Some big things happened last chapter, things that will inform the future of the story, but for now we have further progression! Chapter 6 is here!

Chapter 6

A Seria

To Gloria's utter gratitude, the trio had managed to escape the rolling storm clouds that descended on the Lake of Outrage. With effort and speed, they succeeded in climbing up the Hammerlocke Hills well before lunch where calm, drifting clouds awaited them, a breath of fresh air with it. Continuing on, Gloria hummed a pleasant tune as they neared the large walls of the citadel, polishing the egg between her arms while keeping an eye on their surroundings. Astrid was looking pensive, fingering Butterfree's Poké Ball much of the time, but Ash remained cheery the entire way, excited about seeing the new location.

"A Gym, a whole vault of treasures, and even an energy plant! This Hammerlocke City seems to have it all!" he remarked, their final ascent begun. The stairs up into the main city presented themselves to the trio, relieved to be leaving the dangers of the Wild Area behind. Ash and Pikachu were the first to climb up, eagerly taking in the black walls of the city with all the glee of a child.

"Having it all or not, we should go to the Pokémon Center first," Astrid said, finally recalling Absol when they had made it to the stairs. "And keep an eye on that Clobbopus of yours. Hammerlocke's on a Power Spot, right?"

"Yeah, there's a Gym," Gloria said, skipping a few steps at a time. Raboot bounded ahead of her, remarkably frosty since their departure from the lake. "But I'm not worried. It was an accident that he Dynamaxed. I'm sure it won't happen again. Which, Astrid, give it over."

The woman cast Gloria a look of incredulity as they arrived at the gate into Hammerlocke, a towering set of doors manned by some people and a pair of Throh. They waved them in, but Gloria stopped short just within the city limits, her arm outstretched. Astrid sighed. "Ugh, fine. And here I thought you'd be so focused on forging ahead, you'd forget."

"Like I would. You can't just steal things." Astrid slipped the Dynamax Band from her wrist, tossing it back to Gloria, who fit it snugly back into position. "Besides, Astrid, I'm not all about running ahead without thinking."

"Uh-huh…" The sarcasm was not appreciated.

"How about we argue later and explore the city now?" Ash suggested.

"Pikapi! Pika pikachu!" Pikachu's call attracted the attention of his trainer, and soon the eyes of the others around them. Gloria and Astrid drew closer, looking up to the great edifice before their eyes.

"Whoa…Is that the Gym?" Ash asked, covering his eyes to block out the peeking sun.

He needn't have bothered, because the large structure that formed the very spine of Hammerlocke did much of the work for him. It was a tower, larger than any Dynamaxed Pokémon, thrumming with what seemed to be the energy that coursed through the city. Like a castle at the center of a fortress, it loomed over the city, something taken for granted by its residents who walked past them with chuckles. Their reaction seemed to not have been an uncommon one. Gloria took her own step forward, seeing the wings of stone fan out from the tower, giving it a suitably draconic look and confirming, at least in her mind, just what they were looking at.

"Only one way to find out!" Ignoring Astrid's protests and call for the Center, Gloria raced forward, Raboot running at her side with speed. Ash and Pikachu were quick to catch up, the both of them making a line straight for the main building. Some of the people of Hammerlocke moved out of their way, continuing on with the day, while others forced the pair to evade them. No one minded, in any case, more distracted by a loud horn down a different street where a colorful gathering of musicians was taking place.

Gloria ignored it all, soon finding herself and Ash at a drawbridge into the building, the pair running forward, only to be suddenly rebuffed by a barrier standing in the way. The two hit the ground, with Gloria landing atop Raboot, bracing the egg in her arms. He pushed her back up, just as Astrid arrived, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"What gives?" the girl groaned, rubbing her bottom until she saw the invisible barrier and the Pokémon right behind it, a rather happy looking and blue-colored Mr. Mime. Ash opened his mouth to comment, but was precluded by the Mr. Mime's trainer emerging, a staff member of Macro Cosmos, stoic as a soldier.

"The Hammerlocke Gym is closed today and tomorrow for company business. No entrants are allowed."

Those two sentences deflated Gloria faster than they had been spoken. Stymied, yet again on her road to the Gym Challenge. Not even wanting to fight the employee that had no intention of letting them past, Gloria stood and turned around again, her head hanging low. A hand caught her shoulder before she could get far.

"Maybe we can talk with the Gym Leader?" Ash asked, smiling to the employee who stiffened.

"No exceptions!" Gloria pouted. He was being too stingy now and she resisted the urge to kick him after the rude tone he was taking.

"How about for me, though? We just want to take a look around," Ash said. He appeared to have fished something from his pocket, a sort of laminated card that Pikachu presented with electricity, making it appear as if it was glowing. A slight squint told Gloria it was his League Liaison card, proof of him trying to throw his weight around just to get her inside the Gym for an opportunity.

The official cleared his throat, looking just a bit more unsettled than he had seconds before. "N-no exceptions! I cannot allow anyone inside the building while a management tour of the facility is under way."

"Must have to do with the power plant, then," Astrid said, poking her head in. The man began to sweat at her implication. "I get the feeling the Gym and the plant are one and the same."

"N-no they're not!" The man's voice had squeaked higher, earning him the suspicious glares of the trio, broken by the echoing footsteps from within the Gym's halls. "Th-they're-"

"Oh, come now, Elijah, don't try to hide public information from esteemed guests! Just tell them we've cordoned off the Gym for safety concerns while we run some tests at the plant. Besides, it's not like anyone's battling Raihan, anyway. Isn't that right?"

"You know it, Chairman!" The owners of the voices were swiftly revealed, the unmistakably sharp-dressed man that was Chairman Rose leading the two out. Mr. Mime dropped his barrier to allow Rose past, clapping his employee on the shoulder, while right behind him was the third most familiar face in all of Galar: the grinning, self-assured, orange bandanna wearing Gym Leader of Hammerlocke, Raihan. Gloria resisted the urge to jump at her chance to ask him for a battle, which turned out to be a good thing, because Rose laid eyes upon her. "There she is! My favorite Gym Challenger! Arrived at Hammerlocke, have you?"

"Ch-chairman," Gloria managed to stammer out, surprised at having earned the attention of the man. He was as jovial as ever, approaching her and putting both hands on her shoulders, like a kind uncle, pleased to see his niece doing so well.

"Your battle with Kabu was nothing short of legendary! That spunk and gusto! Livestream viewing is up! Ticket sales are up! You, my dear Gloria, have become a superstar! All of Galar's eyes are on you!" Another pat on her shoulder, and Gloria felt like she was sinking. The praise was one thing, but feeling like she was having the weight of Galar thrust upon her was another. Thankfully, Rose diverted the issue. "Even Raihan saw your match. Impressive, no?"

"It was certainly a blowout. Not what I expected from the girl who washed out at the Entrance Ceremony," Raihan said, giving a toothy grin. Down the road behind them, Gloria could hear the squeals from some teenaged girls that the Gym Leader waved at. He, however, didn't waste a movement, transitioning it into putting an arm around Gloria and snapping a picture of the two of them. "It'll be an honor to battle you one day."

"Then how about now?" Gloria asked, once more unable to help herself. Rose let loose a mighty guffaw, while Astrid shook her head. Ash looked bemused, an expression that disappeared when Rose put attention on him next.

"Such a firecracker, she is. Your helping her get endorsed for the Challenge is something I'll never regret, Ash." The Chairman now approached Ash, the two shaking hands just as a light began to flash inside the building, a great iron gate beginning to lower. "Ah, would seem those tests are about to start. Well, Oleana can keep me informed. How about we find somewhere more comfortable, no? It must have been quite the journey across the Wild Area."

"Sure thing," Ash agreed. Gloria wasn't sure if she wanted to, looking up to Raihan, but the man was more absorbed with his phone, at least until he realized Rose was moving the procession away from his Gym. "Looks like you have a busy place here."

"Well, Hammerlocke is functionally the center of Galar, so we have our power plant here, you see. Ease of access, and being at a location with a Power Spot makes our research into Dynamax all the more efficient."

"Your assistant, Oleana, is in charge of that, right?" Astrid interjected. Rose took it in stride, giving the woman a genial smile.

"Genius, she is. Dynamax was somewhat random for us until she fashioned a greater control over it. Though, of course, I don't mean to besmirch Professor Magnolia's research!" Rose said, eager to make plain his gratitude. "Speaking of thanks in the field of Dynamax, I hear you all were at ground zero for the Motostoke Incident."

"Ah, I guess we were," Ash said, his bashful blush creeping up on his face. Pikachu did the same, but Rose laughed, hardly flummoxed by their embarrassment. "I heard your company is looking into it."

"Indeed. Part of the reason for the tests today. We have a theory that Power Spots might be linked to one another, after all, so a reaction to a Wishing Star in one place leads to another and another," Rose said, putting an arm around Ash as they turned a corner for the Pokémon Center. The loud concert continued on, and Gloria saw a frown crease his face at what looked like the familiarly dressed hooligans, but Raihan soon patted her, showing his phone off with a grin, their picture on social media.

"Lookin' cool, huh?" he said, his grin matching that of the one in the photo. Gloria quirked an eyebrow at the caption of "Just hanging with the coolest challengers", and the immediate amount of feedback it got. Raihan was truly a staggering figure. "Just wait 'till you and me have a battle. That'll really get the crowd going."

"Can I schedule one with you?" Gloria asked, ignoring the boring talk about the region that the adults were having as they walked into the Center. Some there greeted Rose with great enthusiasm, the man waving and signing books. Most were more interested in Raihan, some girls gasping at the very twinkle in his eye. Once he was through with them, he turned back towards Gloria, looking far less glib.

"Afraid not," he said. Their group had rolled up at a booth, with Pikachu and Raboot jumping on the table. Raihan was the first to sit, looking lazy in his bench until Rose cleared his throat. "I only challenge trainers with seven badges."

"Otherwise, the matches would end far too quickly," Rose agreed, pushing Raihan's feet down and sitting on the other side of the round booth. Gloria soon found herself sitting at one end with Raihan, while Ash and Astrid were at the other, Rose taking his prominent seat in the middle. "I'm sure you've seen that Gym battles in Galar are just as much about the spectator as they are the sport, and we want to see the best of the best. We can't expect beginning trainers to stand a chance against a trainer almost at the level of Leon, no offense."

Gloria took none, but Raihan did, scoffing. "Equal. I'm equal to Leon, Chairman."

"Yes, yes, of course." Rose's dismissiveness made Raihan snort with a huff, the man sitting back in his seat and snapping another picture of himself. Raboot and Pikachu craned their necks over to check the shot, only for Raihan to snap another of himself with the pair of them. Rose continued on as though it was an everyday occurrence (which, judging from the people in the Center checking Raihan's feed, it was). "Raihan's been trying to best Leon since they were children. That was, what, thirteen years ago?"

"Wow, that's pretty young! Most of my rivals from my early days are in different careers."

"Oh, it's well-known, even to me. Though to Galar, not so much," Rose admitted, once more waving his hands. Astrid sat back, pursing her lips with nothing to say, watching the conversation. Gloria just felt herself getting bored, resorting to balancing her egg on the table and blowing on it with puffed cheeks. It pulsed a moment. "The competitive circuit remains strong, so you'll find a lot of the Gym Leaders have their own rivalries. Those who are successful in the Challenge remain competing at the top levels, while those who are unsuccessful…well, they're forced to find other careers, doomed to obscurity, I'm sorry to say."

"What about you? Gloria tells me you once took part in the Challenge."

"Oh, so very long ago. Another life."

"Thirteen years?" Astrid questioned, now tapping her foot to Gloria's annoyance. Even her name being brought up didn't relieve her of the boredom. Raihan looked just as uninterested, scrolling on his phone through what looked like the officially run account for Leon, Macro Cosmos's logo plastered all over it. She quirked an eyebrow, looking across to Ash, wondering if he had any such social media, but snorted; he seemed the type that wouldn't be caught dead with one.

"No, that was around the time I was reformatting the Challenge, and expanding our energy options. Never thought it would actually become prevalent," the chairman said. He rolled his sleeve up a moment, checking the time, but seemed unconcerned and in far less of a rush than the previous times Gloria had met the man. "My own journey was long ago. I actually wasn't all that different from yourself, Ash. Traveled the world and all. Seeing the League outside of Galar inspired me."

"Yeah, traveling is great!" Ash said. Gloria looked up, watching her mentor as his face screwed itself into an expression of thinking. Gloria resisted the giggles, ones shared with Astrid, while Ash tried to think of an appropriate and "mature" topic. He eventually settled on one, placing his hands in his pockets as though looking for something. "But uh…you mentioned a power crisis?"

"Oh, just some Galar related matters. Like I said, we've got it all in hand, and if the experiment goes well, we'll be entering a new age for Macro Cosmos and the world!" Rose's arms went wide, nearly striking Raihan, and bringing him back to the reality that was the boring talk. Gloria realized what they were going for, too, and her chin hit the table. "Imagine a glorious world where we don't have to worry about energy, because we can shift the source of it, activate it as we need, or shut it down if there are issues. A world with that kind of potential-"

"Sounds like a pipe dream," Astrid noted, folding her arms across her chest.

"Not a pipe dream if we can make it happen now."

"Is that why you've had that kid, er…Bede? Yeah, him going after Wishing Stars."

"Mm, indeed. We think we can convert the power of Galar Particles into sheer energy, and the Stars are the most effective means of activating Power Spots. The only current issue is how to generate power without an incident like Motostoke, but that's why we're investigating its cause!"

The conversation had reached peak boredom, Gloria poking at her egg, hoping it would hatch, just for something exciting to happen.

It did, but in the form of Raihan elbowing her. She turned her head, letting off a low groan. "They're talking all that non-battle related stuff. The Chairman will be here a while. How about I show you something cool?"

"Something cool? Why?" Nevertheless, Gloria perked her head up. Raihan flashed that famous toothy grin that appeared to make women's hearts melt. Older women, by the looks of it, given the middle-aged socialites just outside the Center that swooned.

"Why not? Gotta learn what makes a future challenger tick. It's how I've kept my battle record tight."

"Except against Leon, right?" Gloria said with a sly wink. Raihan elbowed her again.

"Whoa, whoa, not cool." His smile said otherwise, accepting the ribbing and beginning to nudge her out of the seat. Ash and Astrid appeared to be discussing the merits of Rose's attempted energy system, with the former far more wide-eyed than the latter, and Gloria figured they would be a while. With no harm in leaving them behind, she allowed Raihan to get her out of the booth and on their way out of the Center. Raboot trailed behind, carrying the egg she'd almost left. "Gotta admit, the Chairman's taken a shine to you more than anyone, even Leon's own brother."

"Well, that's not fair," Gloria said, practically running to keep strides with Raihan as they exited the Center and turned down the main section of the rampart that formed the spine of Hammerlocke. The concert was still going on, a black- and white-haired man drawing quite the crowd. Raihan nodded to the singer, and acknowledged his fans with a grin, but continued leading Gloria along to wherever their destination was. "Hop's just as good as me. The Chairman should give him his attention, too."

"Yeah, but everyone loves an underdog story," Raihan said, waving to some, and pausing to take pictures with others. He was every bit the man of popularity she knew from her screens. "Leon's brother has his pedigree, and that kid who's been cleaning up the Challenge faster than anyone has the Chairman's endorsement…if not the attitude. Can you believe the kid demanded a battle with me? Little squirt…"

"Yeah…imagine that…" Gloria said, letting laughter out that sounded more as a nervous chuckle. Raihan didn't pick it up, turning down another street lined with some dress shops and a café. A park was at the side, some children playing hopscotch and swinging on the swings with their Pokémon. The Gym Leader ignored all of it, making a beeline for the larger building, emblazoned with the familiar symbol that represented the Hammerlocke Gym. Some people were outside it, dressed in trench coats, but Raihan ignored them to climb the steps.

"This is the Hammerlocke Vault, something that the Gym Leader of the Hammerlocke Gym is given authority over. Though that's more a formality," Raihan explained, the duo coming close to the ornate wooden doors that protected the path inside. "In reality, just about anyone can get in, provided they get approval. This is Galar's treasure trove of history, from the very first Gym Challenge held to details on the Darkest Day."

"That thing again? I'm starting to think it's called the Darkest Day because no one knows the bloody details…" Raihan got a good laugh out of that one, pushing the doors open with both hands and practically announcing his presence from their tremendously loud creak. Two people were inside, both turning in their direction at the sound. "Hop, mate! You're still here?"

"Gloria!" Hop exclaimed, her friend rushing forward at the sight of her to take her hands. His grin was as dazzling as Leon's, and Gloria felt her face flush, but he didn't let go. "I saw your match with Kabu! It was brilliant!"

"You and the rest of Galar, apparently. What about you? Won your next badge yet, mate?"

"Nah, since Raihan rejected my challenge, I've decided to train my team up. Dynamax Pokémon are no joke, and I'm not gonna be useless again. Wait until you see-"

"That's all fascinating, Leon's bro, but I'm sure you're not here to catch up," Raihan said, waving away Hop's chatter. Both of the teens frowned at his dismissal, but decided to pursue their conversation later, if only because Raihan was approaching the other person in the room. "Well, if it isn't Leon's girl."

"I am not Leon's girl, Raihan, and you know that. How is it we've known each other for years and you're still calling me that?" Sonia snapped, the ginger flicking her hair with annoyance. Clutched in her hands were some papers, and Gloria didn't need to put two and two together to figure out just what those papers were.

Raihan began to laugh, a deep-throated chuckle that only served to irk Sonia more. "Sorry, can't help it. You two were inseparable. Even Nessa thought so."

"Yeah, well, we're not anymore. I am a bona fide professor now, not Leon's groupie."

"Pretty sure Lee's got plenty of those, and isn't it 'assistant', Sonia?"

"Oi, quiet, Hop. I called you here for your keen eye, not your mouth."

"Here to survey the tapestries then, Sonia?" Raihan asked, swiping the papers from her hands without so much as a "please". She nearly shrieked, but held back when the Gym Leader handed the papers off to the clerk at the desk, stamping and notarizing them. "Good to see you're working hard. You should forget Leon, anyway. He's missed his chance. Go on a date with me, instead."

"Drop dead, Raihan. Don't you have challengers to terrorize?"

"Still the sass. Well, offer's good, but don't wait too long," Raihan said, clapping Sonia on the back as he made his way down a darkened hall. It appeared to be the direction Sonia was also heading, the woman chasing after him. With nothing else to do, Hop and Gloria followed, just as fascinated by the juicy romantic drama of their elders as they were whatever "tapestries" were ahead.

"So, why're you really here?" Gloria asked out of the corner of her mouth, keeping one eye on the arguing Sonia and Raihan.

"Just what she said. Apparently, she liked my observations back in Motostoke, and since I'm still in the area, she roped me into some more research. Though it's starting to feel like that's happening to both of us. Like destiny!"

"Oh, please!" Gloria said, elbowing Hop. He didn't elbow back, in part due to their arrival in the tapestry room, where they stopped. The walls stretched high, a marvel of architecture from older times. There were a few windows up high, tinted and allowing only enough light in the room to see the many tapestries hanging on the walls, perfectly maintained.

"Fascinating…" was the first word out of Sonia's mouth. While Raihan didn't look nearly so enthused with the old drawings, the rest of them stood in awe.

It wasn't artwork that particularly suited Gloria's own tastes, but she could tell identify the legend that was represented upon them. Turning in a circle, Gloria noted how it told a kind of story, though history was hardly her sort of deal. Nevertheless, one thing caught her eye in the woven pictures: that of a shining sword, cleaving through a dark shadowy tendril. Standing with it was a man. Two men, it actually seemed to be, the other holding a shield.

"See, this is where the legends get tricky," Sonia noted. She took her own phone out, beginning to snap pictures of the tapestries for her own records. Given Raihan's silence, Gloria presumed that was okay. Once done, Sonia pointed to the tapestry with the two figures upon it. "Remember the statue at the Budew Drop Inn?"

"Of course," Hop said, drawing closer to the tapestries. He ran his fingers along the illustration of one of them, causing dust to puff out. He coughed. "But there was only one person there."

"One warrior to fight against the darkness." Sonia began tapping her foot, her lips turned down into a pout. Raihan chortled, but a swift glare silenced him. "Is it possible that it took history and turned it allegorical? Or is it that history distorted over time…?"

"What do you mean, Sonia?" Gloria asked. She did another once-over of the tapestries, trying to piece together all of the details that Sonia and Hop were apparently seeing. She could see the two heroes depicted, a far cry from the one warrior shown at the inn, and the clear storm that represented the Darkest Day. At the end of it all, seemed to be the two heroes remaining, the sword and shield gone, a crown between them.

"History could have conflated the two heroes into a singular one, either as a means to say one man could have the power to a make a difference, or more likely, the details were lost to time," Sonia said, pointing to the most prominent tapestry in the room, the one Hop was looking over with scrutiny. "Three thousand years is a long time for history to survive. Even gran only has so many books on that time period."

"Hmm…" Hop's pensive humming caused Gloria to tilt her head at him, wondering what was rattling around his brain. Though she didn't like to admit it, he had far more of a knack for these details than herself, and she waited for him to finish his thought process. Sonia did the same. "You know, the sword and shield here look a lot different. Like, less actual weapons and more…ethereal? Maybe they were Pokémon?"

"You mean like an Aegislash?" Sonia asked, herself giving the idea consideration. Gloria shuddered, remembering the look of the man named Alastair, wielding his own Aegislash in such a fashion. She didn't think he was much of a hero. "That's a possibility. They do look separate from the heroes in this artist's depiction. It could indicate a sentience."

"Oh, you finally found a link between historical studies and actual Pokémon research?" Raihan asked, wearing a cheeky grin. Sonia flicked her hair, a very different gesture traveling with it, to which Raihan widened his grin to reveal his pointed teeth. "But weren't you studying Dynamax? What's the Darkest Day and the legend of the hero got to do with that?"

"Because it's rumored the Darkest Day was the first appearance of Dynamaxing in Galar, Dragons-for-brains." Sonia looked more than a bit peeved with him, and in an effort to avoid her ire, Gloria stepped closer to Hop, the pair glancing all the way up the tapestry with interest.

Her own eyes kept being drawn to the sword, stitched into the fabric, and she raised her hand to it. It was just a tapestry, but Gloria felt a kinship with it, a fighting spirit against the dark storm overhead. Hop sensed the same, his own fingers ghosting over the shield depicted, only for his eyes to aim skyward. His voice rose, interrupting the newest argument between Sonia and Raihan.

"The clouds of the Darkest Day are depicted the same as Dynamax clouds. Could be a relation, Sonia."

"Ooh, good catch, Hop!" Sonia now joined them, pushing the two teens together in a rather uncomfortable position. "Yes, it's very possible they're one and the same…but the inciting incident is what's missing from this picture. Did the Darkest Day come from the sky? The land? What does trigger Dynamax?"

"Does examining musty tapestries really answer that question?" Raihan said, but this time, Sonia didn't react in her usual fashion. She was too lost to thought.

"History has a tendency to repeat and rhyme. The last many years have proven that." Sonia pulled away, beginning to pace frantically. "Not that the news shares much outside of Galar, but the constant world-altering events of the past two decades have brought with them a certain rhyme. Is it really so much of a leap to imagine that Galar's own history could repeat itself?"

"Oh, that's bollocks," Raihan said, shaking his head. Gloria had the impression that in spite of being in charge of the vault, the present mattered far more to him than the past. "One hero, two heroes, does it make a difference? The Darkest Day was three thousand years ago. Liberties in history are to be expected."

"History is important if we want to understand the present, Raihan!" Sonia snapped, now approaching him and jabbing a finger in his chest. He looked significantly cowed, backing up against a gap in the tapestries where it looked like one should have been, but clearly existed no longer. "What caused Dynamax? Is it the Darkest Day? And what of the heroes? Was there truly just one, or is the depiction of the singular hero an allegory for the unification of Galar? We can't rely on Macro Cosmos to just handle the concept of Dynamax; we need to know for ourselves!"

"Okay, Sonia. Calm down!" He snapped a quick photo, the flash of his phone causing Sonia to back off. The Gym Leader quickly escaped from under her hold. Gloria rolled her eyes and went back to staring at the most prominent tapestry.

"Unification, huh? What's that about?"

"Fall asleep in our history classes, mate?" Hop said, throwing an arm around her as he pointed up. She didn't need to be treated like an imbecile, and without thinking, she pushed herself away from him. "Before the heroes, Galar was a whole bunch of different places with different rulers with different ideas. Then, the hero came along and brought the region under one banner."

"That's right. You've really got an eye for history, Hop. Maybe I should make you my assistant."

"I thought you were still an assistant." Sonia took him in a headlock for that.

Gloria, however, remained pensive, mulling over the words both of the research-minded individuals had shared with her. "Unifying a disparate world, huh? Sounds a bit like today, don't you think?"

"Ha!" Sonia crowed with triumph, flashing a rather smug expression over to Raihan. He didn't appear to care. "Though you might have a point, Gloria, what with our own little region looking for a higher position in the world's Pokémon League. It's possible we could be looking at an attempt to unite the world on a larger scale. Though, hah, I can't see Leon as being hero material."

"Pfft!" Raihan's own laughter joined the woman's, both sharing amusement in the idea of Leon being some grand hero to unite the people. Gloria had to admit, conjuring the image in her head of Leon riding a Rapidash with shining clothing and a smile more winning than he already had, declaring to lead the peoples into battle, the adults had a point. She nearly laughed, herself, before her mind turned towards seeing Ash, bringing down Dynamaxed Pokémon with ease.

If anyone held the bearing of a hero, she felt, it might've been him.

"Hey, come on! Lee is totally a hero!" Hop contested, jumping forward to try and stop the pair from laughing. "He's the best there is. I bet if Galar was to face a crisis, he would be right at the center of it!"

"Assuming he could find his way there," Sonia finished giggling out, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes. When she finished, ignoring Hop's rather miffed expression, she looked back up to the tapestries. "Still…this is all just speculation. I thought the Vault might have something more concrete, but it continues to bring up questions. Especially with that missing tapestry…"

"There isn't a missing tapestry. It's been the same number for years," Raihan said, but Sonia shook her head.

"No, there's definitely one missing: how the Darkest Day started." She pointed to the blank space in the wall, heaving a tremendous sigh. "Of course that's the one I need most. Guess it's back to research compiling…and visiting any other sites to do with the heroes. These tapestries only provide so much information."

"You got something out of them, right?" Raihan said, waving his phone around with abandon. "That's worth a celebration, right? One step closer to completing your thesis, yeah? Let's have dinner to celebrate."

"Your persistence is admirable, Raihan, but I have work to do."

"Come on, Sonia! Are you really so hung up on Leon?"

"I'll hang you up!" The adults were on the move, leaving the hall of tapestries behind without one more word of observation about them, their voices disappearing down the passageway. Gloria looked back, blinking.

She didn't quite get it all, not with the supposed details lost to history, but she had to admit that Sonia had a point. Despite telling a story, it wasn't much of one, many of the details needing to be made through inference or guesswork. In the end, Gloria figured, Sonia was going to have an uphill battle.

Nothing more to be gleaned, she turned away from the tapestries and the shadows near the high windows, to lead herself and Hop back to the entrance of the Vault.

Raihan and Sonia were already gone.

"They ditched us!" the two cried at once, making the clerk jump from her seat, her glasses now askew on her face. Gloria was the first to approach the desk. "Do you know where they went?"

"Uh, well, Raihan said-"

"Ah, who cares?" Hop said, flinging his hands behind his head with a grin. "Raihan's probably gonna try to woo her, and Sonia's really involved with her research. It was all she could talk about on the way here. I like a good study, but I need to get back to focusing on the next Gym."

"Oh?" Gloria said, leaning away from the clerk to offer her friend a challenging grin. "Training, huh? What say you and I have a little catchup? I've got some cool new friends to show you."

"You're on!" Before Gloria knew it, Hop had grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her out of the vault. Raboot ran after them. She kept following behind, clutching to her egg and blinking at his backside while he charged into Hammerlocke. An uncomfortable thought came into her mind, one she couldn't let go of, all the way to the park.

Just when had his shoulders gotten so broad?

"So, let's get dis straight," Meowth said, sipping on a saucer of milk. Next to him was Wobbuffet, trying to shove a whole sandwich down, oblivious to the young children watching him. James merely propped his chin on his elbow, his body aching from crouching on the domed windows. "Dere's dis Darkest Day ting, and we're tinking dese legends might have somethin' to do with what Alastair's planning?"

"Certainly feels like it. Though Alastair doesn't strike me as the kind of man to steal tapestries," James remarked. He began to stir his own tea lazily, a feeling of lethargy that only increased when Jessie sighed.

"All of this feels pointless!" she cried out, throwing her hands to the wind, fliers scattering about like petals. They fluttered to the ground, some of the people of Hammerlocke looking interested in them.

"Excuse me, miss, is this your school?" one asked, a young man with a daughter.

"Oh, it's not mine, but a very good friend of mine runs it in Motostoke. Free to all!" Jessie said with a generous laugh on the air. James could tell she was doing everything in her power to not hiss through clenched teeth.

"Daddy, daddy! It sounds like fun!"

"That it does, sweetheart. We'll take a train down to Motostoke tomorrow."

The girl went off cheering, and soon as they were out of earshot, Jessie began to grumble. "Honestly, first Y, then the twerpette…I thought we'd be getting time off after quitting Team Rocket and ARC went the way of the dodo, but no. It feels like all we're doing is running around for someone else these days!"

"It does get rather tiring…" James lamented. A breath, and then all four of them sighed. They were joined by the voices of Inkay and Gourgeist, exchanging tea and biscuits beneath the table. James tapped his feet. "Even so, after what happened in Motostoke, we can't let Alastair keep having his way."

"True…he's still a Team Rocket problem." James nodded emphatically with Meowth's agreement, deciding to sip from his tea. More of Jessie's fliers were still flitting about, one landing on an elderly lady's face as she sipped her tea. James's eyes widened as she ripped it off, choosing to stand, using an umbrella as support. "But where would he strike next…?"

"Well, it's obvious he's going to do something with that Dinosaur doohickey."

"Dynamax, Jess."

"Gesundheit."

James rolled his eyes. He knew full well Jessie knew what Alastair was going after, and as his thoughts trailed away from her purposeful obtuseness, his sight was drawn to the large building that was the power plant. He blinked. "I can think of a place he might go, then."

"Where?" his companions asked, a "wobba?" thrown in amongst them. Jessie's teacup rattled at their question.

"The power plant. It has to do with Dynamax, right? So, we can do what we chaps have always done."

"So, same old, same old."

"Oh dear, sounds as though you're in a rut." James and Meowth jumped at the new voice, the older woman from before standing near their table. She looked kind, if repulsive to Jessie, with her hooked nose and wrinkled skin. "You should try new things once in a while. Helps keep life fresh and exciting!"

"Oh, go bother someone your own age, you old hag!"

"I thought I was?"

"What did you say?!" Jessie lunged for the old woman, causing James and Meowth to snap into action, wrapping themselves around her torso and pulling her back. The old woman tapped her umbrella against the stone ground and then waved, blowing through like a storm and leaving a furious Jessie in her wake. She emphasized it by grabbing her teacup and bringing it to her lips. "Who does she think she is? I'll do what I please."

"And we'll be stuck for da ride…"

"Wobb…"

"Teeea!" The sharp cry caused each member of their trio to freeze, and Jessie to bring the whistling teacup away from her lips. They hesitated a moment, and then watched as the teacup's handle turned purple, a pair of eyes forming on the porcelain surface. It smiled at Jessie.

"Ah, get it away! Get it away!"

"Jessie, don't throw it!"

Jessie's reaction drew some heads while she let go of the possessed teacup. Gourgeist and Inkay emerged from under the table, watching as the new Pokémon began to float around Jessie's head with a smile. "Tee! Tee! Teeee!"

"Looks like it likes you."

"Oh, go away already!" Jessie swiped her spoon from the table and threw it at the Pokémon, only for it to miss and bean a waiter on the head. He fell to the ground, causing James and Meowth to jump. Jessie wasn't done yet, throwing something else at the Pokémon. "I said quit it!"

"Geist!"

The object was successful in hitting the Pokémon this time.

Said object was quickly shown to be a Poké Ball.

The teacup was sucked inside, the object dropping to the table and shaking but once before it sounded out that the capture was complete.

"No way…" James expressed. Jessie frowned, she and Gourgeist leaning forward to poke the ball. It didn't react, Jessie's new Pokémon remaining inside. She had no chance to express any particular emotion over it, though, for the waiter was beginning to stand, and he and the customers around him looked less than happy.

"I tink it's time to go."

"Yes, let's. To the power plant!" Before the angry mob could set themselves upon them, James grabbed Jessie and Meowth, and the trio raced off, ready for their next job, and what he hoped would be their final operation in the legacy of Team Rocket.

Author's Note: A tad transitionary, but no less important of a chapter. Rose makes another appearance, shedding some light on Galar's current state, but more importantly we get some lore speculation. Piecing all of it together the right way was a bit of a challenge, but this at least lays a bit of the foundation. And yeah, no Raihan battle. Surprise surprise. We mostly used him as a way to give reason for Hammerlocke making a little more sense than "because plot said so".

Viroro: And we're finally in Hammerlocke, with Raihan's proper introduction and quite a few interesting meetings. While this was definitely low on action, it was very much a necessary delving into the past and present of Galar, and we had a lot of fun bringing them to life and seed quite important information. And while Gloria and the others get to discuss of another piece in the Darkest Day's puzzle away from Ash and Rose's still developing talk, Team Rocket continues their investigation (and promotion for the school), with Jessie earning herself a new Pokémon. Sinistea was a pick that took a bit of time to be settled on, but we like to think we've got some fun ideas related to the teacup, as you will see soon.

We hope you enjoyed this chapter as a whole, and that you'll keep looking forward to what's to come!

Still in Hammerlocke next time around, but for this time there's some gratitude: to bankerrtx01 and Shinycyndaquil for favoriting; and a really big thanks to ChE clarinetist, Fury, FantasyLover88, UltimateCCC, Tenzalucard123, RRV55, MythGirl Writes, oomoepoo, Chroniclerpoke, XDiamondX90, Ander Arias, Rajiv A. Rajaram, Captainsquid12 and aliensinnoh for taking the time to review. All thoughts and feedback are appreciated.

We look forward to all your thoughts! Until then, please Review and,

Dare to Be Silly.