~{Author's Pre-Notes}~

(Sits alone in an office with two doors on each side, staring at a screen with three animatronics)

Hm? Oh, hi there! Didn't see you there! I'm sure you're ready for another chapter, are you? Heh, previously, Victor finally got the smooch he deserved! Oh, and won his second badge, but meh, not important.

(Peaks at the camera screen, seeing three animatronics still there.)

Haven't move... Hm? Oh anyway, now it's time for young Victor to meet up with Chairman Rose in their promised meeting to eat! I wonder what they'll talk about? And what'll happen after that? Let's find out now!

(Looks at the screen to see only two animatronics.)

...

Turns left to door and turns on light, revealing a bunny robot.

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah... Nope.

(Shuts door)

Answered Comments:

Mike3000jr: You can't wait, but you'll probably have to, lol. There's still going to be a lot of chapters before Sonia and her pokemon reunite. And as for Victor reuniting with Gloria, it's going to be an awkward reunion, hehe. Thank's for reading!

Lelouch of Zero: Not gonna lie, even I forgot that Victor hadn't officially caught Tesla in a Pokeball, heh. But then I had the bright idea of using the Friend Ball conveniently for him! Improvising at its strongest. And don't worry, Victor's friends won't just overlap him. They'll more or less be in the same spots they're in like the game whenever he encounters them. Thanks for commenting!

Astrogamer: Ah yes, good old anime auras. They will appear more like when Tesla powered up, it just seems like a thing to add to visualize power in a funny way.

FanFictionReaderIne: Thank's for your long feedback! I really am trying hard with these characters since in the original games many of them didn't get the justice and development they should've earned. And it's good to know that the combat isn't terrible, it's one of the things I feel nervous about writing in the fic. I'm happy you're really enjoying yourself, here's this next chapter!

Wolfy365: Whoa, calm down there bub, no need to blast everything in sight. And yeah, I actually did kind of base Tesla's personality out of Ash's Rowlet from the anime, just more serious and scary. And as for Victor and what's happening with him in Dynamax, we might need a more expert opinion to answer that question, hmmmm... I wonder who? And what, Ball Guy is a guy, lol. Yandere Scottish Gloria is best Gloria, never been done before! Haha! I hope you continue enjoying your experience here!

IanAlphaAxel: Thanks for the praise!


~{Hulbury Stadium Gym- 7:23PM}~

"Well... Ain't this a problem?"

Victor was rather overwhelmed by what he could only describe as a stampede of people. From Gym Challengers, normal citizens, and even the media had rushed into the Hulbury Gym, getting passed the league staff despite their struggles to hold them back. They had all gathered around Victor and started bombarding him with questions. Some of the group were confused, others excited, and some just straight-up furious.

"Challenger Victor! What's your relationship with Hulbury's Gym Leader, Nessa!?" A blonde, female reporter pushed through while her cameraman struggled to follow from behind.

"We met today, I helped her out with a problem, and now we're friends." Victor smiled.

"Why did Miss Nessa hug you like that!?" An infuriated man shouted while holding a banner of the model.

"It's just some playful teasing from her, I'm sure." Victor chuckled.

"Are you and Nessa a thing!?" A girl squealed in the crowd.

"Define 'thing.'" He replied with a question mark appearing over him.

"How can you be so close to Miss Nessa!?" Victor saw the infuriated man with Nessa's face painted on his belly.

"I... don't really know? All I did was listen to her." Victor shrugged.

"You little-!"

"Excuse me." A voice hissed behind the crowd.

Everyone had chills and became silent as they heard the voice. Victor saw people moving from the back of the crowd and knew someone was making their way to the front, piquing his interest.

When the front line of people dispersed, Victor saw the Chairman's secretary walking through looking as cold as usual.

"Oh! Oleana!" Victor smiled to see someone familiar, even if he didn't really talk to her. "I was just gonna head over to the Captain's Table!"

Oleana stopped in front of him and sighed, "Don't say that out loud. It'll bring unwanted attention to the Chairman."

"Ah, whoops." Victor mumbled.

"So Gym Challenger Victor has a meeting with the Chairman!? May we come along and-!"

Oleana turned to the reporter and gave an intense glare, "You are not permitted to be with the Chairman, only Gym Challenger Victor was invited."

"Um, can everyone stop calling me 'Gym Challenger?' Just Victor is fine."

The boy's words seemed ignored as Oleana turned back to him with a stoic look, "I don't like it when people keep the Chairman waiting. He's the type of man who gets downhearted if he doesn't take care of things right away. So I came to escort you there myself. Come with me. Alone."

The tone of her last word conveyed a hostile message to the rest of the group.

"Okay!" Victor smiled as he started following her out the door. No one was dumb enough to follow them out, as they knew that Oleana was a rather dangerous person and not only acted as a secretary to the Chairman, but also as his personal guardian.

When Victor stepped outside, he realized that the sun had already gone down on the horizon and the sky was already turning dark.

"Hm, I might be out late when I try to make it back to Motostoke..." Victor thought as he followed Oleana down the street.

It was only a short trip to the Captain's Table, but when the two got there, they saw a crowd of people already gathered in front of the restaurant, being held back by a few Pokemon League Staff belonging to Rose's company, Macro Cosmos.

"Oh, for the love of..." Oleana sighed before walking over to the entrance.

Victor stared in wonder as everyone just seemed to quiet down and make a path for Oleana by just looking at her.

"Man, she really does give off such a menacing aura." Victor admired.

They walked inside the restaurant, and Victor saw a bright blue theme among the place. But what caught his eye was the large window in the back of the room, giving a view of Hulbury Stadium.

"Ah, Victor! Let's celebrate your recent Victor-y. Get it?" Chairman Rose chuckled from one of the back tables.

Victor purposely ignored his joke while glancing over at him, instead taking note of the restaurant's lack of people. There was the restaurant staff in the place, but there wasn't anyone else besides Chairman Rose and Sonia in the back.

"Wait a minute, Sonia?" Victor processed.

The ginger beauty turned her head and noticed Victor come in with Oleana, making her smile as she stood up from her seat.

"Heya, Victor! Good to see you again!"

Victor's eyes lit up as he dropped his backpack and ran over to her.

"Soniaaaaa!"

The intelligent woman was caught off guard as the trainer jumped with his arms open, embracing her in a tight hug.

"Wha-!? What's this all of a sudden!?" Sonia exclaimed as she backed up, nearly falling over but holding Victor with a laugh.

She let go of him and Victor landed on his feet, gazing up at her with stars in his eyes.

"I had one of the most amazing days ever!"

"Well, apparently it must have been if it led you to jump at me like that." Sonia giggled.

"Ah, sorry. Got too excited." Victor laughed while rubbing the back of his head. He normally wouldn't have greeted her in such a manner, but after finding her Milotic and knowing that he was closer to making the woman happy, he couldn't help express his excitement for her the way he did.

"Well, aren't you two lovely?" Chairman Rose softly smiled. "Warms my heart."

Victor then turned his attention to Rose, approaching him eagerly. "Hey, Rose! there's so much I wanted to ask you ab- Wait, what are you wearing?"

Victor saw Rose's absurd getup and couldn't help but stare in a look that basically asked, 'are you serious?'

Rose took off his sunglasses and smiled proudly, "It's my disguise for when I go out in public. What do you think? Does it obscure my presence well?"

Sonia and Oleana both turned away with sighs.

"Rose, that's absolutely the worst disguise I've ever seen... And I haven't even seen any in my entire life."

"Oof." Sonia sweatdropped with an awkward laugh.

"Is... Is it really that bad?" Rose asked him, letting out an awkward chuckled of his own.

"Yup, and there isn't even a point for a disguise if you're gonna have Oleana beside you at all times, you should've thought of it more." Victor added.

The secretary nodded in agreement next to Rose, now typing away on a laptop.

"Ouch." Rose uttered out. "I do appreciate your honesty, though."

He then grabbed the menu by the side of the table, "Well, for now, how about you tell us what is it you did today while we order?"

"Can I have my pokemon out? I wanna show them all to Sonia." Victor asked, hopefully.

"But of course, be my guest."

"Well, I can already see one of them." Sonia giggled.

The group turned to Victor's backpack on the ground to see Tesla sleepily crawling out, having been stirred when his trainer tossed down his bag.

"Charja?" He sleepily gazed up at them.

"Whoops."

~{A Few Minutes Later}~

"And then I actually knocked the girl's Chewtle right off the edge and into the water below!" Victor explained as a waitress walked away with the group's menus.

Twilight was perched behind Victor's chair, Midori was sitting on Victor's shoulders with flowers around him from the pure happiness of evolving, Tesla was sleeping on Victor's lap, and Ace was actually standing away from the group, gazing out the large window with his hands in his pouch.

Victor had spent several minutes explaining what kind of day he had to the adults. He explained going with Nessa for her modeling shoot, riding atop a pokemon (although leaving out that it was a Milotic), explained to Sonia what troubles Nessa went through, and even said that he and Nessa 'hung out' in a few places to just have fun. He would've just said they went on a date, but he remembered what Nessa told him about mentioning it like that, so he referred it as something different.

"So... It sounds like you've really helped her." Rose felt glad, yet put on a sad smile. "It appears that I've caused some unnecessary stress for Nessa. I didn't mean to make her feel so conflicted."

"At least she's fine now! And then she went on that huge winning streak!" Victor gleamed.

Sonia looked baffled as she stared at Victor, shocked to learn just how much he had done for just one day. After hearing just how insecure Nessa was and pinpointing what caused it, he was easily able to help her get back on her feet. Sonia was her bestie, yet she was only able to offer some words of advice that didn't even seem like they helped the model.

"Wow... You're pretty amazing."

Victor turned to her looking flattered, "Heh, am I really? I think you would've said the same things if you were there."

Sonia smiled, "You think the best out of everyone, don't you?"

"Maybe I do." Victor grinned back.

"He really seems to 'bring out' the best out of everyone too... I wonder if that's how Gym Challenger Hop and Gloria stay strong?" Chairman Rose thought as he stared at Victor with a proud smile.

"Anyways..." The Chairman turned to Sonia. "How is Professor Magnolia getting along?"

Sonia turned to him rather surprised.

"Why bring up my grandmother all of a sudden?"

Rose folded his hands, "Well, I'm quite indebted to her, you know? She was the one who figured out the power of Wishing Stars and to use that power to Dynamax pokemon. We never would ever have been able to create Dynamax Bands without her."

"Wait, she was!? I thought she only studied Dynamax energy for a while! I didn't know that she basically discovered dynamaxing! That's amazing!" Victor exclaimed, leaning forward in his chair in awe.

Sonia couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows and put on a small pout.

"*sigh* Gran's doing fine..."

Victor picked up on annoyance in Sonia's tone, making him turn to her with an eyebrow raised.

"Any progress with her work?" Chairman Rose asked the professor-in-training, not picking up on Sonia's tone.

Sonia twirled her hair while trying not to look irritated.

"She just keeps saying things like there's still so much we don't know about dynamaxing. It's making her feel worried, so she made me take a Power Spot Detector with me when I started traveling..."

"Power Spot Detector?" Victor tilted his head.

Sonia giggled, "I thought the name would be self-explanatory. It's a device that detects Power Spots. Locations that emit Galar particles and allow pokemon to Dynamax."

"Er, I already had an idea of what it did, but I'm just curious why Professor Magnolia seems paranoid enough to have you take it?"

That made Sonia's smile slowly fade, then having her put on a small frown.

"Well-"

Suddenly, the lights in the restaurant started flickering, and there were many loud, ominous sounds in the distance.

"Huh!? What's going on!?" Victor glanced up at the lights struggling to stay on.

He and his pokemon then looked outside the window, and their eyes widened as they saw not just their lights flickering, but Hulbury's lighthouse, lamps, stadium, and homes all either had flickering lights or have appeared to have been turned off entirely.

He heard some panicking cries in the distance and watched as the people outside stopped and stared around at their surroundings.

Soon the entire city turned pitched black for a few seconds, and after a couple more, everything turned back on almost as if nothing had happened.

"A... A blackout?" Victor mumbled, stunned that this just happened.

Oleana and Sonia didn't look too surprised by the blackout, both just frowned to see it happen.

"That's why, Victor." Sonia told him.

"Huh?" He turned back to the assistant.

"It's not about finding Power Spots... it's about detecting how much energy is in them."

Victor's eyes widened, "Then... does that mean that the Power Spot in Hulbury just... lost power for a second?"

"It appears to be the case. We've noticed that it's been happening recently in a few towns." Oleana responded, getting back to typing.

Victor then turned to Chairman Rose, the cheerful man no longer smiling as he stared outside the window with a calm, yet contemplating expression.

Our hero remembered what Rose told him when he first arrived in Hulbury.

"But the point is, Spikemuth wasn't supposed to lose its energy for another 1,000 years. And yet, it suddenly lost power and became the wasteland it is today. So who's not to say that the same thing can happen to the rest of Galar? To lose their main source of power and send the region crashing down... I'm afraid of such an event suddenly happening, and I'm worried about it happening any time."

Victor looked down with a frown.

"So it's actually getting worse... Just like he said."

Chairman Rose turned his head to Sonia, looking more serious.

"Sonia, I hope you can share your findings of the Power Spot Detector when you travel through Galar. And it may be good for you to visit the vault in Hammerlocke. It'll benefit both you and I, as the history preserved there has information that can link to both Galar's legends and possibly the secrets of the Dynamax phenomenon."

"Thank you, I was planning on heading there anyway. And as for the Power Spot Director, I'll have to ask my gran about sharing what we find with you." Sonia answered him.

Victor was now silent as he turned from Rose to Sonia.

"It seems that even Sonia is aware of the sudden changes in the Power Spots... I guess it makes sense since Professor Magnolia studies them and Dynamaxing..."

"We're sorry about the sudden blackout, but your order is ready!" A waitress came, trying to look cheerful despite looking shaken up by the sudden event.

Midori, still on Victor's shoulders, gave his trainer a worried look. Twilight and Ace both narrowed their eyes while Tesla had actually opened up one of his eyes curiously. They all knew things were happening, but not for the better.

"And the one helping Rose with that is..."

Victor glanced back at the Macro Cosmo's president.

"Hey, Rose?"

"Hm?" The Chairman turned to him, forming a reassuring smile as their food was placed in front of them. "What is it, Victor?"

"Can you tell me about Bede?"

"Bede?" Chairman Rose tilted his head to Victor's request.

Victor nodded, "Yeah, I've been kind of curious about him. Because... I heard that he's been in an orphanage, and-"

Rose raised a hand to halt him, giving the boy a big smile. "I understand, Victor. You dearly care about your friends."

"I wouldn't say he's my friend..."

Victor lightly smiled.

"Yet."

"I'll tell you about Bede... once we get started on our meals." Rose chuckled, waving a hand at the seafood presented in front of them all. "I wouldn't want it to get cold, but it seems that your Charjabug is already taking measures to not let it waste, heh."

Victor looked down at what he was talking about and saw Tesla nibbling away at his plate of food in bliss.

"Nom! Nom! Nom!"

"Tesla!" Victor frowned while placing his hands on his hips.

Tesla looked up at him, looking genuinely confused.

"Charja?"

Victor and his pokemon sweatdropped while Sonia and Rose muffled a laugh.

"Let's order some more." The Chairman offered.


~{Meanwhile-?}~

"Intriguing..."

A man once more stared at his monitor in a dark room, his rainbow R reflecting the light from the screen. However, it wasn't the same room he had been in the previous time, showing that he had moved to a new location. Somewhere... closer to the events going on.

He stared at the subject of interest on the monitor, Victor.

He was rewatching the boy's fight against Nessa, watching him and his new additions to his team. He watched his Ralts take out two of Nessa's pokemon, then even evolving. Then he watched who he considered being quite a danger, his Charjabug fight with such fierce pressure.

However, what caught the man's eye was something that occurred at the peak of Victor's battle, which he was surprised to see.

He zoomed in on the battle footage right as Victor had Dynamaxed his Charjabug. He saw something barely noticeable from how far the Rotom-cameras were when they recorded, but what he saw was clearly out of the ordinary for normal Dynamaxing. Upon zooming in and rewinding, he got a clear look at what it was.

"His eyes... They changed?" He clicked a few things and watched as Victor visibly winced in pain, his eyes turning a bright pink for a second before he blinked and they changed back to brown.

He then watched more of the battle while paying attention to Victor, then noticing the veins near his Dynamax Band glow pink for a moment as well.

The man formed an evil smirk.

"I don't believe it... I didn't take Dynamax energy into account. And yet, his body is reacting to it? Amazing... Our first successful product, and he's already producing such amazing data. Now, I wonder... just what is this energy doing to his body?"

He pressed a button on his desk connected to a small speaker and waited a few seconds before someone picked up.

He heard furious flipping and typing over the phone. *Is this important, sir? I was in the middle of my research.*

The man just chuckled, "You're always in the middle of research, Colress. Our precious test subject has shown some interesting new... 'developments.'"

*Ooooo! About subject V-49 you say?* He heard the one named 'Colress' stop his movements and give his full attention. *I'm assuming you need me to look into it since you lost your leading researcher?*

"Yes... I know your main priorities of research revolve around bringing out the strength of pokemon, but-"

*Say no more! I've actually been looking into the boy already! I've watched his battles and have gotten extremely curious by how tremendously strong his pokemon are! It makes me wonder if any of his superhuman abilities contribute to that? Or is it the deeper connections he's able to obtain with pokemon from being able to speak to them!? Oh, the possibilities!"

The man chuckled, "Well, then. Have you seen his latest battle? It's just occurred earlier today."

*Hmm... I can't say I have. I've been too engrossed by my other research on controlling some pokemon. Is this battle where these, 'developments' took place?*

"Yes, it appears that his body reacts to Dynamax energy."

*Oh, really? Dynamax energy you say? Then it looks like I'm flying to Galar! I can't wait to observe the boy and see the strength of his pokemon grow! Hopefully, I'll get a better idea of his strength by asking him!"

The man raised an eyebrow. "By asking-?"

*Well, it looks like I'd better get going if I want to make the most of my time! I'll call you once I get some data! Until next time!*

He then hung up, leaving the leader of Team Rainbow Rocket in silence.

Despite rudely hanging up, the leader just chuckled.

"Oh, Colress, you and your quest for research... But approaching the boy? Really? I suppose it doesn't matter, he knows we're watching him at all times anyway. Colress' only goal is the pursuit of knowledge, so maybe if Victor knows this, he'll accept his company?"

He shrugged and got back to watching Victor's match, replaying the moment he Dynamaxed several times.

"Grow... Keep growing, Victor."

He formed another evil grin.

"Become what we need you to be."


~{Meanwhile- The Captain's Table}~

"So, now that we're in the middle of our delicious meal, what would you like to know about Bede?" Rose asked before stuffing some food into his mouth.

Victor placed Tesla onto another table for his pokemon to eat, then sitting back down. "Well, just... anything about him. How about starting from when you met him?"

"Ah, yes, such a wonderful time." Rose gently smiled. "I met him in an orphanage several years ago, I was there to donate gifts and toys for the children. They flocked to me like Combees to a hive, and yet... there was one child who remained at a distance."

"Bede didn't like you?" Victor immediately guessed.

"Frankly, I don't think he liked anyone." Rose chuckled once again, reminiscing of the time. But then his smile partially fell as he continued to remember the event. "The children all said... 'things.' You know how it is? They just speak whatever is on their mind. And for Bede... They had a lot to say."

He leaned back in his chair and looked back at the time. "Apparently, he was the only orphan there whose... parents actually didn't want him."

Victor felt something break in him.

"Everyone else lost their parents one way or another... But Bede was abandoned. And whenever those children tried to talk to him, he would always end up fighting with them. I never did know why... I probably would've asked him at the time, but I saw something else that captivated me. I saw a fire in his eyes like no other, someone who wished to prove himself to the world, so..."

He tilted his head with a bigger smile.

"So I gave him a pokemon. It turned out that he has quite the talent for pokemon battles after watching him fight some of my staff, so I decided to keep tabs on him. He was a child that just didn't know what direction to take with his life, so I guess I led him into pokemon battles. Young Bede himself was the one who requested to take on Gym Challenge for me, so I endorsed him."

"So, you really like Bede?" Victor smiled.

"He reminds me a bit of myself when I was younger... So I supported him any way I could. I even enlisted him into a Trainer's school to help him hone his skills. Sadly, I wasn't able to visit him during those years after I enrolled him, I'm quite a busy man. But I'm glad that he's grown up so well. Heh, I didn't even recognize him when I saw him here in Hulbury. He's a rather strong trainer who may even give you a run for your money, Victor."

"I COULD tell him that I've already beaten him, but that'd be rude." Victor innocently smiled.

But then he looked puzzled.

"Wait, but... do you know how Bede was growing up? Did he tell you about his life before going into the orphanage and how he did in school?"

"Er... Not really. Like I said, we met again just yesterday after so many years." Rose awkwardly chuckled.

"But that's what I wanted to know the most!" Victor deadpanned.

He sighed but formed a smile yet again, "Oh well... At least I have an idea about Rose's relationship with Bede."

Oleana stood up from her seat, checking the time.

"I believe it is time to get going, Chairman."

Rose glanced up at her looking disappointed, "What? But I've hardly had a chance to get to know Victor more!"

"You still have a lot to do, so we must be off." Oleana said without much care.

"Don't worry, Rose, we'll see each other again!" Victor smiled assuredly.

Rose sighed but formed a small smile. "I guess it can't be helped. If something needs to be done, there's no time like the present to do it."

He sat up and reached in his pocket for his wallet.

"Don't worry about paying, Chairman. I've already paid for the entire meal and included a tip." Oleana said.

"Oleana... You really have to let me treat you some time." Rose chuckled.

"Don't bother, please. Use your money to continue funding the company's research." His secretary said as she started walking out.

"I'm... not spending that much on food..." Rose sweatdropped. "I'm an adult too, you know?"

He stood up and turned back to Victor and Sonia.

"Sorry about the sudden leave. I did enjoy our conversation, Victor. And Sonia, I hope you'll take the chance to check out the Hammerlock Vault! And now, I bid you both farewell!" He said with a polite bow, then taking his leave.

Victor watched him leave and chuckled, "Oh Rose, such a busy guy. Right, Sonia?"

"..."

"Sonia?" Victor turned his head and saw the woman picking at her food with a pout on her face.

"*Sigh* Does he think he's doing me a favor?" She grumbled to herself. "He's right that the vault would be a good place to look for info on the legends, but... Does he really think I need help? I know I'm not my gran, but I can handle this much on my own..."

Victor stared at her as she continued to pick her food, then reaching up and innocently patting her head.

"There, there."

Sonia turned to him with an eyebrow raised, "Erm... What?"

"You don't like being compared to your grandmother, do you?" Victor asked, still gently caressing her head.

Sonia chuckled and reached her hand up, gently removing Victor's hand from her head without acknowledging what he did.

"Well, of course I don't. It's like everyone expects me to be exactly like her. Researching Dynamaxing and all that, looking through Power Spots for the sake of Galar. Don't get me wrong, I do want to help out Galar, but... I want to do my own things too. Like researching the pokemon you and Hop found in the Slumbering Weald, looking into the legends of Galar, and more... I don't want people having the same expectations for me as they do for my gran." Sonia complained, even rolling her eyes.

"Hm, you can't really stop everyone from comparing you to Magnolia, it's like an instinct to them just because you're her granddaughter."

Victor looked up in thought.

"It's like people comparing Hop to Leon just because he's the champion's little brother. They expect him to be strong, and I think even Hop expects that he'll be naturally strong like Leon. But from what I've seen when I battled him, he didn't seem to be trying his own thing when fighting, just kind of copying Leon's strategies, only worse."

Sonia stared curiously at Victor as he continued.

"But Professor Magnolia is... well, Professor Magnolia. And you're you, Sonia. You're not less important, nor more important than your grandmother, everyone is equally important in their own way. So... Just keep doing what you're doing now. The best way to convince people not to compare you to someone amazing is to do something different from the person! And I'm sure figuring out Galar's legends and discovering those new pokemon in the Slumbering Weald will do that!" Victor said with a hopeful smile.

Sonia tilted her head and couldn't help but smile at his positivity.

"You always know how to answer someone, don't you?"

Victor simply shrugged to that.

"Well, thanks anyways, Victor. I'll be fine" Sonia got up from her seat and looked more pumped up. "But on another note, I watched your match with Nessa! You and your pokemon were amazing!"

"Great! So you did keep your promise to watch me!" Victor cheered. "Did you see how awesome Tesla was!? That was the first time I had him battle, and wow, was he strong!"

"Yeah, he sure was and yet..." Sonia glanced at Tesla munching through both Rose and Oleana's leftovers, the woman even questioning when he got there.

"He seems so..."

"Lazy? Gluttonous? Adorably annoying?" Victor chuckled.

"Heh, yeah." Sonia giggled as she reached across and rubbed the battery pokemon's head. "How'd you meet the little guy?"

"I took a bath at the pokemon center and he snuck into my bag, eating all my berries."

Sonia paused as she turned to Victor with a look of surprise. "He... All of them!? Didn't you have packs of them!?"

"Yup... Rest in pieces, my berries..." Victor comedically cried.

"Nom! Nom! Nom!" Tesla cheerfully continued eating.

"You could at least act like you feel bad about it!" Victor fumed.

"Pfft!" Sonia muffled her laugh, then trying to speak. "W-Well anyway, defeating Nessa isn't a small feat. But I'm happier that you helped her out of that depressive phase. So... on my behalf as Nessa's closest friend, thanks, Victor."

"Anytime!" Victor saluted proudly.

"Speaking of being her bestie, I think I'll drop in on her right now while I'm here." Sonia turned to Tesla, who burped with a satisfied sigh. "You can have my leftovers too, if you'd like."

Tesla's eyes flashed as he jumped up.

"Charja!" He landed next to Sonia's plate and immediately got to eating.

"What a cutie." She smirked.

Victor got up from his seat and stood proudly in front of Sonia.

"Well, if you're off to see Nessa, then I think I'll be off to the second Galar Mines!"

"Really? Isn't it kinda dark out, though? You sure you wanna be heading out so late?" Sonia asked him, looking unsure.

"I'll be fine! I feel like I'm behind everyone else, so I wanna catch up!" Victor exclaimed with determination.

"Hm, in that case, I guess I should tell you this. Supposedly, Motostoke's Gym Leader, Kabu, is in Galar Mines No.2 as we speak, so no one is taking on his gym. If you happen to see him in the mines, then try to bring him back to his gym so you can face him tomorrow, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Please don't say that... It makes me feel old..." Sonia muttered with a comedic aura of depression around her.

"Er, then okey dokey!" Victor changed.

Sonia smiled again as she removed Victor's beanie and gently rubbed his head with a big smile. "I can't wait to see how much stronger you become. Good luck, little Gym Challenger!"

Besides a now sleeping Tesla, Victor's pokemon stared at him as he got his hair gently fondled, then turning to each other.

"Kirl? Kirl?" (You think she sees him as a man?)

"Cor/Raboot." (Nope.)

Midori turned back forward. "Kirlia" (Me neither)

He smiled.

"Kirl" (Yet)

Ace and Twilight turned to him with their eyes narrowed.

"Kirl?" (What?) He shrugged.


~{Outside-A Few Minutes Later}~

"Bye, Sonia! Say hi to Nessa for me!" Victor waved to the ginger walking down the street.

Sonia just waved back with a smile, leaving the boy behind to get back on his adventure.

"Now then..."

Victor glanced down at his pokemon on the ground, watching as Ace and Midori actually worked together to carry Tesla.

"Let's get back to our adventure!" The boy exclaimed energetically.

"Raboot, boot, Raboot." Ace replied with a frown.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll carry him in my backpack..." Victor awkwardly chuckled as he took off his backpack and opened it up, allowing Ace and Midori to just toss Tesla into the opening.

He put his backpack back on and raised a fist, "Once again, are you guys ready to continue with our adventure!?"

"Kirl!" Midori cheered with a happy expression.

Ace and Twilight just weakly raised a paw/wing, "Ra..." "Cor..."

"You two could be a little more excited..." Victor sweatdropped to the unenthusiastic two.

The group then all made their way to the edge of Hulbury, with Twilight perched on Victor's backpack while Ace and Midori walked beside their trainer. It was a short walk until the group found themselves right in front of the dark entrance of the second Galar Mines. If it weren't for the lanterns that were just inside, then no doubt the entrance would've looked pitch black in the darkness of the night.

Victor and his pokemon stared at the inside of the mines, hearing some eerie sounds from within.

"Welp... Let's go in and find Kabu!" Victor started marching in, with his pokemon cautiously following from behind.

Once inside the mines, the group saw quite a beautiful spectacle. A few bright lanterns were lighting up the dark areas, but as the first Galar Mines, some crystals brightened the area with each of their unique colors. All the lights mixed to create a purple light throughout the entire cave, making a big smile appear on Victor's face.

"Cool!" He unintentionally shouted.

"Cooool!" His voice echoing in the dark cave.

"Oh! I don't know why I didn't do this in the first mines!"

Victor cupped his hands around his face. "Helloooooooo!"

"Hellooooooooooo!"

"Heh, heh." Victor chuckled, amused by the sounds.

He looked to see his three awake pokemon, staring at him with blank expressions.

"Oh, sorry. Let's um... move on."

The group made their way deeper into the mines with Victor leading the pact. They saw a variety of pokemon on their way through, such as Shellos, Noibats, and Binacles. Surprisingly, these pokemon weren't as aggressive as the wild pokemon Victor had encountered before, and most of them ended up just going into hiding when they saw him coming.

"This is... pretty relaxing. This place looks really beautiful." Victor stare around in awe.

Ace couldn't help but nod in agreement as Midori's eyes became sparkles, staring at all the crystals they came across. Twilight even found himself leaning off Victor's backpack, staring at the sparkly objects with twinkles in his eyes.

And walking through these mines alone gave Victor the chance to talk about something.

"Hey... guys?"

His pokemon were snapped out their trances and looked at their trainer.

"Cor?"

"During our battle, I felt something... Well, when I Dynamaxed Tesla, that is. It felt like... something was coursing through me."

Ace tilted his head confusingly.

Victor pulled down his sleeve and admired his Dynamax Band, recalling the previous two times he's used it.

"The first time I Dynamaxed, it felt like something warm went through me. I thought it was normal at first, but when I Dynamaxed Tesla today, I felt that same warm feeling, yet it seemed to start... stinging."

Twilight narrowed his eyes as he leaned over Victor's shoulder to peer down at the Dynamax band.

"I mean, if I was just a normal person, then I wouldn't think too much on it, but since it's me we're talking about..." Victor stopped walking entirely and raised his arm, examining his Dynamax band. "I can't help but think that something's wrong... Was it really normal to feel that 'jolt' at the time?"

His pokemon remained silent, unsure how to address this concern from their trainer. After all, they didn't know much about Dynamaxing itself other than it made pokemon larger and stronger for a short period. That, and the same Dynamax energy is what's used to power up all of Galar. But other than that, they didn't know much, so they really didn't know what to say.

However, someone else interrupted the group before they could even think of anything.

"You again..."

Victor raised his head, and his eyes widened to see that he had ended up in a rather clear area with a few paths to take. But more importantly, coming out of one of these paths was a familiar boy with platinum hair, glaring at him.

Victor's pokemon scowled upon seeing the boy, but their trainer's eyes brightly shined so much that he seemed to light up the area.

"Bede! It's so good to see you again, buddy!" Victor hurried over to him with a happy expression, forgetting what he was just talking about.

Cross-veins of irritation popped on Bede's head as Victor approached him. "Don't go talking to me like we're friends! I already told you before, I only intend to show you how pathetic you are!"

"Oh, you. You're such a... Nice guy..." Victor sighed.

"And you're annoying." Bede responded with a growl.

"Anyway, how have ya been? Did you get your water badge from Nessa like I did?" Victor got cheerful again.

"Hmph, of course, someone as important as I wouldn't lose to some Gym Leader." Bede scoffed, brushing his hair back a little.

"Nice! I knew you were pretty strong! Oh, hey! Look at this!" Victor reached into his bag and pulled out his league card, showing it happily to the boy. "I made my league card based on that pose you did when we first met!"

"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?" Bede scowled, getting close and snatching the card from Victor to take a look.

Only for cross-veins to form all over his head as he saw the pose Victor had.

He turned back to him, "Are you mocking me?"

Victor could sense a hostile feeling around Bede.

"Er..." He tilted his head, "No?"

"Then what the hell is this!?" Bede snapped, basically shoving the card back to show Victor his card.

"Eh? I don't know what you mean, Bede! I thought it was cool!" Victor pouted as he glanced down at his own card.

"You will change that card!" Bede pointed at him with a glare.

"But why!?" Victor whined.

"Because I absolutely hate it!" Bede complained.

"But you're the one that made this pose!"

"I do not look that foolish!"

"I think you just insulted yourself!"

"ARGH! For the love of god!" Bede clutched his head in frustration as he turned his back to Victor.

Victor's pokemon all couldn't help but muffle their laughs.

Bede turned back around to Victor while pulling out a pokeball.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with weaklings right now, but you're really pissing me off!"

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on, Bede! I really didn't mean to make you angry!" Victor said as he backed up with his hands up in surrender.

"Tsk! I still have to put you in your place after last time! Just because you got lucky, you must think you're better than me! If you're under the misguided impression that you're stronger than me, then surely you would be up for a pokemon battle! Wouldn't you?"

Victor couldn't help but frown at the situation.

"He's trapping me with words... He's provoking me, and if I backed out of it, then it would be like admitting that he's stronger than me. Which he probably wouldn't let me live down unless I did fight him..."

He then grinned.

"But then again, I have no reason to turn down a pokemon battle!"

Victor took off his backpack and adjusted his beanie as he shouted;

"Naturally!"

Bede made a smug grin as if he had already won, brushing his hair back more.

"It's utterly inconceivable that I, the challenger chosen by the chairman, will lose!"

"Er, but didn't you already lose to me the first time we battled?"

Bede stared at him with a blank expression.

"..."

He then tossed his pokeball.

"Go, Solosis!"

"He ignored me!?" Victor deadpanned.


~{Hulbury Stadium-Private Room}~

"Sonia! It's so good to see you again!" Nessa laughed as she hugged her bestie.

"Heh, but didn't we just meet a few days ago?" Sonia chuckled as she patted her friend's back.

"A few days feels like a lot during the Gym Challenge!" Nessa replied as she let go and backed up with a smile.

Both beautiful women were in one of the many rooms in the Hulbury Stadium, rooms only accessible by staff and specific people. Nessa was one of the people who had a private room in the stadium, not necessarily where she lived, but where she could sleep and hang around. And Sonia was one of the people Nessa had given all access to the stadium, which explained how she easily made it to meet with her.

They walked inside Nessa's room, the walls and ceiling with a sea-blue color while the floor was covered with a darker, seafloor blue. The furniture, such as desks, chairs, and wardrobes, were all a pearl-white, and the sheets of her bed had a ripple design on them.

"I didn't expect to see you here! Weren't you off looking through Galar's legends?" Nessa grinned as she walked to her nightstand and checked her hair in a mirror.

Sonia closed the door behind her and cheerfully walked over to Nessa.

"I was, but I was also in the area when I watched your battle with Victor. By the way, it was amazing! You sure didn't let him just walk all over you." Sonia took a seat beside the water user.

"But to think another Ralts would evolve while battling you, that's pretty funny." Sonia giggled.

"Oh, don't remind me..." Nessa pouted as she turned to Sonia and rested her head on her palm with her elbow propped on the desk. "It makes me wonder if my weakness is Psychic and Fairy..."

"At least you had a great day with him, didn't you?" Sonia sweetly smiled.

A smile of Nessa's own formed as well. "Did he already tell you about it?"

"Yup! I met up with him right after your battle. We had dinner with Rose and Oleana at the Captain's Table, where he went on such a beautiful tale of an innocent young prince helping the princess of the waters..." Sonia had her hands clapped together against her face with a playful, romantic sigh.

Nessa just chuckled, knowing fully well her bestie was poking fun at her.

"You're making fun at me for seeming like some 'damsel in distress,' but you're completely setting yourself up for me to poke fun at how you named your pokemon."

Sonia flinched, losing some of her composure and awkwardly laughing.

"What? Me? Making fun at you? Of course not! I-I was just really moved listening to Victor's story! Heh, heh..."

"Uh, huh." Nessa smirked.

"Er, anyway-" Sonia said, not wishing for Nessa to add any more. "It really sounds like you and Victor got along quickly! I mean, you never really wanted to hang out with any guys because you thought they'd try something with you."

Nessa rolled her eyes, "Don't compare them with Victor, he's just a kid. Hell, he may even be more innocent than a kid. He was everything you said he was, so pure."

"What did you think of him?" Sonia couldn't help but feel interested.

Nessa looked up and thought about it for a moment before speaking clearly.

"He's like that one close cousin that comes running to you for a hug when you visit."

"PFFT!" Sonia burst out laughing, "No kidding! He did just that when I met up with him earlier!"

The two then shared a laugh together, appreciating the perfect image given to the boy.

"Heh, but I didn't really expect him to be as great as you said he'd be. Did you know he can even do hair?" Nessa buried her fingers into her hair and turned her head to show Sonia the clips. "My hair got messed up after the photo session, but despite having only taken a few glances at it earlier, Victor was able to fix it to be nearly the same as how I make it!"

Sonia was surprised, "Really? With your hair?"

"Oi! Don't make it sound like my hairstyle is any more complicated than yours!"

"Never said that, but I was actually gonna ask if you think he could mimic my hair?" Sonia asked, twirling her own hair.

"Probably. I wonder if he could do your hairstyle on me and mine on you?"

"Ooo! I would love to see him try! It'd be so cute to see it!" Sonia squealed.

But the ginger suddenly shook her head to get her mind off it.

"Hold on, I'm getting off track, I wanted to get back to your day. Or, well... Just wanted to ask if you'll be alright?"

Nessa took a moment to figure out what she meant, then smiling as she stood up and proudly put her hands on her hips.

"I'll be more than fine, Sonia. I know what to do, and I know what I want to do."

Sonia stood up too but forming a sad smile.

"I thought so... I just... Sorry that I wasn't there to help you out."

Nessa just waved it off with a chuckle, "Don't be. You had your own thing to do, and you at least answered my call and gave some good advice."

"I guess I did, but hearing from Victor how he helped you made me realize that... I wasn't really hanging out with you as much as before. And I feel like that's my fault."

Nessa was surprised that Sonia was actually feeling bad about it, noticing in her bestie's eyes.

She gave her a reassuring smile and pat Sonia's shoulder.

"Oh come on, Sonia. We were both busy with our own things. But... I'm really glad to hear you say that. And I'm guessing this means that you're willing to make up for some lost time?"

"Er, well... I'm still going to be working on that little project of mine, but I'd be willing to set aside time to have fun! Just like the old times!" Sonia grinned.

Nessa was visibly excited, "Yup! And this time, with a new, adorable buddy~."

Sonia giggled, understanding what she meant.

"Oh, really? I suppose it would be interesting to have him with us. Maybe we could even invite Hop and Gloria?"

"If you guys want to." Nessa looked up as she said that, her smile getting bigger.

"But, I kinda just want to see if I could tease Victor again." She thought, forming a smirk.


~{Galar Mines No.2- 9:13PM}~

"Psyshock!" Bede shouted.

"Sol!" His Solisis formed several orbs with purple and blue colors, the spheres floating around him before they were all sent homing in on their target.

"Avoid them using your flight, Twilight!" Victor called happily.

His Corvisquire flapped its wings and twirled around the open area of the cave they were in, avoiding the several small orbs and letting them crash into the walls behind him.

"Now, Pluck him!"

Twilight's beak was enveloped in a glowing white as he zoned in on the Cell pokemon, then ramming it into him.

"Sol!" Solisis was sent flying back, his jelly-like body bouncing off the wall.

"Psybeam!" Bede snapped in irritation.

Solisis spun his body in the air, and his face was directed to Twilight's flight path. "Soooool!"

He sent a beam of telekinetic energy towards the flying type.

"Soar straight up!"

With one large flap of his wings, Twilight went upward and narrowly avoided the beam.

"That was close, he actually predicted where Twilight was going..." Victor thought, knowing he had to be careful around Bede.

"Endeavor!" Bede instructed next as his Solisis landed on the ground.

"Rocks!"

"Rocks?" Bede repeated in confusion.

"Sooo-OOW!" Solisis was just starting to glow in white to commence his attack but was interrupted by a rock nailing his forehead.

"What the-!?" Bede glanced at Victor's Corvisquire and saw that the raven pokemon was holding a stone in one of its talons, now flying low to the ground and scooping up another rock with its other empty one.

"Dirty cheat!" Bede shouted in frustration.

"What do you mean!? Pokemon learn to use their surroundings!"

"Psyshock!" Bede shouted, not acknowledging what Victor said.

"Toss em!" Victor reacted.

Twilight quickly flung the rocks forward, then heading in forward.

"Solosis!" The psychic type formed colorful spheres once more, sending them forward.

However, the rocks Twilight flung collided with two of the orbs, causing a chain reaction that resulted in the others exploding not too far from where Solisis sent them.

"Pluck!"

Twilight used the clouds of dust obscuring Solisis' sight to get close, his beak shining only as he got too close.

"Avoi-!" Bede was too late to see him as Twilight connected right into his target.

"SOL!" The green psychic type was sent flying back until he bounced off the wall again, only this time, knocked unconscious.

"Nice, Twilight!" Victor cheered.

"Hmph!" Bede returned his Solisis, "Looks like you've grown a bit. But only a little bit, though!"

"Hey, even a little bit of growth is a big improvement!" Victor answered with optimism, even giving Bede a thumbs up.

Bede furrowed his brow as he pulled out his second pokeball, then tossing it forward.

Out came his Gothita, the pokemon frowning as well in Victor's direction.

"Gothita!"

Twilight repeatedly fluttered in the air, waiting for any orders.

"Gothita, Psybeam!"

"Goooooooth!" His pokemon fired a beam of pink.

"Do a barrel roll!"

Twilight flew forward and did as instructed, spinning his body while flying in a helical path, avoiding the beam and getting closer.

"Now, use Fury Attack!"

Twilight readied his beak as he got close.

"Rock Tomb!"

Victor was surprised to see Gothita jump and bring several rocks in the air, then sending them all right at Twilight.

His pokemon was too close to avoid this large assortment of stones, so Twilight ended up getting rammed with a good portion before falling to the ground.

"Twilight! You alright!?" Victor called to him.

His pokemon rose from the ground with dirt stains on him, panting as he flapped to get back into the air. Only, his movements were obviously slower than before.

"Rock Tomb lowered his speed..." Victor frowned.

"Psyshock!" Bede pointed again.

Several more colorful orbs appeared and were sent towards Twilight.

"Maneuver around them!"

Twilight tried flying passed these orbs, and for the most part, he actually avoided a decent portion of them. However, due to his now reduced speed, some of the small orbs were able to nail him out of the air, causing him to let out a cry and spiral to the ground.

Before he could crash into the ground, Victor returned him into his pokeball with a sad smile, then looking down at it.

"You did well, buddy."

Bede smirked, "It appears you got too full of yourself."

"Wha- me?" Victor stammered, "Have you looked at yourself!?"

"Oh, shut it." Bede frowned.

Victor pouted before pointing forward, "Ace, you're up!"

Ace walked forward with his paws in his pouch.

"Hmph, and even using a fire type when you know I have a Super Effective move against him, how foolish."

Bede pointed his palm forward, "Rock Tomb!"

"Gooooth!" Gothia sent more barrages of rocks forward at Ace.

"Agility!"

Ace pulled his paws from his pouch and bolted forward, getting faster and faster as he moved left and right in a blur, avoiding the several stones sent at him.

"Now, Flame Charge!"

While running, Ace's feet caught on fire and spread all around his body, the rabbit narrowing his eyes as he got close.

"Gothita!?" The psychic pokemon didn't expect Ace to suddenly be right in front of her, so she couldn't dodge as he rammed his flaming body into her.

"Combo it off with a Quick Attack!"

"Don't let him!" Bede demanded.

Sadly, Gothita couldn't satisfy his request, as she had been sent flying to the wall, bouncing off it. Then Ace shined white before vanishing from where he had launched Gothita, then suddenly appearing right in front of her in the air.

"Ra-boot!" Ace swung his paw down, bashed it on the psychic type's head, sending her down to the ground.

"Get up and Rock Tomb!" Bede shouted angrily.

Even on the ground, Gothita frantically sent rocks upward.

"Repeatedly Double Kick it all away!" Victor countered.

Ace landed on the wall before jumping off and spinning in the air, his feet kicking away every rock stone that would've hit him.

"Now, Ember!" Victor finished.

Ace stopped spinning and but was positioned with his leg back. Then with one last kick, Ace sent a final stone back at Gothita, one embodied with flames that nailed her forehead.

"Goooooooth..." The psychic type moaned as she fell back, body twitching on the ground, unconscious.

Ace landed on the ground and stuff his paws back into his pouch while his trainer cheered.

"And that's another one in the bag! Good job, Ace!"

Bede returned his second pokemon with a frown, then casually tossing out his third.

This time, a new pokemon Victor hadn't met came out. This one resembled a small pony with chalk-white fur, along with larger, purple-and-blue cloudy mane with the same fur just above its purple hooves, purple eyes with light blue iris, and a small purple-and-white horn on its forehead.

"Ponyta!" The pokemon wailed as it got on his back legs and raised its forward ones with a proud cry.

Victor's eyes sparkled as he squealed, pressing his hands on his cheeks. "Awww! A Galarian Ponyta!? When you'd get that little guy!? Ooo! Its mane looks so fluffy! Can I pet him?! Or her!?"

"Tsk! Shut it, you overgrown child!" Bede growled.

"Okay then..." Victor deadpanned.

Ace sighed.

"Ponyta! Confusion!"

"Pooooony!" Ponyta stomped her hooves on the ground while her horn glowed, then sending a ball of psychic energy forward at Ace.

"Use Agility around it!"

Ace ran to the side in a flash, already dashing around the room and towards Ponyta.

"Fairy Wind!"

"Pony-taaaaaaa!" Ponyta stomped her hooves on the ground and send intense, pink sparkling winds in Ace's overall path.

"Raboot!?" Ace was sent off the ground and blown back towards the wall.

"Use the wall and Flame Charge around!" Victor shouted.

Ace flipped his body and he ignited in flames, landing on the mine's wall with both feet before running against it around the room.

"Fairy Wind again to get him off!" Bede commanded.

"Use Ember to stop him!"

Ace listened and pulled out one of the rocks he kept in his pouch, tossing it up, jumping off the wall, and kicking it in a flame ball right as Ponyta took a deep breath.

"Change to Confusion, quick!" Bede reacted.

Ponyta puffed her face and held her breath, her horn glowing purple before firing a psychic orb that met with the ball of fire, resulting in a collided explosion. Smoke kicked up and obscured the area once more, making Bede narrow his eyes as if trying to gaze through it.

"Use Fairy Wind to clear it out!"

Ponyta released her breath and blew out more colorful winds, dispersing the smoke to reveal Ace running right at him with his body surrounded in flames once again.

"Ram it!" Victor said.

Ace did as he was told and rushed before Bede could even shout, colliding into Ponyta and continuing to push until he drove her against the wall.

"Get him off!"

Ponyta used her hooves to kick Ace back, the rabbit sliding against the ground but still on his feet.

"Now, Confusion!"

Ponyta formed a ball of energy once more.

"Set it off before it fires!"

Ace slid his foot on the ground and kicked a rock right at the ball of psychic energy, resulting in it exploding right in Ponyta's face.

"Poooo..." Ponyta was on its side, unconscious and with swirling eyes.

"Hitting hard as always, Ace!" Victor cheered. "You up for one more?"

Ace nodded as he stepped back from Ponyta, watching her glow blue and returned back into the pokeball of a fuming Bede.

"Grr... Not everyone can corner my team like this..."

"Oo! Is that a compliment!?" Victor asked.

"Hell no!" Bede snapped, pulling out his last pokeball with a threatening glare. "This is where I'm at my strongest! I'll crush your pathetic team once and for all!"

"Ouch." Victor sighed.

Bede threw his last pokeball and out came his Hatenna, who nervously glanced back at her trainer.

Victor then saw Bede start to calm down while forming a relaxed, if not smug, smile.

"Ah, Hatenna's detects the emotions kind of like Ralts... I guess Bede doesn't want to make it uncomfortable."

Hatenna, feeling Bede calm down despite being infuriated a moment ago, turned back to Victor while jumping up and down.

"Hatenna! Hat!"

"Good! Then use Disarming Voice!" Bede instructed, brushing his hair back as if trying to look elegant.

"Haaaaaaaa!" Hatenna fired heart-shaped projectiles from her voice.

"Agility!"

Ace vanished from his spot and appeared out of the way of the projectiles, running towards Hatenna.

"That damn rabbit has too many speed inducing moves!" Bede couldn't help but scowl.

To this, his Hatenna stopped and looked back nervously, then scooting away from Bede.

"Ah! Hatenna! Pay atttention-!"

"Flame Charge!"

"Ra-!" Ace blasted forward as Hatenna turned back in shock.

"-Boot!" He used his body once more for his attack, using his elbow to ram into Hatenna's face.

"Mmph!" Hatenna was sent spinning back into the wall, then slamming face-first into it.

"Hatenna!" Bedee shouted in a mixture of shock and anger.

"Aw, shoot! I think you overdid it!" Victor said, knowing fully well that an elbow in the face from a blazing fast pokemon must've hurt like hell.

Hatenna plopped on the wall and was already unconscious from that one attack, surprising even Victor while Ace awkwardly backed up.

"Man, Ace really did get stronger... But then again, I guess evolved pokemon would have a big advantage over first staged pokemon."

Bede walked over to his unconscious pokemon and frowned, returning her into her pokeball.

"Erm..." Victor muttered, not sure what to say after all that.

Bede suddenly turned in his direction and pointed right at him with a look of hatred.

"Y-You showed at least a little effort, so I decided to let you win!"

Victor and his pokemon turned comedically black-and-white with straight-faced looks.

"Eh?"

"And it seems I must change some of my words... You're not weak, you just lack talent!"

Cross-veins popped on Victor's head.

"Your chances of completing the Gym Challenge are pretty slim, I must say." Bede added, turning his back to Victor.

More cross-veins emerged on our hero.

"Now... where shall I go collect Wishing Stars nex- OW!" Bede found himself knocked on the back of his head.

He turned around angrily to see Victor had gotten right behind him with a pout.

"What the hell are you doing!?" He scowled.

"Knocking some sense into you!" Victor didn't hesitate. "The first thing you did after losing was take a jab at me! Did you not see what just happened!? Your Hatenna lost composure because you did!? Don't you know it won't warm up to you if you don't have a calm mood!?"

Bede just seemed to growl, "Are you lecturing me!? My Hatenna and I fought well the first time we faced you!"

"Yeah! You were calmer back then! But not this time! You got way too irritated!"

Bede just turned around and started walking, "I don't have to listen to this. I'm out of here."

"Wait! Bede, just..." Victor sighed, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "Think of your pokemon more. Wasn't one of them given to you by the Chairman?"

Bede froze in an instant, his head remaining forward.

"Why do you know that?" Victor could detect anger in his voice.

"Well... I learned a few things." Victor admitted. "Like how you didn't get along with the other kids in the orphanage-"

Bede's finger's twitched.

"How Rose signed you up at a trainer school-"

Bede looked down at the ground.

"And how you were the only child whose parents-" Victor clapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself, realizing that it must be a terrible thing to bring up.

But Bede seemed to realize what he was going to say, as his hands already balled into fists. He turned around and marched to Victor with his head down, his eyes easily hidden in the darkness provided in the cave.

"Bede, I-"

But the next thing Victor knew, he was grabbed by the collar and slammed against the wall, now face-to-face with a glaring Bede as his pupils dilated in anger.

"How much have you been snooping around in my life!?" He demanded to know, his voice of anger echoing in the cave.

Victor's pokemon were shocked by the arrogant boy, then narrowing their eyes as they were about to act. But Victor held a hand up to stop them, starring at Bede with earnest eyes.

"I didn't snoop around anywhere. I met up with Rose and just asked him about you." Victor answered Bede in a calm but serious tone.

That actually made Bede seemed to panic a bit, shaking Victor as he shouted, "What did you tell him about me!?"

Victor didn't like being shaken, so both of his hands grabbed Bede's wrists, squeezing them threateningly and causing the boy to stop.

"Let. Go."

Bede felt a chill in his spine, watching as Victor's eyes seem to fade their brown color. His expression turning blank, but gave off a threatening vibe.

He released Victor and backed up cautiously, the boy dusting himself off and blinking to return the brown in his pupils.

"Okay." Victor started, adjusting his beanie. "I didn't tell him anything other than I knew you. We talked about a few things. Like when I asked him to tell me about you, he told me what I brought up just a moment ago, with other things."

Bede raised an eyebrow.

"He told me he saw something in you that he didn't see in others. He told me that you remind him of himself when he was young, and... He's glad you grew up so well, even if he wasn't there to see you through it."

Victor formed a small smile.

"He cares about you, Bede."

He then saw something form on Bede, the corners of his mouth moving up. He didn't see it all the way through as the trainer turned around with his back facing him.

"I... see..."

Victor heard what he assumed was a breath of relief.

"Good... I have to keep making him proud."

He started walking deeper into the mines.

"Until next time, Gym Challenger."

Victor curiously watched Bede as he walked away, another smile forming as he thought about how the boy acted.

"He just really wants to make Rose proud? Doesn't he?"

Midori walked up to Victor, looking up with some worry.

"Kirl? Kirlia?" He asked about Bede putting him against the wall.

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine." Victor answered, giving him a reassuring smile.

Ace narrowed his eyes at Bede while Victor quickly went back and grabbed his backpack, being careful to put it on so he wouldn't shake Tesla awake.

Victor then cheerfully ran after him.

"Hey, Bede! Wait up!"

"Don't follow me!" Bede's voice echoed deeper in the mines.


~{Author's Post-Notes}~

(Mimikyu shuts both doors on both sides and lowers monitor)

*Gasp!* So we have our first out-of-region character actually introduced!? Well, not formally, I guess. But it's clearly that he may find out what's happening to ya boy! I wonder if this new character will be able to find something out about him? And hm, we've learned quite a bit about Bede, haven't we? I wonder how Victor is gonna deal with someone like him? I wonder what'll happen next time? Who is he going to meet? How much longer is he going to spend in the mines? Ooooh boy I can't wait!

(Power shuts down and doors open.)

...

(Hears a jingle and turns left to see blinking lights of a face.)

...

(Shrugs)

Even if they stuff me in a suit, will it even do anything to me?