Timothy and Electchu exited Stow-on-Side Stadium and walked straight to the Pokémon Center. Timothy handed Poliwrath, Shockwave, Blitzwing, and Knightblade's Pokéballs to Nurse Joy, and she gave him an assuring smile before she went into the emergency room. Timothy and Electchu found a bench to sit on, and Timothy laid his back against the wall with a heavy sigh. He noticed Electchu looking at him anxiously and smiled while petting its head.
"Well, I did say I wanted the Gym Battles to be more challenging," he said.
"Rai," Electchu said with a light laugh.
The front doors opened, and Coovers, Gwen, and Winnie went in. Gwen glowered at Timothy, making him nervous as she stopped before him.
"Thanks for bothering to wait for us at the lobby, Timothy," Gwen said sarcastically.
"Sorry, Gwen. I guess I got too focused on getting my Pokémon healed right away," Timothy said.
"That's what you're sorry about? You lost the match!" Coovers rebuked. "Come on, Timothy. How could you lose to the fourth Gym Leader when you completely had the type advantage?"
"You saw what happened, Coovers. Bea's not a pushover," Timothy said. "She has a good plan for taking care of Psychic and Ghost type Pokémon, and sadly that includes a Dark type Max Move to take down Knightblade. Besides, we knew type advantage wasn't going to always help from now on after how I barely won a perfect match against Kabu."
"Regardless, we're already far behind," Coovers said. "What if Ezria or the chairman hear about your loss and lose interest in you? This might have jeopardized the mission."
"I know. I know," Timothy said. "Believe me. I'm as worried as you are."
"Well, it's no use fretting about it now," Gwen said. "You must battle Bea again and ensure you win this time."
"Teddiursa." Winnie said.
"I will. I know I can," Timothy claimed. "Now that I know Bea's battling style, I will be prepared for what to expect from her and her Pokémon."
"You don't know what her fourth Pokémon is," Coovers said.
"No, but I think I have a good idea of what to expect from it," Timothy said. "Either way, you have to trust my Pokémon and me. Believe that we're going to beat Bea."
"Raichu," Electchu said with a nod.
Coovers furrowed his brow and looked away in reluctance. Timothy frowned at his best friend's hesitation and turned to Gwen, hoping for a better response. Gwen paused for a moment, knowing what was on Timothy's mind, then she sighed and gave him a small smile.
"I trust you," she said. "You promised me last night, and I'm counting on you to keep it."
"Thanks, Gwen," Timothy said.
"Promise? What promise?" Coovers asked.
"Don't worry about it," Timothy said. "Just focus on having my back, Coovers. I mean, come on. Since when do you lose complete confidence in me over one loss?"
Coovers flinched feeling on the spot. Then he huffed and smiled at Timothy as he said, "Alright, I believe you'll win too. But, please don't lose to a Gym Leader again, Timbo."
"You got it," Timothy said, smirking.
Suddenly, a chime was heard from the speakers on the ceiling, and the back door opened to reveal Nurse Joy holding a tray containing Timothy's Pokéballs. Timothy stood up and walked over to the front desk as Nurse Joy held the tray up to him.
"Your Pokémon are in perfect health," she announced.
"Thank you," Timothy said.
Nurse Joy smiled as Timothy put his Pokéballs back in his pocket. Timothy then went outside with Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie following him, and walked to the open street in front of Stow-on-Side Stadium. He took out two of his Pokéballs, lifted them up in the air, and they opened to reveal Shockwave and Knightblade. Shockwave looked at Timothy intently, waiting to hear what he had to say, while Knightblade glumly stared at the ground.
"Okay, guys, the bad news is we lost the battle with Bea," Timothy said.
Shockwave frowned while Knightblade flinched.
"However, the good news is now we know what to expect," Timothy continued. "We can safely assume that Hawlucha has nothing but Fighting type moves, and since Bea took out her best Pokémon third instead of last, the Pokémon she didn't use may have only Fighting type moves or other moves useless against you Knightblade and maybe Shockwave too. If that's the case, then our only concerns are Grapploct and Machamp. I have a few ideas on how to deal with Grapploct strategically, but with Machamp, the best move would be for Shockwave to face it in Dynamax form so -"
Suddenly, Knightblade released a raging scream that made everyone cover their ears. It levitated toward Timothy and bitterly shouted "Aegis" and "Aegislash'' multiple times. A tear came out of its golden eye as its voice began to crack. Timothy looked at Knightblade, taken aback until he heard Gwen make a loud gasp in disbelief.
"How can you say that Knightblade?! You know that's not true!" She shouted.
"What? What did it say?" Coovers asked.
"Knightblade is angry because Timothy wants to use Shockwave to face Machamp instead of letting it face Machamp again," Gwen said. "It thinks that Timothy deems it worthless because it lost."
"What?!" Timothy shouted. "Knightblade, it's nothing like that. I want Shockwave to battle Machamp next because Max Darkness won't be as effective against it. After all, it's part Fairy type. This has nothing to do with your worth."
Knightblade ranted again, and Gwen said, "Knightblade disagrees because it lost on its first Dynamax battle so quickly. It wants to prove itself to be the most powerful of all of your Pokémon, and now it's humiliated."
"You don't have to do that Knightblade. You only lost because you were at a serious type disadvantage against Machamp's attack. I don't think less of you because you lost." Timothy said.
Knightblade's anger grew, and it yelled bitterly while pointing one of its cloth-like arms at Timothy. Gwen squirmed and hesitated before translating.
"It doesn't believe you because you use it so rarely," she said.
Coovers furrowed his brow and said, "I think Knightblade has a point. You only used it once before during your battle against Nessa and it was just to take down her first Pokémon. You've only been using most of your other Pokémon between then and now."
"That's not true. I used it to take on Dragapult," Timothy said.
"Yeah, but you choose Shockwave as the key to victory in that battle too," Coovers pointed out. "Hate to say it Timothy, but you haven't shown that you really value Knightblade as much as your other Pokémon. Let's face it, its first opponent as your Pokemon was a Goldeen - a weak one at that, and it barely stayed conscious when Dragapult was taken down. Bottom line, defeating Grapploct is the only thing it has really done to show how strong it is, and that's only after Shockwave battled it and lost."
Timothy's eyes widened, and his mouth opened in realization. He suddenly remembered how Ezria viewed the idea of him having Knightblade like he was a hero wielding a sword, and Knightblade itself wanted to be treated that way since it was willing to be given away to him. Timothy then recalled saying that Knightblade would fit in just fine with his team, and apart from the rest of his Pokémon giving the Royal Sword Pokemon a warm welcome, he didn't show that he treated Knightblade as important as Electchu, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, and Blitzwing. With his heart full of guilt, Timothy put his hand on Knightblade's shield and looked it in the eye.
"Knightblade, I'm sorry," he said. "You're right. I haven't used you much since Ezria gave you to me, and I haven't considered how that makes you feel. I know that you are strong, and you give it your all on the battlefield. Grapploct tried to break your defense with all of its strength, but you stood your ground and were quick to defend yourself when Shockwave didn't. No offense Shockwave."
"Gardevoir," Shockwave said in understanding.
Knightblade began to ease up, feeling slightly better as Timothy continued.
"With that said, you shouldn't try to be the most powerful Pokémon in my party because no one in my party is better than everyone else," Timothy said. "Electchu, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, Blitzwing; they all have strengths and weaknesses and have experienced both victory and hardship with me. Defeat is how we learn from our mistakes and grow stronger together as equals. You have experienced loss before with Ezria and Doublade, right?"
"Aeg...islash," Knightblade answered hesitantly.
"Well, there you go," Timothy said. "So, understand that I'm not saying Shockwave should face Machamp in the rematch because you're weak. It's just the best strategy to use with what we're up against. And I don't want Shockwave to fight Bea's entire party; I want both of you to play equal parts in winning my fourth badge."
Knightblade turned to Shockwave, and the Embrace Pokémon nodded with a friendly smile. The dark gray and gold Aegislash hesitated, but it relented, slightly leaning its body forward and back as a way of nodding back. Timothy, Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, Shockwave, and Winnie smiled until the moment was broken by a low voice.
"Hey, you!"
The trainers and their Pokémon turned to see two people walking toward them from Stow-on-Side Stadium. The first person was a man in his mid-thirties with coal-black hair tied in a ponytail, walking tall and proud, and wearing a gray tux with a dark orange bowtie. Behind him was a woman nearing her sixties with streaks of gray in her blonde hair and wearing a royal blue suit that did no favors for her curvy figure. Both gave Timothy condescending glares as they walked toward him.
"Ugh, please don't be more of Ezria's fans," he grumbled.
The man and the woman stopped several feet away from the group, and the man pointed at Timothy.
"Hand over Ezria's Aegislash right now!" He demanded.
Timothy gave the man a sullen look and asked, "And just who do you think you are to demand that from me?"
"The name's Bard White. Got that?" The man replied. "I'm co-chairman of White Mining Company here in Galar."
"Is that so? Then who is the other chairman?" Coovers asked.
"That would be me, Leia White," the woman said. "My son and I work together to run the best mining operations in Galar next to Marco Cosmos."
"Well, bully for you," Gwen said. "What do you want with Knightblade?"
"That Aegislash belongs to Ezria, and your companion tricked her into giving it to him!" Bard shouted, pointing at Timothy again. "She thinks he's this high and mighty trainer who won a bunch of Pokémon Leagues and single-handedly saved the world, but he's nothing but a fraud!"
"Let me guess. You wanna marry Ezria because you think you deserve her with all your money and position in your company?" Timothy asked.
"How can I not? Next to Marco Cosmos, White Mining Company is the most successful business in all of Galar!" Bard declared. "Not to mention no one comes close to matching the wealth, power, and beauty sweet Ezria possesses but me!"
"That's right! My Bard is the most handsome and charming man in Galar!" Leia claimed. "Imagine our astonishment when we came up to Ezria after she got her fourth Gym Badge, and she said this so-called hero is the man of her dreams, and she went so far as to give her beloved Aegislash to him!"
Timothy rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Just when I thought if you meet one of Ezria's stupid fanboys, you've met them all, we come across some snobby rich guy whose mommy backs him up," Timothy said.
"Raichu," Electchu said.
Timothy then looked up at Bard and Leia and said, "Listen, you two, my friends and I would rather not have to explain this again, but Ezria can choose for herself who she wants to be with, whether he feels the same way or not, which, for the record, I don't. And I didn't trick Ezria into giving Knightblade to me."
"Liar!" Bard hissed. "You manipulated Ezria as a means to woo her when you're nothing but a weak trainer who doesn't even know how to use such a mighty Pokémon like Ezria's Aegislash properly!"
"That's right. We watched your match with Bea!" Bard shouted. "If you really are a trainer who has won Pokémon Leagues and saved the world from a powerful crime organization, you wouldn't have lost to the fourth Gym Leader! You're a despicable fraud, and you don't deserve to have that Pokémon! So, hand over Ezria's Aegislash to us or we will take it from you!"
"You can't do that!" Gwen barked. "Taking other people's Pokémon is illegal!"
"A necessary evil to save what Ezria gave away by mistake!" Leia claimed. "Now, give it to us right now!"
Electchu and Shockwave stepped in front of Knightblade, staring menacingly at Bard and Leia with electricity coming out of Electchu's yellow cheeks and Shockwave's eyes glowing blue. Then Timothy felt a tug inside his pocket, and suddenly three of his Pokéballs opened to reveal Odyssey standing next to Shockwave with a bone of energy ready, Poliwrath cracking its knuckles, and Blitzwing levitating right in front of Knightblade defensively. All five Pokémon were ready to attack without remorse, surprising Knightblade, Bard, and Leia. Timothy looked proudly at his Pokémon and stepped in front of them to glower at their target.
"You may be surprised to hear this, Bard, Leia, but half of my Pokémon have experienced being taken from me," he began. "They were stolen by people who wanted to use them for power, and it was devastating for my Pokémon and me. Now, I haven't had Knightblade for very long, and he was originally someone else's Pokémon but it's still my Pokémon. Whether it wins or loses, it's part of my team, and my other Pokémon and I care about it."
Knightblade looked at Timothy, even more flabbergasted with what he was saying. It then looked at Electchu, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, and Blitzwing, and they all turned to the Royal sword Pokémon to smile and nod. Blitzwing, in particular, gave its training partner a comforting look. Knightblade stared at them before its eye began to water, touched by their sincerity.
"We lost to a Gym Leader roughly halfway through the Gym Challenge. It's true," Timothy continued. "But people and Pokémon lose. Even people who win Pokémon Leagues or are 'heroes.' No matter how hard, one loss does not make a Pokémon worthless, and it does not give people the right to take that Pokémon from their trainer. If you try to take Knightblade away from me, my Pokémon will stop you. We'd rather not sink to attacking people, but we've had to fight people and Pokémon before during the battle against Team Rocket. We'll fight you both to protect each other."
"Raichu!" Electchu shouted.
"Poliwrath!" Poliwrath bellowed.
"Luca!" Odyssey snarled.
"Gar!" Shockwave yelled.
"Braviary!" Blitzwing cawed proudly.
Bard and Leia stared at Timothy and his Pokémon, while Coovers smirked at his best friend, and Gwen looked at Timothy approvingly while Winnie cheered. After several seconds, Bard and Leia snorted before they burst out laughing. Leia bent down with one hand on her knee and her other hand on her son's shoulder for support as she struggled to catch her breath from her laughter.
"That's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard," she giggled. "Being okay with losing? Thinking you can stop us from rescuing Ezria's Pokémon and claiming you care about it? I've never heard of something so delusional."
"Then you should listen to yourselves," Timothy remarked. "Or maybe go to Kanto and hear my first rival rant. I bet he'll tell you all about how he deserves to have my Pokémon while glaring at you with his one eye. In any case, I have real things to worry about, so quit bothering my friends and me, or, if you're competing in the World Coronation Series, challenge me to Pokémon Battles and make your presence worthwhile."
Leia gasped with her hand on her chest, and Bard clenched his teeth with his hands turned into balls of fists.
"You think you can use Pokémon Battles against us to go up the ranks just like that?" Bard snarled.
"Uh-huh," Timothy said smugly. "Don't tell me you weren't thinking of doing that to me."
Bard's anger grew, and he pointed at Timothy a third time, shouting, "I'll have you know, Mama and I have won so many battles that we're both just a few hundred away from getting into the Great Class."
Coovers covers his mouth to hide a snicker from hearing a grown man addressing his mother as "Mama."
"Have you now? That is delightful," Timothy said. "I'll surely go high up the ranks by beating you clowns."
"Enough talk!" Bard barked as he took out his Rotom Phone. "We're having a two-on-two battle right here, right now!"
Timothy's smug look weakened, and he said, "Oh, that sounds like fun, but I don't want want to waste too much time before -"
Before he finished his sentence, he felt someone put their hand on his shoulder, and he turned his head to see it was Gwen. She gestured to Timothy to come with her, and he stared at her, confused before he complied. The two of them walked until they were several yards away from everyone else, and Gwen checked to make sure no one followed before she huddled close to Timothy.
"You should battle both of them in a two-on-two," she said. "And you should use only Shockwave and Knightblade for both battles."
"What? But I need them at full health for my rematch," Timothy said. "I was going to use my other Pokémon to beat them."
"I know, but hear me out," Gwen said. "You meant it when you said you want Shockwave and Knightblade to beat Bea's Pokémon as equals, right?"
"Of course I did," Timothy said.
"Then use your battles against Bard and Leia to prove it," Gwen said. "You can arrange your battles so that your Pokémon takes out one Pokémon each with both battles. Then, when you battle against Bea again, you make sure that Shockwave and Knightblade each take out one half of her party."
Timothy stared at Gwen for a moment before he looked down and scratched his chin in thought.
"Okay, I think I get it," Timothy said. "Shockwave and Knightblade share the same amount of opponents they face and Knightblade will feel like it belongs with my team."
"Exactly," Gwen said. "You and your other Pokémon expressed it by standing up for it. Now you must prove it through battling."
Timothy took another moment to let Gwen's idea sink entirely in before he smirked and said, "Yeah, that makes sense. Are you okay with it taking a little longer before we're ready to leave this town though?"
Gwen squirmed at the thought of falling further behind before she put on a brave face and said, "I'll manage for the sake of the Pokémon. Besides, how can Coovers and I count on you to finish the Gym Challenge at your absolute best when there's trouble in your Pokémon party?"
"Good point," Timothy said.
"Also, I was thinking what Bard said about you not knowing how to use an Aegislash properly and I think he might have a point," Gwen said.
"What? What's wrong with how I use Knightblade in battle?" Timothy asked.
"I wouldn't call it something wrong per se but you do seem to prefer having it only be in Blade Forme when you're training or battling it," Gwen said.
"Of course I do. I prefer my Pokémon to always be on the offense. You know that, Gwen." Timothy said.
"I know, but I think you're using only half of Knightblade's power that way," Gwen said. "An Aegislash in Shield Forme has less offense, but its defense is more than twice what it is in its Blade Forme. If you had Knightblade in its Shield Forme whenever Machamp used Max Darkness, it might not have been as effective, and, for all we know, it would have stayed conscious till the end of the battle. So, why don't you mix it up when you use Knightblade? Tell it to defend itself in its Shield Forme before going for another attack. Trust in your Pokémon's offense and defense."
Timothy hesitated, not liking the idea of coming out of his comfort zone when battling with his Pokémon, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. If he wanted Knightblade to believe it was part of his party truly, he had to prove that he trusted it in all of his capabilities. If anything else, Timothy wanted to trust his crush and her knowledge and love for Pokémon.
"Okay. I'll give it a try," Timothy said.
Gwen gave him a smile that made his heart skip a beat. The two of them broke their huddle and walked back to the rest of their group. Bard and Leia were glaring at Timothy restlessly, with the former waiting to make the challenge with his phone.
"Alright, I agree to have two-on-two battles with both of you," Timothy said. "And when I beat both of you, you will go away and leave us alone."
"Pff. Like that's going to happen," Bard said.
He pressed a few buttons on his Rotom Phone, and Timothy's phone chimed.
"A battle challenge has been issued. Do you accept or reject it?" Rotom asked.
"I accept," Timothy replied.
"An official battle has been registered!" the Rotom in Timothy's and Bard's phones said simultaneously.
Timothy smirked and looked mockingly at its opponent, who clenched his teeth again. A Rotom Drone flew over to everyone as a hologram of Timothy and Bard appeared in its eyes.
"Welcome! Welcome! You have been approved for an official Pokémon World Coronation Series Normal Class battle!" Rotom shouted. "The challengers today are Bard from Wyndon versus Timothy from Pallet Town! For today's battle, each of you can have the use of two Pokémon. The winner will be determined when their opponent's Pokémon are unable to battle. I will oversee the battle as the official referee. Will both trainers please take out your Pokémon? Thank you! Three, two, one, go!"
"Knightblade, let's go!" Timothy shouted.
"Orbettle, to victory!" Bard shouted as he threw a Pokéball.
Knightblade levitated to Timothy's side of the battle while Bard's Pokéball opened to reveal a large, beetle-like Pokémon resembling a ladybug's body. Timothy scanned Knightblade's opponent, and its image appeared on his Rotom Phone's screen.
"Orbeetle. The Seven Spot Pokémon. A Bug and Psychic type." Rotom said. "Orbeetle is famous for its high level of intelligence, and the large size of its brain is proof that it also possesses immense psychic power."
"So, it's a Bug and Psychic type. Too bad. I wanted Knightblade to be challenged," Timothy said, smirking at Knightblade. "No matter. That just means we're gonna crush our opponent pretty quickly. Right, Knightblade?"
"Aegislash!" Knightblade shouted.
Timothy nodded and turned to his other Pokémon.
"Let's cheer for Knightblade all the way," he said.
"Raichu," Electchusaid with a nod.
"Poliwrath," Poliwrath said.
"Lucar," Odyssey said, smirking.
"Gardevoir," Shockwave said.
"Braviary," Blitzwing cawed.
"Count on me to cheer too," Coovers said with a grin.
"You got this, Knightblade!" Gwen called out.
"Teddiursa!" Winnie chirped.
Knightblade turned to everyone and raised its shield, shouting, "Aegislash!" in response.
"Battle start!" Rotom Drone shouted.
"Orbeetle, Shadow Ball!" Bard shouted.
"Knightblade, protect yourself in Shield Forme, and then use Flash Cannon!" Timothy shouted.
Orbeetle created a black and purple ball of energy and threw it at Knightblade, but sheathed its sword and put its arms behind its back just before the ball hit it and exploded on impact. Bard and Orbeetle waited for the smoke to disappear only to find Knightblade creating a white orb of energy and only a couple of scratches on its body. Before they could react, Knightblade unleashed a white beam and it hit Orbeetle.
"Now, use Shadow Claw!" Timothy shouted.
"Dodge and use Shadow Ball again!" Bard ordered.
Knightblade unsheathed its sword and charged at Orbeetle with its blade covered in black aura and pointing at its opponent, but Orbeetle flew up just in time. It fired another black and purple ball, and the ball hit Knightblade in the back. The part Ghost type Pokémon groaned in pain as the Shadow Ball did more damage than the first, making Bard and Leia grin.
"Now, use Shadow Ball once more!" Bard commanded.
"Knightblade, cut that Shadow Ball with Shadow Claw, then attack with Shadow Claw and Night Slash!" Timothy instructed.
Knightblade's blade was covered in black aura again, and it swiped down just as Orbeetle threw another Shadow Ball. The ball was cut in half, and the two halves flew past Knightblade, forcing Timothy, Coovers, Gwen, and their Pokémon to duck before crashing into a faraway mountain wall. With its blade still glowing, Knightblade cut Orbeetle, making it scream in pain before the aura the Royal Sword Pokémon's blade disappeared, and it glowed light purple before slashing at its opponent again. Orbeetle screamed one last time and fought to stay awake before it plummeted to the ground.
"Orbeetle is unable to battle! Knightblade wins!" Rotom Drone declared.
"Nice work, Knightblade," Timothy praised.
"Way to go!" Coovers cheered.
"Great job, Knightblade!" Gwen shouted.
Electchu, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, Blitzwing, and Winnie cheered in their languages, making Knightblade proud of its victory. Bard and Leia stared at the unconscious Orbeetle before Bard growled and returned it.
"You got lucky because that's Ezria's Pokémon, but I'll still take it down to prove it's weak without her!" He claimed while taking out another Pokeball. "Go, Pincurchin!"
Here threw the Pokéball into the air, and it opened to reveal a black sea urchin-like Pokémon looking daggers at Knightblade. Timothy took out his phone again upon hearing the Pokémon's name and scanned it as soon as it came out of its container.
"Pincurchin. The Sea Urchin Pokémon. An Electric type." Rotom said. "Pincurchin stores electricity in each spine. Even if one gets broken off, it still continues to emit electricity for at least three hours."
Timothy hummed in acknowledgment before he looked up from his phone and said, "Knightblade, return. Shockwave, you're up."
"What?! You can't call back your Pokémon!" Bard yelled.
"Yes, I can. There's nothing in the rules that says you can't do substitutions," Timothy said. "Isn't that right, Rotom Drone?"
"That is correct. Substitutions are allowed in any World Coronation Series battle with trainers using two or more Pokémon," Rotom Drone replied.
Bard and Leia gave the Plasma Pokémon dark looks. Knightblade hesitated before it begrudgingly floated over to Timothy and his other Pokémon. It stopped as it passed by Shockwave just as it walked over to its spot on the battlefield. The two Pokémon stared at each other for several seconds before Knightblade made a sound of hesitation and said "Aegis," as if to say "Good luck." Shockwave smiled and nodded in appreciation, knowing that the new addition to the team was struggling before it walked in front of Timothy, and Knightblade went to levitate next to Blitzwing. Pincurchin glowered at its new opponent, looking as if it was about to pounce, while Shockwave tilted its head to crack its neck, unintimidated.
"Battle restart!" Rotom Drone shouted.
"Pincurchin, use Zing Zap!" Bard yelled.
"Shockwave, dodge it!" Timothy shouted.
Pincurchin spun around rapidly, and its body became covered in yellow electricity. Shockwave jumped to the side to avoid it, but the sea urchin Pokémon turned around to charge at it again.
"Shockwave, keep dodging like with your training with Odyssey!" Timothy shouted.
"Lucar!" Odyssey called out.
Shockwave nodded and hopped from one side to the other as though it was performing a dance before Pincurchin could hit again. Pincurchin turned around and tried to hit the Pokémon five times its height again and again, but the Embrace Pokémon elegantly moved away step by step in rhythm. Eventually, Shockwave smiled and started moving its arms and upper body like a ballerina as it dodged. The display made Coovers hide a snicker while Electchu, Winnie, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Blitzwing, and Knightblade roared with laughter. Gwen snorted before she burst out giggling with tears forming from the edge of her eyes. Timothy's heart was aflutter at the sound of his crush having fun with his battle, and his smile grew as he noticed Knightblade laughing alongside Blitzwing.
Bard clenched his teeth again and screamed with his face barn red, "Pincurchin, use Venoshock!"
Pincurchin stopped spinning and unleashed multiple purple poison spikes from its back. Timothy broke his gaze from Gwen and his Pokémon to see the spikes flying toward Shockwave.
"Shockwave, dodge it!" he shouted.
Shockwave snapped out of enjoying its dance to see the spikes flying toward it. It jumped to the side to avoid them, but several spikes hit its side. Bard and Leia grinned as Shockwave knelt down, hissing in pain with its hands where the spikes cut it. Odyssey growled menacingly at Pincurchin and took a step to attack, but Timothy held his arm out in front of it and shook his head, silently reminding Odyssey that Shockwave was in an official battle.
Knightblade watched Shockwave kneel in agony from the Poison type attack, then it growled before calling out angrily to the Embrace Pokémon. All eyes turned to the black-and-gold Aegislash as it shouted. Timothy, Coovers, Bard, and Leia watched in confusion as Electchu, Winnie, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, and Blitzwing were taken aback by what Knightblade was saying.
"You tell it, Knightblade!" Gwen cheered.
"What? What is it saying?" Timothy asked.
"Knightblade started off rebuking Shockwave for making a fuss over getting it even if it's weak to Poison attacks, and then said it knows Shockwave can wipe the floor against Pincurchin no problem," Gwen explained.
"Wow. So it really is cheering for Shockwave," Coovers said.
Timothy looked at Knightblade, surprised by its passion for rooting for one of his other Pokémon. Then his surprise turned into a smirk, and he turned back to Shockwave.
"You heard it, Shockwave. Let's stop toying with our opponent and go on the offensive!" He called out.
"Gardevoir!" Shockwave agreed before standing back up.
"Did you hear that, sweetie-kins? That manipulative devil has tricked Ezria's Pokémon into thinking it belongs with his Pokémon!" Leia snarled.
"Don't worry, Mama, taking out that Gardevoir oughta knock some sense into Aegislash," Bard said. "Pincurchin, use Venoshock again!"
"Catch the spikes and send them back using Psychic!" Timothy shouted.
Pincurchin shot several more spikes at its opponent, but Shockwave's eyes glowed blue, and the spikes stopped in mid-air with a blue outline surrounding them. The spikes turned around and zoomed toward Pincurchin, who squealed in fright before the needles hit it. The Sea Urchin Pokémon whined with its face covered in needles, and Bard's anger grew.
"Pincurchin, use Spark!" He shouted.
Electricity surrounded Pincurchin's body again, and it charged toward Shockwave.
"Shockwave, catch it, and lift it up using Psychic again!" Timothy shouted.
Shockwave's eyes glowed blue again, and Pincurchin was lifted up from the air before it could reach its target. Pincurchin's yellow eyes widened, and it tried to move its body with electricity no longer appearing around it. Bard began to sweat as Timothy looked at him smugly.
"Last chance, Bard. You can forfeit and leave me and my friends be, or you get humiliated and let 'Mama' defend your pride," Timothy said.
"Never!" Bard snarled. "I'll fight to be with Ezria till the very end!"
"Eh, I can respect fighting for your dreams," Timothy said. "Shockwave, use Moonblast!"
The blood drained from Bard's face, and Pincurchin tried to break from Shockwave's psychic grasp in a panic as Shockwave formed an orb of pink energy in front of its hands. Shockwave fired the orb and stopped using Psychic just as the orb was inches away from hitting Pincurchin. The impact caused an explosion that covered the area around Shockwave and Pincurchin in gray smoke. Rotom Drone waited until the smoke cleared, finding Pincurchin lying on the ground to make the call.
"Pincurchin is unable to battle! Shockwave is the winner, which means the victory goes to Timothy from Pallet Town!" It declared.
"Hooray!" Gwen cheered.
"Nicely done, Shockwave!" Coovers praised.
Electchu, Winnie, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Blitzwing, and Knightblade joined the cheering while Coovers walked over to treat Shockwave's injury. Shockwave looked at Knightblade as Coovers sprayed a potion on it and nodded as a gesture of appreciation for the Royal Sword Pokémon's support.
"As a result of today's battle, there has been a change in the World Coronation Series rankings, effective immediately." Rotom Drone announced before it flew away.
Timothy took out his phone and smirked again as he turned to his friends.
"1,183," he said.
"Wow, you rose by two and a half thousand. Bard being up so close to reaching the Great Class helped a lot," Gwen said.
"No kidding," Timothy said.
Bard returned Pincurchin and took out his phone to check his ranking. His new ranking made his face turn barn red in fury, and Leia huffed in irritation.
"Guess I really have to cover for you, boy," she said as she stepped in front of Bard and took out her phone.
Timothy's phone chimed again and said, "A battle challenge has been issued. Do you accept or reject it?"
"Accept," Timothy replied.
"An official battle has been registered," the Rotom in Timothy's and Leia's phones said simultaneously.
Timothy put away his phone and turned to Knightblade, saying, "I'm going to have Shockwave start off this battle, and then you tackle Leia's second Pokémon. Alright, Knightblade?"
"Aegislash," Knightblade replied, leaning its body forward then backward slightly as a way of nodding. A second Rotom Drone flew over, and a hologram of Timothy and Leia appeared from the Plasma Pokemon's eyes.
"Welcome! Welcome! You have been approved for an official Pokémon World Coronation Series Normal Class battle! The challengers today are Leia from Wyndon versus Timothy from Pallet Town! For today's battle, each of you can have the use of two Pokémon. The winner will be determined when their opponent's Pokémon are unable to battle. I will oversee the battle as the official referee. Will both trainers please take out your Pokémon? Thank you! Three, two, one, go!" Rotom shouted.
"Hatterene, let's crush them!" Leia shouted while throwing a Pokéball into the air.
The Pokéball opened, and a small humanoid Pokémon appeared. It had a thin, white body, and extremely long, layered, symmetrical hair longer than its body that draped to the ground and swathes around the Pokémon to conceal much of its body. It was adorned by a pink semi-translucent dress that gives it a much taller silhouette, resembling that of a stereotypical sorceress or witch. Shockwave tilted its head at the strange Pokémon, who looked daggers at it with its narrow black eyes with white pupils. Timothy stared at Leia's Pokémon, equally confused as he scanned it with his phone.
"Hatterene. The Silent Pokémon. A Psychic and Fairy type," his Rotom Phone said. "Hatterene emits psychic power strong enough to cause headaches as a deterrent to the approach of others. It is also known as the Forest Witch."
"Huh, so it's a Psychic and Fairy type as well. This should be interesting," Timothy said.
"Not as interesting as you think," Leia claimed.
"You got this, Mama!" Bard shouted.
"Go get 'em, Shockwave!" Gwen called out.
"Battle begin!" Rotom Drone shouted.
Timothy's face turned serious, and he shouted, "Let's hit them hard, Shockwave! Use Moonblast!"
"Stop it with Attract!" Leia commanded with a grin.
Hatterene winked its right eye, and several pink hearts appeared around it while Shockwave produced another pink orb. Hatterene shot the hearts towards its opponent, but when they touched, they burst into pink sparkles and disappeared with Shockwave unfazed. Leia and Hatterene's eyes widened as Shockwave fired the orb and hit Hatterene, creating a few scratches to appear on its body.
"But how? Your Gardevoir should be in love with my Hatterene!" Leia shouted.
"Um, is your Hatterene a female?" Timothy asked.
"Of course, it's a female. All Hatterene are females!" Leia barked. "That's what makes it one of my favorite Pokémon; it makes its opponents adore it!"
Timothy's smirk stretched to the side of his face, and he said, "Well, tough break cause Shockwave is a female too."
"Gardevoir," Shockwave said, nodding.
Timothy's other Pokemon and Winnie laughed with Odyssey on one knee and its arm around its gut. Coovers chuckled lightly while Gwen shook her head in amusement.
"Oh yeah? Well, try this one on for size!" Leia growled. "Hatterene, use Draining Kiss!"
"Shockwave, wait until Hatterene is close enough, then stop it with Psychic followed by Moonblast again!" Timothy instructed.
Shockwave remained still as Hatterene ran over to it until it was a few yards away before it stopped the Silent Pokémon in its place. Shockwave looked at Hatterene smugly as it created another pink orb.
"Oh no, you don't! Hatterene, use Dazzling Gleam!" Leia shouted.
Hatterene's body became surrounded in a rainbow-colored shine. The shine became so bright that it struck Shockwave, forcing it to release its psychic control.
"Now use Draining Kiss!" Leia commanded.
Hatterene walked over to the distracted Shockwave and kissed it on the cheek. Shockwave glowed red, and a light yellow orb of energy flew off of it and into Hatterene, draining its energy. Lisa grinned as Hatterene absorbed the orb until she realized only a couple of Hatterene's cuts had disappeared.
"Guess it can only regain so much when that Gardevoir is part Fairy too," Bard said.
"So it would seem," Leia said. "No matter. Hatterene, use Psyshock!"
Timothy raised his eyebrow, amused with his opponent's next move, and shouted, "Shockwave, use Psyshock too, then use it again!"
Both Pokémon created energy blobs and fired at each other, causing the attacks to explode on impact. The area was covered in smoke again, and Leia stared at where she last saw Timothy and Shockwave, brainstorming her next move. But just before the smoke disappeared, a purple beam emerged from the smoke and hit Hatterene. Hatterene squealed as more cuts and bruises appeared on its body, while the smoke disappeared to reveal Shockwave grinning, knowing its opponent had let its guard down.
"No fair! How can your Gardevoir hit Hatterene when it can't see anything?" Leia shouted.
"Years of experience," Timothy said. "One doesn't accomplish half the things I've done with my Pokémon without developing some tricks through trial and error."
Leia growled again, irritated, and shouted, "Use Psyshock again!"
"Disrupt it with Disarming Voice!" Timothy shouted.
Shockwave took a deep breath and opened its mouth to release a beam of purple hearts in a loud shrieking voice. The hearts hit Hatterene before it could finish creating another blob of psychic energy, taking very little damage in the process.
"Hatterene, use Dazzling Gleam!" Leia ordered.
"Lift Hatterene high into the air with Psychic!" Timothy shouted.
Shockwave's eyes glowed blue, and Hatterene was lifted into the air as its body was once again covered in a rainbow-colored shine. The Silent Pokémon shined bright with all of its might, but it was too far high in the light to reach its target. When the light disappeared, Hatterene realized it was high in the air and began to scream in panic.
"Shockwave, send Hatterene crashing into the ground, then finish it with Psyshock one more time!" Timothy instructed.
Without hesitation, Shockwave thrust Hatterene into the ground, creating a small crater. Hatterene clenched its teeth to fight the pain as it lay on its side. Then it used its symmetrical hair to stand up, but by the time it was standing straight again with its hair, Shockwave was found waiting for it with a blob of psychic energy. The Embrace Pokémon fired and the attack hit Hatterene in the face, causing it to fall on its back. The Rotom Drone flew above Hatterene to find it laying motionless with swirly eyes.
"Hatterene is unable to battle. Shockwave is the winner!" It declared.
"Oh, come on!" Bard screamed. "How can your Gardevoir do so much when both Pokémon resist each other's attacks?"
"Because while Moonblast, Psychic, and Psyshock can only do half the damage, they're still powerful attacks that can do a fair amount of damage," Timothy answered. "With the right strategy and training, I'm sure your Hatterene could have done the same with Psyshock and Dazzling Gleam."
"That is if you spend as much time strategizing and training your Pokémon as you do thinking your son is obligated to marry someone," Gwen said.
"Or assuming every Pokémon your Hatterene uses Attract on is a guy," Coovers added.
"Hey, I can't help it if it worked in every battle in the World Coronation Series up till now! " Leia growled as she returned Hatterene and took out another ball. "Either way, your Gardevoir isn't going to take out my second Pokémon! Runerigus, come out!"
She threw the ball, and it opened to reveal an oblong, irregularly-shaped clay slab in five pieces connected by shadowy black tendrils forming its arms, neck, and tail. Once again, Timothy and his Pokémon looked at the creature, puzzled as he scanned it with his phone.
"Runerigus. The Grudge Pokémon. A Ground and Ghost type." Rotom said. "Runerigus evolves from a Galarian Yamask. It is said that a powerful curse was woven into an ancient painting that started to move after absorbing the spirit of a Yamask. If you touch its shadow-like body, you'll be shown the horrific memories behind the picture carved into it."
"Another Pokémon that can evolve into something completely different." Coovers said before taking a step back in unease. "This one gives me the creeps."
Gwen lightly chuckled at her friend's cowardice while Timothy looked at Shockwave and then at Knightblade, giving each of them a nod, and they nodded back before turning back to Leia.
"You're right. Shockwave isn't going to take out your second Pokémon. That honor belongs to Knightblade." he said.
"Aegislash," Knightblade said as it floated over to Shockwave's spot. The two Pokémon exchanged looks of respect before Shockwave walked next to Odyssey.
"Don't be ridiculous. Ezria's Aegislash is weak to so many of my Runerigus's attacks," Leia said. "How do you expect it to win under your commands when it went down so easily against Bea?"
"Knightblade was weak to one of Bard's Pokémon's attacks, and we figured out how to overcome the challenge," Timothy pointed out. "Besides, Runerigus is part Ghost, too, making it a relatively even fight. I already planned to switch Pokémon for the second half of this battle, but I consider the type of Pokémon you have to be a chance to prove Knightblade and I can overcome type disadvantages like this."
"Aegislash!" Knightblade shouted in agreement, holding its shield up high.
"There you go again, thinking you can just use us for your own means!" Leia snarled. "Well, we'll show you! Runerigus, use Bulldoze!"
"Fly up and use Flash Cannon!" Timothy shouted.
Runerigus stretched out its arms to the ground underneath Knightblade, creating a shockwave that caused the ground to shake, but the levitating sword and shield rose up before the attack could make a hit. Knightblade unleashed another white beam, and it hit Runerigus, making the Grudge Pokémon let out a low groan with scratches on its clay slab.
"Now attack with Night Slash!" Timothy shouted.
"Runerigus, use Astonish!" Leia shouted.
Runerigus spun around and made a black ghost face appear with pink glowing eyes, a smile, and a red aura. The ghost face flew up and phased past Knightblade just as it was zooming down toward its opponent. Knightblade stopped in midair, its eye wide open in fear, and then it plummeted to the ground as though it had passed out. Bard watched Timothy's Pokémon lie down, quivering in fear with a twisted grin. He imagined his mother's Pokémon beating it, and then they take Knightblade back to Ezria to make it look like it was beaten and traumatized under Timothy's care, and he came to rescue it.
"Runerigus, use Shadow Claw!" Leia shouted.
"Knightblade, dodge, and use Shadow Claw!" Timothy shouted.
A dark purple aura shaped into sharp claws enveloped Runerigus's hands, and it charged at Knightblade, who was still lying on the floor. Knightblade realized what was happening in time to block a powerful swipe by Runerigus with its shield. The Royal Sword Pokémon sprung up from the ground and swung its sword at Runerigus with black aura surrounding its blade only for Runerigus to block it with its other set of dark purple claws.
The two-part Ghost type Pokémon began clashing sword, shield, and claws as though they were in a double-weapon duel. Electchu, Winnie, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, and Blitzwing cheered for Knightblade, and Coovers was shouting what moves Knightblade should make with his fists up as though he were a coach in a boxing match. Gwen stared intensely at the two fighting Pokémon, worried whether or not Knightblade would overpower its opponent. Timothy carefully watched the Pokémon clash, brainstorming how to give Knightblade the upper hand while Bard and Leia glared immensely at the royal sword Pokemon, expecting Runerigus to overpower it.
As the duel continued, Runerigus's moves began to weaken, and it struggled to focus on the battle with its single, purple eye. Bard and Leia felt a sudden twinge of fear as Knightblade lunged toward Runerigus, and the Grudge Pokémon barely moved away. Timothy's Pokémon cheered louder as it became clear that their friend's opponent was beginning to tire.
"Heh, heh, heh. It's like you said, Gwen; Runerigus and those dork's other Pokémon lack the training necessary to stand a chance." Coovers said boastfully.
"Actually, I don't think that's why Knightblade has the upper hand," Gwen explained. "While Runerigus, in general, have great defense, Aegislash, like Knightblade, are superior in stats. Runerigus just doesn't have the speed to match Knightblade in the long run, and it looks like its attempts are taking their toll."
Timothy turned to Gwen, overhearing her analysis, and then back to the battle in realization. By now, Knightblade had made several attempts to stab Runerigus only for Runerigus to avoid it narrowly. The man in the "H.A.K." shirt smirked as he saw his chance to finish the battle.
"Knightblade, dodge Runerigus's next attack and then go for the stab!" He instructed.
Knightblade blocked an attack from Runerigus's left hand and then levitated up before Runerigus made a swing for it with its right hand. The movement left Runerigus off balance just as Knightblade swung its sword, cutting the Grudge Pokémon's face. Runerigus howled in agony, and Leia's unease grew.
"R-Runerigus, use Dark Pulse, now!" She shouted.
"Dodge and use Night Slash!" Timothy shouted.
Runerigus fired another beam of dark purple circles, but Knightblade flew over the beam before it cut Runerigus again with Night Slash. Leia froze in place, feeling helpless as her Pokémon grew weaker.
"Let's wrap it just like with Orbeetle, Knightblade! Use Shadow Claw followed by Night Slash!" Timothy shouted.
Without hesitating, black aura with a purple outline surrounded Knightblade's blade, and it slashed Runerigus's center. Runerigus leaned forward, hugging its center, leaving it open for Knightblade to slash down on top of its head with Knightblade. The impact sent the Grudge Pokémon falling to the ground face first, and it lifted its head in an attempt to get up before it lost consciousness.
"Runerigus is unable to battle!" Rotom Drone declared. "Knightblade is the winner, which means the victory goes to Timothy of Pallet Town!"
"Alright!" Timothy shouted.
"Aegislash!" Knightblade roared in triumph.
"Way to go, Timothy and Knightblade!" Gwen cheered.
"Teddiursa!" Winnie chirped.
"I knew you two could do it!" Coovers praised with a grin.
Electchu, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, and Blitzwing went over to congratulate Knightblade as though they were a sports team praising their team member who just made the winning goal. Bard and Leia stared at the fallen Runerigus, dumbstruck with Leia slightly shaking her head in disbelief.
"As a result of today's battle, there has been a change in the World Coronation Series rankings, effective immediately." Rotom Drone announced before it flew away.
Bard and Leia looked at each other, afraid to find out what the latter's ranking had changed too. The old, curvy woman took a deep breath through her nose and took out her Rotom Phone. She turned on her phone and released a high-pitched "Ah!" in mortification.
"T-this can't be. I can't believe I went down so much for just one loss!" Leia whined.
Bard growled in irritation and barked, "I demand a rematch!"
"I don't think that's possible anymore," Timothy said.
He held out his phone with the screen facing Bard and Leia, and his opponents gasped in alarm. Coovers, Gwen, and the Pokémon walked over to Timothy, confused, and their eyes widened with a smile covering half of Coovers's face.
"989!" He screamed. "Timbo's in the Great Class!"
"Rai Raichu!" Electchu shouted.
"Teddi!" Winnie cheered.
"Poliwrath!" Poliwrath cheered with its fist in the air.
"Lucar!" Odyssey cheered.
"Gardevoir!" Shockwave shouted before fist-bumping with Odyssey.
"Bravi!" Blitzwing cawed, spreading out its wings.
"Aegislash!" Knightblade shouted, holding its shield up.
"Congratulations, Timothy," Gwen said.
"Thanks, Gwen," Timothy said, scratching under his nose to avoid looking bashful. He turned to his beaten opponents and said with a smirk. "If you dweebs will excuse us, I must have Knightblade and Shockwave checked up at the Pokémon Center again before my rematch with Bea."
Timothy's complacent demeanor broke Bard off his state of shock, and he shook his head before he screamed, "Wait just a minute! Just because you beat Mama and me doesn't mean you can just walk away with Ezria's Pokémon."
"Excuse you, but I think all my Pokémon and I just displayed how much we all care for Knightblade," Timothy rebuked. "When Ezria gave it to me, she believed that I would take good care of it and that it would serve me well at the Gym Challenge and the World Coronation Series. I might have started poorly in meeting her expectations, but my Pokémon and I are here for Knightblade nonetheless and it just helped me get into the Great Class. Even if we lost to Bea, I believe - no, I know we are prepared for our rematch. Either way, I think Ezria will be pleased with how I'm treating her Pokémon and whether or not I can keep it is not for you to decide. So, for the last time, clear off, and don't say something stupid like "you'll have to make us go with your Pokémon" or something. I'm sick of dealing with people like you as it is."
"Me too," Gwen said.
"I hear that," Coovers said.
"We couldn't care less how you feel about us!" Leia yelled. "If you don't give us that Aegislash right now, I'll have you lot used for -"
Just as Leia was making her threat, Knightblade fired a white orb of energy, and Shockwave unleashed a purple beam. Both attacks narrowly missed Bard and Leia's heads. Bard and Leia froze in place with their eyes wide and their mouths twitching as the two Pokémon looked menacingly at them, making it clear that they would not miss a second time. After several seconds, Ezria's wealthy fan and his mother screamed in terror and ran for their lives with Bard's arms flailing in the air. Coovers burst out laughing with one hand on his forehead and the other on his stomach. Gwen covered her mouth, trying not to laugh, and Timothy lightly chuckled.
"Oh man, that was great!" Coovers chortled. "I didn't think they would freak out like that!"
"Me neither, but I'm glad they finally got the message," Timothy said. "Just wish it didn't take so long for them to get it."
"Yeah, I hear you," Coovers said, his laughter dying. "It's a shame I'm undercover cause I could have used my status as a member of the International Police to make them back down."
"With those two trying to take away someone's Pokémon, you would have been well within your rights," Gwen agreed. "Though I think this worked out for the best since this led to Knightblade accepting that it's part of Timothy's team."
"I agree," Timothy said.
Knightblade held out its shield to Shockwave, and the Embrace Pokémon pounded it as though the two of them were fist-bumping. The group smiled at their bonding moment before Timothy walked over to his Pokémon, grabbing their attention.
"Shockwave, Knightblade, you both battled very well," he said. "But don't forget we still have much to do. As soon as Nurse Joy brings you both back to perfect health again, we're going to rechallenge Bea, and this time we are coming out with my fourth badge."
"Gar," Shockwave said with a nod.
"Aegislash," Knightblade said.
Timothy nodded back before he faced directly at Knightblade and said, "And Knightblade, I get that losing on your first Dynamax battle is hard for you. I imagine you were really looking forward to winning battles while Dynamaxing long before we met. But, please trust that Shockwave is the best choice against Machamp, but you still have an important part in me earning my fourth badge. Okay?"
"Aegislash," Knightblade said in understanding.
"And if it makes you feel better, I have already planned to use you in a Dynamax battle during the next Gym," Timothy said.
"Aegis?" Knightblade asked with hope in its voice.
"Of course. If I recall correctly, the next Gym specializes in Fairy type Pokémon," Timothy explained. "I'm not saying we should face the Gym Leader using nothing but Flash Cannon, but I could use someone in my party to Dynamax and use Max Steelspike to face the Gym Leader's last Pokémon, who will probably be Gigantamax. Can I count on you to be that Pokémon?"
"Aegislash!" Knightblade shouted enthusiastically.
"I'm glad to hear it," Timothy said, smiling.
Without another word, Timothy returned Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, Blitzwing, and Knightblade to their Pokéballs, and together, he, Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie walked back to the Pokémon Center. When they went in, Nurse Joy had just given a teenage trainer her Pokémon back, having checked up on them. The nurse waved the trainer goodbye until she noticed Timothy and his friends walking in as the younger trainer ran past them.
"Do you need to have your Pokémon checked in again already?" Nurse Joy asked.
"Just two of them," Timothy replied. "I had a couple of battles before I could rematch with Bea, so could you give them a checkup, please?"
"Certainly," Nurse Joy said. "Just put their Pokéballs in this tray on the counter."
Timothy placed Shockwave and Knightblade's Pokéballs on the tray, and Nurse Joy took it to the back room. Gwen took out his Rotom Phone to check the time and said, "Okay, it's half-past ten, and it shouldn't take Nurse Joy very long to treat only a few wounds. Maybe if you get back to the stadium quick enough, you can secure a rematch with Bea as soon as ten forty-five or eleven at the latest."
"Which will put us only a couple of hours behind if you win this time," Coovers said. "Guess not having anyone left to schedule a challenge at this Gym has some advantages."
"Maybe, but we should make this very quick all the same. Bea's as eager for me to be done with challenging this Gym as we are," Timothy said. "She plans to leave Galar so she can go on a journey while she also competes in the World Coronation Series."
"Ah, she's competing in that too, eh? Then I guess you winning your rematch will technically be a win-win scenario," Coovers said with a grin.
"I'm pretty sure she won't look at it that way, Coovers," Gwen said. "Regardless, maybe we should go ahead to the stadium and tell them you're on your way, Timothy."
"Good idea. Maybe they'll allow me to battle as soon as I come in since they probably won't have an audience to watch a battle at this point," Timothy said. "Maybe I should change into my uniform while waiting on Nurse Joy, so I don't have to do it there."
"It's worth a shot," Coovers said. "We'll see you at the stadium."
Coovers, Gwen, and Winnie rushed to the exit and began running to the stadium. Gwen stopped when she was a few steps away and ran back to tell Timothy, "Good luck," before she ran to catch up. Timothy looked at where he last saw his crush with a goofy smile that made Electchu roll its eyes. It poked Timothy with the tip of its tail, and he snapped out of it, turning to his partner with a sheepish grin.
"Sorry, pal," he said.
Timothy walked towards the men's restroom, taking off his backpack to get ready to change into his uniform. He was a few steps away from the door when he felt someone put their hand on his right arm, and he turned to see a scrawny older man whose height reached Timothy's chin. The older man was bald, had a thin goatee, was wearing a maroon polo shirt, khakis, spectacles, and holding a black, wooden cane with his other hand.
"Frightfully sorry, my good man, but I couldn't help but notice your shirt and overhear that your name is Timothy," the old man said with a friendly smile. "Are you, perchance, the fellow who rescued all those Pokémon in Kanto?"
Timothy took a moment to restrain himself from showing annoyance against someone coming to him because of his deed again and politely answered, "That's right. And you are?"
"My name is Phineas. I'm a merchant here at Stow-on-Side," the old man answered. "You saved my granddaughter's Meowstic."
"I did? She must be very happy to have it back," Timothy said.
Phineas's smile faded, and he lowered his head.
"It's much more than that, sir. You see, my granddaughter, Heidi, lives in the mountains northeast from here with her parents and was very sick around the time those horrible people brainwashed all of those Pokémon," he said. "She had to stay in bed all the time, and the only thing that comforted her was her dear Meowstic by her side. When Meowstic disappeared into a portal, poor Heidi was in such distress that she grew weaker, and we began to fear the worst. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't saved Meowstic when you did."
Timothy and Electchu grew uneasy, unable to believe that a person's life depended on Team Rocket's defeat. After a moment, Phineas recollected himself and brought back his friendly demeanor.
"Apologies. Heidi has long since recovered from her illness, so there's no need to dwell on that," he said. "With that said, I would like to give you something from my inventory to express my gratitude for Heidi and Meowstic."
"Oh, please don't worry about that, sir," Timothy said, waving his hands.
"I insist," Phineas said.
"No, really, it's okay. Knowing that Pokémon are brought back to their loved ones like your granddaughter is more than enough for me," Timothy said.
"Raichu," Electchu said, nodding.
"Please, let me give you something, sir. I can't settle with giving you simple thanks for Heidi's life and Meowstic's." Phineas begged as he took out a brochure from his pocket. "Here, take a look at my brochure. I promise you'll find something that will interest you."
Timothy and Electchu looked at each other, and the former hesitated before he took the brochure. He knelt down and opened the brochure so that Electchu could look at the items Phineas sells with him. The brochure showed pictures of wristbands, watches, earrings, and necklaces, among other things. Timothy and Electchu looked up from the brochure to see Phineas watching them with his hands clasped together while holding his cane.
"Rai, Rai, Raichu?" Electchu whispered into Timothy's ear.
"Yeah, it looks like we're gonna have to pick something from all of this," Timothy whispered.
"Raichu Raichu Rai Rai Raichu."
"I know we don't need stuff like this, but it'll make him happy," Timothy said. "We just need to find something that is the tiniest thing that would interest us, like maybe that keychain, or maybe get earrings for mom or-"
Timothy stopped in mid-sentence as he found an item on the last page of the brochure. Electchu looked at Timothy, confused, and looked through the last page until it saw what interested him. The Mouse Pokémon grew unsettled as it became clear what Timothy was thinking about, giving it the fear that its efforts at the mural were for nothing. With his mind made up, Timothy smiled and stood up to look at Phineas.
"How close is your shop from here?"