"The Great Crater of Paldea encircles around the entire region we live in, and yet there is still so little we know about it. The only person who was so invested to quash the speculation of passive scientists and reveal the truth of the Great Crater's mysteries for all the world to know had his accounts laughed at. Disregarded. And worst of all, censored.
It's rather hypocritical, isn't it? We've collectively read Heath's publishings on Area Zero and dismissed them as paltry fairy tales, while readily accepting that the mysterious crater is what's granting wild Pokémon in Paldea the ability to transform themselves with crystals.
The very root of science is taking what people never think about or dismiss as myth and uncovering the truth with keen experimentation and, to really prove our burning theses, getting our hands dirty and up close with the unknown.
How do we ever expect to understand how the Terastal phenomenon occurs in Paldea without tackling the answers at the source itself, and really dissecting what truths we can find left behind from one of Paldea's most arduous researchers?
As I have often told to you readers, the surest way to build our future is to search for answers within the past.
Recently, I had the good fortune of meeting with a colleague here at the institute who shares many of my beliefs and ambitions. Imagine if we could pool our resources and fund a new expedition into the Great Crater!"
MARCH
Drayton was the only one sitting in the classroom, his face buried in his Dragon-patterned Rotom Phone.
Briar was stood at the front desk, scanning the various papers and books she'd spread out in front of her as she nervously squirmed, with her fingers touching her temples.
With a huff, she peered up at her only present attendee.
"Your friends heard the announcement too, didn't they?"
"Oh, they're coming along." Drayton said, not looking up. "Should be, anyway…"
"Perhaps we should go out and look for them?"
"Ehh, I'd say give them another minute or so. A lot kinda just happened."
"I understand that, but time is of the essence! Would you go out and see if you can find them?"
…
Drayton looked up. "…Huh? Sorry, did you say something, Ms. B?"
Briar shook her head. I'm relieved that you're not in any of MY classes…
Then, to her relief, she heard the door open.
"Oh, thank goodness!"
Both Carmine and the familiar student from the joint school trip filed in.
"Here we are, Ms. Briar," said Carmine.
"Ahh, wonderful! I was starting to get worried." But then Briar looked around and appeared anxious again. "…That's almost all of you. Where's Kieran?"
Juliana and Carmine looked at each other sadly.
"He should be on his way…" Carmine said softly.
"Hmmm," Briar grumbled. "I'd hoped you would all be in one place and able to coordinate a little…"
"Ha ha ha…!"
Their attention was brought to Drayton as he chuckled loudly at a frenetic livestream he was watching on his phone. He looked up and smiled.
"Oh! Hey, Juliana! Isn't this streamer chick from your neck of the woods?"
Juliana, her curiosity piqued, walked over to look at his phone as she heard a familiar voice.
"Huff, huff… Loyal Ionites! Please give your girl strength! Those stinkin' Grafaiai are super-duper merciless! I don't think they'll stop until they drink all my blood like disgusting vampires!"
"Oh, yeah! Of course! That's Iono!" Juliana turned her head. "What is… she doing?"
The Supercharged Streamer was in quite an unusual state. From what could be glimpsed on her Twika stream, she was in a dark forest-y area, her bi-colored hair mangled and covered in barbs, as she appeared to be under someone's pursuit.
She fiercely grabbed at the Rotom Phone filming her and declared, "These fools think they're more powerful than me! But Iono hungers for the pursuit of truth, my adoring fans! And she is stronger than a 10,000,000 thunderbolt! I'm not about to let some Team Star rascals—"
"Over yonder!" a voice called out from afar. "The glow from her communication device gleams brightly, and I hear the voice of shrill resilience! Rush forth, compatriots!"
"YEEP! Gotta go!"
"That sounds like Atticus!" said Juliana, chuckling. "What on earth did she do to get on his bad side?"
Iono's shaky image hopped around the screen as she began running.
"I am not surrendering, Ionites! This is only a tactical retreat! This isn't over, business boy! Do you hear me!? Your secrets, and the views they'll bring, will be all mine! I WILL HAVE MY LARRY BUUUMMMP—!"
Her image and voice descended into crackles of static as the stream came to an abrupt end.
"Awww. Just as her mods were about to do a giveaway," said Drayton. He grinned at Juliana and said, "Seems like you're missing a lot of crazy things back home!"
"Not that you're feeling the need to go home any time soon… right?" Carmine chimed in.
"Ahh! Yes! Juliana!" Apparently having just clocked that she was in the room, Briar got up to shake Juliana's hand. "Lovely to see you again! I don't think our paths have crossed since you started attending classes here at Blueberry."
"It's nice to see you too, Ms. Briar," Juliana smiled.
"I was very excited to hear you'd been accepted as an exchange student! The joint trip's goal of tightening our school's bonds has worked out better than I could've imagined! And how!" she raved. "I'd heard you were busy battling your way up the BB League... But to think you'd make it as far as Champion! What a dazzling accomplishment!"
"Awww, thank you so much!"
A loud throat clearing cut the air.
They all turned to see Kieran standing in the doorway, still with Lacey's coat draped over, as she herself peered in with an awkward smile.
Carmine gave Kieran a forlorn look as she prepared to take her seat. "Sorry, Ms. Briar, but could we leave all that for another time? What's this thing you wanted to tell us about?"
Kieran just groaned silently. "I'm good, Lacey. Thank you for walking me here. You can have this back."
He unshrouded Lacey's cardigan and held it out to her. She tried to not make a face even though she could smell a bit of leftover matcha scent on it.
"Oh, uhh, heh-heh! Thanks, Kieran. Bye, guys," she whispered as she slinked away.
Kieran walked in, and lightly brushed Juliana by accident… maybe, as he grumpily took his seat.
Briar had the forthwith to look embarrassed.
"My apologies... That was insensitive of me," she said solemnly, before clearing her throat. "Thank you all for coming. I'm pleased to inform you that some very special guests are here to see you today! They left for a tour of the school mere minutes ago, but I believe they'll return soon enough. In the meantime, I'll fill you all in on the situation. Please have a seat."
Juliana was about to take a seat next to Carmine, but to both hers and Carmine's surprise, Kieran decided to take the chair to her right instead.
Carmine blinked a few times, and looked at Juliana awkwardly. Juliana however, smiled pleasantly, as she took a seat at the desk directly adjacent to her.
Did Kiki listen to her…? Is he going to try to forgive me?
Kieran and Carmine exchanged glances. Carmine gave a pleased smile… which prompted Kieran to wordlessly scooch his chair an inch or so away. Carmine frowned, and was about to go off on him when Briar cleared her throat.
"Let me get straight to today's topic, then. I've got an exciting proposition for you talented students."
"A… proposition?" Carmine repeated.
Drayton threw his head back. "This is already soundin' like work…"
"I want all of you here to join me…" She paused, and clapped her hands together, to obstensibly to build some form of suspense. "…on an expedition to the secluded and mysterious Area Zero!"
Most of the students looked at her confused.
"Area… what now?" said Kieran.
Juliana's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"You're talking about… Area Zero at the bottom of the Great Crater of Paldea!?"
"Huh? Oh! Right! The Great Crater of Paldea?" Carmine realized. "That's that place you wanted to visit, right? You got permission!?"
"That's right!" Briar said confidently.
She grabbed a clicker remote on the desk and used it to light up the virtual lecture board behind her with a diagram of Area Zero and its depths. A copyright notice on the bottom of the blown-up document credited this schematic to Professor Turo circa 12 years ago.
"My main goals are to investigate the Terastal phenomenon and to gather samples of the crystals present in the center." Briar pulled out an extendable pointer as she spoke.
Carmine leaned close to Kieran and whispered, "She wants us to come with her all the way to Paldea so she can gather up some more dirt?" To her quiet delight, she heard a soft snicker from him.
"I can hear you quite well, Carmine, thank you," Briar said sternly. "But you're correct. Not a very lofty incentive on its own. To be honest, I also have one more ambition for this trip…"
She excitedly grabbed the clicker again and brought up a new picture. Juliana recognized it instantly: the strange giant orb-like entity that she had seen a drawing of inside the Violet Book.
"I'm hoping that we can find Terapagos, the Legendary Pokémon slumbering in the heart of Area Zero!" she declared, practically jabbing at the "Disk Pokémon"'s picture with her pointer.
Kieran's head had felt heavy from his loss up to this point, but now it peered up with interest.
"…Terapagos? A Legendary Pokémon?"
Briar smiled pleasingly at him, but then took note of Juliana's concerned expression.
"You remember too Juliana! Right? When I first introduced myself to you at Uva, before embarking on our field trip to Kitakami, I showed you my ancestor Heath's original manuscripts! And talked about his findings on Terapagos!"
Briar happened to have that copy with her on her desk, and she flipped it open to show it to her.
"Well… yeah! I remember all that! But…" Juliana looked immensely troubled. "That was—that was all before I knew just… how dangerous Area Zero truly is."
"Ahh, but that's why you were scouted for this opportunity, Juliana!" Briar responded. "You know the area better than anyone since your mission down there with your friends! Now with a capable adult chaperoning you, and all the combined strength of you talented Trainers, things should go just as smoothly!"
Carmine looked at Juliana weirdly. "Mission? In the Great Creater…?"
Juliana was just as puzzled. "How do you… even know about that?"
"Perhaps I can shed some light on the matter," said a voice.
Juliana gasped and stood up from her seat. "L-La Primera!? What are you doing here!?"
Geeta, the Top Champion of the Paldea region, calmly walked into the classroom, her black shoes clacking along the carpet.
"No way….!" Carmine whispered.
For all that she often disregarded and joked with her fellow club members about Geeta being the weakest out of all the Champions, Carmine still felt obliged to stand up from her seat and bow.
"Sorry we're late!" chimed the Pokémon League's loyal chief receptionist. Rika shut the door behind them, and lightly waved to Juliana with a smile. Geeta also grinned at seeing her familiar pupil's face.
"A pleasure to see you again, Champion Juliana. I hope your experiences here at Blueberry have been everything you'd hoped for them to be. Acing all of your classes, I hope?"
"You know me!" Juliana smiled modestly.
"Juliana just got crowned our new BB League Champion, too," Drayton bragged.
Geeta nodded proudly. "Your talent is as brilliant as always, I see! Even across oceans, you strive for your goals and meet them. Truly a wonderful thing."
"Thanks, ma'am," Juliana blushed.
"There you two are!" said Briar. "I was just getting the kids up to speed."
"I do apologize for my tardiness," Geeta responded. "Is it all right if I explain the situation to the children, Ms. Briar?"
"By all means," Briar nodded.
"First, allow me to introduce myself," she addressed the Blueberry students. "My name is Geeta. I am the chairwoman of the Pokémon League in the Paldea region."
"Wait, she's Geeta!? Kieran's eyebrows shot up as he whispered. "The Champion from Paldea?"
Carmine glanced at him in confusion. "Who… did you think she was?"
"A teacher from Juliana's school called La Primera…"
"More than a decade ago, our Pokémon League provided support for research on Area Zero—the great crater at the center of Paldea. Once that research was complete, we shifted our duties to monitoring and managing the area. Area Zero is full of mysteries… and also untold danger, as Champion Juliana here can attest to."
"Didn't know you were also moonlighting as a secret agent for the League, J-girl," Drayton mumbled behind her. "You're a real superstar."
"It's—it's really not that special," Juliana said meekly.
Rika sternly shushed them both.
"Generally speaking, the area is off-limits, even for research. That being said… Recently, we've had to confront the possibility that dangerous Pokémon could escape from the area. That's on top of the new phenomena certain Paldeans have been reporting. There's a clear need for further research—and quickly."
"New phenomenons?" Juliana quietly wondered.
"But at our Pokémon League, we've had trouble finding capable personnel—not to mention time—to study Area Zero. So…"
She looked Briar's way, who smiled pleasingly back.
"You reached out to me, since I've been requesting access to the area for quite some time!"
Geeta nodded back with an… odd sense of hesitancy.
"Your request coincided serendipitously with our situation, yes." She addressed the students again. "I apologize that we are not better equipped to deal with this ourselves. But we know Blueberry Academy has a wealth of highly skilled Trainers with well-trained Pokémon."
Geeta's eyes gestured directly to Kieran and Carmine, much to their surprise.
"Kieran, is it? Yours was the name that came up when I asked Briar who the strongest Trainer at this academy is, and I watched your matches with brimming curiosity. The amount of talent you built up in such a short time is unparalleled, even among the Champion Trainers I've known!"
"R-really…?" an astonished Kieran stuttered. "But I… But I just lost that title…" He threw his head down in shame.
"You lost the title… but not the strength you still possess from attaining it, right? That's what matters most."
"…"
Carmine snickered lightly. "Man, chin up, Kiki. Seriously. A freaking Champion just told you you're an amazing Trainer. I'd take that if I were you!"
"Ahh, and Miss Carmine!" Geeta faced her next. "The tales of your own battles wowed my heart as well. I was captivated by your ability to think outside of the box and come up with unpredictable strategies, and that's a valuable skill for a young, aspiring Trainer!"
Carmine blushed hard. "Gosh, uhh, t-thanks, ma—err, Geet, uhh—La Primera!" she stammered, bowing her head. She tried to ignore the loud snicker she heard from Kieran… although she hated to admit, it was very joyous to hear him giggling so much again.
"I felt very comfortable having you be part of the group. Especially given that our own Juliana has sung such high praises of you."
"Oh, has she now…?" Carmine said wryly, turning to Juliana with a smirk.
"I—Uhh! Well, yeah! Of course!" Juliana said, flustered. She pulled up her uniform collar to hide her embarrassment. "Why are you telling her that…?" she muttered quietly.
She swore she heard a quiet snort from the normally collected Rika.
"And I have more to share!"
Geeta did some quick taps on her phone, and then, motioning for Briar to deliver her a passcode, displayed an image of a very familiar friend from Paldea on-screen.
"Young Arven, the son of Area Zero's late researcher Professor Turo, has just gotten back to me on short notice and confirmed that he will be participating in the expedition with you."
"Very short notice…" Rika grumbled quietly to herself. "Like half an hour ago."
"Really!? Arven's coming?" Juliana said in surprise.
"Oh yeah! That's one of the friends you told me about in your letter, isn't it?" Carmine recalled.
"Yeah." Juliana was both excited and a little curious. "I never… thought he would want to step foot in Area Zero again after everything we went through…"
"What a splendid turnaround!" said Briar, clasping her hands together. "Having the Professors' son be a part of our little expedition will really pay off for us!"
"It's fair to say nobody knows the area as well as Arven. Well, nobody we could trace anyway…" Geeta mumbled that last part. "And with Champion Juliana also on the team, I knew I could safely initiate a new expedition."
"This is entirely voluntary, of course," said Briar. "But it would be very reassuring to have you with us!"
"Hmmm…"
"And all of you, as well!" she addressed the Blueberry trio. "What do you say? Will you all join our little team as we explore Area Zero?"
Carmine had a finger to her head. "Well, it does sound interesting…" But before she could speak further—
"YES!" Juliana stood up eagerly. "We'll do it!"
"Huh!?"
"Splendid! Well said, Champion Juliana," said Geeta.
Juliana noticed the baffled look Carmine was giving her.
"Come on, Carmine! It'll be so great! You've always talked about loving to explore wild lands like back home in Kitakami, right? Area Zero is like… the peak of that! The ultimate unexplored place!"
"Yeah, but—but… You also just said it was very dangerous… What about—"
She didn't want to say Kieran's name out loud, but still gestured her head in his direction, which he picked up on.
"Why are you worried about me? Like you just said, even the big Champion Geeta thinks I'm a strong enough Trainer to do it!"
Kieran stood up, with a newly emboldened expression on his face.
"…I'm going. If there's really a Legendary Pokémon there, I want to find it… and catch it for myself!" He clenched his fist. "This time… I won't let this chance go!"
Carmine stared at him, and began huffing to herself.
"Well… crap. I think it's already decided that I'm going, then."
"Your support will be very useful as always, Carmine," Briar nodded. "I appreciate having you three on board!"
"Hey, uh…" Drayton half-heartedly raised his hand. "Sorry, but I'll pass on this one."
"Oh! Really?"
"Yeah… The League Club's a whole mess right now. We need my steady hand on the wheel here."
"Suuuure…" Carmine rolled her eyes. "You just don't want to travel all the way to the Great Crater, because after everything you just told us about whole your whole plot to sabotage Kiki, I'll drop you into a huge hole as soon as we're alone, right?"
"Heh. Guilty." He laid his head down on the desk as if he was getting ready to take a nap. "A Blueberry Academy free from all your yelling for a few days sounds like paradise in Unova…"
Juliana lightly chuckled at Drayton's propensity for laziness. Unseen to everyone else, Rika shook her head.
You haven't changed at all since Hassel introduced me to you… I was wondering why they would put that Drayton kid's name up for this.
"Then it's decided!" said Briar. "It's too bad that Drayton won't be joining us, but it seems the team will consist of Carmine, Kieran, Juliana, and myself! And Arven too! It'll be just like the joint Kitakami trip all over again, won't it? I knew all the way back then you kids were forging a tight bond with each other."
"You have my thanks for your help on this matter," Geeta said to her. "The more we can learn about mysteries still untapped within the Great Crater's core, the better for all of Paldea. I look forward to the great findings that you will no doubt bring back!"
This Geeta lady sure is a woman of high expectations… Carmine thought to herself.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity, Geeta! Leave it to me," Briar responded. "My dream of exploring Area Zero is finally becoming a reality!"
The sun had been setting for a while by the time everyone finished coordinating for the trip. Geeta agreed to pay everyone's fare for a plane with a sleeper class so that the group could embark immediately but still get a good night's rest before landing in Paldea.
Once they were all finally dismissed, each of them began filing out of the classroom. Juliana picked up her bag from her desk, and hoisted it over herself as she prepared to leave, when Drayton cleared his throat.
"Yo, Juliana!" He was still slumped over at his desk.
"What's up, Drayton?"
"That tall glass of chocolate… he's your friend?"
Drayton pointed at the picture of Arven still present on the virtual board.
"Uhhh, yeah?"
"Mind getting his phone number for me?"
Juliana laughed. "I uhh, I don't really think he swings that way, Drayton."
"Really? Awww…" He laid his head back down. "What a waste of a pretty face."
Juliana was still chuckling to herself as she walked out of the classroom. She only stopped when she realized Carmine was standing there waiting.
"A-heh-hem!"
Juliana was surprised to see Carmine looking so cross.
"Can we talk for a minute?"
"Is… something wrong, Carmine?"
"Is something wrong? Is something wrong!?" Carmine repeated back angrily. "What was that all about, volunteering all of us at once without asking!? To go somewhere YOU YOURSELF said is very dangerous!"
She was full-on seething now. Her fists shaking, pupils shrunken, the whole nine yards.
"Well, I, I…" Juliana wasn't prepared to have to justify herself. "With you, and Kieran, and Arven tagging along, I thought it sounded fun. And I thought—I thought you said you were interested!"
"I did, but you didn't even give me a chance to think about it AND you got Kiki all excited about this when this is the LAST thing he should be doing right now!" she declared, tightly pulling on her hair. "I know you're prone to rash decisions, but at least think for once before you rope me and especially Kiki into this!"
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean!? Come on, THINK Juliana! You and I literally just served Kiki the biggest humiliating loss ever! He thinks he just lost everything!"
"But… now he's excited about catching a Legendary Pokémon for himself. Isn't that goo—"
"That might be what he wants, but what he NEEDS is proper rest! Not being encouraged to explore a dangerous place!" Carmine barked bark. "You know how he always was with the ogre's den! He needs—NO! You need the rest! What about your freaking leg!?"
Juliana stretched out her leg. "My ankle's fine now, Carmine! Really! You gotta stop worrying so mu—"
"ONE OF US has to worry for everyone when you won't!" she retorted. "I have half a mind to march right back to Briar and tell her we're pulling out and you two can go to the Crater all by yourself if you want!"
"But then… Kieran—"
"Yeah, I know. He'll be depressed again; he'll probably even hate me for it." Carmine sighed heavily. "But my grandparents would hate me even more if I let something bad happen to him. Remember what I said before…? About doing things you know will hurt someone even though it's for their own good? Now you've put me in that position, so thanks for that."
"I just…" Juliana's head sunk. "I'm sorry. I really was just trying to help… I didn't—mean for any of this…"
The girl's body slunk against the wall. Her calm demeanor gave way to hurried breaths as Juliana began to feel overcome with guilt.
"Every time I try to help you guys get close again…" Her eyes began to get glossy. "Why does it—feel like I just keep making it worse?"
The anger in Carmine's face softened to see Juliana suddenly be in such a vulnerable state. It got even worse when she thought she heard a sniffle. For as angry as she was right now… it was starting to crush her heart to see Juliana beating herself up like this.
Now Carmine felt completely indecisive. Throwing her head back, she decided to cool her jets and broach this subject more delicately.
"Alright. Listen, Juliana. If you really want us to do this with you… I'm going to need the whole story here. Just what happened when you and this Arven dude did your little secret mission down in that Area Zero place?"
The door creaked open to Kieran's dark dorm room.
He almost felt like he was… walking into a different zone. He had exited it this morning, the Champion of the BB League, determined to defend his title.
Now he was back in it… as a disgraced ex-Champion. Thoroughly beaten and humiliated.
In all the excitement that had happened immediately after his crushing loss, Kieran had barely had time to process his emotions. But… even now. Finally having a minute to himself inside his safe space, Kieran… couldn't really bring himself to feel anything.
His soul felt as empty as the air in this dim room, the only light coming from the hallway. The only thing it shone on in that room was his wall… his little, wall of pictures.
And the messages he wrote on them. The arrows, all pointing to the center… To that dumb smiling face of hers.
Kieran's first instinct, as had been many times since he found it in the ogre's cave, was to rub his charm for luck. But as his hand dug into his pocket, he stopped.
Because even this charm of his, he realized, had failed him. Massively. He took in its strangely intoxicating, calming scents this morning, hoping it would carry him to victory.
Instead, he looked like a loser in front of the whole student body, who all lost their respect for him in a blazing moment, to cheer on his sister… and his traitorous ex-friend.
Huffing grumpily through his nose, he forcefully dug the Pecha Berry out of his pocket, and set it on top of his desk.
"Some good luck charm you are…"
Kieran stared at the ripe Berry, as if a tiny part of him still expected it to do something. Nothing. Not even a faint scent of sweetness.
"I don't need luck…" He grumbled. "I'm going to catch myself a big Legendary Pokémon, and prove that I'm finally strong enough to not need anyone. Just ME! And my own skills! Then… then maybe Carmine will finally see that she should've been supporting me instead of…"
He looked back at his wall collage again.
"…instead of her."
He pounded his chest lightly with his fist, and turned around to start walking out.
As he turned his back on the Pecha Berry, a light purple mist did finally start to rise up from its leaves. It stretched out, and tried to reach for Kieran… almost taking the shape of—some sort of chain.
But it couldn't hold. Just as Kieran finally sensed something, and turned around, the mist dissipated completely.
Kieran looked around the room. Nothing out of the ordinary.
"…Hmmph."
Then he closed the door.
"…and after that, he just—disappeared into the light. Off into the distant future, hoping to find his own happiness. The machine was shut off. Paldea was saved. We all celebrated, and… yeah. That was it. After that, we just left Area Zero and headed home. They made us promise not to tell anyone, so… that's why I never told you about any of that and—yeah."
Carmine, having listened to this whole fantastic tale, was pacing back and forth while pinching the bridge of her nose.
"So… Hordes of freakish killer robots from the future. An evil time machine. And an AI-powered robot copy of some dead guy." She turned back to Juliana, looking utterly exasperated. "THAT'S what you've just signed us up for?"
Juliana shook her head. "I told you. There's no danger with the time machine anymore. It's been shut off now, so it isn't bringing in any more rampaging Pokémon. And the AI Turo is gone too. All that should be left down there now is just… whatever Paradoxes are still running around. Our Pokémon are all strong enough together to take 'em down if we run into them!"
Carmine sighed heavily.
"Yeah. Yeah, nothing to fear… unless that giant Terapagos thing Briar was talking about turns out to be real, and isn't friendly."
"You're not scared of that Pokémon, are you? Big, strong Carmine?"
Carmine snickered a little.
"Y'know… sometimes I'm jealous of you, Juliana. I wish I could go through life as carefree and as positive as you do. But…" She clasped her hand over her heart. "As much as I could try, I'll never be like that. I always got too much to think about and my mind's always racing like a Zapdos-charged battery. Especially when it comes to Kiki…"
She looked away from Juliana with closed eyes and a tempered expression.
Juliana hoisted her bag up and looked up at Carmine with a sure face.
"If anything goes wrong, you'll be there to protect him. I know you will. But he's also not a little kid anymore. You saw how powerful his Pokémon are. He—"
"Yes. Yes, thank you. We all know he's not some little twig who'll break anymore." Carmine sighed. "Who am I kidding, anyway? There's gonna be no talking him down from this. Kiki doesn't listen to me when I threaten him anymore. So I'm gonna have to do the only thing I can. To be there when he gets in trouble."
"So… you are okay with going?"
"You've locked me into a real corner here, missy…" Carmine said gravely. "I don't have much of a choice here, do I?"
Her change in demeanor put Juliana a little on edge. She'd been hoping to see the Kieran she knew in Kitakami return. But… apparently, that also comes with the Carmine from before resurfacing as well.
"But let's make one thing clear. If something does go wrong, and I do have to step in to save him… it won't be Drayton who'll be tossed into a deep pit."
She faced Juliana this time, this time with the grave expression of a haunting ghost.
"…It'll be YOU."
Juliana reared back, a little shaken. Carmine had threatened her for Kieran's safety before, but—never quite like that.
"Umm… aye-aye?"
"Good to hear!" Just like the turn of a dime, Carmine went back to all smiles and lovingly pat Juliana on the head. "Now that we've got that out of the way, I'll see you on the plane!"
Carmine did her two-handed wave with a gleeful expression and began walking out. Juliana, still a little flustered, meekly waved with her hand.
"Umm… okay. Bye?"
She watched Carmine's departing back, her hair swaying in motion as the Kitakamite girl seemed to walk calmly, as if she hadn't just taken on the visage of a vengeful Banette seconds ago.
What was that about…?
She heard a light snicker behind her, and turned around to see Rika and Geeta peering from the doorway.
"Your friend's quite the eccentric one," Rika noted.
"Ummm, yeah she's… …yeah."
"Forgive us for the intrusion, but if you could spare a moment… we have some private matters to discuss with you," said Geeta.
"…Okay."
Juliana apprehensively followed the two of them back into the now-empty classroom.
Once she had turned the corner, Carmine dropped her smiling face and dove right into the nearest girls' restroom.
She turned on the sink and let the water run as she splashed her face, and then pounded on the porcelain.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! What's wrong with you!?" she scolded herself, grasping at her roots. "The girl you have a crush on, who you were just about to confess to, and now you threatened to DROP HER INTO A PIT! She's probably going to want nothing to do with you now."
She sighed big heavy breaths as she gazed upon her own stress-laden face in the mirror, the bangs between her eyes dripping with water, and the mascara beginning to run down her cheeks like dirty tears.
"Why…? Why can't I turn off the angry side of me when it comes to Kieran? I mean—it's true! I care about protecting him and all, but… but!"
Carmine splashed her face again, and took another look at the pitied expression in the mirror.
That's the first time he sat next to me in months. I was so happy, like he's on the path to forgiving me… But wanting that instantly makes me turn on Juliana?
Is there just… not enough room in my heart for the both of them? Is that—is that why I started brushing Kiki aside the more I wanted to hang out with Juliana?
Hearing how nonsensical that sounded in her head, Carmine clapped the sides of her face with her hands.
"No…! You're being ridiculous, Carmine! You can learn how to care about both of them at the same time…"
She gazed up and flicked her wet bangs away to look at her own tired eyes.
"…right?"
"It has been a while, Champion Juliana."
"It sure has," Juliana nodded back.
"Not gonna lie, I never dreamed we'd be meeting up with each other on these school grounds!" said Rika. "I've been here numerous times with Hassel and Larry on special trips, but never with one of our own Champions!"
"Oh yeah! How are Mr. Hassel and Mr. Larry doing right now?"
"They're doing great!" Rika nodded. "Hassel's been really putting himself into his art lately, and Larry… Larry's actually doing really well for himself lately."
A little too well… she silently mused, thinking about how strangely eager and chatty Larry was at the League the other day. He sure has gotten a lot more chipper since he and Katy have started hanging out with each other…
"Poppy asks about you all the time too," she chuckled. "You really made an impression on her."
"Awww, that's so sweet!" Juliana gushed. "What about Penny? You don't—happen to know how she's doing working for you guys at the League, do you? …Or Nemona?"
"Do you not keep in touch with them or something, kiddo?" Rika said, confused.
"Uhh, well…"
"You've been living a very busy life on a new campus, so it's understandable," said Geeta. "I see that you are putting your skills to good use and living up to your title as a Paldea Champion even while abroad."
"That's what Champions do!" Juliana grinned.
"Ha… indeed," Geeta chuckled. "I would expect nothing less from a talented Trainer such as yourself!"
"Yeah, definitely got talent. Lotsa talent…" Then Rika's expression became furious. "But not enough to get you off the hook!"
Juliana gulped in surprise. "Huh!?"
"You didn't think your ol' pal Rika was just going to forget about scolding you for trespassing into Area Zero behind our backs, did you!? I have a mind like a Copperajah, never forgetting!" She snarled her lip. "But NOW I'm also hearing rumors that you actually CAUGHT one of those Paradox Pokémon and have been using it in battles!? I hope you'd had ample time to THINK about the recklessness of your actions!"
Juliana awkwardly twiddled her fingers together.
"That's… what… Champions do?" she said with a meek smile.
Rika looked dumbfounded.
"Wh—what's that got to do with anything!?" she responded, exasperated. "You can't go breaking rules willy-nilly just because you're a Champion! I don't care how many places you go about getting that title in!"
"Rika…" Geeta chided her assistant. "As it stands now, we have good reason to believe all of Paldea would have been at risk if Champion Juliana and her friends hadn't ventured into Area Zero, just like we're about to ask them to do now."
"Well yeah, I mean that's true, but…"
"It would've also been… preferrable for you to run permission by us before catching any of the Pokémon dwelling in Area Zero."
"I don't… have to give back my Iron Bundle, do I?" Juliana asked with great worry.
"By now, you've likely formed a great bond with it, so… no. So long as you're careful never to disclose to anyone its true origins to anyone, we should have no further trouble there."
Rika turned her chin up. "Fine. I guess I'll let you off the hook for real. You'd better thank the boss for steppin' in."
Juliana giggled awkwardly. "Thanks for the save, La Primera!"
Geeta nodded with a smile. "Now that we've exchanged pleasantries, we should get down the root of the issue."
"Which is…?"
"This time, you'll be heading to Area Zero with official League permission. To be completely blunt, it's a move of desperation on our part. As is entrusting someone like Ms. Briar with classified information only a handful have ever laid eyes upon."
"Is something wrong in Area Zero?" asked Juliana.
"There have been… strange reports lately. Multiple accounts have witnessed a green light seeming to shimmer over the clouds above the Great Crater on occasion."
"And some folks, like your friends actually, have also started hearing weird sounds in the air when they Terastallize their Pokémon," said Rika.
"Oh… yeah! I've—I actually just heard weird noises earlier today when we all Terastallized our Pokémon in that battle!" Juliana recalled.
Geeta and Rika exchanged worried glances at each other.
"So it's happening even when the Terastal phenomenon activates here… that is concerning," said Geeta. "I don't know why these strange occurrences have started happening, but given the crisis that was narrowly prevented from falling upon Paldea the first time, it bears all urgency to investigate. Thus, I have informed Ms. Briar of the previous incident at Area Zero—obfuscating certain details, and asked her to get into contact with you."
"Speaking of, Boss… Didn't you say you had something to give to that Briar person?"
"Mmm. Very astute, Rika. In fact, I made a judgment call at the last minute, and I believe this item would be much safer in Champion Juliana's hands. Would you be so kind as to take this for me?"
Geeta reached into her black briefcase, patterned with Uva Academy's purple symbol, and handed Juliana a shimmering disk that glowed in various shades of blue, red, and purple.
"What is it?"
"It's called the Indigo Disk. It seems to be tied to the Professor's research in Area Zero in some way. More specifically…" Geeta paused, and turned to Rika. "What do you think? Should I indulge Juliana with the full truth?"
"Hmmm." Rika thought hard for a few seconds. "I think… yeah. Yeah, we should be transparent about this as possible if we want answers to it. Just so long as we can trust her to keep a shut lip about it."
"Indeed. Miss Juliana… I'm about to share with you some very sensitive information, something very few people are aware of. Can I trust you not to disclose it to anyone else?"
Juliana gulped. "Not even… Ms. Briar? Or my friends?"
"I will allow you to use your own discretion. But perhaps as I explain this to you, you'll understand my trepidation. You see, a little over a decade ago, when Professor Turo was still alive and conducting his research within the Crater, Uva Academy's director at the time, Harrington, was serving as the coordinator to his research."
"Mr. Harrington? The same guy I met who's Ortega's piano teacher now?"
"So you have met him. Very good! Yes. He was the one entrusted with receiving and documenting Turo's research in the outside world at the time."
She started speaking a little more gravely.
"One day… Harrington received something very mysterious from within the Crater. A package containing a bunch of strange documents that seemed to detail things in Area Zero, let's say—outside of what the Professor's field of focus had been.
They talked about… a series of caverns below the deepest point of Area Zero. About strange phenomena such as Pokémon with the ability to Terastallize into an even greater power. And strange never before seen Pokémon, not unlike the Paradoxes you've described. But also…"
Geeta grabbed Briar's clicker and pulled the image of the Disk Pokémon up on screen again.
"Terapagos. Supposedly slumbering in the center of Area Zero's core. Exactly as described in the Violet Book, and further theorized as being… the very source of the Terastal phenomenon itself." She then pointed at the Indigo Disk Juliana was holding. "That mysterious Disk you now hold in your hand… was included in that package, along with Tera Shards of an unusual coloring."
"Whoa…!" Juliana's eyes lit up with all this new information. "That's—that's crazy! I can't believe the Professor's AI never talked about Turo finding any of this stuff!"
Geeta and Rika exchanged glances again, and Rika answered, "Well… see. That right there is where things get really screwy."
"What do you mean?"
Geeta took a deep breath.
"When Harrington contacted Professor Turo to confirm that he'd received the package all of these research notes and trinkets… the Professor seemed—utterly clueless. He had—absolutely no idea what Harrington was talking about."
"Huh?" Juliana tilted her head.
"According to Harrington, Professor Turo acted like he had never heard of these 'underdepths' or anything called Terapagos. He insisted that all of that was just a legend, and that these things Harrington had received must all be an elaborate hoax."
"That's… weird," Juliana said worryingly.
"You're telling me!" Rika agreed.
"Harington checked with his couriers multiple times. Despite Turo's claims, the documents had unmistakably been retrieved from a source within Area Zero."
"The Professor used to lead a team of researchers down there. Eventually however, the group had dwindled down to just Turo and his assistant. And even she had departed the project and was no longer known to be living in Paldea at the time this package was received. So Turo may well have been right about these documents being a hoax. And yet…"
"…And yet?"
"Here is the most concerning part," said Geeta. "I asked Ms. Briar for a chance to examine Heath's original notes from his own research into Area Zero, before his publisher had large swaths of it erased or made illegible. Briar has sworn to me that nobody outside her family has ever seen the full uncensored manuscripts."
"And?"
Geeta closed her eyes.
"…And it turns out that these mysterious research notes, talking of Terapagos and hidden caverns underneath Area Zero with strange Pokémon… match Heath's own findings to the letter. Findings no other human eyes have read."
"So, the question lingers," said Rika. "If all those documents somehow match everything Heath said he saw in Area Zero, and Professor Turo really didn't send them… then who did?"
Chills ran down Juliana's spine.
"Somebody else must have been down there, doing their own secret research."
"It is… highly improbable that somebody could have sneaked their way into Area Zero completely undetected by anyone, and not only located a place farther down than Turo's own research took him with seemingly no funding or resources of their own, but to have even intercepted Turo's delivery system without him knowing. But—we have to consider it in the realm of possibility. Now you see where my concern lies."
"And why you don't want something like that going around…"
"This was my ulterior reason for agreeing to Briar's requests for a second expedition. Area Zero still has many secrets buried in its core, and the fate of Paldea hangs in the balance until we have uncovered them all. To have a direct descendant of Heath accompany you is pragmatic, as no adult knows of Heath's findings as well as her. But to be honest…"
Geeta put a finger to her forehead.
"…I, am putting all of my trust onto you, Juliana. I want you to discover the truth of the hidden treasure of Area Zero and put mine—no, all of our minds at ease, once and for all."
Juliana gulped.
"That's quite a tall order for a teenager," Rika snarked.
"But I know Champion Juliana and her friends are more than equipped to take whatever surprises Area Zero has left to throw at them. Aren't you?"
Juliana hoisted her bag up again, and with emboldened confidence, looked at Geeta with determined eyes.
"We sure are! Don't worry, La Primera. My friends and I will solve the mystery of Area Zero, and make sure nobody in Paldea has to worry about it ever again!"
"Very good!"
"Heh. Look at the stones on you, kiddo. Even from when you completed the League Challenge, you've really come a long way."
"My trust lies in you, Champion Juliana! Now, please be sure to prepare yourself for a long flight, and get some rest before you begin your adventure."
"Aye-aye, ma'am!"
Juliana saluted her before waving at the both of them and exiting.
"See ya round!" Rika waved back. After Juliana left, she shook her head. "Man. Seriously never met a Trainer like her. I almost envy her boundless optimism."
"Indeed," Geeta agreed. Her expression softened. "…Most interesting, Rika."
"Hmm?"
"So you decided in the end… not to share your tantalizing theory with her."
Rika's smile dropped.
"Mmm. Well… yeah. No."
She sadly looked back upon her own personal satchel. Rika had various charms, forms of stationery… and a couple of old magazines sticking out of it.
"I don't know why, I just… couldn't bring myself to, I guess. Especially now that Arven's changed his mind about going. It was—just a theory after all."
Geeta nodded. "Of course. You were worried about the waves it might send if you told Juliana your thoughts and she ended up confiding them in Arven."
Rika's long green ahoge drooped downwards.
"He already looked so sad about his dad. I just—I don't want to cause even more grief if my hunch turns out to be wrong…"