Chapter Text
"What am I gonna do?" Bea whispered to herself. "I'm too wrapped up in my feelings, and I have a duty to steel myself and stay dedicated to my goal...and yet...I..."
She fell silent, unsure of what to say next. A breeze blew across the balcony that the girl stood on, causing her gray hair and black-and-orange blow to flutter. It was colder than the previous breezes that she felt, cooling down the temperature on her skin. But she didn't care. Instead, she closed her eyes, as if she was in wait. The Sun shone against Bea's eyes, causing her to see red through her closed eyelids. However, when that red changed into black, and it suddenly became cooler than usual, the tan-skinned girl quickly opened her eyes.
A split-second later, a blur of white and light-gray collided straight into her face.
"AGH!" she screamed, stumbling into the room and startling her Machamp, Machop, and Machoke. "Agh, AGH! W-What is this?!" She then grabbed at the object now clutching at her face, only to realize it was surprisingly soft and furry. "Get off me!"
"Uuuuughhhhh..."
Before Bea could pause at the sound, she heard a familiar voice yell out, "Bea?! Bea!" The silver-haired girl then heard a storm of footsteps run up to her doorway. "Bea, are you alright?! Answer me?!"
Bea tried to answer, but Ash was already saying like the idiot he was, "I'm kicking down the door!"
"Are you crazy, Ash?!" Gordie exclaimed. "What if he finds out and makes us pay the fine?!"
"B-But we don't know if Bea's in trouble!"
"Don't you dare kick down the door, Ash!" Bea snapped, her eyes widening in alarm as she finally pried the object off her face, her three Pokémon sighing in relief at her unscathed features. "I swear to Arceus, if you do that, I am gonna make sure you regret it for the rest of your life!"
"Well," Korrina's voice replied, her voice exhibiting casual relief, "sounds like Bea's doing fine."
"A-Are you sure, Bea?!" Ash called.
"Pika?!" Pikachu squeaked, his own voice filled with equaled concern.
"Well, I'm still breathing, if that's what you are worried about..." Bea replied. She then looked at the object in her hands, and a split-second later, she could barely suppress her gasp of shock.
It was a small, dark-gray Pokémon that almost reminded her of a Stufful. It had a face with slightly scruffy fur on the top of its head and its cheeks; three-clawed paws; two-toed, triangular feet; a small, ivory-white tuft of fur on its chest that was shaped like a bow; and a pair of black eyebrows. It also had small, dark-brown eyes that were currently half-lidded; a light-yellow mouth; a black, round nose; two little black marks on its chin; and a black, spiky tail.
It looked just like the Kubfu she'd seen in storybook artwork, all the way down to the last detail...
BANG!
"AGH!" Bea nearly jumped out of her skin the moment her hotel door flew open, and Ash, Gordie, Korrina, and Korrina's Lucario rushed into the room. "WHAT THE?! ASH! I TOLD YOU NOT TO KICK DOWN THE DOOR!"
"H-Huh?" Ash looked over his shoulder, then back at her, and a pink color started to flood his cheeks. "Oh, so-sorry 'bout that, Bea." Then, his eyes widened slightly in concern. "B-But you weren't speaking, s-so I thought-"
"So you thought you could kick down my door without minding your own manners?!" The girl heaved out an exasperated sigh. "No matter what the situation, you act just like a tourist."
"W-Well," Korrina replied nervously, looking over her shoulder to examine the damage, "Ash didn't exactly kick down the door, s-so I'd-"
"Yes, like that makes it any better," Bea interrupted with a roll of her eyes.
"Hey, uhhhhh, Bea?" Gordie piped up, lifting his hand to slightly lower his sunglasses at Kubfu. "Wha-What's that in your hands?"
"Huh?" The girl looked down at the Pokémon she was holding; it was limp and apparently unconscious. "I...I don't know. It...just flew right into my face-"
"W-Wait up, it flew into your face?!" exclaimed Ash. He immediately stood in front of Bea and leaned in towards her face, which prompted Bea to blush intensely. "Are you sure you're okay?!"
"Pika?!" Pikachu squeaked in equal concern; his head was tilted to get a better angle of his friend's face.
"W-W-Wh-Wh-What does it l-l-lo-look like, i-idiot?!" Bea looked away, trying her best to maintain her current headstrong, stubborn demeanor. "Y-You don't have to act like a mom about it!"
With that, she instantly stepped away from Ash's prying, analytical eyes and held out Kubfu for both Gordie and Korrina to see. As she had earlier suspected, it was unconscious, its eyes closed and its body still; it was still breathing, but only faintly so.
"What is it?" Korrina asked curiously, while her Lucario let out a soft, slightly raspy gasp.
"I dunno," Gordie replied, his eyes as wide as saucers. "But I don't think I've ever seen that Pokémon before!"
"Whoa..." Ash vocalized, having finally joined the others in examining Kubfu. "It looks like a Stufful or a Teddiursa..."
"Whatever it is..." Gordie promptly whipped out his Rotom Phone and began a recording. "It's going up on my vlog!"
"The only place this Pokémon is going," Bea snarled, promptly holding Kubfu close to her chest in a protective stance, "is a Pokémon Center. Clearly it needs medical attention!"
"R-Right..." Gordie put his phone away in a mixture of embarrassment and disappointment. "Pokémon Center. Gotcha."
"But what about Grandpa?" Korrina asked. "A-And Master Carter?"
"I'll leave them a note." Bea looked around briefly, then she faced Machamp, who, along with Machop and Machoke, had been standing beside Ash, examining the unconscious Kubfu. "Machamp, d'you know where the notepad and pen are?"
The Superpower Pokémon gave her a soft grunt in response, before walking over towards a desk. Meanwhile, Bea's eyes widened when she felt something tugging softly yet desperately at her shirt. She looked down at Kubfu and realized that it was subconsciously trying to feel her warmth.
"M... Master..."
"Huh?!"
Bea looked up and saw Ash, Korrina, and Gordie all looking flabbergasted; Gordie was looking around the room dumbly.
"D'you hear that?" asked Korrina.
"Yeah," Ash replied, his auburn eyes just as wide as Bea's and his voice filled with awe. "It's telepathy..."
"Pika..." Pikachu squeaked.
At that point, Machamp returned to Bea, holding a notepad and a black pen. She took the pen and began writing on the notepad while her strongest Pokémon held it out for her. As she scribbled on the paper, the silver-haired girl continued to look down at Kubfu, whose face was now scrunched up and puckered with intense emotion, like he was on the throes of a terrible nightmare...
Bea tapped her fingertips together in an almost rhythmic fashion as she remained seated in the Pokémon Center lobby. A heavily concerned Ash was circling around the lobby repeatedly, trying to move and therefore shake off the energy that he accumulated from all of the concern that he felt, first towards Bea and now towards Kubfu. Korrina was seated on the other side of the lobby, directly across the aisle from Bea, with her ever-trusty and loyal Lucario sitting beside her; both of their heads were hanging, and Bea knew they were probably trying to hone in their Aura-using abilities. Finally, Gordie was leaning against the wall beside Bea, recording the front lobby with his Rotom Phone in an apparent attempt to pass the time.
As Bea continued to wait for an update from Nurse Joy on Kubfu's condition, she began to reflect on the events that had occurred over the past fifteen minutes or so. It had taken the group a bit of a while to find the local Pokémon Center, as it had moved to another part of Bellum Town and they had to find an up-to-date map that could divulge its whereabouts. Throughout that passage of time, Bea found herself becoming more and more protective of Kubfu. After all, what good, responsible Galar Karateka wouldn't, given Kubfu was one of the centerpieces of its mythology? From the moment where she first laid her eyes on it and identified it, she knew that she had made an important discovery, and there was no way she could jeopardize its safety.
And besides, Kubfu's appearance might be a sign...
The moment that thought crossed Bea's mind, her eyes narrowed slightly. One part of her chided her for thinking of such a silly and childish notion, for thinking that Kubfu's presence would bring her good fortune in her journey. After all, there wasn't any guarantee of such a thing happening, let alone with a Kubfu. It would be foolish of her to think about this and try to exploit Kubfu's abilities and legend for her own benefit.
However, another part of her continued to ponder the ramifications of Kubfu's appearance in her life...
"Urshifu and Kubfu can sense the intentions of people, even from great distances. It's like a sixth sense. And they make sure they stay away from those they deem to be unworthy."
"I don't know how Kubfu was able to appear before me," Bea thought, "but it most certainly wasn't opposed to me doing all I could to ensure its safety..." She immediately recalled how Kubfu held on to her almost possessively, like a child that was yearning for its mother. "If Kubfu would put its trust in me, a Galar Karateka, then...then..."
Her cool-gray eyes narrowed even more, and she looked down at her palms. She could make out every scar and callous that adorned her skin, attained through years of hard work and training...
"Bea?" a voice piped up.
Bea's head flew upward, as did Ash's, and the entire group watched Nurse Joy enter the lobby, her ever-so-gentle smile present on her face. Behind her were a pair of Indeedee, one male and the other female; they were both wheeling Kubfu in on a stretcher. It was now conscious and looked uninjured, though its eyes were droopy and it looked exhausted. Bea and the others immediately stood on their feet and walked up to Nurse Joy.
"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed, his auburn eyes glimmering with relief as he analyzed Kubfu. "That Pokémon's okay!"
"Yes, it's been fully healed," Nurse Joy replied with a nod. Then, she glanced at Kubfu with curiosity. "Though I must say, this Pokémon that you brought in, Bea, it didn't need too much healing in the first place. But then again, there's not a lot that I know about its physiology, since it's of an unknown species. I had to use my knowledge on a Teddiursa's physique instead, but even that was barely helpful." She looked at Bea. "Exactly what kind of Pokémon is it, by any chance?"
Bea looked at Kubfu, who had its head hanging low and its body scrunched up. It looked like a pouting child who was in the middle of a timeout. She then noticed how Kubfu appeared to be eyeing its surroundings, especially the people who surrounded it; its eyes were glinting and narrowed with distrust that shone through the fog of exhaustion.
Then, acting on her instincts, she replied, "I...I don't know."
In her own peripheral vision, Bea could see Gordie and Korrina looking at it with curiosity, but Lucario didn't seem just as convinced of her claim. The Aura Pokémon was scanning Kubfu from head to toe, his eyes narrowed into slits, and it soon let out a soft, inaudible huff; Kubfu eyed Lucario too, and it flexed its claws in preparation.
But before the tension between the two Pokémon could reach a breaking point, Ash and Pikachu stepped directly in front of Kubfu. Both it and Bea gasped at the same time, with the latter knowing what exactly was going to happen.
"Hey there!" Ash greeted. "My name's Ash, and this is Pikachu!"
He pointed his thumb at Pikachu, who squeaked as a greeting, "Pikachu!"
"What's your name, if you don't mind us asking?"
"Ash!" Bea barked, her eyes wide; she stepped beside Ash and held out an arm in front of him. "Don't do tha-"
Kubfu's reaction was quick: it leaped onto its feet, its fists clenched even tighter. Bea felt time slow down as she focused her mind to analyze the Pokémon's next movements. She could see its small but formidable muscles bulging, moving its left arm forward while moving the right arm back. Eyeing the fist Kubfu already had displayed outwardly, Bea watched as its fingers unfurled to display its left palm.
Realizing what Kubfu was about to do, Bea moved her own arm in accordance with its movements. While holding out her own fist, she used her other arm, the one she already had raised, to shove Ash and Pikachu out of harm's way. Then, as she unfurled her fingers to reveal her palm, Bea saw Kubfu's cocked right arm barreling forward through the air. Thinking quickly, she moved her palm in front of the incoming fist. As she did, she seized her knowledge of Galar Karate, quickly emptying her mind of all thoughts and emotions-
"BEA!" Ash cried in alarm.
Bea gasped in shock at his voice, just split-seconds before Kubfu's flying fist collided into her outstretched palm. Though it was as tiny as its arm, Kubfu's fist packed stunning, tremendous power in its punch. Time slowed even more, and Bea could vaguely see the skin of her hand rippling, right before-
CRACK!
"AGH!"
Bea stumbled backward, clutching her limp and slightly misshapen hand.
"Bea!" Gordie and Korrina cried at the same time, while Lucario protectively held out an arm in front of his Trainer.
As for Ash, he gawked at what had just happened for a quick moment, before he called out, "BEA!"
"Uuuugh..." Bea groaned. She could feel immense pain traveling through her arm, but she quickly recalled her teachings again, shut off her emotions, and diverted her mind away from the throbbing, unbearable pain that assailed her limb.
"Bea, a-are you okay?!" Ash exclaimed, touching his friend's shoulder in concern.
Bea's tone was flat and devoid of emotion. "Yes, I'm fine."
Ash didn't seem highly convinced, but he didn't have time to question Bea's new absence of emotion. Instead, he glared at Kubfu, who was now gawking in shock at Bea, as if it didn't expect her to jump to Ash's defense. In fact, its fist, once raised in aggression, was now lowering and relaxing.
"What'd you do that for?!" the Pallet Town native demanded. "C-Can't you see you hurt her?! After what she did to help you out?!"
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in agreement. "Pika-pika-chu!"
"You..." Kubfu replied, surprising Nurse Joy, "you startled me..."
"Still, it doesn't give you any right to attack someone out of the blue like that!" snapped Ash.
"Uhhhhh, t-to be fair, Ash," Korrina commented hesitantly, "it's not a Pokémon you encounter in the wild every other day. I'm sure this Pokémon isn't too used to humans..."
"And you sorta did get in his face a little..." Gordie added, sweat-dropping in embarrassment.
"O-Oh." Ash sweat-dropped. "W-Well, y-you still hurt Bea, and I'm not going to just stand for it!"
Upon hearing those words, Bea's heart jumped, and that was when the stab of pain returned to her arm. Grimacing, she held her injured hand to her stomach with her other hand, which Nurse Joy noticed.
"Oh, dear!" the pink-haired woman cried. She stepped forward and carefully took Bea's arm. "Let me see here. Just hold on and be still, Bea, alright?"
Bea nodded weakly before quickly remembering what she was supposed to do. She suppressed her emotions once again and allowed Nurse Joy to inspect her injured hand. As she did, she could see Kubfu through her peripheral vision; it was now staring at her with a mixture of concern, regret, and...incredulity. It was sitting again, this time in an upright and a more attentive position, and it was staring at her like she was a goddess or something.
"Oh, my."
Bea looked at Nurse Joy again. "Why? What is it?"
"You've got quite a few broken and dislocated bones there, my dear." Nurse Joy reached into her pocket and pulled out a roll of bandages. "Allow me to wrap you up for a moment. Then, I'll get a cast."
"Wait, broken and dislocated bones?!" Ash exclaimed. "How long will she have those injuries?"
"Well, she's not going to be participating in the Fighting Festival, for one thing-"
"What?!" Bea exclaimed, looking at the nurse while she began wrapping the bandages around her hand. "I-I can't?!"
Nurse Joy shook her head sympathetically. "Not in your hand's current condition, I'm afraid."
"No way! I'm supposed to go onstage and show off my Pokémon and our fighting prowess together!"
The nurse shook her head again. "Well I wouldn't recommend it, unless you can find a way to incorporate a strategy that doesn't involve the use of your right hand."
"A strategy that doesn't involve the use of my right hand...?" Bea gazed at her injured hand, just as Nurse Joy completed bandaging it up. "But...that's my dominant hand... I've...I've had a whole lot of uses planned for it-"
"Then I'm afraid there'll be no Fighting Festival participation for you." Nurse Joy put the roll away and began walking out of the lobby. "I'll go get a cast for you, Bea. Come, Indeedee."
The two Indeedee nodded simultaneously and followed after Nurse Joy. Everyone watched them go, including Kubfu, who watched the Indeedee duo in particular, seemingly intrigued by how easily and casually both of them obeyed the nurse's order so easily. Then, once Nurse Joy and her Emotion Pokémon entered their main office, Ash walked up to Kubfu again, startling it and surprising the others.
"Whoa, whoa, Ash!" Gordie cried.
"What're you doing?!" Korrina exclaimed. "That Pokémon just tried to punch you a few seconds ago!"
Ash ignored them and simply addressed Kubfu. "Hey, there. I, uh...I-I know you can talk to us, b-but if you don't want to anymore, that's fine. But I just wanted to let you know that the Fighting Festival is a pretty big deal. It means a lot to us, my friends and I, and now that Bea's unable to participate-"
"Huh?" Kubfu tilted its head in confusion, all the while maintaining a slightly defensive stance in Ash's presence. "I...do not understand... Could she not use any strategies that involve the utilization of her left hand?"
"But you heard her! Her right hand is her dominant hand! She uses it way more often than her left hand! She-"
"It's alright, Ash," Bea interrupted, her voice stoic and cold. "I'll think of something."
Ash glared at his traveling companion. "But Bea-"
Bea's eyes narrowed, silencing the boy. "I said I'll think of something." She then walked up to Kubfu's bedside, her calm, collected face unwavering, upon which Kubfu relaxed significantly. "Hello, there."
"Hello, fellow Galar Karateka," Kubfu greeted.
"Fellow Galar Karateka?" Ash repeated, looking between Bea and Kubfu in confusion. "But...how'd-"
"Your friend is very loud and chatty for a human." Kubfu's expression fell flat, and it gave Ash a quick, judgmental stare as the boy keeled over in stunned shock. "Very interesting."
"Forgive Ash," Bea replied. "That's just in his nature. But if you ask me..." Her expression fell just as flat. "He is quite the annoyance hindrance at many times."
She could hear Ash gagging behind her, while Gordie and Korrina were struggling to suppress their giggles.
"I don't understand how you could associate yourself with the likes of him," Kubfu said.
"Well..." Bea put on a comical poker-face. "Being in his companionship has its perks as well."
Kubfu looked at Ash and scanned him from head to toe. Then, it glanced at Korrina's Lucario, who continued to leer at it threateningly. In response, Kubfu narrowed its beady eyes and scooted towards the farthest corner of the stretcher that it was sitting on, surprising Bea in the process.
"Why?" she asked. "What is it, Kubfu?"
"Huh?!" Ash exclaimed, while Korrina gasped and Gordie's eyes widened beyond the periphery of his sunglasses. "That's Kubfu?!"
Bea mentally cursed herself for saying Kubfu's name out loud. But she didn't have time to explain or defend herself when Kubfu spoke up again.
"That Pokémon," it said in alarm.
"Pokémon?" Bea followed Kubfu's gaze towards Lucario. "You mean Lucario? What about him?"
"It's an Aura user!"
"An Aura user?" Korrina asked in surprise.
"Yes..." Then, Kubfu redirected its gaze at the Shalour Gym Leader, and its eyes were scathing and accusatory. "As are you!"
"Why?" Gordie asked in curiosity, just as he started recording with his Rotom Phone. "D'you have something against Aura users?"
"The Galar Karateka used to have a huge rivalry with Aura Guardians," Bea explained, her eyes still glued onto Kubfu.
"Huge rivalry?" Ash repeated with disbelief. "But why?"
Bea glanced over her shoulder at Ash. "Major difference in opinions, to say the least." Then, she shrugged. "But that's all in the past now that the Galar Karateka are few in numbers and all the Aura Guardians are gone, so that rivalry is pretty moot." She looked back at the wary Kubfu, her expression kind and understanding. "Now it's alright, Kubfu. Lucario's not a threat to you or to anyone else. Korrina here will make sure of that-"
"So you say," interrupted Kubfu. "Aura users are evildoers, and evildoers took my master!"
"Aura users are-" Then, Kubfu's words finally pierced through Bea's comprehension. "Wait, h-hold on, evildoers took your master? Are you saying there's an Urshifu somewhere out there?"
"Yes, and she's in the clutches of evildoers!" Kubfu seemed to remember something, for its eyes widened as it shot back up on its feet. "Wh-Which is why I-I sought you out, fellow Galar Karateka! You must help me rescue my master, before something terrible befalls these lands!"
"Y-You..." Bea blinked slowly. "You sought me out?"
"Yes!" Then, to everyone else's surprise, Kubfu knelt on one knee and bowed its head before Bea. "As a Kubfu and a Galar Karateka-in-training, the selection of a worthy Galar Karateka as my master and caretaker is ingrained in my blood. And your skills in the arts of Galar Karate are unparalleled! Therefore, I acknowledge you as a skilled practitioner and recognize you as my new master until we can rescue my old one."
"Wait a minute, her skills as a Galar Karateka are unparalleled?" Ash asked, his voice becoming flat as his mind struggled to comprehend Kubfu's words. "But...you've only just met her, not to mention break her-"
"We Kubfu can sense people's intentions, even from great distances, thanks to our mastery of Galar Karate that has been honed for many generations. Those that we deem to be unworthy of our time and attention..." Kubfu focused on Ash in particular. "We maintain our distance from, like the plague."
"Excuse me?!" Ash snapped. "I happen to be perfectly healthy, for your information!"
"But for those that we deem to be worthy, such as masters of Galar Karate, we gravitate to their presences." Kubfu reset its eyes on Bea. "I entrust you with my life, Galar Karateka. I will obey you unconditionally and do whatever you say for the duration of this quest."
"You...You will, huh...?"
With that, Bea's mind began to wander to Carter. She mused on what he would say if he realized a Kubfu, a Pokémon of Galar Karate legend, acknowledged her skills in the art and therefore was binding its fealty to her. Surely her old master would be impressed by such an acknowledgment, and perhaps he could now let go of his misconceptions about her very recent lapses of judgment and adherence to her teachings...
It all sounded so appealing to Bea...
"So, what say you, Galar Karateka?" Kubfu's voice brought Bea back to reality. "Will you join me on my quest to save my master from the clutches of evildoers?"
"W-Will I?" Bea's voice was almost shining with enthusiasm, but she quickly recomposed herself and nodded firmly. "Of-Of course, Kubfu." She placed her uninjured hand over her heart. "I hereby entrust you with my life, just as you've done with me."
"Excellent," Kubfu replied. "Then let us begin our journey. Now, first thing's first, what name shall I call you by, Galar Karateka?"
"Name?" Then, Bea smiled slightly and held out her uninjured hand. "Well, you can call me Bea, Kubfu."
"Bea..." Then, Kubfu smiled, took Bea's hand, and shook it mightily. "Excellent. With our combined forces, Bea, we will be sure to defeat these evildoers, stop the coming threat, and rescue my master!"
Kubfu let go of Bea's hand and prepared to hop off the stretcher when she stepped forward and stopped it from doing so.
"Wait, wait, hold on a minute, Kubfu," she said. "We brought you to this Pokémon Center for a good reason."
Kubfu tilted its head in confusion. "Pokémon...Center?"
"A place where Pokémon are healed from sickness and injury. But Nurse Joy, the woman who heads the Pokémon Center, told us that she couldn't detect anything wrong with you."
"If she's a specialist in the field of healing as you say, then I'd say she didn't find anything wrong with me."
"But she cautioned us that she doesn't know a lot about your body. So, before we leave, are you sure there's absolutely nothing wrong with you? Any injuries that need healing? Any-?"
"Absolutely not. I'm a master of Galar Karate as much as you are. I scoff at the idea of debilitating injuries!" Then, Kubfu narrowed its eyes at Bea. "Are you being soft on me or something?"
"Soft?" Bea's eyes widened briefly, before all emotion drained from her face, and she seized upon her teachings of Galar Karate again. "No, absolutely not, Kubfu. I was just testing you, that's all. I did not mean to imply otherwise."
"Huh?" Ash looked at Bea dumbly. "Testing you?"
"Pika?" Pikachu asked, dumbfounded.
"Yes." Bea shot him a flat glance. "Testing him. What else?"
"Oh," Kubfu replied, seemingly perplexed for a moment. Then, his expression hardened back into its original serious and stoic state. "G-Good. B-Because if you weren't, then I would've disowned you in an instant. After all, all Galar Karateka must keep themselves reserved emotionally and psychologically."
"Correct. Oh, and, uh, one last thing." Bea looked at Kubfu again, as he finally was able to hop off the stretcher without her impediment. "I ask that you allow my friends to join us on our, uh, q-quest too."
"Your friends?" Kubfu gazed at Ash, Gordie, Korrina, and their Pokémon with utmost suspicion. "You mean the loud one, the one with the strange rock with the diamond, and the Aura user?"
"Y-Yes." Bea looked at Ash, Gordie, and Korrina as well. "Them. Don't worry about them, Kubfu. They may not follow the ways of Galar Karate like I do, but they're very reliable in their own ways. Their...unique sets of skills should be vital for our quest."
"Well..." Kubfu's gaze softened, and he looked outside the front door of the Pokémon Center. "I am going to need all the help I can get if I am to rescue Master and stop those evildoers..."
"Well, then that's good!" Ash exclaimed, his hesitation quickly disappearing and his enthusiasm returning just as quickly. He knelt before Kubfu, startling him, but the Pokémon didn't fight back this time. "We'll be in your care, Kubfu, and you'll be in ours! I promise you, you'll get your master back in no time." Then, a thought crossed the Trainer's head. "Yo-Your master's Urshifu, right?"
"Well, yeah," Bea replied for Kubfu. "Of course it's Urshifu, Ash. Who else would it be?"
"O-Oh." Ash sweat-dropped and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Right. I forgot. Heh heh heh..."
"You forgot?" Kubfu asked, more out of intrigue than incredulity.
"Don't worry about Ash," Bea said, her voice even flatter than usual. "He's a bit of a tourist, if you hadn't noticed."
Ash frowned at the stealthy insult. "Hmmmph..."
"Ash?" Kubfu repeated, blinking. "That's the loudmouth's name?"
Ash glared at Kubfu in anger. "Loudmouth?!"
"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked.
"Yes, that is indeed the loudmouth's name," Bea replied with a wry smile. Ignoring Ash's reaction, the girl pointed at the rest in her group. "The one with the Rotom Phone is Gordie, and the one with the Lucario is Korrina."
"Hey, Kubfu!" Korrina greeted, waving at the Pokémon with a wide, toothy grin. "It's so nice to meet you! I know that my Lucario and I have more of an affinity with Aura, but I just wanted to let you know that we are not enemies of yours, and that we're so welcome to have you with us. Isn't that right, Lucario?" She glanced at the Aura Pokémon, only to catch his continuing scowl at Kubfu's direction. "Hey! Lucario! Be nice. Kubfu's a friend, not an enemy."
Lucario continued to scowl suspiciously at Kubfu, but he nevertheless gave a resounding huff of approval. As for Gordie, the rotund boy stepped forward so his Rotom Phone could get a closer look.
"Yo, Kubfu!" he said. "By any chance, would you mind answering a few of- AGH!"
Gordie nearly fell over while trying to avoid a sudden kick by Kubfu, aimed at his phone.
"I may be accepting of you and your company," Kubfu snarled in warning, "but I will not tolerate that strange magical rock you've got there! I simply will not!"
"Strange magical rock?" Gordie looked at his handheld device. "But...it's just a Rotom Pho-"
"Just put it away, Gordie," interrupted Bea, who had just stopped shaking her head in exhaustion.
"Huh?! But Bea-!"
"Just do it."
Gordie looked at his Rotom Phone again, before stopping the recording and putting it away with a glum face.
"Well," he said to himself, "there goes footage for my latest blog entry..."
Soon, the front doors to the Pokémon Center opened up, and Kubfu walked out of the building determinedly, followed by the rest of the group. Bea's eyes followed every move Kubfu made with intrigue, Ash still looked a little grumpy, Gordie could not resist the urge for any longer and had surreptitiously procured his Rotom Phone to record everything that was happening and make occasional commentary, and Korrina was secretly talking to Lucario about something unbeknownst to the others. The group passed by a number of citizens and tourists, all of whom noticed Kubfu's presence and watched him go with varying expressions of curiosity and confusion.
Once the group got a few feet away from the Pokémon Center, Kubfu stopped walking and turned around to face Bea and the others.
"Alright, then," he said. "Now that you've gotten your cast, Bea, I believe it's time we attended to this grave matter right away. Now-"
"Wait, hold up, Kubfu!" Ash interrupted, catching Kubfu's attention.
"What is it that you want, loudmouth?" he asked exasperatedly.
"Aren't you going to give us a little more context on what happened to you and your master in the first place?"
" Context ? But I already told you what had happened-"
"We can't just go off of that! We need more specifics. Like, do you know who these 'evildoers' are? And why do you think they're Aura users?"
Kubfu cast a suspicious glance at Korrina and Lucario before replying, "Because all Aura users are evil, that's why."
"ACK!" Ash nearly fell over in stunned shock from the response. "J-Just because A leads to B, which leads to C, it doesn't automatically mean A le-leads to C!" He crossed his arms. "Jeez, do all practitioners of Galar Karate hate Aura Guardians that much?"
"Calm down, Ash," Bea replied with a roll of her eyes. "Kubfu are notoriously stubborn Pokémon. They don't listen to just about anyone. Those who they don't respect, they pummel to the ground at the first word."
Ash scowled. "Huh. Sounds like a certain someone that I know."
Bea's eyelid twitched twice, but she ignored Ash's comment and looked back at Kubfu. "What my friend was trying to say is that you have to tell us what happened from the very beginning, Kubfu. How did you and your master get captured?"
"W-Well..." Kubfu's beady brown eyes narrowed as he scoured through his memories. "W-We were training, Master and I."
"Do you know where you were training?" Bea asked curiously.
"In the usual place where we train."
"And where is that place?" Ash asked impatiently.
"I dunno."
"Whaddaya mean you don't-?!" Ash was quickly silenced by a piercing, scathing gaze from Bea, and he crossed his arms yet again while looking away in irritation. "Hmph."
Bea glanced back at Kubfu with a quirked eyebrow. "Kubfu, you're on the Isle of Armor right now. Are you from here, or did you come from somewhere else? Like the mainland, perhaps?"
"No." Kubfu shook his head. "I'm from these lands, just like Master, and her Master, and the Master before."
"So you must've come somewhere from the other side of that mountain, at the very least." Bea pointed over the rooftops of Bellum Town, and Ash and the others noticed the great mountain that was looming over the entire settlement. "On the other side of that mountain is the part of the Isle that's been designated as a nature preserve. Very, very few people are allowed to enter that area."
"Yes..." Kubfu nodded in understanding. "Yes, that's the same mountain I always see whenever the Sun rises! A very astute observation, Bea! You have been well-taught in the comprehension of your surroundings!"
"Ah, th-thanks..." Bea replied, trying her best to sound as neutral as possible, even though her face was slightly pink and her tone was evidently sheepish.
Ash stared incredulously at her before scowling. "Anyone could've noticed that from a mile away..." he whispered.
"So, you were training with your master when...?" Korrina asked, her voice trailing off.
Kubfu looked up at the Shalour Gym Leader. "That was when the evildoers arrived." He looked down at his paw and clenched it tightly. "They captured me and my master, and there was nothing we could do to defend ourselves. Nothing. They were just that powerful."
"So how'd they arrive?" asked Bea. "Were they on foot? Were they in a vehicle?"
"A vehicle? What's a vehicle?"
"A-A vehicle? W-Well, a-a vehicle is something we humans use to get around from place to place. I-It's a whole lot faster than on foot."
"Hmmmm. Such a lazy and primitive means." Kubfu stuck his chin out with disapproval. "It's a good thing we, as good and honorable Galar Karateka, do not rely ourselves on the services of such unnecessary machines."
"Heh heh heh..." Memories of all the times she used vehicles such as boats and trains to get around flashed through the forefront of Bea's mind. "Yeah. R-Right. A-Anyway, d-did your captors use a vehicle?"
"Well, now that you mention something that would help humans get around from one location to another in a faster way..." A dark look swept through Kubfu's facial features. "There was something that they used to get to us. It was not on land, though."
"Wait a minute, not on land?" Gordie asked. "Was it a boat or an airplane or-?"
"I do not know what it was. It was in the air..."
"In the air? Like a plane?"
"If that's what you humans call it. It was big a-and frightening... It looked like some sort of...flying palace."
"Flying palace?" Korrina asked incredulously.
"Hey, it's Kubfu's words, not mine," Gordie replied. He then aimed the screen of his Rotom Phone at his own face. "Well, you heard it here first, folks. If there are any of you in the area, please be on the lookout for a big palace that's floating in the air. O-Or something like that."
"So they took you to this 'flying palace'," remarked Bea. "What then?"
"They...They separated me from Master..." Kubfu's expression suddenly grew darker. "I...I couldn't do a thing to protect her... I couldn't protect Master from those evildoers..." He screwed his eyelids shut. "I...I-I can't even begin to imagine what they're doing to her right now!"
"Hey, it's okay, Kubfu." Bea gently placed a hand on Kubfu's shoulder in consolation. "There was nothing that you could have done to do anything about it-"
"But I'm a Kubfu! I'm the next successor in the ways of the Hero and the Original Urshifu! I should've been able to put my knowledge of Galar Karate to good use! I should've been able to solve the situation and make my master proud! I should've-"
Bea grabbed Kubfu's other shoulder with her other hand now, and she held on tightly as she stared into his eyes.
"Kubfu," she said forcefully, "it's not your fault. It never was. No matter what responsibility you have as a Kubfu, you're still a Galar Karateka-in-training. There's nothing different you could've done given the skillset you currently have."
"Besides," Gordie added, trying to lighten the mood, "it's not like the Dark Titans are gonna come back anytime soon, s-so you shouldn't have to worry about not having your skills refined just yet."
At the sound of the Dark Titans' moniker, Kubfu's eyes widened as much as they possibly could. Horrible memories soon began to fill his mind, making it swim.
Then, Kubfu saw a demonic being of fire soar through the air, pursued by what appeared to be miniature helicopters that were his size. These minuscule helicopters were firing bolts of electricity at the winged Pokémon, striking it and causing it to cry out in pain as it tried to distance itself from the Flying Palace. As Kubfu stared on at the being, he suddenly felt nothing but absolute loathing fill his heart.
Then, his suspicions about the demonic Pokémon were confirmed once it stopped fleeing and faced its assailants. An air of dread filled the air as dark energy began to accumulate around the Pokémon, causing it to glow and surge with deep-magenta energy. Sensing the worst, Kubfu tried to climb back into the engine and find the vent from which it came, but it didn't get far when it heard the demon cry out again with all of the hatred it could muster...
And then, it unleashed its special attack, sending wave after wave of crackling dark energy through the air...
"The Dark Titans..." Kubfu said, almost to himself; he was slowly shaking his head while the rest of his body began to tremble badly. "The Dark Titans..."
Bea quickly noticed Kubfu's legs buckling, and she held onto him to keep him steady. "Kubfu? Are you alright?"
"Is it something I said...?" Gordie asked, scratching his cheek in confusion and worry.
"Kubfu," Bea continued, "what do you mean by 'the Dark Titans'? Why do you keep repeating that?"
Finally, Kubfu stopped muttering to himself and gazed at Bea. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the emotion that was glimmering through his eyes. For all of the times she had seen images of Kubfu in artwork and storybooks pertaining to the Galar Karateka legends, the Stow-on-Side Gym Leader had the impression that all Kubfu were innately serious and emotionless, always focused on the task at hand. They seemed unshakable from the looks of the artwork. But in contrast to the books, the emotion in Kubfu's was unmistakable.
It was of fear.
"The Dark Titans, Bea," Kubfu said, his voice trembling. "The evildoers that have my master, they want them to be restored. And...they've already restored one of them."
Bea immediately felt terror fill her heart like water filling up a cup. Blinking, she whipped her head up at Ash, Gordie, and Korrina beseechingly. They simply stared back, equally as dumbfounded by the revelations.
"The Dark Titans.
"Three Pokémon hailing from an alternate world, a world very much like ours, only full of evil, hatred, and darkness. Long ago, these Dark Titans entered our world through an inter-dimensional rift, a once-in-a-lifetime event that tore through the fabric of space and time, and they landed on the Isle of Armor in Galar. Initially, these Dark Titans were revered like gods due to their striking resemblance to the Titans of Kanto.
"But what was once awe and worship quickly turned into horror and misery. Before long, the Dark Titans laid waste to the Isle's lands, motivated by nothing but their insatiable lust for suffering and death. The true Titans sensed the unnatural disaster and flew over to the Isle to intervene, but the Dark Titans proved to be much more powerful and cunning than them. The Titans of Kanto fell one by one, and it seemed as if all hope was lost in the Isle and across all of Galar.
"Then, they arrived. Urshifu and the Hero."
Lord Cromwell tore his gaze away from the encased stone tablet and stared upon his accomplices, Arin, Zeke, and Mollie. They were all kneeling before him alongside their Pokémon: Arin's Hatterene, Zeke's Conkeldurr, and Mollie's Obstagoon.
"A Pokémon and a human," Cromwell continued, his smile radiating pride, "members of the Galar Karateka, the ancient, noble peacekeepers of the lands. Using their exceptional mastery of Galar Karate, the fighting style of the Karateka, Urshifu and the Hero saved the Titans of Kanto from certain death and defeated the Dark Titans. Following their defeat, the Dark Titans transformed into three spheres, which were then sealed away by the Hero for all of eternity.
"But, in spite of this victory, Urshifu and the Hero knew it was only a matter of time before the Dark Titans would recover from their wounds and rise again in another bid for worldwide annihilation. As such, they began teaching Urshifu's child, Kubfu, the ways of Galar Karate, even the most mystical and antiquated techniques, until it evolved into another Urshifu. Upon doing so, it took the place of its parent and began teaching its Kubfu child everything it learned, until it too evolved into an Urshifu.
"And so, the process continued for many millennia, and many generations, even after the Galar Karateka had become all but extinct and irrelevant, and modernization began to encroach on society. Rumors have it that, to this very day, there is an Urshifu teaching a Kubfu the ways of Galar Karate somewhere on the Isle of Armor, in preparation for the inevitable moment when the Dark Titans would rise again, ready to plunge the lands back into a period of terrible darkness."
"And it looks like that moment is here!" Zeke proclaimed, highlighting the end of Cromwell's recital of the legend.
"Only by our hand, Zeke," Mollie replied with a roll of her eyes.
"But for a good reason, my dear Mollie," interjected Cromwell. "While the Isle of Armor is lollygagging with their precious Fighting Festival, and the rest of the world remains deaf and blind to the danger that continues to loom over them, the Dark Titans are just lounging in their spherical forms, plotting and planning and scheming. It is only imperative that we hasten the deadline of their awakening, move up the schedule, so to speak, Mollie. That way, when all three of the Dark Titans reconvene and attempt a second bid at worldwide domination and destruction, we'll be ready."
"Awwwww, yeah!" Zeke exclaimed. "We're gonna kick some major butt when that happens!"
"And the world will finally wake up to the threat that has been before them all this time," Arin added, his voice calm and composed as usual. His eyes were closed and he was still staring at the floor, as if he was contemplating his next actions.
"And it'll all be thanks to our dear guest..." Cromwell remarked. "Urshifu." He raised his chin slightly. "Speaking of which, Arin, how goes the situation with Urshifu? Does she still believe we have Kubfu?"
Arin nodded, his eyes still closed. "Yes. The doctored surveillance footage that I showed to her was enough to convince her. And the sensory deprivation chamber I've left her in is working. She will not be able to get even the most minimal sense of the outside world until we let her out."
"Excellent. And do you have an update on Dark Moltres's current movements, Mollie?"
The woman sneered evilly. "It has not gotten near Bellum Town or any other human settlement just yet, Lord Cromwell. Instead it seems to have taken up some target practice."
"Where?"
"Honeycalm Island, my lord. It's a bit of a ways away. And there are no people setting up shop there, just a few sparse plants and Pokémon."
"And it's on the other side of the Isle, at the northwest portion." Cromwell nodded approvingly. "Good. I do not want the Dark Titans reaching any populated areas just yet. We need to awaken Dark Zapdos first before we can truly attract any attention on us." Cromwell turned around and faced the stone tablet again, his expression one of elation. "I hereby order the initiation of the next phase, my subjects."
"So it's to Muscle Mountain, then?" Zeke asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Yes, Zeke. Set the Flying Palace's course for Muscle Mountain. That'll be where our next objective lies."
"Right away, then, my lord!"
Zeke and Mollie stood up to make their leave. As they did, they silently conversed to themselves, but their voices echoed through the room, easily reaching Cromwell's and Arin's ears.
"Eugh, Muscle Mountain," Mollie remarked while giving a cold shudder. "Arceus, that's one of the worst names I've ever heard. What idiot chose that name to begin with?"
"Careful now, Mollie," Zeke replied with a snicker. "That idiot you're talking about just so happens to be Lord Cromwell's ancestor."
"Huh?" The woman looked at her compatriot incredulously. "Jeez, I hope that isn't a sign of a bad omen."
For once, Zeke now sounded alarmed by Mollie's comment. "H-Hey, you'd better not say that out loud in Lord Cromwell's presence!"
"Ehhh? Why?"
"He takes a big shining to his ancestry, ya know. One bad word about them, out loud, and he's gonna throw you to Dark Moltres's fires without a second thought!"
"Ohhhhh, so he's one of those guys. Gotcha."
But Zeke didn't sound convinced. "You better! I'm serious about this, you know. I've worked with him longer than you-"
Cromwell didn't get to hear the rest of the conversation, for Zeke and Mollie had stepped out of the room by that point. A moment passed before Arin decided to speak up.
"It won't be long now, my lord. As long as you stay true to your mission, you will be able to achieve what the Hero could never do. You will defeat the Dark Titans, save the Isle of Armor, and finally attain the recognition that you deserve."
"Indeed, Arin..." Cromwell replied in a whisper. Then, he caught himself in his words and looked down at his raised palm, before clenching it into a tight fist. "But recognition isn't the only thing I seek after. Don't try to minimize my motivations to something as simple and childish as that."
Arin quickly realized his mistake and bowed his head. "My sincerest apologies, Lord Cromwell. I understand that you are also trying to protect the Isle of Armor from an even worse disaster. But...do know that something like this won't suffice alone as a means to-"
"I know what I must do, Arin," Cromwell interrupted harshly. "You don't have to remind me of the steps I must take. Are we clear on that?"
Arin nodded, his head still bowed and out of sight. "Yes, my lord. As clear as the waters on a cloudless morning."
"Good."
Cromwell focused on the stone tablet again, and as he reread its engraved inscription for the umpteenth time, his mind began to wander.
"The Galar Karateka," he thought bitterly with clenched teeth. "Peacekeepers of the olden times. Heh. And that's exactly why it's called 'olden times'. The times have changed. Civilization has changed, and the world no longer has any time or patience for the ways of Galar Karate. It won't be long until those outdated ways are finally revealed for what they truly are, and how encroaching they are in the face of modernization. And once you realize that, you will finally know that I've been right all along..."
He lowered his fist; it was still clenched to the point where it had begun to tremble.
She couldn't see anything.
She couldn't hear anything.
She couldn't feel anything.
She couldn't taste anything.
She couldn't smell anything.
It was like she was floating in a womb of nothingness.
That was the only thought that kept crossing through Urshifu's mind whenever she tried to process her surroundings. But no matter how hard she tried, there was absolutely nothing that she learned from her dearly departed master that would have taught her how to overcome this obstacle. Apparently, there was nothing within the Galar Karate doctrine that could be useful in breaking through what the humans called a "sensory deprivation chamber". It was just like meditation, but it only took a first-timer in Galar Karate to know this was not just an intentional simulation of the most ideal session, but a highly fortified process that would allow one to reach a state of nothingness more quickly than the actual thing.
In other words, this "sensory deprivation chamber" was like what the humans called a "vehicle": something designed to get someone from one location to another in a faster, more efficient fashion. It was not a true replacement for the actual method of meditation. And yet, the Galar Karateka of old evidently never anticipated such technology being used against them, for they never included into their teachings foolproof ways of overcoming them.
The only thing Urshifu could do now was wait and trust Kubfu to take care of the situation from his end.
"Kubfu," she thought while keeping her eyelids closed, "it is all up to you now. Only you can defeat this great evil and stop their plans. Just believe in yourself and all of the lessons that I provided to you."