Disclaimer: I do not own any of the material appearing in this story. The OC's belong to their respective owners.
A security guard walked through a museum at night, softly whistling without a care in the world. He heard a bump into the night that caught his attention. "Hmm? Who goes there?" He asked, pulling out his flashlight as he looked around, his eyes narrow.
"Dang kids probably pulling a prank…" He mumbled as he continued to look around with the flashlight… until he shined his light on a Grumpig. "Wah!"
"Grumpig Pig!" The Grumpig waved.
"Oh, hello big guy… how'd you get in here? Were you left behind by your trainer?"
Suddenly, Grumpig's eyes turned blue. "Gruuumpiiiiig!"
"Wha…?!" The security guard yelped as he was suddenly caught in a deep trance.
Grumpig smirked as he raised his arm up toward the ceiling, giving a thumbs up.
BGM: Mission Impossible Theme
A Seviper cut a circle with his tail and removed it, where a thief slowly descended into an exhibit. A Scizor and a Zoroark slowly extended the rope as the thief landed on the ground.
"Hmhmhmhm~" The thief chuckled, picking up a Hisuian Pokeball. The thief put it into their pocket and continued to prowl around, grabbing as many artifacts as they could.
Laventon's Pokedex, a model sized Team Galaxy headquarters, a small fossil of a baby Amaura, plus other ancient artifacts that the thief could put into their bag.
However, one such treasure caught their attention as they walked up to it. An empty scroll for all the world to see, known as "The mysterious scroll from the Shanghai Region".
The thief pulled out a pen, pressing a button as a backlight activated as they shined it directly on the scroll.
"Yuànhèn mù bēi."
The thief gasped, quickly pulling out goggles.
Translating: The Wooden Tablets of Resentment
"I knew it!"
The thief continued to use the backlight, with her goggles translating for them.
"Chóuhèn zhī jiàn."
"Kǒngjù zhī chuán."
"Jídù de zhūzi."
Translating: The Sword of Hatred. The Vessel of Fear. The Beads of Envy.
"Qǐng zhùyì. Rúguǒ nǐ yào zhǎodào zhèxiē bèi zǔzhòu de wùtǐ, nǐ nèixīn de hēi'àn kěnéng huì jiāng tāmen biàn chéng shénqí bǎobèi bìng dài lái huǐmiè. Zhè jiùshì zài pà ěr dí yà chàdiǎn fāshēng de shìqíng, huǐmiè sì bǎo biàn chéngle bàolì de bǎo kě mèng."
Translating: Be warned. If you are to find these cursed objects, the darkness in your heart may transform them into Pokemon and bring ruin. Such is what nearly happened in Paldea with the Four Treasures of Ruin being turned into violent Pokemon.
The thief chuckled. "At long last. My persistence paid off. The Treasures of Ruin do indeed exist! I knew the seals in Paldea weren't just graffiti that most people say!"
The thief grabbed the scroll, rolling it up and putting it away before replacing it with a decoy, complete with putting decoys of everything they stole.
With a soft whistle, a Gengar emerged from the shadows and grabbed the thief, disappearing into the depths before pulling up to the side on a rowboat where a Lumineon, strapped with a Quick Claw necklace, was waiting for them. Everyone made it to the rendezvous where the thief hopped into the boat.
"Step on it."
"Lumiiiin!" Lumineon took off while the thief recalled the Pokemon, sans the Lumineon as it swam into a cave just outside of town.
End BGM
Once the Lumineon stopped, the thief stepped off and tossed a treat for the Lumineon to eat, then recalled it into the Pokeball.
The thief took off the mask, revealing to be Raifort herself.
"Mission accomplished."
Suddenly, Raifort heard slow clapping as she turned her head to see a man approaching her. "Well done. What I would expect from Paldea's most infamous phantom thief."
"I know you. You're the headmaster of that academy, headmaster Clavell. How did you find my hideaway?"
"I have my sources." He said as the water bubbled up behind her as she turned to see Gyarados emerging with a waterproof video camera. "Gyarados here has observed your heists time and time again, including your stealthy getaways to your hideout. You even went out of your way to plan heists in other regions, most notably Galar and Kalos."
"Hmph, what of it? I'm a busy woman."
"Yes, I see… tell me, why are you collecting ancient artifacts all over the world?"
"Oh, I would tell you…" Raifort pulled out a button. "But I'd have to kill you before I told you my secrets!" She pushed a button.
…Only… nothing happened.
"Hmm? Sorry, this normally works with hapless intruders… come on, why isn't my state of the art-"
"Polteaaa!" A Polteageist came flying over with destroyed wires as an Oranguru had telekinetically pulled out some equipment that were now useless.
"You're not the only person who's been busy, Shadow Meowstic-" Clavell said, adjusting his glasses. "-Or should I go by Raifort?"
"So you know my true name."
"Indeed. And don't think you could just simply do away with me with just a weapon." He said, pulling out an unloaded frozen Desert Eagle with a destroyed magazine, tossing it to the ground where it shattered upon impact, then they heard a smug chuckle coming from an Abomasnow with his arms folded.
"Tch… I can just buy a new one."
"You have quite the extensive record on you. Based on your heists, you've captured any ancient artifact you could get your hands on. In Kalos, you decided to snag the origins of Zygarde. You stole the Mega Stone that would make Diancie Mega Evolve. An Urban Redevelopment plan for Kalos… and many more artifacts pertaining the mysteries behind Xerneas and Yveltal, along with the humble beginnings of Team Flare before they turned into a fashionistic terrorist group. Heh, don't get me started on Galar with the Darkest Day and artifacts regarding the two heroes of Galar."
"Are you done rambling?"
"I've also seen your future plans. You are to leave for Unova tomorrow in order to explore the Abyssal Ruins… and find evidence of the true origins of Kyurem."
"Are you just trying to stall for time before I end up wiping you out from existence?"
"Tell me, Raifort… what is history to you?"
"History? Why, ancient history is my blood! I just can't help but be fascinated by the history of it all. It tells a story that just wraps me into it."
"And what about history that is recent? I couldn't help but notice you stole the Mono Elizah painting, yet you turned your nose up over a statue that was made regarding Team Flare's downfall."
"Recent history is straight garbage. I don't care if it's really important to mankind or not, recent history has no story to tell. I would go as far to say that even twenty years is recent history."
"Really. Even when The Amazon's football team crushed Galar's Football team for the first time in history?"
"That was fifteen years ago. I don't care how significant it was!"
"I see. I have a proposition for you."
"Okay, what is it?"
"Your love for history is inspiring, so I will make you a deal. Become my history teacher and I will wipe your criminal history clean while you sneak around and return all of the artifacts you've stolen."
"Hmph! I'd rather just dump your body somewhere."
"How about we settle this in a Pokemon Battle? If I win, well… you know how it goes."
"Very well… and if I win, I'll continue to be the best burglar in the world after I drop your body into the ocean so deep, that not even Arceus will be able to locate you! You'll be deeper than the Abyssal Ruins!"
"My my, so you plan to bury me in the Dragalge Trench?"
"Oh, so you want me to take you to the Atoll Islands? I'll make sure it'll be your final resting place!" She pulled out a Pokeball as did Clavell.
"Let us begin our battle."
Back in the present…
BGM: South Province (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet)
"Aaaand that's my story."
"So, you were willing to kill anyone who got in your way." Mewtwo said.
"That's just for intimidation. In all honesty, I would've just dumped him in the trash and he'd wake up in a landfill." Raifort shrugged.
"That doesn't explain the poisons you put into your Seviper's tail to dispose of any security guard."
"That would just induce paralysis. I'd give 'em a Cheri Berry and a Pecha Berry right after. I don't kill, I just maim the hell out of everyone."
"That… somehow does not make me feel any better about you." Zinnia groaned.
"This coming from the woman who stole all those Mega Stones." Mewtwo retorted.
"I-It was to save the world! And I gave them back!" Zinnia waved her hands in defense.
"After knocking some of them out."
"They were resisting!" Zinnia exclaimed, which caused Rayquaza to roll his eyes and give a low growl.
"I can see why." Mewtwo replied.
"Rayquaza! Not in front of the child!" Calyrex scolded, causing Ogerpon to tilt her head curiously, which was enough to make Rayquaza roll his eyes again.
"What? What did he say?" Zinnia asked.
"Ye donnae wannae know…" Gloria responded.
"Indeed. That is for some of us to know." Mewtwo agreed.
Zinnia sweatdropped, slumping a little. "That figures…"
Mewtwo shifted his focus back to Raifort. "Anyway… your gun?"
"Blanks."
"...I see."
"While I do enjoy teaching and left my past behind… I've always wanted to see the ancient Treasures of Ruin for myself. When I found out that they do indeed exist, I felt my heart flutter. No one truly believed me when I heard about the legends, but when I saw the scroll… I knew it had to be true. During my classes, I often mentioned "If any student wants to know more about the Treasures of Ruin, come see me" after the period was over, but no one accepted my offer… until now."
She turned toward Cian. "You did."
Earlier…
"The Treasures of Ruin?"
"Indeed. Legend says that there are stakes all over Paldea but I never had the time to find them myself. They can only be open with a pure heart… so the legend goes. I had a feeling you were the right one when you told me you like to go on expeditions."
Back in the present…
"So… were you just using me for your own benefit?" Cian frowned.
"What? Oh no no no! You got the wrong idea!" Raifort waved her hands in defense. "I will admit I've done… shady things before and… honestly, me being a history nut made me have extreme tunnel vision-"
"That's an understatement." Mewtwo mumbled.
"But being around you? I genuinely have a fun time around you. It's not often I hang around with someone who has a similar interest in history, especially one who prefers to preserve the past. Make no mistake… I'm not using you for any malicious intent. I will not deny that some folks out there don't trust me, but you do, though I've seen that you were wary of me when we were finding the stakes, and for that, I do not blame you."
Raifort took Cian's hands. "I'm not asking you to forgive me if I had led you to believe I've gone back to my wicked ways… but, all I'm asking is for someone to be by my side."
"Dude, are you… asking him out?" Alessandra raised an eyebrow. "You're way too old for him. Not to mention that this is hella illegal too…"
Raifort sweatdropped. "I wasn't trying to imply that…"
Cian snickered. "I know what you meant… besides, I admittedly had fun with you too. And… besides, you're way out of my league anyway. You're just lonely that no one else shares an interest like you, right?"
"Exactly! Everyone goes into my history class, yet no one wants to go out and have some fun to explore with a history nut like me." Raifort sighed.
Mewtwo relaxed. "So, you are not truly shady after all… just someone who's overly obsessed with history. That still does not explain your obsession with Wo-Chien."
"Because these Pokemon deserve to be remembered and not forgotten, just like with any historical artifact." Raifort explained. "Admittedly, I got overly excited and wanted to capture the Pokemon… I know for a fact that Cian is better off with these ancient beauties. I've no purity in me, given my background and shadiness. That said, I wonder why this Pokemon was sealed."
"Ponya Pon Poni Pon Pon." Ogerpon explained.
"Ogerpon is saying that Wo-Chien, alongside three others, had destroyed Paldea's Castle due to them not knowing their true power." Calyrex said. "She, alongside a friend, wanted to help them out… but a Hex Witch from Kalos sealed them up for she assumed they were malicious Pokemon."
"Really! So they were innocent and not realizing their true power?" Raifort wondered. "...Not to mention this adorable little creature had witnessed this?" She knelt down in front of Ogerpon. "How long have you lived in this world, little one? I must know!"
BONK!
"OOOF!" Raifort grunted, a goose egg forming on her head as Ogerpon backed up while looking at her warily. "...Okay, I was way too forward on that."
Ogerpon turned around and waved her cudgel around to start healing the land, alongside Calyrex with a wave of his hands.
"Whoa…" Alessandra whispered.
"Incredible!" Cian said.
Gloria smiled. "That's the might of the King of Bountiful Harvests." She then looked curiously at Ogerpon. "Though I haven'tae seen the wee lass's natural abilities…"
"The King of Bountiful Harvests?" Cian looked at Calyrex in surprise. "You… you're the ancient king of the Crown Tundra! I've always wanted to go there and learn more about it's history!"
"It seems as if my reputation precedes me." Calyrex smiled. "Indeed, I am the King of Bountiful Harvests… and this is my loyal steed. Of course, now I am within the midst of the kind hearted Weiss Schnee, but it is what it is."
"Briiiice." Glastrier neighed as he gently nudged Cian, causing him to chuckle while Alessandra scanned the two Pokemon.
"Calyrex, the King Pokemon. Calyrex is a merciful Pokémon, capable of providing healing and blessings. It reigned over the Galar region in times of yore. Calyrex is known in legend as a king that ruled over Galar in ancient times. It has the power to cause hearts to mend and plants to spring forth."
"Glastrier, the Wild Horse Pokemon. Glastrier emits intense cold from its hooves. It's also a belligerent Pokémon—anything it wants, it takes by force. Glastrier has tremendous physical strength, and the mask of ice covering its face is a hundred times harder than diamond."
"...How were you able to tame this one, Ice Queen?" Alessandra asked.
"I just got lucky." Weiss shrugged.
"Ya know…" Raifort spoke up. "I wouldn't mind learning more about your history, Calyrex… if that is alright."
"Oh no, that will be no trouble at all."
"You sure about that?" Weiss whispered.
"I sense no ill will toward her, misguided as she may be, she has a good heart."
"If you say so."
Raifort smiled. "Well, if you will excuse me, I will be on the lookout for more stakes. Now that I've seen one for myself, my desire for finding the others is necessary. I'll call you if I find anymore."
She took off running.
"That's the most eccentric history teacher I've ever met." Weiss said.
"Tell me about it." Gloria agreed.
Weiss hopped back on Glastrier. "Alright, we'll head back to the others." She said as Calyrex hopped up front as they took off.
"Hmm… I can't help but notice that Weiss is feeling a lot better after that invasion." Mewtwo said before closing his eyes. "And yet, I still sense that she is at war with herself."
"You too, huh?" Meryl frowned.
"It would be wise if a close eye was kept on her, in case if she relapses."
"Right…" Meryl nodded as she hopped on her phoenix and flew off after Weiss.
"...Just like how you two are at war with yourselves." He said toward the twins.
"You can… sense that?" Cian asked.
"Indeed. Something is on your minds, and I believe it has to do with your past. Something to do with your pet, correct?"
Alessandra frowned. "Can't get anything past you, huh?"
"I may not be qualified for any life advice, but it is none of your faults for what happened that day. It is not easy to lose a friend, but… I sense that both of you have hope that your friend is still out there searching for you, despite a seven year long gap. Do not let that hope falter. It is unwise to repress those emotions for so long…"
Alessandra looked down, shifting her head to the side as she felt emotions welling up in her again.
"Save those tears for when you reunite with him. It would be a shame to waste them."
"Right…" Alessandra wiped her eyes as she felt Gloria hugging her.
"Just remember that what happened was none of your faults. It was something out of your control."
"Yeah, but Balto… he squirmed his way out of my grip after that tree fell-"
"Sometimes our bodies react differently to danger, even if it means loosening one's grip. Balto's reaction was flight. During fight or flight, people do not think straight. Balto more than likely wanted to escape the danger and ran off without thinking. Do not blame yourself for a loosened hold."
"...Right."
"Your friend Balto… I have a feeling he is still alive and is still searching for you. Perhaps one day, you ought to revisit Galar and search everywhere for him. Perhaps there is a place you have not done a thorough search."
Cian smiled. "Wow… I never thought you, of all Pokemon, would be philosophical."
"I have my moments…"
"So… with him valuing the past and me being futuristic… do one of us have a wrong world view as to how we go about things?" Alessandra asked.
"Both are valid. It is not wrong to value the past nor is it wrong to move forward in life. However, it is also valid if you stayed still in the present and treasured it the most. Every person is different… but it is how you treat your views that defines who you are. Do you treasure and value everything? Do you become cynical and not care for anyone? Or do you not value people's lives and watch them burn as you go through your conquest? That is just a small sample in how people go about their days."
"I see…"
"Hold your heads up high. Both of you are capable of great things. Exploration, global fashion… both of you treasure it, just as how you still treasure your friendship with Balto."
Alessandra felt choked up, forcing herself to swallow before she smiled. "You got it."
"Right." Cian nodded.
"Just don't expect a hug from him, he's not much of a hugger…" Zinnia whispered.
"I heard that."
"It's true, though!"
Alessandra reached into her bag. "Hey bro… here's something you might want for Koraidon." She tossed him a sandwich.
"Oh, did I miss a Titan?"
"Yeeeeeah… you definitely did. We bumped into one faster than we anticipated."
"What was it?"
"It was an Orthworm, but then some star rift happened in the past and an Aggron took the title away from the big guy."
Cian grimaced. "A giant Aggron? Yikes…"
"Aaaaand it Dynamaxed too."
Cian paled. "Oh…"
"Yeeeeah, that was… an experience."
Cian laughed nervously. "Well uh… hope we don't run into another Titan Aggron…" He said as Koraidon came out of his ball after catching a whiff of the sandwich.
"Agia?"
Cian opened the bag. "Here ya go." He tossed it toward him as Koraidon happily munched down on it… and immediately glowed as energy went through him.
"Agias…!"
"Soooo, what's the new power?"
"Jumping really high." Alessandra said.
"Oh really? That's cool!"
Alessandra nodded. "Alright, let's head back to Zapapico. Everyone's waiting there."
"Okay!"
End BGM
One trip back to Zapapico later…
BGM: Artazon & Zapapico (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet)
"Fascinating…" Sonia mused as she studied Wo-Chien as Alessandra's group stuck around Zapapico while Ruby and co took off.
"Sooo, it's a ruinous Pokemon that can destroy vegetation?" Coco wondered as she did a once over at the Pokemon. "All because it was born from a king's greed?"
"Supposedly there are four of them, and we just freed the one." Cian said, gently petting Wo-Chien's head to calm him.
"He's not so bad…" Carmine said, having a rose on the side of her head, gently caressing Wo-Chien.
"Scribe…" Wo-Chien softly hummed.
"So according to Ogerpon, this Pokemon is innocent but does not know the full extent of its power because of what happened… and was wrongfully sealed?" Erza wondered. "That's not right…"
Perrin and Mahiru took pictures of the Legendary Pokemon while Alessandra noticed the rose on Carmine's head.
"Hey, Carmine? What's with the rose on your head?"
"Huh? Oh. Well, while you were gone, I started to chat with Ruby because I was wondering what was up with her arm, and, well, we exchanged stories and, next thing I know, the girl produces a rose out of her hand and put it on my head. Said it "would make me feel better"."
"And is it~?" Nora smiled.
Carmine chuckled. "Well, Ruby's a cute kid so…"
"I'm not hearing a no~!"
Once Sonia was done studying Wo-Chien and everyone had their fill with interacting with the Pokemon, Cian recalled Wo-Chien.
"So, to Cascaraffa?" Cian asked.
"Yeah!" Kotoko nodded.
"Let's go… though perhaps some training is in order. I'm a little behind compared to my sister… like, heck, her Charcadet evolved and I was busy trying to locate stakes." Cian sheepishly said.
Alessandra giggled. "I wouldn't be opposed to some training~"
Gloria smiled. "Well, I gottae Primeape and Golbat to work with, so I wouldn'tae mind that either!"
"And, what the heck, might get Wo-Chien out to stretch his… uh… non-existent legs." Cian chuckled as they walked toward the northern exit of Zapapico, the twins healing their Pokemon up and headed off toward the northern province near Glaseado Mountain.
End BGM
BGM: North Province (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet)
As they traveled near the base of Glaseado Mountain to make way for Cascaraffa, Cian, Alessandra and Gloria proceeded to train up their Pokemon, the latter having Golbat and Primeape battle each other as Primeape would occasionally do Rage Fist, but would also do Thrash, Close Combat and… a failed Stomping Tantrum that made the Pokemon furious that it failed.
"Ey, ey, calm down. It'll be okay, lad!" Gloria would say before she got roped into a fighting dust cloud between her and the Primeape, causing Golbat and everyone else to sweatdrop or facepalm.
"They're definitely made for each other, aren't they?" Marnie deadpanned.
"Ya got that right." Alessandra deadpanned as well, while from a distance, Mewtwo shook his head.
"Whoever gave a perpetually angry Pokemon to the wild Scotwoman… they probably don't realize what they might have potentially unleashed…" Mewtwo mumbled.
Once the dust cloud settled, both Gloria and Primeape were sitting on their butts, both battered and bruised as Gloria only did it to defend herself from the angry Primeape.
"Fockin' 'ell, ye feelin' better, ye dunderhead?"
"Primeape ape…"
Gloria smiled, hugging Primeape and kissing him on the head. "I still love ye, ye lovable bastard."
"Primeape!" Primeape hugged her back, both of them giving each other noogies before Gloria healed herself up with a Full Restore and doing the same to him.
"No hard feelings from the Primeape? That's shocking…" Bede said.
"Eh, what can ya do?" Kotoko shrugged.
"Reminds me of the friendly scraps I got into with either Marisa or the psychic twins." Flandre giggled.
"Why does that remind me of Natsu and Gray so much?" Erza shook her head with an amused sigh.
"Toddle?" A voice wondered as they turned to see a Cetoddle approaching them out of curiosity.
"Ooooh, that's a cutie!" Alessandra scanned it.
"Cetoddle, the Terra Whale Pokemon. This species left the ocean and began living on land a very long time ago. It seems to be closely related to Wailmer. It lives in frigid regions in pods of five or so individuals. It loves the minerals found in snow and ice."
"It's so adorable~!" Alessandra gushed, her eyes sparkling.
"I got it! Let's go Mo'o!"
"Salan!" His Salandit cried as the Cetoddle got into position as they both clashed against one another, where Mo'o used Incinerate on Cetoddle, but to everyone's surprise, the Pokemon tanked it.
"An Ice type that tanks fire attacks?!" Hop exclaimed in disbelief.
"Oh cool! Just like how I trained Lucy to!" Nora smiled.
"You did… what to your Glaceon?" Carmine asked in disbelief as Mo'o and Cetoddle clashed again, the latter hitting her with an Avalanche, burying Salandit but she got out with her flames and used Incinerate again, only it dodged and used Take Down, but Mo'o avoided it and used Nasty Plot, before using Incinerate again.
"Salan." Mo'o smirked through the flames… only for Cetoddle to burst out and tackled Mo'o. "SALAN?!"
"Holy crap, that thing's a tough one!" Zinnia exclaimed.
"Yeah, but it's weak." Cian pulled out an Ultra Ball and threw it at Cetoddle, bonking it on the head as it was pulled right in and landed on the ground.
One shake.
Two shakes.
Three shakes.
Click!
"Ha! Got it!" Cian smiled as he picked up the Pokeball. "I'm gonna name you… Willy."
"Oh, cute!" Alessandra smiled.
"Yeah, aaaand that's my final team member… now I just gotta find me some back ups-"
"Whoa whoa whoa! You're just gonna claim that as your final member while I have five Pokemon and three back ups?"
"Yup~ Jealous?" Cian teased.
"Ugh, way to one up me, ya bastard…" Alessandra teased back, playfully slugging him in the arm.
"Hehe." Cian chuckled as he looked down at Mo'o. "Thanks for the help."
"Salan!" Mo'o cried… before she started to glow.
"Oh wow!" Cian exclaimed in surprise as Salandit evolved into Salazzle.
"Lazzle~!"
"...Is it me or is it looking at everyone rather seductively?" Jaune wondered with a grimace while Cian scanned his newly evolved Pokemon.
"Salazzle, the Toxic Lizard Pokemon and the evolved form of Salandit. Salazzle makes its opponents light-headed with poisonous gas, then captivates them with alluring movements to turn them into loyal servants. When two Salazzle meet, they will use their pheromone gas to fight over the males in each other's group."
"Careful, Jaune~ You might be that Salazzle's servant~" Pyrrha teased, playfully nudging him.
"Wh-wha?! I'd expect Nora to say that, not you!" Jaune exclaimed, causing Pyrrha to laugh.
"I taught her well~!" Nora giggled, as Pyrrha's laughing was enough to make Jaune smile.
Cian smiled, petting Salazzle on the head. "Nice job evolving."
"Lazz." Mo'o smiled as they walked off, but as they did, Sonia turned her head to see a massive blue Tera Crystal having formed out of the ground with a beam of light shining out of it.
Pause BGM
"Huh?" Sonia wondered as she walked over to the crystal.
"Hmm? What is it?" Victor asked. "...Wait, what is that?"
Sonia closely examined the Crystal. "It looks like the Tera Crystals we see during Terastallization."
She looked through her books. "Let's see… ah! So according to this, the Tera Phenomenon made by Terapagos has made it so that the excess Tera energy seeps out of Area Zero and forms massive Tera crystals all over Paldea."
"You know, I've seen a few of these in Kitakami." Carmine approached.
"Oh? The Tera Phenomenon has reached there?"
"Yeah. You can thank Ogerpon and her friend for that."
"Pona Pon~!" Ogerpon smiled innocently.
"I've seen a few myself, but I could never fit into that hole, so I don't know what's in there." Perrin said.
"Fascinating…" Sonia rubbed her chin as she read more while Zinnia examined it. "Hmm? Tera Dens? As in like the Dynamax Dens all over Galar?"
"Okay, now ye got my attention." Gloria said.
Sonia leaned against the Tera Crystal, twirling her bangs. "Curious… so they work like the dens in Galar, but they work a bit differently. I wonder how-"
Suddenly, the Tera Crystal glowed brightly before excess energy managed to push everyone away. "Whoa!" Sonia exclaimed as crystals shot out of the dome into the sky, where it started to form a crystalized dome, trapping the twins, Coco and Velvet inside.
"Guys!" Hop called out as he pounded on the crystal as Kotoko and Flandre immediately powered themselves up, pulling back their fists.
"Wait!" Mewtwo called to them. "This Tera dome is impenetrable. You will only waste your energy if you try to break them out."
"Rrrgh, then what the hell are we gonna do?!" Kotoko wondered.
"I think we just gotta wait it out." Kokoro said.
As for the quad, they looked around, seeing their reflections all around. "What the hell just happened?!" Alessandra exclaimed.
Velvet's ears twitched, shifting her eyes. "Guys!" She called out as they turned to see a Terastallized shiny Riolu approach them, said Tera Crown being Steel.
BGM: Tera Raid Battle (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet)
"Luuuuu!"
"Why does that Riolu have an axe on it's head?!" Cian asked, completely horrified.
"I think that indicates Steel!" Alessandra responded.
"I sure hope it does otherwise that's the most fucked up crown I've ever seen!" Coco said.
"So what do we do?" Velvet asked.
Alessandra brought out a Pokeball. "We fight it."
The other three nodded, pulling out their Pokeballs and calling them out.
"Flit!"
"Fin!"
"Bewear!"
"Shaaaaymin!"
The Golden Aura - Tera Riolu
"Psybeam/Double Hit/Hammer Arm/Grassy Terrain!"
"Miiiiiin!" Shaymin cried, unleashing Grassy Terrain on the ground as Riolu charged toward the group, looking up to see Bewear running in and swinging her arm down on him. Riolu immediately deflected the Hammer Arm with a Force Palm as he jumped up and hit her with a Flash Cannon, all the while Hercules jumped out of the grass and slapped Riolu with Double Hit with his tail.
"Rio…!" Riolu growled and used Force Palm on him right as Tut used Psybeam on him. Riolu turned around, a bright light surrounding his paws and shooting off a Flash Cannon, striking Tut point blank.
"Fliiiiitt…!" Tut cried as he fell into the grass but perked up when he felt himself being healed up.
"RIOOOOO!" Riolu cried, his paws turning into metal and jumped toward Shaymin, who quickly dug into the grass as Riolu looked around, closing his eyes… before Shaymin emerged behind him. He opened his eyes and turned around, only for Shaymin to hit him with Seed Flare. "Luuu…!" Riolu winced, then got struck by Bewear's Superpower to knock him away.
"Atta girl, Stuffy!" Coco praised.
Riolu shook it off and charged toward the Bewear, hitting her with Bullet Punch that made her slide a few inches, then Riolu turned toward Shaymin, his paws turning to ice as he immediately went for an Ice Punch, but Hercules swam through and struck him with Aqua Jet to push him back as Shaymin launched an Energy Ball at him.
"Lu…!" Riolu grunted as Tut unleashed Psybeam again, knocking the Riolu on the ground. Riolu got back up and charged toward the Flittle, but Stuffy jumped in and used Hammer Arm again but Riolu used Force Palm to counter it, only to get on one knee as he tried to parry it, but was near exhausted as Riolu stumbled… and then Stuffy used Hammer Arm again, slamming him into the ground as the Tera Jewel faded away upon impact.
"Rioooo…" Riolu groaned as Cian pulled out an Ultra Ball and getting into a stance.
"You're mine!" He threw the Ultra Ball as it spun wildly, absorbing the Tera Energy around it before it crystallized and sucked Riolu inside, then the Tera crystals disappeared as the Ultra Ball landed on the ground.
One shake.
Click!
End BGM
"Sweet!" Alessandra smiled as the crystal dome started to glow brightly before it faded away, where everyone else was waiting for them.
"Oh thank Arceus…" Hop sighed in relief.
"That's a relief, I'm glad you guys are okay." Sonia said. "...So what was it like in there?"
"Well, we couldn't see outside due to our reflections, but we fought a Pokemon with, presumably a Steel Tera type." Alessandra explained as Cian called out Riolu in question.
"Rio…" Riolu mumbled, looking bruised and beaten up.
"Here, let me patch you up real quick." Victor said, pulling out a Full Restore to heal him up while Cian decided to scan the Pokemon.
"Riolu, the Emanation Pokemon. They communicate with one another using their auras. They are able to run all through the night. It has the peculiar power of being able to see emotions, such as joy and rage, in the form of waves."
Cian smiled. "Cool. Welcome to the team, lil' guy." He said, rubbing his head… to which Riolu angrily batted his head away with a glare. "Oh!"
"I guess it'll take him a while to warm up to you." Alessandra said.
Cian sighed. "I guess it can't be helped." He shrugged as he turned toward Finizen. "Way to help out in there!"
"Yeah, you too!" Alessandra smiled at Tut.
"Flit/Fin!" They both cried… before they started glowing.
"Whoa!" Both exclaimed as they both evolved.
"Espaaaaa!"
"Palaaaaa!"
Coco blinked. "A bell… turned into… an ostrich?" She scratched her head. "Makes as much sense as a fish evolving into an octopus…"
"Supposedly, early Pokemon sketches thought Remoraid as a gun back in the day… same with Octillery supposedly being a tank." Mewtwo said. "Regardless, the evolution phenomenon is truly a mystery on how Pokemon truly evolve. That said, a fish turning into an octupus makes sense to me."
"Says the Pokemon himself." Coco deadpanned, hearing a chuckle coming from Mewtwo.
Gloria squinted her eyes at Palafin. "Looks exactly the same to me…"
"Actually, the heart on his chest is new." Marnie said.
"Ya know… aside from the heart, it… still looks the same." Bede said.
"Yeeeeah, kinda… underwhelming." Kotoko said.
"It's still pretty cute~!" Mabel giggled.
"Let's see what our Dexes have to say." Alessandra said, scanning her Espathra while Cian scanned Palafin.
"Espathra, the Ostrich Pokemon and the evolved form of Flittle. It immobilizes opponents by bathing them in psychic power from its large eyes. Despite its appearance, it has a vicious temperament. It emits psychic power from the gaps between its multicolored frills and sprints at speeds greater than one hundred and twenty mph."
"Palafin, the Dolphin Pokemon and the evolved form of Finizen-"
"That's a stretch…" Carmine snarked.
"-Zero Form-"
"Hmm?" Carmine raised an eyebrow.
"-This Pokémon changes its appearance if it hears its allies calling for help. Palafin will never show anybody its moment of transformation. Its physical capabilities are no different than a Finizen's, but when its allies are in danger, it transforms and powers itself up."
"It can transform?" Jaune wondered.
"Oooooh! Wonder what the transformation will look like~!" Nora grinned.
"Does it have any special moves?" Mahiru wondered as Kotoko started texting Iono.
"Cian's Finizen evolved into Palafin."
"Ooooh~! How did he do it?"
"Apparently, it was by a Tera Raid fighting a Riolu."
"...Huh? But my Finizen evolved when I tried to make it do tricks on a stream. I don't get it."
"Truly an odd one…"
"According to this, it just learned the move… Flip Turn?" Cian tilted his head.
"Hmm?" Kotoko looked up, having an idea to record what was about to go down as she did so.
"Well, let's see it in action!" Alessandra said. "You up for it, Tut?"
"Espa!"
"Okay, use… Flip Turn…?" Cian commanded as Palafin rushed toward the Espathra, striking him in the chest before turning around and going back into his Pokeball. "Huh?"
"Hmmm, a Water based U-Turn?" Zinnia wondered.
Cian rubbed his head before calling out Palafin again… who looked entirely different.
"PALAAAAA!"
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Alessandra yelled in surprise.
"What the fock…" Gloria couldn't believe her eyes.
"Okay… I… take back what I said about it!" Carmine said.
Kotoko jawdropped, finished recording it and sending the video to Iono.
"WTF?!" Iono responded quickly.
"RIGHT?!"
"Huh…! That's… definitely drastic." Marnie said, rubbing her cybernetic eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"Bloody hell… that's… uh… I… I got nothing!" Hop said.
Palafin proceeded to pick up Mabel and Kokoro, lifting them up with each fin flawlessly.
"Whoooooa! Hahaha! This is so cool!" Mabel laughed.
"Somehow, I feel absolutely safe with just only one fin…" Kokoro giggled.
Alessandra nudged a surprised Cian. "Dude."
"O-Oh…! Right…" Cian scanned Palafin again.
"Palafin - Hero Form: This Pokémon's ancient genes have awakened. It is now so extraordinarily strong that it can easily lift a cruise ship with one fin. This hero of the ocean swims at a speed of fifty knots and saves drowning people and Pokémon."
"It can… lift up entire cruise ships… with one… FIN?!" Bede exclaimed in disbelief.
"Amazing!" Sonia said, writing it down while Mahiru and Perrin took pictures of it before Hercules put the ladies down and approached Cian.
"Well, uh… I suppose calling you Hercules was the right call." Cian chuckled as Hercules nodded, high fiving Cian before going back into his Pokeball.
"I guess we have nothing to worry about now." Ren chuckled.
"I wonder how good he is at arm wrestling… or would that be "fin" wrestling?" Nora wondered.
"Considering he can lift a cruise ship with one fin, I'd say… he'd crush you." Jinx said.
"Oooh, a challenge… me likey~" Nora smiled while Erza examined the Tera Crystals.
"I wonder if I could make armor out of this…" She wondered, curiously touching it right before it disintegrated. "Ack! …Never mind." She sighed.
Resume North Province BGM
The group continued to make their way to Cascarrafa where they would come across a cave. They wandered inside where Snorunt curiously looked at them alongside some Lycanroc and Snom before going about their day before they wandered into an open area within the cave… and found a Pokecenter.
"A Pokecenter in a cave? That's a new one…" Zinnia said as Alessandra and Cian both healed up their Pokemon, but as Cian took them back, El Dorado came out of his Pokeball.
"Gimmi!"
"Huh? What is it?" Cian asked as Gimmighoul ran over toward a treasure chest against the wall. "Oh! A treasure chest?"
"Gimmi Gim!" El Dorado smiled as they walked over to the treasure chest, with the Gimmighoul knocking on the chest, only to see nobody was home, so he hopped in and tossed the coins into his own treasure chest.
"Ninety seven… ninety eight…" Zinnia counted. "Exactly nine hundred and ninety nine!"
["Great! So what happens now?"] Neo wondered as El Dorado happily swam in the coins and smiled happily… before he started to glow.
"Oh, he's evolving!" Cian exclaimed.
"Ghoooold~!" The newly evolved Pokemon cried as Cian immediately scanned him.
"Gholdengo, the Coin Entity Pokemon and the evolved form of Gimmighoul. Its body seems to be made up of a thousand coins. This Pokémon gets along well with others and is quick to make friends with anybody. It has a sturdy body made up of stacked coins. Gholdengo overwhelms its enemies by firing coin after coin at them in quick succession."
"Wow! That's quite impressive." Cian said.
"Woooow!" Sonia's eyes sparkled as she wrote down notes on the Pokemon as everyone else looked at the Pokemon in awe… then Gholdengo proceeded to hug everyone.
"Oh! Yer definitely friendly!" Gloria smiled.
"Oh, uh… thank you…" Carmine chuckled.
"Bring it in~!" Nora smiled as the two hugged as Pyrrha did the same.
"Eh, I guess I'll allow it…" Bede said.
"Oooh, you're definitely a hugger!" Coco chuckled.
"Aw, thanks~!" Hop smiled.
"Pona Pon!" Ogerpon giggled.
"Bear hug~!" Jinx grinned.
"Ghold Ghold!"
"So that's what being hugged by gold feels like…" Jaune chuckled.
"We probably ought to keep this away from Wario." Ren whispered.
"I think he'll be fine."
Sonia put her notes away. "Say, Cian… you want to do some training with me?"
"Really?"
"Yeah! I may not look it, but back when I was younger, I was quite the fierce Pokemon Trainer. I almost beat Leon in the semi-finals but he pulled a fast one on me!" Sonia shook her head with a shrug.
"Oh, that stinks…"
"Oh, don't worry about it. It was quite cathartic watching Gloria humble him~"
"That explains why ye were so giddy…" Gloria snickered.
Cian chuckled. "Alright, I'll battle you."
End BGM
"Excellent~!" Sonia smiled as everyone walked over to the Pokemon Center to watch the two begin their battle.
BGM: Battle! Sonia (Pokemon Masters EX)
The Galarian Professor - Sonia
"Houdini, let's go!"
"Yamper, you're up, sweetie!"
"Mrow/Woof!"
"Your Yamper hasn't evolved?" Cian asked.
"It was his choice!" Sonia smiled.
"Alright then, hit it with a Slash attack!"
"Wild Charge!"
"Woooooooof!" Yamper wrapped itself into electricity and charged at Houdini as the latter's claws sharpened as he lunged, both of them striking the other though Yamper slammed into his gut to make him slide back.
"Mrow…" The Floragato growled, brushing himself off as Yamper shook his body, then went for Play Rough while Houdini jumped back and struck him with Seed Bomb, then Yamper struck him with Play Rough, then Yamper jumped back and Charged himself up.
"Flora…" Houdini shook it off and used Hone Claws, then both of them lunged again as Houdini struck him with Slash while Yamper unleashed Spark at him.
"Aroooo!" Yamper cried as Slash was connected as he was knocked down, while Houdini fell on one knee as static electricity wrapped around his body.
"Take a good rest, sweetie." Sonia recalled her Yamper and pulled out the next Pokeball. "Alright, Slowking, you're up!" She said, calling out her Galarian Slowking.
"Sloooooow!"
"Oh right, I forgot Sonia caught that at the station when it was just a Slowpoke." Gloria said as Alessandra scanned it.
"Galarian Slowking, the Hexpert Pokemon and the evolved form of Galarian Slowpoke. It administers its potions to weakened Pokémon it sees. These potions are derived from poison and secreted from holes in Slowking's horns. It creates potions by mixing toxins with the food it's eaten. Not even Slowking itself knows what effects the potions will have."
"So it's a gambler… that doesn't make me feel comfortable…" Alessandra grimaced.
Cian recalled his Floragato and called out El Dorado.
"Gholden!"
"Oh sweet, I was looking forward to seeing how this Pokemon would fight!" Sonia smiled.
"Sloooooowkiiiiing!" Slowking unleashed Eerie Spell on Gholdengo, but El Dorado swiftly avoided it and hit him with a Shadow Ball. "Kiiing…!"
"Ghold~!" The Gholdengo smiled as Slowking unleashed Surf on him, but Gholdengo brought out a golden surfboard and rode the waves.
"Slow…?!" Slowking said in surprise as Gholdengo jumped off the surfboard and used Shadow Ball again, then proceeded to pelt it with coins, practically Making it Rain. "Slowking Slooooowww!"
"Ghol?!" El Dorado was picked up with Psychic as he was then hit with Eerie Spell before being thrown to the ground. "Dengo…!"
"Slowkiiiiing!" Slowking lunged with Zen Headbutt, but El Dorado got back up and hit him with a point blank Shadow Ball while also getting pummeled by Zen Headbutt, but Slowking collapsed after hitting him.
Sonia recalled the Slowking. "Not bad!" She smiled and then called out a Shiny Tsareena.
"Reeena!"
"Ooooh, fabulous choice~!" Alessandra smiled.
Cian recalled El Dorado. "Well, it's a good thing I trained a bit while searching the stakes!" He said, calling out Kevin, who was now a Staravia.
"Staaarrrravia!"
The Staravia flapped his wings while Tsareena readied herself, then she unleashed Leaf Storm to blind the Staravia, though it didn't do too much damage as he flew in and used Aerial Ace to cut through the Tsareena.
"Tsaree…!" The Tsareena cried as she glared at him and ran up to do High Jump Kick, but Staravia avoided the attack, to where Tsareena landed harshly on the ground. "Reena…!" Tsareena cried, making everyone wince as Kevin used Take Down to finish her off.
"Poor thing…" Sonia frowned, recalling Tsareena before pulling out the next Pokeball, but it wasn't just any ordinary Pokeball… it was a Beast Ball.
"Huh? Never seen that Pokeball before." Cian said.
"You more than likely never seen this then!" Sonia smiled, tossing it into the air.
"I cut! I cut! Again, I cut!"
"What the…?" Cian blinked.
"What the hell is that?" Alessandra asked.
"That's an Ultra Beast." Gloria responded. "That one in particular is Kartana."
"Ultra Beast… I think I heard about an outbreak happening in Alola a long time ago…"
"Worthless object must be cut!"
Cian sweatdropped. "What's with him…?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. It's his thing!" Sonia waved it off. "...By the way, you feeling up for a haircut later?"
"Huh?" Cian tilted his head while Alessandra scanned Kartana.
"Kartana, the Drawn Sword Pokemon. This Pokemon is found in Ultra Space and is known to cut objects whenever it pleases."
"That's all you're gonna give me?" Alessandra raised an eyebrow. "Hey bro, this thing's Grass/Steel!"
"In that case…" Cian recalled Kevin and called out Riolu.
"Rio…" Riolu folded his arms, then noticed Kartana's size and snickered, pointing his finger and laughing.
"The worthless object points and laughs… I will cut! Again, again!"
"Lu…" Riolu growled, being absolutely annoyed being called "worthless object" and getting in a defensive pose, then the two lunged for each other.
Kartana swung down with X-Scissor but Riolu rolled out of the way and struck him with Force Palm, pushing the Kartana away as he retaliated with Air Slash, hitting Riolu directly. "Rio…!" Riolu grunted as he shook it off.
"Cut! Cut! CUT!" Kartana cried, stomping on the ground.
Riolu raised an eyebrow and closed his eyes, sensing something underneath him. He opened his eyes and backflipped as massive pincers came out from the ground and chomped down on nothing, then sunk back underground as Riolu jumped in and used Bullet Punch, punching away the Kartana.
"Worthless object!" Kartana flew forward and used Air Slash, but Riolu rolled out of the way and struck him again with Force Palm, sending him flying into a rock wall and knocking him out. "I've… been folded…"
Sonia recalled the Kartana and then with a smile, she called out the next Ultra Beast, which was Blacephalon.
"Blacepha!"
"Is that even a Pokemon?!" Carmine wondered as Alessandra scanned it.
"Blacephalon, the Fireworks Pokemon. This Ultra Beast will surprise its prey by exploding its head, then will rob their vitality from their surprise."
"Fire/Ghost? If you say so…"
"I know just the thing for this." Cian said, recalling the Riolu and then called out Hercules.
"Pala~!" The Palafin cried.
"Blacephoooo!" Blacephalon used Shadow Ball while Hercules immediately used Flip Turn, smacking the Ultra Beast before turning to his ball. "Blaceph…?" Blacephalon scratched his head in confusion before Hercules came back out. "Blace?!"
"Pala!" Palafin cried before doing a "come at me" taunt as Blacephalon presumably laughed and did the same thing, before it used Calm Mind… then they both jumped into the air.
"BLACEPHAAAAAAA!" Blacephalon unleashed Fire Blast as Palafin used Jet Punch, punching through the Fire Blast and extinguishing it as he punched directly into Blacephalon. "Cephaaaa!"
Both Pokemon landed on the ground as Palafin folded his fins as the Blacephalon got back up, his head glowing brightly. "BLACEEEEPH!" He cried, unleashing Mind Blown.
"Pala…!" Hercules yelped, getting caught in the explosion. Once the smoke settled, a new head formed… but he was already KO'd. Hercules picked up the battered Blacephalon, dusted himself off and patted his shoulder. "Fin Fin."
"Blace…" Blacephalon groggily said, both of them sharing a fist bump before he hobbled over to Sonia and collapsed, but Sonia caught him.
"Easy big guy…" Sonia whispered, recalling him back in the ball. "That Palafin sure is something!"
"Yeah!" Cian nodded.
"But now it's time for the grand finale~" Sonia smiled, pulling out another Beast Ball and called out Nihilego.
"Nihiiii!"
"Nihilego, the Parasite Pokemon-"
"Parasite?!" Carmine flinched.
"This Ultra Beast is known to latch onto people's heads and cause them to act violently than normal. Strangely, it has the behavior of a young girl. It is unknown if it is actually friendly and curious or it is a ruse to let people's guards down before they make their move."
"Okay, these Ultra Beasts are… not normal." Alessandra said.
"That's the biggest understatement of all time!" Carmine said.
Perrin snapped a few pictures with Mahiru. "They're sure cool looking. This one's especially cute!" Perrin said.
"I wouldn't necessarily call a parasite "cute"!"
"I've seen worse." Mabel shrugged with Flandre nodding.
"Hey Aless, what's the typing on this thing?"
"Rock/Poison!"
Cian smirked as Hercules gave him the thumbs up. "Perfect."
Nihilego let out a cry and unleashed Venoshock on Hercules, but the Dolphin Pokemon immediately got out of the way and used Aqua Jet to slam into the Nihilego, who used a point blank Venom Drench on him.
"Pala…!" Hercules backed away, shaking the venom off of him as the Nilego used Head Smash right after, knocking away the Palafin as he shook it off and used Jet Punch, striking the Nihilego as it let out a cry before using Venoshock again, but Palafin used Aqua Jet to get out of the way and struck the Ultra Beast to finish it off.
End BGM
Sonia chuckled, recalling the Ultra Beast away. "Way to go, ya beat me." She smiled.
"I suppose I did." Cian chuckled. "So where did you find them anyway?"
"Oh, they were scouring around Galar when we were hanging around at the Crown Tundra one day. I actually have most of the Ultra Beasts, but Weiss's sister has Pheromosa, Ruby's mother has Celesteela, Nora's got Xurkitree… and, I don't know who has Naganadel."
Victor smiled. "I can answer that for you." He said, pulling out a Beast Ball and calling out Naganadel.
"Oh!" Sonia said in surprise. "Okay, yeah, Victor has Naganadel!"
"Holy shite…" Gloria whispered.
"That's impressive." Alessandra said, scanning Naganadel.
"Naganadel, the Poison Pin Pokemon. The poison that it spews out from its tail is extremely adhesive, making it difficult to remove. It stores hundreds of liters of poisonous liquid in its body."
"Aaaand that's terrifying…" Carmine said.
"Terrifyingly awesome!" Jinx grinned.
"Come on, don't be shy, big guy!" Nora called out her Xurkitree.
"Xurkiiii!"
"Xurkitree, the Glowing Pokemon. It is in constant need of nourishment, so it will often raid power plants to sustain itself."
"Who needs to raid power plants when you got me?" Nora smiled as the Xurkitree latched himself onto Nora's back to feed off of it.
"You… sure that's a good idea?" Carmine asked. "I've heard your Thunder Hand… thing makes you produce a lot of electricity in your body but-"
"Oh, it regenerates rather quickly so it's no big deal." Nora smiled. "He really likes to latch onto my back to feed."
"That would explain the scarring on your back…" Erza said.
"Oh, I have a scar back there? Huh, I thought that was just a cool tattoo that I got from an overnight prank." Nora shrugged.
Ren sweatdropped. "You actually thought that?"
"Eh, it's no big deal." Nora shrugged as she hugged Xurkitree. "He's just a big ol' snugglebug~" She smiled as the Xurkitree nuzzled against her and hugged back.
"I'm starting to worry about you…" Carmine sweatdropped.
"It's Nora. She's fine." Pyrrha giggled.
"Sooo, can we see the other Ultra Beasts you have?" Alessandra asked.
"Certainly. Here's Buzzwole." Sonia called him out.
"Buzzwoooole!" Buzzwole cried, flexing his muscles as he flexed for the ladies.
"Wooooow! Look at the muscles on this big guy!" Jinx smiled, getting a feel for them with a giggle.
"That's… that's… that's a mosquito who went to the gym…" Carmine whimpered.
"Buzzwole, the Swollen Pokemon. This Pokemon often flexes its muscles presumably around females, Pokemon and humans alike. It is unknown whether it is trying to flirt with them or just want to show off their muscles."
"Buzz!" Buzzwole flexed for Carmine.
"Blegh! I'm not gonna get wooed by a damn mosquito!" Carmine said, attempting to push the Ultra Beast away, only for him to not be moved as he continued to flex. "Hnnngh! It's like… shoving a boulder…! Nnnngh!"
"I got it!" Sonia giggled, recalling Buzzwole.
"Wah!" Carmine fell on the ground. "Ooof! I'm okay…" She got up, dusting herself off.
"Here's another!" Sonia called out Stakataka.
"Staka!"
Alessandra scanned it.
"Stakataka, the Rampart Pokemon. The bricks stacked up on top of each other is its own individual life form. It is also really difficult to knock down."
"Many life forms in one Ultra Beast?" Perrin gave it a once over. "Interesting!"
"Considering they formed a wall, I can see why it'd be hard to knock down." Marnie said.
Sonia recalled the Stakataka. "And finally… we have… ahehehe…" She grimaced. "You might wanna cover your ears…"
"Why's that?" Alessandra asked.
"Well…" Sonia called the next Ultra Beast out.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Guzzlord.
"Yagh!" Cian yelped as he covered his ears as Hercules did the same thing. In fact, the loud scream was enough to startle and make a few curious Snorunt and Froslass run off with Lycanroc not too far behind them.
"Guzzlord, the Junkivore Pokemon. It is a gluttonous Pokemon that can devour entire cities and mountains, leaving nothing behind. It is not above eating Pokemon or humans."
"Eeeek!" Carmine shrieked.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Sonia pulled out a large slab of steak. "Here ya go, ya gluttonous loudmouth." She tossed it to him where he gobbled it up as Sonia immediately recalled him back into the Beast Ball. "Unfortunately, I don't have a Pheromosa or Celesteela on me."
"That's okay…" Cian rubbed his ear.
"WHAT?" Hop yelled, his ears ringing.
"Kokoron, are you alright…?" Kotoko asked.
"Yes, unfortunately my ears won't stop ringing…" Kokoro groaned as Velvet had a similar reaction.
"Geeeeez, and I thought Exploud were horrifically loud…" Zinnia said, rubbing the inside of her ears.
"Alright, let me heal everyone up and then we can keep going." Sonia said, heading to the Pokemon Center to heal her Pokemon up, and then they walked through the cave, their ears still ringing from Guzzlord's screaming.
They soon left the cave, cutting their way through Medali and then climbed over a few cliffs with the help of Gloria's Latias form before they made it to Cascarrafa.
BGM: Cascarrafa (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet)
"Wow! This place looks incredible!" Alessandra said.
"You sure? It's a bit dusty…" Hop said.
"I can see why… apparently they built this literally right next to the desert." Coco said, seeing the Asado Desert nearby.
"They must have had a sandstorm recently." Victor said.
["They don't seem to mind either."] Neo signed, seeing the townsfolk going about their day.
"If I were to guess, the Gym Leader here is probably a Ground type specialist." Marnie said.
"Actually, according to what I'm seeing, Kofu specializes in Water Types." Kotoko responded.
"Really? Huh, cool."
"Oh, and apparently he's a chef!"
"A chef with Water Types…" Alessandra immediately smirked. "I know just what to do for this occasion~!"
She immediately walked off… but before she could reach a changing room…
"VAULTIN' VELUZA!" A voice cried as they turned to see a man running out of the gym. "I'm gonna be late for the auction if I don't hoof it!" He exclaimed and took off running, almost mowing down Alessandra if she hadn't gotten out of the way.
"Kofu! Kofu, wait!" A man cried out as he tried to chase after him but panted. "Hah… hah… he's already long gone."
"I take it that was the gym leader?" Alessandra asked.
"Yes." He nodded. "Oh, you're Alessandra, right?"
"Mhm!"
"Okay, so… Kofu was in a big hurry that he forgot his wallet. Could you bring this to him? Think of it as an impromptu gym challenge."
"Okay!" Alessandra nodded. "So… where's the auction?"
"It's in Porto Marinada, it's across the desert."
"Alright then!" Alessandra turned around to where the others were waiting for her.
"Hmm? Changed yer mind?"
"I'll worry about my make up and clothing later, we got an impromptu gym challenge to do!"
"Oh? What is it?" Kotoko asked.
"We gotta give the old man back his wallet."
End BGM
Meanwhile, with Umber…
"I can feel it… the power I've felt as soon as we came here. It's getting stronger."
"Yer sayin' it's here in this desert?" Dedede asked.
"Yeah. There's no mistaking it."
"Well, hope it's not too buried in this massive sandbox."
Umber chuckled. "I only came for picnics… I wasn't expecting something else to be here. I wanted to ignore it, but the power I've been feeling has gotten stronger when we got closer."
"I wonder if these fine lookin' critters have a shovel we can use…"
Umber closed his eyes, concentrating. "I never thought one would be here, but I am not going to pass up an opportunity to have another Heartbinder in my arsenal."
Oh, hey, we got a back to back Partner Showcase and an Indie World tomorrow. That's cool.
Ibuki: Aaaaaand we got a Sonic Movie 3 trailer tomorrow too!
Deadpool: I was wondering when that'd show up.
I'm honestly more excited for the movie trailer. It's about time we got a trailer!