent out his Skwovet.

"Go, Hotshot! Use Ember!" Hotshot fired a burst of flame at Skwovet.

"Use Tail Whip!" Skwovet used its large tail to block the Ember. "Bet you didn't know he could do that!"

I nodded. "That's a clever use of such an attack. But I've got even more clever maneuvers. Use Quick Attack!"

"It's go fast or go home for me!" Hotshot became outlined in white as he rapidly sped around Skwovet, confounding it. "Say when, Helix!"

I patiently anticipated the right time. "Wait for it, wait for it... Now!"

"Yeah!" Hotshot suddenly rammed into Skwovet.

"Again!"

Hotshot used Quick Attack again, bringing Skwovet close to defeat. "No, Skwovet!"

I grinned. "Ember!" Hotshot fired another Ember, this one hitting its target and defeating Skwovet.

Jake groaned in exasperation. "Whenever there's a strong Trainer, I always look right at them... Since you won, I guess I've got to give you this." He gave me P360.

The Doctor looked at me in confusion. "Why did he give you his money?"

I explained, "It's traditional for Trainers like us. Whenever a Trainer loses to another Trainer, he or she gives the winner some prize money. But since you're a novice Trainer, I won't force you to give me your money if we fight and you lose. Besides, I don't need more money since I brought some along to Equestria in case they would trade my cash for bits that can be used to purchase the local amenities. You can take the Poke Dollars that I won."

He smiled. "Thanks, Helix!"

"No problem."

In the next patch, I defeated the third Blipbug I had encountered so far on my adventure. On the left side of the path onward was a red sign. I chose to read it. "Trainer Tips," it began.

I motioned to the Doctor. "See this sign, Doctor? It's a Trainer Tips sign. They always offer useful information, so you might want to read it."

As the Doctor read the sign, I passed the container for him to purge before I jumped down the ledge to the other side of the path. Seeing the grass that I passed rustle, I ran back and caught a Seedot--an acorn-like Pokemon--and a Purrloin, a deceiving purple cat Pokemon. I sent Nickit and Purrloin to the PC. I then proceeded back up the path and noticed that the Doctor had jumped the ledge and gotten ahead of me. He was searching the next patch of grass, on the right side of the fork in the road.

"I wonder what could--Ow!" the Doctor screamed. He turned around and saw that a small blue turtle Pokemon with an orange horn and cheeks had clamped down on his tail. "Now that's just rude! Show him some manners, Ukiki!" His Grookey poked the Pokemon a couple of times before the Doctor caught it. "Rotom, time to see what I caught!"

"Okay!" The Doctor's Rotom Phone brought up the Pokemon. "Chewtle, the Snapping Pokemon. A Water-type, Chewtle feels the urge to chomp on anything in front of it because of its need to teethe."

"I see. Well, that makes seven Pokemon, since I also caught a Skwovet and a Lotad. I'd better send Lotad to the PC, since I already have a Grass-type."

The Doctor took the right path, which ended in a container and a ledge which led further along the left path, which I took. I walked through the next patch of grass behind a Lass, whom I allowed the Doctor to battle. While in the grass, I defeated a Hoothoot, knowing that more of those owl Pokemon would appear at night, and I heard the Doctor's joyful shout of victory.

Further along the path, I let the Doctor take on the third and last Trainer before the professor's house, a Youngster like Jake. At this point, he was skillfully using type advantages, taking down the Blipbug with Rookidee's Peck and defeating Nickit with Grubbin's Bug Bite.

"Lose to wild Pokemon... Lose to many Trainers..." the Youngster sighed before giving up his prize money.

After crossing the bridge, there was a patch of grass to our right and a court to our left. But further to our left... "Look!" I pointed past the court, towards a shadow in the lake. "Whenever you see a shadow like that in water, then you can fish for a Pokemon there! Doctor, does your backpack have a Fishing Rod in it?"

"Let me see." The Doctor took off the backpack and opened it up. He soon took out a fishing pole. "Nice to see that Victor was prepared to fish! Any tips, Helix?"

"Yes. When you feel the rod shake, that's your cue to reel in the catch. Some Pokemon can only be caught while fishing, just as some can only be caught by encounters in tall grass or in caves." I demonstrated by casting my line into another shadow nearby. After about twenty seconds, I felt the rod shake. I reeled in a Pokemon, and I smiled when I saw that I reeled in a Magikarp. For me, it's the greatest Pokemon I could catch by means of fishing. I caught it without hesitation, sending Wooloo to the PC.

"Okay. Let's see how my first attempt at fishing fares for me." He cast his line with exceptional skill, and the lure landed right in the middle of the shadow. After about fifteen seconds, the water showed signs of agitation, and the lure fell below the surface. "Whoa!" The Doctor had some trouble hanging onto the rod, but he succeeded in pulling the Pokemon out and onto the surface of the water. Unfortunately, the Pokemon cloaked itself in water and slammed into him. "Ow!"

It tried to get away, but I used Spirit Shackle and pinned its shadow down while it was in the air. As it was suspended, we discovered that it was a new Pokemon: a long, thin fish with a predominantly brown body, a pointed jaw, and an egg-white chin. My Rotom Phone immediately got to work. "Arrokuda, the Rush Pokemon. A Water-type, Arrokuda will charge at anything that moves, leading with its sharply pointed jaw. It's very proud of its jaw."

The Doctor shook his head. "That can't be right. My Rotom Phone's Pokedex has a different entry."

His own Rotom Phone said, "After eating its fill, Arrokuda become very sluggish in terms of movement. That is when its main predator, Cramorant, swallows it up." It then switched to a blue stork Pokemon. "Cramorant, the Gulp Pokemon. A Water- and Flying-type, it swallows Arrokuda whole. Occasionally, it makes a mistake and tries to swallow a Pokemon that isn't its preferred prey."

My Rotom Phone offered different information: "Cramorant is so strong that it can knock out opponent Pokemon in a single hit, but it sometimes forgets what it's battling in the middle of a fight."

"They're both right, actually," Roborygon said. "Maybe they have differing information because you are going on different versions of the sword and shield adventure?"

"Different versions?" the Doctor asked.

"Sword and shield?" I asked. "...Oh, I see!" I turned to the Doctor. "Have you seen any Seedot?"

He shook his head. "Never even heard of one. Any luck, Pummel?"

"No, just Lotad. How about you, Heart?"

"Yeah, I've found a Seedot. No Lotad, though."

I brought my wing down in revelation. "Then it's true. We're taking on opposing versions of this adventure!"

"Right..." the Doctor said with uncertainty. "Anyway, I'll take on Arrokuda!" He used Ukiki to weaken Arrokuda, which was easier because its shadow was pinned down, and he caught the Arrokuda. Rather than add it to his party, he sent it to the PC.

We then went to the grass patch, where we each caught a Yamper. The Doctor sent Skwovet to the PC, while I sent Zigzagoon. After adding the electric puppy to our party, we continued to the purple house, where Pummel and Heart were waiting for us in front of Leon, Lucario, and an elderly woman with a cane and a lab coat.

Pummel waved to me. "I think that might be the professor, considering her conversation with Lucario."

Lucario was currently talking to the woman, probably asking what Leon was going to ask her. "So, how goes your research? Are you doing well in your attempts to unravel the mysteries of the phenomenon known as Dynamax?"

She answered, "Yes, but I am still far from uncovering them all. The whole thing is still full of questions. I'd hoped that my granddaughter would take over my research, but..." She turned to us. "Dear me, I'm sorry. I didn't even notice my guests!" She walked to us while adjusting her glasses. "My name is Magnolia. Welcome, new Trainers of Galar! Now come, let's head indoors."



Magnolia looked at Lucario with a smile. "Why, Lucario dear, I see you've made some new friends."

The Doctor and I exclaimed, "You know Magnolia?"

Lucario nodded. "We go back a long ways, back when I was a little Riolu. Truthfully, this region... was my original home. I lived in the Wild Area with my parents and my brother. Mom and Dad taught us all we needed to know about the Darkest Day, Aura, Pokemon Dens, and how to defend ourselves from Pokemon that have a type advantage over us, such as Heatmor, Sandaconda, and Claydol. We felt at ease with our parents around, but they eventually had an encounter with a Golurk who had been confused by Sigilyph. Its confusion led it to attack us. Fearing for our life, my dad sent a troop of Falinks to lead me and my brother to safety. The Falinks brought me to the Pokemon Professor, Magnolia. However, my brother wasn't quite as lucky as I was; as the Falinks led us, my brother failed to notice the Roggenrola in his path and tripped over it. He tried to keep up with us, but the angry Roggenrola dragged him into a battle. If it hadn't been for the one-track mind of the Falinks, I would have immediately turned around to rescue my brother."

Magnolia sighed. "I saw that the Falinks were somewhat agitated. They must have realized one of the Pokemon they were leading had gotten lost. Little Riolu here, however, had learned well from his parents, for he used his Aura to locate his brother. I know this because I could see the big smile on his face. I bid him farewell as he went back to look for his brother. Such a hopeful little Pokemon, he was."

Lucario smiled. "My determination was definitely worth it. I searched far and wide for my brother, going so far as to head east out of the Galar region to find him. I encountered the ocean, but purely out of my brotherly bond, I gathered up the Aura to evolve into Lucario and find a way to cross. I searched for some kind of ride, and then I looked back to the Galar region. I saw a Snorlax sleeping by the water. Of course! Snorlax could probably be used as a raft to help me cross. I went around and asked some of my Machop friends to help push Snorlax to the edge, and then I climbed on top of it. After it was pushed out onto the water, I concentrated my Aura into a bone, and I used Bone Rush to propel myself across the water.

"At last, I found the Kalos region, which was famous, I had heard, for its Prism Tower in Lumiose City. I went there and asked for help finding my brother, and finally a young woman named Alexa guided me to Shallour City. I first went to the Gym, and its sign mentioned Fighting-types. Riolu and its evolution are Fighting-types, so I went in and asked Clyde at the front. He mentioned someone named Korrina, so I used my Aura to find her in a place called the Tower of Mastery. Luckily, she had adopted my brother, who had also evolved. After pouring out my heart to my brother, he did the same. He explained that the Roggenrola used Explosion and launched him to the Kalos region. I know Explosion is powerful, but I didn't know it was that powerful. Also, it turned out that he was quite happy with Korrina as his Trainer. Therefore, I joined Korrina to be with my brother, and Pummel knows the rest of the story."

I introduced each of us. "Magnolia, I am Helix, and these are my friends Doctor Hooves, Pummel Fist, Heart Fist, and Roborygon. We obtained the Pokedex from Sonia, and we'll be sure to complete it!"

Magnolia replied, "That's good to hear from you."

Leon asked, "Now then, you all know about Dynamaxing?"

Pummel raised his hand. "I do! I watched your latest match on my Rotom Phone, so I know that Dynamaxing makes your Pokemon huge and awesome-looking!"

I shrugged. "I only just heard about it, but Pummel showed me and the Doctor some of the match."

Leon laughed. "Right, right. So, Professor Magnolia's been doing research into the Dynamax phenomenon for years and years. And it takes a proper understanding of the thing if you plan to use Dynamaxing to the fullest!"

Magnolia shook her head. "There you go again, Leon, always talking about Pokemon. There are other things that are worth knowing about, too, you know. Like how many different types of tea there are!"

I nodded. "True, it is important to tell the difference between green tea and mint tea. But I have a very important request: We believe it would help us to rescue the Doctor's home land of Equestria if we took part in the Gym Challenge. However, we need an endorsement for that, and I think the Champion would be the perfect person to endorse us."

Magnolia turned to Leon. "Oh, why wouldn't you endorse them?"

He explained, "The Doctor only just started out as a Pokemon Trainer... There's still loads he doesn't know yet!"

"Dearie, I thought your dream was to have everyone in the Galar region become strong Trainers. Isn't that right?"

"Well, yeah... you're not wrong. That goal's precisely the reason I gave him a Pokemon too, in fact. Right, then. In that case..." He turned to the Doctor. "...how about this? Let's see if you can show me such a brilliant battle that I'm left with no choice but to endorse you. Same goes for Helix. And don't worry. I'll make sure both your teams are in good shape before the battle starts." He then restored our Pokemon.

Hop turned to us. "Right! I'll be waiting outside to watch the battle!" He then ran out the door. We followed him.



Once we got outside, we got on the court. I faced the Doctor. He seemed nervous. So was I. I knew that Pokemon didn't get experience points if they fainted, and I wanted both of us to gain experience. We need experience to become strong enough to protect Equestria. If we fought each other, one side's Pokemon would have to faint. This was a predicament that worried even me...

Lucario broke the tension by saying, "Helix, you're worried about how you want both teams to gain experience to defeat Tirek. I have a solution." He looked at Pummel. "Have you heard of a Raid Battle?"

Leon, Magnolia, and Hop nodded. Hop said, "Totally! Raid Battles are where a bunch of Trainers each use one Pokemon to take on a super tough opposing Pokemon!"

"Good. I think it would be wise if Helix and the Doctor took on you, Pummel, with all six of their own Pokemon."

"But that sounds pretty easy. I mean, Pummel is just a human who got turned into a Machop!"

Pummel chuckled. "You think I'm just a regular old Machop? Think again. I've underwent vigorous training with each of the Master Pokemon and learned all that I could to become the greatest Machop of all time. You don't stand a chance! But to make it even, I'll hold back, at least for the first part of the fight."

I smirked. "We accept your challenge! This will be a battle between classic and modern Pokemon!"

Pummel took the Doctor's place, and the Doctor stood with me on my side of the court. We sent out all our Pokemon. Magnolia watched us with curiosity in her eyes. "I'm rather interested in seeing how you three battle, too."

Leon said, "Listen up, Doctor. The reason I'm unbeatable is because I learn from every battle I see or take part in. That's how I've gotten to where I am today. So show me something good in this battle like no other!" He raised his right arm, as if he was a referee. "Battle begin!"

I exclaimed, "Rookidee, use Hone Claws!" Rookidee flexed its talons, and it gave off a quick burst of orange aura that signified a stat boost; in this case, its attack power and accuracy increased.

"A status move?" Pummel asked. "No doubt you're preparing to hit me hard, but you should know that I hit harder! Bulk Up!" He flexed his own muscles, increasing his attack and defense.

The Doctor turned to me. "What's a status move?"

I explained, "Status moves can either increase the attributes of your Pokemon's skills or decrease those of the opponent, as well as doing other things that are useful in strategizing. Keep using Hone Claws, Rookidee! Hotshot, back him up!"

"You think a fire rabbit can protect Rookidee from this?" Pummel crouched down before charging a small ball of energy from his hands. "Time for a little Focus Blast!"

"Oh, no, you don't!" the Doctor said. "Grubbin, use Mud Slap!"

Grubbin dug up dirt from the grassy area surrounding the court and launched it at Pummel, hitting his glasses and disrupting his move. "Whoa! I can't believe you'd do that, Doctor!"

"Thanks! Now, Chewtle, use Tackle!"

Chewtle rammed into Pummel as he was cleaning his glasses, knocking them out of his hand. "Oh no, my glasses! I can't see without them!"

The Doctor grinned. "Nickit, it's time to gang up on Pummel! Use Beat Up!"

Nickit whistled to the other Pokemon. "Hey guys, time to beat the stuffing outta this guy!"

And then, they charged at Pummel. "Did not see that coming..." In a last-ditch effort to dish out damage, he wildly punched without looking where his fists were going. He made contact a few times, catching my Rookidee and the Doctor's Grubbin off-guard. Pummel found his glasses in the grass and finished cleaning them with Keldeo's help before putting them on. "I didn't know you were such a dirty player, Doctor. For that, I think it's time to show you some real strength! Keldeo, it's time to lend me your might!"

Keldeo smiled. "I thought you'd never ask! It's time to unleash... the Bond Phenomenon!"

At that moment, Keldeo and Pummel became cloaked in a rainbow-colored light, and they proceeded to take on the forms that made them famous. After the light dissipated, Keldeo was revealed to have attained a burning mane, hooves covered in water that could supposedly be controlled, and... lightning bolt-shaped yellow protrusions that gave off electricity rather than blue protrusions that served only for aesthetic purposes? Wait, where was his Magnetic Heart?

However, Pummel's outfit answered my question: he was no longer wearing his red and yellow Nike shoes, instead wearing light blue shoes that were now covered in water. Without the Nike shoes, Keldeo must have forgotten how to use his Magnetic Heart. Additionally, Pummel had donned a glove made of pure fire and electricity due to his red and yellow watch on his left wrist. "What do you think? Like my sweet kicks?"

Hotshot was slowly backing away from the shoes. "Nope... I don't... Nice watch, though. You're pretty hot stuff with it on!"

Blipbug added, "And your hair looks appealing as well. I daresay it makes you appear quite... sharp."

Pummel laughed as he poked his spiky hair. "If you think that's sharp, then you haven't seen a thing!" He thrust his hand outwards, toward Keldeo. The small, beige, diamond-shaped mark on Keldeo's chest changed color to brown, and suddenly, a long object of the same color emerged. I recognized that new move, a move they coined Type Unsheathe. Pummel grabbed the object and swung it around, revealing it to be a sword of stone. Pummel smirked. "What's the matter, Hotshot? You're not looking so hot after all."

Hotshot was backing away even further. "You've got both rock and water on your side. No way I can compete with you now!"

"Excellent use of type advantages," Blipbug said. "I can see now that you truly are quite smart and don't have the bark without the bite."

Pummel laughed. "You're strong against trees, but not against stone." He dug his sword into the ground, causing a large boulder to rise up from the ground in front of himself. "Feel free to compare me to igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks: I ignite my burning determination, take on water and wind without eroding my strength, and can morph to fit my circumstances. That's the power of the phenomenal bond of the Kelduo!"

"The... Kelduo? What an incredible name for the team consisting of you and Keldeo! And a speech with such rock-solid resolve... Thank you. Thank you for providing me with enough knowledge... to show you what I can truly do!" And then, Blipbug began to glow in a bright blue light.

"Wow, that was early in this adventure," Keldeo said, clearly surprised.

But the Doctor was even more surprised. "Blipbug! Is it okay? What's happening to it?"

I smiled. "Evolution. A lot of Pokemon can do it. And it's usually good for a Pokemon to evolve. They change and become stronger than before."

"Nice job, Blipbug. But I don't think that's going to help you beat me!" Pummel swung his sword at the boulder, sending it flying.

"That comment... I do not concur with!" Suddenly, a barrier appeared that blocked the projectile. It seemed to be created by Blipbug's new form: a beetle with a dotted yellow shell covering its whole body, only leaving its glowing blue eyes and yellow "whiskers" visible. "Let us see who has the advantage now: an incredibly versatile Machop, or the Galarian evolutionary family that always goes mind over matter!"

Our Rotom Phones worked together to offer data on the new Pokemon. "Dottler, the Radome Pokemon. A Bug- and Psychic-type, Dottler barely moves, even though it is definitely alive. Hiding in its shell without food or water appears to have awakened its psychic powers, which it uses to analyze its surroundings and prepare for evolution."

Pummel adjusted his glasses. "A pupa-style first evolution, huh? I wonder if you're like all the other Bug-type first evolutions I've encountered."

"In what manner?" Dottler asked.

Pummel closed his left fist. "It's time to find out if you're the odd one out; in other words..." He lunged towards Dottler with his fist pulled back. "...if you're able to defend yourself!"

"I am very honored to be asked such a question." The dots on Dottler's shell glowed bright blue, stopping Pummel in his tracks. "Beware the tantalizing glow of my Confusion!"

Pummel stared at the dots, as if in a trance. "Those lights bring back memories..." He was quick to shake himself out of it. "No! I'm not falling for Confusion this time! I'm a whole new Machop now!" He lunged again with his blazing fist, only to be tripped by a white thread sticking to his feet from behind. "Hey! I'm starting to think that you're trying to troll me, Doctor! Seriously, your Grubbin's String Shot was just rude."

I smirked. "Actually, he's helping me set up a little combo. Get ready, Rookidee!"

"Stop that, you little pest!" Pummel overpowered Grubbin and slammed him around by the string before tearing the string from his shoes. "Now you've done it! Here comes a classic!" He fired a blast of blue energy from his hands, with no starting lag. "Hadouken!"

"Hotshot, knock it back!"

"Time to get into my element!" Hotshot jumped forwards... and kicked the energy ball back at Pummel. "Whoo! I learned Double Kick, perfect for a pyro power player like me!"

"I can kick too, you know!" Pummel deflected the shot with his own kick.

"You like football too? Sweet!" The battle quickly turned into a game of shooting the ball at each other.

After about twenty volleys, both sides were growing bored. "You know what?" Pummel said. "I think it's time to stop playing around. Here comes... my Mega Strike!" The next time the ball came at him, he imbued his shoes with fire before kicking the ball hard enough to send it high above the clouds. Then, with the leg strength of a Mega Blaziken, Pummel leapt after the ball, going so high that the only way we knew he was present was by hearing his bold declaration: "Rising above villains of darkness, the burning determination of the Kelduo is made visible. One punch to win them all... the Elite Torch Fist!"

Moments later, a dozen small fireballs rained down on our team. Most of the Pokemon panicked, except for Dottler and Hotshot. The latter of the two grinned. "...Challenge accepted!"

Pummel landed with a loud crash from reaching terminal velocity. "Well, that should be enough for me to easily...?" He looked up just in time to see Hotshot kicking all the fireballs at him. "You're good." He put his arms up to block the fireballs, and he succeeded. "But not good enough!"

I exclaimed, "Now, Rookidee! Use Power Trip!"

Pummel turned around and faced Rookidee as he prepared a Fire Punch. "Falcon..." Rookidee's deep purplish-crimson form made contact with Pummel's Fire Punch. "...PUUUUUUUUNNNNCH!!!" However, Rookidee was somehow stronger than the reverse Fire Punch and charged him with enough force to throw him into the nearby lake.

"Uh oh..." Just then, Keldeo collapsed.

"What's wrong with Keldeo?" Hop asked, bewildered. "Not a single move touched him!"

Pummel pulled himself out of the water, clearly exhausted. "Side effect of the Bond Phenomenon... We share pain... One of us goes down, so does the other..."

"Just a small drawback for having such an amazingly powerful skill!" Leon turned to us. "Now then, everyone! Well, after seeing a match like that one... I suppose I've little choice but to give you all an endorsement as Champion!" He gave me, the Doctor, Pummel, Lucario, and Heart an envelope with a red ribbon sticker sealing it.

Doctor Hooves beamed. "Thank you very much, Leon! We will be sure to win our way through the Gym Challenge to take you on!"

"You may be a beginner still, and plenty rough around the edges, but it was a proper Raid Battle, and you succeeded against a professional Trainer even with weak Pokemon. Charizard and I were both feeling the excitement in every last cell in our bodies! Doctor, I can tell you've grown a lot since you first fought alongside Helix!" He looked at the rest of us. "And I'd like to see some more thrilling battles out of the rest of you, too."

The Doctor smiled as he looked at me. "This is exhilarating, Helix! We'll be competing for the Champion's title, so I will now know what it's like to have a true rival!" He then happened to look skyward. "Incredible! Could that be... a shooting star?"

We looked in the same direction as the Doctor, and he certainly was right: a small pink meteor of some sort was falling through the atmosphere. It landed next to the court, near the lake, before breaking into four small pieces. I walked over and carefully examined them. "These stones... what could they be?" I kept one and gave the other three to Pummel, Heart, and the Doctor. "Hop, you know anything about these?"

Hop answered, "They're Wishing Stars! With one of those, your Pokemon can Dynamax! They're gonna be massive!"

Leon walked over to us. "Trust you to pull something like this! They say Wishing Stars fall down for those who have a true wish in their heart, you know."

The Doctor sighed. "I should have made my wish as it fell through the sky. Now that it's already fallen, could my time for wishing have passed?"

Magnolia replied, "Don't be silly, Doctor. Those Wishing Stars are composed of a curious sort of rock containing unknown power. They are one of the most precious resources we have here in the Galar region. But they won't do a thing for you in that state. Give them to me now, and I'll have you sorted."

We gave her the Wishing Stars. The Doctor was grinning from ear to ear. "I cannot wait to discover the power of Dynamax! Perhaps we'll even stand a chance against those strange Pokemon in the Slumbering Weald as we progress through this adventure!"

"I do understand your excitement, but don't get carried away. You want to save your energy for tomorrow's journey!"

Sonia came walking down to the professor's house. "Seems I came home right in time for all the excitement!" She turned to us. "Hey, you lot, why not have some dinner. You must be hungry, right? I've been totally obsessed with making the latest trendy curries."

And so, after enjoying Sonia's curry, we slept in the professor's home to restore our energy for tomorrow.



I woke up rejuvenated and ready to continue my journey. "Good morning, everyone! I am ready to begin my latest, most important adventure yet!"

Magnolia turned to us. "Good morning to you, new Challengers."

Sonia asked Pummel, "Is it true that you really met some Pokemon you didn't recognize? Is there anything more you can tell us about them?"

Pummel nodded. "First, as we journeyed further into the Slumbering Weald to rescue the Wooloo, the fog got even thicker. Soon after, two canine Pokemon approached us. As a Pokemon myself, I should have been able to understand them, but all we heard were roars. Our attacks seemed to pass right through them! If it hadn't been for Luigi and his Poltergust G-00, we would have been wiped out by the fog!"

"A right fount of information you are, Pummel."

Magnolia said, "Here, these are for you." She gave me, Pummel, Heart, and Doctor a predominantly white wristband with a black screen on top, a blue logo on the screen. The band was red along the top rim and blue along the bottom rim. "Those are your Dynamax Bands. I made them by fitting the Wishing Stars you found last night into those bands, although I had to improvise a tad for the Doctor, what with his hooves and all."

We slipped the Dynamax Bands onto our right wrist. I examined mine with curiosity. "This constrains my wings a little bit, but that's just a small hindrance. I can always take on another form to Dynamax my partner." I turned to Hop. "So, where do we start our journey?"

He smiled. "We're heading to the station back in Wedgehurst! Let's go!"
> Chapter 3: Breath of the Wild Area
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
> Chapter 4: The Gym Challenge and a Noisy Nuisance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as I finished climbing the stairs, I stopped right in my tracks. My friends followed suit as we gazed upon the vast city of Motostoke. If it were any larger, it would put the likes of Castelia City to shame. I would have stayed put to take in the entirety of Motostoke for hours if I wasn't on a mission to save Equestria.

The Doctor, on the other hand... "I must have an up-close view of these wondrous steam-powered machines!" He raced ahead like a foal in a candy store.

I saw no need to stop him, for Sonia called out to all of us from in front of the Pokemon Center to the west, next to a long poster of a Chewtle tugging on a tablecloth. "Hey! Over here, you four!" When we walked over, she continued, "Real ace of you to make it through the Wild Area on your first try!"

"Thank you very much," the Doctor said, "but that trek ran my Pokemon a bit ragged. We'd better pop into the Pokemon Center to rest up."

"That's a fine idea. Better yet, there's something in there I bet you'll get a kick out off... if you're a real Trainer and all."



As soon as I entered the Pokemon Center, I decided to walk over to the pink computer with a Rotom above it possessing something with appendages. "I must say, I've never seen a Rotom quite like this before. What is this appliance that it's entered?"

Sonia smiled. "I was hoping you'd ask about that sooner or later! Rotomi are a kind of Rotom Information service. It's a handy machine for Trainers. You can even use one to customize your League Card! League Cards can be traded with other Gym Challengers to show who you are and what you stand for. Here's a sample for you!" She gave each of us a card with a picture of Leon on it.

"So, this is Leon's League Card..." I asked Sonia, "The number 1 on the bottom left of this card, what does it represent? Is it used to signify his rank or something?"

"Good guess, but no. That's his uniform number you're looking at. Every Trainer who competes in the Gym Challenge has one. You'll learn more about that later. The Rotomi can also allow you to access your Pokemon Boxes and try the Loto-ID, among other things."

"I beg your pardon, Sonia," Roborygon said, "but I feel we should address the size of Motostoke. Why don't you and I work together to guide these new Trainers of Galar?"

"What a wonderful idea, Roborygon!" She turned to us. "Come find us after you heal your Pokemon!" Sonia began to leave. "The ceremony, huh... I always get a bit worked up when I think about how exciting and moving it was to actually stand on a stadium's pitch for the first time!"

"A ceremony?" The Doctor put his hoof to his chin in thought. "As in, an opening ceremony?"

"I would think so," Pummel replied. "And I can't wait to watch it!"

And so, after healing our teams and restocking our inventory, we left the Pokemon Center and set off to meet up with Sonia.



Sonia was waiting for us just east of the Pokemon Center. "So, brilliant Trainers who've braved the Wild Area! Do you remember what your goal in Motostoke is?"

Doctor Hooves nodded. "We're here to initiate the beginning of the Gym Challenge!"

"Yup! The Gym Challenge opening ceremony."

We followed Roborygon to a road leading to a circular lift. "The ceremony will be tomorrow, held at Motostoke Stadium. You should be able to make it there by riding that lift to the upper level. The stadium will be right in front of you."

Sonia gave Roborygon an approving smile. "Nice job telling them where to go, Roborygon!"

"For your information, I was constructed to be a guide and partner for Pummel and his friends. It's only expected that I would do such a thing as lead them to their next objective. But right now, I'm off to acquire information on the various amenities that Motostoke has to offer." Roborygon proceeded to hover down the road to visit the various shops.

"What a coincidence! I was going to do the same thing!" Sonia turned to us. "Well, laters! I'm going with Roborygon to swing by the shops myself, but don't you all forget to register at the stadium, 'K?" She then followed Roborygon.

I turned to my colleagues. "So, what do you guys want to do?"

The Doctor replied, "As I said earlier, I desire to see these steam-powered machines up close! But where should I start?"

Keldeo pointed west past the Chewtle poster. "I saw a water wheel back that way. I'd go there if I were you, but that's just because I'm a Water-type." He dashed away without another word.

"I'm going to see if there's a place where I can both refuel and train my partners, like Mauville's Food Court and the Battle Buffet in Hau'oli City." Pummel followed the path north to find a place that fulfilled those conditions.

Meloetta tugged on Heart's attire. "Let's go see if there's some harmonious clothing in the boutique, Heart!"

"All right, let's go!" The two went to find the boutique.

And that left just me and the Doctor. "Where do you want to go first?"

The Doctor answered, "I'm going to take Keldeo's advice and visit the water wheel."

"Okay, then. I'll go with you to check it out."

We walked down the steps and stopped at a small stone bridge. We turned north and saw the water wheel utilizing the power of steam to keep rotating. Ah, the wheel. It is such a simple mechanism, yet it quite literally drives the majority of the lives of humans like myself. Its curved surface allows ease of movement via rolling, which cannot be said for flat surfaces such as cubes.

The Doctor watched the wheel in awe. "The beautiful thing about wheels is that they're one of a kind. No other two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape can boast the ability to move about by means of rolling!" He then gave an exasperated sigh. "Of course, that doesn't mean Discord cannot make it so..."

I also sighed. "Let's hope that Discord never decides to mess things up in Galar..."

Keldeo shook his head. "I don't see him making things here chaotic, because they already are. In fact, I'd like to see his face when he sees a cool-headed Darmanitan, a mismatched revived fossil, or a dragon bomber!"

I turned to Keldeo with a surprised glare. "Don't tell me you've been here before!"

He laughed. "Nah, this is my first time to Galar. Terrakion used to tell me stories about this one time he and the other Swords of Justice visited Galar. It was here that he met his match; he tried to take down a living wall of stone in one blow, but it withstood his full might!"

"You think Terrakion had it bad?" We looked up, and we saw that Pinkie Pie was walking on top of the water wheel as if she was in a circus act. "I mistook a Pokemon for a cup of tea, and believe me, it tasted horrible!"

"Just goes to show you," the Doctor said, "that you should never consume something you're not familiar with. By any chance, where's Rainbow Dash?"

"She's still in the Wild Area looking for Pokemon to fight. I wonder what she'll run into!"

"That makes sense. Helix, let's head further west and see what awaits us!"

"That would be a good idea," I replied, "but there are people blocking the path. We should meet up with the others at the lift."

We returned to the path north, with Pinkie following us. Once we reached the circular lift where we regrouped with the others, I heard a familiar, raspy voice. "Hey, Leon! I see them up that way!" A Charizard flew in our direction.

Leon soon followed Charizard. "I'd surely never make it to the stadium without you to show me the way, partner. Even with a huge old thing like this bang in the middle of the city, I still get lost." He turned to us, namely the Doctor. "Doctor Hooves! All right? One look at you is all it takes to tell me that you've become a Trainer worthy of endorsement from the Champion!"

"Are you sure?" the Doctor shyly asked. "I've only just become a Trainer, and you already think I am worthy of your endorsement?"

"Definitely! Roborygon posted a clip on Pokegram of your Grookey evolving into Thwackey while battling an Onix, as well as a picture of said Thwackey using Max Overgrowth on a Dynamax Mudbray! Yes, I reckon you might even be ready to use this..." Leon gave the Doctor a seed. "Here, give this to your partner to hold!"

"That's a Miracle Seed," Pummel explained. "It makes Grass-type moves stronger when a Pokemon holds it."

"Bingo! Held items like that will be important if you want a chance to beat the unbeatable Leon! Speaking of, you're headed to the stadium next, right?"

"Yes, indeed," the Doctor answered.

Leon pointed to the lift. "You can take that lift up to the city's upper level, where the stadium awaits you."

"Understood. Come on, everyone! We're going up!"

We stepped onto the large rectangular platform, and the system of cogs lifted the platform to the top in a manner similar to a fast Ferris wheel. As soon as we stepped off, the stadium was right in front of us. The ground in front of the stadium had a red samurai motif, and there was a logo above the door that looked like a Poke Ball with a red top half and a blue bottom half.

Hop was waiting for us in front of the stadium. "You guys made it, too? Nice! Hey, who's the new pony you've got with you?"

The Doctor replied, "Hop, I'd like you to meet an Equestrian that I am more than acquainted with. This is Pinkie Pie, one of the six bearers of harmony. Her specialty is spreading laughter and cheer. Pinkie Pie, this is Hop, a Gym Challenge veteran."

Pinkie shook Hop's hand. "Nice to meet you, Hop!"

"Same here, Pinkie Pie. Bet you want to know what this place is, huh? This is Motostoke Stadium, where the opening ceremony will be held. Everyone'll be watching the opening ceremony for the Gym Challenge: My mum, Victor's mum... The whole world!"

"What about the ponies back in Equestria? Will they be watching?"

Hop shrugged. "Depends. Do they have a telly or Rotom Phones?"

"What's a telly?"

I replied, "That's what people in Galar call televisions."

"Oh. Then no, Equestria hasn't invented tellies or Rotom Phones. We're not that advanced yet. But who knows? Maybe someday we'll reach that point. Then I'll throw an Equestria-has-Rotom-Phones-and-tellies party!"

Hop smiled. "Glad to see you're pumped up! Honestly, the Gym Challenge is getting me a bit nervous, because last time I took it on, Victor beat me in the semifinals... Naw, this isn't nerves. I'm only trembling because I'm so excited! Come on, you guys! It's time Galar learned your names!"

We went through the automatic doors, but the Doctor stayed behind to speak with the Poke Ball mascot and earn a Poke Ball for doing so.



The interior of Motostoke Stadium was vast, with golden statues depicting caricatures of Charizard greeting us as we entered. The walls were plastered with posters advertising what I can only assume is the Champion Cup tournament.

Pummel looked around the stadium's lobby. "This is incredible! I've never seen so many Gym Challengers in one place! In fact, this is the first time I've seen any other challengers besides Heart, Helix, and the rival I encounter in each of the other regions. It will be fun to take on those new rivals, I'm sure of it!"

"I know, right?" Hop replied with a big grin. "Let's get signed up!"

We proceeded to the front desk, where a boy with white bushy hair and a purple and pink outfit finished signing up and turned to head towards the seats on the left half of the lobby. Pinkie Pie tried to congratulate him for participating in the challenge, but the boy selfishly shoved her to the side with a scowl before waiting by the leftmost Charizard statue.

The Doctor frowned. "Seriously? Some humans have no respect for others whatsoever!" He disregarded the insensitive Trainer and walked up to the front desk. "Sir, we're here to sign up for the Gym Challenge."

The official at the front desk said, "In that case, I'll have to see your endorsements, please."

"Of course." I handed him my endorsement, as did the Doctor, Pummel, and Heart.

Lucario looked at his endorsement with hesitation. "Hmm..." He then handed it to the person behind the desk.

The official looked at Lucario in surprise. "Fancy that... This is the first time we've had a Pokemon endorsed for the Gym Challenge, let alone a Pokemon endorsed by Leon!"

Lucario chuckled. "You think I'm a mere Lucario and nothing more? I've trained long and hard to become the ultimate master of Aura. I have partnered up with the greatest, most powerful warrior of all time, and together we cannot be stopped. But enough about me. My friends Helix and Doctor Hooves have mildly trespassed the chronological barrier from 2018 to acquire some help they believe will be important for taking down a threat to the Doctor's home. That's their secondary motive for taking on the Gym Challenge."

The official gasped. "What?! A Pokemon and time travelers?! I wonder what's come over Leon this year... You three must be true heroes."

"Make that six!" Pinkie replied. "There's also Pummel Fist, Heart Fist, and me, Pinkie Pie! We're all real heroes!"

"Really? I see. Do you have your endorsement?"

"Wait, I didn't know I needed an endorsement! Be right back!" Pinkie Pie zipped out of the building.

A few seconds later, Luigi walked in. "Excuse me, I hope I'm not too late to register for the Gym Challenge." He held out his endorsement.

"Your timing is great, actually. All of you can be endorsed at once!" Luigi gave him the endorsement. "And that makes six challengers endorsed by the Champion! I'm sorry, but this will take a little while. Could you please find a way to occupy yourselves while I sign you all up?"

"Okay. I'm going to explore Motostoke some more." I left the stadium and set off to take on the Battle Cafe that Pummel spoke of.



The Cafe Master was considerably easy to defeat; he merely sent out a Combee. I used Rookidee to easily exterminate the honeycomb pest. I got a Whipped Dream, a treat made of whipped cream with a cherry on top, as a reward for defeating him.

When I returned to the stadium, it turned out that we had all been signed up for the Gym Challenge, including Hop and Victor, and that Pinkie had somehow gotten an endorsement and been registered for the challenge. But there was still one thing left to do... "You can now choose your preferred number for your uniform, if you'd be so kind? It will be displayed on the back of your uniform you must wear for any official match."

Pummel went first: "I'll go for 647, the National Pokedex number for my favorite Pokemon: Keldeo!"

Heart was after Pummel: "I choose 22."

Lucario went next: "I will choose 448, in honor of my own species."

I went after Lucario: "I suppose I will use 724, after the National Pokedex number of my current species, Decidueye."

And then the Doctor: "I don't really have a preferred number, but I think I'll take 19."

Then came Luigi: "I've always wanted to prove myself to be number one, but I'm-a still choosing 2."

And finally, Pinkie Pie: "I'm supporting my favorite superstar warrior! I had to think super hard and ask Twilight about Kirby to help me figure out what number to use, but then I got it! I chose... the number of Abilities he's used! ...Um, Roborygon? How many Abilities has he used?"

Roborygon checked the Ability database. "If my knowledge doesn't fail me, then the number of Abilities he's used is 69. You sure about this?"

"I sure am sure!"

"...Got it! Here, please wear these Challenge Bands at all times to identify yourselves as Gym Challengers." The official gave each of us a wristband to wear on our left wrist, although this one had flashier designs to contrast with the Dynamax Band on our right wrist. "The opening ceremony for the Gym Challenge is to be held here tomorrow. All the Trainers taking part have been booked a room at the nearby Budew Drop Inn."

Hop pumped his fist. "That's the League Chairman for you! Even booked us all hotel rooms!" He turned to us. "Want to check out the fancy digs? Victor and I'll show you!" He ran out of the stadium, leaving us to follow. Pinkie, on the other hoof, decided to stay behind, having been distracted by one Gym Challenger and her rather odd rodent Pokemon.



When we got back outside, one of the officials for the Gym Challenge was waiting for us. He said, "You must be the challengers endorsed by the Champion." He pointed west. "The Budew Drop Inn is down this way. If you would be so kind as to follow me..." He walked in the direction he pointed, and we followed him to a tall hotel with a green sign above the entrance. Two small bushes were on each side of the door. "We have arrived at the Budew Drop Inn. Try to get some rest and build up your strength for what's to come."

Walking through the automatic sliding doors, we were greeted by a considerably inviting lobby. The first thing I saw was a large golden statue of some hero in brilliant armor wielding a sword and shield, the statue settled between two sets of stairs.

Sonia was looking at the statue when we entered the lobby. She turned around and saw us. "Hiya! Looks like you all got yourselves registered."

"Oh, hey Sonia!" Luigi said. "Are you checking in here too?"

"Actually, I'm here to research the mysterious Pokemon that are said to be in the Slumbering Weald. I reckon if I look into some of Galar's legends, I might find something that'd help. Care to join me?"

"Certainly!" the Doctor answered. "I do enjoy doing research, so I would be honored to assist in your attempt to solve one of Galar's greatest mysteries. Tell me, who is that statue depicting?"

"It is a statue of the hero who once saved the Galar region. I could run through the hero's legend right quick, if you fancy?"

I shook my head. "I don't like the short version of things. We'll take all the details you can give us."

"Glad to hear! Long ago, a great black storm covered the Galar region. People called it 'the Darkest Day.' The land was assaulted by gigantic Pokemon much like the ones you find in Pokemon Dens... but they were defeated by a single young hero bearing a sword and shield. This statue is meant to depict the hero of that legend. As of now, we still don't understand what kind of sword and shield the hero actually had. And what this 'black storm' is supposed to be is yet another mystery... Whatever it was, it blotted out the skies all over Galar. I suppose that tracks with it being called the Darkest Day, but still..."

Pummel looked at Keldeo. "Did the Swords of Justice ever mention fighting giant Pokemon?"

"They told me about the Darkest Day, but they never said anything about themselves fighting giant Pokemon. I doubt they'd be involved in this story anyway. Plus, if they did have something to do with the legend, then there'd have to be Shields of Justice. And that's too dumb to be real. Whatever the case, that hero must be really strong to take down all those giant Pokemon with nobody to help him... Sonia, I think you've got a lot of research to do."

I looked at Sonia with a smile. "But don't worry. I know you'll be fine, Sonia."

Sonia returned the smile. "Of course I'll be fine. I'll muddle through somehow. Say, aren't you all staying here at the hotel? You should check in."

"Right. If we find out anything more about the legend, we'll let you know first."

We walked up the stairs to the front desk, but we had been beaten to it. To be precise, we were beaten by two females and two males, all in hot pink and black attire. I would have confronted them immediately due to their suspicious, menacing attire and facial paint, but I knew that it would be wise and more humorous to take the more passive approach. I walked to the male closest to me. "Hello, what are you four doing here?"

He turned to me with a big grin. "We came all the way out to this big city so that we could properly cheer on Gym Challengers! Team Yell is here to help, after all!"

The Doctor replied, "As of now, though, you aren't helping. If you want to help, move out of the way so we Gym Challengers can check in."

The Team Yell member scowled. "Oh, so you wanna get in our way, huh? You should know that you'd better be ready to battle if you do!"

The Doctor smirked. "A battle? I'm up for that. You've already proven that you have poor logic, for Gym Challengers cannot be properly cheered on if you don't even allow them to check in to the hotel and get well-rested. You'd best not disappoint me with your battling skills!"

"Hold it, Mr. Horse! Team Yell's got spot-on logic, 'cause we're all about helpin'... Helpin' one very special Trainer win the Gym Challenge, that is! We wanna make sure she gets cheered on nice and proper, and now you're gonna help us make some noise!" He sent out a Galarian Zigzagoon. "Team Yell hits loud, fast, and hard!" The other members cheered him on, the male one using a strange horn with two output orifices rather than one.

"It's time to train up my other teammates!" The Doctor sent out his Yamper. "Go, Spark Bark!"

"Use Lick!" the Team Yell member blustered. His Zigzagoon sped forward, tongue first.

"As expected, given my last encounter with one of those. Spark Bark, use Nuzzle!"

Spark Bark ran towards Zigzagoon while charging his electric sac. Zigzagoon was the first one to strike. But this would not have mattered, because its tongue made contact with the electric sac, giving it a literal taste of electricity. The electricity surged all throughout its body, numbing it with paralysis.

"And that's why you don't lick things you shouldn't lick! Punish him with Tackle!" Spark Bark slammed into Zigzagoon, finishing off the last of its hit points with a critical hit.

The Team Yell member stomped the ground in frustration. "Oh, come on! That was a real dirty trick you pulled!"

The Doctor laughed. "I never pulled any tricks. I just had my partner use moves the way they were meant to be used. You're the one whose Pokemon licked an electric sac!"

"But you're the one whose Pokemon had an electric sac! Team Yell! Get revenge for me, wouldja?"

One of the female grunts holding a banner that depicted a certain Gym Challenger I saw in the stadium lobby replaced the first grunt. "Course I got you covered, mate! And besides, what could be better than a battle in a lovely hotel lobby like this?"

"A battle against the future Champion in a lovely hotel lobby like this!" I sent out Seedot. "Good luck surviving our combo!"

"We'll see about that!" She tossed her Poke Ball. "Show 'em what you got, Nickit! Use Quick Attack!"

As Nickit dashed towards Seedot, I said, "Use Bide!"

Seedot gave off a white glow as it took Nickit's attack head-on. "Use Quick Attack again!" Nickit struck Seedot once more.

"You hanging in there, partner?" I asked.

"Yep," Seedot answered, "hanging like a Berry."

"Good. Keep it up!"

"Now use Bite!" Nickit clamped down on Seedot with its sharp teeth.

"I'll be taking that," Nickit snickered as it stole a round blue Oran Berry from Seedot.

My eyes narrowed. "So much for the combo. Your Nickit is quite the pickpocket. Unfortunately, she will pay for that! Seedot, do it now!"

"I'm comin' right back at ya for sure!" Seedot concentrated its white glow into a powerful laser beam that completely caught Nickit off-guard.

"Ah, man!" the grunt said, clearly surprised by her defeat. "The swanky, sophisticated air in here had me off my game! I couldn't keep my cool in this fanciness!"

Hop joined us after he admired the luxurious hotel. "I didn't expect checking in would be such a fuss! Are those guys holding you up?"

"More like we're completely destroying them!" Pummel said with a smile. "Hey, Mom, I bet you could take these last two down all by yourself. Want to give it a shot?"

"Sure, I'll give it a try." Heart took on a fighting stance.

The second male grunt laughed. "I can already hear my victory comin'! The only sound you'll make is a whimper of defeat!" The two remaining grunts sent out the same Pokemon as the first two did: a Galarian Zigzagoon and a Nickit.

Before Heart could act, the female grunt said, "Quick Attack!"

Nickit ran towards Heart, who instinctively put her hands up to successfully block the attack. She followed up by grabbing Nickit by the tail and repeatedly slamming it on the Zigzagoon, knocking both out. "Well, that wasn't too bad."

The defeated male grunt stood in complete sadness. "Guess it was defeat that I heard comin'... I think I'm about to cry..."

I put my wing around him. "Don't worry about it. Besides..." I smirked. "...you'll get used to the taste of defeat. Especially if someday, Hotshot finishes off your last Pokemon with a Double Kick to the face."

"You're welcome, Helix." Meloetta fist-bumped me.

"Hi guys!" Pinkie burst into the lobby. "Sorry I'm late, I just made a new friend! Time to meet another Gym Challenger!"

A girl with twin black ponytails and a predominantly black outfit calmly walked up the stairs with her rodent Pokemon. "What are you lot doing here?"

Team Yell immediately yielded. "Marnie?! N-n-nothing... we was just..."

"Ooh, you four know Marnie? You look like you must be big fans of her!"

The girl nodded. "Yeah, that's about right, although they can be a bit over-the-top at times..." She turned back to Team Yell. "Listen, I know you're all terribly curious 'bout the other Gym Challengers, but you gotta show a bit of respect." She looked back at us. "Sorry if they caused you any trouble! And the pink pony's right, they're just a bunch of my fans. Call themselves Team Yell and follow me around, cheerin' for me. I think they've let it all go to their heads a bit..."

"No worries," the Doctor said. "They weren't too much of a bother. Rather, I could use the training."

"Nice to see that." Marnie turned back to Team Yell. "Come on, you lot! Back home with you now!"

"Yes, Marnie..." Team Yell reluctantly left.

"I don't know about you," the Doctor said, "but I think we're going to have several more run-ins with Team Yell during our adventure. I feel like they care too much about you to let anyone else win the Gym Challenge."

Marnie nodded. "You got that right. They're just so caught up with cheerin' me on and all that they tend to get a bit shirty with other Gym Challengers. Never you mind them."

"It's all good," I answered. "It's nice to see that you already have a bunch of fans supporting you."

After a pause, Marnie smiled.

I returned the smile as I proceeded to the front desk. "Hello, sir. We are some of the Pokemon Trainers who are participating in the--"

"Coming through!" Suddenly, a blue blur leaving behind a rainbow trail burst through the automatic doors before coming to a dead stop thanks to Meloetta's Reflect. The blur was revealed to be Rainbow Dash... who was wearing a Challenge Band. "Sorry I'm late! Been busy whooping Pokemon butts while looking for the right Pokemon to start me off. Pinkie filled me in on how to be the most awesome Pegasus I can be, so I got right to work. You'd be surprised by how many Poke Balls that people leave around the Wild Area. I'd have been too late to sign up for the Gym Challenge if I'd picked up everything I found! Good thing I brought that Wishing Star to the professor, though." She showed off her Dynamax Band. "I can't wait to make my partners Dynamax!" She turned to the clerk. "I'm here to get some rest before taking part in the ceremony tomorrow. Can you book me a room?"

The clerk replied, "The League has already booked rooms for all of you. And if I might..." He looked at the rest of us. "...thank you for helping us out of a sticky situation with those hooligans earlier. I hope you have a pleasant stay here with us. Sleep well."






I woke up refreshed and fully rejuvenated. If I wasn't on a schedule, though, I would have stayed in bed due to Decidueye's nocturnal habits. I went downstairs to meet up with the others. "Good morning, guys. Did everyone sleep well?"

"Most definitely!" the Doctor replied. "I'd gotten so used to the bed in my own laboratory that I'd forgotten how true comfort felt! I would choose the Budew Drop Inn any day!"

"Hate to burst your bubble," Rainbow said with a positive tone, "but the cloud beds back in Cloudsdale cannot be beat, even by this fancy hotel. You're a winged Pokemon, Helix. You should fly on over and try them sometime."

"Duly noted." I added Rainbow's advice to the notes on the Notepad app on my Rotom Phone.

"This hotel's beds are nice and all, but I like to show off." Keldeo shot water from his hooves and expertly used his magic to morph it into the shape of a pet's bed. "I've kept this baby intact throughout the whole night!"

"You really think that's a fancy bed?" Meloetta conjured up a bed made entirely out of different parts of sheet music. Try sleeping on a whole rest while using a half rest as a pillow and a grand staff as a blanket."

Pinkie looked at the bed groggily. "That sounds nice to lay on right about now, because I didn't get much sleep last night..."

"Really?" Hop asked. "Why's that? You too excited to sleep?"

"Kinda. Last night I dreamed that I was Kirby."

"Wow!" Pummel exclaimed. "It must've been a great dream! What were you doing, beating up monsters, handing out Friend Hearts, having a gourmet race with King Dedede?"

"None of those. But I do know that when I woke up, my pillow was gone. I looked all night for it."

"Oh." I then had a humorous Kirby-related thought. "Maybe you thought eating the pillow would give you the Sleep Ability so you could stay well-rested?"

Pinkie shook her head. "Good one, but I looked out my window and saw my pillow on the road. Come to think of it, I dreamed I was Throw Kirby."

"I wonder if it was a throw pillow." We laughed at my joke. "Anyway, I think I can help with your situation." I took out an indigo berry with an apricot-colored underside. "Eat it. A Chesto Berry will surely cure any kind of sleepiness."

Pinkie took a bite, then she immediately perked up. "Ooh, yummy!" She gobbled down the rest of the berry. "I'm all ready! Let's go!"



Outside, an official (perhaps the same one as earlier?) greeted us. "Gym Challengers, the opening ceremony is starting soon! Please allow me to escort you to the Gym Stadium."

We nodded. "Okay."

"All right. Follow close and be careful not to lose sight of me." A short walk later, and we were back at the stadium. "We've made it to the stadium entrance! Please hurry to the opening ceremony!"

We walked inside and spoke with the official at the desk. The Doctor politely asked, "Is there anything else we need to do before heading to the ceremony?"

"Certainly," he replied. "Gym Challengers must wear their uniforms for all official events. The opening ceremony marks the beginning of the Gym Challenge, so you know what that means!"

"Right, we need to change into our uniforms," I said. "Where do I change?"

He pointed to his right. "That door to the left leads to the changing room."

"Thanks." We took turns using the changing room, because only one person could use it at a time. When it came my turn, I first turned to Roborygon. "Bring up a list of all bipedal Pokemon that do not have wings and are registered in my Pokedex."

"Okay. Preparing Helix's wingless Pokemon database."

I looked at the list carefully. "I want to be a Pokemon that has speed, agility, and flexibility, but at the same time, it should also have exceptional attack power... There!"



When I left the changing room, I was dressed in a predominantly white jersey, shorts, and sneakers, the former two having vertical red and blue stripes on the sides. My species was a black frog with a deep red tongue for a scarf, the Shiny variant of a Greninja. The official looked at me in confusion. "You look sharp as a pen, but why don't you stick with your original species? You'll be more likely to be recognized as Helix."

I nodded. "True. But this uniform would be uncomfortable if I was a Decidueye. To make up for the lack of recognition, everyone will notice Shiny Pokemon. They're one of a kind. Additionally, Shiny Greninja are darker colored than their normal counterparts, just like Decidueye."

"Excellent point. Now then, we're ready at last for the opening ceremony for this year's Gym Challenge!"



As we slowly and dramatically walked through the doors to the field, I turned to my colleagues. "This is it, everyone. Our Galarian journey officially begins here."

The Doctor nodded. "To be honest, this is my first ever adventure into another land. You haven't the slightest clue how excited I truly..." Then he looked down. "...Seriously?" Gravity kicked in as he fell into a ring carefully set beneath him.

"Why would Hoopa want to take him to the alternate version of this adventure right now?" Pummel asked. Another ring appeared in front of him. "Me too? Well, if Hoopa says so." He jumped into the ring. The rings disappeared.

Rainbow looked at Pummel with a confused expression. "You know this Hoopa guy?"

Keldeo smiled. "We all do. Hoopa likes to use his rings to pull pranks, but he also uses them for a good cause. He's a prankster like you, but it looks like he can also use his rings to travel between dimensions like Discord. Now, let's hurry to the opening!"

We continued walking through the hall and found ourselves staring at a stadium with a field that was possibly even larger than that of a football (American, not soccer) field. In the center of the stadium were a man in a gray suit and a woman with blond hair and wearing a white lab coat, a red shirt, and black pants.

The man announced, "Ladies and gentlemen! I am Rose, chairman of the Pokemon League! I know that everyone gathered here and everyone watching from home have all been waiting for this big moment! It is my pleasure to announce that finally... the Galar region Gym Challenge will now begin!"

The audience roared in applause.

"Yes, the Gym Challenge! Participants must defeat the eight Gym Leaders and gather the eight Gym Badges to prove their skills as a Trainer! Only the most worthy will have the honor of challenging the greatest Champion in history! Now, I would like to invite the Gym Leaders to show themselves!"

Seven individuals entered the stadium, and the crowd roared even more. The chairman introduced the leaders one by one, starting with a muscular man wearing a farmer's hat and a green uniform and tie. "The fighting farmer! Here's the Grass-type expert, Milo!" Next, a sleek woman with brown skin, piercing blue eyes, and blue hair. "The raging wave! It's the master of Water-types, Nessa!" After her, a serious-looking man with a red uniform boasting a samurai logo not unlike the one I saw in front of the stadium, as well as an unflinching gaze and gray hair. "The ever-burning man of fire! Here comes the Fire-type veteran, Kabu!" Then, a woman with gray hair and a black hairband with an orange highlight. On her predominantly black attire was an orange fist logo. "The Galar karate prodigy! Nobody's better with Fighting-types than Bea!" Next, an elderly woman with calm blue eyes, a large indigo collar, and a pink and sky blue dress. "The master of a fantastic theater! It's the charming Fairy-type user, Opal!" After her, a bulky man with a half-black, half-white jacket and a rock logo on his uniform. He wore a gold necklace with a blue gem, as well as fancy blue shades. "The hard-rock crusher! Please welcome the Rock-type master, Gordie!" Finally, an arrogant-looking brown man with an orange hat and a black jacket with a toothed hood. He was taking selfies with his Rotom Phone. "And last but not least, the tamer of dragons... It's Raihan, the top Gym Leader!" Wait, that makes seven, not eight. "Unfortunately, we're missing one, but... These are the Gym Leaders that we in the Galar region are proud to call our own!"

We walked out onto the field and got to know the other challengers. They included a girl from Kanto named Green, and a local girl named Gloria. Also among them were some of our friends, who were temporarily trapped in Equestria alongside us. Said friends include Mario, his paper variant, Sonic, Tails, Amy, King Dedede, and Meta Knight. The latter of them wore a jersey-colored cape rather than a traditional jersey, likely to compensate for his round stature.

If I were to sum up the experience in one word... breathtaking.



After changing out of my uniform and returning to my Decidueye form, I met up with the others back in the lobby, including our friends. "I don't know about you guys, but that was a thrilling experience!"

Paper Mario nodded. He folded himself into a heart shape before pulsating.

"Paper Mario's got the right idea," Rainbow said. "My heart was racing, and I felt like racing too!"

Meta Knight stealthily approached as usual, his eyes green in thoughtfulness. "We now know what challenges we will face. I shall build a varied team to counter all eight different elemental masters."

At that moment, a ring appeared, and the Doctor was forced out of it backwards. "Ugh! That Hoopa creature is such a mischievous thing. I dodged his ring pitfall this time, but he up and threw it at me from behind. I should learn to be more wary of my surroundings."

Leon and Rose walked towards us. Leon said, "Looks like you all made it! Nice job!"

Rose further approached us. "So you are the Trainers our Champion endorsed himself!"

I looked at the others. "All you guys were endorsed by Leon too?"

Leon nodded. "Yeah! Turns out they worked together to save this place called Equestria from a magic-absorbing monster. Hearing their story really made me want to let out Charizard and help them have a Champion time!"

Rose said, "Welcome, and it's a delight to meet you all! I'm Rose, of course." He glanced at me, the Doctor, Pummel, Heart, Pinkie, and Rainbow. "Oh, what's this?! I see some of you already own Dynamax Bands! How wonderful! It seems the six of you have been led here by the guiding light of the Wishing Stars. As a matter of fact, it was my wonderful company that invented those Dynamax Bands, you know!" He smiled. "I daresay this year's Gym Challenge is looking to be an absolute blast! Very good, very good indeed! That means the whole Galar region is in for some excitement! The Gym Challenge is an excellent opportunity to show off your Dynamax Pokemon! Now, I'm terribly sorry, but there is some urgent business I need to attend to, so I must be on my way. The best of luck to you all!" He then left the stadium to attend to business.

Leon said, "The chairman sure seems to be in high spirits! Now, listen closely, citizens of Equestria. You've only just started on your path as Galarian Trainers. If you want to win, you need to do more than just train your Pokemon. You need to train yourselves, too."

Rainbow scoffed, "Easy peasy, Champ. We beat up monsters and travel to dangerous places all the time. How's this gonna be any different?"

Pummel frowned. "Rainbow Dash, you don't even know what you have to go through in Gyms, do you? In Johto's Bug-type Gym, I had to traverse webs by means of robot spiders."

"So what? Daring Do may be afraid of spiders, but not me!"

"In Hoenn's Water-type Gym, I had to make every ice tile crack without stepping on one twice, or else I'd fall to the lower level. In Johto's Ghost-type Gym, I had to navigate a path shrouded in darkness, and one false step could send me plummeting."

"Dude, I can fly. I'm not afraid of heights!"

"Your wings will be underneath your jersey."

"Still not afraid of heights."

"Fine, you asked for it. In Kanto's Fire-type Gym, and in Sinnoh's Ghost-type Gym..." Pummel put on a devious grin. "...you must answer trivia and math questions respectively."

The look of sheer terror on Rainbow's face was priceless. "...Okay, I'd rather be an egghead than sorry. Better get to learning about Galar."

Hop turned to us. "Let's do it, guys! Did you know the Gym Challenge has a set order that you've gotta visit the Gyms in?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Where do we go first?"

"The first one is in Turffield. And to get there, we need to head to Route 3!"



According to my Rotom Phone, Route 3 was to the west of Motostoke and must be reached via the upper level. Therefore, I went in that direction, but before I could get far, one of the League staff stopped me. She gave each of us the phone number for what are called Flying Taxis. Apparently, they're Galar's variant of using Fly or Charizard Glide. We thanked her before continuing west.

I stopped just short of reaching the upper level's Pokemon Center and spoke with a young kid who had lost his Minccino, a chinchilla Pokemon. According to him, his Minccino enjoys water and whistling. The lower level, though, was too obvious, so I went to the next best place: Motostoke Stadium. There was a fountain on each side. I started with the left fountain. As I approached it, I heard the iconic "Mworp!" of a Minccino. I gave a whistle, and out came the gray furry critter. As a reward for finding it, I earned what appeared to be a Potion of some sort with a long thin nozzle. My Rotom Phone said it was a bottle of Throat Spray, which increases special attack power after using a sound-based attack. It might be useful for Meloetta. After helping the kid out, I continued west past the Pokemon Center, until...

"Hold on, Helix!" Rainbow Dash flew in front of me just as I was about to cross the bridge. "You're gonna run on ahead without even taking a moment to check out the sweet Pokemon I found?"

I casually said, "Oh, I'm sorry about that. I should have accounted for your competitive nature." I grinned. "Let me guess, you want to take me on in a Pokemon battle."

"Uh, yeah! You're gonna be my best opponent, 'cause you know the ups and downs of battling like I know the ups and downs of the Wonderbolts!" Rainbow took hold of one of her Poke Balls. "You ready for this?"

I prepared my hand to choose a Pokemon. "It's my mission to be ready."

"Then let's do this, full speed ahead!" Rainbow tossed the Poke Ball. "Go for it, Ninjask!" From her Poke Ball came a winged cicada with a yellow face except for a black band between its glowing red eyes.

"In that case, I choose Rookidee!" I sent out my round feathered friend. "Partner, that Pokemon's too fast for a normal strategy. Put up your guard and let Ninjask have the first move."

"You made a bad choice, Helix. Use Scratch!" Ninjask flew forward at blinding speeds with its front legs ready to slash.

I waited until the moment Ninjask began to strike. "...Now! Drop your guard!"

"Got it!" Just as Ninjask's attack made contact, Rookidee stopped guarding, somehow not taking any damage whatsoever as its eyes suddenly flashed yellow. "Not a scratch on me! You just got parried, Ninjask!"

"You only parried that because I'm just getting started. Use Double Team!" Ninjask moved at incredible speeds, making illusory copies of itself. They flew around erratically in an attempt to baffle Rookidee. "Now Fury Cutter!" Ninjask and the clones all rushed right at Rookidee with their claws out.

"Guard and parry as many attacks as you can to minimize damage!" I cringed as I gave that command. Truth is, I only said that to give me time to hatch a plan. He's not gonna last long out there if this keeps up, I thought. Fury Cutter deals more damage the more times it connects in a row, and with Ninjask's vast speed, it would undoubtedly connect many times. At this point, defense was futile...! A wild Idea appeared. "When in doubt, do what Ash Ketchum would do: Attack, attack, and attack some more! Fury Attack!"

"Finally! I thought you'd never figure out my way of battling!" Rookidee suddenly dropped his guard, parrying one last Fury Cutter, before recklessly pecking at the targets. While it was attacking, it flew around and baffled even Ninjask and its clones. With its last attack, it knocked the real Ninjask away, therefore removing the illusory copies, and emitted a blue glow like Grookey and Blipbug.

"What the hay?!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Don't tell me Rookidee's transforming into something totally stronger!"

I adjusted my glasses with a smirk. "If I didn't tell you that, I'd be withholding the truth. Rookidee, on with your evolution!"

Rookidee's body became longer, becoming more like that of a stereotypical bird, and its underbelly changed from yellow to light blue. Its wings had black tips, and its beak was somewhat hooked, like that of a raven. "I am no longer a rookie. I am now a squire... a Corvisquire!"

I checked my Rotom Phone. "Corvisquire, the raven Pokemon. A Flying-type, Corvisquire are smart enough to use tools to their advantage in battle, such as flinging rocks or tying up opponents with rope."

The Doctor checked his phone. "Going through many harsh battles and learning many lessons from those battles have taught Corvisquire to accurately judge the strength of its opponents."

"So, you use tools to your advantage?" I plucked one of my quills and tossed it to Corvisquire, who grabbed it with his talons. "Use this as you please."

"I won't let you down." Corvisquire performed a shuttle loop and launched the quill at Ninjask.

"Dodge it!" Rainbow Dash warned.

...But Ninjask refused. The quill sailed through the air straight towards him. He grabbed the quill when it was inches from his face. He glared at me. "Did you really think an owl pellet like you would be able to land your signature move on me? You've much yet to learn." Then he turned to Rainbow with the same glare. "And you, incompetent mule! You don't know a thing about Spirit Shackle, do you?"

Rainbow gave me a nervous look. "I don't know about you, but I think he's peeved."

I returned the look. "Yes. Ninjask called you an incompetent mule and called me a piece of poop. Just how much have you trained him?"

Rainbow shifted from side to side out of anxiety. "Uh... none? Why?"

I gave her a look that would put Cobalion to shame. "You idiot! Ninjask will refuse to obey its Trainer if not trained properly!" I took out a pair of wireless earbuds. "And since you neglected to train him, you will be punished severely..."

"You will indeed. I'll take care of this myself." Ninjask used Double Team again, but this time, they formed a circle around Corvisquire. Then...

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Ninjask let out an earsplitting screech that would have left me temporarily deaf had I not used the High-Tech Earbuds to block out Ninjask's Screech. Unfortunately, it made everyone else cringe in pain and harshly lowered Corvisquire's defense. "Now, succumb to my mighty quill!" The clones all charged at Corvisquire with their quill.

"Ninjask, put the quill down!" Lucario stepped forward angrily.

Ninjask stopped what it was about to do. "Oh? You're approaching me? Instead of backing off, you're coming straight to me?"

Lucario replied, "I cannot prevent you from beating the feathers out of Corvisquire if I don't get close. Now put the quill down. You know the way of Bushido."

Ninjask looked at its weapon. "...Old friend, you are correct. Bushido states that a samurai must win and lose honorably. But you forgot one thing: I am a ninja, not a samurai!" It rushed at the raven Pokemon. "Corvisquire, it is time for you to meet your end!"

"Hypocrite!" Corvisquire dove down, causing Ninjask and its clones to collide in the middle, dissipating the clones. He then attacked the real Ninjask with a move in which it slams into the target with its beak, Pluck. "You are the one who has met your end for this battle."

Ninjask fell to the ground, its eyes fading in color. "I've fallen..."

Rainbow looked at Ninjask in sadness before returning it to its Poke Ball. "Sorry about not training you, Ninjask... I'll remember to do that after this, because there's two more where that came from!" She tossed another Poke Ball, which produced a bipedal weasel with a red feather on its left ear. "Go, Sneasel!"

My eyes widened in fear. "An Ice-type physical attacker!"

"You got that right! Ice Shard!" I watched as Corvisquire helplessly fell victim to the shards of ice tossed at him.

"We underestimated Rainbow Dash and the partners she would have. I'm sorry, pal..." I returned Corvisquire to his Poke Ball. "I would normally sent out my starter in a time like this, but you said you had three Pokemon, not two." I sent out Dottler. "It's time for IQ over quadriceps! Reflect!" Dottler brought up a barrier that held off physical attacks. "Now prepare Struggle Bug!" Dottler hunkered down, ready to take on direct attacks.

"Looks like it's speed against defense!" Rainbow said. "Use Scratch!"

Sneasel lunged forward and tried to pierce Dottler's defenses with its claws, only to be launched away by Struggle Bug. "Never underestimate the might of supereffective attacks," Dottler said in a somewhat arrogant manner.

"So what if you did a number on Sneasel? In that case, we just won't give you the chance to strike! Quick Attack!"

Sneasel sped forward and tried once again to get past Reflect, but to no avail. Dottler punished Sneasel with another Struggle Bug. "At this point, you've already lost. I can prove it." One more Struggle Bug, and Sneasel was down for the count.

Rainbow Dash growled as she withdrew Sneasel. "I can't believe you beat both my Pokemon so easily! But it's time I gained the high ground, or in this case..." Without any warnings, Rainbow flew right for me and struck me with her left wing, the resulting blow causing me to fall to the lower level, next to a body of water. She soon followed, setting Dottler down next to me. "...high water!" She threw a Poke Ball out into the water, and out came a familiar species. "You're my last hope, Arrokuda!"

My eyes narrowed. "Careful, Dottler. We don't know what to expect with this new Pokemon. Use Reflect!"

"Don't give him a chance! Use Aqua Jet!" Arrokuda cloaked itself in water and blasted out of the water, heading straight for Dottler. However, Dottler's sturdy shell lessened the impact greatly, to the point that Dottler hardly flinched. "Tough guy, huh? Let's try Aqua Jet again, but aim low!" This time, Arrokuda struck Dottler's feet, flipping it over onto its shell.

"My only weakness has been revealed!" Dottler exclaimed. "My shell exists not only to enhance my psychic powers, but also to protect my soft body, which has now been exposed..."

I glanced at Rainbow Dash in fear. "I completely underestimated you. I hadn't a clue that you knew to use strategy..."

She shrugged. "Hey, I'm not just about hitting fast and hard! Wonderbolts like myself have to think about strategy as well. Now then, time for a supereffective blow! Use Bite!" Arrokuda sunk its sharp teeth into Dottler's soft flesh for the win. "That settles the score, two to two! What're you gonna do now, Helix?"

I solemnly closed my eyes as I thought about my next move. "I'm sorry, my little pony..." I opened my eyes and gave Rainbow a death stare. "...but you're gonna have a bad time. Go, my great atrocity!" I sent out, of all Pokemon... Magikarp.

Upon seeing the most pathetic Pokemon ever, Rainbow fell to the ground, laughing. "Ha ha ha! You think that a lame old fish like that can take on a speedy, strong fish like mine? Good luck with that! Time for another Aqua Jet!"

I watched Arrokuda repeatedly strike Magikarp with Aqua Jet, until I could tell that Magikarp was on its last legs--I mean, fins. "I've been holding back his power until now. It's time that you discover the true ferocity of Magikarp!" I tossed some of the blue candies into the water. Experience Candies, as my Rotom Phone had explained to me after the Max Raid Battles.

The water glowed bright blue. The glow increased rapidly in size. Seeing this, Rainbow's grin turned upside-down. "You're telling me that Magikarp evolves into... Well, so long Arrokuda..."

"What's the matter?" I deviously asked. "You've seen a Gyarados before?"

Rainbow went from sheer horror to mere sorrow and disappointment. "Yep. I would think it's awesome, but I'm on the receiving end now..."

Suddenly, the familiar long blue body of Gyarados burst out of the water, hitting Arrokuda hard by... slamming into it while seeming to scale an invisible waterfall? "Wait a minute, Gyarados learns Waterfall by leveling up?!"

Roborygon reviewed his database. "Apparently so. Good thing, too."

Moments later, Rainbow returned her fainted Arrokuda to its Poke Ball as my Gyarados roared in triumph. "Man, you really gave my Pokemon a beating, Helix... Especially with that Gyarados right out of nowhere!"

I snickered. "That's why I love Magikarp: it starts out weak, but it evolves into a monster that scares opponents out of their wits!"

"You know," Pummel said, "I'm surprised it isn't destroying things right now."

"Wait, what?!" the Doctor exclaimed. "What do you mean?!"

Roborygon explained, "Well, according to its Pokedex entry, Gyarados will destroy everything in its vicinity if it becomes enraged. And I would think that getting attacked repeatedly by Arrokuda would be enough to make it fly into a rage. However..." Roborygon analyzed my Gyarados. "...this Gyarados has the Calm nature. You see, every Pokemon has not only a type and ability, but also a nature. This Gyarados was calm enough to keep from wreaking havoc upon its surroundings."

I wiped away sweat from my forehead. "Good. I knew about its tendency to destroy things, but that was a risk I was willing to take. You've seen what my partners could do when I took on Team Yell, Rainbow, so I chose to pull a fast one on you. Although I kind of regret that now..."

"No worries, Helix," Rainbow said with a sad smile. "That Gyarados was actually pretty awesome, you know. Besides, you know more about Pokemon than I do, so I've got to give you that." She got over her defeat and firmly shook my wing with hers. "Nice job beating me, but you won't beat me next time!"

"We'll see about that," I replied with a grin. "Let's head to the Pokemon Center to heal up. Afterwards, on to Route 3!"
> Chapter 5: The Wishing Star Scavenger
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Almost immediately after entering Route 3, my eyes spotted something that would be quite useful. "Hey, Doctor!" I pointed to a tree next to the entrance to Motostoke. "I think there's something under that tree. It's probably something that I don't need, so you can take it."

"Thank you, Helix." The Doctor walked over and picked up something. "Hmm, a mushroom? I wonder how I could use this..."

"A mushroom?" Mario went up to the Doctor to check out the mushroom. "This isn't like any of the mushrooms I've seen in the Mushroom Kingdom. What is it?"

Roborygon analyzed the mushroom. "Mushrooms like this one can be sold to shops for a high price, as can gold nuggets, pearls, and star pieces, among other things. Sorry, Mario, but you'll have to sell your mushrooms in another castle."

"Mama mia..." Mario shook his head at the corny pun.

We continued past some patches of grass, where I caught a flower-like Pokemon with a single green leg, a yellow flower "hat," and red hair. The Pokedex called it a Gossifleur. I would have added it to my party if I thought it had a strong, useful evolution like Seedot's.

As for the items along the route, I left them for the Doctor to pick up. I had brought along several healing and held items to Equestria in case I ran into a wild monster or two, so I didn't need the items around the route. Besides, the Doctor was just a rookie when it comes to Pokemon, so he really needed them in my opinion... Although I might regret calling him a rookie in the future.

The first three Trainers I ran into along the route were fairly easy to beat, given that my Magikarp, Rookidee, and Scorbunny had recently evolved thanks to Rainbow Dash and her skilled Pokemon; the first Trainer had the Fire-type Vulpix, the second had the Fighting-type Pancham, and the third had the Grass-type Budew and Gossifleur.

Not long after taking down schoolboy Marvin, I ran into Sonia again. "Hey, Sonia. How are you doing?"

"Oh, hey, guys! Y'know, you looked real ace out there during the opening ceremony! Oh, but where were Pummel and the Doctor? I didn't see them at the ceremony."

The Doctor gave Sonia an unsure look. "Honestly, I'm not quite sure if you'd understand. By any chance, have you ever heard of this strange little Pokemon called Hoopa?"

"Hoopa?" Sonia put a hand to her chin in thought. "I haven't heard of that Pokemon before. I wonder of Gran's heard of it."

"I see. Well, the reason I asked about Hoopa is because apparently it used a strange portal of some sort to take me and Pummel to this parallel counterpart of the Galar region. Now, isn't that the oddest thing?"

"You were thrown into a parallel Galar region and took part in that region's Gym Challenge opening ceremony? You're right, that is pretty strange. But why a parallel Galar region?"

Pummel shrugged. "We'll find out soon enough."

Suddenly, Sonia seemed to remember something. "Oh! Let me tell you about something that's a bit interesting." She pointed along the fenced-off path, towards what looked like a factory. "See that building over there? It's a company owned by Chairman Rose. Just past Route 3, there's a mine where they dig up ore. That building over there processes it into energy."

"That must mean that the chairman is responsible for providing the Galar region with energy," Tails summarized. "It's nice to see that the chairman cares so much for this region."

"Yeah, he does seem like a pretty brilliant guy. By the way, I've got a little something for you if the mine gives you any trouble." She held out a coil of rope. "It's an Escape Rope. Any of you want it?"

Lucario obliged. "I'll take it." He slung the rope around his right shoulder.

"Why would you want the Escape Rope? You're a Pokemon!"

Lucario gave a small smile. "I'm just holding onto it in case a friend of mine arrives. He might want this."

"All right. That makes sense. Just be careful, all of you. The way to Turffield is pretty long, so that's kind of a challenge in its own right. Good luck, guys!" Sonia went on ahead and left us to continue our adventure.

The Doctor stopped to pick up a Revive on a nearby rock while the rest of us ventured into the tall grass. This grass was thriving with coal on wheels. I chose to catch one of them--Rolycoly, as I soon learned they were called--but I sent it to the PC. Its name suggested that it would become a Rock- and Fire-type, because coal is used to contain heat, but I already had a Fire-type.

I went south to fight a schoolgirl who had a Purrloin and a Skwovet before encountering a berry tree. Unlike the trees in Kalos, the berries didn't naturally fall down. I had to forcefully shake them out of the tree. I gave it a good shake, and two berries came down: An Oran and a Rawst Berry. I saw more berries in the tree, so I shook it some more. This time, two Oran Berries and a Persim Berry came down. Feeling brave, I shook it again, and down came a Pecha Berry and a Rawst Berry. Another shake, and then came two Pecha Berries and a Persim Berry. One more shake... Thud!

This time, I shook a cherry-like Cherubi out of the tree. Surprised by being shaken out of its home, it took me on in a battle. I was able to catch it with help from Kilowatt's Nuzzle. Having caught Cherubi, I went to pick up the berries, only to discover that they were gone!

"Hey, Helix!" I looked back north and found Keldeo making off with some berries. "Sorry about this, but I'm just teaching you a lesson about why you shouldn't get greedy! Other Pokemon can take the berries away if you shake trees too much and get dragged into a surprise battle!"

"Well, that's new," I chuckled to myself.

I continued down the path to a dead end, where I found the TM for Beat Up. I went back up the path and took down a postman who owned a Delibird; that's when I realized I would need Rolycoly, so I sent Gyarados to the PC and brought Rolycoly into my party. Luckily, my Seedot can evolve into a part Dark-type, so I'd still easily defeat Ghost-types when it came time to evolve.

Not long after the postman, I found a lady who had set up camp with her Pokemon. She was happy to explain to me the HP and PP-restoring effects of curries and offered me a Cheri Berry. She also said to feel free to visit other people's camps. If I had to guess, it's likely easier to get to know someone by means of camping rather than battling. That way, people can meet each other's Pokemon.

This particular camp housed a Wooloo, Vulpix, Yamper, a weed Pokemon called Oddish, a fruit Pokemon called Bounsweet, and a dangerously cute Stufful. I chose to play fetch with the Yamper and play with the Vulpix and Stufful using the Poke Toy included in the camping kit. However, Bounsweet kept a safe distance from me, for Bounsweet are often the victims of bird Pokemon due to their alluring scent. Take it from me, whose current species is the fully evolved form of Rowlet, who repeatedly went after Bounsweet starting in episode 3 of the Pokemon Sun and Moon anime.

I also joined the camper and made curry together. This time, her key ingredient was... precooked burger. Yeah, apparently you can put anything into Galarian curry. This time, we did much better with the curry than back in the Wild Area. We cooked a Sweet Burger-Steak Curry, and it was one step above Milcery Class, Copperajah Class. Copperajah is apparently a bulky elephant Pokemon with a hand-like trunk.

After camping, I fought a schoolboy who had a Sizzlipede--a Fire-and Bug-type centipede (with a chevron mustache) who fell victim to my Rolycoly's Smack Down in one shot--and a Dottler that was easily beaten by Hotshot. After the schoolboy, I found a container with a Super Potion in a bare patch near a large grass patch home to several Rolycoly. I left the container alone because I had plenty of Hyper Potions.

I took on a handful of Rolycoly to get my team leveled up before I went to the entrance of what must have been a mine, a nearby sign confirming it to be the Galar Mine. As I took down the Pokemon, the Doctor went ahead and grabbed some X Defenses in a patch of flowers to the right of the entrance.



When we entered the Galar Mine, the Doctor was quite impressed. "I must say, I've never been in a mine before. This one in particular really captures my attention, but I don't know why. Perhaps it's because I've been holed up in my lab for such a long period of time that I lost my curiosity when it came to actual adventures. Helix, I once again thank you for revitalizing my desire for adventure by helping me construct a real time machine!"

I smiled. "Glad to help, Doctor. It's just what friends do."

"You know," Pinkie said, "I really thought the Galar Mine would have a lot more gems and stuff. Instead, there's just so much brown!"

"Don't fret, Pinkie." Hop showed her the map on his Rotom Phone. "This is just the coal mine. If you want a bunch of gems..." He pointed towards the right side of the map. "...you'll need to head over to Galar Mine No. 2! It takes a lot of energy to keep Galar filled to the brim with energy, so we need two mines."

"Oh, that makes sense. I wonder if there are any rocks in this mine that my sister Maud would like. She really likes rocks!"

"Your sister likes rocks? Maybe she'd be good friends with Gordie, the Rock-type Gym Leader!"

"Maybe. I'll have to get to know Gordie and decide for myself!"

We continued into the mine, where I took down a few bipedal, log-carrying Pokemon called Timburr, and Pinkie tried to go after a rather swift mole Pokemon called Drilbur. Unfortunately, it drilled out of sight, leaving her to continue with us along a railroad. The Doctor turned left off the railway to find a hidden Revive and take on a worker with a black rock Pokemon that had a single ear, Roggenrola. We went further along the path and found a container on another path that we couldn't reach at the moment. It turned out that the path with the container was actually connected to our path, so the Doctor took that path and opened the container while I went through an additional exit that led back to Route 3, but to a previously inaccessible portion that offered the TM for Rock Blast.

We went back to the main path along the railroad before finding another fork in the road. The Doctor began to challenge another worker to a battle, but he learned that Pinkie had already beaten her and her three Timburr. Surprised by that, he chose to go further east only to find Pinkie pilfering a hidden bag of Stardust. I turned back and returned to following the railway so the Doctor could pick up the TM for Scary Face. The railway ended at an open area with a couple of Rolycoly rolling around. Rather than fight them, I picked up a hidden Hard Stone and gave it to my Rolycoly, whom I chose to name Rollanratl, after the boss that Wario fights in the latest Wario Land game.

I battled a worker who had the mole-like Diglett and a Drilbur before crossing a wooden bridge. On the northern end of the bridge, I fought a worker that had a Rolycoly before I found some black boots with red logos next to a gem-filled minecart. My Rotom Phone called them Heavy-Duty Boots and said they were used to avoid the affects of entry hazards such as Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, even though a grounded Poison-type will still remove the effects of the latter if switched in.

Something that sounded like rolling caught my attention. I turned to look down a second railway and saw the strangest thing. And I'm not talking about Pinkie riding four Rolycoly as if they were roller skates... I'm talking about the living minecart made of coal, carrying a load of red-hot coal, which Pinkie was chasing by using the Rolycoly roller skates. "I'm gonna get you, coal minecart!" Pinkie said playfully.

"Here, I'll help." I pulled one of the two vines on my cloak before preparing an arrow quill to fire using the vine. I fired the arrow quill so that it jammed the minecart's front right wheel, causing the Pokemon to careen off the tracks and tip onto its side. Upon closer inspection, the minecart Pokemon had a face with two triangular eyes and a mouth that seemed to glow bright orange occasionally, as if on the verge of becoming ablaze. "I wonder who this Pokemon is..."

Rollanratl came out of its Poke Ball. "Carkol? That's my evolution that's been rolling around earlier. If you wanna catch him, you better move fast!"

My Rotom Phone warned, "Careful, it's part Fire-type. Avoid using Grass-type Pokemon against it."

"Okay." The Doctor sent out Bite Force. "Use Water Gun!"

"Wait, don't--!"

Rotom's warning came too late, for Bite Force's Water Gun successfully hit its target. However, this seemed to enrage the Carkol, because it was steaming and its eyes glowed orange. "Nice try, squirt, but you only helped me. Time for a steam-powered Rapid Spin!" Carkol rammed into Bite Force at a surprisingly high speed.

"I was about to say," Rotom sighed, "that Carkol can have the Steam Engine ability. This drastically increases their speed if hit by a Water- or Fire-type move."

I growled. "Darn. This really makes up for their Water-type weakness. I'll have to remember to use Ground-types against Carkol..."

The Doctor turned to Luigi. "Say, do you have any ice-based items? I know fire is strong against ice, but still, icy things should help."

"Let's-a see..." Luigi reached into his overalls to find something. "...I've-a got it!" He pulled out a flower with a sky blue face. He brought it to his chest and absorbed it, causing his hat and shirt to turn sky blue and his overalls to turn green. "Oh yeah, Ice Luigi time!"

"I'll shatter your hopes of beating me!" Carkol engulfed itself in flames and charged towards Ice Luigi.

"I'm-a putting you on ice!" Ice Luigi rapidly tossed balls of ice at Carkol. At first, they didn't do much, but as the ice balls piled on, Carkol slowed more and more until it was frozen in a block of ice. "Wahoo! I did it!"

Then I remembered to bring up the Donphan in the room--er, cave. "Pinkie, were those Rolycoly that you were using to chase Carkol?"

"Yep!"

"Did you... catch all of them?"

Pinkie laughed. "No, silly! What point is there to catching a ton of the same Pokemon other than catching every form of a Pokemon? I'm gonna build up a team of all sorts of different Pokemon!" And then, she started vibrating. "Uh oh, my Pinkie Sense is tingling!"

Meta Knight stealthily appeared again. "Hmm, what is this Pinkie Sense you speak of? I still do not understand."

Lucario explained, "In a nutshell, Pinkie Sense is Pinkie's body's way of predicting the near future. For instance, a twitchy tail means something will fall from the sky. An itchy nose means a swarm of bees is approaching. And shaking, like she is doing now, means... it's going to be a doozy. In what way, I cannot tell you, because this Pinkie Sense reaction covers a fairly wide variety of things. One time, it referred to Twilight deciding to just stop trying to figure out Pinkie Sense. Another time, it preceded Kirby's sudden transformation back in Equestria. Who knows what it foretells this time?"

Pinkie glanced along the second railway, and she suddenly stopped shaking. "I think I do." She ran towards the end of the track, where a much too familiar face was searching for something. "Hey, sorry I was in your--"

The boy in pink stopped her. "You there, little pink thing. Coming this way? I'd advise against it. Any Trainer, even a horse, is in for a beating from me and my Pokemon!"

"That's the second time he's been rude to Pinkie. I'm not putting up with this." The Doctor approached him. "That is no way to speak to the pony who wields the element of laughter! You have no right to belittle her!"

The boy glared at him. "You. You're one of the Gym Challengers endorsed by the Champion, aren't you?"

The Doctor nodded. "As a matter of fact, we all are, including Pinkie Pie."

The boy scoffed. "What a joke. You are aware that the chairman is more important than the Champion, right?"

"I beg your pardon? Are you saying that those who are endorsed by the Champion are inferior to those who are endorsed by the chairman, therefore making us inferior to you?"

"Hmm, so you really are smart enough to recognize that. At least you have a fair amount of deductive skill."

The Doctor was growing more annoyed. "You are an insult to Trainers all around Galar! Calling yourself more amazing than us simply due to ascribed status... Absolute rubbish! I theorize that all people and ponies are created equal, and you dare to challenge our equality? If anything, you are the one who is inferior to us!"

"You would dare to challenge my superiority? I accept your challenge, in order to prove beyond doubt just how pathetic you are and how strong I am." He tossed his Great Ball. "I'd like to see how you get past Solosis." From the Great Ball came a cell on the verge of splitting in two, given the partially divided nucleus with the eyes and mouth.

"A cell-like Pokemon, I see. I would think that such a mentally-skilled organism would easily fall victim to my latest evolution..." The Doctor sent out a green larva Pokemon that somewhat resembled a battery; I recognized the Pokemon from my adventures in Alola. "Behold, my Charjabug!"

"That little larva doesn't stand a chance against the building blocks of living things. Cells can kill if they want to. Solosis, use Confusion!" Solosis emitted a psychic energy that made direct contact with Charjabug.

Charjabug's eyes flickered on and off. "Chances of attacks hitting wrong target increased to thirty percent..."

The Doctor stomped his hoof in frustration. "Why, you've gone and confused my partner! Seems like I need to take the initiative with a means to cure his confusion..." He got an idea. "That's it! Charjabug, turn forty-five degrees counterclockwise and use String Shot! When it hits something, pull it in!"

"Initiating String Shot maneuvers." Charjabug followed the Doctor's orders, and its string attached to an empty oil barrel. When he pulled, the barrel slammed into Charjabug, knocking him back to his senses. "Distortion removed. Attack efficiency returned to normal."

The Doctor smiled. "Curing confusion is like making omelettes: you have to crack a few eggs. Charjabug, reel in Solosis with String Shot, then use Bug Bite!"

"Undergoing fishing rod approach." Charjabug made contact with Solosis using String Shot. As soon as he pulled Solosis in, he opened his mandibles to unleash a Bug Bite for the win.

The boy scoffed. "Don't think you have a chance to beat me. I just gave your Pokemon a little chance to shine, that's all. Fall victim to my next Pokemon, Gothita!" He sent out what I can only describe as a baby goth girl.

The Doctor carefully analyzed Gothita. "It appears I'm up against another Psychic-type. I still have the advantage. Charjabug, close the distance with Spark!"

"Activating electricity generators." Charjabug's eyes glowed yellow as it charged forward.

"Use Psybeam, and aim to the left of Charjabug!" Gothita fired a psychic laser towards Charjabug's left, and the impact knocked Charjabug onto its side. "Face it, your Charjabug doesn't stand a chance. Gothita, use Tickle!"

Gothita used its ribbons and stubby hands to tickle Charjabug's belly. This seemed to baffle Charjabug. "Stimulus causing uncontrollable spasms and unnatural amount of endorphins. Does not compute, does not compute...!"

"Now to end this. Use Pound!" Gothita slapped Charjabug with its short arms, which did a considerable amount of damage after Tickle lowered Charjabug's attack power and defense. This was enough to knock out Charjabug. "I told you not to underestimate me."

"But there's more where that came from. Good luck taking down my next Pokemon!" The Doctor sent out a fox that appeared to be wearing a black domino mask and an evil mustache. "It's your turn, Bandit!"

My Rotom Phone got to work. "Thievul, the Fox Pokemon, and the evolved form of Nickit. A Dark-type, Thievul secretly marks its targets with a scent, which it uses to track down and stalk them."

The Doctor said, "And my Rotom Phone told me that Thievul use their slender body type and sharp claws to sneak around stealing eggs. Pokemon called Boltund are their natural enemies."

"And you named him Bandit?" I chuckled. "Love the name you gave your Thievul, Doctor."

"Why, thank you. I'm honestly not a very original pony when it comes to nicknaming, perhaps because this is the first time I've been allowed the chance to give a being a nickname. Bandit, time to use Hone Claws!"

Bandit scratched the ground with his claws. "Time to get these sharp and shiny!"

The boy scoffed. "You're wasting a turn to merely improve your attack power and accuracy? Pathetic. You've just left yourself open to another helping of Pound!" Gothita waddled ahead for another Pound.

"Ah, but you've only seen one of Bandit's moves. Use Tail Whip!" Bandit proceeded to slam Gothita's face with his tail, knocking her off her feet. "Pokemon moves don't have to be used the way they're normally used. I learned from watching one of Helix's battles. Follow through with Assurance!" Bandit pounced on the defenseless Gothita, defeating it.

The boy sighed. "Oh dear, what have I been doing? Well, whatever. I'll just get this over with. Meet my trump card, Hatenna!" He sent out a small pink Pokemon that consisted of a head with blue hair covering its eyes. The hair on the sides appeared to act as limbs, and behind the hair was a hat-like protrusion topped with a blue spherical growth. Additionally, Hatenna had two small, stubby feet.

Before we could check our Rotom Phones, Roborygon spoke up, although quietly. "Please allow me to give the entry for Hatenna, the Calm Pokemon. A Psychic-type, Hatenna has a strong sense of emotion and can sense others' emotions by means of its hat-like protrusion, hence the name. It never warms up to those without a calm disposition and will immediately run away if it senses a strong emotion."

Hearing Hatenna's Pokedex entry, we all lowered our voices. The Doctor said, "It's quite nice to know that not all Pokemon are rambunctious creatures. Bandit, use Assurance once more." Bandit began to pounce again.

"You won't get away with that again. Disarming Voice!" Hatenna let loose a charming cry that did a fair amount of damage to Thievul. "In case you foolish Gym Challengers don't know, Disarming Voice cannot be avoided."

I told the Doctor, "Disarming Voice is a Fairy-type move, which is super effective against Dark-types."

"Duly noted. Perhaps I should change tactics." The Doctor recalled Bandit and sent out Ukiki. "If I can't dodge Disarming Voice, then I'll just overpower it. Use Razor Leaf!"

"Disarming Voice, again!" Hatenna used its charming cry again. However, the razor-sharp leaves cleaved right through the cry, landing a critical hit on Hatenna. This was enough to knock it out.

The boy glared at the Doctor as he withdrew his last Pokemon. "Well, that was unexpected. I suppose you're more able than I thought."

The Doctor shook his head as he chuckled to himself. "I may only be a beginner when it comes to Pokemon, but that doesn't mean I can't be good at it. Everyone has to start somewhere to get to where they are now."

"And I started at the very top, because I was endorsed by the chairman himself, as I told you earlier. The only reason why you beat me is because I was holding back, to see what you could do. Naturally, I'll remember your battle style and strategies now. I'm sure to easily defeat you if and when we face each other in an official match. Now that we've established that, I won't waste anymore time on you. I've already found all the Wishing Stars in the area." He proceeded to exit the Galar Mine without delay.

I sighed. "For every Hau, there's always a Gladion..."

"I beg your pardon," the Doctor replied, "but could you explain your analogy? I do not recognize either of those names."

"Oh, sorry about that. I forgot you haven't been to Alola. You see, back in Alola, I made two major rivals: Hau and Gladion. Hau's a cheerful, easygoing guy, while Gladion is a dark and brooding boy. Of course, that doesn't mean Gladion is a bad guy."

My powerful auditory senses picked up Lucario chuckling to himself. "Hah... What a fool..."

Pinkie asked him, "What is it? Something funny? Who's a fool? Why's the person you're talking about a fool? Is today April 1st and I don't even know it?! Please, tell us!"

Lucario paused for a long time. Then he turned to us with a devious grin. "About what he said before he left..." He showed us something in his paws. A small group of Wishing Stars, held together by the Escape Rope. "...Bede missed some." He gave the Wishing Stars to those of us who had not yet obtained them, and said challengers used their own Escape Ropes to leave the mine, presumably to get their Dynamax Bands.

"Bede?" I asked. "Is that the unbearably rude Psychic-type user's name?"

Pinkie answered, "Yep, that's his name! I figured it out when he pushed me away back in Motostoke Stadium. Turned out his Challenge Band had his name imprinted on it!"

"Really?" The Doctor checked his Challenge Band. "So they do imprint our names on them! That is nice to know. Pinkie, you could probably remember the names of every challenger if you looked at their Challenge Bands."

Before we proceeded to the end of the mine, I felt something rock in the Team Pocket of my coat. I took out the two Poke Balls that were rocking and sent out the Pokemon within. So, my Seedot and Rollanratl were ready. As expected, Rollanratl evolved into Carkol. Seedot's new species had bulky beige thighs, thin arms with mitten-like hands, a long pointed nose, and a leaf atop its head.

I turned to the Doctor. "Say hello to Nuzleaf." 

I took out my Rotom Phone. "Nuzleaf, the Wily Pokemon. A Grass- and Dark-type, Nuzleaf live in the depths of forests. With the leaf on its head, it makes a flute whose song makes those who listen feel uneasy."

The Doctor checked his Rotom Phone. "It appears my Rotom Phone's Pokedex entry has the same data."

Roborygon joined the conversation. "But that isn't all you need to know about Nuzleaf. They hate having their nose pinched because it takes away their power. And while Nuzleaf live deep in forests, they will come out to frighten people. Now that we've got that taken care of..."

He prepared to announce something, but I cut him off. "Wait a minute." I turned to Rollanratl. "By any chance, might you have a second evolution? One that might look like, say, a locomotive?"

Rollanratl gave me an unsure look. "Actually... I don't know. I've only seen Rolycoly and Carkol around here. If I do have a second evolution, though, I'd sure like to evolve into it!"

"Then I'll suppose that's true and give you a more suitable nickname: Rev Rock."

"Rev Rock..." My Carkol smiled. "Yeah, that's a pretty sweet name. Let's roll with it!"

"Okay. One more try." Roborygon announced to nobody in particular, "Back to adventure!"
> Chapter 6: Fierce Felines and the Fighting Farmer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upon exiting the Galar Mine, we were greeted by the rural landscape that was Route 4. Much of the grass on the route had turned yellow from aging, but that did not keep the route from looking stunning. As a matter of fact, it only made the environment even more so. In a nutshell, Route 4 was a place fit for a farmer... Wait a minute. Farmer? I thought back to the Gym Challenge opening ceremony, back to what Chairman Rose said. The fighting farmer! Here's the Grass-type expert, Milo! Come to think of it, I could also see the first Gym in the distance, and I could make out a green symbol on it.

I gripped Rev Rock's Poke Ball in my wing. "Thank you for evolving into Carkol," I said with a smile.

The Ball rocked, almost as if it was responding to my gratitude.

I visited the Pokemon Camp of a backpacker named Molly. She and a kid in an Eevee costume visiting her camp collectively had the Pokemon Munna (a pink tapir Pokemon that feeds on positive dreams), Woobat (a bat Pokemon with no eyes, light blue fur, and a heart-shaped nose that attaches to the walls of caves), Ralts (a small bipedal Pokemon with green hair covering its eyes, a white "robe," and two small red horns, one on the front and one on the back of its head; Ralts grow quite attached to people with a compassionate spirit but otherwise never appear), Ribombee (a bee-like fairy Pokemon that can produce pollen balls that can heal or hurt), Bronzor (looks like a circular device made of bronze), Milcery, and the world-famous Pikachu.

I decided to share my thoughts on visiting the Galar region with Ralts before I played with Pikachu using the Poke Toy. After that, I figured I should cook a curry with the other Trainers. I was about to toss my berries into the pot when...

"Hey! What did I ever do to provoke you?!" I heard the Doctor shout.

I quickly hurried over to the yellow grass, where the Doctor was being chased by a bipedal feline with a grayish-brown coat, a black coin on its forehead, yellow eyes, and a toothy grin. "Ye didn't do a thing! I'm fighting ye 'cause I want to!"

"Get away from the Doctor, you feisty Meowth who is apparently native to Galar!" I fired a Spirit Shackle, but to my surprise, the feline Pokemon deflected it using his coin.

"You've a fine aim, lad, but ye can't pierce my iron body! Ha ha ha!" And then he came after me, his black claws extended and ready to slash.

"This is too easy." I used Low Sweep, knocking the Galarian Meowth off his hind legs using my right talons. I plucked an arrow quill from my wing, and it became elongated and covered in a green glow. That's when I slashed at Meowth with the Leaf Blade. "I'll return to the Galar region later in order to complete my Pokedex. This one's yours to catch, Doctor!"

"Thanks, Helix!" The Doctor successfully caught the Galarian Meowth, replacing his Thievul with it. "I wouldn't be surprised if this beastly feline could learn a few Dark-type moves."

"You're telling me!" Pinkie appeared out of nowhere and sent out a Meowth that had cream-colored fur, a golden coin, and white eyes. It was a Kantonian Meowth. "This little guy tried to bite me when I went to check out his shiny forehead coin, so I'd be extra careful about that Meowth you just caught."

"A Meowth from Kanto?" I asked. "Where did you find it?"

"I just found it in my Pokemon Box when I visited the Rotomi in Wedgehurst. The Rotomi said something about somecreature wanting to deposit the Meowth under my name. I'm not sure why whoever gave it to me would do that. And Doctor, I wouldn't use that Galar Meowth in the third Gym if I were you. He'd probably melt under the pressure!"

"What are you talking about?" The Doctor checked his Rotom Phone. "Well, isn't that something! Galarian Meowth are Steel-types!"

"As I expected," I replied. "That Meowth suffered great damage from my Low Sweep, which is a Fighting-type attack. You should keep him away from Pokemon that can breathe fire, Pokemon skilled in martial arts, and Pokemon that can control earth."

"I very much appreciate your advice, Helix." The Doctor turned to Pinkie. "By the way, you made fast time returning to Route 4, and that was fast even according to the standards regarding you!"

"Huh," I exclaimed in realization. "You're quite right, Doctor. Pinkie, how is it that you got here so fast?"

Pinkie seemed really surprised by this. "Hold on a minute! You're telling me that you noticed me show up, but you never saw that?!" She pointed with her hoof towards what appeared to be a cable car that, rather than being pulled by a cable, was carried by a large raven Pokemon that had iron armor covering its whole body, aside from some chest fluff. On the raven's back was a man in aviation gear. "Sure seems like you haven't used a Flying Taxi yet. They're really fun!"

I looked at the iron raven inquisitively. "...Do I have to trade away a Corvisquire holding a Metal Coat in order for it to evolve into you?"

It looked back at me with a bemused expression. "You say that as if you've never encountered bird Pokemon that have three species in their evolutionary family."

I shuddered from its bold response, and partially because I have encountered said bird Pokemon. "That answers my question. I admit, you are one of the few creatures who were able to genuinely unnerve me."

The Doctor chuckled. "I imagine that this Pokemon's fierce behavior would be mentioned in its Pokedex entry."

"Wait for it..." Pinkie said as she trotted onward.

"Wait for what?" the Doctor asked.

I shrugged. "We'll see. She's been known to foresee things. How long we'll have to wait, nopony knows."

With that, we continued along Route 4. The Doctor searched every paddock for Pokemon to catch and items to gather, while I peeked into the paddocks every now and then to see if there was anything important to find like held items and Poke Balls. Surprisingly, there were more hidden items than those found in containers. Of course, TMs were still only found in yellow containers, as the Doctor discovered when he found the TM for Pin Missile. One thing that truly surprised me was that the Doctor picked up every bag of powder, herb, and health-boosting roots. "Hey! Don't you know that those are bitter?"

"Of course I do, Helix. Ponies such as myself are vegetarian, and besides, our stomachs are accustomed to bitter herbs." Then the Doctor realized what I was talking about. "...Oh, you mean these are for Pokemon to consume. I suppose that is a small predicament. I'm sure that there are plenty of Pokemon that do not enjoy bitter herbs such as these. Still, I should hang onto these anyway, in case of an emergency."

I joined the Doctor in the western paddock, where he was searching to make sure that he didn't miss any new Pokemon. I caught another Electric-type canine Pokemon, an Electrike, before I overheard some commotion, the source of said commotion somewhere below us.

"Hey, Dug?"

"Yeah, Dig?"

"I've been thinking, and I feel that I've made up my mind. I've waited way too long. It's time for me to evolve!"

"You're kidding, Dig! We can't evolve until there's three Diglett! Right now, it's just you and me."

Having heard enough, I took out my Expedition Gadget. "Hey, Dedenne? Can I get the Ground-type Masters on the line?"

"Sure, Helix. Give me just a moment." I waited patiently for her to get the Ground-type Master Pokemon, who are the most skilled Ground-type Pokemon in the world recruited by the Expedition Society. For your information, there exists one (or two, in the case of couples) individual Pokemon who is/are the best of the best whenever it comes to specific stats or types. These Pokemon have been chosen to join the Expedition Society, and they have been dubbed Master Pokemon. For instance, a certain Greninja is the evasion Master Pokemon, and a certain Gengar is the Ghost-type Master Pokemon.

The Ground-type Master Pokemon picked up. "Hello, dearie. How can we help?"

"Oh, hello, Miss Trio," I replied. "Is your husband available?"

"Of course. Let me get him."

Seconds later... "Hello, hello, hello, Helix! Need some ground-breaking help?"

I answered, "Not exactly. I'm over in Galar, and there's a couple of Kantonian Diglett who want to evolve. Are you okay with sending your son over here to Route 4? The Diglett will be in the west paddock."

"The Galar region, huh? Well, our boy is level 20, so I think he's ready to go without us. Hey, Doug! You want to take a trip to Galar? Helix says there's some Diglett on Route 4 who need your help... Okay, Helix! He's on his way! I just hope he doesn't get self-conscious about getting out of the ground to swim. We Diglett and Dugtrio don't really like to take our claws out of the ground..." Then he hung up.

"Pinkie Pie, over here!" I called out to the pink pony, who was having a fun time with her Milcery. "Can you keep an eye out on this paddock? There's going to be a Diglett coming here to meet up with two other Diglett. You'll get to throw an evolution party when he arrives."

"An evolution party? You can count on me! I've never thrown an evolution party before, but I'll be sure to make it really evolutionary!" Pinkie dashed over to the paddock while the Doctor and I continued onward with Pummel and Heart.

"...Actually, hold on a minute." I looked back at Pinkie. "Where's Rainbow Dash?"

"She's back in the Wild Area training her Pokemon."

"In that case, the party can wait. You've more pressing matters to attend to." I called up the Flying Taxi and put Pinkie inside the cab. "Go to the Wild Area and tell Rainbow that her Pokemon won't obey her if she doesn't have the proper amount of Gym Badges. She'll know if her Pokemon will obey if she checks the back of her Trainer Card."

"Thanks for telling me! Okay, Flying Taxi, let's go to East Lake Axewell!" The iron raven flew off with Pinkie inside the car.

We continued onward to a fork in the road. The path north led straight to Turffield, while the path east led to a dead end between two paddocks, and a Wooloo rolling our way. I casually asked Heart's Drizzile to lob a water balloon up into the air, and I positioned myself between Pummel and the Wooloo.

The Doctor asked me, "You are aware that the Wooloo is heading straight for you, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Aren't you worried that it will..." The Wooloo rolled right through my spectral body, instead bumping into Pummel, who did not flinch. The water balloon from earlier landed directly on Wooloo, soaking it. "...Oh. I hadn't realized that Normal-type Pokemon moves could not harm you. And that was a brilliantly crafted practical joke!"

"Why, thank you." I smiled. "I've always been exceptional at putting together wonderful plans. As for the Normal-type Pokemon not hitting me, that is because my species, Decidueye, is part Ghost-type."

A familiar face from the Gym Challenge ceremony took the same path the Wooloo took to reach us, and he certainly seemed surprised. "Are my eyes deceiving me, or did Wooloo really roll right through you?"

I sighed. "Decidueye such as myself are part Ghost-types. Normal-type attacks go right through me, quite literally." I stepped backward with a smirk, revealing Pummel and the soaked Wooloo. "You should be more concerned about this little guy, Milo."

Milo was quite shocked. "My, are you okay? What happened to you?"

Drizzile and I laughed. "A practical joke involving my type and Drizzile's water balloon. No harm done."

"Whew, that's a relief..." Milo then seemed to realize who we were. "Oh? Wait, you're some of those Gym Challengers, right?"

I began to answer, but the Doctor beat me to it. "Yes, indeed! Allow me to introduce us. I go by several names, but I prefer Doctor Hooves, or simply Doctor. This is my closest friend, Helix. And last we have the mother-son duo of Heart Fist and Pummel Fist."

"Ah, I knew you looked familiar. I saw you out in the crowd during the opening ceremony." Milo shook each of our hands (or in the Doctor's case, hooves). He then gave a warm smile. "You probably already know, but my name's Milo. I'm a Gym Leader who's rather partial to Grass-type Pokemon. To be honest, I've been itching to see just how good the Champion-endorsed Gym Challengers such as yourselves are. Let me find out at the Gym Stadium! Just get past the rest of this route, and you'll run right into my..." Before he could finish, we saw the Doctor make off for the Turffield Gym. "...And what do you know! Seems the Doctor can't wait to take on my Gym mission!"

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry? What exactly is a Gym mission?"

"Every Gym has its own mission you have to complete before challenging the Gym Leader! Have you ever been to Gyms in other regions? They've got missions of their own..."

"...Except that Galar's Gyms have more advanced Gym missions than other regions!"

"That's right! Now then, I'll see you there!" Milo went to the Gym, with Pummel carrying the Wooloo along as its surprisingly impact-resistant wool dried. "Thanks for the help, Pummel! Wooloo can't roll easily if their wool gets too wet. The wool won't retain its shape very well."

My main objective was the Turffield Gym, but first, it was time to explore the town.
> Chapter 7: Heroes of Herding! The First Gym
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Turffield was exactly what I expected it to be: a rural town that offered many natural wonders. My amazement at Turffield's beauty, unhindered by man's creations except for a Pokemon Center, the Gym, and other houses made of natural resources, was increased further by the fact that Decidueye are part Grass-type. At first, I did not have a clue of where to go first. There were a great variety of things to discover, not to mention a possible chance to learn more about Galar's history! Luckily, I hadn't the need to worry, for our friend Hop left the Pokemon Center to the left of the path straight to the Gym.

He waved us over. "Hey guys! You doing all right?"

I replied, "We certainly are. I can't say our team went unharmed, though. We hit a couple of rough patches on the way here, but they weren't too bad. Once we heal our teams up, we should be ready to take on Milo at the Turffield Stadium. Although, I think we'll have to wait a bit for our turn. You should've seen the Doctor make a mad dash for the stadium!"

Hop laughed. "So that's what I heard outside! Sounded like an excited Rapidash out there! Not sure why he'd be that pumped to take on Milo, though."

"I think I know." Keldeo took out something from the cerulean saddle bag he wore on his back. It was a large crimson book with three symbols on the cover: a blue wing, a purple six-pointed star, and a green leaf. They were connected by lines that formed a triangle, and in the center of the triangle, there was a pink heart. "Can someone turn the book to the chapter on earth ponies? The ink dried since I wrote it, so I can't manipulate the pages as well with my magic."

"No problem, Keldeo." Hop took the book and flipped to the aforementioned chapter. "Well, isn't that neat! Says here that earth ponies are associated with nature and the land. That'd mean they must be fond of Grass-type Pokemon. But I don't see what that has to do with the Doctor."

"Oh, right! I never told you what exactly an earth pony is. Basically, earth ponies are ponies that don't have wings or horns. That means Doctor Hooves and Pinkie Pie are earth ponies."

"Thanks a lot! By the way, this is a really cool book you've got. You said something about writing it?"

Keldeo smiled. "You bet! See, I've been thinking that I wanted to learn as much as I could about Equestria and the lands near it, so I did some traveling. I took what I learned and put it into writing. I put that information into categories, and those categories became the chapters in a book. Eventually, I had to put together a couple more books, because there's so much in Equestria to learn about! This issue is about the different kinds of ponies, and it's called History of Equestria: What Makes a Pony?"

"Awesome!" Hop gave back the book. "You should become an official author!"

"I might do that part-time someday, but I'm still a Sword of Justice. That's a career I'll never give up!"

"Good idea. I'm sure your partners must need you! Hey, while we're at it, Sonia was looking for you guys. She wanted to ask you about something. Where's the rest of you guys? You're all probably gonna want to hear about what she has to say."

I turned south and looked towards the sky. When my eyes adjusted to the sunlight, I grinned. "They're coming right now."

First came Tails, using his doubled namesake to fly. Then came Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, the former riding the latter. "Get ready, Gym, 'cause Rainbow Dash is gonna blow you away!" Rainbow said before speeding off to the stadium.

Next came Meta Knight, using his cape which was currently transformed into a pair of bat wings. After him came Sonic, whom we were expecting to come first. "...What? I took the scenic route, found some Pokemon to fight and catch."

Next was Paper Mario, folded into an airplane. After him, Lucario bounded towards us from the plains of Route 4. Then came Mario, using the body of a pigeon Pokemon called Tranquill to fly over.

Hop was astonished when Mario exited the Tranquill's body. "Whoa! Did you just pop out of that Tranquill's body?!"

"Thank you so much, Tranquill!" Mario returned it to its Poke Ball. He turned to Hop. "Yeah, I did. I don't think I introduced you yet, so I'd like you to meet my friend..." He tossed his cap into the air, and it transformed into a top hat-shaped ghost. "...Cappy!"

Hop shook Cappy's hand. "Nice to meet you! Are you some kind of new Pokemon?"

"Nah," Cappy replied. "I'm a Bonneter, from the Cap Kingdom. My species can Capture various creatures, like you saw with Tranquill."

"That's pretty cool, Cappy! Anything else you can do?"

Before Cappy could reply, Bandana Dee made his way over by twirling his spear like a helicopter rotor. After Bandana, Luigi nimbly leaped over Route 4's paddocks and slid to a halt in front of Hop. Shortly after, King Dedede came crashing down after jumping out of a Flying Taxi. The king looked around in confusion. "Hey now, where'd Pummel go? It ain't like him to just disappear!"

"That's because..." A pair of familiar arms lifted Dedede up, followed by the rest of the body. "...you landed on me! Next time you use someone as a landing pad, make sure it's a Dream Lander like Bandana Dee or Kirby. Their rubbery bodies should be able to absorb the impact."

Stepping off of Pummel, Dedede replied, "I'm-a gonna take that into consideration, lil' guy!"

And finally, Amy came in a much less dramatic way than the others, simply walking along Route 4 to reach us. "Hey, everyone! Did I miss anything?"

"Actually," Hop said, "you're just in time! Sonia wanted to ask you all about something." He pointed west, towards a hill. "She's up on that what's-her-face hill. It's the one where you can get a good view."

"Yap yap! Hiya!" Yamper came running from the direction of the hill.

"Aw, you're such an adorable little Yamper!" Amy bent down to scratch the electric puppy behind its ears. "Are you Sonia's Yamper? Think you could take us to her?"

"Sure can! This way, yap yap!" Yamper scampered back towards the hill.

I began to follow Yamper, but Pinkie stopped me. "Wait a minute, Helix! There's something in the Pokemon Center that you've gotta check out!"

"Oh, okay." I followed her into the Pokemon Center.



Pinkie bounced over to the Rotomi. "Hi, Rotomi! I wanna tell Helix about Poke Jobs! Can you bring them up?"

The Rotomi replied in its electric, Rotom-like voice, "I'll get right to it, zzt-zzrt!" The screen changed to one with several companies on the right side, and information on the highlighted company on the left. "See the options on the right? They are Poke Jobs! You can send Pokemon to take on various Poke Jobs to earn experience and rewardzzz!"

"This sounds like quite a useful service," I said.

"You got that right!" Pinkie replied. "Oh! Rotomi, how're my Pokemon doing on the job?"

"They're almozzzt done! Give them a few more hours and they'll be on their way back from the jobzzz!"

"All right!" Pinkie turned to me. "Want to give it a try?"

"Sure. It'll be worth it in the end, I'm certain." I selected the first job in the list, from a fabric-developing company named LASS. "Seems like they want Normal-types to make a variety of different cloths. I think I've got enough in the Pokemon Boxes." I accessed my Pokemon Box and looked over the Pokemon I'd caught. "If dual types count, then I must have enough Pokemon. I'll send Skwovet, Wooloo, and Hoothoot to take on the job."

"And how long do you want them to work on the job?" Rotomi asked me.

"I want them to get as much experience as they can for each trip, so I choose for them to take on the job for the maximum amount of time possible."

"Okay, twenty four hours it izzz!" A short cinematic played on the screen, showing the Pokemon setting off for the job. "Your Pokemon are on their way to the job. They'll do their best!"

After Nurse Joy healed my Pokemon, Pinkie and I left the Pokemon Center. Pinkie said to me, "See? It's easy and fun, and doing Poke Jobs is totally worth it!"

I smiled. "It's nice to know that in Galar, the Pokemon in their Boxes aren't stuck there. They get a chance to get out and  refine their abilities by assisting others using their own special powers."

"Well, are there any Pokemon that can control time?" Rainbow Dash had left the Gym, feeling down. "The Doctor beat me to it, so now I have to wait for him to either lose or whoop the Leader's butt."

Just then, a whistle blew as a ring of multicolored lights surrounded me, Pinkie, and Rainbow. It turned out that Roborygon was imitating Captain Olimar. "No time to sit around talking about winning and losing. Come on, Sonia is waiting for you guys!"

"Thanks for the reminder!" Pinkie replied. "Let's go, everyone!"

We went west up the hill, passing by several stone formations that reminded me of Stonehenge. They almost seemed like they had words engraved into them, which would mean they would likely be important later on. I wanted to go check them out to see if my hypothesis was correct, but I prioritized Sonia first. We passed two side roads that each led to dead ends that I would expect to have an item, but they apparently did not.

We found Sonia on a hill, which was where the road ended. "Ah, there you are! I was getting worried about you guys, thinking that you might have lost your way."

"Sorry about that," I replied. "Pinkie wanted to tell me about Poke Jobs, and Rainbow Dash tried to take on the Turffield Gym, only to realize that she was beaten to it by the Doctor..." Then it hit me. "...who's still taking on the Gym."

"No biggie," Sonia said. "Why don't you call him and put him on video chat?"

"Are we allowed to call others during a Gym Mission?" I asked.

Roborygon brought up some website that had a bulleted list of items. "According to the official Gym Challenge website, we are allowed to use our Rotom Phones at any time during the challenge, even in the middle of Gym Missions."

"That's good to know. Okay, Rotom, call Doctor Hooves."

A few seconds later, the Doctor picked up. "Hello? Sorry, I'm a tad busy taking on a Gym Trainer right now. Alar Wind, use Pluck! Did you need something?"

I nodded. "We do, yes. Turns out Sonia wanted to see us on the western hill in Turffield. I think she needed to tell us something."

"Oh, dear! My apologies for being so hasty. Nice work, Alar Wind! I'd be happy to come over, but I don't want to quit in the middle of a Gym Mission. Can you just tell me over the phone, Sonia?"

"Works for me," Sonia said. "Anyway, I wanted you all to come so I could hear what your thoughts were." She pointed us towards a large glyph on a distant hill. I pointed Rotom towards the glyph so the Doctor could see. "That geoglyph you see way over there... What do you think about it?"

We took a moment to look at the glyph. I saw a strange swirl in the upper left region of the hill, giving off lightning bolts, while images of several small people were along the bottom of the hill. But dominating the glyph was a massive bipedal creature with a single eye, a triangular body, short and thin arms, an antenna-shaped tail, and two large triangular legs. My conclusion: "This geoglyph depicts the Darkest Day!"

The Doctor agreed. "You're right! The swirl looks like some kind of cloud, and that colossal creature... it's definitely a Dynamaxed Pokemon!"

Sonia smiled. "Right perceptive of you two, although the portion depicting the black storm has mostly disappeared. We still don't know what that black storm called the 'Darkest Day' was, though, or what connection it has to Dynamax..." She began to twirl her hair with a perplexed look. "Guess I'm the lucky lady who'll be looking into that..."

For some reason, Pinkie pointed towards the geoglyph. "Maybe she can help!"

Sonia looked at Pinkie curiously. "What? Did a Sigilyph use Confusion on you or something?"

Lucario gasped. "No. Pinkie's right. And she's not talking about the glyph. She's talking about a creature whose presence I haven't felt since..."

"Lucario and Pinkie are onto something! Would you excuse me for a moment, Sonia?" Keldeo jumped over the railing towards the glyph and seemingly disappeared into the distance.

I used my superior owl eyesight to identify what they were talking about. I steadily gazed at the geoglyph, and I was able to make out a small figure standing on the glyph. Upon further inspection, the figure was a green quadruped who boasted a slim body shape with delicate legs and long horns that pointed sideways. "That Pokemon! Could it be...?"

Those of us equipped with a Rotom Phone used it to zoom in on the figure. Pummel smiled from ear to ear. "No way! It is her!"

"You know that Pokemon?!" Hop asked. "I've never seen anything like it!"

I smirked. "My friends and I know her all too well. You ever heard of this group of Pokemon known as the Swords of Justice?"

"Say what now?" the Doctor asked. "Work with me here, Wooloo... There we go! Anyway, what was that you were saying about Swords of Justice?"

"The Swords of Justice are quite well-known in the Unova region. They are--"

"A group of Pokemon that work together to help those who are in trouble," Meta Knight interrupted me. "They are known as the Swords of Justice because they are all capable of using an attack that conjures a blade from their forehead, a move known as Sacred Sword. Keldeo, in particular, has gone beyond the Sacred Sword, for he has gained access to his signature move, the Secret Sword. In addition to their sword attacks, the Swords of Justice all have the Justified Ability, which increases their attack power when hit by a Dark-type move."

"Thank you for that valuable insight, Meta Knight. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm at the end of my Gym Mission, so I need to face off against Milo. See you later!" I heard fanfare go off on the other end of the call before the Doctor hung up.

"Man, the Swords of Justice sound so cool!" Hop exclaimed in wonder. "I'd love to see them in action!"

A green blur shot past us towards the stadium, while Keldeo returned to the hill where we were. "Well, you're in luck, Hop!" he said. "I was gonna battle Virizion as training for the Grass-type Gym, but we didn't want to mess up the geoglyph. That's why she's going to see if she and I can fit in a little sparring match in Turffield Stadium sometime after the Doctor's finished taking on Milo."

"A match between Pokemon I've never heard of before?" Sonia's eyes sparkled. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I cannot miss it!" She began to leave for the stadium, but she stopped. "Oh! I almost forgot to give you all a little something for your thoughts on the geoglyph." She handed each of us a League Card featuring Milo. "Milo's a Grass-type Gym Leader. Grass-type Pokemon have many weaknesses, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. They can inflict all sorts of status conditions on your Pokemon, such as poison, sleep, and paralysis. You guys should take these too, so you can keep your team in fighting form." She gave us some Revives. "Now then, let's get ourselves to Turffield Stadium!"

"Okay! But first..." Pinkie ran over to a nearby photo stand-in featuring an obese squirrel Pokemon and a Pokemon that looked like a living Stonehenge. She poked her head in the hole for the squirrel. "I wanna have my picture taken! Anyone else want in?"

To our surprise, Lucario said, "I'll volunteer."

"Really?" Bandana Dee asked. "You don't look like the type to poke your head in a face board."

Lucario chuckled. "True, but Galar was my original home. My parents would take me and my brother to explore the region, and one of the places we would visit was Turffield. As Riolu, my brother and I were enamored with the face board. However, there was one problem... As wild Pokemon, we didn't have any means to take a picture. So instead, we listened to Mom and Dad tell us about the geoglyph and about the history of Galar. We learned so much, like how the heroes used a sword and shield, as well as a pair of Legendary Pokemon, to fend off the Dynamax Pokemon and the Darkest Day." He walked to the second hole in the face board, only to come up short. "Even as a Lucario, I cannot reach the Stonjourner hole? How amusing. Anyone care to help?"

"Leave this to me!" Pinkie used her tail to elevate Lucario the necessary couple of feet needed to get his face aligned with the hole. "Now we're ready!"

I positioned myself in front of the face board, with my Rotom Phone ready to take a picture. "Okay. Pinkie, Lucario, say Dynamax!"

The two shouted in unison, "Dynamax!"

Click!

Pinkie and Lucario left the photo stand-in to check out the photo. Lucario was completely silent. "..."

Pinkie looked at Lucario in confusion. "What's wrong? Don't you like the photo? It doesn't look like you blinked, and I'm not seeing any distractions in the shot."

After some more silence, Lucario finally spoke. "Ha ha ha... You've got it all wrong, Pinkie. I don't hate the photo. I'm just thinking back to my Rioluhood days. I miss the good old days, when my brother and I would play catch with an Aura Sphere made by Dad... when the two of us had practice battles against each other... when everything was normal."

Keldeo sadly nuzzled Lucario. "I feel you, pal. Some days, I just wish I could go back in time, back to before the war that caused the forest fire in the Moor of Icirrus. Because of the war, I became lost, separated from my family... I miss them so much. But if it hadn't been for that war, I would never have met the Swords of Justice. I would never have discovered my destiny. And..." He hugged Pummel. "I would never have met you." Keldeo laughed. "I guess all things happen for a reason, right?"

"You're right," Lucario answered with a smile. "If it weren't for that confused Golurk attacking my family and separating me from my parents and my brother, I wouldn't have evolved... I wouldn't have been given the chance to join Gym Leader Korrina... I wouldn't have met Pummel... And I wouldn't have become the master of Aura."

I nodded. "It's true. All things work together for the good of--"

BOOOOOOM! I was cut off by a beam of yellow and orange energy coming from the stadium. Shortly after that came a green explosion. After the explosion came... butterflies?

"Sounds like the battle's becoming intense," Pummel said. "Let's go see if the Doctor's almost done!"

On our way to the stadium, the beam of energy and butterfly explosion came again, although the former was somewhat weaker than before. "Now, what do y'all suppose that stuff's all about?" King Dedede asked.

"I dunno for sure," Rainbow Dash replied, "but I think that the explosion with the butterflies was some kind of bug move. The Doctor probably used the move because of type advantages or something. After all, don't bugs eat leaves?"

Amy said, "You've got a point, Rainbow. Many kinds of insect larvae eat leaves to grow bigger and prepare for metamorphosis."

Bzzt-bzzt! I felt something vibrating in my pocket. I took out my Rotom Phone and looked at the notifications. As it turned out, the Doctor had sent me a video of his Gym Mission, from the very start to the end of his battle with Milo. "Rotom, remind me to watch the video that Doctor Hooves shared with me."

"Okay, adding My Turffield Gym Mission to Watch Later."



When we entered Turffield Stadium, the Doctor nearly bowled me over. "Oh! Sorry about that, Helix! I was just so excited to show you my first Badge!" He brandished a golden ring with a fragment that had a leaf symbol in the bottom-right corner. "It's not much, but it's still my first step towards becoming Champion of the Galar region."

I smirked. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that. You do understand that you have a rival, right?"

The Doctor returned the smirk. "I've got three rivals, actually. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash are also competing to become the first-ever pony to become a Pokemon Champion, and I intend to beat them to claim the title."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Rainbow Dash shot back. "The most awesome Pegasus deserves the most awesome title!"

"We're all here to become the Champion!" Mario said.

"I look forward to battling you all." The Doctor paused. "Or, at least, whoever I am paired up with in the tournament." He turned to me. "Helix, since I consider you my true rival, I want you to take on the Gym Mission next. Ah, but before I forget..." He pointed us towards the Poke Ball mascot. "That's the Ball Guy. Be sure to speak with him whenever you find him, because he'll have a special Poke Ball to give you each time. Now then, I wish you luck!"

Following the Doctor's advice, I spoke with the Ball Guy, who gave me a dark green Poke Ball with four red petal-shaped details on the front. I recognized it as a Friend Ball, which immediately increases friendship with a Pokemon if you catch that Pokemon with it. After chatting with the Ball Guy, I went to the front of the lobby to speak with the Grass Gym official.

"Welcome, Gym Challenger!" the official said. "Allow me to help you through your registration. First things first--you need a refresher on the Gym Challenge?"

"Actually," I said with a chuckle, "this isn't my first time taking on a Gym Challenge. I've taken on Gym Challenges across several regions, including Kanto, Hoenn, and Kalos. Therefore, I know that I need to complete every Gym and defeat their leader in order to get each of the eight Gym Badges."

She smiled. "Seems like you understand the Gym Challenge well enough. Are you ready to attempt the Gym mission?"

"Sure. But first, I need to take on my Greninja persona so I can fit into my uniform."

She then seemed to recognize me. "Oh! That must mean you're Helix! Well, thanks to the Pokemon sent to help with LASS, we were able to fix your uniform problem. I feel you will be pleasantly surprised when you see what's in your locker."

I went into the locker room and searched for the locker with my name on it. I was expecting them to be alphabetized, but they weren't; instead, they were in numerical order. This actually made it easier for me, for I was sure that there were other challengers whose names started with H, besides the Doctor. I immediately went to locker number 724 and unlocked the combination lock. I had made it easy for me to remember but hard for everyone else, using the three numbers representing the years that introduced special Pokemon powers: 13, 16, and 19. To be precise, those numbers were for Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, and Dynamax respectively.

When I opened the locker, I was surprised to see how much my uniform was changed to fit my species. The uniform was generally the same, but the shirt had been drastically changed. It was now designed like an unbuttoned lab coat, but with sleeves only, akin to a cape you could put your arms in. Those sleeves started with a large circumference like a tank top before tapering down to small cuffs.  The sleeves also had a long slit along the underside for the feathers on my wings. Those slits started at the beginning of the sleeve and ended at the cuffs, so my sleeves wouldn't come off of my arms. I carefully donned my new uniform, and it fit snugly. My arms perfectly slid into their sleeves, and the feathers popped out of the slits. Excellent!

I left the locker room happily and walked back to the official. She seemed quite pleased with my attire. "You look great in your new Gym uniform! The audience will go wild for you, I'm sure!" She stepped to the side, allowing me to pass. "Let the  Gym mission begin! Give it your best shot!"

"I most certainly will." I walked through the automatic doors and down the following hallway. It wasn't noticeable, but I found it hard to contain my excitement, knowing that I was about to take on my first Galarian Gym.



Corvisquire's Poke Ball in wing, I confidently stepped out into the room where the Gym mission would take place. "Turffield Gym, prepare to--Sweet merciful..." I paused, then I said to nobody in particular, "I'm just gonna cut off the reference right there, because there's kids watching my Gym mission attempt." The reasoning for my amazed exclamation was the sheer size of the Gym mission site. As in, a Greninja couldn't hit a pebble at the other end of the site with a Water Shuriken.

Between me and the end of the mission site were four sub-areas, each ending with a blue platform; several stacked hay bales blocking the exit to each sub-area; at least one Yamper in each of the last three sub-areas; one Gym Trainer in each sub-area with Yamper in them; and twenty Wooloo in the first sub-area.

I walked down the stairs to a short path leading to the first sub-area. The first person I met was a blond mustached man as soon as I stepped into the sub-area. "Hello, sir. Might you be here to teach me about this Gym mission?"

He nodded. "That's right, Challenger Helix. The mission for Turffield's Pokemon Gym is this!" He pointed me towards the grazing Wooloo. "To chase these unruly Wooloo..." He then showed me the hay blockade. "...to the blockades made of bales of straw, like this one right here!"

"Ah, that seems simple enough. Thank you for the advice, sir."

"Oh, you don't have to call me sir. My name's Dan. My brothers and I are just doing our job as referees for the various Gyms throughout Galar, and it's also our job to report the results of battles to the League HQ. Now, let the Gym mission begin!"

I started by running to the left and chasing the first group of thirteen Wooloo to the group of three on the right side of the sub-area, then I looped around to the right side of the group and chased them into the last group of four Wooloo. Having rounded up all twenty Wooloo, I herded them onto the platform in front of the bale blockade. As they rolled onto the platform, my attention was drawn to a nearby digital sign attached to an arrow. The sign displayed the number of Wooloo on the platform. Once the number reached 20, it blinked a few times and changed to arrows pointing to the next sub-area as a Wooloo sign attached to the arrow spun clockwise. My attention turned back to the Wooloo herd as they knocked away the blockade with their combined force.

The next sub-area held nothing except a Yamper patrolling it and a Gym Trainer at the end of the sub-area. Something told me that the Yamper was there to drive away Wooloo, so I waited until its back was turned to sneak the Wooloo past it. After the Wooloo busted the second barricade, I took on the Gym Trainer and defeated his Gossifleur easily with Corvisquire's Peck. Upon defeating the Gym Trainer, I saw that the Yamper ran to the Trainer and stood by his side.

The third sub-area had two long hedges arranged in the shape of a pause sign, with a Gym Trainer on the right side of the right hedge, and a Yamper patrolling the space between the hedges. Just as I was about to put together a plan, my Rotom Phone rang.

The Doctor was on the other line. "Helix, I have some advice for you. By now you've probably made it to or passed the section with a Yamper in it, correct?"

I replied, "That's right. Does your advice have to do with the patrolling Yamper?"

"Yes, indeed! From my experience, it seems that Yamper have some kind of connection to the Gym Trainers. If you defeat a Gym Trainer, their corresponding Yamper will stop patrolling and head to said Gym Trainer."

"Spoiler alert!" an annoyed Rainbow Dash said to the Doctor. "You could've warned us that there was a shortcut before you gave Helix the advice!"

"But that's a good thing," the Doctor answered. "You'll know to herd the Wooloo first instead of battling the Gym Trainer first, because you enjoy the challenge."

"Oh. Well, I can't argue with that."

"Good. Now then, good luck with the Turffield Gym Challenge, Helix! I'm cheering you on from the stands!"

"Thanks, Doctor. I'll see you once I get to the main arena." I hung up.

I herded the Wooloo along the left part of the sub-area to avoid the Yamper completely before taking down the Gym Trainer's Budew with a couple hits from Dottler's Confusion and defeating Oddish with the same attack. Having beaten the Gym Trainer, I chased the Wooloo to the platform, where they overcame the third blockade.

The fourth sub-area looked like it would be an actual challenge. It had four long hedges, arranged in a rectangle with lines that did not meet; the rectangle was longer horizontally than vertically. Two Yamper patrolled the hedges, one for the left hedge and one for the right. I waited until the rightmost Yamper was travelling north, and then I carefully led the Wooloo behind the Yamper, keeping them a fair distance apart to keep the Yamper from noticing. Once the Yamper went around to the other side of the hedge, I herded the Wooloo towards the platform. Making sure that the Wooloo were far enough away from Yamper, I took on the Gym Challenger, who was just north of the hedges. I easily defeated her Bounsweet (a Pokemon that looked like a purple mangosteen) and Oddish with Hotshot's newly learned Flame Charge and Dottler's Confusion respectively.

Finally, I led the Wooloo onto the platform, where they rammed through the last blockade and rolled into the paddocks on either side of the staircase that had been revealed. Afterwards, the gates to the paddocks closed, and I made my way up the staircase.

When I got to the top of the staircase, I turned and waved as steam billowed from pipes on each side of the staircase. I heard Dan say "Gym mission cleared!" through speakers as the door which I had gotten to slid open. I calmly walked through the door, which led to a long hallway that I followed.









I emerged from the corridor, walking out onto the field as the crowd roared with delight. From the other end of the stadium, Milo walked out onto the arena as well. We walked to the center of the stadium and turned to each other. "Nice to see you once again, Milo."

"Same to you, Helix," Milo replied with a warm smile. "I see you've changed quite a bit! Last time I saw you in a stadium, you were a completely different Pokemon! Hope you don't mind me asking, but how'd you change form?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked." I turned to the crowd. "If it's all right with you guys, I've got a story to tell. What do you say?"

I heard some cheering from the crowd, but especially from my friends. Pinkie Pie in particular was incredibly happy; she was holding a sign with my face on it and shouting, "Tell us, Helix! Tell us your story! I can't take it any longer!"

And Doctor Hooves exclaimed, "I would be honored to hear your story, Helix! Hearing your story will cause our bond to grow even tighter, I'm sure of it!"

I smiled. "Okay, then. Here's my story." Meloetta played somber music as I told my tale. "I used to be your average human, like Pummel and Heart Fist. They're the two dressed-up Machop you see near that enthusiastic pink pony named Pinkie Pie. Anyway, I used to be your run-of-the-mill human who metaphorically puts his pants on one leg at a time. I also happened to be a nerd, which led to me being repeatedly bullied in school. Now, the bullying didn't bother me much; not only did I have high self-esteem and the ability to respond to verbal insults with a strong quip, but I could also escape from lockers easily with my high IQ and recover from physical wounds fairly quickly.

"The real trouble didn't come until one time during middle school. At lunchtime, I once saw a boy sitting at a table alone, with no food or tray to speak of. I tried asking what was wrong, but he did not answer. I had a strong will and therefore refused to give up on anything, so I then asked if he needed anything, but still no response. Finally, deciding that actions spoke louder than words, I decided to offer him my food. That's when he snapped. He shoved the food away, called me an onslaught of curse words, and yelled that he didn't need any friends before he stormed off. That... was a critical hit straight to my heart. I should've found an outlet for the negative emotions that moment caused me...

"...But I didn't. Instead, the negativity turned toxic and corrupted me from within. I became desperate for a way to unleash my rage and get revenge. That's when I learned about Pummel Fist, who had discovered the wonderful world of Pokemon with his mother Heart Fist. I chose to become a Pokemon Trainer myself and do what any great Trainer would do: complete the Pokedex and aim to become the very best. But I wasn't satisfied. I later discovered that Pummel and Heart were transformed into Pokemon due to a peculiar Potion used on them by Archie and Maxie. Therefore, I put together a plan to capture Pummel and take a sample of that Potion for use on myself.

"Everything having gone according to plan, I used that Potion to transform into this Pokemon, a Shiny Decidueye. See, the Potion causes its user to transform into any Pokemon they have registered in the Pokedex and allows them to change their species at will. That's why you saw me as Greninja in Motostoke Stadium. Also, the user can only speak Pokemon, which is why Pummel, Heart, and I have these special pieces of headgear; they translate Pokemon language into human language. Anyway, after training, I challenged Pummel and his friends to an epic battle to blow off steam, and I recruited the villainous Marx Soul and Soul of Sectonia to aid me. Don't judge me; I was corrupted back then.

"Eventually, Marx Soul and Soul of Sectonia turned against me, because they wanted only to kill the heroes I was fighting. Therefore, I had my new teammates utilize my power to defeat the dark villains. After the intense battle, Pummel offered me a chance to redeem myself as a member of the Pokemon Expedition Society, and I gladly accepted. Thanks to some new friends we made between then and now, I have become a true hero of friendship."

The crowd roared once more, and the Doctor was on the verge of crying. "Helix... I had no clue... you had gone through so much... I understand now. I see what has changed you into who you are now. Thank you for sharing your story!"

Milo was amazed. "Oh my, I didn't know you had gone through so much in your life! And all this time I thought you were just a talking owl Pokemon with fancy headgear! Please forgive me for underestimating you."

I chuckled. "I certainly do forgive you. Just do me one favor, okay?"

"And what is that?"

I grinned. "That you go all out against me in our battle!"

Milo smiled. "I will gladly do so. I saw how you so easily completed the Gym mission, so I see no reason to underestimate a hero like you. And it sure seems like you understand Pokemon real well, too. This'll be a doozy of a battle, Helix! No doubt I'm gonna need to Dynamax my Pokemon if I want to beat you!"

I walked to the west side of the stadium, and Milo walked to the east side. "Hotshot, I choose you!" I sent out my trustworthy starter.

"You can do it, Gossifleur!" Milo said as he sent out the familiar flower-like Pokemon.

Dan the referee stood firm. Once we were both prepared to fight, he exclaimed, "Let the battle begin!"

"Let's start out easy, partner," I said. "Give 'em a dose of Double Kick!"

"Got it, Helix. Here goes!" Hotshot rushed in to deliver a pair of powerful kicks to Gossifleur.

"You're going for the direct approach? That's a risky move. Gossifleur, use Rapid Spin!" Gossifleur spun around at a very fast pace as it lunged at Hotshot. To my surprise, the spinning motion combined with Gossifleur's small size caused it to trip Hotshot, leaving him open to attacks. "This is why you should be careful if you're facing a smaller opponent! Now, follow up with Magical Leaf!" Gossifleur released several glowing leaves that formed a circle above Hotshot, all aimed at him.

"Like I told my partner, I'm just getting started. Nail Gossifleur with an Ember!"

Hotshot sat up and breathed an Ember at Gossifleur, causing it to lose control of the leaves, which therefore dropped harmlessly out of the sky. "What's the matter, can't use Magical Leaf and take an attack at the same time? Looks like you need to learn how to juggle tasks. Yeah, that's a football pun."

"Good one. Now, finish her with Flame Charge!"

As Hotshot raced towards the weakened Gossifleur, Milo replied, "Well, actually, my Gossifleur's a boy. And so are my other Pokemon, besides Bellossom and Cherrim."

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think now's a good time to tell me that?"

Milo glanced at his defeated Gossifleur. "Oh, dear! I'm so sorry, Gossifleur!" He returned it to its Poke Ball. "You're right about that, Helix. This was not a good time to mention the gender of my Pokemon. It would've worked out better for me if I'd told you after our battle, of course; even more so if you happened to have a Pokemon that knows the move Attract, in which case gender would be very important."

I heard the Doctor say from the stands, "Hold on, that can't be the end of the battle. I was pretty sure Milo sent out another Pokemon to battle me with."

Milo answered, "He's right, I've still got one more partner with me! I'm not going to be done in that easy! My team and I are tough as weeds! Let's see how you deal with Eldegoss!" He sent out a small green Pokemon that looked like it had a full-bloomed ball of cotton for hair and a leafy cloak not unlike Swadloon's.

I checked my Rotom Phone. "Eldegoss, the Cotton Bloom Pokemon. A Grass-type, the seeds attached to the cotton fluff on its head are filled with nutrients. It allows the wind to scatter them so that plants and other Pokemon can benefit from them."

Dan turned to me. "All Gyms in the Galar Gym Challenge allow you to switch your Pokemon upon defeating an opposing Pokemon. Would you like to switch?"

"Yes, I would." I returned Hotshot to his Poke Ball. "Nice job, partner. You deserve a good rest." I then sent out Dottler. "It's your turn, my knowledge-gathering ally!"

Curiously, the Doctor seemed rather irked by my choice. "Wait a minute... Is Helix trying to copy my tactics?"

I shrugged. "How could I? I haven't watched your match yet on my Rotom Phone. Anyway..."

I took a moment to notice the climactic shift in music, and I listened to the crowd chanting "Dyna Dynamax! Max! Dyna Dynamax! Max!" Heeding their chant, I returned Dottler to its Poke Ball, which I held in my right hand. The familiar red energy burst from my Dynamax Band into the Poke Ball, increasing it to its Dynamaxed size.

"...it's time to have some real fun. How about it? You want to give the crowd what it wants, Milo?" I launched the Dynamax Ball behind me, showcasing my now Dynamaxed Dottler.

"I thought you'd never ask, Helix!" Milo returned Eldegoss to its Poke Ball, which became infused with Dynamax Energy. He took a moment to show it some TLC before saying, "Come on, Eldegoss! It's Dynamax time! Get ready to uproot this challenger!" He used his right arm to easily toss the Dynamax Ball behind him, where it burst into a giant cotton bloom of doom.

Both of us having Dynamaxed, the crowd stopped chanting. They then began to sing an unfamiliar but uplifting tune. "Ohhhh ohh oh-whoa! Oh-oh-oh-ohhhh oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh-ohhhh ohh oh-whoa! Oh-oh-oh-ohhhh oh-oh-oh!"

"Looks like everyone's loving the battle so far!" Milo said with a smile. "Let's see if our Dynamax Move leaves you in shock and awe! Use Max Strike!"

"Show him you won't have any of it, Dottler!" I took a quick look at my Rotom Phone to figure out the name of the Bug-type Max Move. "Use Max--"

Alas, because of the time I took to find the name of the move, Eldegoss was able to use its own Max Move. To my surprise, the attack did not come directly from Eldegoss; instead, the ground underneath Dottler broke open, releasing a massive column of energy like the one I saw on my way to the stadium. After taking the attack, Dottler said, "A self-analysis confirms that my already low speed has been reduced more by Max Strike. Other than that, my hard shell gave ample protection."

"Excellent! The joke's on you, Milo. Dottler is already slower, so the side effect does little to aid you! Dottler, use Max Flutterby!"

"A wise choice. Watch as my winged allies go and eat through the opponent's defenses!" Dottler summoned several green butterflies to attack Eldegoss, resulting in a large green explosion. The aftershock of the explosion seemed to weaken Eldegoss more. "The side effect of Max Flutterby is lowering the opposing team's Special Attack."

I turned to Dottler with a smile. "I always knew you'd make a great partner, what with you being the brains of the operation. Speaking of, why don't we finish him off with Max Mindstorm?"

"Ending the fight with a terrain-causing Max Move? You must be a Pokemon of culture as well." After enduring another Max Strike, Dottler emitted several circular waves of psychic energy that overwhelmed Eldegoss, causing Eldegoss to explode and return to its normal size, swirls in its eyes. The Max Move also caused psychic energy to surround the stadium. "Max Mindstorm's side effect is Psychic Terrain. Seeing as you've taken on the form of Decidueye, I assume you know about Psychic Terrain?"

I nodded. "I do indeed. Tapu Lele's Ability causes Psychic Terrain whenever it enters a battle, and said Pokemon lives in the Alola region, which is where Decidueye can be found. In other news, congratulations on defeating Eldegoss!"

Dottler returned to its normal size. "Don't thank me. You were the one who gave me the orders and Dynamaxed me."

Milo sighed as he returned Eldegoss to its Poke Ball. "Looks like the power of Grass-types has wilted from your combined might." He gave me a humble smile. "You're an incredible Gym Challenger, you know that?"

I returned Dottler to its Poke Ball with a light chuckle. "I've actually trained Pokemon before I ever came here to Galar. Those Pokemon are still hanging out in their PC boxes in the Alola region. Seeing as I've trained Pokemon before, this Galarian Gym Challenge tests what I already knew and gives me new information to put to use."

"Oh, so you've been to Alola? Well, unlike most regions, Alola has no Gyms and therefore doesn't have Badges. Know what a Badge is?"

"Actually, I do. A couple of my friends have actually obtained all eight Badges from every region." I turned to the crowd. "Doctor Hooves, do you hear me?"

The various Rotom recording the battle turned to the Doctor, who was shown on the jumbotron. "Yeah, I hear you. What do you need?"

"I just need you and the other ponies to listen carefully to what I am about to say. You'll need to know this information if you want to be successful in the Gym Challenge. Pokemon..." I sent out Hotshot. "...are sentient creatures. They have a mind of their own, like you and me. When we have them battle, they don't follow orders blindly like some beast that you tame. They do as they're told because they respect us. Pummel! Show us your collection of Badges."

"Which one?" The cameras turned to Pummel, who took out a few different cases of Badges. He opened up one of them, revealing eight Badges in top condition. "Will my Hoenn Badges work?"

"Yeah, that'll do."

The crowd, and especially the ponies, looked at Pummel's Badges in awe. "Wowie, that's amazing!" Pinkie exclaimed. "No wonder you and Keldeo work so well together!"

Keldeo corrected, "Actually, we're so awesome together because we have the same kinds of goals and personalities. What's more, he even helped me defeat Kyurem and become a true Sword of Justice!"

"But that's besides the point." I continued, "Badges are a sign of respect. Badges are proof that you've got what it takes. More Badges means higher-level Pokemon will obey you, even if they've been traded to you."

"Traded?" the Doctor asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself, Doctor," Milo replied. "First, you need to know about something called the Y-Comm."

"Y-Comm?" I took out a pencil and notepad. "Can you tell us about the Y-Comm?"

"I sure can. Take a peek at your Rotom Phone's screen. You see a little icon in the bottom left corner that looks kind of like a Y?"

The Doctor, Pummel, Heart, and I all looked at our Rotom Phones. Sure enough, there was a Y symbol in the bottom left corner. Out of curiosity, I pressed the icon, and it opened up a window with six tabs on the left and messages from other Trainers on the right. "What's this? Reminds me of some kind of social media website."

"Well, it does function kind of like that, in that it lets Trainers keep each other updated on what they're doing. This allows Trainers to alert each other to important events, such as getting together for Max Raid Battles or dueling against each other. But the most important part is that it gives Trainers the chance to trade Pokemon."

"That's good to know." I put away the notes before asking Milo, "Mind if I take over to explain trading?"

"Go right ahead, Helix. I won't stop you."

"Okay. Listen up, ponies. Sometimes, there may be Pokemon that you feel like you just can't find. If that's the case, then try trading Pokemon. For instance, let's say you need an Omanyte, and a friend of yours wants a Kabuto. Just trade your Kabuto for their Omanyte, and you're both happy. But the thing is, if the Pokemon that's been traded is at a high level or has reached a high level, and you don't have enough Badges, then they won't think you're worthy of being their Trainer. They'll refuse to fight for you, and they might even sleep on the job!"

Rainbow Dash asked, "So what you're saying is that Pokemon that've been traded to you will be loyal to you, unless they're too strong and you don't have the right amount of Badges?"

I pointed at Rainbow with a grin. "I knew you'd get it, bearer of loyalty!"

"Thanks, but what about Pokemon you caught yourself?"

"And that's where it gets complicated. See, different Pokemon have different personalities, just like different people--or ponies, in your case--have different personalities. Even if you don't have many Badges, your Pokemon may still obey you, depending on the circumstances. Remember when you had your Ninjask battle against my Corvisquire? Training a Ninjask is something you must take seriously. The clue is in the name: Ninjask. It's a ninja Pokemon, so it must undergo strict training. Now, if you had a Pokemon like Rapidash, one that likes to run around quickly, it would likely obey you even if you didn't have enough Badges."

"I think I'm starting to get it now! You're saying that if I caught a Pokemon myself but don't have enough Badges, it probably won't obey me unless I cared for it properly."

"That's exactly my point, Rainbow."

The Doctor chimed in, "So another example would be your Dottler, Helix. If you keep helping it gather knowledge, it will still obey you, even if you have very few Badges. Is that right?"

"Bingo! Now we're getting somewhere!"

And of course, Pinkie Pie made some statements that were amazingly spot-on: "So what you're saying is that a super fat bear Pokemon with a huge appetite would keep obeying me if I kept its belly full of yummy berries and curry; a little bug Pokemon that uses static electricity would obey me if I let it hang out someplace that has a lot of static build-up, like my mane; and a hippo Pokemon that shoots sand out of holes on its body would obey me if I kept the holes free of big rocks that could block them; even if I didn't have enough Badges?"

I shook my head in amazement. "You'll never cease to impress me with all your insanely accurate assumptions, Pinkie Pie." I turned to Milo. "Back to you. Anything else I need to know?"

"Not really. As proof that you have defeated me and taken your next step in the Gym Challenge, allow me to present you with your very own Grass Badge!" Milo held out what appeared to be a fragment of a golden circle. On the fragment was a design of a stylized leaf of spinach.

I looked at the Grass Badge in confusion. "How curious. Never before have I seen a Badge that looked like a fragment of something."

"Well, there's a reason for that. In your locker back in Motostoke Stadium, did you see some kind of golden ring?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." I took out a golden ring with a five-inch diameter. "I brought it with me, too, since I figured it was important."

"Great! Each of the Badges in the Galar region fit in a different spot in that ring." Milo took the ring and fit the Grass Badge on the bottom part of it, slightly towards the right side. "When you've gotten all eight Badges, you'll have a full medallion!"

"That makes sense. Oh, where are my manners? I forgot to thank you for the battle!"

"Same goes to you, Helix." I used Foresight to ensure that my Ghost-type wing would make contact, and then I shook Milo's hand. "I've got some advice for you. The Gym Challenge has a set order to follow, so the next Gym you need to visit is in Hulbury, where you'll meet Nessa. You'll find Hulbury just beyond Route 5, so go there if you feel like you're ready. But you've got the Grass Badge now, so you could instead head to the Wild Area."

"The Wild Area? What does that have to do with the Grass Badge?"

"Oh! My apologies, I forgot to tell you one more thing about Badges in Galar. Here in Galar, higher-level Pokemon simply won't allow you to catch them unless you have the right amount of Badges. With the Grass Badge you should be able to catch Pokemon up to level 25."

"Level 25?" the Doctor asked. "...Then how the hay was I able to catch that Onix in Rolling Fields?!"

"The Onix in Rolling Fields?" This clearly surprised Milo. "That's very strange... Did you by any chance make it faint rather than simply getting its HP very low? That could be the reason why you were able to catch it."

"Ah, I did make it faint. I can understand why that would lead me to be able to catch the Onix."

"Then good on you, Doctor! Higher level Pokemon like that Onix can be powerful allies if you catch them, but it's your choice of whether or not to add them into your party." Milo turned back to me. "Good luck on your Gym Challenge, Helix! And likewise to all your Gym Challenger friends!"

"Thanks. Have fun taking on whoever faces you next!" I turned to leave, but I stopped. "Actually, hold on. I'm not sure if you know this, Milo, but a couple of my acquaintances want to use this stadium for practice."
> Chapter 8: Unbreakable Courage
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Milo's curiosity was piqued when I had mentioned that two of my friends wanted to spar in the stadium. "Is that so? One of the staff members at my gym mentioned two beings wanting to use the stadium for a match. By any chance, was one of them tall and green with sideways-pointing horns?"

Surprised by his accurate guess, I answered, "You're spot-on, Milo. You know her?"

Milo shrugged. "Not really. It's just that, as a Grass-type user, I read up on various Grass-type Pokemon. If the Pokemon you speak of is around, would you mind having her come down here to the battlefield? I want to make sure she's the Pokemon I think the staff was talking about."

"I'd be glad to." I turned to the audience. "You heard him! Virizion, come on down!"

The Rotom that were currently focusing their lens on me turned to the section of the audience that I was looking at, causing three people to show up on the jumbotron: The green Sword of Justice, Virizion, was in the middle; to the right of her was Keldeo; and to the left of her was the Doctor. The Rotom followed Virizion as she leapt down to the arena.

It took a moment for the Doctor to put two and two together. "...Wait a minute, I was sitting right next to Virizion and I didn't even know it?! Incredible!"

Overhearing the Doctor's sudden epiphany, Virizion turned to him and smiled. "That's right. Sometimes it helps if you pay closer attention to your surroundings, you know."

Milo looked at Virizion in awe. "So my hunch was right... The Grassland Pokemon is one of Helix's two friends who'll be battling here! It's such an honor to meet you, Virizion!"

"The honor is mine, Milo," Virizion answered. "It's not every day that I get to meet a Gym Leader from the Galar region, after all."

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie popped up in front of Virizion. "Why'd you mention the Galar region specifically? Have you met Gym Leaders from other regions?"

Virizion smiled. "I have, actually. You see, back in the Unova region, Pummel Fist proved his worth and managed to capture me and the other Swords of Justice. As his allies, we were able to meet some of the Unovan Gym Leaders, such as Marlon."

"No way!" Rainbow Dash flew down to the arena. "You actually helped him take on the Unova Gym Challenge? Awesome! Did you get to help him fight the Champion?"

"I certainly did, alongside Cobalion, Terrakion, and Keldeo. Let me tell you, Champion Iris was a difficult foe. She came at us with some powerful Dragon-type Pokemon outfitted with a variety of moves to cover their weaknesses and scope out the opposing team's weak points."

"Yeah, she was tough." Keldeo jumped down from his seat. "But you forgot about one of the most dangerous opponents we fought in Unova, and it isn't Kyurem."

"Oh, right." Virizion had an uneasy look on her face. "Cynthia..."

"Cynthia?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Who's that?"

My non-pony friends and I gasped in shock. Harsh memories flooded back to my mind as I explained who Cynthia is. "She's the former Champion of the Sinnoh region, and could easily be the most powerful Champion anyone has ever faced. Pummel only beat her because his Pokemon were greatly over-leveled."

"Why's she so hard to beat? It isn't like she has some kind of legendary Pokemon on her team."

"That may be so," Virizion replied, "but she does have a Garchomp and a Spiritomb. Spiritomb's only weakness is Fairy-type moves, and it is immune to Normal-, Fighting-, and Psychic-type moves. It wasn't until recently that the Fairy type was discovered, so for a long time nothing was super-effective against Spiritomb. Additionally, Spiritomb can raise its evasion with Double Team, put your Pokemon to sleep with Hypnosis, and sap your Pokemon's health while it's asleep with Dream Eater. As for Garchomp, it is equipped with four very powerful moves that can defeat most Pokemon in one hit, two of which have a high critical-hit rate. Cynthia's other Pokemon are also dangerous."

Rainbow Dash seemed partially concerned. "I didn't really get some of what you said, but I think I understand what you're trying to say. You're telling me that Cynthia is a super strong Pokemon Trainer that could possibly kick even Leon's butt if she had a Dynamax Band, right?"

I nodded. "Yup. So if she ever asks you if you want to have a battle with her..."

"Then I'd better make a break for it. I may be the most awesome Pegasus alive, but I don't think I'm anywhere near as good as Cynthia."

"Yeah, that's your best bet."

"Sounds like Cynthia would give a pony like Button Mash a really hard time," Pinkie said.

"Button Mash, you say?" Virizion asked. "Considering the name, Button must be the kind of pony who has an affinity for games. But why do you mention him specifically?"

Pinkie shrugged. "I just had a hunch that Cynthia'd give Button Mash some bad memories. Speaking of..." Completely ignoring personal space, she got right in Virizion's face, muzzle to nose. "I need you to Pinkie Promise that if you ever visit Equestria, you will NEVER bring up Cynthia if you happen to talk with Button Mash!"

"I'm sorry, but..." Virizion lifted her front right hoof. "...I don't have fingers, only hooves. How then could I make a pinkie promise?"

Pinkie got out of Virizion's personal space with a perplexed look. "What does that have to do with a Pinkie Promise?"

"Oh, I think I see the problem," Keldeo said. "Pinkie Pie, I believe you made Virizion think of a different kind of pinkie promise, one that is exclusive to humans. Humans execute a pinkie promise by interlocking their little fingers, which are also known as pinky fingers or pinkies. This kind of pinkie promise is certainly less strict than your Pinkie Promise, but it is still a promise. And Virizion, you and the other Swords of Justice never did visit Equestria, right?"

"Correct. I suppose we must have missed out on some important information?"

"Yeah, you did. One of the things you missed out on was what a Pinkie Promise is. That's a very special kind of promise that Pinkie Pie invented, and it's vital that you keep a Pinkie Promise. If you ever break a Pinkie Promise..." Keldeo turned very serious. "Pinkie Pie will hunt. You. Down."

Virizion flinched from the intensity with which Keldeo spoke the last few words, but otherwise stayed calm. "Understood. Pinkie Pie, will you teach me how to properly execute a Pinkie Promise?"

Pinkie answered, "Sure thing! Here's how it goes..." She began by crossing her front hooves in front of her chest. "Cross my heart..." She then flapped her hooves like wings. "Hope to fly..." Finally, she took a cupcake out of nowhere and stuck it in her eye, which thankfully was closed. "Stick a cupcake in my eye! Got that?"

"I believe so. Now I can properly Pinkie Promise that I will never mention Cynthia around Button Mash." Virizion went through the motions, but without the cupcake. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"Congratulations!" Pinkie took a party cannon out of her mane and fired it at Virizion, covering her in confetti. "You've perfected the Pinkie Promise!"

"Here, let me help you with that." Keldeo washed away the confetti on Virizion with a low-power Hydro Pump, and I used Leafage to blow the confetti out of the stadium.

"Thank you, Keldeo. You too, Helix." Virizion walked to the east side of the arena. "Without further ado, shall we get started?"

"Sounds good." Keldeo turned to me, Milo, and the ponies. "You guys can take a seat in the stands if you want to watch." I took Virizion's former seat while Milo sat in Keldeo's seat. Pinkie and Rainbow returned to their seats. Keldeo put his saddlebag down next to Dan before walking to the west side of the arena. "Whenever you're ready, Dan!"

Dan nodded. "Let the duel between Keldeo and Virizion commence!"

Virizion leaped high into the air, where she used Magical Leaf to send an onslaught of leaves towards Keldeo.

"Classic Virizion," Keldeo chuckled. He cloaked his tail in water before using it to swat away the leaves. Predicting where Virizion would land, Keldeo fired a high-pressure Hydro Pump in the trajectory of Virizion's path, successfully hitting its target. "Turns out target practice with Greninja really paid off!"

"My skills have also improved since we last met. Let's see how you handle this!" The black blaze running from Virizion's nose to the top of her head glowed bright blue, and she charged towards Keldeo. However, Keldeo swung his horn and fired blades of air at Virizion, sending her backwards several meters. "You learned Air Slash? That's quite impressive!"

Keldeo sent a short wave of water along the ground. "Same goes to you learning Zen Headbutt!"

Virizion jumped over the wave and engaged Keldeo in sword-to-sword combat. "But this is only the beginning of our duel. I'm nowhere close to using my most powerful attacks."

"You do remember that I surpassed you and the other Swords of Justice, right? If you want to beat me, you'll have no choice but to use your strongest attacks!" Keldeo pushed Virizion back with a critical hit from his Secret Sword before charging a Focus Blast in his mouth.

"Everyone has their weak points, and I always aim for those first before resorting to powerful moves." Virizion's horns glowed light green as she stabbed the charging Focus Blast with her right horn, forcing it into Keldeo's mouth.

Milo visibly cringed. "Ouch, that's quite a devious way to use Leaf Blade!"

"I sense... deja vu..." Keldeo gasped as he choked on the Focus Blast, which exploded while it was stuck in his throat. "Oh... that really--" The next thing he knew, Virizion was using her horns to sap Keldeo's health via Giga Drain. In an effort to get himself some breathing room, Keldeo turned around and kicked Virizion away using his hind legs. He turned back and looked at her in rage. "This... was supposed to prepare me for the Grass-type Gym... not the apocalypse! Why didn't you give me a chance to recover after you almost suffocated me by shoving my Focus Blast down my throat?! And before you say anything about me surpassing you, that doesn't give you an excuse to whale away on me while I'm suffocating! I'm your friend!"

Taken by surprise, Virizion stammered, "Oh, uh, I'm very sorry, I guess I just got a little too ahead of myself in the battle. I wanted you to be prepared for anything Milo might throw at you, but..."

Keldeo calmed down some, but he was still very upset. "I understand that, but this is a friendly battle, not a battle between good and evil where we're fighting for our lives. You need to learn to show mercy during friendly battles. That's because if you show no mercy..." His gaze became fiercer as a massive amount of water came in from outside the stadium and formed an enormous wave on which Keldeo stood. "...you get no mercy!"

The Doctor gasped at the amazing sight. "Great whickering stallions! Nopony told me Keldeo could use magic!"

I looked at the Doctor in confusion. "Magic? What're you talking about? He clearly just..." I took a closer look at Keldeo's horn. It was glowing, but not orange like when he uses Secret Sword. Rather, it was glowing light blue! "Wait, Keldeo's horn doesn't glow that color normally. Could that mean..."

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Yep! During the battle with Tirek, Keldeo learned how to use magic. Now he can control water, and he's got a sweet cutie mark too!"

I took a moment to think about what I had just been told. Keldeo had somehow learned how to use magic and earned his cutie mark possibly due to his newfound abilities, and his specialty was water. "When Keldeo had used his magic before in our Galarian adventure to create a literal water bed and mentioned magic while talking about his book, I never really gave it much thought, but now that I know he can use water magic..." I smirked in anticipation. "Oh, this fight just got a whole lot more interesting."

"You're coming at me with Surf? I'll evaporate your chances of beating me with that!" Virizion cried out to the skies, "I call upon the power of nature! Let the sun glow ever brighter with the power of Sunny Day!" The sun's heat intensified as a response to Virizion's exclamation.

The wave became much shorter, but Keldeo smirked. "There's a lot you don't know about me and the new skills I picked up." Keldeo's horn glowed light blue again, and the wave grew back to its original size. "You're pretty smart, using the sun to break apart the water molecules, but I have full control over water! I can just bring the water molecules right back together! And now it's time for my next move. It'll hit you so fast you won't see it coming!"

Knowing she wouldn't be able to outmaneuver the attack, Virizion took the Surf head-on. "A powerful attack indeed, but my type advantage--"

"Will be nullified!" As the wave enveloped Virizion, Keldeo fired a light blue laser at the wave, turning it into rock-solid ice and trapping Virizion within it. Jumping off of the ice block, Keldeo chuckled. "I knew that attack would leave you frozen in shock!"

Although the ice rendered Virizion's communication organs useless, they were already obsolete; the Swords of Justice speak through telepathy. "That is an impressive feat you pulled off, Keldeo. I hadn't the slightest idea that you'd learned Ice Beam." Her body began to glow light green. "But I still have some fight in me!"

Keldeo watched as Virizion broke free of her icy prison using her Sacred Sword. "Good, because I'm not through either!" He used his magic to grab the leftover shards of ice and surround Virizion with them. "Here goes!" At the same time as he sent the ice shards towards Virizion, he fired a Focus Blast above her.

"You're only helping me out by doing that!" Virizion jumped skyward to dodge the ice shards, and she faced the oncoming Focus Blast with a smirk. Then, to everyone's surprise, she used the Focus Blast as a footstool to jump even higher. "Are you ready? This is my most powerful move yet!" Virizion absorbed the intense sunlight, and the blaze on her head glowed brighter and brighter. Suddenly, she fired a massive beam of energy towards Keldeo.

While Keldeo guarded against the beam with his Secret Sword, the ponies were especially awestruck. The Doctor exclaimed, "Harnessing the power of sunlight to fire some kind of solar beam? That's the kind of trick that would make Princess Celestia proud!"

"Except for one thing..." Rainbow Dash replied. "Here in the future, Celestia and Luna stepped down from the throne. Now Twilight's ascended to the throne, making her the most awesome princess ever!"

The Doctor facehoofed. "Drat, I forgot about one of the worst consequences of time travel: spoilers."

Once the Solarbeam ceased, Keldeo was still standing. "Man, you've gotten much stronger! I'd better do something about that." Keldeo's horn glowed light blue, and thunderclouds covered up the sun to rain on Virizion's parade. "Let's see you unleash a solar attack now!"

"I've got something else I'd rather use." Virizion summoned many leaves, which floated around her. "Think you can handle Leaf Storm?"

Keldeo casually laughed. "Not a chance!"

Keldeo's joyful tone of voice confused Virizion. "Oh? Are you not concerned about getting hit by Leaf Storm?"

Keldeo shook his head. "I'd be more concerned about what's above you."

"Huh? What do you..." Virizion looked up, and she saw electricity building up inside the thunderclouds. She looked back at Keldeo with resignation in her voice and facial expression. "Oh. Well played, Keldeo. Well played." A wicked bolt of lightning struck Virizion directly, causing her to collapse.

Dan raised his right arm towards Keldeo. "Virizion is unable to battle, which means Keldeo is the winner!"

Milo came down from his seat and ran over to Virizion. "Oh dear, you sure took a beating! I think I've got something that'll help you." He took out a medicinal herb from his pocket. "Here, try this. It's bitter, but it'll restore your strength."

Virizion opened her eyes and saw the herb. "A Revival Herb... I will gladly accept its strength." She eagerly consumed it, and she had no negative reactions to its taste. She slowly got to her hooves. "I feel much better. Thank you, Milo."

Milo rubbed the back of his head. "Happy to help. Although, I'm quite surprised that you didn't seem to dislike the taste of the Revival Herb."

Virizion chuckled. "I'm not only a Grass-type, but I am a legendary Pokemon who has traveled through many places to save innocent lives. To me, a Revival Herb is comparable to a leaf of spearmint."

"Ah, good point. I forgot that you were one of the trio of legendary Pokemon who helped innocent Pokemon to safety during the war that caused a forest fire in Unova's Moor of Icirrus. Not to mention that you assisted Keldeo's Trainer in the Unovan Gym Challenge!"

"Cobalion, Terrakion, and I are all fierce warriors," Virizion said as her expression became one of amusement, "yet Keldeo was able to surpass all three of us! I even had the type advantage, and Keldeo still defeated me. I know he gained some new powers thanks to his adventures in Equestria, but I am still baffled that I was beaten."

After eating a Sitrus Berry that Milo gave him, Keldeo walked over to Virizion. "Well, if you want to get even stronger, I suggest you work with Milo for a while. He should be able to draw out your hidden potential, because he is the Grass-type Gym Leader of Galar."

"Are you sure?" Virizion asked. "Milo can't Dynamax me, because he isn't the one who has my Poke Ball."

Milo comforted Virizion, stroking her head. "You don't have to Dynamax to be strong. You just have to believe in yourself. If there's an obstacle that seems too great to conquer, just tap into your inner courage like you always do when you face a powerful opponent. And when it gets too tough for you to handle alone, know that you can always take a break. I don't like to push my Pokemon too far. So what do you say?" Milo smiled warmly. "Want to join me so we can become stronger together?"

Virizion gave it some thought. "That does sound inviting, and you do excel at using Grass-types... But I'm afraid I won't be content unless I am allowed to compete with strong opponents. This is only the first Gym in the Galar region that Trainers will take on."

"You make a good point, but there's something you should know about Gym Leaders. If you'll excuse me..." Milo left the field for a short while. When he returned, he had a container holding some Poke Balls. "One thing most people don't know about Gym Leaders is that they use different Pokemon depending on the strength of their challenger." He looked up at me in the audience. "Helix, Doctor Hooves, you two didn't have any Gym Badges when you challenged me, so I only used Gossifleur and Eldegoss to take you on." With that, he put the Poke Balls holding Gossifleur and Eldegoss in the two remaining slots in the container. "And Helix, I know you said you went through the Island Challenge in Alola, but that's different; besides, you were starting fresh with a team of Pokemon you recently caught here in Galar. Now Pummel, on the other hand..." All eyes turned to Pummel as Milo took out six Poke Balls from the container. "It's pretty clear that you've beaten Gyms across the world, seeing as you had so many Gym Badges. You'd better watch out when you reach me, because I'll come at you with several strong Pokemon, including a Pokemon that can Gigantamax!"

This made Pummel start to sweat. "Uh, Keldeo, that'll mean the rest of my team would be too weak, and you'll be at a disadvantage. You sure you can take on even his Gigantamax Pokemon?"

Keldeo nodded. "Virizion was tough, but that's because I was holding back. If Milo's Grass-types put me on the ropes, I can just put them on ice. And if that fails, we've still got one more trick up our sleeve before I have to resort to Dynamaxing."

"Oh, right! How could I forget?" Pummel formed a Focus Blast in his hand, and he shaped it into a heart. "A bond so true... Our friendship will pull us through!"

"You teach me and I'll teach you..." Keldeo put his saddlebag back on. "That's Pokemon for you!"

Keldeo began to walk back to Pummel, but Virizion stopped him. "Before you go, shall we commence the oath once more?"

Keldeo shook his head. "Not this time. It's just not the same without the other Swords of Justice. Maybe I'll find them elsewhere in Galar, and we can all do it together!"

"True, we certainly should wait until the four of us reunite. Very well, then." Virizion hoof-bumped Keldeo. "I wish you good luck on your journey to defeat the self-proclaimed 'unbeatable' Leon."

As Keldeo and Pummel returned to the Gym lobby to begin their attempt, the Doctor turned to me with a quizzical expression. "By any chance, do you know what they meant by an oath?"

I began to reminisce. "The Swords of Justice oath. It is an oath recited by the Swords of Justice to declare the might of their friendship. You really ought to be there when they recite it." I began to get up from my seat. "I would love to stay and watch the rest of the matches, but I must continue my Gym Challenge. You probably should too."

"Agreed. Let's return to the entrance so we can move on to the next Gym in Hulbury!"



The Turffield Gym official who had escorted us back to the lobby stopped me before I could follow the Doctor to the locker room. "Challenger Helix, I offer my most sincere congratulations on defeating Gym Leader Milo! He requested that I give this to you to commemorate your victory." I received a TM that was light green in color. "TM 10 contains Magical Leaf. With that move, you can fire curious leaves that never miss their opponent. And here's something to go with it!" She gave me a uniform with a green motif. Like my new uniform, this one was also tailored to fit my species. "That's a replica of Milo's uniform. I'm sure you'd look great in it!" I put away the Grass Uniform in my locker, after which I changed into my normal getup.

After we exited the Turffield Gym, the Doctor turned to me with a small grin. "Looks like it's just you and me again, eh? The others are still waiting for their turn to tackle the Turffield Gym. Not to be impatient or anything, but I'm itching to move on to the next Gym. What say you? Shall we go through Route 5 together, just us friendly rivals?"

"That's a wonderful idea, Doctor. But first..." I walked towards the stone formations. "I would like to study these stone formations. I feel like they hide some kind of mystery."

"Well, that's because they did." The Doctor took a worn fabric out of his saddlebag. "Until I came and discovered it, that is! Helix, can you tell me what this old length of fabric is?"

I instantly recognized the fabric. "That's an Expert Belt. If you give it to a Pokemon to hold, the power of any super-effective attacks they use will increase by ten percent."

"Is that so? In that case..." The Doctor sent out his Charjabug. "I'll let you wear this Expert Belt. You have moves that cover many types, after all!"

The Expert Belt was a tad too large, so the Doctor looped it around Charjabug's body twice rather than once before tying it. "Expert Belt equipped. Now I will be able to deliver even more damage to Nessa's Water-type Pokemon with Spark if you choose to use me as your partner in the Hulbury Gym."

"Helix, can you translate?" the Doctor asked.

I nodded. "Basically, he's saying that he will deal even more damage to the Water-type Pokemon found in the Hulbury Gym."

Charjabug added, "I will also have access to more powerful moves if you evolve me with a Thunder Stone."

"Oh, and he'll have even stronger moves if you--" I did a double take. "Wait, did you just say Thunder Stone?"

"Affirmative. Galar has no places that give off electrical stimulus, so Charjabug in Galar have adapted to evolve via Thunder Stone."

I put a hand on my head in surprise. "Well, that's new. I'm used to evolving Charjabug in places that give off electrical stimulus, such as Blush Mountain in the Alola region. But apparently Galar has no electrically charged locations, so Charjabug in Galar have adapted so that they evolve by using a special item called a Thunder Stone."

"A Thunder Stone?" The Doctor put a hoof to his chin. "What a curious-sounding object. Is it some kind of stone that gives off electricity, or more like a gem reminiscent of lightning?"

"You're close, but the Thunder Stone itself doesn't necessarily have any similarities to lightning. Thunder Stones are dull green gemstones that don't bear any resemblance to lightning at first glance, but if you look closely, there is a yellow lightning bolt symbol within the gemstone. You'll know a Thunder Stone when you see it. Just... be careful what Pokemon species you use it on, you know? And try not to lose it. Evolution stones are hard to find in the Pokemon world."

"Understood. Now then..." The Doctor looked east towards our next destination with resolve in his eyes. "The Hulbury Gym beckons! Let us proceed onward to Route 5!"
> Chapter 9: Attack of the Interviewers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After restoring our Pokemon's health at the Pokemon Center, the Doctor and I made our way east out of Turffield. It pained me somewhat to leave the natural beauty of Turffield, but I quickly reminded myself that my type would resist any stray Water-type moves from the Gym Trainers in Hulbury.

Besides, I needn't worry about leaving the beauty of nature; after crossing the stone bridge, we discovered that Route 5 was a forested area where plenty of wild Pokemon roamed. In the distance, I could see a Pokemon Day Care. Or perhaps it was a Nursery? I would have to get a closer look.

My analysis of the route was interrupted when the Doctor asked me, "Say, is it normal to run into pairs of Trainers?" He pointed towards the first Trainers on the route: a reporter and a cameraman.

"It is, actually." I took out a Poke Ball in preparation for battle. "When you encounter a pair of Trainers, they tend to battle by each sending out one Pokemon."

The Doctor gave me an annoyed look. "But isn't that a tad unfair? It would be two Pokemon against one, and the opponents would be able to have double the normal amount of Pokemon to battle with!"

"It seems that way at first, but there are actually many types of battles. You're used to the most common style of battle, Single Battles. That's where each side sends out one Pokemon."

The Doctor's expression changed to one of curiosity. "Oh? So there are battle formats in which each side can send out more than one Pokemon?"

I nodded. "When each side sends out two Pokemon at a time, it's considered a Double Battle. But two Trainers can also team up and battle alongside each other to battle two other Trainers. That's called a Multi Battle. To make sure things don't drag on for too long, Multi Battle Trainers each only use three Pokemon."

"That's interesting. But would it be possible for one Trainer to battle a pair of Trainers?"

"Most definitely. Trainers such as Brendan and Nate have often had to battle pairs of Trainers alone, in which case they would send out two Pokemon at a time to battle the opposing team's two Pokemon on the field. Depending on how you look at it, this could be considered a Double Battle from the single Trainer's point of view or a Multi Battle from the point of view of the pair of Trainers."

"I see. So, Double Battles and Multi Battles? Such kinds of battles must invoke a multitude of clever strategies and move combinations! I would like to try one out for myself! Although..." The Doctor's sudden burst of excitement subsided as he explained one of his concerns. "Seeing as I am still a beginner, I feel that it would be too difficult for me to focus on two of my Pokemon at the same time as I analyze the opponents' moves and strategies. Would you be so inclined as to assist me as I take on these two Trainers?"

I flinched at first, because it had been a long time since I had engaged in a Double or Multi Battle. However, this was not the time for me to back down and go refine my Double and Multi Battles at the Battle Tree. I quickly pulled myself together with a grin. "Of course, partner. Let's take those two down!"

We initiated the start of the battle against the reporter and cameraman by making direct eye contact. The reporter was certainly happy to have found some Trainers to battle. "Oh, you must be the new Gym Challengers! That means it's time for a special interview! But first..." The reporter brandished her Poke Ball. "...we should get to know each other with a battle!"

The cameraman got his camera rolling. "I can't wait to see how your Pokemon really shine on-camera!" He sent out a pair of interlocked gears with faces. "Are you ready, Klink? Action!"

The reporter sent out a yellow lizard with frills on the sides of its head. "It's showtime, Helioptile!"

I stopped the Doctor before he checked his Rotom Phone. "Leave it to me, Doctor." I pointed at the interlocked gears. "That's Klink, the Gear Pokemon. A Steel-type, Klink are always found in pairs, because they spin while interlocked in order to generate the energy needed to live. They cannot mesh with others or else they will become separated. You could say this makes them twins." Then I changed my focus to the lizard. "And there's Helioptile, the Generator Pokemon. It's an Electric- and Normal-type that gathers energy from the sun by spreading out the frills on its head. These frills have special cells that generate electricity when exposed to sunlight, like solar panels." I then sighed as I muttered to myself, "You probably don't know about solar panels since Ponyville doesn't have advanced technology..."

The Doctor gave me a somewhat smug smile. "First of all, I heard that! And second of all, I do know what a solar panel is. As a matter of fact, solar panels are one of the different kinds of technology I've tried working with. When it comes to dealing with Klink and Helioptile, I believe I have just the Pokemon for the job..." He sent out Onix, most likely the same Onix that he caught at the entrance to the Rolling Fields. "Let's see how you deal with Rattlerock!"

I wing-bumped the Doctor. "That was a clever play on words, Doc. Using the onomatopoeia of the sound certain snakes make when they shake their tail, which can also be considered the sound rocks make when they roll, was quite ingenious!" I sent out Hotshot. "Even more so than the name I gave my starter, which implies that he might as well evolve into some kind of fiery soccer player."

When I sent out Hotshot, he shook his head with a sigh. "C'mon, seriously? You're gonna wait until just now to tell me why you named me Hotshot? So much for surprising you with my final evolution..."

I deadpanned. "Your pre-evolution Scorbunny was literally blazing around the court back at Hop's place, leaving behind burning footprints. Considering not only your powerful hind legs but also the fact that sports are a recurring theme in Galar, I was almost certain you'd evolve into a mighty goal-scoring fire rabbit, hence Hot-shot."

Hotshot began to make a counter-argument, but ultimately failed to find fault in my assumption. "...Eh, you got me there. I'll give you props for your spot-on reasoning." He turned to Onix. "Rattlerock, was it? How's about we rock their world?"

Rattlerock nodded. "Time to rock and roll!"

"Looks like everyone's ready." I turned to Hotshot with fierceness in my eyes. "Use Flame Charge on Klink!"

As Hotshot cloaked himself in flame, the cameraman stayed defiant. "Get ready for a turnaround! Klink, give 'em a dose of Vise Grip!"

I was surprised to see that when Hotshot charged at Klink, the two gears separated to dodge the attack before coming back together and grinding Hotshot with their teeth. "Oh no! Get out of there!"

"I'll help!" the Doctor said. "Rattlerock, use Tackle on Klink!" Rattlerock rammed into the two gears head-first, knocking them away and freeing Hotshot.

I smiled at the Doctor. "I owe you one for helping Hotshot out like that."

"No need. I'm just doing what friends do best."

I looked back at the action just in time to see Helioptile racing towards Hotshot at a fast pace. "Hotshot, jump and use Double Kick!"

"Thanks for the warning!" Hotshot dodged Helioptile's Quick Attack with a jump and delivered two powerful kicks to its back. "You had enough yet?"

I shook my head. "I wouldn't think so. From my experience, interviewers tend to back each other up in battle whenever they're pushed into a corner."

The reporter gave a determined grin. "You've got that right!" She turned to the cameraman. "Cam, time to do what we do best!"

The cameraman returned the grin. "You got it, Gillian!" He turned to Klink. "Klink, cover for Helioptile!" Klink promptly got in front of Helioptile, ready to take attacks.

"Helioptile, use Charge!" The electric lizard spread open its frills and began absorbing energy from the sun.

I gave the Doctor a short explanation: "When a Pokemon uses Charge, the power of its Electric-type moves goes up considerably. Be careful!"

The Doctor seemed to be in deep thought. "Maybe we can somehow interfere with the process. Helix, perhaps attacking Helioptile while it's charging will do something."

My eyes narrowed in inquisition. "That... just might work. But first, we need to get past Klink."

"I won't let you!" The cameraman plugged his ears after giving another command to Klink: "Use Metal Sound!"

Acting quickly, I tossed my High-Tech Earbuds to the Doctor. "Don't ask, just put these into your ears and tune out the attack!"

The Doctor did as he was told and I plugged my own ears before Klink made a dreadful grinding noise from the two gears scraping against each other, causing Hotshot and Rattlerock to cringe in agony. "Klink appears to be quite the troublemaker!" the Doctor said. "Rattlerock, pull through the earsplitting noise and use Rock Throw!"

Opening his eyes in frustration, Rattlerock slammed its tail between the two gears. With the tail jamming the gears, Klink was unable to rotate and fainted due to the lack of kinetic energy. Klink having fainted, the cameraman turned to the reporter with a sorrowful look. "Sorry, but it looks like Klink's act was cut off early. It can't back up Helioptile anymore."

"It's okay," the reporter answered. "Helioptile's almost done charging."

Right on cue, I exclaimed, "Hotshot, use Quick Attack!"

Hotshot slammed into Helioptile, interrupting the charging process. This, in turn, appeared to make Helioptile grow very weak. The reporter continued with a sad smile, "Besides, we didn't engage in battle against these Trainers to win, we did it to learn about them."

The Doctor pumped his hoof in joy. "Excellent! The opponent was weakened from being interrupted during its attempt to charge! Let's finish off Helioptile in style!"

I glanced at the Doctor with youthful hope in my eyes. "You mean..."

"That's right! A teamwork attack!" He turned to Rattlerock. "Grab Hotshot with your tail!" Rattlerock wrapped the end of his tail around Hotshot. The Doctor looked at me. "See where I'm going with this?"

I smiled. "Hotshot, get ready for a Flame Charge!" Hotshot cloaked himself in flames. "Now Rattlerock's got himself a burning rattle!"

The Doctor returned the smile. "I knew you'd get it! Time to show them what we can do!" He exclaimed, "Rattlerock, slam Hotshot on Helioptile!"

"Who rocks?" Rattlerock used the weight of his rocky tail to bring Hotshot down hard on Helioptile. "We do!"

To the Doctor's curiosity, Helioptile fainted not only from the powerful attack but also from major burns that it suffered from the Flame Charge. "Uh, Helix... do you think we went too far with this?"

The reporter shook her head while returning Helioptile to its Poke Ball. "It's okay, you didn't go too far. You just triggered Helioptile's Ability, Dry Skin. That Ability causes Helioptile to take more damage from Fire-type moves but heal from Water-type moves. It also takes damage in harsh sunlight and heals in rain."

"Well, that's good to know." The Doctor returned Rattlerock to its Poke Ball. "Now I'll know which Pokemon to use against Helioptile if we ever have a rematch."

I returned Hotshot to his Poke Ball. "By the way, we never did properly introduce ourselves. My name's Helix."

"And I'm Doctor Hooves, but you can simply call me Doctor."

"Nice to meet you two." The reporter shook my wing. "I'm Gillian, and this is my cameraman, Cam. We're interviewers who've been scouring the region for tough Trainers like you. It's been such an honor to battle with you!"

"Thank you for noticing our battle skills," the Doctor replied, "but I've only just begun my career as a Pokemon Trainer."

I added, "And while I may be a skilled Trainer, I'm nowhere as good as Trainers such as Red or Steven."

"Don't be so hard on yourselves! We could tell just how strong you two are from your interactions with your Pokemon." Gillian held her microphone towards us. "Tell me your thoughts on the battle so the viewers can hear your opinion."

The Doctor answered, "Seeing as this was my first Multi Battle, it certainly opened me up to new experiences. I especially enjoyed the teamwork concept of the Multi Battle format because back in Equestria where I live, friendship is an important trait. That's why my philosophy is that you're only as strong as the bond between you and your Pokemon."

"That's a wonderful philosophy, Doctor! And what about you, Helix? Would you care to add your own thoughts?"

I nodded. "Certainly. It is very important to have a strong bond with your Pokemon, although it does help to have a good strategy when you go into battle. If you ask me, I would not advise neglecting strategy and focusing only on strengthening the bond you share with your Pokemon. You've got to have a good balance between friendship and strategy when going into a battle. I mean, think about it: a strong bond won't save a Shedinja that's fighting a Haxorus with Mold Breaker as its Ability."

Gillian seemed impressed by my remark. "Seems like you really know your way around Pokemon battles, Helix! Thanks to both of you for taking the time for an interview. You might want to turn on the television when you reach the next town, because we'll be airing later today. We hope to see you again someday!"

As we walked past the interviewers, the Doctor turned to me. "I'll be honest with you, I don't have a clue what you were saying about this so-called Shedinja or Mold Breaker."

My eyes widened in realization. "Oh! How could I forget to tell you about Shedinja?! See, Shedinja is a Bug- and Ghost-type Pokemon whose signature Ability, Wonder Guard, is overpowered. This Ability protects Shedinja from all damaging attacks except for super-effective moves. However, it does not prevent indirect damage, as from poison or burn; and it doesn't affect status moves either. The catch?" I chuckled. "Shedinja only has one HP, or hit point. Hit points measure a Pokemon's amount of health. In other words, Shedinja's laughable HP stat means a level 1 Vulpix could knock out a level 100 Shedinja with Ember. Additionally, the effects of all Abilities that would normally affect the damage output or effects of a move will be nullified when a Pokemon with the Mold Breaker Ability executes a move."

"An Ability that negates attacks, and an Ability that negates Abilities?" The Doctor put a hoof to his chin. "How interesting..."
> Chapter 10: Duel of the Feathered Foes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Almost immediately after the interviewers, the path split in two. The first path continued east while the second path turned south. The Doctor checked his Rotom Phone. "Says here that the south path will merge with the east path further ahead. It'll be more straightforward if we continue east, but I'm certain we'll find some useful items and Trainers to battle if we turn south. What say you, Helix?"

I looked down the south path, which contained a Berry tree, a pond, and a Pokemon Camp, alongside some Trainers to battle. There were some patches of grass along the side of the path. "I have to agree with you, Doctor. Looks like there's lots to be found on the southern path." I walked towards the southern path, but a patch of grass on the east path caught my attention. "Actually, it might be better to check out that patch of grass over there first."

"Good idea. We might find some new species of Pokemon if we investigate the tall grass."

We approached the tall grass slowly, watching for any Pokemon that might ambush us. While the Doctor got to work catching the species that were new to him, I watched closely for Pokemon that were exclusive to the Galar region. Unfortunately, it was hard to find any Galar Pokemon with all the Drifloon, Swirlix, Minccino, and Stufful around. So I did what most Pokemon Trainers would do: battle every Pokemon in their path.

Corvisquire took down the Stufful while Hotshot battled the Minccino. I took on the Swirlix myself as Kilowatt zapped the Drifloon. I had to take a break every once in a while to heal Kilowatt, because some of the Drifloon had the Aftermath Ability and therefore burst when defeated.

The Doctor checked his saddlebag to make sure everything was in order. "Oh dear! I'm running low on Poke Balls! Helix, wait there while I run back to the Pokemon Center to stock up."

"Sure thing." I waved to him as he galloped back to Turffield. I used my Rotom Phone to check everyone's levels. It pleased me to see that all six of my Pokemon were at least level 23. "Good job, everyone. You deserve a break." I returned my Pokemon to their Poke Balls.

"Pathetic."

I immediately turned northwest and pointed a quill towards the source of the gruff voice. "You've got some nerve to call me pathetic. Are you sure you don't want to take that back?"

"Why would I? I'm only stating the obvious. Only a weakling would give his Pokemon a break before their power points reach 3 or their health reaches a fifth of its maximum."

I turned my quill into a Leaf Blade and held it at my side. "You sound like the type of Pokemon who likes to take chances. In that case, how about you show yourself and we can settle this one-on-one?"

"Are you challenging me to a duel?" A large, thick leek fell before me, and a figure used the other end to pole-vault itself towards me. The figure was a fierce-looking duck with a dark brown coat and a light-colored underbelly. The leek was easily double the length of the duck. "Then I accept!"

I consulted my Rotom Phone. "Is this a Galarian Farfetch'd?"

"Precisely," the duck confirmed. "Don't bother checking the Pokedex. I'd rather duel an opponent when neither of us knows of the other's capabilities. I find that to be the best way to train."

"Very well." I put away the Rotom Phone. "Let us begin!"

Farfetch'd lunged towards me and swung his leek vertically. I plucked another Leaf Blade and crossed both quills in front of me, successfully guarding against the leek. "A Grass-type, eh? Time to cut through your defenses!" His leek gave off a dark green glow, and he repeatedly tried to slash me with it. However, I parried each strike using my Leaf Blades, even as Fury Cutter grew stronger with each blow. When it seemed like my quills couldn't take it anymore, I dropped my guard and slashed at Farfetch'd with both quills. "Impressive, you are skilled in both offense and defense. Looks like a job for a same-type attack bonus!"

I spread my wings to fly away from the oncoming attack, but I realized that wasn't necessary; I had plenty of experience as a Pokemon, so I was certain I could take the attack. Even if I wouldn't be able to take the attack well, there was one other factor...

Farfetch'd brought down his mighty leek like a hammer, but it happened to pass right through my body. "Rock Smash had no affect? Your secondary type must be Ghost, then. That only makes you more vulnerable to my next attack!" He spun his leek around rapidly, turning his entire body into a weapon using a move called Brutal Swing.

"If Button Mash were here, he'd be reminded of a certain masked penguin boss..." I thought to myself as I ran from the deadly spinning leek. For the most part I ignored other wild Pokemon, because they were easily taken care of by Farfetch'd and his weapon.

"Perhaps I should have stopped spinning earlier..." Farfetch'd moaned as he reeled from dizziness. I considered this my chance to strike, so I flew at him quickly from a low altitude. Although I suffered some recoil damage, using Brave Bird was definitely worth it. After all, it hit its target directly and also knocked the leek away from Farfetch'd. "Hmm, you've more potential than I expected. But you underestimate my inventory!" With a smirk, he pulled out a smaller leek like the ones Kantonian Farfetch'd wield.

I let go of one of my quills and grabbed the other with both arms. I put all my strength into the quill, turning it into an even stronger Leaf Blade, more like a sword than a mere blade. "Come at me!"

Farfetch'd raised his leek for another Fury Cutter, but he was clearly faster without his other leek. This was enough for me to consider it an actual challenge, because he seemed to be quite good at swordplay. He even caught me off-guard twice by fooling me into thinking he would go for one maneuver and then making a different approach than the one I anticipated.

I chuckled before stabbing my Leaf Blade into his shadow and leaping backwards out of the tall grass. "You may have outsmarted me, but I have yet to meet someone who can outsmart Z-Power." I flashed my left wrist, revealing a black hand-crafted bracelet with a Z insignia. Embedded in the insignia was a green crystal with a symbol of a Decidueye's head. "Will you be that someone?"

Farfetch'd narrowed his eyes. "Z-Power? Such a term is unfamiliar to me. Show me what Z-Power is, so that we can find out."

"What a bold Pokemon you are. Very well, allow me to show you the Alolan might that is known as Z-Power!" I crossed my arms in front of me, the Decidueye symbol on the crystal glowing. "Why do I hide in the shadows?" I brought my arms to my sides then held both straight forward, one arm on top of the other. "Opponents know they're visible out in the light of day." I crouched down, my wings/hands covering the lower half of my face, and slowly rose up in an eerie fashion. "So they retreat to darkness, where they think they're safe." When I stopped rising, I lurched forward and spread my wings. "But I'm always four parallel universes ahead of them, for I have mastered the art of reading my opponents." Z-Power surged into my veins from all around: from my Pokemon, from my friends, even from nature. "The only way you could hope to survive my next attack is by reading me. Prepare yourself!"

Farfetch'd got ready to dodge, but couldn't move due to the Spirit Shackle I had pinned to his shadow. "An impressive signature move, and an even more impressive setup involving said move. Dodging is not an option, so I have no choice but to counter your attack!"

"Exactly." I soared high into the sky, producing countless arrows that circled me. I stopped increasing my altitude and looked down at the wild duck Pokemon. "I wish you the best of luck as you attempt to counter my signature Z-Move... Sinister Arrow Raid!"

I swooped down towards Farfetch'd, who gripped his leek in preparation for my attack. I unleashed a dive bomb, but he crouched to avoid it. Seeing the onslaught of arrows coming at him, he twirled his leek to deflect them. "Did you really expect to hit me with those arrows? I am the most elite of my kind on this route!"

Facing away from Farfetch'd and the arrows he deflected or avoided, I grinned. "Nope. I didn't intend to hit you with those arrows. Are you ready for me to show you why I launched those arrows?"

He looked at the arrows around him, and his eyes widened. "...They explode, don't they?"

Boooooom! The arrows promptly exploded, causing Farfetch'd to collapse.

He tried to get up, but failed. "Even with the special Leek... I failed to unlock my critical power... Am I simply considered not worthy in the eyes of fate...?"

I thought back to the days when I was corrupted by rage and tried to find some worthy opponents to unleash my rage on. "That is where you're wrong." I knelt down and offered my wing to Farfetch'd. "It isn't that you're not worthy. The true reason why I battled you was to prove that you can still grow stronger."

"And how..." He looked up at me with distrust in his eyes. "...does this prove that I can grow more powerful?"

"Oh? You don't know about me? I'm Helix, and I just came here to Galar. I am proof that you can become even stronger than before, because I'm not your average Pokemon." I pointed a thumb towards myself. "I am a Pokemon Trainer!" I showed off the medallion with the Grass Badge in place. "And I have this collection of Badges to prove it."

"Humph," Farfetch'd scoffed. "Doesn't look like much of a--"

"I also have this." I opened my Trainer Passport for the Alola region. Not a single stamp was missing.

"...Never mind. Seems you really are a good Trainer." He took my wing and got up. "I'm about ready to join your team."

"No, you're not." I rummaged through the tall grass and found his stronger leek. I dragged it over to him. "You almost forgot this. You don't go anywhere without it, do you?"

"You're right." Farfetch'd grabbed the leek and lifted it onto his right shoulder. "Is your Poke Ball ready?"

"Definitely." I took out my Poke Ball. "You've been through quite the battle, so I'd rather not hurl this at you. Why don't you do the honors."

"Of course, Helix." He pressed the button on the front of the Poke Ball and went inside. The Poke Ball rocked once, twice, thrice... Click!

I recalled Milo mentioning that Nessa, a Water-type user, was the Gym Leader of Hulbury. "Sorry, Rev Rock, but you'd take a beating in Hulbury Gym." I sent Rev Rock to a Box and added Farfetch'd to my party.

Just then, the Doctor returned. "I'm back and ready to catch more Pokemon! Did I miss anything, Helix?"

"Well, I--" Suddenly, one of my Poke Balls shook. "What's this? Kilowatt, are you okay?" I sent out the electric puppy to see what was wrong. To my surprise, he was positively glowing. The bright blue glow completely consumed Kilowatt, and his form began to change. The electric sac around his neck disappeared, and his body became larger yet slimmer. It was like he changed from a Welsh Corgi into a greyhound. "Hold up, I don't remember giving you an Experience Share. Come to think of it, I never even brought one on this adventure."

"What's an Experience Share?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah, Helix, what is it?" Kilowatt chimed in.

I gave Kilowatt a confused look. "Wait, they don't have Experience Shares in Galar? Strange." I turned back to the Doctor. "Anyway, in other regions, Experience Shares take some of the experience gained in battle and give it to Pokemon in your party that didn't participate in battle."

The Doctor was impressed by this. "Really? And you said you didn't have an Experience Share this time? Maybe Yamper doesn't need experience to evolve."

"Nah, that isn't it," Kilowatt said to me. "It's just that we Pokemon in Galar don't need to participate in battles to grow. We're smart enough to gain experience just by watching battles, and that's what caused me to evolve into Boltund!"

"Boltund, eh?" I checked my Rotom Phone.

"Boltund, the Dog Pokemon. An Electric-type, it generates electricity and channels it into its legs. This process allows Boltund to run nonstop for three full days."

The Doctor checked his own Rotom Phone. "Boltund sends electricity through its legs to boost their strength. Its top speed easily breaks 50 miles per hour. Boltund and Thievul are natural enemies."

"Oh, and before I forget..." I checked the Pokedex entry for Galarian Farfetch'd.

"Farfetch'd, Galarian Form, the Wild Duck Pokemon. A Fighting-type, Farfetch'd from Galar are brave warriors who wield powerful leeks in battle. The stalks of leeks in Galar are thicker and tougher, so Galarian Farfetch'd have become Fighting-types to gain the strength required to carry their leek."

"Farfetch'd?" the Doctor asked. "Never heard of it. Judging from its Pokedex entry, I don't think I saw any while catching Pokemon here. Oh well, maybe we'll find some new Pokemon down on the south path."

I nodded. "Right. Okay, let's head down that way!"
> Chapter 11: The Rose's Thorn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For me, the southern path wasn't quite as exciting as the Multi Battle and Galarian Farfetch'd encounter on the main path. Nonetheless, it did have plenty to offer. For instance, I found some Heal Balls hidden by a wide patch of grass where Stufful roamed; and the first Trainer on the lower path, a chef, battled me with what appeared to be a worm in an apple, a Pokemon called Applin. Overtaken by curiosity, I tried looking for Applin in the patches of grass, but I had plenty of trouble finding any. According to my Rotom Phone, Applin were quite uncommon. Even when I did manage to find one, the Doctor beat me to catching it. Blast!

After sending Applin to his Pokemon Box, the Doctor glanced over at me. "Why so glum, Helix? You could always just catch other Pokemon you haven't yet registered in your Pokedex."

"I would, but there's one small problem with that..." I took out some certificates from my pocket. "See these? They're proof that I completed the Pokedex for all the other regions I've been to: Kanto, Hoenn, Alola, you name it! That means I've already caught some of the Pokemon you see wandering around here. I find it redundant to catch Pokemon I've already caught, unless I intend to add them to my team. That's why my heart's focused on catching Pokemon exclusive to Galar!"

The Doctor took a step backwards, caught by surprise from my sudden assertive attitude. "Look, I understand how you feel. I consider it to be quite excessive to have more than one of, say, a certain collectible. If I can go for 100 percent instead of attending to more redundant matters, then I will. But right now... the Pokedex isn't what we should be focusing on. We can always come back later to finish our Pokedex."

I gave the Doctor a stern look while putting away the certificates. "And by later you mean over a year from now, after we finish our adventure. Do you realize how long that is?!"

"Of course I do! It's just that sometimes, it's best to live in the present. We can enjoy what the present has to offer while simultaneously looking forward to what the future has in store. Besides, 100% completion isn't our top priority. Our top priority is to become skilled enough in the ways of Galarian Pokemon battles that we can overwhelm the might of Lord Tirek."

I almost instantly stopped being upset when I heard what the Doctor had to say. "Live in the present... Oh Celestia, I completely forgot about Lord Tirek! You're right, I need to stop worrying about Pokedex completion and get to work training my team like the Champion I am!"

With a sudden burst of energy, I powered through the southern path, taking every chance I could to strengthen my Pokemon and grabbing every item I found. I also took a moment to visit a Pokemon Camp near the pond before proceeding back to the main path. There were a pair of Trainers near the end of the southern path, but the Doctor had already beaten them.

When the south path merged with the north path, I was pleased to see a Pokemon Nursery right in front of me. I knew that I hadn't caught any evolved forms of Pokemon exclusive to Galar, but I went inside anyway. I've often found that Pokemon Day Cares and Nurseries had more to offer than simply breeding Pokemon. However, all I got were a few very small EXP Candies. The person who gave me the candies said she would've given me a Pokemon hatched from an Egg, but apparently she had already given it to, and I quote, "a talking horse who said he feels right at home here in Galar." I could only assume that she gave the Pokemon to the Doctor.

I left the Nursery and continued along the road. When I reached a long stone bridge, I found the Doctor and a physician staring in surprise at a pair of Team Yell grunts who appeared to be left in shock. "Whoa, what happened here?" I asked.

The Team Yell grunts looked at me and the Doctor. "Oi, if it isn't you lot. Look, normally we'd be up for a bout with you, but we just got our tushes handed to us."

I looked at the Doctor, who shook his head. "I just got here. I couldn't have beaten them in a Pokemon battle."

We looked at the physician. "Not I. These Team Yell goons were trying to steal this bike." He took out a portable bike that could be folded up for easy storage. It had a predominantly red paint job. "But a kind lass showed up right on time, and her Pokemon gave them a good thrashing. It was a real sight!"

"Really?" the Doctor asked. "You know where she went off to?"

"Yeah, I tried to hand her this bike as a gift, but she said she didn't need it and took off across the bridge. If you're fast enough, you may be able to catch up to her." The physician began to see us off, but stopped. "Actually, hold on... Do either of you two have a Rotom with you?"

I nodded. "We both have a Rotom Phone." We showed our phones to him.

"Really? That's fantastic! Would either of you like to have this bike instead?"

"I might take you up on your offer, but I need to check my bag first. Victor lent me some of his stuff, so I might already have a bike on me." The Doctor rummaged through his saddlebag, and he finally found a bike in the Key Items pocket. "Ah, here it is! Sorry, but it looks like I already have one. What about you, Helix?"

"I'm not sure. Let me see..." I looked through my coat pockets, but I didn't find a folding bike. "Huh, guess I left my bike at home. Okay then, I'll accept the bike."

The physician smiled. "Great! Now, you probably know how much Rotom love motors, right?"

"Yep, their specialty is entering motors of various appliances. I've even used a Rotom Pokedex!"

"Right! So the idea of Rotom entering motors made me think about the possibility of attaching a motor to a bicycle so that a Rotom could zip into that as well."

I put a wing to my chin. "Hmm... A Rotom entering a bicycle? That's a pretty interesting idea. Perhaps the Rotom could give the bike some kind of turbo charge."

"My thoughts precisely! If you work together with Rotom, you can go places you wouldn't have been able to go on your own! If you and Rotom work as one, there'll be nothing that will get in your way!" The physician gave me the bike. "Go and ride to your heart's content!"

I got on my bike, and my Rotom Phone attached itself between the handlebars. The Doctor and his Rotom Phone followed suit. "So, a bike that can be given a turbo boost by Rotom..." I gave the Doctor a grin. "You know what this means?"

"What does this mean?" he asked.

I gripped the handlebars tightly with intense resolve in my eyes. "It's time for us to team up with Rotom! By working together, the sky's the limit! In other words... it's time to Double Boost!"

I blasted forward, nearly leaving the Doctor in the dust. When he caught up, I began to sing, "Together we can show this world what we can--" Without warning, our Rotom Bikes decelerated to a more casual speed. "Well, that didn't last too long. Guess we need to ride around at the normal speed to recharge the turbo boost."

"That's a good thing if you ask me," the Doctor replied, clearly dazed from the sudden burst of speed. "Next time, at least give me a warning before utilizing the boost, would you?"

I gave a bashful chuckle. "Yeah, sorry about that... It's just that the ability to unleash a turbo boost powered by teamwork convinced me to make a reference."

"Save the non-Pokemon references for when you get further into this adventure, guys." We slammed on our brakes just in time to avoid hitting a familiar face.

I gave her a confused look. "Amy? Shouldn't you be back in Turffield Stadium waiting your turn to take on the Gym?"

Amy shook her head. "Actually, I'm not taking on the Gym Challenge. I came here just to explore the Galar region with my Pokemon."

"You're not fooling me. I see the League Card you have tucked in your right pocket."

She looked in said pocket, then back at me. "Looks like there's nothing that won't go unseen in your line of sight, Helix! You called my bluff, but I'm only participating in the Gym Challenge to get to know my Pokemon even better."

"That still doesn't answer my question about you being in Turffield Stadium."

"I was, but I overheard someone say something about Team Yell over on Route 5, so I ran right over and made sure to give those bootleg Team Skull grunts what for. I continued on ahead across this bridge because the whole ordeal caused me to forget about my first Gym Mission, so thanks for reminding me."

"No problem," the Doctor answered. "Now, shall we see you back to the stadium?"

"It's okay, I can make it back myself. However, I'm disappointed at how little of a fight Team Yell put up. Think either of you could make up for it with a battle against my partner?"

The Doctor stepped forward. "I'll challenge you. I was hoping to battle those Team Yell members, but you already took care of them. You'd better not disappoint me with an easy battle, because I'm ready to give it my all!"

Amy twirled a black Poke Ball with gold rings around it on her right index finger. "Good, because I'm not gonna hold back! Let's see how you stand up against my ace..." She tossed the Luxury Ball, releasing a slender, quadrupedal Pokemon with very short legs and a long, striped body. "Go get 'em, Walker!"

"Time to learn about this Pokemon." The Doctor checked his Rotom Phone, only to put on a confused look. "How strange... All I'm getting here is a question mark."

"It must not be in the Galar region's Pokedex," I replied. "But don't worry, because I know what this Pokemon is. It's known as Furret, the Long Body Pokemon. A Normal-type, it is quick and agile despite its short legs. They build narrow burrows that are very difficult for other species to enter. And even if predators do manage to enter their burrows, the burrows become more maze-like deeper inside, making it even harder to find Furret's nest." I paused. "Also, some guy used Furret and the theme of Accumula Town to create a meme known as the Furret Walk. Now that's almost the only thing this skillful Pokemon is known for," I continued with a groan. "And before you say anything, Doctor, you wouldn't understand what a meme is because Ponyville is nowhere near technologically advanced enough to have memes. I'll explain the concept after our adventure."

"Oh, okay. And you said Furret was a Normal-type? I'd normally go for a type advantage with Rattlerock, but I've a feeling Amy has a trick up her sleeve." He sent out his Yamper. "So it's your turn, Spark Bark!"

"Alright, Walker!" Amy smiled as she began snapping her fingers. "Let's take it from the top! One, two, three, four!" She started clapping her hands rhythmically as her Furret, appropriately named Walker, swayed its body from side to side and grooved to the rhythm.

A drop of sweat formed on the Doctor's forehead. "I may have made a mistake in challenging Amy..."

"How do you know?" I asked.

The Doctor hurriedly dismissed my confusion. "I'll tell you later. Spark Bark, go for a Nuzzle! It's our only hope!"

Spark Bark attempted to ram into Walker with his electric sac, but Walker deftly dodged as it sang:

They say Normal-types aren't strong, but they're wrong
I will prove to you that I can fight! Yes, that's right!


The Doctor's eyes widened. "Well, I guess that's out of the picture. Let's try using Nuzzle defensively this time!"

Spark Bark hunkered down and charged up his electric sac for a counterattack, only for Walker to swerve around the sac and deliver a powerful slam to his back.

I'm good with offense and speed, that's all
I need to be strong 'cause I've got my friend! We'll fight to the end!


I would've tried to assist the Doctor in helping Spark Bark retaliate, but the impressive battling style of Walker had the entirety of my attention. Never before had I ever seen a low-tier species such as that of Walker predict its opponent's movements and react accordingly. If Spark Bark dodged, Walker curved her attack in the direction Spark Bark dodged to compensate. If Spark Bark tried to fool Walker with a fake-out, she wouldn't fall for it. And whenever Spark Bark made a mistake, Walker ensured that he got harshly punished for his blunder.

They say you must have good stats and a great strategy
The truth is, friendship and working together is the key
You don't have to burn, freeze, scare, read minds, or fly
Just work with an ally!


Spark Bark was weakened and ready to have the rest of his HP depleted, and Walker knew that. With a nod towards Amy, she summoned a large wave of water to finish the battle.

You've fought bravely, we can tell--quite well,
But it's time for us to end this fight! And what a fight!


Ears folded back in sorrow, the Doctor walked over and stroked his drenched Yamper, making sure to avoid the electric sac. "I'm sorry, Spark Bark... If I'd known Walker was going to sing, I would never have sent you out there, let alone challenge Amy."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Amy used a Max Revive to fully restore Spark Bark's health and Power Points. With a wink, she continued, "Besides, it isn't every day you run into a Trainer who's also skilled in Pokemon Contests."

"Thanks for healing Spark Bark," the Doctor replied. "But I'm afraid that won't heal the weakened bond of friendship between me and Spark Bark caused by him fainting."

"Relax, Doc. I'm sure he won't be mad at you over fainting a single time. If you really want to have a good friendship with your Pokemon, though, I've got something you might want." Amy gave the Doctor a round bell with a loop of red string attached to it. "Have your Pokemon wear this Soothe Bell. The calming chime should cause the wearer to grow closer to you."

"I really owe you one," the Doctor said as he put the Soothe Bell on Spark Bark.

Amy laughed. "You already did by putting up a better fight than those yellow-bellied Team Skull rip-offs. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure if they even have a leader!"

I shrugged. "Beats me. Although, there is a question that's been on my mind ever since your battle started." With astonishment and exasperation in my voice, I nearly yelled at the Doctor, "How the heck did you know that you were in trouble when the Furret started singing and dancing to the tune of the song I mentioned earlier?!"

Putting on a smug yet innocent smile, the Doctor answered, "Don't you know? Back in Equestria, it's not uncommon to spontaneously break into a song-and-dance routine. Songs are practically our second language! As such, I daresay I somewhat understood what Walker was singing. But that's besides the point. The point is, we Equestrians seem to be unstoppable whenever we sing. Therefore, I assumed the same went for Walker." He sighed. "And of course, my hunch just had to be right."

If I had eyebrows, they would be furrowed in confusion. "If you knew that singing made you harder to beat, then whey didn't you counter Amy's musical strategy with your own song?"

"Because I want to save that for the tournament. A real hero never utilizes his full power until the very end! Have you never read any comics?"

His answer satisfied me, only to leave me with another question. "Wait... You read comics too? I thought you were all about science and technology!"

"I am. But you should know that comics such as Power Ponies have all kinds of futuristic technology. I've even tried building some of the time machines featured in certain comics, but none of them worked. Besides, what kind of pony from my generation hasn't read a Power Ponies comic?"

"You make a good point. Now that my questions have all been answered, shall we press on to Hulbury?"

"I agree, we should get going. Amy, we'll see you later!" The Doctor waved as Amy went back to Turffield to take on the Gym there, leaving us to continue through Route 5 and clear out the rest of the Trainers and items on the route.
> Chapter 12: Making a Splash at the Second Gym!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seeing as Nessa was a Water-type user, I was by no means surprised to find that Hulbury was a bustling seaport that focused both on human culture and the impressive body of water that extended into the distance. Closer to Route 5, there was a Pokemon Center, some apartments up north, a restaurant, and some shops down south. Towards the sea, we could find Hulbury Stadium and a lighthouse.

The Doctor and I eagerly headed for the Pokemon Center to rest our Pokemon, but our attention was drawn towards the first intersection after the Pokemon Center. A small crowd was there, only to disperse after being shooed away by the same woman who was with Chairman Rose in Motostoke Stadium. My best guess was that she was Rose's secretary. And shortly after the crowd dispersed, the chairman himself spoke to Bede about the Gym Challenge. As I had expected due to our first encounter, Bede insisted that he wouldn't lose to anyone who stood in his path on his way to becoming Champion.

After Bede left, the Doctor and I approached Chairman Rose. "Good day, Chairman Rose," the Doctor said. "Are you doing well with your work?"

The chairman turned and saw us. "Ah, I remember you two! If my memory doesn't fail me, you're Helix and Doctor Hooves, right?"

"Yes, indeed," I answered.

"Great! Actually, Bede and I were just talking about you! To be honest, I must admit that I'm curious why Leon would endorse you two."

The Doctor laughed. "Completely understandable. I suppose it's not every day that a Pokemon and a pony are endorsed for the Gym Challenge. Shall we explain our reasoning for wanting to be endorsed?"

"...Actually, that won't be necessary right now. I just had an idea. Since you're both here, you must be getting ready to face Gym Leader Nessa soon, yes?"

"Yes, that's right. And if I might add my own opinion, I do believe the odds are in my favor."

"That's good to know. Tell you what, if you manage to win and get the second Gym Badge from her, I'll hold a little celebration for the two of you. This way, I'll be able to get to know you better."

Maintaining a calm demeanor, Rose's secretary said, "Chairman, it's getting late. We should really be going, or else you'll miss your next deadline."

"Thanks for reminding me, Oleana." The chairman turned his attention back to us. "Be sure to do your best, because people are counting on you. The whole region is counting on you!" He headed for the nearby restaurant.

Before following Chairman Rose, his secretary, who was apparently named Oleana, gave us a strict word of advice: "Meet the chairman at this town's seafood restaurant as soon as you win the Gym Badge. Do not keep him waiting for you." She left for the restaurant without another word.

The Doctor cringed. "Did... did she just say seafood restaurant?"

I frowned. "Yes, unfortunately. But don't you worry about that. There's plenty of trees in the Wild Area that you could get Berries from. They'd be excellent for vegetarians such as your species."

"But wouldn't it be weird to start making a curry inside of a restaurant?"

"Wait, you thought Berries were only used for curries?" I chuckled, "Nonsense! Berries can be eaten in any way: fresh, sliced, cooked, or even turned into a treat called a Pokeblock! For now, I suggest you try them fresh."

"Really? That's wonderful to know! To think that all this time I thought Berries were only for curries... Thanks for telling me this, Helix."

"No problem, Doctor. Now, let's set off for the Gym!" We traveled north from the intersection and continued north past an intersection leading west and north. But as we neared the Gym, something else caught my eye. East from the Gym, I saw a tall, cone-shaped structure with a stubby top. Its top floor had a large window that circled around the structure. "Oh, that must be a lighthouse. I wonder if we can enter it like the one back in Olivine City in the Johto region..."

As we got off our bikes, the Doctor asked, "You entered a lighthouse?"

"I sure did. The Ampharos acting as the light source of the lighthouse fell ill again, so I had to retrieve a special medicine from the pharmacy in Cianwood City and bring it up to Jasmine, the owner of the Ampharos. I would've administered the medicine directly, but Jasmine told me that her Ampharos will only accept the medicine from its own Trainer."

"Ampharos? Say, I think I'm starting to see a pattern here..."

I stopped so we could sit down on a pair of benches. "A pattern? What do you mean?"

"Throughout this adventure, I've been noticing interesting things about Pokemon species. For instance, Thwackey is a monkey that likes to strike its opponents with hard branches, and Sizzlipede is a fiery centipede Pokemon. Would it be safe to assume that Ampharos is an Electric-type Pokemon with a body part that gives off light?"

I was pleased to hear the Doctor's accurate guess. "Now you're catching on..."

"So do all Pokemon have names that relate to their appearance, personality, skills, or typing?"

I pumped a fist in affirmation. "You're a fast learner! Seems you've got the relationship between Pokemon and their etymology all figured out, and that's yet another step towards understanding Pokemon. If you keep this up, there's no doubt you'll become a great Trainer!"

"Thanks for the support, but you're the one who knows Pokemon like ponies know friendship. I may not be that good of a Trainer, but I can still try my best. I have to do my best for the sake of Equestria!"

Getting up from the benches, we continued towards the lighthouse. The Doctor stopped to admire a pair of Pokemon statues. They appeared to be bipedal lizards with organs on their chests and electric manes. He took out a Luxury Ball, from which came what appeared to be a baby pre-evolution of the Pokemon statues. It was purple with a light purple spark on its forehead. "Did the Pokemon Breeder from the Nursery give you that Pokemon?" I asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah, this Pokemon is called Toxel. It's a Poison- and Electric-type that generates electricity via a special organ. A curious type combination, if you ask me. And I'm even more curious about how the Pokemon depicted by these statues charge up and unleash electricity. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough by showing this Toxel some TLC."

My eyes happened to drift to the right, where I saw a familiar character gazing at the sea. "Ah, you must be Nessa. I remember you from the ceremony held in Motostoke Stadium."

"Hmm?" She turned around, revealing her light cerulean eyes. "You two must be some of the new Gym Challengers, right?"

"Why, yes we are." The Doctor casually boasted, "Are we really gaining fame this quickly, or did our incomplete collection of Badges give it away?"

"Neither, actually." Nessa shrugged. "News spread fast that the Champion himself endorsed an exotic variety of Trainers for the Gym Challenge. Milo wasn't kidding when he said there'd be a horse or two mixed in," she said with a laugh.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I prefer the word pony. That's the proper name for my species and that of my friends back in Equestria."

"Right, my apologies about that. Anyway, you Champion-endorsed Challengers have become quite the hot topic among us Gym Leaders. From what I've heard, you two made Milo's Gym Mission seem like a walk in the park. I've heard a lot about you, so why don't you take this so you can learn about me?" Nessa gave each of us a copy of her League Card.

I gave her League Card a quick once-over. "So, you're friends with Sonia? That's good to know."

The Doctor put away the League Card with concern in his eyes. "But it still irks me that you humans actually consume meat. That's simply beyond my own understanding!"

"There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for your inability to comprehend this," I told the Doctor. "Ponies such as yourself aren't predators and don't prey on other animals. Because of your peaceful lifestyle, you've evolved to have a strictly vegetarian diet. Unlike humans, who have sharp canines and incisors to tear into meat, you ponies only have flat molars to grind plants to a pulp for digestion."

"Evolved? You mean..." The Doctor beamed. "The theory of evolution has been confirmed?!"

I shrugged. "Maybe. While I don't know that much about the history of Equestria, I tend to use science as a base for my hypotheses. However, I refuse to acknowledge that humans may have evolved from primitive apes."

"I'm getting mixed messages here. Are you trying to say that while you do support most scientific hypotheses, you disagree with the idea of evolution?"

I nodded. "That's about right."

The Doctor looked disappointed. "Oh."

Nessa put a hand on the Doctor's back. "Don't worry about it too much. You know what I do when I'm trying to get my mind off of something? I have myself an all-out Pokemon battle. Why don't you go with me to the stadium so I can see if you two have what it takes to beat me in battle?"

"Sounds good to me." I gripped Kilowatt's Poke Ball. "You will surely fall to my knowledge of type advantages!"

"We'll see about that after you prove that you can clear my Gym Mission." Nessa proceeded to lead us to Hulbury Stadium.

As we walked to the stadium, it hit me. "Hold on... We never did figure out which of us was going to take on your Gym Mission first!"

"Well, that shouldn't be too tough of a problem to solve," Nessa replied. "Do either of you two remember which one of you was first to earn the Grass Badge from Milo?"

The Doctor casually pointed at himself. "That would be me. Herding the Wooloo was great fun, and my Earth pony ancestry did not fail me."

"Earth pony?" Nessa asked.

"In other words, a pony without wings or a horn. As an Earth pony, I am inherently skilled at dealing with things related to nature. Gardening and herding animals are some things that Earth ponies find relatively easier to do than, say, unicorns or Pegasi. We Earth ponies are also known for having greater physical strength than others."

"Oh, okay. Anyway, since you got the Grass Badge first, it'd be respectful to let Helix have a go at my Gym Mission first." Nessa looked at my dark green hood. "A part Grass-type, I presume?"

I nodded. "Grass and Ghost."

"I may be a Water-type user, but I'm not afraid of your typing. Far from it, in fact. I can tell just by looking at you that you're no ordinary Trainer."

"You're right." I took out a bracelet with a light blue, star-shaped gemstone on it. "I didn't obtain this Shiny Charm by battling and training like ordinary Trainers do. I'm a one-of-a-kind Trainer who's caught every Shiny Pokemon species from every region except this one, excluding Legendary and Mythical Pokemon." I firmly gripped the Shiny Charm as I put it away. "Through legitimate methods. I'm above hacking."

Though it was clear she was trying to hide it, I could see some fear in her eyes. "Impressive! Most Trainers haven't even seen a Shiny Pokemon before, but you put professional Shiny Pokemon hunters to shame." We reached the lobby of the Gym, so Nessa headed towards the door to the arena. She turned back and looked at me. "If you're as good at battling as you are at hunting for Shiny Pokemon, then you're a force to be reckoned with. So if you make it to the finals..." She narrowed her eyes. "...expect no mercy from me."

Once Nessa was out of sight, I grinned. "Good. I love it when neither side holds back and a truly intense fight goes underway. That's the kind of fight that real heroes take part in."

"I agree with every word you said..." The Doctor gave me a determined stare. "...but you'll regret saying you love a no-holds-barred battle when we duel in the tournament."

I returned the stare, and bystanders could practically see the lightning arcing back and forth between our eyes. That is, until I casually replied, "I know."

Then I proceeded to get a Lure Ball from the Ball Guy and change into my uniform before taking on the Gym Mission, leaving the Doctor in a state of confusion. "Uh... What just happened?"



Just like most Water-type Gyms, the interior of this one was flooded with water. To reach the other side, there were a series of platforms for Trainers to walk across, some of which were grates.

Dan greeted me at the starting platform. "You must be Helix! My brother Dan told me about you. Think you're ready for the Hulbury Pokemon Gym's mission?"

I nodded. "I'm familiar with Water-type Gyms. This one shouldn't be too different."

"Good! For this mission, you'll have to traverse a challenging maze to reach the goal. But as you can see..." Dan pointed out some colored pipes on the ceiling. Some of them were spewing water onto the grates. "Water coming from these pipes block certain paths."

On a platform to the right, I noticed a red button on a pedestal shaped like a Poke Ball. "And I have to press buttons such as that one in order to activate or deactivate the corresponding pipes?"

Dan gave a content laugh. "Ha! Looks like I didn't even have to explain this mission to you, future champ! In that case, let the Gym mission begin!"

Before I started, I remembered to use my Rotom Phone to put the Doctor on video chat. "What's going on, Helix?"

"Hey, Doctor. I figured it'd be a good idea to give you a little preview of what this Gym mission would be." I aimed the screen towards the pipes. "See how those pipes shoot water?" Then I showed him the button. "You've got to press the buttons to activate or deactivate the pipes of the corresponding color."

The Doctor took a moment to buck a Berry tree before answering. "That's all? No sneaky gimmicks or anything of the sort?"

"That's all. I know, it surprised me too. But there's still one good thing about that."

"And that is?"

I smirked. "Practically the only things separating us from battling Nessa are the Gym Trainers."

The Doctor laughed. "You've got a point there." He gave the tree another buck, only for a Skwovet to ambush him. "Whoa, what's the big deal?!" He sent out Corvisquire to take it on.

"Oh, right. If you shake Berry trees too much, a Pokemon will ambush you. In turn, this will give other Pokemon a chance to take away the Berries that were already knocked down."

"You're just now telling me this?" The Doctor looked back at the tree just in time to see some Pokemon steal all the Pecha Berries he knocked down. "Oh... Is there a way to know when to stop shaking Berry trees?"

I shook my head as I took down the first Gym Trainer's Tympole, a Water-type tadpole Pokemon, with Kilowatt's Spark. "I don't know, but maybe you could guess at when to stop by looking at how much the tree shakes in between attempts to knock down Berries."

"Checking how much the tree idly shakes?" the Doctor muttered as he picked up the other Berries. "...That's a brilliant idea! The shaking might be caused by a Pokemon that's been riled up from its home being tossed about! Thanks, Helix. I'll take that into account next time." The Doctor hung up.

I sighed. "He didn't even let me tell him that I learned that lesson the hard way. Oh well, time to breeze through this mission!"

The red button was in front of me, and there was a red grate on the north and on the east path. The north red grate was flooded by water from a red pipe, and the eastern one wasn't. However, just north of the eastern grate was a yellow grate flooded by a yellow pipe. I pressed the red button, causing the red pipes that were active to deactivate and vice versa. This revealed a yellow button that I pressed before pressing the red button again to completely remove the obstacles on the east path.

I followed the east path north and found a flooded yellow grate on my left. A red button was before me, but I didn't press it. Instead, I went north past the button and turned west, passing over a yellow and a red grate. I passed a path blocked by a flooded red grate and yellow grate, reaching a Gym Trainer who came at me with a Krabby and a Corphish. After defeating her, I pressed the yellow button not far from her and returned to the red button via the path that was previously blocked by a flooded yellow grate. I pressed the red button and went back north to the path with the previously flooded red and yellow grates.

I was very close to the end, which was blocked by three side-by-side flooded blue grates. I continued west over a yellow grate and turned south, passing a flooded red grate to the east. The path split into three directions, so I took the west path, taking down a Gym Trainer's Remoraid and Chewtle before proceeding to the red button she was guarding. I reached out to press it, but I hesitated. I went back to the intersection and looked south. It split in two directions that immediately merged, the west side having an unblocked red grate and the east side having an unblocked yellow grate. They merged at a dead end containing a yellow button. It wasn't a good idea to press the red button, so I went to press the yellow button, leaving a way out. Only then did I go back and press the red button.

I went back to the previously flooded red grate and pressed the blue button behind it. Now the way was open to the goal. I headed to the intersection and took the east path, reaching a path that led north and south. Seeing no reason to go south, I went north and completed the Gym mission.

As the satisfying fanfare accompanied Dan's exclamation of "Gym mission complete!", I waved to whoever was watching my attempt before proceeding through the door.









I walked through the long hallway and entered the cerulean blue arena. Like Milo did back in Turffield Stadium, Nessa entered the arena from the opposite side. We met in the center.

"Welcome, Gym Challenger Helix!" Nessa said. "Sorry if you had to look for me."

I shrugged. "No worries. Besides, I didn't even know you were gone. I just wanted to check out the lighthouse before taking on this town's Gym, and you just happened to be there by the sea."

"I see. Anyway, I know how difficult my humble Gym mission is..." Nessa's expression became one of surprise. "Yet you made it seem as simple as defeating a Vulpix with a Gyarados. Your mind as both a Trainer and a strategist must be very refined."

"Why, thank you. I always was exceptional at games requiring skill and strategy." I thought back to the days when I dominated the competition in Pokken Tournament DX with Decidueye. Not even Shadow Mewtwo players stood a chance against me.

"But know this: No matter how ingenious the plans you may be plotting, my partners and I aim to sink them." Nessa and I took our positions in the stadium. "Let's find out if you can withstand our torrent of attacks!" She sent out Goldeen, the Goldfish Pokemon.

I sent out Kilowatt. "Time to show them you didn't earn your nickname for nothing, Kilowatt!"

"Is everybody ready?" Dan asked. "Then let the battle begin!"

Nessa made the first move. "Goldeen, keep up by using Agility!" Goldeen boosted its speed by relaxing and lightening its body. "Follow through with Whirlpool!" Goldeen rapidly swam around Kilowatt, trapping him in a whirlpool. "Don't give him a chance to escape! Keep using Whirlpool!"

The skillful usage of Agility and Whirlpool amused me. "Impressive combo, but you're taking a big risk. Kilowatt, charge things up with Spark!" Cloaking himself in electricity, Kilowatt turned the water around him into a major hazard for Water-types. "Now pull Goldeen in with Bite!" I watched gleefully as Kilowatt grabbed Goldeen by the tail and dragged her into the electrically-charged whirlpool.

Nessa cringed. "I can't believe it! You used my own tactics against me!"

I crossed my arms in arrogance. "Ironic, isn't it? Trust me, I know how painful it is. I learned that the hard way." I thought back to the Sectonia incident. "But now's not the time to reminisce. It's time to finish this! Kilowatt, use Spark once more!" Kilowatt rammed into Goldeen, frying it and launching it out of the whirlpool. After a few seconds of splashing around, it stopped moving.

Dan exclaimed, "Goldeen is unable to battle, which makes Kilowatt the winner!"

Nessa returned Goldeen to its Poke Ball. "You really don't pull your punches, do you? Guess I'd better go all out as well!" She sent out Arrokuda. "Sometimes, the best strategy is to attack. Arrokuda, time to do what you do best! Aqua Jet!" Cloaking itself in water, Arrokuda rocketed straight towards Kilowatt.

"Knock it away with Tail Whip!" Kilowatt used its long tail to slap Arrokuda away, but the attack also caused the electric whirlpool to dissipate. "Uh oh, now you can be hit by direct attacks without them taking damage from the electricity!"

"That's what I'd hoped for." Nessa thrust her arm forward in a dramatic fashion. "Show no mercy with Fury Attack!" Arrokuda rapidly jabbed Kilowatt with its sharp jaw. Kilowatt was helplessly weakened by the whirlpool, so he was unable to dodge any of the attacks. He quickly fell victim to Arrokuda, which appeared to be quite proud of its jaw.

"Kilowatt the Boltund is unable to battle, so Arrokuda is the winner of this round!"

I stroked Kilowatt behind his ears before returning him to his Poke Ball. "Who's a good boy? You are. You deserve a good rest." I sent out my next Pokemon. "It's your turn, Nuzleaf!"

It wasn't audible to everyone else, but my enhanced Decidueye hearing picked up a small gasp from Nessa. "Another Pokemon with a type advantage... Why did he have to be so skillful? Arrokuda, use Whirlpool!" The fish Pokemon tried to make another whirlpool to replace the old one.

"I won't fall for that trick again! Use Razor Leaf!" This time, Nuzleaf twirled around and released several sharp leaves that counteracted the whirlpool's rotation, making it go away. "You'll have to be more direct if you want to take down my Nuzleaf!"

Nessa growled. "Humph, fine! Looks like I don't have much choice. Use Aqua Jet!" Arrokuda cloaked itself in water again and charged at Nuzleaf.

There was something about the look on Nessa's face that made me grin. It was like she was trying to put on a straight face, but deep inside she knew she was going to lose. I almost wanted to show her mercy, but as a Pokemon Trainer, it's my duty not to. "Now's your chance! Astonish!" Without warning, Nuzleaf quickly slapped Arrokuda with one of his large hands while letting out a ninja cry, leaving Arrokuda dazed and open to another attack. "Finish it with Razor Leaf!"

Nuzleaf swiftly took out the opposing Pokemon by sending a barrage of leaves to turn it into sushi. "Arrokuda is unable to battle, so Nuzleaf is the winner!"

"Down to one Pokemon already..." Nessa returned her second Pokemon to its Poke Ball. "But I didn't become a Gym Leader just to quit against a surprisingly skilled Trainer. Everyone's counting on me to give it my all!"

"Actually, I'm counting on Helix, not Nessa."

Overhearing this sentence from somebody in the crowd, I directed the Rotom Drones to the northwestern part of the stands, towards the source of the voice. To my concern, Pinkie Pie showed up on the jumbotron. "Pinkie Pie? First of all, you killed the moment by contradicting what Nessa just said. And second of all, I thought you were cheering on the others back in Turffield Stadium!"

"First of all, sorry about that. It isn't that I don't like Nessa, it's just that I really want to see you and your friends make it all the way to the tournament!" Pinkie smiled. "Second of all, I was, but there's no way I'd miss your Gym battle!"

Nessa gave Pinkie a half-perplexed, half-disturbed look. "But if you were in Turffield... how did you get here so fast?! I didn't see a Flying Taxi come into Hulbury!"

I shrugged. "She's Pinkie Pie. She probably broke the laws of physics to get here. If you want to get to know her better, here's my suggestion: There's probably some kind of show here in Galar about a group of equine Pokemon who use friendship to help others, right?"

There were a lot of different reactions from the crowd, from "Yes yes yes yes YES!" to "Only babies would watch that kind of crap. What kind of man-child would watch a show aimed at little girls?"

I fired an arrow at the person who said that last comment. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Go eat a bar of soap before you stick your foot in your mouth again, or my next arrow won't be a warning shot."

That got him to shut up.

I continued, "Don't knock it 'til you try it, okay? I assure you, it's not that bad of a show. I know this because I personally have been to Equestria, and it's an amazing place. Once you go there, you'll likely want to stay. Equestria's got quadrupedal insect Zoroark wannabes, griffons that can transform into equine mermaids, a dark unicorn stallion who feeds on fear, and the most amazing six ponies you'll ever meet!"

"Right..." Nessa said with uneasiness in her voice. "Uh, I suppose I'll take it into consideration, but don't expect me to enjoy it." In the blink of an eye, her expression went from confusion to ferocity. "We've kept the crowd waiting long enough. It's time to finish this!" Her last Pokemon was a blue turtle Pokemon that looked somewhat like Chewtle but bigger and more rugged. Overall, it was reminiscent of a Water-type Bowser. "Time to wash them away, Drednaw!"

I checked my Rotom Phone. "Drednaw, the Bite Pokemon. A Water- and Rock-type, its jaws have the strength to tear through steel rods. If it manages to bite down on its prey, there's no escape."

"Water- and Rock-type, eh?" I put it away with a smirk. "Well, how about that? You defeated my Boltund just in time for my Nuzleaf to unleash heck on your Drednaw!" I returned Nuzleaf to its Poke Ball in preparation for Dynamax.

"Your knowledge of type advantages is unnerving..." Nessa withdrew Drednaw to Dynamax it. "But that's no reason for me to give up! We'll flood the stadium and make it our ocean with the power of Dynamax!"

"Oh, yeah?" I asked as we each tossed our Dynamax Balls, "I doubt such a bulky and rugged Pokemon as Drednaw would be able to get the first strike." I clapped my hands together twice. "*clap clap* Nuzleaf, use Max Overgrowth!"

Nuzleaf put the palms of its hands together before forcing them outwards towards Drednaw, launching the seeds that sprouted into mushrooms and greatly drained Drednaw's health. After the mushrooms went away, the battlefield turned grassy. "Sweet, Grassy Terrain! Now yer in for it!"

Nessa looked and saw that Drednaw was still standing. "This is what Drednaw's defense is truly capable of! Now it's our turn to wash you away! Max Geyser!"

Drednaw opened its mouth to disturbingly large proportions before shooting a huge stream of water at Nuzleaf. The blast of water was powerful enough to cause clouds to form in the skies above and bring down rain.

"That's gonna leave a mark!" I called out to Nuzleaf, "You okay up there? Hope that didn't do too much damage!"

Nuzleaf let out a hearty laugh that about knocked me off my feet. "Ha ha ha! You thought that hurt me? It's just a scratch! That there Drednaw shoulda went for a move that didn't have a disadvantage against me!" He opened his arms wide. "Besides, this rain ain't half bad for a Grass-type like me!"

"Good. Then finish him with another Max Overgrowth!"

And just like that, Nuzleaf took out the last sliver of HP the opposing Drednaw was hanging onto. There's something about seeing a giant enemy explode that always puts a smile on my face. Could just be that I've watched too many episodes of Power Rangers.

"Nessa has no more Pokemon able to battle, which means Helix is the winner!"

"And that's how it's done." I high-fived my no longer Dynamaxed Nuzleaf. "Nice job blowing her out of the water!"

"To think that I was the one washed away..." Nessa sighed. "You're no rookie Trainer, or even mediocre, are you? The way you battled told me that you're a veteran Trainer who's been training Pokemon for quite a while now. Most ordinary Trainers know the basics of type matchups, but you didn't just rely on that. You used some amazing strategies, such as electrifying Goldeen's Whirlpool and disrupting Arrokuda's Aqua Jet with Astonish. Keep this up, and you'll be taking on the Champion Cup in no time." Nessa handed me the Water Badge, which I placed in the top right part of the ring. "With the Water Badge, you will be able to catch Pokemon up to level 30, and Pokemon up to level 50 will obey your every command."

"So I have the Grass Badge and the Water Badge..." I eyed the space between the two badges. "Could the third Gym specialize in the last type in the elemental triangle, Fire?"

"That's a question that you'll have to discover the answer to on your own. Right now, your next destination is Motostoke Stadium, led by the Fire Gym Leader Kabu."

Nuzleaf gulped. "Did... did she just say Fire-type? As a Grass-type, I ain't too good at handling fire. I sure wish I could help you out more, but Kabu's flamin' friends would burn me to a crisp! I hope you don't mind me takin' a back-row seat for when you take 'em on."

"It's okay, I know better than to use Pokemon that have a disadvantage against my opponent." I returned Nuzleaf to his Poke Ball. "When the time comes, I'll be ready with Gyarados and Rev Rock."



This time, the Gym official gave me TM 36, Whirlpool. Normally, this would be a great TM, but the only Water-type I've got so far is Gyarados, which has a poor Special Attack. I also earned a replica of Nessa's uniform, the Water Uniform.

Thinking ahead to the third Gym, I swapped out Kilowatt for Gyarados in case I forgot later on. I know firsthand that when it comes to Fire-type Pokemon, they can be very strong even when their moves are weak against the type of their opponent, so Gyarados's Intimidate Ability would help with physical-attacking Fire types.

I called the Doctor. "I've wrapped up my bout at Hulbury Stadium. Now it's your turn to show them who's boss."

I stepped outside, and judging from the sun's location in the sky, the time was about 3:30 p.m. It wasn't too late, but the Doctor still needed to take on Hulbury's Gym so we could head to the restaurant to meet up with Chairman Rose. I didn't want to keep him waiting very long.

For me, the tough part came next: finding a way to spend my time while waiting for the Doctor to defeat Nessa and take another step on his way to taking on the tournament.
> Chapter 13: Playing the Waiting Game
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I was in quite the predicament. The Doctor was going to take on the Gym Mission at Hulbury Stadium, and my other friends were either watching each other take on Turffield Stadium's mission or travelling to Hulbury to take on the mission there. I had to wait for the Doctor to beat the mission at Hulbury so we could meet Chairman Rose at the seafood restaurant. It isn't that I don't like waiting. I simply prefer to have something to do while I wait, but all of my friends were preoccupied with something. Grinding gets boring quickly, and I wasn't in the mood for a Max Raid Battle.

I checked the Y-Comm. There were some trade requests made by people who were unfamiliar to me. Additionally, I saw several Surprise Trades, one from Pinkie Pie. The reasoning behind why she would want to randomly trade a Pokemon to a stranger was beyond me.

A prompt to load new stamps appeared. I tapped it to refresh the page.

The first stamp was a battle request. A Single Battle request sent by Red. I looked closer, and I saw that it had a lock icon. This meant that Red intended to challenge a specific person, because a lock means only people who have the code inputted by the host could accept the challenge. No doubt the person who would accept Red's challenge either defeated him before or is too dumb to avoid battles with legendary Trainers.

In short, none of the stamps were of use to me. Instead, I decided to hail a Flying Taxi to take me to the Wild Area, just in front of Motostoke.



It's been a while since I've visited the Wild Area, and there was still much for me to explore. I checked the Town Map on my Rotom Phone. A bridge to the east separated the north and south halves of the Wild Area, the southern half being the one I was in. I hadn't yet explored the north half, so I made my way east.

The path sloped downhill, and there was a single Pokemon on the slope. It was a large, brown draft horse Pokemon with impressive feathering on its hooves in the form of solidified mud, and its mane was weaved into dreadlocks. "Huh, what's a lone Mudsdale doing here?"

The Mudsdale's flexible ears picked up my confused query. "Well now, I sure didn't expect to see a Shiny Decidueye 'round these parts. I'd ask why you're here, but that really ain't any of my business, so I'll answer your question instead. Er, actually, hold on a sec..." His soft yet firm muzzle grazed me as he tried to gather my scent. "What do you know! Looks like your question's already answered! One whiff's all it took for me to figure out that you done took on my foal Mudbray in a Max Raid Battle. See, Mudbray and I used to live in Alola, but the little guy wanted to visit his cousins here in Galar. When we came here, we learned about this neat little transformation thingy called Dynamax."

"Why did Mudbray choose to become a Dynamax Pokemon?" I used my Rotom Phone to review the Abilities that Mudbray and Mudsdale can potentially have. "Is it because he has the Stamina Ability?"

Mudsdale nodded. "You got that right. From what we heard, Dynamaxing makes you bigger and tougher. Mudbray's already tough to beat with his Stamina Ability, so he figured becoming a Dynamax Pokemon would make him resilient as a Stakataka! I might give Dynamax a go, but I'm not as lucky as Mudbray." He sighed. "I have Inner Focus instead of Stamina. I can't flinch, but Dynamax Pokemon like you find in those Pokemon Dens are incapable of flinching anyway. I might as well not have an Ability if I choose to Dynamax."

"Then why don't you try putting your Hidden Ability to use by taking on Pokemon that like to spam flinching moves?" I rubbed my hands together with malicious intentions. "It'd be nice if an unflinching Pokemon such as you would deal with those kinds of pests. They are some of the reasons why I'm not the best competitive Trainer in the Alola region."

"Punishing Pokemon who love flinching moves, you say? My boy Mudbray's had some run-ins with those kinds of Pokemon. His Stamina Ability helps him endure the onslaught, but the flinch users never come alone. They always come with a Pokemon who never stops critical-hitting. They love to lower his guard by making his Stamina Ability repeatedly trigger, only for that dang critical hitter to bash him real hard and knock him out." He stomped his hoof on the ground. "Them cheeky little things... You know what? Yer right. I can't wait to see their faces when they find out they can't flinch me. Critical hits ain't gonna do much to me either, since my species got some mighty good defense and health." Mudsdale set off for the western part of the Wild Area. "Thanks, Decidueye. Gotta say, you give Ghost-types a good rep. After I teach them pests a lesson, we'll have to owe you one."

I continued towards the bridge, but I stopped when I heard a strange noise. Clink-clink-clink-clang! Clink-clink-clink-clink-clink-clink-clink-clang! Clink-clink-clink...

Was something burrowing through the ground beneath my talons? I put my head to the ground. The noise grew louder.

Something was burrowing. And it was going to surface soon. I used my quill to slash two lines in the dirt, making an X.

A few seconds later, a pickaxe made of diamond broke through the X. The owner of the diamond pickaxe, Discord, made his way out of the ground. "Sorry I'm late!" He turned off the light on his miner's helmet. "Don't ask how many moles I ran into while trying to mine my way here. Anyway, I heard you were trying to find a way to use your spare time while your friend took on some sort of gym. Honestly, I'm not sure why he'd want to visit a gym, because aren't Earth ponies already physically strong?"

"It's not that kind of gym." I sent out Hotshot, who was confused by the draconequus standing before us. "It's a Gym where Pokemon beat each other up so their Trainer can win a Badge."

"A gym where Pokemon beat each other up? Look, I don't know much about Pokemon..." Discord bent down and ruffled Hotshot's head tuft. "...but I do know that this little guy doesn't look like he could beat others up much."

Hotshot's response was a swift kick to Discord's surprisingly fragile head.

"...!" Discord used an air pump to inflate a new head to replace his fractured one. "I stand corrected. He is very capable of beating others up."

The period of silence that followed was unnerving, so I decided to break the silence. "So... how'd you know that I was bored and needed a way to kill some time?"

"The title of this chapter gave it away." Discord scoffed, "Your story's author really should learn to make chapter titles more subtle."

Hotshot gave Discord yet another disturbed look. "Did I kick this guy a little too hard or something?"

"You can't break Discord, the literal god of chaos. He's already broken." I snickered at my own little joke. "Too broken to be completely fixed, though. He's been known to make references and break the fourth wall a time or two." I turned my attention back to the draconequus. "Apologies if you felt insulted by my quip about being broken. I meant no offense."

"None taken. After all..." Discord fell apart into six pieces: his legs, his torso and tail, his arms, and his head. "I was born broken! I take it in stride." He put himself back together. "Anyway, what do you have in mind for our little..." He materialized a clock before crushing it in his claw. "...time massacre?"

"Well, now that you're here, I think we should do something that's both fun and a little chaotic." I flexed my wings and finger feathers. "Let's try charades, but the person who's doing the actions must act out a scene from a form of media instead of just acting as a character, and the others have to guess the episode or movie that the scene came from. No cards this time, we can choose the scene we act out." I threw down an arrow quill. "Are you up for it?"

"You're on!" Discord picked up the quill and gave it to me. "Helix, you're the one who needed to kill some time, so you can go first."

"This is going to be fun..." I thought about the scenarios I could act out. I snapped my fingers in confirmation.

I sent out Farfetch'd to help me.

I headed up the hill and drew my Leaf Blade before looking down at Farfetch'd. He glared back at me with a gaze rivaling Cobalion's as he gripped his leek like a sword.

Discord's irises glowed red. "You underestimate my knowledge of Space Battles references!"

"You guessed right!" I put on a reminiscent smile. "I'm so glad they released the prequel trilogy so I could learn about Darth Vader's backstory... Oops, sorry about that. I just have really fond memories of Star Wars. Discord, let's see how your acting skills are!"

"Alright, I'll show you a scene perfect for this little adventure you're going on! But first, I'm gonna need a moment." He concealed himself behind a crimson cloth, and when it fell down, he was gone. Some time later, the cloth transformed into Discord himself. "Sorry about that. I had to consult a certain video-gaming pony for help. Now, let's get this show on the road!"

He conjured up a table and two clones: an elder one with gray hair and a lab coat, and a small one that was yellow. Discord proceeded to pick up the small one on the table, which responded by electrocuting him while the elder Discord facepalmed. Or should I say, faceclawed?

I applauded. "You were right, the funniest scene from the first episode of the Pokemon anime is indeed perfect for my Galarian adventure."

"Helix! Be careful!" Suddenly, Lucario came out of nowhere and took an offensive stance. "I sensed an evil aura around here. But now..." His irises glowed yellow, and he closed his eyes to check the surroundings using his Aura powers. "The evil aura is gone. It isn't like an aura to go away just like that."

"Um, that would be me," Discord said apologetically. "I had temporarily changed my aura to help reference the formerly-villainous Nimbus Skytrotter."

Lucario looked at me. "Anakin?"

I nodded. "Anakin."

He looked at Discord, then back at me. "Charades?"

I nodded. "Charades. Farfetch'd and I were re-enacting the fight between Obi-Wan and his unruly apprentice."

"That makes sense. It seems like you found a good way to spend your time waiting for the Doctor to finish his Gym Mission at Hulbury. But you do know you could just hop into an active Pokemon Den and battle the Dynamax Pokemon there, right?"

"I could, but it's always dangerous to take on a Dynamax Pokemon alone. I don't know if I'd be able to win without my friends to help."

"That's usually the case, but I'm sure you shouldn't have too many problems. Recently, there's been an outbreak of Silicobra and Sandaconda in Pokemon Dens, and as a Grass-type you should be able to defeat the Ground-types without much trouble. You might want to keep away from their face, though, lest you be sandblasted."

"Sandblasted?" Buzz-buzz! "Oh, I think that's mine." I took out my Rotom Phone, but there were no notifications. "I could've sworn I got a notification... Wait, I got it!" I put away my Rotom Phone and took out my Expedition Gadget. This time, there was a notification on the PokeGram app. "How could I have forgotten about my Expedition Gadget so quickly? I just got it not long before the Star Allies adventure, and I've been using it ever since. At least, until I acquired the Rotom Phone."

Lucario checked his own Expedition Gadget, and we both gasped.

Discord tried to get a good view of the screen. "What's going on? You've gotta tell me!"

I showed him my Gadget. On the current page was a picture of Keldeo standing triumphantly over a defeated Mega Venusaur. In the background was a male Trainer in a red shirt and hat, watching in disbelief. "Keldeo, a Water- and Fighting-type, has two type disadvantages against Venusaur, a Grass- and Poison-type. Yet he still won against Red's Venusaur, even when Red Mega Evolved it! I knew Keldeo was skilled, but not this skilled..."

"At this point, I'm not surprised," Discord said with a shrug. "He taught Giant Bowser a lesson back in your very first visit to Equestria, which the readers probably don't know about, and he also annihilated Virizion back in Turffield Stadium."

Lucario finished his comment on the post. "You've got a point there, Discord."

Buzz-buzz! This time, it was my Rotom Phone that buzzed. I checked it, and I was quite surprised. The Doctor had sent me a picture of himself standing alongside his Dynamaxed starter, except it had evolved again. Its final evolution was a gorilla with green, leaf-like hair. It had a stump in front of it that acted like a drum when the two protrusions on the sides were struck by the Pokemon's wooden drumsticks.

The picture had a caption, too: "Ukiki wasn't a nickname that fit my partner's second evolution, so I decided to change it. Introducing Jungle Beat the Rillaboom!"

"Looks like he's close to beating Nessa and earning the Water Badge." I put away my Rotom Phone and Expedition Gadget. "I'd be happy to stay and chat with you, Discord, but I need to get back to Hulbury. I don't want to keep the chairman waiting!"

"All right. Good luck becoming the new Champion of the Galar region!" Discord saluted me as I took flight and soared towards Hulbury.
> Chapter 14: Meeting at the Captain's Table
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Touching down in front of Hulbury's Pokemon Center, I saw Oleana make her way into the local seafood restaurant. That implied that she had come from the stadium after telling the Doctor to head to the restaurant immediately. I turned to enter the Pokemon Center, but I remembered that the staff of the Gym fully healed my team after battling Nessa. How generous in comparison to the Gyms of other regions!

Since I didn't need to heal my team at the Pokemon Center, I decided to head directly to the restaurant to meet up with Chairman Rose. I looked up at the sign above the door. It read, "Captain's Table." Seeing as it was a seafood restaurant, I considered the name to be both appropriate and clever. The overall design of the place also reminded me of other seafood restaurants.

I started to crave some Captain D's.

The Doctor reunited with me in front of the Captain's Table. "How was your attempt at the Hulbury Gym?"

I replied, "The Gym Mission was easy, but Nessa tripped up my Boltund with Goldeen's Whirlpool and finished him off with Arrokuda's Fury Attack. My Nuzleaf finished off her Arrokuda and Drednaw, winning me the Water Badge. I'd ask how you did, but I don't want to keep the chairman waiting."

"Agreed." In a hushed voice, he added, "Although, I'd be more concerned about keeping his secretary Oleana waiting. I don't know about you, but she gives me chills. It almost seems like she's the boss instead of Rose. I've got an uneasy feeling about her."

"You and I both, but I refuse to accuse her just yet. I'm waiting until we have solid proof so I don't falsely accuse anyone." Without further ado, we entered the Captain's Table.



The interior matched the exterior's oceanic color scheme, but it was more elegant. The large window on the back wall was decorated with cerulean drapes that matched the equally fancy tablecloths. Another of those furry butler Pokemon was next to the receptionist at the front desk, which was curiously shaped like a ship. We took a moment to admire the Krabby picture on the left wall before making our way to the middle table near the window, where the chairman and his secretary were waiting with Sonia.

"Sorry we kept you waiting, Chairman!" the Doctor said.

"No worries, Doctor." Chairman Rose pointed outside. "The sun hasn't even gone down past the horizon yet. We've got plenty of time to celebrate you and Helix earning your Water Badge!"

"That's good, because we'll have plenty of time for you to get to know us." I made sure to address Sonia. "By any chance, what're you doing here, Sonia? Did the chairman invite you as well?"

"He sure did. Chances are he wants to see how the professor and I are doing." Sonia pulled out the rightmost chair that was situated further from the window and looked at us. "Come on, have a seat!"

I opened my right wing in an encouraging manner. "After you, Doctor."

The Doctor declined my offer. "Thank you, but no. If I took a seat, then you or Sonia would be left without one. Besides, I prefer to stand."

"Understandable. We'll just get ourselves seated." I sat in the seat Sonia pulled out, and she took the right seat nearer to the window.

The chairman sat in the left seat farther from the window, while Oleana insisted on standing. I wasn't sure why she chose to stand. Perhaps it was because she wanted to be ready to act immediately if something were to come up.

Rose proceeded to explain the culinary traditions of the town. "You see, Hulbury is known for seafood. The Captain's Table is a seafood restaurant, so it's the obvious choice for locals. Helix, seeing as you're some kind of owl Pokemon, I'm certain you'll enjoy any of the items on the menu. As for the Doctor, well..." He shrugged. "I'm not so sure he would like what's on the menu."

"Helix told me this was a seafood restaurant." The Doctor took out some fresh Berries. "That's why I came prepared."

The chairman smiled. "What a wise choice, Doctor. Berries are delicious for both people and Pokemon! How's the local food where you come from?"

"It's delicious to ponies such as myself, but I'm not sure humans such as you would enjoy dining at the local Hay Burger joint in my home land of Equestria. You'd be better off visiting Sweet Apple Acres to try some apples fresh from the orchard. Apples don't get much better than the ones grown by Applejack's family!" The Doctor took a moment to scarf down a Sitrus Berry. "Say, these aren't half bad fresh either!"

I gave the Doctor an affirmative grin. "Told you."

Rose got the menus from the waiter and gave one to me and Sonia. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Doctor, but it seems like things are pretty peaceful where you come from."

The Doctor nodded. "True, the town of Ponyville is normally peaceful, but every once in a while there'll be some kind of friendship problem that comes up, in which case the Mane Six will usually get things sorted."

"The Mane Six?"

"Yes, the Mane Six! Also known as the bearers of harmony, they're a group of the six ponies who are able to wield each of the six Elements of Harmony." Without hesitation, the Doctor recited the names of the famous ponies and their respective elements. "Rainbow Dash, bearer of loyalty! Pinkie Pie, bearer of laughter! Rarity, bearer of generosity! Applejack, bearer of honesty! Fluttershy, bearer of kindness! And most importantly, Twilight Sparkle, bearer of magic! Normally, they can be seen solving friendship problems and conflicts or working at their respective jobs. Well, except for Fluttershy, who doesn't have an actual job and instead cares for animals at her cottage. But about every moon or so, a villain rises up and the Mane Six prove that they're a force to be reckoned with. They have succeeded in defeating the dark unicorn King Sombra, the former changeling leader Queen Chrysalis, the chaotic deity Discord, and even the magic-absorbing centaur Lord Tirek!"

I looked up from my menu to see the chairman's eyes widen. "Really? The Mane Six must be incredibly strong to take down such dangerous villains!"

Instead of beating around the bush, I got right to the point. "And that brings us to why the Doctor and I are here. See, I found out that Tirek had found a source of power and would therefore run amok soon, so I warned the Doctor. I would usually warn the Mane Six, but last time they fought him, they had the power of the Chest of Harmony on their side. The power granted by the Chest of Harmony renders the Mane Six nigh-invulnerable, but the Chest transformed into a castle after the battle and therefore lost the ability to grant the Mane Six this incredible power. Instead, the Doctor and I put together a time machine and used it to travel to this time from about a year and a half ago so we could gather a team of Pokemon to bring back to our own time to help defeat Tirek again."

To my disappointment, Chairman Rose laughed it off. "Time travel? Ha ha! Good one. Everyone knows that time travel hasn't been invented yet. Plus, the only two Pokemon who can travel through time are the Legendary Pokemon Dialga and the Mythical Pokemon Celebi." I facewinged. Why didn't I think of asking Celebi to help us travel through time instead of building a time machine? "So, Sonia, is Professor Magnolia getting on all right? She's done wonders for the Macro Cosmos company."

The waiter and furry butler Pokemon came to our table. While the waiter served Rose and Sonia, the Pokemon turned its attention towards me. "Good day, sir. I am Indeedee, and I will be your waiter today. May I take your order?"

I double-checked my menu. "I'll have some Krabby legs and a Fresh Water."

"Very well." Indeedee wrote down my order. "By the way, don't take what the chairman said to heart. He only dismissed it because you're new to Galar and what it has to offer. He might be willing to listen if you can prove your might by completing the Gym Challenge and fighting your way through the Champion Cup tournament."

I was about to ask Indeedee something, but he walked away to prepare my food before I got the chance to speak. Instead, I chose to ask the Doctor what he thought of the chairman's dismissal of our reasons for coming to Galar.

"To be honest..." The Doctor sighed. "I was afraid this would happen. Time travel is not only incredibly advanced, but also incredibly dangerous. For instance, if you went into the past and saw your past self, that could cause a major malfunction in the space-time continuum, and time would simply come to an end! The inhabitants of the Pokemon world should have enough common sense to not build a time machine, because I'm quite sure the ones with high intelligence for their species know said dangers of using a time machine." He paused to consume a Leppa Berry. "And I'm also sure some humans are dumb enough to try meeting their past selves if they had a time machine."

I nodded. "You're right. Various forms of media imply that time travel is quite dangerous. I suppose I should have seen this coming as well."

"Your food, sir." Indeedee brought my dish while the waiter got the food for the chairman and Sonia. I graciously accepted the dish and grabbed my fork. "Apologies if I cut you off earlier. Did you want to ask me something?"

"Yes, Indeedee." I blinked. Dear Celestia, that pun hit harder than Dio Brando hit Jotaro with the Road Roller. I quickly shook myself out of the epiphany before piercing through the hard exterior of one of the Krabby legs with my fork. "I beg your pardon, I just now realized the pun behind your species' etymology. Now, what I was--"

"There's no need to tell me." Indeedee pointed to his curved horns. "We Indeedee can sense emotions through our horns. If you would be so inclined as to make direct contact with my horns..."

I made sure to swallow the meaty yet considerably bland Krabby appendage before answering. Even as a Pokemon, I still have good manners. "I will gladly oblige." I put my left wing on Indeedee's left horn and allowed him to sense my emotions.

"...You're curious about whether I believe your story." Indeedee chuckled. "Belief is irrelevant to me. I prefer to take the metaphorical middle ground, because it's quite foolish to judge others without solid evidence to back up your argument. Don't worry about what others think of your reasons for coming to Galar, for their opinions are useless. All that matters is that you do what you need to do. If you truly have come here to put together a team of Pokemon to defeat a great evil in the past, then do just that and save the people of your time. If not, just do whatever it is that you came here to do."

I thought about what Indeedee told me while I consumed the rest of my meal. "Opinions don't matter, but completing my mission does..." It pleased me to know that a complete stranger supported me in the Galar region. "Thank you, Indeedee. The fact that you were willing to give me such good advice warms my heart."

"No, I must thank you, sir. My species thrives on positive emotions, so the chance to assist you has given me strength."

Intrigued by Indeedee's tidbit of information, I checked my Rotom Phone. "Indeedee, the Emotion Pokemon. A Normal- and Psychic-type, they use the horns on their head to sense the emotions of others. Males act as valets for those they serve, so they make excellent butlers."

"My Rotom Phone's entry for Indeedee doesn't say anything about that." I turned to the Doctor, who was using a napkin to clean up. "Doctor, could you use yours to get the other entry for this Pokemon?"

The Doctor put his napkin in a trash can. "Why, certainly!" He took out his Rotom Phone. "You know what to do, Rotom!"

Without further ado, his Rotom Phone gave an analysis of the other entry for Indeedee. "Male and female Indeedee have different skillsets, but both genders can sense the emotions of those around them with their horns, and they both rely on positive emotions to keep their energy levels up."

"Interesting." I took out a notepad and jotted down the information I just discovered. I took a drink of Fresh Water before asking, "Anything else I should know?"

"Yes, one more thing." Indeedee handed me a bill. "Your total comes to P2,500."

"Really?" I paid the necessary P. "I didn't expect a simple meal and a Fresh Water to cost this much."

"Well, the humans who hunt down aquatic Pokemon to be eaten here at the Captain's Table only bring back the ones with the best stats and IVs. Pokemon with better stats tend to taste better, and the Captain's Table refuses to settle for food that tastes less than exceptional." Indeedee put a paw to his chin. "However, I seemed to notice something different about the Krabby legs used to make your dish. They were a tad paler than most Krabby, and I don't mean a similar color to their Shiny variant. They looked almost as if they were drained of life energy."

"Pale? Now, why would a Krabby with excellent--wait, did you say drained of life energy?!" I felt a sudden burst of an emotion I hadn't felt in a long time... terror. A distraught look on my face, I got up from my seat. "Sorry, Chairman, but I need to get going. I'd like to take on Motostoke Stadium before it gets dark."

I hate lying to others, but I feared Rose wouldn't be able to relate. I've personally experienced the harsh reality of something being drained of its life energy, and I wanted to see if this was related to that incident back in Unova...
> Chapter 15: Grinding in the Mine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was practically ditching Sonia and the Doctor, but I didn't give it any thought. They may be my friends, but I couldn't stop thinking about what Indeedee told me. I felt sorry for that Krabby who had its life energy drained, even more so for a dear friend who also had his life energy drained right before my eyes.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I stepped outside the Captain's Table, and I wiped them away before taking out my Rotom Phone. "Motostoke has the next Gym I need to take on. Should I hail a Flying Taxi to go there?"

"Not yet. Kabu isn't at Motostoke Stadium at the moment." Rotom brought up a map of the region on the screen, with a flag on a location just southeast of our current location. "My GPS detects his Rotom Phone in the second Galar Mine, so he must be training there."

"Galar Mine 2 it is, then! Prepare yourselves, team..." I made my way down the road to the mine. "...because we're gonna do some grinding!"

Dottler's Poke Ball started shaking, though, so I stopped and let him out. "Grinding? That term is unfamiliar to me. Can you please elaborate?"

"I'm pleased to hear that you want to know what grinding is." I tapped into my incredible video game know-how. "That's when you battle against several weak enemies for a reliable source of experience or items. It's something smart video-gamers do often so they don't end up fighting bosses while underleveled."

"I see." Dottler looked up at me, curiosity in his neon blue eyes. "But why did you wait to start grinding until now?"

"You didn't hear?" I showed Dottler the picture that the Doctor sent me from Hulbury Stadium. "Doctor Hooves' Thwackey already evolved into its final evolution Rillaboom, but Hotshot still hasn't evolved. I'm falling behind in terms of starter Pokemon, and I want to close the gap."

"Be at ease, Helix. I'm sure the only reasons for the Doctor's starter being overleveled are the strong Onix in the Wild Area and the Hulbury Gym, which he likely conquered with Thwackey and Spark Bark."

Farfetch'd burst out of his Poke Ball. "That may be the case, but that's no reason not to train. And if I encounter a particularly bulky opponent, I might even have the chance to become a true warrior." He brandished his mighty stalk. "This leek will be my sword, and with it I will slay evil just like the heroes from the Darkest Day! And besides..." He sneered. "...you wouldn't want to lose to a newbie, would you?"

"Newbie? That's kind of a harsh word. I think of him more as a... Trainer trainee. But you're right, Farfetch'd. The Doctor has only just begun his journey as a Pokemon Trainer, and I am a veteran. I would definitely be pretty disturbed to lose to a Trainer who didn't even know what Pokemon were about a week ago, so I intend to make sure you guys are the best you can be." I returned Farfetch'd and Dottler to their Poke Balls before proceeding. "Time for our next stop, Galar Mine Two!"



The second mine was similar to the first one, except there were no rails or mine carts. Additionally, there were colorful gemstones along the walls, and a body of water was in the first part of this mine. Instead of digging and rocky Pokemon, there were Shellos, Wimpod, Scraggy, and other Pokemon that live in damp caves. Because of the abundance of Water types, I was somewhat glad that I kept Nuzleaf in the party. However, my gut told me to deposit him, so I did so and withdrew Rev Rock via the Pokemon Box Link.

I sent out my Pokemon and gave but two commands to them: "If you can still fight, then show no mercy. Come to me when you feel tired, and I'll make sure you can keep going."

"Got it!" My team went right to work, taking on whoever they ran into.

I watched them with an affirmative smile, occasionally fishing in the water to do some battling of my own. If at any point one of my Pokemon got in trouble, I made sure to stop what I was doing and give them directions or heal them up. "A Shuckle that keeps using Sand-Attack? Dottler, try to confuse him then let someone else finish him off!" "Don't let Water-type moves from Shellos bother you, Rev Rock! Baffle him with your Steam Engine's speed!"

After a few minutes of training, I whistled. "Okay, guys, that's enough for now! You all did great!" I restored everyone's health and power points and returned them to their Poke Balls.

I turned right from the pond and ventured deeper into the mine. However, I didn't get far when I found the Psychic-type user Bede again. "You again, huh? Where's the horse you rode in with?"

I shrugged. "Probably gloating about his starter evolving again, but he won't be gloating when I beat him in battle. Speaking of which..." I narrowed my eyes. "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle! You've proven that you're a skilled opponent, so all the better to train my team."

Bede arrogantly scoffed, "Not a chance. I'm not in the mood to deal with weaklings like you and your colorful cast of colleagues. You're delusional if you think you can defeat me."

"So what if I am?" I put to use the psychology skills I learned in high school. "Think about it this way: If you accept my challenge and defeat me here and now, you won't have to crush me later."

"You pose a fair point, Gym Challenger." Bede gave it some thought. "Hmm... Very well. Prepare yourself to be utterly obliterated by me and my Pokemon!" Like in his battle against the Doctor, Bede led with Solosis.

"Time to shine once more before Motostoke Stadium, my four-legged genius!" I sent out Dottler, just like the Doctor sent out Charjabug. "We shall find out whose brain is brawnier: your Psychic-types, or my powerful pupa Pokemon!"

"If you insist. Solosis, use Psyshock!" Solosis formed several orbs of purple energy and threw them at Dottler.

"Set up a Light Screen!" Dottler created a mysterious barrier of light and completely walled the attack. "Now punish him with Struggle Bug!" He unleashed dark green energy that did massive damage to Solosis.

Bede scoffed. "Hmph, don't get cocky. You only caused a lot of damage because of my Pokemon's poor defensive stats. Allow me to show you real damage. Use Endeavor!" Solosis used its psychic powers to deal enough damage to make Dottler's HP equal to its own. "Follow through with Psybeam!"

"Take it like a champ, then use Struggle Bug once more!" Dottler did just that, and Bede's first Pokemon was down for the count. However, I noticed that Dottler's lights were beginning to flicker out. "That Endeavor really did a number on you. Do you want to take a break?"

"A break?" Dottler winced. "As much as I would like to stay in the battle and increase my level at least once, I have concerns about my low vitality. I will withdraw from battle for now."

"Alright, then. If you want to come back into battle later, feel free." I returned Dottler to his Poke Ball. "Now it's your turn, Rev Rock!" I sent out my Carkol.

"My next Pokemon has learned a new trick since we last met." Bede sent out Gothita. "Let's see how you deal with the new and improved Gothita!"

"New and improved? I wonder if she has made enough improvements." I exclaimed, "Rev Rock, get in the first strike with Flame Charge!"

Bede watched Rev Rock rush forward with his red-hot coals giving off embers. "A perfect opportunity to utilize Gothita's new skill. Impede his progress with Rock Tomb!" Gothita levitated several boulders and dropped them in Rev Rock's path, trapping him.

My eyes widened, but out of relief rather than fear. "Not bad, looks like you came prepared for Bug types! Good thing I switched out Dottler!" I lifted a wing to brush some dust off, but I realized it would be best to wait until after the battle because I'd be even dustier by then. "Rev Rock, it's time to show them the power of centrifugal force! Bust through the boulder blockade with Rapid Spin!"

"Alright, time to rock and roll!" Rev Rock spun around at such a high torque that it smashed every boulder it made contact with before barreling towards Gothita. The Pokemon didn't have enough time to react, so it got launched into the air.

I offered my body as a ramp. "Now bring her back down to earth with Smack Down!"

Rev Rock shot right up my body, but I barely flinched. He jumped off of my head and crashed into Gothita, sending her plummeting to the ground and finishing this round.

"Two Pokemon down?" I saw anger in Bede's eyes, but he looked like he was hiding fear. "Looks like you'll get to personally meet the first Pokemon I ever owned." He sent out his Hatenna. "Psybeam!"

"Dodge it!" Rev Rock tried to roll out of the way, but the psychic beam hit him in the face and knocked him onto his side. As a result, some coal fell off his back, seemingly weakening him. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to keep battling. Rev Rock, return." He went back into his Poke Ball with no complaints.

Dottler's Poke Ball rocked weakly.

"...You want to come back into battle already?" I hesitated. "I know you have high defenses and resist Psychic-type moves, but you almost fainted. Sure, that was from Endeavor, but..." I let out an exasperated groan. "Look, I have no clue why you're so desperate to gain experience right now. You know you could just stay in my party and gain some of the experience my battling Pokemon gain in Motostoke Stadium, right?"

Without warning, Dottler came out of his Poke Ball. "Don't you see? It's much less fun to just take out your Pokemon from its Poke Ball and watch it transform than to see it metamorphose during a battle. I want you to see me take on a whole new appearance while I do battle, and it's easiest to level up mid-battle against Pokemon you have a type advantage against. I am very close to the point of evolution, so this Psychic-type user may be my chance."

I was taken aback by Dottler's epiphany. He was very correct about the thrill of watching a Pokemon evolve mid-battle. "Wow, that just... wow. I never thought about it that way. Now I understand, Dottler. I didn't realize that you wanted me to feel the thrill of seeing my own Pokemon reach the next stage in its evolution line in the middle of a battle and unleash its new power then and there." I grinned. "Okay, show them what you've got!"

"We'll make sure your Pokemon won't have to worry about reaching the next level. Hatenna, use Psybeam!" Hatenna fired a beam from its antenna which Dottler was able to withstand, but something seemed off about him.

I took a closer look, and I saw that Dottler's eyes were unfocused. I brought my wing down in frustration. "You've been inflicted with confusion? Blast! I don't see a way out of this without you taking more damage..."

Bede smirked. "Good. Then we can take him down without any trouble. Finish him off with Disarming Voice."

I could only watch with regret in my eyes as the disrespectful non-STAB move made its way towards its target. Oh, Dottler, why did you have to do this to us? Just like Keldeo, you were so desperate to become stronger that you chose to fight a battle you can't win. You came back into the fray, even though you were drastically weakened by a well-timed Endeavor. And what is that going to bring us? Defeat...

"I have a request, Helix..." Suddenly, Dottler released a burst of psychic energy that dispelled the oncoming attack. In a distorted, cybernetic voice, he boomed, "Cease the pessimism. Your lack of faith disturbs me." He surrounded himself with the familiar blue light of evolution, causing me to change my attitude about the situation. The first change I saw during the transformation was a streak of light separating his shell in two. Then, his body became bipedal and fully emerged from the shell. When the evolution light dissipated, Dottler looked like a floating, miniature Transformer whose head was a ladybug's head and body. Having finished evolving, his voice was no longer distorted but was still cybernetic. "My full intellectual potential has been awakened."

"Your Dottler couldn't have chosen a worse time to evolve?" Bede scowled. "Pathetic. Hatenna, finish him off for real this time with Psybeam!"

Dottler's evolved form made a "go ahead" motion to me with one of his claws. "Do not hesitate to check my entry in your Pokedex. Now that I have evolved, I can take care of myself for the time being."

I did as he commanded, occasionally looking back at the battle to watch him expertly dodge attacks and inflict his own damage on Hatenna. "Orbeetle, the Seven Spot Pokemon. A Bug- and Psychic-type, it has a very high level of intelligence and incredible psychic powers, as indicated by the size of its brain. Rather than using its wings, it uses its psychic powers to lift its entire body, much like Alakazam."

"So, that ladybug-like part of your head is actually your brain? Then it is decided." I gave Orbeetle an approving grin as he defeated Hatenna. "Your nickname will be Cranium!"

"What a shame." Bede returned Hatenna to its Poke Ball. "If only you were at good at battling as you are at giving your Pokemon nicknames. You would've won before now. Unfortunately for you..." He sent out a Pokemon that caused my jaw to drop: a small equine Pokemon with a chalk-white coat, a mane and tail with the color and appearance of cotton candy, and a short black horn with a ring of white in the middle. "That isn't the case. The newest member of my team will put an end to your winning streak!"

I pulled myself together, at least enough to speak fluently. "My apologies, it's just that I wasn't expecting you to sic a unicorn Pokemon on me... The Galarian form of Ponyta, I presume?"

Bede was about to make a snarky comment, but Cranium interrupted him. "Exactly. Known as the Unique Horn Pokemon, they draw power from nature, so they live in forests such as the Glimwood Tangle. Galarian Ponyta's horn has the capability to heal slight wounds with a few rubs. Additionally, they can read the contents of one's heart by looking into one's eyes, making the saying 'the eyes are windows to the soul' quite literal. Should a wild Galarian Ponyta find any evil there, it will promptly go into hiding."

Bede's Ponyta approached me, to his and my curiosity. "Your heart... it's been through a lot, hasn't it?" Ponyta asked me, its voice revealing that it was a male, highly contrasting with its outward appearance. "Attacked by someone from your childhood, seemingly rendered by a colleague, shattered by the same colleague, put back together by a new friend, then restored to full health by a team of friends..." His ears folded back in sorrow. "It pains me to have to battle against a Trainer who has gone on an emotional Stow-on-Side Gym Mission, but it is my duty as Bede's Pokemon."

"It... pains me too..." I turned my head away in shame. "I swear, I feel like I'm committing a crime against a citizen of Equestria..."

"Equestria?" Cranium asked. "Can you elaborate?"

I hesitated. "I was unwillingly launched to this land called Equestria, which is located on the planet Equus. Equestria is populated with sentient equines known as ponies, and they live much the same way as the people who live here in Galar. I made some really good friends there, but now the citizens of Equestria are going to be threatened by a magic-absorbing centaur who goes by Lord Tirek. None of you are gonna believe this, but..." A look of nervous anticipation showed up on my face. "Doctor Whooves and I... we're actually from the past."

"From the past?" Bede scoffed. "That's ridiculous! Only Dialga and Celebi can travel through time, and I doubt a simpleton such as you would be able to get your wings on a Legendary Pokemon, let alone a Mythical Pokemon."

"The opposing Trainer has a point," Cranium told me. "However, it is still possible that you time-traveled here, albeit by other means. I recall you explaining to Chairman Rose that you and Doctor Hooves came here via time machine?"

"Yes, we did." I proudly proclaimed, "By utilizing and abusing some time-travel tropes, the two of us built a working time machine and used it to travel to the Alola region of this year and month. From there, we made our way to Postwick in the Galar region, where I started the Doctor on his first Pokemon adventure."

Bede looked at me like I had five eyes and two mouths. "...None of what you said makes any sense whatsoever. Did an Elgyem replace your brain with that of a Slowpoke?"

"No." I chuckled at Bede's mediocre attempt to insult my intelligence. "Were you so busy trying to understand what I was talking about just now to notice that my Orbeetle defeated your Galarian Ponyta?"

"What?" Bede looked north and saw his Pokemon lying against the wall. "How dare you keep my attention with your idle chatter! I would have won if you hadn't had the audacity to cheat like that!"

"I never cheated." I returned Cranium to his Poke Ball after summoning a small Leaf Tornado to blow away the dust that got on me during the fight. "I was stating a fact. You refused to believe my story, so you falsely thought that I was talking just to keep your attention."

"Fine, then. Pretend that you won." Bede begrudgingly gave me his League Card. "Here, something you can show off to fool people into thinking you beat me. I'm off to find more Wishing Stars." He stormed off without giving me a chance to ask about his search for Wishing Stars.

"The nerve of that Trainer!" The Doctor walked up from behind. "It was very clear that he lost, but he wouldn't even admit it. He may be an unfriendly rival, but somehow I take pity on him. A strange feeling, but most likely the right one. Why would he be gathering so many Wishing Stars, though?"

I thought back to Bede's conversations with the chairman and his secretary. "Maybe... they're not for him. Chairman Rose must have asked him to collect them. For what reason, I do not know. But there's a good chance we'll find out after some time." I remembered from the ceremony that Kabu was described as a Fire-type Gym Leader. "Fire-type Gym Leaders tend to lower your Pokemon's attack power via burns and the Intimidate Ability. I want my Pokemon to hit hard even after being burned or otherwise weakened, so I'll have to do some grinding here in this mine."

"Grinding? What's that?"

"I explained grinding to Dottler earlier." I pushed up my glasses. "It's when you battle lots of enemies in any given area in order to slowly but surely grow stronger. Your starter has obviously done some grinding, so I want to make sure my own starter gets some grinding in!"

"What's the matter?" he apologetically asked. "Are you still sore about my starter evolving a second time? That's just because he defeated that strong Onix and I used him to sweep the Hulbury Gym. I'm giving him a well-deserved break to give my other Pokemon a chance to grow."

"Makes sense, but my Pokemon still need to grow. Fire-type Pokemon are not to be taken lightly!" I hurried further into the mine, nearly leaving the Doctor in the dust.

The path quickly turned left in front of a second pool of water. It continued past a worker who was ready for battle. However, the corner was home to a half-buried container. I made the decision to approach the item.

But I hesitated. My intuition kicked in. "Hold up..." No such thing as too safe. I fired an arrow at the ceiling above the item, causing a chunk to break off. The chunk of rock fell between my talons and the half-buried item.

SNAP!

Two sets of sharp, jagged blades of metal jutted up from the ground, closing over the item and rock. "Humph, a false alarm..." When they opened back up, I saw that they were actually fins that belonged to a flat, fishlike Pokemon with a grayish-brown body. The item was actually its red and white mouth. It looked up at me with its oval-shaped eyes and grinned, bearing its sharp teeth. "Oh? Perhaps this wasn't a false alarm after all!"

"As I expected..." Looking over the Pokemon, the metal fins led me to suppose that it was most likely a part Steel-type. I took out a Poke Ball. "It's a Trap Pokemon! Nice try, Galarian Stunfisk..." I sent out Gyarados. "But you can't trick me with your trap!"

The Galarian form of Stunfisk shuddered when it saw my Gyarados. "I expected to jump a Pokemon... not a Pokemon to jump me!"

After a pathetic attempt to counter Waterfall with Revenge, Stunfisk fell to a second Waterfall from my trusty Water- and Flying-type. I decided to catch it to add another Pokemon to my Pokedex. "No doubt I'll find more of these sneaky Pokemon. And when I do..." I smirked at Gyarados as I returned him to his Poke Ball. "Free experience!"

I turned around to challenge the Worker, but he had lost against Doctor Hooves while I took down the Galarian Stunfisk. So I just went past him to continue along the path, collecting three Dusk Balls at the dead end near him and defeating a second Stunfisk near the southeast corner of the second pool of water and a third one at the southwest corner.

The path branched left, but the side path stopped at a body of water. I was forced to continue south, passing by the Doctor battling another Worker. By now, I wasn't surprised to see that he had learned a lot about type advantages; his newly-evolved Drednaw was taking care of the Worker's Rock-type Roggenrola at the moment. I skipped the nearby container because I didn't want to hog all the items. The next stretch was fairly long and quiet, having nothing but a fourth Galarian Stunfisk.

At the end of the stretch... was a pair of Team Yell Grunts. To my relief, however, they weren't trying to block me. "Excuse me, mister," one of them said. "Ain't you one of them Gym Challengers?"

"I certainly am. Name's Helix." I showed off my Dynamax Band. "What gave away the fact that I'm participating in the Gym Challenge, my Dynamax Band?"

The other one said, "That too, but mainly the fact that yer badge holder is sticking out of your coat." Eyes wide, I looked down at my Key Items pocket. I shoved the ring in deeper with a chuckle. "Anyway, if it's all the same to you, mind having a battle with us? Marnie told us about you, and we'd sure be honored to duke it out with ya."

"A battle? I'd be glad to." Taking out two Poke Balls, I heard the Doctor galloping our way. I gestured to him to stop. "Leave this to me, Doc. I think they want a Double Battle with me only, so I'll knock off the both of them myself."

"You got that right, mate!" the first one said. "We're not gonna let a horsey rain on our parade, are we? Keep outta the way, Mr. Horse, 'cause Team Yell is gonna make you scream!" The two Grunts sent out Thievul and the Galarian form of Zigzagoon's evolution, Linoone.

"Of course, more Dark types." I sent out Hotshot and Farfetch'd. "Go show them what for, my trustworthy darkness-slaying friends!"

As with the first battle against Team Yell, this one was quite short. Hotshot Double Kicked Linoone into oblivion while Farfetch'd struck Thievul hard with Rock Smash. Their first wave of Pokemon knocked out, the Grunts sent out the cunning Dark type Liepard and the rambunctious Fighting type Pancham. This time, Farfetch'd hammered Pancham with his leek and Hotshot roasted Liepard to a crisp with Flame Charges.

"Thanks for the experience, Team Yell." I withdrew Hotshot and Farfetch'd. "While you had no Pokemon to train my own team for the Fire-type Gym, they still gained experience in general. Now if you're done sharing your Pokemon's experience with us..." A ghostly aura emanated from my body. "...then I suggest you scram."

"Uh, r-right away, Mr. Helix! We may be Team Yell, but we leave quietly if we lose..." The two Team Yell Grunts turned around and did just that, one of them almost stumbling over a rock before catching up to the other.

"Dude..." The Doctor's Toxel, who had evolved into a bipedal lizard like the statue in Hulbury near the lighthouse, placed its purple and blue hand on my shoulder and sent a small surge of electricity throughout my body. "That was toxic, and coming from a Toxtricity, that's saying something..."

"You're just saying that because you were raised by the Doctor." Using sheer willpower to break through the paralysis, I pushed Toxtricity's hand off my shoulder. "I was just driving them off so I could continue my trek through the mine. If I wanted to be toxic, I would've tossed them into the air and used Spirit Shackle to give them a super wedgie."

"A super wedgie?" The Doctor returned Toxtricity to its Luxury Ball with a snicker. "I don't know what that is, but it sounds humiliating. Anyway, I haven't found Kabu yet. What about you?"

I shook my head. "Neither have I. He must be further into the mine, otherwise we would've found him by now. Let's go on together, starting from this point."

"Agreed."

We walked into a small clearing, where I decided to catch a Drednaw. This one put up more of a fight than most of the Pokemon I had encountered so far, but that's probably just because Gyarados had a strong type advantage against the Stunfisk. I had to use a Great Ball to snag the feisty Drednaw, which I kept in my Pokemon Box. Meanwhile, the Doctor captured a Noibat, a Flying- and Dragon-type bat with ears like speakers on a boombox. He swapped out his Meowth for it.

I found a hidden Star Piece near a gem-filled minecart in the clearing, but I let the Doctor take it because I already had plenty of currency; Star Pieces have no purpose other than being sold to shops for a high price.

After a clearing, we reached a fork in the road. To the west, a dead end with a fifth Stunfisk and a hidden bag of Soft Sand. I took down the Stunfisk and gave the Doctor the Soft Sand before heading east, where the Doctor challenged a Rail Staff worker. The Drilbur and Onix were no match for the Doctor's Drednaw. Just past the Trainer, we found TM 49, Sand Tomb. Until now, I didn't know a TM for Sand Tomb existed, so I took it.

Further south, we found another Stunfisk, who I allowed the Doctor to defeat. I took on yet another Stunfisk just a few meters later before we reached another clearing. In this one, an older Trainer in a red uniform just finished up a battle with another pair of Team Yell Grunts.

Upon further inspection, the Trainer appeared to be none other than Kabu. "While I appreciate your help with my training, you seemed rather distraught during our battle, Team Yell. Was something on your minds?"

"That's right, Kabu, sir. Y'see, not too long ago, there was this Trainer who blew right through our Pokemon without breaking a sweat! And..." The duo looked past Kabu and gasped when they saw me. "Crikey! That's him right there! Looks like Team Yell better scarper and go give someone else a morale boost!" Wait a minute... They must've been the same Grunts that challenged me earlier. They took off, neither of them stumbling this time.

"Hmm? What Trainer could they be talking about?" Kabu turned around, and our gaze met his and that of a Carkol beside him. "Ah, I recognize you two! If my memory doesn't fail me, you're Helix and Doctor Whooves, two of the Trainers endorsed by Leon, right?"

"We most certainly are," the Doctor replied. "Overhearing the conversation between you and Team Yell, I've come to the conclusion that you're here in Galar Mine 2 so you can train for our battle when we take on Motostoke Stadium. Is that the case?"

"Yes I am, Doctor. Milo and Nessa told me about how easily you cleared their Gym Missions and defeated them in battle, so I'm training as much as possible in order to guarantee that our battle will be fantastic!" Kabu put a hand up to the samurai symbol on his uniform. "As a Fire-type specialist, I find that the Water-type Pokemon here in Galar Mine No. 2 are excellent opponents to train against."

The Doctor checked his Rotom Phone. "As much as I'd love to challenge you today, I'm afraid it's getting late. Think you can accept our challenge tomorrow?"

"Of course." Kabu pointed west. "Just continue straight out of this mine, and you'll pass through Motostoke Outskirts and get back to Motostoke. Be sure to get a good rest at the hotel, because I want to fight you when you're at your best! I'll be at my best as well." Kabu looked at Carkol as they went towards the exit. "Let's go, Carkol. I'll make sure that you make it back home safely."

"So, that was the 'ever-burning man of fire'... I wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of Gym Challengers simply give up due to being unable to beat him." The Doctor took out a Dusk Ball with a smile on his face. "But I'm not one of them! In fact, I'm even more determined! For a Fire-type user such as Kabu, I think it's time to train up this new partner of mine."

I looked at the Dusk Ball inquisitively. "New partner?"

"You'll meet him eventually. For now, we need to press on to Motostoke!"
> Chapter 16: Second Visit to Motostoke
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

At this point of time, the sun was setting over the outskirts of Motostoke. Because of that, the night-dwelling Noctowl in the area were becoming more active, and there were many of them in the grass just outside of Galar Mine 2.

I expected the Doctor to go for one of the Noctowl or tree-imitating Pokemon known as Sudowoodo, but he instead caught himself a Koffing, a purple ball filled with noxious gases. His reasoning? "I wouldn't be surprised if the smoke given off by Motostoke or the energy plants built by Chairman Rose are what either created or attracted this Pokemon of pollution. I'll have to do some research on Koffing sometime."

As for me, I decided to catch one of the Hatenna. Because of my species' naturally calm demeanor, I was able to capture it without many problems. If it weren't for my calmness, the Hatenna would've teleported away long before I even got close to any of them.

I found an Amulet Coin behind the nearby sign and gave it to the Doctor. I was already prepared with several items before visiting Galar, so I didn't need the extra dose of cash that the Amulet Coin would earn me from battles.

There were some Great Balls in a bare part of the southern patch of grass. I took them just in case I found a stronger Pokemon native to Galar that I wanted to add to my team.

A rock to the north had a bottle of PP Up resting on it, but I let the Doctor take it; although it's good to maximize your Power Points, my poor luck with lottery tickets in other regions earned me more PP Up than I wanted or needed.

Near a sign pointing towards Motostoke, there was an elder lady prepared for battle. I took her on while the Doctor challenged a Police Officer not too far ahead. I thought I heard a sparkling sound, but it was probably just my imagination. Not letting my curiosity distract me from the battle, I used Rev Rock to defeat her Yamper and Gyarados to tear into her Swoobat.

With the two Trainers out of the way, the Doctor and I made our way along the rest of the straight and uneventful path that made up the Motostoke Outskirts, picking up a few Feathers that had fallen onto the stone bridge. Taking a quick peek over the edge of the bridge, I saw a small island surrounded by a pond on the path towards a large city that was strikingly similar to Motostoke, except that it had a dragon motif. There was a lone Pokemon residing on the island, sitting under a berry tree. I noticed that it was wearing a necklace that had a gemstone embedded in it. Recognizing the necklace, I waved at the Pokemon. It waved back at me.

His attention grabbed by my waving, the Doctor followed my gaze. "Might I ask who you are waving towards? My eyesight isn't nearly as good as that of owls."

"If you want to take a gander at who I'm waving at, just use the zoom function on your Rotom Phone's camera and look towards that little island right over there." I pointed with my wing.

"Alright, thanks. I might need a moment, though." The Doctor opened the camera app and tried to use his hooves to zoom in. After a few attempts, he simply gave up and let Rotom do the zooming for him because of his hooves' size and lack of flexibility. Then he pointed the camera towards the island, focusing on a white and green, bipedal Pokemon with blade-like extensions on its elbows and a teal head crest. "How fascinating! That Pokemon is the very image of a noble warrior!"

"He most certainly is." I introduced the Pokemon as I recalled memories of sparring with it. "That is Gallade, the blade Pokemon. A Psychic- and Fighting-type, it uses the blades on its elbows to defend its Trainer and friends, even risking its own life for them. Gallade are also able to read the minds of their opponents and predict their moves." From my Key Items pocket, I took out a golden, winged badge with a Poke Ball insignia on it and showed it to Gallade. The Pokemon responded by holding up its own badge. "And judging from the badge he is brandishing, this specific Gallade must be a member of the Pokemon Expedition Society."

"Pokemon what now?"

"The Pokemon Expedition Society, often abbreviated as P.E.S. It's an organization run exclusively by Pokemon." Reaching into my Key Items pocket again, I pulled out a circular device with a teal screen and six spheres embedded into the outside of it, each sphere a different color. "Members of the P.E.S. go on missions to help Pokemon in need, using their Expedition Gadgets to locate said Pokemon and communicate with each other." I held the blue sphere on the Gadget up to the Doctor's eyes so he could get a good look at it. "By aiding Pokemon in ways big and small, P.E.S. members connect with them and reach out to the Pokemon with whom they have connected. This Connection Orb displays all the Pokemon that the corresponding P.E.S. member has either met or connected with."

"Who knew that Pokemon of all creatures were such an advanced species? Not only have they formed an entire organization, let alone one that helps them bond with others, but they have even developed a device that shows every Pokemon they know and trust!" The Doctor's eyes darted from Pokemon to Pokemon in the Connection Orb, moving along the lines connecting each Pokemon. "What about these lines, though?"

"Those lines indicate a personal tie or bond between Pokemon." I swiped a feather along the Orb, spinning it to a group of five Pokemon all connected by lines: Magmortar, Electivire, Rhyperior, Pangoro, and Dragalge. "Take these Pokemon, for instance. They used to be partners in crime, but now they live a friendlier lifestyle together after realizing that they've been roped into committing crimes by a certain Zoroark. The five Pokemon sincerely apologized for their wrongdoings and returned to the path of righteousness."

"Just goes to show you that even the worst of creatures can be turned good when you take the right approach." We continued walking towards Motostoke. "By the way, it seems like you and that Gallade know each other well. And not just 'coworkers' well. Are the two of you friends?"

"Yes, by all means. And that Gallade was no ordinary Gallade. He is one of various elite members of the P.E.S. known as..." I put away the Expedition Gadget and badge before raising my wing towards the sky. "...Master Pokemon! They are a group of individual Pokemon who each specialize in one type or stat. The Gallade I saw on the islet was the Psychic-type Master Pokemon, which means he would very easily beat other Psychic-type Pokemon in battle, perhaps even Legendary Psychic-type Pokemon such as Deoxys!"

"Deoxys? As in deoxyribonucleic acid, the genetic instructions for all life? A Legendary Pokemon based on the molecules that make up life itself..." The Doctor's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Are there other notable Legendary Pokemon that have amazing origins or powers?"

"Definitely!" I began to name some Legendary Pokemon important to the Pokemon world. "Many Legendary Pokemon exist in the world of Pokemon, but I'll name just a few. There's Dialga, the Pokemon deity of time; Xerneas, the Pokemon with the power to give life energy; and Mewtwo, which was cloned from Mew's DNA by scientists in an attempt to create the most powerful Pokemon in the world."

As I described the Legendary Pokemon, the Doctor was as childishly excited as a Swirlix in a cotton candy factory. "I do hope it isn't too demanding for me to want to meet a Legendary Pokemon in person!"

"Sadly, for most Pokemon Trainers, it is quite demanding." With an intrigued look in my eyes, I thought back to the Slumbering Weald. Those Pokemon we encountered... Perhaps they were Legendary Pokemon. "Unless you're determined enough to either trek all the way to a Legendary Pokemon's home or challenge a powerful Trainer such as Red or Lucas with his strongest Pokemon team, you're out of luck."

"Challenge a powerful Trainer?" The Doctor came right to a standstill. "You mean to tell me that there are Trainers who have managed to catch Legendary Pokemon?!"

"Why so surprised? You know two such Trainers." I held up two of the finger-like feathers on my wing. "Keldeo and Meloetta are both Legendary Pokemon, and you and I challenged both of their Trainers to a Pokemon battle since we set foot--or hoof, in your case--in the Galar region. Although, the two Pokemon allowed themselves to be caught so they could go on an adventure, but still..."

"Keldeo and Meloetta are Legendary Pokemon? When I think of Legendary, I think of a gargantuan beast with powers that cannot be paralleled by anything except for other Legendary Pokemon. I find it hard to believe that a unicorn colt with a blue horn and a bipedal singer could have that kind of might."

"Never judge a book by its cover. And besides, you've never seen Keldeo battle without holding anything back. Of course you wouldn't believe how strong he is." I chuckled. "Trust me, you'll believe me when you see Keldeo battle using 100% of his power in the Champion Cup."

An understandably distrusting and baffled look on the Doctor's face, we proceeded into Budew Drop Inn.



In the lobby of the inn, we found Marnie looking up at the statue of the legendary hero that saved Galar from the Darkest Day. Then she looked down at the plaque and read it. "So this is the hero of the Darkest Day, huh? Kinda weird how it doesn't even name the hero..."

Ears twitching, her rodent Pokemon noticed our presence. It tugged on her hand. "Marnie, Marnie, look!"

"Take it easy, Morpeko! I don't wanna get all out of joint." Marnie turned around and saw us. "Oh, looks like a couple o' Gym Challengers already made it back to Motostoke. That sure was quick of you two."

"Speak for yourself," the Doctor replied. "You got back here before either of us!"

"Yeah, well, that's only 'cause I took on the Gym Challenge before." Marnie showed us the Town Map on her Rotom Phone. "I've been around Galar, so I can just catch a Flyin' Taxi to get to each of the cities." She put away the phone. "Hey, ain't you two of the Trainers who put Team Yell in their place yesterday after they held up the inn?"

"That's right," I said. "My name's Helix, and this is Doctor Whooves. Pleased to make your acquaintance!"

She shook my hand and the Doctor's hoof. "Nice t' meet the two of ya! Sure looks like you're out givin' it your all. Same here. I don't wanna disappoint my big bro." She put a hand to her chin. "Say, I'd like to see if either of you're ready for the third leg of the Gym Challenge."

"A warm-up the night before Motostoke Gym?" The Doctor stepped forward with a smile. "Alright, I'm up for a Pokemon battle with you. I'll do my very best!"

"Just wicked!" A small grin appeared on Marnie's face. "No doubt about it, you're a Trainer who gives everything a hundred and ten percent!" As she spoke, a pair of Team Yell Grunts showed up to cheer Marnie on, the male holding another of those Team Yell megaphones like we saw yesterday during our fight with them, and the female holding a banner of Marnie. "But I've also got a lot o' fight in me, and so do my Pokemon!" From a Dusk Ball, she sent out a purple feline Pokemon with a yellow underside and rings of yellow all over its body. "Go get 'em, Liepard!"

After taking a moment to check Liepard's Pokedex entry, the Doctor thought for a moment. "A Dark type, I see. I've got a Pokemon with an advantage, but this time..." He decided on using his Toxtricity. "Okay, it's your turn, Tox Shox!"

Tox Shox? I was impressed, but I shouldn't have been. It was a simple yet exceptional nickname that any self-respecting person could come up with for a Poison- and Electric-type Pokemon. It's like nicknaming an Alolan Geodude Shock Rock.

"Fake Out!" Before Tox Shox or the Doctor got the chance to react, Liepard leapt forward and clapped its paws together, sending a small shock wave of air that caused Tox Shox to flinch. "Now use Hone Claws!" Liepard scraped its claws along the floor to sharpen them, much to the disapproval of the hotel's receptionist.

The Doctor's face distorted bitterly from the priority move that's the bane of competitive Pokemon players. "Impressive preemptive strike, but we won't let that deter us! Use Taunt on that sneaky little feline!"

After recovering from the Fake Out, Tox Shox menacingly looked down on Liepard. "Fighting a guy like me ain't no joke, pussycat. Either get serious, or don't bother with me at all."

"Ex-CUSE me?!" Liepard hissed, her pupils turning into slits. "You better watch that mouth of yours! Nobody DARES call me a pussycat!" She lunged at Tox Shox with her claws out.

"Dodge and use Nuzzle!" Tox Shox jumped over Liepard and slapped her with an electrified hand, sending numbness all throughout her body and paralyzing her. "Now go for Acid Spray!" He strummed the protrusions on his chest, and he threw the resulting acids at Liepard.

"Nuzzle and Acid Spray? Dang, looks like you're ready to hit real hard and fast without much retaliation..." Marnie's expression sharpened a small amount. "C'mon, Liepard! Don't let the paralysis mess with you too much! Use Night Slash!" Resisting the paralysis, Liepard held its right paw up, and it glowed purple as it prepared to strike.

The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he smirked. "I knew using Taunt was a good idea! It's time for Shock Wave!" Tox Shox strummed the protrusions with both hands, causing a blue sphere of energy to form at the tip of the horn between his electric frills. Unable to stop in time, Liepard's paw struck the sphere, at which point blue electricity flooded her body and knocked her out.

"What the?! My Liepard didn't even get to land a hit after that Fake Out..." Marnie withdrew her Liepard. "You're mighty good for a newbie Trainer, y'know that? I've been holdin' back since you're a rookie, but it looks like I'd better step it up a few notches!" Next, she sent out a blue frog Pokemon with a large red vocal sac and a red claw on the back of each of its hands. "Put that Toxtricity in its place, Toxicroak!"

"We'll see about that! Tox Shox, use Nuzzle again!"

"Not this time! Bash 'em with Sucker Punch!" Toxicroak stepped to its right, deftly avoiding Tox Shox's electrified palm, to the latter's shock. Then it struck the back of Tox Shox's head with its hand, making him land face-first on the carpet. "That's it! Now keep using Poison Jab!" It repeatedly thrust its red claws into Tox Shox's back while he was down.

"Don't give up! Grab his hand, then use Nuzzle!" On the next Poison Jab, Tox Shox took hold of Toxicroak's hand and sent electricity surging through his body, stunning him temporarily. "Get up and use Spark!" Tox Shox rolled away and headbutted Toxicroak with his electric frills. "There we go! Now Shock Wave!" As with Liepard, Toxicroak was finished off with Shock Wave.

"Ya did good, Toxicroak. Go ahead and take a rest." Marnie returned Toxicroak to its Dusk Ball. "It's your turn now, Scrafty!" She sent out a bipedal orange lizard Pokemon with a red crest on its head, a permanently-sneering mouth, and loose yellow skin resembling a hood and baggy trousers.

"Okay, Tox Shox, I think you deserve a break." The Doctor returned Tox Shox to his Luxury Ball before looking up the hoodlum Pokemon's Pokedex entry. "Scraggy's evolution, eh? It's time for Echo to shine!" He sent out his Noibat. "Baffle them with Double Team!" Echo flew around rapidly, causing the illusion of several Noibat swarming the area.

I snickered to myself. He should've called it Echo Echo.

"Playin' it safe, I see..." Marnie stood firm while Scrafty cautiously watched Echo and his illusory copies. "Then we're gonna find the real deal one way or another! Use Headbutt on every Noibat you see!" The Dark- and Fighting-type Pokemon recklessly jumped around, slamming its rock-hard head into every Echo in its sight, only to pass through the illusions.

"Wait for my cue, Echo..." The Doctor's ears were clearly tuned in to the battle, for they were swiveling around as if they were locked onto something. "Wait..." Scrafty continued to headbutt to no avail. Once its sights settled on one of the four remaining bats, the Doctor's expression sharpened. "Supersonic! Now!"

Scrafty jumped towards the Echo, but the Flying and Dragon type released powerful sound waves from its ears at point-blank range, sending Scrafty backwards and making him hold his head in agony. Marnie's eyes widened. "How'd ya even know which Noibat was which, Doc?!"

The Doctor pointed at his ears with a confident smile. "Never underestimate a pony's sense of hearing, Marnie. Our ears can pinpoint sounds like targeting reticles, so locating the real Echo was no problem for me. But that's enough about ponies. Echo, use Gust, then unleash a barrage of Wing Attacks!" Echo flung Scrafty into the air with a small whirlwind, and it joined its clones to attack it with an onslaught of wing strikes. It finished by slamming Scrafty straight into the ground with one final Wing Attack.

Scrafty didn't appear to be knocked out, but Marnie withdrew it anyway. "Aight, then. That's enough, Scrafty." She motioned with her right arm, and her rodent Pokemon took Scrafty's place. "Doc, it's time for you to meet my ace, Morpeko!"

The Doctor and I looked up Morpeko's Pokedex entry. "Morpeko, the two-sided Pokemon. An Electric- and Dark-type, it is always hungry, no matter how much it eats. This is because it constantly generates electricity as it eats the berry seeds it keeps in its pouches. Intense hunger changes Morpeko into its Hangry Mode, making it extremely aggressive until its hunger is satisfied."

"What an interesting Pokemon you've got there, Marnie. I think I know which Pokemon to use to counter it." He withdrew Echo and sent out a humanoid Pokemon with a blue body and feet, and a brown head, arms, legs, and tail. Its head had a spike on top. "Here comes my whirling fortress, Topspin!"

"A Hitmontop?" That was the moment I discovered that the Doctor really was quite the special pony. "You must be pretty spot-on to train your Tyrogue with such precision! Tyrogue can only be evolved into Hitmontop if their attack and defense are equal to each other!"

"I didn't know that, but I really do appreciate the knowledge. A Hitmontop doesn't tip over and fall, because its attack and defense are perfectly balanced..." The Doctor watched Topspin turn upside-down to stand on the spike on its head without falling down. "...just as life itself should be."

"Oi, jog on, mate!" the male Team Yell Grunt complained, stomping his foot in impatience. "Are ya done runnin' yer mouth? We wanna watch Marnie and Morpeko do their thing!"

"Of course." The Doctor nodded. "You heard him, Marnie. Let's keep on battling!"

Marnie smiled. "I wasn't plannin' on quitting now. It's my duty as a Pokemon Trainer to battle!" She pumped her fist. "Morpeko, use Bullet Seed!" Morpeko shot a flurry of seeds from its mouth at Topspin.

"Dodge with Detect!" Topspin's eyes glowed light blue, and he deftly avoided all of the seeds spat at him. "Now use Gyro Ball!" Topspin quickly spun and slammed into Morpeko, sending it flying into the upper level of the Budew Drop Inn's lobby.

"Brilliant job, Topspin--huh?" The Doctor's celebratory exclamation was cut short when all of a sudden...

"What the--whoa!" The female grunt got knocked to the floor and shouted in pain. "Ow! Hey! I ain't the opposin' Pokemon, Morpeko! Someone gimme a hand!"

"I got yer back!" The male grunt ducked down and helped the female grunt out. A few seconds of struggling later, and he tossed down a very furious Morpeko with black and purple fur, as well as evil red eyes and an enraged frown. "Nobody wants t' mess with a Hangry Morpeko!"

Straight away, Morpeko charged at Topspin while covered in black electricity. "Use Revenge!" Topspin took the attack, and he became covered in an orange aura. The aura moving to his feet, Topspin struck back with a roundhouse kick.

Marnie watched Morpeko get sent into a wall. "You alright there, Morpeko?" Eating some roasted berry seeds from its pouch, Morpeko transformed back into its Full Belly mode and nodded. "Good! Then use Aura Wheel!" Morpeko formed a light blue wheel around its body and charged towards Topspin.

"Attack from the side with Triple Kick!" When the Aura Wheel got close enough, Topspin spun around and kicked Morpeko from the side, where Aura Wheel didn't cover it.

Marnie grabbed Morpeko mid-air when it got launched and cradled it in her arms. "Nice job out there. You deserve this." She fed Morpeko a Sitrus Berry to restore its health. "Maybe I shouldn't've held back so much, 'cause I used four of my best Pokemon and you still won! Know what, Doc? I think you're more than ready to take on Kabu! But first..." She headed towards the elevators. "We'd all better get a good night's sleep so we can battle at our best."

The Doctor withdrew Topspin as the elevator doors closed with Marnie inside. "I honestly didn't expect to beat her since Marnie's taken on the Gym Challenge before, although I shouldn't be surprised because she held back." He stood proud with his muzzle in the air. "But still, I'm chuffed that I beat a Trainer with more experience than me!"

"That's one of the best ways to grow stronger." I applauded the Doctor, trying my best to hide my uneasiness that resulted from the incredible skills he's learned so early in his Pokemon journey. "Beating someone stronger than you. I'm sure you learned that when your Grookey evolved while taking on that powerful Onix near the Meetup Spot."

"Such is the reason why I'm so pleased. My Pokemon need to become strong in order to have a better chance at defeating Lord Tirek!" He let out a yawn. "Great whickering stallions, that battle made me completely forget how tired I am! We really should be getting to our rooms so we can have ourselves a nice kip and wake up refreshed!"

"In that case, I'll be seeing you in the morning. Good night!" We took the elevators to the second floor so we could get in our beds to sleep for the night.
> Chapter 17: Burning Fury at the Third Gym!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I felt refreshed as usual the moment I awoke from my slumber. Tossing aside my blanket, I got out of bed and stretched to get myself ready to take on whatever the day threw at me. I donned my lab coat and checked the pockets to make sure nobody sneaked in and stole any of my stuff.

My Potions and status healers were all there... As were my Ethers and Elixirs... And my Berries... And Key Items... And all of my Poke Balls. Good, it looked like nothing had been taken.

After neatly tucking my blanket back into place, I walked out the door. However, something unusual for me was swirling around in the depths of my subconscious, and I couldn't quite understand why.

Frustration and worry.

But I shrugged it off for the moment, because I didn't need to get all worked up before the third Gym battle. I continued to the elevators and took the nearest one down to the lobby.

"Morning, Helix! Guess I'm more of an early bird than you are." The Doctor was waiting for me in the lobby. "Marnie went on ahead to challenge Kabu, but she lent me a couple copies of his League Card."

"A couple?" I asked. "Why not just one?"

"She told me to hand you one of them once you made it down here to the lobby after waking up. So, here you go!" He gave me a League Card. On it, Kabu was making a dramatic pose, his right hand making a finger-gun gesture towards the sky.

I read the description on the back. It caught my attention when it mentioned that he came from a different region. "The Hoenn region... I've been there before. There's much to see, but you need to be able to swim or have a Pokemon that can be ridden over water if you want to visit the eastern part of the region."

"As much as I would love to visit this Hoenn region, that'll have to wait until later, perhaps when this year's me returns to Galar... if that's the right way to put it. Blimey, it's hard to use the right grammar when you're from a different time! Anyway, we still need to accomplish our mission here in Galar. And speaking of, which of us do you think should challenge Kabu next?"

That upset, frustrated feeling came back from my subconscious. "I... I've been thinking about that, actually..." I expected the worried feeling to make me wait to take on Kabu, but it had the opposite effect. "Doctor, I'll go first. I want to get my Motostoke Stadium challenge out of the way quickly... because I don't want to keep an old acquaintance waiting."

I walked down the short flight of stairs, but the Doctor stopped me from heading out the door. "Don't rush off just yet! Marnie shared some advice with me, and I want to pass it on to you..." He balanced a Poke Ball on the tip of his hoof. "If you want to excel at Kabu's Gym Mission, you need to be good at catching Pokemon."

"Catching Pokemon..." I nodded. "Thanks for the info. I'd better make a quick trip before taking on this city's Gym, then." I made my way out the door.



After doing business with a Watt Trader, I returned to Motostoke to challenge the Gym. When I got there, Marnie exited the stadium and took off with a Flying Taxi, so she must've beaten Kabu. That meant I came just in time.

I spoke with the official at the front desk, who gladly registered me for the third leg of the Gym Challenge. I changed into my uniform before I was escorted to the Gym mission's site. I was told a very vague nugget of wisdom by the official, though: The Fire Gym's mission is somewhat different than the others I've faced so far.



The site of the Gym mission was quite unique. Instead of some kind of maze to the exit, I found myself in a circular area with three different patches of grass, a Gym Trainer in each of them. Furthermore, the area was surrounded by a concrete road like the ones athletes run on in track-and-field.

My vexation of unknown origin was starting to flare up again.

I met Dan in the center, on top of a red circle with the recurring samurai logo on it. Behind Dan was a scoreboard of some sort. "Welcome, Gym Challenger! The Gym mission for the Fire Gym is this!" He motioned towards the patches of grass. "You must catch Pokemon hiding in the grass..." Then he stepped aside to show me the scoreboard. "...in order to score points! When five points have been reached, you will clear the Gym mission! One point is earned when you defeat a Pokemon in the tall grass, and two are earned when you successfully catch one. But be careful, though. The Gym Trainers will be working to prevent you from catching Pokemon or landing the final blow; if they finish off a wild Pokemon, it doesn't count towards your point total."

"I see. So if I want to win..." I looked around at each of the three Gym Trainers, who all had a Poke Ball in their hand. "...I must anticipate their next move and act accordingly."

"That's right! Now that the rules are out of the way..." Dan exclaimed, "Gym mission, start!"

I began by observing the grass patches to see what Pokemon were in each one. In the southwest patch, there was a Vulpix. It evolves into a powerful Fire-type Pokemon, but I already caught a Ninetales in another region. In the southeast patch, there was a Sizzlipede. I had yet to catch one, so I prioritized Sizzlipede. But before attempting to catch it, I wanted to see what was in the north patch of grass.

As I approached the patch, an eerie glow instantly grabbed my attention. I stopped right where I was, watching the glow with extreme caution.

It moved north out of the grass. My mixture of anger and fear spiked when I saw what the glow really was.

A light blue flame belonging to a white candle Pokemon having two stubby arms and a small mouth. Both of its eyes were covered by melted wax.

"You...!" Seething with pure rage, I flung a Razor Leaf that barely missed the Litwick. Surprised, it turned around, at which point I landed in front of it. "Remember me, you cruel monster?"

"Uh... I don't think so. I don't remember running into a Shiny Decidueye before. Before I take you down, I'm gonna go ahead and ask..." The Litwick pointed at me. "Who're you?"

"I saw one of your crimes take place before my very eyes..." I took a step forward with my right talon, a tear rolling down my cheek. "You're the one who took the soul of the Pokemon I considered my closest friend!"

It shrugged. "...Do you have any idea how little that narrows things down? Be more specific."

"You want specific? Fine... I'll give you the straight facts!" I began to recount the tale of how I lost one of the Pokemon I loved most. "It was another fine day in the Unova region. I was scaling Celestial Tower to ring the bell on the roof, when at the second floor, you completely enraptured me with your Shiny sparkle. I had made it my goal to complete the Shiny Living Dex excluding Legendary Pokemon, so I intended to do everything I could to catch you. Having not come prepared with Quick Balls, I sent out my trusty intimidation Pokemon to weaken you enough for me to successfully capture you. But you..." A ghastly aura surrounded me as I reached anger levels that shouldn't even be possible. "You ripped his soul right out of his body! You turned him into nothing more than a lifeless husk! I ran away back then, Wikwik... but now that I'm a Pokemon, it's time to switch roles: I'll be the killer, and you'll be the victim."

"Wikwik...?" Litwick looked up in realization. "Oh! I remember now! You must be that Helix guy who fled from me after seeing my spectral might four years ago! ...But reincarnated as a Shiny Decidueye for some reason. Helix is the only guy I know who's ever called me Wikwik before. Must be because your then-human ears mistook my gratitude for saying 'wick wick'. I actually go by Frightlight." Her flame burned brighter, as if taunting me. "But yes, your Krookodile's soul fueled my fire quite a bit! Thanks a lot for generously handing over his soul back then!"

"Of all my Pokemon..." I grabbed Frightlight in my wings and shook her rapidly. "Why did you have to take K. Rock's soul?! No Pokemon could ever replace him!"

"Don't you know?" She giggled. "We Litwick get our flames fueled more from rare and powerful souls than weak, common ones. That sweet-looking Krookodile of yours that had flawless individual values was the perfect way to help my fire burn bright!"

"Stronger flames from stronger Pokemon? I can't believe I didn't think of that..." I let go of her. "By any chance... did you steal the soul of a Krabby yesterday?"

"Yep!" Frightlight shamelessly answered. "A Krabby with perfect IVs and the Sheer Force Hidden Ability."

"Huh, that's what I figured." I thought back to my meal at the Captain's Table. "No wonder that Krabby's legs didn't taste as good as I expected... Not that it matters." I carefully plucked a quill, making sure not to let her see it. "And what're you doing all the way out here in Motostoke Stadium, anyway?"

"Well, I overheard that the Fire Gym in the Galar region is super tough, so surely the challengers there would have some really strong Pokemon, and maybe even some rare ones. Since I'm part Fire type, I would blend in perfectly! So I hitched a ride on a migrating Braviary to get to Galar before sneaking my way into this stadium. This was the greatest plan!" She shook her head. "No luck yet, though. Earlier today some black-haired girl came in with some tough Pokemon, but they were too smart to give me a chance to steal their souls. At least I got to keep her from gaining a point by letting the Gym Trainer land the finishing blow. Hehehe!"

"Mother of Arceus... And I thought megalomaniac Pokemon didn't exist..." I had an idea. I decided to distract her with a story that would both surely catch her attention and be relevant to the situation. "Say, have you ever heard the story of the twenty-love killer?"

"Twenty-love killer? No, that doesn't sound familiar to me. I'd be happy to hear it!"

"And I would be happy to tell you." What Frightlight didn't know was that I was secretly setting up for an attack surprisingly related to the story. "One day, an unsuspecting human fell into a place known as the Underground, which was populated with creatures simply called monsters. He was guided on where to go and what to do by an entity who is called... The Player. Seeing the dangers of being among monsters, The Player gave the human a mission to become as strong as possible. How did they accomplish that mission? By slaying every monster in sight. The monsters tried to end his massacre, but every single one fell victim to his weapon, be it a shoe, a frying pan, or a knife. By the time the human had killed all the monsters in the Underground, his level of violence had reached twenty, hence the name 'twenty-love killer.'

"At the end of the Underground, the human thanked The Player. He had looted everything in every area, reached the highest level of violence, and ensured that nothing survived his murderous rampage. Now that the Underground was barren of things to do, the human suggested that he erase the pointless world so The Player can move on to the next."

Frightlight was bouncing up and down with excitement. "Did The Player agree to this?"

I paused for dramatic effect. "...No, The Player refused."

She gasped. "Really? What'd the human think of that?"

She was too into the story to notice me brandishing the quill with malicious intent. "The human was impressed. He said, 'No? That's interesting...' Then the next six words he said shook The Player to the core..."

"And those were--" Frightlight lifted up her melted wax to look at me with her green left eye, only to discover that I had a darkness-imbued quill in my right wing, a Ghost Gem in my left, and completely black eyes. "Oh, fizzle..."

Oh, fizzle, indeed...

"SINCE WHEN WERE YOU IN CONTROL?!"

I delivered a single vertical slash that cleaved the cruel candle in two. Having done its job, the Ghost Gem vanished, and my eyes returned to normal. For good measure, I crushed the vile wax in my talons.

But the flame was still there, separated from Frightlight's decimated body. "Dang... You have no idea how much that hurt..." It floated around me, teasing me. "To be honest, I really didn't expect my soul to live on even after my body perished. Guess I've absorbed the power of so many souls that my own soul can survive even without a body. Now if you'll excuse--" It suddenly charged into my body, only to quickly bounce out. "What the... Let's try this again." It rushed into me once more, with the same result. "This doesn't make any sense. I've been stealing souls for years now! Why can't I steal yours?"

I crossed my arms in defiance. "I've trained both my body and my soul to be strong and unyielding. I intended for the training to help me avoid mind control, but apparently it works for soul thieves as well."

"Huh, you really are stubborn. I got a feeling that you REALLY want to end me, but you'll have to figure out how to do that on your--"

I whipped up a whirlwind around the flame.

"...No, you idiot. You can't just blow out a spectral fire. It takes--"

"I know." Many thick vines burst out of the ground and encompassed Frightlight's soul, constricting it. "That was a diversion. This is the real attack." The vines drained her soul of all its life, and when they retracted back into the ground, the only things left were many smaller souls that were more like actual wisps than flames.

They seemed to call out to me in thanks.

"Hey, you've no need to thank me. I was just doing my job as a hero. And besides, the ultimate reason why I killed your kidnapper wasn't even all that heroic. I acted out of emotion, because a few years ago..." I looked at one of the souls in particular before frowning. "...Frightlight really pissed me off."

I threw a Quick Ball at the Vulpix and Sizzlipede from earlier, catching them to complete the Gym mission.

The Gym Trainers were completely still, afraid of how viciously I did away with Frightlight and her soul. Dan was too, but he managed to calm down enough to talk. "...Uh, congrats on completing the Gym mission! Y-you were positively on fire! ...Oh, right!" He shakily pointed towards a large door. "Head through there to reach the arena where you'll be battling the Fire Gym's leader, Kabu! I-if you don't mind, that is."

"Of course I don't mind. I feel much better now that I've rescued these souls from that soulthirsty Litwick. And speaking of..." I opened my wings to the souls. "I'll get you all back to your bodies if they're still intact. For now, just use my body as a vessel. You'll have a front-row seat for my battle against Kabu." The souls eagerly entered my body. I felt a tingly feeling as they got settled in. "Alright, now we're gonna have some fun."

I walked towards the door with my mind and heart at ease. With that soul thief out of the way, I could concentrate fully on the upcoming battle.









I slowly advanced through the hallway leading to the arena, sensing the energetic anticipation of the souls within me. Using that Ghost Gem, not to mention the Frenzy Plant-Giga Drain combo, had worn me out for a short while, but I'd recovered in a manner of seconds. Perhaps my stamina training paid off, or maybe it was because the souls were sharing their restored power with me.

When I reached the end of the hallway, I heard footsteps behind me. Looking to my right, I saw none other than the man of fire himself. I acknowledged his presence with a nod. Together, we walked to the center of the stadium.

Once there, Kabu spoke up. "So... Helix, was it? You're an impressive Trainer. Not only did you best both Milo's Grass-type Pokemon and Nessa's Water types, but you made my Gym mission look like child's play! Although... the way you ended that Litwick was overkill."

"Not to me..." I looked up at the audience. "Heed my words, fellow Pokemon Trainers! The Litwick I fatally attacked was no ordinary Litwick... Her name is Frightlight, and she has been stealing the souls of rare and powerful Pokemon for years. If I had not shown her what comes after the afterlife, she could have taken the souls of any of your Pokemon that you used to challenge the Fire Gym!"

They gasped. Some of them even held their Poke Balls close to their bodies in sadness.

"Relax, all of you whose Pokemon may have fallen victim to Frightlight. While there may not be a way to bring them back, all you need to know is that no more Pokemon will suffer Frightlight's wrath, and that justice has been served my way... cold."

Hearing this, most of the Trainers sighed in relief, while the rest hugged each other in sorrow.

"So, that Litwick has been stealing souls for a long time?" Kabu asked. "From how you described this Frightlight, she must be a much bigger threat than I had initially thought. In that case, thank you very much for making sure she was finished off for good!"

"I appreciate the gratitude, but I was mainly doing that for myself." I clenched my fist. "She took the soul of my closest Pokemon friend, so I reciprocated by bringing her soul-taking streak to a complete halt. My icy heart is hard to thaw, but when it does, it becomes a raging inferno."

"Good to know. Your frozen heart keeps you safe from emotions that may otherwise interfere with your ability to fight, but you hold nothing back against a true opponent who gets past that barrier and brings out your inner power." We took our places at each side of the battlefield. He sent out a Kantonian Ninetales. "Allow me to see if I can melt your cold heart!"

I responded by sending out Gyarados.

Dan, having recovered from his fear, scampered to the side of the arena to referee the match. "Let the Gym battle against Kabu begin!"

Kabu got the first move. "Use Incinerate!" Ninetales shot a fireball at Gyarados.

"Charge right through! Waterfall!" The fireball didn't faze Gyarados as he shot ahead, ramming into Ninetales with great force. "Now go for Crunch!" He threatened to chomp down on Ninetales with his massive maw.

"Here's your chance! Flamethrower!" Ninetales launched a stream of flame into Gyarados' gullet, making him close his mouth from the pain it brought his esophagus. "Follow through with Tail Whip!" Ninetales turned around and repeatedly lashed Gyarados with its many tails.

This wasn't the first time I've seen an offensive Tail Whip, but I was still impressed to see the move utilized by a Ninetales. "You go for quantity... but we go for quality! Aqua Tail!" Gyarados slammed Ninetales with his large, water-covered tail, ending the first round surprisingly quickly.

"I should have seen this coming... Not many Trainers come ready to hit my Pokemon with their weaknesses, but you know better." Kabu returned his Ninetales to its Poke Ball. "I've been wondering how long it would be until such a challenger takes me on, and it pleases me to encounter a skilled Trainer like you." He sent out a large canine Pokemon with an orange and black pelt, and shaggy beige fur. "Go, Arcanine!"

So, the legendary Pokemon that isn't a Legendary Pokemon... The wide variety of moves that Arcanine could learn gave me the feeling that things were going to spiral downhill fast if Gyarados didn't do something about it. "Use Rain Dance!" Gyarados roared, summoning dark clouds from which rain fell. I then realized that it was raining on some of the audience. "Apologies to those of you who despise rain!"

"Trying to weaken our fire attacks?" Kabu's already serious face turned even more serious. "Good maneuver, but you'll have to do better. Wild Charge!" Arcanine covered itself in electricity and charged towards Gyarados with amazing speed.

"Dodge it!" Gyarados attempted to move its long serpentine body out of the way, but it still suffered a direct hit from Wild Charge, knocking it out. "You did exceptional, Gyarados. Return." I withdrew Gyarados before remarking, "Teaching that powerful Electric-type move to Arcanine was outstanding, Kabu! You're certainly ready for any Water types that come your way!"

"Water types were the very reason we trained in Galar Mine No. 2," Kabu replied. "I made sure to incorporate a physical Electric-type move into Arcanine's moveset to surprise challengers."

I saw Wild Charge coming, but I failed to acknowledge my Water and Flying type's long body. "Perhaps Drednaw would have been a better Water type to have in my team... Oh well, time for my next Pokemon!" I sent out Farfetch'd. "I choose you, Farfetch'd!"

"A Farfetch'd? Interesting choice. Arcanine, use Play Rough!" Arcanine charged straight ahead.

"Brutal Swing, and aim low!" Farfetch'd swung his huge leek horizontally along the ground, causing Arcanine to trip. "Now use Rock Smash!" He lifted his leek up in the air and prepared to bring it down on Arcanine's head.

"Intercept it with Bite!" Arcanine lifted its head up and sank its incisors into the leek, to our surprise. "Now shake it!" Arcanine rapidly tossed its head about, and Farfetch'd hung onto the leek like his life depended on it. But his grip slowly gave way, and he was eventually thrown to the side.

Farfetch'd pushed himself to his feet and saw Arcanine smugly holding his leek in its jaws. "Darn it... If that fiend bites down much harder, my leek will... No! There must be a way!"

I nodded. "There is. Use Knock--"

"Knock Off? That's a horrible idea! Think about the possible consequences! Knock Off could cause Arcanine to put even more force on my leek rather than release it. I won't risk that, not for my leek!" Farfetch'd held his smaller Leek angrily, then he repeatedly looked from his Leek to Arcanine and back. "Hmm... I've got it!"

He twirled his Leek rapidly like a baton, purple energy covering it, then he hurled it at Arcanine. It hit Arcanine square in the neck, and Arcanine released the big leek with a mere whimper escaping its mouth as well.

Farfetch'd learned Throat Chop.

"One down... Time to see if this bad dog can handle two more..." After retrieving his regular-sized Leek, Farfetch'd picked up his own leek and used Rock Smash to hammer Arcanine hard on the head with it.

"Two..." Having not yet quelled his anger, he bashed Arcanine twice more. The first hit was with Rock Smash, but the second one was a different move. I recognized it as Superpower by the orange aura that surrounded Farfetch'd, as well as the massive damage it dealt. Holding the leek over his right shoulder, he leered at the defeated opponent.

He started glowing light blue.

His body didn't seem to change one bit. But his leek, on the other hand... It became straight and sharpened at the end, and Farfetch'd held it upright as a shield of some sort formed in his left wing. When the glow went away, his down had changed from dark brown to pure white, and his frown had changed into a confident smile. The shield he had was a very sturdy leaf.

He had evolved into a Farfetch'd version of the White Knight.

"...Three."

I eagerly checked his Pokedex entry. "Sirfetch'd, the Wild Duck Pokemon, and the evolution of Farfetch'd. A Fighting type, this evolution can only be attained by Farfetch'd who have survived many battles. When a Sirfetch'd's leek withers, it will retire from combat for good."

"A noble swordsman..." I smiled. "I've made my choice. Your name will be Wing Arthur! ...Actually, that might not make sense for the people of Galar if there wasn't a legendary warrior in the past known as King Arthur." I facewinged while sighing. "This could very well make some people laugh... but I'll have to resort to calling you the next best thing, which could easily be taken the wrong way... Leeksalot."

As I expected, this elicited some giggles from the crowd.

"Fantastic! You're the only Gym Challenger I've had who's managed to have a Pokemon evolve while battling me!" Kabu watched as the rain began to peter out. "Ah, just in time. That Rain Dance greatly impeded my Fire types... but now that the rainfall has ceased, I can truly light my inner fire!" He withdrew Arcanine and sent out a long centipede Pokemon like Sizzlipede, but larger. The flames on its face reminded me of a samurai helmet... Wait... This Pokemon must have been the inspiration for the Motostoke logo! "Nothing stands between us and the opponent, Centiskorch! It's time for us to truly go all-out!"

I checked Centiskorch's Pokedex entry. "Centiskorch, the radiator Pokemon, and the evolution of Sizzlipede. A Fire- and Bug-type, Centiskorch's body temperature can reach about 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. It lashes its body like a whip and launches itself at enemies to burn them with the heat-generating organs on its underside."

"A type that Fighting will be less effective against... Okay, then. You did very well, Leeksalot. Congrats on evolving." The wild duck Pokemon contently went into his Poke Ball, very happy over his success in landing enough critical hits. I sent out my Carkol, which caused Kabu to flinch. And he had a good reason to flinch, because Centiskorch has a severe type disadvantage. "Now it's your turn, Rev Rock!"

"Your nickname for Carkol is Rev Rock?" Kabu shook his head. "A rookie mistake. If you want it to reach its second evolution, then it would be a good idea to change its name."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Despite what you may think, Carkol's final evolution isn't a locomotive Pokemon. Its nickname should be that of a walking Pokemon, not a rolling one."

"Not a locomotive Pokemon?" I was very astonished. Before this discovery, I had thought that Carkol would almost certainly evolve into a train Pokemon. "In that case, I'll call you N. Jinn, as a reference to your Ability!"

"Your nicknaming skills leave nothing to be desired." Kabu withdrew Centiskorch and filled its Poke Ball with Dynamax Energy. "But now we must see if your Dynamax skills are good enough to take on the form-changing power of Gigantamax!" With a certain fire in his eyes, Kabu tossed the Dynamax Ball. When it opened, Centiskorch had a completely new form: Its number of segments and legs drastically increased, and its underside turned completely yellow to match the heat-generating organs. The flames from its head and "tail" grew larger and longer, resembling an X at the center.

The intense heat radiating off of Gigantamax Centiskorch caused me to sweat, and I wiped some off of my forehead before preparing N. Jinn for Dynamaxing. "As a Pokemon Trainer, I'll do everything in my power to put out your fire!" I chucked my Dynamax Ball and released Dynamax N. Jinn. "Time to frighten everyone on the naughty list! Coal usually fuels fire, but in the case of Carkol, fire fuels coal!"

"I was hoping to use Centiskorch's G-Max Move, but your clever quip revealed your plan to me. Instead, it's time to use Max Darkness!" I realized my blunder as Gigantamax Centiskorch sent dark energy at N. Jinn, causing an explosion of darkness that seemed to lower his defenses.

"Sorry about that, N. Jinn!" I apologetically exclaimed. "I often have a habit of making one-liners relevant to the situations I find myself in..." I quickly looked up the name of the Rock-type Max Move. "Anyway, strike back with Max Rockfall!" Suddenly, the very ground beneath me shook, and a massive pillar of stone rose up under my talons. "Whoa, I'd better move!" I jumped off of the pillar as it fell forward and pancaked the opposing Pokemon before bursting apart. This in turn caused a sandstorm to appear on the battlefield.

G-Max Centiskorch survived the attack despite having a double weakness to Rock-type moves. Seeing as Carkol didn't have very much attack power, I didn't expect Centiskorch to be taken out in one super-effective move, so it didn't come as a surprise to me.

"Finish it off with another Max Rockfall!" N. Jinn prepared another stone pillar, but as it fell, I was introduced to another kind of Max Move...

"Max Guard!"

A light blue barrier appeared in front of Centiskorch and completely no-sell'd the Max Rockfall, astounding me.

Kabu chuckled. "It's clear that you've never heard of the move Max Guard before. Simply put, it's a Max Move that works like Protect and Detect, but it also completely guards against other Max Moves." He gripped the towel around his neck tightly. "Now, Centiskorch! Use Max Darkness...?"

Following his confounded stare, I looked up and saw that G-Max Centiskorch's eyes had turned into swirls. It stood still for a few seconds before slowly falling to the ground and returning to its original state.

"Did... Did the sandstorm strip away the last of Centiskorch's health?!" Kabu asked, still in disbelief.

"...I think it did," I replied as the Dynamax Energy left N. Jinn and brought him back to his normal size. "That was... unprecedented. Unprecedented, but very welcome." I returned N. Jinn to his Poke Ball before walking up to Kabu, who looked crushed that he lost because of a sandstorm. "Hey, you're not alone. I may be a professional Trainer, but even I have lost a few matches to bad weather or stage hazards."

"I was so focused on your Pokemon that I forgot about the sandstorm..." Kabu rose from his knees with a smile before returning Centiskorch to its Poke Ball. "Thank you, Challenger Helix. You put up an exceptional fight, and that sandstorm your Carkol's Max Rockfall created taught me to take all things into account in Pokemon battles, including seemingly minor things such as weather. With this knowledge, I'll have an advantage if I ever have another battle with Raihan."

"Raihan?" The mention of Raihan perplexed me. "That's strange. If I recall correctly, he's a Dragon-type user. Why would you be concerned about sandstorms?"

"True, he does specialize in Dragon types. However, he strives to win in all environments, so he often uses weather such as harsh sunlight and sandstorms. You should consider that when you challenge Raihan at Hammerlocke Stadium. But before that, here's a Fire Badge as proof that you've defeated me!" The badge Kabu gave me had a design like a flame on it. I expected it to go along the ring between the Grass and Water Badges, but it actually went in the middle of the medallion, still bordered by said Badges. "Seeing as you're a long-time Pokemon Trainer, I assume you know that Pokemon battling is a major part of our culture, correct?"

"I do. Pokemon and humans have a mutual relationship; humans train Pokemon so they can bond and become stronger, and in turn Pokemon help humans with their everyday lives. Additionally, by working with Pokemon, humans can learn more about them." I spread my wings to the audience. "It's up to the passionate hearts of young Trainers to make sure it stays that way and potentially becomes even better, but that doesn't mean older Trainers can't get in on the action!"

"Such is the reason why I always keep my inner fire burning brightly. A true Trainer must never let their fiery passion die down, lest they be snuffed out by the demands of society." Kabu handed me a reddish-orange TM. "This is a gift from me. It's TM38, Will-O-Wisp. If it hits, the opposing Pokemon will be burned, slowly taking damage and dropping their attack power."

I gladly took the Technical Machine and put it away before shaking Kabu's hand. "Thank you for the battle. Now if you'll excuse me..." The souls anxiously trembled within my body. "...I need to take care of the souls that Frightlight stole."

After changing out of my uniform and picking up the Fire Uniform gift on my way out of Motostoke Stadium, I transformed into a Shiny Dragonite once more and took off.



Before even a minute had passed, the Galar region was dozens of miles behind me. Another landmass came into my line of sight, which meant that I was close to my destination. Putting even more effort into flying, I soared right over the Unova region.

I only slowed down when a snowy mountain appeared over the horizon. Rather, it looked less like a mountain and more like a frozen castle, for a recent incident that happened about seven years ago made the abandoned mineshaft unstable and forced the most important inhabitant to freeze a new foundation into place.

I landed at the entrance of the frozen mineshaft.

Full Court.

Returning to my Decidueye form, I sent out Hotshot. "If things haven't changed much since the Sword of Justice incident, the main room of this place must still be blocked by ice. Hotshot, have you been practicing your kicking skills?"

Hotshot nodded. "Did a lot of kicking in Galar Mine No. 2, where I punted some rocks at the local Water types as well as using normal moves on them. And back when you had me train while you helped the Doctor, I did some special training where I kicked Berries out of trees to work on my accuracy."

"Good." I used the Pokemon Box Link to switch out N. Jinn for the Sizzlipede I caught in the Fire Gym. "Follow me. We're gonna meet the fearsome Pokemon who calls this frozen castle his home."

Together, Hotshot and I entered the mineshaft. The place had worn down a lot over time, so it wasn't a simple jaunt. We had to vault over derailed minecarts, leap from wooden support to wooden support, and shimmy along walls to reach the center. The occasional Cryogonal, an ice crystal Pokemon, flying by didn't make things easier.

The journey got much easier towards the end, where we just had to run through the twists and turns of a corridor. At the end of the corridor was a wall of ice blocking the way to the main area.

I looked down at Hotshot. "It's time. Use Double Kick!"

"Got it." Hotshot raced towards the ice barrier and delivered some powerful kicks to it. However, it didn't even crack. "Dang, that's some pretty tough ice. Only a really strong Ice-type Pokemon could make this kind of ice!"

"I know. The Pokemon who lives here is a Legendary Pokemon, but this ice wall has been up for a long time. Surely it's gotten a little weaker as time went by. Try using Flame Charge!"

"Good idea. A Fire-type move ought to make it weak enough to break through." Hotshot cloaked himself in fire and charged at the wall. It still had no effect. "Seriously?! Just how good is this Legendary Pokemon at using Ice-type moves?"

"Well, he's fabled to be the most powerful Dragon-type Pokemon."

"No kidding..." Hotshot looked down at the ground and saw a lone pebble. I saw a smirk rise behind the red collar of fur covering his mouth. "Well, what do you know? Looks like it's time to do this my own way."

He kicked it up and began juggling it with his hind feet. I may not be a professional soccer player, but the way he kept it from touching the ground using only his feet reminded me of one. If you were to witness him juggling the pebble, you would think he was preparing for a major soccer league such as the Premier League.

His body gave off the evolution glow.

Finally, I thought. It's about time he caught up to the Doctor's starter enough to evolve.

Hotshot's body became taller in general, and his ears perked up again and became larger. His arms became longer and more slender, as did his legs. When the evolution glow dissipated, I saw that he had a red tuft of fur on his forehead like a flame, and he had red fur on his lower body like a pair of rolled-up pants. His black feet with red toes were continuing to juggle the pebble, which started to glow orange.

He wasn't just juggling it. He was turning it into a burning soccer ball.

"He shoots!" With a powerful sideways kick, Hotshot launched the fireball at the icy barrier. It completely shattered, and he performed a celebratory knee slide. "GOOOOOOOAAAALLLL!"

I checked his Pokedex entry as we proceeded. "Cinderace, the Striker Pokemon. A Fire type, it juggles pebbles with its feet to turn them into flaming soccer balls. Its shots strike hard and leave opponents scorched."

Seems like I made the right choice in calling him Hotshot.

We continued into a clearing, where several Cryogonal swarmed the area. At the center was a circular platform similar to a railroad turntable. Above the main floor was a balcony of some sort.

I walked a few steps forward, the cold not even making me shiver. "Kyurem!" I exclaimed, causing an echo to resonate. "My name is Helix, and I've come to make a request!"

Loud stomping sounded from afar, and its source slowly marched into view near the center platform: a frozen dragon with glowing yellow eyes, strange protrusions like wings, and a large tail that appeared to be some kind of energy container or propulsion device. "Helix..." He gave me a menacing stare. "I do not accept requests. Now leave." A ball of cyan energy formed in front of his mouth. "Or will I have to make you leave?"

"No, I'm not here for that kind of request." I allowed the souls to leave my body so Kyurem could see them, then they returned to my body after a few seconds. "Is it true that the victims of a certain Litwick have been brought here to be left under your supervision?"

"...!" The cyan ball of energy vanished. "Those souls you have... Could it be? Did you manage to rescue them from the notorious Litwick criminal known as Frightlight?"

I nodded. "I did. Why do you ask? You know that Litwick?"

Kyurem's eyes narrowed. "She took the soul of my most powerful Cryogonal servant... That unsympathetic bastard!" He looked at his Cryogonal. "Go and bring the bodies. Now that this Pokemon has retrieved their souls, there is no need for them to be preserved."

The ice crystal Pokemon immediately flew off into a dark corridor. Some time passed, and they returned carrying many large blocks of ice. The blocks were dropped in front of me, allowing me to see that there were Pokemon in each one. The souls instantly escaped my body and entered their own bodies, except for one soul, which was left without a body.

"I assume you have a means of thawing them out?"

"Certainly." I sent out Sizzlipede and fed it Experience Candies to evolve it into Centiskorch. "Use Wrap on the frozen Pokemon. And if you will... start with the crocodile Pokemon."

Centiskorch coiled its body around the ice block containing a bipedal, brown crocodile Pokemon with yellow stripes on its back and tail, and a yellow membrane surrounding its eyes. Centiskorch's heat organs glowed yellow, causing steam to rise from the ice.

Once it was weakened enough, the block of ice shattered, freeing the Pokemon within... My Shiny Krookodile. He opened his eyes after a few seconds, to my relief. "Ugh, my back..." He got up and stretched, a few bones popping. "Hey, where am I? And how long have I been out?"

"You are in my lair," Kyurem answered. "I froze your body using Ice Burn to preserve it for three years, but this Pokemon named Helix killed the Litwick who stole your soul, so he was able to bring you back to life."

"Helix?" Krookodile crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "You can't be Helix. My Trainer Helix is a human, and you're a Pokemon of some sort! You ain't fooling me!"

"Who said I was fooling you? I can prove I'm your Trainer." I took out a pink Poke Ball, a Heal Ball. I used the return beam to withdraw Krookodile before sending him out again. He still didn't look convinced. "And before you say I could've just stolen your Poke Ball..." I cleared my throat and began to sing the chorus of a certain shanty, but with a special twist...

"Hail to the croc, to the Pokemon who sure rocks!
Hail to the croc, to the Pokemon who sure rocks!
Hail to K. Rock, the Ground- and Dark-type who rocks my world!"

K. Rock gasped. "It... It really is you! C'mere!" With a big smile, he ran towards me and gave me a hug, which I returned. "Sounds like I missed out on a lot, but for right now..." We did a stereotypical tough-guy handshake. "K. Rock is back and ready to help kick some tail, baby!"

I joyously returned K. Rock to his Heal Ball. "I'd sure love to have you battle with me once again, but right now I'm exploring a new region, so I want to use a full team of Pokemon from that region. For now, just stay in here." I sent him to the Pokemon Box, where I would make sure not to forget him when I returned a year older.

The next thawed-out Pokemon was a Cryogonal with orange eyes and ice chains. A Shiny Cryogonal.

"Kelvin... It's been so long..." Kyurem watched in delight as the Shiny Cryogonal known as Kelvin floated to him. "Welcome back, my most bone-chilling follower. May your powers stay true to your name."

After Kelvin, Centiskorch melted an ice block containing two Pokemon that looked remarkably similar to each other.

They had the body shape of ponies, although leaning more towards princess ponies and real horses. Both Pokemon had a cream-colored body and horn, blue fur covering their back and chest, a blue tail, and a red mane, but there were some differences.

The first of them to wake up and rise to its hooves was female. Her long mane rested on her back, partially hiding the blue fur. Her horn was short and straight with a rounded end. The other Pokemon, a male, got up soon after. He had a fairly short mane and a long, curved horn with a pointed end.

Like with several Legendary Pokemon, they proved to be able to speak through telepathy. "I don't recognize this place one bit..." The female nervously looked around. "Nowhere to be seen... We shouldn't be here! We've got to find them! They could be in serious danger!"

"If that fire's still raging on, there's no time to lose. Nothing's going to stop us from reuniting with them..." The male saw the corridor from which I came, and he glared at me. "...including you! Out of our way!"

I nimbly avoided a diagonal slash from his horn. "Seriously? I literally save your lives from serving as sustenance for a local Ghost type, and this is how you repay me?"

"Save our lives? The heck are you talking about? We had the situation completely under control. A Litwick even gave us a helping hand and led us out of the fire!" I started to make a counterargument, but he put a hoof to my mouth. "And before you bother with saying Litwick are Ghost types and like to steal souls, even Ghost-type Pokemon can be hurt by fires! She was as desperate to escape the forest fire as we were!"

I shoved the hoof down. "Litwick's secondary type is Fire. It could've survived just fine."

He raised his hoof again as he attempted to challenge my knowledge, but found himself speechless out of realization. "...They can have Flash Fire, making them immune to it... That Litwick really was just trying to thieve us of our souls!" He stomped his hoof in frustration. "How could I let myself fall for a Ghost type's sneaky trick?! It was so obvious!"

"It wasn't your fault that we fell for it," the female replied. "Creatures don't always think well under pressure. Not only were our lives on the line, but the fire separated us from our young." She looked at me with a hopeful smile. "You said you saved our lives from that Litwick... Was that true?"

"Yeah, I ran into her all the way over in the Galar region." I held my clenched hand/wing in front of me. "I personally held a grudge against her, for she stole the soul of my dear friend K. Rock while I explored this region. By making her discover what comes after the afterlife, I freed all the souls trapped within her spectral flame." I pointed out the Pokemon that were frozen in ice, as well as my Centiskorch, who was still working at melting ice blocks. "The bodies of her victims were taken here to Kyurem's lair so he could preserve them in ice. Centiskorch here is thawing them out now that I've brought their souls back to them."

"That's really kind of you, sir! I wish I could repay you, but we don't really have much to offer except our thanks... Oh! We forgot to introduce ourselves!" The female fixed up her hair by splashing it with water then tossing her head, thus making her hairstyle look similar to that of Princess Cadance. "My name is Azure Lakefront, and this is my husband, Stormchaser."

"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Helix. I used to be a human, but a special potion gave me the ability to transform into any Pokemon I have registered in my Pokedex." Their color and body shape looked familiar to me, so I deduced that they might be related to a friend of mine. "Excuse me for making such a personal assumption, but might your species happen to be Keldeo? If so, I can confirm that your son is in good hands."

"You're serious?!" Stormchaser galloped up to me. "Which one? We've got two sons, so you'd better give us a name!"

"Two sons? Keldeo never told me he had a brother..." I took out my Rotom Phone and scrolled through the pictures I had taken. I showed them one featuring Keldeo with his Trainer. "You might not recognize him because he's in his Resolute Form, but this Keldeo is now best friends with the person who caught and trained him, Pummel Fist, a Trainer who also got the ability to become any Pokemon in his Pokedex due to a special potion."

"...Pummel Fist is his identity?" Kyurem's eyes narrowed. "Then... was that Trainer lying to me when he said his name... was Dalton?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. It's a force of habit." I sheepishly scratched my head before showing Kyurem a picture where Pummel Fist was giving a thumbs-up next to Spike and Twilight Sparkle. "Yeah, his real name's Dalton. He just adopted the alias of Pummel Fist in order to fit in with the locals in Equestria. Since then, it's become second nature for all his friends to call him that. I still can't help but call him Pummel Fist, even when we're not around ponies."

"Interesting..."

Stormchaser poked me with his horn to gain my attention. "That Keldeo you showed us... Yeah, he's one of our sons. His name's Splash Hoof. Kinda reckless, but he always manages to get out of tight situations somehow. Good thing he's got a Trainer to guide him."

"Yeah," Azure said. "But I wonder if his big brother is going to be alright..."

"Of course he will. He's got both the brains and the brawn to survive the fire in the Moor of Icirrus."

"Actually, that fire was taken care of a long time ago," I replied. "It's been over a decade since the Swords of Justice rescued the innocent Pokemon who were trapped in the forest fire, but I don't doubt that Keldeo's--er, Splash Hoof's--elder brother may have survived it all on his own."

"Over a decade?!" Azure gasped. "Little Splash Hoof must be worried sick, thinking that we're dead! Helix, if at all possible, can you please help us find him?!"

"Absolutely!" I brought up the Town Map on my Rotom Phone and zoomed out, showing the entire Galar region. "Splash Hoof and Dalton are training here in the Galar region, and right now they should be about ready to take on the Gym in Motostoke, which is here." Then I scrolled left until the map showed Unova instead. "As you can see, Galar is a straight shot east of the Unova region, so you shouldn't have many problems getting there with your natural ability to cross water by shooting water out of your hooves."

Centiskorch finished melting the last ice block, which held a Shiny Beldum. "Okay, that's all of 'em, Helix." He looked up at the lone soul floating around. "But there's still a soul left. You gonna do anything about that one?"

"Hmm... That must be the soul of the Krabby who was killed to make one of the meals at the seafood restaurant, the Captain's Table..." I took the soul and put it back inside my body. "I'll figure out what to do with you later. For now..." I motioned towards Azure and Stormchaser. "...follow me, and I'll take you to the Galar region."
> Chapter 18: Heroic Reunions and a New Recruit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I landed in front of the stairs leading into Motostoke, with Azure and Stormchaser not far behind. After turning back into Decidueye, I pointed north up the stairs. "Head right up these steps, and you'll find yourselves in Motostoke. Splash Hoof and his Trainer should be getting close to taking on the Gym there, if not already doing so. Just wait for them in the bright red building, the Pokemon Center. I'm sure Nurse Joy will be happy to tend to your injuries while you wait."

"I can't thank you enough for this!" Azure beamed. "We'll never forget your amazing acts of kindness! But Helix, aren't you going to come with us?"

"I'd love to, but I'm pretty busy at the moment." I put a wing on my chest. "I still need to figure out what to do with this Krabby's soul now that his body is no longer intact. And besides, I need to continue my Gym Challenge."

"Suit yourself, then. I guess a Trainer's gotta do what a Trainer's gotta do. As for us..." Stormchaser decisively ran up the stairs, and Azure followed after him. "...we're gonna watch our son win at Motostoke Stadium!"

Now that I had accomplished my mission by returning the souls to their intact bodies, it was time for me to make my way to the fourth Gym.

But before that... breakfast. I completely forgot to eat before taking on the Fire Gym.

So I set up camp in East Lake Axewell and got ready to fix some curry. Corvisquire and Hotshot helped out by fetching some key ingredients from around the Wild Area, such as Large Leeks, Fancy Apples, and Pungent Roots.

Having done a lot of exploring in other regions, I amassed a large amount of different Berries, including uncommon ones such as Roseli Berries and Petaya Berries. After careful consideration, I chose to use the somewhat rare ones; that is, the ones that can weaken super-effective attacks when eaten. For the key ingredient, I used a Fancy Apple.

A nearby Vulpix lent a helping paw by using Ember to get the fire started, so that my Fire-type Pokemon wouldn't have to waste Power Points just to cook some curry. I thanked it by giving it a Passho Berry so it would stand a chance against any Water types that may challenge it to a battle.

From then on, it was smooth sailing. Stirring was especially easy because I was the only person stirring the curry, so there were no people to bump into. Fanning the flames was similarly easy, for working alone meant no telling others to speed up or slow down to keep the curry from being burned or undercooked.

The resulting Sour Apple Curry tasted exceptional, making it a Copperajah-Class curry. The sour Berries went very well with the sweet Fresh Apple, leaving a tingly feeling in my taste buds.

After finishing the curry, I packed everything up to get ready to move on. I was eager to explore the area past the bridge bordering North Lake Miloch, but I felt confident that my team was ready to venture into the western part of the Wild Area. I got ready to head west towards the Watchtower Ruins, but I stopped as the Doctor trotted down the stairs to Motostoke, followed by Kabu.

"Ah, there he is!" The Doctor pointed at me with his front hoof. "Kabu wanted to tell you something once you returned to Motostoke, Helix."

"Kabu?" I asked. "What're you doing outside of Motostoke?"

"Why, to see the two of you off, of course!" Kabu answered with a smile. "Many Trainers never manage to obtain the third Gym Badge, and they just give up after repeatedly trying to defeat me. But you and the Doctor succeeded in completing the Fire Gym's mission and beating me. On your first try, no less! Therefore, I insist on sending the two of you off with a proper, sporty chant!"

With an intense expression on his face, Kabu proceeded to fiercely recite a seemingly improvised chant that caused me to question his prior seriousness: "Hustle, Whooves, hustle, Helix! Show all of Galar your tricks!"

"..." The Doctor and I stood in bewildered silence.

Kabu... completely misinterpreted our confused stares, to my amusement. "Unsure about where to go next to continue your Gym Challenge? Not to worry, just head east to North Lake Miloch and cross the northern bridge. Keep going north, and you'll eventually reach Hammerlocke, your next destination. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to return to Motostoke. I don't want to keep challengers waiting!" He promptly jogged back up the stairs.

"Well..." the Doctor bashfully chuckled, "...that was unexpected. I hadn't the slightest idea he'd see us off with an ad-lib chant of all things." He looked east, towards the bridge that Kabu mentioned. "Anyway, the opportunity to proceed to the next city sounds enticing, but I'm feeling more adventurous now that my Pokemon have gotten stronger." He turned back to the Watchtower Ruins. "Thinking about traversing the western part of the Wild Area?"

"That's exactly what I was considering doing." I looked up at the sky. Clouds were covering the whole airspace, blocking out the sun entirely. "Cloudy skies... Good weather for spooky Pokemon. Hope you're prepared for Ghost types."

We crossed through West Lake Axewell, taking a moment to knock out a Quagsire and some Fighting- and Dark-type Pokemon in the various patches of grass to gain experience.

Closing in on the crumbled tower, I was quick to see an abundance of spectral Pokemon such as Duskull and Gastly.

Yep... It was time for Gyarados to wreak havoc.

I smirked as I sent out the atrocious Pokémon. "You know what to do, big guy." I wrapped a Choice Band around his tail. "Go sink your pearly whites into those poor spooks."

He did just that.

I sat back and watched Gyarados plow through the Ghost types, while the Doctor went further west to battle some Pokemon in a grass patch surrounding a Pokémon Den. To whittle away the time, I gained some EXP of my own by taking on a nearby Dusclops, a bipedal Ghost type with one eye.

After defeating the Dusclops, I was intrigued by the broken tower. Upon further inspection, I saw that it was hiding a massive hole in the ground.

Could it be... A Pokémon Den?

There's no telling what kinds of powerful Pokémon could be in there...

"Hey! Those ain't yours to beat up, ya big-mouthed beast!" My pondering was interrupted by someone angrily shouting. Turning west, I saw a purple ghost head with an angry frown and disembodied hands. "Who let a Gyarados frolic into the Watchtower Ruins?!"

"Oh, sorry about that! Just trying to grind some experience with my Pokemon." I returned Gyarados to his Poke Ball after apologizing to the Haunter. "Name's Helix. I guess you live here?"

"Eh, not really. I'm more of a traveler, so I like to wander here and there in search of ways to entertain myself. But from the times I've been to the Galar region, I don't remember any Decidueye living here. You come here from way off?"

"Yeah, I'm from really far away. And there's something else you should know about me..." I thought about how I should word my next sentence. "The thing is, I'm not any ordinary Decidueye..."

Haunter shrugged. "Duh, you're shiny."

"No, I don't mean that. I..." Admittedly, I couldn't find any other way to break the news to him. "...I'm not really a Decidueye. I'm not even a full-fledged Pokemon!"

"Not a Pokemon?" Haunter laughed off my confession. "Come on, you can't pull one over on the apprentice to the strongest non-Legendary Ghost type in the world! You look like a Decidueye, act like a Decidueye, and attack like a Decidueye, so you're clearly a Decidueye!"

"You can't just go by appearance and actions alone!" I flashed my collection of Galar Gym Badges, which just made him raise an eyebrow. "I am a human-turned-Pokemon, and I am a Pokemon Trainer! Back where I come from, I'm really well-known as a Trainer and a member of the Pokemon Expedition Society, and you'd better believe it!"

Haunter deadpanned while letting out an exasperated groan. "Look, bud, you're really getting on my nerves here. But you said something about being an Expedition Society Member? My pop's a member as well, and he's hanging around the Wild Area too. Maybe you ought to go bother him, 'cause he might know you. More than I do, at least." He pointed towards the bridge leading to the northern half of the Wild Area. "You'll find Big G up in the Giant's Cap, near the Stony Wilderness. Just watch out, 'cause he likes to--"

WHAM! A large boulder landed on Haunter, crushing him under its weight.

"Thanks, Helix!" The Doctor walked up from behind Haunter, with his Drednaw not far behind. "Since you kept that Pokemon's attention, Bite Force landed his Rock Tomb dead in the back of its noggin!"

"Uh... you're welcome." I pushed the boulder away, freeing the squashed specter. "But we were in the middle of a little chinwag, so that unexpected attack was, to put it lightly, less than welcome. Although, he seemed to be nearing the end of his part of the conversation, so I guess it wasn't that bad."

"Really? I didn't mean to cut off your conversation so abruptly!" The Doctor reached into his saddlebag and took out some Experience Candies. "Here, take these Experience Candies I got from my most recent Max Raid Battle as an apology."

"Much obliged, Doctor." I gladly took the candies. "By the way, what Pokemon did you fight in the Max Raid?"

"A feline Pokemon called Espurr. The Pokedex said its ears held tremendous psychic power, but Bite Force didn't even give it a chance to attack!" He laughed. "I knew his Bite was strong, but not strong enough to take down a Dynamax Psychic-type Pokemon in one fell swoop!"

I checked Bite Force's attributes using my Rotom Phone. "Says here that your Drednaw has Strong Jaw as its Ability. That boosts the power of biting moves by 50 percent, so it's no surprise that his Bite could one-shot Espurr."

"Sounds like I made the right choice by choosing Bite Force to take on Espurr!" The Doctor looked south, towards the wooded west portion of the Wild Area. "I'd like to see what's over there, but I fear I would run into some Pokemon that my team won't be able to handle. Why don't we make our way north to Hammerlocke?"

"Yeah, it's time for us to make some actual progress." I looked along the path to what the Town Map called the Dappled Grove. I noticed two Pokemon that could spell doom for clueless Trainers wandering around the Wild Area: a bipedal bear Pokemon with a black body and a pink, friendly-looking head and tail; and a Pokemon seemingly made of wood and having a white shaggy mane, leaf fans for hands, and a pointed nose. "Besides, I don't think you'd want to deal with dangerous Pokemon such as Bewear or Shiftry."

As we turned around to head east, there was a loud boom coming from Motostoke, followed by an insect-like screech. We dismissed it, for it was likely Kabu's Centiskorch Gigantamaxing to take on a Gym Challenger. I expected another boom to represent the challenger Dynamaxing their Pokemon, but that did not happen. Instead, when we reached the stairs to Motostoke, we saw a column of water rising from the stadium before turning into a vortex. It was enough to defeat Kabu's G-Max Centiskorch.

Smiling at the fact that another Gym Challenger cleared the Fire Gym, the Doctor and I continued down the slope leading to the bridge.

The Doctor put a hoof to his muzzle in disgust as we spotted a trash heap Pokemon on the slope. I prepared to battle it, but Bede came by and arrogantly challenged it with his Psychic types, telling us that we weren't capable of winning against the Garbodor. Therefore, we were free to proceed to the bridge.

Before we crossed, our Pokemon dispatched most of the skunk Pokemon in North Lake Miloch so they couldn't offend other Gym Challengers with their noxious gases. Afterward, I punished a Liepard with Acrobatics when it tried to ambush me.

But then...

"That's enough." The sound of large wings flapping was heard, and I ducked to avoid the metal wings of an armored raven Pokemon like the one from the Flying Taxi that Pinkie Pie took to reach Route 4. It touched down in front of us, guarding the path to the eastern part of the Wild Area. "The mistress is perturbed by your aggressive actions. To keep you from further agitating her, I must insist that you leave the vicinity this instant."

"The... mistress?" I asked, not bothering to check the Pokemon's entry in the Pokedex just yet. It wasn't a good idea at the time, considering the fact that the Pokemon looked ready to take action at any moment.

The raven Pokemon assertively loured at me before softening its gaze somewhat. It probably sensed that I did not have any ill intentions. "Yes. The mistress is a highly respected resident of North Lake Miloch who was traumatized by an event that occurred years ago." He looked back east, towards a low cliff looking over the southeast part of the Wild Area. On top of that cliff, there sat a figure with its back to us and a ragged, dark gray cloak covering its entire body. "She has advised me not to allow anyone to disturb her solemn meditation. She especially despises violence without a good cause, for it reminds her of... that day. Even I shudder when I think back to that horrifying moment in recent Galarian history..."

Horrifying moment? Recent Galarian history? That gave me a clue of what he was talking about. I took a second to look up the Pokemon's Pokedex entry so I could address it properly. "I beg your pardon, Corviknight, but did the event you speak of involve... an out-of-control Pokemon, perchance?"

"...!" Somehow hearing my question, the figure quietly gasped. It got up and turned around.

Now that it was facing us, the Doctor and I discovered what species "the mistress" was...

A Lucario.

"You... you know?!" she exclaimed via telepathy. She jumped down to us. "About the rampaging Golurk?!"

The Doctor nodded. "Professor Magnolia told us about how a squad of Pokemon called Falinks escorted a Riolu to her home for safety. As it turned out, that Riolu eventually evolved into Lucario and is now a very good friend of ours."

"...A Riolu?" The Lucario became dejected. "They were supposed to escort both of our children... Something must have happened to one of them..."

"Something did happen, but he ended up somewhere safe nonetheless," I reassured her. "Lucario told us the other half of the story. His brother tripped over a Roggenrola while following the Falinks, and the rock Pokemon exploded shortly after, apparently launching him clear into another region, where the local Fighting-type Gym Leader took him in."

"But how could he have known that? He wasn't the one who supposedly fell victim to the Roggenrola or was taken in by...!" Suddenly, her aura flared up. "That aura... I'd recognize it anywhere..."

Throwing off her cloak, the Lucario took off for Motostoke. She only had five more words to say before leaving us in the dust...

"It's okay, Luke... Mother's here!"

We observed with a smile on our faces as the mother dashed up the stairs, destined to reunite with one of her sons.

Corviknight closed its eyes as it reflected on the events that we just underwent. "At long last, the mourning mistress is about to regroup with one of her sons separated from her during his childhood... I, for one, greatly anticipate the chance to see Luke once more."

"Another heartwarming reunion in the making..." I looked at the Doctor and nodded. "I think our work here in the southern half of the Wild Area is done. It's time to continue our--"

BLAM!

Something pink shot out of the active Pokemon Den north of the first patch of grass encountered when crossing the bridge. We couldn't see what it was, because it was moving too fast. It was launched far past Hammerlocke, sailing northwest.

"I've got the feeling that we should check out that Pokemon Den," the Doctor said. "What say we pop in and see what's causing that ruckus?"

"Do you have to ask? Of course I'm going to check out a Pokemon Den that someone we may or may not know was blasted out of!" So we jumped inside.



From the moment we landed in the Pokemon Den, I realized that the Dynamax Pokemon we were up against was no joke compared to the ones we fought in previous Max Raid Battles. I had to quickly jump around to dodge projectiles and protect my teammates from said projectiles, so I couldn't get a clear view of the Pokemon responsible for sending the pink creature flying.

Wanting to know what I was up against, I sent out Cranium to back us up. "Use Reflect!"

Cranium used his psychic powers to create a barrier that greatly weakened the effect of the projectiles, which turned out to be cannonballs... made of compacted sand mixed with gravel. "Now would be an excellent time to identify the opposing Pokemon, Helix."

"Got it." I slashed at a sand ball coming my way, cleaving it in two, before taking out my Rotom Phone to learn the name and skills of the opposing Pokemon.

"Sandaconda, Gigantamax form, the sand snake Pokemon. A Ground type, its sand pouch has increased in size to monstrous proportions. Over one million tons of sand now swirl around its body."

And dang, Gigantamax Sandaconda looked like it meant business! It was a tan snake Pokemon that stood on its tail like a cobra, but most of its body was coiled in such a way that it had the shape of a tornado. Huge amounts of sand were spilling out of three ruptures on the ring-shaped pouch around its neck, which spun around to further give the impression of a sandy tornado.

But the most unsettling part of the Pokemon was its head.

Or, to be precise... its nose.

At first, I had mistaken the pair of large black circles that dominated the Pokemon's face for its eyes; however, I was proven wrong when I saw the Pokemon blast sand from them. Its real eyes turned out to be on the sides of its head, and they were bright red from Gigantamax power. Never before had I seen a creature with such massively out-of-proportion nostrils in comparison to its head, but the fact that it fired projectiles from them made me realize that part of Game Freak's inspiration for the Pokemon was a shotgun.

That relieved me somewhat, but the enormous nostrils were still disturbing. Even when the Sandaconda wasn't Gigantamaxed, a sneeze could probably blast a hole clean through everything in front of it. And I take pity on any Pokemon that have tried attacking Sandaconda's head from the front with moves that make direct contact; for instance, using Mega Punch. Most likely, the attacks could have slipped and gotten rammed right up one of those caverns. That not only likely grossed them out, but it also probably made the Sandaconda really angry at them...

Oh Arceus, and it would have been horrific if any of the Pokemon were small and used ramming moves like Headbutt...

"Snap out of it, Helix!" the Doctor exclaimed, bringing my mind back to the battle at hand. "This is no time to be terrified of those... those... sand cannons!" He sent out Jungle Beat. "We're here to take this Pokemon down and assist the young pink hero of Equestria!"

"You're right, let's--wait, what?"

Sure enough, we weren't the only ones targeted by Sandaconda.

Jumping and sliding around to dodge all the sand balls fired at him was none other than the Star Warrior puffball who led the Star Allies to victory against the Dark Lord Void Termina...



The Name You Should Know

KIRBY


"Hup! Ha! Ya!" The legendary pink demon was too busy avoiding attacks for it to register in his mind that the Doctor and I had shown up to help battle the heavily-armed Sandaconda.

"Don't give up, Kirby!" The Doctor waved towards Kirby. "The two of us have your back!"

"Poyo?" Curious, Kirby stopped for a moment and looked at us. His eyes went wide when he saw the Doctor. "Po... Poyo?!"

He seemed to have his guard down, but he shook himself out of his shock and shot a determined look at G-Max Sandaconda. Rather than avoiding the next sandblast, Kirby took a more aggressive approach, opening his mouth and inhaling the entire ball of sand. Taking aim, he returned the attack to its sender.

The large star projectile Kirby spat out struck Sandaconda's sand pouch, and the serpent teetered as a result. However, it regained balance without much effort, thanks to the spinning motion of the pouch.

"That sac's very durable..." I looked over Sandaconda while avoiding or destroying any sand balls that came my way. "The Pokemon looks considerably sturdy overall. We'll have to find a way to penetrate its defenses..."

My eyes fell to the end of Sandaconda's tail, which was holding up all the rest of it like a top. If we could stop the rotational force of the sand pouch...!

Bingo.

"Kirby!" I flung a blue gemstone that sparkled like the ocean in Kirby's direction. "Inhale this Water Stone!"

"Poyo!" Kirby grabbed the Water Stone with his mouth before fully gulping it down. He flipped into the air to initiate his transformation sequence. A large column of water engulfed the puffball, and when it dispersed, Kirby was wearing a gold crown that held a vortex of water.

"Let's dampen this Ground type's attempts to sandblast us!" I summoned a tornado of leaves to obstruct Sandaconda's vision. "Doc! Think your Rillaboom can get Water Kirby within range of the sand pouch?"

"We'll see what we can do." The Doctor nodded towards his partner. "Jungle Beat, this will be a real test for your drums! Give our pink friend a boost!"

"A boost?" Jungle Beat pulled a stump out from under the leafy hair on his back and put it on the ground, where it rooted itself. "This calls for a rising tempo! Accelerando!" He used a pair of drumsticks to beat the flat protrusions on the sides of the stump, which looked very similar to an actual drum.

"Huh? Wha--!" A pair of thick, intertwining roots jutted up from underneath Kirby, spiraling away from their origin to form a small circular platform. Jungle Beat gradually increased the tempo of his drumming, which caused the roots to rise higher and higher until Kirby was aligned with the sand pouch. Kirby looked at the spinning sac with a confused face. Then he poked the roots with his hand. "Poyo?" Annoyed for some reason, he impatiently tapped them with his foot. "Poyo! Hiya!"

"What're you waiting for, Kirby?" I asked. "Send your water attacks through the holes in the pouch and bring the sand to a standstill!"

Before we got a reaction from the young hero, Sandaconda let out an enraged roar that dispersed the leafy hurricane. His vision no longer obscured, the sand snake belligerently glared down at Kirby. Just like me, Kirby quivered upon being given such a Gastly--er, ghastly--view of the pair of caverns that could spell his doom.

But just like the eighth human that ended up in the Underground against their will, Kirby stayed determined.

In fact, he was wearing a smile that dared the living shotgun to blast him.

It didn't.

Instead, it opened its mouth, and the inside of it shone with a blazing glow. Understanding what Sandaconda was doing, Kirby jumped backwards just in time to avoid being turned into fried puffball by the Fire Fang. The Pokemon, unable to stop in time, kept going and sank its fangs into the roots making up Kirby's platform. They were singed, but showed no signs of weakness. Sandaconda struggled to pull its fangs out of the platform, leaving it vulnerable.

After staggering for a moment on the edge of the root platform, Kirby regained his balance. With a triumphant "Poyo!", Kirby made his move. He fired a high-pressure stream of water from his mouth into Gigantamax Sandaconda's defenseless right nostril.

Sandaconda's eyes watered as its sinuses were flooded by Water Kirby's merciless Hydro Pump. I actually kind of felt bad for the great behemoth, because I know what it's like to get subjected to water up the nose. I was also confused at first that Kirby didn't follow my instructions, but I quickly figured out why.

Due to the sand constantly spilling from the pouch, it would have been hard to push water in through the tears, let alone enough water to compact all of the sand. Depending on the way that Sandaconda gets sand into its pouch, Kirby may have been able to transfer water there via its mouth, but the heat from Fire Fang would have evaporated most if not all of the water. Kirby was smart to go straight for the nostrils, because they were definitely connected to Sandaconda's sand pouch and were a prime target since they were massive and always open.

The Star Warrior made the right choice, for the sand in the sand pouch rapidly slowed down and became compacted by the water, much to the Pokemon's horror. Kirby jumped down from the platform, landing with an audible plop, while the roots retracted back into the ground. "Poyo!" He pointed at us. "Now!"

"You heard him, Helix!" the Doctor said. "Time to topple this terror!"

"Alright, here I go!" I opened my wings, and several leaves swirled around my body. I focused the leaves into a ball between my wings, then I launched them at Sandaconda. The impact was enough to push the Pokemon to the point of falling backward, making it ripe for capture. "You want to catch this guy, Doctor?"

"No thanks. I already got myself a Sandaconda, albeit a regular one. I'll introduce you to him after we take care of this one."

"If you say so. Then I'll be the one to snag this snake!" The fallen Pokemon looked like it had a low catch rate, so I didn't risk using a regular Poke Ball for capture. Instead, I infused a Great Ball with Dynamax energy and hurled it at the serpent. As with a Poke Ball, the Great Ball also had the color scheme of a Premier Ball when Dynamaxed.

We watched nervously as the Dynamax Ball dropped to the ground.

One rock.

Two rocks.

Three rocks.

It shrank back to its usual size. Click!

I pumped my fist. "Gotcha!" I walked up to my Great Ball, now with Sandaconda in it, and held it up triumphantly. "Sandaconda was caught!" I sent him out to see his regular form. Rather than standing upright on its tail, Sandaconda lay on the ground. It was still coiled like in its G-Max form and had the now dark brown sand pouch in the same place, but its head was partially hidden in the middle of the pouch. Its eyes were green and looked somewhat sad, while the nostrils had shrunk down to a less disturbing size. "Let's see what the Pokedex says about Sandaconda's normal form."

My Rotom Phone got right to work. "Sandaconda, the sand snake Pokemon. A Ground type, Sandaconda can contract its uniquely-coiled body to blast over 220 pounds of sand from its nose. While it normally acts tough and confident, Sandaconda will become disheartened if it ever runs out of sand."

"A sandblasting snake whose Gigantamax form resembles a sandy tornado? That's... both exotic and practical. I think I just found a vital addition to my team." I put the Great Ball that was now Sandaconda's abode with the other Poké Balls that made up my six-Pokemon squad, sending Centiskorch to a Box. "And your nickname will be a portmanteau of sand and hurricane... Sandacane!"

"Sandacane? That's a brilliant name! In fact, I think it's better than the one I gave my own Sandaconda, who I caught in a Max Raid Battle as a wee Silicobra while you were taking on the Water Gym..." The Doctor threw a Dusk Ball, and from it came a Sandaconda. "...Gesundhoof!" However, I was left in a confounded stupor when I saw two differences in it compared to mine...

The Doctor's Sandaconda had a light gray body and yellow eyes instead of a tan body and green eyes.

And it sparkled upon being released from its Dusk Ball.

"...!" I recovered from the shock after a few seconds, and I donned an envious scowl. "Ugh... Beginner's luck..."

"You too..." The Doctor put a hoof on the side of his head with a puzzled look. "I still don't understand. Why is everyone left in a state when they see my Sandaconda?"

I started to answer, but Kirby stepped in, to my surprise. "Poyo!" Why would Kirby answer for me? Could he really know about that extremely rare phenomenon? Only one way to find out, so I let him have his fun.

The young warrior of the stars reached into hammerspace and pulled out... A can of yellow spray paint. He must have found it during his adventures through the Mirror World. He sprayed himself with it, making him all yellow except for his cheeks and feet, which were orange.

He used the power of the Friend Hearts to make himself give off a sparkle. "Shiny! Rare!" So, Kirby really did know about that phenomenon that's commonly overlooked by rookie Pokemon Trainers.

"Really?!" the Doctor gasped. "No wonder Meta Knight practically demanded that I catch this guy... Pokemon with different colors that give off a twinkle are called Shiny Pokemon, and they're incredibly rare! I feel so honored!" Dropping the amazed attitude, he gave Kirby a confused look. "But hold on. What brings you all the way out here to the Galar region? You're no Pokemon Trainer."

Kirby gave the Doctor an even more confused look while pointing at himself. "Poyo?" He washed himself off with some water before ridding himself of the Water Ability in the form of an Ability Star and pointing at the Doctor. "How?! Gee foe... Over!"

"I'm sorry, 'Gee foe'?" the Doctor asked. "Helix, I can't quite understand Kirby. Do you have any idea what he's talking about?"

Gee foe... Was Kirby trying to pronounce something? "I think I might." I looked between the two confounded characters while looting the Pokemon Den alongside the Doctor. "But we should heal up first. Kirby, I'm sure you must have gotten hurt by that Sandaconda's attacks. Besides, it's a long story for me and the Doctor, and I'm sure it's the same for you. Let's sort things out back at the Pokemon Center in Motostoke."
> Chapter 19: The Wild Area gets Wilder
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upon returning to the Pokemon Center, we were surprised to see that we were not alone. Six other friendly faces were busy having a good chat when they saw us, and I recognized each of them.

"Poyo...?" Kirby gazed over at the eastern table, where the first pair of said faces sat: Lucario and his mom.

Lucario smiled at his pink friend. "And here he is now! This way, Kirby. There's someone here I'd like you to introduce yourself to."

"Kirby, you say?" Lucario's mom watched the puffball waddle up to the two. "He looks just as you described his appearance, Luke! What an adorable little creature." She scooped Kirby up in her arms, causing Kirby to giggle. "So innocent and harmless-looking, yet he's managed to save his world from countless dark threats... You said he has limitless potential, but I still find it hard to believe that this little guy could face off against a fiend like Giratina!"

Lucario, whose name turned out to be Luke as I anticipated following my first encounter with his mom, shrugged. "Well, he is a child of the God of the universe where he lives. It wouldn't be far-fetched to call Kirby a demigod."

"True. Kirby does apparently have the ability to copy the powers of anything he inhales and swallows, making him a jack-of-all-trades."

"Poyo." Kirby tapped Luke's mom on the shoulder to get her attention back to him. "You?"

Luke's mom put Kirby down so she had a paw free to rub the back of her head. "Ah, sorry! I was so busy talking about you that I forgot to properly introduce myself. I'm Luke's mom, as you probably already know, but my name is Lucina. Pleasure to meet you, Star Warrior Kirby!"

"Hi!" Kirby greeted Lucina with a handshake.

Meanwhile, I looked left and saw Pummel Fist--er, I mean Dalton--sitting in one of the chairs at the western table while Splash Hoof and his parents were conversing with the Doctor.

"That must be quite the revelation for you! Being the parents of a colt who's become one of the Swords of Justice... You two must no doubt be chuffed to have a son like him!"

Stormchaser bumped the Doctor's hoof. "I always knew little Splash Hoof would grow up to be a mighty hero. My wife was worried for his self-esteem because his brother kept teasing him about being wimpy and telling him to 'man up', but I think that gave him a reason to work hard and become big and strong. They always had a little rivalry, so surpassing his brother would really give Splash Hoof a morale boost!"

"And you were right to have that mindset, Dad!" Splash Hoof said with a smile. "In fact, my big bro was the very reason why I even wanted to become a Sword of Justice and defeat Kyurem in the first place. I wanted to show him that I wasn't a scaredy-cat who couldn't fend for himself, and look how far that determination brought me now. If only he was watching, he'd probably be super jealous of me!"

I sat in the one seat left and joined the conversation. "Be careful what you say, Splash Hoof. Otherwise, you might accidentally do some..."

I glanced at a non-existent camera. "...foreshadowing."

Before he could ask what I meant, our conversation was interrupted by a few shouts of "Poyo!" back at the Lucario's table.

We all walked over to see what Kirby wanted. "It seems like Kirby here has a little story to tell," Lucina said. "One concerning his visit to the Galar region."

Therefore, after the Doctor and I healed our team, we gathered around to listen to Kirby's tale. He took a deep breath and began talking at great length...

If only we could understand the barrage of Kirby gibberish.

"Poyo poyo, poyo poyo poyo. Poyo poyo poyo, poyo... Gee foe, gone!" Kirby looked at the Doctor. "Twi, Dash, Spike... All bye bye..." He clenched his... "fist"... in anger. "Poyo poyo poyo poyo poyo! Poyo... poyo poyo." Kirby looked down in sorrow. "Poyo, poyo poyo poyo poyo. Poyo poyo poyo, poyo poyo poyo poyo. Poyo poyo poyo, poyo poyo. Poyo..." He pointed at me. "Poyo! Boom snake!"

Azure and Stormchaser looked at Luke and Lucina, hoping they could translate.

After using her aura powers to read Kirby's mind, Lucina looked at her son. "Would you please do the honors?  I do believe I might be uninformed about the fourth generation that concerns this little pink one. Seeing as you are very close to him, I suppose you have an idea of what's worrying him?"

"Of course, mom. Allow me to summarize Kirby's predicament." Thus, Luke proceeded to translate Kirby's thoughts for us. "Earlier this month, Kirby and I were walking through his homeland of Dream Land on the planet Pop Star and having a friendly conversation. But at one point, Kirby mentioned his eagerness to watch the latest episode of his favorite cartoon. The problem was... The cartoon's current generation, the fourth, had ended, so no more episodes would be made for the generation."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "But I heard Kirby mention Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Spike. What does a cartoon have to do with saying farewell to them?"

Kirby deadpanned at him, quickly followed by everyone else besides Splash Hoof's parents and Lucina.

The Doctor gave them a confused look.

His eyes widened.

"No... You can't possibly mean... They are fictional characters? And by extension, their home planet, which also happens to be mine, is fictional too?! As a resident of a made-up world, could that mean that I, too...?!"

We nodded.

This left the Doctor questioning his life and reality itself. "But if I'm fictional... How am I alive? How could I, a mere figment of someone's imagination, possibly be conversing with a real being?! What kind of absurd paradox have I--"

Discord appeared and handed him a book and whispered some stuff in his ear before teleporting away.

I managed to sneak a peek at the book's title: "Just Accept It: How To Stay Sane After Realizing You're A Cartoon Character."

"W-well..." the Doctor stammered while giving the book a quick read, "this is going to take some getting used to..."

Luke continued, "I had no choice. I told him the truth: the fourth generation had reached its end. As you would expect, this especially jarred Kirby, who had missed the grand finale due to the selfish acts of King Dedede.

"Filled with rage, Kirby stormed off to find and confront the show's creator. He even tried using the Bomb Ability to convince her to continue the generation, but Faust and her Galarian Ponyta wouldn't yield to Kirby's threats."

"Threatening to blow up the creator of his favorite show?" Azure shuddered. "That's... quite the overreaction."

Kirby sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Poyo..."

Luke carried on with the story. "Following the Faust incident, Kirby knew there was nothing he could do about the end of his favorite show. He sadly walked away and went back home to find a way to get his mind off of the loss.

"And then a few days ago, his friend Bandana Waddle Dee told him that he was going to the Galar region to take on the Gym Challenge. It took until today for Kirby to decide to visit Galar himself. He explored the Wild Area some, and a red beam coming from a stone well caught his attention. You all know what happened next."

"Right," I said. "He encountered the Gigantamax Sandaconda, and the Doctor and I came and helped him."

"Oh dear... From what Luke's saying, it sounds like you've gone through a lot in a matter of days." Luke's mom gave Kirby a comforting rub on his head. "But you are not alone, Kirby. I have also suffered a traumatic loss in recent times..."

"You lost someone, too?" asked Azure. "If you don't mind, can you tell us, miss Lucina?"

"There's no need to be so proper, just call me Lucina. And yes, I will tell you." Lucina looked around at us. "I neglected to tell you all this, but that Golurk wasn't just confused. Luke, do you recall anything unusual about the Golurk that attacked us?"

"I believe I do." Luke put a paw to his chest. "If I remember right, the seal on the Golurk's chest was gone, and its energy was red instead of yellow."

"That's right. The Sigilyph must have caused the Golurk's seal to be removed by some means, which made it go berserk. And..." Tears formed in Lucina's eyes. "When it attacked... Golurk managed to land a Body Press on my husband Lucien, exposing him to the unstable energy within Golurk."

"Did he die?!" Splash Hoof exclaimed.

"No... Lucien didn't die from the overexposure. But the energy weakened the control he had over his body. In short, he was on the brink of rampaging himself. However, he still had enough willpower to get away, escaping this very region before the energy overwhelmed him. Ever since then, I have waited on the cliff northeast of Lake Miloch, expecting him to return someday safe and sound."

"But you knew deep down that he would most likely never return?" I asked.

"That is correct. However..." She smiled at Luke. "...the return of one of my sons has restored my optimism. And Kirby... May this be a lesson for you." She picked Kirby up and gave him a hug. "No matter how dark, stormy, or lonely things may seem at the moment, be sure to remember this: tough times will always turn out for the better. After night comes day, after the rain comes the rainbow, and after the loss... comes the victory."

Kirby gave Lucina a hopeful look. "Po... Poyo...?"

"Yes, Kirby. While you will have trouble letting go of the ponies you know and love, the next generation will provide you with an all-new cast of characters to grow fond of."

"Poyo..." Wiping a tear from his eye, Kirby looked up at the Doctor. He had a confused frown on his face. "Uh...?"

"Ah, right!" the Doctor said. "You're wondering how I haven't aged after all these moons! You see, Helix and I aren't from this time. We actually used a time machine to travel here from the past."

"Past...!" Upon discovering that we traveled through time to get here, Kirby beamed and high-fived the Doctor. "Poyo! Poyo!"

"Thanks for supporting my dream of time travel, Kirby! You've no idea how thrilled I am to have pulled this off!" The Doctor took out his Rotom Phone. "Oh, maybe I should call Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash to tell them about my achievement!"

"But they don't have phones for you to contact them with," I reminded the Doctor.

"Oh, right."

"And there's another problem..." Luke read Kirby's mind. "Some time after Kirby jumped in the Pokemon Den but before you came and helped him, someone else landed in there..." He avoided eye contact with us. "Pinkie Pie... And she didn't look very happy."

"Angry?" I asked.

"No. Sad. She seemed like her heart was shattered into countless pieces. The only other emotion she showed besides sadness was fear... And that was only because she looked up just in time for the G-Max Sandaconda to turn her into ammunition, launching her clear out of the den."

Dalton scratched his chin. "Pinkie's a super optimistic pony. Something drastic must have happened to get her that sad."

"And I have an idea of what--or who, rather--may have caused her deep sadness." I looked around at my friends with a frown. "If any of you see the pink-dressed and white-haired Trainer named Bede, challenge him to a battle. And if at all possible, you are to curb-stomp him with enough ferocity that his hopes of becoming Champion are CRUSHED."

"You want us to viciously punish the Trainer who hurt the feelings of the Earth pony known for her amazing optimism?" Dalton looked at Splash Hoof with a nod. The colt Pokemon nodded back. "With pleasure," they both said before taking off.

"Hold on, Splash Hoof! There's no way we're gonna let ourselves get separated from you like that again!" With that, Azure and Stormchaser went after the pair of heroes known as the Kelduo.

Kirby looked around at those remaining. "Poyo?"

"Us?" asked Lucina. "I haven't yet thought about what Luke and I are going to do. We only just reunited." She looked at her son and noticed the band he was wearing on his left wrist. "...! That bracelet... Are you really participating in the annual Gym Challenge of the Galar region? That's a brilliant leap of faith you're taking!"

Luke nodded. "But not necessarily for myself..." He took out the Badge Ring (that's the name I decided to give the ring that held the badges) and showed it to Kirby. "Because you and I have a powerful bond and are skilled in battle, I took it into my own paws to sign us up for the Gym Challenge. It would be an excellent way to further strengthen our bond and train for future threats to any of our universes, or even the multiverse."

Kirby gave Luke an unsure look. "Poyo..."

"Oh? You know more about the Gym Challenge than I expected, Kirby. I understand that you're worried about being too young, but I assure you that they will accept you after learning about your various heroic exploits." Luke slipped off his Dynamax Band and gave it to Kirby. "A proper Pokemon journey will surely make us the best we can be. So how about it, Kirby? Do you want to train me as your Pokemon partner as we strive for the title of Champion of the Galar region?"

Kirby looked up to the sky with an appendage under his chin. "Poyo..." Perhaps he was thinking about how such an adventure would help him and Luke become even better friends.

He looked at the Dynamax Band in his hand.

He smiled at Luke.

Then he swallowed the Dynamax Band. "Poyo!"

Luke gave Kirby a bemused stare. "That... was supposed to allow your Pokemon to Dynamax..." Reading Kirby's mind, he shrugged. "...You have a point. I can still make myself stronger through Mega Evolution. Besides, the band isn't gone, it's just in your stomach dimension."

"Stomach dimension?" Lucina asked.

"It's a weird concept, so I'll explain later. First, I need to make a new League Card for me and my new Trainer so we can continue our adventure together." Luke fiddled around with the Rotomi and got his picture taken with Kirby. A few seconds later, and the duo had their League Card ready.

On the card, Luke was giving Kirby a piggyback ride like Kirby's animal friends would do. The background was a simple pattern consisting of blue and purple stripes.

"Alright, now we are all set." Luke put away the League Card and looked at his mom. "Ready for our journey through Galar, mum? It'll be just like the good old days."

"Well said, sweetie. I'll be with you two every step of the way to provide moral support and advice if you need any." Lucina turned towards me and the Doctor. "Luke told me about why you're going through with this chronological task, so no need to fill me in. Good luck on your own journey to gather a team of Pokemon so you can return to your own time ready to defeat this so-called Lord Tirek!" She joined Luke and Kirby as they left.

Seeing that we were the only ones remaining, the Doctor and I restocked our items at the Poké Mart before returning to the Wild Area to continue our adventure.



As we went back to the bridge to resume our adventure, we passed by the Garbodor that Bede smugly challenged earlier. It was nursing its many wounds, which meant that Bede must have succeeded in defeating it. Taking pity on the poor trash heap Pokemon, I gave it a Sitrus Berry to help it heal before continuing.

When we made it back across the bridge to Motostoke Riverbank, I noticed a surprising change in weather.

Before we crossed the bridge, the clouds covering the sky were nice and white. But now, they were dark gray and releasing the icy precipitation commonly known as hail.

My Expedition Gadget buzzed.

Luke had sent me a message: Don't mind any drastic weather changes. The Wild Area is known for unusual weather patterns and sudden changes in weather from location to location. And yes, I read your mind.

I shared the info with the Doctor. "Turns out the Wild Area has some unusual weather patterns, so we should dismiss sudden weather changes from place to place or day to day."

"Good to know." The Doctor raised a hoof to protect his head from the ice pellets. "That saves me the stress of wondering how it's suddenly hailing."

After that quick deluge of knowledge, I saw that we were surrounded by a pack of Sneasel.

I checked the levels of my Pokemon. They were all at least level 35.

"Hmm... Nah." I flash-stepped away from the pack. "You can fight them if you want, Doc. Those guys aren't worth my time. About as annoying as Zubat in caves in other regions."

As I backed away, my tail feathers accidentally tickled the hind feet of a large, fat bear Pokemon known as Snorlax. It woke up from its slumber and looked at me.

"Mmm..." It licked its lips. "Food!"

"I'll take this guy instead." I sent out Leeksalot. The Snorlax tried to eat his leek, but he punished it with a wing slap and struck it repeatedly with his leek to put it back to sleep.

By the time I was done, the Doctor's Hitmontop had taken out all the Sneasel with some spinning kicks. The Doctor deadpanned at me. "That wasn't very nice of you, leaving a relatively new Trainer like me to deal with all of those."

I shrugged. "You'll find yourself doing the same after realizing how common and flimsy they are. I learned patience by running into Zubat or Geodude every three steps in caves in other regions, and I wouldn't be surprised if Sneasel are that common here in the Motostoke Riverbank during hail."

"Well, if you say so. Guess I'll have to get used to these Pokemon."

"There's still a way to easily get them out of your mane if you get tired of stopping to battle them." I demonstrated by walking into the tall grass before me.

As I walked, the Sneasel in the grass ambushed me.

I kicked them away.

"Defensively weak enough to be launched with a mere kick. They should be no match for your Earth pony legs. Just watch out for their claws."

"...Say, that idea doesn't sound too bad. This might be a chance for me to practice the hoofball skills I've learned from watching major hoofball events. I think I'll take your advice!"

So together we marched, teaching the many weasel Pokemon not to mess with us. A few yellow insect Pokemon called Cutiefly also approached us out of curiosity, the Doctor catching one to help fill his Pokedex.

After the tall grass came a less populated area where one could take a short break by a small pond to the west or a tree just east of it. Not minding the nearby Conkeldurr, an old, bipedal Pokemon with a concrete pillar in each hand, we continued through some more grass underneath the stone bridge connecting Motostoke to the outskirts.

On the other side of the bridge, we ended up in the appropriately-named Bridge Field, the area between the two bridges. Other than the massive amount of tall grass that must be trudged through to reach the other side, the first thing that caught my eye was a patch of land to the east that was surrounded by water. It was the same one that Gallade was resting on yesterday.

He was still there, sitting under the tree.

I flew over the water to give him a visit. "Good to see you, Gallade!"

Gallade got onto his feet and walked up to shake my wing. "If it isn't Helix! I've been waiting for you to show your face. Enjoying the Galar region so far?"

"Definitely! Galar is much different from other regions I've been to, what with the Wild Area and all. The local Pokemon are also something to behold! But... How'd you know I would come to this region?"

"What kind of strategic, adventuring Pokemon Trainer wouldn't want to explore a new region?"

"Good point."

After a pause, Gallade pointed towards the Doctor, whose Hitmontop was trying to land a hit on a Linoone that just wouldn't stop running. "Who's your friend over there?"

"Well, he's--"

"Actually, hold on. Aura Master Lucario came by not long before you made it here, and he had some... unexpected information to tell me." Gallade took a glance north, where Luke, Lucina, and Kirby were jumping into a Pokemon Den together. "I know Lucario's mind is telling the truth, but I want to ask you personally. So, Helix... Is it true that you and that tie-wearing equine came to the Pokemon world from the past to prepare for an intense battle against a monster?"

I nodded. "That is true. We built a time machine to get here. And I'm talking the kind of time machine that can travel through both time and space in order to go to different locations as well."

"I see..." Gallade chuckled. "Sounds like something that would put the forest guardian Celebi to shame. Well, I won't keep you much longer." He nudged me back towards the Doctor, who had given up and just switched to Toxtricity for a no-miss Shock Wave to defeat the Linoone. "You'd better continue your journey with your friend. I'll see you again sometime!"

I nodded and flew back to the Doctor.

After defeating Linoone, the Doctor checked its Pokedex entry. "A Dark and Normal type with a thirst for battle... I already have a Pokemon with a strong Dark-type move, and I don't want to have to put up with such a reckless Pokemon as Linoone. Better leave this guy for someone else to catch. You up to it, Helix?"

"Nope, not me. Galarian Linoone is better off with someone who can better control it or shares its wild personality."

We carefully walked through the grass, though the Doctor nearly got tripped up by a couple of Zigzagoon running about. My Corvisquire dispatched them to give us room.

I reached the end of the grass patch that spanned the width of Bridge Field, but the Doctor stayed in the grass a while longer.

His gaze was fixed on an icicle Pokemon that had two heads covered in snow, resembling ice cream. "Ooh, a sundae Pokemon! Wonder if it tastes as scrumptious as it--Gah!"

His fur stood on end when a small blue Pokemon got close to him from behind. It was mostly hidden in the grass, leaving only the top of its head and round ears visible.

Shaking off the feeling and shooting the Pokemon an irked look, he advanced towards the snowy icicle Pokemon, a Vanilluxe. His ears drooped. "What a shame... It's just snow, not ice cream. I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes--"

The small Pokemon got near him again, sending a chill down his spine.

"Do you mind? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not too pleased with you touching my leg like that!" He galloped out of the grass in a frustrated attempt to distance himself from the Pokemon, and I saw that there was a sticky spot on his hind right leg.

The Pokemon stepped out of the grass for us to see, and our pupils shrank to the size of a period in a book.

It was a light blue, bipedal bear cub Pokemon that had the revolting peculiarity of having a large drop of mucus hanging from its shiny black nose.

"Dear Celestia, THAT is what rubbed against my leg?!" The Doctor pinned his ears back as he desperately tried to wash off the snot on his leg with water from the pond. "This is bloody disgusting! I want NOTHING to do with that Pokemon species!"

I shivered at the Doctor's unfortunate encounter. "I despise Cubchoo just as much as you do. But at least their evolution Beartic doesn't have a runny nose. Here, let me help with that."

I hurled a Razor Claw at a Gyarados in the water, and it obviously got furious at me. It fired a Hydro Pump, which I deflected towards the Doctor's leg with a quill. Afterwards, I finished off the Gyarados with Leaf Tornado.

The Doctor rubbed his now-clean leg, which was left a tad sore and red from the Hydro Pump. "Thanks, Helix... Let's try to keep away from Cubchoo from now on, okay? I'm not a fan of creatures who don't even try to keep their nose clean..."

"Yeah, let's."

Now that we were out of the grass, the path became much wider. Far to the east, I could see a small building. I went in that direction, as did the Doctor.

When we were about halfway there, we came upon a pair of hikers sitting in front of a hole in the southern wall. They told us that they were called the Digging Duo, and they dug up treasures and rare items in exchange for Watts. The left one excelled at skill, while the other had more stamina.

I paid the skilled one, and the Doctor paid the one with more stamina. I got a Rare Bone, a Lagging Tail, a Metal Coat, and the bottom half of a Fossilized Dino. The Doctor got a Float Stone, two Everstones, a Dusk Stone, a Fire Stone, a Water Stone, a Hard Stone, two bags of Stardust, and a Damp Rock. Talk about stamina...

We continued to the building, which was just the Wild Area's Nursery. I didn't drop off any Pokemon, because the Nursery is only good for people who want Pokemon with good stats, are Shiny hunting, or need a baby Pokemon like Magby or Azurill.

From the Nursery, we retraced our steps until we reached the columns supporting the bridge connecting the two parts of Route 5. We walked between the two columns farthest east, closest to the Nursery, and once we maneuvered northwest past the two grass patches directly in front of us, our Rotom Phones notified us that we had entered the Stony Wilderness.

The Stony Wilderness... Didn't that Haunter mention the Stony Wilderness before getting crushed?

I opened the map on my Rotom Phone. According to it, the Giant's Cap was adjacent to the Stony Wilderness, but way on the other side of the Wild Area.

"...Hey, Doctor?"

"What is it, Helix?"

I pointed west. "There's somebody I need to meet up with in the Giant's Cap before I get back to the adventure. Wanna come?"

"Giant's Cap?" The Doctor checked his Rotom Phone. "That's quite a ways away... Sorry, but I don't think I can walk that far just yet. Need to find a place to get a load off my hooves for a bit."

"Okay. Then I'll meet you at the entrance to Hammerlocke."

"Sounds good to me. Hope the meeting goes well!"

I hurried straight west, passing by several stones and grass patches. I didn't bother with catching any Pokemon, because I felt like my team was just about completed, and there were no Pokemon native to Galar that I hadn't caught.

By the time I reached the middle of the Stony Wilderness, I stopped and looked up at the massive castle in the distance. It greatly resembled a dragon, with the central tower as its neck and head, and the two uniquely designed structures on the sides looked like wings. I couldn't help but think of Giratina, guardian of the Distortion World, when I gazed in awe at the gravity-defying wings.

"That is the heart of Hammerlocke, the majestic Hammerlocke Castle..." A large ghost Pokemon with an imposing red eye, a yellow antenna, and a mouth on its stomach floated up to me. "Impressive, is it not?"

"To say it's impressive is an understatement, Dusknoir," I replied. "Those wing structures seem to be defying the laws of physics! It's a wonder that they haven't fallen over, and how they were built in the first place is yet another mystery."

"There is no shortage of mysteries in this world that we Pokemon live in. But to solve those mysteries, one must first look inside oneself and ask questions that really get one thinking. For instance, why do Shiny Pokemon sparkle? Can a Ditto mimic others' voices if it Transforms into a Chatot? And..." The Ghost type touched my chest with its left index finger. "...why is there a Krabby's soul within your body?"

"Oh, you mean this?" I took out the soul. "This was one of the souls taken by a certain Shiny Litwick known as Frightlight. She sought after the strongest and rarest souls to get as powerful as possible, so I took it into my own wings to end her massacre."

"...So, the phantom menace has finally fallen... That is excellent to hear." He pushed the soul back into my body. "Thank you, brave Decidueye. Let us go tell Gengar about your accomplishment."

I began to walk towards the Giant's Cap, but a purple hole opened up beneath my talons and caused me to fall in.



"Whoa--Oof!" I was spat out of another dimensional hole and landed flat on my face. Looking around, I saw that I was dropped off in an area Northwest of my original location. Just to the south were some Rolycoly and Rhyhorn wandering around. I deadpanned at Dusknoir. "You didn't have to use Phantom Force to take us here. I could have just walked."

"While that was an option, you would have most likely had some problems dealing with one of the locals in the Stony Wilderness." Dusknoir pointed south towards a trio of large grass patched. "A Tsareena resides there, and she takes pride in an impressive strategy consisting of the moves Fling and Acrobatics, and the item Iron Ball."

"...!" Fling and Acrobatics are a devious combination, hurling your item to deal damage and following through with a normally underwhelming move that's boosted by the lack of a held item. "I know that strategy all too well. In fact, I've used it before, with different items depending on the situation. To have such a powerful combo used on me, a Grass and Ghost type..."

I turned left and thrust a quill into my shadow. "...would add insult to injury."

My shadow did not respond to the quill.

That is, until a few seconds later. It morphed into a round, spiky shape with short, pointed ears and stubby arms and legs. Then it rose out of the ground, revealing itself to actually be a bipedal, purple ghost Pokemon with a wicked grin.

He reached up to his forehead and yanked out the implanted quill, still maintaining his grin. "Ha ha ha! You've gotten too sharp for me to even get an eyebrow raise out of you, Helix!"

"Rule number 1.5 of pretending to be someone's shadow, Gengar..." I pointed up, and the shadow Pokemon followed my finger. "Never try your shadow play when the sun's bang in the middle of the sky. You always want to wait until it's nearer to the horizon."

Gengar scratched the back of his head. "Well, what do ya know. Even Master Pokemon like me forget stuff every once in a while... Anyway, how's it going, bud? You put the scare tactics I taught you to use recently?"

"Oh, you have no idea..." I retrieved the soul from my body again and gave it a warm smile.

"What the..." Gengar's grin turned upside-down. "I said scare tactics, not murder tactics! Leave the killing to Dark types!"

"How could you accuse me of killing an innocent Krabby? I don't take lives unless their owners committed something awful!" I gave Gengar my best mischievous look. "And that's why I brutally murdered a certain deadly Ghost type in cold blood. Or should I say, hot blood."

Gengar's face was blank for a couple seconds. Then it clicked. "...You mean you actually put an end to the blazing terror known as Frightlight?!"

"Sure did." I held a quill in my right hand, the quill cloaked in spectral power. "And I used one of your scare tactics by pulling a Chara on her before obliterating both her body and soul."

"Ooh!" he giggled. "Not only did her reign of terror end, but you used one of my favorite scares on that genocidal maniac! Gotta say, that's pretty fitting for her. But what about the souls she stole?"

"I brought most of them back to their bodies, which were preserved in ice at Kyurem's lair." I held Krabby's soul up for Gengar to see. "But this guy's body was used to make a seafood dish, so he's still chilling in my body as I figure out what to do with him."

"So he ain't got no body? Well then, there's only one place fit for that soul of his..." Gengar took the soul and put it in Dusknoir's hand. "You know what to do. Take 'im to the spirit world so he can hang out with all the other innocent, bodiless souls."

"With pleasure." Dusknoir opened the mouth pattern on his stomach and put the soul inside. He opened a purple portal. "Farewell, Decidueye, or should I say, Helix. When nature decides your time has come, know that I will take your soul to an area in the spirit world reserved for true heroes." He waved before disappearing inside, after which the portal closed.

I gave Gengar a worried look. "Uh, I don't think that he knows..."

"Relax, pal," he replied. "I'll tell him later that you're not from the Pokemon world. He might be surprised, but don't let that bother you. I still haven't fully gotten over the fact that you're from a whole different dimension where Pokemon don't even exist! Just enjoy your time in the Galar region for now. And maybe save the region if it's threatened at some point while you're here."

"I won't let you down, Ghost Master Gengar." I gave the Ghost-type aficionado a thumbs-up before making my way north through the Giant's Cap on my way to Hammerlocke.



I passed two navy blue rock Pokemon called Boldore on my left and a large grass patch on my right. I didn't bother checking for Pokemon because I did not want my team to get too strong due to grinding too much.

I pressed on past an inactive Pokemon Den and another grass patch before coming to a fork in the road caused by a large boulder. The left path was free of tall grass and led north, rising so that I could get to the top of the dirt wall on my left. The right path, on the other hand, went through plenty of tall grass and appeared capable of shaving seconds off of my journey to Hammerlocke.

Having done more than enough grinding in Galar Mine No. 2, I picked the left path.

The short grass-free jaunt was a nice change of pace. With no wild Pokemon ready to jump out at me, I was able to use the opportunity to relax and move ahead as slowly or as quickly as my heart desired. Who knows, I might even be able to...

Oh no. I haven't even made a single entry in my notebook summarizing my adventure in Galar.

Taking out my notebook and a pencil from my pocket, I got ready to write. I had explored too much to jot down everything, so I just wrote down that I beat the first three Gym Leaders, caught a Gigantamax Sandaconda, reunited with Kirby, and made it to the split path in the Giant's Cap.

Putting away the notebook and pencil, I continued north. When I reached the top of the slope, I had a stunning view of the lake that bordered the left side of the path. For such a calm body of water, I was surprised to learn that it was known as the Lake of Outrage. If there was a special Gyarados that lived in the lake, I would be especially tempted to compare it to the Lake of Rage in the Johto region.

Exploring the lake would have to come later, though. Right now, I had to make my way to Hammerlocke.

But first...

I turned south and sent out Corvisquire, alerting the Orbeetle that was floating by the grass patch atop the dirt wall. "Orbeetle, I request a Pokemon battle, you versus my Corvisquire."

Orbeetle sized up my Pokemon. "To have chosen me as your Corvisquire's training opponent... You are as bold as you are wise."

Without warning, he lifted his wing shells and fired a beam of psychic energy at Corvisquire.

"Dodge backward!" Corvisquire used his wings to propel himself backward, and the Psybeam hit the ground instead, which kicked up plenty of dirt and dust. "Now blow it at him!" He flapped his wings to send the dust cloud at Orbeetle.

Orbeetle put his claws up to guard his glowing eyes. "Your creative counterattack was quite impressive. But I won't let this dust deter me for long." He rapidly vibrated his wing shells to create sound waves that dissipated the dust cloud.

However, Corvisquire was no longer in his line of sight by the time the dust cleared. "Wait... That wasn't a counterattack..."

He turned just in time to see Corvisquire jab his face with its beak. "It was a diversion!"

"Indeed it was," I confirmed. "Now use Fury Attack!" Corvisquire chased down the recoiling opponent with his beak outstretched.

"This is only the beginning!" Orbeetle grabbed Corvisquire with Psychic and shoved him away before creating a barrier with Reflect. "I have reason to doubt your ability to get past my defenses now!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," I replied with a smirk. "Use Hone Claws!" Corvisquire flew over to a nearby boulder to sharpen his talons.

Suddenly, Orbeetle swerved in front of Corvisquire with astonishing speed. "It's too late for boosting your attack power now." His eyes glowed red, and Corvisquire failed to look away in time. As a result of staring at the hypnotic eyes, the raven Pokemon grew drowsy. "Looks like your hesitancy has cost you the victory, Trainer."

Orbeetle used Psychic to launch Corvisquire at a dirt wall bordering the Lake of Outrage.

"Oh," I deadpanned, knowing that I didn't need to intervene. "Looks like you failed to meet my expectations."

"Pardon?"

"Don't you see? You just put the target to sleep..." Corvisquire fell from the wall into the water, which had the ironic effect of waking him. "...only to accidentally wake him up due to forgetting how effective water is at waking living beings."

"...!" Orbeetle floated motionlessly, looking at how horribly his follow-up went. "I have made... A foolish miscalculation..."

And then, he was punished by Corvisquire spinning around and drilling into Orbeetle with his beak, ending the fight.

I wing-bumped Corvisquire, after which he became cloaked in the familiar light of evolution.

As expected, he evolved into Corviknight.

Orbeetle slowly regained his consciousness. "Hah... hah... Most impressive... Not many Trainers have managed to best me in battle... on their way to Hammerlocke... let alone with one Pokemon." He floated up to me and shook my wing. "But you have managed to do just that, and you knocked out two Tranquil with one stone by successfully evolving your Corvisquire thanks to the battle. Additionally, you even pointed out my fatal oversight. You deserve a great amount of respect, Trainer... Helix, if I remember right from overhearing your talk with Gengar?"

I nodded. "Correct. I'm Helix, a skilled Trainer who became a Pokemon through an experiment to do just that. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is mine. But if you're taking on the Gym Challenge, then our meeting is best short-lived." Orbeetle pointed northeast, towards the entrance to Hammerlocke. "Go and continue your journey. I trust you will clear every Gym, but the real challenge starts when you're up against the other Trainers in the semifinal tournament. Your rivals will certainly be tougher than the Gym Leaders, and possibly even the current Champion."

"Acknowledged. With that advice in tow, I'll be off. And I will return to tell you the results once the Gym Challenge is over." I waved goodbye as I headed to the next city. But first, I made sure to give my Corviknight a fitting nickname: Knightwing.

I challenged a Drednaw further up the path, but after a Counter that nearly one-shot Leeksalot, I decided to use a Smoke Ball to flee the battle and save my feathered fighter the health.

Passing a large grass patch on my left, a massive boulder on my right, and some more grass on my right, I continued north. After I waved hello to the nearby Doublade, a pair of one-eyed sword Pokemon with purple tassels on their handles, I found myself in front of a dark gray and gold castle wall that stretched left and far to the right.

The path went in the latter direction, so I followed it east to a staircase decorated in such a way that it resembled a dragon's gaping maw. Guarding the staircase was a staff member of the Gym Challenge, as I assumed from the white uniform and hat.

It pleased me to find that the Doctor was also approaching the stairs from the opposite direction. I gave him a wing bump while expressing my joy at seeing him. "Glad you made it here too, Doc! Hopefully you didn't run into too much trouble on the way, did you?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I had a pretty smooth jaunt here. Just needed to rest my hooves after all that walking, that's all. I did get dragged into battle against a couple of Excadrill, but nothing my Hitmontop couldn't handle."

"Your one Hitmontop took on the pair of them? Sounds like you're really starting to get the hang of fighting more than one Pokemon at a time! As for me..." I sent out my newly-evolved Flying type. "Corvisquire finally managed to evolve into Corviknight after a duel with an Orbeetle!"

The Doctor beamed upon seeing my partner. "Guess what?" He sent out his own Corvisquire, who had also become Corviknight. "So did mine!"

"Nice one!" I sent out the rest of my team and took a moment to look over my team members. At this point, my team consisted of Cinderace, Corviknight, Gyarados, Orbeetle, Sandaconda, and Sirfetch'd. Then I realized something... "Y'know, I can't help but feel like my team is really starting to come together."

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

"Thanks for asking! I feel this way because I often go out on Pokemon adventures with certain kinds of Pokemon making up my final team..." I pointed at Hot Shot. "The starter I get from the start of my journey." Knightwing. "The bird Pokemon I catch early on." Gyarados. "A strong Water type, usually Gyarados because Magikarp are pretty much everywhere." Leeksalot. "The tough, reliable Pokemon that can both take and dish out lots of damage." Cranium. "The one that acts as a support role but can also attack well." And Sandacane. "And an interesting one that I can find real potential in."

"You certainly seem to have your team all planned out! I, on the other hoof, don't have a clue what to use on my team. I just like to figure out my team as I go along. Improvisation is key to everything, if you ask me!"

"Of course. If plan A fails, you always have to have a plan B or the ability to figure things out on the spot. Now then..." After returning my team to their Poke Balls, I took out the Badge Ring and showed it to the staff member, and the Doctor followed my lead.

The staff member observed the Badge Rings to see which Badges we had. "...Okay! The two of you Gym Challengers have managed to obtain the Grass Badge, the Water Badge, and the Fire Badge! That means you are cleared to enter Hammerlocke!" He stepped aside for us. "Please, go on ahead!"

"Thank you, sir." I grinned, eager to enter the city. "Come on, Doctor! We're well on our way to--"

Then, without warning...

"You two again? I haven't time to deal with your antics." An odd feeling surged through my very being. Immediately following that feeling, none other than the Psychic type user Bede emerged from my body.

I stood speechless, astounded by how he utilized the intangibility of Ghost types to pass right through me. What nerve!

Bede shoved his Badge Ring in the staff's face. "Here, I've all the Badges necessary to enter Hammerlocke." The staff member frowning at his arrogance, Bede turned his head back towards us. "Don't bother looking for that pink horse friend of yours. After suffering such a harsh verbal beating and a humiliating defeat at the hands of yours truly, I doubt she'll ever smile again, let alone gather enough confidence to continue the Gym Challenge." Then he began walking up the stairs.

At that moment, the Doctor and I finally pulled ourselves together. "Hey! We've got unfinished business with you!" I jumped forward and stabbed his shadow with my quill.

Only for the shadow to turn into a now mildly-annoyed Gengar, while Bede continued onward. "Aww, I was fixing to jumpscare that kid! Way to spoil my fun..."

"You were?!" I took a step back in surprise, a sweat drop rolling down my cheek. "Oh... The Doctor and I had a grudge to settle with him, and I was attempting to stop him in his tracks. Should've listened to my own advice about shadows... Anyway, thanks for trying to get the jump on him, and sorry for ruining it."

Gengar's frown became a sad one rather than an angry one. "Huh, so you had a grudge against the white-haired kid I was trying to scare? If only I knew that earlier, or I would've given him the fright of a LIFETIME for ya." He sank halfway into a spectral portal. "Good luck catching up to him. Let me know if you or your buds manage to scare him or any other people that need a dose of humility!" He disappeared completely in the portal, which closed behind him.

The Doctor sighed, having come so close to avenging Pinkie Pie only for Bede to slip out of our grasp. "Well, nothing for it but to keep going."

"Agreed." With a burning desire to hunt down Bede and continue the Gym Challenge, we headed up the stairs. "Here we go!"
> Chapter 20: History in Hammerlocke
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As with Motostoke, Hammerlocke turned out to be a massive city loaded with houses. However, it was much more of a medieval town with plenty of ancient sites to visit.

But the Doctor and I couldn't appreciate the town for long, because standing smack in the middle of the place was none other than Bede, who was currently talking to Oleana and the chairman.

The Doctor held a Poke Ball in his hoof.

I put my wing in front of him. "Not yet, Doc. You know better than to interrupt a conversation with a battle, right?"

"Oh, hehe..." the Doctor sheepishly chuckled before putting it away.

Instead, we eavesdropped from a fair distance.

"Mr. Chairman, I've found plenty more Wishing Stars in the northern half of the Wild Area," Bede said.

"Good," Oleana replied stoically as usual. "It is excellent that you have retrieved more Wishing Stars for Chairman Rose, whom you clearly remember is the one who endorsed you."

Bede took out a sack and gave it to the chairman. "Surely these will help to solve that problem that's been troubling you, right?"

"Of course!" Rose answered as he put away the sack. "But this isn't just about me. As a matter of fact, it concerns the entirety of the Galar region!"

A problem that concerned the whole region? Now he had our attention.

"And Wishing Stars aren't the only thing we will need. The other thing we need is a powerful Pokemon Trainer, somebody like Galar's very own Champion."

Bede smirked. "Is that so? Then it might please you to find that I have recently taken a massive step towards becoming the next Champion, for I have managed to show one of the new Gym Challengers just how outclassed she was. As long as I keep up the pace, I know for certain that I will defeat the Champion!"

"Oh! You've defeated one of the newer Gym Challengers? One of the special Challengers who really shone out from the rest?"

"Yes, sir. By the time I was done with that Pinkie Pie fellow, she was barely shining at all."

The Doctor and I had to keep ourselves from jumping out and strangling Bede.

"Most impressive! I saw how easily she defeated the Gym Leaders, so I feel you have done an incredible job achieving victory when you battled her! I hope you will continue to keep that passion for battle burning in your heart!"

"I won't let you down, chairman. Nothing will douse my burning desire to win every battle I find myself in!" Bede started walking west. "I'm off to Route 6 and beyond to hunt down more Wishing Stars and continue my Gym Challenge."

Oleana stopped him. "Wait, Bede. There is something I must discuss with you." Bede followed the secretary north over a drawbridge into the central tower.

Chairman Rose waved as the Psychic-type user went with Oleana into the stadium. "Good luck, Bede! I trust you to continue supporting the region with your efforts!"

He glanced south and noticed us.

So much for stealthily eavesdropping.

"Ah, if it isn't Helix and Doctor Whooves!" he said. "By any chance, did you two happen to overhear our little conversation?"

After getting a nod of approval from me, the Doctor replied, "Why, yes we did. We were just coming into Hammerlocke when we saw the three of you were having a chinwag. Didn't want to interrupt you, so we waited 'til you finished before passing by."

"I'm glad you took the time to listen! As you two know, Wishing Stars have the potential to massively boost the power of Pokemon, in both senses of the term. But when it comes to the amount of energy they contain, that's just the tip of the Bergmite!"

The Doctor and I exchanged looks. We were surely thinking the same thing.

I innocently asked, "What use could you possibly have for such a vast amount of energy?"

"Excellent question! Follow me into the stadium here, and I'll explain there." The chairman walked in the same direction that Bede and Oleana did.

We quickly followed him into Hammerlocke Stadium, eager for him to fulfill our curiosity.



The inside of the stadium was dark gray like the walls surrounding Hammerlocke, with a crimson carpet lining the way to the arena.

Chairman Rose met us near an elevator on the east wall. "This majestic building isn't just Hammerlocke's stadium. In fact, it also doubles as a Power Plant!"

"A power plant?" I asked. "As in, the kind that supplies places with the electricity needed to help humanity thrive?"

"Precisely!" He took out a tablet and showed showed it to us. "Here, this has all the info you need on the Power Plant!"

The tablet had a diagram of the central tower in Hammerlocke, as well as the Power Plant beneath it. An underground cable or pipe was connecting the plant to a town on the right side of the diagram, just left of an image of the chairman talking about the Energy Plant.

"It's quite simple, really." Rose pointed to the top of the tower. "Energy is absorbed by Hammerlocke Stadium's tower..." Then he moved his finger to the power plant. "...which then sends it to the underground power plant where it is converted into electricity..." And then, to the town. "...and delivered to people throughout the region!"

The Doctor nodded. "Ahh, that makes sense. No wonder you need to obtain Wishing Stars, so you can supply the tower with their energy!"

"I beg your pardon?" We turned south, where Lucina, Luke, and Kirby were coming in from the entrance. With a concerned look on her face, Lucina continued, "Did... Did I hear one of you mention Wishing Stars and energy in the same sentence?"

"Er, yes... Why do you ask?"

Lucina appeared somewhat traumatized. "The Wishing Stars... The origin of their power to Dynamax may be familiar to you. Long ago, a great black storm shrouded Galar in darkness..."

"Let me guess," I sighed. As something of a Pokemon veteran, I know the drill when it comes to past events in the Pokemon world. "The Wishing Stars have to do with a Legendary Pokemon, which caused the Darkest Day?"

I heard a quiet gasp from the chairman, but my attention was fully on Lucina. "...You don't appear to be surprised by this revelation. Are you used to these sorts of discoveries?"

I nodded. "Z-Crystals came from Necrozma. Super Abilities came from the Master Crown. Kirby learned to throw Friend Hearts thanks to energy from the Heart Spears that sealed Void Termina in the Jamba Heart."

Kirby confirmed the last two with a "Poyo".

The Doctor added, "I've never made any astounding discoveries like this before due to living a calm and peaceful life, but as an avid fan of Power Ponies and other comic books, I know that it's stereotypical for powerful beings or artifacts to leave behind life-changing items or abilities after being destroyed or the like."

Lucina stayed silent for a few seconds. "...So you are familiar with this sort of thing happening. I don't like to jump to conclusions, but would it be safe to say that you two might be convinced that..."

We turned towards Rose, who had an understandably nervous look on his face. "That Chairman Rose is using the Wishing Stars to awaken the aforementioned Legendary Pokemon for what he considers to be a good reason, yes."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Erm, well, why should that concern you? I'm only doing this to save Galar from an energy crisis that will happen within the next thousand years!"

"Thousand years?" Luke scoffed. "We won't even be alive by the time Galar runs out of energy! You're just speeding up region-wide extinction by bringing about the second Darkest Day!"

"Not if I can control it!"

Lucina deadpanned. "...Are you serious? You're going to try to control Eternatus, the Legendary Pokemon known for having infinite energy?"

Chairman Rose nodded calmly. "Relax, I've got a Mawile. If the Poison and Dragon type tries anything, my Steel and Fairy type will completely wall it and wear it down enough to tame it."

"What if that somehow fails?" I asked.

"If I can't stop it, then Champion Leon will. Everyone knows he's unbeatable!"

"And if the Champion fails?" the Doctor asked.

That caught him off-guard. "...Then I can at least say I tried to save the Galar region from an energy crisis."

This time, Kirby of all people deadpanned. "...Poyo." He motioned towards the two Lucario, whose Auras flared to life. Then he motioned towards me, and I held in my hand the very same quill that I killed Frightlight with.

After that, he turned around and pointed out Dalton, Splash Hoof, and the latter's parents coming into the tower. A heart-shaped aura came from Kirby's hand, and it lead the four to brandish their weapons and abilities.

"Kirby's right," the Doctor said. "The Champion isn't the only one you can rely on. This group of friends boasts some wicked capabilities that can play a big part in taming that monstrosity!"

"And if you want to stop us from saving the day..." I shrugged. "Don't worry about that just yet. We won't come after you until you've clearly started carrying out your plan."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "But... why? You could just try and stop me right this instant."

"Normally we would," Splash Hoof spoke up. "But after going on a bunch of awesome adventures, we've taken a bit of a liking to battling really strong opponents. Stopping you right now would be no fun, because that means you wouldn't be able to wake up that Legendary Pokemon for us to take on!"

"Are you sure? I know you're eager to fight every tough Trainer and Pokemon you find, but I somehow doubt your ability to tame the very same Pokemon that brought about the Darkest Day."

Dalton shook his head. "You're talking to a group of heroes who are close friends to the Swords of Justice. They've personally witnessed some of our incredible feats and would definitely tell you we are ready."

Chairman Rose was unusually flabbergasted by this. "The Swords of... Wait, what?!"

"Besides, we have the decency not to stop a villain's plan when it's barely even started to come together. Professionals have STANDARDS."

"To think that you have gained the trust of the Swords of Justice... And that they'd assure me that you can handle such a terrifying task..." The chairman anxiously smiled. "I... I don't know what to think of that, not to mention the fact that you're all sparing me for the time being. On the one hand, that gives me something to look forward to. But on the other hand, your calm demeanor unnerves me somewhat, almost like you actually know what you're talking about and know that you can defeat me and take Eternatus if it goes berserk."

"Come on, it's a win-win," Stormchaser said. "You get to wake up that Legendary Pokemon to provide Galar with energy while the Darkest Day lasts, and we'll get to tame it if things go downhill for you."

"Well... If you put it that way..." After thinking about it for a while, Rose nodded. "Alright, then! Sounds good to me."

Oleana approached the chairman from the reception desk and whispered something into his ear.

"Oh! Looks like I'd better get back to work. There's stuff I need to catch up on, and the same can be said for you." As he walked away with his secretary, he continued, "You might want to check out the vault next. Just keep heading west, you can't miss it!"

Taking his advice, we left the tower.



When we had crossed the drawbridge and were out of earshot of the chairman, Dalton broke the silence.

"So... Can anyone fill us in on what was going on with you guys and the chairman?"

"Sure thing!" the Doctor answered. "Here's the deal: Helix and I were listening to Chairman Rose explain how Hammerlocke's stadium acts as a Power Plant, and that made me realize why Bede was collecting Wishing Stars for him. Turns out they contain loads more energy than we initially thought, so Rose wanted Bede to gather Wishing Stars to fuel the Power Plant."

Lucina continued, "But I overheard and became suspicious of Rose, so I warned Helix and the Doctor about the origin of the Wishing Stars. As luck would have it, they were by no means surprised by the Wishing Stars' connection to the Darkest Day. In fact, to my relief, they told us that they had a feeling Rose was using the Wishing Stars to awaken the Pokemon responsible for the Darkest Day."

I grinned. "And we were right. He wanted to save Galar from running out of energy in a thousand years, and he falsely believed that he could control the fiendish Legendary Pokemon. And he said that if he failed, the Champion would be able to tame it because he's supposedly unbeatable."

Dalton widened his eyes in understanding. "Ohh, so that's why Kirby looked so unamused and used his friend powers to tell us to show off our abilities! He was disappointed in the chairman's failure to realize that we could all take on that Pokemon of Galar lore, so he wanted us to demonstrate our skills!"

"Good on you to come to that conclusion!" Lucina beamed. "Though, I have the same concerns as Chairman Rose when it comes to you lot allowing him to summon the Legendary Pokemon Eternatus. Are you really going to be able to tame a Pokemon with unlimited energy?"

Luke laid a paw on Lucina's shoulder. "Mom, when all my friends and I worked together, we managed to defeat the actual God of Kirby's universe!"

Lucina, Azure, and Stormchaser all exclaimed, "WHAT?!"

"You heard right," Splash Hoof said. "And Roborygon got it all on tape! We'll have to wait for him to come back from researching the Galar region and the local Pokemon, though. He returned to the Wild Area to research the local Pokemon there after watching my battle against Kabu."

Stormchaser stared blankly in astonishment. "Proof that you all conquered a literal God... The moment we meet this Roborygon, I want him to show us the footage of that amazing fight!"

Azure nodded eagerly. "I second that!"

"I want to watch the footage as well," Lucina said. "But I hope you're all good with patience, because Galar has an overwhelming amount of history to indulge in. So for the time being, I suggest we follow Rose's advice and head for the most historical location in all of Hammerlocke..."

She led us all the way to the west side of Hammerlocke, in front of a pair of wooden gates that led into a tall medieval building. "The vault, which holds one of Galar's stories of lore."

"One of the region's stories of lore?" the Doctor asked. "Does that mean Galar has more than one legend passed down from generation to generation?"

"It certainly does."

"So there are more legends and myths to look into..." The Doctor's eyes lit up, as if he was a foal getting exactly what he wanted for his birthday. "This is brilliant! I've got to feast my eyes on every legend Galar has to offer before kicking the bucket, no matter what!"

He galloped towards the gates, which elicited a gasp from the two Lucario. "No, wait--"

WHAM!

We winced as the Doctor's headfirst charge into the gates resulted in him getting a large bump in his head. "Ohh, my aching noggin... What was that about waiting...?"

Lucina walked up to him. "I was trying to warn you that a Duraludon was blocking the way in..."

"Dura what now?"

As the Doctor got back into his hooves, a rattle came from the gates. They opened inward, and the Doctor ended up face-to-face with a metal, wingless dragon of sorts that had a short tail, a tall body, and claws that looked like some kind of scooping tool.

The so-called Duraludon got onto all fours.

Then it charged up a white ball of energy in its mouth.

"Look out, Doctor!" Lucina shoved the Doctor out of the way, and Duraludon fired a silver laser that hit her instead. The attack looked like it should have at least knocked her off her feet, but she was still standing after it ended.

"Right on, Duraludon!" we heard someone say from inside the vault. A man in a purple and orange, dragon-like outfit showed up next to the Pokemon. I recognized him as Raihan, the Dragon-type Gym Leader. "Now then, let's see who's trying to force their way into...?"

His expression changed from confidence to surprise when he saw the blackened Lucario before him. "Wait a mo... Lucina, is that you?!"

Lucina wiped off the ash on her face. "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Raihan?"

After a wave of surprise washed over the rest of us, I asked Lucina, "You know each other?"

She smiled at us. "When my husband and I showed our kids around Galar, we got to know the locals, and we have good ties with the Gym Leaders."

Raihan added, "Yeah, Lucina and Lucien even helped me out with my training when they dropped by Hammerlocke every so often. So you can see why I was worried sick when they suddenly just stopped showing up." He then scolded his Pokemon. "Duraludon, I thought I told you to fire away only if you saw an unfamiliar face that wasn't a human. Don't tell me you didn't recognize Lucina!"

Duraludon looked down in sadness as it let out a metallic whine. "My Flash Cannon wasn't supposed to hit her! I was focused on an entirely different target..."

"Don't blame that Duraludon of yours, Raihan!" The Doctor ambled back in front of the gates. "I'm the one who caused all that ruckus by trying to head into the vault. Lucina just pushed me away so I wouldn't get hit by that attack."

"Is that so?" Raihan put a hand under his chin as he gave the Doctor a once-over. "Huh, no wonder my partner got the hump with you. With that bag on your back and all, you look like a proper Trainer on an adventure through the region, but I saw nothing like you during the Gym Challenge ceremony."

"In that case, allow me to intro--"

"Hang on, there. I'm just gonna check something real quick..." Raihan took out a crimson Rotom Phone and scrolled through it. "Let's see here... 'Doctor Whooves'? Well, what do you know! Says here you're officially a Gym Challenger! Eh, guess you got held up somehow and couldn't attend the ceremony... Ah well, no worries." He shook the Doctor's hoof. "Glad to meet ya, Doc! I'm Raihan, the Dragon-type Gym Leader, and Champion Leon's greatest rival! Though, if you wanna battle me, that'll have to wait. You need to beat all the other Gym Leaders first, because I'm the final Gym Leader and therefore the strongest of them all!"

"I look forward to our battle, Raihan," the Doctor replied. "I'm sure you'll be a worthy opponent, what with your specialty being Dragon types and all. Back where I come from, dragons are not to be taken lightly."

Lucina tapped the Doctor's shoulder. "You're not wrong about Dragon types being strong, but it's probably in your best interests to know that Raihan also likes to use weather in battle. Ah, but we're getting off-topic." She turned towards the Dragon-type user. "Would you mind if we took a gander in the vault? I'd like to tell my new friends a little about the legends of the Galar region."

"So you wanna check out the vault, eh?" Raihan moved out of the way for us, and his Duraludon did the same. "Then by all means, go ahead! Anything for Lucina and her friends!"

Lucina did a "follow me" gesture with her paw, and we went with her into the vault lobby.

"By the way, catch!"

We caught some cards that Raihan tossed towards us, and they happened to be copies of his League Card.

Lucina chuckled as she led us up the stairs. "Just like he saw us off the first time we met: he offered us his League Card so we could get to know him. You never change, do you, Raihan?"



After giving the Doctor the TM for Charm I found on the balcony, we walked up the last flight of stairs and entered another pair of gates.

Beyond the gates was a large, empty room with a very high ceiling. On the far wall were four ancient tapestries, and observing them in the middle of the room were none other than Sonia and Tails.

Tails' vulpine ears alerted him to our presence. "Oh, hey guys! Look who it is, Sonia!"

Sonia turned around and saw us. "You guys are here too? Gotta say, you picked a pretty good time to visit the vault."

Lucina stepped forward. "I took these fine Trainers here so they could learn about the Galar region of old by feasting their eyes on those tapestries up there."

Luke seemed perplexed by his mother's comment. Lowering his voice, he said, "But Mom, I thought you were going to tell the others what you told--"

Lucina shot her son a silencing look. "I was going to," she replied quietly, "but this young lady and gentleman don't appear to know the truth. Let's let them have their fun, and I'll tell you lot the real story afterwards."

Luke nodded.

"So you're here to check out the tapestries too?" Tails said. "Then you're in the same boat as us. I'm here to learn more about the Galar region in general, and Sonia wanted to learn about some strange Pokemon that reside in a forest called the Slumbering Weald."

"Strange Pokemon in the Slumbering Weald?" Lucina smiled. "I might be able to help with that. But first, let's have a gander at these tapestries!"

We nodded in agreement.

First, we looked at the far left tapestry, which depicted two young men, one in red and one in blue, watching something fall from the sky. "Looks to me like that's a Wishing Star those two are watching," Sonia said.

"I'd say you're right," the Doctor said. "But the puzzling thing is what comes next..." The next tapestry depicted a red and black storm that terrified the two individuals. "The Darkest Day came after a Wishing Star fell from the sky? That's no coincidence!"

The third tapestry depicted the youths watching a blue sword and a red shield dispel the storm. "A sword and a shield stop the Darkest Day..." Tails shook his head. "But how can those two medieval objects alone put an end to the Darkest Day?"

"Maybe they didn't do it... by themselves." I thought hard as I saw the last tapestry: the two individuals were wearing crowns, meaning they were now royalty. "Do they have to do with those two Pokemon we encountered back in the Slumbering Weald?"

"Encountered...!" Lucina whipped around and looked me dead in the eye. "You actually encountered the legendary canine duo Zacian and Zamazenta?!"

The Doctor and I nodded.

"Or so we think," Luke clarified. "We were searching for a Wooloo that had found its way into the Slumbering Weald, but the two Pokemon stopped us while summoning very dense fog to obstruct our view. However, I sensed no aura from the creatures. It was like they were illusions, for our attacks phased right through them!"

"Illusory creatures not affected by your attacks?" Lucina closed her eyes in thought. "The duo have been asleep for a millennium... Could it be that those Pokemon you encountered were actually the spirits of Zacian and Zamazenta working to prevent you from going any closer to their resting place?"

"That's a pretty impressive theory," Sonia said, "but it still doesn't answer Helix's question about whether the sword and shield have to do with those Pokemon..."

"Well... I've already spilled the beans about Zacian and Zamazenta..." Lucina shook her head in resignation. "Might as well go ahead and answer your question myself." She pointed at the third tapestry. "While that shows the sword and shield only, that wasn't the whole story. The youths used them to summon Zacian and Zamazenta, who then equipped them to fight off the Darkest Day themselves. They are the true heroes."

"But if they are the true heroes," Tails asked, "what about the youths who became crowned in the fourth tapestry?"

"They are also heroes, for calling upon the cyan and the magenta to save the Galar region. The reason why only the youths and legendary equipment were depicted here and not the Pokemon is simple..."

Lucina sighed.

"Zacian and Zamazenta were omitted because humans naturally consider themselves superior to Pokemon, an opinion that several Pokemon loathe, including myself. They think they're so amazing and glorious just because they have put together advanced civilizations, invented various amenities that humans use all the time nowadays, and engage in wars whenever they disagree about something. They think Pokemon are nothing more than tools for sport, pleasure, and profit."

The Doctor asked, "But if Pokemon know humans are so selfish, why do they let themselves be caught?"

"Because humans need us, and we need them. Pokemon help humans because it's the right thing to do, not to get anything back. And even if we did do it to get something back, that something is very important to us. Whether they know it or not, they're giving us a purpose and, if we're lucky, a new friend and a peaceful life, when they catch us."

"A... purpose?" Sonia asked.

"Yes. Out in the wild, away from humans, Pokemon don't have any important objectives they need to do. Their only real goal is to keep their kind from going extinct, and living without a purpose sounds... boring, wouldn't you say? But being able to help out humans satisfies us, because we get to contribute to society, even if it isn't Pokemon society."

Luke grinned. "So, you want to contribute to society?" He took out his Expedition Badge. "After we finish with our Gym Challenge, there's someplace I want to take you. I think you'll like it."

Lucina looked down at the Badge, then at Luke. "Of course, Luke. Let's go there the moment the Champion's Cup ends. And speaking of going places..." She turned and headed towards the exit. "We'd best be off to Route 6! Come on, everyone!"

We followed her out of the vault, leaving Sonia and Tails behind to continue checking out the tapestries.

As we went down the stairs, Lucina looked back at the Doctor with a concerned look on her face. "I can tell what you're thinking by reading your aura, Doctor. To resolve your confusion regarding my statement about humans considering Pokemon to be tools for pleasure, well, I'll say nothing more than this..."

She shuddered.

"If you ever hear someone mention Vaporeon and humans in the same sentence... buck them in the face for me. That way, you won't discover some... disturbing information."
> Chapter 21: The Obligatory Desert Route
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We crossed the bridge to Route 6, only to be interrupted yet again.

The obstacle this time? Team Yell grunts.

However, the pair of grunts before us wasn't directly blocking us. They were instead quietly watching a beige snake Pokemon with a sand sac behind its head and large nostrils (albeit not as large as those of Sandaconda), said Pokemon curled up and sleeping.

"That Pokemon..." The Doctor slowly walked forward. "Could it be a--"

But Lucina stopped him with her paw. "Mind if I take over for this?" She pointed at the grunts. "I met these two during one of my visits to Spikemuth."

"Oh, okay."

With no objections from us, Lucina strolled forward. And then she waved at the Team Yell grunts. "Oi, what are you two doing out here?"

"Keep it down, will ya? Can't ya see this little...?" The grunts looked our way, and they nearly jumped when they saw Lucina. "Gah! Lucina, is that you?!" the male grunt exclaimed.

Lucina chuckled. "I've been getting that a lot lately. Yeah, I finally decided to get out and adventuring again now that one of my little guys came back home safely." She looked back at Luke. "Isn't that right, Luke?"

Luke nodded. "We're on our way to complete the Gym Challenge." He held up Kirby in his paws. "I enrolled this young hero in the challenge so we can grow stronger together."

"Really? That little thing?" The female grunt held back a snicker. "Don't make us laugh! No, seriously." She motioned towards the sleeping Pokemon. "We don't want anything to wake this cute little Silicobra, so we ain't letting any noisy kids by, including that little pink thing!"

Lucina sighed. "The only noise I'm hearing is coming from you two. You'd best leave the poor thing alone if you want her to sleep well."

"Of course we're noisy, Lucina, but Team Yell only gets noisy when they need to!" The male grunt pointed an accusatory finger at Kirby, which irked the puffball. "We're yelling right now to drive off even noisier blokes!"

"...Team Yell." Lucina deadpanned. "Is that why you're wearing those tacky outfits, then?"

"Well, yeah!" The female grunt flashed a banner depicting Marnie. "Team Yell's goal is to cheer on Marnie and make sure she wins the Gym Challenge, so we wanna make sure other Gym Challengers know who we are and to stay away from us!"

"So you're Marnie's own little team of fans, eh?" Lucina crossed her arms. "I don't think she'd want you lot intervening so only she wins the Gym Challenge." She menacingly held a paw covered in aura towards the pair of grunts. "And that includes not letting little Kirby by, which means you should scram if you don't want me to tell Marnie what you've been up to."

The two grunts stepped back in fear. "W-what?! Okay, we'll leave the Silicobra alone, just don't tell Marnie what we was up to!" Then they turned tail and ran off further into Route 6.

Once Team Yell was out of the area, Lucina kneeled down to the Silicobra. "Wakey wakey, Connie..."

The Silicobra opened its drowsy eyes. "Mm... Huh?" It looked around with a cautious look. "Are those loudmouths gone yet?"

"All taken care of. You won't find yourself running into any more of those Team Yell goons in the near future."

"Finally!" The Silicobra rubbed up against Lucina. "Thanks a million, Lucina! Now I can get back to refilling my sand sac without any more interruptions like that."

We waved as the sand snake Pokemon slithered back into the tall grass further ahead.

Lucina explained, "That was Connie. She was just minding her own business when those Team Yell members started cheering her on for no apparent reason. Despite having sharp fangs, Silicobra like her only fight to protect themselves and to catch prey. That's why Connie didn't use moves to drive them off—apart from spraying sand from her nostrils into their faces, which Silicobra usually do to distract predators long enough for them to get away."

"Was Connie asleep because they managed to bore her to sleep?" asked the Doctor.

"That's right. Now if you'll excuse me..." Lucina went back towards Hammerlocke. "...!"

Only to stop when she noticed an elderly lady who was ambling towards her with hope in her eyes. "Why, Lucina, is that really you?"

"Opal!" Lucina gave the Fairy-type Gym Leader a firm hug. "It's so good to see you again!" She motioned towards Luke and the rest of us. "One of my sons returned, so we're getting out and adventuring like the good old days. And I got to know a few new friends he made, some of which are right before your eyes!"

Opal looked at us and smiled. "Looks like you've made quite an interesting group of friends there, Lucina." Her eyes drifted down to Kirby. "Oh? And who might this little one be?"

"The pink puffball? He's Kirby, a Star Warrior who has the unique ability to copy the powers of anything he swallows."

Opal picked up Kirby, who returned her curious gaze. "Such a sincere pink... You may be young, but I can tell you are quite the prodigy. You try to find the good in everyone you meet, but you know when someone is past the point of redemption. And you understand that sometimes you have to fight in order to save not only your friends or your home planet, but everyone. People all around the universe are counting on you."

"Poyo..." Kirby gave Opal a warm, yet mournful smile. Then he released himself from her grip with a determined look on his face. "Poyo. Poyo poyo!"

Lucina nodded. "Kirby's right. We need to get going so we can continue the Gym Challenge. Don't want to keep the Champion waiting!"

We started to continue into Route 6, but Opal raised a hand to stop us. "You wouldn't happen to be going towards Stow-on-Side, would you? I hope you don't mind another companion."

Lucina smiled. "Heading back to Ballonlea to wait for your next challenger?"

"That too, but earlier today I saw something very intriguing." Opal pointed towards the sky north of us. "Did any of you notice something pink flying through the air not too long ago?"

We all looked at each other with a surprised face. The Doctor answered, "We did indeed. And we have reason to believe that something was in fact a friend of ours. She goes by Pinkie Pie."

"Is that so?" Opal's expression sharpened. "Then all the more reason for me to hurry back to Ballonlea. I do hope the Pokemon in the Glimwood Tangle are taking care of her while I'm away..."

"Sounds like this Ballonlea is pretty far from here." Azure sat down for Opal. "Here, take a load off your feet. It's a long way there."

Opal gratefully got onto Azure. "Why, thank you. My feet certainly could use a break."

Splash Hoof and Stormchaser walked over to Azure as she got back onto her hooves. "Let's go together, honey," Stormchaser said. "There's no way we're going to get separated from each other again!"

Splash Hoof added, "And I can help you in case we run into any ladders. I've learned a few tricks while we've been away from each other, so you won't have to worry about climbing up those thin rungs."

"Aw, thank you so much, sweetie!" Azure replied. "I can't wait to see what you can do!"

Therefore, the Keldeo family proceeded onward, eluding battle with the Trainer further ahead because the Gym Leader was with them, while Lucina sprinted east to find Marnie.

Between the rest of us, I was the one who opted to challenge the Beauty. She sent out a pink, winged Pokemon called Clefairy.

"Alright, this looks like a prime opportunity to see what you can do!" I sent out Sandacane.

But as I was about to give my command, I noticed something was wrong with him. His mouth was agape, and he was gasping for air.

The Doctor observed Sandacane for a moment, then his face paled as he suddenly became a bundle of nerves. "Err, Luke... Is it bad for water to get in the nasal cavities of a Sandaconda?"

I promptly paled as well. "Oh Arceus, I hadn't thought about that..."

Luke nodded. "When I was little, one of the things Mum taught me was why Sandaconda keep away from water. If too much water gets in their sand sac while it's full of sand, it won't be able to breathe because the compacted sand leaves no room for air to travel. The compacted sand also means it can't blast opponents, leaving it even more vulnerable. But not to worry, there's a solution." He picked up Sandacane and turned towards Dalton and Kirby. "You two, come with me. We're going to unclog this guy!"

"Alright/Poyo!" Together, the four of them hurried southeast, towards the Wild Area.

My initial plan was out of the picture, but that didn't stop me. Rather, I put on a devilish smirk as I looked at the Beauty. "Okay, time for plan B..."

And what was plan B? Sweeping her Clefairy and Clefable with Knightwing.

In the tall grass ahead, we came across some shy Silicobra, as well as cactus Pokemon called Maractus. But there was another Pokemon that was unfamiliar to me: a small black ghost with purple eyes and a tail trapped inside of a stone relic.

My Pokédex confirmed that it was the Galarian form of Yamask. Since it was right there, I went ahead and caught it, letting the Doctor hop down a ledge nearby to collect some Ultra Balls.

Next, I climbed the ladder to the north, but I quickly climbed back down because there was only a fishing spot there. So I instead continued through the western grass and challenged a pair of doctors alongside the Doctor in a Multi Battle. The better Doctor and I won, of course.

After that, we split up and climbed each of the two ladders near the doctors, but there was no need to split up; they both led to the same place. But that could not be said for the next pair of ladders we encountered after defeating the nearby Backpacker; the Doctor reached a camp tent and a quirky scientist with a passion for fusing together halves of Pokemon fossils, and I reached a Model, a couple of Rare Bones, and the way to Stow–on–Side.

I beat the Model's Skorupi, a scorpion Pokemon, and climbed down the ladder ahead. That's where I found another Trainer to fight, a Rare Candy, a Trainer Tips board on unbreakable TMs and breakable TRs, and the TM for Steel Wing.

As I climbed back up, however...

"AYAYAYAH!" Thud!

I used my wings to fly up to where the noise came from. "Doctor! Are you alright...?"

My voice trailed off in confusion as I saw the Doctor and his Toxtricity walking past an unconscious painter with black hair and a creepy, soulless look on his face.

"I know I shouldn't judge others by how they look, but..." The Doctor shuddered at the appearance of the painter. "Can you really blame me for having Tox Shox paralyze him? I was too afraid to challenge a bloke with such a terrifying evil smile!"

"No, I can't blame you. But next time, don't render them incapable of battling." I spread my wings. "Try passively avoiding battle with them, like by sailing over them with your flying Pokemon."

The Doctor face–hoofed. "Oh. Right."

Before we could proceed, however, Luke and Lucina caught up to us. Dalton and Kirby were right behind them, the former carrying Sandacane.

"Your sandblaster is all unclogged and reloaded with fresh, dry sand," Luke said as Dalton put down my Sandaconda. "Just remember, if water ever gets in his nose in the future, get the waterlogged sand out of there as soon as possible. It also helps to massage his sand sac every so often, to loosen up the sand."

"Thanks, Luke," I said as I gave Sandacane a pat on the head. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind."

"But that isn't all." Luke and Sandacane both gave Kirby a disapproving frown. "Try to keep him away from Kirby. He isn't too happy about what the pink puffball did to his sinuses."

"Will do." I returned Sandacane to his Poké Ball.

Lucina stepped forward. "And I told Marnie about those Team Yell chaps. You shouldn't have any more problems with them. Next time you meet one of ’em, worst they'll do to you is ask you for a battle."

The Doctor gave her a hopeful smile. "So that means no more Team Yell roadblocks?"

"No more Team Yell roadblocks," Lucina confirmed. "We should finally be able to continue our journey without any more Team Yell problems."

"That's brilliant! Let's go, everyone!"

We proceeded further ahead, where we found a massive sculpture of three Diglett looming in front of us.

Lucina pointed at the sculpture. "This is one of our favorite parts of visiting Stow-on-Side, Luke and I. Care to guess why?"

The Doctor put a hoof to his chin. "Maybe... because Diglett were worshipped as deities back in the olden days?"

Luke shrugged. "That's what we thought. But if that's the case... then why would they be considered deities?"

"Perhaps..." The gears in my head turned quickly. "...since nobody has ever seen the rest of a Diglett's body..." I snapped my fingers, despite them being feathers. "They either believe Diglett and Dugtrio have a terrifying lower body and hide it to avoid scaring people, or are very small parts of some gargantuan behemoth hiding underground!"

"They WHAT?!"

Suddenly, an enraged Dugtrio came out of the ground... completely.

Contrary to what the people of old may have hypothesized, the trio of Diglett had a short, plump body like a Drilbur, and three long, sharp claws on each round, padded paw.

The Dugtrio looked down at their body and blushed. "Uh... Hehe... Pretend you didn't see that!"

Then they hid back underground.

We all shared a baffled look, that slowly turned into a gleeful smile. "The mystery has finally been solved," I beamed.

"But..." The Doctor shook his head. "While I would love to share this with everyone, it'd probably be best if they were left in the dark."

Dalton nodded. "He's right. We should let them have their fun."

"Then it's settled." Lucina mimed zipping her lips. "Not a word of this to anyone."

Thus, we continued silently into Stow-on-Side.