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

Flare's POV

Okay, battle time.

… Well, after I figure out where this battle is supposed to happen. Come on, Hop, where'd you go?

I was back in my usual black jumper and trousers, stepping out of my hotel room and ready to go find Hop. Wherever he was. Hotel Ionia didn't have a battle room like Budew Drop Inn did, so I had to go running around Circhester for him.

Was this just a ploy to get me to run more? Because if it is, that Hop's got another thing coming!

While I was here I figured I might as well round up my team for this. With them around, I thought it wouldn't take me much longer to find out where to meet Hop with some extra eyes about. Though as I checked up on Cress, I realized there was a lack of buzzing on her part.

When I noticed I had to look down at her, it hit me. "Are you… walking?"

"Oh, yep." She looked up at me and nodded. "My back's been a bit sore from… shoveling snow onto my back. Heavy snow."

It did look like she was cold, but still… "Why though?"

"Oh you know." Her eyes flitted about. "Just in case I need to carry something heavy while flying. Like snow. Yep."

I decided not to question it. "Oooookay then."

"Besides, I missed using my crawlers." She directed her stare towards the path out of town. "I think your man's this way. I can catch just the faintest whiff of bitter herbs. Or flowers. Hard to say with the smell of lavender mixed in there too."

Cress ended up leading me through the bridge out of Circhester, reaching the outskirts of the snowy parts of Route 8. And there Hop stood in the middle of the path, crossing his arms as if he was waiting for me.

"You know, you could've told me you planned to meet up this far out of town." I gave him a sneer as I clutched my elbows.

"I thought it'd be obvious in hindsight." Hop had a cheeky grin as he put his hands in his pockets. "I mean, Circhester is too peaceful for us to do anything rowdy in there. I don't want you holding back just because of earlier, alright?"

I noticed the way his expression shifted, particularly that spark of confidence he always carried so well. He crossed his arms, looking taunting, but not without that friendly smile that promised me a good time. And I definitely wasn't going to decline his offer.

I had the biggest smile of my own when I saw him wind up his arm. Here he was, the Hop I knew so well, and there I was, trying to match his energy to the best of my ability. Just the way I liked it.

"Heart!"

Heart? It was a delightful surprise to see his Boltund take the field again. It was only fitting I met him with an Electric type of my own.

"Go, Zap!"

Our Pokémon both bounded around each other on the snowy dirt as they tried to get some hits in. With the way we kept going in circles, it kind of looked like we were making our Pokémon play tag instead. Zap and Heart looked like they were having enough fun with it to look convincing.

"Let's get serious, shall we?" Hop pumped his fist into the air. "Crunch!"

With a sudden lurch, Heart quickly turned around and leapt at Zap. My Toxtricity tried to block with an arm, only for Heart to grab it with her jaws.

I felt a bit bad letting Zap get hit, but I knew he was hardy enough to make this work. "It's time to show 'em what you've learned! Poison Jab!"

His other clenched fist started glowing purple, and he proceeded to bonk Heart over the head with it. It took a few blows, but eventually Heart ended up loosening her grip and staggering back to Hop's side. I used this opportunity to pull out a healing potion for Zap.

Even with a bit of a sore arm, I could see the thrill in my Toxtricity's eyes as he came back to me. I gave him a gentle pat on the head. "You really like that move, don't you?"

"Yeth." He puffed up his cheeks and started punching the air.

"Dare I say, I thought I was called to fight a Toxtricity, but my foe appears to have the size and mannerisms of a Croagunk."

That taunting tone…

I heard the sound of hefty flapping as Knightley's dark wings let him hover in front of us. But unlike the last time I saw him, he was now a mighty Corviknight.

I know I was used to having Cinders fly me around, but I still had to be amazed at the sight of Hop standing proudly next to his bird in shining armor. "No way…"

Knightley scoffed. "It appears I've enraptured the maiden's heart before you have, master. In that case, I'll push the advantage."

I watched as Knightley took to the skies and quickly descended beak-first. Okay, focus time.

"Kick it to Overdrive, Zap!"

Knightley tried to close in, but a strum and a ripping riff was all it took to shock him out of the skies. The blast tore through the air and knocked him back.

"Perhaps… I needn't be so careless next time…" His stride was as clipped as his wings as he groggily flapped back to Hop's side.

"You'll get 'em next time, pal." Hop chuckled as he recalled him into his Pokéball. Still, even with two Pokémon down, he looked over to me with a determined stare. "Hey, Flare! Don't think you've gotten the best of me yet!"

I nodded at him from across the path. I had a hunch at what was next to come, so I took this chance to swap Zap out for Twigs.

"'Bout time I got into another scrap!" Twigs pounded her fists together as she took the field. "So who 'm I fightin'?"

We both felt the need to hesitate as we looked up to see the looming shadow of Hop's leaping Snorlax.

"Och, that's nae any good."

There was little we could do to stop the incoming Body Slam, but luckily Twigs managed to block it with her arms. I saw that she braced her tree stump drum like a shield as she pushed the Snorlax back to the dirt.

"Don't let up, Bellows! Hammer Arm!"

I barely caught the deceptive speed that the Snorlax swung its heavy arms. I could only flinch as I saw Twigs being battered, blow after blow. Up until she blocked a strike with her tree stump.

You're not the only one with Fighting type moves. Now it's my turn to push the advantage! "Brick Break!"

With glowing fists, Twigs landed a punch on the Snorlax's stomach, then another. Her attacks kept pushing the Snorlax back, but I noticed it looked more mildly inconvenienced than hurt.

How did we beat it so easily last time…? I quickly reached a realization.

"Already ahead of you, lassie!" Twigs glanced back at me with a nod.

My Rillaboom leapt into the air, twirling her sticks which glowed in her hands. She swiftly brought her arms into the air before slamming them down, landing her Brick Break strike square on the Snorlax's head. When Twigs landed afterwards, the giant stood silent. And that silence toppled over backwards just as the Snorlax did.

"Well, blast." Hop scratched his head as he withdrew his Snorlax. "Didn't expect you to figure out Bellows' weak spot so quickly, Flare."

I tried to play off his comment with modesty. "Well, I was wondering why Banana didn't like getting pet on the head. Guess that counts as a familiarity bonus for me."

Hop's grin faintly shifted after that. "I reckon we've both learned something new today. But don't think for a second that familiarity is everything! I'll show you that here and now when I steal back this win!" He sounded really pumped now. He slapped the sides of his face, and in that moment, I caught a glimpse of his serious look. "Let's go, Buddy!"

I was waiting for this moment. Hop sent his Dubwool forward, who huffed as his hooves pawed at the snow. The way they both stood on guard made it seem like they were breathing in unison. Just seeing their unwavering bond made me falter for a second, but I knew Twigs and I had it in us to overcome this.

"Defense Curl!"

It wasn't really a curl, but a defensive wool expansion. I saw this before, but I was confident it wouldn't end the way it did last time.

I called Twigs to use Brick Break again, and she rushed ahead with another double chop on Buddy's head. She had to leap back when the Dubwool huffed and swung his large horns at her.

"Steady on, partner! I feel your pain, and we'll get them back for it!" Hop grunted as he lurched his fist to the skies. "Have a taste of our true power! Take Down!"

Despite the super effective attack, Buddy still seemed undeterred as he prepared to charge. Then came the galloping, rushing headfirst towards Twigs. Here it comes.

I'm not going to let you Tackle us like last time!

Twigs took out her stump once more and firmly planted it on the ground in front of her, directly in Buddy's path of collision.

I caught Hop's feisty grin from across the path. "Do you think a little wood is gonna stop us?"

Luckily I planned for my comeback. "I don't think you're seeing the root of your problems here!"

My eyes trailed downwards just as his did. Poking out of the snow, growing just a few inches from Twigs' drum, was a snag. It was just enough for Buddy to trip over, which reduced his gallop to a reeling stumble towards us.

"Got him right where we want him!" I called out with one final hurrah. "Brick Break once more, Twigs!"

My Rillaboom braced her stump on her arm once more, which glowed white with energy. She clenched her fist and swung her forearm at Buddy. The strike dealt a critical blow and sent Buddy careening back whence he came, all the way back to Hop.

"Heck yeah!" My Rillaboom and I both whooped, and she reached upwards for a high five. I returned the gesture, though I had to jump to reach her.

I recalled Twigs into her Pokéball after that. Whew… As my adrenaline simmered down, I took a second to process how this was the first time I actually got to beat Hop. In a real battle, with his real team, or at least, I thought that was the case.

Hop was slowly shaking his head as he brought out some Revival Herbs for his team. "You really are my true rival with the way you got me going, Flare… but even if I didn't beat you today, I'm starting to see the light!" As he knelt over to feed some of his team, he looked at me with that trademark grin. "No more doubting! I know I still have a ways to go, so I'll keep getting stronger! For Lee, for my team, and for my spot at Champion!"

I gave him an awkward chuckle as I noticed how many Pokéballs he was holding. "That's all well and good and all… but I thought you said you spent a lot of time thinking. You're two Pokémon short from a full team."

"Oh, you've noticed." Hop looked away for a moment. "I did spend a lot of time thinking, that's true. But my team is still a work in progress, still figuring it out, you know how it is. Just thought a battle would lift my spirits and all."

There was his radiant smile once more, which was a gesture I returned, but I couldn't help but be skeptical. In the worried sense, I mean. I wondered if there was something else he wasn't telling me, especially from the way his grin started to waver the more we stared at each other. I desperately wanted to extend my hand to him to help him stand back up. "Hop-"

"Well now, didn't expect to find the likes of you two all the way out here!"

I tore my eyes away to see a familiar tall figure standing nearby, hands on her hips. Sonia's eyes seemed to scan us both, looking amused. Nikki was next to her, appearing… winded?

She let out a visible breath as she wiped her brow. "Hope we aren't interrupting something, you two."

Hop stood back up to see them. "Oh, Sonia, we just got done with this battle, no worries." His gaze seemed to linger on Nikki for a second. "New assistant, Sonia?"

Oh, right, I don't think they've met yet. I decided to step in. "It's kind of a weird story, Hop. She's… I'm not sure how to put this, a fan?"

"And she has a good lens for documentation!" Sonia peppily added.

"Bugger all, I thought I was supposed to be rooting for you guys." Nikki had a sheepish grin. "I'm just a tourist compared to you all. If I just got somebody to endorse me in time, then I would've been traveling around the region like you lot. I mean, that's what I'm doing anyways, but still."

"Well hey, any friend of Flare's is a friend of mine." I saw Hop's eyes light up for a sec as he proudly crossed his arms. "That's a neato camera you got there. Hope you got some sweet snaps of our battle just now!"

Nikki grinned and held up her camera. "You bet I did."

Sonia looked more than delighted at that. "It's been so long since I got to see such young talent really going at it, you know." She seemed so excited and delighted that she sounded like she was on the verge of squealing. "You two looked so adorable I could just pinch your cheeks!"

I awkwardly chuckled as I took a step back. "Er, please don't." I've dealt with enough of it from Hop's parents.

"Anywho!" Sonia put her hands on her hips and looked ahead. "If we ran into you two here, we must be close to Circhester!"

"Finally…" Nikki groaned. "I'm just about ready to keel over with how we had to walk here."

"What cheek!" Sonia pouted at her. "I was happy enough to drive you here, but you decided against it."

"I don't blame you, Nikki." Hop nodded at her with a similar pained grin. "I'd have walked too."

I looked between the two of them once more, wondering if there was something I was missing. "I don't get it."

Hop laughed before looking at me. "Not so sharp when it's not about battle, eh Flare?"

I gave him a pout of my own as well as a shove to his waist. "Now you're driving me mad."

Sonia took me by the arm, tugging me away from Hop and Nikki. "Let them tease us all they want, we don't need to bring them along." She snickered before pointing to the snowy city ahead. "I'm here because a good acquaintance of mine wanted to meet up at Bob's Your Uncle, but perhaps I could bring you along with me."

Bob's Your Uncle, right, that was the Circhester restaurant with the logo of that smiling man front and center. "I am quite hungry after that battle…"

We tried to walk away unnoticed, but we didn't make it far before we were stopped by Nikki's outburst. "Hey, I thought you said I was gonna be your plus one for this trip! Me and Brainy didn't make it this far for nothing!"

Hop was quick to follow. "I'm pretty famished after that battle, too! Come on Sonia, you wouldn't leave someone like me behind on this eating trip, would you?"

Sonia rolled her eyes before smiling at that. "Oh, alright. I was just pulling your leg, you're all free to be my plus ones for being an amusing lot. It's not like I'm going to be the one paying for it all." I caught the faintest hint of a smirk as she said that last part.

Acquaintance? I remembered the last time I saw Sonia headed into a restaurant, which was way back in Hulbury where she met up with Nessa. Though I recall her calling Nessa a good friend rather than an acquaintance.

As the four of us walked along the bricked path leading to Circhester, I looked up at Sonia. "Does this 'acquaintance' of yours happen to be a Gym Leader too?"

She nodded, a finger twirling her hair. "You could say that. She's been rather insistent for a reunion like this so I wouldn't blame her for calling me here. And I mean really insistent, overbearingly so. Plus, I hear Circhester has some important spots in Galar history, so it's definitely worth the visit!"

What she said about an overbearing person in Circhester reminded me of something. Or rather, someone, who someone else mentioned. I… think I know who she's talking about.

Author's POV

Along the streets of Circhester stood the doors to a lively place that contrasted the city's cold and quiet atmosphere. But past the welcoming doors of Bob's Your Uncle, one can be sure to find themselves feeling warm, either from the company of other patrons or the air of foodstuffs being fried.

When it came to conversation, however, Flare, Hop, and Nikki sat awkwardly at their end of the table, keeping their idle small talk to themselves while Sonia chatted up a storm with her acquaintance. Flare was mainly set on indulging in the chippy she had yet to try, trying not to notice how directly across from her sat Gym Leader Gordie. He also seemed awkward about the situation.

Hop prodded at Flare with a sneaking glance at Sonia and the lady she was seated next to. The two ladies were very occupied in their idle chatter, touching up on every topic imaginable to the point where the only things left untouched were their meals. "Adults, am I right?" Hop snickered. Flare chuckled, as did Nikki, and even Gordie seemed to lighten up at his comment.

"So uh…" Gordie's gaze trailed elsewhere as he combed aside one of his draping bangs. "You guys got a list of your top ten favorite Pokémon?"

"A list?" Hop perked up from his meal with a raised eyebrow. "Depends. Can I put Wooloo and Dubwool in the same spot?"

"Uh…" Gordie blinked before staring down at the fork in his steak. His tone was still meek. "Dunno. It's my ma who usually asks these questions, anyway. It's how she…" He stopped to sigh. "...breaks the ice."

Gordie's comment sparked a response of delight from the lady he was sitting next to. Her snow white attire made her stand out in a restaurant as rustic and wooden as this. She possessed a similar large build that Gordie had, though for the others it was hard to tell if that was because of her thick white sweater, large hat, flowing hair, or something else.

"You got that right, Gordon sweetie!" Melony beamed, leaning closer to pinch his cheek. "Look at you, following in my footsteps, love! You're growing up so quickly, and I'm so proud!"

Gordie could only muster an awkward frown as he glanced at her. "Come on ma, you're embarrassing me." When she kissed his cheek, his pupils fled as far away from her as possible.

Yet Melony pursued, this time peering over the table to the three youths who seemed to shrink under her stare. "And you must be the darling who claimed a badge from my dear Gordon sweetie earlier!" Melony's pearly eyes landed on Flare. "Tell me love, how did you beat my formidable son so easily?"

"Er…" Flare hesitated. She knew this wasn't the first time that Melony showed her overbearing motherly love at this venue, so she tried to choose her words carefully. "I just had. Uh. Vileplume Drednaw. Grass and water." Never mind.

Melony didn't seem all too bothered by Flare's attempt at finesse and simply giggled, shifting her focus back onto Sonia. "Seeing my little boy surpass my talent almost makes me as happy as I was on my wedding day!" She had a knowing look directed towards her. "Tell me Sonia, have you had your eye on anyone recently?"

"My answer is the same as always, you know!" Sonia smiled, her finger twirling her orange and heart-laden locks. "I only have time to keep my eyes on my research, after all."

"Oh, poo." Melony rested her elbows at the table as she stared at the others. "How about you enthusiastic youths? Do any of you have anyone you fancy?"

That question triggered a series of flustered reactions and responses from most of the three. Across the table, all Gordie could do was mouth a silent "I'm sorry" to them. Flare in particular choked on her drink and Hop had to rub her back.

"Well it was like she said with her research, except with my photos."

"I know we're not that young, but I mean, I wouldn't say fancy fancy, I'm just a lad from little ol' Postwick and all…"

"E-Even if I did, it's not like I'd know my way around it and stuff. I wouldn't say I'm 'cute girl next door' material."

"It's Postwick mate, you're the only girl next door."

"Oh."

Flare resigned herself to her iced tea in an attempt to stop drawing attention to herself. That act didn't really help when she started sipping her straw a bit too loudly.

Fortunately, again, Melony seemed more intent on catching back up with Sonia. Gordie, Nikki, Hop, and Flare all breathed out a collective sigh of relief.

"... I don't know an awful lot about Maggie's research, but if you're here for a history lesson, you're in luck!" Melony nodded. "Circhester is popular for its Hero Bath, don't you know?"

"The public hot spring where the Darkest Day hero, well, heroes rested, I know." Sonia nodded, though she had the faintest hint of an exasperated smile as she muttered something. "Please don't call my Gran that…"

Flare's attention was caught upon the mention of the heroes she and Sonia wondered so much about. She nudged Hop, intending to fill him in on everything just in case there was anything more he missed. She leaned closer to whisper better to him while Melony continued speaking to Sonia.

"Hammerlocke is known for its historical significance, is it not? Then you'd be happy to hear this restaurant was brought here straight from there!"

"You mean relocated, right? As in, the Hammerlocke one was destroyed and rebuilt here?"

"No, it was brought here directly. Psychic types are amazing, I'll tell you that. This Bob's Your Uncle ain't your typical hole in the wall, that's for sure. Well, there was actually a hole in the wall they had to cover up with some poster from Hammerlocke but management doesn't like talking about that."

Flare glanced at Melony as she said that. "Oh right, Hammerlocke…" The mention of it prompted her to talk to Hop about everything she learned with Sonia there.

Sonia sighed once more. "... I've been trying to find out more about the Darkest Day, as well as the sword and shield Pokémon statues, but I haven't really uncovered much other than…"

"... Hammerlocke tapestries?" Hop raised an eyebrow as Flare nodded, even holding her phone below the table to show him a picture. "You mean like that one over there?"

Flare's gaze followed Hop's finger all the way across the room to something on the wall. With the way it was mostly obscured by a line of people clamoring for the order counter, Flare thought she never would've noticed if Hop never pointed it out.

She squinted, but her eyes widened as she got a clearer look at the tattered image on the wall. "I didn't see that tapestry before… Is that another image from the Darkest Day legend?"

Flare's murmur was carried through the air and into Sonia's ears, which perked her attention like a beckoning call. "Wait! Hold on!" She noticed Flare's intrigued stare and the direction Hop was pointing. "What's this about a tapestry?!"

As Sonia frantically looked over her shoulder, Hop broke into a cheeky smile and shifted his finger slightly to the right. "You mean that absolutely fantastic poster?"

"Exactly!" Sonia cried out with a bit too much desperate energy, whipping her gaze and pointing towards the restaurant poster right next to the tapestry. "Bob, with his brilliant smile, must be part of the legend! Wait, what are you lot on about?! Don't confuse me!" She turned back towards them with a look of flustered fury.

Flare shoved Hop on Sonia's behalf. The three of them proceeded to scramble to get a closer look at the tapestry, but it proved awkward considering they were seated and stuck on a booth attached to a far end of the room.

"Oh, that thing." Melony gave them an odd look. "That's the thing covering up the hole in the wall, it's apparently from some antique market from olden Hammerlocke."

"Can confirm." Nikki nodded, looking up from the pamphlet in her hand. "Since this place is loads popular, you can probably snoop for that thing on tourist pamphlets, articles, and I think they have it on their website too." She flipped through some pages. "Though you really have to do some digging, for some reason it's not listed on the branches displayed on the Macro Cosmos website. Maybe they didn't just have room for it, but even that explanation kinda bugs me."

Flare was content enough to give up her low effort attempt at leapfrogging over Hop's shoulders and settled into her seat to look up the image like everyone else. Melony's curious eyes jumped between all of them as she took a sip of her drink while a disinterested Gordie was paying attention to something else.

"Got it!"

Sonia was the first, then Hop, then Flare, who looked between her phone and the image to make sure they were all looking at the same thing. It was another ragged illustration similar to the ones from Hammerlocke, though the tapestry itself looked shorter, as if cut off. What was displayed showed a scene where two crowned individuals stood, present beneath a looming stone arch. The pair of kings in particular were donning robes of blue and red, crowns atop their heads and static expressions directed downwards. By their feet lay two stony pedestals, a sword placed upon one and a shield by the other.

Everyone at the table who was interested took a good second to properly scrutinize what they could see.

Sonia spoke first, resting a finger on her chin. "It's the same two youths from before, and they're already kings, it seems. But it doesn't seem like the sword and shield Pokémon are anywhere…"

"Maybe take a look here," Hop pointed out. "Those two stones, they look like they could be graves."

Sonia nodded. "Explains why they look so sad… But the two Pokémon, would they have fallen during the disaster? Perhaps it shows them being laid to rest after the incident…" Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the picture as hard as she could. "It's not as if the tapestries showed any detailed depictions of the Pokémon, so it's really hard to say for sure."

Flare couldn't exactly make any clear cut deductions, so she just stuck to observing what Hop and Sonia had to say. But when that line of topic went to a standstill, her eyes frantically scanned the picture to see if there was anything she could bring up. The stone arch had a distinct appearance, bearing some circular designs beneath its apex, but it wasn't something that rang any bells.

"Hang on a sec…" Flare pressed her glasses closer to her face as she noticed some vague symbols etched by the gravestones. "It looks like there's something written over here." She narrowed her eyes in an attempt to decipher what it said.

"The stars shine once again, the comet beast's eternal aether has calmed."

"Hold on a tick, you're right!" Sonia twirled her hair for a contemplative second. "It's something about stars and a comet… could it be?" Her eyes darted up from the image. "Nikki, my notes."

"Oh, right, gotcha." She perked up before reaching into her backpack. "You mean these ones?"

Flare and Hop watched curiously as several sheets of paper were passed across the table and onto Sonia's lap. The former waited for an answer to Sonia's revelation, pondering each word of that inscription, like what a comet beast could even be. That was, until Flare noticed Hop also looking deep in thought. She recognized the way he crossed his arms, the way he tilted his head slightly downwards, and his silently deep frown.

"Hop," Flare murmured, gently nudging him to get his attention. "Did you figure something out?"

"Hm? I was just thinking, y'know?" His golden eyes carried an unusual air of complexity to them. "This star stuff sounds awfully familiar. Makes me think it could be related to-"

"Wishing Stars!" Sonia's eyes lit up with realization as she said that. "Bang on, it makes sense! Wishing Stars are what let us harness Dynamax energy, which only appeared around the region after the Darkest Day happened! I've been looking into it, and it seems the storm that engulfed the region emerged from a comet that landed in Galar all those years ago."

"And that must be what the text meant!" Hop spoke up, his grin returning. "The stars and the comet!"

"You'd be right, however…" Sonia paused, glancing at her notes once more as she calmed down. "The Darkest Day comet is just a theory at most. We never even heard of a comet beast, and we don't even know if anyone found the crash site where the comet would be."

"Wait, Turffield!" Flare leapt at the opportunity to speak up. "The glyph thing, the one on the hills, what if that was the comet beast?"

"Er… no." Sonia hesitated with a gentle smile. "I looked into Hulbury's history and it turns out the geoglyph is meant to depict a Pokémon which Gigantamaxed during the incident. Fine guesswork, though!"

"Aw."

"If I may?" Melony spoke up, gulping her drink down and looking more intrigued than ever. "I do believe there was an old newspaper saying how a pair of Macro Cosmos employees actually found a mysterious meteor during one of those mining trips."

"How could I forget?!" Sonia snapped her fingers. "It's coming back to me, it was that headline that came out way back around the same year Leon became champion!"

"It was!" Melony continued, delighted to play a part in this. "I knew there was a reason that that comet article felt special!" Her lively eyes looked towards her son. "Gordon sweetie, you wouldn't happen to know anything about meteors, would you? I know how much you said you love your rocks!"

Gordie rolled his eyes, his stare still fixated downwards towards his phone. "I said I love rock, ma, not rocks. There's a difference." He slowly shook his head with a frown. "Just like how there's a difference between comets and meteors…"

"You know, I was wondering why I didn't remember that article…" Sonia pondered, gaze trailing upwards and to the side. "Come to think of it, it's a bit unusual a company like Macro Cosmos would contain such an artifact instead of, say, putting it in a museum. We never heard word on if they did anything with it, did we?"

"Not particularly. They do like to be secretive on their projects, and they tend to be especially preoccupied with things like the Gym Challenge." Melony nodded. "Not to mention the recent communication outages, those sound like a most troublesome ordeal."

"Such secrecy is why my Gran thinks they're mighty shady…" Sonia's exasperated smile returned for a second. "The recent incidents do seem quite odd. Nothing this far reaching has happened this much, let alone this frequently. I know Oleana is very finicky about attending to these issues, even ridding rogue Rotom attacks on the grid herself. A Rotom might have caused more disruptions again, but I don't think that'd be enough to explain why it took this long for connections to return."

"Perhaps it was the work of several Rotom?"

"That could be true. And speaking of Rotom…"

Flare and Hop's eyes darted between the two adults as they continued conversing with each other. Their stares of intrigue gradually faded as the topic derailed into something completely irrelevant, and they were starting to understand how Gordie was feeling.

Nikki leaned over to them with a darting look of curiosity. "So, are they still talking about important historical events or can I stop taking notes now? My wrist is starting to hurt."

Hop shook his head with a lingering smile. "To be honest, they lost me at the part where they mentioned Lee becoming champion." His gaze softened into something sentimental as he leaned his head back on his hands. "Has it been that long? I think I was still just a lad when that happened."

Flare chuckled. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't even born yet."

Still, even if she didn't consider herself a major historian, Flare couldn't help but admit she was a tad let down that the tapestry discussion stopped there. She had a feeling she'd be able to learn something with Hop present when Sonia mentioned the sword and shield Pokémon. Instead, after Hop got a good look at the wolf statues, Flare noticed he seemed to hesitate when Sonia mentioned the Pokémon in question. Hop continued to share silent passing glances with Flare after that, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. Or at least, wanted to say something Flare only knew too.

And she had a certain hunch about what that was.

Flare's POV

At least the food was good. Really good. When the time came for me to round my team up from the restaurant's assigned Pokémon space, I seriously considered getting another one of those food tins for the road.

But before that, Gordie had to leave early, his break was over and he had to prepare for his next batch of Gym Challengers. Then Melony, she said she had to return home to tend to her daughter and three younger sons. Sonia and Nikki offered to stay for a while longer, even treating me and Hop to some dinner.

I couldn't say no to some more good chippy, but the more time I spent with Hop, the more I really started to realize something was off with him. It wasn't just now that I noticed, he seemed surprisingly shifty ever since I came back from getting my Rock Badge. It was that troubled look I knew, like he stumbled across something he wanted to say but couldn't. Like he was clueless.

I couldn't blame him. Other than being concerned about this legend stuff, running into Melony made me wonder if I should make that phone call yet.

Maybe later. I reminded myself, just like I did the last time I thought about it.

But like any good chippy, our good times and memories spent at Bob's Your Uncle had to come to a delicious end. Sonia and Nikki were off to reserve hotel rooms, Hop had to head back to prepare for his upcoming Gym battle, and it was late enough in the night for me to head up and prepare to conk out. Okay, we all had our sights set for Hotel Ionia, but when we walked out to the Circhester streets, we all seemed to split up towards different paths. Maybe we all just found walking there together awkward.

I didn't have a problem not heading to the hotel yet. A walk to clear my head seemed like a nice idea to me. I decided to take it easy so I could properly indulge in the winter atmosphere. Walking off the brick path so my sneakers crunched the thin layer of snow beneath. Damp specks of snowflakes I had to comb off my hair and jumper. For a place so populated with passerbys left and right, it was surprisingly peaceful for a place so bustling.

The night sky wasn't awfully bright, so I had to stick close to the streetlights to see where I was going, not like I had any destination in particular. Their glows were warm in their illuminating presence as I strolled by. And on the topic of warmth, my eyes made their way to the Hero's Bath. Its steam was faintly visible even on an evening like this. I was nearing the central street and I could feel the large bath's heat reach me from here.

Kind of like a Coalossal, actually…

I let myself tread up the stairs leading to it, gazing up at the stone pillars that held up the roof of the large steamy bath. I had no intention of actually getting any closer, it looked like a group of people were celebrating a festival or party of sorts and I wouldn't want to get involved. Instead, I let myself lean by a nearby railing that overlooked the lower half of Circhester, just a fair distance enough to where I could feel the steam's warmth. I rubbed my hands together, blowing out a misty breath as I silently wished I brought mittens. My sleeves weren't exactly long enough to cover my hands.

"You must be cold, aren't you?" There's that familiar cheeky voice. "Jumper must be wearing thin, I take it."

Hearing Hop's voice came as a bit of a surprise, so I hurriedly shoved my hands into my pockets as I turned to face him. Him and his obviously cheeky grin. "My jumper's just fine, thank you very much."

He chuckled, rocking on his heels for a bit before joining me by the railing. "So what're you doing by the Hero's Bath at a time like this? Planning to go for a dip?"

"I didn't bring my swimwear, so I'm good." And even if I wanted to, I'd have to ask my mom for those clothes, and I wasn't ready for that conversation quite yet. "The warmth from here is nice, though."

I heard him chuckle. "So you are cold, then."

"Not… exactly…" I tore my eyes away from him, trying to hide from his grin. There were some things that were still troubling me, so I hesitated. "You could say I have cold feet, really."

"So would you like some socks?"

"Hop…" If it were any other time, I would've chuckled alongside him. Played along. Appreciated his smile and presence like I always did. But I had a feeling he was out walking for a similar reason I was. "Were you looking for me?"

I looked at him to see his grin disappear. "Yeah, I was," he admitted with a hazy sigh. "Guess there's no hiding it, then. There were some things I wanted to talk to you about. In private, I mean."

There was that hesitation, the kind I felt was strange. I looked around, only finding people passing by elsewhere. It's not as if we were drawing attention to ourselves. "I think we're alone enough." I decided to get straight to the point. "Is this about the Slumbering Weald? I noticed you didn't say anything when Sonia mentioned the two wolf-like Pokémon from the legend."

Hop sighed again. "Saw right through me with that one, eh? I'm guessing you didn't tell her either."

I shook my head.

"I don't blame you…" Hop's gaze lowered with a frown. "I'm still having trouble believing what actually happened there. I mean, am I just supposed to say I saw those two wolves in that forest when I followed a Dubwool there? I know you were there too, but Lee didn't believe us. Not to mention I know Sonia went to the Weald on her own and found squat, so the idea of her believing our story? Pull the other one."

I could feel the irritation rising in his voice, which troubled me. I knew Hop was the kind of person who was eager to figure out what's what, but to be this genuinely clueless about something was new. Not to mention his feelings of turmoil were similar to my own regarding the details of the legend.

And so, to the best of my ability, I gave him a reassuring smile. "At least I believe you, Hop." And my mom too, but that's not really relevant. "I know what I saw there, and so do you."

"That is true…" His expression shifted ever so slightly, but his smile was faint at most. "I'm still boggled over if that whole encounter was a dream or not. Heck, I'm sure I even had a dream about the Slumbering Weald the other day."

That got me to widen my eyes. "No way." I stared at him. "You too?"

Hop blinked. "You mean…?" He slammed his hands on the railing as he raised his voice. "You had a dream about the voices from the forest too?! Er, cripes, that metal's cold." He shook the snow off his palms.

I nodded, feeling sure that this meant something, even if I had no idea what this actually meant. This definitely can't be a coincidence. I chased after this topic so quickly it was like I was running after it. Hop did too, and we proceeded to go over our dreams to make sure we were on the same page.

And just as I suspected, the two of us, the only ones who saw the forest wolves, just so happened to somehow dream about the Slumbering Weald. It all lined up, with the swirling fog and the visions of talking silhouettes, and the mention of worthiness and a blade and a Dubwool and everything! And then we got to the part where-

"Wait, wait, wait." Hop's eyes were… shocked? "You're saying you saw Mustard after that? Mustard? Am I hearing that right?"

"Er…" I hesitated for a second, put off by his sudden disbelief. "That's right. He said this thing about wandering into my dreams and he had this little bear Pokémon with him. It even beckoned me to follow it into the fog, and I guess I woke up after that."

"That's… real funny." Hop slowly nodded, but his lack of a smile told me it wasn't actually funny. "My dream was almost exactly like that, except for the Mustard part at the end. It was actually one of those wolves that emerged from the fog and started talking to me, the red one. It said some stuff to me about destiny before I tried to follow it and woke up."

"That's… weird…" I took a second to think about it, but that didn't really get me anywhere. I got Mustard while he got the red wolf. So what?

"Now that you mention it, that Mustard is kind of setting me off…" Hop crossed his arms in a moment of thought. "I know I met him with Lee when I was little, but I think he's been saying some strange things recently."

I chuckled. "You mean like when he called you Hoppy-kins?"

Hop rolled his eyes. "Okay, Clare-eon, you know I mean things other than that." I still caught his faint smile before he continued. "Like, when I was busy training on the Isle of Armor, he said something to me about 'returning the stars to the sky' or something nuts like that. Maybe that's just something he tells all his students."

I blinked, taking a second of silence to process if I heard that right. "No way. You mean he-"

"-told you that too?" Hop looked just as stunned. Our mouths hung agape as we just stared at each other. "Get out of here! You mean he told you the part about 'helping her finish what he started' too?"

"Yes! He did! He-" I cut myself short. I was so excited I didn't notice what he said was off. "Wait. Helping her finish? He didn't say that part to me. He said the thing about stars, but he only said I was there to finish what he started."

"Okay…" Hop paused, likely processing it. "So Mustard told me to help her finish what he started, while he just told you that you'll finish what he started." He snapped his fingers. "Whoa. By her, do you think he was telling me about you, Flare? Since you've been roped up in this too?"

"You might be onto something! That must mean that he must be you, right?"

"Erm, I think you lost the plot here, mate." Hop gave me an awkward smile. "He told me about a certain 'he' too. And even if it was me, it's not like I started anything."

Darn. I crossed my arms, wondering what Mustard really meant by what he said. Was he talking about that same mysterious guy who sent me that letter but never showed up? No, that wouldn't really make any sense, right? "I… think I'm stumped now."

"Same here…" Hop was crossing his arms too, but his smile was coming back. "But this can't just mean nothing. We saw those wolves, we had those dreams, then heard those prophecies." His grin grew wider as he stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets. "Do you think, maybe, we could actually be a proper pair of heroes? Like the ones in the tapestries. Was just thinking, if I had to pick, I'd probably fancy the shield myself."

I… would've said the same thing, actually. Trust Hop to be the protective type of hero, that really didn't surprise me. Growing up, I knew he was the type to rush headfirst into all sorts of tussles, but he would always protect me if things got too rough. But still. "U-Us?" I was getting flustered at the thought. And the weight of the responsibility, no less. "You could definitely be one if you tried, but it's not like I've done anything heroic. If anyone were to be a Galar hero, it'd probably be Leon."

"I think you're cutting me a bit too much slack there, mate. And Lee? Sure, he's strong, but he'd be even more lost than we were with these legends." Hop chuckled, but he was giving off the impression that he was earnest. "Everything happens for a reason. There has to be something they all saw in us, those wolves, Mustard, even that little bear you mentioned."

"You're not wrong there…" I shuddered at the thought, instinctively clinging to my arms. I thought about the heroes from the legend, the ones who quelled the Darkest Day and became kings. "I know I've fought some tough Pokémon, but I'm no hero. I'm more like… a work in progress, if anything."

Hop's smile softened. "Believe me, so am I." He hesitated before leaning his arms on the railing. "There's… actually something else I've wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?" I was just starting to wonder if there was something else on his mind.

"Well… you remember when I ran into you at the hotel, yeah?" Hop glanced at me, his smile slowly fading. "Truth be told, there was actually a lot I was thinking about after I took that nap. I just happened to catch your Gym Battle on the telly, actually."

"Oh, you did?" I blushed at the thought of being watched during that whole performance. "If I'd known you of all people would be watching, I'd have tried harder to look cooler than Gordie." I tried to play it off with a chuckle. Seriously, 'like a really big turtle'?

"Oh, but you were cool!" Hop gave me a nod and a grin. "It's like you were a completely different person in there! I couldn't help but admire you, you know. You're a real capable trainer, Flare."

"Hop…" Is this him trying to warm me up or something? I was getting so flustered I had the urge to look away. …because I think it's working.

"And seeing how far you've come with your team…" Hop hesitated. "I'm starting to wonder if you're more cut out for the champion title than I am."

That caught me in shock. "Hop?" I was really getting worried now.

His gaze was cast downwards, past the metal railing. "Before we ever started out on this journey... I remember watching Lee on the telly. You remember, right?" His lost golden eyes landed on me.

I nodded silently. We were still little when we watched all of Leon's matches on TV. Hop was always excited to see him on screen, but thinking about it struck me with a pang of guilt when I saw how conflicted he looked now in comparison.

Hop continued, gazing ahead. "He was like a bright star, so strong I could hardly bear to look right at him. But now, with everything I've learned, I can tell just how strong he really is... And what he's got that I haven't..."

It sounded like he was sentimental, but now that I got a closer look at him, I could see how crestfallen he was. There was a liveliness Hop always had that was fading. And it stung. I wasn't sure what to say, but I tried my best to extend my hand to his shoulder. His warm, jacketed shoulder.

He seemed to perk up at my touch, looking back at me. "D-Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm doubting my skills or whatever. It's just… when I saw you there on the battlefield, Flare. You were so fired up, so sure of yourself, like you knew just what to do. I'm real proud seeing how far you've come, but… if it comes down to it, I might have to take that all away from you."

His voice was soft. I was just about ready to envelop him in a hug, but… "What do you mean, take it away?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Hop tore his eyes away. "You have six badges now. I have five. Before we know it, we'll both have eight. And then we'll head to Wyndon, and then we're all going to have to fight for our champion spot. Which means I'll have to cut you down. And Marnie. And Bede, if he ever comes back. It's…" He knelt down in a squat, lowering his view to the railing's bars. "It's a scary thought having to knock down everyone else at the peak, you know? To just… waste everything they've worked up to. Not all of us can be winners."

The weight of his words started to uncover a thought process I haven't considered. The possibility of this Gym Challenge ending. This journey all around Galar reaching its end, and all of us going home after that. Even if the thought of only one making it to the championship was daunting, I was determined to rekindle Hop's spirit, so I lowered myself beside him.

I gently shook his shoulder. "Even if I lose, or if any of us lose, I'm sure it won't just be a big waste. It was because of this Gym Challenge that I got to assemble my own Pokémon team and make new friends. It's about the journey rather than the destination, as cheesy as that sounds. And at the end of the day, I'm glad I went on this journey, even if I'm not champion material. I know it's been your biggest dream to be the one to beat Leon, so don't let me get in the way of your ambition."

Hop didn't budge. "Catching up to your pace would be something else entirely, Flare. Knowing the stakes, and how far you've come, I don't know if I even have it in me to go all out if I had to battle you in Wyndon. I couldn't accept that. You're my best mate, mate."

So are you. I wanted to tell him that so badly, but with how touchy this was getting, I had a feeling that saying that would just leave me in tears. So I continued to keep up my smile. "Tell you what. If it ever comes down to it, to the two of us having to fight for all the marbles, what if I just let you win?"

"I couldn't accept that either!" Hop's stare jerked back towards me, alarmed for a second. "I mean, that'd just be unfair, wouldn't it? If I were to win, I'd want it to be fair and square. Best trainer takes it. And I don't want you holding back for any of that."

"Then I don't want you holding back either." I gave him a confident look to spur him on. "You're a capable trainer too, Hop. You're smart, perceptive, and believe me, I wish I had half the energy you had. If, no, when we see each other in Wyndon, I wanna see you give the best you got."

That got a smile out of him. "Right. I'll do it for Lee. And for Buddy. And for you. And for Sev as well."

I nodded with a growing smile of my own. "You were the one who helped me get into this Gym Challenge in the first place, Hop. It's your destiny."

I could see the conviction in his clenched fists. "Right. Destiny." He paused. "But what if you win?"

Um. I haphazardly dismissed the possibility without much thought. "Then I guess it'd be my destiny then. Just leave the odds of it up to destiny and all." I stood back up and blew out a repressed breath. "In the meantime, I'll just keep rooting for you. I want to see you at your best." I extended my hand to him. "What do you say?"

He seemed to hesitate, but he took my hand with a smile. I was glad to be able to actually help him up like this, even if he did most of the standing up himself despite my efforts. But he surprised me when he immediately leaned forward for a hug, wrapping his other arm around me.

"I'll be rooting for you too, Flare." He spoke softly once more. "That's a promise. And that's also to repay you for lifting me up whenever I've been feeling like rubbish. Figuratively and literally."

I chuckled, gladly nestling into his sweater as I returned the gesture with my free arm. "You've always cheered me up when we were little, so I'm just returning the favor. Besides, isn't helping each other out what rivals are for?"

Hop pulled back, looking at me with a tender smile. "Yeah, it is."

We just stood there for a bit after that. My eyes darted between the people passing by. Just two best mates standing by this railing, nothing to see here. Hop was still holding my hand, too. That hug was warm, having him here with his smile made me feel warm, and in weather like this, I was almost wishing to be enveloped in a hug again just to ease me away from the cold.

"So," I eventually spoke up, looking to and fro as I broke the inevitably awkward silence. "Walk me back to the hotel?"

Hop chuckled, but he sounded gentle about it. "I thought you'd never ask."

And so we departed, hand in hand, walking through the streets that led to Hotel Ionia. As we walked in tandem, there was this feeling of warmth and triumph within me. It was as if despite lingering in this evening winter weather, where the smitten cold was unforgiving, everything was still okay with us. With Hop's hand in mine.

We followed the streetlights back to the grand hotel, and as we did, I recalled what Hop said about Wyndon. How our journeys will eventually end there. And then I looked down at our warm grip. It wasn't the first time we did this, but it somehow felt more special now. That thought lingered in my head, with the image of his warm and caring smile. I desperately wished this wouldn't be the last time I'd be able to grasp his hand like this on good terms.

Author's POV

The rest of Flare's Pokémon rested snugly in their Pokéballs that evening. While they were looking forward to properly relaxing in the luxurious chambers Hotel Ionia had to offer, they didn't mind that their trainer took a detour. While this did lead to Flare having an emotional exchange with a close friend of hers, they respected her privacy enough to try their best not to eavesdrop within their capsules.

Yet, among the Pokéball chambers containing a Rillaboom, Toxtricity, Drednaw, Vileplume, and Vikavolt, a lone Slowpoke sat in his given space. He reflected on his situation once more, feeling rather unsatisfied and disgruntled at his current state. Particularly, the way he was six badges in with no signs of progress. Six was the number of Pokémon a trainer could have. Yet, out of those six, only five have evolved, and fully evolved at that. Hook sighed.

Still, he stared at the Eviolite charm that hung on the string around his neck, reminding himself that his trainer still had hope for him, and would always have, despite the odds. As he held the thought close, he happened to hear some echoing words from the conversation Flare was having and muttered to himself.

"Destiny, huh?"