Hello, hello and welcome! Or welcome back!

I never quite know how to introduce these things. After a year and a half of new material what do you say to people, new and old? I suppose the number one thing is that I'm happy to introduce the newest chapter in the long-running Ancienverse! At the time of publication, it's been eight years since I started the series with Love in the Time of Teamwork. Now, here we are, set to embark upon a new journey with the Paldea Trilogy.

There's not much I can say at this juncture, and I'm sure you just want to get into this newest chapter. I can say this was a definite labor of love and I hope you enjoy seeing how the world has changed since Love in the Time of Temerity, or perhaps just seeing this world. More, however, at the bottom. Let's get rolling!

Author: Epicocity

Rating: T for violence and language

Pairing: Ash/Serena, maybe others

DISCLAIMER: Doing this again, huh? Don't own it.

Love in the Time of Treasure

Book One of the Paldea Trilogy

Book Eleven of the Ancienverse

Chapter 1

A Finding

"We're nearly there, professors!"

The thrum of the engine nearly overshadowed the words spoken, overridden only by the sounds of the rough terrain it traveled over.

Every bump and bruise was felt through the offroad vehicle, traveling over the mottled grass and mud towards its destination: a dirty white plane, sitting amidst a field of grass and surrounded by the lapping of ocean waves. Those, too, covered up the grunt from the man seated in the back. It was a sound of affirmation, if Sada knew her husband, but she was more focused on peering out the grimy windows of the vehicle. The low tide was beginning to rise, cutting off their current island destination from all access.

The car began to slow. The people waiting outside the plane became more visible, as did the Pokémon with them: a pair of Bisharp, vigilantly watching the horizon.

"He'll have the answers. We won't make this trip for naught," the man next to her said. Sada turned her head. Her ashen-blonde hair swayed with its curls as she beheld him, fiddling with his tablet as he put information in.

"Of course. We can't safely proceed until we know the specifics," she finally replied, reclining in the seat, and propping her legs against the chair in front of her. The driver winced. It didn't stop her from reaching in the pockets of her lab coat. Her fingers began to play with the Poké Ball inside, its energy sparking along her tips, right down to the picture nestled next to it. The car jolted again, causing her hand to retreat, and they began to slow, the plane now like a looming behemoth before them. "Let's get this done soon, Turo."

It was colder than she would have liked, but with it, she belied the urgency to see this through. Turo, taking a hand away from his poorly shaven beard, reached over to her. He never made contact, the car screeching to a halt. The second it did, Sada swung her legs around, and opened the door.

The pair were immediately greeted. "Professor Sada! Professor Turo! A pleasure to meet you at last!"

The voice was screaming, this time competing with the engine of the plane that was already prepared for liftoff. With Turo still emerging from the car, Sada took it upon herself to approach the man, dressed in black with the familiar golden insignia of the Pokémon League emblazoned on it. Near the plane, men wearing combat gear wore otherwise identical clothing, remaining at perfect attention. "I'm glad we were able to make it. Was afraid we'd miss the low tide crossing."

"Your usual calculations were impeccable, dear. There's no reason for modesty," Turo said, feet finally on the damp grass. No sooner had he closed the door than the pealing tires of the truck churned at dirt and tore off, back to the island crossing. "Is he on board, then?"

"Yes," the man replied. He turned back, a jerk of his head indicating they should follow him towards the plane. The closer they got, the louder it became, and their words started to war with the sounds of the engine. "You're lucky to have gotten this, even with your renown. I've heard Chairwoman Geeta had to pull some very heavy strings with Galar. Enough to open Paldea up to immediate review."

"That's not something we're concerned with, though Geeta and Clavell have our thanks," Turo said. He ran a hand through his hair, pausing as if to allow his wife to say something. She didn't pounce on the opportunity, too busy eying the surroundings. Some Wingull were flying far away, their calls echoing and distorted on the air. "Either way, a small escort, I see."

"You requested secrecy." The blunt comment drew Sada away from observing the horizon. Some black shapes flitted over the graying skies, and for a brief second, she thought she heard the eerie cry, similar to one that drew them here. It vanished on the wind, however, and she brought her mind back to the present, and the saluting quartet of League officers guarding the plane.

"For where we are in our research, secrecy is important. It's the reason we lock our research," Sada said, her pursed lips causing all her words to be terse. She fingered the Poké Ball again, sensing its nervousness. "You never know who may be after it."

"If you say so," the official said. He looked to have no interest, and began leading the pair up the ramp. The four guards followed, filing in behind the professors with their Pokémon. It gave Sada a chill down her spine, and she could admit that though the contingent was small, she was still surprised they needed four of them for just a single man. Starting to find it ridiculous, Sada snorted, and followed her husband's back as they emerged into the near-hollow space of the cargo plane before them. "Your visitors are here, chair-I mean, Rose."

At the mention of the man's name, Sada turned and looked to the shackled man, the only non-uniformed person there. Or he was wearing a uniform, but it was a different type, bearing more the orange that spoke to his years in prison. It hadn't done the rest of him well, either, the skin of his cheekbones gaunter than before, and his hair long grown out of the style it wore while he called himself chairman. On top of it, his hair was graying, betraying the jovial youth he once held.

None of that compared to his eyes, their once sparkling green now recessed into those of a man who had both seen much and lost their zest for life.

Soon as Sada beheld them, the ramp snapped shut, and the head of the squad departed for the front of the plane. A scraping was heard, and Turo seated himself close to Rose, studying him, but not speaking. Sada chose to do the same, her lips never loosening as the engine thrummed louder. Many looked to hold on to something as the plane began to lift into the air. No one said a thing.

Only when the images outside the window turned to crystal blue, and the island was left behind, did the leader step back in. He whispered something to one of the helmeted men, and he turned aside for the pilot's cabin, only the briefest of looks given back. "Clock's ticking, professors. This plane will make one loop over Paldea and Area Zero, then we have to deliver Rose to the prison there."

"We're aware," Turo said, waving the man off. He was disgruntled by the dismissal, but took it as the command to silence himself. The clock was ticking, after all, and as usual, her future-oriented husband wasted none of it. "Can you imagine why we asked to meet with you, Rose?"

Rose tilted his head up, quirking his brow as he took in both professors before him. For the briefest of moments, a chuckle laced his lips. "I can't truly fathom. I've been a piece off the board for a long time."

"Five years is hardly the longest of times," Sada snorted in return. "Your actions in Galar shaped much of the political landscape of the League."

"I'm surprised two mismatched professors delving deep into the central mysteries of the world would even be aware of that," Rose responded. The light danced in his eyes, as if this was the once chance for mirth and manipulation he'd had in some time. It had only been rumors, Sada was told, but his careful and callous maneuvering wasn't nearly as effective in prison; Galarians were not the happiest with their former chairman. "Last I heard was that the renowned Professors Sada and Turo, an unlikely pair if ever there was one, had no place on that stage."

"We keep ourselves aware."

"And it should also tell you why we're here," Turo said. He was far more blunt with the man. "Studying the past to shape the future. By any means."

"And what past are you studying?" Rose asked, sitting back now. His eyes went cold, the lines in his face now harder and harsher than ever they'd been. Black flitted by with blue, and outside the windows, Sada could see their region of Paldea fast approaching.

"Five years ago. The Darkest Day."

"What of it?" Something had shifted in Rose's tone, offering a darker and more serious permutation of it. There was intrigue and, for the briefest of flashes, worry. "That was averted."

"Oh, we're aware," Sada said, now finding herself a seat so she could be level with Rose. He met her gaze, and the professors and former chairman were officially cut off from the world around them. "Your actions gave rise to a Dynamax crisis unlike anything ever seen in living memory. It was no different than the Day of Stars, well over a decade ago."

"We thought them mere coincidence, at first, given we were still in the fledgling stages of our research, but now, we're ever closer to a confirmable hypothesis," Turo said, turning his tablet around to produce images. Rose looked at them, the old drawings displayed on them meaning nothing. Sada could see it in his eyes. "Dynamax was made possible from Wishing Stars, but what were Wishing Stars?"

"Pieces of a beast well beyond my control."

"Crystalline fragments of said beast. Those that reacted to a greater power."

"And on that day, Area Zero reacted, too," Sada said, causing Rose's eyes to widen just a fraction. "There's a connection, something linking everything there. And thus, our study of the past."

Rose remained silent, looking at the pictures, but understanding little. He flitted his gaze between the two, and then spoke, his voice now hoarse and drained of life. "What is it you want from me?"

"You instigated the Darkest Day, studied Eternatus in a way no other did." Sada inched closer. "What happened that day that could have affected Paldea? Any smallest detail. Anything that could prove a connection between our past, present and future to spawn such beasts. Such defenses."

"Defenses? I honestly have no idea what you're…" Rose trailed off, his face turning to the side, eyes now unblinking out of the window. Sada followed, only to see the thick clouds covering the Great Crater of Paldea. "Unless you mean…the portals…"

"Portals?" Turo snapped his gaze up, meeting that of his wife. It sounded scarily familiar, and yet horrifyingly unknown at the same time. "What portals? Leading to where?"

"I couldn't say. It's not like we entered them. Galar was on the cusp of destruction."

"The past? The future? Did you see anything in them?!" Turo's words were frantic, a desperation and madness overtaking him; the same that had possessed them for years. Sometimes, Sada wasn't even sure if it was from curiosity or a fear that gripped the soul.

Still, she shared it, and she spoke it. "Rose, exactly when did these portals appear?"

"I don't…know… We didn't study it. We…"

Another shadow appeared outside, and this time, Sada's eyes narrowed. She stepped away, keeping one eye on Rose as he appeared to be deliberating with himself. A low cry could be heard, and an increasingly louder whine. Turo tried to pull Rose back to the present, but was unsuccessful. Another shape, this one larger and closer than before, passed over. Sada swallowed.

"But did you log it?" she whispered. No one heard her, and she felt that same fear mounting. She cleared her throat. "Rose, did you log it? Did someone record the phenomenon?"

"I'd imagine," Rose said, shaking his head with such minute movements, his eyes were becoming a blur. "It was hardly a hidden phenomenon."

"Honey, the research. We need to-"

BOOM!

The glass of the windows shattered. Metal chunks flew everywhere. The heat of an explosion ripped through the hull of the plane. Sada felt her body thrown backwards before she could even think about it, slamming against one of the walls of the plane. An immediate draft, which was more akin to a gigantic gale, shuddered through the open space. The plane tilted.

"AH!" Rose's sharp cry was heard, and his body was jerked back, flying towards the tail of the plane. It slammed against some cargo, only for Turo to then land atop him, shouting.

"Turo!" Sada shouted, only to gasp. She felt for her side, and when her hand pulled away, fresh blood was there, along with a jagged piece of metal. In an instant, her vision started to go blurry. Her husband's voice called for her, but it simply swam within her ears. Gritting her teeth and baring her fangs, Sada wrenched the piece of metal out, only to be met by a wave of new pain that forced her eyes into a squint.

When she opened them, she was met with horror.

A group of black drones were floating in the air outside the plane, each armed with a missile. Around them, too, were a horde of Wingull, their eyes red and lifeless. Sada stumbled forward. "Captain!"

Her cry was utterly short lived, for looking down revealed that a body was lying on the edge of a great fissure that ran through the plane's body. The door to the captain's cabin was swung open, another body slumped over the controls with shattered glass. That took a second to register.

"Brace."

It was a simple and effective command. One distorted and with a plan behind it.

Boots tamped down, and the blades of Bisharp impaled the sides of the plane, holding all four of the guards in place. A horrific wrenching noise was heard, and as the wind pushed Sada's body back against the remaining walls of the plane, the air stolen from her lungs, she watched the front half of the plane beginning to tear away. Piece by horrific, grinding piece saw it shear into a heat of nothingness. The body at the edge, belonging to the man in charge, started to fall out of the plane, towards the depths of the crater they were about to enter a freefall over.

Worse was the plane tipping forward, threatening to throw them all out.

Not wishing for that untimely end, Sada snapped her hand out to grab on to straps. It tore at her wound, but she was able to brace herself, just in time for the final tearing and the great gust of wind that sent them all flapping through the air.

"Secure the target."

"Sir." The men moved without issue. They let go of their Bisharp and fell, straight towards where Turo and Rose were attempting to recover. The front half of the plane was nearly gone.

"Who…who are you…?" Sada breathed out, barely able to contain the hiss through her lips. The leader, the sole member that remained behind, turned their head. They peered at them, head tilted, and then started to laugh. The men were almost at Rose's position. "What do you…you want…?"

"Ah, professor. What we want doesn't matter." they said, now walking forward under their strength. They were unfettered, their strides that of one so wholly consumed with a mission that nothing else mattered. "All that matters is what we've come for."

"Our…research…?" Sada could barely manage her breaths, her orange top now stained red. The leader didn't reply, and nor could she see their expression. They merely straightened, and with an unneeded flourish, tore away the insignia on their breast to reveal the bright insignia of an eye beneath. "Ph-phanto-"

They kicked at Sada, and her air left her lungs completely, sending her flying back towards her husband. She tumbled into him, and the tablet was jettisoned from his hands. The final creak was heard, and through the pained vision, only half the plane remained, spiraling downwards with speed to the depths of all Paldea. At that, the leader stepped forward and picked up the tablet, red words flashing on it: PROTECTION PROTOCOL ACTIVATED. RESEARCH LOCKED.

"Ugh…now why would you do that?" the leader said, shaking their head as they tossed it straight back at Turo. "Another method it will have to be. Grab the chairman."

"What do you want from…from me…?" Rose said, each word a gasp. His hair trailed down, obscuring his eyes, but it didn't last long before one of the assailants wrenched him up. "I know nothing."

"You know about the Darkest Day. About the anchor. I only have a few questions, and then you can fulfill the role you have here. Presuming we all survive, of course," the leader said, jerking their head. It was another silent command, one Sada didn't want to witness. One she wouldn't let them heed.

"S-Sada…" Turo's own coughs revealed to her several lacerations across his suit, even with the dark fabric hiding the blood. He tried to reach for her, and she for him. In that moment, they went unnoticed, one of the men stepping up to the leader.

"What now, sir? We won't get another chance to explore Area Zero."

"It's worthless without the professors' research. We can't access what we need before we're rejected," the leader said. "And the drones are only at fifty percent capacity. Our patchwork cobbling of their designs matches nothing of IDEAL's original work, and the Pokémon control system is nothing compared to what that man was capable of."

"What then?"

"Continue the plan. We'll find alternate means. This has been too long in the making."

Oblivious to the couple, Sada saw her opportunity, watching the men converse. The pair of guards remaining were dragging Rose forward, caring not for the wounded professors at their feet. With slow movements, Sada reached back into her pockets, trying to hold the Poké Ball resting there. She dragged it out, the picture coming with it until it was caught by a slipstream. Her lips began to form a whisper.

"I know you…don't want to…" she tried to say, careful to not let her voice rise too high. "But please…you need to…help us…get home…

"Fight."

Sada pressed the button on the Poké Ball and, from within, felt the emergence of great energy. A creature roared forth, red in scales and with long, flowing antenna. It screamed, its giant claws tearing forth for the quartet of men. Before they could react, two were slashed across and were sent flying out of the plane. The third one's Bisharp intercepted the blow, sending them skidding back, but dislodging Rose from their hold.

The leader remained unconcerned.

"Well, that was unexpected."

"KORRRRRAAAA!" the creature roared out. Its cry came like crystals on the air. There was enough force that the third member was pushed back, to the edge of the freefalling plane. With a whip on the wind, he was sent stumbling back, and Rose fell against the wall. The creature turned on the leader, but they only chuckled.

"Holding on to something that powerful. Things out of the past truly are a greater threat than most believe," they said. Stepping back, they took off their helmet, the wind whisking their long hair, covering all features but the smirk on their lips. "But then, I fear the future far more. Don't you, professor?"

Sada's eyes widened, taking in the appearance of the leader for only a second before a greater screech overrode all emotion.

"AGGGIIIIAAAA!"

The shadow flew up, tearing through another chunk of the plane, its purple scales rippling with power. The red-scaled creature balked, inching backwards at the sight, scared to fight. The renewed gust sent Turo's tablet falling, and the picture nearby was caught on the wind. Sada attempted to grab it, hoping to hold it tight, but it was caught by far defter hands.

"Such an adorable picture," the leader said, their voice still distorted, but cracking in and out. "He looks like you. A most precious…treasure."

"No…!" Sada hissed again, attempting to move, only to freeze at the smirk before the leader let go of the picture.

"But that's for another time. Chairman, I believe we have a date with destiny."

"Destiny…?" Rose's question couldn't be answered. The purple-scaled beast was wheeling around through the air again, shooting for the plane. The other one leapt forward, too, climbing up the skies to crash with it. They met, just for a second, and suddenly the energy burst forth. Fire spread through the remains. The leader jumped, but their fate, and that of Rose's, was unknown in the ensuing explosion.

"Korai…" Sada tried to call out, but her voice failed her. Her husband's arm fell limply. The last remaining piece of the plane they were on was blown further down, careening into the deep crater. Sada tried to stand, tried to see anything, but could not. She could only see the two creatures clashing, wheeling about in midair. A thrill of hope was there. That maybe they could come out the victor and be saved.

And that hope died, Sada's vision going dark as the caverns deep in the crater approached.

For as their own companion struck forward, their primitive body missed the mark. The coiled, purple claw shot out, tearing against the tread-like protrusions. The pained cry echoed, the creature tossed far aside on the winds by a force greater than it, well out of Sada's visions.

And then the eyes turned towards them, angling for them.

"Loc…localized protection…pro-protocol, activate," Turo said. It was the last desperate cry of a man who knew they had reached the end. "Sada. I lov-"

The plane crashed into crystal, rupturing across the area like a great quake. Sada's body was thrown from the wreckage, one which burst into flames. She hit the jagged ground, rolling across it before she came to a stop, flat on her stomach and staring at the burning wreckage, reflected across crystal dust.

"T-Turo…" she tried to gasp out. There was too much pain, but she grabbed forward, hoping to drag herself to her husband. Nothing else could be seen. No people. No Pokémon.

No survivors.

But she did see the tablet, and beginning to burn across it was the photo. The one of happier times. The one she and her husband had to see again, no matter the sacrifice.

Sada reached for it, her fingers brushing the tablet and activating a recording…or communication. She didn't know or care which. She only cared for the picture of her, Turo, the young boy and his Maschiff. Even as it turned to ash, she held it tight, heedless of the shadow looming closer.

"Arven…" she croaked out. "I hope you're well. Please be well. We want to see you again. We want to-" She sucked in a breath. "Be careful, Arven. Tell the League to be careful. Tell them…the Phantom is here. You need to know. But most of all, you need to know…we need to see you again. We need to tell you that we lo-"

A cry echoed. And a screech, causing Sada to turn around.

Then, all went silent. What followed was a secret only the crystal could tell.

"Nope, this doesn't match the picture at all."

Light reflected off the damp cave walls, searching for an image to match against. Rotating and panning, the phone screen briefly blinded its holder, and she scrambled to gain purchase, gripping a nearby rock. The surface beneath her feet was slick, and she nearly lost balance, only for the phone to resist inertia, providing her just enough to get back to standing position. The action made the owner sigh.

"Further in, maybe?" she said. Her fingers trailed upwards, playing with some of the apps on the phone. "Rotom, can you scan for any passages deeper in the cave. Preferably those with little Pokémon activity."

"Scanning now, Miss Juliana," the professional droning said. The girl, one Juliana, rolled her eyes and puffed her cheeks, causing her braid to sway in the very faint draft. After an agonizing moment, the phone at last chimed. "Detecting draft further in. Caution, air is stale."

"Yeah, that's fine." She swiped across the screen, muting the app she had chosen and instead defaulted to the flashlight that shined across the depths of the cavern. "Let's see what you're hiding."

Careful to not slip again, Juliana hitched her bag higher, the multitude of snacks and books inside it bouncing with the action and clinking against a crystalline orb with an echo. The accessories adorning it, from a Poké Ball to the memorabilia of a woman only seven years her senior, jumped up with it, but were otherwise unaffected by Juliana setting off on a trot.

Cries echoed off the stone walls, with Juliana sliding her vision back and forth to make sure she didn't run afoul of a Diglett here, or disturb the nest of a Yungoos, there. More than that, though, she kept her eyes out for the one Pokémon she knew would probably be waiting for her somewhere in the caverns. No matter how deep or shallow she went, he always tended to show up.

"Yungas!" The sudden cry of the nearby Yungoos drew her away from the brief reveries, and she skipped over it, uttering a soft apology. She twirled, nimble on her feet, and Juliana tamped her hat down as she approached the crossroad of passages leading to the depths of the cave.

"Now, let's see…" Juliana brought the picture up again, carefully comparing any potential matches with the passages, but finding nothing. "Ugh, Penny…what kind of information are you feeding me here? Spend time abroad and you lose your touch…"

"Quax?" The cry would have startled her, or made her trip, but the soft presence on top of her head caused Juliana to instead lift the brim of her hat and stare up at the small Pokémon that had joined her.

"Finally found me, huh? Where've you been off exploring? Didn't run afoul of any of those Houndour, I hope." Without thinking, Juliana reached up and patted the soft feathers of the Pokémon she knew had joined her. Waiting no longer, the girl extended her other arm and grabbed the duckling from atop her head to stare down at him. "How've you been, Quaxly?"

"Qua qua!" Quaxly posed in her hands, his pompadour standing high, and the pride with which he held himself more than evident. He was an explorer, with no doubt about it, taking strength in that solitude. And to that, Juliana found herself an excellent guide through the beachside cave. Assured that Quaxly was doing as well as ever, she placed him down, only for him to continue staring at her. "Quaxly quax?"

"Just some more exploring, as usual. I think I might be close to that mural. What do you think?" Juliana turned the phone around, providing its image to the duck. He looked confused at first, and twitched a bit at the sound of some falling stones, but soon focused on the image. He danced in place, turning first to one cavern and then back to the image, and then to another.

It didn't take long for Juliana to begin finding the situation hopeless, a groan rising to her lips.

Then, Quaxly gave a cry. "Qua quax!"

He didn't wait, his light feet padding forward towards one of the passages, looking like no more than a crack in the wall. His wings beckoned her on, ever a guide to help her reach whatever she was searching for. Juliana hesitated a moment, but soon shrugged and stowed her phone away to follow.

The cave went dark, save for the shafts of sunlight that pierced through the vine-covered surface, illuminating some of the moss on the pillars supporting the place. It glittered on the pools deep within, reflecting the light on the walls that danced and provided just enough to navigate by. Having Quaxly lead the way only made it easier, and Juliana soon reached the narrow passage, turning her body to the side and allowing herself to slide through. Her slim form, kept trim through her days of exploring, proved to be an asset. Soon, she was on the other side, only a few snagged brunette hairs the victim of the tight space.

"Quax qua quax!" The declaration was rather triumphant, the white feathers sticking out to gesture to something before the pair of human and Pokémon. Juliana slowed herself to a stop, whipping her phone out again to cast light on what was carved into the walls. Quaxly had reason to be triumphant.

"Good job, Quaxly. Eat up." Without tearing her eyes away from the mural, Juliana dug into her bag. Her hand brushed against a cool orb before she pulled out a small bag of Oran Berries. She tossed it his way and with joy on his face, he snatched the bag and began to munch away, his little feet kicking up and down in the air. Juliana ignored it, her hand touching to the mural before her.

"Old…but how old?" she muttered. Her phone began to snap shots, floating alongside her head as she walked. "Are we talking first expedition old? Or older? They definitely can't be recent."

A sudden cry made Quaxly perk up, the sound echoing across the cave walls. A response was given, akin to a Houndour's growling, but when nothing followed, he returned to his snack. Juliana only spared it the briefest moment of attention before looking closer at the pictures on the surface of the mural, another hand pulling out a book made of loose sheaves of paper. She quickly compared the notes, scrawled in the faded handwriting of her mother, to the images in front of her.

"Definitely older. Maybe the cave was used as a refuge back in the day. It's certainly one of the farthest points from the crater," Juliana mused. Each engraved image sparked further curiosity, though most of the details were banal or ancillary to the real question she was digging at. There were some of a giant flower, and a blast that had rocked Paldea in ages past, driving people away from the center. All that was known history, and to Juliana, something to be discarded, no matter how fascinated she knew Miss Raifort would be.

No, the longer she stretched her hand along, the more interested she became in the images further down the mural. First came ones of protective vines, grown thorny as they approached the heavens in the shape of an unknown figure, but they faded into dust for the more intriguing etches. Particularly, Juliana was more entranced by those that depicted crystal, something mentioned at the very core of the research documents in her hand. They were clearer images, too, less warped by the time they'd spent being weathered by the ages.

These, unlike the violence depicted earlier, were more of an eerie nature. The pictures became almost hexagonal, as though it was a crystal plague sweeping across the region, with the caves as the deepest point of refuge. Curiously enough were the recurring symbols within, one that made Juliana enter her bag again and pull out the heavy black orb, beset with a similar hexagonal symbol, almost like a shining crystal light.

"Terastallization… What mysteries did they know? And did they ever see this mural?" Doubt over her last question was hard to shake, especially when she got to the last, and most messily etched, image in the mural. This one was harder to make out, causing Juliana to bend low in closer examination. The soft presence at her side showed that Quaxly had joined her. He couldn't make much sense of the final image, either, but Juliana scrutinized it all the same. "A giant? But not quite Dynamax. That wouldn't make sense. Definitely something larger, though… Wonder what the connection is."

Without realizing, Juliana pulled out a piece of a sandwich, beginning to munch on it with furious abandon as she flipped through the notes. There was nothing about giants, but the further she looked, the more she realized a talk of crystal vines. With a squint, Juliana thought it possible that she was seeing exactly that: crystalline vines attached to the giants, feeding them the power of Terastallization. In some cases, it looked to change their form; in others, it just made them large.

There was no consistency, and to that, Juliana gave a groan.

"Another dead end. Just great!"

"Quax quax." Quaxly folded his wings, mimicking her. He couldn't have possibly understood her frustration, but Juliana appreciated the show of it all the same. She snapped the research documents shut.

Maybe someone at the Academy would have the answers. Miss Raifort? Or Penny, if she's not busy feeding me bogus information, Juliana savagely thought. Her gaze trended up to the small pinpricks of light, already thinking about getting out of there. She made to stand, packing in her exploration for the day.

Then the whole earth shook.

Rocks tumbled into the cave, and a crack suddenly ran along the length of the mural before them. A pillar nearby snapped, and Juliana looked down to her feet. The stone was breaking apart where she stood, slipping towards the jagged pool near the bottom of the cavern. With only a split second to react, Juliana began to spin her arms around, hoping to grab something, anything.

There was nothing to grab on to, and she began to fall as the roof caved through, revealing greater light. It enveloped her, and a sharp whimper revealed it had also cast a light on some resting Houndour, clearly not all that happy about being disturbed. That was made worse by their waking eyes only glimpsing her, mid-fall, with nothing to protect herself with.

Talk about stuck between a rock and a fireball… she thought with no small ounce of bitterness.

"Hooouuurrrruf!" The sharp bark received a very quick response, and the group of Houndour leapt forward, finding the collapsing floor to be no issue for their own quick-footed selves. Juliana cursed in her mind, finding no way out but a very long drop. One of the Houndour skidded on the breaking floor, a fire forming at its maw. The rumbling continued.

"Quax!" The water was short, a quick blast from the beak of the duckling that was floating just above the floor. It struck Houndour in the face, causing it to snap its jaw shut and glare venomously at who had interrupted it.

"Nice one, Quaxly," Juliana said. She would have given him a thumbs up, but she was too late, her one second of breathing those words costing her. The Houndour began barking, their sounds starting to overshadow the cracking and crumbling of the cave. She couldn't focus on them, her bag weighing on her back and beginning to drag her down with greater speed than she could have anticipated.

Worse yet was the rock above coming loose from its snarl of vines. It fell straight for her.

"Quaquaxly!" Quaxly called, leaping off the disintegrating ground towards her. He tackled her in the chest, though it did little but force her down faster. Or that was what she thought until he turned his body around and planted himself there, beak aimed right for the falling rock. "Quaaaaxlyyyy!"

The water gushed out in force, striking the boulder. It held it off for a moment, forming seams within the rock that could be broken with a push. Juliana wasn't in a position to push, and was finding that the pressure was instead pushing her towards the stalagmites faster than she would have liked.

That, and the incredibly narrow, rough walls that would likely chew her apart before she even got to them.

So, she thought fast.

"Quaxly, Wing Attack on those walls. You need to slow us!" It was a suggestion, and not one she necessarily expected to be heeded, but Quaxly took immediate note. Ignoring the barks that echoed in communication, the duckling bounced across Juliana's chest and his wing glowed a blinding white. It struck out, grating at the walls and turning it to gravel. That gravel tangled itself up in Juliana's hair, while her eyes watched the fractured boulder getting closer and closer. She briefly flitted her eyes down to the side, and that was where she saw it: the narrow passage that could save them.

Running out of room, Juliana took hold of Quaxly with one hand, the duck now becoming confused as the light faded from his wing. Instead, she stuck her own "wing" out, her fingers clasping the edge of the passage's ceiling. The momentum jerked her body, and she swung in, her lithe form barely fitting into the crevice. A whoosh outside told her that the boulder had passed harmlessly, splashing and breaking into the water below. Juliana breathed in relief.

Then her body slid down, caught in a now-guided freefall. This time, both her hands clasped around Quaxly, her voice caught in a sudden scream as the floor turned to a slide, sending her to parts of the cavern unknown.

Each twist and turn of the tunnel bumped against her body, and Quaxly's furious squawking could be heard in her ear, though she had no chance to stop. Not until she saw a light fast approaching, one brighter than the rest of the cavern up to that point. Juliana braced, unable to properly ascertain what was waiting for her. She tried to rein her limbs in with little success, and with one final scream, she shot out of the tube.

Quaxly was dislodged from her arms, the small Water type bouncing along moss and grass until he struck a pillar and slid down it, groaning. Juliana didn't fare much better, herself unable to become stable and instead falling forward and rolling until the friction of the open cavern managed to stop her. None of it stopped her head from pounding, a fact made worse by all the light that stung at her eyes.

"Well, that's a fine how-do-you-do…" she grunted out. Her hands pushed against the ground, finding her fingers knitting themselves with the grass. "Quaxly, you okay?"

"Quaaaax…" came the disoriented mumble. It was enough for Juliana to deem him just fine.

It was the next noise that gave her pause, however. "Guroh…"

The guttural noise made Juliana instantly stumble to her feet. Her head pounded, causing her to sway, but the sudden adrenaline and fear that rushed through her was more than enough to get her turning every which way to discover where the source of the noise was. At first, it was just a blur of open passageways, combined with the large hole in the ceiling above. Then, upon focusing all her efforts at that hole, she trailed downward to the sight of just what had crashed through it, its body having cratered in the floor.

"Is it…a Pokémon…?" Juliana whispered without meaning to. The creature must have heard it, though, as it whimpered, giving her yet another start. Its head raised, and its eyes were unfocused, becoming dimmer as the light overhead shifted from that of sunlight to a nascent moonlight. Juliana crept closer. "Are you…okay?"

"Quax?" Quaxly's recovery was noted, but he remained just as on edge as her, the pair of them approaching the creature.

Within the dying light, very little was fully visible, but there were enough distinct features to make out. Its brightly colored plumage were the first notable thing, leading like a crest to its dark chest that looked like a tire. The red scales stood out the most, as if they were a beacon of flame in the dark cavern. As Juliana approached, the creature whimpered again, but never did its eyes leave her.

One step on the grass, and suddenly it hissed, drawing back to its hindlegs. The action made Juliana put a hand out, as if to reassure it she wasn't here to harm it. Or more like she didn't want it to harm her. As she did so, she snuck her phone back out, bringing the Pokédex function up.

"No data available."

"Kurrroh!" the creature roared. Its distress at the phone was evident and Juliana grabbed it, shoving it in her back pocket before the creature could do worse than roar.

"Unregistered Pokémon, huh?" she said, swallowing down the lump of fear in her throat and inching forward. Some of the Houndour barks could still be heard, some closer than others, but Juliana kept staring into the eyes of the creature, all while her hand searched for something, anything, that could spare her. "You look like a Cyclizar. But nothing I've ever seen. Where did you come from?"

"Rohhh…" The short whimper made Juliana stop, the moonlight shifting overhead to now reveal more details. It was hard to make out at first, but there was a definite sharp wound near its torso, healing but still raw. Her hand now shifted to looking for healing berries, only to find the flap of her bag was open; they had fallen out.

"Quax quax," Quaxly said, flapping forward without warning. Juliana wanted to shout one, but he was quicker than that, revealing within his wing one of the remaining Oran Berries she had given him. She found herself nodding, especially as the creature leaned forward to sniff the berry.

"It's good. It'll help," Juliana assured it, trying but failing to form a smile. The creature sniffed further, eyes lingering on her. A second passed, and it lunged forward, consuming the berry in one bite. They could feel relief again. "Now, mind if I take a look at that wound? Wouldn't do to-"

"KORRAI!"

Juliana and Quaxly stepped back in tandem, the creature standing on its hindlegs with its great roar. She held both hands up and Quaxly mimicked her, ready to cross them for defense or flee if the creature attacked.

They needn't have worried, for as soon as the roar faded, they heard something else: the padding of paws. Something heavy.

"Hound…" The wicked snarling rolled into Juliana's ears, and she turned towards the tunnel from which it came. It didn't take long for the form to stalk out of the shadows, dark and sinister, its mouth wreathed with flames that it longed to lick. Flanking it were other black shapes, those of the recognizable Houndour from before. Only this one wasn't a Houndour, but a Houndoom, stalking its prey before the inevitable kill.

"Great, just what we needed…" Juliana said, earning a nod from Quaxly. Behind them, the creature was roaring again, attempting to stand. That didn't last. Soon as Houndoom barked, the creature whimpered, almost curling in on itself from fear. For a big guy, he's not very confident…

"Hound!" The bark was a sudden order, one Juliana was ill-prepared for. The Houndour shot forward, racing in a formation for all three of them while their leader slowly approached.

"Can't take that thing head on," Juliana muttered, searching for any way out of the situation. There wasn't a clear one, a path to any of the tunnels blocked by the formation of Houndour, pinning them in for their great leader. "We'd need a wide sweep, maybe?"

"Quaxly!" The duckling balled his wings, prepared for a fight, no matter how outmatched they were. Juliana's lips twitched. That wouldn't be enough. Not for this. She scanned with all the speed she could, the dark of the cavern concealing their opponents until the moon passed over, shining a light on a worn away pillar.

"Got it," Juliana whispered, all while bringing herself to stand straighter. "Quaxly, take to the air."

"Quax!"

"Hound! Doom!" She doubted that Houndoom guessed at their plan, but the sudden shout and movement of the duck springing to the air must have been enough to warn it. The dog leapt in, bright orange flames illuminating the grass before them. It opened wide and the torrent of flame lashed out.

"Match it with Water Gun!" Quaxly's chest puffed and then sent the blast of water flowing straight from his beak. It matched the Flamethrower, though was hardly equal in strength. Juliana dove to the side, the flames missing her as hot steam covered the cavern. The effect caused her to lose sight of Quaxly, her skin rippling with the heat. Still, she turned over and sent her voice high. "Hit that pillar with Wing Attack! Weaken it!"

"Quax!" Quaxly's confirmation was the only thing she needed. She flipped forward, getting herself back to her feet. The sound of the wing striking the weak part of the pillar could be heard, alongside the confused barking. Houndoom's footfalls weren't so quiet, though, and it made Juliana back up, right into the mysterious creature, whose eyes shone in the darkness.

"Don't worry, you're fine," Juliana assured him, patting his scaly head. He blinked a couple times, the steam clearing around them. It revealed a less than pleasant sight: Houndoom streaking through the air, its jaw open with another burgeoning flame. "Quaxly, Water Gun, now!"

She hoped the timing was just right, even if it would lead to a just as nasty situation. The calculations ran through her head, her body and mind bracing for whether Houndoom was just too fast or if Quaxly could succeed. No amount of exploration and running had prepared her for this.

"Leeeee!" Quaxly's great cry was met with an equally great expulsion of water from his beak, striking the pillar. The rush of its torrent covered up anything else, only attracting a few of the Houndour's attention. Houndoom remained unfettered, the flame fully formed.

Then Juliana heard it: the crack and groan.

This time, Houndoom turned its head, and its eyes widened. It fell straight down, just as the pillar did the same, coming to crash on top of it. The Dark and Fire type skidded to a stop, though just for a moment. With all manner of alacrity, Houndoom jumped back right before the stone pillar could crack its horns off. A growl escaped its lips, the flames once more reforming, though its pack of Houndour were more than rattled. Juliana didn't blame them, already running down the list of bad options while Quaxly returned to her shoulder.

Houndoom placed another paw forward, snarling.

"Out of options… Don't suppose you have a better idea," Juliana said, looking to the duckling. He shook his head. A straight fight was about all that was left. Quaxly prepared himself, and with a grimace at the unfortunate nature of being pulled into this situation, Juliana did the same.

Another paw stepped forth, burning the grass beneath it to ash. The heat in its mouth could be felt. Juliana swallowed and closed her eyes, mustering up the voice for one fruitless command.

The words never made it out, though, as she felt a second shuddering right behind her and soft heat forming. She made to turn, but saw little. She only saw the roar, and a mighty claw blazing with a crystal light. Grabbing Quaxly, she dove to the side.

"KORRRAI!" The cry reverberated across the walls. Houndoom pulled to a stop, but Juliana only knew it by sound. She had shut her eyes, only receiving a sliver of a glimpse from beneath her lids. It was too difficult to make out anything, though, save for a bright beam of crystal that shot across the cavern, eclipsing it in light. Houndoom and its pack were engulfed in the light, one that broke into a wall on the other side, another quake visiting them. Juliana remained face down, unable to see anything or feel anything until, soon as the bright blast had ended, she felt a strong jaw grip her backpack, lifting her up while she still held Quaxly. "Raidon!"

The shout was short and full of pain, but belied a strength beyond any measure. Juliana looked up, just in time to see great wings sprout from the top of the creature's head. His hindlegs coiled and, with a mighty jump, all of them were sent vaulting towards the sky and the full moon overhead.

Feeling the rush of air, the surprise mixing with adrenaline, Juliana chanced a look down. The fainted Houndoom became a small pinprick in their ascent, as if it had never been a threat in the first place. Gasping for air at the sight, Juliana reached up, feeling cool scales of the creature bearing her upwards, a surface like crystal briefly ghosting against her tips.

And then they broke through, high above the hole through which it had crashed. Under the cover of moonlight, they emerged and all of Paldea sprawled before them, the three gliding and basking in the earned safety and security away from the cave.

Juliana breathed again, clutching Quaxly tighter than necessary. She turned her head up to thank the beast.

But his wings vanished out of nowhere. His body slackened.

Under the cover of night, Juliana and her Pokémon companions plummeted towards the beach.

Author's Note: And there we have it! What did you think?

This was a start both familiar and very different. From the beginning I wanted a connection to the previous Galar Trilogy, as if to remind you that this is still the Ancienverse. I wanted action, drama and intrigue that I think will be fascinating and have an interesting payoff as we move forward. Who is the mysterious attacker? What is Rose's role? What happened with Sada and Turo? Only the crystal can tell.

More importantly, the introduction of Juliana hit some familiar beats from Scarlet and Violet, but I hope you've gotten an early measure of our newest Ancien protagonist. I hope her story is a good one! I also help this chapter made clear that I won't be strictly beholden to the games. After all, this Juliana already has a Tera Orb, no Pokemon and certainly already attends the Academy. How will it all play out? Let's find out together!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed, and I sincerely hope you'll leave some feedback for me, whether as a review (on fanfiction) or a comment (AO3). Any and all are appreciated. In the meantime, look forward to Tuesday as I resume my usual publication schedule of Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday. See you then!

Oh, but before I go, Happy Ancien Anniversary and, of course, Dare to Be Silly!