Previously on Galarian Days...
While the G-MAS (Galarian Messenger All-Stars) continue their journey to Eternal Island, Sophia Zuker decides to take some behind-the-scenes action to their mission in Circhester. But after a minor backtrack, she gets into an incident that puts her out of commission...
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Back on the ocean, Zander, Wufu and Calvin continued their ride on Glastrier and Spectrier when Zander decided to ask, "Hey, Wufu?"
"Yes, Zander?"
"When are we ever going to hear when you got your Master color? I told you how I was marked with Zacian and Zamazenta's royal colors, we've all seen how Calvin got Calyrex's royal color. The only marking origin that's still incomplete is yours, so what gives?"
"Now, now, a good story still can't be rushed," Wufu said. "Besides, we could still end up at our destination while I'm still in the middle of it. Calvin, what's our ETO?"
"Still got a ways to go," Calvin answered. "Might end up being sundown when we get there."
"Alright," Wufu reasoned. "Then let me ease your worry by saying that we're really close. After both Kubfu put their paws in mine and trusted me..."
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(Flashback)
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"Now I get two Kubfu buddies after completing the three trials of the Master Dojo," Wufu (still cinnamon) said in awe. "This seems like the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."
"Well..." Mustard said uneasily, "more of a nice aquaintance."
"I'm sorry?"
"Unfortunately, Wufu," the Dojo Master said with a sigh, "while you have proven your worthiness, I'm afraid you don't get to keep the little ones. You see, before you became a part of the Master Dojo's student body, a visitor of ours came by and warned us of a terrible crisis that was to beset the Galar region... one that could change it for the worse. That made me worry for everyone here, so I made the decision to restart the trials of the Master Dojo to choose someone who could rise to the challenge because, would that I could, this old man is getting on in years, so my physical and mental prowess wouldn't be able to save the region the way it used to..."
"But while lives have expiration dates," Honey took over, "dreams don't. And when you walked into our lives, love, it gave us fresh hope that we may be able to carry out our chance to help save Galar."
"Okay," Wufu said as he tried to absorb the information. "And what about Klara and Avery? Would they also have been able to stop the crisis?"
"Probably," Mustard reasoned, "but just as easily not. We only tried to give them the benefit of the doubt because they accomplished so much before."
"Ah," Wufu said. "But wait, if I don't get to keep the Kubfu, why make me go through the trials?"
"Like I said," Mustard explained, "the Kubfu are not the secret armor of the Master Dojo yet, but they will be. And once they are, they will bless the one who completes the trials with the power to turn the fate of Galar to their favor. And that destiny has been given to you."
Both Kubfu looked up at Wufu and nodded in confirmation, and Wufu stood up to ask, "Very well. What has to happen before they become the secret armor... Master Mustard?"
The Dojo Master grinned before explaining, "First, you must travel around the Isle of Armor with both Kubfu... and only both Kubfu. Eight of my students will be stationed throughout the isle in groups of two, where they will each challenge you to Double Battles. Both Kubfu will be tested against the guardians of the Towers of Two Fists, enabling them to learn from the benefits of both the Water and Dark types. When you have defeated all four pairs of students in any order, I will approach you with the final challenge against me. Only when you win then, will you be given the key to unlock the secret armor and its full potential!"
"Sounds like a tall order," Wufu remarked, "but since I've already come so far, I don't intend to stop now." He then handed the Poke Balls that contained his other Pokemon to Honey, leaving him with only the Kubfu before adding, "I accept the challenge."
"That's the spirit!" Mustard said. "Now, the pairs will be found at the following locations: Brawlers' Cave, Challenge Road, Loop Lagoon and Potbottom Desert. As I said, feel free to choose the order in which you face them. Now, go forth, and let the challenge begin!"
With that, all three bears exited the Master Dojo, raring to get the show on the road... but upon being blocked by a stream on the way to Loop Lagoon, Wufu decided, "Drat, no bike. Sorry, cubs, looks like we're taking the scenic route." They then turned around towards the Forest of Focus, navigating the twists and turns until they came out at the Training Lowlands, making their first stop: Challenge Road.
As soon as he was halfway up the hill, two Dojo Students were waiting for him. "Prepare yourself, challenger! This is one of your assigned Double Battles!" Both Kubfu braced themselves while the Dojo Students sent out Psyduck and Zorua. But with a Brick Break from one Kubfu and a Rock Smash from another, the students quickly lost the battle. "Challenge step completed!" "Don't get too cocky, though..."
"One down, three to go," Wufu commented before he continued to the next location that was closest: Brawlers' Cave.
And right next to the large rock inside, there was another pair of Dojo Students! "Prepare yourself for one of your assigned Double Battles, challenger... and this one has great acoustics!" This time, it was both Kubfu versus Krabby and Scraggy... but it was also shut down with a double Aerial Ace. "Sorry, we got distracted by the echos." "Still earned your win, though..."
"Okay, reached the halfway point," Wufu said. "Now, here comes the tricky part." He then backtracked to the Training Lowlands towards the next stop. After going all the way through Warm-Up Tunnel, he then reached stop number three: Potbottom Desert.
Right between the two sand hills, another pair of Dojo Students was waiting. "Commence the Double Battle! Hope you can keep your footing!" The pair then sent out Marril and Inkay, but a well-placed Close Combat from each Kubfu both shut them down with critical hits! "Whoa!" "We slipped in the sand!"
"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, cubs," Wufu cautioned. "We may have only one pair of Dojo Students left in this ordeal, but it'll be a trek to get there, and they'll be harder to beat!" The three then went back through the Isle of Armor's locations in the following order: Warm-Up Tunnel, Training Lowlands, Forest of Focus, Challenge Beach, Courageous Cavern, and finally the last checkpoint: Loop Lagoon.
"An assigned Double Battle by the sea! Brace yourself, challenger!" Right at the coast near the cave's mouth, the last two Dojo Students sent out Poliwhirl and Krokorok to challenge Wufu and the Kubfu. Poliwhirl started things off with Bubble Beam while Krokorok used Bite afterwards. Both Kubfu then chose to go for a gambit: one used Brick Break while the other chose Dynamic Punch! Both of them made contact, but only Krokorok was taken down. Poliwhirl then avenged its fallen comerade with Mud Shot, blinding one of the Kubfu with mud in its face! While a Close Combat from one missed, the other hit its mark and finished Poliwhirl off, giving Wufu his victory against all eight Dojo Students! "The sun sets upon us..." "Quite a fitting backdrop, don't you think?"
But Wufu was given very little time to celebrate his victory, because just as the Dojo Students took their leave... the Dojo Master himself made his entrance. "Ah, Wufu, well done. My students managed to pull out all the stops, but you still stuck it to 'em."
Wufu was about to respond. "Well, thank you, Master-"
"However!" Mustard cut the bear off. "Don't go patting yourself on the back just yet. Now the time has come to test the Kubfu against their final opponent... myself." He then took his hands away from his back and assumed a combat pose before continuing. "The essence of water, and the essence of darkness. Both of these have powerful merits on their own, but a balance of both allows one to overcome the impossible. Allow me to see if I am able to draw that potential from you!"
Mustard then tossed his hat to the wayside along with his jacket, revealing his ponytail bun and yellow Champion's top. As Wufu and the Kubfu took their stances, the energetic ex-Champion sent out Mienshao and Lycanroc in response. "We're going full-throttle on this one! There's a lot on the line!" Mienshao started the battle off with Fake Out, while Lycanroc followed up with Accelerock. This left one of the Kubfu flinching, while the other endured to retaliate with Rock Smash and knock Lycanroc out. Luxray was quickly sent in to take its place, but this time both Kubfu had a chance to defend themselves. One used Aerial Ace on Mienshao while the other tried Close Combat, and both Pokemon were made short work of.
Mustard was now down to his last two Pokemon: Corviknight and Kommo-o. "If this doesn't make your blood boil, nothing will! I know mine is!" But while one Kubfu was able to strike down Kommo-o with Aerial Ace, Corviknight survived the other's Dynamic Punch enough to answer with Brave Bird! With both Kubfu struggling to stay up, they both gave it their all with another Dynamic Punch combined with Close Combat, finally putting the armored bird Pokemon to rest.
Surprised, Mustard bowed his head, then raised it back up with pride! "At last, a worthy candidate! That battle was legendary!" Now that the battle was over, Wufu was approached by the Dojo Master, and both they and the Kubfu bowed to each other in recognition.
"Well done indeed, Wufu... for real this time!" Mustard congratulated. "Conquering the trials of the Master Dojo, helping both Kubfu triumph against my students, and even winning against me with no holding back... All were difficult ordeals, but you managed to pass them all with flying colors!" All of this made Wufu and the Kubfu beam with pride, then both the small bears looked up at the larger bear and jumped up with fists out.
"Yeah! Pound it!" Wufu said, and all three ursines fist-bumped together in a triangle formation.
"And the celebration doesn't stop here!" Mustard said as the Pokemon landed on solid ground again. "We still have to present you with the key to unlocking the secret armor! Hyde, it's time!"
"Coming, dad!" Hyde said as he exited the mouth of the cave holding a black box, its lid tied down with red and blue string.
"I had him on standby in the background during our battle," Mustard explained as his son got next to him with the box held out in front of him. "Now, behold, and recieve your prize!"
After Mustard undid the bow of the string with one hand and lifted the lid of the box with the other, Wufu reached his paw inside... and extracted a carved, wooden bar the size and shape of a deodorant stick. On one side of it was an engraved picture of ocean waves in a blue border, while the other bore the image of shadowy shapes in a red border. The whole thing was also sectioned into four chambers, held together by a black cord threaded through holes in the top and bottom, with black beads at each end to keep it all held together. And right in the middle of the loop Wufu was holding it by, was a piece of carved wood in the shape of the Master Dojo's crest.
It was an inro, styled after the scrolls inside the Towers of Two Fists.
One Kubfu looked at the water side of the inro, and the other looked at the darkness side. Then, after they both nodded in understanding, as if they had just learned something by reading the pictures, something happened.
Both of the little wushu Pokemon tightened their white locks, activating the fighting energy inside, then tensed themselves up as hard as they could. Suddenly, a watery aura swirled around one of them, and a shadowy aura swirled around the other. As the auras started to resonate with the fighting energy, both of them started to shine white.
Knowing what that meant, Mustard said, "Now, Wufu! Grab their paws!"
The cinnamon bear quickly put one of his paws through the loop of the inro's cord, then did as he was told. Upon contact, the water and shadows traveled down his arms as the small masses of light started growing bigger, but now the third bear was starting to shine along with them! The resulting light was blinding, forcing Mustard and Hyde to shield their eyes, and from a distance, it looked as though a star was shining in Loop Lagoon...
After ten seconds, the light finally dimmed enough for Mustard and Hyde to open their eyes. When they did, the scene before them had changed. No longer were two gray bear cubs holding paws with a bigger cinnamon bear, but two larger bears styled in flowing robes and headbands (one on edge, one hanging loose) held the paws of a yellow bear in their claws.
Both Kubfu had evolved into Single Strike and Rapid Strike Urshifu, and in doing so, had marked Wufu with their Master color.
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(End of flashback)
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"And that's how I became the Ursine Retainer of Galar, and got this inro," Wufu said wistfully. "After that, Master Mustard took both Urshifu under his care, and he, Hyde and I walked back to the Master Dojo to get my Pokemon back from Honey... and that's when Zander showed up."
"Wow," Zander said.
"That was a great story, Wufu," Calvin added.
"Thanks, thought I'd never get it done. So, how much time did I manage to kill?"
Calvin looked forward and said in surprise, "A lot more than you'd think. Look up ahead!"
Zander and Wufu looked where Calvin said, and sure enough, they were closing in on a large mass of land... with 18 giant orbs of different colors right on top of it!
"Land ho! Land ho!" Wufu shouted in excitement.
"There it is," Zander said. "Eternal Island, home of the remains of the Dynamiasmas, soon to be converted into the Miniasma project unless we put the kibosh on the whole thing. Full speed ahead, Calvin!"
"You got it, Zander!" the deer said, and with a snap of the reins he cried out, "On, Glastrier! On, Spectrier!"
And both steeds pushed themselves towards their destination, now closer than before...
