"I Choose You and You Choose Me"

At night, a large stadium is filled with people, and their Pokémon, all yelling and cheering.

Rose walks out to the center of the stadium, with his arms spread, "Welcome, one and all! As you know, in the Galar region, we live, grow, and battle with our Pokémon partners!"

The cheering grows louder, before Rose holds a hand to his chest, "As some of you might know, I am Rose, Chairman of the Galar League, and it is my honor to present this exhibition match, staring the Galar region's own undefeated Champion, Leon!"

Rose stands to the side and throws back an arm, revealing Leon several steps behind him, who is waving as the cheering gets louder than ever.

Leon waves his cape to the side as he reaches with a Poké Ball in hand, "Now, let's go, my partner!"

Leon throws the Poké Ball straight ahead.

Hop holds up his Rotom Phone, as he watches the exhibition match, "This is my favorite part. Blam! Blast! Now, the big finish. Kapow!"

Gloria, who is lying on the ground of the tall hill the two friends are on, sighs, "Hop, you watched Leon's exhibition match like twenty times since it had streamed last night."

"No I haven't," Hop says, as he pockets his Rotom Phone and smiles. "I watched it thirty nine times."

Gloria smiles, "Of course you had."

Hop bumps his fists, "I can't wait till I get my first Pokémon partner, then I can challenge the Gym Leaders and compete in the Champion Cup…"

Gloria sighs as she closes her eyes, "You need to get an endorsement before you could compete in the Gym Challenge, and not just anyone can get one."

"Yep, but I'm not 'just anyone,'" Hop points a finger at his chest. "I'm Hop, future Champion of the Galar region!"

"Sure you are."

Hop removes his hand from his chest, "Anyway, did your mum ask you to meet with someone?"

"Yeah, the son of an old friend of hers," Gloria explains, as she sits up and pulls her Rotom Phone out of the bag lying next to her. "They just moved out here from Kanto, but I'm not supposed to get to their house until… two minutes ago!"

Gloria jumps to her feet and starts to run off, "I have to go!"

"Wait, I go too!" Hop starts to run after her.

"Why, you don't know him or his mum," Gloria asks, as the two friends are running.

"For a very good reason," Hop answers, as they continue running into the distance. "He might not have seen the exhibition match."

"I Choose You And You Choose Me"

Inside a house's living room, Victor seats down a large cardboard box and starts to open it. His mother, Vicki, enters from another room, with the family Munchlax, who pops a berry into its mouth and smiles, "Lax."

Vicki sees her son as he pulls out a picture album.

"Victor, I appreciate the help," Vicki walks over to her son, who stands and turns to face him, as she gently takes the album from him. "But shouldn't you go out and make some friends?"

"We just moved here, mom, I don't know anyone," Victor responds, as the Munchlax tries to look into the box.

"Lax?"

"Hence why you should go out and make some friends," Vicki tells him. "My best friend when I was your age lives here, maybe you should go and meet her and her daughter."

Victor rubs the back of his head, when there's a knock at the door, causing him to turn to the sound, with Munchlax pulling its head out of the box, with a book sticking out of its mouth, "Lax…"

After a few seconds, Victor opens the door to find Gloria and Hop on the other side, as Vicki takes the book out of Munchlax's mouth and then pets it, as it smiles, "Lax."

"Hi there, my name is Gloria…"

"Gloria!" Vicki interrupts, walking to the door. "Glory's little girl? You're the splitting image of your mother."

"Thanks, ma'am," Gloria says, before glances at her friend. "And this is Hop…"

"The future Galar League Champion!" Hop proudly stabs a finger to his chest.

"You really need to stop calling yourself that," Gloria says, with a sweat drop.

"Well aren't you an energetic one," Vicki starts, before placing hands on her son's shoulders. "And this is Victor, he's quiet, but once you get him started… he'll talk more…"

"Thanks, mom…" Victor blushes.

"I have a great idea, why don't you go with them so your new friends could show you around Postwick, and maybe you could make some new friends," Vicki gives Victor a slight shove, so he is on the door's threshold, as she turns around. "Don't worry about unpacking, I can handle it."

Victor looks over his shoulder as Vicki walks through the living room, with Munchlax trying to look back into the box and falls in, "Hum, yes mom…"

"Don't worry," Gloria says, causing Victor to look back at her. "My mom wants me to show you around, too."

"Hey, Victor," Hop steps in front of Gloria suddenly. "So are you interested in Pokémon battles, because the Galar Champion Leon had a really awesome exhibition battle last night."

But before Victor could respond, his Rotom Phone flies out of his back pocket and floats next to his head, "Champion Leon exhibition battle cued for twenty-eighth viewing."

An embarrassed smile appears on Victor's face.

Gloria places a hand on her hip, as she grins, "Great, another Leon fanboy."

"Dee!" A flock of Rookiedee fly overhead, with Victor and Gloria are walking through a field, as Hop is walking slowly across the top of a fence.

"So your mum grew up in Galar and moved to Kanto?" Gloria asks.

"Yeah, after my grandma retired we moved here so my mom can take over the family farm," Victor explains, and a few seconds pass, he scratches the top of his head. "Hum, are you gonna show me around?"

"Right, so…" Gloria looks around, before she spreads her arms. "This is Postwick…" Gloria lowers her arms and holds them behind her back. "Yeah, there isn't really much to see here."

"Yeah, I love Postwick, but the moment I get my first Pokémon I'll…" Hop comes to a stop, balancing himself on the fence.

"Do nothing, since you still don't have an endorsement," Gloria interrupts, before Hop loses his balance and falls off, landing on his butt.

"Endorsement?" Victor asks.

"Oh right, I forgot the rules in Kanto are different," Gloria starts. "For a trainer to compete in the Galar League's Gym Challenge they must first get an endorsement from someone like a Gym Leader… or a League official…"

As Gloria starts to look down, Hop jumps back up on his feet, surprising Gloria and Victor.

"But it won't be a problem for me to get an endorsement!" Hop pumps his fists.

"I seriously doubt your connections will help you out," Gloria says, with Hop grins at her.

"Connections?" Victor questions.

"Hop! Gloria!"

The three friends look further down the field to see standing on a hill is Sonia, waving at them, with her Yamper's happily next to her, "Yamp!"

Sonia and Yamper then rush over to the three.

"Hey, Sonia, what are you doing here?" Gloria asks, as Hop knees down to Yamper and pets it, with Victor watching.

"I'm actually looking for you guys," Sonia says, before she notices Victor. "Oh, and this must be the new kid."

"Hum, yeah, I am…" Victor looks back up to her.

Gloria leans out in front of Victor, "What do you mean you're looking for us?"

Sonia smiles, "Professor Magnolia has a surprise for you three, at Hop's house."

Victor leans slightly to the side and points at himself, "For me too?"

Hop leans out in front of both of his friends, "At my house?"

Sonia opens the door to Hop's house, as Yamper runs past her, "Yamp!"

"Look who I found," Sonia says.

Entering after Sonia is Hop, Gloria, and Victor.

"Mum?" Gloria asks, as the three see Professor Magnolia, Castera, Hop's mom, and Glory, Gloria's mom, all of whom are standing in the center of the living room, with Glory kneeling down to pet Yamper.

Gloria approaches Glory, as she stands back up, "What are you doing here?"

Glory smiles, "There is no way I'll miss this."

"Miss what?" Gloria raises an eyebrow.

Glory then looks past her daughter to see Victor, "Ah, this must be Vicki's son." She approaches him, as Gloria looks over her shoulder, slightly annoyed. "Victor, right?"

"Hum, yes, ma'am," Victor nervously answers.

Glory smiles as she tilts her head, "And so polite, too." She then turns to see Hop. "And how Galar's future Champion's doing?"

Hop smiles while holding his arms behind his head, "You know me, I'm doing amazing."

Gloria sighs, "Don't encourage him, mum. Now…" Gloria leans in slightly. "What's going on?!"

At that moment, Vicki enters through the still opened door, holding a picnic basket, "Hope I'm not late."

Victor turns toward Vicki, "Mom?"

"You're right on time, Vicki," Glory tells her friend.

"That's great, I took the liberty of making some sandwiches," Vicki takes a step forward, with Victor watching him mom.

"Your sandwiches are always delicious, I hope you make them with your secret ingredients," Glory says, with Victor looking at her.

"Do you know me to make them with anything else?" Vicki asks, with Victor looking at her.

"Of course not, and what exactly is your secret ingredients?" Glory asks, with Victor looking at her.

"You know I would never tell anyone that," Vicki responds, with Victor looking at her.

"I know, but I have to ask," Glory says, with Victor looking at her.

"Oh, I know," Vicki adds, before she and Glory start laughing, with Victor sighing.

Suddenly, Professor Magnolia clears her throat, causing everyone in the room, including Yamper, who had been petted by Castera, "Perhaps we should start to explain to the children why we all are doing here."

"Why are you here?!" Gloria suddenly shouts, before she embarrassed covers her mouth.

Professor Magnolia finishes eating a sandwich, as the entire group seats around a table outside Hop's house, with Yamper eating a berry out of a food bowl.

"Now…" Professor Magnolia wipes some crumbs from the corner of her mouth. "For proper introductions, Victor, I am Professor Magnolia, the regional professor, and this is my assistant, Sonia."

"Hiya," Sonia smiles, then looks over to Yamper. "And this is my partner, Yamper."

Yamper looks up from its berry, "Yamp!" It then returns to eating.

"Growing up in Kanto, I'm certain you're aware that Pokémon Professors often give young trainers, once they came of age, their first Pokémon partners," Professor Magnolia continues.

Hop stands up from his seat, "Is that why you are here?!"

Everyone at the table looks at Hop, who smiles slightly and sits back down.

"Like Hop here surmises, that is the reason why I'm here today," Professor Magnolia says.

"I'm getting my first Pokémon…" Victor softly says.

"I know you have always wanted to be a Pokémon trainer," Vicki tells her son. "So once it is decided that we are moving to Galar, I contact Professor Magnolia about you getting your first Pokémon.

"And when Sonia visits, she mentions it, and Glory and I thought it will be the perfect opportunity for you two, also," Castera adds.

"Awesome, the first step to becoming the Galar Champion," Hop bumps his fists, with a huge smile.

"Now, shall we get started?" Professor Magnolia asks.

"Yamp!" Yamper has finished its berry.

After a few moments, Victor, Gloria, and Hop are standing side by side, with their respective mothers behind them, with Professor Magnolia, Sonia, and Yamper next to the table. Professor Magnolia opens a briefcase on the table, revealing three Poké Balls, seating on circle stands connected to the bottom of the briefcase.

"Will you do the honor, Sonia?" Professor Magnolia asks her assistant.

"I would love to, Professor," Sonia says, as she turns to the briefcase and picks up the first Poké Ball. She then tosses it toward the ground next to the table, "First up…!"

The Poké Ball opens in midair, as a red beam of light shoots out and forms Grookey, who then happily pulls the stick out of its hair tufts and starts drumming onto the ground with it and hops slightly, "Key! Key!"

Suddenly, Hop's Rotom Phone flies out of his back pocket and floats in front of him, "Grookey, the Chimp Pokémon, it attacks with rapid beats of its stick. As it strikes with amazing speed, it gets more and more pumped."

Hop grabs his Rotom Phone excitedly, "Hearing about Grookey getting pumped got me pumped."

"But what was that?" Gloria asks.

"We took the liberty of upgrading your three Rotom Phones with a Pokédex," Glory explains, followed by Victor and Gloria pulling out their Rotom Phones.

Sonia picks up the second Poké Ball, "And next up…"

Sonia throws the Poké Ball, with the red beam shoots out and forms Scorbunny, who happily jumps around and over Grookey, who continues to smile and drum its stick.

"Scorbunny, the Rabbit Pokémon, a warm-up of running around gets fire energy coursing through this Pokémon's body. Once that happens, it's ready to fight at full power," Victor's Rotom Phone explains.

"Scorbunny sounds amazing too, right?" Hop asks, looking over to Victor.

Victor looks over, smiles, and nods his head, "Yeah…"

"Scor!" Scorbunny gives a little yell, as it jumps in the air and lands next to Grookey.

"Last but not least," Sonia picks up the third Poké Ball before throwing it.

The red beam shoots out of the opened Poké Ball, which forms Sobble, who upon seeing everyone looking at it, quickly tries to hide behind Grookey, with it and Scorbunny looking at Sobble, confused, "Sobbl…"

"Sobble, the Water Lizard Pokémon, when it gets wet, its skin changes color, and this Pokémon becomes invisible as if it were camouflaged," Gloria's Rotom Phone explains.

"It can become invisible, that's a cool power," Gloria says, before holding down her Rotom Phone and looking at Sobble, who nervously hides behind Grookey a little bit more.

"So we can choose our Pokémon now?" Hop asks.

"Yes, but remember with your partner, not only do you must choose your Pokémon, but the Pokémon must also choose you," Professor Magnolia says.

Gloria looks from Professor Magnolia back to Scorbunny and Grookey, before starting looking slightly side to side, "Where's Sobble…?" She looks further down the lawn to see a bucket of water, with ripples keep on moving across the water's surface.

Gloria walks over to the bucket and knees down to it, "Hey there, Sobble…" A highline of Sobble's head pulls itself down, trying to squeeze itself further down into the bucket. "You a little bit shy? It's okay, I'll wait till you're comfortable enough to show yourself." Gloria then sits down in front of the bucket, "So we can properly say 'hi'."

"Sobbl…" Sobble's speaking causes small bubbles on the water's surface.

Grookey jumps onto the table and starts drumming its stick on the table, with Hop sitting down next to it, "You have a great rhythm."

"Key! Key!" Grookey tabs its stick on the table twice.

Hop grabs a clean spoon and tabs it on the table twice, Grookey tabs its stick twice, followed by Hop tabs the spoon twice. Then the two tabs in sync with each other.

"Key! Key!" Grookey excitedly jumps into Hop's arms, who hugs the Pokémon.

"Hey, Grookey, how about being my first Pokémon?" Hop asks.

"Key! Key!" Grookey gives its answer.

"Sounds like a yes!" Hop smiles.

"Sobbl…" the highline of Sobble's head slowly lifts, before the bucket rocks and falls over, with the water and Sobble spilling out, as Sobble becomes visible again.

"Oh… are you okay?" Gloria asks, as she picks up Sobble and seats it back on its feet.

"Sobbl…" Sobble brings its hands together and looks down and slightly to the side.

"No reason to be embarrassed," Gloria gently places a hand on Sobble's head, rubbing it softly. "All that matters is you aren't hurt."

Sobble looks up to Gloria, and after a few seconds, Sobble closes its eyes and smiles, "Sobbl…"

"Here's an idea, why don't we be partners and friends?" Gloria offers.

"Sobbl…" Sobble nods its head, happily.

Victor kneels in front of Scorbunny, who looks at him curiously, "Hi, Scorbunny, hum… my name is Victor. Wanna be friends…?"

Scorbunny tilts its head slightly at Victor's nervous smile, before it happily closes his eyes and smiles, "Scor! Scor!"

Scorbunny jumps into Victor's chest, knocking him onto his butt, and climbs onto Victor's shoulder, "Scor! Scor!"

"Guess that's a yes, huh?" Victor laughs slightly.

"It's like Pokémon and trainers are drawn to each other," Sonia says.

"As it should be," Professor Magnolia says, before she takes a step forward. "I have an idea, why don't you young trainers and your partners go for a walk and bond with your first Pokémon."

"Sound awesome," Hop jumps up, with Grookey in his arms.

"Key! Key!" Grookey raises its stick, agreeing with its new trainer.

"Yeah, sound good," Victor agrees, as he stands up with Scorbunny on his shoulder.

"I'm game," Gloria walks over with Sobble in her arms.

"Don't forget your Poké Balls," Vicki reminds her son and his new friends.

The three newly christened trainers each grab their Poké Balls from the briefcase and then turn to leave.

As she watches them leave, Glory looks around, "Wait, is someone missing from this gathering."

Castera sighs, "Yeah, he should be here a long time ago."

"Knowing him, he probably got lost on his way from the train station," Sonia says.

Shortly later, the three trainers and their Pokémon are running across a field, with a Wooloo watching on a tall hill. The trainers and Pokémon are nearly even, before Hop and Grookey get ahead and reach the bottom of the tall hill.

"Alright the winners of the first annual Postwick Trainer and Pokémon quarter mile foot race is Hop and Grookey!" Hop spins around and raises his arms.

"Key! Key!" Grookey mimics its trainer, with its stick back in its hair tufts.

The others are slowing down as they breath deeply, with Gloria notices Sobble is coming to a stop as it hangs its head low.

Gloria knees down to her Pokémon, "It's okay we didn't win, Sobble. Just means we can try again someday."

"Sobbl, Sobble," Sobble responds, happily.

"Hey, guys, I have a great idea," Hop approaches his friends, with his arms pumped, as Scorbunny jumps onto Victor's shoulder. "We're Pokémon Trainers, right? Then let's have our first Pokémon Battle!"

"Sobbl…" Sobble looks down, as Gloria picks it up in her arms.

"I don't think Sobble is up for it," Gloria says.

"How about you, Victor?" Hop asks.

Victor looks over to Scorbunny who shadow boxes, excitedly, then smiles at him, causing Victor to look to Hop, "I think Scorbunny is up for it."

After a few short moments, Victor and Hop stand several feet away, with their respective Pokémon in front of them, as Gloria, with Sobble in her arms, off to the side.

"Alright, Grookey, it's our first battle, so let's give it our all!" Hop yells.

"Key! Key!"

"Scorbunny, let's try our best," Victor says.

"Scor!" Scorbunny nods its head.

"One is overexcited and the other is nervous, this should be interesting," Gloria comments.

"Sobbl…" Sobble slowly nods its head.

"Let's start out strong, Grookey, use Scratch!" Hop instructs.

"Key! Key!" Grookey starts running ahead.

"Right… Scorbunny, dodge," Victor instructs.

"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps to the side, as Grookey scratches forward, missing it.

As Scorbunny is in midair, Victor thinks, "Scorbunny jumped farther then I realized it would. If its jumping ability is that great…?"

"Okay, Scratch miss, then let's try Branch Poke!" Hop calls out.

Grookey pulls out its stick and runs straight ahead the landing Scorbunny, "Key!".

"Scorbunny, keep on dodging!" Victor instructs.

"Scor!"

Scorbunny jumps out of the way of Grookey's charging stick.

"Keep it going, Grookey, Scorbunny can't dodge you forever," Hop says.

Grookey stabs forward with its stick, but Scorbunny jumps over it. Grookey spins back around and stabs forward, but Scorbunny jumps to the side, with Grookey turns to stab at it and Scorbunny jumps over it again.

Gloria continues to watch the attacking and dodging as she thinks, "I know I just met Victor, but I didn't realize he would be such a nonaggressive trainer…"

Scorbunny jumps out of the way of Grookey's attack again, with Grookey stops for a second, breathing heavily as it sweats, before turning back toward its opponent.

"Unless…" Gloria starts to realize. "He's trying to tire out Grookey."

"This is it, I can feel it, Grookey, use Branch Poke!" Hop calls out.

"Key!" Grookey jumps forward and stabs forward its stick, but Scorbunny jumps out of the way, causing Grookey to slip on its feet and falls down. "Key…"

"Now, Scorbunny, uses Ember!"

In midair, Scorbunny turns and shoots out of its mouth, a series of small fireballs.

"Grookey, watch out!" Hop yells.

Grookey turns to see the attack, and then panicking runs in place, as the small fireballs hit the ground around it, with Grookey starting to swing around its stick, trying to block the attack. In the blur of motions, Grookey's stick manages to hit one of the fireballs, splitting it as a portion of the fireball is knocked backward toward the tall hill.

The small flame hits the ground in front of the Wooloo, causing it to raise up its front legs, "Woooo!"

The trainers and their Pokémon look up at the noise.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Victor asks.

Victor's Rotom Phone flies out of his back pocket and floats in front of him, "Wooloo, the Sheep Pokémon, its curly fleece is such an effective cushion that this Pokémon could fall off a cliff and stand right back up at the bottom, unharmed."

"Woooo!" Wooloo then started to charge down the hill toward the gathering.

"Its fleece is a cushion, so it won't hurt, right?" Hop asks.

"I don't think that counts if it uses Tackle!" Gloria yells.

With Wooloo coming toward them, Hop and Victor grab their respective Pokémon and jump to the sides, as Gloria, with Sobble still in her arms, runs to the side.

After Wooloo passed, Victor turns to his friends, "Is everyone's okay?"

"Look!" Gloria suddenly says, causing everyone to see Wooloo charging right through a boarded gate, leading into a dark forest.

"That Wooloo went straight into Slumbering Weald!" Hop realizes.

"Slumbering Weald?" Victor asks.

"Slumbering Weald is a forest, we have always been told never to go in," Gloria explains.

"Some even say that the entire place is haunted…" Hop warns, with an attempt at a creepy voice.

"There are no ghosts!" Gloria suddenly yells, surprising her friends and their Pokémon, with Gloria then looks down, blushing.

"But that Wooloo could get hurt and it's our fault," Victor says.

"Wait, if you are saying that we should go after it, then I'm totally in!" Hop yells, pumping one fists.

"Key! Key!"

"Scor!"

"Sobbl?" Sobble looks up at its trainer.

"Okay… let's go," Gloria says.

The three trainers, with their Pokémon either on their shoulders or in their arms, are walking through the misty, deep forest of Slumbering Weald.

"Wooloo! Wooloo!" Hop calls out, as he and Grookey start to walk ahead, with the mist surrounding them starting to deepen.

"Let's make sure to stay close," Gloria says, before looking down at Sobble in her arms.

"Sobbl!" Sobble responds.

Victor holds out a hand over his eyes, "This mist is getting too hard to see through. Perhaps if Scorbunny uses Ember…"

"Scor! Scor!" Scorbunny pats the top of Victor's head, as it points ahead.

"What is it, I don't see any…" Victor starts to look around, causing him and Gloria to stop. "Where's Hop and Grookey?"

Gloria and Sobble, still in her arms, look around, "I don't believe this, we lost them!"

"Sobbl…" Sobble starts to shake in Gloria's arms.

Gloria looks down at her Pokémon, "Don't worry, Sobble, I'm sure we'll find them soon enough."

Victor tries to narrow his eyes, "Is that them?"

Victor, Gloria, and their Pokémon look ahead, as two large figures start to approach them through the mist. Then two large creatures emerge from the mist, one is mostly red and the other is mostly blue.

"Are those Pokémon?" Gloria asks, with Sobble shivering.

Victor holds up his Rotom Phone, which responds, "Unknown Pokémon detected."

"'Unknown'?!" Victor responds.

The blue creature takes a step closer.

"Scor! Scor!"

"You wanna battle it, Scorbunny?" Victor asks his Pokémon.

Scorbunny jumps off its trainer, and lands in front of him, "Scor! Scor!"

"Okay, then let's start off with Ember!" Victor instructs.

"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps up and shoots several small fireballs from its mouth, but the attack seemingly goes through the blue creature.

"It had no effect!" Victor yells.

"Scor?!"

The red creature takes a step closer to Gloria, who also takes a step back. Sobble looks up at Gloria, before pulling itself free of her arms and lands on the ground in front of Gloria.

"Sobbl!"

"Sobble, do you want to battle for me?" Gloria asks.

"Sobbl!" Sobble nods her head.

"Okay…" Gloria smiles, blushing, before she holds out an arm. "Okay, let's try Water Gun!"

Sobble brings its hands together and shoots out a long stream of water from its mouth, which seemingly goes through the red creature.

"What?! That's impossible!" Gloria reacts.

"Sobbl?!"

Victor backs up to Gloria, "Our attacks are having no effects on them."

At that moment, the mist surrounding them started to thicken.

"The mist… I can barely see… anything," Gloria says, as her eyes start to get drowsy.

"Scor…" Scorbunny's eyes get drowsy.

"Sob...bl…" Sobble's eyes also get drowsy.

"What's... going on…" Victor gets drowsy, as his shoulder leans aside Gloria's.

"I… don't know…" Gloria slowly lowers her head.

The mist continues to thicken until the blue and red creatures become completely obstructed. Then Victor and Gloria fall down, asleep, on the ground, next to their sleeping Pokémon.

"The day one becomes a Pokémon Trainer could be the biggest moment in someone's young life. But that day reaches an unusual, and potentially dangerous, end for these trainers. What will become of them and their partners?"

"Find out as the journey continues…"