Chapter Thirty-Two
Night Slash
After the crazy battles with Glutton and Necrozma, everyone headed back to the Pokémon Center in Tapu Village. Nebby used their psychic abilities to transport the group there within several seconds. Nanu felt a bit woozy from the aftermath of that. Dulse returned Lunala to their Beast Ball while Nebby shot up to the skies and flew away somewhere.
Once they stepped inside, the Pokémon Center was still empty save for Looker and Acerola. The two noticed the group and rushed over to them.
"Uncle Nanu!" Acerola greeted him as she flung her arms around his waist. "Are you and the others alright?"
"We're fine, though our Pokémon are quite exhausted." Once Acerola let go of him, Nanu asked Looker, "How is Anabel?"
"She is still resting, but should be fine," Looker said. He faced the group. "I take it that both Glutton and Necrozma have been taken care of?"
Grimsley hummed and pulled out the Beast Ball he had used to capture Glutton. "I caught Glutton in this Beast Ball."
"A lot has happened after Lusamine caused Necrozma to escape from Ultra Megalopolis," Dulse said with his arms crossed. He turned his attention toward Nanu, Grimsley, and Gladion. "I promised you three that I would explain what had occurred there."
"Yeah, I want to hear about that, too!" Acerola said, bouncing her feet off the ground. "I also want to know how Glutton was defeated and caught!"
Everyone sat down on the couches in the middle of the Pokémon Center and listened as Gladion and Grimsley recounted their battle with Glutton. Acerola beamed and cheered when Grimsley mentioned Nanu and Tapu Bulu performing Guardian of Alola together and the kahuna letting him catch Glutton. Nanu still couldn't believe that the three were able to make it out from that Ultra Beast's claws alive.
It was then Dulse's turn to tell his tale. He, Zossie, Mina, Colress, Lillie, and Selene rode on Lunala and chased after Necrozma who was fused with Nebby back then. Once they arrived at Ultra Megalopolis, Soleria and Phyco greeted them and directed them to Dusk Mane Necrozma. Colress used his first machine, the N-Solarizer, to separate Nebby from Necrozma. Unfortunately, Necrozma immediately fused with Lunala and together they were Dawn Wings Necrozma. Nebby and Necrozma fought each other for a while before Necrozma got away and went back to Alola. Dulse had Zossie stay behind with Soleria and Phyco before joining the group following Necorzma.
Once Dulse finished with that story, Mina, Selene, and Lillie told Looker and Acerola everything that happened with Necrozma when it arrived back in Alola. Both of them were impressed with Necrozma's true form and that Haina Desert has since been filled with flowers and a lake.
"Wow, I can't believe that you guys's Z-Moves revealed Necrozma's true form," Acerola said. "I would've loved to join in doing that!"
"Yeah, I'm sure you would've loved that," Nanu said with a small smile. When he turned his attention to Looker, his face slipped back to serious. "We'll need to report this to Charlotte and headquarters."
Looker grunted in agreement. "I'll take care of that, don't worry. Should I also go ahead and have the people that were evacuated return here?"
"That would be appreciated, thank you." Feeling his eyes getting heavy, Nanu rubbed them and sighed. "Today has been a wild ride. I battled so many Ultra Beasts today."
"Same here," Grimsley said and followed up with a yawn. "We all should probably eat something and rest for the night."
"The Pokémon Center should have some sandwiches and chips here, let me go get them," Mina said as she rose out of her seat and went to the dining area where some of the pre-made packaged foods were.
The rest of the night everyone ate the sandwiches and chips that Mina brought for them. Looker also went and let Interpol know that the people could leave the shelter from Akala Island and return here. Once Nanu finished with his food, he and everyone else retired to their rooms to sleep.
That night, Nanu didn't have the usual nightmare with Glutton. He instead dreamed of the time Charlotte took that picture of him, Sana, and Looker. The dream then switched to him watching in awe as Necrozma, Lunala, and Nebby showered Alola with golden light.
xxx
The next morning, Nanu was awakened to Tapu Village's Pokémon Center being reopened to the public. The nurses and doctors had returned, so he and the others had them checked on their Pokémon for any serious injuries they might've missed. Anabel also woke up and felt much better, much to the relief of both Looker and Nanu.
He and everyone else, saved for Colress and Dulse who had left to take care of some things, were eating sausages and eggs for breakfast as they waited for the staff to check on their Pokémon. During their meal, they brought Anabel up to speed over what happened with Glutton and Necrozma.
"I must say, that is remarkable that you all managed to handle Glutton and Necrozma back there," Anabel said before chewing on some of her eggs. "I'm also pleased that Raikou was also of great help."
Beaming, Selene said, "I still can't believe that you're able to train such a cool legendary Pokémon like Raikou!"
Anabel let out a giggle. "It's not always easy, but I'm fortunate to have Raikou by my side."
At that moment, one of the male nurses approached their table and greeted them with a warm smile.
"So how are all of you enjoying your breakfast today?" he asked.
"The food is delicious, thank you so much!" Acerola said, a grin stretching across her features.
"I'm happy to hear that!" the nurse said, grinning back. "I'm here to tell you that most of the Pokémon are in great condition!"
"Oh, that's great to hear," Lillie said with a pleased smile.
"However, Kahuna Nanu's Honchkrow's wing is badly injured. The doctors are almost done operating on him, but after that, he'll need several days to recover."
Nanu's stomach sank upon hearing that. He had a feeling that Honchkrow was badly hurt, but not to that extent. He made an acknowledged grunt.
"Thanks for letting me know, nurse."
"One of the doctors can tell you more once they're finished. I'll let you know when they're ready to speak with you." A grateful smile was formed on the nurse's lips. "I also want to thank you and the International Police for taking us to safety and dealing with those dangerous Pokémon yesterday."
"It's no trouble at all," Anabel said, smiling. "The people's safety is our top priority."
The nurse hummed, as if satisfied with Anabel's response, and left their table.
"I'm glad to hear that your Honchkrow will be able to pull through," Grimsley said after swallowing a piece of his sausage. "With one of your Pokémon down, though, how do you want to do our battle now?"
"Good question." Nanu leaned back against his seat and scratched his chin. "We've been delaying our battle for a long time already. We might have to go for a shorter number of Pokémon."
"How about having Tapu Bulu take your Honchkrow's place?" Gladion asked. His suggestion caused Nanu's eyes to grow wide.
"Tapu Bulu?"
"Well, I saw you two worked well together and did that special Z-Move twice." Gladion shrugged and added, "Tapu Bulu probably won't mind."
While considering Gladion's suggestion, Nanu mused how well he and Tapu Bulu made a great team while going against Glutton and Necrozma. Ula'ula Island's guardian would be thrilled to go against a strong trainer like Grimsley. He wasn't sure if the dark-type trainer would be comfortable with that arrangement.
"I might consider letting Tapu Bulu join in, but only if Grimsley is fine with that also," Nanu responded as he fixed his stare at him.
After considering Nanu's proposition for a moment, Grimsley smirked and there was a devious glint in his eyes. "This is the first time I'll go against a legendary Pokémon, so it should already be an exciting battle. I have no problem at all with this."
A satisfied grunt escaped from Nanu. "Good. Our battle will be in two days at the front of Lake of the Moone."
"I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming battle, I'm certain it'll be a riveting experience!" Looker raised his cup of coffee, sipped a drink from it, and faced Gladion and Selene. "And how about you Selene and Gladion? What will you two be planning next?"
It took several seconds until Gladion lifted his gaze away from his food and at Looker. "My Pokémon and I will keep getting stronger. I also plan to travel overseas for a bit and then resume the island challenge."
"You told Selene and me about that last night, and we'll still support you one hundred percent!" Lillie said, beaming.
A grin stretched across Selene's face. "What Lillie said! I'm sure you'll love Kanto and Johto."
"I take it you'll be finishing up your island challenge then, Selene?" Mina asked.
Selene nodded and hummed. "I just need to do Poni Island's trials, including yours, battle Hapu, and I'm all set!"
"It's good that you're all pumped up there. However, both the trial with Kommo-o and my trial are the toughest ones the trainers have faced. Hapu is no pushover either. I hope you're well prepared.
"Don't worry, I look forward to the challenge," Selene said, her grin widening.
After sipping his coffee, Nanu couldn't help but smile a little at Selene's excitement there. He thought she was bothersome the first time they met, but after his double battle with her and Gladion, the kid had a lot of potential. He believed she would do well with Poni Island's final trials.
"Say Officer Looker, do you know where Colress and Dulse went off again?" Grimsley asked once he finished the last of his sausage and eggs.
"They should be where the abandoned Thrifty Megamart is at," Looker said. "Do you need something from them?"
"I guess you can say that. Now, if you'll excuse me."
Nanu watched with a raised brow as Grimsley rose out of his seat and left the Pokémon Center. He was aware that he and Colress had a history together, so maybe they still had some issues they needed to talk about. In the end, though, he decided it was none of his business.
His thoughts soon wandered to his upcoming battle with him. It was unfortunate that Honchkrow had to be out of commission for a while, but he was glad he made it in the end. He just needed to let Tapu Bulu know about this arrangement and they could start preparing.
xxx
The last time Grimsley went to Route 14 was some weeks back with Nanu, Acerola, and Becky. They were riding Becky's jeep to get to the abandoned Thrifty Megamart back then, but this time Grimsley was taking a leisurely stroll. He remembered the dried black sand, broken roads, and the ocean with the destroyed buildings underwater.
Once Grimsley reached the large cracked road leading to the abandoned Thrifty Megamart, he picked up his pace and took the uphill path. It was several minutes until he made it to the top and saw the Thrifty Megamart straight ahead.
This was where he was first reunited with Colress and met with the Ultra Recon Squad. He also went against the Totem Mimikyu and handed off the Ghostium-Z. Grimsley wanted to talk to Colress, but about what? He wanted to know at least what Colress planned to do after he finished his business with Necrozma and the Ultra Recon Squad.
Grimsley was pulled from his musings when he spotted Dulse and Colress in front of the store. As he approached closer from behind, he peeked at Colress's tablet screen and saw several windows pop up, some of them with pictures of Lunala, Nebby, and Necrozma. There was also one when Necrozma was fused with Nebby, and another when it fused with Lunala. He eavesdropped on some of their conversations.
"So this is all the data you have when Necrozma became Dawn Wings and Dusk Mane?" Dulse asked.
"Yes. Necrozma can dominate Lunala and Solgaleo's bodies and minds once it fuses with them. It can also replicate their signature moves, Sunsteel Strike and Moongeist Beam. The most fascinating findings here are how Necrozma would absorb Lunala and Solgaleo's energy and why they were constantly radiating light!"
Hearing the enthusiasm in Colress's voice and seeing the spark in his eyes caused Grimsley's chest to flutter. He was reminded of whenever Colress would tell him excitedly about his research.
"All of that does make sense," Dulse said and nodded. "Perhaps that is how it can open multiple Ultra Wormholes and let all of the Ultra Beasts enter your world."
"I agree with that assessment, too." After Colress said that, he glanced over his shoulder and noticed Grimsley. He turned around, smiling at him. "Why hello, Grimsley! Are you here to know more about our research on Necrozma?"
"I do. I overheard you two speaking about Necrozma taking over Lunala and Solagelo's bodies and making multiple Ultra Wormholes."
With a grin, Colress said, "Yes, that is what Dulse and I were able to deduce from the data we had gathered. In its original form, it can only open one Ultra Wormhole at a time. When it fuses with either Lunala or Solgaleo, it can open several of them."
"Hmph, I see." Grimsley slightly lowered his chin, scratching there. "I recall the last time we spoke Necrozma's light is what causes the Z-Crystals and Z-Moves here."
Dulse said, "That was proven to be true when we demonstrated our Z-Moves at Necrozma yesterday. Now that the Blinding One has regained its light back, the aura that surrounds the trainer and Pokémon when performing a Z-Move shall be much stronger than ever before."
"Is that so?" A part of Grimsley wondered if that meant he and Nanu could go all out in their upcoming battle. He indeed would prefer that they hold nothing back, making him even more excited for that. "How about Necrozma? Has it returned to your homeworld yet?"
"I contacted Captain Phyco last night and he said that Necrozma has returned to Ultra Megalopolis. He and the other Ultra Recon Squad members have been keeping a close eye on it."
"I had given all of the research we managed to compile on Necrozma to the Ultra Recon Squad's leader," Colress said. "I'm certain he'll put it to good use."
After Colress said that, the top right corner of his tablet's screen started blinking. He pressed his finger there and the screen showed Zossie and Soleria from the Ultra Recon Squad behind a tall tower. Outside was very bright, more than Alola's afternoon sun. Grimsley's eyes grew wide and his shoulders tensed upon seeing those two.
"Oh, hello Soleria and Zossie!" Colress greeted them with a welcoming smile. "I take it you finished looking over the data I had sent to you and Captain Phyco?"
"We have," Soleria said. "Captain Phyco was very fascinated by the sections that detailed Necrozma's psyche when fused with Lunala and Solagelo. He is also impressed with the Blinding One's full capabilities when in its true form."
"Necrozma's psyche?" Grimsley asked with a raised brow.
Immediately recognizing him, Zossie beamed at him. "Oh, you're the trainer that Dusle and I met a while back! But yeah, basically Necrozma goes even more in a frenzy when fused with Solgaleo and Lunala."
Grimsley narrowed his eyes, recalling that moment from yesterday. "Yes, I do remember Necrozma being on a rampage when it took over Lunala."
"It is not surprising to me that Captain Phyco was pleased with our research," Dulse said. "And what is the status of Necrozma?"
"Zossie and I have checked on Necrozma shortly before contacting you and Colress. At the moment it is residing at Megalopolis Tower, and is behaving very well."
"The people here are thrilled with Necrozma's light!" Zossie said cheerfully, raising her arms.
"Ah, so all of the light pouring out at your end is from Necrozma, then," Grimsley said.
"Yeah! I still can't believe that you guys were able to get Necrozma into its true form with your Z-Moves!"
Soleria hummed in agreement. "As do I. More importantly, I think we have learned from the past and will not make the same mistakes as our ancestors."
"That is great to hear!" A pleased smile pulled on the corners of Colress's lips, and he faced Dulse. "We should meet up with the Interpol officers back at the Pokémon Center later and discuss our findings with them."
"That would be a good idea," Dulse said. He fixed his gaze back at the screen. "Do keep us up to date on Necrozma's progress and report to me if there are any changes."
"We certainly will," Soleria said. Right after, she and Zossie disappeared and Colress's screen went back to its default state.
"Shall we go ahead and head back to the Pokémon Center now?" Dulse asked.
Before Colress responded, he stole a glance at Grimsley that sent a chill down his spine. He turned back to Dulse and said, "Actually, Grimsley and I have a few things to discuss first. It shouldn't be too long."
"I understand. I shall wait until you are ready." Dulse made a slight nod and moved to where the fences were.
When Grimsley and Colress were alone, an awkward silence stretched across between them for several seconds or so. There were many things Grimsley wanted to discuss with him about, but he wasn't sure where to start. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Looks like the Ultra Recon Squad has been keeping you busy there."
"Well, a lot has happened these past few weeks, especially with Necrozma threatening Alola." He then added with a small smile, "It made things all the more exciting."
Grimsley couldn't help but smile a little at his response. It was typical of him to be very enthusiastic about his research, and was what had drawn Grimsley to him in the first place. He thought back to his help against Necrozma yesterday and what he had told him that occurred in Ultra Megalopolis. His smile faded and he frowned.
"I wanted to apologize for doubting you had an ulterior motive while working with Interpol and the Ultra Recon Squad."
Colress's eyes grew wide, as if taken aback by Grimsley's apology there. He chuckled and shook his head.
"Oh, no hard feelings there. I understand completely why you didn't trust me to help them. I guess in a way, it's to atone for my past mistakes."
Grimsley swallowed hard, regarding Colress's words for a moment. His regrets while working with Team Plasma seemed to be genuine there. While he still couldn't bring himself to forgive him for what happened a few years ago, Grimsley could tell Colress was making steps in moving forward from that.
"You mentioned before that here a Pokémon's potential power lies within our Z-Rings and the Z-Crystals. Do you think it surpasses the Mega Ring and Mega Evolution?"
"It's hard for me to say. Both have unique ways of bringing out that Pokémon's potential. That is also the same if you compare Z-Moves to Galar's Dynamax or Paldea's Tereastal. What I can say is all of those have in common is the extreme trust and bond in both the trainer and their Pokémon."
After grunting in agreement, Grimsley asked, "Do you still plan to work with the Ultra Recon Squad and Interpol?"
"I do, yes. Necrozma may be taken care of, but there's still a lot from my research that we need to go over. And how about you? Will you be returning to Unova soon?"
"I am after Kahuna Nanu and I have our battle."
With a wide grin, Colress said, "Oh? I wasn't aware that you and the Ula'ula Island's kahuna are doing that. If I weren't so busy I would be willing to watch."
Grimsley's heart almost skipped a beat. He was certain that Colress would analyze his and Nanu's battle to the last digit if he came to watch. Another short silence came over them until Colress spoke again.
"I'm about to head to the Pokémon Center with Dulse and have my Beheeyem transport us there. Do you want to join?"
Grimsley took a moment to consider Colress's offer, and he shook his head. "That's alright. I think I'll take in Alola's scenery a while longer."
"An excellent idea, enjoying your last moments in Alola before you leave." Colress glanced over his shoulder at Dulse, who was still waiting by the fences. "Hope the rest of your day goes well, Grimsley."
Colress gave him a quick goodbye wave and left to where Dulse was. Grimsley watched as the two men exchanged some words and Colress released Dawson his Beheeyem. Seconds later, a soft blue glow engulfed Dawson, Colress, and Dulse, and all three disappeared.
Grimsley smirked, satisfied with his and Colress's conversation overall. He turned away from the Thrifty Megamart and took the downpath back to Route 14.
xxx
A little before lunchtime, one of the nurses informed Nanu that the doctor wanted to see him. The doctor let Nanu see Honchkrow, who squawked with joy and playfully pecked at his shoulders upon seeing him. A small smile settled on his lips, glad that Honchkrow's spirit was high despite his injured wing.
After hearing the news of Honchkrow's condition from the doctor, Kukui and Molayne came to visit the Pokémon Center to check up on him. Nanu had told them what had happened with Glutton and Necrozma, and they were astonished at those events. Molayne then mentioned his encounter with the Ultra Beasts in the observatory while Kukui watched over Malie City with Kahili. Both men then needed to go to the construction site of the Pokémon League and speak with the construction workers there–before they left, Molayne and Kukui wished Nanu's Honchkrow a speedy recovery.
Nanu decided to take a walk around Tapu Village. Several people and children that came back were outside, going about their day as usual. He scanned around his surroundings and was relieved to see the aftermath of the Ultra Beasts' invasion didn't leave too much destruction here save for a couple of light poles, some damage on the shop roofs, and several deep holes in the ground. One of the kahuna duties he took seriously was making sure the people on this island were safe.
Up ahead he spotted Anabel, Looker, Raikou, and Tapu Bulu at the ruins. Looker and Anabel sat together on one of the stones while Raikou lay down on the ground and Tapu Bulu floated around them. Curious over what his former Interpol partners were up to, he went to the hills and hid himself behind the ruins, eavesdropping on their conversation.
"I must say, Dulse and Colress's research on Necrozma is very impressive," Looker said. "Charlotte might convince headquarters to use it for good deeds."
Anabel hummed in agreement while petting Raikou's back. The legendary beast purred at her touch.
"I'm glad that Necrozma is doing well back in Ultra Megalopolis, and the people there are not taking advantage of it as before."
"Same here, chief." Looker grinned, but shortly after his expression changed and he frowned.
"Is something the matter, Mr. Looker?" Anabel asked with a raised brow.
Before Looker responded, he shifted his eyes to the sky. "Do you believe I've been slowing you down as of recently?"
Giving him a blank stare, Anabel asked, "What makes you think that?"
A hesitant look crossed Looker's face, and his shoulders tensed. Whenever he wore that expression, Nanu could tell his friend had a lot on his mind. After a moment, Looker sighed and fixed his gaze on Anabel.
"When the Ultra Beasts began invading here, you and Nanu managed to deal with them fantastico while I just stood there like a fool."
Nanu's stomach sank at him hearing Looker say that. When they worked together, his partner had self-doubts over his battling skills and sometimes compared himself to the other agents. He was also aware Looker still felt guilty over the losses of Sana and his Croagunk.
Anabel seemed to be having similar thoughts, a deep frown settling on her lips. That was brief as soon after she offered him a small smile and gently squeezed his hand.
"No, you're not slowing me and Nanu down. You've contributed a lot during our investigation of the Ultra Beasts. I also appreciate how much you've been looking out for me."
Taken aback by Anabel's compliment, Looker gasped and his eyes grew wide. He lowered his gaze down to his lap.
"Even then, I wanted to help when the Ultra Beasts caused trouble here, but I wasn't able to."
Anabel's smile widened, and she shook her head. "Mr. Looker, you're one of the best detectives I've ever worked with. You also don't need to be a great trainer to be worthwhile."
This time a small blush formed on Looker's cheeks, and a grin spread across his face.
"I'll keep that in mind then, chief."
Looker and Anabel fixed their gazes at one another. When some seconds passed, their faces leaned toward each other. Nanu immediately grunted before they could go further.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said while having both hands on his sides. That caused both Anabel and Looker to be flustered and let go of their hands. Looker cleared his throat and scratched his cheek.
"The chief and I were just having a heart-to-heart talk, that's all."
"Yeah, I overheard you two talking." Nanu dragged out a deep sigh and joined with his friends. He furrowed his brow at Looker. "I agree with Anabel that you're cutting yourself short. You're not a half-bad Pokémon trainer, and you did great work in handling the Ultra Beast invasions. You should be lucky you don't have to be chained to a guardian deity your whole life."
Looker blinked at him, as if unsure how to react to Nanu's last statement there. After a moment, he burst into laughter and pulled Nanu and Anabel in for a tight embrace.
"I do appreciate the kind words from both of you!" Looker said before letting them go. "I feel much better now."
"I'm happy to hear that," Anabel said with a pleased smile.
Nanu couldn't help but smile a little too at Looker being in a better mood now. He noticed Tapu Bulu still floating around the ruins and remembered that he wanted the guardian deity to take Honchkrow's place for his battle with Grimsley. Now would be a good opportunity to see if they would agree.
"Hey Tapu Bulu, you got a minute?"
Nanu's shouts caught Tapu Bulu's attention. They turned around and approached him with a curious look.
"Bulu, lu?"
Nanu didn't respond immediately as he tried to come up with how to make his request to Tapu Bulu. A part of him didn't feel right asking this after all what the guardian deity did to save Ula'ula Island. If Tapu Bulu declined his offer, then he would respect that.
"So, there is one favor I want to ask of you. I'm slated to battle against Grimsley in a few days. The problem is one of my Pokémon got injured during that battle with Glutton and won't be able to fight for a while. I want to know if you're willing to be my battle partner once more."
"Bulu, bu bu?"
Nanu assumed that Tapu Bulu asked him if he was serious about that request. He expected that they would need some convincing. Looker and Anabel seemed to be interested in what was happening.
"Yes, I'm serious. I know I haven't been the best kahuna, and you did so much for Ula'ula Island when the Ultra Beasts barged in here uninvited. If you do this favor for me, though, I'll come visit the temple more often and will take my kahuna duties more seriously."
Tapu Bulu regarded him with narrowed eyes. While waiting for their response, Nanu's throat grew dry and he rolled his shoulders.
"Bulu!" Tapu Bulu exclaimed though Nanu wasn't sure if the guardian deity sounded happy or not.
"Wait, so does that mean you'll help me, then?"
This time Tapu Bulu shouted, "Bulu, bu!" in a more positive tone and their bell chimed, emitting a sweet melody. A satisfied grin settled on Nanu's face.
"I'm happy that you and Tapu Bulu are working together once more!" Looker said, beaming.
"I look forward to how your battle with Grimsley will go," Anabel said with a small smile. At that instant, her Raikou stood up and growled at Tapu Bulu. That made her giggle. "Looks like Raikou is itching to battle Tapu Bulu."
Amused at Anabel's Pokémon wanting to fight, Nanu snorted. Raikou and Tapu Bulu battling would make great practice for his match with Grimsley. He gazed up at Tapu Bulu.
"Hey Tapu Bulu, do you want to do a few rounds with Raikou to warm ourselves up before our battle with Grimsley?"
Already Tapu Bulu made an enthusiastic sound, much to Nanu's delight. Both Anabel and Looker also wore eager smiles on their faces.
"It's been so long since we trained together," Anabel said. "It'll be like old times."
"Indeed," Nanu said, offering her a smug smile. He actually missed when they used to train together for hours on end. For certain Anabel had improved immensely since then. "Alright then, let's get started."
It had been a while since he felt excited for an upcoming battle. Despite taking a while, Grimsley proved himself to be a worthy opponent to prepare for.
Author's Notes:
This chapter is a bit of a breather before we get to one last action sequence in Chapter 33 and the Nanu vs Grimsley battle in Chapter 34. Very excited to showcase those chapters soon!
Thanks to bobandbill for the excellent betaing as always! Next chapter Grimsley and Queen do some training before the battle with Nanu.