I was sitting across from Cynthia as we were enjoying some lunch in the resort.

She let out a content sigh and smiled at me.

Cynthia:"The food is amazing here in Alola."

"Tell me about it."

Cynthia:"But it's even better when you get to eat with someone you love."

She reached out and held my hand. She rubbed my knuckles as I smiled brightly at her.

"Heh, it really does."

With Selene

She entered the castle and even Lusamine's room was changed.

Lillie:"Not even this room! I had so many memories in this room... I want to check out the rest of the mansion, but the door behind the mirror won't open... Let's go back to the entrance and see if we can find another way."

They exited the room when two RR grunts showed up and were getting ready to battle them. But at that moment, an unexpected ally showed up.

?:"Hey, you punks!"

It was Guzma who had used red spray paint to paint an X over his old team logo.

Lillie""M-Mr. Guzma?!"

Guzma:"The hated boss who beats you down, and beats you down, and never let's up... Yeah. Big bad Guzma is here!"

Grunt 1:"Hey, I know you... You're the boss of that pathetic group that got disbanded; Team Skull! I wouldn't expect much from just an Alolan thug."

Grunt 2:"No vision, no ideals... What does such a worthless punk want at Team Rocket's Castle?"

Guzma:"Heh... I gotta admit... You got me all figured out! I got nothin'.... Not even my team anymore. I'm just another regular nobody... But! I still got things I can't let go... Things ain't nobody gonna mess with! And guess what? You punks just messed with one of those things! I can't let that slide..."

The grunts scoffed and readied their Poke Balls.

Guzma:"Hey, Selene! Gimme a hand here!"

She nodded and got ready to help him battle the RR grunts. They were easily dispatched and ran into different rooms.

Lillie:"Thank you for helping us, Mr. Guzma!"

Guzma:"I just beat down the goons who were gettin' on my nerves, that's all. Now, what're you standin' around for? You got a score to settle, too, don't you?!"

Lillie:"Yes, we do! Selene, if you need healing then I'll be in the room in the back."

"Thanks Lillie!"

Selene ran to the room on the left and battled grunts and traversed by warp panels to finally reach a door. She opened it up and on the other side was a man with a blue bandana tied around his head.

?:"Hm, what's this? You defeated the Team RR goons, did you now? Well, that's a shame. They weren't my real crew, but they were still mine for the moment."

Archie:"...The name's Archie. I'll the leader of Team Aqua. Just when I completed my great plan, I got swallowed up by a great wave... And when I came 'round, I was in this world. The boss of Team RR was kind enough to let me use this room as my own. I've been tryin' to figure out a way to get back to my own home. And I do want to go back eventually, but I find myself thinkin'...maybe I should make this world more like my ideal while I'm here anyway!"

Selene: What does he mean?

Archie:"I've got the Sea Basin Pokemon, Kyogre... With its power to control the rains, I'll call down a great deluge to wash away this world's land! All life is born from the sea! If we help the ocean expand, we're creating the cradle for future life to grow and thrive! The best possible future for both people and Pokemon, don't you think?!"

Selene:"Wash away the land?! Not on my watch! I'm not even sure that makes any sense."

Archie:"Oh? So you want to get in my way just like that buffoon from Team Magma. Well then, you little scamp... It's the rope's end for you and your Pokemon!"

He started off with a Mightyena and she sent out her Ninetails.

Selene:"Dazzling Gleam!"

Ninetails shot blasts of sparkles that took down the dark type. He sent out a Muk next so she used her Raichu to counter it. She used one Psychic as Muk missed its attack.

Selene:"Use another Psychic!"

At the last minute, Archie switched out to a Sharpedo that was unaffected by the attack.

Archie:"Night Slash!"

Sharpedo dashed and crashed straight into Raichu and dealt major damage, but friendship prevailed and it hung on.

Selene:"Thunderbolt!"

Raichu attacked and took it down. She switched out and sent out her Lycanroc as he sent out a Crobat.

Archie:"Dark Pulse!"

Crobat attacked and Lycanroc hit back with Rock Slide. It took several turns since he healed his Crobat and Rock Slide just barely missed out and knocking it out. It was all fine in the end as she took it down and then his Muk. Finally, he sent out the legendary Pokemon Kyogre.

Selene:"Thunderbolt!"

Raichu attacked and Kyogre took major damage, but it had half of its HP.

Archie:"Hydro Pump!"

Kyogre shot a stream of powerful water and Raichu took the attack and managed to tough it out so Selene wouldn't feel sad.

Selene:"Thank you Raichu. Finish it with Thunderbolt!"

With one last jolt of electricity, Archie was defeated at the hands of Selene.

Archie:"Well, would you look at that! I control the ocean and all its power, and yet here I am, beaten by a little tyke! Alright, alright... You've made your point. I can see you're not one to be trifled with. If you want to get farther into Team Rocket's Castle, though, you'd better have checked out the pictures hanging on the walls. The red one, and the blue one, too. It makes me wonder... If there was a trainer like you back in my old world, would I have ever been able to pull off my great dream?"

Selene just walked past him and pressed a button on the side of the painting. It activated a warp panel that took her back to the entrance and she went to the room on the right next. She had to follow the pattern of light panels as RR grunts distracted her.

Selene entered the room and standing there was a man in black and red.

?:"Here I thought it was that obnoxious Faba, coming to pester me again, but... All this ruckus was caused by a child?"

He scowled at her as she narrowed her eyes.

Maxie:"I am Team Magma's Maxie. I had finally realized my grand design, only to be swallowed by a great fissure that appeared beneath me... When I awoke, I was in this world. I'm enjoying this experience so far, though. The knowledge in this world is...fascinating. I do intend to return to my own world eventually, but first... I have decided to bring my grand design to this world, as well! I will use the magma-controlling power of the Contient Pokemon Groudon to shrink the oceans and create more glorious landmass!"

Selene:"Why would you do that?"

Maxie:"With more dry land to live on, the creatures of the land will no longer have to fight for territory! This is the ideal world for people and Pokemon! A world without conflict! Don't you agree?"

Selene:"No way! Besides, that plan seems awful!"

Maxie:"You are just like that fool from Team Aqua. I can't allow an ignorant child like you to get in our way. I, Maxie, will show you the consequences of meddling!"

He started off with a Mightyena so she used her Ninetails. He sent out a Camerupt next so she sent out Lycanroc.

Selene:"Use Drill Run!"

Lycanroc spun in a spiral and crashed into Camerupt and dealt more than half its health.

Maxie:"Use Earthquake!"

Camerupt harshly stomped on the ground and caused it to shake as debris flew up and hurt Lycanroc. It fainted and she switched out to Ninetails again.

Selene:"Ice Beam!"

Ninetails finished off the large beast and it went down. He sent in a Crobat next.

Maxie:"Poison it with Toxic!"

Crobat spread toxic liquid on Ninetails and caused it to get badly poisoned.

Selene:"Ice Beam again!"

Ninetails shot a frigid blast of ice that eliminated the Crobat. It took damage from the poison and she switched out to her Raichu as he sent in a Weezing.

Selene:"Use Psychic!"

Raichu used its psychic powers to grab a hold of Weezing and slam it repeatedly against the ceiling and floor. This knocked it out easily. Maxie growled and sent out his Groudon.

Selene:"Go! Ninetails!"

She sent out her Pokemon as it glanced at the red behemoth in front of it.

Selene:"Ice Beam!"

Ninetails used its full power to deliver a powerful beam attack that made Groudon faint in one hit.

Maxie:"So you defeated the master of the land, the great Maxie! Still, I wonder... What makes you so adept at handling Pokemon? There has to be some reason I was defeated... That's what you're trying to say, aren't you?"

Selene:"Well... I mean..."

Maxie:"Hmph... You think I didn't know that? This isn't my own world, after all. If you truly wish to continue farther into Team Rocket's Castle, there are two paintings that you will need to examine. One red, and the other blue. I have my noble cause! To expand the landmass, for the advancement of humankind and Pokemon! This is where we part!"

Once she pushed the button behind the painting a loud thud was heard in the main room where Guzma was. Two RR grunts rushed out from some stairs that were once blocked off by iron bars and charged at him.

Selene used the warp panel to get back and watched as Guzma held off the grunts with his hands.

Guzma:"Hey! You found the prez yet?"

Selene:"Not yet!"

Guzma:"Ugh! C'mon, you grunts! Tell me where the prez is, or else!"

Grunt: *pant pant* "We're not going to...tell you anything!"

Grunt:"Even if we did, you wouldn't be able to reach her, anyway! *gasp gasp* I...I can't breathe if you cover my face like that!"

Guzma kept pushing his hands farther into their face and squeezing them.

Grunt: *wheeze wheeze* "He's right! If you want to get past the mirror, you'll need to get to the second floor, find the card key, and activate the switch! You'll never be able to do it!"

The other grunt began laughing then started gasping for air.

Guzma:"...I might not be one to talk, but these dudes are stupid!"

Maxie then showed up in the main room.

Maxie:"Oh, you're still wandering around here?"

Archie showed up as well.

Archie:"You better hurry, little tyke, or what you're lookin' for will be gone forever!"

Guzma:"Who are you two weirdos? And whaddya mean, gone forever?!"

Maxie and Archie then spotted each other and gasped and pointed at each other like that one Galvantula Man meme.

Maxie:"Well, if it isn't the big buffoon himself, Archie!"

Archie:"Hey, careful who you call names, Maxie! I seem to recall you cowering in defeat in front of me!"

Maxie:"Hmph, such nonsense. No matter what world we're in, I would never lose to the likes of you."

They were steadily getting closer to each other with tick marks appearing on their faces.

Archie:"Ooh, you want me to prove it to you then? C'mon, let's settle this, right here, right now!"

Maxie:"As you wish! Let the victor take Alola, and do with it as he pleases!"

Archie:"Agreed!"

They started to walk away to get some distance for their Pokemon battle.

Guzma:"H-hey! What're y'all talkin' about? This isn't your turf!"

Maxie:"Hm...?!"

Archie:"Wh-what's this?!"

Their bodies started crackling with yellow and purple lightning as a strange purple wave surrounded them. Suddenly in a brilliant flash of light, both of them disappeared.

Guzma:"Huh?! What's going' on here... Eh, whatever! Yo, I got these goon! You head upstairs!"

She nodded but first went to Lillie to fix her team up.

Saving...
Don't turn off the power.