Liko - My grandma gave me a pendant as a good luck charm when I was younger. Turns out, it was actually a...Pokémon?! It's called Terapagos which is exactly like the Pokémon belonging to Sarah and Race from their necklaces given to them some time ago by one of the Paradox Pokémon, Zelda, and the third coming from the heart of Area Zero. Then, after we restored Arboliva's forest, Arboliva herself ended up joining us, especially since Roy and I found out about the legend involving the Ancient Adventurer, Lucius, and the Six Heroes including her and the Terastal Shiny Rayquaza! I'm surrounded by mysteries! We're hoping my grandmother could help us learn more about her Terapagos so we're taking off for the Galar Region. Well, we were, but...
July 8th; it was time for the Rising Volt Tacklers and Sarah and her family and friends to depart for the Galar Region to find Liko's grandmother, Diana, and learn more from her about the Terapagos in Liko's possession. Unfortunately, despite Liko and Roy's excitement and high hopes for the quick departure to Galar, there was a problem and they were not happy about it.
"Huh?!"
"What do you mean the ship can't take off?"
"I thought we were all ready to head out!" the young trainers cried, both of them flabbergasted as they, Sprigatito (who was currently having a morning catnap), and Fuecoco met with Friede, Murdock, Mollie, Cap, and Orla in the Brave Olivine's bridge.
"Well, we were... But, the rear stabilizer started acting up when it activated and that triggered an automatic system inspection to scan for other little hiccups that came from that," Orla explained.
"Stabilizers? That sounds bad," Liko thought, wondering if they would get to the Galar Region at all and in the time frame they were in.
Murdock and Mollie just smiled warmly at Liko as they replied and joked, "These kinds of things happen with this craft from time to time, you get used to it."
"It's what you get from dealing with an old hunk of bolts."
Orla immediately took offense to Mollie and Murdock's jokes as she gave them a deadpanned glare and remarked, "Hey, now! I poured my heart and soul into this 'old hunk of bolts' and I'm pretty proud of the upgrades I made to it!"
"Wait, so, you built the Brave Olivine?" Liko asked in awe at this just as Sarah and Race arrived with Blitz, Curly, Robbie, Bella, and their Terapagos joining them with the latter giving an impressed whistle.
"I didn't think you had a hefty hand in making this baby fly. Especially considering, if you take the propellers and the balloons and such off of it, the bulk of it is more in lines of a sea vessel, Orla," Race admitted to the mechanic.
"Originally, it was Old Man Ludlow's fishing boat back then. But, then, Friede came along and said 'It's a nice boat and all but maybe we can make it fly'."
"So, does that mean the ship's busted or something?!" Roy asked, beginning to fret.
"Chill, will ya?" Dot called as she spoke from Orla's Rotom Phone.
"...It's, Dot," Liko breathed, surprised to hear the young recluse speak again.
"...Hey, Dot, what do you think?" Sarah asked, wanting to know what she thought about the situation.
"Nothing serious, Princess. The system just needs to finish running a couple of diagnostics and then reboot. It'll take a couple of hours while doing so."
Cap confirmed this as he turned back and directed Liko, Roy, and the royal couple to the monitor before them while it showed them a loading screen, detailing the progress of Orla's scans of the Brave Olivine for any faults the airship is being plagued with, making Liko quip, "So, that means we're on standby until then."
"Standby means we wait around, right?" Roy puzzled.
Friede smiled as he replied, "That's what it takes for the ship to take off safely, same goes for the Dragon Craft Sarah and her family are manning. No use rushing things if we can't get everything right the first time and act upon them so why don't we do what we always do until then?"
"And, what would that be?" the young trainers puzzled until Friede grinned at them.
"Have a picnic!"
This got them excited as they could only exclaim, "Whoa!"
"Wow, a picnic? Really?!"
"Ever since we left the Kanto region, it's been one adventure after another and we've gone through so much excitement to last us the whole summer. Let's kick back for a day and have a little R&R to make the most of it."
"Aww, yeah!"
"FOOOOOOD!" Roy and Fuecoco cheered, the latter eager for the chance to eat to his heart's content again.
"Part of one's journey are the stops along the way," Ludlow commented sagely as he appeared before the group, spooking Liko, Roy, Sarah, and Race with his sudden arrival after he came between them before he continued, "I can watch the ship and help keep an eye on the Dragon Craft while you all enjoy the day."
"Hey, thanks, Old Timer!" Friede chuckled over Ludlow's approval.
"Sure thing, Ludlow, that's very nice of you. I'm sure my family and the others won't mind some time off before we leave; I was planning to show them something later this morning if something like this happened, anyway," Sarah smiled in agreement.
"A relaxing day is good for the spirit so go out there and Rest before coming home to Roost."
(Theme Song - Anywhere My Pokémon Go)
I love watching how my Pokémon grow
I'm sharing everything my Pokémon know
(We open with Sarah and her family with the Viking Teens as they find themselves in Paldea as part of Sarah's vacation plan before the little princess and Race are shown finding Miraidon and Koraidon on the beach before meeting Nemona, Penny, and Arven from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet)
Nighttime, daytime, there are shining more so
I'll go anywhere my Pokémon go
(We see Sarah and Hootie joining forces with Liko and her partner, Sprigatito, as they all perform Leafage before we meet a boy named Roy and his Pokémon, Fuecoco, battling Sarah as she summoned her Primarina, Aqua, and they begin to have a battle. Then, we cut to one of the villains belonging to a new team of foes named Amethio using a Ceruledge to square off against Sarah as she fights with Kaji and Keldeo before a new Pokémon Professor, Friede, and his crew: the Rising Volt Tacklers are shown with their Pokémon)
Anything you wanna see, (Ooh!) anything you wanna do
Promise you can be with me, be with me, (Yeah!) I can be with you
(We soon find our heroes joined by Edgar, Henna, Stoick, Gobber, their Pokémon and dragons, Nemona, Penny, and Arven as they find themselves in Area Zero where Sarah's Walking Wake and Iron Leaves, Link and Zelda, are facing an army of Paradox Pokémon in front of them. Then, Sarah and Race's necklaces glow with the former accessing the power of Terastallization for her Pokemon as she Terastallizes and Mega Evolves them before the royal couple, the Viking Teens, Miraidon, Koraidon, Liko, Roy, Nemona, Arven, and Penny are shown together as they stare out into the heavens)
I wanna go around and around and around the world with you
I'll go anywhere my Pokémon go
Trials of Sarah: Pokémon Horizons
(End Theme Song)
Later, the two parties arrived in the bustling seaside business town of Levincia where they decided to spend the day and have their picnic before the scans to the Brave Olivine's current condition would be complete and they would make their way to the Galar Region. Already, Roy was marveling at the seaside view before them from the coastline.
"Wow! What an awesome view! And, look at those cool buildings over there!" the treasure hunter gushed, amazed by what he was seeing and pointing at one of Levincia's high-rise buildings.
"That's Levincia, I guess I'm a little proud of how nice the views are in Paldea," Liko smiled.
"You should be along with Sarah and Race's friends here, your home region is so amazing!"
"I'm so glad you like it here, Roy," Liko grinned before she turned to Race and Sarah, seeing how sentimental the royal couple was being as they smiled at the view before them. "Sarah, you and Race said you're attending Uva Academy, right?"
"...Yeah, this coast reminds me of the time Race and I first met Miraidon and Koraidon when we first started learning there," Sarah nodded.
"Hey! Everything's all set!" Orla called, getting the quartet's attention as they saw her waving them down.
"You wanna join us?" Liko asked the royal couple.
"No, we're fine, Liko. Race and I are gonna go eat with my family and our friends along with Race's team and I'm gonna take Sis' family to a shelter over at the Asado Desert to get them some anniversary presents for them. Once we're back, we'll train after to kill the time we have until the Brave Olivine's ready to fly. See ya," Sarah replied kindly before they went off to make food for her family and Race's team.
Understanding why they decided not to join them, Liko and Roy along with Sprigatito and Fuecoco regrouped with the Rising Volt Tacklers who had set up their picnic site under a large tree they picked out for cover from the sun, looking amazed at the amount of food Murdock bought for their picnic while he was out on a shopping spree.
"Ah/Wha/Wow/Cool!"
"It's a gourmet feast!" Liko gasped.
Friede chuckled in agreement as he added, "Yeah, Murdock went all out when he went shopping today."
"You bet I did. They had so much incredible stuff out for sale and at such high quality there's no way I could've held back," Murdock replied with a knowing yet proud grin, satisfied with what he bought for the picnic.
"It looks great, Murdock! And, now, for the taste test!" Roy began as he prepared to dig in only for Orla to stop him in his tracks.
"Not so fast! This stuff Murdock bought isn't meant to be eaten as it is," she chuckled.
"That's where the bread comes in," Mollie grinned, showing a basket full of bread loaves.
"Bread? So, that means..."
"We're making sandwiches?!" Roy and Liko cheered excitedly, realizing the kind of food they'd be having for their picnic.
Murdock grinned at the two young trainers as he told them, "You're crafting sandwiches; grab your piece and actually stuff it with what your plate desires. That's what a good picnic is all about."
Liko's smile widened as she asked with glee, "So, you're saying we can make our sandwiches however we want?"
Friede nodded as he told her, "The sandwich is an expression of oneself in and of itself. So, dig in and whip up the best sandwich you can think of."
"Okay!"
Immediately, and excited over the prospect of making their own sandwiches, Roy and Liko took out their first loaves and got started. Unfortunately, the process proved to be tricky for them as they were a little too ambitious or too basic in what they wanted; her quiet and sometimes shy personality led Liko to make a sandwich that was too skimpy and simple with not much added and Roy tried and failed to make his sandwich as big as a sandwich he saw from one of Alex's picture books.
And, the comments they got from the others based on the end results of their first sandwiches showed with Orla and Mollie giving Liko their two bits on her sandwich first, "Uh, so... Something like this, maybe?"
"Yours is looking a little skimpy there, Liko."
"Well, I mean, I didn't want to take too much or anything..."
"Don't hold back, Liko. Fill that thing right up! Look what Roy's doing."
Liko turned to Roy and she was baffled to see what he had created as she could only splutter, "Uh, Roy?!"
"Okay, now I just put on the top..." he grinned as he placed the top half on only for his sandwich to topple over and collapse; he had overloaded it and made it too big for him to eat. "D'oh! I just wanted to make it like one of the most gigantic sandwiches from one of your dad's picture books!"
"I get the feeling that might be a tad impossible, Roy," Liko chuckled sheepishly.
Orla gave Roy a sheepish smile but Friede and Murdock were amused by how ambitious he was being with his sandwich as the friendly cook and the unconventional professor chuckled, "You might want to scale back on your vision."
"See, the art of making a good sandwich is more of a delicate balance between appetite and physics."
"So, what kind of sandwich did you...? Uh..." Liko began before she noticed that Friede's sandwich was an all-meat sandwich with no vegetables in it whatsoever.
"Right?"
Mollie and Orla were not impressed by what he had created as they jabbed at him, "You could try a few veggies in your piece! Do you honestly want to develop obesity in your future?"
"A delicate balance, huh?"
There was one thing that could get a good laugh out of the two women and everyone else at Friede's expense, however; after he made his sandwich, a certain Mask Pokémon snuck away from her family and decided to have some fun with him as she swiped his meal away from him with her vines. The Rising Volt Tacklers, Roy, Liko, and their Pokémon were baffled by this until they heard someone laughing nearby and found Ogerpon dancing happily and laughing at Friede as she was the one who took his sandwich from him.
"Ah! My sandwich, I put a lot of work into that! OGERPON, COME BACK HERE WITH MY SANDWICH!" the unconventional professor screamed as he chased after Ogerpon to retrieve his sandwich.
"No, poi! He-he-he-he-he-he!" the unmasked Grass Type giggled as she scurried away with his meal.
"Ogerpon, come back here!"
"No-no! Poi!"
"OGERPON!"
Poor Friede continued to chase after the giggling Ogerpon to retrieve his sandwich but everyone else on his end could only laugh at his expense and over her prank towards him, making Liko smile warmly while she, Roy, Sprigatito, and Fuecoco laughed along with them. It felt as though she was seeing new sides to the Rising Volt Tacklers she'd never known before.
"This is fun, it brings out everyone's personalities!" she thought.
After Friede got his sandwich back and Ogerpon returned to her family, satisfied and happy with her mischief-making at his expense, he returned to the others in his party and they were ready to eat what they created and enjoy their quiet and peaceful afternoon (a much-needed reprieve from the excitement and craziness they've been having since they left the Kanto Region).
"Sandwiches ready? In that case..."
"Time to dig in/Time to dig in!"
With that, everybody happily tucked themselves into their sandwiches, with Liko sharing her sandwich with Sprigatito and the two of them enjoying what she had created for them.
"That's delicious, Liko/It tastes great, doesn't it?" they grinned happily to one another.
Fuecoco and Roy (who managed to make a smaller version of the sandwich he tried and failed to make) ate away at their own sandwiches and they too were happy with the end results as they laughed heartily.
Even Cap was enjoying himself as he ate his sandwich (which is also an all-meat sandwich like his partner's), smirking proudly at Friede as he gave his thoughts on the sandwich he created, "A meaty masterpiece!"
"And, it's a five-star review from Cap!" Friede announced happily as everyone applauded the cool Pikachu for his thoughts.
Liko was exhilarated by what she was experiencing she thought back to the time she first met Sarah and Race at Indigo Academy and everything else that followed, wondering how things would've been had she not met them and their family along with Sprigatito, "What a fun afternoon! Feels like only yesterday; a while ago, after going to the Kanto Region, I never could've imagined my life would turn out like this... I set off by myself to study at Indigo Academy that day... Once I met Sarah, Race, their family, and Sprigatito, I was able to take that first step forward into adventure, the greatest adventure of my life...! With them and Sprigatito by my side, I was able to start making my way and follow my own path..."
"Liko?" Sprigatito asked, seeing her partner's attention turned on her while she was eating her own sandwich.
"Sprigatito, I just want to thank you, Sarah, Race, and their family... For everything!"
"Sure! Friends forever, right?"
Liko then turned her attention to Roy as she saw him looking at the Ancient Pokeball belonging to the Terastal Shiny Rayquaza, making her chuckle at him, "It's gotten you so excited, huh?"
"You kiddin'? This thing has got me fired up like nothing else and it's fueling the flames of excitement since we now know a little more about the legend of the Ancient Adventurer! Someday, we're gonna find that Shiny Rayquaza, I just know it. And, when we do, I'm gonna catch it," he proclaimed excitedly, holding his Ancient Pokémon in the air and keeping his hopes of seeing the Terastal Shiny Rayquaza again high.
Liko just smiled as she thought again, recalling her, Sarah, and Race's first encounter with Roy, seeing the Terastal Shiny Rayquaza for the first time, and the adventures they had since he and Fuecoco joined forces with the Rising Volt Tacklers, Sarah, her family, Race, his team, and everyone else connected with the royal couple since they arrived in Paldea.
"Roy's Ancient Pokeball opened up that day after we met him and an amazing Pokémon came roaring out from it: a Shiny Rayquaza with a Terastalized body said to be one of the Six Heroes of Lucius. Fuecoco became his partner since then and he left his island home to join us on our adventure... And, so (with Cap's approval, of course), it was decided; Roy and I joined the Rising Volt Tacklers along with Sarah and Race. We met Orla, Mollie, Murdock, Friede, and even Old Man Ludlow. We're not just a team from that point onward, we're friends, a family..."
Then, after they had finished their meals, Sprigatito and Fuecoco began playing with Roy's Pokeball with the former snatching it from him first, thinking it was like a yarn ball before they started fiddling around with it.
"My Pokeball!" Roy gasped.
"Sprigatito, no! That's not a toy for you!" Liko fretted anxiously.
"It's alright, Liko. Look at them, they're having fun with it," Roy smiled in approval, seeing how much fun their partners were having with it (especially since the Terastal Shiny Rayquaza was no longer in the ball until they found it again). "Hey, Liko! I've an idea, why don't we take a picture and send it over to Dot? She may not be here today but at least we can still share the fun with her."
"Sure! That's a thoughtful thing to do, let's get her one featuring us and Fuecoco and Sprigatito," Liko grinned back as they took a selfie with them and their partners enjoying themselves before Roy sent it over to the young recluse back at the Brave Olivine.
However, thinking back to Dot and how they ended up becoming acquaintances and impromptu teammates (despite having clicked relatively well with Sarah and Race when they heard her speak and tried to engage in a conversation with her), Liko smiled as she couldn't forget how much of a big help she was, "Yes... There's one more crew member with us who's been a big help in her own way: Dot; she gathers intel, she developed the crew's Rotom Phone app, and she's a big Nidothing fan like me! Only, Roy, Sarah, Race, and I have never actually seen her yet... But, I hope that we can all be friends..."
Roy shared her sentiments about Dot missing out on the fun they were all having as he sighed sadly and told her, "Dot should be here... It's nice to go outside now and then and there are sandwiches. Don't you think she should've come along?"
"I don't know... If this isn't the kind of thing she likes, I wouldn't want her to feel pressured or anything. And, funnily enough, she looked to be gelling well with Sarah given how she responded to her as if they had something in common that allowed them to talk with each other. I think we also need to consider how she feels."
"I hadn't thought about that," Roy admitted, now understanding.
"Still... Even though many of us are enjoying ourselves, with Dot and Ludlow back at the Brave Olivine, it feels as though we were missing out on something... If only we could all hang out together..."
Eventually, after a short time playing, Fuecoco stopped and whimpered as his stomach grumbled, becoming hungry once again (leaving Roy and Liko a little embarrassed for him as they realized he hadn't eaten enough with that sandwich he had beforehand).
"Hungry..." he moaned miserably.
"Fuecoco seems hungry but didn't he have that sandwich earlier?"
"Heh, you don't get it; Fuecoco really loves food. Okay, seconds coming right up!"
But, as Roy prepared to give Fuecoco his next sandwich, much to his partner's delight as he cried out for more food, they had no idea that they were going to have an unexpected encounter with a Pokémon that had its eyes on the sandwich he was going to give his partner from the grass.
Meanwhile, a short distance away from the Rising Volt Tacklers, after breakfast and the regular morning rounds of baths and medical check-ups for everyone, Sarah and Race were now serving lunch to their family and team with the help of their Auto Snackers. For this picnic, they now have Paldean Sandwiches added to their menus coupled with the region's drinks and sweets including Chocolate and Cinnamon Churros, Legendary Sweet Sandwiches, Great Desserts, Potato Salad Sandwiches, the works given they have a few hundred mouths to feed including their own.
Danny and Danielle even went through the trouble of bringing in a load of Masaladas from the Dragon Craft for the Mythicals, the Kwamis, Mittens, Casper, the Chibi Dinosaurs, and the Dragonets to eat.
With the Terapagos Three, they cooed in delight at the sandwiches as they waddled over to see what they were. However, Flitter and Flutter along with Nikki and James' Palismen, Harley & Oreo, saw them and called out to Donna (Blitz's mother) and Sirius along with Dusk and Luna's parents: Soro and Roxie.
The older Pikachu couple and the older Lycanroc couple saw the Terapagos waddling toward their family's picnic and they immediately rushed over, gently stopping them from getting closer to the sandwiches and eating them which earned them pouts from the three Tera Pokémon babies. However, they wouldn't be disappointed for long as James' Hisuian Goodra, Cookie & Greta, gently picked them up and brought them to their bowls which had been filled with a variety of berries for each of them, making them cheer happily before they started gobbling them up.
As everybody readied themselves, Snickers crawled up onto Sarah's right shoulder and whispered to her, "Princess, we now know that this Spindel character is eavesdropping on us from afar. The only problem is we don't know exactly where he is so what should we do if he shows his face finally?"
"There is one thing my uncle excels at that he shares with him; he spies on us and tries to manipulate the situation at hand to benefit himself and Team Eclipse. No doubt Spindel is trying to do the same so he can one-up and get the drop on all of us. If that's the case, we just have to stay one step ahead of him. It shouldn't be a problem with you guys, especially with a new spell my godfather recently taught me," Sarah whispered back, knowing what he was thinking.
They turned to Race as he nodded in agreement with Comet climbing onto his left shoulder (as Race was sitting next to his wife's right) and whispering to the former Battle Frontier Champion (making sure Snickers and Sarah were within hearing range so only they would know), "Any of you want to bet he already knows Lazuli's alive and on the run again now that she's with us?"
"The new outfit we all bought for her may have helped but he probably knew it was her if he had anything to help him see through her disguise so we have to assume it's possible. For now, we lay low and think of a Plan B to make him back off," Race put in as they went to their family's picnic table.
"YAY! FOOD, FOOD, MORE FOOOOOOD!"
"Calm down, pal, it's not gonna run away! Ha-ha-ha!"
As Sarah, Race, and their family and team enjoyed their picnic, Roy was preparing to give Fuecoco his next sandwich, unaware of a little Pokémon that was coming at them for the sandwich with a cunning gleam in its eyes. Just when the treasure hunter was about to feed the Fire Croc Pokémon, the Pokémon immediately darted forward and took the sandwich from his hand which caught the pair team by surprise.
"Uh, there was a sandwich in my hand after I finished making it for Fuecoco, right?" Roy blinked, bewildered as he wondered where the sandwich had gone.
"Yeah, but it's running away just now!" Liko cried in alarm as she pointed him and Fuecoco to a black, yellow, and white bird-like Pokémon with the sandwich in its mouth and running away towards the cliffside.
"Hey, hold it, you thief!"
"My sandwich! STOP, THIEF! COME BACK, PLEEAASE!" Roy and Fuecoco cried out as they gave chase.
"Don't go too far, you two!" Orla called out to the pair before they disappeared.
However, Liko ended up thinking about Ludlow and Dot, wondering what she should do to get them to leave the Brave Olivine for a moment and join in on the picnic, getting Friede's attention while the others smiled at Fuecoco and Roy going after their little sandwich thief (even if they didn't know about it).
"That Roy, never one to sit still after a short time, huh?"
"Working out after a hearty meal like that every day keeps the doctor away, that's what I say," Mollie and Murdock smiled regarding Roy and his energy.
"Something on your mind, Liko?" the unconventional professor asked the young girl.
"...I want the others to join in on our picnic, too," Liko replied.
"You mean Ludlow and Dot?" Murdock asked, knowing who she was referring to.
"We're all Rising Volt Tacklers, we should get to enjoy things together as a team. And, I get the feeling Dot wants to have fun, just like the rest of us."
"You want to message them to tell them where we are?"
"No, they wanted to stay on the ship for their own reasons and we should respect that."
"So, how exactly are we going to give them a picnic, then?"
Liko smirked as an idea came to her and she told Murdock, "That's the thing; since she and Sarah are already on good terms with each other and you're her uncle, I'm gonna need you two to help me with that."
Murdock blinked in surprise at this as he pointed to himself, asking the young girl, "You mean both Sarah and me?"
With Roy and Fuecoco, they continued to chase after their little sandwich thief across the field toward the coast (while it sparked its wings with electricity in a taunting manner at them as it was running quite fast for a Pokémon of its size), doing their best to keep up with the Pokémon despite getting tired after so much running on their part as they panted heavily.
"COME BACK! Oh, why does it have to run so fast?! We can't let it beat us, Fuecoco, we gotta-Ah, ah!"
Eventually, they stopped at the coast and saw it preparing to take flight with the sandwich at hand. However, little did they know that the Electric/Flying Type didn't have any plans to take off with the sandwich it stole from them, at all. Rather, it had other plans involving them as it waited for and faced them once they caught up with it.
"It's gonna take off, oh no!" Roy gasped in panic before the two blinked at it in surprise when they saw it set the sandwich aside, looking at them with a gleam in its eyes as it got into a battle stance. "Huh, why did it put the sandwich away and why isn't it taking off?"
"Weird," Fuecoco remarked, not knowing what the Pokémon wanted.
"Who is that?"
Taking out his Rotom Phone, Roy scanned the thief and it revealed the troublemaker to be, "Wattrel, the Storm Petrel Pokémon. An Electric and Flying Type, when its wings catch the wind, the bones within produce electricity and it dives into the ocean, stunning foes by electrocuting them."
"You're called Wattrel?"
The Electric/Flying Type Pokémon, now known as Wattrel, gave a daring coo as it challenged them to a duel while raising its wings at them which Roy and Fuecoco were more than happy to accept.
"You wanna battle? Sure, we'll take you on!"
"Anything to get my meal back!" the pair agreed, eager for a battle with the wild Storm Petrel Pokémon as he made the first move with Stomping Tantrum to send chunks of stone flying at Wattrel.
Wattrel, however, was cunning as it dodged the rocks and used a move called Uproar, screeching loudly and sending powerful shockwaves that rocked their sense of hearing and caused them to hold their ears (or the spot where he could hear everything in Fuecoco's case) in pain.
"Hey, that hurt!"
"Dack, why so loud?! You know, you're not the only one who can make a lot of noise! Fuecoco, sing louder than you've ever sung!"
Knowing what Roy meant, Fuecoco soon began to belt out his song and sing to his heart's content as loudly as he could. This took Wattrel by surprise as it stopped for a moment before it continued using Uproar but they were both singing and screeching so loudly to the point that it felt as though they were in a shouting match, the noise became unbearable to the wild Pokémon nearby as they were forced to scatter in fright.
Roy noticed this and he couldn't take it anymore either as he got in front of them, screaming, "BOTH OF YOU STOP!"
That got their attention and they immediately stopped with Watterl turning away as Roy took up the sandwich and asked it, "Wattrel, you were just looking for something to eat, right?"
The Storm Petrel Pokémon didn't answer as it continued to ignore them, prompting Roy to split the sandwich he made for Fuecoco so he could give one half of it to the Electric/Flying Type as he smiled at it, "We can split it with you, right?"
"Right!" Fuecoco grinned as he approached Wattrel with his half of the sandwich and offered it to his opponent, "Want a piece?"
"Hmm?"
Wattrel turned its head slightly and looked at Fuecoco as he continued to offer it one of the sandwich halves, the Fire Croc Pokémon eager to share with it as he told the Storm Petrel Pokémon, "Try it, you'll like it!"
"See, that's what I'm talking about," Roy grinned, feeling proud of his partner for following his advice and deciding to share his sandwich.
Interested in this, Wattrel then fully turned to the two as Fuecoco offered one of the sandwich halves to it and the Electric/Flying Type dug into it, happily eating the sandwich half with gusty and energy.
"Like it?"
"How is it, Wattrel? Is it good?"
Wattrel continued to wolf down its sandwich half eagerly, and within seconds, it was able to finish its meal with no further trouble. But, it looked as though it was about to get a stomachache even though it didn't show any signs of pain which confused the pair before it as they tried to find out what the problem was.
"Hmm?"
"Is something wrong?"
Unfortunately, that was when Wattrel decided to strike again; without them noticing, and regaining the glint in its eyes while letting out a small but cheeky smirk, the Electric/Flying Type swiped the second half of the sandwich from Fuecoco and ate it entirely, shocking Roy and Fuecoco as they saw it finish its stolen meal and got back into a battle stance. Humiliated by Wattrel's fakeout and saddened that they lost the entirety or any part of Fuecoco's sandwich, Roy and his Fire Croc Pokémon gave up and decided to return to the Rising Volt Tacklers' picnic site so they could make a new sandwich for the hungry little Fire Type.
"Cheer up, Fuecoco. I'll help you make a new sandwich when we get back, a bigger sandwich. We can even ask Sarah if she'd make us some sandwiches for you," Roy reassured his partner, trying to cheer up his downtrodden Paldea Fire Starter.
Then, he noticed a flock of Wattrel flying to who-knows-where as they flew together, making him realize that something was off.
"Hey, it's a flock of Wattrel. But, how come that one...isn't going with them?" he puzzled in confusion, seeing the Wattrel that stole their sandwich looking out towards the ocean with its back turned to him and Fuecoco and not with the flock.
Back in the Brave Olivine, Dot was working on a video with Quaxly about picnics but unfortunately, as she never had experience in or didn't know anything about a picnic before, she was having difficulty putting it together from the cutting room floor. Discouraged and not having any ideas on how to go about it, she decided to think it over, ending the video draft and sitting down on her bed while partially zipping off her Nidothing cosplay.
"Hey, now... What's up, Partner?" Quaxly questioned as he watched his partner give up on their video for the day.
"Just not feeling it today," she replied before she noticed the photo Liko and Roy sent to her via a text, showing them and their partners having fun together. "Truth is, I've never actually gone to a picnic..."
"Why not bother going to one? Don't you want a little family time with your uncle every now and then?"
"I mean, come on, think about it. What's the point in going through all of that prepping just for a set of basic nutrition? It's just too much," she replied, grabbing some snacks (i.e. the perfected donuts Murdock made for her) she had stuffed in her room before she got another text from Liko. "A message, from Liko? Hmm, 'Sandwiches are prepared and waiting for you to enjoy in the briefing room'."
Curious about the sandwiches Liko brought for her and thinking back to Sarah's words the day before they arrived in Paldea as well as her uncle's donuts the night she and Quaxly tried them out, she was unsure of what to do. Her stomach, however, gave her the answer she was looking for as it growled and she flustered a bit before she noticed her Duckling Pokémon's innocent gaze, yearning for her to give the sandwiches Liko left for her a try as well.
Eventually, unable to fight Quaxly's gaze and her hunger pains coming in full force, Dot relented as she took off the headband holding her hair back (making it fall back down over her eyes) and admitted, "Well, I guess the donuts Murdock made for me were kind of decent..."
Quaxly smiled his approval at his partner's decision as he cheered, "Yeah! I told you, come on! Let's check out those sandwiches your friend brought for us!"
With that, the pair went over to the briefing room to see Liko brought for them (with Sarah and her uncle's assistance unbeknownst to her). However, she was extremely baffled to discover that the materials for making the sandwiches had been laid out for her, meaning that she would have to prepare the sandwiches for Quaxly and herself. This posed a problem for her as she didn't know the first thing about making a sandwich.
"What is all this supposed to be? You said 'prepared', this is all just a pile of stuff. I've never even made a sandwich, what am I supposed to do with all of this?" she gulped nervously.
Quaxly, however, looked on with interest as he was already brainstorming ideas on his own sandwich. But, the two of them won't be eating alone as Ludlow came to join them, having also gotten Liko's message to have him and Dot take part in the picnic.
"Oh, hey Ludlow, what are you doing here?" the young recluse quizzed the wise old fisherman.
"Well, I've received a message inviting me to a picnic," Ludlow told her, chuckling.
"And, was this message from Liko?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Okay, but how exactly is all this a picnic if we're all just standing around in the meeting room, attempting to make sandwiches?"
"It's not the outdoors or the folding tables or the blankets that make a picnic; it's the experience you share with others. Liko has a good heart within her; not as big as the princess's heart but a big one at that and even a pure one, too. If she finds something she enjoys, she seeks a way to share that enjoyment with friends."
"Share it with friends...?"
"Yeah! Besides, we're friends, too, right? Through thick and thin since we came together, that's us! Let's make our sandwiches together! What do you say, pal? Should we get to work, can we, can we?" Quaxly quacked eagerly.
"And, what are you quacking about all of a sudden? You want a sandwich, too?"
Quaxly just beamed at his partner but while she was tempted to chastise him, she soon began to smile and blush as a change was occurring within her after she was exposed to how Liko shares the happiness she was feeling with others with everything she enjoys. It was as if seeing how Liko wanted to share the experience she had at the picnic with her uncle, Friede, Orla, Mollie, Roy, and their Pokémon along with Sarah, her family, her husband, and his team with her, Quaxly, and Ludlow and do so in a way that benefits and remains true to their choice to stay in the airship.
Of course, this wasn't the only surprise she'd be getting because, at that moment, the trio was greeted with a small 'Laa...' coming from the door leading to the hallway. Curious, Dot went over to see who would be with them until she opened the door and found herself greeted by Sarah's Shiny Latios and Latias.
"What th-?! Hey, wait a minute... You two, aren't you Sarah's Shiny Latios and Latias, the Legendaries that were part of the rescued Shinies once captured by the infamous Carmen Sandiego?" Dot blinked in surprise, looking at Sarah's Shiny Eon Pokémon in awe.
"Not just them, friend! No-no-no! Fun-fun-fun!" cooed another voice as Mew also appeared with the Majestekh Family, Delosky, Parosea, Naxoreal, Donkapa, Donka, Snowflake, Danny, Danielle, Snivy, Oshawott, and Tepig alongside her.
Mew giggled at the stunned Dot as she looked over them (while Ludlow chuckled in amusement and Quaxly cheered over having some of Sarah's Pokémon joining them for a picnic meal) and asked, "W-Wait, you're all... But, I don't- H-How, why are... What are you all even doing here?"
"Mommy Sarah sent us here to keep you and Ludlow company while you are having your picnic on the ship!"
"Liko wanted you two to join in on the fun as you already know and Sarah knows how much you wanted to see stuff like treasures of old and Pokémon like us," added Ivy.
"Those t-t-two dearies wouldn't w-want you s-s-s-s-spending the day a-a-alone while we were all out h-h-h-having fun in addition t-t-to you having a p-picnic on the ship, the p-p-p-princess asked us to r-r-return here to k-k-k-keep you company," Donkapa informed.
"You wanted to see interesting things including Legendary Pokémon and stuff you've never seen before, you got your wish with us," Parosea chirped.
"Even me, he-he-he-he-he-he-he! Now, we can have fun, fun, fun, with you two for as long as you want!" Mew added as she giggled again, getting a chuckle out of Ludlow.
"She's got you there, Dot; why, it's not every day a trainer gets to meet a Pokémon like Mew, she's the very Pokémon that very few trainers ever had the pleasure of meeting. It's also been said that she only appears to those who are pure of heart, and since you're pure of heart yourself along with the princess, Liko, and Roy, it shows that like them, you're destined for great things as long as you open your heart to the wonders of the world outside."
"Yeah, a picnic party with the Legendary Mew and Pokémon we've never seen before courtesy of the princess and Liko! Partner, you might not believe it but this has been the best day ever!" Quaxly grinned excitedly.
With everything before her, all Dot could do was blush harder and broaden her smile as a happy tear tricked down her right eye, her heart glowing in thanks and gratitude for Liko's kind-hearted offering her to join in on the picnic buzz and for Sarah's kindness in giving her the chance to experience a wonderful sight before her with the Pokémon joining her, her partner, and Ludlow for their picnic. As Quaxly told her, for them, this had been the best day ever.
Of course, because of this, Dot started to know how to go about her Nidothing picnic video now and she'll have Liko and Sarah to thank for that (while giving them a surprise to thank them for the idea she was looking for).
With Sarah and her party, after lunch, the little princess soon brought her human family to a small patch of forest outside of the Asado Desert to a house that strangely resembled a cat, having cat-like ears on the roof and a gate at the front of the house in the shape of a cat's head. What her human family was slow on the draw about, however, was that the house they were going to was the place where Sarah was going to give Nikki, James, Johnathan, and Diane their wedding anniversary presents.
"Well, here we are," Sarah smiled as she led her human family to the house and the gate in front of it.
"Uh, Pumpkin, what exactly is this place?" puzzled David as he, Donna (former queen), Delilah, and Doug looked a little bewildered at the sight of the house before them.
"This Pokémon Daycare, Gramps, situated here in this forest is the home of Manya, a Pokémon Breeder who specializes in cat-like Pokémon including Sprigatito, Espurr, Glameow, and Skitty. Race, Asha, and I met her while we were carrying out our treasure hunt assignments as well as the Paldea League. This is also the place where we first met Liko's Sprigatito before she would be sent to the Indigo Academy."
"Sarah, Race, welcome back! I've been expecting you," chuckled a voice, making the royal family turn to the left to find a kind old Pokémon Breeder woman approaching the gate with a warm smile from her house. "It's been many, many weeks since you've come to pay me and the Pokémon a visit."
"It sure has been, Manya," Race chuckled as they were let into her home. "How have you been since we left Paldea for the summer?"
"Wonderful, just wonderful. And, Your Majesties, I'm so delighted to have you over on account of Sarah's request for wedding anniversary presents for your friends."
"The pleasure is all ours, Ms. Manya," Donna (former queen) smiled back as she, her husband, and their children along with Nikki, James, and their parents shook her hand in greeting.
"And, you, Asha... How nice to see you again, I hope you've been keeping your sister and brother out of trouble."
Asha grinned modestly as she replied, "Well, I do my best but you know how they are whenever we're on an adventure."
"Your daughters and Race were such wonderful children when I first met them. I almost couldn't believe it when the Pokémon and I were having guests of royalty over when they came to see us while they were on their treasure hunts. Of course, the Pokémon living with me had really taken to them, especially Sarah."
"Well, our daughter does have that charm on her and she's a natural for caring for them as she does," Doug chuckled humbly in response.
"Even Race and Asha are good sports with Pokémon in their own ways," added Nikki.
Manya nodded as she told Nikki, James, Johnathan, and Diane, "Now, I've heard from Sarah that she's looking for presents to celebrate your wedding anniversaries in the past two weeks. If you all don't mind, I've got a good selection of Pokémon for you, four of which to be precise."
She then threw a knowing playful smile at Delilah as she beamed, "I've also heard that you, Queen Delilah, are interested in Sprigatito ever since you were introduced to the little Pokémon belonging to your daughter's friend, Liko. So, I think the Pokémon I've gathered to meet you all will make fine additions to your family and give you what you're looking for."
As soon as she finished, a horde of Sprigatito popped out of the bushes around them, curiously looking at the royal family as they recognized Sarah, Asha, and Race.
"Hmm?"
"Hello?"
"Hi!"
"Ooh! Newcomers!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" the ladies squealed as the Sprigatito horde came over to the Fidough Sisters and began playing with them.
The men, however, groaned, "Oh, no!"
At this, Manya, Sarah, Race, and Asha could only laugh at their misery, knowing that whichever Sprigatito they would end up having would be spoiled like the Fidough Sisters and they wouldn't have a say.
Eventually, after spending some time playing with the Sprigatito horde and now knowing what their wedding anniversary presents were, it was time for Nikki and Diane along with Donna (former queen) and Delilah to pick out their new Paldea Grass Starters. It wasn't easy for each of them to pick only one, but eventually, they did manage to pick four Sprigatito that they liked and who liked them in return with the ladies giving them new names:
- Clover (Nikki), Catnip (Diane), June (Donna - former queen), and Melon (Delilah)
As they watched, Manya grinned happily, knowing that the Sprigatito they had chosen would all be in good hands with their new family. Rosie felt the same way as she couldn't wait to meet her fellow Grass Cat Pokémon properly now that they're part of their new family, too.
While the Rising Volt Tacklers continued to enjoy their picnic (with Roy and Fuecoco still with the Wattrel that gave them grief after discovering it was a loner), and after saying goodbye to Manya and thanking her for the Sprigatito Sisters in their hands, the little princess and the rest of her group began training, carrying out their practice rounds as a safety precaution concerning Spindel and the Explorers.
They were currently in a large area situated near the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft thanks to Tsukumaro casting a modified and more powerful version of "Cave Inimicum", a protective charm in the Wizarding World that allows the caster to hide oneself from view. With it, he provided a cover for himself, his family, and their friends at the cave entrance so they would be able to train in peace and the entrance could be masked off as just a dark cave nobody would enter. It was also ingenious since Spindel and his Pokémon would not know of their current whereabouts.
Even Mew and Zygarde were no pushovers as they drilled Race's entire team in their own training sessions with ease while Sarah, her husband, her human family, the Junior Patrollers, Scooby, Scrappy, Della, and Liberty watched them from a few feet.
Liberty whistled impressively as she remarked, "Geez, girlfriend, you and your hubby were on fire during your time in Paldea. You're all breezing through their exercises like they were nothing but dust in the wind."
"And, Asha's team was going all out, too!"
"You're awesome!"
"We want to keep being like that!" Nano, Tot, and Mini agreed ecstatically.
"Still looking impressive as always, and even now, you don't let up in your training," Race added, chuckling at his wife.
"Well, I do have to thank Nemona for that. She's always looking for a battle with us during our first semester and I think it paid off well," Sarah smiled modestly as she recalled Nemona's eagerness to battle against her and her family that allowed them to get stronger during that time.
"So, your and Liko's brainstorm with inviting Ludlow and Dot to our picnic, how'd that go?"
Sarah hummed and thought back to earlier when she, Liko, and Murdock returned to the Rising Volt Tacklers to tell them how their plan to get Dot and Ludlow in on the picnic fun worked out.
(Flashback)
"Hey-hey!"
"Hi, everyone, we're back," the friendly cook and Sarah greeted.
"Welcome back!" Orla and Mollie greeted.
"How'd Operation: Indoor Picnic go?" Friede questioned the trio, wanting to know how Dot and Ludlow took it.
"It worked together perfectly thanks to Murdock and Sarah's help! Also, having them eat with some of her Pokémon including the legendary Mew was ingenious, especially for Dot!" grinned Liko with an excited giggle.
"And, now that we've done it, it's up to our friends to enjoy it however they see fit," finished Murdock, smiling happily for his niece.
"However they see fit, huh? That's the spirit," Friede smiled back as Cap nodded his approval.
Then, everybody heard Liko's Rotom Phone ring on account of a text but when the young girl looked at it, however, "Hey, it's from Dot. Wha-?! T-T-T-This is...!"
"What's up?" Sarah blinked as the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers looked at her.
"I-I-It's Nidothing!" Liko answered, turning her phone to show them images of Dot as Nidothing, Murdock, and Quaxly along with Mew, Latios, Latias, the Majestekh Family, Delosky, Parosea, Naxoreal, Donkapa, Donka, Snowflake, Danny, Danielle, Snivy, Oshawott, and Tepig enjoying themselves during their indoor picnic (the first image with Dot, Ludlow, and Quaxly enjoying themselves).
"Not so shy, you know...?"
"That's probably her way of saying to you two and Murdock, 'Thanks for the picnic'."
"Classic Dot," chuckled Mollie, Orla, and Murdock, smiling at what she did.
"I'm pretty sure she knows that you're a big Nidothing fan and wanted to surprise you," Friede added, grinning at Liko.
"That's Dot in her element," agreed Cap knowingly given what he and the others knew about Dot and her internet alter-ego.
"S-Surprise me? B-B-But, how is Nidothing in the picture? Wait, does that mean Nidothing's actually on the ship right now?! Like, I can go over there and meet Nidothing right now!?" Liko cried, flabbergasted at what she saw and fangirling like mad (all while Sarah sighed sadly over how Liko was dense to the reality of Nidothing's true identity unlike her and Race).
"Chill, Liko. If you keep going like that, you'll explode-" the princess began as Liko beamed, cutting her off.
"Wait, I know, that was Dot wearing that awesome Nidothing cosplay she made! She put it on and took a selfie! You know, to seem like Nidothing was on the ship with them, I love it!"
Sarah groaned as she facepalmed in exasperation while Friede also tried to break the reality with her, "I hate to break it to you but..."
"Maybe hang on to that information and let it come from Dot when you're feeling ready," Murdock suggested, grinning knowingly.
Friede shot back his grin as he soon told Liko, "Well, it seems like you and Dot are finally finding ways to connect."
Liko just grinned as she thought to herself, "Friede's right; it feels like the distance between Dot and I has just gotten a little bit smaller..."
(End Flashback)
After they finished eating, the Rising Volt Tacklers allowed their Pokémon to go out and play with each other while Sarah went back to her family before they were due to head back and begin their journey to the Galar Region. As Liko, Mollie, and Orla played with the Pokémon, Murdock, Cap, and Friede stayed by the tree with the unconventional professor and the friendly cook watching the newly completed Nidothing video on picnics Dot and Quaxly finally finished thanks to their stroke of inspiration by the young girl and the little princess.
While watching the video and after Friede paused it at the end, Murdock couldn't help but feel sentimental about his niece as he remarked, "They grow up before you even know it, don't they, Friede?"
"I don't know. Her costume is about the same size to me, really," Friede quipped back, making Murdock emphasize his point by gesturing to his heart.
"I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about in here!"
"I know that, Murdock. I was just making a little joke."
The two friends grinned at each other as the latter continued to be sentimental about Dot, feeling happy that she was gradually changing for the better, "I'm glad we brought Dot aboard the ship. And, she's making a new friend out of it... Well, two friends, actually."
Friede couldn't help but agree as he shared his thoughts regarding Liko, "Yeah, I could hardly recognize Liko these days, it's like she's more confident the more she spends time with us and not being alone as she was before. All thanks to her friendship with Sarah, Race, and their Pokémon; friends really do help us find the best in ourselves."
"Now, where'd you get that line? I know you must've gotten it from Sarah."
"Doesn't matter where it came from."
"I'm back," Roy called, getting the pair and Cap's attention as he and Fuecoco (who was completely tuckered out) returned from their encounter with the wild Wattrel that played them.
"Well, it looks like you two had quite the adventure while you're gone," Murdock quipped, seeing how exhausted the Fire Croc Pokémon was.
"I guess we did, didn't we?" Roy chuckled in response.
"Alright, time to pack it up," Friede decided as he and Cap got back on their feet and he called out to Liko, Mollie, Orla, and the Pokémon with them, "We should be heading back to the ship soon!"
"Okay/Alright!" they called back to him.
"Should I get Sarah and her family and tell them we're leaving?"
"Nah, let them have their time together, Roy. After everything we've learned yesterday, they deserved it," Murdock told Roy as they packed everything up and soon made their way back to the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft.
"So, wait, after all that, it ate the entire sandwich?" Liko asked Roy in surprise when he and Fuecoco told her and Sprigatito what went down between them and the wild Wattrel.
"Yeah, and Fuecoco was willing to go halves with it but nope."
"It sounds like that Wattrel you two met really loves its food, it's just like Fuecoco."
"I don't think they're all that alike; it attacked Fuecoco with no hesitation using this really big noise, and then, it just gave us that really big stare while it spread its wings out daringly. It was really weird but it was really fast and its wings lit up with electricity as it did so. It was so incredible!"
"You really sure are funny, Roy," Liko finished with a smile just as Roy stopped, thinking back to the wild Wattrel and wondering why it opted to sit out on the cliffside on the coast and not join the Wattrel flock he and Fuecoco saw flying away moments ago. "Something wrong?"
"...I can't help it, I'm worried. I'm gonna go back to the cliff and I'm gonna go check on Wattrel. Come on, Fuecoco."
"Okay!" Fuecoco agreed as he followed his friend to meet up with the wild Wattrel again.
"Uh... And, there he goes," Liko quipped, watching them leave.
"Just don't come back too late, Roy," Friede called out to the young treasure hunter.
"I won't!"
"What's eatin' him?" Cap questioned as they and Liko watched Roy and Fuecoco go back to Wattrel to check on it.
"He's starting to really observe Pokémon from a new perspective, isn't he? It's not like Liko and Dot who grew up right in front of us, huh, Cap?"
"Hmm?" Liko puzzled, looking at him as she heard him say her name.
"Uh, he-he, nothing."
Returning to Sarah and her family in their cavern hideout (still protected by Tsukumaro's cave spell), after they completed their training, they were now beginning to discuss their potential counterattack to Spindel and the assault he had planned for them and the Rising Volt Tacklers should he make his move.
"So, honey, we know that this Spindel character will be after us and your friends next after the hooligan named Amethio failed to capture your, Young Race, and Ms. Liko's Terapagos. It's possible that they knew about your Pokémon and your dragons and are plotting ways to deal with them," Delilah told her daughter.
"I know that, Mom. They do know about them but they have no idea what they could do in battle and I've already made sure to block out every loophole they have on us thanks to Lazuli," Sarah replied knowingly.
"How exactly do you plan for us to stay one step ahead of the Explorers while keeping the Terapagos out of their hands, Ponchita?" James quizzed.
"I got it all worked out from the intel she's given us; if Amethio, and not Spindel, gets the drop on us, I'll teach Nebula Imprison which prevents an opponent from using moves Ceruledge knows including Phantom Force and Psycho Cut, meaning Ceruledge will be a sitting duck and the other Pokémon knowing and sharing moves such as that will be helpless."
"That's not a bad idea, Sis," Asha replied.
"Then, there is a move known as Worry Seed which switches whatever ability an opponent has on them to Insomnia similar to Noctowl's which will remove Ceruledge's Weak Armor ability and keep him from getting a speed boost with every hit on him; I'm planning on teaching Rosie that so she can level the playing field whenever they're on stage. I'm thinking of saving Chien, Snowflake, Tundra, and Suicune's Sheer Cold for later."
"Sounds like a plan," Scrappy put in with a nod.
"Sho and Arrietty are Ghost Types in addition to Normal Types so they'd be a perfect match-up against Ceruledge."
"A spooky pairing with a fiery ghost...? …Fighting ghost with ghost, I like that. Groovy!" Della nodded eagerly, getting an amused smile from Liberty.
"And, all that leaves us is Charm from Stoutland, Blissey, Wigglytuff, Aqua, Duke, Spartan and Meowzie along with their family, Tony, Jessie, and my Eeveelutions including the Eevee Squad. I'm sure you all know that they can severely cripple the Physical Attack stats of any Pokémon when they're confident enough and the Explorers' Pokémon including whichever ones Spindel has on him will be no exception."
"And, you'll be ironing out the details on your other strategies since we've no idea who will strike next should Spindel fail to capture our Terapagos," Race sighed knowingly as the Terapagos Three toddled up to their human parents and cooed happily for them.
"I see those three have no objections to those strategies leaving the Explorers little options to counter them," David praised with a warm chuckle.
The royal couple smiled softly as they gently rubbed their heads and Sarah replied, "Don't you three worry your little heads, I'm sure nothing will happen to you as long as we're here."
"If the Explorers do catch you behind our backs, they're gonna be sorry if they ever do that," Race vowed reassuringly.
"But, the Explorers are crafty; they might have backup plans of their own now that they know about you," Nano said innocently.
"They found you two and Liko at Indigo Academy and if they followed us to Paldea, who knows what else they'll do?" Tot agreed as he, Nano, and Mini grew concerned for their owner.
"I've taken care of that after giving it some thought; this crystal from Reader, I had her pull it out of the treasure vault in my Dragonstone home and enchant it for me when I informed her about the Explorers and their hunt for our Terapagos," Sarah reassured as she produced a white crystal in her right hand that's the size of a basketball. "It will only show me and our allies everything they're doing with a single command similar to how I used the Obsidian Mirror. That way, we'll be relatively incognito wherever they are while listening in on their plans and their next moves."
"Pawesome!" the Poms beamed as they wagged their tiny tails.
"Well, at least, it'll get them off our backs for a while and we won't have to worry about figuring out their every move through guesswork," Liberty quipped, agreeing to the idea.
"For sure, dudette."
"I get it; if we use the crystal as a front of well-meaning espionage on our front, we'll see Spindel and find out where he and his Pokémon are hiding," Mudbud and Rosebud eulogized with knowing grins.
"Praise the all-knowing NightWing and the wonders of Animus Magic!" panegyrized Budderball, getting an amused chuckle out of Sarah.
"Very funny, Budderball," she snarked as she playfully rubbed the 6-year-old puppy's head.
With the Explorer in question, joined by his Umbreon, Spindel (who was out in the open now and going incognito) stood near the Dragon Craft and the Brave Olivine out of sight. With them came the Magneton he had with him appearing a short distance away from the two ships, emitting EMP waves before it was joined by a whole platoon of Magneton.
"Hmm... The winds are moving, in a good direction," he compelled despite knowing he was missing something. "But, the royal family... Hmm, they seem to be more resourceful than I thought..."
"A little break is good every now and then, huh, Cap? Once preparations are complete, we'll be all clear for takeoff," Friede told Cap as the pair entered the bridge only to discover that the ship's reboot and diagnostics check had not yet been complete, much to their confusion. "That's strange; the reboot bar is in the same place as if we never left..."
Then, when they noticed the systems going haywire, the unconventional professor quickly called Dot to tell her what was happening just now, "Dot, you there? What are you seeing?"
"Friede, this is a-!" the young recluse began only for the reboot screen to be cut off as the Brave Olivine's systems turned off all at once including Dot's computer.
"The system just shut down..."
"Not cool," Friede and Cap remarked, having a bad feeling about what they were witnessing.
Even Dot was feeling uneasy as she remarked to Quaxly about everyone's overall situation, "This is a not good, very bad situation..."
"Meaning...?" Quaxly puzzled, knowing what the trouble meant.
With the Dragon Craft, however, unlike with the Brave Olivine, thanks to its upgraded system programming with its array of powerful defensive firewalls and other protective measures against issues such as EMP waves by Aurora and the Fox Brothers coupled with the Night Lights' abilities with electricity, it was safe. But, since everyone planned to go to the Galar Region together to look for Diana, they couldn't take off right away (which was all going according to plan for Spindel).
However, the presence of the Magneton platoon caught the attention of the dragons as they hissed at the Magnet Pokémon from the cave entrance with Sarah seeing them with her vision involving them and Spindel as well.
Sarah also looked out the cave entrance as she told everyone, "It's him, Spindel, he's here..."
Everyone went pale as the little princess grimly replied, "Unless we do something, we and the Brave Olivine may never fly again..."
To Be Continued...