Kaito took a deep breath, taking another moment or two to organize his thoughts better. Public speaking was another area that he wouldn't exactly consider his strong suit. Although he carried himself with relative confidence and was well informed about most subjects he cared to talk about, he was not very good at articulating his thoughts in a clear and concise manner.

On the surface, this didn't seem like such a difficult task. All he really had to do was elaborate on some of the details he had neglected to fully explain previously, and answer any questions the group may have. However, part of the reason he felt awkward was the knowledge that Sorin still didn't know anything about Diablos, and many of the group's concerns revolved around the Spiritomb and recent related events. It would be nearly impossible to answer their questions without first taking some time to get the Altaria up to speed, and that was going to be the tricky part.

Kaito sighed to himself. There really wasn't a way around it, though. Sorin would have to know what was going on eventually, and Kaito had never really intended to leave him completely in the dark about their Sinnoh activities. Now was the absolute ideal time to explain things to Sorin, but there was always that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that the Altaria would probably not approve.

On the plus side, he had known Sorin for many years, and they had confided in one another many of the most personal details of their lives. If there was anyone that Kaito could trust to approach the matter with an open mind, it would be Sorin. The cloud dragon was not so quick to judge, nor to condemn others for their actions. He had his limits, as did everyone, but he would at least take the time to try to understand the opposing viewpoint, even if he disagreed.

Shaking himself from these lingering thoughts, Kaito gazed around the room again and cleared his throat.

"Before I get ahead of myself and address the finer details you're requesting, I think it best to fill Sorin in on a few things," he stated, studying each of their expressions for any sign of an objection. The most negative response was from Plasma, whose expression displayed a flicker of frustration, but everyone else gave either a shrug, a nod, or no reaction at all. Sorin, by contrast, straightened up a little and gave the Togetic a curious look.

"What's up?" he wondered.

"I'm going to just come out and say it bluntly, to save me the struggle of trying to find a better way to phrase things," Kaito sighed. "For the past several years, I've been researching Sinnoh history and mythology in the hopes of understanding the means in which one can contain the excessive darkness within a person's heart. During this past year or so, I've focused on unraveling the tales of a Spiritomb known as Diablos, who is said to have been created for this exact purpose centuries ago. As of last December...we've gone beyond chasing an old myth. We've located and reassembled the fractured piece of his Keystone, and broke the initial seal upon him."

The Altaria looked appropriately surprised, although at the same time, his eyes lit up with understanding. From the looks of it, Sorin had definitely noticed the name 'Diablos' tossed about in the earlier conversation, and had been waiting for more context in order to determine who, or what, they might have been talking about.

"Unfortunately, the full extent of Diablos' abilities seem to still be sealed," Kaito continued quickly, wanting to get to the heart of the discussion before letting Sorin make comments or ask questions. "Which is...a little unexpected. We've since been searching for anything that might lead us to information or progress on those seals. It's why we went to the Ruins of Alph last week, because you told me the odd activity coincided with the date we unsealed Diablos."

"I see...hmm..." Sorin murmured, and Kaito could practically see the wheels turning in the Altaria's mind. "But you got nothing out of that venture, right?"

Kaito nodded solemnly. "Kuro beat us to whatever was hidden within the Ruins. However, at the same time that Iris and I were checking out the Ruins of Alph, the other three were examining the Solaceon Ruins in Sinnoh. Like us, they found a hidden chamber, but unlike us, they successfully retrieved the object stored within."

"Oh?" Sorin cocked his head curiously.

"Yeah...but we had no idea what it was, and that's why I came back to this house, to check my resources, because it looked familiar. Thanks largely to Lin's sparring match with Noblesse, I have figured out what it is, and what it does," Kaito said, smiling faintly. "And I have a pretty good idea about the one Kuro grabbed, too. I'll get to that in due time, though. Now that you're more or less up to speed, I'm going to first focus on the other questions."

Sorin nodded, and Kaito turned back towards the rest of the group. It was actually a bit of a relief that Sorin didn't focus too intently on Kaito's decision to seek out and unseal a Spiritomb, although Kaito suspected that any concerns on that front would eventually be brought up to him.

"I apologize for the delay," Kaito said, gazing around at the others. "What was it that you wanted covered first? Oh right, what I know about Diablos' history?" he asked, looking over at Plasma. The Rotom visibly brightened at being addressed.

"Yup! He says he can't remember anything himself, and it's super hard to ask him stuff if he's only been around for so long."

Kaito nodded, mulling over the request for a few moments. Diablos had noted more than once that he had little to no recollection of his past, which in turn played a role in having no idea how to undo his seals. A shame, as they couldn't make much progress if Diablos' power was still so restricted. However, that meant it was still an area that had to be handled with care. If recent events were any indication, Diablos had several very potent abilities at his disposal, even with the majority of his power sealed, and to unlock them haphazardly, without a full understanding on what the consequences might be, would be a foolhardy venture.

"To start things off, it's important to understand what exactly a Spiritomb is," Kaito said, his voice even and confident, like a student who had memorized the textbook. "The concept of a Spiritomb has been referenced in myths and legends for almost as long as there have been written records. I came across one such reference many years ago, in a book of historical myths. You know...stories of strong, virtuous heroes facing off against great evils."

Even as he spoke, Kaito felt his face growing warm and flushed. Such stories were almost certainly fictional, or at least filled to the brim with creative liberties to the point that such tales would never pass for a credible reference. They were fascinating tales that had been crucial to him eventually developing his passion for the subject, and while everyone had to start somewhere, it was embarrassing to admit that his early tastes had been so childish.

"I liked those sort of things, too," Iris chimed in, her cheeks burning a little. Force chuckled and patted the Kirlia's shoulder reassuringly, but Kaito spared the psychic a small smile. Whether or not Iris was being truthful didn't really matter, but at any rate, she had definitely picked up on his embarrassment, and he appreciated her effort to diminish it.

"Glad I wasn't the only one," Kaito said pleasantly. "In one such tale, after the hero triumphed over his foe, the enemy's wicked soul was sealed within a special prison, where many others of its kind had been banished before. I was intrigued by the notion that impure souls could be contained in some fashion, and went about looking for more information on the subject."

Kaito paused to organize his thoughts again. There had been a lot of time and effort put into his original research project, but back then, he hadn't known exactly what he was looking for. The book of myths hadn't referenced the soul prison by name, and the Johto region was not quite as huge on Pokemon mythology as Sinnoh was. It was that realization that had prompted him to travel to Sinnoh, once he felt strong enough to make such a long journey, to the famous library in the western port city. There, he had discovered a treasure trove of resources surrounding the many myths of the region, and other incredibly fascinating subjects.

Back in those days, Kaito had quickly become disillusioned by how bleak the rest of the world had seemed. The ability to sense the purity and kindness in a person's heart, and a desire to spread that joy and happiness to others seemed like a wonderful ability for any Pokemon to have, but few seemed to realized how much a Togetic depended on such feelings. In the absence of a proper source of happiness and kindness, the fairy Pokemon could quickly become dispirited and moody. Reading the stories involving noble heroes setting out to right the wrongs that evil inflicted upon the land was more than just an escape from reality - it was a way for Kaito to believe that, even if those around him weren't quite as noble or ambitious, such people did exist.

"It was in Sinnoh that I really started to uncover more of the lore and history of a Spiritomb. Sinnoh is a wonderful region, overflowing with history and their mythology all woven together into an incredible tapestry that continues to grow and expand. The people and Pokemon of Sinnoh preserve the sites of past civilizations, and do everything they can to protect the relics of the past, to build a greater understanding of what came before them," Kaito murmured, his voice quickly becoming layered with enthusiasm and delight.

The Togetic took another deep breath, and his wings fluttered with greater energy. It was almost as if he had been holding onto this information for an eternity, and was only now being allowed to express it. A strange, yet powerfully liberating sensation, to have others listening with interest to the fruits of his research. However, he couldn't let that feeling distract him from the other vital points he had to touch upon.

"According to historical legend...a Spiritomb is a collection of malevolent souls that have been imprisoned together within a special stone prison, known as an Odd Keystone," Kaito explained, speaking clearly and raising his voice so that everyone could understand him. "The legend goes that Arceus herself was responsible for the original banishment of such souls, while other sources have suggested it was Giratina. The former has always seemed more likely to me, with Giratina possibly being tasked with overseeing the resulting Spiritomb."

Kaito took another deep breath, this time more because he was speaking so quickly and with such enthusiasm that he found himself running out of air if he didn't stop to take a breath. Although it was tempting to share his own interpretations of those myths and legends, it really didn't seem like it would benefit the group, and would risk him getting sidetracked without actually addressing any of their questions.

"Bear in mind, that that legend is more of an origin story for Spiritomb," Kaito continued with a small smirk. "It's rather unlikely that Arceus or another legendary Pokemon has persisted in the practice of sealing malevolent souls, particularly not in the large quantities said to be amassed within a Spiritomb's core. Most Spiritomb were probably created in exorcism rituals over the centuries, and the souls that make up its form are a mixture of human and Pokemon, or ghosts and the once-living. However, one thing that needs to be noted is that the practice of inscribing runic seals on the Keystones died out several centuries ago."

"Wait, what?" Lin jerked her head up, regarding Kaito with a mixture of interest and alarm. "So am I correct in thinking that most Spiritomb do NOT have those runes carved into the base?"

Kaito nodded, relishing that he had managed to get Lin's full attention in regards to one of his research subjects.

"That is correct. There were very few intact relics that depicted the process to create a Spiritomb. It was considered the type of ritual reserved for high-ranking religious figures and channelers, to deal with outbreaks of malicious, supernatural entities and spirits," Kaito explained. "It was a closely guarded secret known only to a select few, and the language on which the runic symbols was built on eventually died out from the public awareness with the passing of time. With so few practitioners, and almost no way for them to take on apprentices, or even for a layperson to translate the runes in a pinch, the practice of sealing them in that fashion died, and whatever records of the process were either destroyed or lost centuries ago."

"Then what was the purpose of the runic symbols originally, if they can be removed from the process like that?" Lin pressed, her forehead furrowing in puzzlement. Judging by the matching expressions on Cecilia and Force's faces, neither of them had ever seen another Spiritomb apart from Diablos. Actually, it was doubtful that any of the Pokemon present had encountered another Spiritomb, but those three were the ones that showed the most obvious reactions.

"See...that's an area I'm not entirely sure about," Kaito admitted. "Again, I must emphasize how carefully guarded this information was, and how that guardedness led to the eventual extinction of the knowledge. The last known practitioner used to live in what is now Hearthome City, but she died almost three centuries ago."

"You might not be positive, but do you have any idea, even if it's just a hunch?" Cecilia wondered.

Kaito chuckled quietly. "Traditionally, I'd assume the runes are a sealing spell of some sort, to prevent the malevolent spirits from breaking free from their prison, but after the practice died out, most Spiritomb are sealed simply by fracturing the Keystone, which prevents the Spiritomb from taking form while the stone is broken. However, reassembling the stone allows it to reform, and the spirits are still bound to the stone, even without a runic seal. With that in mind...it's probably not a binding spell. Could be some form of power inhibitor. I don't know the language, so I wouldn't be able to translate it."

"Ooh, I have a question!" Plasma interjected, waving his lightning bolt appendage wildly. Kaito blinked, but then nodded. "Would the runes be carved into the Keystone before, or after, a Spiritomb is sealed inside it?"

Kaito opened his mouth to answer, but his mind produced a blank. "I...don't actually know," he admitted, after an awkward pause. "If I had to guess, I'd say 'before'. You logically prepare the prison before trying to keep something in it."

"Another question!" Plasma chirped. "If a Spiritomb is a whole collection of different souls, how does it function? Like, is it the combination of the souls that gives it its identity, or is one soul dominant? Is it a hive mind? Is it aware of what the individual souls were before they became confined?"

Kaito blinked, and he noticed from the corner of his eye that he wasn't the only one giving Plasma a weird look. It wasn't that these were bad questions. In fact, they were extremely good questions, and reasonable things to wonder about, but coming from the strange Rotom, it wasn't clear to them why Plasma was asking such specific details about Spiritomb.

"Uh...not being a Spiritomb myself, I honestly couldn't say," Kaito admitted. "I've heard tales of it being sort of like a hive mind, with a dominant 'queen' soul and the others are like the drones, but the other things you mentioned all sound possible, like the combination producing the identity, so that each soul is like a tiny piece of the greater one. That's actually something I'd probably recommend asking Diablos himself about."

"He does seem to operate like a combined identity," Force noted. "He refers to individual souls as 'fragments', so they might be pieces making up one whole."

Kaito nodded thoughtfully. Even among members of the same species, Pokemon tended to have a massive amount of variation present in their biology and capabilities, so Kaito had rarely been concerned about how individual Spiritombs might function. It was one of those details that usually could be worked out after interacting with the individual in question, and was difficult to glean all the information from non-specific sources.

"Hold any further questions for a moment," Kaito said, raising his paw and looking around the room quickly. "These are wonderful questions, but I really want to wrap this up so we can move on. I've said before that Diablos was created for the purpose of confining the darkness of a person's heart. As you might have realized by now...this is not consistent with the average Spiritomb's origin."

Silence followed this announcement, and the rest of the group exchanged brief, uneasy glances with one another. Kaito noticed that even Celes was paying attention, from her peculiar placement directly beside the couch.

"It's noteworthy that information regarding Diablos is incredibly scarce. The few sources I could find tend to treat the entire subject as little more than an urban legend or myth, but I've found that myths and legends usually have some basis in fact, and the story on its own is rather intriguing," Kaito said softly. "Some of the story is apparently lifted from the writings of a well-known Pokemon trainer of the time period, but even that is not a perfect reassurance that the information has not been embellished, and the original writings were from over two centuries ago, so...yeah."

The Togetic paused, more to gather his thoughts again than expecting anyone to reply, although it really wouldn't have surprised him if someone did end up questioning why he trusted potentially embellished stories from centuries ago as reliable sources of information. Then again, he DID just mention that he believed myths drew some elements from fact.

"You see, the trainer was an aspiring author, always traveling to new places and documenting his findings. He hailed from Sinnoh, and was particularly drawn to long-forgotten or abandoned areas, memorial sites, graveyards, and so on. Anywhere that could be considered interesting, but others might prefer to avoid."

"So...pretty much the human version of you," Iris giggled. Force smirked appreciatively, whereas Kaito merely rolled his eyes.

"It was on one such journey that he came across a Ruins site that he had never seen before, and was not recorded on any map. As he ventured into the Ruins, he discovered a number of stone carvings, much more impressive, detailed, and ornate than most other sites he had visited before. However, he also wrote about a suspicious set of stone markers, with different material compositions than the Ruins around him," Kaito said, unable to resist speaking in a soft, mysterious whisper, like a storyteller around a campfire.

To his amusement, everyone else seemed almost completely transfixed by his words, listening without making a sound. Even Cecilia's flames seemed completely quiet, with the only sound in the room being the faint humming sound coming from the electric membrane surrounding the Rotom's body.

"When he examined the markers, he found that they were depictions of different forms of confinement, usually indicating a spirit of some sort imprisoned within the objects, and written in text he could not decipher. He also wrote of strange, partially fractured stone molds scattered around the chamber, like a potter gradually learning the skill, but discarding innumerable failed efforts."

Kaito let the words hang in the air for a moment, long enough to cause Iris to fidget with anxiety, and for Lin to frown thoughtfully. He wasn't really trying to draw out the suspense, but rather to have them think about the implications of what that might mean.

"Here's where the pieces start coming together now," Kaito continued, dropping the storyteller tone in favor of his normal speaking voice. "Diablos' Keystone may be a more unique construction, an experimental model, if you can imagine. There is another artifact, that allegedly was taken from that condemned chamber of Mt. Coronet, several years ago, that I managed to track down and have translated. It was a...sloppy translation, I'll admit."

"Right, I remember," Force grumbled. "Somehow mistranslated 'possesses people so they kill innocents' into 'is totally a nice guy'."

Lin snorted loudly before clamping her paw over her mouth to stifle the sound, mortified. Everyone spared the Weavile a momentary look (or glare, in the case of Cecilia and Force) before returning their gaze to Kaito, who rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Yes, a...small error. Based on the translation-"

"Behold, the poster child for accuracy," Force grumbled.

"...does not absorb souls in its entirety, but rather, siphons the darkness within one's heart," Kaito continued, paying no attention to Force's interruption. "The darkness then becomes one with him."

"And vice versa," Force insisted, crossing his arms. "That tiny piece left in me because Lin broke it, he said it couldn't be removed because it was nourished by my inner darkness, and was more mine than his. So, I guess it became one with me."

"Wait, do you still have the whole soul?" Kaito wondered, sudden curiosity overtaking him. "Iris said Diablos united the pieces within you, right? What happened to that?"

Force blinked, uncrossing his arms and glancing down at his chest, as if expecting to see some obvious indication of one of Diablos' souls still within him. He murmured something to Iris, and the Kirlia moved out of the chair, watching him warily. The Lucario took a deep breath and brought his paw closer to his chest, before intensely powerful blue aura flames erupted from his paw, leaping up so forcefully that the Lucario yelped in surprise and pulled his paw away, even as the flames extinguished.

"...holy shit, that was powerful," he panted.

"You're evolved. Your aura abilities should be drastically stronger...but you'd have none of the control," Lin mused. "Hm...they're even stronger than the time you blasted a hole in that tree."

"When was that?" Cecilia wondered, but Lin waved the question away impatiently.

Force took another breath, focusing more intently on his paw before restoring the aura glow to his paw. As he brought it closer to his chest, the light intensified, and Force narrowed his eyes. After several long, awkward seconds, the aura disappeared, and he just stared at his paw blankly.

"It's...gone," he said, his voice hollow with disbelief. "Completely. Not even a trace left of it."

"Diablos said it got destroyed!" Plasma chirped, and Iris' pink eyes widened.

"That's right," she marveled. "After Force got hit, that glowing soul emerged and shattered...fizzling away like embers."

"Hold up a second," Sorin interjected, and Kaito looked over at the Altaria, who was frowning to himself. "So in that book or whatever, the guy from Sinnoh found these suspicious ruins that no one knew about, and no maps covered the area...but you found corresponding information from something originally found in Mt. Coronet? What on earth was it doing there? It makes no sense."

"Ha, that same inconsistency is how I figured out the broken Keystone piece was in that chamber," Kaito chuckled quietly. "For that matter, why was Diablos' Keystone broken in the first place, if it had the runes written on it?"

"Yeah?" Cecilia prompted, clearly unwilling to let Kaito delay in answering the question.

The Togetic sighed. "The Ruins the story mentions? It's the site where Diablos' Keystone was made. The Sinjoh Ruins."

There was absolute silence following this statement. For that matter, the silence went on for far longer than Kaito expected. He blinked and glanced around expectantly, his expression falling when he saw nothing but blank looks staring back at him.

"Okay, that would have been infinitely more dramatic...if any of us had the slightest idea what that meant," Lin noted dryly. "How would you even know where the Keystone was made?"

Kaito sighed again, pressing his paw against his face. "It's a section of Ruins said to be a connecting point between Johto and Sinnoh, and closely tied to both Arceus and Unown. More importantly, there is said to be a mysterious power contained within the central chamber, with some believing it is the power to shape or reform the world."

"That's not something anyone should be messing around with," Sorin commented grimly.

Kaito nodded solemnly. "Agreed. But that's what Kuro plans to use it for."