The sun was setting on the mountains behind Postwick and Wedgehurst as the train made its way to Wedgehurst station. Timothy and Coovers spent the day and a half ride to the town exchanging stories and discussing various topics in their room to pass the time. When the train stopped, they grabbed their stuff and got out of the train, with Electchu walking beside Timothy. The man in the "H.A.K." shirt stretched as they exited the train station, glad not to be doing anything but sitting on his bed anymore.

"Man, that was a long ride," he said.

"Yeah, better than walking, though. That's for sure," Coovers said, smirking. "It's great that Galar has a train system that connects to every place in the region."

"Raichu," Electchu said.

"That's true," Timothy said. "So, where's Professor Magnolia's lab?"

"Actually, we're meeting her at her house," Coovers answered as he reached into his coat pocket and took out a map. "If I'm reading this correctly, it's on the outskirts of town northeast of here. I called her shortly after buying my train ticket, so she should be expecting me to be there soon."

"Let's not keep her waiting then," Timothy said.

"Raichu," Electchu agreed.

Coovers nodded, and the three of them went north from the train station. They followed the road outside of the town and took a path where they found a two-story house standing by a lake. By this point, the sky was a mixture of orange and purple as the sun was minutes away from fully setting. When Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu were at the front porch, Coovers turned to his comrades, pointing his finger at Timothy.

"Now, remember, this is for my mission," he said.

"Got it," Timothy said.

Coovers smiled in appreciation and turned around to ring the doorbell. The three of them waited until the door opened to reveal Professor Magnolia, who instantly smiled at the sight of Coovers.

"Ah, are you the one sent by Looker?" She asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Officer Coovers at your service," Coovers said as he showed the professor his badge.

Professor Magnolia nodded before noticing Timothy and Electchu from the corner of her eye.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Coovers's companion," Timothy answered. "I'm Timothy from Pallet Town, and this is my partner, Electchu."

"Raichu," Electchu greeted.

Professor Magnolia furrowed her brow and turned back to Coovers.

"I was under the impression you were coming here alone," she said.

"Don't worry, ma'am. Timothy and Electchu are aware of what you've told Looker, and they have helped the International Police in the past," Coovers said.

"Oh? And what has this man done that would warrant letting him into my house?" Professor Magnolia challenged. "How do I know he's not a spy?"

"Timothy aided Looker and me in finding the item Team Rocket used to control Arceus and brainwashed all of the Psychic type Pokémon in the world," Coovers answered. "In fact, he was the one who freed Arceus using a special Pokéball to free all Psychic Pokémon."

"That's a pretty tall claim," Professor Magnolia said, unfazed.

Coovers scratched the back of his head until he got an idea and turned his head to Timothy.

"Do you still have the Master Ball?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure," Timothy replied.

Timothy took off his backpack, unzipped the top, and took out the Master Ball. He pressed the button at the center of the ball, and it expanded from the size of a ping pong ball. Then he handed it to Professor Magnolia. The old professor examined the special ball, adjusting her glasses as she looked.

"Very well. I believe you," Professor Magnolia said as she handed the Master Ball back. "But understand that what I have to say is of the utmost secrecy."

"You don't have to tell me, Professor. I know from experience how important it is to be secretive when it comes to stuff like this," Timothy said. "Besides, Coovers happens to like his job."

Professor Magnolia hummed and opened the door further to let the two men and Electchu in. They followed her to the living room, and Professor Magnolia left for a moment while Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu sat on a sofa. The professor returned a few minutes later with a tea set and three mugs on a tray.

"Do you prefer cream and sugar in your tea?" She asked.

"Both, thanks," Timothy said.

"Just cream will be fine, thank you," Coovers replied.

Professor Magnolia set the tray on the coffee table and poured the tea. After adding the cream and sugar, she handed two of the mugs to Timothy and Coovers before she sat down on a chair beside them. All three adults sipped their tea simultaneously before Coovers put down his mug and cleared his throat.

"Now, let's get down to business," he said. "Looker said what Chairman Rose is up to has to do with an energy crisis in your region, correct?"

Professor Magnolia nodded and took another sip before putting her mug down.

"The chairman's company, Macro Cosmos, and his smaller companies mine for resources that power up cities and towns all over the Galar region," she said. "Unfortunately, with the number of resources his companies are collecting, he has predicted that Galar will eventually face an energy crisis within a thousand years."

Timothy and Coovers looked at each other, and the former asked, "So, this whole thing is about fixing something that might not even be an issue until the next millennia? Seems a little dramatic."

"Chairman Rose is very dedicated to ensuring that Galar's future will be secure," Professor Magnolia explained. "For the past few years, I've been helping him find a solution to this problem, namely by helping his company, Macro Cosmos, acquire a resource unique to our region called Wishing Stars."

"And what are Wishing Stars?" Coovers asked.

"It is a source of what we call Galar Particles that causes Pokémon to Dynamax, a phenomenon where Pokémon can temporarily grow massive in size," Professor Magnolia answered.

"Massive in size?" Timothy questioned. "How massive are we talking about?"

"It varies on the Pokémon," Professor Magnolia answered, "Generally, Pokémon can grow as tall as buildings, though there are some Pokémon that can grow even taller and have different appearances similar to Mega Evolution. We call that Gigantamax."

"Interesting," Timothy said.

"But what does this have to do with this theoretical energy crisis?" Coovers asked.

"Simply put, Chairman Rose believes the incredible energy that Galar Particles contain is the key to unlimited energy, thereby forever ensuring our society will always have power," Professor Magnolia answered.

"Well, that all sounds nice, so what's the issue?" Timothy asked.

The professor's face became stern, and she took another sip of her tea.

"There is another part of the Chairman's equation that might endanger Galar," she said. "He means to harness the power of a Legendary Pokémon he calls Eternatus."

"Eternatus?" Timothy and Coovers asked at the same time.

"It is a Pokémon believed to be connected with the energy behind Wishing Stars. It was originally named the Darkest Day after a legend in our region, but the chairman renamed it Eternatus because of its immense power," Professor Magnolia explained. "Chairman Rose's people captured Eternatus and brought it to his underground facility called the Energy Plant for distributing power throughout the region in the city of Hammerlocke."

"So, he is holding a Pokémon hostage for his plan?" Timothy asked, earning a nod from the Pokémon Professor. "Is he doing any experiments that might seriously hurt the Pokémon?"

"It's worse than that," Professor Magnolia said. "Chairman Rose intends to absorb Galar Particles from Eternatus to power the entire region, but if left uncontained, Eternatus's power can cause Pokémon all over the region to Dynamax. If the chairman completely restores Eternatus and fails to contain it, Pokémon all over our region will Dynamax against their will and run rampant, causing desolation all over the Galar region."

Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu's faces turned serious, understanding the gravity of the matter.

"And that's why you left his project." Coovers said.

Professor Magnolia nodded again.

"I warned him time and time again of the dangers to his plan, but he didn't listen," she said. "After a while, I ended our partnership, but I knew he wouldn't leave it at that since I know too much. He's a powerful man, and I can't get the local authorities to stop him without proof. That's when I decided to contact the International Police for help."

Coovers furrowed his brow and looked down in thought with his hands held up to his mouth clasped together. Professor Magnolia frowned at the way the police officer was reacting to her story.

"You don't believe me." she accused.

"It's not that, Professor," Coovers answered. "I cannot deny that what you're saying sounds extreme considering I am not from your region and so know nothing about you, Chairman Rose, Galar Particles, Eternatus, or anything else regarding Galar beyond what you've said. At the same time, I do not see any reason why you would make up such a story. That's said, we have nothing but your word to go by in terms of whether or not Chairman Rose is doing any of these things you have said, and you just admitted you have no proof."

Timothy frowned at his best friend telling the professor the same thing he said to him the day before. Professor Magnolia closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose.

"So, you're going to do nothing?" She asked.

"I didn't say that," Coovers said. "My orders are to gather all the intel you have for me, share them to Looker, and, if he approves, investigate to find any proof. If I can prove to my superiors that what you said is true, we can take legal action."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Professor Magnolia challenged.

Coovers bit his lip and said, "Well, can you give me the exact location of the Energy Plant? I can sneak my way there."

"Impossible. The Energy Plant is protected by a high-tech security system which includes a pad for scanning people's hands next to the elevator that takes people there," Professor Magnolia rebuked.

Coovers winced, feeling like a child being rebuked by a parent.

"Okay, then what if you pretend you have seen the error of your ways and want to help Chairman Rose with what he's planning with Eternatus, and you need an assistant, meaning me in disguise, to help?" He asked.

Professor Magnolia shook her head and said, "I made my opinion on Chairman Rose's plans excrementally clear before I left. He likely would find it suspicious that I suddenly changed my mind. Besides, he knows my granddaughter is my assistant."

Coovers bit his lip and scratched the back of his head. Timothy squirmed with how things were looking and asked, "Is there any other way you can think of that Coovers might be allowed into the plant?"

"No," Professor Magnolia said plainly. "No one goes into that plant except Chairman Rose and his staff, including his secretary, Oleana, and her niece and nephew, Ezria and Venarge."

"Why are his secretary's niece and nephew allowed in?" Coovers asked.

"They are both powerful trainers and are as passionately supportive about his goal as their aunt is," Professor Magnolia answered. "Chairman Rose is always looking for strong trainers to support like our regional Champion, but no one is as willing to lay down their lives for his project as Ezria and Venarge Markenel. In fact, Chairman Rose hired them to fight any Pokémon who Dynamax or Gigantamax if any of Eternatus' power gets loose."

"Hmm, when you put it that way, it sounds like the only way to get in is if someone is a powerful trainer dedicated to the greater good," Timothy said.

"Or at least his idea of it," Professor Magnolia said.

The living room became silent, with the three adults and Electchu unable to come up with anything. The longer the silence fell, the more it looked that there was no way to help Professor Magnolia. Then suddenly, Coovers's eyes widened, and he gasped loudly.

"That's it!" He shouted, springing out of the sofa.

Professor Magnolia, Timothy, and Electchu nearly jumped out of their skins from Coover's sudden movement.

"What's it?" Timothy asked.

"A skilled trainer dedicated to the greater good," Coovers said enthusiastically.

"I'm not following," Professor Magnolia said.

"Don't you see? All we have to do is trick Chairman Rose into thinking that one of us is a trainer willing to help him with his cause, and he will lead us to the plant," Coovers said before pointing his finger at Timothy. "And we have the perfect trainer for the job right here."

"Coovers, what in the world are you talking about?" Timothy asked.

"Picture this," Coovers began as he got down on one knee beside Timothy. "Chairman Rose cares about the good of Galar, and he only allows skilled trainers who care about that to be anywhere near Eternatus, right? But what if the trainers he has right now won't be enough to make that dream come true? What if he needs one more person to protect Galar from giant, rampaging Pokémon? Enter Timothy Durbin: the Pokémon Trainer who saved Galar before by leading an army of people and Pokémon against Team Rocket and capturing Arceus to free all of the Psychic type Pokémon, including the ones that live right here in Galar. Not to mention has won two Pokémon Leagues, completed the Battle Frontier, and defeated a regional Champion. With all of that to show you are a powerful trainer who will fight for the whole world, who else could this guy look to protect his dream alongside his secretary and her family?"

Professor Magnolia, Electchu, and Timothy stared at the Unovian man as though he spoke like a madman.

"Let me get this straight. You want to use my accomplishments as a trainer and bringing down Team Rocket to get Chairman Rose to trust me to the point of allowing me to go to the place where he's holding a Pokémon that could destroy the region?" Timothy asked.

"Uh-huh," Coovers said, nodding vigorously.

"You do remember I didn't take down Team Rocket single-handedly, right?" Timothy asked. "I co-lead the trainers from Kanto with Lt. Surge and Brandon, and Lance led all the trainers from Johto by himself. Heck, it was Ash and Serena who faced Giovanni and destroyed the Gieldanstone, ensuring that capturing Arceus turned the tide of the battle. Not to mention, catching Arceus with the Master Ball was Electchu's idea."

"Raichu," Electchu said.

"The chairman doesn't need to know that," Coovers pointed out. "Plus, you lead the cavalry that helped you get to Arceus. That was your idea. You also battled Trent and outwitted him when we tried to use your own Pokémon against you."

Timothy hesitated and said, "Granted, but this is still a ridiculous idea."

"That's what you said about recruiting Ash as an ally, and look how well that turned out," Coovers said.

"Er, okay, you got me there," Timothy said. "But how do you propose to do this?"

Coovers stood up and turned his head to Professor Magnolia.

"Professor, is it acceptable for trainers to receive a letter of endorsement from someone outside the region?" He asked.

The Pokémon professor gave Coovers a confused look and said, "As long as it's a person of significance like the head of a big corporation or maybe a Champion."

"Perfect," Coovers said with a wide grin. "So, here's the plan: we contact Lance and ask him to write an endorsement letter for you. Specifically, we want him to write all about the Johto League, Hoenn League, Battle Frontier, losing to Timothy in a match, and every little detail regarding Timothy's part in saving the world from the evil forces of Team Rocket. With that kind of recommendation, Chairman Rose ought to be more than happy to allow a trainer such as yourself to compete in the league and develop an interest in you being a part of his plan. And through winning gym battles, you'll show how valuable you can be to him."

Timothy shook his head and said. "You can't be serious. What am I saying? Of course, you're serious. What do you think Looker will say if he finds out about this?"

Coovers's enthusiasm faltered, and he scratched the back of his head.

"Well, I'm kinda hoping I don't say anything apart from confirming that I'm going to investigate so that he doesn't know that I failed to keep my mission a secret from anybody again," he confessed. "But, I think he'd understand as long as the person I share the information with is you. Besides, deception is essential when you're undercover. As long as we get the proof to nab Chairman Rose, it's justified that we use your accomplishments and skills to give him the old razzle-dazzle. Plus, you get to compete in the Galar League after all."

Timothy hesitated again and said, "That is true, but what if you're wrong and I don't gain Chairman Rose's trust no matter what we do?"

Coovers's confidence weakened again, and he paused before replying with a shrug, "Well, if I'm wrong, then we'll just have to keep an eye on him as best as we can and be ready to take action if things go south."

"This sounds like a risky and convoluted plan." Professor Magnolia said.

"Yeah, well, so was the last mission we did together," Coovers replied before turning back to Timothy. "But, at least with Lance's help, we'll have more control of how we're going to complete our objective as opposed to Scott conveniently offering you to partake in the Battle Frontier, leading us to the Gieldanstone."

"That is also true," Timothy said.

Coovers nodded and turned his head back to Professor Magnolia.

"I know how out there all this sounds, Professor, but frankly, these are the cards you presented to us," he said. "If there's only one shred of hope that I can find evidence to back up your story so that the International Police can stop the chairman, this plan, however outlandish, might be it."

The Pokémon Professor stared at Coovers with a skeptical look in her old eyes. She didn't know whether or not to rebuke the officer or hit him in the head with her cane to bring him to his senses. In the end, however, she couldn't deny that there weren't any other options. She sighed and took another sip of her tea before she stood up and looked at Coovers dead in the eye.

"I'm counting on you, Coovers. Both of you," she said in a warning tone. "I don't know how much time there is left before the chairman attempts to fully revive Eternatus, and I want the people and Pokémon of my region to be protected. If I find it necessary that I request your superiors to send someone else to help me, I'll do it."

"Understood," Coovers said before turning to Timothy and Electchu. "Timothy, Electchu, are you with me?"

Timothy hesitated before he and his partner looked at each other. Electchu said a series of "Rai," "Chu," and 'Raichu's" with a smile, and Timothy sighed before he stood up to face his oldest human friend.

"Alright, Coovers, let's do it," Timothy said. "But you better be right that this is the only way."

"Hey, I don't see any of you coming up with better ideas. Besides, if this works, we can save the day again, and you can achieve more of your dream. It's a win all around," Coovers said.

"Let's hope so," Timothy said. "So, what's our next step?"

Coovers looked at his watch and frowned as he said, "Well, it's past midnight in Johto right about now, so we'll have to call Lance in the morning. Until then, we'll just plan our journey through the Galar League."

"The sooner, the better," Professor Magnolia agreed. "The opening ceremony is two days from now at Motostoke, and you need to be there with your letter of endorsement to compete."

Coovers scratched the back of his head in unease and said, "That doesn't give us much time. How far away is Motostoke from here?"

"It's a three-hour train ride from here. I suggest we use tomorrow to get you gentlemen set up for your journey. You are welcome to spend tonight and tomorrow night here," Professor Magnolia said.

"Thank you, Professor," Timothy said.

"Save your thanks until after you stop the chairman," Professor Magnolia said.

Timothy responded with a nod before he and Coovers sat down to continue drinking their tea. The three adults drank in silence, their minds on the quest, until they heard the sound of someone coming in through the front door.

"Gran?" A female voice called out.

"In the living room, Sonia. We have guests," Professor Magnolia replied.

Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu waited a few seconds before they saw a woman their age carrying grocery bags with both hands. Her outfit consisted of a teal crop top, light blue skinny jeans, and a tan-colored trench coat that hid her slender figure. Her ginger hair was tied to a side ponytail with white heart hair decorations, and she had a pair of sunglasses hanging on her hair. Coovers stared in awe, bewitched by how the woman's aqua eyes looked at him and his friends with a company-loving smile.

"Gentleman, this is my granddaughter," Professor Magnolia said, not noticing how Coovers was behaving.

The ginger-haired woman's smile grew, saying, "Hi, there. Sonia's my name. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Timothy, and this is my partner, Electchu," Timothy greeted.

"Raichu," Electchu greeted.

Coovers sprung up from his seat and said with a flirtatious look, "Coovertimus Thom Woodward at your service, my lady."

Timothy rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose while Coovers waited for a response. But to the Unovian man's surprise, Sonia stood still in shock. Coovers wondered if he came out as too forward until Sonia's eyes lit up like a bonfire. It took a moment before Coovers realized that she was looking in his direction, and his heart skipped a beat when Sonia let out a squeal of joy.

"What a cutie pie!"

She dropped the grocery bags, spread out her arms, and raced toward Coovers. His heart sped up as he thought, "This is it! She's the one! We have instantly fallen in love and are about to spend the rest of our lives together! This is the greatest day of my life!" Coovers spread out his arms, ready for Sonia to jump into them, but the moment vanished when he realized that she had run past him. He stood still for a moment before he turned around to find Sonia caressing Electchu's ears.

"Oh, look at you," she cooed. "What a cutie-woody pie."

"Rai...chu," Electchu groaned, uncomfortable by the woman's affection as she babbled to it as though it were a baby.

"Sonia, behave yourself," Professor Magnolia said.

Sonia broke her gaze on Electchu and turned to Timothy and Coovers with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry," she said.

"It's alright. You just took Electchu by surprise," Timothy said.

Coovers muttered incoherent words as he resisted the urge to cry.

Professor Magnolia shook her head and said, "Timothy and Coovers will be staying with us tonight and tomorrow before they go on a journey."

"Oh, wow. We've never had people stay with us in ages," Sonia said, beaming. "Where are you two from?"

"Electchu and I are from Pallet Town in the Kanto region," Timothy answered.

"Raichu," Electchu said.

Everyone turned to Coovers for his answer, but he was lost in his little world of agony and grief. Timothy rolled his eyes and facepalmed, muttering, "And he was worried about me misbehaving." On the other hand, Sonia looked at Coovers concerned and walked over to him.

"Coovers?" She asked.

Coovers showed no movement to show that he heard her. Sonia became more worried and turned Coovers's head to face her with both hands on his cheeks.

"Coovers, are you alright?" Sonia asked.

It took a second before Coovers's eyes turned to meet Sonia's, and in an instant, his heart raced again, realizing she was looking right at him with her soft hands on his cheeks. His face turned red as he took Sonia's hands, and held them together with another kittenish look.

"How can I not be okay when the heavens have blessed me to live to see this day?" He asked.

"I'm sorry?" Sonia asked in confusion.

"I have seen so many wondrous sights in all my years, but never have I been graced with a woman so angelic as you," Coovers praised.

Sonia stared at Coovers, unsure of how to react to what he said. Timothy groaned with his hand still on his face and then turned to Professor Magnolia to give her an apologetic look. Then he walked over and gently pushed Coovers and Sonia away from each other.

"What Coovers meant to say was that he is from the Unova region," Timothy said.

Coovers glowered at Timothy, while Sonia smiled and said, "Oh, that's nice. Anyway, are you gentlemen hungry?"

At that moment, Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu's stomachs growled simultaneously. The three of them chuckled in embarrassment.

"I guess we haven't eaten in a while now that you mention it," Timothy said.

Sonia's smile brightened, and she said, "Why don't I make some dinner for all of us? I just happened to have brought groceries for some curry."

"Oh, yes! We would love some curry!" Coovers replied enthusiastically.

"All right then. Please sit down, and I'll make up a curry you will never forget," Sonia said before turning to Electchu. "And I'll make sure to put some delicious berries to go with a bowl of Pokemon food for you."

"Raichu," Electchu said happily.

Timothy and Coovers returned to their seats while Sonia picked up her bags and went to the kitchen. As Professor Magnolia went back to her tea and Coovers waited eagerly to try Sonia's cooking, Timothy stroked Electchu, and he began to wonder whether or not he would impress Chairman Rose and his minions.

Author's note: I know in the anime Eternatus isn't captured until sometime after episode 12, "Flash of the Titans" of Pokémon Journeys, but I'm going to ignore this as basically the few things in the anime I'm going to change for the sake of this story, and otherwise stay pretty faithful to the show just like the previous book.