I can barely hold the scream in my lungs as Zoroark leaps out of the window with me in her arms and lands gallantly on her powerful hind legs two floors below. My heart is pounding up to my neck and when she lets me down, I have to clutch at her sturdy fur to stop myself from collapsing. The stranger is nowhere in sight and the gloomy shadows make it difficult to see our surroundings clearly. A glance along the castle brings a tower into focus, where someone is peering over the edge under bright moonlight – until Corviknight appears behind the figure and the hunt begins its second round. If I follow them from here, there’s a chance I might bump into the stranger again and engage her in conversation.

“Ying, this way!” More determined than before, I point to the tower, where Charizard lets out a cry that is carried down to us by Corviknight’s violent storm.

The draughts of wind are clearly noticeable even here, tugging at my hair and clothes.

We set off immediately, creeping along the wall to watch the tower. Ying listens for noises I probably miss and the further we walk, the more intensely my heart thunders against my ribs. The wide windows on the lower floor allow a view into one of the castle’s endless corridors. Closed doors come into view, moonlight shines on the tiles and one window frame has been opened. An invitation I can’t refuse.

I’m about to gain momentum and heave myself onto the windowsill when I hear voices and abandon my plan. Instead, I crouch down with Ying and try to listen to the words reaching my ears like whispers alongside the sounds of the distance.

“I’ve been looking for you ... Diana.”

A voice I would recognise anywhere. I’ve heard Hamber so many times since yesterday that his sound seems like a familiar hum.

“The pendant you’re looking for is gone,” the stranger replies. “Give up.”

Pressing my back firmly against the wall, I push myself up a little to look through the window. Sitting on her Arcanine, Diana’s escape is blocked by a majestic Pokémon whose massive form makes it impossible to get away. The glowing red eye of its elongated head fixes her in place.

“Yes... I heard it woke up from its long sleep.” Hands clasped behind his back, Hamber exudes a calmness that ensnares me with safety. For a breath, he seems to keep everything slipping through our fingers under control. “This Pokémon will soon be ours.”

“You’re with the Explorers... Did I hear that right?”

“Did I not mention it?”

Arcanine’s growl raises goosebumps across my body. Part of me wants to shrink back, but the scene unfolding in front of me doesn’t allow any movement. While Diana takes a step back, her body bent as if she’s flinching from a wild beast, Hamber doesn’t move an inch. He simply stands there, dressed in a dark blue suit with shimmering gold accents.

“I can’t say I take any pleasure in it...”

“I hope you understand.” His voice sounds deeper than the one I’ve been hearing. It’s reminiscent of Raya’s growl before she attacks her prey,

“Why did you target us? The Explorers... Weren’t they once friends of Lucius?”

My brows lift. I have no idea what they’re talking about or who they’re talking about. An unknown name is thrown in and a connection is mentioned that I don’t know what to do with. It seems like they know each other and at the same time, they’re conveying nothing but a negotiation built on uncertain character traits.

“If you already understand so much, my job will be easier.”

The Pokémon at Hamber’s side raises its powerful arms as Arcanine’s fur puffs up. But there is no attack. Something explodes. The thunder in my head makes me press my hands to my ears. A sudden tremor rips through the entire castle, reaching into my marrow and forcing me to crouch. A cloud of dust bursts through the window above me and while Ying lays her body protectively over me, I count down the seconds from five.

Immediately afterwards, I jump up. Diana has disappeared. Half the wall on the opposite side is missing, and Hamber is struggling to clear his throat. “I asked them to wait ... but they never listen.” He shakes his head. “You can come out.”

My whole body is electrified. It takes a moment before I actually push myself onto the windowsill with Ying’s help and finally slide into the corridor. Suddenly I’m face to face with the man I’m supposed to turn to if I need anything. A man who stands above Amethio and presents a completely different picture to my partner, whose temper occasionally goes through the wall. Hamber lives up to his age. Not even the commotion outside seems to rattle him.

“We should leave,” he suggests in the middle of my observation. “There are no more choices for us here.”

Instead of answering, I manage a weak nod. In the next breath, I’m already walking alongside him as our Pokémon disappear back into their balls. The thoughts in my head are racing and although I would like to start a conversation, there are no suitable topics to begin with. This man doesn’t convey the image of someone who values simple small talk.

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“You seem to be a girl of many thoughts,” Hamber begins out of nowhere. He understands me, as if I were speaking all my thoughts. “I take it you have questions?”

“Many,” I force out.

“You’re free to ask me anything that’s on your mind. I’ll answer what I can.”

It’s an offer I can’t resist. “Terapagos... This Pokémon... Why should we get it?”

“It’s a legendary Pokémon from long-forgotten times,” Hamber replies. “When it has gathered enough power, it can cause a catastrophe nobody can stop. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could cost many lives.” His closed eye gives me no clue whether I can buy this meagre piece of information. “Besides, it once belonged to a friend.”

“That Lucius guy?”

He nods. “He entrusted it to the Explorers a long time ago so we could watch over it. Then, one day, it was stolen by someone we trusted. Since then, we have searched tirelessly for it and finally found it in the hands of this girl.”

It sounds believable, which is why my shoulders loosen a little. The surrounding confusion – another explosion tearing down the tower on which Corviknight had previously directed a storm against Charizard – is forgotten. “And that woman? Diana? She seems to know who the Explorers are, but doesn’t seem to trust them much.”

“She and Master Gibeon have their differences. As an adventurer, she wants to discover the secret behind Terapagos. We, meanwhile, just want to keep it safe.”

“So they’re the ones who could put us all in danger?”

“You could say that.” A nod comes over him. “They probably don’t realise how dangerous Terapagos can be and just throw themselves into a situation that seems exciting. They don’t weigh up the outcome.”

My lips press together. In the mines, they have more than clearly conveyed the image of rash actions. Liko has confronted the Moltres as if it were in no way dangerous. That put them all in jeopardy. In general, they faced a powerful Pokémon without a plan, and even if it ended well in the end, I can’t say I’m convinced of this group’s handling. I know how problematic rash ideas are and how much they can cost in the end. Hamber’s words make sense. They are defending a Pokémon and investigating its secret without thinking about the consequences. The thought elicits a stifled laugh.

“Mocking our opponents?” Hamber probes.

“No...” With a thin smile on my lips, I look at him. “I’ve just realised I wouldn’t act much differently if I were a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers. Because I ... often act first and think later, and I like to rush things.”

“Amethio told me about it.” We walk outside together. The battles are behind us and the rest of the Explorers are probably also slowly retreating. “You have a strong sense of curiosity.”

It’s hard to say whether strong curiosity is deemed good or foolish in his world, but the gentle way he says it and the calmness of his demeanour give him something that leaves me with no negative feelings – like a father who knows exactly how to walk the line between comfort and rebuke.

“My ‘strong sense of curiosity’ has put Amethio in one or two ... unpleasant situations,” I finally add. “Since then, I’ve at least tried to watch my step a little.”

“That’s a good decision, but don’t limit yourself too much.” A smirk appears on his lips. “You want to be a professor. It’s not a simple path, and every drop of interest you find is a valuable step forward on that journey. Amethio is a capable boy. A little chaos doesn’t hurt him.”

“Because he’s otherwise too focussed on his tasks?”

“He has a terrible urge to prove himself and likes to rush things in his own special way. I assume he faced the Rising Volt Tacklers without a plan?”

“We broke through the window.” My shoulders slump. “Just like that.”

“That sounds a lot like him.”

By now there are several metres between us and the castle, and the smoky chaos rising into the evening sky reminds me of the fight against Guzma. Back then, Raya sent a pillar of fire through the roof. Today, Amethio leaves no stone unturned, and it’s amazing how differently we ultimately provoke the same chaos. We are in equal measure. He’s just better at pretending he has everything under control.

“You seem like a friendly young lady to me,” Hamber starts again. “A girl with goals and ideas that should be encouraged.” He turns to me. “If you ever need help with that, you can always turn to me.”

I stare at him for a breath, catching the moment when a shallow breeze blows his side-swept fringes away and a tired eye pops out – shimmering with a violet glow.

“Besides,” he continues, “I’d be glad if you’d continue to watch Amethio.”

“Continue to?” My shoulders tense. “He’s more likely to watch me.”

A soft laugh overcomes Hamber. “You see him. In your own way. If you realise that he’s going too far and that he’s bringing himself to his knees ... be a good girl and help him up, will you?”

“Why me?”

“Zir and Conia have found a place in this world thanks to Amethio. He reached out to them when they didn’t know what to do. They would never question his decisions.” He clasps his hands behind his back. “But he’s not ... very popular with the other Explorers. They’d take any opportunity to get rid of him. You’re the only element in constant proximity that opposes him without wanting to harm him.”

I want to say something, maybe even disagree, but I don’t have the words. He’s not wrong. Harming Amethio isn’t on my list of things I want to achieve in life. Then again, I don’t think there’s any point in paying attention to him. He would never listen to me if I asked him to. His stubbornness won’t allow it. My best reference remains the Lush Jungle.

“That probably won’t help. I’m ... looking for my own adventure and one day I want answers to some questions plaguing me for some time now.” Foremost, I want to fill in the gaps in my memory and understand why my childhood and everything before Alola is a blur. “Amethio, however, wants to catch the black Rayquaza and I don’t think he’ll ever stop.”

“He’s stubborn,” Hamber replies. “But I’m sure one day he’ll learn that Rayquaza isn’t everything in his life. It’s a long way until then, but I really hope that you’ll stand by him, just like Zir and Conia.” Once again, he gives me a small smile. “Deep down, he’s a nice boy who doesn’t want to admit many things, but he’s true to his word.”

The first trees are already covering us with their dense canopy of leaves.

In the darkness, the castle is just an outline, losing shape at its corners. Here we can neither feel the vibrations nor hear the explosions – perhaps the battle has ended completely by now and everyone has fled in a different direction.

“You should get back to the others.”

One last time I look at Hamber. His gaze also seems to rest on the ruins. Just a moment longer than necessary before he turns away and follows the path further down – through the tunnel. He leaves me behind and I don’t dare run after him. The conversation between us is over. I don’t want to provoke an awkward silence.

Hands pressed into my sides, I take a deep breath. Then I pull the Rotom Phone out of my pocket and dial Amethio’s number.