My breath feels dry as dust as I bridge the last few metres to the light of the outside world and collide with the tall figure of Zir in the same instant. The shock runs through my body so quickly I stumble straight back, this time with my back against the rock of the mine.

“Domino, there you are!” Conia’s relieved exclamation isn’t enough to rouse my spirits. Part of me is strangely exhausted from everything I’ve seen and experienced. The stress of these instances is gnawing at me.

A glance over at those present brings Amethio to the fore. He’s busy with Rotom, talking to someone via video chat, and when I hear Hamber’s voice, I move closer.

“So you’ve made contact with the Galarian Moltres and clashed with the Rising Volt Tacklers... You’re rushing things.” Hamber’s shoulders slump just as I glance at the display and Amethio lets out an irritated “Hey”.

“But we’ve received some interesting information,” I interject. Amethio will probably rip my head off for this at some point today, but these seconds have to be used and perhaps I can make sure our encounter with the opposing side is recognised as valuable.

“Information?” Hamber’s closed eye robs me of the opportunity to assess his mood. “What kind of information?”

I immediately pull out my Rotom Phone and click on the video I’ve made. However, I lack the technical knowledge to pass it on and I let Amethio do the few clicks, so the recording ends up with Hamber and we all look at what I’ve recorded – including the strange Pokémon that has emerged from the pendant.

As a sound of disbelief escapes Hamber, my partner shifts gears and takes in our regained footing. Eyelids slightly lowered, his expression gains seriousness, causing me to hold my breath. “Our mission was to ‘get a pendant’. So, what is this Pokémon?”

Hamber’s silence almost seems to serve as an answer, so Amethio’s voice softens. “Are you going to reprimand us for the result and pull us off this mission? It would be a shame to lose this lead again...”

For two breaths, they seem to stare each other down, as if neither side wants to back down in their decision. Yet it is Hamber who finally lets out a heavy sigh. “I see. But first I want to know where the Rising Volt Tacklers are travelling to.”

“They’ve left the airship and are heading for Hammerlocke.”

“Hammerlocke... interesting...” Tilting his head to the side, Hamber puts his gloved fingers to his chin. “With the information we already have, we can probably calculate their destination.” He turns to Amethio once more. “But in the future, be sure to let me know before you ac-“

“Enough complaining.” Without further ado, Amethio switches off the connection and I don’t know whether he’ll get into more trouble for this or whether he’s actually in a position where he’s allowed to ignore his superior’s warnings as he pleases.

When I take a step back so as not to constrict him any further, he finally turns to the entire group. “We will follow the Rising Volt Tacklers. If we get a chance, we’ll steal the Pokémon that used to be this pendant.”

It takes a while to get to Hammerlocke on foot. We also have to make sure that nobody sees us. There are problems to consider, which become less important when Corviknight is let out of its ball, and the other two also resort to their Flying-type Pokémon. I’m the only one who can’t adapt. It’s only when Amethio holds out his hand and tells me I’m going to fly with him again that relief creeps into my heart. Still, I would much rather have my own Flying-type Pokémon. According to the Pokédex, Coro is too small to carry me, even with his last evolution.

One wingbeat later, we are hovering in the air and as I cling to Amethio, my gaze falls on the green expanse of Galar. Compared to Alola, this region is considerably more uneven. Various hills stretch across otherwise flat land, which merges into high mountains in the distance. It is much more chaotic than Melemele or even Akala and certainly cannot be compared with Poni or Ula’Ula, whose mountains are mighty, but few.

“That just now,” Amethio draws my attention back to him, “was good work.”

He doesn’t say it, but the tone of his words is like a “thank you”, which brings a faint smile to my lips. It’s good to get something done when you least expect it. Now it just has to become a habit and my journey with the Explorers will be much more productive.

Again I look around. Conia and Zir have flown ahead. Resting my head on Amethio’s shoulder, I let time glide past me. Corviknight’s steady gliding flight cradles me gently in its arms. The world seems to stand still until we reach a densely overgrown forest. Suddenly, Hammerlocke is no longer of any importance and as we land on a stony path, the city is completely forgotten.

“Amethio, sir!” It is Conia who immediately takes a stance, mouth agape as we dismount and my partner calls Corviknight back. They seem to have already found out more about our opponents, although the pained expressions on their faces hardly bode well.

“Where are they?” Lowering his voice, Amethio addresses his aides.

“We’ve lost them.”

“We’re sorry.”

They both bow, as if the mistake was so grave that they deserve whatever punishment; quite unlike me and my stubborn self ever thought necessary.

“But they walked this way!” Zir resumes the next moment.

“I see. Good work.” Instead of addressing the mistakes, Amethio turns away. “They can’t just have disappeared. Split up and search the area. There must be a clue somewhere.”

It’s probably the first time he doesn’t ask me to follow him in a situation like this. Instead, I follow the same instructions as the other two: split up and search.

The first steps into the thicket don’t promise any success and it’s difficult to tell what I need to look out for in my search for clues. However, I’m open to experimentation, so I let Ying and Raya out – two good sleuths who might help us.

I’m greeted by joyful tail wags from both sides, so I give them both a quick scratch behind the ears before putting my hands on my hips and taking a deep breath. “I can’t give you a scent, but would you look for traces with me? We’re looking for ... three people. Their scent should still be fresh. Maybe they haven’t put the Pikachu in a ball yet, or the Sprigatito and Fuecoco are still on the loose. So you’re looking for the combination of people and Pokémon on the run.”

It didn’t look like Sprigatito and Fuecoco spend much time in their Poké Balls, which is why it’s one of the few things I’m leaning on. Probably only a few people have entered this forest in the last thirty minutes. That improves my team’s chances of finding a lead matching my expectations.

While Raya lowers her head and sniffs the ground at our feet, Ying stretches her nose into the air. They both know which scents they can rule out. They know the smell of the Explorers and their Pokémon. What remains are all the other aromas, which carry thousands of pieces of information. I expect a lot from the two of them, but it’s the only idea I have.

We seem to waste almost an eternity at this point before Ying starts moving. Growlithe, meanwhile, takes a different direction and I have no idea who to follow.

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“Are you managing?” At the same time, Zir climbs over the bushes I left behind earlier and before my two partners can disappear, I hastily point to Raya.

“Can you follow her? They’re trying to track down the Volt Tacklers and ... they don’t exactly agree on the direction.” I’m already jumping a few steps after my Zoroark. “Maybe one of us will get lucky!”

“I’ll let you know if we find anything!” Without asking, Zir follows my Growlithe and I can hardly put into words how reassuring it is that everything is going so smoothly. My father would probably have asked me thirteen more questions before he would have honoured my request. It’s different here and although I should know by now – after all, I can’t imagine Zir and Conia acting much differently from Amethio in such cases – it still takes some getting used to.

The cracking of some branches under my soles startles me out of my thoughts in the next blink, so I bridge the last few metres to Ying and stay close to her side. The sun is now much lower in the sky and, as I dare to glance at the Rotom, early evening draws closer. The mine has consumed a lot of time, although it has felt like only a few minutes. The image of the Galarian Moltres will probably haunt me for a few more nights.

In my mind, this search seems only half as exhausting as my heavy steps suggest. My legs are leaden, but we still have no lead. The sun is sinking steadily, and when we arrive at a stone wall and Ying tilts her head indecisively, I am sure the scent she thought she was following is lost. Darkness descends gently on us, and any hope of success is nipped in the bud.

Sighing, I run my hands over my face before picking up Rotom. Perhaps Zir has stumbled across something. But before I can write to him, he turns the corner from the other side, so I don’t miss Raya’s confused look as she stops at the wall.

“You ended up here too?” Raising his bushy blond brows, Zir scrutinises me.

“If my partners both stop at this point ... then there must be something here. The only question is ... what?” My eyes glide over the wall, unable to detect any clues.

“Zir... Domino...” In the next breath, Conia climbs over undergrowth to join our little gathering. “Were you able to find anything?”

We both shake our heads, the explanation on the tip of our tongues, unable to utter it before Amethio emerges from a path as well. All together, we seem to have arrived at the same point and a brief exchange reveals some broken branches have also led in this direction. Conia knows how to read tracks and Amethio has ultimately followed our tangled voices.

“Now we’ve tracked them all the way to this wall...” Snorting, Zir puts a hand to his side. “And we find nothing.”

As I call my partners back to their balls, a sound of agreement escapes me. A rasp in my throat that fades behind Amethio’s stunned, “What’s that?” A quick glance in his direction brings the wall into focus. He has stopped in front of an area where strange signs protrude, bearing no apparent meaning. Still, he summons Ceruledge, ready to explore the area with psycho cut.

His partner smashes the dark energy against the rock with enough force to kick up dust. The dense wall of dirt and sand robs us all of our vision briefly until connected rocks are thrown into the air. As soon as they land a few metres to the side, they run away.

“Was that a Stonjourner?”

“A what?” My voice resembles a huff.

“A Stonjourner. A Rock-type Pokémon known to line up in circles with others of its kind once a year. For whatever reason.”

The only one of us who doesn’t express any surprise is Amethio. He calls Ceruledge back in the middle of our irritation and walks through the passageway as if we don’t even exist. His tunnel vision is unwavering, his destination is clear, and we have no choice but to follow him.

Behind the short passage lies an almost endless stone path. Even from a distance, the magnificent castle in which the Rising Volt Tacklers have presumably found shelter comes into view and the sudden palpitations in my chest elicit a shaky gasp. I don’t know what comes next, but I can guess that Amethio is planning an attack. We’re not going to steal the pendant – the Pokémon – by stealth, but by brute force.

A dry swallow makes me cough before we switch to Corviknight again and rise into the air. The chilled breeze licks icy across my bare arms, so I wrap them tighter around Amethio’s waist, hoping to find warmth.

“You’re planning to attack, aren’t you?” Instead of turning my attention to the landscape under dark blue, my interest lingers on my companion. Something in this situation demands certainty in me. “Without a plan?”

“We’ll surprise them,” he replies. “They won’t expect us to attack here and now.”

“What if they’re not alone? What if they meet up with someone here? Then we’ll be outnumbered.”

“All we have to do is get our hands on this Pokémon.”

He ignores our situation. All that’s of value to him right now is this unknown creature walking around like a living gem. We have to take possession of it, fend off counterattacks and successfully disappear. These are three tasks that sound easy but are nothing more than hurdles that we have to overcome.

The closer the castle gets, the tighter I press myself against Amethio – until he places a hand on my arm and signals me to release the pressure. However, the tension in my body cannot be reduced and when we catch a glimpse of faint light coming through one of the upper gigantic double windows, no one gives me time to prepare for the sudden dive. Instead, we chase straight down towards the closed glass.

Before we hit it, Corviknight leans back. Feet first, we smash through the pane. Clanging rings in my ears, shards gleam like flames in the faint glow of candles and the stifled sounds of those present send a shiver down my spine. Simultaneously, I slide after Amethio as he leaps from Corviknight’s back, while Ceruledge appears and lands on the broad balustrade. Behind it, almost four metres below, a living room has been set up, occupied by the two children and Friede. Charizard is already rising towards us.

“Run, you two!” Pushing Liko and Roy behind his back, Friede tries to urge them towards an exit they could reach if they followed one of the staircases – blocked by Zir and Conia’s energetic entrance.

My gaze wanders briefly over the situation until I get stuck on the unknown Pokémon in Liko’s arms. However, it only reacts when it makes eye contact with Amethio. His attention seems to run through the creature’s body like a surge of electricity, causing it to free itself from the girl’s arms and take a few steps in his direction – separated by our height difference.

“What are you doing here?”

“The Pokémon that used to be a pendant...” He stares it down.

“You don’t belong here!” The creature’s voice thunders in my skull. “Get out of here!”

Even Amethio understands that something is wrong. His brows furrowed, he seems to be trying to make sense of the Pokémon’s distorted sounds. Meanwhile, a pink ball with a light blue head jumps out of Liko’s hood, circles the creature and falls to the ground exhausted in the next moment – as if it has been drained of all energy.

“Get out of here!”

“That’s the Pokémon from the pendant, isn’t it?” Instead of continuing to focus on the Pokémon’s hissing, Amethio addresses the party. “Hand it over.”

“You’re not going to win!”

“Terapagos!” In hasty steps, Liko overcomes the distance to the creature, placing a hand on its crystal-like carapace but unable to calm it down. Again and again it demands Amethio to leave, its voice trembling and its anger rising – as if they are old acquaintances. Whatever he did in his first attempt to get the pendant, he must have attracted this Pokémon’s anger.

Maybe I should tell him about it, but it wouldn’t help the situation. At this moment, we are facing a battle that we have to win. Talking to Terapagos isn’t a priority. Still, I open my mouth. If I can persuade the Pokémon to realise we mean no harm, it might react less angrily. There’s a chance that it will understand our reason and that we can all come to an agreement. However, I can’t get a single word past my lips before someone else’s heavy jumps reach me and Amethio hastily jerks his head to the side. In the next breath, one of the room’s doors bursts open and an Arcanine leaps gallantly through the air – towards Amethio. Conia tries to stop it at the last moment with water pulse of her Golduck, but misses as it spins gracefully in the air.

“Ceruledge, psycho cut!” Temporarily distracted from the scene, Amethio puts up a fight, leaving all other decisions momentarily on my shoulders.

All at once, the children are ready to flee – led by an old woman who hasn’t been there before – and take flight just as Arcanine hurls flames in our direction. Ceruledge stops the fire with its blades before it can reach us and I only notice out of the corner of my eye how Charizard is called back and an underground passage bursts open, through which they threaten to disappear. Zir and Conia immediately follow in pursuit. Only the old lady stays behind.

“You’ve made quite an entrance! Who are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“We are members of the Explorers,” Amethio replies stiffly. Only his fingers twitch, as if he would like to chase after the others immediately.

“Explorers?” Astonishment appears on the stranger’s wrinkled face before her expression darkens. “Now that’s what I call a twist.”

“Ceruledge, attack!” Small talk doesn’t matter to him. It has no relevance in the face of our mission, and while his Pokémon sharpens its blades, the old woman leaps onto her Arcanine and smashes straight through a closed window.

Glass shatters, shards clatter to the floor and although we should perhaps follow her to find out more about her strangely confusing statement, Amethio has already turned away. His steps lead him to the balcony, where he climbs Corviknight once more, but leaves me behind.

Unable to comprehend his decision, I sway from one foot to the other. The children and Friede are already being followed. Amethio is probably heading in the same direction. They don’t need me there. So I gather all my courage, call Ying to my side, and take a deep breath.

My target is the old woman.