With the team having vacated the premise that was Fort Jinya, they had found themselves in the distant woodland area that lied beyond the perimeter of the establishment. With the skirmish having been won, the group could walk away with their heads high. Though, that didn't mean that they could all relish in such luxuries. One such instance was because of the mass of Pokémon that the soldiers had used that they were forced to relinquish to Corrin's group.

As the proverb went, to the victor goes the spoils. And there were plenty of spoils to go around.

The group had found themselves settled in a small break in the forest, filled with some logs and rocks that accommodated well for them to rest on. They were surrounded by the formerly hostile Pokémon, but with Keith's Mightyena keeping track of the watch, they could all rest easy. This allowed ambiance amount of time for them to recuperate and catch their breath after a long day.

"Can someone remind me why we aren't back in the Astral Planes right now?" Chef DK complained. "I mean really, it's not that hard."

Evan turned back to answer that question. "Well, Chef DK, when we go between this world and the other one, we always end up in the same place we were before. After the mess we've made at that fort, you want to be anywhere near that when we come back?"

It was a no-brainer for Chef DK. Immediately he slumped in defeat. "…I guess you have a point there, Evan." He groaned. "But seriously, we should have been there by now? That fight was seriously long!"

"Well when you have that many people in a fight and wanna write the best of them, you've gotta make compromises…besides, this sequence would have dragged out last chapter too long."

Chef DK groaned again. "Point taken, again. Last chapter was long as hell though…"

Close by, Keith was applying a Super Potion to his Mightyena. With the tough battle that took place against that Linoone, the least that she deserved was treatment for her wounds. And with the abundance of supplies Keith had on hand, he was more than able to accommodate that.

Spraying the last of the Super Potion against Mightyena's head, Keith rubbed the healed cranium. "There you go, all better." He grinned.

"Thank you so much! I feel a lot less of a headache now." Mightyena barked.

"Gotta say, that Linoone was a tough customer. Speaking of which…" He turned his head away, his blind, shaded eyes casting in the general direction of the few noises and scuffles the Pokémon were having. "We were able to get that thing to come along with us, did we?"

Nathan spared a glance as he and Shelgon were on an adjacent log. "Nah, by the time we saw, it and that ninja were gone…must have retreated to shelter somewhere."

Keith frowned. "A shame. I wonder where they could have run off to?" It was a question that left him more than a little unsound, but he knew that now wasn't the time to dawdle on such factors. He had some ideas as to where, but he kept those on the backburner for now. "So, Nathan, how're you feeling? Does it still hurt?"

"I'm fine. One of those two people we ran into had some sort of healing spell, or whatever that was." Nathan answered, looking down to where the shuriken had struck his ribs previously. He was slightly disturbed on how even he didn't see any blood. It was all completely closed.

Keith grinned. "Well, guess that's an upside. But I thought you wore armor like the rest of everyone else."

"If I did, I wouldn't be able to move as freely." Nathan complained. "Besides, you're one to talk."

Mightyena snarled at him. "(Hey, watch your tone! You don't give him that kind of tone!)"

"(You might want to ease it up a bit. We're not trying to start anything here. He's just stating a fact.)" Shelgon calmly insisted.

Mightyena sneered. "(Sounds like a threat to me.)"

"Take it easy, Mightyena. No need to be so riled up." Keith calmed down his canine companion. "But, supposed you are right. Though I have my Pokémon to protect me, and I have to thank you for covering for any inconveniences I may have made during our tiff. I'll try to pay you back."

Nathan looked away, thinking nothing of it. "Yeah, sure…"

Freya stretched overhead, letting out a deep moan as she felt the tension in her body ease some. "What I wouldn't give for a nice, warm bath after all this…" she chimed. She turned towards her Snom, who was sitting on the log beside her. She smiled and petted her head. "You did wonderfully today, Snom. Thank you. Both you and Rolycoly."

"(Hee hee…thanks, Freya.)" The Ice/Bug-type chimed.

Evan was applying a Potion to his Growlithe, making sure it was applied evenly until the last of it was used up. "And…there! Good as new." He grinned at his Growlithe. "That should recover your health for the most part. Better now, Growlithe?"

Growlithe eagerly wagged his tail. "(Oh yes, absolutely! Thank you so much, Boss! You're the best Boss ever!)" In his ever-so-joyous attitude towards Evan providing for him yet again, he pounced up and licked his face eagerly.

Evan snorted, pulling away from the affection. "Okay, okay! I get it! Love you too man, geez!" he snickered. "Hey Freya, does your Pokémon need any Potions?"

Freya turned towards Evan upon hearing her name. "Hm? What, Evan?"

"Snom or Rolycoly, they need any Potions or Super Potions?"

Freya shot a glance at her Snom, noting how she hadn't taken any, if not much, damage. "Um, I think we should be okay for now. Thanks, though." She tilted her head, smirking at the other trainer. "We didn't get seriously injured because of a certain someone's directing."

A part of Evan's mouth curbed into a small smirk. "That someone's gotta be a genius to manage a battle like that. Would love to get to know this guy."

Freya snickered. "Oh trust me, he's closer than you think." She mused so much that she almost missed something sticking out from the side of the log. "Hm? What's this?"

When she bent over the side to get a better look at it, she noticed how it was in a shape similar to a disc with a shimmering coat on it. She picked it up and held it closer to her face. She acknowledged how this one had a bright green color to it, with a label that Freya had to squint for.

"Hmm…it says 'TM 07: Pin Missile'." She muttered quietly. She turned towards Evan. "Hey, Evan. I just found another one over here."

Evan walked closer, inspecting the item. "You did? Wow, talk about a coincidence." He furrowed his brow as he scanned the area. 'Just how many of these things are there? And where are we supposed to keep them anyway?'

"Wait, Freya, you just found another one?" Chef DK chimed in. "Where the hell are these things coming from? And why are they all in weird places like treasure chests or somewhere lying in a ditch?"

"Perhaps due to misplacement." Gunter advised. "Similar to how these Pokémon are misplaced all over, I'd wager that's the same instance, is it not?"

Once again, Chef DK found himself convinced to follow the case…but that didn't mean that he liked the ill-logic behind it. "Yeah, guess…you're not wrong there, either."

"Yo, where be dat dude with de sword at, fo? Gotta gets me a nice snooze before I decide to take one here." Damon voiced.

Felicia turned towards him. "Oh, they're not far. They just had to step away for a bit to catch up is all."

"Well dey better get back soon, cuz if I see dat doctor eatin' some sort of dirt or leaves again man, ugh!" he shuddered at the image of Poopenschmir eating grubs from the dirt deposits made him want to gag.

"It shall be soon, I am certain." Kaze assured.

Damon eyerolled away from. "Yeah, you say dat ninja boy. You stillz be in yo probation period around me." He threatened. "Cuz if I catch you'z doin' something messin' with my A-game, you can welcome a bullet right between yo eyes."

"It's okay, Damon. You can go easy on him." Evan insisted, turning towards Kaze. "So Kaze, where'd you meet that Pokémon of yours?"

Kaze turned towards Frogadier. "Oh, this one? Yes, we've met just recently. A mighty swift one he was, but we have come to our scuffle's end as soon as we have found a compromise." He grinned. "I have to admit, it feels euphoric having an ally of my own. I hope you can teach me more how we can properly coincide."

"Well, I'll be sure to take you up on that…as soon as Corrin and Azura come around." Evan insisted.

Sitting on a rock, Azura looked over her shoulder, seeing two figures in the distance. She knew that despite knowing the familiarities in the surroundings and acknowledging her own epiphanies, she stayed quiet and serene.

Having found a suitable place to recuperate away from the fort, Corrin found himself strolling alongside a lake with Sakura beside him. Besides them was none other than Audino, who waddled to keep up the pace.

Corrin suddenly turned towards the lake, coming to a halt to admire it. "This lake…"

"Oh, is something wrong, big brother?" Sakura asked.

Corrin was quiet for a moment, before shaking his head. He grinned meekly as he felt a wave of euphoria wash over him. "…nothing, sorry. This lake…I remember it. It was where I met Azura."

"O-Oh…" Sakura blinked. She didn't know what to say. She wasn't too comfortable to say the least knowing that the blue-haired songstress was on his mind, when she was right in front of him. But she could also tell that it seemed important to Corrin for the time being. He seemed rather…relieved, if his expression meant anything.

Corrin closed his eyes, briefly thinking back to everything that has happened since then. So much in such a short amount of time could contain…and yet here he was, having much more clarity than before.

"So much has happened in such a short time since I've met her. I've learned so much more about everything outside the fortress walls. I've met my birthmother…and met a lot of people…Evan…and Freya…and I even was able to find a partner of my own."

He looked down at his Poke Ball he subconsciously held in his right hand. He could feel Riolu inside as he was recuperating but also feeling what the other was thinking.

"But now…things are much clearer than they were before. Even with all these Pokémon we have to save in the process, I think we can get through this…" He turned towards Sakura. "Sorry, Sakura. I know it's not easy to understand right now, but I'll try my best to explain it to you somehow."

Sakura shook her head. "N-no, Corrin. It's alright, really. I know that you've been through a lot. I can wait." She clutched her staff tightly. "I…I know that I am not able to do much, I admit…but…I-I just don't want to see you go through with it alone. My brothers and sister…I want them to see that you're doing the right thing. That's…that's why we're here. Right, Audino?"

"(Of course.)" Audino chimed merrily, waddling closer and embracing Sakura for the umpteenth time from the side.

"Hehe…y-you see? Even Audino wants to help? We can't just let these Pokémon be misused. So…we'll work hard, together. That way, we can hopefully be a family again…all of us."

"Sakura…" Corrin was touched, but he knew what her message meant by that. He smiled sincerely and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We'll all get through this. All I ask is you bear with me and my friends."

Sakura fidgeted, still nervous. "Um…" She did a proper bow to Corrin, much to his surprise.

"S-Sakura…?"

"Thank you…for letting us join you…we won't let you down."

Audino waddled past her towards Corrin. She didn't hesitate to snuggle up and embrace him around his waist with a soft, warm hum. Corrin was taken back by the affectionate display, but he chose to accept it with a sincere smile.

Suddenly, a vague but familiar sound of a neigh came from the sky. Corrin adverted himself towards the blue yonder above to notice what white steed with wings flying down towards them.

"W-what's that…? It looks like a Pegasus…" He squinted for a second, only for his eyes to open wide. "And…it's flying in pretty fast!"

"What do you…! Ahhh!"

Corrin, Audino, and Sakura hastily sidestepped as the Pegasus let out a neigh to signal its landing. Its hooves shuffled and tapped until it came to a sudden halt between the two. Both their eyes widened as they both saw the two figures mounted on the back of the aerial stallion.

The first figure was a tall but young man, considerably older than Corrin. He had brownish auburn hair that was in a spiked ponytail. He had black shoulder pauldrons that were plated all the way down to his forearms, connecting the tight white sleeves with red edging. He wore a sleek white and blue tunic with an extended center white cloth over dark pants and knee-high navy-blue boots with dull yellow edging accents. He wore dense arm guards that matched his boots. Strapped to him was his Iron Naginata.

The person behind him was a young woman that seemed to be Sakura's age. She had fair light skin, with brown eyes that matched her long, wavy brown hair that went down to her lower back and framed her face. Her forehead had white and red straps crossed over one another that fitted into her bangs. She had a feminine samurai-like attire, with white armor with yellow accents and edging, and had a pink dress that covered her arms up to the blue armguards with white pauldrons covering them. A hot pink and yellow belt held a white girdle in place around her waist. A blue cloth went down her front that matched the accents on her dress. Strapped to her was an Iron Katana.

The male Pegasus rider pulled the reigns on his ride, making it come to a halt. He let out a sigh as soon as he saw Sakura. "Phew! We finally caught up to up, Milady." He declared.

Sakura gasped. "S-Subaki?!" She turned towards the girl. "Hana?!"

The girl, now revealed as Hana, landed on the ground with a belligerent huff. "Lady Sakura…did you really intend to think to leave us behind like that?" she scowled. "How could you!"

Despite the shock, Sakura showed genuine surprise rather than remorse. "Hold on…why are the two of you…?"

Hana gave her a smirk. "We received the notice from Yukimura. He told us everything, including how you left with Lord Corrin."

Sakura clutched her staff tight, trying her best to be brazen about her resolve. "Oh…I see…so he knew that I needed you both for this…"

Hana's smile grew more cheerful. "C'mon! Don't be like that! Even without him telling us, do you really think that we'd even sleep a wink until we've found you?"

"Yup. That is our duty, Milady, and nothing will change that. Wherever it is you go, we shall follow." Subaki beamed. "Be it the end of the world or to Hell, we shall support you without a second thought."

Once again, another small but sincere smile spread across Sakura's face. She was so grateful that she looked like she was about to cry. But she was able to hold herself high and face her comrades with a brave face. "Thank you both so much...I mean it."

Finally seeing an opportunity to but in, Corrin approached them. "Um, Sakura…might I ask who these people are?"

Meanwhile, Audino had waddled up to the Pegasus, giving its chest a warm embrace. The steed snorted but otherwise blinked.

"Oh! Right, I almost forgot." Sakura stepped off to the side, presenting her acquaintances to him. "Corrin, I'd like you to meet my retainers. Subaki and Hana. They're both really strong, a-and very kind, too; they've protected me for years."

Hana tossed a lock over her shoulder. "We were on a temporary leave when we heard that Lady Sakura was away in those mountains. But then I heard she got help from you and this group of people. And…" She trailed off when she felt Audino suddenly embracing her side, startling her; though she didn't object. "Er…y-yeah, this one helped, too."

Sakura sheepishly chuckled. "Sorry. Audino can be a little touchy…"

Hana didn't say anything about it. In truth, she was embarrassed about it, but at the same time she didn't seem to mind too much. In truth, she absolutely adored cute things, and Audino's simple but affectionate smile, soft texture, and those big blue eyes so full of life…it just made her heart almost melt. But she chose to persevere.

'W-why's this thing gotta be so cute?!'

Corrin smiled in relief knowing they were allies. "We need all the help we can get. Thank you both, we greatly appreciate it. We promise to fill you in as soon as possible."

Subaki folded his arms. "Very well. We'll do what is in our power to ensure flawless victory."

"Y-yeah, what he said." Hana said, managing her focus despite feeling so soft in Audino's hug. "But make no mistake. Lady Mikoto shall be our top priority, don't forget that!"

Corrin nodded in understanding. He knew the routine very well. After all, he had Felicia and Gunter by his side. Speaking of which, he knew they were stalling. "Alright then, let's meet up with the others. I'm sure they'll need to be filled in on this."

With the amount of time that passed, everyone found themselves just dawdling around. With their Pokémon healed up and enjoying their spoils long enough, they were starting to get impatient. And to some, the most ideal icebreaker was passive conversations.

"…so Freya, does Galar have Gym Leaders?" Evan asked.

Freya shrugged. "Yeah, but their Gyms are always so big and packed. You'd be lucky to get a reservation when a challenger is announced in the first ten minutes."

"Really?" He blinked. "…huh. So…why so they make them so big?"

"For the Dynamax that they do there."

"Oh…is that some kind of sports drink advertisement? Because that sounds like one."

Freya lurched as she could barely contain a giggle. She calmed down and playfully eyerolled at Evan. "Good one." She chimed. "But I guess that does sound like it would be a sports drink when you think about it."

"So then…is it a Galar special thing?"

"Something like that. Basically, Dynamax is when your Pokémon gets infused with some power and makes them a lot bigger and stronger."

Evan blinked, raising a brow. To be frank, he's only seen such things in science-fiction movies. Hearing something as Pokémon being able to grow to over a hundred feet tall and shooting lasers definitely fit up that alley. "So…they basically get huge." He summarized.

"Pretty much."

"And they always say bigger is better! Ain't that right!?" Chef DK chimed, chuckling. "Right, Evan? Good one. Up top!" He waited for Evan to give him his well-deserved high-five, but the younger man didn't seem nearly as happy as he was. "C-c'mon, don't leave me hanging…you like them big, don't you my guy…? M-my girl…?"

Evan looked at Chef DK's hand, then back at Freya. For the sake of their own comfort and dynamic, they opted to keep their mouths shut and give him a cold leer.

"…low-five then?" he muttered. When he got no response, he groaned. "God. W-where the hell is Corrin? Seriously! He's taking forever!"

"Sorry for the wait, everyone." A familiar voice brought everyone's attention around. All heads turned to find Corrin walking up alongside Sakura. The two people behind them, however, were what made them feel unnerved. Especially how Audino was hugging the one guy's waist.

"L-Lady Sakura, I don't mean to intrude, but…can you please get this thing off me?" he insisted. "It's really hard to move about when it's being this snuggly!"

"W-wait a minute, where'd these guys come from?" Chef DK asked apprehensively.

Sakura cringed. "R-Right, I should explain. Everyone, these are my retainers." She gestured to Subaki and Hana as the group stared at them. "Subaki, and this is Hana. Y-you can trust them! They've been very protective of me for as long as I can remember!"

Azura nodded with a grin. "I can vouch for that. I've seen them quite often around Lady Sakura when she's around the palace."

Though still unsound by the sudden aid given, Evan was quick to get over it. Since Corrin and Azura had reasons to trust them, he didn't have to keep his guard up. "I mean, I guess it's fine. If they're with Sakura and she's with us, guess we can get by okay. Right, Freya?"

Freya tossed a long lock over her shoulder, adjusting her bagpipes. "Sure, sure."

"Well…that's reassuring to know." Chef DK bluntly scowled. "So I guess I know to be extra nice so I don't have her henchmen pointing steel at my neck if I make her upset. That's not stressful."

Nathan hummed low as he stood up. "So, we all good to go back then?"

Corrin nodded. "Right. Everyone, get ready." Everyone did as told and stood up and closed in. He then turned towards the newcomers. "Kaze, Sakura, Subaki, Hana. You all should stay close. We're about to go somewhere."

"Oh, uh…s-sure thing…" Sakura gathered closely with the others. Kaze and the former's retainers grouped closely, with Audino moving to hug Corrin yet again. "Uh, n-not that…well, guess it still works." He muttered. "Alright…Lilith, we're ready now!"

In a voluminous flash, a broad glow enveloped Corrin, swallowing everyone close to him. The same light breached towards the wild Pokémon as they vanished with the group off sight.

In a sudden flash, the massive group found themselves within the confines of the fortress within the Astral Planes. Back in their sanctum, the group was able to relax; excluding the new allies that that profound shock written all over their faces.

"W-where are we?" Sakura gasped. "D-did we just use magic?"

"It's alright. You're safe here." Azura assured. "This is a different dimension from our own world. We shall be safe here."

"I mean, for the most part, yeah." Evan noted the facts, though his attention was onto the numerous Pokémon that were still gathered and looking disoriented. "Uh, Lilith? Are you here?"

Appearing before Evan, Lilith sat on her orb. "Hello, Evan. I trust that your venture went well?"

"Uh, yeah, for the most part. Listen, do we have anywhere that we can have these Pokémon go? Like is it safe to have them beyond the walls, or can you make something to keep them in?"

Lilith passively nodded. "Yes, I believe the borderlands beyond the fortress' dominion shall suite them all. There should be plenty of space for them all to wander."

Evan felt a slight amount of relief upon hearing that. "Okay, guess that can work. Better than being in wrong hands…and there should be wild plants and fresh water." He turned towards Keith and Nathan. "Hey, Keith, Nathan. Can you guys help corral them over to the entrance so they can smooth their way out?"

"Shouldn't be a problem." Keith beamed. "Mightyena."

With a low snarl, Mightyena got the wild Pokémon to hustle. They quickly fled towards the direction of the southern entrance of the castle walls, where they could all find suitable positions in the Astral Planes' territory. Nathan and his Shelgon helped kept the strays in line on either side in case they didn't seem to want to go with the pack. But the accommodations fitted fairly well.

Evan sighed loudly. "Well, that's one business out of the way. Though I guess if we're gonna have more brought here, we've gotta make sure they aren't in the walls. It'd be a hassle to reclaim a fort taken over by Pokémon."

"An ironic yet ideal statement, Sir Evan." Gunter added. "For now it seems, we have nothing to worry about."

Poopenschmir walked up to the group, still fidgeting his fingers. "Y-yes…of course, I should remind you. We, uh, did not find any pieces that belonged to the Immersifier, which is still kind of a big deal."

Corrin frowned. "Right, forgot about that. Guess there weren't any around us at the time."

"'Immersifier'? What might that be?" Subaki asked.

Corrin turned back towards the newcomers. "Oh, right. We promised to include you on what's going on." He turned towards Evan. "Evan, mind helping me break things down?"

"Uh, sure. I can do that." Evan explained.

"Thank you." He turned towards Lilith. "And Lilith, would it be possible to add some more houses for everyone?"

Lilith nodded. "Of course! It'd be my pleasure, Lord Corrin!"

"W-wait!" Poopenschmir suddenly intervened, looking more desperate than before. "Excuse me, Miss Lilith dragon!"

Lilith turned towards him. "Hm? Yes, what might it be, good doctor?"

"I, uh, know that we just got back and you are about to use your Dragon Veins and all…but, uh…about my plans for my lab, i-is it still possible?"

For a moment, the little dragon blinked in wonder to what he meant. It didn't take long for her to realize what he meant. "O-oh! Right! You mean those drawings you've given me before, right?"

"Yes! Those! Is it possible?"

For a moment, Lilith didn't know how to respond. If she was honest, she had spent nearly the whole time to herself, either being dormant inside of her shrine, or glancing and trying to decipher what the crude drawings were that the doctor had left her. It was also a benefactor to why she slept so long; because it gave her headaches just thinking about all those little details! But, despite her reservations, she had found enough of a capacity to almost entirely figure out what he meant by it all.

"Yes…I believe that I can…accommodate what I was given." She breathed outwards. "Alright, everyone, hold on!" She this began concentrating her powers yet again, this time focusing intensely. Her eyes and orb she sat on shined brightly before a light magnitude shook the area.

"W-what's happening?!" Subaki fretted.

Hana pointed at something in the distance. "Look! There!"

Everyone turned and immediately noticed the line of one-story apartments suddenly increasing by two more, adding more to its length and occupied space. That wasn't all, as a Dragon Vein incantation flourished on the far corner of the fortress courtyard. There, the concentrated mana was making something large and profoundly larger grow in place of the empty compartment.

"W-woah! What is that?!" Felicia gasped.

They all witnessed the mana and Dragon veins finally fading away. Flourishing into view, it was a two-story building, with a small windmill attached to the top of the second floor. Both floors had spacious windows that looked reinforced within the white walls. On either side of the building were two large telecoils that seemed to conduct electricity. The entrance to the lab itself was up a small cement ramp towards a side door.

"I-is that what I think it is?" Azura quipped, her eyes partially widened with shock.

Lilith nodded to confirm her observations. "I followed the layout the best that I could. I apologize if this material and technology isn't too familiar with me, but I followed it the best I could."

Poopenschmir eyed the newly made lab with glee. Like a child who just got the best gift ever on his birthday. He was so giddy that he started jumping in place. "YES! OH, YES! YES! YES!" he cheered. "It is just what I needed! Yes!" He turned towards Lilith with gratitude. "Thank you, Miss Lilith! I promise you, you will not regret this!"

"Congratulations, Doctor." Corrin said to him.

"Thank you. And now, if you all shall excuse me! I have some long-awaited inventing to do!" With a skip in his step, he paced hastily towards the laboratory. Even with everyone else looking at him, they knew that this had to be the fastest that they've seen the doctor run towards something.

A long silence fell, to which Damon broke. "Uh…dat doctor be whack."

"Yeah, that's putting it lightly for sure." Chef DK chimed.

"He gonna invent something dat'll kill us, fo'. You know dat, right?"

"Probably. Well, all of you have fun with that. I'm gonna go and plant some more berries now that I'm back in business~." Chef DK merrily chimed as he whisked himself away from the group.

"I believe that we all should use this time wisely to rest. We can also use this time wisely to study up on the ways of this matter regarding Pokémon." Gunter stated.

Azura smiled, nodding in agreement. "That's true."

Evan turned with Corrin towards Kaze and the newcomers. "How's about you guys follow us? It's better to learn from example." Evan advised.

Kaze nodded. "Of course, lead the way."

Poopenschmir opened the door to his newly built lab. As soon as he closed it and turned back around, he paneled across with a small "awe" echoing.

The outside itself was appealing enough. However, the interior looked indefinitely much like an actual lab. Shining, stainless tiles lined the flooring past the black mat where one wiped their feet. It was enough space to not only freely move around, but adjacent counters had clean white tops, with valves and test tubes with colorful chemical liquids inside them. Mechanical equipment hung around everywhere with clear glass plating and microscopes right beside them.

Overall, the domain was everything that was written in his descriptions towards Lilith. Though it wasn't as colorful as he had wanted, he didn't complain. It was functional, that was all that mattered to him.

"I-it is exactly as I had hoped!" He quipped. He pulled out a Poke Ball and tossed it. "Get out here, Rotom!"

The Poke Ball popped open, revealing Rotom as it grinned mischievously. "(Hee hee, finally out for more!)" It quipped.

"Look around you! Look at all dis equipment!" The doctor tapped his fingers again. "It is a lot more space than what we had before! Plus, the best part: It isn't licensed by that stupid Science Community! Haha! How do you like me now, haters?! Hmmm! Y-you think that I am Hoothoot?! Well I shall be the one to show you who is Hoothoot! HOOT! HOOT!" He perked up as he suddenly hooted. He blinked several times before he caught himself and cleared his throat. "A-anyways. This will be our new workplace! And it gets better, since the second floor doubles not only as an attic to store any of our finest products, but also a small enough space for us to stay! So then…shall we get started then?!"

"(Thought you'd never ask!)" Rotom cackled loudly, its body buzzing.

"Yes! Yes!" Poopenschmir chanted. "Now, time to get to work!" He raced towards a wall and pulled the lever upwards, causing the telecoils outside to suddenly channel electricity. He let out a loud, maniacal laughter that could have been heard from outside the lab's confines.

Farther away from the cackling and deranged screams, Chef DK had taken his own liberties with tending to the field. He used a small hand shovel to dig into the dirt. After several scoops, he finally stopped and inspected the small hole.

"Yeah, that should do it." He looked at the Tamato Berry in his other land. "Alright little guy, ready to do your part? As soon as you start budding, there's gonna be some spicy dishes to try out! Hoohoo!"

Without anymore time to waste, he placed the Tomato Berry into the hole. He then took the scoop and layered the dirt all over it, then proceeded to using a small bucket of water to help dampen the soil. Once it was all done, he got up to his feet and looked at the vast amount of berries that were spread evenly thanks to Farfetch'd and Cutiefly.

"Thanks again for the help, you guys. Really helps with time." He thanked them. He then started looking around rather confusedly. "Now, what to do now…?"

"(How's about reading an actual cookbook, for starters.)" Farfetch'd dryly chimed.

Chef DK hummed, thinking of what was possible. "Hmmm…!" His eyes widened. "Oh, I know! I can go to that lottery shop! Yeah! Maybe that will give me something useful!"

He took liberties with walking over towards the Lottery Shop. It wasn't a long walk, thankfully. Though the courtyard was very large, he had to admit that it was big enough to fit thousands of potential people inside. As soon as the Lottery Shop got within sight, he noticed someone exiting it.

"W-wait, Felicia? That you?"

As soon as she walked out, Felicia gasped in shock. "O-oh! Chef DK!" She greeted, simmering from her shock graciously. "H-hello there."

"Hey. So, you just came to see if you got lucky this time?"

"Yes! Certainly! Check it out!" She held out something in her hand that Chef DK looked at. It looked very much like her Iron Daggers she was equipped with, but it was shinier, and looked denser. "I was lucky to get this Steel Dagger! I never knew that having a lottery like this was so much fun!"

Chef DK's eyes widened partially. "Wait…seriously?! Y-you got a dagger? Like, an actual dagger?" He looked between the maid and the weapon. Then back towards himself. He blinked several times before he started past her. "Okay, I've gotta see this."

Felicia looked back. "W-wait, Chef DK-!"

Chef DK stepped inside, making his way towards the wooden roulette. He rubbed his hands together and breathed outwards. "Okay, DK…let's aim big this time, okay? Aim for the jackpot!" He gripped the handle and gave it a big yank. "Let's go!"

Immediately, the spinner started churning. It moved constantly in the same direction for several seconds until it slowed down. Chef DK looked anxious as he watched the spinner slow down to a halt. And once it did, the compartment opened up to reveal a bronze nugget landing on a platform.

"Okay…but let's see what this gives me." He picked up the nugget and placed it in the slot, shooting it down a tube. A compartment hatched opened up beside him, revealing the prize that came out.

When he looked inside, the happy, anxious momentum he once had was quickly crushed when he saw that it wasn't anything like a weapon, or a special TM. Instead, it was but a simple Great Ball, much to his dismay.

"Wait…that's it? That's my prize?!" he complained. He groaned loudly as he slammed his head against the counter. "God! Why can't I get lucky at all?! First I get weapons that I don't even want, now I get this…thing? Ugh!"

Off to the corner of the shop. Cutiefly turned towards Farfetch'd. "(Aw, he looks so sad.)"

"(Hardly. He's just given the short end of the stick too often.)" Farfetch'd shrugged. "(That's called karma.)"

"(Oh…well okay then.)"

Chef DK wasn't happy, but he accepted the Great Ball and walked out. "C'mon guys, let's go…bake some canned beans or whatever's in the pantry, I suppose." He spatted. His Pokémon took to following his lead as they all exited the shop back towards the mess hall.

Out beyond the fortress confines, Corrin and Evan had taken their liberties with explaining everything towards Sakura, Kaze, Subaki, and Hana. Of course, unbeknownst to them, it wasn't necessarily the truth, but it wasn't a lie either, as per the story they fabricated to make them see reason.

"…and that's what's going on." Corrin finally summarized. "The enemy that has been behind all this lies there."

Kaze folded his arms, remembering everything that was told back at Fort Jinya, on top of what Corrin explained towards him. "I see. So, not only are our two nations at war because of this 'Ghetsis', but we must also procure any and all misplaced Pokémon. That explains why you had them taken from the Hoshidans then."

"So let me get this straight." Subaki stepped forward. "You're telling us that we've been at war, and the only reason was because of some mind game by Ghetsis in a kingdom called Unova?"

Evan nodded. "In a nutshell. We also have the problem revolving around Doctor Poopenschmir's invention that caused all this. Apparently, we've gotta find the scattered pieces all over in order to fix everything."

Sakura clutched her staff tightly. To her, everything clicked. "I-I see now. If that's the case…we'll do what we can to help with that! Right, Audino?" She turned towards her side, seeing Audino hugging her again. "Oh…hehe…I-I guess I already know the answer to that question, huh?"

With much of the conversation settled, Keith walked towards them with Ditto being a white cane. His Mightyena led the tread towards them until they stopped before the group.

"Oh, Keith. Good to see you. How was it?" Corrin asked.

Keith passively grinned. "Nothing too hard to handle. The Pokémon should be able to settle in just fine in the open fields. We won't have to worry about them attacking us."

"That's good. That reminds me…" Evan turned towards Kaze and Sakura. "Speaking of Pokémon, you guys probably don't have Poke Balls of your own yet, don't you?"

Kaze hummed. "You are referring to those mechanical balls that I have seen you use before, right?"

"Yeah. They help you carry around your Pokémon a lot easier. It's a convenience more than anything." Evan turned towards Keith. "Keith, you got anymore in those pockets of yours for them?"

Keith hummed. "Ah, ah, ah. What's the magic word?"

Evan groaned. "Please."

Without any delay, Keith reached into his pocket and pulled out two unused Poke Balls and handed them to Evan. "There you go. That should be plenty for your friends, I presume?"

"Yeah, thanks." He turned back towards Kaze and Sakura, handing them the two devices. "So basically, what you do is, tap the button in the center once to shrink or enlarge the Poke Ball. Like this." He demonstrated the procedure by using his own Poke Ball. He tapped it over and over, showing it shrinking and expanding.

Kaze and Sakura began copying the trainer's methods. In their hands, they witnessed the Poke Balls shrinking and expanding to fit in their entire hand or in the bare palm of their fingers. To Sakura, this was shocking. "A-amazing…" she muttered. "So…now what?"

"Just touch a wild Pokémon with it and they'll go right in. But, it doesn't always work, so usually trainers have to battle wild Pokémon to weaken them so they stay inside."

"Oh…" Sakura turned towards Audino, who was standing beside her with a curious expression. "O-okay then…well…here goes nothing!" She held out the Poke Ball and tapped her head against the button. As soon as it did, the capsule, much to her shock, opened wide.

"(Oh, goodie! I can be with you for good now-!)" Audino chirped mere moments before her entire body warped into red energy and was sucked into the inner layers of the capsule. As soon as she was fully inside, it clamped shut.

"Woah!" Sakura was so shocked that she dropped the Poke Ball. She looked down as she watched it shake a few times. "A-Audino…?"

"It's alright. It takes a moment. Just watch." Keith noted.

The Poke Ball continued shuddering several times, with the button glowing red every so often. Until finally, a loud click was heard.

"And that's that. Congratulations, Sakura. You just caught an Audino." Evan cheered.

"Well done, Milady! Truly a splendid capture for you, yet!" Subaki praised.

"Lady Sakura, great job!" Hana added.

"T-thank you both." Sakura smiled sincerely for the umpteenth time as she looked down at the Poke Ball in her hand. She wasn't sure what it was she was feeling right now, but if she had to pick a word for it, it had to be…accomplished. It was so nerve-racking that she could burst into tears, but she was able to hold herself back and feel pride.

With enough relishing, she turned towards Evan and Corrin. "So…how does she come out now?"

"Just opening it manually or throwing it will do." Evan explained.

Sakura nodded. "Right!" She faced forward, holding out the Poke Ball. "Come back out, Audino!"

The Poke Ball popped open in her hands, expelling Audino with a go-lucky, happy chirp. Almost instantly, she appeared beside her new trainer and quickly embraced her like she hadn't seen her in a long time. It was so much that it almost picked Sakura off the ground.

"Hehe! I-It's okay! Nothing happened!"

As Sakura was busy trying to pry herself off Audino's show of affection, Kaze turned his attention down towards his own partner. "Very well then. I shall partake in this, too." He kneeled before him, offering the Poke Ball to the Frogadier. "Would you be my partner, so that we may learn more from each other?"

Frogadier looked at the capsule, then back at him. A sly grin crept on his mouth as he closed his eyes. "(If that's what you wish of me.)" He reached out and tapped the button himself, and much like what happened with Audino, Frogadier converted to red energy and was drawn into the capsule.

After several shakes from left to right, the Poke Ball finally clicked, signaling Kaze's own partner being made official.

Kaze looked down at the Poke Ball in his grip, smiling contently. "Thank you. On my honor, I won't let you down." He turned towards Evan and Corrin. "Lord Corrin, Evan, I shall be in your services, and we shall help vanquish this Ghetsis' intentions."

Corrin offered a smile of gratitude towards the ninja. "Thank you, Kaze. We'll help get you through the basics."

The sound of armored heels echoed close by as Gunter made himself present. "Milord, pardon me for intruding, but I believe it's best that we save the matter of assessment for later. I believe rest is most appropriate now."

"Yeah, he's right. I'm kinda wanting to soak and eat right about now." Evan admitted. "Maybe we'll pick up right tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Evan's right. Let's get you all situated first. Then we'll get through this." Corrin insisted.

Sakura nodded. "Sure!"

Everyone followed Evan and Corrin as they continued to chat idly on their way towards the bathhouse. After a very long day of fighting and traveling, it was much deserved for the wary, growing group.

Evening soon turned to daybreak as the time spent in the Astral Planes were accommodating everyone's sleeping needs. Evan and Freya were sound asleep in their beds in the treehouse beside Corrin. Everyone else had their shared sleeping quarters, including the new additions. Sakura and Hana shared a complex since they were both girls and childhood friends…of course, there was also Audino, who was snuggling Sakura in her sleep. Though it seemed to have helped her sleep soundly. Subaki and Kaze compromised with sharing the new house right next door since it was available. Plus if Sakura was in trouble, Subaki would be able to rush to her aid.

However, the only one who hadn't returned was Poopenschmir, who had found himself situated in his lab.

"ZZZZZZZZZ…hoothoothoothoothoot…ZZZZZZZZ…hoothoothoothoothoot…"

Speaking of which, that same doctor was laying with his head down, slouched on a chair over his work desk that had a number of papers with detailed encryptions and parts scattered around. From the way that he was snoozing, he worked well through the night to where he didn't head up to his new quarters to sleep properly. Instead, his frizzy white hair blanketed his face as he was sound asleep.

Nearby, Rotom zipped on over, seeing its trainer snoring hoots with every exhale. It turned away to suppress a mischievous cackle so as not to wake him up. "(Oh, I'm gonna get a good laugh from this…)" It turned back around, slowly creeping up to Poopenschmir's side until it was mere inches from his ear…

"(RISE AND SHINE~!)"

In a hectic wail, Rotom expelled a ghastly facial shockwave via Astonish. The sudden spook was so intense that it made Poopenschmir's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets as he toppled onto the floor.

"OH SHI-!" He thudded harshly, but didn't seem to be too hurt.

Rotom cackled hysterically as it suddenly zipped away. This left Poopenschmir to come to his senses as he stirred on the floor.

"O-oh…what day is it…?" The doctor slowly blinked, adjusting his glasses. He looked up at the ceiling and noticed the bright rays of sunlight starting to peer through. "Oh…is it morning already?" He turned towards his desk, and all of a sudden, that weariness he had from sleep deprivation suddenly spirited away by the sight before him.

The product that sat on a small platform in front of him was the sole reason that he had been working well overnight. The gizmo looked very similar to a stream water gun, but it was primarily bulky and white. It had an orange trigger on the bottom, with a lock-on targeting system equipped on the top. The front had an orange nozzle with a compressed revolver tube inside.

"O-ooooh~!" He leaned into it with ogling eyes. The doctor's expression went from shock to pure joy. "I-I actually have done it! Haha! Yes! My prototype gun! Yes!" He bent over and picked the weapon up off the pedestal. To his relief, it was fairly light. "It is light…perfect for travel, too! Haha!"

The door to his laboratory swung open, and from it, Poopenschmir hopped out while holding his new weapon up. "I HAVE DONE IT, EVERYBODY! YES! ME! I HAVE DONE IT ALL! I HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM AT LAST!"

His loud, energetic shouting could be heard throughout the fortress. Even behind closed curtains or doors, everyone who was sound asleep began stirring awake as the intrusive sound continued to be heard.

"Gnnngh…Stirring awake on his back, Evan pulled his beanie up to see what was happening. "Whu…?" He turned towards Freya. "Hey, Frey. Up and at'em. Something's up."

The shouting and Evan's call was enough to make Freya inhale before flickering her eyes open. "Hmmmm…? Evan…?" she groaned. "What's wrong…?"

"EVERYONE, I HAVE DONE IT!" the cries of Poopenschmir were made clear despite their groggy, foggy minda.

"Apparently…that." Evan groaned. "C'mon, let's go see what the Hoothoot made now."

Corrin stirred in his sheets until the shouting made him sit up in his own bed. "What's happening?" He turned towards his window. "Outside?"

With daybreak barely breaking, even Hana wasn't awake for her daily training. Everyone exited their abodes and started around Poopenschmir. As soon as everyone was out in the open, they were met with the doctor and his excited jittering.

"D-doctor? What's the problem?" Felicia asked.

"Fo'…dis better be something important! Cuz if you woke me for something stupid, you gonna meet hot lead!" Damon sneered.

With everyone being in just a mood for being woken so abruptly, they weren't too happy, even with the accomplishment that Poopenschmir had made overnight. Nathan in particular looked like he was ready to drive a blade into someone's face. The only restraint that he had his own sense of decency and whatever excuse Poopenschmir had to give.

"Oh! You're all finally awake! Thank goodness!" He chattered.

"Good doctor, what seems to be the problem?" Gunter inquired.

"Yeah, what is it that you have done, exactly…?" Corrin added, albeit in the calmest tone out of everyone present.

"Right, right. So, yesterday, I understand that you all came back with Pokémon, yes?" Poopenschmir started. "Well, to do that, you all had to call upon Miss Lilith to do that. Well, now, what if I told you that there was a way to do that without having to call Lilith every time?"

Lilith, who was present at the time, looked genuinely surprised. "Pardon? But…I hate to be a burden, but…how were you able to achieve such a thing, good doctor?"

"Oh, that is a good question, Miss Lilith! Well, you see, my Immersifier involved interdimensional energy. So what this means is, by applying that same rhythm into this here machine gun that I have just made, like so…" He pulled back a side lever, making three bars of bright green energy turn on. "Ah! Like that, you can use this to zap anything that is in the other world, and automatically bring it here! I call it: The Astral Transporter!"

Evan raised a brow, genuinely stunned at the revelation. "You seriously made that overnight?"

"Yes! I most certainly did!" The doctor frowned. "But, uh…I should warn you…that this is still just a prototype. And I haven't properly tested it. So for the sake of the experiment, I need a volunteer to go and use this for me in the other world. Anyone?"

The majority of everyone didn't seem too open to the prospect. Though they were gracious with how impressive Poopenschmir handled his time overnight, knowing that this was the same guy that was responsible for putting them all in this warped mess didn't do them any favors for labeling him their favorite.

With no one stepping up, Nathan sighed annoyingly. "Fine. Give it here." He walked up passed the group, being given the Astral Transporter to his hands. He could instantly tell that the material was simple plastic, but he tried not to think too hard about it.

"Oh! Thank you very much, Nathan!"

"Yeah, sure. So how's this work?"

"Oh, it is very simple. Allow me to show you." Poopenschmir pointed towards the lever that he cocked a moment ago. "So every time to shoot something, this lever always pulled back. That shows that it is unlocked and active." He pointed at the tiny green bars alongside it. "And this shows its charge. Once the bars are all green, you are ready to fire!" He then pointed at the trigger. "And then, once you have an aim, just pull this trigger, and it will fire."

Nathan looked at the weapon's parts, trying to process it all. "And how often can I fire before it has to recharge?"

"Well, this is just a prototype, so the ray by extension can go on for 10 seconds. Anything hit by that ray within that timespan shall instantly be brought here. And then, it would need a whole minute to reboot and recharge. But for the sake of field testing…and time management…just zap a Pokémon you find and come back."

"Alright, guess that's simple enough…" Nathan turned towards Lilith. "Lilith, you think you can send me now?"

Lilith nodded. "Sure thing! Hold on tight!" Lilith went silent for a moment as she gathered energy once more. Her blue orb shined brightly, which cloaked Nathan in that same light. In a flash, he was gone, leaving the spot completely vacant.

"And now, we wait!" Poopenschmir chimed.

Chef DK sighed, shaking his head. "Well it's gonna be a long wait…I'm gonna go make some breakfast."

In another flash, Nathan found himself back in the other world. His feet planted on the same grassy spot he was before in the woods they were in before they left it yesterday. Or rather, a second ago by counting the Astral Plane's timeframe.

'Looks like I'm back to where I was. Alright, so I just have to pull back on this…' He pulled the lever, immediately making a humming inside as the bars were all green. He then started looking around. 'Now, just one shot on a Pokémon. Where to find one…?'

He heard a slow rustling sound behind him. With his reflexes, he sharply pivoted and noticed something – very slowly – saunter from out of the underbrush.

The creature was presumably mammalian, though had blue-green fur that covered much of its body. It had five very tiny digits on each arm, with a round head with two pointed ears facing up. Its lower jaw was a yellowish cream color with two fangs pointing upwards. Its eyes were wide with tiny dark pupils that looked at Nathan anxiously.

Nathan raised a brow. 'Is that a Pokémon?'

The creature scratched his side, looking uncomfortable. "(Hey…do you got anything to eat? I'm hungry.)" He noticed the gun in Nathan's hand. "(Oh…is that edible?)"

Not wanting to draw out the inquiries, Nathan decided to stay on track. He faced the supposed Pokémon with the transporter gun held like an actual gun. "Alright, time to see if this thing works. Hold still, little guy…"

The creature blinked in confusion, tilting his head. "(Eh?)"

As soon as the charge was up, Nathan pressed and held the orange trigger. The ray fired a bright white beaming bolt that quickly struck the creature, much to his sheer surprise. In a split-second, he vanished on the spot.

Meanwhile, the afternoon sun of the Astral Planes shined through the mess hall's kitchen window. It shined on the counter that Chef DK's Farfetch'd was nonchalantly cutting some fresh cucumbers with his leek. Each slice was even until the entire length was split to thin fractions.

"Nice job, Farfetch'd." Chef DK thanked, bringing over some tiny plates, each one containing a single Pecha Berry. "Nothing like a small midday snack to perk up everyone's appetites, I suppose. Now, what kind of dressing should I put on these Pecha Berries…?" He tapped his hands against his chin as he got lost in his ideas.

Farfetch'd turned towards him, cocking his thick brow. "(I don't even wanna know what you're thinking…)" he sighed. "(But I know that you're gonna say it anyway.)"

Chef DK hummed lightly. "Hmm…I could make a broth? Or I could, uh, maybe some barbecue sauce? That always flavors things up a bit. Or maybe mustard on the berries, that'll definitely enrich their sweetness!"

"(And make numerous people gag like always.)" Farfetch'd eyerolled.

"Hoho! You like that idea too, Farfetch'd? Alright then, let's find us some condiments!" Chef DK zipped towards the refrigerator, leaving Farfetch'd to blankly stare at the multiple tiny platters with Pecha Berries that were soon to be spoiled.

The Wild Duck Pokémon shook his head disapprovingly. "(Pretty sure that the only decent thing he's ever made were those Oran Berry pancakes that everyone stomached…even if they were obviously burned.)"

"(Really? I didn't think they were too terrible.)" Cutiefly sang.

Farfetch'd turned and gave her a blank stare. "(Well good for you, but trust me, don't get comfortable. Compared to that, he's made stuff that makes you wanna eat out of a dumpster. Trust me, I've literally seen that before.)"

"(Really?)" Cutiefly blinked. "(Then maybe I can help with that!)"

"(What do you mean by…?)" Farfetch'd trailed off as he witnessed Cutiefly pulling out something. To his sheer surprise, he saw her have a small glass jar with a translucent golden liquid that seemed very similar to syrup. Already, he could smell the sweetness emanating from it.

"(I think this should help, don't you think?)" Cutieflu sang.

Farfetch'd blinked several times until the reality snapped back into him. "(First of all, how the hell were able to hide that? And secondly, what is that?)" He asked, pointing his leek at the jar.

Cutiefly turned towards the jar with her own curiosity. "This? Oh, it's Honey! I honestly don't know why, but it often appears when I'm not holding any. But I tell ya, I never go hungry when I'm holding some! You should try some!)"

Chef DK came back, carrying a bottle of both mustard and barbecue sauce. "Okay, a little diversity should be just fine. Now to dab a bit on…" When he glanced over towards the platters, to his sheer surprise, he saw a glass jar of Honey sitting right beneath Cutiefly. "W-wait! Cutiefly, where did you get that from? And what is it?!"

"(That's exactly what I asked…)" Farfetch'd muttered dryly.

"(Oh! Chef DK! You should try some!)" Cutiefly buzzed and picked up the jar's top. She slowly pulled it off, and immediately, the sweet nectar's aroma went through the room.

Chef DK moved closer, inspecting the sweet nectar for himself. "Okay, let's see here. Hope it's not poisonous or anything…though I guess I can eat a Pecha Berry of that ever happened." Using a single index finger, he dipped it partially into the Honey. When he pulled it out, his finger was coated in sticky, golden, sweet nectar. "Smells sweet, but I wonder…"

He decided to take it a step further and inserted his finger into his mouth. Farfetch'd and Cutiefly were quiet as they saw the chef suddenly stiffen up, as though he was cast under some frozen spell. His eyes were wide as he felt his tastebuds explode with a sensation that made the back of his throat all the way up to his brain a few degrees warmer than usual. He could feel his tongue tingle with an explosion of sweetness that was so great that he almost forgot how to breathe for a moment. After moments of euphoric pauses, he finally swallowed before coming to the realization.

"O-oh my god…this is the most beautiful thing I've ever tasted…" he muttered. "It's so thick, and rich. And…" He got a large whiff of the substance right over the jar, his eyes rolling backwards. "It smells like freshly baked sugar in the wind~, hooo!" He turned towards Cutiefly. "Cutiefly, I have no idea where you found this, but thank you! Thank you a bunch!"

Cutiefly chirped merrily. "(Aw, don't worry about it. Just glad I could help is all.)"

Farfetch'd was slack-beaked, for a lack of better word. He stared in disbelief at their apparent savior. "(I can't it…it only took this long for all our problems to be solved.)" He bowed his head. "(I guess there is an Arceus out there. Thank you!)"

Chef DK let out a long, passive sigh. "Well, I think we've found our winning side! Now let's just out this on top of the Pecha Berries and everyone can-!" He was about to reach for the Honey jar, when all of a sudden, a bright flash burst in front of him. Some small – and very heavy – suddenly dropped to the ground with a powerful thud. It was so staggering that it almost caused Chef DK to fall over.

The sudden interloper blinked, looking around as he processed what happened. "(Huh? Where am I now?)" He looked towards the counter, seeing Farfetch'd and Cutiefly. "(Oh, hey guys. You know a good place to chow down around here?)"

Farfetch'd and Cutiefly were speechless. Neither said anything as they looked at each other, then back at him.

"W-what the hell?! Where did you come from?!" Chef DK shouted. "D-did you seriously just appear out of nowhere?!"

The creature blinked as he seemed ignorant of the chef's cries. Instead, his nose picked up a very strong and sweet smell coming from his left. His body subconsciously turned towards the counter, where he saw platters of diced cucumbers with Pecha Berries. Almost instantly, his mouth started watering.

"(Ooooh, so sweet! I bet it tastes good, too!)" Without any regards, he suddenly pounced like a cat, much to everyone's shock; he began gorging on the platters like his life depended on it.

"WHAT THE HELL!? THAT'S MY FOOD YOU'RE EATING, YOU FAT VACUUM!" Chef DK roared. "STOP!"

However, the creature didn't listen. Instead, he pulled away only once all the platters were licked clean of their contents with a relieved sigh. "(Ah~, that left a sweet taste in my mouth.)" He started looking around. "(But I am getting kinda hungry again…)" That's when his eyes cast upon the Honey jar. "(Oooooh! That looks delicious!)"

"(Um, we were actually going to use-!)" Cutiefly didn't get the chance to finish before the creature yanked the jar off the counter. "(…that.)"

"Hey, let go of that, you fat jerk! C'mon!" Chef DK complained.

Again, everyone's complaints were mute to the Pokémon as he dipped his hands into the jar. He proceeded to licking the sticky, sweet substance and grinned with content on his face. "(Mmmmm…that stuff before was delicious, but this is something else…)"

The doors to the mess hall suddenly shot open. The majority of everyone gathered and rushed towards the scene. Corrin was ahead of the pack as he closed in on the distressed chef. "Chef DK! What's wrong?!"

"What's wrong?! I'll tell you what's wrong! That!" He turned and pointed at the creature that licked the Honey off his tiny fingers, a creepy yet content blank expression on his face as he did so.

Corrin turned towards it, blinking in confusion. "…what might that be?"

"I don't know! It just popped out of nowhere and started eating everything in sight! God! All my work is wasted this afternoon thanks to it!"

"Hang on, let me see." Evan walked towards the front with his PokeDex out. As soon as the creature's icon was onscreen, it began analyzing him for everyone to hear.

"Munchlax, the Big Eater Pokémon. Stuffing itself with vast amounts of food is its only concern. Whether the food is rotten or fresh, yummy or tasteless – it does not care."

"A Munchlax? Haven't seen those in person." Evan admitted. He looked up, raising a brow as he saw the small gorger doing his job. "And where did you say it came from again, Chef DK?"

"I just told you, Evan. From out of nowhere, like 'poof'!" He flexed his fingers to emphasize his point.

"Then, if that's the case…was it a Pokémon that Nathan had just brought to here?" Azura realized.

Poopenschmir gasped. "Then…that means that it works! Haha! It actually works! YES!" He started jumping in place, clapping his hands. "Good show indeed! The Astral Transporter was a success! It works!"

In a sudden flash yet again, a larger mass generated beside everyone. Arriving in midair was Nathan as he dropped to the ground with a grand thud. He looked around, realizing that he was back in the mess hall with everyone else.

"Woah! You surprised me there!" Freya gasped.

"You certainly took your time, I will say that." Subaki chimed dryly. "Seriously, was finding just one Pokémon that hard?"

Nathan furrowed his brow at the Pegasus knight. "In case nobody gave you the memo, time moves differently between these two worlds. I was literally in that other one for not even thirty seconds before I called Lilith."

"And yet over six hours have passed here…well, at least we can measure out our time management this way." Keith chimed.

"Yes, I suppose that's one way of looking at it." Gunter added, before turning towards the Munchlax. "And of course, we have started progress in our objective as well."

Poopenschmir pranced up to Nathan with a big smile. "Good show, Nathan! Thank you!"

Nathan handed back the gun to the doctor. "Yeah, sure thing. The locked it back in place like you said so it doesn't misfire."

"Well that's all just dandy and I'm really happy for you guys…" Chef DK's tone was as dry as sand. "Oh, but doctor, one little thing…"

"Yes?"

"MAKE IT SO THAT THEY DON'T COME IN HERE AND EAT ALL OF MY FOOD!"

Poopenschmir recoiled. "R-right! I will make coordinate adjustments. J-just give me an hour, and everything will be all set!" He turned and rushed out, leaving everyone to tend to what will happen.

"Well, looks like we're about to head out soon Freya." Evan noted. "Grab your bagpipes and Poke Balls."

"No need to tell me that. I know." She mused.

Meanwhile, as everyone was preparing their new adventure, Chef DK shook his head, sighing heavily. "Well, as long as they're happy…" He suddenly felt a finger poke his side. He looked down, seeing the Munchlax looking up at him. "What you want now?!"

Munchlax held up the Honey jar, which was licked completely clean. "(Can I have some more?)"

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE ALREADY!" Chef DK screamed.

It didn't take too long for the entourage to finally get the necessary preparations made. They all stood in the center of the courtyard, waiting on any last-minute preparations that were to be made just in case.

"I'm here! I'm here, everybody!" Rushing back from the lab, Poopenschmir returned to them all with Astral Transporter in hand. He looked more worn out than before, if his partially shaking body meant anything. There were bags under his eyes as well. Regardless of his current health, he seemed particularly serious. "Phew…I…I think I need to catch my breath…phew…"

Corrin noticed the fatigue on his face, drawing concern from him. "Doctor, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes. I assure you, it's just the usual practice of being a doctor working overnight." He collected himself before he steadied his breathing. "So! Anyways, listen up everybody, I have recalibrated this so that whatever is zapped here will not be the same location."

"So…basically, just the mess hall?" Keith interpreted.

Poopenschmir shrugged. "I mean, sure. You can say that. I mean, it's also just a prototype. I can make more better versions, but I need better field testing for that."

Corrin nodded in understanding. "We understand. We'll bring back as many Pokémon as we can, doctor."

Felicia smiled as she pumped her fists enthusiastically. "And we'll be there to help you, Lord Corrin!"

"Let's get it on already, fo'. I gotz some haters to put down." Damon sneered.

"Yes, yes, I understand. But remember, this is very important." Poopenschmir emphasized. "We need to find more pieces of the Immersifier. Without it, we cannot go back home. So make sure you don't overlook anything along the way!"

He said it so forcefully that it was borderline disturbing. Everyone who hadn't noticed before started realizing just how unwell the crazy doctor was.

"Uh…D-Doctor Poopenschmir?" Evan nervously started. "Um, I…think you need to sit this one out."

Poopenschmir sighed. "G-good idea…I-I could use a little nap…b-but before that, here." He held up a large, rugged sac that he had tied up in a knot. He handed it to Evan since he was the closest. "I've taken liberties to also make some Poke Balls as a side project while I was waiting for the field test stuff…should be enough in there for you all…"

"So we can catch more of our own Pokémon?" Sakura realized.

Chef DK sighed, raising his hand to volunteer. "I guess I'll stay behind again this time. Gotta make sure somebody keeps an eye on this place…and him." He shot a look at the sleepless doctor."

Gunter nodded. "You have our thanks, Chef DK. We're counting on you." He turned towards Corrin. "Milord, shall we head out?"

Corrin gave his retainer a respectable nod. "Yeah, we'll head out. Lilith…we're ready."

Lilith smiled brightly. "Very well then. All of you, be safe on your quest!"

As her orb shined brightly, the surrounding members of the party leaving were enveloped in a powerful light that flickered into existence. In another second, they were all gone and returning back to the other world.

Chef DK sighed. "Well, there they go again. Maybe I could have gone with them…" he paused as he weighed his options. "Mmmm…guess it's too late now. Supposed I could try cooking up some better recipes. Been meaning to try out some of those Cheri Berries. Heard they're good in pies…"

"G-good…you do that. And I…go get some Z's." Poopenschmir's upbeat attitude had finally expired. With little to no mojo left, he lazily sauntered back towards the laboratory. "Hooo…really wish this world had some coffee right about now…"

"Maybe if you score lucky enough in that Lottery Shop, maybe." Chef DK chimed. "Well, at least I got a little experience from that trip. Hopefully something bad doesn't happen again this time…"

As Chef DK was heading back towards the kitchen, he remained oblivious as there was something hidden within the shadows of the buildings. Munchlax kept his eyes fixed on the chef as he watched him head back to make another meal. One that could hopefully appease his appetite.

"(Human food maker…make food…)" he muttered.

Decided to end it here for now. At first, I wanted to make it longer, but after how long last chapter was, I decided it would have been better to keep it punctual.

So now the group has a ray thanks to Poopenschmir that will get Pokémon transported back to them at a better rate. Not only that, but Poopenschmir finally has a lab to work in again.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Reviews are appreciated! XD