"Okay, yes I understand Chloe." Serena said. "No he didn't say anything about leaving last night." "No I haven't heard from him either." "We're in Hulburry, but I'll try and keep an eye out for him."
"What's wrong?" Goh asked seeing the look on Serena's face.
"Ash went out to think for a bit last night and never came back." Serena said. "He had said something about an accomplice with Sordward and Shielbert but not much else."
"Go." Seb said.
"Yes." Goh responded.
"No, not you. Serena." Seb said.
"Then why'd you say Goh?" Goh asked.
"Fine, Serena, you take your Mandibuzz and search for Ash. We!" Seb emphasized by poking Goh hard in the ribs. "Will stay here and check out the arena."
"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Serena asked.
"Yes, if Ash is missing, that's as close to as high of a priority as this is. We need out best battlers on deck." Seb said.
"You think I'm one of the best?" Goh asked.
"No. But that Castform of yours is useful." Seb said coldly. "You said it knows Sunny Day."
"Yeah, why?" Goh asked.
"We faced fire in the fire gym, and grass in the grass gym. What do you think we'll face in the water gym?" Seb said.
"Then how is Sunny Day helpful?" Goh asked.
"How you ever managed to catch that Kommo-o is beyond me." Seb said.
Serena was flying over Galar, looking at her phone. Ash had trackers put into their phones in case something happened. She could see one heading towards Circhester, and one back in Hulburry. Those were likely Seb and Chloe respectively. There was a third, on the far side of the Glimwood Tangle.
"Seems like as good a place as any to start looking." Serena said, directing Mandibuzz on the correct path.
Meanwhile back at the Hulburry gym
"Stop using Sunny Day and use Rain Dance!" Seb shouted.
"You said to use Sunny Day!" Goh complained.
"That was before we found out it's a Gyarados!" Seb shouted angrily. "Ampharos use Thunder!"
"Castform use Rain Dance!"
"Dreadnaw use Max Rockfall!"
The Gyarados launched a tidal wave back at the trainers, as they braced for impact.
"Still think it was a good idea sending Serena off?" Goh asked.
"She's worried about Ash, how would you react if Marnie went missing?!" Seb shouted.
"Settle it later, you can't worry about that right now!" Nessa screamed. "Dreadnaw use Max Rockfall!"
"Ampharos use Thunder!"
"Castform use Weather Ball!"
Back at Glimwood Tangle
Serena was searching through a clearing with her Pokémon. The app showed that Ash's phone was around here somewhere, but where.
"Looking for this?" Shielbert said, waving the Pikachu phone.
"That doesn't belong to you!" Serena said.
"See, that's interesting, how do you know it isn't my phone." Shielbert said. "Spending all that time in what was it, Ultra Space? Probably did a number on your noggin."
"Just give me Ash's phone, you're outnumbered." Serena said, as Grookey, Pancham, and Sylveon walked up.
"Why are you trying so hard for him or do you refer to Ash as a her? It won't last." Shielbert said.
"What, what do you mean? Of course it will last." Serena stuttered.
"What was that argument the other week about, how he didn't feel comfortable doing something? It's likely the start of him going back to how he was." Shielbert said.
"How do you know about that?!" Serena said frightened.
"My brother and I have our sources. Anyways you didn't honestly think he'd be fine wearing skirts the rest of his life, he'll go back to how he was, and maybe find a more normal girl too." Shielbert taunted.
"Take that back!" Serena shouted.
"Falinks, show her who's she's messing with. Use First Impression."
"Sylveon use Swift!"
Sylveon ran in front of Serena knocking back all of the Falinks.
"Falinks use No Retreat."
"Sylveon use Moonblast!"
Sylveon fired a beam hitting several Falinks as they regrouped, and seemed a bit more coordinated.
"Falinks use MegaHorn!"
"Sylveon use Iron Tail!"
As Sylveon and Falinks connected attacks, Ash's phone lit up.
"Oh what's this?" Shielbert said in a surprised voice. "Looks like a flirtatious text."
"Grookey!" Grookey shouted, having scrambled around Shielbert grabbing Ash's phone.
"Sylveon use Moon Blast!"
The Falinks fell to the ground separated and defeated. Shielbert was simply smiling.
Serena looked at the messages on Ash's phone. This had been going on for weeks and the two had been flirting back and forth. Serena broke down crying. How could Ash have done this too her? If he was that upset about what she'd proposed, he should have come to her.
"If you must know, last I saw him, he was atop Rose Tower." Shielbert said with a smirk before leaving.
Just then Serena's phone began to ring.
"Serena! We need your help! Seb and Goh aren't responding, and there's too many for us to take out!" Chloe screamed in desperation.
Serena gathered her emotions, responding, "I'm on my way." After hanging up, "Ash will just have to wait for now."
Back in Hulburry
"Well at least you smell better now." Seb quipped, wringing out his shirt.
"Yeah, yeah. Our phones are dead thanks to that idea." Goh said holding up his, water pouring out of it.
"Doesn't matter, now we need to head back to where Eternatus is likely going to be to recharge." Seb said.
"Rose Tower, but what about?" Goh began to ask.
"About nothing. Ash knows it too. You two need to repeat that miracle you did five years ago and save Galar again." Seb said.
"You really think I can do it?" Goh said doubting himself.
"You had one Pokémon go crazy, congrats. Man up, and deal with it, or at least be like Ash and pull up your panties and deal with it." Seb said.
"Are you trying to make me angry, if so, that's not a good idea." Goh warned.
"I'm not trying to make you angry. I'm trying to snap you out of it!" Seb yelled. "You never doubted yourself before, so stop doing it now and get psyched. You have a region to save."
"Right, right. Let's go." Goh said in agreeance.