6 months ago.

As the young woman fell into the waters she should have drowned, drifting quickly to the bottom of the sea, air quickly leaving her lungs, but something bit her arm.

Pokémon, at heart, are naturally good, loving creatures. This is the basis upon which the bond between Pokémon and humans are built. The inherit good all life holds, be it given to them by Arceus or some God, or simpily by the nature of life itself, all living things hold an inherit good, in this fiction and in reality even a normally aggressive creature or Pokémon...

Blood dripped from her and as sharp teeth cut into it, pulling her to the shores of a nearby island. A single Carvanha swan at the shore next to her. The Pokémon saved her, because for her it felt compassion from this inherit good. The girl coughed up water and looked to see the fish starring at her. It seemed to smile with its jagged maw as she felt a shooting pain in her arm.

"Guess it's just us," She chuckled, "You and me. I'm gonna call you..." the girl looked at the bite marks in her arm, "Chompers..."

Present day.

"Chompers let's go!" The thief exclaimed as she examined the Pokéball in her hand, "We gotta show Ellie! This is it Chompers! We finally got it! We're finally..."

The thief removed her hood, revealing herself to be the girl, "Point is we gotta show Ellie..."

Meanwhile Grant sat at the kitchen table in the Dojo as Honey served Max Soup to him, Mustard, and Victor.

"So I appreciate the meal but I'm confused as to who the thief was," Grant explained.

Mustard sighed and spoke as if annoyed by the ordeal, "She's been a problem for six months now. Stealing food and supplies from us, but she's gone to far this time. Stolen something dangerous. You are the second strongest in all of Galar, would you assist me in apprehending her?"

Grant nodded, "I mean yeah sure, but what did she steal?"

"A very powerful Pokémon," Mustard explained, bitterness in his voice, "One that could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands, the hands of someone like her. My Kubfu"

"Kub-what?" Grant inquired.

"Kubfu," Victor explained, "Like mine, or it's what my Urshifu evolved from. Mine is Multi-Strike Style. It's a very powerful legendary Pokémon. Fighting type, just like your Swords of Justice."

"She must be somewhere on this island," Mustard elaborated, "So take a look around and find her. Klara and Avery, two students of mine, are looking for her."

"Who?" Grant asked.

"Avery and Klara," Victor explained, "Avery I fought when I first came to the dojo just after becoming champion but before we fought the Royals."

Mustard got up, hiding a bitterness in his tone, "I'm going to be on Pokémon Quest if you need me."

Victor continued as Mustard walked away, "Klara appeared around the same time. Avery was inspired by me to become stronger, he's a descent of a bloodline of psychics but he's... kinda the runt of the litter so he's not very well loved. He seems to have been inspired by me though. Klara came lazy, but much in the same vien I battled her after evolving my Kubfu and defeating Mustard."

"Neat," Grant replied, "Well let's get going. We gotta find that thief before it's to late."

"The thief may be taking shelter in the towers trying to evolve that Kubfu. You check the towers, I'll check the caves and forest." Victor ordered.

"On it," Grant replied, "Let's catch up after we're got them."

With that the two parted ways and began their search.

Meanwhile in the forest, deep in the bushes, the thief approached a young woman standing under a waterfall.

"Ellie!" The thief exclaimed, "Ellie! We got it"

Ellie remained in a meditative state, eyes closed under the flowing water, "Good. Gloria, you have acquired a powerful Pokémon, but it's not strong enough. If we do not become strong, they will kill both of us. Seek strength, Gloria. Seek strength, that we may survive."

"That we may survive," Gloria echoed.

With that Gloria left, Chompers swam in a river next to her, concern in the shark's eyes.

"Chompers why do you always look at me like that when we go to see Ellie?" Gloria inquired, "She's always been kind to us. You don't seem to like her."

Chompers looked away, as if deciding it best not to answer and the two carried on...

Grant thus began to look around the Isle of Armor, trying to find any signs of Gloria as Cobalion followed behind him. As he approached the beach by the Tower of Water he pondered his current situation.

"I don't know Cobalion," Grant commented, "This thief just seems scared, a lot like I was back in the day and I don't think this they're actually evil, let alone the evil, the injustice Virizion brought me here to fight. I mean sure I'm happy to lend a hand to a good cause and I'm not gonna walk away from someone in need but I need to handle the reason Virzion brought me here first because that's most likley the biggest problem. The other stuff I'll handle but..."

Cobalion nuzzled Grant in an attempt to comfort him.

"Aw lay off buddy," Grant jokingly protested scratching the Pokémon's head.

Grant reached the Tower of Water, examining it curiously as he inquired, "So this is the tower Victor climbed? Huh, neat. I wonder what's inside?"

"Hey!" A voice exclaimed, "You there!"

Grant turned to see Avery, the young man with six Pokéballs around his hat and a kind but formal smile greeted the trainer, "Ah hello! You're Grant aren't you? The Feral Survivalist. Yes?"

"Yes, sure am," Grant replied, "You must be Avery, right?"

"Indeed I am," Avery replied, "And I would like a battle if that's OK with you."

"I'm always game for a battle," Grant replied, "Ready when you are."

Avery smiled as he adjusted his glasses, muttering to himself, "I have to beat him before my father visits. I have to win."

Pokémon Trainer Avery would like to battle!

Pokémon Trainer Avery sent out Orbeetle!

The bug cried out in a furious battle cry as Avery smirked, activating his psychic powers to create psychic terrain across the beach upon which the duel took place.

"I hope you don't mind but I'm testing a strategy involving my psychic powers," Avery explained.

"Not at all!" Grant replied, "By Arceus, it's almost no fun anymore if it's a fair fight! It's to easy! People have cheated against me to much a strait fight against most trainers is to dull!"

Avery shocked demanded, "What? Are you truly that powerful?"

"They don't call me second best for nothing," Grant smirked.

Grant took to his feral stance, ready once more for battle. Orbeetle consumed some Psychic Seeds it was holding. Grant smirked as he sent out Rook, ready for a challenge.

Orbeetle used Psychic, the insect trying to bend and break the bird's bones with its mind only for the steel that formed his outer layer of feathers to prove to hard to bend, allowing Rook to resist the attack.

"OK Rook! We better go with old reliable!" Grant ordered.

Room began to sharpen his claws with Hone Claws, same as always, before following up after being hit by Psychic once more. Rook rushed the insect down, breaking through the thick exoskeleton with his sharp metal beak.

"Not bad not bad!" Avery exclaimed, "But let's try this on for size!"

Avery sent out a Gardevior, but she was instantly impaled by Rook's dagger like feathers through the chest, fainted instantly.

Rapidash was next and met the same fate, followed by Alazkazam and Swoobat. Finally, only Slowbro remained, striking with a sudden, rapid strike thanks to its ability Quick Draw, but the boiling water of Scald wasn't enough to defeat Rook, who grabbed the Slowbro and lifted it high into air before spiraling down, drilling into its chest with Drill Peck until the two landed in the sand, a pillar of the flecks of sand flew into the air and cleared to show Rook the Victor if the battle. A clean 6-0 sweep.

"Ugh so boring!" Grant exclaimed, "There's no thrill anymore!"

Grant sighed as he sat in the sand.

"You're in a whole other league!" Avery exclaimed, "Victor is still tougher but by Arceus!"

"Yeah," Grant sighed, "That's the problem though isn't it? Come, sit. Your Pokémon are hurt. Let's eat some curry. You like sweet curry?"

"Bitter is more my speed," Avery replied.

"Got it," Grant replied.

As Grant stirred the curry he inquired, "So why did you come here?"

"I used to be a gym leader in the Minor League," Avery explained, "But I never took losses well and it caught up with me. My... dad wasn't happy about it so I came here to become stronger."

"What do you mean he wasn't happy about it?" Grant inquired.

"Well..." Avery sighed, "Let's just say Mustard and the Dojo has been a better family to me than anyone back home. If I can even call it that."

"I know firsthand family isn't blood," Grant sighed, "You probably heard after all."

"Yeah you're adopted," Avery replied, "But... can I ask a... difficult favor?"

Grant nodded.

"My dad is coming to check on my progress in a few days," Avery explained, "Would you mind... nevermind I'll handle it. Thanks for the meal friend. I'll see you at the Dojo."

With that Avery left, his head held low.

Cobalion glared at the young trainer, not with malice, but determination.

"You sense something off too huh?" Grant inquired.

Cobalion snorted in response.

"We'll keep an eye out for his dad and look into it," Grant replied, "For now we gotta go. We gotta head to the Tower of Darkness..."