Timothy, Coovers, and Gwen rode through the mountains leading to Stow-on-Side for the next three days. Timothy, Electchu, and Coovers struggled to drink their water sparingly as Gwen made them ride their bikes until a couple of hours after the sun went down. Coovers constantly whined while Timothy was silent about his misery. At the same time, however, he was quiet because he was thinking of how to use Serena's advice on Gwen.

On the fourth day, the three trainers, Electchu and Winnie, made it to the top of a mountain, where Stow-on-Side resided. They stopped at the town's Pokémon Center to drop off Timothy's Pokémon for a check-up before he went to Stow-on-Side Stadium to schedule a Gym Battle for the next day. By the time Timothy came back, Nurse Joy had already finished checking on his Pokémon. So Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie were waiting outside for Timothy, with Coovers carrying his Pokéballs.

"You got a battle scheduled?" Coovers asked as he handed Timothy's Pokéballs to him.

"Yup. I'm battling Bea first thing in the morning," Timothy replied. "Turns out none of the other Gym Challengers are here because they either quit or already got their fourth badge."

"Ezria among them doubtless." Gwen said with a sullen look.

"Teddi." Winnie grumbled, sharing its partner's contempt.

"Well, look on the bright side guys. We may not have gotten the head start we wanted after Timothy beat Kabu, but Ezria has heard of us taking down Dragapult," Coovers said. "I'm sure both she and, more importantly, Chairman Rose would understand Timothy falling behind because he had to stop a wild Dynamax Pokémon from blocking the train."

"I doubt there's any reason they wouldn't. Especially if we bring up the train leaving without us," Timothy said. "Either way, if I beat Bea on the first try, then we have the rest of the day to catch up with the other Challengers."

"Raichu." Electchu said.

"I sure hope so. I don't know how much longer I can stand being here," Coovers said. "I could do with less climbing going up mountains for the next Gym."

"Well, you're in luck. The next Gym is in a forest called Glimwood Tangle," Gwen said, smirking. "There's no hills, and the forest is so thick that the giant, bioluminescent mushrooms all over the forest are the only light source."

"Which means lots and lots of shade. Sounds divine." Coovers said with a blissful look.

"It does, but the next Gym is at the eastern side of the region, and the only way to get there is to take this way back to Motostoke, which means traveling through these mountains all over again." Gwen said.

Coovers's face fell, and his pupils shrunk to the size of grains of sand. His mouth quivered, and he let out a high-pitched sob. Timothy and Gwen chuckled at Coovers's goofy demeanor. Just then, Coovers's Rotom Phone vibrated, and he took it out only for his eyes to widen in horror as Rotom spoke.

"You have a call from Looker. You have a call from Looker. You have a call from Looker."

"Looker? Why is he calling you so late in the day?" Timothy asked.

"Probably because I haven't given him an update in nearly three weeks," Coovers said. "I got to take this call and make up a story about how I am progressing with my mission."

"Are you sure you can do that on the spot?" Gwen asked.

"Well, if I came up with the plan right away, I should come up with something decent," Coovers said. "I'll see you guys later."

With that, Coovers went back inside the Pokemon Center and answered the call, struggling to be calm as he began talking to Looker. Timothy, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie watched him talk to his superior through the glass door until they heard a low rumble. All eyes turned to Timothy, who chuckled and hugged his stomach.

"I guess it's been several hours since lunch." Gwen said.

Electchu and Winnie chuckled, which made Timothy's cheeks redder. Then, his eyes widened slightly, and he looked through the glass door to see Coovers still on the phone with a forced grin.

"If I ask Gwen to dinner without Coovers, then maybe I can put Serena's suggestions to the test," Timothy thought before turning to Electchu. "But then again, there's no way to spend time with her without Electchu and Winnie. Electchu might get on my case again about my feelings."

Timothy bit his lip and tried to think of a way to put Electchu and Winnie out of the equation, but there was no reasonable way to separate him and the woman he liked from their Pokémon partners. He debated whether to still make a move or wait for another time until he mentally sighed in defeat.

"This might be the only chance I'm going to get," he thought. "Like Serena said, don't wait too long."

With his mind made up, Timothy cleared his throat, and Gwen and the Pokemon turned to him.

"Well, in that case, let's get some dinner," he said with an awkward smile. "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling like going out as opposed to eating at the Pokémon Center's cafeteria."

Electchu tilted its head at the way its partner was making the suggestion. Gwen and Winnie looked at each other, puzzled, making Timothy worry that his move came off as uncomfortable. Luckily, Gwen's stomach rumbled and she flushed, making the Pokémon chuckle again.

"I suppose we could do that," Gwen said. "Are you in the mood for something in particular?"

Timothy hesitated, mentally kicking himself in the head for not thinking that far.

"I don't know. Something very filling, I guess," he said. "Is there anything you're hungry for?"

Gwen scratched her chin in thought as Timothy hoped that asking what she wanted was the right move. Then her face lit up, and she snapped her fingers.

"You know what? I know just the place," she said. "Joses and Tatiana's Spaghetti Place!"

"Teddiursa!" Winnie cheered, bouncing up and down.

"I take it Winnie is a big fan of this restaurant?" Timothy asked.

"All of my Pokémon and I are," Gwen answered. "My mom and I used to go there every time we went to Stow-on-Side. We're such good friends with the owners that they let my Pokémon eat together at his place."

"Wow, sounds like they're nine people," Timothy said. "Is the food excellent?"

"The best," Gwen said without missing a beat. "As far as I'm concerned, you will never have spaghetti as good as Joses and Tatiana's."

"That's quite a claim," Timothy said with a smirk before turning to Electchu. "How about it, pal? Wanna try this place?"

"Raichu," Electchu replied with a smile.

"Alright, my lady. Please lead the way," Timothy said, giving Gwen a bow with one hand behind his back.

Gwen giggled at Timothy's gesture, making him hope that he was on the right track. She then gestured to him and Electchu to follow her, and together the trainers and their Pokémon walked west from the Pokémon Center, passing by numerous food stands on both sides of the main street. Eventually, they were at the western edge of the cliff, where a one-story building had cracks on the wall, and the wooden sign that said "Joses and Tatiana's Spaghetti Place'' was old with the paint starting to fade. Timothy and Electchu looked at the building hesitantly while Gwen and Winnie smirked at their reaction.

"I can tell you two are worried about the quality of the place." she said.

"Oh no. No nothing like that," Timothy said, waving his hands.

Gwen shook her head and said, "It's okay. I know it's not some fancy seafood restaurant, where Ezria and the chairman can show off their wealth by treating everyone to an expensive meal, but I promise what it lacks in appearance, it makes up for with heart."

Timothy paused before he smiled and said, "Well, I would rather have a place to have heart than be a place to show off one's wealth, so I trust you."

Gwen smiled back in appreciation, and Timothy, and Electchu continued to follow her and Winnie inside. The restaurant was softly lit with lights hanging above the tables and booths with Italian-styled lids. A few tables were occupied with families enjoying their meals with their small Pokémon eating bowls of spaghetti on the floor. On the opposite side of the entrance was a tall, wrinkly, tan-skinned man with a grayish-brown goatee and wearing a hat to cover his bald spot wiping down a booth with a black tub of plates and glasses resting on a nearby table. Gwen looked at the old man with a fond smile as she walked over to him.

"Oh, Joses!" she called out.

The tan man stopped wiping, and a cheerful smile appeared on his face as he turned to Gwen.

"My, my, my, I have waited too long to hear that voice again," he said in a low, raspy voice. "Gwendolyn Anna, as I live and breathe."

Gwen chuckled as Jim walked over to meet her and pulled her into a hug. When they parted, Jim noticed Winnie, and his smile grew as he went down on one knee.

"Come on over here, Edwin. Give Ol' Joses a hug," he said.

"Teddiursa!" Winnie chirped as it ran over and jumped into Jim's arms.

Joses let out a hearty chuckle as he held the Little Bear Pokémon. Then he turned to the other side of the restaurant, where there was a woman with dark red hair, who, despite reaching her mid-fifties, only had a few wrinkles to hide that she used to be pretty. She refilled a customer's water with her back facing Timothy, Gwen, Joses, Electchu, and Winnie.

"Hey, Hon, look who it is!" Joses called out.

The woman turned around and covered her mouth to hide a gasp as soon as she saw Gwen. Gwen gave the woman a sad smile as the older woman put her pitcher on the customer's table and rushed over to hug Gwen tightly like a mother who missed her child. Gwen patted the woman's back as she hugged her back. When the woman broke the hug, tears ran down her eyes as she put her hand on Gwen's face.

"You holding up without your mom alright, Sweetie?" He asked.

"One day at a time Tatiana," Gwen replied with a sad smile.

Tatiana returned Gwen's sad smile and pulled her to another hug while Joses patted Gwen's shoulder. Joses and Tatiana then noticed Timothy and Electchu and raised their eyebrows as Tatiana broke her hug again. Timothy and his partner were unsettled with how the old couple looked at them as they walked over to them.

"And who might you be, son?" Joses asked.

"My name's Timothy, and this is my partner Electchu," Timothy replied.

"Raichu," Electchu said.

Joses and Tatiana's eyes widened, and they looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Timothy.

"Timothy as in Timothy Durbin?" Tatiana queried.

Timothy frowned and asked, "Dare I ask how you figured that out?"

"Word's been spreading about you ever since Ezria Markenel talked about you on the news," Joses answered. "That, and you're wearing a shirt that matches her description."

"Of course she went that far," Timothy said with a sigh.

"Yes, well, our Nurse Joy also heard a rumor about someone around your age wearing that kind of shirt and had a Raichu for a partner a while back," Tatiana said. "If you don't mind me asking, did you rescue all those Pokémon and defeat a Dynamax Pokémon in the Wild Area?"

"Well, it was actually the teamwork between me, Gwen, and our other friend, Coovers, who took down the Dragapult, but yes, the stuff about freeing Pokémon from Team Rocket's control is true," Timothy answered.

Joses and Tatiana smiled, and the former grabbed Timothy's hand to give him a firm shake.

"Well, I imagine you get this a lot but thank you for doing that, young man," he said. "I've got friends here in Stow-on-Side, who lost their Pokémon during that fiasco."

"I'm glad they got them back," Timothy said before he gave a look of unease. "On a different note, Gwen tells me you make the best spaghetti."

Joses and Tatiana chuckled, and Tatiana said, "Did she now? I'm afraid she likes to exaggerate when it comes to our food. So did her mother; rest her soul."

"Oh, don't be so modest, you two. You know I mean it," Gwen said. "Is my regular booth available?"

"For you, Gwendolyn, always,"Joses said. "I assume you'd like some space for the rest of your Pokémon."

"Mine and another booth for Timothy's Pokémon," Gwen answered. "And we'll all be having the usual with plenty of garlic bread for everyone."

"Wait, you want my Pokémon to eat their spaghetti too?" Timothy asked.

"Trust me, Timothy. Your Pokémon will thank Joses and Tatiana for it," Gwen said confidently.

"Very well. Let me take you to your booths," Tatiana said with a cheerful smile.

With Joses still holding Winnie, Tatiana led Timothy, Gwen, and Electchu to two booths next to a window, where the sun was beginning to set on the mountains. Joses put Winnie down and moved a few tables to give Gwen room to take out Spoink, Noctowl, Cufant, Mudbray, and Drifloon. Gwen turned to Timothy, and he paused before taking out Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, Blitzwing, and Knightblade.

"So, how do you want to arrange seating?" Timothy asked.

"I'm thinking you and I will sit in the booth my mom and I always use with Electchu and Winnie. Poliwrath, Odyssey, and Shockwave will take the second booth, and the rest will be on the floor." Gwen said.

"Okay, that makes sense," Timothy said.

"Alright, now that's cleared, I'll start making your orders," Tatiana said.

"And I'll get you two some water," Joses said.

"Thank you," Gwen said.

"Yes, thank you," Timothy said.

With that, Joses and Tatiana headed to the kitchen, and Timothy, Gwen, Electchu, Winnie, Poliwrath, Odyssey, and Shockwave sat in the booths while the rest of the Pokémon waited on the floor. Timothy and Electchu sat opposite Gwen and Winnie, while Odyssey and Shockwave sat opposite Poliwrath in the other booth. The Pokémon partook in friendly conversation while Gwen looked at the view of the mountains from the window, and Timothy sat in awkward silence, trying to strike a conversation with her.

"It's a nice view, isn't it?" He said.

"It is," Gwen said, still looking at the view with a fond smile.

Timothy bit his lip and asked, "So...how long have you known about this place?"

Gwen turned to Timothy and gave him a small smile.

"Pretty much forever," she said. "My dad used to take my mom here when they passed by Stow-on-Side back when they were dating. Then when my mom and I traveled together, it became the place we'd always eat at when passing by."

"Wow, this place is special to you," Timothy said.

Gwen turned her head to Winnie, talking with Electchu and lightly petted its head.

"It is special," she said. "You might say it's a bit of home away from Wedgehurst. That and a place northernmost from here that the town is famous for."

"Oh? And what's that?" Timothy asked.

Gwen looked at Timothy and said, "I'll show you after dinner."

"What? Why not tell me now?" Timothy asked.

"Because I want to see how you react when I show it to you," Gwen said smugly.

Timothy grew nervous, feeling as though Gwen was expecting him to say something embarrassing that would amuse her like with the Turffield Geoglyph. Gwen snickered at his reaction, making Timothy more uneasy until he cleared his throat to change the subject.

"So, uh, I heard Joses call Winnie Edwin. Does that mean he and Tatiana are the family friends you were talking about?" He asked.

"They are," Gwen answered. "In fact, Tatiana always puts honey in Winnie's pasta instead of pasta sauce, so I don't have to."

"Well, I can see how this would be Winnie's favorite place when you put it that way," Timothy said.

"Right?" Gwen chortled. "Then again, I suppose that's Teddiursa for you."

"I don't know. I've seen my fair share of Teddiursa in my travels, and I don't think I've seen one that loves honey as much as Winnie does," Timothy said. "Truth be told, I think you spoil that Pokémon a little too much."

"Heh. Yeah, maybe I do," Gwen said. "Speaking of traveling, how many times have you traveled through the Johto region?"

"Pff. Loads of times. Mostly just to compete in the Johto League every year," Timothy said.

"Have you ever passed by a place called Azalea Town?" Gwen asked.

"Of course. That's where I went to get my second Gym Badge. It's a nice place," Timothy said. "Why? Is that your mom's hometown?"

Gwen nodded and said, "She told me about it when I was growing up. My grandparents passed away, so we don't have any family there, but still, I've always wanted to go. It's where the most important person in my life grew up. Plus, I hear it's a peaceful place in the forest where people and Pokémon live harmoniously."

"Yeah, it is," Timothy said. "There's lots of wild Pokémon in the forest surrounding the town. The people are especially fond of Slowpoke."

"Yeah, my mom mentioned something like that," Gwen said with a chuckle. "Have you been to Azalea Town recently?"

Timothy frowned and thought about it for a moment.

"You know, it's been a long time since I passed by," he said. "I haven't much reason to go to Johto after I won the Pokémon League and defeated Lance and the Johto Elite Four."

Gwen frowned in concern and asked, "You mean you don't want to go to Johto ever again?"

"It's not a matter of wanting, it's just that I accomplished my goal there, so I have to focus on the other regions, where I haven't won their Pokémon League and defeated their Elite Four and Champion." Timothy explained. "That's why when my Pokémon are strong enough, I plan to go back to Hoenn and defeat everyone in the Elite Four this time and beat Steven Stone, the Hoenn Champion."

"I see," Gwen said. Her frown deepened as she hesitated to ask her next question. "So, if after we finish our mission, you win the Galar League and defeat Leon, that means you will never come to Galar again?"

Timothy froze in place, realizing what Gwen was getting at. His heart sank as he saw in Gwen's opal eyes that she was worried about what the answer was going to be. The next thing he knew, Electchu, Winnie, and all of the other Pokémon were looking at him, curious what his answer would be. Knightblade, in particular, was worried that its former trainer had not yet developed such a relationship with the man of her dreams that he would never want to leave the region. Timothy bit his lip, brainstorming until he gave the best, honest answer he could think of.

"Well, I wouldn't say never," he answered. "I may not have been here for long, but I can say Galar is unique from any place I've been in. The towns, the cities like Wyndon, Motostoke, and Hammerlocke, not to mention I doubt I'll have seen every Pokémon native to this region or experience everything regarding Pokémon Dynamaxing by the time our journey is over. So, if Leon beats me, I'll be content with needing to come back here, and even if I beat him, I would like to visit."

The table was silent for a moment, with all eyes still on Timothy.

"Do you really mean that?" Gwen asked.

"Of course," Timothy said, adding with a smirk, "After all, it's not like we often get a lot of time to smell the flowers, so to speak, with your schedule and everything."

Gwen's look of concern melted into a disapproving glare, and Timothy winced, thinking he had hit a nerve. Then her glare turned into a smirk, and she said, "That's fair enough, I suppose. Still, there is more to admire here than just the Pokémon. Who knows? You might find something better that will compel you to come back."

"I hope I do," Timothy replied with a smile.

Odyssey and Shockwave looked at each other, Blitzwing tilted its head, and Poliwrath, who was standing up from its seat, looked at him befuddled. Electchu raised its eyebrow as it looked back between Timothy and Gwen, concerned with what its partner meant. Knightblade, on the other hand, resisted the urge to cheer, confident that Timothy was hoping his reason to stay would be Ezria. Timothy himself waited for Gwen to respond until her smirk turned into a warm smile.

"I hope you do too."

Timothy's heart skipped a beat, and his smile grew. He knew there was a strong chance she didn't mean it the way he wanted her to, but he couldn't help but hope. The moment was broken when the trainers and their Pokémon heard Joses and Tatiana walking over to them, each one holding bowls/ plates of spaghetti and two loaves of garlic bread using large trays with both hands. Timothy and Gwen stood up from their seats, but Joses took a step back before they could take the trays.

"Now, now, you two, don't you worry about us," he said. "We've been handling big orders like this before either of you were born."

"Are you sure?" Gwen asked. "I really feel you should let us help you."

"Nonsense," Tatiana claimed. "I poured my heart and soul into this food for you two and your Pokemon, and darn it, if my husband and I don't deliver it all the way to -"

As Tatiana was about to finish her sentence, she tripped on her foot and struggled to keep balance until she fell face forward. Shockwave stood up with its eyes glowing blue and caught Tatiana and the food before they hit the ground. Joses sighed in relief and gave the Embraced Pokémon a grateful look as Shockwave helped Tatiana back on her feet.

"On second thought, maybe we are getting too old for this," Joses said. "That, or Tatiana was born with two left feet."

"Watch it, mister," Tatiana said.

Gwen giggled and shook her head while Timothy patted the older man's back.

"Why don't you let Shockwave take it from here?" he said.

"Yeah, sure, that's fine," Joses said with a wave of his hand.

Timothy gave Shockwave a nod, setting the food down on both tables and in front of the Pokémon sitting on the floor. The Pokémon had pasta sauce with garlic salt on their spaghetti except for Winnie, who had only honey on its food. Shockwave laid a loaf of garlic bread on each table and laid the other two on the floor next to Pokémon bowls. The Gardevoir sat back down and fist-bumped Odyssey, while Joses and Tatiana took the trays from its psychic control.

"Nice work Shockwave," Timothy said.

"Thank you Shockwave," Gwen said.

"Gardevoir." Shockwave replied, pleased with their praise.

Joses and Tatiana gave Shockwave a nod, and the latter said, "Alright, now that that crisis is averted, we'll check on our other customers. Please enjoy."

"Thank you," Timothy and Gwen said at the same time.

All twelve Pokémon made calls of thanks as the old couple walked away. Timothy and Gwen sat back in their seats, and Gwen clasped her hands together.

"Alright, everyone, dig in," she said.

Timothy and the Pokémon nodded before they all began eating. Winnie began stuffing its mouth with pasta with both paws until Gwen gave it a motherly glare that made it eat smaller bites. The rest of Gwen's Pokémon ate regularly, relishing the taste of Joses and Tatiana's food after not eating it in some time. Timothy's Pokémon became lively after their pasta's first few bites, and they began discussing what they thought of it amongst themselves as they ate.

But instead of starting with his spaghetti, Timothy took a slice of garlic bread to start off. As soon as his teeth dug into the bread, he froze in place, taken aback by how soft the bread was and how the butter and garlic salt touched his tongue in a perfect blend. Gwen looked up from her food, and she snickered as she saw Timothy.

"Just like when he first tried my oatmeal. What a goof," she thought.

Timothy remained still for a moment before he finally chewed and swallowed. He stared at his slice in awe as though it had turned into solid gold and then took another slice and held it to Electchu with his free hand.

"Electchu, you gotta try this," Timothy said. His eyes are still on his bread.

Electchu turned from its food and gave Timothy a puzzled look before it took the bread. As soon as it took a bite, stars appeared in its eyes, and let out a squeal covered by the bread in its mouth. Within seconds, the Mouse Pokémon gobbled the rest of the slice of bread and then stared at its paws as if it couldn't believe what it had touched.

"Raichu," Electchu whispered before turning to Timothy with its face lit up. "Rai Rai Rai Rai Raichu!"

"I know. It does taste like how she made it," Timothy said.

"How, who made it?" Gwen asked.

"My Grandma Judy," Timothy answered.

Immediately, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, and Blitzwing stopped eating their pasta, and they turned to their trainer, unsure of what he had said. Gwen, Winnie, Knightblade, Spoink, Noctowl, Cufant, Mudbray, and Drifloon looked at Timothy and his other Pokémon, puzzled as Blitzwing took a slice of garlic bread and put it on top of its food. The Valiant Pokémon stared at the bread before it plucked a piece off and swallowed it. Just like Electchu, stars appeared in its eyes before it swallowed the rest of the slice in one gulp. Blitzwing let out a pleased caw, and said several "Braiv" and "Braviary" to Poliwrath, Odyssey, and Shockwave. Odyssey took a bite of the garlic bread it set next to its bowl and then stared at it in awe before it nodded vigorously.

Before Gwen knew it, Timothy and his Pokémon, apart from Knightblade, grabbed the remaining slices from their respective loaves and stacked them next to their bowls/plates. The six of them ate one slice at a time, slowly chewing each bite to relish the taste. Gwen and Winnie looked at each other, baffled, before the former turned back to Timothy, who was halfway through his first slice.

"So, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you, and your Pokémon like the garlic bread your grandma makes?" Gwen asked.

"Did we ever," Timothy said with his mouth full before swallowing. "Her garlic bread was like this; lots of butter, the right amount of garlic salt, and she cooked the bread just enough so even the crust was very soft. Whenever I came back to Pallet Town from a journey, she would make pasta and garlic bread for dinner for me and all of my Pokémon. All that's missing with two sausages on the side, and this would be as though we're back home."

"Raichu!" Electchu agreed.

"So, none of the garlic bread in any other place in the world compares to your grandma's?" Gwen asked.

"Nope," Timothy said without hesitating. "There are plenty of places that serve good spaghetti and garlic bread in other regions, but nothing came close to how Grandma Judy used to make it until now."

"Wow, so Joses and Tatiana have exceeded your expectations just on the garlic bread alone." Gwen said.

"You better believe they have," Timothy said before looking over Gwen's shoulder to look at his Pokémon at the next booth. "How about you, guys? Would you say it has?"

"Lucar!" Odyssey cheered, holding a slice of garlic bread up in the air.

"Gar!" Shockwave replied, beaming.

"Poliwrath!" Poliwrath shouted, shaking its fists into the air.

"Braviary!" Blitzwing cawed, spreading its wings in joy.

Gwen covered her mouth again to hide another giggle as Timothy's Pokémon expressed their joy. Then her smile faded, and she looked back at Timothy again.

"So, is your grandmother...?" She asked.

Timothy and Electchu stopped eating just as Timothy was about to eat his second slice. He put his bread down and started at the table as he nodded.

"Yeah. It's been almost four years since she passed," he answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Gwen said. "Were you close?"

Timothy and Electchu snickered as though the answer was obvious.

"You could say I was Grandma Judy's favorite grandchild," he said.

Gwen raised her eyebrow and asked, "Did she tell you that you were her favorite?"

"She didn't have to," Timothy replied. "Grandma Judy wasn't the most subtle person who ever lived. She loved all of her grandchildren dearly, but her favoritism for her oldest grandchild was as clear as day. Heck, Serena lived next door to Grandma Judy when she was little. I never met Serena before she and her mom moved to the Kalos region because I was off journeying with my Pokémon. But, Grandma Judy used to babysit Serena and told her enough about me that made it clear which grandchild she was the fondest of."

Gwen chuckled at Timothy's boasting and asked, "What was she like apart from that?"

"Oh, she was loving and caring, but also very snarky and sarcastic," Timothy answered. "She was the kind of mother and grandmother where when you fall off your bike and get hurt, and you come to her for help, and she'll look at you funny and go, 'Well, what did you do that for, ya dumb kid?" Then she'll clean your wound and give you a bandaid. Whenever I returned from a journey, I would tell her about what I did and what kind of Pokémon I met. She didn't understand much of what I said because she understood very little about Pokémon, but she enjoyed seeing me happy with what I did. Not to mention, her lack of knowledge of Pokémon didn't stop her from giving Electchu and Poliwrath the love and care they needed after Trent and Team Rocket tortured them."

Gwen smiled again, admiring how Timothy spoke so fondly about his grandmother. Then her smile faltered again, and she bit her lip before she asked, "How did she go?"

"Pneumonia," Timothy answered. His smile also faded. "During the last year or so of her life, she constantly got sick to the point that visiting the hospital was practically a regular errand. Then one day, I was in the Hoenn region and my family contacted the Pokémon Center I was staying in to tell me the medicine wasn't working. I was getting ready to fly back home so I could be there for Grandma Judy's last moments, but before I left, my family called me again to say that she was already gone. I only got home in time to say goodbye to the body. "

"I'm sorry," Gwen said. "You must miss her a lot..."

"Honestly, Gwen, I miss her about as much as you miss your mom," Timothy said. "Not a day goes by that I wish she lived long enough to see me win two Pokémon Leagues and find out I defeated a Champion. Sure, she told me that she was proud of me no matter what every time I left home to go on another journey, but it's not the same as coming home and her saying she watched me win my final match on TV."

Gwen frowned and glumly stared at her spaghetti, resting her head with her arm.

"I know what you mean," she said. "I want to solve the mystery behind the Darkest Day more than anything, but even if I do it won't be the same without finding the answers with my mom. We would probably come here to celebrate and tell Joses and Tatiana all about our discoveries over dinner."

"Heh. Yeah. Grandma Judy would want to hear everything while my Pokémon and I ate as much of her cooking as we wanted," Timothy said.

Electchu scooted closer to Timothy to put its paw on his back, and Winnie whimpered as it looked glumly at Gwen. They stood in glumness while the rest of the Pokémon ate, oblivious to what was happening. Timothy grew guilty for souring the mood and tried to think of a way to fix it until Gwen suddenly raised her head and clapped her hands together.

"Well, I'm not going to let that bring me down," she declared. "My mom would want me to focus on moving forward rather than dwell on how I want things to be, and I bet Grandma Judy would want you to do that too."

Timothy let out a chuckle and said, "Yeah, if Grandma Judy were here now, she'd be looking at me weird and say, 'Well, what are you moping about for, ya dumb kid?'"

"Exactly," Gwen giggled. "And hey, with Joses and Tatiana's garlic bread tasting just like your grandma's, you have another reason to visit."

Timothy covered his mouth to hide a snicker before he burst out laughing, catching the attention of Joses, Tatiana, and their customers, who looked at him as though he was laughing like a mad person.

"You're right," he said. "I can see it all now. Whenever my Pokémon and I win another Pokemon League, we'll fly to Galar just to eat their spaghetti. If we beat Steven or any other Champion, we'll eat all the garlic bread we want."

"There you go," Gwen said. "And don't forget to call me when you get here so we can celebrate together."

"You got it," Timothy said. "I'll tell you all about my latest victory, and you can tell me about your research."

"Deal," Gwen said. "To making our loved ones proud."

She took a slice of bread from Timothy's stack, and held it out to him. Timothy's smile grew, as he grabbed one side of the bread, and he and Gwen pulled it in half.

"To making our loved ones proud."

**********************************************************************************

By the time Timothy, Gwen, and their Pokemon finished their meal, the sun had begun to set. Timothy, Electchu, Poliwrath, Odyssey, and Shockwave rested against their seats and patted their bellies while Gwen wiped the honey off Winnie's face. The other Pokémon lay on the floor, satisfied, making Joses and Tatiana walk over them as he collected bowls and plates and stacked them on a tray.

"Well, I take it y'all were satisfied with your meals?" Joses asked.

"Oh, did we ever," Timothy sighed. "I can't remember the last time I had food this good eating out."

"Raichu," Electchu said.

"Poli," Poliwrath said as it rotated its body to rest on its side.

"Lucar," Odyssey said.

"Gardevoir," Shockwave said while resting its head on Odyssey's shoulder.

Joses and Tatiana chuckled with their mouths closed, and Tatiana said, "Then I guess we met your expectations."

"Met and exceeded them," Gwen said. "Timothy and his Pokémon were especially fond of your garlic bread."

"We sure did," Timothy said. "You can expect us to come by here again someday."

"Is that a fact?" Joses said, smirking. "Well, then you and your Pokémon are welcome anytime."

"Thanks Joses," Timothy said.

Jim nodded, then turned to Gwen, asking, "I'm guessing you are planning to see the mural now that you've eaten?"

"You know me too well," Gwen replied.

"That's because you're so much like Lettie," Tatiana said. "Anyway, we'll leave you kids to it, but I better see you more often again, Gwendolyn. Ya hear?"

"I promise, Tatiana," Gwen said.

Joses then pointed at Timothy while holding the tray of dishes with one hand and said, "You make sure she keeps that promise, young man."

"You can count on me, mon capitan." Timothy said with a two-finger salute.

"And can I count on you too, Edwin?" Joses asked.

"Teddiursa," Winnie replied with a salute.

Joses nodded again, and he and Tatiana began walking away as he said, "Welp, good night, you two."

"Good night, Joses. Good night, Tatiana," Timothy and Gwen said simultaneously.

"Raichu," Electchu said.

"Teddi," Winnie said.

Timothy, Gwen, and their partners watched the old couple walk away with the dishes until they went into the kitchen. As soon as they were gone, Timothy laid back on his seat again and let out another heavy sigh of bliss.

"I tell you, Gwen, I don't know how to thank you enough for recommending this place," he said.

"It's my pleasure," Gwen said before she looked at the setting sun through the window. "I'm thankful that you suggested we eat out. It really has been too long since I've been here."

"Glad to hear it," Timothy said. "So, what is this mural Joses was talking about?"

Gwen looked at Timothy, smiling again, and said, "That is the northernmost point of town I was talking about. My mother and I would always go there because it's an important part of Galar's history. I'd like you to see it."

Timothy's heart skipped a beat, feeling a sense of hope again from his crush, wanting only him to see something special.

"Then what are we waiting for? We need to walk off dinner anyway," he said as he stood up from his seat.

"Raichu," Electchu agreed, standing up on its seat.

"You mean you and Electchu need to walk off dinner," Gwen remarked as she stood up. "But yes, we should go while the sun hasn't set yet."

With that, Timothy and Gwen returned their Pokémon, excluding Electchu and Winnie, and they exited the restaurant with their partners. The town lights began to flicker as they walked back to the main street and then turned toward Stow-on-Side Stadium.

Timothy glanced at Gwen as he walked beside her and then looked at her hand. His cheeks heated up, and he looked away, mentally rebuking himself for thinking he could hold Gwen's hand. Little did he know that Electchu noticed his bashful demeanor and grew worried about what was getting into its friend.

Timothy, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie took a left turn from Stow-on-Side Stadium up a tall set of stairs leading to the mountain behind the stadium. Standing tall against the mountain wall was a large stone painted in bright colors. Timothy, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie went up the platform in front of the stone, and Timothy and Electchu stared at the painting with puzzled looks. Timothy turned to Gwen, who looked at the mural in predilection as though she were looking at a family heirloom. Gwen noticed Timothy looking at her from the corner of her eye and turned her head to give him a teasing smirk.

"Well, Mr. Observant, what do you see?" She asked.

Timothy bit his lip and carefully looked at the painting, mentally praying he wouldn't say something embarrassing.

"I see... flowers?" He began hesitantly.

"Mmm-hmmm," Gwen said, nodding.

"A sword and a shield..."

"Go on."

Timothy pursed his lips as he studied the top of the mural. He wanted to think of something intelligent to describe it when he was on a roll, but the top part of the painting was so strange he could only come up with one thing.

"And on top is either a blue sun or a sunflower with a blue center that's sort of crossed out?" He guessed.

Gwen burst into giggles, and Timothy's face instantly turned red in embarrassment. Then Gwen put her hand on Timothy's shoulder and said, "Don't worry. No one really knows for sure what that top part is."

Timothy sighed in relief, though his face was still red from Gwen's hand on his shoulder. It took a moment before Gwen realized it and removed her hand with her cheeks turning pink. The two of them looked away from each other with Electchu and Winnie looking at them puzzled, until Timothy cleared his throat to break the silence.

"So, what is it about this mural that's so valuable?" He asked. "I mean, it's pretty and all, but apart from the sword and the shield, I have no idea how this connects to the Darkest Day."

Gwen turned her head back to Timothy with a small smile and said, "You're right. This is said to tell the story of the hero of Galar, but the sword and shield are the only things that connect to the Darkest Day. Believe it or not, though, this actually isn't the original mural."

"Really? What happened to the original mural?" Timothy asked.

"It was lost many years ago, and so this was made as a replica," Gwen said.

"But doesn't that lessen the value behind the replica?" Timothy asked.

"Not at all," Gwen answered. "It may not be the original one, but it is still centuries old and contains more of the mystery behind the phenomenon."

"I see," Timothy said. "So, what theories do you have on how this connects to the story?"

"My mom and I had two theories. One: the blue thing above is the sun and both it and the flowers represent peace and joy after Galar was saved from the rampaging Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon. Two, and this was my mom's theory that might come as a stretch: it wasn't just one person who saved Galar." Gwen said.

"How do you figure? The hero's sword and shield are right there in the painting?" Timothy asked.

"Well, think about it. They are so far apart from each other that the shield is almost on the opposite side of the sword," Gwen said. "With any other ancient findings, they are close together with the hero wielding them, and yet here they are separated from each other with the hero in question nowhere to be found."

"Well, maybe the hero was in the original mural and by misfortune got left out when making the replica," Timothy guessed. "Or perhaps the sword and shield are the focus because they were his tools for saving Galar. Maybe they have magical properties as I suggested in Turrfield, and the people who made the original mural knew it, so they made them the focus."

"I admire that you're sincerely trying to figure it out, Timothy, but there are some serious holes in your theories," Gwen said. "If the hero was in the original mural, do you think the people who made the replica would forget to put him in along with his sword and shield? And even if the sword and shield are magical, how would this painting show that?"

"Uh, perhaps they were used to bring back the sun, thus disrupting the storm and bringing Pokémon back to normal?" Timothy guessed.

Gwen raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms as she asked, "You think the sword and shield contained the power to make the storm disappear so that there were no more Galar Particles for Pokémon to Dynamax, thus saving Galar?"

"Maybe?" Timothy said with a sheepish grin. "It might not be the most outlandish thing when there used to be a jewel that people could use to control Arceus of all Pokémon."

Gwen kept her skeptical look for a moment, making Timothy uneasy. Then she sighed and shook her head before looking up at the mural again.

"Maybe, but I highly doubt that is the case," Gwen said. "Besides, it's more meaningful that the mural is about the end of the Darkest Day."

"Why's that?" Timothy asked.

"Because the flowers and the sun surround the sword and the shield," Gwen explained. "The way my parents looked at it, this place is special because it's the only one that dwells on what happened afterward: peace. People and Pokémon in Galar have been living together happily ever since the region was saved from desolation. Sure, Pokémon still Dynamax in Gym Battles and sometimes in the wild, but no one is in danger because of it. The tools used for violence and desecration are overshadowed by things representing peace and joy. That sums up Galar's past after the Darkest Day, our present, and if we stop the chairman, it will also represent our future. That's what made this place so meaningful to my parents. In fact, my mom loved this mural so much that my father proposed to her here."

Timothy and Electchu looked at Gwen in silence, astonished by her words. Gwen kept her gaze on the mural for half a minute until she snapped out of her trance and chuckled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away," she said.

"No, no, that's okay," Timothy said, waving his hands. "It's amazing that you have such a deep interpretation. You're very expressive. Now that I think about it, would that be where you get your passion for drawing?"

Gwen moved her head back, taken aback by the assumption. Then she looked away, with her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"Well, yes," she said. "The way I look at this mural inspired me to capture ancient mysteries behind our region like the geoglyph or capture a precious moment like seeing the pair of Noibat asleep together. Moments like the Noibat, in particular, are precious to me because they further show the happiness made since the Darkest Day. Full disclosure, that's what makes this place special to me apart from how much it meant to my mom. Does that make sense?"

Timothy smiled and said, "It makes perfect sense, Gwen. I admire your view of Galar as a whole."

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.

"Well, people like Rose may have the right intentions of what is important for your region, but whether he realizes it or not, Rose is more interested in Galar, the place, and he's willing to risk lives to ensure that his idea of Galar is safe," Timothy said. "On the other hand, you value Galar's people and Pokémon, which is more important."

Gwen raised her eyebrow again and asked, "You're not saying this just to flatter me, are you?"

"Gwen, I fought a war against those who wanted to destroy the hopes and dreams of people and Pokémon all over the world, including yours," Timothy pointed out. "If that doesn't prove that I want to preserve your wishes more than Rose's, I don't know what does."

He took Gwen's hand with both hands and held it up as he looked deep into her opal eyes, ignoring the blush on his face.

"And I promise you, Gwen, I will not stop until I see you smiling, knowing that your idea of Galar is safe."

Gwen's cheeks heated up, taken aback by Timothy taking her hand. Winnie's eyes widened in shock, and Electchu looked at Timothy, dumbfounded by his red cheeks and the determination in his eyes. After a moment, Gwen gave Timothy a matter-of-fact smirk.

"You make a lot of promises. You know that?" She asked.

Timothy's eyes widened, and he looked away, chuckling in embarrassment.

"Uh, perhaps I have been getting carried away," he admitted with a bashful grin.

Gwen giggled with her mouth closed and turned Timothy's head to her with her hand on his cheek. Winnie's eyes covered its mouth, and Electchu's ears sprung up in shock as their partners' faces turned redder. Timothy fricassee in place as Gwen smiled sweetly to him.

"I don't mind," she said. "You've been keeping your promises so far, so I trust you to keep this one too."

Timothy stared at her before he bashfully let out incoherent words that made her giggle again. Then he collected himself and smiled back, his heart uplifted by her words. The two of them stared into each other's eyes again until Timothy felt a vibration in his pocket.

"You have a call from Coovers. You have a call from Coovers," Rotom announced.

Timothy sighed and muttered under his breath as he reluctantly let go of Gwen's hand and took out his phone to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, where are you guys?" Coovers ask. "I'm about to grab dinner at the cafeteria."

"We went out to eat, so you can go ahead?" Timothy said.

"Okay but when are you guys coming back?" Coovers asked.

Timothy turned to Gwen and bit his lip before he answered, "We're not too far away, so we'll be back soon."

"Okay, see you then," Coovers said.

"Bye," Timothy said.

He hung up his phone and turned to Gwen.

"Coovers was wondering where we were," Timothy said.

"I see," Gwen said with a hint of disappointment. "You better not keep him waiting."

"You're not coming?" Timothy asked.

"I'll stay here a little longer," Gwen said, turning her body to the mural.

Timothy winced and tried to think of something to bring back the mood. Then he hung his head and began walking down the steps with Electchu walking beside him. He looked back as he walked to see Gwen and Winnie still facing the painting and sighed.

As they walked, Electchu poked Timothy's leg with the tip of its tail, and he turned his head to find it looking at him disapprovingly. The Mouse Pokémon said a set of "Rai," and "Raichus," rebuking its friends and finishing its rant with an accusation. Timothy bit his lip again and looked back at Gwen to ensure he and Electchu were too far away for her to hear them before turning to his partner.

"Okay pal, I admit it," he said. "I like her as more than just a friend."

"Raichu?!" Electchu shouted in alarm. "Chu Rai Churai Raichu?! Chu Rai Rai Raichu!"

"I know I said she's just my friend, and I'm gonna keep it that way," Timothy said. "I didn't lie when I said that, but...well, it just happened."

"Raichu Raichu. Chu Churai Rai Raichu?"

"Uh, well, yeah, I suggested we go to dinner as... Something of a date."

"Chu Rai Raichu?"

"She probably doesn't, but we did grab dinner, get to know more about each other, and she showed me something very special to her. That's gotta count for something, right?"

"Rai... Rai Rai Raichu Rai Rai Raichu."

"Ugh, yeah, I wish Coovers didn't pick that time to call me. Speaking of which, I'm keeping this a secret from Coovers, so I'd appreciate it if it stays that way. I don't want him to get his hopes up, and he starts nagging me about trying to woo Gwen."

"Chu, Rai Churai Raichu?"

Timothy stopped walking and turned his head in the direction where he last saw Gwen and Winnie.

"I don't know, Electchu. I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to do something like this with Gwen again," he said. "Tonight might be the only time I'll have a chance with Coovers not around."

Electchu furrowed its brow as it noticed the look of defeat in its partner's eyes. At this moment, the Mouse Pokémon realized that Timothy sincerely wanted a chance to start something with his traveling companion. That he wanted something other than his lifelong dream. Electchu grew unsettled with its partner having a change of heart. It poked Timothy's leg again to regain his attention and gave him a speech in its language, hoping to divert Timothy from thinking about his crush. When Electchu was done, Timothy looked away in thought before giving his Pokémon a nod.

"You're right, Electchu. I shouldn't dwell on it right now," he said. "We are one badge away from being half done with the Gym Challenge, and catching up with my remaining competitors. As soon as I get my fourth badge, we leave to catch up with Ezria. My feelings for Gwen won't mean anything as long as the Galar region is in danger."

"Raichu," Electchu said with a competitive smirk.

Timothy returned the smirk and said, "Come on. Let's get back to the Pokémon Center and get some training done with Shockwave and Knightblade."

"Raichu!" Electchu cheered.

They began running down the stairs, side by side, as though it were a race. Electchu was running joyfully, feeling as though it had brought Timothy back to his usual self. But even though Timothy was fired up to train his Pokémon, he couldn't quite let go of wanting more between him and Gwen.