TEAM: Twigs (Rillaboom) & Zap (Toxtricity), Spike (Drednaw) & Tilda (Vileplume), Hook (Galarian Slowpoke) & Cress (Vikavolt)

Flare's POV

This was definitely off. I don't know how, or why, but I somehow must've drifted away from Marnie while we were going through this place. The lack of company came to me as a sudden shock, so much to the point where I had to stop and wonder how long I was walking. Or where, even.

"H-Hello? Anyone?" My team wasn't with me either. Zap's glow was nowhere to be seen. The silence drowned out any passing conversation my Pokémon could be having as if they left me long ago. There was silence, and it was deafening and blinding. Were there always no mushrooms here?

All I had was my panicked breath and the footsteps that carried me wherever this darkness was. I tried to quicken my pace, but it didn't seem like I was going anywhere, at least, it was impossible to tell with how little I could see or feel.

Was it… cold? I clung to my sleeves in an attempt to quell the numbing feeling. I don't remember the forest being this cold. Do I even remember how I got here? What led me down this path? Why did I lose everyone?

I wasn't cold. Well, it didn't seem like it. If it were, then I could've seen my breath, I think. Or maybe I couldn't see my breath because it was so dark. How did I get so lost?

There. A sight of my own clouded breathing. Just the confirmation that I could see something in this bizarre darkness that drowned out my own voice sparked just a bit of relief in me. Except it wasn't my breath. It didn't come from my mouth and instead pooled around the ground my feet stood as if it were a thick carpet. A carpeted path maybe, as the mist-like smoke trailed into a path ahead. It beckoned me forward.

Wait, I realized as I directed this new calling towards brisk movement. This is fog. If this is fog, wouldn't that mean-

"... so it is as you say."

The sudden voice jerked my view around as I attempted to locate the source. I craned my neck and stepped around all I could, only to see the fog slowly swirling around me like an endless cloud.

Hello? Who's there? I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"Two humans have followed you here…" Another deep voice continued. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Easy, easy." A third voice spoke out, still invisible through the fog. "At least it didn't seem like they figured me out yet. Thanks for distracting them."

I had to raise an eyebrow. These voices sounded vaguely familiar, though familiar in different ways. I've definitely heard these people… maybe Pokémon, before.

It felt like an answer was on the tip of my tongue but came up just short. I couldn't find out who or where these guys are, other than the visible foggy clearing of the Slumbering Weald. Either way, they kept going without me. I've heard enough to know they weren't really talking to me but to each other. I kept listening.

"Few would rush in here to a place so sacred… Yet these two youths have." By now I noticed two of the voices had this bizarre echo as they talked, as if their voices were unnatural or projected rather than spoken. That just left…

"Yeah, you could say that." Right, that third voice was normal, much different than the two ethereal sounding ones. But… still vaguely familiar to me, I just can't tell why…

"To charge into such unknown dangers, following a supposedly helpless Pokémon, displaying such pure of heart qualities I've yet to see in most other humans." One of the ghost voices proceeded, with a surprising degree of admiration.

"And look at the capsules they are holding. Do they contain the Pokémon those other humans claimed to have compassionate bonds with?" The other voice added. "The way they're clutching those spheres in a manner—that's undeniably protective, might I add!"

"Guys, maybe you're getting a bit ahead of yourselves here," the third voice added. "Don't you think you're being a bit too hasty in your 'finding who's worthy' speech and everything?"

"No."

"No."

Whatever they were talking about, at least it seemed like they were sure of it. Still couldn't shake the feeling that I've heard those words before, though…

"On second thought, perhaps my blade shouldn't be swayed so easily."

"I know my decision is firm. They ran in here to save the Dubwool."

Wait a minute! Slumbering Weald, the familiar voices, these guys were talking about me! And Hop, he was there too!

At that point I was already starting to get a feeling this wasn't real, and that got me thinking. This had to be some sort of dream or memory or something, somehow.

"... I think they're starting to stir. We should hide."

And right when I realized it, too! I still couldn't see them, but I heard their footsteps fading into the distance. As well as… the flapping of wings? I didn't know if running actually did anything to move myself, but I still tried to push myself forward.

"Hey! Come back!" I almost tripped over my own feet and my own words when I suddenly realized my voice magically returned.

I ran, and ran, and sped through whatever this place even was, but nothing. Nothing but fog. No sign that I was getting closer to anything. More questions.

I wanted to collapse from exhaustion, but it didn't seem like I had the need to catch my breath. Still, I managed to sigh. It wasn't often I had dreams this vivid either… at least, not until recently.

"Dum dum dee dee, la la dee da…" Wait, that jolly humming… "Ohoho! Pleased as cheese to see you in a place like this, Flare! Well, the same should really be said about little ol' me, shouldn't it?"

I know that jolly old voice anywhere… Even while I was still processing the thought, somehow Mustard stepped out of the fog, in the flesh, distinct green jacket and all. Well, maybe he's not in the flesh because I'm still sure this is some sort of dream, but still.

"Wait, yeah." My mouth briefly hung agape as I mulled over the part where I should be asking him the question. "What're you doing here? In… wherever this is?"

"Oh, just wandering around." He put on a grin as he continued holding his hands behind his back in a carefree stance. "Though, if I just happen to be here, you must have been chosen for a vision. Hee hee hee, what fun!"

Wandering… around? Here? I really shouldn't be surprised that I still didn't know what he was talking about. Especially with the last time I ran into him. I still have no idea what's going on.

"You look like you have no idea what's going on." Mustard gave me an inquisitive, serious look. Though knowing him, he was never serious for long. Which held true when he melted back into his relaxed smile. "I suppose it's for the best, of course."

Cryptic hints or more nonsense, I couldn't tell. Whatever's going on, I blame the mushrooms.

I looked down and sighed, but when I lifted my head once more, he was gone.

Wait… wha-

"I have a feeling. We have a feeling, to be more specific." He spoke up from behind me. I whipped my head around, only to see his stern look, devoid of any sign of a grin. "We believe you'll be the one to bring the stars back to the sky. You can finish what he started."

Even as he paced around me and I fixed my gaze on him, I wanted to roll my eyes. Again with the finishing and- wait, who's we?

But he was already gone. Or so I thought. I quickly looked around and managed to make out a Mustard-sized figure, now a hazy apparition walking into the lost depths of the fog. But a much smaller figure accompanied him, clinging to his leg. It looked like a small Pokémon, but not one easy for me to recognize. Just as I thought about calling for them to come back, the little thing looked back at me, letting me barely see its little eyes and small muzzle.

It stopped, separating itself from Mustard and using its paw to beckon me to follow. Stepping after it just felt right, like my vision started to clear as I got closer. And so I kept going, watching the fog before start to clear and clear, almost to the point where I could properly see it, until-

I jerked up with a start, regaining full control over my senses as I sat up from my sleeping bag. It was as if I've suddenly emerged from my dream, thrust back into the Glimwood Tangle clearing we decided to camp at for the night. Probably because that's actually what happened.

I heaved a heavy breath, my beating heart reminding me just how startled I was to jolt up like this. At least I was back in a familiar place, all snugly wrapped up in my sleeping bag, under the shelter of my familiar tent. Out the gently flapping open flap, I could clearly see the glowing mushrooms of the Glimwood Tangle. Well, after I put my glasses on.

I tried calming myself down with a sigh of relief, straightening my arms out to get a good yawning stretch as I did so. And just as I breathed in, I took in the warm scent of something bubbling nearby, which helped ease me back into comfort. Not to the point where it'd lull me back to sleep, of course. The need to get up and go still ate at me from the inside. Or maybe that was just my stomach telling me I was already hungry.

"Morning, Flare." Twigs' large shadow warmly greeted me as she peered into the tent. "You were out like a wee bairn, Goldilocks. Did your bed feel just braw enough for you?"

"Um… you could say that…" While I was still unsure about what the heck I was just dreaming about, I still chuckled at my Rillaboom's witty remark. I tilted my head to the side to see mine and Marnie's Pokémon all clamoring around a pot. "Any porridge you're cooking there, by any chance?"

"Har har, well it's just some breakfast curry we've been puttin' together with the others." Twigs proudly grinned. "That friend of yours has been pitchin' in too, but I like to think I'm getting mighty better at this on my own. Chloe and Therese didn't raise no food fool!" She showed me the ladle she was holding. Immediately afterwards she started pointing it around as if she were lecturing me. "Oh, and watch your step. Zap told me that some Shiinotic were tryin' some funny business while you all were snoozin', so he and your friend's Croagunk drove 'em off. There might still be some spores floatin' around, y'see."

Twigs energetically sped back to the group after that, mentioned something about having to hold William back. Least everyone seemed chipper for how early it was. Breakfast really sounded good right around now, just what I needed to help clear my head.

What was I dreaming about again?

After changing out of my Clefairy pajamas into my usual black jumper outfit and properly fixing myself up, I stepped out to take in the forest air. There all our Pokémon were, keeping themselves busy around the clearing. It was nice to see everyone back to bustling, at the very least.

Twigs continued watching over everyone like a guardian, curry pot included, while Zap curiously observed the cooking process. Whoever wasn't waiting for the grub was off to a more mossy side of the area, where a couple of Marnie's Pokémon were egging Spike for attention. Guess he was still right about the being popular part, if Tilda's continued company was anything to go by.

As I took a few careful steps to get a good look at everyone, I finally noticed Cress and Hook by the 'waiting for food' crowd. Took me longer than expected to make it out, actually. My Slowpoke looked so at ease I almost didn't recognize him. Wonder what made him so cheerful this morning.

I briefly remembered when he used to sulk or isolate himself from us during these gatherings. Though as my eyes found themselves towards a convenient theoretical sulking spot, I happened to find someone else there. Concerned, I started to approach her.

Marnie's eyes seemed fixated on her Rotom Phone, and a part of me wished she wouldn't see me as I made my way to the mossy flat stone she sat on. Just in case this wasn't any of my business and stuff. This part of the clearing was leafier up there, so it seemed a tad darker with not as much light coming through. That made glow from Marnie's phone was all the more evident, drawing my attention to her strained eyes. Her quivering but subtle frown gave me the feeling this was something too serious for me to barge into, but I was still worried nonetheless.

As light on my feet as I tried to be, I didn't make it very far before a crunched leaf brought Marnie's attention to me.

"Oh, Flare." Her eyes only widened ever so slightly as she looked at me. "I didn't know you were there. Sleep well?"

It took me a second to realize she was looking at me and then at my hair, which prompted me to hastily fix my bedhead. "Just got up, actually." Quick comb aside, I still caught the weight in her voice. "Did you happen to get any rest? I couldn't help but notice…"

"Oh." Marnie sighed, glancing down at her screen and then back at me. "I was just… catchin' up on what's been goin' on." Her expression fell. "It's super tragic, actually…"

Her gaze briefly fell to the side, and I took the initiative to take my place beside her. A quick peek at her phone showed me everything I needed to know. A whole lot of news articles about the incident a few days ago.

My frown grew concerned at the several headlines on her screen. "The Dynamax Storm…?" Even as I said the name out loud, I still couldn't believe I was actually in that catastrophe when it happened.

I still can't believe he's gone…

I shook the passing thought away. I still had a persevering spirit and all that stuff, I shouldn't waver at a time like this. Especially when Marnie seemed hung up over it too.

"All this… Dynamaxin' out of nowhere, and all the trainers losing their friends…" she muttered, her exhausted state and tone sounding like a haunting whisper. "It's horrid, that's what it is. I've heard of serious injuries because of accidents in Gyms before but this… there was never anything this bad… No massacre like this…"

I thought maybe I could reassure her with a smile, but even I still found myself swept up in the sorrow of it all. "Yeah…" was all I could breathe out as I looked down.

"I'm sorry about your Pokémon." I heard Marnie say. "I know it's those big Pokémon's fault but… I don't know what I'd do if I lost one of my own. And so many people are droppin' out of the Gym Challenge because of it."

Bede…

I dismissed the thought too. I didn't want to get myself hung over these kinds of losses right now. I slowly turned my gaze to see the despair in Marnie's expression, and just as I looked at her, she looked back at me.

"Flare," Marnie spoke, voice perking up with a hint of curiosity. "Have you… considered quitting because of what happened?"

I took a long moment to think about my answer. "I did, for a bit…" I spoke as calmly and as honestly as I could, though my wistful frown remained. "I didn't want to lose anyone else and I thought quitting would be the best way to do that. But…"

I thought about what would've happened. If our journey just stopped there. Maybe I would've brought everyone back home with me, but that might be boring for them. Maybe I could've released them back into the wild or wherever they came from… but what if another incident happened and I couldn't find them in time?

I felt the shakiness of my hands as I thought about Crumbs' sacrifice. He always made sure we never went hungry, always tried to keep us safe, right until the very end. And our very own big beloved berry boy was a feisty fighter too. I don't think he would've wanted us to stop there. We still have a long way to go, but I intend to go all the way with my team. And I know they're with me for the long run too.

"... it's kind of weird, in a way." I found myself realizing after my sudden spiel about it all. I noticed the tear stains pooling onto the grass and rubbed my wet eyes. "I'm still very afraid about something like that happening again. But I believe in my team too. And they believe in me. We're going to see this Gym Challenge through, and maybe, just maybe, put a stop to whatever's causing all this mess." Though that part was mainly wishful thinking. "I'm not going to lose anyone else." That part, I was certain about.

I'm not going to lose anyone else. The uncertainty in my shaking hands turned into conviction as I clenched my fists. I'm not going to lose anyone else. Not to any more Dynamax storms or potential mishaps or anything.

"You're a very brave person, Flare," Marnie spoke up next to me. Her eyes looked a bit glossy, but I saw that hint of a smile on her face. "Here I was thinkin' if it'd be foolish for me to continue this Gym Challenge despite it all."

"It's alright. It's probably just me, anyway." Though I still found myself sheepishly chuckling at her compliment. I wanted to see this journey through to help the friends I've met along the way, her included. I met her eyes, which still wavered, but I sensed a familiar conviction from her. I mustered a smile. "I guess you could say I have my own reasons for wanting to finish this Gym Challenge."

"I've my own reasons too, y'know." Marnie furrowed her brow, giving me a serious look. She lifted an oversized leather sleeve, and beneath it, I could barely see her closed fist. "If I quit, then there'd be nobody left to represent Spikemuth."

"Nobody left…?" I raised an eyebrow and blinked. I knew Postwick was small, so me, Hop, and technically Leon were all it had, but did Spikemuth only have Marnie? My curious look grew worried. "Marnie, you're…"

"Mhm." She nodded, already catching on as she slipped her phone into a coat pocket. "As decrepit and abandoned as Spikemuth is, it's still home. My brother, as strong as a trainer he is, ain't too keen on steppin' back into the light of day soon. Neither are his pals." She shrugged, sounding vaguely indifferent. "I've been meanin' to get a cool Pokémon team of my own to set off like everyone else had, so I'm not terribly fussed. More sunshine for me." Marnie joked with a hint of a smile.

I chuckled, though my smile lingered with a sense of admiration. Spikemuth's one and only representative. Wow. "I guess that's why Team Yell are so insistent on doing their thing. You're their number one."

She froze.

"W-Well, I'unno, when you put it like thaaat…" Marnie suddenly sounded flustered as she turned her face away. Was she… blushing? It was hard to say with how dark it was in this corner of the forest. Weird, I thought she would've heard that type of compliment more with a fanbase as proactive as Team Yell. She seemed to keep shifting in place, maybe she found a scary looking pebble in the corner. "I'm just… a bit gobsmacked hearin' it from someone as sincere as you."

I reassured her with a smile. "It's true, though. I'm sure everyone at Spikemuth would be proud of how brave you are, for still wanting to continue like this."

"Maybe proud is a real stretch," Marnie turned her head just enough so I could see her faint smile. "My big bro would go bonkers if he knew about any of the news goin' around Galar. Worried as a Kangaskhan, likely. Me being a strong trainer or not, he's still really against all this Dynamaxin' stuff."

Against Dynamax, that lines up. Sounds… like the complete opposite of Leon, actually. I chuckled at the thought. "Now I really wish I grew up with an older brother."

"Oi, that wasn't supposed to be a compliment on his behalf!" Marnie gently shoved my shoulder with a black sleeve, still flustered. "Whose side are you on, anyway? W-Whatever happened to rootin' for me?"

"I'm still going to cheer you on, don't worry." I nodded at her and smiled. She seemed to warmly smile back. "I know you got a capable team of Pokémon to watch your back too. My Rillaboom told me that Jamico helped fend off some Shiinotic last night."

"Croagunk are cool, so I don't have much reason to doubt him." She crossed her arms with a confident nod. Least she didn't seem flushed anymore. "I don't really have much reason to doubt you either, Flare. You're a good trainer too, what with your Rillaboom leading the supper charge."

"Well, when you put it like that, it is kind of amusing," I agreed. Guess Twigs was a chef now. "But I know your Pokémon helped out too. Look who came to visit."

I've noticed William standing there in front of us for a while, but Marnie didn't seem to notice him until I pointed it out. The little Morpeko was giving her a worried frown the whole time, and Marnie looked pleasantly surprised when she saw him standing, waiting.

Marnie picked him up and gave him a tight hug, and though he looked a bit iffy about it, he seemed to relax, just as she did. Afterwards William clung to her sleeve and scampered his way up her shoulder and onto the top of her head, where he comfortably settled.

Marnie glanced up at him. "Alright, I'll let you do your headpats this time."

I couldn't help but admit that it was an amusing sight too. It's been quite a bit since I had a Pokémon small enough to carry like that, so I felt a bit jealous. I might've let a giggle slip by in the process too.

"An' what d'you think you're lookin' at?" Marnie raised an accusatory eyebrow at me, the exaggerated kind.

"Oh, nothing." I shrugged it off innocently. "Was just thinking about how nice it feels to support my friends. Does this mean I'm technically part of Team Yell now?"

I caught her rolling her eyes. "Don't push your luck."

The sound of a distant voice reached my ears, and I stood up. I briefly turned my head in the direction of the brighter side of the clearing to see Twigs waving at us, calling us for breakfast. At the same time, I think I heard Marnie muttering something about 'better', and when I looked back at her, she was shyly looking away again.

Must've been another pebble. "Did you say something?" I still asked. "Are you feeling better?"

William perked up. "Actually she said you're-"

At that moment Marnie suddenly lurched her hands up to grab him and stuff him in an inner pocket of her coat. It didn't seem like it was big enough, so the Morpeko's struggling lower half poked out as well as the muffled sounds of whatever he was trying to say.

"Nothin', nothin'," Marnie quickly told me, though I had a hard time figuring out if she was calm or hasty about it. "I said I was just… feeling better, yeah." That pebble must've really been something because she still looked red in the face.

Still, I found myself glad. "That's good." As we headed back to the main area of the camp, I was once again reminded how nice it felt to help my friends like this. There was this nice warm feeling I had from helping Marnie.

Well, on the way there, William still sounded like he had a lot more to say about it, but Marnie told me he was just being hangry again.

"So you're tellin' me you really didn't catch on straight away?"

"No…" I breathed out a chuckle, feeling slightly embarrassed about the fact. "Was it that obvious?"

"Obvious?" Marnie zoomed in on the already zoomed in picture on her phone to emphasize her dumbfounded look. "It's literally just the Dark type symbol flipped on its side! I told my brother it wasn't subtle at all, but noooo, he still went with that design anyway!"

We both had a good giggle at that, probably for different reasons. Marnie was busy poking fun at the supposed stupidity of the Team Yell logo, while I was just having fun seeing Marnie be herself for the first time in a while. Granted, we were still mostly lost here, but we weren't bored at least.

Thankfully, the lost part was helped when Spike decided to come out of his Pokéball and decided to ask for a guide. He became friends with a Morelull earlier and thanks to some connections, we got properly escorted onto the right path.

Spike thanked the Morelull troupe as they disappeared into a bush ahead. "Thanks, Gus." He turned back to us as he used his horn to beckon us ahead. "You know, those guys aren't so bad when they aren't those scary big ones that try to put you to sleep. Anyways, that town you're looking for should be just down this path. Make sure to follow the moss."

"Thanks, Spike." I gave him a little pat on the side of his head before letting him rest some more in his Pokéball. "Alright, another town, another gym…" I started looking down and kept an eye out for the path he was talking about.

"R-Right," I heard Marnie say. "Gym, yeah."

The moss was pretty close to the ground, but even if it was dark before, the overhead foliage didn't seem as thick, so it seemed we were on the right track. I only just realized the glowing mushrooms looked to be leading us the right way, however that worked. As we followed more stray mossy rocks, we started treading new paths we never even considered before, and the paths started to look greener thanks to the light above.

"Y'know, it never crossed my mind how… pretty this place looks," Marnie spoke up from behind me. "It could be right out of a fairy tale for all I know."

My eyes were fixated downwards, studying the path, but I knew what she meant. "Now that you mention it, it is kinda-"

Marnie tapped my shoulder. I almost thought I was dreaming.

I looked up to see what looked like a little forest town, open enough to see the sunlight but under looming trunks tall enough to feel sheltered. There were houses and a few recognizable buildings here and there, but it looked more than just a typical village. Glowing mushrooms as well as the Pokémon wandering and floating about gave me this otherworldly vibe I hadn't seen anywhere else.

Is that a Chinchou? I spied one on the large mushroom near the Pokémon Center. I don't even remember seeing a Chinchou on the way here, how does a place like this even exist?

I whipped my head around, looking at the spectacle ahead and the path we just came from. Even as I kept looking between the two spots, I couldn't make out where the magic forest maze ended and where the magic forest town began.

In the magical light of both mushroom and sun, I managed to spot Marnie nearby, who seemed bewildered as well.

"An Inkay?" Her gaze was locked onto the squid-like Pokémon flitting through the air. There was a wonder in her voice and stare that was new to me. "I thought I'd never see one outside of Route 9."

It pretty much went without saying that this place was a wonder to behold. I looked at my satchel and thought about what a shame it must be to have everyone in their Pokéballs while this was going on. My wandering eyes landed on the Pokémon Center, and I figured I'd quickly heal everyone up before letting them roam about. I'd have asked Marnie if she wanted a quick stop by the center, but I didn't wanna get in the way of how invested she looked.

Stepping into the familiar-looking lobby gave me a warm feeling of reassurance, though it was a bit weird considering the fantasy before me seconds ago, but it was cozy nonetheless. After dropping my Pokéballs off with Nurse Joy, I quickly made my way to the Poké Mart to restock on supplies. Before long, I found myself busy organizing the things in my satchel so items would be easy to get.

Hyper Potions, Hyper Potions would definitely be nice to have right away…

"You definitely seem more energetic than usual." I heard my Drednaw's heavy footsteps as he walked to me and saw that he looked mildly surprised. "Already pumped to get that next Gym Badge?"

"You bet!" I reassured him with a confident little fist pump. "I… I know a lot has happened recently, but I have a good feeling about this."

I saw a hint of a smile on Spike's face. Well, however a smiling Drednaw was supposed to look with those jagged jaws. "You got my support. So, who are we going up against this time?"

I chuckled. I know by 'we' he meant him and Tilda again, but I kept in mind how they probably needed a Gym break. "Let's see, I think we should be going up against…" I racked my brain for an answer, but only started pulling up blanks. "... I… forgot."

I guess I was so focused on getting here and with everything that was going on that the Gym Leaders slipped my mind.

"Aye, don't worry 'bout it." Twigs was quick to join my side too, and she gently patted my head. "You can do that studyin' thing you did like with Hop, right? I figured that helped you out last time."

Right, Hop. A part of me was still worried about how he was doing and wanted to check up on him, but I didn't wanna doubt him either. I had to trust him, and to do that, I had to trust my own abilities too.

I suppose learning more about the Gym Leader could help. I did remember seeing a library nearby, too…

Author's POV

While Hop was absent, Flare knew she had to take the initiative this time. Put herself in his shoes, try to do what she knew he did best. That being dragging her around to show the cool stuff he has in his house. Though rather than Flare's jumper sleeve being tugged, it was Marnie's leather coat that she grabbed. And instead of Hop's room, Flare had to convince Marnie that the library would be a worthwhile visit, which was easier said than done.

"Get a load of this wackjob," Marnie broke free to stare at a dancing artist. "This guy's been tellin' me he's actually a Pokémon or somethin' like that."

"Come on, Marnie, the library is this way, I think."

"But he's so acrobatic…"

Flare didn't give her much time to watch the sculptist's figuratively fiery performance before pulling her the other way. It took a bit of persuasion and bickering, but eventually Marnie agreed to be hauled to the musty-looking building that contrasted the flashiness of everything else.

The door opened with a prolonged creak as the two trainers stepped inside. The sounds of Flare's shoes and Marnie's boots on dark wooden floorboards were prevalent over the typical silent library. The place seemed to have more traditional lightbulb lighting than the other houses of Ballonlea, with its only source of mushroom light coming from outside. A few readers lingered here and there, but far too little to be considered any kind of commotion.

Marnie visibly grimaced as she followed Flare inside. "Eugh, what's with this place? It smells like… old people," she whispered, raising an eyebrow at a distant table. "Filled with old people too."

"It's not that bad." Flare didn't mind the atmosphere as much. Hop's mom was on the older side and he lived with his grandparents so Flare was used to being around old people. "Besides, the next Gym Leader just so happens to be an old person."

Flare read through website articles and other Gym Leader tidbits on her phone. She looked for any info regarding what kind of challenge they'd face or anything she could learn about who they'd be up against.

"Fairy type Gym Leader Opal, master of a fantastic theater…" Flare paused to pull her chair out. "Oldest Gym Leader, took over her mother's spot about… seventy-ish years ago. Likes compliments. Known for her deliberately tricky quizzes to catch trainers in a bind. Looks like we found the gimmick."

"Quizzes, eh?" Marnie blew out a sigh as she took her own seat and slumped onto the table. "Blast, I was never any good at trivia. Any… cheat sheets?"

Her eyes widened as she scrolled some more. "It… just seems like she asks different questions every time. No surefire answer keys, it looks like." She tucked her phone away and looked at Marnie with a determined glint in her eyes. "Guess that just means we're going to have to look through every book we can!" She would've channeled her enthusiasm into a desk slam but this was a library.

"Y-You what?" Marnie stared at her, astounded. "You can't just-" But Flare was already just, in her justified pursuit for knowledge, that is.

The blonde-haired trainer didn't hesitate to grab whatever book caught her attention. Off the shelves she pulled encyclopedias, factoid books, fictional stories, and even cookbooks.

Marnie still hadn't gotten up from her seat as she watched Flare sway from the pile of differently sized books she was carrying. "We're… not gonna be readin' all of those, are we?" There was a hint of dread in her voice.

"Of course not. Just… get what you can." Flare breathed out a sigh as she was satisfied with her stack and got ready to place it all on the table. She would've let the books land with a slam, but this was still a library, so she set them all down as gently as she could.

Marnie still looked with wide eyes as the books quietly slid and scattered on the wide table. "Those look like a lot of books, how did you carry them all…?"

But Flare was already nose deep in one of the nearest books. Marnie just shrugged and tried to find an interesting book to look at.

"'Art of the Pokéball'… I guess learnin' how to draw stuff could be pretty cool." She cast a curious glance at a rather aged-looking cover. Monsutābōru no geijutsu, the Japanese subtitle read. Though her intrigue quickly dropped in the first few pages. "Oh. It's a martial arts story thing. Written by a condiment. Lame."

As Marnie reached for something else in the disorganized book pile, Flare continued scanning her encyclopedia, looking for whatever passages caught her eye.

'... Pokémon who are in sync with their trainer are capable of acting out specific commands with just a thought…'

She figured that explained how well her Pokémon have been battling alongside her, like they really were reading her mind. Flare did find herself quite intrigued when it talked about the sciences of Pokémon battling. Though she set the encyclopedia aside after feeling slightly overwhelmed once it brought up Pokémon biology.

'Hop would be better at this than me…' she thought, scratching her head as she tried to find something more familiar to her.

Her eyes landed on a history book, a monochrome cover with silhouettes of several large Pokémon on the front. Flare never considered herself a history nerd, but something about how the book focused on legendary Pokémon beckoned to her. She flipped past the pages of foreword, intending to find out what exactly a legendary Pokémon is.

"Pokémon are truly magnificent creatures, though there are a chosen few behind the scenes who… skip, skip, skip," Flare mumbled to herself as she narrowed her eyes. "Genetic experiment, burning tower, weather gods, okay, this is starting to sound like more of a fictional thing." Her gaze darted and skimmed across words until she found a passage that caught her attention. "Legendary Pokémon aren't as easy to find as being spotted out in the open. Their will only bends to trainers they have chosen and deemed worthy. Until they meet, chosen ones will receive visions about the perils and responsibilities entrusted onto them. An example of such is when two legendary Pokémon sided with ancient kings in the war of truth and ideals…" Her attention started to fade as it got into the specifics.

'No, no, can't sleep… I might start dreaming again…' The thoughts drifted loosely, up until she snapped back awake. '... Wait, dream?'

She remembered having a weird dream that morning, but she couldn't recall what it was about. Flare racked her brain some more, rereading the part about being chosen by legendary Pokémon, wondering why it somehow felt connected to her dream.

Then she remembered the connections she made with the mural and the mysterious Slumbering Weald ghosts. It couldn't all be connected… right?

She shook her head. It was likely just a coincidence. Back to reading for her.

Spike's POV

Out of all the dreams I've had, this must've been the weirdest.

Or maybe it wasn't a dream, standing in this grand forest town with grass, and mushrooms, and… more grass and mushrooms. Flare let me and all the others to sightsee, or so she said. Though there wasn't really much to see when a lot of the local Pokémon hounded towards me. Popularity curse strikes again.

And all I wanted to do was ask if there was a pond I could chill in.

That Morelull, Gus. He was fine enough, a friendly ear who helped lead us here. But being among Gus and the rest of his friends? A bit too much company for my taste. Maybe being around too many Grass types gets to me, I dunno.

I did remember seeing a Chinchou earlier, maybe I could ask them for pond directions…

I ended up sneaking away from all the commotion around here. Maybe I'd find someplace dark and cozy to rest awhile. I found a bit of space between two houses, like an alleyway but smaller. Settling for that, I lumbered myself over there and carefully backed into it. I don't know my own strength, for all I know I could've accidentally punched a whole into one of these walls.

This should be a nice spot to sightsee in peace and quiet, it was like I was looking out the opening of a cave. I suppose a Pokémon like me would be a good fit for a cave, go figure.

Well, until a sudden whispering started to irk me. One of the houses seemed to have a little girl speaking right into the walls. Wonder what her deal is.

"You can hear it too, don'tcha?"

That caught me off guard. I thought I was the only one here. Luckily, I didn't jump, because I quickly recognized the voice behind me. "Oh, Twigs." I calmed down as I looked up at her. "Didn't expect to see you here. How's the kid?"

"Zap's doin' real well for himself, thanks for askin'," she replied with a subtle smile. "He's been gettin' along real well with Jamico. Proud to see him makin' friends, y'know."

"That's reassuring to hear." I looked back out towards the town, seeing if I could catch any familiar faces in the wind. There Zap was, already looking like he had a bestie to explore the place with. For a second I wondered if Heart made any friends like that in her team. If she was still part of that team.

"Where's Tilda? Real surprised to see she's not with you right now."

"Oh, she joined Flare and some of the others in the library." My stare panned over to the building in question. I chuckled. "Said she wanted to read more about how ghosts eat or something to that extent. All the luck to her." I glanced back at Twigs. "So what're you doing holed up here? Looking for some peace and quiet as well?"

"Now that Zap has a friend of his very own, I'm tryin' this parenting tactic Chloe told me about." Twigs nodded enthusiastically. "I observe from the sidelines, close enough to step in if something happens, but hidden enough to not get in the way and let him do things naturally." She had a proud smile as she said that. "It'll help Pokémon like him grow more independent, so I was told."

I smiled a little at that. "I admire that kind of responsibility. Helps that you're the new big and strong one of the team."

"Och, was that a hint of snark?" Twigs retorted. "You're one to talk, you lug."

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. Guess I shouldn't be surprised that she'd use that word considering how much she's been hanging out with Tilda lately. "Guess that's fair."

Still, for how vibrant of a personality Twigs had, I really did admire the kind of responsibility she had, especially knowing she grew up in a daycare. Always helps to have a mature Pokémon around. And at that moment when we were both just keeping a watch on everyone, she seemed gentle, as I'd expect from when she was around Zap. Didn't expect someone like her to have a mellow side, but here we were. We just ended up watching what was going on for a while.

There seemed to be quite a bit going on with two pairs of Pokémon teams out and about. And that didn't even take into account the local Morelull and Inkay roaming around. Well, at least that Marnie girl didn't seem to have any bad eggs on her team, if Zap playing tag with that Croagunk was any indication. I was a bit worried about her being a Dark type trainer, particularly about her Liepard, but she was chill to be around.

I wonder where Hook and Cress have gone off to… The big guy isn't still bummed out about the Fighting type Gym, is he?

I kept my gaze focused on the library, this time thinking about Flare. "You think she's doing okay?"

Twigs hesitated. "Do you mean with Marnie or just… in general?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. I wasn't one to doubt my Rillaboom friend, but she sounded uneasy for a second. "The former… unless there's a reason I should be worried about the latter."

I didn't expect Twigs to look so worried all of a sudden. "Alright, you got me." She even had to look to and fro as if she didn't want to be heard. "It might just be me, but I think she's been gettin' some real bad dreams lately."

Now that was surprising. "Did you catch her tossing and turning or something?"

"It's nae that. It's just… I just felt it, y'know?" Twigs clenched her fists, evidently struggling to explain it. "Take my word for it, will you?"

"Well, alright." I slowly nodded at her. "You sure you're not part Psychic type or anything?"

"I know I'm not reading her mind or nothin'. It's different somehow, I know it!" Twigs sighed. "Now if only she'd just tell me what's going on…"

I was getting the impression that she's been dying to tell someone about this for a while. Wouldn't be the first time I've met someone like that, Route 2 had some weirdos. "Wouldn't be the weirdest thing I've encountered, either. I remember when this small bear Pokémon gave me a flower and just left after that. Then again, he did seem to accompany that weird old man, so I shouldn't be surprised."

Twigs looked at me oddly. "A flower. To you."

I raised an accusatory eyebrow at her. "If you wanted it that badly you could've just asked. I kept it in my shell just in case it was special since it was from that island we went to twice. I thought it was just my popularity quirk doing its thing again."

Twigs started to scratch her chin. "You mentioned Mustard, didn't you? Weird old man? I don't think I remember seein' 'im with a bear Pokémon followin' 'im around." Her eyes widened in speculation. "You think he came to you for a reason?"

"Unlikely." I shook my head. "I'm not the kind of guy who likes flowers. Already dealing with an oversized one." I cracked a chuckle at my own joke.

Twigs didn't seem as amused, though. "Alright." She just moved her focus back to the library. It was clear who she was thinking about.

I sighed and tried to do the same. That night on the Isle of Armor, the second time we visited, I was visited by that bear Pokémon in the brief minute the old man stopped by. It did strike me as odd because when I was still a Chewtle I don't remember the old man having a Pokémon like that. Definitely would've remembered battling him, what with the meek way he clung to the old man's pant leg like a little child.

He could've just come to me because of the popularity curse, simple as that. Couldn't have been for any other reason… right?

Flare's POV

It's been… I lost track of how long it's been. This place didn't look like it had a clock, either. But! It felt like it's been long enough! I've read books about things I never knew about, like nutrition facts about Pecha Berries and factoids about Wooloo wool. I felt like I was a different person now, a smarter person. If I was to be the champion of anything, by now I'd be the unparalleled champion of knowing about… Fire Types That Don't Learn Solarbeam.

It doesn't look like Charizard is on this list, sadly… I made sure to double check by flipping through the one page. … Wait, I don't even have any Fire types, why am I reading this?

After I set the kid's magazine aside, I started getting the impression that Marnie had finished reading. Falling asleep is a pretty clear indicator of that. Thankfully William was there to help wake her up, and after that we settled on quizzing each other on what we learned.

"Erm, what does Snarl do?"

"It's a Dark type special attack that lowers the foe's special attack," I answered. I grabbed a nearby book and flipped to a page. "What super hard berry is every flavor but sour?"

"Um… Lum, right?" Marnie sounded unsure of herself, but she still got it right anyway. "What Pokémon type is immune to Prankster?"

"Dark types." I remembered the magazine that talked about Pokémon abilities. "What ability boosts the Pokémon's sound based moves while reducing the damage it takes from them?"

"Punk Rock." Marnie nodded confidently. "And what Pokémon gets that ability?"

"Toxtricity." I matched her stare. I needed a different approach to stump her. "Let's see… what's 3 plus 5 plus 7?"

"Uh…" She hesitated and gave me an puzzled look. "You don't think she's actually goin' to test us on this subject, right? What kind of Gym Leader would make their challengers do maths?"

I shrugged. "She is quite spiteful from what I read."

Marnie blew out a long sigh before pouting. "If that ever comes up, I'll just use my phone's calculator, thank you very much."

We continued throwing more questions at each other after that. In a way, I guess we had our own battle of wits, even if it was much different than having a Pokémon battle. I thought I was getting the upper hand in terms of correct questions, until Marnie made a comeback in terms of points. Then it turned out William was helping her cheat for the harder questions.

I caught their doubly smug auras from across the table. I really needed something complex neither of them would know about. But I was running out of books.

"Here, you can have this cool one I've been reading!" I looked down from my chair to see Tilda offering me a scientific looking book. "It's about alternate dimensions and stuff!"

"Um…" I glanced at the cover of blue web-like patterns, still lost at the part where Tilda told me she was reading this. Ultra Wormholes and the Fallen. "Sorry, it's about what?"

"Quantum psychics!" Tilda happily declared.

"Don't you mean quantum physics ?"

"Yeah, that!"

I flipped through some of the pages to make sure this wasn't a fantasy children's book or anything. Nope, an honest to goodness scientific study about these… Ultra Wormholes and the kinds of creatures in them. I was still struck with disbelief. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd be reading about how ghosts eat or something. How'd this grab your attention?"

Tilda reached up and turned the book over to one of the first pages, specifically the black and white author's page with a picture of him. "I like his straw hat. It's funny looking."

Well, I shouldn't be surprised… Though what caught my interest was the name of the author. Mohn Aether. I remembered my grandma Lilac having the Aether surname before she married my grandpa. I wondered if there was any relation.

"Ah, there it is. I'll be taking this now."

Before I could make out the owner of the stern voice, the clacking of high heels stepped in my direction before the book was plucked from my hands.

"Hey-" But my protest was short-lived. My attempt to stand tall was quickly cut down to size when I saw the much taller lady in front of me.

Oleana raised a stern eyebrow at me, her barely shifting expression leaving an imposing impression. "Yes?" Spoken like a true affiliate of the Pokémon League. Even the way she tucked the book under her arm had an air of sophistication. "Oh, Challenger 71. One of the youths endorsed by Champion Leon. My apologies, but I don't see why a challenger like you would need a book like this."

"You stop that!" Marnie cried out, getting up from her seat as well. William was perched on her shoulder, backing her up with a hangry look. "You can borrow that later, don't go snatchin' it from my friend!"

Oleana's frown grew colder at her. "And you are?"

"I-I'm…" Marnie's defiance wavered, like she was taken aback by those three words. "... Marnie. Challenger 960. From Spikemuth."

"Oh, Spikemuth drab." Oleana dismissed her with a wave and turned her back to us. "I don't need to waste my time with the likes of you after all the complaints."

I could let the book snatching slide, but hurting Marnie's feelings? Now she looked really upset, and so was I, but in a different way. I kept my eyes fixed on Oleana as her high heels clicked and clacked away from us. There it was again, that familiar blazing adrenaline that caused me to quickly follow after her.

"Hook!" I called out. He happened to be relaxing on a nearby carpet and understood me right away.

I heard Oleana's gasp as the book suddenly floated out of her hands and back into mine. The scowl she had when she turned back to face me was ferocious, but I still stood my ground.

"Why do you need this book so much, anyway?" I dared to ask.

"You insolent little…" The strands of her long hair seemed to flare up just as she did, but she quickly calmed down. "It's none of your business. Nothing you would understand. It's all just grown up matters regarding Chairman Rose and the good of Macro Cosmos. Now give it."

She tried lurching towards me but I quickly stepped out of the way. "Chairman Rose?" Right, it almost slipped my mind that he had a spokesperson. But the thought of Rose had me remember something else. "Does this have anything to do with what happened to Bede?"

"Young Challenger Bede?" Oleana's look briefly turned to that of shock, then dread. "Has something happened to him? Has… their plan already taken place?"

"Plan…?" I knew something was off about the way Bede protested in Stow-on-Side, but the implications of that word just made me more upset. "Bede was just disqualified from the Gym Challenge. Was this all just… set up?"

"In a way…" Oleana's look softened. Was she… sorry? "It's… truly a complicated matter, challenger…?"

"Flare," I cautiously responded, still keeping my grip on the book tight.

"Flare." Oleana nodded, straightening her posture, though her fearful expression remained. "There… have been a lot of complex ordeals concerning the Chairman right now. I've been trying to sway his mind, but he's been refusing to listen to me. All I can do is continue to follow his orders… while he continues to resort to drastic measures for an end goal I've yet to fully understand. He's the type of person who gets easily disheartened if he doesn't get immediate results, you see. If the plan involving Challenger Bede went as he expected, that means he has his hands on Bede's Dynamax Band now. I don't know what other experiments have went on, but I can only assume the worst."

I glanced at my own Dynamax Band, which was thankfully still on my wrist. I didn't entirely get it either, but I still racked my brain as the gears started turning. "Why would Rose do something like that just for a Dynamax Band? And what does the book have to do with this?"

"I've… been endeavoring on my own kinds of research. Time and time again, the chairman has been refusing my suggestions regarding the Crown Tundra. Because of this I've been trying to see if there were any other alternative solutions I could open his eyes to. Time and time again I've failed to convince him, so I just… need this." Her gaze lingered on me for just a second longer. "That's all I can tell you. Might I have the book now?" she asked quietly.

I looked down at the book tucked under my arm before looking back at her. I supposed I was mostly satisfied with what I heard. It took me a long second of thinking before I finally gave her the book.

"One more thing, Challenger Flare." Oleana looked back at me as she walked away, appearing back to her calm disposition. "In light of this very important information, I'd recommend focusing on your Gym Challenge and letting things play out. Chairman Rose is a very powerful person, and I doubt anyone would hear out such outrageous claims if you were to spread this information out to the public."

My gaze was briefly downcast. It was a crushing realization, but I couldn't deny that it was the truth.

As Oleana disappeared, I stood in a moment of silence as I mulled over the information I just gleaned. Some weird experiments were going on behind the scenes, and poor Bede got roped into it. It didn't seem like there was any way to help or get in touch with him, either…

"Wait, Marnie!" I quickly remembered and rushed back to the table. William was there on the table, likely trying to comfort her.

"Oh, Flare." Her tone was dry as she looked up at me from her slumped position. "I… I think I heard everythin'. Didn't understand none of it. Is that jerk lady gonna leave us alone now?"

"That's right." I reassured her with a gentle nod and smile. Though I was still a bit peeved at Oleana for upsetting Marnie like that, I let that flame simmer down.

Though the same couldn't be said for William. He was still purple and hangry and put his paws up like he was going to punch something. "Just say the word, Marns! I'll track her down and rip out her hair and bite her right in her-"

"I'm not fussed." Marnie calmly planted a kiss on his forehead, which returned him back to normal. "Call us Spikemuth drab, huh?" She stood up from her seat, her calm expression now appearing stoic and determined. "If anythin', now I'm even more pumped to prove myself. Nothin' can keep me down! I'm gonna show her, no, the world that us Spikemuthers are capable of standin' on our own two feet!"

That's the spirit. I matched her stare once more, watching the competitive spirit in her shining green eyes.

She outstretched her arm towards me in an accusatory pointing motion. "I'm gonna get those Gym Badges and make it to the Champion Cup, got it?"

I could see her clenched fist through her oversized sleeves. "Shall we get a move on, then?"

Marnie nodded, looking more sure of herself than ever.

We used that newfound drive to help clean the books up, which was easier said than done considering some of our Pokémon made a bit of a mess. Then we rounded all of our Pokémon up, which was also easier said than done with how scattered and rambunctious they were outside.

Once we got our items, Pokémon, and knowledgeable mindsets ready, we found ourselves in front of the Ballonlea Stadium.

"Here we are," I spoke with lasting confidence. "Just a few steps away from the fifth Gym Badge!"

Marnie suddenly stopped. I looked back at her to see her unwilling to budge from her spot, eyes widened at me and the Gym.

"F-Fifth…?"

So it turns out the reason Marnie spent so long training her Impidimp in the Glimwood Tangle was because she needed a Fairy type to counter the Fighting type Gym. She hadn't actually beaten it yet, so I offered to make the return trip with her to Stow-on-Side so we could do that first. It was a really sudden change of plans, and it did mean we'd have to go through the Slumbering Weald again, but Spike helped us get through it in less than an hour. Turns out having Morelull friends paid off.

Before I knew it, I was back to the beating heat of Stow-on-Side's desert land, giving me a startling reminder of how long it's been since I saw the sun. Ow, that was bright.

"You really didn't have to accompany me back here…" Marnie meekly lowered her head, facing away from the sun as well. "Weren't you just ready to get registered for that next Gym, too?"

"I…" On second thought, maybe I should've done that first. "Well, I couldn't just leave you, you know," I sheepishly tried to cover up my lack of foresight with a smile. "I'm supposed to cheer you on, remember?" I thought about the way Hop insisted I leave him to train, and I couldn't deny the bit of guilt I had for leaving him alone. Now I assured myself I wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Well, if you say so." Her quiet tone was indifferent, but I caught that hint of a smile on her face.

As we made our way closer to where the Gym was, I chanced a peek up the staircase where the mural used to be. I couldn't see that much of the remaining wreckage from over here, but I did catch some yellow tape blocking off access to the scene.

Marnie must've caught me staring. "So that's where that Bede fellow got taken away, is that right?"

I nodded. "Right, I don't suppose you've met him, have you?"

"Not particularly. With how much you and Hop have mentioned him I would've thought I'd see him more often." She paused as her gaze trailed elsewhere. "Could he be… avoidin' me?"

I remembered the first time me and Hop ran into him, and the way he went the opposite direction as the hotel with Team Yell grunts in it. And the other time when he only revealed himself from the shadows after Marnie left. I chuckled at the memories. "I wouldn't rule it out."

We made our way into Stow-on-Side Stadium and got Marnie registered. It was a good thing they were still accepting challengers that day, and shortly after, she got ready in her uniform and stepped inside.

"Good luck!" I called out to her from my seat in the lobby.

I looked towards one of the monitors on the wall to see it flip on. First it showed a display of the Fighting type symbol, then a live broadcast of Marnie in the challenge area.

Oh right, this was the steep slope spinning one. I'm pretty sure I blotted that out from my memory for the sake of my stomach. Though, as I watched Marnie cautiously step towards the spinning thing, I continued to silently wish her luck.

"Oh, Challenger Flare!"

I turned my gaze towards the sound of that familiar peppy enthusiasm. "Oh, Nikki!" It hadn't been that long since I'd seen her ponytail and camera, but I was still a bit surprised to see her. "H-Hello! I'm surprised to see you here, well, surprised to see you still in Stow-on-Side."

"O-Oh, you could say I'm still touring the place. It's what I do." Nikki flipped her hair, hands still on her camera. "Though I haven't really had much chance to go anywhere with all the reporters tossing me through the wringer."

I thought back to the blocked off mural. "You and Sonia must've had your hands full, huh?"

"You can say that again…" There was a tinge of exhaustion in her voice, but she kept her smile up. "Though lately Miss Sonia has been filling me in on her findings, and it's been rather exciting! She told me we'll be heading to Hammerlocke in a little bit, actually."

Hammerlocke, I figured that'd make sense, what with the tapestries and all.

"Oh, real quick before I get out of your hair." Nikki started looking in her pockets for something. "I saw you heading into the stadium and just wanted to give you this, speaking as a fan, of course."

She handed me what looked to be a purple or pink rock. On closer inspection, it looked to be more like a lump than a stone. Still, it felt smooth in a weird way, like the kind of material couches are made of. "What's this?"

"It's an Eviolite, and I got it from the local market." Nikki nodded at me. "It's supposed to help out Pokémon who aren't fully evolved yet. I bought it on impulse, thinking my Brainy could use it since he's a Dottler, but I noticed he's actually pretty close to evolving. Which is definitely good news, but I think the bad news was that I spent my money without thinking." She chuckled sheepishly at that. "Well, I still figured you'd get more use out of it than me. I've seen your team so I just had a hunch."

A Pokémon who isn't fully evolved yet… I stared at the weird pink lump for a second longer. I immediately knew who she was referring to.

"Alrighty then, I gotta dash!" Nikki was already on her way out, waving to me. "I don't want Miss Sonia to be leaving without me, you know how it goes!"

I thanked her with a wave as she disappeared behind the automatic doors. After that I stared at the Eviolite lump for a little bit longer before putting it into my bag and looking back at the monitor. Hopefully I didn't miss much of Marnie's battle.

Luckily, I happened to catch her right as she stepped onto the orange pitch of the stadium. She walked across the field, took her place on the far end, and threw out her first Pokémon.

I was surprised to see she was using her Liepard, the one she named Lilian, right away instead of her Impidimp. The announcer noted the surprising situation as well, wondering if Marnie was deliberately handicapping herself. But before Bea's Hitmontop could strike a move, Marnie's Liepard moved as swiftly as the wind, landing a Fake Out blow before immediately following up with Psycho Cut.

I was already in awe. Right then, that was when I knew Marnie had this in the bag, not that I doubted her or anything.

Although she had a major disadvantage against Bea's Fighting types, Marnie still stood calm and collected as she played out her strategies. She did have to switch out and heal every so often, even having some of her Pokémon faint, but the way she handled herself was nothing to scoff at. Still stoic, still determined, still Marnie.

One Revenge uppercut later, and the Pangoro landed on the floor like a falling boulder. I could hear how loud the crowd was cheering, and when it panned over to the audience I caught familiar glimpses of pink and black face paint. I shouldn't be surprised. All the while, Marnie and her Croagunk just took it in silence, seeming more focused on the battle than anything.

Out came Bea's Gigantamaxed Machamp, but Marnie and Jamico just stared up at their oversized opponent.

"What's this? Challenger 960 hasn't Dynamaxed her Pokémon yet!" The announcer cried out in surprise.

"Jamico, Toxic!" Marnie spoke her command, still undeterred.

Her Croagunk sped across the field, leaping into the air as he spat a purple goo towards the arm sailing his way. The substance splattered with a direct hit, but so did the G-Max Chi Strike chop.

With explosive force, Jamico hurtled towards the ground, landing in such a way that left a crater. Marnie simply blew out a sigh as she returned her Croagunk and sent out her Impidimp.

This time Marnie Dynamaxed her Pokémon, and though her Impidimp was still much shorter than the giant Machamp, she still proceeded as if this was an even fight. Onwards Nightmare bounded, seemingly following Jamico's footsteps, but more efficiently due to his Dynamaxed size.

The Machamp thrust its fist forward once more, except this time Nightmare leapt over the strike, landing on the Machamp's arm and hurriedly scurrying around its body. The Impidimp scuttled around as if it were a bug on a person, and similarly, the Machamp attempted to swat at him, only to hit itself.

"Now, Max Starfall!"

After the Machamp ended up bopping itself over the head, Nightmare vaulted off of it. As the large Impidimp soared through the air, he manifested the star-shaped projectile between his claws and hurled it like a shuriken. The attack struck with a misty explosion that engulfed Bea's Pokémon, and there was a silence that followed as I watched with bated breath. Had she won?

Just then, a veiny arm emerged from the mist, quickly thrusting upwards to uppercut Nightmare before he could land. I gasped, the crowd gasped, everyone in the lobby did too. And just when I thought I was out of gasps, before the blow could connect, the Machamp suddenly crumpled to the ground.

The mist cleared with fading flashes, and as both Pokémon shrank back to normal, only one was still standing. The little gremlin did a little victory dance over the not-so-little fallen Machamp.

"Beaten by a lucky dose of poison! I can't believe it! Against all odds, Challenger 960 takes the win!"

The announcer cheered, I cheered, everyone cheered. It definitely felt like I wasn't the only one in the lobby who was clapping. Marnie did it, she really did it!

My standing ovation was still going when Marnie walked back into the lobby, even after she changed back. I let Zap out, since he seemed very eager to congratulate Jamico for his efforts.

"I think my head's still spinnin' from that ride…" Marnie still spoke calmly as if I hadn't spent the last few minutes clapping my hands off. "I think I did pretty good, don't you think?"

Good was a huge understatement. "Marnie, that was absolutely amazing!" There was too much about it for me to put into words, the way she calmly stood as if she was a professional, the way she won against a major disadvantage, the way she used Toxic instead of Dynamaxing right away, it was all-

I was startled when she quickly brought her arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Thank you," Marnie spoke softly. "Your support means a lot to me… y'know?"

It was a sudden surprise, a really pleasant one, but I smiled back as I returned the gesture. Hopefully the way I hugged her back was gentle.

Marnie smiled at me as she retracted. "Y'know, there's non' more boss than feeling that kind of camaraderie. Just for that, I think I'm gonna start cheerin' for you now."

I looked away, feeling flustered at her kind words. She was the one who was supposed to be heaped in praise, not me. "It's only natural you'd be adored by so many people when you're so talented, Marnie."

"I-I'unno 'bout adore, but…" She stopped to clear her throat. "Alright, off with you then! I need to fulfill my end of the bargain!"

Once again, she grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me around, pushing me towards the exit doors.

"That Gym Badge isn't gonna get itself!" Marnie continued. I would've protested, but I supposed she had the right idea, so I let her do her thing. "I need to be the one rootin' for you when it happens, and-"

Something rang, and I almost jumped in surprise. Marnie's rocking ringtone still had a track record of catching me off guard.

"Oh for the love of-" She looked visibly irritated, brow furrowing as she took out her phone. "Hello? The usual? Of course."

She sighed as she dismissed the call. Her eyes slowly lifted to reveal a tinge of denial and disappointment. "Team Yell again. And it's apparently super urgent too."

I would've sighed as well, but even if I felt sad about the usual, I wanted to send Marnie off with a smile. "It's alright."

There was a bit of awkward silence between us as we walked out of the stadium and back into the desert heat. I figured I'd wait for Marnie's Flying Taxi to land before I would leave.

As the cab and Corviknight landed to reveal—of course—a Team Yell pilot, Marnie gave me one more faint smile.

"I had fun travelin' with you, Flare," she said with undeniable sincerity. "Don't worry 'bout me. I'll catch up with you and the others in no time."

"And I'll still be cheering for you." I gave her a nod.

"And one day I'll be there to return the favor." She nodded back. Once again I saw a subtly pumped fist as she walked to her cab. "But that champion's spot is mine, got it?!"

"No complaints here!" I called out to her as the Corviknight's mighty wings flapped and flapped away.

Well, maybe Hop would have a word or two to say about that, but I'll let him do the talking when the time comes. I chuckled, bringing myself to face the path to the Glimwood Tangle once more.

I was by myself, but I knew, with all of my heart, that I wasn't alone. My Pokémon, my friends, I knew there were a lot of people who had my back. Just as I had theirs. I still had a lot of questions, but I knew I wouldn't be alone in having to answer them.

Focus on the Gym Challenge, that's what Oleana said, right? Okay, I'll do just that.