The day after Benoit’s Gym victory, the Cylge Pokémon Center was lively with early morning travelers. Trainers gathered by the entrance, the café line buzzed, and a few kids pyed with their Pokémon near the vending machines.

  But tucked in one of the quieter side booths, Rhea, Benoit, Lucas, and Liliane sat huddled around two Pokégear screens—one calling Lucas and Liliane’s parents, the other ready to reach Rhea’s.

  It was time to make this official.

  The Call – Lucas and Liliane’s ParentsLiliane had her back straight, her hair in a neater braid than usual, trying (and failing) to sit still. Lucas was calm, but Rhea could tell he was measuring every word before they even left his mouth.

  The screen blinked—then flicked on.

  Their mother and father appeared side by side: their mother in a cozy kitchen apron, flour on her hands, and their father adjusting a b coat as if he’d just stepped out of a home research room.

  “Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!” Liliane beamed.

  “Lil,” their mom smiled warmly. “You look like you haven’t slept.”

  “Research never sleeps!” she decred proudly.

  Lucas cleared his throat. “We have an update. A good one.”

  The parents leaned in.

  “We’ve been traveling with two League-registered Trainers—Rhea and Benoit—and their teams,” he expined. “We’ve already collected a ton of live data on battle dynamics, trainer command patterns, and pre-evolution body changes.”

  Rhea gave a polite wave. “Hi. It’s been productive.”

  “And we’re… thinking of continuing on with them,” Liliane added. “To follow the Gym circuit and help catalog patterns along the way.”

  Silence.

  Then their mom asked: “And you’ll keep sending us updates?”

  “Weekly logs. With timestamps and control samples,” Lucas promised.

  Their father nodded slowly. “You’re safe with them?”

  “They’ve got each other’s backs,” Lucas said. “And now ours.”

  The mom smiled. “Then go. Experience it.”

  “Just be careful,” their father added. “Fieldwork is still work.”

  Liliane nearly fell out of her chair from happiness.

  The Call – Rhea’s ParentsRhea clicked into her call next.

  It connected after one ring.

  Her mother, Sierra, appeared first—leaning into frame with that calm, battle-tested posture. Her father joined a second ter, still wiping soot from his hands.

  “You look taller,” her dad said immediately.

  “I beat Grant,” Rhea replied. “Two badges now.”

  Sierra nodded approvingly. “I saw the footage. Clean execution.”

  Rhea allowed herself a quick smirk. “Thanks.”

  Then she hesitated.

  “I’m… also expanding the team. Not Pokémon—people. Lucas and Liliane are joining us for the Kalos circuit. They're researchers.”

  Her mom raised an eyebrow. “You're leading a traveling party now?”

  “It’s not a leadership thing,” Rhea said. “We’ve got the same direction. I just… offered a way to do more together.”

  Her dad smiled faintly. “You’re becoming what your mother used to be.”

  Sierra gave him a sharp look. “I was much grumpier.”

  That made Rhea ugh.

  “You proud of me?” she asked quietly.

  “Always,” her mom said. “But now we’re impressed, too.”

  Leaving Cylge – Onward to ShalourBy midday, the newly-formed team stood at the edge of the city gates. Packs adjusted, water bottles filled, Poké Balls checked.

  Frogadier stood at Rhea’s side, scanning the cliffs beyond. Linoone and Riolu bounced beside Benoit. Lucas clipped a portable sensor unit to his belt while Liliane was already typing field notes into her tablet.

  “Next stop,” Rhea said, “Shalour City. And the Tower of Mastery.”

  “And the Reflection Cave,” Liliane added. “It’s said to hold Pokémon who can mimic your every move.”

  “That’s not creepy at all,” Benoit muttered.

  They ughed—and took their first steps together down Route 10.

  The Ambush – Order of Apex ReturnsThey didn’t make it a full hour.

  The terrain was rough—tight trails between trees, cliffs lining one side, open brush on the other. They moved carefully.

  Until Rhea stopped cold.

  “Do you hear that?”

  Everyone went silent.

  Then they heard it too.

  Footsteps. Three. Coordinated. Too even to be casual Trainers.

  From the brush ahead, three figures stepped out.

  Bck coats. Silver triangle insignias. Cold eyes.

  Order of Apex.

  And not just scouts.

  The same ones who had tried to ambush them near Santalune.

  The leader—a short, wiry teen with sharp eyes and a cruel smile—spoke first. “Well, well. Thought we lost you two after the forest.”

  Rhea stepped in front of the group. “You’re still following us?”

  “Not just following,” one of the others added. “We were watching. And we saw you beat Grant. Very impressive.”

  “But you’re wasting your potential,” the leader said, eyes flicking to Frogadier. “Why bond with something weaker when you could command something stronger?”

  “You're still pushing that garbage?” Benoit asked, stepping forward.

  “You have something we want,” the st one said, eyes on Linoone.

  “Not gonna happen,” Rhea said ftly.

  The Apex leader grinned. “Then we take it.”

  Battle Breaks OutWithout another word, they threw down their Poké Balls.

  Three Pokémon emerged: Graveler, Pawniard, and a Sneasel—each fast, strong, and raised for quick eliminations.

  Rhea turned. “Lucas—Liliane—stay back.”

  Lucas nodded, pulling Liliane behind a boulder. “We’ve got recon, not firepower.”

  “Let us handle this.” Rhea reached for her ball. “Frogadier, you’re up!”

  “Linoone—let’s shut these clowns down!” Benoit shouted.

  Team Battle – Rhea & Benoit vs. Order of Apex (Round Two)Frogadier nded first, immediately firing a Water Pulse at Pawniard. The steel-type tried to block, but the hit staggered it hard.

  Linoone zigzagged toward Sneasel, unching a surprise Headbutt that smmed it into a tree.

  “Graveler—Magnitude!” one Apex member shouted.

  The ground exploded in a rumble.

  “Jump!” Rhea yelled.

  Frogadier leapt, using a rock wall for bounce, then spun mid-air to bst another Bubble Beam downward.

  “Double Team!” she followed up.

  Four Frogadiers blurred across the field.

  Linoone darted in and out of the dust, baiting attacks, then slipping behind Graveler and knocking it off bance with a Tackle to the leg.

  Sneasel recovered and lunged toward Frogadier with Feint Attack—

  Only to sm into a clone.

  Frogadier fired from above—

  A clean shot to the back.

  Sneasel colpsed.

  “Linoone—one more time—Headbutt!”

  Graveler groaned—and fell.

  Only Pawniard remained—sparking and limping.

  Benoit and Rhea nodded to each other.

  “Together,” Rhea said.

  “On three—!”

  “Now!”

  Linoone and Frogadier struck in unison.

  The final blow nded.

  VictoryThe Order of Apex grunts stood stunned.

  “You’re stronger than before,” one muttered.

  “No,” Rhea said. “We’re not stronger. We’re together. That’s what you don’t get.”

  The lead grunt scowled. “This isn’t over. We’ll see you again. Higher stakes.”

  They vanished into the trees.

  Aftermath – The Real Journey BeginsOnce the grunts disappeared, the group gathered again, adrenaline slowly fading.

  Lucas turned to Rhea. “Still think we’re only collecting Gym data?”

  “Not anymore,” she said. “We’re collecting everything. Movement patterns. Threat signatures. Apex weaknesses.”

  Liliane looked at her with wide eyes. “You're pnning to stop them, aren’t you?”

  “Someone has to,” Rhea replied.

  Benoit pced a hand on Linoone’s head. “And we’re not stopping now.”

  They stood there a moment, team assembled, the wind at their backs.

  Then they walked forward—together—toward the next horizon.