TEAM: Twigs (Rillaboom) & Zap (Toxtricity), Hook (Galarian Slowbro) & Cress (Vikavolt), Lumos (Chandelure) & Foo (Kubfu)

Flare's POV

"I… imagine you have a lot of questions right now."

A lot was an understatement. I thought this confrontation was supposed to answer questions for me, not leave me with more.

The light was faint where I stood, but even if it showed me the mystery ahead as plain as day, my mind was anything but clear. The waves were calm outside, but even if nothing was stirred up, my mind still felt like it was reaching for something to grasp in the face of this truth.

I blinked, almost as if expecting to wake up from an outlandish dream, but no such awakening came. I was still at the top of this tower, facing someone I thought I never would've seen again. "Who are you…?" Mystery man, Mr. Pilot, or….

His uncannily blue eyes wavered for a second. "It's okay if you don't remember me, I'm just-"

"No, I do remember you, Vincent." I couldn't call him that now. "... dad." Even saying it felt odd. It was hard to steady my gaze. It was hard to steady my voice. "Mom always kept bringing you up. Even when I had no idea what she meant, she still kept talking about you as if you were always there. All this time, I thought you left us when I was too young to remember you, but all this time, for all these years…" I was confused by enough as is, and resisted the urge to gasp. "Did… did she know all this time?"

"Flare…" He almost looked sorry. I wouldn't have known. "I can explain, but it's a long and complicated story…"

"When hasn't it been?"

The words came out with more force than I expected. My breaths were angrier than they were supposed to be, especially given who I was talking to. I knew he was supposed to be my dad, someone I recognized to be my dad, but in my heart, it was as if all I saw was a stranger.

I sighed. "... I'm sorry. This is just… a lot for me right now. I'm looking at my dad who's been gone for more than a decade, but I'm also looking at someone who's been helping me throughout this whole journey, saved me even, and I don't know what to think…"

"It's alright." Distantly familiar, but still surreal to hear all the same. Calm, but meek, like me. "We can deal with that later. You came here to evolve Foo, didn't you?"

"Right." I took a breath. Kubfu, that was something I recognized. I had forgotten Foo was still by my side, eyes locked ahead just like mine. Except his stare held more… recognition? "So how do I evolve my Kubfu?"

"A Kubfu only evolves after proving itself worthy in a fight driven by wholehearted trust." He produced a Pokéball from his pocket. "It was Mustard's idea to have me wait here for you. We'll have to fight in an all-out battle to draw out Foo's potential. Your Pokémon against mine."

"All-out." It was a good thing I brought everyone with me. I felt them stirring in their Pokéballs, as if the thought of battle started to wake them all up. "No complaints here."

"You don't have to play by the usual rules for this, I know I won't. I've seen how strong you can be at times, so it's best you bring out your best for our battle." He cleared his throat. Was he… trying to ease me into this? "You ready?"

I nodded down at Foo, and he nodded back. "Ready." A battle was something I was more used to, definitely something I could see through, and I felt my confidence blaze onwards.

Author's POV

"Foo!"

"Sheep!"

Flare sent her Pokémon forward, and Vincent did the same. Both Pokémon took the field, and right from the get go, Flare had to stop herself from gasping out in further shock.

"That's why Sheep wasn't home?!"

Memories of that sleepy old Dubwool crossed her mind, but so did ones where she got to see the unusual athleticism the Pokémon sometimes had, so she didn't waste a second. It was time to combat shock with familiarity and get Foo pumped up for a Drain Punch.

On Flare's call, Foo's fist met the Dubwool's face, only to be rebounded by a sudden growth of wool. Guarded by cotton, Sheep huffed before galloping forth. Without so much as a word, Vincent had his Dubwool leap into the air for what Flare alarmingly caught on to be a Body Press attack.

Sheep's hooves slammed down with an echoing slam, but Foo had already been recalled into his Pokéball. Flare was clutching it with a surprised breath, not expecting the ground to shake the way it did. Buddy was never that fierce.

"Swapping out your Pokémon?" Vincent's look was almost expectant. "Guess I'll do the same. Baton Pass!"

Sheep returned into her Pokéball, and in her place, an Eldegoss emerged. Seeing Vincent quietly watching next to such a Pokémon, Flare immediately remembered how things went in Milo's Gym. She also remembered how she dealt with such a Pokémon, and she sent Cress forward. This was the first time she ever had to face a Baton Pass strategy of all things, but she knew her Vikavolt would be right for the job, even if she was still too injured to fly.

Even if Cress' special attacks rendered the defense boosts moot, it didn't stop the Eldegoss from putting up a fight as it floated around. As if it was just holding back ever since that first Gym, it fought back against the Vikavolt's Bug Buzzes with its Hyper Voice, and every time an attack grazed it, its cotton spread to weigh Cress down. Flare definitely felt how weighty these realizations were, but she fought on all the same, and when another Bug Buzz toppled the Eldegoss over, it felt like an actual victory this time. For a moment, Vincent seemed to smile as he called his Pokémon back. Flare steadied her senses.

"More familiar faces. I'll keep fighting."

The thought continued to cross Flare's mind as she predicted what would come next, which she would correctly guess to be a Boltund. The Pokémon's jolly smile seemed to linger for a moment before playfully spinning around, almost as if matching Flare's determined smile. She remembered how fast these Pokémon were from battling Hop's Boltund, so she swapped out Cress for Twigs in hopes of slowing it down.

Roots crept around the room as Twigs played her beat, and all the while, Vincent's Boltund continued prancing around the attacks, drawing closer. Flare didn't have too much to worry about, she knew Twigs could take a hit, and from how playful she remembered this Boltund being, it probably didn't have anything that would hurt too much-

The Boltund pounced right at Twigs, fangs coated in flame. In the sudden shock of being so close to such fire, Flare instinctually tried to shield her face, and as she did, Twigs acted in unison. Flare could feel the fear that settled in her own breathing from the scent of burning grass, and even if Twigs blocked the hit to the best of her abilities, she still recalled her Rillaboom.

The Boltund stared curiously at her, innocently even, but at this rate, she knew there was more than meets the eye behind that smile, trainer and Pokémon alike. She had Zap take the field, knowing the same applied to them as well. Even if both of them still had questions about who they were or what they were meant for, Flare still knew she could trust her little Toxtricity through and through. She was actually there to see and help him grow, after all.

Speed was something they both carried, in their thoughts and in their actions, but Flare willed herself through her hesitation. Even when she saw the psychic energy manifesting in the Boltund's fangs, she had Zap hold his ground, fighting through the fear, letting a Boomburst out in borderline explosive retaliation. For a moment, she felt conflicted at the way Boltund crumpled and Vincent wavered, but she tried to steel her wavering heart. In the slow second she blinked, she almost didn't notice Vincent sending out his next Pokémon, all while Hook popped out of his Pokéball on his own to take Zap's place. It was as if the Slowbro had read her mind, or knew what the call to action was when a Fighting type was up to bat.

"The Sirfetch'd from that Dynamax Storm…"

Flare recognized that Sirfetch'd anywhere. That smug smirk, that supposedly heroic stance, the very same one that instantly toppled a Dynamaxed Perrserker in a single Meteor Assault. Sending out Hook was the right move. Against a foe who she remembered for having a titanic feat of strength, there was no one she would've rather had by her side than the one who dealt the finishing blow to Eternatus.

While his body was still too exhausted to levitate onwards, Hook still stomped ahead to meet the leek blade with his Shellder arm before delivering his own Zen Headbutt blow. Just as the Sirfetch'd had weapons to attack and defend, Hook's own Zen Headbutts were strong because they carried similar protective might, as if he was harnessing everything he learned into every stride forward. Every blow he took stung, but he shouldered on, knowing it was up to him to keep going. Sirfetch'd was down after another disarming blow, and afterwards, it was a Coalossal that came forth. Hook stayed.

"The blizzard… you were there…"

At that point, Flare knew she was combatting more than just raw strength, but also the sentiments that came with facing those she knew protected her along the way. Her father, his Pokémon, she may have had memories for all, but she wouldn't let that warmth get to her. She figured that was just part of the battle test, and she had Hook let loose a blast of water from his arm. Unfortunately, while it did immense damage to the Coalossal, its gentle demeanor gave way to a roar of steam before its lumbering pace accelerated to unbelievable proportions. Sparks seemed to appear from the ground as it ran towards Hook, and Slowbro kept up his guard as Flare shielded her eyes from every flaming punch that came unusually fast.

There was an uncertainty that lingered in Flare's thoughts, not just from the mysteries unfolding before her, but also knowing she was facing a very familiar person, using very familiar Pokémon, but fighting in ways she didn't expect. Planned switch-ins, debilitating debuffs, a move for every encounter, it was clear she was facing someone who knew what he was doing, someone who was ready to catch her off guard at every turn. Even if the uncertainty he mirrored in his gaze spoke otherwise.

But Flare knew it wasn't her job to understand everything. She was just here to win. Although the Coalossal was bewilderingly fast, burning away at the Slowbro's resilience, Flare and Hook were able to react to it, and a Dig blast burst open to put a stop to the Coalossal's pain express.

The barrage exchange left trainer and Slowbro alike exhausted, and while she was left panting for breath as she let Hook rest, Flare knew the fight wasn't over. Just as Hook's Surf attack brought the speed to that Coalossal's steam engine, Flare let the distantly familiar sensation of intense battle stoke her determined flame.

"Two more Pokémon left to go," Vincent called out from his side of the field, subtly winded. "Are you ready to finish this?"

The adrenaline of it all kept Flare's smile fired up. "For me, and for all my Pokémon!" As if she recognized the Pokéball Vincent pulled out, she had a Great Ball at the ready.

Sheep took the field once more, and as Flare's Pokéball burst open, it was a floating circle of flames that came dancing forward.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Your best disco ball impersonator has arrived!" Lumos waved an arm as if to bow, her wisps flickering and growing brighter with every word. "How's this for jazz?! Will! O! Wisp!"

Flare called out the move with similar cadence, having Lumos manifest wisps that left the Dubwool burned to hinder her approach. She knew the old girl didn't like exposing her fluffy coat to fire. Even if the sensation of heat and flames left Flare feeling uneasy in its wake, she remembered Lumos' smile, her call to action, and knew she could trust the little Litwick who brought her out of her room.

Sheep huffed, maintaining her gallop, and rushed at Lumos headfirst for a fearsome tackle. Lumos hovered there and watched as the Dubwool charged head-on, only for the Chandelure to phase through the attack.

"Uh…" Flare spoke up, watching the way the Dubwool continued harmlessly turning and charging through Lumos again and again. "Does Sheep have any moves that can hit Ghost types?"

Whatever stoic gusto Vincent had in his stance promptly faded away in his sigh. "... Nope."

Seeing and hearing that in the midst of battle, Flare almost wanted to laugh. Lumos beat her to the punch.

"Heat Wave!"

Lumos and Flare both cried out the move as the Chandelure started waving her arms in a spinning motion, and with a puff, heated winds rushed forth from the flaming circle Lumos drew. The fiery advance left Sheep's burned stride reeling, until it blew her away all the way back to Vincent's side.

"We're just that good!" Lumos cheered, offering Flare a high five. She obliged, making sure to touch the non-fire part. "So! How was that for my first major trainer battle?"

"You did an amazing job, Lumos. Whew…" Flare's hand still felt a bit hot. "You'll have to tap out for now, though. I'm having Foo finish this."

Flare let her Kubfu emerge from his Pokéball, and Lumos watched their shared courage in the brightest of wonders.

"You got this, battle buddy! This one's yours to win!" The Chandelure rallied before shrinking back down into her Pokéball.

"Saving Foo for last?" Vincent stepped forward with an intrigued eye. "That's a pretty bold move, considering what Pokémon I have left."

"I know." Flare let her confident smile show, both to Vincent and the watchful eye that was there the whole time. "That's how I'm supposed to evolve him, right? By going all-out and trusting him all the way to win this fight." With a brave step, she sent Foo forward. "You came here to show me what kind of person you are, and now it's time for me to show you who I am! Someone who trusts her Pokémon through and through!"

"Flare…" For a moment, Vincent's gaze seemed to soften, but in the face of Flare's determination, a fired up gaze lit up in his eyes as well. "Let's strike while the iron is hot and sprocket into action, Cinders!"

Emerging from the shadows behind him, Vincent's Corviknight let out a piercing cry before soaring into action. Against those same twilight wings, the supposed fastest wings in Galar, Flare knew she had to strike back hard and fast. With Foo, she had just the trump card, and as if harnessing the same rugged toughness of rocks against relentless waves, the Kubfu stood his ground in patient wait.

"Cinders, Brave Bird!"

Flare knew the advance was coming. It was as if Vincent wanted her to know exactly what she had to face. Against the overwhelming, illuminating force of Cinders' attack, Foo's paws caught the Corviknight's face, trying to hold that sharp beak back, but his feet still skidded against the ground. Flare knew it was bold, risking it all in this one maneuver, but she wanted to show how much faith she had in Foo's potential, backing him up all the way to greatness. Although Foo still buckled, it was thanks to that show of trust, that lingering belief that came in the form of a little purple lump, which gave him just enough willpower to stay holding on.

Flare spent this entire battle being surprised at what Vincent pulled, now it was her turn to surprise him.

"Foo, Counter!"

All the pressure, all the weight, Foo shouldered it all as he kept his stance firmly planted, channeling it all into a fist that carried might and worth alike. That overwhelming strength emanated from an inner aura that lit up his body, and as Foo readied his fist, it was as if the power he stored left him towering over the foe he held back. His massive fist met the Corviknight's face, but one strike wasn't enough. With newfound speed and power, he channeled that surging strength into a rushing torrent of jabs before letting it all out in a sweeping kick.

Almost as if mimicking the silence that comes after the harshest rainfall, Cinders fell to the ground, and the battle was finally over. Both Flare and Vincent stood on opposite sides of the quiet aftermath, watching on with the proudest, most awestruck smiles on their faces.

"Foo!" Flare ran ahead to meet the bewildered stare of her former Kubfu. She threw her arms around him, which surprised him even more. "You evolved!"

The word almost sounded foreign, but sure enough, Foo looked over himself, the way he towered over Flare now, and stared in even further surprise at the window's reflection that stared back at him. He let out an excited squeak, only to end up covering his mouth in flustered surprise when what came out sounded more like a bark.

Flare had the urge to giggle at how big and strong Foo stood before her. Whatever Pokémon he was now, it certainly wasn't one she recognized, but it was as if she could sense the immense power Foo's presence now held. "So… what Pokémon is he now?" She looked Vincent's way.

"Hold on, Mustard gave me the script for this." From his side, Vincent had just finished spraying Cinders' Pokéball and pulled out a sheet of paper from his jacket pocket. He cleared his throat. "Behold! Before you stands the legendary Pokémon Urshifu! Sure to be unyielding armor that will shatter any weapon turned against it… and it has mastered the rapid-strike style of water!"

Flare blinked at his change of energy. "That was a pretty good impression." Although hesitant, she found herself easing into a faint smile.

"Uh, thanks." Vincent cleared his throat, similarly hesitant to meet her eye. "I kinda have a thing with voices and… getting into character."

"Oh. Right." Flare wasn't sure what to say, but after the thrill of such a battle, she still felt good about letting it all out. "You put up a good fight, mystery man."

"R-Right. You too." Vincent chuckled, clearing his throat, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Actually, while you're here. There's… something else Mustard wanted me to let you know about."

Flare had already recalled Foo to rest and heal in his Pokéball, but she spared Vincent a glance. "What's that?"

"There's… a technique. A martial art. Something we could teach you." Vincent rubbed at his neck before composing himself. "It'll probably be easier to explain if I just demonstrate. Attack me."

Flare stared incredulously once more. "W-What?"

Vincent didn't budge. "Attack me."

"But I can't just-"

"Okie dokie!" Despite Flare's earnest protest, Lumos had already popped out.

"Lumos, wait-"

"Shadow Ball!"

Flare scrambled for her Great Ball, but the Chandelure had already hurled the projectile forward, to the shock of everyone. Vincent had only a second to shield his eyes, and the projectile struck in an explosion of shadowy mist.

Flare was frozen in shock and terror, almost speechless, even more so when she saw Vincent still standing there. While he still held an arm over his face, Flare saw the Corviknight that appeared to block with a wing, appearing from her Pokéball in an eerily similar stance before promptly returning into the ball.

Vincent looked astonished all the same, though he quickly composed himself before looking back at Flare. "There you have it. A pretty straightforward display on what this kind of martial art can do, but I'm sure you get the idea. Your Pokémon punch when you punch, block when you block. It's not easy to learn, that's for sure." He stepped closer into the light. "You trust your Pokémon, your Pokémon trust you, and thanks to the Pokéball, you can do so much more with that. Though Mustard told me his attempt to draw the technique out of you may have come off as… less than friendly."

Flare's brain was still swimming with thoughts about how that even happened, or where she remembered seeing such a display before, but the mention of that one memory stuck out. "Was he talking about the time he shot an Aura Sphere at me?"

"So that was true?" Vincent's eyes briefly widened with shock before narrowing. "I'll be sure to talk to him about that, then." Something told Flare he meant something more than that.

"Ooh, I like him." Lumos whispered Flare's way. "He looks like you, but not as short. Are you related, by any chance?"

"Back in the ball, you."

Flare tucked her giggling Chandelure away as she watched Vincent step past her. For a moment, she felt a mixture of surprise and flattery at the way his tone suddenly grew protective, and she watched on curiously as he seemed to stomp his way down the stairs.

"I just wanted to protect my daughter, my family, and stuff like this still somehow happens…"

Flare heard his mutter as she followed him down one room after another. "Wait, what's this about protecting me? Didn't you also say something about Foo being legendary earlier? I still have more questions! And what happened to teaching me that Pokémon martial art thing?"

The doors to the tower opened, and as Flare and Vincent stepped out, the shores were peaceful. Still, Vincent gazed up at the sky, narrowing his eyes at the black blanket of night above them, and felt the urge to sigh.

"Not a good sign…" Vincent muttered. He mustered a smile Flare's way. "I'm sure you and your Pokémon need some rest after all that. We can continue this reunion tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Flare hesitated, but as she took another breath, it quickly dawned on her how exhausted her everything felt. "Alright. I hope you won't disappear again, though. Reunions aren't exactly something you can postpone, you know."

Vincent's gaze lowered. "... I had that coming. Don't worry." He met Flare's gaze. "This time, I'm here to stay. Do you trust me?"

Flare wasn't one to consider herself the skeptical type, and although she had her doubts initially, even if it felt weird knowing she was facing her father at that very moment, she couldn't forget who he also was. The mystery man, the one who protected her during crucial moments, and Mr. Pilot, the dutiful cabbie who swooped in on Cinders whenever she needed him to. Sometimes swooping in whenever she least expected it.

She nodded, letting the respect and gratitude show in her eyes. "I'll trust you on this."

While the wings were available for other options, they stuck to the island for that night. The Master Dojo was a walk away, and Vincent clearly had some business with Mustard, even if Flare's job was done there. Still, she stayed, even if she was still not quite sure what to make of it all. Even if she had only come here to evolve her Pokémon, she wasn't saying no to answers and guidance long overdue.

Lumos' POV

What. A. Night.

I sure didn't know how much time I spent in that Wild Area the other day, but it sure was a time! The best of times! As if being trained up wasn't a brilliant enough stroke of luck, I got to flaunt my shining best in battle! My battle buddy and I both evolved to our purest peakest us-es! And I got to shoot a guy!

For all we got well done and well-done, I was definitely expecting my trainer to have been more fired up about it. I noticed that her fire seemed to be a bit back and forth about something lately. Whatever it was, I kept a close watch to make sure her spirit was in high spirits, and that she slept and woke alright. Her other Pokémon also seemed interested in playing the role of watcher and making sure she kept herself freshened up properly, which was an absolutely valid concern. Anything to keep that soul from simmering down to something sad again. Most of them stuck to the human table where all the other humans were.

The dojo place we were staying at was homely, though! When the sun came up, as did everyone else's wake up urges, I was quick to join in with them putting food down their consuming orifices so I could do the same. I just dumped all that kibble down my head flame.

I put my flames in aesthetic mode so that I couldn't burn any carpet down, holding my arms beneath me so that I could rock on them to make it look like I had knees. Because even if I didn't have knees, I sure felt like the Combee's knees! Or maybe the Vespiquen's knees? Did Vespiquen have legs? I should talk to a Vespiquen.

"You didn't tell me you evolved into something awesome, Foo!" If it weren't for the distinct scent of his soul, I wouldn't have recognized the big cub I was happily sitting next to. "Your headband fur things are doing that thing where they're flowing through the air on their own! How do they do that?!"

Foo liked it when I backed him up and fanned his metaphorical flames, though all his little grin could respond with was a shrug. Interesting, very interesting…

"With muscles like that, no wonder you're legendary!" I still gave Foo a good look over, even if he didn't seem to like me watching him do that eating thing. "Though, something about the way you told us about that is giving me a feeling it's more than just the Arcanine deal."

Zap happened to be sitting by us, so he answered. "You're a real legendary Pokémon, aren't you Foo? Flare caught a legendary Pokémon once with Hook's help, but I never got to meet one up close like you."

"Oh, those legendary Pokémon!" I caught on to his admiring eyes and joined the two-mon entourage. "I've heard so many rumours about burning wings and barking volcanoes and truth stuff! Is it true that you legendary types pick a chosen one to be your best friend forever and ever? Which gives you both cool visions?"

Foo seemed surprised by that for some reason. "... yes." He had a big boy voice now. "I was told… legendary Pokémon choose someone to consider worthy. I was lucky to choose Flare. Being considered worthy is… a one-time thing."

"A one-time fun time, hmm?" I attempted to scratch my chin like I knew people did when they wanted to scratch their chin. I wish I was a legendary. "I had a hunch it'd be unfair if a whole bunch of legendaries decided to pool all their worth into one guy. So when did you decide Flare was the rightest of mightiest? Was it sometime during our training?"

Foo blinked, almost seeming embarrassed about it, then shook his head. "... long, long before. He told me about her."

My Urshifu buddy was looking towards the long table where all the humans were eating. The human he was referring to was the man with the golden locks over there. The formerly mysterious man who was now just a… man.

"He visited here often," Foo continued. "Told me stories. A lot of stories about his family. Started telling me stories about his daughter a while back. Even if I didn't meet her yet, just hearing about her, I knew I wanted her to be my trainer."

"You knew about her?" Zap spoke up, wide-eyed with fellow intrigue. "We… we visited the island a few times. Did you know we were there? You could've joined us!"

Foo was bashfully silent, and his eyes seemed to lower. I knew it wasn't like him to talk this much, so I understood the urge to recharge. I narrowed my eyes to see what his soul had to say.

He was shy. He didn't know if he was ready. He admired you all training from a distance. He wanted to show you the flowers and be your friend.

His soul was adorable, and that made me wanna smile. "Hey Foo. Do you like flowers, by any chance?"

There was that eager joy in his eyes. Even as his big Urshifu self, I knew what an excited soul looked like. He wants to show us the flowers around the island.

"Maybe you can show us the flowers around the island later, if you'd like!" I still wanted to play my part in cheering this team up, after all. "What about you, Zap? Wanna join us in… whatever flower-loving Pokémon do? Smell things?" I wish I could smell.

Zap was wide-eyed after I asked that, like his eyes tended to be, but then I poked him in the stomach. He was ticklish.

"Oh, sure! I'm just… really surprised, Lumos." The baby-faced Toxtricity sat up after my nudging. "I used to be the newest member of Flare's team who needed to be watched over, and now I'm here. Now I want to watch over you guys, but you're already so… in charge."

"Well, I wouldn't start seeing you as the senior type yet!" I proudly declared, then looked back at the little Toxtricity who definitely had more experience than me. If I had fingers I would've pinched his face. "You're too baby-faced for your own good, you know. I'm just too skilled at catching up and burning that hardworking oil!"

With my absolutely radiant attitude, there was a hint of shifting emotion in Zap's soul. Familiarity, it seemed like. And with that familiarity came a simmering.

I pulled my buddies closer with my arms over their shoulders to keep the flame going. "I think we got something special going on, the three of us! Kind of like my Flash Fire Squad from that city of Artichoke!"

Zap bashfully looked up at me. "Do you mean Motostoke?"

"Right!" My eyes were still sky high before I looked to Foo and Zap respectively. "But instead of a Vulpix, you're a big guy, and instead of a Sizzlipede, you're a small guy."

Pointing and waving my flames at them got good giggles out of both Zap and Foo. More smiles were a good sign.

"'Sides, I wouldn't be burning so brightly if I didn't wanna belong to a team like this. You sound like you're all a riot! You've all been on these adventures I've never heard about when all I've done is chill at that 'wick town with a Judy lady. I've been missing out!" I leaned closer to Zap to whisper. "So I'm fully evolved, leveled up, is there anything else I'm missing to be the best champion-level Pokémon ever?"

"Um… oh! Do you know that thing where you can… um… hear what Flare is thinking while you fight? Sometimes it becomes more than that." Zap needed a second to collect his words. "In a sink, I think."

"In sync!" The very recollection of that Pokémon quirk had me grasping my face and gasping in place. "To find a trainer to be in sync with has always been my biggest dream, the truest show of worth, a culmination of everything! 'Course, I don't need to read minds to follow commands, I have a sixth ghosty goo sense of my own, but for that stuff to happen automatically? Now I know what my next milestone is!"

"Flare is a very nice person," Foo spoke up. "I believe you can do it."

"And I believe in you too, Foo!" Encouragement for encouragement, which was fun to say! "And Zap, well, you don't need my belief, you're already amazing!"

That got my buddies to feel real happy. I was definitely making influential waves alright, and when I'd have the time, I was definitely going to work on impressing and cheering up the others too! Alongside being the top percent of Motostoke finest, I had spirits to lift, ones I wanted to see shine bright so I could shine alongside them! You need a whole team of stars to make a night sky, after all!

But in the meantime, it was time to stop and smell the flowers, as per Foo's request. I definitely wasn't going to say no to my battle buddy when he insisted on holding my arm like a lost cub.

"Smell ya later, everyone!"

I gave the folks who happened to be around a wave as I made for the dojo doors, arm in arm with an Urshifu and a Toxtricity. While I did, I glanced back at where Flare was, and even if I couldn't get a good read on her soul from here, I still had high hopes for her. With all that's happened, I bet her flames are as stoked as mine were!

Flare's POV

Even after sleeping on it, I still wasn't quite sure what to think about everything.

On one hand, the dojo was surprisingly hospitable, and it came as a very pleasant surprise when there was a homemade chippy meal of all things waiting for me at the table. Made with fresh Substitute meat, whatever that meant. And it was served with a golden dipping sauce I had never tried before, which Honey said was a special little recipe she and Mustard worked on. The entire thing was sweet, it was savory, and needless to say, the chippy with the sauce tasted like absolute heaven.

On the other hand, it tasted so good that I almost forgot who I was sitting by. My dad was still here. It just so happened that my mom was here as well. Which meant that the three of us were all here eating breakfast. For the first time. While they were both sitting opposite of me. We didn't really exchange any words, just silently ate while keeping eye contact to a minimum.

I wasn't really good at breaking the ice. Something told me my dad wasn't all too good at it either.

It was my mom who finally sighed as she sat next to him. "... we have a lot of catching up to do, don't we?" Her eyes landed on the both of us. "I flew here on my Braviary as soon as I could. Flare, I'm sorry you had to be in the dark about this for so long. I wanted to explain sooner, but…"

You knew all this time. "It's okay. You wanted to… protect me, right? I think that's what I remembered." But from what, I wasn't sure.

It felt like a heavy line of questioning either way. And from the uncertain tension we all shared, it wasn't going to be easy to talk about. I looked at my mom, and she nodded back at me, catching on. Let's take this little by little.

I tried to meet my dad's downcast eyes again. "Did you talk things out with Mustard last night?"

"... I did." He hesitated, but he still spoke. "You don't need to worry about any more surprise attack tests. I made sure to give him a piece of my mind."

I glanced down to take another bite of my food. "... did you kick him? You seemed pretty upset last night, so I was just… wondering." I didn't know what kind of person dad was. I was still curious.

"I wouldn't pick a fight with Mustard. If I did, I wouldn't make it out alive if I tried." He stopped to clear his throat. "Did you want me to pick a fight with him?"

"If it'd kill you, probably not. And it'd be mean." I know Mustard is a former champ and everything, but is he that strong for his age? I wondered about that, but other questions came to mind. "So… it's really true that you're the mystery man who I've been seeing throughout my journey. And Mr. Pilot, too."

He slowly nodded after a bite of cereal. "I've been called worse things before, but… I'll take 'mystery man'. I'd say I'm also your dad, but… I don't think I've been around enough to earn that title."

I could hear the shame in his voice as he trailed off. Mom had a sorry look, too. My dad was trying to hide his eyes, but I knew well enough how similar they were to mine. He was also still wearing Mr. Pilot's black jacket, which was similar to my usual choice of jumper. It was like I was staring at a completely different, but familiar version of myself. With all the years of my life he wasn't there for, I would've been embarrassed too.

I tucked a piece of my meal into my mouth before speaking. "I kinda expected you to be taller."

"... not the first time I've heard that." Dad chuckled.

Lightening up the mood was a good sign. I wasn't sure why I felt the need to lighten up the mood, but… it felt good. "So… Mr. Pilot. How did you pull off the accent and the disguises and everything?"

"To be honest, I just read a book on how to do a convincing Galarian accent and took off from there." He scratched at his head and combed at the hair over his forehead. "And I just happened to have a lot of hats lying around. They were gifts."

"Alright." I gulped down my fill and mustered myself for the first important question. "So… why were you doing all of this? Disguising yourself and following me around and everything?"

He looked at me, blinked, and as if he was expecting this, he took a deep breath. "From the beginning, I had a feeling you would be setting out. It's true that I was there to make sure your journey was going alright, but I didn't want to accidentally make it seem like you were cheating your way through the Gym Challenge. So I… just stuck to keeping myself at a distance. I got you the Isle of Armor pass, jumped in whenever something dangerous happened, and was there whenever you needed someone to fly you. Even if there were times I was busy."

I was only able to think of… maybe one time I tried to call Mr. Pilot but he was too busy. "Okay…" I took a momentous breath of my own. I would've called him out for being clingy about my safety for something like this, but given everything that's happened… I didn't blame him. But even then… "You were there all throughout my journey… but where were you all throughout my life?"

The shame in my dad's expression returned, weighing down on his gaze. As a sigh escaped his mouth, my mom took his hand.

"I think I'll take the explanation over from here, dear." She caressed his hand before looking to me. "There's a detail about the Gym Challenge we all went on that I still needed to mention, Flare. The reason we both never made it to Wyndon. Your father got caught up in something when he started hearing rumours about things that were happening behind the scenes with Macro Cosmos."

"That's… Chairman Rose's company, right?" Or at least, it used to be, I think.

"That's right… but the issue wasn't with Chairman Rose," she continued. "As soon as your father picked up on these cues, there were these voices from the Slumbering Weald that beckoned to him. The foggy voices that told him of a grand danger that was unfolding."

"Two youths," my dad spoke up, looking back at me. "They told me there were two youths who had plans to change history and were willing to desecrate the most powerful figureheads of the region in the process. I had to disappear from my Gym Challenge if I wanted to put a stop to them. Part of their operation involved gathering as much Wishing Stars as possible, so I dedicated as much time as I could to getting my hands on them before they could. This was all part of the mission the voices of the weald told me about, what I started."

what he started… The wording struck me as familiar, and I continued listening.

"Nobody was to know about this…" My mom's eyes fell. "And it was up to me to keep that secret. We moved to the most remote corner of Postwick, and I had to convince all of our friends that your father had disappeared and left the region for the time being."

"In a way, I did." My dad nodded. "Mustard was an old teacher of mine when I came to Galar, so I hid here on the island, where it was private. I wasn't sure if I ever told him about my mission, but… I think he just happened to know."

"Wait…" Something struck me as odd, and I spoke up. "If this was such a big deal, couldn't you have asked your friends for help? Confront these two youths directly, or something like that."

My dad sucked in a breath. "Unfortunately, Macro Cosmos is a powerful, powerful company… They're a corporate entity in charge of everything over Galar, and if these two youths were a part of it, they had that power too. I didn't want to involve anyone I knew into something this dangerous. I didn't want them to know where I lived. I didn't want them to know where my family lived. I had to be subtle and remain anonymous so they had no idea who was tampering with their plans behind the scenes. Do whatever it takes not to get caught, no matter what."

"After all we had been through, I wasn't ready to see him disappear," my mom continued. "I loved him too much for that, so I disappeared with him. It took a lot of convincing, but he let me help out with this grand undertaking of his. I was used to keeping myself away from public eyes."

"Okay…" Thinking about what they were up against was a lot to think about, and I took a second to let it sink in. "And you've had to remain hidden for… how long?"

Both of my parents hesitated. They didn't look like they knew what to say. Instead, with their wavering gazes, they looked to each other, caressing each others' hands over the table. And that was when I noticed neither of them had rings on their fingers.

they didn't have time to… oh.

"... so…" Even if I felt like wavering similarly, I spoke up. "Where do I fall into this?"

"It was Mustard's idea." My father sounded reluctant about it. "Despite my best efforts… it wasn't enough, and it was only a matter of time before those two youths gathered enough Wishing Stars for the next step of their plan. It was as if Mustard just knew you were going to set out, like he had the same intuition as the fog Pokémon somehow, but he knew. He knew you were going to finish what I started."

"Bring the stars back to the sky…" I matched my dad's gaze as I recalled the words. "... and finish what you started." I wasn't sure what to feel about it.

My dad shrugged with a dejected stare. "He always did have an eye for potential, usually right about it, so I just… trusted him. I wasn't sure what other options I had left. It was like he knew you would somehow pull through and put a stop to everything while I continued trying my best behind the scenes. I wanted to make sure you had a good Gym Challenge, to see it through even if your mom and I couldn't, but I never could've seen all the disasters coming. I thought the storms would stop after you miraculously took down Eternatus, but I didn't expect the incident with Leon. Maybe if I was just stronger… I could've dealt with that myself, but…"

"It… it had to be me, right?" I finished the unsteady realization. "It was my Pokémon who put a stop to Eternatus in the first place. I was able to draw the best out of them. Only I could've done that… right?" I thought of Twigs. I thought of Hook. I thought of Crumbs, Zap, Spike, Tilda, Cress, even Lumos and Foo. "If you were the one facing Eternatus, would you and your Pokémon have been able to stop the Darkest Day too?"

He hesitated. "... maybe. Yes. If I just tried harder, if I was just a better dad, maybe…" He visibly recoiled. "I'm sorry. No matter how hard I tried to keep you safe throughout your journey, I'm not going to expect forgiveness for anything. You grew up without a father figure all this time."

I felt the shame and regret in his words. I didn't know what to do, didn't know how to talk about something like this, but I still wanted to reassure him somehow. "I'm okay, really…"

He shook his head, eyes low. "Saying I'm your dad isn't enough. I need to make it up to you by actually being one. I only stayed this hidden because I wanted to protect you, and I'm sticking to it. That's why I'm taking care of everything from now on."

He got out of his chair, and as he did, I had the urge to follow. "Wait, what do you mean?"

His eyes were full of conviction as he glanced back at me. "If I knew I'd just be sending you to face all these losses and disasters and conflicts you would never understand, I wouldn't have sent you off in the first place. I put my foot down when I talked to Mustard last night. It's not your job to understand everything. The weight of the world shouldn't fall upon your shoulders. I should be the one carrying that weight for you."

I didn't waste a second in stepping after him. "Then I'm going too."

"It'll be dangerous for you, Flare." He looked back at me with a firm gaze. "If anything like before happens again, I don't want you to be throwing yourself to danger."

I matched his unwavering stare. "It's going to be dangerous for a lot of other people, too. My friends, your friends, everyone. That's why I want to fight. I know what kind of dangerous incidents have been happening around the region, I was there. I was the one who caught Eternatus, so I'm still set on tracking down where it went. All to make sure the incidents that took away my other Pokémon never happen again."

"Flare…" I hoped he recognized the fire in my eyes. It helped that I felt my mom standing by my side as well, likely feeling the same. "You've… really grown into a fine trainer. I can't stop you from embarking on this mission, but the best I can do is stay by your side and guide you to a better future along the way."

My smile was confident, as was my dad's, and my mom's. As I took another breath, for once, there was a certainty in my step, my thoughts, my direction. I still had a ways to go before completely understanding everything we were going to be up against, but I felt better about it now. Stronger, even. Whatever we were facing, we weren't going to be doing it alone anymore.

Our happy family reunion came to a stop when my dad suddenly clutched for his head.

I could only watch worriedly. "What's going on…?"

"It's okay…" He took another breath and straightened his posture. But his solemn expression remained. "It's an urgent call from Zacian. The two youths have followed someone back to the Slumbering Weald, and they still have Eternatus with them. They're trying to get ahold of the rusted weapons."

My eyes were wide as I heard that. "Wait, they had Eternatus all this time?"

"Yes… and they're aiming to try something drastic with it alongside Zacian and Zamazenta…" His heavy gaze looked to me expectantly. "Flare, where's the Rusted Sword? Do you still have it?"

"N-No…" I hesitated, suddenly sensing the immense danger of the situation. "I left it with Hop."