As usual, the story of a trilogy takes time to set up. With this, the set up phase is done and the action begins! Please enjoy Chapter 5!
Chapter 5
A Titan
Juliana held her breath on instinct.
She was still a fair distance from the cave opening and the people that stood guard outside it, but a pure grasp of fear told her she shouldn't be heard. If she was, the results would be catastrophic. In that same breath, Juliana pulled back from the sight, reining in her gasp and pushing Quaxly and Koraidon behind. In the palm of her hand, she could still feel Nymble kicking, an attempt to break free that was deemed fruitless by the iron grip with which she held him.
All those Pokémon…so easily downed… Juliana attempted to steady her breaths, hoping to get it all under control. As she tried, Koraidon nudged her, his warm snorts causing her braid to flop uselessly. Not wanting to deal, she pushed at him with her free hand. That pushed her body a little around the corner to take in more of the destructive sight.
The moonlight passed overhead, providing more visibility to the surrounding area, but Juliana kept herself to the shadows. Her hand vibrated, but still she refused to let Nymble go. Even if she had no idea what he'd do, the downed Pokémon made it clear that nothing should go near. Swallowing some air, she leaned a bit more forward. In the light of the moon, more was revealed, from the structure of the cave's exterior, to the surrounding cliffs on which they stood that bordered one of the tributaries that flowed throughout Paldea. It was the downed Pokémon that were of particular note, however, each of them looking less defeated and more as though they never stood a chance.
"Kor," Koraidon breathed, tickling Juliana's neck with the noise. A glance back showed his eagerness, something he was drawn to in the shining cave. It looked quite a bit like his expression when he saw a sandwich, and his legs even prepared to pounce forward.
"No," she hissed, pushing him back down. He kept trying to overpower her, but Juliana dug her heels in, refusing to let him run out into the open. Not until they could get the measure of just what had happened to those Pokémon, and who had done it in the first place. Juliana dug for her phone, all to take a picture, and made a grievous mistake in doing so. Her hand unfurled, and just like that, Nymble leapt forth, a determined gleam in his eye. "Gah, no!"
With her own leap, Juliana tackled what could have looked like thin air, until her hands clasped tight around the brave, but clearly stupid, Nymble. She hit the ground, still cloaked in the shadows, but realized she was now exposed from her hiding space. The moonlight was moving towards her, as well. Juliana scrambled to her feet, eyes flitting this way and that until Quaxly gave a soft call to her right.
"Quaxaquax," he whispered, hoarse but audible. Following his voice, Juliana noticed him behind another pillar of rock, this one like a thin mushroom that provided little hiding room, but still allowed her to get closer. She dashed for it, careful to not be seen until she was behind the stone. Koraidon remained on the other side, eyes still drawn to the shining cave.
For Juliana, it held a moment of no interest. She raised her hands up, confronting the Nymble that was desperately battering her hands.
"Are you stupid?" she hissed. Nymble froze at the shout, understanding the scolding tone as much as when she'd used it just moments before. He went limp, unreactive. "That doesn't look like a situation you just leap into. It'll get you hurt or worse. You gain nothing out of it."
"Nymble nym nymble." The explanation went over her head, but his leg movements appeared to be communicating a desire to fight. Or, perhaps, more than that, given his propensity for taking more than even the mission of his swarm called for.
"What? You're trying to be heroic?" Nymble nodded, his legs kicking out with force, like a show that he could take on just about anything. Juliana rolled her eyes. "That's just a way to get yourself hurt. This is the kind of thing where you can't just rush in. You need a plan and direction. You go off on your own with a half-baked plan and you-"
"Quax."
Juliana cut her lecture short, but Nymble relaxed in her hand. With him no longer kicking to break free, she permitted herself to lean around the corner of the pillar. Things had changed at the scene, with another masked individual stepping out of the cave. Each strained their ears, hoping to catch a mere snippet of what was being said. After a few seconds, Juliana decided that they needn't have bothered. No sooner had she thought it than the two guards on the outside moved to enter the cave. Their work on the exterior was done.
Koraidon was already making a move, too. His nose was up in the air, sniffing for what was within the cave. He stopped, however, when he came upon the downed Pokémon. His sniffs turned to whimpers and his progression halted entirely. While he sat on his hindlegs, refusing to go further, Juliana deemed it safe to come out and sneak over until all of them were at edge of the nightmarish ring.
"Have to wonder how they did this…" Juliana knelt, her fingers brushing the Stantler's fur, only for it to whimper softly. Next to it, barely sticking out of the ground, looked like a tangled vine, something akin to a thorny root, and she reached for it, but stopped. Quaxly didn't, quacking in surprise and pain when he did. "Hmm…some kind of Grass type attack, maybe. It was powerful to be sure."
"Nym!" Without warning, Nymble suddenly shot from her hand, piercing the thorn with a green glow. It didn't affect the surrounding area, but watching it crumble while Nymble turned back to her told her everything she needed.
"Definitely Grass. Nice job, hero," Juliana said. She spared a brief pat to the bug, but saved her look only for the cave. "What are they looking for?"
Her question was unanswered, the only sound that echoed being that of a rocky scattering. Its rapid movement jerked Juliana's head, but seeing nothing around any corner, she chose to creep closer. Koraidon didn't move.
I'm surprised he's so scared, Juliana thought. A sympathetic look was tossed his way, but he refused to move. She heeded that advice, skirting the edge of the drained Pokémon on her way to the cave mouth. Every step felt heavier than the last, and when she was just at the entrance, still unseen by whatever masked intruders were inside, she breathed a sigh of relief.
It was quickly turned to a yelp when a hand gripped her shoulder tight.
"Ah, Arven! What're you doing?!" she half-screamed, half-hissed. Realizing what she'd done, Juliana covered her mouth with her hands and listened. There was only the faint drilling sound within the cave, covered up by the sound of more falling rocks.
"What am I doing? What are you doing? Running off like that! And then I find you with all these…these… What happened to them?" Arven said, his face flushed with the exertion of catching up, and Fuecoco strapped to his back. The croc waved at Quaxly, but neither of the humans deemed it time for such formalities.
"Not sure. Looks like a Grass attack. Courtesy of some weirdos in masks. Inside."
"Weirdos?" One symbolic jerk of the head later, and Arven joined her at the mouth of the cave. Both tried to look inside, the interior lit only by the faintest of glows that would pulse erratically. It provided very little image to the pair, but didn't stop either from squinting.
After a moment, their wait bore fruit, and Arven finally got a glimpse of the stage inside the cave. The ambient glow suddenly brightened, the drilling within pulling to a stop, and all the cave was lit up by dazzling, crystal lights. Juliana crept forward, even as Arven yanked her back, but both were transfixed on the people inside and whatever they were doing, despite it being a scant sight.
"Phantom Zero," Arven whispered. Juliana looked back to him, her eyebrows raising.
"A what now?"
"Take a look at the symbol." Juliana squinted. Though she had seen it before, there wasn't much she had taken in. But now, she was able to look just a little closer, and she could see the symbol emblazoned on the clothing. It looked like an oddly shaped eye, with a circular shape instead of that of an almond. "The pupil is meant to look like a zero, and that circle? The Great Crater."
"You know a lot."
"When your parents are the leaders of the Zero Expedition Team, it's not hard to learn about crazies obsessed with it," Arven admitted. His voice had gotten a little deeper, and he was quick to silence himself while they stared inwards. "To be honest, I thought they were just a passing rumor. You know, something other kids like to make up to scare their rivals. Easy to hear, hard to find. That sort of thing."
"So, what are you saying? They're a group after…what?" Juliana didn't take her eyes away while she waited for Arven's answer. The people inside were reaching into a pocket of the cavern for something. It looked like the source of the glow, but Juliana still couldn't see exactly what that was.
"The rumor was that they're a cult after any artifacts or trinkets that are connected to Area Zero."
"Then what are they doing here?"
That answer came in the form of what was in the cave. The member that was digging deep in finally yanked their arm out, a glow traveling with them that spilled across the entire cave's surface. Dancing on the walls and glittering with light, it was a beautiful, glorious sight to all who beheld it. Juliana's mouth dropped open at the sight, and she could even see stars in Quaxly's eyes.
"Is that…a Tera Orb?" Arven now pushed down on her, trying to get a glimpse of what was held inside the cultist's hands. It glittered with so many swirling stars and light that Juliana felt it was impossible to make out, but the general shape and form seemed roughly the same. That was a loose term, however, as there appeared to be something else there, yanked out of the cavern with it, as if connected to all the walls. "What is that?"
"Careful, Juliana," Arven whispered. His call went unheeded, her body trying to bend over for a better sight. The falling rocks were heard once again, causing Arven to whip around and see nothing. Only Koraidon was there, sitting dolefully at the edge of the Pokémon.
"Arven, what's the Herba Mystica look like?" she said. Her eyes began to trail up the walls, to the various vines and moss that covered the interior of the cave; an interior that began to look larger, but not quite natural the longer she looked.
"Not sure. It's legendary for a reason."
"Cause maybe that's it or something. We'll need a closer look." Juliana tried to take a step in, but found her shirt yanked back and her body spun around to face Arven.
"They'll catch you. And they may be kooks, but it doesn't mean they aren't dangerous," Arven stressed. Like before, she found herself swallowing and nodding. She knew all that. But the odds and ends connected there were tugging at her mind, getting her close to answer she knew she wanted to grab. "What if they use that Tera Orb? You know it makes Pokémon more powerful."
"Yeah, but it's a Tera Orb in the wild. That's the rarest of rare sights."
"Not that rare," Arven said, blowing his bangs upward with a huff. "Supposedly lots of it can be found in Area Zero, and the Academy's proximity to the Crater is the reason students are permitted usage of it in the first place."
"But those are manmade, right? And besides, if they are natural, then it's all the more reason to figure this out. This could lead straight to mysteries of Terastallization, and if it's connected to this Herba Mystica, the better." Arven folded his arms, his distaste for the situation growing. "Don't worry. I'll be extra careful. Quaxly, keep a lookout."
"Quax." Even his best attempt at a whisper sounded loud, but there was no reaction from the cultists to indicate they'd heard anything. Her goal set, Juliana crept into the luminescent cave.
Now inside, the voices became clearer, as did the sights and other sounds around her. Cracks in the cave from up above allowed some form of moonlight to trail in, but it was nothing compared to the bright lights where the cultists had drilled into the walls, and certainly nothing against the faint glow of the trailing vines. Some pillars held the ceiling up by a thread, as if the long years and other expeditions had mercilessly carved away at them, and it was behind one of these that Juliana slid into hiding, now close enough to get a good look at the cultists.
There was very little to be seen on them, though. Their faces were masked, their clothing tight and uniform. It made them to be a sort of faceless force, whose identity was far less important than their actions. The one holding the Tera Orb stood to the side, tossing the object up and down with far more abandon than their rumored reverence would reflect, but there was another one standing. This one looked more resolute, their hands tucked behind their back, a Pokémon at their feet that whispered and shuddered with an almost malevolent hideousness.
"A Brambleghast…" Juliana said under her breath. She began to creep around the pillar, and the light at the top of the cave shifted. The holes were covered up and then exposed and then covered up again as she crept around. "Explains what happened out there. They had their life force drained. But that many that quickly? Scary."
"Keep going." The leader's voice was a growl, deeper than it had any right to be. Its authority was undeniable, however, as two more of the cultists took hold of a mechanical drill and brought it to another crack in the cave wall. The horrendous sound echoed once more, causing the light in the cavern to shift erratically.
Juliana's teeth grit, a lump forming in her throat. She looked ahead, to one of the other pillars, but it was too far away and too close to the cultists. There was no doubt she'd be caught. So, she simply inched forward, trying to see the very center of the drill site, only for her eyes to lock on the floor. Her breath quickened, and her palms became suddenly sweaty. Quaxly appeared to sense it, looking at her with concern, but she couldn't move from her spot.
On the floor, dumped there like the Pokémon that were outside, were large swatches of fabric. More than that, they were flags, decorated with a bright star and burning flames, looking as if they were ripped from where they once flew proudly. It was only two of them, but the sight was two too many, and communicated something far more troublesome.
Instinct took over again, and instead of wishing to investigate more, Juliana pulled back to the opening of the cave and slipped back outside. Arven was waiting there. "What did you find?"
"Schedar…Schedar Squad's flags…on the ground…" she panted out. There was fear pooling inside her, one that she couldn't shake. For all her promises of not going near Team Star, she felt she had just stumbled into a situation with them.
"Schedar Squad? You mean, one of Team Star's?" Juliana gripped at her chest in an attempt to calm her breaths. Her body did start to calm, but her brain raced, unable to let go of the sudden terror. "Juliana, talk to me."
"Did they declare war?" she gasped out without thinking. Arven tilted his head, but the action went largely unnoticed. "Taking the flag from a base… It's suicide. But taking two… They must have had a force. Did they wipe them out? Antagonize them? They wouldn't take it lying down."
"Juliana, calm down. Explain. What's all this about Team Star?"
His touch was gentle, both hands on her shoulder as they tried to calm her down. It didn't do much good at first, but the longer he waited, the more she felt his presence there. Juliana looked up at Arven, finding concern there, both for her and the situation they found themselves in. Mustering up some of her remaining determination, Juliana slapped at her cheeks. "Those Phantom Zero guys, they had Schedar Squad flags. Taking a flag from Team Star is easily seen as a declaration of war, one they won't back down from."
"So, what, does that mean Team Star is nearby?"
"I don't know. No sane person would pick a fight with them," Juliana said with another brisk shake of her head. "They may just be students, but they've got some powerful trainers, and lots of them, too. It's why I like to stay…clear…"
A high-pitched ringing entered her ears, causing Juliana to grimace. Arven shared the same expression, and Quaxly, too. Koraidon nearly howled and growled, the sound affecting him most keenly. All eyes instantly snapped to the cave where the drill suddenly stopped. The air itself seemed to stop.
CRACK!
All went still.
Juliana could hear her breaths. Arven's breaths. A dull cry from Koraidon.
Then all sound returned in a sudden rush, as though something had broken deep inside. Some herald. Some shield not meant to be breached. From within the cave came a shout.
"KLAWF!"
It wasn't a Pokémon call, but it was a warning of one. Juliana's mind raced back to the present, leaving behind the flags and the downed Pokémon. She and Arven were done with caution and they looked into the cave, its walls now moving with shadows that blocked light. They weren't shadows, a fact increasingly made obvious when one drew near to the entrance.
Juliana fell back, the bulbous white eyes now shining, set across the hard, rocky shell with equally rocky pincers. It didn't take notice of her, too busy running across the cave with its brethren, aimed for the nexus of the vines and crystal, where the cult stood. Their warning hadn't gone unheeded, however. The leader of the troops retained a calmness. "Brambleghast, whirl."
"Burrramb." The hollow voice was a whisper, and the Pokémon's entire tumbleweed-looking form shook, sending thorny leaves scattered on the cavern air. The cultists drew together, and a whistle was heard next. Juliana pushed to stand, only by the time she did, she was nearly knocked into Arven again.
From within the caves, a quartet of Cyclizar bearing riders shot out on the whirl of leaves. Not far behind was a mass of Klawf, the rocky crabs giving chase to the riders who shot over their devastation and hit the rocky roads. The Klawf gave chase, even as the cultists drew near the cliffs. They kept close, turning, and when they went at just sharp enough an angle, the Klawf were sent over, tumbling to the waters below.
Too soon, they were gone, and Juliana and Arven were doused in darkness.
"Dark…?" The strange phenomena called immediate attention to it and Juliana looked up at where there should have been stars. Instead, it was just a shadowed-white underbelly. Juliana gulped, shook, and almost froze when she saw giant eyes attempting to crane their way downward. She gripped Arven's sleeve. "Uh…I think we should move."
"Huh?" Arven, too, glanced up, and his eyes widened. Their feet started.
The giant Klawf dropped, letting go of the cliff faces in an attempt to squash those that would invade its territory.
"Nymb-nymble!"
At first, she felt nothing. Then, it was like the wind was knocked entirely out of her lungs and her body was pitched far back. It wasn't just her, the force of the kick from the little grasshopper so powerful that all three of her, Arven and Quaxly were sent flying back. They hit the ground just as Klawf did, all manner of dust consuming the air. Fuecoco was released, bouncing along the ground and shaking his head until the low grumbling of Klawf caused him to seize up.
The opposite was true for Juliana, who stood. Just before her was Nymble, panting and looking like a speck against the great Pokémon, but holding himself like some hero.
"You're really a reckless one," Juliana said, once more giving him a light pat. "Thanks."
"Nym…" He splayed out, utterly spent, and Juliana knew that no matter what was about to happen, he was out of it. She didn't need three guesses to know a fight was coming, though, the bulk of Klawf turning to settle its humongous eyes upon her.
In that moment, she finally knew what felt different: this Klawf was huge, dwarfing all of them. Its legs clacked and scattered rocks while its claws were the size of Koraidon's whole body. Its low cry was deafening, and when it took a step forward, everything shuddered. The cave began to fall apart, its vines tearing down, and one of the beast's eyes focused on that glowing spot. Now revealing itself under the moonlight, it was quite plain.
"The Herba Mystica…" Arven breathed. "There is one here! Is it responsible for Klawf's size? Enhancing its power?"
"I think we're about to find out!" Klawf's claw swung. Both humans split.
Arven dove for Fuecoco, the pair rolling towards the cliff and across the thorns with minor yelps. Juliana, on the other hand, had lunged for Nymble and gotten out of the way, with Quaxly quick to follow. She sprang to her feet and ran for Koraidon, where she placed the exhausted Bug type. He blinked at her.
"Take care of him. Go." Juliana slapped at Koraidon and he got the message, retreating from the battle. Their party now reduced, Juliana turned to face Klawf, whose eyes were split between the glowing plant and the team now facing him. "Mind helping out Quaxly?"
"Quax."
"Don't…don't count us out!" Arven grunted, pulling himself to his feet. Fuecoco waddled forward, his tiny black eyes scrunched with a battle-ready stance. Their legs were shaking.
If Arven's right, we can't win this through brute force alone. Gotta play smart.
Smart wasn't the order of the day, not with the giant, metallic claw swinging for them. Juliana ducked, flattening herself on her stomach, while Quaxly hopped upwards. There was no time to think, much less formulate a plan. Quaxly agreed, inhaling air and expelling it as water. It splashed onto Klawf's hide, but did little besides make its large eyes turn up to him.
"KLAAAAAW!" The very cry of the beast made the entire area quake. Juliana now understood the rumors. Light shined at Klawf's mouth and it fired. The rocks came out in a quick burst, only these were closer to boulders that were going right for Quaxly in midair.
"De-deflect it!" Juliana shouted. She pushed up right as Quaxly's wing shined. He slashed down, deflecting one, only to find the second boulder of the Rock Blast was coming right for him. There was but one boon to that situation. "They're big. Use them to get higher, out of range!"
"Quax!" Quaxly twisted in midair, like some sort of dancer, and planted his feet against the next rock. With it, he got high above Klawf, no matter its size.
"Rain it down!"
"Lyyyyyy!" Quaxly fired the Water Gun. Gravity took over, the azure burst of liquid crashing atop Klawf and causing it to cry out. Thrashing followed, the many legs of the crab stampeding over the ground. When Quaxly's attack stopped, though, he didn't look injured at all.
"I think you just made him angry," Arven said, the tremors unable to stop in his legs. She didn't doubt it.
She did, however, notice the ground at Klawf's feet. There were trenches. Klawf struck again, this time both claws slashing out. They stirred the dust in the air, making Juliana's eyes water, and then widen when one of the claws struck Quaxly. He slammed into a wall, coughing out.
"Klaw!" Klawf's claws turned on her and she rolled to the side. It impaled the ground, sending a crack through it. That very same crack nearly reached Arven and Fuecoco, but they leapt aside, closer to the cave and out of the way. Juliana breathed in relief, and then she saw it: the cliffside.
The cliff. Pushing back when it uses Rock Blast. A light went off in her head. "Arven, I've got it! Whoa!"
"Lawf! Lawf!" The metallic claw swung overhead, trimming a few loose hairs from her head. Juliana leapt backwards, hiding behind one of the rocks. She peeked around it, gasping for air when she saw the many legs trundling for her. The other claw was swiping at her, soon impaling the rock behind which she was hiding.
"No, don't focus on me…" she grunted, pushing away from the rock. Seconds later, it was pulverized and Juliana was rolling away towards the inevitable cliff. "Arven, get its attention. We'll get round the other side!"
"What are you planning?" Arven shouted. Hearing the volley of voices, Klawf began to turn this way and that. It quickly decided it didn't care and focused on her once more. "Never mind. Fuecoco, Flamethrower! Aim right for its eyes!"
"Fueca!" Like his aqueous counterpart, Fuecoco sucked in a breath, and then belched out a great song of fire. It burned the air like a jetstream, right for the gigantic eyes. Juliana crawled backwards, trying to get back on her feet, when the fire finally struck. It seared across the white, making Klawf's newest attack miss. The creature cried out. It stampeded back and forth, trying to get a lock on its newest threat.
Juliana took that opportunity to dash right around to where Quaxly was recovering, still winded from the mighty blow he had received. "You all right? Still got some fight?"
"Qu-quax." Quaxly ruffled his feathers, his eyes narrowing at Klawf. As he did so, his body glowed red, all his determination pooling inside like a well of energy.
"Focus Energy, huh? Good, let's give it a hit it won't forget!" Without thinking, human and Pokémon slapped their hand and wing against one another. Recovery complete, Juliana ran back out into the open, this time on the other side of Klawf, who was halfway turned to the cliff. She cracked her knuckles. "Hey, overgrown rock! We have a new diet for you! Water Gun!"
"QuaxLYYYYYY!" The newest blast was fuller than before. Beefed up by the Focus Energy, it blasted towards the titan that was before them. Klawf turned, halfway through an attempt to bisect Arven and his partner. It received a face full of the water for its trouble, pushing that little bit closer to the cliff.
"Klaw klaw klawf!" Its pincers clicked, echoing in the canyons, and it began to scuttle forward. The metallic shine lit up the air, another Metal Claw prepared to rend them, all while it moved away from the cliff.
"Damn it, not the plan." And even that Focus Energy boosted Water Gun didn't do anything. Juliana bit her lip, her mind running through so many calculations for strategy, yet she couldn't see a single solution. So, she started to trust her eyes and saw Arven and Fuecoco catching their breaths, no longer the object of attention. Power. We need some extra power, and a way to make it act how we want. And that means…
"Quax!" Quaxly was firing another Water Gun, hoping to stop Klawf from catching up to them. It did nothing, as expected, and Juliana huffed.
"Right. Arven, do you have a Tera Orb?"
"Yeah, I-"
"Need it, right now! Meanwhile, you and Fuecoco keep that thing right where it is! Got it?" Arven's expression betrayed his confusion, but he wasn't about to ask questions. Instead, he dug in his bag, pulling out his own orb, dull but still glimmering with crystal.
"Go for it!" Rearing back, he tossed the orb. Juliana ran for it, jumping in the air to snatch it before turning back. "Now, Fuecoco. Use Bite and don't let go!"
"Fuecofueco!" Fuecoco bound forward, his teeth gleaming until he reached Klawf. Opening wide, he clamped down and dug his tiny feet in the ground, refusing to budge. Klawf attempted to move forward, only to find he was stuck, the repeated Water Guns having dampened the ground just enough that the croc gripping him wouldn't move. Nor could he target him, leaving Quaxly the only one in its sights.
"Klawf klaaaaw!" Unable to move, Klawf now hunkered down, the glowing boulders forming once again. Juliana looked to Quaxly, the duckling ready to dodge. He braced himself, and then Klawf fired, pushing his own body backwards. The first whizzed past, Quaxly vaulting over it. The second did the same, only this time, Water Gun was used to vault Quaxly high.
More rocks came, and further trenches were dug. There was just a small distance remaining to the cliff. One that only power could overcome. Juliana grasped the Tera Orb tight and planted her feet. The barrage stopped, and Quaxly began to hurtle for the ground. "All right. One last push. Quaxly, we're powering you up. Time to Terastallize!"
Juliana held the orb high, swirling with energy. The crystals were drawn in, even from the cave itself. They flickered and danced, drawn to one spot before they shot out to envelop Quaxly. In all of a few seconds, he was encased in a crystal that shined through the night sky. Soon, it broke, the duckling now covered in a crystalline mail with a crystal spout of water atop its head. The power could be felt, even Klawf shuddering.
Just like battle class. Time to make short work. Juliana stamped forward. "Water Gun! Finish it!"
"QUAX…LYY!" The crystal radiated with water droplets swirling around Quaxly, drawing to his beak before the pressurized spout fired.
It held greater strength than ever before, rippling the air and causing Juliana's braid to whip wildly despite being nowhere near. That spoke to its pure power, the water barreling over the ground and striking Klawf right on its face. Fuecoco let go, tumbling back as Klawf was pushed right to the edge of the cliff by the powerful blast…but not over it. It was only dazed, its eyes beginning to right their orientation. Quaxly fell to the ground, slumping.
"Quaxly, you need to-"
"KLAAAAAAAAAAW!" Klawf's pained cry echoed, a sign of worse things to come. On instinct, Juliana crossed her arms, ready for the inevitable blow of the cornered crab.
"Nymble!"
"Korai!"
The claws raised, shining with their metallic, destructive intent, but they never descended. Instead, they were interceded by the new cries. Out of nowhere, Koraidon jumped forth, and from his head was Nymble. Both showed speed and power, giving their all in closing the gap to strike Klawf head on.
The great crab shuddered, all its movements paused. Juliana held her breath.
Then, Klawf tumbled off the cliff's edge, the glow disappearing from its claws. A few seconds passed, then the boom was heard, shuddering through the entire canyon.
All went silent.
Releasing a breath she didn't even know she was holding, Juliana suddenly fell, landing on her back as the stars consumed her view. The Tera Orb left her hand, rolling over towards Quaxly, whose crystal sheen vanished, the duckling as utterly spent as the rest of them. Even Koraidon and Nymble, who had sat most of the battle out, splayed themselves on the ground, tuckered out from the day's efforts. Or night's efforts. Juliana wasn't sure anymore.
The sole person not affected was Arven, who stepped forward to grab his Tera Orb and offer her a hand. "Not too bad, Juliana. Makes me see why Nemona wants to battle you."
"We got lucky, Arven." She accepted the hand, allowing herself to be pulled up. Afraid that Klawf would return, she looked to the cliff edge, the faint glow of a coming dawn visible on the horizon. There were no sounds there, unless one counted a tired and wheezing Koraidon. His reason became evident, too, as clutched in his claws was her own bag and some of the remaining pieces of their abandoned camp. "Very lucky, it seems."
"I'd say even more than that." Arven's voice was further away with that sentence, and not because Juliana had opted to grab her bag. She gave a soft, grateful pat to Koraidon for the recovery of her things, and then looked up to see Arven was already heading for the open-air cave, still skirting around the numerous collapsed Pokémon.
"Hey, hold up," Juliana shouted, now no longer afraid of her voice rising. Her mind wanted to sprint right for him, but her body was far more sluggish, and by the time it got going, she found she wasn't alone. All three of Quaxly, Koraidon and Nymble had begun to move, flanking her as they moved towards the cave. At the entrance, she paused, the sight of the Schedar Squad flags still visible and sending a chill down her spine. So ominous it felt that for the wildest of moments, Juliana felt like she was even being watched by them.
Paranoia gripped her, a breath cut short in her chest, and she turned around to gaze at the clifftops. There was nothing there, though her mind tried to play tricks on her. For the briefest of seconds, she thought she could see a cold flame atop a cliff, wavering in the wind, but it was gone so fast, she knew she'd imagined it. That gave her some comfort and she proceeded past the flags.
"Juliana, look at this. Look at its sheen! Sweet Herba Mystica!" A frond of a pink plant was shoved in front of her face, shining and glittering like the power of Terastallization. The brief waving performed by Arven was enough to let its scent off, wafting over her nose and giving her a sense of peace and rejuvenation. "Might not be the pick-me-up we all need, but it's still said to support gut health and diets. Could fill our tummies up if you just give me a moment."
"Mmhmm," Juliana expressed, barely paying attention. Though the smell had invigorated some part of her, it wasn't enough to stop her from teetering. Koraidon nudged her upright, and the sudden movement kicked her brain back in working order. "Wait, sweet? There are different types?"
"Well, yeah," Arven said, carefully picking some leaves off and placing them in a bowl. He was so near to the drilling sight, the brilliance of Tera crystals still visible within, that it made him look wise, as if all the knowledge of the world was before them. "You didn't think we'd just find Herba Mystica right at the start and be done with it, right? There are a whole bunch of types."
"Could've told me," was the subsequent mutter. She moved closer, taking out her phone to try and snap some pictures of the drilled hole. "How did you know all this?"
"Just this old book," Arven said, showing the book that was laying open at his feet. Fuecoco tried to flick through the pages, but his trainer consistently turned them back. "Gift from my parents. Probably the only one I ever got. Inspired their research, they said, and led them to their greatest treasure. They used to use it for things in Area Zero, but apparently they overhauled the system and no longer needed it. The book's just a collection of old legends and fantasies, but there are some truths to it. The Herba Mystica is proof of that."
"If you say so…" Juliana crept closer, almost to the point of shoving her head in the wall, but she refrained from doing so. Instead, she moved her phone closer and began to take pictures of the crystalline spots, evidence of Terastallization and its associated energy. Then she swiveled, taking a shot of the Herba Mystica. Up close, they looked almost nothing alike.
"All right, meal's nearly ready." Juliana wrenched herself away from the plant, choosing instead to look at the old book, its pages flapping and turning on their own. Arven was too busy making the sandwiches they never had, stuffing them full of the sweet garnish, that he didn't notice her pick it up and flip through the almost ancient pages.
She was careful, but flipping through, all she saw were hand-drawn images and an inscription that Arven had spoken of. Beyond that, there was nothing in the book of Terastallization or its connection to a Titan or anything. She tossed it aside, just in time for a plate to be placed in her lap.
"Bon appetit!" Arven said, passing around the sandwiches to each of them. "Let's all eat in victory. We've taken a step forward on the journey!"
I haven't, Juliana thought, her biting internal tone betraying her feelings. She tore into the bread, finding the sweetness factor to be just right the second it hit her tongue, but she didn't say anything. She just chewed and watched as the Pokémon gladly dug into their relative feast. Most of all, Juliana saved her eyes for Koraidon, watching him, trying to see if his body would glitter like crystal or some other phenomenon would happen.
Nothing did.
"Tch, what'd you expect, Juli? That you'd find the answers in a day? I doubt there's even a connection at all between the two…"
"I wouldn't say that," Arven said, his lips smiling as he tasted his own meal. He tore off another piece, placing it to the side, but continued to address Juliana. "The book suggests Herba Mystica came from the Great Crater, and since Tera Orbs were fashioned from there, I don't think it's a leap to suggest they have some connection. You just need more information. More types, more observation of those Titan Pokémon."
"Hmm…maybe you're right. That Klawf was pretty protective, almost frenzied about it."
"Exactly! The more we go, the more we'll know!" Arven's triumphant words were matched by an equally triumphant ringtone on his phone. Or Juliana considered it triumphant. To Arven it was less so, the smile dropping off his face. Taking out his phone, it transformed into a scowl. "And sure enough, there's mom, calling and bothering me. Like some sick sixth sense."
"You really don't get along with them, do you?" Juliana said. She felt her stomach no longer pool with sickness and continued to eat alongside the Pokémon with them. They were all enjoying the meal far more, with Nymble even inching some of his uneaten sandwich towards the ever-ravenous Koraidon.
"It's not that I don't get along with them, but this is my journey. They can butt out with their research and goals," Arven spat. He tucked his phone away and sat back, the hand not gripping his sandwich playing with something in one of his pockets. "But hey, you should take it as a sign, right? We discover Herba Mystica, mom calls. Maybe there's some great overlapping web between all this, after all. Just gotta keep going!"
His words earned him a snort, and Juliana polished off her sandwich. Now full for the first time all day, her exhaustion could be keenly felt, and Juliana stifled a yawn that soon passed on to the others in the glittering cave. "All right, Arven. You convinced me."
"Huh? Convinced you of what?"
Juliana laid back, tossing an eye his way while she fashioned her bag into a makeshift pillow. "Convinced me to keep going. Let's search out Titans. They're the fastest path to the Herba Mystica."
"Hah! You got it!" Arven's thumbs up were confirmation enough, and Juliana turned her body over to try and get some rest. Unable to suppress her second yawn, she stretched her body out and placed her phone to the side, where it wouldn't bother her. A single picture was on the screen, one of herself and her parents in those happier times. She quickly switched it off, closing her eyes to sleep.
But as the night drew on and the light of her phone screen shined its bright, unbidden light, the sounds of a restless movement near Arven caused her to lie awake until the sun rose over the cliffs. And when those first rays hit them with golden light, Juliana recalled all the little instances that began to stick her with an unshakable feeling: she was being watched.
Author's Note: There was a lot to digest here. Some action, some mystery, a nice Titan appearance only five chapters in. I tried to show a lot off. There are really only two things of note, though. One of those is Juliana's battle prowess; she's not interested in battles, but she has a keen mind for strategy, so you can be sure we'll still get some fun action and battles with her. Second is Phantom Zero. Yes, they are connected to the Phantom, though said leader didn't appear this chapter. More on them in the future, though, as mysteries deepen.
Beyond that, I've not much to say. I hope you're all enjoying the ride and do please continue to review and comment! I like reading and responding to them! Until then, Dare to Be Silly.
