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[Pokemon] Chapter 53: VS Galarian Moltres Part 2
🕑 Added 2024-10-10 16:54:57 +0000 UTCAt the entrance of the Galar Mine, three trainers and their Pokémon were about to step inside.
Those trainers were Liko, Roy, and Friede. After being attacked by Galarian Moltres, they had narrowly escaped thanks to Jin staying behind to cover them. Once their Pokémon were treated at the Pokémon Center in Motostoke City, they returned to the Galar Mine.
“…I wonder if Jin is okay?”
It had been hours since Liko and the others had parted ways with Jin inside the mine. Despite all that time, Jin had yet to emerge from the cave. Liko couldn’t help but worry.
“Liko… Jin will be fine!” Roy reassured her.
“Roy’s right. If anyone can make it through something this dangerous, it’s him. He’s probably just lost his way inside,” Friede added with a smile.
Both Roy and Friede tried to cheer Liko up, not wanting her to be downcast. But beyond just comforting her, neither could truly imagine Jin losing.
“…Yeah, you’re right!”
Liko showed a small sign of relief. While she didn’t really believe Jin could lose, the lingering worry was hard to shake. Still, she had a feeling Jin would pop up any moment, just like he always did.
Their purpose in coming here was twofold:
First, to search for and rescue their comrade, Jin.
Second, to calm the wrath of the Galarian Moltres, one of the Six Heroes.
Given that Galarian Moltres possessed an Ancient Poké Ball, there was no doubt it was one of the Six Heroes. However, stopping its fury through a straightforward battle seemed nearly impossible.
"A battle victory isn't the only path for a Pokémon Trainer."
These were the words Gym Leader Kabu had told Liko. As they were coming up with their plan, Liko recalled this advice and started to think of ways to calm Moltres without defeating it.
“Nyaa.”
And as it turned out, the solution was closer than expected. Her partner, Sprigatito, had a sweet fragrance with an aromatherapy effect. This fragrance could calm and even disarm aggression, which Liko hoped would soothe Galarian Moltres.
Liko and Roy stood before the mine’s entrance, visibly tense. Though they had a plan and felt somewhat confident it might work, they couldn’t shake the anxiety.
“Don’t be so nervous. Relax. When you’re calm, you can go all out,” Friede said, placing a reassuring hand on their shoulders. His words helped Liko and Roy refocus as they nodded and started their descent into the Galar Mine.
“...This is…”
After some time, they noticed parts of the cave had collapsed, blocking the path with rubble. As they observed the surroundings, they spotted multiple claw marks—undoubtedly left by Galarian Moltres.
“Alright, let's follow the trail,” Friede said.
With Friede leading the way, they carefully advanced, staying alert. Before long, they began hearing the furious cries of Galarian Moltres from ahead.
“Looks like it’s still angry…”
They continued cautiously toward the source of the cries, eventually arriving at a large, open space. The area was strewn with rubble and broken tents.
And as soon as they reached the space, a Pokémon appeared before them.
“Faaaaiiiii!”
Galarian Moltres roared with fury. It was still covered in wounds from its battle with Jin and Amethio, clearly weakened. However, its enraged roar made it seem as fierce as ever as it glared at Liko and the others.
“Looks like we ran into it first…”
Ideally, they would have reunited with Jin before confronting Moltres. With Jin by their side, the success of their plan would have increased significantly.
“Jin…”
“Liko! We’ll find Jin after this. For now…”
“…Yeah! Let’s go, Sprigatito! Leafage!”
Hoping to seize the initiative, Sprigatito immediately began stomping its front paws, releasing a sweet aroma. It combined the aroma with Leafage and sent a barrage of leaves flying toward Galarian Moltres. However, Moltres flapped its massive wings and easily repelled the leaves.
“It didn’t reach…”
“Not enough power…”
Even though Moltres had exhausted much of its strength in battles with Gyarados and Sceptile, it was still a legendary Pokémon. The plan to calm it with the aromatic Leafage wasn’t bad, but this opponent wasn’t going to go down easily.
“Faaaaaai!”
Realizing that a long battle would not be in its favor, Galarian Moltres quickly decided to end things. It flapped its wings fiercely, summoning a powerful whirlwind with Hurricane, sending the fierce twister directly toward Liko and the others. Although the attack was weaker than when it fought Sceptile, it was still strong enough to knock out Sprigatito in a single hit.
“Flamethrower!”
Both Charizard and Fuecoco fired their Flamethrower simultaneously to protect Liko and Sprigatito. The combined flames merged into a massive fireball, successfully dispelling the tornado.
However…
"Liko, watch out! Run!"
Almost immediately after the tornado dissipated, countless blades of air rushed toward Liko and Sprigatito. It appeared that Galarian Moltres, anticipating that its weakened Hurricane would be countered, had used Air Slash as its primary attack.
"Nyah!?"
Caught off guard, Liko froze, unable to move. Seeing this, Sprigatito leapt in front of her, positioning itself as a shield between the oncoming Air Slash and Liko.
"Sprigatito!?"
Liko's anguished scream echoed through the cave. Everyone present was certain Sprigatito would be knocked out by the attack. But what followed defied their expectations.
"raii!"
The barrage of Air Slash was suddenly neutralized by a black-and-purple beam shot from the side. As the smoke from the impact cleared, a Pokémon stood between Liko and Galarian Moltres, shielding them from further harm.
---
"This is quite the predicament."
Around the same time Liko and her group re-entered the Galar Mine, Jin was still wandering within its depths. As Friede had predicted, Jin had gotten himself hopelessly lost inside the mine.
"I didn’t expect the path to be blocked…"
After his battles with Darkrai, Amethio, and Galarian Moltres, the path Jin had taken had collapsed, leaving it impassable. With no way to retrace his steps, he had no choice but to find an alternate route. Unfortunately, it seemed he had made the wrong decision at a critical moment.
Two paths had been available: the one taken by Galarian Moltres and the one taken by Amethio. Given the circumstances, Jin hesitated to follow Amethio, so after much deliberation, he chose the path that Galarian Moltres had used.
"I should've just followed Amethio."
As Jin progressed, he found the aftermath of Galarian Moltres’ retreat. It had apparently lashed out in frustration, causing more collapses, and eventually, Jin lost all sense of direction.
"Might as well take a break."
Jin sat down against a wall, pulling out several Pokéballs from his pocket. He released Sceptile, Gardevoir, and Salamence, all of whom had fought earlier.
“Scep…”
“…Mence…”
“Garde…”
Jin had already given them basic treatment after their battles, so their energy was partially restored. However, it was clear from their expressions upon emerging that they hadn’t fully recovered yet.
"Here, everyone, eat these. They should help you regain some strength."
Jin opened his Pokéblock case and handed out a few blocks, each suited to his Pokémon’s individual tastes. Once they all had their fill, Jin took out a special block for himself, popping it into his mouth.
This was a special Pokéblock he had created for his own emergency rations. It was designed to provide the same level of satisfaction as a full meal. During his solo travels, it had been indispensable, and it still served him well in situations like this. But…
(Something feels off…)
While the block wasn’t unappetizing—Jin had ensured it was flavorful—the taste now felt lacking. He realized his palate had grown accustomed to Murdock’s delicious, hot meals.
"Oh well…"
After a brief rest, Jin prepared to resume his search for Liko and the others. However, there was one more thing he needed to figure out. From his pocket, he pulled out the Pokéball containing the Darkrai he had recently caught. He tried once again to release it, but just as before, Darkrai didn’t respond.
"Still no luck, huh…"
Since the moment he caught it, Darkrai had refused to emerge from its ball, ignoring Jin’s commands entirely. It had only made a brief appearance when Galarian Moltres’ Fiery Wrath had endangered Jin, but beyond that, it hadn’t come out at all.
"Rotom, show me everything you have on Darkrai."
“Rototoo!”
Jin knew he needed to learn more about Darkrai if he hoped to solve the mystery. Since Darkrai wasn’t native to this region, Jin wasn’t well-versed in its behavior. He hoped that studying it more closely would give him some new insights. With this in mind, he began carefully reviewing the data that appeared on his smartphone Rotom.
"Hmm…"
As he combed through the information, one particular detail about Darkrai’s nature caught his attention.
"Darkrai is generally calm and doesn’t attack others without reason…"
According to the data, Darkrai’s tendency to induce nightmares was a defense mechanism meant to protect itself and its territory. It wasn’t malevolent by nature. But that didn’t explain why it had given the miners in the Galar Mine nightmares—this wasn’t its territory, after all.
"This was Darkrai’s territory… No, that can't be it."
Mining operations have been ongoing here for a long time, so if this place had always been Darkrai’s domain, there should have been nightmares a long time ago.
"Then why did Darkrai appear here?"
According to the information, Darkrai’s ability to induce nightmares in others activates automatically, without its own will, and it can't control or suppress it. Because of this, Darkrai, who doesn't want to harm others with its nightmares, chooses to live in isolation, avoiding all interaction.
Living in solitude means it would seek out uninhabited places to settle. But such ideal locations are rare. Most of the world is occupied by humans or Pokémon. It makes sense that Darkrai would roam the world searching for a place to live, but here, the mines are filled with both wild Pokémon and human workers, making it an unsuitable place for it.
"Wait… hold on."
The Galarian Moltres they had faced earlier had radiated an immense power and aura. If Darkrai had happened to be wandering near Galar Mine, perhaps it sensed the presence of another Dark-type Pokémon like Moltres.
"Come to think of it, those workers said…"
Jin recalled the conversation with the workers inside the mine. Darkrai appeared shortly after Galarian Moltres, and the workers began having nightmares. In those dreams, they claimed they repeatedly heard, "Get out. Leave this place."
It was almost as if they were being warned to stay away…
"Was it trying to protect them from Galarian Moltres?"
As Jin pieced together the various bits of information, he came to a conclusion. If that were true, it would also explain why Darkrai protected him and Amethio from Moltres' attacks.
"I need to talk to it properly…"
However, the priority now was to escape from this place. He had to regroup with Liko and the others, share the information about Galarian Moltres, and come up with a strategy. With that in mind, Jin stood up and began searching for a path out.
"Faaaaaaaaaaai!"
"Huh!?"
At that moment, a deafening roar echoed from one of the tunnels. It sounded like Galarian Moltres.
"Salamence!"
"Mence!"
Jin quickly returned Sceptile and Gardevoir to their Poké Balls and leapt onto Salamence’s back, rushing towards the tunnel from which Moltres' roar had come.
Moltres may have been furious earlier, but it wouldn’t have let out such a scream if it were just venting its rage. That cry was definitely directed at an opponent. But who could be fighting Moltres here in the mine? The only possibilities were either Amethio's group or Liko and the others.
"... I have a bad feeling about this. Salamence, go at full speed!"
Following Jin’s command, Salamence spread its wings wide, pushing its tired body to its limits as it raced through the tunnel. After a few minutes, they burst out of the tunnel into the open.
"That’s—!"
The first thing Jin saw was the sight of Galarian Moltres’ Air Slash attack barreling towards Liko and Sprigatito. He was about to order Salamence to intercept when, faster than he could react, a Poké Ball in his pocket shook, releasing a Pokémon.
"Daaarrrrk!"
It was Darkrai. Extending both arms forward, it unleashed a Dark Pulse. The black-and-purple energy beam swept across Moltres' Air Slash, neutralizing the attack and standing protectively between Liko and Moltres.
"Wha…?"
"What is that Pokémon!?"
"No way! Why is Darkrai here!?"
Liko was left speechless, and Roy and Friede couldn't hide their shock at Darkrai's sudden appearance.
"Daark…"
But the moment of surprise was brief. Darkrai, still wounded from its earlier battle with Gardevoir, trembled and collapsed to the ground. Seeing this, Galarian Moltres prepared to launch another attack, readying another Air Slash.
"Use Dragon Pulse!"
But the time Darkrai had bought was just enough for Jin, riding on Salamence, to catch up to Liko and the others. Salamence rose into the air and unleashed a Dragon Pulse from its mouth, interrupting Moltres' attack.
"Jin!"
Liko's face lit up with joy as she saw Jin dismount from Salamence. She rushed over and hugged him tightly.
"Liko! Are you alright?"
"That's my line! I was really worried about you!"
Jin offered a quick apology before gently pulling away and turning his gaze toward Darkrai, who had just shielded Liko and Sprigatito.
"Jin… that Pokémon…"
"I’ll explain later."
He studied Darkrai closely. The wounds covering its body had yet to heal, and it seemed to have exhausted all its remaining strength with that Dark Pulse.
"Thanks for protecting Liko… No, for protecting everyone here."
"…Dark…"
"You’ve done enough. Leave the rest to us."
Jin stepped forward, standing between Darkrai and Moltres as he declared this. But just as he did, Liko called out to him.
"Wait! I have a plan."
She explained that she wanted to calm Galarian Moltres down and communicate with it. It was the strategy she had prepared before coming here, and after hearing it, Jin nodded in agreement. The plan seemed sound.
"...But it wasn't strong enough to reach, was it? What do you plan to do?"
Though Sprigatito’s Leafage is powerful, it’s still not enough to reach Galarian Moltres. To make this plan work, Jin would need to weaken Galarian Moltres a bit more.
"...Just let me talk to Galarian Moltres for a moment."
"Are you serious?"
"Please..."
"...Sigh, fine. Do what you can."
"Thank you!"
Liko knows the plan is at risk of failing, but she doesn’t want to hurt Galarian Moltres any further. Even though she knows it’s a long shot, she steps forward, hoping to resolve the situation through conversation.
"Salamence, be ready to move at any moment."
Jin accepts Liko's decision but prepares for action if Galarian Moltres shows any signs of hostility.
"Calm down. We’re not your enemy. I have the same type of Poké Ball as yours."
Liko pulls out the ancient Poké Ball containing Arboliva from her bag and raises it high, making sure Galarian Moltres can see it.
"Moltres, please tell me! I want to understand how you feel!"
Liko earnestly speaks to Galarian Moltres, but the Pokémon only responds with a roar filled with anger.
(…So, it’s not going to work.)
Liko had hoped that showing the ancient Poké Ball might trigger some change, but Galarian Moltres’ rage seems far deeper than she anticipated.
"Faaaaaaaaaiii!"
Galarian Moltres appears ready to attack Liko. Sensing the danger, Jin prepares to command Salamence, but before he can, the ancient Poké Ball in Liko’s hand suddenly begins to move.
"Huh?"
"What!?"
The ancient Poké Ball lifts into the air, and with a brilliant flash of light, it opens on its own.
"Liiiivaaaaaa!"
From the ancient Poké Ball emerges one of the six heroes, Arboliva. At the same time, the pendant around Liko’s neck begins to glow brightly.
"Livaaaa... Vaaaa..."
"Faaaaa..."
The two Pokémon, both belonging to the ancient adventurer Lucius, seem to be communicating. Though Jin and the others can’t understand their exchange, they sense that the situation might change.
"Faaaaai!"
However, the conversation doesn’t go well, and Galarian Moltres launches Air Slash at Arboliva. Arboliva crosses its arms to block the attack, but with Air Slash being super effective, it won’t be able to hold on for long.
"It’s not listening..."
"What can we even do now…"
Roy's voice starts to waver as he faces the overwhelming strength of Galarian Moltres.
(…It’s still too early to challenge Rayquaza.)
Measuring their strength is important, but Roy’s goal—catching the Black Rayquaza—seems even further out of reach if they can’t find a way to confront Galarian Moltres without giving up.
"Stay calm, Roy."
Liko speaks to Roy in a steady voice.
"Battling isn’t everything. Being a Pokémon Trainer isn’t just about fighting. It’s about understanding and empathizing with Pokémon’s feelings. That’s the kind of Trainer I want to be!"
(Liko…)
The Liko standing before them is different from the one who had no clear goals before. Her experiences in Motostoke City and her encounter with the Hatenna at the Galar Region have helped her grow significantly, giving her newfound resolve.
"Liiiiivaaaaaaa!"
Hearing Liko’s declaration, Arboliva lets out a mighty cry and spreads its arms wide, releasing a green aura that flows into the ground.
"This is…"
"Grassy Terrain."
The green aura from Arboliva quickly fills the entire cave, reminiscent of their first meeting in the forest of Paldea.
"Meowww!"
The aura from the Grassy Terrain surrounds Sprigatito, causing the Grass-type Pokémon to glow with a bright green light, drawing out its power. But that’s not all.
"…Dark…"
"Salame…"
Thanks to Grassy Terrain's secondary effect, even Darkrai, who had collapsed, and Salamence, who had been guarding against Galarian Moltres, begin to regain their strength.
"Fa-faaaaaiii!?"
Galarian Moltres, sensing that the tide is turning against it, tries to stop Sprigatito by summoning a whirlwind with Hurricane. Jin moves to give orders to Salamence, but before he can, Darkrai begins to act.
"Darkrai…"
"…Daaaaark!"
Darkrai moves in a flash, positioning itself between Liko and the oncoming Hurricane. It glances back at Jin, its intention clear.
"…Darkrai! Use Dark Pulse!"
Darkrai thrusts its arms forward, releasing a powerful Dark Pulse. The two attacks collide, canceling each other out. Though both Pokémon take considerable damage from the resulting shockwave, Galarian Moltres is left wide open.
"Liko!"
"Right! Sprigatito!"
"Meow!"
"Full power Leafage!"
At Liko’s command, Sprigatito unleashes a storm of leaves enhanced by the aromatic power of Grassy Terrain. The attack is stronger than ever, but that’s not all...
"This isn't Leafage..."
"Yeah, that move is Magical Leaf!"
Though Sprigatito's Leafage was already powerful, its evolution into Magical Leaf had been triggered by constant training, the intense battle with the formidable Galar Moltres, and the extraordinary power of Arboliva's Grassy Terrain. The Magical Leaf, now enveloped in a sweet aroma, surged toward the off-balance Galar Moltres, completely engulfing it.
"Faaaaiii!"
Galar Moltres flapped its wings in a desperate attempt to escape the relentless Magical Leaf, but Jin and the others weren’t going to let that happen.
"Cap!"
"Darkrai, we're counting on you!"
Cap and Darkrai leaped into the air, using Double Team to create clones and restrain Galar Moltres, stopping it in its tracks.
"Jin! Roy! Let’s create some wind and lift Sprigatito's leaves higher!"
Jin instructed Salamence, Friede directed Charizard, and Roy gave the signal to Wattrel. They all flapped their wings, creating a gust of wind that circulated through the enclosed cave, sending the leaves swirling up to the ceiling.
"This is it! Sprigatito, use Leafage—no, Magical Leaf! Use it with everything you've got!"
Sprigatito unleashed yet another wave of Magical Leaf, filling the entire cave with the fragrance of its soothing aroma. The pleasant scent washed over Galar Moltres, draining away its anger as it slowly descended toward Liko.
"......"
Everyone held their breath, watching as Moltres turned its gaze toward Liko and seemed to speak.
"Is it talking to Liko?"
"No… it looks like it's speaking to…"
"...the pendant, not Liko?"
Liko pulled the pendant from her neck, placing it in her palm. As it began to glow brighter, the pendant slowly changed shape, eventually transforming into a turtle-like Pokémon and landing softly on the ground.
"Pagooo~"
The Pokémon, which had emerged from the pendant, began communicating with Moltres. Jin and the others were left speechless by the scene unfolding before them. Moltres then raised its head, letting out a sorrowful cry that sounded like it was in mourning.
"It almost sounds like… it's crying."
As Galarian Moltres’ mournful cry echoed through the cave, a mysterious mist began to swirl around them, and, to everyone’s surprise, it started to rain. Bewildered by this unnatural occurrence inside the cave, Liko suddenly recognized the phenomenon.
"This is just like with Arboliva."
The scene reminded Liko of the vision Arboliva had shown her and Roy back in the forests of Paldea. The sensations, the atmosphere—it was all eerily similar.
"What in the world is this…?"
"...Wait, someone’s there."
Jin and Friede, experiencing this mysterious phenomenon for the first time, observed cautiously. Through the mist, they could make out the silhouette of a person standing where Galarian Moltres had landed. Though the mist obscured their face, there was no doubt someone was there.
"Moltres..."
The figure gently patted Galar Moltres on the head and began speaking to it.
"That person again…"
"The Ancient Adventurer, Lucius…"
There was only one human who could earn that much trust from a Pokémon as mighty as Galarian Moltres—Lucius, the legendary trainer of Six Heroes.
"We will protect this Laqua… together…"
(Laqua…)
"Pagopaaa—"
With a cry, the turtle-like Pokémon drew in the mysterious mist, causing it to dissipate and return the cave to normal. Jin and the others had no idea what had just occurred.
"Jin, did that person say… Laqua?"
"Yeah… but I've never heard of a place called Laqua before."
Both Jin and Friede, who were quite knowledgeable, were stumped. The name Laqua meant nothing to either of them.
"Faaaaii…"
As Jin and the others were trying to process this new information, Moltres approached Liko. After observing her for a moment, it released the ancient Poké Ball it held in its talon and allowed itself to be absorbed back into it.
"Huh?"
Liko, startled by this unexpected action, watched as Arboliva followed suit, returning to its own ancient Poké Ball. Once both Pokémon were safely contained, she approached and picked up the two Poké Balls.
"Does this mean… they're coming with us?"
"Yeah, just like with Arboliva."
"I see…"
"So, Liko, take care of them for now. We might need their help again in the future."
Jin, though he had secretly wanted to capture Galarian Moltres, resigned himself to the fact that it wasn’t meant to be. There seemed to be no connection between him and the Six Heroes.
(Seems like I’m just not meant to cross paths with the Six Heroes…)
Yet Jin was strangely at peace with it. He may not have captured one of the legendary Six Heroes, but he had gained other Pokémon along the way. He stepped away from Liko and approached Darkrai, who had been silently observing the entire scene.
"Darkrai… will you come with me?"
"…Daaark."
Darkrai hesitated for a moment, but then slowly nodded. Jin had battled him honorably and understood Darkrai’s intentions—enough to earn his respect. To Darkrai, Jin was more than worthy to be his trainer.
"Heh… return, Darkrai."
After recalling Darkrai into the Poké Ball, Jin turned back to see Liko and the others looking at him with curious expressions.
"You’ll get the full story once we’re back on the ship. Anyway… where did that Pokémon go?"
"Huh? Oh, wait… where did it disappear to?"
The group started searching for the turtle-like Pokémon that had once been Liko’s pendant. At that moment, Hatenna, who had been resting in Liko's hood, suddenly moved. It waddled over to a nearby rock and peeked around the other side, only to roll over into Liko's arms as she caught it.
"Hatenna!"
As Liko caught Hatenna, she noticed the turtle-like Pokémon emerge from behind the rock.
---
"........."
Near the entrance of Galar Mine, in one of its tunnels, stood Kabu, the Gym Leader of Motostoke City. He had come to investigate the cause of the cave-in and the mysterious nightmares plaguing the workers, following their request.
"Kabu! We've finished evacuating the injured Pokémon!"
"Thank you. I'll take it from here... hm?"
Just as Kabu was about to continue the investigation on his own, he noticed some familiar faces emerging from the tunnel. It was Jin, Liko, Roy, and Friede, who had hidden the Pokémon that had transformed from the pendant in his jacket.
"Huh?"
"Oh... Kabu!"
After leaving the cave, Jin and the others explained to Kabu what had transpired inside, though they conveniently left out any mention of the Pokémon from the pendant.
"I see... Darkrai and Galarian Moltres. I never imagined something like that could happen in the mines."
Kabu listened intently to their story. Even for a seasoned Trainer like him, hearing names like Darkrai and Galarian Moltres was rare. Naturally, his curiosity was piqued.
"Still, encountering a Legendary Pokémon... It seems your training has paid off."
"Yes!"
"I feel like we're getting closer to Rayquaza."
This marked the second of the Six Heroes they'd encountered. At this rate, perhaps, as Roy suggested, they might one day cross paths with the black Rayquaza again.
"That's great. Next time, let's have an official battle. Jin, I'd love a rematch with you."
"Of course!"
"I'll show you how much stronger I've become!"
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to that day."
As Jin and the others conversed with Kabu, the Pokémon hidden in Friede's jacket began to stir. Noticing this, they hurriedly said their goodbyes to Kabu and started walking away.
"Phew... That was close."
"Will that Pokémon stay out of the pendant from now on?"
"Maybe."
"Yeah, but for now, let's head back to the ship. We'll think about it afterward."
Though mysteries continued to pile up—between the pendant Pokémon, the Six Heroes, and the ancient adventurer Lucius—perhaps they'd uncover some answers when they met Liko's grandmother, Diana. With that hope in mind, Jin and the others made their way back to the ship to journey toward the ancient castle in Galar where Diana awaited them.
Unbeknownst to Jin and his group, they were being watched from the shadows. The figures were none other than Amethio from the Explorers, accompanied by his subordinates Zirc and Onia.
"Are you sure it's alright to just let them go like that? They had such powerful Pokémon..."
"It doesn't matter. That's not our goal."
"But still... that kid caught Darkrai. He was troublesome enough already, and now with Darkrai? We came all the way to Galar, and we’ve got nothing to show for it."
Even now, they were no match for Jin and his team. And if Jin continued to gather even stronger Pokémon, their chances of victory would only grow slimmer.
"We did gain something. You saw it, didn’t you? The pendant... no, the Pokémon with that strange glow."
"That little thing? Isn't it weaker than..."
It wasn’t unreasonable for Zirc and Onia to think that way. From a practical standpoint, both Galarian Moltres and Darkrai appeared to be much stronger Pokémon.
"We’ll track them down. That Pokémon will be ours."
---
And there you have it!
//END
