As we step into the Max Lair, my eyes are immediately drawn to the two diverging paths ahead: one leading towards Ghost Type Pokémon, and the other towards Psychic Type opponents. A decision needs to be made, and I turn to my companions for input.

I voice my uncertainty, "Which way should we go? If we choose this path, we'll be up against Ghost Type Pokémon, but if we opt for that one, we'll face Psychic Types."

Elena quickly responds, her confidence shining through, "Ghost Types won't be a problem for me. After all, my Persian is a Normal Type. The real challenge lies in the fact that I can only use Play Rough."

Alice chimes in, her enthusiasm evident, "You're not alone, Elena. We've got two Normal Types on our team, so it makes sense for us to take on the Ghost Type challenge."

With a collective decision made, we proceed down the Ghost Type path, our anticipation building. Soon enough, we encounter our first opponent, a Haunter. My heart sinks a little as I realize that Haunter is not only a Ghost Type but also a Poison Type, a double disadvantage for my Dedenne.

I share my concern with the group, and Alice steps up, determination in her eyes. "I'll take the Dynamax initiative this time. I've got this."

With Alice's Torkoal now Dynamaxed, it unleashes a powerful Max Flare, engulfing Haunter and dealing significant damage. At the same time, I decide to set up a Substitute to shield my Pokémon from potential attacks. The trainer accompanying us sends out their Unfezant, which quickly uses Tailwind to boost our team's speed.

Elena's Persian, despite its type disadvantage, fearlessly lunges forward, using Play Rough against Haunter. Although not very effective, the attack manages to land a hit. However, Haunter retaliates swiftly, casting Hypnosis and causing Elena's Dedenne to fall asleep.

I express my doubts about our choice of path, "Okay, maybe the Ghost Type isn't the best choice after all."

Alice remains resolute, reminding us not to give up, "But we can't give up until it's over."

Despite the challenges, we eventually manage to defeat the Haunter. However, to our surprise, we hear a notification from our Rotom phone, asking if we want to capture the Haunter.

"Wait, we can capture Pokémon here as well?" I inquire, my curiosity piqued. Elena decides to give it a try, and with surprising ease, she captures the Haunter.

Elena is presented with an option to switch out her Persian for the newly captured Haunter. After some contemplation, she makes the switch, and her Persian is replaced by the Haunter.

"Okay, I think I'm starting to get the hang of how these battles work," Elena says, as we continue our journey deeper into the Max Lair. Along the way, we stumble upon some berries, which we collect. These berries prove useful in restoring our Pokémon's health, except for Elena's freshly acquired Haunter, who seems eager to prove its worth in our upcoming battles.

The other trainer speaks up, clearly eager to avoid another challenging Ghost Type battle, "So, what will it be next? Ghost again? Or Psychic?"

Elena can't help but groan, "Did they really only have those two choices? Or are we just incredibly unlucky?"

Alice, ever the strategist, suggests an alternative, "There's a person standing in front of the Ghost path. Maybe we should head in that direction?"

"I think you're right," I agree. Following Alice's suggestion, we approach the backpacker standing in front of the Ghost path, hoping for some guidance or assistance.

As we reach the backpacker, we're pleasantly surprised to find that they're handing out useful items. I receive an Electric Seed, Alice acquires Leftovers, Elena gets a Payapa Berry, and the trainer accompanying us obtains a Sharp Beak.

Feeling better equipped for our next encounter, we continue down the Ghost path. To our surprise, we encounter a Polteageist as our next opponent.

Alice takes note of the turn order and realizes it's not her turn to Dynamax this time. "It's my turn," I say, as I Dynamax my Dedenne. The Electric Terrain helps boost my Electric-type moves, and the Electric Seed further bolsters my attack power. With confidence, I unleash Max Lightning, hoping to deal significant damage to Polteageist.

Unfortunately, Polteageist manages to defeat Elena's Haunter with a powerful Max Darkness attack. The situation takes a turn for the worse as we start to feel the storm brewing around us.

Elena raises a valid concern, "So if the storm is here, does that mean, like the Max Dens, if we lose four times, we'll be blown out of the den?"

"That's right," Alice confirms, her voice determined. "We can only afford three more faints."

We continue our assault on Polteageist, giving it everything we've got. After a fierce battle, we eventually manage to defeat the Pokémon. Alice is the one who captures it, replacing her Torkoal.

After their previous battle, the group faces two new choices: Fire and Water. Ash spots a scientist standing in front of the Fire path and suggests, "Let's go check out the Fire path since there's a scientist there."

Approaching the scientist, he inquires, "Hello, does anyone want to switch out your Pokémon?"

The trainer accompanying the group decides to trade their Unfezant for a Cradily. Ash is pleasantly surprised to discover that there are also Fossil Pokémon in this area, making their adventure even more exciting.

Continuing down the Fire path, they encounter a formidable opponent: a Gigantamax Centiskorch. Alice is in awe, remarking, "Wow... There's even a Gigantamax Pokémon here."

With determination, they engage in a hard-fought battle against the Gigantamax Centiskorch, putting their skills and teamwork to the test. After a challenging struggle, they manage to defeat the powerful Pokémon. However, none of them express an interest in capturing it, so the Gigantamax Centiskorch disappears, leaving them to continue their exploration of the Max Lair.

Excitement fills the air as Ash announces, "There it is, the final Pokémon... and it's a Water Type."

Curiosity piqued, Elena wonders aloud, "I wonder what it will be," as they make their way into the last area of the Max Lair.

To their astonishment, they come face to face with none other than Suicune, the Legendary Pokémon. Alice gasps in shock, exclaiming, "A Suicune? That's the Legendary Pokémon?"

With no time to lose, Ash takes charge, determined to battle Suicune. He Dynamaxes his Pokémon, and a powerful Max Lightning attack creates an Electric Terrain. However, their surprise knows no bounds when Suicune retaliates with Extreme Speed, displaying a move they didn't expect from the Legendary creature.

Alice expresses her amazement, "Hey, I never knew Suicune could use Extreme Speed..."

Elena adds, "Or Liquidation as well."

As the battle with Suicune continues and they gradually wear down its health, Suicune suddenly creates a Shield, causing me to groan in frustration, "Don't tell me that even Suicune has a Shield that protects him."

Elena quickly corrects the misunderstanding, saying, "Well, it doesn't shield him... But it gives him a second attack."

Alice chimes in with a note of concern, "And that is horrible, we only have one more health left."

Undeterred by the challenge and with their last sliver of hope, Dedenne unleashes Rising Voltage. The powerful attack manages to defeat Suicune, and with a collective sigh of relief, we emerge victorious in their battle against the Legendary Pokémon.

"Hang on—I recognize you!" we turn around to see a girl approaching us. She introduces herself as Peonia, the same name Peony mentioned earlier. She seems friendly and energetic. "Are you here for a Dynamax Adventure, too? Wicked! Guess we're on the same wavelength! I'm Peonia. Nice to properly meet you! What about you? What's your name?"

"I'm Ash," I reply, "and my partner Pikachu is outside, keeping an eye on our Pokémon."

Alice introduces herself with a polite bow, "I'm Alice."

Elena follows suit, saying, "I'm Elena. We've come here because of your dad, Peony."

Peonia's expression changes as she mentions her father, "So, is my dad on his way here, too? I haven't seen him... Has he got turned around and wound up back at the entrance? Listen—sorry for using you to distract my old man back there. He's as stubborn as a Mudbray! Things go all right after I left?"

I take the opportunity to share the recent events, "Well, I had a battle with him," I say, and it seems to catch her by surprise.

Peonia seems genuinely surprised and impressed by the fact that I defeated her father, Peony. "What? You beat my old man?! You sure pulled a blinder there! He used to be a Gym Leader, you know. Even on holiday, he's no pushover!"

Elena then drops a bombshell that surprises Peonia even more, "Maybe because I am former Chairman Rose's daughter, which makes us cousins."

Peonia's eyes widen in astonishment. "Wait, you're my cousin? Wow... why didn't Dad tell me about this?"

Elena explains with a hint of bitterness, "Maybe because he ran away from home. He didn't like Dad that much."

Peonia sighs, realizing the complexity of the family dynamics, and shares some insights about their father, "Y'know, my dad was going mad with excitement for this trip. He kept going on about how he'd planned for us to check out local legends on this super-intense adventure tour... 'Adven-tour,' as he calls it. But I mean, come on! What girl my age would be caught dead doing some naff thing like that with her dad?"

We share a collective understanding of Peonia's situation, recognizing the challenges she faces. Peonia's enthusiasm for battling Dynamax Pokémon is evident, and she proposes an interesting idea, "Besides, I really fancy having more battles with Dynamax Pokémon! Ahhh, the thrill of battling one of those massive, towering Pokémon... Just thinking about it gets me pumped! Hee hee! You know what? I've just had a thought! You're a pretty fierce Trainer, right? Then I bet you could handle takin' my place on my old man's Adven-tour!"

Elena readily agrees, "Sure, I mean... that is a way since we have some problems that we need to ask Uncle Peony about."

Peonia sees the potential in her suggestion and adds, "Too right it does! It's a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself! He's so hyped up about all this. It'd be a shame to just leave him on his own. And who knows? You could end up running into a Legendary Pokémon! How about I meet back up with you two after I've had my own fun in the Max Lair? Go on, then. Enjoy your twosome tour of legends! Tell my old man the deal and all that!"

After Peonia dashes off to have her adventure, we return to the entrance of the Max Lair. To our surprise, we find Pikachu, our Pokemon, and the scientist shaking their heads in disbelief while Peony lies on the ground. The situation is undoubtedly intriguing, and we can't help but wonder what has transpired in our absence.

Peony groans in pain, his discomfort evident. "Agh! It hurts! It ultra-mega-hurts! Nia! Where's my darlin' Niaaa?"

Elena, concerned about his well-being, asks, "What happened to him?"

The scientist, still shaking his head, responds, "This fine gentleman appears to have tripped on a rock and struck his head."

Alice comments with empathy, "Oh, that's going to be hurt alright."

Peony interjects with a hint of humor despite his pain, "Hnngh... Adventures aren't to be taken lightly. I've learned that firsthand now... Firsthand, I mean. I was just checkin' to see if my little girl was behind some rocks, and look how I've ended up!"

The scientist adds with a touch of dry humor, "Behind some rocks? Is your daughter a Rolycoly, sir?"

Elena lends a helping hand, assisting Peony in getting back up. Peony manages to get back on his feet, undeterred by his recent mishap. He declares with enthusiasm, "There we go—I'm up! No little bump's gonna keep me down long. That kip's got me feelin' right as rain! How about it then, lad? Did you find my darlin' Nia?"

I start to explain the situation, "Well... we did, but..." and we go on to tell him about Peonia's desire to continue her Dynamax Adventure.

Peony listens thoughtfully and says, "Hmmm... You don't say. So dear Nia's set on stayin' away till she's had her fill of this Dynamax Adventure stuff... and she wants the four of us to go ahead and get crackin' on the grand Peony Adven-tour? You know, I burned the candle at both ends working out the best itinerary I could for my dear Nia's sake... But I guess she's at that age when she doesn't want her old man taggin' along all the time. And tryin' to press her into doin' what I wanna do probably won't win me any 'dad of the year' awards. Right, then! What's your name, kid?"

After we introduce ourselves and Elena mentions her connection to Chairman Rose, Peony raises an eyebrow. "Oh, so you are that bloke's daughter, huh? It sure has been years since I met him. How is that bloke doing?"

Elena's expression turns somber as she explains, "He resigned as the Chairman and now I'm the Chairwoman along with my husband."

Peony acknowledges Elena's position as the new chairman and surprises her with his response, "So you've become the new chairman, huh, Elena? Even though I hated him, that doesn't mean I am going to hate you too. But first, let's have ourselves such a smashing adventure that my dear Nia'll be itching to join in the fun!"

Peony generously hands each of us his League Card before setting the plan in motion. "We're going to have ourselves a real treat of a Legendary Pokémon hunt! So that's decided! Now then, Ash, Alice, Elena! Let's get ourselves to Freezington! It's a town just a short ways off. Time for a strategic planning meeting for Peony's Adven-tour! I'll fill you in on the details once you get there! I say, let us reconvene posthaste! Ha! Just pulling your leg. Can you imagine if I actually talked like that? Gahaaahahaha!"

With his typical enthusiasm, Peony departs, leaving Elena and me reflecting on the encounter. Elena remarks, "Well, that went well."

I nod in agreement, "I know." We receive Dynite Ore from the scientist, which surprises us as they resemble Armorite Orbs. After some contemplation, we decide to chase after Peony, eager to embark on the next leg of our adventure and learn more about the Legendary Pokémon hunt.

"Peony is a former Steel-type Gym Leader. His powerful and dynamic battle style meant that anyone stuck on pitch maintenance had their work cut out for them. To this day, he is known as "Steel Peony" and has many fans, especially among men. This photo is actually a composite photo, made before Peony came to the Crown Tundra. It was originally a poster Peony stuck in the travel planner he made for his daughter, but she threw it away in short order. Peony liked the way it looked and decided to use it for his League Card."

And that's the whole Dynamax Adventure thing. I hope you like it and the next chapter is the beginning of the Adven-tour.

Ash and Alice's Pokemon:

Venusaur x2, Charizard x2, Blastoise x2, Butterfree x2 (One Pink), Pikachu, Meowth, Machamp, Rapidash (Galarian), Slowbro (Galarian), Gengar, Kingler, Weezing (Galarian), Lapras, Eevee, Snorlax, Meganium, Typhlosion (Hisuian), Espeon, Slowking (Galarian), Mantine, Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Milotic, Absol, Infernape, Lucario, Abomasnow, Gallade, Samurott, Audino, Darmanitan (Galarian), Garbodor, Zoroark, Stunfisk (Galarian), Greninja, Meowstic x2, Aegislash, Hawlucha, Decidueye, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Melmetal, Rillaboom, Cinderace, Inteleon, Greedent, Corviknight, Orbeetle, Thievul, Eldegoss, Dubwool, Drednaw, Boltund, Coalossal (Shiny), Flapple, Appletun, Sandaconda, Cramorant, Barraskewda, Toxtricity x2 (Amped, Low-Key), Centiskorch, Grapploct, Polteageist (Antique), Hatterene, Grimmsnarl, Obstagoon, Perrserker, Cursola, Sirfetch'd, Mr. Rime, Runerigus, Alcremie x9 (Each Flavor), Falinks, Pincurchin, Frosmoth, Stonjourner, Eiscue, Indeedee x2, Morpeko, Copperajah, Dracozolt, Arctozolt, Dracovish, Arctovish, Duraludon, Dragapult, Zacian, Eternatus, Urshifu x2 (Single Strike, Rapid Strike), Zarude, Kleavor