Electchu waited patiently for Timothy by the entrance to the men's room. Several challengers, including Ezria and Venarge, had exited from the men's room and the women's room from the other side of the hall, having changed from their Gym Challenge uniforms to their regular clothes. The Mouse Pokémon was growing uneasy, wondering why its partner was taking so long.

Finally, Timothy emerged from the men's room wearing his H.A.K. shirt and jeans again. He turned to Electchu and smiled as he gestured to it to follow him with his head. Electchu smiled and walked beside him as they headed to the stadium's front entrance.

"Well, that was pretty short. Wasn't it, pal?" Timothy said. "I think we only needed to be there for all three minutes tops."

"Raichu. Chu Rai Rai Raichu" Electchu said.

"Good point. The sooner it's over, the sooner we leave," Timothy said. "Are you excited to collect Gym Badges for the first time in ages?"

"Raichu," Electchu answered with a cute smile.

Timothy smiled back as they made their way to the lobby. They walked to the front entrance, where they could see Coovers and Gwen waiting for them outside through the glass doors. They talked until Coovers noticed Timothy and Electchu walking toward them with a toothy grin. Gwen turned her head to where Coovers was looking and smiled in a way that made Timothy's heart skip a beat. After a moment, the man in the H.A.K. shirt frowned in confusion, having never experienced his heart acting that way before. In his mind, Gwen's smile wasn't different from when he saw other people smile, and yet somehow, the sight of this woman looking at him in a friendly way was comforting.

Suddenly, when Timothy and Electchu were just a few yards away from the doors, four men in black suits and sunglasses stood in front of the entrance from opposite sides. Timothy and Electchu stopped walking, feeling a sense of unease from the way the security men were looking at them.

"Mr. Durbin, come with us, please," one of the men said.

"Is something wrong?" Timothy asked.

"The chairman would like to have a word with you," the man replied.

Timothy and Electchu looked at each other, not knowing whether or not to be nervous about what was going on. Without another word, they silently complied, following two of the men in the opposite direction from the front entrance while the other two walked behind them. Timothy looked behind him to see Coovers and Gwen equally concerned. Timothy and Electchu followed the agents to a hall on the right side of the lobby leading to an elevator. One of the agents opened the elevator with a set of keys, and they went in to go up to one of the middle floors of the stadium. They walked down to a long hall where Oleana was standing in front of a door at the end. The secretary raised her eyebrow as she looked at Timothy.

"I remember you," she said. "You're that trainer who planned to enter the Gym Challenge, not knowing he needed a letter of endorsement."

"Uh, yeah, that's me," Timothy admitted.

"How peculiar," she said before she opened the door. "Inside."

The two men in front of Timothy and Electchu moved away, allowing them to enter. Timothy and Electchu looked at each other again before they silently complied. Inside was an office where Chairman Rose was talking on the phone. His back faced Timothy and Electchu, looking at the glass wall where he could see the battlefield. Oleana closed the door behind Timothy and Electchu, and the chairman turned to the trainer and his Pokemon partner. He wrapped up his phone call and put away his Rotom Phone to give Timothy a friendly smile.

"Welcome," Rose said. "Please, take a seat."

Timothy and Electchu sat down on the chairs facing the chairman's desk. Chairman Rose sat in his chair behind the desk and paused for a moment, looking at Timothy and then at Electchu, before he took out Timothy's letter of endorsement.

"The receptionist showed me your letter of endorsement, Mr. Durbin," he said. "It was a fascinating read, to say the very least."

Timothy and Electchu grew uneasy, wondering if the chairman didn't believe what Lance had written and Timothy would be kicked out of the Gym Challenge.

"I must say, I've read some letters that raised my eyebrow and would discover them to be fakes, and out of all of them, your letter has claimed many things that appear too good to be true," Chairman Rose continued. "Lucky for you; however, I took the liberty of contacting Lance, and he confirmed everything your letter says. Not to mention there are rumors of a man wearing a gray t-shirt with a Raichu as his partner who has done these specific deeds."

Timothy and Electchu mentally sighed in relief and eased up as the chairman spoke again.

"That said, I would be remiss if I didn't say I felt a need to ask," he leaned forward with his arms on his desk. "Is it true that you single-handedly led the trainers and Pokémon Kanto region to fight Team Rocket and captured Arceus itself to free all Psychic type Pokémon?"

"Yes, it is," Timothy said without hesitating.

"And did you really use a special Pokéball to capture Arceus?"

"Yes, I did."

"Do you still have it?"

"I do."

"May I see it?"

Timothy nodded before he opened his backpack and took out the Master Ball. He handed the Pokeball to Chairman Rose, and he examined it with an intrigued smile.

"Interesting," he said. "What does the "M" stand for?"

"Master Ball," Timothy answered.

"Master Ball? And how did you come to possess this particular Pokéball?" Rose asked.

"It was given to me as a reward," Timothy answered. "I had recently completed this thing called the Battle Frontier in my home region, and I was awarded the Master Ball for my rare accomplishment."

"Rare accomplishment, you say?" The chairman asked. "And what makes the Master Ball so special?"

"From what I have been told, you can use it to capture any Pokémon without needing to battle it." Timothy explained.

"I see. So, that made it very handy to free Arceus and all the Psychic type Pokémon," Rose said.

"Correct," Timothy answered.

The chairman smiled and said, "Well, on behalf of the people and Pokémon of Galar, I would like to express my utmost thanks for your deeds. We owe you a debt that can never be repaid."

"I appreciate that, sir," Timothy said.

"Speaking of which, may I ask what brings you to Galar?" The chairman asked.

"It's my dream to win every Pokémon League and defeat every Elite Four and Champion," Timothy said. "I recently won the Hoenn League but lost to the last member of the Hoenn Elite Four. He recommended that I partake in the Galar League, so I am pursuing more of my dream by competing in the Pokémon League here."

"That is quite the dream," Chairman Rose said with a smile. "We do not have an Elite Four here, but you will never experience anything like the Gym Challenge anywhere else, and our Champion is unbeatable."

"Funny, that's what people said about Lance, and yet he confessed to you that I beat him in battle in that letter you are holding," Timothy said with a smirk.

Chairman Rose let out a hearty laugh, throwing his head back.

"Well said, young man. Well said," he chortled before his gaze turned to Timothy's wrist. "Ah, you have a Dynamax Band."

"Indeed, I do," Timothy said.

"Pray tell, where did you get it?" The chairman queried.

Timothy and Electchu became uneasy once again. The thought had not occurred to Timothy that the chairman might ask where he got his Dynamax Band. He struggled to keep his cool as he tried to come up with a lie to hide that he got his band from Professor Magnolia.

"It was given to me by an admirer," he answered.

"An admirer? Who?" Rose asked.

"A woman named Judy," Timothy fibbed. "She was this tall woman with honey blonde hair who recognized me at the Pokémon Center I was staying at when I arrived at Galar. When Judy found out that I wanted to compete in the Galar League, she gave it to me as a way of thanking me. It turns out that she has a...Bronzong, who was captured by Team Rocket, and she is very thankful to have it back."

"Is that so?" Chairman Rose queried. "Well, you are most fortunate to come by that device. You will find using Dynamax Bands essential when partaking in the Gym Challenge."

"So I've been told," Timothy said.

The chairman nodded, and then his eyes widened as he said, "Oh, speaking of which, I have a dear friend who is also a huge admirer of yours."

"Really?" Timothy asked. "Who would that be?"

"My secretary's niece, Ezria," the chairman answered. "She has heard a lot about what you did to stop that horrible crime organization and has been wanting to meet you. She and her brother are also in the Gym Challenge. Had I known you're competing too ahead of time, I would have introduced her to you before she left for the first gym."

"That's a shame," Timothy said politely. "Though, if she's also partaking in the Gym Challenge, maybe I will cross paths with her."

"I certainly hope so," Chairman Rose said. "I can confidently say that it would mean a lot to her if she can properly meet you."

"I'm sure it would," Timothy said. He gave the chairman a friendly smile until he glanced at a clock hanging on the wall and cleared his throat. "Well, I hate to cut our discussion short, but my companions and I are trying to make a head start on the first Gym Battle."

"Oh, please, don't need to worry about it. I am sure you are dying to partake in your first gym battle as soon as possible." Chairman Rose said.

"I sure am,'' Timothy said as he and Electchu stood up from their seats. "Plus, if I leave now, I might be able to bump into Ezria sooner."

The chairman smiled as he stood up and escorted Timothy and Electchu to the door.

"That would be wonderful," he said as he opened the door. "Good luck, Mr. Durbin. I hope to see you do great things at the Gym Challenge."

"You can count on me," Timothy said. "And please, call me Timothy."

The chairman reacted with a warm smile, thinking Timothy said it as a sincere sign of friendship. He offered his hand and said, "Very well then. Call me Rose."

Timothy smiled back and firmly shook the Chairman's hand. Rose turned to Oleana, who was standing at the other side of the door with the four agents.

"Oleana, please escort our friend, Timothy, and his Pokémon partner to the front entrance," he ordered. "He and his friends are eager to begin their journey."

"At once, sir," Oleana said before turning to Timothy. "Please come with me."

Timothy nodded and followed Oleana and the agents back to the elevator with Electchu walking behind him. Chairman Rose watched them get in the elevator before he closed his office door. He walked back to his desk and stared at the field outside with an amused smirk.

"This is going to be an interesting year," he said.

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

Coovers was pacing while Gwen stood next to her Rotom bike with Winnie. The Unovian man was growing uneasy over how long Timothy was taking to come back. Finally, the front doors slid open to reveal Timothy and Electchu, and Coovers walked over to them.

"So? What happened?" He demanded.

"They took me to see Chairman Rose," Timothy answered.

"And?" Gwen asked.

"And it looks like we have a head start in getting his trust," Timothy said with a smile.

"Really?" Coovers asked.

"Really," Timothy said. "He called Lance to make sure that I'm legit, and I showed him the Master Ball to prove that I caught Arceus. The chairman said he expects great things from me at the Gym Challenge."

"Awesome!" Coovers shouted, holding his fist up in the air. "Our plan is further in motion already!"

"Looks like it," Gwen said with a smile. "I hope you two will be able to stop him."

Timothy turned to Gwen and got tongue-tied for a moment, unsure how to respond. His lack of response made Coovers smirk until the man in the "H.A.K.." shirt remembered something.

"Oh, right, it looks like there is another way we can earn the Chairman's trust," he said. "Apparently, Oleana's niece is an admirer of what I did to stop Team Rocket and is also competing in the Gym Challenge. So, it sounds like if I befriend her along with the chairman, then we may as well have secured our chance of him taking us to Eternatus."

"Wow! Everything is going so well! It's almost too good to be true!" Coovers cheered.

"No kidding," Timothy said. "Speaking of which, when the chairman asked how I got my Dynamax Band, I made up a story of an admirer here in Galar named Judy giving it to me as appreciation for saving her Bronzong from Team Rocket. So, if the chairman or any of his people ask how I got the band, that's our story."

"A made-up woman named after Grandma Judy. Got it," Coovers said.

"Understood," Gwen said. "Now, let's hit the road already, we should have left twenty minutes ago, and I do not want us to be behind schedule."

"Schedule?" Timothy asked.

"Yes. I must make sure we go through this journey as quickly and efficiently as possible," Gwen said. "With this delay, we will need to ride for an extra twenty minutes before camping for the night."

"Teddiursa," Winnie said in agreement.

Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu looked at each other before Timothy said, "Well, um, good to know you're that determined for us to go through the Gym Challenge quickly."

"It comes with me having you as your guide," Gwen said. "Now, let's move on before I make it twenty-one minutes."

Timothy and Coovers looked at each other again, feeling uneasy about how much their traveling companion would take things with her schedule. They took out their Rotom Phones, saying, "Rotom, bike mode," and they changed into bikes. The two men got on their bikes, with Electchu getting on Timothy's bike. Gwen smirked before she got on her bike, and Winnie hopped onto her shoulder.

"Right. Onward to Turffield and to saving Galar!" She shouted like a general ordering his soldiers to march.

"Teddiursa!" Winnie shouted.

Timothy and Coovers hesitated before awkwardly holding their fists in the air and simultaneously said, "To Turffield and to saving Galar."

"Raichu," Electchu said half-heartedly as Timothy, Coovers, and Gwen began riding their way out of Motostoke, with Gwen taking the lead.

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

It was late at night, and Ezria had pinched her tent for the first night of the Gym Challenge. She was cooking a pot of stew over a fire and sipping tea from her thermos. Occasionally, she would stir her stew and otherwise stare at the stars, her mind on the Gym Challenge. She spent the entire bike ride from Motostoke thinking about how she would face every gym leader.

Suddenly, she heard her Rotom Phone ringing from her dress pocket

"Call from Uncle Rose. Call from Uncle Rose," Rotom announced.

Ezria smiled, figuring the chairman wanted a nice conversation with his favorite twin. She took out her phone and accepted the call before holding it up to her ear.

"Hello, Uncle Rose," she greeted.

"Ezria, how are you?" Chairman Rose greeted cheerfully. "I hope I haven't called you at a bad time."

"Of course not, Uncle. I'm merely cooking dinner before going to bed," Ezria said. "And even if I'm not, I will always make time for you."

The chairman let out a hearty chuckle and said, "You are too kind, my dear. All the same, I thought it would be better to call you now than while you are riding your bike. I know you want to make it to Turffield before Venarge does."

Ezria chuckled with her mouth closed and said, "Well, you're not wrong."

"And besides, I'm calling to tell you something about one of your fellow Gym Challengers," Chairman Rose said.

Ezria frowned and said, "I hope it isn't one of my fans, Uncle. I know all of them, and I assure you they couldn't make themselves interesting in a thousand years."

Rose chuckled again and said, "Don't worry, my child. It's not one of your fans. Though, I imagine you will wish he is your fan when I tell you who he is."

Ezria raised her eyebrow and asked, "Indeed? And who might that be?"

"The man of your dreams from Kanto," Chairman Rose answered.

Ezria's eyes widened, and she sprung up to a standing position, knocking down her thermos and spilling her tea.

"W-what did you say?"

"You heard me," the chairman replied. "The gallant trainer you spoke of, who led the attack on Team Rocket and saved all Psychic type Pokémon, is here in Galar and is partaking in the Gym Challenge."

Ezria covered her mouth to cover a gasp and took several steps back.

"Are you sure, Uncle?" She asked. "Do you know for a fact that it's him and not an impostor?"

"I checked to make absolutely sure," Chairman Rose assured. "The Motostoke Stadium receptionist came to me with his endorsement letter right before the opening ceremony. Lance, the bi-regional Champion himself, wrote the letter saying that he did everything you told me. I called Lance to make sure and had him brought to me so I could meet him. His Pokémon partner is a Raichu, just like you said, and he confirmed that he did all those things to save the world. He even showed me the special Pokéball he used to capture Arceus."

Ezria went silent for a moment before she shook her head.

"I don't believe this," she said. "You're telling me that the man of my dreams was at the opening ceremonies? He was right there on the field with me?"

"Yes, child," Rose replied.

The raspberry-haired woman's heart raced, and she squealed in excitement.

"Please, tell me his name," she said.

"His name is Timothy," Chairman Rose answered. "He wears a gray shirt with a white 'H,' a purple 'A,' and a black 'K,' and he's wearing a number seven uniform for the challenge."

"Gray shirt with a white 'H,' a purple 'A,' and a black 'K,' and wearing a number seven uniform for the challenge," Ezria repeated before she squealed again. "Oh, boy. I want to meet him right away!"

"I thought you might say that," Chairman Rose said. "I kept him and his companions from leaving for Turffield right after the ceremony, so perhaps you should stay there a little while until he arrives."

"Yes, that's a wonderful idea," Ezria said. "I can watch his first Gym Battle, and then we will have our battle to determine whether or not I will pursue him."

"And thus entrust him with Aegislash, correct?" The chairman asked.

"Yes, and give him Aegislash," Ezria confirmed. "Oh, Uncle Rose, this is wonderful news. Thank you so much for telling me."

"It's my pleasure, Ezria," Chairman Rose said. "I wish you the best of luck."

Ezria smiled as though she were looking at the chairman until she noticed her stew bubbling.

"Oh, dear. I'll have to talk to you later, Uncle Rose. My dinner needs attending to," she said.

"No worries. I shall not keep you any longer," the chairman said. "Good night, Ezria."

"Good night, Uncle Rose," Ezria said.

The raspberry-haired woman hung up the phone, and she quickly stirred up her stew before it began bubbling over the edge of the pot. After the food settled, she sat back down and hugged her legs. A cheerful smile was plastered on her face as she looked up at the starry sky and let out a blissful sigh.

"Timothy," she said softly. "Oh, I can't wait to meet you."

She stirred her stew as she looked at the sky until she got an idea and looked back down, smirking.

"On the other hand, this seems too good to be true," she said. "The man of my dreams is here in Galar partaking in the Gym Challenge with a letter of endorsement from Lance, the bi-regional Champion, who he has beaten in battle? It's almost as if fate is giving him to me on a golden platter the size of a Steelix. If Timothy is who I'm looking for, I should test him with a trainer almost as powerful as me before I find him and challenge him. And I know just who to turn to."

Ezria took out her phone again and said, "Rotom, call Venarge."

"Calling Venarge," Rotom replied in a low masculine voice.

The raspberry-haired woman held her phone up and waited until she heard Venarge's voice.

"What do you want, Ezria?" He asked in a groggy voice. "I'm trying to get some sleep here."

"So sorry, dear brother, but I was hoping you could do me a favor," Ezria replied.

"And why would I do a favor for my biggest rival?" Venarge challenged.

"Because what I have in mind involves taking care of some of the competition and testing someone who might become very special to me." Ezria replied with a grin.