Ice-friction was certainly responsible for much of the cave's creation. It was also responsible for much of the cave's destruction. Large swaths had disappeared when Regice had Dynamaxed within the cave, causing massive collapses. Yet small fringes remained, untouched by armageddon.

"It's good training!" His confidence was infectious for someone who had yet to obtain a single Gym Badge. He couldn't even get an audience with Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki . To pass the time, Rex did what Rex did best: grind. "And you need practice, too."

War didn't particularly bother him much. He was at his best when he was fighting, when the blood was rushing through his body and little else mattered but the incoming sensation of defeat and victory.

Even now, the moment triumphed over all. They would be wise to capture it.

"We've gotta keep practicing our technique. Eh, Azumarill?" The blue hydro rabbit's ears waggled in agreement, and Rex laughed. "See? She's amped!"

---

keiko mori
BINGO: CAPTURE

When she spoke, Rex stopped. The world was silence, save for their breathing and the dripping of water through the cave. When Rex took a deep breath, it frosted in the air. Cold. Freezing. Yet it was a chill beyond the absence of heat. It was the chill of being seen through.

He hadn't felt that since the island.

"Damn. I hate when you're right." Rex rubbed his neck and raised an eyebrow, voice casual as he scanned the cave for nooks and crannies. "Either I'm soft or you're better at this than I am. Yeah, I feel it."

Unbeknownst to both of them, there was a man on this island who was keeping Terrakion warm. Eduardo Hisakawa , one of the sheriff's friends. Terrakion typically roamed the wooded areas of the island, but its presence was known to the land. Where a creature of myth walked, the earth heralded its coming.

Those memories could sink into the earth and coalesce. When combined with the outbreak of Tera Crystals, it produced a wildcard.

"...!" Rex's eyes widened. He turned to Keiko and tackled her. "RUN!"

The cave wall exploded, and a mechanical bull rushed out. Its eyes lit up like headlights, blinding the duo. Then, deep from its iron chassis, it let out a bellow.

---

keiko mori
BINGO: WILDCARD

Truthfully, he didn't want to run. When Keiko's Miltank decided that it wanted to tussle with the futuristic Pokémon, Rex wasn't going to complain. This thing looked like a tough cookie, and Rex wanted to test his mettle against it. Besides, his Azumarill trained by lifting boulders, so this was hardly a challenge for her.

What was an ordinary boulder compared to an Iron Boulder, after all?

"Hop to it, Azumarill! Test its durability, and then break it." His eyes widened and his breathing grew deep as Rex locked in. Everything became a pristine picture in his mind. He knew how to defeat this Iron Boulder. He knew where Keiko was, her rate of breathing, and he was especially aware of the stalactites and stalagmites that surrounded them.

A Zubat fluttered away, its wings creating the faintest whisper. He took note of that, as well. On the battlefield, he could have his cake and eat it too.

"Guess we're fighting. Sorry, Keiko." He didn't sound too apologetic as Azumarill snapped off a stalagmite with minimal effort, before throwing it straight at the Iron Boulder in a horrible approximation of catch. The big blue Pokemon loved to play rough, after all.

The Body Slam sent the Iron Boulder stumbling back slightly, and the stalagmite spear shattered against its iron carapace, denting it.

"I go left, you go right. We surround it, and we'll dome it."

---

keiko mori
BINGO: CAKE

He watched her go. She was slightly faster than him. Courier legs, he assumed.

Stalactites began to fall from the ceiling as Rex ran. He dodged one, hissed as one just barely missed his leg, and slid under the third as his Azumarill lunged forward to take advantage of Miltank's attack. As the High Horsepower struck, the Iron Boulder fell under its own weight, crashing to the floor.

More stalactites fell. Rex dodged them all. He couldn't afford to bleed yet. That would ruin the fight. It'd change it from a fight to a game of defensive chess.

"Good hit! Alright, Azumarill..." His eyes gleamed with intent as the Paradox Pokémon fell. "Lift it."

Using the combination of her Huge Power and Superpower, the large iron creature began to lift into the air on remarkably small yet muscular arms. Azumarill's cheeks puffed up in exertion as the Iron Boulder was raised over her head.

"Throw it." She did, and it crashed into a nearby cave wall. Rubble collapsed over it, and the ceiling shook.

---

keiko mori
BINGO: CHANGE

Shaking the cave had been a bad idea. It had stalled the Iron Boulder, but it might've just stalled their capacity to get out of this alive. The cave was shaking and crumbling, and Tera Crystals were shining in a fantastical spectrum. They were beautiful, but he wouldn't let them be the last thing they saw.

If he was going to die, it was going to be during a battle, not after. Keiko didn't deserve it either. She, more than anyone, deserved to live a long and happy life. Which was why her falling made the trainer shout her name.

"KEIKO!" She disappeared into the blackness. Another cave system. Another journey. Another surprise. Another fight. "Shit."

Another chance. He had made her a promise, back on that island. Even if she was in control, even if she knew what to do... He was going to leave her alone in the darkness.

So he jumped, following her into the abyss.

---

keiko mori
BINGO: SURPRISE