(The next morning Linka and Rei were outside.)
Rei: Hey, Linka—before I go meet Mai about that request, mind showing me how you do in battle?
Linka: Of course.
Rei: Great. I'll be at the training grounds. If you've been catching lots of Pokémon, you can change up your team at the pastures, just so you know.
(Linka makes a visit to the pastures selecting her pokemon. Afterwards she arrives at the training grounds.)
Rei: Thanks for taking a minute for me. I know your plate's full right now. I'm going to be straightforward with you about something.
Linka: Sure, what you need?
Rei: I don't understand how anyone can handle taking on Pokémon in battle! I know I'm a Survey Corps member, and I've even got my own partner...but I just can't do it!
Linka: You have a partner?
Rei: That's right! Take a look at...my very own partner!
(Rei shows yellow mouse with red cheeks, black on his ears, and a lightning bolt shaped tail.)
Rei's Partner: Hi! You must me Linka! Rei told me all about you!
Rei: This is my Pikachu. During that Shinx attack, I should've had Pikachu fight at my side...but my mind just went blank. And—and really, when you get right down to it, Pokémon are terrifying, right? Why should this thing be able to fire electricity?
Pikachu: It's O.K., It's not your fault. We all make mistakes.
Rei: But watching you at work completing those research tasks convinced me. If I want to do my Survey Corps work well, my partner and I have got to be a team. And our first step toward being a real team... is to battle your team!
Referee: The battle between Linka and Rei is about to begin, each trainer will use one pokemon each. And... begin!
Linka: Quilli, Come on out! (Sends out Quilli)
Rei: Pikachu, I choose you!
(Pikachu walks onto the battlefield.)
Rei: Alright use Thundershock!
(Pikachu shoots electricity from his body onto Quilli.)
Linka: Alright, Quilli use Ember!
(Quilli shoot fireballs at Pikachu)
(Alright, Thundershock again!)
(Pikachu shoots another electric attack at Quilli. Quilli starts to have streaks of electricity surround her.)
Linka: Quilli?
Rei: We paralyzed her. When a pokemon. is paralyzed, it may be unable to attack.
Linka: We're not giving up just yet! Quilli, use Ember!
(Quilli tries to breath fire but is held back by the paralysis.)
Rei: Pikachu Thundershock again!
Pikachu: (Shoots another thundershock) Yaahhhhhh!
Linka: Dodge it, Quilli!
(Quilli dodges the attack.)
Linka: Alright, use Rollout!
Quilli: You got it!
(Quilli rolls across the field like a ball and hits Pikachu.)
Rei: Pikachu!
(Shows Pikachu has fainted. The referee raises her hand on Linka's side)
Referee: Pikachu is unable to battle, Quilli is the winner! Which means the winner of the match is Linka!
Linka: Alright! (She and Quilli hi five each other,)
Rei: Whoa... You seem so in sync with your Pokémon.
(After the battle.)
Rei: That was amazing! The way you fight alongside your Pokémon— you don't seem one bit scared of battling. We'll just have to catch up as best we can. Right, Pikachu?
Pikachu: I want to see Linka's brothers!
Rei: Ah. Fair enough. Pikachu's got a bit of a tendency to attack, y'see. That's why he normally stays in his ball. I guess the first step for Pikachu and me might be getting a little friendlier with one another...
(The Referee walks up to them)
Referee: So you're the one? That new recruit everyone's talking about? The name's Zisu. Captain of the Security Corps. I see you've got some fight in you. Figured I'd stop by and give what advice I could.
Rei: Captain Zisu's a master of an ancient martial art where you guide Pokémon in battle.
Zisu: Now listen—if your Pokémon's truly mastered its moves, it can actually use them in different styles! On the one hand, you can choose to deliver a move in the strong style. The move will deal more damage, but afterward it'll take longer for your Pokémon to act. On the other hand, you can choose to unleash a move in the agile style. Such a move will have less power behind it, but your Pokémon can act more quickly afterward. In truly favorable conditions, it might even get out two moves before the opponent can act. Strong style moves, agile style moves, and of course, regular moves... Choose which is right for a given situation, and direct your Pokémon with a little nudge.
Linka: I'll try it out the next time I'll fill in the pokedex.
Zisu: Oh, one more thing—if you want to teach your Pokémon some powerful moves, just let me know!
Rei: You remember? I mentioned it earlier. I'm heading down now to see about Mai's request.
Linka: Who?
Rei: I'm supposed to meet her down past the foot of Aspiration Hill. You should come along, too! Get ready, then meet us down there, would you? And by "ready," I mean double-checking what Pokémon you'll bring...and maybe even teaching them some new moves from Zisu!
Linka: Alright, Rei.
(After taking a few more request from people, Linka is back at the Obsidian Fieldlands. Unbeknownst to her, Volo surprises her from behind.)
Volo: Boo!
Linka: AAAHHHHH! Oh, Volo. For a moment there, I thought you were Lars.
Volo: Lars?
Linka: Yeah, he's my brother. I'm hoping to find him along with my other brothers who I got separated from.
Volo: The Survey Corps told me about that, and I must say you're quite a lucky gal to have that many siblings.
(Linka puts her hand behind her head at Volo's comment.)
Volo: Anyways, I was trying to surprise you there. There's a secret technique to catching Pokémon, you see. It's what I call the Secret Back Strike Technique! Hitting a Pokémon's back with your Poké Ball will surprise it, making it easier to catch or giving you an advantage once a battle starts!
Linka: All right, I'll use that technique to making catching aggressive pokemon easier.
Volo: If you're part of the Survey Corps now, working to create that Pokédex as they all are, you might end up meeting every last Pokémon here in Hisui. You should know I'm already looking forward to the day you accomplish that!
(Volo leaves. Linka then decides to get some materials at Horseshoe plains.)
Linka: Alright, time meet Mai on the other side of the-
(Just then, Linka heard a familiar voice.)
?: LET GO OF ME YOU CREEPS!
Linka: ...bridge? Wait, I know that voice!
(Linka ran toward the area where yell was coming from and was shocked by what she saw! It was Loki being carried by two pokemon who look like purple balloons with yellow Xs on their mouths and a tuff of white hair.)
Loki: LINKA, HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLP!
One brother found! How will Linka be able to save Loki? Find out next chapter!