The next morning was a lot more laid back than the night before, the gang making jokes and laughing as they ate a breakfast prepared by Arven. It was a jolly time and for a moment, it felt like a lively family breakfast. Afterwards they parted ways, saying goodbye to each other, Nemona requesting a battle with Paws which Marshal assured would happen as he left. Marshal pondered what he should prioritize, and he had options. There was only one Titan left, and with the knowledge the metallic ones of the beasts were linked directly to Ubel that was a tempting option. To call it urgent would be an understatement based on how dangerous they were becoming. However he would need to become champion to truly make any allegations stick. However Penny approached him as he walked down the road, catching up as Sparky and Flareon began to play and chase each other around, "Hey! Wait! Marshal!"

"Oh hey yeah what's up?" Marshal inquired slowing down so she could catch up.

"Have you checked on Atticus yet?" Penny inquired.

"Oh no I've only spoken to Mela and Giacomo," Marshal shook his head, "I need to do so huh? Man I haven't been to that forest for a while? Those were good times."

"Well maybe good times are coming back," Penny reminded, "I mean like, you're back, and we have a family of each other and you're always a part of Team Star. Though like, my point is you and Iono are trans and Ubel has been slowly cutting off health care for that stuff right? I think Atticus can help with that. Medicine is, in a sense, just poison with extra steps, you know?"

"Oh," Marshal replied, "That's very helpful actually, thank you."

Penny smiled and pat Marshal on the back, "I mean Atticus is a little bitter but he still cares about you. Just felt abandoned, you know? You got this."

Marshal nodded, "Then that's where I'm going. I've had to handle the rest of Operation Supernova for a bit now and we only have until the end of the month."

"Yeah," Penny anxiously replied, turning away, "We do."

"Hey hey," Marshal assured looking her in the eye as she turned to face him, "It's gonna be OK. You said it yourself we're family. We all have your back. Even if worst case we'll at least get you back to Galar. Isn't Florian over there anywho?"

"He made a detour there but was mainly going towards the Teal Mask festival," Penny corrected. "Wanted to speak to like, I dunno some guy named Grant? Apparently he's some like, big name over there. Caught two of the swords of justice killed an undead king something like that. Whatever they talked about must have been important."

"Maybe it's linked to Ubel?" Marshal inquired, "He's from Galar right and if he caught two of the freaking SWORDS OF JUSTICE, then he would know a lot about the injustices Ubel is planning to enact. Are you sure that's right?"

"I mean someone over there some guy named Hop caught one of the two legendary dogs so it's not that far fetched," Penny shrugged, "Heck Florian completed the entire Pokédex. He captured the Treasures of Ruin. Only the best of the best capture legendary Pokémon but it's not impossible."

"I guess that makes sense," Marshal shrugged, "Wanna walk together to see Atticus?"

"Yeah sounds more fun that way," Penny shrugged, "Let's hit the road."

As Marshal and Penny arrived in Tagtree Thicket, Penny pat Marshal on the back, "You got this man, but, bare in mind Atticus was pretty upset about being ghosted."

"I got this," Marshal assured, "But thanks for the heads up."

Penny waved as she left, "I'm gonna go see if I can't help Nemona decode those coded texts. Cya later."

"Have a good one!" Marshal waved back before walking into the thicket. He sent out Paws and told her, "OK Paws so you're a ground type now. This is your time to shine."

Atticus rushed to put on his mask and ready his team for battle. He heard the roar of the beast, the Ursaluna. Paws tore through his base like the grunts and their Pokémon were no more than paper. Atticus stood at his desk and looked at his projects he was working on. He grabbed some bottles and stuffed them into his pocket, muttering to himself, "If he's here may as well."

He rushed out to greet Marshal, losing his balance as the Starmobile pulled out, "Marshal what are you doing here?" He tried to speak with authority, there was a hint of bitterness in his voice, of genuine anger.

"I'm taking over Team Star!" Marshal retorted riding Ursaluna like those in Hisui did in the days of old. He dismounted Paws and scratched the beast's nose before continuing, "What does it look like?"

"Oh now you care!" Atticus retorted, "Yeah I'll believe it when I see it!"

"My sister died!" Marshal retorted, "Come on man what did you expect?"

"I expected you to stand by the family you still had!" Atticus snaped back, "You abandoned us! Enough talk! Allow us to speak in the language only us trainers can!"

The Starmobile roared to life as Atticus attacked, but it was to no avail. Marshal had become stronger, significantly so, since Atticus had last seen him. Paws tore his entire team to shreds as if they were no more than paper, even poison did nothing to slow the beast of a bear, only activating his Guts and enhancing his power.

Atticus was defeated and stood there baffled, how had Marshal defeated him so handily? Like it was nothing?

Like he was nothing?

How dare he walk over with that smile and wave like nothing was wrong. Was it a slight at the bond they had once shared? Was Marshal mocking him?

Of course this was not the case but how was Atticus to know this?

Marshal inquired, "So can we talk?"

Atticus clenched his fist in a mix of resentment and longing but mainly a pain of abandonment. He demanded, on the verge of tears, "Why did you leave us?!? You said we were brothers! That we were a family, and you just... left!"

Marshal now understood the severity of his actions which Penny and the others had warned him about. He sighed, "I'm... sorry Atticus..."

Long ago, back before the ordeal at the academy, Marshal and Atticus walked through a graveyard, the air cold and a fog fallen over the place. Storm clouds gathered overhead, as if the sky would cry if Marshal did.

Atticus acquired from behind his mask, "Excuse me, why are we here?"

"I just..." Marshal replied, "Need to pay someone a visit."

Marshal approached two graves, he sniffled, "Hey mom, hey dad. I... man sorry I'm not good with this stuff. I brought a friend. No more than that. I brought my brother, Atticus."

It was then Atticus realized this was the grave of Marshal's parents. He pat Marshal on the shoulder, "Hey. It's OK. I'm here for you."

Marshal wiped a tear from his eye and sat down in the grass, "Sorry... I just..."

"Hey it's OK to cry," Atticus assured.

Marshal nodded, still crying a little, "I- I know. Everyone cries it's normal and people who say men can't are denying human nature. A man does what's right and yards yada but... I just... Madeline raised me cause my parents passed away. Years ago when I was like, four, my parents died in an accident. I don't remember them to well but from what I do remember, I miss them. I guess I just wanted to come here to show them that I'm like... OK?" Marshal sniffled and wiped his tears, "Like I have a family in you guys, in a sense. You know? People I love like family and can count on."

Atticus gave Marshal a hug, "You'll always be like a little brother to me dude. We're gonna fix this, stop the bullies, stop Ubel."

"Together," Marshal added hugging him back.

Atticus smiled as the two hugged, he helped Marshal up after as he continued, "They'd be proud of you for finding a family. I'm glad to call you family. You're a wonderful person and brother."

"We'll have each other," Marshal assured, "Always..."

Back in the present Marshal hugged Atticus and reminded him, "It's OK to cry, man. I'm sorry for leaving after I said we'd always have each other it's just... there was a death in the family and you all ate my family but I had known Madeline my entire life so it just hit... so much harder. You know? I just... caved in. I'm sorry."

Atticus collected himself, "No. No. I'm sorry. I really should have been understanding of your feelings I just... it felt like I lost two siblings that day. You know?"

"I'm here now," Marshal assured, placing a reassuring hand on Atticus's shoulder, "And I'm never going to dip like that again."

Atticus smiled, "Thanks man." He streched and inquired, "So I assume the plan is you get the gang back together and we take on Ubel?"

Marshal nodded.

"You see the tape?"

"I don't think I'm... mentally prepared for that. Wait, how do you know about the tape?"

Atticus lead Marshal to his tent, "Penny mentioned she had footage of the murder recently. I... I don't know I wanna see that, honestly. I know I have this flare for the dramatic but this isn't some honor as a ninja stuff this is the murder of your sister. Our sister. I just... what do I even... say at this point?"

"I don't know to be honest," Marshal shook his head, "I just know we have to keep going. We have to stop Ubel. There's no... clean answers to something this horrible but we have to do our best. We can at least get even."

Atticus froze for a moment and removed his mask, "Are... are you going to kill Ubel? That's not honorable dude."

"He has to be stopped," Marshal avoided looking to see the concern and disappointment in Atticus's eyes. "We can't leave him in power."

Atticus sighed, "Look it's not the right way but I'll stand by you regardless. Just... weigh your options here, man."

There was a tense and awkward silence for a few seconds which Atticus broke as he put his mask back on, "But that aside I do know that Ubel has been quietly restricting access to gender affirming care so we've been... assiting in the creation and smuggling of hormones. Do you need any?"

"Yeah I actually do," Marshal nodded, "Also I have a sister who's trans but she is in the closest so-"

"Hey she's a woman either way," Atticus assured, "But I respect if she doesn't want people knowing she's trans. Here."

Atticus handed the medications to Marshal and continued, "Now, I am gonna be honest. Ubel is gaining power, and we're running a little tight on time. The month ends in like a week and a half. Are you sure you can handle all that needs to be done by then?"

Marshal nodded, "I'll be ready."

Atticus smiled and pat Marshal on the back, "Yeah. I mean Madeline was a prodigy I guess you would take after her in that regard. I just... I dunno I do worry that you will have to face Ubel in the way of the bushido."

"I don't follow," Marshal replied, confused.

"That he'll throw hands," Atticus sighed.

"Oh," Marshal replied, "Yeah I wouldn't put it above him to have things come to blows like that. What's your point?"

"Can you defend yourself if it does?" Atticus demanded.

Marshal shook his head, "I've only been in fights between Pokémon never a real brawl."

"OK," Atticus nodded, "Listen then. You know those small mushrooms?"

"Uhhhh," Marshal dug through his bag looking for the item in question, finding the small red and yellow mushroom, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, "This one?"

"Yeah hand it here," Atticus requested.

Marshal handed it to him, slightly confused as to what this had to do with fighting Ubel. Atticus explained, "This can actually be turned into a toxic powder and thrown at enemies for self defense. You just rip off the stem and crush it as hard as you can and..."

Atticus blew on his palm, sending a toxic white powder through the air. Marshal tried to do so himself, mimicking the technique after a couple tries.

Marshal learned Poison Powder!

"It's not enough to beat someone up," Atticus replied, "But it won't kill him and it'll leave him nauseous, which can allow you to escape."

"Thanks," Marshal smiled. "We got this bro."

"Together," Atticus added, reaching for a hug.

"Together," Marshal reassured, reciprocating. After they hugged Marshal stretched and looked up at the sky. It was the early evening now, and Marshal knew he had to get a move on. He inquired, "Hey imma go take on the next gym. Any advice for the ghost gym?"

"Maybe evolve Wick if he wants to?" Atticus replied with a shrug, "How is he still not evolved?"

Marshal looked down at Wick and let him, "I'm... actually not sure. We've been battling across the region non stop all month. Do you wanna evolve boy?"

Wick barked happily and spun around in a circle. Marshal gave him a belly rub and laughed, "Aw good boy good boy!" Marshal only pet him for a moment only to stop with a yawn. Wick didn't whine as he knew Marshal could only pet him so much.

All the more reason he desired to evolve.

"I mean he is a ghost maybe you can ask the gym leader," Atticus suggested.

"Yeah that's a good idea," Marshal agreed, "Thanks." He sent out Paws and waved farewell, riding the Ursaluna with Paws in his lap towards the frozen peaks of Paldea...