Previously on Galarian Days...

Zander is caught up on some sightseeing by two Gym Leaders before heading into Glimwood Tangle, where he sets up camp and helps his Snorlax, Serta with something...

-

As Zander was resting comfortably on Serta's large belly, he was lulled back into the Dream World, where he was only in his fur and meeting up with Zacian and Zamazenta again.

"I see you have returned once again, Zander," Zacian said.

"I have," Zander confirmed, "and I am happy to report that I have already earned 4 badges since our last meeting. Plus, I have also been brushing up on my Galarian history along the way."

"Have you, now?" Zamazenta asked. "Tell us what you know, then."

"Well, as far as I know," Zander said, "the region of Galar began when two youths witnessed a Wishing Star in the sky, but along with it came the Darkest Day, making Pokemon into giants that went berserk. But then you came into the picture and stopped the Darkest Day, and the youths were then crowned, becoming the kings of Galar."

"And?" the two siblings pressed.

"That's all I know so far," Zander said.

"And what of your mission to stop the opposite crisis?" Zacian questioned.

"Well, I have managed to destroy 3 more Dynamiasmas," Zander said, "but the person who created them still eludes me. All I know for sure was that a man in black and a woman in white created one using a bottle of perfume... and now that I'm saying it out loud, it sounds a little far fetched." 

"And yet, it's the only lead you have, so you must act on that," Zamazenta reasoned.

"Yes, of course," Zander conceded. "And now, if I may ask a question?"

"Go ahead," both royal canids said.

"After I collect the eight badges and return to Wyndon as a Challenger, what is it I must do there that you said was so very, very important?"

"Well," Zacian started, "you have been entering every Gym Stadium in Galar you challenged, have you?"

"I have."

"Then you are more on your way to finding out for yourself than you think," Zamazenta said. "Trust us."

Both Zacian and Zamazenta then approached Zander and placed a paw on each of his shoulders, then said, "Now, you must wake up and continue..."

-

Zander's eyelids twitched until he opened them and found himself still in Glimwood Tangle, and still on top of Serta and his large, comfy tummy. Serta himself, however, had tried to place his fat arms around Zander in an attempted hug, but could only manage to put his hands on Zander's shoulders. Zander understood the geture, though, and squeezed his arms around as much of Serta's cushy bulk as he could.

"Aw, thanks, Serta," Zander said as he finished the hug. "You know, I could snuggle with you like this forever, but it's time we got back on the road." He then scooted off of his Snorlax, who sat up and sighed. "But don't worry, there'll be other chances to cuddle together again. I promise."

Serta stood up and smiled in understanding as Zander took out his Great Ball. "Thanks for the comfy nap, Serta. Now, return!"

The red light swallowed Serta up and brought him back into the ball, then Zander started back up through the path. Fortunately, he had been near the entrance to Ballonlea when he set up camp, and he soon found himself inside the small woodland village decorated with glowing mushrooms of many colors.

"Finally, time to get badge #5 added to my collection," Zander said as he navigated through town to Ballonlea Stadium, now redecorated with a Psychic-type theme. But just as soon as he stepped onto the quad-colored path, the doors opened up, and Avery stepped outside the stadium, shading his eyes with the brim of his hat.

"Oh, it's you again," Zander started, but all Avery did was pass Zander by without a word. "Well, that was odd." But then he walked into the stadium, where someone in a pink superhero costume with a Love Ball-themed helmet greeted him.

"Hello there, cutie. I'm Love Pink, and I have a present for you~" Zander accepted the Love Ball capsule (with a light blush) and read the note inside. "Thanks for getting Love Pink back here, pardon the forwardness. Perhaps I should tell you another tidbit: I'm actually the commander of the Apricorn Rangers. But if you want to know my true identity, you'll have to see me in Wyndon." Zander then merged the capsule with the black Poke Ball, and where the bottom half should have been white, it was instead a beautiful, polished, reflective silver!

Zander then pocketed the silver-bottomed ball and approached the Psychic-type Gym Trainer, who asked, "You are here to challenge the Ballonlea Stadium, are you not?"

"I am."

"The changing room is right over there, then." Zander knew the drill and got changed into his uniform, then returned to the gate where the Gym Trainer stood to one side so he could pass...

-

Rather than the large, solid-color chambers he was used to, Zander found himself backstage at a theater, with Dan standing at the side. Next to Dan was a blond-haired man in a Psychic Uniform with a black bow tie. Zander recognized him as the current Gym Leader of Ballonlea Stadium: Monty, the Prodigy of the Mind.

"Welcome, Gym Challenger, to the Gym Mission of Ballonlea Stadium!" Dan said before Monty stepped forward.

"Thank you, Dan. I'll take it from here," Monty said. "Come, come, you're here to challenge me and the Gym Mission, are you not? Walk this way, and I'll explain the mission."

Zander walked with Monty into the theater... only to see nothing but pitch-black darkness. "Whoa... where the tabernacle are we? I can't see a blasted thing!"

"You cannot see anything, dear Challenger," Zander heard Monty's voice say, "because the show hasn't started yet!"

"Show?" Zander asked, but then a spotlight shone in his face as a different voice rang out. "Agh!"

"Broadcasting live from Ballonlea Stadium's Gym Mission chamber, it's time to play another game of 'What Could You Possibly Know?'" As soon as Zander got his sight back, he found himself on the stage of Ballonlea Stadium's theater, but it had been repurposed into a game show studio, complete with a large sign of the show's title on top of the mostly unchanged wall, and four purple podiums, one each for Zander and three Psychic Gym Trainers. Suddenly, a fifth podium rose from a hole in center stage as the announcer said, "And now, give it up for your host, Gym Leader Monty!"

A flash of light later, and Monty was behind the center podium, bowing and waving to an invisible audience as canned applause was heard. "Thank you, thank you all, you're too kind. Well, welcome to 'What Could You Possibly Know,' the Gym Mission of Ballonlea Stadium. I'm your host, Gym Leader Monty, and today we have a new Gym Challenger joining us. Say hello to Gym Challenger 210, Zander!"

More canned applause was heard as Zander looked into the invisible audience and waved.

"Now, for those of you watching at home, the rules of the game are simple. I shall spin the Wheel of Trainers behind me," Monty continued, gesturing to a digital wheel with 3 names, (presumeably the Gym Trainers') "and whoever it lands on will face our Gym Challenger in a Pokemon battle. After both participants take their first turn in the battle, that Trainer will ask a question to our Challenger. If he gets it wrong, his Pokemon has a chunk of its HP taken out as a penalty, but if he gets it right, they get a multi-stat boost to give them an edge for the rest of the battle! And, if he survives all 3 battles, he'll be facing me in the final round!" He then turned to Zander and asked, "So, Zander, are you ready to play?"

"I say bring it on!" Zander said enthusiastically.

"Then let's see who your first opponent will be!" Monty said as he dragged his fingertip across the wheel, spinning it for 10 seconds until it stopped on... "Demitri!"

The Gym Trainer in question, Demitri, stepped away from the podium closest to Zander and joined him center stage where Monty left his podium to make room. "My category is math, so you better be ready for some number-crunching!" Demitri then sent out a Gardevoir while Zander chose his trusty Sandygast. Gardevoir started off with Wish, while Sandygast hit with Astonish. "Question time!" Demitri said, stopping the battle. "What is 42 times 12?"

"504!" Zander answered.

"Correct!" As promised, Sandygast felt a surge of energy flow through it, boosting its Attack, Special Attack, Defense, Special Defense and Speed. Sandygast used that advantage to finish off Gardevoir with another Astonish. Demitri then sent out a Gallade, but with it already at full HP, Gardevoir's Wish went to waste. Sandygast used Astonish again, taking advantage of its boost to one-shot Gallade, giving Zander his victory! "Guess my Pokemon were the ones that got crunched..."

Demitri then left the studio, and Monty reappeared. "Good job with the first round, but don't get your hopes too high, now. It's time to find out who your next opponent will be!"  Demitri's section was removed from the wheel, and Monty spun it again. This time, it stopped on... "George!"

The second Gym Trainer, George, approached center stage to face Zander now. "Hope you're ready for some science, because that's my category." As Zander sent Sandygast again, George went with Lunatone. Sandygast couldn't use any Ground-type moves because of Lunatone's Levitate ability, so it went with another Astonish. After Lunatone retaliated with Psyshock... "Question time!" George said, pausing the battle. "Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary are all types of what?"

"Rocks?" Zander guessed.

"Exactly," George said, and Sandygast got another boost. It then siphoned Lunatone's health with Mega Drain, knocking it out and letting George send out Solrock. Sandygast one-shot it with a boosted Astonish, making Zander the winner again. "I was blinded by my own science..."

As George left the studio, his name was also removed from the wheel, leaving only one name on it. "Two opponents down, one left to go," Monty said as he came back. "Now, I know there's only one name left on the wheel, but I'll spin it anyway, just for fun." The wheel was then spun one last time, inevitably landing on... "Lita!"

The third and final Gym Trainer, Lita, left her podium and took the same place as the last two did. "My category won't be so easy- it's grammar!" Lita then sent out a male Indeedee while Zander stuck with Sandygast. Now that Sandygast could use Ground-type moves again, it struck Indeedee with Bulldoze before he used Psybeam. "Question time!" Lita stopped the battle with. "How do you turn verbs and nouns into adjectives?"

"Tack on a suffix like -ic, -ish or -ary!" Zander answered.

"That's right! Although there are similar instances where it can work the other way around," Lita said after Sandygast got its boost. It then struck Indeedee with another Bulldoze, knocking him out. Lita then sent out a female Indeedee, and Sandygast used Sand Tomb before she used Psychic, but a Mega Drain siphoned her health and knocked her out to give Zander his third victory! "Seems the only thing I couldn't read was your battle strategy."

With Lita exiting the studio, Zander was the only Trainer left, and the wheel went completely blank. Monty reappeared and said, "My, oh my, you won against all 3 Gym Trainers! That means you get to face me in the final round, on the pitch!" He then addressed the invisible audience with, "Be sure to stay tuned for the latter half of this episode of..."

"'What Could You Possibly Know?'" the canned cheering said. Monty then disappeared, and Zander exited stage-right, ready for the battle against the Gym Leader himself...

-

Zander walked through the hallway to the stadium's pitch, this one given an iridescent coating over a field of magenta. As soon as he made it to the center line, Monty reappeared in front of him and said, "And welcome back. Just a formal reminder, I am Monty, the current Gym Leader of Ballonlea Stadium and a descendant of the Galarian Psychic-type Gym Leader bloodline."

"That last part I did not know," Zander commmented.

"Not many do," Monty admitted. "However, I do commend you on how you handled the questions my Gym Trainers threw at you... but let's see how your knowledge holds out here!" Both Trainers took their places on the field, then Monty started things off with Oranguru while Zander sent out... yep, you guessed it, Sandygast. Oranguru started off with Calm Mind, and Sandygast used Astonish. "Question one!" Monty said, pausing the battle. "Tell me, what was the name of the Gym Leader stationed here previously?"

"Bede!" Zander said, sure of himself.

"Ooh, that's incorrect," Monty said. "Opal was the one who was stationed here. Bede was just her replacement!" Just then, Sandygast took a hit as if it was confused, and Oranguru was able to finish it off with Stored Power, blasting it with a pulse of blue ripples! Undeterred, Zander swapped it out for his Lycanroc, who used Bite on Oranguru before it could start the combo again. Once it was knocked out, Monty sent out a Bronzong, prompting Zander to switch to Fletchinder. After Fletchinder's Flame Charge and Bronzong's Payback... "Question two!" Monty said, pausing the battle again. "What was the heinous crime that Bede committed before he became the new Fairy-type Gym Leader?"

I could go with the obvious answer and say destroying the mural at Stow-on-Side, but I can't afford another penalty hit, Zander thought. "Was it... supplying Chairman Rose with the means to bring about the Darkest Day?"

"Yes, that's correct!" Monty said, and Fletchinder got the multi-stat boost as a result. With it, Fletchinder was able to knock out Bronzong with another Flame Charge, and Monty sent out Sigilyph to replace it. Another Flame Charge later, Sigilyph blew it off the field with Whirlwind, forcing Lycanroc out. "Question three!" Monty said, starting to harsh Zander's battle buzz with all the pausing. "Who... is my brother?"

Zander was taken aback, but he had a Gym Challenge to complete. Swallowing his pride, he took a deep breath and said, "Avery."

"My, oh my, I can't believe you got that one right!" This time, Lycanroc got the multi-stat boost and used it to knock Sigilyph out with Accelerock.

Now down to his last Pokemon, Monty said excitedly, "Now it's time for the lightning round! Better get your brain in gear!" He then sent out his final Pokemon, Orbeetle. Knowing what was coming next, Zander and Lycanroc braced for the worst.

"Now watch as I add the magic of Gigantamax power to the mix!" Monty then called Orbeetle back into its Dream Ball, which grew to basketball size. He then made it disappear in his arms, then snapped his fingers behind him to make it reappear and open up. Orbeetle then swelled in size three times in its new flying-saucer form, then roared at the sky in triumph. Lycanroc struck it with another Accelerock, but it still kept floating.

"Time to give this fight more gravitas... if you know what I mean!" Monty said as Orbeetle blasted Lycanroc with light-blue energy rings that exploded in a massive flash, after which it felt heavier than usual. Undeterred, Lycanroc switched it up with a stronger move: Rock Slide. A barrage of large rocks appeared over Orbeetle and pelted it repeatedly, knocking it out and causing it to explode!

Finally, Zander had won, and as he and Lycanroc howled in victory, Monty was surprised, but then smiled. "My, oh my, that was such a thrilling battle! You and your Pokemon are a force to be reckoned with!" Suddenly, Fletchinder came out of its ball and kept shining. Its wings and tail feathers grew, and its crest became more pronounced. Even its talons became more muscular. Finally, when the light faded, Fletchinder was gone, and in its place was the mighty Talonflame!

Both trainers approached each other again, and Monty said, "Well, congratulations! Even when the questions got personal, you really stuck it to me! And I apologize if you kept getting thrown off with all the pausing."

"You're forgiven," Zander said. "Actually, the game show asthetic made this Gym Mission quite entertaining."

"Well, glad to hear you found it fun!" Monty said. "Speaking of which, as a winner of 'What Could You Possibly Know,' it is my pleasure to present you with the grand prize: the Psychic Badge!"

As Zander and Monty shook hands, a piece of gold with a stylized magenta eye was set into Zander's Challenge Band to fill a gap: the Psychic Badge.

"And now a little word of wisdom," Monty said. "While it is important to do your best, it's just as important to have fun!"

-

Closed captioning sponsored in part by...

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