"Do you know what you're doing for the Treasure Hunt?"

It had become the main topic of conversation between students as soon as he had rolled in on Monday morning. Julius really couldn't believe the pamphlet was real; he had thought it was over glorified when he first read it, if he had to be honest. Almost all of Uva Academy's students had a basically free license to wander Paldea, seeking their treasure—whatever the hell that meant.

Well, granted there were some stipulations. Students younger than sixteen had to get waivers signed by their parents and also submitted a report on what they were planning to seek. For the adults, it was a mixed bag as those that were working had to balance their work-life while others who were retirees or not working at the moment could wander at their own pace.

For those around Julius' age, he was given carte blanche. He didn't even have to physically attend class anymore; all lessons were recorded so he just had to watch them later, where his watching of the lesson would be recorded and he would be all good to go.

"Wouldn't it be fun to go as a group?"

Julius shrugged as one of his classmates, a girl around his age, asked while batting her eyes at him as she sat on his desk.

"Uh, maybe? But that would mean searching for the same thing, right?"

The girl pouted, with her friends whispering (rather loudly) that "I told you that you didn't have a chance!", but before she could press further, a loud voice rang out while the door to the classroom slid open.

"Julius!"

The girl who was sitting on Julius' desk jumped away as Nemona entered the classroom.

"I'm here, Nemona."

She ran up to his desk, skidding to a stop. "Did you already decide what you're doing for the Treasure Hunt!?"

"Seems like everyone wants to know. Not really, though."

Nemona let out a breath of seeming relief. "Then… why not take on the League Challenge?"

Even for Julius, who wasn't all too familiar with Pokemon battling, understood what that meant. In basically every region save for a few oddities, there were eight gyms, then the Elite Four, and then the Champion. The League Challenge was fighting your way to the top, though it was really only an extraordinary few that made it that far.

From what he heard during his childhood in Kanto, having all eight was a mystical feat in and of itself. Most only got their hometown badge or one from the city closest to them. Maybe they'd go a town over for two. The first major hurdle was the third badge. Anyone who got their third badge would get it by their fourth try—because there was never a fifth attempt. It was usually around that point a Trainer figured out if they had the "magic touch" or not. The order didn't really matter, either, as the gym leaders adjusted their teams to match a Trainer's progress.

It would only get harder from there, to the point someone getting their eighth gym badge was on the level of national news. After all, it meant a new Champion for the region might be on the horizon. Assuming of course, they took on the Elite Four and the Champion. But someone who had the drive to make it that far was basically assumed to be making a bid for championship.

Out of his childhood years in Kanto, he could remember… at most three people making it that far, but he never saw news that they had a new Champion.

Though, it only made his curiosity about Nemona being a "Champion rank" Trainer rather than the Champion proper increase. Just… where was Paldea's champion then, and why had they not turned over the title?

Julius realized his thoughts were idling as he noticed Nemona's expression begin to falter. "I'll think about it. I mean, you have helped a lot when it comes to battles. It's like someone finally stepping into the ring to see if the training paid off."

Nemona put on a subdued smile. "I'll send you details on the traditional order later, then. Also, I can't stay after school for a while. I got saddled with a lot of work for the Treasure Hunt…"

"Understandable, really. Don't overwork yourself." Julius paused. "...gives me a bit of time to train up for our rematch, right?"

Julius noted that the fire once ignited in Nemona's eyes didn't seem nearly as strong as she gave him another softer smile. "Mhm! Mister Jacq already knows I won't be at homeroom, but just remind him that I've got some Treasure Hunt Student Council business."

"Sure thing."

Julius watched her leave, Nemona's steps seemingly light. Though, he noticed some students—namely, the ones he knew were returning students—looking just a little worried. However, he still had some distance with them, so he looked to the beginner students.

"You guys know what's going on?"

They shook their heads, deferring to the advanced students who finally spoke to him.

"Uh, well… last year, none of us even made it past the fifth gym if you go by the traditional order." One of the students explained. "A few of us tried to get other badges first and loop back around to it without going in the traditional order, but the Medali City gym put a stop to everyone regardless."

"Yeah, no one got more than six badges last year. I know Nemona's got her eye on you, Julius, but you're better off trying something else."

Hm. That means Nemona is pretty high up there considering how she's beaten all of them and made it all the way to Champion-rank… whatever that means.

"I see. Well, I just said I'd give it some thought."

He told himself this was just for Nemona. It would definitely hurt her to not even make an attempt. He didn't have a particular goal in mind for the Treasure Hunt anyways, so a little bit of direction was appreciated.

With Nemona preoccupied during the week, he actually had a chance to go out into the city and explore some more restaurants. But over the past few weeks, he had already tried out a majority of the family restaurants or local joints, so he settled for a deli place before hoofing it back to his room.

Maybe I'll make this Treasure Hunt about food? Paldea's Top Ten Student Friendly Restaurants, or something like that. He joked to himself as he prepared for bed. Halfway through drying his hair, he could hear his Rotomphone ringing.

An unknown number. So he ignored it. After it finished ringing, it rang again. He continued to ignore it… at least, until it became apparent the caller had no intent of letting him go.

"What the hell, fine. I'll bite." He grumbled, answering the call. "Hello?"

"It took you long enough, Julius Merida."

"Who is this?"

"...you can call me Cassiopeia."

Julius bit his lip, thinking about how he wanted to handle this considering how whoever this was knew who he was and he didn't know them. "Alright, Cassiopeia, what do you want from me?"

"I need your assistance, Julius Merida, in stopping Team Star."

"Why?" Julius asked, completely baffled as he sat down on his bed. While he wasn't exactly obligated to do anything, considering how intrusive Team Star had been, this was a good chance to at least learn more about what was going on to make an informed decision.

"I need someone who isn't afraid of what others think."

"Hmph. What, you telling me Team Star has control over what people think?"

"Point your Rotomphone at a wall. I am putting your Rotomphone in presentation mode."

"Wait, wh—"

He pulled his phone away from his ear, seeing his phone start projecting an image onto the ceiling. He moved his Rotomphone to instead point at the wall, finding it was showing a map of the Paldea region.

The hell? I'm supposed to enable that. Did they force it to do that? And how the hell did they know I had a Rotomphone?

An overlay was then put on the map. Highlighted in yellow were zones labeled "Team Star Control".

"This is a time lapse of territory controlled by Team Star starting approximately two years ago." Cassiopeia explained as the yellow areas began to grow. "And this is the current day… and this is projected growth within a year."

Julius narrowed his eyes as he watched one of the yellow zones grow closer to his house.

"Team Star at the moment has taken control of multiple roads from one town to another or will be projected to do so in the current year. At its current rate, Paldea will be strangled from the inside out."

"They won't get stamped down by the authorities?"

"If they had any interest in doing so, they would have done it already. Someone is pulling the strings. The situation has deteriorated to the point that Team Star is already attempting to recruit students on the Uva Academy grounds whereas they were previously unwelcome anywhere even within Mesagoza."

"I don't get what this has to do with me not being afraid of what others think, though."

"It's a matter of doing what's right versus what's easy. It's easy to do right when no one is watching. But when everyone has eyes on you and is judging you, will you do the same?"

"I don't get what you're talking about."

"That girl you saved from Team Star's recruitment attempts. I saw it. Plenty of other people were looking the other way. More experienced Trainers, stronger Trainers, or even those that could have defused the situation without forcing a fight. But they just looked the other way. You and you alone came to her aid. I believe… you can be trusted to do the right thing."

"...alright. But you're putting way too much stock on me. I don't even have a single Pokemon Gym badge or anything like that."

"I know. But it's better that someone who isn't well known does this. They won't see it coming. And whoever is pulling the strings won't either."

"Uh-huh… still doesn't change the fact you're asking me to basically go to war."

"That is why I am prepared to fund you with 100,000 LP to begin with. That should be enough to purchase Pokemon materials to craft TMs, purchase held items, battle items, berries, or outright buy TMs. If you truly need them, I can also import TRs from Galar."

He almost choked on air. "The hell!?"

"Do I have your cooperation, Julius Merida?"

"...That's a lot to take in. Can I get some time to think, at least? You're putting me on the spot, otherwise, and this is a big commitment considering how I don't know you."

"...I see. I will contact you again in twenty-four hours. I hope we can work together. Additionally, I believe you already understand that you should not tell anyone about this."

With that, the call ended, the projection ending. Julius bit his lips as he thought about the spread of Team Star.

He checked his call records, but it seems Cassiopeia had been thorough, managing to even wipe away traces of the fact they called.

His first instinct was to go to Clavell. But there was a chance that Clavell was lying to him, but that sounded wild. His mother trusted Clavell, so he felt he could, too. If anything, Clavell was trying to save Team Star… but that could all just be a front. But in the end, there was no one else he could turn to.

Deciding to trust in his mom's trust, he decided to go talk to Clavell the next day.

"Hm."

Clavell put a hand to his chin after Julius reported what had happened. Though for now, he decided to omit the part about the 100,000 LP as that seemed way too ridiculous to be true.

"An interesting choice of name, Cassiopeia."

"Uh… why, sir?"

"Few things are known about what we refer to as the Team Star Incident that occurred between two and three years ago. For whatever reason, the electronic records are basically missing and all of the staff here are new, so I can't ask any of them for context. I only know that something happened. But one of the few surviving details is that Team Star's leader was named Cassiopeia."

"Huh…"

"It seems odd that someone would claim that name while also looking to destroy them. But if this Cassiopeia knows about their inner workings and understands how to take Team Star down, they may be the real deal." Clavell paused, letting out a sigh. "Are you thinking of helping?"

"I'm not sure. On one hand, I'd like to stop them from getting too close to home. On the other hand, I'm…" Julius huffed. "That's not me."

Clavell had to suppress a chuckle as he watched Julius try to deny himself. The details of him interfering with Team Star, the fact he was caring for Miraidon, and the story of him calling out to Nemona had all reached his ears. Even if Julius didn't want to admit it, he was already beginning to change.

"Hoh, I see. Well, if you are worried about whether or not you'll be allowed to do it… as it so happens, I have a lot of flexibility in how I deal with Team Star. I can't officially condone you playing vigilante, but on the other hand… I have no grounds to punish you if you do such a thing as part of your Treasure Hunt, so long as you don't violate any actual laws."

"I never asked about that."

Clavell chuckled. "Quite. However, if you do choose to help, I have a request. Please record your interactions with Team Star. We may be able to get to the bottom of what caused the Team Star issue to begin with."

"Huh…"

"It's whatever you want to do, Master Julius."

Whatever I want to do, huh…

The young man closed his eyes, thinking on that statement. Just what did he want? If he wanted anything, it was to at least keep his mother safe. And he thought about what she'd want.

…well, she'd probably want him to be safe, for one. But she'd also probably tell him to do what he felt he should do.

He thought about calling out to Nemona. Sure, he owed her—but everything afterwards…

He wasn't the hero type, he knew that much. He was just a guy trying to get by. But that didn't mean he was the type to ignore problems in front of him, either. Besides, it's not like he had to commit to defeating Team Star. There was a non-zero chance Cassiopeia was manipulating him and if he found out the truth, then he could take action. He might not be the hero type, but he didn't like being played like a fiddle, either, and well, he'd want to settle the score. That meant needing more information. And the only way to do that was ironically to walk in and fight Team Star.

He didn't know who was lying. Clavell might be lying to him right now for all he knew. But doing nothing was definitely the wrong option. Cassiopeia might be lying about a lot of things, but something was clearly happening behind the scenes.

"Take your time, Master Julius. Though it is worrying that they were able to get your phone number. I will have to ask our security team to make sure there hasn't been any issues."

"Thanks, Mister Clavell."

"Though, may I take up a little bit more of your time?"

Julius tilted his head. "What's going on?"

"There's someone who wants to speak with you. Give me a moment."

After a few seconds of waiting, the TV in Clavell's office turned on, revealing an older man with dark brown hair that had a figure that looked more than muscular underneath his white labcoat. His shirt seemed to exude a futuristic aura, having almost purple glowing lines on it.

"Professor Turo, can you hear us?"

"Yes, I can. I assume this is Julius?"

"That's me, sir."

"It is nice to meet you, even if virtually, Julius." The man said, waving. Julius looked behind him and noticed whiteboards that were more than used, though if he looked harder, the room that this Professor Turo was in looked almost… dilapidated.

Wait, wasn't Arven this guy's son…?

"I'll have to keep this brief as I don't have a lot of time. As Director Clavell said, my name is Professor Turo. I carry out Pokemon research within the Great Crater of Paldea—also known as Area Zero."

"Professor Turo is in fact, a graduate of our academy, and a splendid researcher."

"Ha. Let me get to the point. Julius, student ID number… 805C393. Recently you've been entrusted with and are caring for a rather unique Pokemon named Miraidon, is that correct?"

"Uh, yes it is, sir. Is that a problem?"

"No, it isn't."

Before he could continue, the sound of a Pokeball opening up could be heard. Miraidon had let itself out and happily moved up closer to the TV, leaning its head in close. "Agia?"

"Oh. How good to see that you are well. It has been quite a while since we last met, Miraidon." Professor Turo continued, with Miraidon letting out a "Gias!" sound as it sat back, looking like a trained dog. "Miraidon was once in my care, you see. Its Pokeball was also originally mine. I assume you received it from a young man called Arven."

…that's a weird way to refer to your son. Julius thought, but nodded.

"I am no longer in any position to be able to manage that Pokemon myself. So, I'd like for you to continue to look after it. While it's no longer in any condition to battle, a condition that might take a very long time to heal from, Miraidon does possess a form that is more optimized for mobility. I believe it might aid you, as if my calendar date is correctly set, the Treasure Hunt of Uva Academy will begin shortly."

"That's correct, Turo." Clavell chimed in.

"Good. Julius, I will provide you with my contact information. I would like to keep in touch with you to keep tabs on your status as well as Miraidon's."

After exchanging numbers and confirming that both of them got each other's texts, Professor Turo nodded. "That will have to be all for now. There's things to attend to down here. Thank you for allowing me to speak with Julius, Clavell."

With that, the call ended, but Miraidon seemed to protest even if it was too late. Julius noticed Clavell frowning, but as soon as Clavell noticed, the director of Uva Academy shook his head as if to dismiss any concerns.

After a few more moments of Miraidon's anguished cries, Julius very slowly put a hand on Miraidon's head which seemed to make it relax.

"Anything else, Mister Clavell?"

"No, Master Julius. That should be all."

"Right. Miraidon, let's go for a jog. It helps as a pick me up, but also in clearing your head."

"Agia…"

With Nemona busy after class, rather than go for a battle, there was a good window of time to go for a mind-clearing jog. Pawmi, Nymble, and Miraidon seemed to like accompanying him during his morning runs, being faster than the others, so they joined him again even if it was an afternoon run—though in this case, Miraidon was probably also just trying to clear its head. While at first during his runs Miraidon attracted a lot of attention, it seemed to have been written off as "of course the guy who hangs around with Nemona would have some unique Pokemon" and so there were less stares today.

After about an hour of an easy jog, he took a break on one of the bleachers by the wall of the outdoor training area, resting in the shade. He was in the middle of stretching his legs when he heard Pawmi make a sound as if to alert him to something.

"Hey."

Julius paused, turning his head to find Arven standing a few feet away.

"Well, long time no see. You picking another fight today?"

As soon as he said this, Pawmi assumed an aggressive stance, ready to go. Julius put a hand on her head, lightly pushing down on her.

"Easy, girl."

"Miiii…"

"It's fine. Anyways, don't just stand there. Why are you here?"

Arven grit his teeth. "I need… hey, what gives?!"

Julius stopped his stretches. "I'm listening?"

"Haven't you ever heard of giving someone your full attention?"

"Do you deserve my full attention? Besides, I'm just stretching."

"You…!"

"You need me for something, so out with it."

Arven bit down even harder before looking away. "...I need your help."

Julius blinked a few times before raising an eyebrow. "With that?"

"I found this book the other day and it had a section about these things called Herba Mystica. They're some kind of special herb that heal up any Pokemon as soon as it eats them, with five types. Just taking even a little lick of them once they've been powdered is said to have all sorts of health benefits—some people think it'll even prevent aging. But that book also said they're all guarded by Titan Pokemon, meaning that it's going to be tough to try and grab even a few sprigs."

He showed off the pages of the book, with a sketch of a four-legged elephant-like beast displayed and a journal entry indicating that whatever it was, actually killed a researcher and forced the research team to retreat.

"I really want to get those herbs for myself, but… I'm not very good at Pokemon battles."

Julius slowly nodded before rubbing his temples. "And so, why me?"

"You're crazy enough to fight Nemona for a week straight. You won against Nemona."

"First, stop talking like she's invincible. Second, there's plenty of people who could help you. Probably stronger than me, too. Why not ask Nemona?"

"Are you kidding me!? I'd never hear the end of it if I went crawling back to her. Besides, you really think she'd help?"

Julius frowned, seeing just how far the stigma surrounding Nemona went before sighing and starting to walk away. "Knock that off. Besides, I won because she's using a new team. Like I said, there's people stronger than me here. So go ask a friend of yours—"

"I don't have anyone else!"

Julius stopped walking as he heard Arven's outburst. When he turned around, Arven sharply looked down at the ground to evade eye contact, but his hands were still tightly clenched around his backpack straps. His torso was quaking, even if only slightly, and the way his legs wobbled radiated desperation.

Julius swallowed his next words, thinking about tougher times. It might have been nice to have someone else during the most trying of times. Mom had been there, sure, but his mom wasn't the same as a friend like a classmate.

He thought about what he should do. What his mom and dad would want him to do. What mom would think if he told her that he walked away from this, knowing all he knew and experiencing everything he had so far in his life. While mom would probably tell him he always had that right, he knew deep in his heart that they would both know he didn't make the right choice.

"...on one condition."

Arven snapped his head up.

"I want an apology. One to me, one to Miraidon." Julius said, beckoning the purple Pokemon over.

"An apology for… what?"

"For one, you forced me to battle you when we met, even though I told you I had just fallen off a cliff."

"Wait, you were seri—"

"Of course I was serious! Who the hell lies about falling off a cliff!?" Julius complained, rubbing his temples. "You were a real ass back there, so I want an apology. Then, I want an apology to Miraidon. Seeing as he's now in my care, thanks to you, despite always wanting a snack—" He paused, putting a hand on Miraidon's head and pushing down as if to cut it off from saying anything. "—he's not the brute you keep insisting he is. If we're going to work together, then we need to clear the air. So I want you to apologize."

Arven's hands tightened, weighing the situation before bowing his head, even if he was biting down hard. A few moments passed before he spoke.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For my actions towards you and Miraidon." Arven forced out.

"And those actions are?"

Arven looked up. "Seriously!?"

Julius crossed his arms. "Do you want my help or not?"

Arven let out a grumbling sigh through his grit teeth before bowing his head again. "...for forcing you into a battle and belittling Miraidon."

"Okay, apology accepted. At least, for me. How about you, Miraidon?"

A happy "Ah-giya!" was let out, with Julius nodding his head as Arven came out of his bow.

"I'm not going to drop everything just for you. I've got my own things to be doing, but just call me if you need help." Julius said, offering his Rotomphone.

"...just like that?" Arven asked, taking it to put his contact info.

"What do you mean just like that?"

"That's all you want?"

"If your apology was sincere, yeah." Julius said, taking his Rotomphone back from Arven.

"That's all it takes for you to forgive me?"

"That's all it takes to not be an asshole, yes. It's not like you betrayed me or tried to screw me over. Just don't be a dick anymore and we can work together at least. Anyways, I reek, so I'm going to take a shower."

Arven could only stare with his mouth open as he watched Julius walk away, his Pokemon in tow. He hadn't expected it to be that easy, but to hear it like that from Julius was weird.

"...hold on for just a little longer, Mabosstiff…"

Julius let out a long sigh as he stared up at the ceiling over his head. Sometimes, he really disliked this part of himself, being unable to just leave it alone. Especially if it hit too close to home.

First Nemona, now Arven… he couldn't deny there was a small spark of kinship with both of them. It might have been presumptuous to think about it, but there was a real chance that had he not taken the leap of faith at the encouragement of his mother to attend Uva Academy, the three might have just continued to drift alone.

The ringing of his Rotomphone reminded him there was a third person that was demanding his time.

"Cassiopeia, huh?"

With that, he answered the phone.

"Julius Merida, do you have an answer?"

"Yeah." He paused. "I thought about it. I'll throw my hat in with you. But I'm doing things my way, alright? I'm not taking orders from you or anything."

"As it should be. I'm the one requesting your assistance. And I don't make a habit of issuing orders to others. It goes against what I believe in."

"Is that so? Well, it's appreciated."

"If you take too long to engage Team Star, I'll check in with you. I'll give you a map that marks the coordinates of each Team Star base and where the entrance is."

"Nothing sneaky?"

"Team Star has a code. A code we can exploit. If you challenge the boss of a Team Star base, their squad leader, they have no choice but to accept. And should they lose, they must forfeit their role as the leader altogether, as well as surrendering what is called a Star Badge Fragment."

"I'm sensing a catch here."

"The leaders of the base have grown… prideful. They won't make a showing unless you make enough noise. And by make enough noise, I mean cut down all of the grunts."

"You're seriously overestimating my abilities here."

"That's why I said I was willing to fund you. Any garden variety trainer would get overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. However, within a week, you were capable of coming up with a strategy to defeat Nemona. I tracked the funds coming into your account and also saw the purchase of the Quick Claw used in your strategy. Quick Claws are relatively cheap, so if you have more flexibility in your purchasing, I believe you can come up with a strategy."

"Haaaaa… right."

"Don't worry. You won't have to fight them alone. I can't fight them in the open, but I can provide backup from a distance. Additionally, it seems that girl you rescued wants to join in what I am calling Operation Starfall. She might not be very good at battling, but she can support you."

"Huh. So basically, storm the gates, defeat every grunt I can find to get the boss agitated enough to come out, and win?"

"Put simply, yes."

Julius furrowed his eyebrows. "What's this about the Star Badge Fragment, though?"

"It's proof of legitimacy as a Team Star leader. The squad leaders are just that: squad leaders. However, there is the leader of Team Star who issued them those fragments. The fragments can be put together like puzzle pieces and when combined with the leader's fragment, can be verified."

Julius paused, wondering if this 'Cassiopeia' he was talking to was the real deal, like Clavell had stated. They clearly knew a lot about the inner workings of Team Star, but if that was the case, why was the leader now attempting to destroy them?

"I see. I'll remember to ask for it, then."

"Good. Each Team Star base focuses on a particular Type of Pokemon. I will send you the locations of each one as well as their specialty. Plan accordingly."

"Right."

"Do you have any other questions?"

"Just one. You've talked a lot about why I should fight Team Star. But I want to hear it from you about why you want them gone."

There was a long period of silence, lasting about ten seconds before Cassiopeia replied.

"...call it a sense of justice. While Team Star needs to be stopped, that also holds for whoever is backing them, doubly so. Messes shouldn't be left behind."

"Right."

"The funds I promised you will come over the next few days. They'll look like legitimate tutoring payments. Also, don't spend it all at once. It'll look suspicious otherwise."

"I wouldn't even know how to spend a hundred thousand LP."

"Just warning you."

"Got it. Well… talk to you later, then."

"Don't delay for too long."

With that, the call ended. Julius put his Rotomphone on his desk, letting out another sigh. He was committed now, if only to get to the bottom of this situation that he had been thrown in and to protect his mom.

Speaking of mom, this is all her fault. He mentally grumbled, even if he wasn't serious. It had been his mom that had convinced him to enroll into Uva Academy and it had also been his mom who was on his mind when it came to dealing with Nemona, Arven, and now Cassiopeia. But it wasn't like he could really lay any serious blame on his mom for giving him a conscience of all things.

It seems like it's going to be a pretty busy time.

His Rotomphone buzzed again. After checking it, he found Cassiopeia had sent the data on where to find the Team Star bases, as well as pictures of their leaders and a rough approximation on the power ranking of each one. Cassiopeia was certainly knowledgeable, to say the least.

"Dark, Fairy, Poison, Fire, and Fighting, huh?" He closed his eyes and thought about it. Nymble could take on Dark and Wooper could take on Fairy, but he didn't have a good answer to the others at the moment. If he ended up committing to this fight, then he'd need to expand his team or teach them a lot more moves to cover the weaknesses.

Seems like everything Nemona's taught me is going to see more use than I thought. He thought to himself, slightly amused. Right. If these guys are willing to take over turf here in Paldea, they're definitely willing to cross a few lines. I'll have to spend a little less time hitting the gym and more time hitting the punching bag and ring if things go… less than civilized.

The days continued to go on after that. Every student that was going on the Treasure Hunt were slowly—some perhaps, too slowly—making their preparations.

Soon enough, the fateful day arrived, with a speech from Director Clavell being scheduled first thing in the morning. Some advanced students, who had likely heard a variation of this speech, decided to skip out on it, already heading to their destinations for their own Treasure Hunt.

Looking around when he arrived, Julius couldn't spot neither Arven nor Nemona even as Director Clavell took to the stage.

"Good morning, everyone. I see you are all ready to go on your Treasure Hunt. For some of you, this will be the first time you undertake this tradition at Uva Academy. For others, it's a continuation of a great journey. Regardless of which it is, I ask each of you to set out and travel the world in search of your own treasure." Clavell paused, chuckling. "First, a few administrative items. Remember, the Great Crater of Paldea is exceedingly dangerous! Entering it is a violation of school rules. Additionally, when traversing the Asado Desert on the western side of Paldea, the path from Cascarrafa to Porto Marinada is marked by large beacons. There are reports of a more vicious and dangerous Pokemon that is being investigated, however it does not seem to travel by the path laid out by the beacons. Please do not take unnecessary risks."

At this time, having already headed out the eastern gate of Mesagoza, Arven was walking the dusty trail, walking stick in hand as he clambered up and down the slopes. He didn't have time for speeches or pleasantries; not when every second counted. There was no guarantee that Julius would come rushing to his side either, but he was the only backup he could count on. At the very least, he could do most of the legwork and reduce the risk of him walking out.

Maybe, just maybe, the one thing he considered his treasure would have a fighting chance in this world.

"Still… you have all learned much within the walls of our fine academy. But now it is time to turn your eyes upon the wider world and deepen your understanding. Explore Paldea's abundant nature, soak in its rich culture… discover the Pokemon that live here and get to know the people too."

With most of the students listening to the speech being given in the school courtyard, the PCs for Pokemon storage were almost all available. Nemona looked at the screen, seeing the pictures and stats of her old team. Kilowattrel, Armarouge, Scizor, Tyranitar, and Goodra. She gently placed her ever-faithful Aqua Breed Tauros' ball in the deposit slot, seeing him pop up on the storage screen. This team had been good to her, having been the foundation her meteoric rise was built on. But now they were almost a crushing weight on her, as this was the team deemed far too strong for everyone else. As her heart wavered for a moment, she recalled the words "Same time tomorrow?" that Julius had said as well as Clavell's advice, giving her calm. She hoped that he'd soar high in the League Challenge and come to enjoy battling as much as she did.

Maybe, just maybe, she'd finally have someone she could walk side by side with.

"Where will you travel? Who will you meet? And what will you achieve? Of course, your Pokemon partners will be there to help you. You'll journey together, learn new things together, share each other's thoughts and feelings… and perhaps you will find something you will always treasure. Or, forgive me for the cliche, find what you treasured has always been by your side."

Since on paper, Cassiopeia was supposed to not be anywhere near Uva Academy, they had put on a generic medium length brown wig with an androgynous hairstyle and a disguise. If you could call khakis and a polo shirt a disguise, anyways. They carried a black laptop bag as they approached the front desk area while flashing their fake ID badge, with it being empty due to a majority of students listening to Director Clavell's speech, informing them they had arrived to deal with the network being degraded again—not mentioning the fact they had been the cause of the denial of service attack that crippled Uva Academy's network. The root cause this time was apparently a pipe had burst somewhere nearby and may have short circuited some of the equipment and their ID badge supposedly "wasn't working" to get them in. Of course, no one would ever suspect a Vaporeon had slipped into the pipes and caused some damage from the inside. And as for the actual IT staff of Uva Academy, suffice to say in a few days there would be rumors of a Jigglypuff outbreak as they would all report they heard singing before passing out for a few hours. Unfortunately though, playing dirty was all they could do; if it came to an actual fight or confrontation, they'd have no choice but to flee, having no skill in battle. However, they needed to take these kinds of risks, if it meant tipping the scales in their favor.

Maybe, just maybe, the hammer of justice would finally fall upon not just Team Star, but to whoever was manipulating them.

"I look forward to welcoming you all back after your independent study… when you return to us grown in body, mind, and spirit! Let the Treasure Hunt begin!

With a dramatic finishing clap, the students were dismissed. Julius took his time, being in no rush and also wanting to avoid the rush of students eager to make their way out. After giving it an hour, he gathered his things and left through the main entrance of Uva Academy, Miraidon in tow as the mysterious purple Pokemon was in charge of carrying the cooler and bags with his supplies.

The noon sun blazed overhead, but for a late Paldean spring it wasn't too hot. He adjusted his newly bought checkered newsboy hat, meant to replace the one he lost when he fell into the ocean with Pawmi, blocking the rays from his eyes.

No longer half-blinded, his eyes refocused. Standing a few yards away was Nemona. It seemed she was waiting for him, as she pushed off against the guardrails as they locked eyes.

"Ah, you really want to have a battle out here with everyone around us?"

Nemona laughed at Julius' sarcastic question.

"Battling can wait for later. But since we did lock eyes…"

Julius huffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I know."

"You're planning on traveling alone, right?"

"You coming with?"

Nemona shook her head. "My traveling schedule is going to be a lot slower since I still have to do student council work even while I'm on the Treasure Hunt. It wouldn't be fair for me to drag you along. Besides, it would ruin the surprise of what we bring to our battles."

"I guess I should bring a second Quick Claw next time."

Nemona cracked a smile at that. "You know how to get to Cortondo from here, right?"

"It's just a straight shot down the road. Best to do things in the traditional order, right?"

"Yep! Best of luck, Julius. I'll try and watch if I can."

"Thanks. See you around, Nemona."

With that, he walked past her, waving with right hand while not turning around. Her heart felt a little lighter, hearing that he was going to at least try the League Challenge.

As a flock of Staravia's flew overhead, the winds of change slowly swept over Paldea…

"Good morning, Geeta." Clavell said after opening the door to the conference room.

The dark-skinned, raven-haired woman with a matching black suit that had dark purple highlights on the cuffs only silently nodded in response as she was currently sipping from a straw that was stuck into a plastic cup as tall as her forearm was long and about as wide as a computer mouse. The symbol of the Pikaffeine brand was prominently displayed on it, giving zero subtlety to what was in the cup.

"I say this every week, but that isn't healthy for you."

Geeta slowly put the cup down. "It's not Red Tauros, at least."

Clavell rolled his eyes as he sat down across from Geeta at the rectangular table which could seat ten. "You say that like that was more than a marginal difference at best."

"There's a lot of work to be done and you can only spend so many hours sleeping." She flatly replied. Clavell simply let out the usual sigh, electing not to make a comment about the eyebags that were showing despite the makeup. "I'm a little ahead of the others that are attending. That was a good speech."

"Thank you."

"I just wish you didn't have to give the warning about the Asado Desert."

"It isn't your fault that whatever that thing is became active again. It's been dormant all these years, so I can't imagine what caused it to start becoming active. But it worries me…"

"The presence of Miraidon, yes? I read your report. Something coming out of Area Zero… if it wasn't for its special circumstances, I would have already given the go ahead for its secure containment."

"Mhm. I have no proof they are, but Miraidon's appearance and the being in the Asado Desert becoming active again happening too close to each other makes it seem connected."

"We'll just have to be diligent. Still, before the others arrive. Are you making any progress on Team Star? It's becoming harder to assuage the worries of Paldea's residents."

Clavell read into the statement as he frowned. "Harrington again?"

"Amongst others."

The ever-polite Clavell's face betrayed a hint of irritation. "For someone who resigned as director at the height of the Team Star incident, he certainly keeps his nose in the Academy's business."

"It can't be helped. He's well known among the majority of Uva Academy's biggest donors, so he's become their representative."

Clavell sighed. "It would help if he was more forthcoming with details, but he insists the records exist and it would 'be better to consult official record' than his recounting years after the matter. Regardless, I've issued my ultimatum to Team Star and have no reason to change it yet. But…"

Geeta raised an eyebrow. "But?"

"I might have a lead to more details on Team Star. Forgive me for keeping my cards close to my chest, but you are the one who gave me essentially a pass to deal with them as I see fit. It will work better if I don't reveal too much yet, as whether or not things pan out remains to be seen."

Geeta narrowed her eyes, staring Clavell down. Almost everyone withered under this gaze. The amount of people who didn't could be counted on one hand, numbering at Clavell, Nemona, and Professor Turo… for whenever the last of those actually bothered calling. Nemona was excusable, the girl had been such a blazing meteor of energy that her cold gaze didn't even make her flinch during their final battle.

However, the ever mild-mannered Clavell not even missing a beat when faced with her piercing eyes felt odd. She knew basically everything about him. After all, as Chairwoman of the Paldean League, she had read his full profile when working with the Uva Academy Executive Board to elect him as Director of Uva Academy. Perhaps he had just been used to dealing with children and was desensitized? But he certainly didn't act like it. Doubly so because he had only been at this for less than three years, having been hired in the stressful time after the Team Star Incident really came to a head.

"...don't make me regret it, Clavell."

"Come now, Geeta. When have I ever done that?" He chuckled, shrugging. "Incidentally, I'm sure it hasn't escaped your ears, but did you know there's a student that caught Nemona's attention?"

"Oh, so one of the advanced students is finally catching up to her?" Geeta asked, reaching for her drink and lifting it to her mouth.

"Interestingly enough, no. He's a brand new student who actually won a match against Nemona's new team and he just started training Pokemon this year, too. Actually, even less than that, he started just a few days before the first day of school."

The color drained from Geeta's face as she shakily placed her drink back down.

She swallowed. "Clavell."

"Yes, Geeta?"

"Would you happen to know… if he is thinking of taking on the League Challenge?"

"Hmmm, he might. I suggested Nemona tell him about it, as he seems to possess some skills and he doesn't seem like the type to have known much about it otherwise. While it may be out of line for me to say this, he does seem to value her input about these sorts of things."

Geeta narrowed her eyes again, staring down at the empty pages of her notebook. "...so he will probably do it in the traditional order. Do you think he'll go far?"

"It's hard to say. There's no telling how far he'll go, but if you're wondering about if he'll go the full distance, you could at least wait until he claims his third badge. You know what the urban legends are."

"Yes, yes. There's almost never a fifth attempt at the third gym badge." Geeta let out a low hum. "Clavell, do you think he's left by now?"

"Are you thinking of meeting him?"

"Just for five minutes."

"The Treasure Hunt just began, Geeta. He's probably making his final preparations for leaving if he hasn't already left. Leave him to his youth. If he's following the traditional order, he'll have to pass through Mesagoza again anyways." Clavell said, waving her concerns away. "At the very least, do have the decency to talk to him in private. He's already attracted attention due to his relationship with Nemona. It seems some of the advanced students are expressing resentment and jealousy with how it could have been them in the spotlight, if only they had a little courage to face Nemona."

"I've heard some whispers, but I've been… preoccupied."

"You don't need to make excuses, Geeta. I know you have your hands full with the League and even moreso Area Zero."

Geeta let out another sigh. "Mhgm. Still, I want to know in advance how far you think he'll go. It would be rather messy to have two Ch…"

She realized she was musing out loud and shook her head.

"Never mind. Can you show me his profile?"

Clavell raised an eyebrow, but pulled out his tablet and pulled up Julius' record.

Geeta looked at his profile picture and couldn't help but wonder just how this one ended up beating Nemona. Compared to the raging fire that had once opposed her, the eyes of Julius' pictured looked… muted, empty even. Sure, there was something to be said about stoicism and an overall lack of expression, but the eyes of Julius' picture seemed to lack life in them.

He would be someone she needed to keep an eye on, at the very least. If he was anything like his picture indicated, then Nemona was a far more preferable candidate in her eyes.

"Ah, it seems Director Cyrano and Professor Briar are dialing in. Good morning, Cyrano, Briar." Clavell said, Geeta handing him back his tablet. "I hope we're able to make some progress regarding that fellowship program in Kitakami and the exchange program for Blueberry Academy…"

Wow, I managed to avoid a chonker of a chapter. Only 18 pages instead of the usual 25. That being said, it's mostly because Arven and Cassiopeia's motives aren't nearly as up front as Nemona's, so there's not as much expanding on them for now. It was mostly a good characterization moment for Julius, who despite all of his gripes, still acts.

For Arven, I wanted him to actually earn being called a friend. Throughout my playthrough of Violet, I felt it was rushed and they tried to pull the pity card with Mabosstiff to get you to like him and feel bad for him. But what I really wanted him to do was just man up and actually say "I'm sorry for everything" before you actually help him. He's going through a lot, sure, but I didn't ever get the sense of him actually properly becoming a friend. So, I'm trying to fix the pacing there.

As for Cassiopeia (who I'm sure we all know who it actually is), I don't want to say too much. But giving Clavell a reason to get involved, especially with some hints that he's trying to look into the Team Star Incident, was something I wanted to do as well.

Finally, I wanted to actually give Geeta some more characterization while also hinting at some larger developments, as in this story Nemona is the only Champion-rank trainer. And it also gives a bit of levity to an otherwise more serious chapter, as Geeta clearly has some signs of overwork.

Not a whole lot of author notes this time around. I'll answer any comments you guys leave though! Next chapter is Gym 1, against Katy. And since it's a gym, well, that means a more Nemona centric chapter. Chapters should also be shorter from now on since they won't have these super long sprawling segments where we cover a lot.

I say that, but wanna bet I accidentally make next chapter 25 pages as well, haha?

Either way, see you all next time. It will also probably take longer because uh, Honkai Star Rail update soon.