A large, stone tablet had been cracked into two pieces, which were a couple feet of grass apart. Between the pieces of rock, a mass of blue and black fur twitched its tail and breathed heavily for what felt like the first time in years.

"Flux!"

The panicked pachirisu darted into the clearing and rushed over to his collapsed friend, followed by a marill and a less-than-enthusiastic-but-still-very-much-concerned oddish. Patch took Flux's paw and pulled him into a sitting position. As the luxio coughed violently, Patch noticed that his paw was incredibly hot, as if the fur had been completely singed from it. However, other than the roughened patches of dirt and bruises on his face, Flux's black and blue coat was untouched. Patch looked with concern from his paw into his friend's eyes, only to notice that the irises were now a bright green as opposed to the usual yellow. As Flux blinked between each of his friends, becoming aware of his surroundings, his eyes returned to their normal coloration. Patch seemed to be the only one who noticed.

"What happened to you?" exclaimed Gwen. "You're all beaten up and sore, and... and holy tauros your fur is hot!"

"Gwen, that's not where you check for fever," Molly sighed.

"Molly, come feel his fur!"

"Gwen, I don't see how... Oh, my! I didn't know we had a fire-type in our village!"

Gwen rolled her eyes and retrieved a pack of never-melt ice from her first-aid kit, beginning to administer it to Flux.

"Flux, are you alright? What happened? Who did this?" Patch probed frantically. Flux grit his fangs and winced as Gwen applied the ice to his battered forehead.

"Arceus, my head hurts," he groaned. "Let's just get back to the village, I'll explain everything on the way; although I don't think I understand half of what is going on myself."

The three pokémon helped their friend to stand and get reoriented.

"I think I can walk okay, home isn't too far from here as it is," Flux said, and with that, the group left the clearing. They were all too preoccupied to notice the distant mountain that towered above the north entrance of the forest, or more specifically, the Houndoom perched on its hind legs at its peak that scanned and scrutinized the tree-line with malignant intentions.

As the sun kissed the edge of the horizon, the sky blushed a deep shade of pink. Far north, miles beyond the mountain and all of the mountains beyond it, a riolu sighed, hunched over the smooth marble railing that lined the balcony of his new bedroom on the twenty-third floor of the central building of the grand palace at the center of the walled city that rested on the surface of an island held miles above the ground by seemingly impossible forces. Delicate footsteps behind him heralded the approach of another. The riolu furrowed his brow, wanting to be left alone for the night. The growlithe spoke softly.

"I thought you did a good job today."

The exasperated riolu sighed again, turned from the sunset to face his childhood friend, and slid against the railing until he was lowered to the tiled floor. The growlithe moved closer and sat patiently on its hind legs, looking with concern at his friend.

"Good isn't enough, Ty. Everyone there was good. I've waited my entire life for this. I can't afford to be only average. I know I could have done better."

He lowered his head and felt his eyes well with disappointment and self-pity. Ty sighed and sat next to him.

"You really want it that badly, don't you?"

The riolu looked at his friend with a mixture of surprise and determination.

"More than anything," he swore. Ty stood and turned, grinning, into the retreating daylight.

"Then show them. Show them how much you want it and how far you're willing to go for it. Don't even give them the option, make yourself absolutely necessary. Then they'll know that you're the real deal. Then you'll have what you want."

There was a silence between the two of them until the riolu stiffened up and gave a weak but pure smile. They understood each other.

"Thanks, Ty."

Ty smiled fondly at him before pawing at the riolu's shoulder.

"C'mon, you. There's a banquet downstairs with all of the other new initiates, and you're stuck up here alone dwelling on the past."

He chuckled softly, standing and stretching his arms above his head, grinning coyly at the fire-type.

"Well I'm not quite alone anymore, am I? But I suppose you're right. It's about time I met the others."

Ty led the way through the bedroom, down the hallway, and to the seemingly infinite spiral staircase, where the noise and excitement echoed from below. Twenty-two floors later, the growlithe pushed open a twin set of wooden doors, revealing a warm, massive dining hall packed with pokémon eating and enjoying themselves. The smell of food overpowered the riolu, whose nerves had distracted him from his hunger until now. A sharp call sounded out from one of the far tables.

"Hey, Ty! It's about time!"

The growlithe grinned, snatched his friend's hand, and began to lead him towards the small crowd that awaited them.