The Pokémon journey begins in Galar

"Yo, two Gym Challengers in the wild. I saw you both at the opening ceremony you looked great. By the way, where's Hop?"

Marie and Yuri hadn't been walking long when they ran into Sonia, who seemed to be loitering around for reasons unknown.

"Hop went on ahead," Marie replied.

"Figures," Sonia said, hands on her hips with a knowing look, as if she were sighing over her junior.

"Looks like he just couldn't wait. Probably itching to surpass his brother already."

Marie held back the urge to comment on how dated Sonia sounded just now. Still, she let it slide.

"So, what are you doing out here, Sonia? Headed to Turffield too?"

"Yeah, there are some ruins out that way. I'm going to investigate, maybe dig up something interesting."

As she spoke, Sonia gave Marie a meaningful glance, like she was fishing for information. But Marie was unreadable as ever, not giving anything away.

"See that factory over by the mine?"

Sonia abruptly pointed to a tall facility near the entrance to the Galar Mine. It had two towering smokestacks that made it hard to miss.

"Yeah, what about it?" Yuri asked curiously. Understandably so she'd grown up in Postwick and didn't know much about places outside her home turf.

"That place belongs to Chairman Rose's company. They mine Wishing Stars from the area and convert them into energy. Even your Dynamax Bands came from that process. It's all thanks to his work."

"Whoa, that's amazing!" Yuri blinked, clearly impressed.

Sonia smiled at her enthusiasm.

"Galar's energy industry? Rose basically built it up from the ground. Back then, Dynamax energy wasn't anywhere near as efficient as it is now. And there weren't battles centered around Dynamax either."

"Ohh… wow!" Yuri nodded vaguely. The explanation might've gone a little over her head, but she found it all pretty cool.

"What's with the sudden history lesson?" Marie asked.

"Nothing in particular. Just felt like saying it. Chairman Rose is... well, hard to read sometimes, but he really is incredible."

Sonia's voice carried a strange undertone. Yuri just thought she was being sentimental, but to Marie who understood more it sounded layered.

Still, it wasn't her place to say anything.

"I guess that's true. If Dynamax energy had been something else, maybe Chairman Rose could've achieved even more."

Marie glanced at the Dynamax Band on her wrist as she spoke, drawing surprised looks from the others.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yuri asked.

Marie reached out and adjusted Yuri's hat slightly, answering in her usual calm tone.

"Dynamax has its limits. It can't be used outside of Galar, so it's naturally restricted."

"You really are Piers's sister," Sonia muttered with a wry smile. "You're just as uninterested in Dynamax as he is."

"Actually, we're different. My brother's indifference comes from guilt and frustration, especially because of what happened in Spikemuth. I just… see things differently."

Marie's assessment didn't sound much like how a sister usually spoke of her brother, which made Sonia laugh.

"Better not let Piers hear you say that."

"Of course not. Besides, I'm not planning to take over the Gym just yet. He'll have to hang in there a few more years."

Sonia chuckled, then pulled two Escape Ropes from her bag and handed them over.

"Here, for you both. Meant to give these earlier but forgot."

"Thanks!" they said in unison.

With that, Sonia waved and set off toward Turffield, leaving Route 3 behind.

As Yuri tucked the sleek, high-tech rope into her bag, she glanced at Sonia's retreating figure.

"Do you think she waited here just to give us this?"

"Probably worried we'd get lost in the mine. But even if we did, we could just ask the workers or the Pokémon inside."

Marie gave up trying to figure out the Escape Rope's mechanics. No matter how she looked at it, it just looked like a well-made rope. How was it supposed to lead people out of caves on its own? It all sounded a bit too sci-fi.

They continued their walk. Yuri glanced around eagerly, hoping to find a Vulpix, and asked,

"Say, Marie, do you think you'll become a Gym Leader someday?"

"A Gym Leader, huh… Maybe. But that's a long way off. Before that, I want to travel to other regions."

"Other regions? I've never even thought of that. Ah-ack…"

"Yuri?! What are you what happened?!"

Hearing a thud, Marie spun around, half-expecting an ambush, only to find Yuri flat on her back, covered in fluff, with her butt in the air.

Next to her, a startled little Cottonee froze mid-escape, trembling in place the moment it noticed Barù watching nearby.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt you," Marie said gently as she approached and patted the petals on Cottonee's head.

"Nya~ (Hello, nice to meet you!)" x2

The two Dreepy had been getting more and more in sync lately. Their presence, playful yet calm, seemed to reassure the flustered Pokémon.

"Bleh-ptooey… ugh…" Yuri sputtered as she spat out the cotton stuck in her mouth and tried to brush off the fluff clinging to her hair and clothes.

"Yo… (Are you Trainers?)"

Sensing no hostility, Cottonee gradually relaxed.

"Yeah, we're just passing through. Sorry for scaring you."

"Yo yo… (It's okay. I got nervous, that's all.)"

"Ptooey-what's she saying?" Yuri asked, still fighting with the fluff on her clothes.

Marie handed the Cottonee a bottle of Moomoo Milk from her bag as an apology, then turned to Yuri.

"She forgives you for… face-diving into the grass."

"Ohh… hehehe, sorry about that!" Yuri laughed sheepishly, scratching her head.

"Yo yo! (This is delicious. Thank you!)"

"As long as you like it."

Marie smiled, and Yuri scooted over to gently squeeze the petals atop Cottonee's head.

"Sorry, I thought you were a flower. Didn't mean to scare you. Forgive me, okay?"

"Yo~ (It's alright.)"

Though still a little unused to being touched, Cottonee shifted awkwardly, wriggling away from Yuri's fingers before stepping back and asking shyly,

"Yo… (Can I travel with you?)"

"What did she say?" Yuri asked curiously.

"She forgives you, and… she wants to come along with us."

"Huh?! Really?!"

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NEXT CHAPTER : Even Yi-chan Wants to Be Pampered

(As Marie and Yuri welcome Cottonee into their group, the journey continues with lighthearted training and a surprising peek into Yi-chan's softer side. Beneath her usual stoic demeanor, the Umbreon struggles with guilt over a past accident, but Marie's gentle affection reminds her that she's loved just as she is. Meanwhile, Silky witnesses a rare, heartwarming moment and finds a new motivation: evolve into Gardevoir, so she too can get close to Yi-chan.

Next time: Will Yuri's training pay off and what surprises await in the Galar Mine?)

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