nana

---

[The image on the screen is of a Dratini curiously inspecting a colorfully crocheted tube of a roughly similar size. He appears to be on a table in the outdoor seating area of a seaside café in Slateport. The photo has a few question mark stickers stamped around the dragon Pokémon.]

I think he likes it!

[The next image shows the Dratini now entering the tube, followed shortly by another picture of the little serpent wriggling even further in, almost making his way out the other side.]

Almost!

You can do it! Tini-Tini!

[The final image shows Tini-Tini’s nose poking out of the tube, with the rest of his body fully inside. The Pokémon shows no sign of pushing himself the rest of the way through.]

I think he fell asleep…

dad

---

[The video appears to be a section of the lower half of Route 110, given the Cycling Road hanging just above the scene. A low buzzing noise in the background gets increasingly louder, before a green blur flies through the shot from right to left. There’s a moment of quiet until the buzzing and the blur return, this time zooming left to right. This repeats a few more times, as Locke laughs behind the camera.]

“Where are you going?”

[Gon-Gon skids to a stop and faces the camera with dilated pupils. The Flygon is on all fours, and the buzzing picks up again as his wings start to beat once more. A nervous chuckle can be heard before Locke starts to speak again.]

“No. Do not!”

[The buzzing suddenly becomes much higher pitched as Gon-Gon leaps at the camera, knocking both it and Locke to the ground before the video cuts.]

“Look what mom sent us!”

De-De looked up from her seat as Locke deposited the package on the table of the Pokémon Center they were staying at. It was white with a pink, lacy trim wrapping the top and bottom edges. The name of a Kalosian bakery was displayed in large, looping cursive on the sides. Attached to the ribbon holding it closed was a small note:

Dear Locke,

I treated myself at a popular bakery here, and thought to get you a little something too! Green tea is still your favorite right? Eat lots, and give my love to Chiro-Chiro!

Thinking of you always,
Mom

Flipping the top open revealed an assortment of impressively decorated and tasty-looking Poké Puffs inside. De-De immediately dove for the sweets with gluttonous intent, but Locke held the Delibird back with a hand. “Hey, hey, we’re sharing these!” If the penguin got her way they’d all be left with nothing but crumbs and bits of frosting.

Instead, he picked out a single bright green Puff from the bunch, and split it evenly down the middle. The spongey cake broke apart without resistance, and he handed one half to De-De for her to wolf down while he carefully put the rest away to share with everyone else later before digging into his own.

Snip. Snip. Snip.

"Almost done, Locke reassured his Probopass as he trimmed away at her mustache. Probo-Probo said nothing, but her mini-noses circled around them impatiently, trying to inspect her trainer's handiwork.

At last, they final stray hair fell away, and Locke leaned back with a satisfied grin. They held up a mirror to show off the finished product.

One perfectly-preened Probopass, ready for the day!

mom

---

Just caught up on the newest HNN article.
Is everything ok where you are?
Are you safe?
I know you're busy, but please get back as soon as you can!

Locke read over his mother's most recent text, dated yesterday around noon. The cursor flashed mockingly back at him form the blank text box. He should say something, he knows, but…

All good here! :)
Love you
<3

dad

---

hey kiddo been hearing about some big storms your way

Yeah, it's been pretty crazy!
I'm alright though!

talked with some folks who could lend me some cash to get you here
money might be tight but goldenrods safer

You don't have to do that!
I promise I'll be safe
So don't worry about me, OK?

well the offers always there ok?

I know
Love you <3

<3

nana

---

Your grandpa wants to know if you need any supplies sent your way.
Like canned foods or water or toilet paper.

I'm not about to build a bunker!

Well you know how he tends to overreact.
We're all very worried about you right now.

I know
But the League here has a plan to take care of it, so everything's OK!
Please don't worry about me

We're always worried.
We love you.
Please stay safe.

I will
Love you too <3

Subject: Phone Broke

---

Delibirdy_Boy
To: Vermilion_XOXO, seadrawg46, grepagrandma123

Hey! Just letting you guys know that my phone broke, so if you try to text or call me I won't see it until I get a new one!

---

seadrawg46
To: Delibirdy_Boy

no letters, and now no calls? you better send one of these every day, or your mom will get worried

---

grepagrandma123
To: Delibirdy_Boy, Vermilion_XOXO, seadrawg46

I'll let your grandpa know. Be safe and don't stay out too late. Sending you all of our love.

---

Vermilion_XOXO
To: Delibirdy_Boy

Didn't you just replace it? Please be careful! I'll miss your good morning texts! <3

ADD VOLBEAT TO YOUR PARTY?
YES | NO

Locke hummed thoughtfully at the pop-up. Volty-Volty had more support moves and a type advantage against the dark types that roamed the night, but their Minior gave off almost twice as much light...if only they still had-

A notification sound chimed, pulling the courier's attention to the mail icon at the corner of the PC's screen and the little number hovering beside it.

23 unread emails.

The cursor hesitantly moved over the icon as he considered what waited inside; a few newsletters updating him about the oncoming meteor, probably more than a few spam emails trying to sell him something even at the end of the world too, and of course-

He pulled away, unable to bring himself to read any more of his family's concerns-much less continue lying about the region's impending doom. The person behind him in line cleared their throat, and he quickly finished putting together his overnight team.

He would apologize after the meteor was dealt with.

Energy pulses beyond what you detect.
Infinity, Primal, Dynergy.
Life comes in threes.
Dragons, psychics, sources.
It is the fourth that will ruin you.

Locke's pen idly tapped the warning Uxie had given them where it was circled at the top of the page in their notebook. On the screen of the Rustburo library's PC they had narrowed down their search to three tabs:

INFINITY INDUSTRIES: INFINITY ENERGY AND YOU!
PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION OF PRIMAL ENERGY AND ITS PHYSIOLOGIC CONSEQUENCES
HAMMERLOCKE GYM LEADER VS RISING ACE

It was the third tab they were focused on at the moment-a video from a channel called Dynamaxtion that posted and analyzed matches from the Galarian League.

There had been no new videos since before the Darkest Day.

He watched a kaiju-esque Machamp struggle to escape the bind of a massive...fiery centipede? Centiskorch, the announcer provided into his earbuds, as Latias peeked over his shoulder with the dotted eyes of a Blissey. The light suddenly shifted in the corner of Locke's eye, and he shifted his attention in time to see the legendary's disguise shift to that of the Machamp-albiet in its base form.

"Don't do that here!" Locke frantically whispered, glancing around for any onlookers. Latias just flexed, right as the Machamp on screen broke free with a similar pose, much to the crowd's delight.

The courier sighed. The legendary was clearly too restless for him to get any further research done.

"Alright, show-off, just change back and we'll break for lunch, okay?"