AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. This is one shows Blake and Weiss attempting to get there next badges needed to enter the league. While the battles may be short, I really liked writing them here. As I said, this will be the last chapter of this section for a bit as I work on other series afterwards. I will post a save state chapter soon to update everyone's team and include more details than the last one had. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.

See the most recent Save State Chapter for Cover Art details.

Chapter 30 – Sweet Steely Spirits

"Y-you're a Gym Leader!?" Blake said as she walked aside Opal.

"Well, I am retired." Opal responded, "The gym I ran has a new leader. One I picked due to the overwhelming amount of pink he radiated."

"Uh," Blake said in a confused voice, "So, why do you want me to battle you?"

"You're in this Pokemon Worldwide League?" Opal said with Blake nodding, "I thought so. This means you may need a badge from Galar to meet the league requirements."

"It would help a lot," Blake responded with a smile, then stopped walking as the look of confusion returned, "But you just said you're retired?"

"From staying in a stuffy stadium all day, yes." Opal responded, walking ahead while looking around at the grassy area and hills, "I will never be too old to stop wanting to help a generation grow stronger with their Pokemon." She said before stopping, turning back to Blake, and holding out a Pokeball, "If you can defeat me and my partner in a one-on-one match, I will give you the fairy gym badge I have." She said before smiling with her eyes closed, "I brought one with me in case I meet a trainer worthy of earning it." The sweet old lady then opened her eyes, "So, Dearie, do you wish to challenge me?"

Blake had a look of focus, "Yes, I do." She said before reaching for a Pokeball, "Shedinja is still fainted. Ninjask and Absol are still tried from the last battle." The shadowy girl looked at the ball with a smile, then threw it. "I'm counting on you, Espurr!"

"Es!" the resistant Pokemon said as he appeared between Blake and Opal, then adjusted the bow on his ears.

"Oh, what a cute little fella." Opal said with a smile, "As for my partner." She said before casually throwing the ball, "Alcremie, come on out." She said with the Pokemon emerging from the ball. What emerged was a living pile of pink whipped cream with strawberries, but still had an adorable face at the center. "Now, let the match begin."

"Right." Blake said before pointing, "Espurr, use Disarming Voice."

"ESPURR!" the restraint Pokemon shouted, creating a pink shockwave from its mouth.

"Alcremie, use Dazzling Gleam," Opal said while pointing with her umbrella.

"Al," Alcremie posed with a smile, causing its body to flash in a pink light that collided with the disarming voice. Both Fairy-type attacks mixed, but the disarming voice was overwhelmed.

"Quick, block with a Light Screen," Blake said before Espurr put up the clear wall of psychic energy, shielding from most of the dazzling gleam damage. The shadowy girl then focused, "I need to figure out a way to-"

"Question!" Opal said with Blake gasping, "Do you know my nickname?"

"What!?" Blake responded, "I just meet you and you never said that you had a nickname." She said before a buzzing sound was heard, "Wait, what made that noise?"

"Too bad, that is incorrect." Opal said before Espurr was overcome with a blue aura, causing his form to slouch, "For the record, it's Wizard. I got that due to my ability to change my opponent's stats based on my mood. And from your poor answer, your Espurr's speed has harshly fallen."

"T-that's not fair!" Blake responded.

"You could have gotten it right, Dearie." Opal spoke, "Now Alcremie, use Sweet Kiss!"

"Al," Alcremie said while putting its hands on its mouth, "Alcremie!" she said before blowing a kiss towards Espurr in the form of a pink heart.

"Espurr, use Double Team," Blake responded, causing the restraint Pokemon to split into four clones. The sweet kiss hit one of them, but real Espurr remained unharmed, "Now, use Psyshock."

"Es," Espurr said as his eyes glowed blue, the ears slightly opening. Alcremie had a look of confusion as purple psychic stones appeared around her head, "Purr!" the restraint Pokemon said before the Psyshock hit, creating a massive explosion over the cream pokemon's body.

"Yes, that was a good hit," Blake thought with a smile, seeing Alcremie struggling to push herself up, "Now, we need to-"

"Question!" Opal interrupted, "What is my favorite color?"

"S-she can't be serious? How am I suppose-" Blake thought before recalling what Opal said a few moments ago, "I know this, it's pink!" She said before hearing a buzzing noise again, "What!? But you-"

"I like to see the pink in other people," Opal said, "But it's now what I like for myself." She said before adjusting her puffy collar, "My favorite color is purple." The sweet old lady said before Espurr was covered in another blue aura, "Alcremie, use Draining Kiss."

"Es…" Espurr said before seeing Alcremie standing before him, "Purr-" the restraint Pokemon said before the cream Pokemon grabbed his face, then pulled it in for a kiss on the lips. Espurr's eyes widened as his body glowed in a pink aura.

"Oh no," Blake said as she saw Alcremie's wounds start to heal, "Think, there has to be a way out." She gritted her teeth before pointing, "Use Disarming Voice!"

"MMM!," Espurr said in his muffled voice.

"Al-" Alcremie's eyes widened as its body slightly expanded.

"PURR!" Espurr then broke out of the kiss Alcremie being pushed back from the pink soundwaves.

"Oh my," Opal responded, "I did not expect that type of counter."

"Now, it's time for us to-," Blake said before pointing but was cut off.

"Question!" Opal spoke.

"Come on!" Blake responded, "Can you at least make this one simple."

"All righty then," Opal said with a smirk, "How old am I?"

"Well…" Blake said before thinking to herself, "She has to be at least seventy, maybe even eighty, or even-" Suddenly, Blake's mind flashed back what Opal had said earlier, "Wait, that might mean…" she thought before looking to Espurr, who was panting in exhaustion, "If I'm wrong, then we lose." The shadowy girl thought before closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, then looking back to Opal, "You're sixteen."

"Hah," Opal said before smiling, "I like your answer!" she said before Espurr gained a red aura, causing his eyes to focus, "Alcremie, use Dazzling Gleam." The sweet old lady said with the cream Pokemon unleashing the pink light.

"Espurr, use Disarming Voice," Blake said with the restraint Pokemon shouting back at Alcremie, but the pink voice was louder than before. When the Fairy-type moves collided, it was Espurr's voice that overcame that Dazzling Gleam. The attack reverberated through Alcremie's body, "Now, surround it with Double Team," Blake called out with the restraint Pokemon doing so. "Finish it off with one last Psyshock!"

Alcremie was still trying to find the real Espurr. However, the cream Pokemon gasped as she looked up to see numerous psychic stones overhead right before they rained down upon her. As a massive dust cloud filled the area, the clones faded. The real Espurr remained focused as the dust settled, then saw his opponent laying on her stomach, "Al…" Alcremie spoke with swirling eyes before fainting.

"We did it!" Blake said with a smile, running to and picking up her Pokemon, "We won!"

"Espurr!" the restraint Pokemon spoke with a look of joy on her face. He then looked up at Blake, how smiled down at him before gently kissing the restraint Pokemon on the forehead, "Es!" Espurr said as his whole body went red, exhaling steam before barely speaking. "Es…" Espurr said before fainting, causing Blake to have a soft smile before recalling him back to his ball.

"Thank you for putting up a good fight," Opal said while recalling Alcremie, then started walking over to Blake, "I'm impressed, you two performed splendidly." She said before smirking, "Regarding that last question, I am actually eighty-eight."

"But you're still young at heart," Blake responded, causing Opal to giggle, "And that does not change with age."

"You are too kind, Dearie," Opal said before offering her right hand. Blake smiled before shaking it. Upon looking back at her hand, the shadowy girl discovered a badge with a pink symbol on it, "Take good care of yourself and your Pokemon." Opal said before walking away, causing Blake to bow before going in the other direction.

Meanwhile.

In the middle of the snowy plateau near Freezington, Weiss stood a few meters across from Peony, with the energetic explorer holding one Pokeball, "To keep it simple, we'll do one partner each." He said before tossing out the Pokeball, "Go, Perrserker!"

Emerging from the ball was a short bipedal grey cat with a long beard instead of whiskers. However, he had armor-like black fur on his arms, leg, and head which seemed to have horns on the sides. His eyes were blood red, and his teeth were razor sharp. Hilda took out her Pokedex to scan this new creature, "Perrserker, Viking Pokémon. After many battles, it evolved dangerous claws that come together to form daggers when extended."

"In that case, I know exactly who to send out." Weiss said as she readied a Pokeball, "Zangoose, your turn!" the white heiress then tossed out the Pokeball.

"Zan!" the cat-ferret Pokemon said upon emerging, brandishing his claws.

"Perr," Perrserker said while glaring at its opponent.

"Now, let's get started!" Peony said while pointing to himself.

"Then the first move is mine," Weiss said before pointing, "Zangoose, use Slash!" she said with the cat-ferret Pokemon rushing in with glowing white claws.

"Perrserker, show him a real slash attack!" Peony responded.

"Perr!" the Viking Pokemon said before his claws extended, turning into blades, "Serker!" he said before rushing in, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

The claws clashed with one another, but Zangoose gritted his teeth at the power behind each of his opponent's hits. He dodged one swipe before slashing across Berserker's head but could not dent the hardened hair. Perrserker then grinned before slashing Zangoose across the chest, sending the cat-ferret Pokemon back a few feet.

"Are you okay!?" Weiss asked in panic before seeing Zangoose brandish his claws again.

"This one has spirit," Peony commented, "In that case, Perrserker, use Seed Bomb!"

"Perr!" the Viking Pokemon said while firing greenish-yellow orbs from its mouth.

"Dodge it!" Weiss called out as Zangoose ran out of the way of the orbs, which exploded on contact. As more orbs were ejected, the cat-ferret Pokemon evaded them through the snowy terrain, "Now, rush in with Pursuit."

"Zan!" Zangoose said before dashing toward Perrserker with a dark aura, "Zangoose!" the cat-ferret Pokemon said before striking the Viking Pokemon in the face. However, the Viking Pokemon had a sharped toothy smile as Zangoose gasped.

"Here's a better dark type move for you," Peony responded, "Use Throat Chop!"

"Perr!" Perrserker said before jabbing Zangoose in the neck, causing the cat-ferret Pokemon's eyes to widen.

"Zangoose!" Weiss called out in panic as her Pokemon coughed in agony, holding his throat with both hands.

"Now, hit it with an Iron Head!" Peony said with Perrserker rushing in with a steel aura. It then crashed his head into Zangoose's chest, causing the cat-ferret Pokemon to gasp for more air, "You ready to give up?" Peony asked.

"Never," Weiss responded, "Zangoose, use Revenge!"

"Zan!" Zangoose said as his left arm glowed in a blue aura, "Zangoose!" the cat-ferret Pokemon said before bashing his left claw into Perrserker's chin, sending the Viking Pokemon flying backward and into a tree. Once Perrserker hit the ground, its body was covered in snow.

"Yes, that did some damage." Weiss said before noticing Zangoose was panting, "But we're already reaching the limit." Suddenly, she looked over to see the pile of snow shaking.

"Perrserker!" the Viking Pokemon shouted as it erupted out of the snow, his eyes rolled back into his head again.

"Not done yet," Peony said with a smirk, "Use Slash." He said with Perrserker's dagger-like claws extending as he rushed in.

"Zangoose, you have to parry his slashes with your own." Weiss called out, "Then hit hard when you see an opening."

"Zan," Zangoose said as he rushed with his claws at the ready, each radiating a white aura, "Zangoose!" the cat-ferret Pokemon shouted as he clashed claws with the Viking Pokemon.

"Oh, you think you can stand up to us like that?" Peony said with a confident smile, "Perrserker, go wild with your slash attacks!"

"Perr!" Perrserker shouted back as his slashes grew more rabid.

With each strike, Zangoose struggled to predict their movements. Slowly, the cat-ferret Pokemon was the one exposing his opening. To which Perrserker slashed accessed Zangoose's right shoulder and left thigh, "Zan-" Zangoose flinched in pain before blocking Perrserker's craws with his left claw.

"Oh no, what do I-" Weiss said before seeing something spark in Zangoose's claws, "Huh?" she said before seeing another spark. Suddenly, she had a look of focus, "Zangoose, keep using Slash!" the white heiress called out with the others all gasping.

However, Zangoose followed the order without question, "Zan! Goose! Zan! Goose!" the cat-ferret Pokemon said while unleashing slash after slash against Perrserker.

"I'll give you credit, it takes a lot of guts to keep using a normal type move against a steel type." Peony said before pointing, "But guts are not enough to beat me! Perrserker, show them why your claws are tougher!"

"Perrserker!" the Viking Pokemon roared before answering Zangoose slash for slash, "Perr! Serker! Perr! Serker!"

"Zan! Goose! Zan! Goose!" Zangoose said while he continued slashing as well but could not find an opening.

"Perr! Serker! Perr! Serker!" Perrserker said while landing a few slashes on Zangoose body, "Perrserker!" the Viking Pokemon said before landing a powerful slash across Zangoose's chest, sending the cat-ferret Pokemon flying back in pain.

"Zan…" Zangoose struggled to push himself up.

"Weiss, what were you thinking?" Hilda called out, "You heard what the Pokedex said, those claws are tough as nails…you get what I mean."

"I know, and I remember what that entry said." Weiss said before looking back to Zangoose, seeing the left claw sparking again, "The only way to get stronger is to keep practicing, to keep training, to keep fighting!"

"Perrserker, use Throat Chop to finish him off!" Peony said in the middle of Weiss's speech, causing the Viking Pokemon to rush in again with his right claw reeled back.

"No matter how hard it may be, we keep trying until we succeed!" Weiss said before pointing, "Zangoose, use slash again and break his claws!"

"Zan," Zangoose said before raising his left claw, which clashed with Perrserker's right claw, "Zangoose!" the cat-ferret Pokemon said with the white aura gained sparking energy, one that pulsated into an orb around his claws, "ZANGOOSE!" Zangoose shouted as his claw breakthrough Perrserker's.

"What!?" Peony said as Perrserker fell back, the Viking Pokemon's mouth gaping at his shattered claws.

"That move," Nia commented. "That wasn't Slash, that's Crush Claw!"

"Crush Claw?" Weiss asked as Zangoose looked at the pulsating aura around his claw in bewilderment.

"It's a powerful move only a few Pokemon can learn." Hilda said as she looked it up on her Pokedex, "Some would even call it Zangoose's signature move."

"Signature move, huh." Weiss said before a smile formed, "Well, now that you've learned it." The white heiress said before pointing, "Time to master it, use Crush Claw!"

Zangoose grinned as he looked back to Perrserker, "Zan!" the cat-ferret Pokemon said before brandishing both claws with the white pulsating aura, "Zangoose!" with a flurry of attacks, Perrserker had no way to block the assault.

"Don't give in!" Peony called out, "Wait for a miss, then use Throat Chop." He said with Perrserker gritting his fangs. As the left claw was swung slightly off, the Viking Pokemon took this opportunity to land a jab to the neck.

"Zangoose, just a little more!" Weiss said as her Pokemon focusing after flinching in pain, "Use Revenge!"

"Zan!" Zangoose said before his right arm changed to have a blue aura, then punched Perrserker in the face and sending him flying back towards a tree.

"Not this time," Peony said as Perrserker focused as well, "Jump off the tree and use Iron Head."

"Perr," the Viking Pokemon said before readjusting his position to has his fee hit the tree first, "Serker!" he said before jumping off the tree, then charged headfirst towards Zangoose with a steely aura around his body.

"Zangoose, now's our chance," Weiss called out, "Crush Claw with everything you got!"

"ZAN!" Zangoose responded as his left claw pulsated with white lighting, "ZANGOOSE!" he said before slashing the incoming iron head. Suddenly, a blinding light flashed as trainers shielded their eyes. Upon looking back at the battlefield, both Pokemon stood a few feet from one another. The snow around them had been blown away in the shockwave of the last attack, "…Zan…" Zangoose said while falling to one knee, causing Weiss to gasp.

"…" Perrserker stood with his eyes rolled into the back of his head. "Perr…Serker…" the Viking Pokemon spoke before falling face-first into the dirt.

"Perrserker is unable to battle," Nia called out, "Which makes Weiss the winner!"

"We did it!" Weiss said while running over to Zangoose, hugging him with a large smile on her face, "And you were so cool!"

"Zan," Zangoose said with his head raised high, then recoiled a bit in pain from hug pressing against his slash marks.

"You did well, old friend." Peony said as he recalled the fainted Perrserker to his Pokeball, then walked over to Weiss, "You two really have hearts of steel." He said before reaching into his pocket, "And as I symbol of that iron will, I present you a steel type badge from the Galar Region!" he said before presenting Weiss a piece of metal with a grey symbol on it, "Sorry if it's a bit rusty." Peony said with a smile.

"Thank you," Weiss said as she accepted the badge, a smile on her face at the sight of her second proof of victory against a gym leader. She then looked back to Zangoose, but the cat-ferret Pokemon was looking off to someone approaching. The white heiress turned and gasped at the person, "Blake!" she said upon seeing the shadowy girl.

"Weiss!" Blake responded as she and her friend ran towards each other, each hugging as they reunited.

"You will not believe what just happened?" both girls said at the same time, causing each to have a look of confusion.

A short while later.

Weiss, Blake, and Hilda each sat at an outdoor table, "So, it's called Giratina." Blake asked with Weiss nodding, "Well, that's a start to uncovering a bit of what happened to us." She said before smiling at the white heiress, "Still, I'm happy you're safe."

"Same to you," Weiss responded, "I can't believe you caught a new Pokemon and got a badge as well."

"I know, and we all just got here!" Hilda said before stretching her arms, "Still, travelers never stay in one place for too long." She then looked back to the others with a smile, "And if we want to find more information about this Legendary Pokemon, we should head to the region its legend came from." She said before crossing her arms, "And that place is the Sinnoh Region."

"I see, makes sense." Weiss said before sighing, "But Brandon sent Peony a message saying he is staying here to research the ruins for longer."

"We can just leave him behind and use the Corviknight Taxi again." Hilda commented, then pulled out a map and marker from her backpack, "Now, some of these towns have gyms with a type you already have." She said before crossing out a couple of points on the map, "However, we can go to this place, Hearthome City." The hotheaded trainer circled before pointing to Blake, "That way, you can get a Gym Battle for a ghost type badge." she said before then pointing to Weiss, "While you participate in Pokemon Contest."

"Pokemon Contest?" Weiss asked, "What is it that and why do I need to do it?"

"All will be explained in due time," Hilda responded before looking back to the map, "We then do a little down this path here before making it to a place called Celestic City." She said before circling the map again, "While it has no gym, this is supposed to be a history hotspot where we might get some answers about Sinnoh's past and Giratina."

"I see," Blake said before examining the map, "What is this mountain range called?"

"Mt. Coronet," Hilda said, "After we learn what we can here, we can cross through these mountains and up to Snowpoint City." She said before circling the city, then pointing to Weiss, "That's where you can get an ice-type badge."

"But, with a place called Snowpoint," Weiss commented, "I think it will be as cold as this place."

"Well, Peony said you could keep those exploration clothes." Hilda responded, "So, you'll be fine."

"Still, isn't there a closer gym?" Weiss asked before pointing to the map, "What about Eterna City?"

"We could go there," Hilda said before smirking, "But if we go to Snowpoint, we then take a boat out to our next location to mix things up."

"…That's why you want us to travel by foot across a snowy mountain?" Weiss said with half-open eyes, "So you can take a boat ride?"

"Come on, the trip there will make you stronger to prepare for the next challenge," Hilda said with a smile.

"Fine, we'll do it your way," Weiss said with a sigh as Hilda smiled.

"Brandon's message said we can still sleep in the Battle Pyramid," Blake spoke up, "We can look up his books on Sinnoh before we leave."

"Nice, I'll leave that to you two." Hilda said before yawning, "Right now, I'm beat." She said before putting away the supplies and standing up, "Let's head back before it gets too dark out."

"Right," Weiss answered with Blake nodding in agreement. Hilda started to walk away as the white heiress stood up, but then looked back to see the shadowy girl still sitting down, "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Blake responded before sighing, "You think…the others will be in this Sinnoh region?" she said with Weiss having a look of concern, "We're always leaving so fast before searching. I'm just worried that we'll miss them if we go now."

"Remember who you are talking about," Weiss said with her arms crossed, "A red hooded speedster and her hotheaded big sister." She said with a smirk, "We would know if those two knuckleheads were close to us by now." The white heiress said before patting Blake on the back, "So, let's head to the next area. And if we do not sense them nearby after were done, we move onto the next one until we find them. Okay?"

"Okay," Blake said with a smile before standing up, "And Weiss, thank you. I'm glad to have you here with me."

"Anytime," Weiss said with a smile, "That's what friends are for." She said with Blake nodding, causing the two to walk towards Hilda in the distance.

AN: There you go, Blake beats Opal and her questions. I remember taking her quiz and knowing how to answer to finally question, having a big grin on my face at figuring it out. This fight with her and Blake was one of my favorites for that fact alone, making the battle feel unique. Blake and Espurr pull out the win, getting them the Fairy Badge. As for Weiss, she and Zangoose manage to beat the steel Viking's claws. In the process, Zangoose learns the powerful Crush Claw. So, Weiss gains a steel type badge from Peony. Now, the group prepares to head to Sinnoh, and they have a plan. Can they get their next badges, how will Weiss fair in a Contest, and will they learn more about the secrets of Giratina? All this in due time, but for now, I will take a break from this series so that I can show some love to my other stories. I cannot say exactly when I will come back here, but I will come back in due time. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.