As we arrive at Hammerlocke Gate, a staff member stationed there approaches us, clearly checking for gym badges. "Ah, Gym Challengers! Allow me to check your Gym Badges!"

We present our gym badges to him, and he examines them carefully. "You have the Grass Badge, the Water Badge, and the Fire Badge. Meanwhile, the girl with you possesses the same two badges as you but has the Electric Badge as the third. It's confirmed that you've defeated three Gym Leaders, including the leader of Motostoke and the leaders of Generact! I wish you the best of luck in your future battles," he acknowledges, granting us passage with his confirmation of our achievements.

As Bede suddenly appears, our gazes meet, creating an awkward tension. "Oh, it's you..." Bede acknowledges, seemingly uninterested. "Yeah. But I doubt Hop will be coming."

"What? What did you do to him?" Gloria demands, her concern evident, but Bede simply grunts with a smirk.

"It's only natural. After such a humiliating defeat, there's no way he could look the Champion in the eye," Bede remarks confidently. "And I am sure he'll withdraw from the challenge."

"So, let me guess, he lost to you in a battle. I kind of anticipated that might happen," I interject.

"Aren't you worried? Ash?" Alice inquires, clearly concerned.

"Well, to be honest, he is strong, so he might not withdraw from the challenge," I respond, trying to reassure everyone, with the girls nodding in agreement.

Bede then turns to the staff member and presents his Gym Badges for verification. The staff member confirms, "Thank you, Challenger Bede. I can confirm you have the required Badges."

"Anyway, I have a meeting with the chairman, so I must excuse myself," Bede announces, leaving the group.

"I really don't like his all high and mighty attitude," Alice sighs in disapproval.

"Yeah, but we can't focus on him now," I assert as we proceed into Hammerlocke City, determined to move forward despite the distractions.

As we enter Hammerlocke, the grandiose city characterized by its castle-like aesthetics, we spot Bede standing before Chairman Rose and Oleana.

"Mr. Chairman! I've been collecting both Wishing Stars and Gym Badges as fast as I can!" Bede reports eagerly.

"Good work, Bede," Oleana acknowledges. "I'm glad you haven't forgotten that it was the chairman who endorsed you."

"If I gather enough Wishing Stars, that'll help solve the problem that's been bothering you, right, Mr. Chairman?" Bede inquires with determination.

Chairman Rose responds, "Oh, it's not just about me. It's for the future of the whole Galar region. And we'll need more than just Wishing Stars. We need a powerful Pokémon Trainer, too— someone like the Champion."

"With all due respect, sir, I was able to show Hop, one of the Champion-endorsed Trainers, just how outclassed he was," Bede asserts confidently. "I'm sure I'll be able to defeat the Champion. No, I WILL defeat the Champion!"

"That's the spirit! It takes healthy competition to really keep the Gym Challenge energized!" Chairman Rose responds, clearly appreciating Bede's determination and competitive drive.

"Challenger Bede, there is something I wish to discuss with you. Do you have a moment?" Oleana interrupts, indicating she has something important to discuss. Bede promptly follows her into the stadium, perhaps for a more private conversation or a special task related to the Gym Challenge.

"Papa?" Elena questions, catching Chairman Rose's attention. "Elena, Ash, Alice, Flora, Helen, and Gloria. I hope you were listening," Rose acknowledges.

"Not exactly... I mean, it's not polite to eavesdrop," I respond, feeling a bit awkward.

Understanding, Rose nods and continues, "As you know, Wishing Stars are those mysterious stones that are even attached to your Dynamax Bands. There's more to Wishing Stars than just making your Pokémon into giants, though! They hold far more energy than that! If you're curious, you should head to the stadium. In fact, we should head inside right away! I'll even give you a little lesson on how the Galar region gets its energy!"

"But this is the eighth gym..." Alice mutters with a hint of concern. Despite her reservations, we collectively decide to follow Chairman Rose into the stadium, intrigued by the opportunity to learn more about the energy dynamics of the Galar region.

Inside the stadium, Chairman Rose guides us toward the gate leading to the Power Plant. "Hammerlocke's stadium doubles as an Energy Plant. Now, have a look at my tablet. I've got all the information you need on it," he explains.

As we inspect the tablet, it displays a clear description of the Energy Plant's operations. "See? An easy-to-understand description of the Energy Plant! First, energy is absorbed from Hammerlocke Stadium's tower... Then, it's converted into electricity in the underground power plant and distributed throughout the region!" Rose elucidates.

Gloria expresses admiration, saying, "That is so wonderful, Chairman." Flora adds, "Indeed. We're very proud that the Galar Region has a great leader like you."

After reclaiming the tablet, Chairman Rose continues, "Our lives and society require various types of energy sources, such as electricity, natural gas, and water. My associate groups aim to improve everyone's lives by harnessing the power stored in Wishing Stars!"

Interrupting their conversation, Oleana approaches Chairman Rose and whispers something to him. "Oh! It's time for me to get to work. I should get moving before Oleana decides to give me another earful," Rose remarks, indicating his impending departure.

Disappointed, Elena frowns, clearly wanting to spend more time with her father. Rose suggests, "I suggest you head over to the vault next. Just head toward Route 6 from the stadium, and you should find the vault without any issues!" Despite his departure, he offers guidance on the next step of our journey.

We head west of the Stadium and unexpectedly run into Leon. "Ash and Alice! Seems you're doing well collecting Gym Badges," he greets us warmly. Folding his hands, he continues, "But Hop... Did something happen to him? He was acting really odd when I ran into him. He took one look at me and immediately said, 'I'm so sorry, Lee!' It might be the first time I've heard him apologize for anything, and I've no idea what it was for!"

"Maybe he's feeling down because he's had some tough losses in battle?" Alice suggests, attempting to offer an explanation.

"What do you mean?" Leon inquires, curious about the situation.

"Well, he lost to that Challenger endorsed by my father, Bede," Elena explains. "That's what we know."

"When you lose, you feel down in the dumps. But then there's nowhere left to go but back up! You've got to reflect on why it was you lost, though. You know, that little brother of mine...I think he might yet become a surprisingly great Trainer!" Leon shares words of encouragement, nodding thoughtfully. We all acknowledge his words of wisdom.

Glancing at the time, Leon gasps, "Blast, and look at the time! Nearly forgot my meeting with the chairman. That Oleana really lets me hear it when I'm late! Now if only I could remember which way to go..."

Before leaving, he advises us, "Anyway, I'd say that you should go and say hello to Raihan while you're here. He's the greatest rival I've got and the final hurdle you'll have to face in the Gym Challenge. He should still be around the vault, if you hurry. It's down that way—on the way to Route 6." With that, Leon heads off, leaving us with a direction to meet Raihan at the vault.

As we arrive at the park, a boy approaches us with a question, "Excuse me, have you heard about the rumor?"

"What rumor?" Gloria inquires, curious about the topic.

"What? You haven't heard? There's a rumor that if you give the one you like an Applin, you'll be together forever," the boy shares.

"Oh, we heard about that," I respond.

He continues, "You see, there is someone I like. She's going to move overseas pretty soon... I've been searching for an Applin so I can get my feelings across the right way. But I can't find one... If you find an Applin, can you give it to me?"

Alice and I exchange a glance, contemplating his request. Alice speaks up, "You want us to give you an Applin...so you can give it to the one you like. But do you think that she will accept the Applin that was given rather than being captured by yourself?"

The boy is momentarily speechless, muttering uncertainly, "I don't know."

"It's fine, I have two Applin with me, I can lend you one of them," I offer as I hand over the Applin to the boy.

Grateful, the boy takes the Applin and rushes off to meet the girl. When he finally catches up with her, she asks, "Sorry I'm late. What was it that you needed to talk about so suddenly?"

"I... Err... H-how's your packing going?" the boy stammers nervously.

"Pretty much everything is packed. Since I am moving away tomorrow..." The girl's voice trails off with a hint of sadness evident in her expression.

"Yeah... H-hey, check out this Pokémon," the boy nervously shows her the Applin, and she's surprised, "Oh, an Applin! Amazing! Did you catch it?"

"W-well...N-no. Someone gave it to me..." the boy confesses hesitantly. "I am sorry! I really wanted to give you an Applin that I caught on my own! But, well...Ah, just forget it! I can't give you this Applin."

"You're right. I can't take it," the girl responds. "Even if we're separated and far away from each other...I'll still be waiting...for an Applin you caught yourself."

"Wait-do you mean?" the boy starts to ask, but the girl blushes a little and interrupts, "Ah, um...I'll see you later." With that, she hastily runs off.

The boy stands there, a mix of emotions on his face, contemplating the situation and perhaps realizing the significance behind the girl's words.

As we approach the boy, he asks, "Say, what do you think that was about, just now? Do you think it meant that?"

"Yeah, she must have felt the same way, congratulations," Flora replies with a smile.

"Thank you, I can't believe it... Woo-hoo!" The boy cheers, his face beaming with joy. Then, he adds, "Right, well, I'd better give this Pokémon back to you." He hands the Applin back to me, expressing his gratitude for lending it to him.

To our surprise, the boy hands us two bags. "This bag contains the Tart Apple, and the other one contains the Sweet Apple. I hope you like them," he says generously.

Gratefully accepting the bags, Alice and I express our thanks. As the boy hurriedly rushes off to find an Applin on his own, we bid him farewell.

"Wow... that was something," Alice remarks, looking at the bags in surprise.

"Yeah..." I respond, still processing the unexpected turn of events. Using the two different types of apples, we successfully evolve our Applin. One apple causes it to evolve into a Flapple, while the other one triggers its evolution into an Appletun. Now, we have both evolved forms of Applin, Flapple, and Appletun, in our team.

Flapple: The Apple Wing Pokemon: Grass and Dragon Type. Evolved from Applin when exposed to a Tart Apple. It ate a sour apple, and that induced its evolution. In its cheeks, it stores an acid capable of causing chemical burns.

Appletun: The Apple Nectar Pokemon: Grass and Dragon Type. Evolved from Applin when exposed to a Sweet Apple. Eating a sweet apple caused its evolution. A nectarous scent wafts from its body, luring in the bug Pokémon it preys on.

We finally reach the vault and find Raihan waiting there. "Oh! If it isn't the Trainer endorsed by the Champions from overseas! Let's see... What was your name again?"

"Ash and Alice." I say.

"Ah, right! Ash and Alice! And if Leon himself recognized your potential... then I guess you'll grow into quite the Trainer. All the same, though, anyone wanting to challenge the mighty Raihan has to prove they're up to it by earning seven Gym Badges first," Raihan mentions.

"We're aware of that. We're actually here to visit the vault," Gloria interjects.

"Ah, so you're here to see our treasures, are you? Gaining a better understanding of Pokémon by studying history certainly isn't a bad idea. I like your spirit, kids! Follow me, why don't you," Raihan invites us, leading the way toward the vault.

Inside the vault, Raihan offers, "I'll even spare you one of my League Cards." Unexpectedly, he hands us his League Cards, a gesture that surprises me as I didn't anticipate receiving them at this point. "Now on you go! If it's the vault you want, it's up those stairs there," Raihan instructs, pointing toward the stairs that lead further into the vault.

As we reach the highest floor, Sonia is there, contemplating four paintings hung on the walls. "Hey, Sonia," we greet her.

"Oh, you're here," Sonia acknowledges us. "Brilliant, aren't they? It's great that there are still treasured tapestries that can tell us of Galar's history."

"Yeah, but what do those pictures mean?" Helen inquires.

Sonia guides us to the first painting, explaining, "The two youths watching a Wishing Star." She moves to the second one, continuing, "A disaster occurs... The two bewildered youths." Stepping towards the third painting, she narrates, "The youths looking on at the sword and shield that stop the disaster." Finally, she examines the fourth painting and explains, "The youths being crowned."

"These tapestries tell the story of the creation of a kingdom in Galar. Say, what sticks out to you most about them?" Sonia asks.

"There are two heroes?" I suggest, seeking clarification.

"Bang on! The statue at that hotel in Motostoke only had one hero, no matter how you slice it. But here, we clearly have two youths," Sonia confirms, supporting the observation.

"What about the Darkest Day?" Gloria inquires, seeking further clarification.

"Right? That's got to be it. The story of the black storm that bolted out the skies was passed on through the years as a tale of disaster...that's what the Darkest Day is," Sonia explains, connecting the tapestries' depiction with the historical event known as the Darkest Day.

Sonia ponders aloud, "Was there really only one hero, or were there two? And what even caused the Darkest Day?" She turns to the group, expressing gratitude, "Thanks for letting me bounce some ideas off you. I think I've got some theories now. I'm going to research the tapestries a tad more, but you have your Gym Challenge, right? I am cheering for you, so I hope to see more of your wins!"

After bidding farewell to Sonia, we decide to head downstairs, leaving her to delve deeper into her research on the tapestries.

Raihan comments, "The tapestries in the vault depict the heroes of the Galar region's past. I suppose if we've got any modern hero, it'd have to be our Champion, Leon. Listen up. Your goal is to defeat that superstar Leon. So go conquer Route 6 and train yourself up along the way to Stow-on-Side."

"Sure," we acknowledge. After bidding farewell to Raihan, we set off toward Route 6, eager to continue our journey and train ourselves as we progress toward Stow-on-Side.

Here is a new chapter, and we're done with the Hammerlocke's first part. The next chapter will be Route 6 and Stow-on-Side.

Ash and Alice's Pokemon:

Venusaur, Charizard x2, Blastoise, Butterfree x2 (One Pink), Pikachu, Meowth, Machamp, Gengar, Kingler, Koffing, Lapras, Eevee, Snorlax, Meganium, Typhlosion (Hisuian), Espeon, Corsola (Galarian), Mantine, Sceptile, Linoone (Galarian), Gardevoir (Shiny), Milotic, Absol, Infernape, Lucario, Abomasnow, Gallade, Samurott, Audino, Garbodor, Zoroark, Stunfisk (Galarian), Greninja, Meowstic x2, Aegislash, Hawlucha, Decidueye, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Melmetal, Raboot, Drizzile, Greedent, Corvisquire, Orbeetle, Thievul, Eldegoss, Dubwool, Drednaw, Boltund, Carkol (Shiny), Flapple, Appletun, Barraskewda, Toxtricity x2 (Amped, Low-Key), Centiskorch, Hatenna, Impidimp, Perrserker, Sirfetch'd, Alcremie x9 (Each Flavor), Dreepy, Kleavor