Draco: As I mentioned previously, you would be returned to Main Street after each investigation with Looker, and you could speak to him for the next one after you left Main Street and returned. This time, when you go to speak to him, you get a big #PointOfNoReturn warning that you will not be able to exit Trainer Mode or save your game for some time. The reason for this is to make sure that if your team with an average level of 50 isn't enough to win the important fights, you black out and return to the menu instead of being stuck in an #UnwinnableByMistake situation.

Also as was mentioned previously, I am writing the Looker chapters as being one continuous investigation rather than breaking them up as in gameplay. Owing to this, I am excluding what would be the dialogue for the post-Rita investigation, and jumping straight into the dialogue that immediately follows the #PointOfNoReturn.

Pokémon and all related properties © Nintendo. Virtual Singers of Piapro Studio © Crypton Future Media.

A Mysterious Man

Once they had returned to the villa, Looker moved to edit his corkboard in silence; once he was finished, he stepped away with a sigh. "With this," he proclaimed, "we have investigated all the suspicious persons that have been reported." He turned to Jeanne with a small smile. "It seems the assistance of a capable Trainer was unnecessary... but I thank you for assisting me all the same."

"Are you alright?" Jeanne asked.

Looker sighed. "I... cannot shake the feeling that I have missed something," he confessed. "All of these reports of 'suspicious persons' in Pokétopia have turned out to be simple misunderstandings. Yet I have seen, several times before, that when strong Trainers gather in one place, someone tries to bring harm to them." He shook his head. "Perhaps I am simply second-guessing myself. I should be happy that nothing terrible has come about."

He stepped towards Jeanne. "In any case, all that remains is to write a report to my superiors. And I do not believe that I should need to speak with any Trainers in doing so. You may freely return to your own activities in Pokétopia. I shall see to it a reward is sent to you - perhaps a number of Poké Coupons."

Jeanne nodded. "If you're sure, then I'll be off."

She stepped out into Sunny Park - and as she was making to approach the Pokémon Café, she found someone else approaching her. It was a man in a long black coat, with his Poké Balls arranged vertically at his side; a pair of rectangular black sunglasses covered his eyes, and his purple hair looked like he'd tried to comb it back and a few errant strands had rebelled against the effort.

"Oh, hello," the man greeted. "Pardon my asking, but I am looking for someone. Have you seen a boy with spiky hair, who is rather exceptionally skilled at Pokémon battles?"

That wasn't the most detailed description Jeanne had ever heard, but she had a feeling she knew who he was talking about. "I think I have," she admitted. "Except... you're not going to accuse him of cheating, are you?"

The man seemed surprised. "Cheating?" he asked. "Oh, no, it's not that. I simply wish to seek him out for a rematch."

"I see," Jeanne mused. "He's usually going between the Public School and the Battle Club, on Main Street."

"Very well," the man praised. "Thank you." He turned and started towards Main Street.

Jeanne made to continue on her path to the Pokémon Café... yet there was something about the encounter that had her second-guessing herself. After a moment, she found herself abandoning her course, and making her way back to Main Street.

+x+x+x+

She was very glad that she did.

As she approached the Battle Club, she found the man in the black coat confronting three familiar figures - Michael, Rita, and Zossie. Sticky was out of his Ball, and seemed to be acting in a very curious manner; at Michael's side was an Eevee who looked fearful, but determined.

"Don't play dumb with me, boy," the man proclaimed. "You know exactly who I am!"

"I don't know anything about you," Michael insisted. "When would I have- Ah! Jeanne!"

The man turned in surprise as Jeanne approached, slowing to a stop. "You again..." He huffed. "No matter. If you're going to stand in the way of my revenge, then I'll deal with you just the same!"

You are challenged by Mystery Man Ardos!

He seized one of his Poké Balls, hurling it forward, and an Alakazam emerged looking eager for a fight. Jeanne quickly seized one of her own Poké Balls, sending out Froslass in return; after a moment to assess the battlefield, she loosed a Will-O-Wisp at the Psi Pokémon as he started to charge forward. Both Jeanne and Froslass were caught off-guard when the Alakazam proceeded to slam a Fire Punch into the Snow Land Pokémon; the heat had her reeling, but the attack didn't have the impact it would coming from a more physically-capable Pokémon, and she was able to swiftly recover.

The burn seared into Alakazam's body, and Froslass quickly loosed a hellish Hex before he could launch his next attack. The Psi Pokémon was staggered by the force of the attack, but managed to hold on and unleashed a Psychic that left more of a mark than the Fire Punch had - the blast was so forceful that nothing could convince Jeanne it was all the Pokémon's own power. As Froslass started to collapse, she withdrew the Snow Land Pokémon and sent out Larvesta to take her place; the Torch Pokémon quickly charged forward, and before Alakazam could recover, a ferocious Bug Bite was enough to knock him out.

Ardos withdrew him and sent out a Kingdra in his place; Larvesta had no chance to retaliate before the Dragon Pokémon unleashed an unforgiving Hydro Pump... that slammed into the pavement barely past her side and washed down Main Street. Kingdra's eyes widened in regret as Larvesta seized the opportunity, unleashing a screeching Struggle Bug that left the opponent writhing in discomfort; alas, the second Hydro Pump found its mark, knocking out the Torch Pokémon in a single blow and sending her flying backwards.

Jeanne withdrew her before sending out Lucario to take her place; the Aura Pokémon promptly unleashed a Dragon Pulse that slammed into Kingdra and left her reeling. Once again was a lone supereffective blow insufficient to knock out her opponent, and the Dragon Pokémon took the opportunity to unleash an Ice Beam. Lucario braced himself against the blow, and when the ice didn't immediately hinder his movements, he brought his hands back to let an Aura Sphere well up between them, hurling it forward to finish the job.

As Kingdra fell to the pavement, Ardos withdrew her and sent out a Heracross to take her place; the Single Horn Pokémon promptly charged at Lucario, who lunged forward in return with a Bone Rush. He managed to land one, two, three hits with his weapon before a Brick Break slammed into his side, throwing him to the ground; Jeanne withdrew him and sent out Archeops, who promptly swooped forward and bombarded Heracross with Acrobatics before she could land another blow.

This time, it was enough; the Single Horn Pokémon fell to the ground, and Archeops pulled back and spread his wings with a triumphant cry.

Ardos growled as he withdrew Heracross. "This is not the end of this!" he proclaimed. "For either of you! I will have my revenge!"

He charged away, back up Main Street, and Jeanne waited until she was sure he was gone before withdrawing Archeops. She turned to find Rita was looking at her camera with a surprisingly focused expression, and Michael looking down dejectedly; concerned, Jeanne stepped towards him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Michael insisted. "Just... confused. Why was that man acting like he knew me?"

"I don't know," Rita mused, "but that's the kind of guy you have a good reason to be concerned about. Anyone chasing after people for revenge is gonna be causing trouble." She turned to Jeanne. "I got his photo. Can you take me to that Looker guy you were with? Maybe we can-"

She was interrupted when a loud cry drew everyone's attention to the Ultra Beast hovering at Zossie's side. "What's up, Sticky?" she asked. "You're acting weird." Then, when the Poipole started floating in the direction Ardos had gone; "Woah, slow down there! I can't have you running off on your own!" She raised her Beast Ball, withdrawing Sticky before he could get too far. "What's up with you? I've never seen you acting like..."

Her eyes widened. "Oh no. I think I know what's going on here." She turned to Jeanne. "You have to let me come with you!"

+x+x+x+

When Jeanne led the way back to Looker's villa, she found the corkboard missing from the wall; the International Police agent seemed to be in the process of packing up as they stepped in. "Oh, Jeanne," he greeted. "Is something the matter? I thought I said we had concluded our investigations."

"Well, if you were investigating, I think you're the right guy to talk to," Rita proclaimed. "We just ran into a guy on Main Street who said he was looking for revenge on Michael!"

Looker immediately turned to face them fully. "What?!"

Rita held out her camera. "Here, I got a picture of him before he ran off."

"That was excellent thinking of you," Looker praised, accepting the camera carefully. "It should be a simple matter to find him with this." His gaze narrowed. "Except... Michael said he was only testing that Aura Reader device. Why would someone want revenge on him for that?"

"He doesn't," Zossie proclaimed. "I think he wants revenge on someone else." She drew out her Beast Ball. "Sticky started acting weird around him. When the man ran off, Sticky almost chased him down Main Street."

Looker started. "An Ultra Beast reacting to someone? But that would mean..."

Zossie nodded. "I think so. That man is a Faller."

"Faller?" Rita echoed. "What does that mean?"

"A Faller is someone who has passed through an Ultra Wormhole," Zossie proclaimed, "a portal leading to the places where Ultra Beasts come from. A person who goes through without special protection gives off a little bit of the same kind of energy as the Ultra Wormhole does - and Ultra Beasts like Poipole react to that."

"So... that guy came from another world?" Rita summed up.

"It would seem so," Looker observed. "A world where Michael - or a boy very much like Michael - caused him trouble." He bowed his head. "And I fear I know what sort of trouble he might have caused." He shook his head. "This is a very serious matter. Jeanne, please see if you can find this man before he causes any further trouble. Rita, Zossie, come with me so we can report him to Pokétopia's authorities."

Rita nodded. "Right!"

"Okay," Zossie conceded.

+x+x+x+

No sooner had Jeanne emerged into Sunny Park than she heard the sounds of battle from nearby - a major concern when Sunny Park was host to Pokétopia's non-battle activities. Following the sounds had her arriving just as the battle concluded... and sure enough, she once again found Ardos standing there, glaring at Michael. This time, it was Zinnia and Murph who were standing with him - and a Salamence like Jeanne had never seen before was hovering between her and Ardos on wings that looked like a giant crescent.

"When did you start hiding behind other Trainers, boy?!" Ardos snapped. "And Trainers with such bizarre Pokémon, what's more!" Then, before Michael could respond, he noticed Jeanne coming at him from the side. "Not that anyone seems to leave us alone... but I will not give up!"

He sprinted away before Jeanne could close in on him; as she stumbled to a stop, Zinnia withdrew her Salamence and turned to her with a smile. "Well, look at you! Brave heroine showing up to chase off the bad guy!" Jeanne's expression must have spoken for her, for Zinnia's face fell when she turned. "Unless you were trying to catch him, instead of letting him run off."

Murph sighed. "Who was that guy?" he asked, turning to Michael. "And why is he so angry at you? He called you someone's 'biggest enemy'?"

"Cipher," Michael replied. "It's a criminal organization in Orre that created Shadow Pokémon - Pokémon turned into fighting machines by sealing their hearts away." Murph and Zinnia both started. "This Aura Reader is supposed to be able to identify Shadow Pokémon if it happens again. But I don't understand why he's angry at me. I wasn't the one who took down Cipher. And I never even saw anyone like him on the news when they were reporting about Cipher's downfall."

"Zossie and Looker think he's a 'Faller'," Jeanne explained. "Someone who comes from another world."

"Huh?" Michael exclaimed. "You think that guy comes from another world... where I'm the one who took down Cipher?"

Zinnia crossed her arms. "Another world," she mused, "just like this one and yet not the same. An Orre region that's almost exactly like the one you come from. A world where maybe the evolution of Pokémon took a slightly different path, where Mega Evolution is unknown... A world where no one ever talks about Shadow Pokémon, or even hears about them, because they happened in a distant land. A world where Cipher... wasn't finished off the first time. And in the Orre of that world... What would happen if, when someone built an Aura Reader just in case Shadow Pokémon ever appeared again, Cipher started making more? What would happen to the young boy who's skilled at Pokémon battles, whose parents could figure out how to heal Shadow Pokémon?"

She turned to Michael. "He'd probably turn into Cipher's biggest enemy, don't you think?"

"So you're saying in another world," Murph exclaimed, "someone like Michael took down Cipher... and now someone from Cipher in that world ended up in this world? That's... wow! It's like some kind of sci-fi movie!" He shook his head. "And in the sci-fi movies, someone like that always causes a lot of trouble for everyone in the world he ends up in. We've gotta stop him!"

Jeanne nodded. "Agreed."

"I saw him going towards Arrival Colosseum," Michael pointed out. "We need to stop him!"

"You go stop him," Zinnia requested, turning to Jeanne. "I'm going to go find that International Police guy and make sure he's got someone who can fight in case they run into each other."

"Alright!"

+x+x+x+

Attention, visitors to Pokétopia. A criminal has been discovered within the bounds of Pokétopia. For your own safety, please retreat indoors and remain there until further notice. If you see this man, please inform the nearest Pokétopia staff member immediately. I repeat...

No sooner had Jeanne and Murph arrived at the Arrival Colosseum lobby than Luka's voice started echoing over the intercom; displays that would normally depict the battlefield were now showing Rita's photo of Ardos' face. There was quite a crowd in the lobby, as well; as Jeanne was looking around, someone yelled out. "That's the guy! I saw him going into the Colosseum!"

Murph groaned. "The divas aren't gonna be here at this hour," he observed. "Can you go to the battlefield and see if you can find that guy? I'm gonna wait here and make sure he doesn't get out before Looker or Miku arrives."

Jeanne nodded, weaving her way through the crowd. No one seemed to notice as she slipped through the doors and made her way out onto the battlefield; the monitors around the Colosseum were also depicting Ardos' photo, and the man himself was standing in the red corner. He seemed to be waiting for someone to find him, for he stepped out into the combatant's position as Jeanne was approaching.

"I should have known you'd follow me again," he proclaimed. "But this time, you will not win so easily! I will not let anyone stand between me and my revenge!"

You are challenged by Cipher Admin Ardos!

He seized two Poké Balls off his belt, throwing them forward at once; from them emerged a Sceptile and a Charizard, both looking eager for a fight. Jeanne reached for her own belt, sending out Primarina and Larvesta.

"Destroy her!" Ardos commanded.

"Get the Sceptile first!" Jeanne warned.

The Forest Pokémon charged forward with great speed, the blades on its wrists glowing brightly as it closed in on Primarina. The Soloist Pokémon braced herself as Larvesta charged forward in return, and as Sceptile passed with a biting Leaf Blade, the Torch Pokémon connected with a blazing Flame Wheel from the side, leaving him stumbling. As soon as the strike of the impact faded, Primarina whirled around and unleashed an Ice Beam to finish Sceptile off; the Forest Pokémon hit the ground and was promptly withdrawn.

Charizard closed in before either of them could move to strike him next, bringing a ferocious Dragon Claw down that knocked out Larvesta in retaliation. Ardos sent out a Starmie as Jeanne withdrew Larvesta, prompting her to send out Goodra next; the two traded quick glances, and the Dragon Pokémon brought his hands down and unleashed a wave of Muddy Water that came crashing down on both of Ardos' Pokémon. Charizard was knocked out by the blow; Starmie weathered the blow much better, and promptly unleashed a Thunderbolt to finish off Primarina before she could attack again for herself.

Jeanne and Ardos each withdrew their knocked-out Pokémon; Ardos sent out a Tauros, prompting Jeanne to deploy Lucario. The Aura Pokémon swiftly unleashed a Dark Pulse that rippled out in Starmie's direction, knocking out the Mysterious Pokémon before it could launch another attack; Goodra directed a Dragon Pulse in the direction of Tauros leaving the Wild Bull Pokémon skidding backwards from the blow. It wasn't enough to finish him off, and Tauros promptly reared back and slammed his front hooves into the ground, unleashing an Earthquake that rocked both of Jeanne's combatants.

Ardos sent out an Aerodactyl while the aftershocks were still fading; Lucario promptly brought his hands back for an Aura Sphere, hurling it at Tauros before Aerodactyl closed in and finished him off with an Aerial Ace. The Wild Bull Pokémon was also knocked out by the blow; Ardos was seething as he withdrew Tauros, and Goodra unleashed another wave of Muddy Water to strike Aerodactyl as Jeanne withdrew Lucario as well.

The Fossil Pokémon was shaken by the tide, but not enough to finish it off; as Jeanne sent out Archeops, Aerodactyl unleashed a bombardment of Ancient Power to finish off Goodra as well. Ardos sent out a Gengar, and with a tight breath Jeanne sent out Froslass as well, prompting the two Ghost-types to size each other up as Archeops made to finish off Aerodactyl with a Dragon Claw.

Shadow Balls were gathered by each of the spectral combatants, and launched at nearly the same moment, the projectiles passing through one another and then slamming into their targets. The Snow Land Pokémon was knocked out by Gengar's blast; the Ghost-type managed to endure Froslass' attack better, but was not expecting Archeops to follow through with a painful Crunch that finished him off.

"No!" Ardos decried. "Not again! How?!"

Jeanne withdrew the fainted Froslass with a sigh. "It's over!" she proclaimed. "You've lost!"

Ardos shook his head. "I will not accept this!" he yelled. "I've come too far to quit now! I must have my revenge for Cipher!"

"You were never going to get your revenge for Cipher. Not in this world."

The voice from the red corner drew Ardos' attention; Looker was standing there with Zossie, Zinnia, and Miku. Footsteps behind Jeanne drew her attention to find Michael, Rita, and Murph coming up behind her, and she drew her attention back to Ardos as he stumbled back. "What...? This world? What do you mean?"

"You don't even remember it happening?" Zossie observed. "You're in a different world than the one you remember. I don't know where you found an Ultra Wormhole, or why you don't remember going through it, but the fact is that you're trying to hurt a boy who never had anything to do with Cipher."

Ardos stepped back. "No... that's not possible!"

"I'm afraid it is," Zinnia confirmed. "There's a lot of similarities between this world and yours, but there's a lot of differences, too. And the most important difference is that Michael never fought you - or anyone like you - until you came here to Pokétopia."

Looker stepped forward. "I do not know whether there is a way to send you back to the world you came from. But the fact is that you have done terrible things, and must be punished. Mister Ardos, you are under arrest."

There was silence for a long moment; then Ardos turned to Michael. "You, boy... Did you still come from Orre, in this world?"

Michael nodded. "Yeah."

"...Then what happened to Cipher?" Ardos sounded almost terrified. "What happened to the Grand Master?"

"I never heard of a Grand Master," Michael proclaimed. "But I did hear about an island off the coast of Gateon Port, that sank into the ocean. And a lot of people from Cipher who got arrested because they barely got off the island."

Ardos said nothing more; Looker stepped up and cuffed his hands, and he let himself be led away.

Once they were out of the Colosseum, Miku stepped towards Jeanne, prompting Zinnia and Zossie to follow. "I guess I owe you thanks for keeping him busy," Miku observed. "You did a brave thing, battling him while Looker came to get me." She looked around at the others. "And we never would have known what was going on if all of you hadn't helped."

"Oh, come on," Rita insisted, "all I did was take his picture."

"And all I did was stand at the doors!" Murph added.

Michael shook his head. "I didn't do anything," he observed. "He was just chasing me, and I happened to be with the right people at the right time."

"It doesn't matter how little you think you did," Miku proclaimed. "If you hadn't all been involved, we wouldn't have caught him." She offered a bright smile. "I can't wait to see how far brave people like you can go!"

Draco: Please excuse the second Ardos battle for its improbability, gameplay accuracy was less important than a satisfying battle scene. And I'll be trying to write my battle scenes going forward as satisfying rather than gameplay-accurate, so that's going to be a regular thing.

XD left a dangling plot thread of "Ardos branded Michael as Cipher's biggest enemy" because Orre was forgotten about. And I've written a gratuitous arena game with cameos from all over the core series, side series, and spin-offs. I cannot in good conscience have a story mode in this game without running them into that dangling thread and seeing what sort of interesting knots I get.

And what an interesting knot I've gotten out of it. I will be completely honest with you guys - I picked Zossie and Zinnia as making cameos before my arena game idea turned into an absurd Piapro crossover wish-fulfillment pileup. GenVI Hoenn acknowledged GenIII Hoenn as an alternate world. Alola introduced otherworlders in the form of Fallers, and had GenIII Anabel as one of them. So when I got really out of hand and added a cameo from Eternal Colosseum Michael, I realized I had something VERY interesting that I could write as soon as I had the will to do it.

...Mind, working up the will was the difficult part.

Also, like Miku and her friends before them, our persons of interest would appear at random locales in Play Mode after defeating Ardos. Zossie would be in the Contest Spectacular like Kaito, competing with Sticky. Zinnia would be in the Pokéathlon like Meiko, with a few members of her Draconid team (no, Mega Evolution wouldn't contribute to Pokéathlon). Michael and Murph would join in on Poffin-making like Rin and Len; Michael contributes Dry berries, and Murph contributes Bitter berries. Rita would hang out at the Pokémon Café and request a random Pokémon to photograph per day, giving you a reward if you satisfy her request; I'm thinking a pack of Exp. Candies, with which variety you get varying based on the rarity (or at least the catch rate) of her subject.

PRE-SUBMIT EDIT: This is the last chapter of Grand Stage that I have written at present... and also the last chapter that is really necessary to understand Grand Stage as a fanfictional game. The only remaining chapters are showcasing the remaining Colosseums, and will pretty much be two battle-scenes-for-battle's-own-sake per chapter. I hope you've enjoyed. END PRE-SUBMIT EDIT