"Mega-Ventures of Remnant"

Chapter 25: Legends and Mysteries

After an upheaving victory against Neptune and his Mega Gyarados from the previous Mega Battle, Ruby and Jaune head to their next adventure as they have parted ways with Sun and Neptune, whom they went to the Pokémon League Association of Remnant to make amends from their actions.

Ozpin's Office, 12:13pm

Enter Ozpin's Archaeologist Friend

Professor Ozpin was in his office, looking over the pictures of ancient treasures found by his archaeologist friend on his scroll.

"Fascinating find there, Church," said Ozpin. "Is there any more left to be discovered?"

"If I read the texts correctly," said Church, "there's one treasure still remaining that's the most valuable out of everything I've found, including the Mega Stones. This treasure could be a major breakthrough for us, Ozpin!"

"I hope so," replied Ozpin. Ozpin's scroll started beeping, indicating he was getting another call. He looked up the I.D. and noticed it was from Ruby. "Excuse me Church, I've got a call coming in from one of my recent graduates."

"I won't tie you up then. I'll call you when I find that last treasure!"

12:15pm

Ozpin's Call: Ruby

"Please do," said Ozpin. Once Church hung up, Ozpin answered the call from Ruby. "Hello Ruby; what can I do for you?"

"Professor Ozpin, I just got my fourth badge!" said Ruby.

"That's excellent news. Where are you now?"

"I recently left Lazuli City and now I'm heading to Roseus City."

"Lazuli City huh? Could you hold on for just a moment?"

Ozpin pulled out a map of Vale and looked at the route that Ruby would be on. Sure enough, she was close to the location site that his friend was currently working in.

"Say Ruby, how would you like to learn about some interesting history about Pokémon and Mega Evolution?"

"What did you have in mind, including both?"

"Around the route you're located on, there should be a site called the Lapis Ruins. I have a friend there currently going through an archaeology dig. You should stop by and tell her I sent you; I think you can learn a lot on this trip."

"Sure thing Professor Ozpin!"

Inside Lazuli City Pokémon Center, 12:05pm

Waiting

While Ruby was talking to Ozpin, Jaune was discussing something with the nurse at the Pokémon Center they were staying at. Jaune looked dejected, sitting back in the waiting area and staring at the floor.

"Struck out with another girl?" asked Ruby.

"No, nothing like that," said Jaune. "I was asking the nurse what it took to work in a Pokémon Center to help take care of Pokémon."

"I'm going to assume a four-year degree?"

"Six years. I barely got through the four I needed to get my Pokémon license; there's no way I can handle another six years."

Ruby sat next to Jaune and patted him on the back. "It's all right Jaune. We'll just need to keep searching. Anyway, I came to tell you that we're making a bit of a detour."

"Really? Where are we heading?"

"To the Lapis Ruins! Professor Ozpin says we can learn some very cool stuff out there, including the Mega Stones. What do you say?"

"Sure, I guess. I wanna see the real Mega Stones in common."

Ruby and Jaune gathered their belongings and headed out to the location of the Lapis Ruins.

15-minute walk outside Lazuli City to Lapis Ruins, 12:20pm

Welcome to "Lapis Ruins"

"What's so special about these ruins?" asked Jaune.

"According to the Pokédex," stated Ruby, "the ruins contain one of the last remaining cities built before the first known discovery of Dust. The city is estimated to be about 6000 years old. Hey, maybe if we're lucky, we'll stumble across some treasure and get rich! Or maybe find an ancient super rare Pokémon no one has discovered!"

"Yeah; maybe I'll discover some prophecy that reveals my destiny," said Jaune, apathetic about the trip they were going on. Ruby thought bringing up the potential fortune they might make would cheer him up, but Jaune was acting more depressed than usual about not finding his calling yet. Eevee noticed Jaune's bad mood and tried to rub up against his leg, but Jaune didn't even bother to acknowledge Eevee. Eevee turned to Ruby and frowned.

"I know Eevee," whispered Ruby. "Let's hope this trip is fun for his sake."

Lapis Ruins: Entrance + Mountainside, 12:23pm

Discovery: Lapis Ruins

Ruby and Jaune reached the mountainside that the Lapis Ruins were located. They were climbing the hill that would lead to the ruins located at the center of the mountains.

"You really think we'll find anything new here?" asked Jaune. "Even Mega Stones?"

"If scientists are still researching these ruins," said Ruby, "then there has to be secrets hiding around somewhere. Yep, Mega Stones count."

Lapis Ruins: Plateau, 12:28pm

Ruby and Jaune reached the plateau of the hill they were climbing. They looked out across the plateau and saw several giant craters scattered across the plain. The holes looked to have been man-made by the people who were researching this area.

"It looks like they've already dug up everything they could," said Jaune.

"I'm sure there has to be at least one place we can look," said Ruby. "Let's find Ozpin's archaeologist friend and ask them."

As they crossed the plateau, Jaune was looking around at all the holes and markings left by the researchers, barely paying attention to where he was walking.

"How many years do you think it must have taken to have done all this?" asked Jaune.

"Probably longer than we've been alive," said Ruby. "Just make sure to watch where you're going. One slip and you might end up-"

Before Ruby can finish, Jaune suddenly tripped over a dirt mound and fell into one of the craters, rolling all the way downhill. Ruby cringed at the way Jaune stumbled and came to a stop at the bottom of the hill.

"...in a hole."

Lapis Ruins: Crater Cavern, 12:32pm

Jaune meets the Archaeologist

As Ruby started slowly climbing down the hole, someone working on the other side of the hole noticed Jaune laying prone on the ground and ran over to check on him. Jaune opened his eyes and saw a woman with a blonde ponytail and dressed in nearly all black.

"You okay there buddy?" she asked.

"Depends what you mean by okay," replied Jaune.

"Can you get up and walk on your own?"

"I think so."

The woman helped Jaune up back to his feet. Aside from the headache and being covered in dirt, he wasn't in any serious pain. Ruby reached the bottom of the hill and ran over to Jaune.

"You kids really shouldn't be walking around here," said the woman. "Did you get lost?"

12:35pm

Ruby meets the Archaeologist

"Actually, my professor asked me to come here," said Ruby. "We're looking for the archaeologist researching these ruins and secrets of Mega Evolution."

"Oh, you must be the kids sent by Ozpin! I've been waiting for you. I know about Mega Evolution."

"Wait, you're the archaeologist?" Ruby took another look at the archaeologist standing before her. She expected to meet someone in professional attire, while the only thing professional this woman was wearing was an oddly colored trench coat. "You don't look like one."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well for one, I've never seen an archaeologist where a black trench coat, or a cap, or a t-shirt that says...what's Project Freelancer?"

The woman folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at Ruby. "Have you ever actually met an archaeologist before?"

"No."

"Then how would you know what they really look like?"

Ruby tried to think of a response, but realized that she made a valid point. Ruby had only seen archaeologists on TV shows and in movies, never in real life, so it wasn't right to assume this woman wasn't one based on some fictional accounts.

"I'm sorry," said Ruby. The woman burst out laughing and patted Ruby on the shoulder.

"I'm kidding! Yes, what I wear is a bit unorthodox, but last time I checked, this job doesn't require a uniform!"

"But what if it does and you just didn't feel like wearing it?" asked Ruby.

"Brilliant question!" she replied. "I can see why Professor Ozpin sent you." The woman held out her arm for a handshake. "Allison Church, Pokémon Archaeologist!"

"Ruby Rose, future Pokémon Champion!"

12:38pm

Enter Church

"And who are you good sir?" Church turned to Jaune, who was looking down on the ground kicking some dirt.

"Jaune Arc, future...something," muttered Jaune.

"You'll have to excuse him," said Ruby. "He's not in the best of spirits right now, unless he has trained sometimes."

"Thanks, Ruby. I might be able to do that for the future."

Ruby gave Jaune a thumb up.

"He did take a pretty nasty fall there," said Church, "but you can just walk it off."

"It's not that," said Jaune. "I've just been thinking about my future lately, and to put it lightly...it's bad."

"Sounds like someone in need of a new line of work. Perhaps I can interest you in a future in archaeology? That's which is ironic, considering the job is about being interested in the past." Church elbowed Jaune in the shoulder and tried to get him to smile, but Jaune either didn't get the joke or wasn't in the mood for laughing.

"Tough crowd. But seriously Jaune, what have you been considering?"

"Whatever I can find that I won't fail miserably in."

"Well that really narrows it down. Tell you what Jaune, today I'm going to explore a new section of the Lapis Ruins. If you and I discover something grand, will it convince you to become an archaeologist?"

"...I guess?" said Jaune, shrugging his shoulders.

"Great! The Society of Pokémon Archaeologists could really use new members. Come; let us explore these wondrous ruins!"

Church led them out of the hole and headed to the center of the mountains where the main entrance of the ruins would be located. Along the way, Ruby decided to get to know more about Church.

"So how do you know Professor Ozpin?" asked Ruby.

"Ozpin was a friend of my mentor back in their scientist days. The two often worked together on various projects. Before I graduated I would often hang around the two and hear of all the research and theories they had about Pokémon and Mega Evolution. I couldn't wait for the day I graduated so I can actually get to work beside them...but shortly before I did, my mentor unfortunately passed away."

"That must have been really hard on you."

"It was, and sometimes still is. But then I remember all the inspiration he gave me and use it to keep moving forward. I want to study about the secrets of Mega Evolution."

"Keep moving forward; I like that phrase. I see that you have learnt Mega Evolution since before."

Church gave Ruby a headshake of acceptance after her good remark about Mega Evolution.

Lapis Ruins: Hills, 12:46pm

Heart of the Ruins

The trio arrived on the hill overlooking the ruins. Down the small hill they saw several small buildings that looked like temples made out of brightly colored sandstone.

"Are these the Lapis Ruins?" asked Ruby.

"I was expecting something bigger," said Jaune.

"Oh, that?" said Church. "That's just the tip of the iceberg. A majority of the ruins are actually inside that cave you see behind them."

"So what are those temples then?" asked Ruby.

"See for yourself."

Lapis Ruins: Temples, 12:49pm

Discovery: Temples and Unown

Church took them down the hill and entered one of the temples. Ruby and Jaune looked around and noticed the walls covered in some kind of strange text; all the markings had eyes staring back at them.

"What are these things?" asked Ruby, taking a closer look at the markings. "Are they supposed to be Pokémon?"

"Yep!" said Church. "These markings are actually Pokémon called Unown. I call these parts of the ruins the Unown Hideaway, since these are usually where I keep finding those things."

The three of them heard a small screech nearby. They looked down the hallway and saw one of the Unown flying towards them. The Unown stopped to look at the three; upon a closer look, the Unown sort of looked like the letter N.

Lapis Ruins: Unown Hideaways, 12:52pm

Enter Unown

"Is it me or do they kind of look like letters?" asked Jaune.

"It's not a coincidence Jaune," said Church. "We believe that the ancient civilizations used the shapes of the various Unown to communicate with each other, ultimately resulting in the creation of our alphabet."

"They aren't dangerous, are they?" asked Ruby. Eevee was standing guard in case the Unown tried to attack.

"Hardly," said Church. "Unown usually keep to themselves, and even the ones that decide to fight aren't strong at all." After staring at the trio, the Unown flew away down the other end of the hallway.

"So how many of these things are there?" asked Jaune.

"Based on the markings discovered, there are twenty-eight different variations of Unown; one for every letter of the alphabet, and two that closely resemble the question mark and the exclamation point. Personally I've never seen those two up close, but when I do, I'll finally have the chance to complete my entire collection!"

"Collection?" asked Ruby. "You've been catching these Unown?"

"Yep! I'm trying to catch one of every single letter, and so far I'm only missing the T, the E, and the X. Man what I wouldn't give to finally have all twenty-eight Unown!"

12:55pm

Unown Hunt

"But I thought as an archaeologist, you wouldn't care about catching for collection purposes."

"On my business card, I'm an archaeologist. In my head, I'm a scientist. But in my heart, I'm a collector! And I'm a researcher about Mega Evolution!" Another Unown quickly flew past the trio. Church looked up and saw it was an Unown in the shape of a T. "In fact, there's one of the Unown I need right now! Wait here!" Church grabbed an Ultra Ball from her pocket and chased the Unown down the hallway.

"She's really eccentric for a scientist," said Jaune. "I thought science work, including Mega Evolution, was always so boring and serious."

"Maybe it's not as bad as you think it is," said Ruby. "I mean think of all the neat stuff we learned just from these Unown! Imagine how much else you can learn if you followed in Church's footsteps!"

"It can't be as fun as she's making it. There has to be some kind of catch to this."

Church quickly ran back to the duo and stopped to catch her breath.

"Lost track of it again," said Church. "Ah well, enough with the Unown! Time to visit the real Lapis Ruins!"

Lapis Ruins: Caves, 12:59pm

The Hearts of Lapis Ruins: Caves

The trio left the Unown Hideaways and entered the cave leading to the Lapis Ruins. Normally caves were pitch black and needed a Pokémon with Flash to navigate, but the walls of the Lapis Ruins had a light source thanks to the Dust crystals emanating off the walls, making navigation a lot easier. The crystals made it look like the cave was glowing in several colors.

"This is beautiful!" said Ruby.

"Eevee!" confirmed Eevee.

"Is it possible to take any of these crystals?" asked Jaune, holding his hand near a crystal.

"I would avoid touching them if I were you," said Church. "Touching a Dust crystal in its purest state the wrong way can cause them to literally explode, hence why you don't see any Pokémon coming out to fight."

"No thanks!" replied Jaune, quickly backing away before he became another crater in the ruins.

"So how much do you two know about legendary Pokémon?" asked Church.

1:02pm

Ruby's Flashback: Tales of Legendary Pokémon

"Only from I've read in fairy tales," said Ruby. "My sister used to read me stories about all sorts of powerful Pokémon that roamed the world. My favorite was the one about Jirachi granting a little girl's wish. When I was little, my sister would always pretend to be Jirachi and promise to make my wishes come true."

"Maybe one day you'll get to meet the real Jirachi."

"I doubt it; Jirachi is just a fairy tale, isn't it?"

"A lot of people believe that these tales of legendaries are simply that: Imaginary, make-believe, fake. I on the other hand think they could all have actually existed at some point in time."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Step inside and see for yourself."

Lapis Ruins: Petroglyph Cave, 1:05pm

Enter the Petroglyph Caves + Story of Legendaries

Ruby and Jaune followed Church into another part of the cave. On the other side was a dimly lit room full of petroglyphs. Ruby and Jaune looked up at all the different carvings on the walls. The walls were engraved with giant Pokémon towering above the people, shown worshipping below. The Pokémon were surrounded by Unown letters to explain what was going on. These Pokémon looked like they can easily destroy the people if they wanted to.

"All these things really Pokémon?" asked Jaune.

"They sure are," said Church. "These Pokémon were so powerful, they were worshiped as Gods. In fact, some of these legendaries are believed to have created the world of Remnant. Take a look." Church shined her flashlight at the wall towards the end of the cave, pointing at the carving located at the very top of the wall. "On top you see Arceus, believed to be the creator of all Pokémon. Below Arceus you see Dialga and Palkia; Dialga is said to have created the force of time, while Palkia is the creator of space. All the legendaries you see here are somehow connected to life itself. Some were considered the guardians of the planet; others were considered the embodiment of human emotions, including life and death itself."

"So what happened to all these Pokémon?" asked Jaune. "Did they all eventually pass away or are they still alive?"

"Unfortunately, that's the problem us researchers have with these legendaries; we don't know if any of these Pokémon were actually real in the first place. They could very well be all myths and stories created by ancient civilizations to explain how the world worked before Dust and science were used to prove otherwise."

"Is there really no way to prove if they were real?"

"For a while it seemed that way. However, out of all the legendaries you see here, there has been one thought to be still alive and roaming Remnant to this day. This Pokémon is the key to solving the mystery behind these legendary Pokémon."

Church lowered her flashlight towards the middle of the wall. Positioned in the very center was a tiny, inconspicuous Pokémon; it appeared to have a cat-like face and a tail as long as its body.

"We call this Pokémon Mew."

1:10pm

History of Mew

"That thing is the key?" asked Jaune. "But it looks so tiny and harmless compared to all these other Pokémon! What makes Mew so special?"

"Notice how Mew is positioned in the middle, surrounded by nearly every legendary seen here. Below it is a scripture that reads 'The One Who Knows All.'"

"What does it know all of?" asked Ruby.

"We don't know for sure. Our theory is that Mew is somehow connected to every Pokémon we see here. We believe Mew could be the last living ancestor of all these Pokémon. If we were able to capture Mew, or find fossilized remains to make clones out of, we could have the answer to everything involving Pokémon and Remnant."

"So what makes you believe Mew is still alive out there?"

"Occasionally we get reports from random citizens claiming to have spotted some kind of rare Pokémon that matches Mew's description, but none of the evidence we receive can be considered concrete. I once heard of a story that a team of archaeologists supposedly found proof of Mew like twenty years ago, but nothing ever came of it."

"Why? Did they find out it wasn't Mew?"

"I don't know. There are no public records of this discovery happening, so I assume it was just some glorified rumor."

"Do you think Professor Ozpin would know anything about this?"

"Funny enough, I asked Ozpin about the supposed Mew discovery, and he insists it's nothing more than heresy as well."

"I have to be honest," said Jaune. "As cool as discovering the truth about legendaries sound, what's the point of trying to discover something that, odds are, doesn't really exist?"

"Because what sounds more exciting to you?" asked Church. "Retelling the same information everyone already knows, or discovering something completely brand-new, and earning the right to say you were the one to break ground and change history?"

Jaune shrugged. "The risk doesn't seem worth it."

Ruby gave Church a worried look, thinking their tour wasn't snapping Jaune out of his grief. Church silently muttered "I got this" to reassure Ruby she knew exactly how she was going to snap Jaune out of his current state.

"Hey Jaune, remember when I said I was going to explore a new section of the Lapis Ruins?"

"What kind of new section? More ancient carvings?"

"How about a cave full of ancient treasure that could be worth thousands...heck, maybe even millions of lien?"

If there was one thing that definitely peaked Jaune's interest, it was earning riches. He perked up his head and turned back to Church. "Really? Millions of lien?"

"Excuse me Miss Church," said Ruby, "but it sounds like you're exaggerating."

"I'm serious!" said Church. "Of course I could be wrong, but that's half the fun of being an archaeologist!"

"So where is this ancient treasure?" asked Jaune. "Is this like that movie where it's guarded by some ancient traps that no one but the awesome hero can survive?"

"I guess you can say that!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find that treasure!"

"That's the spirit Jaune! Follow me!"

Ruby was happy that Jaune was starting to get into a better mood, but at the same time was getting worried about what this treasure hunt was going to entail. Eevee looked at Ruby like she didn't want to partake in this either.

"I'm sure it'll be okay," said Ruby anxiously. Even she couldn't convince herself of that.

Lapis Ruins: Ruins, 1:20pm

Escape the Ruins

Church led Ruby and Jaune through a series of caves until they reached the exit of the ruins.

"There's the exit we need to go," said Church. "I have to warn you, it's pretty dangerous out there, so we're going to have to be extra careful."

"Dangerous is my middle name!" said Jaune.

"I'll remember that the next time we have to enter another spooky cave," remarked Ruby.

The three of them walked out of the ruins. The exit was a small ledge off the mountainside, so there wasn't much room to move forward. Ruby and Jaune looked out and couldn't believe what they saw. Surrounded by the mountains were several small buildings that looked to be people's homes, although their current state would not be considered habitable. The buildings were separated by dirt roads, with patches of grass springing up here and there.

"It looks like a city down there!" exclaimed Ruby.

"That's because it was," said Church. "Unfortunately, I haven't had much luck in searching this entire area."

"Why's that?"

"Problem number one: Because of those things."

Church pointed up to a group of Pokémon flying in the sky. The Pokémon was nothing like Ruby and Jaune had seen before; it looked like some kind of strange cross between a bird and a totem pole, with trident arms and wings sticking out of its body. Ruby took out her Pokédex to find out what this strange creature was.

Sigilyph
Avainoid Pokémon
The guardians of an ancient city, they use their psychic power to attack enemies that invade their territory.
Abilities: Wonder Skin, Magic Guard, Tinted Lens (Hidden Ability)
Height: 4'07"/1.4m
Weight: 30.9 lbs./14.0 kg

"Regardless of no one living here," said Church, "those things remain vigilant in overlooking this territory. The moment they notice me, they'll hunt me down until I either escape or...well, you know."

"Don't you have Pokémon to protect yourself?" asked Ruby.

"I did, but now they're all critically injured and recovering at a Pokémon Center."

As Ruby and Jaune continued to look at the entire city, they suddenly heard a loud roar coming from the city below.

"What was that noise?" asked Jaune.

"Problem number two."

Around the corner of a dilapidated building came a giant cyan colored Pokémon that looked to be made of stone; the Pokémon searched around the area with its bright yellow eyes. Ruby scanned this strange new Pokémon as well.

Golurk
Automaton Pokémon
It is said that Golurk were ordered to protect people and Pokémon by the ancient people who made them.
Abilities: Iron Fist, Klutz, No Guard (Hidden Ability)
Height: 9'02"/2.8m
Weight: 727.5 lbs./330.0 kg

"So even if we can somehow survive the swarm of Sigilyph that come after us, we would then have these things to worry about, and trust me, those walking statues are too powerful to handle."

"How do we avoid fighting them?" asked Jaune.

"By sneaking around very quietly. Once we reach the bottom of this cliff, we go at my signal."

Lapis Ruins: Bottom of the Cliff, 1:28pm

Sneaking Through

Church led Ruby and Jaune to the bottom of the cliff; once they were out of the Sigilyphs' sights, they ran between the first two buildings, walking along the walls to hide in the shadows. They reached the end of the alleyway and waited for the Golurk marching down the street to walk past, then immediately ran across the street into the next alleyway. They continued to hide in the shadows until they reached near the center of town. A couple of blocks away were a very wide building that appeared to have some kind of public use.

"See that giant building down there?" whispered Church. "That building over there was the city library."

"Is that where this secret treasure is supposed to be?" asked Ruby.

"From the texts I've gathered around this area, that building holds the greatest treasure the king of this village ever possessed."

"Why would it be in a library?" asked Ruby.

"Probably because their library also doubled as a museum," said Church. "I assume after the king passed away, they decided to prop up one of his valuables for everyone to see."

"Um, girls?" asked Jaune.

"The treasures I've already found in these ruins were quite valuable. I can only imagine what this greatest treasure could be worth."

"Hey girls..."

"What do you think it could be?" asked Ruby.

"I have no idea," said Church, "but if I have to randomly guess-"

"GIRLS!" shouted Jaune.

"Keep it down, Jaune!" said Church, turning around to face Jaune. "Yelling like that will attract the attention of the..."

Church looked up and understood why Jaune was trying to get their attention: One of the Sigilyphs had spotted them and was hovering over them, as if waiting for them to make the first move before striking. The trio started shaking in fear at the sight of Sigilyph.

"Miss Church?" asked Jaune. "What do we do?"

"That depends," said Church. "You guys fast runners?"

"Very," said Ruby.

"Well then...RUN!"

Lapis Ruins: Museum, 1:32pm

Sigilyph Chase

The trio turned around and made a break for it. The Sigilyph gave chase and fired Psybeams at them. The Psybreams struck the ground around them and caused dirt to fly into the air, nearly blinding them. Soon two more Sigilyphs spotted them and gave chase as well.

"Follow me!" yelled Church, leading them into the building at the end of the street. As soon as they entered, the Sigilyphs ceased firing and floated outside of the building.

"What's keeping them from just charging in and coming after us?" asked Ruby.

"I've studied their behavior for some time," said Church. "They've been trained to never attack a building under any circumstances."

"So I guess we just wait here until they go away?"

"Won't work. These things have an eternity of patience. They're not going away until they fry us. Come, there should be another exit we can sneak out of."

Church went to the back of the ancient home and found a hole serving as a window on the opposite side of the house. Church looked out to see if the coast was clear, only to nearly be zapped by a Psybeam from one of the Sigilyphs watching above.

"Okay, Plan B has gone out the window. Now I have no idea how we're going to get out of here."

"Can't we just call someone to come find us?" asked Ruby. Ruby quickly took out her scroll and checked about the move "Psybeam."

Psybeam
Power: 65
Accuracy: 100
The target is attacked with a peculiar wave. This may also confuse the target.
Contest Conditions:
Beautiful – Makes audiences expect little of other contestants. (Contest Spectacular)
Beautiful – Earn +2 if the Pokémon performs first in the turn. (Super Contest)
Beautiful – Randomly scrambles the order of appeals in which Pokémon will move first next turn. (Challenge Mode)

"The scrolls can't get a signal strong enough this deep in the mountains. Only the Pokédex system is still functional."

"I have an idea!" said Jaune. "I'll use my Steelix to dig us underground to safety!"

"Don't!" said Church. "The ground here isn't stable. If you dig up the ground underneath the buildings, it can cause them to collapse on top of us!"

"Could we at least try digging with our hands?"

"If I can't come up with anything better, that might be our only option."

"I've got a better idea," said Ruby, grabbing one of the Poké Balls from her belt. "Plan C: We fight back!"

1:39pm

Fighting Back

"Not a good idea. These things are too powerful to take on, and even if you get rid of them, battling them will just alert more Sigilyphs and Golurks to come after us. You would just be exhausting your Pokémon in a fight you have no chance of winning."

"The odds may be against us, but what sounds more exciting to you? Running away because we're scared, or overcoming the odds and defeating all these Pokémon at once?"

Before Church can convince Ruby otherwise, Ruby already headed back outside to confront the Sigilyphs. The Sigilyphs looked down and took aim at Ruby; Ruby wasted no time calling out her Pokémon.

"Go Fletchinder!" said Ruby, throwing her ball high and bringing out Fletchinder. The Fletchinder flew up to the same level of the Sigilyphs; two of them backed away, leaving one to fight Ruby's bird.

"Fletchinder, roast that thing with Ember!" Fletchinder shot an orange fireball at the Sigilyph. A lightish-pink barrier suddenly formed around Sigilyph and negated the Ember; Sigilyph immediately fired a Psybeam in retaliation, which Fletchinder dodged at the last second. Fletchinder kept trying to fire at Sigilyph, but the flames were always put out by this barrier surrounding Sigilyph.

"How is it blocking that attack?" asked Ruby.

"It's using Light Screen!" said Church, yelling from the doorway. "Special attacks aren't going to affect them. The only way to take them down is with physical strength!"

"Then we'll just have to outrun them. Fletchinder, Agility!" Fletchinder raised its speed to avoid Sigilyph's Psybeam and get behind it. "Now Fletchinder, Quick Attack!" Fletchinder charged head on at Sigilyph, but Sigilyph suddenly flew at the same speed Fletchinder did and dodged the attack, then fired a Psybeam that nailed Fletchinder in one of its wings.

"How did that Sigilyph suddenly get so fast?"

"It used Mirror Move," said Church. "These things will copy an attack used by the opponent and use it against them. Now do you realize why we can't beat them? Recall your Pokémon and get back inside!"

"I'm not backing down until either me or my Pokémon can no longer fight! At least that way, I'll know we tried!"

Ruby continued giving commands for Fletchinder to attack Sigilyph. Church knew it wasn't a smart decision to be fighting in a battle that was likely not going to end well, but she also knew that in her heart, she would have tried to do the same thing.

With both Pokémon able to fly at the same speed, it was becoming impossible for either of them to land a hit. The Sigilyph suddenly stopped in the middle of the air and remained stationary with the other Sigilyphs. Church noticed them starting to make a vibrating noise with their wings; she recognized the attack they were about to pull off and panicked. Ruby on the other hand thought now was a perfect time to attack.

"Fletchinder, hit them with Quick Attack!"

"Wait Ruby! Call back Fletchinder now!" shouted Church, but it was too late. Fletchinder charged at Sigilyph and was suddenly stopped when the Sigilyphs let out a loud screech that caused a sharp wave of pain to flow through Fletchinder's body. The damage was so severe it caused Fletchinder to drop out of the sky.

"Fletchinder!" yelled Ruby, running over to check on her Pokémon. Fletchinder was barely able to move after taking such a devastating hit. Ruby cradled Fletchinder in her arms as Church ran out to help Ruby. "What did they do?"

"It's Synchronoise," said Church. "It's an attack that does devastating damage to Pokémon of the same type. This is how they take out other Flying Pokémon. C'mon, we have to move!" Church picked up Ruby and ran back to the house, only for a Psybeam to suddenly be fired just a few inches in front of her, stopping them in their tracks.

"Looks like this is one battle we have to fight," said Ruby.

"[Look!]" yelled Eevee, standing by ready to fight the Sigilyphs. Eevee turned on its legs and tried to blind them with Sand Attack, but the sand was effortlessly dissipated by the Light Screen. The Sigilyphs surrounded them and were getting ready to fire a barrage of Psybeams. One of the Sigilyphs were suddenly hit by a rock. The Sigilyphs turned around and saw Jaune taunting them.

"Hey there you flying monstrosities!" said Jaune. "Bet you can't hit me with those beams of yours!"

The Sigilyphs responded by firing the beams at Jaune. Jaune immediately ran away, taking the Sigilyphs with him. While Jaune had them distracted, Ruby frantically searched her bag for any kind of healing item she can use on Fletchinder, but didn't have anything on her at the moment.

"I have nothing to heal my Fletchinder!" said Ruby. Church searched through her small sidepack to find anything that would help, and noticed a small piece of candy she had found a few days ago.

"We're in luck!" said Church. "Give it this!"

"What is it?"

"It's Rare Candy; feed that to your Fletchinder to make it stronger!"

"Let's hope it'll be enough. Can you open up Fletchinder?"

Fletchinder opened its mouth wide enough for Ruby to feed it the candy. After swallowing the rare candy, Fletchinder suddenly felt a surge of power and jumped out of Ruby's arms, then began to glow brightly. With the power boost of the Rare Candy, Fletchinder was able to evolve into its final form: Talonflame.

"Whoa!" said Ruby. "That's some candy!" Once Talonflame finished evolving, Ruby's Pokédex began to beep.

"Talonflame now knows Flame Charge," said Penny, "a move that can deal fire damage along with raising Talonflame's speed."

Flame Charge
Power: 50
Accuracy: 100
The user cloaks itself in flame and attacks. Building up more power, this also raises the User's Speed Stat.
Contest Conditions:
Cool – Works well if the user is pumped up. (Contest Spectacular)
Beautiful – Enables the user to perform first in the next turn. (Super Contest)
Beautiful – Causes the user to move earlier the next turn. (Challenge Mode)

"Sounds like the kind of move we can use!" said Ruby. Around the corner they heard the Sigilyphs firing at Jaune, running more than he ever ran in a lifetime.

"Somebody get rid of these things already!" yelled Jaune.

"Talonflame, take them down with Flame Charge!" said Ruby.

Talonflame lit its body on blue-and-orange fire and charged at the first Sigilyph in its sights. Talonflame rammed into the Sigilyph, burning its body. Sigilyph turned around and fired a Psybeam at Talonflame, but the Flame Charge made Talonflame go faster and avoid the attack easily. Talonflame switched directions and attacked the other Sigilyphs, burning them as well. The lead Sigilyph decided to fight fire with fire and used Mirror Move to light itself in flames as well, speeding head first into Talonflame. The Sigilyph rammed into Talonflame, but the move had little to no effect on Talonflame.

"Talonflame, teach these things how a real Flame Charge works!" Talonflame struck the Sigilyph with another Flame Charge and dealt serious damage. The other Sigilyphs tried to intervene, only to be outmatched by Talonflame's speed and attacks. The Sigilyphs decided they had enough and flew away.

"All right!" said Ruby. "That takes care of those pests!"

1:45pm

Deal with a Golurk

"But now how do we handle these things?" asked Jaune. Ruby and Church turned around to see a Golurk had made its presence known. The Golurk let out a roar and raised its fist, then came swinging down on the trio with a Hammer Arm. The trio jumped out of the way as the fist hit the ground so hard it caused a small earthquake. The shaking caused one of the buildings to vibrate.

"We have to end this quick!" said Church. "More attacks like that and this entire city will collapse!"

"Talonflame, use your Flame Charge on Golurk!" commanded Ruby. Talonflame lit itself on fire and rammed into Golurk. Golurk tried to use Hammer Arm on Talonflame but was too slow to make contact, allowing Talonflame to attack multiple times. The Golurk was slow, but its defense was incredibly high, as the Flame Charge appeared to do little to no damage.

"It's no good," said Church. "That thing's defenses are too high, and I doubt it'll take more than one Hammer Arm to take out Talonflame."

"Then we'll just have to fight defensively. Talonflame, use your Agility and take to the air!" Talonflame concentrated its energy and greatly increased its speed before taking off to the air to avoid Golurk. Just when they thought they were safe, Golurk suddenly retracted its arm and legs and rocketed towards Talonflame at mach speed. It easily reached Talonflame and then brought one of its arms back out to knock Talonflame down with a Shadow Punch.

"Oh come on!" complained Ruby. "Those things can fly as well?"

"Now what do we do?" asked Jaune. "If those things can fly just like the Sigilyph, there's no way we can escape them!"

"Then we keep fighting! Talonflame, use your Acrobatics!" Talonflame charged at Golurk, but Golurk suddenly disappeared just when Talonflame was about to strike. Everyone looked around to see where Golurk suddenly vanished. "How can a giant stone monster suddenly disappear like that?"

Acrobatics
Power: 55
Accuracy: 100
The user nimbly strikes the target. If the user is not holding an item, this attack does massive damage.
Contest Conditions:
Cool – Works well if the user is pumped up. (Contest Spectacular)
Cool – Earn +2 if the Judge's Voltage goes up. (Super Contest)
Cool – Effectiveness varies depending on when it is used. (Challenge Mode)

"It must be some kind of attack," said Church. Ruby quickly took out her Pokédex to find out.

"Penny, do you know any kind of attacks that would cause this?"

"The attack closest to your description would be Phantom Force," explained Penny. "The user, usually a Ghost type, will vanish from sight and reappear to strike its target when the time is right."

Phantom Force
Power: 90
Accuracy: 100
The user vanishes somewhere, then strikes the target next turn. This move hits even if the target protects itself.
Contest Conditions:
Cool – Prevents the user from being startled until the turn ends. (Contest Spectacular)
Cool – Earn +3 if no other Pokémon has chosen the same judge. (Super Contest)
Cool – Prevents the user from being startled one time this turn. (Challenge Mode)

As if on cue, the Golurk suddenly appeared behind Talonflame and swatted it down to the ground. Talonflame was starting to feel woozy from that last attack, and didn't look like it was going to last much longer.

"Miss Church, you wouldn't happen to have another Rare Candy, would you?" asked Ruby.

"I'm not that lucky," said Church.

"And neither are we!" said Jaune, pointing to the sky. Two more Golurk suddenly flew in and landed with the Golurk fighting Talonflame. With now three stone giants to contend with in a city on the brink of a collapse, the trio were quickly running out of options.

As Church rattled her brain to come up with a plan, she noticed something glowing within the Golurk behind its little chest plate. The glowing almost had the same rhythm as a heartbeat. Whatever the glowing was, it appeared to be the Golurk's source of power.

"Ruby!" called Church. "You see that plate that looks like a giant bandage? I think that's the key to defeating them! Attack it with everything you got!"

"You sure about this?" asked Ruby.

"Technically as an archaeologist, I'm not sure about anything! But what more do we have to lose?"

"Good point! Talonflame, Flame Charge into that chest piece!"

Talonflame lit itself up one last time and went after Golurk; Golurk got ready to counter attack with a Shadow Punch. Talonflame made contact with the chest plate and caused a wide crack to appear, ceasing Golurk's attack. The energy behind the plate began to glow brighter as the Golurk started clutching its chest like it was in serious pain. The energy suddenly dimmed as the Golurk fell down, as if it was suddenly shut down.

"It worked!" said Ruby.

"I just made an amazing breakthrough!" said Church. "THIS is why I love doing what I do!"

"Okay Talonflame, go for the chest plates!" Talonflame Flame Charged at the next Golurk, taking out its chest plate the same way. The Golurk quickly shut itself down to prevent further harm from occurring. The other Golurks surrendered, turning around and walking away from the battle. With the guardians finally gone, Talonflame flew back down to Ruby.

"Great job Talonflame!" said Ruby, giving her bird a big hug. "You really pulled through for us!"

"I'm so glad you guys showed up today," said Church. "Now, if there are no more distractions, let's get that secret treasure!"

With the guardians no longer being a threat, the trio entered the library. The first and second floors were full of old books covered in dust and spider webs; the third floor however appeared very barren, save for a giant book sitting atop a pillar in the middle of the room.

Lapis Ruins Library, 1:52pm

The Book of Secrets

"According to the texts, this place should be it," said Church. Church took out a flashlight and scanned the room for clues; Ruby and Jaune looked at the book, but it was so old and deteriorated that it was illegible.

"This doesn't seem right," said Jaune. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Maybe there's some secret explanation we're missing," said Ruby. Church looked around the room and noticed the large Unown carved on top of the wall. After Church read the line, she started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Read it," said Church. Ruby looked at the Unown and tried to figure out what letter each Unown looked like.

"K...N...O...W...L...E...D...G...E?"

"Knowledge!" exclaimed Church. "That was the king's greatest treasure to the city! The one treasure you can give to everyone, but still possess all of it!"

Church continued to laugh over her discovery of the ancient people's clever nature. Ruby and Eevee started to laugh as well. Jaune on the other hand was disappointed; he really had his sights set on finding something worth actual monetary value. Having to go through all that for a metaphoric life lesson just made the entire trip end on a sour note.

Lapis Ruins Exit, 1:56pm

The End of the Treasure Hunt Adventure

With the treasure hunt over, Church lead Ruby and Jaune back out to the digging site where they first met. The sun was about to set on what was quite an educational adventure.

"Sorry we didn't get to discover anything new," said Church. "Did you at least have fun?"

"Absolutely!" said Ruby. "In fact, once I become the next Pokémon Champion, and as well as the Master of Mega Evolution, I'm going to go on a quest to find that Mew!"

"Eevee!" said Eevee, determined to find Mew as well.

"Actually, this kind of quest sounds like it would be perfect for..."

Ruby was about to turn to Jaune and suggest finding Mew become his calling, but Jaune was suddenly nowhere to be found.

"Jaune? Where are you?"

"Over here," said Jaune. Jaune was sitting on the edge of one of the pits and was looking down at the hole. Church took a seat next to him.

"You look pretty upset Jaune," said Church. "Is something wrong?"

"Do you often come across dead ends as an archaeologist?"

"Honestly, it happens about 99% of the time. But when I reach that 1% of a new discovery, it's really worth it."

"And how long does it take to reach that 1%?"

"No one knows. Personally it took me several years before reaching that 1%."

Hearing that several-years remark caused Jaune to moan and want to jump in the pit. Church was somewhat offended by Jaune's response.

"I can tell something big is on your mind," said Church. "Time to let it all out, son."

"I gave up being a gym leader because it wasn't working out," said Jaune. "I've been trying to find a new calling in my life; something I can work towards so I know I achieved something worthwhile. But it's like every option that comes to me just seems like another opportunity to fail. What if I pick something that appears to be my calling, but I just wind up failing and fall flat on my face all over again? I don't think I can handle being a failure because I chose another wrong profession!"

1:59pm

The Real Story

"I see. Ruby, Jaune, I want to tell you two something very important. Have a seat." Ruby took a seat next to Church as Church looked out towards the blue sky in the afternoon. "This may sound crazy, but I felt exactly like you did Jaune, and I'm sure Ruby feels the same way."

"Not really," said Ruby. "Well, I mean sometimes I wonder what I'll do if I don't become champion, but I'm sure I'll win! At least, I try NOT to think about losing."

"It's okay Ruby. All of us at one point go through that period of doubt that nothing is going to go right, and fearing what will happen if we fail to achieve what we set out to accomplish. I've been doing this for over twelve years now, and trust me, the first several years felt like a total waste to me. I wasn't making any ground breaking discoveries nor did I solve any great mysteries. For years I felt like I was spinning my wheels, never making any true progress. If it weren't for the words of my mentor, I would have given this up a long time ago. His words continue to drive me to this day, and I think someone like you needs to hear them."

Church closed her eyes and placed a fist on her chest, recalling the words she carried in her heart for years.

"Can you match my resolve? If so then you will succeed. I believe that the human spirit is indomitable. If you endeavor to achieve, it will happen given enough resolve. It may not be immediate, and often your greater dreams are something you will not achieve within your own lifetime. The effort you put forth to anything transcends yourself, for there is no futility even in death."

"Wow," said Jaune. "That's really deep."

"You must have had a great mentor," said Ruby.

"He was the best," said Church. "Whenever I felt down or doubted my future, he would always tell me to keep moving forward. That's why I'm going to keep doing what I do; because I promised my mentor I would match his resolve. He never stopped working hard in his field, and I won't either. Jaune, you'll never find your calling if you choose to give up so easily. That goes for you too Ruby. Keep moving forward, and eventually your work will pay off."

"Thank you Miss Church," said Jaune.

2:02pm

Revelation: Allison Church

"Please, call me Allison. Good luck on your journey guys. And I want you to have these sets of info of Mega Evolution from my scroll."

Ruby and Jaune have given their scrolls to Allison. Allison activated the download app from her scroll with the info downloaded onto Ruby's and Jaune's. She returned them to their owners for the info of "Mega Evolution" downloaded.

"Remember to read these on your scroll. Farewell."

"Thanks!" said Ruby and Jaune at the same time until they waved their hands at Allison for farewell after receiving the info of "Mega Evolution" from their scrolls.

Ruby and Jaune parted ways with Allison and headed back on the road to the next city.

Lapis Ruins to Roseus City, 2:05pm

The Next Adventure Begins…

"Hey Ruby?" asked Jaune. "On the off chance that I never find my calling, or you don't become the new Vale champion...what will we do then?"

"You know the saying Jaune," said Ruby. "Keep moving forward."

"Of course. I promise I'll do my best."

Ruby and Jaune headed to the next town, moving forward like they promised.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long hiatus of making fanfics due to being busy, I'll manage my time carefully so I'll be active at all times, even in making fanfics by adding timestamps like this story.