This chapter starts the climax of this book, which means more length. It also means I'm jumping around a lot, but there's reasons for all of it. Now, let's face Chapter 19, together!

Chapter 19

A Ruination

Lightning lanced through the sky, a horrific peal of thunder following. Rain fell in sheets upon Lake Casseroya. They were so thick, Juliana didn't think she could even see Arven, just a short distance from her. The sudden, ominous storm rose among them, crackling with shadow and a fearful intent that Juliana felt herself wanting to cower into a ball.

That had nothing on Nemona, who had shrunken to her knees whimpering at the lightning that crashed around them.

"Nemona! Hey, Nemona!" That was Arven's shout, and Juliana could feel him leave her side. There was a faint glow from the Herba Mystica present, but it disappeared as Arven slipped and secured it in his pocket. The time for that would be later. "Calm down, it's just a little thunder."

"B-but where's it coming from?" That was something no one had an answer to.

"Koraaaa…" The second whimper took Juliana's attention. She and Lokix turned towards Koraidon, who was almost flat to the ground with fear. He looked paralyzed, but stared off towards where the clouds had moved in from.

"It's all right," she told him, beginning to stroke the feathers on his head. "It's a storm. You're stronger than that, right."

"Koooor…" It wasn't enough to assuage him. Lokix attempted as well, but Koraidon still shook under Juliana's hold, as if some deeper fear or wound had taken hold within him, overriding the strength he found.

Of course, Juliana knew she was lying. This was no ordinary storm, and finding Gloria in the torrential rain all but proved it. The thick emotion laying in the air felt like something no other storm was capable of producing.

"These winds be unnatural…" Cruz said, tapping his foot. Swanna had taken to the sky, and Corviknight with it, both circling in an attempt to find answers. Cruz and Kofu followed them, at least until a sudden lance of lightning shot down, barely missing both.

The bolt struck the edge of the island, crumbling it into dust and sending all of them on their backs. Another zapped down, aiming right for where Cruz had fallen.

"Lokih!" Lokix dashed, just fast enough to kick Cruz back and take the bolt in his stead. Smoke rose from the impact, along with another chain of rumbles. When that assault ended, Lokix slumped, utterly exhausted from both battle and event. Juliana returned him as she pushed up from the ground, only for her eyes to meet another unwelcome sight.

"Wave."

"Hold on! Drednaw, Stone Edge!"

"Wugtrio, I know you're tired, but Ice Beam!" The veteran trainers acted in concert. One eel and one mighty turtle appeared. With a slamming of his feet, a great barricade of stones appeared. Seconds later, they were frozen over, adding to the defense. The wave continued to rise with the lake's waters, and then crashed down, carrying itself across their tiny island. "Vaultin' Veluza, this storm is something else!"

"Which is why we can't stay here!" Gloria shouted. She was holding fast to Drednaw, either to keep her Pokémon or herself from floating away. The water was breaking on the rocks, holding back the tide despite all being soaked to the bone. For a good minute, that wave beat at the rocks until it receded and left only the storm.

Somewhere in the distance, high in the mountains, Juliana could swear she heard another scream, but it was irrelevant in the face of their stone barrier breaking down.

"Dolliv, give us a little relief. Sunny Day!"

"Dol!" Dolliv appeared, shivering briefly in the rain before her olives turned skyward and fired the orb of light. It overtook the clouds, at least a bit, creating a patch of sunlight on their island that got them relief from the rain. It also revealed the extent of the devastation around them.

"Mi Capitan," Cruz lamented, his face paling. Sure enough, the boat had been swept away, far from where they now stood. "I don't think we'll be making it to where you want."

"Balderdash," Gloria spat. In her eyes was a sort of fire, the same she had shown when she prepared to jump into the Asado Desert chasm. That told Juliana everything she needed to know, especially in regards to the severity of the situation. "Kofu, would Dondozo deign to give us a ride?"

"Should Tatsugiri permit it," Kofu admitted. His own eyes were glittering, understanding her alternative option. "He acts only on the orders of his companion, unless he wants assistance, such as in battle."

"Where is Tatsugiri anyway?" Juliana asked. She was digging in her bag as she asked it, pulling out another shirt. This one hadn't fared much better in the storms surrounding them, but she threw it on all the same.

"Taaat…siii…" The laborious call of the Pokémon brought attention to the fact it was on the grass (or what was left of it) looking dazed and out of sorts. Arven ran to it, propping it up where he could and fishing a berry from his pack. Nemona appeared to have recovered, but flinched every time the sky echoed with lightning. "Giri giri."

"Just eat slow." Tatsugiri was thankful for the restorative Sitrus Berry, munching away. Above, the Sunny Day was beginning to be overtaken by the clouds, covering up and returning the rain. Juliana approached the recovering Titan.

"Tatsugiri," she said, kneeling so that she was at eye level. Koraidon was watching her, almost mimicking her, and the both of them appeared to gain the dragon's attention. "We need your help. We need to reach the source of the storms. Can you and Dondozo bring us there?"

Tatsugiri paused its eating, feeling all the eyes upon it. The Sitrus Berry dropped, forgotten immediately, while its large eyes stared up at Juliana. Their battle played out behind those eyes, along with a different battle of trust. Rain beat down once more, the lake now rolling with renewed, violent waves.

Then, Tatsugiri nodded. "Tats!"

"Doh?" Dondozo stirred at last, its giant form splitting the lake. Its body rose up and slammed on the island, lowering enough to offer passage upwards. Tatsugiri gestured forth, and with a jump, landed upon Dondozo as if taking the reins of a Ponyta.

"Excellent. Corviknight, scout ahead!" Corviknight all but saluted and took off into the storm. That made Gloria the first to climb. Her weight appeared as nothing to the Titan and emboldened them all in running for Dondozo, including Koraidon. Once they were all boarded, the giant catfish sank a little, but Tatsugiri quickly patted it on the head and then leapt downwards, straight into its open, panting mouth.

"DONDOOOOOH!" Strength infused itself to the Titan, its tail slapping the water. That single movement pushed Dondozo forward with so much speed, Juliana worried she would fly off. Gloria caught her, while Kofu took both Arven and Nemona in his arms. Wind and rain whistled past their ears as they crossed Casseroya with so much speed, all the islands passed by like wisps.

At least once, Juliana managed to slow the world down enough to take in the roiling waters. As she did, she noticed that deep below the surface, she could see Pokémon, some luminescent like Finneon, and others like Veluza traveling at top speed. There were other glows, too, one matching the color of the plant in Arven's pocket, but they passed by in a wink. However, with every observation, Juliana noticed one thing: all of the Pokémon were moving in the same direction.

"Corna!" Corviknight's call indicated they were getting close, and Gloria looked up to greet her bird. He looked anything but happy.

"I get the feeling we've got trouble," Arven grunted out. That felt like an understatement to whatever invisible threat waited on the opposite shores.

Dondozo pulled up, its strength now flagging enough that its mouth opened and deposited Tatsugiri on the ground. Both were heaving, exertion of both battle and race leaving them spent. Juliana slid down, nearly falling over from the slick rains, and made to pat Tatsugiri. When she finished and looked up, she could see they had truly come quite the distance.

Where once were green islands, now there were autumnal trees. The rain and clouds dulled the bright oranges and reds around, but it was still plenty clear where they were. Juliana tapped her foot as the others joined her, only realizing after a moment that they were relatively close to the site of Ruchbah Squad.

"They'll need some care," Kofu said, patting Dondozo carefully. "Cruz, you mind headin' back to Porto Marinada? No telling what damage this storm could do."

"Aye, already on it. Be careful, the lot of you." Cruz offered a salute and departed, Swanna right at his side. Kofu didn't move at all, too busy tending to the depleted Titans. It left just the four of them on the island at the center of a swirling shadow, wondering just what to do next.

"Which way?" Nemona asked. She was still shaken, but her battle-hungry demeanor was taking over, ready for whatever action would come their way. All they had to do now was find it.

That was something for which Gloria took charge. With the light of a Poké Ball shining, Cinderace was called out. Following her lead, Crocalor and Tinkatuff both appeared, as did Pawmot. A path lay out before them, and though it was no guide, it was upon that path that Gloria decided to tread, leaving Kofu and the Titans behind.

They were only a small way up the path when a new sound entered their ears, overpowering the rain. It sounded like beating wings and then stampeding hooves. Juliana squinted through the rain and soon saw it, the very same phenomena she'd seen in the ocean.

"To the side!" Juliana shouted. She dove one way with Gloria, and Arven and Nemona went the other. They parted the road, just in time for a cavalcade of Pokémon to come rushing past, as if fleeing some source in abject fear. That same fear stained each of them, gripping them whether they wanted it to or not. Her phone vibrated with some message, or perhaps just Rotom's own fear manifesting, but she ignored it. "Gloria, the Pokémon are running from the source."

"Yeah, I was starting to figure that myself," Gloria admitted. She cracked her knuckles, an activity Cinderace joined her in. "Looks like it's straight into the tempest. Come on."

Juliana felt her hands grow clammy at Gloria's unflinching walk. Her own fear gripped her, stomach doing somersaults. Tinkatuff was the same, gripping so tightly to her hammer, it was a wonder the thing hadn't snapped in half. Still, she knocked on Juliana's knees and urged the both of them forward. All four of the humans and their Pokémon moved up the path, dodging the fleeing, scattering Pokémon.

The further up they went, the louder the sounds became. One stood out in particular.

GUUUUUUU!

The rains seemed to increase, the dark storm wrapping them into a lightless word. The droplets became like knives that cut at exposed skin, but it didn't stop them all from moving forward. They climbed a hill, the red and gold path soon cresting until, at last, a large clearing spread out before them, filling them with the most dreadful sight.

"Cynthia!" Gloria shouted. She leapt from the hill, sliding down to meet the former Champion. The teens were quick to follow, only to stop short as the rest of the scene was revealed to them. "You all right?"

"Cindah?"

"Hardly. Look out!" Cynthia leapt back, carried by blitzing Garchomp. Gloria dove to the side. The teens scrambled, causing Juliana to trip over a body there.

An inky spiral, burning with dark heat passed over her, impaling the side of an outcropping and sending rubble falling. She could feel it prick the back of her neck and she grimaced, looking up.

The first thing she saw was the creature, made of stone with a wide chalice where its head would be. With every step the creature took, the entire ground shook, creating cracks and crevices. Though slow, it emanated such fearful power that Juliana felt ready to vomit. It was a feeling intensified when she saw what she had tripped over: a body.

"Ah!" she shouted, backing up quickly until hers was against Arven's. Tinkatuff poked the body and shook her head. They were alive. That gave Juliana the briefest of moments for a closer look. "Team…Star…?"

"And Phantom Zero," Arven concluded. She swiveled her head, looking at what Arven had seen. The familiar black cloaks were there, belonging to the cultists. "The hell happened here?"

"They happened," Cynthia shouted. The rock creature turned its head on her, and a horrific shout followed. It screeched at the air, feeling like an invisible landslide that was pummeling her. Gloria sprang to her feet, both she and Cynthia facing the mighty creature who emanated naught but fear. "We were surveying when I was blindsided."

"That's not like you," Gloria said. The rock creature found its target and charged, wreathed in a blue aura that distorted the air. All Gloria needed to do was point forward. Cinderace rushed in, head forward to clash and match against the creature. It looked to be winning until Cinderace dug his feet in and pushed back. "Double Kick!"

"It was those Team Star uniforms. I didn't think they were violent. Then Phantom Zero appeared, snapped the chain and…" Cynthia dodged to the side as another violent cry echoed, carrying a searing Dark Pulse with it. Juliana backed up further. "I'm sorry. I didn't think snapping the chain would cause this kind of damage. I don't know if they knew it."

"Oh, I think they knew just fine," Gloria said. Cinderace finished his kick, punting the creature only a few feet back. It retaliated with a cry that brought another rockslide down on their heads. Garchomp soared in, bruised, but with enough strength to bat the rocks away, where they broke into a hill next to the shining seal, now broken. "I feel like this is exactly what they're after. A threat from the past! Fomenting fear, hate and all those other emotions to conjure…whatever the hell this Pokémon is. It's done just as much damage as they wanted."

"And for what? To bring Paldea to its knees? Because the way I see it, this thing will bring nothing but ruin!"

"And we're going to let it!" The shout came from nowhere and right at their feet at the same time. A downed member of Phantom Zero sprung up, his soaked cloak flapping around. A Poké Ball was tossed, calling forth a bug-like Pokémon controlling Psychic energy. "This is for the new world!"

"Oi, shut it!" Gloria kicked back, and Cinderace with her. It knocked the cultist far back, but they were merely winded. His revival was the sign for others, downed but not defeated, to rise back up, calling out Pokémon and surrounding the group. Juliana flinched, feeling the situation grow worse as the storm howled in the skies. "Can't you see grownups are talking?"

"We'll show you how to shut up!" A rather chubby cultist jumped alongside his hulking Ursaring. They swung their arms around, prepared to hit Gloria.

"Pawmot, Double Shock!" The blitzing Pawmot suddenly appeared out of nowhere, ramming Ursaring and protecting Cinderace. It allowed Gloria to turn away. Next thing Juliana knew, Nemona was there, offering a hand to her and Arven. Juliana swallowed, unsure what to say, but as more cultists rose, and the stench of fear remained, Juliana knew this was it: do or die. She reached out and allowed Nemona to pull her up. "Campeonas, leave them to us!"

"Y-yeah!" Arven shouted. Crocalor flexed with him.

Juliana shared a glance with Tinkatuff, who spun her hammer around. She reached up and slapped her cheeks, realizing they were surrounded by snickering, devoted foes. Still, she breathed in and resolved herself. They had come here for answers. Phantom Zero had them. She'd force it out. "Bring it on."

"Great, that leaves this thing to us!" Gloria shouted. "What's going on with it?"

"It appeared from the seal when the chain was broken," Cynthia said. Cinderace and Garchomp landed in front of their respective trainers. "I got the team out quick as I could, received a few nicks for the trouble. But since then, it's been wreaking havoc and I can't handle three foes at once."

"Then let's team up and put that thing right back where it came from. Sounds good, yeah?" Cynthia smirked, matching the one Gloria wore, even as the rocky Pokémon emanated a screech that made Juliana want to die inside.

Yet she trusted in them, and she faced to the cultists, many of whom heard the threat to their plans that Gloria presented. They each watched the teens, though, ready for battle. Juliana pounded her fist in. "All right. Bring it on."

"TIIIIIIINGUUUU!' The great creature cried out, its call as if it was sundering the earth apart. Some of the cultists balked, but Gloria and Cynthia didn't. No sooner had the stony creature called, than Cinderace and Garchomp rushed in. Cinderace glowed blue, ramming the creature and pushing it back with his head, in time for Cinderace to swoop in and deliver an uppercut.

Juliana would have stayed to watch, but the Ursaring charged right in.

"Play Rough!" she shouted. Tinkatuff grinned and launched herself at Ursaring. Pawmot was right at her side, their trainers sharing a nod. With a fierce uppercut of her hammer, Tinkatuff struck true, snapping into Ursaring's jaw. Disoriented, the bear stumbled, only to receive Pawmot's shock to the gut.

"Que bueno," Nemona said, praising the combo. She, however, turned away. Juliana was sure her eyes were catching some of the intense Champion battle, but she remained focused on their own.

"Duck," Arven shouted. Juliana felt pressure on her head as he pushed down. "Crocalor, widespread Flamethrower!"

"Crocaaa!" Crocalor spun in place, practically belting out a tune as flames spewed from his mouth. It covered the whole range, whooshing over their heads and causing some of the Phantom Zero members to break off.

"Take the fire, Tinkatuff! Brutal Swing!"

"Tinka!" Tinkatuff began to spin, dark energy crackling around her that was practically bright in the shadows surrounding them. She spun forth into the flames, wrapping them around her before she cracked down into a Spidops that flung backwards into their trainer.

"How many more of these are there?" Nemona asked. She was backing up, and Juliana found the three of them were standing back-to-back. Juliana dreaded the answer to the question but gave a cursory examination.

"Looks about five," she said. Her eyes lingered on the robes of the cultists, some of them flapping in the ruinous wind that exuded from the stony creature. There was something uncomfortably familiar glimpsed beneath them, their masks hiding all other features. Close to the broken seal, Garchomp was bursting forth with such a powerful Giga Impact, they could feel it ripple their skin and hairs. Juliana slapped her cheeks again. "Think we can take 'em?"

"I don't think we have a choice. Oi, Phantom guys," Arven shouted, "what are you after here?"

One stepped forward, the Vigoroth with him clicking its claws. "No clue. But it's boss's orders, and we follow them, no matter how scared we… Hmph. Slash."

Boss's orders? The Phantom's? For what? Juliana shook her head, shelving it for when the battle ended. She cracked her knuckles once again. "Metal Claw!"

The clash of Tinkatuff's metallic, jagged hammer meeting Vigoroth's shining claw echoed what was taking place a short distance away. The rocky creature fired a Dark Pulse, one deflected by Garchomp's claws and sent upwards. The inky spirals dispersed, but acted like a beacon for the battle taking place. As it did, Tinkatuff got the upper hand, whirling her hammer in a fierce uppercut that sent Vigoroth flying.

"Hyper Voice!"

"CROCAAAAAA!" Crocalor's powerful voice resonated, the soundwaves taking what was left of Vigoroth and pitching it into its trainer. The cultist fell over, but two more took their place. Juliana and Arven closed ranks.

"Hey, Nemona," Juliana said, still unable to keep the iciness from her voice, "can you handle those two?"

Nemona cracked her knuckles, a smirk visiting. "Looking forward to it. Arm Thrust."

"Then we'll take these on." Juliana angled her body just a bit, enough that she saw rocks descend from the heavens. Cinderace bounced up them to deliver a cracking kick to the basin atop the stony creature's head. It cried out, that horrible, awful call that made Juliana want to vomit. She didn't. "Stone Edge!"

"Salaz!" The opposing Salazzle struck, belting out an acid that met the line of stones racing for it. At the same time, the Toxicroak joining it rushed around, as if to pin them from the sides. Crocalor turned and shouted, slamming his paws to the ground and sending a rush of dark soundwaves that caught the Poison type off guard.

"These kids are tough," one of the cultists said. It sounded like a girl, maybe a few years older than them. She was joined by the person next to her, slapping her on the back. This one was unmistakably a boy.

"Well, we're tough, too. For the boss's new world."

"Of course. Toxicroak!" Juliana narrowed her eyes, which soon widened as the pair reached into their cloaks, their eyes shining behind their masks. They pulled out a glittering object, one that came into sharp relief in the darkness around them. Sparks and shocks emanated near Nemona, while a devious Dark Pulse tracked Garchomp as it flew through the area. Juliana kept her eyes locked on the new development, however.

"A Tera Orb?!" Arven shouted. Light began to coalesce in the orbs. "And they look so finely hewn. Not like they were mined out of a random spot. Where did you get those?"

"Heh, wouldn't you like to know? Terastallize!"

"Let's finish it fast, Arven! Play Rough!"

"Flamethrower, point blank!"

The sky got, if possible, even darker. Sunset clouds at midday visited their spot, and the rain, though ever-present, felt like it had vanished. Crystal built up against their opponents and shattered to reveal the Terastallized forms of Toxicroak and Salazzle. Thankfully, their Pokémon were already enroute. Crocalor appeared right before Salazzle and let loose a torrent of flame that engulfed the now purely Poison type.

"Close Combat!" The girl's Toxicroak was faster, its crystal limbs shooting out as Tinkatuff reached it. They clashed, hammer meeting fist. The leg soon soared out like a gatling of pummeling fists. Tinkatuff, with growling expression, matched it perfectly until she dodged under and jabbed her hammer right into its gut.

"Brutal Swing!" Tinkatuff carried on the momentum, turning her jab into a spin that whapped Toxicroak right into Salazzle. Crocalor cried out, sending a dark wave of sound out that tore up the ground and threw the Pokémon backwards. Both remained standing.

The same wasn't said for Nemona's foes, who had both been downed, clutching their guts and whimpering with convulsions. Pawmot flicked his paw against his nose. Their battle won, and the larger battle being waged behind them, Juliana knew it was time to step up. If only Arven wasn't so out of it.

"I don't get it…" he whispered, eyes stuck on the pair of rising Terastallized Pokémon. "There are only so many people permitted to carry Tera Orbs. Battle prowess or top-grade students at the Academy, Gym Leaders and the like. It's not something a random trainer could get. So how do they…?"

"So, what, Arven?!" Juliana grabbed his arm, shaking him back to reality. He looked at her, drawing out of his stupor. "Just because someone can Terastallize doesn't mean they're stronger. We've done enough research to know that. After everything we've been through, we're not…" The Phantom appeared in her mind in that dark hallway, sending the floor crashing down. She shook her head. "We've gotten stronger. That's what we've built towards. Now, let's beat some answers out of them."

"Acid Spray!"

"Throat Jab!"

The pair of Pokémon moved in with surprising speed. As they did, Arven nodded. He and Juliana tapped fists, facing forward. Behind them, the heat of a falling Draco Meteor could be felt. Rocks matched it from the giant creature, but upon each of those, Cinderace climbed with increasing velocity. Juliana ignored the result of that clash.

"Stone Edge!"

"Tuff!" Tinkatuff broke the ground with her hammer. The stones erupted in a line, soon piercing beneath Salazzle's exposed stomach and sending her flying skyward. Toxicroak was nearly upon Tinkatuff.

"Crocaaaa!" The Hyper Voice caught Toxicroak, distorting its body in midair. That distraction was enough for the rough Metal Claw to swing up, cracking right into the crystal. With a heave, Toxicroak was thrown right through the stones.

"Flamethrower!" Crocalor summoned all manner of fire and then poured it out. It was funneled through the stones, becoming a ray of pure, concentrated heat that pierced both opponents. Tinkatuff ran through it, grinning as she came out the other side. With a great smack, she sent the weaker duo flying right into the pair of cultists.

The crystal shattered, light returning to normal, and all four were splayed out on the ground, defeated. Their compatriots hadn't fared much better, defeated by either Nemona or Cynthia's earlier assault. In that lay the fact that some of the downed people looked dressed as students, complete with the star-shaped glasses of Team Star. While Arven checked on Nemona, and the pair of Champions continued their assault that pushed them further away, Juliana bent down to check the Team Star member.

Little chunks of gravel hit her neck, feeling a heat that nearly singed her brain, and Juliana looked up to see a pair of Pyro Balls strike the moose-like creature. It bellowed, a cry that washed darkness over the area. Juliana felt herself get sick and her knees weak. She dropped, and in that second, let her guard down.

It was a second too much.

"JULI!" came the tandem cry. She whipped around, eyes wide as saucers as Salazzle rose. She was on her last legs, but summoned enough energy to gush forth flame. Tinkatuff dashed, preparing to intercept.

Or she would have, if an errant stone from the battle hadn't struck her on the head. The flame kept coming.

"Seledge!" A flaming slash interceded on the air. Purple fire shot downward, cutting through like butter. Salazzle blinked, and then a hue of violet slashes traveled up its figure. The Poison and Fire type fell. Standing in its stead, armor bruised and battered, was Ceruledge.

"Ceruledge…you're…" Juliana's breath caught, especially the more she took in Ceruledge's hurt form. He looked to have been in a battle that he hadn't walked away from favorably, his flames flickering and dimming, as though washed out from the rain. "Hey, do you need help?"

"Sedge…" Ceruledge dropped to a knee, his bladed arms falling to the ground. There were pants coming from him, and Juliana approached, touching to one of the marks. It was burned, somehow.

"Just what were you fighting? Why are you-?" Ceruledge raised his blade and pointed at the creature whose bowl was shining with a dark energy. Juliana swallowed. "Another like…that?"

"There are others?!" Nemona asked.

Of course, there are, Juliana thought bitterly. The dying trees. The harrowing frost. The rotting land. And the storm blotting out the sky. Four treasures. Four ruins. But what were they summoned for? How were they summoned? Surely, not just snapping a chain would be so easy. But if they were weakened by-

"Seru!" Juliana's ruminations ended as a cavalcade of stones came raining down, cracking the ground. Ceruledge struck Juliana, knocking her out of harm's way before receiving a stone to the face. It partially cracked his armor, but his tenacity was unmatched. His gaze unwavering. He was protecting them.

And in his flaming eyes, Juliana saw his intent.

Team Star, right? You're not just tracking Phantom Zero. So, what brought you here and there?

"Hey, what's that thing doing?!" Arven shouted. All eyes snapped to the rocky creature's basin, whose dark glow had peaked. A horrible keening filled the air, causing the sky to grow yet darker. It felt like an unearthly call to some brethren, and to some unknown source. At its cry, the rain suddenly ceased.

For the briefest of seconds, it felt like all life ceased with it.

"Damn it!" Gloria sounded, bringing sound back, but sounding eerie in the absence of all other sound. "Cynthia, we need to finish this now!"

"Knock it back. Garchomp, Draco Meteor!"

"Gashaaa!" Garchomp glowed orange, opening her mouth wide enough to send a sphere flying high into the sky. It broke apart, streaking down with its many meteors. That very aura pulsed over all of them, stealing their breaths away. Ceruledge held firm, his blade shaken but prepared to strike. In fact, one errant meteor came close, and he slashed it away.

"Cinderace! Kick 'em down!"

"Cin!" Cinderace bounced up, his strong legs carrying him. As the darkness built, Cinderace twisted in midair, striking one meteor and then the other. It exploded upon the creature's body, peppering it with enough force that its feet lost their purchase. "Dace!"

"Dragon Rush!" Garchomp sailed out of the ensuing smoke, wreathed in the blue aura of a dragon. It collided with the creature, taking advantage of its off-kilter status to push it back. As Garchomp pushed, the charging appeared to finish, spelling damnation for all.

Cinderace hurtled down, glowing his own brand of blue. He crashed into the creature alongside Garchomp, and with their combined efforts, the stony creature was lifted off its feet and flew backwards. It hit a stone and metal basin, slumping within its confines. Another light appeared from Gloria's pocket, and Grapploct manifested right at the glowing seal. With a strike of his tentacles, the great door that had been opened swung back shut. A shot of a Pyro Ball later, and stones from the overhang buried the seal.

LUUUUUM!

The earth shook, all of the power the creature had gathered dispelling in one great blast. While contained, Juliana could feel it in her bones, and every single person and Pokémon fell over. At Juliana's hand she noticed something felt different. When she looked down, it made her scramble away in shock: a giant fissure appeared, splitting at the land all the way to the lake and sea, a spiderweb of cracks that screamed across Paldea.

It rumbled for a few minutes and then ceased. Trees crashed, echoing off the ocean breeze which soon stilled. The sun came back out, stretching on towards sunset and casting all in a horrific pall.

Juliana made to catch her breath.

"The bloody hell was that thing?" she finally shouted when she got her breath back.

"Let's ask," Gloria said. She patted Cinderace and Grapploct both, and quickly grabbed the nearest Phantom Zero agent. They were unconscious, and she moved along until she found one that coughed and hacked upon being slapped awake. Cynthia remained near the seal, observing it with tension. "What's the reason for this? Why bring damnation to Paldea?"

"Damnation…?" The cultist's mouth was opened, looking genuinely surprised. "No. This was the price of their emotions calling on destruction. This was a warning."

"Warning for who?"

Nemona's question was a good one. Yet it was one that didn't need to be asked. Juliana looked back to the unconscious Team Star member, taking them in before sliding over to Ceruledge. He flinched, wounds taking their toll.

You were there. At Ruchbah, or Caph, with whatever caused the rain. And if the cultists were there… Juliana's eyes began to widen. Then she heard Atticus's voice, prominent in her mind.

Cassiopeia may not be so kind, and when the committee moves, or the phantoms make their strike, we shalt not brook peace any longer. We will take flight.

"It's Star…" she whispered. It wasn't quiet enough. Everyone could hear, staring at her with incredulity scrawled across their faces. "Phantom Zero is starting a war with Team Star. And with this, it means-"

"Sedge!" Ceruledge's shout was all the confirmation they needed. The skies, however, provided them more, a shadow passing over, filled with dread. Nemona backed into Arven, another rumble like thunder causing her to squeak. Gloria let go of her victim, staring with Juliana at the great shape, or shapes, that overtook the sky, blotting out the sun.

To Juliana and Ceruledge both, they were unmistakable.

Juliana's pocket buzzed as the great vehicles soared through the skies, all of them heading southward. From their distance, they looked battered, but moved with purpose. That purpose was no doubt conveyed on the very message Juliana received. Against every better judgment, Juliana dug into her pocket, finding the one message from Cassiopeia that sat there, painting her entire screen.

TIME TO STOP RUNNING.

"Where…where are they going…?" Arven asked. He, too, backed up in shock, only to nearly trip over the pair of cultists they had defeated. His movement knocked a mask loose, with it drawing the attention of Nemona. The older girl furrowed her brow.

"Better question is why they're going," Gloria said, folding her arms. "Was this it? Using wide-scale destruction and war to cover something up? Why would Phantom Zero want to antagonize them? And why would they need to leave to deal with it?"

"Been asking that question for a while," Juliana said, joining Gloria in her actions. "But none of it makes sense. Team Star never hurt anyone, not really. They just wanted to-"

"Hey, guys?"

"Maybe that's the point," Arven chipped in. "You said they were doing Operation Star in the past, which was really some fantasy wish fulfillment thing, but it'd be easy to make people think it was something more nefarious. And if you turn people on Team Star, then-"

"Guys…"

"Then they stop paying attention to Phantom Zero. Plus they manage to rile Team Star up enough to weaken the seals. They're based on negative emotion right. Could be what caused it. But, then…for what? They did something stupid here but-"

"Maybe so, or maybe this boss of theirs is following the dark legacy left in this journal," Gloria reminded them. Juliana couldn't help but nod. "Only way to know for sure is to figure out what this thing is, and what Phantom Zero wanted to-"

"OYE!" Nemona's shout stirred them from their discussion. Even Cynthia raised an eyebrow. "I don't think it's just Phantom Zero. I think…this might go a little deeper than just a cult." She was pointing down, and with it, Arven and Juliana approached, only to stop short. Underneath the robes were the uniforms of the Paldean Academy. On both there was also a pin. "I know them. She's on the student council, and he's on the STEM track."

"Wait, Academy students? In Phantom Zero?" Arven asked.

"Yes," Nemona stressed, as if it filled in the obvious. It certainly filled Juliana with dread. "More than that, they're both in…

"The Disciplinary Committee."

All three students spoke at once, horror entering all of them.

Pieces fell into place. The Team Star members nearby. The assaults on their bases. The cult. The students who were part of it. And the rising conflict at the center of it all. Juliana turned to look at the ships flying away, towards the south.

No, they all realized. They knew where they were flying, the only place where a threat and wicked force could congregate.

"We're in the wrong place. Team Star is already on the move, and we need to get there first before this becomes way more complicated," she said. Juliana turned towards all, lips set in a grim line. "We need to get to Mesagoza. Now."

The time for running was over.

"No running, please! If you're not here for studying, please back to your dorms or to the courtyard!" Serena looked up from her occupied desk, Clavell's voice all but booming in her ears. When he noticed that she was looking, he smiled, but soon bent his head low again. The students he had sternly chastised slowed their walk, thanking the director and moving on their way. "I hear you've been busy, Serena."

"Just drilling down. There's not enough room in the archives," Serena answered. She looked up from her various stacks of papers, each neatly sorted into their specific file. With a sigh, she sat back in her chair, looking out the golden-tinged window that said sunset was coming on.

"And have you found anything?" Clavell picked at one of the papers, frowning. He picked it up and began to thumb through it, shaking his head.

"Hard to tell. Without any firsthand account of people who were here…" Serena resisted the urge to growl, especially with the number of students passing through the entrance hall. A bell rang, indicating dinner time at the Academy, and the influx of students that it often brought. "My question keeps looping back around to which came first: was the Disciplinary Committee born from the Student Council, or were they just approved? And in either case, I can't see someone like Nemona approving such a thing. Or if she did, it was well hidden from her. Even the founder of the Committee, itself, hasn't been all that active since the foundation. Graduated shortly afterwards…"

"Hmm…" Clavell vocalized. He was still flicking through the pages, but took a seat as he perused them. "I wish I could be of help, but my lackluster tenure with the Academy is a true blocking point. And I feel particularly unsettled by the fact so much of this bullying happened right under my nose."

"I wouldn't blame yourself," Serena said. She leaned forward once again, this time picking up the stack that had to do with the bullying incidents, or at least what was cataloged. She grimaced at it, her other hand sliding to a multitude of newspaper clippings. They were few in number, but recorded all of the business with Team Star and Phantom Zero. "I really get the feeling that while it was there, someone pushed a pressure point on it."

"A pressure point? Who would do such a thing?" Clavell lowered his glasses a bit, waiting for the answer Serena knew she didn't have. There only theories.

Everything was too much; reports, numbers and words melding together in her head to create such an obfuscating mess, she didn't know where to turn. Looking in one place led her to another and before she knew it, she'd lost the thread of what she was trying to find in the first place.

And at this point, she was starting to wonder if that was intentional.

"What were they trying to cover up…?"

"I may have something. Here." Clavell handed over his own documentation, looking like a report of teacher violations that led to dismissals. Serena scanned down it with her finger, only to pause.

"History teacher, director incumbent, a Mr. Harrington… I know that name." Her hands became frantic, searching for where she'd seen it. Clavell watched her with worry until she finally managed to pull the paper bearing its mention. "He was related to some of the first incidents, this one involving a boy named Ortega."

"I vaguely remember something about an Ortega. I believe he's part of Team Star."

"Of course, he is," Serena muttered. "But that's the thing, this Harrington's name is listed as reporting something, but he never followed up. Or if he did, it was quashed somewhere along the way. Was eventually dismissed for…striking a student?"

"That doesn't sound right. From what I understand, Harrington was most upstanding. And though we may have trying times as educators, we would never. Besides, a story like that would be-"

"It's not the first incident. Apparently, there were multiple allegations against multiple teachers." Serena's eyes were flicking back and forth between the reports with such rapidity, she was afraid she'd get cross-eyed. She was more afraid, however, of what she was finding in the contents. "Math… Home ec… Language… Battle studies… This is practically the entire staff. But their names are nowhere to be found."

"Perhaps because, as you said, there was something purposeful about the bullying. And the longer the teachers stuck around…"

"…the more they'd put the pieces together!" Serena slapped the table, causing some studying students to jump. "Then it culminates in Operation Star, after which, the Disciplinary Committee suddenly stops. New teachers come in, a new director as well, and the bullying decreases…on the surface."

"What are you saying?" Serena wasn't sure, herself. All she could remember was the incident at Segin Squad, and how Giacomo had claimed Phantom Zero was attacking them.

But why would they…? Serena looked down, the words becoming fuzzy as she thought. It remained that way until, suddenly, one name stood out among the rest. She felt her mouth go dry and her head swiveled to one of the other documents. The same name was there. And elsewhere, like little dots on many pieces of paper. Never prominent, but the more she starred, they became ever-present. "No…"

"You know, now that I think on it, Harrington was a noted historian. I remember he wrote a few books on the legendary explorer, Heath," Clavell said. Serena was only half paying attention, putting all the reports and founding documents side by side. Her fingers ran down the list, her stomach dropping out with every line passed. "If I recall, he did extensive work on Area Zero theories. I think there might have even been a Phantom Zero chapter, mostly as a way to connect how the Great Crater invites all sort of-"

"When?" Serena asked, her face gone pale. She almost felt faint, and her fingernails began to tear into the paper, highlighting the one name that appeared over and over. Not just once or twice, but on every slip of paper from the beginning, as if a never-aging, never-visible but constantly plaguing specter that hung over every recording incident. Serena's heart hammered in her ears and she looked up, her voice rising. "When did he write this book?"

"Oh, must've been near enough to two years ago."

Serena ripped a newspaper clipping from its place, shuffling through until she found the one that showed a picture of Mr. Harrington. A book was held in his hand, and the headline reading "New Biography Sheds Light on Conspiracy Theories" was displayed in bold black. Serena highlighted it and moved over to the dismissal documents, dated a mere day after the article was dated. With tremulous hands, Serena highlighted the name of the accosted student and the witness who saw it.

It was the same name as all the others; unimportant but pervasive.

Serena started to shake, her eyes narrowing, one conclusion churning out in her brain with all the unfortunate implication it held.

In and out…like a specter… No, they're on every sheet like a-

"Serena? Are you all right?"

Serena swallowed, looking straight at the older man. Her words tumbled out, ahead of themselves. "The Disciplinary Committee…where do they meet?"

"I'm not sure they have a set meet-"

"Director Clavell, where?!" She hadn't meant to raise her voice, but felt she had no choice. To prove her point, she shoved the papers across to him. Clavell flicked across them in seconds. Then, his eyes went wide as dinner plates. His voice lowered to a harsh, deep whisper.

"Battle courtyard. Near the top floor."

"Keep an eye on the students and away from the court. Hanna and the younger students first, please." Serena pushed away from the desk. Eyes focused on the horrible revelation, she made brisk purposeful steps as Clavell's voice shouted across the entrance hall. Worry settled on both of them, and a foreboding feeling that only intensified when Serena swore to feeling the lightest of tremors beneath her feet.

"Miss Serena, are you okay?" a student called, a younger one who was holding a Fletchling. She stopped for a second and offered him a smile before patting him on the head.

"Never better. I think Director Clavell wants a word, though. Why don't you go see him?" And keep as far away from the court as possible. The student ran off, but Serena continued on.

The elevators were almost abandoned at this time of the day, catching some of the sunset rays, allowing Serena to step into one unimpeded. It began to move, shaking slightly, as though offset by some distant tremor. At the sensation, Serena slotted a Poké Ball into her hand.

Please let me be wrong, she couldn't help but think. Yet every piece of evidence on those pages screamed she wasn't. And if that was the case, she knew she had to act. Something in the air felt too wrong to do otherwise. Overhead, the speakers soon crackled to life.

"All students not in their dorms, please report to the entrance courtyard and hall for an assembly," Clavell's calm tones echoed. "To celebrate the recent midterm examinations, myself and the teachers have elected to have a bonfire party. For our younger non-students, can our supervisors please gather them for a night on the town!"

She wasn't sure how he'd pull that off, but when the elevator juddered to a halt and she stepped out, she could see the effectiveness of the announcement. What remained of the students on the battle court were all making an exodus, chatting lively while they crowded the elevators. It left the court completely abandoned, doused in lamplight as the stars peeked out.

Empty, save one.

The one whose name stood out in bold ink upon her mind.

"Des!" Serena shouted. She tried to tamp down on the emotion in her voice, but was certain some of it leaked through. The present boy turned his head, cocking it to the side as though observing her disdainfully. He was on the outer edges of the court, looking down at something as a grin spread his face. "Aren't you going to the party?"

"Not interested, Miss Serena," the boy said. There was something unsettling about the peace upon his face. "I'd prefer to watch from here. Make sure there's no trouble."

"Funny. I'd have thought that easier when close by. Where's the rest of the Committee?"

"How should I know? I'm not their boss."

"Don't deflect. You may as well be, given how active you are around campus. I'll ask again: where are they?" To this, Des didn't answer. He instead hummed a tune, one that sounded…old. "Des, answer me."

"They're busy, dealing with infractions. I'm just taking my time to appreciate the peace."

"Infractions…" Something about the way he said it, like it was a calculated, measured word, made Serena's hand clench. "Like Team Star?"

"What about those freaks and troublemakers?" Des didn't look back at her. She still drew close, but stopped when she saw where he was placed: right at the edge, on a corner that caught the sight of Area Zero and the entrance courtyard where so many students below were gathering. "Why would I know about them?"

"Maybe because you had a hand in forming them."

"Wha-?" Des finally turned around, his lips twisting from smirk to full-blown laughter. "Why would I ever-"

"Stop playing dumb!" The snappish tone mollified the boy. His eyes narrowed, attaining an edge he never showed previously. "Your name…it's everywhere. Teacher reports, bullying reports, documents with the Disciplinary Committee on it. It's the one name that shows up time and time again. Sometimes as a victim, sometimes as a witness. Never the most prominent, but always, always there. Curiously, though, almost never as an aggressor. But I'm starting to get the feeling you left that up to Fidel and others, including whatever puppet you put in charge of forming the Committee. Tell me if I'm close."

She realized, her words snapping out, that already she was talking to him not as a student, but as something else. Never once did she let her tone slip, though, keeping tight control of her breathing.

But Des just continued watching, his lips tightening.

Serena took another step forward, only to stop when another twitch of a smirk rose.

The boy spoke, looking older for a flash of a second. "You have an active imagination, Miss Serena. Why and how would I do any of that?"

"That's what I want to know," Serena said. She could sense something change in the air, Des's eyes never leaving her face. There was a bloodlust rising, one that all her senses were now screaming was a threat. Her earlier instincts were growing more and more confirmed. When she continued, those instincts doubled. "Why twist people? Why hide from the limelight and use other students like that? Form a committee that didn't need forming? Why bully Team Star into existence?"

"Who's to say I did any of it? I'm just a student, like your favor-"

"Then why is it your name on every single incident that resulted in the removal of a teacher or a director? Why is it so many records went missing or were sealed up?" Serena stomped her foot down, every one of her words practically snarling in a way she never thought possible. "And how come the incumbent director, Harrington, was suddenly removed from his post only a day after the announcement about his book, Des?

"Or should I just call you by the way you act, Phantom?"

Des blinked.

Once. Then twice. Then, he started to laugh.

"Ah, you almost had me there. Sounds like a great story to tell your daugh-" Serena threw caution to the wind, trusting her instincts and all the mounting evidence. Her blonde locks rose with the wind as she strode over and grabbed the boy by his lapel. His nose shook, the skin tearing there with minimal force. "Careful now, Miss Serena. Wouldn't do to attack a student?"

"Where's Fidel?! Why are you here?!"

"Is this how you and your husband always act? Just accuse people of things? Must be nice to be heroes."

"Why was the Committee formed in the first place? Why did you take a school, a place of learning and acceptance, and poison it?"

"Team Star was the poison," Des said, his breath practically felt on Serena's face. It carried his intent, one that made Serena's breath a little shallower. "They were the symptom of the Academy's pre-existing problems. Always troublemakers. They didn't need much of a push to make things happen this way."

"What would you know? You seem to be the biggest troublemaker yourself."

"Because it's human nature, isn't it?" Des reached up, removing her hands from him and turning to look at the bonfire that ignited, washing everything in a blaze of yellows and oranges. His voice, colder and assured, sent shivers down Serena's spine, as though being looked down upon. "Take a kernel of what people are vulnerable to, introduce it, and they turn on each other. Everyone is always looking for someone to blame. People blamed Pokémon. Hisuians blamed each other. Lysandre blamed the people beneath him. Team Star blamed those cursed bullies because they couldn't stand up for themselves."

"And what does any of that have to do with-?"

"You're not a very good teacher." Des finally pushed her away. His eyes flashed with warning, the "student" inside him withering and replaced with the very name she had accused him of. He scoffed and began to turn away. "Turn around and go back to class."

Serena found her face knitting into a glare. There was something off about Des, his demeanor too calm. Too expectant. Like he was waiting for something. She stepped back, fingers gripping tighter to her Poké Ball. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Where are Fidel and the rest of your committee?"

"I told you-"

"All you told me is they're dealing with infractions. I'd presume you mean people, like Director Harrington, who stood to get in your way. People like, maybe, Juliana. Is that it, Des? Trying to get rid of everyone who knows things? Or are you just doing this for fun?"

"I'd suggest that you, like your student, stop poking your nose into Committee business, or else you'll find an underworld you won't like. Just like she did."

"And who said anything about an underworld? Or that Juliana found it?" Serena instantly felt the tension ratchet up. Des's lips twitched, and after a long pause, he gave a breathy chuckle.

"Well, damn…" Des reached up, running his hands through his tied-up but lengthy hair. When they came down, a Poké Ball was in his hands. "You're just a little too perceptive, aren't you? Or maybe tenacious. Honestly, you and your husband are both little sore spots that just won't go away. You were back then, and it's been obvious you still are now, but seeing you in action…"

"Back then?" Des's eyes turned to a leer, the sheer malevolence exuding from them almost locking Serena in place. He chuckled again, but this time it sounded more as a scoff, done with a charade he had long been playing.

"You know, for someone who wants people to expand their world, you do a great job of missing the bigger picture. Maybe that's why so many regions came close to disaster."

"And is that what you're after? Is it, Phantom?"

"Were it only so simple. Though I prefer to go by name over my moniker, even though it's been so long since anyone actually spoke it."

"Your name?" There was no going back. Both teacher and student held their Poké Balls close, ready to press the button and send their Pokémon roaring into battle. A breath was taken. Realization hit Serena; Des was searching the sky, looking for something. No, waiting for something. "What did you do? Des, what was the Disciplinary Committee's plan for Team Star?!"

"Tch, the same as it was two years ago: to show them all for who they were. To let everyone watch them make fools of themselves and become the threat. After all, if everyone is watching Team Star," Des said, tossing his Poké Ball high and catching it, "who's watching the Phantom?

"And as for my name? Sorry, Miss Serena, but I knew since I recognized your face that you couldn't live long enough to hear it. Just a shame it had to happen so soon. Kingambit, rend."

"Fire Blast!"

Braixen appeared, thrusting her wand forward. The five-pronged fire gushed out, sweeping over the grass to where Kingambit appeared. Its eyes gleamed with malevolence, and it raised a single arm. Slashing down, it split the fire in two, causing the attack to break into the walls of the courtyard. Framed by the flickering flames, Des's face twisted, almost morphing.

And in it, Serena started to clench inside, finding it all familiar, somewhere in a fleeting dream.

"Not the way I expected it, but shall we begin? I do believe the time for war is here."

Des lifted his arms, fanning them out to the side like a great showman or presenter. And as he did so, the air suddenly thrummed with noise, the sky split by great shapes descending like shadows. Serena had to catch her breath, the sight one she'd only seen once before: that of a tricked-out car, flying over and circling the Academy, joined by two of its brethren.

"After all, Phantom Zero hurt Team Star, and now they've promised to do the same to the Academy! The declaration was sent out by their unstable emotions unleashing the seals, and now Team Star has to act! Guess we'll have to oblige them. But I wonder…which side do you think people will be on?"

The Starmobiles descended. Braixen launched another flame at Kingambit.

And when the battle court of the Paldean Academy exploded with fiery fury, it was a beacon, communicating one thing across the region.

Paldea would no longer be the same.

Author's Note: Many people guessed, correctly, that Des and Fidel were part of Phantom Zero. Many also guessed the Disciplinary Committee had something to do with Phantom Zero in general. The answer was always far simpler: the Disciplinary Committee is Phantom Zero, and Des is the Phantom. I hope the build up worked for that because I've been hinting it for a while and had to edit this extensively to get there. There are still some revelations to be had here, but the big one this this. I'll speak more on the accidental smokescreen I happened to pull on all you readers next chapter, though.

Meanwhile, Juliana and the group face off against Ting Lu, who isn't mentioned by name because how would they know? I think it makes it more threatening. But now the time for reckoning is at hand. Team Star is making a move and our heroes move towards Mesagoza. How will this play out?

These next few chapters will be among the most vital for the trilogy and the series as a whole. Please stay tuned, and please review or comment. Here comes the exciting stuff! Until then, just remember, Dare to Be Silly.