(Alright, I don't know exactly what I'm doing in this chapter, but it'll be something! I'm gonna start on delivering the quality I do best for all you readers in 2023.
The Reviews
Jacob9594: It was Cody's idea to include Manaphy in this chapter. I just signed off on it because Manaphy is adorable.
Logbook: Thanks! I've had some ideas on what I wanted Empathy's backstory to be, but I decided on the one I did since it felt the most powerful.
Nan the Keyblade Master: I only have one other 'sad' backstory moment planned, so stay tuned for that.)
The night went on pretty uneventfully, and the next morning would be no different. Key and Vanessa would be awake, and once again Aubrey was still snoozing away. The merchant would turn to Vanessa.
"Well, I know what time it is. I'll get started on breakfast. You wake Miss Ranger up…but try not to be rough with her," She requested.
"Oh, I have just the idea." Vanessa decided to be nice this time around and sent out her Petilil. "Be a dear and wake her up with a sweet scent would you?" Petilil would nod and head over to Aubrey doing a cheerful little dance while sending out a sweet smell.
"Mmmm..." Aubrey would rouse from slumber, sitting up in her bed and smiling at Petilil. "Much better..."
"Petilil!" The Bulb Pokemon had a happy expression.
"Felt like giving me a pleasant wake-up call for a change, huh partner?" Aubrey laughed, getting out of bed.
"It was more my suggestion if it means anything to you," Key confided, having breakfast whipped up for the three of them.
"Yeah, plus it makes it more amusing the next rude wake-up you get," Vanessa snickered.
"...I was expecting you'd say that," The older ranger frowned, taking her plate of food.
"Alright, so where are we headed next?" Key wondered. "Any ideas?"
"Well given what we have seen recently, I think our next move should be to look around Mt. Coronet," Vanessa decided.
"Given that the rift is centered around that area?" Aubrey wondered. "Yeah, I can believe that. If we could get a closer look at it, we might be able to figure our more about what's going on with that."
"Ah, in that case...I think it might be beneficial to bundle up for that, no?" Key suggested.
"Yeah, though in terms of Mt. Coronet, that will not really be the case till we get higher up. I have been looking at it and there is noticeably less snow on the mountain than there is in our time," Vanessa informed.
"Is that so?" Key wondered. "Ah. Well, I am prepared if we need to go up towards Snowpoint City."
"We probably will," The Sinnoh native nodded in thanks. "So let's get out and see what we can do today!"
"Once we're done eating of course," Aubrey noted, nearly done with her plate of food.
The three would go about finishing their breakfast, and once they did, dressed and ready for the day, they'd exit their house and meet quite the mysterious stranger. A tattered black and brown overcoat with a matching colored hat over a Pearl Clan uniform. Something about this guy was VERY familiar to them, but not to the stranger.
"Good morning, good ladies who have fallen from the sky!" He greeted. "Commander Kamado told me to tell you he awaits your arrival at his office."
"Nice to meet you!" Vanessa paused, tilting her head to the side. "Hmm.. you look familiar.. but I can't quite place it."
"I'm familiar to you? Huh...you're not familiar to me, but that's okay," The mysterious stranger responded. "Just head on over to Commander Kamado's office at your earliest convenience."
"Very well then." Vanessa nodded in understanding. The stranger would head off, leaving the three to wonder what the heck was going on with that.
"So ah...what was the deal with that guy?" Key wondered.
Vanessa then paused, blinking a few times in realization. "Wait... I think I recognize him now!"
"You do? What about him?" Aubrey perked up.
"He looks like Ingo, one of the Battle Subway Conductors!" The younger ranger answered.
"Wait what?" Aubrey paused. "What the heck is he doing here? Was he even missing in the first place?"
"I am not sure…hmm." The Sinnoh native thought of something. "Wait...you think he is like Anabel? A Faller?"
"It's possible. We'd need to get more info if he doesn't have any memories like Anabel didn't when she was found," Aubrey agreed. "But we'll go see what Kamado wants now. Key, wait for us outside."
"You got it!" Key saluted.
"Yeah good call. See you in a bit, Key." Vanessa would go to Kamado's office with Aubrey, leaving the merchant to do whatever it is that merchants do when left to their own devices. Inside Kamado's office, the rangers would find a friendly face - Adaman!
"Hey! If it isn't my favorite strangers in Hisui, how's it going?" Adaman asked warmly.
"Oh it's been going pretty good," Vanessa responded with a smile. "What happened with the now Lord Arcanine regardless."
"It's also going a lot better now with you here," Aubrey added.
"Rangers, I have your next orders for you. I would've delegated this to Rei, but Adaman specifically asked for the two of you," Kamado explained. "You must go to the Coronet Highlands and quell another lord's frenzy - Electrode, Lord of the Hollow."
"They've got unique Electrodes here too? Oh wow...I mean I can kinda see it," Aubrey mused.
"Well, guess you already know how Electrode has the propensity to store up electricity in its body and release it," Adaman continued. "But ever since Lord Electrode went into its frenzy, those electrical outbursts have become...much greater electrical outbursts. That's why I asked for Irida to spare someone to help you get to Lord Electrode's seat safely."
"Ah, that explains the Pearl Clan member," Vanessa responded. "This does actually line up with our own investigation. We were going to bring this up with you, Commander, that we wanted to head toward Coronet Highlands ourselves."
"And what would be the reason for your request?" Kamado inquired.
"We wanted to get a closer look at the Rift. Lord Arcanine pushed the three of us out of the way of a bolt of lightning that came from it. This enraged him. The rift is the source of these frenzied Nobles." Vanessa would see Kamado raise an eyebrow at one part of her explanation.
"Three?" The commander questioned with suspicions in his mind.
"Yeah, myself, Van, and Palina. We would've gotten zapped had Arcanine not taken that for us," Aubrey lied, quickly covering for her partner.
"Hmm...I see...very well. I will permit you, on one condition," Kamado decided. "Adaman, you are to go with them to make sure they aren't up to anything shifty."
"Oh come on, what have they got to hide?" Adaman questioned.
"These Pokemon have been flying into frenzies ever since these two have shown up," Kamado brought up. "If they want to examine the tear in the sky, who knows what they could do to it?"
Before Aubrey could say anything, with Adaman sensing that Aubrey was about ready to belt Kamado one, quickly spoke up, "I see your reasoning, sir. I'll keep an eye on them both."
"Good. Rangers, report to Captain Cyllene for briefing. That is all." Kamado dismissed them, the group leaving his office. Once they were out of earshot, Adaman let out a sigh of relief.
"Whew..." He softly spoke.
"Sorry about that," Vanessa apologized to the two of them.
"Ugh, the nerve of that guy..." Aubrey grit her teeth.
"Hey look, I know you're upset that he keeps treating you like a criminal, but he has his reasons for suspecting someone from outside of Hisui," Adaman quickly explained. "And if he knew you had Key with you? He'd be even more wary that you're accomplices in something weird."
"True," Vanessa nodded in agreement. "Kinda why I am stockpiling supplies on the side in case he does go super paranoid and kicks us out. I have had that vibe since a couple of days ago."
"Since we got here?" Aubrey shook her head.
"No, since that dressing down he gave you when he had us come with him to greet the people who came into town," Vanessa corrected.
"Right..."
Adaman sighed. "Listen, to tell you the truth, all Kamado has on you is circumstances. There's no hard evidence to prove you're guilty of anything, and there's no hard evidence to prove you're innocent either. All I have is what I know of you helping me and the Pearl Clan out. It's also why I'm willing to tag along this time. I would like to see this rift myself. Maybe there'll be a clue nearby we're all overlooking."
"That's the plan, Adaman. I have my suspicions of the cause but I need to see it up close to verify," Vanessa responded.
"Now go on, get your debriefing from Cyllene. I'll be waiting outside and fill your friend in on what's happening," Adaman instructed. "Time's of the essence here. The sooner we get a lead on what's really going on, the better."
"Agreed." Vanessa gave him a nod of understanding as the two rangers headed inside the Survey Corps' room. Once inside Cyllene's office, Rei and Laventon were both there, as well as the commander herself.
"Rangers. Good you're here," Cyllene greeted. "Now we can go over the particulars of your next mission."
"The commander really wanted me to go on this one, but we already do great work as a team...glad we can keep it that way," Rei mused. "I've been getting really better at battling thanks to Captain Zisu, so I can hold my own now."
"Hey, that's great!" Aubrey complimented. "Hopefully we'll get to see that soon enough."
"Under friendly circumstances, I hope," Laventon agreed.
"Anyway..." Cyllene cleared her throat to call attention. "Your survey work will take you to the Coronet Highlands next. You'll be on the rift's doorstep. No telling what perils await you there...and I understand that you wish to go there specifically, Vanessa?"
"Correct. That rift caused Lord Arcanine to go into a frenzy, so it is confirmed that is the source of this problem. I hope that if we can get a good look at it that we can maybe figure out what is going on," Vanessa explained.
"We can safely confirm that's the case too, judging from the eyewitness reports of the lords' wardens that have been affected so far," Rei added.
"Indeed. Setting aside my personal feelings on the matter, this is no ordinary threat we're dealing with. You rangers are far from ordinary seeing how you've been thriving in Hisui so far," Cyllene noted. "Ergo, you're the best bet we have on resolving this problem."
"No kidding...we've dealt with extraordinary threats before. Another one is nothing for us," Aubrey agreed, sounding fired up now.
"You will need help from a particular individual in quelling Electrode's frenzy. You met him before this morning when summoned to the Galaxy Building. He is waiting for you at the training grounds." To Rei, she added, "Rei, you are to go with Professor Laventon and get set up at base camp in the Coronet Highlands. You will continue your duties once the rangers and their company arrive."
"Yes ma'am!" Rei saluted. "Come on, professor."
"I do hope we can find out more about this rift," Laventon remarked. "As dangerous as it sounds, the prospect of discovery is far too great for me to turn it away."
"Yeah. We will meet up with you at the Highlands, professor." To Cyllene, Vanessa added. "And we WILL get to the bottom of this."
"Whoever's responsible for this is getting nothing but a beatdown from me," Aubrey agreed, rolling her shoulders.
"Good. All I request is that when you do find the culprit, hit them once for me. I've grown quite fond of Hisui and our world. I would hate to see it brought to ruin by a sinister minded individual," Cyllene added.
"Oh that's the easy part." Aubrey smiled. "We'll move out!"
"That is all." Cyllene dismissed the group. The men went off to the Coronet Highlands first, leaving the ladies to head outside to meet with Key and Adaman. There was a third individual with them, with a light periwinkle haired man in Diamond Clan garb with red trim and a beanie like hat. They were speaking with Adaman, while Key remained quiet, arms folded and pensive.
"So how did you intend to discuss Electrode's problems without me?" The man asked Adaman. "I'm Electrode's mighty warden, after all. If anyone knows what to do, it's me."
"That...was me being in a rush," Adaman confided. "But there's no more to discuss. We already asked the rangers to quell Lord Electrode's frenzy."
The man would notice the rangers approaching. "And these are the rangers I've heard so much about?"
"Yes we are. I'm Vanessa and this is my partner Aubrey. And you are?" Vanessa would take her turn to ask.
"I'm Melli, the warden for Electrode," The man introduced himself. "With how Adaman and your kooky friend here was talking about you, I was expecting...well, not this."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Aubrey raised an eyebrow.
"The way Adaman described you gave me the impression you were as mighty as me, someone who could've tamed the Lady of the Ridge with one arm tied behind my back if prompted," Melli explained. "But Arezu went to you...curious."
"Oh come off it, Miss Ranger is an excellent trainer and excellent ranger!" Key spoke up, furrowing her eyebrows.
"Woah woah, no need to have murderous looks," Adaman quickly stepped in. "And listen, Melli. These rangers here are superb at what they've done so far. You're going to give them a fair chance, understand?"
Melli rolled his eyes. "Oh alright. But don't come crying to me if Electrode's power is too much to handle."
Vanessa had a brief look of realization and dread. 'Oh no...he's Jupiter's ancestor.' She thought to herself. "We can handle it. Electric-types are not that bad to deal with; a good Ground-type is always useful for them."
Melli then laughed. "Oh, if only it was that simple."
"Whaddya mean? Electrode's got a different typing here in Hisui?" Aubrey asked.
"Glad you asked! Because it does," Melli answered. "Electric/Grass is what you'll be facing down, so Ground-types won't solve all your problems."
"...Huh. I would not have guessed part Grass…" Vanessa conceded with a puzzled expression. "I would have guessed part Fire."
"You can see why I'm needed here, right?" Melli mused. "Anyway, Adaman and I will be off to meet you in the Highlands. Go get that tour guide Ingo from the Pearl Clan and meet us out there. Don't keep us waiting. Adaman hates wasting time."
"The only thing I hate more is how you make us look bad," Adaman groaned as the two would set off.
Key huffed. "How did a man like him become a warden?" She unfolded her arms, opting to have her smile return. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'm more concerned about your reputation here when it comes to getting the job done."
"He's related to Jupiter... of course he is that way. She always was a Condescending..." Vanessa facepalmed, really wanting to call Jupiter all sorts of colorful names.
"We'll humble him, don't you worry about it ladies," Aubrey comforted. "People like that come a dime a dozen. They only talk trash until they see what you're really made of. And once we do? That attitude's really gonna change."
"I certainly can't wait!" Key giggled. They were about to go to the training grounds when Ingo approached.
"I couldn't wait for much longer, so here I am," He greeted. "To properly introduce myself, I am Warden Ingo, in service to Sneasler. I will guide you to her domain. She'll be your ride up to Moonview Arena."
"Ingo, eh? Alright then, and Sneasler? Never heard of that one," Vanessa responded as they started to walk out of the village.
"Irida has told me all about you three, so Sneasler being new to you isn't that surprising," Ingo explained. "Sneasler is the evolved form of Hisuian Sneasler. Its typing you're probably more familiar with when it is a Croagunk."
"So Poison/Fighting...that's like the exact opposite of Weavile," Aubrey thought to herself.
"And how will Sneasler be helping us up to this arena?" Key then asked.
"Sneasler has the ability to scale cliffs that are otherwise impossible to climb. Approaching the arena normally will get you electrocuted in more ways than one," The warden continued. "That's why Sneasler is your best bet to get in without being noticed."
"Ah, the old 'come from an unexpected angle' trick. Gotcha." Vanessa liked the sound of this plan, seeing as she's done this kind of thing before with Aubrey.
"Whether she'll help you or not however, we can only find that out by making the journey," Ingo added. "Now let's have a safe journey to Mount Coronet! All aboard!"
Key giggled. "Charming. I can see why the Pearl Clan took you in."
With that being said, Ingo would be the one to lead the ladies out to the Coronet Highlands.
Once there, they would see Mt. Coronet looming above them, the rift ominously dominating the sky at the peak. Everything else, it was a lot less snowy and cold than in the present day.
"This area is more green…" Vanessa mused. "I like it."
"I've always wondered what it'd be like to live in the chilly northern regions before..." Key confided. "Of course, me being an islander I've never really known snow before."
"Oh, I've seen snow before. But that's more out in the field than at home," Aubrey spoke up. "Never been up to Wintown myself, but I know their leader Elita has a Skarmory just like me."
"And I have only been around Snowpoint," Vanessa added. "Been a life of sunshine for me in Sunyshore. Really, Alola could not have been a more happy assignment."
"That's wonderful," Key mused. "And then you've got me, a gal always on the move for her job."
"Oh yeah, how's that been going for you?"
"Well, I'm pretty much the gal to call upon whenever there's a new market that needs exploring. Can't wait to get my time off," The merchant mused. "Though I'll probably be making a killing at Poketopia with all the trainers there."
By the time they arrived, Rei and Laventon were already at base camp, and Adaman was with Melli waiting for their arrival.
"Ah, you're here! Good. Do we have a plan?" The Diamond Clan leader would ask.
"Yeah, we're gonna have to scale the cliffs to get up to Electrode," Aubrey informed. "Sneasler's gonna help us with that."
"Really? What are you, spies? Thieves? Some other third thing?" Melli wondered. "...Ah, suit yourselves. We coulda just gone in normally with me in front, but I guess it means I'll see what you rangers can actually do."
"Yeah you will…" Vanessa promised in a low voice.
"Regardless, welcome to the Coronet Highlands, ladies!" Laventon welcomed. "I expect you'll find all sorts of Rock and Ground-types wandering around these craggy, boulder-strewn heights." He turned to face the rift, as everyone looked up at it. "And there...right beneath that great rift is the peak of Mount Coronet itself!"
"I wonder why it's above Mount Coronet in the first place..." Melli put a hand to his chin.
"Could it be that the source of the space-time rift is connected to the mountain?" Adaman wondered.
"It very well is." Vanessa would start walking forward to get a better look at the rift.
"Ah, here!" Key would reach in her bag and hand Vanessa a pair of binoculars.
"Well then, Vanessa, how about you elaborate for all of us in the peanut gallery?" Melli suggested. "You do seem to be the brains between you two rangers."
Aubrey opted to hold her tongue, whispering to Laventon, "I'll be just a moment." She walked off as he nodded in understanding.
After taking a moment to study the rift through the binoculars, Vanessa would give an answer. "That Rift looks…VERY much like a portal to the Distortion World now that I can see it up close."
"The Distortion World?" Adaman raised an eyebrow.
"It's a...frankly chaotic mirror of the world we live in. It's ruled over by the most...disruptive and violent of Almighty Sinnoh's children. I know it as Giratina," Vanessa continued her explanation.
"Almighty Sinnoh has more than one child..." Adaman folded his arms. "And if it's up there on Mount Coronet, is that where this Giratina lays its head?"
"Mmm, not exactly. There's a place in the Cobalt Coastlands called Turnback Cave. It's more likely there," Key corrected.
"Then if that's the case, why isn't this rift centered around Turnback Cave?" Adaman then responded.
"I uh..." Key paused. "...Well, shoot. I dunno."
"Hmm…the only thing I can think of is trying to mess with the entrance to Almighty Sinnoh's realm, the Hall of Origins. You need a very specific instrument to get that entrance to show up at the very peak of the mountain. Giratina is known for being rather upset for being banished to another realm," Vanessa answered for Key.
"Then...could it be that this Giratina has a strong motive for lashing out at Almighty Sinnoh?" Adaman guessed.
"I would think so," Key seconded.
"That's all well and good, but I don't know if-" Melli would've said something sooner, but his train of thought was interrupted by the sound of a boulder being cracked. That was a result of Aubrey lashing out strong kicks at a tall boulder, shouting with each strike until the boulder partially shattered.
Vanessa blinked in surprise. "What the heck Brey?! Since when could you break boulders into pieces?!" She exclaimed in surprise.
"He called me dumb...and I took exception to that," Aubrey answered, stretching her leg.
Melli paused too, but then changed his train of thought. "Well, looks like I was spot on in her being the muscle between the rangers."
"You would be right there…" Vanessa sweatdropped.
Adaman looked at the boulder with folded arms. "Seems like she wasn't able to break the entire boulder into bits. There's only a chunk of it missing, see?"
"Yeah…still impressive though," Vanessa responded.
"Of course she is!" Key clasped her hands together with a bright smile. "She's amazing..."
"Alright, I got that out of my system. Are we gonna get a move on towards meeting Sneasler or not?" Aubrey asked, ready to go.
"Absolutely. This train's ready to leave the station!" Ingo announced with a bit of enthusiasm in his voice, but he couldn't place where it was from.
"Well that might prove that theory…" Vanessa commented to herself.
With Ingo guiding them, Adaman decided to strike up conversation as they went along.
"That Ingo's kinda like you from what Irida's told me," He remarked. "He showed up in a similar situation as you two, but without his memories. Is he from your world too?"
"We do know of AN Ingo. He and his brother run a facility known as the Battle Subway in Unova. He is certainly using terms like I would expect the Ingo we know too. He even has the hat and the coat...if roughed up."
"And that's the thing, we didn't get any report of him missing, because if we did, then our buddy from Unova would've told us something," Aubrey added.
"Hmm...there is one possible explanation as to why that is," Adaman confided. "He's probably from a different world than yours, but similar."
"Similar...like, different timelines?" Key wondered.
"Yeah. I've been thinking a lot about all this nonsense that's happened ever since the rift opened up. If you're from the land of Almighty Sinnoh, what other worlds are out there? Might even be more of you from different times," The leader continued. "Heck, the threat facing Hisui might even be different in another world."
"...What are you babbling about, Adaman?" Melli spoke up.
"Oh, I've got time to burn, just throwing stuff at the wall and trying to understand it." Adaman rolled his eyes.
"That…DOES make sense. Remember Anabel, partner?" Vanessa brought up to Aubrey.
"How could I not?" Aubrey mused. "Jumping off my Pokemon and diving down to catch...a very big Pokemon...man, that was a rush!"
"Okay, so is this Anabel like Ingo in his situation?" Melli mentioned.
"Yes. She was dragged into our world by something we call an Ultra Wormhole. A Pokemon from that Wormhole was chasing after her for a while before it stopped. These Pokemon which were coined as Ultra Beasts are attracted to those who fall out of the Ultra Wormholes. We call them Fallers. Ingo shows the signs of it from what I can see," Vanessa informed.
"We've had the 'fortune' of fighting Ultra Beasts before. They're not exactly any different from Pokemon in how they faint from eating enough hits," Aubrey added. "But that's the crazy thing - this rift? Nothing like an Ultra Wormhole."
"Then that means Ingo got here before this rift," Adaman realized. "Long before, in fact."
"So that confirms it - he's gotta be from a different timeline," Key mused.
"I must admit, Ada My Man, you're pretty quick on the draw with this stuff. Think you can pull a Buneary out of my hat next?" Melli joked.
"Wouldn't that be nice." Adaman opted to ignore the joke here.
"At least we can kinda confirm what's going on now, right?" Aubrey opted to look at the positives.
"Oh yes. It also means we now gotta find a way to get Ingo back home. Even if it's a different timeline I'm sure his brother misses him. though...that will be his choice. Anabel seems to be okay with her lot in life now," Vanessa added.
"You'd have to mention that with Irida...ah, here we are." Adaman noted that they had arrived at the base of Mt. Coronet.
"The Electrode known as the Lord of the Hollow is somewhat different from the Electrode I recall," Ingo confided. "But its electrical discharges are the same powerful ones I remember. Carelessness will put you in danger."
"We're familiar with danger, Ingo," Aubrey spoke confidently.
"Very well. I trust you've got both Pokemon who can resist electricity and nature itself," Ingo responded, then closed his eyes in thought. "...Rangers? It must be difficult being a Pokemon, don't you think? Especially one as irritable as Electrode."
"Huh... I guess it is reversed from the Electrode we know of. Those guys always have this happy look on its face…" Vanessa remarked on this oddity. And yeah I can see it being hard as a Pokemon at times."
"So true! It's a tough life for Pokemon and humans alike!" Melli agreed.
"Anyway...we just head through here, don't we?" Aubrey asked, referring to the cave in front of them.
"That's correct. This is the rail to Sneasler's domain," Ingo answered.
"Gotcha." Vanessa nodded. "Ah caves. Probably full of Zubat and Geodude."
The group would enter Wayward Cave, following Ingo's lead, and Melli decided to weigh in on the matter.
"Hmm, well let me tell you the great Melli's view on the situation," He said.
"Are you sure this isn't you playing Devil's Advocate?" Key spoke up.
"Of course not. The frenzy of our nobles is nothing more than a mark of Almighty Sinnoh's favor and protection," Melli said. "Why? Because it makes them stronger. Do I need to spell out why that's a good thing?"
"Buddy, as a lady who does a lot of fighting, you can be as strong as you want...but all that strength don't matter if you can't control or utilize it effectively," Aubrey countered.
"Alright then. If you're so good at directing that strength with control and effectiveness, show me," Melli suggested. "How about you rangers take on an Alpha Pokemon? I do recall there being a Crobat that fits the description nearby."
"If you can't, then I suggest you slink back to that village of yours than persist in this folly," Melli smirked.
Adaman gave a shrug. "Well you heard the man, ladies. An Alpha Crobat is in here, so you should be able to handle it."
"Wait. You're going to let him boss us around?" Aubrey put her hands on her hips. "But I-"
"Adaman spoke, didn't he?" Melli coyly added. "I'll wait here for your return."
"I do believe I know of the unexpected stop we're making. Follow me," Ingo requested. The gals reluctantly followed him, Adaman as well.
"Look, I know you wanna punch him..." Adaman began.
"Oh you have…no idea." Vanessa's hands clenched into fists.
"I have half a mind to smack him one myself," Key scowled.
"Well then, this is your perfect chance to 'smack him one'," Adaman mused. "You've taken on, what, three nobles by now? An Alpha Crobat should be nothing for your combined skills. If anything it'll probably get him to shut his mouth for a while."
"You want this yourself, don't you?" Vanessa questioned.
"If you have to ask, do I need to answer?" The clan leader quickly responded.
"Nah, not really," The Sinnoh native chuckled.
"Not only that, but Melli has a selfish outlook," Ingo added. "These frenzies cause the Pokemon themselves such suffering!"
"Tell me about it! Anyone who thinks I'm gonna turn my back on a suffering Pokemon has got another thing coming." Aubrey stood ready to go, all fired up.
"And I'd love nothing more than to whip up a whole humble pie and smash it in his face!" Key added with a giggle.
"Yeah, there's gonna be no problem here," Adaman remarked positively. "I'll stay out of this battle myself to avoid Melli accusing you of cheating. Ingo, I trust you'll do the same?"
"Of course. The tracks ahead will be perilous, but I pride myself on my safe driving," Ingo agreed.
Vanessa had a positive hum. "Well ladies, let's go!"
"Right behind ya!" Aubrey exclaimed.
"Away we go!" Key cheered, following after Ingo. They would note that Wayward Cave definitely looked dark, something the 'faller' took note of.
"The torches that light the way through this cave aren't lit. Who could've done this?" Ingo wondered.
"Guess that means we need to relight 'em. Van, you handle that as we go along," Aubrey instructed.
"Got it. Come on out, Quilava!" Vanessa would call Quilava out of his ball. "Can you light up any torches that have been put out?" Quilava would reply with what looked like a salute and light a torch as soon as he saw one.
"Thank you for that, rangers," Ingo smiled. "Myself and the clans will greatly appreciate this." It'd take them some time, but at a fork in the road Ingo would stop.
"Found 'em?" Aubrey asked.
"Yes. I detect an Alpha Crobat to our right," Ingo confirmed. "I doubt its presence will obstruct those as competent as yourselves."
"Then let's go." The older ranger had her Arc Styler in hand. "Hmm...Empathy might be my best bet for a Poke Assist."
"Raichu can assist if we need him!" Key chimed.
"We'll let you know if that's required." Aubrey would go ahead and take the lead going down the right. Sure enough, there was an Alpha Crobat flapping around, and once it spotted the heroines, it would let out a cry as it got ready for a battle.
"Ooh boy that is a big one." Vanessa stood ready. "Okay Quilava! Let's do this!"
"Empathy, stand by for Poke Assist!" Aubrey called out her Gardevoir, who blinked a few times before standing ready.
"Ready for action!" She said, and not a moment too soon as Alpha Crobat went straight for a Hyper Beam, something that everyone was able to get out of the way of.
"Okay, dude's going for the throat! Capture...ON!" Aubrey flicked out her Capture Disc as Empathy went for a Psychic to keep Alpha Crobat steady.
"Yeah, that was a close one. Quilava, give us a Flame Wheel if you can, buddy!" Vanessa started to loop with her own Capture Disc as Quilava went for the attack.
Both attacks would work, but Empathy was forced to release Alpha Crobat to catch Quilava before it fell into the water below their flying foe. Alpha Crobat would fly back over the water to give it the aerial advantage.
"Shoot, that's gonna make things harder for Quilava...any ideas?" Aubrey asked, avoiding an Air Slash.
"I'm not sure…" Vanessa would trail off from a familiar glow over Quilava. "Is it time!?"
"I do believe it is time!" Key mused. "And I have a suggestion...but I'll wait till this is done."
Through sheer grit, Quilava would evolve into Hisuian Typhlosion…though its appearance would be...quite different from what they were expecting. The fur on its back is a purplish-blue color that extends to the front of its neck, forming a collar pattern. On that collar, it had fire producing spots all around its neck, and the fire that was produced wisped up in magenta-red colors.
"Huh...Interesting." Vanessa was puzzled, not sure what to think at first. "Looks…supernatural... Waaaaaaaaait. Oooh I think we got a Ghost/Fire type." Vanessa would get confirmation from another Hyper Beam, this time not affecting Typhlosion at all. "...Yuup. Ghost Fire type. Ok Typhlosion! Give me your new move!
Typhlosion would send out a small barrage of the flames on its neck, an Infernal Parade. As a bonus, Alpha Crobat was inflicted with a burn!
"I was going to suggest hopping into the water to try and capture it from there. Burns only affect physical attacks!" Key added, Alpha Crobat firing off an unimpeded Air Slash at Vanessa and Typhlosion.
After diving to the side of the Air Slash and recovering with a roll, Vanessa asked, "Do you think that'd work?"
"Yeah, you can do it!" Aubrey encouraged. "You've got the fancy tech for it!"
"Okay Typhlosion, keep up the good work!" Vanessa would take her companions' suggestion and dive in the water. Not a moment too soon, as Crobat would try another Air Slash at her. Vanessa stayed under the water, starting to execute loops without much difficulty while Typhlosion kept up the assistance with another Infernal Parade, this one being more effective on the burned Crobat.
While this Crobat definitely had trouble staying down, the rangers would eventually tame Alpha Crobat, hearing that satisfying pop sound of a successful capture.
"Alright! Capture complete!" Aubrey cheered. Vanessa surfaced and breathed in.
"Whew!" She smiled.
"Did it help at all?" Key asked, helping Vanessa out of the water.
"Certainly made it easier to dodge," Vanessa chuckled. "Water was pretty refreshing too."
"I know when it comes to diving, if we need to recruit Pokemon to help us, Van's the one who handles that," Aubrey informed. "Her Styler lets her handle that better."
"Yup," Vanessa mused.
When the trio went back to Ingo, and by extension Adaman, the clan leader was impressed.
"See, I knew you could handle it!" Adaman smiled. "Melli already went ahead to the exit. Let's show 'em what you did."
"Yes, let's." Vanessa was more than ready to shut Melli up, and she had another way of making sure he'd shut up. "Right buddy?"
"Ty!" Typhlosion had a happy yet serene look as he said this.
"Oh, it was not that bad. My buddy here evolved, learned a new move, and I avoided all his wind based attacks by jumping in the water," Vanessa informed, referring to Typhlosion.
"And you didn't get bit by a Pokemon in the water there. Lucky you," The warden mused.
"Yeah, and in case you're not convinced yet of our worthiness..." Aubrey trailed off, looking at Vanessa.
"Well first off, the only thing I saw there was Barboach. And they are placid Pokemon to begin with, not to mention Whiscash, and then-" Before Vanessa could ream Melli out over Water-type Pokemon like the expert she was, her Arc Styler began ringing. "Wait what?" She held her watch in front of her as the guys would all watch on in curiosity.
"Rangers, how is your investigation going?" It was Arceus! Not that the Hisui natives noticed.
"Who is that?" Melli was taken by surprise by the technology.
"I go by many names, but you may call me...Kevin." It was clear to the ladies he was going undercover for them. "I serve as an envoy for Almighty Sinnoh, who has chosen these three to assist in a matter important to Him."
Vanessa, of course, wasn't too impressed with the name that Arceus took. Instead she opted to go along with this. "Riiiiight…Kevin...well, we have saved three of these noble Pokemon and befriended three great Pokemon. Soon to befriend a fourth."
"That's right. We were on our way to get Sneasler's help to quell the frenzy of Electrode," Aubrey added.
"Good, good. And I notice that you are in the presence of both those from the Diamond and Pearl clans," Arceus added. "I can assure you that Almighty Sinnoh has chosen these three personally for the task at hand. The rift you see above threatens the very bond of people and Pokemon from their time. These rangers were selected to discover the cause behind the rift and bring the one responsible to me."
"Wait, what about their plus one, Kevin?" Melli then brought up.
"She...made a very convincing argument," Arceus admitted after a pause.
"Turns out some humble cooking is all you need to sway a deity!" Key giggled.
"Yes yes, you can brag about your cooking later," Arceus quickly shut that down. "I can see you are busy, so I will call back when you have a more opportune moment. Until then, gentlemen, do know that these women are indeed worthy of saving the bond between people and Pokemon, as they have my full support and blessing."
Melli went quiet there for a moment. Almighty Sinnoh himself picked these two...so much for doubting them. Not only that, but catching an Alpha Crobat without much trouble? He hated to admit it, but...
"...Very well. I'll make sure they are able to help Electrode," He conceded.
"Good. I will call back later, rangers. Do not fail me, or Pokemon across time itself." Arceus repeated his instruction.
"We won't. You have our word on that," The devout ranger promised.
"You got my word I'm gonna bust this bad guy's nose!" Aubrey was more blunt in her vow.
"I will leave you to resume your investigation. DEUS VULT." With that last proclamation, Arceus hung up.
"Wow...that wrist doohickey is pretty impressive to get Almighty Sinnoh to talk with you!" Adaman beamed.
"Yeah it is. And that was Him," Vanessa snickered.
"Charming." Melli didn't buy that part, but bought the blessing from Almighty Sinnoh. "Well, I must be starting my own trek up to Moonview Arena. I will meet you ladies there. Tah-tah!" With that said, Melli would head off, leaving Ingo and Adaman with the trio.
"Well...he took that better than I expected," Adaman conceded.
"Just as well," Vanessa mused.
"Professor Laventon told me how you rangers fell from the sky in this land," Ingo commented. "For my part, I simply found myself here one day, in a region whose name I had never heard before. All I could remember was my own name, Ingo. I was still standing there in bafflement when the Pearl Clan came to my aid. I showed a natural affinity for taming Pokemon, which earned my title as warden." He paused. "There's...other things I remember. I had a partner dressed similarly to me, we battled together...we were like...brothers."
Vanessa looked on, concerned, not sure what to say. Neither was Aubrey, and Key could only offer a simple shoulder pat of sympathy. "I can't recall any of the finer details..." Ingo continued. "And I still wonder what my true purpose here is." He shook his head. "That's something I'll have to find on my own. We're almost at our destination. Shall we?"
"Of course," The Sinnoh native was ready to continue, as were her friends. Though advancing forward would come with its own unique set of challenges and setbacks, as they would soon learn.
(And that's the first actual chapter I've written in 2023! I'm not dead, everyone! If you want more content, check out my Deviantart, I write a lot of opinion pieces there, and stay tuned for more Hisuian adventures. Next time, we'll recruit Sneasler and make our way up to Moonview Arena! Hope you stick around for that!)