"There has got to be another way. Can't we head north and go around? Isn't that what you did when you came here?"

"There are no roads or paths to follow for the majority of the way, and given our current condition it would add a little under a month of travel to go around the Dotted Sea. That didn't matter for us, the trial is not meant to be easy, and it is imperative that we arrive as soon as possible. You are in danger the longer you do without proper instruction on how to protect yourself."

"I don't want to get on a boat!"

Lumen's tail twitched as she discretely listened in to the conversation taking place at the table behind her. Once again her sources had come through and gotten her the name of the inn Sol was staying at. And this was indeed Sol, the seer of team Wanderers. Lumen had done research on the Riolu during her last Dusknoir article, and while much of the information had been conflicting or biased, Lumen believed she had a grasp on the type of person Sol was. A competent leader, though with her own quirks. One part of that image had been overstated, the other understated. Really understated.

"It's the only way open to us," a Lucario said. Lumen didn't know who she was, had heard her referred to as Eliza, but she appeared to be in charge of whatever it was the group was doing. Sol quite obviously wasn't happy with that.

"But I don't want to."

"Sol," Eliza said, low and steady like reprimanding a petulant child.

"I get seasick! Like, really bad! Also terrified. I want more than a plank of wood between me and death, and I'm not spending..." Sol searched for the answer.

"Four days," another Riolu supplied. Lumen knew even less about him than she did the Lucario, not even his name.

"Four days! Four days in a constant state of 'I'm-about-to-puke'!"

Yes, Sol wasn't quite as mature as Lumen had expected, but she could work with this.

"Excuse me," Lumen said, turning around from her table to look at them. Sol had her arms cross and was glowering down at the table she sat at, but her eyes flicked up to look at Lumen when she spoke. "I couldn't help but overhear your problem. Have you considered taking the Sky Without?"

"The Hell is the Sky Without?" Sol asked at the same time Eliza simply stated "No" in a tone of finality meant to put an end to the topic.

"The Hell is the Sky Without?" Sol asked again, this time directed at Eliza.

"Isn't... isn't that the big ship they were thinking about designing? The one run by Drifblim?" Eevee asked. This one fit his profile much better than Sol did, but then Lumen did have much more time to put it together.

"No," Eliza said forcefully. "We have neither the means nor the connections needed to obtain passage. We are traveling by sea."

Sol looked ready to argue that point but Lumen stepped in once again.

"I could arrange for you all to get tickets."

Eliza's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Eevee looked to be caught in a mixture of excitement and nervousness at the prospect. Sol looked relieved but still a little uneasy.

"See, the nice stranger is offering us a ride. Problem solved."

"How, and why, would you do that?" the Lucario asked.

"You're Sol, correct? Of team Wanderers? You helped save the world! This would be the least I could offer."

"This whole celebrity thing is really working out well for me."

Sol looked satisfied, but Eliza was still unsure.

"How would you do this?" she asked.

"Right, I probably should have introduced myself sooner," Lumen said, though it was a lie. She wanted their interest first before mentioning who she was. Realizing that she was a reporter could sometimes put people off. "My name is Lumen Skitty of the Pelipper Post."

Eliza and the unknown Riolu stared at her. Eevee went wide eyed. Sol looked perplexed. There was a moment of silence as they all processed this, and then, softly at first but quickly gaining volume, Sol began to laugh.

"I have a lot of connections, and you may have read my article 'Hero Remembered'," Sol was still laughing harder and harder and was drawing the attention of everyone else in the room. "If you did, you would have seen how much I respect you and what you did..." Sol's eyes were tearing up and she was tapping the table top with one hand as she started gasping for breath "and I would be honored to help you out in any way I can."

Sol was laughing long after Lumen went quiet. Eventually the laughing subsided, only to flare up again, then die down to the occasional bout of giggles.

"That will not be necessary," Eliza said after Sol quieted down enough.

"I'll do it."

Eliza looked at Sol sharply.

"What? You said we need to get where we're going as quick as possible, and I'm assuming this Sky Without is faster than four days by ship?"

"Yes, of course," Lumen said.

"Then I'll do this interview and we can get across this stupid sea while avoiding me feeling like death would be merciful."

"I never mentioned an -" Lumen began but was stopped by a look from Sol.

"I'm not completely stupid," Sol said. "I know what this is all about. You want an interview, and it just so happens I'm not wholly against the idea as long as I'm getting something I need out of it."

This wasn't how Lumen had planned this to go. She was going to get them sold on the idea of the Sky Without, then casually mention an upcoming article. Then if they didn't get the hint, mention it much more obliquely. But this was fine and saved her a little trouble.

"I'll need to speak with Eevee as well," Lumen said.

Eevee sputtered for words so Sol answered for him. "Sure, he can do that."

"Perfect! Now when-"

"Not until we're actually on the ship."

"But..."

"I'll even throw in where we're going and a little of the why."

Lumen's tail was twitching like crazy as she considered this. She wanted the interview as soon as possible and she had no reason to cross the Dotted Sea. Really, she wasn't even sure she could get the tickets. One or two she could do without much of a problem, four would mean calling in a few favours, but five? Would it even be worth it?

"How much are you willing to tell me about the Time Gear crisis?" Lumen asked.

"All of it, though I don't think you'll like what you hear."

Eliza was glaring at Sol as Lumen ran it through her head. This was risky. She couldn't be sure what Sol had to say or if Lumen would even be able to use any of it. From what she had gathered before, she would have to be very... liberal in her interpretation and presentation.

But what reporter got anywhere without taking a few risks now and then?

"You have a deal," Lumen said.

Sorry this is so short, but I got really stuck trying to write a chapter and ended up deciding to just go with this. The next one will be longer.

Team Platinum: I'm very excited to write about Eevee's family. It's an idea I've been working on and tweaking since the beginning, but I hadn't found a good place to put it in. As for Skitty, she has an interpreted version of the truth, as she would put it.

TheEternalTimeline: Hopefully I'll find some way to surprise you. And that does sound like something Sol could possibly say, maybe... Yay nuclear fusion!

PINKMOON25: That's a lot of caps, and thanks for the review!

Calculated Whim: Anything is possible through the power of the aura! (Except things that aren't)

gummyninjagirl01: I'm glad you're enjoying this so much! I've had some people who weren't fans of how closely I was keeping to the game's events, which is understandable, but it's nice to hear from people who liked the way I wrote things. And Jak is always right, and she sort of is like a mother and pity anyone who messes with her family. Thank you for the long review, fellow person!

Mister L: Reading my story trumps school? Awesome! And shall Eevee succeed? No one can see into the future to tell, except for Sol and we can see how that turned out for her.

Psychotic Sic: :)

Blades of Fury: I am planning on writing the prequel to this, but if you meant something other than a Sol story... Kind of. I have an idea of for something centered around Gates to Infinity, but it won't be for a while, at least until after this one is done.