The Crown Tundra (A.K.A. the Crown Plains); site of the small town of Freezington and the former homeland of Calyrex, Spectrier, and Glastrier, a frozen winter wonderland south of Victor, Hop, Leon, and Gloria's hometown of Postwick based on Scotland but on a flipped 180 degrees compared to the brave land of the Scottish in Great Britain. This was the place where the heroes including the Rising Volt Tacklers (Dot included), Liko, and Roy along with Sarah, Race, and Asha's Paldean classmates would be hiding out for a period until they would be cleared to fly and carry out their plan to find out more about Lucius and the Six Heroes.
Having already landed in an area within the tundra that would shield them from the Explorers and throw them off their tracks should they be on the lookout for them again, the heroes were being led through the area by Sarah as she took them to the Crown Shrine which she told had been going under light renovation work over the past several months since she decided to restore it for the King of Bountiful Harvests and his sons.
The trek up to the Crown Shrine was admittedly a hassle for the trio's classmates and the Rising Volt Tacklers given the snowy terrain and the cold weather (which prompted them to bundle up in snow gear since many of them were too used to the warmer climates of Paldea (and, in Roy's case, his island home in Kanto)) but the sight of the Crown Tundra's picturesque and snowy beauty as well as the wild Pokémon living happily in it made up for the uphill journey to the shrine (which fascinated Liko and Roy along with Dot (who had nothing better to do at that time and decided to tag along for the hell of it as long as whatever they find interests her) to no end).
Eventually, the heroes made it to the Crown Shrine and everyone was left in absolute disbelief at the sight of the 'light' renovations Sarah had been working on, effectively going so far as to rename the place, the "Crown Palace", in Calyrex's restored honor.
Even Diana, Squawkabilly, and Arcanine were impressed by the majesty and wonder the Crown Tundra had to offer just by its scenery and of the Crown Palace itself when they saw what became of it following the beginning of the "light" renovations to it from its decrepit state.
The Crown Palace stood proudly atop the snowy mountain, its majestic structure and silhouette dominating the skyline as its exterior (carved from ancient stone) exudes an aura of grandeur and mystique unique only to the Crown Tundra. Amidst the main entrance, therein stood two large gates adorned with intricate and detailed carvings of dragons from each Dragonstone tribe welcoming visitors into its restored grand courtyard where elegant fountains gurgled and colorful banners fluttered in the cold breeze.
The massive walls of the palace were adorned with intricate carvings that depict tales told over the years of Legendary Pokémon coupled with symbols of reverence encircling the palace grounds, the turrets rising at intervals along the walls and offering panoramic views of the surrounding snowy mountainous landscape while serving as vantage points for the new sentinels guarding the place.
In addition to the sentinels that were put here for the palace, there were also ten IceWing Guards posted around the area as their species preferred to be in colder environments.
One of the IceWings known as Glacierfang noticed the heroes, particularly Sarah, Reader, and Marena, and opened the door to greet them, "Hello, Princess, Marena, Reader!"
"Greetings, Glacierfang," Marena smiled as Sarah and Reader nodded warmly and the others grinned, the astonished Uva and Blueberry Academy students, Liko, Roy, and Rising Volt Tacklers trying to take in the appearance of the dragon and wrap it around their heads when they saw him.
"What brings you our way?"
"We got in a fight with the Explorers and we needed to lay low with our new friends including the grandmother of one of them for a while," Sarah replied.
"She's right, Glacier. These are the princess' classmates from Paldea and these are the Rising Volt Tacklers along with Roy, Liko, and Liko's grandmother: Diana," Reader added as she approached and introduced Sarah, Race, and Asha's Paldean classmates, Diana, and the Rising Volt Tacklers.
The group in question greeted in turn while Liko, Roy, and Diana smiled (the former two trying to make a good first impression despite their shock), "Uh, hi."
"Mmm, hello..."
"How do you do?"
"How nice to meet all of you," the leader of the Crown Palace's platoons (with scales as white as freshly fallen snow and piercing stormy gray eyes) smiled with a polite bow before he looked around and nodded before he told Marena, Sarah, and Reader, "The perimeter's secure and there are no signs of your new enemies, you and your allies can come in."
Another IceWing, Blizzardclaw (a silver-gray male with white scales and arctic blue eyes) noticed the heroes being led inside the palace and commented, "So, Princess, I see you also brought along your friends from Paldea's Uva and Blueberry Academies along with the infamous Rising Volt Tacklers."
"I'll say, you've been making a new name for yourself since you and your family hooked up with them and your tagalongs after your misadventures in Paldea," a female IceWing with silver-white scales and arctic blue eyes named Frostbloom chuckled as she appeared.
Sarah grinned sheepishly while Liko thought, "Wow... More dragons as Sarah's friends, here in what was the old home of Calyrex, Spectrier, and Glastrier? That's...shocking, honestly."
"Marena... Am I going crazy or are these the IceWing dragons from this Dragonstone Kingdom you told us about?" Arven asked, remembering what she and Sarah told her about the Dragonstone dragon tribes.
"That's right; they're the fiercest warriors I've ever known, best for withstanding subzero temperatures in combat. Glacierfang and his platoon make up the guards here," Marena nodded, petting Glacierfang.
"You all are never ones for not getting yourselves into trouble whenever you're looking for action and adventure, are you?" a third but more sleek male IceWing with silver scales that make him invisible against the Crown Tundra's backdrop and icy blue eyes named Arcticwind remarked as he arrived. "But, don't worry, make yourselves at home while we watch out for the Explorers until you're ready to depart."
"We and the princess did double this palace as a safe house, after all. Until you're ready to leave, the Explorers will never find you here," Frostbloom finished.
"Thanks, you guys," Sarah smiled as she turned to the others before her. "Come on, I'll show you around the place."
After going past the entrance, the heroes were greeted by the sight of a grand archway adorned with ornate designs reminiscent of Calyrex's regal history with twin statues of his noble steeds flanking the entrance and standing in a sentinel position over the courtyard beyond. It was clear to the heroes that the Crown Palace's entrance hall was as grand as Sarah's home, her Galar castle, and her Dragonstone castle (apart from the Rising Volt Tacklers and the Uva Acadamy since they hadn't seen her family's castle yet).
Once they stepped through the towering archway, they soon found themselves within a vast hall adorned with intricate mosaics, stone carvings, and walls adorned with tapestries that were woven with gold and silver threads, depicting Calyrex, Glastrier, and Spectrier's noble lineage and the history of the kingdom the King of Bountiful Harvests once ruled. The cool mountain air was scented with the fragrance of exotic flowers and rare herbs found worldwide amid the soft glow of flickering torches as they cast their warm light upon the polished marble floors.
Massive columns lined it, their pristine surfaces etched with delicate patterns and motifs echoing the natural world with the hall illuminated by the soft, warm, and inviting glow of the crystal chandeliers above them.
There was even a grand staircase at the far end of the hall leading upwards adorned with marble steps polished to a mirror-like sheen and twin statues of Legendary Pokémon standing guard at the foot of the staircase. It was a sight to behold for everyone but Calyrex, Spectrier, and Glastrier were the ones who were deeply moved by their old home being restored to a glory that surpassed what it had been years ago.
"...P-P-Princess, I... I-I, I don't know what to say. My sons and I, w-we... This is...I, I... Thank you," Calyrex smiled as he and his sons were brought to tears, prompting Sarah to caress and hug each of them with Spectrier and Glastrier nuzzling her thankfully.
"You've done much for me, my family, and everybody in Freezington and you were never rewarded for your compassion, your generosity, your courage, your kindness, your wisdom, and your fair rule... I thought it was only necessary if I returned the favor with your home like this as a special offering to you," Sarah replied warmly as she hugged Calyrex and he cried tears of joy.
Later, Sarah and Marena showed everyone the Crown Palace's new lounge area, made as a luxurious and inviting social space for both people and Pokémon to wind down after an eventful day or two and enjoy moments of tranquility amidst the palace's grandeur. Its soft and ambient lighting cast a warm glow across the room with the walls also adorned with elegant tapestries depicting scenes of the kingdom's history which added a sense of regal charm to the space. The large windows that had been lined up on one side of the room offered guests sweeping views of the area's surrounding mountains and its lush forests down below.
The furniture (akin to what can be found in Pullman trains) consisted of plush sofas and armchairs arranged around low and rich dark wood tables that provided amble seating for humans and Pokémon alike coupled with soft cushions and throws of royal blue and gold shade accentuating the luxurious atmosphere.
In addition to all of that, there was a grand fireplace with its warm and enticing flames crackling merrily as it filled the air with the scent of burning wood that provided a cozy focal point for relaxation and allowing some to get close to the fire and warm themselves up from the mountain's chilly atmosphere. There was even a watercolor painting of Calyrex and his sons hanging proudly above the mantle which also showed them in their full glory in their native homeland long before they met the Alolan Royal Family and their friends many years later.
Nearby, there was also a refreshment station that offered guests an array of snacks and beverages for them to eat while they enjoyed themselves and mingled together whenever they wanted to strike up conversation with each other from delectable pastries and fresh fruit to aromatic teas and sparkling water. A small fountain burbles softly in the upper right-hand corner of the lounge and there are small alcoves and nooks tucked away throughout the room with plush seating and soft lighting.
The heroes were all astonished by the state of the palace lounge and what had been done to make it as it is, looking around the room in awe.
Liko, Roy, and the Rising Volt Tacklers gasped in wonder, their smiles broadening and their eyes twinkling along with their partners as they couldn't get enough of the cozy regal hotel-like atmosphere of the entire palace lounge.
The Paldean classmates were also speechless while Sarah's old friends, her old teacher, Burnet, and her family were more vocal in their fascination over what she did.
"Wow, Sarah, this place is awesome!"
"It screams Calyrex and his steeds and they have you to thank for that!" Ash and Pikachu gushed.
Diana thought the same as she sang her praises, "This is such a cozy room, Sarah. I had no idea you could be such a talented architect for one so young."
"You must've inherited your mother's taste for this house design when you planned all this," added a proud Doug.
"Penny? Is that you, Sis?" gasped a voice before the group turned to find a young girl around Penny's age with blonde hair that had light blue and pink streaks and green eyes while wearing winter gear to help her cope with the Crown Tundra's cold climate.
Penny was surprised and gulped as she could only meekly reply with, "O-Oh... Uh, h-hey, Peonia..."
Tsukumaro blinked and he curiously asked the genius Paldea tech wiz, "Sisters...? Ms. Penny, do you know this young woman?"
Sarah turned her attention to Penny after she greeted the woman, Peonia, but she was hesitant to reply until a surprised Peonia remarked, "Wait, Penny, you never told them? What on earth were you doing in Paldea?"
Penny sheepishly shrugged, still hesitant to reply even when Arven inquired, "Told us what?"
"Penny?" Kieran questioned.
"Did you know her somehow?"
"Are you two really...?" Eri and Giacomo began, speechless.
Finally, Penny sighed as she finally confessed to everyone, realizing she couldn't keep her family relationships a secret anymore, "...She's my older sister. Especially since many of you already know our father; always an excitable explorer, super annoying whenever he's in his element, always saying 'Adven-tour' a lot to the point when it gets grating for us..."
Everyone was surprised by what they had heard but the bombshell was made even more shocking to Ash, the Pokémon School Gang, Victor, Hop, Gloria, Sarah, and Tsukumaro after they put two and two together involving Penny and Peonia's current relationship with their father who was a person they knew all too well from their previous adventure in the Crown Tundra (causing them to comically fall over in shocked realization).
"...PEONY! YOUR FATHER?!" Ash and the Pokémon School Gang shrieked between Penny and her sister in shock.
"You mean to tell us you and Peonia are sisters from the same family?!" Sarah balked in bewilderment.
"You two are actually Mr. Peony's daughters?" Tsukumaro added, also completely flustered.
"For real...?" blinked Atticus, stunned.
"You mean that hotshot explorer who plunges headfirst into adventure we've been hearing about? The former champion who quit after a man named Rose once became the chairman of Macro Cosmos?" described Lacey in surprise.
"The famous Steel Type Gym Leader that found his niche in being a researcher on Legendary Pokémon living in this place?" added Ortega.
"The very same," sighed Penny and Peonia.
"You've got to be kidding..." Silvally griped.
"Well, now we know what that guy's dynamic with these two must've been like," Dusk admitted.
Regardless of the sisters' shared discomfort for their father judging by their attitudes towards him, they shared a smile as they said to each other, "Still, it's good to see you again, Sis. You doing alright in Paldea since you went to Uva Academy?"
"Yeah, it had gotten a little rocky at first but I'm doing great now thanks to my friends. It's good to see you're doing great, too. It's nice I finally get to see you again and so I can introduce them to you without Father ruining the moment."
"Speaking of your father, you two, what happened to him?"
"Did he get himself lost trying to solve more mysteries about the Pokémon living here?" Meli and Amarys questioned before a round of hearty laughter came in, making everybody jump (with Penny gasping in fear and hiding behind one of the couches to avoid being seen).
"...Never mind," they backtracked as Peony (who had followed his eldest daughter much to her surprise) arrived in the lounge area and greeted Sarah, Tsukumaro, the Postwick Trio, Ash, and the Pokémon School Gang when he saw them.
"Well, now! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! What a surprise, my ol' chief friends and a new crew to boot! Good to see you again! I was wondering when you would be back in this wonderland!" Peony laughed. "Looks like you've missed the last bit of the Grand Peony Adven-tour I've planned for you! But, WHOO-WEE! Now, this was an occasion? What's the word: ULTRA-MEGA-EPIC!"
Penny rolled her eyes from her hiding place (mentally apologizing to her sister for leaving her to fend off their extremely boisterous father herself) and the others were speechless as Sarah could only awkwardly reply with, "Uh... He-Hello, Peony. Gee, you haven't changed much. I see you're still energetic... You want my help on one of your tours?"
"Not this time, I can tell you must've done some ultra-mega-epic explorin' since we last met! And, whatever you've discovered on your way... That's a special treasure just for you! I never got a chance to thank you and your family and friends for hangin' out with me two years ago so I'm not about to rain on your parade by bein' nosy and askin' silly questions. Well, Royal Chief, thanks for stickin' around and finishin' ev'ry part of my adven-tour when we first met! You and your pals have been a big help!"
"That's very nice of you, Peony..."
"Yeah, we're just glad we could help," Sarah and Star replied humbly as the others in the know about Peony and his tours nodded in agreement.
"It was a lot of fun!"
"We learned a lot about the Galarian Legendary Birds and the Crown Tundra while we were here for a field trip," Ash and Lillie smiled.
"The temple with the Galarian Legendary Guardians was a sight to behold," Sophocles concurred.
"And, we've gotten stronger as a result while having a greater respect for the Pokémon living here," Kiawe nodded, grinning.
"If anything, we have you to thank for helping us get started on our learning curves in this place."
"Thank you," Mallow and Lana said, the latter bowing in thanks along with Tsukumaro.
Peonia was surprised when she heard this but she smiled brightly and thanked them the group in question, "So, you're the ones who kept my old man company with his adventures! Whoa, bloody nora! Cheers, mates, I really owe you one! I've had my fill of Dynamax adventures at the Max Lair...so, I thought I might try one of those what-you-call-em tours my old man ragged on about..."
Unfortunately, as she mused to herself that last part, she wasn't quiet enough as her father heard her and beamed brightly while getting in her face, "Oh, my darlin' Nia! You mean it?! H-hold on! Give me just a mo! I'll be sure to have new legends ready for us to solve straightaway! Finally! You'll have the best adventure ever, Nia; a nice father-daughter expedition just for us two!"
Penny gulped when she heard this and even Nia was starting to regret speaking out as she tried to backtrack her previous statement (all while the heroes couldn't help but feel sorry for Penny's sister), "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute, old man! Are you serious?! You, come up with new legends? That's out of left field! And, you're way too close! Like, mind my personal space, if you please!"
"Oh! R-Right, of course, he-heh! Now, first things first! Here you are, Nia; I got something for you, especially for this occasion," Peony grinned as he presented his eldest daughter with an expedition uniform in a gold color scheme. "TA-DA~! I had it made for you should something like this finally happen! While I come up with somethin', you can get changed."
"Ugh...! Okay, for real, Old Man?! What is this? Are you serious about this thing?! Honestly, this is way too much!" Peonia groaned, not impressed with what Peony had made for her while Penny winced from her hiding place and felt even sorrier for her sister. "It's nice but are you trying to turn me into a disco ball or something?! You have a normal uniform so why can't I wear one as well instead of this golden one?"
"GYA-HA-HAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Isn't it obvious, Nia? You're my darlin' daughter; I want you to shine as brightly as the sun so everybody will notice you!"
Liko gulped, feeling just as sorry as Penny felt for her Peonia; in hindsight, she was glad Alex didn't go overboard with his worries for her and her choice to remain with her friends as she thought, "Okay... Now I'm glad my father wasn't always like this with me..."
Unfortunately, this was too much for Peonia to bear as she quickly shoved the uniform into a bewildered Sarah's arms and remarked, "AAAUUUUUGGGHH! Okay, that's it! I'm out, it's things like this! I can't take it, I've got to get out! Here, you can have this!"
Before she could make a break for it, she looked at Sarah and smiled before whispering (regarding her little sister), "Oh, by the way... Thanks for looking after my sister for me..."
Getting a dumbfounded yet appreciative nod back, Peonia looked to where Penny was hiding and winked before she sped out the door and out of the Crown Palace to return to the Max Lair, "Later, everyone, I'm heading back to my own adventures! Time for me to blitz back to the Max Lair for some Dynamax Pokémon!"
"No! No, no, no, no, no, noooooo! Aw, come back, Nia! Ugh, no need to act so rebellious! I know you really love me deep down, don't you?! AAAAUUUGGGGHHHH!" Peony groaned over his eldest daughter leaving before turning to Sarah and smiling at her before he could try and catch up with her, "Sorry for the sudden commotion just now, Chief. Like I said, it was a blast explorin' with you and your friends! You're all free to keep using our base camp any time you need it, of course. Anyways, time for me to blitz and spend some quality time with my darlin' daughter! Toodles!"
With that, he rushed out of the Crown Palace and scrambled after his eldest daughter for the umpteenth time as he screamed, "HOLD ON, MY NIA! WAIT FOR MEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Everybody gathered was left in awkward silence over the entire thing while Penny sighed in relief as she came out of her hiding place, looking embarrassed and flustered by her and Peonia's father's extremely enthusiastic nature and remarked, "Now, you see why I didn't want to come back to Galar and told you he was super annoying as he gets with his tours and attitude?"
Liko, Roy, Eri, Meli, Atticus, Arven, Giacomo, and Nemona could only reply awkwardly with, "Yeah..."
"...Okay, that was weird."
"Very Weird."
"Super weird."
"Now, we all know why you didn't want us to know about him when you told us how you came to be at Uva Academy," Kieran, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Carmine agreed, also feeling unsure of what to say about Peony.
"Still, I'm glad he's not Rose when he was still the chairman of Macro Cosmos."
"That's a happy thought."
"I'd rather take him over his whacked-out brother any day," Victor, Gloria, and Hop remarked knowingly.
"That Peony sure was quite the character with an extreme love for adventure and solving mysteries of Legendary Pokémon, wasn't he?" Friede questioned.
"And, I thought my little sister was the energetic one between us in our family," Murdock quipped, unnerved by Peony's energetic and outgoing nature.
"How much you fellas wanna bet that energetic nutcase of a man catches his grown girl that ran off and snags her to an adventure he's whipped up?" sniggered Mischief.
"I'd say... We give him five minutes at best," chuckled Kurma with a snark.
"Huh, a bet? Now?"
"Why would you bother even if you're feeling that generous?" Zorro and Persian questioned incredulously until Ash noticed a slip of paper Peony dropped in his haste to catch up with Peonia.
"Hey, guys, check it out. He dropped something," the Kanto trainer informed before he went to one of the tables and sat down on the chairs, eventually gasping in shock as he breathed, "Oh no..."
"What's wrong, Ash?"
"What did you see?" Goh and Kiawe asked, concerned as everybody crowded around him and he showed them a picture of the heart of the Max Lair and an Ultra Wormhole with a Necrozma coming out of it.
The Alola group was deeply shocked by this as the Pokemon School Gang, Ash, Gladion, Burnet, Kukui, Sarah, and her family gasped with Ash, Race, Tsukumaro, Burnet, and Sarah saying, "Is this for real?!"
"I thought that wormhole looked familiar!"
"An Ultra Wormhole?"
"In the Max Lair?!"
"If it is true, then...!"
"This clue... Could this be a fourth Legendary Clue he had on him?"
"What does it say?" Race and Mallow questioned.
"Ash, may I see that clue?" Lillie asked, having Ash give her the clue as she read its description, "A m...ious l...ge h..le that con...cts o...r w...ld to ano...r. This phe...m...non was ori...ally dis...ered by Prof...r M...n. The h... c...ts to wor...s whe... Ult... ...sts li...e. Th...e are be...s t...t are diff...nt fr...m the P...ém...n th... we ...re fam...ar w...th."
"It looks like most of it is smudged but it does mention the Ultra Beasts and..." the Ice Type graduate began until she noticed something familiar on the clue's description and looked closely at it until she gasped, "...I-It, it can't be!"
"What's wrong, Lillie?" Gladion asked.
"Gladion! Look, do you recognize who was mentioned in this?"
She pointed him to the section involving the "Prof...r M...n" bit until he put two and two together and shared her shock, "Father!"
Lillie nodded as she replied, "With this, the finished clue says, 'A mysterious large hole that connects our world to another; this phenomenon was originally discovered by Professor Mohn. The hole connects our worlds where Ultra Beasts live; they are beasts that are different from the Pokémon we are familiar with'."
"Ultra Beasts?"
"An Ultra what?"
"What are you talking about?" Mollie, Murdock, and Orla questioned.
"An Ultra Wormhole; in layman's terms, it's a portal that takes you from this world to Ultra Space, the dimension and home of the Ultra Beasts which are these new species of alien-like Pokémon we've never seen before. We've seen eleven of them when we previously dealt with them crossing over to our world but there might be more we have no idea about," Rotom-Dex informed them.
"Alien-like Pokémon?!"
"From another dimension?!" Roy and Liko balked while Dot (standing quietly amongst the group with Quaxly by her side) gawked in silent shock and fascination as she took in what Rotom-Dex said.
"Oh, dear, this is troubling news..."
"If the Ultra Beasts could cross over to our world by accident in Alola, who knows where else they could cross over from including Galar?"
"Do you think Mr. Peony must've found out about the Ultra Beasts somehow and left this for us as he left to go after Young Peonia?" Doug, Delilah, and Tsukumaro put in, all three of them looking gravely concerned.
"Those sneaks could've found another path to waltz over to our world through the Max Lair under our noses no thanks to that newbie Necrozma."
"And, they must've done so for months without us knowing about them," James and Nikki added.
"So, all of you dealt with these Ultra Beasts before?" Friede questioned.
"They gave you that hard a time?" Cap added, frowning curiously.
"You wouldn't believe us if we told you everything that went down," sighed Turtonator.
"None of them are cakewalks since we started our missions as Ultra Guardians and Power Rangers, let me tell you," Pikachu grumbled in agreement.
"Judging by how you all sounded, this Necrozma... What do you all know about it?" Mollie pondered to everyone in the know about the Ultra Beasts.
"From our last encounter, Necrozma is another Ultra Beast that can open Ultra Wormholes like Nebby and Nebula who are Ultra Beast themselves, a Solgaleo and a Lunala respectively. But, he can be quite the aggressive one whenever he loses his light; in fact, I nearly lost Nebby to him while he was absorbing his Ultra Aura to regain his life, eventually killing him. But, we got him back and we and all of Alola gave him our light to sustain him and help him regain his true form," Sarah explained, the memories of what happened to both her and her family and friends during their encounters with the Necrozma they knew still fresh in her minds.
Dot, Liko, and Roy gulped at that while Murdock commented, "...Well, that was...unsettling."
"'Unsettling'? That's an understatement," Mollie frowned, deadpanning at the friendly cook.
"Wow, Nebby was nearly killed by an Ultra Beast more powerful than him? I never knew how much Sarah and her old friends encountered back then," Liko mused, astonished by what she heard. "Just how much did they go through and what else don't I know about them?"
"But, strangely, the clue mentioned a very different Necrozma and I doubt that one could be the same Necrozma we knew from before since he's back in his true form," Kukui remarked, examining the clue, its description, and the image of another Necrozma entering the Max Lair.
"Whatever it is, we need to get to the Max Lair and find out if what the clue saying is true," Burnet suggested.
"Well, if this clue Peony left behind is true about this Necrozma you mentioned, sounds like we got ourselves another adventure of mystery and fun for us," Friede smirked, eager for a new challenge.
"And, one that deserves a good ol' investigation by the Rising Volt Tacklers," Cap grinned in agreement, sharing his partner's sentiments.
"Should we contact Mother and Father and let them know what we found from the clue Peony left us since they returned home recently?" Lillie asked, knowing what they had to do.
"Yeah. If the clue's description is true and there are any Ultra Beasts in the Max Lair, I have a feeling we'll be dealing with a Dynamax Guzzlord and Pheromosa amongst them when we get there," Kiawe frowned, crossing his arms.
"Wait a minute! Weren't Peonia and Peony on their way to the Max Lair earlier?" Lana gasped in horror.
"What?!"
"You don't mean-!"
"They're already on their way there!?" Liko, Roy, and Ash spluttered, sharing Lana's horror while a sense of dread filled them and everyone else in the room.
"If they're already at the Max Lair, we've got to stop those Ultra Beasts and send them back to Ultra Space before they make a mess out of our world!" Race urged.
"But, what'll they do if we don't stop them?" Liko asked worriedly.
"Oh, trust us, Liko. You don't want to know," warned Sophocles.
Penny grew worried as she wondered what would happen to her sister and her father should they encounter one of the Ultra Beasts in the Max Lair, "Peonia, Father..."
"We've got to tell Lusamine and Mohn about this immediately! We can stop the Ultra Beasts and save them after we do so," Mallow said, agreeing with Lillie.
"But, how are we going to do that? All of our equipment is at the Command Center back home and we're hundreds of miles away from Alola, we're unarmed," Kiawe reminded.
"I had a feeling you'd say that, Kiawe. I had a feeling we'd be dealing with Ultra Beasts at some point in the future even after we retired as Power Rangers and Ultra Guardians so while the palace's renovations were made, I contacted Lusamine and General Shaw from Grid Battleforce and..." Sarah reassured with a sly smirk as she went over to the fireplace and gently pulled one of its candles over before pressing a button on the wall to her left.
To everyone's astonishment, the fireplace opened seamlessly and harmlessly as it revealed what looked to be an elevator exactly like the elevator in Principal Oak's Pokémon School. In addition, there was also a warp gate (powered by Morph-X given to the Aether Foundation by Grid Battleforce) that was made large and safe enough for her family, Goh, and the Rising Volt Tacklers to pass through.
"Ta-Da~!"
"Whoa..." Dot breathed, further astonished.
"Muy bueno!" Nemona cried excitedly.
"Wow! Sarah, you did that, too?!"
"You have a Command Center built under the Crown Palace?"
"You're amazing!"
"You think of everything for every situation!"
"That's incredible, Little Buddy!"
"No way...!"
"Sweet!" Ash, Mallow, Lana, Sophocles, Arven, Kieran, and Giacomo cried in amazement and fascination.
"It's just a precaution I came up with in case we needed an additional base or a backup like the Power Chamber was for the MMPR teams, Alpha, and Zordon's Command Center should ours somehow get picked out, really" the little princess replied modestly.
With that, while Goh, the Rising Volt Tacklers, and her family passed through the warp gate, Sarah led everyone else to the elevator. And, shortly after, they descended to the new Command Center/Power Chamber with the platforms first lowering for the Ultra Rescue Rangers including Race and Gladion, the dragons and Pokémon joining the group second, and third for the Junior Patrollers and Liberty (the pups hollering with excitement as they joined their family and their owner's friends).
Once they were back together, Sarah, Ash, Gladion, Race, and the others regained their old combat uniforms, Sarah and Race's dragons along with the gang's Pokémon and Rotom-Dex wore their Ultra Rescue tags again, and the Junior Patrollers and Liberty were given their very own Ultra Rescue collars. Eventually, they reunited with the rest of Sarah's family, Goh, Leon, the Postwick Trio, the Paldea students, Magnolia, Sonia, Diana, and the Rising Volt Tacklers (who were all amazed and in awe of their current location) in the new Command Center beneath the Crown Palace.
There were new monitors installed coupled with a new supercomputer and a lab installed with a charging bay similar to the charging bay created by Kendell where the little princess' Panthera Energem floated over to so it could energize all of her Dino Chargers (which were all placed there when the Crown Palace's Command Center/Power Chamber was complete).
While the others gasped in utter astonishment at the new Command Center/Power Chamber, Penny, Eri, Orla, Arven, Murdock, and Dot were much more vocal in their amazement, "Whoa...!"
"This is incredible..."
"This engineering work...! It's the absolute best I've ever seen!"
"Little buddy, I don't know how you did it but you got me!"
"Now, this is some mechanical cooking if ever I've seen any!"
"It's amazing..."
"It was nothing. And, I brought a few friends over in case my team needed transportation," Sarah replied, gesturing to some familiar Ride Pokémon coming in.
The Pokémon School Gang, Ash, and their Pokémon were ecstatic to see their old Ride Pokémon once more just as the latter group was excited to meet their old riders in the Crown Palace's Power Chamber as they rushed over to each other, the reunion feeling satisfying for all of them while everyone else watched on, feeling happy for them.
"Garchomp/Garchomp!"
"Hi, Metang/You're here, too!/It's great to see you!"
"How have you been, Flygon, buddy?/It's been a while, darling/We missed you!"
"I never thought I'd see you here, Charizard/*lThis is quite a surprise/A big surprise, if I do say so myself!"
"Dragonair/Rock on, dudette/You're looking well!"
"It's wonderful to see you again, Altaria/This is great!" cheered the Pokémon School Gang, Ash, Pikachu, Togedemaru, Vikavolt, Tsareena, Shaymin, Turtonator, Pyroar, Sandy, Primarina, and Snowy as their Ride Pokémon nuzzled and nudged them happily.
Then, as if there weren't any more surprises in store for everyone, the Power Chamber's supercomputer was patched via a video communication feed, and from its monitor, Lusamine, Mohn, Wicke, and Faba appeared from the director's office in the Aether Foundation in Alola with all of them smiling at their Power Rangers and everyone else with them.
"Welcome, Lillie, everyone, we're glad to see you're all safe after what happened with the Explorers. How do you like our and Sarah's little surprise? We've been working on it for months ever since the renovations to turn the Crown Shrine into the Crown Palace were approved and moved forward and we apologize for keeping you all in the dark about it but we did not want to worry you unnecessarily," Lusamine smiled.
The group she spoke to in question laughed as Kiawe replied, "This is great, Lusamine!"
"It's wonderful, Mother!" Lillie grinned.
"Great!"
"This is something we weren't expecting," Lana and Mallow chuckled before Lusamine turned her attention to the group from Paldea.
"Ah, and I see our friends from Paldea and the Rising Volt Tacklers are joining us in our new secondary base. That also includes you, your granddaughter, Roy, and the Rising Volt Tacklers, Diana. Before you all, I am Lusamine, director of the Aether Foundation, and these people are my husband, Mohn, and our best scientists and Prof. Burnet's partners, Wicke and Faba. The Power Rangers Ultra Rescue and we would like to formally welcome you to our new command center: the Ultra Crown Chamber. We've heard about you from Liko and Sarah during their travels together and this has been quite an experience for you. I regret that you all didn't have time to adjust to your new surroundings compared to what you've witnessed from your castle base."
"Well, it is a little different, I can say that. But, I'm taking to it well given the adventures I had. If anything, I would love to share them all with my new friends and my granddaughter, especially the princess herself given she's responsible for what's been going on right now," Diana chuckled in response.
"Mm-hmm! My name's Liko, thank you for welcoming us to this place, Ms. Lusamine," Liko thanked Lusamine with a polite bow.
"Hey, no worries. We're just glad we have a place to crash after what happened at Diana's castle when the Explorers caught up with us thanks to you all and Sarah, we owe you a lot for letting us stay in this palace a while," Friede smirked kindly.
"It's truly an honor, our good lady," Cap agreed as the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers gave their appreciation.
Lusamine nodded until she frowned, deciding to get to the heart of why the Aether Foundation had been contacted, "Although we have much cause to celebrate the Explorers' latest setback, time is of the essence. I presume you have a reason for calling us, correct?"
Lillie nodded in reply, "Yes, Mother. We've discovered something involving the Ultra Beasts appearing in Galar."
"We found out from a clue our friend, Peony, dropped," added Ash.
Lillie then recalled what her team, Race, Tsukumaro, Rotom-Dex, and Sarah's blood family discussed beforehand, "The clue was smudged in several places on the description but we've put two and two together and found out that it said, 'A mysterious large hole that connects our world to another; this phenomenon was originally discovered by Professor Mohn. The hole connects our worlds where Ultra Beasts live; they are beasts different from the Pokémon we are familiar with'."
Lusamine, Mohn, Faba, and Wicke were shocked and astonished by what they heard before Gladion stepped forward to ask his and Lillie's father what he knew about the Ultra Wormhole in the Max Lair, "Father, the Ultra Wormhole in the Max Lair... Do you know anything about it, any clues as to what could happen as long as its opened and any Ultra Beasts would cross over to our world from it rather than anywhere in Alola?"
Mohn thought over what his children said before he asked them, "Do you and your friends have his clue on you?"
The Silvally and Vulpix Rangers nodded in agreement as Race came over and gave him the clue, allowing him to create a digital copy and send it to them. When they looked at the clue and the restored description, what it said left the four adults astonished and shocked by what they discovered.
"Impossible...! I-Is...? Is that another Necrozma...passing through an Ultra Wormhole?!" Wicke balked.
"Is this for real?! Are you kids sure this?" Faba gawked, blinking his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming when he saw the new Necrozma passing through the Ultra Wormhole in the heart of the Max Lair.
Sarah frowned and confirmed, "Yes. It's not much to go on but it's our only lead and it's gotten all of us worried. Peony had this clue for months before he dropped it and he doesn't know the full extent of the Ultra Beasts so it's anybody's guess as to the fate of that Necrozma."
"Not to mention how many other Ultra Beasts crossed over through that Ultra Wormhole," Mallow added.
Wicke nodded back grimly as she got on her computer and replied, "That is worrying, and if that's true, I'm afraid your friend could be in grave danger. We better make sure whether or not there are any Ultra Aura readings within the Max Lair... Oh no, I'm picking up strong Ultra Aura signals. They're all inside the Max Lair!"
"This is bad; that Ultra Wormhole must've been opened during that time and along with that Necrozma, there must've been several other Ultra Beasts with it that crossed over without our knowledge," concurred Mohn gravely.
"With the excessive amount of Dynamax Energy flowing from within the Max Lair, when combined with their powers from the Ultra Aura they exude, who knows how they'll react to it? They must be contained immediately before they break free and devastate the Galar Region!" Faba realized.
"Which means if they're not stopped right away, that new Necrozma will go after what would be a different Solgaleo and Lunala that crossed over from Ultra Space to the Max Lair as well. Their light will be drained in a matter of time just as Ultra Space's guardian did with Nebby and Lunala back when he was still the Black Beast," Lusamine agreed, looking deeply concerned.
"Not to mention all of the Legendary Pokémon residing in said lair they'll be confronted by. If they fight each other by the time we get there, it would be an absolute war zone and a part of the Max Lair could be destroyed," Sophocles noted.
"Causing a cave-in as a result," Lana concurred.
"YES! Finally, I can fight again! I've been bored for the past few days waiting for those stupid tests to end! Let me at 'em, let me at 'em, let me at 'em!" Eternatus hollered excitedly, eager for the chance to fight again.
"Either way, they're a danger to the entire world and not just the Galar Region. We must ensure they're contained and sent back to Ultra Space before they cause any harm to your friend and everybody else inside the Max Lair," Lusamine stated just as an alarm went off.
The Paldea half of the group, the Rising Volt Tacklers, and their Pokémon winced and groaned at how loud the alarm was blaring with Penny, Liko (who was frightened by the noise along with Sprigatito as the latter yowled in fright and jumped into her partner's arms), and Kieran remarking, "Hey, it's an extreme case of audio isolation. What's happening?"
"What's going on?!"
"What is it? What's the noise?"
Wicke gasped in astonishment which got everyone's attention, leaving Mohn to ask her, "What's happening out there, Wicke?"
"Amazing! Master, this might sound crazy but I'm picking up some sort of giant object making its way towards the Max Lair! I don't know what it is but its power readings are beyond the charts, almost like there's a ranger energy coming from it," Wicke informed.
"Pull it up and let's see what it is."
Wicke nodded as she tapped into a video feed set up at the Max Lair, and to everyone's shock, astonishment, and surprise, they saw what looked to be a giant black Zord that looked like a brachiosaurus marching its way toward the entrance.
"What is that thing?!"
"Whoa... It's huge!"
"Have you ever seen anything like it?"
"No, never!"
"Not in my life!"
"Ay dios mío, it looks like a giant dinosaur...!"
"But, what kind of dinosaur is it? It also looks like a robot!"
"What else is new...?" Liko, Roy, Murdock, Orla, Giacomo, Nemona, Carmine, and Lacey gawked.
"Wait, that's not just any robot...! It's the BrachioZord belonging to the Power Rangers DinoThunder!"
"Power Rangers DinoThunder, BrachioZord?! Wasn't it supposed to be the final Zord belonging to the team's mentor and the greatest Power Ranger ever?"
"You mean Tommy Oliver?" Lillie, Ash, and Lana gasped.
"You're right! It *IS* the BrachioZord! If it's here, then the DinoThunder team's auxiliary Zords are with it, too!"
"They're okay!"
"But, how is that possible?! The BioZords were all sacrificed in the final battle against Mesagog!" Kiawe, Sophocles, and Sarah breathed in awe.
"Not exactly, Sarah; records from Ranger History Class told us that only the Tyranno, Tricera, Ptera, and Mezodon Zords were lost in the final battle against Mesagog but the BrachioZord and the auxiliary Zords survived the conflict. And, yet, nobody knows what happened to them after that," Rotom-Dex informed, looking in amazement at Tommy's old DinoThunder Zord.
"But, there's one thing I don't get; how can the BracioZord be active again after all this time? Didn't Tommy's Black Dino Gem lose its power as the other Dino Gems did when he, Conner, Kira, Ethan, and Trent combined their power to finish Mesagog off years ago?" Kiawe questioned curiously.
"Yeah, but Kira, Conner, and Ethan had their gems restored which meant they got their powers back somehow. And, only then, it was said that the deaths of the beneficiary were the only way for the Dino Gems to regain their power. Since Tommy's now one with the Morphin Grid after he died, his DinoThunder powers returned to the Black Dino Gem."
"But, if Tommy's no longer the gem's owner, who gets it after him?" Ash pondered, asking the million-dollar question regarding the Black Dino Gem and its power.
Nobody knew so they just stayed silent as they watched the BrachioZord continue to make its way to the Max Lair. However, they soon got their answer when Sarah saw her left wrist glowing before her Wrist Com latched itself off and she caught it before Tommy's Black Dino Gem reappeared before her. Shocked beyond belief, the little princess watched it lower itself to her glowing left wrist (with everyone else stunned into silence when they saw the gem reappearing) and eventually emerge in its bracelet form.
"It can't be!"
"It is!"
"No way!"
"The Black Dino Gem!"
"It's back in its bracelet form!"
"And, it chose Sarah as Tommy's successor!" Ash and the Pokemon School gang gawked.
"The Black Dino Gem actually chose Sarah to be Tommy's successor?"
"And, the new partner of the BrachioZord?" Burnet and Kukui gasped.
Sarah was shocked; the Black Dino Gem, Tommy's Dino Gem, had chosen her of all people as his successor and the new Black Brachio Ranger. She and everybody else watching the spectacle were even more shocked to see the bracelet housing Tommy's old Dino Gem transforming into his old Brachio Morpher with its key appearing in her right hand.
"Wow..."
"No way/Way!"
"That is sick, Sarah!/Remarkable, isn't it?"
"Wow! Dudette, that is wrong/That's awesome!"
"Darling, how exquisite/Yay, Sarah!"
"Ooh..."
"Incredible.../Indeed.../Of course," Pikachu, Togedemaru, Vikavolt, Turtonator, Pyroar, Sandy, Primarina, Tsareena, Shaymin, Snowy, Umbreon, Gladion's Silvally, and Lycanroc breathed in astonishment at the sight of Tommy's Brachio Morpher and the key that went with it.
"Pumpkin, is that...?" David began, shocked as he pointed at the morpher and key in his and his wife's granddaughter's right hand and on her left wrist.
Sarah nodded as she replied, "Tommy's Brachio Morpher and its key? Yeah, it's them."
"If the Black Dino Gem chose you and you're now Tommy's successor, that means..." Liko said, stunned.
"His morpher and key...?" Roy trailed off, amazed.
Sarah nodded again as she smiled at the key and morpher and told the pair, "They're mine."
That wasn't the only surprise in store for them because after it arrived at the Max Lair, the BrachioZord (or Brachio, for short) roared and its body compartments opened, revealing (to everyone's shock and surprise) the DinoThunder team's auxiliary Zords including the StegoZord, Cephalzord, Dimetrozord, Parasaurzord, and Ankylozord joined by the remaining eight new Zords with them that now belonged to the little princess, the Celestial Sanctuary Zords:
Solaris Lion Zord - inspired by an African lion while boasting shimmering gold fur and a fiery mane coupled with solar symbols adorned across its body while standing twenty-five meters high and thirty-five meters long
- Celestial Lion Zord - by comparison, while it resembled the Solaris Lion Zord, it boasted foldable wings and a fiery mane that emanated a golden glow and was adorned with celestial patterns while standing 30 meters high and 38 meters long
- Frostbite Smilodon Zord - icy blue all over with frost-coated fangs while standing 22 meters high and 33 meters long
- Inferno Phoenix Zord - represents its animal namesake with blazing yet elegant plumage and radiant wings that left trails of fire in its wake while standing 34 meters high and 37 meters long
- Thunderstrike Triceratops Zord - a yellow triceratops crackling with electrical energy and adorned with lightning-shaped horns and standing 26 meters high and 36 meters long
- Primal Tyrannosaurus Zord - a red colossal T-Rex Zord that exuded primal power with rugged scales and razor-sharp teeth while standing 40 meters long and sharing the Thunderstrike Triceratops Zord's height of 26 meters
- Galestorm Parasaurolophus Zord - green all over and graceful while being surrounded by swirling winds coupled with an aerodynamic crest and a streamlined body standing 27 meters high and 34 meters long
- Thunderclap Pachycephalosaurus Zord - sturdy and crackling with electric energy but resembles Rainbow in coloration while having a thick skull and powerful-looking tail while standing 27 meters high and 34 meters long
Standing on either side of Tommy's old BrachioZord (4 from the right and 4 from the left) with the auxiliary Zords standing in front of them on the front lines, all eight of the Celestial Sanctuary Zords roared proudly, ready to take on the threat they sensed in the Max Lair.
Everyone looked on in awe just as Sarah felt the other Cosmic Orbs resonating with the Celestial Sanctuary Zords and pulled them out, seeing their power grow and the images of their respective Zord basis appear on them, "The Celestial Sanctuary Zords...!"
"And, the DinoThunder team's auxiliary Zords! They're okay!" added Lana, excited.
"This is amazing...!"
"That's incredible, the BrachioZord belonging to Tommy had them all this time!"
"But, how? Nobody knows where the Celestial Sanctuary is located. And, yet, the BrachioZord and the DinoThunder auxiliary Zords know about it and its Zords," Mollie, Murdock, and Friede said, amazed and speechless.
"Unlike most Zords, the BioZords of the DinoThunder team are sentient beings meaning they can think for themselves. According to the records on the DinoThunder team and Tommy's work on them, they're fusion-powered replicates of actual dinosaurs using their DNA for their neuro functions. After the final battle with Mesagog, the survivors vanished without a trace following the sacrifice of the Mezodon, Tyranno, Tricera, and Ptera Zords; they must've somehow found their way to the Celestial Sanctuary and stayed with the Zords residing there for years. If I have to hazard a guess, they seemed to have activated together from the impending threat of the Ultra Beasts in the Max Lair," Race informed.
"And, since Tommy's Dino Gem chose Sarah to be his successor as the new Black Brachio Ranger, the BrachioZord responded to the threat we've deduced and came to help us!" Sophocles grinned, liking what everyone was told and what the Zords were doing.
"Let's give them a hand!" Ash agreed, sharing Sophocles' enthusiasm.
"Good idea, they might need our help if the Ultra Beasts and that new Necrozma all prove too much for them," Mallow concurred.
"Agreed," Lana replied as she, Kiawe, and Lillie nodded in agreement.
"But, the Ultra Beasts might be powerful with all of the Dynamax Energy they have on them. How will you catch them and send them back to Ultra Space?" Liko asked worriedly.
"If they have the potential to be a threat to even those Zords should they Dynamax or Gigantimax without warning, you children must think on this carefully," Diana concurred.
"I know how we can counter them," Sarah replied, taking out some handheld 12-inch cylindrical devices.
The cylindrical devices in her right hand have a smooth metallic silver casting with accents of electric blue light that traced intricate patterns along the surface of their exteriors. By their design, despite looking like cylinders, they're a variation of the Beast Balls but ones that hold a very different function and were used for extracting Galar Particles (almost making them look like a highly advanced version of the deluminator from the Harry Potter series).
"These are what we need to deal with them; they may look like cylinders but they're the key to helping us subdue the Ultra Beasts in the Max Lair. In layman's terms, they're an upgraded version of a device Aurora made for us during our scuffle with two jerks named Sordward and Shielbert last year: Galar Particle Extractors. I've modeled them after the deluminator from the Harry Potter series and designed them for Dynamax/Gigantimax Pokémon within Max Lair encounters. With these devices, you can extract Galar Particles from the Ultra Beasts inside the Max Lair and subdue them to a state where capturing them is easier."
"Awesome, Sarah!"
"Cool piece!"
"Ingenious, such stellar craftsmanship... It's perfect!" Ash, Sophocles, and Penny grinned as they examined the Galar Particle Extractors.
"What about Zossie, Dulse, Soliera, and Phyco?"
"I agree, we need their help if we're to send them back to Ultra Space safely without any casualties at hand," Lillie suggested, knowing they would need the assistance of the Ultra Recon Squad.
"We'll contact them, Naganadel, and her mother immediately and tell them everything. Hopefully, they won't be too late and will have reinforcements on hand if things get sticky for you and the Zords in the Max Lair," Lusamine reassured.
"Most importantly, you kids stay safe and keep your eyes peeled for whatever tricks they may pull. Be ready to strike back, run, or avoid fighting; do whatever you can to subdue and capture them at all costs. Good luck," Mohn finished.
"Thank you, Mother, Father."
"We'll be careful and keep you updated."
"Take it easy, Lusamine, Mohn," Lillie, Gladion, and Sarah replied as everybody else nodded in agreement before the call ended.
With the Ultra Rescue Rangers' new objective at hand, Sarah turned to the Paldea students and the Viking Teens as she informed them, "Since you're all strong and worthy trainers in your own rights and you'll need a crash course on Dynamax/Gigantimax battles, you're welcome to come and help us. Who knows; you might write a report on the Crown Tundra and the Max Lair for Director Clavell for extra credit."
The two teams eagerly agreed to the arrangement just as Liko and Roy declared, "Sarah!"
"We're coming, too!"
However, the little princess had other ideas as she told the pair and the Rising Volt Tacklers, "Liko, Roy, we appreciate your assistance but we need you, Diana, and the Rising Volt Tacklers to stay back here with my blood family, Sis' family, Leon, Magnolia, Sonia, Liberty, Stoutland, and the Junior Patrollers. The Pokémon in the Max Lair and the Ultra Beasts after them are in a class of their own. If something happened to us, you're probably our last resort despite having no experience in Dynamax and Gigantimax battles."
Liko and Roy sighed sadly but the Rising Volt Tacklers (Dot and Quaxly included) and Diana understood her concerns and nodded with Diana telling her, "Alright, be careful, all of you."
Sarah nodded as Race turned to Penny and told her, "Hope this won't be too hard for you, Penny. But, after we find your father and sister, we're sending them back here for their own safety. Will that be alright?"
Penny nodded as she replied, "Mm-hmm. Thanks, Race, I appreciate it. Just as long as they're both safe..."
"Well... Anyone want to bet how many Ultra Beasts crossed over into the Max Lair besides that Necrozma?" Sophocles pondered.
"Wouldn't surprise me if the Ultra Pillars crossed over again but different from the ones we know," Kiawe said.
"A whole new set of Ultra Pillars, if that's what you're thinking," clarified Mallow knowingly.
"And, much stronger, too," added Ash.
"Here we go again," sighed Lana.
"Just what I was thinking, too. But, they probably won't be easy to deal with and the same tricks won't work on them should they react to them differently so we'll need to be more tactical on our end," agreed Lillie.
"No doubt that new Necrozma will be our final opponent and main target since it opened the Ultra Wormhole in the first place. Race and I'll take care of our giant dimensional can opener with Silvally, Blitz, Curly, his team, and my Paldea Pokémon including my Paradox Pokémon," Sarah informed.
"We'll have to work fast before they break out of the Max Lair and we'll need to split into several groups to deal with them," Race added as he and his wife assigned who will be battling which Ultra Beast.
"Ash, Kiawe, Arven, you take Snowflake and her family, Dusk, Luna, Misa, and Dawn then join the Stegozord so you can deal with Nihilego. Gloria, Giacomo, Eri, Ortega, you and the Jungle Guard join forces with the Cephalazord to take down Buzzwole. Lillie, Gladion, Penny, you three, and Rapidash and her family meet up with the Ankylozord to take on Pheromosa. Mela and Nemona, the ParasaurZord will assist you, Aqua, Snivy, Oshawott, Tepig, and my Ancient and Primal Pokémon in battling Blacephalon and Xurkitree. Brave, Nebby, Nebula, you, the Legendary Beasts, and the Hisuian Pokémon will fight alongside the Solaris and Celestial Lion Zords in a standoff against Celesteela."
"In the meantime, Mallow, Lana, you two, the Cyberspace Crew, and the Frostbite Smilodon and Inferno Phoenix Zords stop Stakataka before it goes AWOL. Zacian, Zamazenta, you two will go with Hop, Victor, Sophocles, and the Galestorm Parasaurolophus Zord to counter Kartana's speed and swordsman's honor."
"And, I'll take Guzzlord to school with help from the Thunderstrike Triceratops Zord and Eternatus," Duke offered.
"YES! Finally, I get to clobber Ol' Gobble Gobble again! That ugly mug of a muncher's gonna be sorry when it sees me!" cackled Eternatus, eager for a long-overdue round of Guzzlord-thrashing.
Everybody agreed to the arrangements but just as Lazuli stepped up, Sarah walked over and placed a hand on her chest before she adamantly told the swordswoman, "Not you. You and the Circle of Twelve are staying right here with my blood family, Diana, and the Rising Volt Tacklers."
"What are you talking about? Those Ultra Beasts haven't seen anything yet, I can help!" Lazuli protested until Mr. Hu came over and gently held her back.
"Stay here," Sarah repeated, leaving no room for arguing.
Lazuli tried to speak up before Stardust came over and nudged her gently before she neighed at her, begging her not to go with their superhero friends after what she went through and prompting Mr. Hu to add, "Let them go, kiddo. The princess is right; you've been through too much already and that encounter with Hamber, Coral, and Sidian has already got you riled up."
Goat and Snake agreed as they joined them, adding to the Female Battousai, "You must rest. You've done more than enough for us and your friends and that's a-a-a-a-a-a-all we could a-a-a-a-a-ask for."
"The princesssss ssssspeaks the truth and your mind hassssssn't recovered yet from our previoussssss ordeal with the Explorerssssss. Her wordsssss come from her heart."
Lazuli wanted to speak up and retort all that but Timburr, Roggenrola, Woobat (the three having reunited with Lazuli before the heroes made their way to the Crown Tundra), and the two spheres of light that helped to save her and the others from Coral and Glalie's last-ditch Self-Destruct had the final say, the three young Pokémon begging her to stay and the balls of light blinking in agreement to their pleas. Realizing that she had been out-numbered and knowing she wasn't ready to join her friends again in another fight off the bat, she reluctantly agreed.
Once Mr. Hu, Goat, Snake, the balls of light, Stardust, Timburr, Roggenrola, and Woobat gently ushered her to another room and thanked Sarah for stopping her before she could do any more harm to herself, the little princess turned to her blood parents before asking them, "Mom, Dad, would you two mind if you, Tsukumaro, Granny, Gramps, Sis, Nikki, James, Johnathan, and Diane look after everyone else here until we get back?"
"Of course not, sweetie."
"You be careful and don't die on us, baby," Delilah and Doug replied as the two shared a hug with their daughter.
"We'll notify Ms. Lusamine to send you Solar and the Beast Bots so they can help you," Nikki continued as Wigglytuff arrived with a crate of upgraded Beast Balls and a first-aid kit.
"They'll be ready for you when you arrive," James added.
"Good luck, Princess, children," Tsukumaro finished as the armed and reunited Power Rangers Ultra Rescue, the Paldea students, and the Viking Teens, joined by the dragons and their Pokémon, made their way to the Max Lair to meet up with the BrachioZord, the DinoThunder auxiliary Zords, and the Celestial Sanctuary Zords to prevent a Dynamax/Gigantimax ultra disaster from unfolding that would put the entire world at risk of destruction of terrifying proportions.
To Be Continued...
