A/N:

Sorry for the delay in updates, guys. With my other story I'm juggling, CotH unfortunately fell on the back burner and so for a while there I didn't really write much for this story. That's not to say I'm losing motivation or want to quit! I thoroughly enjoy writing for this story and I'm going to see it through to the end.

I'll try to keep updates no more than three months apart, but in any case don't go expecting regular updates. Once I finish my other main story for Sword Art Online, I'll dedicate more time and energy to writing this and will probably be able to update more frequently.

Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so here's hoping you have just as much fun reading it!

Ash Ketchum considered himself a well-traveled man.

He'd seen it all. From the tropical paradise of Melemele Island to the sprawling metropolis that was Nimbasa City, there were few locales in the world that could truly catch him off guard. The closest he'd recently gotten to truly perplexed was Pyrite Town itself, actually. Most of the civilized world, thanks to the influence of Pokemon and modern technology, was fairly well-developed. Pyrite had been a wake-up call that not everything was sunshine and rainbows.

Some people struggled and simply made the most of their circumstances, and Ash honestly found that admirable. To overcome adversity was always something to be proud of.

With all that said, what he saw now was either a sign of poverty, ingenuity, or just sheer laziness. In any case, he found himself flabbergasted at the sight before him.

"Is that… a train?"

"I think so, Ash."

"But…" Ash blinked. "...Serena, it's a train."

"Ash, you've seen trains before."

Sure, he'd seen many trains before. If he was being honest, taking a train was one of the more entertaining modes of non-Pokemon transportation he'd ever had the pleasure of experiencing. This was different, though. This train consisted of only the lead car, and was far past its prime; its coppery, rusted exterior had been twisted and beaten mercilessly by the sun. A single ramp extended from where the conductor's booth would be, and Ash could see two large windows in the engine area that displayed a small smattering of dining booths.

It was retrofitted, no longer in any shape to transport people. From the smell of food wafting out, it was converted into a diner of some sort. Was it creative? Absolutely. Was it memorable? Without a doubt. What stuck out to Ash the most, however, was that…

"It's out in the middle of a desert! Where are the rails?!"

No rails anywhere nearby, and not a single settlement for miles. Ash was pretty sure this counted literally as the middle of nowhere. Actually, if he remembered correctly, there wasn't a single notable landmark in Orre's largest desert except Outskirt Stand. Phenac City was near the outskirts of the desert, so that didn't quite count.

Sora cocked his head to the side. "Is this not normal? After Pyrite, I kind of figured…"

"Nope." Brock denied, looking amused at the whole situation. He leaned back in the driver's seat of their jeep. "This… this is new."

"Brock, I'm pretty sure that thing's old. Older than you and me put together."

Ash received a gentle punch to the shoulder for that, which he chuckled off. Pikachu shook his head, no doubt exasperated from his trainer's antics.

"You know what I mean." Brock smirked. "No, Sora. So far as I can tell, Orre is very different from the other regions. Nearly every other region has plenty of, well, green. They're far more populated and industrialized. Orre's… well…"

"It's kind of a dump." Bonnie remarked.

"Bonnie!" Serena scolded. "That's rude!"

"Am I wrong, though?"

"...Not exactly." The performer admitted meekly.

"Well, are we gonna sit out here in the sun all day or are we gonna check it out?" Ash asked, recovering from his confusion. It was better to just roll with the punches, at this point. Set the bar low, and he could only be pleasantly surprised. "I'm parched!"

"Do they even have anything to drink?" Bonnie asked, doubt written all over her face. Dedenne looked similarly dubious. "Pretty sure it doesn't rain out here."

"They could have a water Pokemon on hand." Serena suggested with a shrug. She cupped her chin. "Now that I think about it, we got pretty lucky. If we didn't have Corphish or Sora with us, we'd have a hard time out here without water. Thanks, Ash!"

Ash smiled. "No problem! I figured having a water Pokemon on hand in the desert would be a good idea. Although having Sora around helps too!"

As it turns out, Sora's magically-generated water – which was still an odd concept to digest – was surprisingly refreshing. Corphish seemed to like it. Loved it, even. He was pretty sure Sora was Corphish's new best friend, actually.

"Glad I could help!" Sora grinned. His expression sobered as everyone exited the vehicle and walked towards the train-diner's entrance. "So what are we looking for, again?"

"Well, first things first: food." Brock said, looking particularly disgruntled. "We're running low on supplies, and I don't want to get caught out in the desert without food. Water, we're okay with for obvious reasons, but we can't just make food out of nothing. Unless…?"

"I can't make food out of nothing, Brock. Sorry."

The Pokemon doctor shrugged. "Ah, well. Figured I'd ask."

"I can cook it pretty well, though." Sora admitted just as they walked in the door. The faint sound of someone playing a harmonica rang through the modest little diner. "I had the best chef in the worlds teach me."

"Ooh, was it that guy that looked like a smaller Rattata?" Bonnie asked, much to Sora's evident confusion. "I remember reading about him on your phone!"

"Not sure what a Rattata looks like, but Little Chef was the best. Learning from him was a little painful sometimes, though. In order to teach me, he had to pull on my hair."

"Why did he pull on your hair?" Ash inquired.

"That's how he moved my arms and hands." Sora said. "Felt kind of weird, if I'm being honest, but I learned!"

Before Ash could ask just how in Arceus's name a Rattata could puppeteer someone by tugging on their hair, the man at the front counter looked up at them and arched an eyebrow.

"Oh?" The man hummed, the red dreadlocks on his head spilling to the side as he tilted his head in interest. "Haven't seen your faces around these parts. Travelers?"

"Yes sir." Ash answered politely. "We heard good things about this place and wanted to check it out."

The redhead looked mildly impressed. "Who told you that?"

"Willie did. We met him back in Pyrite."

"Huh. Willie's a nice guy, but he must've seen potential in ya if he recommended ya come here. We're off the beaten path, but every so often we host some battles out here. That Pikachu of yours must be quite the little firecracker."

"Pik-pika!" Pikachu cried out, raising a fist determinedly.

The man at the bar chuckled. "Well, alright then. I'm convinced. Can I interest you folks in some food while you're here?"

"That would be great." Brock answered. "If you have any travel rations too, we'll buy some as well."

"I've got some of those. Now, what can I get you folks in the meantime?"

After ordering their food – which was reasonably priced and of decent quality, much to Ash's surprise – the five travelers sat in one of the booths to eat, relax, and discuss their travel plans. The other booths were sparsely occupied, with maybe five other patrons total in the converted diner. They all kept to themselves, but more than a few gave them curious glances every now and then.

They were just discussing going back to Pyrite in time for the tournament when a news bulletin flashed on a television nearby. On it, a well-dressed woman stood in front of a logo that spelled out "ONBS." While Ash wasn't familiar with this news station, he guessed that the acronym stood for "Orre News Broadcasting Station." Probably breaking news, if the jingle was anything to go off of.

"We bring you ONBS News. Residents of Pyrite Town experienced an unusual Pokemon attack yesterday, injuring several and killing three. We go to our reporter Landon, who is on the scene and collecting eyewitness reports of the incident."

Ash's heart sank at the news that three people had died to what he now knew was a Heartless attack, not a wild Pokemon attack. What was so much worse was the fact that, if Sora was right, there would be more attacks like this one.

"Sir, sir!" The on-site reporter called out, jogging over to a man Ash recognized from the tournament ticket booth. Fabian – or "Fabe" – if he remembered correctly. "Could we have a moment of your time? What happened here?"

"Oh, you talkin' about the shadow attack? It was pretty gnarly, but we fought 'em off."

"Are you saying this was a shadow Pokemon attack, sir?"

"What else could it be?" Fabe chuckled. "Looked like a bunch of shadow Sableyes, Snorlaxes, and Bisharps, dude. Looked like 'em, at least. Merciless, I tell ya. I'll tell ya what, though… we had a secret weapon of our own that totally kicked butt, dude."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"I'm talkin' about the Snagger, man!" Fabe exclaimed, sporting a wide grin. "Snagger showed up and kicked ass! He and his crew swooped in and saved the town, man. One of 'em was even fightin' the shadows himself!"

Ash exchanged a few knowing – and uneasy – looks with the others. Apparently they'd made headlines. Whether that was a good thing or not was yet to be determined. Brock offered a hesitant shrug.

"A Snagger? You don't mean Wes Leo, do you?"

"Nah, haven't seen Wes in years. Rui wasn't 'round, neither. Nah, this was a new guy. The dude used the Shadow Metang he snagged the day before to fight the shadows. Like fightin' fire with fire, man."

The reporter turned back to the camera, clutching the microphone close to his chest. "You heard it here, folks. A new Snagger is in town, and he's already making waves. Who IS this new Snagger? What does he want? Only time will tell. Back to - "

"His name's Ash Ketchum, man. Better remember it; dude's gonna change Orre. I can feel it, man."

Ash winced. Maybe announcing himself like that wasn't the best idea.

"Ash Ketchum? As in the biregional Champion of Alola and the Orange Islands?"

He covered his face with his hands in embarrassment. Him and his big mouth.

"Maybe. Could be someone usin' his name, I guess, but the dude's strong. Cipher and Snagem better watch out. Ketchum's comin' for you!"

"Back to you, Trish."

"Thanks, Landon. In other news, the S.S. Libra, a freighter due in Gateon Port yesterday, went missing unexpectedly before it could make landfall. Aboard were a number of…"

Ash tuned out the rest of the broadcast. Arceus this was embarrassing. So much for trying to be covert and avoid the two major criminal organizations of the region. Now he had a target painted on his back, and the element of surprise was now lost.

"Hey."

He felt a slender, gentle hand softly grip his own. Ash looked up to see Serena smiling fondly at him. He let himself get pulled upright in his seat as she sat him up.

"We'll be fine, Ash. They don't have your picture, so unless you go around flaunting your name again, they're probably not going to recognize you." She assured him.

"She's right." Brock added. "I doubt people around here know your face. If that were the case, you would have been instantly recognized at Pyrite and Nover definitely wouldn't have challenged you."

Bonnie leaned in to whisper, glancing to and fro to ensure no one outside their table was listening. "Not to mention, we'll be snagging, too. If word gets out that there's more than one Snagger, they won't focus on you so much, right?"

Ash felt a smile tug on his lips. "I guess that makes sense. Thanks, guys."

"Here are your orders, folks." The bartender's voice sounded out as he came up alongside their booth with their food. "This is for you, this is yours, and… here you go. Two more… watch yourself, don't wanna bean you with a plateful of food, y'know? And… last but not least, the champion's dish."

Ash, who'd raised his glass of water, froze in place as his eyes locked onto the man. The redhead, however, simply smirked and gave a knowing wink. He leaned in conspiratorially.

"Ah, relax, Champ. I'm not gonna out ya, but know this. Cipher and their ilk might have their fingers in a lot of pies, but there's a lot of folk here who are tired of livin' in fear. You'll have allies; you just gotta be careful who you trust out here."

Ash gulped, though no water had reached his throat. He placed the glass down. "Thank you, sir."

The man waved him off. "Bah, think nothing of it, kid. You're doin' a good thing, snaggin' these – ah, crap. He's back."

With that particular announcement, all eyes in the diner swiveled and peered outside. Dismounting a one-wheeled motorcycle – seriously, Orre's technology was somehow shoddy and also impressive – was a man whose appearance could best be described as a mixture between gangster, bandit, and… rock star?

Orre was weird.

"Who's that?" Bonnie asked, shifting in her seat and peering out the window. Dedenne jumped up her arm and scrambled atop her head, peering out the window for himself.

The… cafe owner? They really should have asked for his name. In any case, the as-of-yet-unnamed-man-who-worked-here simply grumbled under his breath. "That'd be Vant. Snagem sends him out here to train their new Shadows. He's a nuisance, but not much of a danger, really. Smugger and cockier than a Charizard, I tell ya."

Ash could feel one of his Pokeballs shake in indignation.

"Why doesn't anybody stand up to him?" Brock asked, carefully watching the ruffian as he casually strolled towards the entrance.

Ash looked back at the owner and thankfully spotted a nametag that read 'Ruben.' Ruben scoffed. "And risk angering Snagem? Much easier to let him beat up a few trainers' pokemon than to do anything. Me and mine can't afford to stand up to him, on account of them knowin' where we live and all. Strangers might be able to do something without us fearin' retaliation, but they don't usually feel the need to get involved."

Ash frowned. "Want us to do something?"

Ruben's eyebrow rose questioningly. "You'd do that?"

"Ash." Brock interjected with a slightly reprimanding tone. "You can't afford to draw any more attention to you. Too big a target so soon and you'll have both Snagem and Cipher after you."

"He won't have to."

All eyes went to Sora, who had a look on his face Ash knew all too well. Stubbornness mixed with a sense of duty and tinged with just a hint of righteousness. He knew exactly what the Keybearer was saying. Sora wasn't going to let this go on any longer. The only issue was that Sora was a novice trainer. His Rufflet was a feisty one, certainly, but with no real training under his master's leadership outside of that scuffle with the Heartless. Then there was the issue of such a duel likely being a double battle. Sora only had the one -

"No, he won't have to." Serena said, surprising many at the table. "I've got your back, Sora. Let's teach this bully a lesson."

Ash felt pride welling up in his heart at how bold Serena could be. She was normally soft-spoken, and when he first met her – properly, and not at Professor Oak's summer camp those many years ago – in Kalos, she was a timid trainer. The years had done her confidence wonders, and that fire in her eyes spoke volumes about the lengths she would go to to support her friends. Serena turned and politely smiled at Ruben, who was smirking.

"Would you mind introducing us to your friend, sir?"

Ash took a seat on the hood of the jeep – his jeep, no matter what Brock insinuated – as he watched the combatants square away outside of the diner.

To his right were Serena and Sora, who had sent out Pancham and Rufflet, respectively. Both of the small fighters looked pumped and ready for a brawl, which didn't surprise him in the least. Pancham was always a mischievous little tyke, but his loyalty and devotion to Serena was nothing if not steadfast. He was also quite the capable combatant and had a versatile moveset, if he remembered correctly. Rufflet, on the other hand, was a warrior through and through. Though Ash only knew the Keybearer's starter for about a week or so, he could tell Rufflet lived for a good fight. That much was evident when the poor bird struggled to keep up with his trainer during the Heartless attack in Pyrite.

To his left stood Vant, looking particularly cocky. He twirled two shrunken Pokeballs in his left hand, rotating and shuffling them as he looked and seemed to survey his two opponents. "So what do I get as a reward when I win this battle?"

Sora looked a little confused and glanced towards Serena. "What does he get?"

"We pay him if we lose." She answered, her eyes not leaving her opponent.

"Or we could work out some other form of payment." Vant suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Ash stood up, only to be held back by Brock, who was leaning against the front of the jeep.

"Calm down, Ash." Brock said. "Serena's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"Believe me, that's the last thing I want to do. You're the complete opposite of my type." Serena smiled, but there was venom behind that expression. Ash felt a shiver go up – and back down – his spine.

Yeah, she had this handled.

Vant frowned. "Fine. I'll happily take your money, then. Go!"

The wannabe rock star threw out two Pokeballs, which revealed a black-furred Linoone – Galarian, he realized – and a small Pokemon Ash had never seen in person before. Before he could comment on it, a squeal of glee erupted from inside the jeep.

"SO CUTE!" Bonnie cried. She whipped out her Pokedex and held it up. "What IS that?!"

"Toxel. The baby Pokemon. It manipulates the chemical makeup of its poison to produce electricity. The voltage is weak, but it can cause a tingling paralysis."

He watched Sora's eyebrows raise in mild surprise, and his eyes narrowed at the Toxel. The Keybearer scratched his left shoulder seemingly-absentmindedly, a silent signal they'd developed to denote that the Pokemon on the left was a Shadow. Had he scratched his right, that would mean that the Pokemon on the right side – in this case the Galarian Linoone – was the Shadow. There'd been some debate as to whose left and whose right it was, but it was ultimately decided that the right/left would be oriented from Sora's point of view.

"Says here that Toxel's an electric and poison type." Bonnie said, reading off her Pokedex. "I've never heard of that type combination."

Brock nodded. "Toxel – and its evolved form, Toxtricity – are the only ones with that combination. It makes them very tricky to deal with. They can poison or paralyze your Pokemon if you're not careful."

"I'm surprised you know about them, Brock." Ash commented, even as the battle commenced. "You rarely see them outside of Galar."

The Pokemon doctor nodded again. "I spent time abroad in Galar some time ago. It's a beautiful region; if you haven't been, I'd recommend visiting at least once."

Ash chuckled. "Leon's invited me a few times, but I never took him up on it. Maybe after this business in Orre is over. I could always use an adventure outside of League season."

"This doesn't count as an adventure?" Bonnie chimed in.

"True." Ash admitted, turning his attention back to the battle and smirking. "Maybe a vacation, then."

"Rufflet, Aer - I mean, Tailwind!" Sora called out.

"Pancham, Stone Edge! Keep Rufflet covered!" Serena shouted.

Rufflet let out a squawk and flew in a quick, tight circle, generating a quick gust of wind. Both he and Pancham glowed slightly, signaling an increase in speed. Vant's Linoone was quick to capitalize on the occupied Rufflet, but a quick Stone Edge to the face kept the Rushing Pokemon at bay. The Shadow Toxel, however, slipped past the Stone Edge and barrelled into Rufflet with a Shadow Blitz. The two Pokemon crashed into the floor, both wincing from the pain of impact.

"Get up, dammit!" Vant yelled, eliciting a frown from everyone else present. "Shadow Blitz! Again! Linoone, Take Down!"

"Ice Punch!" Serena exclaimed. "Rufflet needs help!"

"Cham!" The Playful Pokemon said with a nod. The bespectacled Pokemon ran forward, cocking his fist back as icy energy frosted over his fist. Finally closing the distance, Pancham slammed his frozen fist into the Shadow Toxel's cheek, sending it careening off to the side. Pancham then immediately leapt to the side, dodging Linoone's Take Down.

"Thanks, Serena!" Sora said with a smile.

"Anytime!" She replied. "Pancham, Arm Thrusts on Linoone!"

"Rufflet, Hone Claws and then Peck on Linoone as well!"

"Ruff!/Cham!" The Poke-teammates cried out, giving the other a nod in solidarity. Pancham began slamming his palms into the Normal-type, who staggered back with each super-effective hit. Meanwhile, Rufflet swooped in and landed a devastating hit on the already-throttled Rushing Pokemon.

Vant growled, his aggression aimed not at his opponents, but the Shadow Toxel who was scrambling to its feet. "Acid, then Shadow Blitz!"

"Dodge it!" Serena and Sora cried out in unison.

Pancham, being the more experienced fighter, quickly dove out of the way. Rufflet, however, was not so lucky, and took the Acid attack head-on. Its feathers drenched in corrosive Acid, the Eaglet Pokemon crashed into the floor, after which he immediately took a Shadow Blitz to the face.

"Shadow Blitz, again!" Vant grinned. "Finish him!"

"Stone Edge! Cover him!" Serena barked.

"Pan! Cham-pan!" Came the reply, and a large rock sprouted out of the ground in the shape of a small ramp. The Shadow Pokemon barrelled forward, following the ramp into the air and inadvertently landing it next to Linoone.

"Nice, Serena!" Ash called out, impressed by the split-second decision. "Pancham's improved!"

Both Serena and Pancham swelled with pride at that compliment, and the latter looked ready to jump back into the thick of things. Rufflet stood up shakily; Ash was pleasantly surprised at the Flying-type's tenacity. Lesser Pokemon, especially those as new to battling as Rufflet was, would have stayed down after taking two hits like that, back to back.

"You okay, Rufflet?" Sora asked, his voice filled with concern.

Rufflet, in typical Rufflet-fashion, answered with a defiant cry and a spread of his wings. "LET!"

"Let's finish this, then!" Sora grinned. Ash could tell just how much adrenaline was rushing through the novice trainer's body right now, and now that he knew what it was, he could see Sora's right hand flexing as if to summon his Keyblade. "Wing Attack on Linoone!"

"Pancham, keep Toxel away with Dark Pulse!"

"Night Slash and Shadow Blitz!" Vant commanded, sweeping his hand.

The four attacks collided simultaneously such that it would be easy to lose focus on any one action in particular. Ash, on the other hand, had years of battling experience and was able to catch every detail. Rufflet and the Linoone clashed as glowing wings met blackened claws, culminating in a small explosion as both Pokemon were ejected and launched backward. Meanwhile, Pancham's Dark Pulse exploded at Toxel's feet, which while impressive did not dissuade the young Shadow from barrelling forward and colliding with a very surprised Pancham. Both crumpled in a sloppy pile of limbs as the Toxel collapsed from its injuries on top of the heavily panting Pancham.

Rufflet shakily stood up, wincing at the weight he was placing on its left leg. Once again, he cawed triumphantly and spread his wings, only to wince again and quickly retract his injured wings.

Linoone laid there, the swirls in its eyes indicative enough of its inability to continue.

Pancham shoved the barely-conscious Toxel to the side and pushed himself back onto his feet. He gave a shaky thumbs up to Serena, who beamed at the spunky Pokemon's moxie.

"Damn." Vant cursed before mumbling under his breath. "Should've known that Toxel was a weakling. Maybe they'll give me a different…"

"I don't think so!"

Vant's head whipped up in surprise as Serena clutched a Pokeball in her gauntleted hand. She lobbed it forward, and just as it had for Ash, the Pokeball opened mid-flight to capture the very injured Shadow Toxel in its luminous grasp. The Pokeball landed with a soft *thud* in the sand-covered cement below and almost immediately *dinged*, its inhabitant in no shape to resist.

Vant merely stood there, stock still as his eyes darted back and forth between Serena and his – no, her – Pokeball. His expression hardened and his eyes narrowed.

"You're a damned snagger!" He spat. "Count yourself lucky I was going to throw that worthless Pokemon out after this anyway! Heck, you've just done me a favor! Yeah! Just you wait, I'll bring something bigger and stronger and crush you next time!"

Ash stared at the man inquisitively. For some reason, he was expecting a more… violent reaction? Maybe these Team Snagem people were all bark and no bite? If anything, this man behaved more like a spoiled child than a member of a supposedly ruthless criminal gang.

Honestly, it was hard to take him seriously.

Vant scrambled onto his one-wheeled motorcycle and sped off, shouting obscenities and empty threats as he vanished off into the desert, the plume of dust behind him slowly obscuring him from sight until he was gone.

"Brock!" Serena suddenly shouted, rushing over while clutching her newest capture's Pokeball tenderly. Sora came running up alongside, a proud – albeit roughed up – Rufflet perched upon his right shoulder. Right, the Toxel inside was still badly injured!

Brock was already digging through his rucksack, pulling out a potion and handing it to the performer. Ash could see Sora anxiously standing to the side. He could probably use his magic to instantly heal the injured baby Pokemon, but they were within clear view of the cafe goers inside, and even Ash knew that the Keybearer couldn't cast his magic without having his weapon out. Brock locked eyes with Sora and shook his head, a silent message conveyed with all but a firm look.

We have it under control.

Serena brought out her new Toxel and immediately set about tending to its wounds. She gently sprayed its skin, the medicative mist releasing on its lowest setting so as not to overwhelm the baby Pokemon with a harsh spritz. Slowly, the Toxel opened his eyes and gazed upon his new trainer. Ash could see a variety of emotions play out in its eyes.

Confusion. Suspicion. Distrust. Recognition. Reluctant gratitude. Resignation.

"There, now…" Serena softly spoke, in a way that reminded Ash of a doting mother. "...it's alright now. You're safe. I'm sorry we hurt you, but now you're free of that horrible man."

Toxel's eyes searched his new trainer's face, looking for something that just wasn't there.

"Brock, can I have a berry please?" Serena asked, and almost immediately afterward an Oran Berry was placed in her waiting hand. She gently held it out in front of Toxel. "Thank you. Are you hungry, little guy? You were fighting awfully hard back there."

Toxel looked down at the fruit before slowly taking it from her hands. It was kind of adorable, actually, the way it clasped onto the blue berry with both of its forelimbs. Serena smiled and ever-so-gently stroked the top of its head, carefully avoiding the lightning bolt shaped protrusion that sprouted from its forehead. After a few moments, it finished the berry and looked up at Serena with trusting eyes, much to Ash's surprise.

"Wow, that was fast." Ash remarked. "Metang's still getting used to the idea of having me as its trainer, but Toxel already trusts you."

"Baby Pokemon are usually quick to trust their trainers – barring that Larvitar we came across that one time, Ash." Brock explained. "Though I do wonder how being a Shadow Pokemon will affect Toxel's growth and personality. He's clearly not violent, but Professor Krane did say that Shadows are more likely to act on their emotions…"

While Brock pondered aloud, Ash felt Pikachu hop off his shoulder and approach the newest member of the team. Offering his tail in greeting, a small spark jumped between the offered appendage and the lightning bolt on Toxel's forehead. Surprisingly, despite the strength of the spark, Toxel seemed to shrug it off.

"Wow, he's pretty strong, too." Ash commented. "For a baby Pokemon, he handled Pikachu's greeting pretty well. That usually fries the one on the receiving end."

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried out indignantly.

"What? It's true!" Ash snarked back.

"Tox…" The new Shadow mumbled, looking… embarrassed? Ash would admit his perception of Shadow Pokemon was starting to change upon seeing this adorable little purple thing. Maybe they weren't all impulsive rage machines, after all.

"AWW!" Bonnie cooed. "He's so adorable, oh my Arceus! Serena, can I hold him?! Please, please, please!"

"Bonnie, he's still getting used to us." Brock reminded the eager blonde. "We should take it slow. We don't know how he'll react to sudden excitement."

"Oh." Bonnie seemed to snap out of her fervor. "Right, sorry. It's so easy to forget that he's a Shadow."

"Toxel." Serena addressed the Poison-type, immediately grabbing its attention. "Do you want to travel with us? Something tells me you never had a choice before."

Toxel seemed to think over the question deeply before giving a modest smile and nodding. "Tox."

"Great!" Serena beamed, and Ash couldn't help but mirror her delighted expression. She looked over her shoulder. "How's Rufflet, Sora?"

"He's a little roughed up, but okay." Sora said, looking at the Pokemon perched upon his shoulder. "Did you want to rest in your Pokeball, buddy?"

"Ruff." The Eaglet Pokemon scoffed, shaking his head.

"Well, have a berry at least." Brock said, offering the Flying-type an Oran berry. Scarfing sounds were the only response the Pokemon doctor got, which prompted an amused chuckle from everyone.

Serena stood up, holding Toxel in her arms in a way that reminded Ash of Misty and Togepi. She let out a sigh of relief and glanced down towards her newest acquisition.

"Welcome to the team!"

After restocking at Outskirt Stand – and warding off the more inquisitive patrons – the five travelers found themselves in the middle of the desert camped out for the night. Fortunately, they'd found a large crop of rocks and boulders to camp near, so they weren't exposed on the open sands.

Everyone had their Pokemon out, save for Brock and his mysterious last Pokemon. With camp made and dinner already prepared (and voraciously consumed) the travelers found themselves with a little extra time before they tucked in for the night.

"So what do you think the Pyrite Colosseum tournament is going to be like, Ash?" Bonnie asked, perched on a small boulder and dangling her feet over its edge.

Ash thought about it for a moment before ultimately shrugging. "Probably a double battle, but I don't expect it'll be anything too complicated. Pyrite Town doesn't strike me as a town that likes complicated things."

"Are they even going to hold it in the first place?" Brock asked, his supplies carefully arranged on a blanket in front of him. Ash had to hand it to the man; he knew how to keep track of his supplies, though that was probably a necessity given his occupation as a Pokemon Doctor. "Pyrite was in pretty rough shape when we left."

Ash watched with amusement as Pikachu, Sylveon, and Toxel chased each other around the campfire. If he didn't know any better, he would swear the newest member of their team was an ordinary, innocent Pokemon, not a Pokemon with its heart shut and locked away.

"He's right." Serena spoke up from his left, her eyes glued to her new Pokedex. She scrolled slowly as she continued. "Listen to this: "Due to the mysterious Shadow Pokemon attack, our regularly scheduled tournament will be relocated to Phenac City, as Pyrite Town and its Colosseum are still undergoing repairs. The tournament's rules and rewards will remain the same, as will the cost of admission. The only change is the venue. We thank our friends at Phenac City for their support and cooperation in this matter.""

"Rewards?" Sora asked as he reclined against a large rock. "Is it something in particular or just more money?"

"Just money?" Bonnie deadpanned. "You sound so… I don't know, blasé about it. Money's important! Especially for you! How would you pay for food and stuff without us?"

"Bonnie!" Serena scolded.

Sora, however, only chuckled. "Yeah, that's the thing… I kind of already have a lot of it."

"Huh?" Ash looked towards the Guardian of Light, his head cocked to the side in confusion. "You've been with us the whole time. How do you have a lot of money already?"

Sora brought out a small pouch from… somewhere? Ash dismissed it as more magic shenanigans. Sora reached in and grabbed a fistful of… was that Poké? How did Sora already have money from this world?

"Wha-how?!" Bonnie screeched in bewilderment. "Don't tell me you can make money with your magic?! That's ridiculous!"

Sora waved his hands placatingly. "No, no, no! It's money I have leftover from my other adventures."

"But Sora, that's money from other worlds." Brock said, eyeing the money with suspicion. "You're not saying that our money is universal, are you?"

"Nope. See, the Heartless often drop money and items when they're defeated, and the money they leave behind converts to whatever currency is used on each world. Don't ask me how it works, I don't know. Actually, now that I think about it… you guys might have some money from helping with that Heartless attack in Pyrite."

Ash blinked, pulling out his Pokedex to check his account. His total did seem higher than when he bought his jeep, but he chalked that up to his winnings from Nover's battle. Pokemon battles between two licensed trainers automatically sorted winnings unless specified otherwise. He just assumed the increase was from that battle, not his scuffle with the Heartless.

"Whoa!" Bonnie cried out. "How did I not notice that before?! I made the same winnings from that one Heartless battle as three trainer battles!"

"What other things can we get from defeating Heartless?" Serena asked.

"Well…" Sora trailed, looking up into the sky thoughtfully. "Apart from money, I've also picked up potions, elixirs, and synthesis materials. Some of my friends have said that fighting the Heartless seems to make their strength grow faster. I've only ever really fought Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed, so I can't say for sure how true that is."

Ash wasn't sure what synthesis materials were, but the other two items he recognized. The other point seemed vague, but he had a general idea of what Sora was talking about.

"What, like experience points in a game?" Bonnie asked.

"I guess so?"

"Huh." Brock hummed, looking over his own Pokedex. "That's handy, I guess. Well, assuming we run into the Heartless again, I guess we won't have to worry about running out of funds."

"And our Pokemon might get stronger, too!" Ash said, latching onto the idea of his team growing stronger and helping to defend the world. Obviously, Ash wasn't thrilled at having to defend the world in the first place. Arceus above, he'd had more than his fair share of world-ending crises as the Chosen One for more than one lifetime. While he earnestly hoped that this would be the absolute last crisis he'd have to stave off, he knew better than -

"PIKA!"

Ash quickly followed Pikachu's tiny outstretched finger upward to see five large objects falling from the sky. They looked like large hunks of metal, shaped like… pieces of armor? He would have stared longer were it not for the fact that Sora immediately summoned his Keyblade.

That was enough of a warning to tell him exactly what that was.

"Heartless!" The Keybearer cried out, running forward and placing himself between the camp and where the creature was going to land. "Guard Armor. It's just one, but I know this kind. We can handle it. It's like fighting - "

A litany of soldier-like Heartless – easily several dozen – popped into existence just as the larger one touched down into the sands nearby. The big one, true to form, looked like a massive suit of armor. Separated into six different pieces – two for the arms, two for the legs, one for the torso, and one for the head – it floated menacingly before them, the emblem of the Heartless on full display. Ash immediately placed himself in front of Serena protectively, while Brock did the same for Bonnie. The Pokemon – who, up until this point had been lounging around and relaxing – leapt to their feet, ready to rumble.

If that weren't enough, a second Guard Armor fell from the sky right alongside the first.

"I stand corrected." Sora said, already in his combat stance. "If you guys can handle the smaller ones, I can take on the big guys."

"Both?!" Bonnie cried out. "That's crazy! I remember reading about these guys; fighting one is like fighting five because of those floating limbs! How are you going to handle that?"

"I'll have to make do." Sora grimaced.

Then, much to everyone's surprise, Brock stepped forward.

"I hoped I wouldn't have to use him, but I had a feeling Orre would be dangerous enough to warrant bringing him along. I'm glad I did." The Pokemon Doctor said, clutching his last Pokeball. He threw it forward. "Go!"

A flash of light and an earth-rumbling crash later, and Ash couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"HGRRR!"

Brock brought Steelix!

"Awesome!" Bonnie exclaimed. "Wait, why didn't you bring him out earlier?"

Brock shrugged. "He's big and he's got an appetite. Food's expensive, you know, and in his Pokeball he doesn't go hungry as quickly. Although since we're not going to go broke from food expenses now, I can afford to bring him out more often."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Steelix!" Sora grinned, though it was clear he was keeping an eye on the encroaching Heartless. "Wanna help me take care of the big guys?"

"HGRR." The Iron Snake Pokemon rumbled.

"Alright, everyone!" Ash shouted. "There's a lot of them, so we're probably not going to be able to keep track of everyone. Charizard and Pikachu, I trust you both to not need too much direction. Gible and Corphish, I want you two to team up. Watch each other's backs. Metang, you're with me."

"Tyrunt and Phantump, you two team up as well!" Bonnie commanded. "Dedenne, I need your help here."

"Toxicroak, go with Tyrunt and Phantump. Keep them safe." Brock said, and the always apathetic Poison-type nodded in agreement before jumping over to join his two charges. "Blissey, stay with us and be ready to support. Steelix, you already know what to do; help Sora with the big ones."

"Delphox, team up with Pancham. Sylveon, I need you here ready to use Protect, okay?" Serena asked, and the Intertwining Pokemon confirmed with a cry of her name. "Toxel, stay with me, okay?"

"Tox."

"Here they come!" Sora cried out, brandishing his Keyblade. "Rufflet, you're with me!"

"GO!" Came the simultaneous command from all five trainers. Sora shot forward, and the Pokemon not assigned to protect their trainers followed like a small army. Steelix crashed into the Guard Armor on the right, while Sora engaged the one on the left. Charizard and Delphox let loose simultaneous streams of fire into the ranks of Heartless. Pikachu and the smaller Pokemon ran into the thick of it, staying together as one swarm as they began to engage the enemy. It was absolute pandemonium, and Ash knew better than to try to keep track of it all. Were this a regular battle, he would absolutely be capable of monitoring every move, but these were Heartless.

He was just as much in danger as his Pokemon were.

He could not afford to devote 100% of his attention to them, and that bothered him deeply.

"Watch out!"

Ash ducked as a Soldier Heartless swiped, its claws sweeping over his head. Immediately, Metang retaliated and tackled the Heartless with a Shadow Blitz, carrying it and its opponent off and away from its trainer. Another Soldier leapt forward into the now-vacated space, only for the immense form of Blissey to step in the way and intercept the creature with a well-aimed Mega Punch.

"Thanks, guys!" Ash called out, still a little rattled by the close call.

"Bliss!"

"Tang!"

Ash saw another Soldier approaching from the left. Without even thinking, he placed himself between it and Serena, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"Ash!" Serena cried out in horror.

He winced, waiting for the attack. After a moment with no pain erupting from his back, he glanced over his shoulder. Sylveon's Protect shimmered out of existence – having apparently blocked the attack – meanwhile Dedenne had hopped off Bonnie's head and was Playing Rough with the Soldier, slamming it to and fro like a ragdoll. Ash let out a sigh of relief, one that sounded almost like a chuckle as the nervous energy found release.

"Good job, Dedenne!" Bonnie exclaimed, giving a thumbs up. Her proud expression morphed into one of fear as she pointed. "Look out!"

Yet another Soldier was running straight for them. Toxel squirmed in Serena's arms, turning his head to unleash an Acid attack on the approaching Heartless. As the acid washed over its metal armor and staggered forward, Toxel leapt out of his trainer's arms with an (admittedly cute) warcry as he rushed forward with a Shadow Blitz.

This was horrible. Ash never felt so helpless. Their Pokemon were out here, fighting to defend them, all the while he and his friends could only run and hide.

He was no warrior. He may have been the Chosen One, but he knew he was worthless in a fight like this. Yes, he'd been in a few scuffles in the past, like that one time he decided to try and punch Mewtwo – not his best moment, he'd admit – but this was one of those times he felt his life was truly in danger. Worse yet, those he cared for were in the crossfire as well.

Twin gouts of flame impacted the sands around the trainers. Ash and Serena looked up to see Charizard and Delphox incinerating the area around them, effectively blocking off any more avenues of attack and keeping the Heartless at bay. Ash sent a wordless nod of thanks to his Pokemon, who smirked before resuming his carpet bombing maneuvers.

"Ash!" Brock shouted, who was standing near a rocky outcropping next to Blissey and waving them over. "Come on! This way!"

"Come on, Bonnie!" Serena called, grabbing the blonde's wrist and tugging her along.

The trio ran like their lives depended on it – because they did – and soon met up with Brock, who ushered them into a small alcove. Once they were secure inside, Blissey stood guard. Ash spotted Metang going berserk outside, but a quick call to grab its attention was sufficient to get the Iron Claw Pokemon to cease its rampage and return to help guard the entrance alongside Blissey.

"I don't like this." Ash grumbled as he looked past Blissey at the skirmish outside. "I want to help, but I don't know how."

"There isn't anything we can do, Ash." Brock reminded him. "Face it; we're not fighters like Sora is."

Ash looked towards the Keybearer, who was performing acrobatic leaps and flips as he dueled the massive Guard Armor Heartless. Despite its independently floating limbs, Sora was easily blocking, dodging, and retaliating. He watched Sora systematically dismantle and literally disarm the Heartless, all the while Steelix came out of the ground nearby, slamming into the other Guard Armor from below and sending it skyward. The Iron Snake Pokemon then swatted down with a glowing Iron Tail, crushing his opponent and creating a crater beneath.

A blinding light pierced the night air, and Ash could only watch in awe and excitement as the small pudgy form of Gible morphed into the taller, more streamlined shape of Gabite.

"GABITE!" The Cave Pokemon roared.

That seemed to be the turning point; in the seconds it took Gible to evolve into Gabite, the Heartless either began to flee or were stunned from the blindingly bright display. Their Pokemon out in the field were quick to capitalize on the opportunity, and redoubled their efforts in eliminating the threat to their trainers.

"Pikachu!" Sora called out. "Give me a hand, buddy!"

"Pika!" Ash's faithful starter answered, running towards Sora.

Ash could only watch in bewilderment at what happened next.

Pikachu ran up and leapt towards Sora, who met him halfway. Rather than jump onto his shoulder, Pikachu and Sora high-fived in mid-air, and the moment their hands connected, both erupted with electricity. The duo landed, Sora in a combat ready stance and Pikachu on all fours. Raw electric power crackled between the two and, without so much as a word between them, they rocketed off, splitting up and blitzing in a zig-zag pattern through the battlefield. Once they reached the edge, they shot back simultaneously and rebounded off one another before shooting off again. Every Heartless they crashed through was either stunned or knocked aside from the electricity coming off the two.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Bonnie squealed. "I know what this is! This is one of those Limit moves I read about on his Gummi phone!"

"Limit moves?" Brock inquired, watching as Sora and Pikachu absolutely decimated the horde of Heartless.

"Yeah! Sora's power comes from friendship and the heart, right?" Bonnie explained. "His friendship with Pikachu must be strong enough to pull off this crazy powerful move!"

Ash felt a pang of jealousy at the fact that Sora was able to do something like this with Pikachu, which lasted all of a second before Serena gasped.

"Ash, you're glowing!"

"Huh?" Ash looked over his arms and found them glowing slightly, but he noticed his Z-ring began to crackle with electricity. He looked up at the exact moment Sora and Pikachu looked his way. Both had confident grins on their faces, and Ash understood what he needed to do.

"You with me, Ash?!" Sora cried out.

"Alright, let's do this!" Ash said, taking off his cap and throwing it like a frisbee. A bolt of lightning – which turned out to be Pikachu himself – zipped forward to grab the hat before returning to Sora. Pikachu then launched himself and landed on Sora's shoulder. Ash began crossing his arms, beginning his signature Z-move with Pikachu, and yellow electrical potential flowed from Ash to Pikachu and Sora. The light was almost blinding, but Ash only grinned as he could feel the energy flowing between him, Sora, and Pikachu.

"Ash, what is…?" Serena asked, slack-jawed.

Feeling particularly bold and empowered, he sent her a wink – actually noting the furious blush it incited on her face – before looking back towards the battlefield. "You'll see."

Sora and Pikachu suddenly stopped, right smack dab in the middle of the battlefield. As Sora raised his electrified Keyblade into the air, Ash and Sora roared out their attack, with Pikachu joining in his own language.

"TEN MILLION VOLT THUNDERSTORM!"

"Pika-pika-PIKA-PIKA-PIKAAAA!"

A rainbow-colored lightning bolt erupted from Sora's Keyblade, crashing upward into the sky. After a moment, a technicolor lightning storm crashed down, each bolt striking the Heartless and defeating them in a puff of dark smoke. What looked to be pure electrical chaos was in fact much more precise than it seemed, as every bolt that descended from the heavens struck only the Heartless, sometimes even bending around the other Pokemon as they sought out their targets. It was like his Z-move with Pikachu had been amplified and spread out over a large area, which was much more effective against so many enemies compared to the single-target attack of his traditional 10-million volt thunderbolt.

A still calm settled over the battlefield, and Ash felt himself slump from exhaustion. Serena quickly caught him and lowered them both to the ground until Ash found himself nestled in her embrace.

"That was… somethin', huh?" Ash mumbled out, idly noting Sora, Pikachu, and the rest of their Pokemon returning.

"Whew!" Sora breathed out as Pikachu leapt off his shoulder and walked up to his trainer. "Definitely! You're looking kind of drained though, Ash. You okay?"

Ash took an empty gulp of air. "Yeah, just wasn't expecting that, that's all."

"A bit overkill though, don't you think?" Brock snarked from nearby. "Pretty sure you three created a literal ton of glass out there from that attack, it was so intense."

Ash glimpsed out of the corner of his eye the sparkling and scattering light from the hundreds of glass shards created from the lightning melting the desert sands. It was beautiful, actually, but he found his gaze drifting back to Serena's concerned face for some reason. He gave a weak chuckle.

"Maybe. Worth it, though."

"Maybe you three should save that attack for a bigger threat. If there's a bigger threat." Serena half-scolded, but her concern gave way to another smile as she looked down at Ash, who was now resting his head in her lap. "I'd hate for Ash to almost fall unconscious again from an attack like that regularly, you know? I will admit, though… it was pretty - "

Whatever Serena was about to say was summarily interrupted by an incredibly enthusiastic Bonnie.

"THAT! WAS! AWESOME!"

The Destiny Island Duo - not exactly a trio without Sora - stood in the center of Master Yen Sid's room, surrounded by their closest friends and allies, including a very worried and probably-panicked Aqua.

"You've got potions, right?" Aqua asked, looking back and forth between Riku and Kairi.

"Yep." Kairi replied.

"Elixirs, too?"

"Enough for the both of us and Sora." Riku answered.

"What about food?"

"Two week's worth of rations." Kairi assured her.

"Water?"

"Yes, Aqua." Riku said, adding just enough emphasis to dissuade further questioning and make light of the fact that Aqua was asking if they had enough water. "We have everything we need."

"Alright." Aqua sighed, taking a step back. "Call me paranoid, but after living in the Realm of Darkness for 10 years, you learn to over prepare for any extended trip."

"We appreciate it anyway, Master Aqua." Kairi said, jabbing Riku in the arm to express her displeasure at his rudeness.

"Wait for me!" A tiny, yet dignified, voice called out. Kairi looked around for the source of the voice, but found nothing.

"Down here." The voice said, just a hint of irritation creeping in.

Kairi looked over at Yen Sid's desk and found none other than Jiminy Cricket, the royal chronicler for King Mickey and Disney Castle. She remembered that the cricket historian wasn't a combatant, but was crucial when it came to documenting Sora's travels.

"You're coming along too, Jiminy?" Kairi asked, smiling gently at the pint-sized historian.

"But of course!" Jiminy said with a bow. "It's my duty to chronicle Sora's adventures, and I would very much like to record yours too!"

In a way, it only made sense for him to want to come along and continue chronicling his adventures, and Kairi and Riku were the best way of reaching him. She wouldn't have to worry about keeping him safe and hidden, at least. If there was one thing the cricket was good at, it was avoiding detection, either of his own volition or otherwise.

"Sounds good, Jiminy!" Kairi exclaimed, offering her hand for the miniature storyteller to jump on. "I'm sure Sora will be happy to see you when we find him."

With that, Jiminy hopped onto her hand and up her arm, finally finding his way to her hood and nestling himself inside and out of sight. Perhaps that was how he stayed hidden with Sora through the years.

With that out of the way, Kairi surveyed around the room, making eye contact with every friend who came to see them off. Axel, Roxas, Xion, Namine, Master Aqua, Ventus, Terra, Goofy, Donald, King Mickey, Ansem the Wise, and finally Master Yen Sid. It was eerily familiar, actually. These were the same people who, not half a year ago, she and Riku fought alongside to put a stop to Xehanort's insidious plans. They were ultimately successful, of course, but the job wasn't finished just yet. Not until everyone came home safely.

Not until they had Sora.

Master Yen Sid walked forward, coming close to Riku and Kairi and placing a gentle hand on their shoulders. "Be careful while you are there. Roxas and Xion found a particularly concerning memory of Sora's that he had recently. I suspect that this world may be starting to struggle against its own darkness."

"The darkness is there, too?" Donald asked from the sidelines.

"It may very well be. Darkness in one's heart is not a concept unique to our existence. Darkness resides in the hearts of everyone; it is up to us to keep it from overwhelming everything we hold dear." Yen Sid said grimly. "We do not know if this reality even has Keyblade warriors to protect it like our own does, so be extra cautious. Do what you can to rescue Sora, of course, but keep the darkness at bay if it tries to swallow that world."

"Understood." Riku said with a nod.

"We will continue to monitor your efforts and that of Sora's through his connection to Xion and Roxas." The wizard continued. "Remember to keep the world order in mind when interacting with the locals, but do not hesitate to defend them from the darkness."

"Of course, Master." Kairi said, offering a faint smile in assurance.

"Hold on a second!" A voice rang out from… King Mickey? It didn't sound like his Majesty.

"Oh! Sorry, that's me." Mickey admitted with some embarrassment. He pulled out his Gummi phone and looked at the screen. "Oh? What is it, fellas?"

"Point us towards Riku and Kairi, your Majesty!"

"Hey! You can't order around the king like that, Chip!"

"Oops! You're right, Dale! Your Majesty, would you be willing to point us towards Riku and Kairi?"

Mickey chuckled. "No need to be so formal, fellas. What is it?"

"Touch your Gummi phone to theirs, your Majesty."

"Chip! You did it again!"

"GAH! Sorry!"

Mickey laughed, but complied with the request nonetheless. The moment his phone made contact with Riku's and Kairi's, their phones chirped.

"What did you guys do?" Riku asked.

"A software update! We've been working on something that should help when you get there!"

"That should let you call us across realities!"

"Wait, what?!" Half of the room asked in surprise.

"Impressive." Ansem mused. "If this works, we may not have to go through Roxas and Xion to monitor your progress. I will admit I am surprised you did not need to update their hardware as well."

"Yeah… we sort of upgraded their phones when they weren't looking the last time they visited. Anyway, when you guys find Sora, just touch your phones to his and then that function should transfer to his, too!"

Yen Sid released his hold from their shoulders and took a step back. With his piece said and the sudden phone upgrade handled, the wizard slowly walked back behind his desk and took his seat, giving Riku and Kairi a nod as he sat. "May your heart be your guiding key."

"May your heart be your guiding key." The duo answered in kind.

Kairi took Riku's hand and took one last look at everyone assembled. She could feel her eyes starting to tear up a little, but she forced them down. The last thing she wanted was for everyone to feel like this was 'goodbye' instead of 'see you later'.

"Wish us luck." She said, donning a comforting smile.

"You bring yourselves back in one piece, got it, little Red?" Axel said, flashing a smile. He extended an index finger and tapped it against his temple. "Got it memorized?"

Kairi giggled. "Yep, I've got it memorized."

"Ready?" Riku asked, looking her in the eye. "Last chance to back out."

"Never." Kairi declared, her eyes betraying her inner fire. "Let's go save that lazy bum."

Riku closed his eyes, and after a moment so did Kairi. Without any prompting, she focused on her connection with Sora. That boy - or was he a man now? - who occupied so many of her thoughts, even before he disappeared four months ago. That lazy bum who she used to find reclined on the beach of Destiny Islands, eyes closed without a care in the world. That boy, who fought time and time again to save her from the encroaching darkness.

Her hero.

Her heart.

Her Sora.

Now it was her turn to save him.

Without anything else needing to be said, the Destiny Duo blinked out of existence.

Was that limit break fun to write? Hell yes.

Was it overkill for a bunch of Soldier Heartless and a pair of Guard Armors? Probably.

Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Til next time!

7/25/23 Edit: We've got fan art! A very talented reader - who wishes to remain anonymous - drew up some sketches of our aged-up Pokemon crew, and they also drew this chapter's opening scene! Link to the art can be found on my profile!