Larry awoke to his alarm, 7:15am sharp, same as every day where he had work. He took his morning shower and got dressed in his usual suit and tie. He gave his Staraptor a scratch on the neck and gave a soft smile, "Good boy..."

He caught a glimpse of a lovely sunrise and began to read the news on his phone as he ate some bacon and eggs for breakfast.

His soft smile faded as he saw the news on Ubel gaining popularity in some less savory circles. He sighed bitterly, and his face returned to its usual tired somber expression.

"No business of someone like me," he told himself to cope with the hatred he felt for the bigot. He finished eating washed the dishes and left, returning Staraptor to its Pokéball.

He headed towards his gym watching the region below him as he rode in the taxi, the Squakabilly singing and playfully squawking at each other before they dropped him off.

He began his day as always, clocking in, checking his business email and seeing if he was to handle any gym challengers that day. There were some emails discussing that a young man named Marshal was to challenge the gym. There was a not from Geeta to "not mention this to Ubel" due to "rumors".

It was of no concern of a normal man like him.

He closed his email and went to preparing his Pokémon for battle. Making sure they were well fed and had the emotional stimulation and care they needed, ensuring his friends knew he cared deeply for them.

Then the young man arrived, ordered the secret menu item, and stepped onto the battlefield.

Larry grabbed his suitcase and walked towards the stage in the center of the restaurant, entering through the front doors, "I've heard a little about you Marshal. You've caused a bit of a stir haven't you?"

"Couldn't not cause a stir," Marshal shrugged, "Some things are worth causing a stir over."

"I can't say I understand," Larry shook his head setting his suitcase down and gripping his Pokéball, "So, show me. The way only us trainers can."

Gym Leader Larry would like.

Marshal sent out Sparky, he had a plan to win this battle, and it started against Larry's Komala.

Marshal ordered Sparky to strike. The hound shot purple orbs of flame at the dozing Pokémon, who was burned by the Will-o-wisp.

Komala responded by slinging itself off its log, crushing Sparky with a burst of force from Body Slam, which sent Sparky flying, slamming into the back wall, fainted.

Marshal returned her assuring, "It's OK. This is going to work."

Marshal sent Wick into the fray, the hound let out a terrible howl, preparing to strike with great force. Komala prepared, tensing up in its slumber on Larry's orders, but the Sucker Punch never came as there was no attack to counter, just another ghastly howl.

It was then Wick struck, lunging forward with its jagged maw and chomping down with a horrendous Crunch, only to be struck down with a sudden counter attack. Wick gasped for air, staggering back, he tried to howl only to fall over, fainted.

Marshal sighed, "I... should have seen this one coming."

Larry inquired, "Is this the strength with which you're going to do... whatever you're doing?"

Marshal shook his head, "I'll become stronger. Some things are worth fighting for, sometimes you just have to try. Maybe it's revenge maybe it's because it's the right thing to do. Maybe it's both."

Marshal sent out Grips, who leapt off his shoulder and into the fray. Grips let out a horrific banshee-like screech, a Perish Song.

"And your intentions for my next Pokémon?" Larry inquired.

"All in due time," Marshal bluffed.

Komala swung around with its log, brutally colliding with Screamtail but merely bouncing off.

Marshal returned Scream Tail and sent out Paws as Larry anticipated an attack and ordered Komala to tense up for Sucker Punch.

"I suppose I should have expected as much," Larry conceded, "You just used Perish Song. Two turns left right?"

Larry ordered Komala to strike once more with Slam, but Paws braced itself for impact, standing stalwart with Protect.

"You cannot always stall until a solution arrives," Larry reminded.

"Sometimes you must bide your time," Marshal retorted, "And strike when the opportunity arises."

Marshal returned Paws, predicting another powerful attack from Komala, and sending in Grips to take the Slam, while the Pokémon's soft body took the blow well it could not continue to wall Larry's raw power forever.

Komala succumbed to the horrid song, fainting. Larry sent out his Dudunsparce. Once more Grips sang their terrible tune, and the countdown began. Larry knew he had to be more aggressive and ordered his Dudunsparce to strike, twisting its whole body like a drill and slicing through Grips with Hyper Drill, ripping through its defenses and fainting it.

Marshal began to sweat, his mistakes were catching up with him and he was running out of options. He sent out Paws and ordered, "Just do your best!"

"A man like you would perhaps be best suited for a desk job," Larry suggested, "You are not without skill but lack the capacity to evolve your Pokémon it appears."

"I'll become champion with them as they want to be," Marshal retorted, "They're my friends my family and as such I'll support them as long as what they're doing is right and best for them. If they make mistakes I'll help them learn from those and be better. A true man stands for what's right, for those close to him and for the world at large, to build a better tomorrow. I can't do that at a desk job."

Paws looked back at Marshal, Marshal gave Paws a nod, an acceptance of a familial bond. Paws looked back at Dudunsparce and growled.

"Then let our Pokémon decide who is right," Larry suggested. He ordered Dudunsparce to strike once more, but Paws began to glow, his body grew larger, his arms began thicker with greater strength. He grabbed the Dudunsparce out of the air bringing its spinning to a halt as it slowed and stopped.

Ursaring emerged from the light and slammed Dudunsparce on the ground before crushing it with Body Slam. The Dudunsparce was fainted by the raw force of the Critical Hit.

Paws smiled at Marshal, Marshal assured him, "You did great Paws, but it's not over yet!"

Larry thought for a moment about what he saw this morning on the news about Ubel, was he failing by ignoring the misdeeds of others for his convenience?

"May I try something new?" Larry inquired.

Marshal nodded.

Larry sent out his Flamigo, and Terastalized it into normal type. He explained, "Maybe fighting for what is right should be seen as normal. If that's the case, show it to me."

Flamigo and Paws clashed, Flamigo kicked Paws in the stomach right in the center of the target like circle, leaving the bear winded, it then headbutt it, and slammed him brutally with its wing.

A Close Combat that would take out any Ursaring.

But Paws held on so Marshal wouldn't be upset!

Paws grabbed the Flamigo by the throat and leapt into the air, doing two flips before crushing the bird under his girth with Body Slam.

The floor shattered from the raw force and a dust cloud covered the arena. As the dust cleared, all that remained was a battered and bruised Paws, gasping for air and a fainted Flamigo.

Larry adjusted his tie and began to walk over as Marshal praised Paws.

"You did good kid," Larry gave a soft smile, "Real good."

He handed Marshal the badge and began to walk away, thinking on Marshal's words as he left.

To make things better, but he was just going with the flow...

Marshal left the gym thinking, he did need to evolve his Pokémon and he had two empty slots, then again he didn't want to take one from the wild unless he could give it a genuinely loving home, make it a part of his family in a sense.

He sent out Sparky, asking her, "Hey girl do you wanna evolve or..."

Sparky barked eagerly. She was more than happy to become an Arcanine given the chance.

Marshal dug through his bag, muttering to himself, "I know I've picked up some evolution stones on my travels. Which one was it again?..."

He heard a voice interject, "Fire stone is what you need for a Growlithe."

"Thanks Nemona," Marshal replied without thinking, before looking up, "Oh hey how you been?"

"I've been alright," Nemona replied, "Heard you were battling Larry and came to check it out."

Nemona stretched and began to walk, gesturing an offer to Marshal to walk with her, "Sorry I missed it."

"It's all good," Marshal assured, Sparky walking behind the duo, accepting pets from each trainer as the trio walked, "Things have been crazy. It's been what two weeks and Ubel is already doing transphobic crap and the some titans attacked a town and..."

"Yeah Arven mentioned that," Nemona nodded, "He said he was OK though. I am kinda still worried about Penny."

"I'm working on it," Marshal assured.

"Thanks," Nemona smiled with relief, "She hasn't been answering her phone I hope she's OK."

"I'm sure she'll be OK we still have until the end of the month to figure something out," Marshal reminded, "Besides she's tougher than she lets on I'm sure she has a plan B."

"You're right," Nemona conceded. She looked at her phone and seemed to grow sad for a split second before hiding her saddened expression under a fake smile, "Hey I was gonna camp out with Arven over at the Secluded Beach. He wanted to know if you wanna tag along. Seemed real fond of you. I mean I kinda get why you seem cool."

Marshal sighed, "I dunno I'm in a rush to handle everything and-"

Nemona shook her head, "Yeah he said to tell you that you need to take care of yourself too man. If you burn yourself out you can't help anybody."

"True," Marshal conceded, "Maybe we can try to invite Penny and Iono too."

"Penny really could use a day off but why Iono?" Nemona inquired.

"She's a dear friend I made recently," Marshal replied.

"Yeah that's fair," Nemona nodded, "Yeah! Sure invite her too. I'll meet you there in a couple hours."

Marshal nodded as Nemona smiled and began to walk away, she froze as her phone rang, before taking it out and rejecting the call and leaving.

Sparky whined. Marshal assured her, "Don't worry you don't have to play in the water if you don't wanna."

Sparky barked eagerly, now excited for this little break from battle.

Marshal sighed happily, too looking forward to taking a breather.

He thought of the friends he made, how in a sense they reminded him of Madeline, the closest thing to family he had left.

Maybe Arven has a point with the whole family is love thing...

Larry approached Geeta in her office, she greeted him with a stern kindness, "Now Larry we talked about you over working. You need to find a healthier hobby. Please don't take any more challenges today."

"That's why I'm here." Larry stated plainly but with a strong resolve, "I'll be taking an unpaid leave of absence."

Geeta looked at him confused for a moment before he elaborated, "I will not continue to work under Ubel as he continues to gain power."

Geeta chuckled, "Oh. Ha ha! Don't worry about that I do have a plan to handle that bigoted sack of tarous dung."

"Then I will need to be informed of it," Larry stated sternly, "As I can sit idly by no longer. As a man it's my duty to do what I can to help people."

"Marshal said that I presume?" Geeta smiled?

"How did you know?"

"Champion Madeline was a prodigy second only to Nemona," Geeta explained sitting down, "She was a truly wonderful trainer, raising her baby brother and using her position as champion to campaign for free gender affirming care and putting most of her excess funds to fund Marshal's care. A saint even. I've always found it suspicious that she went to meet Ubel and then was never seen again. However I never could accuse him myself, he would revoke my position. However if someone else respected were to accuse him, say, her brother, we could support those allegations."

"How much of this did you plan?" Larry demanded.

"Not much," Geeta conceded, "But when I heard about Ubel's return Nemona mentioned Marshal had dirt on him. He has to become champion Larry and when he does we will support him and return justice to Paldea."

Geeta placed a hand on Larry's shoulder, "But in order to not draw Ubel's ire we need to keep things on track."

"So your plan was improvised based on Marshal's actions?" Larry inquired.

"And what Nemona has mentioned yes. She told me he had dirt on Ubel that he mentioned to her. We all know what that is."

"Why not just tell Marshal of this?"

"Ubel could bring the hammer down on the leauge to prevent his proceedings. He needs the respect of the title to make his accusations stick. I do have someone on the inside I asked to approach him."

"Iono, I presume?"

"The one and only. The only people who know of this are the three of us."

"What if she tells him of our hatred for Ubel?"

"I don't think that would be as bad. It looks less suspicious as she sees him as a genuine friend. If I go out there and tell him about our intentions to assist him in stopping Ubel that draws many more eyes and likely action from Ubel."

"You're playing the long game."

"Exactly."

"What if he fails or what was your plan if he never challenged the gyms at all?"

Geeta gripped her Pokéball, "To fight, if we must. I don't like to use violence, but it can be a necessary evil."

Larry nodded, "Then should that day arrive I shall fight with you."

Geeta smiled, "For now just stick to your position Larry. We will fight for what's right, be it with Marshal or without him..."