"A chance to help someone out almost turns tragedy when Victor gets caught in a sandstorm. But Rookidee evolved to rescue its Trainer. What could be next for our heroes?"

"To Runerigus"

In the Dusty Bowl, Victor swipes one arm to the side, "Okay, Scorbunny, try it again!"

"Scor! Scor!" Scorbunny hops up and down, before jumping and bounces from one rock formation to another and back. "Scor! Scor!"

Sirfetch'd and Dottler are watching Scorbunny bouncing back and forth, as behind them Sobble is standing on a collapsible table with Gloria holding up a dirty plate.

"Sobbl," Sobble shoots a stream of water onto the plate, washing it, before Gloria holds up another dirty plate, with Sobble washing it with another stream of water. "Sobbl."

"Thanks, Sobble, for helping me clean up after lunch," Gloria tells her Pokémon.

"Sobbl," Sobble smiles.

Victor turns to them, with Scorbunny bouncing back and forth, "Oh, sorry, for not helping with the cleanup."

"It's fine, I know how long you and Scorbunny have been wanting to train," Gloria says. "So, how's it going?"

"We are about to see," Victor says, before looking back ahead. "Alright, Scorbunny, use Double Kick!"

"Scor!" Scorbunny bounces off a rock formation, before it suddenly slams into the other rock formation. "Scor…"

"And that was too fast…" Victor sweat drops.

Scorbunny falls onto the ground, with Victor starting to run up to it. Suddenly, streams of dark energy fly down onto Scorbunny, causing a small explosion that knocks it through the air.

"Scorbunny!" Victor calls out.

"What was that?!" Gloria asks, as she, Sobble, Dottler, and Sirfetch'd run over.

"It looked like Night Shade," Victor picks up his Pokémon. "Scorbunny, are you okay?"

"Scor, Scor," Scorbunny responds.

"But where did it come from?" Gloria asks.

"Sir, Fetch!" Sirfetch'd points its leek ahead, with Gloria looking ahead.

"Ya. Mas," a Galarian Yamask flies toward the group.

"Is that… a Galarian Yamask?" Victor asks, as Scorbunny jumps out of his arms.

Victor's Rotom Phone flies up, "Yamask, the Spirit Pokémon, It's said that this Pokémon was formed when an ancient clay tablet was drawn to a vengeful spirit."

Victor holds down his Rotom Phone, "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a Ghost-Type before."

"Me neither."

Victor looks to the side to only see Sirfetch'd and Dottler, before the two Pokémon notice their Trainer is missing, when they all see Gloria behind one of the rock formations, looking around it.

"A-Are you okay, Gloria?" Victor asks, as he sweat drops.

"I-I'm fine, I'm just not the biggest fans of ghosts," Gloria says. "But I'm fine, really…"

Sirfetch'd watches Gloria, as it imagines her dresses like a princess, "I'm fine, really…"

"Sir! Fetch!" Sirfetch'd's eyes focused, before it charged at Yamask.

"Sirfetch'd?" Gloria reacts.

"Sir! Fetch!" Sirfetch'd raises its leek and brings it down, which goes straight through Yamask.

"Ya. Mas."

"Hum, Sirfetch'd, Rock Smash has no effect on Ghost-Types," Gloria says, with Sirfetch'd sweat drops.

"Ya. Mas…" Yamask starts to glow with dark energy.

"Yamask, stop!"

"Ya. Mas!" Yamask stops glowing, before turning to see a girl, slightly younger then Victor and Gloria, running toward them.

"Yamask, you need to stop this…" the girl stops running and tries to catch her breath.

"Hum, are you Yamask's Trainer?" Victor asks.

"Yeah… I'm Marilyn, and I'm sorry if Yamask is causing any problems…" she continues to catch her breath.

"That's okay, I'm Victor and this is Scorbunny."

"Scor."

"And I'm Gloria, and this are my Pokémon, Sobble, Dottler, and Sirfetch'd!" Gloria calls from behind the rock formation, as Sobble looks up at her next to her.

"Sobb…"

"Gloria, apparently has trouble with ghosts," Victor explains, nervously.

"Oh, I see…" Marilyn starts. "Anyway, I'm sorry about Yamask. It has been acting up a lot lately and I just don't know why."

"Ya. Mas," Yamask flies pass Marilyn and over to Dottler. "Ya. Mas. Ya. Mas."

"Dot-er," Dottler shakes its head.

"Ya. Mas." Yamask flies backward, before its body glows with dark energy and then shoots streams of dark energy.

"Dot-er," Dottler jumps back, as the streams of dark energy hit the ground.

"Hey! Stop attacking my Pokémon!" Gloria yells from behind the rock formation.

"Ya. Mas," Yamask starts to glow with dark energy.

Marilyn stands in front of Yamas, spreading out her arms. "Yamask, stop that!"

"Ya. Mas," Yamask stops glowing.

"You need to stop attacking everyone," Marilyn tells it.

"Ya. Mas!" Yamask angrily says, before it flies around.

"What are you doing, Yamask?" Marilyn asks.

"Ya. Mas!" Yamask flies at Marilyn, who ducks under it.

"Hey, stop that!" Marilyn yells, before she sees Yamask start chasing her.

"Ya. Mas! Ya. Mas!" Yamask continues to chase its Trainer.

"Hold on," Victor runs ahead, with Scorbunny and Sirfetch'd running with them.

Gloria looks around the rock formation, with Sobble looking up at her, confused.

"Yamask, please, stop this!" Marilyn calls out.

"Ya. Mas!" Yamask angrily yells, as it chases her.

Yamask chases Marilyn under a stone bridge.

"Ya. Mas!" Yamask calls out, when its body starts to glow.

"Wait, is it…" Victor stops running, as well as Scorbunny and Sirfetch'd.

Marilyn stops and turns, "Yamask?"

Yamask's body continues to glow, as it stops chasing, before it grows into a misshapen form, as its arms and tail grow and stretch with a large head forming. The glowing ceases as it calls out, "Rune. Gus!"

"It evolved…" Victor realizes.

Victor's Rotom Phone flies up, "Runerigus, the Grudge Pokémon, Never touch its shadowlike body, or you'll be shown the horrific memories behind the picture carved into it."

Gloria, holding Sobble and Dottler, catches up to the rest of the group, with her trying to catch her breath.

"Nice of you to join us," Victor jokes, as he holds down his Rotom Phone.

"After hearing what your Rotom Phone had to say, are you really joking with me," Gloria looks over to her friend, annoyed.

"Maybe now that it evolved, it will calm down," Marilyn says.

"Rune. Gus," Runerigus turns around and holds up one hand, as a claw forms from a shadow and brings it down on Scorbunny.

"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps out of the way.

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus uses its other hand to hit Scorbunny with a Shadow Claw, knocking it against the stone bridge.

"Scor!"

"Scorbunny!" Victor runs over to his Pokémon, as Dottler jumps out of Gloria's arm.

"Okay, that enough, Runerigus," Marilyn says.

"Rune. Gus," Runerigus turns and charges at Dottler with a Shadow Claw raised.

"Dot-er!" Dottler jumps away, dodging the attack.

Marilyn clenches a fist, as Runerigus keeps on trying to hit Dottler with a Shadow Claw, "Runerigus!"

"Rune. Gus," Runerigus stops attacking, and turns.

"You are so frustrating, never listening to me and attacking everyone around us. I just wish I never caught you!"

As soon as she's done, Marilyn looks ahead, with large eyes and mouth agape, then looks at Runerigus.

"Rune. Gus…"

Runerigus then turns away and flies ahead.

"Wait, Runerigus!" Marilyn calls out. "Wait!"

Shortly later, the group is walking in the same direction as Runerigus.

"I don't believe I said that to Runerigus…" Marilyn has her shoulders lowered. "It was so terrible…"

"Everything's gonna be okay, we'll find Runerigus and you'll be able to apologize to it," Victor tells her.

"Maybe…"

"If you don't mind me asking, how long had Runerigus been acting up?" Gloria asks.

"It actually started after we watched the Galar League's opening ceremony on TV…" Marilyn starts.

"The opening ceremony, right…" Victor says, as he remembers him nervously walking out during the opening ceremony.

Marilyn sighs, "And ever since then, Yamask has attacked any other Pokémon it comes across. Now that it evolved, it only seems to get worse faster."

Victor looks at Marilyn, before looking down at his Dynamax Band.

"Rune. Gus!"

"That's Runerigus!" Marilyn realizes, before she leads the group over a hill, where they find Runerigus standing off against a wild Barbaracle.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Gloria asks.

Gloria's Rotom Phone flies up, "Barbaracle, the Collective Pokémon, Having an eye on each palm allows it to keep watch in all directions. In a pinch, its limbs start to act on their own to ensure the enemy's defeat."

"Barb!" Barbaracle raises its arms as glowing fossils appear around it and shoots forward. "Acle!"

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus moves side to side, dodging the glowing fossils, before a couple hits it one after another. "Rune. Gus!"

"Scor!"

"Sir, Fetch!"

Scorbunny and Sirfetch'd start to run ahead, when Victor takes a step in front of them, "No, don't go."

"Victor…" Gloria looks to her friend.

"Marilyn, why don't you help Runerigus?" Victor suggests.

"I'm not sure it would listen to me…" Marilyn looks to the side.

"It might," Victor tells her, causing Marilyn to look up to him. "Besides, if you battle with it, it might help you understand it better."

"Okay…" Marilyn says, before she walks up to Runerigus, who is rising back up. "Runerigus…"

"Rune. Gus…" Runerigus looks to its Trainer.

"I want to help, so would you listen to me?" Marilyn asks.

"Rune. Gus," Runerigus goes to in front of Marilyn.

Marilyn smiles.

"Barb!" Barbaracle brings its arms together and spreads them out, as a stream of water shoots from its head. "Acle!"

"Runerigus, dodge," Marilyn instructs.

"Rune. Gus," Runerigus moves left to right, dodging the water stream.

"Runerigus, Shadow Claw," Marilyn says.

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus' hand glows with a large shadow claw, before stretching it to its opponent.

"Barb!" Barbaracle uses one hand to block the Shadow Claw.

"Another, Runerigus," Marilyn instructs.

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus' other hand glows with a large shadow claw, stretching it out.

"Acle!" Barbaracle blocks the Shadow Claw with its other hand.

"Now, try Night Shade," Marilyn says.

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus, with its hands still blocked by Barbaracle's hands, glows, before streams of dark energy shoot out and hit Barbaracle.

"Barb!"

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus pulls its hands free, before striking Barbaracle with the two Shadow Claws.

Barbaracle is knocked back, blowing through a rock formation, before turning away and running away.

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus happily spins around Marilyn.

Marilyn smiles at her Pokémon, "Runerigus, you're so happy. I hadn't seen you like this since… our last battle…" Marilyn looks down slightly. "You wanted to compete in the Galar League, didn't you?"

"Rune. Gus," Runerigus turns to look at her, with Marilyn meets its glance.

"I was so full of self-doubts and insecure that I couldn't seek out an endorsement…" Marilyn starts. "I'm sorry I didn't realize how you feel. But Runerigus, I promise, I will work harder to be braver, so we can compete during the next League Season."

"Rune. Gus!" Runerigus happily responds.

Victor, Gloria, and their Pokémon happily watch the scene before them.

"I got to say, I'm impressed you realize what the problem with Runerigus was," Gloria says.

"Oh, it was nothing," Victor blushes.

"Maybe, but it was still…" Gloria starts, when she looks ahead and sees Runerigus right in front of her.

"Rune. Gus."

Gloria screams and moves to behind Victor.

"Rune. Gus?"

Everyone started laughing.

"A run in with a young girl and her Pokémon reminded Victor and Gloria of the importance of communicating one's feelings, including between Trainer and Pokémon. What could be next for our heroes?"

"Find out, as the journey continues…"