"Victor and Gloria's continuing trek through the Wild Area brought them to a young girl and her Yamask, allowing them a chance to med their relationship. And now, they are a step closer to Hammerlocke."
"Top of the Hammerlocke Hills"
Early in the morning, at the bottom of the Hammerlocke Hills, Scorbunny is standing on top of a rock formation on one foot.
Victor is watching his Pokémon, "Hopefully, this will help…"
"So Scorbunny's trying to learn Double Kick, but its balance seems to be off, you might want to work on that," Chloe suggests.
"Keep it up, Scorbunny," Victor says.
"Scor…" Scorbunny responds, trying to remain stable.
Gloria walks over to her friend, "Victor, have you seen Dottler? I let it out for some exercise, but now I can't find it."
Victor glances at her, "I think I saw Dottler going into your tent."
Gloria turns to the two tents seated next to each other.
Gloria pushes open her tent's flap to find Dottler in it, shaking, "Dot… er…"
"Dottler, are you okay?" Gloria asks, picking her Pokémon up. "Dottler?"
"Dot… er…" Dottler continues to shake, as it eyes closed.
"Dottler…" Gloria looking at it, concerned.
Shortly later, Victor and Gloria are rushing through Hammerlocke Hills, with Gloria holding Dottler closely, as the Pokémon shakes.
After a few minutes, the two Trainers reach the top, when they see a group of Trainers.
"Wh-What's going on?" Gloria asks.
A gentleman next to the two turns to face them, "We are unable to reach Hammerlocke."
"Why not?" Victor asks.
A nearby Pokémon Den starts glowing, with a beam of light shoots out, before flying out of the beam of light is a Gigantamaxed Butterfree, "Freeee!"
"A Gigantamaxed Butterfree!" Victor realizes.
"Here it comes," a youngster, Noah, says, before he throws a Poké Ball. "Go, Qwilfish!"
"Qwi!"
"Go, Throh!" a male office worker, Dean, throws a Poké Ball.
"Thro!"
"Go, Heatmor!" a female office worker, Portia, throws a Poké Ball.
"Hea, mo!"
"Go, Maractus!" a madame, Sophie, throws a Poké Ball.
"Mara!"
"A Max Raid Battle," Victor watches.
"I just hope they hurry," Gloria looks at Dottler in her arms.
"Dot… er…" Dottler shakes.
"Freeee!"
"Qwilfish…" Noah starts.
"Maractus…" Sophia starts.
"Pin Missile!" Noah and Sophia call out.
"Heatmor, Thunder Punch!" Portia calls out.
"Throh, Mega Punch!" Dean calls out.
"Qwi!" spikes shoot out of Qwilfish's body.
"Mara!" Maractus holds out its arms, as spikes shoot out.
"Hea, mo!" Heatmor jumps up and readies a fist, as it surges with electricity.
"Thro!" Throh jumps up and readies a fist, as it glows.
"Freeee!" Butterfree flaps its wings, as gale force winds blow ahead, knocking back the four Pokémon and the flying spikes.
"If that's how it's gonna be," Dean holds up his arm, revealing a Dynamax Band, as it glows.
"Throh!" Dean holds out a Poké Ball, as it opens and red energy flies into it. Then Dean holds out his hand, with the large, glowing Poké Ball surrounding it, before Dean starts to turn around, "Dynamax!"
Dean throws the large Poké Ball which opens and shoots out a massive red energy, as it starts to take shape and grows, until it forms a giant Throh, "Thro!"
"Now, Throh, Max Knuckle!" Dean calls out.
"Thro!" Throh holds back its arm and punches it forward, as a large fist goes flying forward.
"Freeee!" Pink energy waves are emitted from Butterfree, as it flaps its wings, which collides with the large fist, breaking apart, before hitting the four Pokémon, causing a wave of energy, and knocking them back.
"Freeee!" Butterfree calls out, as the ground beneath the four Pokémon cracks and a geyser of explosion blows up.
As the explosion ceases, Throh had returned to normal, with it, Maractus, Heatmor, and Qwilfish lying on the ground, with their eyes whirling.
"Freeee!" Butterfree flies away toward the beam of light, disappearing into it, before the light fades away.
"Another group failed," the gentleman says.
"What do you mean 'another group'?" Victor asks.
"Whenever someone approaches this Pokémon Den, a Gigantamaxed Butterfree appears and won't let them pass, and no one had been able to beat it," the gentleman explains.
"No…" Gloria says, as she looks down at the shaking Dottler in her arms.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Victor and Gloria turn to see Hop approaching them.
Several feet away, Gloria, Victor, Hop, and the gentleman are standing together.
Gloria looks at the Dottler in her arms, "Something is wrong with my Dottler, and I don't know what it could be…"
"Dot… er…" Dottler shakes.
"According to my Rotom Phone, there's a Pokémon Nursery in the Wild Area, but it's too far away…" Gloria starts. "I need to bring it to the Pokémon Center in Hammerlocke…"
Hop crosses his arms, "But that Gigantamaxed Butterfree is in the way."
"Why don't we just have a Max Raid Battle," Victor suggests. "I know others have tried and failed, but I'm certain we can succeed."
"I'm game, besides it would be a good way to test my recent training," Hop pumps his fists.
"So am I," the gentleman adds. "And I realized I hadn't been properly introduced yet. My name is Martin."
"Thanks, everyone," Gloria says, with small tears in her eyes, before looking down at her Pokémon.
"Dot… er…"
Victor, Gloria, Hop, and Martin stand in front of the Pokémon Den, with Gloria holding onto Dottler in one arm.
The Pokémon Den starts glowing, with a beam of light shoots out, before flying out of the beam of light is a Gigantamaxed Butterfree, "Freeee!"
Victor throws a Poké Ball, "Go, Scorbunny!"
"Scor!"
Gloria throws a Poké Ball, "Go, Sirfetch'd!"
"Sir, Fetch!"
Hop throws a Poké Ball, "Go, Wooloo!"
"Woooo!"
Martin throws a Poké Ball, "Go, Solrock!"
"Sol!"
"Let's end this quick, Sirfetch'd, Rock Smash!" Gloria calls out.
"Sir! Fetch!" Sirfetch'd jumps up.
"Scorbunny, back it up with Ember," Victor instructs.
"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps and starts firing a series of small fireballs from its mouth.
"Freeee!" Butterfree flaps its wings, creating gale force winds.
"Sir, Fetch!" Sirfetch'd is knocked back by the gale force winds, as the small fireballs dissipate.
"Freeee!" Pink energy waves are emitted from Butterfree, as it flaps its wings.
"Sirfetch'd, quick, Iron Defense!" Gloria calls out.
"Sir, Fetch!" Sirfetch'd crosses its arms, as its body starts to turn into iron, when the energy waves hit it, knocking it back.
"Wooloo, Defense Curl!" Hop calls out.
"Woooo," Wooloo curls up.
"Solrock, uses Cosmic Power," Martin instructs.
"Sol!" Solrock floats up, as it glows with stars around it.
The wave of energy spread out, knocking back Sirfetch'd and Scorbunny, with the curled Wooloo and Solrock crackles with energy.
"Sir… Fetch…" Sirfetch'd lands hard on the ground, with its eyes whirling.
"Sirfetch'd… I'm sorry," Gloria holds out a Poké Ball, with Sirfetch'd turns into red energy and flies into the Poké Ball.
"Scorbunny, are you okay?" Victor asks.
"Scor…" Scorbunny tries to stand up, before falling backward, with its eyes whirling.
"It's okay, take a rest," Victor holds out a Poké Ball, with Scorbunny turns into red energy and flies into the Poké Ball.
"Woooo…" Wooloo uncurls itself.
"Look like Wooloo's okay," Hop says.
Solrock floats down to Martin, "As well as Solrock."
"Let's keep going," Victor says, as he looks at Gloria.
Gloria looks at Dottler shaking in her arms and looks up, "Right."
Victor throws a Poké Ball, "Let's go, Pikachu!"
"Pika, pi!"
Gloria throws a Poké Ball, "Go, Sobble!"
"Sobbl!"
"Freeee," Butterfree flies over the Trainers and their Pokémon, as it flies back around.
"Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Victor calls out.
"Wooloo, Copycat!" Hop calls out.
"Pika, Chu!"
"Woooo!"
Electric blasts shoot out of both Pikachu and Wooloo, hitting Butterfree, as it flies around, "Freeeee."
"Did that barely have any effect?!" Victor asks.
"Freeeee," Butterfree flies back down to them.
"Let's try this, Pikachu, use Quick Attack to get close!" Victor instructs.
"Pika, pika!" Pikachu starts running at a breakneck pace, before jumping up at the descending Butterfree.
"Now, Electro Ball!" Victor calls out.
"Pika!" a ball of electric forms on Pikachu's tail. "Pika pika pika pika pika…" Pikachu then whips its attack, launching the ball of electricity. "Pika-chu!"
"Freeee," Butterfree flaps its wings, shooting down gale force winds, which blows the ball of electricity back and hits Pikachu.
"Pika!"
"Pikachu!" Victor calls out.
"Wooo," Wooloo jumps up and catches Pikachu on its back.
"Pikachu…" Victor runs over to them, seeing Pikachu's eyes whirling. "Thank you, Wooloo." Victor picks up Pikachu.
"Pika…"
"You did great, Pikachu," Victor holds up a Poké Ball, with Pikachu glowing into red energy and flies into the Poké Ball.
"This Butterfree is tougher than I thought," Martin says, as he looks at Butterfree as it backs away.
"We need to hurry this up," Gloria looks at Dottler in her arms.
"Dot… er…"
"Sobbl," Sobble looks up at Dottler, before turning around and running ahead. "Sobbl."
"Sobble," Gloria says.
"Go, Toxel!" Victor throws a Poké Ball.
"Toxe!" Toxel appears from red energy next to Sobble.
"We're with you," Martin says.
"Sol," Solrock floats next to Toxel and Sobble.
"Toxel, Acid! Aim for its left wing!" Victor calls out.
"Sobble, Water Pulse! Aim for its right wing!" Gloria calls out.
"Solrock, Rock Throw! Aim for the body!" Martin calls out.
"Toxe!" Toxel starts spitting out globs of acid.
"Sobbl!" Sobble then waves around its arms, bringing them together before pushing them ahead, shooting a pulsing blast of water from its hands.
"Sol!" Solrock floats back, as rocks float up next to it and are shot ahead.
All three attacks collide with Butterfree, causing a large explosion. As the smoke clears, Butterfree flies through.
"Freeee!" Pink energy waves are emitted from Butterfree, as it flaps its wings.
"Wooloo, use Defense Curl to try and shield the others!" Hop instructs.
"Wooo!" Wooloo runs to in front of Sobble and Toxel, before curling up.
"Solrock, Cosmic Power!" Martin instructs.
"Sol!" Solrock floats up, as it glows with stars around it.
The energy waves spread out, with Toxel and Sobble hide down behind Wooloo, before they are knocked back.
"Toxe!"
"Sobbl!"
"Woooo!"
Toxel, Sobble, and Wooloo fall down, with their eyes whirling. All three turn into red energy and fly into their Poké Balls.
"You did great," Victor says to the Poké Ball.
"I know you did your best," Gloria says to her Poké Ball.
"Take a large, earn rest," Hop says to the Poké Ball.
"Sol…" Solrock floats to Martin.
"I know, my friend, even boosting your defenses with Cosmic Power, this battle is proving too much for you," Martin says.
Victor holds up another Poké Ball, "And we're running out of Pokémon." Victor looks over to Gloria, who is looking at the Dottler in her arms.
Victor looks back ahead and throws the Poké Ball, "But we're not stopping. Go, Corvisquire!"
"Squir!"
"Right, go, Grookey!" Hop throws a Poké Ball.
"Key!"
"I enjoy your spirit," Martin says. "Let's keep up with them, Solrock."
"Sol," Solrock floats ahead.
"Corvisquire, Fury Attack!" Victor calls out.
"Grookey, Razor Leaf!" Hop calls out.
"Solrock, Rock Throw!" Martin calls out.
While hearing the sounds of attacking, Gloria looks down at Dottler in her arms, with it shaking, as tears are forming in Gloria's eyes.
Blipbug notices that Sobble's hand is softly touching one of Gloria's. Blipbug crawls over to them, and places its hand on Gloria and Sobble's.
Blipbug looks up at her and says, happily, "Blip!"
"Blip, Blip!" Blipbug happily responds, before it places its head against the button on the Poké Ball, which opens with Blipbug turning into red energy, flies into the Poké Ball and closes. The Poké Ball shakes three times, with the button glowing red, before stopping, with small stars shooting out of the button.
Blipbug jumps up, with its body glowing green, and collides with the energy fist, causing a large explosion. Thrown out of the explosion, Blipbug is knocked back.
Blipbug's body starts to glow, before it reshapes into a dome-like shape, with the glowing ceases, revealing Dottler, which lands on the ground.
At the Budew Drop Inn, the sun shines through one of its rooms, as Gloria, standing in the center of the room, stretching her arms.
With a heavy sigh, Gloria looks over to her bed, with Sobble and Dottler lying at it.
One by one, Scorbunny, Rookidee, Sobble, and Dottler are given a spoonful of Curry.
"Do-ter! Do-ter!" Dottler hops in place.
Gloria sits down in the stands at the Turffield Stadium, surrounded by other spectators, with Sobble in her arms and Dottler on her shoulder.
"Dot-er," Dottler happily says.
"Dottler…" Gloria says to her Pokémon, before seeing Corvisquire, Grookey, and Solrock knocked back.
"Dot… er…" Dottler pulls itself out of Gloria's arms.
"Dottler," Gloria watches her Pokémon.
"Dot… er…" Dottler walks forward, as it continues to shake.
"Dottler, you don't have to…" Gloria starts, before a bright glow stops her.
"Dot… er…" Dottler's body starts glowing. "Dot… Er!"
Dottler's body continues to glow as it floats up, as a skinny torso and legs come out from the bottom, with its arms, before the glowing ceases, "Or… beet!"
"You evolved…?!" Gloria calls out.
"Fascinating, I heard that some Pokémon's evolution could be quite difficult, that must be what Dottler was experiencing," Martin says, as Gloria looks over to him.
Gloria's Rotom Phone flies up, "Orbeetle, the Seven Spot Pokémon, It's famous for its high level of intelligence, and the large size of its brain is proof that it also possesses immense psychic power."
"Orbeetle, I'm so glad you're okay, now," Gloria says.
"Or, beet," Orbeetle looks over to its Trainer.
"Now, let's finish this battle," Gloria says.
"Or, beet," Orbeetle looks ahead.
Suddenly, Gloria's Dynamax Band is glowing, with she looks at it, before closing her eyes, "I only Dynamax once before. But this feels different. This is a new power…"
Gloria's eyes open, before she holds out a Poké Ball, with Orbeetle turns into red energy and flies into it. Gloria holds out her hands, with a large, glowing Poké Ball surrounding it, before she turns and throws it, "Orbeetle, Gigantamax!"
The large Poké Ball which opens and shoots out a massive red energy, as it starts to take shape and grows, with its top half growing even larger, as its lower body's absorbed into, "Or! Beet!"
"Orbeetle, Gigantamaxed!" Hop yells.
"Hop, let's go," Gloria says.
"Right, Grookey, jump onto Orbeetle," Hop instructs.
"Corvisquire, fly with them," Victor instructs.
"You go too, Solrock," Martin adds.
"Key!" Grookey jumps onto Orbeetle.
"Or, beet," Orbeetle flies ahead.
"Squire," Corvisquire flies ahead.
"Sol," Solrock floats ahead.
"Freeee!" Butterfree flaps its wings, blowing gale force wind.
"Corvisquire…" Victor starts.
"Solrock…" Martin starts.
"Dodge!"
"Squir!"
"Sol!"
Corvisquire and Solrock quickly move to different sides, as the gale force wind blows ahead.
"Orbeetle, Max Guard!" Gloria calls out.
"Or, beet!" Orbeetle brings its arms together, with a glowing barrier in front of it, as the gale force wind hits it.
Corvisquire and Solrock flying to the opposite sides of Butterfree.
"Corvisquire, Fury Attack!" Victor calls out.
"Solrock, Psychic!" Martin calls out.
"Squir!" Corvisquire's beak glows, as it flies ahead and swings its beak left to right.
"Sol!" Solrock floats back, as waves of energy shots off its body.
Both attacks hit Butterfree, "Freeee!"
"Grookey, Razor Leaf!" Hop instructs.
"Key!" Grookey jumps off Orbeetle, swings its stick, before shooting a series of sharp leaves fly off its head.
The sharp leaves hit Butterfree, who flaps its wings, and blow Grokey away, "Freee!"
"Squir," Corvisquire flies around, with Grookey landing on its back.
"Key," Grookey happily says.
"Freeee!" Butterfree's wings glow, before dozens of glowing Butterfree fly from it.
The attack barrages on Orbeetle, "Or, beet!"
"Orbeetle!" Gloria calls out. "We've been through so much, we can do this. Orbeetle!"
The attack ceases, as Orbeetle looks ahead, "Or… Beet!"
"Go, Orbeetle, G-Max Gravitas!" Gloria calls out.
"Or! Beet!" Orbeetle shoots up a beam of light from its top, which shoots out waves of energy.
The attack slams into Butterfree, pushing it down onto the ground, as the attack continues to slam, "Freeee!"
Butterfree is slammed hard onto the ground, as smoke and dirt blows up.
The smoke starts to dissipate, when a normal Butterfree flies out and away, "Freee."
"Well, I be… we won the Max Raid Battle," Martin says.
"Or, beet," Orbeetle shrinks back to normal, as it flies to Gloria.
"We did, Orbeetle," Gloria says, as Orbeetle flies into her arms and she hugs it. "We did!"
Victor, Hop, and Martin happily watch them, as Corvisquire, carrying Grookey, and Solrock lower themselves next to their Trainers.
Shortly later, Martin stands in front of Victor, Gloria, Hop, and Orbeetle.
"Thanks very much, with your help, this path has been clear for many," Martin says.
"We couldn't have done it without your help," Gloria says.
Martin nods his head, happily, "Take care, young ones."
Martin turns away toward the long stairs, leading to Hammerlocke.
Gloria turns to her friends, "So, are you guys finally ready to go to Hammerlocke."
"It seems like it took forever," Victor rubs the back of his head, before turning to Hop. "Ready?"
"Yeah, ready," Hop says.
"Then let's go," Gloria says, before she looks to Orbeetle. "Right?"
"Or, beet," Orbeetle nods its head.
They start walking toward the stairs leading to Hammerlocke.
"A long trip and a scary situation for Gloria and her Dottler finally brought our heroes to Hammerlocke. Leaving the Wild Area, what could be next for them?"
"Find out, as the journey continues…"