When Galvin and Brass came to retrieve Steel the next day they found her curled up in her bed with a smile. For some reason the smile seemed to be incredibly off and slightly creepy. They couldn’t tell why although. Leena explained that Steel left after dinner to challenge the Virdian City gym leader and returned late that night with a badge.

So the boys challenged the gym by themselves at the end of the day both boys had earned their final badge. Unknown to them, and even Steel (who was sleeping her life away at this rate, the parents and guardians were hard at work putting together a party in celebration. When Steel did manage to wake up, she stumbled down the stairs while still dressed in her pjs. She hardly noticed the parents decorating the room and she began to eat a small serving from the rice bowl at the table.

“Thank you for the food.” she yawned and began to eat the food. No one really tried to stop her. After all, once she finished eating she returned to her room and was completely oblivious of the decorations. She did not return downstairs until her mother called for her a few hours later. She was still dressed in her pjs, but far more awake this time around.

“Oh wow! A party!” the girl recklessly slid down the staircase banister and skipped over to the table. “What’s it for?” Leena laughed lightly.

“Its for you and your friend’s dear. You all collected the gym badges!”

“A party for us?! How cool!” At that moment the door opened and the two victors walked into the house, both slightly dirty with chunks of dist and rubble on their clothes. The boys grinned. Steel threw her arms into the air.

“This is great! We can enter the Pokemon League now!” the three preteens let out a shout as family members congratulated them and brought out the dinner. The night was spent laughing and eating to a heart’s content.

When the morning came and the parents arose they found the kids curled up together in a corner, Brass’s head on Galvin’s stomach, using it as a pillow, Steel’s head on his shoulder while one arm went around Steel’s waist and the other draped over Brass’s stomach.

Daisy and Leena got to work cleaning, once the preteens awoke they tried to offer help but it was rejected and they were reminded that the League was accepting participates for only three more days, meaning they had to book it as fast as they could through Victory Road. Brass wheeled his dad home to change for the day as the remaining two rushed off to shower and change. Once properly redressed and stocked on goods the three took off after saying their farewells once more.

The trio was fortunate, with only three days left before registration closes the tunnel was nearly empty. Every trainer knew this was no time for dwaddling and unnecessary battles if they wanted to get out of the cave on time. The trail of Victory Road was a pain in the ass for many trainers, consisting of dead ends, pitfalls and, for whatever reason, puzzles. Galvin, although, masterfully solved the puzzles and lead his friends onward to victory, which took a day and a half.

By three in the afternoon the trio emerged from the cave and rushed to the glorious league building awaiting them. Glass doors slid open to reveal a rather crowded entrance way. Trainers running just about everywhere, to the market for last minute items, to the overworked nurse to heal their pokemon, rooms to trade pokemon and rooms to spar.

Brass pointed out a sign which directed trainers with and without badges where to go to sign up. While this seemed odd, it actually wasn’t, badges were not necessary to join the Pokemon League Tournament contrary to popular belief of new trainers. Badges merely allowed trainers to skip preliminary rounds for proving their strength and head into the quarter finals.

One by one the preteens presented their badges and trainer to an official. With a quick scan the badges were proven to be real and they were registered. Although, all that remained was to wait for the final day of sign ups for the announcement of what to do next. The three registered for a room at the poke center and retreated for the afternoon.

A couple of days passed before sign ups were closed. Trainers eagerly awaited in the various lobbies and facilities for the next bit of information.

“Hello and welcome trainers, I am Lance of the Kanto Elite Four.” Murmurs floated around for a moment. It was rare that anyone of the Elite Four, let alone the leader, would hear or seen so early in a tournament. “I am quite pleased to see so many of you here to enter the 23rd Pokemon League Tournament! With registration closed and all two hundred and thirty entrants present, let it be known the tournament will begin on December 27th, giving all entrants a month to do final preparations and training. Aim for the stars, and maybe you’ll be able to fight the Elite Four and myself!” Just like that the announcement ended and trainers began to quickly disperse.

Steel faced Brass. Now was a perfect opportunity to train their Soul powers, all they had to do was lose Galvin for a while. 

“Galv-”

“I’m going to go off by myself for a while, is that okay?” The two blinked, surprised by such a question. 

“Uh. Sure, if you want…” Galvin smiled.

“Thanks. Take care of yourselves.” With a nod Galvin departed. Steel scratched her head.

“That was surprising…”

“Yeah, I guess. Galvin probably wants to keep his strategy a secret from is since he’ll totally end up fighting one of us.”

“That makes sense.”

“C'mon, let’s blow this popsicle stand.” The two rushed out the building to find a clear spot. Once finding said spot flames and ice engulfed the respective kid and they shot into the sky.

—

Days have passed since then. A castle among the clouds was quickly found by Steel and Brass. With age the castle was not in the finest of conditions but doable for training and living in it for a short periods of time. 

Brass was immediately placed under heavy lifting exercise while Steel went under basic exercises. Despite all they had to focus on their thoughts shifted to Galvin, wondering how he was fairing. 

The Oak boy was casually surfing across waves of Route 10. He was right outside the Power Plant and for a long time this place had bothered him but he would get down to it, one way or another. After all, this place was abandoned and was replaced with a much more efficient plant in Saffron City. So why in the world would he be drawn to it?

Galvin climbed onto dry land, returning his pokemon to its pokeball and approached the door. It was sealed shut but easy to take care of with his Ninetails. The mystical fox pokemon cut a reasonably sized hole in the door with concentrated flames.

Pokemon and trainer climbed through the hole into the darkness. Without command Ninetails created blue flames on her nine tails to illuminate the area. Galvin gratefully pet the pokemon’s head. He took a look around, wall were crumbled, tiles chipped and dust and various debris littered the floor. Many paths winded and lead to dead ends or emptied rooms. Galvin soon came to the final hall of the plant where he found something rather surprising, a Zapdos sleeping in a nest composes of iron and debris. The bird climbed to its talons opened it eyes to gaze upon Galvin.

At long last, the guardian graces me with his presents.

“The… guardian?”

I can feel the power with in you. An intelligent mind charged with a thousand super volts! You are indeed my partner.

“What are you talking about?”

My dear boy you must know of Mewtwo.

“You cannot be saying I am to you as Hilda is to Mewtwo…?”

Ah ha! Correct! the giant bird chuckled. We are being called back into battle to aid Articuno and Moltres.

“Is… is this why I felt a longing? A longing for this place?”

Yes, with danger approaching you were the first to awaken their instincts. You allies were summoned by their own partner sand then had their powers unsealed. They never find their partners, their partners found them. You are the first to find their partner with powers unsealed already.

“I… already broke my seal?” Galvin crossed his arms. If he was partnered with Zapdos he would have thunder element and if his seal was broken he would of shown instances of this power…

“Ah…” the heart monitors… they weren’t shoty. He unknowingly shorted them out. “I really do I have powers.” Zapdos nodded.

It’s good to see you’ve recognized this rather than rejecting them.

“Tell me, what is the role of the guardian? To protect?”

No, the guardian in more of a tacit organizer and information specialist. Now, are you satisfied? If so, present me with your prized possession. Galvin removed Daisy’s necklace and held it up to the pokemon.

“I’m satisfied for now.” A yellow glow and a black cloud engulfed Galvin. When glow and nature resided Galvin found himself in a new set of clothes. A yellow trench coat, pale yellow collared shirt and black ribbon, black suspenders held up yellow slacks and black dress shoes on his feet. His hair was slicked back and suddenly blond with black streaks and his eyes remained its usual green. “Huh. Nice duds.”

Let’s get moving, we shouldn’t keep Articuno and Moltres waiting.

—

Zapdos will be bringing his partner soon, they’re on their way at the moment. Articuno announced over lunch. Moltres snorted and the two humans cheered.

“I wonder who it is.”

“I hope he isn’t a butt.”

“Isn’t a butt huh?” A hand grabbed Steel and Brass’s head to knock them together. “I cant leave either of you two alone! You two always seems to get into trouble and I have to be there to bail the two of you out!”

“Galvin!” Steel gasped. “So you too…?”

“Yeah… surprising to see you both as partners too…” Galvin let out a sigh as he and Zapdos defused. The giant bird made its way over to its friends and Glavin moved closer to his own. “I guess we’re stuck to the end.”

“I guess so.” Steel smiled lightly. Galvin scratched his head.

“I don’t really know how to say this but I’m going to be training for a few days and then I’ve got to leave.”

“Leave? Where do you have to go?” Glavin glanced aside for a moment and then faced his friends once more.

“I’ll have to go find the Rune base and collect information for the impending battle. As the guardian, this is my job.”

“What?!”