The locker room was silent and empty, the air stagnant as the young gym leader sat on a bench, the unforgiving fluorescence of the overhead lights casting itself down upon her. She sat trembling, her arms wrapped around her legs as she buried her face into her knees and wept. Everything she had been working towards, everything she had been fighting for; it all seemed to be falling apart around her as she watched, helpless to stop any of it. Intrusive thoughts began to pervade the periphery of her mind like a swarming infestation. Amid the miasma, five words seemed to repeat like rapid fire, and could be heard like a siren over the storm:

You're letting them all down.

The people of Spikemuth - her friends, her peers, her brother, all of her downtrodden neighbors that were looking to her to bring them hope:

You're letting them all down.

Her Pokemon - the ones who trusted her with their lives, the ones who'd fight alongside her and heed her every word without any hesitation, the ones whose loyalty was unquestioned even through the thickest of the thick:

You're letting them all down.

There was a serious contemplation in her mind to throw the match. Maybe I should just surrender, she thought. Least then, my team won't have to suffer… Least then, I won't keep embarassin' everyone from Spikemuth…

Marnie was in the insurmountable position of having to act as the shining example of her hometown in a battle with the odds stacked against her. However, in her city's time of need, when she needed to be the proud pillar of strength that her people needed, she had never felt more powerless and uncertain.

. . .

"Yeah, I reckon you're probably a medium", Piers concluded as he judged the wingspan of Marcus's arms. "Go get another jacket from the bus", he said to one of the Yell members.

The Yell grunt nodded and broke into a sprint for the parking lot, leaving Piers, Marcus, and Hop alone in a men's bathroom on the fifth floor of the stadium.

"You brought your mic today, right Piers?", Marcus asked.

Piers raised a brow. "Who do ya think yer talkin' to?" He let forth a slight grin. "I never come unprepared for a gig."

"I dunno about this, Mate", Hop interjected, "couldn't you get in a lot of trouble for this? Y'know, showing any signs of public endorsement and all?"

"Leon got away with endorsing you, and you're his brother", Marcus replied. "If that act of nepotism didn't end his career, I think I'll be fine."

"That was different", Hop persisted. "The League wasn't actively trying to work against Lee. From what you've told me, these guys have been against you every step of the way."

Marcus nodded. "Then call this a precaution from Galar's champion and resident "Master of Disguise``'', he jested. "I've been getting pretty good at learning how to dodge crowds that are looking for me, and I can pretty much guarantee that nobody would ever expect this sort of thing from me."

Hop chuckled. "You're right about that, I certainly never would've guessed."

Marcus stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. "Besides", he added, "I've actually been kinda curious… what does it feel like to walk in the shoes of Team Yell?"

Marcus thought back to the day that he, Hop, and Marnie battled all across Wyndon in search of Leon. He thought about how Marnie led Team Yell in rooting him on as he battled against the cronies of Macro Cosmos, and how it made him feel. Dealing with a corporation the size of Macro Cosmos, for righteous reasons or not, was an intimidating venture for Marcus, and left him feeling woefully out of his element. However, he was able to find the strength and confidence to press onward through Marnie's words of reassurance and affirmation. It was comforting to know that she stood by his side.

Now was his time to return the favor.

"Last chance to turn tail", Piers warned as he held a bottle of hot pink-colored dye. "This stuff won't come out for awhile…"

Marcus grinned. "Just give me a good coloring on the top", he replied.

Piers nodded. "What about you?", he asked, turning to Hop.

Hop chuckled awkwardly. "I think I'll just stick with the face-paint."

. . .

Marnie fought with all her might to settle the anxious trembling that began to overcome her as the roar of the awaiting crowd grew louder and louder as she approached the pitch. The battle was approaching its climax. By the end of it all, she felt like she'd be on the ground, eyes swollen from sobbing as she sat bereft of words and reason - right back where she'd started at the beginning of it all. Her mind was firing off like the cylinders of a car, sending conscious synapses to the different parts of her body just to keep herself together:

Stand tall and proud, don't slouch your shoulders, steel your gaze, keep a stiff upper-lip.

All of the things she would be doing naturally were being forced and contrived in order to preserve the image of herself that she felt everyone counting on her needed to see, an image that she just didn't have in herself to maintain any further subconsciously.

Fake it 'til you make it.

The lights were almost blinding to her as she emerged out onto the battlefield, which remained tattered and torn asunder from the first half of the match. As she slowly approached her place on the pitch, she saw him standing there; Weston - Ectobius Rex - was already waiting for her, his cocky smirk smeared over his face, his lime-green eyes that seemed to glow like a soul-piercing flame, one hand to his hip and the other pushing back strands of his platinum-blonde hair as he stood at his side of the field, poised and confident as ever.

Marnie held her breath - as if seeing a ghost - as she took her place on the pitch, making a conscious effort to not make eye-contact with her opponent. She didn't want him digging in her head again, not anymore than he already had.

"It must be quite the trifle", Weston remarked, "having to feign strength atop such overwhelming weakness."

Marnie's eyes widened as she continued to nervously look away from him.

Get out of my head… get out of my head…

"It's as I told you before, there's no sense in pretending to be something that you're not." Weston grinned wide. "We both know the truth, don't we? All of Galar knows it by now…"

Stop… please…

Weston bared his teeth like a cobra baring its fangs as it prepared to lunge at its prey.

"You're weak."

Marnie felt her entire world escape from beneath her feet. With those two words, Weston gave reality to all of the fears and anxieties raging in her head. She felt her lip begin to tremble as she fought tears with all of her might.

No…

"But this needn't continue, you know", Weston added. "You've endured the weight of your own failure for long enough. I am willing to grant you the mercy of an easy-out." He gave a sinister smile. "All you need to do is surrender."

Marnie could feel the tears began to well as Weston's words pierced deeper and deeper within her. She had to admit it to herself - she couldn't take it anymore. She didn't have the strength within her to carry on with this facade any longer. She wasn't even strong enough to look her opponent in the eye, let alone defeat him in battle.

So that's it then… maybe I should just give it up…

The familiar sound of a horn interrupted Marnie's thoughts - the sound of one of Team Yell's horns. Although this one was much louder than she was used to. So loud, in fact, that she managed to hear it easily even amid all the other noise in the stadium even from out on the field. She quickly turned to her left towards the source of the noise.

There stood Team Yell in the stands, hooting and hollering up a storm, as per normal. However, standing in front of them, horn in hand and her older brother's microphone set up in front of him was Marcus.

To Marnie's shock and surprise, he was representing Team Yell with his new attire. The maroon cable-knit sweater she'd only just recently gotten used to seeing him in had been substituted for the familiar black and pink patterned t-shirt of the Spikemuth Gym. His white leather jacket had been replaced with a sleeveless black-leather punk jacket. The long hair that made up the top of his undercut hairstyle had been dyed hot-pink. A thick horizontal line of pink face-paint streaked across his face, with a black X on top marking the center between his eyes.

"Marnie!", he shouted through the microphone. The mic didn't do much to amplify the sound of his voice as it did the horn, but it was enough for him to be heard as Marnie focused in on the sound.

"Don't let that creep get to you!", he called out passionately. "You are one of the best trainers I've ever met, and one of the strongest people I've ever known! You're not in this alone, we're all right here by your side! And that's exactly where we're gonna stay, no matter what, Marnie!"

"You can do it, Marnie!", Hop called out, a black X streaking across his face.

"Take that clown down, lil' sis!", Piers cheered.

Marnie felt her heart flutter and her cheeks flush at the commotion everyone was making for her. It was as heartfelt and meaningful to her as it was embarrassing.

"We're all here for you, Marnie", Marcus yelled. "We all believe in you, and no matter what happens, we always will! Now take this creep to the cleaner's!"

Team Yell cheered loudly in agreement to all of the shared sentiments.

"Yeah, let's hear it for Marnie!"

"You've got this, Marnie!"

"We believe in you!"

"We love you, Marnie!"

The young gym leader felt a tear stream down her cheek as her friends began to chant her name, leading at least half of Wyndon Stadium to join in and do the same. The amount of love and support she was receiving was almost overwhelming. All this time, she'd felt as if everything was riding on her shoulders, and if she collapsed under the pressure of it all, that the people around her would abandon all hope, all faith - she thought they'd abandon her. Now, she realized that this loud rambunctious group of misfits - which, from the sound of it, made up about half of Galar at that point - was here to stay, cheering her on in everything she did, no matter what. On any other day, it would have been embarrassing beyond words. Today, however, it was the best feeling in the world.

She turned back towards center-field as she wiped the tear from her rose-tinted cheek, a tender smile on her face. She was so grateful to everyone. To Spikemuth, for always standing alongside her and for hyping her up. To her brother, Piers, for having been there with her from the beginning - for raising her into who she is now, for teaching her about Pokemon and battling, and for being her biggest fan through everything. To Marcus…

She grinned.

...You big dork.

"A heart-warming display, no doubt", Weston interrupted. "It's a shame that those cheers of admiration will be reduced to whimpers of disappointment when we're through here, today."

Marnie opened her eyes and locked on to her opponent with fierce resolve. This was the Marnie everyone knew.

"You're wrong", she replied bluntly. "These folk didn't come to see me fail… they came here to support me. Through the thick n' the thin, just like they always have. That's what's gotten me this far, and it's what's gonna see me through the rest of this match?"

"Huh?", Weston exclaimed with genuine surprise. "What are you going on about now?"

"It takes a village…", she began, "...and I've got all of Galar." She smiled confidently. "And I owe it to all of 'em to prove everythin' you've said wrong. That's why I'm gonna win this, got it?"

Weston scowled in confusion.

What's going on here? She was broken, I had her wrapped around my finger. She had no fight left in her, and now…"

His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed the sounds within the stadium. Most of the crowd surrounding the two trainers continued to cheer for his opponent, eagerly chanting her name. For the first time since entering the stadium that day, Weston began to feel small.

This makes no sense… I am a prodigy, the master of the Bug-Types, the perfect and obvious choice for a representative Gym Leader of Galar… I am Ectobius Rex! And yet…

He glared at Marnie as the audience continued to holler for her, feelings of envy building within him.

What do these people see in her!? She's been trounced and trodden upon at nearly every turn since this battle started, why do they still insist on supporting her!?

He paused, forcing himself to calm down as he took in a deep breath.

Patience, Weston, he thought to himself behind a slightly shaken expression. A dethroned king is not so easily replaced in the hearts of his adoring subjects. He grinned his cocky and confident grin. Soon, they will see… they will all see…

"You've got it backwards", Weston finally declared out loud. "I'm leaving you in the dust!"

The Rotom referee flew to hover over center-field, marking the start of the second half. "Contestants, are you ready?"

Marnie and Weston gave confident nods.

"Battle begin!"

Weston wasted no time in drawing his Pokeball and tossing it into the air. "Volcarona, prepare for combat!"

In a flash of light, Volcarona descended over the field, its sweltering waves of heat quickly spreading across the arena.

Marnie clutched her Pokeball in her hand. She gave it a nod as she looked at it once more before throwing it forward with all her might.

"Alright", she shouted. "Let's go!"