"Victor and Gloria were ready to leave for Ballonlea, when an emergency called them to action. Now, before moving on to Ballonlea, our heroes decide to rest on Motostoke Riverbank, but adventure and excitement is never far away…"
"Jealous Grown Out of Evolution"
Victor and Gloria are getting up from a collapsible table, as their Pokémon are spread around, each in front of their plates.
"That might be the best curry we had," Victor says, as he picks up his plate.
Gloria smiles, before looking over to their Pokémon, "Okay, everyone, let's clean up."
"Scor," Scorbunny happily says, as it picks up its plate, before noticing Drizzile.
"Drizz," Drizzile says, as it takes a plate from Orbeetle, then takes a plate from Sirfetch'd, stacking them with its own.
"Or, beet," Orbeetle happily says.
"Scor…" Scorbunny starts to blush, before it quickly takes a plate from Corviknight, Toxel, Pikachu, and then Silicobra, with them surprised.
Scorbunny carries the stack of plates and tries to walk over, with the stack wobbles, before it's foot trips over a stone and it falls down, with the stack of plates scattering, "Scor!"
"Scorbunny," Victor hurries over to his Pokémon, helping it onto its feet. "Are you okay?"
"Scor…" Scorbunny looks down slightly.
Victor picks up one of the plates, "Good thing the plates are plastic, or that could've been messy."
"Scor," Scorbunny nods its head, then looks ahead to see Drizzile watching it, while holding its stack of plates.
"Drizz?"
"Scor," Scorbunny looks away and blush.
"Pika?" Pikachu notices Scorbunny and tilts its head.
At that moment, two girls show up to see Victor gathering the dropped plates as Gloria walks over.
"Hey, are you two the winners of the Galarian Star Tournament?" one girl asks.
"Well, yeah, we are," Gloria says, blushing a little.
Victor stands up with the plates in his hands, "I never thought we would be recognized."
"We are, like, big fans," the second girl says. "My name is Ivy."
"And I'm Nicki."
"I'm Gloria, and this is Victor," Gloria starts. "But I guess you already know that."
"We are big fans, and we also want to test our own skills against you two," Nicki says. "Up for it?"
Victor and Gloria look at each other, nodding their heads.
"Yes, we are," Victor responds.
Shortly later, Victor and Gloria, with Scorbunny and Drizzile in front of them, are several feet away from Nicki and Ivy, while the rest of the Pokémon are off to the side.
"I'll choose Scorbunny," Victor announces.
"And I'll choose Drizzile," Gloria adds.
"Drizz."
"Scor," Scorbunny glances at Drizzile.
"The winners of the finals, huh?" Nicki says. "Well, I'll choose Jolteon!"
Nicki throws a Poké Ball.
"Jolt!"
"And I'll, like, choose Weavile!" Ivy throws a Poké Ball.
"Weav!"
Victor's Rotom Phone flies up, "Jolteon, the Lightning Pokémon, It accumulates negative ions in the atmosphere to blast out 10,000-volt lightning bolts."
Gloria's Rotom Phone flies up, "Weavile, the Sharp Claw Pokémon, They attack their quarry in packs. Prey as large as Mamoswine easily fall to the teamwork of a group of Weavile."
"Let's, like, go on the offensive," Ivy starts. "Weavile, use Metal Claw!"
"Weav!" Weavile's claws glow silver, before jumping ahead. "Weav!"
"Drizzile, dodge Weavile!" Gloria calls out.
"Drizz!" Drizzile jumps back to dodge Weavile's claw, before running to the side to dodge another and then ducks under a third strike.
"Scor," Scorbunny glances at Drizzile, before looking ahead.
"Let see what these winners can do, Jolteon," Nicki starts. "Quick Attack!"
"Jolt!" Jolteon runs ahead, at a breakneck pace.
"Scorbunny, dodge!" Victor instructs.
"Scor," Scorbunny smiles, before it jumps back, before jumping to the side, dodging Jolteon's charge.
"Jolteon, Electro Ball!" Nicki calls out.
"Jolt! Jolt! Jolt!" A bass of electricity forms on Jolteon's forehead, before throws it head ahead, launching the ball of electricity.
The attack hits Scorbunny, knocking it back as the ball of electricity explodes, "Scor!"
"Drizzile, we need to cover Scorbunny until it recovers," Gloria says.
"Drizz!" Drizzile jumps up, brings its hands together and fire a pulsing blast of water down, hitting the ground, with Jolteon forced to jump back.
"Jolt!"
Drizzile lands in front of Scorbunny, as it tries to get up.
"Jolteon, Electro Ball!"
"Weavile, Ice Shard!"
"Weav!" Weavile holds up its arms, as chunks of ice form in front of it and then forces his arms down, as the chunks of ice are launched.
"Jolt! Jolt! Jolt!" A ball of electricity forms on Jolteon's forehead, before it launches it forward.
"Drizzile uses Water Pulse to dodge!" Gloria calls out.
"Drizz!" Drizzile jumps up, as the chunks of ice hit the ground, shattering. "Drizz!" Drizzile brings its hands together and shoots down a pulsing blast of water, propelling itself up higher, dodging the ball of electricity.
"Now, use Water Gun and follow it up with Pound!" Gloria instructs.
"Drizz!" Drizzile shoots a blast of water from its mouth, hitting Weavile. "Drizz!"
Drizzile then slams its hands against Weavile, "Weav!"
"Nice one," Victor says, with Gloria smiles.
"Scor…" Scorbunny gets up, seeing Drizzile landing next to it.
"Okay, Scorbunny, let Drizzile focus on Weavile and we'll take on Jolteon…" Victor starts.
"Scor!" Scorbunny runs past Drizzile.
"Drizz?"
"Scorbunny, what are you doing?" Victor asks, as Scorbunny shoots a series of small fireballs at both Jolteon and Weavile.
"Jolt!" Jolteon jumps up, to dodge the attack, as Scorbunny continues to run at Weavile.
"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps up at Weavile, launching a kick.
"Weavile, block with Metal Claw!" Ivy instructs.
"Weav!" Weavile's claws glow silver, before it uses one claw to block Scorbunny's kick.
"Scor!" Scorbunny spins around and kicks again.
"Weav!" Weavile crosses its glowing claws, blocking the kick.
"Jolteon, Swift!" Nicki calls out.
"Jolt!" Jolteon calls out, as stars shoot out of its fur.
"Weav!" Weavile jumps back.
Scorbunny is hit repeatedly by the stars, "Scor!"
"Drizzile, we need to back up Scorbunny," Gloria says.
"Drizz," Drizzile nods its head.
"Scor…" Scorbunny looks over to Drizzile.
"Scorbunny, you better back down and take a breath…" Victor starts, before Scorbunny jumps up. "Scorbunny, wait!"
"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps up at Jolteon.
Nicki snaps a finger, "Jolteon, use Electro Ball!"
"Jolt! Jolt! Jolt!" A ball of electricity forms on Jolteon's forehead, before it launches it.
The ball of electricity explodes against Scorbunny, sending it flying back to the ground. "Scor!"
Scorbunny lands hard on the ground, with its eyes whirling.
"Drizz?" Drizzile looks at Scorbunny.
"Drizzile, watch out!" Gloria calls out.
Drizzile looks up to see Jolteon and Weavile had jumped at it.
"Electro Ball!"
"Ice Shard!"
Weavile launches chunks of ice, as Jolteon launches a ball of electricity, causing a large explosion that launches Drizzile back, "Drizz!"
Drizzile lands, with his eyes whirling.
"Drizzile!" Gloria runs ahead, as Victor watches.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting this to be so easy," Nicki places her hands on her hips.
"I guess, like, even tournament winners could have off days," Ivy adds.
Victor picks up Scorbunny, "It's okay, Scorbunny."
"Scor…" Scorbunny says, before looking over to see Gloria picking up Drizzile, and then blushes. "Scor.
Later on, Victor and Gloria are next to their tents, setting them up.
Gloria stables her tent, before swipes some sweat from her forehead, then notices Victor is just kneeling next to his tent.
"I've never seen Scorbunny act like that before," Victor says. "I don't know what could be wrong…"
Gloria looks down for a bit, "I remember my mom once told me, that after I was born, hers Meowth often tried to get her attention, including trying to mimic me."
Victor looks up to his friend.
"My mom explained that Meowth was jealous of the new addition to the family," Gloria continues. "So perhaps, Scorbunny's jealous."
Victor stands up, "What could Scorbunny be jealous of?"
"Think about it, Scorbunny tries to show up Drizzile during our battle," Gloria starts. "Scorbunny could be jealous that Sobble evolved."
"Jealous that Sobble evolved…" Victor repeats. "But it was okay when Blipbug and Rookidee evolved twice."
"Maybe," Gloria says, looking over to him. "But remember, Scorbunny and Sobble started out together. It might just be more jealous that Sobble evolved before it did. Especially after all the trouble it had with Double Kick."
"That makes sense," Victor looks down, before looking back up. "So, how can I help Scorbunny get over its jealousy?"
"I don't know," Gloria shrugs her shoulders. "According to my mom, her Meowth seemed to have simply got over its jealousy. Maybe give it some time."
Victor looks to the side, "Give it some time…"
Later that night, Victor and Gloria are sleeping in their tents, with their Poké Balls lying next to them.
Suddenly, one of Victor's Poké Balls opens, shoots out a red beam, which turns into Scorbunny. Scorbunny then starts to walk out of Victor's tent, bumping into another Poké Ball as it goes. The Poké Ball opens and shoots out a red beam, which turns into Pikachu.
Pikachu stretches and yawns, "Pikaaa." It then notices Scorbunny exiting the tent and walks after it.
Outside the tent, Scorbunny looks up at the sky, with Pikachu approaching it, "Pika?"
Scorbunny looks over to it, "Scor…"
"Pika, pi Pika?" Pikachu stands next to it.
"Scor, Scor, Scor Scor, Scor," Scorbunny starts to respond, as it thinks about Rookidee evolving into Corvisquire, then evolving into Corviknight. "Scor Scor, Scor, Scor Scor." Scorbunny then thinks about Sobble evolving into Drizzile.
Pikachu tilts its head, "Pika, pi…"
Scorbunny turns to face Pikachu completely, "Scor, Scor Scor, Scor?" Scorbunny starts to think about a Kantoian Raichu.
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu crosses its arms and shakes its head. "Pika, Pika, pi pi, Pika, Chu, Pika." Pikachu starts to think about itself, with its arms on its hips, and standing proud.
"Scor…" Scorbunny starts to look down.
"Pika?" Pikachu looks at it closer.
"Scor, Scor, Scor Scor…"
Scorbunny runs to behind Raboot, before shooting a series of small fireballs.
Raboot speeds to the side, dodging the fireballs.
Raboot jumps up slightly, kicks the approaching Scorbunny, before it spins around and kicks it again, sending Scorbunny flying backward.
Scorbunny continues to look down, "Scor…"
"Pika pi," Pikachu pats a hand on Scorbunny's back.
At the same time, Victor is standing at the entrance to his tent, watching the pair.
The next morning, Gloria is kneeling on the ground, closing up her backpack.
"There's anything you want to do before heading back to Stow-on-Side?" Gloria asks, as she stands with her backpack. "Well?"
Gloria turns to see Victor is holding onto his backpack, looking at it.
"Victor?"
"I've been trying to figure out how I can help Scorbunny," Victor says.
"I'm sure you will," Gloria says.
"Actually, I think I have," Victor turns to her. "If I could help Scorbunny to evolve…"
"That might help," Gloria agrees. "But it will need more battle experience."
"I know, and I'm thinking, perhaps Scorbunny can battle Drizzile," Victor suggests. "Battling against someone with a type advantage could give Scorbunny more experience."
Gloria smiles, "I would love to help in any way I can. And I'm sure Drizzile feels the same."
"Then we should get started right away," Victor says.
Meanwhile, behind some nearby brushes, a wild Koffing is sleeping, floating slightly above the ground.
Shortly, Victor and Scorbunny face off against Gloria and Drizzile.
"Alright, Drizzile, let's start things off with Water Pulse!" Gloria holds out a hand.
"Drizz!" Drizzile runs ahead, as it waves around its arms, then shoots forward a pulsing blast of water.
"Scorbunny, dodge!" Victor calls out.
"Scor! Scor!" Scorbunny jumps left to right, dodging the pulsing blast of water.
"Now, Scorbunny, get in close and use Double Kick!" Victor instructs.
"Scor!" Scorbunny dodges the pulsing blast of water and then jumps up. "Scor!"
Scorbunny kicks at Drizzile, who jumps back, then Scorbunny spins around and kicks again, but Drizzile jumps over it.
"Scor?!" Scorbunny angrily spins around and starts to shoot a series of small fireballs from its mouth. "Scor!"
"Scorbunny, I didn't say to use Ember," Victor says.
"Scor!" Scorbunny continues to shoot small fireballs.
"Drizz! Drizz!" Drizzile runs and jumps left to right, keeping on dodging fireballs.
"Maybe this was a bad idea," Gloria says, with a sweat drop.
"Scorbunny, you need to calm down," Victor says.
"Drizz!" Drizzile dodges more small fireballs.
"Scor!" Scorbunny gets angrier, before shooting more small fireballs. "Scor!"
"Drizz!" Drizzile jumps out of the way, as the small fireballs fly toward a brush.
The fireballs collide with the brush, setting it ablaze.
"Scor?!" Scorbunny becomes frightened at the sight of the burning brush.
"Drizz!" Drizzile, next to Scorbunny, shoots a blast of water from its mouth, hitting the brush and putting out the fire.
"Scor…" Scorbunny sighs.
"Koff…"
"Scor?" Scorbunny looks up, as it and Drizzile notice something.
"Koff…" Koffing floats out from behind the brush, angry.
"Scor?!"
Gloria's Rotom Phone flies up, "Koffing, the Poison Gas Pokémon, It adores polluted air. Some claim that Koffing used to be more plentiful in the Galar region than they are now."
Gloria grabs her Rotom Phone out of the air, "That isn't helpful right now."
"Koffing, I'm so sorry about that," Victor says, bowing quickly.
"Scor, Scor, Scor," Scorbunny stands next to Victor, also bowing quickly.
"Koff… Koff!" Koffing calls out, before it glows brightly.
The top of Koffing's head stretches tall, as it seemingly starts to split, before it stops glowing, "Weez…"
"Koffing evolved into a Galarian Weezing?" Victor realizes.
"Scor…" Scorbunny sighs.
Victor's Rotom Phone flies up, "Weezing, the Poison Gas Pokémon, This Pokémon consumes particles that contaminate the air. Instead of leaving droppings, it expels the clean air."
"That isn't helpful either," Gloria complains, as Victor holds down his Rotom Phone.
"Weez!" Weezing shoots globs of sludge from its mouths.
"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps forward, dodging one glob of sludge.
"Drizz!" Drizzile jumps to the side, dodging the other glob of sludge.
"Not good, Weezing isn't gonna calm down anytime soon," Victor says.
"Then we have no choice to battle it," Gloria says. "Drizzile, Water Pulse!"
"Drizz!" Drizzile lands, waves around its arms and shoots out a pulsing blast of water.
"Weez!" Weezing shoots a clump of mud from its mouth.
The clump of mud collides with the pulsing blast of water, with both attacks dissipating.
"Weez!" Weezing flies ahead, slams Drizzile with its smaller head and then hits it with its larger head. "Weez!"
"Drizz!" Drizzile is knocked back.
"Sludge, Clear Smog, and Double Hit too," Victor realizes. "We need to be careful with Weezing."
"Scor," Scorbunny looks ahead at Weezing, then jumps ahead. "Scor!"
"Scorbunny, wait!" Victor calls out.
"Scor!" Scorbunny kicks at Weezing, who blocks with its smaller head, with Scorbunny spins around and kicks again, which is knocked back by Weezing's larger head.
"Weez!" Weezing shoots a clump of mud at Scorbunny, knocking it out of the air.
"Scor!" Scorbunny calls out, before lands hard on the ground.
"Weez!" Weezing shoots a glob of sludge from its mouth.
A blast of water flies through the air and collides with the glob of sludge, dissipating it.
"Scor…" Scorbunny starts to get up, when it notices Drizzile standing in front of it. "Scor?!"
"Drizz, Drizz, Drizz."
"Scor?!"
While Gloria is sleeping in her tent, a Poké Ball opens and shoots out red energy, which forms Drizzile. Drizzile rubs the sleep out of its eye and walks to the entrance to the tent, where it sees Scorbunny and Pikachu talking.
"Drizz, Drizz," Drizzile continues, while standing in front of Scorbunny, who is slowly getting up behind it. "Drizz, Drizz!"
"Scor?" Scorbunny finishes getting up, looking at Drizzile.
Sobble is watching Scorbunny in a stadium's arena, happily jumping up next to Victor. Sobble smiles and brushes.
"Drizz…" Drizzile lowers a hand, as it looks over to its friend, thinking about how it looked up to and admired Scorbunny. "Drizz, Drizz."
"Scor…" Scorbunny says, as the two Pokémon look at each other.
"Weez!" Weezing charges at Scorbunny.
"Scor?!"
Suddenly, Drizzile jumps past Scorbuny, bringing its hands down on Weezing, "Drizz!"
"Weez!" Weezing knocks Drizzile back, who lands hard on the ground. Weezing then charges at the fallen Drizzile, "Weez!"
"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps at Weezing, kicking it in the side, then spin and kicks it again, knocking Weezing back.
Scorbunny lands next to Drizzile, who looks up at it, "Drizz."
"Scor," Scorbunny nods its head.
"Alright, Scorbunny, charge at Weezing and use Ember!" Victor calls out.
"Scor!" Scorbunny starts to run at Weezing and shoots a series of small fireballs at it.
"Weez!" Weezing floats backward, dodging the fireballs. It then shoots clumps of mud from its mouth. "Weez!"
"Scorbunny, dodge! Run around and wait for an opening!" Victor instructs.
"Scor!" Scorbunny runs to the side, dodging the clumps of mud, and continues to run around Weezing. "Scor!"
"Weez, Weez," Weezing watches as Scorbunny runs around it.
"Scor! Scor!" Scorbunny continues to run around Weezing, as its feet glow bright. "Scor! Scor! ...Scor!"
Scorbunny starts to glow, as it grows taller, with its hands in tufts of fur, before the glowing ceases, "Ra-boot!"
"Scorbunny… you evolved!" Victor realizes.
Victor's Rotom Phone flies up, "Raboot, the Rabbit Pokémon, Its thick and fluffy fur protects it from the cold and enables it to use hotter fire moves."
"Wait," Victor grabs his Rotom Phone and looks at it. "You didn't just evolve, you also learned a new move." He holds down his Rotom Phone and looks ahead. "Raboot, use Flame Charge!"
"Ra-boot!" Raboot continues to run, as its body becomes engulf in flames.
"Weez!" Weezing spins around and shoots globs of sludge from its mouths.
"Ra-boot!" Raboot continues to run, dodging the globs of sludge, before jumping up and past Weezing, hitting it.
"Weez!"
"Ra-boot!" Raboot lands and runs forward, faster, and slams past Weezing.
"Weez!" Weezing is forced back, before shooting out a big smokescreen from its mouths, covering the area in a smokescreen.
"Ra-boot!" Raboot, still engulfed in flames, runs faster, dissipating the smokescreen and jumps up, slamming against Weezing, sending it flying.
"Weez!" Weezing flies away in the distance.
"Alright, you did it, Raboot!" Victor cheers, as the flames around Raboot dissipates.
"Ra-boot!" Raboot happily jumps up and into Victor's arms.
"Well done, Raboot," Gloria says, as she and Drizzile walk over.
"Drizz," Drizzile adds.
Raboot jumps out of Victor's arms and lands in front of Drizzile, before rubbing the back of its head, embarrassed, "Ra-boot, Ra-boot."
"Drizz," Drizzile smiles and slightly waves a hand in front of it.
Victor knees next to Raboot, who looks up at him, "Raboot, you never had any reason to be jealous. Everyone develops at their own rates, and I'm certain you will continue to grow more and more powerful."
"Ra-boot," Raboot smiles at its Trainer.
Gloria smiles, "We should go ahead. The Corviknight Taxi should be up and running by now."
"Right, it's time for the next part of the Gym Challenge."
"Ra-boot!" Raboot punches the air, cheering.
Not too far away, Weezing is at the bottom of a hill, before sighing, and then goes back to sleep, "Weez…"
"Jealous is both horrible and dangerous, as Scorbunny learned. But by understanding its friends' love and respect, Scorbunny was able to push back its jealousy and grow even stronger. Now our heroes are ready to continue onward. What could be next?"
Bede exits the Budew Drop Inn and looks up to see the Corviknight Taxi carrying Victor and Gloria into the distance. Bede's eyes remained focused on them.
"Find out, as the journey continues…"