Several hours later, the boys arrived at the Battle Frontier. To the northeast, behind the imposing Battle Tower, a volcano belched a steady stream of black smoke. The weather was warm, so the boys loosened their scarves. All around them were tropical plants, berry patches and elite Trainers.

"Mint, how is it physically possible for it to be warmer here when we're at the same latitude as Snowpoint?"

"The volcano keeps the place warm!"

"An inactive volcano can't change weather patterns!"

"Maybe we went beyond the North Pole and are now near the Equator!"

"Mint, are you even aware what 'latitude' means?"

"Nope!"

Neither Hannah nor Cynthia was there to welcome them. All phonecalls went straight to Hannah's voicemail.

"Why are women so inaccessible when they run off with their friends?" Manny asked Mint.

"I dunno, but we're used to it. Since we were about three years old, our Moms went out for days at a time, leaving us with a neighbor who continued homeschooling us."

Manny frowned, remembering.

"They never talked about where they went, but they always dressed up really fancy, and came home really tired, wearing different clothes."

Mint laughed.

"You don't expect them to wear the same clothes all the time, do you?"

"Why not?" Manny snorted. "I haven't changed clothes since we started this adventure."

"At least you wash them. I forget, sometimes."

"Ewwww! I did NOT need to know that. I'm going to require at least three feet of personal space, now."

Mint blinked.

"Why are Flint and Volkner standing over there?"

The boys jogged over to the Battle Frontier entrance. Both men wore insufferable grins.

"You're not getting past us without a fight," Volkner informed them.

"But I wanna see my Daddy!"

"Your Daddy's real busy right now. Maybe you can pass the time with a battle," Flint hinted in a not-so-subtle manner.

Mint summoned Infernape.

"Manny!"

"What?"

"It's a double battle!"

"We shouldn't have to fight these guys to gain access to a public area!"

"It's not polite to refuse a battle!"

Manny rolled his eyes, summoning Torterra.

"The things I do for basic human rights!"

The men brought their Pokémon to the field.

"Luxray, Ice Fang on Torterra!"

"Houndoom, Flamethrower on Torterra!"

"Infernape, Brick Break on Houndoom!

"Torterra, Earthquake!"

"WHAT?" Mint shouted, but it was too late. Infernape socked Houndoom in the jaw, knocking him out, while Luxray gnawed Torterra's head with frozen fangs. The giant turtle stomped the earth, causing the two other Pokémon to faint.

"MANNY!"

"What?"

"We're supposed to be a TEAM!"

"It worked, didn't it?"

Flint summoned Flareon; Volkner, Jolteon; and Mint, Garchomp.

"Flareon, Overheat on Torterra!"

"Jolteon, Pin Missile on Torterra!"

"WHY ARE YOU JERKS GANGING UP ON ME? Torterra, use Earthquake again!"

"Garchomp, Earthquake also!"

The Eveelutions were far too swift for either boy's Pokémon: they KO'd Torterra before Garchomp KO'd them.

"Electivire, get ready for battle! Use Giga Impact on Garchomp!"

"Magmortar, come on down! Blast Garchomp with your Hyper Beam!"

Mint's Garchomp was smashed, then blasted out of commission.

"Torterra, return! Alakazam, go! Use Psychic on Electivire!" Manny commanded.

"Espeon, help us out! Attack Electivire with your own Psychic!"

Thus, Volkner was knocked out of the battle. Magmortar was still recharging, so the Psychic Pokémon had plenty of time to defeat it with another round of Psychic.

"Excellent battle, boys," Volkner praised them. Mint summoned Elekid, who was wearing the 'Exp Share' harness.

"Guys! Lookit this!"

The three other Trainers shielded their eyes as Elekid burst with evolutionary energy.

"Yay!" Mint laughed as he glomped his new Electabuzz.

"Buuuuuuzz!" the much larger Pokémon cried.

"I thought you hated that harness?" Manny asked.

"I got impatient. Togepi took forever to evolve!"

"No he didn't!"

"Look, Manny, I'm not getting any younger! Now, Electabuzz, hold this car battery. Manny, let's do this!"

Manny handed over Keira while Mint returned Electabuzz to his ball for trading purposes. They waited a moment, returned each other's Pokéball, then Mint summoned Electabuzz, who sunburst into Electivire.

"Electivire," Mint's Pokédex narrated. "Heedless of enemy attacks, it closes in, shoves its tails onto the foe, then looses high voltage."

"When we touch, when we kiss," Volkner sang. Flint facepalmed.

"Sounds perfect for you," Manny said with a nod.

Mint gave a satisfied thumbs-up.

"Welcome to the team, Electivire! You're still just a baby, but you'll grow up real quick!"

"VIE-ERR!" the large black-and-yellow striped electric Pokémon boomed, flexing freakish musculature that no baby should have.

Flint clapped the boy on the back. "Well done, Mint! Few Trainers can handle an Electivire, much less raise one for battle!"

"I'll manage," Mint assured him, clambering onto Electivire for a piggyback ride. The six-foot-tall Pokémon supported his Trainer's weight easily, so they bounded towards the Pokémon Centre to revive the rest of their team.

Volkner snickered, remembering his own childhood among electric types.

"Manny, you better rest your team, too. You have no idea what awaits you beyond these gates."

"Crazy people who dress in funny costumes?"

Volkner snapped his fingers. "Hey! You got it right the first time. See you later, then!"

"Bye, Volkner! Bye, Flint!"

Minutes later, the boys and their teams were fresh and eager for the challenge of the Battle Frontier. They were racing inside the entrance when…

THUD!

"Ow!" Mint hollered. "Watch where yer going!"

"Son?"

Mint and Manny looked up. It was a taller, older version of Mint, complete with spiky blonde hair, bright, piercing brown eyes and a ready grin. The man was wearing a forest green jacket with large gold buttons.

Manny bowed at the hip. "Tower Tycoon Palmer."

"Pfah! Stand straight, boy. How's your mother?"

"She won the Master Rank Beauty contest and is now training other Pokémon breeders."

"Brilliant! Mint, stop gaping at me like a Magikarp. Use your words!"

"D-DADDY!"

Mint hugged the breath out of Palmer.

"I missed you, Daddy!"

"This is the first time you've been here, son, good job! If you bring your mother with you next time, I won't have to travel all the way to Twinleaf, anymore!"

"Don't be silly, Daddy, Mom can't come here. Only reason I got onto the ferry is because I know Manny."

"Ah yes, the new Champion. How does it feel to have the world in the palm of your hand, boy?"

"The world gives me gas."

"Hah! What a smartmouth! I challenge both of you to defeat me at the top of my Battle Tower. Don't make me wait!"

With that, Palmer broke his son's deathgrip and zoomed back to his beloved edifice. Mint stood there a moment, watching his father run off. The Tower's shadow did not dim the lights in his eyes.

"Y'know, Manny, I rushed so quickly to get here, that now I dunno what to do! I wanna defeat my Dad, that's for sure, but there's the Survival Area, Resort Area, and Stark Mountain!"

Mint shook his head, laughing a bit.

"No need to rush anymore. Gonna stop and smell the berries along the way."

Manny looked around him. The universe had not imploded. He felt the need to orate, lifting his hands to address the sky above.

"Know, ye cosmos, that on this day, upon planet Earth, the boy Mint went against his own nature, and lo! The Earth orbits merrily!"