When they got there they found Arven waiting.
"Heeey! Over here!" Arven said as they arrived. "This is the Zero Gate. It was made so researchers could try to observe the inside of the Great Crater of Paldea… what folks call Area Zero. It's our ticket down into the crater. Oh, and speaking of the crater… you know that Pokémon of yours? The one I gave you? Area Zero is apparently where Miraidon was born, or something like that. Maybe it'll be happy that it can finally come back home? Not that I really care or anything… anyways… guess we should head in."
With that they headed in, with Penny turning on the lights.
"Biometric identification in progress…" a robotic voice said.
"Hello, Ashley, Chloe, Penny. I have been expecting you," Professor Turo said over the intercom. "Penny. Student ID number 803B121. Chloe Student ID number 804D483, Ashley Student ID 803B121. Thank you all for coming," the worried them that he did not mention Arven. "To begin with I'd like to ask you all to make your way down into the Great Crater of Paldea. You can reach the lower chamber using the elevator you can see to your right… please proceed below."
They then made their way down riding Miraidon on the way down, though also discovering by Ashley and Penny talking to it that he was scared of another Miraidon down below that had almost killed it.
-Meanwhile-
"Hello… yes this is Director Clavell…. that's wonderful news… yes, please send them here…"
-Back In Area Zero-
Ashley, Chloe, Penny, and Arven made their way down with Ashley and Chloe taking down a Glimmora, and finding the first research station had already been unlocked. They then continued to the second research station after Ashley and Penny defeated an Iron Bundle where they found a panicking girl inside.
"Dawn!" Chloe called, seeing she looked like her.
"She's not Dawn," Ashley corrected. "Similar, but different scents."
"You know my cousin?" she said. "I'm Akari."
"How did you end up here?" Ashley asked.
"I don't know," Akari said. "Me, and my girls, Pikachu, Luxray, Starapter, Hisuian Samurott, Kricketune, and Crobat were with my boyfriend Rei, when a vortex sucked us up and brought us here. It was probably Arceus. He was the one who sent me to the Hisui region of several centuries ago to help him, but I thought he would have me stay there. It's been two years since I finished the task he set for me. When I arrived here I found the only way to continue was to use these stations to unlock the way forward. Though I had to return my Pokémon, especially Samurott and Pikachu, who are rather over protective of me. I'm hoping if I deal,with what ever happened to require me to be sent here I can go back."
It was at that point Professor Turo mentioned the time machine and how a glitch had brought her here
"Well, at least now I know I can be sent back," Akari said, calming down and joining the group as Arven gave Ashley the Violet book. They eventually made it past the next two research stations, the last one looking completely trashed. Eventually they ended up at the Zero Lab where they had to avoid a literal army of Pokémon from the future, after avoiding a fight with the other Miraidon.
They were still surrounded but were able to fight there way to safety, before entering the lab, though Akari and Chloe stayed back to stop the future Pokémon from escaping Area Zero.