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

Flare's POV

"... so how was Opal's Gym?"

"Jamico cleaned house easy, but those questions were tricky."

I chuckled. "Did the age one get you too?"

"I got that one right, actually. You tellin' me you didn't?"

"Well…"

"Tsk, tsk, Flare! I thought you were the nice one. You know you're never supposed to ask a lady her age!"

"But she was the one who asked…"

Embarrassing memories of my performance in Ballonlea aside, keeping in touch with my rivals while they were out was a good way to keep my spirits up that morning. While the gates to Raihan's Gym were open for me, I didn't want to go in right away. I decided to spend the day off waiting for Hop and Marnie to catch up, so we'd all be on par with each other in terms of badges. I wanted it to be just like Motostoke, where we could all take on the stadium together, or at least take turns for it. Even if I was ahead, I had no intention of leaving any of them behind.

Of course, I wasn't planning on just lounging around for the day while they were still on the move. While Hop rang me up later to tell me about how he braved the frigid waters of Circhester Bay, I was already in the air, sitting in a Flying Taxi cab headed towards a certain training spot. I remembered what I knew about Raihan's matches, and he was no joke. I wanted to get extra prepared for this final Gym, so I had to get my team and my game plan ready for this. While that did mean I had to head back to the island, I couldn't help it. Those Chansey gave my Pokémon good experience.

Hopefully I won't run into Mustard this time…

As I hung up the call after wishing Hop luck against the Spikemuth Gym, I looked past the cab's windshield to see the Isle of Armor in sight. We landed quietly, and as I attempted to sneak past the Master Dojo, the quiet breezes made me notice that it wasn't as lively as it usually was. A quick glance through its window showed me that it was empty.

Strange… Though I quickly shrugged it off and made my way to Brawlers' Cave. It was a bit of a hike through damp and humid fields, but I felt it'd be worth the trip. At least, that's what I thought, but things sounded… unusually quiet. My footsteps were alone here.

Even when I peeked into Brawlers' Cave, all it had were the echoes of my presence. I kicked a pebble into the river, the water rippled, and then nothing. No Chansey, no Woobat, not even any Golduck.

"I was wondering why I heard someone else here."

Gah! I quickly turned around at the sound of the lady's voice. Thankfully, rather than Mustard, the bright green top I was greeted by belonged to Honey. And she somehow snuck up on me. When did she get this close?

"E-Erm, hello, Miss Honey!" I quickly stammered out, thankfully adding the miss part otherwise it would've been even more awkward. "I was just… here to train. Yep. Just looking for Chansey."

She held a hand to her mouth and giggled. "No need to be so nervous. We're used to our patrons visiting without prior notice. My dear Mustard and I just take it as a good sign of the island's popularity." Oh, right, I almost forgot Honey and Mustard were an item. She must've been older than she looked. "Speaking of him, he's resting right now since this is an off day. If you're looking to train, you'll want to head back to the dojo. I'll take you there."

Oh, phew. I wiped some sweat off my brow and followed Honey, feeling a bit relieved that Mustard wasn't around at least. Right now I just wanted to focus on my Gym Challenge instead of worrying about anything else, so training was back on the agenda.

As we passed back through the empty grass, Honey explained to me that this wasn't just a day off for the dojo students, but also for the Pokémon living here. It was a good thing she found me here when she did, because I likely would've been wandering aimlessly otherwise. I was lucky she was out here on a walk after a break from sparring with her Gallade. Or did she say she was sparring against her Gallade? She must've meant using it to battle someone… but I thought she said nobody else was around today? Weird.

Just as I thought, when I followed the nice lady back to the dojo, it was mostly empty, other than the sounds of a kid tinkering with something in the living room nearby. Then Honey led me through the doors to what I thought would be a backyard, until I saw the massive space and fencings where Pokémon of all kinds wandered. I recognized most of them as the wild Pokémon here, but they seemed… docile.

Honey must've noticed my newly astonished look. "I did mention this place was a bit of a sanctuary for Pokémon too, didn't I? Anyhow, you'll find the Chansey pen over there. If you or your Pokémon need a break, I'll be inside."

I gladly waved her off as she left me be, and I took another look at the fields of life that awaited me. If this was yet another ploy to get me to stay here longer, I could say it was starting to work. My confidence flared back up as I remembered what I was here for.

Okay, now it's time to train.

Progress was good, everyone was getting some much needed levels. The Chansey were pretty much punching bags as always, but they seemed fine with it and managed to keep getting back up. Thankfully they were also glad to help heal my team if needed because Twigs was running low on berries and Tilda somehow got hit in the face with another poison blast. Surprisingly, everyone seemed to be doing fine battling on their own and testing out their new moves, so I didn't really have much to do other than watch—I mean—continue to monitor everyone's progress, yep.

Even over the sounds of Bug Buzzes and Drum Beatings and Poison Jabs, I still managed to yawn. Yep… definitely monitoring…

"Didn't get much sleep?"

G-Gah! My eyes immediately shot open at the voice behind me. Second time today, come on! Thankfully it was just Spike.

He gave me an accusatory look. "I guessed as much. You're not usually the early riser, and it shows."

I quickly rubbed my eyes. "Come on, I'm trying my best. I've seen how serious Hop and Marnie are taking this stuff, so I need to up my game as well."

I saw what looked to be a grin on my Drednaw's face. "I can respect that. Though, my jaw is cold and sore from all the biting, so I think I'll just lounge by you for the time being."

I watched as he crawled closer to my leg and tucked his limbs in to lie down. For a moment, I remembered him doing this as a Chewtle, and I smiled. "You sure you don't wanna train some more with Tilda? I'm not saying you're a team favorite, but you both do have good moves for the Dragon Gym we're about to deal with."

He chuckled and glanced up at me. "She's tuckered out as well. Something about 'Chansey having too much special defense' or something. Our favorite Vileplume headed indoors earlier, said she wanted to learn more about Honey's son's Porygon."

I guessed I must've really been drowsy if I missed Tilda skipping off to do that. "Yep, that sounds like her." Though, I didn't even know Honey had a son. What is it with moms and hiding things for me to figure out?

I hummed in thought, my eyes narrowing at nothing in particular. I was a serious trainer now, definitely up there with the likes of Hop, Marnie, and maybe Bede, however he was doing. I needed to… actually act the part, like those strong trainers I saw on TV all the time. No more mysteries, no more doubting, all I needed were my badges, and my… yawn … Pokémon…

"So is that your best impression of Hook or something?"

I punched Spike's shell for that.

… ow. Okay, maybe I'm the one who needs the training.

Since Tilda and Spike already figured they were done training, I decided to watch over the rest of my team while brushing myself up on what strategies I was in for against Raihan.

Hook and Cress already seemed to be practicing their synergy well, which was good with how well they were getting along, but I had to stop one of them from tossing the Chansey away. Into the mountains. For fun. I had to do a lot of running to catch it and made a mental note to give my team a good talking to. When it came to checking up on Zap, I found him by the shore, staring at the sea. He was excited to show me this shovel he found, but things got messy when we got attacked by an angry Palossand.

And here I thought I was done with the sand… but knowing what I'm gonna be up against, the worst is yet to come.

When the time came for a proper break for all of us, needless to say I had to have Twigs' help to round everyone up. It's been a long day of training, and while my Rillaboom did offer to cook up something for dinner, I decided to head into the dojo for that. It was getting dark out, and I didn't wanna start any fires when there was a perfectly fine building to take shelter in.

"... this place brings back memories," Hook spoke quietly as we walked in. "Not exactly fond memories, but still memories."

"Oh right." I glanced at him. "You used to live here, didn't you?"

I caught my Slowbro widening his eyes for a second. "Cress must've told you." He sighed when he caught my knowing look. "Of course she did. Before you ask any more questions about that, I'm going to go to my corner so I don't have to answer them."

I chuckled with a sigh of my own as Hook stomped away to where the other Pokémon were eating. If I didn't know any better, him saying something like that would've also been a dead giveaway that he was from the Isle of Armor.

I peeked at the Pokémon corner to see a Porygon and an Aggron joining my team in their supposed eating circle. Seeing my Pokémon huddled around the Pokémon side of the main dojo area pretty much told me it was my cue to head to the human side. Er, the dining room, I meant. The kitchen was mostly empty, which was a bit jarring considering how long the table was, but there was at least a bowl of that red Max Soup waiting for me. My Pokémon didn't want any when I asked them, so more for me.

Doesn't seem like Honey's around…

I settled into my seat, staring into the soup that stirred up my appetite, until I heard the loud sound of slurping from the… large gentleman seated not too far. In my hesitation, I had to stare at his absolute lack thereof, what with the way he grabbed his bowl with two gloved hands and chugged it down. His bright orange jacket with pockets aplenty almost looked as loud as he was, and as I wondered if he was a construction worker or something, I glanced up at his black helmet.

Wait… could it actually be-

And that was when he slammed his now empty bowl back on the table, wiping the soup off of his beard with the biggest grin on his face.

"My compliments to the chef as always!" He whooped, bellowing with a voice so loud it could probably shatter something. "This Max Soup stuff is ultra-mega-tasty! Still can't get enough of it!"

The sheer boldness of this man stunned me where I sat as my thoughts picked themselves up. Oh wow, yeah, uh, he's definitely not the mystery man. Last I remembered, mystery man was subtle, pale, and not nearly as robustly built or loud as this guy was. Yet, that helmet was unmistakably distinct, so I couldn't help but stare as he left the table and stomped away as if he didn't even know I was there.

And then, as if realizing, he suddenly whipped around to stare at me. "Whoa, you were so small I almost didn't see ya there! You here for the Max Soup too, little fella?"

L-Little fella? With how tall he was to the point where he had to stand hunched to see me, I would've been intimidated if it weren't for his absolutely jolly demeanor. I cleared my throat. "Y-You could say that, sure." Though, the more I stared at him, the more I started to realize there was something else about him that looked familiar. Is it his eyes or something?

"Fellow kid of culture, I see! Makes me wish my darling daughter saw eye to eye with me as well!" He started guffawing to himself, enthusiastically pumping one fist before the other, though I didn't know why he found the need to laugh. "Hope you don't eat too much, you know the warnings. Pure Dynamax energy is tasty and all, but if it gets into your bloodstream then it gets nasty! Least, that's what my buddy tells me."

He continued laughing to himself while I just blew at my spoon. As I finally took a sip of flavor, I noticed my Dynamax Band glow with energy again. The big guy seemed to eye it as well, his smile shifting for a second. At that moment, with how inquisitive his stare looked, the shape of his beard reminded me a lot of a certain somebody else, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

So he has a buddy, huh? I wonder… I glanced back up at his helmet. "You know, you actually kinda remind me of someone I've seen before-"

"That bloke, huh?"

He was suddenly standing back at his full height, hands disappearing into his pockets with his smile immediately fading. His stare was heavy, his tone disgusted, as if I said something I shouldn't have.

"Well, would ya look at the time!" And then he jerked back to his jolly self and pumped his fists as if nothing happened. "The tundra calls, and those adven-tours ain't gonna finish themselves! Good luck with that Gym Challenge of yours, kid!"

But before I could say anything more, the man had already bounded his way across the room and left through the main doors. In just the time it took me to stand up from my chair, he had already disappeared. No way was I going to catch up to him at this rate.

I'm starting to think this island is cursed or something to just keep leaving me with questions…

I blew out a sigh and slumped back into my chair. If there really was something bigger happening behind the scenes, clearly it wasn't any of my business. Through my fogged up glasses, my reflection in the hot soup stared back at me, just as clueless.

Seeing myself like this, I gave my reflection a reassuring smile. "Well, that was weird. Not much to do about it, right?" My wavy reflection nodded back. "Right. Wondering won't get me anywhere. Guess this soup isn't gonna finish itself either while I'm at it. Yeah."

Author's POV

"... so mate, you're telling me in the time it took me to get through Spikemuth, you somehow got three badges in one day?"

"Mhm."

Hop crossed his arms, eyeing Marnie as if sizing her up. "You must've had to run a marathon. Are you sure someone as dainty looking as you can run that far?"

"Wasn't my first time around Galar, so I was able to fly around as much as I wanted…" Still, Marnie frowned. "But I'm hardier than I look, y'know! I'm no stranger to headin' out like you lot. I'll have you know I even played some mean sports back home!"

"That's fair." Hop grinned, leaning his head back in his hands. "I guess I'm just used to being around Flare and how easily winded she gets. You should've seen her back in Postwick."

"I'm still here, you know."

She gave both Hop and Marnie some good nudges for that. The morning streets of Hammerlocke livened up at the sounds of their laughs and arguing as they discussed the challenge that was to come. They all had seven badges, already wearing their uniforms, and soon enough, they all stood with their eyes up towards that final frontier.

Standing at the center of Galar, Hammerlocke Stadium's presence was distinctly different from the rest of the Gyms. Rather than presenting the type's symbol on a large dome of a stadium, there was a more classic flourish to the entrance. Past the castle's banners and archway stood a tall dome that resembled a colosseum, with wing-like structures and a tall tower protruding above.

Marnie's gaze lingered at the peak. "That's pretty high up, innit? You don't think that's where our Gym battles will happen, do you?"

Hop shook his head. "That's something else. I've read that this building is kind of multi-purpose, with some sort of main power plant here too. But I don't blame you for thinking that, the way the whole thing looks to be fashioned after a large dragon statue makes it look mighty formidable."

Flare gave the wing-like protrusions odd looks. "Dragon…? Looks more like a Sigilyph to me."

Hop looked her way with a determined grin. "Dragon or Sigilyph, we have to make sure we're prepared for anything that Raihan can throw at us! You checked what Raihan's team this week is, right?"

Flare nodded back with a similarly sure look. "I made sure to study up on this like you guys did, so don't count me out just yet."

Marnie was puzzled. "His… what?"

Hop whipped out his blue Rotom phone and got to scrolling. "That Raihan is a wickedly strong trainer, but he's also a social media star, so there's a bit of a trick to figuring out what team he'll use. You'll catch it if you look at his recent posts right… here."

Marnie stared at the screen as Hop showed it to her, but as she narrowed her eyes at it, her confused look didn't change. "This is just a picture of a sandstorm."

"Actually, that's a picture of his Flygon!" Flare happily chimed in. "Raihan just has trouble taking good pictures of it."

"That's right!" Hop nodded at her with similarly bright eyes. "Looks like we're all up to speed with what weather he's in the mood for today."

Flare smiled as her thoughts recalled her Pokémon. "I know just who to use for this."

Marnie crossed her arms. "This is news to me. Still, I'll make something work, you'll see. Didn't come all this way for nothin'."

"That's the spirit!" Hop turned to them with pumped fists before he turned on his heel to the grand stadium ahead. "Alright, enough preparation, it's go time!"

With shared resolve, the three of them proceeded inside, where the building's narrow corridor awaited them. A wide carpet of blue and red beckoned them forward, and the three steadfast trainers glanced at the elevator with the 'out of order' sign on it before proceeding.

"... huh. Okay." Hop returned to the other two after asking one of the building's league staff about it. "Looks like the recent incident left some parts of the facility out of commission. The Gym Challenge part is being held in the secret Hammerlocke vault room. Doesn't seem like we can take it together like we did in Motostoke."

"So that means we'll have to take turns?" Flare asked.

"Seems like it." Hop nodded before grinning. "In that case, I nominate personal underdog Flare to head in."

"Wait, underdog? Me?"

"I second it." Marnie had a sly grin as she added that. "You're the first one who made it here with all seven badges, after all. It's only fair."

"W-Well, okay, if you guys say so." Flare blushed as she combed at her hair, still not quite used to the pedestal she was held at. "But are you sure-"

But they were already pushing her out, shoes dragging across the pavement as Flare's flimsy protests melted under her friends' encouragement. She tried flailing, but deep down, she could feel the burning zeal of her team from within her satchel and steadied her energy towards the facility she was drawing closer to.

When the time came, Hop and Marnie drew back, rubbing her shoulders and giving her pats on the back to psyche her up as they did.

Flare chuckled as she gently nudged them aside so the way ahead was clear. "You sure you guys don't wanna head in first?"

"No pressure and no worries, mate." Hop grinned with a wink. "Try to take your time and all, because I'll need it to help Marnie catch up with all the Raihan battle tips I've studied."

She elbowed him for that, and as Hop doubled over in surprise, Marnie gave Flare two thumbs up. "We'll be fine. Actually, maybe not him, but I'm still cool with you goin' on 'ead."

Flare chuckled as she stepped forward, through the heavy doors of the supposed Raihan museum. She thought about the embarrassment the souvenir shop brought her and figured she'd try repaying Raihan in full with a humiliating defeat. The thought spurred her towards the upwards staircase, each large step feeling like a momentous milestone of her journey so far. It was just her and her team now.

She headed up and into the large open room where the ancient tapestries hung, except this time it wasn't Sonia waiting for her. Raihan was leaning on the other end of the room with a trio of Gym Trainers, and he looked up from his phone as Flare walked in.

"Hey, I know you." Raihan tucked his hands in his jacket pockets as he calmly walked up to her. "One of the two trainers Leon endorsed. He rang me up earlier and told me about the incident. With everyone dropping out recently, I didn't expect someone like you to face me so soon. You must have some real hubris."

Flare recognized the calm and almost relaxed way Raihan spoke. She knew how laid back he was outside of battle, so he faced him with her burning conviction to try and draw out his fiery side. "My team and I have gone through a lot to get here. We don't plan on giving up now."

"That's what I like to hear." Raihan nodded lazily, eyes already back to his phone. "Let's see, how many Gym Challengers are left again? Huh... Not even ten, eh?"

That absolutely narrowing number shook Flare where she stood, yet she held her ground.

"All right then! Time to explain the great Raihan's Gym mission!" Raihan spoke louder, stepping back to his corner. "The venue could've been more exciting, but some complications came up. Anyway, the rules are simple! All you've got to do is defeat three Gym Trainers that I personally trained—in Double Battles! All at once!"

The three trainers stepped forward, and Flare noticed that they looked to be youths who could be around her age, as well as her skill level. And on the other end of the room, she caught a hint of Raihan's dangerous smirk.

"You still up for it?"

Flare took a deep breath and reached for her Pokéballs. She could feel their unwavering energies match hers. They were all ready, and so was she. "With what we've gone through, we're pretty much up for anything."

Even as the three trainers sent out their Pokémon in the wide space of the area, Flare wasn't intimidated by the sheer number of Pokémon they had to face. She read up on enough Hammerlocke Gym articles to know she would have to endure several weather teams, and she trained up her team's synergy for just such a moment.

The air around the room practically transformed with the different breezes flowing through it, one side with hail, one with sun, and one with rain. Flare stood amidst a potentially chaotic battlefield, but her focus remained as steady as it could as she tried to keep her eyes on everyone. Twigs and Zap braved the incoming Pelipper and Sliggoo rain combo with their musical prowess and prepared a Drum Beating Overdrive combo themselves. Cress fought back the Abomasnow's pelting hail with a Bug Buzz blast while Hook grappled with a Hakamo-o. As for Spike and Tilda…

They only had a third of the room to fight in, but in that space, they were faced with the most sweltering sun. The Turtonator faced them with a taunting gaze, the spikes on its shell glowing bright as its heat intensified from the Ninetales' Drought.

"That's a Shell Trap!" Tilda leapt into the action, running faster in the sunlight, and shot a Moonblast forward in an attempt to stop the Turtonator. The Ninetales directed its attention away from her and aimed at Spike with eerily floating flames. Tilda's eyes widened and she hurriedly ran back. "Spike, watch out!"

The Drednaw readied a move in retaliation, but could only gasp in shock when the Vileplume suddenly dove in front of him. The searing fireballs seemed to seep into her as she yelped, and her body stumbled across the ground from how she leapt.

Spike could only stare at the flickering flames on her petals for a moment before he felt the urge to snarl at his adversaries. The flames that lingered where Tilda fell seemed to ignite a guttural rage within him. "You… you will regret this!" He almost roared.

He reared back and stomped with such force that left the ground crumbling. Rocks flew from where he struck the ground, some the size of boulders, rolling and leaping across the area like a vicious shockwave. And like a wave, the Rock Slide briefly towered over both the Ninetales and Turtonator before burying them in a relentless landslide.

Spike huffed in gravelly breaths, staring down the roasting heat before registering the silence from Ninetales' end. He quickly looked to where Tilda was, gasping again when he saw her getting back up. Seemingly unhurt, at that.

"Tilda!" He ran up to her. "Are you-"

She smiled at his concern. "Spike…" She stopped for a second to pat out the simmering burns on her petals. "You know that was just a Will-O-Wisp, right? I couldn't let you get weakened, you're the one who's supposed to deal with those Fire types."

"Oh." Spike immediately calmed down, taking a second to register the spontaneous relief. And as he caught his breath, his worry melted into the urge to laugh. "So you're fine."

Although caked with dust, Tilda's smile was warm. "Nothing a Burn Heal can't fix. Though I think that attack might've burned away some of the spot patterns on my flower…" While she stared sadly at one of her petals, her eyes lit up as she recalled something. "Oh! That Turtonator should still be prepping its Shell Trap. But we should be fine as long as you didn't… hit it with a… physical attack…"

Their combined horrifying realization had their gazes follow the trail of rocks that Spike left with his attack. While the Ninetales was already knocked out, its Drought was still active, and right nearby, a Turtonator slowly clawed its way out of the debris. Its shell continued glowing with a scorching intensity that rivaled the sun, the imminent explosion growing hotter and hotter, until all of a sudden, the heat fizzled out into harmless smoke.

The suspense practically left Tilda breathless as she saw the crumpled Turtonator fall back down. "Oh thank goodness your Rock Slide made it flinch."

"Phew." Spike was racked with the rush of panic and relief as well, though he still managed to stand his ground. "That got a bit too heated. I'll just fix that."

A quick stomp sent a Liquidation shockwave forward, and like a cool rush of water, it washed the Turtonator away, extinguishing the Drought as it did. The battle was over.

As the room's harsh sunlight faded, so did the drizzle of rain and the freezing winter hail, leaving Flare to take a weighty sigh as everything calmed down. Her eyes watched how her Pokémon's electric blasts, psychic impacts, and water waves finished the fight, and she would've collapsed with relief if she wasn't in the middle of rummaging for healing potions. Watching everything daring and thrilling unfold had her heart leap several times over, and as all six of her Pokémon returned to her side, she desperately wanted to hug them all and let them know how well they did. But of course, she knew the fight wasn't exactly over.

As Raihan's chosen three withdrew their fainted Pokémon, the man himself walked out from the smoke with a slow round of applause. Raihan's stare was widened with intrigue, and his impressed grin was sharp.

"Finally, a challenger made it! You showed your teamwork and strength well, number 71. Consider me impressed. Now, time to head to the Gym Stadium. You've earned the right to face me yourself!"

Flare's POV

I didn't expect to be led back to the stadium by Raihan himself, as if I wasn't already nervous. Having to deal with that half hot, half cold, all wet Gym Challenge of his had me sweating for every reason I could think of, but at least Hop and Marnie weren't there to watch. On the way back I saw them battling by the nearby park, occupied in the throes of battle. I took out a few of my Pokéballs and sprayed them with more Hyper Potions for good measure.

Hopefully they're still up for one more battle. I continued to go over my game plan as I followed behind Raihan, his taller self casting an imposing shadow over me.

Before I knew it, we were back under the archway, back in the colosseum's hallway, past the 'out of order' elevator, and to the separate entrances leading to the actual stadium. Raihan took the path to his, and I did mine, leaving me in the same familiar corridor leading to the crowds and battlefield that awaited me.

I took a deep and silent breath, remembering all the other times I stared down this path to greatness. I endured blooming nature, vortexes of water, and flaming infernos. Surpassed all-out fighting spirit, twinkling magic, crushing rock, and even the eclipsing darkness of fading neon lights. All that was left was number eight, the devastating typhoon master that awaited me.

Wouldn't be the first storm I've braved.

Even if I was somehow soaked and sweating and shivering at the same time, I smiled. Never in my life would I have expected to see myself like this, standing before Galar's best Gym Leader, which I only could've done after beating the other seven. At this point, I didn't know when my journey would end or how, but with all that I've dealt with, I had to admit I was truly a skilled trainer.

My growing confidence sped up my steps heading forward. The sounds of the waiting crowd grew louder, but I didn't slow down. I didn't want to keep them waiting. Earlier I had to have faith in my team battling on their own, but now I was ready to take the stage and lead them to victory myself.

The grand field had the same draconic reds and blues that the entrance had, and at its Pokéball-shaped center, I met Raihan. He was still his laid back self, but I remembered watching how fierce he'd get in the heat of battle. I'll be the one to bring that heat.

My confident look was met with his usual smirk looming over me. "I've been waiting for someone to battle, you know. I heard quite a bit about you from the other Gym Leaders, though I've got to admit I didn't think you'd get here so soon! But I guess I should've expected no less from a Pokémon trainer aiming to surpass Leon."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Surpass? I don't know if I'd say that."

Raihan laughed. "Funny you mention that. Whatever the case, he still saw promise in you, and do you have any idea how high a standard that is? As his greatest rival, I guess that I—Raihan—will have to show you!" His voice was growing louder now, and I prepared myself for the fierceness in his tone. "Gym Leader Raihan doesn't simply control the weather. He also seeks two-on-two battles! You must be prepared for any situation against a foe like him!"

And there he went, talking about himself in the third person. All I could think about was the museum, and it was no surprise someone as self indulgent as him would have something like that. I still stood confident in the face of his warnings, and as we walked to our respective sides of the field, I readied my Pokéballs. As I waited for the announcer's call, I saw Raihan's demeanor transform on the big screen, his floating Rotom phone swiveling around him as he bared his fangs.

"I'll have you know, this dragon can't be tamed!"

"Bring it!"

As Raihan's Pokémon curved onto the field from his throw, I hurled my two Pokéballs forward with one in each hand. Spike and Tilda took the field, where a Flygon swooped in near a Gigalith being sent out. As the giant Rock type landed, I felt the ground shake from its weight, and the air stirred with the sandstorm it kicked up.

"Let the winds blow!" I heard Raihan roar over the speakers, my ears catching what my eyes couldn't. "Stream forward, Sandstorm!"

As the sand whirled around me, I pushed my glasses closer to my face, thankful I had at least some sort of vision guard. Okay, Flygon and Gigalith. I prepared Spike and Tilda just for this. Tilda might have had a problem with the harsh sands, but Spike felt right at home. I wouldn't be able to speak much with such a violent storm, but I had faith that they'd be able to sense my commands.

Gigalith was an easier target for Tilda, and I had her close the gap against it so she could land her Giga Drain. The weather would hurt her in the process, but at least she'd be healing herself. I then kept a close eye on Flygon, who continued swerving around the arena as it closed in on Spike. Come on, just like we planned.

In the blink of an eye, the Flygon lunged at Spike with an electrified fist. He briefly buckled from the Thunder Punch to the face, but I knew he was rugged enough to take it.

Ice Fang!

Spike chomped down on the Flygon's arm before it could get away, and even from where I stood, I felt the sudden chill he emitted from his bite. The Flygon crumpled to the ground, and Spike headbutted it away.

Good, that's Flygon down.

I focused my attention on how Tilda was doing, squinting past the breeze to see her twirling in the Gigalith's Sand Tomb attack. This wasn't her first rodeo with these kinds of trapping moves, so I knew it was only a matter of time before she broke free. And just when I thought about it, her spinning self leapt free and lunged at the Gigalith, even managing to kick the back of its head before she latched on and Giga Drained away.

Two down. I would've breathed a sigh of relief, but my adrenaline knew there was more. Two more to go.

Right when I thought the sandstorm was starting to fade, Raihan sent out his Sandaconda, which promptly sneezed out another violent dust storm. For a Dragon Gym Leader, I noticed Raihan had more Ground types than expected. Nothing Spike or Tilda couldn't easily deal with, of course.

But what I dreaded was the sheen of shining metal that entered the field. Sandaconda would likely be an easy target, but Raihan's Duraludon would be another story. His ace Pokémon. As Raihan was Leon's rival, Duraludon was Charizard's. And now I had to think of a plan before Raihan could Gigantamax it.

Spike… or Tilda? Spike or Tilda? On one hand, Spike does know a super effective move, but Tilda's special attacks might work better. But… even if I Dynamax one, what if the other one becomes a target?

"Dynamax Tilda." Through the sandstorm, I caught a glimpse of Spike looking back at me. "I don't want her to get hurt because of any more collateral damage, so let her take that thing head on. I'll deal with that snake from down here."

That does seem to be the safer option… I wanted to see what Tilda had to say, but it looked like she couldn't speak over the whirling sand.

"Bring the storm! My partner will send everyone in the stadium flying!"

That's Raihan's signature line! I hurriedly glanced at the screen to see him already snapping a selfie of himself with a Dynamax Pokéball on his shoulder. I had to act now.

Narrowing my eyes through the sand, I brought Tilda back into her Pokéball as the Dynamax energy from my wrist flowed into it.

"Weather or not, here I come!" I choked out my one liner the best I could, right before letting my Dynamaxed Vileplume take the field.

Both our Pokémon landed with an earth rumbling force, and looming over me, Tilda, and even the whole storm, I caught the brazen blue glow of Raihan's Duraludon. It literally towered over us, and I had to gulp at the formidable sight.

"That's not even how the saying goes!" Raihan's voice boomed from somewhere up above.

Almost instantly, the walking building stomped over and punched Tilda in the face with a pointy metal arm, knocking her back. It happened so quickly I didn't even have time to think of a move.

And in my befuddled state, I noticed where Raihan's voice was coming from. On the big screen, as plain as day, Raihan stood proudly, not on the ground, but atop his Duraludon's head.

He's never done that before…! I didn't even know what to say in my shock. "A-Are you even allowed to do that?!"

I could hear Raihan cackling. "You're in the final stretch of the Gym Challenge, don't you know? If you can't go big, go home!"

The ground shook again. Steel spikes erupted from the ground, rushing Tilda's way. Max Steelspike! As if that initial surprise punch wasn't enough, the barrage of spikes going for her would've made her fall over if she wasn't shielding her face.

I pulled out a Hyper Potion and landed a spray before Tilda could stumble. I made sure to shoot an extra spray towards Spike just in case. If that's what Raihan thinks is fair, then let's just give him a taste of his own medicine!

As the massive steely thorns faded, I had Tilda rush forward towards the Duraludon, lowering her flower for a direct headbutt. The impact against steel didn't do much, but what I really wanted was to surprise him with a point-blank attack.

Max Starfall!

The starry mist blast shot out of the flower and hit right at the giant tower's glowing blue center, with the direct hit causing it to stagger slightly. Yet, Raihan's fierce grin still lit up the stadium screens.

"Let's do it… Time for our G-Max Depletion! Our dragon's roar will cut right through you!"

And that's Raihan's signature move! With Tilda up close, she had no choice but to take the full brunt of the attack. Both Duraludon and Raihan roared to the skies, and as they did, a massive tornado of red and black tore open through the ground where Tilda stood. The twister shook the ground with such force that had me shielding my eyes, but even then I could see how it surrounded Tilda and threatened to rise higher to consume her entirely. It grew larger, rose higher, shredding the earth and air around it, up until it suddenly vanished.

The G-Max Depletion was gone, but Tilda was still there, visibly shaken but still standing big and strong.

Yes!

I had a feeling this would happen, and I could tell from Raihan's confused mug on the big screen that he didn't. As if on cue, the sandstorm all around us vanished, revealing everything on the field. Mainly Spike standing over a vanquished Sandaconda, amidst a field of cloudy mist generated from Tilda's last attack. With the sandstorm gone, the mist active, and my two Pokémon still standing, things were looking back up for us.

"Weakening our best move with some Misty Terrain, eh? Very clever." And despite it all, Raihan still flashed his beastly grin, still standing formidably on his Pokémon's head. "And leaving me outnumbered two to one? I was worried about this being a run of the mill battle, but not anymore! Oh yeah, this'll be one to remember!"

With Raihan's weather gone and in my favor, I could finally call out my commands properly. "Tilda, Max Starfall! Spike, Dig!" Now that we had the advantage, we needed to strike hard, and fast.

Tilda hurled another star projectile ahead, striking the Duraludon's wide glowing area and reeling it slightly backwards. At the same time, Spike leapt up from the ground next to her, surrounded by an earthly aura and using a rock pillar to help boost him up.

"Throw me!"

My Dynamaxed Vileplume did just that, catching his shell midair sending him sailing forward, hurtling like a meteor. It was an unconventional way to land a Dig strike, but that's just the way we rolled!

"We won't be shaken so easily!" Raihan called out from the mist. "Max Knuckle!"

Duraludon stepped forward from the mist, rearing back a metal arm as Spike flew closer. To my horror, I didn't realize what he was doing until Duraludon slammed its arm into Spike's shell with a critical impact, hurtling him back towards us. I had to duck as he skidded across the ground and into the wall behind me. No!

"Spike!" Tilda and I both yelled. I wanted to turn back and make sure he was okay, but my attention was caught by Raihan cackling again.

"You almost got me there! Didn't even notice your little Drednaw disappearing into the ground!"

I clenched my fists, staring right up at the laughing little speck atop Duraludon's head. "Well maybe you would've noticed if you were more down to earth!"

Tilda had enough in her for one last Max Starfall, and I wanted her to really hit where it hurt. This time, instead of the big building's sturdy body, I had her shoot the star towards Duraludon's face. Into that gaping, roaring mouth, just because we could.

"Whoa, hey-"

Raihan didn't have time to spit out another quip before my attack exploded and he was forced to hold on to the body of his shrinking Pokémon. Tilda shrank back to normal as well, and as I watched all the mist clear, I let myself release an exhausted breath.

It's over.

As much as I wanted to revel in the atmosphere of the cheering crowd or the shocked announcer, my priorities were focused on something else.

"Spike-"

"You called?"

Even though I saw him being Max Knuckled just seconds earlier, Spike had already hobbled back to me and Tilda. I didn't even finish turning around before I noticed him back at our side. The top of his shell looked a bit battered and cracked, but he was here.

"What's that look for?" Spike coughed, but he still looked at me and Tilda with a chuckle. "Yeah, that attack hurt like hell, but I wasn't gonna go down to some building monster. My shell's armor is too tough for that."

I was still hung over at the part where he was alright. I pulled out a Hyper Potion and sprayed his shell with it, and as I bent down to do that, Tilda knelt by his side to wrap her arms around him. It was an adorable sight, and I had to go "aww" at their hug.

"Alright, alright, I'm glad you're okay too." Spike tried playing it off with modesty as well, a tactic I was all too familiar with. I still caught his smile as he looked up at me. "Just put me back in the Pokéball already so I can take a breather."

"Oh, me too." Tilda waved at me. "Being big and strong is nice and all, but taking it easy is great too."

I chuckled at them. "Okay, you guys." I took out their Pokéballs and did just that. I won the battle, so I didn't really need them out anymore.

I won the battle.

The sounds of the cheering crowd finally settled in as I got back up. I actually won. I know I spent all this time planning and preparing for this, but it was still bizarre to me that I actually won. Against Raihan. I had Tilda shove a giant star down his Duraludon's hatch and won. And then I realized I probably knocked Raihan off of an exploding building and sent him falling several stories, which was actually horrible.

I quickly ran back to the center of the field, and for some reason, he was fine. Still standing with that smug grin and that jacket with pockets and that… dumb hat. He found my shock worth laughing at, and I wasn't sure whether to punch him or… not punch him.

"You know, pulling that off, I'm starting to remember why the league doesn't advise doing that stunt. It was a good thing I revived my Flygon on the way down." Raihan laughed, as if he didn't just go through a death defying drop. "Come on, don't scowl at me like that. I might as well live a little with the peak I'm at, right?"

I decided to punch him for that, for the heart attacks he gave me twice now. Except it was like his jacket absorbed my blow, and while he clutched his stomach, it was only because he laughed even harder at that. I sighed, but eventually he had to do the same when he stopped his laughter to catch his breath.

"Whew, what a battle, though." When Raihan stood back up, he wiped a tear from his eye before leaning his head back in his hands, briefly gazing upwards. "In the aftermath of that furious battle… I feel as pure and refreshed as when the sky clears after a storm. What can I possibly say? Maybe I've grown conceited and overconfident over the years." He was back to his calmer self, though there was still a hint of pride in his smirk. "But I've lost enough matches against Leon to know when it's not my time to shine. Right now it's yours, so I'll give you what you came here for. The proof of your victory—the Dragon Badge!"

He extended his hand towards me, and although I wasn't too pleased with how he probably scared all of Galar with that stunt, I accepted it. His grip was firm, but I still looked him in the eye, confident in myself, confident in my skills, and confident mainly because I actually managed to beat him. He was taller, more fit, more charismatic and popular, yet I still managed to actually beat him. It wasn't easy, but me and my Pokémon actually did it.

My grin must've been showing, because even after Raihan left that badge in my hand, he found the need to snicker at me.

"Congrats on being the first trainer that isn't Leon to beat me during this Gym Challenge." I looked up from my gloved palm to see Raihan's face against the blue skies. He stayed silent for a second, as if thinking about something. "Tell you what. I might have lost, but there's no denying I still look good. Just for the occasion, wanna snap a quick selfie to remember this?"

The very idea of taking a picture with internet celebrity and famous Gym Leader Raihan melted my pride and had me shaking my knees more than I did when the ground shook earlier. "U-Um, I mean, sure, but-"

"Perfect! Now show the camera that winning smile!"

W-Wait, I'm not ready-

Yet I didn't have enough time to do so much as fix my hair before Raihan lifted his phone up and snapped. I finally got a picture with a Gym Leader, and all I probably had was a flabbergasted look to show for it.

I found it amusing, if not super embarrassing. Eight badges in and I'm still not any better at getting ready for pics…

"Priceless." Of course Raihan was laughing up a storm about it as he stared at his phone. "Yeah, I think I'll ask the rest of my challengers for selfies like these, that oughta motivate them to get over here and battle me already. Now as for you!" He placed a large hand on my shoulder and guided me towards the corridor out. "You've collected all of the Gym Badges from the Galar region, number 71, Miss Eon, daughter of Vincent and Judith! By now you must know where your next stop is, making it all the way to Wyndon so you can give the crowds more unforgettable battles! You owe us that much at least, for beating me and my team in battle here today!"

Prideful as he was, Raihan's powerful words psyched me up for the next and final stop of my journey. I walked through that exit corridor, holding my badge, and admiring the shining dragon symbol before sliding it in with the rest. It locked into place, leaving me with a complete disc of all the types I conquered to get here. Grass, Water, Fire, Fighting, Fairy, Rock, Dark, and now Dragon. And all thanks to me and my team. At that point, I felt practically unstoppable. My steps picked up in pace as Raihan's words bounced giddily in my head. Wyndon, make it to Wyndon and… battle.

… wait, what did Raihan just call me earlier?

Okay, so while I would've liked to stick around longer, my uniform was a sandy mess at that point and I really needed to get properly cleaned up. At least, that's what I thought, but when I retreated to my hotel room, I wasn't nearly as messy as I thought. My clothes seemed almost fresh as if they were just washed and they smelled faintly of… fairy mist?

My thoughts went back to Tilda's Max Starfall. What do you know, fairy magic is surprisingly more effective than I thought.

I still took another shower after that just for good measure. Though the idea of what I just accomplished almost made me slip again.

Eight. That's like… four famous people, twice! And I beat that many famous people!

As soon as I got properly changed into my favorite jumper trousers pair, I checked out and hurried over to the Pokémon Center where my Pokémon were healing. I could pat myself on the back all I wanted, but I knew who the real stars of this operation were.

"You guys!" The second I let them out from their Pokéballs, we all bounded to the streets, still giddy. "We actually did it! You were all so amazing out there!"

I really was proud of them all, and just like how I couldn't believe how many badges I had, I was still surprised at how strong my team had gotten. But I was still super proud all the same. I tried my best to get them all in a group hug while I praised them all, because they really were absolutely amazing earlier. Seeing Hook actually join us for the group hug was just the cherry on top for how far we've come.

I let Zap hold my complete circle of badges while Tilda joined him in staring at it, looking just as bewildered as I was when I first saw it. The rest of the team joined in, pointing at the badges they helped get. It was mostly Tilda.

Cress buzzed over to perch on my head. "So does this mean we're absolutely invincible now? Are we the strongest team that's ever lived?"

It was an amusing thought, but… "Not exactly. Leon still exists. But now that we have eight badges, there is still one more city waiting for us." I turned my head so Cress could see where we'd go next. "Wyndon."

"That's pretty small for a city. It looks more like a building to me."

I chuckled again. "It's just the train station, Cress. We'll have to head to northern Galar for that, and that's where we'll find the best trainers in the region." I plucked her away from my hair so she could buzz back to Hook's side.

"Not sure why we hafta go lookin' for the best, lass." Twigs combed through my hair before poking my face. "Already found her right here."

As flattering as her compliments were, I tried to shrug them off. I still needed to wait for Hop and Marnie to get their badges as well, and they were probably super strong by now.

I made my way to the train station, where I stayed in the lobby with all the food stalls about. My team deserved a good helping of whatever they wanted, so I made sure to treat them to it. Not sure how Hook's Shellder was supposed to eat, but he seemed to order extra, so I figured he had that under control.

One more chippy meal before we hit the road… Though for that, I had to take a quick trip to the Hole in the Wall for some takeout.

As I indulged, I made sure to keep track of the Hammerlocke Gym broadcast on my phone so I could watch how Marnie and Hop were doing. I was immediately enraptured as I saw how each of them went about their Gym battles, and I silently cheered them on. It paid off, because they both ended up securing victories. They were both exhilarating to watch, just like the trainers on TV, and my excitement only grew as I heard a pair of footsteps heading my way.

"Here we are again!" Hop pumped both of his fists with that trademark grin. "A real proper Pokémon posse, precariously prepared to procure pretty much- blegh, my tongue."

"Looks like we're all even now, aren't we?" Marnie smiled, a hint of growing eagerness in her voice. "Now I can't wait to properly kick your butts once the time comes!"

Hop contested her glare with one of his. "Don't get too cocky, mate! I was the one who told you how to beat Raihan, so I know a thing or two too!"

"Guys," I spoke in between chews with an exasperated look of my own. "The train won't be here for another hour. Let's not get too hasty here."

The both of them still seemed insistent on butting heads, but at least they simmered down enough to let me treat them to a meal. I knew the whole point of the Gym Challenge was to fight for that champion title, but sitting here and spending time with the friends I've made, I realized what this adventure was truly about. As we all started talking about what movies we could watch on the train, I started to wonder why my mom didn't make me go out on a journey sooner.

"... oh, but no adult rated stuff." Hop shook his head. "Flare hasn't been allowed to watch any of it before and probably still can't."

"Hey!" I protested, crossing my arms. "I'm just as old as you guys, you know! I can handle mature themes like… dead people and stuff."

Hop raised an eyebrow at me. "You don't even know what the word 'screw' means, mate."

"I do!" I slammed a hand on the table to assert myself. "It's the toolbox thing!"

Despite my correct answer, Hop and Marnie glanced at each other as if I was wrong. I faltered a little bit at their confused stares.

W-What else could it mean, then? "Is it… another word for 'kill' or something?"

Marnie just placed a gently caressing hand on my shoulder. "Sure."

Hop nodded alongside her, though for some reason his smile looked pitied.

I don't know why, but I feel like you guys are lying to me. Maybe it was how they looked like they were faking their smiles, but it wasn't like me to distrust my best friends, so I just smiled back.

"Oh, you're here! Just the people I wanted to meet!"

We all turned in our seats to see Raihan himself run up to us, and to see us, no less!

"Whoa, it's Raihan!" Hop leapt from his seat. "What're you doing here, wanting to see us? We just beat you, are you here for seconds already?"

"Not that. If I wanted a rematch, I'd have it in Wyndon." Raihan laughed again, almost tauntingly. "Nah, I'm here to see you guys off. You guys were some of the first to beat me this Gym Challenge, so I'm just fulfilling a Gym Leader formality."

"Well I assure you this won't be the last you'll see of this winning smile!" Hop stood on his seat, as if trying to tower over Raihan. "I'll just beat you again if I have to!"

Raihan chuckled, giving Hop a nudge that left him staggering. "Still nattering on about that, huh? Just like you never stopped nattering on through that entire battle… You're pretty different from the Champion in that!"

Raihan pointed to Marnie next. "And you, stoic powerhouse of Spikemuth! I've had my fair share of troubles against your brother, and even if you don't say much, I can tell your power is just as vocal as his! And as for you, the golden Eon!"

Me?

"You're tougher than you look, and it's no wonder you made it this far! I may have been holding back, but your strengths are all genuine, as proven by the Dragon Badges you won from me. You lot came at me with all the force of a raging storm, and even I was blown away!"

I remembered the way he staggered and teetered on his Duraludon's head after my final attack. Does he mean that figuratively or literally?

With a sudden intercom announcement, we all turned towards the station gates to see a train come in. That's our cue! I hurriedly picked up my satchel and made sure I had all my belongings.

Raihan laughed again as he watched us all scramble. "Best not keep Wyndon waiting! Listen up, you three! Battle your way through the Champion Cup tournament to face Leon! One of you ought to!"

"Got that right!" Hop glanced back at him as we all raced ahead. "And it'll be me!"

"As if!" Marnie shoved past him, trying to beat him to the gates.

And there they go again. I sighed, though I still found their bickering amusing. I kept up my pace with them while trying not to get in the way. If they don't stop fighting, I might have to take that champion spot for myself to get it over with already. I chuckled at the idea. The possibility was tempting considering how undeniably strong my team was now, but I quickly dismissed the thought. "H-Hey guys, wait up for me!"

Author's POV

As the trio of trainers headed off, it was back to the usual business in Hammerlocke. The narrow corridor in the stadium's lobby shook again as Raihan battled another challenger. His battles were always some of the loudest with his ruthless Double Battle combos, so much so that any passerby would fail to notice the other struggle that took place. Other than Raihan's battle cries, far, far below the lobby was the underground power plant, which echoed with its humming equipment and Rose's own frustrated shouts.

"Another incident?! You've caused yet another incident to the point where Champion Leon had to get involved?!" Chairman Rose paced around the metal floor, trying to maintain his suit's tie despite his fading calm demeanor. "How many more experiments do you even need?! If the region's state is declining like you say it is, then it'd be best if we wrapped this up before the grand Wyndon ceremonies!"

Before him stood two league staff members, their messed up hair haphazardly tucked into their caps while their shaded gazes remained unreadable.

"With all due respect sir, we only require so much time because we're trying to be efficient with the resources we have. All for the greater good, of course," one spoke.

"And our supply is horrendously lacking, if I were to be so blunt," the other continued. "Our Wishing Star output is drastically less than we estimated. When we consulted the digging sites, workers claimed a mysterious black helmeted individual went out of his way to take most of them before we could. However, we've discovered a particularly interesting breakthrough, and it involves our findings from our last artificial Dynamaxing experiments."

"Findings?!" Rose turned to them coldly. "What statistics could you have possibly gleaned, perhaps other than the sheer drop in challengers?!"

The two didn't waver, neither did their flat expressions. "Are you familiar with Challenger 71, sir?"

Rose paused for a second, already uneasy at such a question. "Yes, of course I know her. One of the trainers endorsed by Champion Leon alongside Challenger 189. Do you intend to play saboteur like you did with the last Gym Challenger you asked about?!"

One league staff member sounded almost amused. "Ironic you mention sabotage, chairman. You see, Challenger 71 coincidentally happened to be near two of the sites we experimented on. And when more trainers arrived on the scene to calm the storms, a certain individual also happened to appear there, but fled before he could be identified."

The other pulled out a tablet, displaying an image on it. "We dismissed it as sheer coincidence, until we looked over our video feeds from Route 7. Challenger 71 happened to be in even more grave danger than before, so a certain somebody popped in to protect her, and we managed to catch his appearance on camera. His black helmet matches the account we were told on the mining sites. Sir, I do believe we've found the saboteur, the anomaly responsible for messing with our experiments and holding back the Wishing Stars that were so rightfully ours."

Rose narrowed his eyes at the vaguely blurry image, making out the image of a man running away. The man's face was obscured by his shades, but that helmet had a distinct design that was almost familiar to him. His scowl deepened when he realized why. "That blasted Peony…"

The pair of men simultaneously raised their eyebrows at the comment. "Sir?"

"I want nothing to do with this man!" Rose yelled with harsh disgust. "Do not involve him in anything whatsoever!"

"But sir-"

"My decision is final!" Rose had already stormed off, taking the functioning elevator back up to the lobby.

The two staff members watched as the chairman disappeared, the elevator's hum growing distant. Then, when all was silent, they erupted into laughter.

"I don't know what that was all about, but that was simply such a wonderful scene, don't you think, oh brother of mine?"

"Yes, truly!" Their bodies racked in hysterics, voices echoing endlessly around the vast chamber. "Perhaps reaching that man's breaking point will be easier than expected! Delightful, yes indeed!"

The two consulted their tablet once more, which still displayed the picture of the man running away from Flare.

"And we're not going to listen to his 'final decision' when our anomaly is right in front of us, will we?"

"Heavens, no! All this time we've been looking for a way to draw our mysterious saboteur out to light, and I think the secret lies with that Challenger 71! Recall her eyewitness account to Milo about encountering a mysterious trainer in Turffield. Our anomaly, this mysterious trainer, Wishing Star thief, whoever he is, must be fixated on her for some reason, always arriving in her time of need!"

"True! But we mustn't trouble ourselves with the why! What we do know are the circumstances that draw him out! And draw him out, we will!"

"A splendid suggestion! Now, Route 10, was that where our dear Challenger 71 was headed? We'd best act quickly, for time has been kind to us so far!"

The two brothers smirked and snickered, their devilish grins reflecting off of the tablet's screen.

"Our plan is nearing fruition. All those years slaving away to Macro Cosmos has been leading up to our ultimate vindication. All thanks to us being deemed trustworthy for fishing up that meteor."

"Quite, quite. The time of reckoning is near. First, for that Chairman Rose."

"Then, those so-called heroes."