When Goh awoke, he found himself staring at a ceiling that reminded him greatly of the ceiling in Cameron Palace, though the room was much smaller than the grand chamber he shared with Ash that day. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the dim sunlight poured through the window, he instantly felt like something was wrong.

And then, the events that had brought him to this point began to replay through his mind. The thought of Chloe doing her best to bear the pain while he completed Tapu Fini's Trial threw him out of bed.

"Chloe!"

And as soon as his feet hit the ground, he noticed several things that were wrong.

First, his voice was much deeper than he expected it to be.

Next, looking at his legs, he noticed that he wasn't dressed as he was when he walked into the fog. He seemed to be wearing a tunic of some sort that left his legs bare, but it felt entirely like he wasn't wearing enough clothing.

But on that note, the next thing he noticed was that his legs looked very different than he was used to. The hairs growing on them were coarser and darker, and his muscles looked quite a bit more defined than he had cultivated during his hours of sitting in a chair doing research.

And the third thing he noticed was the quiet. There was no Grookey on his shoulder here, and reaching into the tunic revealed that there were no Poké Balls of any kind on his person.

He was alone.

A wave of dread washed over Goh, having been completely isolated from his friends and loved ones, but in the back of his mind, he could picture Chloe there, still suffering, and so he took a deep breath to calm himself and stood up.

The room he was in was very low-tech. It reminded him of an old fantasy movie, with no electric lights or modern conveniences that he could think of. Standing in a corner of the room was a tall mirror, and so Goh walked over towards it, watching the floor carefully for traps or other things to trip him up.

Once he was in front of the mirror, he saw his eyes go wide.

The man looking back at him was as though Goh had skipped about ten years of his life, looking to be in his mid twenties rather than his mid teens. But his hair, his eyes, and his skin all looked like his own, only the proportions were all an adult's. Goh touched his hand to the mirror, to be sure that the man he was looking at was himself, and the reflection mirrored him as he expected it to.

"No way…" he whispered in the man's voice. He could scarcely believe what he was seeing, but the way he was moving was reflected in the image.

But as Goh stared across at his eyes, he heard a quiet voice in the back of his mind.

'Moyse.'

It was the same voice he was speaking with, but at the same time it wasn't his own. It was more like a memory he never recalled suddenly made itself known.

"I… am Moyse…"

It was a strange feeling for Goh, to look at what could only be described as an aged-up version of himself, but it was even stranger to feel like someone else's memories were being overlaid on top of your own. He felt like he was two people at the moment: Goh, the Research Fellow from Vermilion City and this knight, Moyse.

As his mind grabbed upon the word 'knight', he turned to a corner of the room, where a large painted chest laid. In it were a few pieces of armor that looked like they were a fit for this body, and as Goh searched Moyse's memories, he could see himself putting it on, and as he searched his memories, he saw that it was something Moyse did every day. It wasn't as complete a suit of armor like what he wore during training with Wikstrom of the Kalos Elite Four, but was heavy enough that he couldn't imagine wearing it all day. Still, it was apparently something Moyse did each day, and he already felt a bit naked without it, so he prepared himself and spent the ten minutes putting the armor on. The outfit consisted of a chainmail tunic, as well as armor plated boots and gloves. There was no helmet that covered his head, but there was a sword and shield. The sword looked almost ornamental, like it didn't get much use daily and was mostly carried as a sign of authority.

The shield made him do a double-take. The heraldry on the shield - the symbol of his allegiance that others could see - was the same he had seen in his research as belonging to Pokélantis.

"Pokélantis…"

More of Moyse's memories began to pour through his mind. Images of the castle, its layout, and the people who lived in this place flooded his mind, associations that were fleeting but felt 'primed' to jump out at him once they were relevant.

Reading through memories that felt like his own, Goh understood that he was a knight of Pokélantis, though his memories refused to give up what his actual job was. But even as all this information continued to pour into his mind, the knowledge that this was Tapu Fini's Trial was never lost on him. Apparently, the trial was going to be to live as this Moyse person in Pokélantis for a time, as far as he could tell. In order to help Chloe, there was something that Moyse had to do, and Goh would be acting as him throughout.

Feeling prepared enough, Goh headed to the door and opened it, his mind filling in his location. He turned his feet towards the direction of the kitchen where he and other knights like him would grab a bit of breakfast before his duties commenced that day. As he walked through the halls, he noticed the flames in the lamps hanging in the hallway flicker as he walked past, making the shadows around him grow longer. But rather than unsettling him, it felt somewhat comforting. Even without a Pokémon at the moment, he didn't feel like he was alone, though if it was Moyse's memories or something else that was comforting him, he couldn't say for sure.

When he arrived in the kitchen, the first thing he noticed was that it wasn't as filled with people as Moyse's memories lead him to believe, and the memories in his heart ached at the thought, though why this was painful wasn't shared with Goh's active consciousness for now.

Instead he sat down and waved down one of the girls sweeping the floor, asking for a small breakfast. "At once, Sir Moyse," she responded before turning and heading into where the food was prepared. She came back with a rather small plate with a thin looking soup and a piece of bread, but if Goh was being honest with himself, he'd say that he wasn't exactly that hungry anyway, but he ate what was presented.

"We're all glad to see you up and about," the maid continued, a sad look in her eyes. "After you arrived late last night, you were sent to bed to recover. I'm sure the King is eagerly awaiting your report now that you're up and about."

Goh nodded, and spoke, letting the spirit of Moyse guide his words. "I will see His Majesty as soon as I am done here. No doubt he is worried about how the war has turned."

The maid nodded and turned away as Goh returned to his meager meal. As he did, images from his memory of the night before entered his mind. He was clinging to the side of an armored Rhyhorn that ran from whatever disaster had drained all of his energy. He recalled being practically carried to his room before throwing off his armor into the chest and collapsing on the bed as easily as if the memories had happened to himself.

It was a strange feeling, having someone else's memories flooding your mind, but Goh kept his wits about him, reminding himself that this was only a trial and he would have to get to the end to complete whatever it was Tapu Fini wanted him to do.

After finishing, he excused himself and left the kitchen, heading towards the throne room to meet with the king. As he turned around a corner, though, Goh felt his own memories begin to overlap with what he was seeing. The structures around him seemed in much better repair than when he saw them the first time, but if he was truly transported back in time as he suspected, this made sense. This was the time in which Pokélantis hadn't yet fallen.

Goh suppressed the shudder, knowing the fate of this kingdom. He wasn't sure if he was truly in the past or if this was all just a hallucination brought on by the mist, but it felt like changing history would not bring him to what he was meant to do.

He approached the large double doors where two soldiers (dressed much like he was) were standing sentinel. One of the guards nodded at Moyse. "His Majesty wanted to know when you were about, Commander," he said. "I will see if he is able to see you now."

Moyse nodded, which felt just as unnatural to Goh as it did when Moyse spoke through him to the maid and the guard slipped into the throne room to address this king as Goh delved back into his thoughts. Apparently this was how Moyse acted, and so he tried to put it out of his mind.

Being addressed as 'commander' though, gave him pause. It brought to his mind memories of him leading soldiers and Pokémon into battle, though his mind couldn't fill in all the gaps as quickly as he'd like. He could see the enemy's forces wearing green armor as Moyse stayed in the rearguard, dictating his strategies to the frontline fighters, attempting to defend their homeland from the invaders.

Before his mind could bring the facts of the war completely to the forefront, though, the soldier returned. "His Majesty will see you now." He held open the door and Moyse nodded, stepping in.

Goh remembered the room from his previous visit, but it was more well furnished than it was the first time he was here (though, thinking on that, his previous visit was technically in the future from where he currently was). Decorated with wreaths of withering flowers, the throne room was filled with other soldiers that Moyse recognized as being part of the Kingsguard, the special forces unit that answered to the king himself. He recalled that they had been sent on a special mission recently, though neither the knight nor Goh seemed to know what they were actually tasked to do.

The Kingsguard all turned to Moyse, and he kneeled before the king.

"Your Majesty."

"Rise, Moyse, and deliver your report."

The voice sent chills down Goh's spine, filling him with dread as Moyse looked up. Goh had seen the king before, in the form of the huge golden statue that hid the secret tomb, He was an ugly, balding man wearing a purple robe and an ornate, well decorated crown. In his hand was a rod decorated with three rings that jangled as he shook it.

And while Goh's own feelings for the king were their own sort of complicated, he felt Moyse's heart also tremble under the man's gaze.

"It is my fault, Your Majesty," Moyse said, lowering his head. "I hadn't predicted that the enemy would approach us in such numbers. My strategies weren't enough."

Goh couldn't see the king due to Moyse's insistence on looking at the ground instead (it felt strange, being a passenger in his own head) but the king hummed to himself. "The Kantonians control a large swath of territory. It shouldn't come as a surprise that they have the numbers to back up their cause. What my commanders should be doing is using our knowledge of the terrain to our advantage."

"Forgive me, sire."

Goh felt somewhat confused as his mind began placing the pieces together.

He knew, back in the past, Kanto was a group of city-states that eventually was banded together under one leader. It seemed that the time he was currently in was during this time of war and conquest across the land. That Moyse recognized that Kantonians were the aggressors only solidified that fact.

But if Pokélantis hadn't yet fallen, then why were the Kantonians making such aggressive moves? Goh pondered this thought before as the king responded.

"It was a failure, to be sure, Moyse, but when you are out of your element as such, failure is to be expected," the King said. "As we are strapped for good leaders these days, I am thankful that one as loyal as you did what you could with what you had. Moreover, I am grateful that you were able to return alive to deliver this useful intelligence to us."

As Moyse kept his head down, Goh felt a strange feeling in his chest. It was a mix of guilt and suspicion, but the knight worked hard not to let it show on his face. "My loyalty to the crown is utmost," he said.

Goh was sure that felt like a lie, but he wasn't sure what Moyse would have been lying about.

"And for that, I am grateful," the King said. "Until we have a moment to strategize and plan our next offensive, you are free to return to your regular duties."

"My regular duties?"

The words slipped out of Moyse's mouth, as though Goh's mind exerted its own influence on the scene.

The king hit his staff against the ground, causing the rings to shake. "You are the Princessguard, if I am not mistaken," the King said with a sharpness in his voice. "I believe you will find my daughter in the garden."

Moyse nodded. "Yes, sire."

"You are dismissed, Sir Moyse."

With that, the knight stood and left, turning his back to the king as the rest of the military strategists all gathered to continue discussing the war effort.

As Moyse navigated the castle, Goh turned his mind toward the war. If Pokélantis was truly at the height of its power, as he learned, the territory should stretch pretty far into what he knew as the Kanto region, covering the areas around Mount Moon all the way down to the forests north of Viridian City.
That also gave it a border that was right next to Johto. Even with the natural barrier that was the mountains, it didn't give Pokélantis a lot of room to maneuver, especially if the Kantonians were encroaching on their territory. At best, they seemed to be backed into a corner. At worst, there were enemies on all sides, Rota included.

But as he included Rota in his thoughts, Moyse's feelings responded with confusion. Rota was their reliable friend and sister nation. Why would they be included as an enemy? Goh shook his head and tried to separate what he knew from the present from the thoughts of the man he was inhabiting in the past.

Moyse stepped out of the castle proper and into the garden and took in a breath of fresh air. Though it was described as a garden, it was hardly as lavish and beautiful as the garden in Cameron Palace, though there did seem to be places where one could hide away from others. That Moyse's eyes were drawn to places away from the sight of those walking the paths in the garden confused Goh for a moment, but soon he caught the sight of a Pokémon that was both familiar and strange at once.

The small canine Pokémon had dark-red fur with black stripes on his body. His tail, looking almost like a plume of volcanic smoke, was an ashy white color, as was the mane that covered the puppy's eyes. At the top of his head, the mane was sharpened into a hard, chalky spike.

Goh recognized it as a form of Growlithe native to Hisui, the ancient name given to the Sinnoh Region. Seeing it alive and playfully bounding around caught him off-guard, but as he looked into his memory for supporting details, Moyse's thoughts seemed to indicate that this was an ordinary Growlithe as far as he could recall.

Perhaps, Goh thought, since this was a time before Poké Balls seemed to exist, Growltihe still looked like this and hadn't taken on their current appearance.

But before Goh could say anything else, he felt a body tackle him from the front, catching him off his guard. Moyse's arms reflexively went to hold the person who had surprised him, even as he fell to the ground, though the fall didn't seem to land him as hard as Goh was expecting.

"You can certainly cause a great deal of worry, Sir Moyse."

The voice, a young woman's, made Goh's heart skip. And he felt Moyse's jump in sync with his.

Moyse looked down at the woman he was now holding. Her long maroon hair was pulled into a braid that went down her back, perfectly complimenting the green dress she was wearing. The scent of a flower perfume hit Moyse's senses and brought back many memories of hidden moments of affection, small tokens of favor, and a strong bond that pulled his heart towards her.

"Miriam."

The woman's name was on his lips, even before Goh knew what he was saying as his hands held her.

She looked up at him, and her bright, emerald eyes took Goh aback, as did the cheeky grin she wore on her face.

While he could feel Moyse' elation at seeing her again, Goh felt dizzy. This woman, this Miriam, looked like she could have been Chloe's older sister by about a decade. The same eyes and hair and too clever smile he found bewitching were looking at him-as-Moyse now.

And Goh finally put the pieces together.

Moyse's trepidation at looking at the king and showing his true emotions were because of the feelings he held in his heart for the princess who had surprised him and was holding him while they laid together on the ground.

And even glancing at the memories that came to mind when Moyse thought of Miriam told Goh all he needed to know: he loved Miriam above all else.

"So you haven't forgotten my name!" The princess teased the knight. "I was concerned that your injuries during combat would have impacted your memory!"

Moyse smirked back. "Aye, perhaps they would have, milady, but seeing you from this angle, I can't help but recognize you."

Miriam sat up and playfully swiped the air just before his nose as though to slap him, though the smile on her lips told Goh and Moyse that she was too overjoyed to have him back to be upset at the joke.

"Bow! Bowow!"

Growlithe barked and Miriam quickly stood up, giving Moyse a hand to pull himself to his feet. Stepping apart, the two averted their gazes as a maid carrying laundry through the garden passed by. Goh felt like he was practically holding his breath until the woman passed. Once she was gone, the knight and the princess both exhaled, though the princess turned to him and poked her finger against his chest.

"We nearly got caught because of your clumsiness," she said, pouting. "We would never hear the end of it if my father caught a glimpse of us in such a compromising position."

Moyse averted his eyes. "Well, you were the one who tackled me to the ground."

She pouted, puffing out her cheeks and reminding Goh very much of how cute Chloe would look doing the same thing. "You were meant to catch me, you fool," she said. "Truly, my personal guardian doesn't even know how to properly address a lady."

"T'would be best I maintained a respectful distance for the good health of your lord father," Moyse replied, looking away from her. "I doubt he would look upon this favorably."

"Only while we are at war and he is distracted," Miriam replied, crossing her arms as Growlithe approached. The hem of Miriam's dress was just high enough so that one could catch a glimpse of her shoes as she was walking, and the design was emerald green rather than Pokélantian red because, as Moyse recalled, it brought out her eyes that much better. He couldn't disagree.

"Father is… just worried about the war with the Kantonians," Miriam said, taking Moyse's armored hand. "You know he and his strategists are working themselves ragged to attempt to find the way to end the war peacefully. That's why they had to have you go and lead troops while they worked on their greater strategy."

"It's times like this I wish Rota had a standing military of their own," Moyse sighed. "We could use allies in this fight. They cannot stay out of this war for much longer as it is, and even the small forces they have to secure their own territory could be of great help on the front."

Miriam giggled. "You are just eager to fight alongside your friend," she said. "Though I don't suppose you or your partner was ever able to defeat him once, right?"

Moyse frowned, and though Goh attempted to look into his memories to see what he was thinking of, it felt like the knight's own were blocking him, likely out of pride.

"You know his abilities are beyond mortal ken, yes?"Moyse said, pouting like a child who had been denied dessert. "It is difficult to fight against an opponent who knows how you will act before you do."

"And yet, you and he get along quite well, do you not?" Miriam teased. "I believe you once swore an oath to be brothers in arms?"

"We were much younger," Moyse said with a frown. "And it was while I was escorting you, Your Highness, through the streets of Rota."

"Pish posh, you've been friends for years."

"I've known you for far longer, Your Highness."

Miriam stamped her foot onto Moyse's armored boot. "And you used to call me by my name when we were children! You know I don't like it when you call me 'Your Highness'."

Moyse felt nothing through his armor. "And you know how your father feels about the two of us being familiar with each other." He leaned over her, smirking, but she gave him no ground.

"I don't see him here, do you?" she said, leaning against him. "So may I hear you say my name…?"

Moyse's face felt flush and with Miriam's face this close, Goh couldn't deny the strange similarity between her and Chloe. It felt strangely disloyal to be this close to Miriam, even if Moyse was a completely different person with a completely different life, especially while Chloe was waiting for him to come back.

And yet, she looked so much like Chloe, and had her same teasing personality that Goh almost felt like she and the princess were becoming overlaid in his mind. And he did love Chloe very much, so it wasn't strange that he'd feel similarly to a similar version of her.

But as he felt himself pulled towards her lips, a shrill cry called through the sky, one that Moyse found very familiar. Goh felt the bemused feelings rising up in Moyse's chest as he gently pushed the princess back and looked to the sky.

Circling above the courtyard was a Pokémon both Goh and Moyse recognized as Pidgeot, though Moyse's reaction to seeing it was much more joyful than Goh's, which the boy didn't understand until the Pidgeot had landed and he caught a glimpse of his riders.

Coming off the back of the Bird Pokémon was a young man about Moyse's age, dressed in a blue outfit with boots and gloves. On the back of each glove was an iridescent stone that glittered like the colors of a rainbow, and on his head the man wore a hat with a symbol of the Kingdom of Rota upon it. Oh his back was his staff, a symbol of his rank and power, with a special crystal adorning it. On his back he wore a black cape for protection from the elements.

Of course, Goh recognized this man, though he felt Moyse recognized him as well. The man tipped his hat to Moyse and Miriam. "Good day to you, Your Highness," he said with a confident grin as he removed his hat, revealing his dark, messy hair.

"Good day to you, Sir Aaron," Miriam said, crossing her arms at being thwarted by his appearance. "Though you usually send a message before you arrive, don't you?"

Aaron put his hat back on and turned to Moyse. "And Moyse, my good friend! Forgive me for interrupting your maneuvers here in the garden!"

Goh felt Moyse blush in embarrassment. "Well, I don't have time for training right now," he stammered. "I'm busy being the princess's most trusted bodyguard."

Aaron smirked. "It looked to me you were guarding her body quite well, my friend."

'Master,' called a raspy voice into Goh's mind, 'we've come on business, haven't we?'

Moyse recognized this voice, though Goh could only tell that he was being spoken to with telepathy. Moyse looked around Aaron to see standing there a Lucario that Goh thought bore a striking resemblance to Ash's. The Pokémon snorted in Moyse's direction, though his gaze was drawn down towards the Growlithe that was playing with the princess.

"As much as Lucario can be rather inflexible," Aaron said, "he is correct. We haven't come calling just to chat. I have a request from Queen Rin."

Moyse raised an eyebrow, but Miriam spoke first. "A request? What does my cousin wish to ask of us?"

Aaron looked at Miriam, all the levity he had when he landed vanishing. "She wishes to ask your father to cease hostilities and come to the negotiation table with the Kantonians. From the paths the armies are taking, it is a certainty that Rota will soon become a battleground."

Miriam looked confused. "That's not the news we hear from the frontlines…" she said. "Why, Moyse was there just yesterday! Isn't that right, Moyse?"

Goh felt Moyse's hands clench.

"Your Highness…," he said, "I have been suspecting what Aaron and Queen Rin believe for quite some time."

Miriam gasped and put her hands over her mouth.

Moyse continued. "My forces were wiped out by an attack that came where we were supposed to have back-up. I was nearly gone with them if not for my quick thinking and the help of the bravest men I've ever known. And all during that ride back on Rhyhorn, I couldn't shake the feeling that the true target of the attack was me."

"Goodness…" Miriam gasped. "But… but what does that mean?"

"If I may add another wrinkle," Aaron said, "it seems that the Kantonians have been seeking parley for quite some time, so they're willing to talk things out."

"But then why does Father not parley with them?" Miriam asked.

"That is what your cousin, Rin, would like to know," Aaron said. "If you could, can you take us to see him?"

Miriam nodded. "Of course, at once. Come, Moyse."

As the Princess picked up her dress and walked as quickly as she could, Aaron looked around the garden. "I don't see your partner with you," he said to Moyse.

To that, Moyse merely chuckled. "You can feel them with your power, can't you?"

Aaron laughed at that, smirking. "Well, true, but sight is always much simpler, isn't it?"

'Master,' Lucario said with his eyes closed, holding a paw up to feel the Aura in the area, 'I can feel him nearby. I can only assume he is sticking to the shadows, as is his way.'

"You could learn a thing or two from your pupil, Aaron," Moyse joked, which made Aaron laugh in a way that reminded Goh very much of Ash.

"I keep telling him that," Aaron said, "but Lucario simply refuses to teach me."

As the three of them began to follow Princess Miriam, Lucario crossed his arms. 'It is no secret that Aaron is the Master and I am merely the student. There is nothing I can do that he cannot do better.'

Aaron just kept walking as Moyse and Lucario followed behind.

To Goh, as they moved through the castle back to the throne room, it felt strange to see the legendary hero Aaron joking and poking fun at his friend, and now that Moyse was relaxed, he could see that he and Aaron were close friends, with the Aura Guardian making frequent visits to the castle. The whole set up reminded him very much of how he and Ash would act together, and he wondered to himself if this trial and the visions he was seeing weren't somewhat colored by his own memories filling in the gaps. He knew what the king of Pokélantis and Aaron looked like based on what was left behind in their image, and since he was possessing Moyse (somewhat), perhaps that's why he looked like an older version of himself. This, in turn, would be why Miriam looked so much like Chloe - Moyse loved her very much, much like Goh felt about his girlfriend.

Perhaps his goal, then, with all these pieces both new and familiar, would be to bring the war to an end? He wasn't sure if this meant the tragic end that he understood in his own time or if perhaps he could change history, but if it was Tapu Fini's will that he experienced all that he was going through, then all he could do is keep moving forward.

The three humans and two Pokémon came to the doors to the throne room, barred by the same two guards as earlier. Miriam crossed her arms and pouted. "Let us through. I need to speak to my father."

The guards looked at each other and shook their heads. "We're sorry, Your Highness, but we were told that no outsiders may enter during the meeting." Their eyes went back to Aaron and Lucario, as if to say that the Aura Guardian and his protege wouldn't be allowed an audience.

"This is absurd," Moyse said, stepping up. "Aaron is a representative from our cousins in Rota! He comes here on Queen Rin's direct order! You must let us through!"

"It is the job of the Princessguard to guard the princess, not allow foreigners in to see the king."

Goh grumbled, which came out of Moyse as well, but Aaron put a hand on his shoulder and stepped forward. "It's alright," he said calmly, waving his gloved hand before the soldier's eyes. "You can let us through."

The guard's expression became somewhat vacant. "I… can let you through."

The other guard looked over. "Wait, what are you saying?"

"This isn't a problem," Aaron said, waving his other hand in front of the other one.

"No… problem."

The two guards stood back, and Goh found himself impressed with Aaron's powers as an Aura Guardian. It was a strange thing to watch, but in the back of his mind, he just imagined Ash doing the same thing to get a free hotdog or ice cream and he choked on a laugh.

The three of them entered the throne room to see the king standing with his advisors, looking over a table set up on the far side of the room. The king turned to the door and scowled at the entrance of Moyse and the others. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked. "Why have you all intruded on this very important meeting?!"

"Father!" Miriam said, stepping forward. "Sir Aaron has come to speak to you. Is he telling us the truth? Are the Kantonians willing to parley?"

The king's face grimaced, which told Goh all he needed to know.

"Your Majesty," Aaron said, stepping forward past Miriam, "I bring word from your cousin, Queen Rin of Rota. Please, will you listen to what she asks of you?"

The king snorted. "What does Rin want? More soldiers to protect her borders?"

Aaron shook his head. "She would like many less soldiers," he said. "She wonders why you do not come to the negotiation table with the Kantonians and discuss ways this could end peacefully."

The king of Pokélantis shook his head. "I don't want to parley with the Kantonians over a war I'm going to win."

"But Father, you heard what happened to Moyse!" Miriam said. "He is lucky to have escaped with his life! You must reconsider before there's any more needless loss of life!"

"You should learn your place, girl," the king said to his daughter. "War is a man's occupation."

The insinuation made Goh's blood boil, and he felt Moyse react in the same way.

"Your Majesty," Aaron said, trying to redirect the conversation, "please reconsider. If the war continues, Rota could become a battleground. Countless people and Pokémon could lose their homes or worse. You have the power to end all of this tragedy and bloodshed. Please, come to Rota and we can negotiate for peace."

"Oh, I will end this," the king said, moving to his throne. "But it will be on my terms, not the Kantonians and certainly not Rin's!" He sat down on the throne. "Let me show you just how I plan on ending this war!"

The king snapped his fingers, and a door on the side of the chamber opened, with soldiers wheeling in large cages on carts. Goh gasped when he saw who was inside the cages.

In each cage was a quadrupedal Pokémon. The first held a beast of great strength with brown fur covering most of their body, with a long, cloud-like tuft of fur coming from their back. Their face bore black markings, and on each of their powerful legs were rings that looked to be metal. The second cage contained an orange Pokgmon with a yellow tuft of fur that looked like clouds billowing in the wind, with a gray tail that looked like jagged lightning. The final cage contained a blue Pokémon with a diamond-pattern on their body, with a blue mane running down their long back and twin tails that looked like ribbons.

Each of them were also clad in iron chains and cuffs around their legs and necks to keep them down, preventing them from fighting back.

"What…?" Aaron asked, confused.

But Goh recognized them on sight. Even though their colors were different than he remembered, his experiences in the Raizen Mountains left the image of these Pokémon ingrained in his mind.

"Entei…" Moyse said, as Goh's words left his mouth. "Raikou… and Suicune…"

Goh felt his resolve harden. He didn't know how he would manage it quite yet, but looking at the legendary Pokémon trapped in the cages, he knew one thing: The trial Tapu Fini had placed upon him was to end this war.

And he would do whatever it took to end the war and save Chloe.