Chapter 31: Another Step Forward

- - - ?, 9:10 PM - - -

TR_11985: TR82019, report. Archer has been asking about where you're at in terms of . I've been informed that the agent being used for your procedures has caused everything else to delay.

TR_82019: Well since you asked so kindly, it's finished.

TR_11985: Finished? If it's 'finished' then why has nothing been presented to your superiors? Why did they ask me to come check on you like some sitter? It has been 6 months.

TR_82019: With all due respect, our old coots from Johto expect me to make diamonds out of rocks overnight. I am asking for experts when I was supplanted with rookies and secondhand accounts of Operation Critical Hit's findings. The other executives have continued to bother me with incessant questioning as if what they're doing is any more important.

TR_11985: The 'GO' Agents?

TR_82019: The dumb one wearing the beret and big muscles. I dislike his aura; his smell assaults my every orifice. Anyways, on account of this 'Operation Endgame'...everything I've worked on will be sent when it's done. Otherwise we risk losing everything.

TR_11985: I require you to elaborate.

TR_82019: Energies mixed from the coupe at Kanto Headquarters, Chemical R, and anything we've salvaged from Kalos has proven to be like handling a fleeting Voltorb who's in mid-explosion. We have been able to curate all of this into the Pro_ .Subject, Pro_UWHQ. objectives our team is working on, but I'm afraid it will take some time with .

TR_11985: Chemical R? From Rhyme City's incident? I was under the impression that anything connected to it was lost.

TR_82019: Not lost. Everything done was backed up, and continued on here with my delicate hands to refine it. It won't be the unusable 'berzerk button' we saw before.

TR_11985: So what does this mean altogether?

TR_82019: Whatever Oleana and Rose set up to extract energy from Eternatus is what we need now. What I have is not enough unless you'd rather I continue banging sticks and rocks together. I, or mind you, WE need to go up from here. We're using AAA batteries when we need a nuclear power plant. It's simply too much, and we don't have enough to spare.

TR_11985: You have 1 hour. That is the most time I can buy for you.

*TR_11985 has left the discussion*

"Fuck!" The woman behind the computer said, shouting and cursing out loud to herself. She glanced around herself and narrowed her gaze at some hanging blueprints. /A measly 60 minutes to come up with something conclusive. Make ME new 'Executive'? May as well be leading a whole group like those buffoons who have to recite 'blasting off again' like it was their mantra!/

Punching one of the desks, she walked off in a huff before tapping away hurriedly on another set of keyboards adjacent to her on another desk. The night was young...

- - 1 hour later - -

*TR_11985 has entered the discussion*

*TR_32010 has entered the discussion*

TR_32010: Agent 82019. You have excised patience past the limitations of our leaders. Present what you have.

TR_82019: What do you plan to have done about my previous query? I brought it up before and it bears repeating: we need something more succint for the 2nd, larger of the projects.

TR_32010: That part of the plan has begun. Petrol is in place acting as a 'Green Energy' agent.

TR_82019: Ah, the cosplayer.

TR_32010: The agent known for expert disguise. You could learn a thing from him. As it stands, Galar has been scrambling for some time to get other sources of power ever since Haru removed the creature known as Eternatus from being used as a battery.

TR_82019: ...I see.

TR_11985: You WILL be able to keep going, even knowing *he* is involved?

TR_32010: TR82019. If you are unable to work for our brighter future due to past ties to Galar's protector, your position will be replaced.

TR_82019: Impertinent inquiries of my loyalty aside, I am more than capable of seeing this through to the Final Act.

-TR_82019 sent Pro_ .8.1.

-TR_82019 sent _V.

TR_32010: Received. Thank you.

- * YOU HAVE LOGGED OFF * -

The woman pushed herself away from the computer and rubbed her eyebrows. She had been staring at screens for a long time. Brushing away from of her pink hair out of her eyes, she stood up and glanced through a pane of glass that reached from the floor to the ceiling. Inside lay another creature within the lab. Hunched over, it appeared asleep, and had a mask-like apparatus attached to its face. "Old impatient, bastards..." she muttered to herself, walking off but not before reaching for her badge.

It read 'Ohsumi'.

- - - Wyndon, Oleana's Office - - -

- - - 6:20 AM - - -

"...so how long will it take?" Oleana asked, thumbing her mug of coffee. Across from her was a video window on her monitor of a rugged looking gentleman who bore something akin to a decorated martial arts instructor.

"It's beyond my understanding since our league began well before the usage of said-"

"A number, Glenn. A percentage. A date. Something that is finite that I can report to others. Anything at all you can tell me about the viability is what I need right now." The chairman stood up from her desk and then glanced over her window to the sunrise that was peering through the glass pane.

" . It is completely understandable that with the incident a few years ago that you would be worried, but I assure you it's everything our officials say and more. If anything, this doesn't rely on a single legendary Pokemon, so there is no danger of any one source using it for selfish visions of grandeur, but rather resonates with the energy dormant in the..." Glenn stopped himself and cleared his throat. "Apologies. You are more than aware of how it works, but the Great Synergy Stone's cousin we have discovered could be not just a great alternative but a companion to your Dynamax energy-built League that's already there."

The Chairman returned to her seat and looked back at him. "A secondary green energy. Ever since Haru saved Eternatus, we've been able to make do, but having a permanent backup would help us greatly. Having it would mean the attraction of Dynamax and Gigantimax Pokemon in battles would not wane."

Oleana thought it over and turned in her seat. "Galar would never have to fear again having a power crisis, and that would open up more opportunities for other Pokemon-based sports. After all, we already have a budding Pokemon wrestling industry."

One of her fingers tapped on the desk, thinking about the importance of the call. She took another sip of her coffee. "There should nary be a reason why we can't allow what you're suggesting. Your proposal means that in return, Galar would be responsible for bringing a new line of entertainment: Pokemon dueling with a 'Battle' Trainer."

"That is correct."

She squinted at the screen. "The number of years of training, much less getting most of the public to support the idea, and getting an economy flourishing around said branch. Honestly, just the numbers I'm running in my head to even estimate the money needed is alone to tell me I will need time to talk to others about this and gather funding. If this goes through, your 'Battle Trainer' fueled league will not see the light of day for a few years. Pray tell your officials have also considered this, Glenn, because I do not want to be the one to bring this up in a meeting to my people."

"Ours have also come to the same conclusion, . We are prepared to do what we can, if requested, at your behest." The gruff looking man said with a knowing nod, before dusting his hands.

Sipping her coffee, Oleana put the cup down then stared back. "So then my only remaining question is...why shouldn't I turn this down? What do you and your Ferrum League get out of losing its uniqueness of being the only region that has these battles?"

The man took a bow. "Consider it an olive branch. We had an incident where our current Champion had to help a girl save her friend, who was a corrupted Mewtwo. The overflow of energy exuded by said corrupted Mewtwo was so vast and uncontrolled, it caused quite a stir with our whole region with blackouts and halting the entire tournament! But whether or not it's the same one that your ex-Champion Haru and current Champion Syra saved we can't say. We'd like to talk more about it with you, since I can see you're still not sure."

She took a moment to pause, leaning to the side of her office chair with her face leaning onto one of her hands.

"I'll inform you within the week. Thank you." Oleana hung up and then swiveled her chair offcentered from her desk and exhaled slowly. /I need to be careful about allowing something else here near Eternatus if it can rival its energy output./ She turned back to her desk and then picked up her phone, pressing a number on it. "Yes, Science Department. I'm going to need a new set of teams for something. Get me the same people who looked over Eternatus, and then get me the brighest minds from across other regions who are willing to work under stressful conditions. Yes. I'll explain more when you have a team." Her eyes catch something that distracts her from the conversation on her phone. Multiple warnings of suspicious Dynamax energy readings coming from The Wild Area suddenly appeared on multiple monitors on the wall. CCTV footage shows a single trainer who appears to be combatting with other Dynamaxing Pokemon. /Haru...?/ "Yes. Get me at least 20. For now, patch me to security. I need to take a trip to The Wild Area."

- - - - Wild Area, south of Motostoke Riverbanks - - - -

- - - - 7:20 AM - - - -

"Dynamax Cannon, Eternatus!" Haru commanded. He was outside doing what he could to calm down some Pokemon that had Dynamaxed and were causing quakes near a group of younger would-be-trainers and their teacher. In his quest to train Eternatus, Haru figured exposing the Pokemon in smaller appearances to others who weren't privy to anything with Eternatus past the Darkest Day incident would benefit the newly appointed role. As the beam of energy struck down the gigantic Snorlax, it fainted, leaving some trails of crystals: Pokemon trainers called these items 'XP candy'.

After being thanked by the group of young children and their teacher, Haru walked to the floating Dragon Pokemon as its skeletal framed face looked back at him. "So I guess you can't, or, WON'T Gigantimax like you did that one day, huh?". Eternatus let out a quiet, low purr. It nearly sounded like it was grumbling. "...or perhaps...you can't?" /But that doesn't make sense. All Pokemon can Dynamax or Gigantimax here regardless of who they are because of Eternatus' leaking energy./

Bringing out his Rotom Phone and going to the Pokedex entry, summary, and trainer information, the Steel Gym Leader scratched his chin. "Your vitals are all fine. No poison, you didn't endure any trapping moves, and you're not paralyzed, drowsy, or frozen." He looked back to the Pokemon and squinted with some growing concern. He let out a laugh as the epiphany suddenly hit him, tapping himself on his forehead. "Fuck sake. No, what am I, stupid? You didn't Gigantimax because you were thinking about the people we were helping and didn't wanna scare them, right? Which means if you do change again, it would be only if absolutely necessary." As if agreeing to him, Eternatus slowly nodded, letting out another grumble. "...so you're starting to understand already, aren't you, Eternatus? My goals." He glanced at a watch. "Still have some time before today's Gym Leader meetup."

A few footsteps were heard nearby as Haru turned to face them. "I wasn't under the impression that the energy readings we were getting in Wyndon was because of you..." She was joined by a pair of security officials on both sides as Haru looked on with a bead of sweat. He clenched both hands preemptively. "Using Eternatus, Haru? For what purpose do you find in testing out such a dangerous Pokemon out publicly. Are you trying to reform it?" Folding her arms, Oleana looked to Haru with growing concern. She was hoping she would not have to reprimand Haru for something.

" , I can explain." Haru looked back to the Dragon Pokemon, before withdrawing it into the Ultra Ball that would contain it. "I should have run this by you first, but I plan on re-debuting Eternatus to the public on a larger scale not as a legendary to be feared for its past, but as a guardian. When Hop and I fought together, Zamazenta and Zacian were there to help us calm down this Dragon Pokemon. It Gigantimaxed, and we saw its true form. In the meantime since, I've decided to try to re-train it not as something to be feared, but something to be honored or respected. I'm trying to help instill it the same values I'm holding."

Oleana squinted her eyes and took another step to him, as she appeared tense. "Are you telling me that you're going to use a weapon of war..." she exhaled slowly. "...to prevent war from happening again? As a deterrent?"

Feeling a bead of sweat form on his brow, he saw that Oleana was quick to rid herself of any formalities she may have arrived with in the first place. "If you summarize everything I've said like that, then I...I mean I suppose that's it?" But he dug a heel into the dirt beneath him and stood his ground. "But you have to hear me out, please. Us humans are finite. I don't want us to attack Galar's energy crisis the way that Rose did. You're already doing so much on your own, but I can help by doing what I am to Eternatus FOR Eternatus' sake. By keeping the Pokemon captive, then releasing it just to hope that it d-" He suddenly gulped as Oleana took another step forward.

She looked down hard at him. "I'm going to ask this only one time, . Cease. What you did for us was enough at the time, but we do not need another hot headed, idealistic man who thinks he knows what he's doing for the good of us to keep going in some possibly misguided direction that will doom everyone."

To her surprise Haru fired back. He stared at her hard and clenched a fist. "No."

"Wh-...did you just say 'No' to a DIRECT request from me?" Oleana asked him, aghast.

Haru seemed irritable, with a flash of his Gym persona peering through his eyes. "You heard me, I said 'NO'." He pointed to her. "You're not using me as a platform to defend what you think should be done because you're afraid of previous matters repeating. I refuse to let you do that to me."

For the first time since he battled her as just a simple League Trainer, Oleana felt the veins in her forehead twitch with blood pumping through them as her pupils shrank. "Who the hell do you think you are to say 'No' to me?! To something that threatens national security?!" She pointed to the ball that held Eternatus. "You saw what it's capable of, and NOW you want to make this Pokemon even stronger than before? Leaders of the past have always struggled with legendarily strong Pokemon who err on the side of chaos or evil to little or no success! Giratina. Dialga. Yveltal."

Haru crossed his arms and kept his frown. "So you think Eternatus is going to be just like the rest of them? Huh. That's not something I expected out of a reformed former 2nd-in-command for Ex-Chairman Rose."

Oleana clicked her tongue. "Is it because of some perhaps misplaced heroism that makes you think you can use your medallion and Champion rank as a Gym Leader to permanently change Eternatus for the better? That you think this overrules me? What makes you feel there will be any guarantee that when you're gone that Eternatus is going to respect our region enough to defend it from anyone else?"

He readjusted his cap and sighed. "The same one that saw Syra turn into our current Champion and one of my best friends."

The Chairman and Steel Gym Leader stared each other down.

"Consider this, 'Soul of Steel', for every 'Rose' there will always be an organization of those who follow that person. This means one day your ability to keep up as the hero you are will expire. Who is going to take the mantle past you? Past Syra?" Oleana challenged. Her inquiry made Haru look to the ground with uncertainty while Oleana took a breath to continue. "Your focus should be to make sure the hero Pokemon Zamazenta and Zacian, with Syra's cooperation, will be able to continue defend-"

"My bloodline."

"I beg your pardon?" Oleana clicked her tongue at the fact Haru of all people interrupted her.

He lifted his head back up with his right hand clenched into a fist. "One day my children will become strong Pokemon-centered people. I don't know how many I'll have, but at least ONE of them will be such a strong trainer that they'll turn the entire league upside down with their talents. I'm not letting Eternatus out of my sight, and I WILL continue doing what I'm doing, ." He took a step forward, not backing down despite her showcase of authority. "It's what I believe is the right thing! Galar cannot fear this Pokemon forever! We HAVE to change history!"

For a moment, he thought about Hiro again but shook his head. "I'm not letting my, OR Galar's past trauma, control what others are going to do about this Pokemon. Or me. People have got to open up more, and whether it's this, or my sanctuary, or Gym, I'm going to go through with it!"

One of Oleana's eyes was twitching. She wanted to say so much at that point, but the way Haru kept his stance reminded her of how he was acting the day he defeated her at the Battle Tower, formerly Macros Cosmos Headquarters. "If you go through with this...and if I see something that happens that I believe is reason for alarm..." She took a few deep breaths and then let her hands rest to her side. "...or if I believe Eternatus' strength is going to be a threat to Galar again, I will not only demand you turn it over for safekeeping, but you will be legally punished for harboring a destructive creature, going against the safety of the region, and going against a direct order from the Chairman."

Staring her down, Haru felt a confidence swell within him and he gave a toothy smile. "I accept your terms...but I won't be needing them. Eternatus is going to become Galar's 3rd hero. I'm going to become its master. You just watch."

As Haru signaled a Flying Taxi Cabbie for a lift, Oleana gave a raised eyebrow. "I'm serious, Haru. This is my one warning to you."

Before making way to the lowering cab, Haru turned back to Oleana and grinned. "That makes two of us. I was just as serious."

Surprised, she gave a weak laugh. "You're a bit different from before."

He shrugged, then took off into a sprint for his taxi. "Nessa got me a therapist. I'd say she's a pretty good one."

As Oleana watched him run off, one thought came to her. /Oleana, you really can be hopeless still.../ She watched Haru go off for awhile as her mind ran with the current events going through her head. The next league season would be starting relatively soon in just a manner of few months. Haru and Nessa would be marrying each other soon. She would be juggling new discussions surrounding the forming of Galar's next entertainment branch of Pokemon-based combat, the region Pokedex expanded permissions, Haru's Sanctuary permissions, the Pokemon Ranger Union of Almia, and that was all to be done before noon. /It's not even 8 and my head hurts. Between what Haru is suggesting and that video call, our region is going to go through some drastic changes sooner than later./

- - - - - The day before, Sinnoh. - - - - -

Another morning, another day that Mars would finish her routine by staring at herself in the mirror with an almost blank, dispassionate expression. /Some wrinkles showed up again. I must be putting in too much time lately./ It had been years since she wore the colors of her former boss, Cyrus, but anything that could be done to erase the past's mistakes would be welcomed and promptly acted upon. Stepping out of the bathroom into her penthouse suite, towel wrapped around herself, she briefly looked through the armoir to get her suit and dress pants. Looking at the old, greyed Team Galactic uniform that was shoved off to the side, she winced. A part of her couldn't get rid of it: not yet.

'Good morning, . You have...7...unread messages. Shall I play them for you?' said a floating Rotom coming out from the wall that helped monitor her security for her flat, as well as recorded phone messages. "Not now, thank you. Last night I saw that the weather will be fair. Is that still true?" she asked, brushing by a furry fellow with her shins. She glanced to her fellow friend, a partner Pokemon that stuck with her since the old days: a Purugly that mew'd at her. "Don't rush me. I didn't forget your breakfast."

'Today's temperatures are going to be...19 degrees. You should bring an umbrella for the winds later.' the Rotom said in its robotic-tone while she fed her Purugly with some Poffins and Sitrus Berries quietly.

"Not too warm, not too cold. Just right." She commented, then snickered. A flashback came to her.

/ "Holy fuck it's hot here. How do you even live here comfortably in that uniform your boss makes you wear?" /

/ "Shame Sinnoh doesn't have the oceans my home does. You should still try to find time to drop by, you know." /

The Purugly caught onto the fact her master was distracted, and looked up to her. "Mauuuuu~"

The redhead former captain of Team Galactic just shook her head. "Nothing. I was just wondering how 'he' was doing nowadays..."

Her feline Pokemon tilted its head before going back to eating.

Finishing her morning chores, she tapped her shoes on, and then motioned for her Purugly to follow by her side. Mars turned her head back to the floating Rotom that acted as her guard for her suite. "Rotom, enable the security locks. Password, Aries." she said. The Rotom beeped and twirled in place before chuckling with its cheshire-like smirk. "Got it, ma'am! Have a good day!"

Stepping out and straightening her cufflinks, she grabbed her purse and looked at her Rotom Phone while she exited from the front door to the apartment floor. The message on it made her smirk. "I see. Well then..." she took note of the time, and her position within the company she headed. /Suppose I could afford a visit./

- - 20 minutes later - -

- - Solaceon Town, Fields - -

"I'm not used to walking around so much unless it's a requirement for my meetings. So I'll say that you chose quite a unremarkable location for your final day here...Syra." Mars said, smirking.

Syra was there on a raised part of the hill, getting her hands licked by some curious Mareeps that were around her, and asking to be pet. The Galar Champ looked over and snickered. "Sorry about that: I just didn't want to meet you up at anywhere in Veilstone City near your workplace. It's way too crowded there." She stood up and readjusted her hat then rolled her neck before turning back and folding her arms. "You can spend some time away from the office for a Champ, can't you?"

The Purugly that was following her master had slowly walked up to Syra. It being a feline, it didn't think much of Syra at first. It acknowledged that such a human was powerful and talented, so it had to at least respect the talent henceforth. But for now, she wouldn't be too friendly to the newcomer. So she just mewed and then headed back to Mars' side. The woman sighed. "You've got a silver tongue, Syra. I didn't make note of it before, but your mannerisms since we've met are almost nostalgic to me. Well, maybe that's not the right wording." She gave a half smirk. "It reminded me of someone else."

"Mau~" Her Purugly said, looking up to her master.

Mars joined Syra's side and then began walking with her as they came to a clearing. The official rested against a tree as Syra took a few steps forward, and absent-mindedly threw a PokeBall at a Raichu. The ball fell to the ground and wiggled. "So. Tomorrow your plane leaves and you head back to Galar."

Syra's PokeBall clicked shut, and the Champ walked over to pick it up. The wind picked up a little and Syra had to readjust her hair. Mars heard her sigh. "Yeah. It'll be good to come back home. I've really enjoyed my stay here." She remembered something she had to say, causing her mood to shift to the opposite end. "Most of it. Your underground sucks! I hate it!"

Mars let out a laugh. "Oh does it?"

"Grinding for days for a chance to something mystical at Ramanas Park? And even if you're a Champion like myself, Cynthia or Dawn, you can't tell what it is until after the fact? UGH! I hope to never go down there again." Syra crossed her arms with a huff. "I hope Galar eventually gets something much cooler...like caves with legendary Pokemon. We have several of 'em. One of them's bound to have some secret in them!"

"I'm sure in time you'll find something. With that in mind, what would you say was the most fruitful part of your trip?" Mars inquired, finding a spot to sit comfortably and folding a leg over the other.

"Hard to say. It's almost a tie between learning about the true history of your organization, and finding some extremely rare Pokemon at Ramanas Park. Granted, the aforementioned mines are STILL awful, and it took me too long to grind to find some stupid crystals, but it was worth it. It's just not something I'll do again." Syra reached within the inner part of her jacket and pulled out the Master Ball, handing it to Mars. "Check it. You'll see."

Mars brought out her PokeGear and held it over the Master Ball. On her screen, the image of the Pokemon came up with its catch information, 'OT' data, Serial Number, etc. She hummed, then handed it back. "You'll be the talk of the town in Galar when you show that one off."

"Pft. Show it off? Nah." Syra looked to the Master Ball and tucked it back gently. "There will be a time when I can utilize this guy here for a great purpose. Before anyone knows that I've caught this beauty, I'm going to train with it in private. Tell it why I want to become its best friend, and ask for its respect while we work together. Mutually." She turned back Mars with her head turning. "Haru told me he's doing that very same thing for Eternatus, so I have to do the same with this one."

Humming again, Mars gave a small nod. "Eternatus. Quite an intimidating name for a Pokemon responsible for your region's greatest and darkest parts of its past..." She looked to Syra, who shrugged at the mention.

"Wasn't my point to worry about it. When things were getting at their worst, Haru was already there to stop it in its tracks. As much as I loathed him in the past, he's pretty capable as a trainer, and I've since come to respect him a great deal. Now that I've surpassed him, him and I are pretty close." She turned to Mars and put a hand on her hip. "Starting when I get back home, I'm going to work with whomever I can to improve Galar and make it the standout region."

The former evil captain-turned-head-executive couldn't help but give a patient nod and half-smile. "The enthusiasm you have is so completely earnest and...fire-like. You appear like you can just go on and on about anything with Pokemon, and it's clear you want to do everything to forge your own path going forward."

Galar's representative for its league leaned her head sideways towards Mars. "It's the only way to live, right? Better than just going aimlessly and hoping for the next fight."

"Heh...once more I am feeling nostalgic the more we talk. People who I haven't thought about in so long have come back to the forefront of my mind." Putting her hands on her knees, Mars looked off absentmindedly.

In a bit of a misread, Syra felt maybe the similarity they both shared of once being antagonists was coming too uncomfortably close to her own history. "I apologize if I went and made you recall bad times." the Champ said.

"Mmm...there was a guy once. He wasn't a part of our renewed Team Galactic, but I did mingle with him in my 'off time'." Mars would look off to the side, thinking back to him. Her Purugly perked up, knowing who this was about, but was enjoying the sunrays to bother getting up from the grass.

"Someone you 'mingled' with huh? That's the whole story? Really?" Wiggling her eyebrows, Syra pursed her lips and waited for a response.

Mars grunted a bit and gave a long pause: visibly appearing to be thinking about what to say next. The two women just let the silence of the outdoor weather act as a means for Mars to refocus herself. Whoever this mystery person was, was someone meaningful outside of the leader. Trying to downgrade the tension, Syra handwaved Mars. "Uh...okay. Hey...hey hey. If it's too personal, you don't owe me an explanation. I was just egging you on."

"We kissed once...but it didn't go past that." Mars looked a little forlorn, or at least as much as she would let herself appear as such in front of someone she wasn't too familiar with.

Syra's eyes lit up and her eyes widened, turning her head. "...oh?"

Mars hummed. "He was with someone at the time, so it was accidental, and a bit forward on my part, but he left a taste of Pecha Berries that I still think about occasionally."

"!" Having had her arms crossed already, Syra tensed up, but she stayed silent.

"Never found out when exactly, but he just up and vanished. Guess his time in Sinnoh had to be short-lived, what with him needing to go back to Hoenn." Shaking her head, Mars exhaled. "That's not entirely true. What am I doing, being dramatic about this? He visited a time or two afterwards..."

"Even if he was with someone at the time, it still left an impression on you with him around, huh?" Syra would ask her when the moment felt right. She tried to give Mars a moment to respect the strange memory that came back.

"Anyways...what's past is past. There's more to it, but I shouldn't trouble myself thinking about Hilda's Ex. Wherever he is now, I hope he and his Ninetails are doing okay, at least."

"!" Syra felt her face turn pale and she suddenly made an about-face, turning away from Mars, who felt the need to inquire.

"Something the matter, Syra?"

/Hilda's Ex? Pecha? Ninetails? Hoenn? There's no fucking way. There's just.../ Back in her mind, the mental image of Sevan came up and Syra grit her teeth. Whether it was unwittingly or not, she was finding out more about him from sources outside of him. /Man, why do I fucking care? It's not like I'm with him or anything, but honestly why wouldn't he just-/

"Miss Syra. Have I upset you somehow?" Mars asked, now noting the Champion had both arms more closed around herself, brows furrowed fiercely, and thumbnail being bitten.

Syra shed the stress-laden glance she was wearing nigh immediately. "No, don't worry about it. You had simply just reminded me about someone."

"Oh? Friend back home in Galar, I presume?" Mars asked.

For some reason Syra felt a vein in her forehead throb with irritation despite her showcasing a smile. "Yep. The guy likes to keep quiet, but I think I'll have some new stuff from Sinnoh to at least act as conversation starters...". At that very moment, somewhere in Galar, Sevan would sneeze.

- - - - The Present, Galar - - - -

- - - - Fighting Gym, Weight Room - - - -

Sevan stood near Haru with his arms crossed while his friend stood wearing the Steel Gym uniform doing weighted push-ups. On the floor, Haru's head lay drenched with sweat as Sevan counted. Watching as the redhead shakily did his push-ups, he spoke low. "42. C'mon Haru, you're almost done. 43!"

Nora was off to his side with Haru's water bottle with her tail wrapped around it: utilizing her traits to keep his water cooled. Grunting in between the slowed push-ups, Haru grunted. "Remind me again...why the fuck...you are now putting WEIGHTS on my back?!" feeling his forehead vein throb.

Giving a wry smirk, Sevan paid no mind to it and counted until his friend eventually reached 100 for his set. Haru collapsed on the mat then propped himself up with his elbow to sit up with Nora skipping over to him. "Humans need strong legs to do just about anything, Haru. Your hips, your back and your chest muscles all work in sync. One weak link and the whole structure falls apart."

Sitting up straight and gasping, feeling the exhaustion hit him in this first morning's round of excercise, Haru nods thankfully to his Glaceon handing him his water bottle. "Right, I remember. You tell me that every morning when I do this..." Popping the cap open and drinking the ice cold water. "Thanks, Nora."

"Vee~" His Glaceon gives him a tail wag.

Looking to the clock that Shinrin was sitting under, Sevan kept track of Haru's rest time. "Remember that you also fucking asked for this, you twig. I told you it wasn't going to be fun or easy."

"Let's see...outside of those beginning stretches before everything. I'm now doing 50 push ups weighted, 75 jumping jacks, 20 sit ups. 2 sets of 20 step-ups. 2 sets of 20 arm lifts..."

"Bicep curls."

Haru handwaved it, remembering at the last second. "Right. Bicep curls. 2 sets of bench press with the low weight I'm on now. Then the bicycle machine for 10 km. Pull-ups...which I'm trying to improve at this point since that's a weaker area."

"C'mon, up on your feet. Let's get to it again, man." Sevan said, gesturing with his head nodding towards the punching bag in the corner.

The lesson went on long and tough. At this stage, Haru was only beginning to chip away at the novice level of skills of self defense. It didn't matter how many times Haru would ask to see a punch done again, Sevan was okay with demonstrating its form. He wanted to make sure that Haru got it done, so aside from hitting a punching bag, he took to simply using his hands. "Punch my hands."

Haru goes for it with his right hand, but gets blocked and slapped. "Try again."

He blinked at Sevan and put up both hands defensively before striking again. His other hand gets slapped away. This process repeats despite Haru attempting to go faster. "No, no. Stop. Focus. You can do this."

Haru huffed and put his hands down to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Am I going to get used to hitting something like this in time?"

"Everything is going to come to you in time, Haru. You won't get better at this overnight." He tilted his head to the side. "If you're in a fucking hurry, you can go do something else. Otherwise, you're with me, and I'm making sure you got this done right."

Suddenly, a fist flew towards Haru, and the redhead dodged, but not completely. Feeling his reflex kick in later than it needed to, Haru huffed. "Damn it, Sev!"

"Ah-ah." He wagged a finger to Haru and gave a wry grin. "See what happened there, then? A few months ago, that would have flattened you out. Now? Your focus is better. You're getting there."

Dusting himself, the Steel Gym Leader-in-training admitted to it. "Good point."

"Now we both know how much you'd rather this be Milo's face rather than my hands, but until another 'Milo' situation shows up, you have me instead. And I don't wanna see you eat dirt when that happens." Saying this, Sevan put up both hands again as Haru put up both of his, ready to continue training.

Now aware that Sevan would try to slap him if Haru could not properly 'punch' his hands, Haru zeroed in his focus on the objective in front of him. A few moments would pass by before he broke his silence. "...tell me, did you have a feeling about him the night it happened?"

"Focus, Haru!" He said before going for another slap as Haru then attempted to increase his speed and accuracy. He heard Haru give a frustrated huff, shrug it off, then continue. "Not until he spoke. Better you had me than whatever would have happened otherwise."

After a vigorous workout session Haru could be seen panting heavily sprawled out on his back: sweating. Sevan was on a bench close by with a towel around his neck chewing on a straw from his Pecha flavored Protien shake. "Man. It's going to suck when I actually start to push your limits if you are this dead tired after a medium push."

Haru unable to get up or lift his head simply curls one of his hands until just a middle finger stood up. "Fuck you man."

Sevan fired back with a cheeky laugh. "That's more like it."

Off to the side, near the exit/entrance of the place the men were working out was an audience. Nessa was peering in, with Bea standing behind her and Allister peering in much the same manner as Nessa: almost imitating her like a little brother does. "I-I can see Sevan is training hard today!" He said.

Seeing Haru sit up slowly while rolling his shoulders looking hot and musty made Nessa a mite bothered. The couple had been spending a lot of time coordinating with their friends and family to get the wedding planned that they hardly had any time to just each other. "Y-yeah. He sure is..." Nessa said quietly in a hypnotic state. "I had thought originally he was just tired from our planning. But now I see just how hard Sevan puts him through the ringer."

"Miss Nessa, you're r-red." Allister spoke up.

"Mmmm. It's as he said." Bea added with a nod. "Haru has made sure to come in here on the mornings Sevan trains him. It's slow, but it IS paying off in small dividends."

After his short rest Haru would get up and sit on the bench with Sevan. He glanced to see Shinrin basking in the low sunlight in the windows. "Sev, I know you explained why you don't like holding your 'mon in their Pokeballs. But is it a matter of principle?"

Sevan looks over to Shinrin remembering the incident in Eternea Forrest "Sinnoh's forrest. When I was a child I almost died."

Haru blinked in shock. "Holy fucking shit. Wh-...what the fuck-"

Being abruptly cut off by Sevan in a serious tone "No exaggeration, Haru. Death. I almost died during a yearly visit to family in Sinnoh's Eternea Forrest."

Haru just sat there processing this information. "...okay, you have my attention."

Taking a deep breath as his mind flashed back, Sevan readjusted his sitting posture. "I was 6. I took a nasty fall off one of the paths. A long fall. I broke both my arms and hit my head bad. I was bleeding bad." Sevan's eyes faded as he recounts the events

/Long ago in Sinnoh/

In the depths of Eternea Forest, a child was wandering and limping, bleeding from most notably his head; his blonde streak red and brown from blood. Crying out for his mother and father, neither could hear him even if they knew something was wrong.

After getting lost for more than an hour, the crying child found a cave opening to lay down and rest. Trying to use his arms to dust himself clean, he comes to the horrible realization his arms and hands won't work right. Unbeknownst to him a few Ghastlys are watching him from deeper in the cave, thinking they will get a good meal or a laugh at the child. His sniveling and tears only attracted more wild and dangerous Pokemon to him.

A thundercrack in the distance warns of a storm. A lone Leafeon hears this, perks its ears and senses the impending rain. A gust of wind blows through the canopy of trees, distracting it briefly before it turned to walk deeper into the forrest.

Sevan now stood wobbly, but shouting at the Ghastlys approaching him. As the fear in his voice only drew them closer he doesnt notice the noise he made was attracting a Dustox and Nincada swarm behind him. He began kicking dirt and rocks at the Ghastly as a Dustox behind him lunges at him.

It would be too late for him to avoid it. Ducking in fear from the attack he thought was happening, he looked up when no doom came to him. Instead, the Pokemon were all retreating. In his confusion, he turned around towards the sound of footsteps. Through his bloodied, dirty and wet from crying face, he saw a Leafeon walking towards him. Its blade-like tail raises, ears at 'alert' formation to any movement, and looked right into Sevan's Eyes.

Sevan barely able to get out a "Help me please" to the green Eeveelution as a Haunter charges the child suddenly. The Leafeon rushes in, counters with a Leaf Blade attack, severely hurting the ghost Pokemon enough to make it retreat. It turns to face Sevan again. "Vee! " it yips, as if yelling to him. Seeing this, the Nincada felt it had no choice but to leave, as it wasn't going to get close at all to this weak human.

The Eeveelution goes to the child and licks his cheek knowing he's afraid: given the situation he's in. Using its ears and tail, the Leafeon signaled the child to get on her back to be carried. Sevan doesnt understand at first, but gets on her back eventually, clinging to her.

The torrent of rainfall is heard nearby. As the Leafeon and child Sevan exit the cavern he hid in, the rain pelted both. A moment did not go by where he wasn't trying to hold onto the grass-based Pokemon for dear life.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of Eternea Forrest, a group of Officer Jennys and city officials were trying to form plans for the lost child. One officer took the role of leader and spoke up.

"I want 3 officers with 3 flying types per party for the best coverage, 7 parties in total! That's the base line. This is a heavy rain so go out with flashlights, hand warmers, and since he will most likely be hungry, bring food bars too. He has no Pokemon of his own, and is small. No matter what, report your findings and check in when you find him. Check every cave, every hill of grass, every small hole where a child may hide. We're out in 5 minutes so be ready! We are finding this kid!"

Four minutes would pass before a younger Jenny exclaimed "Ma'am! There's a Pokemon emerging at the entrance with a child!"

The group rushed to the entrance to see a Leafeon holding a dirty, bloodied but alive, soaking wet Sevan on its back. Medical staff rush to the child and gently got him up off the Leafeon and on to a stretcher. He woke up mid-check only to start screaming for the Leafeon to be with him on the way to the ambulance. The sargent obliged, turning to thank the Leafeon, and brought it along to Sevan's trip to the hospital. The gesture was short-lived, seeing it lay on the ground, panting with a nasty purple cut on its shoulder.

"Shit. I need an antidote, NOW!"

/

Sevan rolled one of his shoulders, remembering the strange sensation of his injuries that day. "I woke up with my arms casted, head bandaged, and with a Leafeon on my bed with me." Shin, in her nap, turned over until she was on her back: belly up and paws laying limp. He gave a wry smirk.

"You wanted to know why I don't keep them in their balls? That's why. A mon outside of a ball became family that day. It's not the first time it happened."

The story of it had Haru invested from start to finish. Learning his friend faced death like that painted a better picture of the things Sevan has gone through. "Between all this and your parents and ear injury...gods, man."

"mmhmm."

"What about your Pidgeot and Ninetails? Do they have special stories too, like Shin?" He looked over to Fen and Chorui.

"Well anytime I needed a Pokemon for a Gym or anything I needed, I'd catch normally. Harder to make wild Pokemon not saving you listen to a request. After I caught one, I'd let them out after healing them and a treat. I'd then simply ask them a basic question along the lines of 'I need you for X, and I know I'm taking you away, but once we beat the Gym I need you for' or 'the task I needed to catch you for I'll give you the chance to leave or stay'. "

"You know...I had caught Nora originally as an Eevee, but it was mostly due to a suggestion from my Mom to help me get over the death of Hiro." Haru looked down, realizing he never told Sevan about it fully.

"...hey. If you're not okay with going over it, it's fine. Look how long it took me to telling you about Shinrin."

He shook his head. "No, I should. My therapist tells me the more I face it the more I am able to grow past the pain I had. It was a month after he passed away, and I had stopped thinking about entering the Pokemon League. Hop, his mom, my mom, and Sonia were getting increasingly worried about me. I let myself go pretty bad for that month, and I didn't leave my room outside of food or to use the loo."

/ 37 days after Hiro's passing, Before the Pokemon League Annual Opening. Motostoke. /

"Hey honey? Your friends, Hop and Sonia are here to visit..." Lana said, peering her face into Haru's bedroom.

Greeting her was Haru's backside. He sat on the edge of the bed staring listlessly outside the window with nothing but a picture frame of Hiro in hand. "Okay..." Haru replied, sounding morose.

"They want to help you by having you get out of the house...maybe catch a Pokemon?" Lana said, hoping the suggestion would do something to get more of a reaction than a flacid one of indifference. Not that she could blame him: everyone in the circle that knew Hiro was hurting deeply.

"...I guess. I don't know what it'll accomplish: I don't have an official written statement from Leon or Chairman Rose, so I can't be its trainer. Not properly, anyway." Turning to look at his mom, slowly, Haru had gained some dark circles under his eyes and a few wrinkles.

Lana rubbed her elbows, and frowned. "I don't know what you want me to do, honey. I know you're hurting. I am too. But your friends at least want to try to help you out. Can you at least try to go along with it?"

The tension between the parent and child grew thick with melancholy as all Haru could muster was a halfhearted sigh and slow nod. He then shrugged. "I wish Hiro was here..."

- - Route 04, near Turffield - -

- - 4 hours later - -

Hop and Sonia managed to get a very messy looking Haru out from his home and out to walk around Galar. The pair had wanted to get him some fresh air and hoped by being out of the isolation in his room that his mood may change. Both agreed that they couldn't do much to take away what was happening, as Hop was in mourning too, but they would have lied to themselves if they tried to say they were as close as Haru was to Hiro, whom he referred to like a brother. Waltzing through Motostoke was nothing new. Haru had seen the giant platform that led pedestrians from one level to another, seen the parades that march down the brick-laden streets in anticipation for League-related events, and even ate at some of the smaller known diners near the water that ran through the city.

At first, he joked if Hop and Sonia thought he was just 'too thick headed to get some help' due to them having him walk through a mine, but the poor attempt of a joke just made Haru go quiet. When he left the house, he only put on a greasy black sweat jacket that had a graphic of PokeBall types, blue jeans with green plaid side pockets, and had yet to bother cleaning his glasses. His red hair had begun to grow out before Hiro's passing, but now he was seemingly letting it continue growing. 'Messy' was the word for his appearance, but it was his best effort he could muster.

As they exit the mine together, Sonia nudged Haru slightly. "Hey bud, chin up. Route 04 is known to have some cute Pokemon here in the fields on Turffield's doorstep. Maybe you'll find a cuddle buddy?"

Hop gave Haru a pat on the shoulder, making Haru give him an empty glance. "Hey 'Ru. C'mon. We got several PokeBalls on hand we can help you with...but remember: the Pokemon has to choose you, too."

"I told you not to call me that." Haru groaned, walking forward holding a handful of PokeBalls as Sonia walked with him. "...but you're right."

Sonia gave Haru a patient smile while she walked with him as a few Wooloo roll by them: Haru giving a blank glance. "You never know, you may pair up with something like Yamper an' I." She said, trying to encourage him.

Tired amber eyes glanced through the fields of multicolored grass as Haru scanned his surroundings. A Galarian Meowth pranced by before perching up on a fencepost and proceeding to clean itself via licking. Several Cutiefly float by, pause to look at Haru and the group, then float by. A Pumpkaboo waddles out into the walkway before stopping as a Farmer pushing a fruit cart scoots by. As he scanned over the Pokemon, Haru's indifferent expression hardens, somehow increasing the flatness of his non-smile. He stopped walking when he saw a small group of Eevees exiting through a fence, as if all trying to find some food together. He watched as the group of Eevees were getting ever so closer, not becoming aggressive to the other humans near them, but yipping at a few Electrikes getting near them.

Crossing her arms, Sonia frowned, as Haru's long periods of silence only bothered her. "...Close to deciding? I can understand if even this isn't doing anything."

"Eevee's a cool Pokemon, right?" Haru asked, turning to Sonia, then Hop.

"Huh? Of course. Very popular across every region: what do you mean?" Sonia asked, confused on his hesitance.

"It's just...Eevee is such a 'basic' choice to go after you know?" He rolled his eyes. "EeeEeEeeverybody wants an Eevee. You're practically not someone important unless you have at least one, or even evolved it. What kind of trainer would I be if I just chose one for the sake of popularity points?" He looked up to Sonia with his tired eyes.

The reporter closed her eyes and hummed.

"Well...for one thing..." Sonia held up a finger. "Don't look at it as a means for popularity. You already think they're cool, which means you care about them. Eevee DNA is unstable, which is what allows it to evolve into such dynamic forms. In a way, they're like us humans you know? Look at the Eevee you'd bond with as something with endless potential."

Hop interrupted them. "Haru, there's one sniffing your foot."

"!" Haru looked down to see a small female Eevee sniffing his worn shoes. She looked up to him with the big brown eyes she had and took a few steps back. The Eevee was a female of average size, with a heart shape marking on its tail; her ears inquisitively twitching as the human before her looked back. Quietly, Haru crouched down and just looked at it. He didn't say anything or move a muscle other than to try and get closer to its eye level. The brown fluffball walked back to him with a little skittish hesitancy; a forepaw raised slowly.

"Vee..." she said.

"I think the Pokemon distribution system has worked yet again, mate." Hop joked.

Giving his friend a sour expression, Haru scoffed. "That's not a real thing, you know." He looked back at the female Eevee who had her bushy heart-birthmarked tail waving back and forth. She took a few more steps near him, and looked up at him again.

"Vee...?"

Sonia and Hop went quiet, wanting Haru to decide what he was going to do, if anything. Eventually, Haru broke his silence and just gave a half hearted laugh. "Sorry..."

"Vee?" The Eevee's ears twitched.

Haru gave a small smile, but hid his pain behind it. "I'm...not a trainer. My friends brought me here to get a Pokemon like you...but I wouldn't be a very good person to be around. People, or things, that get close to me just end up leaving, or not needing me. Or in worst cases they just disappear." His lips flattened. "You deserve to be taken care of by someone who would be able to make you blossom into the best, baddest ass thing possible." His head hung. "That's...not gonna be me."

The Eevee's ears lowered, but instead of walking off she took another step closer and booped her nose on a part of the PokeBall that wasn't its button. "Vee."

"Wonderful sales pitch, Haru. Seems it failed, fantastically!" Hop teased, with Haru just giving a light huff.

"Mission Failed Successfully, huh?" He tried again, looking back at the Eevee sternly. "Look, I appreciate your curiosity in wanting to stick around and hear me talk, but honestly, I haven't a badge to start forming my Champion's Medallion. Not even a starter Pokemon to be a friend to you, and that's what everyone needs, a best friend!" He said, trying for a 'jazz hands' wave and a half smile but saying the former part of the statement made him frown.

Sonia clenched a fist. "Haru...we're here at least."

"I KNOW THAT Sonia! That was not me saying you aren't!" Haru said, turning his head back, catching her offguard. Hop felt the tension rise as Haru groaned, pressing a hand to his cheek and slicking his hair back. "I...I'm sorry."

"I know. I know you didn't mean anything by it. Sorry."

"Me too." Haru huffed, looking to the side. The Eevee seemed to have listened to everything he was saying ever since coming across him, but then decidedly put her rear on the ground as if to 'sit' upright and stare back at him. She coo'd back with her tail swishing.

"I think she is saying she wants to be with you." Sonia said patiently, trying not to take offense to his comments. She knew that he was only airing out the pain and didn't mean 'everyone' everyone. Her arms crossed.

Haru looked back at the Eevee as he had been, with a growing irritation. "I'm just some depressed guy. Your first experience with a human should be with someone who's at least happy on their first meeting." Haru replied, now facing the Eevee.

"Vee."

"I don't know if I have space made for you. It'd be such a hassle for awhile..."

"Vee!"

He looked back to his friends and stood up.

Hop's eyes darted from the Eevee to him. "...Haru? What's up?"

He gave a passive handwave and began walking. "C'mon, let's go. I'm not sure I'm cut out for-" Just as Haru tried taking a step, the Eevee ran in front of him to the other side and yipped at him.

Haru blinked in disbelief. "Are you actually going to keep following me? I told you I'm not cut out for this! You're making a mistake!"

The Eevee stuck her upper chin out and growled back at him, then yipped again.

Sonia put a hand on Haru's shoulder, making him look back up at her. "Sonia?"

She responded in a calm tone. "Haru, calm down and think. You came out here with us for a certain purpose, and now have at least one Pokemon who doesn't want to leave you. Don't you think it's worse to continue rejecting its friendship?"

"C'mon, Haru, this little guy could reall-"

The Eevee yipped loudly at Hop in protest.

"Sorry, girl, I shoulda known by the tail. She could really be helpful for you in, y'know." Hop raised his shoulders and gestured to the brown Pokemon as Haru looked between his friends and then sighed. His eyes went half lidded and knelt back down to the ground to meet the Eevee at near eye level.

"...you're a stubborn little ball of brown fluff, huh."

It nods its head once. Haru kept looking at it, noting how it appeared he was in a stalemate, and that it would not leave him once he starts walking away. There was no point in fighting, so he pulled out the PokeBall officially, held it in front of him as the Eevee walked right into it until her nose pressed the button, and was sucked inside. The ball falls into his hands, wiggles once, then clicks shut.

"Heh...well I guess I can go home, now."

- - That evening - -

- - Home - -

Haru's new visitor was exploring every corner of every room, and lit up Lana's face when they met. Lunch and dinner came and went without much talking between himself and his mom. He only told her the basic facts about what he did with his friends, and that he now has his first Pokemon, who was on the whole a different level of energetic than he was willing to reciprocate.

It wasn't until that evening that something of a connection between the two formed. The Eevee hopped up onto his bed and was looking at one of the photos he had near his bedside. When he realized she was nearly about to knock it over in her attempt to get a closer look, he gasped. "HEY! CAREFUL!" He grabbed the photo, held it close, making the Eevee shrink away, and causing Haru to realize he shouted and felt bad pretty much immediately. "H-...hey. Shit. I'm...I'm sorry."

Sitting on the edge of the bed again, he stared at the photo, as the Pokemon scooted a little closer: sniffing. She was a lot closer to Haru: right next to his person. /Curious little girl isn't going to let go until I at least say something./

"I shouldn't speak to you like that, little girl. I'm just hurt cuz the guy in this photo next to me is someone who meant the world to me. His name is Hiro."

"!" The cute Pokemon's ears perked up, listening to him.

"He was my best friend of over 15 years. This year we were going to start the Pokemon League together. Maybe." His hand began to shake, and a few drops of something fell onto the photo frame. "He was barely older than I was...yet now he's gone. Dead. Just like that...and for what? No gravestone? No ceremony? Not even a meet-up with family and friends? I don't have even 5 photographs, no videos, and I haven't heard back from his family? Am I supposed to be the only person who cared enough to remember him and not have anything more than a stupid...pissing photo to tell people about him?" Tears began freefalling down his cheeks.

"What did I do to have my best friend taken away from me? Why did I have someone who I thought was the love of my life turn out to be in the pocket of Team Rocket? With another man, even? Before any of this happened, I wanted to become a Pokemon Champion on account that I joked once and said I will, as long as he was my rival. But now that can't happen. Everything him and I had as buddies, as brothers, is gone. It's all gone, and there's not a thing I can do about it..." He gasped, suddenly feeling one of his arms get lifted upwards as the Eevee had forced her way to snuggling on his lap, then face him with her forefront paws on his chest.

He felt awful, but the warmth of having something to hold onto finally made him break out crying. Holding onto the Eevee, Haru let out the sorrow that he had bottled up, and the new Pokemon embraced him just as equally. The two held onto each other until Haru passed out from fatigue and had the Eevee lull him to sleep.

/ Present /

Haru exhaled, standing up while he recalled that memory. "While I was in the Wild Area one day during my Pokemon League career, the Digging Duo managed to find me an Ice Stone. I wanted to gather as many of the Eevee-based evolution stones before I let her choose. She chose the form of a Glaceon, I named her Nora, and 'that's all she wrote'. Her personality evolved a little when she evolved, but she still loves to snuggle me when I'm having trouble or am stressed." He smiled wide. "I owe a lot of my growth to that cuddly Eeveelution."

Sevan was left a little aghast hearing Haru talk so frank on something deeper like this, but felt a little closer to his friend nonetheless afterwards. "Hey Haru, look at it in this way: if Hiro could see you now, he'd be proud of the progress you're making." He held up a finger. "But! You're still pencil limbed, so we gotta keep going until you're better! Bulk you up, bit by bit!" he teased, grinning.

"Heck yeah! Let's do it!" Haru said, feeling charged before letting out a flurry of punches.

- - Outside the Dojo, that very moment - -

Nessa walked with Bea and Allister as the trio left the two men to themselves. "Is that really all that happened?" Allister asked, looking back for a moment at the dojo they left, then back to Nessa.

"The both of them have been through so much, and came away with lifelong Eeveelution companions. Bonding with Pokemon as I fight has always been the epicenter of my training, but it is still bewildering to hear of so many differing tales." Bea stated, having heard the whole thing.

Nessa nodded and looked back at them. "All of what you heard is true, Allister. For that matter, Haru is making good progress. I'm glad to see him opening up more." Correcting her stature as she continued walking forward, she exhaled quietly. "We mustn't dillydally on our own growth or take things for granted."

"Yes, and you're no longer sweaty, either." Allister said innocently, making Nessa nearly trip over herself.

Her face was freshly flustered at his comment, thinking back to shirtless Haru fresh from working out. "R-right. But it has gotten me thinking of something; back when Rose was our chairman."

Both the Ghost and Fighting Gym Leaders perked up hearing that, and Bea replied with her eyebrows furrowing. "Do you mean to bring up when his pressure on your handling of the Water Gym?"

"No, but it does get me thinking about something I haven't thought about that I probably should." Nessa said, and waited until they got to Allister's side of the Gym and henceforth to his office space before explaining. "Haru is putting himself through a lot lately. A heavier foot forward with his upcoming Sanctuary, and his Gym. Between all of that and my careers I'm a part of, I wonder if there's something I can change."

Allister blinked in disbelief behind the simplistic mask that hid his face. "Are you going to quit being a model?"

Nessa crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe as Bea felt a bead of sweat go down her cheeks. "Nessa...?"

She was looking to the side in thought, and then looked back to the others. "I don't think so. At least...not yet. There's certain things that would have to happen that would make me make such a decision."

Both of them were stunned to hear Nessa even considering the thought of sidelining anything she was doing, but before either could ask on it, she raised a hand in farewell. "Anyway. I'm going to head on out, okay? I got somewhere to be for now, since I'm meeting with a few people for wedding-related prep work, and then Haru and I have to meet up for our next big moment."

Her friends looked on curiously, but she teased by just holding a pair of fingers to her lips, and then waving to them before heading off.

As Nessa got onto a Sky Taxi cab and looked out the window in thought. Surely, she would ride out the profession as a Gym Leader and Model until their proper ends. But a part of her had begun to think back on a conversation her and Haru hopped on a few times before. 'What about when or if we have kids?'. One of them would have to make a sacrifice, but Nessa didn't like the idea of giving up her profession, either. A part of her deep down didn't like entertaining even for a slim chance that someone like Rose would smugly turn up his nose in a 'I told you so' on her quitting on being a model. But being a parent would be important, too.

She brought out her Rotom phone and looked into the browser and typed into the search one phrase "How much do owners of modeling agencies make", and let the search results bring new thoughts into her mind. /Would I really put it all away...?/ She pondered. A part of her remembered about Haru, who was so eager and willing to throw away his Championship after a single year of being 'Top Trainer' in Galar, despite the financial benefits it would bring just to stay in it. How he persisted so hard to try and find something new, and with her help, she is seeing his growth.

"...maybe I should talk to Haru about this."

Back inside the dojo, a knock came to the opening doorframe. One of Bea's trainers was there holding a small letter. "Mister Sevan? A note was dropped off for you."

Sevan gave a double take while the flurry punching from Haru came to a slow stop. In disbelief, he signaled Haru to wait for a moment before walking over. Sure enough, it was written for him. He glanced to the trainer. "Do you know who dropped it off, or who it's from?"

"No. Was just handed to us by a mailman on his route. Must've come from someone who knows you're here, then." She said before waving him and Haru farewell then strolling down to meet up with Bea.

Glancing at it, then Haru, Sevan shrugged before opening it. On it was a simple statement as the border of said letter had red decorative flames on the corners of the paper and a short message. " 'Mister Sevan. I would like to see you whenever time is on your side. Please come to Motostoke's Gym and meet me when you feel hungry, as I would like to cook you a spicy meal. Signed, Kabu, the Fire Gym Leader of Motostoke.' Huh, now that's something you don't see every day."

"Oh shit! If Kabu is inviting you over and is going to cook you something spicy, then it for sure is going to light a fire in you!" Haru said with some excitement.

"Should I take that seriously coming from you? From what I heard, you nearly fainted when you tasted his food." Sevan teased with a cheeky smirk.

"I-it was hot, I swear, man! I'm just not a pepper head like you!"

Sevan tucked the letter away and glanced at the clock. If he could stay awake a few more hours, he'd be able to manage lunch that day with the Gym Leader who sent him that letter. "Uh huh. We'll see about that."

- - - - - Motostoke, Fire Gym - - - - -

- - - - - 1:05 PM - - - - -

Sevan made the trip to Motostoke after his stay at Stow-in-Side's Gym was finished. Shinrin walked along his side a bit closer than before when they entered as the typing of the Gym meant spotting several Fire-based Pokemon with their trainers. Fen and Chorui followed suit right behind them. Before he had a chance to ask about Kabu, the Gym Leader found him then waved him down. He'd have Sevan follow him down the hallways to the personal office and let the gentleman and his Pokemon in first.

When Sevan walked in, he took note of the immediate smell of curry. Before he was about to ask more about the details from the letter, however, he saw Kabu was bowing to him.

"Mister Sevan...I must apologize. I've been meaning to garner your attention for a visit for some time but personal events have not granted me this until now." Kabu stood up with a level of stoicness unmatched by the other Gym Leaders.

Shinrin yipped a little at Kabu, and looked up at Sevan, who rubbed his neck a little. "It's just 'Sevan'. Sorry if I'm still a little confused as to the reason of the letter."

Fen looked back at Kabu, who gave the Ninetails a patient smile. "Back then when us men were gathered at the Isle of Armor, you were there to stand by Haru's side when an uncharacteristic ruffian was not being so kind to him, much less others."

"!" Giving a double take, Sevan's eyes widened and he then knew exactly what was being brought up. "That night when Milo was being a drunken asshole." Chorui let out a loud squawk defensively as Shin's ears flattened and Fen grumbled a little with her fangs showing.

"Mmmm." He nodded once and crossed his arms. "It was unforgiveable. What was said that night I can't forget, and the actions have stayed with me since then." He gestured Sevan to make himself comfortable by a nearby dining table as there was a small kitchen to the side of it. A few pots were seen giving off the delicious aroma of curry from them as well as some rice. Sevan could see what he figured were containers of ground peppers and many herbs and spices. "Haru is someone I owe a great deal of respect to for his actions of Galar, and as a friend. Anyone that he sees as an equal is someone I too, in turn, find them the same."

Clenching one of his fists, Sevan remembered Milo's face that evening. "I still feel a need to punch his stupid, smug face in for letting the mask slip."

"With that all in mind, we're not here to discuss him. I'd like to know more about the gentleman that Haru befriended. For one thing, he told me you are a bit of a 'Pepper Head'." Kabu gave a smile as he stood in front of the pot and took a brief glance back in it.

Sevan's face perked up a little. The smell had been getting to him for some time.

- 5 minutes later -

"That was delicious, but do you have something a might stronger?" Sevan said with a smirk, having finished the plate in front of him, wiping the sweat from his brow with a confident smirk and looking at Kabu. Not only did the dish fully wake him up, but it was indeed very hot to him...but not anywhere near his limit.

Kabu just stared at him for a moment before laughing heartedly and slapped one of his knees. "Haha! Now that's a first! Lookitya! All that down the hatch and you aren't a wee bit wonky! Not one bit!" He stood up and took pride that someone could handle the heat he dished out before taking Sevan's plate. "Seeing you down that and not bat an eye to what I considered was one of my hotter curries really brings me back to my earlier days of training. Before I came here, that is..." He chuckled, having a flashback in his mind to his glory days.

"Vee...?" Shinrin looked concerned at Sevan, raising one of her forepaws as Sevan handwaved her off.

"I'm okay, Shin, don't worry." Sevan said then looked up at the Gym Leader with a raised brow. "Before you came here?"

Kabu returned with another serving then sat opposite of his guest. "Hoenn was my old home. I miss it often, but my duties and responsibilities keep me pretty busy here." His face went wistful, staring off to nowhere. "My records have had me here in Galar ever since my early 20s: roughly around your age. I haven't gone back since...but lately a part of me has felt it calling. Hmm."

The Fire Pokemon Gym Leader lowered his head and looked at the table. "Perhaps I should catch a boat ticket at some point."

It took Sevan by surprise to hear how someone else than him was from his home. A part of him decided it would be appropriate to open up just a smidge. "If there's anything I miss, it's the hot springs."

The mention made Kabu close his eyes. "Mmm. Lavaridge Town. Heh. The baths in Circhester don't amount close to the comfort the hot springs there bring. Sure, there was the Pokemon-exclusive hot spring, but all the same there's something about a Lavaridge Town Hot Spring. Mmm." He held up one hand as if remembering the sensation of the humid air in a hot spring. "I remember resting there after my morning regiments, and how it helped me re-focus on that day." He inhaled through the nose and exhaled slowly with a nostalgic melancholy hitting him. "I do hope Flannery is doing well these days. I should write to see how her Gym is operating nowadays."

Readjusting his uniform, Sevan took another heat filled bite of the flaming hot curry. He too, missed his home. He stared into a part of his place with a seemingly empty yet thousand-yard glance.

"You've been plucking at your suit for a moment. Is everything fine?" Kabu asked.

"No. Yes. Eh...I'm just not used to wearing a Gym Uniform. Ever since Oleana had me placed at Stow-in-Side's Gym, I haven't been able to get into a rhythm like I used to be in." Sevan set the spoon down for his meal with some expressed fatigue.

Folding his arms, Kabu scratched his chin. "Ever since you caused that scene at her Gym, hmm? Well if you're saying it in that manner, then you can't just be referring to your time in the league. You make it sound as if you had it thrust upon you unwillingly...or that you are having trouble finding your own place amidst the timing of the league. Am I close?"

He felt it challenging to give a direct answer, so Sevan just took another hotter-than-Earth spoonful of the curry. "Maybe."

It would have been inappropriate for him to grill a guest he only started to get to know, so Kabu hummed and tried to focus on choosing his words carefully. "Did you know that I hold the reputation in Galar as being the Gym Leader where a great majority of trainers stop? That I alone am responsible for so many possible careers coming to an early end?"

All of Sevan's Pokemon looked at Kabu in a synced double take of disbelief. Sevan's eyes widened. "Huh. No, I wasn't aware of that."

The Gym Leader nodded once. "It is a role I must take pride in considering the trials that led to it." He searched within a pocket of his own and pulled out his rarer league card. On it was a picture of himself in his youth as Gym Leader. "This League Card reminds me of a time where what it took to stay my position where I'm at now was more than just hopes and dreams. I can barely recall the period where I lost my Gym Leader position, lost my chances of becoming Champion, and even decided to go on a no-holds-barred approach for my fights." He laughed, thinking back to it.

"You weren't the Fire Gym Leader because you LOST it at one point? Not just lose a battle, but the position itself?" Sevan asked with a slight disbelief in his tone.

"Yes. Things here in Galar have been complicated with us Gym Leaders." Kabu's face went melancholic. "At one point my pride was hit as this Gym was demoted to being just a minor division. Things were grim for awhile, back then. Hmm. Yes."

"Man...Galar forcing certain Gym Leaders to have their Gyms become 'minor league' is such an alien concept to me. If you have a Gym, you have a Gym. That should be the end of it. 8 badges, and you're good." Sevan said with some confusion on the matter, but felt it unnecessary to ask more.

"I agree, but despite that, it was Leon, and furthermore, Haru, that helped me regain my fiery spirit. If it wasn't for the odd diamond in the rough who knew how to persist and look at Pokemon beyond the heat of battle, my flame probably would have died out long ago." He bowed again briefly to Sevan whilst sitting and sat straight after with a bigger smile. "I can tell just by observing you how much you too understand those bonds." He glanced to the trio of Pokemon Sevan always kept at his side.

"Thanks. For both that, and the meal." Sevan said, before pointing a finger at him. "In the future, I'd like to have something even hotter, though!" He'd declare this despite the sweat on his forehead that was being ignored.

Shaking his head in bemusement, Kabu just sighed before chuckling."Well then! Next time it will be made with my homegrown Dusknoir and Gengar Pepper blend!"

Sevan flashed a thumbs up of approval to that before fully finishing his plate.

- - - - - Sinnoh, Airport - - - - -

- - - - - 6:20 AM, 4 hours before departure - - - - -

"This time of the morning shouldn't exist..." Syra said sleepily, yawning as she sat at a terminal, awaiting for her plane to arrive for the trip back home: Galar. Sinnoh had been very welcoming, but she was beginning to miss the convenience of several things that home brought with it. Tsukiyomi was too sleepy and exhausted to walk by her side around the airport, so he sat in a carry-on bag, quietly snoozing as his silver fur shone under the fluorescent lighting.

Sinnoh was a tourist attraction of a region, so Syra had expected the airport would pick up soon in the morning hubbub. Yet it stayed relatively muted for her stay. /All the more welcome for me to get some extra shut-eye./ she thought to herself, checking the estimated arrival time of the plane and then looking at a hanging clock nearby on the wall. Tipping her old, original cap downward to act as a makeshift eyemask, she would lean at an angle on the chair, hoping that nobody that knew her would come to bother this early in the morning.

"Miss Champion. I'm glad I caught you before leaving." came a nearby voice.

She was wrong. No extra shut-eye for now.

Lifting the cap and looking back with slightly tired eyes, Syra saw who it was addressing her. "Oh, Dawn! Hey, good morning. What has you up this early? You going somewhere too?"

"Actually...for once this IS a social call meeting. I'm not going anywhere but I did want to give you something before leaving. You and I have a lot of things in common, and there are some ways that you are quite a bit different. But one thing I have come to really appreciate from you is how sincere you are, and how you're willing to improve yourself despite your challenges. I know you've been through a lot...and I want to help you."

Syra blinked twice, and stood up to make the atmosphere less awkward; doing her best to not disturb the sleeping Eevee near her. "Help how?"

Dawn inhaled and pursed her lips. "We both have crowds who focus on negative parts of our life, but yours is a much more recent example of trying to walk away from your traumas. Some unsavory people don't want you to forget, so, I decided to entrust you with something special." She reached into the pack that laid on her hips and pulled out an Ultra Ball. Dawn brought out her Pokedex in the other, free hand, and scrolled until it showed Syra an image of a floating, small, fairy-like Pokemon.

Syra gasped.

"Wait a minute, come on..." She looked around her and tried to hide it a little by pushing it back to Dawn by putting her hands on top of Dawn's. "I can't accept this."

"But you will. It is the Willpower Pokemon, Syra. Azelf. One of Sinnoh's Lake Guardians. A very important Pokemon, I think, for your future. According to one of our many legends, this Pokemon's role can change the willpower of people quite easily. For you? I think it will help you gain the determination to face even greater challenges that your life will throw at you." Dawn said easily as if to recite from an encyclopedia.

The Galarian Champion understood then why Dawn would choose a Pokemon like that for her as a gift, and blushed. "...sometimes I have to ignore what my detractors say. That by itself has been the hardest thing for me. Before all of 'this', I would have retaliated and try to beat up people for bringing my dirty laundry up. But now, I can't. It's not right, and unless it's someone or something that gets under my skin, I don't say anything back. Azelf, I guess, would help me become a stronger leader for Galar though, huh?"

The Champion of Sinnoh nodded, and then pushed back to Syra so she could take it. "Indeed. Please take care of it, okay? I trained Azelf myself, and talked with it last night. They are prepared to meet you when you are willing. I understand if it takes some time, but I feel it's right for you."

Syra wrapped her arms around Dawn and pressed against her. Dawn, surprised, gasped, but then reciprocated the hug with her own right back. Tears budded on the ends of Syra's eyes. "Thank you. I promise I'll take care of him."

Dawn waved farewell to Syra after handing Azelf over to her, and walked off. Sitting back down, Tsukiyomi stirred as the Ultra Ball was placed carefully next to him. Looking back at Dawn as she left, Syra then went back to her lazy posture to catch some pre-flight shut-eye.

...but not before lifting her cap again and getting another view of the cute skirt Dawn was wearing and then blushing, thinking about it. She briefly giggled, thinking how nice it would be to have another extended visit with Dawn sometime in the future.

- - - - - Hulbury, Outside Town Hall Offices - - - - -

- - - - - 4 P.M. - - - - -

Haru and Nessa exited together from a large, pasty white building and waved lightly to a pair of policemen that quietly standing outside the double doors. They just finished one of their more important steps for their upcoming wedding and were beaming. Gripping the certificate on all sides, Haru stared down at a piece of paper that was notorized, and for all intents and purposes, solidified the upcoming union.

It read...

~~'The Province of Hulbury, Galar'

I, the undersigned, Judge Gary of the Hulbury Court, within and for the province of Hulbury and Galar, have licensed and do hereby

~ ~ License and Authorize ~ ~

Mr. Haru

Ms. Nessa

to be joined in Marriage. ~~

Nessa stood next to Haru and stared down at the date and signatures on it, then hugged onto him tightly. The couple embraced each other, not saying anything for a moment. Sniffling, Nessa lightly buried her face onto Haru's shoulder.

"Babe?" Haru asked, feeling his own emotions swell up all the same.

Looking back at him, the dark skinned Gym Leader wiped an eye and gave a light laugh through flushed cheeks. "It's just..." She laughed. "A part of me almost wanted to take you by the hand and say 'Fuck it' and go see the priest down the hall, and marry you right then and there. But at that point the other part of my brain kicked in. I thought 'Sheesh, and after all this planning? Haru wouldn't see me in my dress! It'd be a waste not to at least get that reaction out of him!'". Sharing the humor of the moment, Haru laughed with her and gave a shrug.

"Just seeing your name on a piece of legal documentation like this really sets it in. I'm going to marry the love of my life..." He grinned with a goofy disposition.

"Ah...that does remind me. I wanted to ask you something and...promise not to chortle at me?" Nessa asked, taking hold of his hand and walking with him as they would head to a nearby walkway. It was one of few moments where Haru did a double-take of disbelief at her.

"Why would you think I'd do that? There's no reason I would make fun of you." Haru said earnestly, giving a light squeeze of her hand while they crossed the street to the one opposing it.

"Well, y'know, as a model there's a lot of things I'm privy to but this thing I'm curious on is just something that's alluded me." She looked to him. Haru nodded, as she had his full undivided attention. "What's the dress code for concerts? When I do walkways down the catwalk there's always a string of outfits that I, and other models, wear and it's usually to something contemporary playing over the speakers. It usually depends on the client." Nessa said, rolling her eyes a little. "To contrast that for my solo shoots, the only thing I hear is the person directing me for the poses and the camera shutters that follow. But I know that concerts have certain 'fandoms' and ways of dressing to be 'in'."

He found her way of asking about it to be cute, but Haru answered earnestly. "So you want a way to blend 'in' for fans like myself? Well from the few concert videos I've watched and the crowds in them...it seems to vary. Folks gravitate to graphic shirts with art spreads of album or EP artwork. You can usually count on fans doing that, or wearing glowsticks and reflective paint on their body. Anything they can to look 'electro punk' for these guys from Kalos."

The couple stopped at a crosswalk and he looked up to her from the side. "I can show you."

Nessa smirked, looking back. "Okay . Show me."

"For example...!" Haru said, spreading his arms outwards as he slid a couple of meters across the living room floor.

Nessa was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed and hands resting on a knee with her Drednaw, Toxapex and Quagsire all out of their balls next to her. They were his audience.

Her lips pursed and squinted her eyes at him. "...that's just what you used to wear before you stuck to the Steel-type color for your league outfits."

"Quag!" her Quagsire said absent mindedly.

Haru squatted and pointed with both hands at them. "Exactly! I chose specifically to represent as a fan of the Gyms! Long hoodies, baggy pants too! Now imagine us in a crowd with, oh I don't know, THOUSANDS of other dishy folks just celebrating one united theme in their own way. Music lovers of D.P. and the whole of electronica and Kalosian House music."

Nessa's Toxapex wobbled over to where he was at and posed with him, making him chuckle. "Point is, is that there's not really a 'dress code'. I don't want you to go to this worried about not being 'in'. You'd only get funny glances for wearing a formal dress. But oh! Toxapex, you somehow reminded me!"

The water/poison Pokemon blinked at him and gasped. "I want you to know what you're getting into since you're kinda..."

Nessa was unsure where he was leading with this and turned her head to the side. "...kinda what?"

"I dunno. Coming into something that you may or may not like?" Haru said, embarrassed. His expression went sheepish. "I'm aware I've bugged you a few times in the past with my musical tastes...but I also know you're really excited about going."

His fiancé giggled and took a deep breath. "I'm going because it's something you're passionate about and are excited for: why wouldn't I want to join you in it when we got tickets?"

Haru didn't have an answer at first. "...I don't know. You're a proper supermodel and you're with a goofball like me, and we've had our fair share of moments."

"Okay, fair. Though..." Nessa thought hard about it, turning her head to the side to ponder about it long-term. "...that leaves you out currently."

"I got my duds decided." Haru said before feeling his Rotom Phone vibrate. It was a notification from Amiri's number, asking if he could pick up Syra from the airport when she arrives. Her arrival wouldn't be for another 11 hours. Taking a glance at the clock, Haru would have to plan around and make sure he'd be able to be awake enough to make sure Syra got back home safely.

"Ah. Well, there is that, I suppose. I guess she can't make the trip herself." He looked to Nessa tentatively. "You wanna come with?"

She looked back at him coyly. "I'm not so certain I would be a good guest for her returning home given I'm not used to being up late. You're used to late night: you can go." she tapped his hand. "Maybe you can see if Sam is up for it? Have you checked in with him in awhile?"

"Good idea. Could make a fun visit out of it with another friend tagging along."

- - - - Wyndon Penthouse Flats, Wyndon - - - -

- - - - Outside Dining Area - - - -

"Laaaaaaaaaaaaa-axxxx" A drowsy Snorlax bellowed as Sam walked over carrying a large bowl of food for it. Around him the others were laying on the floor in a post-battle rest. "I know, I know it took a bit, but you were doing good today, so I had to take time and make this fresh for you!" Sam said almost in an apologetic way to his large Normal type Pokemon.

The always sleepy Pokemon just nodded at him and then started eating. His Gallade, Dragonite, Charizard, Typhlosion, Meganium, and Feraligatr all equally taking a moment to either flex on each other for how they did during their sparring session or, as always common, pine for attention from Sam since he ended up unable to stop himself from spoiling them from their initial forms onward.

Going to his Feraligatr after digging into his backpack for a Hyper Potion, he calmed the water type down. "Hey hey...it's fine. We probably won't be entering this league here but you never know when our skills will be needed, right?"

The Charizard took a glance at him and huffed in protest: its nostrils spewing some tiny flames as if to go 'Oh brother here he goes'.

His Gallade turned to the others before almost giving a 'scoff' to his master, and then called out to him. Sam blinked at it. "Hey, look! You all were there when things went south before, and I don't wanna risk losing you or anyone else! Right now as we speak Haru is practically paired with Syra as this region's go-to defense! Johto doesn't need me so...you know."

His team looked at him, with his Feraligatr turning its head a little to the side in confusion when its Hyper Potion worked its magic.

Sam sighed and ruffled his fingers through his hair. "Sorry guys. Maybe I'm overthinking this and the whole thing of feeling like I'm useless is just getting to me."

"Which would be something considering you told me you had gotten over it." Came a womanly voice from the room divider. It was Oleana, his lover, who had come home early after a long series of meetings. Boxed dinner in hand, her hand tapped on the couch cushion next to her as she came to join Sam and his Pokemon. His Typhlosion would immediately go to snuggle up to her side, with her Salazzle coming out of its ball and talking to the others.

A level of shame hit Sam as he didn't want her to think he was holding anything back. When his friends Sevan and Haru caught him and cut his gambling habit at the kneecaps, he knew it was high time to change some things about himself. But ever since then he was struggling internally. Was it homesickness? Jealousy for his friends? Oleana tapped on the couch again, huffing. "C'mon. Sit! Talk to me...what's going on with you?"

Sitting down next to her, Sam gave a weak smile and shrugged. "I feel like the answer is on the tip of my tongue, but it keeps escaping me. I want to feel like I can be of use here instead of maybe just as 'backup' for another disaster. You guys don't have an 'Elite Four' here, but your league is just as intense as any of the others I visited in other regions. I came to Galar to be with you, and I plan on sticking to that. But..."

Taking a bite of a roll of tempura shrimp sushi, Oleana downed it and commented. "I can get you a job inside the league, Sam. You can help handle international relations; be a part of the team that helps us work with others for our big events!"

"But won't that threaten you? Us?" Sam turned to her with his arms out in surrender.

Oleana couldn't help but feel a level of frustration. This was a topic that she had only had with him a couple of times before, but this was encroaching on new territory. Perhaps there was a way she could steer the mood away, she thought. "Are you doing this because you think you need to be active...for yourself? Like you'll feel guilty if you aren't doing something 'productive'? Does it really bother you that much what I am because of what title I possess?"

Thankfully Sam was able to answer immediately rather than ruminating on it. "It's not like that, but I think currently I'm unable to find a purpose. Take Team Rocket for example. I thought they would be gone for good, but they ended up coming back. In between investigations, I would find anyone and everyone to fight with in order to strengthen everyone here."

"GROWGHhhh!" His Charizard bellowed, almost with pride, at the number of times he was able to come in with a victory for them in the past.

The Chairman looked down at her boxed dinner and lightly fiddled with one of her uneaten rolls. Her lips pursed and for once, she looked sad. "Do I...make you feel inferior?"

"What? No!" Sam barked instantly.

It was Oleana's turn to bark back. "Then why are you so worried about things happening to me, then?! Do you not think I can take care of myself? Of the others around me: you included?!"

"Because I didn't think I would have a life where I don't have to look over my shoulders! Or rush to a new region to try and save it because I got complacent!" Sam said, then looked away from Oleana, frowning. "When I actually was Champion of Johto, my hometown didn't have anything to worry about. Then one day, it did, and it all occurred so fast that I could have easily picked it apart before it grew into the near warmongering problem it became!"

/Well I suppose that adds up./ Oleana thought to herself. The couple went quiet with each other. Sam's Meganium whined, seeing the tension between the two before laying down. "That day when Rocket took over the Golden Tower must have lived rent free in your mind since then. You feel you have to over compensate to make up for lost time. That's why when you came here, you've stayed adament in making sure it was over." She placed a patient hand on top of his own, and he clasped onto it. "But it's over. It's out of your hands now."

He gave in. Sam wouldn't protest. "Then...I guess it's because I don't have any useful or applicable skills or talents."

He'd see that Oleana raised the quickest eyebrow in confusion at that. "My hearing must be going because you said you have no talents or skills, which is false. Did you forget that my previous employer tried to recruit you?" She'd reach over and pinch his cheek.

"Hah. Well okay, look at Haru! He's a new Gym Leader for a typing that needed representation in the league. You're working with him on a sanctuary being built, and he studied really hard to be properly licensed for that job."

The Chairman nodded and held up some wasabi before smearing it on another roll. "Indeed."

"Syra is the new Champion, and Sevan is doing pretty good for himself at Bea's Gym right? Sonia and Hop are collaborating with each other on the daily with new research. Compared to them, I think I just come off as some guy past his prime."

His girlfriend frowned at him, then put away her boxed dinner before extending an arm around his shoulders. "Hon. For one thing, you're way too young to start worrying about being 'past your prime'. Here's something to consider: Did Haru tell you that he mentally fought himself to even come up with the ideas for what he's doing now over the course of a YEAR? During his FIRST year as Champion?"

Sam leaned into the arm around his shoulders and pondered that fact. "I suppose it makes sense, then. I was unaware it took him so long..."

One of her fingers went under his chin and tilted it upwards to look up at her. "You don't have to be as fast as him or anyone else to prove anything."

"I know that. I just can't help but compare myself. Sure, I was a hero and Champion for Johto, and even had a stint interacting with interpol, but that time's gone. Galar is a great place and I want to contribute to it, but I don't know how to it!"

Sam went a little sheepish. "At one point I thought perhaps I could work with you, but that would be unethical cuz of our relationship, and I don't want you to get into trouble with the board members."

Now those were challenging words to Oleana, and she had just the comeback. "What makes you think I give a shit if some old crusty men make a kerfuffle?"

She made him do a double-take. "A-ah...?"

/Got him./ She thought valiantly. "I can understand your point. Here's the best I can tell you: at this point you are doing a better impression than my…previous employer. Back then it wasn't uncommon that some coots figured he and I had something going but…well I never saw it that way. Always minding my p's and q's, it wasn't worth addressing." Oleana sighed, thinking back to more embarrassing times with Rose. "Someone like Rose is a bit more of a head case that I didn't enjoy having to control. You? You're not only easy, but you're easy to explain to others."

She leaned down and gave him a kiss then sat up straight and confident. "How about that, jerk? Supermodels from Hulbury aren't the only ones pairing up with an Ex-Champion now are they?" Oleana smiled, hoping that compliment would hit home for him.

Sam chuckled lightly. Oleana knew exactly what to say to him. "I...I really appreciate that babe...and I'm sorry about what I said."

"No you're not. Gimme your hand again." She extended her own and aimed for his left one. Holding onto it she reached briefly into a pocket and then slid a pretty ring on his ring finger. It had a pair of twisting bands of gold and silver with the jewels in the middle in a PokeBall arrangement. "NOW you're sorry." she said with an unusual smug look as she propped her chin up with a hand palm-side-up.

His brain had suddenly felt a confusing number of feelings as his cheeks heated up. Oleana began giggling with how flustered Sam got. "W-w-w-w...wait...WAIT! What?! Oleana this-...this is an..."

"Uh huh. Use your words." Oleana grinned, having her legs crossed and looking at him smugly.

"An engagement ring..?!"

"Oof, yes. Took you awhile. So. What's your answer, tough guy?" She said in a challenging tone.

"YES!" Sam laughed and hugged onto Oleana as the two exchanged kisses. It would not be for several minutes before she pulled away.

"Let's leave and get married RIGHT. NOW. Not even tell anyone."

"Seriously...?" Sam asked, a might flustered.

The woman nodded "Yes. Fuck it, why not?"

- - - Wyndon Registration Office, Wyndon - - -

- /1.5 hours later/ -

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." Said the gentleman who was the priest at the official ordained office. Oleana held onto him and kissed deeply, before sprinting out of said office and the building with Sam laughing. The pair had ran by some unassuming office workers, with one casually asking 'Wait, wasn't that the Chairman?'

As the double doors opened, Oleana felt like a little girl who could fly, laughing as she squeezed Sam's hand. "Gods this is exhilarating! Sam! The world is our oyster! You. Are now. A part of me. And I'm you."

He caught up to her and squeezed her hand back before looking at the paper that made it official. "Oleana, I love you. To the moon and back. I can't believe it... we're married..."

"Now..." She took off the makeshift veil and flashed her credit card. Name a region. Any region. Let's go there for our honeymoon. I'll get our tickets, we get our clothes and Pokemon, and leave A.S.A.P."

Excitedly, Sam thought up of suggestions. "Let's go to Kalos, no wait, Paldea!"

/Cheeky devil/ Not even considering that she waved down a Corviknight Cabbie, Oleana had leaned in very close to him. A hand of hers slinking between them and gripping his groin area. "All to see me in a swimsuit on a private beach? Okay, then, but you...are going to put a baby into me when we get there." Oleana said before giving a teasing nibble before running off to the nearby cabbie for a Corviknight, daring him to chase her to it.

"Oleana! No, no! You get back here!"

The two were heard laughing pretty much all the way to the point of the cab lifting off the ground.

- - - - - Wyndon National Airport, Wyndon - - - - -

- - - - - 3:17 A.M. - - - - -

As sure as the populace kept Wyndon alive, the skies were lit up by the moon, trainers were training, performers strolled through the streets, and all but a few Corviknight Sky Taxis were up early to rise...or stayed up for their graveyard shifts. The airport was one of few areas where Haru could go in Wyndon that was still active, but quieter inside than outside.

/Ugh. 2 AM isn't real./ He thought to himself. Going up an escalator Haru passed by a small crowd of tourists from another region, and did a double-take when he saw the current clock. /Ah. Right. 3 AM. I can't read for shit./ The long waiting for Syra to arrive from Sinnoh meant Haru would end up meandering around the airport doing whatever he could to kill time. To save his own boredom, and to have a companion with him, Nora joined him for the morning. Wyndon's National Airport was large and full of stores, picturesque snippets of Galar, a booth for currency exchange, a set of Pokemon-specific walkways, and several high class and fast-food restaurants. With nary a few of the concessions and eateries open, Haru could enjoy the dull tranquil ambience of the early morning.

At first this meant doing laps around the interior, eventually reaching the hallways where he's expecting his friend to come back.

...for at least a short while. The poor Eeveelution wasn't used to being up at this hour and had taken to sleeping across a few seats. "It's okay girl, you go sleep okay?" Haru said softly, giving the Glaceon some pats on her head while she looked back at him.

Standing near a group of digital arrival/departure flights screens, an updated log came up on the marquee from Sinnoh. He squinted his eyes and saw Syra would still be an hour away. "Aye, there's Syra's flight. Sorry Nora, I know you'd be a lot less bored if Sam was able to answer his phone messages and he brought his buddies with him. Can't imagine what kept him so detached from replying."

She yawned long and loud, making some ice build up a little on the chairs she was occupying. /Well, if he's with Oleana, he's fine. I won't think too much of it./ Haru thought to himself. Taking off his jacket and putting it around Nora as a makeshift blanket, he'd find a spot along the carpeted floor and started doing squats in place. /I'm still a little sore from today with Sev, but that's no reason to slouch...!/

"30...31...32...33...34...35...36...37...38...39..." Haru slowly sat on the floor, panting. "Okay...40 squats for now. Let's just...take a moment." /No use overdoing it here. I may tire myself out and get too drowsy waiting for Syra./

He sat down on the floor near where Nora was snoozing and plucked at his shirt. It gave less of a tug than it used to, causing his eyebrow to raise. /...did this shrink in the wash or something?/ Huh. That was a new thought. He had been training with Sevan real stringently for a short while but already felt he was getting some form of results. He wasn't complacent about his position in life, and compared to when he was a fresh face as Galar's new Champion, the times he found himself second-guessing every important action had dwindled significantly.

His eyes glaze over for a moment as one of the several dynamic advertisements on an airport billboard showed application dates for the letters of endorsement; a requirement for Galar's League. It showed Syra in her new look holding a blank envelope with the official stamp on it, and as such would cycle between her, the other Gym Leaders, or himself. /That's such an old picture of me they're still using. I really have changed a lot, huh./

A bell jingle is heard ringing over the speakers, causing Haru to look towards the ceiling.

'Flight 0219 from Sinnoh to Galar will be arriving at Gate S09 in 30 minutes. Flight 0219 from Sinnoh to Galar will be arriving at Gate S09 in 30 minutes...'

Haru sighed with relief. Finally, she was coming back soon.

- - - 30 minutes later - - -

He got his wakeup when Syra appeared surprised by his arrival, ran to him and gave him a big bear hug going "Haruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu~ good morning, man! Great to see you!"

His face, slightly muffled through her chest, looked up at her as Nora yipped happily at Tsukiyomi, who arrived right alongside her. "Yo. Your mom texted me to pick you up in lieu of her coming here, so I'm your ride back."

She put him down and raised an eyebrow. "Huh? So Mom ISN'T here and you're my ride back huh? I guess something must have come up if she had to get some proper sleep." She looked at him and hummed. "Well...at least this'll make the gifts I got you a lot easier to give. C'mon, let's go pick up my bags." She gestured with a handwave with Haru blinking.

"WH-...you got me something? Syra, you didn't have to do that." Nora and Tsukiyomi followed, with the Eevee hopping onto the lone backpack Syra was wearing and having his face stick out at the top.

"Nonsense. They have this crazy place where I was able to find some pretty rare stuff, so how could I not bring some home for my friends? You oughta see what I snagged at Ramanas Park!" She grinned proudly, lightly tapping on her chest and chuckling.

They pass through a hallway and head downstairs to await the underground railway system that'd take passengers to and fro other parts of the large airport. "Let me guess, you got some legendaries you plan on showing me eh?"

"Not just legendaries, but..." Syra would turn and poke him square in the center of his forehead. "I think I'm just gonna let you squirm for a little bit trying to guess what they are for now. It's more fun that way." She got a laugh at his immediate flustered expression.

"Oh you're really stitching me up, huh. Is that what I get for coming here?" He huffed.

"Now now, Haru. What fun would it be if I laid out all my cards all at once, hmm?" Syra asked as the railway doors opened, then closed with them going inside. "Besides, I snagged you some other things that I hope can be of use..at least I hope. I couldn't get a proper answer from Lucas or Professor Rowan."

He dropped the frustrated face as Nora tilted her head, looking up at Syra. "Vee!"

"Yeah, Nora also seems surprised by that as I am. Some collectible?"

"For now just come along with me, okay? I gotta talk someone's ear off, for all the buggers on the plane snorin'." Syra said, trying to avoid a sudden rush of a crowd walking past her and Haru. For a brief second, she swore she heard someone call out to her, making her glance. As Haru catches up, he sees her glancing around.

"Missing something?"

"Hmmm..."

A bell rang overhead, announcing another flight arrival for departures, which distracted her. She signaled Haru to just continue following her. It appeared this was within the timespan most people boarding morning flights the most: she hadn't expected a sudden burst of people.

'Flight D018 from Galar to Almia is now boarding...at Gate A15...'

/Well at least nobody is stopping me for photos or a handshake/ Syra thought to herself momentarily.

At the luggage/bag retrieval area, the pair would wait for everything from Syra's flight to come down the baggage carousel. The wait was short, and once retrieved, Syra would dive into a compartment of the biggest of her bags and handed Haru a small bag of stones. "Here."

"These are the things you said they couldn't identify at Sinnoh?" He asked, taking a glance at the peculiar stones; both emitting a small glow upon being held.

"The theory that Lucas gave me is that they may be undiscovered or otherwise uncategorized power stones. Something that wouldn't be far off from the stones Kalos people use for Mega Evolution, or the Z-stones from Alola." Syra explained, zipping her bag back up then propping it onto the wheels.

Squinting at them closer, Haru could sense something within trying to reach out. It was faint. He shrugged it off and put it back, then took the other remaining luggage that Syra had on hand. "Well I guess I can ask Sonia or see if anyone else here knows anything. As long as these don't unlock some ultimate evil or something, I suppose there's no harm in keeping them for myself, either." He pocketed it, then followed her outside.

"So...what else was there? What was it like being in Sinnoh, one of the great locations of Pokemon mythos and discovery?" He asked, while they wait for a Sky Taxi to eventually be available.

Syra had to think about it. Her instinct really wanted to jump the gun and tell Haru what she discovered about his ancestry, but had to hold the urge to see his reaction. At least for now. She turned to him. "Well for one thing, they've made peace with Team Galactic. The group has somehow reintegrated into society there...much to the initial conflict of those not in-the-know about them. Found out Dawn had to go through just as bad, if not worse time than I did when she became Champion..."

Just like her master, Nora shook her head and gave a double-take as both her and him responded. "What the fuck?"

"Vee?"

"But she's one of the most revered Champions there is! She's the one who defeated Cynthia! Heck, if anyone in general is respectable it's them!" Haru exclaimed.

"You're not wrong, Haru, but that wasn't enough for some folks in her region. Some of them went like tabloids and spread nasty rumors about what happened to Team Galactic's leader, and how it was 'suspicious' only she and Looker knew exactly what happened while being unable to produce the culprit." Syra would explain, and sighing when she recalled the conversation all over again. "It died out after awhile, but it did lead to Dawn becoming a little more jaded than when she got the title."

The both of them frowned. Knowing the sudden shift in responsibility of becoming Champion was a relatable thing they could confide in the other with, but only Syra could more directly relate on naysayers crying foul on her accomplishment. "Knowing that much, I made sure to be as good of a guest to Dawn as I could be, since she showed me around a few places, and Lucas bought me dinner too!" She smiled, thinking back to the memories.

Haru noticed her cheeks went red. "Dawn is a pretty cool person, huh?"

"Mmhmm. The coolest! I hope I'm even half the woman she is when my legacy starts to build!" Not hiding her red cheeks and smiling wide back to him.

He folded his arms together. "I wouldn't know about that, Syra."

"Huh?"

"I think you're coming pretty well into your own groove, already."

A Corviknight Sky Taxi had landed nearby and was letting its passengers exit. Syra just kept smiling and held her hands behind her back. "Thank you, Haru. I'll always appreciate that when the chips were down, you were one of the first people to have faith in me when nobody else did. It's one of the things that helped me go through the League in record time when I did my second attempt."

"Wow, really?" He asked.

She turned away from him to just politely wave down the Sky Taxi cabbie and sighed. The trip and recent events had her thinking about a lot of things. /In another life, I hope you're mine, because you're really my type of guy./ Her mind reminded her then and there, however, the pairing of his ancestors, and just exhaled through the nose.

"...Syra?"

"hmm?" She turned back to him. "What?"

"I...was curious if what you said was true. About your second attempt."

"Hehehe...yeah. It is."

- - - - - Syra's Home, Circhester - - - - -

- - - - - 5:15 AM - - - - -

The sun wasn't going to rise just yet, but Syra could start to feel her energy match the displaced timezone. Jumping from Sinnoh back to her homeland had a slow, but eventual effect on her. /I'm probably going to try sleeping a little after lunch...if I can last until noon./ She thought to herself, unlocking the front door and walking in quietly. It felt weird to be back home after seeing what Sinnoh was like, but as Tsukiyomi reminded her, there was no place like home. "Well little man, we're back home..."

"veeeEeeeEee..." He replied, glancing around with sleepiness in his eyes. Going straight to her room, he pawed at the door. As Syra entered, the first thing she saw was a note from her mother atop a large stack of fanmail.

'Good morning, dear! I picked up your fanmail and decided to give you something to go through since you may still be wide awake when you get here. If you make breakfast, just make sure to be quiet, and I'll see you later in the day. Love you dearly, Mom'.

Putting the note aside, Syra whistled at the stack and set down her bags softly. "Well then...hey Tsuki."

"Vee." The shiny Eevee looked at her as he hopped on her bed.

"Wanna read some mail with me?"

The Eevee smiled and then sat down with her.

The pair would open and be reading letters for over an hour. Syra dismissed a few since they were short letters that were nothing but love confessions, whereas a few were conversational. She got a laugh out of some of them, however. A few were drawings from kids in hospitals. A few had photos to showcase them watching her League Videos, with one being a party of a whole family watching her fighting Haru. "Man we're tearing through so many of these...but not one with an unsolicited dick picture."

Tsukiyomi just shook his head. "Yeah Tsuki, I'm glad too. Oh hey look!" She flashed a beige colored envelope to him. "I recognize this guy! He's one of the fans who writes me a lot. I think he's going to school, or is going? I think I got that right..." the front of the envelope said it was from an 'Isaac'. Syra tore it open and then started reading.

She cleared her throat. " '"Dear Syra, how are you? I hope everything is going well for you. This letter may come late, and it may be the last one I write to you for awhile. Maybe forever, I'm uncertain. Regardless, the timing of this is on me: I've been preparing for a lot of things lately. I guess you know what that's like, right?'"

Syra shook her head in disbelief. "Wait a second...last letter ever? That...that doesn't sound..." The thoughts left her and Syra kept reading. "'I know I said this on your fansite but I want to say congratulations once again to becoming our champion! You've been working so hard to become Galar's champion that I know the moment probably replays in your head, doesn't it?' Heh. You've said it, man."

She could comment for a moment, as if this were a phone conversation.

"'Like I said before, I've been watching your career ever since you started over two years ago. But as you've been an inspiration to me to challenge myself, words are hollow if I don't do anything. It's been eating away at me but for as much as I talked about schooling...it's time I actually act. I wish I could see you in person when you do your very first fan meeting at Wyndon in a month, but I can't make it there now. I am going to aim to complete the 'Operator and Ranger Resource Management' course from Almia and become a registered Operator. That means I could be the last line of defense with a Pokemon Ranger for any region that demands them!'"

She blinked. Her mind flashed back to the words Lucas said before she left Sinnoh.

/

"Hey. You told me a little bit about Pokemon Rangers before, but one thing you said has been bugging me. Something about their low numbers. Why is that? If they don't do Pokemon battles and are talented users who keep the peace, why aren't there more like police officers or other forces like them?"

Lucas thought long and hard before answering. "I guess I didn't go into details, so that's on me." He took a deep breath. "Rangers encounter the most dangerous work the likes of which rival what you or anyone else does. They have easily made enemies that could rival Team Rocket, or worse. Nowadays, Rangers are rare because of the mortality rate that comes with the job. If not them, then their Operators: the folks responsible for assisting them. You can't have a Ranger without an Operator, and if you take out one, you handicap the other."

Syra looked frozen and pale, looking back at Lucas. "You're telling me that at one point there were groups concentrated enough to take down Rangers...for sport? For revenge?"

He frowned. "Syra...I...I'm saying it's so dangerous that getting any recruitment at all is difficult. Each year it's less and less. They used to be considered a military-like force. Nowadays? Well..."

/

Syra shook her head and then kept reading. " 'I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me. I wish I could see you in person but the time you read this I'll be on a plane for Almia and the Official Ranger Academy that will be teaching me. I got my confirmation letter a few months back.'" Syra found herself suddenly increasing in volume at the next sentence. "'I won't be coming back home for 4 years if everything goes well at school.'"

Her mind blanked and she continued, standing up. "Wait a minute, you can't be serious, mate!" She bit her lip, going on. "'It's going to honestly suck not being able to catch your league matches live. 4 years of being unable to record my own tape as you take down challengers is gonna bite, but I think I'll manage. I hope my room allows me to at least put up posters of your merch. Once I become an Operator, I'll be automatically assigned to a region and Ranger where I will be their paired Operator for all time. At least, that's what I've learned so far, anyway! I'm crossing my fingers I can get to Kalos, because at least that will be close, but if not, then I'm glad I was at least able to see your stuff as a Galarian while in Galar! You'll probably be Champion for a very long time if what you did before is anything to go by! For now I'll do my best in school and I try to keep up with your amazing career in post. Maybe I'll make a friend there. I and the rest of your fans love you! Take care of yourself!

Yours truly,

Isaac.'"

Thinking there was something more to it for a moment, something fell from the envelope. Picking it up, Syra held it up and gasped. It was a selfie of Isaac holding the acceptance letter. Seeing him for the first time now, she blinked. He was a relatively good looking man of brown skin, short red hair, wide stature with a wide grin and wearing a graphic shirt of her from her online store. Was he the person who she thought may have been calling out to her at the airport? She wouldn't know.

/Here I thought I was going to be okay and not let myself take to heart what a random fan tells me. There's so many of them. I can't let it get to me. I can't let it get to me.../

She couldn't stop thinking about the dangers of the upcoming job for someone like him, knowing how young he was. Yet she stared hard at the letter and found herself gripping it hard slowly. Tsukiyomi looked at her worried and put a paw on top of her hands. "Vee?" he said.

Her eyes were glazed over with tears budding up at the corners. They suddenly dripped down her face as she looked to her Pokemon. "No no, it's okay Tsuki...I just..." Syra took a hard swallow and closed her eyes before cursing under her breath. "There's so many people like him who have their own aspirations who are living their lives right now. They owe so much to me, or so they say, and I can't even do anything back other than...I guess just look pretty. This 'Isaac'...I wish I met him at least ONCE."

Her head falls.

"...and now I don't know if I will."