Archive of Our Own ^beta

The sun is lazily rising past the tall trees in the east; the cooing from the local Pidove greet the beginning of a new day. A clack is heard as a woman in her early twenties locks the door to her apartment and makes her way down the road towards a nearby white building with a red roof, the research facility where she studies under Professor Juniper. She smiles at the little white and blue otter Pokémon tailing after her, "I bet Cheren and Bianca are excited today, Soujiro. They've been looking forward to meeting their partners since last week."
   "Osha!!" The Oshawott barks in response.
   As they enter the lab, a young man quickly turns his head towards the opening door. "Oh, Nora." He smiles, then glances at his watch, "...You didn't see Bianca? She's almost late." Although he tries to sound calm, his voice hints at his excitement...
   "I haven't seen her, Cheren." Nora shakes her head as she closes the door behind her Oshawott and approaches him, "I thought she'd be here by now?"
   Suddenly the door slams open! Nora and her Oshawott both jump in surprise at the sound! The blonde young girl who barged in is panting while trying to keep her big green hat on her head, giving them an embarrassed smile, "Sorry I'm late... I had to run out of the house..."
   "Good to see you made it, Bianca." Nora chuckles as she picks Oshawott up in her arms, the little otter making a grumpy sound at Bianca for scaring him.
   "Seriously, Bianca." Cheren shakes his head, trying his very best to hold back his smile, "This may well be the most important day in our lives... The day we finally get our Pokémon from Professor Juniper!"
   "I know!" Bianca pouts as she walks over to the duo while looking around, "So where are they?"
   "They're playing in the back!" A woman in a white lab coat with her light brown hair tied back in a knot smiles as she approaches them, "It's good to see everyone here!"
   "Thank you very much for giving us this chance, Professor Juniper." Cheren says with a light nod of his head, "Thanks to you we have already learned a lot about Pokémon, and now we can even become Pokémon trainers... It's just what I wanted."
   "Yeah! Thank you!" Bianca smiles widely at the woman.
   Juniper chuckles, "Don't forget to thank Nora for introducing you two to me. And I'm grateful for the help you both have been."
   "That's right... We'd never be here without you." Cheren smiles to Nora, then he glances at Bianca, mumbling a silent thank you her way too.
   "Thanks Nora!" Bianca gives her a hug.
   "Anyway, come on along to the back. The Pokémon are excited to meet you."

Juniper leads them past her office where her Minccino is sweeping the floor with its tail. The lab looks very tidy and clean. She approaches the sliding door and pushes it open, and they head into the backyard where two Pokémon are playing tag with each other. The small red piglet Pokémon is chasing after the slender grass snake Pokémon with a leaf on his tail. Upon seeing them, Oshawott hops off Nora's shoulder to join them. Nora chuckles, watching Cheren and Bianca approach the Pokémon... Cheren adjusts his glasses a bit as he crouches down to observe them carefully.
   "Come on, Cheren!" Bianca smiles as she stops next to him and pats her friend's back, "Aren't you going to introduce yourself to them?"
   The two Pokémon suddenly pause their game as they notice the two new humans. Oshawott runs into them, and they all fall over into a little pile! The Snivy wriggles his way out from underneath the other two, turning his nose up on them as they flail to get up.
   Cheren's smile returns as he extends his hand towards the Snivy, "No doubt, you're the Pokémon I always wanted as my partner. What do you say, Snivy? Will you travel with me? I know we can grow strong together."
   "..." The Snivy looks up at Cheren, approaching him carefully as if to examine him in turn before a smile appears on his face, and he reaches out and takes his hand, "Sniv!"
   The little Tepig finally gets up as Bianca approaches him with a smile, "Hey little guy, do you wanna travel with me?"
   "Tep!" The Tepig smiles as he hops into her arms, the ball on his spiral tail wagging happily as she hugs him! Pulling the little piglet away Bianca's smile grows, "I think I'll call you, Lugh!"
   Nora smiles as Oshawott runs over to her to be picked up, smiling as he watches his friends from his trainer's arms. "Picked up a name for your partner already, Bianca?"
   "Yes!" The blonde turns to look at her friend, "I was so excited... and I wanted to give my partner a wonderful name!" A grunt sounds from the Tepig as he's content in his trainer's arms...
   "Wonderful!" Juniper says with a proud smile, "It's clear that Snivy and Tepig are happy to be with you two!"
   Cheren gets up with Snivy around his shoulders, looking just as content as his Pokémon. "Thank you again... all of you. So about us helping with your research, Professor Juniper..."
   "Yes, allow me to give you these." Juniper smiles as she takes out three red devices from her pocket.
   "The Pokédex!" Nora smiles, "They came in on time?"
   Juniper hands the devices to the three trainers, "Yesterday afternoon in fact. Anyway, as I explained to you three before, this is an electronic encyclopedia that records information on any Pokémon you meet. I want you three to travel the Unova region and meet the Pokémon that live here!"
   "With pleasure!" Cheren smiles as he receives his Pokédex. He glances at Snivy, looking rather smug, "Finally, I'm a Pokémon trainer. We'll see all kinds of places, battle other trainers and grow stronger, and help Professor Juniper gather more knowledge while we do it. This is much better than just learning in Pokémon school."
   "Thank you, Professor Juniper!" Bianca chirps as she takes her Pokédex. Tepig sniffs at the device, excited at the prospect of an adventure with his trainer.
   Nora smiles as she takes the last one, Oshawott looking curiously at it from her other arm.
   "You'll be learning everything first-hand. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I hope you enjoy it!" Juniper looks between the trio with a proud smile, "Remember to share your knowledge with each other, each of you will have your own encounters with different Pokémon and the data can be shared between your Pokédexes. Now then, before you three go off on your adventure, allow me to give you one last demonstration. Meet me at Route 1." She heads back into her office...
   "Excited I take it?" Nora smiles at her two friends.
   "You bet!" Bianca tears her attention from the Pokédex to give her friend a wide smile.
   "Naturally." Cheren smiles too, "We've waited a long time for this day! Well then, shall we?" He heads over to the door, holding it open.
   "Did you two pack up and tell your parents?" Nora asks, "They're probably going to be worried."
   Bianca rubs her head, a slight tremble in her voice, "Yeah, I... already took care of that."
   "Of course." Cheren nods, although he gives a concerned glance to Bianca...
   "Bianca... You did talk with your parents, didn't you?" Nora asks with a worried look...
   Bianca smiles as she looks down at Tepig who appears to have picked up on his trainer's nervousness, making worried squeals, "I did... Mom said she's going to try to calm dad down so... let's go!" She dashes ahead!
   "...I see. For once, perhaps there was a reason you'd be late..." Cheren mumbles to himself before hurrying to catch up with Bianca, "Wait up!"
   Nora smiles a little as she follows after the duo.

Route 1 is strewn with early summer flowers, spreading a sweet scent that mixes with the fresh sea breeze. Not too long after Bianca gets her two friends to take their first steps on the path together with her, Professor Juniper arrives... "Ah, good to see you all here!" She holds up a Pokéball, "Now then, time for a quick demonstration-- How to catch a Pokémon."
   "This should be interesting." Cheren watches intently.
   "Yeah!" Bianca nods as Nora and Oshawott watch quietly.
   Professor Juniper walks into the tall grass, her eyes searching... Until she hears an angry squeak! A little Patrat is glaring at her! "The main thing is to weaken the Pokémon enough to capture it!" Professor Juniper throws her Pokéball into the air, and in a flash of light her Minccino appears with a determined look, "Minccino, use Double-Slap!" The little gray Pokémon makes a dash, and with two quick strikes of its tail, it knocks the Patrat over! But the little chipmunk-like Pokémon isn't done-- It leers at the Minccino, who quickly backs off with a wary look. "When you see that it's weakened enough... you throw your Pokéball!" Juniper takes out a new Pokéball, throwing it quickly! The ball hits the Patrat, who is enveloped in a red light and absorbed into the ball. It shakes a bit in the grass as everyone observes closely... will it be caught? A few more seconds, and a click is heard... The Pokéball stops moving! Juniper smiles as she goes over and picks it up, petting her Pokémon's head with a smile, "Good job, Minccino!"
   "That was amazing!" Bianca's eyes are shining with excitement.
   "Remember that sometimes weakening a Pokémon isn't always enough." Juniper looks at the trio as her Minccino climbs up on her lab coat to remove some dirt from it, "Using certain status effects such as sleep or paralysis helps increase your odds of capturing a Pokémon."
   "Seeing it for real is certainly more exciting than just reading about it... I can't wait to try it myself." Cheren smiles.
   "And don't forget: when you come to a new place, you're likely to encounter Pokémon that are unique to the location, so take note of that when you can."
   Nora nods, "Right."
   "Why don't you three make your way to Accumula Town to register as official Pokémon trainers?" Juniper smiles as she looks north, "It's not too far from here, and Nora can guide you there."
   "Registration is at the Pokémon Center, right?" Cheren says, "What are we waiting for?"
   "Let's go!" Bianca raises her hands in the air with a grin!
   "I'll call to check on you three to make sure you're all doing okay." Juniper smiles as she looks at each of them, "Remember to look out for and help each other. I'm sure that the Pokédex will be completed in no time with the three of you working together."
   Nora nods with a smile, "Understood, Professor! Come on guys, I know the way there!"

They leave Nuvema Town behind, while Snivy slinks through the grass by the side of the small seaside road, exploring their surroundings. After a little while Cheren walks a bit closer to Bianca, "...Bianca?"
   "Hm? What is it Cheren?" She turns to look at him. Her Tepig hops out of her arms to explore the smells around them.
   "I've been looking for a good time to thank you properly. You're an airhead, but if it weren't for you, I'd never have had this chance. I appreciate everything you've done to make it possible... And although we'll soon be going our own ways, you know... You can always call me if you need anything, ok?"
   "..." Bianca looks a bit surprised before she smiles, "Okay! But don't forget to let me help you! You helped me so much when we were little... I wanna repay you for everything!"
   "That's right, I did." Cheren smiles a little, "So let's both look out for each other, like always."
   "Yeah!" Bianca smiles as she hugs him.
   "...!" Cheren returns the hug momentarily, then he takes her hand, "Come on, we're falling behind!" He makes a dash to catch up with Nora!
   "R-Right!!" The blonde has a bright smile as she follows after her friend, and Tepig chases after them with excited squeals!

After a while they arrive in the hillside town with its many stairs. They hear a distant sound of music from one of the houses at the top... "Here we are!" Nora turns to smile at the duo, "This is Accumula Town. The Pokémon Center is over there!" She gestures towards a large building with a red roof before leading them inside. It is spacious with a secondary floor above the main level. To their right they see the Poké Mart, and on their left is a welcoming caféteria with plenty of places to sit. Bianca pauses as she feels her Tepig rub against her leg, and she gets down to pick him up in her arms. Cheren glances behind himself with a hint of surprise as he experiences the new feeling of Snivy climbing back onto his shoulder! Nora guides them up an escalator while chatting, "On the upper level you have the registration desk for new trainers. It doubles as a hotel registration, so it's also where you can get a room key. You can stay at a Pokémon Center for free; they're always open to travelers. That door over there leads to the hotel rooms. The other desk is for global connection-- I heard that it's becoming popular to do blind trades with trainers around the world."
   Cheren looks at it curiously, "Interesting, but right now I don't have any Pokémon I want to trade away. First of all we should get registered. Come on!" While he and Bianca head over to get the registration taken care of, outside, something appears to be happening at the plaza...
   "Hm?" Nora looks out of the window to see a crowd of people gathering, "What's going on...?" She mumbles to herself, but shakes her head and approaches the desk too.
   The nurse recognizes her, "Oh, Nora! Are you finally registering as a Pokémon trainer too?"
   "You bet!" Nora smiles, "Soujiro's been anxious to join the fun for a while now." Her Oshawott gives a happy bark in agreement.
   The woman chuckles, "Considering how long you've been together, I'm not surprised that he wants to expand his horizons. Alright, let me get you two set up."
   After a few minutes they're done, and Nora shows her friends around the lower floor of the Pokémon Center, "The Poké Mart is a good place to stock up on medical supplies, Pokéballs, food, and other camping supplies before you head out. They also stock Technical Machines but it varies from store to store, not all Pokémon Centers have them. Actually, I heard they also give you access to more items depending on how many Gym Badges you have. After all, tougher battles means more resources needed!" She glances at the desk briefly before giving her friends a sneaky smile, "You didn't hear it from me but... something really nice happens when you buy 10 Pokéballs in bulk!"
   "Something nice, huh... That's good to know." Cheren says, "We have to be careful with our money while traveling. The desk opposite the entrance is where we can get our Pokémon healed, right?"
   "That's correct!" Nora nods, moving on to show them the PC corner as well. When they head back outside they notice that there is a speech underway... The audience feels tense. Not wanting to lose their Pokémon in the crowd, Bianca and Cheren call them back into their Pokéballs before they approach to hear what's going on.
   "...But the root of the problem is not the Champion. No, it lies in the system itself. A system that allows for this corruption to happen is ultimately going to be disastrous for Unova. This is why we need change. We need someone who can take action and make things happen. And we can do more than wait for it! Every one of us can help to bring about this change! By liberating Pokémon, we can show that we no longer want to be ruled by the Pokémon League. No more petty quarreling and battles! Pokémon are fantastic beings with potential for much more. And the same is true for us. We have a choice not to selfishly order Pokémon around, a choice to save our country and our futures! The solution to all of our problems is Pokémon liberation! For humans and Pokémon to truly become equals. That is exactly what the King of Team Plasma, whom I represent here today, wants to accomplish. To conclude, I implore everyone to think about Pokémon and our relationship with them. What it is now, and of the best way to proceed. Thank you all for your attention."
   "That's Ghetsis." Cheren says, "He's a representative from Team Plasma... I saw him on the news the other day. But I don't think what he's saying makes much sense." He folds his arms, but around them, the crowd is murmuring...
   "Liberating Pokémon..."
   "What do you think?"
   "Would it even work?"
   "I'd have to concur with that, Cheren." Nora glances at him briefly before watching the members of Team Plasma pack up and walk off with Ghetsis, "...Besides, Soujiro and I have been through a lot together... I don't think anyone can convince me to separate from him."
   "Osha! Osha Oshawott!!" The little Pokémon barks happily, nuzzling Nora's head. She laughs and returns the gesture to the Oshawott, who makes a happy grunt.
   Bianca has a worried look, "But... there's no way they'll be able to persuade everyone to stop being Pokémon trainers, right? I mean... he said that we've lived alongside them, why would we suddenly break away?"
   "You... Just now, what did you say...?" An unfamiliar voice speaks right behind Nora!
   "...!!" Nora turns around quickly, taking hold of Oshawott so he won't fall. The little otter's eyes narrow at the one who scared his partner, and he makes an angry growl!
   "What did you say?" The green-haired young man in front of her asks again... For some reason he looks surprised.
   Nora blinks at him in confusion, "I beg your pardon?"
   "Not you, I'm talking to your Pokémon." The stranger gives an annoyed glance to Nora for a moment, but as Oshawott barks at him his attention is fully focused on the Pokémon in her arms...
   "Oshawott osha, osha wott. Wott wott oshawott! Oshawott!!"
   Nora raises a brow, then she blinks, "Wait, you can understand what he's saying?"
   "...Yes." The stranger says. "...I've never heard a Pokémon say that before."
   "Slow down!" Cheren looks at the stranger, "You speak too fast. What do you mean, he's saying something?"
   "Oh. So neither of you can hear him... What a pity... My name is N." He says as he takes a step back, and his eyes fall on the device in Cheren's hand, "That's..."
   "I'm Cheren, and this is Nora and Bianca." Cheren says, "The three of us have just begun our journeys to complete the Pokédex, yes. But my main goal is to become the Champion."
   N's head lowers, "The Pokédex, eh? So... you're going to confine many, many Pokémon in Pokéballs for that, then."
   "We're not going to try and capture every Pokémon, I mean... We're going to be helping people understand Pokémon..." Bianca says.
   Nora blinks again as Oshawott is growling at N, "Erm... N? My apologies but... is there a reason why you wanted to speak with Soujiro? What exactly did he say that got your attention?"
   "..." N hesitates, then he continues as if speaking to himself, as though he wasn't listening to her question, "No. I'm not convinced. Are the Pokémon you'll capture really going to be happy? But I'm a trainer too..." He looks around, and spotting what appears to be a stray Purrloin, he calls out to it, "Purrloin! Will you help me?" ...And it comes over! "Nora, was it? I challenge you. So let me hear your Pokémon's voice, once more!"
   "..." Nora looks at Oshawott, "What do you think, Soujiro?" The little Pokémon barks as he hops out of her arms, looking ready to fight! He glares at the Purrloin... "...Alright, Soujiro." She takes a deep breath as a smile comes onto her face, "Let's do our best!"
   "Wait..." Bianca blinks as she watches next to Cheren, "Was that Purrloin his...?"
   "It must be..." Cheren says as they back away to give them space for the battle.
   "We'll do our best too." N says as the hairs on Purrloin's back stand on end, and it hisses and growls at Oshawott! "So let's hear what you have to say!"
   "Soujiro-- Use Water Gun!" Nora calls out as Oshawott fires off a stream of water from his mouth at the cat! It narrowly misses!
   "Now! Scratch!" N calls out, and his Pokémon reaches out a quick paw!
   "Tackle!!" Nora calls out as Oshawott is struck... He rams into Purrloin in retaliation, and the two small Pokémon clash with each other! Purrloin is fast, but Oshawott hits harder, forcing his way closer to N...! N looks a little worried, but he glances around... Moving towards the nearby stairs, he positions himself in the middle of them. Oshawott keeps chasing after Purrloin as Nora is doing her best to keep up with her partner, standing at the top steps as Oshawott goes for another Water Gun! Purrloin leaps down a few steps to avoid being hit, and N has to dodge the stream of water as well! He does not take his eyes off Oshawott...
   "Again! Let me hear you say it again!"
   Oshawott looks irritated, "Osha oshawott!!! Osha wott, wott wott oshawott!!"
   "Soujiro, use Air Slash!!" Nora calls out as she takes a few steps down. The little otter Pokémon growls as he grabs the shell off his stomach and unleashes a series of cutting winds!
   "Ah-- That was close!" N grabs onto the railing as he steps aside again, "But it's still so hard to believe! You really have to say it to my face!" Suddenly Purrloin scratches at Oshawott from the side!
   "Osha...!!" Oshawott is caught off guard!
   "Soujiro! Tackle it!!" Nora calls out as her partner tries to tackle the cat down the steps! But at the stairs, Purrloin moves nimbly and with perfect balance, leaping out of the way...!
   "Osha...!!!" Oshawott tumbles down the stairs!
   "Soujiro...!" Nora's eyes widen! The little otter lands at the bottom, looking up to see his friend so far away...!
   "...I knew it. As long as Pokémon are confined in Pokéballs... they will never attain perfection. I have to change the world for Pokémon..." N looks from Oshawott to Nora as his Purrloin moves towards her...! "Because they're my friends!"
   "Ah...!" Nora tries to sidestep the Purrloin... But she missteps and loses her footing on the stairs, falling right into N!
   "...!" By reflex his hold on the railing tightens to keep them from tumbling down, but his eyes widen along with hers...
   Upon realizing she's no longer falling, she quickly pulls away from him! "I-I er... I... um..." She's as red as a beet, covering her mouth!
   "...!" Oshawott's eyes widen as he barks at this, getting up quickly he begins to hop over towards the two!
   "Did they just...?!" Cheren stares at the scene, and some spectators giggle audibly... The Team Plasma members who were watching look shocked...! One quickly types something into his Xtransceiver.
   "..." N lowers his head, moving a hand to his lips... For a moment he seems stunned, but seeing Oshawott approach, he suddenly turns and flees! It doesn't take long before his Purrloin is gone too...
   "I think they did..." Bianca looks surprised as well, although she holds back a giggle at seeing Nora look so embarrassed! Nora is covering her face with her hands, lowering herself a bit to pick up Oshawott... The little Pokémon tries to pat her face with an apologetic look.
   "..." Cheren approaches, extending his hand to Nora, "Come on, let's get out of here."
   "R-Right..." She mumbles as she gets up... The trio quickly retreat into the Pokémon Center.

On the evening of the day they met N, Nora, Cheren and Bianca have dinner together...
   "What a weird person." Cheren says, "The one you battled, I mean. Nora, do you think he could actually tell what Soujiro was saying? I think it was a bluff, but I'm not sure why anyone would do that."
   "I'm not sure myself..." Nora shakes her head, looking at Oshawott who is enjoying a plate of oysters, "I mean... it was odd, but the way Soujiro reacted-- I don't think it's a bluff. Though I'm still baffled at how he got that wild Purrloin to listen to him."
   Bianca swallows a mouthful of her sandwich, "But still... it sounded like he supports Team Plasma..." Her Tepig is eating a bowl of newly roasted berries.
   "Maybe it wasn't a wild Pokémon. He could have let it out of its Pokéball before the battle. Maybe he's some sort of street performer hired by Team Plasma..." Cheren looks thoughtful as he munches on his salad, "But if he were, why did he run away...?"
   "..." Nora turns a bit red as she continues eating her soup... Bianca notices, giving a pat to Cheren's back.
   "He must have been new on the job, or maybe he already has a-- Hm? Oh. Sorry, I'll change the topic. Since we're setting off to explore on our own tomorrow, what will you two be doing? I'm going to Striaton City to challenge the Gym."
   "I'm going to travel and see as many Pokémon and places as I can." Bianca smiles, "Good luck on your upcoming battle, Cheren!"
   Nora stares into her soup, "...Actually, I'm planning to challenge the Gyms as well."
   "Wait, what?" Bianca looks at Nora with surprise.
   "Professor Juniper asked us to seek out and take notes of the Pokémon we meet, remember? I'm sure that by challenging the Gym Leaders I'll be able to see what the Pokémon they use are capable of... After all, it'll be interesting to compare differences between Pokémon that live and grow in the wild compared to those who live alongside people."
   "That makes sense." Cheren smiles a little, "Perhaps we'll run into each other at the Gym, then. But I'm going to see if I can't find some trainers to battle on the road as well. Gym Leaders are supposed to be tough, after all, so the practise will be good." He looks at Snivy, who is enjoying his berries.
   "Of course..." Nora pauses upon noticing that Oshawott looks a little sad, "...Soujiro... You're not upset about the battle, are you...?"
   Oshawott looks up at his partner, "Osha..."
   "Nora, you said that Soujiro is always proud of his strength, right?" Bianca asks, "Maybe he's sad that he almost lost his first battle?"
   "Technically you won." Cheren says, "Your opponent fled."
   "True, but... the battle would've been over if I didn't move out of the way." Nora looks at Cheren before rubbing her Pokémon's head, "Soujiro, you know that it's not your fault right? I shouldn't have made you use Tackle on the stairs... Besides, we'll be challenging the Gyms and other trainers too. So you'll grow, and the next time we see N you can show him you're stronger than before!"
   Oshawott looks up at his trainer with a glimmer in his eyes... A smile shows on his face, "Osha!!"
   "I'm sure you two will do better in your next battle." Cheren smiles, "As long as you don't give up on battling you should keep improving."
   "That goes for you too, Cheren!" Nora smiles at him, "You and Snivy are going to get stronger too. I'm sure that Soujiro and Snivy would have fun battling once in a while to see how much stronger they've gotten." Oshawott gives a happy bark as he looks at Snivy with a broad smile.
   Bianca nods, "Don't forget me and Lugh!"
   "Tep!" The little piglet snorts happily.
   "Alright." Cheren nods, "Next time we meet, let's have a battle!" Snivy looks at Oshawott and Tepig, nodding in agreement with his trainer.
   "We'll be able to see how much we have changed." Bianca looks excited, "The best part? We'll see our Pokémon grow together."
   Nora finishes her soup, putting the bowl down on the table, "Come on, let's get ready to sleep. We're all leaving early tomorrow after all."

The next morning, after checking through her things and saying goodbye to Bianca who is still eating breakfast, but not finding Cheren who appears to already have left before they woke up, Nora slings her backpack onto her back, and Oshawott leaps up to ride on her shoulder. She begins to make her way to Route 2. It is surrounded by a thick forest on both sides, but the road has been kept open by grazing Pokémon, and being a popular exercise trail there are some other people around, too. After walking at a steady pace for some time, suddenly she hears a familiar voice, "So it was really true? Nora, about to take the Gym Challenge? Hahaha!"
   "...Please tell me it's not who I think it is..." Nora mutters under her breath as she turns around halfway to look at the source of the voice... Her Oshawott growls angrily at the young man with dark brown hair who approaches her, wearing designer clothes and a haughty smile!
   "I didn't think battles were your thing. Considering... yesterday."
   Nora grits her teeth, answering in a strained voice, "...What happened there is none of your business, Rylan. What are you even doing here? I thought your folks said you were going to be studying abroad in Kalos?"
   "You could say I received a better offer. In fact, I'm challenging the Gyms too. I've already beaten the Striaton Gym." He fishes a badge out to show her!
   "... ... ..." Nora tenses a bit on seeing the badge, taking a deep breath before she speaks, "...I'm supposed to be impressed by that? There are still seven others to face, each one of them more challenging than the one before."
   "And I plan to defeat them too." He says with a pleased smirk at her reaction as he puts the badge away, "So have you caught any more Pokémon, or is that Oshawott still the only one you've got?"
   "...At the moment, I'm doing a check of Route 2 to collect data for Professor Juniper before anything else..." Nora responds with a frown, "...And you know this Oshawott just as well as anyone, Rylan. His name is Soujiro." Oshawott barks at Rylan, looking upset that the rude person is still here picking on his trainer! But he pauses upon seeing a woman who stands some ways to the side, watching what's going on...
   "Wow, you're more pathetic than I thought. Don't you know? There's three Gym Leaders in Striaton. How do you plan to beat that with only one Pokémon?" Rylan smiles, narrowing his eyes a bit, "But you are a real trainer now so... Tell you what, I think I'll help you out!" Taking out a Pokéball, he gestures towards the woman, "I've got a partner, so it'll only be a double battle..."
   "..." Nora's jaw tightens a bit as the woman approaches, thinking to herself that this isn't good...
   The woman stops next to Rylan. She's a bit shorter than him, but she has a mature aura about her. Her long blonde hair is tied up elegantly, and she wears a white shirt under a violet cape adorned with silver. Her golden eyes stare down Nora and her Oshawott, almost giving the sensation that she is looking straight into her soul. "...Rylan... I do not see that she has a partner, let alone another Pokémon with her."
   "Humor me, Aina. Nora is an old acquaintance of mine; I know that if we don't stop her here, she'll just get in the way of progress in our hometown. That's why she's about to take the Gym Challenge. Or am I wrong?" Rylan smirks at Nora...
   "...!" Nora's eyes narrow at this, "...That's none of your business, Rylan. But... that's not your only reason to come after me now is it?"
   Aina looks between them, sighing before she takes out a Pokéball, "...I am Aina, pleasure to make your acquaintance."
   "...Charmed..." Nora responds in a strained voice as Oshawott hops off her shoulder, determined to protect his trainer!
   "Go! Petal!" Rylan calls his Petilil out!
   "Hey, Aina!" A voice suddenly says at some distance behind Nora, "What are you doing with another guy? Are you breaking up with me?" A stranger with a long mess of sea green hair, wearing a green coat over a loose shirt with a pale pink tone, both of which look like they haven't been washed in a while, stands leaning against a tree while he looks at Aina with an innocent smile plastered all over his face... He is quite the contrast compared to her neat-looking appearance...
   "...!!" Nora turns around in surprise.
   Aina's eyes widen a fraction before a frown graces her face, "...Stop deluding yourself, I am his mentor. Though I suppose I should not be surprised that you're still as arrogant as ever... Verdell."
   Rylan stares at the newcomer with a darkening face. Apparently these revelations were not part of his plan...
   "Oh, I always knew that you still love me. That's why you're here." The arrogant man approaches with a Pokéball in hand, "I won't let your name be tarnished by an unequal battle, so... Chef!" He calls out a Clefairy!
   "Osha?" Oshawott tilts his head at the newcomer.
   Aina has a grim look. She releases her Pokémon, and a pink Frillish appears in a flash-- floating in the air ominously.
   "Um..." Nora blinks at Verdell, "Are you...?"
   "I'm teaming up with you for this battle." He shoots her a smile!
   "Clef!" The Clefairy gives a smile and a wave to the Oshawott, who blinks, but waves back.
   "Aina, who is that guy?" Rylan asks, "He looks like something out of a dumpster!"
   Verdell's face suddenly turns more serious as he looks at Aina, "I know that you and I both would prefer certain things between us to remain private..." His voice has a warning tone, "So I trust you will not force me to say it in a place like this, where everyone can hear."
   "..." Aina's eyes narrow at Verdell before she answers Rylan, "...He's my rival from home. Be on guard, Rylan. He's a fearsome foe who specializes in double battles, we cannot afford to lose our calm against them."
   "You should be careful too, girl." Verdell glances at Nora, "Aina's stronger than me. But a double battle is indeed my stage, so I think we have a chance!"
   "...Alright, I'm counting on you." Nora nods with a smile. She looks at Oshawott, "Ready to rumble, Soujiro?"
   "Osha!!!" Oshawott barks with determination burning in his eyes!
   "Absorb, Petal!" Rylan points at Oshawott!
   "Light Screen!" Verdell calls out, and his Clefairy raises a barrier of light around himself and Oshawott, blocking out much of Petilil's attack!
   "Osha!!" Oshawott winces, feeling his health being drained! But he smiles as Nora yells out, "Air Slash!!!" The little otter takes his scalchop to strike back at Petilil with cutting winds!
   "Pechi...!" Petilil is knocked back by the hit, it seems to have taken some heavy damage!
   "You'll pay for that! Petal, use Leech Seed!" Rylan calls out!
   Aina frowns at this, "Confuse Ray, Frillish!" She motions at the Clefairy!
   "Magic Coat!" Verdell counters! Clefairy bounces the Confuse Ray back onto Frillish...!
   "Frill...ish...???" The Frillish is confused! It floats around, seemingly unaware of what's going on! Aina grits her teeth, "Use Night Shade on the Oshawott!" But the Frillish appears to have misunderstood her order, flailing its arms around wildly and hitting itself!
   "Osh...!" Oshawott struggles against the seeds that entangle him with their vines-- He feels his energy leaving him...!
   "Let's go with another Air Slash!!" Nora calls out as Oshawott unleashes cutting winds towards Petilil again! The Petilil is taking quite some damage, but as the energy sapped by the Leech Seed keeps flowing towards it, it doesn't look about to go down anytime soon!
   "Ahaha! Your water Pokémon doesn't stand a chance against my grass type!" Rylan declares smugly, "And now-- Keep using Absorb!"
   "Chef, use Follow Me!" Verdell calls out!
   "What?!" Rylan's eyes widen as Petilil drains Clefairy's energy instead! "Not that one! I said aim on Oshawott, Petal...!!"
   "Clefairy!" Even though Clefairy had his energy drained, he does not seem troubled at all!
   "Soujiro! Use Air Slash on Petilil!!" Nora yells out as Oshawott charges quickly to strike at the grass type!
   "Frillish, use Absorb on the Oshawott!" Aina frowns as her Pokémon attacks Petilil by accident, "Rylan, stay calm! That Clefairy has high defensive capabilities-- There's not much we can do to it."
   "Pechih!" Petilil looks weakened again!
   "What! Alright, I'll make sure it's busy for a while so we can get Oshawott first, and after that we'll team up on it! Sleep Powder, Petal!"
   "Magic Coat!" Verdell counters! "Nice plan, except for the part where you accidentally told your opponents about it." He smirks as his Clefairy reflects the Sleep Powder back on Petilil! She shakes the powder off herself, looking up at her trainer with a puzzled face.
   "What? Why didn't it work?!"
   "It's using the move Magic Coat, which reflects status moves..." Aina explains, noticing that Frillish has started to regain its senses, "Use Night Shade on Oshawott!"
   "FINISH IT, ONE MORE AIR SLASH!!" Nora yells out, and Oshawott slashes at Petilil with all his strength, managing to land a critical hit before getting launched backwards by the blast from Frillish!
   "Aah, Petal...!" Rylan's Pokémon is knocked out! "That's got to be cheating! I'll sue you for this!!" He yells while calling it back.
   Verdell just laughs, and Clefairy pulls down his eyelid, sticking his tongue out! "I welcome you to try!"
   "I'll do it right after I win this battle! Go, Flambeau!" When the Vulpix appears, all of a sudden the sun seems to be shining more brightly, even hot...
   "...The weather..." Nora frowns, "...Use Night Slash!!!" Oshawott's scalchop is enveloped in a dark energy as he charges towards Vulpix with a burning determination!
   "Rylan." Aina speaks calmly, "Don't lose control. Focus on the battle... Frillish, use Mist!!" Frillish is enveloped in a mist, shielding it from the worst of the heat.
   "Right. I'm calm... I'm calm! Flambeau, Disable that Clefairy!"
   "Follow Me-- Ah!" Verdell's eyes widen a bit as Vulpix dashes away from Oshawott, and its eyes glow!
   "Cleff...!" Clefairy's Follow Me was disabled!
   "Oh, you got me!" Verdell grins at Rylan, "I didn't think you'd use a status move again so soon... Perhaps you are not a complete waste of Aina's talent?"
   Aina's eyes narrow for a moment, but her attention quickly returns to the battle, "...Drought is already taking effect... Use Confuse Ray on Oshawott!"
   "Soujiro...!" Nora grits her teeth as her Oshawott is hit by the beam of light, "Come on... use Night Slash on Vulpix!!" The little Oshawott tries to attack but ends up conking himself in the head!
   "Now's our chance! Quick Attack on Oshawott!" Rylan commands! His Vulpix makes a dash, striking at Oshawott in an instant and knocking him over! Oshawott looks very weak, struggling to even get back up...!
   "Chef, use Heal Pulse!" Verdell calls out, and Clefairy releases a pulse of pleasantly glowing energy at Oshawott! He glances at Nora, "The Leech Seed is still draining your Pokémon, girl. Since you don't have others, you can't hold back now. You have to end this battle quickly."
   "That's what I'm trying to do..." Nora speaks as she's focusing her attention on the battle, "Keep using Night Slash on Vulpix!!"
   "Osh!!" Oshawott charges forward with his scalchop to slash at the fox!
   "Vul!!" Vulpix stumbles back a bit as it is struck!
   "Don't let it get to you! Keep attacking!" Rylan says, and Vulpix leaps back up and strikes again!
   Aina frowns at the Clefairy, but points at Nora's Pokémon, "...Use Absorb!!" The Frillish begins to absorb Oshawott's health!
   "Light Screen!" Verdell gives an apologetic smile to Aina, "...You just caught that Pokémon, didn't you?"
   "...Just a week ago." Aina responds without taking her eyes off the battle, "Use Night Shade on it!!"
   "Don't let up, partner-- WATER GUN!!" Nora yells, but Oshawott is knocked onto his back after getting hit by the Night Shade!
   "It won't be strong enough in this sun!" Rylan shouts, "Finish it, Flambeau!"
   "Now! Helping Hand!" Verdell's Clefairy gives Oshawott an additional power boost...! As Vulpix leaps for Oshawott it is struck head on by the surprisingly forceful blast of water! It is thrown back by it, falling over...! As it does, the Leech Seed wilts and falls off Oshawott!
   "Aaah! Flambeau!" Rylan is on the ground, holding his Pokémon...
   Aina's eyes widen a fraction, "Torrent... I see. Its water moves are stronger when it's in a tight spot. Hex!" She calls out as Frillish moves to attack Oshawott!
   "Hurry-- dodge it!!" Oshawott grits his teeth as he rolls out of the way of the attack!
   "Use Absorb!!" Aina calls out as Frillish continues to follow the otter who is struggling to get away...!
   Verdell smiles to Aina again, "I was about to say sorry for using this, but... Heal Pulse!" His Clefairy restores Oshawott's health again!
   "Thanks!" Nora smiles to Verdell and Clefairy before continuing, "Let's finish this with a final Night Slash!" Oshawott rolls back on his feet while taking his scalchop in one paw and slashing at Frillish... After a few moments, Frillish has fallen!
   Aina calls it back to its Pokéball, approaching Rylan... "Calm down... Let me heal her." She takes out a machine from her bag...
   "Aina!" Rylan does not seem to want to calm down, "You're Elite Four! You can't let a beginner and some vagabond win against us...!" He yells, "Send your strong Pokémon! The strongest!!"
   "That's enough!" She sharply rebukes him as she begins to heal his Vulpix.
   Nora's eyes widen, "Wait... an Elite Four member?"
   "I understand that you want to defeat them and know victory. However, there is no glory or satisfaction in treating your opponent in such a manner." Aina stares at him with a disappointed look in her eyes, "Such a battle would bring shame to me as an Elite Four member, and to my Pokémon who will only battle the strongest opponents that can withstand their might... Do you really believe it's worth it, doing that?"
   "..." Rylan lowers his head, "...Sorry."
   "This was their battle." Verdell declares as he calls his Clefairy back, "For my own part, I will not call it a victory. I know you've been looking to have a serious battle with me, Aina."
   "..." She glances at Verdell before returning her attention to the Vulpix-- After a few moments the little fox is back to full health! "...Rylan, victory does not come easy for anyone. However, take the time to reflect on your losses so you may improve and be ready for the next battle. Here, let me see Petal's Pokéball so I can heal her as well."
   "Ah, here... Please." Rylan hands her the Pokéball, then hugs his Vulpix as it licks his face, trying to get him to cheer up...
   "..." Verdell backs off, it seems as if he intends to sneak away while Aina is busy...
   "I will cover the basics of Double Battles with you, learning to cooperate in a battle with a partner is just as important as learning one-on-one battles." Aina responds calmly as she begins to use her machine on the Pokéball, "...Verdell, don't you dare."
   Nora looks at Verdell with a confused face as she picks up Oshawott who is sleepy from the battle.
   "Gah!" Verdell freezes up for a moment, "But you have to tend to your apprentice now, right? So I'll be taking my leave..." He keeps backing off!
   "Verdell..." Aina has a deadly warning tone...
   Nora looks between them before approaching Verdell, "Sir...? Can you be my mentor?"
   "Oh, she doesn't have to tend to me anymore at the moment." Rylan says as he receives his Petilil back, placing Vulpix on his shoulder and dusting the dirt off his knees, "I and my Pokémon are perfectly fine!"
   "...!" Verdell stares between Aina, Nora, and Rylan, then at Nora again, "Your mentor? Well, I do plan to stay in Unova for a time..." He glances at Aina again, wary to take his eyes off her.
   "Alright..." Aina glances at Rylan while she puts the machine away, "While we make our way to the next city, we'll need to discuss possible strategies with your Pokémon and do team battle exercises for you to improve, Rylan."
   Nora looks at Verdell with curiosity, "Is that a yes...?"
   "Before that however." Aina looks at Verdell with a deep frown, her hand reaching down to an Ultra Ball on her belt...!
   Verdell takes another half step back from Aina, putting his hands up, "I've got some things to do here, Aina. So I won't be leaving Unova yet... You'll have plenty of chances to catch me in a less public space!" He gestures with his arm towards the growing group of spectators, apparently the mention of 'Elite Four' has caused more of the route-travellers to gather!
   Aina sighs at this, "Great..."
   "Mr. Verdell?" Nora moves in front of Verdell, "Would you like to travel with me?"
   "Sure thing! Let's just get out of here first." Verdell says as a mischievous grin appears on his face, and he turns to the audience, "Attention everyone! Elite Four member Aina is now signing autographs!"
   "Verdell you little--!!" Aina yells before she gets swarmed by the audience!
   "Get your picture with her today!" Verdell shouts, then he looks at Nora, "Come on!" He grabs her hand and dashes off into the woods!
   As Aina is signing various items with an irritated look on her face, Nora can hear Rylan's voice through the crowd behind them as they run... "I'm not forgetting this, Nora! You'll regret it next time!"

Once they have gone a fair distance through the woods and the crowd is well out of both sight and hearing, Verdell stops running, but he still keeps walking at a brisk pace... "Alright, girl, now let me be clear. I only said I'll mentor you because I had to get away from that lady before something terrible would've happened. I couldn't have you get in my way. But before I agree to it for real, I have some questions that need answers."
   Nora and her Pokémon both blink at this, "Sure, ask away."
   He smiles to her, "First off then, your name?"
   "My name is Nora Marquardt." She smiles at him, "It's nice to formally meet you, Verdell...? What's your surname?"
   "Nice to meet you too, Nora." Verdell nods. "Alright now, if I'm teaching you to battle I need to know why I'm doing it. You can keep your money, but I want you to tell me about yourself. What's your goal?"
   "...Well..." She rubs her head, "...Can you promise not to laugh...?"
   "Afraid not, until I know what it is." He gives her a playful grin!
   "...Well... I want to take the Gym Challenge so I can participate in the Champion battle." Nora looks at her Oshawott who stares back up at her, "...I want to battle people so I can see what Pokémon are capable of when they live with humans, compared to those in the wild, but... I also have a bigger reason to enter the challenge... and it's something I really cannot ignore anymore."
   "..." Verdell listens... He's not laughing yet, at least!
   "...Unova has been divided for so long... Our politics ignore common sense and people rattle over rights but ignore responsibility. The Pokémon League is determined to build a private training center in Anville Town-- my hometown. But in doing so they're going to harm the delicate ecosystem. The Pokémon that live in the area will be harmed, and many of their projects have harmed too many Pokémon in the past..." She closes her eyes, "...The one who leads the League is the Champion but... ours is no longer keeping the Elite Four or the Gym Leaders under control... I want to challenge him for the position... I want to end this corruption that has been hurting my homeland for so long..."
   "Aww." He looks a little disappointed, "I expected something funnier... Do people really laugh at you for that?"
   Nora looks up at him with sad eyes, "So many people are divided, but the majority laugh because I'm against what the League has become. Those who are wealthy find it funny because I'm 'trying to cripple the economy' as they put it. While the others think I'm a fool... Not everyone thinks I'm wrong, they just... don't see a point in fighting against the League."
   "...I accept. You can be my apprentice."
   "...!" Nora has a broad smile as Oshawott gives a happy bark! "Thank you so much...!"
   "Never forget that resolve to do the right thing, in spite of the challenges you'll face." Verdell returns the smile.
   "I won't forget!" Nora grins, but then pauses and looks at him, "Oh... um... can I say thank you to your Clefairy as well? He helped us out so much..."
   "Of course." Verdell stops walking, calling his Clefairy out.
   "Clefairy!"
   "Chef is very good at what he does." He smiles.
   "Thank you for helping us, Chef." Nora smiles as Oshawott hops out of her arms and walks over to Clefairy, he holds his paw out while giving a happy bark like he's saying thanks!
   "Clef clefairy!" Clefairy shakes it.
   "But you two did your part too." Verdell says, "Perhaps you noticed that Chef didn't attack the other Pokémon, even once? We wouldn't have won the battle for you."
   "I did notice but... I felt that it wasn't a good idea to ask in the middle of a battle." Nora looks at Verdell as Oshawott pauses, running off to Nora's backpack... He leaps up to grab something in one of the pockets, "I'm guessing Chef only knows supporting moves?"
   "Correct... I trained him solely for that purpose. So I can't send him into battle alone. But as you've seen, he does an excellent work in double battles."
   "I see... That makes sense, I've seen some battles where trainers have a Pokémon that uses only support moves..." Nora ponders at this, "But those were generally more competitive double battles between individuals who were previous Champions or other highly experienced trainers."
   "Fairy?" Clefairy walks around the trainers to look at what Oshawott is doing... Oshawott hops down, he holds a tiny cinnamon roll that he took from the bag, offering it to Clefairy with a smile. "Clef...!" Clefairy receives it with sparkling eyes! He seems to enjoy the treat a lot as he eats it. "Clef! Clefairy!" He appears to be thanking Oshawott.
   "Our Pokémon are getting along well already..." Verdell smiles as he watches.
   "Osh! Oshawott!" Oshawott responds with a happy look.
   Nora smiles warmly at this as well, "I see Soujiro wanted to share one of his treats with Chef. He's usually pretty protective of them."
   "Chef always appreciates food." Verdell chuckles, "But we can't stop here. Let's keep moving." He resumes walking.
   "Right!" Nora smiles as she follows Verdell, and Oshawott dashes over to walk alongside his trainer. Clefairy skips after them as well... Verdell is not saying much as they make their way through the woods... "Hey Verdell?" Nora looks at him with curiosity dancing in her eyes while he ducks under a low hanging branch, "Why was Aina so mad at you?"
   "Ah, that's..." He bites his lip, seeming to ponder for a moment before he answers, "She and I are from a region very far from here... I ran away, and she's been trying to hunt me down since."
   "Was it because you dumped her?" Nora tilts her head, "She looked about ready to go at you when she had that Ultra Ball in her hand."
   Verdell laughs! "I never said I broke up with her!"
   "Hrm?" Nora blinks at this, stepping carefully over a tree root, "But then... why did she?"
   "You said that you recognized my battle tactics with Chef as something experienced trainers do... I assume that's why you asked me to mentor you? Either way, you're not wrong. I'm a Gym Leader. Or rather, I were... I would prefer if you keep that a secret. I've left that life behind, and I enjoy living as a... vagabond, did he call me?" He grins, "She can't catch me, alright? Even if it is her duty, because she's Elite Four."
   "Why does that warrant her to chase you? I mean... it's not illegal to not want to be a Gym Leader anymore is it?" Nora looks a bit surprised, "And... you're not wrong about why I asked you to be my mentor. I have knowledge of Pokémon, but I'm still inexperienced when it comes to battling."
   "If you know that is an advanced tactic you must nonetheless have observed your fair share of battles." He stretches his arms, "And you are right, it's not illegal to stop being a Gym Leader... But you see, I never resigned from the position. I just had enough, so I left." He rubs his head, "Do you have any idea how much trouble I'll be in if I return now?"
   "I don't think I want to know." Nora responds, "Though, I know some of the tactics since one of my friends watches and examines battles carefully and shares it with me..." She pauses on seeing an interaction between some Patrat. She quickly digs in her bag and pulls out a tablet, grabbing the pen to take notes...
   "..." He stops too, watching her... "A Pokémon Professor in the making, are you?"
   "Yeah, I'm aiming to study Pokémon Ecology." Nora smiles as she documents the Patrats before they run off. Her tablet shows a fair number of pictures of the route and local Pokémon, it seems that she is familiar with the area.
   "So that's why you're concerned about the ecosystems threatened by those projects." He nods, "...But I have to ask, are you really sure that you want someone like me as your mentor?"
   "I am." She says after saving the document and putting the tablet away in her bag. She turns to look at him, "You seem nice, and besides, you had the chance to leave me to deal with Rylan and Aina alone."
   "..." He looks at her, "A beginner, alone against two people... against her? I do not think so. Besides, I had to protect my lady's honor as well."
   "...I saw that she didn't look too pleased about being pulled into a double battle." Nora crosses her arms, "...Was Aina really going to battle me?"
   "...I don't know." He looks down, "Apparently I didn't know her as well as I thought... but even if she wasn't going to, joining your side was still the easiest way to save both of you ladies. She knows me well enough to figure that out, so she might have threatened to battle you in hopes of luring me out..."
   "Well... I'm sure happy you came! Soujiro and I would have been in deep trouble... and Rylan's so much worse when he's gloating..." Nora sighs a bit with a smile, "Anyway, Verdell, is there a reason you came to Unova? Did you come for the battles?"
   His smile turns secretive, "There is a reason, but let's just say there are some things you are better off not knowing about me."
   "What? Are you like some daring rogue who fancies himself the defender of the poor?" She chuckles.
   "...Is that how you see me?" He chuckles too.
   "You're not really dressed like a prince if I may point out."
   "You don't say? So what if I really am a prince and this is only my disguise? Wouldn't it be embarrassing to have judged me by my appearance then?" He has a playful smile as he holds a branch aside for her...
   "You didn't act princely when Aina was glaring at you. Would a prince not be able to remain calm in the face of such adversity?" She smirks, "But if you want to play mysterious, then so be it. I'll think of funnier things you can be."
   He nods, "I'm glad that you understand. Some secrets are simply best left alone..." He keeps walking.
   "Of course." Nora smiles as she shifts her bag a bit, the weight from the items stored in it starting to feel heavy.
   "Osha!" Oshawott hops over next to his trainer.
   Nora thinks carefully as they walk, until suddenly she says, "When we reach Striaton City, do you mind meeting my friends and helping us train for the Gym? I think since there's three Leaders we may be able to battle them at the same time."
   "Sounds fair. I'm not after the Gym Badges of this region myself, and I'm not helping you win any in person. The way you are right now, getting your friends to help should be the easiest way to your first badge... If they are decent trainers, that is."
   "I'm sure they are!" She smiles, "Actually, do you mind if I call them real quick to meet us?"
   "You do that." He says, continuing to walk in silence... smiling at his Clefairy who follows soundlessly...
   Nora pulls out her Xtransceiver and opens a call with her friends, telling them to meet her at the Dreamyard to the east of Striaton City.

In the evening, Cheren and Bianca enter the Dreamyard, the site of an old abandoned factory that has mostly been reclaimed by nature. Much of the roof has long since fallen down, but some walls remain standing. Cheren looks around, "Ah, Nora!" He hurries over, "So why did you call us to meet you here? You said it was important..."
   "Yeah... I found out something interesting I think we need to know." Nora responds, "Well... I ran into Rylan earlier--"
   "Wait, Rylan?" Bianca looks surprised, "I thought he was supposed to be studying abroad in Kalos?"
   "Well, turns out he's not. But anyway, he's doing the Gym Challenge too. He has the badge for Striaton City and he gave me a piece of information that I had to tell you guys. The Gym here has three Leaders." She crosses her arms.
   "Yes, I already found out." Cheren nods, "With only one Pokémon, it's going to be tough. I just caught one more that I will train with Herbert, but I still need to look for more."
   "I only have Lugh and my Lillipup-- Teague with me." Bianca responds but then looks down, "Though... we're still struggling a bit."
   Nora smiles, "Well, since there's three Gym Leaders I was thinking we can challenge them together, and I met someone who can help us with getting ready too!"
   "Ahoy!" Verdell raises a hand in greeting from where he's leaning against a wall some distance away.
   "Together... That's actually a great idea. Then, two Pokémon each should be enough. I'm in!" Cheren looks at Bianca, "What about you?"
   "I-I am!" Bianca smiles nervously, "I hope I can keep up with both of you!"
   "Come on, Verdell said that he found a good spot in the ruins that's a perfect place to practice in!" Nora smiles.
   "Right this way." Verdell heads further in.
   "Nora, who is he?" Cheren asks...
   "This is Verdell, he's a former Gym Leader from a different region." Nora smiles brightly, "He helped me when Rylan tried to do a double battle on Soujiro and me."
   There's a pause as Bianca looks at Nora who is slowly starting to realize her mistake, "Gym... Leader...?"
   "Hey! I said that's a secret!" Verdell flails his arms!
   "Eeek!" Nora covers her mouth while giving him an apologetic look, "I'm so sorry...!"
   Bianca looks surprised at this, "How in...?! Why's a foreign Gym Leader here??"
   "A foreign Gym Leader? How unexpected..." Cheren looks surprised too!
   Verdell sighs, "I guess it can't be helped... Just try not to spread around that I'm a Gym Leader, you three."
   "I'm Cheren." Cheren approaches to shake Verdell's hand, "Nice to meet you. If you don't mind me asking, which type do you specialize in?"
   "Nice to meet you too." Verdell smiles as he returns the handshake, "As a Gym Leader, my focus was mainly grass types..."
   "Really? That's fortunate! Then perhaps you have some advice on how to best raise Snivy?"
   "Ah, of course! Grass type Pokémon and Snivy in particular need a lot of sunlight because..." Verdell begins as he and Cheren launch into a lively discussion on grass types!
   "...I see, so if it becomes faster, then..."
   "...and focus on swift attacks..."
   "It's nice to see they're having a good time." Nora says as Bianca nods in agreement. "Should we go on ahead and get the Pokémon accustomed to each other?"
   "Yeah! I want you to see my Lillipup!" Bianca smiles wide as they enter into the area that Verdell had recommended to train in. Tepig looks happy to see his friend again, introducing Oshawott and Lillipup to each other.
   After a little while, Verdell and Cheren notice that they have been left behind, hurrying after the girls! "...But as I was going to say, I also like the fairy type. The rules of my League allows Gym Leaders to have dual types, so I used to train fairy Pokémon alongside my grass types..."
   "That's very interesting. But if you're a Gym Leader, why keep it secret?"
   "Ah, hello!" Verdell ignores Cheren's last question, hurrying over to greet Bianca, "Nice to meet you!"
   "Nice to meet you too!" Bianca smiles, "Um... so how much can you help us with battling three Gym Leaders at the same time?"
   "As a Gym Leader, I specialized not only in the grass and fairy types, but also in double battles." Verdell smiles, "So I know that before this Gym Battle, what you three need to practise most is your teamwork. I'll be your opponent for this. It's just practise, so you don't have to worry." He takes out three of his Pokéballs, "Go!" Out of them appears Clefairy, Breloom, and Leafeon!
   "Alrighty then, let's go!" Bianca smiles wide as Tepig prepares for the training regimen. Lillipup sits to the side, watching the other Pokémon. Nora smiles a bit as Oshawott hops over to stand with Tepig. She takes out her Pokédex to record information on the three new Pokémon.
   "I see. This should make for useful practise indeed!" Cheren calls out Snivy! Verdell's three Pokémon are looking curiously at the smaller Pokémon...
   "Hrm..." Nora puts the Pokédex away in her pocket, "Chef is the support right? So does this make Leafeon and Breloom the main offense?"
   Bianca looks at Nora with a curious expression, "What do you mean?"
   "In double battles you have Pokémon with certain roles to be either the support or the attacker... I'm just curious about who does what?" Nora looks at her, "Verdell explained it a bit so I'm very curious how these kinds of battles work."
   Verdell laughs, "Don't worry about it, Nora. I have some more... vicious members on my crew than these three. I chose them for your training session because I don't want any of your Pokémon to get hurt, but normally I would not send them in this constellation." He smiles, looking at his Leafeon, "Cutlass here is a mixed support and attacker. As for Goldie, her role is to disable the enemy and strike them down. They can both hold their own in battle, but they also have enough control to not endanger your Pokémon."
   Breloom is making happy waves along with Clefairy! Leafeon silently stares at the other Pokémon, however... Oshawott waves back at Clefairy and Breloom, while Tepig tilts his head with a happy smile on his face.
   "Your Pokémon seem really happy and nice though!" Bianca smiles at this.
   Nora smiles too as Verdell begins their lesson on multi battles!

After a few hours they decide to take a break. Oshawott lies on the ground, catching his breath along with Tepig. Bianca is calling back her poor Lillipup, who eventually jumped in to play but got wiped out too. Snivy at last manages to slip out of Leafeon's tickle assault, quickly climbing onto Cheren and wrapping himself around his neck before he dares to relax!
   "I can't tell what's more cruel, that tickle assault or the number of times Lugh and Soujiro got sucker punched." Nora says as she can hear a faint whine from Oshawott.
   "Actually, I believe that move was Mach Punch..." Cheren remarks, petting his Snivy. "Of course, if Breloom had used its full strength it would've been quite dangerous."
   "Impressive knowledge, Cheren." Verdell smiles.
   Bianca picks up her Tepig, "But that was amazing though, I didn't know one person can give orders that fast to three Pokémon!"
   "I must admit it is more challenging for me than double battles, especially since your team tactics are developing so well!"
   "I think we have a good chance for tomorrow." Nora smiles as she picks up Oshawott and pets his head. The little otter gives a happy grunt.
   Bianca looks at her with a worried face, "But Nora... I heard the Gym Leaders each have two Pokémon but during our exercise... you only used Oshawott. Cheren and I used Purrloin and Lillipup... Did you manage to...?"
   "...I got wrapped up in researching so I wasn't focused on capturing any Pokémon..." Nora looks at Oshawott as her brow furrows, "I'm aware that I need to add more to my team but I'm still unsure what Pokémon I should add... huh?" She pauses and looks at the ground, "...Did the floor...?"
   "Cleff...!" Clefairy's ears twitch!
   "Chef, are you sensing something?" Verdell looks at his Pokémon... Clefairy stares at the ground! "...Run!" Verdell shouts out, but too late! The ground collapses beneath them...!
   "Whhaaaa!!!"
   "CRUD...!!!!"
   A loud crash sounds in the air! As the dust settles Nora coughs, holding Oshawott close to her as the little Pokémon is making panicked barks and whines, "It's okay... I'm just a bit stunned, Soujiro..." Nora smiles, trying to rub his head to calm him down.
   "Ow..." Bianca rubs her back, it seems she was trying to protect her Tepig who is making panicked squealing sounds! She tries to sit up, wincing, "What happened...? Ah... my back..."
   "Ugh... That wasn't the best landing..." Verdell says...
   "Is everyone all right...?" Cheren asks, gritting his teeth as he looks at his scraped hands... Snivy is still safely clinging to him, at least.
   Leafeon gets up and shakes some dust out of his fur, while Clefairy floats down elegantly using his wings.
   "It looks like the floor caved in..." Nora says as she stares up at the sky through the hole... The stars have begun to come out. But she freezes and looks around as she hears loud crunching noises! A gleam catches her eye, and she spots the small metallic Pokémon chewing away at an exposed metal rod, "...Or rather, someone decided to have their dinner here."
   Bianca notices as she slowly takes a seat on a large chunk of concrete, "What Pokémon is that?"
   "That's an Aron." Nora says, "...They're usually found around Mistralton Cave... But this is very odd, why's one here and so far away from there?"
   "Well, Miss Cares-About-Ecology, before this interruption we were speaking of new members for your team..." Verdell says, trying to get up.
   "Osha!!!" Oshawott is shaking his paw at the Aron that lazily continues eating the iron rods, ignoring the irritated Oshawott.
   Nora gets up, patting her pant legs, "True... and frankly Aron might be a big help... Okay... let's do it! Soujiro-- Water Gun!"
   "Wott!!!" Oshawott fires off a Water Gun! It hits the Aron, and the little iron Pokémon falls on the ground with a loud bang! But it gets up... and it looks mad!
   "Alright, that must have weakened it!" Cheren says, "Though it seems angry..."
   "Ar!!" The Aron growls as it's glowing violet!
   Nora's eyes widen on seeing the glow, "Use Water Gun again-- quickly!!" Oshawott uses Water Gun, and although the Pokémon is just looking more angry at being disturbed, it seems to be getting weaker! "Okay... let's see if this works..." Nora takes out a Pokéball and throws it! The ball hits the Aron in the head and opens-- a red light enveloping the Pokémon and drawing it into the ball. It lands on the ground and shakes a bit... Eventually it stops with a familiar echoed 'click' sound!
   "Looks like you got it!" Verdell grins.
   "Well done, Nora." Cheren smiles, "I'd applaud you if I could, but..." He still looks a little pained, "I think we need to find a way out of here now."
   "Yeah... I think I need an ice pack..." Bianca groans as she stands up... but is forced to sit down as her back is throbbing badly...
   Nora goes over to pick up the Pokéball and gather Oshawott, petting him... She winces a bit as she can feel her back is also sore from the landing, "Yeah... might be a good idea..."
   "A way out is one thing, but if anyone's hurt our first priority is to treat that." Verdell says, taking out a similar device to the one Nora saw Aina use...
   "Wait, isn't that the same machine Aina has...?" Nora blinks at this.
   Bianca notices it, "What's that?"
   "It's a Pokéquip." Verdell explains, heading over to Cheren and using it on his hands, "Common equipment for trainers in my home region. It comes with portable healing for Pokémon and humans, although it needs to be charged between uses..."
   "Ah... That feels much better." Cheren smiles a little, "Thanks."
   "Bianca? Where are you hurt?" Verdell asks...
   "I landed on my lower back..." She winces as she touches the spot...

Once everyone has been healed, they start looking around for a way out... "Hrm... would've been nice if there was a map of this place..." Nora mutters as they wander the dark, damp halls, full of old, broken furniture... Oshawott sniffs the air as he hangs onto her shoulder.
   Bianca looks around as Tepig walks alongside her, his ears twitching at any odd sound, "We're not gonna be trapped in here tonight are we...?"
   "I certainly hope not..." Cheren says, freezing up for a moment at the clattering of a bottle rolling away when he accidentally kicked it. "There's got to be some old stairs left behind, or something..."
   "Breloom!" Suddenly the mushroom on Breloom's head lights up like a lamp!
   "Ah, good thinking, Goldie." Verdell smiles, "Now we can at least see better..." Breloom nods while untying the green scarf around her neck and shaking some dust off it before she puts it back on. They keep going until in the distance they see light softly filtering down on a flight of stairs...
   "Hey! I think that's our way out!" Bianca smiles as she points towards it.
   Nora gives a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, I don't think I can stand being down here any longer... It's like walking in a horror filmset..."
   As they approach the stairs, they hear a voice from above, "Come on, spit it out already!"
   "Wha...?" Nora furrows her brow, she holds a finger towards the others as if to tell them to wait as she carefully sneaks up the stairs... Oshawott has tensed up as she sticks her head out to see what's going on. In front of her is a fairly open space nearby the fence. It's dark, but the moon is illuminating the area... By a wall she sees five people dressed in Team Plasma uniforms. They appear to have cornered someone!
   "Spit out that Dream Mist already!!" One yells out as he kicks them!
   "Munn!!"
   Nora's eyes widen at the sound, her expression contorting from surprise to fury! "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" She yells out, quickly running up the stairs with Oshawott barking angrily on her shoulder!
   "Who's there?" The uniformed people turn towards Nora.
   One of them, a woman, steps forward to direct her away, "We're from Team Plasma. We collect Dream Mist that we will use to make people realize how much better the world is going to be once they release their Pokémon. Everything is in order here, so move along."
   "You have no right to order me to leave here!" Nora glares at them, "How dare you harm that little Munna!! Are you so scared of people not listening to you that you'd harm a Pokémon instead?!"
   Another of them frowns at this, stepping forward as well, "Watch your tongue! You clearly don't care about the ultimate goal that our King seeks for Unova!"
   "You clearly don't care about Pokémon if you're willing to hurt them!!" Nora retorts angrily.
   Bianca moves up the stairs to get a peek at what's going on, and her eyes widen as she notices the little pink Pokémon that's lying on the floor, "Cheren... look...!" She whispers urgently.
   "...Five." Cheren whispers next to her, "We're outnumbered..."
   "Consider rescuing that Pokémon part of your training." Verdell smirks, "I'll back you up if you need it, but I think you'll be able to handle this on your own. Just remember what you three have been practising."
   "..." Cheren looks at Bianca, "Let's do this."
   "R-Right!" Bianca nods as they head up...
   Nora is staring at the Plasma grunts, "I'm giving you this warning, get out of here and leave that Munna alone."
   "And if we refuse?"
   "...I'll make you leave." She says in an icy voice. Oshawott leaps off her shoulder, growling at them.
   "Not alone." Cheren says next to her, "We'll protect that Pokémon too."
   "This isn't good, there's more coming..." One of the grunts in the back whispers to the girl and guy next to him, "...We can't let word get out about this."
   "Shut up, you." The girl gives a light slap to him, then she looks at Nora and her friends, "We're doing this to save all Pokémon. Unlike you, we fight for a good cause! But you, you should be ashamed of yourselves!"
   "That's right!" The other girl says, "We gave you the chance to leave, but since you won't, we may as well liberate your Pokémon from you!"
   "Osha! Osha osha wott!!" Oshawott barks at them!
   Nora watches them carefully with a deep frown, "Hypocritical coming from a group of people who claim to care about Pokémon!"
   Tepig snorts, fire flaring from his nostrils as Bianca looks determined, "Hang on Munna! We'll help you!!"
   "You're not going to do anything-- Purrloin!!" One of the men throws out his Pokéball!
   "Dwebble!"
   "Woobat!!"
   "Go, Patrat!"
   "And Bronzor!"
   As the enemies surround them, Cheren positions himself with his back to Nora and Bianca, taking out his Pokédex to analyze their opponents... His Snivy slips off his shoulder, getting in position to protect his trainer. Nora and Bianca also move so the trio are standing back-to-back, they take out their Pokédexes as well... "...Cheren, Bianca..." Nora says, "I'll go for the Woobat and Dwebble..."
   Bianca nods, "...I'll try to go for the Bronzor..."
   "Woobat-- Gust on Snivy!!"
   "Night Slash!!!" Nora yells out as Oshawott dashes forward to cut down the Woobat!
   "Dwebble-- Rock Blast!!" The second grunt points at Tepig, but her smirk vanishes as Snivy leaps in the way...
   "Glare, Herbert!" Cheren calls out, and Snivy paralyzes it with his gaze!
   "Use Iron Defense!" The Plasma grunt commanding Bronzor chooses to stay in the background with her Pokémon while the others take charge.
   "Bite the Oshawott, Patrat!"
   "Sucker Punch on Patrat!!" Bianca yells out, and Tepig slams his hoof into the Patrat's stomach!
   "Copycat, Purrloin!!" Its trainer yells out as the little cat strikes Tepig in turn!
   Nora takes notice, "Use Water Gun-- now!!" Oshawott fires off a jet of water, accurately hitting the cat and throwing it off Tepig! Earning an angry hiss from the wet Purrloin.
   "Use Confusion on that Oshawott!!" Woobat's trainer shouts, and Oshawott is thrown back as he's struck with a psychic force!
   "Now, Herbert! Tackle!" Cheren points, and Snivy leaps full force at the Woobat! It is knocked back, and appears to be having a difficult time flying with its foe clinging to it...!
   Purrloin's trainer points at Snivy, "Use Sand Attack!" His Pokémon kicks up some sand!
   "Wrap, Herbert!" Snivy wraps himself around the Woobat to force it to the ground! He doesn't seem to care much about the sand right now...
   "Use Scratch on that Snivy!" The Dwebble struggles to break out of the paralysis...!
   "Soujiro, Water Gun!" Oshawott fires off another jet of water hitting the Dwebble... Forcing it back and weakening it a lot!
   "Use your Assurance, Patrat!" The Patrat strikes back hard against Tepig!
   "Use Ember!" Bianca yells as Tepig grunts in pain... He quickly retaliates against his opponent! Patrat seems to have taken a burn, but it tackles into him!
   "Air Slash on the Patrat!!" Oshawott dashes forward and strikes the Patrat in the back!
   "Confusion, Bronzor!" Its trainer finally steps forward and points at Oshawott!
   "Use Ember on Bronzor!!" Bianca yells, and Tepig fires his flames towards the metal disk!
   The Woobat struggles in Snivy's wrap... Then it stops moving! The grunt growls in frustration as he calls back his fainted Woobat.
   "No! Use Scratch!!" Purrloin moves to scratch at the grass snake!
   "Vine Whip!" Cheren shouts, and Snivy slams the Purrloin with perfect accuracy! Cheren looks quite smug about this... "Well done!"
   The Patrat has been knocked out by Oshawott, but for some reason, Bronzor does not seem to be much affected by the fire...! It ignores Tepig to keep attacking the little otter with its psychic power! "...!!" Nora takes notice as does Bianca!
   "Use Tackle!" Tepig begins to charge forward and tackles into the Bronzor! Bianca's eyes widen, "Wait... Is it because of an ability...?" She takes out her Pokédex again and looks at Bronzor's entry more carefully. Her eyes widen as she reads, "Wait... Heatproof?"
   "Use Night Slash!!" Nora yells out as Oshawott charges forward, leaping up and striking the Bronzor!
   "Purrloin! Get up and use Foul Play!!" The little cat stumbles up and charges forward to strike at Snivy! While they clash, the Bronzor barely seems to notice Tepig and Oshawott's attacks...!
   "Ohoho! You'll never win against Team Plasma! Get the trainers, Bronzor!" The Bronzor begins to float towards them...! Nora grits her teeth as Oshawott continues to use Night Slash to little avail in an effort to hold the Bronzor back!
   "Lugh!! USE SUPERPOWER!!!" Bianca yells out as the little fire Pokémon is enveloped in a red energy and charges the steel type! Bronzor is knocked back a bit, but even that wasn't enough to weaken it considerably...!
   "Its defenses are too high..." Cheren frowns, "Leave Bronzor to me and Herbert, you two! I have a plan, but you'll have to handle the others!"
   "Alright!" Nora and Bianca nod to him as they turn their attention to the other trainers and their Pokémon. "Use Water Gun!!" Oshawott moves and blasts the slowly approaching Dwebble back into a wall-- knocking it out!
   "Ember!!" Bianca points at the Purrloin chasing Snivy!
   "Nya...!!" The Purrloin is burnt from the attack!
   "Don't give up, use Scratch!!" Despite the burn, the little cat leaps towards Tepig and scratches it! Snivy moves away from Purrloin, positioning himself between Bronzor and the trainers.
   "Ha! You really think you can stop me with a little grass Pokémon?" The Plasma grunt laughs! "None of your attacks will do anything against Bronzor!"
   "Perhaps, but to begin with, I can stall you... Glare, Herbert!" Cheren points at it!
   Oshawott and Tepig are working together to take down the Purrloin!
   "AIR SLASH!!"
   "SUPERPOWER!"
   With their combined attacks the Purrloin is knocked into its trainer who falls backwards from the force!
   "I'm the only one left?" Bronzor's trainer says, "Hmph... You're not bad, but have you forgotten that you're still surrounded? Even if you slow Bronzor down, as soon as I've knocked your Pokémon out, there'll be nowhere for you to run..."
   "...We're using your secret move, Herbert." Cheren looks focused, as does his Pokémon.
   "Alright, playtime's over! Use Confusion on that Snivy, Bronzor!"
   "Now!" When the psychic energy hits Snivy, the little Pokémon's body reflects it like a mirror...! The next instant, Bronzor falls to the stone floor with a clatter! "Heh. Mirror Coat returns the force with which the enemy's own attack was delivered, at double the power... Take that!" Cheren smiles, and Snivy turns his nose up victoriously!
   "Plasmaaaa!" The Plasma grunt stares as if she can't believe her eyes, "This is a nightmare!"
   "That was incredible, Cheren!" Bianca squeals as she hugs his arm!
   Nora smiles at Cheren before turning her attention to the stunned Plasma grunts, "Now then... are you still going to test your luck?"
   "Tch...!" One of the grunts growls as they contemplate their next move...
   Then, Snivy falls over! "...! You did well, Herbert. Return!" Cheren calls his Pokémon back. "Using that move is still a risk, since it exposes Herbert to the enemy's attack..."
   "...Their Pokémon are weak. We could still--"
   "What are you lot doing, goofing off in a place like this?" A voice speaks all of a sudden!
   "That voice... Ghetsis?!" The Plasma grunts look around, shocked when he suddenly appears next to them!
   "Your task was to recruit more followers!" He moves in front of the wounded Munna, "If you cannot fulfill your duties, but resort to such lowly means..."
   "Aaah!! We're sorry!"
   "Forgive us! We'll do better, right away!"
   The Team Plasma members scurry off!
   "What...?" Nora's eyes widen at this, "Ghetsis...? But how...?"
   The little Munna is moving its head a bit, trying to look at them, "Munn..."
   "...!" Bianca approaches the little Pokémon, lowering herself to its level as Tepig follows after her, "There, there... let me help you..." She takes out a potion and begins to apply it to the little Munna. Ghetsis is no longer moving, and when the gust of Bianca walking past hits him, his shape looks a bit distorted...
   "..." Cheren frowns, taking off his glasses and polishing them with a handkerchief before putting them back on and looking again, but Ghetsis looks even more blurry! He seems to be fading away...
   "Shaaar!" A bigger pink and purple Pokémon peeks out from behind a wall, approaching the Munna.
   "...Oh. I see. That must be Musharna..." Cheren says, relieved that there's nothing wrong with his eyes. "It used its Dream Mist to chase off Team Plasma."
   "There you go..." Bianca smiles as the wounds fade, and the little Munna floats up! It is healthy again!
   "Muu!!" The little Munna floats around Bianca before approaching the bigger Pokémon and nuzzling it.
   Nora's eyes soften as Bianca picks up Tepig and moves back to give the two Pokémon some space, "...That must be Munna's parent..."
   "Excellent work, you three." Verdell says behind them, "I'd say you are ready for the Gym Challenge. After your Pokémon have had some well-earned rest, of course!" He smiles.
   "Naturally." Nora smiles back as she scoops up Oshawott in her arms, "Come on, let's head to the Pokémon Center and get a good night's rest..."

The next day, Cheren is waiting for the others at a bench outside the Pokémon Center. To prepare for the Gym Challenge, his Snivy is basking in the morning sun, looking very content... Eventually, Nora comes out of the Pokémon Center with Bianca.
   "Oh! Hey Cheren!" Bianca waves to her friend as they walk towards him.
   Cheren raises a hand in greeting, letting Snivy climb onto his shoulder before he gets up, "The more sunlight before this battle, the better, right?"
   "Sniii!"
   "Looks like you are all ready." Verdell smiles behind Nora and Bianca, "It'll be your first Gym Battle, but I'm sure you three will be fine. Remember to work as a team, and do your best!"
   Tepig makes a happy grunt, and Oshawott barks happily from Nora's shoulder.
   "You're going to watch us, right?" Nora asks Verdell with a smile as they make their way to the Gym. A pleasant smell of food wafts out of the building...
   "Of course!" Verdell grins. "And I'm expecting you to win, alright?"
   Cheren nods, "The Gym Leaders must be stronger than Team Plasma... but they won't be as many this time. We already won that battle. And I aim to become the Champion, too. I won't lose, especially not when I'm with my friends." He smiles.
   "Of course!" Bianca says, "We'll watch each other's backs! Just like we always do!"
   Nora nods, and they enter the building... It appears to be quite the fancy restaurant, with a raised stage in the middle surrounded by a transparent protective shield... Before long they are approached by a green-haired waiter, "Welcome to the Striaton City Pokémon Gym. How may I help you?"
   Nora blinks, but speaks up, "My friends and I are here to challenge the Gym Leaders. We were hoping to do a triple battle together."
   "You want to challenge the Gym together...?"
   "Yes." Cheren nods, "I trust that will not be a problem?"
   "Um..." He throws a quick glance at the Pokémon they are carrying, "...We are very proud of our menu, which we adjust to suit each trainer... I believe a triple course can be arranged for the three of you. But we will need a moment to prepare. Please wait here, and you will be called onto the stage shortly..." The waiter bows elegantly, hurrying off... They can see him speaking with another waiter...
   "I really hope we didn't catch them off guard..." Nora rubs her head...
   Bianca looks around, "Still... all these people watching... I'm already feeling nervous..."
   "Is it just me, or did those waiters just start working more hurriedly than they did when we entered?" Cheren observes...
   "Hm?" Nora notices the three are indeed working quickly-- a redhead is going through finishing the orders and delivering food, "Wait... does that mean they're...?"
   Bianca looks at Nora, "...Nora? You don't think they're...?"
   "...I think those three are the Gym Leaders." Nora says quietly to her friends.
   "Mis!!"
   "...!?" Nora turns around upon feeling a shiver down her spine! A Mismagius is floating towards them with a happy face.
   Cheren turns around as well, then his eyes fall on the person next to Nora, "Rylan? What are you doing here?"
   "What else? I came to watch the three of you lose." Rylan smirks.
   "You can't just assume that!" Bianca pouts at this.
   Nora grits her teeth as her hands turn to fists, "Rylan, don't you have better things to do...?" Her eyes move to where she had last seen Verdell, but he is no longer there... She frowns a little as she looks at the ghost Pokémon, "I assume this is Aina's Pokémon?"
   "Magi magi!!" The Mismagius makes a happy sound.
   "Aina?" Bianca blinks, looking between Nora and Rylan, "Who's that...?"
   "Aina is an Elite Four member from another region." Rylan says, "She's also my mentor. I'll reach the top in no time with her!"
   "Elite Four? Now that you mention it, I may have heard her name." Cheren says, although he still looks a little surprised.
   "Speaking of which," Rylan looks around, "Where's that fleabag you picked up last we met, Nora? Not that I thought highly of him, but you must have been a bad apprentice if he abandoned you this fast?"
   "No, he's probably taking care of something..." Nora crosses her arms, "Besides, he has faith in me and my friends to win this challenge! Why do you even bother showing up and harassing me!?"
   "Hold on." Cheren says, "Who are you talking about?"
   "I think his name was... Verdell?" Rylan says.
   "Verdell? But he was here a moment ago..." He looks around...
   "Oh, so he was?"
   "Maybe he needed to use the bathroom...?" Bianca looks around... Oshawott growls angrily at Rylan as his presence is making Nora on edge.
   "Anyway, Nora, don't flatter yourself. I do so look forward to seeing your humiliation on that stage, but you are not the reason Aina and I stuck around here in Striaton City, even though I already have the badge. I can't wait to hear what she's doing with your fleabag right now."
   "What are you even talking about?" Nora frowns at him.
   "Hey! Will the three trainers challenging us please come up to the stage! My brothers and I are ready for you!!" A voice sounds from the speakers as Nora notices the redhead is joined by the young man from earlier and another with blue hair...
   She looks at the trio before glancing at Rylan while muttering under her breath, "...I swear, it's moments like these I wish I never met you, Rylan."
   "A pity. I think this has been a pleasant conversation..." Rylan gives her a satisfied smile before turning to head back to his table, raising his hand in a wave over his shoulder, "Good luck with your battle! You're going to need it!"
   "Nora, what was that about?" Cheren asks as they approach the stage, "He made it sound like Verdell may be in trouble."
   "Well..." Nora looks at Cheren with a worried face, "Verdell said that the League is demanding him back since he suddenly abandoned his post but... Aina seemed more aggressive when she was looking at him?"
   Bianca looks worried, "Do you think he'll be okay?"
   "I'm sure we'll see him after the battle." Nora smiles at her friend, "He's tricky-- I'll give him that."
   "Right..." Cheren nods quietly, "Rylan was trying to unnerve us, but this isn't the right time to worry about anything other than this battle... Verdell is counting on us to win, too."
   They enter the battle stage, and the door closes behind them... The redhead grins widely, "Welcome to the Striaton Gym, my name's Chili!"
   "I am Cress." The blue-haired waiter says, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
   "And my name is Cilan." The one they first met says, "We will... um... If you are prepared to battle us, we'll, um... put everything we've got into... er... you know... ..." He looks quite nervous to be on stage!
   "What my brother is sayin' is, we'll put everything we've got into this battle!" Chili says, he seems very excited, "Normally we battle challengers based on their starter Pokémon, but since you three not only have a fire type, a water type, and a grass type, but also challenged us to a triple battle-- we're glad to make an exception!"
   Nora smiles a bit as she takes out a Pokéball, "Let's make this a battle to remember."
   "R-Right." Bianca nods as she takes out her own Pokéball, trembling a bit from the attention from the crowd.
   "What incredible luck for you-- you get to battle the three of us at our best!" Cress smiles, "Go!" All three of the Gym Leaders send out Lillipups!
   "I'm counting on you, Chase!" Cheren throws his Pokéball, and Purrloin appears!
   "L-Let's go, Teague!" Bianca throws her Pokéball with her own Lillipup appearing!
   "I choose you, Hector!!" Nora throws her Pokéball, the Aron she captured appears as it's looking at the three Lillipups ahead...
   "Three of them? And Bianca's..." Cheren bites his lip, "This is going to get messy... How will we tell them apart?"
   Nora grits her teeth, looking at the four Lillipups with a worried look, "Crud..."
   "Um... oh! I got an idea! Teague! Come here!" Bianca calls out, and the little Pokémon bounds over to her. She digs for something in her bag...
   "Let's start!! Lillipup, use Bite on it!!" Chili calls out as he points towards Bianca's Lillipup!
   Nora's eyes widen, "Hector-- use Rock Tomb!!" The Aron growls as he tears out part of the arena floor and slams it into Chili's Lillipup that yelps in pain!
   "Oh, so that's how you play?" Cress says as his Lillipup leaps over the boulders and towards Aron, "Fine with me. Mud-Slap!" It begins to dig up mud onto Aron!
   "In that case, Sand Attack, Chase!" Cheren says.
   "...This battle is certainly exciting. Let's start by working up our spirits, alright, Lillipup?" Cilan says, and his Lillipup barks happily, jumping around while watching the battle.
   "Lillipup!! Ya okay!?!" Chili yells out as the little dog pulls itself out of the boulders though it looks a bit worse for wear, "Let's get fired up! Work Up!!" The Lillipup growls as it begins to get riled up!
   "Ar!!" Aron is shaking his head, he tries to get the mud on his face off...!
   "Use Stealth Rock!!" Nora yells out as the Aron throws out floating stones into the field!
   When Bianca pulls away from her Lillipup there's a pastel blue ribbon tied around the Pokémon's neck. He seems very happy with the decorative piece! "Okay, Teague, let's help the others! Use Helping Hand on Chase!!" The little dog barks happily as the cat gets a power boost! The audience cheers along, rooting for the challengers, and someone comments on how cute Bianca's Lillipup is.
   Cheren gives a smile and a nod to Bianca, "Scratch, Chase!"
   "Bite it." Cress counters, and the dust flies as his Lillipup tussles with Purrloin! Meanwhile, Cilan's Lillipup has gotten so excited that it raises a howl...! Chili's Lillipup howls along with it!
   "Oh no..." Nora mutters, "Hector-- Harden now!"
   "Nora?" Bianca looks at her, "What--?"
   "Watch out-- they're going to hit harder now...!" Nora says as Bianca looks alarmed!
   "Teague, use Thunder Fang!" She points at Cilan's Lillipup as her own charges forward with electrified fangs!
   "Tch, we have to weaken their spirits... Growl, Chase!" Cheren says, and his Pokémon fluffs himself up, hissing threateningly!
   "The three of us, um... We strike as one." Cilan says, "Tackle!"
   "Indeed." Cress's Lillipup suddenly turns and dashes after Bianca's, snapping at his tail...!
   Bianca winces as her Lillipup yelps from the two attacks, "Quick!! Use Bite!!" Her Pokémon turns angrily and bites into Cress's Lillipup!
   "Hector! Use Headbutt!!" Nora yells out as she points at Cilan's Lillipup... The armored Pokémon begins to charge at the puppy Pokémon!
   "No ya don't! Fire Fang!!" Chili yells out as his Lillipup moves forward and bites into Aron who gives an annoyed growl.
   "Chase, help Bianca's Teague! Fury Swipes!"
   Dust flies again as the three puppy Pokémon and the cat tumble around in one big pile! Soon the one belonging to Cress pulls back a bit, however-- it looks quite weakened! "Thunder Fang!!" Bianca yells out as her Lillipup, despite looking tired, charges forward and bites into Cress's Lillipup!
   "We're not done for yet! Mud-Slap!" Cress shouts, and his Lillipup begins to dig up mud onto its approaching opponent! Bianca's eyes widen as her Lillipup stumbles a bit!
   "Hector-- Metal Claw!!"
   "ARR!!!" Aron raises a leg up and slashes downwards on Chili's Lillipup who's thrown back from the pile!
   "...!! Lillipup! Get up and use Tackle!!" Chili calls out as his weakened Lillipup charges forward to ram into the Aron!
   "Ah! My Lillipup!" Cilan says as his Lillipup yelps, turning a puppy-eyes look to Purrloin, who answers with fake tears! "Now!" Both trainers shout, and the next instant their Pokémon strike again!
   "No... I miscalculated that..." Cheren says as his Purrloin falls over! He calls his Pokémon back, "This is tough."
   "Right?" Cilan smiles, and his Lillipup gives a happy wag of its tail, although it has begun to look weary too...
   Bianca tries to stay determined, calling out, "Don't give up! Thunder Fang!" The little Lillipup keeps running ahead and goes for a shocking bite!
   "Hmm, that is a good move..." Cress says as he calls his Lillipup back, "Looks like we are even."
   "Come on, come on...!" Chili looks determined as his Lillipup is trying to take down Nora's Aron, "Let's try it again-- Fire Fang!!"
   "Helping Hand!" Cilan calls out, and his Lillipup gives a boost to Chili's Lillipup, only an instant before being entangled in vines from Cheren's Snivy!
   "Rock Tomb!!" Nora yells out as Aron tears out more of the floor and slams the pieces down quite hard on Chili's Lillipup!
   "Lillipup! Are you okay?!" Chili calls out as he hears a muffled bark, his Lillipup looks very tired, "Come on, one more-- Fire Fang!!"
   "Hector-- Headbutt!!" Nora calls out as the two Pokémon charge at one another... only for Chili's Lillipup to be slammed and thrown back! It tries to get up but falls over... It is unable to battle! "Ya did good..." Chili smiles as he calls it back and takes out another Pokéball... Aron is starting to look weary...
   "Teague, Helping Hand on Herbert!!" Bianca calls out as her Lillipup gives the grass snake an extra boost!
   "Endure it!" Cilan says, and his Lillipup braces itself, holding out in spite of Snivy giving it his all!
   "I'm putting all my hopes on you now... Go, Panpour!" Cress throws his Pokéball! But it is caught in the whirling rocks Aron set up before, and his Pokémon is smacked upon being released!
   "Pour...!" It looks a little annoyed, but an instant later it has leapt through the rocks and grabbed its own tail as though it were a hose!
   "Water Gun!" Cress points, and Panpour fires off a beam of water against Aron!
   "Ar....!!" Aron is thrown back! He tries to stay up... but then collapses!
   "Hector, return!" Nora calls out as she looks at his Pokéball, "You did wonderful, leave the rest to us." She smiles as Oshawott leaps onto the battlefield with a determined look!
   "Nice shot, Cress!" Chili smiles as he throws his Pokéball, "Turn up the heat, Pansear!!" The little fire monkey is caught in the rocks as well, it seems to have taken a bit more damage than Panpour!
   "Pan!!" It looks irritated as it leaps through!
   "Incinerate!" Chili points towards Snivy!
   "Use Bite!!" Bianca yells out as her Lillipup charges at the monkey... causing the Incinerate to miss its target!
   "Come on, Herbert...! We need to end this!" Cheren bites his lip as Cilan's Lillipup still refuses to give in...!
   Suddenly Panpour comes sliding at Bianca's Lillipup, "Low Kick!"
   "Soujiro, use Night Slash!!" The little Oshawott charges forward to slash at the Panpour as Lillipup falls over!
   "Return!" Bianca calls her Pokémon back as Tepig charges onto the battlefield, "Use Tackle!!" The little Pokémon charges and slams into Pansear!
   "Lick!!" The monkey licks Tepig, who shudders, unnerved!
   "Water Gun on Tepig!" Cress commands, and Panpour begins to run and jump around to dodge Oshawott while trying to aim at Bianca's Pokémon!
   "Soujiro-- don't let it past you!!" Nora yells out as the little Oshawott continues to try and slash at the water monkey!
   Meanwhile, Cilan's Lillipup finally gives in! "Ah, I think that's enough... Thanks. I'll make you something good after this, alright?" Cilan says as he calls it back, taking his next Pokéball, "So I only have one Pokémon left, too... Go, Pansage!" He sends out his grass monkey! "...You did well to, um, trap us Gym Leaders behind these rocks. But perhaps they can come in handy?" He smiles as his Pansage clings onto the rock that hit it! "Alright, use Vine Whip!" Cilan points at Oshawott!
   "Dodge and use Night Slash on Panpour!!" Nora yells out as her Oshawott chases after the water monkey!
   "Use Incinerate on the Snivy!!" Pansear keeps trying to aim at the little grass snake as Bianca and Tepig are doing their best to distract it...!
   "Sucker Punch!!" She yells out just as the fire monkey fires off a fireball towards Snivy!
   "Mirror Coat...!" Cheren shouts out, and his Snivy answers the fire with a great explosive power!
   Pansear is thrown back, landing at its trainer's feet, unable to battle! "No way!!" Chili looks shocked, and there are some gasps from the audience as well! But Snivy is badly wounded...!
   "Ah... Without Chili it's, um, up to me to defeat you." Cilan looks at Cheren, "No hard feelings... Pansage, use Scratch!"
   "Use Ember!!" Bianca yells out as her Tepig fires off at Pansage! But it is difficult to hit as it leaps around among the whirling rocks!
   "Vine Whip!" Cheren points at Panpour, and Snivy releases a small jungle against it just before Pansage's attack lands! Stumbling among the vines, Panpour is also struck by Oshawott's shell...!
   "..." Cheren calls his Pokémon back, taking a step back as he looks at his friends, "Nora, Bianca, I'm trusting you to handle the rest."
   "...Unbelievable." Cress also calls his Pokémon back, "Looks like it's up to you to defend the Gym now, Cilan."
   "Huh?" Cilan blinks, "...I am the only one left?"
   "Yeah... Sorry Cilan..." Chili rubs his head while giving an apologetic smile, "Give it your best!"
   "Don't worry, Cheren... We'll win this!" Bianca smiles at Cheren before turning her attention to the field, "Lugh-- use Ember on Pansage!!"
   Nora calls out to Oshawott, "Use Night Slash!"
   Cilan suddenly looks a bit more determined, "Grass Whistle!" His Pansage elegantly leaps out of the way from the attacks, dancing around Tepig while whistling a magically soothing lullaby...
   "Tep..." Tepig is getting sleepy...
   "Eek!! Lugh, don't fall asleep!!" Bianca calls out, but to no avail. Tepig has fallen asleep on the battlefield!
   Nora grits her teeth, "Soujiro, get to the rocks-- Focus Energy!!"
   "Osh!!" Oshawott leaps towards the floating rocks to build up energy!
   "Good work, Pansage." Cilan says as his Pokémon also bounces over to the rocks, leaping onto them to ensure that Oshawott doesn't target his trainer! "Use Vine Whip!"
   "Dodge!!" Nora yells out as Oshawott tries to use the rocks to avoid the vines! But it's not a very successful tactic, as they are fast...! Nora grits her teeth as Oshawott is struck, and the audience are on the edge of their seats!
   Bianca is calling to her Tepig who is still sleeping peacefully, "Lugh!! Please wake up-- Soujiro needs your help!!!"
   "Zzz...zzz...zzz..."
   "Use Air Slash!!" Nora calls out!
   "Osh!!" Oshawott uses his scalchop and sends in cutting winds towards Pansage!
   "Dodge it!" Cilan says, and his Pansage leaps among the boulders to become harder to hit...! It keeps chasing Oshawott with vines at any opening, too! Oshawott is running quickly using Air Slash to keep the vines at bay!
   "Lugh, get up-- please!!" Bianca yells out as her Pokémon starts to open his eyes, "Use Ember on Pansage!!"
   "...!!" The little piglet gets up and fires off Ember towards Pansage!
   "Tepig woke up! Watch out, Pansage-- Ah!" Upon dodging the fire, Pansage is finally hit by an Air Slash! It falls down right in front of Oshawott...!
   "Pan!!"
   "Now! Bullet Seed!" Pansage looks up and fires off a barrage of seeds! Oshawott tries to block with his scalchop, but it's no use!
   "Ember again!!" Tepig leaps over towards the grass monkey and releases his fire!
   "Pansage...!" Cilan quickly calls his Pokémon back as it falls over in the flames! "... ... Er... Is it over now?"
   "We lost? Us, together?" Cress looks at his brothers, then at the three challengers, "I don't believe this." He says, but nonetheless raises his hands to give them a slow applause.
   "Nice!" Chili grins as he and Cilan join the applause! Bianca and Nora walk over to pick up their Pokémon...
   "You did wonderfully, partner." Nora smiles at Oshawott who gives a weak but happy bark.
   Bianca hugs her Tepig with a smile, "You saved the day...!" A happy grunt is heard from the small piglet.
   "Whew..." Cheren looks relieved, "That was close. Bianca, for a moment there I was almost worried about you, but you saved us in the end." He smiles.
   "...What a surprise." Cilan says as the Gym Leaders approach, "You three... are very strong. Seems like not even we could beat you..."
   "Why yes, you're quite remarkable." Cress says, "It's the Pokémon League's rule, so..." He glances at his brothers, and they each take out a badge. "Please take these Trio Badges." Cheren, Nora and Bianca receive their badges with broad smiles while the whole restaurant applaud them!
   "Hey, don't forget these-- a gift from us!" Chili smiles as they hold out three gray disks, "These are TM83's, they contain Work Up! I bet your Pokémon will be much tougher with this!"
   "Thank you very much." Cheren smiles as he receives it, "I'll never forget this battle."
   "You three must be close friends." Cilan smiles, "Truth to tell, we are still novice Gym Leaders... So the other Gym Leaders are much stronger than we are. We have to work hard and improve, and, um... you should do the same. As long as you don't forget your bonds with each other and your Pokémon, I think you'll be able to go much farther."
   "Thanks!" Bianca smiles as her Tepig gives a happy snort.
   Nora smiles at the badge with Oshawott who, while tired, is happily content... until they hear a low rumbling sound from him! "...Soujiro was that...?" Nora looks at her Pokémon who seems to be a bit embarrassed...
   "Is he hungry?" Chili smiles at this.
   "We can make you something." Cilan smiles too.
   "Allow me to show you to a table." Cress says, "Right this way!" Nora smiles sheepishly as they follow... "And here is your menu... Please call out for me or my brothers when you are ready to make an order." He bows elegantly, moving over to the next table calling for attention now that the battle is over. The guests at another nearby table give them some cheers and thumbs ups, and the restaurant is soon filled with the sounds of excited conversation about their battle...
   "...Looks like Rylan is no longer here." Cheren says upon finishing healing his Pokémon, glancing at the table where they saw him last, "I'm still concerned about what he said... What's going on to make Verdell leave like this?"

Earlier... Upon spotting a familiar Mismagius, Verdell decides to leave the building unnoticed... Seeing that it doesn't appear to have followed him, he sighs in relief, but decides to head down the street and round a corner to be safe. Leaning against the wall, he watches the townspeople walk by as he considers what to do now... Then he hears a meow, turning his head to see a male Meowstic with a silver ribbon around its neck... It stares at him intently... "Gah!" He jumps in surprise! "What are you doing here?! Go back to your trainer!"
   "Nya." The cat approaches him... its ears twitching a bit...!
   Verdell begins to back off, "...Alright, alright! Tell her I said hi? I really have to go now, so... bye!" He dashes off! But the cat follows him, floating in the air! "Oh, you're persistent! But can you keep up?" Verdell grins over his shoulder as he darts into a less crowded area, sending out a Jumpluff who covers the street behind them with cotton spores of a pale pink color... The cat is merely floating after them at a decent pace, slowed down a bit by all the distracting cotton. However, a green and white blur runs on the rooftops at a great speed-- It appears to be following Verdell and Jumpluff!
   "...! That can't be coincidence... Is it a trap?! We'll just have to try our luck then... Bounce!" Verdell holds onto Jumpluff as she leaps high into the air!
   "Jump~!" Jumpluff looks happy as the wind takes hold of her fluff and begins to carry them upwards! But as they go higher into the sky, past the low-hanging clouds... There's a Metagross floating in the air with Aina standing on top of it with her arms crossed!
   "...Not my lucky day, is it?" Verdell smiles upon seeing her.
   "Not really." She responds, "I'll give you a choice: surrender willingly or I'll drag you back home myself."
   "Right to the point..." Verdell sighs, "You're as resolute as always. Do I have to make up my mind right away? Can't we even have a little chat? I really missed you!"
   "We're already chatting... like the other 382 times." She says curtly...
   "What? You've never been this close to catching me before." Verdell smirks, "Messages don't count."
   "Perhaps. However, I don't think you understand the severity of your predicament." She smirks back at him, "Thunder Wave!" Suddenly an electrical shock shoots through Verdell and his Pokémon!
   "Aah!" His eyes widen as he loses hold of his Jumpluff! But he does not fall far before he is surrounded by a blue aura, as Aina's Metagross uses its psychic power to pull him towards them...
   "Ow... What makes you think I don't?" Verdell is still smirking, "I'd say you haven't fully grasped the situation either..."
   "Hrm?" She raises her brow, "...If you are referring to your Talonflame, I doubt it'll work this time."
   "...What will you do if I call her out?" He struggles to move his hand to one of the Pokéballs on his shoulder belt, "Summer, use Sunny Day!"
   "Pluff!" Jumpluff nods, and the sunlight grows more intense...
   "Because, if you won't talk with me, I think I have decided not to surrender. You have... three seconds to let me go. One..."
   "Bring him forward." Aina orders the Metagross. As Verdell is brought to her, she takes out a pair of handcuffs.
   "Two!" He manages to seize hold of Talonflame's Pokéball...!
   "...!" Her eyes widen as she reaches out and manages to cuff one of his wrists...!
   "Three!" He shouts out in the same instant as Metagross is struck with a fiery explosion from behind!
   "...!!" Aina loses her balance and falls off her Metagross! She twists around in the air to see what happened! A huge red bird grabs hold of Verdell and dives into the clouds... He must have already called his Talonflame out when he passed through them before! "...Damn..." She mutters as she is caught by her Gallade! It lands elegantly with her on a rooftop... As she calls back her injured Metagross, she sees a red light shooting down towards the other side of town... She frowns as her Gallade places her down on her feet, "...No matter, I'll see him in the next city. And he won't be so lucky."
   Verdell flops down under a tree in the park where his Talonflame landed... "Thanks, Polly... That was close... ... Ow..." He looks up at the sky, waiting for his Jumpluff to come floating down. "Aromatherapy, please, Summer... That Thunder Wave got us both..."
   "Pluff..." Jumpluff looks relieved that they got away, and both she and her trainer perk up as she releases her healing scent.
   "Ah, much better!" He smiles, but then he looks at his cuffed hand with a troubled face, "...I'm going to need Stella for this... That I had to let you out in the city like this was already too great a risk, Summer. You're too easy to recognize... So I'm sending you back, alright?"
   "Pluff..." She looks a little sad...
   "...But first, let's celebrate our escape with your favorite Poképuffs!" He digs in his bag, taking out one each for Jumpluff and Talonflame. His Pokémon happily enjoy their treats, and once they have finished, Verdell hugs his Jumpluff before calling them back... He takes out his Pokéquip and begins to tap at the back of it with his finger... When a tapping noise returns from it, he holds Jumpluff's Pokéball against it, and it disappears. In a moment a different Pokéball appears in its place... He throws it into the air, and a Mawile appears! "Ahoy, Stella." He puts his Pokéquip away, showing her his hand, "It's a long story, but a little help, please?"
   She places her little hands on her hips, not looking pleased at all as she begins to rant at him! "Mawile wilewile mawile...!!"
   "...You're upset because I almost got caught when you weren't here to defend me, right? Fair enough, but you were napping when-- Ah!! ...I would still like to keep my hand!" He frowns at her after pulling it back quickly! They stare at each other in silence for a moment before they both burst into laughter! "It feels like forever since the last time you tried that!"
   "Maw." She nods, and Verdell watches his Pokémon cautiously as she reaches out and takes his hand into hers, tugging at it until he holds it out for her again... She turns around, this time gently moving her huge jaw into place and biting the cuff off without so much as scratching him.
   "Thank you, Stella. Now all I need is a good excuse... and I think I know just the thing!"

After finishing his errand, Verdell heads back to the Gym... But this time he approaches the back door, looking around carefully for any signs of Aina. He hears the clattering from the kitchen and some voices as the orders from the guests come in... Waiting for the right moment, when the Gym Leaders are busy he tries to sneak through. Just as he has almost made it, the door swings open, about to hit him! But he quickly catches it and hides behind it! Cilan hurries in, receiving some finished dishes from Chili and Cress... Verdell waits until they are all busy again until he slips out from behind the door and into the restaurant. His eyes search the area to see if Aina or any of her Pokémon are there, but there is no sign of them. Then he spots Nora and her friends sitting at a table not too far from him, enjoying a celebration meal with their Pokémon. He gives a sigh of relief, heading over, "Ahoy!"
   "...! Verdell!" Nora smiles at him as Oshawott barks from behind his plate of clams.
   Bianca takes notice, "Where were you? You missed our battle!!"
   "What are you talking about? I was here all the time." Verdell grins playfully while pulling a chair over from a nearby table to have a seat, "And what a spectacular victory you had!"
   "Okay... What part of our battle did you find amazing?" Nora raises her brow.
   "Ah, hmm... There was so much! ...Lugh's last hit was amazing, Bianca! Everyone's talking about it!"
   "So you weren't with someone called Aina?" Cheren looks at him, "Rylan said you were."
   "...!"
   "Is she really an Elite Four member?"
   "Aah, you got me..." Verdell sighs, "Indeed she is."
   "Verdell? The way he was talking made it seem like you were in trouble?" Bianca inquires, "Are you two enemies?"
   Nora watches him, "...Or were you having a romantic meeting like in some sappy romance novel?"
   "We've had more romantic dates than this one..." He closes his eyes for a moment before looking at Bianca, "We're rivals... I'd rather not call her an enemy, but I suppose you could say she's a little angry with me? But that's not important right now! I'm sorry I couldn't watch you win, but I got you some gifts to celebrate your victory! Ta-daa!" He grins as he holds up three small bags!
   Nora blinks as she takes one, "What are these?"
   Bianca opens hers and looks at what's inside!
   "No way...!" Cheren says as he receives the last one, "These are Infinity Tech for Effortless Movement, or ITEM for short... No matter how much you put in it, it'll never run out of space since it is connected directly to the Item Storage System."
   Verdell nods, "It's a long road to reach the Pokémon League, and the badges you just won represent your first step on that journey. I'm sure this will make your travels a bit easier."
   "Wow...!" Bianca's eyes are wide, "These are so expensive...!!"
   Nora's eyes are wide as well before looking at the man with a grateful smile, "This is... Thank you so much, Verdell!"
   "Bianca is right, this is expensive..." Cheren looks at Verdell, "Is it really alright for us to have these?"
   "I may look like this, but I'll have you know I'm no beggar!" Verdell laughs, "Go ahead, they're yours!"
   "In that case, thank you very much!" Cheren smiles, "We'll be able to travel much lighter."
   "It'll be able to hold extra items for us when we're out in the wilds too." Nora smiles as Oshawott hops onto her shoulder to get a good look at the bag, "I was worried about that..."
   Bianca smiles as she looks in every little pocket, and her Tepig appears just as curious about it! Cheren's Snivy is exploring it very methodically along with his trainer as well.
   "Well, now you have to tell me all about your battle!" Verdell grins, "What I could pick up from the other guests here isn't enough!"

After they enjoy their meal while regaling Verdell with the story of their battle, as they leave the restaurant, Bianca stops outside the building... "Hey guys? I'm heading off to the Dreamyard, I want to go check on the Munna to make sure it's okay."
   "Alright, take care!" Cheren nods, "I'm headed towards Nacrene City. That's where the next Gym is!"
   "So what'll it be for us?" Verdell looks at Nora...
   "Let's make our way to Nacrene City." Nora smiles as she looks at her map, "But I do want to make a quick detour, there's a small Pokémon Daycare along the way that I want to visit to see how they raise Pokémon there."
   "I'll see you guys the next time we meet!" Bianca waves as she heads east towards the Dreamyard.
   Nora and the others head west, crossing a bridge over a pond to enter the park on the way to Route 3. The bushes have been sculpted into various Pokémon, and a pleasant sound of flowing water comes from a fountain they pass by. Verdell's Clefairy is looking around, playing and exploring, but his trainer takes out his Pokéquip, typing something on it as they walk... "...Verdell, what are you doing?" Nora looks curious.
   "Hm? I'm just messaging someone..." Verdell smiles.
   "Oh? Family?" Nora smiles as her Oshawott hops off her shoulder and goes to challenge Clefairy to a race!
   "Sni!" Snivy dashes after them as well, determined to keep up with them!
   "Ah, no. I don't have any contact with my family." Verdell rubs his head, "This is--"
   "...To Aina?" Cheren reads over his shoulder!
   "Hey...!" Verdell quickly moves it away from him, blushing a little!
   "Aw, you still love her? Even if she's chasing you down?" Nora chuckles.
   "Osh!" Oshawott has a determined smile as he runs his fastest to win the race! Snivy is already ahead, and it seems that they're winning indeed! Even if Clefairy moves with light steps, he is apparently not very fast.
   "Do I love her?" Verdell takes a breath, "Yes, I do! And I'm writing grown-up things that you kids shouldn't see, so you better not try to look...!"
   "We're not kids." Cheren says, "I'm just curious. You're nice, but you seem to be hiding a lot of things... That sounded like an excuse. Can't you tell us what's really going on between you two?"
   "...Aah, you're sharp!" Verdell grins, "But I'm not telling!"
   "Verdell?" Nora raises a brow, "I know that when I first met you, you asked her if she was dating someone else. But seriously, what's going on? She was looking at you with such fury that it looked like you kicked one of her Pokémon or something."
   "What? I'd never do such a thing! It'd be suicide!"
   "..." Cheren gives a wink to Nora as he secretly calls out his Purrloin...!
   "Well, what did you do then?" Nora continues to press further, "I mean, I find it odd that you as a Gym Leader left all of a sudden, and that one of the Elite Four of your region is trying to get you."
   "I just had enough of-- Ah!" Verdell's eyes widen as the Purrloin leaps past, snatching his Pokéquip, "H-Hey!"
   "Nyan!" The Purrloin looks very amused, leaping away from him and then over to Cheren!
   "Excellent work, Chase. Now let's see..."
   "Aah, give it back!" Verdell tries to take it back, but Cheren elegantly dodges his attempts to do so!
   "Hey, Aina. I hope you're still alive. I trust your Pokémon saved you, but that was a pretty huge fall, so please tell me I haven't added murder to my list of crimes?"
   "Fall? Crimes?!" Nora is wide-eyed at this, "Verdell, what the heck did you do while we were having our Gym Battle?!"
   "Ohhh, that's enough!" Verdell looks annoyed as he calls out Leafeon!
   "Wha...?" A yellow-green blur later the Pokéquip has vanished from Cheren's hands!
   "I told you it was not for children." He says as he receives it back from his Pokémon, "Suffice to say that battles can get a bit rough as your Pokémon grow stronger."
   "...Verdell, what was that about a fall and a list of your crimes?" Nora has a dull look, "...You're being more jumpy than a Persian in a room full of open paint cans."
   "It's an inside joke! I don't have a list of crimes! ...Except for running away from duty and my girlfriend, that is... If you want a proper list of my flaws and mistakes, ask her, not me...!"
   "So what about that battle you had with her?" Cheren says, "Even if I'm not at that level yet, someday I will be... It wouldn't hurt to be prepared."
   Verdell takes a breath to calm himself, "...It was hardly even a battle. She fell out of the sky... I know she had a Pokémon in position to save her, but I had to get away, so I didn't actually see it." He looks down, "I'm just a little worried for her, you know..."
   "...Why were you having a battle in the sky?" Nora blinks at this, "That's... That's rather dangerous even by Gym Battle standards..."
   "I told you, I was trying to escape... When you face a psychic user you'll learn that they are quite good at predicting your moves. But even if Aina is a stronger trainer than me, in the sky her Pokémon are at a disadvantage to mine."
   "A psychic user?" Nora blinks.
   "Yes... That's the type Aina specializes in. Her theme as an Elite Four member is the knight. She's the Light of Justice, so she upholds law and order... and stuff... She's beautiful and amazing and intelligent, but try not to get on her bad side, got it?" Verdell grins.
   "...For someone who is hunting you down you certainly don't hold back with the praises." Nora has a raised brow with a smile. She exchanges a glance with Cheren before looking at Verdell again, "...Light of Justice, huh?"
   Meanwhile, Leafeon and Purrloin are chatting with each other. "Osha?" Oshawott notices them. He begins to hop up and down while barking happily, inviting the two Pokémon to join the race! The two of them fall silent, staring at him... Then suddenly, his scalchop is gone! Leafeon dashes ahead with it in his mouth!
   "Osha!!!" Oshawott flails as he chases after Leafeon to get his shell back!
   "If she catches me... it's over." Verdell says, "I don't mean to make either of you worried, but I have to avoid that, no matter what."
   "...Alright then." Nora shrugs while shaking her head, "I know love can be messy but I never knew that it was THAT messy."
   "Were you really a couple?" Cheren asks...
   "Were? I haven't broken up with her! ...I guess that's part of the reason she's angry with me for leaving so suddenly." Verdell grins, "So what about you two? Have your eyes on anyone?"
   "~♪" Leafeon is fast! He stops some distance away, bowing down and wagging his tail playfully as if to challenge Oshawott to take the scalchop back if he can! Seeing this, Snivy and Clefairy decide to join in the chase as well, while Purrloin approaches at a more elegant pace, with an amused smirk.
   "Not really." Cheren says, "I have more important things to do."
   Nora shakes her head, "...I don't really have an interest in that."
   "Really?" Verdell looks between them, "Aw, that's no fair! After you made me tell you so much!"
   While Clefairy tries to sneak up at Leafeon from behind, Snivy attempts to catch him with his vines! It's harder for him to dodge three Pokémon, but just as it seems they're about to get him he tosses the scalchop, and it is caught by Purrloin!
   "Well... the idea is nice but I do not think that I am remotely ready for that... I don't even know how it works." Nora rubs her head, "It seems more a hassle and such, especially when arguments break out."
   "Ah, well, it's hard to prepare for it... There's no knowing how things will turn out." Verdell rubs his head, "But I wouldn't want to be without the memories I have with her... Most of them, at least. And if you want to find love someday, I'm sure you will!"
   "Of course... Hm? Oh, the Pokémon Daycare isn't too far away from here." Nora takes notice of a building in the distance.
   Oshawott turns his attention to chasing after Purrloin to get his scalchop back, "OSH!!!"
   "Sounds like it may be a daycare for humans as well..." Verdell says while watching the snickering Purrloin run from the pursuing Pokémon, after a little while throwing the scalchop back to Leafeon again! "Perhaps you should help your Pokémon, Nora. So he won't lose face in front of the kids..." He chuckles.
   "Ah...!" Nora rushes over to help her Oshawott reclaim his shell!
   "..." Verdell looks amused as his Leafeon is now dodging Nora as well as the three smaller Pokémon! "While it's good to share your Pokémon's experiences, I hope you haven't forgotten that you are his trainer!" He calls out.
   "Soujiro use Water Gun!" Nora yells out as the little otter fires off a stream of water to knock the scalchop out of Leafeon's mouth!
   "Leaf...!" Leafeon shakes his head after being struck in the face by the water! He does not seem to mind, but as Snivy blocks off Purrloin from snatching the scalchop again, Clefairy picks it up from the ground and goes to give it back to Oshawott!
   "Sorry, Cutlass... Sorry Chase..." Nora gives an apologetic smile as Oshawott dashes over to reclaim his scalchop! But Purrloin seems to be too busy wrestling with Snivy to take notice of her, and Leafeon does not look unhappy at all, instead giving her a charming smile made even more enchanting by the water droplets on his fur! He then proceeds to give Oshawott a pat on the head for finally succeeding!
   "Osha." Oshawott looks proud of himself as he attaches the shell to his stomach, though he moves it away from Leafeon a bit in case he tries to prank him again.
   Nora blinks, "Verdell, did your Pokémon just try to use Charm on me?"
   "No, that's Attract, actually." Verdell chuckles, "Romantically it tends to work better on other Pokémon, but since he mostly uses it to get away with being a troublemaker, I'd say it's effective enough on humans too."
   Cheren's attention has turned towards a group of trainers further ahead on the road, "They seem to be battling over there... My Pokémon look like they are up for a proper battle, so I'll see if I can join them. Nora, Verdell, I guess we'll be seeing each other later?"
   "Of course." Nora nods with a smile, "If I learn anything I'll share it with you and Bianca." Oshawott climbs back up on his trainer, holding onto her shoulder while giving a happy bark.
   "Thanks." Cheren nods before turning to his Pokémon, "...Herbert, Chase, come on! We're going ahead!"
   "Good luck, Cheren!" Verdell smiles.
   Nora has a small smile, "Let's go... It should be interesting to see what the Daycare's methods for raising happy and healthy Pokémon are." As they approach the building, it's not long before the trainers have been spotted. The children come running over from the human daycare next doors to look at the Pokémon! "Oh dear..." Nora says as Oshawott watches the kids with interest.
   "Wow... Are you trainers!?"
   "Can we play with your Pokémon? Please...!"
   "Ask him nicely, and perhaps he'll play with you." Verdell gestures towards his Clefairy as he calls Leafeon back.
   "Yaaay!" Some of the children run off towards the fairy.
   "Ohh!" A nursery aide approaches, "I'm sorry, the children get so excited when new trainers visit..."
   "It's no trouble." Nora smiles as her Oshawott hops off to play tag with the kids!
   "I think it'll be fine." Verdell says, "You won't have to worry about the children, either."
   "That's a relief..." The nursery aide sighs, "Are you here to visit the Pokémon Daycare?"
   "Yes, are they open?" Nora asks.
   "Of course! My parents run it." She smiles, heading over to open the door for them, "Ma, there are some new trainers here!"
   Meanwhile, Clefairy has already been caught, but he seems quite relaxed in spite of being cuddled and tugged at.
   "Hm? Oh, well come in, come in!" An elderly woman beckons them inside with a welcoming smile, "I'm afraid I can only raise one of your Pokémon right now... My husband is still away in Nimbasa City..."
   Nora smiles, "It's alright, I wanted to learn about how you raise the Pokémon here...?"
   "I'll keep an eye on our Pokémon." Verdell says, leaning against the wall outside...
   "Thank you, Verdell." Nora smiles as she enters into the house to speak with the old woman...

An hour later, Nora opens the door with a content look... In her arms is a Pokémon egg! It is yellow with a black bottom...
   "Osh?" Oshawott notices her, hurrying over with an excited bark!
   "Thank you for everything!" Nora smiles at the old woman.
   The elderly woman nods with a smile, "Thank you for the company, it's good to see youngsters taking an interest in taking proper care of their Pokémon. Take good care of that egg now!"
   Verdell is talking with the nursery aide when he notices Nora coming over, "Oh, I see you got a gift!" He smiles.
   "Ah yes, sometimes the trainers who leave their Pokémon to be raised don't want the eggs that appear in the daycare..." The nursery aide says, "Ma always tries to find people who will take care of them. Perhaps you would like one too?" She smiles at Verdell.
   "Who, me? Sorry, lady, but I can be so irresponsible... Just look at me?" He gestures at his dirty clothes, "I don't think I'd be right for that job... Nora will be fine though, I'm sure."
   "Your Pokémon seem to have been raised well, though... Oh well, good luck on your journey, then!"
   "Osha, osha!!" Oshawott climbs onto Nora's shoulder, seeming quite interested in the egg.
   Nora chuckles as she looks at him, "Excited for a sibling I see!"
   "Osha~" He nuzzles Nora's cheek.
   "Alright, children, time to say goodbye!" The nursery aide says, and as they leave the daycare the kids are waving to their new Pokémon friends. Oshawott and Clefairy wave back. As they walk along the long road stretching out ahead of them, Nora is looking at the egg...
   "You better keep that safe and warm." Verdell smiles to her, "It'll be exciting to see what hatches from it."
   "I plan to." Nora smiles as her Oshawott pulls out a sky blue blanket from her bag, which she proceeds to wrap carefully around the egg.
   Verdell takes out his Pokéquip again to see if Aina has replied... There is a response! It reads, "Still alive, looking forward to seeing you soon."
   He looks relieved as he begins to type again, "That's a weight off my heart, even if I'm not sure how I feel about our next meeting. You know I'm not coming home! Underestimate me again next time, please? :b"
   After a few moments another reply arrives, "Not on your life."
   "Verdell?" Nora looks at him, "What are you doing?"
   "Aina's fine." He smiles, "She's going to set another trap for me."
   "...She responded to you?" Nora blinks as she tries to make a sling of the blanket to carry the egg in, "And you're fine with that?"
   "Well, there's not much I can do about it... and I am happy that she's not dead. I'll just have to be prepared for her!" He grins.
   "Hold on, Nora!" Cheren leaps out of the tall grass at the side of the road!
   Nora is startled for a moment, although she keeps a firm hold of the egg, "Cheren? What's up? Finished with the trainers that were here?"
   "Well, first, what have you got there?" Cheren approaches, looking curious.
   "Well, this is a Pokémon egg." Nora holds it up a bit to let Cheren take a look, "The caretaker at the Pokémon Daycare gave this to me. I'm not sure what Pokémon hatches from this kind of egg, but I'm really excited. She may give you and Bianca eggs too since her daughter said her parents are looking for capable trainers to adopt eggs."
   "Osh!" Oshawott makes the face of a proud older sibling.
   "Interesting. Perhaps I should go back and have a look at that place too... But first, what about our promise? We said that we would battle when we met up... A lot of things happened, but how about we do it now? I really want to find out which of us is strongest, so I've been training my Pokémon here while waiting for you to catch up."
   "Alright." Nora smiles as she turns to Verdell, "I'm sorry to bother you for this but... can you hold onto...?"
   "Ah..." Verdell receives the egg, "Just this once, alright? You have to think of a way to handle this on your own!"
   "I will." Nora nods, "Let's go, Hector!" She tosses the Pokéball into the air! The little Aron appears in a flash of white light, appearing quite relaxed, but he watches Cheren...
   "Alright... Chase, use Sand Attack!" Cheren's Purrloin leaps out of the grass, scratching up sand at Aron!
   "Stealth Rock!" Nora calls out as Aron slams the ground to make the floating rocks appear!
   "Keep it up, Chase...!" The Purrloin seems to be trying to bury Aron in sand!
   Meanwhile, Verdell is making a nest out of Nora's blanket for the egg... Clefairy is helping him build it.
   "Headbutt!!" Aron charges out of the sand and towards the cat with an irritated look!
   Purrloin quickly leaps out of the way! "Use Fury Swipes!" He begins to claw at Aron!
   "Use Harden!" Nora calls out as her Aron glows a bit, the Fury Swipes are not doing too much damage!
   "This won't work... Chase, return! Your turn, Herbert!" Cheren's Snivy is hit by the floating rocks upon being called out, but he doesn't seem too bothered...
   Aron is staring Snivy down until... "Use Curse!" A purple glow comes over the steel type...!
   "Glare!" Snivy stares back!
   "Ar...!" Aron grunts as he struggles to break out of the paralysis!
   "...There, it's done. Thanks, Chef." Verdell and Clefairy have finished building the nest around the egg! After calling Clefairy back, he sends out his Talonflame. "Watch over this for a little while, Polly?"
   "...!" The huge bird tilts her head, looking curiously at the egg, then she settles down to brood on the nest.
   "Come on...! Go for a Metal Claw!" Aron is trying to move but he doesn't seem capable...!
   "Now! Use Vine Whip!" Cheren's Snivy begins to strike at Aron!
   "Come on... Hector, use Headbutt!!"
   "Rrr...ar!" Aron begins to charge at Snivy!
   "Avoid it!" Cheren's Snivy leaps away, continuing to attack from a distance...!
   "And, let's see... Here's some berries for your trouble..." Verdell begins to feed his Pokémon, who looks very content.
   "Rock Tomb!!" Nora yells as Aron tries to slam a large chunk of rock on the grass snake!
   "Sni...!" Snivy is hit! But it gets back up!
   "Ah... You're doing good, Herbert! We'll win at this rate!" Cheren says as his Pokémon resumes attacking!
   "Keep at it!" Nora yells out as Aron continues to use Rock Tomb! Snivy is dodging some of the boulders, but he seems to be getting tired as he moves a bit slower now...! Aron is also looking tired, but he seems determined! "Hector, Metal Claw!!"
   "Ar...!!" The Aron charges towards Snivy to strike!
   "Let's finish this, Herbert!" Snivy leaps on top of a boulder, striking with Vine Whip again!
   "Ar...!" The Aron is struck as he crashes into the boulder! He's been knocked out.
   "Aw..." Nora gives a small smile as she calls her Aron back, "You did your best. Leave it to us."
   "Osh!" Oshawott leaps from her shoulder and has his scalchop ready!
   "Air Slash!"
   "Behind the boulder, quick...!" Snivy leaps down! Oshawott is ready to strike... He's watching carefully for any sign of movement... "Use Glare!" Snivy peeks out from behind the boulder, fixing his gaze at Oshawott...!
   "Water Gun to the ground!" Oshawott avoids looking at Snivy, using his Water Gun to launch himself into the air!
   "...! Vine Whip, now!" Snivy's vines come shooting up at Oshawott!
   "Air Slash!" Oshawott's cutting winds comes flying towards Snivy at the same moment as he's knocked to the ground!
   "Sni!!" Snivy is struck down from above!
   Cheren calls his Pokémon back, "You did great, Herbert... Alright, Chase!" Purrloin is briefly struck by the rocks before leaping through them, "Use Scratch!"
   "Water Gun!" Oshawott fires off a stream of water towards the cat!
   "...!" Purrloin is hit! He hisses angrily, but moves on to scratch at Oshawott!
   "Use Tackle!" Nora yells!
   "Fury Swipes!" Cheren calls out as the Pokémon tumble around with each other!
   "Osh...!" Oshawott is looking very tired, stumbling backwards...! "Use Water Gun!" He fires off a stream of water to get Purrloin off him! Purrloin is knocked out...!
   "..." Cheren calls his Pokémon back, "That was really close... You're good at this, Nora. I guess I have to work harder. Next time--!!"
   "Move!!"
   "Out of our way!"
   Suddenly two Team Plasma members run past, pushing Nora and Cheren aside! "Woah...!!" Nora is almost knocked over as she watches them run, "What was...?"
   "COME BACK HERE!!!"
   Nora turns her head as she notices Bianca running over!
   "...That about?" Cheren finishes Nora's sentence, "Bianca? What's going on?"
   Some ways behind Bianca, a little girl is following... Bianca stops to catch her breath, checking to make sure the girl is still with her before looking at her friends, "Those guys from Team Plasma stole this girl's Pokémon! I tried to stop them but..."
   Nora's eyes widen at this before her face contorts to fury, "We can't let them get away with this!"
   "My Pokémon...!" The little girl looks like she's about to cry!
   "Alright, leave it to us. Nora and I will get that Pokémon back. Bianca! You stay with the girl!" Cheren dashes off after Team Plasma!
   "Cheren, wait up!" Nora rushes after Cheren, grabbing her Oshawott on the run!
   "I'll go with them. Polly, protect the egg and the ladies!" Verdell says, and his Talonflame gives a nod as he dashes after Cheren and Nora!

The trio keep running after the Team Plasma grunts until they reach the entrance to a cave. Nora looks around carefully for any sign of trouble, "We need to be ready, we don't know if there's more hiding in there."
   "Yeah..." Cheren says as he takes a moment to catch his breath, "But now that they ran inside here, they won't get away." He begins to dig in his bag for medicine...
   "Wait up, you two." Verdell catches up, "I'll heal your Pokémon for you."
   "Thanks." Nora whispers...
   "I trust you can handle them?" Verdell smiles upon finishing.
   Cheren nods, "I'd never forgive myself if we were to lose to thugs like that who take people's Pokémon..."
   Oshawott is looking around cautiously... He sniffs the air as his trainer carefully enters the cave... It smells of damp soil. Water drips down from the stalactites in the ceiling, leaving traces on the ground where for a long time it has been slowly running towards an underground pool further away... There's a light coming from ahead... But unlike Nora, Cheren is not as cautious as he dashes inside! "Give that Pokémon back!"
   "...!!" A whole gang of Team Plasma members stare back at the intruders!
   "I thought you said you weren't followed!" One of the grunts yells at two others.
   Nora steps forward with a frown, "Let the Pokémon go now, you stole it from its home!"
   "Home? No!" A grunt approaches with a determined look, "We freed it from the confines of a horrid fate! How can this Pokémon even achieve it's true self, being with a kid who keeps it as a toy?!"
   "Yeah!" Another speaks up, "How would you feel if you were stuck with some child who'd never be able to help you reach your full potential? It's just sad!"
   "That goes for your Pokémon too! Hand them over, now!"
   "What a bothersome bunch." Cheren says, "They're not listening to reason. If you want our Pokémon, just try to take them! Go, Chase!"
   "Let's take them out, Hector!"
   A fierce battle breaks out as the Plasma grunts try to defeat Cheren and Nora with their numbers! Eventually however... A huge pile of Patrat lies on the cave floor! Purrloin jumps atop the pile, sitting proudly at it.
   "Wha...? How could we lose when we have right on our side?!" The Team Plasma grunts look shocked!
   "How troublesome. Not only do you fail to understand, but you actually got in our way..."
   "Oh, come on!" Cheren says, "What reason could possibly justify stealing Pokémon from people?"
   "Pokémon trainers like you are making Pokémon suffer..."
   Nora's Aron growls angrily at the grunts!
   "How can you vouch on behalf of Pokemon when you don't even consider their own feelings?" Nora frowns at them, "Did you even look at the Pokémon you stole? What was its reaction when you kidnapped it?"
   "Exactly!" Cheren says, "I don't get this talk about trainers making Pokémon suffer at all!"
   "..." One of the grunts steps forward, handing a Pokéball over to Nora, "We'll give you back the Pokémon... But be aware of how this Pokémon suffers from being used by people." He gestures to the others to follow him, and Team Plasma heads out of the cave... But he stops to look back at them, "In order to liberate Pokémon from foolish people, we will take their Pokémon! Someday, open your eyes to your own complicity." They run off!
   "Weird bunch." Cheren says, petting the Purrloin who is now climbing on his shoulder, "Trainers bring out their Pokémon's strength. Pokémon believe in their trainers and respond to that. What about that makes Pokémon suffer?"
   Nora crouches to pet Aron who is giving a happy grunt, "You have trainers who are bad, Cheren. However, what Team Plasma is doing... It's wrong regardless... Stealing Pokémon is no better than those they claim to be against." She calls her Aron back as she stands up.
   "But banning bad people from having Pokémon is the Pokémon League's job, regardless... Well, let's go return that girl's Pokémon."
   "Right." Nora nods in agreement as they head out of the cave.
   "Great work!" Verdell pops out from his hiding place in a bush just outside the entrance. "You're really getting the hang of teamwork in battle!"
   "Were you watching us?" Nora smiles as they head down the path.
   "Of course. You didn't seem to need any help, but just in case, you know? It could've been a problem if they turned out to be stronger than the ones you fought before."
   "Well, so far it's no trouble." She smiles as they continue, "Thank goodness it wasn't someone as powerful as you... or your girlfriend."
   "Ha, that might've been interesting. But this Team Plasma seems rather... disturbing. How can they know who that girl will become when she grows up?"
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, "People and Pokémon grow together."
   "It's how Unova was founded; despite how different we are... we grow and work together." Nora smiles as she sees Bianca and the girl in the distance, "Hey!!"
   Bianca approaches with the girl, "Did you...?"
   "We got 'em back." Nora smiles, producing the Pokéball the grunt returned.
   "My Pokémon!" The little girl looks so happy when she receives the Pokéball, holding it close! "Thank you!!"
   "Take good care of your Pokémon." Nora smiles at the girl as Oshawott barks happily.
   Bianca looks at the girl, "And keep away from those bad people, okay?"
   "Yeah!" She smiles, "Oh, I know! You can have these... As thanks for saving my Pokémon!" She hands out Heal Balls to everyone!
   "Oh! Thank you!" Bianca smiles.
   "Thanks." Nora gives a bright smile as her Oshawott sniffs at the new item.
   "That's very nice of you." Cheren smiles too.
   "Your Pokémon is lucky to have a trainer who cares so much." Verdell nods, "Good luck with raising it!"
   "I have to go home now." The girl smiles, giving them a wave before she runs back towards Striaton City, "Bye-bye!"
   "Bye-bye!" Bianca waves at the little girl. Then she turns to her friends, "I can't thank you enough... I'm so lucky you're my friends."
   Nora chuckles, "Aw, come on Bianca. You know Cheren and I wouldn't just stand there."
   "Team Plasma are just wrong." Cheren nods, "Anyway, I'm going to visit the daycare now. Bianca, perhaps you'd like to come too. Nora got a Pokémon egg when she was there!"
   "Ah, really?" Bianca looks excited, "I'd be happy to tag along with you, Cheren!"
   "Let's make company then." Cheren smiles, then he looks at Nora, "I guess I'll catch up with you at the Nacrene Gym."
   "Yes." She smiles and waves at them, "I'll see you guys there!"
   Bianca waves to her, "See you soon! Come on Cheren-- I'll race you there!"
   "Then you have to pick up pace!" Cheren runs ahead of Bianca!
   "No fair...!!" They can hear Bianca whine as she chases after Cheren!
   "Good luck!" Verdell gives them a wave too while rewarding his Pokémon for watching the egg.

After Talonflame is off the egg Nora handles it carefully... The blanket still feels warm, and after a few minutes she has tied it around herself in such a way that the egg is resting against her.
   "Nice trick." Verdell smiles, and his Pokémon tilts her head with some curiosity...
   "I've seen some trainers do this back in the Johto region." Nora smiles, "Your Pokémon helped immensely too, Talonflame have Flame Body so it's good for keeping eggs warm-- I've heard that the ability helps eggs hatch faster."
   "Ah, you're quite knowledgeable! I had no idea it had that effect. I just thought Polly may know more about eggs than I do, since my mom told me a bit about how bird Pokémon cooperate to care for them... She likes to birdwatch in her free time." Talonflame gives a happy cry.
   "As one of Professor Juniper's assistants, I've learned a lot about Pokémon studying under her. I learned a bit about eggs from a symposium that was held in Johto." Nora smiles, "But that's interesting to hear, did you go birdwatching with your mother?"
   "A few times, but I was never as diligent about it as her!" He laughs, "Shall we get going?"
   "Of course, and thank you for helping, Polly!" Nora gives a polite smile to the fire bird. Talonflame nods, and with a few flaps of her wings heads up to a treetop some ways ahead, overlooking the surroundings...
   "By the way, about the reason I'm in Unova..." Verdell says as they walk, "I'd like to study your folklore. You wouldn't happen to know any good places to do that? Like archives, museums... or better yet, perhaps you have some stories of your own to share?" He looks excited!
   "Actually you're in luck." Nora smiles as she takes out her tablet to take notes on the route. There is some rustling in the tall grass by the winding forest road... "The next Gym is in a museum that also functions as a library. Though I can tell you some stories that I know about as well if you'd like?"
   "The Gym... Ah, that could get tricky if Aina shows up again. I'll need a good escape plan in that case... ... But yes, I'll gladly listen to any stories you know!"
   Nora goes on to tell him about a few legends, from the Swords of Justice to the Pokémon whose songs saved Unova from despair... "I think the most famous story is the one of the Twin Heroes and the Dragon though..." Nora muses as they cross a narrow bridge over a huge pond. She writes quickly upon seeing a few fish Pokémon in the calm evening water.
   "I've heard of that one, but if you don't mind, would you tell me what you know?"
   "Well... Long ago, before Unova came to be, there were different human tribes that warred against each another. They became united when two brothers defeated the warlords with a great dragon they had befriended." Nora begins, "The two brothers ruled as Twin Kings but eventually they started to argue about the best way to lead Unova."
   Verdell nods, listening intently.
   "Well, the dragon split into two-- the White Dragon and the Black Dragon. The two brothers fought against each other, but eventually they stopped, and for a time peace reigned again. But the war broke out once more when their sons renewed tensions and almost destroyed Unova in the process."
   "And then the dragons disappeared... right? No one knows where they went or where they are now..."
   "Yeah." She nods as she pauses to take notes, "Not a trace, I don't think anyone managed to find any hints about where they could've vanished to."
   "Hmm... I can't help but wonder if there was a reason for that."
   "I'm not sure. But I know that every kid is taught this story, a reminder of what happens when harmony is broken." Nora keeps writing in her tablet, "...But then again, considering how powerful both dragons were, I'd imagine it might be for the best if they're not found."
   "..." Verdell is silent for a little while before he says, "It's a surprise Unova is still united after something like that. Most regions might have been split apart... I guess you're pretty good at this harmony thing!"
   Nora lowers her head a bit as she looks at the egg wrapped close to her, "...Not anymore we aren't. I'm surprised that this has not happened yet."
   "What do you mean?"
   "It may not look like it, but the region is slowly getting torn at the seams." They get off the bridge as she lowers her pen, "Remember when I told you that I wanted to purge Unova of the corruption that's been plaguing it?"
   "Ah, yes." Verdell looks at her, "But are these troubles truly comparable to what it would be like if the dragons returned?"
   "You have a point." Nora smiles a bit, "...But seeing my home region... fighting over who's right while the League does little to address the larger issues plaguing the region... It's maddening to me. Facts that were cherrypicked for the sake of pushing an agenda on top of not seeing the whole picture... It leads to a dangerous mix."

It is late at night when Nora and Verdell reach Nacrene City. They go straight to the Pokémon Center to get some sleep. After breakfast the next morning they head out, and Verdell looks around at the large buildings and the streets paved with stone in an old-fashioned manner, "So this is what the city looks like in daylight. These buildings though... Aside from the Pokémon Center, they look like warehouses. Is this the backyard of some huge shopping center?"
   "No." Nora shakes her head with a smile, "Nacrene City had a booming manufacturing industry here over 100 years ago, specializing in textiles. It wasn't until the Great Depression that the industry crashed and moved elsewhere. This is a popular area for artists to call home because of the spaces in the warehouses. I heard from my dad that the Gym Leader of Castelia once lived here."
   "Huh, so people actually live in them. That explains the guitar sounds from that one..."
   "Yup!" Nora smiles as they approach an impressive, mansion-like building with pillars by the entrance, "This is the Nacrene City Museum, which also serves as the Gym here."
   "...!" Verdell quickly leaps behind a nearby tree, looking around suspiciously.
   "Verdell?" Nora blinks at this as her Oshawott rolls his eyes.
   "There could be a trap... I'm sure she's prepared something..."
   Nora glances around... But there doesn't seem to be any sign of Aina or Rylan in the area... "I don't see them..."
   "Well of course not. She knows I'm expecting her to be here... Oh, hey. That means she may not be expecting me to walk right in..."
   Nora chuckles as she motions to the building, "Come on, at least there's something entertaining for both of us to see before the Gym Challenge." She approaches the entrance...
   "Alright, but I may have to escape, just so you know." Verdell follows her...
   "Understood." Nora reaches for the door handle, but upon seeing it move forward she hurriedly steps back, losing her balance...!
   "...!" N quickly reaches out and grabs her hand before she falls! "It's you... Nora?"
   "...N?" Nora blinks as she gets her feet back to the ground.
   "Nice catch!" Verdell grins to N, who lets go of her hand, "Is this also a friend of yours, Nora?"
   "Erm... we're mostly acquaintances..." Nora looks away, then checks on her egg... She sighs in relief upon seeing that it's okay...
   "..." N stares at the ground for a moment... He's frowning a little as he glances at Verdell, "Are you also trying to complete the Pokédex? Is that why you're with Nora?"
   "Who me?" Verdell blinks, putting his hands up, "No way!"
   "I see... ... That's good, then." N smiles a little as he turns his attention to Nora again, "There's something I wanted to ask you."
   She turns to him with a questioning look, "What is it?"
   "I... want to see something no one sees. The truth of Pokémon inside Pokéballs. The ideal of how trainers should be. And a future where Pokémon have attained perfection..." The excitement in his eyes seems to be growing as he speaks, "Do you feel the same?"
   "..." Nora looks at him as though she's processing the information before smiling, "That is my dream for the future."
   For a moment, N looks very happy! But he collects himself, "That so? Then, could it be possible for me and my friends to make this future visible... Let me try with you!" He looks around, "Help me out, Pidove?" He calls out to one wandering around the terrace of a nearby café in search of food.
   "Coo!" It flies over!
   Nora takes a few steps back, throwing a Pokéball!
   "Ar!!" The Aron stretches a bit, taking notice of the Pidove and the strange trainer.
   "Hector-- Harden!!" Nora calls out, and the Aron's thick shell shines a bit!
   "Pidove, use Lucky Chant!" N says, and the Pidove stares up at the sky and begins to coo loudly! "I will need help from more of my friends..." N says, turning to another nearby Pidove, "Tell other Pokémon to come, please?"
   "Coo?" The second Pidove flies off towards the forest!
   Verdell blinks, staring after the Pidove, "I could have sworn at least that one was a wild Pokémon... Is it actually going to get reinforcements...?"
   "How did...?" Nora blinks at this before continuing-- Her eyes picking up a loose rock in the ground, she points it out to her Aron, "Use Rock Tomb with that loose stone!!" The Aron looks around, noticing the loose piece of sett. He tears it out and slams it down on the Pidove!
   "Coo...!" The Pidove is badly wounded! "Leer, Pidove!" It glares angrily at Aron!
   "Ar...!" Aron seems nervous for a moment...
   "Finish it with Metal Claw!!" Shaking his head, the Aron charges forward with his front leg ready to strike!
   "Up, Pidove!" The Pidove takes to the air, out of reach for Aron's claw! "Good. Now, use Gust!"
   "Coo!" The Pidove flaps up a powerful and well-aimed blast of wind...! Aron winces!
   "That's surprisingly strong... Pidove must be quite motivated." Verdell comments at the side.
   "Use Gust again!" N calls out, and Pidove keeps at it!
   "Ngh..." Nora grits her teeth as she uses her arm to keep the wind out her eyes, "Hector, Rock Tomb-- use the same stone!!" The Aron has an irritated look as he dashes to pick up the rock and throws it at the Pidove!
   "Coo...!" Pidove is knocked down, but N leaps to catch it before it lands on the ground! "That'll do, Pidove. Please retreat..."
   "Coo..." The Pidove slowly walks back towards the café...
   "...Is it going to be okay?" Nora watches the Pidove...
   "I won't leave my friends without care." N frowns a little.
   Nora returns the frown, "...I am not assuming that you are heartless. Are you saying that it's wrong of me to be worried about the welfare of my opponent's Pokémon?"
   N smiles a little, "That's so unexpected, coming from a trainer who confines her own Pokémon in Pokéballs... Low Kick!" Suddenly a Timburr comes dashing past the café, leaping at Aron! He is struck and falls over!
   Nora grits her teeth as she calls him back to his Pokéball, "I'm sorry, Hector. Take a good rest..."
   "OSH!!" Oshawott hops off Nora's shoulder, glaring at the Timburr that struck his friend!
   "Use Focus Energy, Timburr!" Timburr nods, taking a deep breath...
   "Air Slash!!" Nora yells out as her Oshawott takes his Scalchop and fires off slashing winds at the Timburr!
   In spite of being wounded by the winds, Timburr does not move...! It opens its eyes, and at the same instant, N calls out, "Pound!" It leaps forward and slams its log into Oshawott!
   "Osh!!" Oshawott is thrown to the side but manages to land on his feet!
   "Soujiro, Water Gun...!!" Oshawott fires off a stream of water at the Timburr!
   "Endure!" The Timburr braces itself, holding out until Oshawott's water gun ends! "Now! Use Pound!"
   "Air Slash!!!" Oshawott is throwing the slashing winds as the Timburr is charging towards him! Yet although less elegantly than before, Timburr still comes crashing into him...! Oshawott tumbles again, but he manages to get up, staring down at the Timburr... "Water Gun...!!" Taking a deep breath, Oshawott fires off a stronger stream of water...! But just before it hits, another Pokémon leaps in front of Timburr! It seems to be enjoying the water...
   "Thanks, Tympole!" N smiles, "Supersonic!" Tympole releases an odd, high-pitched noise towards Oshawott!
   "Wha... But that Pokémon also came from..." Verdell looks between N and the road leading to the forest, "Are they really wild Pokémon...?"
   "Osha...!!" Oshawott looks dizzy as Nora is covering her ears from the noise!
   "Round!" The Tympole makes even louder noises!
   Nora grits her teeth at this, "Ngh... USE NIGHT SLASH!!!!"
   Oshawott stumbles a bit, but he charges forward to slash at the Tympole!
   "Tym...!" The Tympole is sent tumbling away!
   "Osh..." Oshawott has a relieved look at this, though he shakes his head a bit...
   Nora breathes a sigh of relief, also shaking her head, "Okay... Air Slash!!"
   "Osh...!!" Oshawott tries to move but ends up tripping and smacks himself in the head with his scalchop!
   "Mud Bomb!" N calls out, and Tympole launches a mud ball against Oshawott!
   "Osh!!!" Oshawott is thrown to the side! Still the little Pokémon is determined to stand...!
   Nora looks determined too as she calls out an attack, "Soujiro-- Night Slash!!" Oshawott charges forward to attack the Tympole!
   "Round!" Tympole begins to make that high-pitched, singing noise again...!
   "...!" Nora cringes as does Oshawott, "Ngh...! Don't give up!!"
   Oshawott grits his teeth but his eyes shine with determination, "Osha osha, oshawott!!!" He slams his scalchop into the Tympole!
   "..." N catches the Tympole as it is sent tumbling towards him! He gets up, looking at Nora, "The future is not visible yet... The world remains ambiguous..." Nora walks over and scoops up Oshawott carefully in her arms, being mindful of the egg as she stands up and looks at N, who looks at the Tympole in his arms, "As they are now, my friends cannot save all Pokémon... And I... Maybe I can't solve the equation for how to change the world..."
   "...There is always a solution." Nora responds with a smile as Oshawott looks at his trainer.
   "There is. It's only a matter of seeing it... I won't stop pursuing that answer." N smiles briefly at her before he dives right back into pondering, mumbling to himself, "I know that I need power... Enough power to convince anyone..."
   "Ow!! Oh, that's a wild Pokémon alright...!" Verdell sits up, staring after the Timburr that runs off towards the forest after Low Kicking him!
   "What did you do?" N frowns at him.
   "Sorry!" Verdell puts his hands up, "Even if they are wild Pokémon, that Pidove and Timburr weren't going anywhere, so I thought I'd take the liberty of healing them..."
   "N, he was using his Pokéquip to heal them." Nora explains, "Verdell didn't mean to scare them... He just wanted to help."
   "..." N still looks suspicious...
   "Ow, that sure pains..." Verdell aims his Pokéquip at his leg, looking relieved as the light heals him, "...See? It works on humans too. If you still don't believe me I'm sure Nora's Soujiro won't mind proving to you that it doesn't hurt!" He gets up and approaches Oshawott with it... Oshawott looks at him, he doesn't seem scared, but relaxes on seeing the item in Verdell's hand.
   N watches carefully as he is being healed, "...So it is helping you..."
   "Osha." Oshawott nods as he motions to the Tympole, "Osha osha, wott oshawott wott."
   Nora looks at her Oshawott, "Soujiro..."
   "Wott wott." He points at the Pokéquip and the injured Tympole in N's arms.
   "Even I can understand that much." Verdell grins, looking at N, "How about it, N?"
   "...! You hear Pokémon's voices too?" N stares at him. "Alright. Please help Tympole..."
   "Not to the extent you do." Verdell says as he heals the Pokémon in N's arms, "I mean, I've tried, but wild Pokémon sure don't listen to me! I'm amazed, I've never seen anyone battle like you do."
   "...You're a trainer, too, then." N's head lowers a little...
   "What else would I be?" Verdell laughs, snatching Aron's Pokéball from Nora to heal him too!
   "Verdell has been around Pokémon for a long time, he doesn't understand their speech but he can understand what they're trying to convey." Nora smiles as Oshawott is chatting with the Tympole.
   "While there's some truth to that, don't try to tell us that you didn't also get your Pokémon's message there, even though you're a novice trainer." Verdell hands Aron's Pokéball back to Nora.
   "You have me there." Nora smiles a bit, "He confirmed that it was helping him and requested you to heal Tympole. Soujiro has been with me for the past year so I do have an idea what he's trying to communicate."
   Verdell smiles, "But it's not like I can always understand all Pokémon... or even all humans for that matter."
   "..." N lets the Tympole onto the ground, and after giving a wave of its tail to Oshawott, it bounces off towards the forest... But N still looks down...
   "Sorry, N. I didn't mean to disappoint..." Verdell rubs his head, "I really wish I could hear Pokémon like you do."
   "I have decided!" With renewed excitement, N turns to look at them.
   "H-Huh?!" Verdell looks a little startled at the suddenness of N's reaction.
   "...!!" Nora blinks, "What have you decided about if I may ask...?"
   "...I know what power I need to make the true answer to my ideals reveal itself." N explains, "...The legendary Pokémon who created the Unova region! I'll become a hero."
   "The black and white dragons?" Verdell blinks, "Then, do you know where to--"
   "Yes! This is what I decided. Nora! You and I will be friends!" N happily declares before turning and dashing off towards the forest. Nora blinks at this as she watches him disappear...
   "Osha...?" Oshawott blinks as well before he reaches up and pokes at his trainer to get her attention.
   "...He's fast." Verdell says, "So how are you acquainted with that guy, Nora?"
   "...We met in Accumula Town." Nora turns to Verdell, "It was after a Team Plasma rally and he was trying to listen to what Soujiro was saying... We got into a battle with a Purrloin and well..." Nora looks to the side...
   "Oh! I was there listening to that speech too, and then I saw your battle. I guess I must have forgotten his face... But actually, that was how I knew you were a novice trainer back when we met, since it was so soon after." Verdell grins, "So he likes you now, I see..."
   "...!!" Nora's eyes widen as she looks at Verdell, "W-Wait... You saw...? S-So that means..."
   "Ahaha! Red as a Tamato Berry!" Verdell points at her face.
   Nora lowers her face to hide her blush.
   "Osha!!" Oshawott waves a little paw towards Verdell with an angry face.
   "That's alright!" He smiles, "You said that you share the same dream, didn't you?"
   "..." She looks at him, "Yes... I want to understand Pokémon better... and I also want to help find a way for trainers to be... well, better trainers, so they can better care for their Pokémon. I want everyone to be happy in the end. But... I wonder what he means by Pokémon attaining perfection...?"
   "Perhaps you should give his friendship a chance, then."
   "..." Nora smiles a bit, "... I... I will then..."
   "It's a pity he ran off, though... I wanted to ask him what he knows about the legendary Pokémon..." Verdell sighs...
   "That's what I'd like to know too..." Nora looks to where N ran off, "...Still, I wonder how he's able to understand Pokémon, or at least what they're saying exactly? I mean, with Soujiro I have to pay attention to his actions or where he's pointing at."
   "Yes, that was incredible. Ah, but he just came out of the museum... I wonder if he learned something in there? I can't wait to find out, let's go!" He grabs Nora's hand and pulls her along inside the building!
   "Woah...!" Nora follows him in as Oshawott hangs onto his trainer for dear life!

As they enter into the museum, they see a great skeleton of a large dragon Pokémon. To their sides there are two wings leading to various areas of the museum, where some visitors walk around admiring the exhibition; and ahead are stairs leading up to the library... "Oh! More visitors!" A man approaches them, "Welcome to the Nacrene Museum! I'm Hawes, the assistant director. Since you were kind enough to visit, I'll give you a tour."
   "Yes please!" Verdell grins, proving an enthusiastic listener as the man begins to guide them around the collection of old bones and rocks...
   "..." Nora is listening carefully during the tour, Oshawott watching everything with wide eyes as he sees things that he has never seen before. Nora glances at Verdell, who is paying attention and nodding, sometimes asking questions. But he also looks around cautiously every now and then, apparently keeping an eye out for traps...
   "And just up these stairs," Hawes gestures with his arm, "You'll find the library and Pokémon Gym. Are any of you here to challenge the Gym Leader?"
   "I am." Nora steps forward.
   "Well then. In order to challenge the Gym Leader, you must solve the riddles hidden throughout the library. You'll find the first clue in a book titled, 'Nice to Meet You, Pokémon'. By solving them all you will find your way to the secret arena, where Lenora, a very strong and kind Gym Leader is waiting. She also happens to be my wife!" He laughs. "And that concludes the tour, but if you have any more questions about the museum, do not hesitate to ask!"
   "Actually, I do have one more question." Verdell says, "The green-haired person who was here before us... Did he take particular interest in anything?"
   "Ah yes, that young man was quite fascinated by the skeleton near the entrance. It is one of our most impressive exhibits after all, so it usually attracts much attention from visitors. Why, whenever I look at it I am fascinated myself!"
   "It's hard to believe since it's so enormous, but it is a Dragonite, right...?"
   "Indeed it is! There's a theory that it had an accident while it was flying around the world, and so it became a fossil."
   "That's very interesting... Thank you for the tour!" Verdell smiles.
   Nora blinks at this as Hawes goes to check on an exhibit, "He's... certainly energetic."
   "I'm going to check out the library!" Verdell grins, heading up the stairs.
   "Verdell wait...!" Nora rushes after him! They enter into a large room full of bookcases with hundreds of books on each one... It's lighted excellently and there are some display cases of various fossils and other artifacts of note, and tables with chairs for studying. Verdell looks rather at home, navigating effectively among the shelves towards the one he is looking for... "Verdell...!" Nora whispers as she catches up with him, "Good grief, you're like a kid in a candy store."
   "Hmm?" He looks past the pile of books he has already begun to gather for himself, "I told you I'm here to research folklore." He whispers back, "Good luck with your Gym Challenge! The children's books were close to the entrance, by the way."
   "Ah, thanks." Nora nods as she turns and heads to the children's section, where she browses the books to see if she can find the one she's looking for. 'Connect the Dots to Draw Pokémon', 'Adventure on Route 3'... Finally, she spots 'Nice to Meet You, Pokémon'! "Here we are..." She mutters quietly as she takes out the book and reads through it... It's a fairytale about a little boy who met a Pokémon for the first time in his life... Then, a note falls out from among the pages... "...?" She picks it up and reads it...
   "Pokémon Trainers! I am the Gym Leader, Lenora! I hid four memos in this library. Each of them has a question. Can you solve the questions and come find me? Now, this is the first question! Which Pokémon stores food in its cheek pouches, allowing it to keep watch over its nest for days? The hint is... on a bookshelf in the middle row! Now, try to find it!"
   "Pokémon that stores food in its cheek pouches..." Nora mutters as she puts the note back in the book and returns it to its place on the shelf. She makes her way to the middle row, "As I recall, Patrat tend to do that..." She begins to search for a book on Patrats... There are books on many different Pokémon, but at last she spots one called, 'The Biology of Patrat'! She smiles as she takes the book out and begins to flip through it. Oshawott is looking from her shoulder, trying to read the human writing. She learns that Patrat communicate with each other by movement of their tails... When it raises its tail it is a sign that it has spotted an enemy... It won't notice a foe coming from behind... They are extremely cautious and feel insecure without a guard... They take shifts, although one can stand guard for many days thanks to the food stored in their cheek pouches... But no note is falling out of the book this time... She looks at the book carefully, did it get stuck? Then she spots the note, attached to the back cover!
   "As I thought, that question was easy. Well, this is the second question! Flame burns inside its body, and it gives off smoke from its head while it runs... What is this book? The hint is... Somebody may be reading it."
   "Flame burns inside its body..." Nora ponders as she puts the book away, "...That can be applied to any fire Pokémon but... I don't recall any that gives off smoke from its head while it runs..." She takes a step out from the row and looks around, "Hrm... unless... it's not a Pokémon..." She looks for a section dedicated to transportation. There are many books about cars, ships, even planes... "...Now where are the trains...?" Nora looks around... There! The whole next shelf is dedicated to trains! She smiles as she approaches, but there is no one reading by the bookshelves, apparently... She can see a few people sitting by the tables meant for studying, however... Verdell is among them as well, and a Pokémon she hasn't seen before is sitting next to him, reading too! "...?" Nora approaches the Pokémon. It is about as tall as a person, with dark fur on its back and pale yellowish fur elsewhere... It seems completely absorbed by the book in front of it. Nora blinks at this before tapping Verdell's shoulder.
   "Hm? Oh, Nora. Did you get stuck?" He whispers...
   "Well, kinda? I was curious who this is." She whispers, motioning to the Pokémon next to him.
   "Oh, this is Shimmer. He's a Typhlosion."
   "...!" Hearing his name, the Pokémon suddenly looks up, but upon seeing Nora he seems a little flustered, picking the book up and hiding his face behind it!
   "...He's a little shy." Verdell smiles.
   Nora smiles as she waves to the Pokémon, "Hello, Shimmer. I'm happy to meet you." She keeps her voice low, glancing at the book he is reading. 'Fairytales from Unova' the cover says... The Typhlosion lowers it a little, glancing at her... She smiles, and her Oshawott waves to the large Pokémon.
   "Shimmer and I have similar interests. That's how we met." Verdell grins a little, "Now we work together to learn more about old tales and legends."
   "That's wonderful to hear." Nora smiles at this, but then she remembers the hint, "Actually, Verdell? I wanted to ask: did you or Shimmer happen to pick up any books on trains?"
   "Trains? No, that's not really our field... Unless it's a ghost train, I guess." He chuckles.
   "I just wanted to be sure, the clue said 'Flames in it's body and it gives off smoke from its head while running'." Nora shrugs, "But the hint also mentioned that someone may be reading it."
   "Ah, in that case, I'd guess that the Gym Leader has an assistant here somewhere..." He looks around.
   "I had a feeling..." Nora mutters quietly as she begins to walk around the study area... She searches for anyone reading a book on trains. No one seems to be reading it... but among the people studying is a young woman, who has a book titled 'The Structure of a Locomotive' on top of her pile...
   "...!" Nora approaches the young woman and whispers, "Excuse me...?"
   "Yes?" She looks up...
   "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but may I see that book there?" Nora points at the locomotive book.
   "Oh, you want to read this book? Here you go." She smiles, giving it to Nora, "Please return it to its shelf when you have finished reading it."
   "Thank you." Nora smiles back as she goes to take a seat to read the book... It shows many models of locomotives, with explanations of the parts and how they have been developed and refined. There does not seem to be any note inside this book either, however... "..." Nora remembers the last book and checks the covers to be safe... Then she finds a note on the back!
   "It's impressive you found this place! That's what I'd expect from a challenger like you! Well, this is the third question! If you heat it up in a pot, it'll be delicious. What is this? The hint is on a bookshelf close to the entrance!"
   Nora goes to put the book away, "...Heat up in a pot and it'll be delicious... Time to look at the shelves near the entrance..." When she puts the book into its place, she hears a low click! She looks around. As does Oshawott, his ears twitching. But nothing seems to have changed... "Hrm..." Nora frowns a bit but says nothing, she heads towards the shelves near the entrance, "...Heat up in a pot... It might be a recipe..." After a little while of searching through the children's books again, she spots a book called, 'Sweets for Pokémon'... "Let's see what we have here..." She reaches for the book... The cover has an image of a Poffin, surrounded by Pokéblocks and Poképuffs... And a note!
   "Did you manage to get here without being tricked by the questions? Now, this is the last question! From this bookshelf... Move two backward, move one to the left, move two forward, move one to the right, and move one backward... Now, where is it? The hint is... Find it by yourself!"
   "..." Nora frowns a bit as she takes out her tablet and begins to write down the last instruction. After putting the book away she looks at the floor... It has a checkered pattern of light brown and darker brown tiles... Looking at the instructions again, she begins to follow them... But she ends up walking in a circle. She tilts her head, "...Am I missing something...?" She approaches Verdell again, "Hey Verdell?"
   "Hm?" Verdell looks up from the many open books that by now are scattered on his table...
   "Can you help me with this?" Nora shows him on the tablet what the note said...
   Verdell looks carefully at it... "The last one, is it...? So where did you find this clue?"
   The brunette points towards the shelf where she had first found it.
   "..." Verdell looks at the shelf, then his eyes seem to wander a bit... "And what have you tried?"
   "Well... I made a circle..."
   "As the instructions say." Verdell nods, "And then?"
   "That's it, there was no other instruction." Nora shakes her head, "I just made a circle and ended up right where I started."
   "Ah... You didn't find anything?" Verdell gets up, "Can you show me the circle you made?"
   "Sure." Nora nods as she leads him back towards the spot.
   "...!" Noticing Verdell leave, Typhlosion follows along as well, staying close behind his trainer... Nora moves exactly the way the instructions told...
   "...I see." Verdell smiles a little as he watches Nora, "I think you should read the note again. If you look carefully enough, there's more clues hidden in it."
   "There is?" Nora blinks as she reads the note again...
   "If the floor is innocent, what else can form a circle in here?"
   Nora crosses her arms, "...The bookcases I guess."
   Verdell nods, "Try it and see what you find!"
   Nora goes to check the bookcases... The one the instructions points her to has a book sticking out a bit... "Huh...?" She examines the book... It is titled 'The Biology of Tepig'... When she opens it a note falls out! Nora picks it up and reads it...
   "You've managed to get here. Well done! You seem to have wisdom as well as strength! I look forward to our battle!" It is signed, "Gym Leader Lenora"...
   "..." Nora puts the note back in the book and places the book in its proper place... When she does so, there's a second click, and the bookshelf silently slides to the side, revealing a hidden staircase underneath! Nora looks surprised, but regaining her composure, she heads down the stairs...
   "Good luck!" Verdell grins to her, and his Pokémon curiously sniffs at the stairs before they head back to their studies.

The stairs continue downwards for a while, until Nora arrives at an underground arena. At the back is a desk and some bookcases as well... and in the middle of the room, the Gym Leader stands waiting. Nora takes a deep breath as she approaches her. "Hello there!" The woman smiles as she rests her hands on her hips in a confident stance, "I'm Lenora, the curator of the museum and Gym Leader of Nacrene City."
   Nora tries to smile a bit, "M-My name is Nora Marquardt... Pleased to meet you."
   "Don't be shy now! Come, let me see how you and your Pokémon battle together!" Lenora smiles as she tosses out a Pokéball, "Herdier, I choose you!"
   "Hector, let's go!!" Nora throws out her own Pokéball!
   "Ar!!" The Aron stretches but is staring down the large furry dog...
   Lenora's Herdier growls, and Aron backs away a bit, "Aron... Interesting choice. Let's see what you've got-- Mud-Slap!!"
   "Rock Tomb!!" Nora yells out as the Herdier digs up the floor to kick up mud at Aron! Aron breaks off a part of the floor and throws it into Herdier, who yelps!
   "So that's your first move!" Lenora smiles as her Herdier gets out from under the rock, "Let's go with a Leer!!"
   "Curse!!!" Nora yells out as Aron glows a violet aura, though he shrinks away from the Leer!
   "Use Bite!"
   "Headbutt!!"
   Both Pokémon charge at one another! Aron slams into the Herdier, and the large dog manages to bite into the Aron, earning a pained grunt!
   "Metal Claw!!"
   "Don't let go!!"
   The Aron growls angrily as he begins to slash at the larger Pokémon, who refuses to let go of him! Nora grits her teeth as her Aron is using Metal Claw repeatedly to get the dog off of himself, after a few seconds she yells out, "Use Rock Tomb!!"
   "ARR!!!" Aron tears out another part of the floor and slams it down on the Herdier, earning a loud yelp!
   "Herdier-- get up, use Mud-Slap from there!!" Lenora points at the hole Aron made! The large dog rushes into it and fires off mud towards the Aron who grunts!
   "Headbutt!! Don't stop!!" Aron charges forward, despite being near blind from all the mud he slams into the large dog!
   "Take Down!!" The Herdier growls as it bites onto the Aron and slams down on the ground with him!
   "Ar!!!" Aron is looking weak, as does the Herdier!
   "Use Metal Claw!!" Nora yells out as Aron slashes at the Herdier! It looks like he is doing more damage than before!
   Lenora smiles, "You were waiting for Metal Claw to boost your Aron's attack I see... Interesting choice! But not enough, use Bite!"
   "Raf!!" The large dog bites down on the Aron who flinches from the attack!
   "Harden...!!"
   "No you don't-- Take Down!!" The Herdier slams itself down onto Aron!
   Nora grits her teeth, "Give it your all--Headbutt!!"
   "Ar!!" The Aron frees himself from the Herdier's grasp and slams into it... sending the large dog flying close to Lenora!
   The woman smiles as she takes out her Pokéball and calls the dog back, "Come on back, ya did a mighty fine job."
   "Awesome job, Hector!!" Nora calls out as her Oshawott gives a happy bark! Her Aron just gives a happy grunt in return.
   Lenora smiles, "Don't celebrate just yet, I can still achieve victory-- Go Watchog!!" She throws another Pokéball in the air, and a large rodent-like Pokémon with reddish-brown fur with yellow markings, and an oddly focused stare, appears! It looks down on the small Aron, who growls a bit.
   Nora grits her teeth, "Rock Tomb!!"
   "Retaliate!!"
   As the Aron tears out another part of the floor, Watchog closes the distance quickly and slams him! The boulder falls back down before he could throw it; he is tossed to the side and doesn't move...! "You did good, Hector." Nora calls him back, "Let's go, Soujiro!!"
   "Osha!!" Oshawott leaps off her shoulder as he stares at the larger Pokémon...
   "Use Air Slash!!" Oshawott fires off waves of cutting air!
   "Hypnosis!!" The Watchog isn't too phased as it returns waves of psychic energy from its eyes that make the little otter woozy... Eventually Oshawott falls asleep!
   "Soujiro-- wake up!!" Nora calls out in a panic!
   "Use Crunch!" The Watchog rushes over and bites hard on the little otter Pokémon and throws him to the side! Its attention now turned on Nora whose eyes widen...!
   "Checkmate." Lenora smiles as the Watchog charges forward!
   Nora is moving back quickly to avoid the Pokémon, "Soujiro-- HELP!!!" Keeping one arm around the egg, she runs to keep her distance from the Watchog...!
   "...!" Lenora takes notice of the egg, "Watchog, don't make her hit anything! Young trainer-- I suggest you surrender, I do not want to end up breaking that egg!"
   Nora shakes her head as she narrowly dodges the Watchog, "I can't give up...!"
   "You can always challenge me later!" Lenora argues, "What is so important to you that you'd risk that egg and your safety!?"
   Nora leaps to the side again as she looks at the woman, "For Pokémon."
   "What...?" Lenora frowns a bit.
   "Osha..." Oshawott's eyes open. As he looks around he sees Nora getting chased by the Watchog, "OSHA!!!"
   "USE WATER GUN!!!" Oshawott fires off a jet of water! Lenora's eyes widen as her Watchog is pushed away, the little Oshawott rushing to his trainer's side to keep her safe!
   "..." Lenora mutters something to herself before giving an order, "Screech!!" The Watchog gives off an ear-splitting scream that forces Nora and Oshawott to cover their ears...!
   "Ngh..." Nora grits her teeth, "Shut it up... Water Gun!" Oshawott fires off a stream of water into the Watchog's mouth to silence it! The Watchog backs off and spits out the water.
   "Use Hypnosis!!"
   "Focus Energy!!" Oshawott's eyes close as he begins to focus. The Hypnosis doesn't work!
   "Iron Tail!!" The Watchog's tail shines as it looks like metal now...!
   "Night Slash!!" Nora yells out as Oshawott opens his eyes and charges forward with his scalchop! The two Pokémon clash, slashing and attacking, until they strike each other at the same time! They're both pushed back!
   "Bide!!" Lenora calls out as her Watchog takes a defensive stance...
   Nora's eyes widen as she yells out, "Soujiro, keep using Night Slash-- don't let up...!!" Oshawott begins to attack the Watchog rapidly with his scalchop, trying to take the larger Pokémon down...! Energy is starting to build up around Watchog as Oshawott continues to attack, both trainers are watching carefully to see which Pokémon is going to last...
   "Watch...!" The Watchog looks about ready to attack...!
   "Give it everything you got!!!" Nora yells out as Oshawott's eyes gleam upon seeing one part of his opponent's exposed stomach-- He slams his scalchop into the Watchog's sternum as its eyes widen...! The white energy fades as the Watchog falls backwards...! "Did we...?" Nora's eyes widen at this... before a large smile appears on her face as she rushes over to Oshawott and picks him up in her arms, "You did it!!!" Oshawott gives a proud bark as Nora hugs him. He returns the affection by nuzzling his face against hers.
   "You did good partner..." Lenora smiles as she calls back her Watchog. She approaches Nora with a smile, "That was really something, you and your Pokémon's fighting spirit shone brightly despite everything. But... before I give you the Basic Badge I'd like to understand what you meant there. Why did you say that Pokémon were more important to you?"
   Nora stands up as she looks at Lenora, "...Forgive me if I sound naive but... please hear me out... I want to participate in the Pokémon League Challenge this year. I want to become Champion because I want to protect Pokémon..."
   "..." Lenora crosses her arms as she listens...
   "I know that... things are not as they used to be for anyone... but I'm also fed up with how Unova has been torn apart... It feels like politics and rights are given more attention than the responsibilities that come with the rights we are given. Lenora... I want to stop the League from building in Pokémon habitats!"
   Lenora looks at her carefully, "...Interesting reasoning. I assume it's because of the number of projects they announced recently?"
   Nora nods in response, "The areas where they have started building have caused shifts in Pokémon behaviors and put them at odds with the humans living there. Conflicts between humans and Pokémon have begun to increase in some areas, and those Pokémon have been hunted because they were considered dangerous, when in reality areas that they had called home for generations had been taken from them... I can't stand it anymore. I don't want either side to get hurt, but the League ignores the ecosystems in favor of projects that could've been carried out elsewhere!"
   The Gym Leader looks at Nora carefully before she lowers her arms, "...I'll tell you what. If you can pull this off, can you see if you can't get them to be more respectful of historical sites while you're at it?"
   "What...?" Nora looks surprised.
   Lenora smiles a bit, "Truth be told, Unova's history is fading away. I've been tellin' them we need to preserve historical sites, since otherwise Unova may lose the chance of learning about our past, but they ignored me. They decided to build housing in the desert where there are still secrets hidden in the sand. If you can get them to listen you, I'll be more than happy to help you out."
   "..." Nora's eyes are wide at this but she nods, "Alright!"
   Lenora smiles as she takes out of her pocket a long rectangular badge of a violet color, "Take this then, the Basic Badge." Nora carefully receives it into her hand, admiring it with her Oshawott. "Take this too, this is TM67-- Retaliate." She gives Nora a disk, "Its power doubles if it's used after an ally Pokémon falls."
   "Deeear!" They can hear Hawes, and an instant later he comes stumbling down the stairs! "Dear! Come quickly! Team Plasma is threatening to steal some bones...!"
   "Wait, what?!" Lenora looks at her husband, her face turning dark, "They are NOT taking one thing outta here. Nora-- you come with me!" The woman rushes out, and Nora follows her quickly along with Hawes. Coming out of the library, they can see Team Plasma in front of the giant dragon skeleton. They are trying to get past Verdell and his Typhlosion, who is using Protect, but the barrier looks close to breaking...!
   "I can't let Shimmer fight in this place, or the exhibition will be ruined...!" Verdell grits his teeth as another crack shows in the barrier...! Nora tries to rush over to him to see if she can help, but other Team Plasma members block her way! Oshawott barks angrily at them!
   "Hold up you scoundrels!!" Lenora yells out! She takes out a Pokéball from her pocket as she stomps forward, "Quit foolin' around and get outta here! I ain't interested in havin' you cause trouble!!"
   "So you've come, Gym Leader Lenora." One of the Team Plasma members speaks, "We, Team Plasma, claim this museum's dragon skull in the name of Pokémon liberation! And to show you we're serious, we'll steal it right before your eyes! Plasmaaaa!"
   "Plasmaaaa!!" The shouts of Team Plasma resound as they throw several smoke bombs at the same time! Nora coughs as she tries to waft the smoke out of her eyes...!
   "Ngh...!" Lenora covers her eyes as well!
   "Ah!!" They can hear Verdell shout out among the coughs of the visitors! Once the smoke has faded somewhat, they can see that he has been pushed aside with his Pokémon, and both Team Plasma and the dragon skull are gone...!
   "What in the name of... ...!!" Lenora rushes outside!
   Nora hurries over to check on Verdell, "You okay!?"
   "I'm fine, but..." Verdell looks at the beheaded skeleton, "It seems I couldn't protect the exhibition... Shimmer, are you alright?" His Pokémon nods, although trembling a little...
   "Those thugs sure were bold..." One of the shocked bystanders says, "It's almost as if they believe they are doing the right thing..."
   "What in the world could Team Plasma be thinking?!"
   "My oh my oh my!"
   "What do they plan to accomplish by stealing the dragon skull?"
   "Oh... Oh! Lenora loves that skull... We have to go after them!" Hawes rushes out after his wife!
   "Come on, we can't let Lenora deal with them alone...!" Nora tugs at Verdell's arm. Outside, they hear a commotion!
   "In the name of Pokémon liberation, step aside!!" A Team Plasma member shouts! It looks like they have run into patrol just outside the museum!
   Nora looks out the door as her jaw drops, "Verdell... you may want to look at this..."
   Team Plasma's way is blocked by people dressed in knight attire with various species of Pokémon with them, and in front of them Aina stands with her Gallade next to her-- who looks ready to battle! "I will not stand aside when it is clear that you brigands have broken the law so carelessly." Aina responds, "I'll give you two options: either surrender peacefully and return the skull, or battle against my knights and myself for your vain attempt at escaping."
   Lenora stands at the door with a surprised look, "Who in the world...?"
   Rylan is standing next to Aina as well, and next to her Gallade his Petilil waves her leaves threateningly at the enemy, ready for battle! "You really should surrender." He smirks at Team Plasma, "It's the smart thing to do. And you have to apologize to Lenora too!"
   "What the king commands is the law!" The Team Plasma member counters, "If you do not understand that, you're not true knights! We follow his orders, not yours! Forge a path!" Team Plasma call forth their Pokémon, charging ahead to clash with Aina and her knights!
   "Reinforcements! So that was her trap this time... It must be my lucky day." Verdell grins, calling his Pokémon back, "You got the badge, right, Nora? Let's leave this to Aina and sneak out of town while the turmoil lasts!" Aina is already having her Gallade tear through Team Plasma's Pokémon effortlessly...
   "Verdell, I can't run! Lenora asked me to help!" Nora looks at him.
   "..." Verdell gives her an unamused look, "If you don't think Aina can handle this, you're just being rude. Either way, I'm not about to waste this opportunity. I'm leaving." He slips out, staying close to the wall as he sneaks past the combatants.
   Nora approaches Lenora, who raises a hand to stop her, "Lenora?"
   "Hon, I don't think this is your time to battle." The older woman looks at Nora, "I thank you for wanting to help, but that girl and that boy there are something else and way outta your league... Besides your Pokémon are still hurt from our battle aren't they?"
   "...!" Nora was about to speak, before she stops and looks down at Oshawott who just looks up at her... He is still injured.
   "...If you wanna reach the top, you gotta be the best to beat the rest." Lenora looks towards Pinwheel Forest, "Further ahead you'll find Challenger's Rock. It's a popular spot for trainers to test their skills and get stronger. I suggest you start there..."
   Nora lowers her head a bit, "...Right."
   "..." Lenora pats the girl's back with a smile, "...Hey now, don't go losing confidence on me. After all, every master was once a beginner... Now get goin'. I got some skulls to crack." The Gym Leader calls out a Stoutland and enters the fray!
   "... ... ..." Nora watches for a little while before she looks in the direction Verdell went...
   "Great work! Now, use Giga Drain!" Rylan calls out! She can see that his teamwork has gotten better, as his Petilil is doing a good job with guarding Gallade's back...
   "Plasmaaaa! This is bad...! If this keeps up, we won't be able to save the Pokémon!"
   "You're just jealous of our cool outfits!!" Another Team Plasma member yells to Aina's knights!
   Nora lowers her head a bit as she follows Verdell quietly... Her Oshawott looking up at her and patting her cheek to cheer her up...
   "Rylan, we can't let any of them flee before the police arrive-- Don't let them escape!" Aina yells out!
   "Understood! Flambeau, Quick Attack!" Rylan points at the Team Plasma member who was close to breaking through their lines, and the next instant he's on the ground with Vulpix on top!
   "Gh... So the dream our king had-- the dream we all had-- won't come true..." He says, but looks up upon noticing the blue-robed man in front of him, "...!"
   "How are you holding up, fellow subject of our king?"
   "Gorm of the Seven Sages...!"
   Aina looks at the robed man, "Am I to assume you're the ringleader of these thieves?"
   Lenora approaches with a deep frown, "Care to explain why your followers had the nerve to rob the museum?"
   "Forgive us, Lord Gorm!" The Team Plasma member says, "I'm mortified that this skull has proven so much trouble to obtain...!"
   "It's not important." Gorm says to him before commanding the others, "Cease fighting at once! Our research has shown that this is not the Pokémon Team Plasma seeks! It is completely unrelated!"
   "...!" Team Plasma call their Pokémon back!
   Gorm turns to Lenora and Aina, "I am afraid there has been a terrible mistake."
   "Mistake?" Lenora crosses her arms, "How do you explain the smoke bombs, damages to the museum, and a stolen-- possibly damaged skull?"
   Aina has an icy look in her eyes, "Mistake or not, your followers have committed a crime and thus should be punished for this action."
   "The skull will be returned to you immediately, and any damages paid for. This time, we shall retreat quietly." Gorm says, "But mark my words, we will not tolerate any obstruction to our plans from either of you."
   "Gah! Dear, I need help! It's too heavy!" Hawes calls out as Team Plasma decided to return the skull to him...!
   "This I will say to you: Know your enemies, know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles..." Gorm turns to leave with his followers.
   "..." Aina glares at the retreating figures of Team Plasma as Lenora goes to help her husband, "...I really have a bad feeling about that lot."
   Lenora is holding the skull with little effort as she gives a smile, "Regardless, the skull is back. Many thanks gettin' it back."
   "What? He's just some frail old man!" Rylan looks at Aina, "There's no way he's stronger than you! Team Plasma aren't really worth taking seriously, if you ask me..."
   Aina gives him a disappointed look, "Rylan, he may be old but that doesn't mean that he is not dangerous. He gave one order and those thieves instantly called their Pokémon back out of utmost loyalty and respect... The look in his eyes was that of a trainer who has fought countless battles. I am concerned that the city may be damaged if I battle him."
   "But still..." Rylan pouts.
   "Rylan? Is there some kind of problem going on here?" Cheren approaches.
   "Hm?" Aina looks at Cheren, "And you are...?"
   "He's just one of Nora's friends." Rylan waves his hand dismissively...
   "My name is Cheren. I'm here to challenge the Gym. You must be Aina, correct?"
   "I am." She nods, "Though I do not think it is a good time to challenge the Gym-- considering the recent attack by Team Plasma."
   "Team Plasma again?" Cheren looks through the open doors where Lenora and Hawes along with some others are working to put the skull back in place, "So I can't battle the Gym Leader because of them, huh... What a bother." He turns to Aina again, "So is it true that you're Elite Four?"
   "Correct. Is there something you require?"
   "Someday I plan to be strong enough to challenge you. But not yet." Cheren smiles, "For now, I'd like to ask you about someone called Verdell."
   "Verdell...?" Her eyes flash as she raises a brow, "What did you want to ask?"
   "There's so much about him that's strange. Who is he, really?"
   "He is a Gym Leader from the same region as I." Aina explains plainly, "I am to bring him home since he had not been approved to leave his duties without so much as announcing a new Gym Leader to replace him."
   "That's what he told us, too, but why did he leave? He never gave a clear answer."
   "That is what I would like to know as well." Aina shrugs at this, "I was not given the full details from Headquarters, but I was asked to bring him back so he may be properly punished for abandoning his duties as a Gym Leader. There was a scramble to find someone to replace him."
   "...You don't know?" Cheren stares at her, "Then, he lied when he claimed that you're a couple?"
   There's a faint blush before she looks to the side, "...I was out on League business in Kalos when I heard that Verdell had left. I was told to find him since the others had their hands tied."
   "I see... but he has still not explained himself, even to you?"
   She shakes her head, "Nothing."
   "That's very strange." Cheren frowns, "He's definitely hiding something..."
   "Speaking of that vagabond, he probably escaped during the battle with Team Plasma... Say, Cheren, why don't you help us catch him?" Rylan smirks, "Then we can all find out his secret..."
   "Rylan." Aina looks at him with icy eyes, "This is my responsibility, I will not drag any more people into my own League's business."
   "What? But we'd catch him for sure with my plan..."
   "At any rate I would have to decline." Cheren says, "Whatever his reasons, he has been helpful to me and my friends." He looks at Aina, "I see that you know more than you are telling as well. I don't want to pry, but whatever is going on, I'm already involved... and if it's something dangerous, for the sake of my friend, I'll get to the bottom of this."
   "Your friend... Nora you mean?" Aina questions.
   "Yes." Cheren nods, "Her and Bianca. The three of us have each other's backs."
   "..." Aina looks towards Pinwheel Forest briefly before returning her attention to Cheren, "...It would be best for her to stop her journey. Before her is a great storm I cannot see past, and her light is too weak. Regardless... it is time for us to take our leave." Aina turns towards the forest and heads down the path...
   "...Bye!" Rylan says, giving Cheren a nonchalant wave, although he seems a little unsettled as he follows after Aina, "Wait up, Aina! What's really going on between you and that vagabond? ..."
   "..." Aina closes her eyes but hesitates to answer...
   "...Was that a threat?" Cheren says to himself, frowning as he watches them leave...

Far ahead of Aina and Rylan, Nora has caught up with her mentor... "Verdell?" She finally speaks...
   "Hm? Oh, you're still here!" Verdell grins at her over his shoulder. She has a slouching gait, holding her Oshawott close and staring at the ground as she kicks a pebble out of her way...
   "...How can I get stronger?" She looks up at him with something forlorn in her eyes...
   "...?" He turns around, tilting his head as he walks backwards, "Are you telling me that you didn't win the badge...?"
   "No... I won it but..." Nora lowers her head a bit. Oshawott seems a little sad as well, "...It was when Aina was battling Team Plasma... I saw how much stronger and better Rylan got in battling... His Petilil is also considerably stronger than last I battled him. How can I achieve my goal...? I mean... I know Lenora said to me that to be the best I need to beat the rest but..."
   "Sounds like nonsense to me... I think growing at your own pace brings the best results in the end. Your Soujiro has good potential for battle, too. If you want to get stronger you shouldn't worry about Rylan, but focus more on your own Pokémon and how you train them..."
   "Osha..." Nora looks at Oshawott as he touches her face with a paw, "Osha oshawott, wott wott osha."
   "...I'm sorry for doubting you, partner..."
   "Oshawott." He nuzzles her...
   "So how did your battle go?" Verdell smiles.
   "Well... Lenora was a much trickier opponent... The battle started..." Nora begins to give Verdell the details of the battle as Oshawott adds some happy barks to her story.
   "...I see." Verdell sighs, "So much for getting a headstart on Aina to avoid her next trap... but I suppose talent and a strong battle spirit can only take you so far. Your senses as a trainer may not have been wrong, after all. If you want to win your next Gym Battle, you're going to have to put more effort into training your Pokémon... So why don't we camp out in the forest while we figure out your new training schedule?" He smiles.
   "Actually, Lenora suggested a place nearby." Nora smiles a bit, "It's called Challenger's Rock, she said it's a good spot to train at."
   "Sounds good." Verdell nods, pulling up the map on his Pokéquip, "Ah, so it's up on top of that mountain there..."
   "Yup." Nora nods with a smile, "Come on, it shouldn't take us too long if we hurry."
   "Hold it right there!" Verdell grins, holding his Pokéquip forth... "Your Pokémon, please."
   "...Oh!" Nora holds out Oshawott.
   "There you go." Verdell says after healing both of her Pokémon, "Now, let Hector out, too. They're walking on their own."
   "Okay..." Nora throws Aron's Pokéball in the air, and he appears. She puts her Oshawott down as both Pokémon appear to be chatting about what's going on.
   "A good walk up the mountain should help them build their stamina. Now, let's go!" Verdell calls out his Breloom, "Goldie, find the best way to the top!"
   "Breloom!" His Pokémon begins to lead the way through the bumpy terrain. It rained in the night, so the scents of the forest feel fresh...
   "Is this how you trained your Pokémon, Verdell?" Nora asks. Oshawott is doing his best to keep up with his trainer, while Aron is taking it easy, avoiding the many little puddles and admiring the flowers... But he doesn't let them out of his sight.
   "It depends... Since my crew all have their own roles to fulfill, they require different kinds of training."
   "Your crew?" She tilts her head, "Your team?"
   "Ah... yeah." He rubs his head...
   Nora smiles, "So hiking can help my Pokémon? I never thought that..."
   "Yes. But it may be time for you to consider what you want your Pokémon to be good at. Training is more than just pursuing greater power... By choosing the traits you want to direct that power towards, your Pokémon can become much stronger than if you were to train them aimlessly."
   "Before I started my journey I'd always do field research for Professor Juniper, which often involved hiking." Nora smiles as she looks at her Oshawott, "Soujiro always tagged along with me, so he walked alongside me when we were outside the lab."
   "Osh!" Oshawott gives a proud look.
   "I suppose that's part of the reason he's so tough." Verdell smiles, "I'll explain more once we've made camp."
   "Okay!" Nora smiles as they keep marching forward.

After a few hours, they finally reach the top of the mountain. In a clearing sits a massive rock that's perhaps half the size of the museum! There are marks on it, hinting that it's been used for many years... "Woah..." Nora looks up...
   "That's got to be the hugest star piece I've seen in my life." Verdell stares at it. "The recommendation on the map says that it's too huge to move and too hard to work with tools, so it was decided that trainers are welcome to take any pieces of it they can break off with their Pokémon... Since it's a valuable material it sells for a good price at your local Poké Mart, it says."
   "A star piece?" Nora looks at Verdell before looking at the rock again, "...I wonder if Lenora thought I could use the money... or is it to see if my Pokémon can make a dent in it..."
   "Well, we can't pass up on a treasure like this, right, Goldie? Let's give it a try!" Verdell grins, "Go! Mach Punch!" His Breloom dashes forward, aiming a punch at the huge rock... and a small piece falls off!
   "Loom!" Breloom picks the piece up, laughing happily as she bounces over to Verdell with it.
   "Great work! This should be enough to keep us afloat for a while longer!"
   "Loomloom!"
   "Keep you afloat?" Nora raises a brow as her Aron approaches after trailing behind them a bit, "You're a Gym Leader, how can you be poor?"
   "I'm not! But you know, being on the run means that my resources aren't infinite. If I want my freedom to last I have to save for the future!" Verdell says as he puts the little star piece away into his bag...
   "Ah." Nora looks at the rock, "...Well let's see how much progress we need to make... Soujiro-- Night Slash, Hector-- Metal Claw!!"
   "Osha....!!!"
   "Arr...!!!"
   Both Pokémon charge forward and strike at the huge rock at the same time! Nothing fell off, however... "Alright..." Nora has a determined look, "Our goal: break a piece off that rock."
   "My Pokémon and I will get started on camp. Give me your tent and I'll set it up for you once I'm done with my secret base." Verdell smiles, calling out his Talonflame and heading off to what looks like a good spot...

Several hours pass as Nora and her Pokémon train at Challenger's Rock. Finally she sits down with her Pokémon, who look tired from striking the rock... They haven't been able to make a dent, much less break off a piece... She gets up to prepare dinner while her Pokémon rest. "No progress..." She sighs, "...I never really studied stars but I never thought they were this tough..."
   "You worked hard, though. Your Pokémon earned their rest!" Verdell smiles, "If you're interested I figure I should tell you a bit about how Gym Challenges work?"
   "Sure?" Nora stirs the stew in the pot. The smell of cooked vegetables wafts through the air...
   "All Gym Leaders are required to train Pokémon at various levels, to make the challenge possible to overcome for new trainers like yourself." Verdell begins, "When you enter a Gym, before battle your trainer card will be automatically checked so that the Gym Leader knows how many badges you already have, and they'll use a team corresponding to your level as a trainer. In other words, the Gym Leaders you already faced are actually a lot stronger than what you saw. But this also means that if you struggled with your last challenge, you have to train hard or the next one won't be possible for you to overcome."
   "...So the next one after Lenora may actually beat me to the ground..." Nora stares at the stew as she continues to stir, "...Should I do a training regimen after every Gym Battle then?"
   "Since your Pokémon are still inexperienced, I'd rather suggest making their training a part of your daily routine. They should practise the things you want them to become good at. Which brings us to our next topic... Do you know about the different types of moves?"
   "Well..." Nora brainstorms for a moment, "I know there are moves that are physical or special in nature... and ones that boost certain stats, such as Hector's Harden."
   "Exactly! So as a general rule, if you train a Pokémon to be good at a physical move, when it learns another such move, it will have an easier time to use it than if it had practised using only special type moves. In other words, you'll want to decide which move type your Pokémon should focus on, or if you want them to use both. Being a mixed attacker will give them more versatility, but they may have to sacrifice other fields of training or simply not become as good at either type of attacks as Pokémon you train to use just one. Status and support moves don't require Pokémon to be good at attacking, though."
   "You mean like how Chef is great with support moves and defensive stats?" Nora asks.
   "Yes." Verdell nods, "You could say that Chef is the opposite of a mixed attacker... He's trained to resist all kinds of moves instead, and so he only uses moves to support his teammates. When it comes to defending against attacks, you can choose to either work on your Pokémon's stamina so they'll be able to take hits of both kinds, or you can choose to train them to act as a wall against either physical or special attacks. If you're aiming for double battles, go for stamina. When you're facing several opponents at once it'll increase the chances that one of them can strike you where it hurts, after all."
   "Hrm..." Nora nods at this as she glances at her Oshawott and Aron, "...I will have a lot to consider..."
   "Indeed. And finally, you should also consider if you want your Pokémon to work on their speed or not. This is more important for Pokémon raised to attack than for those who are more on the defensive side."
   "Right..." Nora begins to think as she continues to work on the stew, "...I think it's done."
   "It smells great!" Verdell grins, "Anyhow, it's a good thing you have a Pokédex. I'd suggest you use it to look up what your Pokémon may be naturally good at. That'll help you determine their roles."
   "Right." Nora nods as she gets the pot off the fire, "Grab a bowl and spoon, this is a hearty meal!"

Days pass as they continue training... "Soujiro-- Ice Beam! Hector-- Aerial Ace!!" Nora calls out as her two Pokémon jump into action! Oshawott fires off a beam of ice that freezes a part of the rock they've been focusing on attacking, and Aron leaps and strikes it hard!
   "It's starting to look really good." Verdell smiles as he watches, "They should be ready to use the new moves you taught them in battle." Meanwhile, his Pokémon are training too... Breloom practises her punches, and Leafeon is laughing with Clefairy as they roll around in the grass... He is trying to use Tickle, which Clefairy counters with Magic Coat!
   "We'll see..." Nora looks at the spot where her Pokémon have been focusing their attacks for the past several days, "Okay, let's hit it with everything we got!"
   "Osh!"
   "Ar!"
   "Night Slash and Metal Claw!!" The two Pokémon charge forward to strike at the rock at the same time...!
   "Breh?" Breloom pauses, tilting her head as she watches the rock... There's a crack sound. Finally, the two Pokémon managed to break a small piece off! "Breloom!" She cries out, and begins to applaud the smaller Pokémon!
   "Osha!!"
   "Aron!!"
   The two Pokémon high-five each other as their trainer runs up to hug them both, "You guys did it!" Nora grins at them, "I'm so proud of you two...!"
   "So your hard work paid off at last!" Verdell grins, "You've definitely gotten a bit stronger!"
   "Loom! Breloom!" Breloom is happily bouncing around them.
   Nora carefully picks up the shard with a smile as her Pokémon look proud of themselves, "Thanks to your teachings, Verdell." She smiles at him while standing up.
   Verdell laughs, "You and your Pokémon still had to put in your own effort! Without that, the knowledge isn't worth much."
   "I suppose, but don't give yourself the short end of the stick." Nora chuckles.
   "I'm not taking credit for your hard work!"
   "Now then, shall we make our way to Castelia City?"
   "Alright, crew, time to pack up!" Verdell calls out, and his Breloom happily begins to collect things and carry them over to the huge bush inside which they set up their secret base, but the Leafeon and Clefairy keep playing... "...Hey, you two!" Verdell calls out again, but as they still don't listen, a smirk appears on his face, "You dare to ignore your captain? I'll show you what we do with mutineers!" He begins to chase them! They laugh happily while running circles around camp! Nora chuckles as her Oshawott and Aron help her take down her tent. She's packing away her items in the bag, and after calling Aron back to his Pokéball, she's ready to go. Meanwhile, Verdell has caught his Clefairy, but no sooner has he lifted him up than Leafeon leaps at him with a tickle assault, and they tumble around in a big pile until Breloom grabs them and happily tosses them all into the secret base!
   Nora chuckles as she approaches them, "Are you done yet?"
   There are some crashing noises from within! "You may have won this time, but don't think it's over!" Verdell laughs, "Gah! Alright, alright, I surrender! Poképuffs for everyone if you let me go?"

Soon after, Verdell and his Pokémon have packed up too, and they are ready to head down the mountain... Nora chuckles as they walk, "I didn't realize your crew was prone to mutiny!"
   "It only happens when they think I don't play enough with them." Verdell chuckles too, "We used to play like that a lot back at our Gym, between challenges... At such times it was an attraction for kids. But I also think that being reminded of this side of the power balance between me and my Pokémon from time to time is a good thing."
   "Of course." Nora glances at the sky before focusing on walking down the trail safely, "For Pokémon and even humans, playtime is good for more than just exercise-- It's a bonding experience as well."
   "Yes. And you shouldn't forget to respect your Pokémon and their wishes... They're going to grow a lot stronger than you." He smiles a little, looking at the ground as they walk, "Even if you are their trainer who helps them reach their full potential, and even if you can call them back into their Pokéballs as you please, be sure that you never take their loyalty for granted..."
   "I don't ever plan to." She smiles, "After all, they're my family-- and I would never dare harm my family!"
   "With that perspective, I'm sure you'll be fine together, no matter what comes your way." Verdell smiles.
   "Leaf..." Leafeon rubs against Verdell's leg as they walk, and he reaches down to pet him behind his ear.
   "Osha." Oshawott climbs onto Nora's shoulder and nuzzles his trainer, who returns it... But her eyes pause as she stops walking, "...What was that?"
   "Hm?" Verdell and his Pokémon look around... Leafeon's ears are standing straight up!
   "...I thought I saw something moving there." Nora motions towards the woods, "Right there..."
   "A wild Pokémon?" Verdell tilts his head, but Leafeon's ears fall back as he growls... Nora carefully approaches, and as she moves a branch aside... an Espeon leaps out and growls back!
   "...!!" Verdell stares at it, backing off a few steps before he calls out, "Get away from that Pokémon, Nora!"
   "Psychic!" A voice calls out, and as the Espeon glows blue, Nora is floating in the air with her Oshawott clinging onto her!
   "What the...?!" Nora looks around.
   Aina appears from behind a tree with her Gallade, "Found you."
   "Aina..." Verdell looks at her, "You don't have to be jealous. Nora is my apprentice, not my date! Leave her out of this."
   "I am." Aina approaches, "I merely do not wish for her to interfere... Now then, are you still going to run away?"
   Nora is looking around with a worried face as she flails about, trying to get back to the ground!
   "You flatter me! It is true that Nora has gotten stronger, but..." He glances around while backing off, "Where's your own apprentice?"
   She smiles, "...He's training far from here. No ransom for you today."
   "Ah, read my mind? If I can't take him hostage... I'll just have to go with my original plan. Spore!" Suddenly Breloom leaps out behind Espeon, releasing a cloud from her mushroom!
   "Esp..." The Espeon starts to get drowsy and flops down asleep! Nora is dropped to the ground!
   Aina smiles, "Gallade-- Psycho Cut!!" The Gallade charges forward towards Verdell as its arms glow lavender...!
   "Verdell...!!" Nora yells out with her eyes wide at this!
   "Leaf Blade!" Verdell's Leafeon blocks Gallade's attack with his tail! There's a quake as Metagross lands behind Breloom! "Nora, get out of here!" Verdell shouts as he calls his Breloom back, "I'll catch up with you later!" The Metagross approaches him...
   "...!" Nora grits her teeth as she turns to run! But as she is about to make it to the road a number of knights she recognizes from before approach her!
   "Seize her!"
   "Don't let her get away!"
   Nora's eyes widen as she begins to run quickly along a rougher path in the forest!
   "What are you doing?! I'm the one you want!" Verdell shouts, "Aina, she's innocent...! Call your men back!"
   "Focus on your safety!" Aina shouts as her Metagross uses Aerial Ace, "She has not only traveled with you, but also tried to defend you; by law she was assisting a criminal and therefore must be punished!"
   "She doesn't know a thing! What makes you think I'd take the risk of telling her?!" Verdell says as his Clefairy leaps in the way of the attack from Metagross, "Besides, you have no choice! Call them back now, or else I'm getting away! Chef, use Misty Terrain!"
   "Clefairy!" From the ground, a thick, dreamlike fog begins to rise... and the next instant Verdell and his Pokémon have turned tail and fled into it...!
   "...!" Aina growls as she turns her head, "WITH ME! HE'S GETTING AWAY!"
   "Ma'am, what about--!"
   "FORGET ABOUT HER AND LOOK FOR HIM!!!" Aina yells at the knights, who turn and follow her!

Nora runs through the forest while holding onto her Oshawott tightly. She's breathing heavily, but barely notices... Scared out of her mind, her face reflects her fear. Tripping on a root, she falls, but manages to twist so she lands on her back, protecting Oshawott and the egg!
   "Osh!!" Oshawott frantically checks on his trainer while making panicked barks!
   She looks at him with a pained smile, "I'm fine... Soujiro... I think we lost them..." Her eyes fall on the egg, upon seeing there's no damage to it she heaves a sigh of relief. She flops down, resting her head on the grass... The mist is thick around her... It must be affecting a good part of the forest... Everything is silent too, the wild Pokémon must have been scared into hiding... Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath as she carefully sits up, wincing from the dull pain in her back, "We can't stay here... We don't know if those knights are still here."
   Oshawott looks up at his trainer with worry, "Osha... wott wott, oshawott osha..."
   "I'll be fine..." Nora looks at him while rubbing his head, "...I promise. It's not like the other times I fell down, Soujiro..." She gathers him in her arms as she carefully gets up, shaking her head to get the grass and leaves off as she looks around... This deep in the forest, the trees are very huge; their foliage so thick that barely any sunlight reaches the ground, and there is no sign of the road... Whether it is nearby or far away, it's impossible to tell in this fog... "Well... better head down I guess..." Nora mumbles as she limps further into the fog...

Meanwhile Verdell is running through the woods... He glances over his shoulder, when... "Ah!!" He bumps into someone!
   "You are..."
   "Sorry about that! Nice weather, isn't it? But I can't stay to chat, so adieu!"
   "..." N stares after him for a moment, then he frowns as he turns to face the approaching footsteps... Soon the foreign knights led by Aina appear before him.
   "Excuse me, have you seen a man with messy bluish-green hair and blue eyes pass through?" She asks, "Do you know where he went? It's an emergency."
   "..." N eyes her cautiously... "Then, you are the trainers who scared my friends..."
   "..." She watches him carefully as well, "I apologize for causing trouble, but we are in search of a dangerous individual. I ask you again: Have you seen him, and if you have, where did he run off to?"
   "You seem to have scared him too. I think you are more dangerous than he is." He raises his hand, pointing at a different path than the direction Verdell disappeared in...
   "..." Aina narrows her eyes, but says nothing more as she charges down the path! When they are out of N's sight she makes a hand gesture for one group to widen the search in the forest...
   "...And most importantly, I do not want any Pokémon to get hurt in your battle." N smiles to himself as he continues on his way, "Does this mean Nora is in danger, too? I cannot let them interfere with my formula..."

Nora is watching her step as she limps through the foggy forest... Oshawott also watches carefully, his eyes and ears alert for any sign of the knights... Then, he feels a familiar scent...! He growls a bit, and Nora stops, looking at him, then ahead... She takes a step back in case it's an enemy...
   "My friends have been watching in silence. They told me you came this way." N approaches her.
   "N?" Nora looks surprised as she relaxes, "What are you doing here?" Oshawott frowns, it seems he's miffed at seeing N here.
   "I am making sure that you are safe from those trainers." N looks at Oshawott, "This time, let's be friends. I will not challenge you now."
   "...Osha, oshawott..." Oshawott responds cautiously, but nods...
   Nora blinks, "Er... okay? Wait... the Pokémon here... those knights didn't harm any of them, did they?"
   N shakes his head, "My friends are fine. Your friend will be fine, too."
   "Thank goodness..." Nora has a relieved smile, "Well... do you happen to know how to get out of this fog?"
   "If you want to go to the road, that is the wrong way."
   "It is?" She blinks, "Then... where is the right way?"
   "Through here." He points to the hollow of a giant fallen tree, then he approaches and grabs her arm!
   "...!" She winces a bit but doesn't say anything...
   He carefully places her arm around his shoulder to support her as she walks...
   "..." Nora is quiet... After a little while she lowers her head, "...Sorry..."
   "...?" N looks at her... "Why? I do not want you to be sorry... Not yet."
   "...?" She looks curious when he says 'not yet' but chooses not to ask, keeping her eyes to the ground, "...I am... sorry that you had to help me."
   "But I want us to be friends... It is the only way I can find the answer I seek..."
   "..." Nora looks at him, "...Why do you want to be friends with me? And... what do you mean by an answer you seek?"
   "Friends help each other." N smiles, "Do you think that is bad?"
   "..." Nora returns the smile as she chuckles, "No... It's not bad..."
   "Good. Because I decided that you will help me test my formula. Then we will both see the answer to our dream!"
   "What is your formula?" Nora tilts her head.
   "It is a formula to determine the best way for trainers to be... for Pokémon to attain perfection and become their true selves. No matter the outcome, it is for their sake. The answer will decide the future..."
   "I see..." Nora smiles a bit, "...I look forward to seeing the conclusion..."
   "I cannot let those trainers interfere with my formula... If the test is not fair, it may not reveal the correct answer. That's why I have to help you now." He looks at her, "And I do not like it when my friends get hurt."
   "...Thank you, N." She gives him a smile, "...And... I am happy... to be your friend."
   "..." He blushes a little all of a sudden, and a flicker of confusion appears in his eyes before he turns his attention to the ground... but he's smiling, "I am happy too..."
   Nora gives him a happy smile before thinking a bit, "...N? Since we're friends it would be nice to get to know one another? If you're comfortable with it... I mean... I'd like to know you a bit more and... if you have any questions for me I'll be happy to answer."
   "Questions? Then... ... No." He shakes his head, "I think I would prefer to get to know you through observation... I want to see who you are, not just hear it..."
   "I understand." Nora nods as they keep walking...
   "..." N looks quite happy! After a while they reach the road, and from there they continue onwards to the gate leading onto Skyarrow Bridge... Spotting a bench just outside, N helps Nora over to it, "You'll be fine now, right?"
   She nods with a smile, "I will... and N? Thank you for helping me." She gives him a hug!
   "...!" He smiles happily as he returns it, but then a blush is growing on him, and he begins to look puzzled as well... Oshawott takes notice and crosses his little arms as he raises a brow at this.
   "I really hope we can hang out one day." Nora speaks when she pulls away. But when she looks at him she notices he's turning red, "...N? Are you feeling okay?"
   "..." He touches his cheek, "...Yes. I am happy that we're friends... ... and I am excited about all the good things this will lead to... For Pokémon... Yes, that must be it. I know this will be a special friendship!" He smiles, waving to her as he dashes back into the forest, "We'll meet again!"
   Nora waves to him, "See you later!!" She turns to sit down on the bench with her Oshawott, who squints at N as he leaves.

Some hours pass... A rustle comes from a bush close to the gate, then Verdell pops out of it! "Verdell!" Nora smiles as she slowly gets up, "I was worried..."
   "So you waited here... I'm glad that you made it. I was able to shake them off my tail somehow, but I still had to be careful while making my way here..." He says, brushing some leaves and a twig out of his hair while approaching. A Cottonee that followed him out of the bush is receiving some help from Clefairy with the same task... "I ran into N, by the way. It was around then they lost track of me too, now that I think about it... Heh, I guess I'll have to thank him next time!" He grins.
   "He helped me here." Nora smiles, "I managed to escape those knights when Aina called them back, though I took a tumble when I tripped over a root..."
   "Ah, are you alright?"
   "I'm fine, the guard at the station here was kind enough to help me get healed up."
   "That's good... I don't get why she'd target you now. She should know you're not involved... At any rate, we can't stay here. Let's move on before she figures she won't find me in the forest anymore."
   "Right." She nods as they go through the gate, "This should lead us to Castelia City-- the biggest city of Unova."
   "Whoa... This is a huge bridge!" Verdell smiles as they enter it.
   "This is Skyarrow Bridge!" Nora grins as they head up the spiral path, "The biggest bridge in Unova."
   "Impressive..." Verdell looks around, heading over to the railing once they reach the top. "It's a good view from up here, too!"
   Nora approaches and looks at the view, a broad smile growing on her face. The sea below them glitters orange as the sun is about to set in the horizon...
   Verdell throws his arms out, closing his eyes to feel the sea breeze, "Being free is so great!"
   Nora closes her eyes too, breathing in the fresh wind with her Oshawott who gives a happy grunt. They enjoy themselves until... Crack!
   "...?" Verdell looks towards Nora, and his Clefairy quickly climbs onto the railing, staring intently at her egg...!
   Nora turns her attention down at the egg as she takes a steps back and holds it gently... Oshawott is watching as well. More cracks begin to form on the shell, and Nora can feel the movement from within getting stronger...! "Come on..." She murmurs a bit as she feels the Pokémon inside pushing harder against the shell, "You're almost there... Just a bit more..."
   A crack sounds and the top is broken off! A little yellow Pokémon with pink cheeks and large ears with black edges looks around before noticing her, and happily squeaks, "Pichu!!"
   "So it finally hatched!" Verdell grins.
   Nora chuckles as the little Pokémon nuzzles her. Oshawott gives a happy bark, petting it. But both Nora and Oshawott wince when the little Pichu shocks them by accident! It looks startled and about ready to cry! Nora quickly gives the Pichu a gentle pet, "Hey, it's okay... You didn't mean to. There's no need to cry over an accident okay?" Nora smiles as she strokes the Pichu's head. Her Pichu sniffs a bit before looking around, and its little eyes widen on seeing the sunset before it...
   "Looks like you have your work cut out for you!" Verdell laughs, "You'll have to teach it to control that power."
   Nora smiles, "I'm sure I can think of something..."
   Meanwhile, Clefairy is whispering with the Cottonee, until suddenly... "Hey!!" Verdell picks the Cottonee up just as it is about to explore the contents of his bag! "What do you think you're doing, I don't want any cotton in there! How did you even manage to steal my-- No wait, what are you still doing here in the first place?"
   "Cotton...!!" She grins, still flailing her leafy ears towards the bag!
   "...Arrgh, you're too adorable! Normally I'd have you walk the plank, but--"
   "Clefairy!" Clefairy points at the bag before folding his arms, looking at Verdell.
   "What was that? I haven't forgotten your Poképuffs!" He laughs, dropping the Cottonee and reaching into the bag... "So you're inviting this one?"
   "Fairy! Clefairy!" Clefairy nods, pointing at Cottonee and then at Pichu, before reaching over to Verdell's shoulder belt and proceeding to let all of his Pokémon out!
   "Yes, yes, for everyone!" Verdell smiles as he begins to hand the treats out.
   "Pichu?" The little Pichu tilts her head as Oshawott reaches for Aron's Pokéball, allowing him to come out to see the newest member of the team.
   "Hrm... Verdell? Did you always have that Cottonee?" Nora asks.
   "No, that's a wild Pokémon." Verdell says as Oshawott and Aron receive Poképuffs too, "I was hiding from Aina when I saw it approach a Foongus trap... Must be the first time I've ever seen a Pokémon fall for that, but I couldn't just watch, so I helped it out. So for our adorable guest, we have a Supreme Honor Poképuff!"
   "Cottonee...!" The Cottonee stares at the Poképuff placed in front of it, then at Verdell with glittering eyes!
   "And, let's see... This is a special occasion, so... this Supreme Wish Poképuff is for Pichu! You may want to help her, though, so she doesn't drop it." Verdell gives it to Nora.
   "Of course." Nora smiles. She holds the Pichu carefully in her arm, taking the Poképuff with her other hand to feed the little Pokémon who begins to eat it happily. Oshawott and Aron are enjoying theirs too, making content grunts from how yummy the food is. Verdell's Pokémon are being very cheerful. Cottonee is chatting with them, and his Talonflame glances towards Pichu from time to time as well... She seems happy that the egg hatched. Among them is also a small yellow and black Pokémon with a huge jaw on her head that Nora hasn't seen before, wearing some sort of gem around her neck... "Verdell? Who's that?"
   "Hm? Oh, you mean Stella?"
   His Pokémon looks up from her Poképuff, greeting Nora with the sweetest smile and a well-mannered wave, "Mawile!"
   "Hello Stella." Nora smiles at the Mawile, "It's a pleasure to meet you..." Oshawott and Aron seem curious of the Pokémon they haven't played with before, and they approach to chat with Typhlosion and Mawile.
   "...!" In spite of his size, Typhlosion backs off when approached by the smaller Pokémon, hiding behind his teammates. Mawile on the other hand seems delighted to chat, but...
   "...You may want to keep an eye on your Pokémon." Verdell says, "Stella isn't as adorable as she looks."
   "...Soujiro, Hector. You guys want to see your sister, proper?" Nora smiles as both her Pokémon rush back to her, she lowers herself to the ground to let the two Pokémon see the little Pichu better.
   "...!" Mawile growls a little to herself when her 'prey' suddenly left, but she seems to forget about it soon enough, happily returning to her Poképuff.
   Aron gives a happy grunt as the little Pichu finishes her Poképuff, though she looks like a mess! Nora smiles a bit as she takes a handkerchief and begins to wipe the icing off her... The little Pokémon takes the time to look at the Oshawott and Aron... and the strange human and the bigger Pokémon nearby, making a happy face!
   "...So Verdell, did Aina have a reason to sic a bunch of knights at me back there?" The brunette glances at him.
   "I think she's jealous of you for traveling with me."
   There's a raised brow from Nora, "...I feel like that's a rather large lie from you, Verdell."
   "But it's the truth. She must have wanted to scare you off because she wants me all to herself!"
   "I understand you two are star-crossed lovers having a spat but..." Nora gives him a dull look, "...That's a bit extreme even for an Elite Four member don't you think? Or was her being the 'Light of Justice' a lie then, if this is how she behaves?" She turns to look at him fully, "Don't you trust me to keep a secret?"
   "..." He rubs his head, "It's not a matter of whether I trust you or not... Like I said when we met, there are some things you are better off not knowing about."
   "Such as?" Nora tilts her head at this.
   He looks down, "I can't tell you, alright? It's for your own good. Aina must already be concerned that you may know too much, since she targeted you like that..."
   "...Verdell, did she really want to arrest me?"
   "As long as you stay out of our quarrel I wouldn't worry too much about that... I'm her main target. Maybe she thought to use you to pressure me into turning myself over, but when that failed she still let you go, so she can't see you as very important. At most she would have brought you in for interrogation, I think." He looks at her, "But it could turn into more than that if she suspects that I've confided in you."
   "About why you left?"
   "Yes." He looks up at the sky...
   "..." Nora looks down a bit before looking at him, "...I won't press anymore. But I hope one day you can tell me what's going on?"
   "I can't." He closes his eyes, "I already told some people... and that turned out to be the worst mistake I've ever made."
   She tilts her head, "Even if I manage to become strong enough to handle her?"
   "..." He chuckles, looking at her, "Especially if you become that strong. But for as long as we're traveling together, I'll help you reach your own goal."
   "Thank you!"
   "Pichu!" The little Pichu looks very happy now! As Nora stands up, she looks at the view and at the bridge before cuddling to her.
   Holding the little Pichu close, Nora smiles, "...I think I have a name for you... Aurelia."
   "Inspired by the sunset?" Verdell smiles...
   "Yup..." Nora looks at him, "Since she hatched during a golden sunset... What better way to name her?" The little Pichu snuggles close and seems to be dozing off, watching the sunset from the safety of her blanket...
   "That's a good name." Verdell says, leaning against the railing as he begins to tap his finger against the back of his Pokéquip...
   "...Verdell? What are you doing with your Pokéquip?" Nora tilts her head as Oshawott climbs up and hangs onto her shoulder to watch over his little sister.
   "Sending a secret message, of course." He grins, "This way I can be sure you won't find out what it says!"
   "Telling Aina you've once again escaped her grasp?" Nora chuckles a bit, "Or perhaps contacting a large army to be ready to invade Unova?"
   "Those are some good guesses, but this is for Agent Hazel." He chuckles too, "I'll message Aina tomorrow. First we need to get into the city, where she won't find us. On that note, we should get moving."
   "Right... Please give my regards to Agent Hazel." Nora nods while giving a light chuckle as she calls Aron back into his Pokéball, "Shall we?"
   "Yes." Verdell says, continuing his tapping as they walk... Ahead, they can see the silhouettes of the tall buildings against the darkening sky... Soon, the windows are being lit up from inside. When they approach the gate, Verdell calls his Pokémon back too, but... "You're still here?" He looks at the persistent Cottonee! "Past this point is the city. It's not safe for a wild Pokémon, so go back to the forest!"
   "Nee!!" She leaps at him!
   "Wh-What?" He catches her!
   "Nee nee cottonee!"
   Nora blinks at this, "...I think she wants to come with you, Verdell."
   "I-Is that it?" He looks at her, and she nods. "...You're adorable, and I would love to have you, Cottonee... So it pains me to tell you this, but I'm not accepting new members for my crew-- Ah! S-Stop that, it tickles...!" He tries to push the Cottonee away, but she's not letting go!
   "...I don't think you have the option to say no to this one..." Nora closes her eyes with a quiet chuckle. Oshawott is barking happily at this!
   "I'm serious...!" Verdell laughs as he stumbles back into the railing, "I'm on a dangerous journey, I c-can't put you through-- Ahahaha!"
   "Cotton, cottonee!!" The Cottonee looks very determined as she keeps tickling him!
   "Y-You don't know anything about me! What if you change your mind later?"
   "Nee!"
   Verdell sinks to his knees from laughing, "Aaah, fine! You win!"
   "Cottonee...!" She stops, looking at him with sparkling eyes!
   "..." He takes a moment to catch his breath before smiling at her, "It's hard enough for me to resist you without you being so stubborn about it... but this is only for a time, got it?"
   "Nee?"
   He looks aside, "There will come a time when I'll have to ask you again if you want to stay with me... I didn't want to accept you because I know I may regret it if you choose to leave me when that moment arrives... But no matter how painful it'll be, I am going to ask you again if you are certain about this."
   "Cottonee..." She looks a little sad, but then she begins to tickle him again...!
   "Gah! S-Stop it, I said I surrender...!" He laughs!
   "Cotton!" She stops, smiling at him!
   "Yeah, I will be very happy if you choose to stay with me. I won't take that for granted, but..." He picks her up, smiling back at her, "You're on, Tickles!"
   "Cottonee!!" She flaps her leaves happily!
   "Looks like you got a new crewmate!" Nora grins at this, "And that's certainly a brilliant name she has!"
   "I didn't even bring any new Pokéballs with me... Ah, except..." He places the Cottonee down and takes out the Heal Ball he received from the little girl whose Pokémon they rescued earlier. "How about this one?"
   "Cottonee!" She looks very happy!
   He gets up, "Alright, if you like it... Here goes!" He tosses it at the Pokémon, and a moment later Cottonee has been caught! He picks it up, "If you were looking for a trainer all along, it explains why that Foongus got you... Sorry it took me so long to realize. So, welcome to the crew, Tickles. As your captain, I'll do my best to help you grow, and you will learn to work together with the others to make your combined power even greater."
   "Now you have another friend from Unova." Nora smiles at him.
   "Indeed." He smiles back, "Sorry for holding you up. Let's get moving!"
   Pichu is fast asleep as they go through the gate and enter the city proper... "The Pokémon Center shouldn't be too far from here..." Nora muses as they walk through the city. It is loud and crowded, bustling with activity as many people are on their way home from work, while others head out to enjoy the nightlife. "It's been a while since I've been here. Dad's probably back home by now..."
   "According to this, it's right ahead." Verdell says as he stands in front of a huge city map. "But I think I'll find somewhere else to sleep. Aina has her subordinates with her now, and the Pokémon Center will surely be the first place they'll check... How about meeting up in the plaza tomorrow?"
   "That sounds fair." She nods, "I think there's a small motel nearby there you can stay at. It's not very fancy but, it's a lot nicer than most others."
   "Hah, no. I'll look for some less obvious place!" Verdell laughs. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!" He dashes off!
   Nora smiles a bit as she follows the street towards the Pokémon Center to rest up.

The next morning, in a small backstreet café... Verdell yawns, sitting up from his resting place by the wall... For a moment he looks a little puzzled, but he takes out his Pokéquip, "So it is morning..." He looks around the cosily lit room, with its warm colors... "I can't really tell in here..."
   "Slept well?" The waiter behind the counter asks.
   "Mm. Thanks a lot for letting me stay."
   "No problem. You came all the way here... Castelia is a big and busy city, but not many people find their way to this café. Our usual customers are those who want to enjoy a moment of peace and quiet..."
   "I'll be sure to come again." Verdell smiles as he begins to type a message... "Good morning, Aina. Yesterday was fun, but what's up with dragging Nora into this?"

At the other end of the message, Aina is walking through the city with a deep frown as she reads it. She begins to type down a response, "There was nothing entertaining about yesterday nor was it remotely fun. Your 'apprentice' will be arrested for assisting a criminal-- you."
   "...It's from your vagabond?" Rylan asks next to her. He seems to have deduced that from her face rather than by trying to peek at the message...
   "Gloating as usual." She responds simply as she puts away her Pokéquip, "No surprise he pulled a vanishing act in the forest."
   "I'm glad I didn't come. I don't get what Nora has against civilization... How could some murky old forest be a better place to train than the battle company, for instance? Not to mention your tutoring... She'll never catch up if I keep this pace... I do so look forward to my next battle against her. So what's the plan to track them down?"
   Aina glances around, "...I already have my knights searching the city for them. They will find Verdell soon enough. We would be wasting time if we only searched for them by ourselves."
   "..." Rylan raises a brow, "You don't think that looking for them in Castelia is easier said than done? Even if they'd be rather conspicuous in a fashionable city like this, it's still a huge place with a lot of people... and they could be anywhere, right? We'll need to get very lucky to find them in Castelia without a plan..."
   "Which is why I ordered them to go undercover at Passerby Analytics. Those Team Plasma grunts stick out and I'd rather my own forces avoid attracting that kind of attention now." There's a beep from the Pokéquip!
   "That might actually work... That way they'll be able to ask around without arousing any suspicion, too. Heh, as expected from my mentor!" Rylan grins.
   She looks at her Pokéquip... There's another message from Verdell... "Who are you trying to fool? I know that hunting outlaws is your favorite duty-- Isn't that why you stopped Team Plasma the other day? You're noble enough to do that even though you knew I'd escape, and so diligent you could probably be up half night combing the woods for me... Aww, I'm sorry I made you do that. Now I feel bad for taking advantage of the things I love about you... But I got lucky, okay? I wish I could tell you that you'll catch me next time, but I don't think I should. Still, if you do, all the trouble I've caused you will just make it so much more satisfying, right? And please don't be jealous of Nora... I promise I'm not cheating on you! She really is just my apprentice!"
   "There's no guarantee however." Aina responds to Rylan as she's typing, "If she manages to defeat the Gym Leader... they'll head towards Nimbasa City. Or will it be Virbank...? I cannot tell for certain, but Nimbasa is their most likely destination. I already have an agent watching the news for any announcement of the Gym Leader being defeated by a challenger. He'll be able to notify me quickly." Her golden eyes review her response before sending it, "I am not jealous, but anyone who cooperates with a villain is considered a cohort and therefore is to be punished for assisting a criminal."
   "Sounds like things are under control, then..." Rylan says, "By the way, Aina. I got an invitation to a party tonight. I'm sure it'll be more pleasant than these last nights have been for you, so how about it? Will you join me?"
   "Hrm..." She closes her eyes, "I am not particularly fond of attending parties but... I suppose I'll join you. If only to celebrate your progress."
   "I heard there will be guests from all over the world. I'm sure it'll be interesting!" Rylan smiles.
   A little while later, Verdell's reply arrives! "What, are you going to arrest every person I talk to now? I promise, Nora doesn't know a thing. Even if she could look up my background, I'm pretty sure she swallowed my story. At least, even though she does know that I have secrets, she said she won't pry. And you know that neither of us can afford to reveal the true reason I left! By the way, do you even have proof that she's done anything for me? I bet you don't, because the truth is she's slowing me down. She's not even paying me to mentor her, so there! Even if you arrest her, you'll find nothing to use against her!"
   "..." Aina is reading it carefully, she chooses not to respond, although sends notice to the knights not to arrest Nora.

In the city plaza Nora is sitting by the fountain, waiting for Verdell. Hip hop is dunking from a speaker, and a man in front of a vending machine yells something about a bonus drink. Her Pichu is looking around at the crowd from the blanket while Oshawott plays in the water behind her. After a little while, Verdell approaches, putting his Pokéquip away while he raises his hand in greeting. "Ahoy!"
   "Hey!" Nora smiles as she stands up. Oshawott takes notice and swims to the edge of the fountain, shaking some water off himself before he climbs up to hang onto Nora's shoulder. He gives a happy bark, while Pichu makes an equally happy squeak.
   "Had a good night, I hope?" Verdell smiles.
   "Yes." Nora nods with a smile, "I stocked up on supplies as well, so we'll be ready. The clerk was nice enough to help me pick out something for Aurelia too." Pichu squeaks again, around her neck is a necklace with a small charger. "She said that they had recently received a shipment for trainers with electric Pokémon. It stores excess electricity, and it can be used to charge up electrical devices. Since Aurelia discharges electricity often, this is supposed to help make sure she doesn't hurt herself when she does." Nora smiles.
   "That looks like it'll be useful..." Verdell looks at the charger, then at their surroundings, and for a moment his eyes get stuck on the street dancers practising some distance away...
   "Anyway, want to go explore the city?"
   "Sure! Seems there's a lot to see and do here... Nora, what do you want to do first?"
   "Let's head to Mode Street." Nora points towards a road lined with trees, "There's a gallery there that displays paintings based on Unova's legends this month, and it's not too far away from where the Casteliacones are being sold too."
   "Unova's legends? Sounds good to me! Oh, but we have to remember to be careful-- Aina's subordinates could be lurking anywhere." Verdell glances at his Pokéquip, "I tried to convince her that there's really nothing to arrest you for, but she hasn't replied to that..."
   "Verdell, why is she still determined to have me arrested?" Nora blinks at this.
   "I still think she's jealous... There's no other explanation. Usually she's never cruel to innocents..." He sighs...
   "Well... let's enjoy the day as best we can." Nora smiles as she pats his shoulder...
   "Yeah." He smiles a little as they begin to head towards Mode Street, "Sorry for getting you involved in this mess, though."
   "It's alright. Besides, there's a lot of things that are often out of our control." They head down the street and make their way to the gallery...
   "That's quite the line." Verdell notes as they pass by the Casteliacone stand, "Even though it's a weekday, too... Perhaps after we've visited the art gallery there'll be less people...?"
   "The Casteliacone is a local specialty and very popular." Nora smiles, "I suspect that the line may shrink a bit as the day progresses."
   The gallery they enter into is called Studio Castelia. Inside there are impressionistic paintings of Pokémon and people... Verdell looks around curiously, admiring the art... He stops in front of one with two dragons, one black and one white, "Even if it is unlikely that those Pokémon truly look like this, these paintings can still tell something of how the people of Unova view the legends..."
   "It is through these legends that we are inspired to do as the heroes of old have done." Nora looks at the painting, "Even if it's forgotten, we still revere the hearts of those who fought for what they believed in... but take caution in knowing what happens when ignorant passion blinds us."

In Team Plasma's base in Castelia, Ghetsis walks through the hallways with a stoic face, holding a beige folder in his hand... The Plasma grunts bow their heads as he passes by. He approaches a door at the end of the corridor and knocks, "My Lord, I request an audience with you."
   "You don't have to worry... The world will become a better place for you, and--" N looks up upon hearing the knock, "Ah... I have to go. But I believe my formula will work, and then you will all be free!" He smiles to the many Pokémon who are kept in their Pokéballs before he turns and leaves the room... He looks up at Ghetsis with excitement sparkling in his eyes, "Yes, Father? Have you found anything about the legendary Pokémon?"
   "So far the information has been rather... limited, from what my fellow Sages have gathered, but it's progress nonetheless." He responds with a small smile, but it soon turns into concern, "...However, my son, I am concerned on a matter which has recently come to my attention. I understand that you have decided to add another... variable to your formula?"
   "...So you found out already. You understand how it works, right?" N smiles while heading down the hall towards a different room...
   Ghetsis walks alongside his son, "N... making acquaintances is one matter, but why would you choose to be associated with a trainer who is of no noteworthy origin?"
   "What? She's the most noteworthy trainer I ever met! It can't be anyone else!" N heads into a sitting room.
   "How is she a trainer of note?" He asks as he follows N into the room, closing the door, "My son, why exactly have you chosen to take an interest in her?"
   "She's not like other trainers... I know it's hard to believe, but her Pokémon actually likes her!"
   "What...?" Ghetsis furrows his brow at this, "My son... are you sure she had not done something to her Pokémon that would make them claim to like her?"
   "...Pokémon do not lie like people do... I thought it was impossible, but since this variable has come to my attention, I cannot ignore it. You need not worry, it has not changed my resolve... Perhaps it is possible for a Pokémon to like their trainer a little, but I am certain that even those Pokémon would be much happier if they were free."
   "..." Ghetsis sighs as he goes to sit down on the couch, "...N... I am concerned about more than just the Pokémon-- I am worried about how this... woman, will affect you."
   "Me? Why? She hasn't treated me badly at all... She agreed to help me test my formula, but it will be fine. Because we're friends."
   "My son, I have already heard whispers of the same woman accidentally kissing you and of how she had hugged you in Pinwheel Forest. For the sake of Pokémon and your right to the throne of Unova you cannot treat her as an ally."
   "I know that. I said that we're friends, not allies."
   "Are you sure that you are friends?" Ghetsis raises a brow at this, briefly glancing at the folder in his hand, "...According to reports you were blushing when you hugged her... Did you feel anything odd around her?"
   "...Yes. I am sure. I feel happier than usual about her friendship... and thanks to her, now I understand how to save all Pokémon. She is just what I needed to solve my formula!"
   "..." Ghetsis sighs through his nose, "...My son, you are young, but let me make clear one thing about this woman: don't get closer to her than you are now."
   "..." N looks at him... "But I promised to meet her again. I have to!"
   "My son, the last thing I need is for you to fall in love with a commoner!" Ghetsis looks at him with a frown.
   "...!" N looks at the carpeted floor, pondering this new revelation carefully... Finally, he looks up at Ghetsis again, "So this powerful friendship... It is what love feels like?"
   "...!" Ghetsis raises a hand to rub his temple, mentally berating himself for the outburst before taking a deep breath and looking at N, "...What do you feel when you're around her?"
   "...I feel happy, and warm, and... a little excited too, as though something good is about to happen, or... like I can make it happen. I feel like I can do anything! Even save all Pokémon!" He smiles, "...I'm curious, too. I have to know more about her. I want to be friends with her!"
   "...Whatever friendship you wanted is getting close to affection towards her. It's the same feeling that one would feel around someone they have a 'crush' on." Ghetsis tries to explain, "...My son, I am begging you-- Do not fall in love with her or you may risk your dream of liberating Pokémon..."
   "...No. That's wrong. Without her, my formula is incomplete. In order to liberate all Pokémon, she and I must be friends. If my formula is correct, it will not fail, even if I love her."
   "And what if you do fall in love with her, and it costs you your wanted results?" Ghetsis speaks, "...Love is a dangerous emotion. It reduces even the most intelligent man to a fool-- Prepared to sacrifice everything for the object of his affections."
   "...That will not happen. Because we both seek the true answer to our ideals!"
   "My son, I am telling you right now-- Do not allow Nora into your life!" Ghetsis is speaking in a stern voice, "I do not trust her, nor do I want you to be associated with a commoner. Do you even know anything about her outside of her Pokémon liking her?"
   "...!" N backs off a bit, looking down...
   "N... I want you to be happy. But humans, as you have seen, are very deceiving. Her Pokémon may think that they are happy, but how well do they truly know their trainer? How well do you know her, besides for her name and Pokémon?" Ghetsis looks at him with a frown.
   "...! You mean that there are people who would trick Pokémon that they are friends." N trembles a little... "That she... tricked me too, when she said that...?"
   "It is likely, but I need to be sure." Ghetsis responds as he stands up and approaches his son, "I will see to it that she's investigated on your behalf." He gently places a hand on N's shoulder, but N shies away from being touched! He is trembling more now... "N..." Ghetsis watches him carefully...
   "...!" His eyes widen, and he stares at Ghetsis, "I... ... Just like those Pokémon... The ones who would not speak with me...! Is this how they felt?!"
   "..." He closes his eyes and nods.
   "...I'm going out. I want to be with my friends... My real friends..." N slowly heads out of the room...
   "..." Ghetsis nods, "As you wish, Lord N."

Back on Mode Street, Nora and Verdell have found a nice bench under the trees to enjoy their Casteliacones. Verdell takes out his Pokéquip, frowning a little as he still does not see any new messages. He begins to type... "Aina, if you don't want any more easy chances to catch me, that's fine! You don't have to answer!"
   Elsewhere in the bustling city, Aina picks up her Pokéquip and looks at the message quietly... While she does, a second message arrives! She taps Rylan's shoulder, "Come, someone has defeated the Gym Leader."
   "...!" Rylan nods, "Is it Nora? I can already feel the sweet taste of revenge..."
   They hurry towards the Gym. Aina walks quickly while typing a response back to Verdell, "...If that is the case then so be it. I will not arrest her."
   His response comes quickly, "Thanks! As long as Nora is not in danger I guess I can stick with her, at least for a while longer. But don't expect me to make it any easier than that for you!" Verdell sighs, giving Nora a relieved smile, "She won't try to arrest you anymore."
   "Thank goodness." Nora smiles a bit as her Oshawott is finishing his ice cream, "I don't know if I could run that fast again..."
   "..." Verdell looks at his Cottonee who has just finished too, "If you don't mind, Nora, I'd like to go to a bookstore next. I left my Pokédex at home, and I realized last night how much I used that thing to plan how to raise new Pokémon... But if I can find a book on Cottonee I'm sure I can make do."
   "Sure, I think there's a bookstore further down the street from here." Nora smiles as she finishes her Casteliacone, "Actually... let me take out my Pokédex and see what it has about them... ... ...Cottonee, Cotton Puff Pokémon." She reads, "They go wherever the wind takes them. Perhaps because they feel more at ease in a group, they stick to others they find. They end up looking like a cloud. On rainy days, their bodies are heavier, so they take shelter beneath big trees. When attacked, it escapes by shooting cotton from its body. The cotton serves as a decoy to distract the attacker."
   "Heh, thanks." Verdell smiles a little as he gets up, "Perhaps because of our harsh climate in winter, and that Hoppips were so dominant during the summers, we didn't have any Cottonee at home... So I'll have to admit that even as a trainer who specializes in grass types, I don't know a lot about this one." He picks his Cottonee up, and she happily cuddles him. "...Yet. That will change soon, because I'm after more detailed information than the introduction the Pokédex offers."
   "I know that historically, Cottonee were prized Pokémon. It's part of the reason why Nacrene City is so close to Castelia." Nora puts her Pokédex away as Oshawott hops onto her before she stands up, "Cotton from Cottonee and Whimsicott were valuable, so the textile factories in Nacrene would send their products to Castelia to be shipped to other regions. Aside from the breeders who raised them, a way to make quick cash back then was to gather the leftover cotton found in the trees and grass in Pinwheel Forest. But now you got me curious about grass types too. Can you tell me a bit while we make our way to the bookstore?"
   "Haha, certainly! Are there any you have your eyes on?" He smiles as they walk.
   "Hrm... can you tell me a bit about Petilil and it's evolution? Oh! And maybe about Skiddo's line? Ah... there's so many I want to ask about...!"
   "Oh, you're after information on your rival's Pokémon, I see..." He chuckles, "That Petilil is going to put her trainer to the test as she grows, trust me. It's not really a Pokémon I'd recommend for beginners... Skiddo is a better choice in that regard. They have lived alongside humans for so long, they may actually be more comfortable with that than being in the wild."
   "Actually, I'm more curious why Petilil are considered difficult to raise?" Nora tilts her head as they make their way down the sidewalk, "I heard rumors about it growing up, and even when I was studying under Juniper, she said that she would never recommend a new trainer a Petilil. Does this have anything to do with its evolution?"
   "Yes... You may do fine as long as it is only a Petilil, but its evolved form, Lilligant, is very demanding. Even expert trainers struggle to keep them satisfied. It is really a Pokémon that tends to grow better in the wild."
   "Why is that...? Is it because of the environment?"
   "In part." He nods, "Ah, this is the store you had in mind, right?" He heads inside.
   "Yes!" Nora nods with a smile, "Dad comes here from time to time, he said this is the best bookstore in Castelia."
   "Thanks." Verdell smiles as he begins to navigate quickly among the shelves to find what he's looking for.
   "..." Nora looks around before following him, "Hey Verdell? Are there any books on grass types you can recommend me reading up on?"
   "That depends..." He says as he stops in front of a section that have some books about Cottonee, picking one up to read on the back, "How advanced literature are you interested in?"
   "Well..." Nora rubs her head, "Not basic stuff, I want to get into the details about the Pokémon? If I have that I might be able to keep proper notes on my tablet when I'm recording information of the local Pokémon of the area."
   "In that case I'd recommend a Pokémon Flora of Unova... I think we passed by those already, over there." He nods sidewards with his head while comparing the first book he picked up with another, "I haven't read any Unovan floras myself, but I have an idea of what a good one should look like, so I'll help you pick one out once I have decided which of these to get."
   "Alright, I'll take a look." She smiles as she heads down further to find the book...

Meanwhile, Aina arrives at the Gym. She glances around, noticing a few of her knights in plain clothes-- They have the area covered. Then the doors open... and Cheren steps out! "Hey." He approaches them.
   "..." Aina frowns a bit, she types down a message for the knights to continue searching...
   "Just Cheren?" Rylan looks at little disappointed, "You're the one who defeated the Gym Leader just now?"
   "You were expecting Nora, I take it. Yes, I just challenged Burgh. He's certainly a seasoned Gym Leader. He made me work for that badge!"
   "I'm sure he did..." Rylan smirks.
   "But for me, bug type Pokémon aren't much of a challenge. I'm going to keep winning like this against all of the Unova region's Gym Leaders! Then, I'll head for the Pokémon League and outperform the Champion!"
   "Excuse me?" Rylan makes an amused face, "Ha! As if someone like you, who wasn't even accepted into Pokémon school, could ever make it that far!"
   "When I do, everyone will admit what a strong trainer I am... Even you, Rylan." Cheren smiles, "That will make me feel truly alive..."
   "That's the funniest thing I've heard all day!" Rylan laughs.
   "...Aina, may we speak?" Cheren apparently decided to ignore Rylan now...
   "Hm?" She looks at him, "What is it?"
   "I have been looking into Verdell's background since last we met, and I found some rather disturbing-- Ah, excuse me." He takes some steps back, picking up his beeping Xtransceiver. "Bianca?"
   On the screen, Cheren can see both Bianca and Nora-- the latter apparently running! "Bianca, calm down, I'm almost to Prime Pier!" Nora speaks in a controlled voice, "What's wrong, why are you crying?"
   Bianca is trying to restrain herself from sobbing as her eyes are red, "M-My Munna... Team Plasma took it!"
   Cheren's eyes widen, "I'll be right there! Sorry to cut this short, but it's an emergency!" He shouts to Aina as he dashes off!
   "..." Aina watches his form get smaller the further he rushes away from them, "I wonder what happened...?"
   Rylan shrugs, "Bianca is a crybaby. Maybe someone took her Casteliacone. Anyway, it's no use hanging around here anymore... I heard Burgh only accepts one challenger a day since too much stress ruins his inspiration."

Verdell runs some distance behind Nora, carrying their books that he hurriedly paid for after she rushed out of the store towards the pier. As she gets there she hears him call out behind her, "Hold on!" Pointing towards a fleeing Team Plasma member!
   Nora pauses and turns around, her eyes widening as she sees the Plasma grunt, "Hey!!" She yells out as they begin to chase after him, "Get back here and return my friend's Pokémon!!!"
   "Curses! There were more of you?!" The Team Plasma member runs for a crowded street...!
   Verdell throws a Pokéball into the air, "Polly, don't let Team Plasma out of sight!"
   At the same time, Cheren is making his way towards the pier. "Bianca, I'm almost there! Nora, don't lose that guy!"
   "I don't plan to!!" She shouts out to Cheren as she and Verdell chase after the grunt, "STOP YOU THIEF-- GIVE MY FRIEND'S POKÉMON BACK!!!"
   Spotting Bianca, Cheren puts his Xtransceiver away as he rushes over, "Bianca! Are you all right?"
   She sniffles a bit as she looks up at him with tears falling down her cheeks, "C-Cheren... I-I couldn't stop him... I... I...!"
   Cheren pulls her into a hug, "It's alright... We'll get your Munna back somehow, I promise!"
   Suddenly a girl with poofy dark hair comes to a screeching halt right in front of them! "Sorry...!"
   "Hm? You are...?" Cheren asks.
   "Iris! I heard this lady's scream and ran after the thief as fast as I could. But this city is so big and so crowded... I'm afraid I lost them." She fumes, "But that's so bad! Taking people's Pokémon is really bad! Cause it's really nice when people and Pokémon are together! They each have something the other doesn't, and they help each other!"
   "Iris..." Bianca is trying to wipe her tears away, "I... I think Nora and Verdell are chasing him..." She hiccups a bit as she's trying to calm down...
   "Oh! I'm gonna call for more help!" She fishes out an Xtransceiver of her own.
   "Iris?" The voice on the other end answers, "What's--"
   "Burgh! Catch the bad guy!!"
   "Bad guy? Who's--"
   "Team Plasma stole a lady's Pokémon!"
   "Iris... You're the Gym Leader, Iris?" Cheren's eyes widen a little.
   "Yeah! Come on, we have to look for them too!" She looks at Bianca, "I'm gonna be your bodyguard!"
   "Thank you..." Bianca gives her a sad smile though she looks down, "...Munna... ...I'm a trainer who can't even protect her own Pokémon..."
   "Don't blame yourself, Bianca." Cheren takes her hand, "This is Team Plasma's fault, not yours. And they definitely won't get away with this!"
   She holds his hand as she nods, they begin to head off...

Meanwhile, Verdell grabs Nora's arm, "I think that's enough shouting. If we draw too much attention Aina's subordinates may get in our way. Let him run off for now!" But Nora drags him along as she keeps trying to chase after the grunt, with her Oshawott growling angrily! Verdell pulls at her again, "Slow down! If he notices us still following he won't lower his guard! We have to let him out of sight!"
   "But...!" Nora looks at him with an exasperated look, "I can't just...! Not after what happened to Bianca...!"
   "You don't think I'd stop if Aina shouted at me like that, do you? It wasn't the best move, but don't worry." He points upwards, "See Polly up on that roof? Once we know where he's headed it will be easier to catch him than on the open street."
   "..." Nora takes notice of the Talonflame, she grits her teeth but nods, "Alright... I'm gonna let them have it when I get my hands on them..."
   "Yeah. We'll follow Polly and see where we end up! The downside is of course the chance there'll be more of them, but that's nothing we can't handle, right?" Verdell grins.
   "Right..." Nora smiles.
   "Oh, and here's your book, by the way. You forgot it at the store."
   "Ah, thank you!" Nora puts it away in her bag as they follow the Talonflame...

Some time later, Iris's Xtransceiver beeps!
   "Hello?" Burgh says, "You said Team Plasma, right?"
   "Yeah!" Iris says, "Did you find him?!"
   "I went on a patrol and didn't see anything, but right now when I was about to return to my Gym I've spotted several of them just across the street. I'm not sure if any of them is the one you want, but-- Oh, there's two trainers about to confront them right now. I'll go see if they need any help!"
   "The Pokémon Gym! That's where they are! Let's go!" Iris smiles to Bianca, dashing off!
   "Wait! It's this way!" Cheren shouts after her!
   "Oh, ehehe... You go first, then!"
   Bianca follows after Cheren with Iris, "We need to get there... If we can get Munna back...!"

Meanwhile down the Gym Street, Nora is glaring at the Team Plasma grunts blocking the door to their base, "I know one of yours entered into this building after stealing a Munna! Let us through!"
   The Team Plasma member in front of her puts his hands up, "No one's here! Not a soul!"
   "Exactly!" He's backed up by a girl, "And what's your problem with taking people's Pokémon, anyway?!"
   "Think about how a Pokémon feels when it's being used by a pathetic trainer!"
   "That's enough." Verdell frowns, "If you have nothing to hide, then let us inside!"
   The Team Plasma members glance at each other, taking out their Pokéballs, "...If you think we're lying, why don't we have a little battle and find out?"
   "Mmhm." Burgh says as he approaches from the side, "With pleasure." He smiles to Nora and Verdell, "I heard that a Pokémon was stolen? Judging by that conversation, this is definitely the place."
   "It is... and I'm NOT going to forgive them for doing that to my friend." Nora is glaring at Team Plasma as she takes out her Pokéball and throws it into the air, "Let's go, Hector!!" The light flashes showing Aron who looks ready to fight, he's giving off a growl at the Team Plasma grunts. But they look more nervous about the arrival of Burgh!
   "I... had a thought!" One of them says, "I'll take care of these weak-looking runts, so you two can show off by handling the Gym Leader! Sandile!!" He throws his Pokéball!
   "Oh, please!" Burgh rolls his eyes, "I trust you two can handle one of them? Go! Escavalier and Crustle!"
   "..." Verdell looks quite amused, glancing at Nora, "One of us should be more than enough... Do you want to handle this, or should I?"
   "I can handle this." Nora smiles at Verdell, "Can you go in there and see if you can't find Munna?"
   He nods, "I suspect we'll find more of them inside, so if I don't find Munna right away I'll clear a path. Polly!" He waves, and his Pokémon comes diving down to his side.
   "H-Hey! You can't enter...!" The Team Plasma grunt protests, but he steps back as Talonflame glares dangerously at him... He glances towards his companions, but they are already kept busy by Burgh...!
   "Yeah... might be a good idea not to cross a bird that can incinerate you without trouble." Nora rubs her head before she smiles a bit, "Hector, use Headbutt!"
   "Ar!!" The Aron charges forward towards the Sandile!
   "Me First!!" The Team Plasma grunt commands, and Sandile suddenly bares its sharp fangs, charging ahead to meet Aron's headbutt! Aron slams into the Sandile's mouth but grunts in pain from the fangs...! "Focus Energy!" Sandile backs off, focusing its mind...
   "Aerial Ace!" Nora yells out as Aron slams his leg on the Sandile! But it doesn't seem too bothered...
   "Use Bite!"
   "Metal Claw its mouth shut!" Nora yells out! Aron's front leg glows as it slams down on the Sandile's mouth!
   "Assurance!" Sandile slams its own paw heavily against Aron! Aron growls at this...
   "Headbutt!!" Aron slams his head right into Sandile's! But the Sandile is tough...!
   "Use Rage!"
   "Grr...!" Sandile begins to claw and bite furiously at Aron!
   "Mud-Slap!" Aron throws mud at the Sandile's eyes! Sandile got even angrier! It does not stop raging! "Harden!" Nora calls out as Aron begins to go defensive!
   "Bite!" Sandile chomps into Aron's leg!
   "Metal Claw!" Nora yells out as the Aron slams his free leg into the Sandile! He's hitting a bit harder!
   Sandile roars in anger! "Assurance!" It lands a heavy blow on Aron, sending him tumbling down the street!
   "Hector, return!" Nora calls Aron back to his Pokéball, "Soujiro-- use Ice Beam!!"
   "Osh!!" Oshawott leaps off her shoulder and fires off a beam of ice!
   "Dile...!" Upon being hit, Sandile stops moving! It falls down on the street, trembling from the cold before the Team Plasma grunt calls it back. He grits his teeth, looking around, but his companions have already been dealt with by Burgh, and no reinforcements are coming from within the building... "Come on! Seriously?!" He looks accusingly at Nora, "All I did was take away people's Pokémon..."
   "And you think that's justified...?!" Nora glares at him harshly as her Oshawott is growling, "That was one of my friends you stole from... Did you really think there would be no ramifications?!?"
   "So, now that we've cleared up who the thief is, where's the stolen Pokémon, hmm?" Burgh asks...
   "Heeey!!" Iris waves as she comes running with Bianca and Cheren!
   "This is bad..." One of the other Team Plasma members says, "Badbadbadbadbadbadbad! Bad for Team Plasma! Or Plasbad, for short!"
   "If we can't hold them back, I think our best move is to go report this right now...!"
   "R-Right!" The Team Plasma members flee inside!
   "..." Nora glares after them before she looks at Cheren and Bianca with a more calm face, "Come on, they're in the building."
   Bianca looks at Nora, "Thank you for following them... Where's Verdell?"
   Nora approaches the door, "He went inside, I imagine he's causing havoc in there as we speak." She enters first, with her Oshawott running alongside her.
   Burgh nods, "We know that they have the stolen Pokémon, but they can't flee now. Let's go in!"
   "OK! I'll join the fight!" Iris jumps with her fist in the air, then she leaps behind Bianca to push her inside, "Come on, Bianca. You, too!"
   "Ah...! W-Wait a moment...!"

When they enter the building, they can see traces of battle in the hall, but the room is empty aside from a Team Plasma member behind the reception desk, who stares at them with wide eyes but silently points towards a corridor ahead...
   "...What happened...?" Bianca looks around...
   "Actually, Nora, about Verdell... I was looking for a chance to speak with you about him." Cheren says as they head down the corridor, but soon they can hear many voices from a room ahead...!
   "...Quiet." Nora whispers as they silently approach the room...
   Cheren nods, readying one of his Pokéballs...
   "I'll guard our backs." Burgh says, keeping a lookout behind them...
   Iris moves ahead, peeking inside, "...!"
   It appears to have been a meeting room before being thoroughly thrashed in a battle... Some Team Plasma grunts and their water Pokémon are frantically trying to put out the flames that have gotten hold of the furniture and curtains, while others stare towards the back of the room... Verdell has been cornered by Ghetsis and two other men, which they recognize as the Brown Sage Bronius, and the Red Sage Rood... He is being held against the wall by a Pokémon in the shape of a gold coffin with multiple ghostly arms...! "I am most curious..." Ghetsis says as he examines Verdell carefully, "What brought you here, making demands while setting a perfectly good meeting room on fire?"
   Bronius bows, "Forgive me, Lord Ghetsis. I did not think that--!"
   "There's no point in dwelling on the past, my fellow Sage." Ghetsis waves his hand which silences the man, "However, if he's not alone, where are the rest of the mice that have entered this building?"
   "I'm right here!" Iris steps out, "Give back Bianca's Pokémon!!"
   "...! Perfect timing!" Verdell grins.
   "Verdell...!" Nora walks in as Oshawott barks angrily!
   "Ah, I see they choose to come to the light." Ghetsis turns to face them, as do the other Sages, "...I know there are more of you hiding in the corridor-- I suggest you come out."
   "..." Cheren follows along with Bianca, who despite looking scared seems determined...!
   Finally Burgh enters... "So, what would you say is the guiding principle of Team Plasma, anyway? 'Take what you want from people'?"
   "How dare...!"
   Ghetsis hold his hand up, and Bronius silences himself and steps back. He looks at Burgh, "...Our principle remains the same, the liberation of Pokémon. However, it seems that our members have been... a bit overzealous in this pursuit."
   "That's putting it lightly." Nora responds as the man looks at her, "They stole my friend's Munna... 'a bit' is too lenient."
   "... ... ..." He glares at her for a moment before returning his attention to Burgh, "And I see the Gym Leader of Castelia City has taken notice of what has transpired..."
   "Yes, but if I may suggest, if you want to be noticed you should put up a sign on your door." Burgh says, "There are so many people here in Castelia. Different people... I suppose everyone's lifestyles and ways of thinking differ too, but it's a suggestion." He shrugs, "Honestly, there's something about you I don't quite understand."
   "..." Ghetsis seems to be waiting for Burgh to continue.
   He does a sweeping movement with his arm towards everyone in the room, "One thing we all have in common is that we all care a lot about Pokémon. Even people meeting for the first time can talk about Pokémon. Talk or battle or trade... Ghetsis, I was listening to your speech the other day. You made me rethink my relationship with Pokémon. For that, I thank you. At that time, I made a promise... I swore to myself that I would dedicate myself to Pokémon even more strongly!"
   Ghetsis chuckles a bit, "You are quite hard to figure out-- a little more intelligent than I'd expected. I am fond of intelligent people, you see. You'll enjoy hearing about this... From every corner of the world, I have gathered knowledgeable people for our king's benefit. You could call them the Seven Sages."
   "But what you guys are doing now... I thought you were all about strengthening the bond between people and Pokémon even more. Was I wrong?"
   He gives a smile, "Very well! We will submit to your opinion..." He looks at the grunt who Nora fought earlier, "That girl over there... Give her back her Pokémon!"
   "Yes, sir...!" The Team Plasma member immediately steps forward, handing a Pokéball over to Bianca... "Forgive my mistake." Taking a step back, he bows elegantly before returning to his friends...
   "Munny...!" Bianca lets her Munna out and pulls her into a hug as the little Pokémon is making happy sounds...
   Nora has a smile, "...Wait... Bianca, is that Munna...?"
   "...Yes." She looks at Nora and Cheren, "...It's the same one from the Dreamyard..."
   "Good to see you again." Cheren smiles to the Munna.
   "Muu!" The little Munna responds happily upon seeing both Cheren and Nora, floating over to greet them too.
   "...So what about me?" Verdell says, "Will you let me go now?"
   Ghetsis turns around to look at him, "Actually, I have a question to pose to you: why have you struck at us? I know you have a penchant for destruction but surely you would know better."
   "Sorry about that!" Verdell laughs nervously, "It wasn't my intent to ruin your meeting, but indoor battles aren't really my thing... I just wanted to ask you to return Bianca's Pokémon, but now that we've got that little matter cleared up I don't have a reason to fight you anymore, so..."
   "Indeed... However, I am curious of why you chose to attack, despite knowing what you were getting into." He approaches Verdell with a knowing look in his eye, "...Or did you think it would be overlooked?"
   "...!" Verdell's eyes widen a little.
   "What are you doing?" Iris fumes, "Why aren't you letting him go? Are you going to steal humans too, now?!"
   "The battle is over." Burgh says, "If he says he will not continue fighting you have to release him."
   "I recognized that name all too easily." Ghetsis smiles a bit, "When you expand your view, you tend to know what happens-- even outside of home. On behalf of your... compatriots I'll release you... but if you attack us again... forgiveness will certainly no longer be an option for you. Release him!"
   "Cofa..." The large ghost lets go of Verdell.
   "No...!" Cheren suddenly steps forward, "You can't release him! He's dangerous!"
   "...!!" Verdell quickly backs away from Ghetsis's Pokémon, but he stares at Cheren...
   "Cheren what are you talking about?" Nora looks at him, as does Bianca.
   "I was about to tell you, I looked up his background." Cheren says, "He's Verdell Rose."
   "Who, me?" Verdell grins, putting his hands up, "That's a pretty name, but who is this 'Verdell Rose'?"
   "Son of the professors Rose, specialists in the study of grass type Pokémon." Cheren continues, "With the knowledge of his parents added to his own skill as a trainer, he managed to become a Gym Leader in his home region of Ydil, at a relatively young age. He held that position until a few years ago. He officially lost his title on the day after he robbed the Ydil Pokémon League, and set the building on fire, in an explosion that also damaged the foundation and caused part of it to collapse. Even before the flames had died down he fled his homeland, and since then he has been on the run. It was on the news back then. Champion Matthias commented that he did not believe Verdell had any accomplices, and that a member of the Elite Four would take up chase alongside International Police to bring him to justice. There's no mistake. This man is an internationally wanted criminal!"
   "...!!" Nora's eyes widen as she looks at him, "Verdell... That's not true is it...?"
   "No way..." Bianca's eyes are wide as well...
   Ghetsis seems to be sizing Verdell up with the same instinct as a predator...
   "Hmm, this was unexpected..." Burgh stares at him too.
   "Why would anyone destroy their Pokémon League?" Iris says, "That's really bad! The Pokémon League does lots of good things for people and Pokémon! Gym Leaders should be protecting it!"
   Verdell looks around between everyone... "What can I say...? Well done, Cheren." He claps his hands, "That was an excellent introduction. There's just one little detail..."
   "What...?" Cheren tenses up a bit as Verdell reaches into his coat...!
   "Calling it a mere robbery sounds so boring." Verdell pulls out a green pirate hat, putting it on with a wicked grin, "I prefer raid."
   "Seize him!" The Cofagrigus reaches out with its four shadowy arms to grab Verdell...!
   "Shimmer!" Verdell's Typhlosion appears in front of him, blocking Cofagrigus's path by surrounding himself with an intense heat...! "What was that, Ghetsis? Do you want to see the explosion I made at my Pokémon League? I can make it happen, right here and now!"
   "Go! Druddigon!!" Iris shouts as she throws her Pokéball!
   "Wait, Iris!" Burgh grabs her arm, "If he's telling the truth, battling here will endanger a lot of lives, not to mention the city...!"
   "But we can't just let him get away!" Iris flails in protest, but she does not give her Druddigon any command...
   Nora's eyes are stuck at Verdell as she's speechless at this, it seems she's having difficulty comprehending what's happening before her...
   "...Pull back." Ghetsis frowns deeply as his Pokémon moves back, "...And dare I ask what you plan to do? Bring more of your terror to Unova just as you had to your homeland? Are you planning to burn another League to the ground?"
   Verdell looks at Ghetsis, "What I plan to do? I haven't quite made up my mind yet. I was hoping that my research here would let me leave my life as a fugitive behind, but it seems I've dug myself into a hole somehow." His Typhlosion leaps at the floor! Stones and ground fly, and a moment later Verdell jumps into the pit! "Adieu!"
   "After him! Do not let him escape!" Ghetsis yells out as his Cofagrigus follows after Verdell along with Bronius's Herdier!
   Nora is staring at the pit, "No way... I thought... I thought he was..."
   "OSH!!" Her eyes move towards her upset partner, "Osh osha osha! Wott wott, oshawott!!" He hops off her shoulder as he points at the hole, "Oshawott wott!!"
   "..." Nora stares at her Oshawott for a few moments before taking a deep breath, "...Right, let's go Soujiro."
   "OSH!!" He nods as the two leap down the hole after Verdell!
   Bianca looks at Cheren, "What should we...?!"
   "We can't leave Nora alone with him." Cheren says, "Let's go!" He leaps down as well, and Bianca follows along with Iris and Burgh and several Team Plasma members! They land in the sewers below the city, just as Verdell disappears behind a corner...!
   "Verdell!!" Nora yells out as she and Oshawott chase after him through the damp tunnel. It's sparingly lit by fluorescent tubes, and there's railing along the narrow path to prevent workers from falling into the murky, unclean water.
   "I believe it would be wise to block off his possible escape routes." Rood says as he follows Ghetsis, "If the Gym Leader would assist with the necessary knowledge..."
   "Wh-What?" Burgh looks at him while running, "Castelia wasn't built in one day! In fact, I've never been down here! Ew, what a stench...!"
   "So what's the plan?!" Iris shouts, "This place is like a labyrinth!"
   "Um... oh!" Bianca tosses up a Pokéball, and a Herdier with a blue ribbon around its neck appears, "Teague, can you track Verdell?" She shows her bag to the dog that sniffs it and begins to search around for him...
   Ghetsis frowns as his eye scans the area, "That's not going to be enough... Spread out and search the sewers-- He could not have gone far!! Maintain contact, when he's sighted converge on the area!"
   "Yes sir!" The Team Plasma grunts begin to spread out, and eventually there's a shout, "There! He's there!"
   "After him!" Ghetsis calls out as they follow the runaway Gym Leader!
   "Aah, found already?!" Verdell keeps running, growling to himself, "Where's the exit?!" He manages to lose them a few more times, but not for long, as there are few good hiding places... Until finally, he spots some stairs leading upwards! "At last...!"
   "Stop right there!" Ghetsis calls out as he leads the chase! Nora is following after him as her Oshawott looks utterly enraged!
   "Wait, Nora...!" Cheren follows too!
   "Burgh! They saw him over here!" Iris calls out!
   Leaping up the stairs, Verdell ends up in a tiny park, surrounded by tall house walls... In the middle a huge tree grows surrounded by flowers, but he barely notices as he runs past it with his eyes darting around, "N-No way... A dead end?!" He looks upwards, "Alright... Polly is too weak to fly, so it'll be up to you, Stella!"
   "Maw!" His Mawile appears! Hearing the many steps that approach from behind, Verdell spins around to face them...
   "Bisharp!" Ghetsis throws a Pokéball as a red Pokémon with wicked blades appear, "You are not going anywhere-- Metal Claw!!"
   "Bi!!" The Bisharp is not daunted in the least by Mawile's attempt to intimidate him with her fangs! Rather he looks all the more eager for a fight, moving straight in for her!
   "Magnet Rise!" Mawile suddenly rises into the air with Verdell, out of range of Bisharp's blades! "Don't think you have us yet!"
   "Ice Beam..." Nora orders her Pokémon though her expression is pained-- Oshawott fires off an Ice Beam at Mawile! But she barely seems to notice the little frosty blast as she keeps rising higher up...
   "...You really think I'll let you escape?" Ghetsis smirks as he throws a worn Pokéball... A roar sounds as a large three-headed dragon comes flying towards Verdell and Mawile!
   "...!" Verdell's eyes widen, and along with her trainer, Mawile feigns the frightened face of a princess about to get abducted by the approaching dragon! But the moment the Hydreigon gets too close, she happily chomps down on it and thrashes her foe around violently with her giant jaw! It roars in pain as it struggles against her before being sent tumbling down!
   "Mawahahahah!!"
   "...Return!" Ghetsis calls back his partner before it hits the ground!
   Suddenly a beam of ice fires again, but this time ice forms on Verdell's legs! "Ah!!" He loses his hold of Mawile...! Before he lands on the ground, he's caught by the Cofagrigus! It holds him in its hands and floats down... "Gh...!" He grits his teeth, "Stella!"
   "Wile...!!" Mawile flies at the Cofagrigus, chomping down at it too in an attempt to tear it off Verdell...!
   "Cofagrigus...!!!" It thrashes violently before letting go and trying to grab at the Mawile! As Verdell is released, the ice on his legs makes him stumble, and he falls onto the grass. There's a flash of metal as the Bisharp uses Metal Claw on Mawile! But it seems that she is able to withstand the attack, throwing the Cofagrigus at it!
   Ghetsis smiles, "Shadow Ball!" Suddenly, Cofagrigus turns around and fires off a ball of dark energy towards the Mawile!
   "Stella...!"
   "Maw..." Mawile is knocked to the ground...
   "...You did your best." Verdell closes his eyes as he calls her back...
   "...Seize him." Ghetsis orders the grunts.
   Oshawott approaches Verdell, he looks utterly furious!
   "..." Verdell keeps his head low as he is pulled up and held by Team Plasma... Then seeing Oshawott, he smiles a little, "...Well done, Soujiro. I never imagined you would be my fall... You are a formidable opponent."
   "Osha!! Osha osha wott!! Wott wott oshawott!!" Oshawott yells angrily! Nora's head is lowered as he points to her while scolding Verdell... After a few moments he begins to glow a white light...!
   "...!" Verdell's eyes widen, and everyone's attention turns to Oshawott!
   "He's evolving..." Cheren says.
   Nora looks up as a tear falls from her face... After a few seconds the glow fades... In Oshawott's place stands a light blue otter-like Pokémon that's a bit taller. On his sides are two scalchops-- one on each side, and he seems to have a more serious air about him as he glares at Verdell, "Dewott!!!" He snarls as he turns his back on him and approaches Nora...
   "...Soujiro..." She lowers herself to his level as he reaches up to pat her cheeks like he'd always do as an Oshawott... She hugs her Pokémon, who returns it...
   "Yay!! That's so great!" Iris grins to Nora, "The bad guy got caught, and your Pokémon evolved!"
   "...Yeah... It's great..." Nora looks at Dewott with wide eyes... She forces a smile as she hugs him again, and the otter happily returns it.
   Ghetsis watches her for a few moments before looking at the grunts, "We will escort him to the proper authorities... Burgh?" He looks at the Gym Leader, "I hope you do not mind that we take this convict to face the consequences of his crimes?"
   "Mmhm, please do." Burgh says, looking around with some fascination, "Who'd have guessed there was a place like this here in Castelia..."
   "... ... ..." Verdell is watching Nora and her Dewott with a sad smile...
   "With every step we take..." Nora speaks softly, "...We'll always be together... Right, partner?"
   "Dew." The water Pokémon nods.
   Ghetsis and Team Plasma take their leave of the area with Verdell in tow... Nora looks up, watching carefully... Verdell grits his teeth as he's being dragged away, "Wait! You don't know the whole truth...!"
   "..." She slowly stands up as Ghetsis is leading Verdell away down the stairs, "...I gotta know."
   Bianca approaches her, "Nora...?"
   "...I gotta know the truth." Nora mutters quietly, "...Why he did all of that... Why Aina was so desperate to capture him that she tried to arrest me..."
   The blonde's eyes widen at this, "Wait... When did--!?"
   "...Back in Pinwheel Forest when I was training there... They ambushed us and she ordered her knights to capture me too." Nora frowns, "...I can't just ignore what happened. I want him to tell me the truth."
   "...!" Cheren frowns, "So after I spoke with her, that happened...? I don't trust her. Nora, I'm sorry if I hurt you by exposing Verdell like I did, but I hope you understand my concern when I found out... Still, I suspect there's more than meets the eye to his story. I'm also going to find out what's going on." He hurries after Team Plasma!
   "Cheren...!" Bianca watches him run off...
   "...Let's go." Nora speaks softly before grabbing Bianca's hand and running after Cheren with Dewott in tow.
   Iris smiles with her hands on her hips as she watches them go, "He was really bad, so I don't think I'd forgive him... But if he was my friend I'd still want to know why he did all that, too. Cause, it would be so annoying not to know? So I think this is good. Those three are good people too, so they will be fine as long as they are together."
   "Mmhm..." Burgh nods, but then he wrinkles his nose, "...As for me, I can't say I look forward to going down there again. But this is a nice place to relax. Perhaps I can get some inspiration..."
   "Alright!" Iris grins, "Druddigon worked hard to chase him, too, so me and my Pokémon will play in this secret park now!"

Nora and Bianca run through the sewers until they catch up with Cheren and Team Plasma. It appears that Ghetsis is telling Cheren to stop prodding the criminal... "There's no point in hearing the convict out before... Hm?" He notices Cheren's friends, "...It would seem that today's youth are too curious..."
   Nora stops, catching her breath before looking at Verdell, "...Verdell... I want to know the truth-- Why did you do such a thing?"
   "...!" Verdell looks at her over his shoulder, "You're all here now? Why? As I was about to say I knew you'd figure me out eventually, even if I didn't think it would lead to this! I'm sorry that I had to lie to all of you, but you have to understand that it was as much for your safety as for my own!"
   Nora rushes past Ghetsis and stands in front of Team Plasma to look at Verdell, "Verdell... Why did you do that?"
   Verdell frowns at her, "...Step aside, Nora. If I tell you, Aina will pursue you without hesitation or mercy." He lowers his head, "If she learns that you know, nothing I can say will stop her... I've already seen that the leaders of Team Plasma will be able to hold their own against her, but you three? Please forget about me."
   "No!" She shakes her head, "Verdell... How can I forget you; aren't you my friend?!"
   "..." Verdell gives her a sad smile, "I told the truth when I said that I admire your resolve... So at least, I would have liked to be your friend."
   "I understand the danger." Cheren comes up next to Nora, "Just as I understand that you really are a criminal. But there's also too many things I don't understand about all this... and I haven't forgotten your kindness when we first met. I have to know if I did the right thing when I outed you."
   "Yeah...!" Bianca walks over too, "Y-You helped us... and you're so kind to us..."
   Nora looks at him, "You said that as long as we look out for each other, we'll be fine... Please..."
   Verdell looks between them, "...Look at me now, and think carefully for yourselves if this is how you want to end up. If your resolve is strong enough to meet this fate alongside me, I'll let you question me. If not... go back to your lives as ordinary trainers. Ghetsis, may we keep moving? I know I only have myself to blame, but I don't like this place at all..."
   "So be it, move--"
   Nora shakes her head as she refuses to budge, "...I accepted the consequences when I came here, Verdell. Please..."
   "Yeah!" Bianca nods with a determined look as well.
   "I never wanted to be just an ordinary trainer, anyway." Cheren says.
   "..." Verdell looks at them, "Fine, but get out of the way already! Ugh... the air down here is suffocating me, really..."
   They keep walking. Eventually they find their way back to the hole Verdell made in the floor of Team Plasma's base... "Herbert!" Cheren throws his Pokéball up, into the ruined meeting room... "Use your Vine Whip to help us up!"
   "Servine!" He nods, apparently he has already evolved too. His vines reach down to pull up Bianca and Nora, and finally his own trainer... Rood unleashes a Swoobat. It lifts him up before flying back down to assist the others. Bronius unleashes a Beheeyem that uses its psychic abilities to help him, Verdell and Ghetsis up to the room.
   "..." Nora gives Verdell an expectant look. He seems very relieved, taking some deep breaths as soon as he's out of the sewers...
   Cheren looks at him, "Who'd have guessed? Not that I enjoyed the smell, but with your appearance I thought you'd be used to places like that..."
   "What? I'm pretty sure I saw some poison type Pokémon down there... I never really got along with that type..." He shudders.
   "I see. So the reason you choose to keep an untidy look in spite of your resources... It's just a disguise, then?"
   "Heh, no... I may not like that kind of places, but I'm still a slob when Aina isn't around. Without her or my Gym Leader duties I just don't feel I have much reason to take proper care of myself... But even if it's not deliberate, you're right that it does help. It's been a few years." He glances at Ghetsis, "With few exceptions, people no longer recognize my face. I could move safely in public again... At least without my hat and the green silk roses. Most pictures of me are in full costume, all neat and tidy, after all."
   "You mean this pirate hat is part of a costume?" Bianca tilts her head.
   "But of course it is!" Verdell laughs, "You don't think I was a real pirate before my raid on the Pokémon League, do you?"
   "That's kind of weird, though." Cheren says, "If you're a pirate, shouldn't you have water type Pokémon?"
   "Wh-What."
   "But instead you chose grass types. Even if we assume that choice was influenced by your parents, the fairy type must be a personal preference... and it seems you have some fire too..."
   "Shut up! I'm a Gym Leader, I can be a pirate if I want...!"
   "I have to concur with Cheren's observations." Nora nods at this, "You seem more like a fairy than an actual pirate."
   "Ditto!" Bianca smiles.
   Verdell huffs, "I'd have you walk the plank for that if I could!"
   "See, even now you talk more like a fairytale character than a real pirate..." Cheren chuckles, "And I haven't heard a single curse from you."
   "When I get out of this I'll feed you scurvy scallopwags to the Sharpedos!!"
   "Real pirates don't talks like that... It's only in the movies." Nora holds back a snicker.
   "He reminds me of the old kids shows Cheren and I used to watch." Bianca smiles.
   "Hmph... Children were indeed my usual target audience, and when you spend time with fairies you learn to watch your tongue against profanities. They have sensitive ears, but that only makes them more dangerous! And I couldn't be a real pirate without some fire! How else would I blow places up? Besides, in spite of common misconceptions, the relationship between grass and fire is symbiotic. I've had Shimmer and Polly since before I became a Gym Leader, and it was fine with my parents because grass Pokémon get along splendidly with the nutrients fire types provide. In Ydil there are even some that need to spend time with a fire Pokémon to evolve..."
   There's an audible cough! Ghetsis has his arms crossed, looking impatient, "If you could get to the point on why we're all standing here that would be grand since some of us have work to do..."
   "...Oh." Verdell looks around as it seems all the Team Plasma members have climbed out of the hole in the floor, then his attention turns to Ghetsis, "I did not think we would speak here. Are you not going to bring me elsewhere?"
   It would be in our best interest to get it over with here." Ghetsis responds, "...If you would please answer their question about why you destroyed your League so we can be going."
   "...Nora." Verdell looks at her, "I am entrusting my Pokémon to you for a moment... Please take them."
   "...!" Nora blinks, but nods and approaches him, carefully taking his Pokéballs...
   "After I have told my story, if I am still handed over to the authorities... you may keep them." The Pokéballs begin to move around! It seems his Pokémon are not pleased with what he just said...
   "...! Easy..." Nora looks at them, "Let's see what happens first, please?"
   Verdell smiles a little, "Of course, whatever happens, I'll be back for my crew... But the point is, I am harmless now." He looks at Ghetsis... "I hope it is not too much to ask that we move to a less crowded room. What I have to say is strictly confidential. If the wrong person were to listen it could spell disaster..."
   Ghetsis looks at Verdell for a few moments before looking at the grunts, "Leave us-- Secure the building. Do not allow anyone entry, I will give further instruction soon."
   The grunts nod and most of them begin to make their way out of the room to follow their orders. Ghetsis leads the small group to a different room further within the building... He turns to two of the four grunts in his guard, ordering them to stay at the door, while the other two keep a firm grip on Verdell to ensure that he does not flee.
   "...Thank you." Verdell says once the door closes, but then he falls silent, "... ... ..."
   "...If you're waiting for us to ask again, I think we all have the same question." Cheren says at last, "Your apparent lack of a motive is of particular interest. According to the news articles from back then, the only message you left behind that is believed to be related to the Pokémon League incident was a note in which you asked your parents to care for some of your Pokémon. Even your own family were clueless. They said that you had always seemed happy with life, and that you had never voiced any negative opinions about the Ydil League. Quite the contrary in fact, since you and Aina were a couple." He stares straight at Verdell, "Normally a terrorist would be more than eager to explain their cause, but in the case of Verdell Rose, media could only speculate, and nothing has been confirmed. Even the Pokémon League chose silence on the matter after that one statement from Champion Matthias. It is surprising how fast the story died down, if you ask me... So, why?"
   "Give me a moment, please..." He closes his eyes, "I have never told anyone why I did it before, because... I fear the consequences if the truth gets out. I'm going to have to word this right..."
   "..." Nora blinks at this.
   "Can it possibly be worse for you than it already looks?" Cheren asks.
   "...It's not about me. It's about my research..." Verdell begins at last, "I study old tales and legends. I began doing that long before I became a Gym Leader. One day, I found something I shouldn't have, and... ... I entrusted that secret to the Pokémon League. But once I had completed my research and handed it over to them they betrayed my trust. I was short on time, so that same night I blew the place up to destroy all evidence of my work. Now I'm the only person alive to have it all in my head. Without my knowledge they can't proceed with their plan, which I also know too much about. They'll never stop hunting me... Not until they catch me." He gives a pleading look to Ghetsis, "Whether you turn me over directly to the Ydil League or to the International Police, I'll end up in their hands. I don't know what they will do to me, but if they force me to reveal my secret to them again, even Unova will be in grave danger."
   "Verdell, what exactly about your research is so dangerous that you had to do all that?" Nora tilts her head, "What could be so dangerous that you resorted to such a thing?"
   Ghetsis frowns as he lifts his hand, resting his index finger under his chin, "I would hear the answer to this young woman's question as well. Why did you do such a thing? What did you discover?"
   He lowers his head, trembling, "... Please... don't make me tell you that... I regret the first time so much..."
   "...Verdell..." Nora looks at him, "Why... How come you cannot trust us?"
   "..." He grits his teeth, "I trusted Aina! I trusted Champion Matthias...! And the Pokémon League... ... I'm sorry, but trust does not come easy for me anymore... How can you demand such a thing of me?"
   "If I had not trusted you, do you really think that I'd have gone after you!?" Nora counters, looking frustrated, "Do you really think anyone here is just like them?!"
   "...Why do you trust me?"
   "Because I know you had more than enough chances to ditch me. I asked you if you could be my mentor-- I never demanded you. You knew Aina was here, but even though she's still lurking around you didn't run away." She explains, "...You could've left me anytime, you didn't even have to help me when Rylan pulled me into that double battle. You've been teaching me ever since... Are you saying that I shouldn't trust someone who has been patient and teaching me what it means to be a good Pokémon trainer?"
   "Then you want me to trust you because you're not leaving me now... Is that it?"
   "..." She shakes her head, "I am asking you to trust me, when I trust you so much. I want to know the truth... and I want to help you however I can... I asked you once to tell me, but you didn't want to and I remained quiet out of courtesy. But with what has happened in the last hour... Even if I chose to stay quiet you cannot deny that it has ignited that curiosity with a vengeance."
   He raises a brow at her, "Are you really asking me to trust you because you feel vengeful curiosity? You're not making this any easier for me..."
   "I am asking you to trust me as a friend." Nora responds...
   Verdell lowers his head, shaking it slowly, "Nora, please understand... This is not something I can share out of trust or friendship. It is in no way because of you, so do not take it as anything personal... It is I who cannot bring myself to trust others like I used to."
   Ghetsis lowers his arm, "Verdell. I intended to have you sent to the police, but your motivations, as this boy mentioned, does not add up to zealots such as Team Galactic in the Sinnoh Region. I would hear of your reasons, and if I find that you truly had no other choice-- I can be convinced into letting you go."
   "..." He looks at Ghetsis... "I am prepared to speak of it only as a last resort to avoid the Ydil League."
   "If we turn you in to the police, news of your arrest will not avoid the eyes of the International Police or your home region and League." Ghetsis speaks, "However, I am a man who believes that a person should be judged not only by their actions but also their reasoning. But refusing to speak warrants suspicion and a fair reason not to trust you. I ask that you speak."
   "I understand. But I must ask you to send everyone else out before I speak of this... including your guards. Bind me if you must to feel safe that I won't escape... Not that I can feel my feet anymore." He looks at the ice still on his legs, although it has begun to thaw, leaving a puddle on the floor...
   "..." Ghetsis looks at the two guards and motions to them to pull Verdell to a chair and tie him down. Once they have done so he tells them, "Leave us. Stand guard. If he flees, you know what to do."
   "Yes sir." The two nod as they head out of the room, closing the door behind them.
   As Ghetsis turns he sees Dewott breaking the ice with a Night Slash!
   "...!!" Verdell quickly shuts his eyes, biting his lip for several moments before he cautiously opens one eye again, apparently afraid that the Dewott would slash his leg too...!
   "...Dew." There's a bark as Dewott backs away from Verdell, reclaiming his place next to Nora.
   Nora gives Verdell an apologetic look, "I'm sorry if he scared you, Soujiro is many things but unless someone tries to hurt me or him he won't attack humans."
   Verdell responds with a shaky sigh. "...But I must have hurt you, considering the mouthful he gave me earlier on your behalf."
   "You have hurt me, but he knows that hurting you would make it worse." Nora gives a sad smile...
   "...Regardless, will you take the fact that you have my Pokémon as proof that you have as much of my trust as I can possibly give to anyone, and please leave this room while I speak with Ghetsis?"
   "..." Nora glances at Bianca and Cheren... Bianca looks at Verdell with saddened eyes...
   "...If I threaten to tell the authorities where you are right now, will you let us stay and listen?" Cheren asks.
   "No, because I think that is an empty threat. You hesitated for too long when you revealed me before." Verdell smiles a little, "And you are sharp enough to know when I am telling the truth."
   "You underestimate me. I really want to know..."
   "Will you be satisfied if I let the three of you question me privately after this? ...Just not on my research. Provided that Ghetsis decides to let me go, of course."
   "What do you think, Nora?" Cheren looks at her.
   "...We won't press on your research until you're comfortable with us knowing. However, we do intend to hear from you why you did all of that."
   "Thank you, but do not fool yourselves into thinking that I owe you any answers, even if I allow you to question me." Verdell smiles at them, "...But since you know who I am and have made up your minds, I guess I won't need to be quite as evasive anymore."
   Nora looks at her friends, "...Let's wait outside then."
   Cheren nods, taking Bianca's hand... She gives him a worried look as they follow Nora...
   "Dewott." Dewott gives Verdell a warning look.
   "..." Verdell returns a nervous smile to him.
   "...Wott." Dewott gives a small smile as he follows his trainer out.
   "..." Ghetsis watches them leave, waiting until the door has closed...
   "..." Verdell observes him go to take a seat... Then he gives a sigh, "That was not quite how I had planned to introduce myself. Sorry for causing so much trouble."
   "I forgive you." Ghetsis responds as he leans back, breathing through his nose, "However, had I anticipated that a madman with a firebird would come through here, perhaps that insurance that was offered to us would've proven helpful..."
   "I am grateful. I thought that by traveling with an ordinary trainer, I could get an idea of what Team Plasma is like... To be honest, your followers haven't made the best impression so far."
   "How do you mean?"
   "Well, the whole stealing business... Innocent people's Pokémon, and robbing a museum... I know I shouldn't be one to talk, being a pirate and all, but... your choice of targets just rubs me wrong."
   "Hrm... So the theft at the museum was worse than what Gorm reported to me..." Ghetsis closes his eye, "I see... This is concerning. I will see to it that this is rectified. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."
   He shakes his head, "Oh, I'm sure the damage couldn't have been too bad, since Aina was there to stop it. It's just... For someone like me who used to frequent archives and similar places a lot, the idea of targeting a museum feels so wrong."
   "As it does for me." Ghetsis nods, "I value Unova's history just as much as anyone in this region does. Perhaps more if only because of how it teaches us what happens when untempered pride conquers sight. It was not our goal to steal from the museum; it was to gather intelligence on any artifact that may tell us about the past."
   "Hmm, in that case it is rather concerning how badly your followers misinterpreted their instructions... Please don't tell me that the reason you seek my aid is for my common sense."
   "Mercifully, no. That is not the reason." He chuckles softly, "I seek the aid of someone who can help us investigate a... solution in performing a coup against the Unova League."
   "Your messenger mentioned that you need me to research legendary Pokémon."
   "Indeed..." Ghetsis nods at this, "...We need the two legendary dragons of Unova."
   "I got myself an overview of the Unovan legends at the Nacrene Museum." He leans back in the chair, "Don't get me wrong. I am interested, but I have not accepted this mission yet."
   "Hrm... What prevents you from accepting our aid?" Ghetsis raises a brow, "...Of course, I understand that you're upset about the actions of a handful of our members, but I assure you that they do not represent the majority. I will personally see to it that the member who had stolen the Munna receives proper discipline, along with the others who had caused trouble."
   "Like I said to Nora and her friends, it is simply too hard for me to trust others. You can thank your followers for at least making clear to me that this is not a trap, as I had initially feared... By the mess they caused at the museum they unintentionally got in Aina's way and prevented her from capturing me." He smiles faintly, "...And I am in desperate need of protection from the Ydil League, so even if I disagree with what I have seen of Team Plasma's actions, I can't afford to be picky. Not to mention that I somehow ended up at your mercy... But there are still some answers I need before I can join you."
   "Well then, just ask me what you need to know and I will be happy to provide you with those answers." The older man motions to Verdell with his left hand.
   "Yes." He takes a breath, "I appreciate your sincerity regarding this coup against the Pokémon League, but just like you have asked me about my motives, I also need to understand yours... I need to know what cause I will be supporting, and not only the image of it that is presented to the public."
   "Hrm... There's much for me to explain. Allow me to ask you so I won't repeat any redundant details; how well aware are you of Unova's politics?"
   "Well, you have a Champion who seems to be about as irresponsible as me... The Elite Four mostly behave like kids in a sandbox, which has increased the local influence of the Gym Leaders, although not all take full advantage of it. As Nora told me, the Pokémon League has also launched several projects lately that may not take the interests of wild Pokémon into consideration. Moreover, Pokémon School is reserved for high society, although they may rarely accept those who show exceptional talent. She said that Cheren has a bone to pick over that, and he's not alone, but most who disagree with the system never get the chance to grow as trainers or take the Pokémon League Challenge."
   "Indeed, although the situation in Unova is more than skin deep." Ghetsis starts, "As you know, the Elite Four and Champion serve as the most influential ruling body for the Unova region, and they also oversee the laws and regulations over the public. The current Champion, a mere shell of his old self after his partner Pokémon passed away, is unable to lead Unova properly. Meanwhile the current Elite Four are... far from being qualified as leaders. How disconnected they are from the public is both impressive and disturbing. It is thanks to them that there's such a fracture into a two-party system in Unova."
   Verdell nods, "I understand that you are displeased with them, like many others. It is also clear to me that you yourself are a powerful trainer, who have met even more powerful foes. So this coup, is it because you failed to seize power legally?"
   "Yes... I was once a trainer who participated in the League Challenge. However, I lost in more ways than one during the semi-finals."
   "...To the current Champion, no less. I took the liberty to research the man who would extend an offer to someone like me. It was not difficult to find you in the records."
   Ghetsis has a somewhat amused smile, "I am not surprised. However, the damage remains from a Pokémon whose fire supposedly burns like the sun." He raises his right hand, carefully peeling away the black glove. It shows his skin enveloped in old burn scars from the battle in the past...
   "That is quite terrifying..." Verdell looks at it for a moment, "However, your personal revenge does not interest me, no matter how incompetent Champion Alder is as a ruler. So my second question is what Team Plasma intends to do after seizing power. In particular, what this king of yours that I keep hearing about will do with the legendary Pokémon after the Unova League has fallen."
   "My King intends for Pokémon to be freed-- emancipated from cruel trainers and owners. He believes in equality for all, especially seeing as how Pokémon are living, sentient creatures like you and I." Ghetsis speaks, "He seeks to dismantle the two-party system, since their competing ideals have stagnated Unova's growth and potential. Ultimately he seeks the rebirth of the monarchy, by using the might of the legendary Pokémon to prove his right."
   "I think that the fall of the Pokémon League and the rebirth of the monarchy are quite synonymous in this case... What I am asking is, how will the might of the legendary Pokémon be used after he has reclaimed his throne? Or is that not something you are able to answer?"
   "My King intends for the legendary dragon to guarantee Unova's safety above all, considering its might. He has no thoughts of conquest; he seeks unification and peace for Unova." Ghetsis continues, "Apart from that, however, what he chooses to do with the dragon is beyond my own knowledge."
   "..." Verdell looks at Ghetsis for a little while, then he nods... "If he is the kind of man you claim him to be... I will be honored to work for him. I will begin my research, but do not consider me a part of Team Plasma yet. Legendary Pokémon are not only powerful, they can also be very dangerous. If I manage to find Unova's dragons, whether I share those findings with the king or not will depend on the impression he makes on me. I... As I have said, it is difficult for me to trust anyone... but I will do my best to meet him with an open mind, and... to give him an honest chance to earn my loyalty. Is that acceptable?"
   Ghetsis nods, "The terms are fair."
   "Thank you. I know that I may not rely on the king's protection while I remain independent, but if you have any knowledge that may provide a starting point to my research, perhaps I can ask you to share that with me? Of course, I understand that you would need time to prepare, which I do not believe that we have enough of at present. But Nora will be taking the Gym Challenge soon, and it should not be hard for me to slip away then."
   "Of course." Ghetsis nods, "I am certain that our king will be keeping an eye on you and what you choose to do. But I ask that you judge him on his own merits, not just those of his followers."
   He nods, "If he chooses to watch, so will I. And I promise that I will not let the actions of others weigh into my decision about him."
   "That is all I can ask." Ghetsis speaks, "Now then, I do believe you owe me an explanation?"
   "Ah... yes." He lowers his head, although with a faint smile, "I was almost starting to hope that you would forget about it."
   "I may be old, but not to where I forget things." Ghetsis gives a somewhat amused grin.
   Verdell takes a breath, "It all began when I met Shimmer. He was a Cyndaquil then, and he was holding something unusual..." He begins as he tells Ghetsis his story.

Outside the room, Cheren looks at the clock on his Xtransceiver while leaning against the wall, "This is taking a while."
   "Now I can't help but worry..." Nora mutters as she eyes the door...
   Bianca is sitting on a chair nearby, "Maybe Verdell's situation is worse than we thought...?"
   "Perhaps... Bianca, are you all right?" Cheren looks at her, "You were unusually silent in there..."
   "Y-Yeah..." She gives him a weak smile, "I'm just overwhelmed by what happened..."
   "It is a lot to take in, I agree..." He stares at the door...
   "..." Nora leans against the wall, "I never thought it was this bad..."
   Time passes... But eventually the door opens, and Ghetsis walks out to speak with the guards. Verdell is untied; he wears a smile as he follows Ghetsis out, but underneath that he still looks uneasy... The guards nod as two of them head off to carry out the Sage's orders.
   "Verdell!" Nora rushes over, "Are you okay?"
   "That's..." He cuts himself off, "...Yes. As well as can be, under the circumstances..."
   "What do you...?" Nora tilts her head as Ghetsis turns to them.
   "Come. I'll lead you to a drop off area from where you can make your way into the alleys of the city." He motions them to follow.
   "Then I assume that what Verdell told you is indeed serious enough to warrant his release." Cheren says, taking Bianca's hand again as they follow.
   "That much I can confirm." Ghetsis responds, "However, I do not plan to satiate your curiosity. Such matters are for the adults to worry about."
   Nora frowns at this but remains quiet. Bianca holds on to Cheren's hand a bit tighter...
   "I expected as much. While I can't exactly say that I view Team Plasma as trustworthy in most matters, I have my own doubts about the Ydil League, so I am willing to make an exception this time." Cheren looks at Verdell, "So, based on Ghetsis's judgement and what I know so far, it appears that I owe you an apology. I'm sorry, Verdell."
   "...!" Verdell glances at him, "There's no need. I can't blame my circumstances on you... You're a principled person and a caring friend, doing what you see as the right thing. That's admirable, Cheren. Besides, I acted along! ...And it was an excellent introduction." He grins a little.
   "...Still, please accept my apology. Even if you don't trust us fully yet, the three of us are involved now whether you like it or not. You shouldn't have to bear everything alone."
   "..." He quickly looks away, then he lowers his head... "Fine. I accept. If only because I suspect I don't have a choice... but I'm not really upset with you."
   Cheren smiles a little, "Thank you."
   "We'll have your back!" Bianca smiles at Verdell, "Since you're our friend, and friends always look out for one another!"
   Nora chuckles, "Yep! Though... I guess we'll need to be wary around Aina now..."
   "I'm sure we'll be fine?" Bianca looks at her, "I mean, we just need to avoid running into her right?"
   "Hrm... I'm not sure how we can manage..." The brunette has a slight frown before looking at Cheren, "What do you think?"
   "I think that I would like to hear the full details of your encounter with her, Nora." Cheren says, "Then I'll say my piece of mind."
   "...May I have my crew back?" Verdell asks.
   "Yes!" Nora smiles as she takes out the Pokéballs and gives them to Verdell, "They were shaking so much, I thought that they were going to erupt out of their Pokéballs!"
   He has an apologetic smile as he receives them, but as soon as he has them back he seems a little less uneasy, at least... "I'm so sorry about that, everyone..." He says as he takes out his Pokéquip and begins to heal Mawile and Talonflame, "You know I would never abandon any of you. But if I am caught someday, I would prefer you to be in a place where Matthias and the others can't use you to pressure me into talking. I don't know if they would go that far, but I don't want to risk... Aah, look, I said I'm sorry! Hold still, I'm trying to--! I'm telling you, if that ever were to happen I'd be back for you no matter what...! It's a promise!"
   "Something tells me you're in for a long talk with them, Verdell." Nora gives a sheepish smile as her Dewott barks in agreement.
   "...Try as I may, that's not how we pirates solve our disagreements, I'm afraid." He sighs a little, "They'll still get back at me for this. And I probably deserve it this time... I wouldn't like it either if the roles were reversed. I get it, okay? I went too far, and I'm sorry. We'll just have to make sure we're never caught again!" It seems that his Pokémon are finally settling down.
   "What? Are they going to do something to you when they get out of the balls?" The brunette tilts her head.
   Bianca chuckles, "I doubt they'd do anything too mean to him..."
   "Oh, fairies are much more cruel than they look." Verdell chuckles, "Don't underestimate them."
   "What? Are they going to do a tickle attack or something?" Nora grins.
   There's a cough from Ghetsis as he stops at a door by the back of the building, opening it, "This is where we must part ways."
   "Ah..." Bianca looks outside, "Where should we go...?"
   "Thank you again, Ghetsis." Verdell says before turning to the others, "...Let's head to the place I'm staying at. It may be good for you to know about as well, in case you ever need to hide... We can talk more there."
   "Alright." Nora nods, "Care to show the way?"

Once they have left Team Plasma's base behind, Verdell leads them through the narrow backstreets until they spot a red sign... "Café Sonata." Cheren reads, and a small bell rings as they enter...
   The waiter behind the counter looks up, "Oh, you're back..."
   "As promised." Verdell grins.
   "Welcome." He smiles, then turning his attention to Nora and her friends, "Welcome to you as well... At Café Sonata we offer our guests a pleasant evening... Have a table, enjoy yourselves, and let me know if you need anything..."
   "Thank you, I think we're fine for now." Nora smiles.
   Verdell looks around, heading over to a nice table in a corner... "This should do... Of course we can't be entirely sure that Aina's knights won't find their way here... but being a bit offside in such a huge city it's not that easy to spot, and it's got a pleasant atmosphere."
   Bianca looks at Verdell, "So... are you going to tell us anything?"
   "It depends on what you ask me..." He smiles a little, "But wouldn't you like some drinks first? It'll be on me, as thanks for your efforts to keep me as a friend... That is, I won't ask you to trust me, but you seem to have made up your minds... I may come across as guarded, but... I appreciate it. Truly."
   "Alright, I'll have some black tea then." Cheren smiles.
   "I'll take some Moomoo Milk please." Bianca smiles as well.
   Nora shakes her head, "If you insist... coffee then. I have a feeling I'm going to need it."
   "Alright, got it!" Verdell heads over to speak with the waiter, soon returning with their drinks...
   "So Verdell, how about you tell us just how much trouble you're really in?" Nora questions as she pours some creamer in her coffee.
   Bianca nods, "Yeah, especially since you did... that to the League. I mean, you had a reason and Ghetsis felt that it was important enough to let you go..."
   Verdell sits down with his own drink, apparently he got some lemonade for himself... He makes a troubled face, "How do I answer that...? Burning the Pokémon League is nothing compared to what could happen if I am caught."
   "So then, what would happen?" Bianca tilts her head, "I mean... you make it sound like the Ydil League is after something...?"
   Nora frowns a bit, "...Verdell, was there something they were planning that you know about?"
   "Yes. As I told you, the Ydil League is after me for two reasons. First, because all that remains of my research is inside my head. And second, because I know too much about their plans."
   "..." Nora lowers her head and stares into the light brown abyss of the coffee in front of her.
   Bianca ponders, "Why would they be after your research? I mean... Cheren said your parents are Pokémon professors but it's clear they're not after them..."
   "..." Nora looks at Verdell, "...Does this have anything to do with your interest in researching folklore and myths?"
   "Well, the general topic of my research is no secret. I may have inherited a lot of knowledge on the grass type, but I am no Pokémon professor... You are correct." He nods to Nora.
   "And you said that you found something you should not have..." Cheren seems to be thinking carefully...
   "Yes." Verdell nods again...
   "...Did you discover something that they wanted?" Nora takes a sip of her coffee.
   Bianca seems curious, "Was it something dangerous?"
   "Now, I believe the agreement was that you would not inquire about my research." Verdell crosses his legs while leaning back and enjoying his lemonade and the music from a guitarist among the other guests, "So I will neither deny nor confirm anything regarding the nature of what I found or why it interests the Ydil League."
   "Aw..." Bianca pouts, "...I was hoping you forgot about that..."
   Nora chuckles a bit, "I don't think that's how interrogations work, Bianca." She turns her attention to Verdell with a serious expression, "Though she does have a point, it's clear you stumbled across something and that the Ydil League is after you. And that you must not ever be caught no matter what. We will need to make sure that we do not run into Aina or walk into a trap."
   "About that..." Cheren says, "Nora, can you explain what happened in Pinwheel Forest now?"
   "Ah, right." Nora nods as she takes a sip, recounting what happened...
   "W-What!?" Bianca looks shocked when she tells them of how the knights intended to arrest her, but lowers her tone when a few patrons glare at her for raising her voice, "W-Why...?!"
   "Please go on." Cheren says, "What happened after that?"
   Nora continues, telling them of her encounter with N and how he helped her out...
   Bianca tilts her head, "Wait, you saw N in the forest?"
   "Yeah, I think he was just hanging out with the Pokémon there." Nora nods, "And that's about what happened."
   "I don't think Aina would have done that if she wasn't concerned that I might have told Nora the truth." Verdell says.
   "It makes sense." Cheren says, "I spoke with Aina back in Nacrene City. I said that I was going to find out what was going on with you."
   "...! So that's why she didn't wait for us to arrive at the next Gym..." Verdell rubs his head, "And here I thought she was jealous. If she knew that you would reveal me soon, she must have felt pressured to catch me. Before my presence becomes known in Unova..."
   "Yes, about that... She already knows that I know about you. I was speaking with her again right before I got Bianca's call..."
   "I-I see..."
   "Looks like we both need to be careful, Cheren." Nora looks at him, "Aina strikes me as someone who's going to crush anyone she sees as a threat..."
   Bianca looks between them, "Is there anything I can do to help...?"
   "Ah... I don't..." There's a frown on Nora's face, "Bianca it may not be a good idea if more of us are pulled into this. If Aina thinks that Cheren and I are onto what's going on it's probably not going to be safe... and I don't think I want to know what's going to happen if she thinks you're involved as well."
   "B-But I can't just sit here and watch you, Cheren, and Verdell deal with this and not do anything to help!"
   "It may be a little late to leave Bianca out. Rylan would know that the three of us stick together..." Cheren says.
   Verdell seems to be thinking carefully... "Nora," He says at last, "I must ask whether you want to continue with me as your mentor or not."
   "I do want to continue learning from you, Verdell. I think that I can be a better trainer by learning from you..." Nora pauses, "Aina uses psychic types right? Does she have any psychic abilities or something? I heard that most famous trainers who specialize in that type are psychics somehow."
   "Well, yes. She has some powers of her own... It is what lets her keep up with me. Although she can't pinpoint my exact location, that sixth sense of hers still guides her towards me, forcing me to stay on the move." Verdell finishes his lemonade and puts the glass down on the table, "I don't think we'll be able to avoid her, at least not if you plan to continue your Gym Challenge, Nora. But there is a way we can turn this situation to our advantage."
   "How so?" Nora tilts her head at this.
   "Ghetsis has assured me that Team Plasma will keep silent about me. So it depends on Cheren." Verdell looks at him, "Are you up for becoming a secret agent?"
   "...!" Cheren's hand is a little shaky as he places his tea down, "...I see what you mean. Even though I told her that I found out about you, she didn't try to arrest me like she did with Nora..."
   Verdell nods, "I managed to convince her that Nora knows nothing, and we have to keep pressing that. But to keep her from targeting you, you must act as if you are on her side. As for Bianca... You can help by staying in touch with both Cheren and Nora, so that they can avoid looking suspicious by meeting up too often."
   "I-I can do that!" Bianca smiles nervously, "I-I never met her in person, so..."
   Nora nods, "There's a chance she won't target Bianca because Cheren willingly approached her while Bianca never met her... This can work."
   "I-I just have to pretend everything is okay and nothing's changed... So you can count on me." The blonde looks between her friends.
   Nora pats Bianca's shoulder before looking at Cheren, "I think Bianca can handle this. What do you think, Cheren? Want to give being a spy a shot?"
   "As things are, I don't think I have much choice." Cheren says, "If I do nothing and word does not get out about Verdell, she will get suspicious of me too. In that case she will think I must have decided to help him, and I can't very well claim innocence if I'm arrested."
   "Indeed..." Picking up her now lukewarm coffee Nora finishes the drink, "Besides she's clearly strong enough to beat us to the ground. We'll need to be stronger to have a chance."
   Bianca finishes her drink as well before looking at Cheren, "Speaking of which, you encountered her a few times, right? Did Aina give you any information we need to know about?"
   "No." Cheren shakes his head, "She told the same lie that Verdell gave us. Since you are both so concerned with keeping the lid on the truth, I assume you were messaging each other to synchronize your stories." He looks at Verdell.
   "Among other things." He nods.
   "Possibly romantic flirting, but that aside," Nora smiles a bit, "This is rather telling if Aina is synchronizing stories with you..."
   "Eh?" Verdell looks at Nora, "What do you mean, it's telling?"
   "If you two are synchronizing stories that means whatever you found is so dangerous that it requires you two to keep a consistent story." Nora looks at him.
   "...!" Verdell looks aside.
   Bianca ponders before looking at Cheren, "Do you think Rylan may know a bit more...?"
   "No, Rylan is the same as always." Cheren says, "He doesn't seem to have any interest in Verdell beyond getting back at him for some perceived slight."
   "Ah..." Nora glances at Cheren, "That's because Verdell interfered with his attempt to do a double battle on Soujiro and me..."
   "That sounds like Rylan..." Bianca shakes her head.
   "Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about Rylan's part in all this." Cheren says, "He's probably clueless about what's going on."
   "Indeed." Nora nods in agreement, "For all we know, maybe she's just using him to get around Unova easier?"
   Bianca looks between her friends, "Well, no matter what happens... we'll stay close by in case something happens, right?"
   "Of course!" There's a smile from Nora.
   "Dew." Dewott barks.
   "So now that we're in this together, perhaps it's time we all got to know each other a little better?" Cheren looks at Verdell.
   "Yes. Nora has told me a little about you and Bianca, but I'd like to know more. Why are you on this journey?"
   "...I guess I'll begin then." Cheren nods, "My goal is to become the Champion, and prove to everyone that I am a strong trainer. I'll work hard to get there."
   "Power, huh... Such a dangerous wish. But I have a feeling you can handle it, as long as you stick to your principles. Judging by what I have seen of you, you are not the kind to let yourself be blinded by it."
   "..." Cheren smiles a little, "It's thanks to Bianca that I got to study under Professor Juniper and meet my partner Pokémon, and I'll definitely not waste this chance. But I won't forget what it's like when powerful people pull the rug from under your feet for no good reason."
   "I can't tell how far you will go, but I'm certain those people are in for a surprise." Verdell smiles, "So how did you two meet?"
   "Cheren and I have known each other since we were little." Bianca smiles at Verdell, "We always hung out a lot, even if I caused him a few headaches... But we always watched out for each other. And well... I'm on my own journey to see what I want to do with my life. I want to see if I can be a great trainer... even if Cheren and Nora are far ahead of me."
   "Aw, come on Bianca! You're doing just fine." Nora smiles at the girl, "Everyone just has their own pace-- ya know?"
   The blonde nods, "I know... I just hope that I can at least keep up with everyone and have fun with my Pokémon."
   "Bianca is actually quite brave." Cheren says, "Even if she doesn't get as serious about battling as me and Nora, she never misses out on a good opportunity... and when she really wants something, there's just no stopping her from getting it."
   Verdell chuckles, "Nora mentioned that your upbringing has been a little sheltered. Exploring the world is a great goal in itself, isn't it?"
   "Y-Yeah..." Bianca lowers her head, "My dad doesn't like the idea of me going out on a journey... I couldn't go to Pokémon School because he didn't want me to be 'in danger' as he put it. But I want to see the world and... it's really fun so far!" She has a broad smile.
   Nora nods in agreement, "Yep, you were so excited when Professor Juniper gave you and Cheren the OK to be certified trainers!"
   "Ah, um... Cheren is incredible in his own right though. He actually studied Pokémon and battle strategies long before Professor Juniper took us in!" Bianca looks at her friend, "He told me about things like type match-ups and everything even before we met Nora!"
   "..." Cheren smiles a little.
   "That's impressive." Verdell smiles, "You all are. Cheren has intelligence, and Bianca has courage... and I think Nora has a lot of kindness. We've been traveling for a while, but you haven't told me quite as much about yourself."
   Nora rubs her head, "Well... my hometown is Anville Town and I moved to Nuvema Town since Professor Juniper took me in as an assistant. Most of my family is back in Anville and... Well, I love learning new things."
   "Nora, that's not all." Bianca pouts, "You met Cheren and me not too long after you came to town, and only a month after that we were invited to work at the lab too, since you mentioned to Professor Juniper that Cheren and I wanted to learn more about Pokémon and become trainers!"
   "Not that you gave her much choice, Bianca." Cheren smiles. Then he looks at Verdell, "But I think you're right, Nora is very kind. She could have turned Bianca down, but she didn't do that. She also showed us how to get along with Pokémon... Everything turned out so great since the three of us met."
   "It certainly sounds like it! So what is your family like?" Verdell looks at Cheren.
   "Well, my parents are pretty normal I guess." Cheren says, "They always supported me, and I'm grateful for that. When I wasn't accepted into Pokémon School, I had to go to a normal school, but they still got me some of the books so I could study Pokémon in my free time."
   "My mom is supportive... When we left, mom had to keep dad distracted so I could leave the house without him knowing." Bianca rubs her head, "But... I gotta be careful now..."
   Nora looks at her, "Why?"
   "...Mom called me not too long ago, dad left the house and is looking for me."
   Nora glances at Cheren with a worried face before looking at Bianca, "Hey, if we see him we'll let you know so you at least have a heads up?"
   Cheren nods, "You know you can count on us."
   "Ah... thank you." Bianca says.
   "Heheh." Verdell chuckles, "Then we have something in common, Bianca. Being chased by people close to us... Let me know if you need help escaping. I'm pretty good at it!"
   "If you have any recommendations on good places to hide it'd be great?" She has a hopeful look in her eyes.
   "Well, I usually have to hide in places I'm not familiar with, so I have a few tricks up my sleeve." Verdell smiles as he digs into his bag... "Ah, here it is. I'll give it to you." He hands her a TM. "I got it during my travels... It's called Secret Power. If you teach that to your Pokémon they'll be able to set up a secret base for you in places like trees and bushes. If you set up a new one all traces of the one you had before will vanish, too, so it's great for shaking off bounty hunters and other persistent people." He grins.
   "Oh wow... Thank you!" She chirps happily as she takes the disk.
   "That does sound very useful." Cheren smiles at Bianca, "If you find a good spot for it you'll have to invite us sometime!"
   "Maybe we can camp together one day!" She smiles between her friends, "I'm sure it'll be fun for us and our Pokémon!"
   There's a grin from Nora, "Count me in, I'm curious to see where you'll set up the base!"
   "Ah..." Bianca pauses as she looks at Verdell, "What about when you were a new trainer? What was your first Pokémon? What's your family like?"
   "Well, as Cheren said, my parents are the professors Rose, specialists in the study of grass type Pokémon. Summer was my first." He smiles, "She was only a Hoppip back then, but she was a rare green one. I got her as a birthday gift from my parents. Perhaps also because they wanted me to start out with a Pokémon that's easy to handle." He chuckles, "Although that may have been a miscalculation. She couldn't fight, but I had to run and save her so many times when the wind grabbed her while we were playing."
   "Ah, that's right. Hoppip travel by the air currents right?" Bianca looks at Nora who nods. "What's your mom and dad like? I bet they're super smart!"
   "They're nice parents. They always cared a lot for me and my brother and all of the Pokémon we grew up with around the Rose Lab... My mom is the kind who always puts the needs of others before herself. She's kind and gentle, and almost never yelled at me." He smiles a little as he looks down, "She didn't need to. Even though she's kind of meek, everyone listens to her because... she's just right, most of the time. She really does know what's best. As for my dad... he's a bit on the quiet side, except about research and other things that interest him. I'd say that he speaks more through actions than words. He's also a bit of a neat freak... and more lenient than my mom, so if I wanted permission to try something dangerous it was usually a better idea to ask him." He laughs, although it sounds a bit sad, "...Not that I asked either of them if I could go blow up the Pokémon League. I miss them, but if I ever see them again I'm not sure I could even look them in the face."
   "...But I bet they miss you, Verdell." Bianca responds, "And... maybe if they knew why you did that... I'm sure they'd understand...?" She tries to give him a hopeful smile...
   "Maybe, but I can't tell them." He shakes his head, "My mom isn't good with secrets; they weigh too heavily on her. It's... better this way."
   "Well... I hope one day you can tell them." Bianca says, "Because... I'm sure they miss you too..."
   "Yeah, I bet they do. But I can't tell them, no matter what. Don't try to convince me otherwise... I already decided that I'd rather be seen as a criminal than risk my secret getting out. Even by them."
   "I-I'm trying to say...!"
   Nora shakes her head, "She's saying that she hopes that you can stop running. That whatever the League is up to gets them in hot water instead of you, and that you can go home. Even if it's unbelievable, she still hopes that you'll have a happy ending."
   "..." He looks up with an apologetic smile, "It would be nice if it were possible for me to return, but... even if the Ydil League were gone, I still can't risk revealing my research. If it became widely known, others who would try to take advantage of it would surely appear."
   "I see..." Bianca lowers her head...
   "Aah... Please don't be sad?" He puts his hands up, "I do miss home, but things aren't so bad for me, really! I still have Summer and my other Pokémon... and I enjoy life on the run, too. I get to see so much of the world!"
   "Hmm. I have a different question..." Cheren says, "How did you become so good at battling if your first Pokémon could not even fight?"
   "Ah... heh. How about I answer that once you're strong enough to face me in a serious battle?" Verdell grins.
   "Very well. I will be strong enough to defeat you someday. Count on it!" Cheren smiles back.
   "Better make sure it's a one-on-one match, Cheren." Nora chuckles, "Remember what Verdell's speciality is?"
   Bianca looks at Nora with a smile, "I think he'll be okay, Cheren's pretty tricky too, Nora."
   "I need to be able to handle all kinds of battles to become the Champion." Cheren says, "I can't shy away from double battles."
   "Wise choice." Verdell nods, "I can't quite demonstrate the answer you asked of me in a single battle."
   "Something tells me that's going to be a vicious battle..." Nora muses, "Then again, I've never seen you battle seriously?"
   "To be honest, it's been a long time since I last did." He rubs his head, "Nowadays I usually flee from trainers that may be powerful enough to take me on."
   "...Actually, Verdell?" Nora leans back in her chair, "What was your Pokémon journey like? What made you want to become a Gym Leader?"
   "That's... I set out on my journey to research old tales and legends. I wasn't that focused on battling until... well, we got into a dangerous situation. My Pokémon worked together, and that's when I realized the potential of combining their power, if I were to focus their training on that... I did some research on each of my Pokémon and planned it all out carefully, and then of course I wanted to try it out... and the battle plan I had made proved very successful. It wasn't enough to defeat Champion Matthias, but since I was undisputedly the strongest trainer of my hometown, and on par with the strongest of the Gym Leaders, eventually I was offered the position. My Gym was quite infamous as one that few challengers made it past on their first try." He grins.
   "A dangerous situation?" Bianca tilts her head, "Did you run into a powerful Pokémon?"
   "Or did you run into a criminal group like Team Rocket?" Nora seems very curious.
   "Actually, Bianca is right." Verdell chuckles, "...That Pokémon was Stella."
   "Stella..." Nora blinks in surprise, "Your Mawile..."
   Verdell smiles, "So what about your family, Nora?"
   "Ah... well, I'm the youngest of two daughters. My mom and dad are supportive enough, even though mom does worry about me. My sister moved out and is working with the musical." Nora shrugs, "Nothing really special to be honest."
   Bianca tilts her head, "...But Nora... wasn't there...?"
   "Nothing really much, Bianca." She shakes her head.
   "Oh, so I'm not the only one with secrets." Verdell smirks at her.
   "Hush you." Nora pouts at him.
   Bianca looks at her, "But... you don't really talk about your family too much? I mean, you told us that your sister is a star in the Pokémon Musicals and your parents work in Castelia and Driftveil but... you never really say much about them?"
   "It would be nice to hear a bit more." Cheren agrees as he finishes his tea, placing the cup down...
   "...Well, mom and dad are trainers... Sis participated in the Gym Challenge years ago but lost interest when she didn't manage to get past the Elite Four, and now she focuses on the Musical. Mom was a talented trainer in her hometown, but she works in accounting now... while dad works near the Castelia docks as a manager for a warehouse." Nora rubs her head, "...To be honest, mom has been trying to push me to do the Gym Challenge because I didn't pay enough attention to battling. She says that if I focused on being a better trainer and not just a scientist maybe I'd be more accomplished. I had the chance to go to Pokémon School, but I wanted to become a Pokémon Professor, not a trainer like she and dad hoped."
   Bianca looks surprised, "Wait, but you didn't finish your education there...?"
   "Yeah... Let's just say that a lot of stuff happened." Nora glances at Bianca, "Professor Juniper took me in after I had the chance to present my research on the local ecosystem around Anville Town to her. I finished my education studying under her..."
   "Your family are Ace Trainers, I assume?" Verdell says, "I heard that it is common for them to encourage their children's careers as trainers, pushing them to improve whether it is their own choice or not. I had some challengers like that..."
   "Yeah, mom and dad were former Ace Trainers when they were younger and wanted us to be just like them. Patricia's always been outgoing and charismatic, but she did inherit mom's scary look when someone tries to be rude to her. Dad has always been supportive and was more than happy to show sis the ropes, but he loses his patience if someone doesn't understand things fast enough. But he never lost his temper with sis unless she did something bad." Nora sighs while shaking her head, "Because of how aggressive they were about training I didn't want to have anything to do with it... Dad would lose his temper when I was trying to understand certain concepts, and mom pushed to the point of lecturing me even when we were just out on a stroll... I honestly hated the idea of being a trainer because of them."
   "Dew?" Dewott looks at his trainer with a surprised look.
   There's a blink from Bianca, "Wait, so did they just focus on you after your sister gave up the challenge, or...?"
   "I think they did, but with more restrictions since my sister had a bit more freedom. Eventually, I got tired of listening to them ramble about 'what a trainer should be' and declared that I wanted to be a Pokémon Professor... Of course, now that I'm doing the Gym Challenge they're probably boasting about how their talks 'finally got through to me' and how 'it's all thanks to them'..."
   "Ace Trainers..." Cheren ponders, "I never expected having such skilled trainers for parents to be so rough. Or that your family were like that."
   "Hmm..." Verdell's smile looks a little amused, "So you're saying that in spite of having parents like that, you learned more about battling from Cheren?"
   "That's because Cheren was patient and didn't threaten to either kick me out of the house or disown me..." Nora has a dull look, "He actually covered the basics and was open to questions... Honestly, I'd prefer him as a teacher over most of the instructors or my own parents."
   "But we didn't know that your family was like that." Bianca says, "We always thought that your family was distant but... We didn't know your relationship with them was strained."
   Nora shakes her head, "No... just my parents. My sister and I are okay for the most part."
   "I had no idea your situation was like that." Cheren says, "I'm sorry to hear it. Still, I'm glad that I could help."
   "But that's impressive, Cheren." Verdell says, "And it's clear that your kindness paid off, then, Nora. You're all lucky to have each other."
   "Well... I guess I'm lucky that Bianca was so bold to approach me." Nora smiles at the blonde who just gives a sheepish smile.
   "I'm lucky you're kind and willing to listen, same with Cheren too-- I don't think I'd have come this far without him." Bianca looks between her two friends, "If it wasn't for either of you, I'd probably be running around blindly."
   "You can be a ditz, but you're still the one who brought us all together." Cheren says, "And we'll be counting on you to keep us together through this, too..." He looks from Bianca to Verdell, "I would ask you to tell me about Aina, but perhaps it's best if I don't. Lying is not my strong point, but I'll do what I can to be convincing."
   Verdell nods, "Well, I can tell you that she's sharp, so don't lie more than necessary to her. Play safe, and make sure you do not tempt fate with her."
   Nora sits back, "Actually, Verdell? Can I tell you something about when I first saw her?"
   "Hm?" He looks at her...
   "I thought at first that she was a steel type user, when I made eye contact with her... It felt like she was staring into my soul." She shivers a bit, "How in the world did you two even get together? You seem so different..."
   "Ah, heh..." He rubs his head, "I actually like that about her. You see, even before everything with the Pokémon League... Sometimes I'd get to hear that I'm odd or a bit of a mystery. Since I'm drawn towards the fairy type I guess it must be in my nature. Not that it's a mystery at all that I was very popular with the ladies, and... well, I caught Aina's attention because I'm a lot more interesting to her than someone she can see through completely at a glance. And I appreciate that she is able to understand me as well as she does. Even if it is rather troublesome when I'm trying to escape from her..."
   "It's kinda scary... How in the world did she even know that you'd come here anyway?"
   "I can't tell you how her sixth sense works, but it does." He chuckles, "It's not just her, though. I can understand her too... People with psychic powers are not always appreciated for it. Or the opposite, others may try to befriend them because of those powers rather than for who they are... Close relationships can be difficult for them since, too often, others do not view them as equals. And she's Elite Four, too... I do of course respect her power as a trainer, but that aside, I didn't treat her any differently... She enjoys that."
   "Sounds like you two were lovebirds before all of this." Bianca nods, "What's her sixth sense though? I heard the term but I'm not familiar with it...?"
   "Well, it means that she senses things normal people don't, in ways that can't be explained as anything but a psychic power... Like how she can tell my general whereabouts, even if we're much too far apart for her to see or hear me. She can of course use her power in other ways as well..."
   "Like what?" Nora tilts her head at this, "Making predictions?"
   Bianca looks at Nora, "But not all psychics have that... Do they...?"
   "Powers vary among psychic humans as it does among psychic Pokémon." Verdell says, "She can use it to make predictions, yes, but thankfully she does not actually see the future. I'd have been caught long ago if there was no way to surprise her."
   "If you can surprise her, she's not a mind reader, right?" Cheren asks.
   He shakes his head, "Don't worry... At times her sixth sense makes her seem like one, and it can be tricky to hide how you feel from her, but it's possible. She won't be able tell exactly what your thoughts are."
   "Well, that's a good thing at least." Nora smiles a bit, "We may be able to lose her a few times?"
   Cheren looks thoughtful, "Verdell, right after I exposed you, you said that you were planning to research something in Unova that would bring an end to this. Can you tell us about that? Is there anything we can do to help?"
   "..." He shakes his head, "Sorry. It's something I have to do on my own..."
   "Aw..." Bianca pouts, "The three of us are super good at researching... Well... Cheren and Nora are. I'm just good at finding the books."
   Nora smiles, "You always find the documents faster than us, Bianca."
   "That is unfortunate." Cheren stares at Verdell, "Would it not be safer for us too if you find what you are looking for?"
   "No." Verdell says, "I understand your motivation, but the three of you should not get more tangled up in my mess than you already are. As long as you do not know my reason for being here, if you are caught 'helping' me as Aina puts it, there's still a chance that it can be written off as you being tricked into trusting me."
   "...You mean that you want to make sure we don't find out what's really going on so it doesn't give Aina an excuse to send her knights against us?" Nora inquires.
   "She's going to do that anyway if she learns that you know even as much as you do now without reporting me." He looks at her, "But even if she arrests you for helping me, as long as you are unaware of my plans there's not much else she can do. I think you can expect to get fined, but that's it. Unless the law in Unova is harsher on those who help criminals than they are in Ydil."
   Nora glances at her friends, who glance back at her, "Well... ... ... Unfortunately... Unova is considered to have some of the harshest laws when it comes to criminal matters." She rubs her head, "... ...Even if our lawyers try to push that we were being manipulated... there's a risk that it would end worse than heavy fines..."
   Bianca looks down at this...
   "But as long as you are not actually useful to me your lawyers should have an easier time." Verdell looks at her, "If your only crime is that you did not report me, surely even Unova's laws won't be too hard on you?"
   "It would be worse if we knew about the crime-- It can be a three year jail sentence, though at best it would be a fine. But it would depend on if there was any clue that we knew what you were doing..."
   "Well, I dare say you don't have a clue what sort of mischief I'm up to." He grins a little.
   "I would say so since you're more vague than a riddle at this point." Nora shakes her head with a small smile.
   "It's for the best. But if all goes well, my research in Unova will not remain a secret. You will surely know it then."
   "Wha...?" She blinks at this.
   Bianca pouts, "What do you mean? If it's going to be known anyway, why keep it quiet?"
   "I keep silent now as a precaution, in case things turn out differently from how I hope they will."
   Nora pouts at this, "Verdell... this better not be dangerous..."
   He tilts his head, "Does it matter? Can my life be more dangerous than it already is?"
   "It matters when the danger may be harmful to you."
   "Truth to tell, I don't know how dangerous it will be yet. But if the risk turns out to be too high, I'll stop, alright?"
   "We'll be holding you to that!" Bianca smiles wide.
   Nora sighs at this, "Well, let's hope things don't intensify from here."
   "We'll manage somehow." Cheren says, "We're in this together, so none of us will be alone. But I've got to ask you about this..." He holds his bag up.
   Verdell blinks, smiling a little, "It's not stolen. Nor did I use stolen funds to get you those... You don't have to worry."
   "So where did you get the funds for them?"
   "Treasure hunting. My crew and I are quite good at it." He reaches into his bag and places a glass bottle full of pearls on the table as proof. "Your concern is fair, of course... But using the funds I stole from the Ydil League is always a risk, so I prefer to do that in places where I don't intend to stay long. I assumed that if the International Police found you, you'd point them straight my way."
   "...Very well, I believe you. Thanks."
   "..." Verdell nods, putting the pearl bottle back before he takes out his Pokéquip, leaning back as he begins to tap at it...
   Nora looks at him, "Whatcha doing?"
   "Contacting Agent Hazel. The stakes suddenly got higher, so I need to swap some of my crew..." He keeps tapping on it, "Speaking of the International Police, if I were to use a Pokémon Center to do this it won't even be five minutes before I'll have them on my tail."
   "Agent Hazel?" Cheren looks at him, "I thought you worked alone... So you do have an accomplice?"
   "...A few." Verdell chuckles as eventually a tapping sound returns from the Pokéquip, and he takes one of his Pokéballs... "Sorry to do this before you've had a chance to commit mutiny. I know that you understand the gravity of the situation, so save it for when I return, alright?" He holds it against the Pokéquip, and it disappears! In a moment a different Pokéball appears in its place...
   "...! You have your own transfer system?" Bianca blinks in surprise at this.
   "That seems very useful..." Cheren watches with interest too.
   "Yes, but it's a makeshift solution... Pokéquips don't normally do this, but Hazel is good with electronics, so she was able to do some modifications..." Verdell says as he taps it a few times again before putting it away, "It requires her to manage things from the PC in my Gym, though."
   "That's right..." Cheren says, "Your Gym was styled as a pirate ship. It used to be an attraction for children whose parents wanted to enjoy the garden around the Rose Lab in peace and quiet... Then, you used it to escape. So it's somewhere in Unova now?"
   "...I suspect it would not do me much good to deny that."
   "If you deny it, we'll just find out sooner or later." Nora chuckles as her Dewott takes a seat on her lap, tired of standing up.
   Bianca nods with a grin, "Nothing escapes our eyes or ears!"
   "Alright, alright, it is in Unova." Verdell laughs, "Or at least somewhere around it."
   "Well, well..." Nora smiles, "I guess that's one more thing for me to watch out for while we're traveling."
   "Indeed, watch out so you don't get shanghaied. We could always use more deck scrubbers!" Verdell grins.
   "Deck scrubbers?" There's a raised brow from Bianca, "I'd be more worried about your Pokémon doing a mutiny like you mentioned?"
   "Heheh... Truth to tell, that used to be a show we put on for the kids. After I played the bad captain for a while some of my Pokémon would join forces with them. We'd have a little mock battle that ends with the kids winning, then I get taken captive and bossed around for a while in turn. Depending on what needed to be done, sometimes it meant I got to scrub my own deck."
   "That sounds like fun." Nora chuckles.
   "Dew!" Dewott barks as he takes a scalchop and points it at Verdell like a cutlass!
   "What? You're still angry?" Verdell looks at Dewott, "You're not my Pokémon, so you can't do mutiny against me, I'm afraid."
   "No..." Nora rubs the Dewott's head, "I think he's trying to do a pirate impression..."
   There's a nod from the water Pokémon as he puts the little weapon away.
   "..." Verdell tilts his head, "...You want to play something like that too, is that it?"
   "Dew." Dewott nods.
   There's a chuckle from his trainer, "He's always liked roughhousing, and since he needs to learn how to use his scalchop properly it might be a good chance for him."
   "...Do I look like a practise target?" Verdell puts his hands up, "It's not like my Pokémon would ever hurt me in any serious way when we play mutiny..."
   "Soujiro wouldn't attack any human unless they try to hurt Nora or any of us." Bianca shakes her head, "He can be a bit rough, but he's rather earnest, and aside from swatting at someone with his paws he wouldn't do that...?"
   Nora nods at this, "I taught him not to attack people unless there's an emergency. You don't need to worry, Verdell?"
   "...Sorry, mate, but you did sort of shoot me down earlier." He gives an apologetic smile to the Dewott, "I know that Nora was hurt by the truth, but what could I have done? I really did try my best to escape without hurting anyone... I mean, I could have let Shimmer fight when I got cornered, but blowing up the building wasn't really my goal there..." He rubs his head...
   "Dew dew, wott dew dewott." Dewott responds to him, "Wott wott, dew dewott."
   Nora looks at him, "...I think he understands what you mean."
   "To be fair, we couldn't be sure that you wouldn't go that far." Cheren says, "You did threaten to do it before you fled."
   "...That's true, I did... It was the only way I could think of to make Ghetsis back off, after the look he gave me. Speaking of which... If I want to stay in Unova I cannot risk angering Ghetsis again. So if Team Plasma causes any more trouble I will not be able to help you." He looks down, "You should be careful with those Sages... They're incredibly powerful."
   "We didn't miss that." Nora looks at him, "It's already clear they can steamroll us with minimal effort."
   Verdell nods, "Without Polly, my chances to escape him were pretty slim even had you not also gotten in my way."
   "Ghetsis..." Nora furrows her brow, "I can't help but feel like there's something familiar about him aside from all those appearances and rallies."
   Bianca looks at her friend, "Did you forget? He was in the semi-finals for the Pokémon League Challenge some thirty years ago. Cheren showed us the documentary about accidents in battles remember?"
   "...! Wait, he was the one who--?"
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, "He lost to Alder, and he was severely wounded in that battle."
   "Yikes..." A shiver runs through Nora, "That was very hard to watch..."
   Bianca looks down, "But still, it's clear that he's still a powerful trainer."
   "He is the sort who learns from his mistakes. I dare say he is more powerful now than he was then." Verdell says.
   Nora shakes her head, "But we have other things to think about-- Like our Gym Battle!"
   "Oh!" Bianca covers her mouth as she remembers.
   "Indeed, it would be good if you finish it soon." Verdell nods, "The sooner we can leave Castelia the better..."
   "I already got the badge, so I plan to head on to Nimbasa City." Cheren says, "But before that I'll see if I can track down Aina."
   "Right." Bianca nods at this.
   "After the Gym Battle, I'll probably see if we can't rush to Nimbasa as well..." Nora says.
   "I should warn you, Aina has people out watching the Gym." Cheren looks at her, "She and Rylan appeared right after I won, and judging by Rylan's comment they were expecting you instead of me."
   "I had better stay away from there anyway..." Verdell says, "Burgh must not see me around either."
   "..." Nora frowns, "Rylan probably wants to battle me... I know that his team has gotten considerably stronger than before. And I still only have Soujiro and Hector... I'll need to move quickly or ask if I can use the back door."
   "We could go together." Cheren says, "If Aina's people are outside when we get there I'll approach first and ask them about her. If not I'll wait there until they appear. If they lead me to Aina, there's a chance Rylan will be there too. I'll try to distract him from you."
   "That sounds fantastic..." Nora gives a thankful smile...
   Bianca smiles, "We can meet up here after you're done."
   "And I'll help think of something to convince Aina." Verdell says.
   "Sounds like a plan." Cheren nods.

The next morning, Nora is walking alongside Cheren as she keeps an eye out for Rylan and Aina... When they get closer to the Gym, Cheren walks ahead to see if the coast is clear. There are mostly civilians about. A few are sitting down with something to eat, but there are two in particular who appear to be doing some kind of poll close to the Gym... He approaches them. One of them notices him, "Greetings young man, would you like to participate in our poll?"
   "Sure, if you'll answer a question for me as well. I'm looking for Aina of the Ydil League. I know that she's in Castelia City. Have you seen her?"
   "..." The two look at one another.
   "It's important. She's a blonde with golden eyes, about this tall..." Cheren shows with his hand.
   "...Yeah... we saw her near the fountain." One of them responds, "Why do you ask?"
   "I think something dangerous may be going on, so I need to speak with her about it. If I can answer your questions quickly I'll go look for her."
   "We can guide you to her if it's an emergency?"
   "Yeah, especially since she's an Elite Four member."
   Cheren nods, "That would be great, if you know how to find her. Are you with her, then?"
   "No, we're just dutiful citizens who do not wish for anything dangerous to happen."
   "Especially after hearing about what happened to Nacrene City's museum."
   "That was Team Plasma, right?" Cheren looks around... "Ah... Nora." He waves to her to come over.
   "Cheren?" Nora approaches.
   "Verdell is not with you? ...Are you going to challenge the Gym?" Cheren is keeping an unusually straight face!
   "Yeah, he said that he had to take care of something. So I'm going to be challenging the Gym alone." She smiles a bit.
   "I see. Will he be coming here to meet you once he's done?"
   "No." She shakes her head, "He said to meet up with him at Castelia Street. Something about a Pokémon Massage place he wanted to check out."
   "That sounds interesting. Well, good luck with your Gym Challenge!" He smiles.
   "Thanks, Cheren. I'll see you later!" She makes her way inside the Gym.
   Cheren turns to the two statisticians, "Shall we be on our way?"
   "Yes..." The man nods as he begins to show the way. Cheren is quiet as he follows, he seems a little tense... The woman is trailing behind them, typing something on her Pokéquip before walking at a normal pace. Before long they approach the fountain where Aina sits, reading a paper... She looks up, taking notice of them.
   "That's her. Thanks for showing me here." Cheren says to his guides before approaching her.
   "..." Aina makes a gesture with her hand, and the guides leave... She watches him, "...Why did you seek me out?"
   Cheren stops in front of her, "Do you need to ask? I told you yesterday that I looked into Verdell's past."
   "..." She seems to be reading him carefully... He looks nervous, although he is trying his best not to show it. "...The truth is disturbing to you, you said?"
   "Yes! ...That is, I'm concerned." His hand trembles a little as he adjusts his glasses, "...He's been acting so nice to us, but he's very dangerous, right? I don't know what may happen if I reveal him, but I can't just keep silent about this either. S-So I thought you'd know what the best course of action would be."
   "...For now I am seeking the best opportunity to arrest him." She responds, "However, that is easier said than done. Judging by your words... Are you offering assistance?"
   He lowers his hand, "...If you think I can be of help. I don't want Nora to get in trouble because of him... Or for anything like what happened in Ydil to happen here."
   "...I cannot trust you immediately, as I'm sure you understand." She speaks calmly, "...However."
   "Y-Yes?" He looks at her...
   "...If you can do me a small favor, it would be appreciated. Watch him carefully and inform one of my knights."
   "I would, but I don't know where he is right now. I went back to the Gym to look for you just as Nora came to challenge it, but he wasn't with her. But..." He looks towards Castelia Street, "She mentioned that they agreed to meet up by the Pokémon Massage later."
   "Hrm..." She glances there before taking out her Pokéquip, typing down a few things before putting it away and looking at him, "...My thanks for the information. Now let's see if it does happen."
   "..." Cheren is silent for a moment. Finally he takes a breath, "...I don't expect you to trust me, but what reason would I have to lie? ...Can you at least tell me what you meant earlier? What's going to happen to Nora if she keeps traveling with him?"
   "...Curious are you?" She looks at him, "...How familiar are you with people such as myself?"
   He looks back at her, "I've never met anyone like you before. But I would like to learn more."
   "Those who are born with a sixth sense can have moments where we sense something amiss, or for a brief moment see something that otherwise would make no sense to us." She explains, "...While some would see this as a blessing, at times it is more akin to a curse."
   "..." Cheren heads over to sit next to her, "Wouldn't it depend on how you choose to use it?"
   "It does, though the curse comes from those who seek to abuse it." She glances at him.
   "Is that why you're wary of me?" He asks.
   "Why else?"
   "...I don't understand. I asked because what you said about my friend worries me. If others have taken advantage of you before I can see why you're cautious, but my goal here is just to keep Nora safe... and everyone else, too."
   "...That vision I saw... It did not involve Verdell as far as I could see."
   He looks surprised, "It didn't? But then, what does it mean? I don't know of any other dangerous thing she's involved with..."
   "...It means that she had been pulled into it before she met him." Aina looks at him.
   "But that's not possible. I've known her for a long time... She would tell me if she knew anything dangerous was going on."
   "Perhaps... but even the smallest of things can lead to something bigger." She crosses her arms, thinking carefully before looking at Cheren, "...Do you really wish to know?"
   He hesitates for a moment, but then he nods, "...Yes. If she's in trouble, I can't do anything to help if I don't know."
   "Before her I saw a great beast, dark as pitch. Great lightning bolts danced around it, as though it were the heart of a terrible storm." She closes her eyes, "I had seen it briefly at the museum, but... I'm afraid that is all I could make out of such a brief moment."
   "That's... an odd vision. Could that beast be a wild Pokémon? I've watched a lot of battles between strong trainers, but I've never seen any who used a Pokémon like that... But Nora studies Pokémon in the wild, so maybe it means she may run into a dangerous one while she's out doing research. I'll have to warn her to be careful..."
   "If you so wish, if I see more visions of your friend I shall let you know."
   "Thank you." Cheren nods, looking around, "I noticed Rylan isn't here. Does he know about Verdell?"
   "...I did not tell him, as I do not wish for the Unova League to be pulled into matters from the Ydil League." Aina states, "At the moment, he's training at the Battle Company..."
   "I see. Perhaps in a way it was lucky that I got interrupted yesterday... It gave me more time to think through this. Truth to tell, I had a hard time sleeping last night because I couldn't stop thinking about... everything. I'll try not to drag more people into this."
   "...Stay alert and keep me informed of Verdell's movements." She responds, "...I will let my knights know that you are an informant."
   "I'll do what I can to help. Even if he wasn't in your vision about Nora, things aren't safe as long as he's on the loose, right? ...Since he agreed to mentor her and is making an effort to seem like a nice person, do you think he's plotting to do something in Unova? Oh, and what's your number in case I need to call you?"
   "...He doesn't go to places such as this on a whim. But why here, only time will tell." She takes out a card and hands it to Cheren...
   "Thanks." He says as he takes it, "I'll give you mine as well." As he puts the card away he takes out a small notebook, and after scribbling his number on it he tears it out and gives it to her...
   She takes and pockets it, "...I ask that you keep quiet to Rylan about this."
   "I'll be careful not to reveal anything around him. He and I aren't exactly friends, but no one deserves to get hurt by a terrorist..." Cheren looks at her, "...Can I ask you again why Verdell did all that? I know you weren't really in Kalos when it happened. You know, right?"
   "..." She closes her eyes, "...I'm afraid that it's a sensitive matter that I cannot disclose. It is the order of Ydil's Champion to the members of the Elite Four that we cannot share it with the public."
   "Hmm. It all seems so strange, though. So what do you see in someone like him? If you're really a couple still, like he claims."
   "..." She glances to the side, "... ...He is the only one who ever respected me as a person. And treated me as such, not as someone to be exploited or feared. He is someone I hold in high respect, even if he is lazy about caring for himself, and annoying when he plays pirate."
   "As far as I could tell he's actually terrified of you. Or of being caught, at least. He still spoke highly of you in spite of that, so I thought it was weird. There's so much about him that feels off... Why does a person who everyone says loved the Pokémon League suddenly go blow it up...? Or run away from his girlfriend, but still claim to be a couple?" Cheren leans back a bit, crossing his arms, "But whatever happened, it can't be true that he's the only one who respects you, or who you respect... Not if you chose the Pokémon League over him."
   "..." Her eyes turn sharp as she watches him carefully...
   He meets her eyes, "I'm not wrong, am I?"
   "I suggest you hold your tongue, unless you wish for me to end our agreement."
   "...!" He quickly looks away, "Sorry. I just can't help being curious. Whatever his reasons, he made his decision first, so I'm not trying to blame you."
   "I cannot disclose it to anyone. I am a knight who is under oath, and I will not betray the trust of our Champion." Aina responds firmly, "I suggest you restrain that curiosity lest you walk blindly into danger."
   "Fair advice... It seems I am prone to doing that lately. But isn't it a good thing that you have a Champion you can trust and respect? Not all of us are that lucky."
   "Champion Matthias is powerful and clever, but his fury is unmatched should one threaten the region." She looks at him, "Do you not regard your own Champion well?"
   "Well... I wish."
   "How do you mean?"
   "Champion Alder is very powerful too. I used to look up to him, but he's been neglecting his duties, and people and Pokémon suffer because of that."
   "And so you seek to take his crown?"
   "I'm taking the Pokémon League Challenge for my own reasons. I just want to prove to everyone that I'm a strong trainer."
   "How do you plan to be strong?"
   "Through hard work. I was able to study Pokémon under Professor Juniper, and now that I'm finally on this journey I'll put my knowledge to use and raise my Pokémon to be the best they can be."
   "Professor Juniper?" She raises a brow, glancing at the paper in her hand.
   "Yes." He nods, "She's a great professor. I was able to learn so much thanks to her."
   "Hrm... Curious..."
   "Hm?" Cheren looks at her...
   "...Nothing... Though I would not read the article that your League released a couple of days ago."
   "What?" Cheren looks puzzled, "Have I missed something important? What was it about?"
   "...Before I tell you, mind telling me what responsibilities your Champion neglected?"
   "Well, I heard that he's usually not even at the Pokémon League to begin with. He's left the Elite Four to rule on their own, but all they ever do is argue."
   "And I assume that each member has their own responsibilities aside from maintaining their position?"
   "I don't know a lot about that, to be honest. But Nora is taking the challenge because she wants to stop them from doing projects that will harm wild Pokémon."
   "Did you know that one of them is the head of a newsletter that's released weekly?"
   "I've heard of it, but it's mostly about stuff that doesn't interest me. I prefer to read about Pokémon and things that will help me become a better trainer."
   "Hrm... The article wrote of a Cedric Juniper who was renowned for his study of Pokémon ecology. It wrote that perhaps it would've been best had he not retired... I assumed that perhaps he returned until you mentioned the professor is a woman?"
   "Ah, yes. I studied under Aurea Juniper. Cedric is her father."
   "I see..." Her brow furrows a bit, "The article does not speak well of her..."
   "What? What did it say?"
   "It wrote that despite being the daughter of the famous professor, she had not inherited her father's genius. It was particularly critical of her lecture on the study of the origins of the Pokémon of Unova. Stating that her presentation was... lackluster?"
   "...That's weird. In science, as long as the facts are right it doesn't matter if the presentation isn't flashy. Makes me wonder if the Elite Four really have nothing better to do."
   "Perhaps. It seemed rather critical of anyone who's against any projects that the League is working on." She shrugs, "Matters aside, do you have any other questions?"
   "Yes. Can you tell me more about the Ydil League? Aside for that incident with Verdell, it seems the general impression is that it's a very good Pokémon League."
   "Well, the Ydil League is old... We pride ourselves on our ability to judge strength of character. If someone is recognized, it's because of their talents and wisdom. Not for their titles, gender, or other such nonsense that seems to be a requirement elsewhere."
   "I wish Unova was more like that. So your Champion, what's he like?"
   "Champion Matthias... otherwise known as the King of Dragons. He is powerful, and takes pride in using his power for the people. While he can be a little foolish at times... he generally means well. But he's prone to fits of rage."
   "But he does not lose control, does he? I can imagine that he must have been furious with Verdell, but in front of the media he still managed to put up a calm front..."
   "That was after he challenged myself, Donar, and Pierre to a three-on-one battle."
   "...Did he win?"
   "Yes."
   "That's... terrifying."
   "It is with good reason he's been able to keep his position for so long."
   "Being Elite Four in Ydil must be a handful, then. Now I almost feel sorry for Verdell if he's caught."
   "It's only a handful when Matthias is enraged about something. Though Verdell has seen his wrath before."
   "Really? You'd think he'd know better then... What did he do?"
   "It was not what Verdell had done... One of his challengers insulted the integrity of the League Challenge." Aina looks at the water of the fountain, "The challenger who battled Verdell for his last badge was so frustrated after losing to him for the third time that he yelled at him. Matthias overheard that and was furious. He asked the challenger if he dared to battle him right there and then."
   "Verdell mentioned that his Gym was notorious for being hard to clear on the first try. I'd expect that means he has some trick that becomes easier to handle when you have already seen it once..." Cheren ponders, "That challenger can't have been too clever. I can understand that it would be frustrating to lose that many times with only one Gym left, but saying yes to a challenge that you should know you're not ready for yet would definitely be unwise..."
   "Yet this challenger was convinced that he was capable of battling Matthias. He spoke of how much he hated double battles because he was more used to singles." She sighs, "...Needless to say, he was soundly defeated and given the lecture of his life after facing the full wrath of Matthias in their battle."
   "Matthias must be someone who takes his duties very seriously. Did he and Verdell ever battle?"
   "Yes... Verdell lost to him multiple times." She nods, "Matthias takes his duties as Champion seriously indeed, so he does not take it well when the name of the Ydil League or its members are tarnished. For no good reason, or worse, if the corruption is real... If it comes to his attention the offender will regret it. He is not one to cross, or insult."
   "I wouldn't dream of it." Cheren smiles, "But someday, I will be strong enough to challenge even him."
   "Make sure you're well prepared." She smirks, "When he goes all out, even the terrain is affected."
   "I only have three badges so far, so I still have a long way to go before I get there. But I'll definitely make it. I wonder if Matthias is even stronger than Alder... He's been Unova's Champion for a longer time, but you make it sound like Matthias may be stronger as a person..."
   "Hrm... what made your Champion lose heart?"
   "They said that it's because his first Pokémon died. It's been a long time, but it seems he still hasn't moved on from that."
   "I see. Perhaps his heart was never ready for that."
   "Yeah. I feel sorry for him, but he's still the Champion. He can't just let everything fall apart around him like this, or ignore when people and Pokémon suffer."
   "Has he not done anything?" She raises a brow, "The Champion still has the last word in most situations. I find it difficult to comprehend a Champion doing nothing."
   "We don't hear a lot about him anymore. The news focus more on the Gym Leaders now since some of them have stepped up to take charge when the Elite Four can't get along. It seems they can do whatever they like. There's also Team Plasma who have been gaining a lot of followers lately."
   "Team Plasma... The ones who tried to steal the skull from the museum."
   "Yes. I don't trust them. They refer to their leader as their king, but he never appears in public, and a group called the Seven Sages do all the speaking on his behalf. They try to talk people into releasing all their Pokémon, which has led to some of their followers going too far and stealing Pokémon from others." Cheren frowns, "That's what happened when I had to run yesterday. Bianca's Pokémon got stolen, but we were able to get it back."
   "Hrm..." There's a frown, "Why would...? It's one thing releasing a Pokémon if it was being rehabilitated after an injury, but..."
   "I don't get it either." Cheren shakes his head, "They claim that Pokémon suffer from being with their trainers, but that's not true at all."
   "How odd... In Ydil, the only time someone's Pokémon would be taken away is either when abuse is confirmed, or if they had been using the Pokémon for illegal activities." She has a grim look, "Citizens are to report any such suspicions, but acting on them as a vigilante group is frowned upon. What they are doing is no better than those they claim to be against."
   "I agree. If they really believed what they're saying they should start by releasing their own Pokémon, anyway." Cheren looks at her, "So what happens to Pokémon that are taken from a criminal in Ydil?"
   "Depending on the situation, the abused Pokémon are usually sent to be rehabilitated. Either to a Pokémon Lab for proper care, or to trusted Pokémon Rangers. Under some circumstances they may be released to the wild, such as if they were captured in a reserve or are critically endangered. Conservation of rare populations is a major focus for us, so we do our best to keep them healthy. Not just for the sake of the species, but also in the interest of worthy trainers who can be trusted to take good care of them." She thinks carefully, "Pokémon that have been used for illegal activities are more difficult since they were often raised for those purposes. So it's a matter of teaching them not to do such things. We will search for a trainer who is trustworthy by the standards of the League to accept the Pokémon, or send them to a ranch where they can be among their own species in order to encourage a more natural behavior and break bad habits."
   "Hmm. I wonder if Verdell raised his Pokémon to be outlaws all along... I think at least one of them knows how to steal. But they seemed very close, so I don't think they'll be happy if they're taken from him..."
   "I would be very shocked if they were not close after all these years."
   "Are you really going to send his Pokémon off to new trainers after you catch him? I may not know everything that's going on, but if someone did that to my Pokémon I don't think I'd forgive them." He shudders, "... ...But then again, I'll just stay out of illegal activities."
   "It would depend on the situation. However, it's likely that they will be sent to his family's lab."
   "I see. This situation must be rough for his family... Verdell will get lifetime in prison, I assume."
   "It's likely." She sighs, "The whole region was in an uproar about what happened, demanding him captured and brought to justice. I haven't seen home for such a long time."
   "I hope you'll be able to get him soon, but... do you think the two of you are still going to be happy in the end, in spite of everything?"
   "..." She falls silent...
   He looks aside, "S-Sorry. I don't mean to be nosy. I'm just amazed that you're actually a couple still. At least when he's caught it'll stop being a long-distance relationship, but what I mean is... do you think someone like him can change?"
   "...I want to believe that. However, I do not know after everything that has happened."
   "Then, if he doesn't... can you still accept him the way he is? ...He had no problem admitting that he still loves you, even as we were teasing him about it."
   "..." She closes her eyes.
   "..." Cheren is silent...
   "...I do... But he still needs to face justice for what happened to the League."
   "Yeah... I think it's amazing that you can have such a strong relationship in spite of your differences, though."
   "My thanks."

Meanwhile, in the Castelia City Gym, Nora is greeted by many paintings on walls that look as though they're covered with honey... But otherwise the room is empty, and there does not seem to be any way forward. "Honey...?" She blinks as she looks around... She approaches one of the honey walls and pokes it. The 'honey' is pushed back slightly upon being touched... It feels bouncy rather than sticky... She blinks, and taking a deep breath, she uses both hands to push against it. It is pushed back more, and more... until suddenly it rebounds, throwing her back! "Woah...!" She stumbles, "...If that's the case, is it the same with the others, I wonder..." Nora goes to each of the honey walls and tries to push against them. But the other walls feel solid, so she looks at the first one again... Taking a few steps back, she charges at it! When she tackles it full force, suddenly a hole breaks up, letting her through before it closes behind her, and she falls face first into the floor! "... ... ..." She gets up and rubs her forehead that's turning a bit red, looking around... Right in front of her is a floor switch... She is in a small hexagonal room, with similar painting and honey-covered walls as the one she came from, and to her right there appears to be more such rooms... She can see another wall like the one she just went through, but there are bars in front of it... And a second floor switch is visible in the furthest room... "Hm..." She steps on the one in front of her. A green light is turned on at the top of a pillar next to the barred honey wall! ...But otherwise, nothing seems to happen... Nora crosses her arms at this, then she approaches the furthest room with the second switch. A green light appears on a pillar at the other side of the honey wall, and the bars are raised, opening her path! She rolls her shoulders as she begins to force her way through the honey wall. Several switches, honey walls, and a few dead ends later, Nora finally finds her way into a different-looking room... The floor is an ominous purple spiral, and ahead of her equally purple stairs lead upwards... "...He's probably up there..." She mutters, taking a deep breath before she begins to make her way up the stairs... At the top, she reaches a great platform where Burgh is busy working on a painting. He doesn't seem to have noticed her yet... Nora tilts her head as she approaches him... It looks like he's painting the tree in the secret park, decorated with Bug-type Pokémon... She takes a few steps back and waits for him to move the brush away from the canvas, "...That's a lovely painting."
   "Hmm? Thanks." Burgh smiles to her, "Oh, you're the trainer from yesterday... How did everything go?"
   "..." Nora lowers her head, "...Ghetsis had him taken away. He won't be a danger to Unova."
   "That's good to hear. I have to thank you for that, too... It's a relief that he was caught and not running loose on the streets of Castelia. But I'm sorry for the pain you must be going through... He tricked everyone, it seems."
   "..." She shakes her head before looking at him with a sad smile, "...Don't worry about it. It's not the first time... and it won't be the last, I'm guessing."
   "Oh, don't think like that. There's many great people out there, too. I'm sure you'll get to meet them on your journey... Since you're here, I'm guessing that you plan to continue it, hmm?"
   She smiles a bit as she takes out a Pokéball, "I'd be insulting my Pokémon and my own beliefs if I stopped here."
   "Alright, give me just a moment..." He picks his painting up and walks off with it to place it safely out of the way before returning, "My bug Pokémon are scurrying with excitement about getting to battle the heroine who saved Castelia. Let's get straight to it!" He throws his Pokéball, and out comes a Whirlipede!
   "Come on, Hector!" Nora tosses the Pokéball, showing Aron who looks intense now! He's watching the Whirlipede carefully...
   "Gyro Ball!" Burgh points at Aron, and Whirlipede rolls straight for him!
   "Curse!!" Nora yells out as the Aron glows violet! He winces a bit from the hit but he doesn't seem too phased.
   "Rollout!" Whirlipede speeds up a bit, continuing to tackle into Aron!
   "Aerial Ace!!" Aron's front leg glows as it slams into the Whirlipede! It is knocked back a bit, but it does not stop. It is only getting faster and faster as it keeps running over Aron, hitting heavier each time!
   Nora smiles a bit, "Rock Tomb!!"
   "ARR!!" The Aron tears out a part of the arena and throws it at the Whirlipede!
   "Rock Climb!" Burgh counters! Whirlipede bounces over the rock towards Aron...!
   "Aerial Ace!!" Nora yells out as Aron slashes at the Whirlipede! It nonetheless lands heavily on him before rolling off again!
   "..." Nora frowns a bit as she sizes the situation up, "Use Curse again!!" Aron glows violet again...
   "Alright, let's try a Pin Missile!" Whirlipede stops and begins to fire off sharp spikes towards Aron!
   "Metal Claw...!"
   "AR!" Aron begins to charge towards the Whirlipede with one of his forearms glowing...!
   "Mmhm. Protect!" Burgh says, and a shield appears in front of Whirlipede just before Aron strikes!
   "Ar!" The Aron backs off, surprised for a moment before snorting and growling.
   "I see..." Nora mutters to herself, "Well then, Rock Tomb!" Aron grabs a new part of the ground and slams it onto the Whirlipede! The shield shatters! Whirlipede seems to have taken a heavy blow from that, but then...
   "Struggle Bug!" Whirlipede thrashes about wildly against Aron!
   "Ar...!" Aron is pushed back a bit, his breathing is starting to sound labored... Nora's brow furrows, "Hector-- Stealth Rock!" There's a growl as the Aron slams its front legs into the ground, and the hovering rocks erupt from the floor!
   "Keep it up, Whirlipede!" Burgh calls out, and it keeps on thrashing against Aron!
   "Aerial Ace!!"
   "ARR!!!" Aron snarls as he leaps and slashes towards Whirlipede! It is knocked out!
   Burgh calls it back... "Snick! My switch was turned on!" He says as he throws his next Pokéball, and out comes a Dwebble!
   "Snick?" Nora tilts her head at the same time as her Aron.
   "Ar?"
   The Dwebble is quite bothered by the floating rocks slamming into its shell, but it hurries to get through them. Burgh smiles a little at her confusion, "Use Rock Blast!" Dwebble begins to fire off rocks at Aron!
   "Harden!!" Aron narrows his eyes as he braces himself, his shell shining a bit though he seems to be getting tired...! Dwebble keeps on shooting! "Metal Claw!!"
   "Arrr!!" Aron begins to charge at Dwebble! He looks irritated about the rocks getting thrown at him!
   "Wait for it... aaand... Counter!" Burgh's Dwebble strikes back hard...!
   "Hector!" Nora's eyes widen as her Aron is sent flying, landing on the ground next to her-- He seems to have been knocked out. "...You did good buddy, take a rest." She calls him back into his Pokéball and takes another from her bag, "I feel kinda silly right now, I forgot how durable Dwebble's shells can be."
   "You're not the first." Burgh smiles, "But the battle is not over yet, is it?"
   "Nope, I still have some friends with me." Nora smiles as she tosses the Pokéball up, "Soujiro! Let's go!" There's a flash of light as the otter appears, judging by his stance he is ready to fight.
   "Now there's our town hero! Let's give him a warm welcome, Dwebble!"
   "Dwebble!" It gives Dewott a friendly wave with a claw, at the same time as light seems to be gathering around it...!
   "Oh dear-- Water Gun!!!" Dewott was waving back a bit before suddenly firing off a strong stream of water from his maw!
   "Dweb--!!" Dwebble is knocked out!
   "Saw me through there, eh?" Burgh calls it back, "Could it be time to bug out of here...? No, no. I refuse to be squashed!" He sends out a Leavanny!
   "Leav--!" It is struck by the rocks, but leaps through them in a moment!
   "Razor Leaf!" It sends off a flurry of sharp leaves against Dewott!
   "Air Slash!!" Taking both of his scalchops, Dewott begins to fire off cutting winds towards Leavanny before he falls backwards from the sharp leaves!
   Leavanny seems to be taking severe damage as well, but suddenly it charges up a green ball between its claws, "Energy Ball!"
   "Watch out--!"
   "DEW!!" Dewott is caught in the blast before he is able to get up! Nora quickly takes out his Pokéball and calls him back.
   "...You did good partner..." Nora puts the ball away before looking at her last one with a worried look.
   "You're one tough trainer." Burgh says, "But judging by your look it seems I got you down to your last Pokémon as well!"
   "Yeah, but I'm a bit worried in more ways than one..." She says nervously before the ball starts shaking violently in her hand! After a few seconds, it opens with a flash of white light... showing a little Pichu with a small charger around her neck.
   "Pichu!"
   "...Oh. Oh no..." Burgh suddenly looks troubled as well, as his wounded Leavanny drops its fighting pose and tilts its head, approaching the Pichu and sitting down in front of it... "Leavanny, you may not want to...!" He begins as it reaches out to pet Pichu on the head...!
   "Pichu?" Pichu tilts her head as she nuzzles against Leavanny's arm... A jolt of electricity goes through the Pokémon!
   "Leavaah!" It quickly pulls its arm back, falling over!
   Burgh calls it back, "Aww... I lost. My Leavanny just adores small cute Pokémon, I don't think I'd have the heart to tell him to attack one like that..." He smiles, "Whatever! Losing to you doesn't bug me because you are a-MAZ-ingly strong!"
   "Thank you..." Nora rubs her head. Pichu comes running up to her, and she picks her up, "She hatched two days ago so I was worried about having her battle."
   "That young, and already winning a Gym Battle, eh? She'll grow up to be a very strong Pokémon, I'm sure!" Burgh smiles as he approaches, "This is the Gym Badge! You beat me, so it's yours! It's the insectible-- I mean, incredible Insect Badge!"
   Nora takes it, and her Pichu looks at the shiny badge with a big smile on her face, "Look at this, Aurelia. Thanks to you, we're one step closer to our dream."
   "Pichu!!" She nuzzles her trainer as Nora puts the badge away in its case.
   "And, let's see... Because I'm a generous guy, I'll also give you this." Burgh fishes a disc out of his pocket and hands it to her, "It teaches Struggle Bug, which also lowers the special attack of the target that was damaged. Now I'm the best guy to tell you, it's the little things that count!" He smiles as he looks at the Pichu.
   "Pichu!" Pichu smiles back as she reaches her paws up to him.
   Nora looks at the Pichu too, "...Because those little things will one day leave the marks of a giant."
   "Exactly. You know, when I was a kid, my innocent heart was captured by the beauty of bug Pokémon." He says with melodramatic gestures, "I drew with them and battled with them, and although we were all so small then, eventually we made it all the way here. And that's not all! After all this time, I still continue to discover new things. If you open your eyes to it, a world shared with Pokémon is a world swarming with mysteries. It makes me wonder, how many discoveries have you made since you started your adventure?"
   "..." Nora looks at her Pichu, "...So many... and even then I can't believe that it's only been a few weeks since I started with everyone. But... the fact that there's so much more to see and experience... I want to see it with my family."
   "Then I'm sure you'll do that someday!" He smiles, "Both in the Pokémon League Challenge and beyond, many more discoveries await you!"
   "Thank you for the battle, Burgh." Nora looks at him with a bright smile, "Hopefully I'll be a giant in my own right the next time I see you!"
   "I'll look forward to that day!"
   "Ah... Actually, Burgh? If it's alright, may I use the back door to leave?"
   "Hmm? Yes, let me show you to it... So what's the reason?" He asks as he walks ahead...
   "Well... Castelia City is massive and my father always told me that just wandering around the city you can find many hidden things." She smiles, "I figured I may as well look around in another area of the city as I make my way to the Pokémon Center."
   "Oh, I see! That's a wonderful idea. Maybe I ought to use it myself more often..." Eventually they reach the back door, and he opens it, holding it up for her, "Well, here we are! Good luck on your journey!"
   "Thank you, Burgh! Have a good day!" Nora and Pichu wave to him as they leave.
   In front of the Gym, the two disguised knights wait patiently...
   "What the heck is taking her so long?"
   "I dunno, maybe she's lost in there?"
   "How the hell do you get lost after beating a Gym Leader?"
   "Let's hope she comes out soon..."

Meanwhile Nora walks through the alleyways, and after healing her team at the Pokémon Center, she finds her way back to Café Sonata. The bell rings as she enters, and everything looks peaceful as usual... It seems that Verdell is not back yet, however... "Hrm..." Nora frowns a bit as she takes a seat, "I guess he's still busy..."
   It takes a while, but eventually when the bell rings again Verdell enters. He looks around, and spotting Nora he heads over to take a seat next to her... "How did it go?"
   Nora takes out her badge case and shows him the new badge, "We got the badge! Thanks to Aurelia here."
   "Pi!" Pichu squeaks as she's happily enjoying her small cup of milk.
   "Well, isn't that impressive!" He smiles at the Pichu, "I've finished my research here, too, so I guess this means we can move on from Castelia."
   "Yup, the next Gym is at Nimbasa City so--" The bell rings again as a young woman enters the café; upon seeing her Nora's eyes widen in shock!
   "..." Verdell glances at the woman too, but as he does not recognize her, he looks at Nora...
   "Sis?" Nora stands up at the same time as the woman notices her. Her brown eyes brighten up as she waves and approaches them. Verdell picks up his book about Cottonee, apparently pretending not to be in the same company...
   "Nora, what are you doing here?" Patricia asks with a smile, "I know that you just began the Gym Challenge, but I didn't think you got as far as to Castelia City already."
   Nora rubs her head, "Well Patricia, I arrived here about two days ago. I just got the Insect Badge after defeating Burgh..."
   "Pichu?" Pichu looks between the two, curious about Patricia.
   "Aw, is this one yours?"
   "Yeah, she hatched a couple of days ago..." Nora nods before tilting her head, "Actually sis, while it's nice to see you again... what are you doing here? I thought you had work today?"
   Patricia sighs, "Normally I do, but Pokéstar Studios contacted the Musical Hall for an interview with me about the Hall and what it's like being one of the star performers. My boss gave the okay for me to go to Virbank City where the studio is at, but I missed the ferry to the city... I'm stuck here until the next ferry comes by, and I'm going to be late for the interview since the next one is four hours from now. And of course the cameo for that movie I'm supposed to be in..."
   "..." Verdell sneaks a glance at them, but remains silent, turning a page as he continues to read...
   "Wait, you got a movie role?"
   "It's temporary, but I'm really excited!" She smiles before it fades, "Unfortunately, if I don't show up they're going to give it to someone else-- and I can't afford that, I worked my skin off trying to get that role!"
   Nora rubs her head, "I'm sorry sis... I'm not sure how to help you."
   "I know..." She sighs before she looks at Nora, "Actually, did you know that Rylan's in the city? I saw him storm by with some woman who looked more moody than a Gyarados."
   "...!" Verdell bites his lip for a moment, then he lowers his book to look properly at Patricia, "You need a lift, lady?"
   "Hm?" Patricia looks at Verdell, "Yes... Do you own a boat?"
   "Yes. I don't normally take passengers, but I can make an exception..."
   "Oh, thank you so much!" Patricia has a grateful smile before looking at Nora, "Why don't you tag along? Rylan's around here and I don't want my little sister to be bothered by that brat."
   Nora's complexion has turned pale, but she nods, "Sure."
   "It'll be sure to save you some time, and maybe he'll think you ran off to Nimbasa." The eldest sister smiles as she looks at the stranger, "May I ask your name...?"
   "It's Verdell." He returns the smile, taking out his Pokéquip and tapping his finger against its back while muttering quietly to himself... "And be... on your best... behavior... all of you!"
   Nora blinks, "This is going to be interesting..."
   "Well, what are we waiting for?" Patricia smiles as the little Pichu finishes her milk and hops onto Nora's shoulder, "Let's head to the pier!"
   The door opens and Bianca enters, her eyes widen as she approaches, "Oh... Nora, who's this...?"
   "This is my big sister, Patricia Marquardt." Nora smiles, "And sis, this is one of my friends from Nuvema Town-- Bianca."
   The woman's eyes widen a bit before she smiles at the girl, "It's a pleasure to meet you! Nora spoke highly of you!"
   "Ah...! It's nice to meet you too!" Bianca smiles wide at the woman.
   "We were just about to take a tour on my ship." Verdell says, "Are you coming as well?"
   "Yes!" Bianca looks excited, "Where are we going?"
   Nora smiles at her friend, "Virbank City."
   "Sounds exciting!" Bianca chirps as they begin to make their way out.

Meanwhile, outside the Pokémon Massage on busy Castelia Street... "I don't see your vagabond, Aina." Rylan says, "Only decent, fashionable people. Are you sure they'd even let him in here?"
   "..." Cheren is silent as he looks around...
   Aina has a deep frown, "Verdell has his ways... Though I am beginning to wonder if he knew we were coming."
   "How would he?" Cheren says, "Aina, your knights reported that they failed to spot Nora when she left the Gym. That means we may have gotten here too late."
   "It's a pity... I can't wait to crush her in our next battle!" Rylan says.
   "...Unless she used a back door..." Aina crosses her arms.
   "Now that you mention it, she may have done that." Cheren says, "When I spoke with her earlier she was stressing out about keeping up with you, Rylan. I don't think she wants to battle you yet. If she thought you'd be there to challenge her as soon as the announcement of her victory against Burgh came out, she may have asked to use the back door to avoid you."
   "Hmmhm. She's such a coward... But she's right to fear me, because as soon as I see her I'll wipe the floor with her."
   "Rylan." Aina looks at him, "Battling is more than who wins or loses. You are still expected to be respectful to your opponent, regardless if you get along well or not."
   "Oh, I'm no janitor. But it's fine to thrash her as long as I'm elegant about it, right?"
   "There's elegance and there's thinly veiled insults." Aina speaks calmly, "One of these days something will happen, and then she may be reluctant to help you."
   "...I'll call her." Cheren says, "If they've already left, standing around here is just a waste of time." He takes a few steps away with his Xtransceiver... "Nora? I happened to pass by the Pokémon Massage and thought I'd catch up with you, but it's so crowded and I don't see you anywhere... Are you still around here?"
   "No, I'm just wandering around for now. There was too many people at the massage place, I figured that it would be better to go shopping for a few things." She answers, "What's up? Did you need something?"
   "No, it wasn't important. I just wanted to warn you that I saw Rylan around here."
   "Hey Cheren, tell her that we'll battle next time!"
   "...You heard that, right?"
   "Oh, why...?" Nora groans at this...
   "Because you're going to lose, my dear." Rylan smiles.
   "Anyway, see you around!" Cheren ends the call. He turns to Aina, "...Well, that confirms it, we missed them."
   "Hrm..." Aina frowns as she takes out her Pokéquip and types down a few things before she looks at Rylan, "We'll spread out our search area then."
   Cheren's Xtranceiver goes off suddenly, the caller ID showing Bianca's name! He picks it up, "Bianca? Is everything all right?"
   "I-I'm fine!" She gives him a smile, "I wanted to ask if you want to head to Virbank with me and check out the surrounding areas?"
   "Ah, sure. Prime Pier, right? I'll be right there." He smiles back.
   "Okay! See you soon!" She chirps as she hangs up.
   Aina watches quietly, "...Keep in touch. Let's go, Rylan."
   "...Hold on, Aina." Cheren says, "I'm sorry that I have to drop out of the hunt for Verdell, but I don't want Bianca to be all alone after what happened with Team Plasma. Still, I have some information that may help you."
   "Hm?" She pauses and turns to look at him.
   "I recall Nora mentioning a place called Café Sonata earlier. I don't know if it's important, but it may be worth checking out."
   "Café Sonata..." She furrows her brow, "...We will make our way there first."
   "Hmm. Having you on our side isn't so bad..." Rylan smirks, "Let's just hope we're not late again, eh?"
   Aina nods to Cheren before turning to go find the café.
   "Good luck!" Cheren smiles before hurrying off. Once out of their sight, he sighs in relief. Then he begins to run towards Prime Pier...

As Cheren approaches Prime Pier, he spots Bianca looking around for him. The moment she sees him she waves to him with a broad smile. Cheren smiles back as he dashes over. He stops in front of her for a moment to catch his breath, "Whew... I think I managed, somehow..."
   "They don't think something's off?" She tilts her head.
   "Getting her to trust me may not be easy, but I wasn't arrested, so I'd say this was a good start." He looks around, spotting the others on a bench ahead... as well as an old-fashioned brigantine approaching the harbor at a good speed... "Is that...?!"
   "Yup!" Bianca takes his hand as they rush down, "We're taking his boat to Virbank!"
   The wind carrying the ship forward seems to fade just in time as it turns and elegantly glides over with its side to the pier... A Bellsprout with a green scarf leaps onto the railing and throws out his vine whips to hold the ship in place as the gangway is lowered. Verdell gives him a wave as he approaches and gestures towards the ship, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard my ship, the Silverleaf!"
   "Woah..." Nora's eyes are wide as she looks at the ship, "That's... huge..."
   Patricia looks impressed, "This kind of reminds me of the pictures in dad's office..."
   "Seeing it for real certainly is impressive..." Cheren stares at it as well, "But let's not stand around." He walks ahead up the gangway...
   "Right!" Bianca looks excited as they all follow Cheren. Pichu squeaks happily about this new thing they're walking on!
   "Whoa... So many Pokémon." Cheren says as he looks around aboard deck. The Pokémon are looking curiously at them too... "But I don't see any trainers. Are they below deck?"
   "Smooth sailing as always." Verdell says behind them as the gangway is raised by his Breloom, and he approaches a Pokémon with a long nose, long white hair, and huge leafy fans... "These are our guests; Nora and her sister Patricia, Bianca, and Cheren. They have Pokémon with them as well. Everyone, this is Woodleg, my Quartermaster."
   "Shiftry..." The Pokémon's nose points up and down as he eyes each of them, apparently sizing them up.
   Nora looks at the Shiftry with a polite smile, "Pleasure to meet you, Woodleg."
   "Pichu!"
   Patricia eyes Shiftry carefully, "...The hair and fans... He's well taken care of, isn't he?"
   "But of course." Verdell smiles as he releases all of his Pokémon, "All right, crew, the lady here has an important appointment to catch. Set sail!"
   The Bellsprout leaps off the railing, and Shiftry heads over to take the wheel... He uses his legs to steer, and his fans to whip up a wind...! The ship begins to move out into the sea, soon picking up a good pace!
   "Verdell... Are they all your...?" Nora looks at him.
   "Aye, they're my crew." He smiles. They can see his Breloom pulling at a rope while apparently giving orders to the Bellsprout who heads over and ties it up neatly; Leafeon is skating around on a sponge to clean the deck, and Talonflame is perched at the top of the mast... Mawile goes to help with the sails as well, and Clefairy is already guiding Cottonee around. Typhlosion on the other hand is slowly backing away from the guests, before suddenly darting inside, closely followed by a pale purple moth. It is not long before Jumpluff comes out instead, floating over to Verdell who catches her in a hug. Nora takes notice, her eyes widen as she recalls Verdell's words about his starter Pokémon being a Hoppip. Cheren and Bianca also approach, curious.
   "Oh! Is that a shiny Jumpluff?" Patricia looks surprised as she walks over, "I've never seen one before!"
   Verdell cuddles his Jumpluff, "Yes, this is Summer... My first Pokémon. She's my princess."
   "Jumpluff!!" The Pokémon seems not to want to let go of him...
   "Huh... She seems a bit upset. Did you spend enough time with her?" Patricia looks curious.
   "..." Verdell looks a little concerned, "We'll play soon, alright Summer? Once our guests are safely ashore I'll be all yours."
   "Pluff..." She pouts, still clinging to him.
   "You're going to hold on to me until then? Very well."
   Nora looks around, "I've never been on a ship like this, so this is a treat."
   "Feel free to explore." Verdell smiles to her. Bianca walks towards the railing to watch the rolling waves, while Patricia decides that she needs to practise for the interview and her role. Cheren goes to have a look inside. After wandering around deck, Nora decides to follow him... The inside has several rooms. There is a dining hall, a kitchen, small bedrooms, storage holds, a library... Berries are growing in pots along the windows that seem to be there in place of cannon hatches.
   "Huh..." Nora enters the library. There are lots of books about grass type Pokémon, berries, how to sail and care for a ship, navigation... Verdell's Typhlosion and the purple moth are there as well, whispering with each other under a table.
   Pichu hops off her trainer's shoulder and approaches them, "Pichu?"
   Nora picks up a book on the grass type... "Roserade Record by Pomona. Hrm..." She opens the book and glances at the contents. As Pichu gets close the two larger Pokémon suddenly dart out from under the table, escaping the room...! Pichu looks confused and decides to return to her trainer.

Meanwhile Bianca has entered the ship as well, looking around for her friends. It seems that Cheren has found a ladder at the end of a corridor and is about to climb it... "Cheren?" She approaches, "What's that?"
   "We're about to find out." Cheren says as he peeks into a new room above, "It looks like the captain's quarters."
   "Are we allowed to look in there?"
   "He said that we can explore..." Cheren disappears above.
   The blonde climbs up after her friend, looking around in the quarters... It has a carpeted floor, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a bed with a canopy, flowery curtains by the windows, some cabinets and bookshelves, a chair behind a desk and even a sofa with a treasure chest next to it... In a corner there is also a PC... "It's rather elegant..." Bianca says with widened eyes, "I've never seen anything like this. Are Gym Leaders paid that well...?"
   "Well, this is a Pokémon Gym... It's supposed to be impressive. Some of the Gym Leaders in Unova are no less extravagant. But perhaps it depends on how successful they are at defending the Pokémon League, too... Judging by what Aina told me, Verdell was one of the more difficult ones for trainers to get past." He approaches the desk, "Maps... This one is of Unova..."
   Bianca walks over to the desk as well, "It looks like he's been planning to come here... Cheren... look at this." She picks up a book titled Captain's Log, opening it...
   "Ragwort root...? Bottle brush... funnel fool... blindwheel..." Cheren raises a brow, "...Could it be his attempts at coming up with pirate swears?"
   Bianca flips through the pages, "I wonder if there's anything that explains where he was before coming to Unova? Or what brought him here?"
   "Honestly, I don't think this is a real logbook. It looks like it's full of performance scripts for a kid's show... and was that a treasure map? ...It must be a prop."
   "Aww..." She pouts as she puts the book down, "Here I was hoping that it was the real deal..."
   Cheren pulls open a drawer, "A secret candy stash...? Dried mago berries, huh. And this... The label says rum, but it smells like... razz berry juice." He holds the bottle up with mild amusement, but then puts it back in its place and moves on to the treasure chest. "...It's locked."
   "..." Bianca thinks carefully as she approaches the cabinet with a mirror on top and pulls open the top drawer to see its contents... It is full of silk flowers. Most notably, a stash of green silk roses... There's also a pair of scissors and extra silk to make more, as well as combs and brushes, ribbons and other accessories, a bottle of rose-scented perfume...
   Cheren heads over to the bookcases instead, "This extra bar in front of the books must be to keep them from falling out when there's rough sea... Let's see... Fairytales... Study of human abductees by fairy Pokémon... Folktales of Ydil... Oh...! These are books on battle tactics... Handbook for Gym Leaders?" Cheren reaches up for it, but then... "Gah!!" He suddenly spins around, "What was that...?"
   "...!?" Bianca looks around, she could also feel an unnerving sensation pass through the air... "C-Cheren... I d-don't think we're alone here..."
   Cheren looks around warily as well, "Don't tell me he has ghost Pokémon on this ship too... It doesn't look haunted, but..."
   Suddenly a white handkerchief lying by the mirror seems to rise up on its own, floating in the air... "...!! Cheren...!" Bianca's eyes widen as she stumbles back from it! Cheren also takes a step back, uncertain of how to react!
   But then, the front door opens, "Fairy clefairy!" Clefairy marches in, followed by Verdell and Cottonee. Jumpluff is still clinging to him as well, sitting on his shoulder...
   "What's going on here?" He asks.
   "V-Verdell..." Bianca points a shaky hand towards the handkerchief.
   "Hm...? Oh, that's just Hazel." Verdell chuckles.
   "H-Hold on..." Cheren stares at it, "Are you telling us that Hazel is a ghost?"
   "..." Verdell makes an amused face as he approaches, "Hazel, watch your petticoat."
   "...!" A little black tail with a tuft on the end is quickly pulled up into the handkerchief.
   "...! Is Hazel... a Pokémon?" Bianca begins to calm down a bit.
   "Yes. She's using Magnet Rise to float." Verdell grabs a corner of the handkerchief and pulls it off, revealing a tiny mouse Pokémon with antennas on her cheeks! "It's great that you keep in practise with our haunted ship act, but I thought I told you to behave in front of our guests."
   "Dedenne!" She snickers playfully. Verdell puts the handkerchief away in the drawer and closes it...
   "Is this Agent Hazel...?" Bianca looks at the little Dedenne with surprise.
   "Yes." Verdell smiles as the tiny Pokémon runs up his arm onto his other shoulder, "She's my communicator when I'm ashore."
   "So there really are no other humans aboard this ship...?" Cheren looks surprised.
   "None. My crew are all Pokémon." Verdell nods.
   "Wait, then does that mean..." Bianca looks at his Pokémon, "Aside from your Cottonee... are all these Pokémon the ones you had at your Gym?"
   "...They are, or at least most of them." He heads over to the window, looking out, "Buddy... that is, the Bellsprout you saw when we docked... joined on the same day I left. Before then he lived in the tropical house of the Rose Lab. I guess he didn't want to see me leave. He doesn't like to battle, but he's a great help around the ship, and he's getting along well with Goldie... Perhaps you noticed their matching scarves? She's teaching him to become a great explorer."
   "That sounds interesting..." Bianca looks around, "Um... you don't mind that we found our way in here?"
   "..." He looks at the ladder from the floor, "Normally I'd keep that hatch sealed, but it's been so long since I had guests here, I had completely forgotten. I may have a few secrets in here, but I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world if you happened to find them."
   "So it's fine if we search around?" Cheren asks.
   "Don't push your luck now!" Verdell laughs.
   "Well, are we allowed to look at the books in the bookcase?" Bianca asks, "Professor Juniper has various books on Pokémon but I wanted to read up a bit more on the fairy type?"
   "Be my guest." Verdell nods.
   Bianca happily looks at the books before picking up a promising one about fairy Pokémon.
   "I was about to have a look at the books for Gym Leaders, but Hazel didn't seem to want me to." Cheren says. "More importantly, I needed to speak with you, but I wasn't sure if Patricia knows about you or not..."
   "She doesn't. But have a seat then." Verdell turns, gesturing to the sofa as he leans against the windowsill... His Dedenne leaps off him to go play with the other fairies who are exploring every corner of the room!
   "Hello?" Nora pokes her head into the room.
   "Ah, you found your way here too?" Verdell glances at her.
   "Good." Cheren says from the sofa, "Why don't you come up here?"
   "What's going on?" Nora climbs into the room, "...Huh, nice bedroom Verdell."
   "It is quite cozy." He smiles. "Hazel was just playing a prank on your friends, but she's been exposed now. We were about to have a strategy meeting, as it seems."
   "...!" Noticing the Pichu, Dedenne pauses for a moment to send out a greeting signal through her antennas. Pichu takes notice and waves at Dedenne. She tries to give a signal too, though it's weakened with the charger absorbing the majority of the electricity she gave off.
   "Ah... right." Nora heads over to take a seat, "How did everything go, Cheren? ...Aside for Rylan being a pain..."
   "Ah, first, is it fine to let our Pokémon out?" Cheren asks, "Being on a ship like this is a rare experience after all..."
   "As long as they respect the crew and don't start any fights it shouldn't be a problem." Verdell says, "Woodleg is in command aboard this ship, so they have to listen to him."
   "Alright." Cheren smiles, sending his Pokémon out. Purrloin has evolved too, as he is now a Liepard... Cheren has two new Pokémon as well; an Eevee and a Pidgey...
   "That would be nice..." Nora takes out her Pokéballs and throws them up, Aron appearing along with Dewott, who approaches Cheren's Servine with a happy look.
   Bianca notices the Eevee as she digs in her bag for her Pokéballs, "Oh, your egg hatched an Eevee?"
   "No, that was Pidgey, actually." Cheren answers, "His name is Arrow. I found the Eevee in an adopt me box between some bushes along Castelia Street. I don't know who'd do something like that, and most people seemed too busy to even take notice of it, but I couldn't just leave it."
   "He looks quite fond of you already." Verdell notices as the Eevee rubs against Cheren's leg. "...Actually, my brother specializes in raising Eevee. I got Cutlass from him. Since they are rare Pokémon there is usually a demand for them, but he once mentioned to me... there are some unserious breeders out there who'll simply abandon the Pokémon they hatch if they don't live up to their standards. For instance, such a breeder may be catering to the upper class, which makes it important for them to put up a flawless facade. Their customers are often charged overprice and are unaware of the dirty backside of that business. Your Eevee looks like a healthy Pokémon to me, so my best guess is that he just wasn't good enough for someone else."
   "...Is that so." Cheren picks his Eevee up, "I've been trying to think of a good name for you... This gave me an idea. I'll call you Jewel, because that's what you are to me. So, let's show them. We'll grow strong together... stronger than those people. Then no one will ever look down on us again."
   "Vui!" Eevee wags his tail, trying to reach up to lick Cheren's face!
   "It's wonderful to see you're getting along well." Nora smiles at this, "And I bet you anything: that breeder is going to regret his choice when you two become a force to be reckoned with!"
   Bianca finally releases her Pokémon from their Pokéballs! Her Tepig has evolved into a Pignite, and her Herdier sniffs the surroundings, his bow now sitting atop his head. Munna is floating around, eyes sparkling with excitement about how different everything is compared to her home... and nearby Bianca is another Eevee!
   "...I see. Yours hatched into an Eevee, didn't it?" Cheren looks at Bianca.
   "Yes..." She watches as her Eevee is trying to play with her Herdier, "She hatched a couple of days ago. I didn't know if yours was going to hatch into an Eevee or not, so I wanted to ask..."
   "Well, I'm sure they can be friends." Cheren smiles, looking at his Eevee, "You should go play with the other Pokémon. It'll be lots of fun." His Eevee leaps down and approaches Bianca's Eevee, and they sniff carefully at each other.
   "Clefairy!" Clefairy suddenly leaps onto the desk, "Fairy clefairy. Clefairy!" He covers his eyes with his hands and seems to be counting, "Clef... Clef... Clef... Fairy... Fairy... Clef... Clefairy..." Bianca's Eevee looks at the other Eevee with a smile and paws towards the desk before leaping underneath it! The other Pokémon also dart off to find good hiding places!
   "Hide-and-seek... a classic game to play." Nora smiles as Bianca takes a seat across Nora.
   Verdell chuckles as the Pokémon scurry away. His Jumpluff remains on his shoulder, however... He pulls out the chair behind his desk to make more room for the two Eevees as he seats himself on it, "So what were you about to tell us, Cheren?"
   "Ah, yes. First of all I wanted to warn everyone that Aina knows about Café Sonata now."
   "She found it?" Verdell's eyes widen a little...
   "No, I mentioned it to her. After Bianca's call, of course... She's hesitant to trust me, so I figured I had to give her something useful."
   "I see. The owner will definitely be able to describe me to her, since he let me sleep there for a few nights... We just have to hope that he doesn't remember you or Bianca. Neither of you spoke to him, at least. If we need to stay in Castelia again I'll just find some new place."
   "I had to pretend to myself that you were a dangerous criminal-- I mean, you are, but... you know what I mean."
   Verdell nods.
   "I wasn't able to hide my tension from her, so I thought the next best thing was to pretend I was nervous because I'd just found out about you. I think it must have worked, since I wasn't arrested. And I was able to speak with her alone, too, since Rylan was training at the Battle Company at first."
   "Battle Company?" Nora raises a brow but says nothing more, glancing at her Aron who is near the dresser, pretending to be a rock, "But what did you get from her so far?"
   Bianca watches her Pignite trying to hide under Verdell's bed before looking at Cheren again, "Did she say what their next plan's going to be?"
   Clefairy finishes counting, leaping off the desk to begin the search!
   "She was headed for Café Sonata at the same time as I went to the harbor. Other than that I couldn't get much out of her regarding her plans... but I wasn't trying very hard. She wouldn't have told me anyway if she doesn't trust me. She didn't ask much of me either, only that I watch and inform her or her knights. I may have to give her some information at times to make it believable that I'm on her side."
   "I assumed as much." Verdell nods.
   "So we mostly spoke of other things than how to catch you. I asked her about a threat I thought she made against you earlier, Nora, back in Nacrene City. At that time she told me that it would be best for you to stop your journey. I had assumed it was because of Verdell, but when I spoke with her now she said it didn't involve him... She said that she saw a vision of you in front of a very dangerous Pokémon. It was black and able to raise deadly storms, but that was all she could make out."
   "Ah..." Nora blinks at this, "I can't think of a Pokémon that matches that at the top of my head..."
   Bianca tilts her head, "Do you think it'll be possible for Aina to divulge more information...?"
   "She promised that if she sees more she'll share it with me." Cheren says, "I've never seen a Pokémon like that being used in the battle videos either, so my guess is that it's a wild Pokémon."
   "...Curious." Verdell says, "But as I told you before, Aina does not see the actual future. Think of it more as a... probability?"
   "Probability?" Nora looks at Verdell, "How do you mean? Was seeing the future just a myth then?"
   "Like I said, she is able to make predictions... but it is still possible to surprise her. The most likely future is not always the future that comes to be. And if she could truly see my every move before I even think of it myself there's no way I'd not been caught already. So even if she saw a challenge approaching you that looked impossible for you to overcome... you can't be certain that it is impossible. It may also be possible for you to avoid it happening in the first place if you take proper precaution."
   "Hrm... does this trigger at random or when she sees someone?" Nora tilts her head.
   "A little of both. She doesn't see visions of every person she meets. It depends on how strongly tied they are to the fate shown in the vision, as she puts it... If that tie weakens with time because they took precautions to prevent it, her visions of that person will fade away, too."
   "I see..."
   "Well, be careful when you're out in the wild, Nora." Cheren says, "Her vision was pretty vague, so maybe the chance it'll happen isn't too high."
   "Alright, I'll be careful." She gives a nod, "Let me know if she reveals anything else?"
   "I will."
   "..." Dewott is watching quietly from behind the side of the bookcase. Hiding his head when Clefairy is nearby! It seems Pignite was found instead!
   "Pig..." Pignite seems a bit bummed out.
   "Other than that..." Cheren continues, looking at Verdell, "I probed around a little about her feelings for you."
   "...!" Verdell grins, "Well, what did she say? That I'm handsome and fearless and have a brilliant mind?"
   "No, she said that you're a slob and that your pirate act is annoying."
   "Ah..." His head sinks down onto his desk, as if the air went out of him, "...I know. She always did prefer when I'm her elven prince instead..."
   Cheren smiles a little, "She also said that she holds you in the highest respect. Having to choose between you and the Pokémon League was a touchy subject to her. She's hoping that you'll change, but even if you won't, she said that she still loves you the way you are."
   "..." Verdell seems to perk up a bit, showing a faint blush.
   "...But she's still going to arrest you. I asked because I wanted to see if there's any chance to convince her otherwise, but I don't think there is."
   "She takes her duty very seriously..." He nods, smiling a little, "But it makes me happy to know that she still loves me back."
   Nora gives a chuckle, "It's nice to hear she loves you still?"
   "What were you two like when you were dating?" Bianca asks.
   "..." Verdell opens a drawer in the desk, taking out a small framed picture and heading over to hand it to Bianca... It shows him with Aina, but his appearance is different from how they're used to seeing him. All tidy and neat, he really does look like an elven prince... He and Aina are smiling in the picture too, they look happy together...
   Bianca looks at it carefully, "That's amazing... You two look like something out of a fairytale."
   "...!" Nora looks over Bianca's shoulder with surprised eyes, "Dude... that was you?!"
   Verdell chuckles, "Yes, that's what I really look like. I told you when we met not to judge me by my appearance, didn't I?" He sighs, "It's strange how those days can feel so far away, yet at the same time as if it were only yesterday..."
   "...Okay, that stuff? I take it ALL back." Nora looks between him and the picture, "I can't believe it..."
   Bianca returns the picture to Verdell, "Still, that's amazing."
   "Oh, I have to admit I'm even more curious what Rylan's face will look like when he finds out." Verdell chuckles as he receives the picture back, "He may think he has a chance with my lady, but that's because he doesn't have a clue who he's up against. You've got to promise to tell me if you're there to see it when he learns who I am, Cheren!"
   "With pleasure." Cheren smiles, "But Aina doesn't want to involve him, and I won't reveal you to him either."
   "The longer I remain in one place, the greater the risk that there will be others like you who have vigilant eyes, however. Sooner or later I'll be exposed to Unova... I can only hope to have finished my research by then."
   "...The more I hear 'research' the more I can't help but feel worried now." Nora mutters as Pichu is peeking out from under the sofa cushions. Clefairy has found quite a few of the Pokémon hiding in the room by now, but Pichu seems to be tricky for him as he paces back and forth with pondering steps, trying to think of where he did not check yet! Pichu lowers her head back into the sofa.
   "I also asked Aina what will happen to your Pokémon if you're caught." Cheren says, "She said she'll make sure they're sent to your parents' lab. So I don't think you need to worry about them."
   "Aside for what they'll be doing to me soon?" Verdell smiles, "Thanks, Cheren, but I don't know if I can trust that... I mean, if it were up to Aina, I would, but... the one I'm worried about for their sakes is Champion Matthias. I don't know how far he is prepared to go to force me into obedience..." He places the picture face down on the desk, taking his Jumpluff from his shoulder and hugging her, "...But I have to respect the will of my crew. If I am caught, come what may, it seems they have decided to face that with me too."
   "Pluff..."
   "I think Summer has made that rather clear." Nora notes the Jumpluff, "But still... why research when it's what got you in trouble?"
   "Do you think the League is going to do something to them regardless of what Aina says?" Bianca looks worried...
   "...I don't know." Verdell closes his eyes, "Matthias... Honestly, I don't think he would do anything to them. He's honorable, and I always saw him as a great friend... But I didn't know him as well as I thought, so I am... wary." He turns to look out the window, "Our 'King of Dragons' is a fair ruler who always has the best of Ydil in mind, but... he's not used to not getting his way. He has almost never lost a battle."
   "Aina said that too, that he's an incredibly powerful trainer..." Cheren says...
   "What's the rest of Ydil's Elite Four like...?" Bianca seems to be concerned now.
   "Well, if anyone can stand up to Matthias it would be Regina. Her title is the 'Ice Queen'. Although he wins most of their battles, I heard that he actually lost to her once. That's when he decided to win not only their next battle, but her heart as well. And he did... they're a couple now. So he has to respect her. Other than her, there's Aina who is the 'Light of Justice', and Donar... the 'Thundering Berserker'. He's a bit rough, but mostly good natured. And... man, I can never remember the last one's name..."
   "Aina mentioned someone called Pierre." Cheren says.
   "Yeah, that's it! Pierre. He just... blends in. I almost never notice him. It's a bit odd for an Elite Four member... I'm not even sure if he has a title like the others. But he prefers the steel type."
   "So the others are users of ice, electric, and steel types..." Nora crosses her arms, "Sounds like we don't need to worry about the steel type user though?"
   "As long as they're not in Unova you don't need to worry about any of them." Verdell turns to look at her, "But if they are, I'd worry more about Pierre than anyone else. Besides Matthias of course. He doesn't stay in the background without reason; he's the head of Ydil's secret service."
   "S-secret service?" Nora blinks at this.
   "On the surface, he's in charge of security around the Pokémon League. But he's also the Champion's spymaster."
   Bianca looks confused, "Wait, so he's more dangerous than he looks?"
   "What do you expect from an Elite Four member? He looks perfectly normal, but he's really good at his job..." Verdell shudders. "But his Pokémon don't swim too well, and it's hard to trace the path of a ship anyway, so he can't hunt me at sea. They had to leave it to Aina to find me... Then again, she's more motivated than any of them."
   "So we should be more scared about how it's gonna go if he shows up here." Nora shivers a bit, "But they're not going to, right?"
   "Well I certainly hope so!" Verdell says, "Having Aina on my tail is enough."
   Bianca sinks backwards, "I don't think we can handle another Elite Four running around here."
   "Let's hope nothing bad will happen." Nora says, "Anyway, Cheren, can we assume they're off our tails for now?"
   "I think so." Cheren says, "If Aina called her knights with her to the café there's a chance that they missed the ship. But if any of them saw it I think we can expect them to follow with the next ferry."
   "Patricia said that the next ferry won't leave Castelia until four hours from when we left." Nora looks at Cheren, "So we'll still have time before we gotta get out of the area."
   Verdell looks out the window, "I think it may be time for you to start helping Chef find any of your Pokémon still hiding around the ship." He smiles.
   "Huh?" Bianca looks out too. They're sailing along the shore towards Virbank City now.
   "Ah...!" Nora looks around, "Soujiro! Hector! Come on guys, we're almost to the city!" The Dewott and Aron run up to her as she gets off the sofa. Pichu pokes her head out from between the cushions, "Come on, you can't hide in there all day."
   "Pichu!"
   Verdell heads out, standing next to Shiftry who shouts an order to the other Pokémon. They rush to adjust the sails that make a rustling sound as he steers towards the harbor, which is surprisingly high above the surface. Smaller boats may not be able to dock on the outside, instead having to pass through a closable gate into the safe docks around which the city is built. Cheren's Eevee was apparently found already, and after calling him back he goes downstairs to look for his other Pokémon. Herdier and Pignite approach Bianca, it seems that Clefairy had managed to find them too. She looks around, "Eire! Munny! Come on-- we gotta get ready!" After gathering her Eevee and Munna, she and Nora make their way onto deck. Near Patricia is a round, pink Pokémon with large eyes!
   "Jiggly?" It notices Nora and bounces over to hug her.
   "Good to see you, Jelly." Nora pets the Jigglypuff, and the little pink Pokémon returns to her owner.
   Cheren comes out before long as well, "I can't find Arrow anywhere..."
   "Try up there." Verdell points to the crow's nest, "I think he forgot about the game, he's busy making friends with Polly."
   "Ah...! Arrow, come down!" Cheren calls up. His Pidgey looks down from the nest, but he seems scared to fly from so high up...! "Oh no... He's still too young..."
   "Don't worry, I'm sure it will be fine."
   "...?" Talonflame tilts her head at the smaller bird, spreading her wings and flying a circle around the mast to show how easy it is. The Pidgey approaches the edge, spreading his wings and flapping them a few times, but still not quite daring to let go.
   "Come on, you can do it!" Bianca smiles wide.
   Nora looks up, "Watch Polly carefully, Arrow! Cheren has faith in you!"
   "..." Cheren smiles, heading over to the mast, "That's right, Arrow! You don't have to worry, because I'm here to catch you!" After a few moments, Pidgey finally leaps! Flapping his wings as fast as he can, he seems a little unstable in the air, but he manages to stay afloat! Talonflame shows him how to glide down, and he does his best to follow, soon being caught by Cheren waiting for him below. "That was impressive, Arrow." He smiles, "You were able to overcome your fear even though you're so young."
   "Pidgey!" He chirps, very happy and excited!
   Bianca smiles, "Arrow is so brave, I'm sure he'll be so strong when he's fully grown!"
   "But that's amazing, for a little Pidgey. He's going to be a fearsome Pokémon when he's more experienced in flying!" Nora says.
   "They're right! I'm certain you'll be a master flier in no time!" Cheren says as he lets his Pidgey climb onto his shoulder.
   Verdell gives his Talonflame a smile as she lands on the railing next to him before he heads down; the ship is about to dock next to a large cargo ship. Smoke from the complex to the south of the city dims the sky, and he frowns up at it for a moment, wrinkling his nose. But as Bellsprout throws out his vines again, he lowers the gangway and puts his smile back on, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with the Silverleaf. Now I and my crew have some business to take care of, but we'll be back in three hours. Those of you who wish to ride with us again should make sure to be here in time."
   "Thank you so much, Verdell." Patricia smiles at him, "How much do I owe you for this trip?"
   "Oh, don't mention it." Verdell smiles back to Patricia, "For Nora's sister, it was my pleasure. Good luck with your interview!"
   "Well, thank you for helping me regardless." She smiles at him before looking at Nora and the others, "Are you coming?"
   Nora and her friends nod with bright smiles!

"We've got three hours to explore, so let's make the best of it!" Cheren says as they disembark the ship. Once everyone is safely ashore, Verdell and his Pokémon set out again... Exposed to the wind and waves, Virbank City is built on a foundation of stone and concrete that elevates it a good bit above sea level. It looks a bit shabby. The water inside the harbor is dirty, the streets have not been properly maintained, and someone has spraypainted a Koffing on a wall. There are shouts from an old crane that is being used by some workers to load cargo onto the other ship...
   "Let's see... I should start building up my team more." Nora looks at her Pokéballs, "I still only have three and you guys are way ahead of me."
   Bianca smiles, "I know the feeling... maybe we can find something in the wilds near the city...?"
   "I want to see as much as possible while we're here." Cheren says, "I will go as far as I can before we have to return."
   "Should we take a look at the map while we're here?" Nora looks at him, "At least to get an idea of the area."
   Bianca takes out hers, "Let's see... Oh hey, there's a few towns nearby and a ranch!"
   "Did you know that Floccesy Town is Champion Alder's hometown?" Cheren says, "...I'm going to challenge him one day, so I have to see what the place he grew up in is like. What are the two of you going to do?"
   "Well, I wanted to check out Virbank-- Woah!" Nora pouts as Patricia rubs her sister's head with a smirk.
   "If you want I can get you guys into Pokéstar Studios!"
   "What? But sis--!" Nora flails!
   Patricia chuckles, "The three of you are trying to fill out the Pokédex for the Professor right? You can see all sorts of Pokémon around the studio. Trainers bring their Pokémon to participate in the movies and shows. If you want to fill out the Pokédex as much as possible this could be a good chance for you!"
   Bianca looks at Cheren and Nora, "That would help the Professor's research more... and it could be interesting to see what it's like there!"
   "Thanks for the offer, but maybe another time." Cheren smiles, "Walking all the way to Floccesy Town and back will take a while, especially since I want to look at the surrounding area as well, maybe as far as Aspertia City. So I don't think I have enough time for both."
   "Well, if you're sure." Patricia crosses her arms, "When you go there next time, just tell them my name. I have a few friends who work there so they won't mind letting you through... Actually, what's your name? I don't think we've been formally introduced?"
   "Ah... my apologies." Nora rubs her head, "Patricia, this is one of my friends, Cheren. Cheren, this is my big sister and one of the headliners for the Pokémon Musical."
   "That's impressive." Cheren says, "I'll be sure to come watch once I get to Nimbasa City."
   "Thanks!"
   Bianca ponders a bit, "I-I wanna check out the Studio with Patricia if that's okay...?"
   "Sure! That's no problem!" Patricia nods with a smile before looking at Nora, "So, what's your plan kiddo?"
   Nora has a dull look, but it soon goes back to normal, "Well... I wanna look around for any good Pokémon that I can add to my team so..."
   "Hrm..." Patricia thinks for a second before pointing towards some warehouses, "I remember that you can find some good Pokémon down there. One of my friends who calls this place home said that's where she found hers."
   Looking towards the complex, Nora nods before turning to her sister, "I think I'll give the place a look."
   "Go ahead!" Patricia smiles at them, "Actually, meet up with Bianca and me at the Starly and Sawsbuck before the ferry arrives. I'll buy you guys something to eat there."
   "Sounds good." Cheren smiles, "Alright, I should get moving. See you all later!"

Nora heads down to Virbank Complex, looking around the maze of buildings... There are noises from the machinery and some workers having a Pokémon battle during their break. She scans the area for a Pokémon that may be a good addition to her team... After seeing a fair amount of Magnemite, Patrats, and Pidoves for a good half hour she shakes her head. Glancing upwards at the smoke-covered sky, she sighs before heading down to an undisturbed place, and flops down on a bench facing the water. "Dang it... I know I saw Magby in there a few times but those little buggers are fast on their feet." Nora grumbles as she digs in her bag and fishes out a box of dried jerky, "Maybe I need to re-evaluate this?" Taking out her tablet, she begins to review her notes while picking pieces of jerky from the box... After a while she reaches down to find... fur? "Wha--?" She looks down to see a furry, orange head with a tuft of white in her box! "Hey...!" There's a happy bark as the Pokémon pulls his head out and sits down in front of her with a wagging white tail. "...A Growlithe?" Nora blinks, "Huh... Guess you're used to being fed aren't you?" She extends her hand to the puppy Pokémon. Leaning forward, the Growlithe sniffs her hand, then nudges it for a pet. Nora begins to rub the puppy's head... The Pokémon's tongue lazily hangs out while his tail continues to wag. "You seem rather happy..." She smiles before hearing a slight growl from the dog's stomach, "...And still hungry I see." There's a short bark of affirmation! The Growlithe looks up at her, giving her miserable puppy eyes...! "...No... No... I get that from Soujiro when he wants his treats, you're not going to use that on me." She takes out a small tin, "...Besides, I don't mind sharing more."
   "Rowl!"
   "...Actually..." Nora stands up after feeding the Growlithe, "Where's your trainer? You're pretty friendly for a wild Pokémon..." She glances around for any sign of the Growlithe's owner before hearing a whine... Looking back at the pup, she notices his fur is dirty and matted... "So you don't have an owner..." She says as the Growlithe whines again and paws at her leg for more food, "...Would you like to join my team?" The Puppy Pokémon tilts his head as she continues to speak, "I'm gathering a team to be strong enough to take on the Elite Four. And I think that you'd be a good member, how would you like that?"
   "Rowl?"
   Nora rubs her head, "If you join, aside from battling you can also get food?"
   "Rowl!" There's tail wagging as he seems excited!
   "You want to join then?" There's a series of barks as the Pokémon nudges her leg with his nose and paw. Nodding at this, Nora takes out a Pokéball and tosses it at the Growlithe! His form turning red as he's absorbed into it. The ball shakes a few times before it stops and a click sound is heard. Nora smiles as she stands up and looks at the ball, "...Welcome to the family, Sirius." She tosses the Pokéball up for Growlithe to come out and walk alongside her, giving him another piece of jerky to chew on.

Meanwhile at Pokéstar Studios... Bianca walks with Patricia to the room where the interview will take place. Patricia turns around to look at the younger trainer, "This is where we must part ways for a while. The interview and audition should only take a couple of hours. So take a look around and then come back here okay?"
   "Okay!" Bianca smiles as Patricia enters the room. She looks around and begins to wander the place with her Pokédex ready. The studio grounds look unlike anything she has ever seen before. There are movie stars and actors with their Pokémon everywhere, and she can see movie props and huge posters showcasing the latest movies. In the middle of the grounds grows a huge palm tree, and in one area a team of cameramen are setting up their equipment in preparation for a scene... To the east, some people are also relaxing around a fountain and on a great balcony overlooking the sea... Among them is a striking woman with flowy white hair... "Oh wow..." Bianca looks around with wide eyes. But her attention is pulled away as she hears a 'Vee!' from her Eevee, who makes a dash for the set, curious about what's going on there! "E-Eire! Wait...!!!" She chases after the little Eevee! Suddenly a huge, white Pokémon with a blade at the side of its head leaps in front of Eevee, blocking her path! This gets the attention of the white-haired lady, who turns to look...
   "...!" The little Eevee stops but gives an innocent-looking face, "Vee! Eevee!!"
   One of the cameramen takes notice, "Oy, whose Pokémon is that?"
   "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry...!" Bianca scoops her Eevee into her arms and looks at the little Pokémon, "You know we're not supposed to be running on the sets!"
   The little Eevee just wags her tail, "Vee~"
   The disaster averted, the white Pokémon returns to its trainer, while the crew are being called back by the director for additional instructions...
   "Um..." Bianca takes a deep breath, approaching the white-haired woman, "Excuse me, Miss...?"
   "Yes?" She looks at Bianca with an expressionless face...
   "...!" Bianca blinks but continues, "I-I'm sorry for bothering you but... I'm on a journey and I was wondering if... I can scan your Pokémon?"
   "...You seem nervous. There is no need... Absol is always on the lookout for disasters. That was a small one... In the end, nothing bad happened." Her voice is rather monotonous as well, "You can scan him if you like. What is your name?"
   "M-My name is Bianca!" She gives a smile as her Eevee climbs onto her shoulder while she scans the Absol, "Um... may I ask yours?"
   "Regina... I came for the role as Lady Sherbet. Are you here for an audition as well?"
   "O-Oh, no... I was invited to come here." Bianca gives a nervous smile, "A-Ah... I-I'm sorry... I-I'm not used to t-talking with c-celebrities..."
   "It is all right. People often react that way around me. They also say I am very different from how they imagined me. Do I... appear cold to you?"
   "U-Um..." Bianca looks to the side and slowly nods her head.
   "I thought so. But this is only the face I wear when I am not acting... I do not mean to be unwelcoming. You see, in the north of Ydil, where I come from, it is very cold. To survive, people used as little energy as possible. Because they also lived far apart, there was not much need to express emotion outwardly. These things shaped their culture, and were passed down. The people in my village need very little to understand each other. This ability, I believe, also helps me to understand my Pokémon. However..." She blinks slowly, and suddenly her face looks warm and friendly! Her voice sounds more animated as well as she continues, "Because I am an actress, I have practised to display emotions perfectly, even if I do not need it to feel."
   "...!!" Bianca looks surprised at this, "W-Wow..."
   "Although it is an illusion, if it makes you more comfortable, I will wear this face instead. I can tell that you are a kindhearted person."
   "T-Thank you..." Bianca smiles a bit before she thinks carefully and looks at her, "A-Are you... Regina of the Elite Four...?"
   "Yes." She answers, "At home, I am called the Ice Queen."
   "Oh... I-I think I heard of y-you before." Bianca nods her head respectfully, "It's a big honor to m-meet you. One of m-my friends s-said you're one of t-the few trainers who m-mastered ice types."
   "Your friend is very knowledgeable... As are you. Ydil is a long way from Unova, after all." She looks at her Absol, "Ice is my favorite type, but I like dark types too. A winter night is not complete without them."
   "I-I don't know t-too much... My f-friend has t-to explain things t-to me. B-but I didn't k-know you used o-other types?"
   "Much like some Pokémon do, it is not uncommon for trainers in Ydil to have a second type..."
   "I see..." Bianca thinks about this before looking at Regina, "Um... If I may ask? W-What's it l-like being an E-Elite Four member?"
   "Everyone recognizes your face. Some people get nervous and stutter when they speak. Others will try their hardest to win your favor. There are also those who will see you as an enemy. Rarely you will encounter someone who does not care who you are. And sometimes, you can meet very good friends."
   "That sounds... very difficult..." Bianca looks down before looking up, "B-But... what of those you knew before? Surely they still see you as you are...?"
   "It is difficult at times. But I do not seek to complain. Being able to open the eyes of the people is a gift that I treasure. When those who like me see me, they also see my home. They have discovered the beautiful winter nights of the north, and because of that, life in my home village has improved. That is why I am an actress. And because I am one of the Elite Four, I can protect that beauty from those who would exploit it in selfish ways. Likewise, if I can claim the role of Lady Sherbet here, the eyes of Unova will be opened to the beauty of Ydil. That will help to improve relations between our regions."
   "T-That's very inspirational..." Bianca's eyes widen a bit, "...I never really see the big picture so... I never could imagine this..."
   "But you are on a Pokédex journey. Discovering the details is more important to you. As you do that, a bigger picture will eventually reveal itself to you." She smiles, "I think we can help each other... I will show you the other Pokémon I have with me. If you show your friends in turn, you will all know a little more about the charms of Ydil."
   "Oh really?!" Bianca looks excited, "If you can show me your other Pokémon that would be so much help...! And I'll be happy to let my friends see them too!"

Meanwhile Nora has found her way to Floccesy Ranch. The air is much fresher here, and she takes a deep breath, looking around over the green hills with scattered Mareep. A pair of Herdiers are working to gather them... "Huh... interesting. Maybe this would be a good place to research techniques for raising Pokémon?"
   "Rowl!" Growlithe barks happily as he wags his tail.
   After speaking with the farmers and learning about how they raise their Mareep, Nora follows the river into the forest north of the ranch to have a look around, finding signs of the Mareep grazing here too. It is quite open, with few huge plants aside for the tall trees which they could not reach. She looks at Growlithe who walks alongside her. "Let's see... I think we still have time, what do you say about a quick snack?" The Puppy Pokémon gives a happy bark as they sit down, but before Nora can take out something, he stands up. His ears are twitching. Nora looks at him, "Sirius? What's wrong...?" Growlithe begins to sniff the ground, making his way deeper into the forest... Picking up her bag, Nora follows. They walk until they reach a fallen log, and she sees something white lying down near it. "What is...?"
   "...!!!" The little Pokémon notices and moves up against the log! Its white body showing clear indications of injury, and the green hair with the red horn sticking out at the top is a bit dirty...
   "That's a... Ralts?" Surprise finds its way onto Nora's face as she pauses at some distance and lowers herself to the ground, "Why's one here...? They're usually at White Forest..." Seeing the little Pokémon tremble, Nora sits down and speaks softly, "It's okay... I'm not going to hurt you..."
   "Ral..." The Ralts seems hesitant, but watches Growlithe approach, not seeming as scared of him as he wags his tail.
   "..." Nora watches Growlithe lie down and communicate with the little Ralts, giving soft barks and grunts before he approaches Nora, stopping halfway and looking at the Ralts, who seems hesitant but follows along. Growlithe takes some steps and lets Ralts catch up, until he's next to Nora. The Ralts stops a few feet away from them. Seeing the extent of the injuries, Nora's eyes soften as she slowly takes out some berries that she purchased the day before and holds them out to the Ralts, "...It's okay... I won't hurt you. I just want to help..." Staring at her hand, the Ralts then looks at Growlithe who gives a happy bark. She takes a few timid steps forth, picking up a berry from Nora's hand. "Easy there..." Nora speaks softly as she looks at the little Pokémon. Her wounds are healing from eating the berries. "How did you get those wounds...? I can't imagine what could've done this..." There's rustling in the distance... Growlithe looks up and begins to growl! Nora glances in the direction as the little Ralts begins to tremble, scooting closer to Nora as she stands up.
   A man approaches them, and his eyes turn alight upon seeing the Ralts, "There ya are! Been lookin' all over fer ya! Your trainer's been lookin' fer ya!"
   "Who are you?" Nora questions as Growlithe still growls at the stranger, staying close to his trainer and the small Pokémon.
   "Me? I'm with the local Search an' Rescue group!" The man looks surprised, "There was a report of a missin' Ralts and it was last sighted 'round here! Good thing ya found her, I'm sure her trainer will be happy to reward you!"
   Nora frowns, "What missing Pokémon? There hasn't been any announcement at the Pokémon Center or on the Xtransceivers."
   "Well, it's been up for awhile ya see..."
   "..." Nora glances at the Ralts before looking at the man, "I question if this Ralts belonged to a trainer, she's clearly wild and it's obvious she's terrified of you. Just who are you?"
   The man stares at her for a few moments before shrugging, "...Ya know, if you weren't so inquisitive this wouldn't be so hard."
   "Wha--?" Nora is about to speak when suddenly a blast of water is fired past the man, onto Growlithe who is thrown aside...! Landing on the ground with a thud the Puppy Pokémon whines as he's weakly struggling to get up!
   "Growl...!!!"
   "...!! Sirius-- RETURN!!" Nora calls him back into his Pokéball as she notices another man approach with a Clauncher on his shoulder.
   "Now then, girly." The first man speaks as he takes out a Pokéball, "Give us the Ralts or you're going to come off worse than your little pup!"
   Taking a deep breath Nora looks at the Ralts... She stares up at her with a scared face, but relaxes a little as she sees that she's giving her an assuring smile. Moving quickly, Nora scoops up the little Pokémon and begins to run-- narrowly dodging a Water Gun at where she stood only an instant before!
   "After her! We can't let her get away!!"
   "Why does this happen to me...!?" Nora mutters as she runs through the forest as fast as she can, while the little Pokémon hangs onto her... She looks up at Nora in surprise as the two hunters follow! Hearing the sound of a Pokéball opening, Nora glances over her shoulder, and her brown eyes widen upon seeing an Ariados chasing after her! "Crud...!!"
   "Use Spider Web!!" White, sticky webbing lands close to Nora as she nearly stumbles, though manages to regain her composure and keep running! Further into the woods, she takes notice of the ground getting hilly, and as an idea crosses her mind she begins to pick up the pace. The Ariados fires off a String Shot before she reaches a bush! Glancing briefly to see the sticky string fly past her head, she leaps down a steep hill and slides down...! Cringing as she holds the Ralts close while getting scratches and cuts from tree branches and rocks, upon reaching the bottom Nora collides with a thick bush! Stumbling to her feet, she takes a few deep breaths and continues to run...!
   "Woah! Stop, stop!!" She hears their voices in the distance...
   "Shit...! That's a fucking steep hill! You idiot! Why didn't you grab it sooner?!"
   "How was I s'pposed to know the girly was gon' be dumb enough to save it?!"
   "Aw forget it, that damn Pokémon isn't worth this!"
   "Oh thank goodness..." Nora mutters as she slows down a bit, breathing heavily as she can feel her adrenaline fade slowly... She looks around, "...Where are we...?" She pauses and looks down at the Ralts, "Don't worry, everything's okay. Let's figure out where we are first, okay?"
   "Ralts..." She seems to be a little concerned.
   Nora shakily wanders through the forest, cringing as the bruises and cuts sting and ache with each step she takes. Her eyes scan for any trace of civilization or a landmark that can indicate where she's at... Frowning at the realization she must be very deep into the forest, she looks at her Xtransceiver, "...I don't know if any of them are near... but I gotta try..." She hits the call icon next to Cheren's name.
   He picks up soon enough, "Nora? Is something up?"
   "Cheren, where are you?" She glances behind herself briefly in case the poachers have changed their mind and are coming after her, but seeing no sign of them, she looks at the image of her friend, "I got chased into the forest around the ranch and I don't know where I am..."
   "Chased? You'll have to explain that, but first things first. I'm in Aspertia right now, at the outlook. I have a good view of the landscape from up here, but I can't see you. Can you make it to a higher place?"
   "...I can't head up to a higher place." She looks around, "I'll be spotted... Hold on, I'll get Aurelia out. Look out for her." Nora takes out a Pokéball and throws it in the air, and the little electric mouse appears! On seeing her trainer, the Pichu makes an alarmed squeak and rushes to check her, but pauses upon seeing the white Pokémon in Nora's arms. "Aurelia, we need to let Cheren know where we are." Nora gets on one knee to look at the little Pokémon, and Ralts watches the Pichu carefully, "Think you can climb..." She glances around, and her eyes land at a huge tree, "...Climb the top of that tree there so he can see you?"
   The little Pichu turns to look at the giant tree for a few moments before giving her trainer a determined nod, "Pichu!"
   "Climb safely, okay?" Nora smiles as the little Pokémon rushes towards the tree and begins to climb up it. Eventually, the brunette can no longer see the little yellow shape of her Pokémon who is climbing with determination to the top! On the screen, she sees Cheren lift his head as he stares out over the forest in silence...
   "... ...Hmm. I can't see her. I think she's too small. But there's a huge boulder sticking out above the trees, close to Floccesy Town. Ask Aurelia if she can see it."
   "Right..." She looks up and calls out to the Pichu, "Aurelia, can you see a huge boulder sticking out of the trees?" She waits a few moments before she hears some excited squeaks! "I think she found it, Cheren."
   "Alright, then I'll meet up with you there!"
   "See you there." She nods before hanging up. Pichu climbs down the tree, and when close enough she leaps off and lands on her trainer's shoulder. "Can you point where the boulder is, Aurelia?"
   "Pi!" The little Pokémon points to Nora's left!
   "Down there, eh? Alright, I think I can take over. I need you to stay in your Pokéball until I know we're safe, Aurelia."
   "Pichu..."
   "...Don't give me that sad look, I'll be just fine." She smiles as she rubs her head against the little Pokémon, who returns it-- mercifully it seems the battery charger is absorbing the excess electricity just fine! "See you soon, Aurelia." Nora calls the Pichu back and begins to head in the direction the little Pokémon pointed out.

After what feels like an hour she finally spots the large rock among the trees. As she limps her way towards it, she sees Cheren standing in front of it, looking at a huge slash marking... The rustling from the bushes catches his attention, and he approaches, "Nora! ...What happened to you?"
   "Cheren... Thank goodness..." Nora gives an exhausted smile as she stops, slowly sinking down to sit. The Ralts gives a wary look to Cheren. She moves behind Nora and hides in her jacket...
   "Hold on, I've got some medicine..." Cheren begins to treat her bruises and scratches... "What was that new Pokémon with you? You said that you got chased?"
   "I fell down a steep hill..." Nora says, "This Ralts... There were poachers trying to catch her, I picked her up and ran and well... I think I lost count of how many rocks I hit on the way down."
   "Poachers here? I think we should call the police about that, or... Hmm, maybe we can use this situation..." He ponders as he finishes treating her.
   "How do you mean?" Nora looks at him as the little Ralts peeks out from under her jacket.
   "I'll call Aina instead. I'll tell her I saw Verdell, and mention the poachers at the same time. If we're lucky, hunting them down will keep her busy for some time while we escape."
   "That could work." Nora's eyes widen in realization, "Verdell did mention that she can't stand by and watch illegal activities happen."
   "Yeah, she struck me as someone who takes her duties very seriously." He smiles a little, "Come on, it's time we headed back."
   "Yeah..." Nora stands up, but pauses as she looks at Ralts who's clinging to one of her Pokéballs, "...Don't worry Ralts-- Sirius will be just fine. Nothing a small trip to the Pokémon Center can't do to fix him."
   "Ral..." The little Pokémon still seems a bit worried.
   "Sirius? You caught even more Pokémon? Here, let me see." Cheren takes the Pokéball and uses some medicine to restore Growlithe's health too, "If we risk running into dangerous people around here it's best to make sure that our Pokémon are healthy."
   "We'll need to avoid them if we can." Nora nods. She glances at Ralts, taking out the same sky blue blanket that she used to carry Pichu's egg, "They were able to knock Sirius out with minimal effort. An Ariados chased after us too." The little Ralts peeks out from the folds of Nora's jacket again... Noticing the blanket in her hands, she looks up at her. Sensing concern and hopeful feelings, she slowly receives the blanket and wraps the soft material around her small body...
   "Alright." Cheren hands her Growlithe's Pokéball back, "Let's avoid taking risks. We'll stick to the road. Floccesy Town is close by."
   "Right." Nora unleashes the Puppy Pokémon. He sniffs the air, soon finding Ralts behind his trainer. He whines a bit, and the little white Pokémon comes out to see if he's okay. The two Pokémon seem to be communicating as Nora watches curiously. After a few moments, Sirius lowers himself to the ground, and Ralts hops onto his back-- holding the blanket securely around herself.
   "Giving her a ride, huh..." Cheren observes, "They seem to get along well."
   Nora smiles as she stands up, "Let's get going then."

Passing through Floccesy Town briefly, Nora gets a glimpse of the famous clock tower before they enter Route 20 on their way back to Virbank City. It winds its way through the woods and crosses the river that flows from the higher grounds where the ranch is down towards the ocean. The sound of a waterfall can be heard, but the forest grows so thick that it's not visible from the road. "How was your adventure around here, Cheren?" Nora looks at her friend, "Did you catch any Pokémon or see anything interesting?"
   "I caught a few for the Pokédex, but I don't think I should take on training too many all at once. Like I said I went all the way to Aspertia City, since some locals I spoke with said that they would recommend it to trainers aiming for the Pokémon League. The view from the outlook was amazing, I could see all of Unova."
   "Wow..." Nora smiles, "Maybe I'll make a trip there one day. I'm actually kind of excited now...!"
   "Yeah, you should. Someday, I think I'd like to live at a place like that..."
   "Really?" Nora raises a brow with a smile, "If that's the case, make sure you let Bianca and me know so we can visit you."

After a while, they reach the city and find their way into the café Patricia mentioned. Calm jazz music plays inside... Ralts has hidden under the cover of the blanket completely... Nervous of all the humans, as perhaps the large amount of emotions is overwhelming for the small Pokémon... "Cheren! Nora!!" Bianca looks excited as she and Patricia notice them and wave them over to their table, "There were so many different kinds of Pokémon at the Studios-- I got a lot of data to share with you guys!"
   Nora grins as she sits down, "Really? Well then, we better connect so we're up-to-date!"
   "I'll go grab you three something to drink and eat." Patricia stands up, pausing when she sees the Growlithe and the bump sitting at his back sneak under the table. But she looks at the trio, "What would you like?"
   "Lemonade would be nice! And can I have the Bluk Bar?" Nora grins at her sister.
   "Berry Juice for me! Can I have a sandwich?" Bianca smiles.
   Patricia nods, "You got it. Cheren, is there anything you would like?"
   "I prefer tea. With a sandwich for me as well, please." Cheren smiles.
   "Alright then." Patricia nods as she heads to the line to order.
   Bianca leans forward to her friends with an urgent look as she whispers, "Guys, we have an emergency...!"
   "Wha--?" Nora blinks at this, "Bianca what...?"
   "Regina's here in Unova...!"
   Nora's eyes widen as she whispers, "What...!?"
   "Hold on, the Regina Verdell spoke of?" Cheren's eyes widen as well.
   Bianca nods, "Yeah... She confirmed she's a member of Ydil's Elite Four. She was at the Studios performing for a movie."
   "Oh..." Nora places a hand on her head, "This is bad. Wait, does that mean the Champion and the other two are here too?"
   "That's what I'd like to know too." Cheren says, glancing around nervously.
   "We'll need to let the captain know then..." Nora speaks softly, "...We have to ask him what the others look like-- We can't take chances anymore."
   Bianca seems nervous, but she takes out her Pokédex, "I got information on her Pokémon too if you need it...?"
   "Yeah... Let's connect and swap information. At least we'll know what to expect if we run into her." Nora fishes out her own Pokédex.
   "Yeah. Great work finding out so much, Bianca." Cheren says as he takes out his Pokédex too.
   "You can thank Eire for that." Bianca smiles, "If she hadn't ran towards the set, I probably wouldn't have known..."
   Nora smiles, "Alright, I think the Professor said we need to press this button at the same time to sync up our data."
   "Yes." Cheren nods, "Ready? One... two... three!" Bianca and Nora press the button at the same time as him. There's a beep sound from the three Pokédexes as they're swapping information... After a few seconds a ding announces that the sync has worked. "Foreign ice type Pokémon, right?" Cheren says as he begins to look through the pages of new information that were added to his Pokédex, "Let's see..."
   Nora looks at hers, "An Absol?"
   "Yeah... She said that she likes the dark type too." Bianca nods.
   "Whoa... Aurorus?" Cheren's eyes widen a little, "Avalugg, Froslass, Weavile... and dark types you said, was Mightyena hers?"
   "Yes..." Bianca nods, "I saw her let them out of their Pokéballs."
   Nora frowns a bit, "Aurorus... Those are remarkably rare from what I understand. There's not too many that are privately owned."
   "Huh. Several of these Pokémon I haven't seen before..." Cheren has a slight frown too. He lowers his voice a bit, "Do we have any way to contact Verdell?"
   "I have his number." Nora takes out her Xtransceiver, "I'll be right back..." She gets up and heads outside to make a quick call. The two Pokémon under the table take notice, and Growlithe gets up with Ralts and follows after her. She spots some stairs leading down to sea level and goes there to be undisturbed.
   Bianca looks at her Pokédex, "Cheren... you think we're going to be okay through all this?"
   "...We'll manage." Cheren says, "Try not to worry. I already have a plan to shake Aina off our tails again..."

It takes a little while, but finally Verdell picks up the call. Or... "Dedenne! Denne dedenne!"
   "Hey! Give that back! Oww!" She can hear Verdell in the background, "Come on, at least let me see who it is!"
   "Captain? This is Nora." She speaks into the Xtransceiver, "Bianca wanted me to let you know about something?"
   "Nora? Can it wait? I sort of don't have my hands free at the moment-- Gah!!" His other Pokémon seem to be making a lot of ruckus aboard the ship!
   "Denne dedenne denne!"
   "No, it's urgent--" Nora looks around carefully before whispering into the watch, "The Ice Queen is in Unova."
   "Dedenne? Dede dedenne!!"
   Things suddenly quieten down on the other side. "Huh?" Verdell sounds surprised, "Well that's impressive, what did you just say? I couldn't quite hear you. Thanks, Hazel."
   "The Ice Queen is in Unova. She is working at the studio." Nora speaks quietly, "Bianca ran into her and her Absol."
   "..." There is a silence for a little while, although she can hear him breathing... At last he says, "Thanks for the warning. Tell Bianca that too. And let the others know that we'll pick you up at the complex where we won't risk being seen from the studio, instead of at the harbor."
   "Right, see you soon." Nora nods as she hangs up and heads back inside.
   "Were you able to get through to him?" Cheren asks.
   "Yeah, he said that he's going to pick us up at the complex." Nora nods as her sister comes over with their food and drinks. The moment she takes her seat, Sirius goes to hide under the table again. Ralts is peeking out from under the blanket!
   "Sorry it took so long, the line was just crazy..." Patricia places the tray down and takes her seat, "Anyway, eat up!"
   "Thank you!" Bianca smiles as she picks up her drink and food.
   "Just what we needed after a long walk like that, right Nora?" Cheren smiles as he takes his as well.
   "No kidding." Nora smiles a bit as she drinks her lemonade, "That felt like the longest walk I've had this year."
   Bianca looks through the Pokédex before looking up, "Cheren? Nora? Which one of you captured the Growlithe?"
   "That's Nora's. She got two new Pokémon... The other was... Ah, this one. A Ralts. But it only registers as seen... You haven't caught her yet?" Cheren looks at Nora.
   "No..." Nora shakes her head, "There wasn't enough time and she's scared of people. I don't think it would be a good idea to capture her when she's already had a bad experience with humans." She breaks off two pieces of the Bluk Bar, holding them under the table... A pair of white hands pop out of the blanket suddenly and snatches one piece to eat. Nora can feel Sirius taking the other piece, and the two Pokémon enjoy their snack.
   "She seems to trust you enough to stick around, nonetheless." Cheren smiles a little, enjoying his sandwich.
   "I suppose, but I can see that she's nervous." Nora shares another piece of her bar with the Ralts, "She's still hiding from the people around us."
   Patricia blinks, "Nora, you...? Oh dear... this is like what happened with that Purrloin isn't it?"
   Bianca looks at Patricia, "A Purrloin?"
   "Yeah... She's always been a bit of a softie, she picked up a wild Purrloin that was hit by a car and took it to a Pokémon Center."
   "Pretty sure anyone here would've done that." Nora shrugs as she takes a bite of her bar.
   "It was still a nice thing to do." Cheren says.
   "But, I just don't want to force Ralts after she had a bad experience with humans..."
   Patricia takes a drink of water, "I don't think you have to worry? I mean, it's clear that she trusts you."

After enjoying their meal and parting ways with Patricia, the trio head over to the complex... Eventually finding their way to a set of stairs that lead down to a small platform facing the sea, where they can see that Verdell's ship is already approaching. "Before he gets here I'm going to call Aina." Cheren says, "I'll try to make her chase the poachers. But I won't tell her about you, Nora."
   Nora looks at him, "You might want to let her know what they looked like." She describes their appearances to him...
   "Alright, I think that'll do." He nods, heading back up... Leaning against a wall, he takes a moment to compose himself before selecting Aina's number and making the call.
   After a few moments Aina's face appears on the screen, "Aina here."
   "This is Cheren. I just wanted to let you know I saw Verdell not long ago."
   "...! You did? Where?"
   "Well, I went with Bianca to Virbank City. We ran into Nora's sister, and she invited us to visit the Pokéstar Studios. I saw him sneak by... I-I mean, not at the Studios of course, but while we were speaking. Nora's sister is a pretty strong trainer, so I thought it would be fine to leave Bianca with her and follow him. And well, I tried to, but I lost him in the forest... I was distracted. Some people got in the way... They were ganging up on a trainer that was trying to protect an injured Pokémon. From what I could hear, they were poachers, and that Pokémon had tried to escape from them. I wanted to help, but they had some very strong Pokémon with them, and since I lost Verdell I thought the best thing I could do was to withdraw and call you. It was somewhere in the forest between Floccesy Town and the ranch."
   "..." Her eyes narrow dangerously on hearing about the poachers, "I see... Can you tell me what they look like?"
   "Yes." Cheren nods, "One of them had long black hair and wore a baseball cap with a Weavile motif. He was using a Clauncher. The other was wearing a leather vest and had a weird accent, and his Pokémon was an Ariados."
   "I will head there with my entourage then." She nods, "Hopefully we can intercept them quickly. Is there anything else I need to know?"
   "No, I think that's all. I have to catch up with Bianca now. But I hope you can catch them." He smiles a little.
   "I intend to... Perhaps this would be a good experience for Rylan. Regardless, take care of yourself."
   "I will. Good luck!" He says before hanging up, heading back down to the others.
   "Cheren?" Bianca asks, "Did it go well?"
   "I think so." He nods, heading over to the edge and sitting down as he looks into the sea below, "Although... it makes me uncomfortable to be lying like this. Even if I know I don't have much choice, it doesn't feel entirely right..."
   "I know what you mean." Bianca approaches him, "...I was really scared when I saw Regina... but I felt so bad when I was lying to her about how I knew about her."
   "At least, she wouldn't have any reason to suspect you. And if Aina catches those poachers, that's a good thing, too..."
   "..." Nora looks at the approaching ship, "What do you think happened to make Verdell flee? I mean, having an Elite Four member chasing you is one thing, but the others plus the Champion?"
   "That still bothers me, too... He says that they want his research, but what kind of discovery could warrant all this...?"
   "..." Bianca ponders a bit before looking at Cheren, "You think we can ask Professor Juniper about some information on Ydil?"
   "Don't you think it's best not to involve more people in this?"
   "You're right..." Bianca looks down, "But all of this... I just want to understand what's going on..."
   "...What was she like?" Cheren asks.
   "Regina?" Bianca looks at him, "Well... she seemed rather... cold. But she spoke in such a monotone voice that it was difficult to tell if she was passive or irritated. She's an actress and she suddenly made herself smile and become amicable. She said that she came from an area that is cold and isolated but believes it helps her understand her Pokémon better."
   "That's kind of creepy."
   "Y-Yeah... But she said that she hopes that the role she's in and me sharing my Pokédex can help advertise Ydil so people discover the region. She really holds her home in high esteem..."
   "Whatever happened, Verdell still doesn't seem to think so badly of the Ydil League. It's like he's just wary of them to avoid being caught... And that he refuses to tell us what's behind all this... Maybe he really did something even worse than what we know." Cheren gets up, "Aina still has feelings for him, so maybe the reason she won't tell is actually to protect him. Even if he managed to convince Ghetsis, how do we know that we can trust Team Plasma on this? He's not someone I would normally trust on anything. It makes me wonder if we're doing the right thing..." He paces back and forth on the platform, "But we know that Verdell is a nice person. We've actually seen that he's unwilling to put innocent lives at risk, even though he could... and even if it means that he may get caught... Before he asked us to leave the room so he could speak with Ghetsis alone, he said that the Ydil League betrayed his trust... I think we can assume that he meant Champion Matthias in particular. He also mentioned that they had some sort of secret plan that they needed his research for... that they can't proceed with until they catch him..."
   "..." Nora closes her eyes, trying to think of what it could be...
   "Maybe we should try to ask him what their plan was..."

As the ship gets close, Nora waves with a smile, "Hey!!"
   "These railings may be hard to dock by... I wonder if he thought of that..." Cheren seems a little concerned, and Bianca looks around anxiously for anyone watching them.
   "Ahoy!" Verdell waves back from his position behind the wheel.
   "How are we going to get aboard?" Cheren calls out.
   "Shanghai them, crew!" Verdell grins, and his Breloom leaps off the ship, flying over their heads and landing behind them!
   "Wha-- Hey...!" Cheren's eyes widen as she grabs him, and after moving back a bit and making a sudden dash she bounces, leaps from the railing and back onto the ship!
   At the same time Nora is grabbed from behind, and Talonflame's huge wings carry her up into the air! "Woah...!" Upon seeing her carried off, Ralts and Growlithe look at one another. Ralts puts on a determined face, focusing... They're enveloped in a white light, vanishing! A moment later, they reappear on the deck of the ship. Meanwhile, Verdell's Jumpluff floats over to Bianca, apparently inviting her to grab on... Bianca looks at Jumpluff with a smile as she takes hold of the shiny Pokémon. Talonflame drops Nora onto the deck while Jumpluff puffs herself up, floating with Bianca and landing gracefully on the ship.
   "Great work, crew!" Verdell grins as he steers away from land, "Alright, scallopwags, we don't tolerate any freeloaders aboard this ship! So trim the sails and flake the ropes! ...Alternatively, I think Chef needs some help in the kitchen." On a closer look, his appearance is even messier than usual... Aside from having quite a few new scratches, it looks like he has been doused with water as well as his clothes are still dripping, even if the wind has dried him somewhat...
   "...Verdell, what the heck happened to you?" Nora blinks.
   "Oh, just some rough play." Verdell grins back at her, "...Maybe a little rougher than usual."
   "...You're dripping wet." Cheren notes, "Did they try to keelhaul you?"
   "Hah, aye! That's exactly what happened!" He laughs.
   "So that's what was going on..." Nora ponders about this as Ralts and Growlithe seem a bit wary of the strange Pokémon on the ship.
   Verdell blinks, "Wait, wait... You don't believe me, do you? I'm kidding. Of course they wouldn't do anything potentially lethal to me." He shakes his head, giving his Jumpluff a smile as she floats over to sit on his shoulder, "After leaving Virbank we just sailed out into the sea for a bit... Then, first they had to catch me. I know my Pokémon, so I managed to dodge them a whole seven times before they caught me!"
   "Shif!" Shiftry holds up both of his fans, showing the three-pointed leaves on each...
   "What? No, it was seven times, not six."
   "Shiftry!"
   "You may question me as your captain, but don't forget that I'm also your trainer, Woodleg! It was seven times. Anyway! After that I sort of got my hands tied like I mentioned when Hazel stole my Pokéquip, and we had a little chat in which my crew was very convincing."
   "Of course I didn't believe you." Nora chuckles as she crosses her arms, "Pretty sure I'd be hearing you scream bloody murder. Though how did you even get soaking wet? Did you jump off the ship or something?"
   "I'm the captain, scallopwag! You think I'd abandon ship because of a little mutiny?"
   "They must have used that, then." Cheren points at a wooden bucket.
   "Aye. Salt water sure stings on scratches like these, but I'll live. They don't usually go that far, but I must have deserved it this time."
   "By the way, it's fine to let our Pokémon out, right?"
   "Same rules as before: Don't mess with the crew's work, and aboard ship Woodleg is in command."
   "Shiftry." Shiftry nods proudly.
   "Aye aye, captain." Cheren smiles as he throws his Pokéballs up, letting his Pokémon out.
   "Come on out guys!" Nora smiles as she also throws her Pokéballs up in the air. Bianca follows shortly after. Among hers is a pink Pokémon with long whiskers that looks curiously at its surroundings. "An Audino?" Nora blinks in surprise.
   Bianca nods, "Yeah, I caught her when she wandered into the Studio. She seemed curious about what was going on."
   "I see that you have some new ones as well." Verdell smiles at Nora's Pokémon.
   "Rowl!" Growlithe barks as he trots over towards Nora. The little Ralts peeks her head out from under the cover... She seems to calm down upon sensing that Nora is at ease and content on the ship.
   "The Ralts is a wild Pokémon." Cheren says, "Nora saved her from poachers. I just told Aina about them, and I said I saw you too, Verdell. She'll be rushing here to deal with them."
   Verdell laughs, "She could never resist such a chance! That's great, Cheren!" The Ralts looks at him with a puzzled expression... He smiles at the little Pokémon, "Aina will make sure they face justice for what they did, so you don't have to worry about them anymore. You're safe aboard my ship. Summer, would you show our new guests around, please?"
   "Jumpluff!" She nods, floating down to Growlithe and Ralts and Bianca's Audino. She greets them and begins to guide them around the ship. Bianca follows them out of curiosity, joining the line of Pokémon.
   "...So what's our current destination?" Cheren asks.
   "The Desert Resort." Verdell says, "Aside for being a good place to drop everyone off for the next Gym Challenge, it's where I'll start getting serious about my research in Unova. If Regina is here too I really can't afford to waste any more time."
   "What do you plan to look for there?"
   "That's a secret."
   "But we could help. Right, Nora?"
   "Yeah." Nora nods at this, "I know that in ancient times, it was the capital of Unova... That and the desert can also help our training. And honestly Verdell, I did want to ask you for some pointers on weather-related battles too."
   "I can answer your questions about the weather, but I can't let you help with my research. If the rumors are true, most of the ruins left behind in the dunes of the Desert Resort are off limits. Apparently there is a risk of being buried alive in there."
   "Why go there then?" Nora tilts her head.
   "Because of the high risks, there may still be many undiscovered secrets left behind deep inside the ruins. Unlike most researchers, I'm desperate enough to bet my life on finding them. If I'm lucky, the answer I'm looking for will be there."
   "For someone who was just roughed up by his own Pokémon, learned that more than one Elite Four member is here to hunt him down, and is about to risk being buried alive, it's amazing that you're still able to grin like that, Verdell." Cheren says.
   "Oh, I'm absolutely terrified. In fact, I can't stand deserts. But I'm trying not to think too hard about it because I can't let myself be weak now. I won't be able to run from the Ydil League forever, and this is a rare chance, so I have to take it... No matter the danger or how uncomfortable it makes me."
   "Erm..." Nora rubs her head, "You sure we cannot help you? Surely we can do something to help lift some stress off you and your crew?"
   "If you want to help that badly, go speak with Chef. Like I said, I think he could use some extra hands in the kitchen. We're having a banquet tonight."
   "What about you?" Nora frowns, "You'll get sick if you push yourself so hard with your research..."
   "Fine, I'll have a bath before dinner. Happy?"
   Nora crosses her arms and gives him a stern look, "Verdell, it better not be just today. You need to take care of yourself. Please?"
   "...You like me that much?" He gives her a playful smile, "It's too bad. I promised Aina that I'm not dating you... but I just can't help being this charming, so it's no wonder you'd fall for me."
   "You're my friend and at this point I see you more as a brother than anything." Nora gives him a dull look, "That and I'm certain Aina would kill me if I tried to court you."
   "Oh? If you think I'd let myself be ordered around by my sister, you're sorely mistaken."
   "Verdell, don't make me sic Aurelia on you for a tickle attack."
   "Now that's just rude." He raises a brow at her, "You think a pirate captain like me can't handle one baby Pokémon? After I endured my whole crew for hours already?"
   "Perhaps but my statement still stands: as your friend I am asking you with all due sincerity to please take good care of yourself. Trust me, I've been burnt out before and it ain't fun."
   "I was already planning to have a bath anyway... but it puzzles me that you worry I'll burn myself out, of all things. I think there are plenty of more imminent threats that you can worry about for my sake, if you have to worry at all."
   "Burn out means you can't think straight though, and I don't want you to get caught ever..."
   "But why do you think that'll happen to me? Whenever was I not laid-back around you?"
   Nora pouts, "There was what happened in Castelia if I may point out."
   "Are you saying that I should have blown up the city to get away?"
   "No, but I'm saying that you may not be so lucky one day." Nora sighs as she shakes her head, "Never mind... forget I said anything."
   "I'm aware, alright? It's the very reason I have to do this. I don't plan on either getting caught or dying, if that's what this is about."
   "Alright then." She shrugs, "Anyway, I'll go help Chef out in the kitchen." She turns to leave.
   Cheren follows her inside... "Nora, are you alright?"
   "I'm fine..." She sighs as they keep walking, soon being joined by Growlithe and Ralts, "I'm just so tired of being kept in the dark..."
   "I don't think we can expect him to open up that fast... But I'm sure he's trying. That he'd even let us aboard his ship so soon after what happened proves that. Personally I'm not sure I deserve even this much of his trust... I'm still having doubts about him. But I decided to give him a chance. I think, at this point, he may be feeling the same."
   "Yeah..." Nora sighs as she shakes her head, "...But still... it's really rough to be in the dark..."
   "I agree. I want to find out what's going on as much as you do... It's disturbing not to know for sure if I'm doing the right thing by protecting him."
   "..." Nora rubs her temple, "...I'm not sure but... a part of me thinks he's trustworthy."
   "At least, he can't be entirely bad." Cheren nods, "We know for a fact that he's trying his best to avoid getting innocent people hurt. Even if it's annoying that he thinks he's protecting us by not telling us things."
   As they pass by a room, a pair of red eyes observe them... It's the Mawile... Ralts peeks out from the safety of the blanket. She gives a timid wave as she hangs onto Growlithe. Mawile smiles sweetly and waves back. Growlithe pauses in his stride as he notices Verdell's Leafeon and the two Eevees further ahead. His tail starts wagging as he whines at the Ralts. They seem to communicate before the little Pokémon climbs down from his back. Growlithe bounds down the corridor in excitement as the Ralts looks around, then follows after Nora. Upon entering the kitchen, they see Clefairy on a bench, hard at work decorating a batch of Poképuffs. Typhlosion is startled, flaring up a little stronger where he lies curled up inside a large brick fireplace before realizing that the next batch will get burned if he doesn't calm down. "Ah... sorry for the scare..." Nora gives an apologetic look, "We were wondering if Chef would like some help...?"
   "Clef clefairy!" Clefairy bounces over to the table, pointing at a book that shows a recipe for Poképuffs.
   Nora walks over to the table and looks at the book, "Making Poképuffs? Alright then, Cheren? Feel like baking?"
   Cheren picks the book up to look at the cover, "A cookbook for Pokémon? ...These instructions... look like they are intended for Pokémon, too. So many pictures... Well, it wouldn't hurt to learn how to make something good to reward my Pokémon for their hard work." He smiles, "Besides, you're pretty good at baking already, aren't you, Nora?"
   "Yup!" She smiles as she rolls up her sleeves, "Come on, I'll show you a few tricks I learned."

Some time later, they have accomplished a mountain of Poképuffs, and it seems that Clefairy is finally satisfied. He bounces over to shake each of their hands! "Clefairy clef clefairy!" Typhlosion looks at the Poképuffs with a content smile as well. He seems a little less shy after working alongside them.
   "Thank you for giving us the chance to help." Nora smiles wide at the Clefairy. Ralts is riding on her shoulder, it seems that she also grew more comfortable after being assigned the role of taste tester. "I sure hope that's enough for everyone."
   "This was quite fun." Cheren smiles too.
   "Clefairy!" Clefairy bounces over to the table to pick the cookbook up and put it back in its place on a shelf, but he doesn't seem about to take off his chef hat just yet, as he takes out another book instead...
   "Hm? That looks like an ordinary cookbook... Is Chef going to make food for us, too?" Cheren glances at Nora.
   "Fairy clefairy!" Clefairy nods as he places the book down on the table. But then he leaps down and pushes at their legs while pointing at the door. "Clefairy fairy clefairy!"
   "Looks like he's trying to tell us to go out and enjoy ourselves. Well then, we'll look forward to dinner."
   "Alright, see you later Chef, Shimmer." Nora waves to them as they make their way out.
   Just as they leave the kitchen, Verdell suddenly steps aside for them; he seems to have been on his way in. "Ah, hey. Judging by the smell in here you two must have done a fantastic job! We've just dropped anchor outside the Desert Resort."
   "We have?" Nora blinks in surprise, "That was fast... or perhaps my sense of time is a bit off..."
   "This is a fast ship when the wind is right, and it always is because my Pokémon take turns to summon it." He grins, "But you've still been down here for quite some time, so I take it you were having fun."
   "We were helping Chef and Shimmer make Poképuffs." Nora rubs her head, "But got kicked out when he pulled out a normal cookbook."
   "Ah, yes, I think he wants to surprise you." Verdell chuckles.
   "I think I can understand that feeling. I can't wait to see how my Pokémon will react to the Poképuffs." Cheren smiles.
   "Hopefully we made enough." Nora looks at Cheren, "Sirius is a big eater."
   Verdell slips past them into the kitchen, followed closely by Talonflame, "Oh, that definitely looks like it'll be more than enough for everyone. Chef knew that we would have guests after all, and he always makes extra to be sure that no one goes hungry. Anyway, Shimmer, I'd like some hot water in my quarters. And a chat. So Polly will take over kitchen duty for you, alright?" His Typhlosion nods, making a small noise. Talonflame gives him a chirp as they pass by each other... "I'm glad to see that you're getting along with our guests, too."
   "..." Typhlosion gives a shy smile. Nora smiles back as Ralts is waving from her shoulder.
   "Ah, by the way, Nora, Cheren. I think Stella has finished preparing your rooms."
   "Ral!" Ralts chirps as she points down the hallway they went through.
   "Speaking of which, Cheren, I think I forgot to warn you about her... She's very sweet, but it's best not to get too friendly with her. Not until you're sure that she respects you, at least. She nearly chomped my arm off a few times in the beginning."
   "Yikes..." Nora blinks at this, "Thanks for the warning..." Ralts looks at Verdell, then down the hall a bit...
   "I told my crew to behave, but it's best not to tempt her. As long as you keep a safe distance there should be nothing to worry about."
   "Alright then." Nora nods, "We'll be careful around her. Though does she mind if I record her on the Pokédex since her species isn't native to Unova?"
   "Go ahead." He smiles. "Last I saw her she was dozing off on deck."
   "So this may be a good opportunity." Cheren smiles, "I think I'll record her too."
   "Thank you, Verdell." Nora smiles, "See you!" She hurries off to the deck, and Cheren follows along. Sure enough, they find Mawile napping in the soft sunset that shines on the wall to the captain's quarters... Taking out her Pokédex while keeping a safe distance, Nora begins to scan the sleeping Pokémon.
   "Deceiver Pokémon?" Cheren reads in a low voice, "The giant steel jaws attached to its head are actually horns that have been transformed. Don't be taken in by this Pokémon's cute, docile-looking face-- it's very dangerous. Mawile fools foes into complacency with its adorable gestures, to lull them into letting down their guard. When the foe least expects it, it chomps down with its relentless jaws. It can chew through iron beams..." He glances at the Bellsprout practising his moves next to Breloom, "I think I'll go look for the rest of Verdell's Pokémon I didn't already get."
   "Same." Nora joins him. They search both on and below deck, and most of the Pokémon are not too difficult to find, but Dedenne and the moth she saw earlier are tricky... "Where in the world is Hazel and the moth Pokémon...?" She looks around, as does the Ralts.
   "A moth? Maybe it likes dark places..." Cheren says. They keep searching below deck for a while, eventually finding Dedenne in the engine room at the stern of the ship, which apparently houses a device for creating fresh water by heating sea water and collecting the steam. She briefly glances their way, but doesn't seem to mind them as she's busy inspecting it. But the moth still remains hidden...
   "Hrm... should we try using a bright light?" Nora looks at Cheren.
   "Have you got any?" Cheren looks at her.
   "I have a flashlight but I don't know if that's enough?" Nora takes out a small light from her bag.
   "Try it?"
   "Alright." She turns it on. Nothing seems to be coming out, even after waiting for a while, but there are many more rooms on the ship... "...You see anything?" She asks as they continue to look around.
   "No..." Cheren keeps his eyes open as well. As they keep searching, eventually there is some movement from behind the barrels in one of the storage holds...! But whatever it is quickly dives back down again, not seeming about to come out.
   "Hello?" Nora calls out as she looks around in the room. It is silent...
   "It must be another shy Pokémon." Cheren says, "It's hiding on purpose."
   "Hey..." Nora looks around, "We just want to record you on our Pokédex? We'll leave you alone after that..." The little Ralts is watching carefully. The Pokémon is still not coming out.
   Then they hear steps approaching, "Hey. What are you two up to in here?" Verdell asks. He looks different, no longer the mess they're used to, but instead clean and tidy like in the picture they saw before.
   "...!" Nora blinks a bit before speaking, "We were trying to find one more Pokémon I saw but it's hiding in here? It looked like a moth..." Ralts hops down from Nora's shoulder and moves forward to where she's sensing fear...
   "..." Verdell slips past them into the room, followed closely by Typhlosion. He peeks behind the barrels... "Flurry? Dinner should be about ready, so it's time to come out now. You can ride on my back." The moment Verdell turns around there is a sudden noise from the moth Pokémon's wings as it quickly flits, landing on his back.
   "Flurry?" Nora tilts her head, "Is he shy?"
   "Yes." Verdell smiles as he approaches, "There were three of you, so it's only natural that he wouldn't come out of hiding. He needs to be near someone he's familiar with to be comfortable around strangers."
   "Aw..." Nora has a sad look as she turns off the flashlight, "I'm sorry Flurry..." Ralts tilts her head at the Venomoth, curious why a Pokémon bigger than her is timid. But Venomoth seems quite content now that he's on Verdell's back, smiling at Typhlosion who looks happy too.
   Cheren walks around Verdell to get a better look and add the entry to his Pokédex, "...Venomoth, huh. That's curious." He takes the chance to scan Typhlosion as well, "I thought you said that you don't get along with poison types."
   "Oh, Flurry is the exception to prove it... Well, actually, some grass types are poisonous too, and I don't mind them either, as long as I'm not their target. Flurry hatched in the Butterfly House belonging to the Rose Lab, where my parents raised a few select species of bug types that are beneficial to plants and grass type Pokémon. Venomoth are mainly predatory, keeping pests at bay, but they pollinate flowers that bloom at night as well, when most other pollinators sleep."
   Nora records the Venomoth on her Pokédex, "He looks handsome though, I've never seen this kind of Pokémon before in Unova. I'm guessing he's one of the masters of wind for the ship?"
   "That's a good guess." Verdell smiles, "Ah, there's the bell. I hope you're hungry." He leads the way to the dining hall where Clefairy has prepared the banquet. Bianca enters at the same time as Nora and Cheren, her eyes wide at all the food.
   "Clefairy clefairy!" Clefairy stands at the entrance gesturing for everyone to take a seat. The mountain of Poképuffs now towers in the middle of a long table lined with plates for the Pokémon. It spreads a sweet scent that mixes with that of the fried fish that seems to be the main dish for the humans. There's also pitchers of water flavored with sitrus berries to drink, and many fresh fruits and berries as a side dish for everyone... Excited barking and chirps can be heard from the Pokémon about the Poképuffs!
   "Nice!" Nora smiles, "It's been awhile since I had fish!"
   "This is nice..." Bianca smiles as she takes a seat at the table with her friends.
   "Everything looks delicious." Cheren says as he sits down next to Bianca. Then he glances at his Pokémon, who eagerly find places around the table as well. Once all humans and Pokémon are seated, Clefairy declares the banquet opened, and the Pokémon begin to help themselves to the Poképuffs. Some of them pass the food along as well, Dewott making sure the rest of his family has a Poképuff each before he helps himself to one. Pignite is happily eating his, and Bianca's Eevee is eagerly chomping down alongside Cheren's Eevee. Unlike most other Pokémon in the room, Servine is displaying perfect table manners, using his leaves to cut the Poképuff in front of him and taking his time to savor it.
   After taking a bite of the fish Bianca has a smile, "This is delicious, my compliments to the Chef!"
   "It is." Cheren says as he's eating happily as well, while sneaking some glances at his Pokémon who seem to be enjoying the food very much. "Looks like the Poképuffs were a success, too."
   Verdell has a nostalgic look in his eyes, "It's been a long time since things were this lively here."
   "It's really nice when you have company to enjoy the food with." Nora smiles.
   "...I'm sorry for upsetting you earlier, Nora. Maybe my people skills are getting a bit rusty after being with only Pokémon for so long... I appreciate your company."
   Nora shrugs, "It's alright? I should respect people's spaces so... I'm sorry for giving a headache to you as well?"
   "Don't worry about it. I had a glance at the mirror before my bath, so I know that I looked like a wreck... It's no wonder you'd be concerned, even if I did my best to keep my smile on."
   "Yeah..." She rubs her head, "Health is very important so..."
   "Still, I promise I didn't look like that because of overworking myself. It's the opposite, I'm just too lazy to care what I look like most of the time."
   "Alright then." She nods, "If that's due to being lazy rather than unhealthy that's fine? Just don't neglect cleaning."
   "Oh, don't get me wrong. I appreciate your company, but I'm taking no orders from you, sis. I only make an effort to look good if I have a reason to." He grins before stuffing his mouth with the fish.
   "Hey!" Nora pouts at this, "As long as you stay healthy I won't complain! You better take good care of yourself!"
   He at least has the manners to swallow before answering, "Alright alright, but I'm not doing it because you're commanding me to. I just happen to like not being sick or dead."
   Nora nods at this.
   "You're triggering Nora's care instincts when you look messy." Cheren says, "It's super effective, so she can't resist."
   "...Clever, Cheren, but still not enough to motivate me." Verdell smirks.
   "It's just the truth."
   "Yeah!" Bianca smiles wide, "Everyone in town knows she gets worried about people!"
   Nora blushes a bit as she looks down at her plate, taking a sudden interest in eating now.
   "I am a pirate captain, not a baby Pokémon." Verdell declares, "I'll look as messy as I please!"
   Cheren swallows a piece of fish before speaking, "By the way, I've been meaning to ask. I know that you don't want to talk about your research yet, but you mentioned that the Ydil League had some sort of secret plan. Can you tell us about that, at least?"
   "Yeah." Bianca looks at Verdell, "Can you tell us a little at least?"
   "No." Verdell gives a shake of his head, "That's something you're better off not knowing."
   "Are we really?" Cheren asks, "Lying to protect you is hard enough as it is. I decided to give you a chance, but your choice to keep us in the dark about so much means that I still don't know for sure if I'm doing the right thing."
   "...You're threatening to go double agent on me?"
   "Maybe."
   He closes his eyes, "If I tell you about their plans and the Ydil League finds out that you know, you will not be let off with a fine. They will deal with you as with enemies to Ydil. Even together the three of you are far from strong enough to defend yourselves against just one of them." He looks at them, "But since I can't afford being exposed at such a crucial time, I will let you choose for yourselves if knowing is something you truly want. I suggest you all think carefully about it tonight."
   "..." They look at each other... Then Cheren stares at Verdell, "If we decide that we still want to know, you will tell us tomorrow?"
   He nods... "A little."
   "..." Nora looks between everyone before clearing her throat, "Anyway, this is some really good food. How did you teach Chef to cook, Verdell?"
   "Ah, well he loves food so the motivation was already there. I figured that getting him a book on how to make Pokémon sweets would be a good way to keep him happy. I showed him the basics in the beginning, but after that he mostly taught himself. He made more than he could eat, which led to him sharing them with other Pokémon, and he got a lot of encouragement there, so he kept doing it... His cooking skills improved, and eventually he wanted to advance to making food for humans as well. That was a little trickier since humans don't always like the same things Pokémon do, but he kept trying until he finally got the hang of it."
   "That's amazing." Nora smiles, "I've heard of a few Pokémon having a passion for something, but Chef is the first I've heard of having a passion for cooking-- and being fantastic at it."
   Bianca nods with a smile, "It's amazing..."
   "Yeah, I dare say he cooks better than some humans. This fish is just as delicious as it looks." Cheren smiles too.
   "Actually it's not that uncommon for Pokémon to have interests of their own." Verdell says, "As trainers, it's a good idea to pay attention to your Pokémon outside of battle. You may discover things about them that will improve your bonds, and then they'll surely work harder for you in battle too."
   "Hmm. I hadn't thought of that, but it makes sense." Cheren says, "If I'm going to reach the top, I need to have a strong bond with my Pokémon... because Pokémon respond to trainers they believe in. I know that my Pokémon already believe in me because we work hard together with training and battle strategies, but if we can grow stronger by improving our bonds in other ways, too..."
   Nora glances at her Pokémon, "Soujiro usually follows me when we're doing research but he's fond of battling. Maybe our time here would be good not just for training but also getting to know our Pokémon better?"
   Bianca nods with a smile, "Yeah! It's been a while since they had time to breathe and enjoy themselves so... I wonder what my team likes...?" She looks at her Pokémon, seeing them eat happily.
   Nora looks at the blonde, "Why don't we spend time with them before we head to bed tonight? It could help getting an idea of their interests?"
   "Yeah." Cheren smiles, "That's a good idea."
   "So, Nora." Verdell looks at her, "You said that you had some questions about the weather?"
   "Ah, yes. I just have a few?" Nora says, "I know that sometimes it can be used for combos and chipping away opponent's health, but I'm not sure what else it can be used for...?"
   "Well, I actually use Sunny Day a lot in battle. Many grass type Pokémon benefit from that, as do fire types." He chuckles, "Skilled challengers could tell just from my team composition that they could expect Sunny Day from me. For example, strong sunlight makes it possible for several of my Pokémon to move much faster than normal."
   "Because of their abilities right?"
   "Yes, it's called Chlorophyll." Verdell nods, "Some of them also have Leaf Guard, which lets them deflect status moves in the sunlight."
   "Hrm..." Nora ponders at this, "So certain abilities may help in these situations..."
   "Yes. As I think you already know, your Soujiro is not comfortable in strong sunlight, however. Water type Pokémon prefer rain instead. But he'll need to be careful if your opponent uses electric types, since stormy weather may benefit them too. Once Aurelia grows stronger that may be a good thing for you, of course."
   "Granted if we're in rain or one can learn Rain Dance." Nora glances at the two Pokémon eating, "But I guess that means they can potentially work together as partners in a double battle?"
   "They could, but you need to be careful since your Growlithe may not enjoy rain. As a general rule for double battles, you should make sure that all of your Pokémon, no matter what constellation they end up in, can fight well together and support each other. They are much more fast-paced than single battles, so your Pokémon need to be in perfect sync. If one gets in the way of the other for even a moment, you may end up losing."
   "I see..." She furrows her brow a bit, "...So that means... Then if..."
   Bianca gives a small chuckle, "Looks like she's going to be thinking for a while..."
   "This is very interesting." Cheren says, "Can you tell us about more kinds of weather?"
   "Well, back in Ydil we often have snowstorms in the winters... It benefits mostly ice types, so it can be difficult to find a good use for if you don't specialize in that type. Hail tends to have the same effect. But some Pokémon, like Clefairy for instance, are not bothered by it."
   "How's that possible?" Bianca seems surprised at this.
   "They have an ability called Magic Guard which protects them from all sorts of indirect damage." Verdell smiles, "It should work in sandstorms as well. Chances are you'll be seeing that weather soon. Nora's Hector should be fine, but you'll all want to be careful not to push your other Pokémon too hard in that weather. Do you all have enough healing items prepared?"
   Nora looks up, "I purchased a fair amount at the Pokémon Center yesterday."
   "I always make sure to keep a stock." Cheren nods, as does Bianca.
   "Good. You should be fine even if you end up battling other trainers or catching wild Pokémon, then."
   "Right!" Bianca has a large smile at this, "I feel so excited... I can't wait!"

That night, after spending time with her Pokémon, Nora sits quietly in her room while they find themselves comfortable places to sleep. It seems Ralts has decided to keep the blanket to sleep in as she settles down in a chair that has a nice cushion... Then there's a knock at the door. Nora gets up and opens it to see Bianca and Cheren... "Can we talk here?" Bianca asks.
   "Sure, come in." She moves to the side to let them inside. Cheren slips in after Bianca, closing the door carefully... Aron is snoozing quietly in his basket with cushions around him, while Dewott and Growlithe peek down at them from the top bunk.
   "So... what do you guys think?" Nora asks as she takes a seat on the bottom bunk.
   Bianca looks between them, "...I'm not sure..."
   "..." Cheren sits down at the other end of the bed, looking at the painting of a happy gathering of Cherrim on the opposite wall for a moment... "Bianca, I've been meaning to ask. What were you up to for most of today?"
   "...I was reading a lot about fairy types but... I was also trying to see on the map where Verdell plans to go?" She sits down in the middle of the bunk.
   Nora lies down and looks at the blonde, "And?"
   "...I wasn't able to identify any major places aside from the Desert Resort."
   "He's cautious." Cheren says, "Still, he actually agreed to tell us more if we're willing to face the risks, so I think he's opening up a little... But can we risk it? Or would it be better to wait until we're stronger...? What if waiting is a worse mistake..." He frowns.
   "Hrm..." Nora stares up at the bottom of the top bunk, "If we risk it we'll need to get stronger quickly. Especially since both Aina and Regina are here."
   "Do you have a plan for how to get stronger that fast?" Cheren looks at her...
   "...I'm planning to pick up on training. I've been working out plans with Verdell to help build up my team's talents." She glances at them, "What about you?"
   "...Do you think there's a chance he'd accept more apprentices? I'm already training my Pokémon very hard, so I don't think I can ask more of them. If anything, I need to improve myself..."
   "I don't think he'd mind? I mean, he seems happy giving advice and tips. Besides, when I was in Pinwheel Forest he gave me some tips about being more efficient in battle." Nora looks up as she can hear her Pokémon curling up with one another.
   Bianca looks at the smiling Cherrim in the painting, "I think I need some tips too... Iris helped me train my Pokémon to be stronger but I'm still not used to stressful situations..."
   "Then, let's ask him tomorrow." Cheren says.
   "...Hey Cheren? Bianca?" Nora looks at them, "Do you want to try and train in the desert tomorrow, maybe check out Relic Castle for clues?"
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, "We can at least check out the safe areas of the Relic Castle... Then we'll work on getting stronger."
   "That sounds like an idea." Bianca smiles, "Maybe we'll find something cool in there!"
   Nora chuckles, "We won't know till we go in there. But if battling in the sandstorm gets too much we can go inside."
   "Alright. I'm going to get some rest..." Cheren gets up, "It'll be another long day for sure."
   "Alright..." Bianca stretches a bit before she stands up, "I've never slept on a ship before so this should be interesting!"
   Nora grins, "Well, we'll see who between the three of us has sea legs!"

The next morning, after a nice breakfast... "I'll give your cooking five stars, Chef." Cheren smiles.
   "Fairy clefairy!" Clefairy looks very happy.
   "My Pokémon are happy too. I guess we're ready for the desert."
   "Yup!" Bianca smiles as her Pokémon seem energetic and excited.
   Nora glances at Verdell, "Thank you for letting us have rooms here. It's... rather different sleeping on a ship?"
   "Hm, were you not able to sleep well?" He looks at her.
   "No, it was actually pretty calming." She smiles, "It took some getting used to, but it was really nice."
   "There were a lot of unusual sounds." Cheren says, "But it was kind of comforting. For a pirate ship it's surprisingly cozy."
   "Well, sorry my ship isn't haunted if that's what you were expecting!" Verdell laughs, "...It would have been awesome if I could have had some real ghost type Pokémon to help me prank people, but my mom wouldn't let me."
   "How come?" Bianca tilts her head, "Was your mom not used to them?"
   "She doesn't like ghosts. Even pirates respect their moms, alright?"
   "I guess so." Cheren chuckles, "But the lamp on my nightstand made me wonder where this ship gets electricity from... There's the PC in your cabin too. But my Pokédex said that Dedenne are more likely to steal electricity than to share it."
   "Ah, that's solar energy. Parts of the hull of the ship have a type of improved panels my parents made after studying how grass type Pokémon absorb sunlight. It's very effective, so it generates enough to keep Hazel happy too." He smiles at Dedenne as she leaps and runs up his coat onto his shoulder, "Truth to tell, it was how I first met her. They asked me to catch whoever was messing with their experiment. All that electricity attracted her, and somehow she had managed to sneak into the lab."
   "Dedenne!"
   "And that's how you caught her?" Nora smiles, "That must've been an interesting surprise for both of you. Though the solar panels are interesting, do you use Sunny Day to keep the sunlight needed for the electricity?"
   "Sometimes, yes, if the weather stays bad for too long." He nods.
   Nora ponders a bit, "Maybe I should look into... hrm?" She looks down as Dewott is tugging her pant leg, looking rather excited to train.
   Bianca chuckles, "Looks like everyone's ready to train!"
   "On that topic." Cheren says, "Verdell, are you still accepting apprentices?"
   "Hm?" Verdell looks at him.
   "I want to get stronger. Since you're already teaching Nora, I'd like to ask you to teach me and Bianca as well."
   "..." He looks from Cheren to Bianca...
   "Please...?" Bianca looks hopeful, "We promise we'll work extra hard to keep up! And we really want to know what it means to be great trainers!"
   Verdell turns aside, pondering, "I'm already under pressure. I can't hold off on my research..." He glances at them, "You know I'm about to head out on a dangerous mission... I don't like to make promises when I'm not sure if I can keep them. But if the three of you will be patient and promise not to get in my way or otherwise risk your lives meddling around in the dangerous areas of the Relic Castle, I suppose I could mentor all of you when... or if, I return from there."
   "Very well." Cheren says, looking at the others...
   "Of course!" Bianca nods at this.
   Nora smiles, "We'll be patient, we're planning to train outside. We're only going in there if the weather gets horrible."
   Verdell shakes his head, "Oh, don't expect me to be back that soon. I'll probably be gone for a few days. You'll have time to continue your journeys in the meanwhile, exploring the city nearby and its surroundings. It's huge enough that I assume there must be another Gym there, as well."
   "I see. It shouldn't be hard to find ways to entertain ourselves around Nimbasa City." Cheren says.
   "You also know that I'm on the run. I may not be able to stick around with the three of you all the time. I'll do what I can to help you grow when there's opportunity, but don't expect too much of me, alright? It won't be like the intense training Aina is giving Rylan. But don't worry-- If you put in the effort to grow independently in addition to asking for advice when you need it, I'm sure you'll eventually be very strong trainers. It may be a little slower in the beginning, but in time your own experiences will help you raise Pokémon more effectively than if you were to rely too much on someone else to tell you what to do all the time."
   Cheren smiles, "I wouldn't want it any differently. Thanks, Verdell."
   "We can probably look into the Gym as well." Nora looks between them, "Besides, Nimbasa is the entertainment center of Unova. There's probably something for all of us to do there."
   Bianca nods with a smile, "Yeah! Maybe we'll see a lot of trainers there too!"
   "Well then, shall we be off?" Verdell smiles as he begins to head out.
   "Aren't you forgetting something?" Cheren folds his arms, "You haven't told me about the Ydil League's plans yet."
   "...!" Verdell stops short at the door, turning around, "...I assumed that you would change your mind, given some time to consider. You didn't learn your lesson the first time?"
   "Sorry, but I was never going to change my mind about this. I need to know if what I'm doing is right."
   "..." Verdell stares at him for a moment, then he looks at Nora and Bianca, "What about you two? Do you still want to know, with all the risks that follow from being enemies to Ydil while you are still as good as defenseless against them, or will you trust Cheren's judgement after I tell him?"
   "I want to know as well." Nora says, "I think we all want to know what's going on."
   Bianca nods in agreement, "It... It feels really weird to lie and not know why... Please Verdell? What are their plans? Why do you have to flee from them?"
   "..." He sighs, "You have me. I promised to tell you, after all... But I'm not going to come save you if you're caught. I'm not even going to feel bad for you! That's your last warning. If you're still determined to know, come along to my quarters and we'll speak there." There is a silence in the room as he heads out; all of his Pokémon are observing the scene... Then his Mawile decides to follow him, carrying her head high as she glances at the three other trainers...
   "...What are we waiting for?" Nora stands up as Bianca follows her lead, "Let's go." Cheren follows as well, and behind them, Typhlosion is sneaking along too... Dedenne is still on Verdell's shoulder as he climbs up the hatch into his quarters...
   "...Heh. Don't worry, Stella." He smiles as he takes his Mawile's hand to help her up the last steps, they seem a bit huge for her, "I never agreed to tell them our secret, only the Pokémon League's. That said, if any of you three bring your Pokémon along for this, I won't stop Stella if she decides to eat them, alright?" He grins down at Nora and the others.
   "They're likely playing on the ship." Nora glances at Dewott who is watching from a distance before nodding and making his way back to the others, "They won't approach."
   "...Verdell, you're making this look like a trap." Cheren remarks as he climbs up.
   "Oh, you noticed? Please make yourselves uncomfortable." He answers in a honeyed voice as his smile now seems to reflect that of his Mawile, "Not that any of your Pokémon would make a difference if Stella decides to eat you-- Wait, hold on, Stella! That wasn't permission to do it!"
   For the blink of an eye she looks disappointed, but then she puts on the most innocent of faces, tilting her head, "Maw?"
   "...If this is a trap you're making it rather awkward ya know." Nora has a dull look.
   "I know you're just trying to scare us still." Cheren says, folding his arms as Typhlosion closes the hatch behind them after climbing up. "I'm not falling for that."
   "That's too bad. But the fewer who know the better..." Verdell flops backwards onto his bed, "Aina is going to kill me..."
   Nora sits down at the couch with Bianca, "...It's really that bad?"
   "... ... ..." Verdell is silent for a little while, staring at the ceiling, "It depends on how you see it." He says at last, "Most other regions have a positive view of Ydil. We have something of a history of being viewed as an utopia, even. It is a very successful region..."
   "..." Nora and Bianca listen carefully. Cheren goes to sit down next to them on the couch as well...
   "...So successful that they're looking to expand..."
   "What...?" Nora blinks in surprise.
   Cheren frowns a little, "Hold on. What do you mean by expand?"
   "Challenging the Pokémon Leagues of other regions for the right to rule."
   "...In other words, declaring war?"
   "Aye."
   "W-Wait... T-That's not possible... There hasn't been war between regions for centuries..." Bianca stammers out in shock.
   "That's... So that's why they'll see us as enemies..." Cheren's frown deepens as he stares at the floor...
   "Yes." Verdell says, "If they find out that you know this, expect no mercy from them." Typhlosion is looking aside, but Mawile watches them closely as she uses Magnet Rise to float up and seat herself on the desk.
   Nora rubs her temples, "...So the current situation between you and the League is that the League wants something from you that will make it easy for them to conquer the world?"
   Mawile's smile suddenly darkens as she looks at Nora...! "The rule is still that I won't answer questions about my research." Verdell sits up, looking at them. His Mawile seems pleased with his response, putting her sweet smile back on.
   "Apologies for bringing that up, but matters aside..." Nora frowns, "The idea of conquest does not sit well. I can see why you had to remain quiet."
   "Now don't get me wrong." Verdell says, "If Matthias going on a conquest was all there was between us, I wouldn't have fled. Truth to tell, I'd been honored to battle at his side, with Aina and the others. He's an amazing Champion and ruler, and a person I look up to a lot. Many weaker regions, like Unova for instance, would surely benefit from being conquered."
   "...!!" Bianca looks startled at this.
   "You can't be serious." Cheren says, "It's true that Unova is far from being an utopia, but we'd never give up our freedom to some foreign Pokémon League."
   "Heh, sorry." Verdell grins darkly, "Since the point of this conversation is for me to be honest with you, I'm not going to lie about my views. That said, with how things turned out between Matthias and me, it seems unlikely that I'll battle at his side anytime soon, if ever."
   Bianca seems to be thinking carefully...
   "...Hey Verdell?" Nora looks at him, "You speak so highly of Matthias but... I have to ask you for an honest answer here. Just how powerful is he? You make it sound like there's no one on the planet aside from Regina who can defeat him."
   "He didn't go all out that time he lost to Regina. If he were to do that... Well, let's just say I would be confident enough to join a war at his side. Perhaps not against the whole world at once, but I'm sure Ydil could take a few regions. Trainers from the defeated regions would eventually recognize Matthias as not only a powerful trainer, but also as a fair ruler, and as they joined us Ydil would grow stronger and be able to expand even more..."
   "...Expansion aside... I'm assuming he's someone that the current Champion of Unova would struggle against." Nora mutters.
   Bianca looks up, "Verdell? Since I saw Regina... Can you tell us what the rest of the Elite Four look like so we can warn you if we see them?"
   "..." Verdell gets up, heading over to the bookcases and taking out a photo album from between the rulebooks and books about battle tactics... He keeps his back turned as he silently flips through the pages before approaching and showing them a group picture of five people... They can recognize Aina in it... "That's Regina, for those of you who haven't seen her." He points at the white-haired lady, before moving on to a tall, blue-haired young man... "And this is Matthias next to her. He's easy to recognize because the eyepatch is actually real. He's been in some rough battles. And let's see, that huge man is Donar... and the ordinary-looking one is Pierre."
   "...You weren't kidding that he's ordinary-looking." Nora blinks at this, "Then again... he probably uses it to his advantage."
   Bianca looks at the picture carefully, "So... just look out for them, right? Do we need to be extra careful around any of them in particular?"
   "All of them." Verdell says, "Whatever you do, don't let them find out that you know-- Ah!" Typhlosion suddenly reaches out from the bed and pulls him back onto it, while Dedenne leaps from his shoulder and snatches the album! As she carries it back towards the bookshelf it almost looks like it is moving on its own, being so much huger than her... But she uses Magnet Rise to float up and put it back in its place. "Heh, sorry." He reaches up to scratch his Typhlosion's ear as he hugs him from behind, "My Pokémon know it's a little painful, looking at those memories..."
   Cheren looks at him, "But if you're that sure Ydil would win, what's keeping them from starting a war?"
   "If they did, how do you expect the world would react? Even Matthias may struggle if Champions from all over decide to join forces and team up on him instead of staying put, waiting for him to come to them."
   "Wouldn't that possibility be enough to make him give up on those plans?"
   "No. There's a considerable risk that he'll lose, but at the same time, it's not impossible that he'll win. Matthias isn't the kind to back off in the face of bad odds. But he's not stupid either. Not most of the time, at least. Since he hasn't acted on his plans yet, he probably still wants to catch me first and settle things between us..." His face looks a little pained, "To prove me wrong about him... so he can get me to do as he wants..."
   "There are still countless trainers in the world though. A few being just as skilled as certain regional Champions-- if not more." Nora crosses her arms, "And some are on par with Gym Leaders, too. Regardless, we'll notify you immediately if we see them."
   Bianca glances outside, "...We can be strong right...? It's possible isn't it?"
   "Of course it's possible." Verdell smiles, "You know, I started out weaker than any of you. Just like when you plant a seed, it will take some time for it to grow... It can be hard to imagine how huge it will become while it is still small, but if you keep on learning and improving, someday you'll be surprised at how far you have come. Just remember that it's fine to grow at your own pace. That said though... I don't think it's possible for me to outgrow Matthias. I can outwit him, but if it comes to battle... He's something else. But who knows, maybe one day the three of you will overcome even him."
   "I'll definitely be strong enough to defeat him someday." Cheren nods, "But I'm concerned. Shouldn't we report that they're planning to start a war?"
   "You can't." Verdell looks at him, "I don't have any proof. I'm amazed that the three of you would even consider believing someone like me. If you do, that is... Besides... even if I did have proof, I wouldn't do it. It would be bad for Ydil... and for Aina. I don't want that. So if you try to report it I will deny everything I just told you. I don't think you are in a position where people will believe you. You'll only risk revealing yourselves to the Ydil League."
   "..." Cheren frowns...
   "..." Nora looks at Cheren, "Let's focus on everything one step at a time."
   Bianca hugs her two friends, "A-And we can make Unova b-better than before... right?"
   "Bianca..." Cheren returns the hug, giving a nod, "Yeah."
   "I guess this was a bit much for everyone." Verdell looks at them, "Do you regret asking, Cheren?"
   "...You're right, it's hard to believe." Cheren looks at him, "I don't know if it's all just a story you made up. But I don't think so. If I thought you were just going to lie I wouldn't have bothered to ask. We've already seen that you're not a bad person... Not all bad, at least. That's why I decided to give you a chance. I dislike your views on war, but if you're actually preventing it from happening... even if you do it for private reasons, I feel a little more confident about my decision, so I don't regret asking."
   "..." Verdell smiles a little, "...Nora, Bianca? Are you satisfied too?"
   "Yeah..." Bianca nods as she looks determined.
   Nora smiles a bit, "Satisfied and more determined than ever."
   "Thank you... everyone. Even if I would have preferred to keep silent about these things, somehow... speaking with you feels good. A little. Although I did lie about one thing, I'll admit. I am going to feel bad if any of you are caught..." Verdell gives them a sad smile, "I really am sorry to have gotten you involved, but it can't be helped. All I need is a little more time..." He turns his head to look at his Typhlosion, "If we can uncover the secrets of the Relic Castle... If we can just find that one answer we're looking for, we'll finally be safe, Shimmer." Typhlosion makes a happy sound, hugging him a bit tighter. "Stella and Hazel, I want you two along for this mission as well." Mawile raises her head a bit, smiling proudly, and Dedenne gives an excited nod from atop the bookcase.
   "Hey Cheren? Bianca?" Nora looks between them, "Let's head to the desert and see what we can find there!"
   Bianca nods, "R-Right!"

Soon, everyone is ashore on the vast dunes of the Desert Resort. The wind is howling around them, whipping up the sand and painting it in ripples on the ground... "All this sand blowing around feels pricklish..." Cheren says, "This is a rough place to train in. At least it's not too hot..." The sand slows their movement, and their footprints vanish quickly behind them as they try to shield their eyes from the flying sand by squinting or keeping a hand against the wind. Far away, they can make out the dark silhouettes of smooth cliff walls...
   "That has to be the Relic Castle over there..." Verdell says as he begins to approach a wall surrounded by ruined columns that stick out of the sand some distance away...
   "It looks like it..." Nora says, "I wonder why it was built here...? Was the environment different centuries ago?"
   Bianca frowns as she squints to see...
   "Let's have a look." Cheren says as they follow Verdell. Nora mutters something about not getting a pair of goggles from home, while Bianca trails behind her friends... They spot some tourists once they get closer to the ruins. The wall appears to be the stone handrails of what must once have been the top of a tower... Verdell keeps walking without looking at anyone, soon disappearing down the stairs leading inside. Nora turns to make sure her friends are following.
   Bianca has paused in front of some statues... "What are they...?"
   "They look like statues of Pokémon..." Cheren says.
   "Which one though...?" Nora takes out her tablet to see if there's any information.
   Bianca approaches one of the statues and examines it carefully, "It's almost life-like..."
   "Yeah... Almost like it will start moving." Cheren says, but then he looks towards the stairs, "Hey, I'm going after Verdell." He heads down.
   "Wait for us!" Nora calls out as Bianca grabs her hand, and they head down the stairs. The floor inside is covered with sand... There are reliefs on the walls that have lost their colors since long ago. A motif of a singing figure catches Nora's eyes, and she pauses, looking at it carefully. At first glance it resembles a girl, but on closer examination it only has a humanoid shape, with a petite body and a big head with flowing hair. "...That looks like a Pokémon..." She mutters to herself. It is surrounded by both humans and other Pokémon, all turned towards the singing figure...
   "I don't recognize that one." Cheren says, "But I think these may be a Purrloin and Lillipup... and... Sigilyph?"
   Nora takes out her tablet to take a quick picture. Then they spot Verdell at the back of a group of tourists following after a guide... "Come on..." Nora whispers to Bianca who still stares at the wall, and they head over to join the group.
   The guide is talking about the glorious history of the Relic Castle, the architecture and theories of what life might have been like for the people living in there long ago... "And here we may actually have one of the inhabitants, in person." She gestures to a mask hanging on the wall, "These masks often appear around the ruins. They are usually inhabited by a Pokémon called Yamask. Researchers have come to believe that Yamask were once the humans who lived here in the Relic Castle, and their masks show what their faces used to look like..."
   "Scary!" A little girl shivers, "Why would they hold those masks?"
   Her mother hushes her quietly as she tries to listen to the guide.
   "They look kinda similar though?" One teen leans forward a bit to get a better look, "I can't really see any difference."
   Nora sighs quietly at this...
   A shadow suddenly pops up from behind the mask, flailing it's arms and yelling at the young man! "Yamask yaya yamask!!"
   "W-Woah...!" He scrambles backwards and falls over, "W-What the...!?"
   The kids scream and hug their parents! Bianca and Nora watch with wide eyes.
   "Yamask!"
   "It's fine, it's fine..." The guide puts her hands up to calm the crowd, "But please refrain from insulting their masks, they are very important to the Pokémon..."
   The Yamask turns its mask around to look at it, and after a few moments it begins to sob! "Mask... yah... yaaamaaaask...!" It suddenly flees!
   "..." The little girl watches quietly, it seems she has calmed down, "...I feel bad for it... Why did it get so sad when it saw its face?"
   The teen gets up, grumbling something under his breath while brushing the sand off his clothes.
   "It is believed that Yamask remembers its previous life as a human." The guide explains, "So when it looks at its own face, it misses those days. The Relic Castle is not quite what it once was either, but you can imagine that there must once have been an amazing view from here as it is actually the top of a much larger castle..." She keeps talking as the group moves on further down some stairs. Eventually they pass by a corridor that is blocked off with a warning sign, and a guard to make sure no one wanders in...
   Nora pauses as she notices, "Huh... is that corridor at risk for collapse...?"
   "There is very dangerous quicksand further down that path." The guide says, "We don't want any accidents, so we'll go this way instead. Over here you can see..." The group continue on their tour, but Verdell is gone...!
   "...?" Bianca turns to Cheren, "Hey have you...?"
   As they look behind themselves, they can see the guard chasing Dedenne! "Stop messing with my equipment you little...!"
   They catch a glimpse of Verdell, floating with his Mawile's Magnet Rise to avoid leaving tracks in the sand, before he vanishes into the darkness of the forbidden path. Once he is out of sight, Dedenne suddenly digs into the sand and disappears too!
   "...Is something wrong?" The guide asks.
   "Dammit, it got away." The guard frowns, getting up and dusting himself off a bit, "There was this little Pokémon causing mischief by sending a signal into my receiver..." He returns to his post.
   "Oh, well as I was about to say..." The guide continues, neither of them noticing as Dedenne pops back up some ways into the corridor, silently running after her trainer...
   "...I don't think we can follow." Nora mutters to Bianca and Cheren.
   Bianca frowns, "But we..."
   "Let's focus on things one step a time, maybe we can do our own investigation with the tour." The brunette looks between her friends with a smile.
   "Yeah." Cheren says in a low voice as he takes Bianca's hand, "We'll just have to hope that he makes it back."
   "For now let's see if we can't ask as many questions about the Relic Castle as possible." Nora smiles as they follow the group. Bianca squeezes Cheren's hand, she seems worried...
   Cheren looks around the next hall they enter into... "For a palace, this place is rather empty."
   "Oh, that is a good observation." The guide says, "Unfortunately, when the royal family was overthrown many things from this castle were stolen or destroyed by the angry mob. Some valuable objects were sold to other regions... But they did not make it into every room, and the Pokémon guards were able to defend some of the treasures. In those days Golurk could be found here, and if you are lucky you may see some of the remaining Sigilyph outside the castle..."
   Bianca's eyes wander to some marks on the walls... "...Was there something in the walls? It looks like something was forcefully removed from them..."
   "Maybe there was something valuable embedded in them...?" Nora says, "...It looks like someone was determined to remove whatever it was." They follow the guide into the next room where some of the promised treasures still remain for display. There is a collection of well-preserved pottery and vases that have been carefully arranged to show off their illustrations of heroes and Pokémon from in Unova's ancient past. Sitting alone in a glass case on a pedestal is a golden drinking cup embedded with pearls and onyx. Two familiar masks hang onto the pedestal, giving whoever would approach a sense of being watched. The walls have a pair of restored tapestries that show Pokémon and humans participating in activities such as hunting and racing. There is also a shelf displaying little marble statues of Golurk and Sigilyph... and one that looks like the coffin-like Pokémon they saw Ghetsis use back in Castelia.

"And that concludes this tour." The guide smiles once they're back at the entrance, "Feel free to look around by yourselves if you wish. We also have the souvenir shop over here..."
   "...Well, that was interesting, but I still don't have a clue what Verdell could be looking for here." Cheren says as he watches the guide show some of the tourists to the shop before greeting the next group.
   "..." Nora ponders for a moment before approaching the guide, "Excuse me? I have a quick question?"
   "Yes?" The guide turns to her with a smile.
   "What kind of artifacts were discovered here?" Nora tilts her head, "I understand that Gym Leader Lenora has been excavating the site as you mentioned during the tour. Was there anything she discovered that seemed really significant in your opinion?"
   "Hmm, let me think... Oh yes, at one time they found a different mask from the usual ones! It was one that ancient people used to wear at festivals. I think they have it on display in the Nacrene Museum if you're interested." She smiles.
   "Thank you." Nora smiles, and the guide turns to the new group of tourists again...
   "Now keep your eyes open for masks, everyone! I'm sure we'll find some, and when we do I'll tell you what they are..."
   Bianca shakes her head as Nora walks back to her, "Nothing too significant other than that this was supposedly the capital..."
   Meanwhile, Cheren has apparently gotten caught up in a conversation with another tourist.
   "Oh, thank you. They've really been weighing me down." The tourist says as she takes something out of her huge backpack and hands it to Cheren.
   "No, I'm the one who's grateful." He smiles as he receives it.
   "This is great, now I can get that souvenir I wanted..." The tourist heads back off to the stand as Cheren returns to Nora and Bianca...
   "Look at this." He smiles, showing a fossil that looks like a piece of a huge jaw. "She said that she found two of these when she was exploring the desert outside, but they were kind of heavy and took up too much space in her backpack, so she wanted to give one away. Maybe there's more treasure to be found out there?"
   "Maybe!" Bianca nods, "If Lenora was able to find something maybe we could too if we look around?"
   Nora looks at the fossil, "I wonder what kind of Pokémon it came from?"
   "They were researching fossils at Nacrene Museum, right? I'll take it there next time I stop by and ask them." Cheren puts it away, "So do you guys want to check out the souvenir shop? I heard there's some rare stones."
   "Sure!" Nora smiles as they make their way over.
   "Come on up, ladies and gentlemen! Have an item to remember your trip here to the Desert Resort, and the ruins of the castle!" The shopkeeper calls out with a smile, "We have small stones, round stones, smooth stones, gemstones! Even stones for your Pokémon! Heart scales for your special someone! Artworks by Castelia's most famous desert artists! Buy the soft sand, or if you're heading out, don't forget to bring our fresh water and a pair of sunglasses!"
   "...!" Bianca's attention is drawn to the heart scales.
   "...Hey Cheren, look at these." Nora points out the brightly colored stones with elemental designs within.
   "These are..." Cheren takes out his Pokédex, looking through it, "Eevee can use these to evolve..." He checks the price tags, "It's a bit expensive. But I've won some battles, so if I use that money to help Jewel grow stronger... I think it could be a good investment."
   Taking out her own Pokédex, Nora checks if any of her Pokémon would require a stone to evolve, "...Looks like Sirius can evolve with a Fire Stone. I think I have enough money on me but... I shouldn't evolve him immediately since I caught him not too long ago."
   Bianca smiles as she approaches her two friends, "It doesn't hurt to hold onto them right? Just wait for the right moment!"
   "Yeah, I want to make sure Jewel is ready before I use it." Cheren says as he holds up his Eevee's Pokéball, looking at the Pokémon with a happily wagging tail within, "Which one should I get...? I have to make sure my team is balanced, but I want you to feel comfortable with the decision too..."
   Nora picks up the Fire Stone and looks at the employee while fishing her purse out, "I'd like to get this!"
   "Thank you very much!" He smiles as he receives the payment, "You must be a very dedicated trainer to think of your Pokémon's future even though you just met!"
   "I still have a lot to learn." Nora smiles as she puts the stone away in her bag.
   Bianca looks at Cheren, "If the shop is going to be open later, you can always think about it while we train in the desert?"
   "It's still early." The shopkeeper smiles, "We'll be open all day! Trainers with Eevee often have a hard time deciding, so how about I put away a selection of stones for you?" He takes out a small box and places one of each evolutionary stone known to affect Eevee in it, "I'll keep them for you today, so you won't have to worry that we'll run out before you've thought your choice through."
   "That'd be great." Cheren smiles, "I'll be able to think better while we train outside. Thanks a lot. I'll be sure to drop back in when I've made up my mind!"
   "No problem. Good luck out there!"
   As they approach the entrance, Bianca moves in front of her friends with a bright smile, "I picked up something for you." She holds out a heart scale in each hand for her friends.
   "Aw... Bianca, you didn't have to..." Nora has a smile as she carefully takes the delicate scale in her hand.
   "As a symbol of our friendship? That's so like you, Bianca." Cheren smiles as he receives it, "I'll be sure to keep it safe, so I can remember our journey together when I look at it."
   Bianca smiles as she holds up the third one she got to keep for herself, "As long as we have them... I feel that even when we're apart, we know that we're not alone... that we have each other, and our Pokémon to help us through."
   "So what do you two say about getting some training done now?" Cheren says.
   "Let's do it!" Bianca smiles wide.
   Nora grins at this, "Well then, let's head out to the desert!"

Several hours pass as the trio train in the desert. The sun is hanging high above them... Then... RING! RING! Their Xtranceivers all go off at the same time! "Huh?" Nora looks at hers as does Bianca, "Professor Juniper?"
   "Professor Juniper, do you need something?" Cheren asks.
   "I wanted to check up on my three favorite assistants." The woman smiles from the video before continuing, "But, I'm also calling because I have a small gift for the three of you! If you're able to, can you meet me at the gate leading to Nimbasa City?"
   Nora blinks in surprise, "The gate? T-This is rather sudden Professor..."
   "What kind of gift is it?" Bianca tilts her head.
   Professor Juniper gives a smile, "You'll have to come see it, are you able to come to the gate?"
   Nora looks up, "I think we can make it."
   "We'll be on our way." Cheren says, "My Pokémon are about ready for a break anyway."
   "Yeah... I think our Pokémon are all ready for a break." Bianca smiles a bit.
   Professor Juniper nods, "Great! I'll see you three soon!"
   The video shuts off as Nora looks between her friends, "Let's get going, can't keep the professor waiting!"
   As they leave the desert they pass by a sign... "'Desert Resort, it's nicer than the average desert'?" Cheren reads, "That makes me wonder how rough an average desert is..."
   "How can you determine if a desert is nicer than average?" Bianca blinks, "I can't really imagine that..."
   Nora shrugs, "Honestly, I have no idea."
   "Well, we did find some nice items lost in the sands, so at least that part was nicer than average." Cheren says. Upon reaching the road, they can see that a lot of construction is under way, except it seems to have been halted due to the harsh sandstorm blowing in the direction of Castelia City...
   "...I can't be the only one wondering how it's a good idea to build in an area where sandstorms happen frequently?" Nora says.
   Bianca shakes her head, "I don't get it either... I wouldn't be shocked if they're buried a few years from now."
   "Just like the Relic Castle. Well, the gate is just ahead. Hurry up, Slowpokes!" Cheren makes a dash!
   "Hey!" Bianca rushes after him along with Nora.

As they enter, they see the professor leaning against the counter. A smile shows on her face as she waves to them, "Hey! You made it!" She takes out some water bottles, "Here, you look like you need a drink!"
   "Thank you...!" Bianca has a relieved look as she takes it.
   Cheren receives a bottle with a grateful look as well, "Thanks, Professor Juniper."
   "Thank you..." Nora says.
   "..." Juniper looks at them as her eyes show some pride, "You three look more experienced with the world than when you left the lab. I'm very happy to see that. But anyway, I was in the neighborhood and decided to pick up a gift for you three to make your task easier." She hands each of them 10 Ultra Balls and a TM.
   "Ultra Balls... catching Pokémon will be a lot easier with these." Cheren smiles.
   "What's the TM?" Bianca inquires as Nora is looking at the disk too.
   "This is TM54, False Swipe." Juniper grins at them, "It's a unique move that reduces the Pokémon's health to its lowest possible point to make capture easier. If you combine this with the Ultra Balls, capturing stronger and more difficult Pokémon should be easier for you. After all, if you run into a Pokémon you want to keep, you never know if you'll see it again!"
   Nora's eyes widen as she looks up, "That's amazing! Thank you Professor!"
   "That sounds very useful." Cheren nods, "Thank you, Professor Juniper."
   "Yes, thank you!" Bianca gives a bright smile.
   Juniper's grin is replaced by a proud smile, "...But still, I want you three to enjoy your journey through Unova while you're helping with the Pokédex. Journeys like these happen once in a lifetime, so make sure you enjoy it as much as possible, okay?"
   Nora blinks in surprise before nodding with a smile.
   Bianca gives a broad smile as well, "We will!"
   "Of course." Cheren nods too as he takes out his Pokédex, "We're very grateful for this chance. Professor, if you have a moment, I think our Pokédexes should already have some information that may be of interest."
   "Oh? Let's take a look then!" The professor receives the Pokédex from Cheren and scans it, there's a raised brow after a while, "Hm... it looks like you have encountered Pokémon not native to Unova?"
   "Yeah, we met some foreign trainers." Cheren says.
   "I see..." Juniper ponders as she continues to look through the Pokédex. She pauses on seeing some construction workers rush towards the desert, "Looks like something's happened to the construction project again..."
   Bianca looks confused, "Project...?"
   "The Chief Foreman that Caitlin of the Elite Four hired needed to consult with me." She hands the Pokédex back to Cheren, "It concerns the construction here in the desert. They've been having issues with Sandiles and other predatory Pokémon entering the construction areas in search of prey... He wanted to know if there's any way to keep them away but... I told him that's going to be impossible since their usual prey have taken to hiding there for shelter from the frequent sandstorms."
   Nora's eyes widen at hearing this, but she chooses to remain quiet, "..."
   "They're wasting time and resources by not thinking of things like this before they begin building." Cheren folds his arms.
   Juniper looks at the trio, "Anyway, I need to head back to the lab-- Hopefully Patrat is holding down the fort just fine there! If you need me to rate your Pokédex, let me know. I'm always available!"
   "Thanks Professor!" Nora says.
   "Stay safe!" Bianca smiles as Professor Juniper makes her way out onto the desert road.
   "..." Cheren watches as she leaves, "My mom told me that the Professor gave us the Pokédex as a reason to send us on a journey. Apparently all of our moms got together and made a request to Professor Juniper because instead of spending all our time around the lab, they wanted us to go out and see the world."
   There's an eye twitch from Nora...
   "Nora, Bianca, what are you going to do now? Since we didn't travel Route 4 I think I'd like to show the Professor my thanks by going there and catching some Pokémon in the desert. I'll just head to the Pokémon Center to heal my Pokémon first, and then to the Desert Resort to buy a stone for Jewel. I think I know now which one to choose."
   "I have to go back to Castelia." Bianca says, "I haven't been able to challenge Burgh yet, but I think that Lugh and the others are ready...!"
   "Let's go together then, since we're headed the same way."
   "Right!" Bianca smiles brightly at Cheren.
   Nora smiles at them too, "Make sure you have supplies too, Burgh almost tore me apart ya know. I'm going to look around Nimbasa for a bit, maybe see if I can't make my way to White Forest to return Ralts to the wild. But yeah, I have to head to the Pokémon Center as well since Soujiro and the others need to heal after being in the desert for so long..."
   "I used some in the desert so I need to stock up as well..." Cheren says as they head off to the Pokémon Center. Before long he and Bianca are on their way south...

That evening, Nora is resting in a room in Nimbasa's Pokémon Center. She puts away the heart scale in a small Pokéball locket keychain attached to her bag. As she enjoys her curry, she watches her Pokémon interact with each other... "Wott wott!" Dewott barks at Growlithe, who is eating too quickly, as though he's scolding him for his poor manners. Aron is eating at his usual leisurely pace... Pichu picks up her food by herself and eats it without help! Ralts has carried her plate of berries off to the top of a desk, where she sits observing everyone... She does not make a mess, but soon begins to stare off into space...
   "Hrm..." Nora muses as the Pokémon continue to eat... When Dewott has finished, he goes off into a corner of the room where he has some space to practise with his scalchops. He goes through the different movements to improve his skill with the dual blades... While picking up her Pokémon's empty plates, Nora notices that her Pichu has seized her tablet and is looking at the pictures she has taken during her research... "Hey Aurelia, you like those?" She smiles.
   The little Pokémon looks up at her with a bright smile and nods, "Pichu! Pi pichu pi!"
   She tilts her head as the Pichu points at the images, "You're curious about those places?"
   "Pichu!"
   A chuckle escapes Nora, "I'm guessing you want to be an explorer? Is that why you tried to join Goldie and Buddy's training this morning?" There's an eager nod from the little Pichu as she's so excited, it seems that spending time with Verdell's Pokémon inspired her! "Well... Tell you what: when Verdell returns I'll ask him if he wouldn't mind letting them show you the ropes sometime. And when we go out tomorrow, I'll let you explore outside your Pokéball, but you have to stay close, okay? We still have to get Ralts back home... Can you promise to do that for me?" Pichu nods again, her eyes shining with excitement at the thought of what adventures await her the next day!

The next day, Nora is looking through the assortment of Pokémon accessories in one of Nimbasa City's boutiques. Pichu is in her arms, and Ralts sits on her shoulder, wrapped in the blanket. "Let's see..." Nora mutters as she examines the various scarves and bandanas, "What would be perfect for an explorer...? Aurelia, are there any you like?"
   "Pi..." The little Pokémon is looking at the accessories carefully, sniffing at a few of them before noticing a blue scarf with small dark blue dots, "Pichu!"
   "Hm?" Nora looks at the scarf, picking it off the shelf, "Oran Scarf... Let's see..." She heads over to a nearby mirror while holding the scarf around the little Pichu who seems very happy, "You like this look?"
   "Pichu pi!" The little Pokémon squeaks happily.
   There's a chuckle, "Alright, alright-- Let me go pay for it and put it on you, okay?" She approaches the counter, where the clerk smiles at her.
   "Just this one?"
   "Yep!" As Nora pays for the scarf, her Pichu hops onto the counter. Nora ties the scarf around her neck. The little Pichu gives off a happy squeak as she looks at the accessory with sparkling eyes. "I'd say you're a step closer to being an explorer with a scarf like that." Nora chuckles as Pichu leaps over to nuzzle her trainer. "Let's go, I'm sure there'll be plenty for you to explore as we head to White Forest." Leaving the boutique, Nora smiles as she walks through the city. It's a sleepless city with neon colors glowing from the buildings, advertising the many sights and competing for the attention of the people passing by... "Wow... Even in the day the city looks so bright..."
   "Ral..." Ralts pokes her head out of the blanket, looking around with wide eyes. Even the streetlights are decorated with red and green flags, giving the city a festive feeling even though it's a normal wednesday. Loud cheering comes from the Big Stadium, revealing that a match must be going on. Nora also takes note of the Musical Hall where her sister works, and the amusement park with the ferris wheel towering above it, but determinedly continues on her way, through the gate onto Route 16 towards Marvelous Bridge. Reaching a forest, the road takes a turn around it, but Nora decides to go straight and becomes engrossed in taking notes of the area while she walks...
   "It's her..." A voice whispers among the trees, too low for Nora to hear, "The one I told you about."
   "Zo zo?" A quiet whine responds.
   Nora looks around, and keeps writing... Then she pauses to take in the view. Ralts turns her head to look at the tablet, curious to see what she's doing. Meanwhile, Pichu is skittering around Nora, her eyes wide as she explores their environment, poking at plants that catch her interest before returning back to her trainer with a squeak. She seems happy about having her first exploration expedition.
   "...She has new Pokémon with her..." N frowns, "I'm going to watch her in secret. I'll find out if she was lying when she said that her dream is the same as mine..."
   "Zoru. Ra ra zorua?" The little dark fox tilts his head, "Zorua?"
   Nora smiles as she shows the tablet to Ralts, who tries to tap on the screen a bit before they continue towards Marvelous Bridge.
   "She's leaving the forest... Zorua, if you disguise yourself as a human you'll be fine." N looks around, then he points at a boy passing by on the road, "Try that one!"
   "Ra!" The little Zorua does a backflip... When he lands on his feet, he looks exactly like the boy! "Zorua ra ra rua!"
   "Perfect." N smiles, "But let me do the talking if anyone approaches us. They will notice you're a Pokémon if you try to speak."
   Zorua nods as he tags along with N. Keeping some distance, they follow after Nora...
   "Let's see..." Nora mutters as she enters the bridge gate... She looks around and approaches the elevator.
   N waits patiently for the elevator to go up... Once it returns he enters, and Zorua follows him, looking around with wide eyes. When the door closes, he sniffs at the buttons, "Zo rua ra... zorua!"
   "Pokémon too? Your sense of smell is so impressive, Zorua." As the doors open again, N heads out, looking around for Nora... She's making her way across the bridge ahead. Pichu is on her head, and the rest of her party are walking alongside her. The little Ralts seems rather at ease around them... "She's over there. So all those are her Pokémon..." They keep following her. The bridge was recently opened, so it looks very clean and is appealing yet functional in its design, with three great arches on both sides to support it.
   Zorua tilts his head and glances at N, "Zorua... ra ra zoru?"
   "...I don't know. I have to see if she's only tricking those Pokémon that they're friends... If she is, it would be best for Team Plasma to take them from her."
   Dewott and Aron are playing tag, while Growlithe seems to be chatting with Ralts. Nora glances down at him with a smile, giving him a piece of jerky to enjoy. Pichu stares at the view of the sea, her ears swaying in the wind... Eventually Ralts climbs down to the trainer's arms, insisting on Nora carrying her! The brunette chuckles as she puts her tablet away and holds the Pokémon gently. "You feel so warm, Ralts." She speaks softly with a smile.
   "..." Zorua frowns as he strains his ears to hear. He looks disappointed, "Ra ra... zorua..."
   "You can go a bit closer if you want to listen." N says, "She'll recognize me if I walk too close, but she won't see through your illusion... Just be careful not to let her notice you're listening." Zorua nods and begins to pick up pace, until he's close enough to listen in. N watches carefully...
   "You'll be home soon, I promise." Nora smiles at the Ralts, "You won't have to worry about the poachers again. You'll be safe."
   The little Pokémon cuddles up to her, "Ral... ral ral ralts! Ral ralts!"
   "...!" Zorua stops short in his tracks as Nora and her Pokémon continue on their way.
   "...?" Before long, N catches up...
   Zorua whines to him with a worried look, "Zo zo... zorua ra rua zo zorua...!"
   "...! Ralts worries for her family because of poachers in the forest?" N frowns, "We'll put an end to that. As soon as we're off this bridge..." As Nora approaches the gate she begins to call back her Pokémon, but she keeps Ralts in her arms...
   "Ra ra..." Zorua watches her enter the gate, "Zorua... rua?"
   "I know what to do. She must be headed towards White Forest... That means there's still time." They follow her through the gate to Route 15. As soon as they're through, N looks around... There are many steep cliffs. "This way!" He dashes behind some huge boulders. Zorua follows after him quickly. "This should be good... No one can see us here. Zorua, take my appearance. Find as many members of Team Plasma as you can, and lead them to the gate at the end of this route. I'll do the same, and we'll meet there." The Zorua gives a mischievous chuckle as he changes form to match N's appearance. They smile, nodding at each other before they both dash off!

Some time later... Outside the gate to White Forest, N has managed to gather several Team Plasma members. He looks around for Zorua... Soon he sees him approach. When he's close enough the little Pokémon returns to normal shape and rushes over to N's side. The Plasma members that were following him look startled!
   "Great job, Zorua." N smiles, then he looks around at the people gathered, "...Everyone, I asked Zorua to help me summon you. There are Pokémon poachers in White Forest. I can't allow that... You feel the same, right? Team Plasma can't allow it. We are going to help all the Pokémon who live here!"
   "Yes sir!" The crowd is getting riled up!
   "All of you are good people who care about Pokémon." N smiles, "...If you have friends who may be nearby, call them now so they can join us as reinforcements, too. The poachers will not get away with their actions." Some of them use their Xtransceivers to contact more Team Plasma members, while others prepare to storm the area and clash with the poachers... "...One last thing. Don't battle the trainer with the Pokédex this time. She's not with the poachers, and I'm watching her."
   "...?"
   "...??"
   They seem confused about this, but nod, acknowledging his order. Not too long afterwards, they hear a distant explosion...
   "...!" N turns towards the sound, "Let's go!" He runs into the forest. The Team Plasma grunts follow after him with a resounding war cry!

Meanwhile, inside the forest... Nora looks around at the giant trees with their white trunks with wide eyes, "Wow... this is amazing. I'll have plenty to share with Cheren and Bian...ca?" She can feel Ralts moving close to her, and then she notices that something about the forest feels off... It's too quiet. Suddenly she hears the explosion! Then another, and smoke envelopes the area! As Nora takes cover behind a large boulder she sees many small Pokémon flee... She holds onto Ralts tightly. Not too far away, she spots people trying to capture Pokémon in electrified nets! She frowns at this, preparing a Pokéball. "Soujiro, I need you...!" She whispers while pressing the button, and the otter appears with both scalchops ready for a fight. Nora takes a careful peek at what's going on. She frowns upon seeing many poachers approach the Pokémon caught in the nets, "...Let's see if we can't give them a bad day then. Soujiro, freeze those jerks in place."
   "Dew." The Dewott fires off a beam of ice at a poacher! He falls over as his leg is enveloped in thick ice and starts yelling as he calls out a Liepard to break it! Nora and Dewott quickly hide behind the boulder as the others are alarmed and begin to look around for who is attacking them!
   N arrives at the scene just in time to see the Dewott use Ice Beam again from atop the boulder. The foot of a poacher that was approaching it is frozen to the ground! Dewott leaps down to Nora, taking cover from the barrage of attacks coming at him! "Zorua." N says in a low voice, "Tell the wild Pokémon that Team Plasma are here to protect them. They don't have to be afraid of us even though we're human. They'll be safe if they can get behind our lines! ...I'm going to watch Nora and see what she will do." Careful not to step into her sight, he sneaks closer to observe her...
   "Ra!" Zorua dashes away, barking aloud to let the local wild Pokémon know about Team Plasma!
   "Darn it..." Nora growls as a Flamethrower flies over her head, "We need more time... hrm?" Noticing the sounds of battle, she peeks out to see the Team Plasma grunts charge in to clash with the poachers! Her eyes widen in surprise at this, "Team Plasma? Here? ...Never thought I'd be happy to see them."
   "Dew wott wott!" Dewott barks as he's watching the battlefield before looking at his trainer, "Dewott dew!"
   "Yeah, there's likely more poachers running around." Nora nods at the Dewott, "Let's see if we can flush them out so Team Plasma can find them. If we're lucky we can find Ralts's family too."
   "Ralts..." The little Pokémon looks nervous...
   Nora looks at her with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, we'll get you home. I promise. It'll be safer for you to hide in my jacket..." Ralts nods and climbs into the jacket. Nora zips it up halfway, feeling the little Pokémon hang onto her as she takes a deep breath and looks at Dewott, "Get ready to freeze a few jerks, partner. Let's go!"
   "Dew!" The Dewott has a determined smile. They dart deeper into the forest!
   "..." N follows them, leaving behind the shouts of Pokémon liberation and curses from the ambushed poachers. Nora moves quickly, pausing from time to time in order to let Dewott freeze a poacher or sabotage a trap. As they head further in the direction the poachers came from, they find a large stream with some small islands and massive boulders...
   "..." Nora looks around, "I wonder if those poachers would have made a camp near here...?" She pauses as Ralts wriggles in her jacket and makes some small noises as she moves carefully... N silently sneaks after her, trying to hear what the Pokémon is saying... Ralts hides again, trembling inside Nora's jacket as she pauses her step. Dewott seems tense as he looks around carefully... the forest has gone quiet again. N stops and stands perfectly still at the same time as Nora, so as to not alert her to his presence... Dewott gives a low growl as his ears are twitching, something is very wrong. Feeling exposed all of a sudden, Nora slowly looks around... There's a faint sound coming from a tree. Dewott turns his head and growls again... A Pokémon with a black head and a yellowish, lizard-like body stares down at the trainer and the water Pokémon... "Wait... That's a--!"
   "USE FLASH!!" Suddenly the Pokémon's head looks bigger as a frill unfolds, and a bright flash of light blinds both Nora and her Pokémon! N was not blinded, however... He looks around, but as there does not seem to be any wild Pokémon nearby, he keeps observing... Nora falls backwards on her rump as she rubs her eyes, trying to get her sight back...! Her Dewott snarls-- He fires off an Ice Beam that misses the Heliolisk! It slips down from the tree, rushing towards them...! Nora blinks, leaning towards Dewott. "Quick Attack!" A man's voice yells out. Nora quickly hugs her Dewott, trying to shield him from the attack!
   "...!" N's eyes widen as he watches the Heliolisk strike her in the side! There's a pained cry as her eyes widen and she almost falls on top of Dewott, but a panicked chirp from the Ralts hidden in her jacket sounds at the same time, and Nora is surrounded by a blue aura, hovering over the otter! She blinks a few times... Dewott has regained his sight somewhat, and seeing his opponent better, he strikes back with a Night Slash! The Heliolisk is pushed back a bit, but it doesn't seem to have taken much damage...
   "Ral!" Ralts crawls out of the jacket, checking on Nora. Dewott turns around, his eyes wide as he sees his trainer holding her side with blood starting to trickle through...! Nora is saying something to the two Pokémon in a low, trembling voice as she hands them the Pokéballs of her other Pokémon... N frowns slightly.
   "Wott wott! Dewott dew!" Dewott seems agitated as he's looking between Nora and the Heliolisk.
   "Damned brat..." There's an irritated growl, "Thunder Wave!!"
   "RUN!!" Nora pushes the two Pokémon away before the jolt of electricity hits her! A cry escapes her as she falls over in a heap... shaking from the paralysis while still pressing one of her hands against her side.
   "...Go." N says as he steps out, "I'll keep Nora safe. Find a Pokémon called Zorua. Tell him that I'm here... He will know what to do."
   "Wott..." Dewott looks surprised, but Ralts grabs his paw, speaking to him calmly... He nods, and the two Pokémon flee!
   "Another stupid trainer?" A man dressed like an official from the Pokémon League steps into sight, "What do you think you're doin' here?"
   "You hurt my friend. I don't want to see her hurt anymore." N says, "...So I will keep you busy until she has used her medicine and escaped. You have medicine, right?" He gives a quick glance to Nora.
   "Y-Yes..." She shakily tries to grab something from her bag...
   The man scoffs, "You stupid trainers... You really think you're helping anyone? This whole forest has an overpopulation of Pokémon. We're just doing everyone a favor by thinning out the numbers..."
   "...Liar..." Nora mutters quietly as she manages to pull out a Paralyze Heal...
   N makes a sudden dash towards the man, drawing Heliolisk's attention away from Nora!
   Fear flashes in his eyes for an instant, "Heliolisk-- Go after the boy!! Thunder Punch!!" The lizard charges forward to strike!
   "You have hurt many more of my friends..." N says as he nimbly leaps away from the trainer, taking cover behind the nearest tree! "That's why they're not here."
   "You damn brat..." The man mutters, "Thunderbolt!!" The Heliolisk fires off a great bolt of electricity at the tree!
   N stumbles back from the shockwave, quickly moving out of the way as the tree collapses! Still, he does not lose his composure, "But that ends now. You're about to learn what being caught feels like..."
   The man smirks, "Not if I make sure there are no witnesses."
   Nora takes a deep breath as she applies the spray, and the numbing sensation begins to fade away... Holding her side, she pushes herself up, "N...!"
   "Run, Nora." N says without taking his eyes off the Heliolisk, "There's no need to worry. I've already won this battle."
   "...Please be careful!" She calls out before fleeing the scene.
   The man frowns as he takes out another Pokéball, "No witnesses..."
   "Nora is the least of your concerns right now." N warns him, "...You should surrender. Word about this will have reached the Seven Sages of Team Plasma by now. They will have the forest surrounded, so that no one who hurt the Pokémon here escapes."
   "...!" The man frowns as he hears a great roar from above... It sounds like a dragon Pokémon is near... and there's yelling about Pokémon liberation...
   "Yip yip!" Zorua comes running towards N! He borrowed his shape again, and is followed by a force of grunts!
   N smiles, dashing over to meet Zorua, "I knew you'd make it!"
   "Zor!" He changes back into a little fox and leaps for N, who catches him! But as N notices the poacher call the Heliolisk back, unleashing an Abra instead, his eyes widen, and he throws Zorua towards it!
   "Use Pursuit...!" There's a sharp bark! In the blink of an eye the fox slams into the Abra with a dark aura!
   "Abr...!" The Abra is knocked away from the man! Zorua lands on his feet, snickering.
   "I won't let you get away." N says, "...Team Plasma will liberate your Pokémon now."
   "Not if I can--!" The man begins before he is tackled to the ground by a pair of Watchogs sent out by the grunts!
   "..." N moves closer, standing next to Zorua while staring down at the struggling man spouting curses as the grunts make a citizen's arrest. But once his Pokémon have been taken from him, N no longer pays him any attention... He follows the grunt holding the Abra, "...I'm going to heal this Pokémon."
   "Yes sire." The grunt stops.
   N takes out some medicine and uses it, "I'm sorry that you got hurt, Abra. Do you live in this forest?"
   "Abr...?" The Abra begins to hover, looking around in confusion, "Abr abra ab abr abra abra?"
   "You're free now!" N smiles, "Now that the poachers have been caught, White Forest should be safe for all the Pokémon again..."
   "Abra... ab abra?" The Abra tilts its head before speaking, "Abr ab ab abra ab. Abra abr abr abra..." It teleports!
   "Gallade... Alright. Zorua and I are going to check on the wild Pokémon." He tells the grunt, "Keep up the good work!" He dashes off.
   "Yes sire!" The grunt has a wide smile as he goes to help the others.
   N asks around among the wild Pokémon if anyone knows where he can find Gallade. A Chansey explains that Gallade is further within the woods... "Thank you, Chansey." N smiles as he continues on his way... "...I think you were right, Zorua... When that man attacked Nora, she protected her Pokémon from him. I don't think she was tricking me at all... Ghetsis must have been mistaken."
   "Yip!" Zorua barks happily.

Elsewhere, Nora has made it to safety... She gives off a low hiss as she applies a potion to her wound, heaving a sigh of relief while it heals. She keeps wandering through the forest... Calling out for her Dewott... "Soujiro...!! Ralts...!! It's safe now-- I'm okay!" After a couple of minutes, she hears short barks. The moment she turns to look she sees four blurs for an instant before she is tackled to the ground by her delighted Pokémon! Nora laughs, and eventually manages to sit up, hugging her Pokémon close. "I'm sorry for scaring you guys... It's okay now."
   "Dewott dew!!" Dewott is softly hitting her with his paws, lecturing her for scaring them like that. Pichu climbs onto her head, relieved but crying, and Aron and Growlithe nuzzle her. Ralts also approaches... After a few moments it chirps and moves in to hug her too! Hearing the noise from ahead, N silently moves closer... Upon spotting them he stops, observing from among the trees... Zorua pauses and takes cover behind N, watching carefully as well. His ears twitch, and he glances to the side...
   "Gal..."
   Nora looks up, as do the rest of her Pokémon. There's a Gallade standing some distance away!
   "Ralts..." The little Pokémon lets go of Nora and approaches the Gallade who takes a few steps forward...
   "...That must be her father..." Nora mutters quietly as her Pokémon turn to look too... The two Pokémon run towards one another! Ralts is pulled into a hug by Gallade. They both make happy sounds...
   "Ral ral ralts! Ralts ral ral!" Ralts chirps to her father before motioning to Nora, "Ral ralts ral!"
   "Llade... gal gallade lade." The Pokémon looks at Nora, nodding at her with a smile, "Gallade lade..."
   Nora tilts her head with a smile, "You're... welcome?"
   "Gallade." He nods as a Gardevoir and two more Ralts approach... Nora smiles as she watches Ralts reunited with her family, and about to leave... But then...
   "Ralts." She speaks up to her parents, "Ral ral... ral ralts ralts!"
   Zorua looks at the Ralts with surprise.
   "..." N decides to approach.
   "N?" Nora notices the young man as the Ralts is speaking with her family...
   "..." He approaches Gallade, "You are Gallade, right?"
   "...Gal..." Gallade nods as he moves to stay between N and his family, taking a fighting stance!
   "My name is N. Abra was worried about you, so I came to see that you're alright. I'm happy to see that you are and that your family has been reunited." He smiles, "I also wanted to tell you that the trainers who hurt the Pokémon here have been caught... The forest should be safe again."
   "Gallade gal gal." Gallade drops his stance. He nods as he glances at Ralts, then at Nora, before looking at Gardevoir, who nods towards him with an assuring smile, "...Gallade gal... lade gallade."
   "..." N looks at Ralts, "You didn't say that because the forest was unsafe?"
   Ralts looks up at N with a determined face, "Ral ral ralts! Ralts ra ral ralts ralts ral ral!"
   N looks a little taken aback. But he turns to Nora, "...Ralts is saying that she wants to travel with you. She says that... you are her hero."
   Nora's eyes widen as her Pokémon look excited, "W-Wha... A-Are you sure, Ralts...? I... I don't think that I'm that..."
   She gets a soft smack in the head by Dewott who looks at her, "Dewott dew."
   "..." She looks at her Pokémon... Then she smiles to Ralts, "If your mom and dad are okay with it, then... welcome aboard."
   "Ralts!" The little Ralts looks happy as she goes to hug her parents and siblings, saying her goodbyes and how much she loves them before rushing to Nora and hugging her tightly!
   Nora chuckles as she nuzzles the small, white Pokémon, "So warm..." She looks at the little Ralts, "I think I know a name for you."
   "Ral?" Her red eyes look at the trainer with a hint of curiosity. She senses love and happiness from Nora...
   "Lucia... it means light. You have that in you. Even when things got difficult, you never lost that."
   "Ral!"
   "Zorua?" N calls out, and the little fox trots over, seeming rather surprised but also happy about the scene. "This is my friend, Zorua." N says to Gallade, "Abra told me that you are the knight of this forest. If more bad people come here, you should let Zorua know. He will find me, and I'll come to your aid."
   "Ra ra, zorua!" The little fox Pokémon grins up at the larger Pokémon.
   Gallade nods while giving a smile in turn, "Gal gall llad gallade."
   N looks at Nora, "...There are many members of Team Plasma in the forest now. They won't harm the wild Pokémon, but you are a trainer, so you need to be careful, Nora."
   "...I noticed." Nora glances towards where she came from, "...How did you escape that man? And I wonder how Team Plasma found out about the poachers here?"
   "...Someone must have told Team Plasma what was going on. I knew they would catch that man if Zorua could lead them to me." He smiles.
   "Clever." Nora smiles back, "But thank you for warning me, I'll find my way out of here. Though, it seems once again I'm in your debt."
   He shakes his head, "I helped you because you are my friend. Now I know that we really are friends... That makes me happy." His smile looks relieved for some reason... "We will meet again soon." He dashes off!
   "Yip yip!" Zorua follows after N.
   Ralts's family also bid them farewell and teleport away... Nora stands up as she looks around, "...Come on, we better get going before we're surrounded." Calling all her Pokémon except Ralts back, Nora begins to make her way back to the Route 15 gatehouse.

Meanwhile, N makes his way back to find out how the Pokémon liberation efforts have progressed so far. And apparently, things are going well. The captured Pokémon have been freed, as well as some of the Pokémon used by the poachers. Though it seems they're holding onto the wounded or abused Pokémon for further treatment... N smiles as he looks around, approaching some of the grunts. "The voices of the Pokémon... They are happy because you freed them from those trainers. Thanks to all of you, White Forest will be a place where Pokémon can live happily again!" The grunts cheer at their victory and the king's praise. They look very happy to hear the good news. "...Were all of the poachers caught? I don't think we should hand them over to the Pokémon League. They may release them if we do, so we'll give them to the International Police instead."
   "You needn't worry about that, Lord N." Ghetsis speaks, "I've already contacted the International Police in person."
   "Father!" N turns around to face him, "Isn't this wonderful? So many Pokémon were saved from those trainers! It's not just the Pokémon that were liberated that are happy... I can hear the voices of their friends and families too!"
   "That is good news indeed." Ghetsis nods with a content smile. But then his face turns grim, "But the poachers that were caught... I am shocked that a number of them belong to the Pokémon League. They were explicitly stationed near the forest to protect the Pokémon here... The corruption of the League runs deeper than I thought."
   N nods with a serious face as well, "We need to find the legendary Pokémon soon... I asked my friends, but they did not know..."
   "I bring good news. I have an expert looking into this for you."
   "...An expert? Who is it?" N looks curious.
   "A researcher who I hope will succeed in gleaning more information than we could on our own. He is a former Gym Leader from the Ydil Region-- Verdell."
   "Verdell..." His face lights up in realization, "He's the one who was with Nora earlier! He healed my friends..."
   "Indeed... I had personally invited him here to aid us." Ghetsis nods with a small smile, although his eye twitches upon hearing Nora's name.
   "...I think he must be a good person. I want to meet him again." N smiles happily, "Where is he?"
   "If I were to hazard a guess, he is likely to be searching the Relic Castle." Ghetsis says, "It would be best to wait until we can arrange a proper meeting with him."
   "Hmm... If he's searching now, that's good. I will be patient. Will he come find me once he knows where the legendary Pokémon is?"
   "He is not aware of your status as our king." Ghetsis shakes his head, "Your identity must be protected, my son. We cannot afford it to be revealed so soon."
   "But members of Team Plasma are allowed to know..." N looks a little puzzled, "Has he not joined us?"
   "Not yet, as the actions of some members have raised concerns in him."
   N looks even more puzzled, "What was it?"
   "...He appeared to take issue with innocent people's Pokémon being stolen, and the theft of the dragon skull in the Nacrene Museum."
   "...I'll tell him sorry about the attack on the museum... But if he does not agree with Pokémon liberation, why is he helping us?" He looks at Ghetsis, "You said that he already began searching..."
   "He is searching because he agrees to an extent... It would seem that during his travels with that... trainer, situations arose in which some of our members conducted themselves in a shameful manner." Ghetsis sighs, "He wishes to hold off on his final judgement until after he has learned more about Team Plasma and your reasoning."
   N nods, "...He seems to care about Pokémon, so he should be able to understand..." He pauses for a moment, "...I wonder how he knows Nora."
   "If you so wish, I can look into this. But if I may ask... Why the renewed interest in that... trainer? Did I not warn you to be careful of such deceptive people?"
   "You don't have to worry, Father. She wasn't tricking me." N smiles, "I have decided that she is still my friend."
   "...! What do you mean? What made you see her differently?"
   "I watched her. I saw that she was not tricking her Pokémon... I saw it twice. Even wild Pokémon acknowledged her. They didn't have to do that. And... one of them called her a hero. That's why it has to be this way. She has to be the one to test my formula."
   Ghetsis blinks in surprise before furrowing his brow, "How do you mean? What has she done to warrant this kind of praise?"
   "She protected that Pokémon and brought it to its home. She protected all of her other Pokémon, too."
   "What...? How could that...?"
   "It's surprising that a trainer would do that for Pokémon. Especially one with a Pokédex. But she is different from other trainers. One of the trainers who hurt the Pokémon here attacked her, and she got hurt too. But she still protected her Pokémon from him. When I approached that trainer he was scared and told his Pokémon to protect him from me, even though I was alone because he had scared the wild Pokémon away. Both are trainers, but they're not the same at all."
   "I-I see... That is rather... surprising."
   "You understand now, right? Nora and I really are friends." N smiles happily.
   Ghetsis appears stunned for a moment before regaining his composure, "...Regardless, I am suspicious of her. I will monitor her activities and actions. I am still not willing to give her the same trust you've chosen to give her."
   N nods, "If you watch her you can see for yourself what she is like."
   "As you wish..." His jaw tightens.

As the sun sets below the high cliffs in the west, Nora and her Pokémon set up camp in the valley of Route 15. Ralts spreads out the blanket on the ground for everyone while Growlithe is digging a firepit together with Aron, and Dewott grunts while practicing with his scalchops-- It seems the day's events have motivated him to be stronger. Nora pulls out her cookware and lays them out on the blanket in a neat and orderly fashion before examining the firepit. "Pichu!" Pichu is exploring the surroundings. Near the treeline she picks up a few fallen twigs, bringing them back as tinder. Then she darts off again to see what other treasure she can find!
   "Let's see here..." Nora looks at the pit, "I think that's deep enough. Let's go find firewood to use." Aron turns to lie down and relax near a small patch of flowers as he appears to enjoy their scent, but Growlithe gives a quick bark and heads into the woods to gather some. The trainer blinks at this, noting how excited Growlithe is as she follows him... It doesn't take long before they return, carrying plenty of good sticks. Once Nora has arranged them properly in the pit, Growlithe sets Pichu's tinder alight, and after a little while they have a good campfire going. "Alright! Time to cook-- Sirius?" Nora pauses as she notices the Growlithe paw at the camping gear she pulled out of her bag. He whines, looking between it and the fire pit, "...Do you want to help me cook?" A bark comes from Growlithe! Nora blinks, thinking carefully as her Pokémon nags at her with a series of excited barks! "Well... I still have to make our dinner but... I have an idea: how about you make dessert for everyone?" There's a headtilt as Nora digs into her bag and pulls out some apples, smiling, "You can make baked apples. We just need to remove the cores but... you can oversee cooking them over the fire? We have to think of what's possible for you to make, but I'm sure this will be a good way to start."
   "...!" Growlithe rushes forward to lick his trainer, his tail wagging like crazy! Then Nora sets up the tripod for the pot and starts to prepare the ingredients for the stew... Pichu approaches Dewott, chatting with him for a moment before the two of them head off into the woods. After a little while, they return with a harvest of mushrooms in their paws, making pleased squeaks and grunts.
   "Looks like we can have mushrooms in our stew too." Nora chuckles as the two Pokémon place the mushrooms down on the blanket. Nora takes out her tablet to identify them, checking carefully if any of them could be dangerous... Eventually there are two piles, one with the edible mushrooms that have red caps with yellow dots, and a few of a golden yellow color with a ring pattern that have a very pleasant scent. "Thank you, Aurelia! This will be a treat for everyone!" The trainer laughs as the Pichu hops and squeaks happily. Dewott pats her on the head for a job well done as they watch Nora add the mushrooms to the stew. Then he points at the pile of discarded mushrooms, and they go to put them back where they found them... "Okay Sirius, watch carefully... When making stew you have to stir the pot carefully so it does not burn..." Nora shows her Growlithe. As the scent improves her other Pokémon begin to come closer, settling down and chatting with each other until they receive their food. Once everyone has finished eating, Nora and Dewott work quickly to remove the cores from the apples before putting them on skewers. Leaving a long bit for Growlithe to hold onto, Nora hands them to him to carry over to the fire. "When roasting you want to make sure that both sides are being cooked..." She smiles, watching him nudge them to carefully turn them around. Soon the skin of the apples has darkened, and a sweet smell wafts through the air... Growlithe barks before he begins to pick up the skewers, placing them down on the plate that comes floating over as Ralts takes the chance to practise a little. She then sets it down in the middle of the blanket. Growlithe seems excited as the other Pokémon and Nora pick theirs up to try... As they each take a bit... there are some odd looks! Growlithe also looks at his own quizzically. "I think this needed more time to cook, Sirius." Nora looks at the middle of hers, where it doesn't seem to have been baked through. A whine sounds from the Growlithe as his ears droop... But they perk up as he feels Nora petting his head with a smile, "But... every master was once a beginner. Don't worry about this, Sirius... Just remember for next time that it needs more time to cook... Okay?"
   "...!!" There's a happy whine from Growlithe. He licks his trainer while wagging his tail. The other Pokémon seem to find their dessert palatable enough, happily eating and chatting into the night...

The next morning, Nora returns to Nimbasa City with Ralts hanging onto her shoulder. The little Pokémon has the blanket tied around her like a long cape. Despite the early hour, the city is still alight with it's neon glow.
   "Let's see..." Nora mutters, "We'll need to stop by the Pokémon Center for supplies. If we're going to challenge the Gym Leader we'll need to be careful and purchase some healing items. Perhaps pick up some treats too... What do you think, Lucia?"
   "Ral!"
   There's a chuckle as Nora crosses a small bridge, "Alright, alright. Let's pick up something for you and everyone." She makes a turn towards the Pokémon Center, but frowns as she notices two Team Plasma grunts approach an elderly man, who looks at them with some confusion.
   "Hm? What do we have here?" One of the grunts says.
   "Hey gramps! We know you run the Pokémon Day Care!"
   "How do we know? Because we're Team Plasma!"
   "We are liberating Pokémon from irresponsible people. You could say we're taking Pokémon into our custody to rehabilitate and release them. So hand them over!"
   The old man takes a step back, "What kind of nonsense is this!? I am NOT going to let you take away these Pokémon!" He exclaims, then he spots Nora watching, "Ah...! Miss!" He rushes over to her, "Please help me!"
   Nora nods as she steps forward, "Back off! Who picks on the elderly these days?!"
   The first grunt frowns as he takes out a Pokéball, "If you're going to get in our way, we'll liberate your Pokémon too!"
   "I'd like to see you try! Lucia!!" Nora narrows her eyes as her Ralts leaps off her shoulder and lands in front of her.
   "Come out-- Watchog!!" The grunt throws the ball, revealing a familiar rodent. "Use Hypnosis!!"
   "Lucia-- Go for a Double Team!" The Ralts smiles and glows. Multiple copies of her appear on the battlefield! Watchog looks around, staring intently as it tries to make out which is the real one! The aura from its eyes is not focused enough to work! "Confusion--"
   "DETECT!" Watchog moves out of the way of the blast of blue energy at supernatural speed! Nora frowns a bit at this. "You're not going to catch us that easily!" The grunt smirks, "Surrender now-- Otherwise you'll just make a fool of yourself!"
   Nora narrows her eyes, "If I do that, I betray my Pokémon! Lucia-- Continue with Double Team!" Additional copies begin to appear around Watchog!
   "Idiot... Crunch!!" Watchog strikes one of the copies! "...! Quick, use Detect!"
   "Calm Mind!!" The copies glow white as they seem to be focusing...!
   The grunt's eyes widen as the Watchog is getting worried now... "G-Go for a Crunch-- Find it...!!" The Watchog rushes to bite down on the Ralts, but to no avail, as it keeps biting into thin air!
   "Confusion!!" Watchog is struck by a strong psychic force, knocking it back hard! It stumbles back up, shaking its head and looking around for the Ralts!
   "We're not going to fall... Use Crunch again...!"
   The other grunt looks at him, "Why are you attacking--?!"
   "She's just going to make more copies or boost up those stats!" There's a yelp as the Watchog finds it's target! But the hopeful look from its trainer turns puzzled upon seeing Nora's smile...
   "Draining Kiss~" Ralts looks at Watchog sweetly and kisses its head! An aura flows between the two as Ralts is snatching Watchog's health, until the rodent lets go of her and falls over!
   "Gha...!" The grunt growls as he calls back his Watchog.
   Taking out a Pokéball, the second one yells out, "Go Trubbish!!"
   Nora blinks as she takes her Pokédex out. She frowns a bit, "Poison, huh? We'll need to finish this quickly."
   "Use Sludge!!"
   "Confusion!!" Ralts dodges to the side of the purple gunk, unleashing another psychic force at the Trubbish that slams it into the ground... It's knocked out!
   "Plasmaaaa! Wahhhhhh!!" The first grunt has a shocked look at Nora and Ralts, who wear matching grins!
   Calling the Trubbish back, the other grunt is just as shocked, taking a few steps back, "T-This went downhill really fast! I-I think... we'd better..."
   "Run?" The first looks at him, and nodding at each other, they flee!
   "Hurry! Let's go through the amusement park!!"
   Nora frowns at them, but then her attention turns to Ralts, who has begun to glow white... Her eyes widen at this, "Lucia...!" Once the light dissipates the Pokémon is taller, with long, slender legs, ruffles on each hip, and her hair in twin tails! Her eyes are also more visible, and she looks very happy!
   "Ah, your Ralts evolved into Kirlia!" The old man smiles, "I cannot thank you enough. I don't have much but please, have this." He hands Nora a generous amount of potions! "I run the daycare at Route 3 with my wife! Come by to visit anytime, we'll be happy to help raise any of your Pokémon!"
   Nora smiles, "Thank you. I think I know what you mean, I met your wife and daughter some time ago."
   "You did? How are they doing?"
   "They're doing well, your wife gave me an egg that hatched into a Pichu." Nora smiles.
   The old man smiles, giving a nod, "Good to hear. Well then, I need to go home before they begin to worry. If you'll excuse me, I'll be catching the train." He heads off to the station while speaking to himself, "...Whew, coming here was quite the experience!"
   "How odd..." Nora muses as she puts the potions away in her bag, keeping one to heal her Kirlia. "Alright, Lucia. Let me call you back into your Pokéball. I don't want you getting caught in an ambush."
   "Kir!" She smiles as she is called back.
   Nora stands up as she looks towards the amusement park, "Alright then, let's see if I can't find those troublemakers..."

Entering the park, Nora takes in the sight of the various rides and a man selling Pokémon balloons near the entrance. She looks around for any sign of the two Team Plasma grunts, also taking notice that one building in the distance bears the insignia of a Pokémon Gym... Then she hears a voice behind her, "You're looking for Team Plasma, right?" N approaches her, "They ran into the amusement park. I saw your battle, then I followed them." He takes her hand and pulls her along!
   "...!" Nora stumbles after him with a surprised look.
   He keeps walking straight to the ferris wheel... Stopping in front of it, he looks around before turning to her, "...They're gone. Let's ride the ferris wheel and see if we can spot them." He smiles happily, "Actually, I love ferris wheels. The circular motion... The mechanics... They're like collections of elegant formulas."
   "..." Nora looks up at the ferris wheel, "I can't say that I know the mechanics too well but, they're rather interesting." She nods to him, "Alright, let's go in and see if we can spot them!"
   Soon, they are on their way up... A flock of Pidove flies past, catching Nora's eye before she begins to scan the ground... Yet N seems more interested in looking at her than the people below! "Since we are friends, I decided something." He says, "From now on I'm not going to trick you either. That was the last time."
   She glances at him, "Pardon? When did you trick me...?"
   He smiles, "...First of all, I must tell you... I am the king of Team Plasma."
   "...!" Nora's eyes widen in surprise at this, and her jaw drops...
   "It's a secret that only Team Plasma knows. And you. I'm working with Ghetsis to save Pokémon! ...I'm the one who told Team Plasma to come to White Forest."
   "I..." She can't seem to find the words to speak, but she feels her Pokéballs shaking violently!
   "..." N glances at them. A tense silence fills the space between him and Nora, until at last he says, "I wonder how many Pokémon exist in this world..."
   Nora takes a deep breath as she turns to face him fully, "...Who truly knows? But... perhaps there are more that are hiding or yet to be found... N, if I may ask...? ...As Team Plasma's king... your wish is the liberation of Pokémon. Why do you believe that Pokémon need to be separated from humans?"
   N frowns slightly, "I already told you that. As long as Pokémon are imprisoned in Pokéballs, they will never attain perfection."
   "I remember that, but I am asking what made you see the liberation of everyone's Pokémon, including those who have lived with humans for a long time, as necessary. A person doesn't form their views in a day... It comes from experience." Nora looks at him, "...I know how much Team Plasma hates trainers. I can understand that fury towards those who would abuse, neglect, and exploit Pokémon... But why accuse those who are not doing such things as what happened in White Forest? Why are all trainers painted with the same brush? ...Do you despise me for being a trainer?"
   "I do." He answers in a straightforward manner, but nonetheless smiles, "But we are still friends... Because you are going to test my formula. Nora, do you follow my logic?"
   "..." She closes her eyes and thinks carefully before looking at him, "...After what happened, I see what you mean."
   "If you truly mean those words, I am pleased." He turns to look out the window as they are about to reach the ground again... "Then... the future I envision..."
   "...The future?"
   "Yes." He says as they step out of the ride, "The future in which Pokémon attain perfection. You said that's your dream, too."
   "Indeed... I assume you're excited for it?"
   "I am, because Pokémon are my friends. I was watching you earlier. Your Pokémon looked happy with you, somehow. Zorua also thought so. So even if I lose, do you think it will make a difference to the future I have in mind? Or will the result be the same?" He stares at her, intrigued, "You... Just what kind of person are you?"
   "...To be honest, N... my Pokémon... To me, they're more than just my friends." She looks at her Pokéballs, "...They're my family... and I would do anything to protect them. Family always look out for and listen to each other." Nora looks at him with a smile.
   He returns the smile, "Good. Perhaps I cannot win against you here and now, but I have a future that I must change. Thus...! I shall become undefeatable; one beyond compare. I will overthrow the Champion and make all trainers free their Pokémon!" He looks straight at her with excitement dancing in his eyes, "You, who speak in favor of staying together with Pokémon...! If that's your wish, collect each of the Gym Badges and make your way to the Pokémon League! Try to stop me there, if you dare."
   Her Pokéballs are shaking harder than ever...! She meets his eyes, "...I dare, and I won't give up."
   N takes a step back, "If your conviction does not match your words, you won't be able to stop me!" He walks off.
   "...I'll see you around, N." Nora speaks softly while watching him leave... Realizing that the Team Plasma grunts must be long gone by now, she looks at the time, and her eyes move up to the deep green roof of the Gear Station, "...Maybe I'll visit home." She begins to make her way there...

An hour later Nora is sitting quietly in an empty train car to Anville Town. After a little while, she hears a voice calling out, "Hellooo? Challenger here! Is no one going to battle me?"
   "Huh?" She turns her head to look, "Hello?"
   It's Iris! "Ah! You're that trainer who helped catch the bad guy!" She exclaims, "...Are you gonna be my opponent here?"
   Nora blinks, "No... Wait, are you challenging the Battle Subway?"
   "Yeah! Do you know where all the trainers on this train are hiding?" She tilts her head.
   "T-This isn't one of the Battle Subway trains, this is the train headed for Anville Town..."
   "Wha... Really?" She blinks in surprise, "Aww, I took the wrong train... That's why there are no trainers here..."
   "Well..." Nora rubs her head, "There's not much I can do to help you. The next train from Anville back to Nimbasa probably won't be moving until a good forty-five minutes to an hour. But, even if we can't battle... do you want to stay and chat with me?"
   "Yeah!" She comes over to sit on the seat next to Nora, "This may not be so bad... I've never been to Anville Town before, so I'm gonna explore now that I have the chance!"
   "It's a small town, so not exactly as lively as Nimbasa, but more quiet. There's a market where you can trade items on the weekends." Nora glances outside, "It's not remarkable, but nice enough if you want to see more of the wilds of Unova, away from the cities. Its biggest marvel is the roundhouse where the trains go for service, or to be preserved for the future."
   "Huh... So why are you going to Anville?"
   "...It's my hometown so... I figured I may as well visit my family." She looks at Iris with a worried smile.
   "So you live there... Are they nice?" She asks, apparently having noticed her worry.
   "...My family's nice, but... I'm not looking forward to seeing my mom and dad." Nora looks to the side, "...Especially since I know they're going to be insufferable about me being a trainer."
   "Huh? Why? Being a trainer is a good thing!"
   "Oh, they'll agree with you there. It's more that because they were pushing me to become a trainer, that I hated the idea of being one."
   "Hmm... But your Pokémon fought really well last time... Do you really not want to be a trainer?" She tilts her head.
   "I want to be a trainer now, but I also hope to become a Pokémon Professor." Nora sighs, "...When I was a kid I hated it because mom and dad always made me focus on battles and strategy over everything else. Saying that I need to be a great trainer just like them and sis, maybe greater... I hated it. They even pushed me when I was..." She trails off, shaking her head...
   "But that's all wrong! You can't win battles with only strategy, you need to spend lots of time with Pokémon and have fun together and grow really close!"
   "They seem to think it's more important that I know battling over bonding." Nora smiles a bit, "Honestly, I'm still stunned they're both amazing trainers."
   "I wonder if Drayden knows them... Did they challenge the Gym in Opelucid City?"
   "I think dad did... Mom's from Johto, so..."
   "Huh, really? I'm from Johto, too!"
   "Really?" Nora looks surprised, "Which area exactly?"
   "The Village of Dragons!" She smiles.
   "Village of... Dragons?" Nora tilts her head, "Blackthorn...?"
   "Yeah!" She nods.
   "...Wait, wasn't... Ah that's right, it's famous for producing the best dragon type trainers." Nora smiles as she looks at Iris, "What brought you so far from home?"
   "Drayden came to visit the Village of Dragons and when he went back to Unova I got to go with him as his apprentice!"
   "The former Gym Leader, Drayden?" Nora blinks in surprise, "Wow... that must be amazing, learning from him."
   "Yeah, I got very strong 'cause he's a great teacher! He's still a Gym Leader, though. Even if I got to be Gym Leader too, he said that I'll be even stronger if I go travel for a while, and someone's gotta receive trainers while I'm gone."
   "I see..." Nora shivers a bit, "I sure hope I can be strong enough to be a good challenger for either of you."
   "Oh, you're taking the Pokémon League Challenge? Great!" She smiles, "Then we'll get to battle someday!"
   "Yeah... I have three badges so far. I'm trying to think of a good strategy for my team to handle Elesa..." Nora rubs her head, "But I don't have too many good counters against electric types."
   "Huh... Can I see your Pokémon?"
   "Hm?" She blinks, "Sure. Here, let me get them out of their Pokéballs..." Nora begins to call them out...
   "So you have Dewott, Pichu, Aron, Kirlia, and Growlithe... That's a good team." Iris smiles, "Even if they are not strong against electric types, electric types are not strong against most of your Pokémon either. So if your bonds are strong enough, I'm sure you can win!"
   "Pichu!" Pichu is climbing on her trainer and sitting on her head as the other Pokémon begin to explore the empty car.
   "Yeah... I probably need to think of something interesting. I know that Soujiro enjoys battling but I don't think he'd have a lot of fun in that Gym." Nora looks at the otter walking through the aisle, quizzically staring up at the handing rings.
   Iris looks at her, "Thinking of a good strategy for them is your duty as their trainer. That's a good thing, but you can't do it if you don't know what your Pokémon are capable of. That's why you need to get to know them better outside of battle too. If you play with them and have fun together you'll learn more about them, and they'll trust you more... and when your bonds are reeeaaaally strong, you won't even need to think about it anymore. You'll just know what to do, even in the heat of battle against opponents you didn't know anything about beforehand."
   "I suppose." She crosses her arms as Dewott is jumping up to grab a ring, "He had defeated my friend's Snivy as an Oshawott... and Aurelia won against Burgh's Leavanny... Although, Soujiro almost defeated it with Air Slash..."
   "Wow... That's right, you need to trust in your Pokémon, too. Oh, I know! If you want we can train together in Anville Town!"
   "...! You don't mind?"
   "Gym Leaders don't only battle challengers. Sometimes trainers come to the Gyms to get advice if they have trouble raising a Pokémon or because they want to see how we train Pokémon and train together with us." She smiles, "Bringing Pokémon and people closer together is what a Gym Leader should do! We'll also get to know each other better that way!"
   "Alright..." Nora smiles, "If you don't mind... My family has a decently large area where we can train...?"
   "Yay! It'll be loads of fun!"
   Nora smiles wide as the train leaves the underground tunnel. The west side has only a cliff wall, but on the east side the view of the countryside is revealed. The sunlight shines down through the slowly moving shadows of the clouds, onto a vast forested valley speckled with fields and grasslands here and there. Various species of Pokémon roam on the ranches, and in the distance Twist Mountain rises like a blue shadow...

Some time later, they're on their way towards the house on the private ranch owned by Nora's parents. "Wow... This is a really big place!" Iris looks around excitedly.
   "Mom and dad still have their Pokémon with them, so they needed enough space for all of them to roam without being cramped." Nora smiles as they can feel the earth tremble, "...And I think one of them knows I'm back." They see a large, blue Pokémon clomping towards them from behind the house! It gives off a roar, which is answered by more cries from the back. A Sawsbuck dashes past the Nidoqueen and stops in front of Nora, nuzzling its head against her. "Ack...! Okay, okay-- I'm happy to see you too...!"
   "They seem to like you a lot!" Iris smiles.
   "I grew up with these guys when I was a kid-- ack!" Nora is pulled into a hug by the Nidoqueen, who gives a happy grunt. "So they're really familiar with me...!"
   A cry sounds from above as a large green Pokémon swoops down from the air! The Flygon lands nearby, wagging its tail. The door to the house opens and a woman with dark brown hair looks out, "What's going-- Nora!?"
   "H-Hey mom...!" Nora waves weakly from Nidoqueen's grasp.
   "Hi!" Iris waves too.
   Nora's mom walks over, shooing the Pokémon off. Judging from her formal clothes and flats, she's about to leave for work... "Nora, you didn't say you were going to visit! And who's your friend here?"
   "This is Iris, the Gym Leader of Opelucid City." Nora rubs her shoulders a bit, "I was in Nimbasa and decided it would be a good idea to come by to visit. Iris was on the train and I invited her over."
   The older woman has a surprised look, but smiles, "Well now! You're climbing the ladder quickly aren't you! Please come inside, we'll make something for you!"
   "But mom, don't you and dad have to get ready for work--"
   "We can call in late, dear." The woman smiles as she motions them to follow her inside.
   "Oh, um, I don't want to intrude." Iris says, "Nora and I were just going to train our Pokémon together."
   "You sure?" The woman seems surprised, "Can we at least give you two water bottles and something for your Pokémon to snack on while you're training?"
   Nora sighs, "Sure mom... but please don't be late for work."
   "Oh alright, pay attention to what Iris teaches you! You'll be a better trainer than you were before!" She smiles as she heads inside.
   The brunette shakes her head and looks at Iris, "If you want you can let your Pokémon out to stretch before we start?"
   "I want to learn from you too, though..." Iris rubs her head, then she nods, "Yeah!" She throws her Pokéballs up! There's an Axew, a Fraxure, a Druddigon, a Bagon, a Zweilous, and an Archen!
   Nora throws her Pokéballs up as well! Her Pokémon are stretching and sniffing around. "Before we start... What do you mean by you want to learn from me?" Nora tilts her head.
   "When traveling I get to know lots of trainers with lots of ideas on how to train Pokémon! So if I watch how you train your Pokémon I'll learn from you, and if you watch me you'll learn too! We can share our ideas and both of us will become better trainers!"
   Nora rubs her head, "Honestly... I just treat their training as one part play and one part actual training."
   "Huh, maybe we'll find things we have in common too! That's great!" Iris smiles, "Alright, this looks like a good place to practise our speed! First to that tree wins! Ready... GO!!" She and her Pokémon all dash off at the same instant!
   "...!" Nora smiles as she and her Pokémon run as well! Aron is lagging behind but he's doing his best!
   Iris's Archen gets to the tree first, closely followed by Fraxure! "Yay! You won, Archen!" Iris grins as she catches up, then she turns and jumps while waving, "Keep it up, Bagon! You're faster than before! I'm sure you'll be able to evolve soon!"
   "Come on Hector!" Nora calls out as she's running. Pichu reached the tree before Growlithe and Dewott, and Nora is behind them, but it seems that Kirlia is choosing to stay close to her.
   "Arrr!!" Aron has a gleam in his eyes as he's running as fast as he can!
   "Don't you feel good running in an open field like this?" Iris smiles as Nora arrives. "At the Village of Dragons there were lots of mountains, so being in a huge space like this makes me feel free!"
   "I know what you mean. But I'm fond of long-winded hikes... There's a few hiking trails near here." Nora motions towards the forest, "Sometimes my Pokémon and I take those trails to build up stamina, but also to help them get used to moving in different environments. Actually... Do you and your Pokémon mind if we play a game my Pokémon are fond of?"
   "Oh, now I'm curious! What are the rules?"
   "It's similar to volleyball, but the main idea is that you cannot catch it, you need to keep it in the air for as long as possible. Hands, feet, fins, psychic energy, tails, and controlled electrical discharges are okay." Nora takes out a ball, "Just don't hold it or let it land on the ground. Though if someone hit it too hard it's okay to dodge it to avoid getting hurt."
   "That sounds fun! Alright, let's play!"
   "Alright guys, spread out! Don't be afraid of the ball-- Go for it!" Nora calls out as she hits the ball into the air. Dewott barks as he smacks it, and it goes flying near Axew. Axew jumps, hitting it with his forehead towards Growlithe, who barks excitedly and hits it with his snout. It goes flying towards Iris!
   "I got it!" Iris smacks it with her hand towards Aron. Aron charges as he headbutts it to the air... It flies towards Druddigon!

Hours later, after a lot of play and practising moves, it seems everyone is weary from all the exercise. "I think that's enough." Iris says as she flops onto the grass, staring up at the blue sky, "Everyone worked so hard! I'm sure we got a bit stronger. And we got to know each other better too!" She grins at Nora.
   "Indeed..." Nora is sitting on the grassy knoll with a tired look. She hands over a water bottle, "Care for some water?"
   "Oh!! Yeah, thanks!" Iris sits up as she receives it, "What did your mom bring for our Pokémon?"
   Nora motions at a table and chairs nearby, it appears her mom left behind some Pokémon food and a large amount of water bottles! Once all Pokémon have received their food and water, Iris looks at Nora, "So, now I think it's time to reflect on this training. If you're gonna be a Pokémon Professor I bet you're good at this part... Try to think of everything you noticed about your Pokémon while we were playing and training. Even the ordinary stuff counts, since it'll help you understand your Pokémon better... especially if it changes at a later time."
   "Hm..." Nora glances at her Pokémon that are sitting around chatting, "Soujiro and Lucia have good accuracy, and while they're not the fastest sprinters they're able to react quickly. Hector is not as fast, but he compensated with his hits and accuracy... Actually while we were training he avoided walking on the flowers now that I think about it."
   "I noticed something interesting about your Kirlia. She worked harder when she was near Axew or Fraxure, didn't she?"
   "Yeah... I was wondering about that." She glances at the Pokémon before looking at Iris, "Those two seemed pretty determined, and rather close to you? Is one of them your starter?"
   "Yeah, Fraxure is. But they both have an ability called Rivalry. So I think that maybe, Kirlia has an ability called Trace. 'Cause Pokémon who have that ability can copy the abilities of other Pokémon."
   "Lucia is a girl... so it can be assumed that because of Trace and the Rivalry abilities all three were determined to perform at their best..." Nora ponders, "I did notice some of your Pokémon were nervous about going near Sirius though... Meaning his Intimidate ability was kicking in..."
   "Yeah. Maybe the abilities your Pokémon have can help you think of a good strategy to win against Elesa?"
   "That could be the key for us to succeed, but we will need to be on the same wavelength and psyched up for the battle."
   "Yeah! My Pokémon and I want you to win too. I'm sure you'll grow a lot stronger, and when you get to Opelucid City we'll have a really cool battle!"
   "That I can promise!" Nora grins, "And I'll be sure to introduce the last member of my team to you then!"

After their break, they get up for a second training pass. The day passes quickly, and when the sky has begun to take on a pink tone, both of Nora's parents return home, offering the two trainers to stay the night. After dinner, Nora's dad turns on the TV in the sitting room to watch the evening news, which are apparently about a situation that broke out in White Forest... Nora excuses herself to go play with the Pokémon outside and introduce them to her team. Meanwhile, Nora's mom picks the plates up and takes them to the kitchen, and Iris helps out, placing a pile of Pokémon bowls down near the sink. "Ah, thank you." Nora's mom smiles, "Iris? If I may ask? How strong is my daughter in your opinion?"
   "I think she's a great trainer!" Iris says, "All of her Pokémon like her a lot, and she got her first three badges without any losses. I'm sure she'll be able to get her fourth one, too!"
   Nora's mom picks up a bowl to wash, "I certainly hope that she can live up to expectations as a trainer. It's far from an easy path, and she'll need to be better than her father and I."
   "Nora told me you're from Johto, too! Where did you come from? How far did you make it in the League Challenge?"
   "I'm from Azalea Town, and I got as far as the Elite Four, but I lost my second match." Nora's mom smiles a bit, "Put up one heck of a fight but... well, I guess our all wasn't enough."
   "Wow... To make it that far you must have really strong bonds with your Pokémon!"
   She nods, "I do, Luxray had been my partner since I was ten years old... and even before then when I was working around the house, helping my mom with chores. Of course, my Luxray is happily enjoying his retirement... and probably wondering what's taking me so long to join them."
   "I'll dry the dishes!" Iris helps herself to a towel, "Having strong bonds with Pokémon is super important to get stronger! 'Cause Pokémon work harder and grow a lot when they're with a trainer they like! That's why I think Nora will get really strong. When she comes to Opelucid City I'll get to battle her, too!"
   The older woman smiles at this, "I certainly hope so... and you do not need to. I can do this easily." Her eyes gaze outside, where the Pokémon are interacting with the smaller ones that Nora had brought out, "...I just want her to succeed where we had failed, and let her experience what it's like to be confident."
   Iris is apparently not about to put the towel down, but she looks out the window too, tilting her head. "When I met her on the train she wasn't sure if she could win against Elesa... Now that I've seen them train I think they're strong enough, and they worked really hard together too... But, but! Now that you mention it, she's very careful. So maybe she needs to trust her Pokémon and herself a little more."
   "...It might be because we had coddled her too much before we started to intensify her education in battling and strategy." She hands a clean bowl to Iris, "...Though I suppose when it comes to Pokémon... it might have something to do with the accident."
   "She had an accident?" Iris asks as she dries the bowl.
   "...When she was a little girl, she was scratched by a Purugly that wandered onto the property." Brown eyes look at the laughing Nidoqueen outside who is giving Pichu a ride on her head, "...My Nidoqueen was enraged and attacked it violently, since she practically adopted Nora and her sister as her own. But Nora wasn't the same after what happened... she developed a fear of Pokémon over what happened."
   "..." Iris ponders for a moment, "But, now she's not scared of Pokémon at all. I think it's because her friend got arrested that she lost confidence..."
   "Friend?" Nora's mom looks at Iris with shock, "Wait, one of her friends from Nuvema Town was arrested?"
   Iris shakes her head, "No, she made friends with a Gym Leader from Ydil. But he was so bad! He attacked his own Pokémon League! And he was gonna blow up Castelia too! But Nora didn't know Verdell was a bad guy until the other trainer who was with Bianca... um, Cheren! He told everyone. Then we chased him, and Nora caught him. Her Oshawott even evolved into Dewott! But although Nora caught the bad Gym Leader, she was still sad 'cause she got tricked."
   "N-Nora made friends with such a d-dangerous person... on her journey?" Her eyes widen, and the sounds from the TV are silenced... There's tension in the house.
   "I don't really know how they met, but, I didn't know he was bad either, at first." Iris goes on to recount how they chased Team Plasma through Castelia when Bianca's Pokémon got stolen, and that Verdell helped get it back too. "...So everyone thought he was good until we learned the truth about him!"
   "..." There's creaking on the floor as Nora's dad enters the kitchen, "Our daughter got involved with Team Plasma and a terrorist?" The light flickers in his eyes... Nora's mom is pale and quiet, but her hands tremble as she slowly puts one of the plates down. Outside, it seems that Nora and the Pokémon have begun to sense that something is very wrong...
   "Yeah, but Burgh and I were there too, so Bianca got her Pokémon back. And then Team Plasma took Verdell, after he got caught. They were gonna hand him over to the International Police. So everything turned out good in the end. He won't cause any more trouble!"
   "NORA!!" The woman storms out of the house! The Pokémon are startled as the door to the backyard slams open! A quick bark sounds as Dewott rushes in front of his trainer! He doesn't take his scalchops in his paws, but stands in a defensive posture...
   "...!" Iris tosses the towel onto the kitchen table, hurrying out too!
   "Nora, what's this about Team Plasma and a criminal!?"
   The brunette jumps at this, looking at her mother in wide-eyed terror, "M-Mom, I swear I-I can explain...!"
   "There better be a good explanation, why didn't you tell us anything about this?!!" The family's Pokémon are backing away, intimidated by how agitated the elderly woman is. Nidoqueen gives off a concerned whine as she's holding Pichu protectively in her arms, who squeaks and struggles as she tries to see what's going on!
   Iris leaps in front of Nora, holding her arms out, "Don't be angry with Nora! She had a hard time, but she still helped save a lot of people!" She turns a bit, glancing at Nora while rubbing her head, "Sorry... I told them that you saved Castelia. But I didn't want to get you in trouble... Your parents just got really worried for you."
   "I-It's okay..." Nora is sweating a bit as her dad walks over and checks on her, "D-Dad I promise I'm fine!"
   "...Nora. Did you know the man was a criminal?" He places his hands on his daughter's shoulders, ignoring the low growl from Dewott who is getting a glare in turn from a Ninetales observing the situation carefully alongside Luxray. "I want you to be honest with me."
   Nora looks straight into his hazel eyes, answering in a sad voice, "No... dad, I didn't know. I just thought he was a really strong trainer and I was learning about battling from him. You said that there's nothing wrong with learning from trainers who are far stronger... b-but in Castelia a-after what happened..."
   "...I see..." He sighs heavily at this, "So you were tricked by him..."
   "..." Iris looks at Nora, "You were friends 'cause he took you as his apprentice? I'd feel really sad too if it was Drayden..."
   "...He taught me about battling and listening to my Pokémon..." She looks down, "...Even to consider the dreams and aspirations of my Pokémon. I know now he's bad but... I thought he was a good person. He even tried to protect the Nacrene Museum when Team Plasma attacked!"
   Her mom's eyes widen, "Wait, the attack at the museum happened while you were there!?"
   Nora nods, "Yes, but Lenora told me to get away from there while she battled the Plasma grunts with the Elite Four member from a different region, who they ran into."
   "You mean when Elite Four Aina of Ydil had--" Her dad frowns, "If I had to guess she was tailing Verdell."
   Nora's mom looks at her daughter carefully with wide eyes, "...Nora, you haven't been getting involved in something dangerous with Team Plasma, have you?"
   The girl shakes her head frantically, "N-No! Mom, dad, I swear I'm not! I don't know why they keep showing up near ME."
   "..." Nora's dad lets go of her, crossing his arms, "Nora, please be careful from now on, okay?"
   "Okay dad..."
   "Nora, there is something we must ask you about." Nora's mom says, "Patricia said that she had seen you in Castelia and that a man named Verdell took the two of you and your friends on a boat ride to Virbank City..."
   Nora sighs, "That was before the situation in Castelia. In hindsight I guess Verdell was trying to avoid attention, so..."
   Her dad looks carefully at her, noticing her white jacket, "...Nora, what happened to the brown jacket we got you before you moved to Nuvema Town? I thought it was your favorite."
   "I-I um... It got dirty when I crossed the desert to Nimbasa City. You know as well as I do that the desert can do a number on clothes."
   "..." Her mom notices Kirlia has moved up close and is holding onto her trainer's hand, "...Nora, your sister mentioned that when she last saw you, you were trying to return a Ralts to White Forest. But we heard on the news last night that Team Plasma was there battling poachers. Did you get caught in the middle of that as well?" Kirlia's eyes widen briefly...
   "...! I didn't!" Nora shakes her head, "I didn't know until I got there!"
   "Did Team Plasma catch the poachers?" Iris asks.
   "Yes... What we heard on the news was that Team Plasma performed a citizen's arrest and provided evidence to the international police about what happened. Of course, the Pokémon League will be investigating this as well. They claim that the official uniforms some of the poachers wore were stolen." Nora's dad looks at her, "Just now the news announced that all of the captured poachers are in jail, pending their court dates." He crosses his arms, turning to Nora, "Still, I am glad that you were not harmed."
   "Yeah..." Nora looks down, "Sorry for worrying you guys..."
   "As long as you understand why we're worried, Nora."
   "I understand, dad..." She sighs...

Later that night, in the living room, the two couches are set up as beds for the trainers. Nora's Pokémon also settle into her couch, and in the plush armchair. She's flipping through the pages of an old book that she had taken out of her room when her eyes wander to the other couch, "...I'm sorry for the chaos earlier, Iris."
   Iris shakes her head as she puffs her pillow up, making herself comfortable, "No, that was my fault... I'm sorry."
   "...Don't apologize for something that you didn't intend to happen." She glances from the book, "...But I am happy that things didn't get out of hand. If you had not been there, no doubt things would've gotten ugly."
   "Huh. But, I think your parents care a lot, even if they don't always show it... At least, they know now. I think they'd worry more if they had heard about it when you weren't around."
   "I'm pretty sure they'll still worry no matter what." Nora rubs her head as Dewott grunts, making a nest near her feet, "...But I guess that's what happens when you have a family that still sees you as their baby."
   "But your mom really wants you to be strong... She said that you used to be scared of Pokémon, and that she wants you to be strong so you'll regain your confidence. But, you're not really scared of Pokémon at all anymore, right?"
   "...I'm wary when it comes to some of the cat Pokémon but, the vast majority of them I'm no longer scared of." She shakes her head, "I guess she didn't give you the full details but, when I was a kid I made the mistake of trying to pet a Purugly..."
   "..." Iris looks at her, "That's it, right? You're not afraid of Pokémon anymore, but you're still scared of making mistakes. That's why you were so careful when we trained."
   There's a silence from Nora as she looks at her hands... "...Do you want to know why I was so hesitant to become a trainer before I became Juniper's assistant, Iris?"
   "You said your parents were very strict with you and only wanted you to learn battle strategies..." Iris tilts her head, "Was there another reason too?"
   "...Every time I struggled or wasn't grasping something fast enough, they lost their patience with me. Saying that I'm not going to be a good trainer, that I'm going to fail if I don't understand the basics... Even at Pokémon school, some of the instructors expected the same, since my family have been Ace Trainers for generations. So when they informed my parents, well... there's a reason why I started to become fond of hiding in the wilderness over going home any day of the week." She sighs, "The idea of failing and disappointing everyone... It made me so scared of being a trainer that I changed my goal to becoming a Pokémon Professor."
   "But, you really wanted to be a trainer, then? Before they became like that?"
   Nora nods as she looks at Iris, "Yeah... I grew up with Pokémon, and I watched my parents and sister with their Pokémon... Playing, training... bonding... I watched my sister's battles on the television too. We still have video recordings of her battles and when she was taking the Gym Challenge. I wanted to be like... what my dad once told me makes an Unovan trainer amazing." In the plush armchair, her Kirlia opens her eyes, curious of what her trainer believes in so fondly... "...He told me that an Unovan trainer would never sacrifice their integrity. They're honorable; they respect their Pokémon and treat them as family. He said that long ago, the monarchy expected everyone to follow whichever path was given to them... A person could not decide their own fate or destiny. Then the rebellion happened so everyone would no longer be restrained by the class they were born in... That's how we became as we are. A trainer of Unova is ultimately a symbol of the freedom to choose what you want to be, without anyone else chaining you down to a role they decided for you for the rest of your life. That freedom to decide my future and keep to my own values, while treating everyone, both human and Pokémon equally... That is the kind of trainer I want to be."
   "That's so great!" Iris smiles, "You're already a really good trainer too... But, to keep getting stronger, someday you'll have to face your fear. That's what Drayden told me." Her face turns serious, "So I think you should work on trusting your Pokémon more. 'Cause everyone makes mistakes, and that's okay! Your Pokémon know that, but they still trust you to try your best for them. So you have to let them try their best for you too."
   "..." Nora looks down at the Pichu who has decided to sleep on her lap... She rubs the Pokémon's head, earning a lazy squeak... "I know they do their best... and I'm working to follow Bianca's example-- to believe in my friends more than anything. But... what if I made a mistake that was so bad that I made them upset...? Even if I made that choice with the best of intentions?"
   "Then you have to tell them sorry. Trainers are always responsible to their Pokémon, so you have to try to understand how they feel. Then you'll be able to grow too! That's something Pokémon can understand, 'cause they grow lots from being with us."
   "...I see..." Nora ponders as she keeps petting her Pichu, "...It seems that there's more to being a trainer than I realized."

The next day, after bidding Iris farewell at the Gear Station in Nimbasa, Nora makes her way to the stadiums for additional training. She pauses at a sign advertising a special event going on with the local Nimbasa Soccer Club. "Soccer & Pokémon: Become A Striking Trainer with Striking Pokémon!" She keeps reading as it goes into detail about their team members coaching people on how they can coordinate and work on their speed... "This could be a good way for us to pick up the pace..." She mutters as she notices there are specials for the other sports clubs too, but shakes her head, "Let's focus on this for now. Especially since we're facing the electric Gym soon." Entering the Big Stadium, Nora takes a seat at the side of the field with a handful of other fans and trainers. A man approaches them...
   "Good morning everyone, I'm Roberto-- one of the members of the Zebstrika Strikers! I cannot begin to tell you how excited we are about showing you how much fun it is to play soccer with your Pokémon." He smiles as he looks around at everyone, "Now for a quick example of how teamwork is the dreamwork for us! My two buddies here, Marco and Tony, are going to show us how it works." Roberto motions on the field, where one man stands near the goal with a Roggenrola, and the other further away with a Tranquill. They begin to play! Tony is dribbling the soccer ball quickly as his Tranquill is in the air monitoring the ball's location... As its trainer gets close to the goal and goes for a kick, the ball is stopped by the Roggenrola who headbutts it into the air...! But the Tranquill swoops down and strikes the ball back with one of its legs, scoring a goal! The audience seems impressed, and Nora watches intently... "Now as you can see, Tony and his Tranquill got in close but could not get the goal in the first round. As trainers and athletes, we need to consider what our Pokémon are capable of-- trainers such as Tony here have Pokémon that can keep track of where the ball is, so if one of the guys in the back couldn't tell, Tranquill makes it easier for them to see where the ball is coming from." Roberto motions between the two players and their Pokémon, "We also have to consider their abilities as well. Pokémon like Tranquill who have Rivalry will perform their best work when the opponent is the same gender, while Roggenrola who has Weak Armor will speed up every time it takes a hit, although its defenses may decrease at the same time. In games that run for a long time, this helps Marco, since he knows his partner has his back when he's tired, just like Marco covers for Roggenrola earlier in the game."
   "So cool...!"
   "That's amazing!"
   Nora is listening carefully, "So applying the abilities can help in the long run... It's a matter of applying them in certain circumstances..."
   "Now then!" Roberto claps his hands together, "Send out one of your Pokémon, we'll be helping you practice!"
   "Hrm..." Nora looks at her Pokéballs as she can hear Pokémon and their trainers getting excited to jump in... She tosses hers in the air, and Pichu appears in front of her.
   "Pichu!" As the little Pokémon climbs onto her shoulder, Nora takes notice of the various other Pokémon... Two Ducklett, two Purrloin, a Pidove, Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour.
   "Alright then!" Roberto smiles as he looks at everyone, "Folks who have flying types; go to Tony for tips and practice! Anyone with Pokémon that are more used to climbing or who aren't speedsters, go to Marco and he can show you a few tricks. Everyone who's got quick Pokémon-- follow me!" Nora looks between them, following Roberto along with the trainers with the two Purrloin. "Okay you three." Roberto smiles as he looks at them, "We have two Purrloin and a Pichu, eh? They're all pretty quick, and when they evolve they're going to be remarkably fast. Now then, let me show you my partner." He throws his Pokéball up in the air, and a Liepard appears! It purrs upon seeing the two Purrloin, earning squeals from their trainers, Roberto's two fangirls. "Now, Liepard is my partner since he's able to run quickly and silently. He can snatch the ball from our opponents, though he has to watch out for any of their flying Pokémon!" Roberto smiles, "Aerial Pokémon are a threat since you have one watching the ball, but the rest are monitoring where the striker's Pokémon are at. But let's not worry about that for now, we're here to have fun. Liepard! Let's get some balls rolling shall we?"
   "Merr!" It rushes over to where the balls are kept and kicks three of them over to the trainers and their Pokémon!
   "Practice with your Pokémon a bit! Since you two have Purrloins I'll give you two the quick run-down first." He looks at Nora, "How about you and Pichu work out a bit and then I'll work with you on what strategies you can do?"
   "Sure, that's no problem." Nora smiles. She goes to kick the ball, and Pichu leaps off her shoulder, running after it to hit it back to her trainer. Glancing to the side, Nora notices that the Purrloin seem more interested in stealing the balls from their trainers, despite their attempts to coordinate!
   "Pi Pichu!" Pichu squeaks happily as they continue to play.
   Eventually Nora pauses, smiling, "Hey, want to walk while we're kicking the ball back and forth?"
   "Pichu!"
   They begin to move forward, parallel to one another as they kick the ball. Nora is being mindful of her kicks since Pichu is so small, but eventually Pichu hits the ball harder towards her! "...! You want me to...?" She looks at the Pichu who squeaks.
   "Looks like you need to let her deal with more challenging things."
   Nora turns to see Roberto approach.
   "It's clear you're holding back because she's still small. But you really shouldn't worry, she's confident in herself and her strength-- Pokémon know what they can and cannot handle and I'm sure she'll let you know."
   Nora glances at Pichu, who watches her intently... Then she looks at Roberto again, "But... what if she deals with something that's too dangerous? Or gets hurt really badly?"
   "Well, she's trusting you to know. But at the same time, it's clear she wants to try. Even if you lose or have a hard day, you just get up again. Learn from the loss and improve. You're a trainer right? It's not weird for you to have times where your Pokémon lost or you had to back off from something that was too dangerous for you to handle." Roberto motions to his Liepard, "My partner got hurt one time, but he wanted to continue playing even though it was a nasty hit. If your Pokémon still want to continue, let them! You're not being a good partner to them if you're coddling them constantly, you know?"
   Nora looks down at the ball, then at Pichu who's staring at her...
   "Pichu!"
   "It's going to be a long road... and our challenges are going to be so much harder. Are you sure you're ready to play harder now?"
   The little Pokémon nods with a determined look, "Pi pichu chu! Pichu chu chu pi!"
   "..." Nora gives a wide smile. She kicks the ball much harder, and her Pichu charges! Enveloped in electricity, she slams into the ball-- hitting it right into the stands! "Let's go to the Pokémon League together, Aurelia!!"
   "PICHU!!" The little Pokémon squeaks out and begins to glow white! Roberto's eyes widen in surprise along with the other participants. The little Pokémon is growing and changing... when the light fades it reveals a yellow Pokémon with red cheeks, a longer tail and slender ears.
   "No way..." Nora's shocked look is replaced with a wide grin as the newly evolved Pokémon smiles at her, "You evolved!!!"
   "Pikachu!!" She leaps up into her trainer's arms.
   Nora looks at her, "Ready to tackle the Gym?"
   "Pika!" The little Pokémon gives a determined smile.
   "Well, before you run out, let's finish the class at least." Roberto crosses his arms with an amused smile, "Come on, let's see what your Pikachu's got!"

After a few hours of playing soccer with the other trainers, Nora walks out of Big Stadium with Pikachu riding on her shoulder. One trip to the Pokémon Center later, she is on her way towards the Gym. Upon entering, she can see that the entire Gym is one huge roller coaster! The place is quite noisy, with flashing lights, loud music, the voices of excited children and screams of the people riding the roller coaster... A lady is selling tickets by the entrance, and a man in a suit is checking that the people lined up for a ride have one before letting them on... "Oh Lord... That's one heck of a line and roller coaster..." Nora mutters quietly, "Give me strength..." She approaches the lady selling tickets, "Pardon me...?"
   "Yes? Do you want a ticket for the ride?" She smiles.
   "I'm here to challenge the Gym Leader so... I wanted to know if I need to buy a ticket to do so?"
   "Oh, no, challengers don't need to buy a ticket. But I'm afraid the special ride is not available at present. Miss Elesa is already battling a trainer right now... Please come back tomorrow!"
   "Aw... Alright then." Nora rubs her head, "Um... when I drop by tomorrow, where do I need to go?"
   "Right over there." She points to a different track than the one people are lining up for, "There will be a car waiting when Miss Elesa is ready to accept a challenger. I will let her know you were here today!"
   "Alright, thank you very much!" Nora smiles, "If you'll excuse me..." She leaves the Gym.

That night, Nora is having dinner at the Pokémon Center with her Pokémon...
   "Nora!" Cheren approaches with his food upon noticing her, "Check this out!" He shows her his new Bolt Badge. His Pokémon look very proud of themselves, it seems they got some treats to celebrate with.
   "Awesome job, Cheren!" Nora smiles wide, "I was wondering who was battling the Gym Leader! And I see your Pokémon are looking good too!"
   "Dew!" Dewott waves at Servine, congratulating him and the other Pokémon on their victory. Servine looks happy about the praise, and indeed, Cheren's Pidgey has evolved into Pidgeotto!
   "As are yours." Cheren says as he takes a seat next to Nora, looking at Pikachu and Kirlia, "Are they the same...?"
   "That's Aurelia and Lucia, the same Pichu and Ralts you saw before." She smiles, "And I see Arrow evolved too!"
   "Yeah, Arrow's been working hard." Cheren smiles, "Lucia, eh? So she's no longer a wild Pokémon?"
   "Yeah... Let's just say our trip to White Forest turned out a lot crazier than I thought..." Nora looks at him, "There were poachers there and I ran into N..."
   "N?" Cheren looks at her, "That weird street performer you battled in Accumula Town who pretended he could talk with Pokémon?"
   "I've met him a few times. He actually is able to speak with Pokémon somehow."
   "That's... hard to believe someone could do, but I guess I'll have to trust you."
   "I found Lucia's family, but she wanted to stay with me... N translated what her father, Gallade, said. But to be honest I'm a bit stunned about what happened at the forest."
   "What happened?"
   "Cheren, when I was there Team Plasma appeared in the forest and clashed with the poachers." Nora explains, "But one of those poachers wore the uniform of a Pokémon League official."
   "...! That's concerning..." Cheren frowns...
   "You're telling me..." Nora shakes her head, "I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe it was a poacher who infiltrated the League or something? But even then, how did they miss this?"
   "Did you see how it turned out?"
   "I had to flee the area. There were countless Team Plasma in there, and I wasn't sure if Soujiro and the others would've been able to handle over seventy trainers attacking at the same time."
   "I see. So maybe it's best to avoid that area for now..."
   "But I saw a lot of different Pokémon there." Nora takes her Pokédex out, "I wasn't able to record all of them, but my Pokédex registered a handful that I encountered."
   "I got some from Route 4 as well." Cheren takes out his Pokédex too, "Want to trade information?"
   "Sure!" Nora syncs her information with Cheren. They spend the rest of the evening chatting about their Pokémon and relaxing together...

The next morning... As Nora and Cheren leave the Pokémon Center, they spot a familiar figure in a green coat, lying on a bench that overlooks the many fountains cascading up from the artificial lake that surrounds the southern half of Nimbasa City. "...! Is that...?" Nora walks over to the figure, "...Hello?"
   "Cotton?" Cottonee flaps a leafy ear upon hearing Nora's voice, squeezing loose from Verdell's arms and moving on top of him. He seems to be asleep... "Cottonee~!"
   "So you made it." Cheren smiles, "Good to see you too."
   "Hey Tickles." Nora smiles at the Cottonee, "Good to see you're well... What time did you guys get here?"
   "Nee?" Cottonee tilts her head.
   "Even if she could answer that I'm not sure we'd understand." Cheren says.
   "Hrm... good point."
   "Do you think we should wake him up?"
   Nora looks at Verdell and shakes him a bit, "Verdell? It's morning, it's time to get up."
   "Mmn..." He moves a hand to rub his eyes a bit before sitting up rather suddenly, "Ah!"
   "Nee?!"
   "Ah, sorry Tickles." Verdell reaches out to catch her.
   "Cotton!" She happily cuddles him.
   "I fell asleep... that was dangerous. Am I glad that you're the ones who found me..." He looks at Nora and Cheren. It seems he's back to looking like a mess...
   "You haven't had much rest, then, I assume." Cheren says, "Did you find what you were looking for?"
   "...Yes." He nods, rubbing his head, "Man, if I'd been caught here I'd been so upset with myself..."
   "Well, thankfully I haven't seen Aina or Rylan in Nimbasa, so you're safe for now." Nora smiles, "Did you arrive in the middle of the night or something? Why didn't you use Secret Power to make a base?"
   "I was going to..." Verdell yawns, "I thought I'd just sit here and watch the view for a moment to regain my strength. I couldn't get much sleep in the Relic Castle... The place is haunted."
   "From all the Yamask?" Nora tilts her head.
   "Worse. Cofagrigus, I think it was... The same as the Pokémon Ghetsis caught me with back in Castelia. Thankfully not as strong as that one." He shudders. "But... yes. I found what I was looking for." His smile looks relieved as he cuddles Cottonee back.
   "Good to hear." Nora smiles, "Does that mean all your research is done then?"
   "No, but for now I have enough. But enough about that. Have you won your badges here yet? And where's Bianca?" He looks around.
   "Unfortunately I wasn't able to challenge the Gym Leader yesterday, but I'm planning to do that first thing--"
   "Hey!!!" Bianca comes rushing towards them from the gate!
   "I was battling Elesa yesterday." Cheren says as he gives a wave to her, "I won the badge. And Nora's been doing a lot of training, so I'm sure she's ready too."
   "I'm more than ready, I'm psyched for the battle!" Nora grins from ear to ear.
   Bianca stops in front of them, "I'm sorry I'm late, I was in the desert trying to hide from dad..."
   "Your dad?" Nora blinks in surprise, "Did he see you?"
   The blonde shakes her head, "No... but mom warned me that he arrived in Castelia City early yesterday morning. I had to hide in the desert so he wouldn't find me."
   "I'm glad you got away. And for once your timing is perfect." Cheren says, "So, Bianca, what's your plan for today?"
   "I'm going to the Musical Hall today." She smiles, "Patricia told me she's performing today so I want to go watch!"
   Nora blinks, "Wait, sis was-- Why am I the last person my family tells anything to?"
   "In that case, I should go too." Cheren says, "I promised I would come watch, after all."
   "I'll tag along then... How about you, Verdell?" Nora looks at him.
   "Yeah, if everyone's going, why not? It'll be nice to do something relaxing after our last adventure." He smiles.
   "Come on, let's get going!" Bianca chirps as they begin to make their way to the Musical Hall.

As they enter, they see that the lobby is very pink and beautifully decorated... There is a red carpet, and many photos of Pokémon that have starred in the show adorn the walls... Nora looks around quietly... Noticing her sister, she waves, "Hey sis!!"
   "Nora!" Patricia turns to them, "What a surprise to see you all, are you here for the show?"
   "Yes, as promised." Cheren smiles.
   "How did your interview turn out?" Verdell asks, trying not to look as self-conscious about his messy appearance as he feels, having realized that he sticks out quite a bit in this fancy building...
   "It went splendidly!" She smiles, "I cannot thank you enough for the ride, Mr. Verdell. Ah, shall I introduce you to the founder of the Musical? I'm sure he'd be happy to say hello to everyone!"
   "We can meet him?" Cheren asks.
   "Yes." She nods, "He's happy to meet new people, he's met Nora before and he's more than happy to share his passion of Musicals."
   Nora shrugs, "Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed but I'm not very into this field..."
   "...Oh!" Patricia looks between Nora's friends, "How about you all participate in a musical with me?"
   "No thank you." Cheren smiles, "But I'll be happy to cheer you on."
   "I-I... But I have no experience..." Bianca says.
   Patricia waves her hand, "The musical invites everyone and their Pokémon to participate. If it's your first time or the hundredth-- as long as you're having fun and the audience love the show, that's all that matters!"
   Verdell looks surprised, "...It would be fun, but you don't think I'd be a bit out of place?"
   "Your Pokémon are the ones performing, you're not seen on stage!"
   "Oh, I don't think that's a good idea. If my Pokémon are let onto the stage they will surely steal the show from you!" Verdell grins.
   "We do not mind experienced performers! If anything we welcome new talent!" Patricia grins back, "It may bring in more fun and ideas for current performers!"
   "Wha-- Hey! You're supposed to be nervous...!" Verdell puts his hands up.
   "Seems it's too late for you to back out now, Verdell." Cheren smiles.
   "You challenged the hall, Verdell. If they win or lose-- they get something out of it regardless." Nora chuckles at this.
   "...Well, I won't go back on my word. I can only hope that your audience will find our modest talent for performance to be entertaining..." Verdell calls out his Clefairy. "Chef, your lady will be watching, so give them your best!"
   "Clefairy!" Clefairy puffs his chest out.
   "Cotton!" Cottonee smiles excitedly.
   "His lady?" Nora has a raised brow, "Did Tickles and Chef get together while you were busy?"
   "Oh, they have been quite friendly with each other from the beginning." Verdell says as Cottonee bounces out of his hold to play with Clefairy, "As it appears, I'm not the only one she fell in love with at first sight."
   "...That's just too cute."
   Bianca looks at her Pokéballs, then at Patricia, "Umm... What Pokémon do you recommend...?"
   "Personally? I recommend one that's not shy, and willing to be around a lot of people and loves attention." Patricia ponders, "The type doesn't matter, as long as they're comfortable on stage!" She claps her hands, "Well then, let's get Nora and Cheren their seats. Bianca, Verdell, follow me to the back and we'll get you started!"
   "Alright." Verdell picks Cottonee back up.
   "Cotton?"
   "Hold onto this one for me, will you?" He grins as he hands her to Cheren, "And make sure to get good seats!"
   "Ah, sure." Cheren smiles, heading up the stairs with Nora as Verdell and Bianca follow Patricia to the changing room.
   "Oh wow..." Bianca looks around. The large room is stuffed with boxes with various props, and clothing hangs from racks in an organized fashion, "There's so much stuff here..."
   Patricia smiles, "Performers usually have their own items for dressing their Pokémon up, but for newcomers, these are the items we have for you to borrow."
   "Oh! I need to pick one of my Pokémon..." Bianca looks at her Pokéballs, "Um... I think I'll choose... Eire!" She throws the Pokéball up. Eevee barks happily, looking around the room.
   "You brought in some new trainers, huh, Patricia?" Another girl says as she's working on getting her Cinccino dressed up. The little gray Pokémon is sitting on a chair with a soft green cushion in front of the long dressing table that has a row of mirrors so all participants can have their own space. It takes out its favorite pink barrette from the open prop case in front of it and holds it up to its trainer.
   "They're friends of my little sister." Patricia smiles, "The least I can do is let them experience something different from battles!"
   "Well, let's see what we've got to work with!" Verdell and Clefairy begin to rummage through the selection of props, "Ha! What do you say about this, Chef?" Verdell grins as he holds up a white pompom.
   "Clefairy!" Clefairy nods while holding onto a green scarf.
   Bianca looks around uncertainly...
   "Do you need any help, Bianca?" Patricia walks over.
   "Oh, um... w-well..."
   Patricia smiles, "I can tell when someone's nervous. You need help with a theme or costume?"
   "Y-Yeah..."
   The woman looks at the Eevee walking around the props and looking curiously at everything, "Well, let's start with this: what's your Eevee's personality?"
   "Eire? W-Well, she's mischievous and can be sassy but... she likes to play and have fun." Bianca looks at her Eevee, who pauses to look back at her with a wagging tail, "But... she's really nice to me and does her best."
   Patricia watches as the Eevee runs up to Bianca and nuzzles her, "So you two are pretty close. Well, I'd say she's a cutie, so how about we look into the costumes over here?"
   "Okay!" Bianca smiles, soon finding a matching pair of pale green ribbons to attach to Eevee's ears, and a pair of transparent, glittering fairy wings for her back.
   "Vee~!" Eevee seems happy. She picks up a ribbon wand in her mouth.
   "Let's see..." Bianca is looking at the decorations, "What else...?"
   "Here, use these." Patricia says as she places a selection of matching decorations in front of her. "These should help you put the finishing touches on Eire's dress up."
   "Oh... Thank you!"
   She nods, "If you'll excuse me-- I gotta dress up my partner too." Patricia rushes over to where her Jigglypuff is waiting and gets to work.
   Looking at the decorations, Bianca selects a small tiara for Eevee's head, a pair of glittery flower fasteners to keep the ribbons in place, and as the finishing touch, a white domino mask for her face. Meanwhile Verdell and Clefairy have finished picking out accessories as well, getting him dressed up... Eventually he's wearing the green scarf as a cape, and the pompom as a beard...! He has an eyepatch and is holding a toy cutlass and a red silk rose... Verdell seems to be preparing something under his coat as well... "Have something planned?" Bianca asks as her Eevee is sniffing at Clefairy, who looks quite happy with his dress up.
   "It's a secret." Verdell grins, "But this one you'll find out soon enough!"
   "Eevee!" Eevee wags her tail at this.
   Bianca has a worried look, "I'm so excited but... I feel nervous at the same time..."
   "Don't worry, Eire's dress up is really cute! I'm sure it'll win everyone's hearts!" He smiles, "Besides... we can work with this, right Chef?"
   "Clefairy!" Clefairy nods, he has a playful gleam in his eyes.
   "You two ready?" Patricia smiles as she puts on the finishing touches.
   Bianca turns around and gives a nervous smile, "Yup!"
   "Aye, are you?" Verdell has a similar playful smile as his Clefairy...
   Patricia nods with a grin, "Ready as I'll ever be!"
   "We're ready too." The other girl says, heading over to open a door, "We'll take this way to get to the stage, but first we'll meet the owner!" She heads through with her Cinccino.
   "Come on. He'll be happy to meet you two!" Patrica follows with her Jigglypuff. Bianca takes a deep breath as her Eevee happily comes along, and Verdell follows last...
   "Welcome to the musical!" The owner greets them, "I'm very pleased with your participation! Participants for this musical are... Sayla, who will participate with Chirina! Patricia, who will participate with Jelly! ...And here we have two new trainers as well! How do you do? I'm the owner of this theater. Pleasure to meet you! What's your name? And your Pokémon?" He smiles to Bianca.
   "M-My name is Bianca a-and this is E-Eire..." Bianca stammers out as she motions to her Pokémon who just wags her tail.
   "Vee~!"
   "And you?"
   "Verdell and Chef." Verdell nods in greeting.
   "Hmm... The two of you did a fantastic job when playing dress up! Utterly charming!" The owner says, looking especially at Eevee. The show you'll be performing is a Forest Stroll. That is a popular show among girls." He looks around at the Pokémon and their trainers, "I guess everyone is ready. Let's go up on stage!"
   Soon everyone is in position... After a little while, the music begins to play. The audience quietens down as the curtain rises, revealing a forest backdrop... It looks like Nora and Cheren managed to find some good seats in the front. Cinccino enters the stage first, followed by Jigglypuff, and then Eevee... They move along to the music, but it seems that Clefairy is late by a note! Once he enters the stage, he is wearing Verdell's green pirate hat too, swinging his toy cutlass as he bounces in with light steps! He follows the music, but moves past Eevee, who is very confused as he begins to chase after the other Pokémon...!
   "Oh dear..." Nora watches in surprise as there are some murmurs in the audience. Jigglypuff is running, trying to avoid getting hit!
   "What's your Pokémon doing?!" Sayla hisses to Verdell as Cinccino runs too, waving her red parasol in an attempt to fend off Clefairy!
   Verdell just grins in response, "Stealing the show, as promised."
   "I didn't think you were going to hijack it." Patricia looks surprised, while Jigglypuff uses her big purse to protect Cinccino!
   Bianca seems flustered and unsure what to do, but her Eevee decides to wag her tail and wave the ribbon wand in rhythm!
   "Our pirate act is usually quite popular with children, so I wouldn't worry too much." Verdell chuckles as he folds his arms, leaning back against the wall. Clefairy still keeps the rhythm as he finally manages to get Cinccino to stumble into Jigglypuff! He leaps on top of them, and as the spotlight moves onto him he dramatically throws his red rose to the Cottonee in the audience who is apparently enjoying the show very much!
   "Well... this is interesting indeed." Nora blinks.
   "Yeah. I didn't expect him to be this bold..." Cheren says, looking around as it seems Clefairy nonetheless gets some uncertain applause from the audience. As Jigglypuff helps Cinccino up, behind the stage, Verdell makes a sign to Clefairy... He suddenly uses Follow Me to draw Eevee's attention...! As Eevee waves the ribbon wand towards him, he pretends to have been hit by a magical force, moving back from the other Pokémon!
   "Vuh vee?" Eevee approaches while wagging her tail. She's dancing to the tune as Clefairy keeps running around the stage with the masked heroine following! "Vee~!" Eevee happily chases after him with her wand!
   Bianca is surprised, "U-um... I-Is that okay...?"
   "..." Patricia rubs her head before chuckling, "Just ease up and have fun Bianca. Besides, you gotta support your Pokémon!"
   The blonde thinks about this for a bit as she watches the Eevee having a load of fun on stage. She gives a big smile when her Eevee looks at her and gives her a thumbs up! "...!! Vee~!" Her Pokémon seems very happy about the encouragement! The audience is also excited now, applauding Eevee! On a dramatic note of the music Clefairy finally lets her catch up, performing a backflip as if hit by especially powerful magic! "Vuh vee!" Eevee begins to glow white...!
   Bianca's eyes widen, "S-She's...!"
   The audience watches in amazement as the glow fades, and the form of the Pokémon is larger than before... She has short white fur on her body, and pink fur on her legs, tail, and ears. From the large bows at her neck and ear, ribbon-like feelers with blue tips flutter around her... She grabs the mask on her face with one of them, removing it to reveal her large clear blue eyes... and she tosses it into the air with a smile, "Sylveon!!"
   "...!" Verdell stares in surprise, but quickly makes another sign to Clefairy, who uses Moonlight on himself while dramatically pretending to fall down! The audience is applauding like crazy as Sylveon strikes a pose, just like a magical heroine!
   "Ve veon!"
   Clefairy soon bounces back up, taking off his pirate hat and performing a graceful bow while throwing candy from it to the audience! The other Pokémon bow too, and as the curtain lowers, the applause resounds through the room for a long time! Nora is clapping her hands with a large smile, "I can't believe it... Eire evolved while on stage...!"
   "That really turned into a great performance." Cheren smiles as he applauds too before sneaking a glance at his Pokédex, "Sylveon... It's a fairy type..."
   Behind the curtain, Bianca is hugging her Pokémon! The Sylveon uses her feelers to return it while wagging her tail.
   Verdell high-fives his Clefairy, "That was perfect, Chef!"
   "I thought this show would be a disaster, but somehow it turned into a great success..." Sayla smiles at Bianca and Sylveon as she heads over to her Cinccino, "Alright, Chirina. Next time, we'll dress you up as a magical heroine!"
   "Chululuwa!" It nods happily.
   "This could open up for more ideas on different themes and how we approach performances." Patricia smiles, "Now I can't wait for the next performance! What about you, Jelly?"
   "Puff!!" Jigglypuff nods happily with a big smile.
   Bianca looks at her Sylveon with a smile as the Pokémon nuzzles her happily. After a little while, the owner enters, "Good job! That was the best musical ever! I am the owner, but even I was greatly moved...!" He looks very excited, but then he composes himself, "Ahem! Since it's the best musical ever seen, we have received many comments from the audience! There are comments for everyone, so let me relay them to each of you!" He approaches Sayla, "Your Pokémon played its role very well. It looked like Chirina was making an effort to live up to your expectations. I will support your Pokémon on the side!"
   "Well, I'm glad someone noticed us, after all." She smiles.
   The owner moves on, "Patricia's dress up performance was very cute! Watching your Pokémon's sharp moves, I also felt cute!"
   "Looks like we'll need to step up our game." Patricia smiles a bit.
   "And Verdell, was it..." The owner checks his notes, "The Pokémon used props to convey such abundant expression, just as if they were actors!"
   Verdell chuckles as his Clefairy waves the toy cutlass, "Clefairy!"
   Bianca quickly stands up as the owner approaches her. But she looks much calmer now, and Sylveon holds her hand with her feelers... "And finally, our new rising star!" He smiles at her and her Pokémon, "In this musical, it's not an overstatement to say that Bianca's Pokémon was the lead role!"
   "I'm so proud of her..." Bianca looks at Sylveon, giving her a rub behind her ear.
   "The fans have already begun to gather at the entrance, waiting for a chance to meet you and your Pokémon!" The owner smiles, "Thank you very much for participating in the musical today! Please join another musical again! Have a great day!" He wanders off.
   "Come on, I'm sure your fans want to meet you!" Patricia smiles, "They may ask for autographs or pictures."
   "Okay...!" Bianca smiles as her Sylveon mews happily. But Verdell has already removed the props from his Clefairy, and is about to sneak away...!
   "Hey!" Patricia notices as she walks over towards the duo, "Come back here!"
   "Gah! We've been found! Sorry, but you'll have to tell the fans that Captain Chef's already set out on new adventures!" Verdell performs a bow along with Clefairy, "Adieu!" They make a dash to escape!
   "Get back here!" Patricia chases after him with her Jigglypuff!
   "Just try to catch us!" He laughs as he reaches the back door, trying to open it, but it's heavy! As Patricia closes in on them, Clefairy uses Reflect!
   "...!" Patricia comes to a halt, but Jigglypuff has a gleam in her eyes as she uses Brick Break on the Reflect! But just then, Verdell manages to open the door just enough to slip out, calling Clefairy back as he escapes!
   "Ah...!" Patricia fumes, "How could he run off like that!?"
   Bianca rubs her head, "Maybe he had an earlier appointment...?"
   "What's with that guy?" Sayla says, "Anyway, let's not leave the fans waiting!"
   "You're right, Sayla." Patricia sighs as she walks over and pats Bianca's back, "Let's go!"
   Bianca nods with a smile, "Right!" In the lobby, lots of fans have gathered. As they come out most of them approach Bianca, complimenting her Sylveon and asking for autographs. Bianca politely thanks everyone, smiling as she signs the pictures of her Pokémon's heroic pose, while Sylveon puts her paw print on them.
   "Your Pokémon gleamed like a superstar! I want to follow in your stylish footsteps!" A girl says, followed by another...
   "That musical was the best ever! It made me feel so energetic! Please come back and perform for us again!"
   Bianca nods with a smile, "We'll come by again when we have time. It was a lot of fun!"
   "Hey Cheren? What does the Pokédex say about Sylveon?" Nora is watching quietly from the side.
   "Let's see... It wraps its ribbonlike feelers around the arm of its beloved trainer and walks with him or her. It sends a soothing aura from its feelers to calm fights..." Cheren reads.
   Nora watches carefully, "Huh... so that's why Bianca's calm... Those feelers are on her hand."
   "...Interesting. It has the ability to erase feelings of enmity, but the Pokédex says it's not necessarily friendly. It will do it to make a target lower their guard too, only to strike their weak spot." Cheren puts his Pokédex away, looking around, "I don't see Verdell with the others. I guess he must have wanted to avoid this..."
   "No surprise, if Verdell's seen then Aina's going to dash over here in record time."
   "You'll have to wait a little longer, Tickles." Cheren says, "Once the crowd disperses I'm sure he'll show up." He smiles as he watches Bianca, "It's nice seeing her this happy."
   "It's like seeing a different side of her. She's always been so scared of making a spectacle of herself in front of a crowd. I don't think I've ever seen her this happy before." Nora smiles, "Who knows? Maybe the Musicals will help her out-- and Sylveon clearly has a positive effect on her."
   Patricia is signing autographs with her Pokémon as well... She pauses when she notices more people approach, "Looks like we may soon have a new audience eager for this kind of performance."
   "Hrm..." Nora pouts a bit, "As much as I want to stay and watch you perform, sis, I kinda..."
   Patricia chuckles, "Go on ahead, Nora. You don't want to miss the chance to battle Elesa, do you?"
   "...! Nope I really don't want to miss that!" Nora grins.
   "Good luck with your Gym Battle, Nora!" Cheren smiles, "...Actually, I think I'll go look for Verdell outside."
   "I'll see you guys when I get back." Nora nods as she makes her way out, heading for the Gym. Cheren heads out as well, walking around the building to look for Verdell.

Entering the Gym, Nora looks towards the roller coaster that the challengers are supposed to use to reach the Gym Leader... There's a car waiting. Taking a deep breath to control her erratic breathing, she goes to take a seat in it... The lady selling tickets gives her a wave and a smile, and the man checking them seems to have noticed as well, heading over to make sure that she's sitting properly before pressing a button to send her off. The ride is fast...! Nora has a deathgrip on the chair, but after several twists and turns it begins to slow down a bit as it climbs upwards... "Oh dear..." She begins to take deep breaths as she closes her eyes to stay calm... Once it reaches the top it pauses... Then it suddenly darts down at high speed...! Nora has her jaw closed tight as she hangs on for dear life, trying to avoid screaming or passing out! Upon reaching the bottom it goes straight into a loop...! "You've gotta be kidding me...!" She goes on to swear in her head about how much she's not a fan of whoever thought it was a good idea to add a roller coaster to a Gym! Several spins later, the car finally slows down, stopping next to an arena where a stylish young lady awaits her... Nora shakily gets off and takes a few breaths... Her Pokéballs are shaking!
   "Did the fantastic speed leave you dizzy?" The young woman smiles, readying a Pokéball, "I am Elesa. My beloved Pokémon will be the next one to make your head spin! Emolga!" A small squirrel-like Pokémon appears!
   Nora takes another deep breath, smacking the sides of her head to snap out of it before she throws her Pokéball, "Hector-- Let's go!!" In a flash, the Aron appears, giving a roar as he's ready to battle!
   "Aww, isn't that sweet... Makes me want to Nuzzle you." Elesa smiles as her Emolga approaches Aron and rubs its electrified cheeks against him...
   "Ar...!" Aron cringes from paralysis...!
   "Rock Tomb...!" The Aron is struggling to move, though it looks like he's trying to get his leg into the ground...!
   "Get back from it, Emolga! Use Shock Wave!" Elesa calls out, and Emolga scurries away some distance before sending a jolt of electricity towards Aron!
   "Ar...!" Aron growls, but he struggles to keep fighting...!
   "Hector-- Stealth Rock!!" Standing on his hind legs, the Aron slams his front legs down to throw up the floating rocks!
   "Oh, I've been trapped? Now I can't use my favorite move as I please... You're not half bad, but can you keep up?" Elesa says as Emolga sends off another Shock Wave!
   "We plan to..." Nora mutters quietly as her Aron growls from the pain, "Rock Tomb...!"
   "Arrrr!" Aron snarls as he tears out part of the ground. Emolga takes to the air in an attempt to dodge, but it seems that the target practise with Iris paid off! The boulder deals a heavy hit, knocking Emolga back to the floor!
   "Stay strong, Emolga! Use Astonish!" Emolga leaps back up, making a startling high-pitched squeaking noise!
   "Ar...!" Aron shakes his head from the noise.
   "Use Rock Tomb!!" Aron looks tired, but even though Emolga tries to escape, it is hit again!
   It is knocked out, and Elesa calls it back. She looks at Nora, "You and your Pokémon... are shining brilliantly! I think it's time to get serious!" She sends out a second Emolga! It squeaks in surprise upon being hit by the floating rocks, but manages to navigate out of them. "Now, use Spark!" Sparking with electricity, it flies at Aron...!
   "Protect...!" Aron tries to focus, but grunts as the paralysis slows him down too much...! Emolga slams into him, and he's knocked over! It seems he can't get up... "You did well, my friend." Nora smiles as she calls him back, taking out another Pokéball, "...Time for your first Gym Battle-- Lucia!!" The Kirlia appears!
   "Kir!!"
   "Confuse Ray!" Nora calls out!
   "Double Team!" Elesa counters! Suddenly the air is full of confused Emolga...!
   "Oh dear..." Nora looks around before shaking her head, "Double Team as well!!"
   "Kir...!!" Kirlia also forms a fair amount of copies of herself!
   Suddenly the Emolgas crash into the ground! They shake their heads and take to the air again... "Careful, Emolga! You have to snap out of it!" Elesa calls out!
   "Calm Mind!" Nora calls out as the Kirlias close their eyes and focus... They give off a glow as they suddenly open their eyes...!
   "Oh, don't think we'll let you get away with using the same strategy as us. Aerial Ace!" The swarm of Emolga suddenly flies through the swarm of Kirlia, striking at blinding speed!
   Nora is watching carefully... The moment Emolga hits Kirlia she calls out, "...Psyshock!!"
   "Kir...!!" Swarms of small psychic-charged rocks float up into the air around the two Pokémon... Emolga is struck! It squeaks as it lands on the floor!
   "...! Come on, Emolga, get up...!" It seems to be badly wounded, but manages to push itself back up. "Use Charge!" Emolga begins to spark and glow with electricity...
   "Lucia are you alright?!" The Kirlia gets back up, nodding at her trainer with an assuring look. "Let's finish this-- Psyshock!!" The glowing rocks appear around Emolga again... But this time, the rocks fly right through...! It's one of the copies!
   "Shock Wave!" Emolga fires off a powerful blast of electricity homing in on the real Kirlia...!
   "Kir...!!" Kirlia falls backwards, and Nora calls her back, "Alright then..." She looks up, "Gotta make this count... Aurelia!" The Pokéball opens up to show Pikachu, who looks determined. "Quick Attack!"
   "Pi!" She darts towards the Emolga!
   "Quick Attack first!" Elesa calls out, but Emolga is unable to move...! Pikachu's hit lands, knocking it out! "Ah?! When did you get paralyzed..." Elesa says as she calls it back, "It seems that Kirlia got us somehow. But this is not over!" She throws her third Pokéball, "A properly dramatic victory requires a dash of danger and a pinch of peril." She smiles as her Zebstrika appears!
   "...!!" Nora's eyes widen briefly with a hint of fear... She shakes her head, "Go for a Quick Attack...!"
   "Pika!"
   "Ion Deluge!" Elesa counters! The whole air comes aglow with electricity, and as Pikachu strikes, her attack is charged...! Zebstrika absorbs the electricity, and its power seems to grow...! "Now! Flame Charge!" Zebstrika neighs as it rises on its hind legs, the electricity surrounding it sparking flames as it charges at Pikachu...!
   "Return...!" Nora calls out as Pikachu looks terrified! She throws another Pokéball, "Sirius!! I'm counting on you!!" There's a sharp bark, and the Growlithe snarls at Zebstrika! It looks unnerved for an instant, but it is too late to stop its charge...!
   "Flame Wheel!!" Growlithe howls as he's enveloped in fire! As they clash the flames around Zebstrika seem to boost Growlithe's fire even more! He lands a heavy hit, forcing Zebstrika back!
   Elesa's eyes widen a little in surprise at Nora's counter. "Volt Switch...!" Shooting electricity all around itself, Zebstrika charges again...!
   "Go for a Bite!!" Nora counters! Growlithe barks as he dashes forward! As he sinks his fangs into his opponent, a powerful charge of electricity runs through him...! Zebstrika turns and keeps charging back towards Elesa with Growlithe still dangling from its throat, but stops short before the Stealth Rocks! It nonetheless seems to be a very tough Pokémon, and now it is angry...!
   "Spark!" Elesa commands, and yet another powerful shock runs through Growlithe!
   "Flame Wheel!!"
   Zebstrika is surrounded by the flames, taking heavy damage! "Quick Attack, now!" Elesa calls out, and it raises its hoof to kick Growlithe off!
   Growlithe whines, landing next to Nora as she lowers down to give him a pet, "You did good, get a good rest." She calls him back, throwing another Pokéball, "Aurelia! Dig!"
   "Pika!!" The Pikachu immediately starts to dig into the ground!
   "Quick Attack!" Zebstrika charges, managing to land a stomp on Pikachu just before she disappears! "Be careful...!" It glares suspiciously at the hole, but it seems quite exhausted...
   Nora is watching carefully before shouting out, "Go for it!!" Suddenly the ground under Zebstrika breaks open as the little Pikachu charges out from beneath the larger Pokémon! The startled Zebstrika tries to leap away, but being too tired, it is not fast enough! It whinnies as it is knocked over! Elesa quickly calls it back...
   "My, oh my... I meant to make your head spin, but you shocked me instead." She smiles at Nora, "You have a sweet fighting style. I mean, you're a great trainer! Excuse me, I... uh... Oh, here!" She takes out a Bolt Badge, approaching Nora to hand it over, "I want you to have this!"
   "Thank you!" Nora smiles as the little Pikachu runs over and climbs up to rest on her shoulder with a happy smile. "First the Leavanny, now a Zebstrika... You're becoming quite the titan, Aurelia."
   "Pikachu~!" She nuzzles her trainer while looking at the badge with excited eyes. She seems proud of herself.
   "Also, here's this move I like..." Elesa takes out a TM, "Volt Switch. You did well to block me from using it effectively... So feel free to use it, um, if you want to."
   "This... might actually help us a lot." Nora looks at the Gym Leader, "Thank you very much!"
   "No problem. So that Leavanny you just mentioned... I assume you've already defeated Burgh, then? Does that mean you're going to Driftveil City next?"
   "Yes. I was planning on heading there after healing my Pokémon... Is it possible to go there?" She tilts her head.
   "Oh... No, I bet you won't be able to get there." Elesa frowns slightly as she seems to be thinking, then she places a hand on her hip, "You know what? I'll fix it so you can cross. Wait for me on Route 5."
   "Alright! Thank you..." Nora pauses, slowly looking at the car, "... ...Do I have to ride back?"
   "Yes, but don't worry. It's a straight ride from here." Elesa smiles.
   "Oh thank goodness..." She has a look of relief, "...I was closing my eyes half the time since I have bad motion sickness... Roller coasters are my weakness..."
   "You still fought very well in spite of that... Impressive. Well, I need to make a call, so you go ahead."
   "Right, see you!" Nora enters the car, and it takes her straight back as promised. Taking a breath, she stands up and waves goodbye to the ticket lady and the man checking the tickets. They wave back to her. She smiles as she strolls out of the Gym, walking to the Pokémon Center.

Once her team is fully healed, she makes her way down the road towards the Route 5 gatehouse... "Bianca!!" A familiar, loud voice suddenly says from the direction of the Musical Theater...!
   Nora pauses, "Huh? What the--?" Her eyes widen, "Oh... oh no... no, no, no, no, no...!" She turns and runs down the path towards the voice. She can hear Bianca too!
   "D-Dad...?! What are you doing here...?"
   "I've come to take you back home, of course!" Bianca's dad exclaims, "Your mother told me that you'd made it all the way out here. Haven't you gone far enough?"
   "No...!"
   Nora arrives in front of the hall where she sees the blonde backing away from her dad, a man with graying brown hair, "Bianca!"
   Bianca notices Nora and quickly moves over to her. Her Sylveon remains in place however, eyeing Bianca's dad carefully... "I-I'm still on a journey with my Pokémon... a-and my friends too!"
   "You are absolutely not!" He gives her a stern look, "Others do things their way, and we do things ours!"
   "Yeah? W-Well maybe I'm just doing things my way!" Bianca has a scared look, "I don't want to do things your way!"
   Nora moves in front of her a bit...
   "Sweetie, you keep going on your travels." Another voice suddenly says. Elesa is approaching...
   "Hey! Who do you think you are?" Bianca's dad turns to face the newcomer, "This is a family matter!"
   "My name is Elesa." She places a hand on her hip, "I'm this town's Gym Leader, and I also happen to be a model." She looks at Bianca, "You know, there are many people in this world. There are people whose way of thinking may be completely different from yours. Sometimes, this means you may get hurt."
   "Of course!" Her dad says, "That's exactly right! It's because I'm worried about that--"
   "But it's important to keep trying." Elesa cuts him off, "To learn about the differences between yourself and others... To learn that being different is okay. And you shouldn't worry. Trainers always have Pokémon at their side. Pokémon are wonderful. It's not only how cute they can be, but also how much you can depend on them..."
   Bianca comes out from behind Nora, "Please! I know there's gonna be painful stuff like you're worrying about! I know! Really, I get it! But, like, listen... There'll be tons of nice people, too. Know what else? Since I've been traveling with Pokémon, I've already gotten tougher, I can totally tell. So... please?"
   Bianca's dad looks down as her Sylveon rubs against his leg, reaching up with her feelers and wrapping them around his hand... He hesitates for a moment, looking at his daughter... "Hmm... I guess. If wanting to continue your journey is selfishness on your part, wanting to stop you is selfishness on mine." He sighs, but then he smiles a little, "I'm surprised to find I'm the one being childish-- at my age! This Gym Leader's comments helped me wake up. Bianca, I'm sure it's better that you take the path you want to take now. I hope that your journey will be fun." He looks at Nora, "Nora, please... Take care of my little girl, okay?"
   "Yes sir." Nora nods with a smile.
   Bianca has a big smile as she goes over to hug her father, "Papa, I'll come home after I find out what I really want to do! Thank you so much..."
   He hugs her back, holding her for a while before letting go, "Well, then. I look forward to the stories you will have for your mother and I next time you come home. Bon voyage!" He heads off.
   "I'm sure he traveled as a trainer himself, in the past..." Elesa says, "Being a parent must be hard. Did I meddle unnecessarily? You looked troubled, so I decided to chime in." She smiles a little.
   "No..." Bianca shakes her head while giving a bright smile, "I... I actually needed that. It's hard for me to talk to my dad... I'm very grateful you did!"
   Nora grins, "Come on, Bianca. You've been gaining confidence in yourself ever since we started this journey. I bet after all this you'll be a completely new person!"
   Elesa smiles too, "By the way, if you're a trainer, please stop by the Pokémon Gym later. I'll teach you a little something about how tough a journey can get." She turns to Nora, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Nora. Let's go to Route 5." She begins to walk ahead.
   Bianca takes a deep breath as she smiles at Nora, "She's so cool! Hah! I want to be a cool woman like Elesa!" She pauses to think carefully... "Mm. I wonder how I'll get there. Well, before that, I guess I need to discover what I really want to do! I'll see you later, Nora!"
   "See you later, Bianca." Nora smiles as she watches Bianca heading down towards the amusement park with her Sylveon following, "...I think you're already improving." She turns and heads towards Route 5.

Just as Nora is about to catch up with Elesa, Cheren calls out to her, "Nora!" He comes running over, "How did your Gym Battle go?" Verdell follows behind as well...
   "The battle went well." Nora smiles, "I got the badge!"
   "Oh, you two are friends... That's nice." Elesa smiles, "Were you also headed for Driftveil City, Cheren?"
   "Yeah, but the bridge was up."
   "Not for long. Let's go." Elesa leads the way as they keep walking.
   "Thanks for the pointers." Cheren says to Verdell as they enter Route 5, "It will help my team get stronger."
   "You're making progress fast." Verdell smiles, but then he looks ahead, "...That's a lot of performers. Is there some kind of festival going on?" There are dancers, musicians and harlequins, performing tricks with their Pokémon for the gathering crowd of people on the road towards the bridge. A woman in a chef hat wanders about selling fresh buns as well...
   "Maybe?" Nora says, "Mom told me that you often see a lot of people performing or playing music outside of Nimbasa."
   "Yes, they are usually here at this time." Elesa smiles.
   "Oh! Why, if it isn't Elesa!" A stranger approaches, "Aren't festivals grand? Life should be enjoyed!"
   "Hm? Hello, Alder. Fancy meeting the Champion here."
   "Champion?!" Cheren's eyes widen, "Why would the Champion be goofing off in a place like this?"
   "I heard that remark." Alder turns to get a good look at Cheren, "You're quite the judgmental young person, are you not?" He smiles, shaking his head. "Yes, I'm Alder, the Unova Pokémon League's Champion. Pleased to make your acquaintance. For your information, I'm not goofing off. I'm on a voyage. I know every corner of Unova."
   "Um." Cheren looks slightly embarrassed, but quickly collects himself, "I'm Cheren, from Nuvema Town. My goal as a trainer is to become the Champion." He stares straight at Alder.
   "Hm. Traveling with a goal in mind is a commendable thing." Alder says, "And what do you plan to do after becoming the Champion?"
   "I'll become even stronger. The strongest trainer-- that's the Champion. Everyone will acknowledge that I am."
   Alder ponders, "Hmm. Becoming stronger... Becoming stronger, you say... Is that alone enough of a goal? Hmmm. It's not that I'm trying to say your way of thinking is wrong..." He looks at two children watching the performers, "In my travels, I've helped many people learn to love Pokémon. I think that's important, too. Hey, you two." He calls out to them, "Come here for a moment." As they approach, he lowers himself to their level and points at Cheren and Nora, "Sarah and Billy, will you two have a Pokémon battle with those two?"
   "Okay!" The little girl smiles.
   "Yeah!" The boy next to her nods.
   Alder stands up, "How about it? If you play with these children, you might gain more of an understanding."
   "...Alright." Cheren glances at Nora, "Let's battle."
   Nora smiles at Cheren, "It's been a while since we've battled together." She takes out her Pokéball and throws it in the air-- Growlithe appears!
   "Go! Chase!" Cheren says as he throws his Pokéball, and the two children both send out their Herdiers! Growlithe gives some sharp barks, but he wags his tail a bit. The Herdiers both growl and bark back at Growlithe and the huge cat!
   "Role Play!" Cheren says, and his Liepard hisses, copying the others to look just as intimidating as them...!
   "Let's start things off-- Flame Wheel!" Nora calls out, and there's a growl as the Puppy Pokémon is enveloped in flames and charges towards Billy's Herdier!
   "Use Tackle!" The Herdier charges into Growlithe, who growls as he slams into it!
   "Use Take Down!" Sarah's Herdier charges for Liepard, but it nimbly leaps out of the way!
   "Close Combat...!" Nora yells out as the fire type snarls and goes to slam and bite on the other dog-like Pokémon!
   "Use Crunch!" Billy shouts!
   "Use Bite!" Sarah calls out!
   "Fury Swipes!" Cheren answers!
   Dust flies as the Pokémon tumble around with each other! The Herdier fighting Growlithe is starting to look tired! "Go for a Flame Wheel!" There's a snarl as Growlithe is enveloped in fire and slams into the Herdier!
   "Help Billy's Herdier!" Sarah says, and her Pokémon charges for Growlithe instead! "Use Ice Fang!"
   "Then we're gonna help Sarah's Herdier! Use Helping Hand!" The Ice Fang's power is boosted! Growlithe is struggling with the two dogs piling on him, but his flames are still going strong...!
   "Don't forget about us!" Cheren says, "Chase, use Iron Tail!" Liepard's tail turns shiny as it chases after Sarah's Herdier to slash it!
   "Go for another Flame Wheel!" Nora calls out-- Growlithe slams on Billy's Herdier again! It is knocked out, and Billy calls it back...
   "Keep it up, Chase!" Cheren calls out.
   "Ah! Use Baby-Doll Eyes!" Sarah's Herdier gives Liepard its best puppy eyes, making it hold back!
   "Reversal!" Nora calls out as Growlithe comes charging at Sarah's Herdier!
   "That one too!" Sarah calls out, and Growlithe doesn't strike as hard as usual, but Herdier is looking weary!
   "Alright, you can do this, Chase! Fury Swipes!" Cheren says, and as his Liepard scratches away at Herdier, it is knocked out too! Sarah calls it back...
   "Nicely done!" Alder smiles at the children, "You didn't win, but that was a good battle."
   "My Pokémon was so cute!" Sarah squeals.
   "My Pokémon listened to what I said and fought for me!" Billy looks proud of himself.
   "Your Pokémon looked like they were having fun." Alder nods before turning to Cheren, "Young man, if there are people like you who pursue strength, there are also people who are happy just being with Pokémon."
   "I was scared of Pokémon, but Alder taught me that they're nice and friendly." Sarah nods.
   "Yeah! Alder is so nice to Pokémon!" Billy says.
   "There are many different people and many different answers." Alder continues, "When it comes to what a Champion should be, you and I may hold differing views, but so be it! Give it some thought."
   "..." Cheren frowns a little, turning away, "The Champion is the strongest of the strong! If you're not, what can you do?" He walks ahead.
   "Wait up, Cheren." Verdell follows him.
   Elesa looks at Nora, "Let's roll. The Driftveil Drawbridge is just ahead."
   "Right." Nora nods before looking at Alder and the two kids, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Champion. Sarah? Billy? Thank you for the battle, it was a lot of fun!"
   "Thanks for the battle!" The kids wave to her.
   "It's tremendous that people and Pokémon, each so different, can acknowledge each other and be together!" Alder smiles, "It was a pleasure to meet you too, young trainer."
   Nora returns the smile, then follows Elesa towards the bridge. It has two bright red halves which are standing straight up, one on their side, and another on a small island on the other side of the wide river...

Elesa stops in front of the bridge, "Now to contact him..." She holds up her Xtransceiver, waiting a little while for the other person to pick up, until... "It's me, Elesa. Please lower the drawbridge. I have a couple of trainers here who want to challenge you. Okay... Thanks." After yet a little while, they can hear a sound from the bridge... "Now, watch this!" Elesa smiles. The two halves of the bridge begin to lower...
   "Wow..." Nora's eyes widen. Suddenly, Pikachu's Pokéball opens, and the Pikachu hurries to climb and hang onto her trainer's shoulder. The little Pokémon has an excited look in her eyes... Finally the halves meet in the middle, connecting perfectly. Nora has a big smile as she looks at Elesa, "Thank you so much!"
   Elesa returns the smile with a nod, "I have a TV gig, so I've got to go. The Gym Leader of the next town may take some getting used to... Do your best, both of you." She gives them a wave as she heads off.
   Cheren still seems a little upset about the encounter with Alder, however... "What I am is a trainer." He mumbles, "I'll prove I'm right by getting stronger and winning in battle-- even against the Champion." He begins to walk across the bridge.
   "That talk about being on a voyage sounded like a bad excuse to me." Verdell says as he follows with his arms behind his head, "But who am I to speak? That Gym Leader didn't seem about to arrest him, though..."
   "What do you mean?" Nora tilts her head.
   "Just that Cheren is right. The Champion of Unova is goofing off, even if he refuses to admit it." Verdell lowers his arms, looking at her, "He said that he knows every corner of Unova... but it is clear to me that he won't be able to protect it."
   "I know that." Nora sighs as she shakes her head, "But I am asking you, what do you mean by Elesa arresting him?"
   "...I also abandoned my duties. But at least I have a good excuse."
   "..." Nora is silent for a moment, then she glances at Cheren, "...Hey, I dunno if you heard or saw but... Bianca's dad found her."
   "What?!" Cheren stops, staring at her.
   "Yeah." She walks up to him with a smile, "But, he backed off. Elesa intervened and helped talk some sense with him, and Bianca finally told him how she felt and that she knows why he's worried. She can travel without needing to watch her back now. She didn't even stutter when she was talking with him!"
   "Oh. That's wonderful." Cheren smiles, relieved.
   "I think she's starting to build confidence in herself. Eire also helped getting her dad to calm down enough to hear her out too..." Nora grins as her Pikachu squeaks while watching the view from the bridge. There are many boats and ships on the sea where the great river runs out, some with sails too... Verdell walks ahead of them a few steps, but then he stops suddenly...
   "...Pika?"
   Nora turns around, noticing her Pokémon is looking at him. "Verdell? What's wrong?"
   "It struck me that Aina may be waiting for me at the end of this bridge." He approaches the railing, climbing onto it, "So I'll fly around the city and land in the forest. I could still use some proper rest after everything... I'll set up a secret base and have a nap with my Pokémon. Maybe I'll sneak into the city later if things are safe. If you need me, give me a call, alright?"
   "Alright." Nora nods with a smile, "Be safe, okay?"
   "I'll keep an eye out for Aina." Cheren nods too.
   "Thanks! You take care too!" He leaps off the bridge, but calls out his Talonflame at the same time, and she catches him in the air!
   "..." Nora watches Verdell fly away before looking at Cheren, "Let's head to the city, hopefully nothing crazy will happen there."
   "Yeah, I want to focus on the Pokémon League Challenge." Cheren nods, and they keep walking. They can see the city with its orange roofs in the distance...
   "...Hey Cheren?"
   "Yeah?"
   "If anything happens..." Nora trails off, trying to select her words carefully... Her Pikachu stops, looking at her with concern, "...Promise you'll take care of Soujiro and the others for me?"
   "What are you talking about? I hope you're not planning to do something dangerous."
   "I'm not." Nora smiles at him, "But... with what happened with Ghetsis, and in White Forest... Let's just say I got a bit of a reality check."
   "I'm not going to make a promise like that." Cheren shakes his head, "It wouldn't be fair to your Pokémon. You saw how Verdell's Pokémon reacted when he tried to ask the same of you." He looks at her, "You're their trainer, so you need to value your own safety for their sakes, too."
   "..." Nora smiles a bit as she feels Pikachu smack her forehead!
   "Pika." Her Pokémon's tone sounds disciplinary...
   "Alright, alright. I'll be sure to live no matter what-- Huh? Who's that...?" Nora squints her eyes, trying to make out the figure standing at the end of the bridge...
   "...?" Cheren looks ahead too. There's a man with a heavy-looking cowboy hat.
   "...Should we go forward...?" Nora blinks.
   "Of course." Cheren says as he keeps walking, "No use stopping here."
   "Alright." Nora smiles as they keep heading down the bridge. When they get close enough they see a man dressed similar to a cowboy, though there's a number of hints that he's pretty well-off, from the golden watch to his unwrinkled clothes and gem-adorned hat. He looks rather grumpy and unimpressed with the two trainers.
   "Hrmph! So yer the trainers Elesa was talkin' about, huh. I'm Clay. I'm the Gym Leader 'round these parts. Don't be expectin' no welcome now. 'Cause when we lowered that bridge, the Team Plasma guys we'd caught done escaped in all the ruckus!"
   Nora blinks, "...Perhaps I spoke a bit too soon about nothing bad happening..."
   "What a bother." Cheren sighs, "We're grateful that you lowered the bridge, but how is it our fault that they escaped?"
   "Ya can say whatever ya want. But what's important is y'all showed up, and then Team Plasma escaped. Maybe it's a little heavy-handed, but you oughta start lookin' fer Team Plasma, too." Clay looks at Cheren with a stern look, "Yer both talented trainers, aren't ya?"
   Nora blinks at this, "Erm... that's true but..."
   "Tell ya what... If ya find Team Plasma, I'll let ya challenge my Gym! Life's all about give and take! Y'all will find another lookin' fer Team Plasma ahead, make a posse and find 'em... Now hop to it!" The businessman turns and heads off.
   Nora blinks, "...Cheren, I take back everything I said earlier about this city: it is going to be a pain in the neck."
   "Well, I suppose it's fair, though." Cheren sighs again, "But really, if Team Plasma are causing trouble here we would have looked for them even if he hadn't conditioned our Gym Challenges on it. I can get stronger while beating that bothersome bunch..." He grumbles as he keeps walking ahead, past a small tower with a sail of thin metal on top, designed to show the wind direction. "Besides, I could use the chance to blow off some steam anyway..."
   Nora smiles as she nudges him, "Well, let's get stronger and show the Champion what it means to be a good leader, by taking care of threats to Unova and her people!"
   "Pika!" Pikachu looks at Cheren with a smile.
   He nudges her back as a hint of a smile steals its way onto his face, although he doesn't seem to want to let go of his bad mood entirely!

From the small island they cross a second, shorter bridge built of stone. They pass by a lighthouse, and they can see the port where many boats are gathered. A group of fishermen on their way in are shouting about their good catch to some people ashore. As they reach the city and walk down the street, soon enough they find a sobbing trainer... "What happened?" Cheren asks as he approaches.
   "Those Team Plasma meanies forced me to battle them. And when I lost, they stole my Pokémon!"
   "Well, that's a good clue. We were just asked to look for them. If you can tell us where they went we'll get your Pokémon back for you."
   "Oh... Th-Thank you. They ran towards the Cold Storage..." He points, "Another trainer is already there looking for them, but there were so many of them... I wonder if he'll be alright..."
   "He won't be alone. We'll help him out." Nora smiles at the trainer, "Hang in there, we'll help him get your Pokémon back." She looks at Cheren, "Let's go send those wannabe knights packing."
   "Already ahead of you, Nora!" Cheren dashes for the harbor. She runs after him as her Pikachu's eyes narrow, there's electricity sparking from her cheeks. The port has a lot of containers and storage buildings... Cheren looks around, "Well, they have to be here somewhere... If you search around those buildings I'll check over there..."
   "Right." Nora nods, heading off... She scans her surroundings as Pikachu's ears twitch for any sound that can tell where trouble might be... As she rounds a corner, suddenly she bumps into someone!
   "Oh, sorry... Nora?" Rylan stares at her, "I mean, I'm only sorry that I don't have time to destroy you in battle right now. I'm looking for Team Plasma." He dusts himself off a bit where she bumped into him.
   "Wait, YOU'RE the trainer that Clay mentioned?" Nora's eye twitches before she shakes her head, "...Nevermind, Clay asked Cheren and I to help find them. Where did you look so far?"
   "Wait, he asked you to search for them too? How rude. As if I couldn't handle this myself..." He folds his arms, "Well, those thieves are actually worse than you. Crazy environmentalists... Since you're here, you and Cheren may as well make yourselves useful. Let's call a truce for now."
   "Agreed." She sighs as she looks around, "We need to narrow the search; what areas did you check? And do you have any Pokémon that can do an aerial check?"
   "I already checked everywhere except in there." He motions to one of the storage buildings, "That's got to be where they're hiding."
   "Rylan?" Cheren approaches, "I thought I heard your voice. So you're the other trainer Clay asked to help?"
   "The very same." He gives him a nod, "I think Team Plasma is in there."
   "Inside the Cold Storage building itself?" Cheren frowns, "I don't like cold places, but we have to check. What a bother."
   "Oh, look, we agree on something." Rylan smirks, "Clay is only having us look for them to test our abilities. So let's give that unpolished man a taste of what awaits him..."
   "Get your Pokéballs ready, I wouldn't be shocked if they have an ambush prepared for us." Nora speaks as they enter the building, shivering a bit in the frosty room. There are a lot of containers within the storage as well, and in some places there are huge blocks of ice too...
   "I'm going this way. You t-two can check over there." Rylan says, heading off.
   Cheren is shivering too as they search around, but he suddenly looks thoughtful, "Well... still. Is there anything more important than strength for trainers, like the Champion said?"
   "Hm...?" Nora looks at him, "W-What do you mean...?" Pikachu is shivering... She taps the button of her Pokéball to get inside where it's warm.
   "Oh, I'll never understand just by thinking about it." Cheren shakes his head, "What a bother. Let's hurry up and check this place."
   "Right... Let's go before we turn into ice cubes." She heads deeper into the building. Eventually they meet up with Rylan again by a container in the back. He stands outside it, listening...
   "Oh... Is someone in there?" Cheren asks.
   "Yeah, it's got t-to be them."
   "L-Let's just t-take them out..." Nora shivers as she walks into the container, she blinks at the sight in front of her, "What the heck?"
   A bunch of Team Plasma grunts are huddling around a man who, judging by his purple robes, must be one of their Sages... "All of you-- huddle around me!" The Sage speaks, shivering while holding something in his arms, "I can't take this cold..."
   Nora shakes her head, "This is beyond depressing at this point."
   "Whatever." Cheren says next to her, "I can't believe you guys were really hiding in this place. It's a bother, but if you're cold, shall I show you outside?"
   "We, Cheren." Rylan says, "It would be our pleasure to escort you lot out of here."
   Nora frowns, "You better cooperate, otherwise you're going to be in for a beating for what you have done!"
   The Sage looks up at them, his eyes burning with fury, "Pokémon are our king's friends. While we're taking care of them, we can't let any harm come to them here." He looks at the grunts, "Everyone, drive these intruders away!"
   "Understood, Zinzolin of the Seven Sages! Put 'em up, 'cause here we come!" The Team Plasma grunts suddenly charge to push the three trainers out of the container...!
   "Ah! Nora, you take the ones on that side!" Cheren throws three of his Pokéballs, letting out Liepard, Eevee, and Servine to block the other side!
   "Let's go!" Nora calls out as she throws three Pokéballs as well, showing her Dewott, Growlithe, and Kirlia, "You cowards asked for it...!"
   "That leaves you and me, old man." Rylan stares into the container as he throws three Pokéballs as well, "Just two of your grunts doesn't count against me." His Pokémon are apparently Vulpix, a Pupitar, and a Furfrou, perfectly trimmed in a star design.
   The Team Plasma grunts send out their Pokémon as well, shouting, "Long live Team Plasma!" Nora's opponents have a Sandile, a Trubbish, and a Liepard!
   "This is going to suck..." She mutters to herself before giving orders, "Razor Shell on Sandile, Close Combat on Liepard-- Lucia use Confusion!!" Dewott slides on the ice as he takes his scalchops to slash at the Sandile, who does not look pleased at all about the ice, flailing about helplessly, but it still attempts to intimidate its opponents...! To little success however, as Dewott takes it down in a single hit!
   "The Pokémon that work with people may look like they're having fun, but the truth is they're suffering. There's no doubt about it!" The grunt calls his Sandile back, sending out a Watchog instead! Meanwhile, Growlithe is also having some difficulties moving on the ice! The Liepard's superior sense of balance helps it to avoid him while landing a scratch on him! Kirlia remains still, her eyes glowing on the Trubbish! She does some heavy damage to it, but it counters by spewing sludge at her...! It stinks awfully!
   "Kir...!" Kirlia slides back a bit, her eyes narrow as she continues to use Confusion on the Trubbish! It is knocked out!
   "Have you learned your lesson now?" The grunt says as she calls it back, but continues, "...I'm such a sore loser. You should be considering my feelings!!" She yells!
   "You claim Pokémon suffer, yet the ones who you stole from their homes... Do you consider their feelings?!" Nora frowns as she calls out to Dewott, "Water Pulse on Watchog!" Dewott looks at the rodent and fires off a great pulse of water...!
   "Seed Bomb, Watchog!" The two Pokémon both hit each other with heavy damage!
   Growlithe growls angrily as he glares at the Liepard! He keeps trying to chase it! "Ohohoho!" The last grunt laughs, "For this group, I'm pretty strong. I hope you know that! My Liepard is definitely too strong and fast for you! Use Hyper Beam!!" The Liepard leaps away from Growlithe again, firing off a very powerful beam at him...!
   "Dodge...!" Nora calls out as Growlithe slips and is struck! "Soujiro-- Razor Shell!!" The Dewott slides again to slash at the Watchog, who keeps using Seed Bomb! After their second clash both Pokémon look very tired, but neither is ready to go down yet...! "Confuse Ray!" Kirlia turns her attention on the Liepard and fires off an odd beam! The Liepard is exhausted after using the Hyper Beam, unable to move out of the way...! "Lucia, use Psyshock on Watchog! Sirius-- Close Combat!!" The Kirlia's eyes glow while psychic-charged rocks appear around the rodent...
   "Tackle, Watchog!" The grunt shouts! Watchog is slightly faster than Dewott, about to take him down...! But just before he can hit, Kirlia's Psyshock strikes! It slips on the ice, falling flat on its stomach just before the Razor Shell smashes down on it! "Grrr!" The grunt calls it back, "How am I supposed to win when I'm shaking 'cause of the cold?"
   Growlithe gets up, and stumblingly charges forth towards the Liepard despite his injuries! "Aaah! Move, Liepard!" The grunt yells as Growlithe finally catches it! It is given a very thorough beating, and once he is done with it, it is no longer able to stand. It is called back too by the displeased grunt, "...Great plans are always interrupted." She grumbles, continuing to narrate out loud, "In the middle of the night, we gathered all the Pokémon we stole in front of the container, so we could transport them all at the same time. Then Clay, that old guy, found us. We had been captured! But then he got distracted, so we escaped. Now if it hadn't been for you..."
   "Did you really think that hiding here would work? You were going to be found sooner or later." Nora shakes her head at this. Her Pokémon are staring the grunts down. Meanwhile, judging by the shouts it seems that Cheren and Rylan have both defeated their opponents too.
   "Me? Losing to a trainer like this?!"
   "Achoo! Why did I end up here when I'm allergic to the cold!"
   "Well, I'll be! Hidin' in a chilly ol' place like this..." Clay and a large number of workers approach. The Gym Leader motions to the workers, "You guys take these Pokémon robbers!"
   "Roger!"
   "Come on!"
   "Eek!"
   "Ugh!"
   The Team Plasma grunts and Zinzolin are seized by the workers and led outside. Clay watches carefully, then he looks at the trainers with an impressed smile, "You guys ain't so bad!" He gives a nod, "Yup, a promise is a promise. Come on an' challenge my Gym!" He heads out after the workers.
   "...I swear if I see another Team Plasma grunt I'm beating them to the center of the Earth." Nora rubs her temple as she calls her Pokémon back.
   Rylan and Cheren call their Pokémon back too, and Rylan looks at Nora, "I thought you'd be one of their sympathizers, until now. Not that I needed any help, but you two handled yourselves pretty well."
   "Whatever..." Cheren says, rubbing his arms, "Team Plasma's ideal... Separating people and Pokémon... It's exactly the same as not having Pokémon in this world at all. That bunch is a waste of oxygen." He begins to head out, "...It's cold, so I'm getting out of here."
   "I want to believe we can live with Pokémon without disturbing their environment." Nora shakes her head, "I don't believe in separating from Pokémon, not after the bonds so many humans have shared with them." She shivers as she follows Cheren out of the freezing building.
   "Hm. Right now my Pokémon d-deserve warm blankets and a beauty treatment, but after that I'll battle you. Got it?" Rylan follows as well.
   "Let me heal up and challenge Clay first..." Nora rubs her arms, stopping when they're finally out of the building. It looks as though Clay and the workers already left.
   "As if I'd let you get the badge before me. We'll battle to determine who will challenge him first."
   Nora sighs, "Fine... but first let's get to the Pokémon Center-- I can't feel my fingers or my face."
   "You guys go on ahead. Before anything else I've got to keep my promise to return these stolen Pokémon to their trainer..."
   "..." Cheren watches Rylan leave to find the trainer they spoke with before, mumbling in a low voice, "I wonder where Aina is..."

Verdell has landed in the forest of Route 6, where he wanders around in search of a good spot for a secret base... "...There's a spring of fresh water over there, and this might be a good tree... What do you think, Polly?" Talonflame gives a nod. "Alright. Secret Power!" With a happy cry the huge bird flies at the tree, and in a few moments it has been transformed into a comfortable leafy room. But then... Hearing something move in a nearby bush, Verdell turns to look towards the sound... There's a mischievous snicker... "Ah!" He barely manages to leap aside for the thunderbolt that comes flying at him! "Do we need to find somewhere else after all...?"
   "Ehehehe~" There's a Rotom!
   "What's wrong, Verdell? Do you not recognize an old friend?" A familiar voice sounds, followed by heavy footsteps... They belong to a huge man with a mane of red hair and a thick beard, dressed in a fur-lined jacket and sturdy hiking pants.
   "...!!" Verdell's eyes widen as he takes a step back, calling Talonflame back and readying another Pokéball... "Donar. How did you find me? ...Actually I was just about to take a nap. If you go back into hiding and count to a hundred, you can catch me in my sleep."
   "I may not be the brightest in the League, but even I'm not dumb enough to fall for that trick!" Donar approaches, his eyes inspecting Verdell, "...Yeesh... You look like you haven't had a bath in months."
   "Already?" He looks a little surprised as he takes another step back, "Even though it was only a few days since my last one... But you really should have waited. Now I'll just get away..." He smiles a little, "Still, I'm flattered. Did Aina call in the whole Elite Four just to catch me?"
   "No." Aina's voice comes from behind him, "They decided to surprise me when they learned you were staying in Unova longer than elsewhere."
   Donar grins cheerfully.
   "...!" Verdell spins around halfway, backing away further so as to not be trapped between them. He smiles a little wider, glancing around, "Who else is here? Am I still surrounded?"
   "Don't worry about the others." Aina speaks as she takes a few steps forth with her Gallade, "But I have no intention of letting you escape."
   Donar gives a hearty laugh as his Ampharos walks over, "Nor I!"
   "So it's a double battle?" Verdell grins a little as he readies a second Pokéball, "You're always so kind, Aina. Even if you're sharper than a blade. I must compliment you for finding me out here."
   "I would hope you have not forgotten why I can do just that." She speaks calmly as her Gallade looks ready for battle alongside Ampharos...
   "I didn't even have enough time to settle in. Your power does not usually let you sense for sure where I will go, does it? Just a general direction, or this would have happened long ago. Which means that this time, you read my mind not with your power, but with your heart. That... makes me happy, you know." He smiles at her, "Even if I can't let you catch me."
   "..." There's a very faint blush over her pale face.
   "Stun Spore!" He calls out at the same time as his Breloom and Venomoth appear! The two Pokémon release a huge cloud of spores towards their opponents and their trainers...!
   "To the trees!" Aina yells as Gallade grabs her and leaps up, away from the cloud!
   "Gah!" Donar and his Ampharos are caught in the mist of paralyzing spores, "Grr...! Electric Terrain!" There's a roar from his Ampharos! A strong eruption of electrical currents envelop the area!
   "To me, Flurry!" Verdell calls out as he turns to flee, calling back Breloom! "Tailwind!" He moves very fast through the woods with Venomoth on his back, leaping over a small stream!
   Donar looks at Rotom, "Go after them!"
   "Rota-ta-ta!" The little ghost moves fast through the trees!
   Aina runs after Verdell alongside her Gallade, "Shadow Sneak on Venomoth!"
   "Gal!" Gallade's shadow extends, long and winding! Venomoth is struck...! But being raised for both stamina and speed, he does not slow down at all!
   "Misty Terrain!" Verdell calls out, holding onto his Clefairy now. Apparently his plan is to vanish in the mist again...
   As it rises from the ground, Donar manages to apply medicine to cure himself and Ampharos of paralysis. "Rain Dance...!" His booming voice resounds as he calls Ampharos back, and his Rotom dances elegantly among the trees... It begins to rain!
   Observing Verdell turn to run alongside the wide river ahead instead of risking to cross it in the rain, Aina calls out, "Gallade, we can't let them get away like last time-- Teleport to keep them within range...!"
   "Gal!" The Gallade glows white, suddenly appearing right in front of Verdell and Venomoth with it's bladed arms ready to strike...!
   "...!" Verdell reacts quickly, flitting off to the side instead, away from the river! "Light Screen!" Clefairy raises a barrier around them, just in time as there is another roar from Donar!
   "THUNDER!!!" A great bolt of lightning cuts through the sky!
   "Aaah...!" Verdell cries out as it strikes Clefairy's Light Screen! Venomoth also shielded him from the hit, and it seems to have saved him, as he stumbles further into the fog...
   "Keep up the Thunder, Rotom!!" Donar shouts as he runs toward the voices!
   "Rotatatata!!" The lightning roars as it cuts through the sky and an unfortunate nearby tree is knocked over!
   Aina frowns as she keeps running, "Teleport, Gallade! We must immobilize them!" The Gallade nods as it vanishes again!
   "Protect and Heal Pulse!" They can hear Verdell's voice from ahead!
   "Feint!!" Aina calls out!
   Verdell's eyes widen as Venomoth's protective shield is shattered by Gallade, just before Rotom's Thunder strikes...! They can hear him cry out again, but it seems that Clefairy reacted quickly and leapt up to take the hit, also managing to heal Venomoth! "Keep it up, Chef...! Flurry, use Sunny Day!"
   Donar frowns, "No you don't-- Rain Dance...!" The weather shifts back and forth rapidly!
   "Disable Chef!!" Aina calls out as Gallade's eyes glow at the Clefairy!
   "F-Fairy...!" Clefairy is surrounded by a magic seal, preventing him from using Heal Pulse! At the same time, the tailwind begins to fade...
   "No...! Tailwind, Flurry...!"
   "Teleport!! Don't let them get away!!"
   "Thunder!!!"
   Just as he was about to disappear from sight, Gallade forces Verdell to change direction again! A line of trees collapse behind him until Thunder strikes Clefairy again, and this time he is starting to look weary...! "Kh...! Sunny Day and Moonlight!" The weather changes again, allowing Clefairy to heal himself, but Verdell looks frustrated about still not being successful at escaping!
   "Keep up the Rain Dance!!"
   "Teleport!"
   "You give me no choice!" Verdell shouts to Aina as he is once again forced to change direction by her Gallade who herds him towards another river blocking his path. He calls Clefairy back, "Sunny Day and Eruption...!" His Typhlosion appears, exploding in flames just as the weather shifts...!
   "Wide Guard!!" The burning lava rocks that were about to rain down on Aina and Donar slam into Gallade's shield!
   "Return...!" Donar calls his Rotom back, throwing another Pokéball, "Ampharos, let's end this nonsense AND USE DRAGON PULSE!!" A keystone on Donar's bracelet shines brilliantly as the form of his Pokémon glows brightly in response... When the light fades the Ampharos has a new form, with a great mane and fluffy tail. It gives off a stream of purple energy from its mouth! Typhlosion is struck, and the powerful blast knocks him over... He is badly wounded, but still has a burning determination in his eyes as he pushes himself back up...!
   "Blast Burn!" Verdell shouts out, and once again shrouded in flames, this time Typhlosion targets Gallade directly...!
   "Shadow Sneak!" Aina yells out!
   "Dragon Pulse!" Donar shouts!
   "Rage Powder...!" Verdell counters, and as Venomoth flies forward surrounded in glowing red powder, the shadow extending towards Typhlosion suddenly changes direction, striking him instead! The next instant Gallade is engulfed by the intensely hot explosion of Typhlosion's flames! But the Dragon Pulse from Ampharos also strikes Venomoth... He does his best to withstand, but before long, he can no longer take more! He is thrown back to Verdell, who catches him, "Flurry...!"
   Aina calls back her Gallade, throwing another Pokéball, "Mismagius-- Power Gem!!!"
   "Mis~!" The ghost Pokémon fires off a series of glowing stones towards Typhlosion!
   "Assist them!!" Donar roars, "Use Power Gem as well!!" There's a roar from Ampharos as even more stones target the Typhlosion, who is too tired to move...!
   "Follow Me!" Verdell shouts out, throwing Clefairy's Pokéball at the same time as he calls Venomoth back! The stones change direction, striking Clefairy instead! He withstands both attacks, but the damage is still heavy...!
   "Dazzling Gleam!!" Aina calls out as her Pokémon unleashes a white shine!
   Donar calls out to Ampharos, "Use Power Gem again!!"
   "Ro!!!" The shining rocks come flying towards Typhlosion...!
   "Protect and Light Screen!" Verdell calls out! As his Typhlosion shields himself from the attacks, Clefairy raises a barrier, weakening the power of Dazzling Gleam!
   "Ampharos! Use Brick Break!!"
   Aina frowns, "Mismagius, use Mystical Fire on Chef!"
   "Mis!" A glowing, strange-colored fire comes towards the Clefairy...!
   "Now! Helping Hand and Flamethrower!" Verdell points at Mismagius, and while Ampharos's forearm slams down, shattering the Light Screen, Clefairy boosts Typhlosion's fire...! It overtakes the flames from Mismagius, who is caught in the blaze!
   "Mag...!" The ghost-type yells as it falls over! Aina calls it back before she unleashes her Espeon, "Psychic on Clefairy!!"
   Donar roars out after her, "Use Power Gem on Typhlosion!!" The glowing rocks come flying again...!
   "Protect...!" Verdell calls out, and Typhlosion once again shields himself, but Clefairy cries out as the Psychic hits! Verdell calls him back, "...I'm sorry, Chef. But... we may still have a chance!" He sends out Talonflame instead! "Tailwind and Blast Burn!" As Typhlosion blazes up again, releasing his explosive flames towards Espeon, Talonflame hurries them on even more with her wind...!
   "Detect...!" The Espeon's gem glows, and it quickly moves out of the way of the erupting fire!
   "Discharge!!!" Donar yells out as the Ampharos fires off a massive jolt of electricity!
   Verdell's eyes widen as both of his Pokémon fall from the Discharge! Calling them back, he takes just one of his remaining Pokéballs, "It's up to you now, Goldie..." But as his Breloom appears, his last Pokéball begins to move about! "...Tickles? You're not ready for a battle on this level yet, but... as you wish." He lets out his Cottonee too! She seems very determined! Verdell looks at Aina and Donar, "...Please don't kill her?"
   "..."
   "..." The two trainers look at one another, nodding. "Use Confuse Ray on the Cottonee!" Donar commands!
   "Protect and Spore!" Verdell calls out! As Cottonee shields herself from Ampharos, Breloom releases a huge cloud of spores, blown towards Espeon and Aina by the tailwind...!
   "Psychic on the Breloom!!" Aina calls out, but as she feels herself getting drowsy she holds her breath and begins to scramble for a Chesto Berry from her bag! Her Espeon's eyes glow intensely... but then they fall shut, and it collapses from the cloud of spores!
   There's a growl from Donar, and he points at Breloom, "Dragon Pulse!" Breloom is struck down...! But then...
   "Stun Spore!" Verdell calls out! As he calls Breloom back, his Cottonee has suddenly snuck up close, dousing Ampharos and Donar in spores! Ampharos growls angrily as it looks at the Cottonee!
   "Go for an Iron Tail...!" Donar yells out!
   "Protect!" Cottonee shields herself as the Iron Tail swats her away! Catching her, Verdell turns and flees...!
   Aina shakes her head as she chews at the Chesto Berry, rushing to wake up her Pokémon!
   Donar tries to chase after Verdell, but struggles against paralysis! Calling his Ampharos back, he takes out another Pokéball and throws it, "You're not getting away-- Jolteon, Quick Attack!!" As the Pokémon appears, it charges forward to tackle into Verdell and Cottonee!
   "Ah...!" Verdell's eyes widen as Jolteon strikes, but Cottonee keeps shielding him and herself! He keeps running, but it looks like the Protect is about to break...!
   "S-Signal Beam!!" Donar yells out before Aina gives him a Cheri Berry, and her Espeon takes up chase as well! The Jolteon barks as it fires off a weird beam of light!
   "...!" Verdell quickly leaps behind a tree to avoid being struck!
   "Espeon!"
   "Jolteon!!"
   The two Elite Four members yell together, "Quick Attack!!" The two Pokémon rush forward!
   "Stun Spore...!" Verdell shouts out, facing them! His Cottonee is surprisingly fast to release a cloud of spores, and Jolteon, being closest, is caught in it...! But it's not enough to stop Espeon too! As it strikes, Verdell stumbles back, nearly falling over! But surprisingly enough, Cottonee manages to withstand the hit, although she looks quite weak as Espeon makes off with a good part of her fluff...
   "Psychic!!" Aina yells out as she and Donar come rushing over!
   "Protect...!" Cottonee renews their shield as Verdell runs again! He is fast, but without Venomoth, no longer too fast to keep up with...!
   Donar is getting close to his Jolteon, "Pin Missile!"
   "Jol...!" The paralyzed Jolteon is struggling to fire off the sharp pins from its back!
   "Quick Attack!!" Aina yells out as her Espeon chases after them! The shield begins to show cracks again...! Verdell keeps running, desperately looking around for a means of escape or anything to use as cover!
   Donar quickly feeds his Jolteon a Cheri Berry before looking up, "Quick Attack!!" The Jolteon rushes forward!
   "Psychic!!" Espeon's eyes glow...!
   The shield shatters...! Verdell is struck in the back by Jolteon, nearly falling over before he is caught by Espeon's psychic power. "Nee!!" Cottonee slips out of his hold, moving between him and the pursuing trainers!
   "Call back that Cottonee, Verdell." Donar has a stormy look in his eyes, "...I am in no mood to praise heroics." Aina is quiet as they approach...
   "I c-can't..." Verdell grits his teeth as Espeon turns him around to face them, "She's part of my crew now... They made me promise..."
   "..." Cottonee is trembling, but she does not seem about to budge!
   "You better give me a good reason not to crush her with an Iron Tail then..." Donar stares down at the Cottonee...
   "No...!! Please... A-Aina...! Don't let him do it...!" Verdell stares at her with a pleading look.
   "..." Aina looks between them, "...Call her back or tell her not to attack us. I don't want to see her hurt, but I can't do anything if neither you nor she will cooperate."
   "...Tickles... we've lost. They are serious... They are going to hurt you if you keep on fighting. Perhaps even kill you. This can't be what you were hoping for..." He closes his eyes, "I told you that I would ask again, so... y-you should leave me now. There is a better trainer for you, somewhere..."
   "Nee!!" Cottonee yells! She looks upset!
   "Make your choice Verdell, call her back." Aina speaks calmly, "...If you so wish, I can see to it that she is safely sent to the Rose Lab."
   "You don't understand. She would never forgive me if I did that against her will... You said that it will be enough if she does not attack you... I will make sure of that. Tickles, look at me."
   "..." Cottonee hesitantly turns to him...
   "...Tickles. Have you made your final decision?" He asks, and she nods... "Are you going to stay as part of my crew?"
   "Cotton!" She nods again.
   "..." Verdell smiles a little, "In that case, I have a special mission for you. I won't ask you to leave me again. But you are the only one I can rely on to do this. You have to find our employer. Go!"
   "...!" Cottonee stares at him, but only for an instant before she scurries off into the forest on her own...!
   "Employer..." Aina frowns as she walks over to him, "Verdell, what exactly are you...?!"
   He watches Cottonee disappear, then he closes his eyes, "...Right now, it looks like I'm your captive. Congratulations, you two." He smiles, giving them a slow applause. Donar narrows his eyes, but he calls out his Rotom and goes to put out the forest fire with Rain Dance. Aina stares at Verdell intently... He opens his eyes to meet hers, "...I'm sorry. I promise I did take a bath just a few days ago... Do I really look as bad as Donar says already?"
   "...You smell a bit off. And your hair is messy." She responds as she reaches out... He does not seem about to protest, but as she touches his hair, she frowns a little as she finds that it feels coarser compared to the silky feel she is used to, when his hair is clean... It is very dusty. "Sand...? Were you in the desert... ...!" Her eyes widen...!
   "Oh, please don't stop. I've really missed being touched by you..."
   Aina is staring at him, "...A vision. Why... Why were you...?"
   "You saw something again...? What was it?"
   "...Why were you standing before Team Plasma's banner?"
   "Team Plasma?" His smile turns familiarly innocent, "...Well, I tried to defend the museum from them, even if I was not quite successful. At least they ruined the trap you had prepared for me, but I'm happy that you were there to stop them. Maybe the vision means I will run into them again?"
   "No..." Her eyes narrow, "...You stood with the banner..."
   He shakes his head, "What an odd vision."
   "...Verdell, did you make a deal with Team Plasma?"
   "..." He lowers his head, staring at the ground for a moment... Then he suddenly bursts into laughter! "Me? Making a deal with the same people who tried to rob a museum? Can you imagine that yourself?"
   "You're certainly not above blowing up a building."
   "...You're still angry with me for that?" He looks at her, "You know, Aina, if I was really going to prison, maybe I and my crew wouldn't have resisted so hard. Please send me to prison. Hand me over to anyone but Matthias. Or keep me for yourself! That would be the best for everyone, I think!" He gives her a playful grin.
   "I'm more mad that the part of the building you blew up included my chamber..." She taps her foot, giving him a disappointed look.
   His smile fades, "I didn't want to, but your chamber was above the vault... It was the best I could do to make sure no one got hurt. Aina, you must have figured it was only to lure you away when I told you to take your knights and hurry to guard the Lilac Labyrinth, so the fairy court wouldn't change the entrance. I knew that you wouldn't find it... I just wanted you to be safe."
   Aina stares at him quietly for a moment, choosing her words carefully, "I realized it after your escapade. Though I also feel that you sent me away knowing I'd have sensed you within the boundaries of the vault... is that not true?"
   "I suppose you would have, but I wasn't worried about that... Since even you fell for my fairy charm that time I'm sure you could have come up with a way to explain to yourself why I was in there... At least long enough for me to execute my plan. Right?"
   Her frown deepens by a fraction, "Mayhaps. But you recall that my chamber held many important things. You also destroyed the records of my ongoing investigations, some of the armor and equipment including my ceremonial armor, and the first silk rose you gave me."
   "..." Verdell falls silent for a moment, then he sighs in defeat, "Alright, I am sorry... What would you have me do to make up for it?"
   "Get back home and help."
   He tilts his head, "Hasn't your chamber been rebuilt already? I thought the news said that the restorations began as soon as the investigation was done... I know some things can't be replaced, but... I promise I'll make a new silk rose for you, Aina. I'll put all my heart into making it a special one, just for you."
   "You know what I am saying." Her golden eyes narrow, "Why we're looking for you to begin with."
   "..." He lowers his head, speaking in a softer voice, "...I'll do everything you want. I'll always stay tidy and I'll cook you romantic dinners and clean for you and brush your hair and obey your every command... I'll do it all with a smile if it so bores me to death... ... The only thing I won't do is to help break that seal..."
   "Why would you refuse? You know that the other regions could benefit from what Ydil has to offer... Without that final piece, how can we get them under our banner?"
   "...I know. If Matthias ordered me to battle on the frontlines for our region, I would do that. But if the seal is broken, that is not what will happen. No one can control what is on the other side... Not even he."
   "That is impossible..." Aina shakes her head, "...He is not called the Dragon King for nothing..."
   "...That is what you said before I destroyed my research, too. I'm sorry that I was only pretending that you and the others had convinced me..."
   "You know that Regina wants to add you to her chamber as a decoration right?"
   "...!" He glances up at her, "...She's made that joke before, yes, but she won't. Because I'm still yours... right?"
   "You are... However, Matthias is rather... determined to ensure she's happy."
   "..." He looks a little worried, "Are you really going to give me to him, knowing that...?"
   She looks to the side, "...I made clear that you're my responsibility and that I would catch you. But you know as well as I do how much he loves her... I have been fighting to make sure that won't happen."
   "...I see. The condition is that you will convince me to do as he wants...?"
   "...Yes... I was not given much of a choice. Matthias made clear that I have to, or Regina will take you."
   "...I will have to think about this..." He says, then he makes a pained face before lowering his head again, "...Can I at least ask you to take a look at my back? I don't mean to complain or assume that you'll show me any kindness that may make it easier for me to flee again, but... I guess I must be out of adrenaline, since I feel it throbbing. It's gotten kind of wet and sticky too... I'm a little uncomfortable here..."
   "..." She walks around him to have a look... The wound Jolteon inflicted is bleeding... She takes out her Pokéquip and begins to heal him.
   "...That feels better. Thank you, Aina..." He smiles a little as he looks over his shoulder...
   "..." She hugs him from behind, and he moves his hands over hers while looking around... "...I wish you never found that door..." She mutters quietly, "... ...It hurts, hunting you."
   Not seeing Donar nearby, he glances at her over his shoulder, "Then... run away with me?"
   "..." She holds him tighter, "...You know I can't do that... Not right now. How can I call myself a knight if I run away from my duties?"
   "...Not right now? Then, will it be possible at a later time?"
   "...!" She looks to the side, "...Stop reading things into everything I say..."
   "...If I could make it possible... for you to both remain a knight and be with me...?"
   "...Ngh..." She hides her face in his coat, "...I can't just break my oath to Ydil..."
   "Then you have to let me go. Who do you serve, Aina? ...Ydil or Matthias?"
   "I... I..."
   "Please... Just this once, let me go... I'm so close to finding a safe place..."
   "..." She slowly opens her eyes as they seem to glow, "...I do not need to... someone's coming." She pulls away from him.
   "Is it Donar?"
   "Yes..." She shakes her head as she turns to look at the approaching man, "It's already getting late. We won't have enough time to return to the city before nightfall."
   Donar sighs, but then he smiles, "Well, at least we can camp. Like the good old days."
   She nods, "Let's make camp... Mind tying Verdell up?"
   The giant of a man nods as he takes out some rope. Verdell looks warily at him... Donar makes short work of tying him up with tight knots. He does not struggle, but bites his lip in an effort to remain silent as the ropes are painfully tight... When Espeon drops him, Donar picks him up like a sack of potatoes, carrying him as Aina leads them back to the secret base he made. Donar places him on the floor inside the treehouse and heads back down to build a fire, while Aina is preparing their bedrolls... Once Donar has left Verdell tries to move his aching wrists, with little success, "Nngh... He must really hate me..."
   "That might be a bit of an understatement..." Aina mutters...
   "I didn't expect him to like me anymore, but... why...? He even threatened to kill Tickles..."
   "...Donar has been under a lot of stress as well. And he took your leaving... very hard. He sees it as a betrayal of his friendship."
   "Th-That's obviously not what this is about... Has no one told him the real reason I left?"
   "We did, but... I don't think he cares about that. For him it's more about why you said one thing but turned on us in less than 24 hours."
   "...I'll have to try speaking with him myself, then... If he'll even listen to me..." Giving up on getting the ropes to budge, he closes his eyes, "...I'm... so tired."
   "...Take a nap, I'll wake you up when it's time to eat."
   "Do you promise...?" He looks at her... "I'm afraid that I'll be hard to wake if I fall asleep now... I haven't had enough sleep for several days..."
   "I can always tickle you." She smirks.
   "...Have you missed doing that...?"
   "...Do you want me to show you?"
   "...If you'll loosen these knots just a little so I can stop worrying that my hands will fall off, you can do as you please after that." He gives her a faint smile, "Not that I'm in a position to stop you anyway..."
   "You know I cannot do that."
   "I'm not asking to be released... He tied me much harder than necessary."
   "...Hold still then." She speaks as she moves over to have a look at the knots...
   "I can't do much else." Verdell gives her a grateful smile, "...You'll be careful not to let him notice, right?"
   "He won't notice." She mutters as she loosens the knot to where it's a bit more comfortable...
   "Thank you... It doesn't hurt as much now." He remains still until she has finished... Then he tries to move. It seems he can turn his wrists slightly now, but not enough to escape...
   "Better?"
   "Yes..." He nods faintly, closing his eyes again as if about to sleep, but he keeps mumbling... "...I never meant to get either of you in trouble... If only I had listened to the warnings of the fairies... ... I'm so sorry..."
   "..." She strokes his hair... Then she takes out a Pokéball and unleashes her Meowstic. The two look at one another before the psychic Pokémon nods and goes to take a seat, observing the captive quietly as Aina heads out to check on Donar.

Elsewhere, a Team Plasma grunt approaches Ghetsis, holding a Cottonee... "Ghetsis, sir! I found this wounded Pokémon, but it's too upset to let me help it-- Ah!"
   The Cottonee escapes from his hold, bouncing over to Ghetsis, "Nee nee cottonee cotton cotton nee!!"
   "...I think it's trying to say something, so I wanted to ask Lord N..." The grunt seems unsure what to do. "Do you know where he is...?"
   "..." Ghetsis looks around, "He wanted to see Chargestone Cave... ...Shadow!"
   "..." A shady figure appears out of nowhere! The Cottonee looks startled for a moment, but keeps yelling at Ghetsis while flailing her leafy ears!
   "Find and tell Lord N that he is needed here, it's an emergency."
   "Understood." The shady man vanishes.
   Meanwhile Cottonee is attempting to tug at Ghetsis's robes! "..." Ghetsis looks at the Pokémon, lowering himself to the ground, "Easy... Let's take care of your wounds..."
   "Nee!!" When pulling at him does not work, she moves around him and tries to push instead...!
   "..." He looks at the Cottonee, "...Is there someone in trouble...?"
   "Cotton cottonee!!" She nods.
   "..." Ghetsis looks at the forest, "...Does it have something to do with the unusual weather from earlier?"
   "Cottonee..." She nods again, giving him a worried look...
   "I see..." Ghetsis frowns as he looks at the grunt, "Survey the area. If you see any trainers or civilians, do not get in contact. I want a clear idea of what happened and who's there."
   "Yes sir!" The grunt heads out.

Some time later, N lands outside the house on the hill with the help of a Tranquill... He hurries inside... "Father! Is that the Pokémon that needs help?" He asks as he notices the Cottonee.
   "Yes..." Ghetsis looks at it, "It would seem that something has happened, and someone may be in trouble. But I am worried that powerful trainers may be involved, and if we charge in there's a risk we'll put ourselves in danger and be unable to help properly."
   Cottonee's ears are drooping to the floor... N approaches, sitting down in front of her, "...Cottonee? You can tell me what happened..."
   "...!!" She stares at him for a moment, then begins to yell and flail again!
   N listens intently, "Your trainer sent you to Ghetsis for help? ...Oh. So your trainer is... ..." N looks up at Ghetsis with a serious face, "Father... You said that Verdell is the one you employed to research the legendary Pokémon. Some bad trainers found him, and he got caught... Cottonee wants us to help him."
   "...!" Ghetsis frowns deeply, "This cannot come to pass... Shadow Triad!" Three shady figures appear this time! "Notify the surrounding Team Plasma to pull away. I need you three to bring Verdell here. Do not fail me or your king-- This is a precarious moment for Unova's fate."
   "Understood." The Shadows bow and disappear.
   "Don't worry, Cottonee." N picks her up, "You can leave the rest to the Shadow Triad now. Verdell will be saved, and then he'll join Team Plasma. He'll tell me where the legendary Pokémon is, and I'll change the world so that there won't be any more trainers."
   "Cotton?" Cottonee looks up at him, "Neenee... cottonee cotton..."
   "But trainers hurt Pokémon... Maybe he didn't want you to get hurt?"
   "Cotton... cottonee..."
   "...If so, that's good. I don't like it when Pokémon are hurt, and I think Verdell doesn't like it either. Here... eat these." He gives her some Oran Berries.
   "Cottonee... cotton cotton, nee..."
   "...It's not your fault. You came to tell us. And the Shadow Triad are very skilled. You don't have to worry, they will bring Verdell here soon."
   "I expect that the Shadow Triad will be successful in their retrieval." Ghetsis gives an assuring nod to the Cottonee.
   "Cotton..." Her ears perk up a little bit.
   "There are none more skilled than the Shadow Triad. Verdell will be returned safely... That I can promise." Ghetsis says. As he watches Cottonee take a berry he shows a calm smile, "...Finally eating, eh?" He looks at N, "Hopefully he won't mind learning your identity."
   N looks at Ghetsis, "...Is it fine for him to know?"
   "It will be fine to tell him." Ghetsis nods, though it turns into a small frown, "...There was something I wanted to discuss with you, but I suppose it can wait until another time. We need to find the dragon before the League opens the challenge against the Champion..."
   "Okay." N nods, "...But I don't need to tell him. He knows."
   "...How are you sure?" Ghetsis seems curious.
   "..." N looks at the Cottonee, "Cottonee said that Verdell sent her. But she is not carrying any sign to tell you what happened. It means he knew that it would not be necessary."
   "..." Ghetsis looks at the Cottonee, who is enjoying her berries...
   "Until he gets here, I will stay with this Pokémon. I'm going to ask her to tell me more about him. Maybe she even knows where the legendary Pokémon is!" N smiles.
   "Nee cottonee."
   "...Huh? You won't tell me? Why?"
   Ghetsis blinks in surprise, "Wait, he figured it out?"
   "Did he?!" N looks excitedly at Cottonee.
   "Cottonee!" She smiles.
   "...She says it's a secret..." N sighs, "I have to ask him once the Shadow Triad bring him here."

Meanwhile at the camp, Verdell can feel someone shaking him a bit! Startled, he opens his eyes. In spite of his own expectations, it seems that his sleep was light and troubled... He makes a pained face as he tries to move, finding that he is still bound... "Oww..."
   "...I'm certain that even a heavy sleeper would feel the ropes on their wrists." Aina muses. A nice smell hangs in the air, "Dinner."
   "...So it wasn't a nightmare..." Verdell mumbles as he tries to sit up... Aina helps pull him up carefully, next to her is a plate of pasta with a thick tomato sauce... "...Sorry. I didn't mean to say that..." His head is hanging low...
   She picks up the plate and holds the twirled pasta up after cooling it down a bit, "I had to cook for you. Donar was going to make his special stew again."
   "Ugh..." He glances at the food, "I was going to say that I don't particularly feel like eating, but... if you cooked specially for me I guess I don't have a choice."
   "...I promise to share my pancakes with you if you eat."
   "..." He narrows his eyes teasingly at her, "I thought you knew that I don't accept bribes. I really don't feel like eating. I'll only do it to prove that I'm not rejecting the feelings you put into cooking for me."
   She raises a brow, "...I have been practicing you know."
   "...Is that so..." He opens his mouth. He chews silently as she feeds him... Once he has finished, he gives her a small smile, "Defeat tastes surprisingly good sometimes."
   "..." She smiles a bit, "I am happy to hear you liked it."
   He sighs a little, "...Donar is usually in a better mood after eating. Do you think he'll speak with me?"
   "...He's still fuming out there..." She glances at the entrance, "...He's been rather... distant."
   "..." Verdell takes a breath, then he shouts out, "Donar is a lily-livered leaf louse!!" ...A loud series of stomps approach before the giant of a man becomes visible in the treehouse! "Oh hey, I got you to stop sulking!" Verdell gives him a playful grin. Donar answers with a dark look... His eyes are not as stormy as earlier, but he still looks mad! Verdell's grin fades, "...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for being a liar."
   "...It's more than just lyin' ya know. Why did you turn on Matthias?"
   "He underestimated how dangerous fairies can be. I had to show him..."
   "You know why we're all confident in him! There's no one who can defeat the Legendary Dragon King of Ydil! He's strong enough to take them on!" Donar counters, "I say you're overestimating the fairies!"
   "...How strong he is doesn't matter." Verdell stares at him, "Do you remember when I told you guys about the fairy court's trial? I wanted to give Matthias a trial too, to see if he's ready. Because I wish I could believe in him." He lowers his head... Then he laughs suddenly, although it sounds bitter, "The truth is, nothing I can do will amount to the real challenge... If he makes so much as a single mistake, Ydil will be lost. Perhaps the entire world will be."
   "Quit speaking so strange! Why do you talk like those weird fairies from your old stories?!"
   "...! Ugh... You're the one who's too simple-minded." Verdell bites his lip for a moment, but then lifts his head to look at Donar, "I was testing Matthias to see if he can handle it, alright? Just like a Gym Leader's duty to see if challengers are ready to face you guys. He didn't pass."
   "What do you mean? Tricking is no test! It's a cowardly way to harm someone!"
   "You're right. Had it been a test for the Pokémon League, it would have been cowardly. But this was a test to determine if Matthias is ready to break the seal of the fairies."
   "What makes you think that Matthias is not ready?"
   "You said yourself that I speak like a fairy." Verdell closes his eyes for a moment before looking at Donar again, "I tricked Matthias, and he fell for it because he trusted me when he shouldn't have."
   "Well, let's face it: no one would believe that a friend would blow up a building, now would they?"
   "Indeed, it is not what most people would expect. Fairies are difficult to understand." He lowers his head, "In the end, none of you knew me that well... Not that it matters. What matters is that Matthias did not sense I was tricking him. I'm not even a real fairy, and he thinks he can handle a secret that is guarded by hordes of fairy Pokémon!"
   Donar raises his brow, "Those hordes won't be much of a problem. Pierre can take them out!"
   "That's not the point. Being able to defeat fairy Pokémon is not the same as understanding them or their motives."
   "And how would you know!? You're a grass Gym Leader! When did you start to become a fairy type Gym Leader?!"
   "Since when do you know anything about grass types?" Verdell counters with a hint of a smirk.
   "Since I was a kid-- Did you forget I raise them alongside my electric Pokémon?"
   Verdell's smirk grows, "There's your answer to how I know the fairy type!"
   "...!" Donar growls as he grabs Verdell by the collar and lifts him in the air...!
   "...!!" Verdell's eyes widen as he stares back at him...
   "Don't make me throw you out of this damn tree, Verdell. So help me I'll--!"
   Aina grabs his arm, forcing it down with her psychic power, "That's enough Donar! Hurting him won't solve anything... You heard his reason..."
   "But he hurt everyone, even YOU!"
   "Hurting him back won't help, it'll just make it worse for everyone." Aina shakes her head, "Just... put him down. Go outside and take a deep breath... Remember what Matthias said about being calm?"
   "..." Donar stares at her... Then he lowers his head, and drops Verdell to the floor. Aina backs away from him...
   "...At least I tried, but I'll never make you understand, it seems. Not that I was hoping for much..." Verdell looks up at him, "Still, Donar... it makes me a little sad that you hate me so much over this."
   "I wouldn't if you were honest." Donar glares at him, "If you knew me well enough, you'd remember that I hate liars." He goes outside to clear his head...
   "...I wasn't lying this time..." He mumbles, turning away from the entrance...
   "..." Aina takes a seat, leaning against the leafy wall...
   Verdell lies down, and silence fills the air for a while before he asks, "...Are you angry with me too, Aina? ...I know I said too much."
   "..." She turns her head, "...Yes... but also no."
   "...Sorry. Being polite takes all of my effort right now, and it was not enough... I insulted him again. Still, I won't take anything back."
   "I know..." She rubs her head, "...I'm sorry, I need to step outside as well. I'll give you the pancakes when I get back in a few minutes."
   "Don't bother... I told you I don't want any bribes."
   "...It's not a bribe." She gets up, "...I wanted to give you something I know you like. Especially since you're ingrained in my heart."
   "..." He begins to turn his head towards her, but then decides not to, although he mumbles, "Thank you... for not hating me."
   Aina heads out, climbing down from the tree and taking a deep breath of the fresh air... She glances at where Donar is sitting by the fire. He's drinking... When she approaches he glances at her, "Shouldn't you be there with him?"
   "..." Aina sits down on a log, "...I needed some air..."
   Not too far away, the Shadows among the trees observe them... Quickly and silently, they move closer to the treehouse... One remains on guard as the other two sneak inside the secret base and call their Pokémon out... Their Bisharp ambush Meowstic with a dual Night Slash before he has a chance to react! Yet Verdell does not notice them, until suddenly he feels a hand over his mouth! Startled, he opens his eyes, but he makes no sound...
   "..." Donar scratches his cheek... "...Did ya see anythin' with your vision?"
   Aina looks up at him, "...I only see branching paths, but even then... I can't make a true prediction..."
   "So you couldn't tell either..."
   "...I wish I could see the actual fate."
   The Shadows call their Pokémon back and quickly cut the ropes binding Verdell... He remains quiet as they help him outside, leaping from the tree with him and darting off as silently as they came.

Not long afterwards, the Shadow Triad appear in the house on the hill, bringing Verdell before Ghetsis and N. They stop in front of them, taking a step back and bowing, "We have brought the one you wanted."
   "Cotton~!" Cottonee bounces from N onto Verdell right away, and he catches her.
   "I knew you'd manage! Thank you, Tickles... I'd have been lost without you." He cuddles her.
   "Excellent work. You are dismissed." Ghetsis motions his hand to the Triad.
   "Ah...!" Verdell turns around, "Thanks for helping me!" He calls out as they vanish! Then he turns to Ghetsis; his eyes soon wandering to N as well, "I knew it. You're the king, right?"
   "I am." N smiles, "...Have you decided yet? Will you join Team Plasma?"
   "..." Verdell hesitates for a moment, choosing his words carefully. He looks at both N and Ghetsis as he speaks, "...I am in your debt. I apologize for causing so much trouble..."
   "Do not worry." Ghetsis motions him to an empty chair as he goes to take a seat himself, "Do you have any Pokémon that need to be healed?"
   "Yes..." He nods as he comes over to sit down, looking quite exhausted as he sinks into the chair, "They took down my entire crew... All but Tickles."
   "Then, let me heal your friends this time." N says, "That way I can speak with them too."
   "...Thank you." Verdell nods, handing his Pokéballs to N, who happily heads off with them to have them healed.
   "...How did your investigation go?" Ghetsis inquires.
   "That place was a horror worse than cabbage stew, but I found the answer you seek."
   "Cabbage stew?" There's a raised brow from the man before he regains his composure, showing a smile, "I am happy to hear such good news. I wish for our King to hear this, so before you share it, I will only ask you for a minor detail about your investigation."
   "Go ahead." He nods as he pets his Cottonee, who looks very pleased.
   "Did you find the whereabouts of one of the dragons, or both of them?"
   "..." He smiles a little, "...Both. It remains to be confirmed, of course."
   "I see..." Ghetsis has a grim look, "...So we're still at risk..."
   "Hmm?" Verdell looks at him, "What do you mean?"
   "...Our Lord N wishes to befriend one of the dragons." Ghetsis leans back, "...However, I am concerned about the remaining dragon."
   "There is no need. The two dragons do not sleep in the same place. The king can have his pick without disturbing the other."
   "No..." Ghetsis shakes his head, "...I am concerned about the other hero."
   "Another hero?" Verdell looks a little surprised, "What I found in the royal chamber down there made quite clear that N must be descended from that line, but... you're saying that there's someone else who possesses the same gift as him?"
   "I don't think it's a matter of blood... The dragons are loyal, but as the stories in my family tells, fickle on who they choose. The original dragon was once wild. It was befriended by the first kings of Unova."
   "...I am surprised to hear that from you... Surely N's gift is a clear advantage?"
   "It does give him an advantage." Ghetsis nods, "No one in the world, as far as I know, has the same ability to speak with Pokémon. But I am hoping that he can sway the other dragon too, so that there will be only one hero, not two."
   "...Are you talking about Nora?" N asks as he returns.
   "Nora?" Verdell looks puzzled for a moment, but he smiles as he receives his Pokémon back, "Thank you very much." He turns his attention to them to see that they are all okay...
   N takes a seat as well, "Nora is the other hero."
   "...My apprentice, Nora?" Verdell blinks, "You're saying that she's the second hero?"
   "Of course!" N smiles, "...So that's how you know her..."
   Ghetsis looks at N, "Lord N... You mean that you wish for that commoner to be a... a hero?"
   "I already told you, Father. It can't be anyone but her."
   "And here I thought she was just an ordinary trainer..." Verdell says, "I guess I should have taken my own advice not to judge people by appearances."
   "...I am reluctant to believe that she is a hero, Lord N." Ghetsis crosses his arms slowly, "The fact that she's Professor Juniper's aide makes me worried. She's a Pokédex holder, and she will likely capture many Pokémon to complete it. Does this not worry you?"
   "It does. That also makes her the perfect variable to complete my formula." N says, "...If she's not the hero the legendary Pokémon will not accept her as worthy. In that case she won't be able to help me test my formula. It would be disappointing, but either way, I am sure the end result will be the same."
   "..." Verdell watches them silently...
   "I can only hope that your hypothesis is correct, Lord N." Ghetsis nods, "I am still not comfortable with you being around her... Regardless." He looks at Verdell, "What have you found?"
   "...!" N turns his attention to Verdell, watching him with curious eyes.
   "Ah... right. Truth to tell, I am not yet ready to join Team Plasma. I still know too little about you and your motivations, N." He looks from N to Ghetsis, "However, I have relied on your protection even though I said that I would not do so before joining you. I can't thank you enough for saving me, but at the same time I cannot risk repeating my past mistakes..." He closes his eyes to think for a moment before looking at both of them again, "So to show my gratitude, I will tell you where to search for one of the dragons. Which one will be your choice, N."
   "...!" N looks very excited!
   "If I find that you are worthy of being my king, I will also tell you how to awaken it." Verdell smiles. Ghetsis looks at N with a hint of curiosity in his eyes...
   "... ... ..." N is silent, thinking carefully... Finally he says, "I want to meet the white dragon... Reshiram."
   "..." For some reason Verdell looks a little relieved. He puts on a smile, "Very well. To find Reshiram you should search the wetlands around Icirrus City. Of course, it may be a little dangerous to search alone in such a treacherous place, so I suggest you let your followers help you. Reshiram will not be easy to find, and you need to know what you are looking for, since it won't be in its true form. Both dragons have the ability to seal their essence in the form of stones. They sleep in that form while awaiting a hero to awaken them. Reshiram's stone is called the Light Stone."
   "...There are requirements for the hero to awaken them?" Ghetsis looks at Verdell.
   "Yes." Verdell nods, "But that's still a secret. I hope that I have given you enough for now?"
   "...You said the same thing as Cottonee." N smiles, "But you are going to tell me soon. I will prove that I am worthy!"
   "Heh... I wonder, where have I heard that before?" Verdell smirks. Ghetsis raises his brow at him.
   "Come to Chargestone Cave later." N says, "I plan to meet Nora there. Then you can decide which hero you want to follow!"
   "If either." Verdell chuckles, "...I must say, I appreciate your fairness. Nora has nothing to offer me... yet you won't take advantage of that?"
   N shakes his head, "I also want to see what kind of person you are."
   "So that's why you wanted to go to Chargestone Cave..." Ghetsis mutters quietly to himself.
   "I know that you are preparing a test for her there, Father. I want to watch. Besides, I like Chargestone Cave."
   "...I do intend to test her. But I question if this commoner with no notable bloodline such as yours is even worth the time. Let alone if she could awaken the other dragon..." The older man shakes his head, "...My Lord, I do hope you are not letting her dig too deep into your heart. Not when you have two who are better suited for you."
   "Which two are you talking about? What makes them more suitable to test my formula than Nora?"
   "I hope that you remember you still have Anthea and Concordia, who are more worthy company."
   "Anthea and Concordia?" N looks at Ghetsis with a somewhat confused face, "...But they are part of Team Plasma. They can't test my formula."
   Ghetsis sighs, he seems a bit worried, "...I am not referring to your formula, but matters aside. I hope that there will be no other hero to oppose you."
   N looks even more confused! He looks at Verdell, who apparently struggles to hold back his amusement, finally letting out a chuckle... "Sorry. The king's love life may be none of my business, but is Nora even aware of any of this? She hasn't spoken to me about it..."
   "...!" N looks happy for some reason. He gives a nod, "I asked her to help test my formula, and she agreed to do it."
   "How interesting. I had no idea she's been holding onto a secret like that..."
   "I am worried since I'm not sure if this is out of the pursuit of truth or if he does like her in such a way..." Ghetsis gives a strained sigh, looking a bit tired.
   "It's both!" N declares, "We're friends, so of course I like her."
   "You're kind of odd." Verdell smiles to N, "...Actually, that's a good first impression. It makes me feel a little at home."
   "Truly?" Ghetsis raises his brow, "I have been fretting over how you would react."
   "I'll admit that I am surprised." Verdell says, "But it is a pleasant surprise. You see, I'm used to being the one people call odd."
   "..." N watches him curiously... "Even though you said that you don't hear what Pokémon are saying?"
   "Yes. Ever since I was a child, I spent so much time around fairy type Pokémon... Even if I can't understand what they say, I understand how they think. But learning the secrets of the fairies often means losing something else. Before I knew it, people began to call me odd."
   "..." The Sage leans back in his chair as he observes Verdell, "...So you picked up a few tendencies that are unique to the fairy type Pokémon?"
   "That's why you resemble your Pokémon..." N looks at the Cottonee in Verdell's arms... "Even though she said that you met only recently."
   Verdell nods, "As far as my guess goes, you are both correct. I apologize if you were hoping for someone more normal, but I can assure you that I would not be half as good a researcher if I did not have the intuition of a fairy."
   "No... Normalcy at this point would be a hindrance." Ghetsis waves it off, "It is enlightening to hear how the fairy types influenced you."
   "I want to see how well you understand Pokémon." N says.
   "...That sounds like a test." Verdell grins, "...Bring it."
   "Then, can you tell me what Cottonee felt when you sent her to find Team Plasma?"
   "..." Verdell ponders, "She made clear that she was prepared to defend me with her life back there... At that moment I just wanted to save her from being killed. Tickles, are you angry because I told you to find a better trainer?" He asks.
   "Cotton!!" She nods, frowning at him.
   "You say that, but why? It wasn't for my sake you joined my crew. Nor even for Chef. You're a little selfish, and such a fool... Just like me. I really wanted to have you. But I thought I couldn't have any new Pokémon... Even if you stick to me like glue, it was unfair of me to drag you into all this. I'm so fed up with adventure, you know. Constantly being in danger... I get that's what you were looking for, but I couldn't wish this kind of life on you... I haven't even been able to spend enough time with you lately. So it surprised me that you chose to stay with me after that battle. It also made me very happy... But if you had died there, I would have blamed myself for my selfishness... ..." He looks into Cottonee's eyes, and she stares back at him, looking about to cry... "...I'm wrong? No? ... Oh... now I see. That's the same thing you said to N, isn't it? You also blamed yourself for being selfish...? ...Because I said you were not ready... When we lost, it made you worry that it was your fault since I sent Stella back to the ship to keep you with me? You must have thought that you're the one who's not good enough for me... That maybe I just made up an excuse to send you away again, even though you were trying your best... That's what this is about, right?" He throws a glance at N, seeking confirmation... As N nods he looks at Cottonee again, rubbing his head, "Sorry about that. The truth is, I sent Stella back because she needed a nap even more than I did... She gets snappish when she hasn't had enough sleep. And I have been meaning to spend more time with you... That was my decision, so it wasn't your fault, okay? You may be too adorable for me to resist, but I really should know better than to underestimate a fairy by now. In the end, you're the one who saved us all." He smiles as he holds her up, "You performed like a true Green Rose Pirate! And I haven't forgotten my promise. Tickles, from now on, you are a fully worthy member of the crew!"
   "Cotton~!!" She waves her leaves, looking very happy!
   "..." N has an excited spark in his eyes, "So you really do understand her..."
   "Heh. I should be thanking you, N." Verdell takes out a green silk rose and attaches it to Cottonee, "You knew something was not right between us. It would have taken me much longer to figure it out if you hadn't said anything. You have my gratitude."
   "...Your other Pokémon said that disaster will befall the world if you are captured. That's why they want to guard you. But you already set many of your Pokémon free." N smiles happily, "We're going to be friends too. I think that you'll be able to follow my logic, and choose Team Plasma."
   "Heheh." Verdell chuckles as he lowers his head to hide his eyes, "I hope so. I'll come to Chargestone Cave... but for now, I need to find somewhere safe to sleep..."
   "You are welcome to stay here." Ghetsis motions to a guest room, "Of course, there's also the Mistralton Cave and Chargestone Cave where you can hide out at..."
   "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to stay here tonight." Verdell gives Ghetsis a grateful look, "I'm sure they'll be searching the entire forest as soon as they discover that I'm gone..."
   "I do not doubt that." The old Sage stands up slowly, "For now, please be at rest. They will not find this sanctuary."
   "...And even if they do, they won't be allowed entry, I assume." Verdell smiles as he gets up...
   "You'll be safe here." N nods, "Don't worry about them."
   "Thank you very much." Verdell nods to them, "One night of proper sleep is all I want right now..." He heads off towards the guest room and flops onto the comfy bed... Cottonee bounces over to settle down next to his head, and after a few moments he decides to let his other Pokémon out as well. There is a lot of noise coming from the room as they all pile up on him and Cottonee!
   "Sounds like they're having a lively gathering in there." Ghetsis says.
   "...They're happy because they're safe." N says with a glance at the door, "His other Pokémon were surprised when they woke up after being healed... Breloom told me that since she fell last aside from Cottonee, she was sure that their adventure would be over. Cottonee has only been with them a short time... They all trust her as a close friend now."
   "...Just one more step." Ghetsis hobbles over towards the kitchen... N follows him with a curious look on his face. He uses his good arm to prepare a kettle of water, "...It seems that you are a step closer to accomplishing your goal, my son."
   "...Tomorrow we'll begin preparations to search for the Light Stone. I want to meet Reshiram soon!"
   "Patience my son, you will get your chance." Ghetsis speaks as he turns on the heat for the water, "...I cannot wait for you to humiliate the Elite Four and that useless Champion, but all in time."
   "You're right, Father." N nods, "...I need to think carefully of how I will show Reshiram that I am worthy of becoming friends with a legendary Pokémon... If I can do that, the Pokémon League will fall, and they won't be able to hurt any more Pokémon."
   "Indeed..."
   After a little while the noise has settled down around Verdell... Typhlosion and Talonflame have made themselves comfortable on top of him, while Clefairy and Cottonee are huddled up together, but Venomoth and Breloom are apparently not sleepy, deciding to go explore around the house instead. "...Don't cause any trouble for our hosts, you two." Verdell says, "And if Aina or Donar show up, make sure they don't see you."
   "Breloom!" Breloom nods assuringly as she opens the door, and they head out.
   "..." Verdell smiles to them, then he slips out his Pokéquip to see if there are any messages to tell him whether they discovered that he has escaped... But there are none. He puts away his Pokéquip, smiling a little as he closes his eyes, soon drifting off to sleep...
   Ghetsis reaches for a small container of tea leaves, "I am still pouring over some stories from the family archive about the two dragons... Sadly I've not had much luck. I do not know how the previous heroes earned their trust... Ah... would you care for a drink, my son?"
   "Alright." N says as he looks at Breloom and Venomoth exploring the room. He opens a cabinet to see if there are any Pokémon treats.
   "I see we have guests." Ghetsis notices the two Pokémon and his son, "I do believe we have some poffins in one of the upper cabinets... Would they like anything to drink?"
   N finds the poffins, reaching up to take them and the berries next to them, "I'll make berry juice!" He smiles as he begins to mix some.
   Ghetsis smiles a bit, watching N, "...It has been a while since we spent time together like this."
   "Mm." N answers, soon having finished the berry juice and poured it into two cups, which now seems to have attracted some curiosity. Breloom comes up closer to have a look, while Venomoth watches from a wall in the back as N carries the cups over to the table along with the poffins... "It's for you." He smiles at them.
   "Breloom!" Breloom happily takes one of the cups to try it. As she assures Venomoth that it's very good, eventually he flutters over to the table to have his as well. Ghetsis has a softened look in his eye before he takes the kettle off the stove and begins to prepare the tea... He comes over to the table and places a cup down next to N...
   "Thank you, Father." N smiles as he takes it, enjoying it as he observes the two Pokémon happily eating their poffins. Before long Breloom opens conversation with him. "Hm? I've always been able to understand what Pokémon are saying. At first I was surprised that other people don't..." The Breloom is apparently very talkative, and they launch into a lively discussion. After a while Venomoth seems to open up a bit as well, sometimes making small noises too!
   "..." Ghetsis watches the young man and the Pokémon as he quietly enjoys his own cup of tea...

The dawn of the next day comes. Nora walks out of the Pokémon Center, stretching as she takes a deep breath...
   "You sure take your time in the mornings." Rylan suddenly says next to her! He's leaning against the wall of the Pokémon Center...
   "There's a time and a place to rush." She raises her brow at him, "Besides, rushing while you're half-asleep is asking for disaster to happen."
   "Well then, I hope you're prepared to lose." He says as gestures for her to follow him down the stairs right next to the Pokémon Center, leading to the rocky shore...
   "..." Nora follows after him, thinking of which Pokémon to send out...
   "So how many have you got by now?" Rylan asks once they're in position.
   "Five so far." She smiles, "What about you?"
   "...Fine, I'll use five Pokémon too. Defeating you won't be any fun unless it's a fair battle." He takes two of his Pokéballs, "Go! Petal and Flambeau!" As his Petilil and Vulpix appear, the sunlight is getting stronger...
   "..." Nora glances at the sun before taking out two Pokéballs and throwing them, "Let's go, Hector and Aurelia!" The two Pokémon appear! Pikachu makes an excited squeak as Aron stretches a bit before looking warily at the opposing Pokémon ahead... "Use Rock Tomb on Vulpix! Aurelia-- Electro Ball!!"
   "Pika!!" Pikachu begins to form a ball of condensed electricity!
   "Magical Leaf!" Rylan points at Pikachu, and Petilil sends off a leaf at her, hitting just as the ball of electricity flies off towards Vulpix! Vulpix is knocked back as it is struck, but manages to land on its feet, only to be hit by the huge rock from Aron!
   "Vul...!" It looks heavily damaged, but still manages to push itself up...
   "Hmph... You won't get away with that! Use Flame Burst!" Rylan points at Aron this time!
   "Hector return!!" Nora calls the Aron back and throws another Pokéball forward! Rylan's eyes widen as Vulpix's flames are absorbed by the Growlithe who appears where Aron was standing! "Sirius-- Use Flame Wheel on Petilil! Aurelia, use Quick Attack on Vulpix...!" An instant later, both of Rylan's Pokémon are knocked out!
   "I-Impossible..." He stares at Nora in disbelief! But as the strong sunlight fades away he seems to recover quickly, and there's something dark about his face as he sends out his next two Pokémon... "Go! Julius and Velvet!" His Pupitar and Furfrou appear! "Use Stealth Rock and Retaliate!" Some of the rocks from the shore are lifted up and begin to float around in front of Nora, while the now diamond trimmed Furfrou charges forward, exacting revenge for its fallen teammates on Pikachu!
   "Pika...!!" Pikachu is smashed into the air!
   Nora calls her back, "You did good, Aurelia. Let's go, Lucia!!" Another Pokéball is thrown to the air! Kirlia is struck by the rocks, but leaps past them! She does not look quite herself, however...
   "What unkempt thing is that? Something else you found in the garbage?" Rylan raises a brow at the poofy fluffball she has become upon tracing his Furfrou! "I must admit, I've never seen such a hairy Trubbish!"
   "L-Lucia?" Nora blinks in surprise before shaking her head, "Iron Tail on Pupitar-- Lucia use Confuse Ray!!" Growlithe charges forward as his tail gives off a metallic shine! He slams it onto the Pupitar, landing a heavy hit! The Kirlia looks at her own messy hair with disgust before firing off an angry weird beam at Furfrou!
   "Use Thunder Wave on it, Velvet!" Furfrou's fur begins to spark with the static electricity gathered in it, but as it is confused it loses control, shocking itself instead! However... "Rock Slide!" Rylan calls out, and Pupitar throws up many rocks from the ground, which then begin to rain down on Growlithe and Kirlia! Growlithe quickly moves away from the rocks, but Kirlia is caught off-guard and knocked back!
   "Iron Tail and Confuse Ray on Pupitar!!"
   "Kirlia...!!!!" Kirlia fires off her weird beam towards Pupitar, and Growlithe charges forward and slams his tail onto it again!
   "It's a Kirlia...?!" Rylan's eyes widen, but before he can continue, the confused Pupitar charges into him! "Ouch! Get off! Wait, Velvet...!" He calls out too late, as Furfrou manages to fire off the Thunder Wave! Kirlia's Synchronize activates, bouncing it back to Furfrou, paralyzing both Pokémon!
   "Iron Tail and Hyper Voice!!" Nora calls out again as Growlithe rushes at the confused Pupitar! Kirlia is trying to yell but she seems to be struggling...!
   "Protect and Refresh!" Rylan counters! As Pupitar shields itself and its trainer, Furfrou manages to shake the paralysis off as a glittering air appears around it!
   "Close Combat on Furfrou, Confusion on Pupitar!!" Growlithe growls in frustration as he charges towards Furfrou instead to give it a beating!
   "Helping Hand and Rock Slide!" Rylan calls out! Furfrou's thick fur helps it withstand Growlithe's onslaught, and it boosts Pupitar's power! Pupitar begins to raise rocks wildly around itself...! But as they rain down at Growlithe and Kirlia, Kirlia's eyes glow behind her long hair, and her psychic force strikes it, knocking it out! Rylan calls it back, taking his last Pokéball... "Go, Skye!" A Swellow appears!
   "Sirius return!" Nora calls her Growlithe back from under the pile of rocks that landed on him, throwing her next Pokéball, "Go Hector!"
   "Ar?" The Aron is bumped by the floating rocks, but doesn't seem too phased. His eyes narrow on seeing the bird.
   "Rock Tomb on Swellow!" Aron growls as he takes a rock and throws it towards the Swellow!
   "Steel Wing, Skye!" Rylan calls out! Although its wing is struck by the rock, it cuts right through it and strikes back at Aron!
   "Ar!!" Aron looks more annoyed than anything.
   "Draining Kiss on Furfrou!!" Kirlia looks at the Furfrou past her now also dirty hair, and approaches, kissing it! Furfrou looks startled and quite indignant!
   "Bite." Rylan smirks, and with an angry snarl it chomps back! There's a yelp from Kirlia as she glares at the Furfrou!
   "Rock Tomb again!! Point blank-- Confuse Ray!" Nora calls out! Aron throws another huge rock at the bird!
   "Quick Attack and Thunder Wave!" Rylan counters! Moving so fast that it seems to disappear, Swellow dodges the boulder and in the next instant appears before Kirlia, striking her down with its sharp talons and causing the Confuse Ray to fly off in the wrong direction! Kirlia is knocked over, and as Nora calls her back, Furfrou is sparking as it releases the Thunder Wave on Aron!
   "Arr...!" Aron growls as he glares at the Furfrou.
   Nora throws another Pokéball, "Take them out-- Soujiro!!"
   "Dew!!!" Dewott appears and snarls at Rylan's two Pokémon!
   "Water Pulse on that pooch, Rock Tomb on the bird!!" Dewott fires off a large pulse of water towards Furfrou, while another boulder flies at the Swellow!
   "Skye, use Roost!" Swellow lands on the ground, taking cover from the hurled boulder. But at the same time, there is a yelp! "...How dare you." Rylan frowns as Furfrou's styling is ruined...! "Use Headbutt!" Furfrou charges angrily at Dewott!
   "Razor Shell and Shock Wave!!" Nora calls out as Dewott takes his scalchops and slashes at the Furfrou! Aron glares at the bird and fires off a jolt of electricity!
   "Steel Wing!" Although struck by the Shock Wave, Swellow strikes back with its cutting wing again! Rylan looks pretty upset, however... "Argh! Our perfect trim...! Ooh, you'll regret this... Retaliate!!" Furfrou leaps at Dewott, the tufts of fur flying as it fights back against the scalchop!
   "Night Slash on Furfrou, Rock Tomb again!" Nora calls out! Aron is getting irritated as he picks up another boulder and throws it towards the bird! Dewott snarls and keeps slashing violently at the Furfrou!
   "Roost...!" Swellow takes cover again, but at the same time, Furfrou is finally knocked out! Rylan calls it back, tightening his fists... But as soon as the boulder has landed he commands Swellow again, "Quick Attack!" It darts out, striking down Dewott!
   "Return!" Nora calls back her Dewott, making an equally furious face as her Aron, "We need to finish this, Rock Tomb!!" Aron grabs a nearby boulder and throws it forcefully towards Swellow! It strikes...! Swellow is looking quite weary...
   "Agreed, let's finish this! Take it down in one hit with your Steel Wing, Skye!!" Rylan shouts! Swellow flies at Aron...! Aron growls in pain, though despite looking weary he's still glaring at the bird...
   "Rock Tomb!!" The Aron picks up one last boulder and throws it...! As it strikes, Swellow crashes! It is knocked out...
   "Aaargh!! This just isn't possible...!" Rylan stomps at the ground, but after calling his Swellow back he takes a few deep breaths before looking at Nora, "...Fine. Fine! Go challenge the Gym Leader! Next time... Next time, you'll see!" He storms up the stairs!
   "...I'm not letting you..." Nora calls her Aron back, storming after him, "Rylan! I got a few words to say to you and I am not going to remain quiet anymore!"
   "I'm going to heal my Pokémon! You don't have to follow me! Shoo! Away with you!" He waves his hand dismissively as he keeps walking.
   "..." Nora pauses, but still glares at him as she feels tears well up behind her eyes, "...I thought you were one of my best friends, I thought you knew me well enough but it's damn clear we didn't know each other as well as I thought! Ever since that day, you treated me like garbage! But you never let me tell you why I said 'no' that time! Do you want to know what hurts the most every time I look at you?!"
   "..." He pauses for a moment, but then he replies curtly, "I am not interested." He enters the Pokémon Center...
   "..." Nora watches him quietly before she wipes her eyes and enters the Pokémon Center to get her team healed up... She can see Rylan push his way past Cheren.
   "Hey, watch where you're walking!" Cheren retorts. Rylan just grumbles a 'sorry' in response as he heads up to the counter... Spotting Nora, Cheren approaches her, "I take it you won... Are you alright?" He asks as he notices her long face.
   "...It was a rather tense fight..." She gives him a weak smile, looking emotionally drained, "I need to heal up my team, we won by the skin of our teeth..."
   "..." Cheren glances towards the counter, "I'll heal them for you. Let's get out of here."
   "Thanks..." Nora nods as they head out...
   A little while later, Cheren hands Nora back the last of her Pokéballs. "There you go. You're going to challenge the Gym now, right?"
   "Yeah." Nora nods, "I think we're ready. Even if we don't make it, at least we have an idea of what to expect."
   "I'm sure you'll be fine." Cheren smiles, "...I already battled Rylan early in the morning. Keeping up with the elite is hard... but you made it, Nora. Somehow, knowing that he doesn't get to be the first to challenge Clay after all makes me feel a bit better about losing to him."
   "You lost to him?" Nora looks a bit surprised, "Did his Furfrou give you a hard time too?"
   "That thing is a beast." Cheren sighs, "I have to work harder. I'll definitely catch up to both of you someday!"
   "I think I only made it because Soujiro gave it a shave... Rylan and his Furfrou were pretty upset about that." Nora rubs her head.
   "Really? Pity I missed that... I wanted to see his face." Cheren chuckles.
   She shakes her head, "...I never really thought he was this mean."
   "What did he say to you to get you upset even though you won?"
   "...I guess I got so tired of his attitude and the battle didn't help me calm down." She looks down, "...I lashed out at him... It's even worse since he used to be my best friend."
   "Hmm... I thought he was a little different when we met him in the Cold Storage, but maybe he hasn't changed that much from how he usually is. I still can't help but wonder at how you two could ever have been friends... It's not just the way he acts towards you now. He's always looked down on me too."
   "...His family runs a major architectural firm, so they're rather prestigious. He was always a bit high on his horse but... he was nice to me and others." Nora sighs, "...After what happened four years ago, he and the others started to bully me and anyone who's my friend."
   "Well, he is unpleasant, but I don't really care. He'll get to eat his insults once I'm strong enough to beat him in battle." Cheren shrugs, "Although, ever since Verdell showed up I get the feeling Rylan is trying to recruit me."
   "Recruit?" The brunette blinks at this, "In catching Verdell?"
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, "He was actually the first to suggest it. But who cares. You have a Gym Battle to think about! Come on, I'll go with you there." He takes her hand, pulling her along.
   "Right...!" Nora picks up the pace.

As they approach the Gym, however... "...!? What's going on?" Nora says. Clay and his workers are standing outside the building with the captured Team Plasma members in custody... He wears a deep frown as Ghetsis approaches him.
   "...?" A slight frown appears on Cheren's face as they walk closer too.
   "Clay. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ghetsis, of Team Plasma." The Sage nods to the Gym Leader, "I've come to pick up my associates who are in your care."
   Clay eyes the man up and down, "I don't need no thanks, now. Yer buddies were tryin' to steal some folks' Pokémon."
   "What's this? It seems as if there has been some misunderstanding." Ghetsis glances at the captured Team Plasma members, who look both embarrassed and hopeful...! Zinzolin has his head lowered in shame... Ghetsis continues, "We only free Pokémon from wicked people."
   "Well, that sounds real nice, if it's true." The Gym Leader crosses his arms, "I may not talk purty, but at least I'm an honest man. You talk real nice, but what yer sayin' kinda sounds like lyin'. So tell me plain, what are ya tryin' to say?"
   "Team Plasma also has an interest in Driftveil City. And we have many, many more members besides those who are here..." Ghetsis gives a calm smile, though there's a sense of danger coming from him... "Homeless and forgotten, or prosperous and influential... Supporters of our cause can be found in the most unexpected of places."
   Clay narrows his eyes as he looks at the supporters Ghetsis brought, "...Well, I can't tell if yer lyin' or not, but I reckon you've won this without a fight. Hrrmph. Fine. Take 'em and git!" The workers look surprised at this, but they begin to release the Team Plasma members one by one.
   "A decision worthy of a businessman called the Miner King." Ghetsis nods, "Your grasp of the situation is outstanding. Well then, we will be taking our colleagues off your hands..."
   Cheren's frown deepens a bit as he watches... The grunts hurry over to their friends as soon as they are freed. Zinzolin approaches Ghetsis, taking his hand with a grateful look, "Ghetsis... Thank you very much..."
   Ghetsis smiles kindly at the man, "Don't worry, my fellow servant of the king... We are two of the Seven Sages, are we not?" He glances around, narrowing his eye at Nora and Cheren upon spotting them, before looking at Clay again, "Well then, everyone, I expect that we will meet again somewhere." He begins to lead Team Plasma away...
   "...!" Cheren stares as Team Plasma leaves... Before long they are gone.
   Clay dismisses the workers before he approaches the duo, "Sorry to let Team Plasma go after ya tracked 'em down, fellas." The man glances towards the direction Team Plasma went before looking at them, "Say, why don't we cheer ourselves up with a Pokémon battle? Don't keep me waitin'!" He turns and walks off into the Gym, a modern building in glass and metal with gold stars atop its three spires.
   "Well, we avoided a fight in the middle of the city, anyway." Cheren sighs, "Still, I can't help but think Ghetsis isn't just an ordinary person." He seems to ponder for a moment, but then he shrugs, turning to Nora, "Well, good luck with your Gym Battle. I'm off to go make my Pokémon stronger... I'll see if I can't find Verdell. I really don't want to lose to that Clay guy." He smiles, "Actually, I'm going to win my Gym Badge in a flawless victory!"
   "Well, let's both do our best to get the badge then." Nora smiles, "Tell Verdell I'll be heading to Route 6 soon if you see him!"
   "Alright, I'll do that." Cheren nods, heading off.

Nora takes a deep breath as she enters the Gym... The first thing that catches her eye in the tidy room is a rather flashy golden table. Behind an equally shiny counter a receptionist welcomes her, pointing her towards the elevator in the middle of the room... "Thank you." Nora nods as she approaches it. It is just a platform without any walls, but it has a control panel with arrows pointing up and down... She presses down, and it begins to lower into a hole so deep she can't see the bottom. Finally it stops next to another elevator... There's a whole maze of different elevators around and below her, with narrow pathways leading between them... Her eyes widen as she looks around, "Is this... a mine?" Shaking her head a bit, she heads to the elevator next to her to see where it goes... It apparently takes her a step further down into the maze... but there is no sight of Clay yet... "...Where are you...?" Nora looks around carefully as she travels further into the mine... After several trips up and down in the labyrinth, one of the elevators keep going down... further and further, almost as if it won't stop... "Where...? It can't go on forever..." She mutters quietly as she looks around uncertainly, "...Why make it so deep into the dark I wonder...?" Finally it pauses over a huge hatch that opens in the floor... Continuing even further down, when it stops she can see conveyor belts carrying minerals on both sides, and ahead is a pathway lined with green crystals that give off a soft glow... It leads to a battle stage with a giant green crystal at the far end! Nora takes a deep breath as she walks forward.
   Clay notices her and nods in her direction, placing down his pickaxe by the wall and coming over to stand in front of the huge crystal, "Before we get started, lemme ask ya what yer name be." He speaks as he watches Nora approach.
   "My name is Nora Marquardt." She looks at him as she readies a Pokéball.
   There's a smile as he takes out one of his own, "Pleasure to meet ya. Well... Think it's about time to see fer myself what it is about yer skills that made a Gym Leader like Elesa take such a shine to ya. Go-- Krokorok!!" The Pokéball opens to show a bipedal alligator with black stripes. It looks at Nora...
   "Soujiro, let's do this!" She throws the ball in the air, showing her Dewott-- But as the otter looks at the Krokorok carefully, he seems intimidated...!
   "Water type, eh?" The man smiles at this, "Let's make this interestin'... Go fer a Crunch!!"
   "Krok!!" The gator moves quickly with its maw wide open...!
   "Water Pulse...!"
   "Dew!!!" Dewott barks in pain from the gator's bite, but he fires a pulse of water onto the Krokorok's head! The ground type is thrown back some distance, and it seems to be dazed...
   Clay's eyes widen a bit as a small smirk appears on his face, "I'll be! Sure didn't see that coming. Go fer a Bulldoze!!"
   "Kro..." The gator tries to stomp but ends up smacking itself in the head with its tail, while Dewott fires off another Water Pulse towards it! Krokorok is sent flying backwards, and Clay calls it back.
   Clay looks at them carefully, "Looks like I'm gonna need ta give ya a taste of yer own medicine. Palpitoad!" He throws a Pokéball showing a blue Pokémon that Nora recognizes as the evolved form of Tympole. It has some distinct bumps on its body, and it lets out a loud croak!
   "...Water type..." Nora frowns as Dewott looks on guard...
   Clay smirks a bit at this, "Let's give ya an idea of what ta expect. Icy Wind!"
   "Croak!!!" A gale of ice approaches!
   "Soujiro-- Return!" Nora calls the otter back as she throws another Pokéball, "Lucia-- Let's go!!" The Kirlia appears on the field, though she grimaces from the icy wind...
   "Kirlia?!" Clay's eyes widen as he grits his teeth, "Which ability...!? Nevermind-- We'll test it out-- Muddy Water!"
   "Double Team!!" Nora calls out as a wave of dirty water comes crashing down on the sudden grouping of Kirlia! There's a growl from Clay as he sees that the Kirlias are unfazed! Nora smiles as she also realizes Kirlia must have traced Palpitoad's Water Absorb. "Confuse Ray!!"
   "Bulldoze!!" Clay yells out!
   "Croak!!!" It begins to jump up and down, but is struck by the Confuse Ray! Kirlia stumbles backwards from the quake, and the bumpy terrain seems to slow her down...!
   "Let's go for another quake!!" Clay yells out! His Palpitoad jumps, but messes up the landing and falls on its side!
   "Confusion!!"
   "Kir...!" A psychic force lashes out at the Palpitoad! It stumbles backwards a bit, though it appears to be in better health than Kirlia who is getting weary...! Nora grits her teeth, mentally wishing that she had gone to capture a grass type before this battle...!
   "Go fer another Bulldoze!"
   "Leap and go for Draining Kiss!!"
   The Palpitoad jumps up, throwing the ground up with another shockwave, but this time Kirlia's elegant dance steps let her float through the air to avoid it, and she moves in for a kiss! The frog shakes a bit as she begins to drain its health!
   "Snap outta it!" Clay barks!
   "Psyshock, Lucia!!!"
   The Palpitoad begins to jump up and down again, and Kirlia stumbles, falling back a bit! But her eyes glow as suddenly psychic-charged rocks appear around the frog and slam into it, sending it tumbling backwards! "Hrmph..." Clay has a slight smirk as he calls back his Palpitoad upon seeing that it is no longer is able to stand, "Givin' up's the easy way out! If I wanted ta, I could have given up any old time! Go Excadrill!!" The Pokéball opens showing a short brown mole with metal claws and a pointed nose, looking intently at the challenger and Kirlia... "Slash!"
   Nora grits her teeth, knowing that most of her team will struggle against this foe... "Shadow Sneak!!" As the Excadrill charges to slash at Kirlia, the psychic Pokémon's shadow extends towards it, striking it just before it slashes her down! "Lucia...!" Nora takes out the Pokémon's Pokéball and calls her back, "...You did good. Please rest." Taking out another Pokéball she throws it forward, "Let's go, Sirius!" There's a sharp bark as the Growlithe is staring at the Excadrill with an intense look in his eyes... Excadrill seems a bit unnerved, yet ready to fight!
   "Bulldoze!!
   "Reversal!"
   As the Excadrill slams the ground, causing a great quake, Growlithe charges forward and retaliates with an all out charge! Clay's eyes widen a bit as his Excadrill is forced back from the impact, "Well I'll be... Excadrill-- Bulldoze again!"
   "Flame Wheel!!" Growlithe attempts to charge but is thrown back by the quake! The fire dies down around him, and Nora calls him back, "Good job buddy... I think we got this..."
   "So that's why Elesa was excited..." Clay mutters as Nora throws her Pokéball to show her Dewott, "...Bulldoze!"
   "Water Pulse!!!"
   The two Pokémon unleash their attacks! The ground is thrown up at the same time as the otter Pokémon fires off a concentrated pulse of water, causing a big splash! As the dust settles, Dewott falls to one knee... On the other side of the battlefield, the Excadrill is on its back. It's been knocked out! "Well, I've had enough... And just so ya know, I didn't go easy on ya." Clay calls his Pokémon back while Nora walks over and scoops up her Dewott. The Gym Leader approaches her with a hint of irritation in his eyes, "Mrrrmph. I see. But I sure don't like it! Fer such a young 'un, ya have an imposin' battle style. I know ya got people who can dig up yer potential." He takes out the Quake Badge and hands it over to her, "Mrmph. Here! Take this!"
   "Thank you." Nora smiles as Dewott barks happily at this, "Our fifth badge..."
   "I'll give ya this TM." He takes out a disk, "It's my favorite TM, so ya can teach it ta all of yer Pokémon!" He hands it to her, "It's Bulldoze. This move does damage and lowers the speed of any Pokémon it hits. Some ground type Pokémon move a little slower than ya'd like. If ya use Bulldoze right, ya can cover that weakness!"
   The brunette looks at the TM carefully, then at Clay with a smile, "Thank you!"
   "I don't know how good ya really are, but if ya think ya can go, go wherever, and if ya think ya can do somethin', keep doin' it. Do things how ya want! Decide yer own limits." He motions to a nearby elevator, "Take that there elevator to the top. Take care of yerself."
   "Thank you sir." Nora nods with a smile as she heads over to the elevator.

Meanwhile, Cheren is wandering through the forest of Route 6, looking around for any signs of Verdell... Then he hears footsteps nearby, and voices. He turns towards them, listening. It sounds like Aina, and a man's voice that he doesn't recognize.
   "We were so close...! How could he have--?!"
   "Losing our tempers won't work. It is clear he had help."
   "AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO COULD'VE DONE THIS!?"
   "Donar... do not give me reason to throw you into the sky again."
   "...So he's already gone." Cheren mutters under his breath before approaching...
   "...!" Upon seeing him Donar stomps over, towering above him, "Who are you?"
   For a moment Cheren makes quite the visible effort to remain calm! "...I, well... I came out here to train before I challenge Clay."
   Aina gets between them, "Calm yourself, Donar, he's one of my contacts in Unova."
   "..." Donar backs off, he seems more relaxed upon hearing that...
   "I thought I heard your voice." Cheren looks at Aina, "What's going on?"
   "...We captured Verdell yesterday... Unfortunately he managed to escape..." She glances in the direction of the treehouse before looking at Cheren, "...Do you happen to know where he is? Has he contacted you?"
   "...No, I'm afraid I don't know." Cheren shakes his head, "I met Nora just recently in Driftveil City, but he wasn't with her. But that's surprising... How was he able to escape from both of you?"
   Aina sighs a bit, "...We caught him, but had a quarrel and left him in the base to get some air. We were outside for only a short while, but when we returned he wasn't there, and the Pokémon I left on guard was knocked out. There shouldn't have been any way for him to escape since he was bound tightly... and I thought we would have noticed him if he tried to leave too..."
   "How strange..." Cheren pauses for a moment, looking at Donar, "I'm Cheren, by the way. Nice to meet you."
   "The pleasure's mine." Donar extends a giant hand to him, "I am Donar of the Ydil Elite Four, or the Thundering Berserker as people call me."
   "..." Cheren tries to put on a brave face as he takes Donar's hand. It envelops his as he shakes it...
   "...You seem a bit nervous?"
   "You look very strong." Cheren smiles, "I suppose that's to be expected from an Elite Four member. I'm aiming for the Unova Pokémon League... I've got half of the badges so far, but I need to get much stronger still."
   "Well then!" Donar grins, "It's a matter of time before you get there! Hahaha~ Maybe one day you and I can spar together?"
   "I'll look forward to that." Cheren nods, his smile seeming a little more at ease now. But then he looks around, "Could Verdell have used a Pokémon to escape? Do you think he's still hiding somewhere in the forest?"
   "There's no way... His Pokémon were beaten... and that Cottonee of his fled..." Donar lets go of his hand, "It was injured, so I can't imagine it getting far or helping him on its own without getting caught."
   "..." Cheren frowns a little as he thinks, "I wouldn't underestimate it. The evolved form of Cottonee is Whimsicott. Those Pokémon are notorious for always sneaking into places they shouldn't be and causing all sorts of mischief... ... Are there any other possibilities?"
   "I am unsure... which is why I am trying to think of who or what could've done this..." Aina ponders...
   "Right. Without knowing how he did it, even if you catch him, he'll just escape again..." He keeps his frown, "I wonder if I could get him to tell me how he got away..."
   "If you can... that would be helpful." Donar nods at this...
   "..." Aina furrows her brow, "...We need to get in contact with the others."
   "The others?" Cheren looks at her.
   "Donar told me that Matthias and Pierre are also in Unova... Turns out our Champion wanted to pay a visit to another foreign Champion who's staying in Undella Town. And Regina is at the Pokéstar Studios..."
   "That's right, Bianca met her." Cheren says, "She wouldn't stop talking about it. But the entire Ydil Elite being here is a little too strange to be a coincidence."
   "...I was a bit surprised myself." Aina glances at Donar who rubs his head...
   "Everyone was looking for an excuse to come help, right?" Cheren looks at Donar.
   "...We got suspicious when Aina reported that Verdell spent this long here... Usually when he's hiding somewhere he stays for a few days, then flees to the sea." Donar looks at him, "This is a first, that he has been hiding out here for this long."
   "That's strange. But then... if we could figure out the reason he's here, doesn't that mean it'll be easier to predict where he'll go next?"
   "Yes... at least that's the idea." Donar looks around, "...It's a matter of time before he pokes his head out again. But later today we may have to meet with Matthias."
   Aina takes a few steps, but pauses, looking at Cheren, "...We will be making our way to Nimbasa to meet with the others. I'll keep in touch."
   "Alright." Cheren nods, "And I'll inform you if I see Verdell again. Maybe I'll try to see if I can get him to reveal anything, if I can do it without making things weird."
   "As long as you're discreet, that is all I ask."
   Donar pats her back, "Come on, let's see if your little apprentice was able to challenge and defeat the Gym Leader."
   "Of course. Please excuse us, Cheren." Aina nods at him before they begin to make their way to Driftveil...
   Cheren returns the nod, "I need to get back to training. This place already looks like it's taken a beating, so I guess it'll do." He calls out his Pokémon. After ensuring that each of his Pokémon know what to do, yet waiting a little while longer until he feels sure that Aina and Donar must be far out of hearing, he holds up his Xtransceiver, selecting Bianca's name...
   A couple of seconds later she picks up, "Hey Cheren! What's up?" She has a smile.
   "Where are you right now?" He asks.
   "I just arrived at Driftveil... Why? Is something the matter?"
   "Oh. Can you go to a place with plenty of people? Like the market for instance."
   "Sure, that's where I am now. Is there any reason?" She looks confused.
   "It'll be the best way to avoid being overheard." He smiles a little, "Aina and Donar should be headed to Driftveil right now, if they're not already there. Keep walking, and if you see them or Rylan, avoid them."
   "...! R-right!" She nods as she continues walking, "...? Donar? Wait... is he...?"
   "Yeah, he's here. You remember him from the picture, right? He's huge, so I'm sure you'll spot him from far away. The market should be safe though, and I'm fairly certain they'll be heading to the Gym soon. I need you to pass on a message to Nora. She should be at the Gym right now, and I don't want to disrupt her battle against Clay by calling her. Do you think you can find her after she's done with her battle?"
   "S-sure!" Bianca nods, "To let her know about Donar...?"
   "Well, there's a lot, actually. Verdell got caught by him and Aina yesterday, but he escaped from them somehow. I'm on Route 6, near what looks like a secret base. I thought I'd ask him for more advice about my Pokémon, but this means we've no clue where he is right now. Since Nora is the only one who can contact him directly, she has to warn him that the entire Ydil League is in Unova now. They're planning to meet in Nimbasa City today."
   "Wait, so the others are here too?" Bianca looks surprised, but she continues to walk, "I-I'll let her know. Do you think he's okay?"
   "I hope so." Cheren says, "They said that they knocked out his entire team except for Cottonee, who was injured when she fled. Maybe she came back and freed him somehow. They weren't sure how he was able to escape in the short time they left him alone without either of them noticing."
   "I'll see if I can't check the Gym." She smiles a bit, "Maybe Nora is done by now?"
   "Yeah, but be careful." Cheren nods.
   "I will-- You be careful too, Cheren." The blonde smiles, "You're my best friend after all!"
   "Of course. I'll be around here training my Pokémon for a while in case you need me. Good luck!" He smiles a little before hanging up.
   Bianca looks around the market with its many stands. Boxes on display are filled with colorful wares from all around the world, the shopkeepers shout out what they have for sale, and the place is full of happy customers. She stops at a flower stand that spreads a pleasant fragrance around it... A guy who keeps posing and making dramatic claims of being a heartbreaker is apparently buying the whole stock of red roses. After enjoying the pretty flowers for a little while she turns and begins to make her way to the Gym... As she approaches, she sees Nora walking out. She rushes over towards the brunette, "Nora!! Guess what, guess what?"
   Nora blinks, "Erm... you became a movie star?"
   "No! It's about-- Oh, hey! That's Driftveil's Gym Badge! Oh, that's totally cool. That's amazing." Bianca smiles before pausing and shaking her head, "No, no, no! I can't get distracted being all impressed with your shiny new badge! I need to speak with you about something important, can you come with me to the market?"
   "Err... okay, but I need to heal my Pokémon--"
   "I'll do it! Come on, it's been a while since we hung out!" She drags Nora along while healing her Pokémon... Before long they enter the market, wandering around among the many noisy stalls, "...You need to call Verdell."
   Nora glances at her, "Why?"
   "...Cheren called and he told me that Verdell lost to Aina and Donar."
   "Wait, you mean--?"
   Bianca nods as she quietly gives Nora the details. Nora furrows her brow as she listens... "...So yeah, they're going to be at Nimbasa."
   "This isn't good." Nora sighs, "Alright, I'll call him when I enter Route 6. I planned to train there anyway, Clay certainly gave me a run for my money back there."
   "Please be careful..."
   Nora smiles at her friend, "Aren't I always? Actually, why don't you train with Cheren and me? We can swap strategies and help you plan?"
   "...! That sounds wonderful, let's do it!"
   Nora nods with a grin, "Now that we're here, let's stock up before we head out then..."

Some time later, the duo make their way to Route 6... It is wild and mountainous with many rivers and streams flowing down through the thick forests. The road has not been well kept, and being so overgrown, at times it is difficult to even see where it goes. After looking around and not seeing any sign of Aina or Donar, Nora tries to call Verdell. It takes a little while, but finally he answers! "...Nora, huh... Did you need something...?" He yawns.
   "Are you okay?!" Nora almost yells before being hushed by Bianca and looking at the screen, "There was an accident in the forest-- We were worried something happened."
   "Oh..." He covers his mouth as he yawns again, apparently he is in a bed somewhere... "...Don't worry, I and my crew are fine."
   "Oh thank goodness." Nora sighs as she and Bianca continue their trek forward, "...But I do have some bad news. The other two are in Unova."
   "The who now...?" He sits up...
   "..." Glancing around quickly she whispers into the Xtranceiver, "Cheren confirmed with Aina... Pierre and Matthias are in Unova. All of them are going to meet in Nimbasa City today."
   "So all of them are after me now, huh... Figures. Thanks for the warning." He smiles a little.
   "Cheren is training at Route 6 near where Aina and Donar made camp. Bianca and I are heading over there as well for more training. Can you meet us there?"
   "...If Aina's off to Nimbasa this could be a good chance... I'll be there soon." He nods, "Just give me some time to get ready."
   "Alright, take your time. We'll see you there." Nora smiles as she hangs up, "Let's go!"
   "Right!" Bianca and Nora race across a bridge.

Verdell stretches his arms, then he picks up the Pokéquip again to see if there are any messages from Aina now... It seems there are a few! She's asking how he escaped and saying he won't be so lucky next time. He grins as he types back, "Good morning, Aina! Isn't Tickles amazing? She really earned her place in my crew, standing up to you two! ...Thanks for not killing her. We'll celebrate that we've got this morning in freedom with Chef's Poképuffs!"
   A couple seconds pass before a message is returned, "When I catch you, you will be deprived of your pancakes for a month."
   "Aww, how cruel. I'll never survive that, so I guess I'll just have to make sure you don't catch me! ...Aren't you at least a little happy for me? I'm so close to finding my safe haven and all, I was very disappointed in myself for getting caught at a time like this! There's no way I'll let it happen again!"
   "I will not offer anything to you. Enjoy your freedom while you have it."
   "Oh, I will!" He keeps typing with one hand as he gets out of bed to make himself ready for the day, "But I hope you understand that I can't let Matthias get away with threatening to let Regina steal me from you. Turning me into an ice statue wouldn't get him what he wants anyway. Tell him that he has to come up with a much more sophisticated plan if he wants me to obey him!" There's no comment returning... Verdell waits, but eventually puts the Pokéquip away... After enjoying breakfast with his Pokémon and chatting with N for a little while, informing him of his plans, he heads out into the forest... Deciding to look for replies again as he walks.
   There's one more message from Aina, one simple sentence: "Going to meeting."
   He types back, "Meeting? What kind of meeting? Since Donar is here, did the others come too? Are you going to plot my downfall with them? ...Please don't tell me you're dating that slimy Rylan guy just because I escaped this once...!"
   There's a swift response, "Not dating apprentice. Cannot confirm anything more, Donar is watching."
   "Aw, I hoped you would give something away. I know you wouldn't date another man. I guess I'll just have to assume you're all after me. Ahoy, Donar! Say ahoy to the others from me too!"
   There's a rapid response, "Shut it you backstabber!"
   "Give Aina back her Pokéquip you thief!" Verdell counters, laughing a little as he walks.

When Verdell arrives back at the secret base, Nora smiles and waves at him, "Hey!"
   Verdell raises a hand in greeting, "Ahoy, scallopwags!"
   "Cotton!" His Cottonee happily bounces along after him...
   "You alright?!" Nora runs over, "You're not hurt are you?"
   "I told you, I and my Pokémon are fine." Verdell smiles, raising a brow at her. "We just had breakfast after a good night's sleep."
   "Where did you run off to?" Bianca approaches, "We were so worried..."
   "What really happened here?" Cheren asks, gesturing around them at the charred, battered ground and the row of fallen trees.
   Verdell puts his hands up, "Calm down. I was just about to take a nap when Aina and Donar showed up... I tried to escape at first, but it wasn't possible, so I had to fight back. I lost, but Tickles got away. Then she saved me." He smiles.
   "Cotton!" Cottonee puffs herself up, proudly showing off her new green silk rose.
   "Hm?" Nora looks at the rose, "That's... She's an official member of the crew?"
   "Of course she is." Verdell smiles as he picks her up, "Without her I'd been dragged back to Ydil in shackles about now."
   Bianca tilts her head, "But... how did she help you get away?"
   "..." He turns Cottonee around to look at her, "But you still have a lot more potential, Tickles. You can't slack off just because you're a proper member of the crew now!"
   "Cottonee!" She pouts.
   "...Haha, you're right. Actually, I'm the one who needs to stop slacking off on your training. I'm proud of how far you've come already, even with just the one move I taught you. But you know, the reason I stayed up late at night even before we went to the Relic Castle was to read and plan out your training. I've got it all prepared, and now that we're both rested it's time to get serious." He looks at the others, smiling, "You wanted my help too, right?"
   "Yes." Nora nods with a smile, "The three of us are excited to get started... Cheren and Bianca have been itching to learn from you."
   "Well then, let's do it!" He grins, "I'll cover specialized training for the different roles of a team with Bianca first, so that everyone will be ready for the next class together. Sound good?"
   "Alright." Cheren nods, "Want to practise together in the meantime, Nora?"
   "Sounds good!" Nora smiles, "Ah, might be a good idea to help you be ready for Clay as well."
   "Don't worry, I'll watch your training at the same time." Verdell smiles to his Cottonee as he sends out his other Pokémon. He glances at Bianca, "In fact, I'll use my Pokémon to demonstrate. Tickles, you should keep practising your defenses. That's still the most important thing for you to work on. Goldie will be your sparring partner. She'll practise her punches against your Protect. And, let's see..." Verdell takes out his pirate hat, putting it on Breloom's head, "I'm sure Goldie won't go too easy on you, but if you see an opening, try to take the hat from her!"
   "...!" The two Pokémon look at each other, excited about the new game!
   "And I'm trusting you both not to ruin it!" Verdell grins, "Polly and Shimmer, you know what to do. Stay at the burned grounds, but keep some distance from the smaller Pokémon so they don't get caught up between you. Flurry will practise with you to make things more exciting. And if anyone makes a mistake, Chef will practise Heal Pulse. You can support Nora and Cheren's Pokémon too so they'll be able to keep up with their training longer, Chef." His Pokémon nod, the fire types and Venomoth heading off a bit to the side while Breloom and Cottonee begin their game. Turning to Bianca again, Verdell smiles, "So, let me explain. Goldie's role in my team is to strike fast and hard. For that reason, she needs to practise her speed and attack power above all else. She's not as good at defending, but that's fine. Other members of my team cover that part. I'm raising Tickles to be a defender, capable of supporting her teammates and causing mischief for the opponents. She doesn't need to be as good at attacking as Goldie. Their training reflects the roles they should take in battle. Have you given any thought to this before?"
   "W-well... I've been thinking about it after watching Nora train with us..." Bianca looks at her Pokéballs, "...But I'm not sure where to start though..."
   "Then, where to start is what I'll show you first. You have a Pokédex, right? Show me the entry for one of your Pokémon."
   Bianca nods as she takes it out, digging through it she shows him the entry for Herdier.
   "Herdier, huh... Alright. Now, if you press here, you'll get to the page that shows statistics on Herdier. As you can see, attack is its greatest strength, while special attack is very weak. Usually Pokémon benefit the most if you raise them to get even better at the things they are already naturally good at. So if you let your Herdier work on his physical strength, he will surely become very strong."
   "Okay-- oh! Um... can you help with Lugh?"
   "Sure. Open Pignite's entry and tell me which stats are his natural strong points."
   Bianca presses a few buttons, "Let's see... It's good in attack and special attack... oh! But the health... it's very high. But the defense and special defense isn't great..."
   "Yes." Verdell nods, "Attack is a bit higher, but special attack is very good too. Now, this means that you have a choice. I usually recommend beginning trainers to choose two stats for each of their Pokémon to work on. If you choose more than two, they will be forced to divide their efforts so as to not overwork themselves, and that will limit how good they can get at the things you raise them for. So for Pignite, you have to decide if you want to raise him to be good at both attack and special attack, or you can choose just one of them and also work on his stamina." He pauses for a moment, "You could also choose to let him work on all three, but in that case you need to decide how to divide the work. If you even it out, he will be good at all three, but not as good as he could be at any of them. If you choose one stat for him to work harder on, he can become his best on that one, while still becoming a bit better than average on the other two. I wouldn't recommend choosing more than three, however, since that will make it difficult for your Pokémon to become truly good at anything."
   "If that's the case... How can I focus on helping Lugh on those points then?"
   "Well, first you should-- Ah! Nicely done, Tickles!" Verdell applauds her as she finally managed to snatch the hat from Breloom!
   "Cotton~!" She looks very proud as she wears it on her head, flapping her ears.
   "Your technique is looking sharp too, Goldie. Keep it up, you two!"
   "Breloom loom!" She nods with a smile as she receives the hat back.
   Verdell chuckles as he looks at Bianca again, "As I was about to say, your first task for this training session is to look through your Pokédex and write down the strengths and weaknesses of each of your Pokémon. That way you'll get an overview that will help you plan how to raise them as a team. And of course, don't forget to ask your Pokémon for their opinions too. Maybe they have things they really want to get better at, that you should take into consideration. Do you know what the role of a trainer is during battle, Bianca?"
   "Um... to raise their Pokémon and help guide them in battle?" She tilts her head as she glances at where Nora is training with Cheren...
   "Yes." Verdell nods, "That's exactly right. A trainer isn't just a cheerleader or a commander shouting orders. As the trainer of your team, you are their tactician. They trust you to guide them right in battle. By knowing what each of your Pokémon is capable of and helping them reach their full potential, you will be able to lead them to victory even against strong opponents."
   "..." Bianca looks down, "...Can you help me build some strategies? I try to battle but... I have lost a few times because I got so nervous."
   "Of course." He smiles, "We'll move onto that part soon, but the others may want to partake in that class too. What I taught you just now is the same as I showed Nora back when she only had two Pokémon, so it was almost a little too early for her then. But now you all have Pokémon that have grown a bit and learned many new moves, so it's time to step up your game. Still, take a moment to look through your Pokédex first and try to make yourself a basic idea of how you want to raise your Pokémon, so you'll be on the same page as the others."
   "Okay!" She smiles as she takes out her Pokéballs and releases her Pokémon. She scrolls through the Pokédex to see growth information of each of her Pokémon... Verdell smiles as he watches his own Pokémon train in the meanwhile. His Typhlosion and Talonflame are having quite the heated and fast-paced sparring match, both practising their attacks and blocking, while Venomoth alternately supports both sides, somehow managing just fine even amidst the blazing flames...!
   There's a happy bark as Growlithe play fights with Cheren's Eevee, and the two Pokémon are tumbling around with each other. Nora and Pikachu are doing the soccer exercises they learned together with Cheren and his Pidgeotto. She passes the ball to Pikachu while explaining about the battle against Clay, "That Excadrill was wicked fast! I'm just thankful it didn't boost up its attack, or I'd have lost since Aurelia and Hector are weak against ground types."
   "I see." Cheren nods as he defends his goal, kicking the ball up into the air for Pidgeotto, "We'll need to be careful."

After a few hours Bianca walks over to Verdell, "I think I know how I want to train them!"
   "Great!" He grins, calling out, "Alright everyone, it's time for lunch break and a lesson on battle tactics!"
   "...!" His Pokémon pause their sparring, running over. Cottonee seems quite exhausted as she flops down on the grass...
   Verdell smiles as he goes to get some fresh water from the spring, placing the bowl down next to her along with a Poképuff, "You did well to keep up this far. Your stamina is improving!"
   "Cotton..." She looks relieved as she reaches for the water, and Verdell begins to bring water and Poképuffs to all of his Pokémon... Nora and Bianca take care of their own Pokémon, giving them their own water and food before rushing to learn from Verdell! Cheren's Pokémon also seem to be happy about the break, enjoying their refreshments as their trainer heads over join the others.
   "I noticed you were watching our Pokémon too." He smiles as he settles down on the soft grass, getting some food for himself out of his bag.
   "Yes." Verdell says as he chews on an apple, "Your training looks good. Your Pokémon will improve at a steady pace if you keep it up."
   "Verdell?" Nora speaks up after taking a bite from her energy bar, "I wanted to ask, are there certain moves that are helpful?"
   "Oh, were you listening when I taught Bianca earlier? That's what I thought I'd talk about next. When I was watching your Pokémon practise, I noticed that they know mostly attack moves, don't they?"
   "Yeah... I've been struggling with figuring out what moves to teach them." Nora rubs her head, "...And Clay almost wiped the floor with us, so..."
   "But you still got your fifth badge, I take it." Verdell nods, "Things won't get any easier from here on, so you need to stay sharp as a trainer to keep up. About halfway is a common point where many get stuck for the same reason you mention... Unless you're like Donar, raw power can only take you so far. But trying to keep a type advantage is far from the only thing you can do with moves. In fact, if you choose the right ones, it might not even matter if you're battling at a type disadvantage. Did any of you take notice of Flurry sparring together with Shimmer and Polly?"
   "Yes." Cheren frowns slightly, "I was wondering about that. Venomoth is a bug type Pokémon, but the fire did not seem to bother him at all. How is that possible?"
   Verdell chuckles, "He was using a secret magic trick of ours, but since you're my special apprentices, I'll let you know this one. He used a move called Skill Swap, which lets him trade one of his own abilities for the ability of another Pokémon. He traded for Shimmer's Flash Fire to become immune to the flames."
   "..." Venomoth glances at them, a little shy about the attention at the same time as there is something proud in his eyes.
   "Skill Swap?" Bianca tilts her head, "That's a rare move right? There's not too many Pokémon that learn that."
   Nora also seems to be thinking carefully at this...
   "It is somewhat uncommon." Verdell nods, "Most Pokémon capable of learning it are psychic types, I believe. Among Venomoth it is rare... only a few hatch with it. In fact, the reason I chose Flurry among all the Venonats around the Rose Lab was because he knew that move. It has many uses, and one of them serves as the key to the strategy I used to reach the Pokémon League. But there are many more useful moves! I'm sure some of your Pokémon may learn some rare ones too. So, each of you take out your Pokédexes and open the entry for one of your Pokémon."
   "The page that shows the moves they are known to learn, right?" Cheren asks.
   "Correct." Verdell nods, "We'll look through them, and I'll explain how you can use some of the moves that may not appear powerful at a first glance."
   "Let's see..." Nora opens the Pokédex entry for Kirlia, "Magical Leaf and Heal Pulse?"
   Bianca looks through Audino's entry, "Hey, my Holly is able to learn Heal Pulse too."
   "Alright, let's start with Heal Pulse." Verdell says, "That's a very rare move, so I'm a little surprised you both have Pokémon that can learn it. It lets them heal an ally, which makes it very useful in double battles. Less so in single battles since the Pokémon can't use it on themselves... but if you get injured in a dangerous battle, having a Pokémon capable of using Heal Pulse could even save your lives. Plus it helps during training, as you saw today." Verdell throws a smile to his Clefairy, who waves back to the trainers.
   "I noticed something strange with Herbert earlier." Cheren says, "After he learned Growth, I thought he would become stronger, but it didn't help at all. I stopped using it for that reason, but I wanted to ask you if I was doing something wrong?"
   "Hm? That's odd... I feel like I ought to know... ..." Verdell frowns before the realization hits him, "Oh, that's right. Most Pokémon have a so called hidden ability which does not register automatically with the Pokédex. For Snivy's line, that ability is called Contrary. It causes the effects of some moves to be inverted..." He moves over to have a look at Cheren's Pokédex, "The affected moves are those that temporarily boost or lower the stats of the Pokémon. So you were right to stop using Growth, but if you scroll down... there! It may take a while yet, but once your Servine is strong enough to learn Leaf Storm, you'll get to see the benefits of Contrary. Most grass type Pokémon can't use that move without wearing themselves out fast, but your Servine is different. His power will grow when he uses it."
   Cheren's eyes widen a little, "...I see. That's very useful to know!"
   Verdell looks at Nora and Bianca, "Their abilities is another important thing to keep in mind when you choose moves for your Pokémon. Make sure that you check both that and their stats when you plan what to teach them!"
   "Oh! Audino has Healer and Regenerator..." Bianca has a surprised look, "Healer is useful for double battles it seems... and Regenerator helps by restoring some of Audino's health..."
   Nora looks at her Pokédex, "Let's see... Kirlia's abilities are Trace and Synchronize... I wonder if the Ralts line has a hidden ability...?"
   "You'll need to observe your Pokémon to learn their hidden abilities." Verdell smiles, "Or you can ask an expert on their species. Actually, I happen to know that Kirlia has Telepathy. They use that to coordinate their movements with allies, so it's useful in double battles. But if a Kirlia evolves into Gallade, its hidden ability changes to Justified. That makes the Pokémon dislike the dark type for some reason, fighting harder if an opponent uses moves of that type against them. Aina sometimes has to hold her Gallade back when a criminal makes that mistake. But Gallade are always male, so your Kirlia will surely become a Gardevoir, Nora."
   "Telepathy, eh..." Nora glances at her Pokémon briefly before looking through her Kirlia's moveset, "...Hey Verdell? Can I ask your advice on moves? You noted that I had mostly attack moves, are there any defensive ones that you'd recommend?"
   "Right, let's continue. Kirlia can learn Teleport too... Heh, I wish I had a Pokémon who knew that. It would make life on the run so much easier. You can also use that to dodge attacks or reach high places, among other things."
   "Hrm... Teleport could help a lot considering Lucia is a bit frail..." Nora mutters...
   "And, let's see..." He glances at Bianca's Pokédex, "Oh, Audino has a lot of useful moves. Misty Terrain is also great when you need to escape... It's not just any old mist either, it's a magical mist that will protect everyone in it from status conditions such as burns or paralysis, even confusion. Dragon type Pokémon dislike it, though, since it weakens them."
   Bianca grins at Verdell, "That's great! Especially with the eighth Gym coming up!"
   "Servine doesn't seem to learn many supportive moves... I'm looking at Liepard now." Cheren says.
   "Oh, so Liepard can learn Snatch." Verdell says as he leans over, "While that is mostly thought of as a way to annoy opponents by stealing the effects of their stat boosts, I'd say it is even more useful as a means to break through defenses such as Wide Guard, creating an opening for allied Pokémon to attack."
   "I see. So as a trainer, I need to think of several ways in which moves can be used..."
   "Would Reflect or Light Screen be good moves for my team to learn?" Nora asks.
   "I was going to get to that." Verdell looks at Nora, "Few Pokémon learn Reflect or Light Screen naturally, but many can learn them with the help of a TM. Both are very useful in all kinds of battles, since they provide an instant protection stronger than most other defense or special defense boosts, which also affects your whole team for as long as they last. And Helping Hand is another move that is most commonly taught by trainers, but as Bianca's Pokédex shows, Audino can learn that naturally. It's useless in single battles, but in doubles it's one of my favorites. Since I raise some of my Pokémon defensively, even though they don't attack the opponents directly, they can use Helping Hand to strengthen their partner in battle. With that kind of support it becomes easy for a Pokémon raised to strike hard and fast to win."
   "..." Bianca ponders before looking up, "I... I think I'll keep some of those moves."
   Nora looks at the blonde, "You mean Heal Pulse and Helping Hand?"
   "Yeah! So that way, if we ever have to team up-- I can help you and Cheren!" Bianca gives a wide smile.
   "...Bianca you're making me want to hug you and not ever let go, you know that right?"
   "That would be appreciated." Cheren smiles too.
   "Soujiro's species seem to be more attack based so I'm going to need to think carefully on this..." Nora looks through the Pokédex...
   "Speaking of teaming up..." Verdell looks at them, "There is a special move combo that your three first Pokémon should be able to learn."
   "What kind of move combo?" Cheren asks.
   "They are called Grass Pledge, Fire Pledge, and Water Pledge. Only certain trios of Pokémon are able to learn those moves, but when they are used together they have special effects that help allies or hinder opponents."
   "Would it be useful to know those?" Nora looks at Verdell with a curious look, as does Bianca.
   "That is up to the three of you. Individually those moves are pretty average, and you probably have better options, but if you someday end up fighting together it can be a devastating combo."
   "..." Bianca looks between her two friends, then she stands up, "Then I'll find a way for Lugh to learn Fire Pledge!"
   Cheren nods as he stands up as well, holding his hand out, "Our Pokémon are close friends too. Teaching Herbert Grass Pledge will be a proof of both their friendship and ours."
   Nora gets up, putting her hand on top of Cheren's, "Because we will always be there for each other. Soujiro and I will figure out Water Pledge."
   "And no matter where we are or what kind of people we become..." Bianca places her hand over theirs, "...We will always be together!" Pignite and Dewott have apparently listened, and upon watching the trainers they hold their own paws out to each other. Servine nods as well, joining them with his leafy paw.
   "Look!" Verdell calls out as the three Pokémon are glowing...! "Your feelings seem to have gotten through to them. They are already making their pledge with each other!"
   "...!" Nora turns to look.
   "Amazing..." Bianca watches in awe.
   "...I see. They learn it together... This is fantastic." Cheren smiles as he watches too. Before long the glow fades, and the three Pokémon withdraw their paws as they smile at each other. Pignite gives a happy grunt. Dewott looks proud, and Servine has a pleased look as well. "...We've all gotten stronger already." Cheren says, "You're right, Bianca. This is a bond that will never be severed, no matter where we are." Bianca looks between her two friends with a wide smile and pulls them into a hug. Nora is startled, though she calms down and returns the hug, as does Cheren.
   Nora grins at them, "Let's do our best then. Actually, how about we practice our multi battle skills?"
   "Heh." Verdell grins, "Alright, my crew and I will test how much you three have grown since the first time we met."
   Bianca smiles, "Let's do it!"

After a long day of training, all Pokémon look ready for some rest. Nora looks up as she's giving her Pokémon water after healing them, "It's already getting dark... I can't believe it."
   Bianca smiles as she's healing her Pokémon, "How about we camp out here before we go our separate ways tomorrow?"
   "Did you teach any of your Pokémon Secret Power, Bianca?" Verdell asks as he and Cheren take care of their Pokémon as well...
   "Yup!" She nods, "I taught it to Holly!"
   "In that case, I have a small favor to ask... Let's find a different place to camp together. It's possible that the Ydil League will return to this spot, after all. If they find my base still here, they'll think that I found somewhere to stay in a town, and won't look for me out in the wilderness."
   "Let's go then!" Nora grins, "Besides, this is the first time we're all camping together, isn't it?"
   "Yeah." Cheren smiles, "This should be fun. Let's find a nice spot before it gets too dark to see."
   The Pokémon get up once they're fully healed, and the small party of trainers begin their hunt for a good spot to stay at... Eventually they find a huge bush near a stream running through the forest. "How about this one? It should have enough room for all of us." Verdell smiles.
   "Let's give it a shot!" Bianca smiles wide, "Holly! Secret Power!"
   "Au~" The Audino fires off an energy of some sort towards the bush, and an opening appears, revealing a large and leafy room!
   "..." Cheren peeks inside, "Whoa, this is really nice, Bianca."
   "Looks cozy." Verdell grins.
   "Let's set up camp then." Nora smiles as she enters, dropping her bag and getting started on preparing a good sleeping spot. Cheren follows her inside.
   "I'll make a fire!" Bianca goes to make a fire pit with her Pignite.
   "Chef and I will prepare dinner, then." Verdell smiles, "Goldie, see if you can find something edible in the forest!"
   "...! Pika pi pikachu!" Pikachu rushes over to the large grass type! It seems she's asking to tag along.
   Nora smiles as she comes out, "I got the chance to get to know my Pokémon a bit more, Verdell. And Aurelia has shown an interest in exploring... Mind if she learns a few tricks on being a proper explorer from Goldie?"
   "Breloom! Loom breloom?" Breloom tilts her head, looking at the Pikachu, then at the trainers.
   "An explorer, huh?" Verdell takes out his Pokéquip, tapping at it...
   "So that's why she has the scarf?" Cheren pokes his head out, "You two should give us your sleeping bags too. We'll set them up for you!"
   "Okay!" Bianca heads over to hand him her sleeping bag, placing her bag down to the side.
   Nora chuckles, "I got Aurelia a scarf to mark her first steps into adventuring, of course to also make sure that people know she's not a wild Pokémon. But she's been excited to explore and see as much as possible."
   "That's good thinking, Nora." Verdell says as he calls his Typhlosion and Venomoth back... "Good work today. You'll have some peace and quiet on the ship, and you can take your favorites from the stash. Tell the rest of the crew what's happened, alright? With Matthias around, they need to be careful too. And let Stella know I'll summon her first thing when I wake up tomorrow, so she doesn't get too upset." He sends Typhlosion off, and before long another Pokéball arrives... He throws it up, and his Bellsprout appears. "Hey, Buddy. You have a new junior explorer, so I think you should help Goldie show Aurelia the ropes." He smiles.
   "Bellsprout sprout!" He happily walks over to greet Pikachu.
   "Pikachu pika pi!" Aurelia responds happily, it seems she's excited to learn from her senior explorers.
   Verdell looks at Nora, "Goldie is an experienced explorer, so you won't have to worry even if they wander off a bit far from camp. Take good care of your apprentices, alright?" He throws his Breloom a grin.
   "Breloom!" She nods, correcting her scarf before heading off with the two smaller Pokémon in tow.
   Nora heads back inside, setting up her sleeping bag as she looks around, "...The walls look solid enough, I don't think the weather will be a hassle in here."
   "Dew!" Dewott is working with some of the Pokémon to build their own nests.
   Pignite is gathering firewood, but Bianca pauses, looking at Verdell, "Switching out?"
   "Yes." Verdell answers as Jumpluff's Pokéball appears in his hand, and he calls her out... "I can't ask more of Tickles today. Without Summer, my bed won't be very comfortable." He proceeds to pull some pillowcases and sheets out of his bag, handing them to Jumpluff with a smile, "Cotton Spore, please!"
   "Pluff!" After looking around for a bit she nods happily, and begins to fill them up with pink cotton.
   "Go get your bed ready, the fire should be up soon!" Bianca puts in tinder as her Pignite builds a good stack of the wood he found in the pit.
   "Alright." Verdell heads into the secret base, and his Talonflame begins to toss in the pillows Jumpluff has filled up. "We have extras if you and your Pokémon want some as well." He smiles to Nora and Cheren.
   "Do you have enough for everyone?" Nora asks with a smile.
   "Of course. I stocked up from my ship in case of a time like this." He says as he takes out some more, tossing them to Jumpluff. Nora's Pokémon go to claim their own pillows to bring back to their nests. Aron in particular seems very happy.
   "How soft..." Cheren says as he picks up one of the fluffy pillows.
   "...Wow." Nora also picks one up and looks at it, "It feels like if you try to sleep on these you might end up sleeping forever."
   "It is high quality cotton, after all." Verdell grins, "It lets you sleep as if on clouds!"
   "Jumpluff!" Jumpluff smiles happily as she keeps filling up more pillows. Cheren's Pokémon look pleased as they carry off some to their own corner as well. Some time later, all beds are prepared, and the others come out to enjoy the campfire... It seems that Bianca has a good fire going by now, and her Pignite is helping with maintaining it. After yet a while, there are some excited calls from the forest.
   "Pika pi pikachu!!"
   "Bell bellsprout!"
   "Ah, they're back." Verdell gets up along with Clefairy to have a look at what they found and get started with the cooking.

Not long after, everyone is gathered around the fire, enjoying mushroom soup and freshly picked berries. "This is really good!" Bianca has a happy look, "I never got used to eating mushrooms but these are delicious!"
   "Chef's a great cook, and Goldie always finds the best ingredients." Verdell smiles, "And she had good help today, so there's no way it won't be delicious!"
   "Fairy clefairy!" Clefairy nods.
   "Loomloom!" Breloom and her apprentices look happy and proud. It seems that the other Pokémon are enjoying the food too. Growlithe is already on his second bowl of soup, his tail wagging happily.
   Nora has a sheepish smile, "I apologize that my cooking wasn't that great when you and Cheren visited my place after I first moved to Nuvema Town."
   "It wasn't that bad." Cheren says, "Bianca is just picky."
   "I'm not that picky anymore!" Bianca pouts, "I've been trying more food..."
   "Well, you are right that this soup is delicious." Cheren smiles.
   "Haaa..." Bianca takes another bite, looking at the stars in the sky, "...Do you think we can do this again after we go to the League?"
   "...That would be nice." Cheren says as he looks up too, "Once I've become the Champion..."
   "...Maybe we can do this as a celebration after the League Challenge?" Nora looks up as well, "...It feels so long since we left home."
   "... ... ..." Verdell looks at them with a wistful flicker in his eyes, but he says nothing...
   "We've come a long way..." Cheren says, "All of us have half of the badges... Nora even has the fifth. Tomorrow, I'm going to challenge Clay."
   "Yeah..." Bianca smiles, "I can't wait until we reach Opelucid City... I wanna see Iris again and thank her for helping me earlier."
   Nora glances at her, "I actually saw her when I was heading to Anville Town for a visit."
   "Wait, really?"
   "Yeah, she accidentally got on the wrong train so... it was an interesting ride." Nora rubs her head, "But she was a great training partner."
   "You seem to make friends easily." Verdell looks at Nora, "...I'm happy to see that."
   "Huh?" Nora looks at him, "I suppose but... I'm not remarkable ya know. Bianca's the master of that!"
   "Oh, come on. You even befriended me! Give yourself some credit!" He laughs.
   "Kir!" Kirlia calls out from where she sits.
   "Alright, alright! I guess I'm good at making friends!" The brunette sighs.
   "Heh, that's right! You need to be cheerful now that you have a Kirlia, Nora! It makes them more beautiful!" Verdell grins.
   "But I am happy." Nora tilts her head at him, "I'm happy when I'm with my friends and family."
   "Dew!" Dewott puffs his chest out at this.
   "Let's see a smile then!"
   "..." She gives a smile... It seems different from most of her smiles though. It's a genuine smile!
   "Kir~" Kirlia places her bowl down and gets up.
   "She's dancing..." Cheren says, "That's very elegant."
   Nora watches Kirlia, happy to see her Pokémon so happy and content!
   "It's lovely entertainment for the evening, isn't it?" Verdell smiles.
   "I didn't know Kirlia grow based on their trainer's emotions..." Bianca looks at him, "What's their evolutions like?"
   "Gardevoir are rare in the wild, and I never raised one myself... but my impression is that they are very noble-minded and dutiful Pokémon. As for Gallade... The one Aina has is always very courteous. He can be quite forceful in battle, though... particularly when he's protecting someone."
   "I'm guessing that was her first Pokémon?" Nora glances at him, "I'm just curious..."
   "You're correct." Verdell nods.
   "Huh... but that's interesting, I've seen Lucia's family in White Forest. Her dad... was rather protective of his family, while her mother looked elegant."
   "Kir~" Kirlia chirps happily.

Meanwhile, the night of Nimbasa is lit up by the ferris wheel, below which Donar and Aina stand, taking in the environment around them... Aina takes a step forth towards the ride, but then she freezes, her eyes widening!
   "Aina?" Donar looks at her, "What's wrong?"
   She doesn't say anything for several moments, then she backs away quickly. Her eyes are wide in shock as she seems to have had a fright!
   "...Hello." A monotone voice says nearby as Regina comes over, "Is Aina having a vision?"
   "Looks like it." Donar says, "Aina? What was it? You're looking as pale as a Froslass."
   Aina stares at the spot where she stepped with dread, "...Something... is going to happen to Unova..."
   The berserker rubs his head, "If it's about Verdell I don't think--"
   "No... it's not Verdell..." She shakes her head, "...And what awaits Unova... may shake them to their core."
   "..." Donar shakes his head as he looks at Regina, "Good to see you, how was the audition?"
   "I was given the role as Lady Sherbet, of course. A Gym Leader from Unova was apparently cast as the hero... I look forward to meeting him. Where is Matthias?" She looks around.
   "He said that he might be a few minutes late, he needed to pick up something." Donar shrugs before looking up, "...Speak of the devil."
   "Hey!!" Matthias waves to them with a broad smile. Next to him is Pierre, quietly scanning the area around them...
   Regina puts on a pleased smile for him, "It seems that everyone is here. The benches over there have a nice view... Let's discuss our plans there."
   Matthias offers his arm to her, and she takes it, walking elegantly next to him. He brushes the bench off before letting her sit down, "Milady."
   "Thank you." Her smile to him looks warm as she takes her seat.
   The Champion sits down next to her, and the others take their seats around the table as well... "Now then, I understand you two were unable to convince him to come back?" Matthias looks at Aina and Donar.
   Aina nods, "Unfortunately, and it seems that he picked up a few tricks to escape."
   "Sorry about that Matthias..." The man lowers his head, "I thought we were done with the chase after all this time..."
   Pierre glances at Donar, "You should never lower your guard. Even as a member of our group, surely you understand that caution and observation is needed?"
   "I know that!" The berserker scowls at the shorter man, "I just..."
   "What is done is done!" Regina cuts them off, "Let's not waste our efforts arguing over what could have been. It is only to be expected of a rogue Gym Leader from our region. Now, tell us all that happened."
   "We had managed to capture him, and we decided to spend the night at the hideout he made..." Aina begins, explaining what they know...
   Donar nods once she has finished, "His Cottonee escaped before all that, but... I don't think that puffball would've been able to help him."
   "Cottonee?" Pierre raises a brow, "He caught a new Pokémon?"
   Aina nods, "Yes... It fled at the end of our battle against him, when Donar threatened to kill it."
   "...Is that all?" Regina looks carefully at both Aina and Donar...
   "...Just before it fled, Verdell spoke with it..." Aina leans back, "He mentioned an employer."
   "Employer?" Pierre looks at her, "Do tell."
   Aina looks at the sky, "...I think someone hired him and is protecting him. But I'm not sure who..."
   "..." Regina glances at Matthias...
   "Hired him..." Matthias mutters, "...Verdell wouldn't have said anything, so I doubt it's that. He's a wanted man, so whoever hired him must be after his skill as a researcher, and have the resources to hide him... or at least protect him."
   Pierre frowns, "Sir... that's not going to be easy, Unova is known to be corrupted in various circles."
   "Are you saying it's impossible to pinpoint who would hire him?"
   He shakes his head, "No, but if I were to investigate this it could take a while... Time that I am not sure we have."
   "If someone was helping him escape, it means that whoever it is, they have proven themselves capable of stealing Verdell from right under Aina's nose." Regina says, "You may want to be cautious, Pierre. It is possible that we are dealing with someone in a profession similar to yours."
   "I noticed." He glances at Regina, "But I do not intend to be tricked or outsmarted."
   Donar looks at Pierre, "Would you like help?"
   Pierre shakes his head at the giant, "No need, my agents are more than capable. You and Aina need to focus on what you do."
   All of a sudden there's a noise from Aina's Pokéquip! "...?" She picks it up and looks at it.
   "Hey, Aina! Did you get your Pokéquip back yet? How's the meeting?"
   "Verdell?" Matthias look at her.
   "...Yes."
   "...Let me see it." He takes her Pokéquip and types in it, "Hello Verdell, this is Matthias."
   "...!!" In the secret base in the forest, there is a startled movement from Verdell. It takes a little while before his next message arrives, "It's been a while, Your Majesty. We haven't even spoken since that day, have we? I'm flattered that you came all the way to Unova just for me. So, if you can catch me, what will you do?"
   "If you're worried for your Pokémon, I won't let anything happen to them. I intend to speak with Donar about his behavior towards your Cottonee."
   Giving a small sigh of relief, Verdell smiles as he gives his sleeping Cottonee a pet before he types back, "Well that's a weight off my heart! I never saw you as the kind of person to harm them, of course. Still, I never tried making you this angry with me before, so I wasn't sure how you would react."
   "Oh, I'm mad alright. But right now, after battling another Champion, I'm too drained to stay angry. Matters aside, I am not throwing my honor and values to the wind whenever it's convenient."
   "Heh, you get some points for that. Being honorable is very important when you're dealing with fairies."
   "Noted. But your behavior has tarnished Ydil's reputation. I suggest you come home already lest I drag you back myself."
   "No. I'm still too disappointed in you to consider it. I tried to explain to Donar earlier, but it was no use... But you must have figured out why I chose this path, right, Matthias?"
   Matthias leans back while typing, "...Tell me, was it because you still think I can't subdue the legendary Pokémon?"
   There is a pause as Verdell takes some time to type back, "So you still don't see... Okay. I'll tell you. You can't do it as you are now. I didn't think so back then either, but I wanted to believe in you. I'm sure you remember how you and everyone tried to convince me to break the seal of the fairies, even though I kept telling you that I intended to entrust my research to the Pokémon League for safekeeping. How you were all so insistent and wouldn't let me go, no matter how many times I warned you of the danger. But I really hoped I was underestimating you. So to test you, I chose to act like a fairy. But even after all the warnings I gave you...! I told you that fairies use their charm as a weapon. Yet once I demonstrated by pretending that you had convinced me, you fell for it instantly! If only you had seen through me that time... If you had stopped me on the night I attacked the Pokémon League, maybe I could have believed in you. But when I destroyed my research, you were not there. You know how important it was to me. I kept wishing that you would show up to stop me... The League building was but a small sacrifice to get my message across, and ensure that you would not make the same mistake with the fate of Ydil at stake, but... why, Matthias? Why did you let me throw my whole life away?!" The first message is followed by a second one, "...Sorry. It all just came back and hit me again, but I pressed send too soon. I won't take it back because that's really how I felt, but, I also wanted to say I know it's my own fault more than yours. Maybe if I could trust that you won't try to make me reveal those secrets to you again, I'd come home. But I can't, and it wouldn't be like you to give up so easily. That's still your goal, right?"
   Matthias grits his teeth, taking a sharp breath before he responds, "That is still my goal, yes. However, I should be asking you the same thing. You say, 'Why did I let you throw your life away' and yet you were the one who made that choice, Verdell. Perhaps I was wrong about you when Aina introduced you to me. I cannot help but wonder if you lied to her about your true nature from the beginning."
   Verdell closes his eyes for a moment before typing back, "I know, it was my own choice. I was prepared to live with the consequences, as I do now. I did not mean to blame my mistakes on you. Sorry. I just... really wish that you had stopped me. But if I had been a liar all along, you would have seen right through me. Aina would have, too. Whether you can believe that or not... thank you for being sincere with me. I have always admired your resolve. So tell you what, if you truly want me back, come play, Matthias. I'm not as powerful or dangerous as that Pokémon, but I defied you once in order to test you, and now... since I must continue to defy you, see if you can catch and tame me. And this time, don't let me trick you! Because, until you prove to me that you understand the fairies I won't break the seal for you."
   "I will, but I propose a challenge to you in turn. While I work to understand fairies, you better do the same to understand humans. Because it's clear to me that you have no idea just how much pain you truly caused with your stunt. You never explained that your last 'trial' would involve a terrorist attack on the League building... A warning would've been greatly appreciated."
   "The legendary Pokémon will not warn you. If I had told you what I was about to do, the trial would not have served its purpose. But fair enough. Now that you have had that experience, I'll be clear... The trial is for you to understand the Pokémon, not defeat it. Even if defeating it may also be necessary, since it may not be as inclined to understand you. I can believe you have that part down already, at least. And I can try to understand humans better. I think I am quite aware of the pain I caused, but if I am wrong, very well. I cannot promise that it will prevent me from being cruel again. But I accept."
   "..." Matthias thinks carefully about this before responding, "...I will keep my ears open regarding your behavior, Verdell. I will know when you fail to understand humans."
   "Will you let me know, too, since I'm so clueless?" Verdell glances at where Nora is sleeping, then he keeps typing, "One more thing. In this game, you'll have rivals. I don't know yet if either of them is worthy, but I have to make a choice soon. If I decide to support one of them... and if that person is able to make their vision for Unova come true... can I have Aina? I tried to convince her to run away with me, but she's so loyal that even my charm wasn't enough. I know she'll try her best for you and Ydil, but if you can't win this time, you have to let her go. Fair?"
   "Fair. However, Verdell. I may be the Dragon King of Ydil, but even I understand there are lines that should never be crossed. Let me make this clear to you: Do not say that you will try. You have to do everything possible to understand, lest you end up digging yourself into a deeper pit than before." Matthias looks at the sky for a moment, thinking before continuing, "When you do cruel acts, it makes it that much harder for former friends to regain their trust in you. Judging by how you're phrasing things, you're about to do it again, to someone who trusts you just like we did... aren't you."
   "...Impressive, Matthias. You got me. Because when different loyalties clash, it is unavoidable that someone will get hurt."
   "I am well aware of that, thank you very much. Though when you do hurt that person, I hope that you will at least have the decency to make it as painless as possible." He sighs at this while shaking his head, "Something tells me that at least one of my rivals is someone you're seeking sanctuary from to hide from us... aren't you?"
   "Can you blame me? You're all so scary. Especially you, Matthias. Every time I see a dark cloud I fear that you're coming to drag my ship into the depths."
   "Considering how prone you are to using your Typhlosion's Eruption in small spaces I do believe that I have a good reason to do so."
   "I expect no mercy from you. I'm prepared to lose my ship too. But it is all I have left, you know... It would make me sad. So I guess I better hurry to make myself a new home!"
   There's another headshake from Matthias, "If you surrender peacefully, I promise not to sink your ship. Besides, the kiddos in Ydil were sad they could no longer explore it."
   "It's for their sakes you haven't done it? ...Out of curiosity, if I surrender to you one day, what's going to happen to me? Will it be the gallows or the stocks?"
   "Aside for getting the information out of you? You will be facing justice for the demolition of the League building and for desertion as a Gym Leader. There are other charges as well, but I assume that you know well enough what they are."
   "A raid would not be complete if I didn't get some booty out of it! But that's not the point. I'm still gonna spend the rest of my life in prison even if you get what you want from me?"
   "If that is what the court decides. I cannot make any promises; you know that they operate independently from me. But I do intend to get what I want from you, that I promise."
   "So I can't expect a pardon for my crimes from you. Good luck recruiting pirates that way, Your Majesty! If I lose my ship no matter whether I am caught or turn myself in, I prefer to battle to the end and face my fate with my head held high!"
   "You say that, but the moment my storm comes rumbling you follow the pirate tradition of turning tail and fleeing." He stares at the Pokéquip with a dull look.
   "Aye. Sorry, Matthias, but I'm not suicidal. And I was never considering surrender. There is no turning back for me."
   "I was told you were going to say that. So be it. The Dragon King will take flight! With my entourage. Let us see if you can escape all five of us at once."
   "Come and get me, you black-hearted beastie! :b"
   "Whatever you say, freshwater pirate who can't swear like a man! >;b"
   "You jest, King of Barbaracles!"
   "Lily-livered wimp of a fairy!"
   "Serpent-sired sea skunk!"
   "..." Regina looks up from the messages, turning her attention to Aina, "Is it not strange? My beloved and yours enjoy each other's company, yet they do not understand one another."
   Aina quietly watches Matthias continue typing insults, "...I am at a loss as well, Lady Regina. I still remember the days when Verdell performed his show... At times, Matthias and his dragons would come to play along as sea monsters..."
   "You were always so close with Verdell, Aina..." Regina looks straight at her.
   "I thought I was... But when he argued with Donar, he... said that since none of us saw him through that time, we can't have known him so well either..."
   "But just now he made clear how fond he still is of you. And we all know there have been times when you were able to see through him." She lifts her hands, punching her own palm, "For me, fighting types are especially hard to comprehend. For you, it is the dark types, is it not? And to Matthias, it appears to be the fairy type..." She turns to him, "Matthias. To me, it appears that Verdell is begging to be outsmarted by you. I know that if you have a type you do not get along with, it is possible to both overcome those differences and maintain your integrity... because I have met trainers who did before. And there is no better trainer than you, so I know that you can do it too." She smiles a little, "Aina, since you know Verdell best out of all of us, I think a good place to start may be if you teach Matthias as much as you can about him. Even if you do not understand him fully, if you explain to the best of your ability, it will surely help." She looks at Matthias, "What do you think...?"
   "...It's not that I don't want to understand the fairy type." He ponders with a frown at the screen, "But why is he so..." He stops, sighing before he looks at everyone, "...It's worth a try. I will travel with Aina to learn as much about Verdell as possible. You reported that he's following the journey of a trainer. Donar, I want you to keep Verdell moving towards Icirrus City. If the opportunity to capture him presents itself, you have my full permission to do what it takes."
   "Yes sir."
   "Pierre, I want you to look into who is aiding Verdell. While I understand that there are some troubling factors, I have faith you will succeed."
   "Of course." Pierre nods.
   "Aina, you will travel with Regina and I to Icirrus City. You are to tell me everything I need to know about Verdell."
   "..." Aina nods at this.
   Matthias looks at Regina, "You mentioned that you'll be working with an ice type Gym Leader...?"
   "Yes." Regina says, "He lives in Icirrus City. If we are betting on Verdell continuing to travel with that trainer, visiting the Gym Leader there will be an excellent cover to prepare a trap on a larger scale... It's fine if I freeze him a little, as long as he does not die... I hope?" She looks at Aina.
   "...He is still mine. Do not kill him." Aina speaks softly though her eyes look sharp.
   "Do not worry... I also prefer him alive. I want to see him surrender properly to Matthias." She smiles, although rather coldly this time... "I also do not think that he should escape punishment, regardless of what excuses he makes up for himself."
   "I am fully aware." Aina responds curtly, and Donar shifts a bit as the two women seem to be making him uncomfortable...
   Matthias clears his throat, "Regardless, the night is still young and we each know what must be done. I will be making my way to Icirrus City with Regina and Aina. We will be staying at the Pokémon Center there, awaiting Verdell's arrival... Now then..." He stands up as he hands Aina her Pokéquip back, "Dismissed."
   Aina gets up too, but pauses, looking at him, "My King... what of my apprentice? He may get suspicious if I'm gone for too long."
   "...Donar will travel with him." Matthias looks between them, "Tell him that you are on an important mission on the League's behalf."
   Aina nods in agreement with Donar, although there is something concerned over her face...
   "Is something the matter?" Regina asks.
   "..." She looks at Donar, "My apprentice needs patience and time. Don't make him do your normal training regimen."
   Donar gives a hearty laugh, "Don't worry, Aina! I'll just do my own training, and teach your student a few tricks on the side. He needs to gain some muscle weight! The kid's too scrawny!"
   "Don't work him to death, Donar. I mean it." She stares him down until he nods.
   Pierre glances at Matthias, "...Remember that Champion Cynthia plans to stay in Undella Town a bit longer."
   "..." He nods, looking at the others, "We cannot allow her to get involved. She's too sharp..."
   "Well, it seems that we have a plan." Regina says, "When we meet up in Icirrus City, Verdell will be caught."

The next day, Nora approaches the entrance to Chargestone Cave. It is some ways up into the mountain, and a faint blue glow comes from the opening... She looks around, taking notes on her tablet, but then she pauses, "What...?"
   "...?" Verdell heads over...
   She looks at her tablet... The screen is glitching. "...I guess Chargestone Cave must be interfering with it. Aw man, I wanted to take some pictures in there."
   "...Hmm, looks like my Pokéquip's acting up too. Guess I better turn it off until we're through this place..."
   Nora puts her tablet away and turns off her Xtranceiver, "I think I remember the professor said that the cave gives off a special electromagnetic field. It attracts a lot of electric and steel types that live here."
   "Well, this should be an interesting experience... Are you ready?"
   "Yeah!" There's a smile on her face as they enter the cave, "I think you'll like it, Verdell. I heard there are floating rocks here."
   "Huh, sounds cool-- Ah?!" Suddenly the two of them are seized by a group of masked men that appeared out of nowhere...!
   "Wha--?! Let me go you creeps!!" Nora flails! But they are not letting go, keeping her in a firm grip!
   "...Come." One of them speaks as they drag her and Verdell along!
   "Verdell! Do something! What's with that calm look?!" Nora yells as she fights against their hold! Unlike her, he is not putting up a struggle...
   "They're not from the Ydil League." He smiles at her, "Let's find out what they want."
   They're brought a little ways into the cave, to an undisturbed area where they see a familiar green-haired figure staring intently at a huge blue boulder sparking with electricity... The masked men push them towards him, then they step back and bow... "My lord N, we brought the ones you wanted." One of them speaks.
   "Ah, yes. Thank you." As N turns around and gives them a smile, they vanish... His attention moves onto Nora, "That was the Shadow Triad, just now. They serve Team Plasma."
   "Grabbing us like that was unnecessary..." Nora rubs her wrists while looking at him, "So... what's up, N?"
   He turns to the glowing boulder again, "Chargestone Cave... I like being here. There's a formula to explain electricity and how it relates to Pokémon... Without people, this place would match my ideal." He glances at Nora, "Anyway. You have been chosen... Were you surprised I decided that?"
   "Chosen...?" She tilts her head, "What... what do you mean?"
   "...Hmph. Well, it should be a surprise. But I thought you understood what it means." N exchanges a glance with Verdell before his attention returns to Nora, "I told Ghetsis about you. Turns out that he sent the Shadow Triad to investigate you and your friends. Cheren has fallen for the tempting ideal of seeking power for its own sake, out of a wish to avenge his younger self... Bianca is one of the many who once accepted the sad truth that not everyone will become strong, and now she tries to keep up without a clear goal of her own. While you remain as a neutral presence, untainted by both of those paths... He admitted that's a good thing."
   Nora's jaw tenses up a bit, "...And...?"
   "Team Plasma will be waiting for you ahead. Ghetsis wants to see what kind of Pokémon trainer you really are." He smiles a little as he turns and begins to walk off, but then he pauses, "Verdell, if you want to watch, come with me." He keeps walking.
   "Heh, alright." Verdell throws a grin to Nora, "It seems you're going to be tested. As you know I can't help you against Team Plasma anymore, but good luck!" He hurries after N.
   "...I can't help but feel like I'm at the butt end of a joke right now..." She mutters as she watches them leave before resuming her research... The walls and floor glittering with a faint glow around her give the cave an enchanting atmosphere. She soon spots some of the floating stones, as well as some wild Joltik happily crawling on them. As she heads deeper into the cave, after a while she hears more familiar voices from behind, turning around.
   "Nora! Guess what!" Bianca approaches with a smile, "Nora, did you know this? The floating stones move when you touch them! Right, Professor?"
   Nora blinks at this as she looks behind Bianca, "Professor?"
   Professor Juniper walks over with a kind smile, "Hi there! How are you, Nora?"
   "I'm doing good. What are you doing here?" She watches as Professor Juniper walks past her and looks around...
   "This place is always charged with lots of electricity that Pokémon like! The electric charges react from one stone to another, and that's why some of the stones are floating! But not all of the stones can be pushed. My father asked me to research Klink, which is a Pokémon that looks like a gear, because I'm researching the origins of Pokémon and the era they appeared. He knows how to get what he wants from people, but I was already interested in this anyway, so it's a lot of fun!" Juniper takes notice of one of the glowing rocks, carefully observing a Pokémon interacting with it, "Keep encountering lots of Pokémon, so you can continue filling in those Pokédex pages!"
   "Bianca, did you pass the Driftveil Gym Challenge?" Nora looks curiously at the blonde.
   "No... Cheren went to challenge it first, so it's going to be a while. But in the meantime I'm the Professor's bodyguard! Well, that's probably not necessary, but you have to protect important things!"
   Nora laughs, "You have a good point there. Well, I have to make my way to Mistralton City. I'll see you later?"
   "Why not join us?" Bianca tilts her head, "Maybe we can help with the research like we used to!"
   Nora glances between her and Juniper, considering it, "...Alright. I can help with that."
   "Yeah! Come on!" Bianca takes her hand as they follow Professor Juniper. They keep making their way deeper into the cave... The charged rocks give off sparks when they walk too close...! Nora backs off, and feeling her hair stand on end after being charged with the static electricity, she runs a hand through it to push it back down. Klink appear to be fairly common in the area, too...

"I think we're just about done collecting data." Juniper says after a while, glancing at some nearby Klink, "This cave has been around since the distant past, but... data to prove that Klink existed more than a hundred years ago can't be found. So that must mean... Klink suddenly appeared a hundred years ago!" She looks at her two assistants with a happy smile, "Where Pokémon came from and where they are going... If we can learn that, I believe we can get along even better!"
   Bianca nods excitedly at this. As Juniper begins to review her notepad, she turns to her friend, "Know what, Nora? Pokémon are mysterious! I wonder why these amazing little guys stay by our sides..."
   "Maybe because they like some of us?" Nora smiles at her, "It's clear that Lugh and the others adore you."
   "The same can be said of your Soujiro and your team, Nora!" Bianca pauses as she notices something, "Oh, what's that...?" She goes to check out a dust cloud thrown up by a burrowing Pokémon that she spotted in the distance.
   The instant Juniper and Bianca have their attention elsewhere, the Shadow Triad appear again! "...Come." One of them whispers, covering Nora's mouth before she has a chance to protest, dragging off with her! They head deeper into the cave, crossing a wooden bridge over a huge chasm without so much as a creak being heard... Once they reach the other side they stop, and one of them whispers to her, "...There are stairs going down ahead. Team Plasma is waiting for you there." With that, they vanish!
   "Ah...!" Nora rubs her arms a bit, "...Geez... those guys give me the creeps..." She looks ahead, "...Well, no time like the present, I guess." She continues forward. Just like they said, she soon finds the stairs... "...This is probably going to suck." Taking a deep breath and a Pokéball in her hand, she heads down. "...Though how the heck did these stairs get here into this cave...?" It is quite dark down there, but the charged rocks light up the surroundings enough for her to see where she is going... After walking for a little while, the cave opens up into a huge room... High above her head she can see the bridge they crossed. There are many floating stones too. Reacting to her presence below, they begin to wobble in the air... Alerting the crowd of Team Plasma members some distance ahead. A dull look appears on her face, "...You've got to be kidding me." Beyond them she can see that there are stairs leading back up, but Team Plasma are blocking the path ahead... It seems that she'll have to battle her way through in order to get there. "...I hope you guys are ready." Nora speaks calmly to her Pokémon, taking a deep breath before walking towards Team Plasma, "...Because I predict this is going to be a test of everything we've got." She can feel her Pokéballs shaking violently in response to seeing the grunts!
   "Looks like she's finally ready." Verdell smiles as he watches from a cliff high above, alongside N and Ghetsis... Nora makes a dash for the grunts! With a flash of light Dewott appears, running alongside her!
   "...Is it your mentoring? Or what education she received from her family?" Ghetsis glances at Verdell. The grunts are sending out their Pokémon, ready to clash with Nora.
   "If N is right about her, it will be neither. Right?"
   N nods, "If her own conviction is not strong enough to make it through this challenge, she cannot be the second hero. If so, I will give up on having her test my formula... But that won't happen." Additional flashes appear as Kirlia and Aron charge forward angrily! They clash against Team Plasma's Pokémon as orders and attacks are flying all over the place! Occasionally a flying boulder is seen...
   "Even if she has her background in a family of so-called Ace Trainers, milord?" Ghetsis looks at N.
   "Has Team Plasma not liberated Pokémon from such trainers before, Father?" N asks, not taking his eyes off the battlefield...
   "A few have been liberated. However, the likes of her parents and her sister often prove to be more... aggressively against our mission."
   Verdell chuckles, "Nora confided in me that she loathes the methods of her parents. Right me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that your goal is not to test her, but to stop her... However, if you fail to do that I don't think you can blame it on her parents."
   "Hmm. But how much of this comes from her family, and how much comes from her own convictions?"
   "The first time I met her..." N ponders, "She was nothing like other Ace Trainers."
   Verdell chuckles at the memory, "Indeed. I watched your battle that time... She was such a klutz! But as you can see now, she and her Pokémon have grown a lot since then. She's handling herself pretty well so far, isn't she." Team Plasma are releasing more Pokémon, yet as Nora skillfully commands her own they keep getting beaten!
   "Perhaps, but I am not convinced that she really is the hero of the other dragon." Ghetsis shakes his head, "Does she even have ideals strong enough to move its heart?"
   "If she doesn't, why do you worry?" Verdell glances at him...
   "...I am concerned because our King's attention has been on her ever since that first battle of theirs." Ghetsis glances at Verdell, then at N...
   Verdell raises a brow, "...Are you worried that she may be able to fake being the second hero in order to steal his heart?"
   "...Yes."
   "But it's not easy to fake being one of Unova's heroes. Ultimately the decision belongs to the two legendary dragons, right? Do you think that stealing their hearts will be as easy?"
   "Pokémon have been tricked in the past, Verdell. I know not the full power of the legendary dragons, but I fear a lie will overtake the truth." A boulder flies past them as one of Team Plasma's Pokémon who had tried to attack from above is targeted by Aron! Flashes of electricity and fire blaze as the battle is getting intense...!
   "...I know." Verdell closes his eyes for a moment, "It is true that history has seen times when even legendary Pokémon were abused... Still, to my understanding, it's not possible to forge a false bond with the legendary dragons of Unova."
   "Do you understand my formula, Verdell?" N asks.
   "...Not entirely." He opens his eyes, "I will observe for a while longer."
   "..." N keeps watching Nora...
   "You will not separate my family!" She glares harshly towards one grunt as her Dewott barks angrily!
   "WOTT WOTT DEWOTT DE DEW WOTT!"
   "Kir kirlia kir!"
   "It's bad for ordinary trainers like you to use Pokémon!" A grunt shouts back, "It's only good for us members of Team Plasma to use Pokémon!"
   "Argh! I can't believe I lost..."
   "I don't understand... Your Pokémon seem to be happy next to you."
   "Oh, my! No, no. Plasmaaaa!"
   "The hope of Team Plasma!" Another grunt shouts as more dash over as reinforcements, replacing those who lost!
   "As a proud member of Team Plasma, I will gladly battle with you."
   "You... You are the trainer that my lord N is worried about!"
   "We know our king will lead us. He will free the Pokémon! You! Release your Pokémon and stop being a trainer!"
   "I am NOT backing down from this!" Nora yells out, "I fight for a future where Pokémon and humans can live in harmony!" Her Pokémon yell out alongside her as they keep fighting, it seems that they're not getting tired anytime soon...!
   "...She's resolute, I'll give her that." Ghetsis muses at this...
   "Of course." Verdell smiles, "When I first accepted her as my apprentice, she already had some pretty good reasons to be a trainer. Since N gave her one more, she's more motivated than ever." The battle rages on! There are psychic blasts, electric shocks, water and fire flying everywhere! Another boulder is launched at Team Plasma's Pokémon... Then Aron clobbers a Liepard with one of the glowing blue rocks!
   "And those reasons...?"
   "Well, if I got this right, she shares a dream with N. She wants to end the corruption in the Pokémon League in order to protect Pokémon. That's why I agreed to mentor her... even if she plays by their rules."
   "..." Ghetsis watches the battle quietly for a little while, "...Playing by their rules... She may end up more injured than I was when I tried to purge it."
   "Heh... I feel a little bad for her and Cheren. They both believe that I'm helping them reach their goals... I can't tell them that there may not even be a Pokémon League by the time they get there."
   "..." N smiles a little, throwing a quick glance at Ghetsis, "Father, if she told Verdell of her dream before I told her mine in Nacrene City, it proves that she was not lying to me."
   "...I can't tell if you're being smug about that, but I rest my case then." Ghetsis sighs...
   "...The battle will be over soon." N says, "Nora has won. But even if she becomes the second hero, I have to defeat her. That is how the future I envisioned will become apparent to the world... I'll challenge her myself now. I'm going to find some of my friends before she gets here... Father, what will you do?"
   "..." Ghetsis sighs again as he watches the grunts pull back from Nora's onslaught! He looks at N, "I will be making my way to Icirrus City to oversee the investigation of the moor. Hopefully we'll find Reshiram soon enough."
   N nods, "I will come there later." He heads off to search for some Pokémon.
   "..." Verdell turns to Ghetsis, "...He has feelings for her, doesn't he? It seems to trouble you, but do you mind if I ask why? I get that he's the king and all, but Nora isn't a bad person..."
   "...I suppose it is because he's my son." Ghetsis looks up at the sparkling ceiling, "...I worry for him. Especially because of the circumstances under which I had found him. At times, I find it difficult to see if he feels affection for her, or if this is all in the name of his formula."
   "...He seems to have a lot of faith in her at the same time as there is a sense of rivalry... I thought he looked a little angry while he watched this battle, too, even if he did not voice it. It is hard to tell... but I still get the feeling that he likes her." He rubs his head, "You're making me curious, though. Is he your adopted son, since you say that you found him? Perhaps someday you can tell me about those circumstances."
   "He is adopted, yes... though this is far from a good time." Ghetsis shakes his head.
   "I agree, such details are not important for me to know right now, so let's leave it for a better time." He nods.
   "...Verdell, before I go, do you mind if I ask you something?"
   "What is it?"
   He watches Nora calling her Pokémon back after healing them, "...How does she feel about him?"
   "...She hasn't spoken to me about N at all. She mentioned briefly that he helped her when the Ydil League decided to target her too in Pinwheel Forest, but aside for that, not a word. That's why I was surprised to find out something like this was going on between them. Just now, when we entered the cave, she seemed a little displeased about the greeting he had prepared for us, but she spoke to him in a familiar tone... Early during our journey she also told me that she does not have an interest in romance. So based on this evidence, while she is certainly a good person and friend... I don't think she has romantic feelings for N. Not as of yet, at least."
   "I see..." Ghetsis looks relieved.
   "She seems to be on her way up now."
   "Ah... Indeed." He notices her heading up the stairs, "I will take my leave. I suggest you follow Lord N or return to her. Until we meet again, Verdell." Ghetsis nods to him as he turns around and leaves...
   "Good luck with the search." Verdell smiles. It seems that N is on his way back too, followed by a small horde of Pokémon... As he positions himself in front of the way out of the cave, Verdell comes over, leaning against the wall nearby...

After a few minutes, Nora appears in the distance... She perks up when she sees Verdell and N! Verdell gives her an applause, "Well fought! You've made it all the way to the final boss of this dungeon!"
   "Verdell, don't treat this like some kind of game..." Nora sighs a bit before she looks at N, "...Did I pass?"
   "Yes. Ghetsis has withdrawn. Now it is my turn." There is something dark about the look he gives her...
   "...!" She tenses up.
   "Many different values mix together, and the world becomes gray... I cannot allow it! Pokémon and people should be separate, as clear as black and white! Only then will Pokémon attain perfection!"
   "That's your dream...?" Verdell watches them both intently...
   "Yes! That is my dream! That is the dream I must fulfill! Nora! Is your dream still the same?"
   "It's still there, N." Nora nods, her eyes narrowing as she meets his dark look, "It's always been there."
   "So it has... That's wonderful." He returns the nod, "But just how far will your dream go... Let me battle you to make sure!" The Boldore next to him steps forward.
   "Hector, let's go!" The Aron appears in a flash of light, watching the rock creature and N carefully... "Iron Head!"
   "Arr!!" Aron charges! It's a heavy hit, and Boldore is pushed back a bit!
   "Magnitude!" N counters! A tremor runs through the cave floor...!
   "Whoa...!" Verdell quickly calls his Jumpluff out, bouncing up with her to avoid losing his balance.
   "Ah...!" Nora falls backwards as Aron is struck hard, he hangs on however...! "Iron Head again!"
   "Arrr...!" While weakened greatly, Aron charges forth with his cranium shining!
   "...!" N winces as Boldore is knocked out! "Thunder Shock!" He calls out as Klink floats forward, zapping Aron! He stumbles backwards...
   "Hector!" Nora reaches over to rub his head, "You did a good job... rest up." The Aron gives a content grunt as she calls him back...
   N looks at Nora, "Do you believe that Pokémon battles help us understand one another?"
   She stands up as she takes out another Pokéball, "I think so... I can see you're not used to battles. But... that's not a bad thing, because I know you care about your friends."
   "..." N purses his lips, not responding, but he watches her cautiously...
   "When you battle, you see a person at their best and worst." She smiles at him as she throws her Pokéball, "Let's go, Sirius!" There's a sharp bark as the Growlithe wags his tail! "Flame Wheel!!" He charges forward wreathed in flames!
   "Charge Beam!" Klink fires off a bolt of electricity at Growlithe, but he does not seem phased, striking back hard!
   "Good job!" Nora calls out, "Let's go for another!" There's an affirmative bark as Growlithe begins to chase after the Klink! It tries to float away, but it is no use as Growlithe pounces down on it, knocking it out!
   "Acid Spray!" N calls out as suddenly a shower of acid strikes Growlithe from above...! There is a Ferroseed at the cave ceiling... Growlithe growls and barks at it! Apparently he's not too happy about the opponent being out of his reach! Nora glances around the area, looking for anything to help against it...! "Keep it up!" N says, and Ferroseed keeps spitting acid at Growlithe! Although it is not harming him much, it seems that he is losing some fur where it hits him...
   "Iron Tail on the cave wall!" There's a bark as Growlithe slams his tail onto the wall! The attack leaves a small crack, but the Ferroseed calmly keeps spitting more acid at him. It seems to be damaging him more as his fur no longer shields him as well...! Nora frowns, "Return!" Growlithe whines a bit, bummed out that he has to stop! "Use Dig, Aurelia!" She throws her Pokéball!
   "Pika!" The Pikachu makes a happy squeak before she begins to dig into the ground!
   "Iron Defense!" N calls out! As the Ferroseed shines, Pikachu can no longer be seen...
   "Get it down, Aurelia!" Nora calls out! Ferroseed is struck from above, but there is a yelp from Pikachu as she is hurt by its spikes!
   "Pin Missile!" N shouts out, and as Ferroseed falls down it fires off a barrage of sharp spikes at Pikachu!
   "Pika...!"
   "Electro Ball!" Nora calls out, and a concentrated ball of electricity strikes the Ferroseed! The little Pikachu lands on the cave floor, looking worn out from the barrage of needles!
   "Don't stop!" Ferroseed keeps firing off its spikes...! It's too much for Pikachu!
   "Pik--!!"
   "Return!!" Nora calls out as Pikachu falls over on the ground, "Sirius-- Flame Wheel!!" There's a loud snarl as the Growlithe charges full speed at his target while covered in fire! Without any escape now, Ferroseed takes heavy damage! But it seems that its Iron Defense lets it hold on, as N calls out for it to use Acid Spray again! There's a yelp, but Growlithe looks determined as he crashes into Ferroseed once more! Its spikes dig into him, and both Pokémon are knocked out! "Return!" Nora calls the Puppy Pokémon back as she throws another Pokéball, "Lucia!"
   "Kir...!" The Kirlia is watching N carefully as a Joltik steps forth.
   "Confuse Ray!" A strange ray hits Joltik!
   "My entire being brims over with love for my friends!" N says with a dark smile.
   "...N that's a rather scary look you got there." Nora notes as Kirlia is taking a defensive stance.
   "You'll see!" N looks around, then he kicks a loose shard of the sparking blue rock towards Kirlia! "Follow it, Joltik!" The Joltik immediately scurries after the piece, running straight into her...! "Now! Cross Poison!" Using both of its claws, in spite of its confusion it strikes at Kirlia with all its might!
   "Kir...!!"
   "Lucia...!" Nora's eyes widen at this!
   "Kir..." The Kirlia looks up at N as she lies on the cave floor, unsettled by his dark gaze... Then she narrows her eyes... Suddenly she's enveloped in a piercing light...! Nora's eyes widen as Kirlia's form grows taller... The light fades, revealing a tall, elegant Pokémon who in spite of being pained by Joltik's poison rises to stand again, with a resolute spark in her red eyes!
   "Gardevoir..." Nora mutters before shaking her head, "Psyshock-- Now!!"
   "Garde!!" Gardevoir's eyes glow! Her psychic-charged rocks appear around the little Joltik, flying at it!
   "...!!" N's eyes widen as Joltik is struck, falling off Gardevoir and curling up on the cave floor. Lowering his head, he quickly comes over and sits down next to it, picking it up... "My friends getting hurt... That's what a Pokémon battle is." He says bitterly...
   "..." Verdell sends out his Clefairy, "Help them, Chef."
   "Clefairy!" He nods, walking over to use Heal Pulse on the wild Pokémon, while Verdell approaches Nora to heal her team...
   "Garde..." Gardevoir turns to her trainer, who nods... Then she approaches N and gently places her hands over the Joltik... They begin to glow with a soft light!
   Nora also walks over to N, looking worried, "...N? Are you okay?"
   "..." N lets the Joltik go once it has been healed, and it disappears into the cave along with the other wild Pokémon... He doesn't look at Nora, staring at his hands instead... "...Why? Is it impossible for me to win our battles while feeling bad about being a trainer...?"
   "N... Why did you battle with me if you didn't want to?" Nora asks, "If you're not used to it... Did those Pokémon want to battle?"
   "Garde..." Gardevoir looks between the two trainers, concerned as she senses the emotional tension between them...
   "No, this was my mistake. I asked them to help me out... Kh!" He grits his teeth, pushing himself to his feet, "As if I could pursue the truth with something as meaningless as a battle! As if that could make me worthy in the eyes of the legendary Pokémon... to be its friend...!"
   "...!" Verdell's attention is drawn to him. Quickly handing Nora her Pokéballs back, he watches N intently...
   "Wha...?" Nora looks confused. Then she feels Gardevoir taking her hand...
   "..." N looks at the Gardevoir as she also takes his hand...
   "Gardevoir..." Gardevoir looks between the trainers as she puts their hands together, "Voir gardevoir..."
   Nora blinks as she looks at her Pokémon, "Lucia, what are--" She cuts herself off, wincing, "...Why does my heart... hurt all the sudden...?"
   "...!!" N quickly withdraws his hand.
   "Nora!" Bianca's voice is heard. Nora turns to see her run towards them, followed by Professor Juniper at a calmer pace. "Just a little further to Mistralton City!" Bianca chirps. Nora looks at her hand, then at N with a surprised look...
   "Bianca, you have good ears. I can't believe you heard Nora's voice from that far away." Juniper smiles at the blonde as they approach, noticing N and Verdell, "Nora, who are these trainers? Friends of yours?"
   N's attention shifts from his hand to the newcomers, and he fixes a glare on the professor, "...Professor Juniper. You appear to have no qualms about the relationship between trainers and Pokémon. You make up arbitrary rules to classify Pokémon and claim that you can understand them like that... The very idea of a Pokédex revolts me." Verdell listens with a serious face, then he begins to approach N, who raises his head a bit, staring down Professor Juniper... "What do you have to say for yourself?"
   "Oh, my. Looks like you're not my biggest fan." Juniper's smile fades a bit, but she shakes her head, "Your opinion is understandable. It happens to be different from mine, which is equally understandable. How about if all people get to decide for themselves how to relate to Pokémon?"
   "...That's the same as allowing people with bad intentions to hurt Pokémon... Such a foolish world is not something I can simply condone!" He turns on his heel to walk away, but stops as he finds Verdell right in front of him.
   "You're right!" Verdell breaks into a smile, "I've made up my mind. I will join you."
   "...!" Nora's eyes widen in shock.
   Bianca blinks, "What...?"
   "...!" N's anger seems to dissipate momentarily, "I thought that you would understand."
   Verdell nods, "Thank you for giving me the chance to see for myself what kind of person you are, N. I feel so... relieved, somehow. I haven't been able to fully trust anyone for such a long time... But now I am confident that my trust won't be misplaced with you."
   "...It can't be..." Nora mutters under her breath...
   Bianca looks at her friend, then at Verdell, "..."
   "...!" Noticing their stares, Verdell turns his attention to them, "...Sorry, Nora, Bianca. I have to go now. This is what I came to Unova for, after all..."
   "...Verdell, are you..." Bianca speaks softly, "...Are you leaving us?"
   "Yes. It's for the best. You can't be associated with someone like me..."
   Nora's eyes are turning blank as she stares at him...
   "B-But you just started to teach us...!" Bianca walks over to him, "W-Why... You said we're getting better..."
   "You are!" Verdell smiles at her, "The two of you and Cheren are excellent trainers. You're strong enough to manage without me."
   "B-But..." Bianca looks down, "W-We're f-friends aren't we...? D-Did I do something w-wrong? I-I didn't mean to h-hold back Cheren and Nora...!"
   "...Bianca." Verdell places a hand on her shoulder, "You're not holding either of them back. You're the one holding them together. So don't blame yourself. If you need to blame someone, you can blame me. I don't mind. I couldn't tell you the full truth, after all."
   "The truth...?" She looks up at him...
   "..." Nora's head lowers... It appears that she's crying... Her Gardevoir moves closer, making worried sounds! Juniper is watching quietly, her smile gone as she's observing Verdell very carefully...
   "...Oh, it looks like I've been recognized." Verdell grins a little as he notices Juniper's stare, "In that case I shouldn't linger. Let's go, N."
   "..." N is watching Nora with a hint of concern in his eyes... "...I'm sorry, Nora." He says before leaving with Verdell.
   "...Nora... Bianca..." Juniper approaches them... Nora remains frozen in place, and Bianca wipes her eyes of tears... Juniper looks between them, then she pulls the two into a hug... She holds onto them until they both begin to calm down... Finally she looks at the two girls, "...Now, then... Bianca, you and I are going to have a talk, okay?"
   "Okay..." Bianca mumbles, looking up at the professor.
   "Nora. Since we're so close to the city, we'll come with you to the Pokémon Center where you can relax, okay? Don't do anything rough... just relax."
   There's a nod, "Yes, Professor..."

Leaving the cave, Juniper and Bianca follow Nora to the Pokémon Center to ensure that she has a room to stay at before they have to return to Driftveil City. Once she is alone, Nora looks at her Xtransceiver... Taking a few deep breaths, she calls Cheren... After some rings that feel very long, he finally picks up! "Oh, Nora. I just got the Quake Badge! ...Is something wrong? Your eyes are red..."
   "Cheren... I got some bad news but..." She smiles weakly at him, "Congratulations on the Quake Badge. I'm sure that Bianca will challenge the Gym soon..."
   "Come on, tell me what happened." Cheren says with a familiar slight frown.
   "...Verdell left us... He joined Team Plasma."
   "He what?!"
   "Verdell said that he's leaving us, in front of Bianca and me..." Nora slowly sits down on the bed, "I was attacked by some Team Plasma goons while I was going through Chargestone Cave... He said he's joining them..."
   "But that can't... Why would he do something like that?" Cheren stares at the screen in disbelief...
   "I don't know anymore... But Cheren, be careful." Her voice is cracking, "Professor Juniper saw what happened. She's with Bianca right now, but... well, get ready. She may ask you some questions."
   "Are they in Chargestone Cave?"
   "They're both in Chargestone Cave, yes." She nods...
   "I can't leave Bianca to handle this alone... I'll hurry there now. Nora, what do you think we should do?"
   "...For now I think we need to improve as trainers... Verdell's with Team Plasma... There's a risk that the next time we see him, he'll be an opponent."
   "...If you think that, do you want me to inform Aina about this?" Cheren has a serious face, although the image is a bit shaky as he appears to be running while talking...
   "...Don't mention Team Plasma to her. Just tell her that he's not traveling with me." She sighs, "...I don't know what he's planning, but... I think I need to calm down first, before I suggest something bad."
   "In that case, I think it's best if I stay silent for now. Where are you at?"
   "The Pokémon Center in Mistralton City. The professor suggested that I stay here to calm down..."
   "I'll try to get there as soon as I've spoken with them. Will you be alright?"
   "...Yeah." She nods, "...I think I need to sit down and just... sort everything out."
   "...You have your Pokémon with you, right? They weren't stolen, were they?"
   "No..." She shakes her head, "They're safe... Lucia actually evolved..."
   "That's a relief. It may take a little while for me to get there, but you're not alone as long as you have them."
   "Yeah..." She nods, "...I'm sorry Cheren, I'm going to end the call. I can feel Soujiro and the others, their Pokéballs are shaking."
   "Alright. Thanks for informing me about this. I'll see you later!"
   "See you later, Cheren." Nora smiles a bit as she turns off the Xtransceiver... Taking a few deep breaths, she lets her Pokémon out...

Some time later, Cheren arrives at Chargestone Cave. He puts a hand out to lean against the mountain wall for a moment, breathing heavily... After a little while he heads inside to look for Bianca and Professor Juniper. Before long he hears quiet sobbing, coming not too far from the entrance. He finds Professor Juniper and Bianca, sitting next to each other by the wall some distance from a large electrified rock... "Ah, Cheren." Juniper notices the boy, "I'm guessing you defeated Clay?"
   "..." Bianca wipes her eyes as she looks up at her friend...
   "Yes, but more importantly, Nora called me. She told me what happened." He comes over to sit down next to Bianca, placing an arm around her... Bianca lowers her head, leaning against him...
   "...Cheren... Can you tell me who Verdell is to the three of you?" Juniper looks at him with a serious face.
   "..." Cheren takes a breath, looking up at the professor, "He's been mentoring us. He gave us advice on how to become better trainers."
   "...I want you to be honest with me. Is he involved in something dangerous here in Unova? When he spoke with Nora and Bianca it sounded as though he's in trouble?"
   "Yes." Cheren nods... "His full name is Verdell Rose. Do you know about him, Professor Juniper?"
   "Yes. How did you three come in contact with him...?"
   "...Nora introduced him to me and Bianca. He helped us train so that we could challenge the Striaton Gym together... None of us knew who he was then."
   She frowns a bit, "...But you found out?"
   "...Yes." Cheren lowers his head, "His circumstances seemed a bit odd, so once I got to Castelia City, I looked him up."
   "I see..." She sighs as she rubs her temples, "...Bianca was just telling me about what happened in Castelia... After all that, was he not taken into police custody...?"
   Cheren shakes his head, "Team Plasma were the ones who took him. It appeared that there was more to his story than meets the eye, and after he spoke with the one called Ghetsis in private, he was released. But in light of this... I think we were tricked..."
   "Team Plasma..." Professor Juniper crosses her arms, "...Something about this rubs me the wrong way. I'll have to speak with the Pokémon League about this..."
   "...!!" Bianca looks up, her expression alarmed!
   "...Professor Juniper, I'm not sure, but there's a risk that may be unwise." Cheren says.
   "..." She looks at him, "Cheren... There better be a good reason to stay quiet. He's a wanted criminal... If someone like him is here, the League needs to act."
   "I know. I'm the one who exposed him the first time... ... but... after I did, I became concerned that it may have been a mistake." He pauses, moving a hand to his forehead, "I-I don't know anymore. I'm still struggling to take in that he'd join Team Plasma after all this..."
   "...Wait, what do mean?" Juniper blinks at this, "He joined someone named N, but that person was not wearing Team Plasma's uniform?"
   "...?" Bianca looks up at Cheren as well...
   "N?" Cheren makes a puzzled face, "Nora only told me that Verdell went with some goons from Team Plasma... What really happened here?"
   "We saw Nora finish a battle with N... When we approached that young man argued with me against the use of Pokédexes. I assumed he must have had a disagreement with Nora. He was quite stubborn... When he tried to leave, Verdell said that he would join him, and then they left together." Juniper looks confused, "...Did Nora get things mixed up when she was talking to you?"
   "She was quite upset, but she said that Team Plasma attacked her, and after that Verdell went with them..." Cheren frowns a little, "So this N, maybe that means he's with Team Plasma after all... We know that he sympathizes with Pokémon liberation, and Nora mentioned running into him a few times."
   "M-maybe he's a member...?" Bianca looks at him...
   Juniper furrows her brow, "...Something tells me Nora is hiding something. She has often been elusive about sharing how she feels... I really do want to talk with her but... for now, I had her stay at the Pokémon Center. She needs some time to calm down first, so she doesn't get worse and explodes from pent-up anger. I'm also not sure if she'll be willing to open up with me about this. Cheren... Bianca..."
   "...?" Bianca looks up at the Professor, as does Cheren...
   "Please keep an eye on her. But right now, I want you two to take it easy too." She looks at them with gentle eyes, "...I know the feeling of losing a friend all too well. And judging by what little I saw of Verdell, it was not easy for him either."
   Cheren takes a breath, "Professor, there's still something I have to tell you. The reason we had second thoughts and didn't tell you or anyone after that first time when I exposed him... It's because we don't know if the Ydil League can be trusted either. I know they're also hiding things. If Verdell was to be handed over to them, it's possible that something very bad will come out of it. At least... that's what he told us, but I don't feel sure anymore. Maybe he was just lying, after all... But at the same time, I don't feel like the members of the Ydil League can be trusted..."
   "Ydil..." She closes her eyes at this, "...I'll see if I can learn more... For now I ask you to stay away from Verdell, and watch out for Team Plasma."
   Bianca nods, "Y-Yes Professor..."
   "..." Cheren sighs deeply...
   "Take your time to recover." Juniper looks at them, "If you need anything, please let me know, and don't do anything reckless... Okay?"
   "I'm just relieved..." Cheren says, "I can't stand being a secret agent... I just want to focus on my Pokémon journey. Getting stronger, filling out the Pokédex..."
   "..." Juniper smiles as she pats his shoulder, "Just focus on being a trainer... Leave this secret stuff to me, okay?"
   "Thanks, professor..." Cheren looks up at her, "But I can't just dump it all on you and then forget about it... The three of us chose to be involved. There's no going back from that decision... I've been trying to do the right thing, but it's hard when I don't know what is right. Somehow, when I saw you I knew that telling you is... but please don't leave us out of this. I still have contact with the Ydil League, too... I'll be in trouble with them if they find out I was helping Verdell avoid them."
   "I will help you through this, Cheren." Juniper smiles a bit, "Verdell may have meant well, but it was dangerous to pull you into this. For now, if they contact you, just tell them that Verdell is no longer with you since I've been checking up on you three more often. They shouldn't find it strange for him to avoid me, since I am acquainted with his parents."
   "B-But what if they... find out w-we lied..." Bianca wipes her eyes.
   Juniper shakes her head, "I'll argue that you were tricked and manipulated. You should never have been pulled into the affairs of a foreign League."
   "..." Cheren looks down, "In all fairness, Verdell didn't pull us into anything... He was trying to keep us in the dark. After Team Plasma released him, I pushed him to tell the truth... but he didn't tell us everything."
   "I see..." Juniper sighs at this, "...It may have been for the best that he kept silent. As I understand, the Ydil Elite are rather vicious in battle... I recall that some of my colleagues expressed concern about an incident of one of them accidentally killing some Pokémon during a clash with a criminal organization that attempted to usurp them."
   "...!" Cheren frowns, "...Which of them?"
   "He's known as the Thundering Berserker... Donar I think his name was? I heard that he has a violent temper. When he flies into a rage both Pokémon and trainers have been injured..."
   "I-I see. I met him before... He had a dangerous air about him."
   "So several of the Ydil Elite Four are here?" Juniper looks surprised.
   "Yes." Cheren gives a small nod, "...All of them. Even their Champion."
   "...This is going to be rough." Juniper rubs her head, "...Okay, if they try to reach out to you, Cheren, tell them what I said earlier; that I've been checking up on you three more often. Just tell them that the last you saw of Verdell was around Chargestone Cave, and leave it at that."
   "Alright." He nods, "So, Bianca... can you tell me exactly what happened? Did Verdell say anything about why he'd join N? ...I have a bad feeling about this, so I want to be sure we don't miss anything important..."
   "Verdell said that he thought N was right and that's why he joined him." Bianca starts, trying to recall things as they happened...
   Juniper looks to the side, "...It was right after N lashed out against me."
   "...Then he said that he had seen what kind of person N is, and that he was relieved because he could trust him fully..."
   "...He said that he'll fully trust N?" Cheren frowns a little, "That's ominous. He kept telling us that he can't trust others easily... You said the argument was about Pokédexes?" He looks at Juniper.
   "Yes..." Juniper nods, explaining what happened... As she finishes she shakes her head, "Well, I didn't expect him to change his mind right away, of course. But I hoped he would spend a little time trying to understand how others feel."
   "That's weird. Why would Verdell side with Team Plasma on that all of a sudden...? He helped us fight them before, and he showed us how to use our Pokédexes to improve our training. Honestly, I'm concerned that he might have been affiliated with them before he was caught... It would explain why Ghetsis let him go that time."
   "Ghetsis? Why would he..." Juniper is trying to think, "This just feels off in so many ways..."
   "It could have to do with Verdell's research... He refused to talk with us about that, no matter how many times we asked. We only know that he went into the off limits area of the Relic Castle to look for something... and he found it, too, whatever it was."
   "I'll look into this... Perhaps I can speak with Lenora about the Relic Castle... She has expressed an interest in researching further within it..." The professor is thinking carefully...
   "...I promised to go check up on Nora once we're done here..." Cheren says, "Is there anything else you want to know, Professor Juniper?"
   "No, but if you learn anything new, let me know. I'll notify you if I discover anything as well."
   "I will. Thank you, professor." Cheren nods, then he turns to Bianca, "Bianca, are you alright?"
   "I-I'm fine..." She hiccups a bit as she wipes her eyes with her arm, "I just need time to breathe..."
   Juniper looks at Cheren, "I'll take her back to Driftveil City. She hasn't had the chance to challenge the Gym there yet."
   "Alright... You know you can call me any time if you need it, Bianca."
   "R-Right..." She smiles weakly at him, "I-I'll call you when I get the Quake Badge..."
   "Do your best." He nods, holding his hand out to her after getting up. She takes his hand, and as he pulls her up she gives him a hug. He returns it gently...
   "Let's go, Bianca." Juniper says with a kind smile once they pull away.
   "Be careful, Cheren." Bianca gives him a worried smile.
   "I will." He nods, "You be careful too!" He heads off deeper into the cave...

Meanwhile, in the Mistralton Pokémon Center, Nora has decided that her Pokémon are ready, and stocks up on supplies and food before she heads for the Gym. As she comes out and walks down the road, a familiar face calls out to her, "Oh! Hey! Nora! Let me see your Pokédex for a moment."
   "Ah, Professor Juniper." Nora smiles as she takes out her Pokédex and hands it to him, "It's nice to see you again, what are you doing here?"
   "What do we have here?" Cedric Juniper says as he curiously looks through the Pokédex, "So, you've found many new Pokémon, eh? Staggering! You've seen a Klink! You're becoming quite the trainer." He smiles to her as he hands it back, "I'm having Aurea research the Klink in Chargestone Cave. Were you helping my daughter out again, by any chance? Either way, it really makes my day to meet you!"
   "I was helping her out but I think she's finished for the most part? I think she was going to do one more check." She gives a small smile...
   "Professor, who's that trainer?" A girl asks as she walks over. She's wearing a blue uniform showing off her midriff, and her red hair is tied up in a neat bun at the side of her head.
   "Oh! Where are my manners?" Cedric turns to the girl, "Skyla, this is my daughter's assistant. Nora and her friends are currently traveling around Unova to complete the Pokédex."
   "Oh, I see!" Skyla smiles, "So does that mean you'll be challenging the Gym? Oh boy! I'm really looking forward to it!"
   Nora blinks, "Wait, are you the...?"
   "Yep! I'm the Gym Leader of Mistralton City!" Skyla smiles wide, "It's been awhile since I've seen some strong challengers, so I'm excited!"
   "That's right, Nora. You should challenge her Gym! If nothing else, this Gym is really out there!" Cedric turns and waves to Skyla with a huge grin, "See you, Skyla. If something comes up again, I'll let you know!"
   "Professor, my plane is a cargo plane! It carries cargo, not people!" Skyla huffs, resting her hands on her hips, "And you're talking as if places like Kanto and Sinnoh are right around the corner!"
   "Aww, Skyla," Cedric pouts, "If you keep frowning, your face might freeze like that, and that'd be a shame." His grin returns, "People and Pokémon, we all have to help each other out! See you later!" He heads off towards the cave.
   Skyla shakes her head with a smile as she watches him leave, "Sheesh! It's hard to believe a happy-go-lucky guy like that could be a world-renowned Pokémon professor."
   "It never hurts to smile though?" Nora rubs her head as she turns to look at Skyla.
   "True." The Gym Leader looks at the trainer, "Heads-up, Nora. As a Gym Leader, I'd be happy to have you challenge the Gym, but there's something I need to take care of first." She turns and points to a tower in the distance, "Just now, as I was flying the cargo plane, I saw something on top of the Celestial Tower. I'm sure that it is a sick Pokémon! If it is, I can't just leave it there! I have to look into this right away."
   Nora blinks, "Celestial Tower... the graveyard of Pokémon?"
   "Yeah." Skyla nods, "You can come along if you want." She heads off north. Nora looks around for a moment before deciding to follow her...

Route 7 is overgrown with very tall grass. But apparently, someone has built narrow pathways of planks above it for people to walk on... Skyla continues ahead with perfect balance, as though she has not even noticed she is no longer walking on normal ground. Nora takes her time to cross, but once she has made it she looks around, taking in the environment along the path to the tower. It is a pleasant walk through the flowering highland plains and forests... Even from afar, the tower with its white stone is clearly visible, shining in the sunlight. Upon arriving in front of it, she lifts her head... It has an ominous air about it. A little unnerved, she nonetheless enters. Within it feels serene... It is lit up by many candles, and a spiral staircase leads upwards... There are a few people around as well, but Skyla seems to have gone ahead already... She quietly begins to climb the tower, being mindful of the people visiting the graves... Then, as she is about to pass by one of the candles standing at a windowsill, it suddenly moves...! "Ah...!" She backs away from it quickly!
   "Litwick!" It bows courteously, jumping down in front of her. Turning around, it seems to be inviting her to follow it...
   "Hm...?" Wondering if it's one of the caretakers of the tower, she follows the little Pokémon... It guides her around among famous graves and shows her the architecture with pillars lining the walls, behaving very politely... After a while, it feels as if her legs have gotten a little heavier, but the Litwick is very excited... It seems to really look forward to showing her all about the next floor...
   "...!" She pauses, trying to think of an excuse, "...I'm sorry, but can I stop? I need to check if my grandfather's Pokémon is buried at this level."
   "...?" The Litwick pauses, tilting its head...
   "I haven't been here since I was a kid." She lowers herself to its level, "And I wanted to check on Mudd and Muttly, since my grandfather is no longer able to visit them anymore. I'm sorry, but can I check around here to see if I find them?"
   "Litwick!" It gives her a cute smile and a bow before taking a few steps in a different direction, apparently offering to guide her to them.
   "Ah... I really shouldn't trouble you though?" She looks at it, "I am thankful for your offer, but surely there are others who need you more than little ol' me..."
   "Wickwick litwick." It shakes its head, trying to ensure her that it's no trouble at all!
   "I must insist..." Nora speaks, "I truly want to find them on my own..."
   "Litwick..." It puts on a disappointed face, turning to wander off...
   "Sorry." Nora smiles apologetically, but then remembers to take out her Pokédex to scan the Litwick... She reads the entry aloud, "Its flame is usually out, but it starts shining when it absorbs life force from people or Pokémon. While shining a light and pretending to be a guide, Litwick leeches off the life energy of any who follow it, which becomes the fuel that it burns." Her eyes widen, "...Okay, looks like I dodged a bullet here." There is a faint chuckle as the Litwick vanishes...! "That's not cool dude..." Nora mutters as she walks further up the tower... She finally reaches the top. The weather seems to have gotten a bit cloudier while she climbed, but being so high up, she sees the fog dancing by on the mountain fields beneath the tower, while the sky remains blue. Then she spots Skyla, praying in front of a large bell with brass ornaments... She opens her eyes and looks at the bell for a moment before turning around, making a surprised face upon seeing Nora.
   "Oh, you came. I've finished my business here... I was right. What I saw was a hurt Pokémon. Don't worry, though! It's fine now! I healed it, then it felt better and flew away!" She giggles, "Don't I have great eyesight? No matter how far away things are, a pilot's eyes can see them!" She turns to look at the bell, "...My grandfather is buried here with his partner, so I make a point to come and visit them whenever I can. He always said it's important for pilots to have a good pair of eyes." Skyla smiles as she looks at Nora, "Hey... Since you've come this far, why don't you ring the bell? Celestial Tower's bell is for soothing the spirits of Pokémon. And it's said that the character of the person ringing the bell is reflected in its sound."
   Nora blinks in surprise, "Erm... sure?"
   "Don't be shy, come on." Skyla motions to the bell.
   Nora looks at the large bell with a small smile as she approaches it, "If it will soothe the spirit of my grandfather and his two partners, I'd be happy to." She grabs the rope and tugs. The bell rings out in the air, the sound reverberating through the area...
   "What a pretty sound. Nora, you're a kind and strong person. It's that kind of sound." Skyla smiles, crossing her arms as Nora turns to her, "I'd like to introduce myself again! I'm Skyla, the Leader of Mistralton's Pokémon Gym. I use flying type Pokémon. When you are ready, please come to the Gym. I'll give you a big welcome!" She calls out a Swanna, taking off with it back towards the city. Nora glances at the bell once more before making her way down the tower.

Upon arriving back to the city, Nora begins to make her way to the Gym... But as she passes by the Pokémon Center... her legs give out! "...!!" She falls over, breathing heavily... Her whole body feels like lead! "W-Wha...? Erg... That Litwick..."
   "Nora?!" Cheren comes out of the Pokémon Center, running over to her, "Are you alright?"
   "Litwick... So tired..." Nora looks at him, "Cheren... How was Bianca...?"
   He pulls her up, supporting her as they head into the Pokémon Center... "She'll be fine. Of course, she's as upset as any of us... but she had calmed down a little before we parted. The Professor is with her, and she'll be challenging Clay next."
   "That's good..." Nora has a weak smile as she's trying to walk, "...She was... so sad when Verdell said all those... things..."
   "You already got a room, right? I'll help you there... then we can talk." Cheren helps her inside... Once she is seated on her bed, he goes to close the door behind them...
   She takes deep breaths as she raises a palm to her forehead to urge herself to stay awake... She can feel her Pokéballs shaking... "Thank you Cheren... Sorry for... causing you trouble..." She murmurs...
   "It's not your fault... Your Pokémon seem to want to be let out."
   "Ah..." She notices, pressing the buttons on each of the Pokéballs. Her Pokémon erupt out with many panicked barks and squeaks! Gardevoir strides over and begins to use Heal Pulse on her trainer.
   "...Were you injured?" Cheren asks while pulling out a chair for himself, sinking down into it... On a closer look, he seems a bit weary too...
   "No... I made the mistake of following a Litwick." She relaxes as the Heal Pulse makes her feel considerably better, "...I didn't realize they drain the life force of whoever follows them. Would you like a bottle of water?"
   "Yes please." He nods, "...I was a little surprised when I didn't find you here."
   Nora takes out a bottle and hands it to him, "I ran into Cedric and Skyla... I figured I'd head to the Celestial Tower since Skyla recommended it."
   "The Gym Leader, Skyla? I see..." Cheren gratefully receives the bottle and drinks... Then he looks at her, "...You look better now than when we spoke on the Xtransceiver. But you're just holding it in, right? ...I'm furious with him."
   "..." Nora flops back on her bed, "...I'm mad, sad, and just... confused. He was with us for so long. I don't understand why he thinks it's safer to be with N than with us..."
   "I don't get it." Cheren says, "It's like he made a complete turnabout... Similarly to when he attacked the Ydil League."
   "I'm trying to understand why... but I keep drawing a blank." She sighs while shaking her head, "...Wait a moment..."
   "...?" Cheren looks at her...
   "...Cheren, remember when Ghetsis let him go after what happened in Castelia?"
   "Yes. If Verdell was lying to us about everything... Do you also think it's possible they knew each other before he got caught that time?"
   "They must have..." Nora sits up and looks at him, "...When I entered the cave with him... we got dragged further in by some weird ninjas that work for Team Plasma. I was struggling but he just went along. Clearly he recognized them."
   "...!" Cheren frowns, "Then we really can't trust anything he told us about himself..."
   "And I think that explains how he escaped capture..." Nora stares at the floor, "When Professor Juniper and Bianca were distracted, those ninjas grabbed me and pulled me away from them. It happened so fast, I couldn't do anything."
   "So you think they're the ones who helped him earlier? ...Hold on. You said that N really does speak with Pokémon... If that's true, and he works for Team Plasma... It makes sense."
   "I know he's an agent for Team Plasma... Just like those weird ninjas."
   Cheren closes his eyes, thinking carefully, "And that time, too..."
   Nora blinks, "Which time?"
   "Just after I revealed Verdell, when he threatened to blow up the building. He'd attacked Team Plasma right before that... At first I thought it might have been to distance himself from them so that we wouldn't suspect anything, but maybe that's not it. Ghetsis asked him what he planned to do... That was the first time he said that he hoped that his research in Unova would lead to him not having to flee from the Ydil League anymore." He frowns, "So perhaps, if he already had some contact with Team Plasma before then, Ghetsis was actually trying to recruit him at that time..."
   "That would explain a lot..." She crosses her arms, "...Such as why Ghetsis offered to be the one to take him to the police."
   "Yes. If it was all an act and he knew all along that Team Plasma would set him free even if he got caught, we can't even be sure that he wouldn't have blown up the city if he'd risked capture by someone else... ..." Cheren rests his forehead against the palm of his hand, "...Then, was I wrong...?"
   "...I don't think he's a bad person... Yeah, he can be a bit of a jerk but..." Nora looks at the ceiling, "I think he might've been desperate enough to go to Team Plasma. I mean... what happened when Aina and Donar captured him might've been the straw that broke the Numel's back."
   "You still trust him after all this?" Cheren looks at her, "He lied to us, Nora... How do you know he's not bad?"
   "I guess a part of me just wants to trust him..." She closes her eyes, "...I was afraid that one day he would have to leave but... I didn't think it was going to be like this. I just don't know what to think or believe anymore."
   "...I think he's just like that Pokémon he has... Mawile. He charms others and then strikes when they least expect it..."
   "...Cheren? What do you think of all this?" Nora glances at him.
   "I'm just... angry." He stares at the table, "I thought so much better of him... How could he lie to us like that? How could he trust N so easily, when he wouldn't even give us a chance? How could he join Team Plasma, even knowing what they are like?!"
   "I'm not sure... For all I know, he probably thought we weren't growing strong enough to protect him." Nora shakes her head, "I mean... how dangerous is the Ydil Elite Four anyway?"
   "..." Cheren's head lowers, "Professor Juniper said that one of them... Donar... doesn't know when to stop and injured trainers and even killed Pokémon in battle before. But is that N really so strong? Most of Team Plasma's members are weak...!"
   "Most of them... But I imagine those who are closer to Ghetsis's rank are different. He was the runner-up for the mantle of Champion..."
   "...I still don't think I can trust Verdell after this. I'd like to call Aina right now and just tell her everything..."
   "But that can put you in danger too, Cheren. If she finds out you were tricking her... and we don't know how the rest of the Ydil League will react either."
   "I know. I'd already have done it if I trusted her..." He tightens his fists, "...Nora, I told Professor Juniper. Sorry. But I know that we can at least trust her!"
   "...What did she say? Was she going to tell the Pokémon League?" Nora looks at him.
   "Initially, yes." He nods, "But I warned her that the Ydil League may not be trustworthy... I didn't tell her what Verdell said about their plans yet, only that he said that something bad would happen. I wanted to speak with you first..."
   "..." Nora rubs her temples, "And we don't know the full details about why they're hunting him... aside from his research, anyway. It still leaves a lot in the dark for us..."
   "...I want to think of him as just a bad guy who should be in prison." Cheren looks aside, "He might be, too. The only thing still keeping me from thinking that is how suspicious the Ydil League are too..."
   "...I'd say it would be best to gather more information. Right now, if we just tell the police on him we may never get our answers, and the Ydil League certainly won't reveal anything about this."
   "...Do you have a plan to do that?" He looks at her.
   "I don't have a plan since what happened was so sudden... But I think what's going on now is similar to what happened in Ydil." Nora looks at him, "There's something else that bugs me."
   "What is it?"
   "Verdell's cooperation with Team Plasma, and when he said that his trust won't be misplaced with N... He wouldn't tell us about his research, but I cannot help but wonder... Was he researching something in the Relic Castle on their behalf?"
   "I bet that's what he was really talking with Ghetsis about that time, after we were sent out." Cheren nods...
   "...I wonder... Do you think that something like this happened in Ydil? Like, he discovered something dangerous but the League indicated they were going to do something with it that he was against?"
   "Possibly... But that's not the same, is it? Or do you think he'll turn on Team Plasma too?"
   "I'm not sure. I think it depends on what happens hereafter. It is difficult to predict what they plan to do."
   "But would Verdell choose to trust Team Plasma if he didn't already know how they intend to use whatever he was researching for them?"
   "Perhaps they said the right words." Nora shakes her head, "I don't know..."
   "..." Cheren sighs, "I guess you're right, anyway. We just don't have enough information to act on... But do you think we'll even be able to find him again...?"
   "Who knows... With luck, maybe we'll see him again. For now, we need to figure out how to get stronger so we don't get overwhelmed by Team Plasma or the Ydil Elite."
   "Yeah... Oh, that reminds me. You still have Verdell's number, right?"
   "Yes... though I suspect he may not answer it."
   "Did you try?"
   "No... but I am worried that he won't answer. I feel like I might just make myself furious."
   "..." Cheren sighs...
   "...Would you like for me to call him now?"
   "I won't push you to do it if you don't feel ready... I'm just frustrated. I wish I could do something... Or that I knew what I should be doing."
   "...I'm not sure either... But I think for now... we continue our journey as before. Collect the badges and continue towards the Champion title." She looks at him, "We don't really know what to expect anymore, and all three of us... We need to be strong enough to make sure that no one can beat us."
   He sighs again, "I know. I know that I can't let things like this ruin my focus. I guess I'll just head out and do some training, then... ..." He gets up, heading for the door, but then he pauses, "Someday we'll be strong enough to capture Verdell ourselves."
   Nora smiles a bit, "Before we do that, let's focus on beating the Champion and knocking some sense into the Elite Four."
   Cheren glances at her, "You think he's stronger than our Champion?"
   "I wouldn't say stronger, but he's certainly a lot brighter." Nora glances at him, "Verdell was able to trick his old League. A mind that is sharp tends to be more dangerous than raw power."
   "He's certainly more callous too... We don't know what he's capable of." Cheren heads out...
   "..." Nora rubs her head as the door closes, "...Never thought I'd feel the pain of being backstabbed this soon."

The next day, Nora makes her way out of the Pokémon Center and heads to the Mistralton Gym. While the city is smaller than Driftveil, the airfield and airport are buzzing with activity around the planes and the warehouses with their storage containers... Beyond the airport vast fields of crops stretch out as far as the eye can see, and to the side there are also many greenhouses. The Gym itself is huge; it looks like it is also a hangar for the planes. Upon entering the first thing that greets her is a movable flight of stairs decorated with the Pokémon League's logo, leading up to the attic of the building through a hatch in the ceiling... As she reaches the top, her eyes widen upon seeing the inside. It is full of platforms of different heights, with cannons on them, and there are huge rings that hang down from the ceiling. Skyla gives her a wave from atop the biggest platform that is also the highest up... "...I'm not going to die on my way up there am I?" Nora has a worried look, even though the floor feels a bit bouncy...
   "Oh, most challengers survive." A pilot smiles to her, "Of course, many are discouraged before they even attempt to reach Skyla. But I hope you're not one of them?"
   "I just want to make sure that I'm not a pancake by the time I reach her..." Nora takes a breath, looking at the pilot, "Do I need to do anything with the cannons to reach her?"
   "Well, here's what you need to know." He positions himself next to the cannon by the entrance to demonstrate, "You can spin the cannons around like this in order to change the direction they will fire. Once you have set your aim, you enter through this hatch... and when you're ready, you press the red button on the inside to fire. I hope you will enjoy experiencing how flying Pokémon feel!"
   "One more question: suggestions on landing?"
   "Good balance and reflexes?" He smiles.
   "...Thanks for the advice." Nora turns to the cannon he prepared for her...
   "Good luck!" The pilot says as he backs off.
   Nora climbs into the cannon... Taking a breath, she feels her heart beating fast, but she presses the red button inside. It fires! The speed is dizzying, and she barely has time to be scared before she reaches a nearby platform with another cannon, rolling to break her fall! She gets up... "Let's see..." She looks at where the next cannon is aimed... It seems that she needs to turn it a bit to reach the next platform... Misfiring could mean falling down to the floor...! She grits her teeth as she turns it carefully... When she feels sure that she has it aimed correctly she enters the cannon and hits the red button. It seems that her aim was accurate as it fires her onto the next platform! Several cannon trips later... "Woah...!" Nora lands on Skyla's platform, a great arena, but stumbles and falls on her side!
   "Heehee! I've been waiting for you. Did you enjoy flying with the help of the Mistralton Gym cannons?" Skyla smiles wide as Nora scrambles to stand up, "They're my pride and joy! But now, let's try something else!"
   Nora brushes the dust off her clothes, "Please tell me it doesn't involve battling while using cannons."
   "No worries." Skyla takes out a Pokéball, "We'll be having our feet on the ground."
   "Good." Nora takes out her own and throws it, "Let's go, Hector!!"
   "Take to the skies, Swoobat!" A large bat with a great mane and a heart-shaped nose flutters through the air, looking down on the small steel Pokémon growling up at it. "Use Heart Stamp!"
   "Rock Tomb!!"
   The Swoobat swoops down with its nose glowing... It hits Aron, but he retaliates by smashing a large piece of the floor onto it! "Get away from it and use Heat Wave!" Skyla calls out as a smile shows on her face, "When I think about a match with a fabulous trainer like you, it's like I'm walking on air!"
   "Stealth Rock!" Aron slams his front legs into the ground, and floating rocks take to the air, trapping Skyla on her side of the field while an intense heat forces Nora to back away! "Can't quit... Rock Tomb!"
   "Another Heat Wave!!"
   Aron trembles as the bat blows another intensely hot wind towards him... But he hangs on! He throws another boulder at the bat with his full strength! "Swoo...!" As the bat falls towards the ground, Skyla calls it back into its ball.
   "Great job, Hector!!" Nora calls out as the little Aron gives a happy grunt. His form begins to glow...!
   "No way...!" Nora's eyes widen as the small form turns bigger and bulkier! There's a roar as Aron has evolved into a Lairon!
   "Congratulations on your Aron evolving! But don't think it's over yet!" Skyla smiles as she throws another Pokéball into the air, "Let's go, Unfezant!" There's a pained chirp as the large bird is struck by some of the floating rocks! "Heat Wave!"
   "Protect!" Nora calls out as a shield appears in front of Lairon, and the intense heat passes around the large metal lizard!
   Skyla smiles, "You're not going to be able to hide forever! Go for another Heat Wave!"
   "Hector, return!" Nora calls Lairon back, throwing another Pokéball, "Sirius-- Let's go!" There's a sharp bark as the Growlithe appears on the field, his fur absorbing the heat! The Unfezant looks unnerved from his snarls and barks!
   "Nice counter, but can you manage this? Use Air Slash!"
   "Agility to get out the way...!" The Growlithe begins to move quickly, building up speed...! The Air Slash narrowly misses him!
   "Grab the trainer!" Skyla smiles as her bird swoops in for Nora...!
   "No...!" Nora throws herself down quickly to avoid getting caught by the huge bird's talons, "Sirius! Wild Charge!!!"
   "Growl!!" The fire Pokémon rushes towards his trainer and slams into the bird when it tries to grab her!
   "Quick Attack!" The Unfezant manages to regain its composure and strikes Growlithe in retaliation! Growlithe growls angrily as he bites the bird, holding onto it! The Unfezant struggles as it tries to fly with the additional weight on it's neck! "Hang on..." Skyla mutters before yelling out, "Use Rain Dance!"
   "Cooo!!" The Unfezant summons a storm in the room!
   "Wild Charge!!" The puppy Pokémon snarls as he swings his electrified body to slam against the Unfezant again! But he lets go as the bird falls to the ground...
   Skyla calls it back, "Good job... Now we have the arena set... Let's go, Swanna!!" There's a loud cry as a great white bird takes to the air! It gives out a pained cry as it's struck by the rocks from before, but it's gray eyes watch the Growlithe carefully, while the battleground is being soaked in the rain... "This is my last Pokémon... But I'll never give up hope!" Skyla smiles broadly, "Water Pulse!"
   "Watch out--!" Nora calls out too late as the water slams into the fire Pokémon! The little Growlithe lands not too far from her... "Return...!" Nora calls him back, "You did a good job, now leave the rest to us." She takes out a Pokéball, smiling, "Let's go, Aurelia!" The little electric mouse appears! Landing on her paws, Pikachu looks up at the large bird with a wary look... "Thunderbolt!"
   "Roost!!" The Swanna dives behind one of the boulders Aron threw up to recover its health! There's an explosion as the bolt of electricity nonetheless strikes the bird!
   "Use Agility!"
   "Go for a Water Pulse!!" The little Pikachu is running as fast as she can, though she ends up slipping and sliding due to the intense water spray hitting her...! "Water Pulse again!"
   Nora smiles, "Thunderbolt!!!"
   "Pika!!!" The little Pikachu grabs onto the edge of the platform! The Water Pulse flies over her head, and she fires off her strongest Thunderbolt at the Swanna! There's a pained cry as the bird is struck, falling down! Skyla calls it back, and Nora rushes to help her Pikachu up from the edge...
   The rain stops, and Skyla smiles at her, "Being your opponent in battle is a new source of strength to me. Thank you!"
   Nora turns around with Pikachu on her shoulder and approaches the Gym Leader, "Thank you for the fun battle."
   "Hey, thank you for making it challenging." Skyla grins, "You're an amazing Pokémon trainer. My Pokémon and I are happy, because for the first time in a while, we could fight with our full strength. This is an official League Gym Badge. I think it will look good on you." She holds out the Jet Badge, which has the shape of a bird's wing. Nora picks it up with a smile as Pikachu gives a happy squeak. "Hot stuff! With as many Gym Badges as you've got, you're ready to traverse Twist Mountain." Skyla says as she watches her place it in her badge case. She takes out a disk and hands it to Nora, "Also, as thanks for a Pokémon battle that made me very happy, I want you to have this TM. My present to you is Acrobatics. If the user doesn't have a held item, its power doubles. It's a pretty technical move. Be sure to compensate for the lack of a held item!"
   "Interesting..." Nora looks at it, "May be able to find some use for it..."
   Skyla smiles at her, but then she looks thoughtful, "By the way, when I flew over Twist Mountain earlier... Team Plasma-- is that the name? Anyway, they were heading for Icirrus City. I wonder what they're up to?"
   "...!" Nora blinks at this, "Team Plasma? Why would...?"
   The Gym Leader shrugs, "I can't think of why they'd go there. I know sooner or later Brycen is going to notice them though. Anyway, happy trails!"
   "Thank you." Nora nods as she notices the cannon behind Skyla, "...Do I need to...?"
   Skyla nods with a smile, "Yep! You gotta use the cannon!"
   "Oh no..." Nora takes a deep breath, calling Pikachu back before she enters the cannon... Bracing herself, she presses the button... The cannon fires her right back to the entrance! "W-Woah...!" She stumbles upon landing, ending up sitting on the floor... She rubs her ears that are still ringing from all the cannons, but eventually regains her composure... Sighing a bit, she gets up and heads down...

As she exits the building, N stands up straight from his position of leaning against the foldable wall, turning to her, "...They may say it is for understanding one another better, but what trainers really use battles for is to compete, and they hurt each other's Pokémon. Am I the only one who finds this terribly painful?"
   "..." Verdell is behind N as well, raising a hand in greeting but not saying anything... Nora narrows her eyes at him. He places a hand over his heart, putting up a comedy act of being hurt by her glare!
   Nora looks at N, "If a Pokémon is battling against its will that's one thing, but if it is doing so because it's needed or because it wants to... can you say that it's the same?"
   "Well then..." N frowns, "Let me speak with your Pokémon! ...I've been living with Pokémon since I was born. It's easier for me to talk with them than with people." He approaches her, "Since I can be certain that your Pokémon won't lie."
   "Unlike people..." Nora mutters as she can feel her Pokéballs shaking angrily!
   "...Will you let them out?" N looks at her...
   "..." She presses the buttons on the Pokéballs, and all five Pokémon appear. Four of them growl at Verdell, also looking at N with a strong sense of suspicion. But Gardevoir seems unnerved about the tension in the air... She begins to use Heal Pulse to restore Growlithe to full health.
   "..." Verdell calls out his Mawile. She gives Nora's Pokémon a sweet smile, as if daring them to come closer...
   N looks around at them for a moment, then he turns to Dewott, "Hey, Soujiro... Would you tell me what Nora is like as a trainer?" The Dewott stares at him with an intense look of anger as he gives off a series of sharp barks! "...Okay, okay, got it." N puts his hands up, "You say that Nora was born in Anville Town and that you met after she moved to Nuvema Town to become Professor Juniper's assistant. She became a trainer in order to challenge the Pokémon League and save Pokémon habitats, and you train hard because you always wanted to be strong enough to protect her..." He falls silent as the barking continues. When Dewott stops he lowers his arms, "I'm sorry that I had to take Verdell. But Ghetsis summoned him to Unova for me. I told him that I don't mind if he continues to mentor Nora too..."
   "...But I have decided against it." Verdell says.
   N looks at Nora, giving her a bright smile, "Still, this Dewott trusts you for some reason... That's good...! If only all people and Pokémon treated each other like you do, I could watch over the future of Pokémon and humans without having to liberate Pokémon from people who just use them."
   "...I told you, N. I adore them as family." Nora looks at him, "...And I can't stand by and let you take them away from me."
   "Wott wott dewott dew?!" Dewott is glaring at N.
   "Sorry, Soujiro." N glances at Dewott again before looking straight at Nora, "Right now, Ghetsis is having Team Plasma search for some special stones. They are called the Light Stone and the Dark Stone..."
   "...! He's looking for both of them?" Verdell asks.
   "Yes. But you don't need to tell me or him where the second one is." N glances at him, then he looks at Nora again, "Verdell told me that the legendary Pokémon lost their physical forms. They fell dormant and turned into those stones while awaiting the birth of a hero... I shall resurrect a legendary dragon Pokémon from one of the stones, and become its friend. Once I am recognized as the new hero, everyone will heed my word..."
   "Not if I have anything to say about it." Nora gives him a hard look, and there's a growl from Growlithe as he's looking at N...
   "Gwa voir... gardevoir, voir...?" Gardevoir is looking between Nora and N with a worried look...
   "I am not here to fight Nora." N shakes his head, stepping back from them, "...My vision is to change the world by putting an end to all battles. Trying to change the world by force alone will only lead people to start a rebellion, won't it. If that happens, the ones that will get hurt are the innocent Pokémon dragged into it by foolish trainers." He gives Nora a sad smile, "That's why it has to be this way. Because... Pokémon are not tools for people to use!"
   "I've always agreed with that, N." Nora shakes her head, "But threatening to use a legendary Pokémon to bring about such a sudden change? Why? Would it not be better to help people understand Pokémon better? Help them be wiser and see that there's more to Pokémon than just battling. That they're alive just like us, and just as capable of making their own choices... Tell me this: what do my Pokémon say about the idea of being separated from me? What does Verdell's Pokémon say about being separated from him?"
   "..." For some reason Verdell and his Mawile make amused faces, as if neither of them are taking the threat seriously...
   N's smile fades, however... "My friends are Pokémon... For their sakes, it is necessary. As a consequence... Pokémon and trainers who care about one another, like you and your Pokémon, will be separated. And that does break my heart a little." His head lowers as he closes his eyes for a moment, then he begins to walk off...
   "...!" Verdell and Mawile follow him.
   "...What of your friends, I wonder..." Nora mutters as her Pokémon watch them leave. Before long they are gone, and she sighs as she looks at her Xtransceiver, but decides against calling Cheren. The sky looks like it's about to rain... "...Come on guys, let's head to the Pokémon Center and rest for today." Nora says to her Pokémon, and they follow her...

Not long after she has returned to the Pokémon Center, her Xtransceiver rings! She answers, "Hello...?"
   "Ahoy!" Verdell grins at her through the screen. It looks like he is in a secret base somewhere out in the forest... "Heh, I didn't think you would answer."
   She glares at him, "...You know Cheren has half a mind to tell Aina who you're working with."
   "He can tell her if he wants to." He shrugs, "She'll find out sooner or later anyway."
   "What do you want, Verdell?" Nora speaks, "Are you going to say that we were never strong enough and that we're never going to be strong fast enough for you?"
   "Do you really think that's the reason I chose N?" He frowns, "He's been quite generous in giving you a chance. It is true that you're not strong enough to offer me adequate protection, but he didn't take advantage of that to convince me. Anyway, the reason I called is to apologize again, since it's clear enough that you hate me now. Actually that's a good thing if it keeps you from getting yourself further involved with me, but it still made me a little uncomfortable and I'm selfish. So, I'm sorry for hurting you."
   "You better apologize to Cheren when you see him." Nora frowns back, "He's more furious than I am, and even he's not sure what to think. And giving me a chance? When does threats count as a chance? Did you know about all this all along?"
   "I had no clue about your part in it until just recently."
   "Why are you even doing this? What is the point of involving the legendary Pokémon in this conflict? Could this not be resolved through normal battle or debate? The dragons almost destroyed Unova once... So why?"
   "I believe that N is worthy. If he weren't, I would simply have left Unova... even though I need his protection. I really do."
   "..." Nora grits her teeth, "How can you think that? Why are you so willing to share that knowledge... Have you never given any thought to that there may be a reason why no one has found either dragon!?"
   "I don't make these kinds of decisions lightly. If I couldn't trust N, I'd sooner throw my life away again than share my research with him."
   "..." She looks to the side with a pout...
   "He is a worthy king, and I am honored to be in his service. Don't try to tell me that I should have thrown this chance away to keep mentoring you and the others."
   "...Then I will be his downfall..." She has a dark look in her eyes, "...His crown, his kingdom, and his followers... I will make sure that it will never come to pass. And I will make sure that all who believe that one path suits everyone will regret that view."
   "...I would stop you if I didn't know that I'd be acting against his will. But you should still be careful. There are others in Team Plasma who will do everything in their power to keep you away from him."
   "Then those fools should watch out." She glares at him, "I will crush them and I will make them regret joining him... I felt sympathy and pity, but now? What's the point when my heart keeps making me hesitate... No more."
   "Heh." He chuckles, "You seem to be doing quite well, after all. You were so silent before, it had me a little worried."
   "...That's because I was holding my tongue from telling Lucia to use Psyshock on you."
   "...You're a wise trainer. If I battled seriously, as you are now you wouldn't last five minutes against my crew."
   "I should've kept my heart locked away, maybe then nothing would've gotten under my skin like you, Rylan, my parents, and all the others who had hurt me in the past."
   "Can you really blame me? I've been doing everything in my power to stay out of your debt."
   "Debt? What debt? We ended up owing you everything, but now? You have Cheren and Bianca, and myself at a loss. We're frustrated, devastated, and downright heartbroken." She shakes her head, "I bet you were just waiting for the right time to ditch me somewhere before I even got my first Gym Badge, weren't you?"
   "Oh, so you don't think I could have done that if I wanted to?" He smiles, shaking his head. "I agreed to mentor you because I thought that your resolve was admirable. I'm not willing to give up my one chance at leaving my life as an outlaw behind for you, however. You don't think it's a little unfair to ask that of me, especially if you already owe me everything? ...Not that you do, of course. I'm sorry if what little I gave you wasn't enough to make up for having to leave."
   "I'm sorry that I had so little to appease you, or anyone. I suppose my admirable resolve must be nothing compared to N's."
   "You and N may be more equal than you think. I have also come to treasure the time we had together as friends... But if my loyalty is what you want, power and resolve is not enough. If it were, I would never have left Champion Matthias."
   "...You claim that we're equal? I do not see it. You say that I have potential and yet look at where I am now-- nowhere near where I need to be to make any impact on Unova." She leans against the wall, "You say I am a friend, but what is the point of such pretty words when it is clear I was played by you?"
   "Hm?" He tilts his head, "I'm pretty sure I was the one who got pulled into being your mentor. From the beginning I have also been clear with you that I have many secrets... It was never my intent to hurt you. It was just unavoidable."
   "..." She raises her hand to cover her face as she slides down to the floor... She can feel tears coming down her face, escaping the grip of her hand, to the sound of rain pattering against the window...
   "...Did you really love me that much...?" Under his smile, Verdell is starting to reveal signs of concern...
   "...Am I truly fated to be fighting for something out of reach?"
   "That depends on what you'll be fighting for."
   "You know why I am so desperate to fight... You know what I wish for... Tell me this: do you see someone trying everything in their power? Or a fool charging ahead...?"
   "Everything in your power, eh? Is that why you're trying to sway me with your emotions, even though my heart won't change?"
   "...I already know that there's nothing I can do to sway the hearts of those who have closed theirs. But I mean in terms of trying to bring change for the better... and not the worse. This world isn't black and white... It's not even gray either... It's of many hues..."
   "In that case, I will tell you that I think it is too soon to give up hope. That is all I will give you, however, seeing as you have declared yourself my enemy."
   "You made your choice first, Verdell. And honestly, I don't know what to think of you or your crew... But let me make one final request as a former apprentice of yours... Please talk to Cheren... It's cruel that you left him in the dark."
   "...You know that I have no means of contacting him directly, for his safety. But if you will pass on a greeting to him from me, tell him that he no longer has to lie to protect me from the Ydil League. I am grateful for his help, and I apologize for the pain getting involved in my mess has caused him."
   "...I will tell him." She shakes her head, "...I can't even think anymore."
   "Well, I'll stop bothering you then. Sorry about that... I just wanted to check up on you, but since it seems I'm just causing you more distress I won't be calling anymore. Goodbye, Nora."
   "Goodbye, Verdell." There's a slight choking sob in her tone as she ends the call.
   "..." Verdell sighs as he puts his Pokéquip away, staring out into the stormy weather...
   "She sounded very angry." N says, "...I feel a little bad."
   "...It can't be helped. What's between me and her is not your fault, anyhow. Besides, she's being unreasonable... What could I possibly have done differently?"
   "It's alright. You had to because it's for your Pokémon. Stella said you made this choice for her sake..." He smiles a little, "...And I am happy that you think I am worthy."
   "Heheh... So am I, N..." Verdell returns the smile, "Oh, I mean... Lord N. I guess I should stop being so casual around you."
   "I don't mind."
   "Still, you're my king now... Your image will be ruined if I act disrespectfully or look like a wreck when I'm around you. I'll try to tidy myself up a bit more from now on."

The next morning, Nora is numbly making her way through Route 7... Her eyes have an empty look as she walks towards Twist Mountain in the distance... Upon hearing her Xtransceiver go off, she looks at it and sees that it is her mom... Taking a deep breath, she puts on a smile as she answers, "Hey mom! What's up?"
   "NORA SORINE MARQUARDT, WHAT ARE YOU REALLY UP TO!?"
   The brunette flinches as she pulls the Xtransceiver away from her! There are sounds of wild Pokémon scurrying away around her as she stares at the image of her enraged mom, "Mom, I don't understand what you--"
   "Patricia told us about you and the others traveling with Verdell! You also lied about her meeting him before he was arrested! What happened?! I thought he was taken away by Team Plasma!"
   "Mom, I thought so too but I ran into him again and I couldn't exactly escape!" Nora frowns back, "I think Team Plasma let him go mom--"
   "No, no-- Nora, stop talking. I can't trust you after you lied to us about him being imprisoned. I am very disappointed in you." Nora stares at the screen quietly as her mom continues, "...Nora, are you a part of Team Plasma?"
   She blinks, "Mom, I may vouch for the environment but joining them is--"
   "Nora, you had literally made it your mission to argue against any type of building project at home! You even got Rylan to turn against you with that behavior." Her mom shakes her head, "Furthermore, you ran into Team Plasma many times. I can't take your word anymore, I want you home-- NOW."
   "...!?" Nora's eyes widen, "Mom, what are you talking about?! I'm a little more than halfway through my--"
   "You are coming home this instant! If I knew you were getting involved in something like this I'd have told you to stay home instead of encouraging you to become a Pokémon trainer!"
   Nora shakes her head with a frown, "I'm not going home, Mom. Not when I'm so far into my journey. Didn't you and dad say that I shouldn't leave things undone?!"
   "This is different! You are coming home right now, or so help me I will find you!"
   "No and that's final mom!" Nora growls as she hangs up the call! She grumbles angrily under her breath as she stomps on ahead...

Finally she reaches the mountain's base. She can see a cave entrance up on a cliff not too far away... "Nora!" Cheren suddenly calls out from behind her! He comes dashing over...
   "Oh... Hey Cheren." Nora turns around and looks at him, "How did your Gym Challenge go...?"
   Cheren holds up his new badge with a smile, "Since we both have the Jet Badge now, let's see which of us is stronger!"
   "Sure!" Nora nods with a smile, thinking that maybe a battle will help cheer her and her team up.
   "Go, Arrow!" Cheren calls his Pidgeot out!
   "He evolved huh?" Nora smiles as she calls out Lairon who gives out a tired grunt...
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, "I'm very proud of him."
   "Pidgeot!" The bird puffs out his chest.
   "So your Hector has evolved too..." He ponders for a moment, "Your strength... And my strength... Right. Let's test them. Start with a Feather Dance!" Taking to the air, Pidgeot covers Lairon in a flurry of feathers!
   "Stealth Rock!" Nora calls out as the Lairon rears up and slams his front legs down!
   "Won't work! Defog!" Cheren calls out, and his Pidgeot whips up a forceful wind that blows all the magically floating rocks away!
   "Hey Cheren?" Nora gives him a weak smile, "I think the last time we battled was outside Striaton City, right?"
   "Yeah, we usually battle on the same side, after all."
   "It's been so long... I think after everything yesterday, this is just what we need...!" There's a fire in her eyes, "Block!" Lairon's eyes glow as suddenly Pidgeot's Pokéball short-circuits! It seems that it's been temporarily disabled!
   "I agree." Cheren shows a faint smirk, "Unlike Verdell, Arrow and I aren't going anywhere."
   "Rgghh...!" Lairon snarls angrily upon hearing Verdell's name!
   "I'm the one who challenged you, after all... Heat Wave!" A wave of hot air comes towards Lairon!
   "Rock Tomb!!" The Lairon grabs a part of the ground and throws it towards the Pidgeot in retaliation... but the huge pile of feathers around him seems to distract him, messing up his aim!
   "Keep it up, Arrow!" Cheren smiles, but then he frowns slightly, "...Wait, did you say yesterday? Did something else happen?"
   "Yes... He called me yesterday-- Rock Tomb again!" Lairon seems to be getting more irritated now! He throws another boulder towards Pidgeot, and it hits! Pidgeot looks a little weary, but continues to blow heated air towards him! It is getting too much for Lairon...!
   "He called? Well, what did he say?"
   "Return!" Nora calls out as Lairon is taken back to his Pokéball, and she throws another, letting Dewott out, "He said that he wanted to apologize since he felt uncomfortable and selfish after seeing my reaction-- Use Ice Beam!"
   "Dew!!" The Dewott barks as he fires off a frosty beam towards the bird!
   "Ah... You did well, Arrow." Cheren says as he calls Pidgeot back before he crashes into the ground. He sends out Servine instead, who eyes Dewott cautiously, apparently sizing him up. "That's surprisingly insightful for a member of Team Plasma. If he feels bad, he should leave them!"
   "...Hey, before we continue, he wanted me to pass on a message to you." Nora says as Dewott watches Servine carefully, "...He said thank you for helping him, that you don't need to lie for him anymore, and that he's sorry for getting you in trouble."
   "Really? Well I won't forgive him that easily." Cheren folds his arms, "Maybe I will call Aina after this battle."
   "He said it wouldn't matter, she'd find out sooner or later." Nora rubs her temple, "...It was difficult to celebrate getting the Jet Badge after the call."
   "It'll be better for us if she finds out from me before someone else. Anyway, let's continue. Ready?"
   "Yes, sorry for interrupting the battle." She nods as she focuses herself, "...Ice Beam!"
   "Dew...!" Dewott fires off his frosty beam!
   "Mirror Coat!" Cheren counters! Servine seems to take quite a bit of damage, but an even greater force is bounced back at Dewott...!
   "Dew!!" Dewott is sent flying, and Nora calls him back, "Let's go, Sirius-- Flame Wheel!!" There's a snarl from the Growlithe as he charges towards Servine!
   "Reflect!" Cheren calls out! A barrier appears around Servine, shielding him from some of the flames, although he is looking weary now...
   "Keep it up!!" There's a growl from Growlithe as he continues to charge while wreathed in flames...!
   "Glare!" Servine fixes his gaze on him...!
   "Follow my voice, charge ahead!" Nora calls out as Growlithe quickly closes his eyes!
   Cheren's eyes widen a bit as Servine is knocked out! He calls him back, "Sorry, Herbert. You did your best... but this isn't over yet! Go, Jewel!" Cheren calls out his next Pokémon, revealing that his Eevee has evolved into a Vaporeon! "Rain Dance!" It begins to pour...!
   "Use Agility, Sirius-- Let's keep them on their toes!" There's a bark as the fire Pokémon begins to build up speed...!
   "Aqua Ring!" Not paying attention to Growlithe yet, Vaporeon surrounds himself with a veil of water!
   "Slide in with a Wild Charge!!" The Growlithe gives an excited bark as he charges for Vaporeon while wreathed in electricity!
   "Now! Water Pulse!" Servine's Reflect still shields Vaporeon, letting him withstand Growlithe's charge with ease as he releases a pulse of water at him, made stronger by the rain!
   "Return! Let's go Aurelia!" Nora throws her Pokéball and the Pikachu appears, "Go for a Thunderbolt!!"
   "Pika...!" A great streak of electricity strikes forth towards the water Pokémon!
   "Use Water Pulse again!" The Vaporeon is very tough...! Withstanding the bolt, he fires off another pulse of water!
   "Agility-- Slide!!" Pikachu begins to speed up, sliding on the slick grass to avoid the water attack!
   "She's too fast... We'll need to widen our range. Jewel, use Surf!" A huge wave of water comes crashing towards Pikachu!
   "Use your speed-- Head to high ground!!"
   "Pika...!" Pikachu moves quickly up a tree to avoid the water-- though her trainer gets soaked!
   "Ack! That's cold...!" Nora is thrown to the ground by the wave! It seems that the rain is finally stopping, however...
   "Sorry, Nora..." Cheren rubs his head with an apologetic face, "I got a little carried away. Well, if we can't catch you with that-- Hyper Voice!" Vaporeon lets out a horribly loud cry in Pikachu's direction!
   "Light Screen...! Use the trees to hide!" Nora calls out as she sits up, soaking wet. The little Pikachu creates a barrier of light, apparently determined to stay up in the tree!
   "Keep it up, Jewel!" Cheren calls out, and Vaporeon continues to make noisy cries! The trees apparently don't shield very well against that, although the Light Screen does!
   "Use Thunderbolt!!!"
   "Pika...!" Pikachu begins to fire off bolts of electricity towards Vaporeon! He finally looks a bit weakened! But as he uses Hyper Voice again, it seems to be too much for Pikachu...!
   "Aurelia! Get down from there! Get away from the noise!!" Nora calls out, but too late as her Pikachu falls from the tree! She calls her back, taking out her last Pokéball and looking at it...
   "..." Cheren watches her.
   She takes a deep breath, "Lucia-- Go for a Psyshock!!" She throws the Pokéball and Gardevoir appears! Her eyes glow as the psychic-charged rocks appear around the Vaporeon...! He is taking some heavy damage! But he still seems to hold out...
   Cheren looks cautious, "We don't know which ability she traced... Keep using Hyper Voice, Jewel!" Vaporeon yells loudly at Gardevoir! Gardevoir seems to resist it very well, but her eyes narrow...
   "Psyshock!!"
   "Gar...!" The Gardevoir fires off another barrage of psychic-charged rocks towards Vaporeon! He cries out as he falls over!
   Cheren calls him back, "You fought admirably, Jewel..." He suddenly looks a little thoughtful as he takes his last Pokéball, "Can you be strong even if you lose? Is winning everything?" He calls out Liepard! "This will be all or nothing... Iron Tail!"
   "..." For a moment Liepard looks a little displeased about how wet the ground is, but he leaps towards Gardevoir with his bladed tail shining!
   Nora smirks at this, "Sidestep and Draining Kiss~" Gardevoir mimics her trainer's smile as she moves gracefully to the side, then leans closer and kisses Liepard's head! The Liepard mews angrily as his head is grabbed, but she's draining the energy out of him...! His tail narrowly flies past Gardevoir...! Then he tries to scratch and struggle to get away, but to little avail as he soon falls over in exhaustion!
   Cheren calls him back, still with a thoughtful look on his face as he looks at Nora, "Our Pokémon have grown so much since our last battle... Pokémon battles are fun. But what is it to be truly strong?"
   Then they hear an applause! Alder is standing atop the high cliff above... "That was a fine Pokémon battle! I'm happy to see you are both growing as trainers!"
   "...! If it isn't the Champion, Alder." Cheren frowns up at him, "I'm still weak, so I lost! ...And, honestly, it bothers me when you call it a fine battle despite that." He huffs, folding his arms.
   Alder leaps off the cliff, landing gracefully in front of them, "Oh, honestly, Cheren. Just accept the compliment without the stinging remark. I've asked you this before, but what do you plan to do after becoming strong?"
   Cheren watches him with a guarded look, "If I get strong and become Champion, that will be the reason for my existence. I want to prove that I'm really living."
   "Hmmm... You remind me of Marshal. Of course, having something you want to become is important. But what is even more important is what you do with your newfound power. Anyway, take this!" He hands some medicine to Cheren. "Here-- you, too." He gives some to Nora as well.
   "Thank you." Nora smiles, but then she looks at Cheren, "Actually, when you knocked me over with that Surf... You could've ended the battle if you think about it? Because one way of winning is to capture the opposing trainer, right?"
   "...I know." Cheren says as he uses the medicine to heal his Pokémon, "But I wouldn't get to see your full strength as a trainer that way."
   Alder smiles at them, "I shall see you again, young trainers. Don't forget about the needs of the Pokémon at your side!" He gives them a wave, walking off.
   "..." Cheren watches him leave, "What I do with my power... I have an idea, but I can't tell him yet. First, I have to become a strong trainer so everyone will acknowledge that power!" He turns to Nora with a determined look, "Nora... Next time, I will win!"
   "Next time, mind if I have a boat ready?" Nora chuckles, "But I look forward to our next battle. Are you planning on training up at Twist Mountain as well?" She tilts her head.
   "Yeah... Sorry about your clothes. I got us both soaked... That's the downside of Rain Dance. We'd better change before heading up on the mountain."
   "Yeah..." Nora rubs her head, "Last thing we need is hypothermia." She calls back Gardevoir before healing her Pokémon and heading towards a large tree to hide behind as she gets changed, while Cheren chooses a boulder on the other side... After a couple of minutes, they both come back out with dry clothes.
   "That feels much better. I'm going to call Aina now." Cheren says.
   "Alright. I'm going to the entrance to check it out." Nora grins at him, "Let me know when you're done chatting with her!"
   "Alright, I'll catch up with you afterwards." Cheren nods after her. As she heads up the mountainside towards the cave, he turns his attention to his Xtransceiver, selecting Aina's number...
   "Cheren?" Aina answers, her face appearing on the screen.
   "Aina." Cheren says, "I have some bad news."
   "What happened?" Her brow furrows...
   "Two days ago, Verdell left Nora definitely. He's joined Team Plasma."
   "..." Her eyes widen a fraction before she mutters under her breath, "That idiot... He really did it..."
   "The way it happened, we suspect he was working for them all along."
   "...He allied himself with a different king..." She looks troubled at this, "...This bodes ill... So that means..."
   "...?" Cheren watches her...
   "...Thank you for notifying me. I'll be looking into this." She nods, giving him a serious look, "...I saw another vision of your friend."
   "...! What was it?"
   "She's enveloped in a black cloak of storm. Before her, a glimpse of someone in a white cloak of fire. When their eyes meet... A rift in reality opens between them. It swallows them and all in its path, tearing Unova in two..."
   "...So nothing has changed to prevent the danger in her future? She's still on the same path, and it's spreading?" Cheren frowns, "That's concerning..."
   "This vision appeared to me in Nimbasa City, in front of the Ferris Wheel." She shakes her head, "Something happened there that made her embrace this path..."
   "Embrace it...? I don't understand. I guess I'll ask her about it... But there's something else I wanted to tell you. Apparently, the one who convinced Verdell to join Team Plasma was a person called N. I've only met him once, but he's weird... Do you know about him?"
   "No... the name is not familiar." Aina frowns a bit, "Can you tell me what he looks like?"
   "Yeah. He has long tea green hair and is quite tall... He usually wears casual clothes instead of the Team Plasma uniform. And he speaks very fast, so it can be hard to follow what he's saying. He also claims to understand what Pokémon are saying. I thought he was a street performer, but Nora told me that she ran into him again and that it's not a trick."
   "Understand what Pokémon are...?" Aina has a raised brow, "Wait... a tall man with tea green hair... I think I have seen him before, when I was trying to arrest Verdell in Pinwheel Forest. When I was chasing after him in the fog I ran into a man who fits the description... He gave me the wrong directions."
   "Sounds like more evidence that they were affiliated all along..." Cheren frowns, "Well, that's what I've got. I have to catch up with Nora now."
   "Thank you for notifying me about this. Take care." She nods at him before hanging up.
   Cheren hurries after Nora. She looks at him with a grin, "It's huge in there! And it looks like there's plenty of Pokémon for us to document for Professor Juniper!"
   "Oh... Nora! Cheren!" A familiar voice sounds as Clay approaches them with something of a smirk, "What a surprise. Seein' ya here while I was inspectin' Twist Mountain. Th' two of ya seem a bit more rugged than the last time I saw ya. A li'l bit, anyway..."
   "Is that so." Cheren returns the smirk.
   "By th' by... You folks seen that Team Plasma crowd lately?" Clay crosses his arms with a deep frown, "After all the trouble, we Gym Leaders met up and had a chat. But we've got no clue where their headquarters are. It's like they're hidin' under a rock."
   Nora shakes her head, "No... We don't know too much about them outside of their 'liberation' and 'oh all trainers are evil' diatribe."
   "Well, not much to do but wait for 'em to move. Anyhow, this's none o' yer concern. Squirts like the two of ya should just enjoy travelin' with yer Pokémon." The man smiles a bit at them before motioning further into the cave, "Twist Mountain's a fine place to explore! Ya'll have some fun if ya just leave this here path... Weeell... Better ya just see it yerself, 'stead o' listenin' to me yammer."
   "Thanks." Cheren nods, "I hope you find them."
   Clay nods at them with a smirk, "Feel free to train yerselves on my mountain fer as long's ya like. If ya'll are lucky ya might even get ta see movie stars. There's supposed ta be filmin' goin' on fer a movie from PokéStar Studios fer some days. Jus' be careful where ya walk and stay outta the way. Now if ya'll excuse me, I've gotta check an' make sure there ain't any o' my workers left in here. Be seein' ya, sprouts!" He walks past them...
   "He seems as energetic as ever." Nora says.
   "I thought he was going to get us involved in all that bother again, so I was bracing myself before I knew it." Cheren sighs a little, but then he puts on a smile, "Let's find somewhere to set up camp. Then we'll get some good training done!"
   "Yeah!" Nora returns the smile.

They travel through the mountain and its caves, eventually finding a cliff with a very nice view. The quarries in the deep valley below have been abandoned by the workers, and beyond it, a row of mountain peaks glow softly in the sunset... "This seems like a good spot." Nora looks around, putting down her bag, "Should we camp here then?"
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, "This will do. The view is amazing." He calls out his Pokémon, and then begins to set up his tent...
   Nora and her Pokémon put up their own... Once they have finished she looks around, "We should probably find some tinder and firewood before we do anything else. Without ending up falling off the cliff."
   "Yeah. Arrow, survey the area and see if you can find any!"
   "Pidgeot!" Cheren's Pokémon nods, taking to the air.
   "...I still can't believe that's the same little Pidgey who started to learn how to fly." Nora chuckles as she goes to build a fire pit... She grabs a nearby rock, when at the corner of her eye she sees something come charging! "What the--?!"
   "BA!!!"
   Nora is launched backwards! She lies on her back, holding her stomach!
   "Huh?" Cheren turns to look, then he hurries over! "Nora, are you alright?!"
   "Oww...!" She grits her teeth as she sits up, "So that's what a Headbutt to the gut feels..."
   "Dew!!" Dewott fires off an Ice Beam at the intruder in retaliation! The small blue Pokémon shivers from the cold... It's a Bagon!
   "But why did it attack you like that?" Cheren takes out his Pokédex...
   "I think... I got in the way of it, trying to charge off the cliff..." Nora takes out a Pokéball as her Gardevoir uses Heal Pulse on her, while Dewott battles the Bagon for attacking his trainer!
   "I see. Bagon has a habit of doing that because it wants to fly..." Cheren puts his Pokédex away, "Maybe you should hold Soujiro back before he avenges you too hard."
   "Soujiro back away!" Nora calls out! The Dewott stops his onslaught of Razor Shells and Ice Beams as she throws the Pokéball at the Bagon! It's enveloped in a red light, and the Pokéball falls down on the ground... shaking a few times... Eventually it stops as a ding echoes in the air!
   "Oh, you're going to raise it?" Cheren smiles.
   "Yeah..." She gets up to claim the Pokéball, "I've been trying to find a good sixth team member. That little thing hit hard, so that's pretty good."
   "Congratulations." He nods, "Oh, Arrow's back. That's some nice firewood. Great work!" He smiles as Pidgeot drops a branch on the ground. "You better take care of your new Pokémon, so I'll make our fire."
   Nora lets the Bagon out. It's growling, but stops upon seeing Dewott glare at it from the side...! "Okay, let's get you healed up..." Nora mutters as she begins to take care of its wounds...

Meanwhile, in a room in the Icirrus City Pokémon Center, Aina takes a seat in front of Matthias and Regina... She explains the update from Cheren, "...So currently it seems he's traveling with a figure who goes by the name of N. I encountered that young man before, while chasing after Verdell in Pinwheel Forest. Cheren assumed they knew one another beforehand... and I sense they're on their way here."
   "That deserter... He would dare kneel before another king..." Matthias has a dark look over his face...
   "So who is the so-called king of Team Plasma?" Regina taps her finger on her folded arm, displaying some displeasure about the news, "I saw them speak of him in a commercial, but they never showed what he looks like. They didn't even say his name!"
   "I do not know." Aina shakes her head, "I've clashed with Team Plasma from time to time, but I have not researched their king's identity since I was focused on hunting Verdell."
   Matthias rubs his temple, "What a nuisance... We will identify this other king of his. We must teach Verdell the cost of treason... We have to be absolutely sure that we capture him in Twist Mountain."
   "Yes." Regina nods, "It is an ideal location to prepare a snow trap. He will wander lost in my blizzard and wear himself out, and that will make capturing him easy. His Jumpluff will not be able to fly in the freezing winds... However... We need to ensure that he does not use his Talonflame to escape."
   "Donar will be ready for it if it appears." Matthias smiles a bit, "He will take it down without much issue. Then we should have him cornered."
   Regina nods, "I shall be counting on Aina to determine the right time to unleash my blizzard."
   Aina looks at her, "He will not escape my sight."
   "With the help of you and your Pokémon, mine can be positioned in several places throughout the mountain. We will cover it all in a soft white blanket..."
   Matthias smiles, "I would call it a clean canvas. Just waiting for the strokes made by your dark types, my dear."
   She smiles faintly, "Of course, Absol will hunt him down with ease. But we do want him alive, do we not, my king?"
   "We need him alive. There is no room for mistakes." Matthias nods, "If we lose him, we lose everything."
   Aina coughs into her fist, "My King, perhaps we should contact Pierre and let him know of this? Since we know who hired Verdell now there is no need for him to waste more time."
   "Of course... And to ensure that Verdell doesn't escape, Pierre will be needed."
   "Surely he can find out who the pretend king is?" Regina says.
   "Very few have managed to elude Pierre." Matthias nods, "I shall have him look into Team Plasma... Perhaps by researching their leaders we'll find clues. There's the one who's their face outwards... Ghetsis I think his name was?"
   Aina nods, "He is the founder, but not the king. He calls himself a member of the Seven Sages."
   "Well then, I shall summon Pierre." Regina takes out her Pokéquip to call him.
   After a couple of rings Pierre finally answers, "This is Pierre. Is there something you need, Lady Regina?"
   "Pierre, drop the investigation." Matthias speaks, "We just learned that Verdell is working for Team Plasma. We need you to look into who the King of Team Plasma is-- The king that Verdell has sworn loyalty to."
   Pierre frowns at the news, but nods, "Of course. I have received word that a high concentration of them have been sighted in the moor close to your location... Shall I make my way to you?"
   "Yes." Regina says, "Come here at once."
   "Understood." Pierre gives a quick bow of his head, "I shall make my way over immediately."
   Matthias looks at him carefully, "We will be expecting you. Until then, safe travels."
   "My thanks, Matthias." The man smiles back, "Farewell for now." He hangs up...
   Matthias stands up, and Aina looks at him, "Sir?"
   "Be on standby until Donar notifies us. I need time to think..."
   "Very well." Regina puts on a smile... "Shall we plan our team ups, Aina?"
   "Of course." Aina nods as Matthias exits the room...

Some days later, Donar walks through the forest with his two Gogoat next to him... Searching the woods... He throws a Pokéball, letting out a Pokémon resemblant of a haunted tree, with a single red, glowing eye... "Look for Verdell, I doubt he's far..." It proceeds to dig its roots into the ground...
   "Baaa..." One of the Gogoats bleats. Donar rubs its head as they keep walking...
   "Easy there... You will get your chance soon enough..." He smiles.

Meanwhile, out in the woods, Verdell and N are relaxing and chatting together... "That's amazing, I couldn't even tell it was here at a first glance... So you usually live in hidden grottos like this one when you're out in the wild?" Verdell smiles, looking around inside the little room among the trees that appears to have been made by Pokémon, although the tracks of several species on the ground suggests it's not someone's private nest... A few dapples of sunlight filters down among the leafy branches, but otherwise it is quite sheltered from weather and wind...
   "Yes! It's comfortable, isn't it?"
   "It's similar to a secret base... I like it!"
   "Filling it with this fluff made it nicer than usual, too. Thank you, Summer!"
   "Pluff!" Jumpluff smiles happily as N rolls about in the pink cotton she made for him.
   "I hope they find it soon... I wanted to help search, but Ghetsis said that it would be best if I stay in a safe place with you until the Light Stone has been found..."
   "I'd have liked to help too, but if the Ydil League are in Icirrus City, it can't be helped..." Verdell sighs. "I've told you what you need to do, but do you feel ready for it?"
   "Yes." N nods, "I am certain that it will respond to me."
   "That's good. I am confident too... I do believe that I interpreted everything correctly and without mistakes, yet I can't help but feel a little nervous... With the Ydil League present, if it doesn't work... things may turn ugly."
   "I won't fail. For my friends, I have to succeed... ...?" N goes silent, listening carefully as he thought he heard a rustle. Verdell watches him quietly... The rustling continues, but it seems to be coming from the trees themselves... Then, the trees within the grotto begin to sway...
   "...? ...?" Jumpluff looks around, shuddering a little...
   "Something feels wrong..." Verdell says, looking around cautiously as well...
   "I don't hear my friends..." N seems a little uncertain. Suddenly, the branches reach out to grab them...! "Ah...!"
   "Protect N...!" Verdell calls out as they scramble to their feet! Jumpluff bounces over to N, shielding him from the branches at the same time as they catch Verdell, but not before he manages to call out Breloom! "Cut!" In an instant Verdell has been freed! "We need to get out of this forest...!"
   As they flee out of the hidden grotto, more branches and roots erupt from the ground... It's like the forest has come to life...! "What is happening?!" N looks alarmed as he holds onto Jumpluff!
   "The forest is being haunted! Run for the road, quickly...!" Verdell calls out! Breloom continues to cut a path for them through the branches that try to grab them! Some even lift up massive boulders, launching them their way! Verdell pales a little as a boulder crashes down right next to him! "Stella!" He calls out his Mawile to guard their backs! Using Magnet Rise to avoid being tripped, she yawns as she smashes the boulders with ease! "Judging by your reaction, I assume that Pokémon capable of this are not native to Unova." Verdell says as they get closer to the road...
   "A Pokémon is doing this?" N sounds a little surprised.
   "This gives me a bad feeling..." Although the forest continues to attack them and wreak havoc, they make it to the road. But then it begins to rain hard, and they hear a couple of aggressive bleats...! "Well, if this isn't some smelly soap soup we're in." Verdell growls upon spotting the Gogoats, "Those two belong to Donar..."
   "So they found us?" N says...
   "I didn't know he had a Trevenant." Verdell looks around for him, "...I assume that's the Pokémon behind this. But my mom wouldn't let me have any ghosts, so I'm not an expert on them, even though they're also grass types. Donar and I bonded over gardening, so he knows that. Makes me wonder if he raised one just to use against me."
   "It's fine." N says as they move out of range of the forest, "I won't let them catch you. Zebstrika!" He calls out, waving to a small horde grazing on the plains not too far off. Lifting their heads, they come galloping over!
   "Earthquake!!" Donar's voice is heard loud and clear!
   "Reflect!" Verdell counters, and his Jumpluff bounces forward to shield the horde of Zebstrika as one of the Gogoat slams its hooves into the ground, causing a great tremor to run through the area! The Zebstrikas look irritable and dangerous, letting loose sparks from their manes, although they listen to N...
   "They will help us get away!" N smiles to Verdell as he climbs onto one!
   "Heh, you're amazing!" Calling back Mawile and Breloom, Verdell quickly gets onto the nearest Zebstrika as well, while Jumpluff moves to sit in front of him. "Thanks, Zebstrika-- Whoa...!" His eyes widen as the Zebstrika rears up! Then it bolts along with the others! The forest seems determined to keep them away, throwing boulders and harassing the Zebstrika that run too near, and the Gogoat chase after them from behind...! Donar is riding on one of them, and his Rotom comes zipping alongside him! He wears a resolute face as he continues to give his Pokémon orders to attack them! The Zebstrika are getting agitated, and some of them begin to release bolts in all directions while running...! It does not seem to harm the nearby Zebstrika or their riders, however, as they absorb the lightning from each other, speeding up even more as they dash towards the mountain!
   Donar observes carefully, then he types a Pokéquip message to the other members of the Ydil Elite, "On the road to Twist Mountain, will arrive soon. Be ready!"
   A response arrives from Aina with a short message, "OK."
   "...Good." The man smiles as he looks up, "Now let's see if we can't make them more desperate... Use Earthquake and Bulldoze!!" Both of the Gogoat bleat as they slam their hooves hard into the ground!
   "Don't turn! Keep running!" N shouts out, keeping the panicking Zebstrika on track! They are running too fast for the Gogoat to keep up!
   "Signal Beam!" Donar yells out, and Rotom fires off a weird beam after them! The Zebstrika are already out of range, however, leaving them behind...
   Arriving at a rock wall at the base of the mountain, the Zebstrika can't continue further! N and Verdell leap off... "Thanks, Zebstrika!" N calls to them as they bolt away, "Be careful!"
   "Summer, take N and use Bounce!" Verdell says as he calls out his Talonflame! The rain continues to fall hard on them as Talonflame grabs Verdell, taking to the air with him while Jumpluff bounces up with N.
   "Thunder!!!" Donar's voice roars from the forest below! Verdell and Talonflame cry out as they're struck by the bolt of lightning! They crash onto a cliff high above, out of sight from the ground...
   "...!" N and Jumpluff quickly descend to them... The restless forest launches rocks towards the mountain as Donar gets closer, but Verdell and N are too high up for the boulders to reach...
   "Pluff...! Jumpluff...!" Jumpluff looks worried as she nudges Verdell with her fluff!
   N does not hesitate, taking Clefairy's Pokéball and calling him out! "Use Heal Pulse, alright?"
   "Fairy clefairy!" Clefairy looks determined as he heals his trainer. There's loud bleating as the Gogoat finally reach the base of the mountain! Donar types quickly to the others that they have arrived and that he will try to chase them deeper in, and with a sinister cackle Rotom closes in on them... It uses Thunder again...!
   "Protect!" N says, and Jumpluff shields them from the lightning while Clefairy finishes his work...
   "Nngh..." Verdell sits up, calling out his Breloom as soon as he regains a grasp of the situation, "Bullet Seed!"
   "Loom!!" Breloom begins to pepper Rotom with seeds!
   "Return!" Donar calls Rotom back but throws another Pokéball, "Go-- Electivire! Thunder!!" A large, yellow Pokémon with black stripes erupts out! It has a two-pronged tail that swishes angrily, and it roars as it summons down another bolt of lightning at them...!
   "Protect!" Verdell calls out at the same time as he calls Talonflame back, and Clefairy joins Jumpluff in keeping up the barrier as they make their way towards a cave entrance.
   Donar smirks as he sends one more text to the others, "They have entered the mountain. I'll make my way up after them." He calls his Pokémon back and begins to look for a good place to climb...

"Wonderful." Regina says as she puts away her Pokéquip... She stands atop a high cliff along with her Froslass and Absol, overlooking the valley below... She turns, looking at the camera crew getting ready along with Patricia... Then she smiles to Aina, who stands next to her, whispering, "I ran out of excuses to hold off on filming this scene, and the director has grown impatient... It made me worried that Verdell would not arrive in time. It's a relief that Donar was able to herd him our way... Now, Aina, the next step is up to you. Once you determine that the time is right, let's give the signal to our Pokémon."
   Aina glances at her with a nod, "Understood..." Her Mismagius is happily chatting with Froslass, who raises a small hand to her mouth, chuckling... They seem to get along very well, being excited for the trap to begin. Meanwhile, Gallade is eyeing Absol warily, but Absol pays no heed whatsoever to him, staring intently into the valley...

Verdell and N are hurriedly making their way through the cave as Breloom lights up their path... "Donar isn't the kind to give up this easily." Verdell says, "We only slowed him down. What's more, if there's supposed to be members of the Ydil League in Icirrus City I'm concerned that we're walking into a trap... even if we have no choice but to keep moving now."
   "Team Plasma are in Icirrus City too." N says, "We'll be safe if we can make it there."
   In the distance, they can hear Donar giving out a vicious war cry! It seems he's making progress in climbing up to the cave...! Verdell bites his lip, "But right now you're in danger too because of me... I'm sorry about this, N."
   N shakes his head, "I said that you are under my protection now. You are helping me fulfill my dream to save all Pokémon. I won't let that man or anyone else from the Ydil League get in the way."
   The cave seems to be something of a labyrinth, but eventually they reach one of the many openings into the valley with its abandoned quarries... The bright sunlight greets them as they step out of the cave. "Do you know which path will take us to the city from here?" Verdell asks, and N looks around...
   "...Yes. It's that one!" He points, and they begin to head towards another cave opening in the distance...

Meanwhile, Patricia is looking through her lines as the director explains where he needs her to stand. Jelly the Jigglypuff is next to her trainer, looking around excitedly.
   "...They're here." Aina whispers as she stares into the valley.
   "Then, shall we begin?" Regina says, holding her hand out to Aina...
   "Indeed..." She takes Regina's hand... Her eyes glow as she communicates with her Pokémon around the valley...
   "Everyone, it is time!" Regina speaks as she dramatically raises her other hand, "Let the snowfall begin!" Her Froslass moves forward to the edge of the cliff, summoning a heavy blizzard at the same time as it begins from four more places around the valley, the clouds soon covering the entire sky above...

"P-P-Pluff..." Jumpluff begins to shiver as the air gets colder, floating closer to Verdell to hug him for his warmth.
   As the blizzard approaches them, Verdell pauses for a moment to look around, "No... This is their plan? Turning the whole mountain into a trap...?!"
   "Hurry to safety!" N shouts to some nearby Gurdurr who are looking around in surprise. "Warn the other wild Pokémon!"
   "Gurr!" They hurry off.
   "We have to get out of here too before it's too late...!" Calling Jumpluff and Breloom back, Verdell takes N's hand and begins to run! Clefairy bounces after them; he does not seem to be bothered by the cold...

"...They're fleeing..." Aina says with a focused stare into the valley, "...Trying to make their way to the cave that leads to the city... They're getting close to where Metagross and Avalugg are stationed..."
   "Just as planned. Please use your powers to keep track of them and command our Pokémon, like we agreed on." Regina says before approaching the camera crew... She begins to perform various dramatic poses, "...Say, Patricia, what do you think of this pose? Or maybe this one...?"
   Patricia lowers her script and looks at her, "Hm... They look amazing, Regina. I think... oh! That pose looks the best, I think? You need a dramatic pose when Brycen-Man appears and that looks amazing!"

Verdell and N are still quite a ways from the cave entrance when the blizzard hits them with full force...! There are faint cries of Pokémon that are caught in the storm! N glares up at one of the cliffs where the blizzard is coming from before he shouts out again to the wild Pokémon, "Hurry into the caves! Find Beartic to help!" He pulls at Verdell, "I can't abandon the Pokémon here."
   "But if we stay out here we'll risk freezing to death...!"
   "Let's head for the closest cave instead!" N points in a different direction... Cubchoos and Beartics are working to help the smaller Pokémon flee into the caves, but it seems that some of them are struggling in the powerful winds...!

"Oh, I'm still not sure..." Regina ponders, muttering under her breath, "I wonder if that N is cute..."
   "Hrm..." Aina glances at the actress with a faint smile before returning to her task.
   Patricia tilts her head a bit, "What was that?"
   "Oh, nothing." Regina smiles with a nonchalant wave of her hand, "I was just thinking that I want a souvenir from Unova. Froslass and I collect ice statues, so I was considering who would make a good model... But maybe you could recommend us some other good souvenirs?"
   "Hrm... Are you looking for a collectible or something practical?" Patricia ponders, "There are lovely Cottonee cotton quilts... and you can get beautiful glass artworks in Castelia City... I recall seeing them when I last passed through there. Of course, you can find all sorts of art there, since the Gym Leader promotes it..."
   As Regina and Patricia keep chattering about souvenirs, Aina mutters quietly to herself, "...So they're heading to a nearby cave for safety. It's a difficult terrain for Avalugg to traverse without alerting them... Let's see if Metagross can move Avalugg closer to allow the Blizzard to intensify..."

"Chef, use Misty Terrain!" Verdell says as N has picked up a freezing Drilbur from the ground, carrying it along towards the cave... The magical mist begins to rise...
   "...? This is the same mist as that time in Pinwheel Forest..." N says.
   "Ah... yes. I was using it to escape that time, but now it'll protect everyone from being completely frozen." Verdell says, "...It also tampers with Aina's ability to sense me."

Aina instructs Metagross to move Avalugg closer, but then she frowns, "...I cannot sense him... He's using Misty Terrain again... But as long as they do not reach the closest cave it should be fine. Avalugg, use Avalanche on the cave opening..." Her golden eyes glance at the actors and camera staff briefly before looking down into the valley, muttering, "...But we still need to monitor them somehow..."

"...?!" Verdell stops upon hearing the rumble from ahead... "No... run!" Pulling N along, they flee from the pursuing snow! Luckily it stops before long... Apparently it was not a very huge avalanche...
   "They knew we were headed that way?" N says as he looks around...
   "I should have used Misty Terrain sooner." Verdell bites his lip, "...Looks like they still got us."
   "I can't see a thing..."

Having noticed Aina's troubled look, Regina excuses herself to check on their Pokémon with her... She comes over to the cliff, asking in a low voice, "What is happening?"
   "...He used Misty Terrain again..." Aina is trying to get an idea of Verdell's location, "...I can't sense them with the mist in the way... I can't tell if they managed to get into the cave before I asked Avalugg to block it off with an avalanche."
   "Would your Metagross not inform you if they were that close?" Regina says, "Surely we have them somewhere in the snowy field now... Absol, use Role Play. I want you to find them. Do not engage them yet... Watch them without letting them discover you, and return to inform us if they approach a cave or once they are weary enough to make easy prey."
   "..." Absol nods, approaching Froslass to copy her Snow Cloak ability before leaping down the cliffs and disappearing into the vast whiteness below...
   Regina takes Aina's hand again, "Everyone, block the cave openings close to your positions, but remain where you are."

"It's impossible to see anything in all this snow..." Verdell looks around, "But choosing the wrong direction could be fatal..."
   "..." N looks a little worried as he holds the Drilbur close, but then he closes his eyes, listening carefully... After a little while he opens them, "Let's go this way." As they begin to walk, he notes with some surprise, "...I'm not freezing as much as I should be. These clothes should not be enough to keep warm..."
   "Fairy clefairy!" Clefairy smiles up at him.
   "It's your doing?"
   "Ah, yes... It's Chef's hidden ability, Friend Guard." Verdell explains, "Clefairy only give their magical protection to those they see as friends, so you must have made a good impression on him."
   "Thank you, Chef!" N smiles happily.
   "Still, depending on how long we stay lost out here it may not be enough... Chef, use Light Screen too. And Reflect, in case they decide to ambush us."
   "Clefairy!"
   There are distant cries of Pokémon that can barely be heard above the howling winds... As they keep walking, N pauses every now and then to listen... "...? That voice..." He changes direction, walking towards a pitiful howl calling for help! It is getting louder as they come closer... There is something familiar about it...
   "...?!" Verdell's eyes widen as they get close enough to see the Pokémon, "That's Nora's...!"
   "Arrrrooooooooooooooooo...!!!" Growlithe is howling at the top of his lungs as Nora's other Pokémon are trying to dig through the snow...!
   "Is Nora under there?!" N asks Growlithe.
   "Growl growlithe! Gro growl!" There's a whine as Growlithe turns to help the others get Nora out! N also leaps over to help the Pokémon dig, using one hand as he still holds the freezing Drilbur close with his other arm to keep it warm...
   "I don't have Shimmer with me this time..." Verdell makes a concerned face... "The Pokémon I have are not good at digging. But there may still be something we can do... Sorry, Summer. It's cold, but we can't let Nora die here, so you have to help too." He calls out Jumpluff and Cottonee, "Everyone, use Helping Hand!" The two of them along with Clefairy begin to boost Nora's Pokémon!
   "Pika...!" Pikachu calls out anxiously along with the other Pokémon... They're digging much faster now! Growlithe also barks encouragingly, using Helping Hand too! Finally they spot a faint glow from beneath the snow...!
   "...!" N's eyes widen a little as they see it, digging a little faster alongside the Pokémon!
   "Keep it up, everyone! You're almost there!" Verdell calls out, healing his Talonflame while his Pokémon keep boosting the others! The snow moves upwards, forming a mound... As the glow fades, it begins to fall off, revealing a pair of jeans and a white jacket... Nora is on top of a large and round white Pokémon that struggles to get up from the snow with its short legs!
   "Shelgon! You made it!" N smiles in relief as he lifts Nora off the Pokémon, gently placing her down on the snow. "Nora? Wake up, Nora!" His worried look returns upon seeing that she's not moving, and he tries to shake her!
   Meanwhile, Verdell has finished healing his Talonflame, calling her out, "Move onto Nora, Polly." The huge bird looks around in confusion about the surroundings for a moment, then she tilts her head, walking over to settle down atop Nora. Gardevoir comes over as well, using Heal Pulse... Dewott also bounds over to his trainer, trying to wake her up. Meanwhile Growlithe, Lairon and Pikachu have managed to dig Shelgon out. She lumbers out of the pit and shakes the excess snow off herself, shivering from the cold.
   "..." Gardevoir takes off the blanket she's wearing as a cloak and holds it out to N, "Gardevoir voir voir garde."
   "..." N looks at Gardevoir for a moment, then he takes the blanket and carefully wraps it around Drilbur...
   Verdell calls Jumpluff and Cottonee back. "Thank you. You two did great." He approaches Nora, and taking her Pokéballs, he begins to call her Pokémon back too! The snowfall does not seem about to stop...
   "...Ah..." Nora finally groans a bit!
   "Nora!" N looks relieved to see her stir, "Open your eyes, Nora!"
   Verdell tries to call Dewott back too, but he hops to the side, barking at him! He keeps trying, barking back, "The danger is far from over! Unless you have something useful to do, save your strength for when it's needed!" Dewott growls at him, though he stands still as he's called back into his ball.
   "...?" Nora opens her eyes slowly and looks around, trying to adjust her eyes to see her surroundings, "Where...? What happened...?"
   "You're awake!" N smiles at her, but it soon fades, "This is not a good place to talk. We have to get to Icirrus City."
   "N...?" Nora looks up at him, "What... What are you... What happened? I remember a blizzard struck... Cheren and I got separated, and I couldn't see and... lost my footing..."
   Verdell calls Talonflame back too, placing Nora's Pokéballs on top of her instead. "Can you walk?"
   "I think so..." She takes the Pokéballs and slowly sits up...
   "Garde vaoir..." Gardevoir looks around nervously...
   "Staying out here is too dangerous. We need to find a cave entrance." Verdell says, holding his hand out to Nora, although he's looking at N... Nora takes his hand, and he helps her up...
   N gets up too, listening carefully again... "My friends are close. I hear their voices. This way!"
   They follow N... "...I can't hear anything but the snowstorm." Verdell says, "Are you sure about this, N?"
   "It's too bad you can't hear them. I wish you could." N smiles, "They are right here!"
   "...!" Verdell's eyes widen as suddenly a swarm of Cryogonal appear in front of them!
   "Wow..." Nora's eyes widen at this, "I've never seen this many...!"
   "...Huh, that's the sound they make." Verdell says as he looks up at them, "Like crystals... But it's hard to make out against the wind."
   "Cryogonal are invisible when the weather is warm, but they're still there. This cold weather made them take form." N smiles as he turns to the swarm, "Many Pokémon were trapped by this blizzard. Since you are not hindered by this weather, please help Beartic and Cubchoo find them so they can be rescued!" Nora takes the chance to record them on her Pokédex before they begin to scatter into the blizzard to help the other Pokémon that were caught in it... N frowns a little at her upon noticing, but quickly turns his attention to one of the many Cryogonal instead, "We also got lost in this storm. Could you show us the way out too? Please? ... ...Eh? There's..." N turns around... "Cryogonal says there is a white Pokémon hiding there..."
   "...! Regina's Absol, I'm sure." Verdell says, "...We have no choice but to defeat it. Otherwise it will report back to her which way we took, and she'll block us out of the caves again."
   "An Absol...?" Nora puts away the Pokédex, "...Are there any more of their Pokémon watching us?" Gardevoir is looking around their surroundings carefully...
   N looks at the Cryogonal, "We are being hunted by some bad trainers, so we need to avoid them and their Pokémon... Are there any others nearby?" The Cryogonal turns around in different directions, making a tinkling sound as it explains to N where the blizzard is coming from...
   "..." Nora looks around, "Verdell? You said that this is Regina's doing?"
   "Yes." Verdell lowers his head, "Sorry, Nora... I thought you'd be safe now, but they did this because of me, and it got you in trouble again... They must be getting desperate, setting a giant trap like this..."
   "Well... Let's find our way out of this mess." Nora brushes some snow out of her hair, "We just need to defeat Absol right? Let's go find it."
   "...Absol are fast." Verdell says, "In this terrain, it'll be hard to keep up with it, so we'll have to set an ambush. If we can surprise it, my Pokémon won't have any trouble defeating it."
   Nora smiles a bit, "Does that mean you have an idea?"

Meanwhile Regina is playing out a scene with Patricia, "Ohohoho! Do you understand now, Lovisa Lamb? In this vast snowfield, Brycen-Man has no chance of finding you in time! If you do not want to turn into a Casteliacone, you must reveal his true identity to me!"
   "I refuse, Lady Sherbet!" Patricia wears a resolute face, and Jigglypuff puffs herself up! "Brycen-Man is the symbol of Justice for Unova! That is a secret I will take with me to the afterlife! Do your worst!"
   "You don't even love him like I do! Why does he only have eyes for you?!" Regina exclaims dramatically, "I have waited for so long... But he will forget about you... He will realize that he was always destined to be mine! I'll turn the whole world into an endless snowscape if that is what it takes! Froslass! Keep using blizzard! Once this meddlesome reporter is buried in the snow, my love and I shall have a clean new beginning!" Regina's Pokémon poses gracefully for the cameras while the snowing intensifies! She giggles along with her trainer's evil laughter!
   "Cut! Excellent work, everyone!" The director smiles, "Now for the next scene..." He begins to flip through his notes... Regina pulls out a tiny mirror to check that her make-up still looks good, then she walks over to Aina, who is still staring into the blizzard...
   "...It's taking a long time..." Aina says, "Many wild Pokémon may be trapped down there with them."
   "That it takes time is only to be expected." Regina answers, "What we want is to weaken him, after all. If you are concerned, why don't you send your Gallade to rescue those wild Pokémon?"
   "Hrm..." Aina looks at her Gallade and motions towards the valley. The Pokémon nods, leaping into the valley to help any Pokémon caught in the blizzard!
   "Regina? Is everything okay?" Patricia walks over, "I noticed you sent Absol and Gallade down there..."
   "Oh, Aina spotted some wild Pokémon struggling in the snow." Regina turns a smile to her, "Our Pokémon went to rescue them. Although the snow should melt soon once we are done here, we do not want to cause any accidents, after all..."
   "Oh, there are some that got trapped down there?" The brunette has a concerned look, "If you need more help, I have my Pyroar with me. I'm sure she can lend a paw..."
   Aina shakes her head, "While the offer is appreciated, it would be wise for your Pokémon to remain up here. Gallade and Absol are used to difficult terrain. This is no different from where we trained them."
   "But..." Patricia crosses her arms, looking thoughtful, "...It doesn't feel right for your Pokémon to be alone down there... and Pyroar is a fire type, so she should be able to clear up any cave entrances to let the Pokémon into safety..."
   "Aina is just worried for your Pokémon." Regina says, "But if you believe that your Pyroar is strong enough to handle it, it should not be a problem as long as she stays close to Gallade, just to be safe."
   "Alright." Patricia smiles as she throws a Pokéball in the air, "Felicia, go and work with Gallade!" A healthy lion with a long, blazing tuft of fur on its head takes shape! Its blue eyes scan the area before following the Gallade into the snow.
   "Just tell your Gallade to stay away from Absol, so they don't begin to fight." Regina smiles to Aina before taking Patricia's arm and heading back to the others while making friendly chatter to keep her busy...

"...What does your Pokédex say about Cryogonal, Nora?" Verdell smiles at her...
   "Let's see..." Nora takes it out and presses a few buttons to review information on Cryogonal, "Rarely seen in the summertime, they are born in snow clouds and are composed of ice crystals. When its body temperature goes up, it turns into steam and vanishes. When its temperature lowers, it returns to ice. They use chains made of ice crystals to capture prey, freezing the prey at -148°F... Where they take their prey is unknown to researchers."
   "..." N gives Verdell a look, seeming a little displeased with him... Verdell pretends not to notice, however, responding with a smile!
   "Cryogonal is not a target to Absol, so it should be able to move close enough to catch it. I'm sorry to ask this of you, but I just need you to hold it still for a short while... Then I'll handle the rest."
   "I understand." N says, "...A Pokédex is not necessary to follow your plan. Cryogonal, will you help us?" The Cryogonal chimes happily! "Thank you." N smiles, "Be careful, alright? And call out to me once you have it." Verdell readies a Pokéball while the Cryogonal makes its way towards the Absol that lies crouched up in the snow, spying on the trainers... It hovers quietly in the air, looking around as though it's trying to identify any lost Pokémon in the blizzard... getting closer... Absol glances at it momentarily, but returns its attention to its targets... When Cryogonal is close enough, its icy chains are unleashed and quickly wraps around the Absol! The startled Pokémon begins to struggle, slashing at the chains with its sharp claws to break free...! But Cryogonal gives out a loud chime! "Now!" N says, and Verdell makes a dash towards them...! Absol is almost loose when...
   "Play Rough!" Verdell calls out as he throws Mawile's Pokéball! A flurry of snow around the two Pokémon makes it hard to see what is going on, but soon Mawile comes trudging back with a content look on her face... Absol is in a heap on the ground, unable to get up!
   "That was incredible..." Nora has a wide smile.
   "Thank you for helping, Cryogonal." N says, and the Cryogonal makes a pleased chime as it floats back, continuing past them before it stops, apparently waiting for them...
   Verdell calls Mawile back, giving N and Cryogonal a nod, "Yes, that was a great help. Now's our chance, so let's get out of here."
   "..." N looks back at the Absol, seeming a little worried, however...
   "It won't die." Verdell takes his hand, "Once we're inside the caves Chef's mist should begin to fade. Then Regina will know her Absol failed and come look for it."
   "..." N nods, hurrying along after Cryogonal... Nora follows them, calling back her Gardevoir... The Cryogonal keeps floating ahead of them, pausing to let them catch up a few times, until finally they see a cave opening ahead! N smiles happily as they reach it, "Thank you, Cryogonal!"
   "Yeah, you really saved us..." Verdell looks relieved. His hand is trembling from the cold, but he manages to open his bag and get out a Poképuff, "It's not much, but you deserve something as a reward, so here!"
   "...?" The Cryogonal's icy chains extend and pick up the Poképuff... As the large Pokémon takes a bite of the treat, N watches curiously to see if it will be happy... "Cryo...!"
   Nora smiles, "Looks like it enjoyed it!"
   "..." N gives a pleased nod at seeing this.
   Verdell grins, "No Pokémon can resist Chef's Poképuffs!"
   "Clefairy!" His Pokémon looks very proud.
   "Thanks again, Cryogonal! Alright, let's head in."

As they enter the cave, they soon feel that the air is warmer. Some ways in, N unwraps the Drilbur in his arms, setting it down on the cave floor... "Are you alright now, Drilbur?" Its nose twitches slightly as it chatters timidly, apparently thanking N for saving its life. "I'm glad." N smiles, "If it's alright, you could help us in turn. We have to get to the city near the mountain, but we don't know which way to go. You know your way around here, right?" The Drilbur looks around, trying to determine where they are... Then it nods, gesturing to them to follow as it begins to walk.
   "...I'll never get tired of watching you do this." Verdell grins to N as he sends out Breloom to light their path again, "It's amazing!"
   "..." N smiles a little, then he hands the blanket to Nora, "Tell Lucia that I'm thankful she let me borrow this."
   "Ah... I was wondering how you got that." Nora smiles as she receives it back, "But... why did you guys save me?"
   They look at her... "You expected us to leave you to die?" Verdell asks.
   "Did you forget?" N says, "We're friends."
   "You forget that I don't agree with the idea of separating humans and Pokémon." Nora points out, "...The talk about heroes and stuff... N... How can you see me as a friend when you say things that you know I view as a threat?"
   "..." N looks at her silently for a moment before answering, "...Ghetsis wants me to let someone from Team Plasma help me test my formula. But such a test will not reveal the truth. It has to be a person whose ideals are different from mine. A person who I do not dislike... Someone who truly wants what's best for Pokémon. It has to be you, Nora. Because, to make the future clearly visible to the world... We have to be friends to do that."
   "...I see you as a friend, N. But a lot of what you say hurts my feelings. It makes me feel as if you don't see me as a friend... as if I'm naught but a tool." Nora rubs her head, looking aside, "...It is hard for me to read your intentions... I'm not really the brightest when it comes to communication. Sometimes I do not understand unless it's told to me in plain language..."
   "Like peas in a pod!" Verdell grins, walking behind them now.
   N looks puzzled about Verdell's comment, but returns his attention to Nora, "It is true that I detest your ideals, just like you hate the truth I speak of. But I don't dislike you."
   "...If you don't, then what made you want to befriend me?" She crosses her arms as she looks at him, "Aside for Bianca and Cheren... most people see me as strange or aloof. Why choose me when there are countless others?"
   "Oh, that's not true, Nora." Verdell says, "You're the only one who thinks of yourself that way. Well, maybe Rylan too. But I wouldn't take his opinion to heart like that."
   "Verdell... I am." She glances at him, "...I've always been weird... Even my parents say that. They always lost their patience with me... Mom said that she wished I was like my sister... and dad said that I needed to face the facts... that I'm not good enough to change Unova... How much do you think it hurt, hearing that from them?"
   "Scallopwag, you forget who you're speaking to. I get that you're lonely, but if you were truly strange or aloof, I bet you wouldn't be heartbroken every time you learn that I'm not the kind of person you thought I were." He grins at her, "You would also have an easier time dealing with your parents if you were those things. The fact that you feel hurt by their words only proves that you are a kindhearted person who cares about others."
   "..." She looks at her hands, "...Even if there were moments when I wished I was like everyone else? That I could've been accepted?"
   "No one is like everyone else. The world would be an awfully boring place if your wish came true! You'll be better off if you start looking for people who will accept you the way you are, even if you're different from them-- Or perhaps, if you were to notice those who already do." He looks at N...
   "..." She looks up at N as her eyes are starting to water a bit...
   "Are you sad?" He asks with a hint of worry on his brow.
   "I am... sad and... scared." She speaks softly, "...N, can you answer me truthfully: do you accept me as I am... as a friend?"
   "...?" N is apparently only getting more bewildered, "Are you sad and scared because you and I are friends?"
   "...!" She looks at him with slightly widened eyes, "...No... I am sad and scared... because I wasn't sure if you see me as a friend... despite my flaws."
   He looks straight into her eyes, "...I told you that we're friends many times... I wasn't tricking you."
   "..." She smiles as tears are rolling down her cheeks, "...I wanted to hear you confirm that... That feeling of being sad and scared... When I ask people that... very few confirmed it, while others... lied to me about it."
   "Right. Most people would not be comfortable being put on the spot the way you just did." Verdell smiles a little, shaking his head. "It's a little rude, you know. You're lucky that N isn't most people."
   The puzzled look grows back in N's eyes as he keeps staring at Nora, "Are you still sad?"
   Nora wipes her eyes, "...No... I don't feel sad... I feel happy and... relieved... Darn it I can't stop crying..."
   "Why are you crying if you are happy?" He tilts his head.
   "I am happy that... you are my friend, I am crying because... I am happy that I... don't need to be scared or mad anymore..."
   "...? ...?" N looks so very confused! It seems to be making him a little uncomfortable, and he glances around... But as he nonetheless keeps following Drilbur alongside Nora, apparently he realizes that it is not a good time to run off...
   Verdell chuckles, "Do not worry about it, N. Sometimes, humans are just weird like that. Despite what it looks like, Nora is fine, really. She'll probably return to normal soon."
   "...Okay." N seems a little relieved.
   It takes a while, but as they enter a huge cavern Nora wipes her eyes, taking a deep breath before she gives N a smile, "I'm fine... Thank you so much for being my friend, N."
   "..." N returns the smile, "I am happy that you're my friend too, Nora. And that you returned to normal."
   "As normal as I can get." She hugs him.
   "...!" Startled, he freezes, and a blush begins to appear on his face!
   "Careful, Nora." Verdell smiles, "You'll overload him at this rate."
   "...?" Nora glances at Verdell with a confused look before looking up at N, who raises his hands to his cheeks... She can feel that his heart is beating very fast! "N? Are you okay? Do you... Do you not like it?"
   "Ah... I... I like it!" He says even faster than usual, "But it feels so different from hugging a Pokémon..."
   "How so?" She blinks at this, "Is it because I'm a human?"
   "..." He shakes his head, "Ghetsis told me that it is called a 'crush'. Do you know what that is? ...He thinks that it is bad, but it does not feel bad to me."
   "C-c-crush...?" She looks at him with an equally red face!
   He smiles at her, still blushing, "It does not feel like I'm being crushed at all."
   "..." Nora steps back as she covers her face with her hands, "I-It's supposed to m-mean the... i-intense feeling of falling in l-love with someone briefly..."
   "...Your face... Do you feel the same thing?" N asks.
   "..." She lowers her hands, revealing the blush on her face...
   "..." N watches her with a searching look...
   Her blush is getting redder, "...I felt those feelings faintly... but I was unsure."
   A wide smile grows on his face, although his eyes show a hint of surprise as well, "...I'm very happy!"
   Nora also has a wide smile, "...It's so warm... I didn't think it possible to feel this happy."
   "..." Verdell has stepped back a bit into the background, smiling too as he silently watches them stare into each other's eyes...
   "...Can I hug you one more time?" Nora asks. N nods, and she steps closer... A bit timidly, N hugs her back... "...You feel so warm."
   "...I do." He notes, "Are you still freezing...?"
   "A bit but... I feel warmer like this."
   Suddenly a shriek echoes through the cave, and a large, black flying Pokémon swoops past them and grabs Verdell!
   "...!? Verdell!!" Nora looks up in shock as she lets go of N. But then, she catches a glimpse of another Pokémon that quickly slithers up and coils around him...! The next moment everything goes dark as Breloom is sent flying and knocked out by a sudden gale!
   "What?!" N sounds startled as he pushes against the thing tightening its hold around him, "Let me go!"
   "Gah! Chef!" Verdell calls out as he struggles to reach his Pokéballs, "Use Follow Me!"
   "Clefairy!"
   "Flash Cannon and Gunk Shot!" A voice sounds out as the cave is lit up by a Magnezone, and a metallic beam strikes Clefairy, followed by the poisonous goo spit by the Arbok that holds N!
   An ominous chuckle is heard from the other side of the large cavern, "Come now Verdell... Surely you know how much I've been looking forward to a word with you? IRON TAIL!!" The Noivern that grabbed Verdell dives down from the cave ceiling, roaring as it slams its metallic tail into Clefairy!
   Clefairy managed to withstand the first two attacks, but upon being struck by the third he falls over...! "Clef... fairy..."
   The distraction was enough for Verdell to reach his Pokéballs, however! Calling Breloom and Clefairy back, he turns a grin towards the second voice, "Nice to see you too, Matthias! But if we're going to have a chat, I want snacks. Let's make parrot pie, crew!" He sends out Mawile and Jumpluff! Jumpluff is boosting Mawile's power as she thoroughly beats up the Noivern holding Verdell!
   "Such messy table manners, you'll get mistaken for an Aipom." Noivern is called back as Matthias steps into sight... Verdell sits up halfway on the cave floor as he walks over with a Goodra next to him, fire dancing in its maw... "You better behave, Verdell. Lest you lose your new Team Plasma friend there."
   "Ah!" Nora yelps as she is pulled up to the ceiling by a hissing Ariados, and the Arbok tightens its grip on N...!
   "D-Drilbur... ... Please... get help..." N says, and the small Pokémon that watches timidly from behind a rock quickly disappears into the ground.
   "Now then... what will it be?" Matthias smiles, "Do you surrender, or shall one be crushed, and the other turned in to the International Police for working with two terrorists?"
   "...!" Verdell's grin disappears in an instant as he looks between N and Nora...
   Matthias's smile fades too, "This has been going on for long enough. Isn't it about time that you stop fooling around? If you do, I'll release your friends. I'll even see what I can do about getting you a pardon. Don't you want to return home to Ydil?"
   "..." Pierre looks at N carefully while typing on his Pokéquip to summon Aina to their location... Nora shrieks as she struggles against the Ariados! But it calmly takes its time getting her stuck in a web on the cave ceiling...
   The Champion gives Verdell a hard look as he crosses his arms, "What will it be, Verdell? Cooperation? Or death to that friend of yours?"
   Verdell bites his lip, "... ... ..."
   "Mawile." Mawile is giving Matthias a death glare as she stands in front of her trainer, "Wilewile mawile maw."
   "Nnghh..." N looks at Verdell through the pain, "Stella says... you c-can't surrender... Many more lives will be lost... Both Pokémon and... humans..." His eyes widen as Mawile continues, "...You know... the sacrifice the fairy court demands... for their secret... This will not be c-considered... a worthy exchange..."
   "I know that...!" Verdell shouts with visible fear in his eyes, "I know, b-but..." He trembles slightly as he grasps at his chest...
   "Ngh..." Nora frowns, pushing down on one of her shoes... The Ariados gives her a warning hiss as it continues to bind her to the ceiling! But her shoe flies towards the Champion, landing by his feet! She stares at Matthias, trying to remain calm in spite of quickly being bound tighter to keep her from moving, "You are no king if you throw away your honor like that. A king who drags innocent people into their conflicts is nothing but a tyrant!"
   "I should point out that you are traveling with a terrorist and a man who is part of an organization that steals Pokémon." Matthias looks at Nora with a frown, "Do you truly believe that they are innocent?"
   "No... I don't know what Verdell's deal is, since trying to get anything out of him is like trying to lift an Aggron off the ground with your bare hands-- impossible. But your actions speak loads. Throwing away your ethics and ideals in favor of your cause and hurting people and Pokémon in the process--"
   "Enough." Matthias speaks, his right arm tensing up as his hand balls into a fist...
   "...!" Nora's eyes widen as she feels one of her Pokéballs open up forcefully! Her Dewott comes flying at the Champion with a snarl! But his Goodra moves in front of him, taking the hit without so much as flinching... It growls at the Dewott, who is struck by its powerful tail and sent flying into the rock wall! The little otter is knocked out!
   Matthias frowns at the Dewott before looking at its trainer, pointing up at her, "Be silent, lest you get to dance the spiderweb jig!"
   "Now!" Verdell pulls out a delicate-looking key, attached to a chain around his neck, that was hidden under his shirt... It has a stone embedded into it, and when he touches it, it begins to glow in unison with the stone Mawile wears!
   Matthias's eyes widen upon seeing it, "You've kept the key all this time!?"
   Verdell raises it into the air, and as the energy from it radiates even stronger Mawile's stone responds to it, radiating a similar energy around her! It engulfs her completely, and in an instant, her form has changed...! Her robes have turned purple, she has two even huger jaws on her head now, and she lets out a powerful cry as she charges at Arbok, chomping down on it and bending open its hold on N with her brute strength before tossing it aside! The wounds are too severe for it to move! Verdell looks at Matthias, "...Aye, as you can see. I did not want to reveal it to you, but it can't be helped."
   "...!" N coughs, drawing some deep breaths of air as he forces himself to his feet, looking at Mawile with wide eyes...
   Gritting his teeth, Matthias points at the Mega Evolved Pokémon, "Flamethrower!!" Goodra fires off a stream of fire towards Mawile! She cries out as she is caught in the flames!
   "Cross Poison on Jumpluff!!" Pierre calls his Arbok back, and his Ariados swings from the nearly completed web and slashes at the shiny Pokémon with its front legs dripping with poison! It's a heavy hit, yet Jumpluff seems to resist it quite well, but the Reflect left behind by Clefairy fades away...
   "Play Rough!" Mawile comes charging through the fire towards Goodra with a dark look on her face...! "Get Nora!" Verdell continues, sending out Talonflame, who makes a dart for the web and rips Nora loose from it with ease!
   "Cross Poison again!" Pierre calls out, then he looks at his Magnezone, "Use Thunderbolt on Talonflame!"
   "Cotton Spore!" Verdell calls out, and as Talonflame drops Nora just before being struck down by Magnezone, she lands in a pile of Jumpluff's soft cotton! But Jumpluff falls over when Ariados strikes her again...
   Matthias calls his Goodra back, throwing another Pokéball, "Go Kabutops, Earth Power on the Mawile!" Mawile is covered in sticky goo after battling Goodra... Unable to move fast enough to get away, she stands still, closing her eyes before the ground erupts beneath her and knocks her over!
   "..." Verdell calls all of his Pokémon back as N helps Nora up from the cotton...
   "Thank you..." Nora mutters quietly, calling Dewott back to his Pokéball as she looks around... The Ariados hisses at them, ready to strike at her and N, and the Magnezone hovers towards them, two of its three eyes monitoring them carefully...
   "So Verdell... What do you choose?" Matthias asks as Pierre readies another Pokéball...
   "Do you even have to ask?" Verdell sighs, smiling a little as he looks up at Matthias, "...It never crossed my mind to let N die. I stopped you once, but I may not be able to do it again. Are you still going to repeat the same mistake?"
   "No. Are you coming with us, or should I let Pierre polish his interrogation techniques on them?" The sound of surging electricity erupts from Magnezone as it closes in on Nora and N...
   "...As long as I can, I have to resist you, Matthias. I owe that to all the Pokémon I fought to find their secret. Most of all, I owe it to Stella..." He looks at his Mawile's Pokéball... But then he takes Cottonee's, sending her out!
   "Cotton!!" She looks determined to defend him to the end!
   Matthias stares down at Verdell, "You would take that tone with me, after you broke your vows and swore allegiance to a new king?"
   "The fact that I serve another king now also means that I can't obey you, doesn't it?"
   "Don't worry." N smiles reassuringly to Nora before looking at Magnezone, "You should take your trainer and flee. We've already won."
   Magnezone pauses at this... "...How would you know, agent of Team Plasma?" Pierre narrows his eyes at N, "...Certainly an anomaly..."
   N looks at Pierre, "Listen. There are so many voices. Do you not hear them?" In the distance, there are growls and cries of wild Pokémon approaching from all directions...
   "I know you're smart, Verdell. I suggest you yield while you still can... After all, we're not known for our restraint in battle...!" Matthias frowns as his Kabutops charges forward!
   "Protect...!" Cottonee's shield blocks the sharp scythes!
   Pierre looks around with a frown, "...Milord, we need to retreat."
   "I am not backing down, not when we're so close...!" The shield does not seem to deter the Kabutops as it continues its onslaught! It begins to crack...!
   "Sire... I do believe that these numbers can overwhelm even us."
   "..." Matthias growls a bit, but he listens to their surroundings carefully...
   "Matthias... I thought highly of you when you wrote that you would not resort to killing my crew. The answer to earning my loyalty isn't to target my human friends either." Verdell gives him a sad smile, holding onto his Cottonee as the ground begins to rumble from the approaching hordes of Pokémon...
   A message arrives on Pierre's Pokéquip, and he picks it up to look at it... Aina wrote back, "There are too many wild Pokémon! What's going on in there?!"
   Pierre quickly types their coordinates into his Pokéquip, followed by a message, "No time to explain. Use your Pokémon to teleport to us-- NOW." He looks at Matthias as he calls his Ariados back, "My king, we must leave."
   "..." Matthias growls as he looks between Verdell and Pierre...!
   "Cotton Guard!" Verdell calls out just as the shield shatters! Cottonee is struck down by Kabutops, but the sudden explosion of cotton still keeps her trainer safe!
   "There will be another time. Right now, the risk is too high." Pierre speaks calmly as he takes a quick picture of Nora and N. Matthias sighs, begrudgingly calling his Kabutops back.
   Verdell grins as he crawls out of the huge pile of cotton, backing away from Matthias, "...So what's the punishment for high treason, anyway? Banishment? Please say that it's banishment, I really like my new king!"
   "For you, it's a life sentence in prison, under Aina's watch." He storms over to grab Verdell by his shirt! Verdell dodges him before there's a flash of light and a smaller, more feminine hand holds Matthias back!
   "There's no time. We must retreat." Aina speaks calmly.
   "Aww. That doesn't sound so bad either, but I still prefer freedom. Ahoy, Aina!" Verdell raises a hand, giving her a wave!
   "..." Aina looks at him with a ghost of a smile before Magnezone's light vanishes as it is called back, and her Alakazam teleports her away with Matthias and Pierre!
   "Ah... Does anyone have a light?" Verdell says in the darkness that shrouds the cave once more, "Quick, before the horde rampages all over us by mistake!"
   "W-Wait let me see...!" Nora is trying to dig through her bag... She pulls out a flashlight and turns it on! There's suddenly wild Pokémon all over the place, searching for the intruders! Nora looks around at the Pokémon in awe, never having seen this many in one place before... The little Drilbur approaches N, who picks it up... It twitches its nose as it makes some chattering noises...
   "They fled just now, when they heard everyone coming." N smiles, "Thank you, Drilbur. This time you saved our lives." He turns to look around at all the Pokémon, speaking loudly, "Thank you, everyone. All of you came to our rescue, and you chased the bad trainers off. As soon as we reach the city I will speak to Team Plasma, and I'll be back with them to put an end to the storm outside and help those who have been injured." The Pokémon seem to be happy to hear that the troublemakers are gone, although some of them grumble about them getting away! Verdell digs through the pile of cotton until he finds his Cottonee. He takes out his Pokéquip to heal her... It is only enough to wake her up, but he hugs her, and although weary, she looks quite excited and happy that they got away once again! As N lets Drilbur back down, it resumes guiding them through the caves.
   "...!" Nora hurries to pick up her shoe, hopping along while she tries to slide it onto her foot...
   "...That was brave of you." Verdell smiles to her.
   "I wanted him to shut up, I can't stand someone who justifies being a tyrant to gain more power." She smiles as she finally manages to get her foot into the shoe.
   "Heh... Well, like I told you earlier, Matthias does not know loss very well. Don't judge him too hard. He's not usually like this... He's just trying to figure out how to win our game. He must have thought that's what a fairy would do. And I've been unfair to him, too... Blaming my actions on him..."
   Nora tilts her head, "What makes you say that...?"
   "I recently told him that I was testing him when I burned the Pokémon League... That I am disappointed in him for not being there to stop me that time." He sighs, staring at the ground as he walks...
   "...Verdell, I have to ask if only out of principle. Why did you choose to burn down the League, instead of just making a bonfire or throwing those documents in a shredder?"
   "Because of the high security. It would have taken me too long to get to them... I might've been caught even before reaching my goal, and definitely before escaping. Blowing it all up was simpler and safer." He grins a little...
   "That... Wouldn't it have been easier to get a Pokémon that knows Teleport to get in and snatch it?"
   "Oh, you'd make a real master thief." He chuckles, "I wonder why all thieves don't think of that? Sadly, as you know I don't have any Pokémon that knows Teleport, and I was in a hurry to get the job done."
   Nora tilts her head, "I'm still trying to understand how you were unable to do it without getting their attention. I thought fairies prefer to cause mischief quietly?"
   "Oh, they'd have figured out I was behind it no matter how I went about it. Getting their attention was deliberate... To give Matthias a taste of how dangerous my research is was part of the test for him. Besides, I wanted to express my displeasure with him and the others."
   "That... doesn't make much sense, Verdell." Nora sighs at this...
   "Oh? I think it makes perfect sense." Verdell smiles at her.
   "...You have a weird idea of how to make things clear ya know." She shakes her head while keeping a small smile, "...N? Are you okay? That Arbok was squeezing you pretty hard..."
   "It hurt, but I don't think anything was broken... I'm alright, but... Verdell, I want to speak with Stella."
   "...Alright." He pauses, placing Cottonee on his shoulder before taking out his Pokéquip along with Mawile's Pokéball... But as he looks at them his face turns troubled, "She's out, and my Pokéquip needs to charge... It only had enough left to save Tickles..." He sighs, "Kabutops didn't aim to kill her, but her wound was still bad..."
   "If you want, I can ask Lucia to help heal Mawile?" Nora looks worried.
   "...Thanks." He nods, calling her out... Her form is back to normal, and she's unconscious... Nora unleashes Gardevoir, who smiles a bit upon seeing Mawile... She uses her Heal Pulse...
   "Mawh..." She wakes up, looking around warily, but upon seeing that the danger is gone she gets a relieved smile... She watches Gardevoir silently... After a little while she stands up, having regained her strength. Her attention turns to N as he sits down in front of her, "...?"
   "Thank you for saving me, Stella. I want to ask you about something."
   "Wile mawile?"
   "You said that if Verdell surrenders many lives will be lost... But then you said that the fairy court demands a sacrifice for their secret. I won't ask you what the secret is... but I want to understand. What did you mean?"
   "..." She closes her eyes, turning her head aside!
   "...!" N's eyes widen as he seems a little alarmed, "I'm sorry! Please don't become silent...!"
   "...She can't answer that question." Verdell says, "It's her own fault, not yours." He picks her up, "...That warning was meant for me, not Matthias. She meant that even if many will die if Matthias gets his hands on the secret, I had no right to sacrifice your life after she chose to spare mine."
   "M-Mawwile..." Mawile buries her face in Verdell's chest, making sobbing noises...
   Nora blinks in surprise, "...Verdell... You mentioned she's your strongest team member... Under what circumstances did you find her?"
   "Individually she's the strongest in my crew, yes." He says as he hugs her gently, "...Before I caught her, she was a guardian from the fairy court. She was trying to hunt Shimmer down for attempting to uncover a secret the fairies guarded. Goldie found him badly wounded, and after I took him in, I became a target too. Like I told you, even after I caught her she attempted to bite my arm off more than once. That's fair, since I caused her a lot of trouble too. But if I had made a selfish decision back there... she would have protected the secret by taking my life. It's her duty to do that..." He trails off as he looks at his crying Pokémon, but then he suddenly laughs, "That she hasn't already beheaded me proves that she doesn't want to anymore. If she attacked me when I'm holding her like this, I wouldn't stand a chance!"
   "Maw... wile..." She keeps sobbing!
   "...I'm sorry, Stella." N says, "But it's alright now. The bad trainers are gone... No one has to die to keep your secret safe."
   "Mawile... Maw mawile maw..."
   "She says sorry to you." N glances at Nora... "That things had to be this way."
   "...It's alright." Nora rubs her head, "...It's clear that what Cheren, Bianca and I were trying to dig into was deeper than I dare to think... I feel that... I owe an apology to Stella for meddling into something that she was so determined to prevent us from knowing. I am sorry for causing you and your trainer such a headache, Stella."
   "Heh, yeah... Thanks, Nora." Verdell smiles a little, "For understanding."
   "..." Mawile turns her head slightly, glancing at Nora and N...
   Nora lowers her head, "I hope you can forgive us for this."
   "Wilewile... mawile maw mawile."
   "She says that it's fine as long as you won't keep trying to find out." N says.
   "Alright." Nora stands up straight and smiles, "I'll be sure to tell the others to stop asking then."
   "Mawile." She smiles a little!
   "Cotton cottonee!" Cottonee jumps off Verdell's shoulder, apparently offering her place to Mawile.
   "Oh, alright. You weigh more than Tickles, but you can ride this time." Verdell places Mawile on his shoulder, but she does not look pleased, using her jaw to pull his hair! "Ow! Owoww, stop that! You know, for a steel type you're as light as a feather...!"
   "Mawile." She gives her trainer a pleased smirk.
   Nora chuckles as she calls Gardevoir back, "Come, let's get out of here before Matthias tries another plan."
   "Y-Yeah..." Verdell nods as Cottonee bounces over to ride on N instead.

Drilbur continues to guide them through the caves and tunnels, until they hear voices from ahead... "Huh. Pretty strong... But you're only strong because you're controlling Pokémon!"
   "So if you want to set Pokémon free... If that's what you want, you should start with your own." Cheren folds his arms, tapping his foot impatiently as his Servine stares down the Team Plasma grunt, "But taking people's Pokémon by force is not right. That is not real strength!"
   "Cheren!" Nora rushes over, "What's going on? Are you alright?"
   "...!" Verdell quickly grabs N's arm and pulls him along behind a boulder before Cheren spots them!
   "Nora! You're safe." Cheren smiles in relief for a moment before frowning at the Team Plasma grunt, "I was making my way to Icirrus City to get help when this moron showed up and tried to steal my Pokémon."
   "What?" Nora looks at the grunt, "That's rather rude. I'd thought they would be here because of the freak blizzard that struck."
   Suddenly another grunt comes dashing in through the cave entrance ahead, approaching the first one, "Hey, there you are! We found that thing we were looking for. We should head for the tower now!" He turns to Cheren and Nora, "Get this! Team Plasma has obtained the power to change this world and end people's control over Pokémon."
   "That's right! We must use force in order to right the wrongs of the world." The first grunt declares, "Now, let's gather around our king. Our Lord N!"
   "...!" Verdell's eyes widen, and he stumbles a little as N pulls him along into sight!
   "I'm right here." N smiles, "But first, I want you to gather everyone to help the Pokémon in Twist Mountain!"
   "Lord N...!" The grunts look surprised to see him, but they quickly bow, "We'll let everyone know right away!" They hurry out.
   "Thank you for guiding us all this way." N smiles to the Drilbur, "I'll be back with help for everyone soon, I promise."
   "...!!" Cheren's eyes widen upon seeing Verdell.
   "Ah..." He rubs his head, "Ahoy, Cheren! I'm glad to see you're safe."
   "...T-This is a bit of a surprise." Nora blinks, but then she frowns, "...What did he mean by 'the power to change the world'?"
   "Right now I have to help the Pokémon." N says as he walks past them, still pulling Verdell along.
   "Verdell!" Cheren frowns, "Stop or I'm calling Aina on you!"
   "Go ahead!" Verdell grins at him, "See you two around!"
   "..." Cheren watches them leave with a displeased face... "Those guys... I don't know what they've found, but they go the extra mile to gain power and cause trouble. What a bothersome bunch..." He holds up his Xtransceiver...
   "W-Wait..." Nora places her hand on Cheren's shoulder, "Cheren... we need to get out of here. That blizzard... I found out what caused it."
   "Hm?" Cheren looks at her...
   "...The Ydil Elite Four and their Champion did it... When we got separated I got caught in the avalanche... Verdell and N saved my life." Nora looks down...
   Cheren stares at her with wide eyes. "They... The Ydil League did this?" His surprise shifts into a deep frown, "Unbelievable..."
   "...Matthias had also..." Nora shakes her head, "Come on, we really need to talk far away from here about what happened."
   "...Alright." Cheren nods. "But first, let's tell the Gym Leader in Icirrus City. If Team Plasma are going to swarm the place someone needs to keep an eye on them."
   "Right." Nora nods.

They leave the cave, soon arriving in the city... It is built on hills overlooking a vast swampland. There are bridges between the hills, and slowly spinning windmills in the southeast. They hear clapping from a group of people practising a folk dance, but they do not stop to watch, making their way straight towards the Pokémon Gym. Pillars with glass sculptures in the form of ice crystals on top line the entrance. If not for them the Gym would have resembled a cave, being built into a hill so huge that it reaches above the roofs of the surrounding houses. Grass and flowers grow on top... Just as they are about to enter, a masked man in blue robes comes out! Nora pauses, "Sir... are you the Gym Leader? There's an emergency at Twist Mountain!"
   "I am justice. I am the ice. I am Brycen-Man." He strikes a pose as a nearby camera man zooms in on him! "Something is off. It is near summer, yet the air feels like winter. Fear not, citizens, I shall find the cause!"
   "Sir, there's more than just the blizzard! Team Plasma are making their way there too!"
   "The likes of Team Plasma cannot stop Brycen-Man!" A man in a martial arts uniform says as he comes out of the Gym, followed by several other trainers who line up behind Brycen, copying his pose!
   "Off and away!" Brycen declares, making a dash for the mountain, followed by his troop of loyal sidekicks and a whole crew of cameramen!
   "..." Cheren blinks, "I suppose that went well."
   "...I remember hearing he was trying to be more open after getting out of depression." Nora blinks as well, "...This seems... rather odd?"
   "Ah, that's right... This Gym is the closest to Anville Town, isn't it?" Cheren says, "Anyway, let's find somewhere to speak."
   "Yeah..." Nora glances around, "Let's see... Perhaps near that tower would be a good place to talk?" She points towards a tall building sticking out of the forest beyond the Pokémon Gym.
   "Yeah, looks good." Cheren nods, and they head towards it.

The tall and imposing tower, built of limestone, is surrounded by several smaller towers, making it look almost like a fortress. The moat is so flooded it more resembles a lake, and what was once the bridge to enter it is far below the surface, but rows of pillars sticking out of the water still mark where it was supposed to be... "...This place feels a bit spooky." Nora looks around...
   "But there doesn't seem to be anyone here." Cheren sits down by the edge of the moat, "So tell me what happened."
   Nora sits down as well, explaining what happened to her after they were separated; how she was caught in an avalanche and rescued by N and Verdell. "...From what I understand, Regina and Aina were coordinating the blizzard... It was a trap specifically set up to capture Verdell."
   Cheren frowns as he listens, "They got Clay to evacuate the workers, but he can't have known they were planning something like this... That blizzard endangered our lives..."
   "You're telling me..." She continues to tell him of how Matthias and Pierre attacked them in the cave but were chased off by the wild Pokémon. "...Then Aina appeared and teleported them out... but Champion Matthias was furious at Verdell for leaving him to serve Team Plasma's king..."
   "That's right..." Cheren raises a hand to his chin with a thoughtful look, "Back there, those Team Plasma grunts... They said that N is their king."
   "...Yeah." She rubs her head, "...Who would've thought?"
   Cheren frowns, "I won't forgive the Ydil League for this... but I don't get how Verdell could join Team Plasma, either."
   "...I think I have an idea why... and in hindsight, I think... he probably saw it as the only way."
   "..." Cheren looks at her...
   Nora goes on to explain what happened after the Ydil League left and what she learned about Verdell's Mawile. "I made a promise to stop prying... So I'm not going to try to find out anymore."
   "Hold on. If N was the one who told you what Mawile was saying, couldn't he just have made it up?"
   Nora shakes her head, "He wasn't... Stella began to clam up when he tried to ask her what she meant when she said the fairies want a sacrifice in exchange for their secret... She was crying when Verdell explained that she meant him."
   "..." Cheren sighs, "This is all so frustrating..."
   "You're telling me..."
   "...But I can't trust Aina after this. I'm cutting ties with her right now." He moves a bit so as to get the forest in the background for his Xtransceiver, selecting Aina's number... He takes a moment to compose himself...
   Nora flops back onto the grass, staring at the now clear sky for a bit before glancing at the tower... Then she turns to Cheren, "Cheren wait..."
   "What?" He looks at her...
   "Are you sure it's a good idea to do that so suddenly? You didn't tell her what you were actually doing, right?"
   "I won't tell her now either. But they know you were there. It'll be more suspicious if I don't react."
   "Good point... What exactly are they so darn determined to get that they'd risk killing innocent people and Pokémon over this?"
   Cheren goes on to make the call... It takes a while before Aina answers, "Hello?" She looks as though she came straight from a battlefield...
   Cheren wears a frown as he stares at her through the screen, "How could you do this?"
   "Do what?"
   "Don't feign innocence. I was there myself."
   "...I was against the plan on Twist Mountain. I did what I could to evacuate the Pokémon caught in the storm."
   "That's not what I heard from Nora. We were there training together before we got separated because of the blizzard. You helped coordinate it, didn't you?"
   "...Begrudgingly."
   "You say that, but you could have refused."
   "...I do not have that kind of power... Not anymore." She closes her eyes.
   "If you'd rather risk the lives of innocent people, you're no better than Verdell."
   "...Those were direct orders... I cannot defy the will of the king..." She looks disheartened, "...For the sake of Ydil... I have to follow his orders."
   "He sounds more like a tyrant than a king to me. Do you even know what he did to Nora?"
   "What happened?" She furrows her brow...
   "She told me that Verdell and N saved her life after we got separated and she was buried by an avalanche. Then they ran into Matthias, who put her at risk a second time, threatening her if Verdell wouldn't surrender."
   "..." Her eyes widen by a fraction.
   "Verdell may be a dangerous criminal, but to my knowledge he hasn't risked anyone else's life. So don't expect any more information from me. We're through."
   "...So be it, I will not contact you again. Goodbye, Cheren." She hangs up.
   Cheren gives an irritated sigh as he turns off his Xtransceiver...
   "...So..." Nora looks up at the sky, "...Sally evolved into a Shelgon."
   "...Oh. Congratulations." He smiles faintly...
   "It looks like your team is growing exceptionally too! It looked like you finished the battle with that Plasma grunt pretty fast." Nora grins at him.
   "That was hardly a battle worth the air to mention it..."
   "Hello, Nora and Cheren!" Another voice suddenly calls out, "How are Soujiro and Herbert?"
   "Oh... Hello, Cedric. Herbert is a Servine now. Have a look for yourself, I guess." Cheren calls his Servine out.
   "Soujiro evolved into a Dewott, and I think he'd be happy to see you, professor. Though I need to heal him, we got into a scuffle with a dangerous Pokémon." Nora looks concerned as she calls him out, picking him up. The Dewott is limp on his trainer's lap... Nora takes out a Hyper Potion and begins to apply the spray on the otter... There's a pained grunt as he wakes up... He makes confused noises as he looks around. Servine approaches him to explain everything he just heard... Dewott listens carefully to the grass snake as he seems rather frazzled about what happened...
   "Ah!" Cedric smiles, "Both of your Pokémon have really grown. The Pokédex is important, but time spent having fun together is also important." He looks ahead, "Say, I just had a thought-- Have you heard about the legendary Pokémon of Dragonspiral Tower?"
   "Not really?" Nora tilts her head before looking up at the tower, "Is that what it's called?"
   "Why, yes... This building serenely towering over everything is Dragonspiral Tower. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. Okay." He looks at them, "Give this story a listen. Dragonspiral Tower is said to be the Unova region's oldest building. Long ago, the war between the sons of the twin heroes of Unova started an intense fire in this area. After that, they say ideals intermingled with truth, and that's how the tower was created. From far in the past, before modern Unova was founded, it still stands tall today. And the top floor, so it's been told, is where the legendary dragons of Unova would then wait for new heroes to appear. Rarely coming to life, but usually remaining in deep slumber. Of course, there are no legendary Pokémon there now. That there used to be is only a local legend, which has yet to be proven. It has been long since anyone went inside, but my daughter has wanted to investigate that tower for a long time. 'What! There's something I don't know?!'" He imitates her before putting on a wide grin, "That kind of feeling is pure adventure. And I'm not too old for some adventuring. Away I go to have a look at Dragonspiral Tower! Catch you later!" He calls out a Samurott and goes for a surf around the tower.
   "Dew..." Dewott watches in awe of the Samurott!
   Nora looks up at the tower with narrowed eyes, "...The dragons..."
   "That reminds me..." Cheren looks up at it too, "Didn't Team Plasma just say something about 'heading for the tower'...?"
   "Cheren... You don't think...?" She looks at him with a concerned face.
   "Maybe this is where they plan to cause trouble next." Cheren says, still looking up at the tower, but with a hint of worry...
   "What should we do?" Nora looks at him, "We can try to tell the Gym Leader... Do you think we should warn Professor Juniper?"
   "The Gym Leader is already busy dealing with things at Twist Mountain, though... I think you should call Professor Juniper. She's worried about you too, you know. As for me... I'm going to stay here for a while. If Team Plasma show up, I could always give them a beating. Anyway, after everything that's happened, I want to think a little bit about what the Champion asked me... What do I want to do with my power after I get strong? And why do I want to be strong in the first place?"
   Nora smiles, "Right... I'll be right back then." She heads up on an isolated hill with Dewott following, calling the Professor on her Xtransceiver...
   After a few moments there's an answer, "Hello? ...Oh! Hey Nora! Are you feeling okay? After what happened..."
   "I'm doing okay, Professor." Nora smiles at her, "I... I'm feeling much better. But there's something that I need to speak with you about."
   "What is it?"
   "It's regarding Team Plasma and something they said about the legendary dragons..." Nora goes on to explain...
   Juniper's eyes widen as she listens carefully. "...I can't believe it." Her eyebrows furrow, "Why would they...?"
   Nora looks down, "I am unsure, but I fear that Dragonspiral Tower is their next destination. Professor, Cheren and I are unsure of what to do. The Gym Leader Brycen is busy at Twist Mountain..."
   "...I'll make my way over." Juniper nods, "I'll see if I can't get in touch with any of the Gym Leaders or Elite Four. Hopefully Alder will be willing to answer my call. If they intend to revive one of the dragons it could spell doom for Unova."
   The brunette nods, "Understood."
   "Don't do anything reckless until I arrive." The professor has a stern look, "Remember, you and Cheren are talented trainers, but numbers can still overwhelm. Fall back if you have to, and tell my father about this as well so he can be ready. I'll see you soon, Nora."
   "See you soon, Professor." The call ends as Nora ponders, "...The dragons... Which one would...? No, let's not dwell on that." She turns to head back to where Cheren is...
   Cheren turns his head as she approaches, "How did it go?"
   "Professor Juniper said that she's on her way. She asked us to tell her father about this." Nora looks at the tower, "She said she's going to try to reach out to the Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion to see who's prepared to come to protect it. If either dragon is indeed here, it spells trouble if Team Plasma get their hands on it."
   "...I'll let Cedric know." Cheren nods.
   "I'll check the city for any signs of them." Nora glances towards the forest path leading back, "Professor Juniper said that if there's too many, we should not get in over our heads, but retreat before we end up losing."
   "Well I can certainly handle a bunch of them, but I get it. You be careful too, Nora."
   "Right... Ah, we better warn Bianca too." Her eyes widen, "We don't know how much progress she has made or how far she's come. Was she heading to Mistralton or to Twist Mountain?"
   "If she was in danger she'd have called us... but you're right. Let's call her." Cheren nods.
   Nora looks at her Xtransceiver and begins to call Bianca... It takes a moment, but finally the blonde appears on the screen. It seems she's out in the wild. "Ah, Nora! Guess what, guess what?" She smiles wide as she show her new Jet Badge, "I won against Skyla! I'm on my way to Twist Mountain!"
   The brunette nods with a smile, "Fantastic job, Bianca!"
   Cheren enters the conversation on his Xtransceiver too, "Congratulations, Bianca! Just be careful when passing through Twist Mountain. Something happened, and Team Plasma are there now. Hopefully they'll be gone by the time you get there."
   "Team Plasma?" Bianca blinks as she continues to walk, "What do you mean? What happened?"
   "Long story short: A certain League caused a blizzard trying to capture a certain someone." Nora says, "Team Plasma were making their way there to help the Pokémon caught in the snowstorm, but there's a risk they're going to target any trainers they find too!"
   Green eyes widen in shock, "S-Should I avoid going in there...?"
   "I think it's okay as long as you're careful? We warned the Gym Leader of Icirrus City, and he along with his apprentices made their way there."
   "They should already be there by now." Cheren says, "But be cautious nonetheless. If you're worried, you could always camp in the wild. Things may have settled down by tomorrow."
   "Of course." Bianca nods with a smile, "I'll take a quick look around before I go in there. Thank you for letting me know!"
   Nora smiles at her, "As long as you're safe, Bianca. Heavens know, Cheren and I would go berserk if anything happened to you."
   "Make sure to call us if anything does happen." Cheren nods.
   "Right! Talk to you later!" She gives them a wide smile before hanging up.
   Nora sighs, "Thank goodness, she's safe..."
   "That's a relief." Cheren says, staring at the water's surface, "...I've had enough trouble for one day."
   "I think it's more than enough..." Nora sits down, "Cheren, do you think Alder and the Elite Four can be moved by this kind of threat?"
   "...I think it's more a matter of whether they would believe it or not... If they do, they can't ignore it."
   "...I have a feeling that if this threat becomes reality... they're going to regret it horribly."

At Twist Mountain, Team Plasma are providing the filming crew with some footage of Brycen-Man and his sidekicks battling their grunts, before they realize they're fighting for the same goal and team up. Once Brycen-Man has rescued Lovisa Lamb and defeated the wicked Lady Sherbet, putting an end to the blizzard, she learns the error of her ways upon being reunited with her injured Absol who was rescued by Pyroar! After one of the Sages negotiates with the director that Team Plasma will ensure no Pokémon are harmed by the production, they finally manage to shoo the camera crew and the Ydil League off. Some time later, the sun shines warmly on the snow as Ghetsis walks through it, observing the grunts working to save the wild Pokémon... He spots N helping with caring for some that are still freezing or injured after being dug out... Verdell is nearby as well, giving a hand too. Some of the Sages are also staying close by, to ensure that nothing more happens to the king... As Ghetsis strides over with a calm expression, they take notice and move aside to allow him access to N. "...My King?"
   "Oh, Father." N looks up momentarily, but returns his attention to the Boldore in front of him, "Everyone is helping, so we're almost done here... That Pokémon says it is grateful." He smiles to a nearby grunt who just healed a Woobat.
   Ghetsis smiles a bit before his expression turns serious, "...Lord N, the search is complete. We... have found it."
   "Yes!" N gives him a wide smile as the Boldore heads off, "I heard. Verdell has told me how it can be awakened, and I have been thinking carefully of what to say so that it will accept me as its friend. I am ready to meet the legendary Pokémon!"
   "...Then you know that you must awaken it at Dragonspiral Tower?" Ghetsis smiles as he produces from his robes a peculiar white sphere.
   "...!" N approaches to have a look.
   It seems to have caught Verdell's attention as well, and he comes over, "...Yes. That's got to be it!" He smiles.
   "As suspected, it was resting in the Moor of Icirrus..." Ghetsis chuckles, "I suppose I shouldn't be shocked, considering the legend of the area."
   "...?" N tilts his head, apparently expecting him to continue.
   "Long ago, during the second clash between Reshiram and Zekrom, a great fire raged there. The Pokémon were trapped in the forest and had no way of escape... It is said that three legendary Pokémon appeared and came to their rescue. One led the panicked Pokémon to safety through the forest, while its two companions rushed to gather any Pokémon that were still trapped by the fire. One had such strength it could take down a castle wall while the other's lithe body gracefully avoided the fire." Ghetsis smiles, "That was the first recorded sighting of the Swords of Justice of Unova."
   "Hmm. That makes me wonder if there could have been a reason the place became a moor..." Verdell says.
   "Possibly." Ghetsis looks at Verdell, "There was one small Pokémon that was said to have been separated from its parents during the blaze, and so the Swords of Justice took the little colt under their care. As I understand, it's a water type."
   "Did it change the terrain?" N asks.
   "It's said that water jets from its hooves, but I am unsure if it was a direct cause of the landscape being changed." Ghetsis looks at the Light Stone, "We found this deep in the moor, within an ancient shrine. If the Swords of Justice were meant to protect it... I do not know, but we did not come across any trouble when we claimed it for Lord N."
   Verdell shakes his head, "If they were guarding it, they would surely have appeared. The shrine was built by the royal family of Unova, during a time in which no one had managed to awaken the legendary Pokémon. Those were certainly not the most glorious days of their history. They were concerned that if word got out that they had all failed to do it, thieves would try to steal the stones. If someone outside of the royal family then managed to awaken the dragons, they would risk being dethroned. So they chose to hide them in different places, and simply told the people that the dragons had disappeared somewhere after the death of the last hero. They were hoping for descendants that the dragons would deem worthy, but in time... After the Relic Castle fell, their most well guarded secret was forgotten."
   "Indeed..." Ghetsis looks to N as he extends the stone to him, "My King... Reshiram. However, I ask that per tradition you awaken it in Dragonspiral Tower." Many Team Plasma grunts are watching in awe as N receives the stone carefully...
   "Of course, Father. I will!"
   "I'd suggest preparing some security measures, however." Verdell says, "When Reshiram awakens it won't go unnoticed. The entire city will see it, and N is going to need some time to befriend Reshiram without any interference."
   "Naturally..." Ghetsis looks at the grunts and the other Sages, "We are closer than ever to our goals of liberating Pokémon and bringing an end to the League with their outdated ways! My fellow members of Team Plasma... answer me this: Will you defend your King to the end!?" There is a loud cheer, and Ghetsis continues, "We will protect our King with everything we have. As our King awakens Reshiram, do all you can to stop anyone who would interfere in their tracks!" The man has a determined gleam in his eye, "Our efforts have brought us this far-- We can only move forward! Failure is no longer an option! Our greatest mission as of yet begins tomorrow. Prepare yourselves for it!" As Ghetsis ends his speech the grunts are riled up, and the Sages begin to wander about advising them... Ghetsis looks at N, "...Before then... I think a bath is in order, my son. It would be unbecoming if you were to appear before Reshiram in your current... state."
   "...?" N looks at himself, "Oh. I look like Verdell now."
   Verdell chuckles, "That's nothing compared to last time I looked into a mirror! Almost scared myself! ...But I did promise I'll start looking tidier from now on, and a chance to rest up from our last adventure would be welcome..."
   "Come, I have seen to that a safe house has been prepared for you in the city, My King." Ghetsis smiles as he motions for N and Verdell to follow.

Meanwhile, in the forest beyond Twist Mountain... Aina, Donar, and Pierre all lie on the ground with their Pokémon, defeated! A long and slender silver serpent stares them down with the same dark look as Matthias is giving them... Seeing that they are not getting up, its eel-like body relaxes from its stiff and straight position. The blue fin around its back and long tail loosens its sharp edge and becomes smooth and flowing as it shakes some dirt off itself, and its rapier-like pectoral fins spread out almost like delicate curtains. Deep gashes scar the battlefield around it. A huge boulder lies cut cleanly in half... The Pokémon roars, its pale sky blue eyes still burning with fury! To the side, Regina is calmly applauding Matthias's undisputed victory. The Champion takes a deep breath as he looks at the trio, "...How is it... that you can fail so spectacularly, making a fool out of me? You three had roles to fulfill, and yet you first failed to keep up with him, then to predict what he was going to do, and finally to capture him! It's one thing if any of you had been alone, but even with the full might of the Ydil League you couldn't carry out this simple plan!?"
   "...There is no excuse." Aina mutters quietly as she rubs her Espeon's head... Donar lowers his head as he rubs his Gogoat gently, and Pierre quietly calls his Gengar back.
   "If Verdell had been alone, he would not have escaped." Regina says as she approaches, "It was that man with him, was it not? That N."
   "Yes..." Matthias nods as Pierre sends the picture he took of N with Nora next to him to the others, "...That brat, he was able to talk to Pokémon."
   "What...?" Donar's brow rises in surprise.
   "Talk to Pokémon...? How unusual..." Regina also puts on a surprised face for an instant as she stares at the picture in her Pokéquip... "But this girl with him... did she play a part? Was it not supposed to be only Verdell and N...?"
   "That's Nora..." Aina answers calmly, "She was Verdell's apprentice until he left her to join Team Plasma. As I understand, she was not aware of Verdell's history..."
   Matthias bristles, "She had the nerve to claim that our actions are wrong, despite admitting that she has no idea what we're doing. Even tried to hit me with her shoe!"
   "...From what I could tell, she seems rather close with N." Pierre speaks calmly as Matthias looks at him, "Before we struck, she was hugging him. They're probably allies."
   Aina shakes her head, "I do not know their history, but, I saw them together in my visions."
   "Visions?" Matthias looks at her, "What happened?"
   Aina looks up at him, "Their fates are intertwined with one another... I saw them facing each other in a grand hall. N was surrounded by white flame, while she was enveloped in black storm clouds... They stared at each other with pain in their eyes..."
   Regina places her hands on her hips, "She sounds like a rude person, but if she will become an enemy of that N, I suppose we should leave her be."
   "..." Pierre seems to be thinking carefully, "Regardless, I'll monitor Team Plasma's activities more carefully from now on."
   Matthias sighs as he shakes his head, "Keep us notified of anything unusual. In the meantime, let's head back to Icirrus City to recover. We need to plan more carefully from here on."
   "Yes. Verdell was trying to make his way to the city as well." Regina says, "It is possible that we'll find him there. But capturing him will be more difficult with so many members of Team Plasma around."
   "Let's keep a low profile for now." Matthias looks at Regina, "We'll observe what's going on. No doubt the Gym Leader has his hands full with what happened at the mountain. But the grunts will be easy for Pierre to track and monitor."
   "Yes sir." Pierre bows.
   Aina looks down, "Sire, I feel as though something dangerous is going to happen soon. I think it would be in our best interests to bring our best Pokémon with us... Something about the city... doesn't feel right."
   "Hey, calm down Aina." Donar grins, "No one's going to beat us. Besides, what's Team Plasma got on any of us?"
   "Do not underestimate them, Donar." Regina says, "They may not be able to threaten us in battle, but they could damage our reputation if we are not cautious."
   "Yes ma'am..."
   Matthias calls his dragon back into its Dive Ball and looks at all of them, "Come, let's head to the city. Drinks are on me! And allow me to pay for snacks for your Pokémon. It's the least I can do to thank you for your assistance with Aedelys."
   They all call their Pokémon back and follow the Champion. Regina walks by his side, and he extends his arm to her... She smiles faintly as she takes it, holding onto him. Despite his otherwise troubled face, Matthias smiles a little...

The next morning, Nora is making her way towards the Pokémon Gym. Stopping in front of it briefly, she takes a deep breath and heads inside... It is rather chilly within... Her eyes are met by a giant skating rink! Some of Brycen's sidekicks are there, practising their twirls and jumps... "This is..." Nora blinks as she looks around... It appears that there are several levels to the skating rink too... To reach the top, she'll have to skate at high speed to jump from ramps in order to reach the next rink... She shivers a bit, blowing hot air into her hands to try and heat them up. To her side are some shelves with skates for visitors and challengers to borrow, it appears... "...This is going to hurt..." She mutters under her breath as she heads over to find skates of the right size. After a little while, she finds a pair that fits her just right! She puts her shoes in her bag, unsteadily making her way towards the rink... She takes a few deep breaths before sliding onto it, wobbling a bit! The sidekicks seem to have noticed her, watching curiously how she'll manage. Nora is skating around carefully, trying to get used to it as her movements seem quite unbalanced...! She has not fallen yet, and for a brief moment she smiles, before all of sudden she fails a turn and lands on her side! One of the girls skates over to her, holding her hand out, "Looks like you need some practise."
   "I've never ice skated before..." Nora takes her hand as she tries to get up, "...So I'm not very familiar with the moves..."
   "Well, reaching Brycen isn't the easiest thing, but good luck!" The girl smiles once Nora is back on her feet, skating off some distance.
   One of Nora's Pokéballs begins to shake eagerly! "What the--?" Nora blinks, pressing the button, and Gardevoir appears! "Lucia, why...?"
   The Gardevoir smiles, swaying a bit... "Garvr..." She moves around on the ice, looking at Nora expectantly.
   Nora watches her Pokémon for a few moments before a look of realization comes over her, "Wait... Do you want to help me...?" There's a nod from the Gardevoir, and Nora smiles as she begins to copy the movements of her Pokémon. They practice for a while... Following Gardevoir's graceful movements, Nora's skating is starting to look much better... Finally she heads over to the edge of the rink, and begins to skate quickly towards the ramp...! The sidekicks are watching curiously. Gardevoir moves alongside Nora, maintaining the same speed as her, but making a sound as she urges her to speed up even more...! She reaches the ramp and flies across the gap to the next rink! But then her eyes widen as she's about to crash into a rock! Gardevoir reaches out for her, and for a moment she levitates through the air before they land gracefully together... The sidekicks are applauding. Nora is placed back down, and her Gardevoir resumes teaching her how to move. Feeling encouraged, a small smile appears on Nora's face as she follows her Pokémon. They're having fun moving on the ice! After a little while Nora picks up speed again, launching herself from the ramp onto the next rink! Her landing is a bit shaky, but she made it! That the sidekicks are following along now, jumping over the ramp after her... Apparently they want to watch the battle. Nora is skating towards the Gym Leader... Her Gardevoir has a content smile as they reach his rink... "Thank you, Lucia." Nora smiles at her Gardevoir. She takes out the blanket from her bag and fastens the makeshift cape on her Pokémon, earning a pleased chirp, "I'll treat you when we're done with the battle, okay?" Gardevoir gives a nod before she is called back.
   "You appear ready to face a Gym Leader." Brycen takes out a Pokéball as he sees her approach, then he performs a twirl on the ice and strikes a pose! "Then... Bring it!" He sends out a Vanillish!
   Nora takes out her Pokéball with a smile, throwing it in the air, "Let's go-- Hector!!" There's a roar as the Lairon appears and lands on the ice, staring at the Vanillish...
   "Keep your distance, Vanillish. Flash Cannon!" Brycen points as his Pokémon fires off a beam of light at Lairon! There's a pained grunt as he is struck!
   "Hector, use Rock Tomb!!" Lairon grabs a nearby boulder from the ice and throws it towards the Vanillish! But it slides gracefully on the ice, out of the way of the boulder as it keeps firing...!
   "Protect!" Nora calls out! She looks around, and as she glances down at the floor, suddenly a thought appears in her mind...
   "..." Brycen watches her silently for a moment, then he calls out, "Taunt!" His Vanillish begins to make teasing noises!
   "Shockwave!!" There's a snarl from Lairon as he fires off a bolt of electricity towards the Vanillish! It is struck, but it does not seem particularly bothered...
   "Use Flash Cannon again!" It resumes firing away at Lairon!
   "Gh..." Nora grits her teeth as she begins to skate! "Hector return!!!" The large steel Pokémon is called back as Nora throws another Pokéball in the air, "Aurelia-- Use Agility to slide around!" The Pikachu appears! Although she is struck by the metallic beam of light, she begins to pick up speed as she slides on the ice...!
   "Fast... Hm. Icicle Spear!" Brycen calls out, and Vanillish begins to fire off a series of icicles!
   "Don't let them hit you-- Electro Ball!!"
   "Pika!!" Pikachu is using her speed, bouncing off the rocks and ice to get away from the icicles... She bounces towards the Vanillish and fires off a speedy ball of compressed electricity, landing a hit!
   "..." Brycen is observing Pikachu's movements carefully! Then he calls out, "Left!" Vanillish fires at the spot she is headed to...!
   "Light Screen!!" Nora shouts! The mysterious barrier appears around the little Pikachu, but it does not stop the icicles, and she is struck!
   "..." Brycen glances at Nora, perhaps wondering what she is thinking. "Round." Vanillish begins to sing!
   "Electro Ball again!" Nora calls out as the Pikachu fires off one more concentrated ball of electricity before the soundwave knocks her back to her trainer!
   "Pika..." The little Pikachu is picked up as Nora smiles, "You did a good job, please rest." Pikachu is called back into her Pokéball, and Nora throws another, "Let's go, Sirius!" There's a sharp bark as the Growlithe appears, snarling at the floating ice cream cone!
   "Frost Breath!" Brycen calls out, and Vanillish releases a cold breath that somehow seems to float right through the Light Screen...!
   "Go for an Iron Tail!!!" Nora calls out as the Puppy Pokémon shakes the ice off his fur! His tail glowing, he charges forward and in spite of slipping on the ice manages to slam it into the Vanillish! It is struck down!
   "..." Brycen calls it back, taking his next Pokéball... "Reflect, Cryogonal!" Cryogonal appears, creating a barrier in front of itself!
   Nora frowns a bit, "Agility, let's build up speed!" There's a bark as Growlithe is beginning to pick up speed on the ice...! He seems to be determined not to slip any more, trying to mimic how Pikachu was sliding on it!
   "Haze." Brycen counters! Cryogonal releases a mysterious black mist... It seems to be slowing Growlithe down again...
   "Go for an Iron Tail!!" Nora calls out as the Growlithe leaps through the black mist and slams his metallic tail into the floating snowflake! Cryogonal is thrown back a bit from the impact!
   "You are strong! No, both you and your Pokémon are strong!" Brycen shows a faint smile for a moment, but then his serious face returns, "Sheer Cold!" Cryogonal releases a frigid blast...!
   "...!!! TAKE COVER!!" Nora skates out of the way, and Growlithe dives behind a large rock to avoid the ice and snow! The air itself feels colder now, but it seems that Growlithe managed to avoid the full blast! The Cryogonal chases after him, however, intent on hitting...! "Agility! Don't let it catch you!!" There's a bark as Growlithe slides out onto the field again, using any footing he can get to make sharp turns and ensure that the Cryogonal isn't going to hit him! Nora watches carefully, but not only the battle... She also watches Brycen observe Growlithe's movements, like he did with Pikachu...
   Suddenly he calls out, "Aim right!"
   "Iron Tail the floor!!" The Puppy Pokémon's tail slams into the ice, and he comes to a complete stop, avoiding the Sheer Cold!
   "...!" Brycen's eyes widen slightly as he realizes that Growlithe has a moment's opening...!
   "FLAME WHEEL!!" There's a snarl as Growlithe turns towards the snowflake Pokémon and leaps, wreathed in fire as he slams into it! The Cryogonal hisses as it is engulfed in the flames, but although it is clearly weakened, it's not going down...! It releases its Sheer Cold at close range, and Growlithe is caught in the attack! He lands on the floor with his fur covered in ice! Nora calls him back, giving a small smile to the Pokéball, "You did a fantastic job, rest up." She looks at the Cryogonal carefully before taking out another Pokéball and throwing it forward, "Let's go, Hector!" The Lairon appears again, ready to fight... The Light Screen has faded, and Cryogonal's Reflect is nearly gone, too, but this time, Nora released him close to one of the boulders...
   "Ice Beam!" Brycen calls out, and his Pokémon releases a faster and more accurate blast of ice!
   "Rock Tomb!" The beam strikes Lairon, but he slams his body into the boulder to launch it towards the Cryogonal! It is knocked down as the rock hits!
   Brycen calls it back, "Well done. Rest now." As he takes his last Pokéball, he strikes a pose! A Beartic appears, joining him with a pose too! "Power-Up Punch!" Suddenly it charges forward at Lairon...! He is sent flying past Nora, causing a hole in the ice where he lands!
   Nora calls him back, turning to look at the Beartic, "...This is gonna be close but... we can't back down now. Let's go-- Lucia!" The Gardevoir appears again! Her red eyes carefully gaze upon the Beartic... "Use Confuse Ray!" An odd beam of light is fired off towards the huger Pokémon!
   "Focus, Beartic. Then use Ice Punch!" Although a bit wobbly, the Beartic slides with great skill on the ice, striking heavily at Gardevoir...! "Now! Aqua Jet!" Brycen calls out, but Beartic's balance isn't quite good enough to pull off the combo! It misfires and launches itself into a boulder instead!
   "Keep a distance from Beartic-- Teleport!" Gardevoir nods before she vanishes!
   "Hm. Extreme conditions really test you and train you!" Brycen says, "Double Team!" Suddenly there are Beartics wobbling around all over the place...! Keeping a distance without knowing which is the real one might be tricky!
   "...!" Nora looks around, as does Gardevoir, "...This is going to be rough but... Reflect!"
   "Voir...!" A shimmering barrier appears before the weakened Gardevoir.
   "Frost Breath!" The horde of Beartic shake their heads as it snaps out of its confusion, letting out a chilling breath at Gardevoir!
   "Gar...!" Gardevoir collapses on her knees, the blanket offering little help as she's shaking from the cold. Quickly she's called back!
   "I'm sorry... But I think you gave us enough time..." Nora puts the Pokéball away as she takes out her next one, "...Let's make this count then-- Soujiro!"
   "Dew!!!" The Dewott appears with both of his scalchops ready.
   "..." Brycen observes Dewott for a moment, then he calls out, "Use Return!" Beartic and its copies charge forward with a roar! It is determined to defend its trainer!
   "Hang in there..." Nora mutters as Dewott takes a defensive stance, "REVENGE!!" The moment the large bear swipes down upon the small otter, Dewott lands a hard hit on its face in retaliation! Beartic is thrown back a bit by the impact! It glares at Dewott while holding its sensitive nose...!
   "...No more holding back." Brycen says, striking another heroic pose! "Superpower!" Beartic charges again, going all out! If Gardevoir's Reflect had not been shielding Dewott, he would have been wrecked in an instant...!
   "Revenge again!" Nora yells out! Dewott grits his teeth as he's taking the hits... The moment he sees an opening, he slams both of his scalchops into the bear's stomach!
   "...!" Beartic stumbles back a bit... then it falls over! Calling it back, Brycen looks at Nora and Dewott with a smile... "The wonderful combination of you and your Pokémon! What a beautiful friendship!" He says as he slides over.
   Nora approaches as well, stumbling a bit upon stopping once she reaches her Dewott, hugging him, "You did it!"
   "Dew wott wott dew!!" Dewott gives a series of happy barks as he hugs his trainer back... His form begins to glow a white light...!
   "...!" Brycen's eyes widen slightly, "...You may want to put him down."
   Nora lets go and backs away from her Pokémon as his form grows and changes... The glow fades, revealing a large blue Pokémon with white whiskers and impressive shell armor on his legs and head. "SAMU!!" He gives a proud roar! Then he looks at Nora with delight in his eyes.
   "Soujiro... You..." Nora has a large smile as she reaches over to hug her Samurott.
   "..." Brycen watches them with a wide smile. But after a little while he takes out a Freeze Badge, approaching Nora, "In honor of your stout heart, I will give you this."
   "Thank you..." Nora takes the badge with a smile. She looks at it together with her Samurott, "One more to go..."
   "Rott rott!" Samurott grunts as he seems pleased about this.
   All the sidekicks that were watching from the sidelines are applauding. Brycen takes out a small disc as well, "This TM will convey my regard for your accomplishments. A move that always results in a critical hit: Frost Breath."
   "Thank you so much..." Nora takes the disk and looks at it carefully...
   Brycen looks at Nora, "...No matter how many battles I fight, I don't know what strength is. Perhaps you can find the answer."
   "...Maybe... but I think my friends and I still need more time to understand." She smiles, "Thank you for the battle... Ah, Soujiro hold on-- Let me get the berries for you." Nora turns to her Pokémon who is poking at her bag with his snout, and begins to dig out the Sitrus Berries he wanted to snack on.
   Brycen nods, "You have come far on your journey, but greater challenges await. I wish you good luck."
   "Thank you!" Nora smiles as her sea lion is munching on the berries. Once he has finished, her eyes wander to the side... From the top rink, there is a long slide of ice to get back to the entrance quickly. She makes her way over to it, grinning happily as she slides down together with Samurott.

As they exit the Gym, they spot Cheren and Bianca outside. "Oh, Nora," Cheren heads over, "And... is that you, Soujiro? Congratulations." He takes out his Pokédex to have a look.
   "Rott!" Samurott looks pleased.
   Bianca has an amazed look, "Congratulations! Did you get the badge?"
   There's a grin from Nora as she shows the Freeze Badge in her case, "Yup!"
   "So now you have seven badges... That's great." Cheren says as he puts away his Pokédex, "I'm sure you'll be able to get the last one too." He smiles, but it soon fades as he seems a little distant, as if deep in thought...
   "You okay, Cheren?" Nora looks worried.
   "Oh, sorry." He looks up at her, "Bianca just made it here, so we met up, and... we've been talking. Nora, I'm wondering... Since we left Nuvema Town, has something about me... changed? I was thinking last night... About what I want to do... About what I should do... Those answers don't seem so clear to me anymore... Have I really become stronger? Or is it just my Pokémon that have?" He shakes his head, "I don't know anymore!"
   "Well... when you say stronger..." Nora rubs her head, "In what context do you mean that? Because as a trainer, you're stronger than you were before. But..."
   Bianca looks at Cheren, "...Do you mean being recognized as a trainer, Cheren?"
   "Even if I was recognized by everyone, would that really... I mean, is that really what it means to be strong...? Or is it something else? What if I was wrong? ...I can't stop thinking about Alder. What he said and... what he's doing..."
   "You mean when he said that strength isn't just about getting stronger?" Nora tilts her head.
   "Well, I--"
   Suddenly Brycen comes out of the Gym! "Who are you?"
   "Wha...?" Bianca is caught off-guard, and Nora and Samurott move out the way.
   Cheren looks a little surprised as well, "Us? We're trainers. We're here to challenge the Gym... My name is Cheren, and this is Bianca..." He trails off as he notices that Brycen isn't looking at them, instead glancing around cautiously.
   "I know you are there! Why don't you show yourselves?"
   A moment passes, then three shady figures appear, seemingly out of nowhere...! "...Impressive, Gym Leader of Icirrus City. We, the Shadow Triad, are beings of the shadows... and not easily noticed."
   "You...!" Nora's eyes widen, and Samurott snarls at them angrily.
   "You know these guys?" Cheren looks at Nora. Bianca takes a step back towards her friends.
   "...They were the ones who dragged me to Team Plasma back in Chargestone Cave, when Bianca and Professor Juniper where distracted."
   Bianca's eyes widen, "Wait, they abducted you?!"
   "..." Cheren frowns, moving a hand to his Pokéballs.
   The Shadow Triad don't seem about to attack this time, however... "Our mission was to speak only with Nora, but so be it." One of them says, "Ghetsis has a message for you: come to Dragonspiral Tower."
   "It is there that our Lord N waits for you." Another continues, "...Now, our mission is complete."
   "Dragonspiral Tower?!" Brycen frowns, "What's going on?" He approaches them, but they vanish just before he can grab the closest one! "Hey! Tell me..." He stares into the air for a moment before his arm lowers, and his frown deepens, "...Now, hang on." He turns to look at Cheren and Bianca, striking a pose! "Young trainers, if you're here for a Gym Challenge, hang on for a bit. I've got to head to Dragonspiral Tower!"
   "I'm going, too!" Cheren follows Brycen as he rushes off.
   "Come on--!" Nora is about to run too before Bianca grabs her.
   "You need to heal your Pokémon at least! Please let me help you..." Bianca takes her Pokémon and heals them before handing them back to Nora, "L-Let's go then...!"
   Nora smiles at her, and after calling Samurott back, she takes Bianca's hand and they make a dash after Cheren and Brycen!

As they run, Cedric comes stumbling towards them from the direction of the tower. He looks quite shaken... "Professor Juniper!" Nora calls out, "What happened?!"
   "Nora, Bianca..." He takes a few deep breaths to calm himself before speaking, "Here's the situation. Some members of Team Plasma-- quite a large group-- broke through the tower wall and went inside. Brycen and Cheren... I just saw the two of them. They went after Team Plasma, but..." He turns, looking back towards the tower...
   "Tch..." Nora grits her teeth, "The professor said that she was going to contact the Pokémon League... They didn't heed her request after all?"
   Bianca looks at her, "W-We can't let them cause more trouble here right? I-I don't know too much about the tower b-but..."
   "I could explain to you about the tower, but are you two going to go after Team Plasma like your friend did?" Cedric looks at them.
   "I will... I got a few words for their king..." Nora glances at the tower with sharp eyes...
   Bianca tries to put on a brave smile over her worried face, "It'll be fine...! Nora and Cheren are super strong and they've beaten Team Plasma a bunch of times now! But... I'm not that strong... I guess if you want I can stay and protect you... Professor?"
   "Why, thank you! That makes me feel much safer!" Cedric smiles at Bianca. Then he looks at Nora, "It's admirable of you to join the fight against Team Plasma, but it's risky, too. This is all I can give you, but it might help you out!" He takes out some Full Restores.
   "Ah... Thanks!" Nora smiles as she puts them away.
   Bianca pats her friend's back, "Nora... Please don't push yourself too hard!"
   "Don't worry, Bianca." The brunette smiles at her, "I'm not going to break that easy." Nora turns and dashes towards the tower!
   "It's up to you, Nora! Climb the tower!" Cedric shouts after her. Then he looks up towards it, "Still... what could Team Plasma be after?"

As Nora approaches the tower, she sees that Team Plasma have made a huge hole through the tower wall, and raised a new bridge across the moat to get inside... There is a Team Plasma grunt on guard... "Guess Brycen still has fight in him..." Nora mutters as she rushes across the bridge, she has a Pokéball ready in case the guard tries to stop her!
   "...!" He takes a step aside when he sees that she is not going to be intimidated! "Earlier, the Gym Leader went up the tower." He excuses himself, but nonetheless smiles, "If you are lucky, you might witness a legend!"
   Nora's Pokéballs are shaking in anticipation of battle... There's an air of sheer fury around her as she turns a dark look to the grunt, "Legend...? Perhaps... But you don't know how long they can last..." The grunt moves back a bit further as she passes by, entering the tower... There is water inside too... A narrow passage leads around the wall of the tower, to the stairs at the other side of the room... She takes a deep breath to focus herself, then opens her eyes and sprints towards the stairs. Just as she reaches them, she feels a tremble run through the tower...! "Ah...!" She looks around, "...Shit... I don't have much time..." She begins to run up the stairs!
   When she reaches the top, she sees a huge room full of debris from fallen and broken pillars... The next stairs are up on a higher level that has been blocked off, but she spots Cheren walking carefully on a fallen pillar to reach it. As he leaps off he spots her too, "Nora! Use this fallen column to get here. I'm going after Team Plasma!" He dashes ahead!
   "Right!" She calls back as she begins to make her way through the debris, until she reaches the pillar and uses it to climb to the next level... She finds a spiral staircase leading further up, to a labyrinth of narrow ledges that she'll have to jump between. Most of the floor is missing, and it's a long way down... On the other side of the room the staircase continues... "Erg... I can't stop now..." She moves quickly through the labyrinth, trying to avoid any unsupported parts of the floor as she makes her way towards the staircase... She can hear noises from ahead... It sounds like battling... She frowns, picking up the pace. As she finally reaches the next room, she sees that it has several levels, with stairs between, but it's full of Team Plasma grunts intent on defending those platforms...! Brycen and Cheren are trying to battle their way through the first one, where the most of them are, both taking on several grunts at once! "Cheren, Brycen!" Nora calls out as she runs towards them.
   "Nora! We'll hold this bunch here! You go on ahead!" Brycen calls back while his Beartic tears through its shocked opponents!
   "So this is the true strength of a Gym Leader!"
   "Yeah, all right. If I have to lose, at least it's to the Gym Leader..."
   "This strength... Could it be equal to the Seven Sages?" One of them anxiously glances up at the top platform, from where three of the Seven Sages observe the battle...
   "Guys, a little help here?" The grunts are also struggling against Cheren's Pokémon who strike nimbly at the opponents! "So young, but so tough!"
   Cheren looks quite annoyed, but he throws a glance back to Nora, "This is nothing! But there sure are a lot of them... Oh, what a complete bother!"
   "Hang in there!" Nora calls out, tossing him one of her Full Restores as she rushes forth towards the stairs!
   "No one! I won't let anyone get in our way!" More grunts block off her path, but as they do, more voices are heard from below...
   "Oh my. It seems that we have arrived fashionably late to this party..." Regina says as she sends out her Froslass! The other Ydil Elites follow as well...
   "You...?" Brycen looks a little surprised.
   "We meet again, Brycen-Man. I hope you don't mind help this time. Matthias, leave this rabble to us. You have to catch Verdell!"
   "Indeed..." Matthias rolls his shoulders, holding a Pokéball ready... As he catches up with Nora he glances at her briefly before continuing ahead, "Keep up." Nora frowns at him, but follows as he makes his way forward. Before the Pokémon sent out by the grunts can touch them, Aina's Gallade strikes them down together with Donar's Electivire! Pierre's Gengar grabs a couple of the grunts themselves and pulls them off their platform, dangling them about in the air!
   "Aaaah!!" The grunts scream in horror! But at the command of the Sages, more come rushing at them from above!
   "I don't understand... I don't understand you guys... Why are you against us? I just can't understand it at all..."
   "Yeah! Why do you get in our way even though you don't understand our sublime goal?!"
   "Because your goal means nothing compared to ours." Regina says in her monotone voice, "Blizzard, Froslass... Freeze them all..."
   "If the king of Team Plasma rules th-the world, trainers will disappear, and disputes will end! N-N-No goal can be greater than that...!"
   "Exactly! You, b-before you came here, how many Pokémon d-d-did you hurt? I will h-hurt anyone who d-disobeys Team Plasma!"
   "...I'm still angry with you." Cheren glances at Aina, "But it seems we have a common goal to get past this bunch."
   "I'm aware." Aina responds as her eyes narrow dangerously, "...Time to show them what happens when you play with fire." Donar roars out as his Electivire is punching its way through the Pokémon sent out by the grunts, while Gengar keeps collecting more of the grunts themselves! Its trainer, however, is nowhere to be seen... Nora and Matthias are moving past the enemies quickly, but there are still a few more grunts at the top platform!
   "We exist to serve our Lord N!"
   "And right now, our king is upstairs... There's nothing you can do!" They position themselves in front of the Sages, who also ready their Pokéballs now...
   "Out of my way-- Hurricane." Matthias unleashes his Noivern!
   "Gah!!" The grunts and Sages are all blown off the top platform by a great gale force wind!
   "Reflect!" Brycen calls out, and his Cryogonal creates a barrier below to stop them from tumbling to their deaths!
   "Bravo! You have tipped our balance!" The blue-robed Gorm lands on his feet with surprising agility for his age, "But we will not allow anyone to disrupt our plans and get away with it. We will fix it so none of you ever interfere with us again. We and our compatriots will battle with full force!" He sends out a Tauros and charges into the fray while the other two collect themselves...
   There's a grunt from Bronius as he unleashes his Drapion while slowly getting up, dusting off his brown robes, "For the sake of our King's dream, we will not allow those who refuse his path to interfere!"
   The Green Sage, Ryoku, sits up with a dignified posture and remains so while he assesses their new situation and calls out a Poliwrath.
   As Nora and Matthias enter the next room, they find that it is a labyrinth of narrow, circling paths... "Hrm..." Matthias growls a bit as Nora rushes ahead! He follows her... but they run into a dead end! "Gah! We don't have time for this... Noivern--!"
   Nora grabs his arm, "If you wreck this place you'll endanger everyone! Just have your Pokémon help us find a way through this!"
   "...Unhand me." He roughly pulls his arm away from her, "Noivern! Show us a path!" There's a shriek from the Pokémon as it guides them through the labyrinth. "...Stay out of my way." Matthias glares at Nora as they walk, "Or I will not hesitate to take you out."
   "Your girlfriend's gonna be jealous..." Nora scoffs. Matthias blinks at this before giving an annoyed sigh, but they make their way through. As they head up the stairs to the next room, another tremble runs through the tower, and they hear a loud roar coming from above! It sounds like a Pokémon...
   "What in--?!"
   "...!" Nora's expression turns grim as she runs ahead... Passing through a narrow corridor, they can hear voices from around a corner...
   "There's no doubt that Lord N will be the hero!" The Yellow Sage Giallo speaks to the grunts, but he pauses at the sound of approaching steps, turning around to see Nora and Matthias, "What's this! How could two people have made it all the way up here?! Quick! For our Lord N! Seize them!!"
   "..." Nora looks carefully at the charging grunts... Two more Sages are there as well; the Red Sage Rood, and Zinzolin in his purple robes...
   "All but Team Plasma are enemies!" Giallo roars out, "We must do all in our might to eliminate them!"
   Matthias steps forth with a dark look, "Go forward, Marquardt. I'll blow them out of the way!" His Noivern gives off an aggressive shriek at the grunts while Nora blinks in surprise, but she nods. "Hurricane!" The grunts and their Pokémon are sent flying in all directions! But they nonetheless keep sending out their Pokémon, seeming unusually determined...!
   "No one can interfere with Unova's new dawn!"
   "Yeah! No one will be able to stop us! Not when our dream is about to come true!"
   "Our king will create a new world!!"
   Matthias shows no mercy, and the Sages soon join in as well to hold him back! "Go! Now!" He yells out, "We don't know what's awaiting us atop this tower! Whatever you do, don't be reckless!"
   In the chaos Nora slips past Team Plasma and makes her way towards the stairs, climbing them quickly...!

Finally, she has reached the top floor... There, N stands with his back towards her in front of a huge dragon Pokémon... It is white as snow and exudes a powerful presence... Regal, somehow... It makes a low growling sound, alerting N to her entrance, and he turns around to face her. At the side, a much tidier Verdell than usual watches her too, getting up from his kneeling position to lean against a nearby pillar with his arms crossed...
   "Well, Nora?" N smiles, "What you see before you is the beautiful shape of the Pokémon who fought together with the past heroes to lead the way to a new world!"
   Nora's eyes widen as she stops in her tracks! She feels her legs tremble, in part from sprinting up the tower, in part from the sight in front of her that leaves her breathless for several moments, "N-No way..."
   N backs away from her, moving next to the white dragon and giving it a smile before looking at her again, "Next, I will face the Pokémon League together with Reshiram and overthrow the Champion! It will be the last of the Pokémon battles that hurt Pokémon so. A world for Pokémon alone... It's finally going to become reality."
   "T-That can't..." She's trying to catch her breath, "...N... Even if... Don't you understand that... it's not just humans that are going to oppose this...?"
   "I do." He nods, "If you want to stop us, you must become a hero as well!"
   "...!" Her eyes widen.
   "Yes! Once Reshiram's counterpart, Zekrom, recognizes you, we will be equals at last! Then you'll be able to stand in our way!" There is an excited sparkle in N's eyes... "Well, what will you do?"
   Nora grits her teeth... Feeling the screaming urge within her to run, she wills herself to remain in place, "I already told you, N. I'll stop you from doing this!"
   "I was sure that you would say that. I predict... that since the future I envision is coming, you will meet Zekrom. The Pokémon that are with you believe in you...!"
   "..." She glances at her shaking Pokéballs... Her Pokémon seem to be determined...
   "My formula for changing the world... Will you be the variable to complete it?" N looks at her with serious eyes now, "If you want to protect the bonds between Pokémon and people, search for Zekrom! ...I'm sure it awaits you in the form of the Dark Stone."
   "..." Her breathing feels heavy as she tries her best to steady her posture... She takes one deep breath, and meets his eyes with a hard look, "...Then so be it. I'll search for the Dark Stone... I'll find it, and then I'll come after you."
   "...!" Verdell glances at the stairs as there are sounds of steps approaching, "Your Majesty, it's getting about time."
   "..." N nods, turning to Reshiram, who lets him climb onto its back. Nora watches, feeling her legs tremble again...
   "VERDELL!!!" There's an enraged yell from Matthias!
   "Oops. You brought him along?" Verdell grins a little as he sends out his Talonflame. "Ahoy, Matthias! That's one of Unova's legendary dragons right there, so I'd mind my manners if I were you!"
   "...!" Matthias comes to a screeching halt, watching Reshiram with shock in his eyes... But then he turns to Verdell, "How dare you swear allegiance to another..."
   "Aye, N is my king."
   "How dare you do this, Verdell. I'll give you no quarter. I WILL drag you back to Ydil, if it's the last thing I do...!"
   "You don't think loyalty is a matter I take lightly, do you, Matthias? As you can see, even Reshiram thinks he is worthy!" He gestures towards the dragon as its tail lights up with a blazing flame that leaves a cascade of embers behind when it takes to the sky with N. Talonflame grabs hold of Verdell, letting out a cry as they fly off alongside them.
   Behind Nora and Matthias, more steps approach... "Nora, what was that thing that flew off just now?" Cheren stares at the sky with wide eyes.
   "...The white dragon of truth... Reshiram." Nora collapses to her knees...
   "...I heard. That brat demanded you to find that dragon's counterpart." Matthias frowns deeply...
   "How could this happen?" Brycen stares at the disappearing figures in the sky too...
   "...So he got away again..." Regina mutters under her breath.
   "Why? That was that guy N, right? Why was he with the legendary Pokémon? He couldn't really be the hero, could he?!" Cheren sounds quite upset, turning to Matthias, "What do you mean, he demanded Nora to search for the other legendary Pokémon?"
   "...N said that to oppose him I need to find the Dark Stone that contains Zekrom..." Nora speaks as she focuses on regaining her normal breathing, "...He said that I have to find Zekrom in order to stop him."
   Matthias looks at her, "And you foolishly agreed to find it, too! You don't carry yourself like a hero, so I must ask: do you yourself even believe that you are?"
   "..." Nora looks to the side.
   "You think this is a game?! Unova is in danger by a madman who will use a legendary Pokémon to force his will on others! Where are the Champion and Elite Four of this region when we need them?! The burden of protecting Unova shouldn't rest on a silly girl who hasn't even finished her Gym Challenge yet! Do you have any clue of what exactly you have gotten yourself into!?"
   "You're one to talk--" Cheren begins, but Brycen steps between them!
   "Calm down! First, we go back! It's more important to analyze what just happened and decide what to do next."
   "...Y-Yeah. You're right." Cheren nods... Then he glances at Aina... She is watching quietly...
   "..." Matthias takes a deep breath, "...Agreed, we will make our way out of here. Verdell is still a threat... Our responsibility is to ensure that he does not cause more trouble."
   Cheren holds his hand out to Nora... "Let's go back, alright?"
   "..." Nora wipes her face with her arm before looking up and taking Cheren's hand with a smile, "Right..." Cheren helps her up, and they make their way down...
   Once they're gone, a Shadow appears, "Lord Ghetsis, everyone has been successfully evacuated."
   "Good." Ghetsis approaches from behind a pillar. He looks at the sky briefly before turning to the Shadow, "I will be making my way to the Relic Castle. For the time being, I want you to keep N safe."
   "Understood." The Shadow bows, vanishing...

Outside the tower, Cedric and Bianca are talking with Alder. Nora lowers her head, and Brycen approaches them to explain what happened... Matthias pulls Pierre aside to speak with him about their next course of action, while Aina begins to make her way towards the city to mobilize her soldiers... "Stop!" Cheren runs after her, grabbing hold of her arm.
   "..." She pauses and looks at him.
   "You knew this would happen. What else do you know? You can't just leave without telling us!"
   "...You really want to know what fate awaits your friend?" She turns around to face him.
   "Of course I want to know! I still don't like you, but stopping Team Plasma is the most important thing right now! And Verdell is with them, so if you want to catch him you should work with us!"
   "...I did not see Verdell in my visions of your friend. But I saw her in a confrontation with N." Aina frowns, "In some visions they were wreathed in lightning and fire, but most telling is the first vision I told you of. The one of the giant, black creature which stared down at her, fangs bared."
   "...!!" Nora looks up in shock as she recalls that Cheren told her about it before.
   "So that Pokémon you spoke of must be the other legendary dragon of Unova..." Cheren says...
   "...I do not know if your friend is the hero, since I saw no indication of the dragon siding with her." Aina looks at Nora briefly, then at Cheren, "...Which is why my advice is for her to not continue her journey."
   "Astounding... I never would have imagined the legendary dragon Pokémon would return now..." Cedric seems to be in disbelief as Brycen finishes recounting what happened.
   Alder wears a grim look, "That fearsome column of fire that shot from the tower... That Pokémon has the power to destroy the world! If it's on Team Plasma's side, and Team Plasma tell everyone to release their Pokémon... No matter whether it comes from fear or admiration... The world can't help but change. It will become a world where we are separated from Pokémon..."
   Matthias sighs aloud as he approaches Alder, "And yet no one who should have been was here to prevent this. Where were you and the Elite Four, Alder? It's impressive that your Gym Leaders are capable of reacting faster than the Unovan Elite!"
   "..." Alder looks at him, "I can't speak for the Elite Four, but I was on my way here when the fire erupted from the tower. I did not make it in time, but I intend to do what is in my power to stop Team Plasma. Are you trainers, as well?"
   "Your question insults me, Alder." Matthias takes a step closer, "...Have you forgotten that we met at the last Champion's Summit? Did Ydil leave so insignificant an impression on you?"
   "...!" Alder looks a little taken aback, "Champion Matthias? Why, you have grown. You were quite young at the time, if I recall."
   "Yes... and I'm still carrying out my duties." He crosses his arms, "We were in pursuit of a wanted criminal from Ydil when we noticed what was happening here and decided to act. I am shocked and disturbed that the Unova League did not react to Team Plasma's presence sooner, in light of what was going on."
   "..." Alder gives a deep sigh, "I no longer have any part in the dealings of the Elite Four, but you are right. I should not have allowed Team Plasma to grow so powerful." He looks down...
   "Forget about that now." Cheren says, "That guy called N... Team Plasma's king, told Nora to look for the other legendary Pokémon before he flew away..."
   "If I remember the myth, Reshiram's fiery breath and Zekrom's powerful electricity devastated ancient Unova in an instant." Alder says, "Even knowing that, N still wants to awaken the other?!"
   "He seems to think that Nora is the hero of the other dragon..." Matthias glances at her, "...But I question his choice. What made him think that he's the right person to determine that..."
   "Apparently Verdell thinks he has that power." Cheren points out, "We know that he was researching something on behalf of Team Plasma. Since he was at the tower, this has got to be it... What I find concerning is that if Reshiram really has accepted N, it means that Verdell's judgement was right. I don't get how someone like N could be one of the heroes, but... it makes me wonder if Verdell also approves of Nora as the other hero. If N is just saying that she is to ensure his own victory, would he still be silent, even if it means that Nora may get killed...?"
   "...Considering how he used her as a puppet, I would not be surprised." Matthias shakes his head, "...He's throwing a whole region under the train to save his own skin. It wouldn't be beneath him."
   "Thinking about it, Verdell was there when I told Nora about Aina's visions..." Cheren frowns, "He must have known what it meant, but he didn't say anything even then!"
   Bianca looks at everyone nervously, "But... wouldn't he know that reviving a legendary Pokémon is... kinda... dangerous?"
   Regina folds her arms, "Verdell is not only a treacherous criminal, his actions are also erratic. Clearly he does not care that bringing back legendary Pokémon is dangerous."
   Alder looks at Bianca with gentle eyes, "Miss, you are a very kind person. I know that you care much for your friend. Still, thinking about this, I don't know if other Pokémon will be able to stand up to Reshiram. Because, try as we may, it is a legendary being... I don't like the idea of taking orders from N, but searching for the dragon-- the stone-- might not be a bad plan. In any case, if this Verdell is behind the awakening of one dragon, we certainly can't let him or Team Plasma reawaken both of them!"
   "But we don't even know where to look..." Nora speaks up as she looks at them, "I don't know if I'm a hero, I just don't want N to separate humans and Pokémon. But Alder is right. We can't let them find the Dark Stone."
   Bianca looks at her, "But Nora, if it turns out that you m-might die...!"
   "I won't take that risk if I'm not the hero that's supposed to be next to Zekrom." Nora shakes her head, "But it's bad enough that Team Plasma has Reshiram behind them. We can't afford them getting Zekrom."
   Matthias looks at her, "...You speak true. However, for Unova's sake, I would hope that you are worthy of that dragon."
   "Since I've traveled all over Unova, I have an idea of where it might be." Alder says, "Let's head to the Relic Castle."
   "...I think you may be onto something." Cheren says, "Verdell snuck into the off-limits area of the Relic Castle earlier. He never told us much about his research, but after he came back from that, he said that he had found what he was looking for. There's got to be answers in there."
   "I see." Cedric nods, "I'll leave that to you. I'm going to investigate inside the tower. Hopefully, I'll find something."
   "Then, I will go with you." Brycen says to Cedric.
   "What will you do, Matthias?" Alder asks.
   "Verdell remains a threat. Ever more so after pledging his loyalty to Team Plasma." Matthias looks at him, "We will be searching for Team Plasma's bases. With luck, perhaps we'll be able to gather the majority of the lot before they can do more damage. Though, I do have to stress that our duty to arrest Verdell takes precedence, Alder."
   "Good." He nods, "Let me know if you find anything."
   "You know your mission." Matthias says to the other Ydil Elites, then he nods to Alder, "If you'll excuse us, we will get started on our investigation." He begins to lead them back towards the city... Cedric and Brycen head off as well, into the tower...
   "Let's be on our way, too." Alder calls out a Braviary, and Cheren his Pidgeot.
   "Uh..." Nora rubs her head...
   "Do you not have any Pokémon that can fly?" Alder asks her.
   She shakes her head, "No... I don't..."
   "Hmm. Have you got any other Pokémon that can get you there fast?"
   "I'm not sure if any of them can--" Nora begins before one of her Pokéballs open up! Growlithe barks excitedly as he leaps and tugs at her bag! "Ack! Sirius, what are you--?" Nora is pulled down to the ground along with her bag! He paws at it and barks again, managing to get it open... He sticks his head into it, then quickly pulls back out with something in his mouth...
   Cheren watches curiously as Growlithe begins to glow white! "...He's evolving!"
   Nora's eyes widen as she watches the Growlithe's form grow larger, "Wait... That's the Fire Stone I bought for him!" The glow fades as the now massive canine wags his large, cream-colored tail. In his mouth is a pale Fire Stone... Its power has been used up...
   Cheren looks at his Pokédex, "...I see. Arcanine are known for being incredibly fast and durable runners. I think he's offering you a ride."
   "Woof!" There are more tail wags as Nora stands up. The stone falls out of the large dog's mouth and turns to dust as it hits the ground.
   "Well... If you're sure, Sirius." Nora smiles as she rubs his fur, "Then I guess I shouldn't turn your offer down." There's a happy grunt as Nora climbs onto his back.
   "We'll meet up at the Relic Castle, then." Cheren says, "Bianca, can we count on you to inform Professor Juniper about what's happening?"
   "O-Of course!" The blonde nods, "I'll tell her everything, so don't worry! Be careful okay?"
   "We will." Cheren nods, "Right, Nora?"
   "Yeah!" Nora gives a wide grin, "Nothing's gonna stop us from protecting Unova, Bianca. So don't worry!"
   The blonde looks down before looking at her friend, "But... what about you? I don't want..."
   "... ...Everything will be fine. I promise." Nora has a kind smile, "...I won't leave you and Cheren behind, Bianca. You know that."
   "O-Okay..." She gives a weak smile, "Remember you promised!"
   "..." Cheren watches Nora with her Arcanine, then he looks at Alder, "I think I understand better now. Being able to do something for Pokémon-- or for somebody at a time like this, is strength... I'm sure of it. And my strength is something that is given to me by Pokémon." He gets onto the back of his Pidgeot, "Ok, Champion, let's hurry!" Alder gives a warm smile to Cheren as their birds spread their wings and carry them into the sky.
   "Let's go, Sirius!" Nora calls out as the Arcanine gives a loud bark and dashes off into the wilds.
   "...Please be safe you two..." Bianca watches quietly, "...I don't know what I'd do... if I lost you both."

Meanwhile in the city, it seems that Team Plasma have mostly evacuated... But in case there are still some left, Aina is giving orders to her knights to search for them and gather as much information as possible. Before long, Rylan comes running over, "Aina! What's going on here, really?"
   "Rylan..." She turns to him, "I'm afraid the situation has changed. I cannot be your mentor anymore."
   "What?!" He looks shocked at first, but it soon fades, "...Oh, come on. I have respected your privacy, but I'm not clueless. I know who your vagabond is. Don't you think I can keep up?"
   "This is beyond your ability, Rylan." Aina looks at him sternly, "The situation has changed. I will be working full-time as an Elite Four member now. I cannot involve you in Ydil's business."
   "But I made it through that training from hell by that madman you made me travel with! I survived...! How can you say that I'm not strong enough to help you?"
   "Because what we're dealing with cannot be handled by just any trainer-- Not even an Ace Trainer or a Veteran." She shakes her head, "...You lack more than the experience, you lack the patience."
   "But I...! Y-You can't just call the deal off like this...!" He's starting to sound worried now!
   "Part of the deal was that I can stop should I be called for Ydil League business. And I have been called by the Champion to act. The situation now requires us to handle Team Plasma in addition to Verdell."
   "Team Plasma! That's not a job for the Ydil Elite!" He sputters, exasperated, "It-- It can be part of my training! You know I've handled those goons before. Just tell me what to do and consider it done...!"
   "Their king has awoken a legendary Pokémon and intends to use its might to force people to release their Pokémon... Do you really think that you are going to be able to handle that?" Aina frowns at him, "Verdell helped them find it. It is my responsibility to capture him. I have to help in this matter now, as demanded by Matthias. I'm sorry, but from this day forward-- you are on your own."
   "...!" Rylan stares at her in disbelief! After several moments he glances at the tower, then back at her, looking about to say something, but apparently he changes his mind at the last second, "...Tch!" He storms off!
   Aina sighs deeply, rubbing her temple... As she is pondering taking something to deal with her growing headache, there is a noise from her Pokéquip! It seems she has a message... "Hrm?" She looks at it... It's from Verdell!
   "Ahoy, Aina! Soooo now that I've secured my position by King N's side, I was wondering, would you like to go on a date with me? Just you and me, no running from or trying to arrest each other?"
   There's an irritated look in her eyes as she types back to him, "No, I will not go on a date with you. Thanks to you, Ydil has been dragged into Unova's affairs. Matthias has already ordered us to cooperate with the Unovan Elite Four and Champion."
   Before long another message arrives, "Aww. I know you're angry with me. That's why I'm asking for a chance to talk under truce. It doesn't have to be a date, but I don't think Matthias or the others would listen to me."
   "...Fine. But we meet under my terms."
   "As you wish. If you promise not to set any traps for me, I'll trust your honor. But I won't show up if I sense one. So what are your terms?"
   "Meet me in Nimbasa City tomorrow at 18:00, by the ferris wheel. We'll talk there."
   "Got it. Thanks, Aina."
   Aina sighs, rubbing her head while she puts her Pokéquip away, "This... is going to be a pain in the neck..." There is another noise from it! "Now what?" She has an annoyed look as she takes it back out. Verdell wrote another message.
   "I can't wait! :D ...You do promise not to arrest me or set any traps or ambushes, right?"
   "Yes. Considering how delicate things are now, I want to at least try to talk without using force."
   "Thank you. I promise too, I won't cause any more trouble on our date."
   "...It's not a date you love-struck fae."
   "A ferris wheel at sunset. Could you have chosen a more romantic place, my lady? You can say what you want, I still love you! <3"
   Aina sighs as she puts her Pokéquip away and heads off, not noticing Pierre observing her at a distance...

At last, Nora arrives at the Relic Castle with Arcanine. She climbs off the massive dog and calls him back... "Nora!" Cheren calls out to her as she enters the ruins, "You made it."
   "Sorry if we kept you waiting long. It was hard to keep our bearings when we reached the desert." She smiles at him.
   "Don't worry about it." Cheren shakes his head, "Alder just had the place evacuated. He went on ahead, since Team Plasma are apparently inside, as well. They forced their way through the security before we got here."
   "...!" Nora frowns, "Let's get going then, we can't let those guys cause any more trouble."
   "Yeah. Let's hurry." They head for the forbidden passage.
   "Let's see..." Nora looks around, "These hieroglyphics... Isn't this where Verdell vanished?"
   "This is the path he entered, yes." Cheren says, "...And judging by the footprints, Team Plasma too. Still, watch your step. We don't know what's in here."
   "Right." She nods as they walk carefully into the passage... The art on the walls depict ancient life... A few images resemble Reshiram next to a human, and there are some with a black dragon too... Once they have entered a bit deeper, a shadow appears ahead of them. "...!" Nora's hand hovers over a Pokéball, and Cheren readies one of his too.
   "So you have come." The ominous figure approaches from the darkness, "I am Ryoku of the Seven Sages."
   "A Sage..." Nora mutters as she's watching the green-robed man carefully, "What do you want?"
   "Unfortunately, there has been a disagreement between Ghetsis and our Lord N. Ghetsis wishes to once again test how much power you have. And so, I am here to greet you. Team Plasma awaits you within." He steps aside, "Go! We will see if you can defeat them!"
   "What a bother..." Cheren says, "But I won't leave you to battle alone, Nora."
   "Thanks, Cheren." Nora smiles at him, "Let's show 'em what we got!"
   Cheren frowns at the man rubbing his hands behind them as they keep walking... "Something's not right..."
   "...You mean how a Sage just let us pass through? Yeah." Nora glances behind them too as the man turns and leaves, "It feels like a trap."
   "...It couldn't be...!" Cheren's eyes widen a little, and he stops walking...
   "Huh?" She turns to look at him.
   "Do you remember the guide's warning last time we were here? What do you expect will happen if we have a battle against a whole bunch of Team Plasma's members in this place?"
   "...We might trigger a collapse..." Nora looks around, "...And didn't she mention something about sand traps?"
   "Exactly. But that means they're willing to sacrifice not just us, but their own too..."
   "What should we do?" Nora crosses her arms, "I may hate Team Plasma with a passion, but not to where I'd want to see any of them killed."
   "Or ourselves. I think we'll have to either avoid battle or... knock them out before they see us coming."
   "Hrm... Let's try to avoid battle. If we can't, we use our Pokémon to knock them out." Nora takes Pikachu's Pokéball, "A good shock should help."
   Cheren sends out his Liepard, "Chase, I'd like you to scout ahead for us. Warn us so we don't run into any enemies."
   "Mrrow!" Liepard nods, sneaking carefully through the dark paths... Nora unleashes Pikachu from her ball. The little Pokémon's ears twitches... It seems she's trying to pick up on any sound of Team Plasma being close by... Before long, Liepard crouches up, giving them a warning wave of his tail as he slowly prowls closer to the corner ahead, keeping close to the floor...
   "...!" Nora slows down her stride as she approaches. Pikachu hops off her shoulder and walks close to the wall to see what Liepard has found. There is light coming from around the corner, and voices from some distance ahead... A camping lantern shines on a group of Team Plasma grunts who are blocking the way... "...Sounds like there's a lot of them." Nora mutters as she looks at Cheren.
   Cheren sneaks closer to take a peek, "Ambushing them will be difficult at this distance..."
   "Hrm... I can always have Soujiro fire off an Ice Beam to freeze them?"
   "That's too risky. What else have you got?"
   "I'm not sure what can help..." She rubs her head, "Wait... Lucia. Gardevoir are capable of distorting dimensions if I remember correctly. And she's able to teleport too."
   "Teleporting sounds useful. If we can simply move past them without being noticed, that's the best solution. Any commotion risks alerting more of them, after all."
   "Alright then, let me get her out." Nora calls Pikachu back and unleashes Gardevoir, who looks at the two trainers with a small smile, "Think you can teleport us past those Plasma grunts there?" The Gardevoir takes a peek down the corridor...
   Cheren folds his arms, "I guess we're still taking a risk since we don't know what's in the room past them, but..."
   "As long as we don't make any sudden noises we should be okay." Nora smiles, "Besides, we can always make a sound to trick them into coming here, and Lucia teleports us near the entrance of the room?"
   "Sounds like a plan." Cheren nods.
   "Okay, Lucia-- Can you get us as close to the entrance as possible?" Nora asks, and the Gardevoir nods at her trainer. "Right then. Cheren, hang on tight okay?" Gardevoir extends her hands to the two trainers. Cheren calls his Liepard back and takes it. Nora takes out a metal tent pole from her bag and slams it against a wall before quickly putting it away and taking Gardevoir's hand, "Okay... Lucia-- Teleport."
   "Garde..." Gardevoir's eyes glow as they suddenly vanish! They reappear near the entrance of the room...
   "What was that?" One of the Team Plasma grunts behind them says.
   "Maybe she's here. Let's check it out!" They begin to head towards the sound, still chatting.
   "I heard she works her Pokémon really hard."
   "Yeah, I battled her before, so I know that's the only reason she's strong. Her Pokémon got used to being her weapons!"
   "Well, she better prepare to lose them!"
   Nora holds her breath to avoid alerting them, but a dull look appears on her face as she's listening to their comments. She peeks into the room ahead... It looks safe. There are several paths branching off from it, however... Cheren quietly slips inside, pulling her along before the grunts notice they're there, and Gardevoir follows. "Which way...?" Nora mutters as she looks around...
   "There are footsteps all over... I guess we should assume that there are more of Team Plasma further in, whichever path we take. Ah... That's right. I have an idea. Verdell must have passed through here, and we know that he found something. Do you think your Arcanine can track his scent?"
   "I think so... Let me get him out." Nora calls Gardevoir back and unleashes Arcanine, who holds back from barking this time. "Can you track Verdell's scent?" The large dog sniffs around the air before putting his nose to the ground... He sniffs the rooms carefully before he begins to head down the path ahead of them.
   "Looks like he's found it. Let's follow!" Cheren says, sending his Liepard out again to keep watch.
   "Right." Nora nods. Arcanine continues to make his way down the path, his nose twitching like crazy! Liepard is keeping his ears pointed up, listening carefully for any sounds... Leaving the light of Team Plasma's lantern behind, it is pitch-dark... Nora takes out her flashlight as they head deeper and deeper into the Relic Castle, but keeps her hand around it to dim its light a bit... Finally Liepard's tail swishes again, there are faint voices ahead...
   "...!" Arcanine stops and gives a quiet growl... Nora narrows her eyes as she approaches silently and takes a quick peek... There are more Team Plasma grunts, but this group seems occupied with searching a room to the side...
   "But do you get what he sees in her?"
   "No way! How could someone like her understand our Lord N's feelings?"
   "But Ghetsis said that as long as we find the Dark Stone first, it won't matter."
   "Yeah. If we have that, there won't be anything to threaten the rebirth of Unova! We have to keep searching!"
   "Does anyone know what this sign means?"
   "Sign...?" Nora raises a brow at this before looking at Cheren, "Looks like they're busy searching the room..."
   "Let's just skip this room." Cheren whispers back, "Does the track continue?"
   Arcanine is sniffing around to see where Verdell went... It seems that he was inside the room, but then left it, heading further into the castle... Arcanine turns around and follows the trail. "...Let's go." Nora mutters quietly as she follows her Pokémon. After a while Liepard hisses, staring at the ground... Nora shines her light on it. There are movements in the sand...
   "This could be a problem..." Cheren frowns, "Verdell's Pokémon could float over this, but ours... There's not enough space for Arrow to fly with us..."
   "...Wait... I taught Aurelia Magnet Rise not too long ago." Nora looks at him, "She's not big enough to carry us though... Perhaps Lucia can use her psychic powers to levitate us over the area?"
   "It's worth a try. Maybe Herbert's vines could help, too... He's a Serperior now."
   "He evolved, eh?" Nora smiles.
   "Yeah." Cheren smirks, "Battling Team Plasma is good exercise at least, I'll give them that."
   "Let's use Herbert's vines? If something goes wrong, Lucia can use her abilities to get us out of the mess?"
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, calling his Serperior out, "Alright, use your vines to hold onto me, Herbert. I'll try to move across. If I sink, you'll have to pull me back out." Serperior nods, wrapping his vines around Cheren. He calls Liepard back and begins to walk forward carefully and slowly... Nora is watching, calling her Gardevoir out to be safe... The sand slips a bit under Cheren's feet! He tries to move faster to get away, but the sand slides even more...! Serperior tries to pull him up!
   "Lucia...!" The Gardevoir's eyes glow! A psychic force helps pull Cheren up into the air!
   "Whew... Thanks." Cheren says, "I think I'll have to walk more carefully..." Serperior nods, keeping a firm grip on his trainer.
   "Okay... Place him down away from that sand trap..." Nora instructs her Pokémon, "But make sure to be ready just in case."
   "Gwa..." The Gardevoir nods, moving Cheren some distance away from the sand trap. He keeps walking very cautiously. It seems that there's more than one sand trap as the sand slides in different directions at times... and Nora's flashlight is not strong enough to pierce the darkness further in...
   "Crap... It's getting difficult to see..." Nora mutters quietly, "We may need to move forward. We're not going to get far if we can't see him. Cheren?"
   "I'm here!" Cheren calls back, "Hold on a moment." After a little while a light appears! It seems that he thought of bringing a flashlight of his own. "I really need to see where I'm stepping in this..."
   "Thank goodness. Let me know if you need Lucia to get you out of a trap, okay?"
   "Yeah, I will!" Cheren keeps walking carefully, and the light gets smaller... But eventually he calls out, "There's a floor here! I made it across!"
   "Awesome!" Nora has a relieved smile, "Alright... Time to make our way across then..."
   "Hold on, Nora." Cheren calls out, "I'll hold onto Herbert's vines from this side. You can use them to get across without sinking!"
   Nora calls her Pokémon back, thanking them for their help. "Alright, do you have a firm grip?"
   "Yeah, I'm ready!"
   "Alright... Here goes." Nora holds onto the vines as she begins to head down the path... The sand is very slippery...! "Crud..." She grunts a bit as she continues forward, thankful for Cheren's idea about the vines. Eventually she manages to make it across too. Once she is safely on solid ground, Serperior slithers over until he is close enough for Cheren to call him back.
   "Thanks, Herbert. You were a great help."
   In front of them are a set of stairs leading down... Nora looks into the depths, "This has to be the place."
   "Yeah." Cheren nods, "Let's check it out." He begins to head down... They shine carefully with their flashlights to make sure that they don't misstep... The stairs are quite long...
   "I wonder where this leads...?" Nora says... Finally they arrive in a huge chamber! The floor is covered with sand that trickles down in narrow streams from above... Further inside the room they see another light, and there are voices, too...! It sounds like they're arguing... "...Let's check it out." She speaks softly as she heads towards the light... Getting closer, they see that it's Alder and Ghetsis!
   "Whew! We finally caught up." Cheren says at the same time as Ghetsis's Xtransceiver rings!
   Alder waves them over... "You two. Come here... Come to my side."
   "..." Nora heads towards Alder, moving behind him as she's watching the Sage carefully...
   Ghetsis looks at his Xtransceiver, taking a few steps back to answer it, "This is Ghetsis speaking..."
   "We got through! Great job, Hazel!" The voice on the other end says, "I was worried you'd already gone too deep inside. Someone said that you went to the Relic Castle. Oh, and this is Verdell, by the way."
   "Verdell... Is there something amiss?" Ghetsis has a grim look.
   "Aye, you are, I think. I know you're excited and all since Reshiram awoke, but you if anyone should know how dangerous the Relic Castle is!"
   "I am aware. I gave my entourage specific orders not to battle in here." Ghetsis looks around, "...At any rate, it seems that the other one is no longer here, is it?"
   "Yeah, I was about to get to that. The Dark Stone was supposed to be at the Relic Castle, but I can confirm to you that it no longer is. So don't waste your time or your life in there!"
   "...!" Nora's eyes widen a bit.
   "Thank you for notifying me, Verdell. I'll be taking my leave soon. It seems that I cannot prevent the inevitable after all..." Ghetsis sighs...
   "Indeed. I'm not too happy about this either, but whether I say anything of its whereabouts or not, the Dark Stone will find its way to Nora."
   "...You seem rather confident about it coming to pass, Verdell. May I ask why?"
   "If I hadn't figured out the locations of both stones I couldn't have offered Lord N a choice between the two dragons, after all."
   Ghetsis seems at a loss, "...Still looking to give her an edge, I see."
   "I won't go against Lord N's will. I won't help her find it, either. It won't make a difference, anyhow."
   "I suppose." Ghetsis glances aside, "Speaking of which, I shall have to address her and the Champion now. If you wish to greet them, you're welcome to do so before I take my leave of the Relic Castle."
   "What?! Nora, are you out of your mind?" Verdell yells through the Xtransceiver!
   "Oy! You did the same thing-- teach!" Nora calls out!
   "And I barely made it out of that horrible place alive! Like I just told Ghetsis the Dark Stone isn't in there anyway, so be glad you didn't venture deeper and stop risking your life before it's too late!"
   "Well it's not like I have an encyclopedic knowledge of all things folklore and myth, Verdell! Besides, where the heck else would've made sense to find it!?"
   There is a sigh from the other end, "Very well, I'll admit this was an oversight on my part... I did not expect an apprentice of mine to rush into such a dangerous place without even taking the time to prepare. But the Dark Stone will find you, so don't search for it in there."
   "...Verdell, no offense but the reckless part was kinda from your influence." Nora rubs her head.
   Ghetsis sighs a bit, "...That seems about right the more I think about it."
   "Yeah, you're a bad influence, Verdell." Cheren folds his arms.
   "Et tu, Cheren?" Verdell sounds a little startled, "Don't tell me Bianca is there too!"
   "Mercifully, no." Nora sighs, "But yeah... You did kinda do a lot of reckless things around us, so we follow your example when emergencies come up."
   Ghetsis seems amused at Verdell's reaction, "It seems you were quite the interesting mentor, Verdell."
   "I'm a pirate, not a school teacher...! You can't expect me to set a good example...!"
   "...Hm. I believe that some of the blame is mine." Alder says, "I'm the one who suggested we search in here. But I won't let any harm come to these young trainers."
   "I think we managed just fine this far..." Cheren says.
   "Yeah, it wasn't too bad. But then again, we did work together on our way through the ruins." Nora rubs her head, "Though it was a low blow that the Plasma grunts were going to battle us in here..."
   Ghetsis frowns at this, "What...?"
   Cheren looks at him, "...Just now you said that you ordered them not to. I'm prepared to believe that, since if you're in here your life would also be at risk if part of the Relic Castle collapsed. Thankfully we managed to avoid them, but we'd appreciate it if you could clear up this misunderstanding on our way out, in case we run into anyone."
   "...I'll have a word with them about this. Thank you for bringing this to my attention." He nods before looking at Verdell, "Forgive me, but I have to cut this short. Please say your farewells."
   "Alright, be seeing you scallopwags! And do take care on your way out, Ghetsis."
   "My thanks, Verdell." Ghetsis turns off his Xtransceiver and looks at Nora, "Now then, before I take my leave, I must congratulate you, Miss Marquardt. To be chosen by our King is an honor of the highest order, after all. If you wish to preserve a world where people continue to live with Pokémon... you must subdue the other dragon Pokémon spoken of in legend, and battle our King. Should you fail, however, Team Plasma will continue its noble duty of liberating Pokémon from the masses who exploit them so."
   "..." Nora's jaw tightens at this as she watches the man carefully...
   Alder frowns, "As eloquent as ever, Ghetsis. But do the Pokémon who live with their trainers actually want that? Isn't the liberation you talk about really just stealing Pokémon from people?"
   "Straight to the point as ever, Alder." Ghetsis looks at the Champion... His right hand emerges out of his robes as he gives a mocking bow, "What Team Plasma offers is the reliability that you and your League have sorely failed to provide the people with. You've made Unova unstable in your reign. Your duty was to protect the League, yet after the loss of your partner, you wander the region. Such a Champion as you wishes to protect this world, where people and Pokémon live together?"
   Nora shakes her head, "He's here now, isn't he? It's clear that this is something that cannot be ignored anymore."
   "Indeed, though his inaction allowed for this to occur, did it not, young trainer?" There's a small smirk, "Our King will demonstrate to the people of Unova that his strength is greater than that of the Champion who keeps his Pokémon bound. Upon his victory, all trainers will release their Pokémon from their cruel grip."
   "..." Alder clenches his fists, looking straight at Ghetsis, "So that's what this is all about? Ghetsis, if you think ruling Unova is such a piece of cake you should've spoken up. I could've given you a rematch for my title. I've always known that you still resent me for what happened, but I've calmed down since those days, and it seems to me that you haven't forgotten that we're old rivals, after all. But not like this! I won't lose the title of Champion in this way! I'll fight for all trainers who love their Pokémon, and for all Pokémon who believe in their trainers!"
   "Our King has no interest in you. He has already determined that victory against you is assured." Ghetsis waves his gloved hand dismissively before withdrawing it to the confines of his robes...
   Alder places his hands on his hips, "Are you making fun of me?"
   "Of course not." The taller man shakes his head, "I say this out of kindness. Out of respect of our old rivalry, I'm making sure that the Champion is not injured for no reason. After all, how often did I not have to come to your aid back then, Alder? Even if I cannot battle as well as I used to... I still have my wits. Well then, farewell." He nods in their direction before he begins to make his way towards a passage...
   "It's a little early for that; we're on our way out too." Alder follows.
   As does Cheren... "Alder... What are you going to do?"
   "To begin with, getting out of here isn't a bad idea. The air is so stale it's hard to breathe!"
   "You know what I mean."
   "Hmmm..." He makes a troubled face, sighing deeply, "It seems my only choice is to return to the Pokémon League and battle N. But it bothers me to do exactly what Ghetsis wants..." He glares at the back of the man in front.
   "...There's no need to make such a face, Alder." Ghetsis speaks calmly without actually looking at him as he leads them through the corridor... "Surely you have not forgotten all the times when I gave you sound advice?"
   Nora looks at Alder, "You two were rivals?"
   "...It was a long time ago." Alder says, not looking any less troubled, "More importantly, what should we do about the Dark Stone?"
   "Perhaps it would be wise to talk about this when we're not near someone who would be interested--"
   Ghetsis shakes his head, "I will respect my King's wish. This was my last attempt at intervening to keep you from finding the legendary Pokémon. As Verdell mentioned, that stone will find its way to you sooner or later."
   "Can we really trust that?" Alder says, "If I got this right, he's a high profile criminal from Ydil with a reputation for being unreliable..."
   "That's the least you could say... His motives are impossible to understand." Cheren says, "At one moment he's charming and helpful and in the next he stabs you in the back. But clearly he does know his legends..."
   "It remains to be seen." Ghetsis says, "However, my King and Verdell seem convinced that she's the Hero of Ideals. Should she truly be the chosen hero, then the stone will find its way to her. Let us hope that she can live up to the standards of the dragon and my King."
   "..." Cheren looks at Nora... She is quiet, staring at the steps as she walks, but apparently deep in her thoughts as she nonetheless stumbles a little... She blinks, quickly regaining her balance and continuing to walk.
   "Hmmm. Whether they are right or not, it sounds like this Verdell may be someone you should watch your back around yourself, Ghetsis." Alder points out, "I know it may be late, but you're making me worried for you."
   "Worry more about yourself, Alder." Ghetsis begins to walk up the steps of a long and winding set of stairs, "At this point, there's no turning back."
   "If there really is no other way, worrying will just slow me down. I have to believe in my Pokémon! ...But when I win, have you given any thought to what the consequences will be for you, Ghetsis? What you're doing is not entirely legal."
   "Alder, I've been aware ever since I started this." Ghetsis glances at him, "I have already made my peace with myself to accept what comes, no matter what. My resolve to see Unova in a better place still remains as it was all those years ago. I will personally see to it that the corrupt system that has been allowed to fester and pustulate this region shall be purged, on the King's behalf. Those who live in excess will understand that their power came with responsibility... and I will not allow them to go unpunished for living so well, while so many have suffered through their neglect... Have you forgotten that was my reason for becoming a trainer to begin with?"
   "Of course I remember your quest to reclaim influence for the old nobility. But is an old system really better? I'm sure people had complaints about that too. And I have been much too lenient with you as of late. The Champion of Ydil even chewed me out about it. He probably doesn't know our circumstances, but he's right. It is my duty to stop you."
   There's a scoff from Ghetsis, "...I understand that there's no perfect government body. However, the older system placed more accountability on those in power. I do not believe that Unova has the luxury of more time... I cannot watch it decay any longer."
   "..." Alder closes his eyes, stopping for a moment... but then he resumes climbing the stairs. He doesn't seem about to argue further with Ghetsis, although his troubled look is back...
   "This isn't the same way I and Nora came from." Cheren says, "You know where we're going, I hope."
   "This is a passageway that the kings used. It will lead us to where we need to go." Ghetsis answers as they keep going, eventually reaching a new corridor, "...Alder."
   "What is it?" Alder asks, trying not to sound too grumpy.
   "Let it never be said that I did not respect you. However, you said that I resent you for my injuries... That is not why I resent you so much."
   "...I know what you are about to say. But even if you say that your injuries has nothing to do with it, I'm sure you resent me for that too. I don't have a good excuse for either, so I won't bother to defend myself."
   "...I will admit that I was once furious that you had injured me with your fire during the semi-finals. However, what earned you my resentment is the fact that you broke the promise you made with me before the League Challenge, back when we were younger."
   "..." Alder remains silent...
   "We had both earned our badges. Before we went to Victory Road, you and I made a promise to one another. That no matter which of us won, the one who did would do everything to end the corruption and ensure that Unova would prosper. You swore to me that you would make sure that your dream came true." He glances at Alder as he presses a stone at the end of the passage, and a path opens up, "...And look where we are now."
   "... ... ..." Nora looks between them as Alder pauses, lowering his head and reaching out with one hand to lean against the wall...
   Ghetsis turns around fully to look at Alder, "...I wasn't furious for long about losing to you that day, because I believed in you. But now? I have nothing but resentment that you broke that promise, regret that I trusted your word, and fury that I lost to someone who lacked the resolve to see his dream realized. Beyond this door you will find yourself close to the entrance of these ruins... Farewell, Alder." He turns to leave...
   "...Ghetsis." Alder says.
   "..." He stops at the exit, but he does not look at the Champion.
   "I'm sorry I haven't been able to fulfill our promise. But don't think that I've given up! I've just been doing what's possible."
   "...Wandering the region while allowing the Elite Four to do as they please... Do you not think that's a clear enough sign that you gave up?" Ghetsis turns his head a bit, "...It's bad enough that those two youngsters behind you seek to change Unova just like us... One wishes to prove his strength because of the broken education system, and the other... is here because the League intends to cause damage around her hometown. If you were doing what's possible, would you not have been able to address those issues at least?"
   "..." Alder looks at Cheren and Nora...
   "I think he is doing that." Cheren speaks up! "Just not in the way you'd expect."
   "...!" Alder smiles a little, looking at Ghetsis again.
   "...We will see soon enough. Enjoy your respite while you can. War comes to the League soon." Ghetsis heads out...
   "War..." Alder mutters, "Against you...? How has it come to this..."
   Cheren reaches up to place a hand on his shoulder, "I wouldn't trade the advice you gave me for anything. So let's keep doing what can be done."
   "Yeah." Alder nods, "It's too soon to give up! Nora, how are you feeling?"
   "Terrified to be honest." She sighs...
   "..." He looks at her, then he holds his hand out to her, "...Here. That guy called N has thrown a heavy burden on your shoulders, but you're not alone. Team Plasma won't win."
   "..." She takes his hand, "Thanks..."
   Cheren takes her other hand, "Anyway, let's get out of here. We need to regroup."
   "Right." She smiles a bit.

Cheren looks at Nora as they return to the entrance, "It's unforgivable. I don't know how else to describe what Team Plasma are doing..."
   "War, indeed..." Alder says, "What could that N possibly hope to accomplish?"
   "...He wants to free Pokémon, but..." Nora ponders, "...I wonder why... He said that he understands that there are good trainers but..."
   "You said that you've met him several times before this..." Cheren says.
   "He keeps asking me about my views and my dreams... But he doesn't really understand the world... He's intelligent, but it's like... he's inexperienced with the world." Nora crosses her arms, "Yet he holds onto his beliefs so firmly."
   "Hmm." Alder looks thoughtful, "He understands, yet refuses to let that alter his opinion? Could he be thinking that winning the battle of the two dragons will prove him right against you?"
   "..." Nora looks down at the ground, "...All this started back in Accumula Town..."
   "Would you tell me about it?" Alder asks... "I'd like to give a try to understanding N to see if I can help him somehow."
   "...It was after a Team Plasma rally, and we were talking about how absurd the speech was." Nora glances at Cheren, "Soujiro was an Oshawott at the time, and he barked... Then N approached and said that something Soujiro said caught his attention."
   "He supposedly has the ability to understand what Pokémon are saying." Cheren adds, "That time I thought he was a street performer."
   "Hm." Alder frowns a little, "How unusual..."
   "...I saw him several times after that... though one in particular was..." Nora shakes her head, "...It was at White Forest when I was trying to return Lucia home. There were poachers trying to capture the Pokémon there. One who attacked me was dressed as a League official."
   "...! Maybe I do need to return to the Pokémon League and give some people a stern talking to as well..." Alder folds his arms, "Whether it has any effect is another matter, but... please continue."
   "N and Team Plasma were there at the same time... If I have to guess, they caught wind of the situation and decided to storm the area." Nora sighs, "...However, N was interested when Lucia-- My Gardevoir, who was a Ralts at the time, said that she wanted to join my party. She called me her hero because I was trying to get her back home... and because I protected her and Soujiro from getting hurt. I think he saw what happened when I took a Quick Attack to the side."
   "...! Is that when he began to think that you're the other hero?" Cheren asks.
   "I dunno..." She shakes her head, "Maybe? I mean, before all of that, I saw him when I tried to enter the Nacrene Museum, and in Pinwheel Forest when Aina and her knights thought I was working with Verdell. And I saw him again at Chargestone Cave and outside Skyla's Gym in Mistralton City... Wait... that... is what he meant...?"
   "What?" Cheren looks at her.
   "...He kept asking me to help him with a formula... All of this..."
   "Formula?" Cheren looks puzzled.
   "...The formula for making Pokémon happy and for changing the world..." She furrows her brow as she tries to remember, "Wait... He said that... No way, he was planning all of this since Nacrene City? He said he was going to befriend one of the dragons..."
   "...! That's only the second time you met him, wasn't it?" Cheren looks surprised.
   "Yes." Nora nods, "I think this has--!" Her Xtransceiver goes off! She looks at it and answers, "Hello?"
   "Nora! Nora!! Hello? Nora!!" It's the professor's voice, but it's difficult to hear her clearly.
   "Professor Juniper, I can hear you!" Nora speaks into the watch as she hurries out of the ruins, "Can you hear me??"
   Juniper's face appears on the screen along with a smile, "Ah, I can see and hear you now! Nora, I need you to come to the museum in Nacrene City immediately!" Her expression turns serious, "Right away, got it? I mean right now!"
   "Understood, see you soon!" Nora nods as the call ends.
   "Seems like something big is happening." Alder says, "We'll have to continue this another time. I wonder what's up at the Nacrene Museum."
   "Let's go." Cheren nods, calling out his Pidgeot.
   "Let's go, Sirius!" Nora unleashes her Arcanine, "See you guys there!"
   "Yeah, see you!" Cheren calls back as he and Alder fly off.

It takes Nora a while to get through Castelia City... In spite of being so busy, some people pause for an instant as they see her, impressed with her Arcanine's graceful movements and that he lets her ride him. Finally she makes her way onto Skyarrow Bridge, feeling the wind rush through her hair and messing with it. She takes some deep breaths of fresh air now that she is leaving the city behind and heading into Pinwheel Forest. Arcanine dashes through the thick woods at a steady pace. His soft fur feels a bit warmer now, but the gentle breeze and the shade of the forest makes it rather pleasant... At last, they see Nacrene City ahead. Upon arriving to the museum, it seems that Alder and Cheren have made it there as well... Professor Juniper awaits her, and Bianca and Cedric are there too!
   "Nora!" Bianca waves. Arcanine comes to a stop and Nora hops off!
   "Alder just finished telling me what's going on. Nora, it looks like this has gotten considerably more serious than before..." Professor Juniper approaches with a concerned look as Nora glances to the side... Then she notices Lenora coming out of the museum... In her hands rests a black stone, cradled in white cloth...
   "Is this it?" Lenora shows the stone to Cedric.
   "Whoa..." Bianca seems in awe of it as she bounces over and looks at the stone carefully, "Isn't that the... stone... found in the Desert Resort?"
   Lenora nods, "Yes, that's right." She has a quizzical look as she examines it carefully too, "...But is this really a dragon type Pokémon?"
   Cedric fishes out a funny-looking instrument, looking carefully at the stone through a small lens, "Surely..." He mumbles, then he looks up with a wide smile, "When I investigated Dragonspiral Tower, I found elements that were dated to the same era as this Dark Stone!"
   Professor Juniper coughs into her fist, "After Bianca told me what happened, I decided to look into what Lenora had found during excavations of the ruins."
   "Impressive as always." Lenora looks between the two professors.
   Bianca sighs in relief, "But, you know, we're lucky... 'Cause what if Team Plasma had noticed the stone at that time..."
   "You're right." Cheren says, "Nora just told us that she met N here, and then, that happened..."
   "We better keep our guards up." Lenora looks at the stone, "It's clear to me that they were trying to steal the dragon skull so they could revive the legendary dragon Pokémon." She holds it out to Nora, "If you would, Nora, take this..."
   "..." Nora looks at the stone in Lenora's hands for a moment, reaching out for it, but then she pulls back... There's fear in her eyes...
   "Wait a moment." Alder places a hand on her shoulder, looking at the others, "If Nora takes this Dark Stone, it means that she'll be the one to battle N if anything happens to me." He looks at her, "You are right to consider carefully. Is that really something you'll be okay with?"
   "I..." Nora looks between him and the Dark Stone, her mind racing as she seems a bit worried and torn, "...I... I don't know if..." There's a grunt from Arcanine who steps forth and rubs his puffy fur against her... He looks at his trainer... Everyone watches her and her Pokémon... "...I don't know if I'm the right person to do this..." She speaks softly as there's a whine from the Arcanine.
   "..." Alder watches them too, "Your Pokémon seems to not want a world where he is separated from you. Is that right?" He looks at Arcanine. There's a bark, followed by a tail wag! Nora looks up at the large dog before a flash of light breaks out from a Pokéball... Samurott is giving her a hard look.
   "Soujiro... What--"
   "Rott rott samu!" There's some sharp barks from him as he takes out one of his seamitars and slams it into the ground!
   "He seems determined to fight for your friendship too." Cedric observes.
   "..." Nora looks between the two Pokémon, "...You know that if Zekrom doesn't accept me, we might be stuck battling a legendary Pokémon... Are you guys going to be okay with that?" There are barks from the two Pokémon! While their tones are different... their eyes show the same look she has learned to recognize from their time together. Resolve to seize victory! "...What am I gonna do with you guys?" She chuckles as the two Pokémon look pleased, "...Alright, I'll take the stone."
   "So you are determined to take on this duty." Alder nods, "Then, sincerely, I must ask you... This world of ours, where Pokémon and people live together... Please... If anything happens to me, protect it!"
   "..." Nora takes a deep breath as she gingerly receives the stone in her hands...
   "That's right..." Cheren says, "What N says about you isn't what really matters. He's not the one you should be doing this for. It's for them." He looks at her Pokémon, "...And for every trainer and Pokémon who treasures their bond."
   There is a silence for a little while as everyone watches her with the Dark Stone... but nothing seems to happen! A Cottonee blows by... Finally Cedric says, "...So, how do we wake the dragon Pokémon from the stone, then?"
   "Erm... That's a good question...?" Nora looks puzzled, as does her Pokémon. Arcanine and Samurott poke at the stone with their noses.
   Bianca tilts her head, "M-Maybe it needs to be awakened somewhere special...?"
   "Yeah." Cheren folds his arms, "Maybe you have to be at the Dragonspiral Tower."
   Nora nods, "...Alright then, let's head back to the tower."

In the amusement park in Nimbasa City, Aina is standing near the ferris wheel. She's dressed up nicely... After a little while, she spots Verdell approaching her. He looks quite different from last time she saw him up close, however, as he is now sparklingly clean and neat. He has apparently put some effort into dressing up as her fairy prince instead of a pirate... and it looks like he is hiding something behind his back...
   "...?" She notices, but chooses to pretend like nothing, "...You're early."
   "So are you." He smiles, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. Then he pulls out the pink silk rose he was holding, leaving her hand with that as he lets go, "...You said this is not a date, so the flower language I intend with this one is to ask for forgiveness. I've been looking forward to this moment for some time now... and I promised myself that it would be the first thing I did once my mission was complete. I am also sorry if I caused you trouble by calling you here at a time like this, but it has been much too long since we had the chance to speak in earnest..."
   "Indeed..." She looks at the silk rose thoughtfully before motioning towards the ride, "Shall we?"
   "Yes. You look even lovelier than usual, by the way." He smiles happily, and they enter the ride. It begins to head up... Verdell looks out over the city, "I still couldn't speak openly that time... when you and Donar caught me. It would have risked my mission. But now I can. If you'll let me, I'll explain my reasons to you... everything you want to know. Or I can listen while you yell at me. Whichever you prefer."
   "...I'm in a good mood and I don't want to ruin it by yelling." She glances outside as well, "...Care to tell me your reasoning?"
   "..." He glances at her with a hint of a smile, "Thanks. I know part of you must still be angry with me... and you were right that time, too. Your vision, I mean... even if I hadn't quite joined Team Plasma yet, and please believe me, it was never a decision I took lightly. But yes, I went to the desert on their behalf. So after Team Plasma rescued me from you, I told them where to search for the white dragon. When they offered me this job-- That is, finding the lost royal dragons of Unova-- I didn't expect their king to be someone worthy of my full support. I was going to prank him. But after getting to know him, I... I taught him how to awaken Reshiram. Because Lord N truly is worthy, Aina... Not only of Reshiram, but of my loyalty..."
   "..." She glances at him quietly before turning her attention to the lights of the city... "You say so..."
   "Because of the way he is, I know that he has no intent of taking undue advantage of me. That is, he's... of such an innocent and unaffected nature. Sincere, fair, caring... heartfelt in his beliefs... and those beliefs are noble-minded and selfless. His heart is pure. That's why I trust him. Or why I'm able to... I had almost forgotten how to do that..."
   "...Rare for you to admire someone so much."
   Verdell falls silent for a moment. He observes her carefully, then he says, "...Aina, I came here in the hopes that I could be sincere with you... Do you mind if I check you for hidden microphones and cameras and such? Just in case Pierre has snuck some of his toys onto you..."
   "I don't mind you checking." She raises her arms a bit...
   "Thanks." Verdell smiles, calling out his Dedenne next to her.
   "Dede!" She closes her eyes, her whiskers twitching a bit as she searches for signals...
   "It's been a while since I've seen Hazel. Nice to see she's as healthy as ever." Aina smiles.
   "Denne!" She nods to Aina, then she shakes her head at Verdell...
   "Nothing suspicious..." Verdell's smile looks a bit more relaxed, "...Here's a reward for your trouble." He places a Poképuff in front of the Dedenne, who makes a happy squeak. Aina smiles, moving her hand and petting Dedenne gently on the head... She looks very pleased with being petted while she enjoys her Poképuff.
   "...It has been a long time, hasn't it...?" She mumbles.
   "It has." Verdell nods. "I hope you can relax a bit too now, Aina."
   "..." Aina keeps petting Dedenne while she looks at him...
   "...When you caught me, I asked you to run away with me." He smiles, "I was serious, you know. I get that being a fugitive isn't a thought that appeals to you, but I told you there was a chance I could make it possible for you to remain a knight and still be with me. It is possible now."
   "..." She closes her eyes at this...
   "...I won't expect an answer right now. But I was hoping that you would consider it..."
   "...You ask me to put my faith in a king who invited another to bring a legendary Pokémon to overthrow him? With the future being this uncertain?"
   "If you prefer to wait until the dust settles before deciding, fine by me. I can be patient."
   "...The future is so uncertain."
   "But it's not a definite no?" He grins a little.
   "...Don't twist my words."
   "Wh-What? I'm not trying to do that..." His head lowers a bit, "I'm asking because I want to know if you would at least consider it, or if..." He closes his eyes, "...If I have to let you go. Since I may not ever return to Ydil..."
   She crosses her arms, "...I do not know. After what Matthias said in Dragonspiral Tower..."
   "Hm?" He looks at her.
   "...He said a few things to your apprentice that made me hesitate."
   "You're having doubts about Matthias...?"
   "...Don't word it like that."
   "I'm just surprised. I don't think badly of Matthias myself, even after all this... He is an amazing Champion, so I would understand if you don't want to leave him and Ydil for me. So I'll be fair... You know how he is when he's enraged, and I may have taunted him just a little back there. If ranting at Nora was all he did after seeing N with Reshiram and realizing he's the king I swore loyalty to, so soon after he nearly had us both caught in Twist Mountain... then I'm impressed with him."
   "...He was tempted to use Aedelys up there you know." She sighs, "...But I think he held back, if only because the Icirrus Gym Leader and Cheren were there too."
   "Couldn't risk ruining his image, eh?" Verdell chuckles, "...I don't think that's all. He hesitated for long enough that I'm sure he must have realized the danger. There are no guarantees even Aedelys would win if he were to challenge one of Unova's royal dragons... Besides, a battle between two legendary Pokémon of their standing could cause so much destruction, the Gym Leader of Icirrus would be among the least of his worries."
   "...The Unovan Champion was outside as well. Matthias gave him an earful too."
   "Hah, I imagine he did!" He laughs, "I actually met Champion Alder earlier. Cheren tried to tell him off for lazing about, but he just made up some silly excuse for himself. I really wanted to tell him how incompetent he is too, but I couldn't reveal Team Plasma's plans to him. Still, the fact that he let me wander off without even taking notice of me speaks for itself."
   "Well, he's taking action now, at least... Though if your king's plan fails I do hope the next Champion will be someone more responsible."
   "...If Lord N loses I imagine the next Champion might actually be Nora. There's no way the current Pokémon League won't fall, anyhow."
   "Oh? How are you sure?"
   "Prying for military secrets now, are we?" He laughs a bit again, "You know, Aina... as much as I still admire Matthias, I think that in a way, joining Lord N also makes for an appropriate statement."
   She looks at him, "Why? Someone who has a pure heart... can still bring ruin, regardless of how well-intentioned they are."
   "You know that Matthias seeks conquest... Lord N seeks to change the world peacefully. Or at least, not primarily by force, but by showing the truth. He hopes that once the Pokémon League falls, no more battles will be necessary to convince the world to change. But I see your point... and I know that Matthias does not intend to create a world of ruin; he wants to build something better. Still, a world of ruin is the world that will be created if he opens the gate, since he's not ready for what's beyond it. In comparison, the way Lord N will change the world is, at worst, an inconvenience."
   "Considering his ultimate goal, one would agree with that sentiment."
   "...Heh. I thought that you would understand... But there are some things about Lord N you should be aware of, so that you can make whichever decision you would be happiest with. So I'll admit that he does have his flaws. He cares about Pokémon more than he cares about people, for one, which isn't ideal for a king. I suspect it may be because he is a little like a Pokémon himself. Clearly he is not very used to interacting with other humans... Personally I don't have a problem with that, even if I don't take for granted that he cares for me beyond my ability to help him reach his goal of Pokémon liberation. He still isn't the kind to use me... or the legendary Pokémon, for thoughtless wishes. And I know too well what it's like not to belong... I know you do, too."
   "..." She crosses her arms as she listens quietly... The ferris wheel comes to a stop.
   "Shall we find a bench somewhere, or do you want another ride?" Verdell smiles.
   "Another ride would be preferable..." She sighs while rubbing her temple delicately, "I don't want to let anyone see me right now."
   "Another ride it is, then." The ferris wheel begins to move again...
   "..." Aina sighs, "...If all of this ever ends, I don't want to ever hear the words 'legendary' and 'dragon' in the same sentence again..."
   He looks at her, then lowers his head, "... ... ..."
   "...All of this happened because of a blasted dragon..." She rubs her head, "...I have tried to be patient with Matthias, but all this wasted effort... I should be back in Ydil, protecting it, not running around on this never-ending chase. I'm exhausted... Physically, mentally... and emotionally..." She lowers her head too...
   "Then..." Verdell closes his eyes, "...Forget I said anything... If that is what you want, I'm sure you could get Pierre to help you convince Matthias to let you return to Ydil. You don't have to continue like this..."
   "...I cannot... I accepted this mission out of more than just obligation." She looks up at him... a tear coming down her face. "...This is the only way I could ever see you without it being a dream."
   "...!" He looks up at her too.
   "... ...I miss you so much. You were the only thing in my life that made me feel alive and loved." She continues, "...Verdell, you have no idea how much I miss being with you. How much I wish I was not a member of the Ydil Elite Four... How much I... How I wish I could be with you without breaking my oath."
   "..." He smiles faintly, reaching out for her cheek and removing her tear, "I'm sorry to have given you such a difficult choice... And for making you chase me around the world all this time, too. But if being an Elite Four member troubles you so, following my example and blowing the League up isn't your only option. You could resign from the position, following all the rules and protocols, and then come be with me. Or just be patient for a little longer... Until the Pokémon League here falls and Lord N is recognized as king of Unova. Matthias promised to let you go then... I got him to write it on your Pokéquip. You must have read it, right?"
   "Not to mention you two making fun of one another. But yes, I read it." She nods, "Though, I suspect that after what happened he's going to work to ensure that it does not come to pass."
   "But are you happy about it? It was a selfish request on my part, even if I can't decide what you'll do with your freedom..."
   She looks at him with a small smile on her face, "...I am greatly pleased by it. I believe I told you there are times when I do not mind you being selfish, did I not?"
   He laughs a bit, "I was a little worried that you would be upset with me or even choose to return to the League. I'm happy that I did not go too far... Tell you what, sometimes I wish I could just capture you and take you with me everywhere I go... But you're too good at your job, you know that?" He rubs his head... "I'd just end up caught myself."
   She smiles a little wider, "Well, if I was poor at it I couldn't call myself a knight, now could I? Pity that's close to impossible though." She chuckles, "...How many times did you try to abduct me during your shows...?"
   "I lost count." He chuckles too, "But you never liked my pirate act, did you."
   "No, I am more fond of your fairy prince act."
   "Both are part of me... or what makes me who I am, but... I plan on being a fairy prince more often from here on. Still, is there no way you'd consider going easy enough on me to let me capture you for a while?"
   "You said it wouldn't be fun if I don't make it challenging for you."
   "Yes, but that's when it was a game... I never expected to have to do it just to be with you."
   "...Indeed."
   He sighs, "I jest. I don't want you to surrender your principles... It's part of why I love you, after all. Even if being hunted by you is painful, and the best I can do is to escape..."
   "..." She moves her hands, reaching over to hold his... He takes hers in turn. Her eyes are sad, but she still has a small smile, "...For now... let us both enjoy each other's company, just this once."
   "...As you wish." He returns the smile, "...I like your hands. They feel so soft... They are proof that even though you work so hard, you're also a gentle person."
   "...I like your smile." She murmurs quietly, "...I always feel more content and happy when I'm with you."
   "Then I promise that whatever happens, I'll make sure not to lose it. I'll keep it for you." He takes a breath, putting on his most dazzling smile for her while declaring, "I love you, Aina."
   "..." She stares at him... In the soft light that filters into the carriage, there's a faint pink dusting around her face.
   "Aah, now you're making me want to continue this... Even the beauty of this sunset pales in comparison to you, my lady."
   "...Verdell, I ask you." She pulls her hands away as she slowly raises one to cover her face... "Was there anything else you wanted to speak with me about...?"
   "Aww, I like seeing your face... But as you wish. The way I left wasn't fair to you."
   "..." She lowers her hand, though there's still a faint blush on her face...
   "I'm sorry I left so suddenly. And for the damage to your chamber..."
   "...Honestly, the chamber is the least of my concerns now." She leans back, "... ...But it broke my heart when you left so suddenly."
   "...But you would have stopped me if I had told you of my plans... right?"
   "Yes... I suppose, it brought to light for me... how much I had valued the League over my feelings for you." She looks away and closes her eyes, "...I knew that you wouldn't refuse Matthias without good reason, but I still believed in him. I... I can't say that I am ashamed of my choice, since as Ydil's knight I chose to believe in him. But as Aina I am ashamed that I did not have your trust... or the ability to understand why you were so determined to make sure Matthias would not meet the other legendary Pokémon as he is now."
   Verdell closes his eyes, "I don't blame you for any of that... I know how important the Ydil League is to you... It was for me too. And I wanted to believe in Matthias... I hoped that I was mistaken, that he would see through my lie and... and be there to stop me."
   "...And yet he didn't appear... None of us did."
   "...And so I went through with my plan. As things were, that was the best I could do not only for Ydil, but for the world... My research was too dangerous. I wanted to give Matthias a good burn on the nose for sticking it where it didn't belong, but who am I to blame him or any of you, really? I was the first to ignore the warnings, all the way until the very last one... I brought this upon myself."
   "..." She reaches out to touch his hand...
   "I didn't want you to suffer for my mistake... I'm sorry, Aina."
   "If I didn't forgive you, I don't think I'd have taken your gift earlier." She smiles at him.
   "...To be fair, the way I gave it to you didn't give you much choice in the matter." He smiles as he glances up at her, "But I am glad that you chose to keep it. I put all my heart into it, as promised." Feeling her rub his hand gently, he takes hers in turn.
   "Back home many of the children you used to entertain were sad to hear you became a bad guy."
   He sighs, "It can't be helped. It is a matter of protecting their futures..."
   "Of course, that's tame compared to what you did to your apprentices."
   "...I never wanted to hurt their feelings, but what choice did I have? They clung to me like burrs. It's not my fault I'm irresistibly charming even when I'm not trying!"
   "...Charming? The first time Nora saw you, you looked like you hadn't bathed for a whole month."
   "Right? I still don't get why she chose me to mentor her. I only agreed to it because I had to get away from you and she was slowing me down. And because she gave me a good reason as to why she wanted to get stronger. But had I known she'd turn out to be a threat to me, I would've refused."
   "Threat?" She raises a brow at this.
   "You know what I'm talking about... I know where the black dragon is, and there are forces within Team Plasma who have been pressuring me to reveal it lately, but that's not what the king wants. Lord N isn't greedy for power; he doesn't want both of Unova's dragons for himself. Nora will have the Dark Stone, if she doesn't already. If she's worthy of it is another matter, but however slim, I think there is a chance that she may really be the second hero." He looks out as the ferris wheel is on its way up again... They've been riding it for quite a few spins by now. "...That makes her my enemy, but Lord N views it as necessary, and I can't go against him on this."
   "...What makes you think she's the second hero? Even Matthias had his doubts about her."
   "I can't say that I know. I haven't put her through any tests to find out... That it's possible is just a feeling I have, after traveling with her. She has a strong resolve and a strong bond with her Pokémon. But unlike Lord N, she hides her heart."
   "...I don't think that her resolve is strong enough... She may end up meeting its fangs."
   "...Perhaps, perhaps not. I have reason to think that Lord N's judgement is more accurate than my own. Perhaps you've already heard that he hears what Pokémon are saying."
   "I have... However, he does not have the same foresight that I have, does he."
   "..." He looks at her, "I don't want her dead, Aina. I can assure you that is not what Lord N wants either, since he sees her as a friend. He is truly convinced that she is the second hero, and I do not have adequate reason to doubt his judgement. What have you seen in Nora that speaks against it?"
   "...My visions." She glances down at the platform for the ferris wheel, pointing at it, "One was right there... She stood facing N, and Unova was torn in two... But in my other visions of her, she faces a great black dragon... It looks upon her with glowing red eyes... Then it bares its fangs against her..."
   "Ah... yes. Lord N mentioned that he met her here at the ferris wheel. But are those visions really enough to say that her resolve is insufficient?"
   "...She puts up a strong facade, but she wavers... I understand that she is the sort who gets pushed around a lot." She looks at him, "...Rylan was more than happy to share details about her past."
   "Rylan...?" Verdell chuckles, "I'd take his words with a pinch of salt. Clearly those two have a history with each other. But you have a point... She still seeks affirmation, even from her enemies. She was hurt when I left her... When she found out that I never trusted her as much as she imagined I did. She'd been trying quite hard to earn my trust, but... ... I couldn't bring myself to trust her fully..."
   "She cannot be a hero if her choices are going to be based entirely on other people's approval. Rylan mentioned that she had always been pushed and pulled around, for as long as he's known her."
   "Oh, but to be fair, she knows. She's actually been working on that. And if my mentoring has amounted to anything, it is to help her manage on her own. I knew from the start that I'd have to leave her eventually, after all, so I did what I could to advise her in a way that wouldn't make her depend more on me."
   "You seem rather confident..."
   "She's no longer the same person Rylan challenged that time when I came to her aid, Aina. And when it comes to her relationship with Lord N, she never relied on me. I'm not the only one who kept secrets; even though we were traveling together, she never said a word about all that was going on between them. I heard it all from him."
   "All of that and she never said a single thing to anyone until this happened...?" Aina raises a brow.
   "It must have been quite the burden to keep to herself like that, yet I never heard her complain. But enough about Nora." Verdell smiles, "Perhaps we can continue to see each other like this...?"
   "...It would be nice, once in a while."
   "It would... I never forgot your eyes, yet I am wonderstruck by them. It always feels like you are looking into my soul. I don't think I have ever been so grateful for your efforts to understand me as I am now..."
   "..." She leans forward to rest her forehead against his.
   "..." He looks at her, then smiles as he leans forward to kiss her. She returns it softly... When they pull back, he's blushing a bit as he looks at her... The sun is about to disappear beyond the horizon, and the city's glow of various colors is growing stronger...
   "..." Aina glances outside, "...How lovely."
   "You have such good taste for dates." Verdell smiles as he looks outside too.
   "I heard that this was a popular place for couples." She looks at him, "I figured that it would be enjoyable to talk and spend time here."
   "I knew it." He chuckles, "You wanted to go for this ride with me all along... but you were angry with me, too."
   "Guilty as charged..."
   There is a happy squeak as Dedenne suddenly drops down on Aina's shoulder from above, giving her a cuddle! "Heh." Verdell chuckles, "Hazel wants love to win. She always reads all of our conversations whenever she steals my Pokéquip."
   "Dedenne!"
   Aina smiles as she gingerly pets Dedenne's head, "...I want to see it win too, and your offer is tempting, Verdell. But I'm still operating on official business, and I cannot turn on Ydil... When a chance does present itself however... I will leave the Elite Four immediately."
   "That's more than I dared to hope for." Verdell smiles, "...Before I got here I was worried that there was a risk we'd be breaking up. I hope you know that I have never wanted you to be unhappy... If your choice had been different I couldn't have kept you."
   "...Breaking up with you is the last thing I'd ever do in this life." She looks down, "...I don't know if my heart would recover from that."
   "Nor mine..." He lowers his head as he moves a hand to his chest. "But I had to give you the choice in a more... proper way than before. I am so relieved... Even all of this hasn't made us drift apart. Thank you, Aina... I'll be waiting for you. As long as it takes."
   "...Thank you, Verdell."
   Verdell looks outside, "...It's already dark. As much as I'd like to stay here with you all night, I had best return before people begin to worry that I've been caught..."
   "And I need to return before Matthias has someone looking for me..." She smiles, giving Dedenne a final pet before extending her arm to Verdell for the small Pokémon to return to her trainer. Dedenne gives her a final cuddle in turn before running across and leaping over to Verdell's shoulder.
   "She always was fond of you." Verdell notes, "I think she misses being spoiled."
   "Dede..."
   Aina lowers her hand, "I think my ghost Pokémon miss you playing with them as well. Though, it's hard not to spoil your Pokémon... Hazel just happens to know how to make me smile faster."
   Dedenne puts on a cute face for her!
   "...I suspect your ghosts are just fine with playing chase, too." Verdell rubs his head, "Tell them I said they're both cool and terrifying."
   The ferris wheel has nearly reached the ground again... "...I'll be together with you one day, Verdell." A light flickers in Aina's eyes, "...Perhaps then, we can have a storybook ending we'll both be content with."
   "Yes. This fairytale hasn't ended yet, but when it does, it will be with a happily ever after." He smiles to her.
   "...Next time you choose where to go for our date." She gives him a warm smile back.
   "Keeping up with your good taste is a challenge, but I accept it!" He grins as the ferris wheel finally comes to a stop... "And if you ever feel lonely, send me a message?"
   "...I will... Thank you, Verdell." She nods, standing up and getting off the ride. Verdell heads out after her... Aina turns to look at him with a smile on her face, "...Good night, my beloved."
   He performs a bow, "Good night, my lady." As they part, he heads off towards the forest... He seems to be in quite a happy mood, as is the Dedenne on his shoulder. Aina walks the opposite direction, towards the station...

The forest is quiet... Not a single sound from a Pokémon can be heard. It seems that Verdell has his head too high up in the clouds to notice, however... He walks silently for a while, not stopping until he is well out of sight from the road... then he calls Dedenne back, releasing a Whimsicott instead, "What do you say about giving flying a try, Tickles?"
   "Whimsi~!" She whirls around excitedly.
   He picks her up, "Alright, Cotton Guard!" She fluffs herself up!
   "Aerial Ace!!" A voice yells out as a dark red flash zooms by, striking Whimsicott!
   "Whim--!!" The startled Whimsicott's thick fluff seems to have shielded her from the worst of the hit, but she nonetheless took a lot of damage...!
   "Wh-What?!" Verdell spins around towards the sound of the voice, quickly reaching for another of his Pokéballs, "...Show yourself!"
   "That's rather hurtful, Verdell." A familiar voice speaks, "...Surely you'd recognize me after all this time?" From among the trees Pierre walks out... His short ash brown hair sways in the quiet breeze as his Scizor returns to his side...
   "..." Verdell looks at him for a moment, then tilts his head, "...Nope. Sorry to say, but you don't ring any bells."
   His steel blue eyes narrow, "...Liar. Silver Wind and Lock-On!" The Scizor is moving towards Verdell again, and there is a mechanical sound of something activating...
   "Flare Blitz and Light Screen!" Verdell counters as he throws Talonflame's Pokéball! She charges straight at Scizor, knocking it out while Whimsicott sets up the Light Screen! "Ooh, now I remember! Your name was Peter, right?" He grins.
   The young man frowns as he calls the Scizor back and throws another Pokéball, "Crobat-- Cross Poison the Talonflame!! Zap Cannon on Verdell!!" The huge bat soars through the air and slashes at Talonflame with the poison from its wings, while a loud, booming noise is heard as a ball of condensed electricity flies at Verdell!
   "Tch... Protect and Brave Bird!" Whimsicott shields Verdell while Talonflame charges recklessly at Crobat! Too recklessly, as the recoil damage knocks her out... Verdell calls her back... "Sorry, Polly..." He looks at his opponent, "This was a perfect evening until you showed up... It can't be coincidence, but Aina would not break her word, so... why were you stalking her? Don't you know that ladies don't like that?"
   "She was acting off." He responds simply, "Why did you call her?"
   "Don't you already know? You were spying on us, after all... I had to apologize to her."
   "For the heartache or for what happened at Dragonspiral Tower?"
   "For all of the heartache since I left Ydil."
   There's a raised brow, "Trying to get her to love you again?"
   "We never broke up, so don't even think about it..." He folds his arms.
   Pierre raises his brow a little higher, "Not interested... Flash Cannon and Cross Poison!" A ball of silvery light is fired towards Verdell, and Crobat comes flying...!
   "Protect and Nuzzle!" Whimsicott looks strained as she tries to keep the shield up, it's starting to show cracks...! At the same time Verdell sends Dedenne out again, and she leaps at Crobat, cuddling it!
   "Cro...!" The bat shivers as it feels electrical sparks run through it! Pierre frowns as he calls his Crobat back, throwing another Pokéball! A shadow with red eyes and a wicked grin is seen for a split second before vanishing. "Signal Beam!!"
   "Zone...!" A weird beam of light is fired off towards Whimsicott! The shield shatters, and Whimsicott cries out as she is struck!
   Verdell calls her back, instead sending out Shiftry! "We fear no gawking ghosts! Let's swab the deck with them, Woodleg!"
   "Shiftry!!" He takes quite the confident pose!
   "Give the quartermaster a hand, Hazel!" Dedenne begins to cheer Shiftry on, boosting his power with Helping Hand...
   Pierre shakes his head, "Shadow Punch on the Dedenne! Use Signal Beam on Shiftry!"
   "Now! Feint Attack!" Verdell calls out, and as Gengar heads for Dedenne, Shiftry suddenly strikes it down! But the next instant he is hit in turn by the Signal Beam, falling over...! Verdell bites his lip as he calls Shiftry back, sending out Leafeon instead...
   "Return!" Pierre calls his Gengar back, "Dig, Ariados!! Keep firing, Magnezone!!" The large spider hisses and begins to dig into the ground! There are beeps and other mechanical sounds in the air as another weird beam is shot towards Leafeon!
   "Detect!" Verdell calls out, and his Leafeon nimbly dodges Magnezone's attempts to fire at him! "Catch, Hazel!" He pulls the key out from under his shirt and tosses it to her! "You know what to do!" Dedenne nods and begins to scurry off with it...!
   "...!! Don't let it get away-- Ariados, go after it!" Pierre frowns deeply. As Dedenne runs, she can feel the ground trembling...! Pierre then looks at the Leafeon, yelling out, "Keep going! We cannot afford any mistakes...!" His Magnezone continues to fire!
   "Magnet Rise!" Verdell calls after Dedenne, and she leaps into the air to escape the unsteady ground! The Ariados pops out and fires its webs towards her, but she disappears among some bushes! "Attract!" Verdell continues, just as his Leafeon is knocked over when Magnezone finally hit! It seems that the last of Whimsicott's Light Screen saved him, however, as he pushes himself back up and puts on his most roguish charm to steal Ariados's attention...!
   "Don't look--!" Pierre's eyes widen as his Ariados notices the Leafeon... Soon hearts are in it's eyes!
   "Heheh..." Verdell chuckles as he copies his Leafeon, "Why don't you surrender to my charm while we're at it?"
   "...Fire away." Another weird beam shoots towards the Leafeon!
   "Detect!" Leafeon quickly leaps out of the way!
   Magnezone continues to fire as Pierre calls back his Ariados, "Tricky aren't you? Well then... I suppose this was going to be rough no matter how I go about it." He takes something out of his pocket... It extends, becoming a metal baton. As Leafeon is already weary it is not long before Magnezone hits again! He falls over, this time not getting up...
   "Aina promised me that there would be no traps..." Verdell takes a few steps away from Pierre while calling Leafeon back, "You got me good by not bugging her. Had I expected to face you like this I would have swapped in Shimmer. I know that I have no hope of winning against you without him... But ensuring Hazel's escape is enough. As long as I am part of Team Plasma you'll never get both me and the key all the way back to Ydil."
   "I figured Aina was going to meet you." He takes some steps forward as the baton becomes electrified, "It seems that the Light of Justice is already starting to falter."
   There is a hint of nervousness in Verdell's eyes as he looks at the baton, backing away further while taking his last Pokéball... "You know that's not true. Aina would never abandon her knight's honor... Not even for me."
   "Doubt has to be erased, otherwise leniency for criminal activities will arise. We cannot have that." Pierre speaks calmly, his eyes fixed on Verdell's, "...Now either come with me, or I will personally oversee breaking her for Matthias."
   "...!" His eyes widen, and he stops, "...You can't be serious. Aina has done no wrong! Are you saying that Matthias would approve of letting the Ydil League sink so low?"
   "Not the League... You already know what my job entails, Verdell."
   "...Not in detail, I'm afraid. But you are both Elite Four. If you move against each other, the Ydil League will break apart from within, same as the Pokémon League here in Unova."
   "...I dwell in the shadows that no one looks at... Aina enforces justice in Ydil, but my job involves the dirty work she wouldn't dare to touch." He chuckles a bit, "If the light refuses to do the job, the darkness of Ydil must step up... I also ensure that loyalty is enforced in the League, by holding people accountable for their actions. Aina let a criminal run free. With an artifact that rightfully belongs to Ydil, no less."
   "Oh please." Verdell frowns, "Give me a little credit, will you? Aina never goes easy on me."
   "The one moment when it would've been easy to capture you... she lets you slip away?"
   "Had she not promised beforehand that I wouldn't be arrested I would never have shown up to this meeting in the first place. In turn I promised her that I wouldn't cause trouble. We were under a temporary truce, and considering the circumstances, can you really blame her for agreeing to it, this once?"
   "Yes... Because she knows what our mission and duty is. We cannot afford to let go of that... Not when so much is at stake."
   "But you said yourself that she's not like you. If she had broken her word, then it would be fair to say that the Light of Justice is faltering. If that's what you want her to do, she could as well run away with me!"
   Pierre walks forward with a dark look in his eyes, "...Not if I drag you back to Ydil."
   "That won't happen..." He keeps backing away.
   "The night is young." He says before dashing towards Verdell with the baton ready to strike! "LOCK-ON VERDELL!!" The Magnezone focuses...!
   As Pierre gets close Verdell sends out his Mawile! "Play Rough!"
   "Maw!!" She leaps at him, apparently intent on removing not only his baton, but his arm too...!
   "Magnezone...!!" Pierre calls out as it fires off its Zap Cannon towards Mawile instead! She cries out as she is struck off Pierre! She didn't quite have the time to tear his arm off, but left him with a deep bite wound... As she doesn't get back up, Verdell calls her back, then turns and flees...! "Gha..." Pierre stumbles back as he's trying to get his Pokéquip out to heal the wound. His Magnezone hovers over to him, it seems worried... Pierre is taking deep breaths as he looks at his Magnezone, "Follow him, I'll be right behind you. I'll bring some backup to help..."
   "Zone zone..." The Magnezone goes after Verdell from the air. Pierre controls his breathing as his wound is fully healed... He tenses and moves his arm to see that it still works, then he takes out a container of some kind and begins to swap out his Pokéballs, "Matthias was right that this equipment from Galar would come in handy..."
   Verdell keeps running to get as far away from Pierre as possible! He stumbles a little in the darkness of the forest, but manages to keep his balance and continue running!
   "Zone zone!!" The Magnezone chases after him, giving off a lot of electrical sparks as an indication of its rage! It uses Flash to look for the criminal!
   "...!" Seeing the light approach behind him, Verdell looks for cover, leaping behind a huge tree. The Magnezone approaches, looking around carefully as it follows the tracks it has spotted on the ground... Verdell is perfectly still, holding his breath as the light moves towards him, fixing on the tree...
   "Zone zone..." The light passes by him as the Magnezone seems to be searching around.
   "..." Once the light is no longer directed his way, after a little while Verdell peeks out from behind the tree to see what the Magnezone is up to... Some wild Pokémon are startled and flee when its light falls on them, sensing that this Pokémon is far stronger than they... But it is also giving off a signal to the sky...
   For a split second the shadow of a bird Pokémon appears as a voice sounds out from above, "Air Slash!" Cutting winds come crashing down towards Verdell's hiding spot! Pierre is overhead on a Skarmory.
   "...!!" Verdell leaps without looking, narrowly avoiding the attack! He makes a dash ahead!
   "Fairy Lock!!" Pierre calls out! The sound of keys jingling is heard in the night air... Verdell's eyes widen in fear as he runs into the chains and locks that manifest around the area. They seize hold of him, preventing his escape! Pierre's Klefki gives its trainer a tinkling nod, and an ear piercing shriek is heard from the Skarmory as it flies down and tackles Verdell to the ground! The chains break and vanish, but the Pokémon holds him down with a clawed foot!
   "Gh!" He freezes upon feeling its bladed wing dangerously close to his neck...!
   Pierre hops off and takes out a pair of handcuffs... "Verdell Rose, you are hereby under arrest." He speaks in a deadly calm voice as his Pokémon are watching the criminal with careful eyes. He grabs one of Verdell's hands and cuffs it, and Skarmory moves off... Then he takes his other hand and cuffs him from behind.
   "... ... ..." Verdell cautiously turns his head to glance up at Pierre... "For a moment I almost dared to hope that I could escape you. I'll admit that after Matthias, I always thought you were the scariest..."
   "..." Pierre's eyes almost seem to glow ominously in the light of the moon, "I command fear, Verdell. I would expect you to know at least that much." He throws a Pokéball in the air and allows his Crobat back out. It struggles to fly and drops to the ground due to the paralysis, making an unhappy face at its trainer... Pierre just gives it a gentle smile as he takes out a Full Heal and applies the spray to the huge bat. "...Before we leave, we need to conduct an investigation to track down that little rodent."
   "You'll never catch her out here." Verdell tries to sit up, "...She's clever, you know."
   "...I don't recall asking for your opinion." Pierre speaks calmly as he whacks Verdell's back with the now powered down baton.
   "Ah!" Verdell falls back down. He seems to have taken the hint, remaining still...
   "...Crobat, Magnezone-- Scan the area for any sign of the Dedenne."
   Crobat listens for any sound, and Magnezone uses Flash to look for the little Dedenne's tracks. After some time, it finally spots them...! "Zone!" It calls out, earning the attention of Crobat and Pierre. Pierre forces Verdell up and ties him to the Skarmory, nudging his Pokémon to follow him.
   "..." Verdell lowers his head as he's dragged along. It doesn't seem that he's about to make any protests...
   "Have you found the tracks?" Pierre asks, getting an affirmative beeping sound from Magnezone as it motions to the small tracks on the ground. Pierre pauses his stride and looks at the ground carefully... Next to the Dedenne tracks is a line that must have been made by the key as she dragged it along...
   "Cro!" The bat sounds as it looks carefully at the tracks. It flies forward a bit, using its echolocation to look for the Dedenne...
   Pierre frowns as his baton becomes electrified. "Let's go further." He gives his Skarmory a pet, and the large bird follows its trainer while Magnezone is helping to follow the trail... Then they come to a sudden stop. It looks like Dedenne leapt! There are tracks of a Liepard in the area, and signs of a scuffle...
   "H-Hazel...?" A worried look comes over Verdell as he stares at the ground.
   "..." Pierre looks around with a frown as he checks the tracks carefully... His Pokémon are looking for signs of anything that could indicate trouble...
   "Sh-She can't have been... It's not possible." Verdell shakes his head, "...She is trained. She would never let herself be caught... ..." His worried look is turning into fear. Pierre notices his Crobat approaching and follows it to what it has found... His eyes narrow upon seeing that there are human tracks too. "Pierre! What's going on?!" Verdell calls out, "What's happened to Hazel?"
   "Magna..." The Magnezone calls out, having found something beneath a bush!
   "..." Pierre comes over, and his eyes narrow further... It's an empty Ultra Ball... He takes out an evidence bag and a pair of tongs, placing the Ultra Ball inside before he seals it and puts it away. He looks around, then he glances at Verdell with the face he usually makes when he thinks that there's something wrong, "...We're leaving. This smells of a trap." He goes to get Verdell onto the Skarmory.
   "No, wait...! Y-You can't leave Hazel out here...!" Verdell protests!
   "I'll return here later. Right now I need to send you to the compound." Pierre forces Verdell onto the bird with some help from Magnezone. He's showing an expression that Verdell has not seen before-- fear hidden behind his eyes.
   "..." Verdell stares at him, then he lowers his head... "Hazel... You have to be safe, wherever you are..."
   "Stay." One of the Shadows hiding at a safe distance whispers to the Dedenne as she seems to be getting a little anxious for her trainer.
   "We must wait for the right opportunity." Another whispers.
   "You are needed to track the signal from his Pokéquip." The third adds.
   "Dede..." Dedenne nods determinedly to shake off her worries, her whiskers twitching slightly...
   "Return." Pierre calls his other Pokémon back and gets onto Skarmory himself, then he taps on his Pokéquip for a few seconds to note the coordinates before looking up, "Let's go, Skarmory." The metallic bird cries out as it takes flight.
   The Shadow Triad watches them leave, "Lord N should be deeper in the forest."
   "He can understand Dedenne..."
   "Let's find him." They nod to each other, dashing off!

Pierre's Skarmory lands a little ways outside Black City, by what appears to once have been a small warehouse, but now it looks somewhat decrepit... Verdell glances around nervously... Some agents walk over, grabbing him and dragging him inside. Pierre calls his Skarmory back and follows them... Verdell keeps looking around, finally attempting to put on a smile, "...Nice base...? Was it abandoned by someone else recently? It could use some new furniture..." It looks rather sparse within... There's only a number of crates and a few other items. They drag him into a room and undo one of his cuffs, forcing his back into a concrete pillar before they cuff him again with his arms behind it. "Is this necessary...? I'm not that good at running away, am I...?" He looks at them.
   "Precautions must be taken." Pierre speaks as he leans against the door frame...
   "No, I get it. You're going to interrogate me..." Verdell looks at him as the agents leave, "It's strange. I used to feel more nervous about it those times when you showed up unannounced at my ship to question me, even though I wasn't your target then... It made me worry that I had done something bad without being aware of it. Knowing that I have at least takes away that uncertainty. But what puzzles me more is why you've brought me here instead of directly to Matthias. Won't he be angry with you...?"
   "The Champion of Ydil will be notified." Pierre responds as he closes the door and approaches an old grandfather clock... Just as he is about to wind it up... his Pokéquip goes off! He looks at it for a moment before picking it up, "This is Agent 0 answering, what's the SITREP?"
   There's some static and sounds of a scuffle going on in the background, with a woman's voice yelling... A man speaks, "This is Agent 89, we've managed to successfully arrest the Light of Justice, I repeat, we've managed to arrest the Light of Justice. However, we sustained some injuries during the initial ambush, sir."
   "...!" Verdell frowns, "Hey, Pierre! Aina's still mine! So hands off!"
   "Take care of the wounded immediately." Pierre speaks as Aina can be heard still trying to put up a fight, "If the Light of Justice refuses to cooperate you have my permission to knock her out. You have authorization to use the Sleep Powder to ensure that she doesn't curse anyone and to put an end to her resistance."
   "Yes sir." In a moment it sounds like Aina is trying to escape their attempts at sedating her!
   "...That's not how to treat a lady." Verdell says, "Let her go and save your agents the trouble. She'll come marching straight to you all by herself."
   "Unfortunately, I cannot trust her. Since she met you and made no effort to arrest you." Pierre glances at him, "...After all, how do you think she's going to react once she learns that you have been brought here?"
   "I think she'll be angry with you for being a creepy stalker and for sending your agents to attack her. She will rant at you for your methods too, but then she'll be happy that the hunt for me is over. I used my full charm on her, yet she remains loyal to Ydil. You won't find anything to hold against her!"
   "Why do you think I told them to apply the Sleep Powder?" He shakes his head as he looks fully at him, "Her rants are nothing new to me, Verdell. If I had a coin for every time she has criticized my work I'd be the wealthiest man in Ydil by now."
   "And she would be right to do it, too. The one betraying Ydil right now is you, Pierre."
   "Funny coming from you. I have to consider all options, and her behavior has become a cause of concern-- especially after she admitted how much she still loves you. But you yourself? You're in no position to say that I'm betraying Ydil, after you committed the ultimate offense."
   "...I would say that it takes one to know one, but... I don't think we know each other that well at all."
   "Indeed." Pierre looks at the Pokéquip, "ETA?"
   "About an hour, Zero."
   He nods at this, "Good, keep me informed about any changes or updates." Pierre puts the Pokéquip away and winds up the grandfather clock...
   "...?" Verdell watches him, tilting his head... It takes a couple of seconds before a tick-tock sound begins to echo in the room... Pierre tosses up three Pokéballs in the air, and his Magnezone appears along with Scizor and Ferrothorn. Magnezone looks pretty aggressive upon seeing the one who almost killed its trainer, and the other two glare at Verdell... Pierre turns around and begins to circle him... Verdell's eyes follow him, avoiding the glares of the Pokémon, "...Is that to keep track of how long it'll be before Matthias gets here? What's keeping him, anyway? Could anything possibly be more important to him than finally getting his hands on me, I wonder...?"
   "Your actions at Dragonspiral Tower have dragged us into Unova's affairs." Pierre speaks... The moment there's a louder tick from the clock there's a smack to Verdell's head!
   "Ow! What was that for?" Verdell frowns a little...
   "For being an idiot and dragging us along for the ride." Pierre responds as he continues to walk around him, "Anyway, I have a few questions that require answers. Cooperate and you won't get hurt. Choose not to, and well... you'll be in deeper trouble soon enough."
   He smiles, closing his eyes, "Oh, I agree that Lord N is an important person indeed. More so than me, so I guess I'll forgive Matthias this once... But whether I can give you answers or not depends on what you choose to ask. So choose wisely."
   "..." Pierre squints at him before snapping his fingers. His Magnezone floats forward, giving off sparks, "...Do you recall your win-loss record against me, Verdell?"
   "..." A hint of uneasiness flashes through Verdell's eyes for an instant as he glances at the Magnezone, but he puts an untroubled face back on, "...The first time I challenged the Pokémon League, I recall that my strategy with Shimmer caught you off guard. That was the only time, wasn't it?"
   "Indeed... I was caught off guard, and before I knew it you kept using Eruption." Pierre has an amused smile as he tugs at the gloves on his hands, "...But after that one battle, you have not won once."
   "Yet now I'm being guarded by three of your Pokémon...?"
   "Oh, whoever said they're guarding you?" He smiles, "...They're here to help me with the interrogation. I designed the cuffs you're wearing myself. You know how the Magnemite line is attracted to magnets, yes?"
   "That's... I think you are the expert on steel types here, Pierre." Verdell tries to look over his shoulder at the cuffs, "So these are magnets?"
   "I just took the time to magnetize them." Pierre smiles, "They serve a purpose in situations when I'm dealing with... particularly stubborn people."
   "...Now I certainly hope that you will choose wise questions."
   "And I hope you'll be intelligent enough to be honest with me."
   "...Understood." Verdell gives him a small nod.
   "Let's start with something simple..." Pierre resumes pacing around Verdell, "How long have you been in contact with Team Plasma?"
   "That would be since a couple of months back."
   "Who initiated contact?"
   "Team Plasma had heard that I was sighted in a nearby region, and came to find me."
   "Was it one of their Sages? If so, which one?"
   "It was not one of the Seven Sages in person."
   "What? Did they send a random grunt to approach you?"
   "Something like that."
   "Care to clarify?"
   "...There was more than one, and I believe they rank above the average grunt."
   "...I assume these were the 'ninjas' of Team Plasma?"
   "Oh, you already know about them. Impressive, Pierre. As expected of the head of Ydil's secret service."
   "When did you come in contact with Team Plasma here? Your first day upon arrival?"
   "Not quite... I spent some time observing them first. I wasn't sure if it was a trap."
   "Huh, so you were hesitant to join them. I knew you're brighter than you let on." Pierre crosses his arms, "...I have been hearing of a situation from a few weeks ago. Burgh claims to have confronted Team Plasma together with some trainers in Castelia City... and I believe it involved you?"
   "Aye, unlike me, Castelia's Gym Leader isn't the brightest. Took him long enough to catch on..." Verdell smiles, "That's when I received the details of my mission from Team Plasma."
   "...I assume your mission led to the events at Dragonspiral Tower?"
   He nods, "I told Aina this already, but... they needed me to find the lost royal dragons of Unova."
   "...And I assume you learned the whereabouts of the other dragon, aside for the white one that we saw at the tower?"
   "Of course." He nods again.
   He frowns at this... "Have you shared that knowledge with Team Plasma?"
   "I have not and I will not." Verdell meets his frown with serious eyes... "Earlier today an attempt was made to find it without my help, but they looked in the wrong place."
   Pierre takes note of this mentally, "So Team Plasma seeks it for their king..."
   "Aye... But it will be given to Nora. That is Lord N's will, so even if it were to somehow fall into Team Plasma's hands, it will be hers."
   "..." Pierre crosses his arms, "I find that hard to trust. The Plasma members I have encountered did not make the best impression."
   "...Fair, but you know I'm good at my work." He smiles. "I'm sure Nora will find it first, anyway."
   "...Why would he choose a random trainer like her of all people?"
   "To my understanding, his judgement is based on what he has heard Pokémon say about her."
   A slender brow is raised at this, "Pokémon...? Elaborate, if you please."
   "Well, it's not like I can hear them myself... But I can tell you that she does have a strong bond with her Pokémon. What seems to have impressed Lord N is that the bond between her and her Pokémon was acknowledged even by wild Pokémon. And my own senses tell me that there is a chance the black dragon will find her worthy."
   Pierre holds back a scoff, instead sighing, "There are other trainers who have strong bonds with their Pokémon. Perhaps some who know their Pokémon just as well, if not better than her. I don't really see how she's remarkable?"
   "Oh, don't get me wrong. Although I said it is possible, I do not know if Lord N is correct about her, and I would prefer if she does not manage to awaken Zekrom."
   "Ah well, back to the topic then. Care to tell me a bit about your so-called king?"
   "With pleasure! As you have seen, Lord N is already recognized not only by Team Plasma, but by the wild Pokémon. And most importantly, by Reshiram. The royal dragons are not known for being easy to please. They have high demands, and if roused, the unworthy cannot expect to live long. But Lord N does not pursue his goal blindly. He values the truth. That is a significant part of why Reshiram finds him worthy. That Lord N was accepted by the dragon of truth itself proves that he will be a great king for Unova. He also has my trust, and I am honored to be in his service."
   "What exactly is N's origins? His parents?" Pierre frowns, "Someone like him does not appear suddenly out of nowhere..."
   "I would like to know, too!" Verdell smiles, "I asked about it, and I was promised an answer at a less busy time. Too bad you caught me before I could find out."
   "...I find that hard to believe. Tell me his full name."
   He shakes his head, "I don't know it."
   "..." Pierre gives him a dark stare...
   "I did ask! ...But Lord N keeps it secret. There is no reason for me to know ahead of time. But I can tell you this much: he is the rightful heir to the throne of Unova. The ability to hear what Pokémon are saying is proof of his ancestry, since it was once passed down in Unova's royal family."
   "...Tell me of the people close to him."
   "The Seven Sages?"
   "What are their relationships with him?"
   "They were his teachers, but I don't know that much about them yet... Let me think... Ghetsis is their leader. He gathered the others from around the world... The Red Sage is Rood, and the Yellow Sage is Giallo. I forgot where they're from, but the Green Sage is Ryoku... He came from Kanto. The Blue Sage is Gorm... He's from Paldea, if I recall. He's the one who tried to sneak up on me to give me a scare when I was camping with Lord N on Route 7... The purple sage is Zinzolin, from Kalos... I'm not sure why Ghetsis chose him, since as far as I can tell he's more of a lunatic than I am. And the brown sage is Bronius, from... somewhere. You can look it up; they are all fairly public people. The Seven Sages have a lot of autonomy within Team Plasma, as the ones who run the organization. But I haven't even spoken with all seven... When I joined I did so on condition that I would be allowed to serve directly under Lord N. So I don't take orders from them, myself."
   "Has Team Plasma received direct financial support from them? Or have they been getting assistance from other people or organizations sympathetic to them?"
   "How would I know? I'm not Team Plasma's treasurer. I told you, I serve the king, not the organization."
   "What exactly is the relationship that Ghetsis and N have? How close are they? Is Ghetsis a confidant of N's?"
   "...Yes. Out of everyone in Team Plasma, Ghetsis is closest to the king."
   "How often do they meet? Is there a specific area they meet at?"
   "So far, the time I have spent with Lord N went mainly into practise to prepare him before meeting Reshiram. Ghetsis was leading the investigation to find the Light Stone, so we did not meet him regularly. He sent Gorm to us with a message once, that we should stay on Route 7 since you guys were spotted in Icirrus City."
   "So Ghetsis is the one orchestrating everything?"
   "Yes. It's no secret; Champion Alder himself knows it."
   "I see..." Pierre seems to think about this carefully, "Are the two familiar with one another?"
   "Quite. They are old rivals, who took the Pokémon League challenge together and faced each other in the semi-finals."
   Pierre raises a brow, "Is there a grudge between them over that match, or is it something else?"
   "Watch the recording of it and you'll understand."
   He crosses his arms, seeming thoughtful before he decides to return to the topic of Castelia, "...You were sighted in Castelia. Tell me your whereabouts before you slipped past Aina?"
   "Right before? Prime Pier. I took a tour down south to shake her off my tail, and besides I'd read of a boulder not far from Floccesy Town that is said to have a connection to some legendary Pokémon."
   "...You're not planning on helping Team Plasma grab them too, are you?" He frowns...
   "The Swords of Justice? No. I was curious, but they were never part of my mission."
   Pierre stares at him, "Have they assigned you any other tasks?"
   "Like I said, I take orders only from Lord N. At present I believe he is busy spending time with Reshiram, and I have not received any command from him."
   Pierre approaches the grandfather clock, taking out three folders that were hidden inside, "So there were no other assignments...? Are you sure?"
   "I am." Verdell answers without hesitation, but tilts his head as he watches...
   "Not even trying to sway the masses to their side?" Pierre plucks three pictures from the folders, holding them up... They show Nora and her friends!
   "Not even that." He looks at the pictures, tilting his head a bit further.
   "So I should assume that Nora Marquardt has your number for no particular reason, just as there is no reason for your contact with Cheren and Bianca?" Pierre raises his brow, "Cheren in particular, is too curious for his own good. He appears to have been working for you as an agent..."
   "...Ah, Cheren is a clever one." Verdell's face shows a slight frown... "But working for me? That's exaggerating... If you know that much, haven't you figured out that they are actually my enemies?"
   "How can I be sure that you're not trying to make them join Team Plasma? For all I know, perhaps N intends to have Nora surrender willingly." Pierre opens one of the folders, "...10:14, Nimbasa City Amusement Park, Ferris Wheel. Nora was sighted with the man identified as N, entering one of the carriages. The two took the fifteen minute ride. Upon exiting, they were observed speaking before N ran off..." His steel blue eyes look at Verdell, "...Are you sure that you are telling the truth?"
   "Absolutely. Lord N told me about that encounter. He revealed his identity as Team Plasma's king to Nora, and she confirmed her intent to oppose him. But I had not yet joined Lord N at that time."
   "...I suggest you drop that title, lest Matthias break your jaw." Pierre responds, "Of course, I could as well see to it that the trio is arrested under suspicion of working with Team Plasma, and interrogate them..."
   "Go ahead. If you ask them now, I'm sure they'll just tell you I'm a bad influence. They hate me just as much as you of the Ydil League do for choosing Lord N over them."
   "...How much have you told them?"
   "By now they know who I am, that I serve Lord N, and what my work here in Unova was all about, of course. But you may rest assured that I never told them of my other research or the true reason why I fled Ydil."
   "...Truly?" Pierre has a raised brow, "So they know absolutely nothing about why you ran away, or why we've been after you?"
   "Details, details... You win." Verdell sighs, staring at the pictures, "They know that I research folklore, which is public information by the way. They know as much as the public do."
   "Hrm..." Pierre lowers his arm and resumes circling around him...
   "...I'm going to get dizzy if I keep looking at you while you do that, so I won't." Verdell says, looking at the clock instead...
   "...What happened after we had to retreat from Twist Mountain? ...Your 'Lord' N did something that I'm still baffled about."
   "He is amazing, isn't he? The wild Pokémon guided us to town, and along the way we ran into Cheren. He was going to call Aina on me, but I assumed she would be busy for a while." He grins, "...Nora stayed with him when we left. Then Lord N spoke with a few of the Sages, and once you lot were gone we returned to the mountain to help clean up your mess."
   "...Does N know about your past?" Pierre frowns, "...Did he try to speak with your damned Mawile?"
   "...Lord N knows that I and my Pokémon are guarding a secret. We have not told him the contents of that secret, nor does he ask for it. That's part of why I like him."
   "Hm. If we say, managed to capture him too... would that mean we can get the truth out of your Mawile? Or would we need to make her talk?" There's a dark look over his face...
   "...I don't think I should be answering that. What Stella chooses to tell anyone is not my decision to make. She was never very helpful in my research, that much I can say. Like that time when I was late to report my findings to Matthias because she ate my papers on it."
   "...I was wondering why your sleeve was missing." He muses. "Anyway, you are sure that you were not able to sway Nora and her friends to Team Plasma's ideals?"
   "You're still nagging about that?" Verdell makes a bored face, "My motive for traveling with them was completely unrelated to Lord N's plans. It's all a coincidence."
   "..." The moment the loud tick is heard, Pierre's free hand slips out his baton and slams it on Verdell's shoulder!
   "Agh! Ouch..." He grits his teeth as he sinks to his knees, "I-I get that you wanted to smack me because you're angry with me too. But why'd you do this?!"
   "...For Ydil." Pierre responds, "I suggest you watch your tone."
   "F-Fair enough... Oww..." He struggles a little, as if he wants to move a hand to his shoulder... "I mentioned that I wanted to observe Team Plasma before joining them. I thought traveling with some regular trainers would let me do that... But when Cheren caught onto me they were going to get me arrested, and I had to charm them and lie to them to keep them from doing it, until I could join Lord N instead."
   "If that is the case, then allow me to make something clear to you." Pierre places his hand on Verdell's head and leans onto him, "...I have transcribed copies of the calls that all three trainers have made to one another. And you were a very common topic."
   "Nngh..." He looks a bit bothered by the weight as his head is forced down, "...Can you blame them, Pierre? Even you let yourself be fooled by me..."
   "..." Another tick sounds as Pierre strikes Verdell's other shoulder!
   "Gh!" He shrinks down a bit further.
   "Don't play with me. I have enough evidence to warrant the arrest of all three and turn them in to the International Police for assisting a terrorist. I know of Cheren playing spy for you, diverting Aina's attention in Castelia and Virbank, and Nora warning you of Regina when she was at the PokéStar Studios. She also checked on you after you escaped Donar and Aina. Even Bianca, who warned Nora that Aina and Donar were nearby. But I suppose you wouldn't care if I decide to arrest the three and interrogate them personally."
   "...I warned them that they'd end up like me if they stuck with me. It would make me sad because it's not how their lives were supposed to turn out. But I cannot stop you, so what difference do my feelings make...? It is also true that they are my enemies now. You'll be helping Lord N reclaim his throne if you do that, so how can I complain...?"
   "I question that, since it seems Nora is important to this plan of your king's... and especially since she seemed rather friendly to him." Pierre stares at him, "...I would also like to know why exactly she was traveling with you and N in Twist Mountain."
   "She was just trying to survive. Regina must have gotten careless to have missed her and Cheren's presence on the mountain. We found Nora after she got caught in an avalanche, and we couldn't leave her to die."
   Pierre raises a brow, "You would save someone who you backstabbed, and who you claim will potentially ruin your plans... What kind of game are you playing?"
   "One that I have to win without losing more of my humanity than I already have..."
   Upon hearing this Pierre begins to laugh, "Humanity? Is that what those fairies told you? That you can show your friends you care by being a selfish, backstabbing monster, and then they'll like you?"
   "..." Verdell turns his head aside, closing his eyes, "...Let me make this clear: Nora, Cheren and Bianca are not my friends. They never were. I care for them the same as I would for any other apprentices I've had. I do not expect them to like me; I expect them to grow. It is better for them to feel betrayed than to be further involved in my mess, but it is also better for Nora to be alive than it is for her to never see me again. That's all."
   "You're certainly not going to see her again... after we drag you back to Ydil." Pierre looks at him with a frown...
   Verdell sighs, "Nor do I want to. Those three were nuisances who got in my way. In many ways I am indeed selfish. But I was careful not to receive anything from them. What 'help' they have given me was nothing I needed. But they made me promise things to them, so I stayed with them until I had fulfilled my promises."
   "That's rich, coming from you."
   "However, I could not let being their mentor take precedence over what I came here for. So I charmed them to buy enough time to complete my mission. It was not hard; Cheren was already suspicious of Aina, and I played on that so that they would not trust any of you enough to tell on me. What they did, they did to protect themselves more than me."
   "At least you didn't try to blow up their homes, like you did with the League building." Pierre glares at him, "You're like a wild beast. A parasite with no sense of anything but self-preservation."
   "...Self-preservation...?" He chuckles, "I cannot deny it."
   Pierre shakes his head, "You never really cared, did you? We opened our doors and trusted you... But you threw everything back in our faces while sticking your tongue out at us from your damned ship. Goes to show what it all was worth to you."
   "..." He sinks further as he sits down, curling up and hiding his face in his knees, "...Pierre. Have you ever wondered why I did not simply hide in the fairy court?"
   "How would I know? You speak of them in riddles and strange tongues. There were times when I wondered if you were lying about your visits there."
   "If I go there again I know I will never return. Not as myself... Perhaps not alive, either. I would be gone forever. Should I... still have gone back there, Pierre?"
   "I don't know, do you trust that we wouldn't have been insane enough to try and find you? Or at least Aina?"
   "I know you would. But if against all odds you found me, I would no longer be the one you remembered."
   "Perhaps, but we would've found a way." Pierre stares at him with cold eyes, "...Though we're already enraged enough with your behavior, not to mention the lies and deceit."
   He shakes his head, "Thank you. But my behavior would not be an act then. It would be real..."
   "I can't even tell if you're genuine or not now. How you managed to lie to Aina about your true nature is a mystery to me."
   "Aina understands, even if you don't..." He mumbles.
   Pierre twirls the baton in his hand, "Typical behaviors of the fairy type tend to revolve around manipulation of the emotional and mental states of their victims. Often finding amusement in the pain of others, regardless of whether or not they are innocent."
   "..." Verdell takes a breath, straightening his back and putting his smile back on... "Innocent? People have such strange ideas about what it means to be innocent. Still, if you removed my cuffs I would applaud your effort to understand too... But since you won't, the only reward I can give you is a hint. If someone was truly pure of heart, I would not know how to betray that person."
   "You say that, yet look where you are now." Pierre has a dull look, "You're labeled as a terrorist in Ydil, a complete lunatic. You dragged the reputation of the League through the mud, and people are wondering why Aina fell for your deceit and lies. All this for what? You tell me if what you have done was fair."
   "You are right, that is how Ydil sees me. It's something I have to live with... What matters to me is that Stella has not executed me yet. I never told you, did I...? It's her job to do that if I betray the fairy court."
   "She won't have the chance to, after Donar and I are done with you." There's a dangerous look in his eyes, "...Or do you wish for a demonstration with one of your Pokémon?"
   Verdell's face turns serious, "Matthias promised you would not do that... If you break his word, he won't be pleased with you."
   "And who was the one who had his Mawile nearly tear my arm off? I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to justify her existence to him if I had died of blood loss because of that."
   "Hah, well now you know what raising her was like... Sorry I got her to bite you. I'm sure she's more sorry that she didn't go for your head, but she must have wanted to protect me from that baton of yours before anything else." He chuckles.
   "Magnezone." Pierre speaks, taking a step back.
   "...!!" Verdell's eyes widen as the Magnezone aims one of its magnets at his cuffs, and in unison with the loud tick from the clock, fires off a controlled electric shock! Pierre stares impassively at the glow as Verdell cries out... When he snaps his fingers, Magnezone stops and pulls away.
   "Now then, are you going to be a good guest or should I send another shocking reminder about how atrocious your behavior is?"
   "... ... ..." Verdell is breathing fast as he takes a moment to recollect himself, "...I-I'm trying to be good... It's... just not my strong suit..."
   There's a terrifying look in Pierre's eyes, "Where is the gate?"
   "..." He still tries to smile through the pain, "In the fairy court... They guard it, remember?"
   "Where is it?"
   "...Remember what I told you... Once, all of Ydil was part of the fairy court. The remains are scattered throughout the land." He closes his eyes, "...Sevenstep Forest, Wildveil Woods, Glistening Meadow, Lilac Labyrinth, Moongate Sea, Nightglow Peaks... Murkle Woods. But it is more common that people wander into the fairy court by accident than when they look for it. I learned of those places when I was looking for exits, not entrances... So go ahead and search all those spots as much as you want... Without my maps you won't find it."
   "I'll just have to make you talk." Pierre crosses his arms, "...How do you access it?"
   "I said I would to be honest, like you wanted... and the honest truth is that the way into the fairy court is a secret, s-so..." He takes a breath, bracing himself before he says, "No, I can't tell you..."
   "...Five times." There's a snap of his fingers, and the Magnezone begins to prepare another shock...!
   "..." Verdell shuts his eyes tightly. Another bolt of electricity strikes upon the tick sound, and he cries out! After a couple of seconds it stops, but the Magnezone keeps shocking him every minute! As it goes on he seems to be getting increasingly aware of the clock... He begins to glance nervously at it while making some weak attempts to struggle... He cries out again as the Magnezone gives off the final shock! His breath is a bit shaky as he sighs in relief... The clock continues to tick away... echoing in the room... "...Owww..." He whines, gritting his teeth as the clock approaches the louder tick... He gives it another uncertain glance before looking at Pierre and closing his eyes... But nothing happens...
   "You know that I do not appreciate any form of stalling."
   "..." He opens one eye, looking cautiously at Pierre, then he mumbles something incomprehensible.
   "What was that? Another shock is needed?"
   "Your eyes, Pierre... When did you sleep last...?"
   "..." He stares at Verdell... The rings around his eyes and his unkempt hair makes it rather obvious that he hasn't been able to take care of himself lately... "...Answer now, my health is not your concern."
   Verdell opens both eyes, staring back at him, "...You should get some rest before Matthias gets here."
   "..." Pierre stares him down with fury in his eyes! The moment there's a loud tick he smacks Verdell's face!
   "Ah...!" He keeps his head low after being struck, "...Because you won't break me before he comes, anyway..."
   "..." Pierre's face only turns darker...
   "...Do you want to drop from exhaustion now, or in front of him...? The choice is yours..."
   "...Why do you think I'm trying to break you now? I cannot fail Matthias, he gave me an order and I will see it through to the end." Pierre looks at him, "You will talk even if it means I stay awake another night."
   "...He ordered you to do this?" Verdell frowns, "I can understand that he is more concerned about Lord N at present, but not having the patience to tame me himself...? How insolent of him. I am offended, Pierre. If he does not take the legendary Pokémon I am impersonating seriously, you can certainly not expect me to reveal anything to you. Now I will keep silent for your sake too, so Matthias learns not to work you too hard!" He turns his nose up.
   "...If you want me to sleep so badly, I will make you sing my lullaby." A twisted smile begins to form on Pierre's face as a dark look seems to come over his Pokémon...
   "...Lullaby...? I don't know... How about I tell you a fairytale instead?"
   "No... You'll try to worm your way out again, won't you?" Pierre snaps his fingers the moment there's another loud tick.
   "...!" Verdell's eyes widen when his stomach is struck by Scizor's Bullet Punch, then he slumps, gasping for breath! The Scizor's gold eyes stare at him...
   "Are you going to talk or should I let my Scizor get some more punching practice in?" Pierre asks as he watches carefully.
   "... ... ..." Verdell's face looks pained, but he does not seem able to answer yet... Pierre slowly raises his hand to snap his fingers again...! "Gh... I..." Finally regaining his breath, Verdell coughs, breathing in fast a few times, "...I only have to endure longer than you." Although it seems to take him some effort to do it through the pain, he forces his smirk back on, "You're a scary interrogator, Pierre. But this time, you're dealing with an experienced captive. I've had worse than this from my own crew... You should give up already and get some well needed rest instead..."
   "..." At the sound of the tick Pierre slams his baton into Verdell's side! "You abandoned Ydil!" He keeps striking in tandem with the ticks and tocks! "You abandoned your duties! You abandoned all of us! Thunderbolt!" He pulls away as his Magnezone gives off a strong electrical shock! Once it stops Verdell lowers his head, trembling... "Now then... are you going to talk?" Pierre gives him a harsh glare.
   "...I-I did leave Ydil... my Gym Leader duties, and... everyone... I admit that..."
   "And?"
   "...I'm sorry it h-had to be this way."
   "...You're sorry?" There's a raised brow before a chuckle escapes Pierre, "You're sorry for how 'it had to be this way'? All this chasing, all the heartache you caused Aina, all the nonsense we had to face at home because of YOU... and all you have is 'sorry it had to be this way'? ...PATHETIC!" He slams the baton into Verdell's ribcage!
   "Ah...! Ow, owww..." He bites his lip, keeping his head low... "It... is not enough. I know that, but... it is all I have..."
   "Tell me how to access the fairy court in Ydil, Verdell." Pierre speaks in a low voice as he uses his baton to force Verdell to look at him... "I am in no mood to hear your pitiful excuses."
   "...!" For an instant a hint of fear flashes through Verdell's eyes as they meet Pierre's... "...I won't give you any secrets that are not mine to give, s-so... please ask me something else...!!" He shuts his eyes upon being struck in the face by the baton!
   "Wrong, tell me the truth Verdell. My patience wears thinner the more you keep lying."
   "..." He lowers his head again...
   "Location, NOW." There's a growl as steel eyes look at the former Gym Leader, "Or would you like for me to break your hands and legs?"
   "N-No..." He shakes his head.
   "Then where is the fairy court!?" He looks at his Scizor, who approaches with its pincers open wide...
   Verdell's eyes widen at the sound of its steps, and he looks up at Pierre, "P-Please, Pierre...! Matthias isn't ready! Y-You have to understand...!"
   "Understand what? That you don't believe in him or any of us?" Pierre questions as the Scizor stops behind the pillar...
   "I-I...!" He closes his eyes, trembling, "...Yes! How can I believe in any of you?! I wanted to, but he wasn't there! He didn't come to stop me... Nor did you, Pierre..."
   "Because we had faith in YOU." Pierre forces Verdell's hand into one of the pincers, and the Scizor begins to clamp down...!
   "Nnh..." He makes a weak effort to pull his hand away, but to little avail... As the pressure on his hand increases his whine is turning into a cry!
   "You really think that we are fools?! That we would have reason to doubt a friend?!" His Scizor continues to apply pressure, and he notices Verdell trying to give him a pleading look over his shoulder, but chooses to wait for a few moments before acknowledging it, "Now then... Are you going to be truthful to me... or do I need to make sure you can never walk again?!"
   "...!!" Verdell's eyes widen as a cracking sound is heard from his hand! His cry comes to an abrupt stop as it seems the pain has paralyzed him momentarily, but there is a hint of desperation on his face now...!
   Pierre moves in front of him, "You better tell me the truth... Why did you betray us?!" His bloodshot eyes are staring at Verdell, "Why are you so determined to make sure we cannot accomplish THAT goal?!"
   "... ... ..." He trembles, keeping his eyes tightly shut as he tries to recover from the initial shock from his hand. But after a little while he opens them to give Pierre a deeply pained look... "B-Because I have no choice... Since that day, I never had a choice..."
   "What do you mean you have no choice?" He glances at his Pokémon to see who might help convince him...
   Verdell keeps looking at him, "Th-This is where Aina gets the better of you... I told you, that day... the day before I left... D-Do you... truly not see why I've done all this...?"
   "Ruin his legs, Ferrothorn." Pierre speaks, and his Ferrothorn hisses...
   "...Is this the worst you've got, Pierre...?" He says, although he fails to hide his fear as he glances up at the Ferrothorn, "...Y-You... can't be worse than being chewed on by Stella... can you..."
   "Your face says otherwise..." Pierre shrugs as one of the Ferrothorn's vines begins to extend into a rather terrifying whip... "Did you know that I discovered that Power Whip can break a kneecap with no effort? ...Of course, since you continue to act like a brat I'm not going to be that nice. Ferrothorn has been so excited to have someone to practice acupuncture on."
   "Ferrothorn don't learn Acupressure... I think..." Verdell stares uncertainly at the approaching vine, "...But I owe it to Stella to guard the secret with my life... If this causes me to break, I imagine she'll be disappointed enough in me to tear my legs off whole..."
   "Perhaps we should find out, then...?" He uses his baton to force Verdell to face him again, "As I said, all you have to do is tell me, and you won't have to worry about having broken legs... I might even heal your hand back to normal."
   "No... I c-can't..." The fear in his eyes grows as he feels the Ferrothorn wrap its vine around his leg, and the sharp prick of its spikes, "Sh-She's always the cruelest when we play... and she has to kill me if I tell you, Pierre... Please don't do this..."
   Pierre leans forward until his face is near Verdell's ear, and whispers in a poisonous tongue, "...You're about to see how cruel I am."
   "I-I'm sorry!" He shuts his eyes tightly, "I'm sorry for sassing you, I take it all back...!"
   "..." He pauses.
   "...I'm s-sorry..." He trembles, looking at Pierre through teary eyes, "Smiling is the only way I know... t-to survive as an outlaw... but I n-never could smile through Stella's... ..." His voice gets fainter as he speaks...
   "..." Pierre sighs as he waves his hand... Ferrothorn lets go of him.
   "...!" Verdell looks surprised, but at the same time wary and frightened still... The tick tock continues in the room...
   Pierre quietly takes out his Pokéballs, and without a word calls his Pokémon back before he turns to look at Verdell... "No use in continuing this if your hand can't heal properly..."
   "...What...? ...Oh..." His voice is still faint and a bit broken, "...Th-That's right... If my h-hand is permanently damaged, and... and I can't write or draw... to make up for certain parts of my burned research... Matthias will n-never reach his goal..."
   "...You losing your hand would be a bigger issue for me than anything at this point." Pierre mutters as he takes out his Pokéquip and begins to heal Verdell's hand... Noticing that his own seem to shake a bit... "...Aside for that. I'll hold off on questioning you about your fae friends for now."
   "...!" Verdell turns his head, trying to look at him... He looks quite relieved as the pain fades, but he has a questioning look in his eyes... For a moment he seems about to ask, but he bites his lip, not quite daring to... "...Th-Thank you..."
   "..." Pierre doesn't say anything as he continues to heal Verdell's hand and some of his other injuries before his Pokéquip is drained from use...
   "...I... I don't understand, b-but, never mind..." He takes a shaky breath, "Please get some rest, Pierre. Anyone can tell... you need it..."
   "..." Pierre pauses as he was about to put his Pokéquip away... He glances at Verdell briefly, then flicks his forehead softly!
   "...?! ...Ow?" Verdell's face looks even more puzzled, and he tilts his head as he watches him leave the room. Once he is gone he leans back against the pillar and sighs... Then he mumbles in a low voice, "...Well... somehow, we made it this far... If you were awake, you'd be pleased that I didn't tell him... right, Stella? ... ... ...Although, even with your training... I don't know how long I will last..."
   Outside the room, Pierre is making his way down the hall... He gives an order for the door to be guarded, then he takes out his Pokéquip and presses a number...
   A familiar voice answers, "This is Matthias."
   "Matthias, this is Pierre." The Elite Four member speaks, "I've captured Verdell and Aina, though Verdell has refused to answer my questions."
   For a brief moment Matthias had a pleased smile, but it's quickly replaced with a frown... He makes an irritated grunt, "I see... Well, leave that to me then. Where are you?"
   "At the complex that the Unova League lent to us." Pierre glances around the unclean halls before he enters his makeshift office and closes the door behind himself, "Though, it's not in the best shape. It looks like it was evacuated in a hurry not long ago. I suspect it was previously used by the Pokémon poachers that were exposed by Team Plasma in White Forest. What equipment we found left behind is outdated and some of the furniture is broken. As a prison for those two it leaves much to wish for. It reflects the pitiful state of the Unova League."
   Matthias shakes his head, "Personal opinions aside, thank you for your hard work. I'll be making my way there. Take a break, Pierre."
   "As you say, My King." Pierre nods before the call ends... He limply plops onto a camp bed with a pillow... Drifting asleep...

Outside, a small group have arrived not too long ago, hiding behind a boulder among the trees some distance from the storage... "Hazel says that he just went out of the room. If possible, I want Verdell back without resorting to battle." N whispers to the Shadow Triad before asking Dedenne, "Can you tell if he's going to sleep?"
   "Denne..." She is wearing quite the worried face as her whiskers twitch and she tries to make out any sounds transmitted by Verdell's Pokéquip that might give a hint as to what Pierre is doing... But she shakes her head, she can't tell... Then she picks up a new signal! She looks focused as she listens in on Matthias and Pierre... "Dede...!" She gives a nod.
   "Then we wait only a little longer." One of the Shadow Triad says.
   "Until he won't wake up easily."
   "He is exhausted. It won't be long."
   "Can you tell us which room he is in now?" N asks Dedenne.
   "Dedede...!" Dedenne points at one window.
   "That's where he is?"
   "Dedenne!"
   "Good." N smiles. He turns to his friend, "Zorua, sneak over to that window and see if you can take the shape of their leader. Then you can lure the guards into the forest. While they are gone, the Shadow Triad will take back Verdell and his Pokémon... and if anything goes wrong, Reshiram and I will cover your escape." The huge white dragon is watching from further within the forest, as its fur is a little too conspicuous to get any closer without risk of being noticed... There's a quiet yip as the little fox begins to sneak over to the building... Dedenne decides to tag along with him. The Zorua reaches the bottom of the window after sneaking past a few guards... Burrowing under the ground to get past the guards too, Dedenne pops up next to him as he sneaks a peek in... She uses her Magnet Rise to float up silently and have a look too... In a corner Pierre is sleeping quietly on the camp bed... She quietly points him out to Zorua.
   "...!" Zorua nods and changes his form to Pierre. He moves away from the window and walks casually, making sure that the guards see him.
   "He got the right one." One of the Shadows says as they watch from behind the rock, ready to make their move. N smiles as he watches his friend. Zorua continues to walk, and a number of the agents begin to approach him as he waves them over. He silently signs to them to use their Pokéquips to bring their friends and follow him... It seems that this is causing something of a commotion inside... Dedenne hides in a small bush by the wall as she spies on the agents, listening in on their conversation.
   "This is Agent 91, are you sure that Zero is outside the building? Over." One of them speaks as his peers look confused and unsure.
   "This is Agent 34, affirmative. He's requesting assistance."
   Another voice sounds, "All available agents who are not assigned to guard duty must follow, over."
   "..." The agents look at one another, some mumbling that they could've sworn they saw Pierre enter his office. But they head out of the building, following Zorua into the woods... Only a handful of guards remain on their posts. The little Dedenne looks quite pleased. She leaps to the ground and begins to burrow again, following after Zorua in case he will need her help to shake them off later. Once they are gone, the Shadow Triad move out. They sneak invisibly towards the room where Verdell is kept... The door is locked, and there's still an armed guard with a Bisharp standing watch... One of them suddenly appears next to the guard, giving him a hit to knock him out before he can react!
   "Gah...!" The guard collapses. The Bisharp takes notice and is about to slash...! But another Bisharp is sent out by the second member of the Shadow Triad, clashing with it! While the third begins to pick the lock, the first one snatches Bisharp's Pokéball from the guard to call it back before it makes a ruckus.
   "Bi!" The Bisharp snarls as it's called back!
   "..." The Shadow looks at it for a moment, then apparently decides to keep it. The agent is still unconscious, it seems that Bisharp is the only Pokémon he had... "...Tch." The Shadow seems a little disappointed that there wasn't more to loot!
   In a moment they have the door opened, entering the room. Verdell looks up, frightened for an instant before he sees it's them and his face changes to a relieved smile. He remains silent as they begin to pick his cuffs open... They can hear sounds from the guard's Pokéquip... It seems that there is some confusion about 'Pierre' vanishing in the woods! Following that message there is only sparking noise, however... "Hazel..." Verdell whispers quietly, "You deserve an extra special Poképuff..."
   "..." Once the Shadow Triad has him loose they pull him up from the floor, "Come."
   "Wait... I have to heal Tickles..." He takes out his Pokéquip and Whimsicott's Pokéball... They can hear the commotion in the distance... He calls his Whimsicott out after healing her, and gives her a Chesto Berry. "Quick, Tickles. Find Aina and feed this to her. Then we'll be out of here!" He whispers to her. She nods, slipping away while the Shadow Triad head out with Verdell.
   It seems that the shouts are starting to wake up Pierre... He looks irritated as he's forcing himself to stay awake, speaking into his Pokéquip, "Check the surrounding areas and put this place on lockdown-- Nothing comes in or out!" Then he discovers that communication with the agents outside doesn't seem to be working...!
   The Whimsicott slips under the door into the room where Aina is held, quickly hiding under a worn desk... She watches for a chance... There are two guards in the room, but they are too focused on the commotion outside to take notice of the happily grinning Pokémon as she sneaks along the wall to get behind them... Aina is asleep in a chair, but her hands have been cuffed to a half-ring handle that has been screwed onto the middle of the wooden table in front of her... Her head rests on one of her arms, and her face looks gentle as she sleeps... Quite unlike her usual stern look... The Whimsicott silently floats onto the table and opens Aina's mouth, stuffing the berry in... The moment it is in her mouth, the sharp tartness of the berry stirs Aina awake! Her eyes flutter open, as she groans a bit as she chews on the berry and swallows it, earning the attention of the guards. "Whimsi~!" The Whimsicott waves to them before leaping off the table and making her way towards the window...
   "We gotta catch-- Gck!" The guard is cut off as Aina's eyes glow a haunting sheen of gold! Both guards are lifted into the air, and a look of terror comes upon them upon realizing their situation a moment before they are slammed down onto the table, knocking them out!
   "...He named you Tickles, did he not?" Aina turns her head to look at the Whimsicott, "If you do not mind giving me a moment of your time, may I ask you to take out the key from the pocket of one of the two guards here?"
   "Whim?" Whimsicott stops and turns around, tilting her head... Then she throws her short arms up with a happy smile and bounces over to the guards, searching their pockets until she finds all of their keys and trades them for balls of fluff! She strolls onto the head of one of the guards and holds them out to Aina. "Whimsicott cott whimsicott!"
   "My deepest thanks." Aina smiles at the Whimsicott as the key she wanted floats out of the little Pokémon's hand, "Please make your way back to your trainer, and... do be mindful of the weather this evening."
   "Whim!" Whimsicott nods as she drops the rest of the keys onto the table and floats back to the window, escaping through a tiny gap in its frame.
   "..." Aina focuses as she tries to make the floating key unlock one of the cuffs... She eventually gets one hand loose. She takes the key and frees her other hand... But as she does, Pierre notices what she's up to through the surveillance cameras linked to his office. His eyes widen, and Pokéball in hand, he rushes out! Then he sees the agent he ordered to guard Verdell, unconscious on the floor, and the door open...! All the other agents are gone!
   "Where is everyone?!" He growls as he looks around. He hurries towards the unconscious guard, when Aina's door is blasted off its hinges! She walks out, looking absolutely livid upon spotting him... A fearsome battle breaks out! Aina's Gallade clashes against his Scizor, both in their Mega forms and at each other's throats! The agents outside have returned, but upon seeing the battle between the two Elite Four members they dare not enter...

Meanwhile, further within the forest, Whimsicott and Dedenne have been reunited with Verdell. He laughs as he cuddles his Pokémon, "You two deserve your favorite Poképuffs... As soon as we're safe." He stops, looking up at the sky... It seems that a storm is approaching. Reshiram does not seem happy about it, letting out a low, unsettled cry... Verdell turns to N and the Shadow Triad, "Champion Matthias is coming. We need to get far away from here, and fast..."
   N looks at his dragon and nods... "Everyone, let's meet up at the castle." He climbs onto its back, and it flies off with him.
   "..." The Shadow Triad nod to each other, two of them grabbing Verdell again and pulling him along. The third looks at Zorua, "...Coming?"
   There's a yip as the little Zorua changes back to normal, chuckling a bit as he tags along.
   "..." The Shadow picks him up and dashes after the others!