The afternoon sun slanted low through Wyndon's glass towers, catching the polished sheen of the Battle Tower's mirrored walls. From the upper lounge, Leon leaned against the railing, the gleam of his champion's cape dulled by fatigue. Across from him, Raihan lounged in his usual casual defiance of formality, flicking through photos on his Rotom Phone.
"Still no word from Nessa?" Raihan asked, raising a brow. "Thought she'd at least gloat about her new prodigy."
Leon exhaled softly, crossing his arms. "She actually sent a message a bit ago. First Niyah evolved her Togetic into a Togekiss. Niyah has also left Hulbury and is on her way to get her next badge."
Raihan gave a low whistle. "Guess that Shiny Stone has been put to good use after all. Little prodigy has a fully evolved Pokémon before the third gym."
"She's more than that," Leon said. "Not only are her Pokémon progressing abnormally fast, she also has psychic abilities."
That made Raihan sit up straighter, grin fading. "You're serious?"
"I am." Leon rubbed at his temples. "Hop's been different too. No powers but he's carrying the Rusted Shield now. Magnolia confirmed it's genuine, its aura matches the one supposed to be sealed deep in the Slumbering Weald."
Raihan leaned back, arms folding. "Two kids tied to the legends of Galar. What are the odds?"
"Not coincidence," said a new voice. Sonia stepped in, her hair a mess from travel, tablet tucked under one arm. "Professor Magnolia's worried. Those relics don't just choose someone, they respond to something buried deep. Something ancient."
Leon turned toward the window. "If that's true… then both Hop and Niyah are tied to what's waking beneath Galar's roots."
Raihan smirked faintly. "Sounds dramatic, even for you."
"Not dramatic enough," Magnolia's voice came from the holo-screen behind them. Her eyes were sharp despite her age, her tone firm. "The balance between the legends' relics, sword and shield, has been disturbed. The Sword's pulse has grown stronger ever since Niyah arrived."
Sonia added quietly, "And Hop's Shield is starting to resonate in response."
For a moment, the four stood in silence, the hum of the tower's machinery the only sound.
Leon finally broke it. "Then we keep watch. For now, Niyah's under Nessa's care. And I'm keeping watch over Hop. We don't interfere unless something changes."
Raihan stretched, but his usual teasing grin was subdued. "Guess that means you'll be worrying yourself sick while pretending you're not."
"Someone has to."
"Hey, someone doesn't have to," Raihan countered, jabbing a thumb at himself. "If the world's gonna end, might as well let me look cool saving it."
That earned him a small chuckle from Sonia and even Magnolia's lips twitched.
Leon didn't smile, though. His gaze lingered on the horizon, where Hulbury's faint glimmer met the sea. "If they really are connected to the Sword and Shield… I just hope Galar's ready for what's coming."
—
Meanwhile, the rolling plains between Hulbury and Motostoke shimmered under the late morning sun. Niyah crouched low behind a berry stand, eyes narrowed in mock seriousness as Roty, hovered just above her shoulder.
"Operation: Berry Swap, version two point oh," she whispered dramatically.
Mimikyu gave a determined nod, adjusting her disguise like a war cloak. Litwick's flame burned low to avoid attention, and Togekiss circled lazily high above keeping watch. She had calmed with her evolution but still took joy in the occasional mischief.
The vendor turned his back, and in a flash of pink light, one of the Sitrus berries on display floated up, replaced seamlessly by an Oran berry painted to look identical. The switch went unnoticed until a curious Pidove swooped down and pecked the fake, yelping at the taste of paint.
"Abort, abort!" Roty blared in alarm.
Niyah stifled a giggle and darted back into the alley with her team in tow, ducking behind a cart.
When they were safely hidden, she finally laughed, breathless and bright. "Okay, okay, we're getting better at this. That lasted a whole ten seconds before chaos hit."
Litwick's flame flickered proudly. Mimikyu tilted her head as if to ask 'That's improvement?'
"Progress," Niyah said with mock dignity. "Controlled mischief."
Her voice softened as she looked at them. "Besides… we need to stay sharp. You never know what's next."
They had all changed. Mimikyu's movements were cleaner, sharper, her shadow attacks flowed with an eerie rhythm. Litwick's flames burned white at their hottest, his energy far more stable than before. And Togekiss, she moved with grace and focus, her control over Metronome refined into deliberate intent rather than luck.
Each step of their journey was less reckless, more deliberate but still full of laughter, the kind that made the wilds seem less lonely.
—
Later, while resting by a pond, Niyah tossed small stones across the surface. Togekiss floated above the water, wings stirring gentle ripples, while Mimikyu practiced creating decoys of herself in the reflection.
"You guys really got strong," Niyah murmured, tossing another pebble. "Guess I did too."
Litwick hopped onto her knee, his flame crackling softly in agreement.
The breeze shifted, carrying with it a faint hum. The now-familiar blue glyphs of her system interface shimmered before her eyes.
[System Notification: Quest Activated]
Objective: Catch Your 4th Team Member
Reward: 1 Regional Variant Ticket
Penalty: Lost in the Wild Area for a Week
Time Limit: 3 Days
Accept/Decline
Niyah stared at the glowing prompt for a moment, then grinned. "A fourth teammate, huh?"
She accepted without hesitation.
The screen blinked once before fading into mist, and the faint hum of power pulsed through her bag, the same bag that held the Rusted Sword, resonating faintly again.
"Theee days," she mused, stretching. "That's easy. We've got this."
But even as she said it, her mind raced through possibilities. Rock? Water? Maybe Ground. She didn't know what all was available here but the changing environments could probably offer something that could round out her team and sweep the fire gym if necessary.
Roty bobbed near her shoulder. "Btzz, advisory: statistically, most of your captures involve chasing trouble."
"That's the fun part," she said simply.
Her expression grew thoughtful. "If I pull this off… that'll make three tickets."
She ticked them off on her fingers: "One for a Mega Stone… one for a pseudo-legendary… and now, a regional variant."
Her grin turned mischievous. "Three prizes, three chances to shake things up."
Behind her, the wind stirred, rippling the grass and catching Togekiss's wings.
For a fleeting moment, Niyah thought she heard something echo from far away, like the howl of a wolf carried across the fields.
She blinked, then smiled faintly. "Guess the legends are watching too."
Her team gathered close, ready and waiting.
And with the same spark that had lit her journey since the very beginning, Niyah stood, brushed dust off her coat, and said,
"Alright team, let's go find our fourth."
The grass bent under her stride, sunlight flaring behind her like a trail of promise.