(Before we begin, I just wanna give a huge gracias to nadaoriginal for giving this story the most support thus far. I truly appreciate it. Same goes for the other followers. Huge props to y'all. Enjoy!)

Chapter 4: The Emotional Journey Begins

The new day in Galar has finally begun for everyone and, despite the emotional breakdown he endured after his breakfast with his pokémon, he was still determined to begin his journey to become the new Galar champion by any means necessary, with or without his parents. As of today, there were no new developments in the devastating cruise ship accident that started it all. Hatterene still kept an angelic look of hope in her black eyes as the corviknight flight had just landed in Wedgehurst to officially start the long road ahead.

The peaceful atmosphere of the small town was enough to make the very fragile young Davis smile with the most sincerity he's ever shown since his disability came up and Hatterene couldn't feel any more at ease because of this factor. Before they could reach the stadium, the two had run into a very friendly young boy with golden eyes and short purple hair that appeared to be so full of energy and happiness. Karthaniel's smile never ceased as he greeted the boy.

"You look very ecstatic today." He started composedly. "Something tells me that you're starting your journey as well. The name's Karthaniel Davis and this is one of my most trustworthy partners, Hatterene." Hearing that comment from her new trainer made her blush the deepest shade of pink on her cheeks, but she never gave him any eye contact. She kept her heavenly glowing smile on the young trainer before them.

"Oh, I already know who you two are. My brother told me all about you both." The boy replied as he shook hands with Karthaniel. "My name's Hop."

"It's nice to meet you, Hop. Who is your brother, by the way?"

"He's the Galar Champion, Leon. I'm destined to be just like him someday."

"Not if I get there first."

"Oooh, you're very confident. Leon tells me that you're very sick right now because you don't know what happened to your parents. Is that true?"

"And the term 'very sick' is putting it nicely, yes. I may appear fine now, but I'm actually very unstable in my genius brain right now. What happened at Hammerlocke last night was no rumor and Hatterene here made it all better for me for now." Karthaniel paused he turned towards her. She returned the regal glare of hospitality. "She's my guardian angel."

"Awww, that's sweet. Most pokémon are in this case, but I guess by the looks of this hatterene, she's very special. Where did you come from? I can't wait to battle ya sometime."

"Where I came from doesn't concern you." Hatterene replied in her usual voice of an angel. "You will find out in due time, but for now, it's remaining confidential."

"I understand. Well, Karthaniel, I wish you good luck. I hope you find your parents soon. I'd hate to see ya break down in front of my brother. He doesn't take those very well from his opponents."

"I'll keep that in mind and thanks." Karthaniel replied as he gave the young Hop an embrace that was warm to the heart and soul. "So, since you have a connection to your brother, who's the first leader for me to face?"

"His name is Milo. He's a grass-type expert, so make sure you have some fire, poison, bugs, ice, and a bird on ya somewhere. Otherwise, his eldegoss will get ya really good."

"Thanks for the tip. I wish you good luck on your endeavors as well." The two shook hands after that was said before Karthaniel and Hatterene continued on their way towards Wedgehurst Stadium, having the three-fingered claw from her hat upon his left shoulder for added comfort. He had his signature handsome smile of tranquility still in check at that feeling.

At the stadium entrance, one of the arena workers saw him and, thanks to his thick sunglasses, he was able to hide his look of absolute shock to see Hatterene alongside the fragile trainer. He placed a hand to his right ear as he said this to a unknown receiver:

"I see her. She's with that mentally unstable trainer that's causing quite a buzz all over Galar." He had a normal male voice that was low in volume so nobody would hear.

Is she happy with this man? Asked another mysterious male voice that sounded older than the worker.

"It would appear so. She saved him last night, according to some sources."

From what?!

"No idea. I'll try to keep an eye on him when he challenges Milo."

You have better. Don't leave me hanging.

"Yes, sir."

Several minutes later, inside the main lobby of the arena…

"Good morning and welcome to Wedgehurst Stadium." Greeted a young female receptionist at the front desk. "Is this your first time here?"

"Yes." Karthaniel replied, still keeping Hatterene's famous hat claw upon his shoulder with her heavenly smile.

"Excellent. You'll be an interesting challenge for Milo. He's our big, strong, and handsome grass-type expert here in Wedgehurst. Of course, in order to challenge the other remaining leaders in Galar, you'll have to start your one and only registration here. May I have your full name, please?"

While that was going on, Milo was standing at the entrance to the battle arena alongside Leon. They were closely observing Karthaniel from a distance and the humble farmhand nodded with expectancy with his buff arms crossed.

"He's quite a good looking man, for starters." Milo started in a semi-country accented male voice. "Those silver gear tattoos he's got showing on him underneath his vest is a surefire sign that his expertise in steel-type pokémon cannot be unmatched. That's the hatterene that's keeping him in check, eh?"

"Indeed, it is!" Leon gasped as he just took a good look at the anthropomorphic Silent Pokémon next to young Davis. "She's breathtakingly beautiful! Raihan wasn't kidding about her appearance, but I can't wait to see what's she's capable of in the battlefield. Most importantly, though, you must keep an eye on Karthaniel's mental state. If his symptoms happen to flare up in the middle of the battle, the best thing to do is not panic. It'll make the situation worse."

"Gotcha, chief. It'll be a smooth sailing challenge. In fact, I'm gonna do something specially for him that I've never done for previous first-timers before. Will you allow it just this one time?"

"Anything to help him and us leaders out. Whatever you've got planned, I'm behind you 100 percent."

"Thanks. I promise I won't do it again afterwards."

Back over at Karthaniel and Hatterene within the main lobby…

"Ugh!" The young trainer groaned as he felt his occasional headache since his mental disability kicked in. He had to massage his head for relief and Hatterene watched him with utmost concern. "Damn!"

"Are you alright, young Davis?" Hatterene asked with a little worry in her voice.

"I… don't know. My head usually hurts like this after a terrible night's sleep, with or without what I'm suffering from right now."

"I'm not surprised to see this happening to you. This headache is actually the perfect tie-in to what I saved you from last night. It's an aftereffect that should go away on its own before you battle Milo. If it doesn't get any better by then, I'll cure it for you."

"Can you cure my entire disease altogether?!" Karthaniel gave her a look of agonizing pain and anger all at once. She never cowered, but showed a regal glare of hope.

"I did say that no doctor can cure what you have, but that also applies to me as well. What you have has to be… and can be… cured all by yourself. It's the only way."

"Damn it all!" The young trainer ended up crying within his massive hands after his headache did go away on its own like the Silent Pokémon promised. All Hatterene could do was just give him a soothing massage upon his hunched-over back. "I just want this to go away!"

"So do I. Take as long as you need to get through this episode. I won't be leaving your side anytime soon."

"Thank you so much, Hatterene. I truly appreciate it."

"You are very welcome, Sir Davis."

"Excuse me…" Came in a handsome country male voice. The two looked up at the buff farmhand. "…you must be Karthaniel Davis. The name's Milo. I'm the grass-type leader here."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Karthaniel greeted as he stood up with Hatterene simultaneously, having only the two men shake hands. "I'm looking forward to our challenge and I plan to win."

"We'll see about that. Since you're new here, I should tell you something we here at Galar do very differently when it comes to gym battles or the like. Usually, we give our trainers a quick exercise along with challenging other members of my elite team of grass-type experts, but since you're not very stable in the mental department, I'm only allowing you to completely skip that step altogether and just come and battle me immediately. Is that alright with you?"

"That'll make the whole experience a bit easier. Thank you. Are you prepared for me, though?"

"Very. To be honest, I've never challenged a trainer with a case as bizarre as yours, but regardless, I'm always prepared for anything. I've got some medical staffers on stand-by, just in case."

"Thanks. I'll see you in ten minutes."

"Will do. Don't keep me waiting now." After that was set in stone, Milo headed for the battlefield to wait patiently. When he was gone, Karthaniel turned towards Hatterene with a sincere look of understanding, which she returned without hesitation.

"I'll need corviknight for this one. Hope you don't mind."

"It's the best strategy." Hatterene agreed with no worries. "Although I do have Mystical Fire within my arsenal. Just take your time, okay?" She took a step closer to the young trainer with a slender hand going up his abs and pectorals for added comfort. "I'm right behind you if you need me."

"Thanks, Hatterene." He returned the touch with a gentle stroke upon her right cheek, making her blush. "I'm counting on you."

"I shall not fail."

Eight minutes later, inside the arena…

Karthaniel and Hatterene took their time walking into the battlefield, hearing the extremely excited crowd ahead of them. That made them both smile with positive anticipation and the two even held hands to make sure they weren't too far apart from each other within their reverie. By the time they finally stepped into the lights, the crowd's cheers grew even louder and only Karthaniel became emotional in a good way for once. He was so overwhelmed with excitement that his one brown eye and one blue eye started to become watery with tears, but they never escaped. He just couldn't believe that he was about to start his journey without his parents for the first time. That thought may take a toll on him, but he's still willing to keep it up for Milo.

Three minutes of a happy walk later, Karthaniel finally took his position at the center of the battlefield and faced Milo right away.

"You feel okay?" The humble farmhand had to ask first. Karthaniel nodded twice with confidence. "Okay. Just take your time. You'll be fine."

Meanwhile, alongside Milo's entryway, the same male arena worker from before continued his conversation with his mysterious partner within his earpiece as he saw Hatterene standing right behind Karthaniel as she promised.

"She's in position as expected, sir." He whispered in that same soft voice again. "She's really keeping her sharp eyes on this man. Is he really that mentally unstable?"

Ever since he made landfall in the Isle of Armor. The mystery voice replied. Many doctors around Galar are predicting that he has a severe case of PTSD, but only those pesky leaders alongside Leon are saying otherwise. I'm not buying that bullshit.

"Same here. Since Hatterene's here within my reach, what should I do?"

Nothing yet. Wait until after the battle's over. Then, I'll give you further instructions.

"10-4!"

Back in the battlefield…

The crowd had just gone insane over Karthaniel's male corviknight easily take down Milo's little gossifleur with a powerful Drill Peck. In addition to the young mentally disabled trainer and the grass-type farmhand, Hatterene was the only other one to remain composed as she was just giving a light applause instead. Seeing this first take down made Karthaniel feel proud of himself.

"You may be new here in Galar, but you sure aren't a rookie when it comes to your pokémon skills." Milo commented with pride. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks, Milo. You are just as good." Karthaniel replied casually, despite the fact that he slowly felt his demonic hallucinations coming back. He even broke a little sweat trying to maintain it, but Hatterene saw his futile struggle from behind him and her eyes began to glow in the aqua blue, ready for anything. "I hear your eldegoss is a much bigger challenge, though. I'm ready."

"Ha! Bigger is putting it nicely." At that last word, the humble farmhand tossed out his eldegoss and wasted no time dynamaxing, making the tiny 1 foot and six inch grass-type grow to a gargantuan size, making the crowd cheer even louder. "Hope you're truly ready."

"As I'll ever be." Karthaniel then started to gigantamax his corviknight, making the regal Raven Pokémon look very intimidating.

At that moment, Hatterene saw it… standing between the two determined trainers… that same demon from last night. She tried calling out to him:

"KARTHANIEL!"

Davis… your fate awaits, my child. You shall see your parents very soon. At that last word, that's when the battle was at a standstill on Karthaniel's side, making the crowd slowly quiet down with confusion. Milo remained indomitable.

"There it is." Milo whispered to himself. "His disease took over him like a curse. His eyes don't look too good. Eldegoss, come back!" The small Cotton Bloom Pokémon did so without hesitation before the farmhand snapped his fingers twice for some of his medical staff to take position, in case things turn deadly. "Karthaniel! You can fight this! Don't let it take you!"

Ignore him, Davis. Take a feather from your corviknight. Let's make the trip to your parents quick and painless.

"Anything to see my parents again." Karthaniel muttered in an eerie monotone of his handsome voice as he walked like a mindless zombie towards his now normal sized Raven Pokémon, who slowly flew backwards with caution. "I must take a feather."

"KARTHANIEL, NO!" Hatterene screamed at the very top of her lungs as she used a combination of Psychic and her hat claw to hold the now mindless young trainer back. "STOP! YOU CAN'T SUCCUMB TO THE DEMON! YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU BLOODY BASTARD!"

You don't scare me, witch. Hold him back, if you must. You can never break him away.

"We'll see about that." Hatterene still kept her hat claw upon Karthaniel's shoulder, but he turned towards her with a threatening glare in his nearly iris-less eyes, which made her back away a step momentarily before he forced the claw away and turned back towards his corviknight, who was trying with all his might to break free from the invisible demon. "My Arceus… Karthaniel, do not subject to him!" Her eyes remained blue as she used Psychic once more on the young trainer to keep him away. The struggle was imminent and she broke a sweat immediately, but she still remained strong for her beloved trainer.

YOU LET HIM GO! He has his parents to see!

"Stop scaring the man! Giving him false hopes won't save you! Not while I draw breath."

Then you shall perish first. Karthaniel, finish her!

"…" The man was speechless as his pupils completely took over his two-toned irises and turned towards Hatterene with the most evil smile she's ever seen on a human, making her gasp her loudest with extreme horror. She even saw that the captured corviknight within the demon's claws had his eyes turned red, showing that he was under the spell as well. "Use Steel Wing."

"KARTHANIEL-STOP THIS INSTANT!" The anthropomorphic Silent Pokémon had no other choice at this rate as she garnered up every last ounce of her Psychic power and released a blast that pushed her own trainer back with extreme force, which made him collide with his corviknight from behind him… and it all happened before the Raven Pokémon took that fatal flight within just ten seconds! Milo saw this as his wide open opportunity at last as he used his own strength to hold down Karthaniel and summon the corviknight back into his ultra ball simultaneously. Despite all of this making the crowd completely flabbergasted, they cheered anyway because it was really doing a lot more help than a hinderance.

As for Hatterene, she faced that demon with no fear as her eyes remained glowing blue. "I can't believe I had to hurt him. I'm not one to do so to humans, but you pushed me. Haunt him again and I'll be sure to prevent you from even speaking a word to him." She then fired out another flash of her Dazzling Gleam to scare him away without a word from him this time and, again, the crowd cheered their loudest. They saw that victory was upon the scene down there and that one arena worker just couldn't believe what happened as he spoke into his earpiece once more:

"I don't know what happened, sir… but Hatterene saved that young trainer again. It was much more challenging than last night, but still…"

Why didn't you capture her in the meantime?

"It… was too much to witness. I couldn't do a thing."

Damn it! I knew I couldn't rely on you! We'll have to try again next time, but don't fail me again, you hear me?

"Yes, sir. I've already informed the others of this development. We won't fail you again. Hatterene will be caught next time."

She better.

Fifteen minutes later, at Sonia's Lab near the entrance to Wedgehurst…

The now unconscious Karthaniel was lying on a medical bed within the laboratory while a few of her fellow nurses and doctors tended to any wounds while Hatterene watched him from a makeshift pokémon healing table, much like from every Pokémon Center. Her eyes were back to being black with white pupils again, but she showed utmost concern for her partner as she watched alongside Sonia and Milo, who was on her left and right respectively.

"…and that was all that happened within just a few minutes." Milo concluded with his strong arms crossed with his calm demeanor. "It was terrifying to witness towards the crowd."

"With that demon being invisible, I'm not surprised." Sonia agreed. "Hatterene, you say that you saw this demon with your own eyes last night and just a few moments ago. What exactly does it look like?"

"Black and red with the appearance of an oni that would probably make every grimmsnarl green with envy." The pokémorphed Silent Pokémon replied in a serious tone of her harmonic voice of an angel. "What makes him the most evil of demons I've ever seen is that he stands at the same height as Sir Davis with the same muscles as well. He's got enough power to even take control of his own pokémon, but not me. With my enhancements, I'm immune to everything except pain."

"Fascinating! Which brings me to my next question: Where exactly did you get these enhancements from?"

"I truly cannot tell you the location. It's literally off the grid and has no name."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry. That's all I can tell you."

"Milo, did you get all that?"

"Every word." The farmhand replied. "It's understandable, though. I sure do hope they never find you. Karthaniel's gonna need you more than ever." At that last word, the said trainer finally came to at the exact same time the famous healing chime was heard from Hatterene's table. That was the humble leader's cue to head over to him while Sonia had just given the Silent Pokémon her famous hat from a nearby hat rack. "Karthaniel, are you alright, my friend?"

"Much better, thank you." Young Davis replied as he sat up and shook the grogginess out of him for a few seconds. "Ugh! What happened?"

"Well, long story short: Your inner demon came back for round two and Hatterene stopped him before you could get the chance to use one of your corviknight's feathers to kill yourself… and it was before we even made a move within our battle between our dynamaxed and gigantamaxed pokémon."

"I see. I'm so sorry that happened. I can't seem to shake him off as long as I keep thinking about my parents. My back still hurts a little bit, though."

"I had to give you harm for the first time." Hatterene confessed without a struggle as she approached the two men alone, letting Sonia watch from her current position. "You were completely under the spell of that demon and no words could break you from it." She tipped her hat forward to hide her tears of shame, but Karthaniel still saw the small streams upon her cheeks and his anomalous eyes started to fill up with his own at that sight. "Please… I hope you can forgive me. I'll probably have to do it again in the near future."

"…As long as it helps, I forgive you. You probably have never harmed a human in your life, except when you got captured by that mysterious group off the grid." Karthaniel proved his forgiveness even further by approaching the ashamed Silent Pokémon and gave her the most heartwarming embrace he's ever given to anyone. "No amount of damage from you will actually hurt. I'll endure it, though. It certainly does beat getting shocked by my magnezone. That's for damn sure."

"(sniff, sniff)…really?" Hatterene looked up at his eyes with hope.

"Of course. Despite my disability, there's one thing I've never done in my life: Tell a lie… and everything I said was true to the core. I truly appreciate your assistance, Hatterene. In return, I'll try my best to protect you from anyone trying to take you away from me. That's a guaranteed promise that I'll never break."

"Oh, you're a saint, Sir Davis! Thank you so much for understanding!" The two remained in that heavenly hug for the next ten minutes, making Sonia and Milo admire this scene in silence, already hoping for the best.

To be continued…